Mind Inscription
Hsin Ming
By Founder of the Ox-Head School Niu-t'ou
Fa-jung
Contents
Title of the Text
Author of the Text
The Original Text
Translation of the Text
An Analysis of the Hsin Ming
Bibliography
Title of the Text
心銘
Hsin Ming (Wade-Giles)
Xin Ming (Pinyin) Xin1 Ming2
Shinmei (or Shin no Mei) (Japanese)
Sim Myong (Korean)
Literally, Heart (Mind)
Inscription
Author of the Text
牛頭法融
Niu-t'ou
Fa-jung
(Wade-Giles)
Niutou
Farong
(Pinyin) Niu2tou5 Fa3rong2
Gozu
Hõyû
(Japanese)
Niu-t'ou
Fa-jung
(Gozu Hõyû, 594-657) was of the Wei1 (I) family and
a native of Yen-ling2 (Enryõ) in Jun-Chou3 (Junshû), present day
Chen-chiang in the southern part of Kiangsu Province. Fa-jung is the
founder of the The Ox-Head School4 of Ch'an Buddhism.
The name "Ox-Head" (Niu-t'ou, Gozu) come from the Mount Niu-t'ou (Niu-t'ou shan, Gozusan)
where Fa-jung
lived. He is also known as Niu-t'ou
Mountain [Temple/School] First
Patriarch Ch'an master Fa-jung5. The Ox-Head
School is
considered not belonging to the orthodox line of Ch'an. This line of Ch'an sect
is also known as Niu-t'ou Zen6.
Notes
1 韋
2 延陵
3 潤州
4 Niu-t'ou-tsung (Gozushû 牛頭宗)
5 Niu-t'ou shan Ch'u-tsu Fa-jung Ch'an-shih (Gozusan Shoso Hõyû Zenji 牛頭山初祖法融禪師)
6 Niu-t'ou Ch'an (Gozu Zen 牛頭禪)
Niu-t'ou Fa-jung and the Fourth
Patriarch Tao-hsin
Under Tao-hsin
(580-651), the fourth patriarch, Zen was divided into two branches. The one
known as Gozusan (Niu-t'ou Shan), did not live long after the passing of its
founder, Fa-jung, who lived at Mount Niu-t'ou, and is considered not belonging
to the orthodox line of Zen. [.
. .]
Tao-hsin's interview with Fa-jung, the founder of the Niu-t'ou school of Zen,
was significant, showing where their views differed and how the one came to be
converted into the orthodox understanding of Zen. It was during the
Chên-kuan era of the T'ang dynasty that Tao-hsin, learning of the
presence of an extraordinary saintly man in Niu-t'ou mountains, decided to see
who he could be. When Tao-hsin came to a Buddhist temple in the mountains he
inquired after the man and was informed of a lonely anchorite who would never
rise from his seat nor salute people even when they were approaching him. When
Tao-hsin proceeded further into the mountains he saw him as he was told,
sitting quietly and paying no attention to the presence of a stranger. He then
asked the hermit what he was doing here. 'I am contemplating on Mind,' was the
reply. Tao-hsin then demanded: 'What is he that is contemplating? What is Mind
that is contemplated?' Fa-jung was not prepared to answer such questions.
Thinking that the visitor was a man of deep understanding, he rose from the
seat and saluting him asked who he was. When he found that the visitor was no
other personage than Tao-hsin himself, whose reputation he was not ignorant of,
he thanked him for the visit. They were now about to enter a little hut nearby
where they might talk about religion, when Tao-hsin saw some wild animals such
as tigers and wolves wandering about the place, and he threw up his hands as if
he were greatly frightened. Fa-jung remarked, 'I see this is still with you.'
The fourth patriarch responded at once, 'What do you see yet?' No answer came
from the hermit. After a while the patriarch traced the character 'Buddha' (fo) on the stone which
Fa-jung was in the habit of sitting in meditation. Seeing it, the latter looked
as if shocked. Said the patriarch, 'I see this is still with you.' But Fa-jung
failed to see the meaning of this remark and earnestly implored to be
instructed in the ultimate teaching of Buddhism. This was done, and Fa-jung
became the founder of the Niu-t'ou school of Zen Buddhism.
