Prefect Wei asked the Patriarch to give another address: thereupon, having taken his seat, and asked the assembly to purify their mind and to recite the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, he gave the following address:
“Learned audience, the wisdom of enlightenment is inherent in every one of us: it is because of the delusion under which our mind works that we fail to realize it ourselves — and that we have to seek the advice and guidance of enlightened ones, before we can know our own essence of mind. You should know that as so far as Buddha Nature is concerned, there is no difference between an enlightened person and an ignorant one — what makes the difference is that one realizes it, and the other is ignorant of it. Now, let me talk to you about Mahaprajnaparamita, so that each of you can attain wisdom.
Those who recite the word Prajna the whole day long, do not seem to know that Prajna is inherent in their own nature. But mere talking on food will not appease hunger, and this is exactly the case with these people. We might talk on Sunyata, the void, for myriads of kalpas, but talking alone will not help us to realize the essence of mind, and it serves no purpose in the end.
The word Mahaprajnaparamita is Sanskrit, and means “Great Wisdom to reach the opposite shore of the sea of existence.” What we have to do is to put it into practice with our mind. Whether we recite it or not does not matter. Mere reciting it without mental practice may be likened to a phantasm, a magical delusion, a flash of lightning, or a dewdrop. On the other hand, if we do both, then our mind will be in accord with what we repeat orally.
Our very nature is Buddha, and apart from this nature, there is no other Buddha.
What is Maha? It means “Great.” The capacity of the mind is as great as that of Space: it is infinite — neither round nor square, neither great nor small, neither green nor yellow, neither red nor white, neither above nor below, neither long nor short, neither angry nor happy, neither right nor wrong, neither good nor evil, neither first nor last. All Buddha Lands are as void as space. Intrinsically, our transcendental nature is void, and not a single dharma can be attained. It is the same with the essence of mind, which is a state of absolute void. That is, the voidness of non-void.
When you hear me talk about the void, do not at once fall into the idea of vacuity — because this involves the heresy of The Doctrine of Annihilation. It is of the utmost importance that we should not fall into this idea, because when a person sits quietly and keeps their mind blank, they will abide in a state of voidness of indifference. The illimitable void of the universe is capable of holding myriads of things of various shape and form: such as the sun, the moon, stars, mountains, rivers, worlds, good people, bad people, dharmas pertaining to goodness or badness, deva planes, hells, great oceans, and all the mountains of the Maha Meru. Space takes in all these, and so does the voidness of our own nature. We see that the essence of mind is great because it embraces all things, since all things are within our nature. When we see the goodness or the badness of other people, we are not attracted by it, nor repelled by it, nor attached to it — so that our attitude of mind is as void as space. In this way, we say our mind is great.
What the ignorant merely talk about, wise people put into actual practice with their mind. There is also a class of foolish people who sit quietly and try to keep their mind blank. They refrain from thinking of anything and call themselves great. On account of their heretical view, we can hardly talk to them. You should know that the mind is very great in capacity, since it pervades the whole Dharmadatu — that is, the universe. When we use it, we can know something of everything. And when we use it to its full capacity, we shall know all. All in one, and one in all. When our mind works without hindrance, and is at liberty to come or to go, then it is in a state of Prajna.
All Prajna comes from the essence of mind, and not from an exterior source. Have no mistaken notion about that. This is called self-use of the true nature. Once the suchness, or the essence of mind, is known, one will be free from delusion forever.
Since the scope of the mind is for great objects, we should not practice such trivial acts as sitting quietly with a blank mind. Do not talk about the void all day without practicing it in the mind. One who does this may be likened to a self-styled king, who is really a commoner. Prajna can never be attained in this way, and those who behave like this are not my disciples.
What is Prajna? It means “Wisdom.” If, at all times, and in all places, we steadily keep our thought free from foolish desire, and act wisely on all occasions, then we are practicing Prajna. One foolish notion is enough to shut off Prajna, while one wise thought will bring it forth again. People in ignorance, or under delusion, do not see it. They talk about it with their tongues, but in their mind they remain ignorant. They are always saying that they practice Prajna, and they talk incessantly on vacuity, but they do not know the absolute void. The heart of wisdom is Prajna, which has neither form nor characteristic. If we interpret it in this way, then indeed it is the wisdom of Prajna.
What is Paramita? It is a Sanskrit word meaning “to the opposite shore.” Figuratively it means above existence and non-existence. By clinging to sense objects, existence or non-existence arises like the up and down of the billowy sea, and such a state is called metaphorically “this shore.” While by non-attachment a state above existence and non-existence, like smoothly running water, is attained — and this is called “opposite shore.”
People under illusion recite the Mahaprajnaparamita with their tongues, and while they are reciting it, erroneous or evil thoughts arise. But if they put it into practice unremittingly, they realize its true nature. To know this Dharma is to know The Dharma of Prajna, and to practice this is to practice Prajna. One who does not practice it is an ordinary person. One who directs their mind to practice it, even for one moment, is the equal of Buddha.
For ordinary beings are Buddha, and defilement is Bodhi — “enlightenment.” A foolish passing thought makes one an ordinary person, while an enlightened second thought makes one a Buddha. A passing thought that clings to sense-objects is defilement, while a second thought that frees from from attachment is Bodhi.
The Mahaprajnaparamita is the most exalted, the supreme, and the foremost… It neither stays, nor goes, nor comes. By means of it, Buddhas of the present, the past and the future generations attain Buddhahood. We should use this great wisdom to break up the five Kandas, for to follow such a practice ensures the attainment of Buddhahood. The three poisonous elements of greed, hatred and delusion will then be turned into Sila — good conduct — Samadhi and Prajna.
The mind should be framed in such a way that it will be independent of external or internal objects, at liberty to come or to go, free from attachment and thoroughly enlightened, without the least beclouding. Without enlightenment, there would be no difference between a Buddha and other living beings, while a gleam of enlightenment is enough to make any living being the equal of a Buddha.
Since all Dharmas are imminent in our own mind, there is no reason why we should not realize intuitively the real nature of suchness. The Bodhisattva Sila Sutra says, ‘our essence of mind is intrinsically pure, and if we knew our mind, and realize what our nature is, all of us would attain Buddhahood.’
When we use Prajna for introspection, we are illumined within and without, and in a position to know our own mind. To know our mind is to obtain liberation. To obtain liberation is to attain Samadhi of Prajna, which is thoughtlessness. What is thoughtlessness? Thoughtlessness is to see and to know all Dharmas with a mind free from attachment. When in use, it pervades everywhere, and yet it sticks nowhere.
What we have to do is to purify our mind so that the six Vinyanas, the aspects of consciousness, in passing through the six gates of the sense organs, will neither be defiled by, nor attached to, the six sense objects. When our mind works freely, without any hindrance, and is at liberty to come or to go, we attain Samadhi, or Prajna, or liberation. Such a state is called the function of thoughtlessness. But to refrain from thinking of anything, so that all thoughts are suppressed, is to be Dharma-ridden — and this is an erroneous view.
Those who understand the way of thoughtlessness will know everything. Will have the experience all Buddhas have had, and attain Buddhahood.
Learned audience, I have a stanza for you. Listen to this stanza:
To illumine our gloomy tabernacle, Which is stained by defilement, We should constantly set up The Light of Wisdom… Erroneous views keep us in defilement, While right views remove us from it. But when we are in the position to discard both of them: We are then absolutely pure. Bodhi is imminent in our essence of mind, And attempt to look for it elsewhere is erroneous. Within our impure mind, the pure one is to be found. And once our mind is set right, We are free from the three kinds of beclouding. If we are treading the path of enlightenment, We need not be worried by stumbling blocks, Provided we keep a constant eye on our own faults, We cannot go astray from the right path. Since every species of life has its own way of salvation, They will not interfere with, or be antagonistic to one another… But if we leave our own path, and seek some other way of salvation, We shall not find it. And though we plod on till death overtakes us, We shall find only penitence in the end. If you wish to find the true way, Right action will lead you to it directly. But if you do not strive for Buddhahood, You will grope in the dark and never find it. One who treads the path in earnest, Seeks not the mistakes of the world. If we find fault with others, We ourselves are also in the wrong. When other people are in the wrong, We should ignore it. For it is wrong for us to find fault. By getting rid of the habit of fault-finding, We cut off a source of defilement. When neither hatred nor love disturbs our mind, Serenely we sleep. Those who intend to be teachers of others, Should themselves be skilled in the various expedients, Which lead others to enlightenment. When the disciple is free from all doubts, It indicates that their essence of mind has been found. The kingdom of Buddha is in this world, Within which enlightenment is to be sought. To seek enlightenment by separating from this world, Is as absurd as to seek for a rabbit’s horn. Right views are called transcendental, Erroneous views are called worldly. When all views, right or erroneous, are discarded, Then the essence of Bodhi appears.”