The Mind Inscription of Ch’an Ancestor – Master Fa Rong

[Shi Da Dao]

(心銘：牛頭山初祖法融禪師)

(Xīn míng: Niútóu shān chū zǔ fǎróng chánshī)

Translated By Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD

(This translation first appeared in Vol. 1 Issue 6 of Patriarch’s Vision [Pages 3-12] – the Ejournal of the International Ch’an Buddhism Institute)

Translator’s Note: This is the English translation of the original Chinese text entitled ‘Mind Inscription of Ch’an Ancestor – Master Fa Rong - Who Lived on Niu Tou Mountain’ (心銘：牛頭山初祖法融禪師 – Xin Ming – Niu Tou Shan Chu Zu Fa Rong Ch’an Shi), which is found in the collection of Ch’an literature known as the ‘Bright and Virtuous Transmission of the Lamp Record’ (景德傳燈錄 – Jing De Chuan Deng Lu). Its authorship is attributed to the Ch’an Master Fa Rong (594-657), who is responsible for founding the Oxhead (牛头 – Niu Tou) School of Ch’an Buddhism on Oxhead Mountain, situated near modern-day Nanjing City. Master Fa Rong is believed to have been a disciple of the Fourth Ch’an Patriarch Dao Xin (道信) [580–651], and his ‘Xin Ming’ text should not be confused with the more popular, and similarly titled text ‘Conviction in the Mind Inscription’ (信心銘 – Xin Xin Ming), written by the Third Ch’an Patriarch Seng Can (僧璨). Whereas the Xin Xin Ming has a definite ‘Daoist’ feel to its construction and terminology, the Xin Ming, by way of comparison, is much more conventionally Buddhist in its use of terminology, (it mentions the term ‘Dao’ [道] only once), despite the fact that it also refers to the Confucian concept of ‘Li’ (理), or ‘underlying reason’, or ‘pattern of superior thought and action’. Although using well known Buddhist concepts, the Oxhead School did not acknowledge or encourage sutra or mantra chanting, or the following of precepts. What it did emphasise, however, was the immediate and straight-forward realisation of the empty mind ground here and now, without any obstruction whatsoever.

The Oxhead School – which pursued a particular interpretation of the teachings of Bodhidharma - was at its peak of influence during the seventh and eighth centuries CE, and lasted into the last years of the tenth century (during the Song Dynasty), where it went into decline. Although not included in the traditional ‘Five Houses’ of Ch’an, its direct influence can be seen throughout the entire genre of Chinese Ch’an – particularly in the Cao Dong School. The development of the Oxhead School is important as it defines the first distinctly ‘Chinese’ interpretation of Indian Buddhism and its central practice of ‘meditation’, or ‘Dhyana’. Fa Rong’s teaching clearly defines two opposites, and then through the skilful use of enlightened wisdom, unites and transcends the duality. A possible Daoist influence can be seen in the operation of what might be described as dynamic and radical ‘non-action’ (無爲 – Wu Wei), and Fa Rong’s emphasis on denying the validity of ego-led action within self-cultivation. Not only this, but for Fa Rong, the enlightened state itself is perfect just as it is, and as it is in complete accord with the rhythms of the physical world, no undue effort is required to maintain balance, tranquillity, wisdom, and peace.

During the eight century, the Oxhead School relocated southward to remove itself from disruptive contact with political intrigues, military conflict, and social disorder. The fifth generation descendent of Fa Rong – Ch’an Master Fa Qin – established an Oxhead School Temple on Mount Jing, near Hangzhou in 742 CE. This temple contributed directly to the further development of Ch’an in China, and Zen in Japan. The Oxhead School itself disagreed with the split of Ch’an into competing ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern’ factions, declaring such a development to be nothing but an ‘error of speech’, and as a consequence, considered itself to be a ‘separate teaching outside of the two schools’. The Oxhead School was associated with the logic of ‘sunyata’ or ‘emptiness’, ascribed to Nagarjuna, and emphasised a practical realisation of a radical ‘emptiness that is empty’ (虚空 – Xu Kong), sometimes also referred to as the teaching of ‘universal emptiness’. ACW 27.11.14

Text Title: 心銘：牛頭山初祖法融禪師

Xīn míng: Niútóu shān chū zǔ fǎróng chánshī

The Mind Inscription of Ch’an Ancestor – Master Fa Rong - Who Lived on Niu Tou Mountain.

