Author: Zen Fools

Part 15-2

“In summary, Subhuti, this Sutra has inconceivable, immeasurable, boundless virtues:” “The Realised One expounds it for those who set out on the Great Vehicle; he expounds it for those who set out on the Supreme Vehicle.”

Commentary:

As mentioned in the preceding parts, the Sutra implies the true-Self. This is why it is said to have inconceivable, immeasurable, boundless virtues. The Great Vehicle and the Supreme Vehicle are actually the same and represent the great wisdom, enlightenment that the historical Buddha attained. They are the final goal that all Buddhists pursue and a means by which we can achieve the goal at the same time. That’s why the Buddha used the word ‘Vehicle’ that implies an expedient means. Those who set out on the Great Vehicle signifies people who seek to attain the same great enlightenment that the historical Buddha attained through the great wisdom, the Buddha’s teaching.

‘The Realised One expounds it for those who set out on the Supreme Vehicle’ doesn’t mean that he expounds it selectively only for those who set out on the Supreme Vehicle but means that only those who set out on the Supreme Vehicle can grasp and accept his teaching. No matter how many people the Realised One may expound this Sutra to, it is meaningful only to those who can apprehend it.

Bodhidharma said that the Great Vehicle, or the Supreme Vehicle is the way all Bodhisattvas go, that they neither board the Vehicle nor don’t board the Vehicle and that they are never on board whilst being on board all day long. He means that we, aware that everything is empty, should not attached to the Buddha’s teaching while trying to attain enlightenment depending on it. Put in other words, he means that the Great Vehicle is not the Great Vehicle but just named as such. This is why it is said that the absence of the Vehicle is the Buddha’s Vehicle.

Student: “What is the Great Vehicle?”

Master: “It is before you now.”

Student: “How can I board it?”

Master: “It will sink the moment you put your foot on it.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

The Buddha’s Dharma talk is no more than a bowl to carry the Buddha’s teaching. We should eat the best food in the bowl instead of only licking the bowl whilst being deluded by the beauty of the bowl.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

One day a monastic asked Master Woonmun, “How should a monastic behave?” The master said, “I don’t know.” The monastic asked again, “Why do you just say that you don’t know?” The master answered, “Saying that I don’t know is all I have to say.”

Student: “Why did Woonmun say that he didn’t know when he was asked how a monastic should behave?”

Master: “He showed in person how a monastic should behave.”

Commentary:

A monastic’s behaviour should be an act that cannot be said.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Part 15-1

“Subhuti, suppose there are good men and good women who in the morning give in charity as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, then in the afternoon again give in charity as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and then in the evening also give in charity as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and go on giving bodies in charity this way for countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of eons. Now suppose there are people who hear this Sutra, believe in it, and do not oppose it. The blessings of these latter people surpass those of the former; how much the more so if they copy the sutra, accept and hold it, read and recite it, and explain it to others!”

Commentary:

As mentioned a few times in the preceding parts, the core of Buddhism is to see things as they are and do things without one’s mind dwelling on anything.

This part means that people who, unable to see things as they are, do things with their minds dwelling on what they see and hear, might build up good karma that is to come to a halt someday, but they cannot attain enlightenment, the final goal of Buddhism through which they can enjoy eternity, no matter how many good things they may do.

In contrast, those who, seeing things as they are, can do everything without their minds dwelling on it, through this Sutra, can attain enlightenment and can enjoy permanent blessings.

This is why the blessings of these latter people surpass those of the former.

The key point of this part is that doing many good things with one’s mind dwelling on what one does is not as good as doing an ordinary thing without one’s mind dwelling on what one does. This doesn’t mean that we should not give things in charity but that we should give things in charity without our minds dwelling on anything.

In the same way, reading this Sutra countless times with one’s mind dwelling on words is not as good as reading a single word without one’s mind dwelling on it.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. Buddhism says that permanence and impermanence of everything depends upon our perspective. Buddhism sees all things as waves in the ocean and the essence of the things as the ocean. Each wave has its own life span, size, shape, and is impermanent, but its essence is one as water and permanent. Every wave is impermanent, but water is permanent. Seeing your life as a wave, it is impermanent, but seeing it as water in the ocean, it is permanent. The purpose of Buddhism is to help people to realise the permanent aspect of their lives.

