Hsin Shin Ming: “64. The true-Self is neither existing nor non-existing but always everywhere before your eyes.”
The true-Self is Emptiness. ‘Neither existing nor non-existing’ means freedom from illusions because ‘existing’ and ‘non-existing’ are both illusions. These are expressions that are used to distinguish the presence of something from the absence of it, or to describe the difference between a space which is occupied by something and a space which is not, just like ‘A bed is existing in the bed room, but non-existing in the kitchen’.
Therefore, when there is only the true-Self, Emptiness and there is no space that is not the true-Self, the true-Self is not the true-Self anymore and there can’t be expressions such as existing and non-existing. In this state, we can’t stop seeing it even for a moment even though we close our eyes just as the scripture says, ‘The true-Self is always everywhere before your eyes’. So, ancient masters would say, “You are wrong once you open your mouth to describe the true-Self.”
Student: “How can I see the true-Self?”
Master: “You cannot avoid seeing it.”
Student: “How can I see it with my eyes closed? When I close my eyes, nothing but darkness is seen.”
Master: “That is the very way the true-Self is.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
#zen #meditation #zenmeditation #enlightened #enlightenment #zenfools #photography http://ow.ly/i/JIV3m
Zen Fools 