(Essays in Zen
Buddhism – First Series 201-3)
The Original Text
The original text of the
Hsin Ming
(from Taishõ Daizõkyõ1, vol. 51. 457-458. 大正大藏經 大正大蔵経)
智心無不照所無此正實不將通對永寵菩境將開不莫本知得無一四靈菩見非心無去惺惺雙分三念目至將縱生一前住心 牛
者若爲起無作處宗覺無入心達境日辱提隨心目用滅無心失生心徳知提在清無合來惺惺泯別世起前理心横無心際返性 頭
方不無法相無安毫無一不止一不如不影心滅見證凡可不兩順無不自本無非異無坐無了對凡無念無無守無生有如無不 山
知生得座苑滯心未覺物出動切動夜變現滅境相空情取心邊物妄生照有住濁心散立妄知治聖物滅物詮靜照相滯空端生 初
非法依安朗去虚沙眞妙非轉未有永不心心彼心自唯今無誰隨萬三萬不見非不不一寂見湛煩無前無非猶最生諸知追何 祖
言無無眠涅住明界空智靜止嘗力夜擇水隨此隨然教何病論處縁身法須在淺斷遲切寂網然惱心後物解未爲照法處尋須 法
詮差自虚槃皆自含不獨非轉不大如所常境由境明息用無好幽調本歸用本非貪不莫明轉明轉無無宛非離微一不迷不知 融
悟互出室城平露容空存喧奔 人永居清無侵起徹意棄藥惡棲直有如守心深淫疾執亮彌淨盛佛別然纏病妙同通宗見見 禪
知四樂諸慧寂一三本聲萬思無外諸徳兩心心滅意謂迷一覺心六無煩本本性明決萬寂不計衆後不靈生知欲去分一本 師
生等道縁日靜切世際聞法惟人似縁性處寂處盡無有時切由性根歸惱來來空寂定象寂須校生念勞通死法得來明切無 心
無六恬忘寂不莫諸虚縁無轉無頑頓如不境無生心魔捨有不本對無無不非自自無常無功乖無不智應忘無心自照莫一 銘
生度然畢寂生顧佛沖覺所昏見 息愚生如境死滅興事爲覺齊境受無存古離然方眞見巧常心生鑒物懷知淨爾境作法
現同優詮定放安皆非智唯汨無内一不寂不境冥心言悟本即同分絶不本見任不誰森暗守求依前體常即無無胡隨明誰
前一遊神光曠心乘心不有亂見心切立靜遣處心無空罷無覺居別觀須來在運可爲羅室嬰眞無念自在是知心假照寂論
常乘眞定明縱無此所能一精常虚不親虚不無入行象非造無不非忘用即非浮言出一不兒背心自虚自本知用推冥自薫
住路實質明横處宗窮論門魂現眞憶疎明拘心理絶備異作覺攜識守除今今沈及入相移行正出絶玄前性要功窮蒙現錬
Translation of the
Text
心銘
Mind Inscription
Translated by Henrik H. Sorensen
心性不生何須知見 The nature of
the mind is un-born. Why should it be necessary to know this?
本無一法誰論薫錬 Fundamentally
there is not one single phenomenon; who then can speak about defilement and
purification?
住返無端追尋不見 There is no
end to coming and going, and no matter how much one seeks, one will never
realize it!
一切莫作明寂自現 When
everything is inactive, then the bright stillness will manifest by itself.
前際如空知處迷宗 Before one
it will be like emptiness, and thereby one will know how to dispose with
confused doctrines.
分明照境隨照冥蒙 Distinguishing
clearly the circumstances one will illumine the dark and hidden.
一心有滯諸法不通 If the One Mind1 is obstructed,
then all the dharmas2 will not have a penetrating effect.
去來自爾胡假推窮 Spontaneously
coming and going, what use is it exhausting oneself?
生無生相生照一同 As life has
the mark of the un-born, it will illumine the oneness.3
欲得心淨無心用功 If one
wishes to obtain purity of mind, then one must diligently cultivate no-mind.
縱横無照最爲微妙 To have no
mental reflections high and low, this more than anything else is the marvelous!
知法無知無知知要 One will know
the dharma (the Buddha's teaching) through non-knowing, as this non-knowing will
know the essentials.
將心守靜猶未離病 By grasping the
mind and maintaining stillness4, one will still not be able to
leave behind the sickness (of clinging)5.
生死忘懷即是本性 In life and
death one must forget that which one is attached to, then there and then the
fundamental nature (will manifest, shine forth etc.).
至理無詮非解非纏 The highest principle
has no explanation, (one will be able to attain to it without) getting rid of anything
and without restraining oneself.
靈通應物常在自前 Spiritual penetration and responding to
affairs will constantly take place there and then,
目前無物無物宛然 Before one there
will not be a thing, and "not a thing" will be a matter of course.6
不勞智鑒體自虚玄 If you do
not strive for the Mirror of Wisdom, then its essence will be wonderously empty
of itself.
念起念滅前後無別 Thinking
arises and thinking goes away, before and after there is no discrimination.
後念不生前念自絶 The latter
thought is not produced as the former is cut off by itself.
三世無物無心無佛 In the Three
Worlds7 there is not a thing: neither mind nor Buddha.
衆生無心依無心出 All living beings
are (products) of no-mind, and depend upon no-mind to come into existence.8
分別凡聖煩惱轉盛 Discriminating
between worldly and holy will cause vexations in abundance.
