Interview with Reb Zalman | on Mystic Experience and Mysticism for a New Humanity

Interview with Reb Zalman on Mystic Experience and Mysticism for a New Humanity

Father of the Neo-Hasidic Jewish Renewal movement, Reb Zalman Scachter-Shalomi is widely considered one of the world's foremost authorities on Hasidism and Jewish mysticism, a leading spiritual elder of our time and recognized as a pioneer in ecumenical dialogue. This interview with Reb Zalman was conducted early August 2008.I opened up the interview by sharing how all the major enlightened beings, for example Moses, Buddha, Jesus or Muhammad, peace be upon them all, each has gone through initial mystical experiences at their time of enlightenment breakthrough. Sometime such experiences are perceived as outside experience (Burning Bush for Moses, mystical encounter with Archangel Garbriel for Prophet Muhammad) and sometime as inner experience (such as Buddha's awakening or receiving Quranic revelation in a lucid state for Muhammad). So we find mystical experiences very much at the heart of all tradition and thats where they started from.Now after encountering these inner experiences, all these enlightened beings came out to the market place (from personal inner practice to the society, world) and mostly interfaced with the general people at an outer level and gave practices, commandments, teachings which necessarily helped them to journey from an outer place (through rituals, prayer) to the same inner space which was the beginning point for them personally.

Secondly there has been an interesting shift in human consciousness where it seems humanity is getting ready to receive the inner teachings more directly. More and more people are learning about all faith tradition in a more universal way. Spiritual wisdom are becoming more accessible to all. There is also an unprecedented trend in a way that very recently we have discovered and translated ancient Dead Sea Scrolls, Hidden Gnostic Gospels, similarly mystical teachings of Kabbalah are getting accessible to general people which at one time not even Jews could access them. All the mystical schools and their teachings are now getting more and more light and attention. As if we are shifting towards the original mystical teachings.Given this as a backdrop, I asked Reb Zalman, how he envisions mysticism for a new humanity, for coming generations.

Reb Zalman began by saying, what I described (as above) is called Hagdamah in Jewish wisdom tradition, which means 'preparation for an opening'. Following is selection from his talk:

There was a brain scientist, Julian Jaynes and he wrote about two hemisphere, the right and left. He described that the people earlier were getting their spirituality as if a voice was speaking to them and this was right hemisphere experience. And I believe many of the people who spoke, and the voice of God came unto them and so on so forth, they saw it more as if were come from the outside because that's the way our nervous system works. And when you understand things about chakra, things about vibratory level - then there is a lot of history building up now.There was a time, an amazing time that was called 'the axial age' - that was the time when there were Socrates, Aristatole, Plato, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isiaha, Zarathustra, Mahavira, The Buddha, Lao Tzu, and Confucius. So the question is, close to this same time what did they get, what was happening? The answer is that all of them practiced some kind of inner practices work. And so like a photographic plate they were able to receive the revelation that was coming down at that time.

There is revelation that coming down and there is revelation that rising up. Right now what so amazing is that while in the past people didn't pay much attention to revelation rising up, infact they considered it to be as if it came from djinn, from demons and they didn't honor it enough because what is coming up is the consciousness of our Mother, the Earth. What coming down is very much Father God.

Some systems like Native America they speak about Father Sky and Mother Earth, that way.In Kabbalah they talk about Shekinah, the Divine Presence. So there is the Feminine, the Divine Presence is manifesting a lot more now than it did before. Before we were closing it off saying it is evil, it is wrong. Its like the way in which people look at sexuality and so on. Now what's happening is that these two revelations are beginning to meet. Whereas before people would practice all kind of austerity and they didn't want to have the body involved. Today with marshal art, tai-chi and with all these things we are beginning to honor the wisdom of the body and we are beginning to pay attention to feminine because its absolutely necessary for the survival of human being that we should find a way to heal our planet.There is a mysticism that comes from being in touch of the need of the planet. we have to do the redemptive work to pay attention to the planet. now when you look at the four yogas and you look at sharia, tariqat, marifat, haqiqat and you look in kabbalah the four letter of Divine name and you look at the word 'Allah' which has four levels too. And Alam al Malaqut, Jabarut and so and so forth - you realize these four keeps coming up. Earth, Water, Air and Fire. Sensation, feeling, reason and intuition - all of these keep coming up.

Part of it because God created us in such a way that we are hardwired, that is to say our brain operate that way. Then we have reptilian brain that is always making sure for our safety. Then we have an instinct of herd that comes from limbic brain. Then we have cortex which is the reasoning brain. Then we have so much brain which we don't even understand yet which is where intuition comes from. So when you think about Sirr, Batin all these words that we are using, what is zahir, at one point what was outside was not seen as conducive to spirituality, but now we beginning to honor the nature more that even a sunrise and sunset and all these things and even the nature that is in human being that is seen differently.So when you look at the word Quddush that has something to do even how the body, how a male and female relate to each other in a holy bond, in hebrew its called Qiddushin because it has something to do with the sense of holiness. So the mysticism that is coming now is not so much one of austerity as before; then you have, even the Buddha himself when he was going with the Shramanas that didn't lead him to enlightenment. But it was a prelude to enlightenment. If he hadn't done with the shramana, come directly out of the palace and sat under the tree, nothing would have happened. So you have to understand the organic connection, the discipline that led him to sit under the bodhi tree and get enlightenment. For Moses, for Musa Sallalahu alihi wasaalam, there he was a shepherd. If you sit in the desert, a lot of time you have to think about how things are going on and so on and so forth. Even then you have a sense that God used a way to fascinate him with the burning bush. And the sense of Miraaj is coming up for Islam.There is Alam-al-Mithaal. Most people think Alam-al-Mithaal as being some kind of hallucination. But Alam al-Mithal is a reality. Its translated as Mundus Imaginalis, the Imaginal World. You tell a story and the story is Mithal. For example when one say, as water runs down, so the divine grace runs down; so I use water as Mithal. Alam-al-Mithaal - you have realities that are emotional realities, they are realities of rooh (soul), not so much of nafs (psyche).Now the point is that we don't really have yet an integrated, an integral understanding how all these forces work together. This is where Vedanta was doing it in Hinduism, Kabbalah was doing it for Jews, and Sufism and Daoism - they were all giving some kind of a way. But upto now there hasn't been a way to integrate them all into say, what is found in the seven chakras, you can find the same in ten sefirot if you understand how sefirots work. All is describing the same spiritual reality.So the mysticism that people would not want to have anything to do because they thought it was all fancy hallucination and nothing real there. Now we are beginning to understand quantum realities, ancient medicine and all kind of other things. So whether we like it or not, mysticism comes in.

