ZEN

DAWN

^»
Early Zen Texts from Tun Hui

Tanslated by J. C. Geary
 3^9
^

ZEN DAWN

I
 ZEN
DAWN

Early Zen Texts from Tun Huang

Translated by

\ ]. C. Cleary

SHAMBHALA
Boston & London
1986
 6

Shambhala Publications, Inc.

314 Dartmouth Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02 II

© I986byj. C. Cleary
All rights reserved
987654321
First Edition
Printed in the United States of America
Distributed in the United States by Random House
and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Main entry under title:
Zen dawn.

I. Zen Buddhism — Doctrines— Early works to 1800.

2. Meditation (Zen Buddhism) — Early worksto 1800.
I. Cleary, J. C. Qonathan Christopher)
BQ9268.Z46 1986 294.3'927 85-27904
ISBN 0-87773-359-7 (Pbk.)
ISBN 0-394-74388-1 (Random House: pbk.)

Design/Dede Cummings
Cover Illustration/Nan Starr
 Contents

Introduction 3

Records of the Teachers and Students

OF THE Lanka 17

Bodhidharma's Treatise on
Contemplating Mind 79

Treatise on the True Sudden Enlightenment

School of the Great Vehicle, Which Opens
Up Mind and Reveals Reality-Nature 103

Glossary i^i
 ZEN DA IVN

i
 Introduction

The three meditation manuals translated in

this volume are among the earliest surviving records of

Zen (Chan) Buddhism in China. Long in oblivion in

China itself, these three texts were rediscovered in the

twentieth century among the records of Tang civilization

preserved at Tun Huang in western China.

These texts date from the first half of the eighth cen-
tury, considerably earlier than the great outpouring of

Zen writings over the next five centuries in China. They

are important as historical sources because they give a
perspective on the early history of Zen that is somewhat
different from the account that became standard in the

later tradition. They are valuable Zen sources because

they preserve a record of Zen method — the theoretical
analyses and practical techniques advanced by the Zen
teachers of the time.
When we read these early Zen texts in conjunction

[3]
 INTRODUCTION
with the better-known records of Chinese Zen composed
later, two majors points are clear. First, Zen shares the
same outlook and the same intent as the Great Vehicle

Buddhism of the sutras and idstra^. Both these early texts

and the later Zen tradition amply illustrate and explicitly

affirm this fact: Zen teachers are shown freely quoting

the sutra% and sdstras^ and teaching by carrying out their

theories and methods in everyday life. Second, these
early texts are from the "northern school" of Zen, but in

substance and even tone the Zen they show is fully in

accord with the Zen of the "southern school," which

shaped the later record. In the teachings of the core
teachers, there is no question of sloganizing or one-sided
allegiance to any one "philosophical position" — this

would violate the fundamental norms of how the Bud-

dhist teaching should be carried on.

These two points will come as no surprise to people

familiar with Zen Buddhism in primary sources. They

will have encountered some of the many detailed and
explicit statements from within the tradition pointing out
that Zen is founded on the same intent as the scriptures

and cannot be at odds with them, whatever the surface

appearance. Likewise, many adept teachers emphasized
that the division into northern and southern schools is no
essential part of Zen, and that sectarian attitudes spring
from misunderstanding of the work of Zen teachers.

Nevertheless, many treatments of Buddhist history

have taken for granted the notion that Buddhism can be
interpreted best in terms of sectarian rivalry. Particular
Buddhist doctrines are thus seen as tools devised for po-
lemic purposes, or as ideological statements tailored to

[4]
 INTRODUCTION
attract patronage and popularity. The flourishing of a

religious school is equated with its winning support and

prestige among the social elite, and the loss of such pa-
tronage is thought to mean the eclipse of the teaching.
To serve this type of interpretation, texts are quoted in a
fragmentary manner to show their supposed philosophi-
cal tenets, but their comprehensive meaning is studiously

ignored. In particular, the message the primary sources

give concerning the human realities of Buddhism is not
heeded.
The result can only be pseudohistory, crippled by
basic errors of method. Rather than derive from the

sources an adequate paradigm for the human dimensions

of Buddhist history, this type of approach simply trans-
poses onto Buddhist history the set of human motivations
and the limited range of human experiences considered
normal or possible in our "modern world." As a conse-
quence of such arbitrary presuppositions, the main fac-

tors seen at work in the formulation of Buddhist

teachings are things like personal ambition and rivalry,
greed for patronage, political intrigues, propaganda con-
tests, and ideological manipulation and self-delusion
through myth and fantasy. Filtered through such limit-
ing preconceptions, which elevate the mere common
sense of today's world to a universal, objective stand-
point, the vision of the intent and manner of operation
of the Buddhist teaching preserved in the primary
sources completely escapes from view.
If we seek the social history of Buddhism in the pri-

mary sources, we find many comments from the leading

Buddhist teachers through the ages from which we can

[5]
 INTRODUCTION
derive valuable information on the sociological and psy-
chological dimensions of Buddhism as ahuman phenom-
enon. There are descriptions of the typical states of mind

of contemporary people, of the good and bad motivations

that lead people to Buddhism, and of the common obsta-

cles they encounter in remolding their customary habits

and perceptions. There are discussions of the imperatives
of the true teaching and the demands it makes of teachers
and students. There are analyses of the distortions that

crop up around Buddhism, the misconceptions and pious

mystifications that block the path. And records of the
great teachers provide samples of the Buddhist teaching
as it was carried on. By taking careful note of all this

information, we can arrive at a more adequate conceptual

framework for understanding Buddhist history in human
terms.
The first point to notice is that Buddhist teachings are
intended as skillful, expedient means, devised and used
according to the varying needs of particular audiences
and situations. Religious utterances are not meant as dog-
matic statements, because the truth is not seen as some-
thing that can be defined conceptually or captured in a
string of words. Rather, different formulations of Bud-
dhism are meant to have instrumental value in promoting
the development of enlightened perception among those
to whom the teachings are addressed. Therefore, accord-
ing to its own view of religious teaching, Buddhism is

naturally and properly multiform: there is no fixed doc-

trine. As the Zen saying goes, "If we expounded the
Dharma the same way all the time, the weeds in front of
the teaching hall would be ten feet deep." Teaching Bud-

[6]
 INTRODUCTION
dhism is likened to curing diseases — ^just as there are

many diseases, there are also many medicines. The en-

lightened teacher is like a good doctor, able to diagnose

diseases and prescribe medicines accordingly.

We find that when Buddhist teachers built up concep-
tual structures marking out the path for students, they

did not always aim for static structures, but rather aimed
for subtly moving semantic devices designed to interact
with and modify the students' conceptual and motiva-
tional patterns. This is especially apparent in Zen, but

also present in vast creations like the Huayan (or Flower

Ornament) Sutra and the Lotus Sutra. For thought sys-

tems like these, it is impossible to give a brief summary

in terms of a few "philosophical positions" expressed in
short phrases: the real semantics are not that simple. It
follows that an "intellectual history" of Buddhism con-
structed out of such philosophical summaries cannot be
true to its subject matter.
Buddhist theory has very exacting requirements for
bona fide religious teachers. Real teachers must have
their own independent realizations of enlightened per-
ception, plus a thorough mastery of the full range of
teaching methods known as the Buddha Dharma. Such
teachers form the core of Buddhism as it is active in the

world: they devise and propagate the specific adaptations

of the Buddhist teaching required in their own times and
places. No matter how faithful to a former master's great
legacy, or how pious, rote repetition of previous methods
and dogmatic allegiance to provisional doctrines cannot

keep Buddhism alive.

This notion of the true teacher suggests a core and

[7]
 INTRODUCTION
periphery model for the social history of Buddhism. The
core of enlightened teachers is the key to the real vitality

of the religion. Their direct transformative influence and

the influence of their teaching devices spread out into
society with varying impact. Those close to the teachers

may be enlightened with their help and acquire the abil-

ity to act as teachers themselves. Others near the core

may be transformed enough short of enlightenment that

they can serve as conduits through whom the teaching

can be disseminated more widely without distortion.

Others more distant from the core mentality may be
emotionally inspired by the enlightened teachers and con-
ceive feelings of respect and awe and partisan allegiance

— some may become imitators or advocates of what they

take to be the great teacher's message. Those around the
periphery of the ring of influences emanating from the
core teachers may be reached only weakly and indirectly,
as their teachings have indirect effect on culture and
customs. The surviving records of Buddhism contain
instances of all these possibilities.

Since Buddhism operated in the ordinary world, it was

unavoidably surrounded by worldly attitudes and moti-
vations, including partisanship, jealousy, dogmatism,
group rivalries, and political entanglements. The core
teachers over the centuries provided penetrating analyses
of the way such tendencies distorted Buddhism and
blocked people from taking the Buddhist path. If we
accept the core view of what Buddhism is all about, we
must interpret these "all too human" phenomena as dis-
torting influences on the periphery of the true teaching.
Indeed, enlightened teachers are necessary precisely in

[8]
 INTRODUCTION
order to counteract these ever-present tendencies toward
fossilization and rote allegiance.

It follows from these considerations that no adequate

account of Buddhist history can focus exclusively on pe-
ripheral phenomena while ignoring or glossing over the

core teachings. The historian must therefore be familiar

with the core message as well as the sociology, psychol-
ogy, and cultural tradition of the periphery. This re-
quirement means that the texts that remain as records of
the teaching must be studied and understood as wholes,
and in terms of their own logic, not just skimmed to cull

out key phrases that are supposed to represent philosoph-

ical tenets. A history true to the human reality of Bud-
dhism must recognize the central role of the core teachers
and proceed to trace their relations to and impact on the
various regions of the periphery.
For the history of early Zen in China, we are fortunate
to have an account that does respect the core intent of
Buddhism, while explaining the current situation of par-
tisan disputes among the followers of the various Zen
schools of the day. This is the "General Preface to Col-
lected Explanations of the Zen Source" by Zong Mi
(780-841), a Zen master also recognized as the fifth

patriarch of Huayan Buddhism in China. Those scholars

who insist that partisan rivalry and doctrinal differences
over sudden versus gradual enlightenment were central
factors in the formulation of early Zen teachings are in
effect taking the position that they have a deeper insight
into or better information about eighth-century Zen than
Zong Mi did — a very dubious claim.
Zong Mi's account allows us to assess the true signifi-

[9]
 INTRODUCTION
cance of the differences in early Zen between northern
and southern schools and gradual and sudden conceptions
of enlightenment. Pei Xiu, the ninth-century Tang offi-

who was also

cial a Zen adept, describes the problem
Zong Mi meant to address:

Ever since the Tathagata appeared in the world and es-

tablished teachings, and bodhisattvas went among beings

pointing out medicines according to the disease, in the
teachings of each era multiple methods have been devel-
oped varying in shallowness and depth. The One True
Pure Mind sets forth different teachings regarding in-
herent nature and forms. . . .

[Here Pei Xiu mentions Yogacara and Madhyamika,

Tiantai, and the Zen schools of Huineng and Shenxiu,
of Shenhui and Mazu, and of Oxhead Mountain.]
Thus in India and China the schools of Buddhism
have indeed been many and variegated: since diseases
have a thousand sources, medicine comes in many kinds.
[When real teachers teach] they accord with people's
potentials and adapt to their capacities — they cannot be
the same all the time. Nevertheless, all are gates to en-
lightenment, all are correct paths.
But among the followers of the various schools, those
who comprehend this are few, while those who are lim-
ited [to a particular formulation] are many. Thus, for
the last several decades, the Teaching has been going to
ruin. [Pupils] take what they have received from their
teachers as signboards with which they advertise them-
selves. They take written teachings as spears and shields
and attack each other, their sentiments varying accord-
ing to whether they are attacking or defending. Teach-
ings are considered high or low depending on whether
they are one's own or someone else's. Right and wrong

[10]
 INTRODUCTION
are confused and made complicated, and no one can tell

them apart. Thus, the various teachings of the buddhas

and bodhisattvas of the past are now used to create con-
troversy. Latter-day people are adding to the affliction
and disease — how can this be beneficial?
[Zong Mi] the Great Teacher of Guifeng, having
long lamented this, said: "At such a time as this I should
not be silent."'

Zong Mi gives a comprehensive account of contem-

porary Zen, proceeding from basic principles to a dis-
cussion of the differences among the various schools of
the day.Here we can only note a few of his salient points.
Zong Mi takes as a basic fact the unity of purpose of
Zen and the scriptural teachings of Buddhism. Both have
their source in the fundamentally enlightened true nature

of all sentient beings, also known as buddha-nature and

the mind-ground.^ Both have as their purpose the "one
great matter" indicated in the Lotus Sutra (which Zong
Mi quotes): "to enable sentient beings to open up their
enlightened perception."^ Zong Mi insists that the meth-
ods of cultivation and realization set forth in the scrip-

tural teachings are basic to Zen, just as the enlightened

mind of Zen is the basic intent of the sutras and sdstras:

thus, there can be no contradiction between them.'^

With the Buddhist scriptures already in existence, why

did Zen arise.^ "Bodhidharma received the Dharma in
India and personally came to China. He saw that here

students often did not get the Dharma, but instead con-
sidered naming and categorizing as understanding and
formalism as practice. He wanted to let them know that

the moon is not the pointing finger and that the Dharma

[ "]
 INTRODUCTION
is our own Mind."^ Bodhidharma stressed mind-to-

mind transmission without words in order to break at-

tachments to verbal formulations — not to reject the

scriptural teachings/

Zong Mi laments that many would-be Buddhists in

his day fail to see the compatability between Zen and the
scriptures, and use one to reject the other. "These days
disciples are deluded about their source. Those who cul-
tivate mind think the siltras and Nostras are a different
school. Those who expound the scriptures think Zen is a
different teaching."^ "These days many Zen people do
not know the meanings [of the scriptural teachings] , so
they just hail mind as Zen. Many who lecture on the
scriptures do not know the Dharma, so they just explain
the meanings according to the words. Following the
names to engender clinging makes comprehensive un-
derstanding impossible."^ "Originally Buddha ex-
pounded sudden and gradual scriptures and Zen opened
sudden and gradual gates: the two kinds of scriptures and
the two kinds of gates matched and tallied with each
other. But today specialists in the scriptures one-sidedly

promote the gradual meaning, while Zen people one-

sidedly propagate the sudden school."^ In this fashion,
both parties go wrong: "One must know the provisional
and the real in the sutras and sdstras: only then can one
distinguish right and wrong in Zen. One must recog-
nize the real identity of Zen mind: only then can one
understand the principles and events in the sutra%
and/^/r^s."'^
Zong Mi describes Zen in his day in terms of ten
houses distributed across the various regions of China,

[12]
 INTRODUCTION
teaching Zen with differing emphasis and formula-
tions.**

None of them is wrong — but since each in partisan fash-

ion considers itself to be right and repudiates the others
as wrong, it is necessary to reconcile them. ... the Ul-
timate Path goes back to one pure truth, not two. . . .

The Ultimate Path is not one-sided, the Final Truth is

not biased. We must not seize upon the views of just one
of these approaches. Thus we must understand them as
one and make them all perfect and wondrous. . . . For
each of them we keep what is the Dharma and get rid of
the defects — then all are subtle and wondrous. . . .

Many people follow sentiments and cling to one while

opposing the others. ... In essence, if you are confined

to one of them, they are all wrong; if you reconcile them,

they are all correct. . . . Forget sentiments and return
to the ocean of wisdom.'^

Zong Mi adopts this method himself regarding the

"northern" and "southern" schools of Zen: "In the rec-
onciliation given here, not only are sudden and gradual
not opposed to each other —on the contrary, they mu-
tually support each other." '^ Zong Mi accepts both
Shenxiu (the Sixth Patriarch according to the "northern'*

school) and Huineng (the Sixth Patriarch according to

the "southern" tradition) as true successors of Hongren,

whom both schools regarded as the Fifth Zen Patriarch.
Differences in teaching methods among geniune teachers
Zong Mi attributes to the need to prescribe different

medicines for different sicknesses. "They are just treat-

ments according to the disease: it is not necessary to extol
one and denigrate the other." '"^
When Shenhui came to

[13]
 INTRODUCTION
the capital as a proponent of Huineng's "southern" Zen
and criticized the current methods of "northern" Zen,
the aim was to combat issues and misapplications, not to

reject legitimate methods taught by Hongren.'^

Sectarian feeling arises among those who fail to com-
prehend the underlying complementarity of the sudden
and gradual accounts of enlightenment. Half-baked
teachers feed on and promote partisan rivalries.

Those whose nature is superficial and shallow think

themselves sufficiently equipped as soon as they hear one
of these meanings. They go on to be people's teachers
relying on this petty "wisdom" of theirs. Not having
fully fathomed [the Buddha Dharma] from the root to
the branch tips, they form many one-sided clingings.
That's why followers of sudden and gradual view each
other as enemies, and the northern and southern schools
oppose each other like rival kingdoms.'^

When we as modern readers come to study these long-

lost early Zen texts and try to appreciate their signifi-

cance, we would do well to heed these pointers offered

by Zong Mi. When we compare these early works to the
later, better-known records of Zen, we should follow

Zong Mi's advice to "see the differences in the sameness

and see the sameness in the differences."'^ Otherwise, if

all we do is search for evidence of supposed sectarian

rivalries, and labor to piece together questionable hy-

potheses about long-forgotten controversies among the

ill-informed, we are using a conceptual sieve that keeps
the chaff and discards the grain.

[ 14]
 INTRODUCTION

Notes
These are page references to the "General Preface to

Collected Explanations of the Zen Source," Chan yuan

zhu quanji du xUy No. 20 15 in the Taisho Canon.

I. 398bc. 10. 400b.

2. 399ab. II. 400c.
3. 408b. 12. 400c.
4. 400b. 13. 402a.
5. 400b. 14. 404a.
6. 400b. 15. 405b.
7. 400b. 16. 402b.
8. 401C. 17. 41OC.
9. 399c.

[ 15]
 Records of the Teachers and
Students of the Lanka

!
 Original Preface

[Text BROKEN off] . . . It was evident that the

Great Teacher [Xuanze] had long since consummated

the Path. In 708 he was called by imperial summons to

the Western Capital; he preached the methods of Chan

widely in the Eastern Capital.
[I,] Jingjue was in his assembly and took refuge with
him, serving him single-mindedly. I traveled back and
forth between the two capitals, studying earnestly with
him: the mental states that had appeared [in me] over
the past several years were soon resolved.
Among those to whom the Great Teacher Hongren
had given predictions [of enlightenment] , there was one
from Anzhou — this was my great teacher [Xuanze] . In
appearance he was like an ordinary monk, but in his
realization he shared the stage of the buddhas. He was
the imperial teacher, a national treasure to whom people
throughout the land gave their allegiance. Since I had a

[19]
 ZEN DAWN
causal link with him from past lives, I personally re-

ceived his instructions: only then did I come to know

that the inner heart is fully endowed with True Thusness.
Things I had never before heard I now found out.

True Thusness has no form; knowledge [of it] is with-

out knowing. Knowledge without knowing — could it be
apart from knowing? Form without form — could it be
apart from form.^ Human beings and phenomena are all

Thus; speaking, too, is Thus. Thusness of itself is with-

out speech; with speech, it is not Thusness. Thusness
basically is without knowing; with knowing, it is not
Thusness. The Awakening of Faith Treatise says: "The
True Thusness of Mind is the comprehensive aspect
of the One Reality, the essential body of the Dharma
Gate."
What is called the reality-nature of mind is neither
born nor destroyed. There are distinctions among all

phenomena only based on false thoughts. The forms of

objects do not exist separately apart from the mind's
thoughts. Therefore, from the beginning, all things are
detached from the forms of language, detached from the
forms of names, and detached from the forms of mental
objects: they are ultimately equal, without change, and
indestructible: they are just the One Mind. Hence the
name True Thusness.
Moreover, the inherent essential being of True Thus-
ness is neither augmented nor diminished in ordinary

people, srdvakas, bodhisattvas, or buddhas. It is neither

born in the past nor destroyed in the future: ultimately,

it endures forever. From its fundamental nature it is self-

sufficient in all virtues. In its own essential being it has

[20]
 —

RECORDS OF THE LANKA

the light of great wisdom: thus, it is the pure mind of
inherent reality.
The Lahkdvatdra Sutra says: "Inherent Mind mani-
fests objects appearing everywhere amid the five phe-
nomena according to kind." What are the five

phenomena? Names, forms, false thinking, true wisdom,

and thusness. For this reason, all things are nameless:

they are named by mind. All forms are formless: they

are given form by mind. Just be mindless oneself, and
there are no names or forms. Then it is called true wis-

dom and thusness. The Dharmapada Sutra says: "The

dense array of myriad images is the impression of One
Reality."
So I immersed my spirit in dark silence, and nurtured
my real identity on remote cliffsides, holding solely to
the mind of purity, preserving oneness until it filled the
valleys. Composing a preface, I lodge my enlightenment

within it, in the hope that those who share in the stream
of our Path will come to know Mind. The wondrous
essence of True Thusness is not apart from birth and
death. The abstruse subtlety of the Path of the Sages lies
within the body of form. The purity of the body of form
is lodged amid afflictions. The inherent reality of birth

and death is provisionally located in nirvana.

