六祖大师法宝坛经

TheSixth Patriarch's Dharma Jewel Platform

行由第一

SUMMERCHAPTER ONE Where It All Began

祖，三更喚秀入堂，

At the third watch (around midnight),

the Patriarch called Shenxiu into the hall

問曰：偈是汝作否？

and asked him, "Did you write this verse?"

秀言：實是秀作，

Shenxiu answered, "Yes, Xiu did it,

不敢妄求祖位，

but I dare not lay claim

to the position of Patriarch.

望和尚慈悲，

I only hope the High Master

will be compassionate

看弟子有少智慧否？

and see whether this disciple

has any wisdom or not."

祖曰：

The Patriarch said,

汝作此偈，未見本性，

"Your verse shows that you

have not yet seen your original nature;

只到門外，

you are still outside the gate

未入門內。

and have yet to pass through it.

如此見解，

With the views and understanding you have,

覓無上菩提，

you may seek for unsurpassed bodhi,

了不可得。

but will not attain it.

無上菩提，

Unsurpassed bodhi means that

須得言下識自本心，

right at the moment

of speaking you are able

to recognize your original mind,

見自本性，不生不滅。

and see that your own

fundamental nature is

unborn and undying.

於一切時中，念念自見

Unsurpassed bodhi means

you yourself see this naturally,

at all times and in every instance of thought:

萬法無滞。

that the myriad dharmas are of a piece, identical!

一真一切真，

And that what is true of one,

is true of all.

萬境自如如。

The myriad phenomena are

naturally 'thus' as they are.

如如之心，即是真實。

And a mind that is this way

accordingly, is the true reality.

若如是見，

To see in this way

即是無上菩提之自性也。

is the essence of supreme Bodhi.

汝且去，一兩日思惟，

Go and think this

over for a day or two.

更作一偈，將來吾看。

Then compose another verse

and bring it to me.

汝偈若入得門，

If you have 'entered the gate',

付汝衣法。

I will entrust you with

the Dharma robe and bowl."

神秀作禮而出。

Shenxiu bowed and left.

又經數日，

Several days passed,

作偈不成，

but he was unable to

compose a verse.

心中恍惚，

His mind was in a daze,

神思不安，

his spirit disturbed,

and his mood anxious,

猶如夢中，

as if he were in a dream.

行坐不樂。

Whether walking or sitting down,

he was miserable.

朗讀：合門