Next part on Reb Zalman's walking in the Sufi Path, and also his thoughts on Why Religious Reform is Necessary

On Traveling the Sufi Path Part 2
The following is the second part of an interview by Sadiq M. Alam with Dr. Stewart Bitkoff, author of the book ‘A Commuter’s Guide to Enlightenment‘.
Web: http://mysticsaint.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-traveling-sufi-path-interview-with.html

“Lets rememberwho we are…each momentis another opportunityto draw closer.”- Stewart Bitkoff

“As our society moves forward in its study and growing understanding of different spiritual paths, one of the things required is a dialogue concerning the nature of personal enlightenment. Or said another way, after studying a particular spiritual path, for the average traveler, what does personal spiritual development look like?”
- Enlightenment: An Initial Discussion

. following is part 2 of the dialogue with author and educator Dr. Stewart Bitkoff. It was conducted on early October, 2008. the first part can be read here.

Sadiq // Your training in sufi path is quite unique given that it happened in the heart of the west by an eastern teacher who in sufi term was a hidden teacher and timing wise it was in early 70’s, which was also a very unique, changing times (equally true from planetary evolution perspective). Tell us something about the nature of this initiation with regard to the path, teacher and training.

Dr. Stewart Bitkoff // Basically, there was training in 2 schools. The first part was with the Teacher/Master, occurred at work and lasted for approximately 4 years. This occurred in the early 1970’s and was in a state funded psychiatric hospital. The teacher was a psychiatrist, from Pakistan and his father was a Sufi; 3 years into things we learned he was a Muslim. There were many other students; some of whom accepted what was taught and others left it for something else. There was no emphasis upon a particular religion, exotic clothing, or giving money to fund a specific church/mosque/synagogue. When we were asked to donate something, it was always up to whatever charity we wished and at a comfortable level. We were taught to love God and experience God in every moment; the teacher taught by shining the Light upon our hearts and other experiences; we learned how to perceive our own spiritual nature and connect with God.

One day, the teacher called us into his office and said it was time to move onto the next teacher. We were to write the Society for Sufi Studies and await instructions. After 6 months time, instructions came to read and totally familiarize myself with 20 books written by Idries Shah; a list was included. At first, I balked at this, having read 5 books by Shah and wondered why I needed to do all of this. Anyway, in time I set about this task which took over 10 years. In the process, I learned much from this material: it is a complete body of work, which according to Shah, supersedes all other previous Sufi material. It is a complete course, if you will, of what the western seeker needs to travel the Path. When Shah died in 1996, many people considered him to be the Sufi Teacher of the Age and his job, in part, was to offer this material to the west. Also, my teacher told us that Shah, prior to his death, was the Pole; which in Sufi tradition has many levels of meaning. Also, when alive, Shah was elected King of the Sufis; historically, there have only been two people who were given this title and spiritual authority. The other being Rumi; when the world was being attacked by Mongolian hordes of Genghis Khan.

Interestingly enough, I have just finished a book entitled, Spiritual Traveler: Reflections & Adventures, which speaks to the point of my initiation in the first school, and different experiences and thoughts in both schools; and how this learning has woven its way into my life. I have recently sent it off to the publisher and await their comments.

Our first teacher is still alive and when approached by possible students, tells them to read certain titles by Shah (The Sufis, Learning How to Learn, The Way of the Sufi, and A Perfumed Scorpion); he no longer entertains questions about the path, is very gracious, and concerned about all of us. He still chooses to remain anonymous.

One of the first things, a student will say: look I want spiritual experience, not reading from books. The books answer this question: first you have to learn how to learn or have the right attitude/posture about this sort of thing. It requires a serious or mature student/traveler- who is able to suspend or push aside certain thoughts and prejudices.

. To my understanding, this (the sufi path you walked) was a very harmonious, universal, totally non-dogmatic, transcending religious boundaries - what one may call ‘Organic Spirituality’. Am I correct to characterize it? When you look back at it now, how do you describe it?

You know, this is the natural path to God/Light; it is the path before there was organized religion; and is the inner current of religious training. Consider what if you never heard of Shah, or read this interview, don’t you think this experience or way of spiritual knowing, if you required it, would be made available? It is very simple and very complex. “‘Love God with all your heart and soul.” The first commandment. If the concept/word God is bothersome substitute- The Light.

Look, we all have an innate spiritual nature, and what we are discussing is maximizing our potential in this area; in order, that this capacity becomes part of every day life. This learning and capacity is to be used across our lifetime- to help self and others.

Spiritual learning being different than organized religious training; religious training being the starting point for more advanced spiritual experience/learning.

. According to your personal experience and from your own walking in the path - how would you introduce to a western lay person if you are asked, ‘what is sufi way?’

My daughter has been interested in the Sufi Way for sometime, and she is always offering examples of trying to explain what she believes/experiences to others, who ask about her beliefs. This is not a simple thing. Basically, we are trying to put into words, what other teachers have called an ‘essence’ an ‘attitude’ or ‘way of experiencing reality.’ Some have said, ‘Sufism is learned in the company of other Sufis.’

To me, Sufism is the experience of ultimate reality through your own innate spirituality. There is a part of us that knows where it came from and where it is going, and when this part is awaken, slowly, it becomes the inner voice that knows the way home. Sufism is using your own inner, spiritual voice to enrich your life and the lives of others.

. What is the future of sufism in the world today, specially in the west?

The message of Sufism is a hopeful one; that there is a God, who loves his/her children, and has created a way for his/her children to attain unto Him. Also, there is a Plan for humanity, and this Plan involves the awakening of certain capacities within each traveler, one person at a time, to help make this world a better place. Traditionally, the Sufis are the guardians of this Plan and help make sure that it is accomplished.

For the western traveler, Sufism holds the promise of an individual relationship with Ultimate Reality. Always, this relationship is one of Love, Joy, and Forgiveness. There is no boundary here and each traveler is created with an individual potential: to love, work, experience, and serve. Each is a child of Light; the son and daughter of a King who creates their own reality.

This world is a giant market place, and we are free to do whatever we like. Within our free will choice, we create our own reality moment by moment. The problems of the world and life, for the most part, are the creation of individual travelers. Our responsibility is to create reality, that is our mission, and the problems of greed, destruction, war, and hunger for the most part are solvable by travelers, if they chose collectively to do so.
In each moment, there is a potential, and to choose the higher destiny, is the Sufi Call.

. What you think would be the correct vision to meet the spiritual thirst of American people in terms of spiritual orientation and training?

America is a special place; America is the spiritual freedom, alive in each person’s heart to choose what is best for them self and others. Here, in this country, each traveler can freely choose their own life and how they wish to live it.

Our higher destiny is alignment with Ultimate Truth and helping others. Some Americans quickly forget that this country was founded by travelers who wanted to be free of the restrictions, rules, and the tyranny of others. Leaving the countries of Europe, with their monarchies and religious authoritarianism, these travelers chose to find a world where they could help create a reality more like the spiritual freedom within.

The message of Sufism is the same; you are a child of the Light; free to create your own reality; and when you help another, in the name of the Light, you rise higher than the angels. The spirit of Sufism transcends individual religion and creed; it is the song of love, freedom and joy that is alive in your heart.

