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

傳燈錄鏤行舊矣。兵興以來其版灰飛。慕心宗者患無其書。僧思鑒婺人也。芒屩訪道三十年矣。亦欲人同悟涅槃妙心。而思有以資發之也。廣募淨信。復鏤其板。緇素贊歎而助成焉。或曰。自心之法無形。不從人得。初祖釋迦而降。無一祖師非默契而自證者。故達磨直指不立文字。少林九年面壁而已。雖二祖立雪斷臂。一字亦不為說。但遮其知見之非。二祖因是得正知見。豁然大省。則二祖亦不從達磨言句中入迺自證也。且百丈卷席。雪峰輥毬。魯祖面壁。石鞏駕箭。道吾舞笏。鳥窠吹布毛。俱胝舉一指。古德如此示人甚多。不在言句之間故也。言句且爾。況文字乎。心宗要當自參。祖師言句於我何與焉。餘曰。不然。心法雖曰無形。然遍一切處。翠竹真如也。黃花般若也。蛙蚓發機管絃傳心。乃至牆壁瓦礫無非說法。故靈雲見桃花悟道。玄沙謂語燕深談實相。然則大地皆是悟門。孰非此道。況明心宗言句乎。況載明心宗文字乎。若二者於心宗果無與耶。薦福古何為閱雲門錄而省。黃龍心何為讀多福語而悟。蓋言詞相寂文字性空。亦此道耳。若即言句文字。而見性相之空寂。是乃一超而直入也。吾故知是書之流佈。發明心地者眾矣。且鑒之募緣也。臺之寧海邑民周氏歎曰。吾地有大梨木。閱三世矣。比歲我家之人各嘗夢。其上有樓閣行廡。而無數僧往來於其間。每疑之乃今方悟。當刊此錄耶。遂捨以㭊版。且邀鑒即其家僦工而刻之。既刻。周氏夢六僧求已刻者觀焉。周問鑒曰。此何僧耶。鑒曰。此六代傳衣祖師特來證明此事也。嗚呼是書用為一大事。則宜有感發之祥以發寤人心。餘故並列之庶觀者。知非小緣而堅其信心雲。紹興四年上元日。等慈菴善男子睢陽劉棐仲忱序。

The Transmission of the Lamp Record has long been carved and circulated. Since the rise of warfare, its printing blocks have turned to flying ash. Those who admire the Mind School suffer from not having this book. The monk Sijian was a man of Wu. In straw sandals he sought the Way for thirty years. He also wished that people might equally awaken to the wondrous mind of nirvana, and he thought of something by which to inspire them. He broadly solicited pure faith and again carved its blocks. Monastics and laypeople praised him and helped complete it. Someone says: The Dharma of one's own mind is formless and is not obtained from others. From the First Patriarch Sakyamuni downward, there was no patriarch who was not one who silently tallied and personally realized it. Therefore Bodhidharma directly pointed and did not establish written words; at Shaolin he only faced the wall for nine years. Although the Second Patriarch stood in the snow and cut off his arm, he did not speak even one word for him, but only blocked what was wrong in his knowledge and views. Because of this the Second Patriarch attained right knowledge and views and suddenly became greatly awakened. Thus the Second Patriarch also did not enter through Bodhidharma's words and sentences; it was his own realization. Moreover, Baizhang rolled up the mat, Xuefeng rolled the ball, Luzu faced the wall, Shigong drew the bow, Daowu danced with the tablet, Niaoke blew a tuft of cloth, and Juzhi raised one finger. The ancient worthies showed people in this way very many times, because it was not within words and sentences. If words and sentences are like this, how much more so written text? The Mind School should be personally investigated; what have the patriarchs' words and sentences to do with me? I say: Not so. Although the mind Dharma is said to be formless, it pervades all places. Green bamboo is true suchness; yellow flowers are prajna. Frogs and earthworms set forth the trigger; pipes and strings transmit the mind; even walls and tiles are nothing but the speaking of Dharma. Therefore Lingyun saw peach blossoms and awakened to the Way, and Xuansha said that the swallow deeply discoursed on reality. If so, the whole great earth is a gate of awakening; what is not this Way? How much more so the words and sentences that clarify the Mind School? How much more so the written text that records the clarification of the Mind School? If these two were truly unrelated to the Mind School, why did Jianfu Gu read the Yunmen Record and become enlightened, and why did Huanglong Xin read Duofu's words and awaken? Surely when words and phrases are stilled, and the nature of written text is empty, this too is this Way. If one sees the emptiness and stillness of the nature and characteristics right in words and sentences and written text, this is a single leap and direct entry. I therefore know that the circulation of this book has brought many to clarify the mind-ground. Moreover, when Jian was soliciting offerings, a commoner of the Zhou clan in Ninghai County in Tai sighed and said: Our land has a great pear tree; it has passed through three generations. In recent years the people of my family have each dreamed that on it there were towers, pavilions, and covered walkways, and countless monks coming and going among them. Each time we doubted it, but only now do we understand: it must be that this record is to be printed. Thereupon he gave it up to be split into blocks (in the base text this character has the wood radical with 㭊; it should be 析), and invited Jian to hire craftsmen at his home and carve it. After it was carved, the Zhou clan dreamed of six monks seeking the already carved one to look at it. Zhou asked Jian: Who are these monks? Jian said: These are the patriarchs who transmitted the robe through the six generations, come especially to certify this matter. Alas! When this book is used for one great matter, then it is fitting that there be auspicious responses that inspire and awaken people's minds. I therefore set them all forth in order, so that readers may know it is no small cause and strengthen their faith. On the Shangyuan day of the fourth year of Shaoxing, the good man Liu Fei Zhongchen of Suiyang at Dengci Hermitage wrote this preface.

魏府華嚴長老示眾

The Elder Huayan of Weifu Instructs the Assembly

佛法事在日用處。在爾行住坐臥處吃茶吃飯處言語相問處。所作所為舉心動念又卻不是也。會麼。若會得即今無礙自在真人。若也未會則是箇簷枷帶鎖重罪之人。何故如此。佛法不遠隔塵沙劫。爾一念中見得。在爾眉毛鼻孔上。爾若不見得。如接竹點月在處。切莫思惟不可言語。爾時中承何恩力。若知得爾須有箇歡喜處。古人道。常寂寂常歷歷。諸佛不求覓。眾生斷消息。爾會得麼。一切諸法本無情。一切諸佛本自靈。混然同太虛無欠亦無餘。會麼。若不會直是箇觸途成滯。不知箇身落地處茫茫劫劫只是戀物著境認色為實。不捨恩愛痴迷財寶。立我爭人一團子意氣。些子箇違情面青面赤。說強道弱。我不受人欺瞞。我是大丈夫兒。養妻養子。爾豈知在業海之中罪坑之內。吃肉如似餓鬼吞屍。噇酒如餓狗飲水。愛色如渴蠅咂血。不知此身是大禍患恣縱無明愚養意氣。不久敗壞浪死虛生。枉經千劫徒然出沒。何不識取金剛堅固之體長生不滅之道。在世頭枿枿地。口子吧吧地。眼子眨眨地。無常殺鬼到來向床上。猶似使心用行戀財戀境。驀然驅去見閻老子。一詞不措鐵罏火炭銅柱刀山盡為戲翫。恁時追悔大段難為免離。爾如今病未來尋身。何不於十二時中求一毫善利辨取津梁。幻化色身憑何為實。諸佛過去留經造論。一切善法與爾初學底人。懺罪滅障漸漸增長利益。求善知識開示解脫法門。向無明性中認取箇真實主人。於萬劫中得箇人身也不容易。爾還知箇身本性與佛同時本無欠少。有一大事在爾尿囊裡糞堆頭。光爍爍地圓陀陀地。還信得及麼。若信不及也從爾深坑罪海永墮沈淪。爾若迴光返照。於一剎那中即心念息。時中迷惑煩惱痴暗狂情頓自消滅。諸緣境界轉為甘露醍醐安樂國土。豈不是好否。聖人道。萬法從心生。萬法從心滅。皆由爾心。善惡也只由爾心。地獄天堂也只由爾心。只今相應與佛合。

