Surangama Sutra of the Great Buddha's Crown, Ten Thousand Practices, Volume 1

知根雜亂思，湛了終無見，

The knowing faculty is mixed with confused thought, and though clear it ends in no seeing;

想念不可脫，云何獲圓通？

Thoughts and ideas cannot be escaped; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

識見雜三和，詰本稱非相，

Consciousness and seeing mix three kinds of union, and when pressed for the root it is said to be without form;

自體先無定，云何獲圓通？

Its own body is at first unfixed; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

心聞洞十方，生於大因力，

The mind's hearing penetrates the ten directions, and arises from great causal power;

初心不能入，云何獲圓通？

The beginner cannot enter it; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

鼻想本權機，秖令攝心住，

Contemplating the nose is originally an expedient device, only to make the mind gather and abide;

住成心所住，云何獲圓通？

Abiding becomes what the mind abides in; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

說法弄音文，開悟先成者，

Speaking the Dharma and playing with sounds and texts, one who awakens first accomplishes it;

名句非無漏，云何獲圓通？

Names and phrases are not free of outflows; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

持犯但束身，非身無所束，

Keeping and breaking precepts only bind the body, and without a body there is nothing to bind;

元非遍一切，云何獲圓通？

It is originally not all-pervading; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

神通本宿因，何關法分別，

Spiritual powers come from past causes; what do they have to do with discriminating the Dharma?

念緣非離物，云何獲圓通？

Thought and conditions do not leave things; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

若以地性觀，堅礙非通達，

If one contemplates through the nature of earth, hardness and obstruction are not penetrating;

有為非聖性，云何獲圓通？

The conditioned is not the holy nature; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

若以水性觀，想念非真實，

If one contemplates through the nature of water, thoughts and ideas are not real;

如如非覺觀，云何獲圓通？

Suchness is not awakened contemplation; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

若以火性觀，厭有非真離，

If one contemplates through the nature of fire, weariness of existence is not true detachment;

非初心方便，云何獲圓通？

It is not a skillful means for beginners; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

若以風性觀，動寂非無對，

If one contemplates through the nature of wind, movement and stillness are not without opposition;

對非無上覺，云何獲圓通？

Opposition is not unsurpassed awakening; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

若以空性觀。昏鈍先非覺，

If one contemplates through the nature of space, its dullness is at first not awakening;

無覺異菩提，云何獲圓通？

Without awakening it differs from bodhi; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

若以識性觀，觀識非常住，

If one contemplates through the nature of consciousness, contemplating consciousness is not permanent abiding;

存心乃虛妄，云何獲圓通？

Holding to the mind is deluded; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

諸行是無常，念性元生滅，

All formations are impermanent, and the nature of thought is originally arising and ceasing;

因果今殊感，云何獲圓通？

Cause and effect now differ in response; how can perfect interpenetration be gained?

我今白世尊：佛出娑婆界，

Now I report to the World-Honored One: the Buddha has appeared in the Saha world,

此方真教體，清淨在音聞；

The true teaching essence of this land is purity in the hearing of sound;

欲取三摩提，實以聞中入。

To attain samadhi, one truly enters through hearing.

離苦得解脫，良哉觀世音！

To leave suffering and attain liberation, how good Avalokiteshvara is!

於恆沙劫中，入微塵佛國，

Through kalpas as many as the Ganges' sands, entering Buddha lands as numerous as dust motes,

得大自在力，無畏施眾生。

He gained the power of great freedom and gives fearlessness to beings.

妙音、觀世音、梵音、海潮音，

Wondrous sound, Avalokiteshvara sound, Brahma sound, sound of the ocean tide,

救世悉安寧，出世獲常住。

Saving the world all to peace, and gaining permanent abiding beyond the world.

我今啟如來，如觀音所說。

I now report to the Tathagata that it is as Avalokiteshvara has said.

譬如人靜居，十方俱擊皷，

It is like a person dwelling in stillness, with drums struck in all ten directions,

十處一時聞，此則圓真實。

Heard at one moment from ten places; this is perfect and true.

目非觀障外，口、鼻亦復然。

The eye does not see beyond a barrier, and the mouth and nose are the same.

身以合方知，心念紛無緒；

The body knows by contact in the right place; the mind's thoughts are tangled and without thread;

隔垣聽音響，遐邇俱可聞；

Sound is heard through a wall, and near and far can all be heard;

五根所不齊，是則通真實。

The five faculties are not equal in this; this is the true penetration.

音聲性動靜，聞中為有無；

The nature of sound is movement and stillness, and in hearing there is presence and absence;

無聲號無聞，非實聞無性。

Without sound it is called no hearing, but this is not that the nature of hearing is truly absent.

聲無既無滅，聲有亦非生；

When sound is absent it is not extinguished, and when sound is present it is not born;

生滅二圓離，是則常真實。

Birth and extinction are both perfectly left behind; this is constant and true.

縱令在夢想，不為不思無，

Even in dreams and thoughts, it is not absent when one does not think,

覺觀出思惟，身心不能及。

Awareness and contemplation go beyond thinking, and body and mind cannot reach it.

今此娑婆國，聲論得宣明，

Now in this Saha land, the doctrine of sound is clearly proclaimed,

眾生迷本聞，循聲故流轉。

Beings are deluded about original hearing, and by following sound they drift in transmigration.

阿難縱強記，不免落邪思，

Ananda, though strong in memory, did not escape falling into wrong thinking,

豈非隨所淪，旋流獲無妄？

Is this not following what one sinks into? By turning the current around, one obtains freedom from delusion.

阿難汝諦聽：我承佛威力，

Ananda, listen carefully: relying on the Buddha's majestic power,

宣說金剛王、如幻不思議、

I proclaim the diamond king, the inconceivable illusion-like samadhi,

佛母真三昧。汝聞微塵佛，

The true samadhi that is mother of Buddhas. You have heard that Buddhas as numerous as dust motes,

一切秘密門，欲漏不先除，

In all their secret gates, if the outflows are not first removed,

畜聞成過誤。將聞持佛佛，

Storing up what is heard becomes a fault and mistake. Using your hearing to hold the Buddhas,

何不自聞聞？聞非自然生，

Why do you not hear your own hearing? Hearing does not arise naturally,

因聲有名字。旋聞與聲脫，

But from sound it has a name. Turn hearing and be free of sound,