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

因覽寶林傳

On reading the Baolin Zhuan.

祖月禪風集寶林。二千餘載道堪尋。雖分西國與東國。不隔人心到佛心。迦葉最初傳去盛。慧能末後得來深。覽斯頓悟超凡眾。嗟彼常迷古與今。

The ancestral moon and Chan wind gather in Baolin. For over two thousand years the Way can be sought. Though divided into Western countries and Eastern countries, it does not separate the human mind from the Buddha-mind. Kashyapa was the first to transmit it, and it flourished. Huineng obtained it last, and it became deep. Reading this, one suddenly awakens and transcends the ordinary crowd. Alas, those constantly deluded by ancient and modern.

贈道者

Given to a practitioner of the Way.

一語真空出世間。可憐迷者蟾循環。此生勝坐三禪樂。好句長吟萬事閑。秋月圓來看盡夜。野雲散去落何山。到頭自了方為了。休執他經扣祖關。

With one phrase of true emptiness, one leaves the world. Pitiful are the deluded who circle like a toad. In this life, better to sit in the joy of the third dhyana. Good lines long chanted, ten thousand affairs at leisure. When the autumn moon is full, watch through the night. When wild clouds scatter, on what mountain do they settle? Only when one understands by oneself at the end is it truly done. Do not cling to other scriptures and knock at the ancestral gate.

贈禪客

Given to a Chan guest.

了妄歸真萬慮空。河沙凡聖體通同。迷來盡似蛾投焰。悟去皆如鶴出籠。片月影分千㵎水。孤松聲任四時風。直須密契心心地。休苦勞生睡夢中。

Understanding delusion and returning to truth, ten thousand concerns are empty. The bodies of ordinary and sage, numerous as Ganges sands, are universally the same. When deluded, all are like moths plunging into flame. When awakened, all are like cranes leaving the cage. A single moon's shadow divides among a thousand streams. (The base text's character “jian” follows the water radical; it should be “jian” [stream].) The lone pine's sound lets the four seasons' wind do as it will. One must directly and secretly accord with mind, mind-ground. Do not bitterly toil in this life within a dream.

銘記箴歌

Inscriptions, Admonitions, and Songs.

傅大士心王銘

Mahasattva Fu's Inscription on the Mind-King.

三祖僧璨大師信心銘

The Third Patriarch, Great Master Sengcan's Inscription on Faith in Mind.

牛頭山初祖法融禪師心銘

The First Patriarch of Niutou Mountain, Chan Master Farong's Inscription on Mind.

僧亡名息心銘

Monk Wangming's Inscription on Resting the Mind.

菩提達磨略辨大乘入道四行(弟子曇琳序)

Bodhidharma's Brief Analysis of the Great Vehicle's Four Practices for Entering the Way (preface by his disciple Tanlin).

荷澤大師顯宗記

Heze Dashi's Xianzong Ji

南嶽石頭大師參同契

Nanyue Shitou Dashi's Cantong Qi

五臺山鎮國大師澄觀答皇太子問心要

Mt. Wutai's Zhenguo Dashi Chengguan's Reply to the Crown Prince's Question on the Essentials of Mind

杭州五雲和尚坐禪箴

Hangzhou Wuyun Heshang's Zazen Admonitions

永嘉真覺大師證道歌

Yongjia Zhenjue Dashi's Zhengdao Ge

騰騰和尚了元歌

Tengteng Heshang's Liaoyuan Ge

南嶽懶瓚和尚歌

Nanyue Lanzan Heshang's Ge

石頭和尚草菴歌

Shitou Heshang's Cao'an Ge

道吾和尚樂道歌

Daowu Heshang's Ledao Ge

一缽歌(別錄雲杯渡禪師作)

Yibo Ge (Separate record says it was composed by Chan Master Beidu)