Thus we know that sentient beings and buddha-nature
share a common identity. They are like water and ice
what difference is there in their essential being? The solid

barrier of ice represents the bondage of sentient beings.

Water by nature energizes and flows through: it is equiv-
alent to the perfect purity of buddha-nature.

There is nothing that can be attained, no form that can

[21 ]
 ZEN DAWN
be sought. Even good things are dispensed with, so birth
and death must be left far behind.
The Vimalaktrti Sutra says: "If one would attain the
perfection of purity, one must purify one's mind. As
one's mind is purified, so the buddha-land is purified."

Though physical existence is the basis for them, con-

sciousness and perception range from shallow to deep.

As for profound perceptions, they are pure through the

ages — they are the basis to influence and cultivate

[mind] from the first generation of the aspiration for

enlightenment until the achievement of buddhahood
without falling back. As for shallow consciousness, this
is what new students today have —although they are de-
lighted at the outset, they lack the power to practice the

Path with correct faith, owing to slanderous and twisted

views accumulated for lifetimes. Since the basis is not
firm, later they fall back in defeat.

Repeatedly undergoing birth and death is just due to

grasping at objects. When we reflect back on the mind

that grasps at objects, [we see] that the real identity of
mind is originally pure. Within this purity, [grasping]

mind really does not exist. Within the peaceful extinction

[of nirvana] , fundamentally there are no thoughts mov-

ing: the movement is ever still. Being still, there is no
seeking. Where the thoughts are is ever real. Being real,

there are no defilements or attachments. Having no de-

filements is purity. Having no bonds is liberation. De-
filement is the basis of birth and death. Purity is the fruit
of enlightenment.
Even profound concepts are ultimately empty: the Ul-
timate Path is wordless, and if we speak, we go away

[22]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
from it. Though we may characterize the fundamental

basis as "empty by nature," there is no "fundamental

basis" that can be labeled. Emptiness itself is wordless: it

is not a mental construct. The Mind of the Sages is

subtle, hidden, beyond understanding and knowing.

Great Enlightenment is dark and mysterious, wordless
and speechless. The Lotus Sutra says: "The nirvana aspect
of all phenomena cannot be communicated verbally."
There is no Dharma that can be explained, no Mind
that can be spoken of: inherent reality-nature is empty.
Going back to the fundamental basis, it is the Path. The
real identity of the Path is empty and boundless, vast and
pure. With its stillness and solitude, it obliterates the

cosmos. It pervades ancient and modern, but its nature

is pure. It is perfect from top to bottom and everj^where
pure. This is the pure buddha-land.
Thus we know that within a single hair the whole
universe is fully present; within an atom of dust are
contained boundless worlds. These words have true sub-
stance: those who meditate on this and witness it will

know for themselves, not follow what is explained by the

Three Vehicles.
A sutra says: "The Path of enlightenment cannot be
charted or measured: highest of the high, vast beyond
limit, deepest of the deep, profound beyond fathoming,
big enough to contain heaven and earth, small enough to
enter an infinitesimal point — thus it is called the Path."

Therefore, the body of reality is pure as empty space.

But emptiness is not empty and existence does not exist.
Existence basically does not exist — people themselves be-
come attached to existence. Emptiness is basically not

[23]
 ZEN DAWN
empty — people themselves become attached to empti-
ness. Pure liberation is apart from existence and empti-
ness, without contrived actions, without concerns,
without abiding, without attachment. Within nirudna,
not a single thing is created. This is the contemplation of

enlightenment.
Thus the fruit of the Path of nirvana does not lie

within being and nothingness, nor is it beyond being and

nothingness. This being so, the people who enter the
Path do not abolish existence or nonexistence: the forms
and methods they uphold are just provisional devices.

Therefore, essence is empty and formless, so it cannot be

considered existent; function is not abrogated, so it can-
not be considered nonexistent. Empty, it always func-
tions; functioning, it is always empty. Though the
emptiness and the functioning are distinct, there is no
mind to consider them different. This is True Thusness,
pure by nature, eternally abiding and undestroyed.
I sigh and say: There are those in the world who do
not know how to cultivate the Path; they are tied down

by being and nothingness. Being does not exist by itself:

before the causal nexus is born, it does not exist. Noth-

ingness is not nonexistent by itself: it is nonexistent be-
cause the causal nexus has dispersed. If being
fundamentally existed, it would exist externally of itself:

it would not wait for the causal nexus to exist. If nothing-

ness were fundamentally nonexistent, it would be exter-

nally nonexistent of itself: it would not wait for the causal

nexus to end to be nonexistent. Seeming existence does
not exist: within True Thusness there are no self-existent
objects. Nothingness is not nothingness: within Pure

[24]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
Mind there is no such nothingness. The phenomena
"being" and "nothingness" are in the realm of false con-
ceptions. How could they be adequate to represent the
Path of the Sages?
The Light-Emitting Perfection of Wisdom Sutra says:
"Is enlightenment attained from being? No. Is it attained

from nothingness? No. Is it attained from being and

nothingness? No. Is it attained apart from being and
nothingness? No. What does this mean? There is nothing
attained. Attaining without attainment is called attaining

enlightenment."

Section One
Gunabhadra of the Song Period

Gunabhadra Tripitaka was a man of South India. When

he studied the Great Vehicle, he was called "Mahayana."
During Yuan Jia years (424-454) he came by ship
the
to Guangzhou. Emperor Taizu of the Song received him

at Danyang Commandery. He translated the Lahkdva-

tdra Sutra. Princes and nobles, monks and laymen,

invited him to give instructions on meditation, but
Gunabhadra was embarrassed [and declined] because
he did not speak Chinese well. That night he dreamed
that a man took off his head with a sword: thenceforth he
began to give lessons on meditation.
Gunabhadra said: This country is located in the East

[25]
 ZEN DAWN
and lacks methods of cultivating the Path. Since they
lack such methods, some fall into the teachings of the

Lesser Vehicle and the Two Vehicles; some fall into the
teachings of the ninety-five kinds of outside paths; some
fall into demonic meditation, in order to view all things
and find out the good and bad deeds of other people.
How bitter! What a great misfortune! They entrap them-
selves and entrap others. I feel sorry for these types, who
fall for long ages into demonic paths subject to birth and
death, and do not attain liberation. Some fall into forbid-
den magical arts, controlling spirits and demons, spying
on other people's good and bad deeds: they falsely say, "I

sit in meditation and practice contemplation." Ordinary

people are blind and deluded and do not understand, and
think that [such magicians] have indeed realized the
Path of the Sages, and submit to them. They do not know
that these are perverse, demonic methods.
In our land we have the Correct Teaching, but it is

secret and not openly transmitted. Those who have an

affinity with it and whose faculties are fully prepared
meet good and wise men on the road who bestow it on
them. If not for encounters with good and wise teachers,
there would be no transmission from "father" to "son."

The Lankdvatdra Sutra says: "The Mind of the bud-

dhas is supreme: when the Dharma is bestowed in our
teaching, where [deluded] states of mind do not arise, it
is this." This Dharma surpasses the Three Vehicles and

goes beyond the ten stages. Ultimately the fruit of en-

lightenment can only be known for oneself with mind
silent. Mindless, we nurture the spirit; without thought,
we pacify the body. Without preoccupations, we sit in

[26]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
purity, preserving the fundamental and returning to the

real. Our Dharma is secret and silent; it is not transmit-

ted by common fools of shallow consciousness. Only peo-
ple rich in merit and virtue can receive it and carry it

out.

If you do not understand, if you are not liberated,

the sixth [consciousness] possesses the seventh and the
eighth. If you do understand, if you are liberated, the

eighth [consciousness] is without the sixth and seventh.

Those who intend to be buddhas should first learn to

pacify mind. Before mind is pacified, even good things

are not good — so much the worse for evil. When mind
becomes peaceful and still, neither good nor evil has any
basis. The Huayan Sutra says: "Phenomena do not see
each other, phenomena do not know each other."
Since coming to this country, I have not even seen
people who cultivate the Path, much less anyone who has
pacified mind. I often see people who go along creating

karma who have not

y merged with the Path. Some are
concerned with fame and reputation; some act for the
sake of profit and support. They operate with the men-
tality of self and others; they act with the attitude of
jealousy. What is jealousy? It means to engender the
mentality of resentment and hatred when you see some-
one else cultivating the Path and reaching consummation
in principle and practice, so that many people offer sup-
port and give their allegiance. It means self-satisfied re-

liance on your own intelligence, not using it to overcome

self — this is called jealousy. Even if you scrupulously
perform various practices day and night, cut off afflic-

tions and clear away obstructions, with this kind of atti-

[27]
 ZEN DAWN
tude, barriers to the Path arise one after another, and
you do not find peace and stillness. This is just called

"cultivating the Path"; it is not called "pacifying mind."

Even if you practice the six pdramitd%^ expound the
scriptures, sit in meditation, and advance energetically
practicing austerities, this is just called "being good"; it

is not called "Dharma practice." If you do not irrigate

the karmic field with the water of desire, if you do not

plant the seeds of consciousness there, this is called

"Dharma practice."
Just now I spoke of pacifying mind. In brief, there
are four kinds of mentality. First, the mentality that
turns away from truth: this is the mentality of those who
go through life as ordinary people. Second, the mentality
that turns toward truth: this means loathing birth and
death and so seeking nirvana and going toward stillness:

it is called the srdvaka mentality. Third, the mind that

enters truth: though you cut off barriers [to the Path]
and reveal inner truth, subject and object are not yet
nullified: this is the bodhisattva mentality. Fourth, the
mind of truth: not mind outside truth, not truth outside
mind; truth is mind. Mind is able to be everywhere
equal, so it is called truth. Truth's awareness can illu-
minate everything, so it is called mind. Mind and truth
are everywhere equal, so it is called buddha-mind, the
mind of enlightenment.
Those who understand reality do not see any difference
between birth and death and nirvana or ordinary and
holy. Objects and knowledge are not two: inner truth
and phenomena are fused. Real and conventional are
viewed as equal; defilement and purity are one Suchness.

[28]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
Buddhas and sentient beings are fundamentally equal and
at one.
The Lankdvatdra Sutra says: "There is no nirvdna in

anything: no nirvdna-buddhay no buddha-nirvdna. It is

detached from awakening and that which is awakened to,

detached from both being and nothingness." The Great

Path is fundamentally omnipresent, perfectly pure, and
basically existent: it is not attained from causes. It is like

the sun hidden behind floating clouds: when the clouds

are gone, the sun appears by itself. What's the use of any
more learning or views? Why become involved in writ-

ten or spoken words, and come back again to the path

of birth and death.^ Those who take verbal explanations

and literary accounts as the Path covet fame and profit:

they ruin themselves and ruin others. It is like polish-

ing a mirror: when the dust on the surface has been

totally removed, the mirror of itself is bright and
clear.

All things are uncompounded. The sutra says: "The

Buddha is not Buddha, nor does he save sentient beings.
Sentient beings impose distinctions, and think that Bud-
dha saves sentient beings: thus they do not realize this

Mind, and they have no stability." With realization,

there is awareness, and Great Function amid causal orig-

ination, penetrating perfectly without obstruction: this is

called "Great Cultivation of the Path." There is no dual-

ity between self and other. All practices are carried out
at once: there is no before or after, and no in between. It

is called the Great Vehicle,

Having no attachments within or without, the great

ultimate relinquishment — this is called ddnapdramitdy

[293
 ZEN DAWN
the perfection of giving. Good and evil equal, so neither

can be found — this is stlapdramitdy the perfection of mo-

rality. To have no transgressions amid the objects of
mind, the harm of rancor forever ended — this is ksdnti-

pdramitd, the perfection of patience. Great stillness un-

moving, the myriad activities spontaneously so — this is

vtryapdramitdy the perfection of energetic progress. The

flourishing of wondrous stillness — this is dhydnapdra-
mitdy the perfection of meditation. Wondrous stillness

opening forth illumination — this is prajndpdramitdy the

perfection of wisdom. People who are like this are lofty

and vast, taking in everything perfectly without obstruc-
tion, achieving rich and varied functioning. This is the
Great Vehicle.
If they do not first learn to pacify mind, those who
seek the Great Vehicle are sure to err in their knowledge.
The Mahdprajndpdramitd Sutra says: "The five eyes of
the buddhas observe the minds of sentient beings and all

phenomena ultimately without seeing." The Huayan

Sutra says: "If you have no views, then you can see."
The Si Yi Sutra says: "It is not something seen with the
eyes or known by the senses. It must be seen by according
with Thusness. All the senses are Thus, and so is the
Thusness of the Dharma. Seeing like this is called correct

seeing." The Chan Jue says: "Bats and owls do not see

things in daylight, but rather by night. This is due to

the inversions of false thinking. How so? Bats and owls

see what to others is darkness as light. Ordinary people
see what to others is light as darkness. Both are cases of
false thinking. Because of their inverted perceptions, be-
cause of their karmic barriers, [ordinary people] do not

[30]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
see reality. This being so, light is not definitely light and
darkness is not definitely darkness. If you understand like
this, and you are not confused by inverted thinking, then
you will enter into the eternity, the bliss, the personality,

and the purity of the tathdgata^P

The Great Teacher [Gunabhadra] said: "The Lahkd-
vatdra Sutra says: *How can one purify one's thoughts.^
Do not allow false thinking. Do not allow defiled think-
ing. Put your utmost energy into mindfulness of buddha.

Let mindfulness of buddha continue without a break: you

will be still, without thoughts, and you will witness the
fundamental empty purity.'" He also said: "Once this is

received, you do not fall back from eternal stillness.

Thus Buddha said, *How can it be increased?'" He also

said: "You learn from the teacher, but enlightenment

does not come from the teacher. Whoever would *make
people wise' has never expounded the Dharma. It is ver-
ified in the event."
He also said: "Can you enter a jar? Can you enter a
pillar? Can you enter fire? Can you go through a moun-
tain? Do you enter bodily or do you enter mentally?" He
also said: "In a room there is a jar. Is the jar also outside
the room or not? Is there water in the jar? Is the jar in
the water? Are there jars in all the waters in the world?

What is this water?"

He also said: "The leaves of a tree can preach the

Dharma. A jar can preach the Dharma. A pillar can
preach the Dharma. A staff can preach the Dharma. A
room can preach the Dharma. Earth, water, fire, and air

can all preach the Dharma. Earth, wood, tile, and stone
can also preach the Dharma. What is this?"

[31]
 ^5
Section Two
Tripitaka Dharma Teacher
Bodhidharma
Wei Period

It was Meditation Master Bodhidharma who took it up

after Gunabhadra Tripitaka. Intent on clarifying the
Great Vehicle, he traveled by sea to Wu Yue [coastal

Ye [the capital of
southeast China] and traveled north to
the Wei] The monks Daoyu and Huike served him for
.

five years before he instructed them in the Four Prac-

tices. He said to Huike: "There is the Lahkdvatdra
Sutra, in four scrolls: if you practice according to it, you
will naturally be liberated. .
." The rest in full is as

recorded clearly in the biography in the Continuation of

the Biographies of Eminent Monks [by Daoxuan, d. 667]
and as outlined in his disciple Tanlin's preface to the

Four Practices for Entering the Path of the Great Vehicle,

The Dharma Teacher Bodhidharma was a man of

southern India, the third son of a local monarch. His
intellect was very incisive and clear, and he clearly

understood what he was taught. His will was set on the

Great Vehicle, so he abandoned lay life and became a
monk. He perpetuated the seed of the sages and made it

flourish. With deepest mind empty and still, he saw

through and comprehended the things and events of the
world. Inner and outer, he was clear about it all. His

[32]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
virtue went beyond the world: his compassion and con-
cern reached every corner of the land. The Correct
Teaching was in decline, so he came from afar across

mountains and seas, traveling to teach in the lands of

China. Those who [cultivated] mind-emptied still si-

lence all believed in him. The type who cling to forms

and fixate on opinions began to slander and denounce

him.
During this time he only had the two monks Daoyu
and Huike with him. Though they were younger, they
brought with them wills that were lofty and far-reaching.
Being fortunate enough to meet with the Dharma
Teacher, they served him many years, respectfully seek-

ing instruction. They learned well, encountering the

Teacher's intent. Moved by their fine energy and sincer-
ity, the Dharma Teacher instructed them in the True
Path. He taught them how to pacify mind, how to de-
velop practice, how to accord with beings, and how to

employ skill in means.

This is the Great Vehicle Teaching for pacifying mind
— let there be no error. Those who pacify mind like this

do wall-gazing. Those who develop practice like this do

the Four Practices. Those who accord with beings like

this prevent slander and dislike. Those who have skill in

means like this dispense with what does not apply. Here
I abbreviate what is to be followed: the message is in the

text below.
[Bodhidharma taught:]
There are many roads for entering the Path, but in

essence they do not go beyond two kinds: one is entering

[33]
 ZEN DAWN
through inner truth, and the other is entering through
practice.

Entering through inner truth means using the Teach-

ings to awaken to the source. It means deep belief that

living beings both ordinary and sage share one and the
same reality-nature; it is just because of the false covering

of alien dust that it is not manifested. If you abandon the

false and return to the real, concentrate your attention
and gaze like a wall, then there is no self and others, and
ordinary and sage are equal. Firmly abiding and unmov-
ing, you no longer fall into the verbal teachings. This is

tacit accord with the real inner truth: without discrimi-

nation, it is still and nameless. This is called "entering

through inner truth."

Entering through practice refers to the Four Practices
— all other practices are contained within these. What
are the Four Practices? First, the practice of repaying
wrongs. Second, the practice of going along with the
causal nexus. Third, the practice of not seeking anything.

Fourth, the practice of according with the Dharma.

What is the practice of repaying wrongs.^ When re-

ceiving suffering, a practitioner who cultivates the Path

should think to himself: "During countless ages past I

have abandoned the root and pursued the branches, flow-

ing into the various states of being, and giving rise to

much rancor and hatred — the transgression, the harm

done, has been limitless. Though I do not transgress
now, this suffering is a disaster left over from former
lives — the results of evil deeds have ripened. This suf-
fering is not something given by gods or humans." You
should willingly endure the suffering without anger or

[34]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
complaint. The siitra says: "Encountering suffering, one
is not concerned. Why? Because one is conscious of the
basic root." When this attitude [toward suffering] is

born, you are in accord with inner truth, and even as you
experience wrongs, you advance on the Path. Thus it is

called "the practice of repaying wrongs."

Second is the practice of going along with the causal
nexus. Sentient beings have no selves, but are trans-
formed [in a manner] causally linked to their deeds.

They receive both suffering and happiness — both are

born from causal conditions. If we get good rewards,
glory and fame and the like, this is brought about by past
causes. We receive them now, but when the causal nexus
is ended, they will not be there — how can we rejoice?

Gain and loss follow the causal nexus: Mind is neither

augmented nor diminished. If the wind of joy [at gain
and sorrow at loss] does not stir, you deeply accord with
the Path. Thus it is called "the practice of going along
with the causal nexus."
Third, the practice of not seeking anything. Worldly
people are always deluded, craving everything, becom-
ing attached everywhere. This is called "seeking." The
wise awaken to the real. Using inner truth, they reach

the conventional world. Pacifying mind without con-

trived activity, changing shape as they go, the myriad
states of being are thereby emptied, and there is nothing
wished for to take joy in. Along with this, the darkness
of "meritorious deeds" [contrived based on dualistic
views] is forever banished. Dwell for long in the triple
world? — it is like a house on fire. All who have bodies
suffer — who can find peace? When this is completely

[35]
 ZEN DAWN
comprehended, thoughts of the various states of being
cease and there is no seeking. The sutra says: "All who
seek, suffer. If there is no seeking, only then is there
bliss." Thus we know that not seeking anything is truly

a practice of the Path.

Fourth, the practice of according with the Dharma.
The Dharma, the Teaching of Reality, is based on the
inner truth of the inherent purity [of all things' true

identity] . By this inner truth the multitude of forms are

all empty: there is no defilement, no attachment, no this,

no that. The sutra says: "The Dharma has no sentient

beings, because it is detached from the impurity of sen-

tient beings. The Dharma has no self, because it is de-
tached from the impurity of self." If the wise can believe
and understand with certainty this inner truth, they
ought to practice in accord with the Dharma. The body
of the Dharma is not stingy with the physical body and
life. This is practicing giving: let there be no stinginess
or holding back in the heart. Realizing that the one
receiving the gift, the giver, and the gift itself are all

empty, you don't depend on them or get attached to

them. They are just used to get rid of impurities, and
embrace and transform sentient beings, without grasping

at forms. This is benefiting oneself and also being able to

benefit others, and being able to adorn the Path of En-
lightenment. Since the perfection of giving is thus, so

are the other five [the perfection of morality, patient

endurance, energetic progress, meditation, and wis-

dom]. To practice the six perfections to remove false

thinking, and yet to have nothing that is practiced — this

is the practice of according with the Dharma.