According to some reports and tradition, there was a hidden Sufi presence on the Mayflower and in writing the Declaration of Independence. So you see America and Sufism have been entwined since the beginning; mysteriously the Plan unfolds, and each rises up, like the smoke from the evening fire, becoming a better version of self.

. Who is Stewart Bitkoff?

‘Who is Stewart Bitkoff?’ This question makes me laugh; I have been trying to figure that out for 62 years. When you find him, tell me, so I too might meet him.
To date, the closest I have come to understanding myself is the following: I am a spiritual traveler, who has stopped to rest in the shade, with a few stories to tell, a few people to love and kiss, then, I must be on my way. On the other side, awaiting me is another adventure: with some old friends and some new ones as well.

. Lets consider an average American person (or western, if you like) who in his or her being feels very spiritual. In the process of discovering own human inner nature which is essentially spiritual - yet this person has a lot of wounds around conventional religion, has negative association with the very word and notion of ‘God’ as a result of misuse, abuse, mixing falsehood with truth, by the institutional religious organization and society - what and how would you offer advice to this person who is drawn to his or her original spiritual nature, buddha nature in far eastern term or ‘fitrah’ (basic natural disposition of spirituality instilled in all human heart) in Quranic term?

First, feeling spiritual is different than being spiritual. Feeling is an emotional state and spiritual experience is different than feelings. Often, emotions must be stilled for a time, so the spiritual essence may step forward.

Second, God/Light is different than religion and the actions of individual travelers; to understand who you are and the spiritual potential within, you must go beyond religion, country, family, expectation and individual desire; these are the sources of your wounds and hurt. Within, is your own individual, answer and healing to the question about the world’s injustice.

Remember, in this journey, we are both jailor and freedom; we have the potential to go beyond them.

Yes, it is true that religion has caused much harm and hurt; but it has also helped many along their journey. I too was injured, but it was precisely this hurt which pushed me to find my inner spiritual nature; was this pain then not useful in my journey?

O you who look for another way; don’t you see there is no other way?

. What is the concept and goal of enlightenment in sufi path or in a mystic school like one you were trained in?

Within our framework, enlightenment comes in small, gradual impacts, flashes of intuitive insight, spiritual states, and knowing. Simplistically, enlightenment is added spiritual capacity, which is natural, and useful in every day life. According to Idries Shah, if enlightenment were to come in a big burst it would be disruptive.

Within our training, we were taught how to turn every day activities, like driving to work, into spiritual practice. It was a matter of intention and focus; who were we doing these activities for?

Often, travelers think that enlightenment will free them from pains and sorrows of ordinary life. On this Path, spiritual responsibilities are in addition to those of every day life. Life is a multi-level experience and we are to experience it all.

. Looking at the contemporary world as it is, in its physical, emotional, political or cosmic makeup - what troubles you most?

What troubles me most, in this contemporary world, is that we do not seem to learn from the mistakes of the past. The problem of greed, self-interest, and travelers wishing to take from others, has been with us since the beginning.

History has shown that it is in everyone’s best interest, that our neighbor is fed, has medical services, and has the opportunity for education, work and a full life. If this is not so, then eventually, these people will rise-up guided by an opportunist leader to take what has been with held. Then, the cycle of injustice will start-up again.

The problems of the world are solved only by making better people; this is done one person at a time. Remember, if someone is hungry or sick, first you must help with their primary need, then, move onto other things like work, education, and proper shelter and, finally, a spirituality which transcends personal interest.

If you want to help make the world better, first, work on yourself. Use each moment to reach higher and help your neighbor. It’s pretty simple. You know, the Golden Rule. Help yourself and help your neighbor. Leave your camp site a little cleaner than when you found it. Give rather than take.

A better world starts with each of us; taking better care of our self, first, then, helping others, second. Why haven’t we learned this yet? That is the Sufi message: Treat others as equal to our self.

. Who is your most favorite personality and why?

My favorite personality or personalities are those travelers who emanate love. I have been most affected by those individuals who freely give to others, first, out of boundless love. Often, it was a simple act, making a sandwich because I was hungry or inquiring about my day and life. My mother was like this; so is my wife; my spiritual teacher; and countless others who I have been fortunate enough to meet. These are the people who have affected me, offering a hand when I have fallen and sharing my life.

. One of your earlier spiritual guide has left his body some significant amount of time back. Since then you have walked quite a lot and gathered all ranges of human experiences as we all do as long as we inhibit this body. If you were to meet your spiritual teacher again, today in a peaceful park what question (or questions) would your heart be moved to ask him?

If I were to meet my spiritual teacher, in a peaceful park, and we were to share a quiet moment together on a bench, it would not be to ask a question.
Slowly, a tear would fall from my eye, and I would thankfully whisper: “now, I understand.”

http://newagejournal.com/2007/new-age-articles/on-traveling-the-sufi-path-part-2
http://mysticsaint.blogspot.com/2008/08/interview-with-reb-zalman-on-mystic.html#links

THE CHINESE ZEN MASTER YOKA DAISHI'S "SONG OF ENLIGHTENMENT"

1. YOKA DAISHI'S "SONG OF ENLIGHTENMENT"
   
   Historically, Zen Buddhism was introduced to China by an Indian monk called Bodhidharma during the South and North Dynasties, probably late in the fifth century. But it was not until the time of Hui−neng and Shen−hsiu that Bodhidharma was recognized as the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism in China; for this was the time when Zen to be properly so called came to establish itself as one of the strong Buddhist movements created by Chinese religious genius. The movement firmly took root with Ma−tsu (−788) and Shih−t'ou (700−790). The latter had his monastery in the province of Hu−nan, and thus Hu−nan and Chiang−hsi became the hot−bed of the Zen movement. All the followers of Zen in China as well as in Japan at present trace back their lineage to these two masters of the T'ang.
   
   1. Knowest thou that leisurely philosopher who has gone beyond learning and is not exerting himself in anything? He neither endeavours to avoid idle thoughts nor seeks after the Truth; [For he knows that] ignorance in reality is the Buddha−nature, [And that] this empty visionary body is no less than the Dharma−body.
   
   2. When one knows what the Dharma−body is, there is not an object [to be known as such], The source of all things, as far as its self−nature goes, is the Buddha in his absolute aspect; The five aggregates (skandha) are like a cloud floating hither and thither with no fixed purpose, The three poisons (klesa) are like foams appearing and disappearing as it so happens to them.
   
   3. When Reality is attained, it is seen to be without an ego−substance and devoid of all forms of objectivity, And thereby all the karma which leads us to the lowest hell is instantly wiped out; Those, however, who cheat beings with their false knowledge, Will surely see their tongues pulled out for innumerable ages to come.
   
   4. In one whose mind is at once awakened to [the intent of] the Tathagata−dhyana The six paramitas and all the other merits are fully matured; While in a world of dreams the six paths of existence arc vividly traced, But after the awakening there is vast Emptiness only and not even a great chiliocosm exists.
   
