12th Century AD
In complete silence words are forgotten,
total clarity appears before you.
When you reflect it, it is boundlessly vast,
and your body becomes numinous.
Numinous it is illuminated without relying on anything,
in illumination, you return to the transcendent [miao].
The dewy moon on the Milky Way,
the snow-clad pine on the cloudy peak.
In darkness it is even brighter,
when hidden it is all the more visible.
The crane dreams of misty frost,
the waters contain the distant autumn.
The endless eons are completely empty,
all things are exactly the same.
Transcendent wisdom [miao] exists in a place of silence,
striving for achievement is forgotten in illumination.
[ . . . ]
All the myriad things in the universe
emit radiance and speak the dharma.
They all attest to each other
and individually corresond in dialogue.
Corresponding in dialogue and attesting,
they respond to each other perfectly.
But if in illumination silence is lost,
then aggressiveness will appear.
Attesting and corresponding in diologue,
perfectly they respond to each other.
But if in silence illumination is lost,
then you will become turbid and leave behind the dharma.
When "silence" and "illumination" borh ar eoperating and complete,
the lotus flower opens and the dreamer awakens.
The hundred rivers flow into the sea,
and the thousand peaks face the great mountain.
Like geese preferring milk,
like bees seeking out flowers,
when silent illumination is perfected and obtained,
the teaching of our tradition [zong] is set in motion.
Our tradition's teaching of silent illumination
penetrates to the highest peak and the deepest deep.
Our bodies are emptiness [sunyata],
our arms form the mudra.
Beginning and end are parts of the one principle,
through transformation they become the ten thousand differences.
Mr. He offered jade,
Xiangru pointed out its flaws.
The different Buddhist teachings are all on the same level,
the marvelous function [of skillful means] has no need to strive.
An emperor dwells within the palace walls,
while a general stays outside the fortificatoins.
The teachings of our tradition
are on mark and hit right in the center.
Transmit it out in all directions,
make no delay in expounding it.