[21/8/20, 8:26:59 AM] John Tan: Wow did u read all?  Essentially covers all the important points. 👍

I think 洪文亮 is probably the only Zen master that is in perfect alignment with all my insights and experiences.

[21/8/20, 8:52:29 AM] Soh Wei Yu: Haven't read.. going to read

[21/8/20, 8:52:33 AM] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..

[21/8/20, 8:52:49 AM] John Tan: Read the whole piece...many important points.

[21/8/20, 8:53:04 AM] John Tan: A bit long

[21/8/20, 12:18:33 PM] John Tan: ‎This message was deleted.

[21/8/20, 12:19:22 PM] John Tan: But his explanation on the part between appearance and external reality imo opinion is no good.

 

https://chengdawu.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

A Brief Introduction to Teacher Hong Wenliang

Hong Wenliang was born in 1933 in Yunlin County, Taiwan. He graduated from the School of Medicine at National Taiwan University and served as a surgeon at Kaohsiung Medical College, an attending surgeon in the surgical department of Kaohsiung Municipal Datong Hospital, and a forensic medical examiner for the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office.

As a child, Teacher Hong loved to watch the changes in nature, and he especially loved to watch the rain. Whenever it rained, he liked to hold an umbrella and walk alone in the rain.

The greatest inspiration for Teacher Hong came at the age of nine. While walking on a country path, he saw the smoke from the incense in front of a local Earth God temple and suddenly touched upon that which is before the mind and consciousness arise. "Strange! How can there be two of me?"

A deep shock and doubt suddenly arose in his heart. This real and profound shock, along with the accompanying doubt, left him with no understanding of what was happening, much less how to resolve it.

After returning home that day, Teacher Hong became melancholic, refusing to eat or drink. He lost a significant amount of weight in a matter of days, and his father even made a special trip home from afar to see him.

From then on, Teacher Hong began to search for answers everywhere. During his school years, when he first encountered physics and chemistry, he thought, "I might be able to find the answer here!" But he was disappointed.

Later, he also delved into the study of the five Chinese arts, psychology, philosophy, science, and more, but all resulted in great disappointment; he was still unable to resolve the real and profound doubt from his childhood.

One day, a friend gave him a copy of Teacher Nan Huai-Chin's book, "A Glimpse into the Sea of Chan." Teacher Hong initially set it aside without much thought. It wasn't until he picked it up to browse during a break that he realized it seemed possible to find answers within it. Thus, through a friend's introduction, he began to study with Teacher Nan Huai-Chin, immersing himself in cultivation and verification.

Teacher Nan placed considerable trust in Teacher Hong, and Teacher Hong regularly assisted Teacher Nan by giving lectures and leading Chan meditation.

Around 1984, at Teacher Nan's request, Teacher Hong began to give Dharma talks at the Shifang Chan Lin Vihara in Taipei.

After Teacher Nan left Taiwan, Teacher Hong traveled extensively between the United States, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, contributing his energy to spreading the Buddhadharma in his spare time away from his medical practice.

By 1993, after a pilgrimage to Jizu Mountain to pay homage to the Venerable Mahākāśyapa, he followed a command from Teacher Nan and closed the medical clinic that had been his livelihood, dedicating himself entirely to propagating the Dharma.

In 1995, by another turn of fate, Teacher Hong met with Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche in the United States. Rinpoche was extremely happy to see Teacher Hong and immediately invited him to his center in America. He transmitted the Great Perfection teachings to Teacher Hong, and as Teacher Hong was leaving, Rinpoche gave him all the tantric Dharma texts to take back to Taiwan.

In March 1997, the Dalai Lama visited Taiwan for the first time. On that day, after giving a speech in Kaohsiung, His Holiness went directly to National Sun Yat-sen University to give another lecture and receive an honorary degree. After the lecture, His Holiness went to the president's office to receive visitors, and at this time, Dr. Hong was also invited to be present. When Dr. Hong approached to pay his respects to His Holiness, His Holiness unexpectedly lowered his head, touched his forehead to Dr. Hong's forehead, recited a mantra, and held Dr. Hong's hand. For His Holiness, this was a very rare gesture. His Holiness's attendants were all extremely surprised, as they had been with him for decades and had rarely seen him act this way, except when meeting with other Rinpoches. Later, His Holiness inquired about Dr. Hong's lineage and the course of his practice, and was very pleased to have a photo taken with him. He said to Dr. Hong that meeting him was the happiest event of his trip to Taiwan.

During his period of practicing and verifying the Buddhadharma, Teacher Hong had many corresponding states arise in relation to numerous practices, such as the contemplation of the white skeleton, the contemplation of the fire element, the contemplation of the wind element, and so on. Despite this, these accomplishments seemed to be a different matter from his childhood doubt. They seemed to offer no help in resolving the deep and subtle doubt within his heart. Therefore, no matter who recognized or affirmed Teacher Hong, he could never affirm himself.

It was not until Teacher Hong was invited to Japan and met with Harada Sekkei Roshi, a direct successor in the orthodox lineage of the Japanese Sōtō school. Teacher Hong had a private interview with Master Harada for two hours, whereupon the great causal condition of awakening upon seeing the morning star manifested, and he and Master Harada mutually authenticated each other's realization.

When Teacher Hong was leaving, Master Harada watched him go. Even when Teacher Hong reached the foot of the mountain and looked back, Master Harada was still standing on the mountainside, gazing at him.

 

From a talk in 1992:

 

Translation of: Why Spiritual Practice is Not Easy to Get Started On - A Transcript of a Lecture by Dr. Hong Wenliang

Interleaved Original Text, English Translation, and Annotations

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 1: Section 壹, Paragraph 1)

壹、前言： 大家一起想想，为什么我们修佛那么多年，自己觉得不上路？原因在什么地方？当然，这里有很多位是新参加的，有的是老道友。禅修方面，实际的都很熟练，我都知道。但是，我们今天来共同来讨论这个题目。虽然我们在修佛、听佛法，好像得益在什么地方？有什么法益，自己都不知道。有的呢，修净土的，念佛号；念佛号又不同，有的念观世音菩萨，有的观阿弥陀佛, 有的光念‘南无妙法莲华经’(日语)，有的就念别的咒。那么修禅宗的，他说：我们是不念佛的，我们只管打坐，做禅定功夫。那么修其他法门的呢？方法都不同。

English Translation (Segment 1):

Section I: Preamble

Let's all think together, why is it that after so many years of practicing Buddhism, we feel we are not getting anywhere? What is the reason? Of course, many of you here are new participants, and some are old dharma friends. In terms of meditation practice, I know many are very skilled in the practical aspects. However, today we are here to discuss this topic together. Although we are practicing Buddhism and listening to the Dharma, where do we seem to be benefiting? What dharma-benefits are we receiving? We ourselves do not know. Some practice Pure Land, reciting a Buddha's name; and this recitation also differs—some recite for Guanyin Bodhisattva, some visualize Amitābha Buddha, some only recite ‘Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō’¹ (Japanese), and some recite other mantras. Then there are those who practice the Chan (Zen) school; they say: We do not recite the Buddha's name, we just sit in meditation and work on our meditative concentration. And what about those who practice other dharma gates? The methods are all different.

Annotations (for Segment 1):

¹ 南无妙法莲华经 (Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō) is the central mantra chanted in Nichiren Buddhism, a school that originated in Japan. The speaker notes its Japanese pronunciation.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 2: Section 壹, Paragraph 2)

宗派之间，大家都有争论。有的讲得非常严格，好像是：‘你们修禅的，容易走火入魔，还是念佛稳当一点，比较安全。’那么有修密宗的，他们说：“你们显教的，只会讲道理。实际上的修证功夫都没有，没有那个证量。” 怎么说呢？假如有证量的话，大家都要死，死了以后有投生。这中间，那一位有修佛法的人生前可以讲：“我在那个时候一定有把握。” 他说，看不到几个敢讲这种话。为什么呢？

English Translation (Segment 2):

Among the various schools, there are always disputes. Some are very strict, saying things like: ‘You who practice Chan easily go astray and become possessed by demons; it is better to recite the Buddha's name, which is more stable and safer.’ Then there are those who practice the esoteric schools (Vajrayāna), who say: “You practitioners of the exoteric schools only know how to talk about principles. You have no actual cultivation and realization, none of that experiential measure of attainment.” What does this mean? If one had such an experiential measure, everyone must eventually die, and after death, there is rebirth. In this process, which person who practiced the Buddha-dharma can say before their life ends: “At that moment [of death], I will definitely have confidence.” He says you can’t find many who dare to say such a thing. Why is that?

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 3: Section 壹, Paragraph 3)

他说：“死的时候的情况，跟我们作梦的时候一样，很类似。”所以，假如你在作梦的时候，自己都不知道自己在作梦。在梦境，你当作梦的主人，但是不知道你是“作梦的”，姓洪的，名字叫.....。我这个人在作梦，这个念头一点都没有！没有办法分一点心，去知道“我自己在作梦”。甚至，这个梦境来了，很可怕的，你吓死了！都不晓得这个是虚妄的，是梦境，还是会很怕。

English Translation (Segment 3):

He says: “The situation at the moment of death is very similar to when we are dreaming.” Therefore, if you are dreaming, you yourself do not know that you are dreaming. In the dreamscape, you act as the master of the dream, but you do not know that you are the “dreamer,” whose surname is Hong, given name is... The thought, “I, this person, am dreaming,” does not arise at all! There is no way to spare even a fraction of your mind to know, “I myself am dreaming.” Even when a terrifying dreamscape appears, you are scared to death! You don't even realize that it is illusory,¹ that it is a dreamscape; you will still be very afraid.

Annotations (for Segment 3):

¹ 虚妄 (xūwàng): Illusory, false, unreal. This aligns with the mandated translation for 假 (jiǎ).

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 4: Section 壹, Paragraph 4)

有功夫的人，可以把梦境转掉。这个梦境不好，我不喜欢看，我把梦境转掉。实际上禅定功夫做得很好的人，照佛的方法练，都应该可以做到。至少可以分心，分一点心出来“是我在睡觉”，那大部分呢？你在休息。有这个本事，应该有这个能力。因为，你睡觉也是你的心，你都不知道。第二天醒过来，才知道醒了！那你修了很多佛法，听了很多阿弥陀佛、观世音菩萨，学了很多咒，甚至可以知道三十七道品、中观、唯识这些理论！睡觉时，你都不知道姓什么，名叫什么！死的时候，跟睡觉的情况一样，你难道还记得阿弥陀佛？还知道观世音菩萨的六字大明咒是“唵嘛呢叭咪吽”？吽都吽不起来！自己名字都忘了，你姓什么都不知道。

English Translation (Segment 4):

A person with real attainment can change the dreamscape. “This dreamscape is not good, I don’t like watching it,” and they change it. In reality, a person who has practiced meditative concentration very well according to the Buddha's methods should be able to do this. At the very least, they can split their attention, sparing a fraction of their mind to know “it is I who am sleeping,” while the greater part of you is resting. One should have this skill, this capacity. Because your sleeping is also your mind, yet you are completely unaware of it. You only know you have woken up after you awaken the next day! So you have practiced so much Buddha-dharma, heard so much about Amitābha Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva, learned so many mantras, and may even know the theories of the Thirty-seven Aids to Awakening, Madhyamaka, and Yogācāra! But when you sleep, you don't even know your own surname or given name! At the moment of death, the situation is the same as in sleep. Do you really think you will still remember Amitābha Buddha? Will you still know that Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Six-Syllable Mantra is “Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ”? You won't even be able to utter the "hūṃ"! You will have forgotten your own name, forgotten your own surname.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 5: Section 壹, Paragraph 5)

所以说，修行我们要考虑的是这样实际的问题。若只是说，我学佛了，跟师父念咒、念佛号、学打坐，去参加功德会、做义工。是没有错，是好的事情。那只不过是“有漏的”善举，不是完全非常有利的。 所以说，真正修佛，一定要考虑到你真正得的证量，光做形式上的礼拜、 念佛，或者只是知道经典的解说，对你自己一点帮忙都没有，当然对别人也没有什么用。这个是非常实际的问题。

English Translation (Segment 5):

Therefore, in our practice, we must consider such practical problems. If you just say, I have studied Buddhism, I follow my teacher in reciting mantras, reciting the Buddha's name, learning to sit in meditation, participating in merit associations, and doing volunteer work—this is not wrong, these are good things. But they are merely tainted¹ good deeds, not completely and truly beneficial. Therefore, to truly practice Buddhism, you must consider the experiential measure of attainment you have genuinely gained. Merely performing formal prostrations, reciting the Buddha’s name, or just knowing the explanations of the sūtras is of no help to you at all, and of course, it is of no use to others either. This is a very practical problem.

Annotations (for Segment 5):

¹ 有漏的 (yǒu lòu de): Tainted, with outflows, contaminated. This is a technical term (sāsrava) referring to actions and phenomena that are still bound within the cycle of birth and death (saṃsāra) and conditioned by ignorance, craving, and aversion.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 6: Section 贰, Paragraph 1)

贰、修行的三个谬思 那么，今天为什么要谈不上路？这个不上路，实际上的意思就是：对你有没有发生真正的利益、法益。 西藏很有名的一位仁波切，叫做“DILGO”，顶果钦哲仁波切，去年刚圆寂的。他分析说：很多人修佛法修得不好，本身的缺陷有三种。他用茶壸装水来比喻。他说：

English Translation (Segment 6):

Section II: Three Fallacies in Practice

So, why are we talking today about "not getting anywhere"? "Not getting anywhere" actually means: have you experienced any real benefit, any dharma-benefit? There was a very famous Rinpoche from Tibet named "DILGO," Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who just passed into parinirvāṇa last year. He analyzed that many people who practice the Buddha-dharma do not practice well because they have one of three kinds of defects. He used the analogy of filling a teapot with water. He said:

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 7: Section 贰, Paragraph 2)

第一种 是根本就把茶壸倒过来，让你不能装进去，很多人是这样子。

第二种 茶壸里有一个洞，你怎么装，都从小洞里漏出去！听了一百次，忘了一百

次。再多参加几次法会、禅修、念经、读经，通通大部分都忘掉了，从洞

里漏出去了，这是茶壸有洞。

第三种 很严重，这茶壸里头有毒！你放甘露也好，清净的水也好，茶壸里本身有

毒啊！这个水变成毒水，喝了会毒死人！

English Translation (Segment 7):

The first type is that the teapot is turned completely upside down, so you cannot pour anything into it. Many people are like this.

The second type is that the teapot has a hole in it. No matter how much you pour in, it all leaks out from the little hole! You listen a hundred times, and you forget a hundred times. No matter how many more dharma assemblies, meditation retreats, sūtra-chanting sessions, or sūtra-reading sessions you attend, you forget most of it. It all leaks out through the hole. This is the teapot with a hole.

The third type is very serious: the teapot contains poison! Whether you pour in nectar or pure water, the teapot itself is poisonous! The water becomes poisoned water, and drinking it will kill people!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 8: Section 贰, Paragraph 3)

这是说：你要接受、听受佛法以前，自己的想法、自己的概念、价值判断已经固定。你有边见、有邪见，已经有很多见在自己心里。所以，你怎么听都断章取义！ 本来佛是这样讲：“诸法也不属于空，不属于有，也不属于没有。”耶！他对“有”跟“没有”真正的意义搞不懂，“啊！不是“有”不是“没有”，就是这个“中间”！”不属于有，也不属于没有，那取一个“中间”的那个概念，当做他听懂了佛法。那其实是左、右、中间的一个，那个一个在那里？你不知道左，不知道右，中间在那里？他不知道。反正是“不属于空，不属于有”，我知道佛法的中心就是这个，不能谈有也不能谈没有，“嘿！我知道了。”

English Translation (Segment 8):

This means that before you accept and listen to the Buddha-dharma, your own thoughts, your own concepts, and your value judgments are already fixed. You have extreme views, you have wrong views; you already have many views in your own mind. Therefore, no matter how you listen, you take things out of context! Originally, the Buddha taught: "All dharmas are neither empty, nor existent, nor non-existent." But oh! This person doesn't understand the true meaning of "existent" and "non-existent," and thinks, "Ah! It's not 'existent' and not 'non-existent,' so it must be this 'middle'!" Not belonging to existence, and not belonging to non-existence, so they grab onto a concept of "the middle," and believe they have understood the Buddha-dharma. But that is actually one of left, right, and middle. Where is that one? If you don't know left, and you don't know right, where is the middle? He doesn't know. In any case, it's "neither empty, nor existent." He thinks, "I know the core of the Buddha-dharma is this, one cannot speak of existence and one cannot speak of non-existence. Hey! I've got it."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 9: Section 贰, Paragraph 4)

这个是什么？他已经有“对有跟空，跟平常人接受这个东西的存在的有没有，在这个境界里，判断那个中间。” 他以为这个是Middle Way，中庸之道。像这样的错误，是常常见到的例子。像这样的情况之下，他的边见、邪见加进来，把佛法扭曲了。我们叫distorted。这个扭曲，是非常严重的。本来佛是这样讲，但是一扭曲，变成别的意思去了。

English Translation (Segment 9):

What is this? He already has a preconceived way of "judging the middle within the context of existence and emptiness, based on an ordinary person's acceptance of whether things exist or not." He thinks this is the Middle Way, the doctrine of the mean. Errors like this are commonly seen examples. Under these circumstances, his extreme views and wrong views are added in, distorting the Buddha-dharma. We call this being "distorted." This distortion is extremely serious. Originally, the Buddha taught it one way, but once it is distorted, it turns into a different meaning entirely.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 10: Section 叁, Paragraph 1)

参、空性是什么？ 我们扭曲得最厉害的是什么？

现在，我们讲扭曲这一方面。我们的误解、我们的边见。

第一个，诸法；我们看的也好，听到的也好，可以摸到的，甚至闻到的、舌头尝到的这一切东西，或者你心里想的；我们说没有自性，没有它的本体。看到、听到都是透过你的心，你的心怎么接受，就觉得那个东西是那个样子。我们没有深思的话，很容易忽略了。

English Translation (Segment 10):

Section III: What is Emptiness?

What do we distort the most severely?

Right now, we are talking about this aspect of distortion: our misunderstandings, our extreme views.

First, all dharmas¹—everything we see, hear, can touch, even smell, and taste with our tongue, or think of in our minds—we say they are without self-nature,² without their fundamental essence.³ What you see and hear is all through your mind; how your mind receives something is how you perceive that thing to be. If we do not reflect deeply on this, we easily overlook it.

Annotations (for Segment 10):

¹ 诸法 (zhū fǎ): A translation of the Sanskrit sarva-dharma, meaning all phenomena, all things, all factors of existence.

² 無自性 (wú zìxìng): "without self-nature." This is a mandatory translation. It refers to the core Mahāyāna doctrine that no phenomenon has an independent, inherent, or permanent existence of its own.