心性不生何須知見。本無一法誰論薫錬。

Xīnxìng bù shēng hé xūzhī jiàn. Běn wú yī fǎ shuí lùn xūn liàn.

The unborn nature of the true mind (anutpada) must be directly perceived. This is the origin of no-Dharma which can not be cultivated.

往返無端追尋不見。一切莫作明寂自現。

Wǎngfǎn wúduān zhuīxún bùjiàn. Yīqiè mò zuò míng jì zì xiàn.

Back and forwards moving without end, the mind searches but does not see. When stillness is achieved, brightness will manifest.

前際如空知處迷宗。分明照境隨照冥蒙。

Qián jì rú kōngzhī chù mí zōng. Fēnmíng zhào jìng suí zhào míng méng.

Learn to dispose of false teachings if emptiness is to be realised, in this way the bright mind illuminates all things – whether wise or foolish.

一心有滯諸法不通。去來自爾胡假推窮。

Yīxīn yǒu zhì zhū fǎ bùtōng. Qù láizì ěr hú jiǎ tuī qióng.

A mind that is blocked in all directions cannot manifest the Dharma, whereas it is incorrect to associate coming and going with false effort.

生無生相生照一同。欲得心淨無心用功。

Shēng wú shēng xiàng shēng zhào yītóng. Yù dé xīn jìng wúxīn yònggōng.

The unborn (non-existence) and the born (existent) states are united through enlightenment. To cleanse the mind of desire, diligently cultivate no-mind.

縱横無照最爲微妙。知法無知無知知要。

Zònghéng wú zhào zuì wèi wéimiào. Zhī fǎ wúzhī wúzhī zhī yào.

Being free in all directions is the most subtle state. To perceive the Dharma is non-knowing, as non-knowing is how true knowledge is gained.

將心守靜猶未離病。生死忘懷即是本性。

Jiāng xīn shǒu jìng yóu wèi lí bìng. Shēngsǐ wànghuái jí shì běnxìng.

A mind attached to stillness and tranquillity will not attain freedom from affliction. Life and death must be forgotten if the true nature is to manifest.

至理無詮非解非纏。靈通應物常在目前。

Zhì lǐ wú quán fēi jiě fēi chán. Língtōng yìng wù cháng zài mùqián.

The highest principle has no-explanation, no-solution and no-entanglement. It is directly perceived here and now without contrived effort.

目前無物無物宛然。不勞智鑒體自虚玄。

Mùqián wú wù wú wù wǎnrán. Bù láo zhì jiàn tǐ zì xū xuán.

Non-substantiality manifests, because non-substantiality is reality. There is no need to strive for the mirror-like wisdom, because all things are mysteriously empty without effort.

念起念滅前後無別。後念不生前念自絶。

Niàn qǐ niàn miè qiánhòu wú bié. Hòu niàn bù shēngqián niàn zì jué.

Thought manifests, and thought falls away - before and after - there is no distinction between the two. The latter thought does not arise, because the former thought is made self-extinct and is never born.

三世無物無心無佛。衆生無心依無心出。

Sānshì wú wù wúxīn wú fú. Zhòngshēng wúxīn yī wúxīn chū.

The Triple World has no substantiality, no mind, and no Buddha. All living beings arise from no mind, and because of no mind - come into existence.

分別凡聖煩惱轉盛。計校乖常求眞背正。

Fēnbié fán shèng fánnǎo zhuǎn shèng. Jì xiào guāi cháng qiú zhēn bèi zhèng.

Concern about Sagehood causes afflictions in the mind, as contriving to acquire the ‘good’ is tantamount to turning ones back on the truth.

雙泯對治湛然明淨。不須功巧守嬰兒行。

Shuāng mǐn duì zhì zhàn rán míngjìng. Bù xū gōng qiǎo shǒu yīng'ér xíng.

Abandoning duality (here and now) the tranquil mind is clear and bright. If this state can be achieved instantly – then there is no need to be concerned about the minutiae of sophisticated practices.

惺惺了知見網轉彌。寂寂無見暗室不移。

Xīngxīngle zhījiàn wǎng zhuǎn mí. Jí jí wú jiàn ànshì bù yí.

A tranquil mind perceives clearly and transcends the net of dualistic transformation. In this difficult to perceive state, there is no movement.

惺惺無妄寂寂明亮。萬象常眞森羅一相。

Xīngxīng wú wàng jí jí míngliàng. Wànxiàng cháng zhēn sēn luó yī xiāng.

The clear and bright enlightened state contains no delusion, as the ten thousand things are constantly unified in the state of truth.

去來坐立一切莫執。決定無方誰爲出入。

Qù lái zuò lì yīqiè mò zhí. Juédìng wú fāng shuí wèi chūrù.

Going and coming, sitting and standing – do not grasp these states. With the mind ‘still’ and detached, who can enter or leave?

無合無散不遲不疾。明寂自然不可言及。

Wú hé wú sàn bù chí bù jí. Míng jì zìrán bùkě yánjí.

No gathering and no dispersing – no delaying and no hurrying. The bright and calm mind is the self, which no words can describe.

心無異心不斷貪淫。性空自離任運浮沈。

Xīn wú yìxīn bùduàn tān yín. Xìng kōngzì lírèn yùn fúchén.

A mind that is non-dual, is a mind that has no need to uproot greed, hatred, and delusion. As the mind’s essence is empty of self, the waves of delusion will fall away by themselves.

非清非濁非淺非深。本來非古見在非今。

Fēi qīng fēi zhuó fēi qiǎn fēi shēn. Běnlái fēi gǔ jiàn zài fēi jīn.

Not pure, not defiled and not shallow, not deep. From the beginning there is no perception of the past, just as there is no perception of the present.

見在無住見在本心。本來不存本來即今。

Jiàn zài wúzhù jiàn zài běn xīn. Běnlái bu cún běnlái jíjīn.

Those who understand no birth, understand no mind. The essence is non-existent, only when this is perceived directly, does the empty essence manifest here and now.

菩提本有不須用守。煩惱本無不須用除。

Pútí běn yǒu bù xū yòng shǒu. Fánnǎo běn wú bù xū yòng chú.

Bodhi is the original essence that does not need effort to sustain. Suffering in the mind is non-existent, and there is no need to uproot it.

靈知自照萬法歸如。無歸無受絶觀忘守

Líng zhī zìzhào wàn fǎ guī rú. Wú guī wú shòu jué guān wàng shǒu

Spiritual wisdom shines forth without effort, and the ten thousand things are returned to the Dharma. No return, no suffering, no opinions, and forget guarding the senses.

四徳不生三身本有。六根對境分別非識。

Sì dé bù shēng sān shēn běn yǒu. Liùgēn duì jìng fēnbié fēi shí.

With the four virtues non-existent, the three bodies of the Buddha automatically manifest. The six roots (of awareness) correctly confront the world through non-identification with the senses.

一心無妄萬縁調直。心性本齊同居不攜。

Yīxīn wú wàng wàn yuán diào zhí. Xīnxìng běn qí tóngjū bù xié.

The unified mind contains no absurdities and the ten thousand things harmonise naturally without effort. The mind essence and sensation arise from the same single source and there is no contradiction.

無生順物隨處幽棲。覺由不覺即覺無覺。

Wú shēng shùn wù suíchù yōu qī. Jué yóu bu jué jí jué wú jué.

