Grand Master Wei Chueh

Here is a picture of the Grand Master Wei Chueh when he visited the US in 2001.

惟覺法語：

學佛的目的，就是使我們的心在境界當中不受影響，仍能保持平定、寧靜。

Dharma Words of the Grand Master Wei Chueh:

The aim of practicing Buddhism is to free the mind from the influence of external circumstances and maintain peace and serenity within.

放下、提起

梵志帶兩束花供養釋迦牟尼佛，求佛開示悟道之法。

佛說：「放下。」梵志將花放下，合掌恭敬。

佛說：「再放下。」梵志不解，將雙手放下。

佛說：「還要放下。」梵志更迷惑了，問：「還要放下什麼呢？」

佛說：「能放下的心也要放下。」

惟覺老和尚開示：

這個公案是什麼意義呢？佛說放下花，就是要我們放下外面的境界──色、聲、香、味、觸五塵境界。接著，手也要放下，代表放下五根──眼、耳、鼻、舌、身。最後，這個心也要放下，遠離顛倒夢想。這就是放下所謂的六根、六塵、六識，如此一來，十二入、十八界便通通放下，就能見到空性、覺性，進而能夠得解脫、超生死、入涅槃。

如果只知道放下，而不能提起，就成了障礙；如果只知道提起，卻放不下，這又是生死、煩惱。所以，放得下，又要提得起。但是放下之後，這個心在哪裡？提起的時候，這個心又在哪裡？我們的心要能作主，人在哪裡，心就在哪裡，如禪宗祖師說：「挑柴運米都是神通妙用」。

要能夠堅住正念，處處作主，就是要看得破，要放得下。面對自己應負的責任，就要提得起。提起以後，還要得自在，要提而無提，如《四十二章經》所說：「念無念念，行無行行，言無言言，修無修修。」提起，是心的運用；放下，安住這念心，就是心的體。有體有用，用不離體，體不礙用，體用一如，就是真正的菩薩行。

The Inconceivable Mind (六祖壇經)

什麼是不可思議？中道實相，見到自己的本心本性，這念心超越了時間、空間，當下這念心的境界就是不可思、不可議，稱之為如來妙心、無住真心。《金 剛經》講：「應無所住而生其心。」這就是不可思、不可議，在禪宗稱之為「本來面目」。悟到自己這念無住心、無為心，又能站得住、站得長，這念心就是不可 思、不可議的境界，這就是菩提心。這念心只能契悟，沒有辦法想得出來。如果能想得出來就有「生」，有生必有滅。不可思、不可議的境界，就是不生、不滅的境 界。什麼是不生、不滅？師父說法、諸位聽法的這念心，不想過去、不想現在、不想未來，一個念頭都不起，這就是不生，因為本具的真心是不住任何境界、是不滅 的，當下不生不滅的這念心就是不思議。悟了這念心，就如古人所說的「如人飲水，冷暖自知」，只有自己知道，別人沒有辦法了解。

--惟覺大和尚開示《六祖壇經》

What is "inconceivable"? The Middle Way Reality, to see one's original mind, original nature, that this "present mind" transcends time and space; this very mind is in the realm of the inconceivable. This is called the profound Buddha Mind, the non-abiding true mind (or true mind without any attachments). The Diamond Sutra says, "The mind should act without any attachments." This is "inconceivable", what we call "the original face" in Zen (Chan).

To awaken to this non-abiding mind, this unconditioned mind, and to be able to stand firm on it continuously (i.e. maintain mindfulness), then one enters the realm of inconceivable, that which is beyond concepts and language. This is the bodhi mind. One can only awaken to, or realize this "present mind", you cannot intellectually understand it. If you can get it by thinking, then it has birth; whatever is born will perish. The inconceivable is beyond birth and death.

What is unborn and undying? As Shifu speaks, you all have this mind which can listen; if it doesn't think about the past, the present, or the future, giving rise to not a single thought, that is "unborn". The inherent true mind does not abide in (attach to) any situation, it does not cease. This unborn, undying "present mind" is inconceivable. When you realize this present mind, like the ancient sages say, "like drinking water, only he knows what it feels like." Only that person knows what it is like. Nobody else can comprehend it.

--Excerpt from Grand Master Wei Chueh's lecture on "The Sixth Patriarch Huineng's Platform Sutra"

Chung Tai Chan Monastery