A Bird in Flight Leaves No Trace

by Seon Master Subul

  師云 凡所有相皆是虛妄 若見諸相非相 即見如來.

  These famous lines come from the Diamond Sūtra. Although the master could just have ignored Pei Xiu’s misguided questions, Huangbo kindly answered them all.

  “Both buddhas and sentient beings are utterly false views that you have created. Because you do not recognize the original mind, in vain you create such views and understandings.

  佛與眾生盡是汝作妄見 只為不識本心 謾作見解.

  Since time immemorial, there have been no grounds for explaining in words the fact that all sentient beings are endowed with the original mind. When people try to understand this intellectually, they commit the mistake of regarding what is a mere concept as something that exists in reality.

  If people see the nature, they will see reality and naturally understand everything, unmediated by words. But because they cling to their intellectual understanding, they generate wrong views.

  “The very moment you create the notion that there is a ‘buddha,’ you are obstructed by that ‘buddha.’ The moment you create the notion that there are ‘sentient beings,’ you are obstructed by those ‘sentient beings.’ If you create such notions as ‘ordinary’ and ‘saint,’ ‘pure’ and ‘impure,’ those will all become obstructions.

  纔作佛見便被佛障 作眾生見 被眾生障 作凡作聖作淨作穢等見 盡成其障.

  The very moment you allow one thought to arise, you are far removed from the buddha. There is a big difference between thinking with understanding and thinking without understanding. If you generate a view with an eye that is able to perceive all causes and conditions, you will not be hindered by that view. But if you have a mistaken thought, you will inevitably get off track.

  By obstructing your mind, all these [views] lead to the cycle of rebirth, like an ape that throws one thing away and picks up another without ever taking a break. The highest training of all is invariably no-training.

  障汝心故總成輪轉 猶如獼猴放一捉一無有歇期 一等是學 直須無學

  If you arouse one thought, you will be born again and assume another form. Since sentient beings arouse delusions without rest, they are not expected to escape this sea of suffering. No-training (aśaikṣa) refers to the state in which one attains arhatship and thus has nothing more to study or to practice. However, Seon goes beyond the levels of training or no-training and teaches that, in our natures, there is originally nothing we need to learn.

  There is neither worldling nor saint; neither pure nor impure; neither large nor small. It is uncontaminated and unconditioned.104

  無凡無聖 無淨無垢 無大無小 無漏無為.

  The nature of sentient beings is originally thus. However, listening to these words, people think they need to get rid of everything in order to become thus. Regardless of the actions they take, things are originally thus. Even though people should fully believe these facts, they misguidedly think: “Do we have to resolve and eradicate our karma in order to become thus?” If you let go of all such thoughts, the idea of “nothing” will also fade away.

  “In this way, the one mind is assiduously adorned with skillful means.105

  如是一心中 方便勤莊嚴.

  All characteristics are created; they are not there from the start. You should be your own master, staying always in accord with conditions and seeing the reality of the middle way that is nondual. These words that appear above are part of this verse from the Brahmā’s Net Sūtra:

  You should investigate silently

  the true characteristic of all dharmas,

  which is neither produced nor extinguished,

  neither permanent nor annihilated,

  neither one nor two,

  neither coming nor going.

  In this way, the one mind

  is assiduously adorned with skillful means.106

  “I hear that you have studied all the twelve categories of the teachings of the three vehicles. You should relinquish completely all views and understanding.

  聽汝學得三乘十二分教 一切見解總須捨却.

  When people hear the word “relinquish,” they intentionally try to renounce those things. This shows that they are deluded.

  From the perspective of “nothing,” there is originally nothing to abandon or take. Then, what can you relinquish or retain? Only from this perspective can you understand the word “relinquish.” Only then will you not try to relinquish or retain anything — that is, you will let go of both retention and relinquishment.

