Vasubandhu

The twenty-first ancestor, Venerable Vasubandhu, because the twentieth ancestor said:

I do not seek the Way, nor am I deluded. I do not revere the Buddha, nor do I disparage him. I do not sit long in meditation, nor am I negligent.

I do not eat one meal a day, nor do I eat indiscriminately. I am not content, nor am I greedy. The mind without seeking is called the Way.

Upon hearing this, the master awakened to the wisdom of no outflows.

According to the Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, he was from the city of Rājagṛha. His family name was Viśākha. His father was Guang Gai, his mother Yan Yi. The family was wealthy but childless. His parents prayed at a Buddha stupa for an heir. One night, the mother dreamed she swallowed two pearls, one bright and one dark. Upon waking, she was pregnant. After seven days, an arhat named Xian Zhong came to their home. Guang Gai offered respects. Xian Zhong sat upright and accepted them. When Yan Yi came out to bow, Xian Zhong rose from his seat and said, 'I return the bow to the great being who is the Dharma body.'Guang Gai could not fathom the reason. He then took a precious pearl, knelt, and offered it to Xian Zhong to test his authenticity. Xian Zhong immediately accepted it without any show of deference or thanks. Guang Gai could not bear it and asked, 'I, a man, offered respects and you paid no heed. What virtue does my wife have that you, Venerable One, avoid her?'Xian Zhong said, 'I accepted your bow and received the pearl to increase your merit. Your wife carries a sage child. When born, he will be a lamp and a sun of wisdom for the world. Therefore I avoid her. It is not that I hold women in high esteem.'

Xian Zhong also said, 'Your wife will bear two sons. One named Vasubandhu, whom I revere. The other named Chuni (this means 'wild magpie'). In the past, when the Tathagata practiced the Way in the Snowy Mountains, Chuni nested on his head. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, Chuni received his retribution, becoming the king of the Nadi country. The Buddha prophesied, "In the second five hundred years, you will be born in the Viśākha family in Rājagṛha, sharing the womb with a sage." Now this is fulfilled without error.'After one month, she indeed gave birth to a son. The Venerable Vasubandhu, at the age of fifteen, took refuge with the arhat Guang Du and left home. He was blessed by the bodhisattva Vipaśyin, who conferred the precepts upon him.

He arrived at their home. Guang Gai prepared a ceremony. Xian Zhong sat upright and received it. Yan Yi came out and bowed. Xian Zhong avoided the seat and said: 'I return the ceremony to the great bodhisattva of the Dharmakaya.'Guang Gai,

could not fathom the reason. He then took a precious pearl, knelt and offered it to Xian Zhong, testing its authenticity. Xian Zhong immediately accepted it, without any particular humility or thanks. Guang Gai could not bear it. He asked: 'I am a man, yet I do not hesitate to offer ceremony. What virtue does my wife possess that the Venerable One avoids her?'Xian Zhong said: 'My receiving the ceremony and accepting the pearl is only to honor you for your blessings. Your wife is pregnant with a holy child.

When born, he will surely become a world-lamp of wisdom-sun. Therefore I avoid her. It is not that I revere women.'Xian Zhong also said: 'Your wife will give birth to two sons. The first will be named Vasubandhu. He is the one I revere. The second will be named Chuni (here called Wild Magpie Child). Long ago, when the Tathagata was practicing the Way in the Snow Mountains, a magpie nested on his head. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, the magpie received retribution and became the king of Nadi. The Buddha prophesied: 'In the second five hundred years, you will be born in the household of Vishakha in Rajagriha, and be a sibling of a saint.'Now this is fulfilled without error. After one month, she indeed gave birth to two sons. The Venerable Vasubandhu, at age fifteen, paid respects to the Arhat Guang Du and left home. The bodhisattva Vipasha was moved to confer precepts upon him.

