Floating Dust and Illusions

中文原著: 隆門圓通法師
英文翻譯: 張惠平

Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong
Translated by Huei Ping Chang

《楞嚴經》 云：
一切浮塵 諸變化相 當處出生
隨處滅盡 求於去來 本不可得

外在的山河大地諸有為相，尚是虛妄，何況能緣心智，自然如夢幻泡影，無有真實。了知心的生滅，念念如水上波，波浪起起落落，非水的真面目，待風平浪靜，始見水之樣貌；是以生滅的心，非是真性也。

真性本自不生，不生所以不滅，
色非恆住於有，不有所以即空。

由空的緣故，心識念念變異，根本無有心可觀。既無觀心，豈有觀境；既知境、智俱空，便與本源相應。故行者，心慧開發→任運而持→破除粗重煩惱。

「雖能達到返本還源，仍存有一個『還』相，依舊是障礙……。」
精進行者，更需要百尺竿頭更進一步，捨「還」修「淨」。
共勉之……
資料來源：心靈甘露(一)，隆門圓通法師著。

The Shurangama Sutra says, “All the floating dust and all the changeable phenomena arise and extinguish from the mind. Asking for coming and going will be in vain.”

Saṃskṛta forms such as mountains, rivers and vast lands are false, let alone the capabilities and mental powers that are like dreams and bubbles and are unreal. We should know the arising and extinction of the mind. All thoughts are like waves that rise and fall. They are not the genuine appearances of water. The original appearances of water cannot be seen until the breeze is still and the waves are quiet. Hence, the mind of arising and extinction is not a real one.

The genuine nature does not arise by itself. Because there is no arising, there is no extinction. Form does not abide eternally in existence, so non-existence is emptiness.

Because of emptiness, the mind consciousness changes according to different thoughts, and there is no mind to observe. Since there is no mind to observe, there is no observation situation. If we know that both situation and wisdom are empty, we will correspond to the origin. So, a practitioner should exploit his wisdom, abide by it in different operations and eradicate severe afflictions.

Even if one can return to origins, the phenomenon “return” still exists, which is still a hindrance.
A diligent practitioner has to continue practicing for further success by abandoning “return” and practicing “purity.”
Let’s encourage each other with this.

Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. I), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong.