Dharma Gate for Guiding People onto the Way 引人入道法门
Master Wang Xianglu | 2018-06-23 | Download | AI assisted translation
| 一、于初入道者接引之法，在彼务令其怖世间诸苦，勿贪小乐，要伊勇猛发心，在我当时时正其因地，勿入偏见，流于邪道。 |
1. In guiding those newly entering the Way, one must make them fear the many sufferings of the world and not crave petty pleasures. They should be encouraged to arouse a courageous resolve. At the outset, one must set their causal ground straight, so that they do not fall into biased views and drift onto a misguided path. |
| 二、勿以神秘引之，信心当初于信己，否则日后必因不信而退转，或转入于迷信，反是以害之。 |
2. Do not lead them by means of mystery. At the beginning, faith should be faith in themselves; otherwise, they will later retreat because of doubt, or turn to superstition, thereby harming themselves instead. |
| 三、下手不妨以高深法引之，直令由心田下手，内求诸心，至多一个不懂者，或机缘已熟，一引便开。否则植诸善根亦可引近一步，其所误入者在似是而非，轻于相许，彼不是糊涂认识，即是看得容易，永不得精进，且入于顽空狂妄，令人生厌而轻法。 |
3. At the outset, one may use profound Dharma to guide them, directing them straight to begin from the field of their own mind and seek within the mind itself. At most, there may be someone who does not understand, or whose causes and conditions are already mature and who opens up at a single prompting. Otherwise, planting wholesome roots may still lead them one step closer. Their error lies in taking what seems right but is not, and in assenting too readily. Either they understand confusedly, or they take things too easily; they will never be able to practice diligently. They may also fall into stubborn emptiness and arrogance, causing others to dislike them and disparage the Dharma. |
| 四、使伊笃信自己决可成佛，还得发心痛切，至诚前来请教，不可迁就，并得使其恭敬。 |
4. Make them firmly believe that they can certainly attain Buddhahood. They must also arouse an earnest and urgent resolve and come sincerely to seek instruction. Do not accommodate them excessively; they must also be made to show reverence. |
| 五、于上根人当以法试验之，故使其不信仰者去而不来，则其福分亦有限，与我之缘亦不过如此，则应放弃之，不可再与之接，接之反远，若彼仍能笃信勿以为奇，必是最上乘人，以彼已近不二，可以大法引之矣！ |
5. Those of superior capacity should be tested by the Dharma. Thus, let those who lack faith leave and not return; their blessings are limited, and their affinity with us extends no further than this. They should therefore be abandoned, and one should not continue associating with them. To associate with them only drives them farther away. If they can nevertheless remain firmly faithful, do not regard this as strange: they must be persons of the highest vehicle. Since they are already close to nonduality, they may be guided by the great Dharma. |
| 六、其人第一要根基厚，如不孝不悌不信之辈，天性已薄，即非大器，断不能入道，授之即所谓谤法。 |
6. The first requirement is that a person have deep foundations. Those who are neither filial nor respectful toward their elders, and who lack faith, are innately shallow; they are not vessels for the great teaching and can never enter the Way. To transmit it to them is what is called slandering the Dharma. |
| 七、接引人勿太热心，亦不可急，当俟机缘，于家中人尤为困难，切忌勉强督责，且责著则离，反使谤法，即又是自己之爱根坚固。 |
7. In guiding people, do not be overly eager, nor should you be hasty. Wait for the proper causes and conditions. This is especially difficult with members of one’s own family. Never force or press them with reproach; once reproached, they will leave, and may instead slander the Dharma. This is again evidence that one’s own root of attachment is deeply entrenched. |
| 八、于初学人行心未坚者，切忌令其著修、压修。 |
8. For beginners whose resolve in practice is not yet firm, never make them become attached to practice or force themselves to practice. |
| 九、其情性固执者，难于开化，利根人易浮动，信心均难以坚定。 |
9. Those with obstinate dispositions are difficult to awaken, while those of sharp faculties are easily unsettled. In both cases, faith is difficult to stabilize. |
| 十、固执者每好名，可利用其好胜心督之上进。 |
10. Obstinate people are often fond of reputation; one may use their competitive spirit to urge them to advance. |
| 十一、常常肯来请教之人，必是日有进步，要防其得有所知而自障，此时启发为最要紧，当细心引之，应先令欢喜，再加驳斥使感觉自己之不够。 |
