永嘉證道歌 義疏通講Song of Realizing the Way · Exposition Throughout
證道歌Song of Realizing the Way
全文五層 →Full five layers →《永嘉證道歌》的第一行是「君不見。絕學無為閒道人。不除妄想不求真。」〔T48 0395c09〕。在通常的修行語言裡，妄想是要除的，真是要求的；這首歌卻一開口就把這兩件事都放下，而且把放下的人叫作「閒道人」。往後二百多句，說到頓覺、說到貧、說到謗、說到行住坐臥、說到傳燈、說到末法、說到犯重的比丘，繞了一大圈，最後一句是「未了吾今為君訣」〔T48 0396c28〕——你還沒明白，我現在替你說破。這一篇義疏依歌的二十四個自然段，分十二節走一遍，只說每一段為什麼接著上一段、整首歌要把人帶到哪裡。古註留到末節。
一、閒道人：不除妄想，不求真
歌以「君不見」起，三個字，全篇只用一次。不是起句式，是一聲招呼：你看見了嗎？看見的是一個人——「絕學無為閒道人」。絕學，是不再把修行當作一門要學完的學問；無為，不是不做事，是不另起造作；閒，是不被塵勞拴住。這個人「不除妄想不求真」〔T48 0395c09〕。為什麼可以不除？下一句就答：「無明實性即佛性。幻化空身即法身。」〔T48 0395c10〕無明的實性就是佛性，幻化的空身就是法身——妄想沒有另外一個體性可除，真也沒有另外一個地方可求。接著歌把這個法身說透：「法身覺了無一物。本源自性天真佛。」〔T48 0395c10〕覺了之後沒有一物可得，本來的自性就是天真的佛。五陰如浮雲，三毒如水泡，「證實相無人法。剎那滅却阿鼻業。」〔T48 0395c12〕——證到實相，人與法都空，阿鼻的業在一剎那間滅去。歌怕人不信，加一句誓言：「若將妄語誑眾生。自招拔舌塵沙劫。」〔T48 0395c13〕這是第一段，也是全歌的總綱：下面所有的話，都是從「不除妄想不求真」這七個字長出來的。
第二段說頓。「頓覺了如來禪。六度萬行體中圓。」〔T48 0395c14〕不是一步一步修到，是一下子覺了；六度萬行不是逐項去做，是在覺體之中本來圓滿。於是夢與覺的譬喻出來了：「夢裏明明有六趣。覺後空空無大千。」〔T48 0395c14〕夢中六道明明歷歷，醒來連大千世界都沒有。所以「無罪福無損益。寂滅性中莫問覓。」〔T48 0395c15〕；塵鏡從前未磨，今日須剖析分明。最後兩句是問句：「誰無念誰無生。若實無生無不生。」〔T48 0395c17〕——誰真的無念、誰真的無生？如果真是無生，就沒有什麼不生。
二、放四大與摩尼珠
第三段用一個機關木人作譬：「喚取機關木人問。求佛施功早晚成。」〔T48 0395c18〕——去問木偶吧，用功求佛什麼時候成？意思接著上一句「若實無生無不生」〔T48 0395c17〕來：若把無念無生當作木頭一樣的斷滅，那麼去問木人幾時成佛，自然永遠沒有時候——無生不是斷滅。所以「放四大莫把捉。寂滅性中隨飲啄。」〔T48 0395c18〕放下四大的身子，不去把捉它，在寂滅性中隨緣飲啄。「諸行無常一切空。即是如來大圓覺。」〔T48 0395c19〕無常與空，本身就是大圓覺。這是決定說，說的人以此表明自己是真僧；「有人不肯任情徵」〔T48 0395c20〕——不肯的人，儘管來問難。「直截根源佛所印。摘葉尋枝我不能。」〔T48 0395c21〕——直截根源是佛所印可的；在枝葉上摘尋，我做不來。
第四段換一個譬：「摩尼珠人不識。如來藏裏親收得。」〔T48 0395c22〕摩尼珠人人不認得，它就收在如來藏裡。這顆珠「六般神用空不空。一顆圓光色非色。」〔T48 0395c22〕——六根的妙用，說空又不空；一顆圓光，說色又非色。「淨五眼得五力。唯證乃知難可測。」〔T48 0395c23〕這一句是分寸：五眼五力清淨之後，才是「唯證乃知」，不是思量可以測度的。「鏡裏看形見不難。水中捉月爭拈得。」〔T48 0395c24〕——鏡裡看形影不難，水裡撈月卻撈不起來；知見容易，把捉不得。於是「常獨行常獨步。達者同遊涅槃路。」〔T48 0395c25〕——獨行獨步，與達者同遊。
三、身貧道不貧
第五段是歌中最有人味的一段。「調古神清風自高。貌顇骨剛人不顧。」〔T48 0395c26〕格調古、神氣清，風儀自然高；容貌憔悴、骨相剛硬，沒人理會。然後是自白：「窮釋子口稱貧。實是身貧道不貧。」〔T48 0395c26〕窮和尚口裡說貧，實在是身貧而道不貧。「貧則身常披縷褐。道則心藏無價珍。」〔T48 0395c27〕身上穿的是破衣，心裡藏的是無價之珍。這顆珍「用無盡」，「利物應機終不悋」〔T48 0395c28〕——利益眾生、應機接物，從不吝惜。段末把它翻成名相：「三身四智體中圓。八解六通心地印。」〔T48 0395c29〕——三身四智、八解脫六神通，都在這個體中圓滿，都是心地上的一個印。貧道人的無價珍，就是這個體。
四、謗與忍：師子吼
第六段從上士說起：「上士一決一切了。中下多聞多不信。」〔T48 0396a01〕上根的人一決就全了，中下根的人聽得多反而不信。「但自懷中解垢衣。誰能向外誇精進。」〔T48 0396a01〕——只管解開自己懷裡的垢衣，誰還向外誇耀精進？接著是全歌對「謗」的處置：「從他謗任他非。把火燒天徒自疲。」〔T48 0396a02〕隨他謗、任他非，像拿火燒天，只是自己疲累。「我聞恰似飲甘露。銷融頓入不思議。」〔T48 0396a03〕我聽到了，像喝甘露一樣，一下子消融進不思議。所以「觀惡言是功德。此即成吾善知識。」〔T48 0396a04〕惡言是功德，罵我的人是我的善知識。「不因訕謗起冤親。何表無生慈忍力。」〔T48 0396a05〕——不因為訕謗生起冤與親，才顯出無生的慈忍之力。這不是忍耐的忍，是無生的忍：沒有一個「我」被謗。
然後歌說自己：「宗亦通說亦通。定慧圓明不滯空。」〔T48 0396a05〕宗通，說也通；定慧圓明，不落在空裡。「非但我今獨達了。恒沙諸佛體皆同。」〔T48 0396a06〕不只我一個人達到，恒沙諸佛的體都一樣。於是有「師子吼無畏說」〔T48 0396a07〕——百獸聞之腦裂，香象失威，天龍寂聽而歡喜。
五、行亦禪坐亦禪
第七段是行腳。「遊江海涉山川。尋師訪道為參禪。」〔T48 0396a09〕走過江海山川，尋師訪道，為的是參禪。「自從認得曹谿路。了知生死不相關。」〔T48 0396a09〕自從認得曹谿這條路，就知道生死與自己不相干。然後是全歌最常被人引的四句：「行亦禪坐亦禪。語默動靜體安然。」〔T48 0396a10〕——行也是禪，坐也是禪；說話沉默、動與靜，體都安然。「縱遇鋒刀常坦坦。假饒毒藥也閒閒。」〔T48 0396a11〕遇到刀鋒也坦然，遇到毒藥也閒閒。歌引本師為證：「我師得見然燈佛。多劫曾為忍辱仙。」〔T48 0396a12〕——釋迦牟尼多劫以前做忍辱仙人，正是第六段「慈忍力」的來處。「幾迴生幾迴死。生死悠悠無定止。」〔T48 0396a13〕幾番生、幾番死，生死悠悠沒有定止；「自從頓悟了無生。於諸榮辱何憂喜。」〔T48 0396a13〕頓悟無生之後，榮辱有什麼可憂可喜？段末是山居：「入深山住蘭若」〔T48 0396a14〕，長松之下，野僧之家，閴寂安居。
第八段把前面的「頓覺」再說一次，對著「有為」說：「覺即了不施功。一切有為法不同。」〔T48 0396a16〕覺了就了，不用施功；一切有為法與此不同。「住相布施生天福。猶如仰箭射虛空。」〔T48 0396a16〕住相的布施得生天的福報，像仰面射箭入空，「勢力盡箭還墜」〔T48 0396a17〕，招來來生的不如意。「爭似無為實相門。一超直入如來地。」〔T48 0396a18〕——怎比得上無為實相之門，一超直入如來地？「但得本莫愁末」〔T48 0396a19〕，得了根本，不必愁枝末；如淨琉璃含著寶月。「既能解此如意珠。自利利他終不竭。」〔T48 0396a20〕
