Cultivation and Zen Practice for Attaining Enlightenment (Part Two)

Chapter 7: How to Practice Chan Meditation (2)

13. How to Realize the True Hearing Nature

To practice deeply through one gateway among the Eighteen Realms is to contemplate one realm within the Eighteen Realms, awakening to the true reality of the Dharma Realm from this realm, attaining Samadhi, and thereby opening great wisdom. For example, when practicing from the ear faculty, once Samadhi is perfected, one must observe the functioning of the hearing nature, introspecting what arises and ceases within the hearing nature of the ear faculty, thereby realizing the true hearing nature that neither arises nor ceases. During this investigation and introspection, the mind should not fall into the sound; one should not contemplate what the sound contains, nor fall into false phenomena. Otherwise, one cannot realize the fundamental essence of the hearing nature. One must investigate beyond the sound, probing the source and origin of the sound, tracing it to its root, to find the origin of the hearing nature.

14. How Inspiration Arises

Research shows that when facing a sudden life-threatening situation, the feeling of fear instantly seizes the brain, causing many mammals (including humans) to freeze in place—this is called freezing. During freezing, energy within the body concentrates, and one begins to fully receive all information present (pupils dilate, eyes widen, etc.). Therefore, when describing the event afterward, the individual will have an exceptionally clear and detailed memory of the moment the fear struck. However, memories immediately following this moment may become blurry or even completely forgotten. Thus, the following questions arise: (1) Who controls these bodily phenomena? (2) Is freezing the same as stillness or Chan Samadhi? (3) Why is what happens during freezing remembered so clearly, while afterward it becomes blurry and hard to recall?

Answer: (1) Manas, following the Tathagatagarbha, can instantly discern all situations encountered by the physical body and regulate the body accordingly. When manas moves, it sends signals through the central nervous system to the nervous system throughout the body, causing neural reactions throughout the body, and the thoughts and emotions of manas manifest.

(2) Freezing is a brief, momentary state of Samadhi, where attention is highly concentrated; it is also called stillness. The body does not move, the conscious mind does not move, yet manas can contemplate very intently, seeking strategies and opportunities to escape danger, often finding wisdom in the urgency of the moment. This is precisely the characteristic and result of Samadhi—Samadhi gives rise to wisdom. In Samadhi, manas is extremely sensitive and quick-witted, often turning danger into safety.

(3) During freezing, manas can concentrate intensely; mental thoughts do not scatter, the six consciousnesses do not move chaotically, and they do not interfere with manas’ contemplation. At this time, observation of the dust realm is more subtle, perception is sharper, and thus memory is better and more enduring, which is why the scene during freezing is remembered vividly. After the freezing stage passes, Samadhi disappears, the mind becomes scattered, memory deteriorates, and subsequent events are not clearly remembered.

In the past, many Chan masters attained enlightenment when their doubt was most intense, encountering a sudden event that triggered inspiration, leading to realization. When a practitioner’s doubt is very intense during Chan practice, if the master suddenly shouts loudly or uses another sudden method, it may trigger the practitioner’s inspiration, leading to enlightenment. In the past, during breaks in seated meditation in the Chan hall, when practitioners got up and walked or jogged around the hall, the master might suddenly call for them to stop; stopping abruptly at that moment could also lead to enlightenment. When caught off guard, inspiration easily arises. Such enlightenment is the result of genuine effort; it is manas directly realizing, directly experiencing—it is called direct realization, not merely conscious understanding. At that moment, there is no time for thought; one must realize directly, without thinking or pondering; it is manas realizing directly.

15. Seeking the First Moon by Following the Second Moon is Chan Practice

If someone hints at enlightenment to me, I give them a blow; this blow is the Second Moon, an echo in an empty valley. A sharp person can use this to seek the source of this Second Moon—the true First Moon. How exhilarating and satisfying this is! Why be like a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse, sitting there all day in meditation, sitting until there are no more false thoughts, experiencing a moment of such purity, and then comparing it to the pure nature of the Eighth Consciousness, thinking this pure state, without thoughts or false thoughts, resembles the Eighth Consciousness, and saying: Isn’t this my fundamental mind, the Eighth Consciousness? Isn’t this my Dharma Body, the Tathagata Buddha?

Who taught you to recognize the Tathagata Buddha like this? If so, when you have false thoughts and thoughts, is your Tathagata Buddha dead, not yet born? Later, when your Samadhi power disappears, thoughts arise, and false thoughts appear, does your Tathagata Buddha then vanish and perish? If so, why is your Tathagata Buddha subject to birth and death? How can it increase and decrease? How can it change? How can it sometimes exist and sometimes not, requiring constant watching? The truth is, this thoughtless, false-thoughtless pure state is merely the Second Moon, transformed from the First Moon. Do not linger on this Second Moon; quickly follow its path to seek the First Moon. That First Moon is originally pure, pure and thoughtless at all times, existing inherently without your needing to sit in meditation. That is your true mind, the Dharma Body Tathagata Buddha.

Some mistakenly recognize the gap between the previous thought ceasing and the next thought not yet arising—the moment of "snap!"—feeling this gap is vividly clear, distinct, lucid, and bright, thinking this is their own thoughtless, inherently pure, unborn, undying fundamental mind, the Tathagata Buddha. But if so, where was the Buddha before you "snapped" and cut off false thoughts? Had it not yet been born? When false thoughts appear later, where did your Buddha go? Did it perish? When there are no false thoughts, what is clear? What is bright? Clear and bright about what?

The truth is, this gap between the previous thought ceasing and the next thought not yet arising is also merely the Second Moon, an illusion created by the First Moon. You must follow this vividly clear state to seek the fundamental First Moon behind it. This is Chan practice. The fundamental mind, the self-nature Tathagata, has never been clear or bright about your current pure, false-thoughtless state, nor has it ever been clear or bright about any of the worldly Five Aggregates realms. It knows nothing, sees nothing, hears nothing, perceives nothing, knows nothing; it is neither solitary nor vivid, neither in the middle nor at the extremes. It is the false dharmas of birth, death, increase, and decrease—the consciousness—that sometimes have false thoughts, sometimes lack false thoughts, sometimes are clear and bright, sometimes confused and unclear, sometimes solitary, sometimes noisy. When you truly recognize your own mind-Buddha, no matter what you do, even killing and arson, your own mind-Dharma Body Buddha still exists, still functions wondrously; it has never perished, constantly functioning moment by moment, not an empty, dull, inactive foolish Buddha.

It is not only swaying before your eyes; it is also silently serving you behind your back. It does not only appear when your mind is pure, without false thoughts or afflictions; it also appears when you are reckless, when you wreak havoc in heaven, overturn mountains and hills. It appears not only when you go to heaven but also when you descend to hell. If you truly discover it, you will find it everywhere; if you cannot find it elsewhere, then what you discovered here is not it. Truly knowing a person means you can recognize them wherever they go; mistaking a person means you cannot recognize the true person anywhere else.

16. When Can One Investigate the Final Phrase?

The Final Phrase is the phrase that severs the flow of birth and death. What is the flow of birth and death? How is it severed? To understand the Final Phrase, one must first contemplate this question. After attaining the first dhyana, after attaining the second fruition, after passing through the contemplation of illusion and the contemplation of mirage, one begins to investigate the Final Phrase. Penetrating the Final Phrase, one attains the Nirvana with Remainder, can pass the prison barrier of birth and death, become a third fruition practitioner, and gain the ability to transcend the flow of birth and death in the Three Realms.

Cases and phrases concerning the Final Phrase are like coded messages, hinting at the key to resolving the issue of birth and death. This requires personal investigation; it cannot be explained explicitly. Even if explained explicitly, one gains no benefit and may obstruct the gate of self-awakening. Without the first dhyana, without passing the previous barriers, without severing afflictions, one cannot investigate it. Without the previous foundation, one cannot understand the Final Phrase. In the Hinayana path, one must be a second fruition practitioner; in the Mahayana path, one must pass the contemplation of illusion and the contemplation of mirage to begin to understand it somewhat. Only after this can one investigate it and find a slight path forward.

