In ancient times a Zen worthy asked an old adept, "What is essential for emancipation?" The old adept said, "Fog is rising from your feet, reverend!" At these words, the Zen worthy suddenly got the message.

Do you know about emancipation? If you formulate the idea that you can understand, then you are blocked off from it.

Later, another adept said, "I dare not turn my back on you, master; for fog is rising from your feet!"

Then there is the story of when Beiyuan Tong left Dongshan. Dongshan said, "Where are you going?" Tong replied, "Into the mountains." Dongshan said, "Flying Monkey Ridge is steep—a fine sight!" Tong hesitated. Dongshan said, "Reverend Tong!" Tong responded, "Yes?" Dongshan said, "Why don't you go into the mountains?" At these words, Tong suddenly got the message.

The ancients were quite direct in their ways of helping others. Whenever people came to them, they would show them. In this case, he said he was going into the mountains; what does this mean?

People today do not realize clearly, inevitably making an understanding. By a bit of understanding, they have blocked themselves off. One can only investigate comprehensively through experience; one cannot understand just by intellectual interpretation. Once you have comprehended thoroughly with unified comprehension, you will no longer doubt.

Nevertheless, this is not easy to maintain. If you have entered into it correctly, you will not backslide. Thus, even if you have clarified what can be understood, that is not comparable to seeing what cannot be understood and also having the ability to maintain it. Then you will always be aware and always be alert.

This is why an ancient said, "The normal mind is the path; can one aim for it?", "If you try to head for it, you are turning away from it." Seeing as how you are not allowed to head for it, then how do you maintain it? It's not easy!

Is this not emancipation? If you seek a state of emancipation, this is what is called a cramp! Xuansha said, "The whole earth is an eon of hell; if you do not clarify yourself, this is a serious cramp." It will not do to idle away the time.

hookdump's commentary:

(adding some titles for better organization)

A horse is rising from your feet

Not really related, but here's a quick anecdote. This "fog rising from your feet" thing reminded me of something. In their first encounter (as described in the Wudeng Huiyuan), Huineng told Nanyue:

“Prajnadhara has foretold that from beneath your feet will come a horse which will trample to death everyone in the world. Bear this in mind but don’t soon repeat it.”

Fun fact: One of Nanyue's Dharma heirs was Mazu, whose name in chinese (馬祖道) includes the word horse (馬). So a horse kind of ended up coming from beneath Nanyue's feet indeed.

Hmmm... maybe this story has the same meaning? Is there some Zen Master that has 雾 or 霭 or 熏 in his name? (just kiddin')

To understand or not to understand?

Don't you understand the fog thing?

Don't you understand the mountain thing?

Maybe stop trying before you get a cramp from thinking so hard.

Cool! So we should stop thinking about Zen and we should never understand anything, right?

Well... No. Not really.

Remember episode #3:

Does this mean that you will realize it if you do not aim the mind and do not develop intellectual understanding?

Far from it— you will fail even more seriously to realize it. Even understanding does not get it, much less not understanding!

Wait, so what's Foyan saying?

Is intellectual understanding adequate (as stated in chapter 3) or inadequate (as stated in the present chapter)?

Maybe both? Maybe neither?

Thoughts about this?

Unified comprehension

/u/SometimesMindful, check this out:

"Once you have comprehended thoroughly with unified comprehension, you will no longer doubt."

This is what I was talking about this morning when I mentioned "deep understanding of the fundamental principles of things". Foyan is a bit more succint than me, haha. "Unified comprehension".

To meditate or to read?

One can only investigate comprehensively through experience; one cannot understand just by intellectual interpretation.

This sounds a lot like "Yo dawg, drop those stupid books and get to meditate".

Hmmm... not necessarily.

In the chapter "Real Zen" (coming up in the future), Foyan says:

You should simply step back and study through total experience. How do you step back? I am not telling you to sit on a bench with your eyes closed, rigidly suppressing body and mind, like earth or wood. That will never have any usefulness, even in a million years.

So, again... what is Foyan saying?

How can one "study through total experience"? Is sitting part of it? Is intellectual understanding part of it?

Maybe both? Maybe neither?

Thoughts about this?

In my opinion there is a delicate threshold in Zen. A few clues to see it are:

If you get offended when people criticize meditation, you're too attached to meditation.
If you get offended when people criticize your books, you're too attached to your books.
If you get offended when people misunderstand you or misjudge you, you're too attached to yourself.

Is this relevant though?

Is attachment an obstacle to seeing your nature?

I don't know. But one thing is for sure: It won't help you. :p

So... can I backslide or not?

Nevertheless, this is not easy to maintain. If you have entered into it correctly, you will not backslide.

Once you truly see your nature, no maintenance is needed, no backslide is possible. As they say: "Once expanded by a new idea, the mind never returns to its original size". I think this applies particularly well for realizations, insights, or whatever you call them.

So if you reach certain state, but you can only maintain it with a regular routine of study, or sitting, or chanting, or whatever, that's likely not buddha nature, but something else. Probably a nice thing! But not what Foyan is talking about.