Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Twenty-Seven

解縛不二

Non-duality of Unbinding

律師持律自縛。自縛亦能縛他。外作威儀恬靜。心內恰似洪波。不駕生死船筏。如何度得愛河。不解真宗正理。邪見言辭繁多。有二比丘犯律。便卻往問優波。優波依律說罪。轉增比丘網羅。方丈室中居士。維摩便即來訶。優波默然無對。淨名說法無過。而彼戒性如空。不在內外娑婆。勸除生滅不肯。忽悟還同釋迦。

The vinaya master upholds the precepts and binds himself; binding himself, he can also bind others. Externally he makes a dignified and calm demeanor; within his mind it is exactly like great waves. Not piloting the raft of birth and death, how can he cross the river of craving? Not understanding the true principle of the true teaching, his deviant views and words are many. There were two bhikshus who violated the precepts, so they went to ask Upali. Upali explained the offense according to the precepts, further increasing the bhikshus' net and snare. The layman in the ten-foot-square room, Vimalakirti, then came to rebuke him. Upali was silent and had no reply; Vimalakirti's teaching of the dharma was without fault. And that nature of precepts is like emptiness, not located inside or outside the Saha world. He urged them to eliminate birth and death, but they would not; suddenly they awakened and became equal to Shakyamuni.

境照不二

Non-duality of Object and Illumination

禪師體離無明。煩惱從何處生。地獄天堂一相。涅槃生死空名。亦無貪瞋可斷。亦無佛道可成。眾生與佛平等。自然聖智惺惺。不為六塵所染。句句獨契無生。正覺一念玄解。三世坦然皆平。非法非律自制。翛然真入圓成。絕此四句百非。如空無作無依。

The Chan master's essence is free of ignorance; from where would afflictions arise? Hell and heaven are one mark; nirvana and birth-and-death are empty names. There is also no greed or anger to cut off, and no Buddha-path to accomplish. Sentient beings and Buddhas are equal; naturally the sage's wisdom is alert and aware. Not stained by the six dusts, each phrase uniquely accords with the unborn. With one thought of perfect enlightenment, mysterious understanding, the three times are peacefully all equal. Not dharma and not precept, self-controlled, freely truly entering perfect accomplishment. Cutting off these four propositions and hundred negations, like emptiness, without action and without reliance.

運用無礙

Unobstructed Functioning

我今滔滔自在。不羨公王卿宰。四時猶若金剛。苦樂心常不改。法寶喻於須彌。智慧廣於江海。不為八風所牽。亦無精進懈怠。任性浮沈若顛。散誕縱橫自在。遮莫刀劍臨頭。我自安然不採。

I now am vast and free, not envying dukes, kings, ministers, or officials. The four seasons are like vajra; in suffering and joy my mind constantly does not change. The dharma treasure is likened to Mount Sumeru; wisdom is broader than rivers and seas. Not pulled by the eight winds, and also without diligence or laziness. Following my nature, floating and sinking as if mad, unconstrained and unrestrained, vertically and horizontally at ease. Even if swords and blades come at my head, I myself remain peaceful and pay no heed.

迷悟不二

Non-duality of Delusion and Awakening

迷時以空為色。悟即以色為空。迷悟本無差別。色空究竟還同。愚人喚南作北。智者達無西東。欲覓如來妙理。常在一念之中。陽焰本非其水。渴鹿狂趁怱怱。自身虛假不實。將空更欲覓空。世人迷倒至甚。如犬吠雷叿叿。

When deluded, one takes emptiness as form; when awakened, one takes form as emptiness. Delusion and awakening are originally without difference; form and emptiness ultimately return to the same. Foolish people call south north; the wise understand there is no west or east. If one wishes to seek the Tathagata's wondrous principle, it is always within a single thought. The sun's rays are originally not water, yet thirsty deer madly chase them in haste. One's own body is false and unreal; one wants to use emptiness further to seek emptiness. People of the world are extremely deluded and upside down, like dogs barking at thunder with a booming din.