   5. Here one sees neither sin nor bliss, neither loss nor gain; In the midst of the Eternally Serene no idle questionings are invited; The dust [of ignorance] has been since of old accumulating on the mirror never polished, Now is the time once for all to see the clearing positively done.
   
   6. Who is said to have no−thought? and who not−born? If really not−born, there is no no−birth either; Ask a machine−man and find out if this is not so; As long as you seek Buddhahood, specifically exercising yourself for it, there is no attainment for you.
   
   7. Let the four elements go off your hold, and in the midst of the Eternally Serene allow yourself to quaff or to peck, as you like; Where all things of relativity are transient and ultimately empty, There is seen the great perfect enlightenment of the Tathagata realized.
   
   9. True monkhood consists in having a firm conviction; If, however, you fail to have it, ask me according to your ideas, [and you will be enlightened]. To have a direct understanding in regard to the root of all things, this is what the Buddha affirms; If you go on gathering leaves and branches, there is no help for you.
   
   10. The whereabouts of the precious mani−jewel is not known to people generally, Which lies deeply buried in the recesses of the Tathagata−garbha; The sixfold function miraculously performed by it is an illusion and yet not an illusion, The rays of light emanating from one perfect sun belong to the realm of form and yet not to it.
   
   11. The fivefold eye−sight[1] is purified and the fivefold power is gained, When one has a realization, which is beyond [intellectual] measurement; There is no difficulty in recognizing images in the mirror, But who can take hold of the moon reflected in water?
   
   12. [The enlightened one] walks always by himself, goes about always by himself; Every perfect one saunters along one and the same passage of Nirvana; His tone is classical, his spirit is transparent, his airs are naturally elevated, His features are rather gaunt, his bones are firm, he pays no attention to others.
   
   13. Sons of the Sakya are known to be poor; But their poverty is of the body, their spiritual life knows no poverty; The poverty−stricken body is wrapped in rags, But their spirit holds within itself a rare invaluable gem.
   
   14. The rare invaluable gem is never impaired however much one uses it, And beings are thereby benefited ungrudgingly as required by occasions; The triple body[1] and the fourfold jnana[2] are perfected within it, The eightfold emancipation[3] and the sixfold miraculous power[4] are impressed on it.
   
   15. The superior one has it settled once for all and forever The middling one learns much and holds much doubt; The point is to cast aside your soiled clothes you so dearly keep with you; What is the use of showing off your work before others?
   
   16. Let others speak ill of me, let others spite me; Those who try to burn the sky with a torch end in tiring themselves out; I listen to them and taste [their evil−speaking] as nectar; All melts away and I find myself suddenly within the Unthinkable itself.
   
   17. Seeing others talk ill of me, I acquire the chance of gaining merit, For they are really my good friends; When I cherish, being vituperated, neither enmity nor favouritism, There grows within me the power of love and humility which is born of the Unborn.
   
   18. Let us be thoroughgoing not only in inner experience but in its interpretation, And our discipline will be perfect in Dhyana as well as in Prajna, not one−sidedly abiding in Sunyata (emptiness); This is not where we alone have finally come to, But all the Buddhas, as numerous as the Ganga sands, are of the same essence.
   
   19. The lion−roaring of the doctrine of fearlessness−− Hearing this, the timid animals' brains are torn in pieces, Even the scented elephant runs wild forgetting its native dignity; It is the heavenly dragon alone that feels elated with joy, calmly listening [to the lion−roaring of the Buddha].
   
   20. I crossed seas and rivers, climbed mountains, and forded freshets, In order to interview the masters, to inquire after Truth, to delve into the secrets of Zen; And ever since I was enabled to recognize the path of Sokei, I know that birth−and−death is not the thing I have to be concerned with.
   
   21. For walking is Zen, sitting is Zen, Whether talking or remaining silent, whether moving or standing quiet, the Essence itself is ever at ease; Even when greeted with swords and spears it never loses its quiet way, So with poisonous drugs, they fail to perturb its serenity.
   22. 2 1. Our Master, [Sakyamuni], anciently served Dipankara the Buddha, And again for many kalpas disciplined himself as an ascetic called Kshanti. [have also] gone through many a birth and many a death; Births and deaths−how endlessly they recur!
   
   23. But ever since my realization of No−birth, which quite abruptly came on me, Vicissitudes of fate, good and bad, have lost their power over me. Far away in the mountains I live in an humble hut; High are the mountains, thick the arboreous shades, and under an old pine−tree I sit quietly and contentedly in my monkish home; Perfect tranquillity and rustic simplicity rules here.
   
   24. When you are awakened [to the Dharma], all is understood, no strivings are required; Things of the samskrita are not of this nature; Charity practised with the idea of form (rupa) may result in a heavenly birth,
   
   25. But it is like shooting an arrow against the sky, When the force is exhausted the arrow falls on the ground. Similarly, [when the heavenly reward comes to an end], the life that follows is sure to be one of fortune. Is it not far better then to be with Reality which is asamskrita and above all strivings, And whereby one instantly enters the stage of Tathagatahood?
   
   26. Only let us take hold of the root and not worry about the branches; It is like a crystal basin reflecting the moon, And I know now what this mani−gem is, Whereby not only oneself is benefited but others, inexhaustibly; The moon is serenely reflected on the stream, the breeze passes softly through the pines, Perfect silence reigning unruffled−what is it for?
   
   27. 25. The morality−jewel inherent in the Buddha−nature stamps itself on the mind−ground [of the enlightened one]; Whose robe is cut out of mists, clouds, and dews, Whose bowl anciently pacified the fiery dragons, and whose staff once separated the fighting tigers; Listen now to the golden rings of his staff giving out mellifluous tunes. These are not, however, mere symbolic expressions, devoid of historical contents; Wherever the holy staff of Tathagatahood moves, the traces are distinctly marked.
   
   28. He neither seeks the true nor severs himself from the defiled, He clearly perceives that dualities are empty and have no reality, That to have no reality means not to be one−sided, neither empty nor not−empty, For this is the genuine form of Tathagatahood.
   
   29. The Mind like a mirror is brightly illuminating and knows no obstructions, It penetrates the vast universe to its minutest crevices; All its contents, multitudinous in form, are reflected in the Mind, Which, shining like a perfect gem, has no surface, nor the inside.
   
   30. Emptiness negatively defined denies a world of causality, All is then in utter confusion, with no orderliness in it, which surely invites evils all around; The same holds true when beings are clung to at the expense of Emptiness, For it is like throwing oneself into a flame, in order to avoid being drowned in the water.
   
   31. When one attempts to take hold of the true by abandoning the false, This is discrimination and there are artificialities and falsehoods; When the Yogin, not understanding [what the Mind is], is given up to mere discipline, He is apt, indeed, to take an enemy for his own child.
   