 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
These Four Practices were personally expounded by
the Chan Master Bodhidharma. In addition, his disciple

Tanlin recorded the Teacher's sayings and doings and

collected them into a volume called the Bodhidharma
Treatise, Bodhidharma also explained the essential mean-
ing of the Lahkdvatdra Sutra for the communities doing
sitting meditation, in twelve or thirteen pages: this, too,

is called the Bodhidharma Treatise. Both these two works

are round and full in their language and principles, and
they circulate throughout the world. There were also
some outsiders who forged a three-volume "Bodhi-
dharma Treatise" — its language is prolix and its princi-

ples sloppy, and it is not fit for practical use.

The Great Teacher Bodhidharma would point to
things and ask their meaning. He would just point to

something
— "What is it called? There is a multitude of
things — question them all. Interchange their names, and
with them changed, question them."
He also said: "Does this body exist or not.'* What body
is this body?"
He also said: "The clouds in the sky can never stain
the empty sky, but they can cover over the sky so that it

is not bright and clear."

The Nirvana Siltra says: "Inside, there are no senses;

outside, there are no sense objects. Since inner and outer

align, it is called the Middle Path."

[37]
 Section Three
Huike
A monk of the Capital in the Qi Period

The one who took it up after the Chan Master Bodhi-

dharma was the Chan Master Huike. His lay surname
was Ji, and he was from Wulao. At the age of fourteen,
he met Bodhidharma, who was traveling and teaching in
the region [modern Henan] . Huike served him for six

years, investigating the One Vehicle with pure energy

and drawing near to the abstruse inner truth.

Huike gave an outline account of cultivating the Path

and of the essential method for illuminating Mind,
whereby one truly reaches the fruit of enlightenment.

The Lahkdvatdra Sutra says: "Sakyamuni contem-

plated in stillness, and thus left birth and death far be-
hind. This is called 'not grasping.'" Of all the en-

lightened ones of the ten directions, past and present,

there is not one who became buddha without a basis in
sitting meditation.

The Ten Stages Sutra says: "Within the bodies of sen-

tient beings there is an indestructible enlightened nature.
It is like the orb of the sun: its body is bright, round,

and full, [its light] vast and boundless. Because it is

covered over by the layered clouds of the five skandha%,

sentient beings dc not see it. If you encounter the wind

of wisdom, it blows away the five skandhas. When the

[38]
 —

RECORDS OF THE LANKA

layers of clouds are totally gone, the enlightened nature

is shining perfectly bright, clear, and pure."

The Huayan Sutra says: "It is as vast as the universe,

as ultimate as the void. But it is also like a light in a jar

that cannot illuminate the outside." Another simile is

this: When clouds close in on all sides and the world is

darkened, how can the sunlight be bright and clear? The

sunlight has not been destroyed — it is just covered over

and blocked off by the clouds. The pure reality-nature of

sentient beings is also like this. It cannot become fully

manifest precisely because layers upon layers of clouds

afflictions, the perceptions of false thoughts clinging to
objects — cover over and block off the Path of the Sages.
If false thoughts are not born, and you sit in silent purity,

the sun of great nirvana is spontaneously bright and

clear.

A worldly book says: "Ice is born from water, but ice

can block water. Ice is solid, whereas water flows."

[Similarly,] falsity arises from the real, and falsity can
lose the real in delusion. When falsity is ended, the real
appears — the mind-sea is clear and pure, the body of
reality is empty and clean.

Therefore, when learners rely on written and spoken

words as the Path, these are like a lamp in the wind: they

cannot dispel darkness, and their flame dies away. But if

learners sit in purity without concerns, it is like a lamp
in a closed room: it can dispel the darkness, and it illu-

minates things with clarity.

If you completely comprehend the clear purity of the
mind-source, then all vows are fulfilled, all practices are

[39]
 ZEN DAWN
completed, all is accomplished. You are no longer subject
to states of being. For those who find this body of reality
[dharmakdyd] ^ the numberless sentient beings are just
one good person: the one person who has been there in
accord with This through a million billion aeons.
If pure energy and true integrity are not generated
within you, it accomplishes nothing even if you encoun-
ter countless buddhas past, present, and future. Thus we
know that sentient beings save themselves by knowing
Mind — the buddhas do not save the sentient beings. If

the buddhas can save sentient beings, since we have met

countless buddhas in the past, why haven't we become
enlightened.^ It is just because pure energy and integrity
have not been generated within. Unless the mind attains

what the mouth speaks of, you will never avoid taking
on form according to your deeds.
Thus, enlightened nature is like sun and moon to the

world. Within wood, there is [the potential for] fire.

Within humans, there is an enlightened true identity; it

is also called the lamp of buddha-nature and the mirror

of nirvana. The great nirvana mirror is brighter than

sun and moon: inside and out it is perfectly pure, bound-
less, and infinite.

Another simile is smelting gold. When the dross is

obliterated, the pure gold is unharmed. When the forms
"sentient beings" and "birth and death" are obliterated,

the body of reality is unharmed.

Accomplishment in sitting meditation is experienced
by oneself within one's own body. Thus a picture of a

cake is not fit for a meal: if you speak of feeding it to

other people, how can it satisfy them? Though you wish

[40]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
to remove the blockages of the past, instead you make
the future offshoots even stronger. The Huayan Sutra
says: "It is like being a poor man, day and night counting
the treasures of others without having a single penny of
his own."
Being learned is also like this. Moreover, those who
read should only look at books for a while, then hasten
to put them away [to test them in practice] . If you do
not give them up, it is the same as verbal learning — this

is no different from looking for ice by boiling water.

Thus, all the verbal explanations spoken by the bud-
dhas speak of the unspoken. Amid the reality of all phe-
nomena, they are speechless, but nothing is left unsaid.
If you understand this, when one is raised, a thousand

follow. The Lotus Sutra says: "Not real, not false, not
thus, not otherwise."

The Great Teacher Huike said: "I explain this True

Dharma as it really is: ultimately it is no different from
the real, profound inner truth. [Sentient beings] mistake
the wish-fulfilling jewel for tiles and pebbles. When they
empty out and realize for themselves that it is a real
jewel, then ignorance and wisdom are equal and no dif-

ferent. You must realize that the myriad phenomena are

all Thus.
"Out of pity for those with dualistic views, I take up
a brush and write this. When you observe that your body
is no different from the Buddha's, there is no need to
search further for final nirvana,''^
He also said: "When I first generated the mind intent

on enlightenment, I cut off one arm and stood in the

snow from twilight until midnight, not- noticing the snow

[41]
 ZEN DAWN
pile up past my knees, because I was seeking the Supreme
Path."
In the seventh scroll of the Huayan Sutra it says: "En-
tering correct concentration in the east, samddhi arising
in the west. Entering correct concentration in the west,

samddhi arising in the west. Entering true concentration

in the eye, samddhi arising in the phenomena of form: it

reveals that the phenomena of form are inconceivable and

beyond the ken of deva% and humans. Entering correct
concentration in the phenomena of form, samddhi arising
in the eye, so that mindfulness is not disturbed. We
observe that the eye is unborn and has no inherent iden-
tity; we observe empty, still extinction without anything

at all. It is this way, too, with ear, nose, tongue, body,

and conceptual mind.
"Entering correct concentration in the body of a boy,
samddhi arising in the body of a grown man. Entering
correct concentration in the body of a grown man, sa-

mddhi arising in the body of an old man. Entering cor-

rect concentration in the body of an old man, samddhi
arising in the body of a good woman. Entering correct
concentration in the body of a good woman, samddhi
arising in the body of a good man. Entering correct

concentration in the body of a good man, samddhi arising

in the body of a nun. Entering correct concentration in

the body of a nun, samddhi arising in the body a monk.

Entering correct concentration in the body of a monk,
samddhi arising in the stages of study and the stages be-
yond study. Entering in correct concentration in the

\srdvaka^%\ stages of study and beyond study, samddhi

arising in the body of a pratyeka buddha. Entering cor-

[42]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
rect concentration in the body of a pratyeka, samddhi

arising in the body of a tathdgata. Entering correct con-

centration in a single pore, samddhi arising in all pores.

Entering correct concentration in all pores, samddhi aris-

ing on the tip of one hair. Entering correct concentration

on the tip of one hair, samddhi arising on the tips of all

hairs. Entering correct concentration on the tips of all

hairs, samddhi arising in an atom of dust. Entering cor-

rect concentration in an atom of dust, samddhi arising in

all atoms of dust. Entering correct concentration in the

great ocean, samddhi arising in the great conflagration.

One body can be countless bodies, and countless bodies
can be one body."
If you understand this, when one is raised, a thousand

follow. The myriad things are all Thus.

Section Four
Meditation Teacher Sengcan
of Sikong Mountain in Shuzhou
Sui Period

The one who took it up after the Chan Master Huike

was the Chan Master Sengcan. His lay surname and his
original station in life are unknown, as is his place of

birth. According to the Continuation of Biographies of

Eminent Monks:
After Huike was Chan Master Sengcan. He concealed

[43]
 ZEN DAWN
himself on Sikong Mountain, living in solitude, sitting
in purity. He did not put any writings into circulation:
he taught only intimately, at close range, and did not
publicly transmit the Dharma. He had only one known
disciple, the monk Daoxin, who served him for twelve

years. Thus did Sengcan fashion the vessel and transmit

the lamp, complete in every respect: he certified Daoxin's
complete perception of buddha-nature. Sengcan told
Daoxin: "The Lotus Sutra says that there is just this one
thing [the Buddha Vehicle, leading to the perception of
buddhas]: there is really no second or third. Thus we
know that the Path of the Sages is profound and perva-
sive, something that verbal explanations cannot reach.
The body of reality is empty and still, something that
seeing and hearing cannot touch. Thus written and spo-
ken words are vain constructs."
The Great Teacher Sengcan said: "Everyone else

thinks it is noble to die sitting: they sigh at such a marvel.

Now I will die standing, independent of birth and
death." His words finished, he held on to the branch of
a tree as his breath gently ended.
He died at Nieshan Temple, where there is now an
image of him. His work Details of the Mysterious Trans-
mission says:

There is only the vast depths of the One Reality. Ah,

for the profuse diversity of the myriad forms. True and
conventional differ, but their essential body is the same.
Ordinary and sage are divided, but the Path joins them.
If we look for a shore, it is vast and boundless, stretching
out of sight to infinity. It takes its source in the begin-

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 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
ningless and reaches its limit in the endless. This runs

through both liberation and delusion alike: both defiled

and pure are fused in this. It includes emptiness and

existence with perception still: it embraces space and time

with pervasive sameness. It is like the pure gold that is

not apart from the rings [made of it] . It is like a mass of

water that does not fear surface ripples.
[Note: This explains how the inner truth is without
gaps or admixtures; hence the talk of boundlessness and
endlessness. Reality-nature is not a material creation.
Putting to rest theories of beginning and end, he thereby
explains the canceling out of light and darkness in the
gate of nonduality, and the fusion of good and evil in the
path of uniformity. Thus there is no motion that is not
still, no difference that is not the same.]
It is like water making waves, like gold making ves-
sels. The gold is the substance of the vessel, so no vessel
is not gold. The waves are the functioning of the water,
so no waves are different from the water. We observe
nonobstruction amid causal origination and are certain
about the inconceivability of the nature of things. It is

like pearls hanging down from a jeweled palace, like

mirrors hung from an agate pedestal. This and that dif-

fer, but they enter into each other. Red and purple are
separate, but they reflect each other. With things we are

not stuck on self and others; with events we do not weigh

crooked and straight.
An infinitesimally small space contains all the phenom-
ena of the great thousand- world system. An instant of

time includes all the times of past, present, and future.

[45]
 ZEN DAWN
Fearing that few will believe such words, we use Indra's
Net to remove doubts. The universal eye can see this,

but how can deluded consciousness come to know it?

[Note: This explains the esoteric level of causal origi-

nation. In the realm of Indra's Net, one is all: they align
without being the same. It is so because forms do not
have their own reality, and to arise must depend on the
real. Once fused in real inner truth, forms, too, have no
obstructions among them.]
Though large and small differ, they are like images in
a mirror that enter into each other. Though this and that
differ, they are like the mutually reflected shapes of the
jewels [in Indra's Net] . One thing is everything, every-
thing is one thing. Causal origination has no obstruc-
tions: inner truth is clear in each and every thing. Thus
we know that however broad the cosmos, it can fit into

an atom of dust without being cramped. However long

past, present, and future are, they can be contained in a
brief moment. Thus we can see through metal walls,
observing that there is nothing to be measured; we can
pass through stone walls without any obstruction.
Thereby do the sages find inner truth and perfect their
functioning. If inner truth did not let them be so, the

sages would not have such power. Liberation is penetra-

tion through inner truth. Obstruction is due to blockage

by sentiments. The wisdom of the universal eye can see

things as they really are.

When the monkey wears chains, he stops his restless
movement. When the snake enters a tube, he straightens
out his curves. Cross the vast sea with the boat of disci-

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 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
pHne. Illuminate the thick darkness with the lamp of
wisdom.
[Note: The monkey wearing chains is a metaphor for
discipline controlling the mind. The snake entering a
tube is a metaphor for concentration stopping confusion.
The Perfection of Wisdom Treatise says: "The way a snake
moves is naturally crooked, but when it enters a tube it

straightens out. The way samddhi controls the mind is

also like this." The Three Bodies Section of the Golden

Light Sutra says: "Though there are three names for

Buddha, there are not three essences."]

Section Five
Meditation Teacher Daoxin
of Shuangfeng Mountain
in Jizhou
Tang Period

The one who took it up after the Chan Master Sengcan

was the Chan Master Daoxin. He opened the Chan Gate
again, and it spread throughout the country. He had a
volume, Methods of Bodhisattva Discipline, and he de-
vised essential expedient methods for entering the Path
and pacifying mind. |j

[Daoxin taught:] I expound this teaching of mine for

those whose causal conditions and capacities are ripe for

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 ZEN DAWN
them.You must go by the Lahkdvatdra Sutra: make the
mind of the buddhas number one. And go by the one-
practice samddhi in the Prajnd Sutra Spoken by ManjusrL
If you are mindful of the buddha-mind, you are a bud-
dha; if you have false mindfulness, then you are an or-
dinary person. In the Prajnd Sutra Spoken by Manjusrt it

says: "ManjusrI said, World Honored One, what is one-

practice samddhiV Buddha said, 'Being linked to the
realm of reality through its oneness is called one-practice

samddhi? If men and women want to enter one-practice

samddhi, first they must learn about prajndpdramitd and

cultivate their learning accordingly. Later they will be

capable of one-practice samddhi and, if they do not retreat

from or spoil their link with the realm of reality, of

inconceivable unobstructed formlessness.

"Good men and good women, if you want to enter

one-practice samddhi , you must be empty and at ease, and

abandon all confused ideas. Not grasping at forms and
appearances, you bind your heart to one Buddha, and
concentrate on invoking his name. Wherever the Buddha
may be, straighten your body and face toward him. If
you can keep continuous mindfulness of this one Buddha,
in this mindfulness you can see all the buddhas of the
past, present, and future. Why.'' The merit of mindful-
ness of one Buddha is infinite and boundless, and one
with the merits accomplished by all the infinite numbers
of buddhas. The Inconceivable Buddha Dharma is

everywhere equal and without distinctions: all buddhas

ride upon One Suchness, achieving supreme true en-

lightenment, equipped with all the countless accom-

plished virtues and infinite eloquence. All those who

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 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
enter one-practice samddhi like this know that there is no
sign of difference in the realm of reality of all the count-
less buddhas. Whatever they do, their bodies, minds,
and inner hearts are forever at the site of enlightenment.
All their actions and conduct are bodhi?'*
The Contemplation of Samantabhadra Sutra says: "The
sea of all karmic barriers arises from false forms. If you
want to repent, sit upright and be mindful of Reality."
This is called the supreme repentance. Eliminate the
mentality of the three poisons, the mind that clings to

objects. If the mind that is aware and contemplating is

continuously mindful of Buddha, suddenly there will be

clarity and stillness, and there are no more thoughts
linked to objects.
The Great Prajndpdramitd Sutra says: "To have no
objects of thought is called mindfulness of buddha."
What is meant by "having no objects of thought"? Being
mindful of the buddha-mind is called "having no objects
of thought." There is no separate Buddha apart from
mind, and no other mind apart from Buddha. To be
mindful of Buddha is to be mindful of mind. To seek
mind is to seek Buddha. Why? Consciousness has no
shape, Buddha has no form. Knowing this truth is paci-

fying mind. With constant mindfulness of Buddha,

grasping at objects does not arise. Then it is totally form-
less, everywhere equal and without duality. When you
enter this station, the mind that [actively] remembers
Buddha fades away and no longer has to be summoned.
When you witness this type of mind, this is the true

reality-nature body of the Tathagata. It is also called the

Correct Dharma, buddha-nature, the real identity of all

[49]
 ZEN DAWN
phenomena, reality itself. It is also called the Pure Land.
It is also called iodhi, diamond samddhi, fundamental
enlightenment, and so on. It is also called the realm of
nirvana, and prajnd, and the like. Though the names are
countless, they all share one and the same essence. There
is no sense of the subject observing and the object ob-
served.
This level of mind must be made pure and clean, so it

is always appearing before you, and no entangling objects

can interfere with you. Why [can't they interfere] ? Be-
cause [for this level of mind] all things and events are
the single reality body of the Tathagata. Abiding in this

state of mind, all interlinked vexations will be eliminated

of themselves. In an atom of dust are contained infinite

worlds; infinite worlds can be gathered into a single pore.

Because at root all phenomena are Thus, they do not
interfere with each other. The Huayan Sutra says:

"Within an atom of dust appear all the phenomena of all

the worlds in the cosmos."
[Daoxin taught:] Let us outline pacifying mind: it

cannot be expounded in full. The proper skill at it comes

from one's own innermost heart. To be brief, for the
sake of the doubts of people in the future, let us pose a
question: "If the Tathagata's body of reality is like this,

then why does he also have the body of the marks of

excellence appearing in the world and preaching the
Dharma?"
Daoxin said: It is precisely because the Tathagata's
reality-nature body is pure and perfect that all kinds of
forms appear within it. Yet the reality-nature body gives
rise to them mindlessly. It is like a glass mirror hung up

[50]
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RECORDS OF THE LANKA

in a high hall: all images appear within it, but the mirror
is mindless, though it can manifest all kinds [of images]
The Nirvana Sutra says: "The Tathagata appears in the
world and preaches the Dharma because of the false

thinking of sentient beings." If practitioners cultivate

mind until it is totally purified, they realize that "the

Tathagata never preached the Dharma." Only this is

complete learning — learning that is formless and [em-

braces] all forms.
Therefore the siitra says: "Since there are numberless
[types of] capacities among sentient beings, [the bud-
dhas] preach the Dharma in numberless ways. Since the
Dharma is preached in numberless ways, the meanings
are also numberless. Numberless meanings are born
from the One Reality. The One Reality is formless, but

there is no form that it does not give form to: it is called

the true form. This is total purity."

These trustworthy words are our witness. When sit-

ting we must be aware of the onward flow of the con-

scious mind from its first movement. We must make
ourselves aware of its comings and goings and test it with
diamond wisdom. For example, plants have no separate

knowledge. Knowledge without objects of knowledge is

called all-knowledge. This is the One-Form Dharma

Gate of bodhisattvas.
Question: What is a Chan master, a meditation
teacher .f^

Daoxin said: Someone who is not disturbed by stillness

or confusion, that is, someone who is good at Chan use

of mind. If one always abides in cessation, the mind sinks

into oblivion. If one always abides in contemplation, the

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 ZEN DAWN
mind scatters in confusion. The Lotus Sutra says: "The
Buddha himself abides in the Great Vehicle: the Dharma
he attains is adorned with the power of concentration and
wisdom, and he uses these to deliver sentient beings."

