The Master then pointed to the old man’s heart with his walking staff and gave him the following instruction:

“Listen, Old Man! Look at the primordial evidence, the pure and perfect mind, It is without form or color, It has no centre or periphery. To begin with, it comes from nowhere, it is empty. To continue, it remains nowhere, it is empty. To end, it goes nowhere, it is empty. Empty, it does not exist in any way. If you know the essence of what you see as clear and limpid, you will know the natural empty essence by yourself. You will have understood the true nature of phenomena. You will see the fundamental nature of mind. You will ascertain the natural state of the ultimate reality of things, and you will have cut through the projections onto knowable phenomena.

Because pure and perfect mind cannot be defined as a thing, it naturally remains present within you. And because you never find it anywhere else, it is easy for you to realize the ultimate reality of phenomena. The reality of mind has nothing to do with subject and object, it transcends the limits of eternalism and nihilism. There is nothing that attains enlightenment, because the perfect enlightened one himself is simply the primordial evidence within you.

“Since you understand that you have the ultimate Reality of phenomena within you, without partiality or category, no more studies to do!”

Once practiced in this way, gradual meditation is no different from contemplation. By recognizing everything as a friend, the clarity of experience is no longer obscured, the ultimate nature of phenomena is no longer interrupted, and your action knows no limits. No matter what the situation, there is no more going back and forth in the ultimate Reality of phenomena. Once this is realized, even if your body is old, in the pure and perfect mind there is no old age! Neither youth nor old age!

Because there is no partiality or category in the ultimate Reality of phenomena, when you know the essence within you, that primordial knowledge of the Reality of phenomena, the primordial evidence, it does not matter whether your sense faculties are sharp or dull. Since you understand that you have the ultimate Reality of phenomena within you, without partiality or category, no more studies to do! A body is just a reflection of matter and mind, whereas in the Body of Reality, the primordial knowledge, the primordial evidence, there is no interruption. Since unchanging stability is achieved, there is no more short or long life! So it is said.

Old Man, practice this ascertained reality. Adopt a continuous practice. Do not confuse words with their meanings. Do not separate yourself from your friend perseverance. Maintain the nature of the mind by the thoroughness of recollection. Take no pleasure in idle talk and gossip. Do not become entangled in worldly cares. Do not attach too much importance to family problems. Develop no great attachment to food and drink. Think of death daily. Life is short, generate perseverance! So practice this instruction for an old man near death.”