선화상인의 지혜 (Wisdom)

By Master Hsuan Hua

선화 상인

The whole purpose of sitting in Chan is to open wisdom. From beginningless time until now, because we have not known to sit in Chan and not known how to cultivate wisdom, we have grown more and more deluded. We have allowed our random thoughts to accumulate and proliferate. The purpose of investigating Chan is to become fully awakened. But awakening has no shape or color; it’s not something we can reckon or try to fathom with our ordinary human intellect.

좌선의 목적은 오로지 지혜를 열기 위해서입니다. 무시이래부터 지금까지, 우리가 좌선해야한다는 걸 지혜를 수행해야한다는 걸 몰랐기 때문에, 우리는 점점 더 미혹해졌습니다. 무작위적인 생각들이 축적되고 불어나도록 방치해왔습니다. 선을 참구하는 목적은 완전히 깨어나기 위해서입니다. 깨어남은 형태나 색깔이 없습니다. 그건 우리가 평범한 인간의 지성으로 상상하거나 이해하려고 노력할 수 있는 그런게 아닙니다.

What’s meant by awakening anyway? It means coming to understand how we are born and how we will die. We need to understand where we came from at birth and where we will go

at death. With that understanding, we smash through ignorance. Once we smash through ignorance, we will no longer have afflictions. Without afflictions, we won’t generate errant thoughts.

그렇다면 깨어난다는 것이 무슨 뜻일까요? 그건 우리가 어떻게 태어나고, 어떻게 죽는지 이해하게 된다는 걸 뜻합니다. 우리가 태어날 때 어디에서 왔고, 죽을 때 어디로 갈 것인지 이해할 필요가 있습니다. 그런 이해를 갖고, 무명을 통과해 꿰뚫습니다. 무명을 꿰뚫고 나아가기만 하면, 더는 번뇌가 없을 것입니다. 번뇌가 없다면 잡념을 만들어내지 않을 것입니다.

Once those errant thoughts die down, deviant thoughts will also lessen. With not so many deviant thoughts cluttering our minds, proper thoughts will appear. With proper thoughts in mind, our wisdom will increase day-by-day. Consider the grass in springtime. We may not notice its growth, yet it keeps getting taller and taller every day. Wisdom develops in

the same way. Once we have proper mindfulness and lessen our deviant thoughts, our wisdom will grow. Can wisdom be seen? No, it can’t be seen because wisdom is a very sacred and spiritual thing. But whether or not someone has wisdom can be detected. As long as we continue doing stupid things, then we still don’t have wisdom. But if we can refrain from our former stupid and upside-down ways, then we can be said to have acquired some wisdom.

이런 잡념이 수그러들면, 삿된 생각도 역시 줄 것입니다. 더 적은 삿된 생각이 우리의 마음을 채우면, 바른 생각이 나타날 것입니다. 마음에 바른 생각이 있으면, 우리 지혜가 매일 매일 늘어날 것입니다. 봄 날씨 풀을 생각해 보십시오. 우리가 풀이 자라는 것을 알아차리지도 못한 채 매일 더 크게 크게 자라납니다. 지혜도 같은 방식으로 자라납니다. 우리가 정념을 가지고 삿된 생각을 줄이기만 하면, 우리의 지혜가 자라날 것입니다. 지혜가 보여질까요? 아닙니다. 보이지 않습니다. 왜냐하면 지혜는 매우 성스럽고, 영적인 것이기 때문입니다. 어떤 이가 지혜를 지녔는지 아닌지는 감지할 수 있습니다. 우리가 멍청한 일을 계속 하는 이상 아직 지혜가 없는 것입니다. 우리가 예전의 멍청하고 위아래가 바뀐 방식을 삼가할 수 있다면, 그러면 지혜를 어느 정도 지녔다고 말할 수 있습니다.

