Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, Altar Sutra

Chapter 26
① Turn the scriptures: read and recite the classics.Whoever recites a sutra in its entirety is called true reading.Reciting only the first, middle, and last lines of the scriptures, or just turning the pages to read the scriptures, is called Zhuanjing, also known as Zhuandu.

②Mindless Fahuazhuan: I don’t understand the meaning of the scriptures in my heart, but just recite the "Lotus Sutra" in my mouth, which is equivalent to being "turned" by the "Lotus Sutra", without really reciting the scriptures, so there is no "turning the scriptures" .

③Changyu white ox cart: "Lotus Sutra" uses "white ox cart" as a metaphor for a Buddha vehicle, that is, one has obtained the wisdom of the Buddha. The "white ox cart" and "one Buddha vehicle" mentioned in the "Tanjing" are actually borrowing these names to express the teachings of Zen.

④Three chariots: goat cart, deer cart, and ox cart. The sequence is like the Shravakayana, the Enlightenment Vehicle, and the Mahayana.The goat cart means that the sravaka can only save oneself, but not others, like a small goat cart that cannot carry goods; the deer cart refers to the fact that the enlightened ride can save both oneself and relatives, like a deer cart can carry a few The goods; the ox cart is used to describe the Bodhisattva vehicle not only saves himself but also saves all living beings, just like a big ox cart can carry a lot of goods.

⑤Three Vehicles: Shravakayana, Predestined Enlightenment Vehicle, and Bodhisattva Vehicle.The Shravakayana, also known as the Hinayana, can prove the fruit of Arhat; the Enlightenment Vehicle, also known as the Middle Vehicle, can prove the Buddhahood;

⑥Don't think about being a father: "Father" refers to the "Great Treasure Elder" mentioned in the "Lotus Sutra", who once distributed property to his sons.The meaning here is that all the treasures (Buddha-nature) are your own, don't think that they belong to the wealthy elders (that is, representing the Buddha).

⑦I don’t want to be a son: son refers to the son of a wealthy elder, and here refers to all living beings.The gist of this sentence is not to think that wealth (Buddha nature) belongs to others.

⑧It is also useless to think: what you want to express is that you should not pay attention to the father's thought, the son's thought, and the use of thought, that is, don't even think about it.Although the position of Zen Buddhism is that there is no need to seek the Buddha-nature outside oneself, it further believes that even the idea of ​​seeking the Buddha from within oneself should be eliminated, because this will limit one's own cognitive activities, which is also a kind of attachment.

⑨Junior post-good: early good, middle good, and post-good.The first goodness refers to the sheep cart, which is likened to the Shravakayana; the middle goodness refers to the deer cart, which is likened to the predestined enlightenment vehicle;

[-] Fire house: It is a metaphor for the three realms where all beings in the lost world live.It comes from the metaphor of the fire house in the "Seven Metaphors of the Lotus Sutra".Living beings live in the Three Realms, suffering from all kinds of delusions, yet they still don't realize that they are in the suffering. It's like a house burning, but the children in the house still don't know they are in the burning house, and they are still enjoying themselves.For example, life and death in the three realms are like a house on fire.

B11 King of the Dharma: Refers to the practitioner who has attained the Supreme Bodhi after a long period of practice in the Brahma.

Translation
Fada said: "If this is the case, as long as you can understand the great meaning of Buddhism, don't you stop reciting Buddhist scriptures?"

Master Huineng said: "What's wrong with the Buddhist scriptures? Did it prevent you from reciting them? It's just that the ignorance and enlightenment are up to you, and the loss and gain are all up to you. Recite the scriptures with your mouth and practice them in your heart. The Buddhist scriptures are used in the movement; if you recite it with your mouth, but don’t follow it in your heart, you are being driven by the Buddhist scriptures. Listen to my gatha.” Said the gatha:
The fascination of the mind turns to the Dharma, and the mind turns to the Dharma.

I don't understand the scriptures for a long time, and I am an enemy of righteousness.

Without thoughts, thoughts are righteous, and thoughts become evil.

Regardless of whether there is or is not, the long imperial white ox cart.