Question: How can we understand the characteristics

of the Dharma? How can we illuminate and purify our
minds.f^

Daoxin said: Not by reciting the buddha-name, not by

restricting mind, not by observing mind, not by calcu-
lating thought, not by contemplation, not by the practice
of observation, not by scattering and confusion. Just let

it roll along: don't make it go, don't let it stay. In the

solitary purity, the ultimate locus, mind of itself is illu-

minated and pure. If we can observe it truly, mind is

instantly illuminated and pure, mind is like a clear mir-

ror. If we can observe it truly for a year, it will be even
more clear and pure; if for three years or five years, even
more clear and pure. Some can find understanding by
hearing people explain for them. Some never need expla-
nations to understand. A sutra says: "The real identity of
themind of sentient beings is like a precious pearl sub-
merged in water. When the water is turbid, the pearl is

hidden. When the water is clear, the pearl is revealed."

Because they slander the Three Jewels and disrupt the

harmony of the Samgha, because they are polluted with
opinions and vexations, because they are stained by crav-
ing and anger and ignorance, sentient beings do not
awaken to the fundamental eternal purity of the real iden-

tity of mind. Thus, when they study, they grasp under-

standing in different degrees. These differences
generally come from their differences in capacities and

[52]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
causal conditions. To be a teacher for people, one must
be good at recognizing these differences.
The Huayan Sutra says: "The form of Samantabha-
dra's body is like empty space. It is based on Thusness,
not on a buddha-land." When you understand, buddha-
lands are also all Thus, so the land of Thusness depends
on nothing at all.

The Nirvana Sutra says: "There is a bodhisattva with

a boundless body equal in extent to empty space." It also

says: "Because he has the light of goodness, he is like the

summer sun." It also says: "Because his body is bound-

less, it is called Great Nirvana. It also says: "Great Nir-
vana — its nature is vast."

There are four kinds of people who study. The highest

are those with practice, with understanding, and with
realization. Next are those with understanding and real-

ization but without practice. Next are those with practice

and understanding but without realization. Lowest are

those with practice, but without understanding or reali-
zation.

Question: In the moment, how should we practice

contemplation.^
Daoxin said: You must let it roll.

Question: Should we orient ourselves toward the

Western Paradise or not?
Daoxin said: If you know that mind is fundamentally
unborn and undestroyed and ultimately pure, this is the
pure buddha-land. There is no further need to face to-

ward the west. The Huayan Sutra speaks of infinite aeons

in a moment of thought, and a moment of thought lasting
infinite aeons. We must realize that in one direction there

[53]
 ZEN DAWN
are countless directions, and that countless directions are
but one direction. For the sake of beings of dull capaci-
ties, Buddha had them orient themselves to the Western
Paradise: this was not propounded for people of sharp
faculties.

Bodhisattvas of profound practice enter birth and

death to transform and deliver living beings, without
any of the views of sentimental love. If you see sentient
beings as having birth and death, yourself as the subject
able to save them, and the sentient beings as the objects
being saved, then you are not to be called a bodhisattva.
Delivering sentient beings is like delivering emptiness
— has there ever been any coming or going.^ The Dia-
mond Sutra says: "In the final deliverance of numberless
beings, in reality there are no beings gaining final deliv-
erance."
The first-stage bodhisattva first witnesses everything as
empty, then witnesses everything as not empty. This is

nondiscriminating wisdom. And this is form: form is

emptiness. It is not emptiness that wipes out form: form

by nature is empty. Bodhisattvas cultivate and learn emp-
tiness as their realization. When new students directly

see emptiness, this is seeing emptiness; it is not real

emptiness. Those who cultivate the Path until they find

real emptiness do not view things as empty or not empty

— they have no views. You must understand properly
the meaning of form and emptiness.
To learn the use of mind, you must have the mind-
road illuminated and pure, and you must understand the
characteristics of phenomena completely and clearly.

Only then are you fit to be a teacher to people. Moreover,

[54]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
this requires inner and outer to correspond, and theory
and practice not to contradict each other. You must break
with written and spoken words, and with contrived ver-
sions of the Sagely Path. In unity and purity you expe-
rience for yourself the fruits of the Path.
There are people who teach living beings for the sake

of fame and profit, without comprehending the charac-

teristics of the ultimate Dharma. They do not recognize
relative degrees of depth and shallowness in [their pu-
pils'] capacities and causal affinities. They give their seal

of approval to everyone, to people who seem enlightened

but are otherwise. This is most painful! It is a great
disaster! Whenever someone seems illuminated and pure
in their perception of mind, they immediately give their
approval. These people are gravely damaging the teach-
ing of enlightenment: they are deceiving themselves and
deceiving others. People who use mind with such diver-
gences [from the Correct Path] and present this appear-
ance have not found Mind. Those who truly find Mind
recognize it clearly for themselves. After a long while

the Dharma Eye opens by itself and is well able to distin-

guish what is empty and false.

Some people reckon that the body is [ultimately]

empty and nonexistent, and that the real identity of mind
is also obliterated. These are people with nihilistic views.

—
They are the same as outsiders they are not Buddhists.
Some people reckon that mind is existent and not de-
stroyed. These are people with eternalist views. They,
too, are the same as outsiders.

The Buddhists of today who understand clearly do not

think that the real identity of mind is obliterated. They

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 .

ZEN DAWN
are always saving sentient beings, but without creating
any sentimental perceptions. They always study wisdom,
so that wisdom and folly are everywhere equal. They are
always in Chan concentration, so that stillness and con-
fusion are not two. They always view sentient beings as

not existent, as ultimately neither born nor destroyed.

They manifest forms everywhere, but they have no views
or perceptions. They completely understand everything
without grasping or rejecting. Without their dividing
their bodies, their bodies appear everywhere throughout
the worlds of the realm of reality.
Again: In the olden days Chan Master Zhiyi [of Tian-
tai] taught: "The method of studying the Path requires

that understanding and practice support each other.

First, find out the source of mind, its essential body and
its functions. See inner truth clearly: comprehend com-
pletely and distinctly without confusion. After that, the

work can be completed."

Understand one, and a thousand follow. Be deluded
about one, and you are confused about ten thousand. Lose
it by a hair's-breadth, and go wrong by a thousand miles.
These are not empty words!
The Amitabha Siltra says: "The dharmakdya of all the

buddhas enters the minds and thoughts of all sentient

beings."
Is it that mind is buddha, or mind makes buddha?
that

We must realize that mind is —

buddha outside of mind
there is no other buddha. In brief, there are five types

[of approaches to this truth]

One: by realizing that the mind-essence is by nature
pure and clean, that this essence is the same as buddha.

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 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
Two: By realizing that the mind-function produces
Dharma jewels and creates eternal quiescence, that the
myriad forms of delusion are all Thus.
Three:By always awakening without stopping, so that
the awakened mind is always present, aware that Reality
is formless.
Four: By constantly contemplating bodily existence as

empty and still, inner and outer pervaded and equalized,

entering bodily into the realm of reality without obstruc-
tion.

Fifth: By preserving unity and not stirring, always

abiding through motion and stillness, enabling the
learner to clearly see buddha-nature and quickly enter
the gate of concentration.
The various scriptures are replete with many methods
of contemplation. In what the Great Teacher [Daoxin]
expounded, he just made "preserving unity and not stir-

ring" his topic.

[Daoxin taught:] First you must cultivate the contem-
plation of bodily existence, taking the body as the basis.

This bodily existence is composed of the four great ele-

ments and the five skand/ias: in the end it reverts to

impermanence and cannot get free. Even while not yet

destroyed, it is ultimately empty. The Vimalaktrti Sutra
says: "This body is like floating clouds that change and
pass away in a moment."
Again: Always contemplate your own bodily existence
as being empty and pure as a reflection — it is visible, but
it cannot be grasped. Knowledge is born from among the
reflections, ultimately without location. Without mov-
ing, it responds to beings, in transformations without

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 ZEN DAWN
end. In the void are born the six sense faculties: the six
sense faculties, too, are empty and still. You must under-
stand completely that the six sense objects that are put
opposite them are dreamlike illusions.
When the eye sees things, the things are not there in
the eye. It is like a mirror reflecting the image of a face
with complete clarity. In the void appear shapes and
images. In the mirror there is not a thing: evidently the
person's face is not in the mirror, and the mirror does
not go out into the person's face. Investigating in detail
like this, we realize that from the beginning neither the
mirror nor the face has ever gone out or gone in, gone
or come. This is the meaning of tatkagata, "the one who
has come from Thusness."
By this close analysis [we find that] in the eye and in

the mirror from the beginning it has always been empty

and still. The mirror's reflecting and the eye's reflecting
are the same. Taking this as the point of comparison,
[we find that] all the sense faculties are this way as well.

We know that the eye is fundamentally empty, so what-

ever form iswe must know is alien form. When the
seen
ears hear sound, we know it is alien sound. When the
nose smells scents, we know they are alien scents. When
the tongue differentiates flavors, we know they are alien
flavors. When the conceptual mind stands opposite phe-

nomena, we know they are alien phenomena. When the

body receives touch, we know it is alien touch. To con-
template like this and reach such knowledge is contem-
plating empty stillness.

When you see form with such knowledge, you do not

receive form. Not receiving form is emptiness, empti-

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 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
ness is formless, formlessness is uncontrived. This is the
gate of liberation. For the learner who finds liberation,

all the senses are like this: no need to repeat the acco"unt
for each one.
Be constantly mindful that the six sense faculties are
empty and still, and that you have no hearing or seeing.
The Bequeathed Teaching Sutra says: "This time is the
middle of the night, still and soundless." You must know
that the Dharma preached by the Tathagata takes empty
stillness as the basis. Be ever mindful that the six senses

are empty and still; be constantly as if in the middle of

the night. What is seen and heard by day are all things
external to the body. Let it be always empty and pure
within the body, preserving unity without stirring. With
this eye of emptiness and purity, focus the attention and
observe one thing. No matter whether it is day or night,
focus the energy so that it does not move. When the
mind is about to run off and scatter, quickly gather it

back. It is like tying a bird's foot so that when it wishes

to fly away, it is held fast. Contemplate without stopping
all the time: when purified, mind will stabilize itself.

The Vimalaktrti Sutra says: "Gathering in mind is the

site of enlightenment." This is a method for gathering in

mind. The Lotus Sutra says: "Having eliminated sleep

and gathered in mind for countless ages, by the accom-
plished merit of this he was able to engender meditative
concentrations." This was said also in the Bequeathed
Teaching Sutra: "Mind is the ruler of the five faculties:
control it in one place, and all will be accomplished."

The foregoing are true principles of the Great Vehicle.

All are laid out on the basis of scripture: they are not

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 Z E N D AW N
false words outside the truth. These [forms of practice
described above] are stainless activities, and ultimate
meanings. They go beyond the stage of the srdvakas and
go straight for the bodhisattva Path.

Those who hear should practice: don't be doubtful and

confused. It is like a person learning archery. At first he
shoots at large targets. By and by he can hit smaller and
smaller ones. Then he can hit a single feather, then hit it

and smash it into a hundred pieces, then hit one of the

hundredths. Then he can shoot the arrow before with the
arrow after, and hit the notch, so the arrows line up one
after another and he does not let any arrows fall.

This is a metaphor for practicing the Path, concen-

trating the mind from thought-instant to thought-instant,
going on continuously from mind-moment to mind-mo-
ment without any interruptions, so that correct mindful-

ness is not broken and appears before you. Another siltra

says: "With the arrow of wisdom, shoot through the gate

of triple liberation. Let the arrows line up and hold each
other up so that none fall."
Again: [Studying the Path] is like drilling for fire. If

you stop before it gets hot, though you may wish to get

fire, it is impossible.
[Studying the Path is] also like this: A family had a
wish-fulfilling gem. Whatever they sought they got. Un-
expectedly they lost it, but they remember it and never
forget it.

Again: It is like a poison arrow entering the flesh. The

shaft has been pulled out, but the point is still in there.

Suffering pain like this, there is no forgetting it even

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 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
temporarily: it is constantly in mind. [A person studying
the Path] must be like this.

The secret essence of this Dharma cannot be transmit-

ted to the wrong person. It is not that we are reluctant to

pass it on: it is that we fear that people will not believe

and will fall into the crime of slandering the Dharma.

We must choose the right people: we cannot be in a hurry
or speak hastily. Take care! Take care! Though the

Dharma sea is immeasurable, it is traveled in a single

word. When you find the meaning you forget the word.
Not using even a single word, yet knowing with com-
plete comprehension like this — this is getting the Bud-
dha's meaning.
When beginning students sit in meditation, in undi-

vided stillness they directly contemplate body and mind.

They must investigate the four elements and the five

skanMaSy eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body feeling, and

conceptual mind, greed, anger, and ignorance, along
with all phenomena, whether good or bad, hostile or

friendly, ordinary or holy. They must observe that all

these are originally empty and still, unborn and undes-

troyed, everywhere equal and without duality. Since the
beginning there has been nothing at all, just ultimate

quiescent extinction. Since the beginning, just pure lib-

eration. You must do this contemplation always, no mat-
ter whether day or night, whether you are walking,
standing, sitting, or lying down.
If you do, you will realize that your own bodily exis-
tence is like the moon in the water, like an image in a

mirror, like a mirage when it is hot, like an echo in an

[6i]
 ZEN DAWN
empty valley. If you say it exists, wherever you seek it,

it cannot be seen. If you say it does not exist, when you

comprehend completely, it is always before your eyes.
The buddhas* body of reality is also like this. Then you
come to know that from countless ages past your own
body has ultimately never been born, and that in the

future ultimately there is no one who dies. If you can

always do this contemplation, this is true repentance: the
heavy evil karma of thousands of ages dissipates of itself.

Only those who are confused by doubts and who can-

not engender faith are incapable of enlightenment. If you
believe and practice according to this [contemplation
method] , all of you will get to enter into the unborn
truth.

Again: When you become aware of mind arising

linked to other objects, immediately contemplate this
arising and view it as ultimately not arising. See that
when this mental attachment arises, it does not come
from anywhere or go to anywhere. As you constantly
contemplate the process of grasping at objects, you ob-
serve the thoughts and mixed mindfulness of false con-
sciousness. When the mind of confusion does not arise,
you attain the coarse level of abiding. When you find the
mind that abides, there are no more thoughts linked to

objects, and everything is accordingly still and steady.

You also attain the appropriate cessation of afflictions:

you have finished with the old ones and do not create any

new ones. This is called contemplation that liberates.

[With this contemplation] , even if the mind creates

afflictions and becomes depressed, confused, and sunk in

dark torpor, it soon disperses this and adjusts itself.

[62]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
Mind is slowly put at peace and made to find its proper
state. When mind of itself is peaceful and clean, then all

that is needed is bold advance, as if saving your head

from burning. You must not slack off or get lazy. Try
hard, try hard!
When beginners sit in meditation to contemplate
mind: Sit alone someplace. First straighten out your body
and sit upright; let your robe be wide and your belt

loose. Let your body relax: rub yourself down seven

or eight times. Let the exhalations from the belly
through the throat cease. Then you will find in abun-

dance the purity, emptiness, and peace of inherent reality-

nature.
When body and mind are properly attuned, when
mind and spirit are at peace, then in deep mystic fusion,
the breath is pure and cool. Slowly gather in mind until
the path of the spirit is pure and sharp and the mind-
ground is illumined and pure. As you perceive clearly
and distinctly, inner and outer are empty and pure — this

is the mind's inherent nirvana. With this nirvana , the

mind of the sages is manifest. Though its real nature is

formless, intent and proportion always remain. Thus,

the profound luminous one never ends: it remains for-
ever shining bright. This is called the buddha-nature,

the enlightened real identity. Those who see buddha-

nature leave behind forever birth and death: they are
called people who transcend the world.
Therefore the Vimalaktrti Sutra says: "Emptying
through, one returns to find original mind." How trust-
worthy these words One who awakenes to buddha-
are!

nature is called a bodhisattva, a person who has awakened

[63]
 ZEN DAWN
to the Path, a person who has arrived, a person who has
found reality-nature. Thus the sutra says: "A phrase that
has profound spiritual energy lasts through the ages
without decaying."
The expedient means explained above are for begin-
ners. We know that there are expedient means for culti-

vating the Path: this is where the intentions of the sages

meet.
In general, methods of relinquishing personal exis-
tence begin with stabilizing and emptying mind, and
make mind and objects quiescent and still. These meth-
ods recast thinking into mystic quiescence, so that mind
does not stir and the reality-nature of mind is still and
settled. Then you cut off grasping at objects. Deeply

fused, solidified in purity, mind is empty, everywhere

equal, peaceful, and still. Material forces are totally
gone: you abide in the pure body of reality, no longer
subject to states of being.
If you stir up mind and lose mindfulness, you will not
avoid being subject to birth. Things must be like this:

this is the mental state predetermined [by losing mind-

fulness]. This is a contrived phenomenon. Reality is

fundamentally w^ithout [such contrived] phenomena.

Only reality without such phenomena is called reality.

Thus, reality is uncontrived: uncontrived reality is true

reality. Thus the sutra says: "Empty, without contriv-

ance, without wishes, without form — this is true libera-

tion." In this sense, true reality is uncontrived. The

methods of relinquishing personal existence employ con-
stant contemplation of the body: illuminating the ground

[64]
 .

RECORDS OF THE LANKA

of mind and mental objects, you use this spiritual illu-

mination to dispense with [personal existence]

The Great Teacher [Daoxin] said: Zhuang Zi speaks
of the oneness of heaven and earth, and the oneness of
the myriad things therein. A sutra says: "The one is not
one. [Oneness is propounded] to refute the multiplicity

of objects. When this is heard of by people with shallow

consciousness, they think that the one is one." Thus,
Zhuang Zi is still stuck on oneness. Lao Zi says: "How
profound! How deep! Within it there is a vital energy."
Externally, [this formulation] is formless, but inside it

still keeps mind. The Huayan Sutra says: "You do not

become attached to dualistic things, because there is nei-

ther one nor two." The Vimalaktrti Sutra says: "Mind is

neither inside nor outside nor in between." By such tes-
timony we know that Lao Zi is stuck on the vital energy's
consciousness. The Nirvana Sutra says: "All sentient
beings have buddha-nature. How can it be said that in-
animate things are without buddha-nature? [If so] , how
could they expound the Dharma?" Vasubandhu's [Con-
sciousness Only] treatise says: "[Buddha's] response
bodies and transformation bodies are not the real Bud-
dha, not the ones that expound the Dharma."

[65]
 ,

Section Six
Great Teacher Hongren of Youju
Temple on Shuangfeng Mountain
in Jizhou
Tang Period

The one who took it up after Chan Master Daoxin wa

Hongren. Hongren transmitted the Dharma and was aii
honored man of the Subtle Wondrous Dharma. In his
time [his school] was called the Pure Gate of East
Mountain. Because monks and laymen in the metropoli-

tan region acclaimed East Mountain in Jizhou for having

a lot of people who found the fruit [of enlightenment]
it was called the East Mountain Dharma Gate.
Someone asked: "To study the Path, why do you not
go to cities and towns but instead live in the moun-
tains?"

[Hongren] answered: "The timbers for a great hall

come from the remote valleys, not from inhabited areas.

Because they are far from humans, they have not been
chopped down or damaged by their axes. One by one
they grow into giant things: only then are they fit to serve

as the ridgebeams.
"Thus we know how to rest the spirit in remote val-
leys, to stay far away from the hubbub and dust, to

nourish our true nature in the mountains and forswear

conventional affairs always. When there is nothing be-
fore the eyes, mind of itself is peaceful. From this the

[66]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
tree of the Path blooms and the fruits of the Chan forest
come forth."
The Great Teacher Hongren sat alone in purity.. He
produced no written record. He explained mystic truth
orally and imparted it to people in silence. There is a
book in circulation on Chan technique said to be by Chan
Master Hongren, but this is spurious.

According to Record of the People and the Teaching of

the Lahkdvatdra {Leng jia ren fa zhi)y compiled by the

monk Xuanze of Shoushan in Anzhou:
Hongren's lay surname was Zhou. His ancestors were
people of Xunyang, registered in Huangmeixian. His
father early on abandoned them, and he was burdened by
the filial duty to support his mother.
He Chan Master Daoxin at the age of
started to serve

seven. After leaving home he dwelt at Youju Temple.