Wisdom is found by returning to the source and going back to the origin. That process is the opening of our inherent wisdom-mine. As this mine is opened, we begin to truly understand. Ultimate true understanding defines a Buddha. A Buddha is really not that different from an ordinary person. The only difference lies in the fact that a Buddha has opened wisdom. Those of us who believe in the Buddha do not have to seek spiritual powers or wonderful functioning, such as the three bodies, the four wisdoms, the five eyes, and the six spiritual penetrations. All we have to do is to believe in the Buddha’s wisdom. It is the wisdom that we all have within ourselves. It’s not an exclusive possession of the Buddha. It’s a potential that everyone has. The Buddha simply pointed out the

road for us, and if we can follow that road, we too, can open up our original wisdom-mine.

지혜는 원천으로 돌아가고 근본으로 돌아가면서 발견됩니다. 그 과정은 선천적인 지혜의 광산을 여는 것입니다. 이 광산이 열리면, 그때 우리는 진정으로 이해하기 시작합니다. 궁극적으로 진정한 이해가 부처님을 정의합니다. 부처님은 평범한 사람과 진짜로 그렇게 다르지 않습니다. 그 차이는 단지 부처님은 지혜를 이미 열었다는 사실뿐입니다. 우리들 중 부처님을 믿는 사람은 신통력이나 삼신, 네가지 지혜, 오안, 여섯가지 신통력과 같은 묘한 기능을 구할 필요가 없습니다. 우리가 해야하는 일은 단지 부처님의 지혜를 믿는 것입니다. 그건 우리 모두가 스스로 갖고 있는 그 지혜입니다. 부처님만 있는 소유물이 아닙니다. 모든 이가 가진 잠재력입니다. 부처님은 단순히 우리를 위한 길을 가리켰습니다. 만일 우리가 그 길을 따를 수 있다면, 우리도 스스로 본래의 지혜 광산을 열 수 있습니다.

The scientists, physicists, chemists, and many philosophers search outside for answers. In actuality, everything we need is contained within our own nature. In investigating Chan, we open up our own chemical laboratory and carry on all kinds of chemical experiments. Investigating Chan is a chemical process. In fact it is the mother of science and the mother of philosophy, and is able to help us develop great wisdom. Once we develop great wisdom, all problems will solve themselves. People who investigate Chan can open up great, perfect, mirror-like wisdom; wisdom of equality; wonderful contemplative wisdom; wisdom that accomplishes that which needs to be done. Once we uncover those four kinds of wisdom, then the fi ve eyes and the six spiritual penetrations will come quite spontaneously, without seeking. Therefore, it is not necessary to pursue anything external, including spiritual powers; everything is already contained within our own nature.

However, we must have patience. Day and night we should focus on our work. In the morning we should fi nd time to sit, and in the evening sit again before sleep. That way we can lessen our desires and purify our thoughts. In essence, we are carrying out all kinds of

experiments in our own chemical lab. Whatever kind of ingredient we put in, we will obtain a corresponding result. Therefore, it is important that we maintain proper mindfulness when we sit. Be focused at every moment. That kind of concentration will hone our wisdom in much the same way a stone is polished. One who is careless in the grinding, however, may grind the entire stone away to nothing. That refers to how, if we keep on doing upside-down things and abusing our precious energy and resources, our bodies will weaken from dissipation and eventually die of it. On the other hand, if we cherish our primal energies and do not abuse our bodies, then we will remain in good health and our wisdom will increase daily.

Master-disciple: q & A

Q What kind of talk is wise?

A To be truly wise, we would speak simply, clearly, and to the point, not saying any more than is necessary.

Q What is the “fi rst thought”?

A It’s that very fi rst understanding before you consciously deliberate. Whenever you think,

you are using your human brain and not your enlightened mind.

Winter Meditation in San Francisco

Ten thousand Buddhas shine their lights upon this city; Ten thousand people meditate on the Way eternal and equal. Ten thousand Dharmas return to one;

we all become enlightened. Ten thousand people light their blazing wisdom lamps.

MASTER HUA’S VERSE

FOR STARTING A CHAN SESSION