  The “twelve categories of the teachings of the three vehicles” refers to the three vehicles of the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas and the twelve different genres of the scriptural teachings of the Buddha.107 Thus the “twelve categories of the teachings of the three vehicles” is a categorization of the Buddha’s teachings in terms of style and content.

  “Therefore ‘I have abandoned everything I have and am just lying here on my sickbed’ refers precisely to not generating any sort of view.

  所以除去所有 唯置一床寢疾而臥 秖是不起諸見.

  The words above were spoken by the layman Vimalakīrti and appear in the “Mañjuśrī’s Questions” chapter of Vimalakīrti’s Instructions.108 The layman was not bound or hindered by what he possessed. He uttered this remark after investigating the causal relationships of things. His words reveal that everything is empty and false.

  “If there is not a single dharma that is ascertainable, you will not be obstructed by dharmas. You transcend the three realms of existence and the spheres of both worldlings and saints. Then and only then will you will deserve to be called a ‘supramundane buddha.’

  無一法可得 不被法障 透脫三界凡聖境域 始得名為出 世佛.

  Those who are ignorant think that they have to reach the realm of the buddhas in order to attain buddhahood. Although trying to become buddhas, they shoot themselves in the foot by creating discriminative views.

  Those who realize the nature do not discriminate between buddhas and sentient beings; they go their own ways, not caring about taking up or abandoning anything.

  “Therefore, it is said, ‘I bow my head before that which, like empty space, has no support.’109 I have left behind non-Buddhist paths.

  所以云 稽首如空無所依. 出過外道.

  Non-Buddhist paths lead people to commit misguided deeds. Even some people in the Great Vehicle do things as if they were followers of the vehicles of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. Since even adherents of the Great Vehicle at times make mistakes, ancient masters speak only of the one Buddha Vehicle. If you arouse a discriminative thought, you will be mistaken.

  “That which, like empty space, has no support” refers to that realm where all dichotomies and discriminations are eradicated. The above words are part of a song in praise of the buddha that appears in the “Buddha Realm” chapter of Vimalakīrti’s Instructions.

  “Since the mind is already undifferentiated, dharmas are also undifferentiated; since the mind is already unconditioned, dharmas are also unconditioned. The myriad dharmas all derive from transmutations of the mind.

  心既不異 法亦不異 心既無為 法亦無為 萬法盡由心變

  The mind and dharmas are nondual. The mind is like empty space. In empty space, there is no past, present, or future. This is just how the mind is. For these reasons, it is unconditioned.

  It is said, “You should realize that all things originate from the mind. There is no right or wrong in all those things that are subject to change.” You should not be deceived by these words, which were never intended to deceive others.

  “Therefore, [it is said,] ‘Since my mind is empty, all dharmas are empty; so too are the thousands of types and the myriad species.’110

  所以 我心空故諸法空 千品萬類悉皆同.

  At the very moment you see the nature, you should know, “All dharmas are originally empty. They are all false.” If you have had such an experienc
e, you must completely believe in it. However, discriminative thoughts may arise and confuse you, causing you to go back to being who you were before. Since all sentient beings are endowed with the nature, once you see that nature, that’s it! Do not think that there is something more you need to see or that you need to engage in various foolish deeds.

  “The realm of space that spreads out in all the ten directions is identical to the essence of the one mind. Since the mind is originally undifferentiated, dharmas also are undifferentiated. It is only because your views and understanding are not the same that distinctions appear.

  盡十方空界同一心體 心本不異法亦不異 秖為汝見解不同 所以差別.

  People create all kinds of false distinctions by discriminating large and small, right and wrong. Through his enlightenment, the Buddha demonstrated that all these characteristics were not different from each other. Thanks to him, people can realize this fact and arouse faith in the Buddhist teachings, saying “So it is!” This faith will bring an end to endless wandering in saṃsāra.

  “ ‘It is just like all heavenly beings, who eat together from the same bejeweled bowl but, depending on their merit and virtue, the color of their meals is different.’111

  譬如諸天共寶器食 隨其福德飯色有異.

