This letter is my translation from the Record of Pointing to the Moon (指月錄 Zhi Yue Lu, Chih Yueh Lu), in which Vols. 31 and 32 are titled the “Sayings of Zen Master Dahui Zonggao” (大慧普覺禪師語 Dahui Zonggao Chanshi Yu). The subtitle of the correspondence section containing Dahui’s reply “words of thanks” in letters is "Responding In Kind With the Dharma Essentials" (酬答法要), beginning at line X83n1578_p0734b02 of Vol. 31 and continues through Vol. 32 at X83n1578_p0753a02. Of note, in the conclusion of the letter in several sentences in succession are the occurrences of double negatives that I have preserved in that original syntax. Dahui often uses rich descriptions with different metaphors to refer to "turning back to the seat" (Skt. asrayaparavrtti) of awareness that is the hallmark of Buddhist awakening. In this letter he uses the terms "know the basis" and "consciousness attains its arising place," as the turning at the base that reveals the "site of liberation" (Skt. bodhimanda).
Reply to Fu Ji Shen
You edify that “from a flea’s age” you’ve known faith turned toward this Way, but in later years, your knowing and understanding are actually obstructions. You have not yet had one entry to the place of awakening, and you desire to know by day and evening an expedient means of the essential Way. I don’t dare, on my own from outside, to lay hold of the items to settle the case, but a few clinging vines are allowed, since we bear the utmost sincerity.
Only that seeking for the basis to the entry of awakening, then, is the obstruction to the complete knowing and understanding of the Way. To distinguish it further, what knowing and understanding are there to commonly regard as obstructions? After all, what is summoned to regard as knowing and understanding? From where does knowing and understanding even arrive? Again, who is the one who incurs obstruction?
Yet in this one statement, there are three inversions. By yourself, to declare that knowing and understanding actually obstruct is one. By yourself, to declare you are not yet awakened and willingly to regard yourself as a confused person is one. Furthermore, in the midst of confusion to employ the mind to wait for awakening is one. Just these three inversions then are the original root of birth and death. Directly you must for one thought-moment not give birth to them, and then the mind of inversions is renounced. Just then you know there is no confusion that can be broken, there is no awakening that can be attained, and there is no knowing and understanding that can obstruct. You’re like a person drinking water, knowing it’s cold or warm by yourself. After a long while, spontaneously you won’t create these particular opinions either.
Merely become able to know the basis of knowing and understanding to the height of mind and observe, on returning are obstructions attained or not? And when able to know the basis of knowing and understanding to the height of mind, on returning to existence is it like allowing many kinds or not?
As for the gentlemen of great wisdom from before, in all cases, none did not consider knowing and understanding as companions and consider knowing and understanding as expedient means. By their knowing and understanding of before, they practiced universal compassion. By their knowing and understanding of before, they did various Buddha affairs. Like dragons gaining the water and resembling tigers trusting the mountains, in the end they did not consider these as vexations.
Once consciousness attains its arising place, exactly this knowing and understanding then are the site of liberation and then are the place to exit birth and death. Since it is the site of liberation and the place to exit birth and death, consequently the basis of knowing and the basis of understanding are taken as the essence of quiescent extinction. Since the basis of knowing and the basis of understanding are quiescent extinction, those who are able to know knowing and understanding can’t not be quiescent extinction. Enlightenment (bodhi), Nirvana, True Suchness, and Buddha-nature can’t not be quiescent extinction. Furthermore, what object is there that can obstruct? Furthermore, to what place can you turn to seek entry to awakening?
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