   32. That the Dharma−materials are destroyed and merit is lost, Comes in every case from the relative discriminatory mind; For this reason Zen teaches to have a thorough insight into the nature of Mind, When the Yogin abruptly by means of his intuitive power realizes the truth of No−birth.
   
2. 3. A man of great will carries with him a sword of Prajna, Whose flaming Vajra−blade cuts all the entanglements of knowledge and ignorance; It not only smashes in pieces the intellect of the philosophers But disheartens the spirit of the evil ones.
   
   34. He causes the Dharma−thunder to roar, he beats the Dharma−drum, He raises mercy−clouds, he pours nectar−showers, He conducts himself like the lordly elephant or dragon and beings innumerable are thereby blessed, The three Vehicles and the five Families are all equally brought to enlightenment.
   
   35. Hini the herb grows on the Himalaya where no other grasses are found, And the crows feeding on it give the purest of milk, and this I always enjoy. One Nature, perfect and pervading, circulates in all natures; One Reality, all comprehensive, contains within itself all realities; The one moon reflects itself wherever there is a sheet of water, And all the moons in the waters are embraced within the one moon; The Dharma−body of all the Buddhas enters into my own being, And my own being is found in union with theirs.
   
   36. In one stage are stored up all the stages; [Reality] is neither form, nor mind, nor work; Even before fingers are snapped, more than eighty thousand holy teachings are fulfilled; Even in the space of a second the evil karma of three asamkhyeya kalpas is destroyed; Whatever propositions are made by logic are no [true] propositions, For they stand in no intrinsic relation to my inner Light.
   
   37. [This inner Light] is beyond both praise and abuse, Like unto space it knows no boundaries; Yet it is right here with us ever retaining its serenity and fulness; It is only when you seek it that you lose it. You cannot take hold of it, nor can you get rid of it; While you can do neither, it goes on its own way; You remain silent and it speaks; you speak and it is silent; The great gate of charity is wide open with no obstructions whatever before it.
   
   38. Should someone ask me what teaching I understand, I tell him that mine is the power of Mahaprajna; Affirm it or negate it as you like−it is beyond your human intelligence; Walk against it or along with it, and Heaven knows not its whereabouts.
   
   39. 1 have been disciplined in it for ever so many kalpas of my life; This is no idle talk of mine, nor am I deceiving you; I erect the Dharma−banner to maintain this teaching, Which I have gained at Sokei and which is no other than the one proclaimed by the Buddha.
   
   40. Mahakashyapa was the first, leading the line of transmission; Twenty−eight Fathers followed him in the West; The Lamp was then brought over the sea to this country; And Bodhidharma became the First Father here: His mantle, as we all know, passed over six Fathers, And by them many minds came to see the Light.
   
   41. Even the true need not be [specifically] established, as to the false none such have ever been in existence; When both being and non−being are put aside, even non−emptiness loses its sense; The twenty forms of Emptiness are not from the first to be adhered to; The eternal oneness of Tathagatahood remains absolutely the same.
   
   42. The mind functions through the sense−organs, and thereby an objective world is comprehended−− This dualism marks darkly on the mirror; When the dirt is wiped off, the light shines out; So when both the mind and the objective world are forgotten, the Essence asserts its truth.
3. 
   43. Alas! this age of degeneration is full of evils; Beings are most poorly endowed and difficult to control; Being further removed from the ancient Sage, they deeply cherish false views; The Evil One is gathering up his forces while the Dharma is weakened, and hatred is growing rampant; Even when they learn of the "abrupt" school of the Buddhist teaching, What a pity that they fail to embrace it and thereby to crush evils like a piece of brick!
   
   44. The mind is the author of all works and the body the sufferer of all ills; Do not blame others plaintively for what properly belongs to you; If you desire not to incur upon yourself the karma for a hell, Cease from blaspheming the Tathagata−wheel of the good Dharma.
   
   45. There are no inferior trees in the grove of sandalwoods, Among its thickly−growing primeval forest lions alone find their abode; Where no disturbances reach, where peace only reigns, there is the place for lions to roam; All the other beasts are kept away, and birds do not fly in the vicinity.
   
   46. It is only their own cubs that follow their steps in the woods, When the young ones are only three years old, they roar. How can jackals pursue the king of the Dharma? With all their magical arts the elves gape to no purpose.
   
   47. The perfect "abrupt" teaching has nothing to do with human imagination; Where a shadow of doubt is still left, there lies the cause for argumentation; My saying this is not the outcome of my egotism, My only fear is lest your discipline lead you astray either to nihilism or positivism.
   
   48. "No" is not necessarily "No", nor is "Yes" "Yes"; But when you miss even a tenth of an inch, the difference widens up to one thousand miles; When it is "Yes", a young Naga girl in an instant attains Buddhahood, When it is "No", the most learned Zensho while alive falls into hell.
   
   49. Since early years I have been eagerly after scholarly attainment, I have studied the sutras and sastras and commentaries, I have been given up to the analysis of names and forms, and never known what fatigue meant; But diving into the ocean to count up its sands is surely an exhausting task and a vain one; The Buddha has never spared such, his scoldings are just to the point, For what is the use of reckoning the treasures that are not mine? All my past achievements have been efforts vainly and wrongly applied−I realize it fully now, I have been a vagrant monk for many years to no end whatever.
   
   50. When the notion of the original family is not properly understood, You never attain to the understanding of the Buddha's perfect "abrupt" system; The two Vehicles exert themselves enough, but lack the aspirations [of the Bodhisattva]; The philosophers are intelligent enough but wanting in Prajna; [As to the rest of us] they are either ignorant or puerile; They take an empty fist as containing something real, and the pointing finger for the object pointed; When the finger is adhered to as the moon itself, all their efforts are lost; They are indeed idle dreamers lost in a world of senses and objects.
   
   51. The Tathagata is interviewed when one enters upon a realm of no−forms, Such is to be really called a Kwanjizai (Avalokitesvara) When this is understood, the karma−hindrances are by nature empty; When not understood, we all pay for the past debts contracted.
   
   52. A royal table is set before the hungry, but they refuse to eat; If the sick turn away from a good physician, how are they cured? Practise Zen while in a world of desires, and the genuine power of intuition is manifested; When the lotus blooms in the midst of a fire, it is never destroyed. Yuse (Yung−shih) the Bhikshu[1] was an offender in one of the gravest crimes, but when he had an enlightened insight into No−birth He instantly attained to Buddhahood and is still living in another world.
   
   53. The doctrine of fearlessness is taught as loudly as a lion roars: What a pity that confused minds inflexibly hardened like leather Understand only that grave offences are obstructions to Enlightenment, And are unable to see into the secrets of the Tathagata's teaching.
   
   54. Anciently, there were two Bhikshus, the one committing murder and the other a carnal offence: Upali's insight was like that of the glowworm, and ended only in tightening the knots of offence; But when they were instantly enlightened by the wisdom of Vimalakirti, Their griefs and doubts melted away like the frost and snow before the blazing sun.
   
   55. The power of incomprehensible emancipation Works wonders as innumerable as the sands of the Ganga and knows no limits; [To him] the four kinds of offerings are most willingly made, By him thousands of pieces of gold are disbursed without involving anybody in debts; The bones may be crushed to powders, the body cut up to pieces, and yet we cannot repay him enough for what he does for us; Even a phrase [issuing from him] holds true for hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas.
   
   56. He is the Dharma−king deserving the highest respect; The Tathagatas, as many in number as the Ganga−sands, all testify to the truth of his attainment; I now understand what this mani jewel is, And know that all those who accept it in faith are in correspondence [with it].
   
   57. As to seeing it, the seeing is clear enough, but no objects are here to be seen, Not a person here, nor the Buddha; Chiliocosms numberless are mere bubbles in the ocean, All the sages and worthies are flashes of lightning.
   
   58. However rapidly revolves the iron−wheel over my head, The perfect brightness of Dhyana and Prajna in me is never effaced; The sun may turn cold. and the moon hot; With all the power of the evil ones the true doctrine remains forever indestructible. The elephant−carriage steadily climbs up the steepest hill, Before whose wheels how can the beetle stand?
   
   The great elephant does not walk on the hare's lane, Supreme Enlightenment goes beyond the narrow range of intellection; Cease from measuring heaven with a tiny piece of reed; If you have no insight yet, I will have the matter settled for you.

THE CHINESE ZEN MASTERS ON TAO AND ZEN BUDDHISM

ON TAO AND ZEN BUDDHISM
ON BELIEVING IN MIND (SHINJIN−NO−MEI)

There is a large mass of literature to be called especially Zen because of its style and terminology. Until the time of Hui−neng (Yeno in Japanese) and his immediate disciples, there was not much, as far as literary expressions were concerned, to distinguish treatises specifically on Zen from the rest of Buddhist literature.

BODHIDHARMA ON THE TWOFOLD ENTRANCE TO THE TAO

There are many ways to enter the Path, but briefly speaking they are of two sorts only. The one is "Entrance by Reason" and the other "Entrance by Conduct".

By "Entrance by Reason" we mean the realization of the spirit of Buddhism by the aid of the scriptural teaching. We then come to have a deep faith in the True Nature which is the same in all sentient beings. The reason why it does not manifest itself is due to the overwrapping of external objects and false thoughts. When a man, abandoning the false and embracing the true, in singleness of thought practises the Pi−kuan he finds that there is neither self
nor other, that the masses and the worthies are of one essence, and he firmly holds on to this belief and never moves away there from. He will not then be a slave to words, for he is in silent communion with the Reason itself, free from conceptual discrimination; he is serene and not−acting. This is called "Entrance by Reason".

By "Entrance by Conduct" is meant the four acts in which all other acts are included. What are the four?
1. To know how to requite hatred;
2. To be obedient to karma;
3. Not to crave anything; and
4. To be in accord with the Dharma.

What is meant by "How to requite hatred"? He who disciplines himself in the Path should think thus when he has to struggle with adverse conditions:
"During the innumerable past ages I have wandered through a multiplicity of existences, all the while giving myself to unimportant details of life at the expense of essentials, and thus creating infinite occasions for hate, ill−will, and wrongdoing. While no violations have been committed in this life, the fruits of evil deeds in the past are to be gathered now. Neither gods nor men can foretell what is coming upon me. I will submit myself willingly and patiently to all the ills that befall me, and I will never bemoan or complain. The Sutra teaches me not to worry over ills that may happen to me. Why? Because when things are surveyed by a higher intelligence, the foundation of causation is reached." When this thought is awakened in a man, he will be in accord with the Reason because he makes the best use of hatred and turns it into the service in his advance towards the Path. This is called the "way to requite hatred".

By "being obedient to karma" is meant this: There is no self ( atman) in whatever beings are produced by the interplay of karmaic conditions; the pleasure and pain I suffer are also the results of my previous action. If I am rewarded with fortune, honour, etc., this is the outcome of my past deeds which by reason of causation affect my present life. When the force of karma is exhausted, the result I am enjoying now will disappear; what is then the use of being joyful over it? Gain or loss, let me accept the karma as it brings to me the one or the other; the Mind itself knows neither increase nor decrease. The wind of pleasure [and pain] will not stir me, for I am silently in harmony with the Path. Therefore this is called "being obedient to karma".

By "not craving (ch'iu) anything" is meant this: Men of the world, in eternal confusion, are attached everywhere to one thing or another, which is called craving. The wise however understand the truth and are not like the ignorant. Their minds abide serenely in the uncreated while the body moves about in accordance with the laws of causation. All things are empty and there is nothing desirable to seek after. Where there is the merit of brightness there surely lurks the demerit of darkness.

This triple world where we stay altogether too long is like a house on fire; all that has a body suffers, and nobody really knows what peace is. Because the wise are thoroughly acquainted with this truth, they are never attached to things that change; their thoughts are quieted, they never crave anything. Says the Sutra: "Wherever there is a craving, there is pain; cease from craving and you are blessed." Thus we know that not to crave anything is indeed the way to the Truth. Therefore, it is taught not "to crave anything".

By "being in accord with the Dharma" is meant that the Reason which we call the Dharma in its essence is pure, and that this Reason is the principle of emptiness (sunyata) in all that is manifested; it is above defilements and attachments, and there is no "self", no "other" in it. Says the Sutra: "In the Dharma there are no sentient beings, because it is free from the stain of being; in the Dharma there is no 'self' because it is free from the stain of selfhood." When the wise understand this truth and believe in it, their lives will be "in accordance with the Dharma".

As there is in the essence of the Dharma no desire to possess, the wise are ever ready to practise charity with their body, life, and property, and they never begrudge, they never know what an ill grace means. As they have a perfect understanding of the threefold nature of emptiness, they are above partiality and attachment. Only because of their will to cleanse all beings of their stains, they come among them as of them, but they are not attached to form. This is the self−benefiting phase of their lives. They, however, know also how to benefit others, and again how to glorify the truth of enlightenment. As with the virtue of charity, so with the other five virtues [of the Prajnaparamita]. The wise practise the six virtues of perfection to get rid of confused thoughts, and yet there is no specific consciousness on their part that they are engaged in any meritorious deeds. This is called "being in accord with the Dharma".

ON BELIEVING IN MIND (SHINJIN−NO−MEI)

1. The Perfect Way knows no difficulties Except that it refuses to make preferences; Only when freed from hate and love, It reveals itself fully and without disguise;

A tenth of an inch's difference, And heaven and earth are set apart; If you wish to see it before your own eyes, Have no fixed thoughts either for or against it.

2. To set up what you like against what you dislike−− This is the disease of the mind: When the deep meaning [of the Way] is not understood Peace of mind is disturbed to no purpose.

3. [The Way is] perfect like unto vast space, With nothing wanting, nothing superfluous: It is indeed due to making choice That its suchness is lost sight of.

4. Pursue not the outer entanglements, Dwell not in the inner void; Be serene in the oneness of things, And [dualism] vanishes by itself.

5. When you strive to gain quiescence by stopping motion, The quiescence thus gained is ever in motion; As long as you tarry in the dualism, How can you realize oneness?

6. And when oneness is not thoroughly understood, In two ways loss is sustained: The denying of reality is the asserting of it, And the asserting of emptiness is the denying of it.

This means:
When the absolute oneness of things is not properly understood, negation as well as affirmation tends to be a one−sided view of reality. When Buddhists deny the reality of an objective world, they do not mean that they believe in the unconditioned emptiness of things; they know that there is something real which cannot be done away with. When they uphold the doctrine of emptiness this does not mean that all is nothing but an empty hollow, which leads to a self−contradiction. The philosophy of Zen avoids the error of one−sidedness involved in realism as well as in nihilism.

1. Wordiness and intellection−− The more with them the further astray we go; Away therefore with wordiness and intellection, And there is no place where we cannot pass freely.
2. When we return to the root, we gain the meaning; When we pursue external objects, we lose the reason. The moment we are enlightened within, We go beyond the voidness of a world confronting us.
3. Transformations going on in an empty world which confronts us Appear real all because of Ignorance: Try not to seek after the true, Only cease to cherish opinions.
4. Abide not with dualism, Carefully avoid pursuing it; As soon as you have right and wrong, Confusion ensues, and Mind' is lost.
5. The two exist because of the One, But hold not even to this One; When a mind is not disturbed, The ten thousand things offer no offence.
6. No offence offered, and no ten thousand things; No disturbance going, and no mind set up to work: The subject is quieted when the object ceases, The object ceases when the subject is quieted.
7. The object is an object for the subject, The subject is a subject for the object: Know that the relativity of the two Rests ultimately on one Emptiness.

8. In one Emptiness the two are not distinguished, And each contains in itself all the ten thousand things; When no discrimination is made between this and that. How can a one−sided and prejudiced view arise?

9. The Great Way is calm and large−hearted, For it nothing is easy, nothing is hard; Small views are irresolute, The more in haste the tardier they go.

10. Clinging is never kept within bounds, It is sure to go the wrong way; Quit it, and things follow their own courses, While the Essence neither departs nor abides.

11. Obey the nature of things, and you are in concord with the Way, Calm and easy and free from annoyance; But when your thoughts are tied, you turn away from the truth, They grow heavier and duller and are not at all sound.

12. When they are not sound, the spirit is troubled; What is the use of being partial and one−sided then? If you want to walk the course of the One Vehicle, Be not prejudiced against the six sense−objects.

13. When you are not prejudiced against the six sense−objects, You are then one with the Enlightenment; The wise are non−active, While the ignorant bind themselves up; While in the Dharma itself there is no individuation, They ignorantly attach themselves to particular objects. It is their own mind that creates illusions−− Is this not the greatest of all self−contradictions?

14. The ignorant cherish the idea of rest and unrest, The enlightened have no likes and dislikes: All forms of dualism Are contrived by the ignorant themselves. They are like unto visions and flowers in the air; Why should we trouble ourselves to take hold of them? Gain and loss, right and wrong−− Away with them once for all!

15. If an eye never falls asleep, All dreams will by themselves cease: If the Mind retains its absoluteness, The ten thousand things are of one Suchness.

16. When the deep mystery of one Suchness is fathomed, All of a sudden we forget the external entanglements; When the ten thousand things are viewed in their oneness, We return to the origin and remain where we ever have been.

17. Forget the wherefore of things, And we attain to a state beyond analogy; Movement stopped and there is no movement, Rest set in motion and there is no rest; When dualism does no more obtain, Oneness itself abides not.


17. The ultimate end of things where they cannot go any further Is not bound by rules and measures: In the Mind harmonious [with the Way] we have the principle of identity, In which we find all strivings quieted; Doubts and irresolutions are completely done away with, And the right faith is straightened; There is nothing left behind, There is nothing retained, All is void, lucid, and self−illuminating; There is no exertion, no waste of energy−− This is where thinking never attains, This is where the imagination fails to measure.

18. In the higher realm of true Suchness There is neither "self" nor "other": When direct identification is sought, We can only say, "Not two".

19. In being "not two" all is the same, All that is is comprehended in it; The wise in the ten quarters, They all enter into this Absolute Reason.

20. This Absolute Reason is beyond quickening [time] and extending [space], For it one instant is ten thousand years; Whether we see it or not, It is manifest everywhere in all the ten quarters.


21. Infinitely small things are as large as large things can be, For here no external conditions obtain; Infinitely large things are as small as small things can be, For objective limits are here of no consideration:

1. What is is the same as what is not, What is not is the same as what is: Where this state of things fails to obtain, Indeed, no tarrying there.
2. One in All, All in One−− If only this is realized, No more worry about your not being perfect!
3. Where Mind and each believing mind are not divided, And undivided are each believing mind and Mind, This is where words fail; For it is not of the past, present, and future.

The Dharmakaya of the Yogin is the same as the Buddha.
What is maha? Maha means "great". The capacity of Mind is wide and great, it is like emptiness of space. To sit with a mind emptied makes one fall into emptiness of indifference. Space contains the sun, the moon, stars, constellations, great earth, mountains, and rivers. All grasses and plants, good men and bad men, bad things and good things, Heaven and hell−they are all in empty space. The emptiness of [Self−] nature as it is in all people is just like this.

21. [Self−] nature contains in it all objects; hence it is great. All objects without exception are of Self−nature. Seeing all human beings and non−human beings as they are, evil and good, evil things and good things, it abandons them not, nor is it contaminated with them; it is like the emptiness of space. So it is called great, that is, maha. The confused pronounce it with their mouths, the wise live it with their minds. Again, there are people confused [in mind]; they conceive this to be great when they have their minds emptied of thoughts−−which is not right. The capacity of Mind is great; when there is no life accompanying it it is small. Do not merely pronounce it with the mouth. Those who fail to discipline themselves to live this life, are not my disciples.

22. What is prajna? Prajna is chih−hui (wisdom). When every thought of yours is not benighted at all times, when you always live chih−hui (=prajna, wisdom), this is called the life of Prajna. When a single thought of yours is benighted, then Prajna ceases to work. When a single thought of yours is of chih, i.e. enlightened, then Prajna is born. Being always benighted in their minds, people yet declare themselves to be living Prajna. Prajna has no shape, no form, it is no other than the essence (hsing) of chih−hui (wisdom).

What is Paramita? This is a Sanskrit term of the Western country. In Yang it means "the other shore reached". When the meaning ( artha in Sanskrit) is understood, one is detached from birth and death. When the objective world (visaya) is clung to, there is the rise of birth and death; it is like the waves rising from the water; this is called "this shore". When you are detached from the objective world, there is no birth and death for you; it is like the water constantly running its course: this is "reaching the other shore". Hence Paramita.

