以妄制妄参话头

Using One Idle Thought to Control Other Idle Thoughts

参禅，就是不打其他的妄想。

Investigating Chan means not having any idle thoughts.

现在开始打禅七，在禅堂里不念佛，在佛七里不参禅。现在是坐禅，行也是禅，坐也是禅，站也是禅，卧也是禅，总之，行住坐卧都是禅。从前，参禅的人没有什么念头，这叫无念。

Now our Chan session is about to begin. In the Chan Hall, we don't recite the Buddha's name; and during the Buddha Recitation Session, we don't practice meditation. Our motto for this Chan retreat is "walking is Chan; sitting is also Chan; standing is Chan; and lying down is also Chan." In general, walking, standing, sitting, and reclining are all Chan. Meditators of old didn't have any thoughts; their state was called "being without thought."

所谓：

一念不生全体现，

六根忽动被云遮。

When not even one thought arises,

the entire substance comes into view.

If the six sense organs suddenly react,

then clouds will cover you.

参禅，就是参一念不生。到了明朝以后，就采用参话头。现在所有的禅堂，都是参话头。话头有很多种，有的参「念佛是谁？」有的参「父母未生以前的本来面目？」有的参「如何是没有了？」等等。

Investigating Chan means working to the point that "thoughts no longer arise." After the Ming Dynasty, the use of the hua tou or "meditation topic" became popular. Now every meditation hall uses the meditation topic. There are many meditation topics that people can investigate, such as "Who's mindful of the Buddha (Who's reciting the Buddha's name)?" "What was my true identity before my parents bore me?" "What doesn't come to an end?" and so on.

参禅，就是不打其他的妄想。譬如参「念佛是谁？」总想念佛是谁？其实这也是妄想，用一个妄想来控制一切妄想，这是以妄制妄，以毒攻毒的办法。甚至于念「阿弥陀佛」，也是以妄制妄。就念佛这一念，也是不对的；参「念佛是谁？」这一念，也是没有的，但是由这一个妄想就能把其他的妄想都制住了，这是参禅的一个道理。

Investigating Chan means not having any idle thoughts. For instance, if we're investigating the topic, "Who's mindful of the Buddha?" then we're always wondering, "Who's mindful of the Buddha?" The question itself is, in fact, a idle thought, but this method uses one idle thought to control all other idle thoughts. This method uses an idle thought to fight other idle thoughts, fire to fight fire. Actually, reciting the name "Amitabha Buddha" is also an example of using one idle thought to fight other idle thoughts. Strictly speaking, the thought of reciting the Buddha's name itself is incorrect. And the thought to investigate, "Who's mindful of the Buddha?" doesn't exist either. Yet one idle thought is able to end all the other idle thoughts. This is one of the fundamental principles of Chan meditation.

参禅的人，「佛来佛斩，魔来魔斩。」不执着一切境界。参禅参到「上不知有天，下不知有地，中不知有人，外不知有物，内不知有心。」到这个时候，与法界合为一体，才能豁然开悟。切记！不要被声尘所转，东望西看，心不专一。

Chan meditators should have the attitude, "When the Buddhas come, slay them! When the demons come, slay them!" Don't cling to any states at all. We want to pursue our investigation until "we are no longer aware of heaven above, earth below, or people in between; we are unaware of things outside or the mind inside." That's when we merge and become one with the Dharma Realm; we may suddenly get enlightened! By no means should we let ourselves be disturbed by random noises or gaze around east and west in distraction.

参到无人、无我、无众生、无寿者的时候，就把生死的根本断了，便能面见释迦牟尼佛，那时才知道参禅的好处。

If you investigate to the point where none of the four marks of self, others, living beings, or a life span exist any longer, then the root of birth and death will be severed, and you will come face-to-face with Shakyamuni Buddha; at that time, you'll appreciate the advantages of Chan meditation!

我们从无量劫以来，一直到现在才幸运地遇到打禅七的法门。所以一定要特别专一，至诚恳切，好好用功，不要把宝贵的光阴空过，不要打吃好、穿好、住好的妄想，所谓「一寸时光，一寸命光。」时光和命光一样地宝贵。

From time without beginning until this very day, only now have we had the good fortune to encounter the Chan meditation method. Thus we must make a special effort to concentrate our minds. We must be particularly sincere and work very hard. Do not let this valuable time pass by in vain. Do not indulge in idle thoughts of eating good food, wearing nice clothes, and living in fine houses. There is a saying that goes, "An instant of time is an instant of life." Time and life are equally valuable.

一寸光阴一寸金，

寸金难买寸光阴；

失落寸金容易得，

光阴过去难再寻。

An instant of time is worth an ounce of gold,

Yet an ounce of gold can hardly buy an instant of time.

If you lose an ounce of gold you can always find another,

But once time goes by, you can't bring it back again.

这就是说，一般的光阴就这样地宝贵，何况在打禅七期间，光阴更为宝贵。不知道在哪一分钟？或哪一秒钟？就是开悟的时候；所以分秒必争，不可空过。希望参加禅七的各位！要勇猛精进，不可放逸，要忍一切苦，才得一切乐。忍人难忍，受人难受，这才是修道的精神。

This saying describes the value of ordinary time. How much more valuable is the time of our meditation retreat! Who knows in which minute or second you'll get enlightened? Therefore, you must treasure each minute and second of time. Don't let them slip by. I hope every one of you who has joined this Chan session will be courageous and vigorous, and won't be lax. Only if you endure every kind of pain can you finally experience every kind of joy. Endure what people cannot endure, and accept what people cannot accept. This is the true spirit of cultivating the spiritual path.

一九七五年九月开示于旧金山金山圣寺

A talk given on September 1975,

at Gold Mountain Monastery, San Francisco