六、衣鉢與心鏡
第九段寫景：「江月照松風吹。永夜清宵何所為。」〔T48 0396a21〕江月照、松風吹，長夜清宵，做什麼呢？答案是衣鉢本身：「佛性戒珠心地印。霧露雲霞體上衣。」〔T48 0396a21〕——佛性是戒珠，是心地的印；霧露雲霞是身上的衣。「降龍鉢解虎錫。兩鈷金環鳴歷歷。」〔T48 0396a22〕降龍的鉢、解虎的錫杖，金環歷歷作響；「不是標形虛事持。如來寶杖親蹤跡。」〔T48 0396a23〕不是為了標榜形相空持著，是如來寶杖親自留下的蹤跡。
第十段回到第一段的題目：「不求真不斷妄。了知二法空無相。」〔T48 0396a24〕不求真、不斷妄，因為知道真妄二法空而無相。「無相無空無不空。即是如來真實相。」〔T48 0396a24〕——無相、無空、也無不空，這就是如來的真實相。然後是心鏡：「心鏡明鑒無礙。廓然瑩徹周沙界。」〔T48 0396a25〕心鏡明照無礙，廓然瑩徹，遍周沙界；「萬象森羅影現中。一顆圓光非內外。」〔T48 0396a26〕萬象森羅都在鏡中現影，一顆圓光不在內也不在外。
七、撥空、取捨與慧劍
第十一段是歌對「空」的警告，與第一段的「不除妄想」正好相對：那邊說不要除，這邊說也不要撥。「豁達空撥因果。莽莽蕩蕩招殃禍。」〔T48 0396a27〕以豁達之空撥去因果，莽莽蕩蕩招來殃禍。「棄有著空病亦然。還如避溺而投火。」〔T48 0396a28〕棄有而著空，病是一樣的，像躲水而跳進火。「捨妄心取真理。取捨之心成巧偽。」〔T48 0396a28〕捨妄取真，這取捨之心本身就成了巧偽；「學人不了用修行。深成認賊將為子。」〔T48 0396a29〕學人不了解，拿它去修行，正是認賊作子。「損法財滅功德。莫不由斯心意識。」〔T48 0396b01〕損法財、滅功德，無不由這心意識。「是以禪門了却心。頓入無生知見力。」〔T48 0396b02〕——所以禪門了却此心，頓入無生的知見之力。
第十二段是大丈夫：「大丈夫秉慧劍。般若鋒兮金剛焰。」〔T48 0396b03〕秉慧劍，般若是鋒刃，金剛是火焰；「非但空摧外道心。早曾落却天魔膽。」〔T48 0396b03〕不只摧破外道之心，早已落了天魔的膽。然後是法雷、法鼓、慈雲、甘露，「龍象蹴踏潤無邊。三乘五性皆醒悟。」〔T48 0396b05〕；「雪山肥膩更無雜。純出醍醐我常納。」〔T48 0396b06〕——雪山的草沒有雜，純出醍醐，我常常受用。
八、一月普現一切水
第十三段是歌中最整齊的一組：「一性圓通一切性。一法遍含一切法。一月普現一切水。一切水月一月攝。」〔T48 0396b07〕一性通一切性，一法含一切法；一個月亮普現在一切水中，一切水中的月亮被一個月亮所攝。「諸佛法身入我性。我性同共如來合。」〔T48 0396b08〕諸佛的法身入於我性，我性與如來共合。「一地具足一切地。非色非心非行業。」〔T48 0396b09〕一地具足一切地，不是色、不是心、不是行業。「彈指圓成八萬門。剎那滅却三祇劫。」〔T48 0396b10〕——彈指間圓成八萬法門，剎那間滅卻三大阿僧祇劫。「一切數句非數句。與吾靈覺何交涉。」〔T48 0396b11〕——一切數目句義，都不是數目；與我的靈覺有什麼相干？
第十四段把這靈覺說成不可毀讚：「不可毀不可讚。體若虛空勿涯岸。」〔T48 0396b12〕；「不離當處常湛然。覓即知君不可見。」〔T48 0396b12〕不離當處，常常湛然；一去尋覓，就知道你見不到。「取不得捨不得。不可得中只麼得。」〔T48 0396b13〕取不得，捨不得，就在不可得中這麼得。「默時說說時默。大施門開無壅塞。」〔T48 0396b14〕——默時在說，說時在默，大施之門開著，沒有壅塞。
九、摩訶般若與傳燈
第十五段是一問一答：「有人問我解何宗。報道摩訶般若力。」〔T48 0396b15〕有人問我懂的是什麼宗？答：摩訶般若的力。這是全歌對自己的定位——歌裡的一切，慧劍、戒珠、心鏡、如意珠，都是般若一法的別名。「或是或非人不識。逆行順行天莫測。」〔T48 0396b16〕或是或非人不認識，逆行順行天也測不透；「吾早曾經多劫修。不是等閒相誑惑。」〔T48 0396b16〕我早已經多劫修行，不是隨便來哄騙。然後是法幢與傳燈：「建法幢立宗旨。明明佛勅曹溪是。」〔T48 0396b17〕建法幢、立宗旨，明明白白佛所敕命的就是曹溪。「第一迦葉首傳燈。二十八代西天記。」〔T48 0396b18〕；「法東流入此土。菩提達磨為初祖。」〔T48 0396b19〕；「六代傳衣天下聞。後人得道何窮數。」〔T48 0396b20〕——從迦葉到西天二十八代，達磨東來為初祖，六代傳衣，後人得道無數。
第十六段回到真妄：「真不立妄本空。有無俱遣不空空。」〔T48 0396b20〕真不用立，妄本來空；有無都遣去，連「不空」也空。「二十空門元不著。一性如來體自同。」〔T48 0396b21〕二十空門原本不執著，一性如來，體自然相同。接著是歌中第二個鏡喻：「心是根法是塵。兩種猶如鏡上痕。」〔T48 0396b22〕心是根，法是塵，兩者都像鏡上的痕。「痕垢盡除光始現。心法雙忘性即真。」〔T48 0396b23〕——痕垢除盡，光才顯現；心與法一起忘了，性就是真。去的不只是法，連心也一起放。
十、末法、師子兒、圓頓
第十七段轉為慨歎：「嗟末法惡時世。眾生福薄難調制。」〔T48 0396b24〕；「去聖遠兮邪見深。魔強法弱多恐害。」〔T48 0396b24〕離聖遠，邪見深，魔強法弱。「聞說如來頓教門。恨不滅除令瓦碎。」〔T48 0396b25〕聽到如來的頓教法門，恨不得把它打碎。歌對這種人的話只有一句：「作在心殃在身。不須冤訴更尤人。」〔T48 0396b26〕作在心，殃在身，不必怨訴、不必怪人；「欲得不招無間業。莫謗如來正法輪。」〔T48 0396b27〕。
第十八段用師子作譬：「旃檀林無雜樹。欝密森沈師子住。」〔T48 0396b28〕旃檀林中沒有雜樹，鬱密森沉，師子住在裡面；「境靜林間獨自遊。走獸飛禽皆遠去。」〔T48 0396b28〕。「師子兒眾隨後。三歲便能大哮吼。」〔T48 0396b29〕師子的兒子跟在後面，三歲就能大吼；「若是野干逐法王。百年妖怪虛開口。」〔T48 0396c01〕——若是野干去追法王，百年妖怪也只是白白張口。師子兒三歲能吼：法不弱，弱的是人。
第十九段是圓頓之辨：「圓頓教勿人情。有疑不決直須爭。」〔T48 0396c02〕圓頓之教不講人情，有疑不決就直須爭辯；「不是山僧逞人我。修行恐落斷常坑。」〔T48 0396c02〕不是我逞人我，是怕修行落入斷常之坑。「非不非是不是。差之毫釐失千里。」〔T48 0396c03〕——非就是非，是就是是，是非分明，差之毫釐就失之千里。「是則龍女頓成佛。非則善星生陷墜。」〔T48 0396c04〕是，就像龍女頓時成佛；非，就像善星比丘生身陷墜。
十一、入海算沙與執指為月
第二十段是自述：「吾早年來積學問。亦曾討疏尋經論。」〔T48 0396c05〕我早年積學問，討疏尋經論；「分別名相不知休。入海算沙徒自困。」〔T48 0396c06〕分別名相不知休止，像入海數沙，徒然自困。「却被如來苦訶責。數他珍寶有何益。」〔T48 0396c07〕——反被如來苦苦訶責：數別人的珍寶有什麼益處？「從來蹭蹬覺虛行。多年枉作風塵客。」〔T48 0396c07〕歌的作者自己走過這條路。
