A monk asked Master Suksang, “Is there also the meaning of the Patriarch in the teachings of the Sutras?” The master answered, “Yes, there is.” The monk asked again, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch that is within the teachings of the Sutras?” The master said, “Don’t seek it in books.”
Student: “What did Suksang mean by ‘Don’t seek it in books’?”
Master: “He showed the meaning of the Patriarch in the teachings of the Sutras.”
Commentary:
Don’t try to find yourself in your curriculum vitae.
“World Honoured One, the billion-world universe spoken of by the Realised One is not a universe; it is just called a universe.”
“What is the reason? If the universe really existed, it would be a compound; but the Realised One says that a compound is not a compound, it is called a compound.”
“Subhuti, the compound is inexpressible, but ordinary people greedily cleave to it.”
Commentary:
In fact, although similar words were already repeated many times in the preceding parts, nearing the end of this Sutra, the Buddha said the same words again so that people might not accept his Dharma talks only literally. This part says that all words spoken by the Buddha are just illusionary and not substantive.
However, not only all words spoken by the Buddha but all words mentioned by all people around world and all things we see and hear are also just imaginary.
Sentient beings who can’t see and hear them as they are, greedily attach themselves to them and struggle to obtain, or avoid them. When they fail to achieve their goals, they feel unhappy, even angry and frustrated.
This is no other than the three poisons that are ignorance, greed and anger in Buddhism that make people unhappy: Failing to see things as they are implies ignorance, being attracted to them as a result of ignorance is greed, and the result of ignorance and greed is anger.
Student: “If the universe is not the universe, what is it?”
Buddhism says that letting go of the past is your first step to happiness. How is it possible to let go of the past that the present is based on?
The only way to let go of the past is to realise that not only the past but also the present and the future are not real but illusionary. When you have realised that time is illusionary, you will have reached happiness.
When a monk was giving a farewell speech to his master, master Daeja said, “Where are you going?” The monk said, “I am going to Gang-seo.” The master asked, “Can you take me?” The monk said, “I can’t take not only you with me but also even someone more outstanding than you.”
Student: “Why can’t the monk take his master?”
Master: “Because he doesn’t want to degrade not only himself but also his master.”
“Subhuti, if a good man or a good woman pulverised the billion-world universe into fine particles of dust, do you think there would be many of these particles of dust?” Subhuti said, “Very many, World Honoured One. Why? If these particles of dust were really existent, then the Buddha would not say they were particles of dust. Why? The fine particles of dust the Buddha has said are not fine particles of dust, but are just called fine particles of dust.”
Commentary:
All things in the realm of from, said the Buddha, are not real entities but no more than images just like rabbit horns created by our imagination. This is why it is said that the fine of particles of dust Buddha has said are not fine particles of dust, but are just called fine particles of dust.
This means that no matter how countless the world universes may be, they are not real-world universes but illusionary ones that are just called world universe.
To see and hear all things in this way is referred to as seeing and hearing things as they are, or as empty, which is to see the Buddha, or to enter the Pure land.
However, being deluded by words and forms, that is, failing to see and hear things as they are, is referred to as turning the Pure land into dirty mountains and rivers covered with soil and stone.
It follows from this that whether we will reside in the Pure land, or in the mundane world depends on how we see and hear what reaches our eyes and ears.
Student: “If fine particles of dust are not fine particles of dust, what are they?”
All sounds that reach your ears are those of yourself. Trying to hear yourself while avoiding them is not different from seeking the earth while avoiding all things you see and hear.
An old woman sent her servant to deliver alms to Master Joshu and told him to request the master to read the whole Sutra. The master descended from the high seat and walked around the high seat once in a circle. Then, he said, “I have read the whole the Sutra.” When the servant told her what had happened, she said, “I wonder why he just read just half of the Sutra although I requested him to read the whole Sutra.”
Student: “What is the other half that Joshu didn’t read?”
Master: “The woman read it, but you didn’t read it.”
Commentary:
It is impossible to separate what Joshu read from what he didn’t read even with a sharp axe.
“Subhuti, if anyone says the Realised One comes or goes, sits or lies down, this person does not understand the principle I expound. Why? The Realised One neither comes from anywhere nor goes anywhere; that is why he is called the Realised One.”
Commentary:
The Realised One, the true-Self, as mentioned earlier, is boundless, changeless, and nameless. There is nothing that is not the true-Self, just as there is nothing that doesn’t belong to the universe. The true-Self incessantly functions but neither comes nor goes because there is no other place and nothing else but the true-Self. It neither lies down nor stands up because it is boundless and changeless. However, the true-Self is always with us no matter where we may be because there is no place and nothing that is not the true-Self. Even we ourselves are part of the true-Self as well.
Student: “How can the Realised One be with us all the time if He neither comes nor goes?”
Master: “All things, including us, are one with the Realised One.”
A. To see your present life as it is without being deluded by images and words is no other than enlightenment. If you are to know about your afterlife, try to see your present life exactly as it is.
When you see it as it is, you can be aware of not only your afterlife but also your previous life.
An old woman sent her servant to deliver alms to Master Joshu and told him to request the master to read the whole Sutra. The master descended from the high seat and walked around the high seat once in a circle. Then, he said, “I have read the whole the Sutra.” When the servant told her what had happened, she said, “I wonder why he just read just half of the Sutra although I requested him to read the whole Sutra.”
Student: “Why did the woman say that Joshu had read only half of the Sutra?”
Master: “She interpreted what Joshu had read for sentient beings.”
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