If one does not cultivate Samadhi, it is impossible to realize any dharma. Without the first dhyana, the contemplation of mirage is difficult to attain, and the various subsequent contemplations are even less conceivable. One must understand to what extent one has comprehended many dharmas and how far one is from realization. If some dharmas are comprehended prematurely, they become difficult to realize later. When conditions such as Samadhi are insufficient, it is best to avoid them and not attempt comprehension; otherwise, realization becomes impossible. If it’s all just comprehension, how can birth and death be ended? Comprehension and awakening through comprehension are vastly different. One needs to understand this personally and have the wisdom to judge and make choices. The Buddhadharma absolutely cannot be vague; a minute deviation leads to an error of a thousand miles, resulting in vastly different outcomes.

17. Simultaneous Pecking and Tapping

Every practitioner who has not yet attained the Way is like an unbroken egg. When and how this egg breaks is indeed a great study, a significant matter. If the timing of breaking is wrong, breaking it results in a spoiled, useless egg, even inedible, let alone capable of hatching a chick. Relying solely on external force to break the egg often results in spoiled eggs, utterly useless.

Therefore, practice primarily depends on oneself; external forces need only provide a little warmth. Inside, one changes oneself, transforms oneself. Those who do not wish to be spoiled, useless eggs should not rely too much on others’ guidance. Some, having studied for only a short time while the egg is still very hard, demand that the master quickly guide them to enlightenment. What can such enlightenment achieve? Whatever is realized is useless; it’s just a spoiled egg. A raw egg, barely warmed, rushed to break its shell, can at most be fried and eaten; it cannot achieve greatness.

When the life inside the eggshell gradually matures, it exhibits various characteristics. In the end, the chick will certainly peck the shell itself. When it truly cannot break through, at the point where the chick’s beak is about to tear and shatter, external force assists gently to break it open, allowing the life to be born successfully. Such a chick is strong and vigorous, with tenacious vitality. The birth of the chick is overwhelmingly the result of its own efforts, with a small part depending on the external temperature and environment, the care of the mother hen.

Practice is the same: overwhelmingly dependent on one’s own diligent effort, with a small part relying on the master’s teaching and help. In the past, patriarchs guided disciples with simultaneous pecking and tapping, mastering the timing perfectly. Why? Because the patriarch was a true patriarch, a true Chan master, truly possessing the Way—not only possessing the power of the Way but also the eye of the Way, discerning the finest details, knowing how to observe the opportunity and teach accordingly. Disciples then were fortunate, extremely fortunate. If a disciple had not cultivated the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment well, if the Six Perfections were not complete, if conditions were not ripe, the Chan master would never attempt to guide them. The disciple’s Dharma-body and wisdom-life are paramount; they never acted presumptuously, bearing a strong sense of responsibility. If someone guides recklessly, suspected of just making up numbers, one should know that person has no realization of the Way; avoiding them is safest. Protect the egg; do not break it easily. No matter who wants to break it actively, refuse them all.

18. Linji Chan School’s Four Categories of Selection

The Four Categories of Selection by Linji Chan Master are: Seizing the person but not the realm; seizing the realm but not the person; seizing both person and realm; seizing neither person nor realm. "Seize" means to deprive, strip away, eliminate, remove, or destroy; "person" refers to the subjective self, the consciousness that grasps; "realm" refers to the dust realm that is grasped. The meaning of these three words encompasses the work to be done during Chan practice: subduing the realms of sense faculties and objects, stripping away and eliminating the grasper and the grasped, gradually eradicating the view of self within the Five Aggregates of body and mind. The view of self is an obstruction, a hindrance; the eye of wisdom does not open, and one only sees the person and realm, not the true mind.

