Unconditioned Dharma, Wu Wei

We've touched upon "Empty of Effort" being Wu Wei, and that is moving whilst retaining the space element, or emptiness.

My last post mentioned Bodhidharma saying to enter by Principle or Practice. (The character for it, 理 meant to "Polish Jade", which is the space element and symbolic of wuji, nothingness).

I was reading THE ESSENCE OF MAHAYANA PRACTICE 達磨二入四行觀 Translated by the Chung Tai Translation Committee From the Chinese by The First Patriarch Bodhidharma, 6th Century, and it mentioned that Bodhidharma taught, "Being non-discriminative, still, and empty of effort is to Enter by Principle."

Of Practice, Bodhidharma had said: "Entering by Practice means following four practices that encompass all other practices. They are: accepting adversity, adapting to conditions, seeking nothing, and acting in accordance with the Dharma."

If you don't know, those are the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha. Check them out...

Anyways, on to what I wanted to point at. Bodhidharma wrote:

To enter the Great Way there are many paths, but essentially they are of two means: by Principle and by Practice.

Entering the Way by Principle means to awaken to the Truth through the doctrine, with a deep faith that all sentient beings have the same true nature. Obscured by the fleeting dust of delusions, this nature cannot manifest itself.

The notes on this document are very helpful, specifically for understanding these two terms:

• two means: - Even though there are many methods of Buddhist practice, they all use one of two means: either by gaining a direct understanding of the highest Truth (“by Principle”), or by using various practices that lead to the final understanding of the highest Truth (“by Practice”). Sometimes the two means are combined.

• fleeting dust of delusions: The original mind is like a mirror covered with the dust of delusions; therefore its reflections (of reality) are unclear and distorted. What we take as our “body and mind”—form, feeling, conception, volition, and consciousness—are the fleeting dust which is impermanent and defiling, obscuring our true nature. Ignorance, greed, anger, pride, jealousy, and other afflictions are also the “fleeting dust of delusions.”

Lastly, what is empty of effort? It is wu-wei!

• empty of effort (wu-wei) 無為: - Free from contrived effort; free from clinging and attachments; unconditioned; absolute. Being wu-wei also means inner peace obtained by having no desires. Also translated as "unconditioned Dharma" where appropriate.

This little PDF introduced me as well to "dana", the highest form of dana (which means charity) is the Triple Emptiness, which is to give without the concept of the giver, the receiver, and the given, in otherwords, is to act without ego.

And, one more, because I have to, here's the book's note on dana:

Charity. The first of the six paramitas (perfections) practiced by a bodhisattva. There are 3 types of generosity: giving of material, giving of solace (comfort, protection, removal of fear, etc.), and giving of Dharma.

The perfection of these Six Paramitas, or six perfections, are of course the goal of any Bodhisattva.

This reminds me of the 6 pointed hexagram mentioned in the Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi:

Although it is not fabricated,

it is not without speech.

It is like facing a jewel mirror;

form and image behold each other –

You are not it,

in truth it is you.

Like a babe in the world,

in five aspects complete;

It does not go or come,

nor rise nor stand.

"Baba wawa" –

is there anything said or not?

Ultimately it does not apprehend anything

because its speech is not yet correct.

It is like the six lines of the illumination hexagram:

relative and ultimate interact -

Piled up, they make three,

the complete transformation makes five.

It is like the taste of the five-flavored herb,

like a diamond thunderbolt.

Subtly included within the true,

inquiry and response come up together.

Communing with the source, travel the pathways,

embrace the territory and treasure the road.

Respecting this is fortunate;

do not neglect it.

Submitted July 10, 2017 at 10:37PM by Dillon123 http://ift.tt/2u5PnCk