  When eating from same bowl, some people will say, “Delicious!” while others will say, “How tasteless!” They have different perspectives because their karma differs. The analogy Huangbo uses here is also an unattributed quotation from the preface to the “Buddha Realm” chapter of Vimalakīrti’s Instructions.

  The Sixth Patriarch Huineng also said that worldly blessings derive from chasing characteristics, while genuine spiritual merit derives from staying far removed from characteristics.112

  “All the buddhas in the ten directions have in fact never attained even a modicum of dharma — this is called anuttara[samyaksaṃ]bodhi.113

  十方諸佛 實無少法可得 名為阿耨菩提.

  The Buddhadharma is not something that has been newly attained and revealed. It is already there to be recognized, so it doesn’t need to be created. You simply must realize for yourself what has always been there: “Ah! This is what it is! Since I was deceived by false things, I have spent my life doing foolish things. Now I realize that I have been deceived by mirages. The nature of the buddha is not different from the nature of sentient beings. This nondual nature is what all people should awaken to.”

  Anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi — supreme, unexcelled enlightenment — is in fact always right in front of our eyes, but we need to see the nature in order to to realize this fact.

  Since this realm cannot be expressed, it is called “inconceivable.”

  “There is only this one mind; there are no differentiated characteristics. It is also has no luminosity or colorations, nothing superior or inferior.

  秖是一心實無異相 亦無光彩 亦無勝負.

  The sky has no brightness of its own: when dawn comes, it becomes light; when sunset comes, it gets dark.

  Śākyamuni Buddha saw the morning star and attained enlightenment, after which he saved ignorant sentient beings who were wandering around in darkness. He ensured they would not lose their original mind by helping them to realize their natures for themselves, and he established the spiritual faculties that would help them avoid being dragged around by illusory things.

  “Since there is no superior, there are no characteristics of a buddha; since there is no inferior, there are no characteristics of a sentient being.”

  無勝故無佛相。無負故無眾生相

  At that point, the myriad dharmas are all equal in the one mind. Therefore there are no characteristics of a sentient being who admires and worships the buddha and no characteristics of a buddha who saves sentient beings. Therefore it is called the nondual dharma.

  Pei Xiu asked, “Since the mind is formless, how could it be that a buddha does not possess all the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks and does not edify and save all sentient beings?”

  云心既無相 豈得全無三十二相八十種好化度眾生耶.

  Since Pei Xiu had not transcended the realm of characteristics, he could not avoid discriminating between buddhas and sentient beings.

  But Master Huangbo said from the start, “All buddhas and sentient beings share the same one mind. There is no other dharma. This one mind itself is the buddha. The buddha and sentient beings are not different.”

  It is hard to say why Pei Xiu asked the above question. Clinging to characteristics and persisting in looking outside for truth, he likely did not understand the meaning of the master’s words and continued to ask foolish questions.

  The master said, “The thirty-two major marks involve characteristics. [Therefore, it is said,] ‘Whatever characteristics there may be, all of those are spurious.’ The eighty minor marks involve materiality. [Therefore, it is said,]

  Those who look for me in my physical form, . . .

  those people practice a deviant path.

  They will never be able to see the Tathāgata.”114

  師云 三十二相屬相 凡所有相 皆是虛妄 八十種好屬色 若以色見我 是人行邪道 不能見如來.

  Pei Xiu discriminated in terms of characteristics and materiality, so Master Huangbo kindly guided him with these lines from the Diamond Sūtra. The difference between Pei Xiu and Master Huangbo was that the grand councilor may have had some slight experience of the root, but he could not remove discriminative thought because he was still influenced by subtle delusions; the master thoroughly saw the true characteristic of the middle way, which transcends all characteristics.