第二十一段說種性：「種性邪錯知解。不達如來圓頓制。」〔T48 0396c08〕種性邪、知解錯，不達如來的圓頓之制；「二乘精進勿道心。外道聰明無智慧。」〔T48 0396c09〕二乘精進卻沒有道心，外道聰明卻沒有智慧，「亦愚癡亦小騃」〔T48 0396c10〕。病在哪裡？「空拳指上生實解。執指為月枉施功。」〔T48 0396c10〕——在空拳和手指上生出實有的理解，執著手指當作月亮，白白用功；「根境法中虛揑怪」〔T48 0396c11〕。出路只有一條：「不見一法即如來。方得名為觀自在。」〔T48 0396c11〕不見一法，就是如來，才叫觀自在。
第二十二段講業：「了即業障本來空。未了應須還夙債。」〔T48 0396c12〕了，業障本來空；未了，須還宿債。「饑逢王饍不能飡。病遇醫王爭得瘥。」〔T48 0396c13〕飢餓遇到王的飯卻不能吃，生病遇到醫王怎能痊癒？「在欲行禪知見力。火中生蓮終不壞。」〔T48 0396c14〕在欲中行禪，靠的是知見之力，像火中生蓮，終不壞。「勇施犯重悟無生。早時成佛于今在。」〔T48 0396c15〕勇施比丘犯了重戒，悟了無生，早已成佛，至今還在。
十二、二比丘與如意珠：為君訣
第二十三段第二次師子吼。「師子吼無畏說。深嗟懵懂頑皮靼。」〔T48 0396c16〕深深嘆息那些懵懂的頑皮；「秖知犯重障菩提。不見如來開祕訣。」〔T48 0396c16〕只知道犯重戒障礙菩提，不見如來開示的秘訣。然後是歌中唯一的故事：「有二比丘犯婬殺。波離螢光增罪結。」〔T48 0396c17〕兩個比丘犯了婬與殺，優波離以戒律的螢光反而增加他們的罪結；「維摩大士頓除疑。猶如赫日銷霜雪。」〔T48 0396c18〕維摩居士頓時除去他們的疑，像赫日消融霜雪。這是「不思議解脫力。妙用恒沙也無極。」〔T48 0396c19〕。歌說，為了這個法，「四事供養敢辭勞。萬兩黃金亦銷得。」〔T48 0396c20〕；「粉骨碎身未足酬。一句了然超百億。」〔T48 0396c20〕——粉身碎骨也不足以報答，一句了然超過百億。「法中王最高勝。恒沙如來同共證。」〔T48 0396c21〕；「我今解此如意珠。信受之者皆相應。」〔T48 0396c22〕——如意珠第三次出現，這次是「我今解此」：我現在把它說出來，信受的人都相應。
第二十四段收束。「了了見無一物。亦無人亦無佛。」〔T48 0396c23〕了了地見，沒有一物，也沒有人、沒有佛；「大千沙界海中漚。一切聖賢如電拂。」〔T48 0396c24〕大千世界是海中一個水泡，一切聖賢如電光一閃。「假使鐵輪頂上旋。定慧圓明終不失。」〔T48 0396c24〕——縱使鐵輪在頭頂上旋轉，定慧圓明終究不失。「日可冷月可熱。眾魔不能壞真說。」〔T48 0396c25〕太陽可以冷、月亮可以熱，眾魔不能壞這真實之說。「象駕崢嶸謾進途。誰見螗蜋能拒轍。」〔T48 0396c26〕大象的車駕崢嶸前進，誰見過螳螂能擋住車轍？「大象不遊於兔徑。大悟不拘於小節。」〔T48 0396c27〕大象不走兔子的小路，大悟不拘於小節。最後：「莫將管見謗蒼蒼。未了吾今為君訣。」〔T48 0396c28〕——不要拿管中之見去謗蒼天；你還沒明白，我現在替你說破。歌到這裡止。回頭看第一行：那個「不除妄想不求真」的閒道人，走了一路，說了這麼多，到末了說的仍是那一句——沒有一物、沒有人、沒有佛，所以不用除、不用求。
承衍——證道歌註
本編以 X63n1241《證道歌註》為逐文之鏡。註釋首句，把「絕學無為」分作兩層：「絕學者，絕世間之學，學無為之學也」〔X63n1241 0261b11〕，而閒道人是「與道相應，不與塵勞抅繫，故名為閑」〔X63n1241 0261b15〕；註釋「無明實性即佛性」，說「今此道人，以般若智，照了無明，即明明見佛性」〔X63n1241 0261c18〕——與本篇第一節之讀同向。註釋「頓覺了如來禪」，以「如來禪者，簡異四種禪那」〔X63n1241 0262c05〕列出菩薩唯識、聲聞偏空、人天因果、外道異計四種，又把六度說成「皆在一念之中，本來圓滿也」〔X63n1241 0262c13〕。註釋「一超直入如來地」，說「此之一路，從來千聖不曾蹈著」〔X63n1241 0268c09〕。註釋「有人問我解何宗」，先訓摩訶、般若二名，再引傳云「般若是善惡徑之導師，迷暗室之明炬」〔X63n1241 0273b08〕一段，把慧劍、寶珠、甘露一一歸到般若。註釋「心是根法是塵」，說「法雖能軌持萬物，猶如妙藥，病若愈，則藥必無用，故法是塵也」〔X63n1241 0275a08〕。註釋末句，說「無上般若，唯接上根上器，中下之機，卒難銘模」〔X63n1241 0280a13〕，而「未了吾今為君決者，此之一句，一大藏教詮提不起」〔X63n1241 0280a19〕。
卷首序稱此歌「信夫西土謂之證道經，名不誣矣」〔X63n1241 0260a11〕——一首歌而被稱作經，古德看它的分量如此。本編於註文只取其逐句之釋以照歌意，不以註代歌；註家之名，卷端、序題與經錄所載不一；本編並錄，不判。
The first line of the Song of Realizing the Way of Yongjia is “Have you not seen? The man of the Way at leisure, done with learning, practicing non-doing, neither removes deluded thoughts nor seeks the true.” In the usual language of practice, deluded thoughts are to be removed and the true is to be sought; this song sets both down the moment it opens its mouth, and calls the one who sets them down “the man of the Way at leisure.” Over the two hundred-odd lines that follow it speaks of sudden awakening, of poverty, of slander, of walking, standing, sitting, and lying, of the transmission of the lamp, of the final age of the dharma, of monks who have broken the grave precepts—a long circuit—and its last line is “If you have not understood, I now settle it for you”: you have not yet understood, so I will now break it open for you. This exposition follows the song’s twenty-four natural sections in twelve parts; and says only why each section follows the one before and where the whole song means to bring a person. The old commentary is kept for the final section.