He occupied himself with delivering beings with ever-
increasing compassion: the intent within him was noble
and pure. He kept his mouth shut in the arena of affir-

mation and denial. In environments of form and void,

his mind was fused. People worked to support him, and
Dharma companions sat at his feet as disciples. Balancing

his mind, he took as his task contemplation of the cosmos:

the Teacher was indeed illuminated in his contemplative
perception. [For Hongren,] walking, standing, sitting
and lying down were all sites of enlightenment; actions
of body, mouth, and mind were all the business of the
buddhas. For him there was no duality between stillness

and confusion, so speech and silence were ever one. Dur-

ing his time people came from all quarters and all classes

to ask for instruction and make him their teacher; they

[67]
 ZEN DAWN
came him empty and returned full. Thousands came
to

month after month. During his lifetime he bequeathed

no written works, but his truth was in accord with the

mystic message.
During that period Chan Master Shenxiu of Jingzhou
submitted to his lofty standards and personally received
Hongren's charge. Xuanze came to Shuangfeng in 670
and respectfully received Hongren's teachings: he served
him for five years in all, going there and back three
times.
Monks and nuns and laypeople alike gathered around
Hongren, working to provide support. He taught them
the meaning of the Lankdvatdra Sutra, saying: "Only
those who witness it with their minds fully know this

scripture — it is not something that verbal analyses can

explain."
In the second month of 674, Hongren ordered
Xuanze and the others to erect a stupa. All the disciples
joined to transport naturally square stones, until they had
built a very imposing and beautiful structure. On the

fourteenth day of the month, Hongren asked if the stupa

had been completed. Told that it had been, Hongren

said: "If we cannot share the day of the Buddha's nirvdna,
then we have been considering as a Buddhist monastery
what really has been a secular dwelling."
He also said: "In my life I have taught numberless
people. Many good ones have perished. I only give ap-
proval to ten as the ones who can transmit my path in the
future. With Shenxiu I have discussed the Lankdvatdra
Sutra, and he has penetrated its mystic truth: he is sure
to bring much benefit. Zhixian of Zizhou and Registrar

[68]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
Liu of White Pine Mountain both have refined natures.

Huizang of Xinzhou and Xuanyue of Suizhou I recall

[as worthy, though now] I don't see them. Old An of

Songshan profoundly practices the Path. Faru of Lu-

zhou, Huineng of Shaozhou, and the Korean monk
Zhide of Yangzhou are all fit to be people's teachers, but
will only be local figures. Yifang of Yuezhou will con-
tinue to lecture and preach." To Xuanze he said: "You
yourself must properly maintain and cherish your com-
bined practice. After I die you and Shenxiu must make
the sun of enlightenment radiate anew and the lamp of
mind shine again."
On Hongren asked
the sixteenth day of the month,
[the assembly] "Do you know my mind now or not.'^"
:

Xuanze took it upon himself to answer: "We do not

know." The Great Teacher Hongren then indicated the
ten directions with his hand: "Each and every one sets

out the mind that is realized." At midday on the six-

teenth, Hongren faced south and sat quietly: he closed
his eyes and died. He was seventy-four years old.

He was entombed in a stupa on Fengmao Mountain.

Even today [his body] looks the way it ordinarily did in
the past. There is a wall portrait of him at Anzhou Tem-
ple by Lu Zichan of Fanyang. Li Huixiu of Longxi,
formerly Minister of the Department of War, composed
a eulogy:
"What a marvel was the Master! In mystic accord with
the reality of the Path, he gathered in his mind and cut
off intellectual knowledge. With lofty enlightenment, he

penetrated the spirit: free of birth, he realized the fruit:

showing extinction, he shared the dusts. Here and now

[69]
 ZEN DAWN
he has been transformed: how soon will anyone approach
his level?"

The Great Teacher Hongren said: "There is a room

— it is filled with filth and debris. What is it?" He also

said: "When all the filth and debris have been totally

swept away, there is nothing at all. What is it?"

[Hongren also taught:] When you are sitting, settle

your face, arrange your body properly, and sit straight.

Relax your body and mind. Through all of space, see as

from afar a single word. There is an inherent sequence.
People of beginner's mentality do a lot of grasping at

objects. You should contemplate a single word in your

mind for now. After you experience realization, as you
are sitting, it will look like this: In the midst of a vast

wilderness, far off, standing all alone, is a high moun-

tain. You are sitting on open ground on top of the moun-
tain, looking off into the distance in all directions. There
are no boundaries. As you sit, you fill the world. Relax-
ing and releasing body and mind, you abide in the
buddha-realm. The pure body of reality, which is limit-

less, can also be described like this.

Hongren also said: "Just when you witness the great

body of reality, who is witnessing it?"

He also said: "There are thirty-two marks of the Bud-

dha. Does the jar also have them? Does the pillar? Do
earth and wood and tile and stone also have the thirty-
two marks or not?"
Another time, he took up a couple of firebrands.
Holding a long one and a short one together, he asked:
"Which one is long? Which one is short?"

He also said: "There appears someone lighting a lamp

[70]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
and creating the myriad things. Everyone says that this

someone is creating dreams and working magic. Some

say he doesn't create or make —everything is all great
final nirvana,''^

He also said: "Completely comprehending birth is the

Dharma of birthlessness. It is not that there is birthless-

ness apart from the phenomena of birth. Nagarjuna said:

'Phenomena are neither born of themselves nor born of

others nor born of [self and others] together, nor are
they born without a causal basis. Thus we know: there is

no birth.' Since phenomena are born of causes, they have

no inherent identity of their own. Since they have no

self-nature, how can phenomena exist [in an absolute
sense] .f^"

He also said: "Empty space has no center. The bodies

of the buddhas are also like this. This is where I will

give you the seal of approval for complete perception of

buddha-nature."
He also said: "Right when you are in the temple sitting

in meditation, is your body there under the trees in the

forest sitting in meditation too, or not.^^ Can all the [in-

animate things such as] earth, wood, tiles, and stone also

sit in meditation or not? Can earth, wood, tiles, and stone

see form, hear sound, put on a robe, carry a bowl? The
Lankdvatdra Sutra speaks of the ^dharmakdya of objects'

— it is this."

[71 ]
 Section Seven
Shenxiu, the Great Teacher of
Yuquan Temple Jingzhou
in
Xuanze, the Great Teacher of
Shoushan Temple in Anzhou
An, the Great Teacher of Huishan
Temple on Mount Song in
Luozhou

These three Great Teachers were national teachers during

the reign of Heavenly Great Sage Empress, the Spirit

Dragon Responding to Heaven, Her Supreme Majesty

(Ze Tian, r. 684-704). They all succeeded to Chan
Master Hongren, who gave them predictions of en-
lightenment (and included them among the sanctioned
ones) when he said: "I only give approval to ten as the
oneswho can transmit my path in the future."
The Record of the People and the Teaching of the Lank-
dvatdra^ compiled by Xuanze of Shoushan in Anzhou,
says:

Chan Master Shenxiu: His lay surname was Li, and

he was from Weishi in Bianzhou. He took long jour-
neys, intent on the Path. He came to Chan Master
Hongren's place on Shuangfeng Mountain in Jizhou,

and received the Chan teaching. [In Shenxiu] the

Chan lamp shone silently, the verbal route was cut

off; his mental machinations were wiped out, and he pro-

[72]
 . :

RECORDS OF THE LANKA

duced no written records. Later he dwelled at Yuquan

Temple in Jingzhou. In 701 he was summoned to the

Eastern Capital. Following the court, he traveled back
and forth between the two capitals, teaching, and served
in person as the Imperial Teacher.

Zetian, the Great Sage Empress, asked Chan Master

Shenxiu: "The Dharma you transmit is the message of

whose house?" Shenxiu answered: "I have received the

Dharma of East Mountain in Jizhou." The Empress

asked: "What text do you base yourself on?" Shenxiu
answered: "We go by the one-practice samddhi of the
Prajnd Sutra Spoken by Manjusri^ The Empress said:

"For cultivating the Path, none goes beyond the Dharma

Gate of East Mountain." Since Shenxiu was a disciple of
Hongren [on East Mountain] , this became his sanction

[from the empress]

On the thirteenth day of the third month of 705, an
imperial decree was issued [praising Shenxiu thus]
"The Chan Master's tracks are far from the dusts of
the conventional world. His spirit roams beyond the
material world. He is in accord with the subtle truth of
formlessness, and he transforms the deluded paths of
those in bondage. [In him,] the water of concen-
tration is clear inwardly and the pearl of discipline is

all-pervasive outwardly. Disciples turn their minds to

Buddhism and travel across the country, hoping for in-

struction at his Dharma Gate, longing to meet a Leader

on the Path."
In his later years Chan Master Shenxiu wanted to

return to his home area, but this was not permitted. Since
his intent was so lofty, he was not stuck in longings for

[73]
 ZEN DAWN
home. The writings he left behind show his ideas: he
pointed things out without a lot of talk. The Chan Master
faithfully served two emperors and taught at the two
capitals: both court and countryside benefited. He deliv-
ered innumerable people. By imperial decree a Bao En
Temple was set up in his hometown.
On the twenty-eighth day of the second month of 706
at Heavenly Palace Temple in the Eastern Capital, as he

sat quietly without illness, he imparted three words of

instruction: ^^Bendxht crooked ^nd make it straight y^^ and
died. He was more than a hundred years old. He had
brought together the monks and nuns and laymen and
laywomen of the city and caused Buddhist establishments
to be embellished on a wide scale. He was ceremonially
entombed on Longmen Mountain. The grandees and
lords all offered epitaphs. There was an imperial decree:
The late Chan Master Shenxiu — subtle consciousness

outwardly fused, workings of spiritual awareness in-

wardly penetrated, he has probed the inner recesses of

nonduality. Indeed he has found the topknot jewel: he
guards the gate of true oneness. Hanging up the mind-
mirror alone, he perfects luminous awareness and re-

sponds to beings. He joins with form with his spirit

illumined, without contrived activity, staying indepen-

dent: sense objects are purified and entanglements are
banished. For a hundred years he grew more and more
intent: day by day his energy became more refined. Only
then could he see through to the mystic subtlety of the
consciousness that is before us and be a guide to the eyes
and ears of many beings. Without employing conceptual
consciousness, with great compassion he shared the exis-

[74]
 RECORDS OF THE LANKA
tence [of all beings], teaching them carefully, following
timely expedients. Once people run afoul of "plaster sun"

theories [that cling to contrived models of reality] , they

are always thinking of teachings transmitted by concep-
tual consciousness. Though [Shenxiu found] that inner

truth is nameless and formless, and he was not dependent

on people offering veneration, nevertheless, he was very
scrupulous with the teacher-pupil relationship, and he
wished to glorify [Buddhism] . He should be given the
title "Chan Master of Great Pervasiveness."
Another imperial edict ordered the dispatch of Lu
Zhengquan, Lead Rider to the Heir Apparent, to escort

[Shenxiu's corpse] to Jingzhou back to his disciples. An

official plaque for their monastery was also entrusted to
Lu Zhengquan, who was to go there and report back.
Shenxiu's disciples said: "How perfect our Teacher was!

He had traveled the Path to the end and reached the real

truth, pure liberation, perfectly illuminated reality. He

expounded the Supreme Path and opened the way to

Supreme Wisdom. His tracks were obliterated in the

One Mind, oblivious of past, present, and future. He
temporarily used words to reveal the inner truth and
followed the inner truth to reach accord. He acted always
as a Dharma ferry, taking people across without making
them objects of salvation.

The Great Teacher Shenxiu said: "The Nirvana Sutra

says: *If you properly understand a single word, you are
called a Vinaya Master.' The text comes from the sutra:

the proof lies within you."

He also said: "Does this mind have mind or not? What
mind is this mind?

[75]
 ZEN DAWN
He also said: "When you see form, is the form there
What form is this form?"
or not?
He also said: "When you hear the sound of a bell
being struck, is the sound there when the bell is struck
or before the bell is struck? What sound is this sound?"
He also said: "Is the sound of the bell being struck
only there within the temple? Is the sound of the bell also
there throughout the worlds of the ten directions?"
He also said: "The body perishes but its shadow does
not. The bridge is flowing, not the river."
He also said: "The teaching of my Path is subsumed
under the two words essence znd function. It is also called

*the double mystic gate.' It is also called 'turning the

Dharma wheel.' It is also called 'the fruit of the Path.'"

He also said: "See before seeing. When seeing, see

and see again."

He also said: "The Bodhisattva Necklace Sutra says:

'Bodhisattvas perceive and are still. Buddhas are still and

perceive.'"
He also said: "A mustard seed goes into Mount Su-
meru; Mount Sumeru goes into a mustard seed."
Seeing a bird fly by, he asked: "What is it?"

He also said: "Can you sit in meditation on the tips of

the tree branches and banish time?"
He also said: "Can you pass straight through a wall or

not?"
He also said: "The Nirvana Sutra says there is a bo-

dhisattva with a boundless body who comes from the east.

Since the bodhisattva's body is boundless, when then does

he come from the east? Why not from the west, the south,
or the north?

[76]
 Section Eight
Chan Master Puji of Song Gao
Mountain in Luozhou
Chan Master Jingxian of Mount
Song
Chan Master Yifu of Orchid
Mountain, Changan
Chan Master Huifu of Jade
Mountain in Lantian

Puji, Jingxian, Yifu, and Huifu all learned the necessary

practices for Dharma companions from the Teacher
Shenxiu, and all succeeded to him. All of them had left

home while young and practiced pure discipline. They

had sought out teachers to ask about the Path, making
long journeys to visit Chan centers. They came to Yu-
quan Temple in Jingzhou and met Shenxiu, receiving
from him the Chan Dharma. All these masters served
the Great Teacher Shenxiu more than ten years, until
they emptied out and witnessed for themselves the pearl
of Chan shining alone.
The Great Teacher charged Puji, Jingxian, Yifu, and
Huifu to be great lamps illuminating the world, to trans-
mit the great mirror. People doing sitting meditation

throughout the country acclaimed these four Chan Mas-

ters, saying: "The Dharma mountain is pure, the

Dharma sea is clear, the Dharma mirror is bright, the

[77]
 ZEN DAWN
Dharma lamp is illuminated." They sat quietly on fa-

mous mountains and clarified their spirits in hidden val-

leys. Their virtues merged with the ocean of reality-

nature, their practices flourished in an abundance of the

branches of Chan. Pure and clean, without contrived
action, they walked alone in silent serenity. The Lamp
of Chan shines in silence: those who learn all witness the
buddha-mind.

Since the Song period (420-477) there have been

Chan Teachers of great virtue to take it up generation
after generation. Starting from Gunabhadra in the

[Liu-] Song dynasty, the Lamp has been passed through

the generations until the Tang dynasty, eight generations
in all. These comprised twenty-four men who attained
the Path and harvested the Fruit.

[78]
Bodhidharma's Treatise on
Contemplating Mind
HuiKE ASKED: If there are people intent on seeking
the Path of Enlightenment, what method should they
practice, what method is most essential and concise?
Bodhidharma answered: Let them just contemplate

mind — this one method takes in all practices, and is

indeed essential and concise.

Huike asked: How can one method take in all prac-
tices?

Bodhidharma answered: Mind is the root of the myr-

iad phenomena. All phenomena are born from mind. If
you can completely comprehend mind, the myriad prac-
tices are complete. It is like a great tree: all the branches
and flowers and fruits grow based on the root. The tree

grows only if the root survives. If the root is cut, the

tree is sure to die. If you cultivate the Path by compre-

hending mind, you save effort and success is easy. If you
cultivate the Path without comprehending mind, then

[8i ]
 ZEN DAWN
you waste effort and there is no benefit. Thus we know
that all good and evil come from one's own mind. If you
seek outside of mind, it is impossible.
Huike asked: Why is contemplating mind called com-
plete comprehension?
Bodhidharma answered: When the great bodhisattvas
practice profound perfection of transcendental wisdom,
they comprehend that the four great elements and the five
clusters are fundamentally empty and selfless. They see

that there are two different kinds of activity initiated by

inherent mind: pure states ofmind and defiled states of
mind. Pure mind is the mind of undefiled True Thus-
ness. Defiled mind is the mind of defilement and igno-

rance. These two kinds of mind are both there of

themselves from the beginning. Though everything is

produced by the combination of temporary causes, pure

mind always takes delight in good causes, while defiled
mind is constantly thinking of evil deeds.
If True Thusness is aware of itself and, being aware,
does not accept defilement, then this is called being a

sage. This enables one to leave all suffering far behind

and experience the bliss of nirvana. If you follow along
with defilement and create evil, you are subject to its

bondage — this is called being an ordinary person. Then

you are submerged in the triple world, subject to all

kinds of suffering. Why.f^ Because those defiled states of

mind block off the body of True Thusness. The Ten
Stages Sutra says: "Within the bodies of sentient beings

there is an indestructible enlightened nature. It is like

the orb of the sun: its body is bright and round and full
and vast without limit. Because it is covered by the black

[82]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
clouds of the five clusters, it is like a lamp placed in a jar

so that the light cannot appear." The Nirvana Sutra says:

"All sentient beings have buddha-nature. Because it is

covered over by ignorance, they are not set free. Buddha-

nature is enlightenment. When it is aware of itself and
its awareness is completely illuminated apart from what
covers it, this is called liberation."

Thus we know that all forms of good have enlighten-

ment as their root: the tree of all merits appears based on
the root of enlightenment. The fruit oi nirvana is formed
from this. Contemplating mind like this can indeed be
called complete comprehension.

Huike also asked: You have just stated that all the

merits of the enlightened nature of True Thusness de-

pend on enlightenment as their root. I wonder, what is

the root for all the forms of evil of the mind of igno-
rance.^

Bodhidharma answered: Though the mind of igno-

rance has eighty-four thousand afflictions, sentiments,
desires, and uncountable evils, in essence, they all have
the three poisons as their root. The three poisons are
greed, anger, and ignorance. The mind of these three
poisons of itself inherently includes all forms of evil. It

is like a great tree: though there is one root, the branches

and leaves it gives life to are numberless. Each of the
three poisons as a root gives birth to evil deeds even
more prolifically. These three poisons become three poi-
sons from a single fundamental essence. They are sure to
manifest the six sense faculties, also called the six thieves.
The six thieves are the six consciousnesses: they are called

six thieves because they go in and out via the sense fac-

[83]
 ZEN DAWN
ulties becoming attached to the myriad objects and form-
ing evil deeds, which block off the body of True
Thusness.
All sentient beings are plunged into ignorance and
confusion by these three poisons and six thieves. Body
and mind sink down into birth and death and revolve
through the six planes of existence, receiving all kinds of
suffering and affliction. It is like a river that starts from
a small spring: since the flow from the source is unbro-
ken, it can extend its waves for thousands of miles. If a
person cuts off the root source, then the many streams all

stop.

Those who seek liberation must be able to transform

the three poisons into three forms of pure discipline, and
transform the six thieves into the six pdramitds^ thereby
spontaneously leaving behind forever all forms of suf-
fering.

Huike The three poisons and the six thieves are

asked:
vast and limitless: how can one avoid their infinite pain
by just contemplating mind?
Bodhidharma answered: The karmic rewards of the

triple world are just products of mind. If you can com-

pletely comprehend mind, within the triple world you
escape the triple world.
The triple world corresponds to the three poisons.

Greed corresponds to the realm of desire, anger to the

realm of form, and ignorance to the formless realm.
From these three poisons the mind assembles all the

karmic rewards of evil and forms the six planes oi sam-

sdra. Thus [the three poisons] are called the triple world.

Since the evil created by the three poisons may vary in

[84]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
seriousness, the rewards received are not the same, but

divide into six planes — hence the name "six planes of

existence."
Huike asked: How does it divide into six according to
the relative seriousness [of the evil deeds] ?

Bodhidharma answered: If sentient beings do not com-

prehend the correct basis [for enlightenment] and culti-

vate goodness with the mind of delusion, they do not

avoid the triple world and birth in one of the three less

grievous planes of existence. This means that if in delu-

sion they cultivate the ten virtues and in falsity they seek
happiness, they will not avoid the realm of greed and
birth in the plane of the devas. If in delusion they uphold
the fivefold discipline and falsely create love and hate,
they will not avoid the realm of anger and birth in the
plane of human beings. If in delusion they cling to con-
trived belief and wrongly seek blessings, they will not
avoid the realm of ignorance and birth in the plane of
the asuras. These three are called the less grievous planes
of existence.
What are the three heavy planes of existence? This
means that if they indulge the mind of the three poisons
and do nothing but evil deeds, they will fall into the

three heavy planes of existence. If their deeds of greed

are serious, they fall into the plane of hungry ghosts. If
their deeds of anger are serious, they fall into the plane

of hells. If their deeds of ignorance are serious, they fall

into the plane of the animals. These three heavy planes

of existence together with the previous three less grievous
planes make up the six planes of existence.
Thus we know that evil deeds are born from one's own

[85]
 ZEN DAWN
mind. If we can keep mind apart from all evil deeds,
then the sufferings of revolving in the triple world and
the six planes of existence will spontaneously melt away.
If we can put an end to all suffering, this is called liber-

ation.

Huike asked: What about the Buddha's statement:

"Only after countless ages and immeasurable effort and
suffering did I achieve enlightenment"? Why do you
now say that just removing the three poisons is called

liberation?

