(Translated By Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD)
27.5.2017 – Source: Lineaage Transmission Network
“Give-up all attachments and do not give rise to a single thought.”
These are the prerequisite for practicing genuine Chinese Ch’an meditation. Now that we know this, how can we achieve this objective?
The first example involves the most karmically able - who will immediately cease their thinking-processes forever (achieving a permanent “stillness” of mind) - whilst directly perceiving the empty mind ground. The state of “no-birth” is then entered. Bodhi is attained in an instant (like a finger-snap) - without any hesitation. When all this happens correctly (and in good order) - no further words are required.
The second level of karmic-ability involves the cultivation of logic and reason as a means to eliminate the uncontrolled stream of thought, and to modify behavioural-patterns when interacting in the material world. This method possesses many stages that vary according to the character of the practitioner. There is seated meditation, physical discipline, and much additional thought on the subject when not meditating - as a means of building resolve and motivation to practice. It must be understood that the “Original Nature” is pure and clean from the very beginning - and cannot be polluted by any expedient thought or action. By cultivsting this type of “wisdom” (Bodhi) – all “troubles” (klesa) will eventually come to an end. Birth, life, death and nirvana are all false constructs.
These things are like insubstantial and non-permanent dust that cannot pollute the “True Nature”. Everything is a dream, and an illusion. The four elements of the body the mountains, the rivers, and the earth, all manifest and pass-away within the “True Nature” without staining the empty essence one iota. Cultivate non-attachment to all phenomena as it arises, manifests, and passes-away. Do not chase after life, death, reward, wealth, or any worldly activity. None of these things exist within the empty mind ground. Give-up right and wrong, like and dislike – and become like a dead tree stump – or a body with no reaction to (internal or) external stimulus. Remain indifferent to all things. This is how rhe root-cause of greed, hatred, and delusion is uprooted and the stream of consciousness “purified”.
All troubles and difficulties will automatically disappear. In this way all pain, discomfort, suffering, happiness, hunger, cold, fullness, warmth, honour, disgrace, life, death, misfortune, fortune, good or bad luck, disgrace, gain or loss, safety or danger - are all laid to aside. Only in this way can we say that we have let go of the force of (ignotant) karmic-habit that keeps us trapped in duality – continuously fixating over fleeting externals which produce human suffering. Once you let go - you must let go of everything - forever. This is called “letting go of all attachments”. When all attachments are let go, delusion disappears, discrimination does not arise, and attachment ceases. At this point, non-thought (“stillness”) is achieved, the perceived True Nature is bright - and expands throughout the physical body - and out into the environment without limit. At this point, all the conditions for effective Ch’an meditation are met. If you work hard to truly meditate and study, you will be able to see your empty mind ground and (expansive) True Nature.
Chinese Language Text:
虛雲老和尚：禪修入門 參禪的先決條件 萬緣放下
2017/05/27 來源：傳承網
「萬緣放下，一念不生」是參禪的先決條件，我們既然知道了，那麼，如何才能做到呢？
上焉者一念永歇，直至無生，頓證菩提，毫無噦唆。其次則以理除事，了知自性本來清淨，煩惱菩提、生死涅磐皆是假名，原不與我自性相干，事事物物皆是夢幻泡影，我此四大色身與山河大地，在自性中，如海中的浮漚一樣，隨起隨滅，無礙本體，不應隨一切幻事的生住異滅，而起欣厭取捨，通身放下，如死人一樣，自然根塵識心消落，貪嗔痴愛泯滅，所有這身子的痛癢苦樂、饑寒飽暖、榮辱生死、禍福吉凶、毀譽得喪、安危險夷，一概置之度外，這樣才算放下。
一放下，一切放下，永遠放下，叫做萬緣放下。萬緣放下了，妄想自消，分別不起，執著遠離，至此一念不生，自性光明，全體顯露，至是參禪的條件具備了，再用功真參實究，明心見性才有分。
2017/05/27 來源：傳承網
「萬緣放下，一念不生」是參禪的先決條件，我們既然知道了，那麼，如何才能做到呢？
上焉者一念永歇，直至無生，頓證菩提，毫無噦唆。其次則以理除事，了知自性本來清淨，煩惱菩提、生死涅磐皆是假名，原不與我自性相干，事事物物皆是夢幻泡影，我此四大色身與山河大地，在自性中，如海中的浮漚一樣，隨起隨滅，無礙本體，不應隨一切幻事的生住異滅，而起欣厭取捨，通身放下，如死人一樣，自然根塵識心消落，貪嗔痴愛泯滅，所有這身子的痛癢苦樂、饑寒飽暖、榮辱生死、禍福吉凶、毀譽得喪、安危險夷，一概置之度外，這樣才算放下。
一放下，一切放下，永遠放下，叫做萬緣放下。萬緣放下了，妄想自消，分別不起，執著遠離，至此一念不生，自性光明，全體顯露，至是參禪的條件具備了，再用功真參實究，明心見性才有分。
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