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上
二○ ○五年二月十一日 |
完 | ○自修自行○自成佛道○ | 元自清淨○善知識○於念念中自見本性清淨 | 定○外禪內定是為禪定○菩薩戒經云我本性 | 是眞定也○善知識○外離相卽禪○內不亂卽 | 定○只為見境思境卽亂○若見諸境心不亂者 | 心卽亂○外若離相○心卽不亂○本性自淨自 | ○外離相為禪○內不亂為定○外若著相○內 | ○內見自性不動名為禪○善知識○何名禪定 | 障無礙○外於一切善惡境界心念不起名為坐 | 師示衆云○善知識○何名坐禪○此法門中無 | 著淨○卽障道也○ | 便說他人是非長短好惡○與道違背○若著心 | 是自性不動○善知識○迷人身雖不動○開口 | 但見一切人時○不見人之是非善惡過患○卽 | 障自本性○却被淨縛○善知識○若修不動者 | 淨無形相○却立淨相○言是工夫○作此見者 | 起心著淨○却生淨妄○妄無處所○著者是妄 | 妄念故○蓋覆○眞如○但無妄想○性自清淨 | 幻○故無所著也○若言著淨○人性本淨○由 | 亦不是不動○若言著心○心元是妄○知心如 | 師示衆云○此門坐禪○元不著心○亦不著淨 | 坐禪品第五 | 六祖大師法寶壇經 |
Chapter 5 -- Dhyana
The Patriarch (one day) preached to the assembly as follows:--
In our system of meditation, we neither dwell upon the mind (in contradistinction to the Essence of Mind) nor upon purity. Nor do we approve of non-activity. As to dwelling upon the mind, the mind is primarily delusive; and when we realize that it is only a phantasm there is no need to dwell on it. As to dwelling upon purity, our nature is intrinsically pure; and so far as we get rid of all delusive 'idea' there will be nothing but purity in our nature, for it is the delusive idea that obscures Tathata (Such-ness). If we direct our mind to dwell upon purity we are only creating another delusion, the delusion of purity. Since delusion has no abiding place, it is delusive to dwell upon it. Purity has neither shape nor form; but some people go so far as to invent the 'Form of Purity', and treat it as a problem for solution. Holding such an opinion, these people are purity-ridden, and their Essence of Mind is thereby obscured.
Learned Audience, those who train themselves for 'Imperturbability' should, in their contact with all types of men, ignore the faults of others. They should be indifferent to others' merit or demerit, good or evil, for such an attitude accords with the 'Imperturbability of the Essence of Mind'. Learned Audience, a man unenlightened may be unperturbed physically, but as soon as he opens his mouth, he criticizes others and talks about their merits or demerits, ability or weakness, good or evil; thus he deviates from the right course. On the other hand, to dwell upon our own mind or upon purity is also a stumbling block in the Path.
The Patriarch on another occasion preached to the assembly as follows:--
Learned Audience, what is sitting for meditation? In our School, to sit means to gain absolute freedom and to be mentally unperturbed in all outward circumstances, be they good or otherwise. To meditate means to realize inwardly the imperturbability of the Essence of Mind. [Essence of Mind is actually our Spiritual Soul. We neglect IT thinking others are greater. Meditation is only looking at the Hsuan Kuan, Mystic Portal or indirectly at our nose tip.]
Learned Audience, what are Dhyana and Samadhi? Dhyana means to be free from attachment to all outer objects, and Samadhi means to attain inner peace. If we are attached to outer objects, our inner mind will be perturbed. When we are free from attachment to all outer objects, the mind will be in peace. Our Essence of Mind is intrinsically pure, and the reason why we are perturbed is because we allow ourselves to be carried away by the circumstances we are in. He who is able to keep his mind unperturbed, irrespective of circumstances, has attained Samadhi.
To be free from attachment to all outer objects is Dhyana, and to attain inner peace is Samadhi. When we are in a position to deal with Dhyana and to keep our inner mind in Samadhi, then we are said to have attained Dhyana and Samadhi. The Bodhisattva Sila Sutra says, "Our Essence of Mind is intrinsically pure". Learned Audience, let us realize this for ourselves at all times. Let us train ourselves, practice it by ourselves, and attain Buddha-hood by our own effort.
Edited on 8th June 2008