Q. They say that a secret remark has been transmitted from masters to their students. What is the secret remark?
A. ‘A secret remark’ means a critical word or phrase that represents the true-Self. Ancient masters would say that all names are the Buddha’s name, which means that all words are the description of the true-Self. This is because everything is part of the true-Self, Emptiness and because there is nothing else other than the true-Self.
When there is nothing that doesn’t belong to the true-Self, all that we see and hear, including ourselves, is the true-Self. It follows that every sound is the sound of the true-Self and that there is no sound that doesn’t represent the true-Self. This means that every sound, whatever sound it may be; the sound of the wind, the bark of a puppy, a baby’s cry and so forth, is the sound of the true-Self. When all names are the names of the true-Self and when all sounds are the sounds of the true-Self, what is not a secret remark?
The reason why we don’t hear the secret remark is that we are deluded by illusions. So, an ancient master would say that when not deluded by illusions, that is, when we can see and hear things as they are, every word we speak is a secret remark.
Student: “What is the secret remark transmitted from master to master?”
Master: “You already said it.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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