This is why ancient masters would say that all the countless things are different from each other, and nothing is the same as any other thing, but at the same time, all things are the same, and nothing is different from any other thing.

Student: “What is impermanent?”

Master: “A flower.”

Student: “What is permanent?”

Master: “A flower.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Caoshan was once asked by a monastic, “A child went back to her parent. Why didn’t the parent pay attention to her?” Caoshan said, “It is quite natural just like that.” The monastic said, “Then where is the love between parent and child?” Caoshan said, “The love between parent and child.” The monastic said, “What is the love between parent and child?” Caoshan said, “It cannot be split apart, even when hit with an axe.”

Student: “A child went back to her parent. Why didn’t the parent pay attention to her?”

Master: “Because you can’t perceive it.”

Student: “How does the parent pay attention to her?”

Master: “Nothing and no one can harm her.”

Commentary:

A lost child cannot feel loved until he turns back to his parent.

©Boo AhmAll writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Part 14-15

“Subhuti, if Bodhisattvas perform acts of charity with their minds dwelling on things, they are similar to people who have gone into darkness and can see nothing.” “If Bodhisattvas perform acts of charity with their minds not dwelling on things, they are like people with sight in the sun­light, seeing all sorts of shapes things.” “Subhuti, in the future, if there are good men and good women who are able to accept and hold this sutra, read and recite it. the Realised One will know and see all of these people by means of the Buddha’s wisdom; all of them will achieve infinite, boundless merits.”

Commentary:

‘Doing something with one’s mind dwelling on things’ means being unable to see things as they are and being deluded by illusions, or forms and words when one does something. No matter how many acts of charity you may perform, although the acts of charity may be worth praising morally and help to build up good karma, they are nothing to do with true merit, enlightenment if you perform such acts with your mind dwelling on things.

On the contrary, doing something without one’s mind dwelling on things signifies seeing things as they are, that is, seeing things as the Buddha. Being able to accept and hold this Sutra, reading and reciting it implies that this Sutra leads people to do things without their minds dwelling on things. ‘The Realised One will know and see all of these people who are able to accept and hold this sutra, read and recite it, by means of the Buddha’s wisdom’ means that all of these people will attain enlightenment, the Buddha’s wisdom. This is to achieve infinite, boundless merits.

Student: “How can I achieve infinite, boundless merits?”

Master: “Read this Sutra without your mind dwelling on words.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. You should not think that your mind is separate from your emotions. You should know that your mind, your emotions and yourself are one. As long as you are entrenched in the thought that they are different from each other and try to make your mind stronger than your emotions, you cannot achieve your goal no matter how hard you may try.

All you have to do, to escape from being swayed by your emotions and losing yourself, is to realise what the root is from which they come. When you realise what the root is, you become aware that all things, including them, are essentially the same just as all waves in the ocean that appear different from each other are essentially one as water in the ocean. Then, you can’t lose yourself even for a moment, and your emotions turns out to be beautiful things to make you happy, not obstacles to overcome.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Caoshan was once asked by a monastic, “A child went back to her parent. Why didn’t the parent pay attention to her?” Caoshan said, “It is quite natural just like that.” The monastic said, “Then where is the love between parent and child?” Caoshan said, “The love between parent and child.” The monastic said, “What is the love between parent and child?” Caoshan said, “It cannot be split apart, even when hit with an axe.”

Student: “When did the child come back to the parent?”

Master: “The child has never left the parent’s breast.”

Student: “Why can’t the love between parent and child be split apart even with an axe?”

Master: “Because there is no love since there is no between them.”

Commentary:

Love is not love, it is just called as such.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Part 14-14

“Subhuti, the Dharma obtained by the Realised One is neither real nor unreal.”

Commentary:

The Dharma obtained by the Realised One means the true-Self realised by the Realised One. The Dharma, the true-Self cannot be obtained, or lost, firstly because it is formless and nameless and secondly because we are the Dharma itself. We cannot obtain the Dharma any more than we can obtain the universe.

In fact, the Dharma, whilst including all without exception, is the state so free from illusions that it is beyond description and admits of no words such as real and unreal.

Student: “What is the Dharma obtained by the Buddha?”

Master: “Answering your question is distorting it.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway