Old Man Yuan Yin: What is the state of knowing one’s mind and one’s nature? Is the state of knowing one’s mind and one’s nature the Buddha?
A simple and general explanation of the term "knowing one's mind and seeing one's nature" is: to understand the form and function of people's "heart" (original mind), and to see, comprehend, and understand the root of life—— The wonderful body and truth of "nature" (nature) can awaken the dream, escape from life and death, and achieve nirvana. Its significance is extremely profound when analyzed in detail, because it is the essence of the teachings of this generation. It can be said that all the twelve volumes of the Tripitaka are footnotes to it.
(1) Those who have a clear mind and see their nature will not be able to obtain the illusion of a clear mind. They can calm down their arrogant mind and see the true nature. If we want to escape from life and death, we must first know the origin of life and death. If you want to cut off the flow, you must first know where the source is, and then you can plug the source, cut off the flow, and be free from life and death. So why do all living beings reincarnate in the six realms in the six realms? Sakyamuni Buddha told us in two simple words: "The three realms are based on mind, and all dharmas are based on consciousness." 'Analysed, it means that all sentient beings inherently possess the Tathagata's hidden nature. It is an omnipotent body that is neither born nor destroyed, nor defiled nor pure, nor comes nor goes, and is formless and sensitive. . It is just that sentient beings are unaware, have no experience, and do not know the original brightness of the wonderful body. They only have a thought to recognize it, and use the original wisdom light of wonderful awareness to become illusory and illuminating. Divide the originally integrated awareness of Ming - awareness is Ming, Ming is awareness, non-different - into the opposite of Awakening - there is Ming outside of Awakening, there is Awakening outside of Ming, Awakening is known by Ming, Ming is perceived by Awakening, To achieve both ends. This is what the Shurangama Sutra says: "The awareness of one's nature must be clear, and one can only pretend to be aware of it." Due to this ignorance (this enlightenment is what we usually call ignorance), the original enlightenment is confused, and the true nature of existence and formlessness is transformed into alaya consciousness (similar to a normal person who is drunk with old wine). As a result, the clear vacuum of the spirit turned into a stubborn void, and returned to the stubborn void. The ignorance moved and condensed into the four great false colors (the four great causes of earth, water, fire, and wind that are the inherent properties of the Tathagata's hidden nature, and appeared due to the false movements. The world is composed of these four elements). This is what the Shurangama Sutra says: "There is emptiness in delusion, and the world is based on emptiness." Because there are four great false colors, the original light of wisdom turns into false views, and then the false colors are seen again. After a long time of mistaken view, I even took a small part of the four elements as myself, so I mistakenly saw that the four elements were my own body - that is, ignorance wrapped up the eight consciousnesses and sneaked into the root of the body. There is knowledge. The true mind is immeasurable, but now it is sealed by ignorance and sneaks into the four major thoughts. That is to say, the so-called miscellaneous thoughts of form, thinking that the physical form is the body, is the sentient being of the five aggregates. It is also said in the Shurangama Sutra, "Thinking becomes the land, and consciousness becomes all living beings."
It can be seen from this that the arrogance of the physical and mental world is actually due to the fault of one thought (i.e. ignorance). Since sentient beings have lost their true nature and recognize things as themselves, they pursue physical objects and are obsessed with them, creating karma and receiving retribution, and reincarnation is endless! The Sutra says: 'When the mind arises, all kinds of dharmas arise, and when dharmas arise, all kinds of minds arise. ’ The seed comes into existence, and the current incarnates the seed, and the fruit comes from the cause, and the fruit produces the cause again, the cause causes the effect, the effect causes the cause, and the cycle starts over and over again. Because all sentient beings have never experienced birth and death, and they suffer from the cycle of birth and death in vain without any rest!
So, my human heart is illusory and unreal. It is just the falling shadow of the six dusts, and the six dusts (that is, all things in the world) are illusory and appear due to ignorance and delusion, and are not originally accessible. The Buddhist scriptures say that there is no self-birth, no other birth, no independent birth, and no birth without a cause. Then, the delusional mind arising from it is even more illusion among illusions. Modern philosophers also say that "mind" is a reflection of objective matter, but they only say that the mind is produced by things, and do not explain how things are produced. This is not as comprehensive as the Buddhist scriptures. The Buddha said: 'The mind is not its own mind, it is the mind because of things; things are not its own thing, it is the things because of the mind. ’ This clearly explains the principle that mind and matter are cause and effect to each other and thus illusion arises.
Both mind and matter are illusory and unavailable. Once we wake up from the dream, we will realize that the physical and mental world is empty. This is the enlightened mind. In this empty place, it is not like trees and stones that are ignorant, but empty and clear. Although it is aware of the empty brightness, it is still and motionless, without a single thought. What is this? This majestic but ordinary scene is not born or destroyed by us. , what is the eternal true self? When this self is suddenly revealed, grabbing it is called witnessing its true face, and it is also called seeing one's nature.