Bodhidharma answered: In words spoken by the Bud-

dha there is no falsity. "Countless ages" refers to the
mind of the three poisons. This mind contains countless
evil thoughts, and each and every thought is an age.
Poisonous evil thoughts are like the sands of the Ganges,
so they are called countless. Once the reality-nature of

True Thusness is covered over by these three evils, how

can it be called liberation unless we transcend all those

countless evil thoughts? In the present case, being able to

remove the mind of the three poisons, greed, anger, and
ignorance, is called "passing over countless ages." Sen-

tient beings in the last age are stupid and their faculties

are dull: they do not understand the extremely profound

and subtle meaning of the Tathagata. They do not under-
stand the esoteric sense of "countless ages," so they say
that one may become buddha only after passing through
aeons numerous as the dusts. In the final age this cannot
but cause doubts and misapprehension by people culti-

vating practice and make them retreat from the Path of

enlightenment.
Huike also asked: Bodhisattva-mahasatfvas become

[86]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
buddha by upholding the three combinations of pure

discipline and by practicing the six perfections. Now you

are directing learners only to contemplate mind. If they
do not cultivate the practice of discipline, how will they
become buddha.^^

Bodhidharma answered: The three combinations of

pure discipline control the mind of the three poisons. To
control [even] one of the poisons achieves immeasurable
good. "Combination" means "gathered together." They
are called the three combinations of pure discipline be-
cause using them we can curb the three poisons so that

the three immeasurable goods are all gathered together

in the mind.
The six perfections mean purifying the six sense fac-
ulties. The foreign word pdramitd means in our language
"reaching the other shore." This is because when the six

sense faculties are pure and clean and not stained with
wordly dusts, this is equivalent to escaping from afflic-

tion and reaching the other shore. Hence the name "the
s\x pdramitds^^^ "the six perfections."

Huike asked: The three combinations of pure disci-

pline spoken of in the scriptures are vowing to cut off all

evils, vowing to cultivate all good things, and vowing to

deliver all sentient beings. Now you are only saying to

control the mind of the three poisons. Does this not

contradict the meaning of the scriptures?

Bodhidharma answered: The scriptures expounded by

I the Buddha are true words, free from falsehood. When

bodhisattva-mahasattva^ were cultivating the practices of
bodhisattvas in the past, they made three vows in order
to deal with the three poisons, vowing to uphold the three

[87]
 ZEN DAWN
combinations of pure discipline. They always practice
discipline, because to deal with the poison of greed, they

vow to cut off all evils. They always practice concentra-

tion, because to deal with the poison of anger, they vow

to cultivate all good things. They always practice wis-

dom, because to deal with the poison of ignorance, they

vow to deliver all sentient beings. Because they uphold
these three kinds of pure dharmas — discipline, concen-

tration, and wisdom — they go beyond the evil deeds of

the three poisons and achieve the path of the buddhas.
Being able to curb the three poisons means that all

forms of evil dissolve, hence it is called cutting off

[evil] . Being able to uphold the three combinations of

pure discipline means that all forms of good are fully
present, hence it is called cultivating [good] . Being able
to cut off evil and cultivate good means that the myriad
practices are perfected, benefiting both self and others,
and saving all sentient beings, hence it is called deliver-

ing [beings] . Thus we know that the discipline that is

cultivated is not apart from mind. If inherent mind is

pure, all sentient beings are pure. Thus the sutra says:

"When mind is defiled, sentient beings are defiled.

When mind is pure, sentient beings are pure." It is also

said:"To purify the buddha-land, first purify your

mind. As one's mind is purified, so the buddha-land is
purified." If you are able to control the three kinds of
poisonous mentality, the three combinations of pure
discipline are spontaneously perfected.

Huike also asked: As the scriptures explain them, the

six pdramitdSy also called the six perfections, are giving,

discipline, patience, energetic progress, meditative con-

[88]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
centration, and wisdom. Now you say that if the six sense
faculties are pure, this is called the six perfections. If we
understand it this way, what is the meaning of "perfec-
tion"?
Bodhidharma said: If you want to cultivate the six
perfections, you should always be purifying the six sense

faculties. First you must subdue the six thieves. If you

can abandon the eye-thief and leave behind objects of
form, the mind will be free of stinginess — this is called

[the perfection of] giving. If you can control the ear-

thief and not let it indulge in the dusts of sounds, this is

called upholding discipline. If you can subdue the nose-

thief and equalize all smells good and bad so that you are
independent and properly adjusted, this is called [the

perfection of] patience. If you can curb the tongue-thief

so that you do not crave illicit flavors, and extol and
expound [the Dharma] tirelessly, this is called [the per-

fection of] energetic progress. If you can subdue the

body-thief so that amid all kinds of contacts and desires
you are profoundly clear and unmoving, this is called

[the perfection of] meditative concentration. If you can

attune the conceptual mind-thief so that you do not sub-
mit to ignorance, and constantly cultivate enlightened
wisdom and enjoy its merits, this is called [the perfection

of] wisdom. Pdramitd means "crossing." The s^\x pdra-

mitds are likened to boats that can convey sentient beings
to the other shore.

Huike asked: According to the scriptures, when the

Tathagata Sakyamuni was a buddha-to-be, he attained
enlightenment only after drinking some milk gruel. That
is, because he drank the gruel beforehand, he experi-

[89]
 ZEN DAWN
enced the fruit of enlightenment. This was not simply
liberation through contemplating mind.

Bodhidharma answered: What the scripture says is

true — there is no falsity. He had to drink the "milk

gruel" before he could become buddha. But the milk
gruel the Buddha speaks of is not the impure worldly
kind. It is the milk of the Tathagata's pure dharma%^
namely, the three combinations of pure discipline and
the six perfections. When Buddha became enlightened,
it was because of drinking this milk of the pure dharmas
that he experienced the fruit of enlightenment. It would
be nothing but slander to say that the Tathagata partook
of the impure, bad-smelling milk mixed of worldly lust

and desire. The Tathagata himself is the indestructible,

stainless diamond body of reality, forever detached from
worldly sufferings. What need would he have for such
impure milk to quench his thirst? As the scripture says:
"The cow [that gives the milk of the pure dharma%\ is

not on the high plains and not in the low marshlands. It

does not eat grain or chaff. It is not in the same herd

with the bulls. The body of this cow is lustrous with
purple and gold."
"This cow" refers to Vairocana Buddha. Since his
great compassion has sympathy for everyone, from the
body of pure dharmas he causes to pour forth the subtle
wondrous dharma-rm\k of the three disciplines and six

perfections. The milk nourishes all those who seek lib-

eration. Not only does the Tathagata drink this pure milk

from a pure cow to attain enlightenment; all sentient

beings will achieve ultimate perfect enlightenment if they

are able to drink it.

[90]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
Huike asked: In the scriptures spoken by Buddha, he
commands sentient beings to build monasteries, to cast
images, to burn incense and scatter flowers, and to keep
ever-bright lamps burning — to attain enlightenment by
constantly practicing the Path and maintaining a vegetar-
ian diet, by serving at all kinds of meritorious duties. If
contemplating mind subsumes all the various practices,
it must have been empty and false when Buddha spoke
of such things.
Bodhidharma answered: There are infinite skillful
means in the scriptures that Buddha preached. Sentient
beings have dull faculties: they are narrow and mean and
do not understand very profound meanings. Therefore
Buddha made temporary use of things involving con-
trived activities to represent the inner truth, which is

without contrivance. If you do not cultivate inner prac-

tices, but just concentrate on external seeking, hoping to
get blessings, it will not work.

When he talks of building monasteries, this means

pure places. If you remove the three poisons forever and
always purify the six sense faculties, so that body and
mind are profoundly clear, and inner and outer are pure,
this is "building a monastery."
As for "casting images," this refers to all the various
provisional forms of enlightening practices cultivated by
the sentient beings who seek the Path of enlightenment.
It certainly does not mean that the wondrous true visage
of the Tathagata is something made out of cast metal.

Therefore, those who seek liberation use their personal

existence as the furnace, the Dharma as the fire, wisdom
as the smith, and the three pure disciplines and the six

[91 ]
 ZEN DAWN
perfections as the gold. They smelt and refine the en-

lightened identity of True Thusness within their bodies

and pour it into all the molds of discipline, practicing

according to the teaching until it is totally flawless and

unstained: this naturally completes the true visage. What
is called the ultimate eternally abiding subtle wondrous
body of reality is not something contrived, something
destructible. If people who seek enlightenment do not
know how to cast the true visage, on what basis can they

claim to have achieved meritorious acts?

As for "burning incense," this is not the worldly in-
cense that has form: rather it is the incense of the uncon-
trived truth. It perfumes away defilements and cuts off
the evil deeds of ignorance, making all evil karma dissi-

pate. There are five kinds of incense of the True

Dharma. First, the incense of discipline: being able to
cut off all evil and cultivate all good. Second, the incense

of stability: this means deep certainty in the Great Vehicle

Mind, so there is no retrogressing. Third, the incense of

wisdom: this means constant contemplation of body and
mind, internal and external. Fourth, the incense of lib-

eration: this means being able to cut off all the bonds of
ignorance. Fifth, the incense of liberated perception: this
means that awakened awareness is ever clear and reaches
everywhere unobstructed.
These five kinds of incense are the supreme incense.
No worldly kind can match them. When Buddha was in

the world, he directed his disciples to take the fire of

wisdom and light this priceless, precious incense to offer

to all the buddhas of the ten directions. Nowadays sen-

tient beings are foolish and have dull faculties: they take

[92]
 —

CONTEMPLATING MIND
external fire to burn solid incense and hope for blessings
and rewards. How can they get them?
"Scattering flowers" is also like this in meaning. It

refers to the flowers of meritorious deeds of expounding

the True Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings,
sprinkling them with the water of the nature of True
Thusness, and bestowing adornments on them all. Such
meritorious deeds were acclaimed by the Buddha as ulti-

mate and everlasting flowers that never fade and fall. If

people scatter flowers like these, they get immeasurable
blessings. The Tathagata certainly did not direct his dis-

ciples to scatter flowers by cutting off blossoms and in-

juring plants. How do we know.^ Those who uphold pure

discipline are not allowed to transgress against any of the

myriad interwoven forms of heaven and earth. To take

joy in injuring anything would incur great punishment.
So much the worse for those today who seek blessings
and rewards by destroying pure discipline and doing
harm to beings. They want to gain, but they do harm
how could it hd
The "ever-bright lamp" is the mind of true enlighten-
ment. Enlightened knowledge and clear comprehension
are likened to a lamp. Therefore, all those seeking lib-
eration always make their bodies the pedestal for the

lamp, and their minds the bowl of the lamp, and faith

the wick of the lamp; they add the various practices of

discipline as the oil. The clear penetration of wisdom is

likened to a lamp light constantly shining. This lamp of

enlightenment shines through all the stupidity and dark-
ness of ignorance. To be able to transmit this Dharma
and open the way for awakening to it is "one lamp light-

[93]
 ZEN DAWN
ing hundreds and thousands of lamps." Since the lamp
continues the light endlessly, it is called "the eternal

light." In the past there was a buddha called Lamp

Lighter — the meaning is similar.

Ignorant sentient beings do not understand what the

Tathagata said as skillful means: they concentrate on
practicing false and contrived things that they cling to as
attachments. Thus they light lamps of fresh worldly oil
to light an empty room, and they say that they are abiding
by the teachings. Isn't this wrong? What is the reason?
From between his eyebrows Buddha emits a filament of
light that illuminates eight thousand worlds in the ten

directions. If the light of his body is fully revealed, it

lights up everything in the ten directions. How can the

use of these worldly lamps be considered beneficial?
Upon examination of the principle of this, must it not be
so?

"Constantly practicing the Path during the six time

periods of the day" means to practice the Buddha Path
constantly at all times amid the six senses. "Buddha"
means "Enlightened One." To cultivate all enlightening

practices in the moment, to tame the six senses so that the

six sentiments are purified, to do this forever without

abandoning it — this is called "constantly practicing the

Path."
The "stupa" [to be "circumambulated"] is the body
and mind. Let enlightened wisdom constantly patrol
body and mind unceasingly from moment to moment.
This is called "circumambulating the stupa." All of the
sages of the past traveled this Path to find the bliss of
nirvana. Those who seek liberation today do not under-

[94]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
Stand these principles: how can they be said to be practic-
ing the Path? It seems that these days, those of dull
faculties never engage in inner practices; they just cling
to outer pursuits, using their material bodies to walk
around worldly stupas, running around frantically day
and night wearing themselves out in vain, with no benefit

at all in regard to their true reality-nature. Those who

are ignorant and deluded may truly be pitied!

As for "maintaining a vegetarian diet," we are always

sure to meet those who do not comprehend the inner
principle of this and who apply empty effort in vain.

"Vegetarian diet" refers to evenness: it means carefully

controlling body and mind and not letting them scatter

in confusion. "Maintaining" means preserving. It means
to preserve and maintain all the practices of discipline
according to the Dharma. You must curb the six senti-
ments, control the three poisons, and scrupulously culti-
vate enlightened observation of the pure body and mind.
Completely accomplishing [purity] in this sense can be
called a "vegetarian diet."

Moreover, for those who maintain a vegetarian diet,

there are five kinds of food. First, the food of joy in the
Dharma, meaning to practice joyously the Tathagata's

True Dharma. Second, the food of the contentment of

meditation: this means that inner and outer are clear and
still, and body and mind are contented and happy.
Third, the food of remembrance, meaning constant re-

membrance of all the buddhas, so that mind [mindful of

Buddha] and mouth [reciting the buddha-name] are in

accord. Fourth, the food of vows, meaning constant

practice of vows of goodness when walking, standing,

[95]
 ZEN DAWN
sitting, and lying down. Fifth, the food of liberation:

this means that mind is always pure and unstained by

worldly dusts. Maintaining a diet of the five pure foods
is called a "vegetarian diet." If people say that they main-

tain a vegetarian diet, but they do not eat these five kinds

of pure food, this is impossible.

There is fasting, "cutting off food." This means cut-

ting off the food of the evil deeds of ignorance. As soon
as you come in contact [with such evil deeds] it is called

"breaking the fast." If the fast is broken, how can you

get merit.f^ There are deluded and foolish people in the

world who do not understand the principle of this. They

indulge body and mind and do evil deeds of greed and
desire without shame, but when they cut off external
foods they think they are maintaining a fast. They are
like foolish children who see a rotting corpse: they say

it's alive, but it surely is not.

"Serving" means always going by the Dharma. You

must clearly understand the essence of truth within and
transform the aspect of phenomena without. Inner truth
cannot abandon phenomena: the storehouse of practices
is there. If you understand this meaning, this is called

"going by the Dharma." Serving implies respect and

submission. It means respecting true reality-nature and
subduing ignorance: this is called "serving." Because of
respect, you do not dare to damage [the Dharma] . Be-
cause you are subdued, you do not let yourself indulge.
If you can forever extinguish sentiments of evil and al-
ways preserve mindfulness of good, you are always serv-
ing, even if you do not show the signs of it. The signs of
service are physical signs. In order to enable worldly,

[96]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
conventional people to show humility and subdue their
minds, it is necessary to tame the external body and show
signs that they will respect. [Such external signs of ser-
vice] are shown when they are being used and hidden

when they are put aside. Manifesting externals to illu-

minate the internal, they are in accord with reality-

nature.
If you do not practice the Dharma of inner truth and

just cling to external learning, then on the inside you are

deluded and so give way to greed, anger, and ignorance,

and always commit evil deeds; on the outside, you vainly
manifest physical signs, but how can this be called ser-
vice.f^ Since you have no shame before the sages, you
deceive the ordinary people. You will not avoid revolv-

ing down [into lower planes of existence] . How can you

accomplish meritorious deeds? Since you achieve noth-
ing, how will you seek the Path.''
Huike also asked: In the Warm Room Sutra it says that

the congregation gains immeasurable merit by washing.

How should we serve the Dharma so that merit is

achieved.^ How can we accord [with reality] by just con-

templating mind?
Bodhidharma answered: When "the congregation
washes," this does not refer to any contrived worldly
doings. The World Honored One expounded the Warm
Room Sutra at that time for his disciples so that they could
receive his teaching on washing. Thus he made tempo-
rary use of worldly things as metaphors for the true
principles and spoke in a veiled way about seven forms
of meritorious deeds to be offered up. If all sentient

beings use these seven washing methods to adorn them-

[97]
 ZEN DAWN
selves, they will be able to eliminate the three poisons
and remove the defilements of ignorance.
The seven are as follows: First, pure water: washing
clean with pure discipline is like pure water cleansing
away all dusts and defilements. Second, fire: contemplat-
ing inner and outer by means of wisdom is like fire that

can heat up the pure water. Third, a dipper: picking out

all forms of evil and getting rid of them is like a bath

dipper that can clear away the dirt and grease [from the
bathwater]. Fourth, willow branches: truly cutting off
all false words is like [scourging with] willow branches
that can dissipate an angry mood. Fifth, pure powder:
correct faith resolves doubts and leaves no worries, as
pure powder rubbed on the body can prevent disease.
Sixth, unguents: tempering the breath until it is supple
and soft and subduing all forms of hardness are like

spreading unguent all over the skin to moisten it. Sev-

enth, clothing: shame and repentance toward all forms of
evil deeds are like a garment covering one's ugly form.
The foregoing seven items are a repository for secret
meanings in the sutra. The Tathagata at that time ex-
pounded them for those who have sharp faculties for the

Great Vehicle: they were not spoken for ordinary adher-

ents of the lesser vehicles whose knowledge is shallow
and inferior. These days no one can understand. The

"warm room" is the body. Therefore, light the fire of

wisdom and heat up the water of pure discipline to wash
clean the enlightened identity of True Thusness that is

within the body. Receive and uphold these seven methods

in order to adorn yourself.
At the time [Buddha spoke] the monks who were

[98]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
intelligent all understood his meaning. They practiced as
he had explained, and when the accomplished merit was
complete, they all experienced the fruit of sagehood.
These days sentient beings are stupid and their faculties

are dull, and no one can fathom such things. They use
worldly water to wash their physical bodies and think
they are abiding by the teachings. Is this not a mistake?
The enlightened identity, True Thusness, is fundamen-
tally formless — it is not the ordinary physical form with
its afflictions and defilements. How can you cleanse the
body of ignorance with material water? If what you do is

not in accord [with reality] , how will you awaken to the

Path? If you think that the material body attains purity,

constantly contemplate this body. It is basically some-
thing born from lust and impurity. It is filled with filth

and blocked off inside and out. If you seek purity by

washing this body, it is like washing mud — it will never

get clean. By such proof we clearly realize that external

washing was not what the Buddha was talking about.
Huike also asked: According to what the sutras say, if
we make our minds intent on remembrance of buddha
by reciting the buddha-name, we are sure to find rebirth
in the Pure Land in the West. By this wondrous gate we

are sure to become enlightened. Why contemplate mind

to seek libration?

Bodhidharma answered: Remembrance of buddha re-

quires the cultivation of correct mindfulness. Compre-

hending the truth is correct; not comprehending it is

wrong. With correct mindfulness you are sure to find the

Western Paradise. If mindfulness is wrong, how can you

get there?

[99]
 ZEN DAWN
"Buddha" means "the Enlightened One." It means
enlightened observation of body and mind that does not
let evil arise. [In reciting the buddha-name] "reciting"
means "remembrance." It means remembering to uphold
the practice of discipline and not forgetting energetic
application. Completely comprehending this truth is

called "correct mindfulness." Thus we know that re-

membrance by reciting is a matter of mind, not a matter

of words.We use the trap to catch the fish: when the fish
is we forget the trap. We use the words to get the
caught
meaning: when the meaning is gotten we forget the
words.
If you adopt the words "reciting the buddha-name,"
you must practice the substance of reciting the buddha-
name. If your recitation-remembrance has no real sub-

stance and your mouth just chants empty words in vain

endeavor, what good will it do.^ Chanting and recitation-

remembrance are far apart in names and meaning.

Chanting is in the mouth; remembrance is in the mind.
Thus we know that remembrance arises from mind, and
it is called a gate to enlightening practice. Chanting is in

the mouth, and is a form of sound. Seeking merit by

clinging to form will never work. Thus the sutra says:
"All forms are empty and false." It also says: "To see the

self by means of form, to seek the self by means of sound

— such a person is traveling the wrong path and cannot
see the Tathagata." Contemplating in these terms, we
know that the form of things is not true form.
Therefore we know that the meritorious deeds culti-

vated by all the sages of the past do not refer to external

things: they all have to do with mind. Mind is the source

[ 100]
 CONTEMPLATING MIND
of all the sages, and the master of the myriad evils. The
eternal bliss of nirvana is born from inherent mind.
Mind is the gate for transcending the world, and the
passageway to liberation. The one who knows the gate

does not worry that it will be hard to succeed; the one

who knows the passageway is not concerned about not

arriving.
I think that these days people of shallow knowledge
only recognize formalistic acts as meritorious works.
They squander a lot of wealth presiding over many cer-

emonies for the dead and vainly having images and stu-

pas constructed. To no purpose they put people to work

constructing buildings and embellishing them. Whole-
heartedly they use all their strength damaging themselves
and deluding others, without ever knowing shame.
When have they ever awakened? When they see con-
trived activities, they apply themselves scrupulously and
become fondly attached to them. When we speak of
formlessness, they look stupid and seem lost. What is

more, they crave the minor pleasures of the world and

are unaware of the great suffering to come. Those who
"cultivate the Path" like this are wearing themselves out
in vain — they have turned their backs on the straight and
given their allegiance to the crooked, seeking merit with
lying words.
Just manage to gather in mind. Reflect within and
contemplate the eternal illumination. Cut off the mental-
ities of the three poisons: make them fade away and stop
forever. Close the doors to the six thieves: do not let

them cause disturbance. One by one perfect all the count-

less merits, the many kinds of adornments, and the mea-

[lOl]
 Z E N D A WN
sureless Dharma Gates. Transcend the ordinary and
experience sagehood. What is right before your eyes is

not far. Enlightenment is instantaneous — why wait for

white hair?
The profound secrets of the gate of reality can hardly
be related in full. This is an outline account of a small
portion of the details of contemplating mind.

[ 102 ]
Treatise on the True Sudden

Enlightenment School of the

Great Vehicle^ Which Opens
Up Mind and Reveals
Reality-Nature
The Great Path is fused with Mind, revealing
the true pattern of reality. All the worthy sages past and
future tend toward this gate. For those who awaken, the
triple world is only mind. Those who do not awaken
create dreams as they sleep. The School of the Great
Vehicle must deal with forms and reveal the real. Those
who completely awaken know that all phenomena are

peaceful and still, that causal connections produce events,

and that temporary combinations give rise to names.
Those who do not comprehend become attached to names
and abide in words, grasp concepts and run around mis-
guided.
If you want to rein in the false and return to the real,
so that defilement and purity are equalized, you must
focus your attention and contemplate the self-revealed
meaning of the mind's fundamental enlightenment.
When your contemplation has power, you are still not

[105]
 ZEN DAWN
beyond this meaning: mindfulness reaches the Other
Shore and you are constantly in the deepest meditative

concentration. If you practice this for a long time without

stopping, naturally everything will be accomplished.
If you have concerns in your contemplation, gradually
let your body and mind go toward the real. Empty out
what is in your breast, so that all doings are forever

stilled. Aware [of things] without giving them forms,

you move freely in samddhi, closely nurturing the Path

and its power. By this means you achieve the dharmak-

dyuy the body of reality.
When you turn back and awaken to the mind source,
there are no hindrances and no obstructions. Its body is

like empty space, so it is called boundless samddhi. Mind

has no going out or coming in, so it is called the samddhi

of stillness. Amid all being it is pure and without seek-

ing, so it is called inconceivable samddhi. Samddhi is

undimmed and does not follow causal origination, so it

is called the samddhi of the real nature of things.

Students are all seeking interpretive understanding:

they do not seek direct experience. If you want to culti-
vate the Great Vehicle without knowing how to pacify

mind, your knowledge is sure to go wrong.

There was a layman named Li Huiguang, a man of
Changan in Yongzhou: his dharma name was Great
Awareness. He paid no attention to glory or profit, but
was intent on seeking enlightenment. He had served
Huian and later on Shenhui. He received oral instruc-
tions personally from both of them and was given the

gist of their teaching. He became able to reach the root

and fathom the source of refined truths and subtle prin-

[106]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
ciples: he appeared amid being and entered into nothing-
ness in perfect fusion and freedom.
When not engaged in Chan contemplation, Layman
Li lamented that the multitudes were deluded, so he
published these Dharma essentials, revealing the abstruse
gate of phenomena and inner truth and displaying subtle

truths. This [treatise] could be called a boat for crossing

the seas directly to enlightenment. These words are trust-

worthy and true. He hoped that the unenlightened would

find enlightenment, that those not at peace would find

peace, and that those not yet liberated would find libera-

tion.

Question: The Buddha Dharma is abstruse and mys-

terious, unfathomable to ordinary people. Its literature

is vast, its meanings hard to understand. May we inquire

about the Chan Master's essential teachings.^ Let us have
some provisional words, some expedient means, a direct

approach through direct words without secrets, that does

not abandon us worldly types.
Chan Master Great Awareness answered: Excellent!
Excellent! Observing your question, [I see that] your
basis as a bodhisattva is about to become pure and ripe.
I am forty-five and it has been more than twenty years
since I entered the Path, and there has never been anyone
who has asked about this.
What concerns do you have? What doubts are you
trying to resolve? Speak directly — there's no time to

bother with words.

Questioner: we wish to enter the Path, what
If
Dharma should we practice, what Dharma should we
study, what Dharma do we seek, what Dharma do we

[ 107]
 ZEN DAWN
experience, what Dharma do we attain, in order to pro-
ceed toward enlightenment?
Answer: No Dharma is studied, and there is no seek-
ing. No Dharma is experienced, and there is no attain-

ing. No Dharma is awakened to, and there is no Path

that can be cultivated. This is enlightenment.
Question: Since time without beginning we have been
flowing along with birth and death at odds with inner
truth. Having just heard the sudden teaching, we are
confused and do not understand; our consciousness is

dimmed and we do not know where we are. We are like

drunks who cannot yet wake up sober. We humbly hope
that you will extend yourselves down toward the deluded

multitudes and bestow [some teachings] on those of little

learning, so that by your skillful means we may meet
with reality. What is our true identity.''

Answer: It does not give rise to [false states of] mind:

it is forever formless and pure.
Question: What is self-identity.'^

Answer: Seeing, hearing, knowing, the four elements,

and all things each possess self-identity.
Question: From what is self-identity born?
Answer: It is born from false mind.
Question: How can one detach from self-identity?

Answer: When [false states of] mind do not arise, this

is detachment.
Question: What is the Path? What is inner truth?
What is mind?
Answer: Mind is the Path. Mind is inner truth. There
is no inner truth outside mind and no mind outside inner
truth. Since mind is capable of equanimity, it is called

[ 108]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
inner truth. Since inner truth is aware and can illuminate
clearly, it is called mind. Since mind and inner truth
are equal, it is called buddha. When mind finds this in-

ner truth, you do not see birth and death: ordinary and
sage are no different, objects and knowledge are not
two, principle and phenomena are both fused, defiled
and pure are one suchness. With true awareness accord-
ing to inner truth, nothing is not the Path. Detached
from self and other, you practice all practices at once.

There is no before and after and no in between.

Your bonds are untied and you are free: it is called the
Path.
Question: How do we accord with inner truth to enter
[into enlightenment] ?

Answer: When you do not give rise to [false states of)

mind and are forever formless, this is according.
Question: What is according with the Path?
Answer: A straightforward mind not attached to any-
thing accords [with the Path]
Question: What is falsity?

Answer: Falsity is not knowing inherent mind.

Question: What is error?
Answer: Error is giving rise to all sorts of objects.
Question: What is inherent mind? What is false mind?
Answer: If you differentiate, it is false mind. If you
do not differentiate, it is inherent mind.
Question: Where are they born from, the mind that

differentiates and the mind that does not?

Answer: The mind that differentiates is born from

error. The mind that does not differentiate is born from
correct wisdom.

[ 109 ]
 ZEN DAWN
Question: Considered together, where are they born
from?
Answer: There is nowhere they are born.
Question: If there is nowhere they are born, how can
you say there is error or correct wisdom?
Answer: If you do not know inherent mind, you will
proceed with all sorts of error. If you know inherent
mind, this is correct wisdom.
Question: You just spoke of knowing and not knowing
— what are these born from?
Answer: Knowing is born from awakening. Not
knowing is born from false thinking.

Question: All sentient beings are in false thinking

how can they also be in correct wisdom?
Answer: All sentient beings are within correct wisdom
— there is really no false thinking.

Question: Right now we are engaged in false thinking

— how can we be said to have correct wisdom?

Answer: In reality, you are fundamentally without
false thinking. When you call it false thinking, this is

like a person drinking a potion that dilates the pupils,

then looking for a needle in the sky: in the sky there is

really no needle.
Question: Given that fundamentally false thinking
does not exist, what are all today's practitioners trying to

cut off in order to seek the Path?

Answer: Nothing is cut off and there is no path that

can be sought.
Question: If there is no path to be sought and nothing
to be cut off, then why in the scriptures did the World
Honored One speak of cutting off false thinking?

[no]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
Answer: In reality the World Honored One did not
teach cutting off false thinking. As for cutting off false

thinking: without detaching from false thinking, all sen-

tient beings falsely feel that there is something attained

and something cut off; they falsely perceive that the phe-
nomena of false thinking exist. Following the concepts
of sentient beings, the World Honored One spoke pro-
visionally in terms of the phenomena of false thinking.

In reality, he did not speak a word of it. He was like a

good doctor prescribing medicine for a disease. If there

is no disease, he does not prescribe medicine.

Question: If the World Honored One did not speak

of false thinking, then who created false thinking?
Answer: Sentient beings themselves create it.

Question: Why do they not create correct wisdom, but

go on perversely creating false thinking?
Answer: They do not know correct wisdom, so they
have false thinking. If they knew correct wisdom, there
would be no false thinking.

Question: If there is correct wisdom, there must be

false thinking. How can you say there is no false think-

ing?
Answer: In reality, sentient beings have neither false
thinking nor correct wisdom. Neither can be found.
Question: If both of them are unattainable, then it

must be that neither ordinary people nor sages exist.

Answer: There are ordinary people and there are sages

too, but you yourself do not know them.
Question: What is an ordinary person? What is a sage?

Answer: If you differentiate, you are an ordinary per-

son. If you do not differentiate, you are a sage.

[ III ]
 ZEN DAWN
Question: Those who differentiate are ordinary, those
who do not are sage. What about an infant, which does
not differentiate? Can it be a sage?
Answer: If you adopt this interpretation, you are very
foolish. Infants and children do not know good and bad,
just as ignorant people do not recognize what is honor-
able and what is not. How could this be "not differen-
tiating"? What is necessary is always to operate the
differentiating mind within the inner truth of True
Thusness, to attain nondifferentiating wisdom.
Question: Is no birth equivalent to nondifferentiating
wisdom?
Answer: Observe for a while. Observe pure mind.
Observe [states of] mind arising. You must perceive that
mind has been pure from the beginning, not stained by
external objects. With things and events, you must com-
pletely comprehend and see that [as products of] causes
and conditions, no permanent identity can be found [for
them] . Then you know that [the products of] causes and
conditions are both empty and not empty. That is,

worldly phenomena, all the profuse array of myriad im-

ages in the world, [conventional relationships like] lord
and minister, father and mother, benevolence and righ-
teousness, propriety and good faith — these are not de-

stroyed [by the teaching of emptiness] . Therefore the

scriptures give entry into nirvana without destroying
worldly phenomena. If you destroy the worldly dharma^^
then you are an ordinary person flowing along w^ith birth
and death.
The phenomena of worldly causes and conditions have
no independent existence. Being temporary combinations

[ 112]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
of causal factors, their essential identity is empty and
ultimately cannot be found. Seeing this inner truth is

called seeing reality-nature. Then, amid differentiation

you find nondifferentiating wisdom. You always practice

differentiating, yet without differentiating. This is "not

destroying worldly phenomena." Thus the sutra says:
"Distinguish all causal connections and forms as entering

into supreme reality without moving." Those who can

awaken to this thereby have stillness right within move-
ment.
Question: In the Vimalaktrti Sutra it says: "He always
sought the wisdom of having no thoughts and contem-
Toward worldly phenomena, he reduced
plating reality.
desires knew satisfaction. As for the world-
and
transcending Dharma, he sought it tirelessly. Without
spoiling his dignified outward conduct, he was able to
adapt to conventional ways while arousing the wisdom of
spiritual powers, in order to guide sentient beings."
What is the meaning of this?
Answer: The meaning of this is experienced by all the
buddhas of past, present, and future: it is unfathomable
to the intellect.

Question: Since "he always sought the wisdom of hav-

ing no thoughts and contemplating reality," why do the
scriptures talk of charity and discipline and the merits of
humans and gods? Aren't these methods that involve

thought? Why the discrepancy to make students doubt

and not believe?
Answer: You all believe in things you do not under-
stand. When Buddha spoke of charity and discipline and
the merits of humans and gods, it was for the sake of

[113]
 ZEN DAWN
sentient beings who are often immersed in false thinking.

With immeasurable skillful expedient means, Buddha

followed the mentality of sentient beings and preached in
terms of false concepts to lead them to the gate of the
Great Vehicle. If you do not believe me now, I will cite

scriptures for you as proof. The Lotus Sutra says: "These

teachings of mine were adapted to sentient beings. The
Great Vehicle is the basis.'* It also says: "In all the
buddha-lands in the ten directions, there is only the
Dharma of the One Vehicle. We use provisional names
temporarily in order to guide sentient beings, but sen-
tient beings have never been delivered by the lesser ve-
hicles." It also says: "Do not approach the scholars of the
canon of the lesser vehicles." It also says: "Only this one
thing [the Buddha Vehicle] is real: the others are not."
Moreover, the A// Things Are Uncompounded Sutra says:

"If a person distinguishes discipline as a separate entity,

he has no discipline. If he sees himself as having disci-
pline, he has lost discipline."

On the basis of these quotes, it is obvious that Buddha

expounded the Ultimate Gate. It is not that he said there
is no [such thing as] human merit, but [when he did]
he was just leading on sentient beings to enable them to
enter buddha-wisdom. When the sages of the past and
present speak of mind attaining mastery, of mind finding
liberation, of mind achieving sagehood, this is the en-

lightened ones of past, present, and future sealing and

settling your doubts.
Question: Buddlia expounded the teaching of the One
Vehicle to transform sentient beings. Now we all under-

[114]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
Stand this. But what need was there to go on talking and
confuse sentient beings? Wasn't it wrong?
Answer: You should not think this.The buddhas acted
for sentient beings out of great compassion. Since many
fall into the three evil paths [as hell beings, hungry
ghosts, or animals], the buddhas open up the gate of
expedient means and expound for them the six pdramitas.
Practicing giving, discipline, and patient endurance lets

them get beyond the three evil paths. For those coming
and going in the planes of humans and gods, practicing
energetic progress, meditative concentration, and wis-
dom enables them to detach from the sufferings of birth
and death, so that in the future they become enlightened.
Question: Did the buddhas of the past expound the
Three Vehicles? Do the buddhas of the present expound
the Three Vehicles?
Answer: The buddhas of past, present, and future all

expound them.
Question:By what truth can we know this?
Answer: The Lotus Sutra says: "If I now were to extol
the Buddha Vehicle, sentient beings sunk in suffering
would be unable to believe this teaching, and for violat-

ing it they would fall into the three evil paths. I would
rather not expound the Dharma, but quickly enter nir-

vana. Mindful of the power of the expedient means prac-

ticed by the buddhas of the past, for the Path I have
attained, right now I too must expound the Three Vehi-
cles." So we clearly know that all the buddhas of the past

expounded the Three Vehicles in order to guide sentient

beings to the One Vehicle.

[ "5]
 ZEN DAWN
Question: What is the One Vehicle?
Answer: Mind is the One Vehicle.
Question: How do we know that mind is the One
Vehicle?
Answer: It is obvious that mind, which is empty and
without anything there, is the One Vehicle.
Question: Do we become sages by completely perceiv-
ing that mind, being empty and without anything there,
is the One Vehicle?
Answer: Yes, we become sages.

Question: Is the ordinary still there?

Answer: The ordinary is still there too.

Question: Are ordinary and sage different or not?
Answer: There is no difference at all. With awaken-
ing, the person who is ordinary in the morning is a sage

by evening. Without awakening, you are subject to birth

in the six planes of existence.

Question: What is this awakening you mention?
Answer: Awakening to mind.
Question: Are ordinary mind and sage mind one thing
or two?
Answer: They are one.
Question: How can they be one?
Answer: If you completely perceive that reality-nature

is pure and clean and from the beginning free from

defilements and attachments, then you will know they are
one.
Question: Who knows that there are no defilements or
attachments?
Answer: Mind knows that there are no defilements.

[ii6]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
Question: How does mind know that there are no
defilements?
Answer: All the buddhas of past, present, and future
explain that mind is formless and its essential being is

ultimately unattainable. Thus we know that it has no

defilements.
Question: Since it is formless, how can we know it has
no defilements?
Answer: We know it has no defilements precisely be-
cause it is formless. If it had form or aspect or location,

it would have defilements.

Question: You have spoken of mind. How many kinds
of mind are there in all?

Answer: If you awaken, one mind that is unattainable.

If you do not awaken, then there are many kinds of

mind, an incalculable number.
Question: What is ordinary mind? What is sage mind?
Answer: If you grasp form, this is ordinary mind. If
you detach from form, this is sage mind.
Question: Please instruct us in the essentials of
mind that grasps form and mind that does not grasp

form.
Answer: When those cultivating the Path have views
of mind coming and going, views of mind being long or
short, views of good and evil, hateful views and loving
views, angry views and joyful views, views of right and
wrong, views of ordinary and sage, views of indepen-

dence and dependence, views of nirvana views of being y

liberated and of not being liberated, views of buddhas

and bodhisattvas, views of meditative concentration.

["7]
 —

ZEN DAWN
views of wisdom, and so on — all of these are [instances
of] the mind of false thinking of ordinary people.
Question: What is the mind of people who are sages?
Answer: Not arousing a thought, not seeing a thing
this is the mind of the sages.

Question: Chan Master, have you attained the mind

of the sages?
Answer: I have no attainment.
Question: If you have no attainment, how do you have
knowledge?
Answer: Right now I have neither attainment nor
knowledge. Thus the sutra says: "He has no knowledge
and no attainment. By having no attainment, he is a
bodhisattva."
Question: Ultimately to whom does this truth belong?
Answer: It belongs to nothing at all. If it belonged to
anything, this would be [more] revolving in birth and
death. Since there is nothing to which it belongs, ulti-
mately it abides forever.
Question: [We hear that] all sentient beings revolve
with the eight consciousnesses and so do not find free-
dom. What are the eight consciousnesses?
Answer: They are [the consciousnesses] of eye, ear,

nose, tongue, body, conceptual mind, [the synthesizing,

evaluative, volitional, motivational complex, called]

manas, and [the storehouse of all states of mind, called]

a /aya,
"Consciousness" has the meaning of understanding
and distinguishing. For example, when the eye interacts

with form, the conceptual consciousness distinguishes

this and may judge it to be good or bad. According to

[ii8]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
this judgment, form is engendered which influences the
seventh consciousness, manas. Receiving this influence,
[manas] grasps [at form] and transmits the influence to

the seeds of all [potential] actions, which are already

assembled in the eighth consciousness, called the store-
house. The eye-consciousness is this way, and so are the
others.

The deeds done and the rewards received by all

sentient beings first transform the storehouse con-

sciousness into a causal basis for creating future actions.
Thereby do causal bases rest upon each other one
after another, and a succession of results proceeds un-
broken. In the end the sentient beings return to the six
paths and receive the sufferings of birth and death.
Therefore, those who cannot completely comprehend
mind are thrown into confusion by the eight con-
sciousnesses.

These eight consciousnesses could be thought of as

fundamentally present, or they could be said to create

contrived activities on the basis of present causal connec-

tions. When causal connections join, it will engender
future causal bases for action. If we want to cut them off
and remove them now, and not let them be born, we
must contemplate them correctly. Completely compre-
hend where the eye-consciousness comes from. Does it

come from form.^ Does it come from the eye? Does it

come from mind? If it comes from mind, since blind

people have mind, why can't they produce eye-conscious-

ness? If it comes from the eye, since dead people have

eyes, why can't they distinguish form? If it comes from

form, form is inert and unknowing [and cannot produce

[ 119]
 ZEN DAWN
eye-consciousness] . None of these three causal links can
act alone.

When you completely comprehend mind, you will

know that when the eye sees form, the causal factor "the
eye" is empty. Since the causal factor "eye" is empty,
"form" is also empty. When you comprehend that "eye,"

"seeing," and "form" are all essentially empty, then there,

is no differentiation. Since there is no differentiation, the

conceptual consciousness distinguishes without discrimi-
nating, and the seventh consciousness has no desire to
grasp and no object to be grasped. Then in the storehouse
of the eighth consciousness there are no more influences
developing the seeds of impurity and defilement. With-
out these seeds, you are no more subject to birth and
death: you abide forever in profound clarity, not born by
birth or destroyed by destruction.
Question: The Buddha has three bodies — how are they
attained.^

Answer: The three bodies of Buddha are attained from

the eight consciousnesses, by transforming the eight con-
sciousnesses into the four wisdoms. When you reach
these four wisdoms, you soon achieve the three bodies.
Proceeding from cause to effect, we distinguish the three

bodies like this. The five consciousnesses of eye, ear,

nose, tongue, and body become the subtle observing wis-
dom. The sixth consciousness, the conceptual conscious-

ness, becomes the accomplishment of action wisdom. The

seventh consciousness, manas, becomes the wisdom of
inherent equality. The eighth consciousness, dlayUy be-
comes the great mirror wisdom.

