Inscription on the Awakened Mind
( 悟心銘 )
( 悟心銘 )
The "悟心銘" (Wuxin Ming), often translated as "Inscription on the Awakened Mind" or "Song of Enlightenment," is another classic text in Chan (Zen) Buddhism. It is typically attributed to Yoka Daishi (永嘉大師), an important Zen figure, but there are variations in attribution and titles, with the most famous "Song of Enlightenment" often being referred to under different names.
Here’s a common English translation of Inscription on the Awakened Mind (悟心銘 / Zhengdao Ge), which captures the essence of the enlightened mind in the Zen tradition:
Inscription on the Awakened Mind (悟心銘 / Zhengdao Ge)
Have you not seen the person of the Way,
Who has cut off learning and forgotten all contrivances?
No more dualistic thinking,
They cannot be judged by any standards.
They wander through the world freely,
Not constrained by the world,
Yet not free from causality.
Such a person does not go along with idle talk,
Nor is the path dependent on clever speech.
Letting go of "right" and "wrong,"
They live at peace without concern for gain or loss.
In the mind that abides nowhere,
There is no seeking or attachment.
When all mental obstacles are removed,
The original mind reveals itself.
The awakened mind sees all things clearly,
Without confusion or discrimination.
Empty and clear, free from defilements,
It neither grasps nor rejects anything.
Neither coming nor going,
Neither birth nor death,
In this moment, perfect and complete,
The essence of enlightenment is already here.
Not bound by concepts or forms,
There is nothing to practice or cultivate.
In the true state of mind,
Everything is naturally as it is.
All thoughts vanish,
The mind is spacious and free.
Like the great void, it cannot be touched or grasped,
Unfathomable, yet ever present.
Seeing through the illusions of the world,
One moves effortlessly in the midst of it.
Not entangled in concepts or clinging to any form,
The awakened mind flows with the Tao.
Whether walking, sitting, or lying down,
The mind is serene and undisturbed.
There is no separation between self and others,
All things are seen in their true nature.
The essence of the mind is beyond all distinctions,
Beyond dualities of subject and object.
In the state of no-mind,
One is free from all attachments.
True awakening is without effort,
Without striving, without contrivance.
When one is free from all delusions,
They realize the truth of their own nature.
Neither seeking fame nor avoiding blame,
They are content with things as they are.
Without fear or desire,
They abide in the unshakable peace of the Tao.
This text emphasizes the Zen principles of non-attachment, the direct realization of one’s original mind, and freedom from dualistic thinking. It encourages practitioners to abandon conceptual thinking and abide in the natural flow of reality, which is often described as effortless and beyond distinctions like "self" and "other." Different translations may phrase things slightly differently, but the essence of the teaching remains consistent.
Here’s a common English translation of Inscription on the Awakened Mind (悟心銘 / Zhengdao Ge), which captures the essence of the enlightened mind in the Zen tradition:
Inscription on the Awakened Mind (悟心銘 / Zhengdao Ge)
Have you not seen the person of the Way,
Who has cut off learning and forgotten all contrivances?
No more dualistic thinking,
They cannot be judged by any standards.
They wander through the world freely,
Not constrained by the world,
Yet not free from causality.
Such a person does not go along with idle talk,
Nor is the path dependent on clever speech.
Letting go of "right" and "wrong,"
They live at peace without concern for gain or loss.
In the mind that abides nowhere,
There is no seeking or attachment.
When all mental obstacles are removed,
The original mind reveals itself.
The awakened mind sees all things clearly,
Without confusion or discrimination.
Empty and clear, free from defilements,
It neither grasps nor rejects anything.
Neither coming nor going,
Neither birth nor death,
In this moment, perfect and complete,
The essence of enlightenment is already here.
Not bound by concepts or forms,
There is nothing to practice or cultivate.
In the true state of mind,
Everything is naturally as it is.
All thoughts vanish,
The mind is spacious and free.
Like the great void, it cannot be touched or grasped,
Unfathomable, yet ever present.
Seeing through the illusions of the world,
One moves effortlessly in the midst of it.
Not entangled in concepts or clinging to any form,
The awakened mind flows with the Tao.
Whether walking, sitting, or lying down,
The mind is serene and undisturbed.
There is no separation between self and others,
All things are seen in their true nature.
The essence of the mind is beyond all distinctions,
Beyond dualities of subject and object.
In the state of no-mind,
One is free from all attachments.
True awakening is without effort,
Without striving, without contrivance.
When one is free from all delusions,
They realize the truth of their own nature.
Neither seeking fame nor avoiding blame,
They are content with things as they are.
Without fear or desire,
They abide in the unshakable peace of the Tao.
This text emphasizes the Zen principles of non-attachment, the direct realization of one’s original mind, and freedom from dualistic thinking. It encourages practitioners to abandon conceptual thinking and abide in the natural flow of reality, which is often described as effortless and beyond distinctions like "self" and "other." Different translations may phrase things slightly differently, but the essence of the teaching remains consistent.