Foyan consistently urges Zen practitioners to accomplish Awakening through close examination of the present state and its logic. In this passage, he touches on the importance of investigation on the path to Enlightenment.
From Cleary's Instant Zen,
My teacher used to tell a metaphysical story. Suppose two people from a foreign country come to a great nation to investigate things. When they first enter the territory, the two have a discussion and decide to part ways; one will go east, the other west. From state to state they go, county to county, traveling over hill and dale, until they arrive at the eastern capital. The two suddenly run into each other at the gate of the capital city. As they look at each other, without saying a word, the things they had discussed in their own country are clear. Now they go in, side by side, unknown to anyone.
Strange! Tell me, how is it when they run into each other? It is like Zen practitioners working: today they realize a little bit, tomorrow they find out a little bit, and they keep on investigating until one day it becomes evident to them. This is like that encounter at the gate of the capital city. This is called awakening, or breakthrough, or discovery. You must attain this at least once; only then can it be said that the task of the journey is done.
It is also like meeting your father in a big city many years after having left your home town. You do not need to ask anyone whether or not it is your father.
Just keep focused in this way. Do not take it for idleness; time does not wait for anyone. An early teacher said, "Don't waste time!" Each of you should work on your own.
The two people: if they had not diverged and investigated on their own, could there have been a meeting? If you say all is thus and there is nothing to investigate, then there is no divergence and there can be no meeting.
Submitted June 12, 2017 at 02:13AM by ferruix http://ift.tt/2r8BQ8P
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