Non-Outflow 無漏 from Collection of Rain Blossoms

When hidden poisons seep through the senses, it is called outflow. Image: Shutterstock.

Outflow (漏) means worldly worries and troubles. But let me ask you—if it already means the burdens of the mind, why also call it outflow? It’s because the poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance are not always completely free from us. Some remain hidden inside, and little by little they seep through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. They flow into the world of the senses and stir up more restless troubles. In short, outflow is the leaking of hidden poisons that carry us onto the path of greed, anger, and ignorance.

The State of Non-Outflow

Now, what about non-outflow (無漏)? This is where the healing begins. It is the start of ending all that leaks through. When we reach this state, the mind grows calm and the true nature shines bright. Even with our eyes closed, we can see all that lies ahead. Step by step, this leads to the complete ending of outflow.

As we walk the Buddha’s path, the greatest danger is outflow. Think of it this way: imagine a tall building or a strong cliff wall. At first, there may be only a tiny crack, a drop of water dripping day and night. But in time, a small leak becomes a great leak, and a small hole becomes a great hole. Finally, the building collapses, and even the strongest cliff breaks apart. In the same way, even the smallest spillovers, if left unchecked, will wear us down and break us apart. This is why guarding against outflow is so important. After we have built up discipline, concentration, and wisdom, we must go further—we must learn how to guard the mind and keep it whole.

Walking the Middle Way

At the heart of the Buddha’s teaching is the Middle Way. There is only this one path. And to walk it well, we must face both sides of the mind. One side is called “that mind,” and the other side is called “this mind.”

That mind means being tied up by the outside world—by sights, sounds, names, and appearances. This mind means letting misguided thoughts rise up inside us.

But here is the key: when both this mind and that mind come to rest, the two sides vanish. And when no sides remain, the middle too is gone. That is the Middle Way. And when it is touched, it is not just a thought—it is a living awakening.

無漏

 雨花集

濟公活佛

漏者，煩惱也。既稱煩惱，何以又叫漏？就因為我們在貪嗔癡等毒中，有些未能徹底，因此時常向眼耳鼻舌身意諸根塵漏泄流注，導入煩惱，故曰漏。又因煩惱能漏落三毒道，故亦名漏。

無漏就是漏盡之始，如果能達到無漏境界，當然已成心靜性明，未來一切，闔眼便見，漸而成為漏盡矣。

我們學佛，就忌是漏。猶之大廈之牆，石壁之穴，雖涓滴之水，日夜不息，小漏而成大漏，小穴而成大穴，大廈豈有不傾？石壁雖固，非塌不可。是以無漏二字，為修好戒定慧之後，務必要明務漏之法也。

又佛法要門，只有中道一途，並務兩邊。何謂兩邊？所謂有此心有彼心。外縛聲色名，謂之彼心；內起妄念，謂之此心。既務彼此，則顯無兩邊；既無兩邊，何有中間？所謂中道，悟者當知其意也。

This translated text is a chapter from Collection of Rain Blossoms, a scripture written by JiGong Living Buddha in the 1900s through spirit writing. Here the link to the original Chinese source.

If you are interested in other chapters of this book, here is the link to the table of contents.