After hearing the gatha, Fada wept unknowingly, and immediately became enlightened, and told Master Huineng, "Fada has never used the meaning of the Lotus Sutra since the past. It is pulling and running." He also reported: "It is said in the Buddhist scriptures that all loud speakers and even bodhisattvas can think and measure, and they can't guess the wisdom of the Buddha. Now ordinary people, as long as they enlighten their own minds, they say it is the Buddha's knowledge and vision, not People with high-level abilities will inevitably have doubts and slander on this statement. In addition, Buddhist scriptures mention three types of chariots, sheep carts, deer carts, ox carts, and a white ox cart. How to distinguish them? May the master Then give an enlightenment."

Master Huineng said: "The meaning in the Buddhist scriptures is very clear. It is you who are confused and run in the opposite direction. Those people of the Three Vehicles cannot speculate on the wisdom of the Buddha. Their mistake is to speculate and measure with their thinking. Let them try their best to speculate together. On the contrary, it is getting farther and farther away from the wisdom of the Buddha. The Buddha originally preached the teachings for ordinary people, not for the Buddha himself. If people who do not believe in this truth, let him leave the stage and stop listening. I got on the white ox cart, but I was still looking for sheep carts, deer carts, and bullock carts outside the door. Besides, the scriptures clearly told you: there is only one Buddha vehicle, and there is no other teaching vehicle. If there is a second, second Three, or even countless convenient methods, all kinds of karma, metaphors, words and phrases, these convenient methods are all to explain this Buddhist vehicle. Why don’t you realize it! The so-called sheep, deer, and ox carts are assumptions, It is a metaphor for fooling all beings in the past; the big white ox cart is real and it is designed for people today. This is just to teach you to get rid of falsehoods and return to the truth. After returning to the truth, the truth itself will no longer exist, and you should not be attached to it. You should know that treasures and wealth belong to you and are for you to enjoy. Don’t think that this property belongs to your father, don’t think that this property belongs to your son, and don’t think that it is wealth. This is called offering "Lotus Sutra". If this is the case, it is like not letting go of the scroll at any time during the long period of time from the previous kalpa to the next kalpa, and chanting the "Lotus Sutra" in the mind from morning to night."

Inspired by this, Fada danced for joy and praised with a gatha:
After reciting the three cadres, Cao Xi died in one sentence.

Unknown purpose of birth, Ning Xie is tired and mad?
The power of sheep, deer and cattle is established, and it is good to promote after junior high school.

Unexpectedly, in the fire house, Yuan is the king of Fazhong.

Master Huineng said: "From now on, you can be called a sutra-chanting monk."

From then on, Fada received the profound teachings of the Lotus Sutra, and at the same time he did not stop reciting Buddhist scriptures.

Original
Seng Zhitong, a native of Anfeng, Shouzhou, read the Lenga Sutra for the first time about a thousand times, but he did not know the three bodies and four wisdoms.The rite master seeks to understand its meaning.

The teacher said: The three bodies are the pure dharma body, your nature; the perfect retribution body, your wisdom; the thousands of transformation bodies, your actions.If it is separated from the original nature, let alone the three bodies, it is called having a body without wisdom.If you realize that the three bodies have no self-nature ④, you will understand the Bodhi of the Four Wisdoms.Listen to my verse:
The self-nature possesses three bodies and is invented into four wisdoms.

Staying true to the fate of seeing and hearing, transcending into Buddhahood.

I say it to you now, and you will never be confused if you believe in it sincerely.

Don't learn from those who are eager to seek, and talk about Bodhi all day long.

Tong Zaiqi said: Can you hear the meaning of the four wisdoms?

The teacher said: Since you know the three bodies, you can understand the four wisdoms, so why ask?If you leave the three bodies, don't talk about the four wisdoms.This name has wisdom without body, that is, with wisdom, it is also called ignorance.Repeat the verse:
The big round mirror is pure in intelligence, equal in wisdom and mind, and disease-free. Wonderful observation, wisdom and seeing are not meritorious deeds, and the wisdom of what you do is the same as the round mirror.

Five, eight, six, seven results and causes turn ⑤, but there is no reality ⑥ in the famous saying, if there is no mercy at the turn, prosperity will always be in Naga Ding⑦.

Through sudden enlightenment and wisdom ⑧, he presented a verse saying:

The three bodies are the essence of the body, and the four wisdoms are the essence of the mind;
There is no hindrance to the integration of body and intelligence, and you can follow the shape of things.

At the beginning of cultivation, all actions are rash, but to keep the essence of banditry;
Because of the master's understanding of the wonderful decree, he died and stained his reputation.

注释
①Zhitong: A Zen monk in the Tang Dynasty, whose birth and death dates are unknown.According to the tenth volume of "Jingde Biography of Lantern Records", the teacher returned to Zong Zhichang to seek the Dharma, and suddenly shouted: "I have already realized it." The next day, Zhichang asked, and replied: "Master is naturally a woman. .” Zhi Chang promised.Later, he lived in Fahua Temple in Wutai Mountain and called himself the Great Zen Buddha.Before dying, he raised his verse and said: "Raise your hands to climb the south bucket, turn around and lean on the north exhibition, look out from the sky, who is like me?"

②Four Wisdom: Refers to the four kinds of wisdom.The four wisdoms of the Tathagata established by Fa Xiangzong.Ordinary people have eight consciousnesses, and the Tathagata has turned into four wisdoms.The wisdom of a large circle of mirrors is transferred to the eighth consciousness; the wisdom of two equal natures is transferred to the seventh consciousness; the wisdom of three wonderful observations is transferred to the sixth consciousness;

③Body without wisdom: Zen believes that everything is illusory and unreal without the self-nature of human beings.Because the four wisdoms are inseparable from the original nature, if we talk about the three kayas apart from the original nature, we can only talk about empty famous words and concepts that are not useful for wisdom, not the real three kayas.

④The three bodies have no self-nature: the three bodies are born from the nature of a self, not to say that each of the three bodies has a self-nature.

⑤Five, eight, six, and seven results and causes: five, refers to the first five consciousnesses among the eight consciousnesses, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body can produce five kinds of consciousness for the five objects of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch.Eight refers to the eighth consciousness, also known as Alaya consciousness.Six refers to the sixth consciousness among the eight consciousnesses, that is, consciousness.Seven is the seventh consciousness among the eight consciousnesses, that is, Mana consciousness.The first five consciousnesses and the eighth consciousness belong to the fruit.The sixth consciousness and the seventh consciousness belong to the cause.The first five consciousnesses and the eighth consciousness must be transformed into the wisdom of creation and the wisdom of the great circle mirror when the Buddhahood is achieved, so it is called "turning on the fruit".However, the sixth consciousness and the seventh consciousness can turn into wonderful observation wisdom and equal nature wisdom before attaining Buddhahood, so it is called "cause transfer".

⑥Substance: The synonym of Zhenru.

⑦ Naga Ding: Freely translated as "Dragon", it means "Ding".Long Ding stopped at the abyss, called Naga Ding.

⑧Through insight and wisdom: that is to know and understand the theory about the three bodies and four wisdoms from the perspective of self-nature.

Translation
The monk Zhitong, born in Anfeng, Shouzhou, read the "Lengjiao Sutra" at first, and read it more than 1000 times, but he still didn't understand the meaning of the three bodies and four wisdoms.Come to pay homage to Master Huineng and ask for enlightenment.

Master Huineng said: "The three kayas are the pure dharmakaya, which is your nature; the perfect sambhogakaya, which is your wisdom; and the tens of billions of incarnations, which are your actions. If you are separated from the self-nature, In addition, if you talk about the three bodies, this is called having a body without wisdom. If you realize the three bodies but have no self-nature, this is called the Bodhi of the Four Wisdoms. Listen to my gatha." The gatha said:
The self-nature possesses three bodies and is invented into four wisdoms.

Staying true to the fate of seeing and hearing, transcending into Buddhahood.

I say it to you now, and you will never be confused if you believe in it sincerely.

Don't learn from those who are eager to seek, and talk about Bodhi all day long.

Zhitong asked again: "May I listen to you explain the principles of the four wisdoms?"