Although all ordinary beings have the view of self, during cultivation, the emphasis of the view of self differs. Some emphasize the subjective grasper, clinging to consciousness; others emphasize the objective grasped, clinging to the realm; some cling to both. Because of the view of self and self-attachment, the mind is not empty, and Chan practice bears no fruit. At this time, a Chan master with the eye of wisdom is needed to guide the opportunity, demonstrate teaching, confront and empty the disciple face-to-face, seizing the grasper and grasped clung to by the disciple, removing the obstruction of the eye, purifying their Dharma eye. This is the first three categories of selection.

A Chan practitioner who has attained the purified Dharma eye finds both person and realm empty, landing in emptiness. To realize the ultimate truth by turning upward, the Chan master again guides the opportunity, demonstrating teaching, enabling the disciple to turn from emptiness to the existence within person and realm. Thus, like finding a village beyond willows and flowers, the realm shifts, and the great matter is preliminarily resolved. But turning under the bright moonlight is difficult; turning from emptiness to existence is not easy. This is the leap from Hinayana to Mahayana, requiring the arising of great Bodhicitta and the extensive practice of the Bodhisattva path. The fourth category of selection accomplishes Mahayana initial enlightenment, opening the path upward. Therefore, without eradicating the view of self, one cannot attain enlightenment.

19. Venerable Shi Jiu Neng’s Key to Chan Practice

Venerable Shi Jiu Neng: The Chan school’s method of Chan practice requires us to use the root faculty, not the discriminating consciousness. Chan doesn’t care whether you have false thoughts or not; it doesn’t bother with such trivial matters. It only requires you to cultivate to the level of manas, enabling manas to investigate the huatou (critical phrase) and have the capacity to realize the Way. Chan practice investigates the huatou; this is something only those of medium or high capacity can do; those of low capacity cannot. Why? Look at this investigation of the huatou—for example, investigating "Who is reciting the Buddha’s name?" or "What is my original face before my parents were born?" Many people investigating the huatou—"Who is reciting the Buddha?"—search everywhere for this "who." This is not investigating the huatou; this is reciting the tail of the phrase. What is investigating the huatou? Investigating the huatou means investigating what is before the phrase. What is before the phrase? Do you want to speak? If you think "Namo Amitabha Buddha," that is like speaking. The huatou is the state before reciting "Namo Amitabha Buddha."

Therefore, the work of investigating the huatou is like this: You want to recite "Amitabha Buddha," but you deliberately prevent it from being recited. If it is recited, it becomes the tail of the phrase. So you must investigate what is before this phrase. You want to recite "Amitabha Buddha," but deliberately prevent it from being recited. What is this state like? You want to recite, but do not let "Amitabha Buddha" emerge in your mind; if it emerges, it becomes the tail of the phrase. This is investigating the huatou. The work of investigating the huatou must be done with great continuity and subtlety. How subtle? When the work of investigating the huatou becomes pure and mature, it is like swallowing a hot soup dumpling—a very hot dumpling held in the mouth; swallowing it would scald you to death, spitting it out is too regrettable, so it sticks in the throat. There is a metaphor: like a cat stalking a mouse. The cat sees the mouse and chases it closely. The mouse runs into a hole; the cat crouches with all four paws on the ground, tail raised, fully focused on the hole, watching the mouse, waiting to catch it the moment it emerges. Investigating the huatou is also like this—watching one’s own mind. Do not let the huatou emerge, but one must be thinking of it.

Those who investigate the huatou must work like this: hiding the huatou in the mind without reciting it. Those who can do this are certainly of medium or high capacity. If you cannot do this, honestly recite the Buddha’s name first. When the recitation work gradually deepens, the mind becomes quiet, without false thoughts. At this time, recitation reaches the level of manas, which is similar to the work of investigating the huatou. Therefore, investigating the huatou is actually working on manas. When the huatou has not yet emerged, the mind is clearly aware of this huatou—this reaches the level of manas.