³ 本體 (běntǐ): "fundamental essence." This is a mandatory translation.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 11: Section 叁, Paragraph 2)

譬如这个白色，我看到的是白色，各位也都看做白的，觉得白的是它的特性，绝对不会改变！难道其他的动物，像马或是色盲的人，也看成白的？可能是绿的，或红的，都不一样。那一种颜色，是真的色相？是我们的眼睛长在脸部这个平面上，如果眼睛像鱼一样，长在侧面左右的话，它从水中跃起看富士山，跟我们看到的富士山，样子就不同了。一样是富士山，它的形状又变掉了。

English Translation (Segment 11):

For example, this color white. What I see is white, and all of you also see it as white, believing that whiteness is its characteristic and will absolutely not change! But would other animals, like a horse or a color-blind person, also see it as white? It could be green, or red; they are all different. Which color, then, is the true appearance¹ of color? Our eyes are located on the flat plane of our face. If our eyes, like a fish's, grew on the left and right sides, then when a fish leaps from the water to look at Mount Fuji, the way it appears would be different from the Mount Fuji we see. It's the same Mount Fuji, but its shape has changed again.

Annotations (for Segment 11):

¹ 色相 (sè xiàng): Here, 相 (xiàng) refers to the phenomenal appearance (ākāra or rūpa) of color, not a technical characteristic. The passage is simply discussing what shows up to the senses.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 12: Section 叁, Paragraph 3)

所以，所有看到、 听到、摸到的，都没有它本身的自相。都是透过我们的心，去了解、去觉受，那个样子不是它真正的本性，因为本性没有。所以诸法没有自性。 甚至，你能够知道这个诸法都是没有自性，没有它的Self-nature，没有它本有的那个“不靠其他的条件而有的”这种特质。

English Translation (Segment 12):

Therefore, everything seen, heard, and touched does not have its own inherent appearance.¹ It is all through our mind that we understand and experience them. That appearance is not its true fundamental nature,² because a fundamental nature does not exist. Therefore, all dharmas are without self-nature. Furthermore, you are able to know that all these dharmas are without self-nature, without their "Self-nature," without that inherent quality of "existing without relying on other conditions."

Annotations (for Segment 12):

¹ 自相 (zì xiàng): Here, 相 (xiàng) refers to an inherent appearance or characteristic (svalakṣaṇa), a unique, defining attribute. The passage denies that phenomena possess such an independent, inherent appearance.

² 本性 (běnxìng): "fundamental nature." This is a mandatory translation.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 13: Section 叁, Paragraph 4)

能知道是透过我们的心，但是不知道这个心，本身也是没有自性！心有没有形状？有没有色相？有没有大小？有没有轻重？有没有在身体的那一个部位？在胸腔吗？在头脑里？找来找去找不到！你的心从那里来？从过去那一个时候开始有？将来继续到什么时候？找来找去，找不出来。

English Translation (Segment 13):

The ability to know is through our mind, but we do not know that this mind itself is also without self-nature! Does the mind have a shape? Does it have the appearance of color? Does it have a size? Does it have weight? Is it located in any particular part of the body? In the chest cavity? In the brain? You search and search but cannot find it! Where does your mind come from? From what point in the past did it begin to exist? Until when in the future will it continue? You search and search, but cannot find it out.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 14: Section 叁, Paragraph 5)

透过心的这些影像没有自性，我们很容易了解。但是心本身，它也是摸不着、找不到。我们把这个性质，叫做“心的本有的特性”。什么特性？空！把这个叫做空。 所以，这个空，其实是心它有无限无量的可能，会经验各种事相。包括影像，包括觉受。我们或者是生，或者是死，轮回也好，成佛涅槃也好，那都是经验！都是依众生的心，经验到的境界。轮回、涅槃都是心的Experience。

English Translation (Segment 14):

That these reflections¹ appearing through the mind are without self-nature is easy for us to understand. But the mind itself is also untouchable and unfindable. We call this quality "the inherent characteristic of the mind." What characteristic? Emptiness! This is called emptiness. Therefore, this emptiness is actually the mind’s infinite and limitless potential to experience all kinds of phenomena. This includes reflections and sensory experiences. Whether we are born or we die, whether in saṃsāra or in the nirvāṇa of Buddhahood, those are all experiences! They are all states experienced by the minds of sentient beings. Saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are both experiences of the mind.

Annotations (for Segment 14):

¹ 影子 (yǐngzi) is used metaphorically for 影像 (yǐngxiàng), which means images or reflections. Here, it refers to appearances as mere reflections of the mind, aligning with the provided guidelines.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 15: Section 叁, Paragraph 6)

但是，你能够经验这个样子，不能经验那个样子，是什么原因？我们照我们的善业、恶业，业的结果，对不对？ 但是，心的本身有这个无限，limitless，可以经验各种各样、无数的、没有限制的经验，是它的特性！因为它能够经验各种各样、你都想不到的，无限的，这一种能力，所以它本身没有固定的那个性质。

English Translation (Segment 15):

But what is the reason that you are able to experience this and not experience that? It is according to our good karma and bad karma, the results of our actions, correct? However, the mind itself has this infinity, limitless; its characteristic is that it can have all kinds of countless, unrestricted experiences! Because it has this capacity to have all sorts of limitless experiences you could never imagine, it itself does not have a fixed nature.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 16: Section 叁, Paragraph 7)

如果它是圆的，它不能经验到方的；如果是它是红的，它就不知道白的；如果它是重的话，它就不晓得轻的；它如果是在这儿的话，别的地方，就没有你的心的作用！Location、Size、Shape、Color，这些东西，甚至味道，你都没有办法用一个形容词，来describe，描写它的characteristics，特征。你没有办法拿一个东西，或一个形容词描述它。它有这个特性，把这个特性叫做空。

English Translation (Segment 16):

If it were round, it could not experience square; if it were red, it would not know white; if it were heavy, it would not know lightness; if it were here, then in other places, your mind would not be functioning! Location, Size, Shape, Color—these things, and even taste—you cannot use a single adjective to describe its characteristics. You cannot take an object or an adjective to describe it. It has this quality, and this quality is called emptiness.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 17: Section 叁, Paragraph 8)

所以，空不是什么都没有，反过来可以讲：空什么都有可能。什么都可能经验，有这个特性，所以我们把这个叫做空～心的它的原来的本性。它本来是这个样子。好，这个自性本空，它没有自性，没有一个东西可以限制它，描述它，或指定它。但是，它能够显出各种各样的经验，让你尝受到，自己尝受、自己经验自己。这个不是我们二元世界的情况。处在轮回的众生，没有办法了解Mind，这个心。

English Translation (Segment 17):

Therefore, emptiness is not nothingness. Conversely, you could say: in emptiness, anything is possible. It is possible to experience anything. It has this characteristic, so we call this emptiness—the original, fundamental nature of the mind. It is originally like this. Okay, this self-nature is fundamentally empty; it is without self-nature, there is nothing that can limit it, describe it, or designate it. However, it is able to display all kinds of experiences for you to taste, for the self to taste and for the self to experience itself. This is not the situation of our dualistic world. Sentient beings in saṃsāra are unable to understand Mind, this mind.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 18: Section 叁, Paragraph 9)

请大家千万不要误会，以为我们看到这个茶杯，看东西，知道这个是手表，看到这一位是林教授，那一位是一个 lady，以为这个是我的心。错了！佛讲的心，不是这一种心！我们时常把这作用；因为有对象，你看到、你听到、你摸到，才知道的这个作用；我们把它当作心。

English Translation (Segment 18):

Everyone, please do not misunderstand. Do not think that when we see this teacup, look at things, know that this is a watch, see that this person is Professor Lin, and that one is a lady—do not think that this is my mind. Wrong! The mind the Buddha spoke of is not this kind of mind! We often take this function—this function of knowing that arises because there is an object that you see, you hear, you touch—and mistake it for the mind.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 19: Section 叁, Paragraph 10)

但，佛说：这个心不对哦！ 千万要知道这个，头一个要知道这个！这个叫做有一个缘在对象，我去攀缘：用耳朵去攀缘声音，用眼睛攀缘颜色，对不对？用鼻子去攀缘香味，用舌头呢？去尝尝、攀缘那个味道，用心去攀缘、记到你想的那个内容。都是攀缘心！攀缘心，不是这里讲的心！ 这里讲的心的内容，它本性是空的，不是指这个攀缘心。所以，这个我们本有的真正的心，我们忘掉了。把不是你的真正的心，当做是自己的心。

English Translation (Segment 19):

But, the Buddha said: This mind is not the right one! You absolutely must know this; this is the very first thing to know! This is called having a condition in an object, which I then cling to¹: using the ears to cling to sound, using the eyes to cling to color, right? Using the nose to cling to scent, and the tongue? To taste, to cling to that flavor. Using the mind to cling to and remember the content of your thoughts. This is all the grasping mind! The grasping mind is not the mind being discussed here! The content of the mind spoken of here, its fundamental nature is empty; it does not refer to this grasping mind. Therefore, we have forgotten this true mind that we inherently possess. We mistake that which is not our true mind for our own mind.

Annotations (for Segment 19):

¹ 攀缘心 (pānyuán xīn): Literally "climbing-on-conditions mind." This refers to the ordinary, conceptual, and dualistic consciousness that functions by "grasping" or "clinging" to external objects through the six senses. I have translated it as "grasping mind" or "clinging mind" to capture this sense of a mind that is dependent on and directed toward an object.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 20: Section 叁, Paragraph 11)

他比方说：一个孩子，很小的时候给人换掉了，爸爸妈妈不知道。养大了，一直以为这个孩子是自己亲生的孩子。你亲生的儿子，给隔壁的抱过去、掉换了，他不知道， 永远认为这个是自己亲生的儿子。 我们把攀缘的这个心，当做自己的心。所以看啦、听啦，听到不高兴，就生气。看到好漂亮的，就很喜欢～以攀缘心当做自己！把自己的这一种不是你真正的心，当做自己。结果，这些攀缘心引出来的很多的感想、情绪：喜欢、不喜欢，讨厌、恨、嫉妒、不高兴，这个是攀缘心带出来的。这个是Emotion，情绪都是这些带出来的。这个情绪越来越大，像雪球一样，变成我们的习性，我们的个性。都给这个攀缘心骗去了！为什么骗去呢？Distortion，边见，有毒呀! 茶壸里头有毒！佛讲的这个心，我们又听错了！

English Translation (Segment 20):

He gives an analogy: a child is switched at a very young age, and the parents don't know. They raise the child, always believing this child is their own biological child. Your own biological son was taken by the neighbors and swapped, but they don't know, and forever think this is their own biological son. We take this grasping mind to be our own mind. So we look, we listen; when we hear something displeasing, we get angry. When we see something beautiful, we like it very much—we take the grasping mind as our self! We take this thing that is not our true mind and treat it as our self. As a result, many impressions and emotions are led out by this grasping mind: liking, disliking, aversion, hatred, jealousy, displeasure—these are all brought out by the grasping mind. This is "Emotion"; all emotions are brought out by these. These emotions grow larger and larger, like a snowball, and become our habitual tendencies, our personality. We have been completely deceived by this grasping mind! Why deceived? Distortion, extreme views, poison! The teapot contains poison! We have once again misheard the mind that the Buddha spoke of!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 21: Section 肆, Paragraph 1)

肆、无明的根由

所以，最根本的无明是什么？就是真正你的心，mind 它的真正的空性，那个空性，你抓不到。没有智慧看清楚你自己的心的真正的本性，禅宗所讲的“本地风光”。这个本地风光看错了，把它当做我。

English Translation (Segment 21):

Section IV: The Root of Ignorance

So, what is the most fundamental ignorance?¹ It is that you cannot grasp the true empty nature of your real mind. Without the wisdom to see clearly the true fundamental nature of your own mind—what the Chan school calls the "original ground and scenery"²—you misperceive this original ground and scenery, taking it to be an "I".

Annotations (for Segment 21):

¹ 无明 (wúmíng): The Chinese translation of the Sanskrit avidyā, meaning fundamental ignorance, the primary root of suffering and rebirth in saṃsāra.

² 本地风光 (běndì fēngguāng): A classic Chan (Zen) term literally meaning "the scenery of the original ground." It refers to the inherent, primordial nature of one's own mind, which is to be directly realized.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 22: Section 肆, Paragraph 2)

因为你这个空性、你自己本性、 本心，心的本地风光是空性的，这个空性，你误认、看错了！把本地风光的那个境界、那个东西，你抓为是“我”，这个是“我见”的由来。那就开始有我了，是不是？本来是空无自性的，有很多Limitless Characteristics，没有限制可以描逑它。你自己真正的心的空性，没有智慧去认到它，然后把这个空性呀，Essential Empty、本来就空无自性的这个，把这个扭曲成“是我”，就有“我”的概念出现了1。

English Translation (Segment 22):

Because this empty nature, your own fundamental nature, your original mind—the mind's original ground and scenery is of an empty nature, and you misapprehend, you see this empty nature wrongly! You grasp that state, that "thing" which is the original ground and scenery, as being "I." This is the origin of the "self-view."¹ Then the "I" begins to exist, doesn't it? Originally it is empty and without self-nature, possessing many "Limitless Characteristics" that cannot be described by any limitation. You lack the wisdom to recognize the empty nature of your own true mind, and then you take this empty nature, this "Essential Empty," this which is originally empty and without self-nature—you distort this into "it is I," and so the concept of "I" appears.

Annotations (for Segment 22):

¹ 我见 (wǒjiàn): "Self-view." As per the guidelines for 身见 (shēnjiàn), this refers to the mistaken belief in a real, substantial, and enduring self or "I".

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 23: Section 肆, Paragraph 3)

因为这是根本无明出现的 Mechanism，这是很细、很细，我特地用讲、讲出来的。其实，知道这个理之后，你要真正透过你的亲证，direct real，直接的体验，一定要透过禅定。 所以，我们常常读经典，或听师父讲逻辑的推论，我们认为有道理，却没有力量2？因为什么？你只懂得这个Knowledge，知识。‘啊！原来我们真正的心，不属于攀缘的那一种真正的心，它有非常殊胜的、没有办法描逑它的这个可能’～何其自性本自具足～六祖讲的，在他开悟的时候。它本自具有这么多的能力，能够觉知明觉。但是它不属于那一个，所以把这个叫“空”。这个东西你认不到，就把这个当做是自己的“我”，这个是我。所以五蕴，色、受、想、行、识合起来的一个合相，我们认为这个合相，就是我3！笼统、模模糊糊的！就是根本无明一动，就把那个空性、真的空性认不到，错认为“我”。这是我们茶壸里头有毒！

4English Translation (Segment 23):

Because this is the mechanism by which fundamental ignorance appears. This is very, very subtle, and I am deliberately explaining it verbally. In truth, after knowing this principle, you must have a direct realization, a "direct real," a direct experience, and this must be done through meditative concentration. So, why is it that we often read the sūtras or listen to a teacher's logical inferences, and we feel they make sense, yet they have no power? Why? Because you only understand this as "knowledge." 'Ah! So it turns out our true mind is not that object-referential kind of mind; it possesses this incredibly supreme potential that is impossible to describe'—as the Sixth Patriarch said upon his awakening, "How unexpected! The self-nature is originally self-sufficient!"¹ It is originally endowed with so many capacities, able to be aware with clarity. But it does not belong to any "one" thing, which is why it is called "empty." You fail to recognize this, and so you take it to be your own "I." "This is I." Therefore, the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness—come together to form a one aggregated appearance,² and we believe this one aggregated appearance is "I"! We have a general, vague sense of it! The moment fundamental ignorance stirs, you fail to recognize that empty nature, the true empty nature, and you mistakenly recognize it as "I." This is the poison in our teapot!

Annotations (for Segment 23):

¹ 何其自性本自具足 (héqí zìxìng běn zì jùzú): A famous line from the Platform Sūtra, spoken by Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Chan, upon his profound awakening. It expresses the discovery that the fundamental nature is primordially complete and possesses all qualities.

² 一合相 (yī hé xiàng): "one aggregated appearance." This is a mandatory translation, referring to the composite entity that we mistake for a unitary self.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 24: Section 肆, Paragraph 4)

那么，既然有我的话，那问题来了。因为有我，“你”就出来了。不是我就是对方，是你！有了你呢，再另外第三个“他”，更多的众生来了。有我的话，从我这里看对象，我跟所对的出来了，二元的妄想境界出现了。二元就是有“能”跟“所”，“我”看到这“一只表”，“我”摸到这一个“杯子”，没有我的话，谁去摸这个呢？因为你时时抱着这个身心，这个从小长大到现在，我做什么，我是男的、女的、姓什么，我做什么工作， 我是教书的，我是行医的，我是...，这个“我”一直加强。那么，有了我之后，当然有对方，“我”跟“所对的”，能、所就成立了。我们叫做“二元”，Dualistic，就是二元的概5念世界呈现了。

English translation (Segment 24):

Now then, once there is an "I," a problem arises. Because there is an "I," "you" appears. If it's not me, it's the other party, it's you! Once there is a "you," then a third, "he/she," appears, and even more sentient beings arrive. When there is an "I," looking at objects from my perspective, the "I" and "that which is opposed to it" emerge, and the dualistic, deluded state appears. Duality means there is a "subject" and an "object."¹ "I" see this "watch," "I" touch this "cup." If there is no "I," who touches this? Because you are always holding onto this body and mind; from childhood until now, what I do, that I am male or female, my surname, my job, I am a teacher, I am a doctor, I am... this "I" is constantly being reinforced. So, after the "I" exists, of course there is an "other." The "I" and "that which is opposed to it," subject and object, are established. We call this "duality," "Dualistic"; the dualistic conceptual world manifests.

