Chapter 11

The Master addressed the assembly, saying:

"Followers of the Way, it is urgently necessary that you endeavor to acquire true insight and stride boldly [here] under heaven so as not to lose your senses due to that bunch of spirits. [He who has] nothing to do is the noble man. Simply don't strive-just be ordinary. But you go and run hither and thither outside and make inquiries, looking for some helper. You're all wrong!

You only try to seek Buddha, but Buddha is merely a name. Don't you know what it is you are running around seeking? The buddhas and the patriarchs of the three periods and the ten directions only appear in order to seek Dharma. You followers of the Way who are the students of today, you, too, have only to seek Dharma. Attain Dharma and you're all done. Until then, you'll go on transmigrating through the five paths of existence just as you have been.

What is Dharma? Dharma is mind-dharma. Mind-dharma is without form; it pervades the ten directions and is manifesting its activity right before your very eyes. Since men lack sufficient faith [in this], they accept names and phrases, and try to speculate about Buddha-dharma from written words. [They and Dharma,] heaven and earth are far apart!"…

Followers of the Way, when I, this mountain monk, expound the Dharma, what Dharma do I expound? I expound the Dharma of mind-ground, by which one can enter the secular and the sacred, the pure and the dirty, the real and the temporal. But mark you! You are mistaken if you suppose that your real and temporal, secular and sacred can attach a name to everything real and temporal, secular and sacred. The real and the temporal, the secular and the sacred cannot attach a name to this man. Followers of the Way, grasp and use, but never name - this is called the "mysterious principle."

My discourse on Dharma is different from that of every other man on earth. Supposing Manjusri and Samantabhadra were to appear before me, manifesting their respective bodily forms for the purpose of questioning me about Dharma. The moment they said, "Ho-shang, what…" I would have already discerned them through and through. Likewise, when this old monk is sitting firmly and a follower of the Way comes for an interview with me, I discern him through and through. Why is this so? Just because my insight is different: I make no choice between the secular and the sacred without, nor do I stay in the absolute state within; I see penetratingly, and am free from all doubt.