6月24日

辭北堂書
唐 洞山良价 ( 807~869 )

伏聞諸佛出世，皆從父母而受身；萬彙興生，盡假
天地而覆載。故非父母而不生，無天地而不長，盡沾
養育之恩，俱受覆載之德。嗟夫！一切含識，萬象形
儀，皆屬無常，未離生滅。雖則乳哺情至，養育恩深，
若把世賂供資，終難報答，作血食侍養，安得久長？
故《孝經》云:「雖日用三牲之養，猶不孝也。」

相牽沉沒，永入輪迴。欲報罔極深恩，莫若出家功
德。載生死之愛河，越煩惱之苦海，報千生之父母，
答萬劫之慈親。三有四恩，無不報矣。故經云:「一
子出家，九族生天。」

良价捨今世之身命，誓不還家，將永劫之根塵，頓
明般若。伏惟父母心開喜捨，意莫攀緣，學淨飯之國
王，效摩耶之聖后，他時異日，佛會相逢。此日今時，
且相離別，良非遽違甘旨，蓋時不待人。故云此身不
向今生度，更向何時度此身？伏冀尊懷莫相寄憶！

──選自 《洞山悟本禪師語錄》

【案】洞山良价乃禪宗曹洞宗之開祖，《辭北堂書》是他寫
給母親的信，言明此生割愛辭親、乃盡大孝的堅定志向；
其母之回信，殷殷數語，道盡做為母親的心情，至情感人。

June 24

Letter to Farewell to My Mother
Dongshan Liangjie (807 - 869, Tang Dynasty)
English translation: John Balcom

It is heard that all Buddhas who appear in the world
receive their bodies from their parents. All phenomena
arise in dependence on heaven and earth. Therefore, if
there were no parents, no one could be born, and without
heaven and earth no one would grow up. We all rely upon
and have gratitude for those who nurture and teach us; and
we all sheltered and supported by their virtue. All sentient
beings and all phenomena are impermanent, they are not
apart from birth and death. Being nursed, given profound
care, and raised with kindness are difficult to repay, Even
if one were to give all manner of worldly offerings, one
would still be unable to repay such kindness. Even if a
person nourished his parents with his own blood, would
that keep them well forever? The Classic of Filial Piety
says, "Though a child provides beef, mutton, and pork to
nourish his parents, still he is not filial." Strong ties lead to
perpetual birth.

There is no more efficacious way to repay love and
kindness as the merit and virtue of leaving the home life.
To ferry them across birth and death’s river of affection
and beyond affliction’s bitter sea can repay the parents
of one thousand lifetimes─it can repay one’s parents’
kindness for ten thousand kalpas. All those throughout the
three realms who pay us the four kindnesses will not have
been unrepaid. The sutras say, "When one child leaves the
home life, nine sets of relatives will enter heaven."

I, Liangjie, forsake my place in life and vow not to
return home. I dedicate endless kalpas of my senses and
experiences to instantly understanding prajna. I wish that
you, my parents, can understand and be happy to let me go
and not become entangled in our connection. I hope you
can learn from King Suddhodana and Queen Maya who,
at another time and day, went to meet the Buddha. Today,
now, we part. It is not that I turn my back on providing for
you, but time waits for no one. That is why it is said, "If
one is not to be liberated today, then when?" I hope you do
not think of me.

── from Dongshan Wuben Chanshi Yulu (Records of Chan Master Dongshan Wuben)