That which is non-born is everywhere the same as physical matter, and there is no contradiction between the obvious and the obscure. Enlightenment has its origin in non-enlightenment, therefore enlightenment equates with non-enlightenment.

得失兩邊誰論好惡。一切有爲本無造作。

Déshī liǎngbiān shuí lùn hàowù. Yīqiè yǒu wèi běn wúzàozuò

Gains and loses reflect one another, how can teaching be premised upon good and bad? Everything that is existent, is the product of the uncreated.

知心不心無病無藥。迷時捨事悟罷非異。

Zhīxīn bù xīn wúbìng wú yào. Mí shí shě shì wù bà fēi yì.

The knowing mind is the unknowing mind; it is directly realised without the need of medicine. Confusion ceases by itself, when the mind is realised.

本無可取今何用棄。謂有魔興言空象備。

Běn wú kěqǔ jīn hé yòng qì. Wèi yǒu mó xìng yán kōng xiàng bèi.

At the source nothing can be grasped or rejected. To speak of existence is the manifestation of demons, and all words become expedient devices empty of any meaning.

莫滅凡情唯教息意。意無心滅心無行絶。

Mò miè fán qíng wéi jiào xī yì. Yì wúxīn miè xīn wú xíng jué.

Do not be concerned with extinguishing all feeling; but only cultivate the intention of achieving no-mind, which extinguishes all thought through non-action.

不用證空自然明徹。滅盡生死冥心入理。

Bùyòng zhèng kōng zìrán míng chè. Miè jìn shēngsǐ míng xīn rù lǐ.

The realisation of emptiness cannot be artificially verified, for its natural brightness pervades in all directions. When the notion of life and death is extinguished, the mind penetrates the highest, guiding principle.

開目見相心隨境起。心處無境境處無心。

Kāi mù jiàn xiāng xīn suí jìng qǐ. Xīn chù wú jìng jìng chù wúxīn

Open the eyes and perceive the myriad forms of existence; in this way the mind adapts to (and goes along with), prevailing circumstances. If the mind abides in no-form, then myriad forms will abide in no-mind.

將心滅境彼此由侵。心寂境如不遣不拘。

Jiāng xīn miè jìng bǐcǐ yóu qīn. Xīn jì jìng rú bù qiǎn bùjū.

When form is extinguished within the mind, the act of extinguishing form becomes identical with the mind. When the mind is quiet, all circumstances become quiet, and there is no need to reject or grasp anything.

境隨心滅心隨境無。兩處不生寂靜虚明。

Jìng suíxīn miè xīn suí jìng wú. Liǎng chù bù shēng jìjìng xū míng.

When external forms are integrated with the inner mind, they are extinguished as separate entities. Both are located in the unborn, which is serene, harmonious, empty and bright.

菩提影現心水常清。徳性如愚不立親疎。

Pútí yǐng xiàn xīn shuǐ cháng qīng. Déxìng rú yú bù lì qīnshū.

True awakening is like a constantly clear reflection in the water of the mind. Virtuous nature has the air of stupidity, and does not set-up intimacy, or exclusion.

寵辱不變不擇所居。諸縁頓息一切不憶。

Chǒng rǔ bù biàn bù zé suǒ jū. Zhū yuán dùn xī yīqiè bù yì.

Unmoved by the experience of shame and praise, indifferent to physical circumstance. When karmic causes cease, all concern is cut-off and no longer arise in the mind.

永日如夜永夜如日。外似頑　内心虚眞。

Yǒng rì rú yè yǒng yè rú rì. Wài shì wán nèi xīnxū zhēn.

An endless day will be like night, an endless night will be like day. When externally viewed, it seems stupid. When internally viewed, the true mind is empty.

對境不動有力大人。無人無見無見常現。

Duì jìng bùdòng yǒulì dàrén. Wúrén wú jiàn wú jiàn cháng xiàn.

Outer conditions do not move a strong and great being. When a non-person does not see, then non-seeing becomes permanent.

通達一切未嘗不 。思惟轉昏汨亂精魂。

Tōngdá yīqiè wèicháng bù. Sīwéi zhuǎn hūn mì luàn jīnghún.

Penetrating all that exists is the permanent and all-embracing state, but a thinking mind is plunged into confusion and disorder that obscures the spiritual essence.

將心止動轉止轉奔。萬法無所唯有一門。

Jiāng xīn zhǐ dòng zhuǎn zhǐ zhuǎn bēn. Wàn fǎ wú suǒ wéi yǒu yīmén.

Trying to forcibly stop the mind from moving, will cause the mind to move more quickly. The ten thousand dharmas have no fixed position, but there is only one real gate.

不入不出非靜非喧。聲聞縁覺智不能論。

Bù rù bù chū fēi jìng fēi xuān. Shēng wén yuán jué zhì bùnéng lùn.

No entering, no leaving, no peace and no disturbance. Sravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas do not possess the wisdom to see this.

實無一物妙智獨存。本際虚沖非心所窮。

Shí wú yī wù miào zhì dú cún. Běn jì xū chōng fēi xīn suǒ qióng.

Not a single thing exists in this empty state of reality, but wonderful wisdom remains. When this is perceived, the mind cannot be confused or impoverished.

正覺無覺眞空不空。三世諸佛皆乘此宗。

Zhèng jué wú jué zhēnkōng bù kōng. Sānshì zhū fú jiē chéng cǐ zōng.

Real enlightenment is no enlightenment, and real emptiness is not empty. All the Buddhas of the three worlds support and uphold this teaching.

此宗毫末沙界含容。一切莫顧安心無處。

Cǐ zōng háomò shā jiè hán róng. Yīqiè mò gù ānxīn wú chù.

This teaching is contained within a grain of sand, which also contains other worlds more numerous than the grains of sand in the Ganges. If the peaceful mind is not attached to anything, then it has no place where it can become stuck.

無處安心虚明自露。寂靜不生放曠縱横。

Wú chù ānxīn xū míng zì lù. Jìjìng bù shēng fàng kuàng zònghéng.

The non-abiding and peaceful mind, instantly manifests a bright emptiness. A quiet stillness is unborn, and allows unhindered movement in all directions.

所作無滯去住皆平。慧日寂寂定光明明。

Suǒzuò wú zhì qù zhù jiē píng. Huì rì jí jí dìng guāngmíng míng.

Action and non-action is unobstructed equally throughout the entirety of existence. Samadhi is like a blazing sun, clear and bright in its true knowing.

照無相苑朗涅槃城。諸縁忘畢詮神定質

Zhào wūxiāng yuàn lǎng nièpán chéng. Zhū yuán wàng bì quán shén dìng zhí

Illuminate the garden of non-appearance (laksana), and the city of Nirvana will shine brightly! Completely transcend all karmic cause and effect, and its nature can be interpreted as a samadhi of the spirit.

不起法座安眠虚室。樂道恬然優遊眞實。

Bù qǐ fǎ zuò ānmián xū shì. Lè dào tiánrán yōuyóu zhēnshí.

Do not set-up a Dharma-Altar, but sleep safely in an empty room. Happiness is found in the Spiritual Way (Dao), which is identical with the unhindered expanse of true reality.

無爲無得依無自出。四等六度同一乘路。

Wúwèi wú dé yī wú zì chū. Sì děng liù dù tóngyī chéng lù

Nothing to do (wuwei), nothing to achieve, depending on nothing, the self will manifest. The Four Noble Qualities and the Six Paramitas, represent the path of the One Vehicle (Ekayana).

心若不生法無差互。知生無生現前常住。

Xīn ruò bù shēng fǎ wú chà hù. Zhīshēng wú shēng xiàn qián chángzhù.

When the mind is unborn, all phenomena is correct and without error. Knowing existence is unborn, the present will manifest constantly in this manner.

智者方知非言詮悟

Zhìzhě fāng zhī fēi yán quán wù

The wise will understand this explanation of enlightenment which is non-reliant upon words.

©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2014.