The so-called seeing nature does not mean seeing something with the eyes, but the deep understanding and spiritual understanding of the heart, mind, and Dharma eyes. The Sutra says: ‘When seeing, seeing is not the right seeing.
’ Therefore, to understand the mind and see the nature is to break through the false knowledge and false views, where the crazy mind has ceased, and when the body and mind have disappeared, the true nature can be seen clearly.
For example, when the second ancestor, Master Shenguang, met the first ancestor, Bodhidharma, he said: 'Students are uneasy, so I beg for help to find peace of mind. ’ Ancestor said: ‘I will send my heart to you. ’ The teacher said for a long time: ‘You can’t find it if you look for it. ’ Zu Nai pushed the boat along the current and said: ‘I’ll be at peace with you! ’ The master had a great realization after saying this. This is to find the unobtainable place in the mind (when the previous thought is stopped, and when the later thought has not arisen) and clearly see the non-falling and ending (although the thought is cut off at the time, it is not as ignorant as wood and stone) to understand the nature of spiritual knowledge. The wonderful thing about this public case is that it is a collection of falsehoods in the mind and has no real origin. Once questioned, it will turn into nothing. However, although the thought is empty, it can (that is, the nature) be immortal. The person who meets it is at this moment, it is brilliant and exciting, and it is recommended to take it back, which is the seeing of the nature. Regarding the immortality of energy, modern scientists all admit it. The one with the greatest energy is performance. Because its nature is formless and formless, it is extremely large and strong, it has no outside when it is large, and it has no inside when it is small. It can destroy everything, but nothing can destroy it, so it cannot be measured or compared. It is the one who is reborn in the six realms and suffers sins and enjoys blessings. It is also the one who escapes from life and death and becomes free and free. Therefore, if you want to escape from life and death, you must understand your mind and see your nature.
(2) Those who understand the mind and see its nature understand the wonderful functions of the mind, which all arise from the nature and body; see the body from the use, and derive the source from the flow. Gu Gu said: the body has no form, and it cannot be used. Manifest; nature has no form, it is not clear about the mind! Use the right method to reveal the body, and only when the mind is clear can the nature be seen. This means that if you want to see your nature, you must start from the clear mind. Without the mind, there is no nature visible. Because the nature has no image and cannot be seen, but the mind is the function, and the function has no form and is not visible. Only from the use of the mind with form can we see the formless nature. As mentioned above, our thoughts, work, creations, inventions, and even the civilization of today’s world are all the function of the heart. To see the nature, one must see it from these functions. Without the functions, one must see the nature without it. Just like the principles and things in the world, things cannot be done without reason, and things cannot be manifested without reason; things are accomplished when principles are established, and principles are manifested when things are done correctly. Reasons are things, things are reasons, and things are not divided. Therefore, when seeing reasons, we must engage in superior views and leave things alone. It is also unreasonable.
Just like in the past, the King of Different Views asked the Venerable Parati: "What is the Buddha?" The Venerable said: "Seeing the nature is the Buddha!" ??The king said: "Does the teacher see the nature?" The Venerable said: 'I see Buddha nature. ’ The king asked: ‘Where is the nature?’ The venerable man said: ‘The nature is working!’ The king said: ‘What is the role? I can’t see it now. ’ The Venerable Master said: ‘If Zhao Zhao works, the King himself will not see it!’ The King asked: ‘Does it matter to me?’ The Venerable Master said: ‘If the King works, there is nothing wrong with it; if the King does not use it, it will be difficult to see the body. ’ The king said, ‘If it is used, how many places will it appear?’ The Venerable Master said, ‘If it appears, there should be eight of them. ’ The king said: ‘When the eight appear, you should speak for me. 'The Venerable Master said: 'In the womb it is called the body, in the world it is called the human being, in the eyes it is said to see, in the ears it is heard, in the nose it is called fragrance, in the tongue it is talked about, in the hands it is pinched, in the feet it is run; it appears all over the Dharma Realm. Collected in a mote of dust; those who know it know it is the Buddha nature; those who don't know it call it a spirit!" The king was enlightened when he heard it.
Again, in the Diamond Sutra, why did the World-Honored One put on clothes, hold an alms bowl, enter the city, beg for food, and then sit down before preaching the Dharma? In order to enlighten the invisible prajna of the masses, he had to Borrowing the form of the Six Paramitas. Because it has no body and cannot be used, everything in front of us appears to reflect the formless body of Prajna. But I don’t know it, so the Buddha uses tangible things to express the invisible wonderful body secretly, so that I can realize the Prajnaparamita.
The nature is not non-existent, but it cannot be heard, witnessed, understood, or recognized, but it can be illuminated by wisdom, wonderful vision, understanding, and divine understanding. Therefore, it is said that "this is how the understanding will be, and the understanding will be like this". The secret practices of the Six Paramitas are the teachings of the Blessed One without speaking. In this way, Prajna radiates light, and Dukongsheng (Subhuti) meets at the moment. In response to the opportunity, he leaves his seat and asks questions, thus completing a wonderful Sutra called "Vajra Prajna".
