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Below is the translation presented paragraph by paragraph. Each paragraph is followed immediately by its original Chinese text. Footnotes/annotations appear (if needed) after the original text. Because of message length limits, this translation will be continued across multiple messages. No part of the text is omitted or paraphrased.
Paragraph 1
English Translation:
Therefore, Chán is not about sitting. What is called “sitting” is not simply being unmoving; rather, having the mind be free of attachments is called true sitting. That is our real sitting—it is Chán. Chán is liberation in the midst of activity, not rest in a state of stillness. It is extremely lively and possesses innumerable wondrous functions. In the midst of the endless changes occurring in an instant, one awakens to emptiness and can immediately utilize the six sense faculties, the six sense objects, and the six consciousnesses, transforming them into something of one’s self-nature. That is the original face.
Original Text:
所以禅不是坐。所谓坐，不动不名为坐，心无所著名为真坐。那个才是我们真正的坐，是禅。禅是动态里面的解脱，不是静态里面的休息。它很活跃的，有无量的妙用，在瞬息万变里面它悟到空性，而当下就可以运用六根、六尘、六识转为自性的东西，那个才是本来的面目。
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English Translation:
So today, as you listen to this Chán, everyone should apply your mind a bit. Chán is the true aspect of the Dharma-realm, the common aspect of life, the embodiment of the non-dual Dharma gate, and also the direct perception of the Dharma.
Original Text:
所以今天听这个禅，诸位要稍微用心一点。禅是法界的实相，生命的共相，不二法门的体现，也是法的现量。
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English Translation:
Buddhadharma has inference (比量) and direct perception (现量). What we call inference is a rational understanding, which can be grasped using logic. As for direct perception—in the Chán school, we speak of this as the immediate “here and now,” which is free of conceptualizing and forgetting words, something you alone know as hot or cold. Suppose someone who investigates Chán experiences awakening—how could I possibly explain my awakening to you? From beginning to end, there remains a layer of fog between us. You might think: “Oh, the teacher speaks of suchness, of being unmoved, of not changing while following conditions.” Yet all of these are merely concepts within your consciousness, speculating about “unchanging while following conditions,” or “following conditions without changing.” Inevitably, you fall into the conceptual divide of a subject who knows and an object that is known.
Original Text:
佛法有比量跟现量。所谓比量，是理性的认知，可以用logic来理解。而现量，禅宗里面讲的当下，那是绝虑忘言、冷暖自知的。一个参禅悟道的人，我悟道我怎么跟你讲，你始终隔着一层雾。你会想：“哦，师父讲，如如、不动、不变、随缘”，都是用意识里面的那个观念在推测，不变随缘，随缘不变的观念是什么，永远落入能、所对立的思想。
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English Translation:
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Original Text:
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English Translation:
Therefore, we say that Chán is the pinnacle of our rationality and wisdom. It is not something that can be resolved by ordinary worldly cleverness. Chán is the sublimation of humanistic spirit and the highest achievement humanity strives to create by moving forward and upward. One must reach this state to be at ease in existence while also transcending it. Since we exist, we face this real society; at the same time, we transcend it, remaining both free and unbound. We leave behind a life bound by clinging and dwell peacefully in every time and space. In other words, we live a normal life in the phenomenal world while holding the mind of the universe.
Original Text:
所以說禪是我們理性跟智性的登峰造極，這不是一般世間人聰明就可以解決的，禪是人文精神的昇華，是人們向前、向上努力創建的最高成就，人們必須達到這個境界才能陶然於存在又超越。既存在，就是面臨這個現實的社會，當下又去超越它，既自在又灑脫，既離執著的生活境界而安祥於每一個時空，也就是說，懷著宇宙的心過活你現象界的正常人生。
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English Translation:
This sentence is marvelous. I will say it again—“Carry the mind of the universe and live an ordinary life in the phenomenal world.” Do you sense it? Holding the universe—the universe is measureless, boundless, and endless space—and with such vast openness of mind, we live in the phenomenal world of the present. Phenomena refer to your daily activities: you must eat, you must wear clothes, right? You need to form relationships. These are everyday matters. It means living every moment of your life with a mind as spacious as the emptiness of space itself.
