When the birdcage is open and the illusion of the false bird dies
the virtuous one recollects the unborn essence.
Transcending the sensory addicted mind, finding the gateless gate to its original source of perfection.
This is a black dragon’s greatest quality and truth
No delusion to reject, no things to transcend
What battle can find nourishment in such an un-transforming mind?
All things equal and thus sunyata,
True nature luminous and vast, obstructive notions of closed or open minds
eternally cessated.
This dragon, a magnificent defender of the true law cuts off a thousand heads from heretic misconceptions.
The true lotus free to blossom on its own accord
Mind unbound, uncreated, radiating in all ten directions
perfectly illuminating a thousand dharmas.
How can petty desire or delusion of the worldling recollect such a thousand-fold instant wisdom?
This most sacred and unborn mani-pearl is always radiant and clear.
Who is he to defile its original bright nature with notions of good or evil?
The pure desire to awake is what drove Prince Gautama to recollect what was always there for him.
Guided by the light of countless Tathagatas
Allowing the true essence anteceding personal experience, he entered the luminous non-personal way of the Thus come Thus gone.
So obscured and hidden to the ordinary sensory clinging mind.
The form skandha transcended, all bodies of desire vanished.
The sensation skandha transcended, the vanity of grasping revealed.
The conceptual skandha bypassed, notions of life and death cessated.
The volition skandha calmed, perfect freedom to free the suffering.
The sensory consciousness crushed, the foul architect instantly evaporated.
Thus:
Black Dragons like Bodhidharma and Tsung-Mi
intended to enable people to realize the dark penetration.
Pointing straight at the secret entrance of the dragon’s lair
leading to the principle of the Unborn transcending all delusions of duality or non-duality.
Effortlessly emanating awesome light from countless Tathagatas correcting the erroneous way of the bewitched turning their attention towards the great mystery.
In this dharma ending age,
how many are fortunate enough to encounter such a sage?