六祖坛经•定慧品（节选）
The Platform Scripture of the Sixth Patriarch(excerpted)
[唐]慧能
By Hui-neng
善知识，我此法门，从上以来，先立无念为宗，无相为体，无住为衣。无相者，于相而离相：无念者，于念而无念；无住者，人之本性。于世间善恶好丑，乃至冤之与亲, 言语触刺欺争之时，并将为空。不思酬害。念念之中，不思前境。若前念今念后念，念念相续不断，名为系缚。于诸法上，念念不住.即无缚也。此是以无住为本。
Good friends, in (his teaching of mine, from ancient times up to the present, all have set up no-thoaght as the main doctrine, nor-form as the substance, and non-abiding as the basis. Nor-form is to be separated from form even when associated with form. Nothought is not to think even when involved in thought. Non-abiding is the original nature of man.
善知识，外离一切相，名为无相p能离于相，则法体清净，此是以无相为体。
Successive thoughts do not stop; prior thoughts, present thoughts, and future thoughts follow one after the other without cessation. If one instant of thought is cut off, the Dharma body separates from the physical body, and in the midst af successive thoughts there will be no place for attachment to anything. If one instant of thought attaches, then successive thoughts attach; this is known as being fettered. If in all things successive thoughts do not attadi, ihen you are unfettered Therefore, non-ahiding is made the basis.
善知识，于诸境上，心不染，曰无念，于自念上，常离诸境，不于境上生心。 若只百物不思，念尽除却，一念绝即死，別处受生，是为大错，学道者思之，若不识法意，自错犹可，更误他人，自迷不见，又谤佛经，所以立无念为宗。
Good friends, being outwardly separated from ail forms, this is known as non-form. When you are separated from form, the substance of your nature is pure. Therefore, nonform is made the substance.
善知识，云何立无念为宗？只缘口说见性迷人，于境上有念，念上便起邪见， 一切尘劳妄想从此而生，自性本无一法可得，若有所得，妄说祸福，即是尘劳邪见， 故此法门立无念为宗。
To be unstained in all environments is called no-thought. If on the basis of your own thoughts you separate from environment, then in regard to things thoughts are not produced,If you stop thinking of the myriad things and cast aside all thoughts, as soon as one instant of thought is cut off you will be reborn in another realm. Students, take care! If you do not stop notions of the Dhai ma, it will be bad enough that you yourselves arc in error, but how much worse if you encourage others in these mistakes. The deluded man, however, does not himself see and sJanders ihe teachings of the sutras. Tlierefore, no-thought is established as a doctrine. Because man in his delusion has thoughts in relation to his environment, hetemdox ideas stemming from these thoughts arise, and passions and false views are produced from them. Therefore, this teaching has established no-thought as a doctrine.
善知识，无者无何事，念者念何物？无者无二相，无诸尘劳之心；念者念真如本性。真如即是念之体，念即是真如之用。真如自性起念.非眼耳鼻舌能念真如 有性，所以起念t真如若无，眼耳色声当时即坏。
Men of the world, separate yourselves from views; do not activate thoughts. If there were no thinking, then no-thouglit would have no place to exist. "No"is the “no” of what? "Thought" means "thinking" of what?"No" is the separation from the dualism which produces the passions, thoughtt, means thinking of the original nature of True Reality. True Reality is the substance of thoughts; thoughts are the function of True Reality.^ If you give rise to thoughts from your self-nature then, although you see, hear, perceive, and know, you are not stained by the manifold environments, and are always free.
善知识，真如自性起念，六根虽有见闻觉知，不染万境而真性常自在故经云：“能善分别诸法相，于第一义而不动。”
The Vimalakirti Sutra says:"Externally, while distinguishing well all the forms of the various dharmas; internally, he stands firm within the First Principle."