Chinese text of Chan Buddhism, attributed to Niutou Farong (594–657)
TheXin Ming, or "Mind Inscription" (Chinese:心銘), also rendered in theWade-Giles romanization asHsin ming, is aChan Buddhist text attributed to Niutou Farong (牛頭法融; 594–657), whom theOxhead School regarded as its founder. TheXin Ming can be found in chapter thirty of theJingde chuandeng lu. It is not to be confused with the famousXinxin Ming, or "Faith-Mind Inscription" (also found in chapter thirty of theJingde chuandeng lu), which is a related but separate text.
Question of authorship and relationship to other texts
Although attributed to Niutou Farong (牛頭法融; 594–657), theXin Ming can be grouped together with a number of earlyChan texts which were probably composed sometime during the eighth or ninth century. These texts exhibit a similarity of lexical terms and doctrinal content, and include: theJueguan lun (絶觀論,'Treatise on Cutting Off Contemplation'), theWuxin lun (無心論,'Treatise on No-mind'), theXinwang Ming (心王銘,'Mind King Inscription'), and theXinxin Ming (信心銘,'Faith-Mind Inscription').[1]
John McRae doubts that theXin Ming can be attributed to Niutou Farong.[2] According to Henrik Sorensen, although no definitive proof exists that theXin Ming was authored by Niutou Farong, a number of points, as well as style and content, allow for the text to be associated with Farong and the Oxhead School.[3] Sorensen also observes the similarity between it and theJueguan lun, and says, "there seems to be little doubt that they are both the product, if not by the same author, then at least by followers of the same type of Ch'an doctrine."[4] According to Yanagida Seizan, theJueguan lun is either by Farong or one of his close disciples.[5]
Sorensen further notes the close affinity, both in content and style, between theXin Ming and the famousXinxin Ming (Faith-Mind Inscription).[6] Additionally, Robert Sharf points out that the well-knownXinxin Ming closely resembles theXin Ming and it has been suggested by some scholars that theXinxin Ming was intended as an "improvement" on the earlierXin Ming.[7] Although the famousXinxin Ming is traditionally attributed to the third Chan patriarchSengcan, this is not taken seriously by scholarship, and both it and the earlierXin Ming are considered to be associated with theOxhead School.[8]
Sharf observes that theXin Ming and the slightly later, and more famous,Xinxin Ming (Faith-Mind Inscription), bear a close resemblance to each other, and points to theOxhead School associations of both texts.[9] A term that occurs in both works is self-illumination (自照,zizhao), and in theXin Ming one finds the following:
Bodhi exists originally It has no need of being preserved Afflictions have no intrinsic existence They do not need to be eradicated Numinous knowing is self-illuminated [自照,zizhao] The myriad dharmas return to Thusness There is no return, no receiving Cut off contemplation, forget preservation[10][note 1]
One can also find in this passage a rejection of the notion of "maintaining" or "preserving" (守,shou). According to Kuno, theXin Ming exhibits opposition to "maintaining mind" (守心,shouxin), a contemplative practice of theNorthern School.[12] Henrik Sorensen likewise observes that theXin Ming contains references to, and rejections of, the practice ofshouxin.[13] For example: "By grasping the mind and maintaining [守,shou] stillness, one will still not be able to leave behind the sickness (of clinging)."[14] Commenting on the points in common between theXin Ming and theXinxin Ming, Dusan Pajin observes the similarity between theXin Ming's admonition against using the mind to maintain tranquility and a stanza in theXinxin Ming in which one finds: "To use the mind to hold the mind / Is it not a great mistake?"[15]
Sorensen notes the presence of terms commonly associated withDaoism in theXin Ming, such aswuwei (無為,'non-doing'):[16]
Enjoying the Dao is calming Wandering at ease in the truly real Nothing to do [無為,wuwei], nothing to attain Relying on nothing, appearing naturally[17]
Sorensen also observes the appearance in theXin Ming of the Daoist termziran (自然,'naturalness, spontaneity').[18] This term occurs twice in the text, both times in connection with brightness (明,míng):
Without unifying, without dispersing Neither quick nor slow Bright, peaceful and naturally so [明寂自然,míng jì zìrán] It cannot be reached by words[19]
And also:
Do not extinguish ordinary feeling Only teach putting opinions to rest When opinions are no more, the heart ceases When heart is no more, practice is cut off There is no need to prove the Void It is naturally bright and penetrating [自然明徹,zìrán míng chè][20][note 2]
TheXin Ming has been translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen in the Journal ofChinese Philosophy Vol.13, 1986, pp. 101–120;[24][25] and also by Chan MasterSheng Yen inSong of Mind: Wisdom from the Zen Classic Xin Ming,Shambhala Publications 2004. See also Sheng Yen,The Poetry of Enlightenment, Poems by Ancient Chan Masters, pages 31–43, Shambhala Publications, 2006. Most recently, it has been translated into English by Randolph S. Whitfield inRecords of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 8, Chan Poetry and Inscriptions, pages 89–95, Books on Demand, 2020.