Commentary: Venerable Shi Jiu Neng describes the state of effort in Chan practice quite accurately and clearly points out that during Chan practice, it is manas that is single-mindedly investigating; that effort is primarily the Chan work of manas. When you cultivate to the point where you can use manas to contemplate and investigate the huatou, you will feel that investigating the huatou is indeed very meaningful and fascinating, truly captivating and compelling. Therefore, Chan practitioners can work diligently day and night without rest, their effort continuous and uninterrupted, constantly intensifying. Chan practice is also like a cat waiting for a mouse: seeing the mouse scurrying at the hole, the chance of catching it is very high, success is imminent, so the cat remains vigilant, carefully guarding, never leaving, never abandoning, waiting for the opportunity to seize it in one move.

Why is the moment just before a phrase or the four characters "Amitabha Buddha" are about to emerge called the huatou, the state of manas’ investigation? Because the thoughts of manas lack the characteristics of language, words, or sound. At the moment the huatou is about to emerge but has not yet formed language, words, or sound, this is the thought and contemplation of manas. The next step, when language, words, or sound appear, falling into the conscious mind, is no longer the state of investigating the huatou but reciting the tail of the phrase—the state of conscious emotional understanding and intellectual interpretation. Therefore, in the operation of all dharmas, the thoughts of manas always come first, the thoughts of consciousness come afterward. The thoughts of consciousness can also transform back into the thoughts of manas, but the thoughts of manas are extremely difficult to observe and grasp.

In all waking states, there is knowing and thought in both manas and consciousness; it’s just that in various states, which of the two—manas or consciousness—has stronger or more prominent knowing and thought. The functions of the two consciousnesses are difficult to distinguish clearly. If manas is A and consciousness is B, our knowing is B’s knowing. To discern manas, it is B discerning A. How can B know A’s knowing or not knowing? How can it know what thoughts, feelings, or ideas A has? How can B understand or comprehend A’s mental state? How can B’s judgment of A be accurate and error-free? When B does not know A’s mental state, it means B lacks the wisdom to judge A. When will consciousness have wisdom? When can it directly observe the workings of manas as they truly are? Only after realization and attainment of the wisdom of the Way-seeds.

For now, let us not worry about whether consciousness can observe manas’ mental state as it truly is. We should first establish correct understanding regarding Chan practice. Comparing it to the state of effort described above, cultivate the correct Chan work; this is the most urgent task at present. As long as this Chan work is cultivated, even if one does not realize enlightenment in this life, in future lives one will know how to exert effort, will again cultivate this Chan work, avoid wrong paths, and realization will be a matter of time.

20. How to Seek Bodhi?

Bodhi is only to be sought within the mind;
Why labor seeking mysteries outside?
Heed this and practice accordingly;
The Western Land is right before your eyes.

Explanation: Why seek Bodhi within the mind? Because Bodhi is the mind. But what kind of mind? What are its characteristics? To which mind should one seek Bodhi? From which mind can Bodhi be found?

The mind is within the body, or within one’s own mind; it is not in empty space, not in external appearances or dust realms, not in others. Therefore, seeking this mind does not require you to seek outwardly; talk of mysteries and wonders is unnecessary. Just turn back and seek within the mind. But this mind constantly interacts with all dharmas, including others, external realms, and even empty space, the universe, and the material world. When you interact with these external realms, turn the light inward, introspect your own mind, and you can illuminate this Bodhi mind. Because Bodhi is functional, constantly functioning, never idle, one must seek it within all functions, while not letting external realms blind one’s eyes, seeing only external realms and taking them as real. If so, one cannot illuminate the Bodhi mind.

This is called Chan practice. Only by practicing like this can one realize one’s own mind, realize the Bodhi mind that illuminates the great thousand worlds, realize the Bodhi mind that perfectly accomplishes all dharmas, realize the self-mind Tathagata that is originally Buddha. Realizing the Tathagata, relying on it to transform the defiled minds of the seven consciousnesses, making them as pure as the Bodhi mind, as selfless and unselfish as the Bodhi mind, as pure and non-active as the Bodhi mind, as beneficial and joyful to all sentient beings as the Bodhi mind—such practice can perfect the Buddha Way, becoming a Tathagata who is internally and externally transparent, radiating light, illuminating boundlessly throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds. United with the self-mind Tathagata, it will manifest countless great thousand worlds as splendid and magnificent as the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Land of Ultimate Bliss is always and everywhere before one’s eyes, delivering all suffering sentient beings, returning them to the tranquil Nirvana realm, eternally blissful, self-existent, and pure.

21. Concentrating on Guarding the True Mind, False Thoughts Cease, the Sense of Mine Extinguishes, and the Dharma of Nirvana Manifests.

Commentary: If, during the path of cultivation, one realizes the true mind, initially, to calm the mind, one can concentrate on guarding the true mind, taking it as the refuge. As cultivation deepens, one will know that guarding the true mind is also a false dharma, also superfluous. The mental act of guarding is the mental act of the false mind; it is generating false thoughts. Why guard the true mind? It is still because one takes the true mind as self and belonging to self, hence guarding it. Therefore, the mind of "mine" has not extinguished; the mind is still not empty enough. At this time, the mind is purer than before, seemingly like the true mind, without other thoughts. But this is a state of Samadhi, which can be said to resemble the thoughtless state of the true mind. Saying the true mind of Nirvana manifests is acceptable but somewhat forced. Because the true mind of Nirvana is always manifesting; those who realize the true mind know this.

If one says concentrating and guarding the mind is acceptable, this "guarding the mind" means preventing the false mind from deluded fabrication, especially preventing the creation of karma of greed, hatred, and delusion, returning to purity, or returning to the true mind nature. The term "guard the true mind" is debatable, because the true mind does not need guarding. Those who are enlightened guarding the true mind is superfluous, only increasing afflictions and attachments, unable to pass the prison barrier. Those not enlightened wish to guard it but cannot find it; how can they guard it? But the very word "guard" indicates having thoughts, having subjectivity. Whether guarding the true mind or the false mind, as long as there is guarding, it is a false thought. At this time, only conscious false thoughts cease; manas definitely has thoughts. When there are no thoughts, the mind is empty, guarding nothing, unable to guard, and the mental act of guarding ceases. When there are thoughts and mind, both the true mind of Nirvana and the false mind exist. Which is the manifested mind of Nirvana? Since there is a mental act of guarding, mental acts are not extinguished, and what is guarded is "mine"—whatever is guarded, it is guarding "mine"; the mind of "mine" has fundamentally not extinguished.

The state of Chan cannot compare with the state of Yogacara. In the Chan stage, the mind is still not empty enough. Even after passing the third barrier of Chan, the mind has not attained the emptiness of those in the Yogacara stage. As long as a single mental act is not empty, one cannot pass the third barrier of Chan nor reach the third barrier. Only when the mind is empty can one attain the Nirvana with Remainder and have the capacity to pass the third barrier of Chan, the prison barrier of birth and death. Guarding a true mind binds one to that true mind; there is still karmic birth and death; one cannot attain Nirvana. Guarding is karmic birth and death; guarding is troublesome; the mind is not tranquil. The fourth dhyana is called "abandoning thoughts and attaining purity." Abandoning thoughts is purity; abandoning thoughts means no guarding, the mind empty, unguarded, unattached. Guarding will not lead to the state of no-thought, let alone the state of cessation. Why cannot one enter the state of cessation? Because manas still has feeling and thought; guarding is thought. In the state of no-thought, there is no guarding by consciousness; consciousness cannot function. Guarding is similar to cultivating concentration by fixing the mind in one place. "Fix" means to place, to counteract; it involves action, operation.

What we are discussing now is the ultimate result of practice, not the process. The process should be done as required; various methods and measures can be adopted, all necessary for the effort and unavoidable. But at the final result, mental acts must be extinguished. For example, when guarding precepts reaches the point of not needing to guard, one is at ease with the precepts yet does not transgress them; it becomes entirely the habit and nature of manas. Mental acts are naturally so, without need for thought or supervision; naturally, mental acts conform to the precepts.

22. Perfect Penetration of the Six Sense Faculties

Sitting quietly at dawn,
Sounds of drums, wind, chanting, birdsong—all enter the ears;
The mind transcends the dusty world, without a ripple.

Thoughts of the mind arise again:
The world, nation, sentient beings, spreading the Dharma, delivering beings—all matters arise;
The mind leaves all appearances, not a slight wave stirred.

Worldly human affairs,
Croaking frogs, chirping cicadas,
Ants fighting, bees contending—
Merely amuse people, nothing is great except death.
Even matters of life and death are not great;
Like bubbles arising and vanishing, all empty illusions.

Matters beyond the world,
Liberation from all sufferings,
Spreading the Dharma, benefiting beings—
Cannot be taken seriously; all are affairs in a dream.
Fame and profit, praise and blame,
Vows and responsibilities—
All are merely empty appearances.

All sounds are like echoes in an empty valley—none are grasped;
All forms are like mirages—none are clung to;
All matters and principles are like tortoise hair and rabbit horns—none are grasped;
Worldly threats and temptations are all traps;
Worldly bustle and chaos are all thorns;
Speech, laughter, silence, gestures—all actions are karmic suffering.

Eye, form, seeing—all three empty;
Ear, sound, hearing—all three empty;
Nose, smell, smelling—all three empty;
Tongue, taste, tasting—all three empty;
Body, touch, feeling—all three empty;
Mind, dharmas, thinking—all three empty.
The grasper is empty, the grasped is empty;
The mind’s emptiness is also empty;
Emptiness is also empty;
Until not a speck can be established,
Not a mote can be attained;
Not establishing, nor destroying;
Not attaining, nor losing—
Only then is the message of returning home.
Home has no four walls, not a blade of grass;
Not even a place to stand an awl;
Ultimately without a mote;
Without a mote is also nothing;
Nothing is also nothing.
Reaching here,
Not only the ear faculty is perfectly penetrated,
The eye faculty is perfectly penetrated,
The nose faculty is perfectly penetrated,
The tongue faculty is perfectly penetrated,
The body faculty is perfectly penetrated,
The mind faculty is also perfectly penetrated—
All six faculties are perfectly penetrated.
Penetrating what?
Investigate!

23. Buddhas and Sentient Beings Perceive Differently

Do Buddhas still perceive false dharmas?
They perceive, but do not interpret them as false dharmas, nor use them as false dharmas.
Buddhas, in their great compassionate form,
Enter mud and water for sentient beings,
Their minds like lotuses, pure and without falsity.

Does the Tathagatagarbha perceive false appearances?
No, the Tathagatagarbha does not perceive composite appearances,
Does not perceive combined appearances,
Does not perceive unified appearances,
Does not perceive changing appearances,
Only perceives the original seed appearances.
The Tathagata Buddha dwells in the original appearances,
Providing all dharmas to sentient beings,
Entering mud and water, yet not stained in the slightest, not tainted!

Why do sentient beings only perceive mountains, rivers, and the great earth—false dharmas?
Their minds are blind, their eyes sightless, obscured by ignorance.
Why are their minds blind, eyes sightless, obscured by ignorance?
Since beginningless kalpas it has been so;
There is no why; ignorance has no cause.
Since beginningless kalpas, how many eyes have been blinded?
Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, manas—seven eyes in total, all blinded.
When manas is blinded, the other six eyes follow, blinded;
There are no clear eyes.

How can sentient beings perceive truth without entering falsity?
Arouse great Bodhicitta,
Vow to eradicate all ignorance,
Rescue all sentient beings from ignorance,
Cultivate precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, and the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment,
Extensively practice the Six Perfections of Bodhisattvas,
Refrain from all evil,
Practice all good,
Contemplate the absence of self,
Realize the self-nature.