Original Text:
這一句話太棒了，我再講一遍——懷著宇宙的心過活現象界的正常人生。體會出來嗎？懷著宇宙，宇宙就是無量無邊，無止境的虛空，那麼大的胸量過活我們現在現象界的生活，現象就是你的起居作習，你必須吃飯，你必須穿衣對不對？你必須與人際交關係，這一些平常的生活。就是懷著如同虛空的胸量，過活你每一個生命的每一個點。
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English Translation:
1991:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik-NU3K28zc
http://www.xuefo.net/nr/article29/291802.html
Original Text:
1991:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik-NU3K28zc
http://www.xuefo.net/nr/article29/291802.html
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English Translation:
Next is “illuminating” (照). What we call illumination is the meaning of wondrous function. The fundamental essence of true reality (实相) cannot be explained by mere stillness, penetrating insight, peacefulness, or absoluteness. It also entails a power of illumination. This character “照” signifies the power of non-artificial action (无作), which requires no contrived effort. It naturally possesses the ability to observe and illuminate, as well as the ability of limitless miraculous functions and spiritual powers—this is quiescent illumination (寂照).
As for its basis: the words [we use] rely on it; the fundamental nature is realized by it. This refers to what is realized by contemplative insight. That is to say, when you cultivate the practice of contemplating and observing (观照), in the end, you still must awaken to your pure and absolute fundamental nature. Below “what is realized by contemplative insight,” four characters are written: “not arising and not ceasing (不生不灭).” This “not arising and not ceasing” is not easy to describe. Let me elaborate here, and you must listen carefully.
What we call “not arising and not ceasing”—we say: it is not that “arising” stands in opposition to “ceasing,” nor that “ceasing” stands in opposition to “arising.” It means that arising and ceasing are, at once, empty illusions without reality. All of it is created by your mistaken perception. Yet you cannot abandon that perceptual error; rather, you must awaken to the principle of not arising and not ceasing within it. We speak of the true emptiness of reality (真空之体) and the not arising and not ceasing of Nirvāṇa, which is not some unchanging thing you imagine in your mind, nor should you visualize “not arising and not ceasing” as a kind of eternity like space. Nor should you think, “not arising and not ceasing means I ignore everything, let go, or abandon,” because that too is incorrect. Similarly, if you assume there is some not arising and not ceasing inside the midst of arising and ceasing, that is also incorrect. This is quite tricky. Unless you experience awakening, no matter how it is explained, you will always fall into dualities.
I will now give an example: if you understand it, you will instantly have a great breakthrough; if you do not understand it, it can still serve as an inspiration. Listen attentively to what is meant by “not arising and not ceasing” from a few angles. Suppose there is a diamond set in a certain place—does it command you to be greedy for it? No. It is naturally resting there, entirely unmoving. Everything only arises because you move your mind and discriminate, labeling it “good,” “valuable,” or “not good.” Hence you start generating mental activity. Before you came to be born in this world, you did not know it at all. But after you were born, you then strongly clung to it; this becomes a strong arising and ceasing. Because our mind-consciousness of arising and ceasing functions as the raw material of life, combined with karmic forces from previous lives, it transforms into the physical body of this present lifetime. This physical body thus becomes the consciousness of common karmic conditions, fixated on arising and ceasing.
Hence, at this point, all we can do is to keep our minds like still waters—clearly seeing this world without thinking about good or bad. Right then and there is your original face. Once you clarify your fundamental nature of not arising and not ceasing, in that instant you sever the karmic forces accumulated from beginningless eons. In your next life, you will not come to be born here again. Why? Because you have no karmic forces. As soon as karmic forces are illuminated by awareness, the pure, absolute fundamental nature is revealed, and you cut off all delusion. Having cut off all delusion, there is no substance left for constructing a new existence. Therefore, from the perspective of our fundamental nature, we have a mind that remains pure and calm, not swayed by false discrimination or inversion. That is the original face. This is one way to explain “not arising and not ceasing.”
If we use a piece of tissue paper to further illustrate “not arising and not ceasing,” tissue paper itself is something that arises dependently and is empty in nature (缘起性空). Dependent origination is established through the mental constructs of all beings—it is formed by shared karmic consciousness rooted in arising and ceasing. Thus you see it having birth and death; it appears to have coming into existence and passing out of existence. This is but a shared illusion produced by the common karmic conditions of beings. From the standpoint of ordinary beings, it truly seems to have arising and ceasing. But from the viewpoint of fundamental nature, if you tear this piece of tissue paper in half, let me ask: does that tear your fundamental nature in half? No, it does not. In other words, the process of arising and ceasing is intrinsically empty in self-nature; let it arise or let it cease—there is no need for you to generate any thought about that. The moment you give rise to a thought about it, that is a total mistake. Let what is arising arise and what is ceasing cease; it has nothing to do with your fundamental nature. Right then and there, everything is thus and such. If that is still not clear, we can use another example:
Before we were born, we had no functioning at all. Father’s sperm and mother’s blood, just that little bit, eventually created what you now experience as your functioning mind. All of this is deluded thinking. Then, after a few decades, you return to your original face, which is complete emptiness. Hence, in emptiness, there is no form (色法). All form is an illusory appearance. There is no feeling, perception, volition, or consciousness; all forms of sensation, thought, action, and consciousness—these too are empty at their core. Reality itself is the true emptiness of essence, what we call “not arising and not ceasing.” And “not arising and not ceasing” does not exist outside arising-and-ceasing phenomena. Apart from the realm of arising and ceasing, you cannot find a fundamental nature that is not arising and not ceasing. One who awakens to this fundamental nature of not arising and not ceasing is no ordinary person. No matter how great an injustice or how painful a harm is inflicted, such a person does not even feel, “I am enduring this,” because from the start it never truly existed. What is there to endure? We speak of “patient endurance in the face of no birth” (无生法忍)—upon awakening to the principle of no birth, there is not even talk of “endurance.” Since nothing was ever established, what is there to endure? All phenomena ultimately cannot be obtained. The fundamental nature is perfect, luminous, and quiescent: quiescent yet always illuminating, illuminating yet always quiescent—clear and distinct. At the gates of the six sense faculties, there can be an earth-shaking movement! We call it the eye “seeing,” but the Buddha would say the eye “observes.” He does not watch through grasping consciousness; he observes through insight. You have “seeing,” which implies clinging; the Buddha “observes.” That is why Avalokiteśvara is “Observing the Sounds of the World” (观世音菩萨), meaning he contemplates the sufferings of all beings. “Observing” is to penetrate them thoroughly, whereas “seeing” is to cling. Therefore, the true emptiness of essence is what we illuminate and realize: “not arising and not ceasing.”
