Rinzai 114

The true student of the Way clings neither to Buddha, nor to Bodhisattvas, nor to Arhats; he clings not to anything that passes as supreme in the Three Worlds. He keeps his distance, stands alone and free, and is not bothered by things. Though heaven and earth be turned upside down, he will not be bewildered. Though all the Buddhas of the ten directions appear before him, he will not care. And if the three deepest hells suddenly gape before him, he will not be afraid. Why not? Because he sees everything as empty.

Commentary:

Realising that everything is illusionary and empty, we should not be tempted to be attached to anything even if it appears to be holy like the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats nor should we lose our heads even though things seem to be horrible and terrible as if heaven and earth were turned upside down. All things, independent of whatever shapes they may have, are just illusions created by our imagination. In order to prevent people from being deluded by illusions, Jesus said in Corinthians 4:18, “For we fix our attention not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.”

We should know that being attracted or scared by what can be seen is to be deluded by illusions and seeing what cannot be seen through what can be seen, by realising that what can be seen is the function of what cannot be seen, is seeing the true-Self, the true Buddha.

Student: “What is it that cannot be seen?”

Master: “It is the essence of what can be seen.”

Student: “Where is it?”

Master: “It is hidden in what can be seen.”

Student: “How can I see it?”

Master: “What have you seen so far?”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

#zen #meditation #zenmeditation #enlightened #enlightenment #zenfools #photography