The Twentieth Ancestor, the Venerable Jayata, traveled teaching and arrived at Rajagriha, where he propagated the Sudden Teaching. There was a group of learners there who only esteemed debate. Their leader was named Vasubandhu (here called Universal Practice). He constantly ate one meal a day, did not lie down,

paid homage to the Buddha at the six times, was pure and free from desire, and was the refuge of the assembly. The Venerable One, wishing to liberate him, first asked the assembly: 'This Universal Practice ascetic can cultivate Brahma conduct. Can he attain the Buddha Way?'The assembly said: 'Our teacher is diligent. Why should it be impossible?'The Venerable One said: 'Your teacher is far from the Way. Even if he undergoes austerities for countless kalpas,

it is all the root of delusion.'The assembly said: 'What virtue and conduct does the Venerable One possess to criticize our teacher?'The Venerable One said: 'I do not seek the Way, nor even generate the wisdom of no-outflows, yet I rejoice and praise.'The Venerable One,

He then addressed the assembly, saying: 'Do you understand my words? The reason for my stance is this: seeking... In the city of Rajagriha, he propagated the Sudden Teaching. Among the learned assembly there, they valued only debate. Their leader was named Vasubandhu (meaning 'Universal Practice'), who ate only once a day, never lay down, and paid homage to the Buddha at the six periods. Pure and without desire, he was revered by the assembly. The Venerable One, wishing to liberate him, first asked the assembly: 'Can this ascetic Universal Practice, cultivating pure conduct, attain Buddhahood?'The assembly said: 'Our teacher is diligent—why could he not?'The Venerable One said: 'Your teacher is far from the Way. Even if he endures austerities for countless kalpas, it is all the root of delusion.'The assembly said: 'What virtue and practice does the Venerable One possess, that he criticizes our teacher?'The Venerable One said: 'I do not seek the Way, nor am I inverted. I do not pay homage to the Buddha, nor do I disparage. I do not constantly sit, nor am I lax.'

'I do not eat one meal, nor do I eat variously. I am not content, nor am I greedy. The mind having nothing to seek—this is called the Way.'Hearing this, Universal Practice awakened to the wisdom of no-outflows and rejoiced with praise. The Venerable One again addressed the assembly: 'Do you understand my words? The reason for my stance is because their seeking mind is too intense. A string too taut will snap; therefore I do not praise it, but let them dwell in the land of peace and joy and enter the wisdom of all Buddhas.'

This particular story is the most essential secret of learning the Way. Why? Because thinking, 'There is a Buddhahood to attain, a Way to obtain,'and thus practicing fasting, pure conduct, constant sitting without lying down, paying homage to the Buddha, reciting sutras, accumulating all merits for the sake of attaining the Way—all this is like raining flowers in a sky without flowers,

creating holes where there are none. Even if one passes through kalpas as numerous as dust particles, there will be no share of liberation. Precisely having no wish in the mind whatsoever—this is named the Way.

Thus, even desiring contentment becomes the root of greed. Insisting on constant sitting is a fault of clinging to the body. Trying to eat one meal a day is also a share of seeing food. Moreover, paying homage to the Buddha, reciting sutras—the old man Shakyamuni taught the Dharma for forty-nine years, liberating countless beings. This is greatly like rubbing the eyes to produce flowers, gouging flesh to create sores, oppressing the good to become... trying to recite sutras is then producing flowers in the eyes. Therefore, each and every practice is especially the root of delusion, completely not the matter of one's own original nature. If constant sitting were the Way, then all beings at birth have sat for ten months—that would be the Way. Why seek again? If fasting were the Way,

then when one is sick here, meal times are not fixed. Would this mean one is not a person of the Way at such a time? It is most laughable indeed.

As disciples of the Buddha, we establish various pure precepts and demonstrate the conduct of the Buddhas and ancestors in this way. However, if one becomes attached to them as absolute, it will instead become a source of affliction. Even so, if one loathes the cycle of birth and death, coming and going, and seeks the Way, from beginningless time until now, dying here and being born there cannot be stopped. At what place could one set the time to attain the Way? Yet, being entangled in such various matters, one thinks of seeking the Way. All of this is mistaken understanding.

