做维那要注意，在开静的时候，先打一下引磬，令大家准备站起来；看看大家准备妥当，再打第二下引磬。这时，大家一起站起来，然后再打两声木鱼，大家就开始行起来。在跑香的时候，分为内外两圈，跑快的人在外圈跑，跑慢的人在内圈跑，这是折衷的办法。大家自在来修行，快慢均可，所谓“紧了绷，慢了松，不紧不慢才成功。”这是没有定法。

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《金刚经》上说：“无有定法。名阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。”要是说一定，就会发生毛病。

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.

《金刚经》又说：“是法平等。无有高下。”修行这个法，都要平等。佛虽然有三身、四智、五眼、六通，可是佛不觉得和众生有什么不同，所谓“心、佛、众生，三无差别。”心是佛，佛是众生；众生是佛，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.

走得快也是参禅，走得慢也是参禅，随自己的体力来决定。要任运自然，一点也不造作，一点也不要勉强，要这样精进、用功、忍耐。腰酸腿痛，不要管它。什么也不要了，这就是布施。身不去做恶，这是身业清净；口不说是非，这是口业清净；心不打妄想，这是意业清净。三业清净，就是持戒。能忍受一切痛苦，就是忍辱。能不断地用功修道，无论遇到什么困难，都不退心，就是精进。能坐下来，如如不动，了了常明，就是禅定。由禅定而生智慧，就是般若。六度圆满，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.

到止静的时候，维那要看班首已经到了他的座位前，便敲一下木鱼。每个人各自站在自己的座位前，等大家都站齐，再敲一下木鱼，这时，要端然正坐，把脊背挺直，不可低头弯腰，所谓“坐如钟”，头要正，腰要直，好像一个大钟，四平八稳的。

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.

参“念佛是谁？”不是念这句话，而是参这句话，研究这个“谁”字。有人说：“我知道，念佛是我。”这是不对的。这句话头，若是明白了，就是明心见性，彻法底源，借道还家。不是像你所说那么样地简单，那样地容易，“就是我嘛！我在念佛。”你在念佛？那么人死了之后，还有人在念佛吗？说：“没有了。”既然没有，怎么会是你在念佛？要晓得念佛的人是不会死的，你会死，那念佛的不是你。念佛成佛，成佛的又是谁？谁去成佛？你已经死了。所以就在这个地方要参，参到海枯石烂，也不放松，追根究底地参，终会有水落石出的一天––豁然大悟，原来如此！

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○年禅七 十二月开示