I. The Man of the Way at Leisure: Not Removing Deluded Thoughts, Not Seeking the True
The song opens with “have you not seen”: three characters, used only once in the whole piece. It is not a refrain; it is a call: have you seen? What is seen is a person—“the man of the Way at leisure, done with learning, practicing non-doing.” Done with learning means no longer treating practice as a subject to be finished; non-doing is not doing nothing but not setting up further contrivance; at leisure means not tied down by the dust of toil. This person “neither removes deluded thoughts nor seeks the true”. Why may they go unremoved? The next line answers: “The real nature of ignorance is buddha-nature; the empty body of illusion is the dharma-body.” The real nature of ignorance is buddha-nature, and the empty body of illusion is the dharma-body—deluded thought has no separate substance to remove, and the true has no separate place to be sought. Then the song says this dharma-body through: “The dharma-body awakened, there is not one thing; the original self-nature is the naturally true buddha.” Once awakened there is not one thing to be had; the original self-nature is the buddha, naturally true. The five aggregates are like drifting clouds, the three poisons like bubbles on water, and “Realizing the real mark, there is neither person nor dharma; in an instant the karma of Avīci is extinguished.”: realizing the real mark, person and dharma are both empty, and the karma of Avīci is gone in an instant. Fearing people will not believe, the song adds an oath: “If I deceive beings with false words, I bring on myself the tongue-pulling for kalpas numberless as dust.” This is the first section and the keynote of the whole song: everything that follows grows from the seven characters “neither removing deluded thoughts nor seeking the true.”
The second section speaks of suddenness. “Suddenly awakened to the dhyāna of the Tathāgata, the six pāramitās and myriad practices are complete within the body.” Not reached step by step but awakened all at once; the six pāramitās and myriad practices are not done item by item but complete from the start within the awakened body. So the simile of dream and waking appears: “In the dream, clearly, clearly, there are six destinies; after waking, empty, empty, there is no great thousandfold world.” In the dream the six paths are vivid; on waking even the great thousandfold world is gone. Hence “No sin or merit, no loss or gain; in the nature of quiescence do not ask or seek.”; the dusty mirror was never polished before, and today it must be clearly taken apart. The last two lines are questions: “Who is without thought? Who is without arising? If truly without arising, there is nothing that does not arise.”: who is truly without thought, who truly without arising? If it is truly non-arising, there is nothing that does not arise.
II. Letting Go of the Four Elements, and the Maṇi Jewel
The third section uses a mechanical wooden man as a simile: “Call the mechanical wooden man and ask him: seeking buddhahood by applying effort, when will it be achieved?”: go and ask the puppet when seeking buddhahood by effort will succeed. The meaning follows the previous line, “if truly without arising, there is nothing that does not arise”: if one takes being without thought and without arising for a wooden blankness, then asking the wooden man when he will become a buddha will never get an answer—non-arising is not annihilation. So “Let go the four elements, do not grasp; in the nature of quiescence, drink and peck as you will.”: let go of the body of four elements, do not grasp it, and in the nature of quiescence drink and peck as conditions allow. “All formations are impermanent, all is empty: this is the Tathāgata’s great and perfect awakening.” Impermanence and emptiness are themselves the great and perfect awakening. This is a decisive statement, by which the speaker shows himself a true monk; “if anyone will not accept it, let him challenge as he pleases”: those who will not accept it may come and dispute. “Cutting straight to the root-source is what the Buddha sealed; plucking leaves and hunting branches, I cannot do.”: cutting straight to the root is what the Buddha sealed; picking among the leaves and branches, I cannot manage.
The fourth section changes the simile: “The maṇi jewel people do not recognize; it is received in person within the tathāgata-womb.” No one recognizes the maṇi jewel, and it is kept right there in the tathāgata-womb. This jewel’s “six kinds of spiritual function are empty and not empty; one orb of perfect light is form and not form.”: the wondrous functions of the six faculties are empty, yet not empty; one orb of perfect light is form, yet not form. “Purify the five eyes, gain the five powers; only by realization is it known—hard to fathom.” This line sets the measure: only after the five eyes and five powers are purified is it “known only by realization,” not something thought can gauge. “Seeing a form in a mirror is not hard; grasping the moon in the water, how could it be picked up?”: seeing a reflection in a mirror is not hard, but the moon in the water cannot be scooped out; knowing and seeing come easily, grasping does not. So “Always walking alone, always striding alone; those who have arrived roam together on the road of nirvāṇa.”: walking alone, striding alone, and roaming together with those who have arrived.
III. Poor in Body, Not Poor in the Way
The fifth section is the most human in the song. “Of ancient tone and clear spirit, his bearing is naturally lofty; haggard in face and hard in bone, people pay him no regard.” Ancient in tone, clear in spirit, his bearing naturally high; haggard of face, hard of bone, nobody takes notice. Then the confession: “A poor son of Śākya says with his mouth that he is poor; in truth the body is poor, the Way is not poor.” The poor monk says poor with his mouth; in truth the body is poor and the Way is not. “Poor: the body always wears a tattered coarse robe. The Way: the heart hides a priceless treasure.” On his body a ragged robe; in his heart a priceless treasure. This treasure is “used without end,” “benefiting beings, answering to occasions, never stinting”: it benefits beings and meets each occasion, and never holds back. The section ends by turning it into terms: “The three bodies and four wisdoms are complete within the body; the eight liberations and six supernormal powers are the seal of the mind-ground.”: three bodies and four wisdoms, eight liberations and six supernormal powers, all complete in this body, all one seal on the mind-ground. The poor man’s priceless treasure is this body.
IV. Slander and Patience: The Lion’s Roar
The sixth section begins with the superior person: “The superior person settles it at one stroke and all is finished; the middling and inferior hear much and mostly do not believe.” Those of superior root settle it at one stroke and all is done; those of middling and lesser root hear more and believe less. “Only undo the soiled robe in your own bosom; who would go boasting of diligence to others?”: just undo the dirty robe in your own bosom—who needs to boast of diligence outside? Next comes the song’s treatment of slander: “Let them slander, let them find fault; holding fire to burn the sky only tires oneself.” Let them slander and find fault; it is like taking a torch to burn the sky, and only wears oneself out. “When I hear it, it is just like drinking sweet dew; melting away, I enter at once the inconceivable.” I hear it as if drinking sweet dew, and in a moment it melts into the inconceivable. Hence “To see harsh words as merit—this makes them my good friend.” Harsh words are merit; the one who abuses me is my good friend. “Not on account of ridicule and slander does he raise enmity or affection; how else would the power of non-arising’s kindly patience be shown?”: only by not raising enmity or affection on account of slander is the power of non-arising patience displayed. This is not the patience of endurance; it is the patience of non-arising: there is no “I” that is slandered.
Then the song speaks of itself: “The source is penetrated and the teaching is penetrated; concentration and wisdom perfectly bright, not stuck in emptiness.” Penetrating the source and penetrating the teaching; concentration and wisdom perfectly bright, not falling into emptiness. “It is not that I alone have now arrived; the buddhas numberless as Ganges sand are all the same in body.” Not I alone have arrived; the buddhas as many as the Ganges sands are one in body. And so there is “the lion’s roar, the fearless speech”: the hundred beasts hear it and their skulls split, the fragrant elephant loses its majesty, and the gods and dragons listen in silence and rejoice.
V. Walking Is Chan, Sitting Is Chan
The seventh section is the pilgrimage. “Roaming rivers and seas, crossing mountains and streams, seeking teachers and asking after the Way, to practice Chan.” Over rivers, seas, mountains and streams, seeking teachers and the Way, all for the practice of Chan. “Since I came to know the road to Caoxi, I have understood that birth and death do not concern me.” Since recognizing this road of Caoxi, he knows that birth and death have nothing to do with him. Then the four lines of the song most often quoted: “Walking is Chan, sitting is Chan; speaking or silent, moving or still, the body is at peace.”: walking is Chan and sitting is Chan; speech and silence, motion and stillness—the body is at ease in all. “Even meeting the sword’s edge, always calm; even given poison, still at leisure.” Meeting the blade he is calm; given poison he is at leisure. The song cites its own teacher as witness: “My teacher came to see Dīpaṃkara Buddha; for many kalpas he was the sage of patience.”: Śākyamuni, many kalpas ago, was the sage of patience—the source of the “power of kindly patience” in Section IV. “How many times born, how many times dead; birth and death drift on with no fixed end.” So many births, so many deaths, drifting with no settled stop; “Since suddenly awakening to non-arising, what grief or joy in honor or disgrace?” After sudden awakening to non-arising, what in honor or disgrace is worth grief or joy? The section ends in the mountains: “entering the deep mountains, dwelling in a hermitage”, beneath tall pines, a wild monk’s house, dwelling in stillness.
The eighth section says the earlier “sudden awakening” once more, this time against the conditioned: “Awakened, it is done; no effort applied—unlike all conditioned dharmas.” Awakened, it is finished, with no effort applied; all conditioned dharmas are otherwise. “Giving while dwelling on marks earns the merit of birth in heaven, like shooting an arrow upward into empty space.” Giving that dwells on marks earns heavenly reward, like an arrow shot up into the sky: “when its force is spent, the arrow falls back”, bringing a next life that does not go as one wishes. “How can that compare with the gate of the real mark of non-doing, where in one leap one enters straight into the ground of the Tathāgata?”: how could it compare with the gate of the real mark, non-doing, in one leap entering straight into the ground of the Tathāgata? “Only get the root; do not worry over the branches”: once the root is got, the branches need no worrying—like pure beryl holding the jeweled moon. “Once one can understand this wish-fulfilling jewel, benefiting oneself and benefiting others never runs dry.”
VI. Robe and Bowl, and the Mind-Mirror
The ninth section paints a scene: “The river moon shines, the pine wind blows; in the long night and clear evening, what is there to do?” The river moon shines, the pine wind blows; through the long clear night, what is one doing? The answer is the robe and bowl themselves: “Buddha-nature, the jewel of the precepts, the seal of the mind-ground; mist, dew, cloud, and haze, the robe upon the body.”: buddha-nature is the jewel of the precepts, the seal of the mind-ground; mist and dew and cloud and haze are the robe on the body. “The bowl that subdued the dragon, the staff that parted the tigers; the golden rings on the staff’s two prongs ring clear and clear.” The dragon-subduing bowl, the tiger-parting staff, the golden rings ringing clear; “Not held for show, as an empty affair—they are the very traces of the Tathāgata’s jeweled staff.”: not held as an empty show of appearance, but the traces the Tathāgata’s own jeweled staff left behind.
The tenth section returns to the theme of the first: “Not seeking the true, not cutting off the deluded; understanding that both dharmas are empty and without mark.” Not seeking the true, not cutting off the deluded, because one knows that the two dharmas, true and deluded, are empty and markless. “No mark, no emptiness, no non-emptiness: this is the Tathāgata’s true real mark.”: no mark, no emptiness, and no non-emptiness either—this is the Tathāgata’s true real mark. Then the mind-mirror: “The mind-mirror shines clear without obstruction, vast and crystalline, pervading worlds as many as sand.” The mind-mirror reflects without hindrance, vast and clear, pervading worlds like sand; “The myriad forms in their array appear as images within it; one orb of perfect light is neither inside nor outside.” The myriad forms appear as images in the mirror, and one orb of perfect light is neither within nor without.
VII. Dismissing Emptiness, Taking and Rejecting, and the Sword of Wisdom
The eleventh section is the song’s warning about “emptiness,” set exactly against the first section’s “not removing deluded thoughts”: there it said do not remove; here it says do not dismiss either. “A wide-open emptiness that dismisses cause and effect, reckless and vast, invites calamity.” Using a free-and-easy emptiness to brush aside cause and effect, reckless and vast, brings calamity on oneself. “Abandoning being and clinging to emptiness, the sickness is the same—like fleeing drowning and leaping into fire.” To abandon being and cling to emptiness is the same sickness, like escaping water by jumping into fire. “Rejecting the deluded mind to take the true principle: this mind of taking and rejecting becomes a cunning falsehood.” Rejecting the deluded to take the true—this very mind of taking and rejecting becomes a clever fraud; “Students who do not understand use it to practice, and deeply mistake the thief for their son.” Students who do not understand take it up as practice, and that is exactly taking the thief for one’s child. “Losing the dharma-wealth and destroying merit—none of it but comes from this mind, intellect, and consciousness.” Loss of dharma-wealth and merit all comes from this mind, intellect, and consciousness. “Therefore the gate of Chan finishes with the mind, and enters at once the power of knowledge and vision of non-arising.”: so the gate of Chan finishes with this mind and enters at once the power of knowledge and vision of non-arising.
The twelfth section is the great man: “The great man grips the sword of wisdom; prajñā its edge, vajra its flame.” Gripping the sword of wisdom, prajñā its edge and vajra its flame; “Not only does it crush the mind of outsiders to nothing; long ago it made the gall of the heavenly demons drop.” Not only does it shatter the minds of outsiders; it long ago made the demons of heaven lose their nerve. Then the dharma-thunder, dharma-drum, cloud of kindness, and sweet dew: “Where dragons and elephants tread, the moistening is boundless; the three vehicles and five natures all awaken.”; “The rich grass of the Snow Mountains has no admixture; it yields pure ghee, which I always take in.”: the Snow Mountain grass has nothing mixed in; it yields pure ghee, and I take it in always.
VIII. One Moon Appears in All Waters
The thirteenth section is the most symmetrical set in the song: “One nature pervades all natures; one dharma holds all dharmas. One moon appears in all waters; the moons in all waters are gathered in one moon.” One nature runs through all natures, one dharma holds all dharmas; one moon appears in every water, and the moon in every water is gathered up by the one moon. “The dharma-body of all buddhas enters my nature; my nature is joined together with the Tathāgata.” The dharma-body of the buddhas enters my nature, and my nature joins with the Tathāgata. “One ground is complete with all grounds; it is not form, not mind, not action.” One ground holds all grounds; it is not form, not mind, not action. “In a fingersnap the eighty thousand gates are perfected; in an instant three incalculable kalpas are extinguished.”: in a fingersnap the eighty thousand gates are perfected, in an instant the three great incalculable kalpas are gone. “All phrases of number are not phrases of number; what have they to do with my numinous awakening?”: all these numbered phrases are not numbers—what have they to do with my numinous awakening?
The fourteenth section says this numinous awakening can be neither reviled nor praised: “It cannot be reviled, cannot be praised; its body is like empty space, without shore.”; “Never leaving this very place, always limpid; the moment you search, you know you cannot see it.” Never leaving this very place, always limpid; the moment you go searching, you know you will not see it. “Cannot be taken, cannot be rejected; in the ungraspable it is just so obtained.” It cannot be taken or rejected; in the very ungraspable, it is obtained just so. “Silent, it speaks; speaking, it is silent; the gate of great giving stands open, unblocked.”: in silence it is speaking, in speech it is silent; the gate of great giving stands open with nothing blocking it.
IX. Mahāprajñā and the Transmission of the Lamp
The fifteenth section is a question and an answer: “Someone asks me what school I understand; I answer: the power of mahāprajñā.” Someone asks what school I understand; the answer is the power of mahāprajñā. This is the song’s placing of itself: everything in it—the sword of wisdom, the jewel of the precepts, the mind-mirror, the wish-fulfilling jewel—is another name for the one dharma of prajñā. “Right or wrong, people do not recognize it; going against or going with, even heaven cannot fathom it.” Right or wrong, people do not recognize it; going against or going along, heaven itself cannot gauge it; “I have long since passed through many kalpas of cultivation; I am not idly deceiving you.” I have long cultivated through many kalpas, and am not here to deceive you idly. Then the banner and the lamp: “Raise the dharma-banner, establish the tenet; clearly, clearly, the Buddha’s decree is Caoxi.” Raising the dharma-banner and setting up the tenet; clearly what the Buddha decreed is Caoxi. “First Kāśyapa, the first to transmit the lamp; twenty-eight generations recorded in the western land.”; “The dharma flowed east into this land; Bodhidharma was the first patriarch.”; “Six generations passed down the robe, known to all under heaven; those after who gained the Way, how could they be counted?”: from Kāśyapa through twenty-eight generations in the west, Bodhidharma coming east as first patriarch, six generations passing down the robe, and those after who gained the Way beyond number.
The sixteenth section returns to true and deluded: “The true is not set up; the deluded is originally empty; being and nothing are both dismissed, and non-emptiness is emptied.” The true need not be set up, the deluded is empty from the start; being and nothing are both dismissed, and even “non-emptiness” is emptied. “The twenty gates of emptiness were never clung to; one nature, the Tathāgata, same in body of itself.” The twenty gates of emptiness were never clung to; one nature, the Tathāgata, same in body of itself. Then the second mirror simile in the song: “Mind is the faculty, dharma is the dust; the two are like marks on a mirror.” Mind is the faculty and dharma the dust; both are like marks on a mirror. “When marks and grime are wholly removed, the light at last appears; when mind and dharma are both forgotten, the nature is the true.”: when marks and grime are removed, the light appears; when mind and dharma are forgotten together, the nature is the true. What is removed is not only dharma; mind too is let go with it.
X. The Final Age, the Lion Cubs, the Perfect and Sudden
The seventeenth section turns to lament: “Alas, the final age of the dharma, an evil time; beings of thin merit are hard to tame.”; “Far from the sage, wrong views run deep; the demons are strong, the dharma weak, and harm is much to be feared.” Far from the sage, wrong views deep, demons strong and dharma weak. “Hearing the Tathāgata’s gate of sudden teaching, they wish they could wipe it out and smash it like a tile.” Hearing the Tathāgata’s sudden teaching, they wish they could smash it to pieces. To such people the song has one sentence: “The deed is in the mind, the calamity in the body; no need to complain, still less to blame others.” The deed is in the mind and the calamity in the body; no complaining, no blaming others; “If you would not bring on the karma of the uninterrupted hell, do not slander the Tathāgata’s wheel of right dharma.”.
The eighteenth section takes the lion as simile: “In the sandalwood forest there are no other trees; dense and deep, the lion dwells there.” In the sandalwood forest there are no other trees; thick and deep, the lion lives within; “In the quiet of the grove it roams alone; running beasts and flying birds all keep far away.”. “The lion cubs follow behind; at three years they can already roar.” The lion’s cubs follow behind, and at three years can roar aloud; “If a jackal chases the king of the dharma, a hundred-year-old goblin opens its mouth in vain.”: should a jackal chase the dharma-king, a goblin of a hundred years only gapes in vain. The lion cubs roar at three: the dharma is not weak; it is people who are.
The nineteenth section is the distinguishing of the perfect and sudden: “The perfect and sudden teaching has no room for human sentiment; where there is doubt unresolved, one must argue it straight out.” The perfect and sudden teaching makes no concession to feeling; where doubt is unresolved, one must argue it straight out; “It is not that this mountain monk flaunts self and other; it is that practice may fall into the pit of annihilation and permanence.” Not that I flaunt self and other, but that practice may fall into the pit of annihilation and permanence. “Wrong is wrong, right is right; off by a hair, astray by a thousand miles.”: wrong is wrong and right is right, each distinct; a hair’s breadth off and one is a thousand miles astray. “Right, and the dragon girl suddenly becomes a buddha; wrong, and Sunakṣatra sinks down alive.” Right, and it is the dragon girl suddenly becoming a buddha; wrong, and it is the monk Sunakṣatra sinking alive into the pit.
XI. Counting Sand in the Sea and Taking the Finger for the Moon
The twentieth section is self-account: “In my early years I piled up learning, and I too once searched the commentaries and hunted through sūtras and treatises.” In early years I piled up learning, searched the commentaries, hunted the sūtras and treatises; “Distinguishing names and marks without knowing when to stop, like entering the sea to count the sand, I only wore myself out.” Distinguishing names and marks without rest, like going into the sea to count sand, only exhausting myself. “And so I was bitterly rebuked by the Tathāgata: what gain in counting another’s treasures?”: only to be rebuked bitterly by the Tathāgata—what gain is there in counting someone else’s treasure? “All along stumbling, I came to feel it an empty journey; for many years I was in vain a traveler in the dust.” The song’s author walked this road himself.
The twenty-first section speaks of kinds of nature: “With a wrong seed-nature and mistaken understanding, they do not reach the Tathāgata’s perfect and sudden rule.” Wrong in seed-nature, mistaken in understanding, not reaching the Tathāgata’s perfect and sudden rule; “The two vehicles are diligent but without the mind of the Way; the outsiders are clever but without wisdom.” The two vehicles are diligent but without the mind of the Way; the outsiders are clever but without wisdom, “foolish, and childishly dull”. Where is the sickness? “On an empty fist and a pointing finger they produce an understanding of something real; taking the finger for the moon, they apply effort in vain.”: they take an empty fist and a pointing finger for something real, and take the finger for the moon, laboring to no end; “within faculties, objects, and dharmas they fabricate monsters out of nothing”. There is only one way out: “Not seeing a single dharma is the Tathāgata; only then may one be called the one who contemplates at ease.” Not seeing a single dharma is the Tathāgata, and only then is one called the one who contemplates at ease.
The twenty-second section speaks of karma: “Understood, the obstruction of karma is originally empty; not understood, one must still repay the old debts.” Understood, the obstruction of karma is empty from the start; not understood, old debts must be repaid. “Starving, one meets the king’s banquet and cannot eat; sick, one meets the king of physicians—how can one be cured?” Starving, one meets the royal banquet and cannot eat; sick, one meets the king of physicians—how can one be healed? “Practicing Chan amid desire is the power of knowledge and vision; a lotus born in fire is never destroyed.” Practicing Chan in the midst of desire rests on the power of knowledge and vision, like a lotus born in fire that never perishes. “Yongshi broke a grave precept, awakened to non-arising, and long ago became a buddha, who is here to this day.” The monk Yongshi broke a grave precept, awakened to non-arising, long ago became a buddha, and is here still.
XII. The Two Monks and the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel: Settling It for You
The twenty-third section is the second lion’s roar. “The lion’s roar, the fearless speech: deeply I sigh over the muddled, thick-hided ones.” Deeply sighing over the muddled and thick-hided; “They know only that breaking a grave precept obstructs bodhi, and do not see the secret key the Tathāgata opened.” They know only that breaking the grave precepts obstructs bodhi, and do not see the secret key the Tathāgata opened. Then the single story in the song: “There were two monks who committed lust and killing; Upāli’s firefly light only added to the knot of their sin.” Two monks committed lust and killing, and Upāli, with the firefly light of the precepts, only added to the knot of their sin; “The great layman Vimalakīrti removed their doubt at once, like the blazing sun melting frost and snow.” The layman Vimalakīrti removed their doubt at once, like the blazing sun melting frost. This is “the power of inconceivable liberation, whose wondrous use is as the Ganges sands, without limit.” For this dharma, says the song, “The four offerings—would I shrink from the labor? Ten thousand taels of gold could also be consumed.”; “To grind the bones and shatter the body would not suffice to repay; one phrase, clearly understood, surpasses a hundred billion.”: even grinding bone and shattering body would not repay it, and one phrase clearly understood surpasses a hundred billion. “The king among dharmas, highest and most excellent; Tathāgatas numberless as Ganges sand all bear witness together.”; “I now explain this wish-fulfilling jewel; all who receive it in faith accord with it.”: the wish-fulfilling jewel appears a third time, and this time it is “I now explain it”: I now speak it out, and all who receive it in faith accord with it.
