ON BELIEVING IN MIND - SHINJINMEI (Japanese)

by Chien-chih Seng-ts'an (Kaichi Sosan), Third Zen Patriarch [Died 606 AD]

Translated by D.T.Suzuki The Perfect Way knows no difficulties Except that it refuses to make preferences; Only when freed from hate and love, It reveals itself fully and without disguise; A tenth of an inch's difference, And heaven and earth are set apart; If you wish to see it before your own eyes, Have no fixed thoughts either for or against it. To set up what you like against what you dislike This is the disease of the mind: When the deep meaning [of the Way] is not understood Peace of mind is disturbed to no purpose.

Translated by Richard B. Clarke The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and undisguised. Make the smallest distinction, however and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart. If you wish to see the truth then hold no opinions for or against anything.

Taisen Deshimaru in L'Esprit du Chan Pntrer la voie n'est pas difficile. Mais il ne faut ni amour, ni haine, ni choix, ni rejet. Il suffit qu'il n'y ait ni amour ni haine Pour que la comprhension apparasse Comme la lumire du jour dans une caverne.

S'il se cre dans l'esprit une singularit aussi infime qu'une particule, Aussitot une distance illimite spare le ciel et la terre. Si nous ralisons le satori ici et maintenant, Les ides de juste et de faux ne doivent plus pntrer notre esprit. Dans notre conscience, la lutte entre le juste et le faux Dbouche sur la maladie de l'esprit. Si nous ne pouvons pntrer la source des choses, Notre esprit s'puisera en vain.

To set up what you like against what you dislike is the disease of the mind. When the deep meaning of things is not understood the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail.

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

[The Way is] perfect like unto vast space, With nothing wanting, nothing superfluous: It is indeed due to making choice That its suchness is lost sight of. Pursue not the outer entanglements, Dwell not in the inner void; Be serene in the oneness of things, And [dualism] vanishes by itself.

The Way is perfect like vast space where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess. Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things. Live neither in the entanglements of outer things, nor in inner feelings of emptiness. Be serene in the oneness of things and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves.

La voie est ronde, en paix, large comme le vaste cosmos, parfaite, Sans la moindre notion de demeurer ou de rompre En vrit, parce que nous voulons saisir ou rejeter, Nous ne sommes pas libres.

Ne courez pas aprs les phnomnes, Ne demeurez pas dans la vacuit (Ku) Si notre esprit demeure tranquille Il s'vanouit spontanment.

When you strive to gain quiescence by stopping motion, The quiescence thus gained is ever in motion; As long as you tarry in the dualism, How can you realize oneness?

When you try to stop activity to achieve passivity your very effort fills you with activity. As long as you remain in one extreme or the other you will never know Oneness.

Si nous arrtons tout mouvement Notre esprit devient tranquille Et cette tranquilit, par la suite, Provoquera encore le mouvement. Si nous demeurons aux deux extremits, Comment pouvons-nous en comprendre une ? Si l'on ne se concentre pas sur l'originel, Les mrites des deux extremits seront perdus. Si nous acceptons seulement une existence, Nous tombons dans cette seule existence Si nous suivons le Ku Nous sommes alors contre le Ku Meme si nos paroles sont justes Meme si nos penses sont exactes, Cela n'est pas conforme la vrit.

And when oneness is not Those who do not live in the thoroughly understood, single Way In two ways loss is sustained: fail in both activity and passivity, The denying of reality is the assertion and denial. To deny asserting of it, the reality of things And the asserting of emptiness to assert the emptiness of is the denying of it. things is to miss their reality. Wordiness and intellection The more you talk and think The more with them the further about it, astray we go; the further astray you wander

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

Away therefore with wordiness and intellection, And there is no place where we cannot pass freely.

from the truth. Stop talking and thinking, and there is nothing you will not be able to know.

L'abandon du langage et de la pense Nous mnera au-del de tout lieu. Si l'on ne peut abandonner le langage et la pense, Comment rsoudre la Voie ? Si nous retournons la pensee originelle, nous touchons a l'essence. Si nous suivons les reflets, nous perdons l'originel. Si nous sommes illumins en toutes directions, ne serait-ce qu'un instant, Cela est suprieur au ku ordinaire

When we return to the root, we gain the meaning; When we pursue external objects, we lose the reason. The moment we are enlightened within, We go beyond the voidness of a world confronting us.

