,copyright 7,c7 #bjaa by ,bruce ,linnell4 ,note that an accompanying ,,pdf file correctly displays the ,english and ,chinese characters4 ,inscription on the ,true ,heart_/,mind ,attributed to ,sengcan1 ,third ,chinese ,patriarch of ,zen ,buddhism 7ca #fjj ,,ad7 ,translated by ,bruce ,r4 ,linnell1 ,ph,d 7#bjaa7 ,a comment on the title 3 due to the nature of ,chinese1 the title could mean any of the following 3 ,belief in 7the7 ,mind1 ,the ,believing ,mind1 ,trust in 7the7 ,mind1 ,trusting ,mind1 ,true ,mind1 ,truthful ,mind1 ,faith in 7the7 ,mind1 or ,faithful ,mind1 and indeed many of these have been used by other translators 7most often ,faith in ,mind74 ,i chose ,true ,mind because the entire inscription discusses how to get back to the original ,buddha nature we all have 7but have forgotten71 and the phrase true mind 7in ,english1 not the particular ,chinese symbols in the title of the document7 is often used synonymously with this ,buddha nature1 ,buddha mind1 ,true ,nature1 ,original ,nature1 etc4 ,my goals were to include every ,chinese symbol in the ,english sentence1 using an exact translation of each symbol1 and with minimal additional words and paraphrasing4 ,this results in sentences which are sometimes stilted in ,english1 but hopefully provides a more literal translation4 ,interpreted meanings are as close to the exact meaning as possible4 ,exceptions to these guidelines are marked with footnotes4 ,definitions of ,terms -------------------- ,being 3 existence ,emptiness 3 negation of the belief in ,being and non-,being ,awake1 wise 3 enlightened ,foolish 3 not awake2 unenlightened ,heart_/mind 3 the ,chinese symbol means both heart and mind2 it seems misleading to use one or the other ,suchness 3 that which is constant and genuine2 the true nature of things2 reality-as-it-is2 things just as they are ,the ,way1 this wisdom 3 ,buddha's way - the four noble truths1 eightfold path1 etc4 ,entanglements 3 sensory pleasures1 preferences1 desires1 aversions1 love1 hate1 etc4 7literally conditions7 ,naturally1 spontaneously 3 done by itself1 that which is so of itself1 done on its own1 happens without forcing it ,things 3 the external world2 objects1 people1 creatures1 events ,cease to be1 rejected1 forgotten1 eliminated1 fade away 3 leave your awareness1 no longer influence you ,attaining the ,way is not difficult1 ,if only you dislike picking and choosing4 ,only when you do not hate and love ,will the ,way thus be clearly and plainly revealed4 ,if there exists the smallest distinction1 ,heaven and ,earth become divided and out of balance4 ,if you want to have the ,way appear in front of you1 ,do not remain agreeable or opposed to anything4 ,when disagreeable and agreeable compete with each other1 ,this makes your heart_/mind sick4 ,when you do not understand the deep and mysterious meaning of the ,way1 ,it is useless to merely quiet your thoughts4 ,the ,way is perfect and complete1 just like the greatest void - ,nothing lacking1 nothing extra4 ,it is precisely because you select and reject ,that you therefore do not perceive the ,suchness of everything4 ,do not pursue ,being and entanglements2 ,do not dwell in ,emptiness and sufferance4 ,when the mind is at peace in ,oneness1 ,thus are these eliminated1 and naturally fade away4 ,when you try to stop activity to return to stillness1 ,this stillness further increases activity4 ,if you are always caught in one side or the other1 ,a ,how can you know ,oneness8 ,when ,oneness is not understood completely1 ,both of these viewpoints lose their usefulness 3 ,to reject ,being is to merely lose ,being2 ,to embrace ,emptiness is to merely be burdened by ,emptiness4 ,too much talking1 too much worrying1 ,and you fall out of harmony,b with the ,way4 ,be done with talking1 be done with worrying1 ,and nothing will be closed to you4 ,c ,return to the source and you gain the meaning2 ,pursue enlightenment,d and you lose this wisdom4 ,but the moment you return to enlightenment,d1 ,you go beyond and reject appearances and ,emptiness4 ,apparent changes in appearances and ,emptiness ,are all caused by foolish opinions4 ,you need not seek what is true and real1 ,you must only stop having opinions4 ,do not dwell in dualistic opinions - ,be careful not to pursue them4 ,not until right and wrong exist ,does your heart_/mind thus become lost in confusion4 ,duality is caused by the ,one's existence2 ,but also do not dwell on the ,one4 ,when your heart_/mind is one1 no thoughts arise2 ,then all things are without blame4 ,when there is no blame1 there can be no things2 ,when no thoughts arise1 there can be no heart_/mind4 ,when things cease to be1 mind follows2 ,e ,when mind settles1 things are rejected4 ,e ,things are caused by mind1 but are things as well2 ,e ,mind is caused by things1 but is mind as well4 ,e ,if you want to know both halves1 ,their origin is ,one ,emptiness4 ,within ,one ,emptiness both halves are the same1 ,each equally containing all forms4 ,when you do not perceive refined and coarse1 ,how can preferences exist8 ,the essence of the ,great ,way is vast - ,nothing easy1 nothing difficult4 ,those with petty opinions are full of doubt and suspicion2 ,when they become anxious1 they get behind4 ,attachments lead to loss of inner freedom1 ,as you certainly enter the wrong path4 ,letting go leads to natural spontaneity1 ,where the essence of the ,way is neither absent nor present4 ,allowing your inner nature to unite with the ,way1 ,be free and done with aggravation4 ,restricted thinking is opposed to what is true and real1 ,sinking into darkness and confusion1 which is not good4 ,it is not good to trouble your spirit - ,so why see distant or close relationships8 ,if you want to attain the ,way1 ,do not dislike your senses and thoughts4 ,not disliking your senses and thoughts ,is also the same as true ,awakening4 ,the wise practice non-action1 ,while the foolish restrict themselves4 ,one thing is not different from another thing1 ,but the foolish have their desires and attachments4 ,to govern heart_/mind by using heart_/mind - ,how can that not be a great mistake8 ,delusion produces peace and chaos1 ,but the ,awakened have no likes or dislikes4 ,all pairs of opposites ,come from your own foolish thinking4 ,they are like dreams1 illusions1 mirages - ,why struggle to catch and hold them8 ,gain and loss1 right and wrong - ,just for a moment1 let go and reject them4 ,if your eyes do not sleep1 ,all dreams are naturally eliminated4 ,if your heart_/mind does not discriminate1 ,all things are of ,one ,suchness4 ,within the deep and mysterious essence of this ,one ,suchness1 ,you rise above entanglements1 and thus they are forgotten4 ,when all things are perceived as equal1 ,you return again to your natural spontaneity4 ,eliminate them and as a result1 ,you cannot have any way to compare them4 ,stillness set in motion is not movement1 ,movement stopped is not stillness4 ,if both halves are actually incomplete1 ,how can the ,one exist like that8 ,when you examine this exhaustively to its extreme conclusion1 ,no path or rule remains4 ,place your heart_/mind in harmony with non-discrimination1 ,which stops all mental activity4 ,doubts and suspicions fade completely2 ,true faith is harmonious and straightforward4 ,nothing is held on to1 ,nothing can be remembered4 ,you are empty1 clear1 naturally enlightened,d1 ,and make no effort to use the power of your heart_/mind4 ,here no amount of thought can dwell2 ,knowledge and feelings are unable to comprehend4 ,within the true and real ,suchness of this absolute source of existence1 ,there is no other1 no self4 ,if you want to come quickly into harmony with this realm1 ,only say no duality4 ,in no duality everything is the same1 ,nothing is excluded4 ,wise people everywhere ,have all entered this wisdom4 ,entering this wisdom can not be hurried nor held back - ,it could happen in one moment or take an eternity4 ,f ,the ,way is neither present nor absent1 ,yet the ,way is everywhere in front of your eyes4 ,extremely small is the same as extremely large1 ,when boundaries are forgotten and done with4 ,extremely large is the same as extremely small1 ,when distinct opposites are not perceived4 ,being is simultaneously the same as non-,being2 ,non-,being is simultaneously the same as ,being4 ,if you are not like this1 ,you certainly must not remain there4 ,one is not separate from ,all2 ,all is not separate from ,one4 ,if only you can be like this1 ,why worry about not being perfect8 ,the true heart_/mind is non-dual2 ,non-dual is the true heart_/mind4 ,talking about the ,way ends here1 ,for the ,way has no past or future or present4 ,a 3 literally1 only blocked in both sides ,b 3 literally1 turn to non-agreement ,c 3 literally1 nowhere will be blocked ,d 3 ,i believe what is meant by this symbol 7illumination7 is the ,light of the ,buddha1 enlightenment1 etc42 however1 this is the only interpretation that is my personal opinion1 and has no support from any other sources ,e 3 the literal translations1 subject and object1 refer respectively to the mind and the things it perceives ,f 3 ,i believe this line 7literally1 one moment eternity7 refers to the sudden vs4 gradual debate on whether enlightenment can happen quickly1 or can only be achieved after many years 7some say many lifetimes7 of practice ,this work is licensed under a ,creative ,commons ,attribution-,non,commercial-,no,derivs #c4j ,unported ,license 7,,cc ,,by-,,nc-,,nd #c4j74 ,you are free to download this work and share it with others as long as ,i retain credit for the work4 ,but you cannot change or build on this work in any way1 or use it commercially 7that is1 for your profit71 without my permission4