sermon
On the Method of Guarding the One
Teachings of the Fourth Patriarch
Text
Sit with the body erect. Close your eyes and guard the mind. Let all thoughts and concerns fall away. Concentrate on guarding the one—the one mind that is neither moving nor still, neither inside nor outside. This one mind is originally pure. It is not something created through practice, nor is it something that can be destroyed through neglect. By guarding this one, all thoughts settle of themselves, and the original brightness of the mind becomes apparent. This is the essential practice of all the Buddhas.
Attribution
By Dayi Daoxin
From Teachings of the Fourth Patriarch
Sources
Teachings of the Fourth Patriarch: On the Method of Guarding the One