To return to the root is to find the meaning, but to pursue appearances is to miss the source. At the moment of inner enlightenment there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness.

Transformations going on in an The changes that appear to occur empty world which confronts us in the empty world Appear real all because of we call real only because of our Ignorance: ignorance. Try not to seek after the Do not search for the truth; true, Only cease to cherish only cease to cherish opinions. opinions. Abide not with dualism, Carefully avoid pursuing it; As soon as you have right and wrong, Confusion ensues, and Mind is lost. Do not remain in the dualistic state avoid such pursuits carefully. If there is even a trace of this and that, of right and wrong, the Mind-essence will be lost in confusion.

Le changement du ku ordinaire Dpend de la naissance des illusions Ne cherchez pas la vrit, Seulement n'ayez pas de prjugs.

Ne demeurez pas dans les deux prjugs, Ne recherchez pas le dualisme S'il nous reste un tant soit peu de notion de juste ou de faux Notre esprit sombre dans la confusion

The two exist because of the Although all dualities come from One, the One, But hold not even to this One; do not be attached even to this One. When a mind is not disturbed, When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way, The ten thousand things offer nothing in the world can offend,

Le deux dpend de l'un, Ne vous attachez pas l'un. Si un esprit ne se manifeste pas, Les phnomnes seront sans erreur.

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

no offense. No offense offered, and no ten and when a thing can no longer Pas d'erreur, Pas de dharma, thousand things; offend, it ceases to exist in the old way. No disturbance going, and no When no discriminating thoughts Pas de dharma, pas d'esprit mind set up to work: arise, the old mind ceases to exist. The subject is quieted when When thought objects vanish, the Le sujet s'vanouit en suivant l'objet, the object ceases, thinking-subject vanishes, The object ceases when the subject is quieted. The object is an object for the subject, The subject is a subject for the object: Know that the relativity of the two Rests ultimately on one Emptiness. In one Emptiness the two are not distinguished, And each contains in itself all the ten thousand things When no discrimination is made between this and that. How can a one-sided and prejudiced view arise? The Great Way is calm and large-hearted, For it, nothing is easy, nothing is hard; as when the mind vanishes, objects vanish Things are objects because of the subject (mind); the mind (subject) is such because of things (object). Understand the relativity of these two and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness. In this Emptiness the two are indistinguishable and each contains in itself the whole world. If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine you will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion. To live in the Great Way is neither easy nor difficult, L'objet sombre en suivant le sujet

L'objet peut etre ralis en tant que vritable objet par la dpendance du sujet. Le sujet peut etre ralis en tant que vritable sujet par la dpendance de l'objet Si vous dsirez comprendre le sujet et l'objet, finallement vous devez raliser que les deux sont ku.

Un ku identique l'un et l'autre Inclut tous les phnomnes. Ne discriminez pas entre le subtil et le grossier, Il n'y a aucun parti prendre.

La substance de la grande Voie est gnreuse, Elle n'est ni facile, ni difficile

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

Small views are irresolute, The more in haste the tardier they go. Clinging is never kept within bounds, It is sure to go the wrong way; Quit it, and things follow their own courses, While the Essence neither departs nor abides. Obey the nature of things, and you are in concord with the Way, Calm and easy and free from annoyance; But when your thoughts are tied, you turn away from the truth, They grow heavier and duller and are not at all sound. When they are not sound, the spirit is troubled; What is the use of being partial and one-sided then? If you want to walk the course of the One Vehicle, Be not prejudiced against the six sense-objects.

but those with limited views and fearful and irresolute: the faster they hurry, the slower they go, and clinging (attachment) cannot be limited; even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray. Just let things be in their own way and there will be neither coming nor going. Obey the nature of things (your own nature), and you will walk freely and undisturbed. When thought is in bondage the truth is hidden, for everything is murky and unclear,

Les personnes ayant l'esprit fort tombent dans le doute

Si nous adhrons l'esprit mesquin, perdant toute mesure, Nous basculons dans la voie de l'erreur. Si nous l'exprimons librement, nous sommes naturels. Dans notre corps, il n'y a aucun lieu o aller et demeurer Si nous faisons confiance la nature, nous pouvons tre en harmonie avec la Voie Ken Hen s'oppose la verite, Kontin s'en chappe

and the burdensome practice of judging brings annoyance and weariness. What benefit can be derived from distinctions and separations? If you wish to move in the One Way do not dislike even the world of senses and ideas.