樂普和尚浮漚歌

Lepu Heshang's Fu'ou Ge

蘇谿和尚牧護歌

Suxi Heshang's Muhu Ge

法燈禪師古鏡歌三首

Chan Master Fadeng's Gujing Ge, three poems

潭州龍會道尋遍參三昧歌

Tanzhou Longhui Daoxun's Biancan Sanmei Ge

丹霞和尚翫珠吟二首

Danxia Heshang's Wanzhu Yin, two poems

關南長老獲珠吟

Guanan Zhanglao's Huozhu Yin

香嚴和尚勵覺吟歸寂吟二首

Xiangyan Heshang's Lijue Yin and Guiji Yin, two poems

韶山和尚心珠歌

Shaoshan Heshang's Xinzhu Ge

傅大士心王銘

Fu Dashi's Xinwang Ming

觀心空王玄妙難測。無形無相有大神力。能滅千災成就萬德。體性雖空能施法則。觀之無形呼之有聲。為大法將心戒傳經。水中鹽味色裡膠清。決定是有不見其形。心王亦爾。身內居停面門出入。應物隨情自在無礙。所作皆成。了本識心識心見佛。是心是佛是佛是心。念念佛心佛心念佛。欲得早成戒心自律。淨律淨心心即是佛。除此心王更無別佛。欲求成佛莫染一物。心性雖空貪瞋體實。入此法門端坐成佛。到彼岸已得波羅蜜。慕道真士自觀自心。知佛在內不向外尋。即心即佛即佛即心。心明識佛曉了識心。離心非佛離佛非心。非佛莫測無所堪任。執空滯寂於此漂沈。諸佛菩薩非此安心。明心大士悟此玄音。身心性妙用無更改。是故智者放心自在。莫言心王空無體性。能使色身作邪作正。非有非無隱顯不定。心性離空能凡能聖。是故相勸好自防慎剎邦造作還復漂沈。清淨心智如世黃金。般若法藏並在身心。無為法寶非淺非深。諸佛菩薩了此本心。有緣遇者非去來今。

Contemplating the mind, the King of Emptiness, mysterious and wondrous, hard to fathom. Without form or mark, yet possessing great spiritual power. It can extinguish a thousand calamities and perfect ten thousand virtues. Though its essence is empty, it can bestow dharma principles. Contemplated, it has no form; called, it has a voice. As great dharma general, mind-precepts transmit the scriptures. Like salt taste in water, like glue clarity in color. Certainly it exists, yet its form is not seen. The mind king is also thus: dwelling within the body, entering and exiting at the face. Responding to things according with circumstances, freely without obstruction, whatever is done is accomplished. Understanding the root, one knows the mind; knowing the mind, one sees the Buddha. This mind is Buddha, Buddha is this mind. Thought after thought the Buddha-mind, the Buddha-mind recites Buddha. If you wish to accomplish it early, discipline the mind with self-restraint. Pure precepts, pure mind—the mind is precisely Buddha. Apart from this mind king, there is no other Buddha. If you wish to seek Buddhahood, do not be defiled by a single thing. Though mind-nature is empty, greed and anger are substantial in essence. Entering this dharma gate, sitting upright one becomes Buddha. Having reached the other shore, one attains paramita. A true seeker of the Way observes their own mind. Knowing the Buddha is within, they do not seek outward. Mind itself is Buddha, Buddha itself is mind. When mind is clear, one recognizes Buddha; understanding thoroughly, one knows the mind. Apart from mind there is no Buddha; apart from Buddha there is no mind. Not-Buddha is unfathomable, incapable of any task. Clinging to emptiness and stagnating in stillness, one drifts and sinks therein. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do not pacify the mind thus. The great being of clear mind awakens to this mysterious sound. Body, mind, and nature are wondrous, functioning without alteration. Therefore the wise set their minds free and at ease. Do not say the mind king is empty and without essence, for it can make the physical body do evil or do good. Neither existent nor nonexistent, its concealment and manifestation are not fixed. Mind-nature transcends emptiness, capable of being ordinary or sage. Therefore I encourage you: guard yourself well and be cautious. In a single instant of creation, one again drifts and sinks. (The base text has 'chabang'; it should be 'chana' [instant].) Pure mind-intellect is like gold in the world. The prajna dharma treasury is all within body and mind. The unconditioned dharma treasure is neither shallow nor deep. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas understand this original mind. Those with the causal connection who encounter it—it is not past, future, or present.

三祖僧璨大師信心銘

Third Patriarch Sengcan Dashi's Xinxin Ming

至道無難唯嫌揀擇。但莫憎愛洞然明白。豪釐有差天地懸隔。欲得現前莫存順逆。違順相爭是為心病。不識玄旨徒勞念靜。圓同太虛無欠無餘。良由取捨所以不如。莫逐有緣勿住空忍。一種平懷泯然自盡。止動歸止止更彌動。唯滯兩邊寧知一種。一種不通兩處失功。遣有沒有從空背空。多言多慮轉不相應。絕言絕慮無處不通。歸根得旨隨照失宗。須臾返照勝卻前空。前空轉變皆由妄見。不用求真唯須息見。二見不住慎莫追尋。才有是非紛然失心。二由一有一亦莫守。一心不生萬法無咎。無咎無法不生不心。能隨境滅境逐能沈。境由能境能由境能。欲知兩段元是一空。一空同兩齊含萬象。不見精麁寧有偏黨。大道體寬無易無難。小見狐疑轉急轉遲。執之失度必入邪路。放之自然體無去住。任性合道逍遙絕惱。繫念乖真昏沈不好。不好勞神何用疎親。欲取一乘勿惡六塵。六塵不惡還同正覺。智者無為愚人自縛。法無異法妄自愛著。將心用心豈非大錯。迷生寂亂悟無好惡。一切二邊良由斟酌。夢幻虛華何勞把捉。得失是非一時放卻。眼若不睡諸夢自除。心若不異萬法一如。一如體玄兀爾忘緣。萬法齊觀歸復自然。泯其所以不可方比。止動無動動止無止。兩既不成一何有爾。究竟窮極不存軌則。契心平等所作俱息。狐疑盡淨正信調直。一切不留無可記憶。虛明自照不勞心力。非思量處識情難測。真如法界無他無自。要急相應唯言不二。不二皆同無不包容。十方智者皆入此宗。宗非促延一念萬年。無在不在十方目前。極小同大忘絕境界。極大同小不見邊表。有即是無無即是有。若不如此必不須守。一即一切一切即一。但能如是何慮不畢。信心不二不二信心。言語道斷非去來今。

The Supreme Way is not difficult, it only dislikes picking and choosing. Just do not hate or love, and it will be thoroughly clear. A hair's breadth of difference, and heaven and earth are set apart. If you wish to have it appear before you, do not hold to either favorable or adverse. Conflict between adverse and favorable—this is the mind's disease. Not knowing the mysterious purport, one vainly labors at quieting thoughts. It is perfect like the vast void, lacking nothing and having nothing extra. It is precisely because of grasping and rejecting that it is not thus. Do not pursue conditions, do not dwell in empty patience. With a single ordinary mind, it quietly extinguishes itself. Stopping movement to return to stillness, the stillness becomes even more moving. If one merely stagnates on the two sides, how can one know the one kind? If the one kind is not penetrated, both places lose the work. Driving out existence to have nonexistence, following emptiness one turns away from emptiness. Much speech and much thought, and one becomes ever less responsive. Cut off speech and cut off thought, and there is no place not penetrated. Returning to the root, one attains the purport; following illumination, one loses the source. In an instant of returning the light, one surpasses the former emptiness. The transformations of former emptiness all come from deluded views. Do not use seeking to seek truth; one need only put to rest views. If the two views do not abide, be careful not to pursue them. As soon as there is right and wrong, one is bewildered and loses the mind. The two exist because of the one; the one also should not be held. If the one mind is not produced, the ten thousand dharmas are without fault. Without fault, there are no dharmas; not produced, there is no mind. If one can follow conditions and vanish, conditions follow capacity and sink. Conditions are conditions because of capacity; capacity is capacity because of conditions. If one wishes to know these two segments, they are originally one emptiness. One emptiness is the same as the two, together containing the ten thousand images. Not seeing coarse or fine, how could there be partiality? The great Way is broad in substance, neither easy nor difficult. Small views are fox-like and doubtful; the more urgent, the more slow. Grasping it and losing measure, one must enter a crooked path. Let it go naturally, and the substance has neither going nor abiding. According with nature and merging with the Way, one roams freely and cuts off affliction. Tying thoughts opposes truth; dullness and sinking are not good. Not good, it wearies the spirit; why use distancing or closeness? If one wishes to take the One Vehicle, do not despise the six dusts. If the six dusts are not despised, one is still the same as perfect enlightenment. The wise are without doing; the foolish bind themselves. Dharmas are without different dharmas; one deludedly loves and attaches. Using mind to use mind—is this not a great error? Delusion produces stillness and chaos; awakening has neither likes nor dislikes. All two extremes are truly due to weighing and deliberating. Dreamlike, illusory, empty splendor—why labor to grasp it? Gain and loss, right and wrong—let them all go at once. If the eye does not sleep, all dreams naturally disappear. If the mind is not different, the ten thousand dharmas are one suchness. One suchness is mysterious in substance; solitary, one forgets conditions. Viewing the ten thousand dharmas equally, one returns to nature. Extinguishing its why, it cannot be compared. Stopping movement, there is no movement; moving and stopping, there is no stopping. Since the two are not established, how can the one exist? Ultimately reaching the end, one does not preserve rules and norms. Accord with the mind's equality, and all doings cease. Fox-like doubt is completely purified; right faith is adjusted and straight. Nothing is retained; there is nothing to remember. Empty brightness shines by itself; no labor of mind or strength is needed. Where there is no thinking and measuring, consciousness and feeling are hard to fathom. True Suchness, the Dharma realm, has neither other nor self. If one urgently wants to be responsive, one need only speak of nonduality. Nonduality is all the same, nothing not encompassed. The wise of the ten directions all enter this school. The school is neither contracted nor extended; one thought is ten thousand years. Not existing anywhere and not not existing, the ten directions are before the eyes. The extremely small is the same as the great; one forgets and cuts off the realm. The extremely great is the same as the small; one does not see boundaries or surfaces. Existence is precisely nonexistence; nonexistence is precisely existence. If it is not thus, one certainly need not hold it. One is precisely all; all is precisely one. If one can be thus, why worry that it will not be completed? Faith is nondual; nondual faith. The path of words is cut off; it is not past, future, or present.

牛頭山初祖法融禪師心銘

The Mind Inscription of Chan Master Farong, the First Patriarch of Mount Niutou

心性不生何須知見。本無一法誰論燻鍊。往返無端追尋不見。一切莫作明寂自現。前際如空知處迷宗。分明照境隨照冥濛。一心有滯諸法不通。去來自爾胡假推窮。生無生相生照一同。欲得心淨無心用功。縱橫無照最為微妙。知法無知無知知要。將心守靜猶未離病。生死忘懷即是本性。至理無詮非解非纏。靈通應物常在目前。目前無物無物宛然。不勞智鑒體自虛玄。念起念滅前後無別。後念不生前念自絕。三世無物無心無佛。眾生無心依無心出。分別凡聖煩惱轉盛。計校乖常求真背正。雙泯對治湛然明淨。不須功巧守嬰兒行。惺惺了知見網轉彌。寂寂無見暗室不移。惺惺無妄寂寂明亮。萬象常真森羅一相。去來坐立一切莫執。決定無方誰為出入。無合無散不遲不疾。明寂自然不可言及。心無異心不斷貪淫。性空自離任運浮沈。非清非濁非淺非深。本來非古見在非今。見在無住見在本心。本來不存本來即今。菩提本有不須用守。煩惱本無不須用除。靈知自照萬法歸如。無歸無受絕觀忘守。四德不生三身本有。六根對境分別非識。一心無妄萬緣調直。心性本齊同居不攜。無生順物隨處幽棲。覺由不覺即覺無覺。得失兩邊誰論好惡。一切有為本無造作。知心不心無病無藥。迷時捨事悟罷非異。本無可取今何用棄。謂有魔興言空象備。莫滅凡情唯教息意。意無心滅心無行絕。不用證空自然明徹。滅盡生死冥心入理。開目見相心隨境起。心處無境境處無心。將心滅境彼此由侵。心寂境如不遣不拘。境隨心滅心隨境無。兩處不生寂靜虛明。菩提影現心水常清。德性如愚不立親疎。寵辱不變不擇所居。諸緣頓息一切不憶。永日如夜永夜如日。外似頑嚚內心虛真。對境不動有力大人。無人無見無見常現。通達一切未嘗不遍。思惟轉昏汩亂精魂。將心止動轉止轉奔。萬法無所唯有一門。不入不出非靜非諠。聲聞緣覺智不能論。

Mind and nature do not arise—what need is there for knowing and seeing? Fundamentally there is not a single dharma—who can speak of perfuming and refining? Coming and going have no beginning—seeking it, it cannot be seen. When nothing at all is done, clarity and stillness naturally appear. The past is like emptiness; the place of knowing is lost to the teaching. Clearly it illuminates the objective field; following that illumination, one becomes dim and confused. When the one mind has any obstruction, all dharmas do not penetrate. Coming and going are naturally so—why borrow effort to trace them to the end? Birth has no mark of birth; birth and illumination are one and the same. If one wishes to gain purity of mind, with no mind apply effort. Vertical and horizontal, without illumination—this is the most wondrous and subtle. Knowing dharmas is no-knowing; no-knowing knows the essential. To use the mind to guard stillness is still not free of illness. Forgetting birth and death in the mind—this is original nature. Ultimate principle has no explication; it is neither understanding nor entanglement. Numinous penetration responds to things, constantly present right before one. Before one, there is no thing; without things, it is nevertheless so. Without toil of wisdom's mirror, the essence is itself empty and mysterious. Thoughts arise and thoughts cease—before and after are no different. When the latter thought does not arise, the former thought naturally is cut off. In the three times there is no thing; no mind and no Buddha. Beings have no mind; relying on no-mind they emerge. Discriminating ordinary and sage—afflictions grow ever more abundant. Calculation runs counter to the constant; seeking the true turns one away from the correct. With both counteractive means extinguished, it is serene and luminously pure. No need for artifice or cleverness—keep to the practice of an infant. When alert and knowing, the net of views grows ever wider. When still and without seeing, one does not move from the dark room. Alert yet without delusion, still yet luminously bright. The myriad images are always true; the dense array is one mark. Coming, going, sitting, standing—do not cling to anything at all. Decidedly there is no direction—who is it that goes out and comes in? No convergence, no dispersal; neither slow nor fast. Clarity and stillness are natural—it cannot be spoken of. The mind has no other mind; one does not cut off greed and lust. Nature being empty, it naturally departs—let things run their course, floating and sinking. Neither pure nor impure, neither shallow nor deep. Originally it is not ancient; presently it is not now. Presently it has no abiding; presently it is the original mind. Originally it does not exist; originally it is just now. Bodhi is originally possessed—no need to use guarding. Afflictions are originally nonexistent—no need to use eliminating. Numinous knowing illuminates itself; the myriad dharmas return to suchness. No returning, no receiving—cut off contemplation and forget guarding. The four virtues do not arise; the three bodies are originally possessed. The six sense faculties face objects; discrimination is not consciousness. When the one mind is without delusion, the myriad conditions are harmonized and straightened. Mind and nature are originally equal; dwelling together, they do not carry each other away. Non-arising accords with things; wherever one is, one dwells in seclusion. Awakening comes from non-awakening; even awakening is no-awakening. Gain and loss are two sides—who speaks of good and bad? All conditioned things are originally without fabrication. Knowing the mind as no-mind, there is no illness and no medicine. When deluded, one renounces affairs; having awakened, it is no different. Originally there is nothing to grasp—what use now is abandoning? One speaks of demons arising and says empty signs are complete. Do not extinguish ordinary feelings; only teach the ceasing of intent. When intent is no-mind, it ceases; when mind is no-practice, it is cut off. No need to realize emptiness—naturally it is clear and penetrating. Extinguishing birth and death, silently the mind enters principle. Opening the eyes one sees marks; the mind follows the field and arises. When the mind is at no-field, the field is at no-mind. Using mind to extinguish the field, each invades the other. When mind is still and the field is such, neither dispatching nor binding. The field perishes following the mind; the mind becomes nonexistent following the field. When both places do not arise, it is still, silent, empty, and bright. Bodhi appears as a reflection; the mind-water is always clear. Virtuous nature is like foolishness; it does not establish near or far. Favor and disgrace do not change it; it does not choose where to dwell. All conditions suddenly cease; one does not recollect anything at all. The whole day is like night; the whole night is like day. Outwardly one seems dull and dumb; inwardly the mind is empty and true. Unmoved before objects—this is a person of great strength. No person, no seeing; no seeing yet constantly appearing. Penetrating all things, never is it not pervasive. Deliberation turns to confusion; it muddles and disorders the vital spirit. Using mind to stop movement—the more one stops, the more one runs. The myriad dharmas have no place; there is only one gate. Not entering, not exiting; neither still nor noisy. Sound-hearers and condition-perceivers cannot discuss it with their wisdom.