Annotations (for Segment 24):

¹ 能 (néng) and 所 (suǒ): A fundamental concept in Buddhist philosophy, especially Yogācāra. 能 refers to the subjective aspect of experience (the grasper, the seer, the knower), while 所 refers to the objective aspect (the grasped, the seen, the known). The prompt specifies translating 无能所 as "no subject and object," which is reflected here.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 25: Section 肆, Paragraph 5)

二元的概念呈现，开始有什么？保护我，不能让你占便宜！你说什么我就不高兴，你说我怎么样我就高兴。贪嗔痴慢疑五种情绪，五种真正的烦恼大病，就开始有了。 没有你我之分的话；你说什么让我高兴的话，我会很快乐吗？你讲一句毁谤我的话，Blame me 就很不高兴；这种情绪会来吗？因为有你我的关系，当然就有这个情绪发生。

English Translation (Segment 25):

Once the dualistic concept manifests, what starts to happen? "I must protect myself, I can't let you take advantage of me!" "If you say something, I get unhappy; if you say something else about me, I get happy." Greed, aversion, delusion, arrogance, and doubt—the five kinds of emotions, the five great sicknesses of affliction, then begin to exist. If there were no division between you and me, if you said something to please me, would I be so happy? If you said a word to slander me, to "blame me," would I get so unhappy? Would this kind of emotion arise? Because the relationship of "you and I" exists, this emotion will of course occur.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 26: Section 肆, Paragraph 6)

好了！碰到很多境界，有的时候生气、有的时候高兴，贪嗔痴慢疑一直滚，变成习惯，就变成你的习性。容易发脾气的人，碰到这个机会就愈容易动怒，有的人碰到这个境界就会贪着、想多要一点。这是因为情绪，这五大病的关系。有的这种病患的重一点，那一种病患的轻一点，它慢慢、慢慢变成你的习性，“本性难改”，变成你的“本性6”。

English Translation (Segment 26):

Alright! Encountering many situations, sometimes you get angry, sometimes you are happy; greed, aversion, delusion, arrogance, and doubt keep rolling on, becoming a habit, which then becomes your habitual tendency. Someone who gets angry easily will be even more prone to rage when they encounter the opportunity. Some people, upon encountering a certain situation, will become greedy and want a little more. This is because of emotions, because of these five great sicknesses. Some are more heavily afflicted with one of these sicknesses, while others are more lightly afflicted with another. Slowly, slowly, it becomes your habitual tendency, and "it's hard to change one's nature," it becomes your "fundamental nature."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 27: Section 肆, Paragraph 7)

那么，因为有这一种习性带出来，你在日常生活里待人处事，就很多时候Unskillful，非常不聪明。每一个众生，包括很小的昆虫，都想要追求幸福，不要痛苦，都要快乐；不要生病，不要太热，不要太痛；追求幸福，因为已经有了“我执”，有一个“我相”。大家都要追求幸福，Happiness！ 7但是，我们一般众生所追求的幸福，为什么不如意呢？就错在这个 Distortion，这个边见。以我“自私的”立埸去追求，永远不能满足你，而且可以带来更多的 Suffering 痛苦！你能够知道这一切，生起真正的慈悲心，原谅别人，这一种真正的慈悲生起的话，反而会带给我们很多的幸福，但我们不知道。

English Translation (Segment 27):

Now, because these habitual tendencies are brought forth, in your daily life when dealing with people and situations, you are often "Unskillful," very unwise. Every sentient being, including the smallest insects, wants to pursue happiness and avoid suffering; they all want to be happy. They don't want to be sick, too hot, or in too much pain. They pursue happiness because there is already "self-grasping" (ātmagrāha), there is a "perception of self."¹ Everyone wants to pursue happiness, "Happiness"! But why is the happiness pursued by us ordinary sentient beings not as we wish? The error lies in this "Distortion," this extreme view. To pursue from a "selfish" standpoint will never satisfy you and will, moreover, bring even more "Suffering," more pain! If you could know all this and give rise to true compassion, to forgive others—if this kind of true compassion arises, it will, on the contrary, bring us a great deal of happiness, but we do not know this.

Annotations (for Segment 27):

¹ 我相 (wǒ xiàng): The 相 (xiàng) here is saṃjñā, a conceptual designation or perception. Thus, 我相 is the "perception of a self."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 28: Section 肆, Paragraph 8)

这是我们的大妄想：看到眼前对我有利，就是好像可以给我带来幸福。结果呢？背道而驰、缘木求鱼。真正可以带给你幸福快乐的，是能够生起真正 Non-Conceptualize，不属于概念的慈悲。

English Translation (Segment 28):

This is our great delusion: seeing something before our eyes that is beneficial to us, we think it can bring us happiness. And the result? We go in the opposite direction, like climbing a tree to find a fish. What can truly bring you happiness and joy is the ability to give rise to a truly "Non-Conceptualized," non-conceptual compassion.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 29: Section 肆, Paragraph 9)

概念化’的慈悲，有所求的慈悲

我们很多时候，好像自己做了很多慈悲的事。但是这个慈悲，如果我们加以反省的话，很多都是因为对慈悲有一个自己的概念，“这样、这样就是慈悲”，我们叫做‘概念化’的慈悲，Conceptualize Compassion。 为什么Conceptualize8？这个字，用的太哲学了。应该说：“是我给你慈悲哦！”‘我看你可怜，我慈悲，给你这些东西。’‘我布施给你’‘我安慰你’。这个里头有没有我？有。有没有对方？有呀！‘我看你可怜嘛！’，‘我看你笨笨的，所以我指导你。’，‘我看你没有钱。’，‘我看你冷了，我多件衣服给你。’‘我送给你一点钱。’，都有“我在给你”做些什么好事，都是概念里头的慈悲！因为，你有我执，有我相、人相，还有这慈悲的行为的众生相。金刚经里所讲的我相、人相、众生相就是这个。所以，这样的话，就不是真正做到了菩萨的慈悲。

English Translation (Segment 29):

'Conceptualized' Compassion, Compassion with an ulterior motive

Much of the time, it seems as though we have done many compassionate deeds. But this compassion, if we reflect on it, is often based on our own concept of compassion: "Doing this and this is compassion." We call this 'conceptualized' compassion, "Conceptualized Compassion." Why "Conceptualize"? This word is too philosophical. It should be put like this: "It is I who am being compassionate to you!" 'I see you are pitiful, so I am compassionate and give you these things.' 'I am giving you charity.' 'I am comforting you.' Is there an "I" in this? Yes. Is there an "other"? Yes! 'I see you are pitiful!' 'I see you are foolish, so I am instructing you.' 'I see you have no money.' 'I see you are cold, so I am giving you an extra piece of clothing.' 'I am giving you a little money.' All of these involve an "I am giving you" or "I am doing" some good deed for you. This is all compassion within concepts! Because you have self-grasping, you have the perception of a self, the perception of another person, and also the perception of a sentient being who is the object of this compassionate act. The perception of self, perception of a person, and perception of a sentient being mentioned in the Diamond Sūtra are precisely this. Therefore, if it is like this, it is not the true compassion of a Bodhisattva.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 30: Section 肆, Paragraph 10)

当然，这些是好事。但是，它的功德利益，对你将来转生，将来投胎，到六道的那一道，并没有决定性的力量。 谈到六道轮回；有的时候，我看电视上赌轮盘觉得很有趣。玩轮盘的时候，那个球一直滚、掉到那里，得到彩金五万块或二万块，好高兴，对不对？；我们六道轮回时，推动那个球的力量，在于我们自己的业力，在天道、恶鬼道、地狱道、畜牲道、人道，或阿修罗道六个地方滚、滚、滚，掉那里，就一定要到那里去投胎。你到了再生投胎，一决定你要投胎的时候，那个时候你的意志根本不能自主！

English Translation (Segment 30):

Of course, these are good deeds. However, their merit and benefits do not have a decisive power regarding your future rebirth, your future incarnation, or which of the six realms you go to. Speaking of the six realms of saṃsāra, sometimes I find it very interesting watching roulette on TV. When playing roulette, the ball keeps rolling, and wherever it falls, if you win a prize of fifty thousand or twenty thousand dollars, you are very happy, right? When we are in the six realms of saṃsāra, the force that pushes that ball is our own karmic power. It rolls and rolls and rolls through the six places—the god realm, the hungry ghost realm, the hell realm, the animal realm, the human realm, or the asura realm—and wherever it falls, you must be incarnated there. When you reach the point of rebirth and incarnation, the moment your incarnation is decided, your will has absolutely no autonomy!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 31: Section 肆, Paragraph 11)

我们清醒的时候，知道我们要做什么。到了死掉的时候，我想要喝茶，这一种攀缘、很粗的心的作用，都起不了作用！这个力量都没有！就像梦里头做梦的身体一样，你不能自主。没有禅定功夫，没有真正修佛法的人，光是念经打坐，那都是做着玩的。实际上没有变成你真正的力量的人，到时候一点功效都没有。 那个时候，都像轮盘的球一样，滚到那里，就到那里。你没有办法说：我到人道来再求菩提道，或者呢？我以人的身体化现出来，帮忙很多众生。你没有办法。所以，这个边见：茶壸里头有毒，或茶壸里头有东西，你倒进去的水，都变成不是纯净的水，这是很要命的一件事。

English Translation (Segment 31):

When we are awake, we know what we want to do. But at the moment of death, even wanting to drink tea—this kind of coarse, object-referential function of the mind—cannot arise at all! You don't even have that much power! It is just like the body in a dream; you cannot control it. For someone without meditative concentration, without true practice of the Buddha-dharma, who just chants sūtras and sits in meditation—that is all just playing around. For a person whose practice has not actually become their true power, at that critical moment, it will have no effect whatsoever. At that time, you are just like the ball in roulette; wherever it rolls, that's where you go. You have no way to say: "I want to come to the human realm to seek the Bodhi path again," or "I want to manifest in a human body to help many sentient beings." You can't. Therefore, this extreme view—the poison in the teapot, or something already in the teapot—means that any water you pour in becomes impure water. This is a fatal matter.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 32: Section 肆, Paragraph 12)

但是我们一般，尤其是对自己的边见、邪见最不清楚。别人的一点不对，或怎么样，“哎呀！你这个是无神论。”“哎呀！你这个是有神论。”非常清楚。但对自己的见，就像自己的眼睛看不见自己的眼睛一样，非常不容易知道自己的见。所以南怀瑾先生经常说，叫人家掉烦恼，烦恼少一点很容易，叫他不要执着他的见呀，难得要死！你再讲，他要杀你一刀，你不能再说，说了“你懂什么！我们的教是这样的。”。

English Translation (Segment 32):

But generally, we are especially unclear about our own extreme views and wrong views. If someone else is slightly incorrect, or what have you, we say, "Oh! You are an atheist," or "Oh! You are a theist." We are very clear about that. But when it comes to our own views, it's like our own eyes being unable to see themselves; it is extremely difficult to know our own views. That is why Mr. Nan Huai-Chin often said that telling someone to drop their afflictions, to have fewer afflictions, is very easy. But telling them not to cling to their views is as difficult as dying! If you say any more, he'll want to kill you with a knife. You can't say more. If you do, he'll say, "What do you know! Our teaching is like this."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 33: Section 肆, Paragraph 13)

好像刚刚讲的，茶壸倒过来不能装水，有的时候，是因为他的见的关系。因为我是信耶稣的，你再讲！听一句，头一句话他就不高兴了，他就掉头走了，不听了，根本不听！所以这个茶壸有这些缺陷。尤其是，我今天特别向各位报告的是，对‘我’怎么觉得，我们时常觉得“是我”，这个我见很难除掉。我们试试看，在睡觉的时候，你是不是还有我见呢？还有我的存在，我在睡觉的这个念头？有啊！做梦的时候，也是觉得我在做梦，非常难除掉！

English Translation (Segment 33):

It's like what I just said about the teapot being upside down so you can't fill it with water; sometimes, it's because of his views. "Because I believe in Jesus, you can stop talking!" He hears one sentence, the very first sentence, and he's already unhappy. He turns and walks away, stops listening, won't listen at all! So the teapot has these defects. In particular, what I especially want to report to you all today is how we perceive the "I." We constantly feel "it is I," and this self-view is very difficult to eliminate. Let's try and see: when you are sleeping, do you still have a self-view? Is there still the existence of an "I," the thought "I am sleeping"? Yes! When you're dreaming, you also feel "I am dreaming." It is extremely difficult to eliminate!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 34: Section 肆, Paragraph 14)

有的人跟我讲，洪医师，你讲这个外界的事物、事相，都是没有自性的，其实都是心的投影。透过你的心，用眼睛照到相，或者用耳朵听到声音，或者鼻子闻到味道、舌头尝到甜的、苦的、辣的，那个东西要透过你的心，你才觉察到。没有透过心，这个境界对你毫无意义。

English Translation (Segment 34):

Someone once said to me, "Dr. Hong, you say that external things and phenomena are all without self-nature, that they are actually all projections of the mind. That it is through your mind that you use your eyes to perceive an appearance, or use your ears to hear a sound, or your nose to smell a scent, or your tongue to taste sweetness, bitterness, or spiciness. That thing must pass through your mind for you to become aware of it. Without passing through the mind, this object has no meaning for you."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 35: Section 肆, Paragraph 15)

他举一个例子，他问我：比方这个杯子在这里，你说这个杯子它本来没有，没有自性、毫无自性。但是你知道这个是茶杯，是因为你眼睛看到、用手摸到呀！ 或者甚至你打开盖子来喝喝，才晓得这是一杯茶。这个觉受，我承认“它”没有自性。你的舌头什么样子，它就觉得什么味道；敲一敲，你的耳朵听到什高音低音，长音短音，知道它敲起来的声音；你的手接触到，那个触觉怎么样，透过你的心才有！那个觉受，是透过你的心，我承认它是毫无自性。但是，当你死掉了，别的人，侯教授来这里看，这个茶杯还依然在嘛！我死掉了，这个茶杯还在这里呀！跟你的心识没有关系嘛！它本来就在，你说：这个是毫无自性、本来没有。你在说假话呀！

English Translation (Segment 35):

He gave an example, he asked me: "For instance, this cup is here. You say this cup originally does not exist, it is without self-nature, completely without self-nature. But you know this is a teacup because your eyes see it and your hands touch it! Or you might even open the lid and take a drink, and only then know this is a cup of tea. This sensory experience, I admit 'it' is without self-nature. Whatever your tongue is like, that is the flavor it will perceive; if you tap it, your ears hear a high or low pitch, a long or short sound, and know the sound of it being tapped; your hand makes contact, and whatever that tactile feeling is, it only exists through your mind! That sensory experience is through your mind, I admit it is completely without self-nature. However, when you die, and someone else, say Professor Hou, comes here to look, this teacup is still here! I have died, but this teacup is still here! It has nothing to do with your consciousness! It existed originally. You say: this is completely without self-nature, it originally does not exist. You are telling an untruth!"

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 36: Section 肆, Paragraph 16)

这个人很聪明，能够这样反驳，是相当深入的思惟。但是，他的错误在那里？很多念唯识的还错在这里：他以为他有一个心能够观察，他有他的 Mind，他有他本身的心能够知道：‘这个东西，虽然我没有了，但这个东西依然在这里，这个茶杯没有破坏掉’，这是很重要的一点。你走了，你不在了，但你讲：这个存在，是因为你的关系这个存在，它本身没有。是‘你’的心的影像。那你走掉、你不在了，怎么侯教授还看到这个杯子呢？那这杯子，是跟我存在不存在，毫不相干的存在嘛！Independently Existence，独立的存在嘛！你还讲什么“这个心的影像”！他的错在那里？哈！

9English Translation (Segment 36):

This person is very intelligent. To be able to offer such a rebuttal requires quite deep thinking. But where is his mistake? Many who study Yogācāra still make this mistake: he thinks that he has a mind that can observe, that he has his Mind, that he has his own mind that can know: 'This thing, although I am gone, this thing is still here, this teacup has not been destroyed.' This is a very important point. You are gone, you are no longer here, but you say: its existence is because of your relationship to its existence, that it itself does not exist. That it is a reflection of 'your' mind. Well then, you are gone, you are no longer here, so how can Professor Hou still see this cup? Then this cup's existence is completely unrelated to whether I exist or not! It is an "Independently Existence," an independent existence! How can you still talk about "reflections of the mind"! Where is his mistake? Ha!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 37: Section 肆, Paragraph 17)

又把自己心的作用抓得紧紧的，“我的心的作用”，他的心的作用还在！佛讲的这个心，不是‘你有你的心，他有他的心’！衪跟本告诉我们：这个‘我们以为的那个心’，你把那个攀缘心当做心，就错掉了！衪指的心，就是‘所有一切时间、空间的时空里头所显现的，都是那个 Mind 的 Manifestation’。这一点透不过去。所有桌子也好，天体～地球、太阳、星星，空间、时间的流动，通通是真心、佛心的一种显现。这个是理，是唯识中观的理。但是，这个理没有透过禅修(Through Meditation)，最重要的是要禅修，没有禅修呀！这一点就透不过去！这个不是你亲证到的。

10English Translation (Segment 37):

He is again grasping tightly to the function of his own mind, "my mind's function," his mind's function is still there! The mind the Buddha spoke of is not 'you have your mind, and he has his mind'! He fundamentally tells us: this 'mind that we think we have'—you taking that grasping mind as the mind—that is where the mistake is! The mind He points to is that 'all that manifests within the entirety of space-time is a "Manifestation" of that Mind.' This point is not being penetrated. Whether it's the table, or celestial bodies—the Earth, the sun, the stars—the flow of space and time, all of it is a manifestation of the true mind, the Buddha-mind. This is the principle, the principle of Yogācāra and Madhyamaka. But, without penetrating this principle "Through Meditation"—the most important thing is meditation, without meditation!—this point cannot be penetrated! This is not something you have directly realized.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 38: Section 肆, Paragraph 18)

你听别人讲了好几次：夏威夷多好玩、多好玩！你没有亲自到那地方，好玩是人家说的啦！旅行的指导书讲的啦！或者是那个照片上看的啦！你真的亲自到了那个地方，你才能说：Oh！ Hawaii，Wonderful！所以，我们这个前面的很多见，像我分析的这个Mind，为什么会有那一种错误、对于这个空性这么大的错误认知？ 禅修的重要就在这里！那是因为：你没有好好的去做禅修！禅修的重要就在这里！跟我们做学问有一点不同。这个禅修，毕竟你真的要上座，真的要！坐在椅子上也可以，念佛就念佛、念佛号就念佛号、观想观自在菩萨、或者观想准提佛母，一定得坐，不坐，没有办法证入这个境界！没有办法你的妄想心都使它休息、停掉！真正的心显现的那个境界，你不可能达到。 这是喜欢用头脑、用概念、用自己的聪明才智去做学问的，像我这样，过去的习惯这样带来的人，最大的一个缺点(Short Coming)！很不容易去想到这一点！除非你真正放下去做，这个经典、理论，都只是让我们多一层知识，Knowledge，而已！

English Translation (Segment 38):

You've heard others say many times: "Hawaii is so much fun, so much fun!" But you haven't personally been to that place. That it's fun is what other people have said! What the travel guidebooks say! Or what you've seen in photographs! Only when you have truly, personally arrived at that place can you say: "Oh! Hawaii, Wonderful!" Therefore, these many views we hold, like the mistake regarding the Mind that I just analyzed—why do we have that kind of error, such a great mistaken cognition of this empty nature? The importance of meditation lies right here! It is because: you have not properly practiced meditation! The importance of meditation lies right here! It is a bit different from doing academic scholarship. For this meditation, you absolutely must get on the cushion, you really must! Sitting on a chair is also fine. If you recite the Buddha's name, then recite the Buddha's name; visualize Guanyin Bodhisattva, or visualize Cundī Bodhisattva. You must sit. If you don't sit, there is no way to realize this state! There is no way to make your deluded mind rest and stop! The state where the true mind manifests—it is impossible for you to reach it. This is the biggest "Short Coming" for people who like to use their heads, use concepts, and use their own intelligence to pursue knowledge, people like me, who have brought these past habits with them! It is very difficult to think of this point! Unless you truly let go and do it, these sūtras and theories will only give us one more layer of knowledge, "Knowledge," and that's all!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 39: Section 伍, Paragraph 1)

伍、叁种学佛的染污，使修行不易上路

使修行不易上路的几种心态 除了这个以外，顶果钦哲仁波切他讲这个是本身的缺陷，叁个缺陷，是不是？茶壸倒过来啦、有洞、有毒啦！他现在提，有叁种染污，Pollution ，或者是Stain，污点。几个染污，使我们修法很不容易上路。

English Translation (Segment 39):

Section V: Three Defilements in Studying Buddhism That Make Practice Difficult to Get Started On

Several Mental States That Make Practice Difficult to Get Started On

Besides this, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche talked about those inherent defects, the three defects, right? The teapot being upside down, having a hole, and being poisonous! Now he brings up three kinds of defilements, "Pollution," or "Stains," blemishes. These several defilements make it very difficult for our practice to get on track.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 40: Section 伍, Paragraph 2)

第一个是骄傲，Pride，就是傲慢。「贪瞋痴慢疑」的第四个大毛病，傲慢。

他说：傲慢是对师父或对你的老师、或者你的上师，觉得他的做人不行嘛！他有的时候发脾气嘛！他有的时候，对某一个东西也非常贪着嘛！他的法，讲来讲去，都是诸行无常啦、诸法无我啊！这些书上都有呀，那有什么稀奇！我看了都知道！对他的法、对他的为人，都觉得是没什么！那个不是你的傲慢心来的吗？Pride。有了这么一点染污，你修法呢？绝对不上路！尤其是对你的师父、对你的上师，有这一种傲慢心的话，绝对不成。这是顶果钦哲仁波切谈到的第一个染污，傲慢。他把这个傲慢，摆在第一个！

English Translation (Segment 40):

The first is pride, "Pride," which is arrogance. It is the fourth great sickness of the "greed, aversion, delusion, arrogance, and doubt." He says: Arrogance is when you feel that your master or your teacher, or your guru, is not good enough as a person! "He sometimes loses his temper! He is sometimes also very attached to certain things! As for his dharma, what he talks about over and over again is just that all conditioned things are impermanent and all dharmas are without self! These are all in the books, what's so special about that! I've read them and I know it all!" You feel that his dharma and his person are nothing special! Isn't that coming from your arrogant mind? "Pride." With even a little of this defilement, your practice? It will absolutely not get on track! Especially if you have this kind of arrogant mind towards your master, your guru, you will absolutely not succeed. This is the first defilement Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche spoke of, arrogance. He put this arrogance first!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 41: Section 伍, Paragraph 3)

释迦牟尼佛在初期塬始的阿含经裡，他讲过一句话，他讲：『能离我慢，顺得涅槃。』我时常记到这一句。因为我求学的过程太顺利了，就觉得这不难嘛！念书不难嘛！这个害我养成了傲慢的心态，变成我最大的缺点！现在，当然还是有习气、还有很多，很不容易掉。这是害我不能成佛，障碍我的道的最主要的一个塬因，Pride。『能离我慢，顺得涅槃。』，顺就是自然的意思，很自然的就得到涅槃。能离我慢， 很自然你不要用功、不要用力，自然你能得到涅槃！不得了呀！他只讲一个法门哪！只要你能够离开我慢，自然水到渠成，得到没有烦恼的境界。

1English Translation (Segment 41):

Śākyamuni Buddha, in the early, original Āgama sūtras, said one sentence. He said: "To be able to separate from the conceit 'I am' is to accord with and attain nirvāṇa."¹ I often remember this sentence. Because my own academic career was too smooth, I just felt, "This isn't hard! Studying isn't hard!" This caused me to develop an arrogant mindset, which became my biggest flaw! Now, of course, I still have habitual tendencies, still a lot of them, and they are very difficult to drop. This is the main reason that harms my ability to attain Buddhahood, that obstructs my path: "Pride." "To be able to separate from the conceit 'I am' is to accord with and attain nirvāṇa." "Accord with" means naturally; you will very naturally attain nirvāṇa. If you can separate from the conceit 'I am', then very naturally, without striving, without effort, you can naturally attain nirvāṇa! That's incredible! He is only talking about one dharma-gate! As long as you can separate from the conceit 'I am', then naturally, when the water arrives the channel is formed, and you will attain the state free from afflictions.

Annotations (for Segment 41):

¹ 我慢 (wǒmàn): The Sanskrit asmimāna, often translated as the conceit 'I am' or arrogance. It is the subtle, deep-seated sense of a self that is superior, inferior, or equal to others. The quote is a paraphrase of teachings found in the Saṃyutta Nikāya.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 42: Section 伍, Paragraph 4)

因为，我慢是从那裡来呢？从我执来的嘛！没有我相，怎么有我慢呢？因为你强调是我能干，你们都不会！我的Knowledge、我的学问，我的漂亮、美丽，我的什么‧‧，什么都是我的、我的、我的。 所以，刚刚讲把真正诸法的空性，你没有办法、不能真正有智慧的可以认到：诸法，所有，包括时空的一切，那是无自性的这个空慧。你没有智慧能够亲証到，这个时候，你马上引起Confusion，那个Confusion就认为是「我」2！

English Translation (Segment 42):

Because, where does the conceit 'I am' come from? It comes from self-grasping! Without the perception of a self, how can there be the conceit 'I am'? Because you emphasize that "it is I who am capable, you all are not!" My "Knowledge," my scholarship, my good looks, my beauty, my whatever... everything is mine, mine, mine. Therefore, as I just said, you have no way to, you cannot with true wisdom recognize the empty nature of all dharmas: that all dharmas, everything including space-time, is of an empty nature that is without self-nature. You do not have the wisdom to realize this directly. At this moment, you immediately give rise to "Confusion," and that "Confusion" is to think "I"!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 43: Section 伍, Paragraph 5)

宗萨仁波切把这个叫做 Shock，你被无明 Shock 掉了，休克掉了！所以，当下就觉得是我。那『我』的概念是从Shock，Being Shocked！被震坏了，震撼掉了！这个结果，就是『有我』。那是Because you want of wisdom，没有智慧的结果，你就在一瞬间就觉得『这是我』。这个我的开始，『I』，那变成『I am』，『我』变成『我是』。我是什么？我是男的，我是女的，我是中国人，我是有钱，我是聪明，『I变成I am』，我是‧‧；那我是之后呢？变成什么？I want，我需要。我要什么，都从「I」开始，I 到 I am，I am 变成 I want，这样愈滚愈大。这个delusion，这个妄想境界，Confusion这样来的3。

English Translation (Segment 43):

Dzongsar Rinpoche calls this a "Shock"; you have been "Shocked" by ignorance, you've gone into shock! So, in that instant, you feel that it is "I". The concept of 'I' comes from this "Shock," from "Being Shocked"! From being shaken up and stunned! The result of this is the 'existence of I.' That is "because you want of wisdom," because of a lack of wisdom; in a single instant you feel 'This is I.' This is the beginning of 'I'. From 'I', it becomes 'I am'. 'I' becomes 'I am'. What am I? I am male, I am female, I am Chinese, I am rich, I am smart. 'I' becomes 'I am.' 'I am...' And after 'I am'? What does it become? "I want," I need. Whatever I want, it all starts from "I". "I" becomes "I am," "I am" becomes "I want." It rolls and gets bigger and bigger. This "delusion," this delusory state, this "Confusion" comes about in this way.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 44: Section 伍, Paragraph 6)

所以一个Pride，他提出来，对你的师父，你向他恭敬都做不到，批评他这个不对、那个不对，「哎！师父还有这个习气喔！」、「师父的见解没什么嘛！」、「哎！这个经典都在讲嘛！」，如果有那么一点点，那个念就障碍了你的道！这是Pride！

English Translation (Segment 44):

So, one thing is "Pride," which he brought up. If you cannot even show respect to your master, and instead criticize him for this and that—"Hey! Master still has this habit!" "Master's view is nothing special!" "Hey! This is all said in the sūtras!"—if you have even a tiny bit of this, that thought obstructs your path! This is "Pride"!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 45: Section 伍, Paragraph 7)

第二个是什么？第一个Stain是骄傲。第二是Indifference，漠不关心。 不关心啦！哦！你今天讲这个佛法，怎么能够解脱生死轮迴，我们如果相信佛说：这个生死死生是一定有的，死了之后，有一个境界，透过我们不能自主的那个境界之后，我们再有再一次的投胎、再一次的生命。如果你相信的话，你就绝对不会漠不关心。因为对这个不关心，知道也好、不知道也好。反正来听听，好像一曲流行歌曲一样，听到就算了，没有听到，也没有什么嘛4！漠不关心，Indifference。所以这漠不关心呢，就使我们修佛法呢很不容易真正的成就！管你在讲什么，反正我听听而已，没有机会就不听嘛！

5English Translation (Segment 45):

What is the second? The first "Stain" is pride. The second is "Indifference," apathy. Not caring! Oh, today you're talking about this Buddha-dharma, about how to be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. If we believe what the Buddha said—that this cycle of death and birth definitely exists, that after death there is a state, and after passing through that state which we cannot control, we will have another incarnation, another life—if you believe this, you would absolutely not be indifferent. Because of this indifference, it doesn't matter whether you know or don't know. "Anyway, I'll just come and listen," as if it were a pop song; if you hear it, you hear it, and if you don't, it doesn't matter! Apathy, "Indifference." So this apathy makes it very difficult for us to achieve true accomplishment in our practice of the Buddha-dharma! "Whatever you're talking about, I'm just listening anyway. If I don't have the chance, I just won't listen!"

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 46: Section 伍, Paragraph 8)

所以释迦牟尼佛，刚刚开始讲法的时候；请大家注意喔；他转四圣谛，他没有讲什么，头一次讲法，他就讲四圣谛。第一个讲的什么？苦圣谛！他讲：人生轮迴是苦喔！ 不要以为轮迴是：有的时候高兴，有的时候快乐，还过得还不错嘛！又有钱、又有名位，又长寿，也不缺什么，也不是瞎子，也不是聋子，所以还不错嘛！弟弟妹妹，子孙都很孝顺，还不错！学生都还听话的嘛！月薪每个月可能还会涨咧！是不是？所以他说：各位认错了！其实这个轮迴呀！让我们觉得这个幸福不错的，那是假相呀！真正你用心想的话，没有一样、没有一个轮迴、没有一个存在是幸福的。苦谛，苦圣谛！因为我们不知道苦哇，所以不想离开！不想离开，就漠不关心！Indifference，不想离开！哼、这个还不错嘛，再来做人。『死麦变，搁再来做人嘛麦坏嘛！』(台语)，就这样子，漠不关心。因为对苦谛，对轮迴的苦不知道。

6English Translation (Segment 46):

So Śākyamuni Buddha, when he first began to teach the dharma—please pay attention everyone—he turned the wheel of the Four Noble Truths. He didn't say anything else; the very first time he taught, he taught the Four Noble Truths. What was the first one he taught? The Noble Truth of Suffering! He said: Life in saṃsāra is suffering! Don't think that saṃsāra is: sometimes happy, sometimes joyful, "life is pretty good!" "I have money, fame, and a long life; I don't lack anything; I'm not blind, not deaf, so it's not bad!" "My younger siblings, children, and grandchildren are all filial, not bad!" "My students are all obedient!" "My monthly salary might even go up every month!" Right? So he says: Everyone, you have misperceived! Actually this saṃsāra, which makes us feel that this happiness is not bad—that is a false appearance!¹ If you truly think about it with all your heart, there is not one thing, not one saṃsāric cycle, not one existence that is happiness. The Truth of Suffering, the Noble Truth of Suffering! Because we do not know suffering, we do not want to leave! Not wanting to leave, we become indifferent! "Indifference," not wanting to leave! "Hmph, this is not too bad. I'll come back and be a human again." "If I die, so be it; coming back as a human again wouldn't be so bad!"² (Taiwanese). Just like that, indifferent. Because you do not know the Truth of Suffering, the suffering of saṃsāra.

Annotations (for Segment 46):

¹ 假相 (jiǎxiàng): A false appearance. Here, 相 (xiàng) means appearance (ākāra/rūpa).

² 死麦变，搁再来做人嘛麦坏嘛！ (Taiwanese Hokkien): A colloquial expression of resignation and apathy towards the deeper implications of rebirth. It roughly means, "If death is inevitable, so what? Being reborn as a human isn't so terrible."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 47: Section 伍, Paragraph 9)

但是，这个地方有一个陷阱。有很多学佛法的人，听了轮迴、涅槃听太多了。释迦牟尼佛讲的真正的轮迴的痛苦，他没有智慧、没有智慧的光照到，没有看清楚，没有仔细、鉅细麋遗的看到，他没有办法看，他只是看一点点，『喔！这样叫做苦啊！我知道、我知道。』这叫什么？他在概念裡、他的想像裡头造了一个新的轮迴，我们把它叫做『新的轮迴』。然后喔，修法啦，闭关啦，做好事、拜拜啦，我唸这个『南无妙法莲华经』(日语)，我想到一个涅槃境界；自己假造了一个、用想像概念假造了一个新的轮迴，然后拼命想把自己造的轮迴丢掉！这是我们一般修法的人的毛病。这漠不关心！这是第二个。在

English Translation (Segment 47):

However, there is a pitfall here. Many people who study the Buddha-dharma have heard about saṃsāra and nirvāṇa too many times. The true suffering of saṃsāra that Śākyamuni Buddha spoke of—they don't have the wisdom, they are not illuminated by the light of wisdom, they haven't seen it clearly, they haven't seen it in meticulous detail. They are unable to see; they only see a tiny bit. "Oh! So that's what's called suffering! I know, I know." What is this called? He has created a new saṃsāra in his concepts, in his imagination. We can call it the 'new saṃsāra.' And then, oh, he practices the dharma, goes into retreat, does good deeds, prostrates, recites 'Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō' (Japanese), and thinks of a state of nirvāṇa. He has fabricated for himself, using imagination and concepts, a new saṃsāra, and then desperately tries to throw away the saṃsāra he himself has created! This is a common sickness among us practitioners. This is indifference! This is the second.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 48: Section 伍, Paragraph 10)

第叁个毛病，昏沈和掉举

我们活到的时候，对世间法太执着、太用心了，法执很重！看得太过分，Take it too seriously。非常执着的话，你在用功，这个修佛法的时候，很容易这个散乱，我们叫『掉举』。如果不是掉举的话呢，因为疲劳了，一上坐，一修佛，一念咒，你就会昏昏沈沈Drowsiness。不是昏沈，就是掉举，就犯这个第叁个毛病。(昏沈和掉举7)

English Translation (Segment 48):

The Third Sickness: Dullness and Agitation

When we are alive, we are too attached to worldly dharmas, we put too much heart into them; our grasping at phenomena is very strong! We see it too excessively, "Take it too seriously." If you are very attached, then when you are applying effort in practicing the Buddha-dharma, it is very easy to become scattered; we call this 'agitation.'¹ If it is not agitation, then because you are tired, as soon as you get on the cushion, as soon as you start your practice, as soon as you recite a mantra, you will become drowsy, "Drowsiness."² It's either dullness or agitation; you fall into this third sickness. (Dullness and agitation)

Annotations (for Segment 48):

¹ 掉举 (diàojǔ): The Sanskrit auddhatya, agitation, restlessness, or excitement. It is a mental factor that distracts the mind from its object of meditation.

² 昏沈 (hūnchén): The Sanskrit styāna, dullness, torpor, or drowsiness. It is a heaviness and fogginess of mind that is the opposite of agitation.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 49: Section 伍, Paragraph 11)

有的人认为：哎呀，我现在事业正在颠峰，没有时间听法，也没有时间花五分、十分鐘去想想这个佛说的道理，或者是把心静下来做这个止的功夫、没有时间。等我十年，或者等怎么样、孩子大了我再说。这个是环境、受到环境的影响，Annoy！还有一种人，他说：『喔！阿有法度！』(台语)。要成佛这么难，我没有办法，这就是Discourage，自己没有勇气去学。 所以，一开始就用这个藉口说：我无法度！要成佛，我那有可能！我不行！我不可以！我不能做到这么难的事！我不要！也有这一种人。这一种都是Stains，缺点，都是不正确的心态。

English Translation (Segment 49):

Some people think: "Oh, my career is at its peak right now. I don't have time to listen to the dharma, nor do I have time to spend five or ten minutes to think about 8these principles the Buddha taught, or to quiet my mind and do the practice of calming. I don't have time. I'll wait ten years, or wait until my children are grown up, then I'll talk." This is the environment, being influenced by the environment, an "Annoyance"! There is another type of person who says: "Oh! There's no way!"¹ (Taiwanese). "To become a Buddha is so difficult, I can't do it." This is "Discouragement"; they don't have the courage to learn. So, from the very beginning, they use this excuse, saying: "I don't have what it takes! To become a Buddha, how could that be possible for me! I can't do it! I'm not able! I cannot do such a difficult thing! I don't want to!" There are people like this too. All of these are "Stains," defects, all are incorrect mental states.

Annotations (for Segment 49):

¹ 阿有法度！ (ā yǒu fǎdù!) (Taiwanese Hokkien): An expression of inability or impossibility. It translates to "How could that be possible!" or more colloquially, "No way!" or "I can't do it." The speaker glosses this as 我无法度 (wǒ wú fǎdù), "I don't have what it takes."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 50: Section 伍, Paragraph 12)

那么，现在关于这个教法，为什么我们修佛法不容易上路，关于这个 Teachings，他们所教的内容。我们的态度，我们用功的方法不对，这个是比较简单了。他说什么？有的人晓得经典的意思，名相，名相都知道。名相呀，文字上的了解有了，意义不知道。真正它指的意义，他没有、没有确切的了解；有的人呢倒过来，意思知道，名相却常常忘掉，这个都不好！有的呢名相、意义他都知道，但是，对不起，他呢、最究竟的胜义、真正的究竟义，他不知道；释迦牟尼佛他有的时候是方便讲的，不了义经；文字了解记得、意义也知道，但是究竟义他不知道，就错掉了

English Translation (Segment 50):

Now, regarding the method of teaching, why is it not easy for us to get started on the path of Buddhist practice? Regarding the "Teachings," the content of what they teach. Our attitude, the way we apply effort, is incorrect—this is relatively simple. What does he say? Some people know the meaning of the sūtras, the technical terms; they know all the terms. They have the terms, a literal understanding, but they don't know the meaning. The meaning it truly points to, they do not have a definite understanding of it. Some people are the opposite: they know the meaning, but they often forget the technical terms. This is also not good! Then there are those who know both the terms and their meanings, but, excuse me, they do not know the ultimate, absolute meaning,¹ the true, ultimate meaning. Śākyamuni Buddha sometimes spoke for convenience, in sūtras of provisional meaning.² They understand and remember the words, they also know the meaning, but they do not know the ultimate meaning, and so they go wrong.

Annotations (for Segment 50):

¹ 胜义 (shèngyì): The Chinese translation of the Sanskrit paramārtha-satya, the ultimate or absolute truth, as opposed to the conventional or relative truth (saṃvṛti-satya).

² 不了义经 (bùliǎoyì jīng): Sūtras of provisional or interpretable meaning (neyārtha), which were taught by the Buddha as skillful means for audiences of a certain capacity, and which require further interpretation to understand the final, ultimate intent. This is contrasted with sūtras of definitive meaning (nītārtha).

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 51: Section 伍, Paragraph 13)

有的人文字也知道，意义也通，究竟义也知道，但是他呢，次第颠倒了。修佛法是有次第的，一个次第，一个次第慢慢进步，他把次第弄颠倒了。好像，我们修无上瑜珈 (YOGA)，应该是先修生起次第，对不对？生起次第修好了，你才修圆满次第，一步一步来。圆满次第要先修「身远离」，然后是「语远离」，然后是「心远离」(有的人叫意远离)，然后修那个净光，「根本净光」，对不对？净光修好了，你再修「幻身成就」，是不是？幻身成就了，你最后才修 Union，「融合」。这是圆满次第的六次第。你前面的身远离都没有；身远离知道意思吗？

9English Translation (Segment 51):

Some people know the words, understand the meaning, and also know the ultimate meaning, but they have inverted the sequence. Practicing the Buddha-dharma has a sequence; you progress slowly, one stage after another, but they have mixed up the sequence. For example, when we practice Highest Yoga (YOGA) Tantra, we should first practice the generation stage, right? Only after you have practiced the generation stage well can you practice the completion stage; it's step by step. For the completion stage, you must first practice "body isolation," then "speech isolation," then "mind isolation" (some call it mental isolation), and then you practice that clear light, the "fundamental clear light," correct? After you have practiced the clear light well, you then practice the "attainment of the illusory body," right? Once the illusory body is attained, you finally practice "Union," "fusion." These are the six stages of the completion stage. You haven't even done the initial body isolation—do you know what body isolation means?

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 52: Section 伍, Paragraph 14)

各位。可能在修的人都知道；身远离都没有修好，一下子想要修净光，自己想：「喔！我死的时候，头一个 Stage，头一个出来的，是慢慢四大分解啦，然后细心的作用出现啦，根本净光出现的时候，我认到它，就法身成就、解脱了！」我一下子来修这个净光，于是，在打坐时拼命想看光。结果，他看光是什么光？会带你到神经病的那个光！那是给光影门头骗去了！这真是糟糕10的事。

English Translation (Segment 52):

Everyone, perhaps those who are practicing already know; if you haven't even practiced body isolation well, and you immediately want to practice the clear light, you think to yourself: "Oh! When I die, the first 'Stage,' the first thing that appears, is the slow dissolution of the four elements, then the function of the subtle mind appears, and when the fundamental clear light appears, if I recognize it, I will attain the dharmakāya and be liberated!" So you immediately try to practice this clear light, and consequently, during meditation, you desperately try to see light. As a result, what kind of light does he see? The kind of light that will lead you to psychosis! That is being deceived by the gateway of light and shadows! This is truly a terrible thing.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 53: Section 伍, Paragraph 15)

谈到这裡，我想起了关于打坐的错误，很多人错在这裡。因为听了佛法；空啦，什么打坐啦，能够把心安下来啦，很多境界出现啦；就上坐。上坐唸佛号也好，唸咒也好，或者是观字轮也好，或者是观佛像也好，真的坐得很不错！这个时候有一个叉路，头一个最容易发生的毛病是，你变成断灭空。

English Translation (Segment 53):

Speaking of this, I am reminded of an error concerning seated meditation; many people make a mistake here. Because they have heard the Buddha-dharma—emptiness, seated meditation, being able to settle the mind, many states appearing—they get on the cushion. Whether they are reciting the Buddha's name, reciting a mantra, visualizing a seed-syllable wheel, or visualizing a Buddha image, they really sit very well! At this point, there is a fork in the road. The very first and most common sickness that can occur is that you fall into an annihilatory emptiness.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 54: Section 伍, Paragraph 16)

把空的那个理呀，他没有透彻的、有智慧照到，因为你的福慧不够啊！你善事做不够，坏事做很多。坏的行为，那个Karmic Tendency，坏的业力的 Tendency 都没有去掉，一下子去想了解、想透彻空的话，你会出毛病，变成呢、抓住空不放。

8W.l8V5~ F:K/C 断灭空裡头，认为什么都没有。那有业力？那有善行？那有恶行？那有什么佛法？那有什么净土？什么都没有！都不相信。空！他以为这个就是空。这个很危险（修成断灭空），非常大的危机！抓住空，变成断灭空！什么都没有、什么都不相信！因果？报应？那是你们迷信的人在讲的，那有什么因果报应？这个世界就是那么现实，多赚了钱就舒服，有了钱就可以买房子、买车子，可以穿漂亮衣服，人家都服服贴贴恭维我˙˙˙，这样子空，就变成空的断灭见。第二、第叁、第四的缺陷，是稍微真正修行的人容易犯的毛病。

English Translation (Segment 54):

The principle of emptiness—he has not penetrated it thoroughly, has not illuminated it with wisdom, because your merit and wisdom are insufficient! You have not done enough good deeds, and have done many bad deeds. Bad behavior, that "Karmic Tendency," the tendency of negative karma has not been eliminated, and if you immediately try to understand, to thoroughly penetrate emptiness, you will run into problems. You will end up grasping onto emptiness and not letting go. In an annihilatory emptiness, one believes that nothing exists. "How can there be karma? How can there be good actions? How can there be evil actions? How can there be any Buddha-dharma? How can there be any Pure Land? Nothing exists!" They don't believe in anything. Emptiness! They think this is emptiness. This is very dangerous (to cultivate an annihilatory emptiness), a very great crisis! Grasping at emptiness, it becomes an annihilatory emptiness! Nothing exists, they don't believe in anything! "Cause and effect? Retribution? That's what you superstitious people talk about. What cause and effect and retribution? This world is just realistic; if you earn more money you'll be comfortable. With money you can buy a house, buy a car, wear beautiful clothes, and people will be submissive and flatter me..." Emptiness like this becomes the nihilistic view of emptiness. The second, third, and fourth defects are sicknesses that those who are truly practicing are more susceptible to.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 55: Section 陆, Paragraph 1)

陆、真妄之别 因为真正的心，它本身有明觉、明照，它本身不是煳裡煳涂的，它本身不是什么都不知道。心，我讲的是真心，不是攀缘心。真正的RIGPA，藏文把这个真的心，用RIGPA表示，把我们那个攀缘的心叫SEM；现在我看到各位，听到声音，能起作用的这个，是攀缘心，不是你的真心；我们给这个攀缘心骗了，所以一直在轮迴，这个心叫做SEM。它分得很清楚，RIGPA是真正的心。我介绍中阴身解脱的时候，头一个Stage就出现的那个净光，Clear light of The death，那死净光，那是RIGPA。所有一切都从这裡出现，这个是真正的佛心。有的人1教做佛心，禅宗叫本地风光，或者是用『这个』、『那个』讲这个。有的呢，唯识学家就是『真常唯心』的『真常』。但是呢、印顺长老常常讲『真常唯心』是这个密宗、禅宗的真常论，其实他是从学问讲的。真常唯心的『唯心』，不是你用想像概念，去想那个真常的那个，它既不属于无常、也不属于真常。常、无常都是你的概念，时间就是一个妄想境界，既然时间是妄想，你怎么能够描写这个RIGPA是真常呢2？还是无常呢？你不能把它用时间的概念套进去描写它嘛！所以真正的RIGPA，不是这样的东西！

English Translation (Segment 55):

Section VI: The Distinction between True and False

Because the true mind itself possesses luminous awareness, a bright knowing; it is not muddled or confused, it is not something that knows nothing. The mind—I am speaking of the true mind, not the grasping mind. The true RIGPA—in Tibetan, this true mind is represented by the word RIGPA, while our grasping mind is called SEM. Right now, my ability to see all of you, to hear sounds, the mind that can function in this way, is the grasping mind, not your true mind. We have been deceived by this grasping mind, and that is why we are continuously in saṃsāra. This mind is called SEM. The distinction is made very clearly: RIGPA is the true mind. When I introduced liberation in the intermediate state (bardo), that clear light which appears in the very first stage, the "Clear light of the death," that death-time clear light, that is RIGPA. Everything arises from this; this is the true Buddha-mind. Some teach it as the Buddha-mind, the Chan school calls it the "original ground and scenery," or they use "this" or "that" to speak of it. Some, like the Yogācāra scholars, speak of the "True-Constant" of "True-Constant-Mind-Only." However, Elder Yin Shun often said that "True-Constant-Mind-Only" is the eternalism of the esoteric schools and the Chan school; actually, he was speaking from a scholarly perspective. The "Mind-Only" of True-Constant-Mind-Only is not something you can think about with your imagination and concepts, that "True-Constant" thing. It belongs neither to impermanence nor to true constancy. "Constant" and "impermanent" are both your concepts. Time itself is a delusory state. Since time is a delusion, how can you describe this RIGPA as being truly constant? Or as impermanent? You cannot fit it into the concept of time to describe it! Therefore, the true RIGPA is not this kind of thing!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 56: Section 陆, Paragraph 2)

这死净光，RIGPA本身，它的Essential Nature，它的本性是空，是不是？我已经介绍很多次了。但是，它还有其他的特性。这个特性，请大家千万注意喔！知道了这个特性之后，中阴身阶段所显现的境相，或者你打坐时候出来的境相，到底是什么东西你就清楚了，不会给它骗了！这个心，真心，佛心或者是本地风光，它本性是空的。虽然是空的，它自已本有明觉觉照，明明觉觉、明明了了，Clarity是它本有的特质。它本身明，明并不是说：我看到这个杯子，知道这个杯子，那是妄想，有能有所。能看的、能显出来很多境界的那个「能的」，你能知道明啦、暗啦，那个能知道的那个，不属于明、不属于暗。知道明，那是动了妄想，「啊3！这个是明。」，妄想！这没有光明，这是暗，那是己经动了二元的念头，已经是Dualistic，已经是Conception，已经是概念化，已经是妄想境界。那个能这样分别明暗的那个能，是不属于明，也不属于暗喔！否则，明过去了，你不知道暗喔！暗过去，知道暗的，如果它是属于暗的话，那明来了，你也不知道呀！它本身不属于明跟暗，是不是？楞严经裡是这样慢慢讲。

English Translation (Segment 56):

This death-time clear light, RIGPA itself—its "Essential Nature," its fundamental nature, is empty, right? I have introduced this many times. However, it also has other characteristics. This characteristic—everyone, please pay close attention! After you know this characteristic, you will be clear about what the phenomena that manifest in the bardo stage, or the phenomena that emerge when you are in seated meditation, truly are, and you will not be deceived by them! This mind, the true mind, the Buddha-mind or the original ground and scenery—its fundamental nature is empty. Although it is empty, it itself possesses an inherent luminous awareness and knowing, a bright and clear knowing, a distinct clarity; "Clarity" is its inherent quality. It itself is luminous. This luminosity does not mean, "I see this cup and know this cup"—that is delusion, that involves a subject and an object. The subjective capacity that can see, that can manifest many states, the capacity by which you can know brightness and darkness—that which is able to know does not belong to brightness and does not belong to darkness. To know "bright"—that is to stir a deluded thought, "Ah! This is bright." Delusion! "There is no light, this is dark"—that is already to have stirred a dualistic thought, it is already "Dualistic," already "Conception," already conceptualized, already a delusory state. That capacity which can distinguish between bright and dark in this way does not itself belong to brightness, nor does it belong to darkness! Otherwise, when brightness passes, you would not know darkness! When darkness passes, if that which knows darkness belonged to darkness, then when brightness arrived, you would not know it either! It itself does not belong to brightness or darkness, right? The Śūraṅgama Sūtra explains this slowly.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 57: Section 柒, Paragraph 1)

柒、真心的特质 这个Clarity，明明觉觉的这个特性，你在打坐、修行，真正的在Meditation，禅修的时候，这个明的境界，你会接触到！好了，你因为太用功，你的修行的功夫很好；很多人修行的功夫没有这么好，他不会误会；但是，你的禅修很深、很高，可达到深的定。所谓深的定是什么意思呢？就是那一种属于概念思维的、大脑的那一种作用都没有，都消失了。那种假的作用消失、一直消失，一直掉，掉到本心的、本地风光的明觉的明明觉觉让你接触到。如果误认为这就对了，你对这个明开始执着了。你不执着，就对！你以为这个本心，佛的本心、本地风光、佛心就是这个，这个是自性。你以为这个是自性，你是Clinging，你是执着了，抓了它了，对不对？把那东西当做对象，一抓了，就出毛病！打坐、用功、唸佛念得非常好，能够看到自己心的明觉，以为这个就是，你开始对它执着，将来投胎时，没有办法跳出轮迴，到那裡去？林教授？天界。天界有几天？十七天，一个、一个生前不一样。叁界大家都知道吗？天界有十七天，一层一层的，看你的明觉、明亮度怎么样，你就投胎到十七天里的一个天道，做天人去了！做天神呢！我们台湾习俗很多是拜天公，但是，有的时候是拜欲界天的啦！还没有到色界天。

English Translation (Segment 57):

Section VII: The Qualities of the True Mind

This "Clarity," this characteristic of bright, clear knowing—when you are in seated meditation, practicing, truly in "Meditation," you will come into contact with this state of luminosity! Alright, because you have practiced so diligently, your level of practice is very good. Many people's level of practice is not this good, so they won't make this mistake. However, your meditative practice is very deep, very high, and you can reach a deep concentration. What does a deep concentration mean? It means that the kind of function belonging to conceptual thought, to the brain, has completely disappeared. That false function disappears, continuously disappears, drops away, until the luminous knowing of the original mind, of the original ground and scenery, allows you to come into contact with it. If you mistakenly think, "This is it," you begin to cling to this luminosity. If you don't cling, you are correct! But you think that this original mind, the Buddha's original mind, the original ground and scenery, the Buddha-mind, is this, that this is the self-nature. You think this is the self-nature, you are "Clinging," you are attached, you have grasped it, right? Once you take that thing as an object and grasp it, problems arise! You sit in meditation, apply effort, recite the Buddha's name very well, and you are able to see the luminous knowing of your own mind. Believing "this is it," you begin to cling to it. In a future incarnation, you will be unable to escape saṃsāra. Where will you go? Professor Lin? To the heavens. How many heavens are there? Seventeen, each one different based on one's previous life. Does everyone know about the three realms? The form realm has seventeen heavens,¹ layer after layer. Depending on your luminous knowing, your level of brightness, you will be incarnated into one of the seventeen heavens and become a deva! Become a god! In many Taiwanese customs, we worship the "Lord of Heaven" (天公), but sometimes this is a deva of the desire realm! Not yet in the form realm.

Annotations (for Segment 57):

¹ The speaker states there are seventeen heavens in the form realm (色界天). This number can vary slightly between different Buddhist cosmological schemas. The Sarvāstivāda tradition, for example, lists seventeen (or sometimes sixteen). It's a specific detail of Buddhist cosmology.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 58: Section 柒, Paragraph 2)

这个明觉，误认为这个就是自性、佛的本地风光，将来你到再生投胎、再生中阴的时候，耶！一下子投胎到明的这个地方去了！然后，我们的真心，还有它的另一个面，它的aspect可以描述它：它很乐，Bliss。乐、明、无念就是它的属性。刚刚讲明吗？把这个明，误认做是我们的佛性，我们的自心就是明，把明一抓住，你呢、叁界没办法解脱，到天界十七天裡头某一个天做天神！还不错，做天神。把那个乐；真正乐，超出欲界的乐、超出很多很多的；有的人打坐到这个地方，喔！爽得不要出定！耽在那个舒服、超过欲界男女之欲好多好多倍的那个乐境界，Bliss，把这个当做就是！所以，外面很多朋友打坐的功夫还不错，那些讲灵异的，你不要小看他们哦！他们很多禅定功夫可以到乐明无念，但是，错在没有佛的正见，把这个当做是真的，这个就是道，到家了！是佛性，就是自性，就是法身！完了！到那裡去投胎？欲界天。欲界，我们欲界的最上面有欲界天。我们是欲界的，是不是？欲界裡面，有畜生道啦、人道啦！最上面有欲界天。投胎到欲界，变成欲界天的天神，不是色界天的天神，欲界天的天神！为甚么投胎到这裡？因为乐，非常舒服，乐得你不想出定。

English Translation (Segment 58):

This luminous knowing—if you mistake it for the self-nature, the Buddha's original ground and scenery, then in your next life's incarnation, during the bardo of rebirth, bingo! You are instantly incarnated into this place of luminosity! Then, our true mind also has another side, another "aspect" that can be used to describe it: it is very blissful, "Bliss." Bliss, clarity, and non-conceptuality are its attributes. Didn't I just speak of clarity? If you mistake this clarity for our Buddha-nature, that our own mind is clarity, and you grasp onto clarity, you will be unable to gain liberation from the three realms and will go to one of the seventeen heavens of the form realm to become a deva! Not bad, becoming a deva. Now take bliss—true bliss, a bliss that far surpasses the pleasure of the desire realm, surpasses it by many, many times. Some people, meditating to this point, oh! It feels so good they don't want to leave the meditative state! They indulge in that comfortable state of bliss, which exceeds the pleasure of male-female desire in the desire realm many, many times over, and they take this to be it! This is why many friends out there who have a decent level of meditative skill, those who talk about supernatural phenomena—don't look down on them! Many of them have a meditative skill that can reach bliss, clarity, and non-conceptuality. But the mistake lies in not having the Buddha's right view; they take this to be real, to be the Tao, to have arrived home! That it is Buddha-nature, that it is the self-nature, that it is the dharmakāya! It's over! Where do they get incarnated? In the desire-realm heavens. The desire realm—at the very top of our desire realm are the desire-realm heavens. We are in the desire realm, aren't we? Within the desire realm, there is the animal realm, the human realm! At the very top are the desire-realm heavens. Incarnated in the desire realm, they become a deva of a desire-realm heaven, not a deva of a form-realm heaven, but a desire-realm deva! Why are they incarnated here? Because of bliss, it's extremely comfortable, so blissful you don't want to leave the state.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 59: Section 柒, Paragraph 3)

好了，最后一个属性是什么？无念。这个无念，在那个境界，你二元的思想都没有了。已经达到Non-Conceptualize，没有概念化的二元境界。不起了，你的那个心不起，绝对不起。这个妄想，认为这是空，以为『这就是空』；你一执着，把这个空当做是真的、真的佛性，宇宙万象的秘密的根源，就是这个。把这个Emptiness当做对象抓住了，到那裡投胎？无色界。无色界，死的时候不经过中阴身，一下子这个Consciousness，这个灵识一出来呢、就马上、一下子、不经过中阴，一下子投胎到无色界(formless realm)；这是因为你禅定功夫太好了。无色界有四个：空无边处、识无边处、无所有处、非想非非想处；到无色界的四个、不晓得那一个地方去了。这个都是你看差错，差那么一点点。 打坐的时候的乐、明、无念，是非常殊胜的一种功夫境界。但是，如果你缺少了正见，缺少了过来人或者真正的老师，给你做一个Oral Instruction(口授)，你高兴了，因为这个境界；你明的境界，可以使你能够知道，找你问问题，都会回答，一个月后或者你会出车福啦、你过去世是什么道的啦，他都清清楚楚。他达到那个境界；非常厉害。但是，你一执着了，就变成障碍，在叁界裡滚，没有办法脱开。你超越这个，那才是！因为执着在乐明无念这上头，最后的叉路就变成这个样子。所以，做禅修的道友，千万注意这一点！所以，实証功夫的非常要紧！

English Translation (Segment 59):

Alright, what is the last attribute? Non-conceptuality.¹ In that state, you have no dualistic thoughts. You have already reached a "Non-Conceptualized" state, a non-conceptualized dualistic state. It doesn't arise; your mind does not stir, absolutely does not stir. This delusion is to think that this is emptiness, to believe, 'This is emptiness.' The moment you cling, you take this emptiness to be the real, true Buddha-nature, the secret origin of the myriad phenomena of the universe, that it is this. Grasping this "Emptiness" as an object, where do you get incarnated? The formless realm. The formless realm—when you die, you do not pass through the intermediate state (bardo). Instantly, this "Consciousness," this subtle consciousness, emerges and immediately, instantly, without passing through the bardo, you are incarnated in the formless realm. This is because your meditative skill is too good. The formless realm has four planes: the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither perception nor non-percep4tion. You go to one of these four places in the formless realm, who knows which one. This is all because you perceived it wrongly, you were off by just a tiny bit. The experiences of bliss, clarity, and non-conceptuality during seated meditation are a very supreme state of attainment. However, if you lack the right view, if you lack an experienced person or a true teacher to give you an "Oral Instruction," you become happy because of this state. Your state of clarity might enable you to know things; if someone asks you a question, you can answer it—that a month from now you will have a car accident, or what realm you were in in a past life, he knows it all clearly. He has reached that state; very formidable. But, the moment you cling to it, it becomes an obstacle. You will continue to roll in the three realms, unable to break free. You must transcend this, only then! Because of clinging to bliss, clarity, and non-conceptuality, the final fork in the road becomes like this. Therefore, my dharma friends who practice meditation, you must absolutely pay attention to this point! Thus, the skill of direct realization is extremely important!

