|
上
二○ ○五年二月十日 |
自見本性○卽無差別○所以立頓漸之假名○善 | 自有利鈍○迷人漸修○悟人頓契○自識本心○ | 師示衆云○善知識○本來正教無有頓漸○人性 | 錯 | 會○便執成顛○如此者衆○如是相教○故知大 | 坐○看心觀靜○不動不起○從此置功○迷人不 | 宴坐林中○却被維摩詰訶○善知識○又有人教 | 法○名為自縛○若言常坐不動是○只如舍利弗 | 流○何以却滯○心不住法○道卽通流○心若住 | 者卽同無情○却是障道因緣○善知識○道須通 | 常坐不動○妄不起心○卽是一行三昧○作此解 | ○勿有執著○迷人著法相○執一行三昧○直言 | 說一行三昧○不行直心○但行直心○於一切法 | 場○直心是淨土○莫心行謟曲○口但說直○口 | 住坐臥常行一直心是也○淨名經云○直心是道 | 師示衆云○善知識○一行三昧者○於一切處行 | 亦復如是 | 光是燈之用○名雖有二○體本同一○此定慧法 | 猶如燈光○有燈卽光○無燈卽暗○燈是光之體 | 却增我法○不離四相○善知識○定慧猶如何等 | 不在於諍○若諍先後○卽同迷人○不斷勝負○ | 心口俱善○內外一如○定慧卽等○自悟修行○ | 口說善語心中不善○空有定慧○定慧不等○若 | 言先定發慧先慧發定各別○作此見者法有二相 | 在定○若識此義○卽是定慧等學○諸學道人莫 | 體○慧是定用○卽慧之時定在慧○卽定之時慧 | 衆勿迷○言定慧別○定慧一體不是二○定是慧 | 師示衆云○善知識○我此法門以定慧為本○大 | 定慧品第四 | 六祖大師法寶壇經 |
|
上
二○ ○五年二月十一日 |
能善分別諸法相○於第一義而不動○ | 見聞覺知○不染萬境○而真性常自在○故經云 | 當時卽壞○善知識○眞如自性起念○六根雖有 | 念○眞如有性所以起念○眞如若無○眼耳色聲 | 卽是眞如之用○眞如自性起念○非眼耳鼻舌能 | 之心○念者念眞如本性○眞如卽是念之體○念 | 無何事○念者念何物○無者無二相○無諸塵勞 | 勞邪見○故此法門立無念為宗○善知識○無者 | 本無一法可得○若有所得○妄說禍福○卽是塵 | 念上便起邪見○一切塵勞妄想從此而生○自性 | 無念為宗○只緣口說見性迷人○於境上有念○ | 又謗佛經○所以立無念為宗○善知識○云何立 | 若不識法意○自錯猶可○更勸他人○自迷不見 | 念絕卽死○別處受生○是為大錯○學道者思之 | 不於境上生心○若只百物不思○念盡除却○一 | 於諸境上心不染曰無念○於自念上常離諸境○ | 相○則法體清淨○此是以無相為體○善知識○ | 本○善知識○外離一切相○名為無相○能離於 | 於諸法上念念不住○卽無縛也○此是以無住為 | 若前念今念後念○念念相續不斷○名為繫縛○ | 並將為空○不思酬害○念念之中○不思前境○ | 善惡好醜○乃至冤之與親○言語觸刺欺爭之時 | 念者於念而無念○無住者○人之本性○於世間 | 無相為體○無住為本○無相者於相而離相○無 | 知識○我此法門○從上以來○先立無念為宗○ |
Chapter 4 -- Samdhi and Prajna
The Patriarch on another occasion preached to the assembly as follows:-
Learned Audience, in my system Samadhi and Prajna are fundamental. But do not be under the wrong impression that these two are independent of each other, for they are inseparably united and are not two entities. Samadhi is the quintessence of Prajna, while Prajna is the activity of Samadhi. At the very moment that we attain Prakna, Samadhi is therewith; and vice versa. If you understand this principle, you understand the equilibrium of Samadhi and Prajna. A disciple should not think that there is a distinction between 'Samadhi begets Prajna' and 'Prajna begets Samadhi'. To hold such an opinion would imply that there are two characteristics in the Dharma.
For one whose tongue is ready with good words but whose heart is impure, Samadhi and Prajna are useless, because they do not balance each other. On the other hand, when we are good in mind as well as in words, and when our outward appearance and our inner feelings harmonize with each other, then it is a case of equilibrium of Samadhi and Prajna.
Argument is unnecessary for an enlightened disciple. To argue whether Prajna or Samadhi comes first would put one in the same position as those who are under delusion. Argument implies a desire to win, strengthens egotism, and ties us to the belief in the idea of 'a self, a being, a living being, and a person'.
Learned Audience, to what are Samadhi and Prajna analogous? They are analogous to a lamp and its light. With the lamp, there is light. Without it, it would be dark. The lamp is the quintessence of the light and the light is the expression of the lamp. In name they are two things, but in substance they are one and the same. It is the same case with Samadhi and Prajna.