The matter of the Buddha-dharma lies in daily use, in your walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, in your drinking tea and eating rice, in your words of mutual inquiry. Yet what you do and how you move your mind are not it either. Do you understand? If you understand, then you are right now the unobstructed and free true person. If you still do not understand, then you are a heavily sinful person carrying a cangue and bound in chains. Why is it so? The Buddha-dharma is not far, yet it is separated by dust-mote kalpas. If you see it within a single thought, it is on your eyebrows and nostrils. If you do not see it, it is like joining bamboo to point at the moon. Wherever you are, do not deliberate at all; it cannot be spoken. At all times, what power of grace do you receive? If you know it, you must have a place of rejoicing. The ancients said: constantly still, constantly clear. The buddhas do not seek it out; sentient beings cut off its tidings. Do you understand? All dharmas are fundamentally without feeling; all buddhas are fundamentally efficacious of themselves. Blended as one with the great emptiness, there is no lack and no surplus. Do you understand? If you do not understand, then you are truly one who meets obstruction wherever he goes. You do not know where your body will fall; for vast kalpas you merely cling to things and attach to objects, take form as real, cannot relinquish affection and love, are deluded by wealth and treasure, set up self and contend with others, all one lump of temper and will. At the slightest thing contrary to your feelings, your face turns blue, your face turns red; you speak of being strong and call others weak. You say, "I do not receive anyone’s deception; I am a great man, I support a wife and raise children." How could you know that you are within the sea of karma, inside the pit of crime? Eating meat is like a hungry ghost swallowing corpses; guzzling wine is like a starving dog drinking water; craving form is like a thirsty fly sucking blood. You do not know that this body is a great calamity; you give free rein to ignorance, foolishly nurture temper and will. Before long it will decay and perish; you will die in vain and live emptily. You will pass through a thousand kalpas in vain, and your coming and going will be futile. Why do you not recognize the diamond-solid body, the way of long life that is not extinguished? In the world you are stiff and bristling, your mouth babbling, your eyes blinking. When the killer ghost of impermanence arrives and stands by your bed, you still seem to be exerting your mind and using your will, clinging to wealth and clinging to objects. Suddenly you are driven off to see old King Yama; not a single word can you utter, and the iron furnace, the fire and coals, the copper pillar, the mountain of knives all become toys for you. At that time, regret will be greatly difficult to escape. You now, before illness comes seeking your body, why not within the twelve hours seek a hair’s breadth of good benefit and secure a ford and bridge? This illusory, transformed physical body—what can it rely on as real? The buddhas of the past left scriptures and composed treatises; all good dharmas are for people like you who are beginners: to repent of offenses, extinguish obstructions, and gradually increase benefit. Seek a good spiritual friend to reveal the gate of liberation. Within the nature of ignorance, recognize the true master. In ten thousand kalpas, obtaining a human body is not easy. Do you also know that this body’s original nature is simultaneous with the Buddha, fundamentally lacking nothing? There is one great matter in your urine bag and on your dung heap, glistening brightly, perfectly round. Can you believe it? If you cannot believe it, then it is also up to you to fall forever into the deep pit and sea of crime. If you turn the light around and shine back, in a single kṣaṇa your mind and thoughts cease. At all times, deluded afflictions, dark ignorance, and mad passions suddenly vanish of themselves. All conditions and objective realms turn into sweet dew, ghee, and a land of peace and bliss. Is that not good? The sage said: the ten thousand dharmas arise from the mind; the ten thousand dharmas cease from the mind. All depends on your mind. Good and evil also depend only on your mind. Hell and heaven also depend only on your mind. Just now, if you are in accord, you merge with the Buddha.

