Author: Zen Fools

The Buddha said, “Good, Subhuti! As you say, I always have the bodhisattvas in mind well, protect them well and entrust them well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma. Listen carefully now; I will expound to you. When good men and good women have made up their minds to attain supreme enlightenment, they should live and surrender their minds thus.” “Yes indeed, World-Honoured One, we look forward to listening.’’

Commentary:

In Part 13 of this Sutra the Buddha says to Subhuti, “What do you think Subhuti, do I have a doctrine to preach?” Subhuti says to the Buddha, “You, World-Honoured One, have no doctrine.” The Buddha says, “Subhuti, what do you think? Is there any such dharma spoken by me, the Tathagata?” Subhuti says, “No, indeed, Sir. There is no such dharma spoken by the Tathagata.” This indicates that we should appreciate what is beyond the Buddha’s words to grasp the core of his teaching. This is why they say that the Buddha’s teaching is transmitted separately beyond doctrine.

In other words, we, instead of clinging to the text of this Sutra, should be able to recognise, by grasping what is beyond the words, how the Buddha has the bodhisattvas in mind well, protects them well and entrusts them well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma.

Q: “If we should not be deluded by words, why are there so many Sutras?”

A: “All of them tell people not to be deluded by words.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. It means to see what we cannot stop seeing even for a moment. Put in other words, this means to see the true-Self because we can’t stop seeing it even for a second.

Usually, when we say that we see something, it means that we can stop seeing it if we want to, by closing our eyes, or looking away. This is the way we see what can be seen. However, when we suppose that we see the universe, it is impossible to stop seeing it even for a moment because we, surrounded by it, cannot ever escape from it because we are also the universe itself. Seeing the trees in the street is seeing the universe, and seeing our family members is also seeing the universe since all of them are part of the universe as well.

When we close our eyes, even what appears to be dark is also part of the universe. Likewise, when we can’t help but see something regardless of our intentions, and when it is impossible to stop seeing it, seeing it is not seeing it anymore because the concept of seeing is only possible based on that of not seeing, just as being on the right side is possible only when being on the left side is.

This is why ancient masters would say that we don’t recognise the true-Self while facing it all the time.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Changqing asked Baofu, “Seeing form is no other than seeing mind. Do you see the boat?” Baofu said, “Yes, I do.” Changqing said, “Putting the boat aside, what is mind?” Baofu pointed at the boat.

Student: “Why did Baofu point at the boat when he was asked what mind was, putting the boat aside?”

Master: “Because you don’t see mind but the boat.”

Commentary:

Don’t mistake pointing to the sky for pointing to the clouds there.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

“World-Honoured One, when good men and good women have made up their minds to attain supreme enlightenment, how should they live, and how should they surrender their minds?”

Commentary:

This question asked by Subhuti is very common amongst Buddhists: How should I subdue, or control my mind to attain enlightenment? This is a typical example that shows how we sentient beings are deluded by illusions. Considering this question, we can see not only how illogical we are but also how unaware we are of what we say. For example, if someone says, “How can I look after my car?”, we don’t doubt that he knows what his car is like; its colour, age, size, condition and so forth, because this question is possible on condition that he knows his car. However, asking, “How should I subdue, or control my mind to attain enlightenment?” signifies that we are not aware of even the fact that we don’t know what our minds are, because knowing one’s mind is no other than enlightenment. In other words, one who knows one’s mind never seeks enlightenment because he is already enlightened.

When we say that the purpose of Buddhism is to attain enlightenment, it also means to realise what mind is.

There is a well-known dialogue between Bodhidharma and his disciple named Haega which shows this situation.

One day Haega said to Bodhidharma, “My mind is still not at ease. Please, make my mind at ease.” Bodhidharma said, “Bring your mind, and I will make it at ease.” Haega responded, “I can’t find my mind even though I have sought it.” Bodhidharma said, “I’ve made your mind at ease now.” At this moment Haega attained enlightenment, which means that he finally realised what his mind was for the first time.

Q: “How should I subdue my mind to attain enlightenment?”

A: “Find what your mind is prior to trying to subdue it.”

Q: “What is my mind?”

A: “Where is your question from?”

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All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

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

One day a young monk visited a master. He had already met many other famous masters before. The master asked him, “How many masters did you meet before you came here?” The young monk listed the names of the ten masters who he had met previously. The master said,” All of them are impostors.” The monk asked, “How do you know that they were impostors if you did not see them?” The master replied, “Thanks to you.”

Student: “Why did the master refer to the other masters the young monk had met as imposters?”

Master: “Because the young monk only saw the imposters.”

Student: “Who were the ten masters he had met?”

Master: “The master was showing them to the young monk.”