Annotations (for Segment 59):

¹ 无念 (wúniàn): "No-thought" or "non-conceptuality." It refers to a state of mind free from the discursive, dualistic thinking of subject and object. It is a key term in Chan (Zen) Buddhism as well.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 60: Section 捌, Paragraph 1)

捌、为什么我们很不容易看到真心？ 现在，最后一个问题，很有趣的一个问题。为什么我们很不容易看到心？不懂得真心？ＲIGPA我们认不到，祇认这个SEM。跟境界转，给境界转掉了，没有办法护念这个真的，这个你偶而一闪看到的RIGPA！这个RIGPA很有趣喔，请大家注意喔，不是禅定中你才能看到根本净光～心的塬来面目。但禅定中一闪就过去，真有禅定功夫的大师呀，像丁果、卡鲁仁波切、蒋扬康慈，这些大师们，或者敦珠法王，他们能够在禅定、修禅定中，就定在、休息在这个Clear Light，根本净光中，不必等到死的时候，这个才出现1！

English Translation (Segment 60):

Section VIII: Why is it So Hard for Us to See the True Mind?

Now, for the last question, a very interesting question. Why is it so hard for us to see the mind? Why don't we understand the true mind? We fail to recognize RIGPA; we only recognize this SEM. We are turned by circumstances, carried away by circumstances, with no way to guard and be mindful of this true thing, this RIGPA that you occasionally see in a flash! This RIGPA is very interesting—please everyone, pay attention—it's not only in meditative concentration that you can see the fundamental clear light, the original face of the mind. But in meditative concentration, it flashes by and is gone. Truly great masters with meditative skill, like Dilgo [Khyentse Rinpoche], Kalu Rinpoche, Jamyang Khyentse, these great masters, or Dudjom Rinpoche, they are able, within their meditative concentration practice, to abide in, to rest in this "Clear Light," the fundamental clear light, without having to wait until the moment of death for it to appear!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 61: Section 捌, Paragraph 2)

有的道友，可能在坐中会出现这个现象，但是，很可能是一、二秒，一闪就过去了。很不容易，自己看到都不知道，它现出来，你也不知道。有的人定力较好一点，智慧好一点，能够知道，但是没办法Stabilize(持)。善护持的『持』，是这个意思。金刚经的善护念，是护念这个。不是说『你不要起贪心啦2！』，那只是粗浅的讲。你真正见道，叫明心见性。真正明心见性之后，你再入定、出定，入定、出定；开悟之后，为什么还在修呢？就是要能够把『净光』的时间拉长，Duration，能够维持住、保护住越久越好，能够你要多久，就定多久。

English Translation (Segment 61):

Some dharma friends might have this phenomenon appear while sitting in meditation, but it's very likely just for one or two seconds; it flashes and is gone. It is very difficult; you see it yourself but don't even know it. It manifests, and you are not aware. Some people with slightly better concentration and slightly better wisdom are able to know it, but have no way to "Stabilize" (sustain) it. The "sustain" in "skillfully upholding" means this. The "skillful protection of mindfulness" in the Diamond Sūtra is to be mindful of this. It's not just talking on a superficial level, saying, "Don't give rise to greed!" When you truly see the path, it is called "apprehending the Mind and seeing one's nature." After truly apprehending the mind and seeing one's nature, you enter and exit concentration, enter and exit concentration. After awakening, why do you still have to practice? It is precisely to be able to lengthen the time of the 'clear light,' the "Duration," to be able to maintain it, to protect it for as long as possible, to be able to abide in that concentration for as long as you wish.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 62: Section 捌, Paragraph 3)

所以，丁果仁波切去年过去的时候，他定在根本净光中半年以上。但是，他告诉他的徒弟：到农历11月4日(1993年)，他还没有化光的话，把我火化掉。他两公尺那么高的身体，到那个时候 (11月4日)，已经(化虹光)缩成30公分这么小(坐姿)。那是屏东一个我的喇嘛朋友，去到尼泊尔亲自看到，回来跟我讲。那敦珠法王也是，一样缩成这么小，贡噶师父也3一样。

English Translation (Segment 62):

Therefore, when Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche passed away last year, he remained in meditative equipoise in the fundamental clear light for over half a year. But he told his disciples: if by the 4th day of the 11th lunar month (in 1993), he has not yet dissolved into light, then cremate me. His body, which was two meters tall, had by that time (the 4th of the 11th month) already shrunk (dissolving into a rainbow body) to be as small as 30 centimeters (in a seated posture). A lama friend of mine from Pingtung went to Nepal and saw this personally, and came back and told me. Dudjom Rinpoche was also the same, shrinking to become just as small, and Master Gonga was the same.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 63: Section 玖, Paragraph 1)

玖、死亡的实相 为什么能这样呢？我们死掉，物质的四大～地水火风，开始慢慢分解，然后，粗的心慢慢溶掉(dissolve)、细的心出现，白心、红心，然后，最后全黑暗时期，一闪，根本净光出现！打坐的时候一样，就是把这个四大分解，粗心分解的过程在坐中经验！这个Experience是Your mind itself！你的mind本身！Mind可以体验，Experience无限无量的境界， 所以说它有『无可限制的特性』！所以说Limitless Characteristics，没有办法限碍它，所以把它叫做『空』。但是这个空，威力大得很！死的时候，它能够经验很多境界、很多的相。由于你过去的业力、你的习惯，它能够显出来：你多坏，它就显出多坏的可怖的相；多慈悲、心多柔，那个时候，它就显出净土的境界出来；对你的上师、对你的师父，非常诚敬，那你的师父的影子，他的智慧、就由你的Mind现出来，所以把心叫做不可思议！很多人误会了，通通从概念裡头看佛法，不从实証的立埸讲。出家的师父，也可能都注重解说，或从宗教信仰方面去开脱，而它是实証的、科学的东西，不是说光在那裡讲来讲去，『好心肠啦！』『拜佛，你就可以到西天啦！』‧‧‧，那是靠不住的。为什么靠不住？因为你没有进到实验室去做实验！怎么做实验呢？等一下我们有时间再解说！

English Translation (Segment 63):

Section IX: The Reality of Death

Why is this possible? When we die, the four material elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—begin to slowly dissolve. Then, the coarse mind slowly dissolves, and the subtle minds appear—the white mind, the red mind¹—and then, finally, during a period of total darkness, in a flash, the fundamental clear light appears! It is the same during seated meditation; you experience this process of the dissolution of the four elements and the dissolution of the coarse mind while sitting! This "Experience" is "Your mind itself!" Your mind itself! The Mind can experience, can "Experience" infinite and limitless states, which is why it is said to have 'unlimited characteristics'! It is said to have "Limitless Characteristics"; there is no way to limit it, which is why it is called 'empty.' But this emptiness has tremendous power! At the time of death, it is able to experience many states, many appearances.² Based on your past karma, your habits, it is able to manifest them: however bad you were, it will manifest correspondingly terrible appearances; however compassionate and gentle your mind was, at that time it will manifest the state of a pure land. If you had great reverence for your guru, your master, then the reflections³ of your master, his wisdom, will manifest from your Mind. This is why the mind is called inconceivable! Many people misunderstand this; they see the Buddha-dharma entirely from within concepts, not from the standpoint of direct realization. Monastics, too, may focus on explanation, or on providing comfort from a religious faith perspective, but this is something to be directly realized, something scientific. It's not about just talking and talking, "Be a good person!" "Worship the Buddha, and you can go to the Western Paradise!"... That is unreliable. Why is it unreliable? Because you have not entered the laboratory to conduct the experiment! How to conduct the experiment? We'll explain later if we have time!

Annotations (for Segment 63):

¹ "White mind, red mind": These refer to specific stages in the subtle dissolution process at death as described in Vajrayāna teachings, corresponding to the fading of consciousness associated with the "white element" inherited from the father and the "red element" from the mother.

² 相 (xiàng): Here, this refers to the visionary appearances (ākāra) that manifest to the mind during the bardo.

³ 影子 (yǐngzi): "shadows" or "reflections." In this context, it means the master's form appears as a reflection of one's own mind, prompted by devotion.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 64: Section 拾, Paragraph 1)

拾、禅修的真正目的 这是个实証的功夫。我们讲到四大分解，细心现出来。根本净光在禅定、禅修的时候，不管你是光打坐、或者是念咒，或者是观想观世音菩萨，或者準提佛母，你能够自己、慢慢知道你的心的变化，经验的过程慢慢变，变到最后定中出现光。因为你不是等到死嘛，这个叫子净光，Son Clear Light。是你修行的功力和智慧达到这个本事。做到才算本事，没有做到，那是书上写的，是释迦牟尼佛的，诸大菩萨的，不是你的4！你会讲法，你会穿着袈裟讲来讲去，被人恭维，到死的时候一点用都没有，不管你是什么大师不大师！平常听懂佛法，知道如何用功，在日常生活裡真正培养你的慈悲心，把心净化了，在念佛中或者打坐中，一闪，看到净光，定中看到。并且，你能够时常训练，出定入定，在出入中，慢慢的你能够跟它(净光)熟了，你出定时成就幻身！这是一个秘密！

English Translation (Segment 64):

Section X: The True Purpose of Meditation

This is a skill of direct realization. We spoke of the dissolution of the four elements and the manifestation of the subtle mind. The fundamental clear light—when you are in meditative concentration, whether you are just sitting, or reciting mantras, or visualizing Guanyin Bodhisattva, or Cundī Bodhisattva, you are able, on your own, to slowly know the changes in your mind. The process of experience slowly changes, changing until finally, light appears in your concentration. Because you are not waiting until death, this is called the Son Clear Light. It is your power of practice and wisdom that achieves this skill. Only when you have done it does it count as your skill; if you haven't done it, then it's just what's written in books, it belongs to Śākyamuni Buddha, to the great Bodhisattvas, it's not yours! You may be able to teach the dharma, you may wear robes and talk on and on, be complimented by people, but at the moment of death, it is of no use at all, no matter what kind of master you are or are not! To normally understand the Buddha-dharma, know how to apply effort, truly cultivate your compassion in daily life, purify your mind, and then in reciting the Buddha's name or in seated meditation, in a flash, you see the clear light, see it in concentration. Furthermore, if you can train constantly, entering and exiting concentration, then in the process of entering and exiting, you can slowly become familiar with it (the clear light). When you exit concentration, you attain the illusory body!¹ This is a secret!

Annotations (for Segment 64):

¹ 幻身 (huànshēn): The "illusory body" (māyādeha). This is a central concept in the completion stage of Highest Yoga Tantra. It is a subtle body of light and energy that is created through advanced yoga and serves as the vehicle for attaining Buddhahood.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 65: Section 拾, Paragraph 2)

定中慢慢、慢慢，好像死亡现象的境界，最后根本净光出现 (佛光出现)，然后出定，再变作平常的你。React process倒过来，Reverse。因为你的智慧的力量，你出定的时候，并不走普通人的『黑心→红心→白心』这个路子，出定时，你会成就一个『幻身』，Illusory Body，我们叫『浊幻身』。当然，平常一般人没有办法做到很『纯净』的幻身，刚刚开始成就的时候，变做『浊』幻身。但是，悟后你时常这样练习，由于你的功力、定力和智慧的关係，最后变成『净幻身』。所谓净幻身，是在印度，二千五百年前佛的色身。释迦牟尼佛他也有色身，祂的色身跟我们为什么不同5？这个净幻身，就是我们自己成佛的时候，色身的基础。我们的肉、皮都会烂掉，这是生灭法。所以，定中能够做到的修行人，悟后起修，是在修这个，要成就幻身！

English Translation (Segment 65):

In concentration, slowly, slowly, you experience a state that resembles the phenomenon of death, and finally the fundamental clear light appears (the Buddha-light appears). Then you exit concentration and become your ordinary self again. The "reaction process" is inverted, "reversed." Because of the power of your wisdom, when you exit concentration, you do not follow the ordinary person's path of 'black mind → red mind → white mind.' Upon exiting, you will attain an 'illusory body,' an "Illusory Body." We call this the 'impure illusory body.' Of course, an ordinary person cannot achieve a very 'pure' illusory body. When it is first attained, it becomes an 'impure' illusory body. However, if you practice like this constantly after awakening, due to your power, concentration, and wisdom, it will finally become the 'pure illusory body.' The so-called pure illusory body is the form-body (rūpakāya) of the Buddha in India two thousand five hundred years ago. Śākyamuni Buddha also had a form-body; why was His form-body different from ours? This pure illusory body is the foundation of the form-body when we ourselves attain Buddhahood. Our flesh and skin will all decay; this is a phenomenon of arising and ceasing. Therefore, a practitioner who can accomplish this in concentration, who practices after awakening, is practicing this: they must attain the illusory body!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 66: Section 拾, Paragraph 3)

有了幻身，就不会有生灭的身体。浊跟净有什么差别？浊幻身就是，你对空性还是概念的了解；你成就净幻身是：你的智慧，已经达到directly realize、直接悟认、亲証到空。你稍微有真正的空的智慧，它变成你实在的力量、实在的智慧，你有这个本事！我们的Mind，我们的心的本性是「空」。初地菩萨就亲証到了！初地，开悟了。这个时候和你没有亲証到空慧，有什么地方不一样？举个例子，千手千眼观世音菩萨，千手、每一个手拿东西，手指裡头有眼睛啦、相是怎么样啦，你如果时常修这一尊的话，当你証到空慧的时候，一『定』下来，祂的千手千眼、每一隻手、衣服、颜色、形状，甚至有一百个很小的项目，都可以同时记到、显现！但是，每一位修的本尊都不一样，并不是每一位都这样。如果你修的本尊是準提佛母的话，你说：我了解空、我証到空。那么这个修行人，怎么知道呢？他眼睛一闭起来观想準提佛母；不是矇眬，刚开始练习是矇眬；每一隻手指、眼睛，手裡拿什么东西，十六隻手剎那间清清楚楚现出来，不要费力，这就是証明。Prove It！做到，算是对空慧有一点了解。这是无上瑜珈讲很深的Teaching(教授法)，请大家应该感谢无上密宗的传承，很多（空行）都在这裡听！

English Translation (Segment 66):

Once you have the illusory body, you will no longer have a body subject to arising and ceasing. What is the difference between impure and pure? The impure illusory body means your understanding of the empty nature is still conceptual. Your attainment of the pure illusory body means your wisdom has already reached "directly realize," a direct experiential insight, a direct realization of emptiness. Once you have a little of the true wisdom of emptiness, it becomes your real power, your real wisdom; you have this skill! Our Mind, the fundamental nature of our mind is "empty." A first-bhūmi Bodhisattva has directly realized this! On the first ground, they have awakened. At this time, what is the difference between you and someone who has not directly realized the wisdom of emptiness? Let's take an example: Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Guanyin Bodhisattva—a thousand hands, each hand holding an object, with eyes in the fingers, the appearances being thus and so. If you regularly practice this deity, then when you realize the wisdom of emptiness, as soon as you 'settle' in concentration, Her thousand arms and thousand eyes, every single hand, the clothes, colors, shapes, even if there are a hundred small items, can all be remembered and manifested simultaneously! However, the chosen deity of every practitioner is different; it's not like this for everyone. If your chosen deity is Cundī Bodhisattva, and you say, "I understand emptiness, I have realized emptiness," then how does this practitioner know? When he closes his eyes to visualize Cundī Bodhisattva—not vaguely, as it is vague when you first start practicing—every finger, every eye, what is held in each hand, all sixteen arms¹ manifest with perfect clarity in an instant, without effort. This is the proof. "Prove It!" To have done this counts as having some understanding of the wisdom of emptiness. This is a very profound "Teaching" from Highest Yoga Tantra. Everyone should be grateful for the transmission of the highest esoteric schools; many (ḍākinīs) are listening here!