智即是佛也更無相誑。直下奉信無疑心即正覺。又何必歷僧祇大劫。此身今生甚大難遇。莫道我是凡夫自家退屈。千經萬論只為眾生迷亂不識本性。爾暫時間那取些子貪物底工夫。看經書上義理。只言眾生被一切境攝。著慾之故。山僧苦口實為忉忉。爾還肯麼。爾還信麼。尋常著寒著熱。些子違情吃辛受苦不得卻。於日用時中自不醒悟。整頓取心好為取身好。百年如箭富貴如夢。恩情也只不久。百年無多日。頭白是病來。病是業債來。業債是死來。死是地獄來。爾莫道。我為人平生好心吉善。只依本分不作惡事我無罪過。別教爾有箇好生處。我即今朝未信爾在何故爾平等在甚處。爾還知否。不依佛法一切法皆是邪法外道見解。更莫說擔人擔。我貪色愛財餐魚啖肉妄言綺語。日費上事罪業極深。爾莫道。我捨財造塔起殿設僧轉經。便為長久功德。以此為實未可託倚眾中。老和尚也為爾不得。爾還知麼。爾有千般萬種無明罪業。佛亦為爾不得。須是爾自家著力前程自辦。爾若作一切有為功德。只是造業增長頑福。不生箇清淨知見。山僧雖然。求得供養日夜不安為慮未是在。還知麼。一任爾說向諸方。耆宿笑我也。嫌山僧不得。欲問爾施主得錢處。想爾應不濟潤於人。不救拔貧苦者。了得了取吃休。了取著休。早修行休。度此身休。悔取心休。悔取心休伏惟珍重。

(The Master continued:) Wisdom is precisely Buddha; there is no deceiving appearance. Directly believe without doubt, and the mind is perfect enlightenment. Why must one then pass through asaṃkhyeya kalpas? This body is extremely difficult to encounter in this life. Do not say, "I am an ordinary person," and withdraw in self-deprecation. The thousand sūtras and ten thousand treatises exist only because sentient beings are deluded and confused, not knowing their own original nature. You temporarily take a bit of the effort that you use for coveting things—apply it to reading the principles and meanings in the scriptures. It is only said that sentient beings are grasped by all objects because of attachment to desire. The mountain monk speaks bitterly and is truly garrulous. Will you still accept it? Will you still believe it? Ordinarily when touched by cold or heat, a bit of adversity, you cannot endure hardship and suffering—yet in daily activity you do not awaken yourselves. Regulate the mind well; regulate the body well. A hundred years pass like an arrow; wealth and honor are like a dream. Affection and love also do not last long. A hundred years have not many days. White hair means illness comes; illness means karmic debt comes; karmic debt means death comes; death means hell comes. Do not say: "In my life I have been good-hearted and fortunate and virtuous, only following my proper lot, not doing evil deeds—I have no faults or transgressions, so surely I will be given a good place to be born." Right now I do not yet believe you. Why? Where is your equality? Do you still know? Not relying on the Buddhadharma, all dharmas are heterodox dharmas and non-Buddhist views. Moreover, do not speak of bearing others and bearing self, coveting form and loving wealth, eating fish and chewing meat, false speech and ornate words. Daily spending for these matters, karmic offenses are extremely deep. Do not say: "I give up wealth to build stūpas, erect halls, establish monks to turn the sūtras, and this will be lasting merit." Taking this as real, you cannot yet rely on the assembly. Even the old master cannot do it for you. Do you still know? You have a thousand kinds and ten thousand types of ignorance and karmic offenses; even the Buddha cannot do it for you. You must apply your own effort and arrange your own future. If you perform all conditioned merit, that is only creating karma, increasing stubborn fortune, and you will not produce a pure knowing and seeing. Although the mountain monk seeks offerings, day and night he is uneasy, worrying that it may not be right. Do you still know? Let it be however you tell it in all directions. If the elders laugh at me, they cannot dislike the mountain monk. I want to ask you, donor, where you get your money—I think you probably do not benefit people, do not rescue and pull out the poor and suffering. Finish it—take and eat, be done. Finish it—take and wear, be done. Hurry and cultivate, be done. Save this body, be done. Repent the mind, be done. Repent the mind, be done. I respectfully wish you to take care.