問：「性、識、意、心，有什麼分別？」

Q: What are the differences between the nature, the consciousness, the intent, and the mind?

答：小孩子剛生出來時，活活潑潑的，無人、無我、無眾生、無壽者，這時可說是「性」。一知道吃奶了，「識」就增加。吃奶之後，又懂得穿衣服，不穿就會冷，不穿就覺得羞恥；知道飢渴寒暑，這就是「意」了。等到長大，想要這個，想要那個，這就是有「心」了。本來這是四種心，可是也可說是一個，互相有連帶關係，不可分開，是同一家。雖說有四個名詞，但是它本性是一樣的，它根本的罪魁就是「業」。  

A: Newborn babies are active and lively, and they have no concept of self, others, living beings, or a life span. You could call what they have the "nature." As soon as they start to nurse, their "consciousness" increases. After learning to nurse, they learn to wear clothes, because without clothes they feel cold and they feel embarrassed. When they become aware of hunger, thirst, cold, and heat, that's the "intent." Then when they grow up and start wanting this and wanting that, they have a "mind." These are basically four kinds of minds, but they could also be said to be one, because they are interrelated and cannot be separated. They are the same family. Although there are four names, their fundamental nature is the same. Their basic defiled cause is "karma."

再擴大來說，什麼叫「佛」？我們的「性」叫佛。什麼叫神？「識」是神。「意」是分別心，「心」是盡打妄想。再說，「性」本是圓陀陀、光灼灼，無人、無我，不落二三。但一有「識」，就落二落三，有所分別。「意」也是有分別，又叫第六識，比較混濁。而第七、第八識則比較清淨。識有八種，眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六識，加第七、第八識。識本非有八識，而是名詞上有八個，但總機關是一，而有八個崗位。雖然有八個崗位，可是都由識來支配控制，八而一，一而八；八不礙一，一不礙八。從一可生八，從八又可回到一，這是識。

To expand upon this, what is the "Buddha"? Our "nature" is the Buddha. What is the spirit? The "consciousness" is the spirit. The "intent" is the discriminating mind, and the "mind" is what constantly engages in idle thinking. Further, the "nature" is originally perfect and bright, with no concept of self or others, and no falling into a second or third level of truth. But as soon as there is "consciousness," one falls into a second or third level of truth, and one makes discriminations. The "intent" also makes discriminations, and it is also called the sixth consciousness. It is relatively turbid, while the seventh and eighth consciousnesses are more pure. There are eight kinds of consciousness: the six consciousnesses of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and intent, and the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. Fundamentally, consciousness is not of eight kinds, although there are eight kinds in name. We could say that there is a single headquarters with eight departments under it. Although there are eight departments, they are controlled by the headquarters. The eight are one, and the one is eight. The eight don't contradict the one, and the one doesn't contradict the eight. From the one, the eight come forth. From eight, they can also return to one. That's the consciousness.

「意」就是分別心，也就是第六意識。「心」不單有分別，而且又妄想紛飛。至於六識，可以說是一種知覺性，就是從六根：眼耳鼻舌身意，發出見聞嗅嚐覺知。人造罪業也是在六根門頭，修行也是在六根門頭。若能不被外邊境界所轉，那就是修行；若被外邊境界轉，就是墮落。

The "intent" is the discriminating mind, the sixth consciousness. Not only does the "mind" make discriminations, it is filled with idle thoughts. The six consciousnesses can also be said to be a perceptive nature. That is, from the six sense organs--eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and intent--the functions of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and knowing arise. When people commit offenses, they do it with the six sense organs. When they cultivate, they also do it with the six sense organs. If you can remain unperturbed by external states, then you are cultivating. If you are turned by external states, then you will fall.