做維那要注意，在開靜的時候，先打一下引磬，令大家準備站起來；看看大家準備妥當，再打第二下引磬。這時，大家一起站起來，然後再打兩聲木魚，大家就開始行起來。在跑香的時候，分為內外兩圈，跑快的人在外圈跑，跑慢的人在內圈跑，這是折衷的辦法。大家自在來修行，快慢均可，所謂「緊了繃，慢了鬆，不緊不慢才成功。」這是沒有定法。

Each of you who has the job of Ceremony Master, please note that when the meditation period is over, you should hit the handbell once to alert the sitters that it is time to stand up. When you see that they are all ready to stand, hit the bell again. At that signal, everyone will stand up together. The Ceremony Master then will strike the wooden fish two times to signal the beginning of the walking meditation period. During the walk, we should make two separate lanes: one for fast walkers, and one for slower walkers. The faster walkers should use the outer lane, and the slower walkers should use the inner lane. This is a way to ensure harmony, so that everybody can be free and at ease in their cultivation. Both slow and fast walkers are accommodated. A saying goes,

Haste will make you stumble;
Tarry, and you'll fall behind.
Not too fast, and not too slow,
You'll get there right on time.

在《金剛經》上說：「無有定法。名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」要是說一定，就會發生毛病。

This is the principle of there being no fixed dharmas. A line from the Vajra Sutra (Diamond Sutra) says, "There is no fixed dharma known as Unsurpassed, Proper, Equal, and Right Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyaksambodhi)." As soon as you want to determine a dharma absolutely, you'll create a problem right there.

《金剛經》又說：「是法平等。無有高下。」修行這個法，都要平等。佛雖然有三身、四智、五眼、六通，可是佛不覺得和眾生有什麼不同，所謂「心、佛、眾生，三無差別。」心是佛，佛是眾生；眾生是佛，佛是心。

Another line from the Vajra Sutra says, "The Dharma is equal and impartial; it has no aspects higher or lower than any other." Therefore, as we cultivate the Dharma, we want to be impartial. Even though the Buddha possesses the Three Bodies, Four Modes of Wisdom, Five Spiritual Eyes, and Six Wisdom Powers, he does not feel that he is in any way different from living beings. As it's said, "The mind, the Buddha, and living beings are one and the same, and are in no way distinguishable from one another." The mind is the Buddha, and the Buddha is living beings; living beings are the Buddha, and the Buddha is the mind.

走得快也是參禪，走得慢也是參禪，隨自己的體力來決定。要任運自然，一點也不造作，一點也不要勉強，要這樣精進、用功、忍耐。腰痠腿痛，不要管它。什麼也不要了，這就是布施。身不去做惡，這是身業清淨；口不說是非，這是口業清淨；心不打妄想，這是意業清淨。三業清淨，就是持戒。能忍受一切痛苦，就是忍辱。能不斷地用功修道，無論遇到什麼困難，都不退心，就是精進。能坐下來，如如不動，了了常明，就是禪定。由禪定而生智慧，就是般若。六度圓滿，便到彼岸。

You can investigate Chan while walking quickly; you can also investigate Chan while walking slowly. Set your own pace according to your own physical strength. Let your walking speed be completely natural; don't be artificial in the least. Avoid forcing it; just be vigorous as you work, and be patient. Even if your back hurts or your legs ache, pay them no mind. You should want nothing; just that is giving. When the body doesn't do anything bad, this is purity in physical karma. When the mouth doesn't say evil things, this is purity in speech karma. When the mind doesn't indulge in idle thoughts, this is purity in mental karma. When these three modes of karma are purified, then you are upholding precepts. If you can endure any kind of pain, then this is patience. If you can apply yourself without cease to the cultivation of the Way, if you never retreat regardless of the difficulties you encounter, then this is vigor. If you can sit down and become "Thus, thus unmoving, resolved, and always clear," then this is Chan samadhi. Wisdom is born of Chan samadhi, and this wisdom is Prajna. When these Six Paramitas are perfected, you can reach the other shore.

到止靜的時候，維那要看班首已經到了他的座位前，便敲一下木魚。每個人各自站在自己的座位前，等大家都站齊，再敲一下木魚，這時，要端然正坐，把脊背挺直，不可低頭彎腰，所謂「坐如鐘」，頭要正，腰要直，好像一個大鐘，四平八穩的。

When it's time to end the walk, the Ceremony Master watches for the senior monk to return to his seat, then he strikes the wooden fish once. When everyone has returned to his seat, the Ceremony Master strikes it once more, and everyone sits upright and properly with a straight back, without letting the head droop or the back curve. This is called "sitting like a bell." This means the head is erect and the back is straight, just like a great iron bell, very stable and solid.

參「念佛是誰？」不是念這句話，而是參這句話，研究這個「誰」字。有人說：「我知道，念佛是我。」這是不對的。這句話頭，若是明白了，就是明心見性，徹法底源，借道還家。不是像你所說那麼樣地簡單，那樣地容易，「就是我嘛！我在念佛。」你在念佛？那麼人死了之後，還有人在念佛嗎？說：「沒有了。」既然沒有，怎麼會是你在念佛？要曉得念佛的人是不會死的，你會死，那念佛的不是你。念佛成佛，成佛的又是誰？誰去成佛？你已經死了。所以就在這個地方要參，參到海枯石爛，也不放鬆，追根究底地參，終會有水落石出的一天––豁然大悟，原來如此！

Investigate the sentence: "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" Don't merely recite the sentence, but investigate it, look into the word "who." Someone may say, "I know, the one reciting the Buddha's name is me!" That's wrong. If you really understand the answer to this meditation topic, then you can "understand your mind and see your nature." Then you have "penetrated to the the source of Dharma," and you have "found your way home." To understand is not as simple a matter as you make it out to be. "It's just me! I'm the reciter!" you insist. Well, after you die, is there anyone still reciting? No, there isn't. Since there isn't, how can you claim that you are there reciting the Buddha's name? You should realize that the person who recites the Buddha's name is a person who does not die. You, however, can die, so you can't be considered the one who is reciting. We recite the Buddha's name, and we can become Buddhas. But who is the one who becomes a Buddha? Who goes realizes Buddhahood? You've already died. This is what you must look into, and don't slack off even when "the ocean dries up and solid rocks fall apart." Investigate to the ultimate point; then you'll see the waters part and the rocks appear. Suddenly you'll enlighten to the truth that it was just this way all along!

一九八○年禪七 十二月開示