(3) Those who have a clear mind and see their nature, the clear mind does not exist, but the seeing nature inherently exists. As mentioned above, the nature of mind is like the functions and rationality. Although things have forms and can be seen with the eyes, they seem to have no real existence because of the emptiness of dependent origin. Although the rational body has no visible form, it seems to have no real existence because of emptiness of dependent origin. The two complement each other, they are separated from the body and have no form, and they are separated from the form and have no body. Therefore, it is said: it is neither empty nor existing, it is also empty and it exists, even if it is empty, it exists. Not only should we not be attached to the appearance of all things, but we should also look past the illusory appearance of things to clearly see our true nature.
The Shurangama Sutra says: ‘Nature and color are empty, and nature and color are empty. ’ The sexual body is a vacuum and has no form; only the vacuum without form is the sexual body.
Another example is when Ling Xun asked the returning monk: "What is a Buddha?" Zong said: "I am telling you now, for fear that you may not believe it!" Xun said: "Monk sincerely speaks, how dare I not believe it!" Zong said: "That is you. That's right!' The lesson is to have meaning behind the words. Please see, how decisive! How convenient! How happy!
(5) Those who understand the nature of the mind will have no abiding, nothing will stand, and nothing will be gained. The nature of the mind is originally empty and has no dwelling, so it can achieve wonderful functions. Once it is settled, it becomes a rut. There is nothing in the nature of the mind. To say that there is nothing, to say that it is empty, to talk about confusion and enlightenment, to talk about truth and falsehood, they are all opposites, and they are all related to drama. . The so-called words have no real meaning. If you fully understand the origin of the mind and clearly see the true nature, if there is no confusion, how can enlightenment be established? If it is not established, it will not be established. There is no way to achieve it. Therefore, it is said: The human self is empty and not empty. You must practice self-emptiness and restore the emptiness before you can truly sit at home. That is to say, what the ancients said can only be achieved, achieved, and realized without achieving anything, attaining anything, cultivating it, or realizing it. If you believe that you have a Dharma that can be obtained and a path that can be achieved, you are falling into the holy position of Dharma. If it's small, you can't live and die. Even if you try to separate life and death, you can never change life and death. If you follow the law, it will change the problems of life and death. To say without proof is to fully realize the truth of family members, and also to understand for the first time the origin of the Tathagata's secret cause. All living beings are originally Buddhas and do not become Buddhas through cultivation. Just because you are not aware of it, you lose yourself in pursuit of things, pursue the external environment, and become a sentient being. Now that I have awakened, I am like a thousand-year-old dark room that can be illuminated by a single lamp. Then the original nature is restored, what can be said about cultivating the attainment? Therefore, it is not false to work hard and be willing to cultivate the attainment. However, if the habit is strong and the delusion is deep, even if you understand the truth and experience the situation, it will not be without the hard work of sweeping away! Or if you only understand the principle that all living beings are originally Buddhas, you have not seen your own nature, and you only prepare for future achievements. The cause of Buddha requires diligent practice in order to realize it personally. You must not open your mouth, speak big words, deceive yourself and others, or show your lack of cultivation, which will lead to recklessness and disaster.
To fully understand the nature of the mind, if there is no dharma, there is no Buddha and no sentient beings, and you will be in a daze all day long, letting your luck follow the fate, it is all Buddha's work. The so-called laughing, cursing, and frowning are all the shining of sea seals; dressing, eating, carrying water and firewood are nothing but magical uses of magical powers! There is nothing to choose from, nothing to rely on, so it is said that there is nothing to gain from returning.
Taking too much weight on one's talents will hinder the door to self-enlightenment. Therefore, the great virtues in our sect are all good at helping people untie and remove their bonds, even if they ask students to put down their heavy burdens and open the door to enlightenment, just like Mazu saw someone falling in front of him. The answer is 'The heart is the Buddha'. Therefore, when a monk further asked 'What is a Buddha? When a monk even asked, "How is the real person Wubit on the red meat ball?", he asked the monk: "What is the real person Wuwei worth?" As mentioned in the second koan in the fourth section, the spiritual training is in the words. Xia Youshengshi asked: "How to maintain your position?" Guizong said: "A shadow in the eye, empty flowers falling!" These examples are a good illustration of the fact that the true nature has no residence and no object. Therefore, we must fully realize the true mind. We can neither seek the Buddha nor seek mystical powers!
Zhao Zhouyun said: "I don't like to hear the word Buddha!" Happiness lies in the place where it falls, but Zhaozhou's intention is to see the Dharma, showing people that there is no Dharma to obtain and nothing to rely on, and it does not matter whether they are happy or not. As for the disadvantages of establishing words, there are no traces of what has been said! It is like a turtle waving its tail to sweep away its traces. Although the traces are gone, there are still traces left behind. Therefore, when the great master of the clan came to the end of his speech, he could not speak, so he folded his sleeves and returned to the abbot to show his end.