Zen

Q. What does ‘Every single word should return to the root, otherwise it will be worthless’ mean?

A. This means that when you read the Sutras, you, instead of being entrenched in intellectual understanding, should be able to see each word as the function of the true-Self. If you can’t see each word in that way, you are not really reading the Sutras but rather playing with the illusions of the Sutras. This is against the purpose of the Sutras since the core of the Sutras is that we shouldn’t be deluded by words, even the Buddha’s words.

Ironically, whilst advising people not to be deluded by words, the historical Buddha himself spoke numerous words so that he might teach people not to be deluded by words. In the end, he said on his deathbed, “Not a word have I said” to prevent people from being deluded by his words. This, it can be said, shows how difficult it is not to be deluded by words. This is why the historical Buddha said in the Lotus Sutra that the core of his words is so incomprehensible that it is hard for even the wise like Subhuti to have a proper understanding of it.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

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