This is why in our Thirty Regulations it says, “Strive to suddenly clarify the ground of the mind.” That is to say, when studying Buddhism, the very first and most crucial lesson is to understand what the fundamental nature is. This is the root of how all Buddhas of the ten directions and three times attain awakening. If you do not awaken to the fundamental nature, your practice simply becomes an emotional flux. One day you earn money, and your mood improves; another day you run into misfortune, and your mood worsens—you cannot remain unmoved like that. Failing to realize true reality, you cannot be unmoved. There is no way! Alright, let us move on to the contemplative prajñā (观照般若). Contemplative prajñā is the function of true reality. True reality is the Dharmakāya, the principle, the perfectly luminous quiescent illumination that is not arising and not ceasing. And this contemplative insight—what does it do? It is for us to practice. Beneath “contemplative insight” we write two words: “put into action” (实行).
Original Text:
再来就是“照”,所谓照就是妙用的意思,实相的本体,还不能只是用寂静、透视、安详、绝对来解释,它还存在一种照的能力。这个“照”字就是无作的能力,不假任何的造作,具足有观照的能力,具足有无量的神通妙用的能力,就是寂照。这个所依,为文字所依,性体的所证,为观照所证,意思就是你修观照的功夫,到最后还是要证悟到你清净绝对的本性,为观照所证底下就写四个字,叫做:不生不灭。这不生不灭就不好讲了,我在这个地方再形容一下,你们务必要好好的听,所谓不生不灭,我们说:不是生,对灭讲的,也不是说灭,而对生讲的,意思就是说,生灭当下就是虚妄不实,一切都因为你的错觉而有生灭,但是你又不能放弃这个知觉的错觉,而悟到这个不生不灭的道理,我们讲真空之体,涅槃的不生不灭,不是你想像当中那一种不变的东西,或者是说你把它观想说,不生不灭就是一种永恒,就像虚空一样的,或者是说你把它观想说:这不生不灭大概是什么都不管,放下、放弃,那也不对!如果你把不生不灭当作说,在生灭里面有一种不生不灭,也不对!这很麻烦,这种东西,除非你开悟,否则講來講去,你都会落入两边的,你都会落入两边的东西。我现在举例子,如果你听得懂,你马上就彻悟,如果你听不懂的话,也可以给你一种启发。我现在注意讲,那你注意听什么叫做不生不灭,从几个角度来讲,譬如说这是一个钻石,放在这个地方,钻石有没有叫你贪?没有!它本来如如不动的放在这个地方,一切都是因为你起心动念,你强以分别它,所以说这是好的、这是贵重的、这是不好的,因此你起心动念,当你还没有来投胎这个世间的时候,你对它并不认识,当你来投胎出生以后,你有强烈对它有执著的观念,这就变成强烈的生灭,有我们这个生灭的心意识形态,作为生命的题材,就变成我们的色身,由前世的业力,转变到今生今世的色身,这个色身就变成共业所感的意识,生灭的执著,所以我们现在也只能做到心里的如如不动,你清清楚楚的看这个世间,你不思善,不思恶,就这个时候,就是你本来的面目,然后当你厘清楚了不生不灭自性的时候,你当下就了断无始劫以来的业力,来世你就不会来投胎,为什么?因为你没有业力,业力一观照的话,不生不灭的清净本性就显现出来,那你就断了一切的惑,断了一切的惑,你就没有做生命题材的东西。所以这个不生不灭,从我们本性来讲的话,我们有一个心,保持一个清净心、冷静的心,不受分别妄想颠倒左右,那个就是本来面目,这是一个角度来解释不生不灭。
如果用这一张卫生纸,来解释不生不灭来讲的话,这卫生纸本身是一种缘起性空的,缘起是借重一切众生的意识形态,所构成的共业生灭的意识观念,意识观念,所以你看它有生有灭,你看它有生有灭,这是众生的共业所感,所产生的一种幻觉,以众生的位来讲,这明明有生灭,但是就本性来讲,你撕掉这个卫生纸,我问你:你本性有没有撕成两半?有没有?没有!意思就是生灭当体就是自性本空,让它生灭,你并不必要为这个生灭法起一个动念,你起一个动念就完全错误,生者自生,灭者自灭,不干你本性的事情,当下即如如,一切都如。这样讲如果还不清楚,我们再举一个例子,当我们没有来投胎的时候,我们完全没有作用,父精母血那么一点点的东西,你现在有所作用的这一念,统统是颠倒、妄想,等到几十年以后,你就要回归到你本来的面目,就是一切空,所以是故空中无色法,一切色法都是妄相;无受想行识,一切的感受、思想、一切的行为造作,意识形态,第八意识的识,受想行识,亦复如是,统统当体即空。所以实相就是真空之体,就是所谓的不生不灭,而不生不灭不是离开生灭法,离开生灭法里面,找不到一个不生不灭的自性,悟到了这个不生不灭的自性,他就不是一个普通人了,一切的世间再大的委屈、再大的伤害,他也没有感觉:我在忍耐,因为它本来就是没有的东西,你要叫他讲什么忍耐呢?讲无生法忍,即马上悟到无生法忍,连“忍耐”这二个字都不谈,本来就没有,你忍耐什么?一切法了不可得,自性圆明寂静,寂而常照,照而常寂,清清楚楚,六根门头惊天动地!我们叫做眼“见”眼睛“看”,而佛不是,他是眼“观”,他不是用看的,他用观的,你有见就是执著,佛用观的,所以“观”世音菩萨,就是观察一切众生的痛苦,观就是透视他,你眼见,见就是执。所以真空之体,就是我们所观照的所证的不生不灭。所以我们三十条清规里面就说:务使顿明心地,意思就是学佛第一个最重要的课程,你要先了解本性是什么东西,这是十方三世一切佛成道的根本,不悟到本性,你的修行会变成情绪化的变化,今天有赚钱,情绪就好一点;今天不好了,心情绪就不好了,他不能如如不动的东西,不悟到实相就不能如如不动的东西,没有办法!好!再来我们看到观照的般若,观照的般若就是实相之用,实相是法身,是理体;是圆明寂照;是不生不灭,那么这个观照是怎么样呢?是要让我们实行的,观照底下要写两个字:實行。
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English Translation:
The dharma is fundamentally and originally so (法尔如是), originally so, originally utterly unobtainable; originally inconceivable and inexpressible; originally beyond any discussion. There is no concept of cause, condition, and result [in it]. Buddha‑nature surpasses cause, surpasses conditions, and surpasses results; it transcends cause, conditions, and results, yet it does not ignore them. This means that, in the very moment of arising and ceasing, everything is empty in its self‑nature—this is the not arising and not ceasing dharma. Following conditions while being intrinsically empty, we therefore speak of something “unchanging.” Since the self‑nature does not change, we can follow conditions. This is just a skillful way of speaking. Ultimately, we say that the dharma is fundamentally and originally so, that it is originally so, referring to something that is like thusness, unmoving.
Original Text:
法尔如是,本来如此,本来就是了不可得;本来就是不可思不可议,本来就是不可讨论的东西,没有所谓的因缘果,佛性是超因、超缘、超果的,超越因缘果,是不昧因缘果,意思就是生灭法当下就是自性本空,就是不生不灭法,随缘当体即空,所以我们讲不变,因为不变的自性,所以我们能够随缘,方便讲是这样,毕竟讲是法尔如是,本来如此,叫做如如不动的东西。
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English Translation:
Deep prajñā is the prajñā of the emptiness of dharmas (法空般若). The prajñā of the emptiness of dharmas encompasses form (色), feeling (受), perception (想), volition (行), and consciousness (识). We say that the prajñā of the emptiness of persons (人空般若) refers to knowing that the five aggregates constitute the body and mind. As for the prajñā of the emptiness of dharmas, it includes these five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness—and also the four great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. In their very essence, they are aspects of self-nature, with form’s nature being truly empty, and true emptiness being identical to form.
To put it simply, the prajñā of the emptiness of persons is merely realizing that all the elements that make up the universe are just these five aggregates. Meanwhile, the prajñā of the emptiness of dharmas is awakening to how these elements themselves are actually the essence of your own fundamental nature.
Original Text:
深般若就是法空般若，法空般若包括色、受、想、行、识，我们说人空般若是色、受、想、行、识，知道它是这五蕴所构成的，而法空般若，包括色受想行识，包括地水火风，当体就是自性的东西，性色真空，真空性色。简单讲，人空般若，只悟到所有宇宙构成的元素，而法空般若是这些元素就是你本性的东西。
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English Translation:
Let me repeat: prajñā of the emptiness of persons only realizes that your body of form is made of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind. The prajñā of the emptiness of dharmas is recognizing immediately that earth, water, fire, and wind are precisely the essence of your own fundamental nature. If you create karmic causes, it will illusionarily manifest as solidity; the four great elements then become things that stand in opposition. But if you awaken, those same four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are precisely the essence of your fundamental nature. They never depart from your form or your fundamental nature. When body and mind do not obstruct each other, one is fully endowed with spiritual powers.
Original Text:
再讲一遍，人空般若，只悟到说，你的色自是地水火风构成的，而法空般若是当下地水火风就是你本性的东西。如果你造业就幻化成坚固，四大就成对立的东西，如果你悟到，这四大地水火风，就是你本性的东西，不离开你的色，不离开你的本性，色心无碍，所以具足神通。
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English Translation:
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Original Text:
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English Translation:
Without self-nature (无性) is true emptiness, and dependent arising is illusory form. Because it is dependent arising and has no self-nature, at its very core it is true emptiness. True emptiness is absolutely empty, allowing not even the slightest speck. Not a single speck of dust can be obtained—it is empty to the end, which we call “true emptiness.” If it has not been emptied to the end, it is partial emptiness. Only realizing the emptiness of “self” is still not fully empty. Emptying everything completely is deep prajñā. “Without self-nature” means it is thoroughly empty. Dependent arising brings about illusory forms. All phenomena are dependent-arising dharmas, transformations of various forms. From causes and conditions, ephemeral appearances manifest in the realm of form.
Original Text:
无性真空，缘生幻色，无性因为缘生是无性的，所以它当体就是真空，真空就是绝对空，不容许一丝一毫的，一尘了不可得，空到底，叫做真空，空不到底叫做偏空。只有我空，空不到底。空到底是深般若。无性真空就是空到底。缘生幻色，一切都是缘起法，是变化出来的色法，是缘生幻色。因缘所变幻出来种种的色法。
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English Translation:
On the third line, “essence and appearance are not apart; emptiness and form are not two.” “Essence” refers to emptiness; “appearance” refers to dependent arising. Essence and appearance are not apart means emptiness and form are not two. Emptiness is the unconditioned dharma, and form is the conditioned dharma. Conditioned phenomena do not depart from the unconditioned, and in the very moment of the unconditioned, there is the conditioned. In other words, emptiness and form are not two. Apart from illusion, there is no truth; therefore, we call it “true emptiness.” Apart from truth, there is no illusion; therefore, we call it “illusory form.”
“Illusion” refers to the Dharma of afflictions. Apart from afflictions, there is no bodhi. That is the genuine bodhi. Why does illusory form come from bodhi? Because if one does not awaken to bodhi, naturally there is illusion. The idea is: “apart from illusion, there is no truth”—the moment is just true emptiness. And “apart from truth, there is no illusion”—the moment is precisely illusory form. Waves are water, and water is of course waves; both share the same wet nature.
