Category: zen

Part 6-5

For this reason, I, the Realised One always say you should know that my Dharma teaching is like a raft. Even the Dharma should be discarded, not to mention the non-Dharma.

Commentary:

The Buddha is saying that we should not be attached to even his Dharma teaching not to mention the non-Dharma, both because it is also empty and because it is just an expedient means which the Buddha used to show the true-Self to sentient beings, like a raft which is discarded when its use of helping people to cross a river is over. The reality, however, is that we, instead of seeing what the Buddha means to show to us with his Dharma teaching, tend to treat his Dharma teaching itself as a precious treasure. This is just like cherishing a raft, looking at it and keeping it well without using it to cross the river. Ancient masters would liken this situation to only seeing the finger pointing to the moon instead of seeing the moon.

No matter how plausible certain words may sound, no matter how holy an image may appear, we should not be deluded by them. This is why ancient masters would say that we should kill the Buddha if we encounter him and regard the Buddha’s and patriarchs’ words as an enemy. This implies that we shouldn’t be deluded even by the image of the Buddha and his Dharma talk, let alone the non-Dharma.

Student: “What should we accept if we should discard the Buddha’s Dharma talks?”

Master: “What can be accepted or discarded is not what is truly valuable.”

Student: “What is it that can be neither accepted nor discarded?”

Master: “It is what is left behind when all that can be discarded is discarded.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. For a thing to be perfect is one thing, and seeing it as perfect is another. Although God saw it as good and perfect, you cannot see it as such unless you have the same eye to appreciate it as well as God does. You may mistake an angel created by God for the snake, or God may have created the snake as a means to make everything good.

If God created everything out of nothing, all his creations are also nothing in essence whether good or bad, whether an angel, or a snake. What is the difference between good and bad if they are nothing in substance?

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

One day Master Baizhang, addressing his assembly, said, “Plough the rice field for me, and I’ll instruct you in the fundamental principle of the great matter.” After the monastics had ploughed the rice field for the master, they said, “Now Master, please instruct us in the fundamental principles of the great matter.” The master spread open his arms.

Student: “What did the master mean by spreading open his arms?”

Master: “He paid for the monastics’ labour one more time although he had paid in advance.”

Commentary:

The master slipped the fundamental principle of the great matter into the monastics’ hands, but the monastics, fumbling it when ploughing the rice field, couldn’t recognise it.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

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

A. Brightness in Zen meditation means the state free of discrimination. This is also called the wisdom to see things as they are. In the state without any discrimination, there cannot be any difference between brightness and darkness, far and near, right and wrong, large and small, alive and dead, and things like that.

This is why ancient masters would say that true brightness is as dark as midnight, when they were asked what true brightness is. So, it is said that the wise can see what is thousands of miles away as easily as they can see what is just before their eyes.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

An ancient master named Doh-oh would ordinarily say, “Fine! Fine!” But on his deathbed he cried, “Ouch! Ouch! I feel awful. Bring me meat to eat and wine to drink. The King of Hell is coming to catch me.” His assistant monk asked him, “You would say ‘Fine! Fine!’ all the time before. Why do you cry that you feel awful now?” The master responded, “Tell me whether I was right then, or now?” The monk said nothing, and the master, pushing his pillow away, passed away.”

Student: “Why did the master cried on his deathbed, ‘Ouch! Ouch! I feel awful’ although he would ordinarily say, ‘Fine! Fine!’?”

Master: “To show off his pillow.”

Commentary:

Don’t mistake your foolishness for the master’s dementia.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Part 6-3

“Why? All these sentient beings have no more image of self, image of person, image of sentient being, or image of soul. They have no image of Dharma, and no image of non-Dharma, either.”

Commentary:

‘All these sentient beings’ here refers to those who can enjoy infinite blessing by seeing all things as they are in the same way the Buddha saw all things.    Seeing all things as they are means seeing and hearing all images and words as not real but illusionary, or imaginary, which is also referred to as seeing and hearing everything as empty.

When we see everything, including ourselves, as empty, there is nothing but emptiness. The emptiness is called the true-Self, non-duality, the Buddha, and so to see things as empty is referred to as seeing the Buddha, or realising that we are the Buddha, which is no other than attaining infinite blessing, infinite merit. This is why ancient masters would say that we should recognise the true-Self, the Buddha hidden in all things.

In short, none but those who are above being deluded by images, that is, those who can see everything as empty can enjoy infinite blessing. This is why the Buddha said that all these sentient beings have no more images as narrated above.

Student: “How is it when we have no image at all?”

Master: “The Buddha and his words are also images.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. All words that the Buddha and patriarchs preached are not the true-Self but no more than expedient means that point to the true-Self. ‘Only depending upon expedient means’ implies being preoccupied only by literal comprehension without grasping what the words point to.

The Buddha likened his words to a raft for crossing the river of suffering in order to prevent people from making such an error. No matter how important the raft may be, it is of no use at all if we merely treasure it in the same way we appreciate an artwork, without crossing the river by using it for what it is meant for.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Once upon a time, Nam-jeon asked a scholastic monk, “What sutra do you teach?” And the monk replied, “I lecture on the Future Buddha Sutra.” Then, Nam-jeon asked again, “When will the Future Buddha come?” The monk replied, “At present he is in Heaven, but soon he will come.” Then Nam-jeon said, “There is no Future Buddha in heaven, and there is no Future Buddha under the earth.”

Student: “When will he come?”

Master: “He neither goes nor comes.”

Commentary:

The Buddha is the Future Buddha until you recognise the Buddha.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Part 6 -2

“Subhuti, I, the Realised One know and see all. All these sentient beings will attain infinite blessing this way.”

Commentary:

The infinite blessing is not given by the Buddha nor can it be taken away by someone else. We are already the infinite blessing itself and are surrounded by it at the same time. What matters is whether we can recognise it or not. So, attaining infinite blessing this way refers to discerning infinite blessing on reading, or hearing the Buddha’s words and not getting it anew from outside. The Buddha’s teaching is that everything seen and heard is nothing but infinite blessing and that anyone can enjoy it only if we can recognise it by seeing all things as they are in the same way the Buddha sees all things.

What should be engraved on our hearts is that ‘all things’, without exception, includes not only these words we are reading now but also ourselves.

Student: “What is the infinite blessing?”

Master: “It is not infinite blessing.”

Student: “What is it then?”

Master: “Infinite blessing.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway