If you know the chair

Fayan pointed to a chair and said, “If you know the chair, there’s plenty of room.” ​
Yunmen said, “If you know the chair, you’re as far off as sky from earth.” ​
Tianyi said, “If you know the chair, it’s made of maple and cedar wood.”
Dahui remarked, “If you know the chair, you’d better shave your head and wash your feet. Even so, there are many people who still misunderstand.” ~ Shobogenzo

Note: The chair is the seat of consciousness, in it there is nothing, plenty of room;
in it you are atop a 1000 foot pole, as far as heaven is from earth;
it is in you, the various elements, maple and cedar wood;
if you know it you'd shave your head and wash your feet like a monk, wearing the patched robe, who could understand?

Relevant:

Look: when Zhaozhou asked, "How is it when a man who has died the great death returns to life?" Touzi Datong immediately said, "He must not go by night: he must get there in daylight." Direct as sparks struck from stone, like the brilliance of a lightning flash. Only a transcendental man like him could do this. A man who has died the great death has no Buddhist doc­trines and theories, no mysteries and marvels, no gain and loss, no right and wrong, no long and short. When he gets here, he just lets it rest this way.

-Blue Cliff Record

Once you have the intent to investigate this Path to the end, you must settle your resolve and vow to the end of your days not to retreat or fall back so long as you have not yet reached the Great Rest, the Great Surcease, the Great Liberation. There's not much to the Buddha Dharma, but it's always been hard to find (capable) people. The concerns of worldly passions are like the links of a chain, joining together without a break. Those whose resolve is weak and inferior time and time again willingly become involved with then: unknowing and unawares they are dragged along by them. Only if the person truly possesses the faculty of wisdom and will power will he consent to step back and reflect.

And

Once you have achieved peaceful stillness of body and mind, you must make earnest effort. Do not immediately settle down in peaceful stillness- in the Teachings this is called "The Deep Pit of Liberation," much to be feared. You must make yourself turn freely, like a gourd floating on the water, independent and free, not subject to restraints, entering purity and impurity without being obstructed or sinking down. Only then do you have a little familiarity with the school of the patchrobed monks. If you manage to cradle the uncrying child in your arms, what's the use?

-Swampland Flowers

A monk asked, "When all the various things come to happen-what is that like?"
Joshu said, "All the various things come to happen.".
The monk said, "Where there is question and answer, something is happening. When nothing is happening-what is it like?"
Joshu said, "There is no arising from the Zen chair."
The monk bowed.
Joshu immediately said, "Do you remember the question and answer?"
The monk said, "I do."
Joshu said, "Try and say it.".
When the monk was about to open his mouth, Joshu asked the question.

Link to Shobogenzo

Submitted July 10, 2017 at 11:51AM by Hip2BS http://ift.tt/2u8JkxI