Commentary:

Don’t be beguiled by the imposters disguised as the Buddha.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Part 2

At that time the venerable Subhuti was in the assembly. He rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms together in respect, and said to the Buddha, “It is rare and marvellous, Buddha. You always have the Bodhisattvas in mind, protect them well and entrust them well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma.”

Commentary:

Here we should mull over what Subhuti saw and why he, saying that it was rare and marvellous, admired the Buddha although he had not said any words. He saw the true-Self that is the real form of the historical Buddha which he always tried to show to his disciples.

The reason why Subhuti said that it was rare and marvellous is that the true-Self is very difficult to see in the temporal world and perfect beyond mundane imagination. This is why ancient masters would say that if someone only opens his mouth to describe the true-Self in words, he is already wrong.

Q: “What is rare and marvellous?”

A: “The Buddha showed it.”

Q: “What is it?”

A: “It is the most common and abundant.”

Q: “Why do they say that it is rare although it is the most common and abundant?”

A: “Because few people see it although many people are seeking it.”

In ‘You always have the Bodhisattvas in mind, protect them well’, the Bodhisattvas implies both those who have attained enlightenment and those who are still seeking it. They know that not only they but also everyone and everything is always in the midst of the true-Self and can’t be out of its arms. Nothing can harm them, and they are safety itself as long as they are in the midst of the true-Self.

Q: “How does the Buddha mind and protect Bodhisattvas?

A: “We can’t be out of his arms.”

‘Entrust them well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma’ implies that the Buddha makes the Bodhisattvas the Buddhist Dharma itself, that is, he makes them into the same Buddha as Himself by leading them to enlightenment in order that all their actions and speeches may be the functions of the Buddhist Dharma.

We should remember that our friends, family members, neighbours and colleagues are always revealing that which is rare and marvellous in the same way the historical Buddha did. Not only they but we ourselves are also Buddhist Dharma itself. The historical Buddha tried to bring people to realise this fact.

Q: “How does he entrust Bodhisattvas well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma?”

A: “He leads them to realise that they are Buddhist Dharma itself.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. Absolutely not. You should keep doubting and asking questions until all your doubts have been cleared up. If a teacher doesn’t allow you to ask questions about your doubts, he is not qualified enough to be your teacher, because sound faith is possible only when all doubts are allowed.

Buddhism is a very reasonable and logical religion and not a superstition that requires blind faith. Enlightenment is a product of such a logical religion and can be explained rationally. Blind faith is the last thing that Zen practitioners should have.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A layman asked Master Namjun, “There is a lump of rock in my house. It sometimes sits and sometimes lies. I am going to sculpt Buddha out of it. Will it be possible?” Master Namjun answered, “Possible.” The layman asked again, “Will it be impossible?” Master answered, “Impossible.”

Student: “What did the master mean by ‘possible’ and ‘impossible’?”

Master: “He showed the model of the Buddha that the layman was going to sculpt.”

Commentary:

The longer it takes to sculpt the Buddha the farther you are from sculpting Him.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Upon finishing his begging, he returned to his dwelling and ate. He put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, laid down a mat, and sat on it.

Commentary:

No matter what the Buddha did, the purpose of his actions was to lead people to realise the true-Self. Putting away his robe and bowl, washing his feet, laying down a mat, and sitting on it are not exceptions.

Once there was a monk who was under a famous master for a long time. He thought that the master didn’t give him any teachings and begged him for teachings. The master promised to do so every time he was begged to by the monk. However, to the monk’s disappointment, the master’s attitude towards him was the same as usual. He still didn’t do anything special to meet the monk’s expectation for such a long time that the monk’s patience wore out. He was determined to leave the master for another master and said to him, “I am going to leave you since you have never given me any teachings, even though I have been with you for over ten years.” The master solemnly responded, “How dare you say that I’ve not taught you anything? When you served meals to me, I taught you by eating them. When you brought me tea, I taught you by drinking it. There is nothing else other than what I have shown you.” However, the monk, failing to grasp the master’s intention, didn’t change his decision to leave him and bade farewell to him. When the monk was about to go out of the master’s room, the master called him. When he turned his head, the master said, “There is nothing else but this” and at the moment the monk attained enlightenment.

This story implies that the master taught the monk by revealing the true-Self through the actions of eating food and drinking tea, just as the historical Buddha did through putting away his robe and bowl, washing his feet, laying down a mat, and sitting on it. The monk then recognised what the master had shown him, for the first time in over ten years, in the master’s actions.

Seen in this way, all the actions that the Buddha showed, from putting on his robe to laying down a mat and sitting on it, turn out to be no other than important teachings.

Q: “What did the monk see in the master’s actions?”

A: “It is still seen at the moment.”

Q: “What is it?”

A: “Take a look at the flower.”

Don’t blame it for being hidden.

When you are sharp-sighted,

it reveals itself clearly even at midnight.

When you are blind,

it is invisible even in broad daylight. 

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway