Part 6 – 4
“Why? If all these sentient beings’ minds grasped at forms, they would be attached to the image of self, the image of person, the image of sentient being, and the image of soul. Why? It is because even grasping at an image of Dharma would be to be attached to the image of self, the image of person, the image of sentient being, and the image of soul, not to mention that grasping at an image of non-Dharma would be to be attached to the image of self, the image of person, the image of sentient being, and the image of soul. Therefore, you should not grasp at not only the Dharma but also non-Dharma.
Commentary:
Grasping at forms means being unable to see things as they are, or being unable to see things as empty, and being attached to images means not merely being anxious to possess, or to be with them but also being eager to avoid, or to be far away from them as a result of grasping at them. Grasping at forms and being attached to images is referred to as being deluded by illusions.
All forms, images are not substantive but just illusionary no matter how sacred or hideous they may appear, and the true-Self, the Buddha, is formless.
So, ancient masters would say that even if ten thousand Buddhas tempt us, we shouldn’t follow them, because they are illusions we want to avoid, and that even if ten thousand Maras approach us, we shouldn’t avoid them, because they are the Buddha we are anxious to see. Put simply, if we are attracted even by the image of the Buddha, it is to be deluded by an illusion. If we see even Mara as empty, it is to see the Buddha. When we see everything as empty, there is no difference between the Buddha and Mara since both are also empty, and there is nothing to follow, or avoid.
Therefore, when we can’t see things as they are, we, deluded by illusions, can’t be with the Buddha no matter how hard we may struggle to follow the Buddha, but once we come to see everything as it is, our attachment to images fades away spontaneously without effort because we know they are empty and illusory, and the Buddha follows us all the time.
More directly speaking, we should be able to read even this writing without grasping at forms and see the Buddha.
Student: “How is it if we don’t grasp at forms?”
Master: “I have no mouth, and you have no ears.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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