歸宗至真禪師智常頌一首

One verse by Chan Master Zhichang, the Zhizhen Chan Master of Guizong

歸宗事理絕。日輪正當午。自在如師子。不與物依怙。獨步四山頂。優遊三大路。欠呿飛禽墜。嚬呻眾邪怖。機竪箭易及。影沒手難覆。施張若工伎。裁剪如尺度。巧鏤萬般名。歸宗還似土。語默音聲絕。旨妙情難措。棄箇眼還聾。取箇耳還瞽。一鏃破三關。分明箭後路。可憐大丈夫。先天為心祖(體字函涅槃經二十七卷真師子王晨朝出穴嚬呻欠呿)。

Returning to the Source, matter and principle are cut off. The sun's disc is exactly at noon. Free and at ease like a lion, it does not rely on anything. Walking alone atop the four mountain peaks, roaming leisurely on the three great paths. When it yawns, flying birds fall; when it frowns and groans, all evil beings are terrified. When the trigger is set up, arrows easily reach; when the shadow has vanished, the hand cannot cover it. Stretching and arranging like a craftsman's skill, cutting and tailoring like rule and measure. Skillfully carving ten thousand kinds of names, returning to the source is still like earth. Speech and silence, sound and voice are cut off; the essential wonder is hard to place in feeling. Cast away an eye and one becomes deaf; take up an ear and one becomes blind. One arrowhead breaks through the three gates, clearly the road after the arrow. Pitiful is the great man, from before Heaven he is the ancestor of mind. (Ti-zi fascicle, Nirvana Sutra, volume 27: the true lion king comes out of his cave at dawn, frowns, groans, and yawns.)

香嚴襲燈大師智閑頌一十九首

Nineteen Verses by Chan Master Zhixian, Great Master Xideng of Xiangyan

授指

Pointing Out the Finger

古人骨多靈異。賢子孫密安置。此一門成孝義。人未達莫差池。須志固遣狐疑。得安靜不傾危。向即遠求即離。取即急失即遲。無計校忘覺知。濁流識今古偽。一剎那通變異。嵯峨山石火氣。內裡發焚巔𡻭。無遮欄燒海底。法網疎靈焰細。六月臥去衣被。蓋不得無假偽。達道人唱祖意。我師宗古來諱。唯此人善安置。足法財具慚愧。不虛施用處諦。有人問少呵氣。更審來說米貴。

The ancients' bones are mostly wondrous and numinous. Worthy descendants secretly arrange them. This one gate becomes filial righteousness. People who have not yet understood, do not be remiss. One must be firm in resolve and dispel fox-like doubt. Attain quiet calm and do not topple into danger. To turn toward it is to be far; to seek it is to leave it. To grasp it is to be urgent; to lose it is to be slow. Without calculation, forget knowing and awareness. Turbid streams' consciousness makes past and present false. In a single instant it penetrates transformation and change. Towering mountains, stone and fire's breath. Within, it issues forth and burns the peaks and ridges. (The last character in the base text follows the mountain radical; its identification is uncertain, so it is left in doubt.) Without obstruction it burns the ocean floor. The Dharma net is sparse, the numinous flame is fine. In the sixth month, lie down and cast off clothing and bedding. There is no covering, no falsehood. The person who has arrived at the Way sings the ancestral intention. My master's lineage has from ancient times kept the taboo name. Only this person is good at arranging. Sufficient in Dharma wealth, complete in shame and conscience. Not falsely applied, the place of use is precise. If someone asks, a little puff of breath is few. Investigate further: rice is said to be expensive.

最後語

Final Words

有一語全規矩。休思惟不自許。路逢達道人。揚眉省來處。蹋不著多疑慮。卻思看帶伴侶。一生參學事無成。殷勤抱得旃檀樹。

There is one phrase that fully accords with the rule. Rest from thinking; do not approve of yourself. On the road meeting a person who has arrived at the Way, raise the eyebrows and examine where he comes from. If you do not tread upon it, you will have many doubts. Yet think and look, and bring a companion. A lifetime of learning and practice comes to nothing; diligently you embrace a sandalwood tree.