Master Huineng said: "Since you have understood the meaning of the three bodies, you will understand the meaning of the four wisdoms. Why bother to ask? If you are separated from the three bodies, then talk about the four wisdoms. This is called having wisdom without a body. , but what is manifested is lack of wisdom.” Then he said:

The big round mirror is pure in intelligence, equal in wisdom and mind, and disease-free. Wonderful observation, wisdom and seeing are not meritorious deeds, and the wisdom of what you do is the same as the round mirror.

Five, eight, six, seven, fruit and cause turn, but there is no reality in the famous saying, if there is no mercy at the turning point, prosperity will always be in Naga concentration.

Zhitong immediately realized the principle of talking about the three bodies and four wisdoms in terms of self-nature, so he presented his own gatha:

The three bodies are the essence of the body, and the four wisdoms are the essence of the mind;
There is no hindrance to the integration of body and intelligence, and you can follow the shape of things.

At the beginning of cultivation, all actions are rash, but to keep the essence of banditry;
Because of the master's understanding of the wonderful decree, he died and stained his reputation.

Original
Seng Zhichang, a native of Guixi, Xinzhou.When he was a monk, he aspired to see sex.Participate in one day.

The teacher asked, "Where do you come from, and what do you want?"
Said: A scholar recently went to Baifeng Mountain in Hongzhou to pay homage to Monk Datong②, and he was shown the meaning of seeing one's nature and becoming a Buddha, and his doubts have not yet been resolved.From afar to pay homage, monk Fu Wang mercifully instructed.

The master said: What did he say, can you give it a try?

Said: Wisdom often arrives there, and every three months has passed without being taught.For Faqie's sake, I entered the husband's room alone overnight ③, I would like to ask how is a certain A's original heart and nature.Datong then said: Do you see the void?Confrontation: see!He said: Do you see that the void has an appearance?Confrontation: The void has no form, what does it look like?He said: Your nature is like empty space. When you see nothing, this is called right view; when you have nothing to know, it is called true knowledge.There is no difference between blue and yellow, but seeing the source is pure and the body is perfect, that is, seeing the nature and becoming a Buddha, also known as the knowledge and vision of the Tathagata.Although scholars have heard this, they are still undecided, so they begged the monk for instructions.

The teacher said: What the teacher said, there is still perception and knowledge, so you are not finished.I now show you a verse:
Not seeing a dharma and not seeing it ④, it is as big as clouds covering the face of the sun.

If you don't know one method and observe emptiness⑤, it's like lightning from the void.

This kind of knowledge and seeing suddenly flourishes, and it is convenient to mistakenly admit that it has never been solved[-].

When you know what is wrong with one thought, your spiritual light will always appear.

After hearing the verse often, my mind is suddenly enlightened, so I narrate the verse:

Arouse knowledge and vision for no reason, seek Bodhi⑦ according to appearance, and realize enlightenment with a single thought of love, rather than being delusional in the past ⑧.

Self-awareness source body, follow photos in vain, don't enter the patriarch's room, be at a loss.

Zhichang asked the teacher one day, saying: The Buddha taught the Three Vehicles ⑨, and also said that the highest vehicle, the disciples did not understand it, and would like to teach it.

The master said: You observe your own original mind, and don't follow external appearances.There are no four vehicles in the law ⑩, and the human heart has its own differences.Recitation of knowledge and knowledge is the Hinayana, enlightenment and interpretation is the middle vehicle, and practice according to the law is the Mahayana.All dharmas are fully understood, all dharmas are ready, everything is untainted, separated from all dharmas, and there is nothing to gain. It is called the highest vehicle B11.Multiplying is doing righteousness, not talking about it, you have to cultivate yourself, don't ask me.At all times, the self-nature is free.

Always thank you for serving, and you will end up as a teacher.

注释
①Xinzhou: Today Shangrao, Jiangxi Province.Guixi: present-day Guixi, Jiangxi.

②Monk Datong: The posthumous title of Master Shenxiu, a disciple of Master Hongren, the Fifth Patriarch.

③Wenshi: It is the living room or guest hall of the abbot in the Zen temple, which is now converted to the abbot of the Zen forest or the honorific title for the master.Commonly known as "abbot" or "abbot monk".

