2nd translation. As with my first translation, help in correcting is very much appreciated!

观呼吸 (Contemplating/observing breathing)
(2012-08-02 11:00:07)
智者坐在那里观呼吸,
他不说“我在呼吸”、“我在呼吸”……
那样是在强化一个虚幻的、不存在的“我”!
也不符合事实真相。
The Wise One sits there contemplating/observing breathing,
He does not say "I am breathing", "I am breathing"....
That would be solidifying a delusional, non-existent "self"!
And it does not match with the truth of things.
“呼——吸”、“呼——吸”……
他观察到,其中没有呼吸的人、也没有被呼吸的人。
呼吸在进行,就像天地起落的风;
就像风来回在一片枊叶之旁。
"Breathe in ------- Breathe out", "Breathe in ------- Breathe out"...
He notices that, in it there is no person who is breathing, and there is no person who is being-breathed.
Breathing is on-going, like the wind rising and falling in the sky and earth (world).
It is just like wind going back and forth at the side of a willow leaf.
在呼吸之中,
没有一个独立的造作者,也不存在一个承受造作的人。
是胸,是肺,是骨,是髓,是血,是肉,
是心、是念……,是诸缘造成了呼吸!
In the midst of breathing,
There is no independent doer, there does not exist a person who is the feeler of action.
It is the chest, it is the lungs, it is the bones, it is the marrow, it is the blood, it is the flesh,
it is the mind, it is the thought...., it is various conditions that is causing breathing!
当他长吸气,他了了分明他在长吸气,
但他不认为是他在吸气,
是他在吸气的诸缘中,又加入了一个“我作长吸气”的念,
于是长吸气发生。
When he is breathing in long, he clearly comprehends that he is breathing in long,
but he does not reckon that it is he who is breathing in,
Rather it is that within the various conditions of his breathing in, one imputes another layer of thought "I am doing the breathing in long"
Therefore breathing-in long happens.
当他长呼气,他了了分明他在长呼气,
但他不认为是他在呼气,
是他在呼气的诸缘中,又加入了一个“我作长呼气”的念,
于是长呼气发生。
When he is breathing out long, he clearly comprehends that he is breathing out long,
But he does not reckon that it is he who is breathing out,
Rather it is that within the various conditions of his breathing out, he imputed another layer of thought "I am doing the breathing out long"
Therefore breathing-out long happens.
当他短吸气,他了了分明他在短吸气,
但他不认为是他在吸气,
是他在吸气的诸缘中,又加入了一个“我作短吸气”的念,
于是短吸气发生。
When he is breathing in short, he clearly comprehends that he is breathing in short,
But he does not reckon that it is he who is breathing in,
Rather it is that within the various conditions of his breathing in, he imputed another layer of thought "I am doing the breathing in short"
Therefore breathing-in short happens.
当他短呼气,他了了分明他在短呼气,
但他不认为是他在呼气,
是他在呼气的诸缘中,又加入了一个“我作短呼气”的念,
于是短呼气发生。
When he is breathing out short, he clearly comprehends that he is breathing out short,
But he does not reckon that it is he who is breathing out,
Rather it is that within the various conditions of his breathing out, he imputed another layer of thought "I am doing the breathing out short"
Therefore breathing-out short happens.
深观呼吸者,归依风界;
深观呼吸者,了见诸法无我!
深观呼吸者,看见了因缘法;
因看见了因缘法,他看见了如来!
Deeply contemplating the breather, returning and relying/taking refuge in the element of wind/air;
Deeply contemplating the breather, seeing with insight that all dharmas are without self!
Deeply contemplating the breather, seeing the dharma of dependent origination;
Because of seeing the dharma of dependent origination, he sees the Thus Come One [Buddha]!
如观呼吸一样,
智者观想“受、想、行、识”——
于诸受中,智人不见造作者,不见承受者;
于“想、行、识”中,也是这样。
Just like contemplating/observing the breathing,
The Wise One contemplates "feelings, perception, volition and consciousness" ----
And within all feelings, The Wise One does not conceive of a doer, does not conceive of a feeler;
And within "perception, volition and consciousness", it is also likewise.
观呼吸,可以入法界;
智者深观一切法,皆能通达诸法实相,见证如来!
呼吸是个入口,
一切色、受、想、行、识,皆是入口。
By contemplating/observing breathing, it is possible to enter the Dharmadhatu;
The Wise One deeply contemplates/observes all dharmas, thereby could understand the reality of all dharmas, and witness the Thus Come One [Buddha]!
Breathing is an entry-point,
All forms, feelings, perceptions, volition, and consciousness are all entry points.
智者坐在那里观呼吸,
他观见虚空藏菩萨,观见风神,
观见三世一切如来,
呼——吸、呼——吸,他就像天地。
The Wise One sits there contemplating/observing breathing,
He perceives the Ākāśagarbha bodhisattva (bodhisattva of boundless space treasury), perceives the god of the wind,
perceives all the Thus Come Ones [Buddhas] of the three times,
Breathe in --------- Breathe out. Breathe in --------- Breathe out. He is just like heaven and earth.”

This is my attempt at translating an article from http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5b4d23f60102dyuk.html by "One Thought Traveler". But before that let me translate something by him in 2011 explaining the meaning of "One Thought Traveler".

一念行者,One Thought Traveler,
一个走在路上、站在街上或坐在椅子里的人。A person who is walking on the road, standing on the streets or sitting on a chair.
以心为田,Taking mind as the field,
以字为籽,Taking words as seeds,
以书当种,Taking books as seeds,
春耕夏锄,spring ploughing and summer weeding,
心灵老农。an old farmer of mind and spirit.
没有过去,也没有未来,There is no past, and also no future,
仅有当下一个不停变幻着的念头。there is purely this present thought that is ceaselessly fluctuating.
身份:一念; Identity: one thought
名字:一念; Name: one thought
全部的所有:一念。The entirety of everything: one thought.
一念行者,一念觉行。One thought traveler, one thought awareness action.
一念何物?谁是行者?What is one thought? Who is the traveler?

一念,心上过客。One thought, a passerby of mind.
心中只有念头,Within mind there is only one thought,
一念即是行者,That one thought is the traveler,
行者即是一念。That traveler is just that one thought.
念头为心行者,Thought is mind's traveler,
除此一念,Apart from one thought,
别无它物,There is nothing else,
别无人,There is no other person,
别无行者。There is no other traveler,
一念在行,One thought is traveling,
不停不驻,Without stopping nor staying,
本就行者,it already is the traveler,
故名一念行者。Therefore it is called one thought traveler.






The following is the first article expressing insight of anatta as far as I can trace. If you know Chinese and can help correct and improve this translation, please inform me. Thank you!

自性之论 The Doctrine of Self-Nature
(2012-02-01 09:32:26)


诸菩萨摩诃萨,
不要因为我说自性就以为有自性,
并且以为自性是实有。
自性无性!


All Bodhisattva Mahasattvas,

Do not think that there is a self-nature just because I said "self-nature",
And thereby think that self-nature is truly existing.
Self-nature is without nature!



一切法无自性,
一切我无自性,
一切心无自性。


All dharmas are without self-nature,
All selves are without self-nature,
All minds are without self-nature.


诸有情众生,
常常将觉性视为我之自性,
并非如此;
觉性无性!


All sentient beings,
often deem awareness-nature as one's self-nature,
(but) it is actually not so;

awareness-nature is without nature!


诸有情之心,以觉性为依托;
若无觉性,即无众生之心。
诸有情之觉性,以十二有为相为依托,
若无十二有为相即无觉性。


All sentient [beings'] minds, are supported by awareness-nature;

if there is no awareness-nature, there will not be sentient being's mind.
All sentient being's awareness-nature are supported by the appearance of twelve sense bases,
If there are no appearances of twelve sense bases, there is no awareness-nature.


诸众生之心坐落在觉性上,
犹如你坐在蒲垫上;
诸众生之觉性坐落在十二有为相上,

犹如你坐在床铺上。

All sentient beings' minds are situated/located at awareness-nature,
just like you're sitting on a cushion,
all sentient beings' awareness is situated/located at the twelve sense bases' appearances,
just as if you're sitting on a bed.

 
诸众生十二有为相坐落在六根上,
若无六根,即无觉心;
若无觉心,即无觉性;
若无觉性,即无自性! 


All sentient beings' twelve conditioned sense bases' appearances are situated/located at the six sense faculties,
if there are no six sense faculties, there is no awareness-mind;
if there is no awareness-mind, there is no awareness-nature;
if there is no awareness-nature, there is no self-nature!


在眼的见性,以明与暗为依托而存在;
在耳的闻性,以动与静为依托而存在;
在鼻的嗅性,以通与塞为依托而存在;
在舌的尝性,以甜苦与淡为依托而存在;
在身的觉性,以合与离为依托而存在;
在意的知性,以生与灭为依托而存在。


The seeing-nature dependent on the eyes, exists because of being supported by brightness and darkness,
the hearing-nature dependent on the ears, exists because of being supported by movement and stillness,
the smelling-nature dependent on the nose, exists because of being supported by penetration and obstruction,
the tasting-nature dependent on the tongue, exists because of being supported by sweetness, bitterness and blandness,
the sensing/awareness-nature dependent on the body, exists because of being supported by contact with and separation from (objects of touch)
the knowing-nature dependent on thought, exists because of being supported by arising and cessation.


倘若见性抽去明与暗相,见性在哪里?
倘若闻性抽去动与静相,闻性在哪里?
倘若嗅性抽去通与塞相,嗅性在哪里?
倘若尝性抽去甜苦与淡相,尝性在哪里?
倘 若觉性抽去离与合相,觉性在哪里?
倘若知性抽去生与灭相,知性在哪里?


If we remove brightness and darkness from seeing-nature, where is seeing-nature?
If we remove movement and stillness from hearing-nature, where is hearing-nature?
If we remove penetration and obstruction from smelling-nature, where is smelling-nature?
If we remove sweetness, bitterness and blandness from tasting-nature, where is tasting-nature?
If we remove contact with and separation from (objects of touch) from sensing/awareness-nature, where is sensing/awareness-nature?
If we remove arising and cessation from knowing-nature, where is knowing-nature?


明 相易逝,暗相难失,见性与暗相紧密相合故,
菩萨摩诃萨见见相不灭;以见相不灭故,以为见性是常;

以 见性是常故,菩萨摩诃萨以为见性有自性。
是则不然。


The appearance of brightness is easy to pass/transient, the appearance of darkness is difficult to lose, because seeing-nature and the appearance of darkness are closely-knitted,
Bodhisattva Mahasattvas seeing that seeing-appearances does not cease; take the non-ceasing of seeing-appearance to mean that the seeing-nature is permanent;
and because of this [conceived] permanency of seeing-nature, thereby Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that seeing-nature has self-nature.
In actuality it is not so.

 
动 相易去,静相难除,闻性与静相紧密相合故,
菩萨摩诃萨见闻相不灭;以闻相不灭故,以为闻性是常;

以 闻性是常故,菩萨摩诃萨以为闻性有自性。
是则不然。


The appearance of movement is easy to pass, the appearance of stillness is difficult to be rid if, hearing-nature and the appearance of stillness are closely knitted, therefore
Bodhisattva Mahasattvas seeing that hearing-appearance is not ceasing; take the non-ceasing of hearing-appearance to mean that hearing-nature is permanent;
and because of this [conceived] permanency of hearing-nature, Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that hearing-nature has self-nature.
In actuality it is otherwise.


