修行的法門以色法而言，隨眾生的八萬四千種、千千萬萬種心性，亦相對地產生八萬四千種，千千萬萬種。所謂「色」，即指有形可狀，有相可模者。有形相的法門大別之有禪、教、律、密五大宗；細分之，則不只八萬四千種。一個人再聰明，窮其畢生精力，恐怕也難以學完學透，因此「一門深入」之說應運而起。
所謂一門深入，顧名思義自然是在那八萬四千法門中，擇取一門而登堂入室了！但是哪一門最好呢？最方便？最得力？最究竟？人每因其意之所好、性之所近、感之所應、擇一而從之。於是乎，有盡形壽念佛持咒者，有畢其生研究經論著者，有一其心參禪守戒者。名家自是其是，各非人非，「入者主之，出者奴之，入者附之，出者汙之。」門戶之見，層出不窮，派系之爭，屢見不鮮。這真是著於色相了！是故云：「以色相見者，必著於色相。」
達者觀之，但覺這類蚊蟻之爭，只是劃地之限，徒招困擾而已。所謂：「一本萬殊」，「萬法歸一」，「他山之石可以攻錯」，「一經通，經經通」。無論修持任何一種法門，要想有所成就，一定都要以專心致志為先決條件；而所謂專心致志，亦即制心一處。失去此一條件，任何法門也修不成。不信？但請縱覽今昔，橫觀十方，你定會發現：沒有任何一個人，做任何一種事，學任何一種法，卻心有旁騖而還能有所成就的！
故修行的法門，雖然在色法上分出許多種；依心法而言，卻只有一種，就是制心一處。行者若只有在形相中妄計分別，就算選了任何一門，充其量只謂之「入」，還談不上「深」。必須在精神領域更上層樓，放寬視野，方能做一正確選擇；然後，收斂心神對準目標，全力以赴，方能深入其境，品嘗醍醐妙味。到那時，一多無礙，彼此相通真可謂「無入而不自得」了。故云：修行的法門雖多，要能一門深入；而一門深入的精神，就在制心一處。 |
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Corresponding to the 84,000 (countless) kinds of minds and natures of living beings, there arise 84,000 (countless) Dharma doors (methods of practice) that have form and appearance. Such Dharma doors, which have tangible form, can generally be divided into the Chan, Teaching, Vinaya, Pure Land, and Esoteric Schools. If divided more finely, they are more than 84,000 in number. Even if the most intelligent person were to devote his entire life's energy to studying them, probably he would not be able to completely master them all. That's how the idea of “Deeply entering one door” came about.
eeply entering one door” literally means to select one of the 84,000 Dharma doors and study and understand it in depth. Which is the best door? Which is the most convenient and effective, the most ultimate? Each person should make his own selection according to his personal inclinations and needs. There are people who recite the Buddha's name or a certain mantra all their lives. Others spend their lives studying the Sutras and Shastras. Others focus on meditation or moral discipline. Each person claims their own choice is the right one, and others’ choices are wrong. No matter which sect it is, “when they are in it, they advocate and support it. When they leave it, they scorn and slander it.” All kinds of sectarian views and factional differences arise. This is truly a case of attachment to appearances! And so it's said, “Those who see only the appearances of things are bound to become attached to appearances.”
When a wise person views the situation, he sees that people are only drawing boundaries amongst themselves and indulging in vain afflictions with their petty feuds. “One root has ten thousand ramifications.” “Ten thousand dharmas return to one.” “Others’ experiences can be lessons for us.” “When one Sutra is understood, all Sutras are understood.” No matter which Dharma door you cultivate, if you hope to succeed, you must concentrate single-mindedly. That is, you must focus your mind on one thing. If you can't fulfill this requirement, you won't succeed with any Dharma door. If you don't believe it, I invite you to search the past and present and all the ten directions. You will not find any person who has ever successfully accomplished a task or studied a Dharma when his mind was on something else.
Therefore, although there are formally many different kinds of Dharma doors, in terms of the mind, there is only one kind--that of single-minded concentration. If a cultivator only makes vain discriminations about form and appearance, then even if he selects one door to enter, he cannot enter it deeply. He must advance spiritually and broaden his outlook before he can make a proper choice. Then, focusing his mind and attention and clearly recognizing his goal, he must put forth his full strength. Only then can he really enter deeply and taste the wonderful flavor of ghee. At that point, the one and the many are unobstructed and everything mutually interpenetrates. There is no place where he is not at ease. Therefore, although there are many Dharma doors, we must be able to deeply enter one door. And the spirit of deeply entering one door lies in focusing the mind on a single point. |
