Author: Zen Fools

But as I see it, there is nothing that is not profound, nothing that is not deliverance. Followers of the Way, the Dharma of the heart has no form and pervades the Ten Directions. In the eye, it is called seeing; in the ear, hearing; in the nose, smelling; in the mouth, talking; in the hands, grasping; in the feet, walking. Fundamentally, it is one light; differentiated, it becomes the six senses. When one’s whole heart comes to a full stop, one is delivered where one stands.

 

Commentary:

‘There is nothing that is not profound, nothing that is not deliverance’ means that there is nothing that is not the true-Self, Emptiness. ‘The Dharma of the heart’ implies the true-Self that is formless and boundless. ‘In the eye, it is called seeing; in the ear, hearing; in the nose, smelling; in the mouth, talking; in the hands, grasping; in the feet, walking. Fundamentally, it is one light; differentiated, it becomes the six senses’ means that ‘eye’ ‘seeing’ ‘ear’ ‘hearing’ ‘nose’ and ‘smelling’ are all illusions, imaginary lines created by us. In other words, these may look separate and different from each other due to our discriminating, but they are, in fact, Oneness. ‘When one’s whole heart comes to a full stop, one is delivered where one stands’ means that when we stop discriminating or making illusions, Oneness, the true-Self reveals itself before us.

 

The Sutras say, “Many are one and one is many.” This means that we make Oneness, the true-Self into many by drawing imaginary lines, illusions. This causes the true-Self to look like many, but the many are one in essence. Seeing only the many and clinging to them is to be deluded by illusions. Enlightenment is to be able to see and hear in both ways; many as one and one as many.

 

Student: “What is the difference between seeing this vase as many and seeing it as one?”

Master: “When you see this as many, it is a vase. When you see this as one, it loses its identity.”

 

©Boo Ahm

 

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

 

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A. No one knows what will become of us after death since there is no one who has died before. However, we can say that what we will be after death depends on how we live, just as we can say that what our lives will be like tomorrow depends on how we live today, even though no one has ever lived tomorrow.

Scientifically speaking, how everything is now is the result of causation, which is endless although we don’t know what has caused us to be what we are in detail. If causation is endless and we are part of causation, it is true that we are also endless as part of causation.

In brief, saying that death is the end of life is just like saying that December 31st is the end of the year. December 31st doesn’t mean the end of time but means a new start of the next month and the next year. In fact, every moment is the end of the previous life and the start of a new life. And everything is not what it was a moment ago because not only our bodies but also all other things are changing ceaselessly according to causation. So, after death we will be what our causation will cause us to be.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

 

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Manjushiri asked Longquan, “Where are you from?”

Longquan said, “From the south.”

Manjushiri said, “How is Buddhadharma being maintained in the south?”

Longquan said, “Monastics in the declining age seldom follow the precepts.”

Manjushiri said, “How large are the assemblies?”

Longquan said, “Some three hundred—others five hundred.”  Then Longquan asked, “How is Buddhadharma maintained here?”

Manjushiri said, “Ordinary people and sages are living together, dragons and snakes are intermingled.”

Longquan said, “How large are the assemblies?”

Manjushiri said, “In front, three by three; in back, three by three.”

 

Student: “What does ‘Ordinary people and sages are living together, dragons and snakes are intermingled’ mean?”

Master: “That’s the core of Buddha’s teaching.”

Student: “What does ‘In front, three by three; in back, three by three’ mean?”

Master: “That is not different from the number of the hairs on your head.”

Student: “I am still lost.”

Master: “You should know your age.”

 

Commentary:

Don’t try in vain to see what is beyond words with your eyes covered with words.

 

©Boo Ahm

 

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

 

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When there is no cessation even for moment in all your time, everything looks as it is.

But when discriminating mind arises, wisdom is disrupted, your thoughts are changed, and the body ceases to look as it is. This is the cause of transmigration in the Three Worlds with its various sufferings.

 

Commentary:

‘When there is no cessation even for moment in all your time, everything looks as it is’ means that when there is no discrimination at all, everything looks empty. Then, everything is perfect, and you are eternity itself, perfection itself and happiness itself. This is enlightenment which all practitioners should pursue.

 

‘Wisdom is disrupted’ means that you have no wisdom of seeing everything as empty. ‘Your thoughts are changed’ means that you are deluded by illusions. ‘The body ceases to look as it is’ implies that the true-Self doesn’t look as it is, or you can’t see the true-Self any more. ‘This is the cause of transmigration in the Three Worlds with its various sufferings’ symbolises the way we sentient beings are living our lives, being deluded by illusions. To sum up, when discriminating mind arises, you are deluded by illusions. Then, you can’t see the true-Self, that is, you don’t realise that you are perfection itself, happiness itself and eternity itself. This is the cause of our various sufferings.