以相类故,
菩萨摩诃萨以为嗅性有自性,
菩萨摩诃萨以为尝性有自性,
菩萨摩诃萨以为觉性有自性,
菩萨摩诃萨以为知性有自性。


Because of similar (reasons),
Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that smelling-nature has self-nature.
Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that tasting-nature has self-nature.
Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that awareness/sensing-nature has self-nature.
Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that knowing-nature has self-nature.

是则不然!
夜晚无所梦中,
一切法尘不再旋复,十二有为相不复显隐,
汝知觉性,居于何处?
自性无性,因缘显性!


In actuality it is otherwise!
When there are no dreams whatsoever in the night,
all dharma-dusts are no longer spinning, the twelve conditioned sense bases' appearances are no longer appearing nor disappearing,
Where is awareness-nature residing?

Self-nature is without nature, nature manifests according to causes and conditions!



六根自尘相难除故,
十二有为相流转故,
菩萨摩诃萨以为知性不灭,

以知不灭故以为自性是常,
以自性常故以为自性有性,
是则不然!
诸菩萨菩萨摩诃萨,
自性无性,缘起性故!


Because it is difficult to be rid of the dusts [sense objects] appearances of the six sense faculties,

and due to the flowing of the twelve conditioned sense bases' appearances,

Bodhisattva Mahasattvas thought that the kno
wing-nature is not-ceasing
because of this [conceived] permanency of knowing, [mistakenly] think that self-nature is eternal,

and based on the permanency of self-nature, think that self-nature has a nature.

In actuality it is otherwise!

All Bodhisattva Mahasattvas,

Self-nature is without nature, due to the nature of dependent origination!



(Thusness advised me to remove some later parts which he and I thought are confusing and lacks clarity.)


Andrew Campbell wrote in Dharma Connection:

If you look really closely at 'now' there is never a particular moment that is not absolutely unique. This absolute uniqueness of every part of 'now' is very interesting. 'Always fresh' means that each part of 'now' has never arisen before and so each apparent arising is absolutely a unique, never before seen or tasted. Completely new. BUT look even closer at these unique moments and you see that they are so unique they never have time to come into being as 'unique things'. 'Now' is so fresh, so extremely fresh, that it never comes into being as something that is not new or unique and this uniqueness is so acute that 'things' can't get a duration unless we give them a duration. This absolute uniqueness without duration is what is called 'non-arising, unborn' and is also a glimpse at effortless self-liberation. It's also what 'appearing emptiness' is. Seeing this is also the basis of understanding natural non-fixation. This way of seeing is how we bring different meditation approaches of shamatha and vipashyana together. It's also an understanding of equality.
Found this Chinese blog, I guess most of you readers will not be able to read it... it's something for Chinese readers only. This is the first time I found experiential narration of anatta insight in Chinese. The blogger has a very powerful way of expressing his insights in Chinese... something I will never be able to achieve (my command of Chinese is not that good and can't compare with those people in China). Thusness also noted that "IMO, he is the first person I find to be able to express so well the phases of insights with thorough clarity in Chinese version. The more I read, the more I fell in love with the site." He noted that so far he doesn't think he can find such clear expressions elsewhere not only in Chinese but even in English too.

The author's writings before 1st Feb 2012 are all on I AMness, he realized anatta on the 1st Feb 2012 (as far as I can trace). He is now into Anatta, Maha Suchness and Emptiness, and his recent writings often warn against mistaking I AMness/Brahman as Buddha-nature.


圆觉道场 http://blog.sina.com.cn/xnfm

It seems to be a rather popular blog in China, its viewership is almost 20 times higher than this blog. I'm trying to compile all his blog posts currently (300 pages and still not even halfway done!)

Meanwhile, I've translated Thusness 7 stages into Chinese. It still needs much improvement so any suggestions are very appreciated.

Update: completed compiling posts (mainly those from Feb 2012 onwards). doc: https://app.box.com/s/eqqo8f3z71zgjr2j4f2t pdf: https://app.box.com/s/jcscho5o6g1uuaahe8ej

752 pages in total! Printed for my mom.