Si nous dsirons aller prendre le seul et suprme vhicule, Nous ne devons pas har les six souillures. Si nous ne hassons pas les six souillures, Nous pouvons atteindre l'tat de vritable

When you are not prejudiced Indeed, to accept them fully against the six sense-objects, You are then one with the is identical with true

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

Enlightenment; The wise are non-active, While the ignorant bind themselves up; While in the Dharma itself there is no individuation, They ignorantly attach themselves to particular objects. It is their own mind that creates illusions Is this not the greatest of all self-contradictions? The ignorant cherish the idea of rest and unrest, The enlightened have no likes and dislikes: All forms of dualism Are contrived by the ignorant themselves. They are like unto visions and flowers in the air; Why should we trouble ourselves to take hold of them? Gain and loss, right and wrong Away with them once for all!

Enlightenment. Bouddha. The wise man strives to no goals L'homme sage est non actif, but the foolish man fetters l'homme fou aime et s'attache lui-mme. himself. This is one Dharma, not many: distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant. Dans le Dharma, pas de diffrentiation, Mais l'homme fou s'attache lui-mme.

Se servir de l'esprit avec l'esprit To seek Mind with the (discriminating) mind is the greatest of all mistakes. Est-ce grande confusion ou harmonie ?

Rest and unrest derive from illusion; with enlightenment there is no liking and disliking. All dualities come from ignorant inference.

Dans le doute, Les consciences de Ken Hen et Kontin s'lvent. Dans la conscience du Satori l'amour et la haine sont inexistants. Au sujet des deux aspects de tous les lments, Nous voulons trop considrer Comme un rve, un fantome, une fleur de vacuit, ainsi est notre vie. Pourquoi devrions nous souffrir pour saisir cette illusion? Le gain, la perte, je juste, le faux, Je vous en prie, abandonnez-les.

They are like dreams of flowers in the air: foolish to try to grasp them. Gain and loss, right and wrong: such thoughts must finally be abolished at once.

If an eye never falls asleep, All dreams will by themselves cease: If the Mind retains its absoluteness,

If the eye never sleeps, Si nos yeux ne dorment pas, all dreams will naturally cease. tous nos rves s'vanouissent. If the mind makes no discriminations, Si l'esprit n'est pas soumis aux differenciations,

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

The ten thousand things are of the ten thousand things are as one Suchness. they are, of single essence. When the deep mystery of one Suchness is fathomed, All of a sudden we forget the external entanglements; When the ten thousand things are viewed in their oneness, We return to the origin and remain where we ever have been. Forget the wherefore of things, And we attain to a state beyond analogy; Movement stopped and there is no movement, Rest set in motion and there is no rest; When dualism does no more obtain, Oneness itself abides not. The ultimate end of things where they cannot go any further Is not bound by rules and measures: In the Mind harmonious [with the Way] we have the principle of identity, To understand the mystery of this One-essence is to be release from all entanglements. When all things are seen equally the timeless Self-essence is reached. No comparisons or analogies are possible in this causeless, relationless state. Consider movement stationary and the stationary in motion, both movement and rest disappear. When such dualities cease to exist Oneness itself cannot exist. To this ultimate finality no law or description applies.

toutes les existences du cosmos deviennent une unit. Si notre corps ralise profondment l'unit, Nous pouvons couper instantanment toutes les relations. Si nous considrons toutes les existences avec quanimit, Nous retournons notre nature originelle

Si nous examinons cela, Rien ne peut etre compar. Si nous arrtons le mouvement, il n'y a plus de mouvement, Si nous faisons se mouvoir l'immobilit, Il n'y a plus d'immobilit. Les deux tant impossibles, le un l'est galement. Finallement, en dernier lieu, Il n'y a ni rgle, ni rgulation

For the unified mind in accord with the Way all self-centered straining ceases.

Si l'esprit coincide avec l'esprit Les semences, les traces des actions s'vanouissent.

In which we find all strivings Doubts and irresolution's vanish Le doute du renard n'existant pas, quieted; Doubts and irresolutions are and life in true faith is les passions disparassent compltement completely done away with, possible.

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

And the right faith is straightened; There is nothing left behind, There is nothing retained, All is void, lucid, and selfilluminating; There is no exertion, no waste of energy This is where thinking never attains, This is where the imagination fails to measure. In the higher realm of true Suchness There is neither "self" nor "other": When direct identification is sought, We can only say, "Not two".

With a single stroke we are freed from bondage; nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing. All is empty , clear, selfilluminating, with no exertion of the mind's power. Here thought, feeling, knowledge, and imagination are of no value. In this world of Suchness

et soudainement apparat la foi. Tous les lments tant impermanents, Il n'y a aucune trace dans la mmoire Illuminer sa propre interiorit par la lumire du vide Ne ncessite pas l'usage de la puissance de l'esprit. En ce qui concerne Ishiryo, Considrer est trs difficile.

Dans le monde cosmique de la ralit telle qu'elle est, there is neither self nor other- Il n'y a ni entit d'ego ni autres than-self differences To come directly into harmony Si vous voulez raliser le un, with this reality just simply say when doubt Cela n'est possible que dans le non-deux arises, 'Not two.' Comme cela est non-deux, Toutes choses sont identiques, semblables, Tolrant les contradictions. Les sages, l'humanit toute entire vont vers l'enseignement de la source originelle.

In being same, All that it; The wise They all Absolute

"not two" all is the

In this 'no two' nothing is separate, is is comprehended in nothing excluded. in the ten quarters, enter into this Reason. No matter when or where, enlightenment means entering this truth And this truth is beyond extension or diminution in time or space; in it a single thought is ten thousand years. Emptiness here, Emptiness there, but the infinite universe stands

This Absolute Reason is beyond quickening [time] and extending [space], For it one instant is ten thousand years; Whether we see it or not, It is manifest everywhere in

Un moment de la conscience devient dix mille annes Ni existence, ni non-existence Partout devant nos yeux.

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010

all the ten quarters. Infinitely small things are as large as large things can be, For here no external conditions obtain; Infinitely large things are as small as small things can be, For objective limits are here of no consideration.

always before your eyes Infinitely large and infinitely small; no difference, for definitions have vanished and no boundaries are seen. Le minimum est identique au maximum Nous devons effacer les frontires des diffrents lieux L'infiniment grand est gal l'infiniment petit Nous ne pouvons voir les limites des lieux

What is is the same as what is So too with Being not, and non-Being. What is not is the same as Don't waste time in doubts and what is: arguments Where this state of things that have nothing to do with fails to obtain, this. Indeed, no tarrying there. One in All, All in One If only this is realized, No more worry about your not being perfect! Where Mind and each believing mind are not divided, And undivided are each believing mind and Mind, This is where words fail; For it is not of the past, present, and future. One thing, all things: move among and intermingle, without distinction. To live in this realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection. To live in this faith is the road to non-duality, Because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind. Words! The Way is beyond language, for in it there is no yesterday, no tomorrow, no today.

L'existence elle-mme est non existence, la non-existence elle-mme est existence Si cela n'est pas ainsi, Vous ne devez pas seulement le proteger

Le un lui-mme est toutes choses Toutes choses elles-mmes sont un. Si cela est ainsi, Pourquoi est-il ncessaire de considrer au sujet du nonfini ? L'esprit de la foi est non-deux Non-deux est l'esprit de la foi. Finallement, les techniques de notre langage seront totalement brises. Et pass, prsent et futur ne seront pas limits.

Shin Jin Mei 3 translations compiled by Frederic Lecut Feb 2010