The confused pronounce [Prajna] with their mouths; the wise live it in their minds. When it is merely pronounced, there is at that very moment a falsehood; when there is a .falsehood, it is not a reality. When Prajna is lived in every thought of yours, this is known as reality. Those who understand this truth, understand the truth of Prajna and practise the life of Prajna. Those who do not practise it are ordinary people. When you practise and live it in one thought of yours, You are equal to the Buddha.

Good friends, the passions are no other than enlightenment (bodhi ). When your antecedent thought is confused yours is an ordinary mind; as soon as your succeeding thought is enlightened, you are a Buddha.

Good friends, Prajnaparamita is the most honoured, the highest, the foremost; it is nowhere abiding, nowhere departing, nowhere coming; all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future issue out of it. By means of Great Wisdom (ta−chih−hui=mahaprajna) that leads to . the other shore (paramita), the five skandhas, the passions, and the innumerable follies are destroyed. When thus disciplined, one is a Buddha, and the three passions [i.e. greed, anger, and folly] will turn into Morality (sila), Meditation (dhyana), and Wisdom ( prajna).


This Truth of the highest order is taught to people of great intelligence and superior endowments. If people of small intelligence and inferior endowments happen to hear it, no faith would ever be awakened in their minds. Why? It is like a great dragon pouring rains down in torrents over the Jambudipa: cities, towns, villages are all deluged and carried away in the flood, as if they were grass−leaves. But when the rain, however much, falls on the great ocean, there is in it neither an increase nor a decrease.

When people of the Great Vehicle listen to a discourse on the Vajracchedika their minds are opened and there is an intuitive understanding. They know thereby that their own Nature is originally endowed with Prajna−wisdom and that all things are to be viewed in the light of this wisdom (chih−hui) of theirs, and they need not depend upon letters. It is like rain−waters not being reserved in the sky; but the water is drawn up by the dragon−king out of the rivers and oceans, whereby all beings and all plants, sentient and non−sentient, universally share the wet. All the waters flowing together once more are poured into the great ocean, and the ocean accepting all the waters fuses them into one single body of water. It is the same with Prajna−wisdom

23. When people of inferior endowments hear this "abrupt" doctrine here discoursed on, they are like those plants naturally growing small on earth, which, being once soaked by a heavy rain, are all unable to raise themselves up and continue their growth. It is the same with people of inferior endowments. They are endowed with Prajna−wisdom as much as people of great intelligence; there is no distinction. Why is it then that they have no insight even when listening to the Truth? It is due to the heaviness of hindrance caused by false views and to the deep−rootedness of the passions. It is like an overcasting cloud screening the s un; unless it blows hard no rays of light are visible.

There is no greatness or smallness in Prajna−wisdom, but since all beings cherish in themselves confused thoughts, they seek the Buddha by means of external exercises, and are unable to see into their Self−nature. That is why they are known to be people of inferior endowments.

Those beings who, listening to the "Abrupt" doctrine, do not take themselves to external exercises, but reflecting within themselves raise this original Nature all the time to the proper viewing [of the Truth], remain [always Undefiled by] the passions and the innumerable follies; and at that moment they all have an insight [into the Truth]. It is like the great ocean taking in all the rivers, large and small, and merging them into one body of water −'this is seeing into one's own Nature. [He who thus sees into his own Nature] does not abide anywhere inside or outside; he freely comes and departs; he knows how to get rid of attaching thoughts; his passage has no obstructions. When one is able to practise this life, he realizes that there is from the first no difference between [his Self−Nature] and Prajnaparamita.

24. All the sutras and writings, all the letters, the two vehicles Major and Minor, the twelve divisions [of Buddhist literature]−these are all set forth because of the people of the world. Because there is wisdom−nature (chih−hui−hsing), therefore there is the establishment of all these works. If there were no people of the world, no multitudinous objects would ever be in existence. Therefore, we know that all objects rise originally because of the people of the world. All the sutras and writings are said to have their existence because of the people of the world.

The distinction of stupidity and intelligence is only possible among the people of the world. Those who are stupid are inferior people and those who are intelligent are superior people. The confused ask the wise, and the wise discourse for them on the Truth in order to make the stupid enlightened and have an intuitive understanding of it. When the confused are enlightened and have their minds opened, they are not to be distinguished from the people of great intelligence.

Therefore, we know that Buddhas when not enlightened are no other than ordinary beings; when there is one thought of enlightenment, ordinary beings at once turn into Buddhas. Therefore, we know that all multitudinous objects are every
one of them in one's own mind. Why not, from within one's own mind, at once reveal the original essence of Suchness? Says the Bodhisattvasila Sutra: "My original Self−nature is primarily pure; when my Mind is known and my Nature is seen into I naturally attain the path of Buddhahood." Says the Vimalakirti Sutra: "When you have an instant opening of view you return to your original Mind."

25. The Great Master died on the third day of the eighth month of the second year of Hsien−t'ien (713 C.E.). On the eighth day of the seventh month of this year he had a farewell gathering of his followers as he felt that he was to leave them forever in the following month, and told them to have all the doubts they might have about his teaching once for all settled on this occasion. As he found them weeping in tears he said:
"You are
all weeping, but for whom are you so sorry? If you are sorry for my not knowing where I am departing to, you are mistaken; for I know where I am going. Indeed, if I did not, I would not part with you. The reason why you are in tears is probably that you do not yourselves know whither I am going. If you did, you would not be weeping so. The Essence of the Dharma knows no birth−and−death, no coming−and−going. Sit down, all of you, and let me give you a gatha with the title, "On the Absolute"

There is nothing true anywhere, The true is nowhere to be seen; If you say you see the true, This seeing is not the true one.

Where the true is left to itself, There is nothing false in it, which is Mind itself. When Mind in itself is not liberated from the false, There is nothing true, nowhere is the true to be found.

A conscious being alone understands what is meant by "moving"; To those not endowed with consciousness, the moving is unintelligible; If you exercise yourself in the practice of keeping your mind unmoved, [i.e. in a quietistic meditation], The immovable you gain is that of one who has no consciousness.

If you are desirous for the truly immovable, The immovable is in the moving itself, And this immovable is the [truly] immovable one; There is no seed of Buddhahood where there is no consciousness.

Mark well how varied are aspects [of the immovable one], And know that the first reality is immovable; Only when this insight is attained, The true working of Suchness is understood.

I advise you, O students of the Truth To exert yourselves in the proper direction; Do not in the teaching of the Mahayana Commit the fault of clinging to the relative knowledge of birth and death.

Where there is an all−sided concordance of views You may talk together regarding the Buddha's teaching; Where there is really no such concordance, Keep your hands folded and your joy within yourself.

There is really nothing to argue about in this teaching; Any arguing is sure to go against the intent of it; Doctrines given up to confusion and argumentation lead by themselves to birth and death.