The twenty-fourth section closes. “Clearly, clearly seeing, there is not one thing; there is no person and no buddha.” Seeing clearly, there is not one thing, no person, no buddha; “The great thousandfold worlds, as many as sand, are a bubble in the sea; all the sages and worthies are like a flash of lightning.” The great thousandfold world is a bubble on the sea, and all sages and worthies a flash of lightning. “Even if an iron wheel spun upon my head, concentration and wisdom, perfectly bright, would never be lost.”: even with an iron wheel turning on his head, concentration and wisdom perfectly bright are never lost. “The sun may turn cold and the moon hot, but the demons cannot destroy the true teaching.” The sun may grow cold and the moon hot; the demons cannot destroy this true teaching. “The elephant-carriage advances in grandeur along the road; who has seen a mantis block its wheel-track?” The elephant’s carriage advances in grandeur; who ever saw a mantis stop its track? “The great elephant does not roam the rabbit’s path; great awakening is not bound by small rules.” The great elephant does not take the rabbit’s path; great awakening is not bound by small rules. Last: “Do not take a view through a tube and slander the blue heavens; if you have not understood, I now settle it for you.”: do not slander the heavens with a view through a tube; you have not yet understood, and I now break it open for you. Here the song stops. Look back to the first line: that man of the Way at leisure who neither removes deluded thoughts nor seeks the true walked a whole road and said all this, and what he says at the end is still that one line—not one thing, no person, no buddha; so nothing to remove and nothing to seek.
Carrying Forward — The Commentary on the Song of Realizing the Way
This edition takes the Commentary on the Song of Realizing the Way, X63n1241, as its line-by-line mirror. Glossing the first line, the commentary divides “done with learning, practicing non-doing” into two layers: “‘Done with learning’ means done with worldly learning, and learning the learning of non-doing”, while the man of the Way at leisure is one “who accords with the Way and is not tied to the dust of toil; hence he is called at leisure”. Glossing “the real nature of ignorance is buddha-nature,” it says “this man of the Way, with the wisdom of prajñā, illumines ignorance through, and at once sees buddha-nature clear and clear”—in the same direction as the reading in the first section of this piece. Glossing “suddenly awakened to the dhyāna of the Tathāgata,” it says “the dhyāna of the Tathāgata is distinguished from four kinds of dhyāna”, listing the bodhisattva’s consciousness-only dhyāna, the śrāvaka’s one-sided-emptiness dhyāna, the dhyāna of human and heavenly cause and effect, and the dhyāna of outsiders’ divergent reckonings; and it says of the six pāramitās that they “are all within a single thought, complete from the start”. Glossing “in one leap enter straight into the ground of the Tathāgata,” it says “this one road, the thousand sages have never once trodden”. Glossing “someone asks me what school I understand,” it first glosses the two names mahā and prajñā, and then cites a transmitted passage, “prajñā is the guide on the paths of good and evil, the bright torch in the dark room of delusion”, returning the sword, the jewel, and the sweet dew one by one to prajñā. Glossing “mind is the faculty, dharma is the dust,” it says “though dharma can rule and hold all things, it is like a fine medicine: once the illness is cured, the medicine is of no use; hence dharma is dust”. Glossing the last line, it says “the unsurpassed prajñā receives only those of highest root and capacity; those of middling and lesser faculties can hardly take its impress”, and that “‘if you have not understood, I now settle it for you’—this one line, the whole great canon of teachings cannot lift”.
The preface at the head of the volume says of the song, “truly, that the western land calls it the Sūtra of Enlightenment is no false name”: a song, and yet called a sūtra—such was the weight the old masters gave it. This edition takes from the commentary only its line-by-line glosses, to light up the song’s meaning; it does not let the commentary stand in for the song. The commentator’s name is given differently at the head of the volume, in the preface title, and in the catalogue; this edition records all of them and judges none.
無相大師行狀Account of the Conduct of Great Master Wuxiang
全文五層 →Full five layers →楊億所撰〈無相大師行狀〉三百四十三字，記的是永嘉玄覺的一生；而一生之中，它用了一半以上的篇幅記一場對話——玄覺到曹谿見六祖，問答七八個來回，六祖說「少留一宿」〔T48 0397a20〕，世人因此叫他「一宿覺」。這一篇義疏依行狀的四段，看這場對話為什麼夠。
一、天台的底子
行狀先交代來歷：「溫州永嘉玄覺禪師者。永嘉人也。姓戴氏。丱歲出家。」〔T48 0397a08〕然後是學問：「遍探三藏精天台旨。觀圓妙法門。於四威儀中。常冥禪觀。」〔T48 0397a09〕遍探三藏，精於天台，又於行住坐臥四威儀中常冥禪觀。這一句要記住：曹谿那場對話裡，玄覺答得又快又穩，底子在這裡。歌裡自述「吾早年來積學問。亦曾討疏尋經論。」〔T48 0396c05〕，與行狀所記正相應，只是歌把它說成一條走過的彎路，行狀把它說成一個人的根柢；二者並不矛盾。他去曹谿，是「後因左谿朗禪師激勵。與東陽策禪師。同詣曹谿。」〔T48 0397a10〕——被人激勵，與人同行。
二、繞祖三匝
「初到振錫携瓶。繞祖三匝。」〔T48 0397a11〕到了，振錫杖、提淨瓶，繞六祖三圈，不禮拜。六祖先發難：「祖曰。夫沙門者。具三千威儀八萬細行。大德自何方而來生大我慢。」〔T48 0397a12〕出家人該有三千威儀、八萬細行，你從哪裡來，生這麼大的我慢？玄覺答：「師曰。生死事大無常迅速。」〔T48 0397a13〕——生死是大事，無常來得快；意思是：我沒有時間繞禮節。六祖接著問：「何以體取無生。了無速乎。」〔T48 0397a14〕為什麼不去體會無生，了達沒有快慢？玄覺答：「曰體即無生。了本無速。」〔T48 0397a15〕體會到的本身就是無生，了達了本來就沒有快。六祖說：「如是如是。」〔T48 0397a15〕——「于時大眾。無不愕然。」〔T48 0397a15〕。
這幾句的分寸在哪裡？玄覺說「無常迅速」，是用世間的話表無常；六祖反過來用「無生」「無速」問他，看他是否真的只會說無常。玄覺答「體即無生，了本無速」，表示他不是站在無常這一邊說話，而是從無生說無常。問答到這裡，六祖已經印可了；下面的來回，是餘波。
三、誰知非動
「師方具威儀參禮。須臾告辭。」〔T48 0397a16〕玄覺這才整威儀禮拜，一會兒就告辭。六祖問：「返太速乎。」〔T48 0397a17〕回去得太快了吧？玄覺：「本自非動豈有速耶。」〔T48 0397a17〕本來就沒有動，哪有快？六祖：「誰知非動。」〔T48 0397a18〕誰知道沒有動？玄覺：「仁者自生分別。」〔T48 0397a18〕是你自己生分別。六祖：「汝甚得無生之意。」〔T48 0397a18〕你很得無生的意。玄覺：「無生豈有意耶。」〔T48 0397a19〕無生哪有意？六祖：「無意誰當分別。」〔T48 0397a19〕沒有意，是誰在分別？玄覺：「分別亦非意。」〔T48 0397a20〕分別也不是意。
六祖每一句，都接著對方剛說的話往下逼：你說非動，誰知非動？六祖說你很得無生之意，玄覺反問：無生哪有意？六祖再問：無意，那誰在分別？玄覺每一答，都不退回一步，也不另立一物：非動、分別、意，一樣一樣過，一樣一樣不住。到「分別亦非意」，六祖「歎曰。善哉善哉。少留一宿。」〔T48 0397a20〕。
四、一宿覺
「時謂一宿覺矣。」〔T48 0397a21〕當時的人叫他一宿覺。「策公乃留師。翌日下山迴溫江。」〔T48 0397a21〕這一句有兩種讀法——『策公留師一宿，翌日同下山』，或『策公留；師翌日下山』；無論哪一種，第二天就下山是明文。然後是行狀的結尾：「學者輻湊。號真覺大師。著禪宗悟修圓旨。自淺之深。慶州刺史魏靜。緝而成十篇。目為永嘉集。及證道歌一首。並盛行於世云爾。」〔T48 0397a22〕——學者聚集，號真覺大師；所著的禪宗悟修圓旨，由魏靜編成十篇，叫永嘉集；還有證道歌一首。
為什麼一宿就夠？行狀沒有解釋，但它的寫法已經回答了：它把玄覺的學問只用一句帶過，把那場對話逐句記下，然後說「一宿覺」。印可不在住了多久，在那幾句話裡每一句都站得住。你讀完行狀再讀歌，會明白歌裡「自從認得曹谿路。了知生死不相關。」〔T48 0396a09〕說的是哪一夜。
承衍——諸錄之異同
行狀所記，與傳燈錄玄覺章〔T51n2076 0241b12〕、宋高僧傳〔T50n2061 0758b16〕所記互有同異：證道歌與永嘉集的分合、入曹谿的因緣、行狀作「魏靜」而他書作「魏靖」；本編記其所在，並錄不判。行狀作者楊億署銜甚長，本編照錄；他是宋初的人，記的是百年前的事，行狀本身即是一部承衍。
The Account of the Conduct of Great Master Wuxiang written by Yang Yi runs to three hundred and forty-three characters and records the life of Xuanjue of Yongjia; and of that life, it spends more than half its length on one conversation—Xuanjue goes to Caoxi to see the Sixth Patriarch, seven or eight exchanges pass, the patriarch says “stay a single night”, and the world has called him “the one-night awakening” ever since. This exposition follows the account’s four sections and looks at why that conversation was enough.