^See here for the same term, self-illumination (自照,zizhao), in the relatedXinxin Ming (Faith-Mind Inscription):
"Nothing remains Nothing is harboured in memory Void, clear, self-illumining [自照,zizhao] The heart-strength does not struggle It is not the place of calculated thinking Difficult for understanding and sentiment to fathom In the Dharma realm of true Suchness There is no other, no self"[11]
^For another example of the termswuwei andziran in a Chan Buddhist source, see the following, attributed to Baozhi:
"Wuwei, the great Dao, self-existent [自然,ziran] No use to weigh it with the heart"[21]
Alternative translation by Cleary:
"The uncontrived Great Way is natural and spontaneous; you don't need to use your mind to figure it out."[22]
According to Jinhua Jia, although a number of Chan verses, including the above, have been attributed to theLiang dynasty figure Baozhi, these are likely products of theHongzhou school, which flourished during theTang dynasty.[23]
^Robert Sharf. Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism, A Reading of the Treasure Store Treatise, page 47, University of Hawai'i Press, 2002
^John McRae. The Ox-head School of Chinese Ch'an Buddhism: From Early Ch'an to the Golden Age, in Studies in Ch'an and Hua-yen, edited by Robert M. Gimello and Peter Gregory, page 208, University of Hawai'i Press, 1983
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 105
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 104
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 104
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 105
^Robert Sharf. Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism, A Reading of the Treasure Store Treatise, page 48, University of Hawai'i Press, 2002
^Robert Sharf. Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism, A Reading of the Treasure Store Treatise, page 48, University of Hawai'i Press, 2002
^Robert Sharf. Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism: A Reading of the Treasure Store Treatise, page 48, University of Hawai'i Press, 2002
^Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 8, Chan Poetry and Inscriptions, translated by Randolph S. Whitfield, page 91 (for the Chinese, see page 240, note 370), Books on Demand, 2020
^Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 8, Chan Poetry and Inscriptions, translated by Randolph Whitfield, page 88 (for the Chinese, see page 240, note 356), Books on Demand, 2020
^John McRae. The Ox-head School of Chinese Ch'an Buddhism: From Early Ch'an to the Golden Age, in Studies in Ch'an and Hua-yen, edited by Robert M. Gimello and Peter Gregory, page 208, University of Hawai'i Press, 1983
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 116, note 57; page 117, note 69
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 106
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 104
^Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 8, Chan Poetry and Inscriptions, translated by Randolph S. Whitfield, page 95 (for the Chinese, see page 241, note 384), Books on Demand, 2020
^The "Hsin-Ming" Attributed to Niu-t'ou Fa-jung, translated into English by Henrik H. Sorensen, in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.13, 1986, page 104
^Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 8, Chan Poetry and Inscriptions, translated by Randolph S. Whitfield, page 91 (for the Chinese, see page 240, note 368), Books on Demand, 2020
^Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 8, Chan Poetry and Inscriptions, translated by Randolph S. Whitfield, page 92 (for the Chinese see page 241, note 375), Books on Demand, 2020
^Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 8, Chan Poetry and Inscriptions, translated by Randolph S. Whitfield, page 38 (for the Chinese, see page 232, note 110), Books on Demand, 2020
^The Zen Reader, edited by Thomas Cleary, page 9, Shambhala Publications, 2012
^Jinhua Jia. The Hongzhou School of Chan Buddhism in Eighth- through Tenth-Century China, pages 89-95, State University of New York Press, 2006