暢玄與崔大夫

Expressing the Profound, with Grand Master Cui

達人多隱顯。不定露形儀。語下不遺跡。密密潛護持。動容揚古路。明妙乃方知。應物但施設。莫道不思議。

The person who has arrived at the Way is mostly hidden or manifest, not fixed in revealing bodily demeanor. Beneath words he leaves no trace, secretly and closely protecting and maintaining. Moving his countenance, he raises up the ancient road; only when bright and wondrous does one then know. Responding to things, he merely sets them up; do not say it is inconceivable.

達道場與城陰行者

Arriving at the Bodhimanda, with the Practitioner of the City's Shade

理奧絕思量。根尋徑路長。因茲知隔闊。無那被封疆。人生須特達。起坐覺馨香。清淨如來子。安然坐道場。

The principle is profound, cut off from thought and measure; tracing its roots, the road is long. Because of this one knows separation and distance; what can be done about being enclosed by boundaries. In life one must be specially penetrating; rising and sitting, one feels a fragrant scent. The pure Tathagata's child sits peacefully at the bodhimanda.

一滴滴水一焰焰火。飲水人醉向火人老。不飲不向無復安臥。抝折弓箭蹋倒射垛。若人要知先去鉤錐。人須問我我是阿誰。快道快道。

One drop of water, one blaze of fire. The one who drinks water is drunk; the one who faces fire grows old. Neither drinking nor facing, one can no longer lie at ease. Break the bow and arrows, trample the target down. If a person wants to know, first remove the hook and awl. A person must ask me: who am I? Speak quickly, speak quickly.

與臨濡縣行者

With the Practitioner of Linru County

丈夫咄哉久被塵埋。我因今日得入山來。揚眉示我因茲眼開。老僧手風書處龍鍾。語下有意的出樊籠。

Alas, a great man, long buried in dust. Because of today I have been able to enter the mountains. He raised his eyebrows to show me, and because of this my eyes opened. The old monk's hands are palsied; wherever he writes, he is doddering. Beneath the words there is an intention: truly emerging from the cage.

顯旨

Revealing the Essential

思遠神儀奧。精虛履踐通。見聞離影像。密際語前蹤。得意塵中妙。投機露道容。藏明照警覺。肯可達真宗。

Thought reaches afar to the profundity of the spirit's demeanor; essence is empty, and practice and realization penetrate. Seeing and hearing are free of images and shadows; secretly it reaches the traces before words. Attaining the meaning, one is wondrous amid dust; striking the opportunity, one reveals the countenance of the Way. Storing brightness, shining and alert, can one thereby reach the true teaching?

三句後意

The Meaning After the Three Phrases

書出語多虛。虛中帶有無。卻向書前會。放卻意中珠。

What is written in books is mostly false. Within the false there is being and non-being. Yet turn to what is before the book; let go the pearl in the mind.

答鄭郎中問二首

Answering Director Zheng's Questions, Two Verses

語中埋跡聲前露容。即時妙會古人同風。響應機宜無自他宗。訶起騃蟒奮迅成龍。

Beneath words he buries traces; before sound he reveals his countenance. Instantly he wondrously understands; with the ancients he shares the same wind. Responding to opportunities, there is no self or other lineage. Rebuking the stupid python, he rouses himself and becomes a dragon.

語裡埋筋骨。音聲染道容。即時才妙會。拍手趁乖龍。

Within words he buries bones and sinews. In sound and voice he dyes the countenance of the Way. Only when instantly one wondrously understands does one clap the hands and chase the unruly dragon.

譚道

Discussing the Way

的的無兼帶。獨運何依賴。路逢達道人。莫將語默對。

Truly, without dualistic accompaniment. Moving alone, on what does it depend? On the road meeting a person who has arrived at the Way, do not confront him with speech or silence.

妙旨迅速言說來遲。才隨語會迷卻神機。揚眉當問對面熙怡。是何境界同道方知。

The wondrous essential is swift; words and explanations come too slowly. As soon as one accords with the words, one loses the spirit's mechanism. Raise the eyebrows and ask directly; face to face, be bright and joyful. What realm is this? Only one who shares the Way knows.

明道

Clarifying the Way

思思似有蹤。明明不知處。借問示宗賓。徐徐暗迴顧。

Thinking and thinking, it seems there is a trace. Bright and clear, one does not know its place. Ask the guest who points to the lineage; slowly and secretly look back.