The Trust-Mind Inscription 信心銘
信心銘
Xinxin Ming (Hsin-hsin Ming)
Although Sengcan has historically been accepted by orthodoxy as the author of the Xinxin Ming (Hsin-hsin Ming), contemporary scholarship doubts whether he was in fact the author.
There is no record that Huike or Sengcan ever wrote anything. The expressions and idioms used in the work have caused certain scholars to place the date of its composition in a later year.
Niutou Fa-jung (594-657), composed a poem called Mind Inscription2 (Xin Ming) and the similarity between the two has caused scholars to speculate that Hsin-hsin Ming was actually written after the time of Hui-neng3 (638-713), as an improved, condensed version of the Mind Inscription.
The original text of the Xinxin Ming
言但若極無十要非一契兩泯一眼夢迷法六不任執大一境 無二二前歸多一止莫圓違毫至 三
語 能不大在方急思切心既其如若幻生無塵好性之道空由咎由見空根言種動逐同順釐道
祖道 如如同不智相量不平不所體不虚寂異不勞合失體同能無一不轉得多不歸有太相有無
僧 斷 是此小在者應處留等成以玄睡華亂法惡神道度寛兩境法有住變旨慮通止縁虚爭差難
璨非 何必不十皆唯識無所一不兀諸何悟妄還何逍必無齊能不一慎皆隨轉兩止勿無是天唯
大去 慮不見方入言情可作何可爾夢勞無自同用遙入易含由生亦莫由照不處更住欠爲地嫌
師來 不須邊目此不難記倶有方忘自把好愛正疏絶邪無萬境不莫追妄失相失彌空無心懸揀
信今 畢守表前宗二測憶息爾比縁除捉惡著覺親惱路難象能心守尋見宗應功動忍餘病隔擇
心信一有極宗不眞虚狐究止萬心得一將智欲繫放 小不欲能一纔不須絶遣唯一良不欲但
銘心即即小非二如明疑竟動法若失切心者取念之見見知隨心有用臾言有滯種由識得莫
不一是同促皆法自盡窮無齊不是二用無一乖自狐精兩境不是求返絶沒兩平取玄現憎
二切無大延同界照淨極動觀異非邊心爲乘眞然疑麤段 滅生非眞照慮有邊懷捨旨前愛
不一無忘一無無不正不動歸萬一良豈愚勿昏體轉寧元境萬紛唯勝無從寧泯所徒莫洞
二切即絶念不他勞信存止復法時由非人惡沉無 急有是逐法然須卻處空知然以勞存然
信即是境萬包無心調軌無自一放斟大自六不去轉偏一能無失息前不背一自不念順明
心一有界年容自力直則止然如卻酌錯縛塵好住遲黨空沉咎心見空通空種盡如靜逆白
Translation of the Text
The Dunhuang manuscript version of the text is used.
Verses On the Faith Mind
Translated and titled by Richard B. Clarke
至 道無難 The Great Way is not difficult
唯 嫌揀擇 for those who have no preferences.
但 莫憎愛 When love and hate are both absent
洞 然明白 everything becomes clear and undisguised.
毫 釐有差 Make the smallest distinction, however
天 地懸隔 and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
欲 得現前 If you wish to see the truth
莫 存順逆 then hold no opinions for or against anything.
違 順相爭 To set up what you like against what you dislike
是爲心病 is the disease of the mind.
不 識玄旨 When the deep meaning of things is not understood
徒 勞念靜 the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail.
圓 同太虚 The Way is perfect like vast space
無 欠無餘 where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess.
良 由取捨 Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject
所 以不如 that we do not see the true nature of things.
莫 逐有縁 Live neither in the entanglements of outer things,
勿 住空忍 nor in inner feelings of emptiness.
一 種平懷 Be serene in the oneness of things
泯 然自盡 and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves.
止 動歸止 When you try to stop activity to achieve passivity
止 更彌動 your very effort fills you with activity.
唯 滯兩邊 As long as you remain in one extreme or the other
寧 知一種 you will never know Oneness.
一 種不通 Those who do not live in the single Way
兩 處失功 fail in both activity and passivity,
遣 有沒有 assertion and denial. To deny the reality of things
從 空背空 to assert the emptiness of things is to miss their reality.
多 言多慮 The more you talk and think about it,
轉 不相應 the further astray you wander from the truth.
絶 言絶慮 Stop talking and thinking,
無 處不通 and there is nothing you will not be able to know.
歸 根得旨 To return to the root is to find the meaning,
隨 照失宗 but to pursue appearances is to miss the source.
須 臾返照 At the moment of inner enlightenment
勝 卻前空 there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness.
前 空轉變 The changes that appear to occur in the empty world
皆 由妄見 we call real only because of our ignorance.
不 用求眞 Do not search for the truth;
唯 須息見 only cease to cherish opinions.
二 見不住 Do not remain in the dualistic state
慎 莫追尋 avoid such pursuits carefully.
纔 有是非 If there is even a trace of this and that, of right and wrong,
紛 然失心 the Mind-essence will be lost in confusion.
二 由一有 Although all dualities come from the One,
一 亦莫守 do not be attached even to this One.
一 心不生 When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way,
萬 法無咎 nothing in the world can offend,
無 咎無法 and when a thing can no longer offend, it ceases to exist in the old way.
不 生不心 When no discriminating thoughts arise, the old mind ceases to exist.
能 隨境滅 When thought objects vanish, the thinking-subject vanishes,
境 逐能沈 as when the mind vanishes, objects vanish.
境 由能境 Things are objects because of the subject (mind);
能 由境能 the mind (subject) is such because of things (object).
欲 知兩段 Understand the relativity of these two
元 是一空 and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness.
一 空同兩 In this Emptiness the two are indistinguishable
齊 含萬象 and each contains in itself the whole world.
不 見精麁 If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine
寧 有偏黨 you will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion.
大 道體寛 To live in the Great Way
無 易無難 is neither easy nor difficult,
小 見狐疑 but those with limited views
轉 急轉遲 and fearful and irresolute: the faster they hurry, the slower they go,
執 之失度 and clinging (attachment) cannot be limited;
必入邪路 even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray.
放 之自然 Just let things be in their own way
體 無去住 and there will be neither coming nor going.
任 性合道 Obey the nature of things (your own nature),
逍 遙絶惱 and you will walk freely and undisturbed.
繋 念乖眞 When thought is in bondage the truth is hidden,
昏 沈不好 for everything is murky and unclear,
不 好勞神 and the burdensome practice of judging brings annoyance and weariness.
何 用疏親 What benefit can be derived from distinctions and separations?
欲 取一乘 If you wish to move in the One Way
勿 惡六塵 do not dislike even the world of senses and ideas.
六 塵不惡 Indeed, to accept them fully
還 同正覺 is identical with true Enlightenment.
智 者無爲 The wise man strives to no goals
愚 人自縛 but the foolish man fetters himself.
法 無異法 This is one Dharma, not many: distinctions arise
妄自愛著 from the clinging needs of the ignorant.
將 心用心 To seek Mind with the (discriminating) mind
豈 非大錯 is the greatest of all mistakes.
迷 生寂亂 Rest and unrest derive from illusion;
悟 無好惡 with enlightenment there is no liking and disliking.
一 切二邊 All dualities come from
妄自斟酌 ignorant inference.
夢 幻虚華 They are like dreams of flowers in the air:
何 勞把捉 foolish to try to grasp them.
得 失是非 Gain and loss, right and wrong:
一 時放卻 such thoughts must finally be abolished at once.
眼 若不睡 If the eye never sleeps,
諸 夢自除 all dreams will naturally cease.
心 若不異 If the mind makes no discriminations,
萬 法一如 the ten thousand things are as they are, of single essence.
一 如體玄 To understand the mystery of this One-essence
兀 爾忘虚 is to be release from all entanglements.
萬 法齊觀 When all things are seen equally
歸 復自然 the timeless Self-essence is reached.
泯 其所以 No comparisons or analogies are possible
不 可方比 in this causeless, relationless state.
止 動無動 Consider movement stationary and the stationary in motion,
動 止無止 both movement and rest disappear.
兩 既不成 When such dualities cease to exist
一 何有爾 Oneness itself cannot exist.
究 竟窮極 To this ultimate finality
不 存軌則 no law or description applies.
契 心平等 For the unified mind in accord with the Way
所 作倶息 all self-centered straining ceases.
狐 疑盡淨 Doubts and irresolution's vanish
正 信調直 and life in true faith is possible.
一 切不留 With a single stroke we are freed from bondage;
無 可記憶 nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing.
虚 明自照 All is empty, clear, self-illuminating,
不 勞心力 with no exertion of the mind's power.
非 思量處 Here thought, feeling, knowledge, and imagination
識 情難測 are of no value.
眞 如法界 In this world of Suchness
無 他無自 there is neither self nor other-than-self
要 急相應 To come directly into harmony with this reality
唯 言不二 just simply say when doubt arises, 'Not two.'
不 二皆同 In this 'no two' nothing is separate,
無 不包容 nothing excluded.
十 方智者 No matter when or where,
皆 入此宗 enlightenment means entering this truth.
宗 非促延 And this truth is beyond extension or diminution in time or space;
一 念萬年 in it a single thought is ten thousand years.
無 在不在 Emptiness here, Emptiness there,
十 方目前 but the infinite universe stands always before your eyes.
極 小同大 Infinitely large and infinitely small;
忘 絶境界 no difference, for definitions have vanished
極 大同小
不 見邊表 and no boundaries are seen.
有 即是無 So too with Being
無 即是有 and non-Being.
若 不如此 Don't waste time in doubts and arguments
必 不相守 that have nothing to do with this.
一 即一切 One thing, all things:
一 切即一 move among and intermingle, without distinction.
但 能如是 To live in this realization
何 慮不畢 is to be without anxiety about non-perfection.
信 心不二 To live in this faith is the road to non-duality,
不 二信心 Because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind.
言 語道斷 Words! The Way is beyond language,
非 去來今 for in it there is
no yesterday
no tomorrow
no today.
_____________________________________________
Translated by D.T.Suzuki_
不好勞神 The Perfect Way knows no difficulties
唯 嫌揀擇 Except that it refuses to make preference:
但 莫憎愛 Only when freed from hate and love,
洞 然明白 It reveals itself fully and without disguise.
毫 釐有差 A tenth of an inch's difference,
天 地懸隔 And heaven and earth are set apart:
欲 得現前 If you want to see it manifest,
莫 存順逆 Take no thought either for or against it.
違 順相爭 To set up what you like against what you dislike –
是爲 心病 This is the disease of the mind:
不 識玄旨 When the deep meaning [of the Way] is not understood
徒 勞念靜 Peace of mind is disturbed and nothing is gained.
圓 同太虚 [The Way is] perfect like unto vast space,
無 欠無餘 With nothing wanting, nothing superfluous:
良 由取捨 It is indeed due to making choice
所 以不如 That its suchness is lost sight of.
莫 逐有縁 Pursue not the outer entanglements,
勿 住空忍 Dwell not in the inner void;
一 種平懷 When the mind rests serene in the oneness of things,
泯 然自盡 The dualism vanishes by itself.
止 動歸止 When you strive to gain quiescence by stopping motion,
止 更彌動 The quiescence thus gained is ever in motion;
唯 滯兩邊 As long as you tarry in the dualism,
寧 知一種 How can you realize oneness?
一 種不通 And when oneness is not thoroughly understood,
兩 處失功 In two ways loss is sustained –
遣 有沒有 The denial of reality may lead to its absolute negation,
從 空背空 While the upholding of the void may result in contradicting itself.
多 言多慮 Wordiness and intellection –
轉 不相應 The more with them the further astray we go;
絶 言絶慮 Away therefore with wordiness and intellection,
無 處不通 And there is no place where we cannot pass freely.
歸 根得旨 When we return to the root, we gain the meaning;
隨 照失宗 When we pursue external objects, we lose the reason.
須 臾返照 The moment we are enlightened within,
We go beyond the voidness of a world confronting us.
前 空轉變 Transformations going on in an empty world which confronts us,
皆 由妄見 Appear real all because of Ignorance:
不 用求眞 Try not to seek after the true,
唯 須息見 Only cease to cherish opinions.