④ Not seeing a dharma and having no view: not seeing a dharma, refers to the above-mentioned "nothing can be seen" mentioned by the monk Datong above.Here it means that even "ignorance" should not exist in the heart, which will hinder the clear mind and see the nature.

⑤ Not knowing one law and keeping emptiness: not knowing one law refers to the above-mentioned "nothing to know" mentioned by Monk Datong. "Keeping emptiness" is an attachment, thinking that there is really "nothing to know".

⑥ Misidentification and convenience: Mistaking ignorance and ignorance as reality.The pursuit of "ignorance" and "knowledge of emptiness" is also an attachment to all external phenomena.

[-] Appearance: Obsessed with appearance.This refers to the attachment to "existing ignorance" and "keeping empty knowledge".

⑧ Feelings of one thought of enlightenment, Ning Yue was confused in the past: "Enlightenment" is the realm pursued by practice, but if there is a thought of "nothing" in your heart, or you think you have enlightened, it just means that you have not awakened, but you are in the state of "nothing". confused" situation.

⑨Three Vehicles: Refers to the Three Vehicles of the Shravaka, Yuanjue and Bodhisattva.

[-] Four vehicles: three vehicles plus one vehicle (Buddha vehicle) is four vehicles.

B11 The best vehicle: Refers to the big white ox cart, which is a metaphor for the one who has attained the Buddha’s vehicle. The "Diamond Sutra" says that the Tathagata is the one who develops the Mahayana, and the one who develops the highest vehicle.

Translation
The monk Zhichang was born in Guixi, Xinzhou.He became a monk when he was young, determined to seek to understand his true nature.One day he came to pay homage to Master Huineng.

Master Huineng asked, "Where do you come from, and what do you want to do?"

Zhichang said: "Disciple, I went to Baifeng Mountain in Hongzhou not long ago to pay homage to Master Datong. I have been taught the teachings of seeing the nature and achieving Buddhism, but I haven't solved my doubts. I came all the way to pay homage to the master. I beg the master to give me a merciful instruction."

Master Huineng said: "You are attending the ceremony with Monk Datong. If you have some conversations, you can list some of them first and I will show you."

Zhichang said: "Zhichang I went to monk Datong and lived there for about three months, but I still didn't receive instructions and instructions. Because of my eagerness to seek the Dharma, I came to the abbot's room alone one evening and asked monk Datong what is My original heart and nature. Monk Datong said: "Do you see the void?" Zhichang said: "I have seen it." Monk Datong asked: "Do you see the void has appearance?" Zhichang said: "The void has no appearance. , How can there be appearances and appearances?" Monk Datong said: "Your self-nature is like space. There is nothing that can be seen, which is called correct view; there is nothing that can be recognized, which is called true knowledge. There is no blue and yellow. Long and short, only seeing the source is pure and the essence of wisdom is bright, is called seeing the original nature and achieving the Buddha way, and it is also called the knowledge of the Tathagata." Although Zhichang heard this kind of saying, he still didn't understand it, and I beg the master to enlighten him."

Master Huineng said: "What the master said, there is still knowledge and view, so you have no attainment. Let me give you a gatha now." The gatha said:
If you don't see a dharma, you don't see it, it's like floating clouds covering the sun.

If you don't know one method and keep emptiness, it's like lightning from the void.

This kind of knowledge and seeing suddenly flourishes, and it is convenient to misunderstand it.

When you know what is wrong with one thought, your spiritual light will always appear.

After Zhichang listened to the gatha, his mind suddenly understood, and he narrated the gatha he made himself:

Arousing knowledge and seeing for no reason, seeking Bodhi with respect, and enlightenment with one thought of love, I would rather be lost in the past.

Self-awareness source body, follow photos in vain, don't enter the patriarch's room, be at a loss.

One day, Zhichang asked Master Huineng: "The Buddha said that there are teachings of the Three Vehicles of Shravaka, Yuanjue, and Bodhisattva, but he also said the best way to become a Buddha. My disciples have not yet explained this point. I hope you can enlighten me. .”

(End of this chapter)