Chapter 13

Someone asked: "What is Buddha-Mara?"

The Master said: "One thought of doubt in your mind is Mara. If you realize that the ten thousand dharmas never come into being, that mind is like a phantom, that not even a single grain of dust or a single dharma exists, that there is no place whatsoever that is not immaculate and pure-this is Buddha. Thus Buddha and Mara are two states, the one pure, the other impure.

According to my view there is no Buddha, no sentient being, no past, no present. Attainment is attained instantly, with no time required, no practice, no realizing, no gain, no loss; throughout all time there is no other Dharma. Even though there would were a Dharma that surpassed this, I say to you that it would be like a dream, like a phantom. This is all I teach

"Followers of the Way, he, who at this moment, before my eyes is shining alone and clearly listening to my discourse-this man tarries nowhere; he traverses the ten directions and is freely himself in the three realms. Though he enters the differentiations of every state, no one of these can divert him. In an instant of time he penetrates the dharmadhatus: on meeting a Buddha he persuades the Buddha, on meeting a patriarch he persuades the patriarch, on meeting an arhat he persuades the arhat, on meeting a hungry ghost he persuades the hungry ghost. In traveling everywhere through every land, in bringing enlightenment to sentient beings, he is never separate from his present mind. Everywhere is pure, light illumines the ten directions, and 'the ten thousand dharmas are one as is.'

"Followers of the Way, right now the resolute man knows full well that from the beginning there is nothing to do. Only because your faith in this in insufficient do you ceaselessly chase about; having thrown away your head you go on and on looking for it, unable to stop yourself.

"The bodhisattva of Complete and Immediate [Enlightenment] having entered the dharmadhatu and manifested his body within the Pure Land detests the secular and delights in the sacred. Such as he has not yet left off accepting and rejecting; ideas of purity and defilement still remain.

"For the Ch'an School, understanding is not thus - it is instantaneous, now, not a matter of time! All that I teach is just temporary medicine to cure a corresponding illness. Indeed, no real Dharma exists. He who understands this is a true renouncer of home; he many spend a million gold coins a day.

"Followers of the Way, don't have your face stamped at random with the seal of sanction by any old master anywhere, then go around saying, 'I understand Ch'an, I understand the Way' Though your eloquence is like a rushing torrent, it is nothing but hell-creating karma.

"The true student of the Way does no look to the faults of the world; he eagerly desires to seek true insight. If he attains true insight in its perfect clarity, then indeed that is all.