Original Text:
第三行，体相不离，空色不二。
体是空，相是缘生，体跟相就是不离，不离就是空跟色是不二，体是空，相是有，所以空跟有是不二，体是无为法，相是有为法，有为不离无为，无为当下就是有为，有为当下就是无为，所以说空色不二。幻外无真，所以叫做真空，真外无幻，所以叫做幻色，幻就是烦恼法，烦恼法以外没有真，就是菩提，如果离开烦恼以外，就没有所谓的菩提，这叫做真正的菩提。真外无幻，如果菩提性以外，离开这个菩提，也没有所谓幻化的烦恼法，所以叫做幻色，所以真正的烦恼是来自于菩提。就是说，幻色为什么来自于菩提?因为不悟菩提，当然就是幻色。意思是说，幻外无真，当下就是真空，那么真外就没有所谓的幻化，所以当下就是幻色。波就是水，水当然就是波，湿性相同故。
Paragraph 14
English Translation:
All dharmas are thusness (万法真如). True suchness has the virtue of following conditions. This means that our pure and tranquil fundamental nature remains with every arising and ceasing, yet it does not change. In a skillful manner of speaking, we say, “unchanging while following conditions.” True suchness itself does not change, but right now, we are not existing in true suchness—we abide in discriminations and attachments. Hence, following conditions we become changed. Therefore, I often tell my students: “When you go to the train station, you see the rush of people everywhere—‘All the world scurries amid busyness; who is willing to pause before death?’ Everyone in the world is busy, living hurriedly. Which person in this world is willing to devote work to the moment of death?” We must put effort into the character ‘death’ (死). If you cannot set things down ordinarily, then expecting to set them down when facing death is self-deception. Only if you can see through them in daily life can you let them go at the end of life. Seeing through leads to letting go.
Therefore, true suchness has the virtue of following conditions. Hence, I hope we maintain a mind that grasps nothing, that remains peaceful, and truly puts effort into emptiness. Who can bring you afflictions? Who can make you suffer? It’s all yourself. Hence, true suchness is the wondrous dharma, for the dharma is inherently thus. True suchness also has the property of not changing, so all phenomena are true suchness—everything is thus. The Tiantai School proclaims that everything is thus, and there is not a single thing that is not thus. Why? Each and every dharma is empty by its nature; of course it is thus. If it fails to be thus, that is on you—it’s because your illusions create strong dualistic concepts, giving rise to ignorance, craving, and vexation. Thus you keep pursuing them and cannot pull back to break the shell of ignorance. Who in the world is truly fortunate? It’s not the one who has a fancy car, nor the one who wins the grand prize in the national lottery, nor the one who invests in rising stocks. In this world, those who study the Buddha’s teachings are the most fortunate, but who is the supremely fortunate one? It is the person who experiences awakening, who clearly perceives fundamental nature. That person is the richest in the world. Why? Because even if you gave that person all the wealth in the entire world, it would not add anything to him; if you took it all away, it would not diminish him. Look—there is neither increase nor decrease. How large would that fortune be? Not even a zero is needed to represent it. Is it a thousand? That’s already four zeros. A hundred billion, a trillion… no matter how many zeros you add, you still cannot describe its magnitude. “In the sage there is no increase; in the ordinary person there is no decrease.” Hence, I often say, “Is there any branch of knowledge that can match the teachings of the Buddha?” I truly want to bow my head to the Buddha.
Original Text:
万法真如，真如有随缘德，意思就是我们清清净净的本性，随着一切生灭却不会变化，方便讲，不变随缘，真如是不变，我们现在不是真如，我们现在是分别、是执著，所以随缘就变，随缘就变，所以，我常常告诉同学们说，我常常喜欢用这样一个比喻说，当你们到火车站去的时候，上上下下的人那么多，举世尽从忙里过，谁人肯向死前休? 全世界的人都在忙，匆匆忙忙里面的度过，哪一个人世間肯在死亡里面下一番功夫?这个[死]字下功夫，平常放不下，要想在临命终放得下，那是自欺欺人，若要临终放得下，除非平日看得破，看破才能放下。所以说真如有随缘德，因此我希望保持一个无所著的心;因此我希望保持一个无所著的心;保持一个安详的心，好好地在空性里面下一番功夫，谁能给你烦恼?谁能给你痛苦?还都是自己。所以真如就是万法，因为妙法当体就是如，真如有不变性，所以万法就是真如。一切皆如，天台宗里面讲的一切皆如。无一法不如，为什么?每一法都有是空性的，当然就如，不如是你的家的事，是因为你幻化出来的妄想执著，所产生的强烈的对立观念，而在幻化的无明里面产生烦恼、欲望，因此滚动你的追求，所以你一直拉不回来，无法破这个无明的壳。所以，世界上谁是幸运的人?不是轿车、也不是中爱国奖券，不是中大家乐，也不是股票上扬，世界上是学佛的最幸福，但是哪一个人是至高无上最大的幸运呢?就是悟道的人，彻悟本性的人，那就是世界上最富有的人。为什么，全世界的财产给他他不增加;全世界的财产给他，他不减少，你看!不增不减，财产有多少呢?连零都不必写，你说这个数目有多大?你说1000，已经四个零了，一百亿、一千亿，那个数目字大到连零都不能写，再怎么添个零，还是不能描写那个大，在圣不增，在凡不减。所以我常常说，哪一门学问，有办法像佛陀这样子讲出来的学问，那真要跟他老人家嗑头。
Paragraph 15
English Translation:
Now look at the left side [of the diagram or text].
“True emptiness and illusory existence” (真空幻有). In the middle line, “One principle of the Middle Way illumines all discriminations.” We will look at that in the end.
“True emptiness and illusory existence” refers back to what we discussed about the myriad dharmas as true suchness. The myriad dharmas are, in their very essence, true suchness, which is “true emptiness,” and true suchness is, at once, illusory existence. True emptiness can bring about illusory existence. From emptiness arises all these forms. Forms are illusory existence; we also see illusions of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Right now, our feelings, thoughts, and actions, and our eighth consciousness are all erroneous—accumulating the karmic seeds of countless eons, stored in these flawed modes of thinking.
Hence, I have said, “In the end, big entrepreneurs have to seek out religious teachers; even great scientists have to seek out religious teachers.” Why is that? Because no matter how far you stretch your feelings, thoughts, actions, or consciousness, analyzing and studying, you still cannot reveal your fundamental nature. One remains lost and confused. Whether you are a great entrepreneur, a great philosopher, a master of deductive logic, a great psychologist, or a great religious leader—apart from Buddhism, no matter how powerful you are, you cannot escape feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, right? Even if you pray to God, are you not using feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness? Your sense of feeling in relation to God, your desire to go to Heaven, your volitional act of praying—are these not all the same? But the Buddha’s teaching is different: feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are all empty at once; in that instant, one remains in thusness, so the Buddha is me, and I am the Buddha, two facets of one unity. The Buddha is within my mind, and I am a sentient being in the Buddha’s mind. Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are not different. So if you say “I am praying,” that’s fine, and if you say “I am not praying,” that’s also fine.
Original Text:
底下，看左边。
真空幻有。中间那一行，中道一义照了分别。
等一下最后看。
真空幻有，那是对前面讲的万法真如。万法当体就是真如，可是真空就是真如，真如当下就是幻有。真空能成幻有，空性里面会幻化成这个色法，色法就是幻有，也幻化成受、想、行、识，意思是我们现在的感受，现在的思想，现在的行为造作，八识田中都是错误的，都是无量亿劫来造业，所存错误躯壳的思想，所以我为什么说，大企业家到最后要找宗教家?大科学家到最后也要找宗教家?为什么?你用尽了一切的受、想、行、识，去思维、去研究，你就是不能透出本性的东西出来，一样迷茫!一样迷茫!任凭你大企业家、大哲学家、大演绎家、大心理学家、大宗教家，除了佛教以外，不管你有多厉害。为什么?因为你离不开受、想、行、识，是不是?你今天你祷告上帝，你不是用受、想、行、识吗?你对上帝的感受，你想要到天堂去，你[行]就是祷告，这不是一样?而佛不一样，受想行一切皆空，当下就是如如，佛就是我，我就是佛，一体两面的东西，佛是我心中里面的，我是佛心中的一个众生，心、佛、众生三无差别，你说我在祈祷也对，你说我没有祈祷也对。
Paragraph 16
English Translation:
…
Original Text:
。。。。
Paragraph 17
English Translation:
The dharma is fundamentally and originally so, that is, it speaks of “thusness.” The dharma is fundamentally and originally so: all phenomena are, from the beginning, self-nature emptiness, having no form of duality, no subject or object, no discrimination, no deluded thought, and no confusion or discrimination whatsoever. Everything is thus. Why? Because all phenomena are ultimately empty.
Original Text:
法尔如是,就是讲如如,法尔如是,一切法本来就是自性空,没有所谓的对立;没有所谓的能所;没有所谓的分别;没有所谓的妄想;也没有所谓的颠倒、分别,统统没有,一切法皆如。为什么?一切法毕竟空。
Paragraph 18
English Translation:
…
Original Text:
…
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English Translation:
“Without wisdom there can be attainment,” but wisdom here refers to the knowing mind that can observe, and attainment refers to the principle that is realized. As for “no wisdom,” it means that the knowing mind that does the observing is emptied; there is no objective emptiness either, because phenomena are fundamentally empty. There is no need to add another concept of emptiness. In cultivation, a noble being “removes the mind, not the objects,” correct? An ordinary person “removes the objects, not the mind.” But if you are noble and have great wisdom, in a single thought of inward awareness, you immediately enter the noble stage—within an instant, you illuminate your inner being and thus enter the stage of the noble ones. In that single thought, you look inward. There is nothing to attain—you put everything down.
Hence, a noble being cultivates the mind and does not remove external objects. Simply practice well in your mind, and the outside conditions are no longer critical; whatever arises, you will respond accordingly. An ordinary person, however, is affected by the environment and cannot help it, so there is no choice but to make some adjustments. Therefore, “the knowing mind that observes is also empty, and the object that is emptied is also empty.” In other words, do not assume that you, as the subject, are the one who empties the external environment, for that is still attachment. It means that the environment is empty in itself and does not require you to make it empty. You do not need extra effort. Only when there is no wisdom does one have true wisdom. Because it does not rely on worldly cleverness or discursive intellect, it is the great wisdom that naturally flows forth from the fundamental nature. And only when there is no attainment is there truly something attained—for if you think there is something to attain, it inevitably leads to loss.
Original Text:
无智得，智就是能观之知，得就是所证的理，以能观之知，认为有所得的证这个理，那么所谓无知呢，就是能观的知，空就是除掉，也没有所谓的能观的知，也没有所空的境界，因为境界本来就空，不需要你加一个空的思想，我修行，我不要除掉这个境界，圣人除心不除境，是不是?凡夫是除境不除心，你圣人的话，大智慧的人，于内觉观，于一念顷，即入圣位，一刹那之间，你观照你的内在，你就马上进入圣人的位次里面。于一念顷，内觉观，内，观照你的内在，无所得，一切什么都放得下来。所以，圣人修心不除境，你只要好好地在心地上下功夫，那境界就不重要了，怎么来你怎么去面临它，当然凡夫会受到境界的影响，我们还是没有办法，还是好好地调配一下。所以能观知也空，所空的境也空，意思是不能认为这个境界是被你所空，这样也是一种执著，意思就是说境界当体即空，不需要你去空掉它，不须要多事就对了。无智方为真智。无智就是你不动用到所谓的世智辩聪，没有动用到所谓的智慧，那就是真正大智慧的人，因为本性具足，自然流露。无得方是真得。对!因为你没有所谓的得，因为有得必有失。
Footnotes/Annotations (if any):
1. “Dharma is fundamentally and originally so” (法尔如是) – This phrase indicates that all phenomena and truths abide in a way that is inherently thus, without depending on artificial imposition.
2. “Original face” (本来面目) – A Chán/Zen expression referring to one’s true nature, prior to the arising of conceptual thought.
3. “No birth dharma‑tolerance” (无生法忍) – A Mahayana term indicating the awakened insight that phenomena are unproduced and unceased. One no longer experiences adversity in terms of endurance; there is simply nothing to endure.
Brief Explanation of Key Concepts and Context
• Author and Context: The speaker appears to be giving a lecture or talk on Chán (Zen) Buddhism in a modern Chinese context (possibly around 1991, as indicated by the date references). While the exact name of the author is not stated in the provided text, the teachings align with typical Chán themes: the emphasis on direct realization, the nature of emptiness, and the cultivation of immediate, unobstructed awareness.
• Key Concepts:
• Chán as Dynamic: Chán is presented here as liberation amidst activity (动态), not merely quiet sitting in stillness.
• Not Arising and Not Ceasing: A deep exploration of how phenomena, though appearing to arise and cease, are empty in their self-nature. Through insight, one realizes the fundamental emptiness underlying all appearances.
• Unchanging Yet Following Conditions: This teaching addresses how our fundamental nature (true suchness) remains unmoved, yet in daily life it adapts to changing situations without losing its essence.
• Ordinary Life with a Mind of the Universe: Practitioners are encouraged to handle everyday responsibilities while maintaining a vast, open awareness akin to space.
• Terminology Choices:
• 法尔如是 is rendered as “the dharma is fundamentally and originally so.”
• 不生不灭 is “not arising and not ceasing,” reflecting standard Mahayana usage.
• 观照 is rendered as “contemplative insight” or “observing,” aligning with Chán usage.
• Bibliographic References:
• Provided links show a 1991 talk:
This completes the full translation of the provided text. If additional context or references are needed, one might consult classical Chán texts such as the Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch, or writings by eminent Chán masters for further comparison.