11. Those who are always willing to come and ask for instruction must be making daily progress. Guard against their acquiring some understanding and using it to obstruct themselves. At this point, guidance is most important. Lead them carefully: first make them joyful, then offer criticism so that they feel their own insufficiency. |
| 十二、有恶疾者、气傲者、相之寒陋者、多疑者、显贵者、自奉厚者、好修饰者、严细节者、量小者、好强辩者、忙于生活者、无信实者皆不可轻接。 |
12. Do not lightly accept those with severe illnesses; those who are arrogant; those of impoverished or unattractive appearance; the overly suspicious; the eminent and powerful; those who indulge themselves lavishly; those fond of adornment; those excessively exacting about details; the narrow-minded; those fond of contentious argument; those preoccupied with making a living; and those who lack sincerity and trustworthiness. |
| 十三、宁接一外道，不接我见坚固而不用功之人。 |
13. Better to accept a follower of a non-Buddhist path than a person whose view of self is firmly entrenched and who makes no effort in practice. |
| 十四、凡看自己生命极重之人，即是取内相坚固之证，内相既固外相即不肯舍，此等人断不能学心地法入最上乘。 |
14. Anyone who regards their own life as supremely important shows that their grasping of inner marks is firmly entrenched. Once inner marks are fixed, external marks will not be relinquished. Such people can never study the Mind-Ground Dharma and enter the highest vehicle. |
| 十五、观心一法乃入佛第一关键，其余尽属分外。为引入观心之前方便法，所谓指月之指毕竟非月，正一时之借用而已，至观心法实不可死执定法，当随其机而引之： |
15. The method of observing the mind is the foremost key to entering Buddhahood; all else is secondary. The preliminary methods used to lead one into observing the mind are merely fingers pointing at the moon, and ultimately are not the moon itself; they are only temporary expedients. As for the method of observing the mind, one must not rigidly cling to a fixed method, but should guide people according to their capacities: |
| 先问伊眼前形形色色，尔何以能见？彼必曰眼。 |
First ask: “Before your eyes are forms of every kind. By what do you see them?” They will surely answer: “The eyes.” |
| 次问更用什么来见这个眼？彼必曰心。 |
Next ask: “What else do you use to see these eyes?” They will surely answer: “The mind.” |
| 次问如是则是心见，何以前曰眼见？彼必曰心是主，眼是缘助之物。 |
Next ask: “If so, it is the mind that sees. Why did you previously say that the eyes see?” They will surely answer: “The mind is primary; the eyes are merely auxiliary conditions.” |
| 次问心既能见，眼前无物时何以不见？彼必曰如镜中之无影。 |
Next ask: “Since the mind can see, why does it not see when there is nothing before the eyes?” They will surely answer: “It is like there being no reflection in a mirror.” |
| 次问心既无影，则心又潜伏在何处？彼必曰伏于根内，如镜光之不起作用。 |
Next ask: “If the mind has no reflection, where is this mind concealed?” They will surely answer: “It lies concealed within the faculties, like the light of a mirror when it is not functioning.” |
| 次问心潜伏于根内，此心是生灭还是不是生灭？彼必有所答…… |
Next ask: “When the mind lies concealed within the faculties, does this mind arise and cease, or does it not arise and cease?” They will surely have some answer... |
| 次问既云有生灭，何以始终不坏不离，既云无生灭，则何以忽起作用忽又不起？彼必曰此心是幻有，有而非实。 |
Next ask: “If you say that it arises and ceases, why has it never been destroyed or departed from beginning to end? If you say that it does not arise and cease, why does it suddenly function and then suddenly cease to function?” They will surely answer: “This mind is illusorily existent; it exists but is not real.” |
| 次问既幻而非实，则真心又在何处？ |
Next ask: “If it is illusory and not real, where, then, is the true mind?” |
| 次再问心何以起作用，其作用既为心，而作用本能由何出发？ |
Next ask further: “Why does the mind function? Since its functioning is mind, from where does the innate capacity for that functioning arise?” |
| 次问其本能还可见否？这是什么？ |
Next ask: “Can this innate capacity itself still be seen? What is it?” |
| 次譬如铁可以成剪、成刀成车轮机件诸器，器可以见，铁可见否？彼必曰可见。 |
Next use this analogy: iron can be made into scissors, knives, wheels, machine parts, and various other implements. The implements can be seen; can the iron itself be seen?” They will surely answer: “It can.” |
| 次问硬可见否？ |
Next ask: “Can hardness be seen?” |
| 如是层层追问，必可逼进一步。 |
By questioning in this layer upon layer, one can surely press them to advance a step further. |
