Don’t be dependent upon things! Slay it all at once!

Followers of the Way, if you want insight into dharma as it is, just don’t be taken in by the deluded views of others.

Whatever you encounter, either within or without, slay it at once.

On meeting a buddha slay the buddha, on meeting a patriarch slay the patriarch, on meeting an arhat slay the arhat, on meeting your parents slay your parents, on meeting your kinsman slay your kinsman, and you attain emancipation.

By not cleaving to things, you freely pass through.

Among all the students from every quarter who are followers of the Way, none has yet come before me without being dependent on something.

Here I hit them right from the start. If they come forth using their hands, I hit them on the hands; if they come forth using their mouths, I hit them on the mouth; if they come forth using their eyes, I hit them on the eyes.

Not one has yet come before me in solitary freedom. All are clambering after the worthless contrivances of the men of old.

As for myself, I haven’t a single dharma to give to people. All I can do is to cure illnesses and untie bonds.

You followers of the Way from every quarter, try coming before me without being dependent upon things. I would confer with you.

~ Linji, a teacher of zen.

(Record of Linji, R.F. Sasaki, p. 22)

Submitted January 10, 2019 at 04:19AM by dec1phah http://bit.ly/2ST39Sk