  In other words, Pei Xiu’s question was slanted toward extreme views, while Master Huangbo followed the middle way and provided an opportunity for Pei Xiu to break through his discriminative delusions. The difference between the two is as great as that between heaven and earth. Therefore the ancient teachers advised that one should first awaken to the mind.

  6. There Is Only the One Mind

  Pei Xiu asked, “Is the nature of the buddha and the nature of sentient beings the same or different?”

  問 佛性與眾生性 為同為別.

  If you say that their natures are same, I will strike you with my staff; if you say that they are different, I will strike you with my staff. However meticulously Master Huangbo showed him the dharma, Pei Xiu could not digest the master’s words. Master Huangbo was careful to ensure that Pei Xiu would not misunderstand and cling to the master’s words.

  The master replied, “Their natures are neither the same nor different. If, from the standpoint of the three-vehicle teachings, it is explained that there is a buddha nature and a nature of sentient beings, then there will accordingly be causes and effects associated with the three vehicles, which will involve identities and differences.

  師云 性無同異 若約三乘教 即說有佛性有眾生性 遂有三乘因果 即有同異.

  “Whether it is the buddha nature or the nature of sentient beings, the essence of that nature involves neither sameness nor difference.” However, from the standpoint of the teachings of the three vehicles sentient beings are sentient beings and buddhas are buddhas. The law of causality clearly does exist, so differences inevitably appear.

  “But from the standpoint of the Buddha Vehicle and the transmission of the patriarchs, we do not discuss such things. There is only the one mind, which involves neither identity nor difference, neither cause nor effect.

  若約佛乘及祖師相傳 即不說如是事 唯有一心 非同非異 非因非果.

  Pei Xiu’s questions derive from the intellectual knowledge he had gained through learning, but Master Huangbo kindly and yet clearly revealed to him the truth about the basic tenets of the house of Seon.

  If your master points directly to the mind of human beings, and you are able to see the nature and attain buddhahood, then you will realize that all sorts of causes and effects and various types of discriminative thoughts ar
e simply false: there is nothing other than this one mind. Since there is just this one mind, the reality of things is clearly and easily revealed.

  The revelation of the one mind is recorded in the 1,700 gongan cases of the Seon school and are transmitted in the many discourse records of the Seon masters.

  Master Huangbo’s disciple Linji Yixuan said after his enlightenment, “Fundamentally, there is nothing special in Huangbo’s Buddhadharma.”115 Seon is just this simple and clear!

  “Therefore, it is said,

  There is only this path of the One Vehicle.

  There are not two or three,

  except what the Buddha teaches expediently.”116

  所以云 唯此一乘道 無二亦無三 除佛方便說.

  If your eye for the one mind becomes penetrating, you will see that only the one mind is the real characteristic of things while the two or three vehicles are just mirages. Seon just points directly to this true characteristic of nonduality.

  However, the Buddha offered expedient teachings in accord with sentient beings’ mental capacities in order to guide them to enlightenment. Therefore those teachings are included in the discussion of the path.

  Later, bright-eyed Seon masters created such meditation techniques as examination of meditative topics (kanhua/ganhwa 看話) and silent illumination (mozhao/mukjo 默照) out of concern for practitioners who failed to realize the truth the moment the master spoke.

  7. The Bodhisattva Boundless Body

  Pei Xiu asked, “Why can’t Boundless Body Bodhisattva see the top of the Tathāgata’s head?”

  The master replied, “In fact, he shouldn’t be able to see it. Why? He shouldn’t be able to see it because Boundless Body Bodhisattva is himself the Tathāgata.

  問 無邊身菩薩 為什麼不見 如來頂相 師云 實無可見 何以故 無邊身菩薩 便是如來 不應更見.

  Before Grant Councilor Pei Xiu met Master Huangbo, he had befriended Guifeng Zongmi. Since Zongmi was the fifth patriarch of both the Huayan doctrinal school and the Heze school of Chan, he was versed in both Chan and scholastic teachings. Therefore, Pei Xiu asked the above question.