The last two sentences of this poem by Master Huineng, the sixth ancestor, are: I heard that if you practice according to this, heaven is only at present.
It comes from "Six Ancestors Tanjing" (III) written by Master Huineng in the Tang Dynasty. The whole poem is as follows:
Why bother to observe precepts when you are calm, and why practice meditation when you are straight. Grace is close to adoptive parents, while righteousness is pity. Let's be humble and harmonious, while forbearance is all evil without noise.
If you can drill wood to make a fire, the mud will surely produce red lotus. Bitter taste is good medicine, but harsh words are good advice. To mend one's ways will give birth to wisdom, and to protect one's shortcomings is not virtuous.
it's not about giving money to do good things every day. Bodhi only seeks from the heart, so why bother to seek metaphysics from the outside? I heard that if you practice according to this, heaven is only at present.
translation: why bother to observe precepts when you are equal in heart? Where is the need to practice meditation when you are upright? Knowing how to repay one's kindness can make you filial to your adoptive parents, and understanding righteousness can make you feel sorry for each other. Knowing humility can lead to respect and harmony, and being able to endure humiliation can stop all evils. If drilling wood can produce flames, mud will certainly grow red lotus.
bitter taste is good medicine, but hard to hear must be good advice. After correcting mistakes, wisdom can be born, and those who cover their shortcomings are not wise in their hearts. Usually do more useful things, and the road to success is not necessarily due to giving money. Bodhi only looks inward, so there is no need to look outward for mystery. Listen to this sermon and practice according to this, and heaven is in sight.
Extended information
The Six Ancestors' Tanjing, the full name of which is the Tanjing of Mahayana Prajna Paramita Sutra, the highest Mahayana in South Zongdun religion, was written by Hui Neng, the founder of Zen Buddhism in Shaozhou. A classic collected by disciple Fahai and others.
The Six Ancestors' Tanjing records Hui Neng's life-long story of getting the Dharma and teaching his disciples. It is rich in content and popular in writing, which is an important basis for studying the origin of Zen thought.
The central idea of Six Ancestors' Tanjing is the Buddha-nature theory of "seeing nature as a Buddha" or "the mind is a Buddha" and the practice view of "seeing nature with an epiphany". The so-called "only preach the law of seeing nature, and the evil Sect was born." Sex refers to the possibility of all beings becoming Buddhas.
The Six Ancestors Tanjing is "China's first vernacular work".
Hui Neng advocated the method of epiphany in Caoxi, and advocated that there should be no writing, no teaching outside, pointing to people's hearts, seeing nature as a Buddha, and replacing tedious righteousness with popular and simple practice methods, which became more and more popular and became the mainstream of Zen Buddhism. Hui Neng can't write or read the scriptures, but he is quite clear about the Diamond Sutra, Vimala Sutra, Lengga Sutra, Viewing Endless Life Sutra, Hokkekyo, Nirvana Sutra and Brahma Sutra.
Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Six Ancestors Tanjing