[ 120]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
Question: What is the meaning of the "four wisdoms"
that you can make this statement?

Answer: The first five consciousnesses are also called

the five sense faculties. In this case the five sense faculties
are the gates of wisdom through which wisdom is aware
of the objects present, but without any falsity or defile-
ment. Thus we take these five consciousnesses and make
them into subtle observing wisdom. The sixth conscious-

ness is also called the conceptual mind faculty. Here in

the gate of wisdom we must work intently on awakening.

Awakening means purity, and accord with the Dharma.
With the real and the conventional equally in view, we
perfect wisdom, transforming the conceptual mind into

wisdom. Wisdom's awareness is able to know clearly

without differentiating, and transform knowledge into

wisdom. This is called the accomplishment of action wis-
dom. When manasy the seventh consciousness, has no
grasping, it naturally has no hate or love. Since there is

no hate or love, all things are equalized. Thus it is called

the wisdom of inherent equality. As for dlaya^ the eighth

consciousness: when it is empty in the storehouse, defiled

seeds are all pure. It is like a clear mirror hung in space.

All the myriad images appear in it, but this bright mir-
ror never thinks, "I can make images appear," nor do
the images say, "We are born from the mirror." Since
there is neither subject nor object, we call this wisdom
the great mirror wisdom.
Question: If the four wisdoms are this way, what about
the three bodies?
Answer: The great mirror wisdom is taken as the

[121]
 ZEN DAWN
dharmakdya, the body of reality. The wisdom of inherent
equality is taken as the sambhogakdya, the reward body.
The accomplishment of action wisdom and the subtle
observing wisdom are taken as the nirmdnakdya, the
physical manifestation, the transformation body.
Question: How do you know to be so.^ it

Answer: We say that the greater mirror wisdom is

taken as the body of reality because it is fully equipped

with all stainless virtues, round and full with complete
truth: it is like a worldly mirror that can show diverse
images without differentiating.
The wisdom of inherent equality is taken as the re-
ward body because when false mind is totally exhausted,

everywhere-equal reality-nature is achieved and the myr-

iad practices are perfected.
Accomplishment of action wisdom and subtle observ-

ing wisdom are taken as the transformation body because

when the six sense faculties are stainless, you deliver
sentient beings on a wide scale, detached from self and
other, letting them share in your understanding and cul-
tivate a basis [for enlightenment]

Question: Which among the three bodies of Buddha

should sentient beings first cultivate.'*

Answer: The sutra says: "From the everywhere-equal

body of reality flows forth the reward body. From the

reward body flows forth the body of transformation.

From this transformation body flows forth the twelve-
part teaching of the canon." Therefore, first cultivate the

body of reality. When we say "body of reality" we mean

the correct contemplation of the middle path between
wondrous being and wondrous nothingness. If you

[ 122 ]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
awaken to this inner truth, this is the body of reality. By
perceiving the body of reality, you find out that your own
body and mind have always been at odds with reality.

When you have seen the body of reality, you must work
hard and intently until the worldly side naturally be-
comes pure and clean and harmonizes with Thusness.
After a long time with Thusness, there is no thought of
Thusness. When you have achieved this, this is the re-

ward body. Thus, the body of reality is inherently pres-

ent, but the body of reward is through cultivated

practice. As for the transformation body, the sutras say
Buddha manifests all kinds of bodies called transforma-
tion bodies.

Question: If the three bodies are this way, what about

the three jewels.f*

Answer: The three bodies of Buddha are also

called the three jewels: that is, the jewel of the Buddha,
the jewel of the Dharma, and the jewel of the
Samgha.
Question: How many kinds of the three jev/els are
there .^

Answer: Giving a full account, there are three kinds.

Question: What are they?

Answer: There are the three jewels of the one essence,
the three jewels of differentiated aspects, and the three
jewels of abiding and upholding.
Question: What are the three jewels of the one es-
sence.^

Answer: The purity of the enlightened nature of the

essential body of true mind is called the jewel of the

Buddha. Being round and full and complete with truth

[ 123 ]
 ZEN DAWN
and equipped with countless meritorious functions is

called the jewel of the Dharma. The oneness of the mer-

itorious functions is the jewel of the Samgha.
Question: What are the three jewels of differentiated
aspects?

Answer: "Differentiated aspects" means that this body

of one's own is called the jewel of the Buddha. Being
able to bestow happiness according to potentials and
being willing to cultivate practice oneself is called the

jewel of the Dharma. The four elements and the five

clusters joining together without being at odds is called

the jewel of the Samgha.

Question: What are the jewels of abiding and uphold-
ing?
Answer: Being good at supporting those above and
making contact with those below, so that everything is

pure and even, is called the jewel of the Buddha. Preach-

ing according to people's mentalities, so that those who
hear are full of joy, is called the jewel of the Dharma.
Living in the community so that no conduct violates
proper expedient means, and being able to harmonize
everyone so there is no contention, is called the jewel of

the Samgha.
Question: Why are they called jewels?
Answer: In the first place, they are neither inside nor

outside nor in between. They are measureless and price-

less. Metaphorically they are called the three jewels. If
they had a price, they would not be called jewels. This is

what is meant by the expression "priceless precious wish-

fulfilling jewels."

[124]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
Question: The Lao Zi says: "The Buddha Path has no
[contrived] action, but there is nothing it does not do."
What does this mean?
Answer: The Buddha Path is fundamentally and in-
herently without contrived activity. There is contrived
activity because sentient beings create self-centered views

as big as Sumeru. The true meaning of this is not some-

thing the conceptual mind can fathom. Only those who
experience it can fully understand. Just manage to ac-
complish the work, and at a certain time there will be
great awakening.
Question: The sutra says: "All things come forth from
this scripture." [What does this mean?]
Answer: [Here] "scripture" means mind. Mind can
manifest everything. All people who practice develop

illumination by cultivating the supreme correct path of

unobstructed perfect awareness All the buddhas, all the
tathdgataSy begin with their own cultivation and end by
transforming other beings. There is nothing that they do
not achieve. Hence the saying "All things come forth

from this scripture."

Question: The sutra talks about the Tathagata bearing

the load.What does this mean?
Answer: You should just reflect back on reality-nature.
Not abiding in your usual state, instead you become
aware that you have no [permanent] body. Who will

bear the load? Profoundly comprehending transcendent

wisdom and broadly expounding it for people is bearing
the load of the True Dharma. [The buddhas] convey its

excellent meanings and let all sentient beings achieve

[125]
 ZEN DAWN
meritorious deeds. Hence the talk of the Tathagata bear-
ing the load.
Question: What does it mean when the sutra% say that
the Tathagata delivers sentient beings?
Answer: You must understand for yourself that the

true identity of sentient beings is fundamentally pure,

but when the six sense faculties create the vexations of
form, sickness is born. When we observe that birth is

fundamentally empty, what is there that can be delivered?

Therefore, if you say that the Tathagata delivers beings,
you are attached to [notions of] self and others and
beings.
Question: What is the meaning of "diamond prajnd-
pdramitS''}
Answer: "Diamond" is the mind of form. Prajnd is

purity. Pdramitd means reaching the other shore.

Question: [What is the meaning of] "Not grasping at

form, Thusness does not stir"?

Answer: If your mind creates [notions that] there is

coming and going, that is, contrived phenomena, all of

these are forms of unrest. If your mind does not create

them, there is no coming or going: amid uncontrived

phenomena, there is detachment from both moving and
not moving. This is permant abiding. Thus it is said:

"Thusness does not stir."

Question: The Warm Room Sutra says that by washing

with the seven things, the monks get merit without mea-
sure. Please tell us the meaning of this merit.
Answer: What the sutra says is quite true. If you have
the seven things and wash with them, inner and outer

[126]
 SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
are sure to be in accord, and the merit will be measure-
less.

If you always trifle with the reality-nature of mind, if

you indulge greed and anger, if you wrangle over right

and wrong, if you make other people groan and cry, then
even if you wash with the seven things, you are shedding
the Buddha's blood: you are constantly putting together
the karma of the three mires. If you wash like this, it is

like washing in mud. You must stop this completely. Let

body and mind be pure. Do not arouse greed and anger,

and naturally you will be equanimous and detach from
discrimination. With the water of nondiscrimination,
you wash away all the dust and filth and become fully

pure and clean.

Question: How should we deal with this mind of the
three poisons in order to achieve the s\\ pdramitds}
Answer: You must be brave and bold and advance
energetically. Toward the three poisons, take the three
vows.
Vow to cut off all evils, to deal with the poison of

anger. Vow to cultivate all forms of good, to deal with

the poison of ignorance. Vow to deliver all sentient

beings, to deal with the poison of greed. When the ability

to cut off evil and the ability to cultivate good come
together in the mind, the three poisons are curbed, and
you achieve the three pure disciplines.

Next, let us explain subduing mind. Toward the five

clusters [form, sensation, perception, motivational syn-

thesis, and consciousness] we develop five kinds of sub-

duing mind.

[ 127 ]
 ZEN DAWN
First, we vow to view all sentient beings as worthy
sages and ourselves as ordinary people. Second, we vow
to view all sentient beings as kings and ourselves as com-
moners. Third, we vow to view all sentient beings as

teachers and ourselves as disciples. Fourth, we vow to

view all sentient beings as parents and ourselves as chil-

dren. Fifth, we vow to view all sentient beings as lords

and ourselves as servants.

The six pdramitds are also called the six deliverances:

[they are] giving, discipline, patience, energetic prog-

ress, meditative concentration, and wisdom. These are
used to deal with the six planes of existence. When the
six sense faculties are pure, the six planes of existence are
not born.
When you have no attachments to inner or outer, and
you spontaneously give, this comprises ddnapdramitd, the
perfection of giving. When good and evil are equal, and
neither can be found, this comprises stlapdramitd, the
perfection of discipline. When objects and knowledge
are in harmony and no longer at odds, this comprises
ksdntipdramitdy the perfection of patience. When great
stillness never stirs as the myriad practices are sponta-
neously so, this comprises vtryapdramitdy the perfection
of energetic progress. When wondrous stillness flour-

ishes and the body of reality spontaneously appears, this

comprises dhydnapdramitd, the perfection of meditation.

When wondrous stillness opens into illumination,

changeless, eternally abiding, not attached to anything,

this (:omY>r\sts prajndpdratnitd, the perfection of wisdom.
These are called the six pdramitds. The Sanskrit word
pdramitd means "reaching the other shore."

[ 128 ]
 ,

SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT
Question: Hitherto among conventional types, all the
question-and-answer dialogues have been [attempts at]

assessment that give rise to [states of false] mind and

give birth to affliction. But you, Chan Master, have
given us joy and left us without the slightest doubts. We
do not dare to do as we wish [and question you further]
fearing to trouble you.
Answer: If you have no doubt, do not force questions.
If the Dharma had questions and answers, it would have
high and low. Without questions or answers, the

Dharma is everywhere equal. If you seek to extend your

views and interpretations, you lose the fundamental Path,
and it gives you the barrier of the knowledge you fashion
in your mind. It makes waves arise in your mind. But if

you really do have doubts and sticking points, you must

diligently ask about them to test what is real.

Question: What does it mean when the Lahkdvatdra

Sutra talks about being far removed from awareness and

the objects of awareness?
Answer: When [such subject-object] awareness is not
born, the mind is at peace and unshakable.

The questioner concludes: Though I am an ordinary

layman, my consciousness has already entered the Path.
What I hear the Master say now is all genuine supreme
enlightenment. Intent on fulfilling his vows, his mind
never retreats. Suddenly cutting off worldly entangle-
ments, his mind^s spirits and six consciousnesses are lo-

cated nowhere — he is focused on the One Mind.

As we look up to him and thirst, we cannot stop our-

selves from crying and groaning. He makes us know

[ 129]
 ZEN DAWN
shame: we cannot hold back our sad tears. We feel regret
deep in our hearts that for so many aeons we have in our
delusion missed this truth. If it were not for the Chan
Master being compassionate to us lowly ones, we would
have no means by which we could awaken.
Therefore we are calling this "Treatise on Great Lib-
eration." If writing this treatise is in accord with the

intent of the sages, then let this blessing be revealed to

all sentient beings alike. If it is not in accord with the

intent of the sages, I hope the wrongdoing will be wiped
away. If there are no people [worthy to do so] , it should
not be transmitted. I fear that it would be used to slander

and attack the wisdom of the Dharma. If there are people

of real awakening and sufficient merit to transmit it, let

them share our deep compassion and care. The Dharma

of the Great Path cannot be shown lightly. It does not

allow exultation or disputation. It is just the mind in

silence knowing for itself: false thoughts are not born,

and the mentality of self and objects is extinct.

[ 130 ]
 Glossary

asura: See six planes of existence.

bodhi: Enlightenment; the perception of reality.

bodhisattva: Enlightening being. Bodhisattvas are those who re-

main active in the world after their enlightenment, using their
enlightened perception to aid other beings toward enlightenment.

body of reality: See buddha-bodies,

buddha: In Great Vehicle Buddhism, everyone is (potentially) a

buddha, an enlightened one — everyone has buddha-nature, a
fundamentally enlightened true identity. More narrowly, bud-
dhas are those who have actualized this enlightened identity, for
example the Indian sage Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha.

buddha-bodies: Different aspects of the being of the buddhas are

spoken of as the bodies of Buddha. Common usage defines three
buddha-bodies: dharmakdya Buddha, the body of reality, buddhas
as the inconceivable formless absolute, the one reality, the ground
of all particular being; nirmdnakdya Buddha, the transformation
body, or emanation body, in which Buddha takes form and ap-
pears in the world to teach living beings; and sambhogakdya Bud-
dha, the reward body, the body of enjoyment, experienced by

[ 131 ]
 GLOSSARY
bodhisattvas as the fruit of their practices, marked by supreme
bliss and the ability to communicate bliss.

causal nexus: Buddhism sees all conditioned phenomena as prod-

ucts of complex interactions of cause and effect.

cessation and contemplation: Two complementary forms of medi-

tation, as taught by Tiantai Buddhism. Cessation means stopping
the deluded stream of consciousness; contemplation means ob-
serving the pattern of cause and effect and the ultimate true
nature of phenomena.

clusters: See skandhas.

consciousness: Zen adopts the Yogacara Buddhist analysis of eight

consciousnesses. The first five consciousnesses are those associated
with the sense faculties of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell;
the sixth consciousness is the conceptual faculty that distinguishes
and classifies the data of experience; the seventh consciousness
includes value judgments and hence motivations to action; the
eighth consciousness, known as the storehouse consciousness, is
the repository of all possible mental states, perceptions, and ex-
periences. Zen practices are particularly directed toward purify-
ing and transforming the sixth and seventh consciousnesses,
which, conditioned by egoism and delusion, operate in ordinary
people as barriers to enlightenment.

dharma: This word has different levels of meaning. All phenom-

ena are dhannas — things, events, concepts. Dharma can also
mean reality itself, and the teaching of reality. Buddha Dharma
is both the teaching of enlightenment and the enlightenment
taught — reality as perceived by buddhas.

four elements: In traditional thought, the constituents of all ma-

terial things — fire, water, earth, and air.

Indra's Net: A metaphor used in Huayan Buddhism to illustrate

the interpenetration of all realities. Picture a vast net with a jewel

at every node: in every jewel appear the reflections of all the other
jewels, which in turn each reflect the myriad images of all the
other jewels, ad infinitum.

[ 132 ]
 GLOSSARY
karma: Actions; deeds. According to Buddhist teaching, one*s
present life experience is the result of one's deeds in this and
previous births.

Lao Zi: Old spelling: Lao Tzu; also called Tao Te Ching. Classic
third century b.c.e. collection of Taoist aphorisms suggesting
how self and society may be brought to harmony with the natural

pattern.

nirvana: Peaceful extinction; liberation from delusion. At the el-

ementary level, this is seen as the antithesis o^ samsdra, the round
of birth and death. For bodhisattvas, nirvana and samara are
one.

paramita: "Crossing to the other shore" — transcendence through

the perfection of giving, discipline, patience, energetic progress,
meditation, and wisdom: basic practices of the bodhisattva.

prajna: Transcendent wisdom, free of subject-object dualism,

that perceives reality.

pratyeka buddha: An isolated buddha, self-enlightened through

contemplation of cause and effect, who does not appear in the
world to teach others.

samadhi: Meditative concentration; focus on reality.

Samantabhadra: A bodhisattva whose name means "Universally

Good." Buddha is often pictured flanked by Samantabhadra on
his right, representing truth, and ManjusrT on his left, repre-
senting wisdom.

samsara: Cyclic existence; birth and death.

six planes of existence: In the round of birth and death, beings

may be born as hell beings, as hungry ghosts, as animals, as

asuras (titanic demigods), as human beings, or as devas (celestial

gods).

skandhas: The five clusters, or aggregates, that make up psycho-

physical existence: form, sensation, perception, motivational syn-
thesis, and consciousness.
^ravaka: "Hearer" — one who understands only the most elemen-
tary level of the Buddhist teaching; such a one sees nirvana as the
opposite o^ samsara and clings to the experience of emptiness and
cessation.

[ m ]
 GLOSSARY
stupa: A memorial mound containing relics of a buddha, used as
a focus of devotion, especially in popular Buddhism.

Suchness: See Thusness.

Sumeru: In Buddhist cosmology, the great polar mountain at the

center of each world-system.

Tathagata: An epithet of Buddha, "the one who has come from

Thusness."

ten stages: The stages of a bodhisattva, as enumerated in the

Huayan Sutra: joy, stainlessness, the stage of emitting light, in-
candescent wisdom, the unsurpassable stage, the stage where real-
ity appears before them, the far-going stage, the immovable
stage, the stage of good wisdom, the stage where the bodhisattva
emits clouds of Dharma.

three jewels: Buddha, the enlightened one; Dharma, the en-

lightening teaching; Samgha, the harmonious community of
those cultivating the path of enlightenment.

Thusness: Also called True Thusness, or Suchness; reality itself,

the real nature of all phenomena, eternal, unchanging, without

falsity; synonymous with buddha-nature, dharmakdyuy inherent
pure mind, the womb of the tathdgatas^ the realm of reality.

triple world: The realm of desire, the world as experienced by

ordinary people under the influence of their desires; the realm of
form, the world as observed in meditation, neutral form beyond
desires; the formless realm, the most refined meditation states,

infinite consciousness, infinite space, total nothingness, and the

state that is neither thought nor no thought. Buddhas transcend
the triple world.

vehicle: The Buddhist teaching is likened to a vehicle because it

conveys sentient beings to enlightenment. The Two Vehicles are

the Buddhism of the srdvakas and the pratyekas^ who do not
realize the complete meaning. The Three Vehicles are these two
plus the bodhisattva vehicle. The Lotus Sutra teaches that the
Three Vehicles are just temporary expedients: in reality there is

only One Vehicle, the Buddha Vehicle, which aims to lead all
sentient beings to develop enlightened perception.

[ 134]
 GLOSSARY
Western Paradise: The Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha, the Bud-
dha of Infinite Life and Infinite Light, a land of bliss and ease
where the faithful are born by remembrance of Buddha through
recitation of the buddha-name.

Zhuang Zi: The most profound book among the Chinese philo-
sophical classics, composed around 300 b.c.e.; often read in
Buddhist circles for its parallels with the Buddhist teaching. Old
spelling: Chuang Tzu.

[ 135]
I
 The earliest surviving records of Zen
This important work brings together three long-
earliest-known records of Zen. Dat-
lost texts, the
ing from the first half of the eighth century and
rediscovered in the twentieth century in Tun
Huang, China, these books offer the best infor-
mation currently available on the early techniques
of what is known as the "northern school" of Zen
Buddhism.

Skillfully translated and with an introduction by

J.C. Cleary, Zen Dawn consists of three medita-
tion manuals:

Records of the Teachers and Students of the Lanka, a

compendium of practical instruction written in
the form of biographies of the Zen patriarchs;

Bodhidharma's Treatise on Contemplating Mind, a

dialogue between the first Zen patriarch Bodhi-
dharma and his successor Huike; and
Treatise on Sudden Enlightenment, an essay on
the harmony of "gradual" practice and the un-
reality of delusion

as well as a glossary of frequently used terms.

J.C.CLEARY received his doctorate in East Asian

languages from Harvard University and has de-
voted himself to studying world history and com-
parative religion for many years. He is the trans-
lator of three other books on Zen and Zen lore.

ALA
Boston & London