Furthermore, what Buddha is there to become? What sentient being is there to be deluded? Therefore, there is not a single person who is deluded, and not a single dharma to be realized. Thus, even speaking of turning delusion into enlightenment, or turning the ordinary into the sacred, are all words of those who have not yet awakened. Furthermore, what ordinary is there to be turned? What delusion is there to be awakened?

Therefore, Master Jiashan said:

Clearly there is no dharma of awakening, / The dharma of awakening instead deludes people. / Stretching out both legs to sleep, / Neither false nor true.

The Record of the Transmission of the Lamp (Jingde Chuandeng Lu) records: A monk asked, 'Since ancient times, the meaning of the ancestors and the meaning of the teachings have been established. Why do you, Master, say there is nothing here?'The master said, 'For three years not eating, yet before the eyes there is no hungry person.'The monk said, 'Since there is no hungry person, why do I not awaken?'The master said, 'It is precisely because awakening deludes you, reverend.'The master then spoke a verse: 'Clearly there is no dharma of awakening, / The dharma of awakening instead deludes people. / Stretching out both legs to sleep, / Neither false nor true.'This is truly the essence of the Way. Even though it is so, beginners and later learners should investigate carefully and reach such a peaceful ground. Why? Because if one oneself has not truly realized the actual ground, one may be confused by others'words. Therefore, if one thinks to raise the eyes and see, one will be assailed by Buddhas and demons. Today, even if one hears such teachings and understands there is nothing to attain, if further some teacher says there is a dharma to be attained, or if Buddhas and demons come and say there is a dharma to be practiced, indeed the mind will be stirred and instead become inverted. Now, receiving the true instruction of all Buddhas, one must investigate thoroughly and reach the ground of one's own peace and joy.

A person who once reaches the place of peace and joy is like one who is satiated with food. Even if it is a royal feast, one should have no desire for it. Therefore, it is said, 'Fine food is not for the satiated person to eat.'An ancient said, 'Once troubled, soon at peace.'Looking carefully, one's own original mind sees no Buddha, sees no sentient beings; how could it loathe delusion or seek enlightenment? To show this directly to people, since the Patriarch came from the West, regardless of the wise or unwise, the long-learned or newly-learned, all are made to sit upright and abide peacefully in themselves. This is precisely the Dharma Gate of Great Peace and Joy.

Therefore, all virtuous ones, from the boundless kalpas until this very day, you have mistaken what is not mistaken as mistaken.

Do not merely attend to the frost on others'doorsteps and forget the treasure within your own house. Thus, now, close friends have indeed encountered you. Do not remotely anticipate attaining the Way on some other day. You must only turn over your monk's robe, and directly face within your own heart, carefully examining it, and not seek outwardly. If it is like this, then the hundred thousand Dharma gates and the boundless Buddha deeds all flow forth from this, covering heaven and earth as you proceed.

Strictly avoid seeking the Way. You should only preserve and sustain yourself. Although it is said that from the boundless kalpas until now, coming and going, not departing for even a moment, if you do not know that it is entirely your own self, it is just like holding something in your hand yet seeking it east and west. How much of a mistake is this? This is merely forgetting yourself. Today, examining it thoroughly, the wondrous Way of all Buddhas and the single transmission of the Patriarchs lie solely in this one matter. Do not dare to doubt.

All of you, when you reach such a state, do not dare to doubt the tongues of the old masters under heaven.

As stated above, upon hearing, one gives rise to the wisdom of no outflows. If you wish to give rise to the wisdom of no outflows, you must only preserve and sustain yourself. If you wish to preserve and sustain yourself, you should know that from birth to old age, it is precisely this. There is not a single speck of dust to be discarded, not a single dharma to be taken up. Do not think of giving rise to the wisdom of no outflows separately.

Today, following precedent, there are humble words. I wish to expound upon the recent circumstances. Do you wish to hear?

Wind passes through the great void, clouds emerge from the mountain peaks. Neither the Way's essence nor worldly affairs are of any concern.