二 見不住 Tarry not with dualism,
慎 莫追尋 Carefully avoid pursuing it;
纔 有是非 As soon as you have right and wrong,
紛 然失心 Confusion ensues, and mind is lost.
二 由一有 The two exist because of the one,
一 亦莫守 But hold not even to this one;
一 心不生 When the one mind is not disturbed,
萬 法無咎 The ten thousand things offer no offence.
無 咎無法 When no offence is offered by them, they are as if not existing;
不 生不心 When the mind is not disturbed, it is as if there is no mind.
能 隨境滅 The subject is quieted as the object ceases,
境 逐能沈 The object ceases as the subject is quieted.
境 由能境 The object is an object for the subject,
能 由境能 The subject is a subject for an object:
欲 知兩段 Know that the relativity of the two
元 是一空 Rests ultimately on the oneness of the void.
一 空同兩 In the oneness of the void the two are one,
齊 含萬象 And each of the two contains in itself all the ten thousand things:
不 見精麁 When no discrimination is made between this and that,
寧 有偏黨 How can a one-sided and prejudiced view arise?
大 道體寛 The Great Way is calm and large-minded,
無 易無難 Nothing is easy, nothing is hard:
小 見狐疑 Small views are irresolute,
轉 急轉遲 The more in haste the tardier they go.
執 之失度 Clinging never keeps itself within bounds,
必入邪路 It is sure to go the wrong way:
放 之自然 Let go loose, and things are as they may be,
體 無去住 While the essence neither departs nor abides.
任 性合道 Obey the nature of things, and you are in concord with the Way,
逍 遙絶惱 Calm and easy and free from annoyance;
繋 念乖眞 But when your thoughts are tied, you turn away from the truth,
昏 沈不好 They grow heavier and duller and are not at all sound.
When they are not sound, the soul is troubled;
何 用疏親 What is the use of being partial and one-sided then?
欲 取一乘 If you want to walk the course of the One Vehicle,
勿 惡六塵 Be not prejudiced against the six sense-objects.
六 塵不惡 When you are not prejudiced against the six sense-objects,
還 同正覺 You in turn identify yourself with Enlightenment;
智 者無爲 The wise are non-active,
愚 人自縛 While the ignorant bind themselves up;
法 無異法 While in the Dharma itself there is no individuation,
妄自愛著 They ignorantly attach themselves to particular objects.
將 心用心 It is their own mind that creates illusions –
豈 非大錯 Is this not the greatest of self-contradictions?
迷 生寂亂 Ignorance begets the dualism of rest and unrest,
悟 無好惡 The enlightened have no likes and dislikes:
一 切二邊 All forms of dualism
妄自斟酌 Are ignorantly contrived by the mind itself.
夢 幻虚華 They are like unto visions and flowers in the air:
何 勞把捉 Why should we trouble ourselves to take hold of them?
得 失是非 Gain and loss, right and wrong –
一 時放卻 Away with them once for all!
眼 若不睡 If an eye never falls asleep,
諸 夢自除 All dreams will by themselves cease:
心 若不異 If the mind retains its oneness,
萬 法一如 The ten thousand things are of one suchness.
一 如體玄 When the deep mystery of one suchness is fathomed,
兀 爾忘虚 All of a sudden we forget the external entanglements:
萬 法齊觀 When the ten thousand things are viewed in their oneness,
歸 復自然 We return to the origin and remain what we are.
泯 其所以 Forget the wherefore of things,
不 可方比 And we attain to a state beyond analogy:
止 動無動 Movement stopped is no movement,
動 止無止 And rest set in motion is no rest.
兩 既不成 When dualism does no more obtain,
一 何有爾 Even oneness itself remains not as such.
究 竟窮極 The ultimate end of things where they cannot go any further,
不 存軌則 Is not bound by rules and measures:
契 心平等 The mind in harmony [with the Way] is the principle of identity identity
所 作倶息 In which we find all doings in a quiescent state;
狐疑盡淨 Irresolutions are completely done away with,
正 信調直 And the right faith is restored to its native straightness;
一 切不留 Nothing is retained now,
無 可記憶 Nothing is to be memorized,
虚 明自照 All is void, lucid, and self-illuminating,
不 勞心力 There is no stain, no exertion, no wasting of energy –
非 思量處 This is where thinking never attains,
識 情難測 This is where the imagination fails to measure.
眞 如法界 In the higher realm of True Suchness
無 他無自 There is neither 'other' nor self':
要 急相應 When a direct identification is asked for,
唯 言不二 We can only say, 'Not two.'
不 二皆同 In being not two all is the same,
無 不包容 All that is is comprehended in it:
十 方智者 The wise in the ten quarters,
皆 入此宗 They all enter into this absolute faith.
宗 非促延 This absolute faith is beyond quickening [time] and extension [space].
一 念萬年 One instant is ten thousand years;
無 在不在 No matter how things are conditioned, whether with 'to be' or 'not to be',
十 方目前 It is manifest everywhere before you
極 小同大 The infinitely small is as large as large can be,
忘 絶境界 When external conditions are forgotten;
極 大同小 The infinitely large is as small as small can be,
不 見邊表 When objective limits are put out of sight.
有 即是無 What is is the same with what is not,
無 即是有 What is not is the same with what is:
若 不如此 Where this state of things fails to obtain,
必 不相守 Be sure not to tarry.
一 即一切 One in all,
一 切即一 All in one –
但 能如是 If only this is realized;
何 慮不畢 No more worry about your not being perfect!
信 心不二 The believing mind is not divided,
不 二信心 And undivided is the believing mind –
言 語道斷 This is where words fail,
非 去來今 For it is not of the past, future, or present.
Second version
1 至 道無難 唯嫌揀擇
The best way is not difficult. It only excludes picking and choosing.
3 但莫憎愛 洞然明白
Once you stop loving and hating, it will enlighten itself.
5 毫 釐有差 天地懸隔
Depart for a hairbreadth, and heaven and earth are set apart.
7 欲 得現前 莫存順逆
If you want it to appear, do not be for or against.
9 違 順相爭 是爲心病
To set longing against loathing, makes the mind sick.
11 不 識玄旨 徒勞念靜
Not knowing the deep meaning, it is useless to quiet thoughts.
13 圓 同太虚 無欠無餘
Complete it is like great vacuity, with nothing lacking, nothing in excess.
15 良 由取捨 所以不如
When you grasp and reject, there is no suchness.
17 莫 逐有縁 勿住空忍
Do not follow conditions, do not dwell in emptiness.
19 一 種平懷 泯然自盡
Cherishing oneness in the hearth, everything will stop by itself.
21 止 動歸止 止更彌動
Rest to stop motion, and rest will move you again.
23 唯 滯兩邊 寧知一種
If you are merely in either, how will you know oneness?
25 一 種不通 兩處失功
Not understanding oneness, you will miss in two ways.
27 遣 有沒有 從空背空
Expelling being you will be without it, following emptiness you are always behind it.
29 多 言多慮 轉不相應
The more words and thoughts the more you will go astray
31 絶 言絶慮 無處不通
Stop speaking, stop thinking and there is nothing you cannot understand.
33 歸 根得旨 隨照失宗
Return to the root and obtain the purport. Following the outcome you lose the source.
35 須 臾返照 勝卻前空
For a moment turn inward, and surpass the emptiness of things.
37 前 空轉變 皆由妄見
Changes that go on in emptiness all have their cause in ignorance.
39 不 用求眞 唯須息見
Do not seek the true, only abstain from views.
41 二 見不住 慎莫追尋
Do not dwell in dual views, be careful not to pursue them.
43 纔 有是非 紛然失心
The slightest trace of right and wrong and mind is lost in confusion.
45 二 由一有 一亦莫守
One being is the source of the two, however, do not even maintain the one.
47 一 心不生 萬法無咎
With one mind there is no arising, then everything is without blame.
49 無 咎無法 不生不心
No blame, no things. No arising, no mind.
51 能 隨境滅 境逐能沈
The subject follows when the object ceases. The object is expelled when the subject sinks.
53 境 由能境 能由境能
The object is related to the subject. The subject is related to the object.
55 欲 知兩段 元是一空
If you want to know these two, their origin is one emptiness.
57 一 空同兩 齊含萬象
In one emptiness both are equal, evenly containing innumerable forms.
59 不 見精麁 寧有偏黨
Do not differentiate coarse and fine, and you will not be for or against.
61 大 道體寛 無易無難
The great way is all‑embracing, neither easy nor difficult.
63 小 見狐疑 轉急轉遲
Small views are irresolute, full of doubt, now in haste, then too late.
65 執 之失度 必入邪路
Grasp beyond measure, and you will go astray.
67 放 之自然 體無去住
Letting go leads to spontaneity, essence neither goes nor abides.
69 任 性合道 逍遙絶惱
Accord your nature with the way, and go free of troubles.
71 繋 念乖眞 昏沈不好
Fettered thinking strays from the real, it darkens, sinks and spoils.
73 不 好勞神 何用疏親
To weary the spirit is not good. Of what use are strange and familiar?
75 欲取一乘 勿惡六塵
In taking the One vehicle, do not dislike the six sense‑objects.
77 六 塵不惡 還同正覺
Not disliking the six sense‑objects turns out equal to perfect awakenness.
79 智 者無爲 愚人自縛
The wise performs through non‑action. The fool ties himself.
81 法 無異法 妄自愛著
Things are not different, ignorance leads to preference.
83 將 心用心 豈非大錯
To use the mind to hold the mind, is it not a great mistake?
85 迷 生寂亂 悟無好惡
Out of confusion arise rest and disturbance. Awakening negates liking and disliking.
87 一 切二邊 良由斟酌
All opposite sides lead to absurd consideration.
89 夢 幻虚華 何勞把捉
Dreams, illusions, flowers in emptiness. Why strive to grasp them?
91 得 失是非 一時放卻
Profit and loss, right and wrong, away with this once for all.
93 眼 若不睡 諸夢自除
If the eyes are not closed, all dreams stop by themselves.
95 心 若不異 萬法一如
If the mind does not discriminate, all things are of one suchness.
97 一 如體玄 兀爾忘縁
In the deep essence of one suchness, resolutely neglect conditions.
99 萬 法齊觀 歸復自然
When all things are beheld as even, you return again to spontaneity.
101 泯 其所以 不可方比
Put an end to the cause, and nothing can be compared.
103 止 動無動 動止無止
Cease movement and no movement arises. Set rest in motion and there is no resting.
105 兩 既不成 一何有爾
When both do not make a whole, how will one be for you?
107 究 竟窮極 不存軌則
Investigate to the end, and there is no principle or rule retained.
109 契 心平等 所作倶息
Accord the mind with Impartiality, which stops every action.
111 狐 疑盡淨 正信調直
All doubts are cleared, true faith is firm and harmonized.
113 一 切不留 無可記憶
Nothing is detained, nothing to remember.
115 虚 明自照 不勞心力
Vacuous, enlightened, self‑illumined, power of the mind is not exerted.
117 非 思量處 識情難測
Thought is useless here, sense or feeling cannot fathom this.
119 眞 如法界 無他無自
In the real suchness of the thing‑realm, there is neither other nor self.
121 要 急相應 唯言不二
Swiftly to accord with that, only express non‑duality.
123 不 二皆同 無不包容
In non-duality all is equal, nothing is left out.
125 十 方智者 皆入此宗
The wise from all directions all belong to this teaching.
127 宗 非促延 一念萬年
This teaching is not urgent, or extensive, beyond a moment, or an eon,
129 無 在不在 十方目前
Not here, not there, everywhere in front of the eyes.
131 極 小同大 忘絶境界
Very small and large are equal. When boundaries are forgotten,
133 極 大同小 不見邊表
Very large and small are equal, the limits cannot be seen.
135 有 即是無 無即是有
With being there is nonbeing. With non‑being there is being.
137 若 不如此 必不須守
If not so – do not hold on to it.
139 一 即一切 一切即一
One is all, all is one –
141 但 能如是 何慮不畢
Merely with such ability, worry not for finality.
143 信 心不二 不二信心
Faith in mind is non‑dual. Non‑duality is faith in mind.
145 言 語道斷 非去來今
Discourse here stops – with no past, present, future.