計校乖常求眞背正 Constantly calculating
and making plans amounts to searching for the truth while turning one's back to
reality.
雙泯對治湛然明淨 If one puts
an end to the two extremes (of being and non-being), then one will be both bright
and clear.
不須功巧守嬰兒行 It is not
necessary to observe infantile practices diligently.
惺惺了知見網轉彌 Through
awareness one will gain knowledge, and when seeing the net (of samsara) one
will turn around and stop.
寂寂無見暗室不移 In
Samâdhi there is nothing to be seen, for in a dark room there is no
movement.
惺惺無妄寂寂明亮 In awareness
there is no falsity, in samaadhi there is clear brightness.
萬象常眞森羅一相 The myriad shapes
are all true, all having the majestetic one characteristica9
去來坐立一切莫執 Going and coming,
sitting and standing be grasped.
決定無方誰爲出入 With no
fixed place, who (can be said) to come and go?
無合無散不遲不疾 No coming
together and no breaking up, neither slowly nor hasty.
明寂自然不可言及 The bright
stillness is selfso and words speak about it!
心無異心不斷貪淫 If in the
mind there is nothing different from the mind, one does not have to stop
desire.
性空自離任運浮沈
As its nature is empty, it will disappear if it is allowed to
drift on.
非清非濁非淺非深 Neither pure
nor defiled, neither shallow nor deep.
本來非古見在非今 Originally the
past is not, and just now, the present is not!
見在無住見在本心 Just now there
is non-abiding and that is the original Mind.10
本來不存本來即今 When one
does not hold on to the origin, then the origin will be present.
菩提本有不須用守 Bodhi originally is,
(that is why) it is not necessary to maintain it.
煩惱本無不須用除 Vexations are
fundamentally non-existing, therefore it is not necessary to do away with them!
靈知自照萬法歸如 The
spiritual wisdom shines forth by itself, and the myriad phenomena return (to
the source).
無歸無受絶觀忘守 Nothing to
revert to and nothing to receive. Cut off opinions and forget about the
precepts!
四徳不生三身本有
The Four Virtues11 are un-born, and the Three Bodies
are fundamentally existing.12
六根對境分別非識 The Six
Roots13 (just) face the circumstances and (clear or
direct) perception has nothing to do with consciousness.
一心無妄萬縁調直 Then the
mind will have nothing wrong and the ten thousand causes will directly
harmonize.
心性本齊同居不攜 The mind and
the feelings are basically of the same source, they coexist without interfering
with each other.
無生順物隨處幽棲 The un-born
is in accordance with phenomena, together they dwell and rest in the dark.
覺由不覺即覺無覺 Enlightenment
comes from that which is not enlightened, therefore enlightenment is non-enlightenment!
得失兩邊誰論好惡 Gain and
loss are like the two sides of a coin. Who can then speak about good and bad?
一切有爲本無造作 All that is
caused, is originally the product of the un-born.
知心不心無病無藥 The knowing mind
is not the Mind, (the true Mind is something which) neither disease nor
medicine can effect.
迷時捨事悟罷非異 In times of
confusion just let things go their way, because when awakening is accomplished,
they will not be different (from your self).
本無可取今何用棄 Fundamentally
nothing can be grasped; now what will you throw away?
謂有魔興言空象備 Speaking of
existence is to give in to demons, for with words empty images arise!
莫滅凡情唯教息意 Do not wipe
out worldly feelings. The only teaching that you should be concerned about, is
how to do away with ideas!
意無心滅心無行絶 Ideas will be
annihilated by no-mind, and mental states will be cut off by non-activity.
不用證空自然明徹 There is no use
trying to verify emptiness, spontaneously it will shine forth!
滅盡生死冥心入理 Extinguishing
both life and death, the profound Mind enters the (ultimate) principle.
開目見相心隨境起 Just open your
eyes and behold the forms, letting your mind go along with the arising circumstances.
心處無境境處無心
If the mind abides in no-circumstances, then the circumstances
abide in no-mind.
將心滅境彼此由侵 Then when the
mind is about to annihilate the circumstances, they will go along with the annihilation.
心寂境如不遣不拘 The mind
will be quiet and the circumstances just the same. One will neither have to let
go nor to hold on.
境隨心滅心隨境無 When
circumstances go along with the mind they will be extinguished, and the mind which
follows circumstances is nothingness.
兩處不生寂靜虚明 Both abide in
the un-born, still purity and empty brightness!
菩提影現心水常清 Awakening
appears like a shadow in the mind's water, which is constantly clear.
徳性如愚不立親疎 The nature (or
disposition) of the virtuous is like stupidity, for it does not set up any
separation between this and that.
寵辱不變不擇所居 They are not
moved by either grace or dishonour, and do not choose a (fixed) place to dwell.14
諸縁頓息一切不憶 If all
causes are put to rest, then one will cease to worry about them!