On another occasion the Patriarch preached to the assembly as follows:-
Learned Audience, to practice the 'Samadhi of Specific Mode' is to make it a rule to be straightforward on all occasions-- no matter whether we are walking, standing, sitting, or reclining. The Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra says, "Straightforwardness is the holy place, the Pure Land". Don't let your mind be crooked and practice straightforwardness and should not attach ourselves to anything. People under delusion believe obstinately in Dharmalaksana (things and form) and so they are stubborn in having their own way in interpreting the 'Samadhi of Specific Mode', which they define as 'sitting quietly and continuously without letting any idea arise in the mind'. (Only when you close your eyes. If your faith is strong and belief the Mark is God, you need not have to meditate. The remark here is to confuse readers. Read the part 'thinking of neither good or bad' to understand more fully.) Such an interpretation would rank us with inanimate objects, and is a stumbling block to the right Path which must be kept open. Should we free our mind from attachment to all 'things', the Path becomes clear; otherwise, we put ourselves under restraint. If that interpretation 'sitting quietly and continuously, etc.' be correct, why on one occasion was Sariputta reprimanded by Virmalakirti for sitting quietly in the wood?
Learned Audience, some teachers of meditation instruct their disciples to keep a watch on their mind for tranquility, so that it will cease from activity. Henceforth the disciples give up all exertion of mind. Ignorant persons become insane from having too much confidence in such instruction. Such cases are not rare, and it is a great mistake to teach others to do this. (You will not go insane if you open your eyes.)
(On another occasion) the Patriarch addressed the assembly as follows:-
In orthodox Buddhism the distinction between the 'Sudden' School and the 'Gradual' School does not really exist; the only difference recognized is that by nature some men are quick-witted, while others are dull in understanding. Those who are enlightened realize the truth in a sudden, while those who are under delusion have to train themselves gradually. But such a difference will disappear when we know our own mind and realize our own nature. Therefore these terms, 'Gradual' and 'Sudden', are more apparent than real.
Learned Audience, it has been the tradition of our school to take 'Idea-less-ness' as our object, 'Non-objectivity' as our basis, and 'Non-attachment' as our fundamental principle. 'Non-objectivity' means not to be absorbed by objects when in contact with objects. 'Idea-less-ness' means not to be carried away by any particular idea in the exercise of the mental faculty. 'Non-attachment' is the characteristic of our Essence of Mind.
All things---good or bad, beautiful or ugly---should be treated as void. Even in time of disputes and quarrels we should treat our intimates and our enemies alike and never think of retaliation. In the exercise of our thinking faculty, let the past be dead. If we allow our thoughts, past, present, and future, to link up in a series, we put ourselves under restraint. (I write about the past so that those who offended me can have the chance to say sorry. Even if I forgive them, the Mark on their forehead will never forgive them, you understand. Once you have committed a sin, you have to get the One inside you to forgive your sin.) On the other hand, if we never let our mind attach to anything, we shall gain emancipation. For this reason, we take 'Non-attachment' as our fundamental principle.
To free ourselves from absorption in external objects is called 'Non-objectivity'. When we are in a position to do so, the nature of Dharma will be pure. For this reason, we take 'Non-objectivity' as our basis.
To keep our mind free from defilement under all circumstances is called 'Idea-less-ness'. Our mind should stand aloof from circumstances, and no account should we allow them to influence the function of our mind. But it is a great mistake to suppress our mind from all thinking; for even if we succeed in getting rid of all thoughts, and die immediately thereafter, still we shall be reincarnated elsewhere. (Any Proof?) Mark this, treaders of the Path. It is bad enough for a man to commit blunders from not knowing the meaning of the Law, but how much worse would it be to encourage others to follow suit? Being deluded, he sees not and in addition he blasphemes the Buddhist Canon. Therefore we take 'Idea-less-ness' as our object.
Learned Audience, let me explain more fully why we take 'Idea-less-ness' as our object. It is because there is a type of man under delusion who boasts of the realization of the Essence of Mind; but being carried away by circumstances, ideas rise in his mind, followed by erroneous views which are the source of all sorts of false notions and defilements. In the Essence of Mind (which is the embodiment of void), there is intrinsically nothing to be attained. To say that there is attainment, and to talk thoughtlessly on merits or demerits are erroneous views and defilements. For this reason we take 'Idea-less-ness' as the object of our School.
Learned Audience, what should we get rid of and what should we fix our mind on? We should get rid of the 'pairs of opposites' and all defiling conceptions. We should fix our mind on the true nature of Tathata, (should be Tathagata ie the Mark on the forehead) for Tathata is the quintessence of idea, and idea is the result of the activity of Tathata.
It is the positive essence of Tathata--not the sense organs--which gives rise to 'idea'. Tathata bears its own attribute, and therefore it can give rise to 'idea'. Without Tathata the sense organs and the sense objects would perish immediately. Learned Audience, because it is the attributes of Tathata which gives rise to 'idea', our sense organs--in spite of their functioning in seeing, hearing, touching, knowing, etc.--need not be tainted or defiled in all circumstances, and our true nature may be 'Self-manifested' all the time. Therefore the Sutra says, "He who is an adept in the discrimination of various Dharmalakshana (things and phenomena) will be immovably installed in the 'First Principle' (ie the blissful abiding place of the Holy, or Nirvana)."
Edited on 8th June 2008