I. The Tiantai Ground
The account first gives his origins: “Chan Master Xuanjue of Yongjia in Wenzhou was a native of Yongjia, surnamed Dai; he left home as a boy with his hair still in tufts.” Then his learning: “He searched the whole of the three baskets, was expert in the purport of Tiantai, contemplated the perfect and wondrous dharma-gate, and in the four postures of deportment was always merged in meditative contemplation.” He searched the three baskets, was expert in Tiantai, and in walking, standing, sitting, and lying was always merged in contemplation. Keep this line in mind: in the conversation at Caoxi, Xuanjue answers fast and steadily, and the ground for that is here. In the song he says of himself “In my early years I piled up learning, and I too once searched the commentaries and hunted through sūtras and treatises.”, which answers exactly to what the account records; only the song tells it as a detour he walked, and the account tells it as a man’s foundation. The two do not conflict. He went to Caoxi “later, spurred on by Chan Master Lang of Zuoxi, he went with Chan Master Ce of Dongyang to Caoxi.”: urged by someone, traveling with someone.
II. Circling the Patriarch Three Times
“On first arriving he shook his staff, carried his jar, and circled the patriarch three times.” He arrived, shook his staff, carried his water jar, circled the Sixth Patriarch three times, and did not bow. The patriarch opened the challenge: “The patriarch said: A śramaṇa should possess the three thousand forms of deportment and the eighty thousand fine conducts. Where has the worthy come from, to give rise to such great self-conceit?” A monk should have three thousand forms of deportment and eighty thousand fine conducts—where do you come from, with such great conceit? Xuanjue answered: “The master said: The matter of birth and death is great; impermanence is swift.” Birth and death is a great matter and impermanence comes fast—meaning: I have no time to go round the courtesies. The patriarch asked next: “Why not take hold of non-arising in your body, and understand that there is no swiftness?” Why not embody non-arising and understand that there is no fast or slow? Xuanjue answered: “He said: Embodying is itself non-arising; understanding is originally without swiftness.” What is embodied is itself non-arising; what is understood was never fast from the start. The patriarch said: “Just so, just so.”—and “at that time the whole assembly was astonished.”
Where is the measure in these lines? Xuanjue says “impermanence is swift,” using the language of the world to express impermanence; the patriarch turns it round and asks him with “non-arising” and “no swiftness,” to see whether he truly only knows how to speak of impermanence. Xuanjue answers “embodying is itself non-arising; understanding is originally without swiftness,” showing that he is not speaking from the side of impermanence but speaking of impermanence from non-arising. By this point in the exchange the patriarch has already given his seal; the exchanges that follow are the afterwave.
III. Who Knows There Is No Moving
“Only then did the master take up full deportment and make his bow; in a moment he took his leave.” Only now did Xuanjue compose himself and bow, and a moment later he was taking his leave. The patriarch asked: “Are you not returning too fast?” Going back rather fast, aren’t you? Xuanjue: “Originally there is no moving; how could there be fast?” There was never any moving, so where is fast? The patriarch: “Who knows there is no moving?” Xuanjue: “It is you, sir, who give rise to the distinction.” It is you yourself who are distinguishing. The patriarch: “You have well grasped the meaning of non-arising.” Xuanjue: “How could non-arising have a meaning?” The patriarch: “If there is no meaning, who is it that distinguishes?” Xuanjue: “Distinguishing, too, is not a meaning.”
With every sentence the patriarch presses on from what the other has just said: you say no moving—who knows there is no moving? The patriarch says you have well grasped the meaning of non-arising, and Xuanjue asks back: how could non-arising have a meaning? The patriarch asks again: if no meaning, then who distinguishes? With every answer Xuanjue neither retreats a step nor sets up a further thing: no moving, distinguishing, meaning—each is passed through, and none is dwelt in. At “distinguishing, too, is not a meaning,” the patriarch “sighed and said: Good, good. Stay a single night.”
IV. The One-Night Awakening
“At the time he was called the one-night awakening.” “Master Ce then stayed with the master; the next day he went down the mountain and returned to Wenjiang.” This line admits two readings—Master Ce kept the master for a night and the two went down the mountain together the next day, or Master Ce stayed and the master went down the next day; on either reading, that he went down the mountain the next day is explicit. Then the account’s close: “Students gathered like spokes to a hub; he was called Great Master Zhenjue. He composed the Perfect Purport of Awakening and Cultivation in the Chan School, from the shallow to the deep; Wei Jing, prefect of Qingzhou, compiled it into ten chapters and titled it the Yongjia Collection; together with the Song of Realizing the Way, in one piece, both circulated widely in the world.” Students flocked to him and he was called Great Master Zhenjue; what he wrote on the perfect purport of awakening and cultivation in the Chan school was compiled by Wei Jing into ten chapters, called the Yongjia Collection; and there was the Song of Realizing the Way, one piece.
Why was one night enough? The account does not explain, but the way it is written has already answered: it passes over Xuanjue’s learning in a single line, records that conversation line by line, and then says “the one-night awakening.” The seal lies not in how long he stayed but in those few sentences, every one of which stands. If you read the song after the account, you will know which night “Since I came to know the road to Caoxi, I have understood that birth and death do not concern me.” is speaking of.
Carrying Forward — Where the Records Differ
What the account records agrees and differs in places with the chapter on Xuanjue in the Record of the Transmission of the Lamp and the Song Biographies of Eminent Monks: whether the Song of Realizing the Way and the Yongjia Collection are one or two, the occasion of his going to Caoxi, and the name of the prefect, written Wei Jing with one character in the account and another elsewhere; this edition records where each is found, side by side, and does not judge. The author Yang Yi signs with a very long string of titles, which this edition reproduces in full; he was a man of the early Song, recording events of a century before, and the account itself is already a carrying forward.