上堂说法无法可说

Ascending the Hall to Speak Dharma, There Is No Dharma to Speak Of

 

静安记录 Transcribed by Jing An

 

■宣公上人上堂说法

　Venerable Master Hua ascends the hall to speak Dharma

 

一九九二年十二月二十六日于金山圣寺

 

古往今来春复秋　争名夺利几时休

富贵荣华三更梦　谁见享受永无忧

 

说法者无法可说，佛说法四十九年，谈经三百余会，临入涅槃时曾经说过，说我并没有说出一字的法，凡有言说，都无实义，真正法门要自己躬行实践。去欲断爱，离此而外，无法可说。各位注意！今有黄果君、彭果送、黄果源、李果超等居士来山请山僧说法，山僧很愚笨无知，所以不会说其他的法，只懂得不争、不贪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄语，如此而已，如果你们觉得对你们有益处的话，不妨试一试。我说来说去不过如此，你们各位已经听我说法很久了，那么平时所说的，是道则进，非道则退，择善而从，不善而改，已经够了。好自为之，努力！努力！

December 26, 1992 at Gold Mountain Sagely Monastery

 

"The past has gone by; the present is here, now. When the spring goes by, the autumn will follow. Fighting for fame and profit, when will these all cease? Who has seen eternal enjoyment without worry?" The Dharma speaker has no Dharma to speak of. The Buddha, after speaking Sutras for forty-nine years, and held over three hundred assemblies, right before entering Nirvana, said, "I did not speak a single word of Dharma." Anything that can be spoken has no true meaning. The true Dharma requires you to practice on your own so as to cut off love and sever desire. Apart from this, there is no Dharma that can be spoken. You should pay attention to this, now Upasakas Huang Gwo-jyun, Poon Gwo-song, Huang Gwo-ywan and Lee Gwo-tsau come to request Dharma from this Mountain Monk. I am very stupid and ignorant and know no other Dharma except not to contend, not to be greedy, not to seek, not to be selfish, not to be self-benefiting and not to tell lies. That's all. If you feel these are useful to you, then you may give it a try. I can keep on talking but will not say anything beyond this. You have been hearing me speaking the Dharma for a long time already. Anything that I said, if it is in accord with the Way, you may advance, if it is not in accord with the Way, you may retreat. You should follow what is right and leave what is not right. I hope you will give your best and work hard!