永日如夜永夜如永 If one does
not discriminate, then an eternal day can be like a night, and an eternal night
can be like a day.15
外似頑 内心虚眞 When seen from the outside it seems as
if one is wayward and stupid, however within, the mind is vacant and in
communion with reality.
對境不動有力大人 Adverse
conditions will not move one, and one will have the power of an accomplished
being.
無人無見無見常現 There will
be neither seer nor the seen, then that non-seeing will be perpetually
manifested.
通達一切未嘗不 Penetrating
everything, constantly being everywhere.
思惟轉昏汨亂精魂 Thinking will
cause confusion, and confusion will give rise to all kinds of emotions.
將心止動轉止轉奔 If by
grasping the mind one tries to stop agitation, then with this movement the mind
will be even more active.16
萬法無所唯有一門 The myriad
phenomena have no base, there is only the One Door.17
不入不出非靜非喧 This is the
door of neither entering nor leaving, of neither stillness nor disturbance.
聲聞縁覺智不能論 The wisdom
of 'Srâvakas and Pratyeka-buddhas can not fathom this.
實無一物妙智獨存 In reality
not one thing exists, the wonderful wisdom alone remains. Circumstances are
fundamentally empty.
本際虚沖非心所窮 It is not
something which the mind can exhaust.
正覺無覺眞空不空 True
enlightenment is non-enlightenment, and real emptiness is not empty!
三世諸佛皆乘此宗 All the Buddhas
of the Three Times18 teach this doctrine.
此宗毫未沙界含容 This teaching
is like a particle of dust, worlds as numerous as sandgrains in the Ganges are
contained therein!
一切莫顧安心無處 If one does
not occupy oneself with everything, then the peaceful mind will have nowhere to
abide.
無處安心虚明自露 The peaceful
mind will be non-abiding, and the empty brightness will manifest by itself!
寂靜不生放曠縱横 The quiet
stillness is un-born, and one will be free to roam in all directions.
所作無滯去住皆平 Whatever one
does there will be nothing to obstruct one. In motion and in rest, all will be
equal.
慧日寂寂定光明明
The sun of prajnâ is still, the light of samâdhi is bright;
照無相苑朗涅槃城 (They are)
the bright park of no mark (laksana) and the clear city of nirvâna.
諸縁忘畢詮神定質 In all
causes one should be un-mindful of the fruit; it can be likened to the quality
of the spiritual samâdhi.
不起法座安眠虚室 Do not set up
platforms for teaching; but take a peaceful nap in an empty house.19
樂道恬然優遊眞實 One will find
happiness in the Way, with plenty of space to roam about in True Reality.
無爲無得依無自出 Nothing to
do, nothing to obtain, and depending upon nothing, the self will manifest.
四等六度同一乘路 The Four Virtues20 and the Six
Parâmitâs21 all belong
to the path of the One Vehicle.
心若不生法無差互 When the
mind in this way is not produced, then all the phenomena also will not be
wrong.
知生無生現前常住 Knowing that
life is un-born, before one it will constantly remain thus.
智者方知非言詮悟 Those with
wisdom will know this, but no amount of words can explain this kind of
awakening!
Notes
(In Sorensen's article
(v.s.), these
correspond to the notes 54-74.)
1 The Buddha Mind
or Buddha Nature (fo-hsing 佛性).
2 The various
Buddhist methods and teachings.
3 Meaning that
life as such is manifesting the un-born or absolute. This has been presented in
the Prajnâpâramitâhrdaya Sûtraa (Nsin ching, T.250) in the
following words: "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form."b [a 般若波羅蜜多心經 b 色即是空、空即是色]
4 A type of meditation
practice common in the Northern Ch'an School of Shen-hsiuc (605-706
A.D.). This method is called shou-hsind (observing the
mind). [c 神秀 d 守心]
5 If one practices
in this way, according to Fa-junge one will
still be subject of dualistic thinking. [e 法融]
6 The
realization of suchness (tathatâf). [f 如]
7 1) The
world of desireg, 2) the world of formh and 3) the
world of no-formi (the formless world). [g 欲界 h 色界 i 無色界]
8 This is the
so-called dharmadhâtu-originationj, a cardinal
doctrine in the "Hua-yen ching"k. [j 法界性起 k 華嚴經]
9 The one characteristicl or the one mark
is suchness. [l 一相]
10 The
essential nature, the Buddha Mind.
11 1) Permanencem, 2) joyn, 3) personalityo and 4) purityp. These Four
Virtuesq were expounded by the Buddha in the Mahâparinirvâna
Sûtrar. (T. 374). They are attributes of the Buddha Nature. [m 常 n 樂 o 我 p 淨 q 四徳 r 大般涅槃經]
12 l) Dharmakâyas, 2) Sambhogakâyat, 3) Nirmânakâya