 

Student: “How is it when there is no cessation even for a moment?”

Master: “I can’t avoid answering your question.”

Student: “How is it when discriminating mind arises?”

Master: “I can’t answer your question.”

 

©Boo Ahm

 

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

 

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A. It depends on how ‘Believe in God’ is interpreted. If it is interpreted as ‘realise what God is’, the answer is ‘No’. You should know that believing in God is realising what God is, which means no other than going to Heaven. This is referred to as enlightenment in Buddhism. Then, the statement ‘people can’t go to Heaven without believing in God’ makes sense.

However, if it is interpreted as worshipping something, or someone that we imagine as almighty, then we are deluded by the illusion of God. This is contrary to the teaching of Christianity. For instance, John 14:20 in the Bible says, “I am in you and you are in me” and one of the Commandments says, “You shall not make idols.” To realise that God is one with us is to believe in God, which is to go to Heaven.
Student: “How can I go to Heaven?”
Master: “Realise that you are one with God by removing the illusion of God.”

©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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Xuansha said to the assembly, “Elders in various places all talk about interacting with and benefiting all beings. If you encounter a person with three disabilities, how will you guide that person? Even if you take up a mallet or raise a whisk, the blind do not see you. Even if you speak eloquently, the deaf do not hear you. Even if you ask them to speak, the mute cannot speak. How will you guide them? If you cannot guide them, the Buddhadharma has no power.” 

At that time, Dizang was in the assembly. He came forward and said, “I have eyes and ears. Master, how do you guide me?” Xuansha said, “I am ashamed.” Then he returned to the abbot’s room. 

 

Student: “How will you guide a person with the three disabilities?” 

Master: “Have you ever seen a person with the three disabilities?”  

Student: “No, I’ve seen a person with one, or two disabilities, but I’ve never seen a person with the three disabilities at the same time. How will you guide him should you meet him?”  

Master: “I am too busy guiding a person with the three disabilities to answer your question now.” 

 

Commentary: 

The problem of sentient beings is that they are not aware of what their problems are. 

 

©Boo Ahm 

 

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway 

 

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What then can understand the Dharma and can listen to it? It is that which is brilliantly clear and shinning alone before your very eyes, albeit formless which can speak and listen to the Dharma. If you can really grasp this, you are not different from the Buddhas and patriarchs.

 

Commentary:

What is controlling your body to read this at this moment? Dead bodies cannot do what you are doing now even though they have eyes and hands. Attaining enlightenment is to realise what controls your body to do what you do when you do something; talk, listen to the Dharma, walk, drink, think, dance, sing and so forth. ‘If you can grasp this, you are not different from the Buddhas and patriarchs’ means that if you realise what controls your body, you get enlightened since seeing what controls your body is realising the true-Self. It is because all your actions are just the functions of the true-Self.

 

Student: “What is the true-Self?”

Master: “What is making you ask this question?”

 

©Boo Ahm

 

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

 

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A. ‘To attain enlightenment, to see the Buddha is very difficult at the Dharma Ending Age because the power of the Dharma is on the decline’ is a popular phrase that is often misinterpreted. The Buddha is the ultimate truth and eternity itself without beginning or end, and the Dharma refers to Buddha’s teaching. The Dharma is also identified with the Buddha since Buddha’s teaching is the ultimate truth. The Buddha, or the Dharma has no end because it has no beginning and there is no realm where there is no Buddha.

 

‘The Dharma Ending Age’ implies the time when people believe that the Dharma has beginning and end and that it is so old that it is nearing the end with its power fading, that is, the time when people are being deluded by illusions. To such people it may seem as if this were the Dharma Ending Age but in fact it is just an illusion of their own creation. To the people who are deluded by illusions, every moment is the Dharma Ending Age and where they are is the realm with no Buddha. Saying that now is the Dharma Ending Age is like saying that now is the universe ending age.

 

©Boo Ahm

 

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

 

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Xuansha one day sent a monastic to deliver a letter to Xuefeng. Xuefeng received the monastic while he was teaching, opened the letter, and found a blank piece of paper. He showed it to the assembly and said, “Do you understand this?”

After a while he said, “Can’t you see what he says? Virtuous persons have the same understanding, even though they are one thousand miles apart.”

The monastic went back and reported this to Xuansha.

Xuansha said, “The old man on the mountain passed by me without knowing it.”

 

 

Student: “What did Xuefeng see when he found a blank piece of paper from Xuansha?”

Master: “He saw The Three Vehicles and the Twelve Divisions of the Sutras.”

 

Commentary:

A single blank piece of paper is more than enough to express all Buddha’s teaching.

 

©Boo Ahm

 

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

 

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