Annotations (for Segment 66):

¹ Cundī (準提佛母, Zhǔntí Fómǔ) is a Bodhisattva often depicted with multiple arms, commonly sixteen or eighteen, each holding a different implement. The ability to visualize this complexity perfectly and instantly is considered a sign of high meditative attainment (samādhi) and insight into emptiness.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 67: Section 拾, Paragraph 4)

空的智慧愈来愈深的时候，心的自由度可以发挥到极点！这什么意思呢？心本来是非常自由的(Freedom of Mind)，因为我们的妄想，把攀缘心抓住，认为这个是「我」，把我的心，当做是「我」。所以，真正的心(RIGPA)很多、无限制的Manifestation，自由自在的能力都被盖住，而使不出来。証到空慧的人，可以自由发挥这个能力。所以，密勒日巴尊者为什么在定中一下子就可以化出十隻、二十隻老虎，在山下阻挡坏人上来6？这就是心的自由度的发挥，不是灵异、也不神奇。亲証到这个，如果你不是这样，而是用唸符咒的、邪神附身，来表示一点灵异，那是入魔、着魔了！不是由你的定慧来的！真正开发、见到RIGPA，这个真心、真的『空』，你就溶入、Dissolve了，我们就和「空慧」一起出现，心的自由度，由你自由自在的控制。这时候，才叫真的証到空慧！！不是我们嘴吧上谈的：『诸法无自性，是由很多缘凑在一起，它没有本体，这就是空。』，那是理论。你业力要去做一隻老虎，你能不能不要去做老虎，我要去做一隻蟑螂？你都没有办法！不要说要做人了！所以，修行是实实在在，不是光讲理论而已。

English Translation (Segment 67):

As the wisdom of emptiness becomes deeper and deeper, the freedom of the mind can be brought to its fullest expression! What does this mean? The mind is originally extremely free ("Freedom of Mind"), but because of our delusions, we grasp the grasping mind, believe "this is I," and take my mind to be "me." Therefore, the many, unlimited "Manifestations" and the freely-acting capacity of the true mind (RIGPA) are all covered over and cannot be expressed. A person who has realized the wisdom of emptiness can freely express this capacity. So why could the Venerable Milarepa, in the midst of concentration, instantly emanate ten or twenty tigers at the foot of the mountain to block bad people from coming up? This is the expression of the mind's freedom; it is not a supernatural power, nor is it miraculous. You have to realize this directly. If you are not like this, but instead use the recitation of talismans or possession by malevolent spirits to display some supernatural ability, that is falling into a demonic state, being possessed! It does not come from your concentration and wisdom! When you truly develop and see RIGPA, this true mind, this true 'emptiness,' you dissolve into it, you "Dissolve," and you emerge together with the "wisdom of emptiness." The freedom of the mind is controlled by you with perfect ease. This, and only this, is called truly realizing the wisdom of emptiness!! It is not what we talk about with our mouths: 'All dharmas are without self-nature; they are assembled from many conditions and have no fundamental essence, this is emptiness.' That is theory. If your karma is such that you are to become a tiger, can you say, "I don't want to become a tiger, I want to become a cockroach"? You have no way to do that! Let alone becoming a human! Therefore, practice is something real and concrete, not just talking about theory.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 68: Section 拾, Paragraph 5)

我们进一步来说明心的体性和作用。我们现在知道，它的本性、它的Essential Nature是Emptiness。要描写它的形状、大小、Color、Location，都没有办法。那么它的用呢？ 它的Clarity，是明明觉觉。所以我们能够知道境界，这是它的报身；Essential Nature，那是它的法身，我们叫做它的Dharmakaya；它本身，有明明觉觉的觉照，我们叫做它的报身，Sambhgakaya。大家不要给法身、报身、化身搞得煳裡煳涂，其实这个是亲証的境界。Nirmanakaya是什么意思？它能够呈现各种各样的形相，Limitless Manifestation照你的业力现出来：你想太空梭，太空梭就显出来。它有这个无罣无碍、能够呈现出来的，我们叫做它的『化身』，Manifestation，就是Nirmanakaya。

English Translation (Segment 68):

Let's further explain the essence-nature and function of the mind. We now know that its fundamental nature, its "Essential Nature," is Emptiness. There is no way to describe its shape, size, "Color," or "Location." So what about its function? Its "Clarity" is a bright, clear knowing. Therefore, our ability to know states is its Saṃbhogakāya. The "Essential Nature"—that is its Dharmakāya; we call it its "Dharmakāya." It itself possesses a bright, clear, knowing awareness; we call this its Saṃbhogakāya. Everyone, don't get all confused by dharmakāya, saṃbhogakāya, and nirmāṇakāya. Actually, these are states of direct realization. What does "Nirmāṇakāya" mean? It is the ability to present all sorts of forms, a "Limitless Manifestation" that appears according to your karma: if you think of a space shuttle, a space shuttle appears. This unobstructed ability to manifest is what we call its 'emanation body,' its "Manifestation," which is the Nirmāṇakāya.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 69: Section 拾, Paragraph 6)

所以，刚刚学佛的朋友们，接触佛法有很多的戒律。我们要厌离世间，这个不好、这个不是真的啰，这是假的啰、我们不要执着了～小乘，这是小乘的教导。小乘的教导是：「都是真的，但是无常，会变掉，我们不要执着它！」杯子是杯子，人是人，坏人是坏人，善人是善人，女是女，男是男，不能随便接触异性，这是要你产生厌离心。但是，他没有教你这些是『不实』，而只讲『无常』。无常，表示是真的存在，但是它会变掉，会死掉、会老掉、会毁坏掉、变旧了！没有直接告诉你：「本来都是空的。」因为刚刚开始学佛，我们智慧未开，这样教我们。

English Translation (Segment 69):

So, for friends who have just begun to study Buddhism, when you encounter the Buddha-dharma there are many precepts. We are told to have revulsion for the world: "This is not good, this isn't real, this is unreal,¹ we shouldn't cling"—Hīnayāna, this is the Hīnayāna teaching. The Hīnayāna teaching is: "Everything is real, but it is impermanent, it will change, so we should not cling to it!" A cup is a cup, a person is a person, a bad person is a bad person, a good person is a good person, a woman is a woman, a man is a man7, one cannot casually have contact with the opposite sex. This is to make you generate a sense of revulsion. However, it does not teach you that these things are 'unreal,' but only speaks of 'impermanence.' Impermanence implies that it really exists, but that it will change, it will die, it will get old, it will be destroyed, it will become worn out! It does not directly tell you: "Originally, all is empty." Because when we are just beginning to study Buddhism, our wisdom is not yet developed, so we are taught this way.

Annotations (for Segment 69):

¹ 假的 (jiǎ de): unreal, illusory. This aligns with the mandatory translation for 假.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 70: Section 拾, Paragraph 7)

等你智慧开了一点，他就来了一个Mahayana，大乘的教授。他说：「这一切都虚幻无实、空无自性！」。他讲的『空无自性』，还是承认有相、有境界！境界是空无自性，大家因为不知道而争名夺利。你真正懂得空无自性的空慧，真懂得『空』的道理的话，一定会同情这些人。大家都不知道，而在那裡你争我夺，争得头破血流，太可怜了，包括你自己。所以大乘就慈悲，利他为主要精神。

English Translation (Segment 70):

When your wisdom has developed a little, he comes with a "Mahāyāna," a Great Vehicle teaching. He says: "All of this is illusory and unreal, empty and without self-nature!" The 'empty and without self-nature' that he speaks of still acknowledges that there are appearances, that there are states! The states are empty and without self-nature, but because people do not know this, they fight for fame and profit. If you truly understand the wisdom of emptiness which is without self-nature, if you truly understand the principle of 'emptiness,' you will certainly feel compassion for these people. Everyone is unaware, and there they are, fighting and snatching from one another, fighting until their heads are broken and blood flows. It is so pitiful, including yourself. Therefore, the Mahāyāna is compassionate, with altruism as its main spirit.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 71: Section 拾, Paragraph 8)

最高的教授是什么？我们这裡叫做『金刚乘』、『密乘』，这只是我们给的名字，其实佛在世的时候已经教了的，尤其是莲花生大士带来的。就是时机到了，因为你透过小乘、大乘，有基础了！没有这个基础，你没有办法！你没有通过小学、中学、大学，能不能念研究院呢？不能呀！一样呀，佛法最高的教授，在最后，佛才讲真话：「一切相，都是法身的显现！」。一切相，空间、时间，有情、无情，物质的、有生命的，通通是Dharmakaya，都是佛的净土！境界是佛的净土，我们看到的众生，每一位都是你的本尊，Deity，都是佛的身！每一位众生、每一个毛孔都是衪！净土那裡找呀？到西方找阿弥陀佛净土呀？当下即是！你的智慧高，没有Impure Perception；用眼耳鼻舌身意所接受的Perception是觉受嘛；你的智慧开了，妄想的云雾清除掉了。你的Perception本身，变成纯净的Perception。所映现的，都是佛的净土，这是最高的教授。Each and Every Being，都是Deities！声音，空中飞鸟的声音，大家在纸上写字的声音，所有声音，都是佛的咒音、佛的真言。声音那裡来呀？你说：是空气振动经过神经，所以变成声音。那是给喜欢理论的人的解说。其实，声音本身空无自性。那空无自性怎么有声音？本来没有东西，怎么会显现成声音？佛的咒音！都是佛性现出来的。

English Translation (Segment 71):

What is the highest teaching? Here we call it the 'Vajrayāna,' the 'Esoteric Vehicle.' These are just names we give it; actually, the Buddha already taught this when he was alive, and it was especially brought by the great master Padmasambhava. It is when the time is right, because you have gone through the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna and now have a foundation! Without this foundation, you can't do it! If you haven't gone through elementary school, middle school, and university, can you study in graduate school? No! It's the same. The highest teaching of the Buddha-dharma—at the very end, the Buddha finally spoke the truth: "All appearances¹ are the manifestation of the Dharmakāya!" All appearances, space, time, the sentient and the insentient, material and living things, all of it is Dharmakāya, all of it is the Buddha's pure land! The objective realm is the Buddha's pure land. The sentient beings we see, every single one is your chosen deity, your "Deity," the body of the Buddha! Every sentient being, every single pore, is Him/Her! Where do you look for the pure land? Go to the West to find Amitābha's pure land? It is right here in this very moment! If your wisdom is high, you have no "Impure Perception." The "Perception" received through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind is sensory experience. When your wisdom has opened, the clouds and mist of delusion are cleared away. Your "Perception" itself becomes pure "Perception." All that is reflected is the Buddha's pure land. This is the highest teaching. "Each and Every Being" is a "Deity"! Sounds—the sound of birds flying in the sky, the sound of everyone writing on paper—all sounds are the Buddha's mantra-sound, the Buddha's true words. Where does sound come from? You say: "It is the vibration of air passing through the nerves, which then becomes sound." That is an explanation for people who like theories. In truth, sound itself is empty and without self-nature. If it is empty and without self-nature, how can there be sound? If there was originally nothing, how can it manifest as sound? It is the Buddha's mantra-sound! It is all manifested by the Buddha-nature.

Annotations (for Segment 71):

¹ 一切相 (yīqiè xiàng): All appearances. 相 (xiàng) here refers to all phenomena that appear to consciousness.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 72: Section 拾, Paragraph 9)

那我们的思想呢？声音还有高低、长短能够分别，它当然是没有相，总是还有Voice 有Sound，这是报身的境界，佛的。思想呢？我能够知道你心裡想甚么。那是我刚讲的空慧，空的智慧証到相当高的人，注意到你，就知道你心裡想什么。他真正証到那个、入到那个「空的智慧」境界。人的思想本身，就是Dharmakaya，法身境界。无形、无相、无色！你不知道，看不出来，但是，你怎么能够移动你的身体，说出话来？你心不动，动不了！身、口都是受『意』的指挥出来的，意是君王，身口是奴隶！那意怎么动呢？动了，我们也看不出来呀！有没有颜色？有没有味道？在那裡动？都不知道！法身，佛的法身。声音是诸佛的报身，显现出来的是佛的净土，各位每一个众生都是Deity！

English Translation (Segment 72):

And what about our thoughts? Sound can still be distinguished as high or low, long or short; though it is certainly without form,¹ there is still "Voice," there is "Sound." This is the state of the Saṃbhogakāya, of the Buddha. And thoughts? "I am able to know what you are thinking in your mind." That is the wisdom of emptiness I just spoke of. A person who has realized the wisdom of emptiness to a considerably high degree, if they pay attention to you, will know what you are thinking. They have truly realized that, entered into that state of the "wisdom of emptiness." Human thought itself is the Dharmakāya, the state of the Dharmakāya. Formless, signless,² colorless! You don't know it, you can't see it, but how are you able to move your body and speak words? If your mind does not move, you cannot move! The body and speech are both commanded by the 'mind' (意). The mind is the monarch, body and speech are the slaves! So how does the mind move? It moves, but we cannot see it! Does it have a color? Does it have a taste? Where does it move? We don't know any of this! It is the Dharmakāya, the Buddha's Dharmakāya. Sound is the Saṃbhogakāya of all Buddhas. What manifests is the Buddha's pure land. Every single one of you sentient beings is a "Deity"!

Annotations (for Segment 72):

¹ 没有相 (méiyǒu xiàng): without form/appearance.

² 无相 (wúxiàng): "signless." This is a mandatory translation. Here it reinforces the intangible nature of thought.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 73: Section 拾, Paragraph 10)

知道了这个，然后以这个正见为基础，去禅修。修定、修慧，定之后有慧，慧之后，定慧合一。这样的境界，密宗就称为『一味』，显教叫做『定慧等持』。禅修的步骤，先专一、离戏，第叁个是一味，第四个呢？无修。所谓专一，就是定。你的心，定在一点都不动，不受环境的影响，不会散乱、不会昏沈。把心安伏下来，你才能是用很平稳的心的状态，去想想诸佛所讲的『一切都无自性』，开发空的智慧。这是修慧，我们叫做『离戏』。我们从眼耳鼻舌身意蒐集来的资讯，通通是Impure Perception的关係，都是戏论！最简单而明显的是：觉得这个是我、那是你。那已经是根本的颠倒了，但我们没办法！在定中，你能够修到离戏，有空的智慧。定中是：我知道无我，我是假的，根本、本来就没有我，所以无我也是多余的。定中知道得很清楚，出定呢？又没有了！为什么？这个禅定的功夫跟Action(行愿)，在实际生活裡，还没有融合。

English Translation (Segment 73):

Knowing this, you then use this right view as your foundation and go practice meditation. You cultivate concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (prajñā); after concentration there is wisdom, and after wisdom, concentration and wisdom unite. Such a state is called 'one taste'¹ in the esoteric schools, and in the exoteric schools it is called 'the equal abiding of concentration and wisdom.' The steps of meditation practice are: first, one-pointedness; second, freedom from conceptual elaboration; third is one taste; and the fourth? No-meditation. So-called one-pointedness is concentration. Your mind is fixed on one point and does not move, it is not influenced by the environment, it is not scattered, it is not dull. Once you have settled the mind, only then can you, in a very stable state of mind, contemplate what all the Buddhas have taught—'everything is without self-nature'—and develop the wisdom of emptiness. This is the cultivation of wisdom; we call it 'freedom from conceptual elaboration.'² The information we gather through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind is all related to "Impure Perception"; it is all conceptual proliferation!³ The simplest and most obvious example is feeling "this is me, that is you." That is already a fundamental inversion, but we can't help it! In concentration, you can cultivate to the point of being free from conceptual elaboration and have the wisdom of emptiness. In concentration, it's like: "I know there is no self, I am unreal, fundamentally and originally there is no I, so even 'no-self' is superfluous." You know this very clearly in concentration, but upon exiting concentration? It's gone again! Why? The skill of meditative concentration has not yet merged with "Action" (vows and practice) in actual daily life.

Annotations (for Segment 73):

¹ 一味 (yīwèi): "One taste" (ekarasa). A term from Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen signifying the experience where all dualities, such as subject/object, saṃsāra/nirvāṇa, and self/other, dissolve into a single, unified experience.

² 离戏 (líxì): "Freedom from complexity/fabrication." The Tibetan equivalent is spros bral. It refers to going beyond all conceptual constructs, elaborations, and dualistic extremes.

³ 戏论 (xìlùn): The Sanskrit prapañca, often translated as conceptual proliferation, fabrication, or elaboration. It refers to the tendency of the conceptual mind to multiply thoughts and ideas around a sensory experience, creating a complex and deluded reality.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 74: Section 拾, Paragraph 11)

所以，第叁个是一味，定跟慧都不分了，两个合而为一，『你、我』『能、所』合一了，没有二元的境界叫One Taste，一味。就是没有你我，没有能所！我们都是有能所、有对立呀！ 我看到什么、我听到什么，这是能所的对立的境界。你在修定、禅修念佛的时候，能亲証到一味；显教就叫定慧等持；等于说是你『能所』都消失了，在一元境界，没有在二元戏论裡头。然后『无修』。那出定了做人做事，你已经『幻身成就』，秘密在这裡了！为什么你能够在日常生活裡，出定入定一样呢？因为你幻身成就了！你Illusory Body修成功，在心轮那裡有，假如我修到，我一看，就知道你修有了；如果我没有修成功这个，就是你幻身在心轮裡头，我也看不出来。因为，外表跟他还没有成就以前完全一样，没有差别！No difference at all！并不是说，你幻身成就了，你外表就红光满面，或肤色有什么变化。塬来廋廋的、小小的，黄色皮肤，就是那个样子。但是，他已经幻身成就在心轮裡头。但是，要你真正自己成就的人才看得到！他的心已经变成Pure Perception，净幻身。他的心从『他的幻身的心』这里出现、这裡用，所以出定、入定一样！8不是说：「你出定、入定都一样保持那个境界。」。这是最大的秘密，最高级的「幻身成就」的教授。

English Translation (Segment 74):

Therefore, the third is one taste. Concentration and wisdom are no longer separate; the two merge into one. 'You and I,' 'subject and object,' merge into one. The non-dual state is called "One Taste," one taste. It means there is no you and I, no subject and object! We are always in a state of subject and object, of opposition! "I see something," "I hear something"—this is the oppositional state of subject and object. When you are cultivating concentration, meditating, or reciting the Buddha's name, you can directly realize one taste; in the exoteric schools this is called the equal abiding of concentration and wisdom. This is to say that your 'subject and object' have both disappeared, you are in a non-dual state, no longer in the dualistic conceptual proliferation. Then, 'no-meditation.'¹ Now, when you exit concentration to live your life and handle affairs, you have already 'attained the illusory body.' The secret is right here! Why are you able to be the same in daily life as you are in concentration? Because you have attained the illusory body! You have successfully cultivated the "Illusory Body," it is there in the heart cakra. If I had cultivated it, I could take one look and know that you have cultivated it. If I have not successfully cultivated this, then even if your illusory body is in your heart cakra, I cannot see it either. Because, externally, the person is completely the same as before they attained it, there is no difference! "No difference at all!" It's not to say that after you attain the illusory body, your face will be glowing red or there will be some change in your skin color. If you were originally thin, small, with yellow skin, you will still look that way. But he has already attained the illusory body within his heart cakra. However, only someone who has truly attained it themselves can see it! His mind has already become "Pure Perception," the pure illusory body. His mind emerges from here, from 'the mind of his illusory body,' and is used from here, which is why exiting and entering concentration are the same! It is not a matter of "maintaining that state equally whether in or out of concentration." This is the greatest secret, the most advanced teaching on the 'attainment of the illusory body.'

Annotations (for Segment 74):

¹ 无修 (wúxiū): "No-meditation" or "non-meditation." The Tibetan equivalent is sgom med. This is the fourth and final stage, where effort is no longer needed because the realization of one taste has become a continuous, spontaneous state. The practice has become effortless.

Interleaved Original Text, English Translation, and Annotations

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 75: Section 拾壹, Paragraph 1)

拾壹、大手印的秘密 最后，我再报告为什么我们心的自性、心的本体不容易看。根本净光，就是我们的心的本地风光，也就是心的源头，为什么我们不容易看到？第一个塬因：真正的、我们的佛心Too close，太近了。我们要看纸上的字，太近，你能够读吗？太接近我们了！生下来到现在，那一个人自己看到自己的脸？因为太近了嘛，所以看不见！这个RIGPA，是因为这个道理，我们不容易认到它。太近了！每天用的是它，就像自己没办法看到自己的脸一样的，不容易认到，这是第一个塬因。

English Translation (Segment 75):

Section XI: The Secret of Mahāmudrā

Finally, I will report on why the self-nature of our mind, the fundamental essence of the mind, is not easy to see. The fundamental clear light is the original ground and scenery of our mind, which is the source of the mind. Why is it not easy for us to see? The first reason: The true, our Buddha-mind is "Too close," it is too near. When we want to read the words on a piece of paper, if it's too close, can you read it? It is too close to us! From birth until now, which person has ever seen their own face? Because it is too close, you cannot see it! This RIGPA—it is for this reason that we do not easily recognize it. It's too close! We use it every day, just like being unable to see one's own face; it is not easy to recognize. This is the first reason.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 76: Section 拾壹, Paragraph 2)

第二个塬因：这RIGPA会显现很多的境相，让你经验，所有我们现在看到、听到，都是它的经验。这个Experience太深了，莫测高深！好像我们在海边看大海，想知道海多深，你能够测量它吗？无法测量！一样的，我们的心，能够让我们经验的那个～深不可测。所以，我们跟本没有办法了解这个RIGPA！

English Translation (Segment 76):

The second reason: This RIGPA can manifest many phenomena for you to experience. Everything we now see and hear is its experience. This "Experience" is too profound, unfathomably deep! It's like when we are at the seashore looking at the great ocean; if you want to know how deep the sea is, can you measure it? It's impossible to measure! It is the same with our mind; that which allows us to experience is unfathomably deep. Therefore, we fundamentally have no way to understand this RIGPA!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 77: Section 拾壹, Paragraph 3)

最后，密宗明心见性，就是禅宗的顿悟法门。「直指人心，见性成佛」那一下子，在密宗的修法，叫做『大手印』教授，直接看到你心的塬来面目。这一种指导，Instruction，我们叫MAHAMUDRA，大手印。大手印太简单了，Too easy！因为太简单，所以你就没有办法认到它！Too easy！你问问那真正的大修行人，像宗萨仁波切等，因为丁果仁波切、敦珠法王都走了。问他们真正亲証到『心的本体』、『心自性』，禅宗讲的本地风光的人，『那么简单，你怎么不会呀？』。Too easy的关係，我们没有办法做，这有一点怪怪的呢！

English Translation (Segment 77):

Finally, in the esoteric schools, "apprehending the mind and seeing one's nature" is the Chan school's method of sudden awakening. That moment of "directly pointing to the human mind, seeing one's nature and becoming a Buddha"—in the practice methods of the esoteric schools, this is called the 'Mahāmudrā' teaching, to directly see the original face of your mind. This kind of guidance, this "Instruction," we call MAHAMUDRA, the Great Seal. Mahāmudrā is too simple, "Too easy"! Because it is too simple, you have no way to recognize it! "Too easy!" If you ask those truly great practitioners, like Dzongsar Rinpoche and others—because Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Dudjom Rinpoche have already passed away—ask those people who have truly and directly realized the 'fundamental essence of the mind,' the 'self-nature of the mind,' what the Chan school calls the original ground and scenery, they would say, 'It's so simple, how can you not get it?'. Because it is "Too easy," we are unable to do it. This is a bit strange, isn't it!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 78: Section 拾壹, Paragraph 4)

第叁个是：成佛的境界太神妙、太美妙。我们的思想，好像很窄的一条沟，大海的水，要从这么小的沟里，一下流过去，能吗？一样的！佛的境界的美妙、神妙，不是我们人这么小小的脑：妄想一大堆的二元境界裡滚的那一种思想能够知道它的。这叫做Inlightmence too excellent，太神妙、太神奇！你看这多怪，第一个是太近Too close，第二个是佛心的经验；实际上，我们所有的经验，都是心、心本体的经验。我举一个例子，这里有银幕，你要映什么电影，它都可以做，拿什么片子来，它就给你做，是不是？心就是银幕一样，它所有经验都没有问题，你来做什么，我就现出什么给你。一样呀！这佛心的经验！这个味道有一点不对，也只能这样讲。实在难讲这个境界。

English Translation (Segment 78):

The third is: the state of attaining Buddhahood is too wondrous, too marvelous. Our thinking is like a very narrow ditch. Can the water of the great ocean flow through such a small ditch all at once? It can't! It's the same! The marvel and wonder of the Buddha's state is not something that can be known by our tiny human brains, by the kind of thought that rolls around in a dualistic state full of delusions. This is called "Enlightenment is too excellent," too wondrous, too miraculous! See how strange this is? The first is that it is too near, "Too close." The second is the experience of the Buddha-mind; actually, all of our experiences are experiences of the mind, of the mind's fundamental essence. Let me give an example. Here is a screen; whatever movie you want to project, it can do it. Whatever film you bring, it will project it for you, right? The mind is just like a screen. It has no problem with any experience. "Whatever you bring to do, I will manifest it for you." It's the same! This experience of the Buddha-mind! The flavor of this analogy is a little off, but this is the only way to put it. It is truly difficult to speak of this state.

Note: There appears to be a numbering error in the source text, as it presents three points but labels the last one as the third, skipping from "The second reason" directly to a final point. The translation maintains the speaker's sequence.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 79: Section 拾壹, Paragraph 5)

心本身，好像银幕一样，你拿什么片子来照，我都如实的给你放映，所有的，我们现在、过去、未来时间的经验、空间的经验。到美国西海岸，要坐喷射机十几个小时，好远哪！那个远的感觉，这个距离的长短，心没有动，没有时间的！你觉得『哎呀！那么久还没到！』，那是心作用了，才有时间的观念。从这裡走到候教授那裡，一、二、叁步就到了，好像是可以测量那个长度，我们认为距离是真的东西，你心没有动，有没有距离呀？你心想叁步就到了，那个是心的念头一起，才有距离！所有一切就是心本身，能够经验就是心本身！；太莫测高深了。

English Translation (Segment 79):

The mind itself is like a screen; whatever film you bring to project, I will faithfully project it for you—all of it, our experiences of present, past, and future time, our experiences of space. To get to the West Coast of the United States, you have to take a jet for over ten hours. So far away! That feeling of distance, the length of this distance—the mind has not moved, there is no time! When you feel, 'Oh! It's been so long and we're still not there!', that is the mind functioning, and only then is there the concept of time. To walk from here to Professor Hou's place, it takes one, two, three steps to arrive. It seems like the length can be measured, we believe that distance is a real thing. But if your mind doesn't move, is there any distance? When you think, "I can get there in three steps," it is only when that thought of the mind arises that distance exists! Everything is the mind itself; the ability to experience is the mind itself! It is too unfathomably profound.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 80: Section 拾壹, Paragraph 6)

第叁个呢？大手印、顿悟的法门，太容易了！真正亲証到心的本体的修行者说：『哎呀，这么简单，你怎么不会！』。太过简单，所以大家不会。为什么简单？他说：『只要你，不要东想西想，妄想都不要，轻轻的把你的心安放在它的本来的、塬来的面目上就对了。』但是，我们就不敢放呀，也不会放呀！叫你放，就：『安呢耶塞麦？』(这样可以吗？)。那个，就是你的妄想！放了，「对吗？」，又是你又随便来了，又头上安头了！「耶，这样吗？」「嗯？不对、不对」「这样就对了」「耶、这个也是不对！」。就是lightly(很轻轻的) rest in your nature of Mind！轻轻的把你的心，放在本来的、它那个安祥的、本来的、明明觉觉的，它的本位上就对了！做得到的人说：「这么简单，怎么不会呢？」。Too Easy, MahaMudra！顿悟，就是那么简单！

English Translation (Segment 80):

The third one? Mahāmudrā, the method of sudden awakening, is too easy! Practitioners who have truly and directly realized the fundamental essence of the mind say: 'Oh, it's so simple, how can you not get it!'. It is too simple, so nobody gets it. Why is it simple? He says: 'All you have to do is not think about this and that; have no deluded thoughts at all. Just lightly rest your mind on its original, primordial face, and that's it.' But we don't dare to let it rest, and we don't know how! You're told to let it rest, and you think: 'Can it be like this?'¹ (Taiwanese). That is your delusion! You let it rest, and then, "Is this right?"—there you go again, randomly adding a head on top of a head!² "Huh, is it like this?" "Hmm? No, no, that's not right." "This way is right." "Huh, this is also not right!" It is just to "lightly rest in your nature of Mind!" Just lightly place your mind on its original, peaceful, primordial, luminously knowing, original state, and that is all. Those who can do it say: "It's so simple, how can you not get it?" "Too Easy, Mahamudra!" Sudden awakening is just that simple!

Annotations (for Segment 80):

¹ 安呢耶塞麦？ (Ān ne iā sài mài?): A Taiwanese Hokkien phrase expressing doubt and uncertainty, meaning "Is it okay to do it like this?" or "Can it really be this way?"

² 头上安头 (tóu shàng ān tóu): A classic Chan/Zen idiom meaning to add something superfluous, to complicate what is originally simple, like "piling a head on top of a head that's already there."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 81: Section 拾壹, Paragraph 7)

但是，悟后要起修喔！悟后没有起修的话，你一起来，就什么都没有，又失掉了！我们在日常生活裡，不一定打坐才能够看到那个根本净光，就我们在擤鼻涕，『ㄎㄥ～』那个时候，哎，看到那个鼻涕，「哦，多了、黄了」，这个要看看什么颜色，那已经没有了。『ㄎㄥ～』那一下子，一闪，过去了。想要擤鼻涕，那个还不是，正在做的时候，『嗯～』什么念头都没有，空的！那一下子，那是一闪，你也认不到。一百公尺跑完了，『ㄏㄜ、ㄏㄜ、ㄏㄜ』(气喘如牛)，什么念头都没有，『哎呀！累了！』又不是了！It’s confusion discursive consciousness，又在混乱颠倒的意识裡头，『哎呀！太累了！』，Discursive Consciousness，已经在我们轮迴的、妄想的凡夫境界。那当下跑完的时候，那『ㄏㄜ、ㄏㄜ、ㄏㄜ』，一闪，过去了。『哎哟！不得了！』，哎、哎，又来了，又是凡夫的轮迴境界了！

English Translation (Segment 81):

But, after awakening, you must begin to practice! If you do not practice after awakening, the moment you get up, there is nothing, it is lost again! In our daily lives, it's not necessarily only in seated meditation that we can see that fundamental clear light. For instance, when we blow our nose, "KER-CHOO!" At that moment... ugh, you see the mucus, "Oh, there's a lot, it's yellow"—this desire to see what color it is, and it's already gone. That "KER-CHOO," that one instant, it flashed and passed. The desire to blow your nose is not it. It's while you are doing it, "HNNNG"—no thought whatsoever, empty! That one instant, that was a flash, and you don't even recognize it. You finish running a hundred meters, "HAH, HAH, HAH" (panting like an ox), no thought whatsoever. Then, "Oh! I'm tired!"—that's not it anymore! "It's confusion, discursive consciousness." You are again in the midst of confused, inverted consciousness. "Oh! So tired!" "Discursive Consciousness," you are already in the ordinary state of a deluded being in saṃsāra. But in the instant after finishing the run, that "HAH, HAH, HAH," it flashed and passed. Then, "Oh my! That was incredible!"—oh, oh, here it comes again, it's the ordinary saṃsāric state again!

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 82: Concluding Remarks)

所以，大手印too easy，我们没有自信，都是怀疑『这个对吗？』『难道这么简单吗？』，这个又丢了！又掉了！就这么一回事。第四个是：如果你能够善护念，能够把这个境界Developed，Stabilized，稳定化，并把它扩张的话，太美妙、太美妙，所有的神通变化，都从心的本体的这个，它本身具有，何其自性本自具足！我们就用这一句话，做今天的结语，谢谢各位！ 我所讲的这个，是大家『心』的经验，(大众鼓掌)。听到声音的时候，大家都说『耶！很多人拍手的声音。』，声音都是拍手的声音，这个念头去不掉，都有这个经验。「喔！这是大家拍手的声音」「哎！这是你讲得好！」，这个就是执着，就是轮迴的动因。根本没有这个东西耶！显现出来这个声音，是佛的法身的那个Wonderful Mind，Nature Mind它Manifestation，它的一个Sambhgakaya，报身境界，就是声音耶！那我们就不是、就抓了！我们不但对声音这样，对自己的相，抓得更紧！我漂亮、我是女的，我的头髮怎么样。睡觉的时候，你都知道你烫成什么头髮！身相拿不掉，你怎么能够成佛呢？相都执着了，还说要把我执拿掉，那是不可能的！为了要去掉身相，所以我们要修『生起次第』嘛！把自己观成释迦牟尼、观世音菩萨，或把自己观成阿弥陀佛，生起次第，是不是？就是为了要去掉我们对身相的执着。

English Translation (Segment 82):

So, Mahāmudrā is "too easy," and we lack confidence; we are always doubting, "Is this right?" "Could it really be this simple?" And so it's lost again! Dropped again! That's all it is. The fourth is: if you can skillfully protect this mindfulness, if you can have this state "Developed," "Stabilized," make it stable, and expand it, it is too marvelous, too marvelous. All of the supernormal powers and transformations come from this fundamental essence of the mind. It possesses them inherently. "How unexpected! The self-nature is originally self-sufficient!" We will use this sentence as today's conclusion. Thank you, everyone! (Audience applauds). What I have been talking about is everyone's experience of the 'mind.' When you hear the sound, everyone says, "Hey! The sound of many people clapping." The sound is the sound of clapping; this thought cannot be removed, everyone has this experience. "Oh! This is the sound of everyone clapping." "Hey! This is because you spoke well!" This is clinging, this is the moving cause of saṃsāra. This thing fundamentally doesn't exist! This sound that manifests is the "Wonderful Mind" of the Buddha's Dharmakāya, the "Nature Mind's" "Manifestation," it is one of its "Saṃbhogakāya" states, the state of the enjoyment body—that is the sound! But we don't see it that way; we grasp! Not only do we do this with sound, we grasp our own appearance even more tightly! "I am beautiful, I am female, look at my hair." Even when you're sleeping, you know what kind of hairstyle you have! If you cannot let go of the appearance of the body, how can you attain Buddhahood? You are clinging to appearances, yet you talk about getting rid of self-grasping? That's impossible! In order to eliminate the appearance of the body, we must practice the 'generation stage,' right? To visualize ourselves as Śākyamuni, as Guanyin Bodhisattva, or to visualize ourselves as Amitābha Buddha—the generation stage, isn't that it? It is precisely for the purpose of eliminating our clinging to the appearance of the body.

Translator's Commentary

Introduction:

This text is a transcript of a public lecture by Dr. Hong Wenliang, a medical doctor, titled "Why Spiritual Practice is Not Easy to Get Started On." The style is colloquial, conversational, and aimed at a lay audience of Buddhist practitioners who feel they are "not getting anywhere." The lecture is notable for its syncretic approach, seamlessly blending core concepts from early Buddhism (the Four Noble Truths), Mahāyāna (Emptiness, Yogācāra), Chan/Zen (original ground and scenery, sudden awakening), and advanced Vajrayāna (the six yogas, Clear Light, illusory body, Mahāmudrā). The speaker's primary goal is practical: to diagnose common pitfalls—from pride and wrong views to subtle errors in advanced meditation—and to reorient the practitioner towards a direct, experiential understanding (亲证, direct realization) over theoretical knowledge.

Translation Choices for Key Terminology:

The translation adhered strictly to the provided mandatory terminology. Key applications include:

• 無自性 (wú zìxìng) was consistently translated as "without self-nature."
• 一合相 (yī hé xiàng) was translated as "one aggregated appearance," referring to the composite self.
• 空 (kōng) was translated as "emptiness," but the speaker's specific, positive framing of it as "limitless potential" was faithfully rendered in the translation.
• 相 (xiàng) was handled according to the five-step guideline. It was translated as "appearance" in general phenomenal contexts (e.g., 色相, appearance of color), "perception" in psychological contexts (我相, perception of a self), and "signless" for 無相 (wúxiàng).
• A crucial distinction in the text is between the true mind (真心, RIGPA) and the ordinary mind (攀缘心, SEM). I translated 攀缘心 (pānyuán xīn), literally "climbing-on-conditions mind," as "grasping mind" or "clinging mind" to convey its dualistic function of grasping at objects.
• 乐、明、无念 (lè, míng, wúniàn), the three meditative experiences, were translated as "bliss, clarity, and non-conceptuality/non-thought," reflecting their standard meaning as pitfalls when clung to.
• 幻身 (huànshēn) was translated as "illusory body," the māyādeha of the completion stage yogas.

Contextual and Doctrinal Explanations:

• The Teapot Analogy: The lecture's foundation is Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's analogy of the three faults of a teapot (upside-down/unreceptive, leaky/forgetful, poisoned/wrong views). This provides a simple, memorable framework for the common obstacles to learning.
• The Two Minds (SEM vs. RIGPA): The core of the talk is the distinction between the ordinary, deluded, "grasping mind" (攀缘心, SEM) and the "true mind" (真心, RIGPA). The speaker argues that the fundamental error of practice is mistaking SEM for RIGPA, like a family raising a swapped child as their own. All of dualism, the self-view (我见), and the emotional afflictions arise from this initial misidentification.
• Progression of Views: The speaker presents a classic three-vehicle (yāna) model of Buddhist teaching. Hīnayāna sees phenomena as real but impermanent. Mahāyāna sees them as illusory and empty (空无自性). The highest teaching, Vajrayāna, sees all phenomena as the sacred manifestation of the Dharmakāya—a "pure perception." This hierarchy is used to explain why certain teachings are introduced only after a student has a firm foundation.
• Vajrayāna Concepts: The lecture introduces advanced concepts from the esoteric schools in an accessible manner. The "Son Clear Light" (realized in meditation) is presented as a practice to familiarize oneself with the "Mother Clear Light" (which dawns at death). The ultimate purpose of this is the attainment of the "illusory body" (幻身), which is explained as the secret to non-dual, post-meditation practice.
• Mahāmudrā: The final section on Mahāmudrā ("The Great Seal") emphasizes that the ultimate realization is "too easy," "too close," and "too profound" for the conceptual mind to grasp, and that it is our own doubt and conceptual overlay that obscure it.

Ambiguities and Challenges:

The primary challenge was translating a spoken lecture into fluid, readable English while preserving its informal, didactic, and sometimes repetitive style. The speaker frequently uses English words ("Mind," "Distortion," "Shock," "Clarity") which were retained to reflect the original flavor. Colloquial Taiwanese Hokkien phrases (安呢耶塞麦？, 阿有法度！) were translated and annotated to convey their meaning and the talk's specific cultural context. The structure could be rambling, and I chose to smooth the flow slightly for clarity without altering the sequence or content of the arguments.

Structural and Stylistic Choices:

The translation sought to maintain the tone of a live lecture. Rhetorical questions, direct addresses to the audience ("Everyone," "Professor Lin?"), and moments of emphasis ("Ha!", "Wrong!") were preserved. Paragraph breaks were aligned with the logical shifts in the speaker's monologue. The goal was to create a text that reads not as a dense philosophical treatise, but as an engaging and direct teaching from a knowledgeable practitioner to his peers.