Huángbò Xīyùn: Look at the void in front of your eyes. How can you produce it or eliminate it?

Question: What is the Way and how must it be followed?

Huángbò: What sort of thing do you suppose the Way to be, that you should wish to follow it?

Question: What instructions have the Masters everywhere given for Dhyāna-practice and the study of the Dharma?

Huángbò: Words used to attract the dull of wit are not to be relied on.

Question: If those teachings were meant for the dull-witted, I have yet to hear what Dharma has been taught to those of really high capacity.

Huángbò: If they are really men of high capacity, where could they find people to follow? If they seek from within themselves, they will find nothing tangible; how much less can they find a Dharma worthy of their attention elsewhere! Do not look to what is called the Dharma by preachers, for what sort of Dharma could that be?

Question: If that is so, should we not seek for anything at all?

Huángbò: By conceding this, you would save yourself a lot of mental effort.

Question: But in this way everything would be eliminated. There cannot just be nothing.

Huángbò: Who called it nothing? Who was this fellow? But you wanted to seek for something.

Question: Since there is no need to seek, why do you also say that not everything is eliminated?

Huángbò: Not to seek is to rest tranquil. Who told you to eliminate anything? Look at the void in front of your eyes. How can you produce it or eliminate it?

Question: If I could reach this Dharma, would it be like the void?

Huángbò: Morning and night I have explained to you that the Void is both One and Manifold. I said this as a temporary expedient, but you are building up concepts from it.

Question: Do you mean that we should not form concepts as human beings normally do?

Huángbò: I have not prevented you; but concepts are related to the senses; and, when feeling takes place, wisdom is shut out.

Question: Then should we avoid any feeling in relation to the Dharma?

Huángbò: Where no feeling arises, who can say that you are right?

Question: Why do you speak as though I was mistaken in all the questions I have asked Your Reverence?

Huángbò: You are a man who doesn't understand what is said to him. What is all this about being mistaken?

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Wandering Ronin commentary: If anyone is interested in having me detract in some way from Huángbò Xīyùn's teaching here by explaining my understanding of it, then they should feel free to ask me directly in the comments. But enough about me, let's talk about this little r/Zen sangha of ours! Not saying that any of this is bad or good, but here are a few things that will probably happen in the comments. Aquila non capit muscas.

1. Someone will probably ask about my understanding of this teaching in order to test me.
2. Someone will probably get upset that I didn't provide a true commentary to prove my understanding.
3. More than a few people will lurk without saying anything whatsoever.
4. Some people will step forth and explain their own understanding of this teaching.
5. Someone will probably attempt to unsettle me and drag me down with an argument I cannot win.
6. Someone will say something completely unrelated to the matter at hand here.
7. Someone will probably attempt to be humorous, and might even be successful.
8. Someone will say something cute, flippant or glib.
9. Someone will probably try to prove that they understand this teaching better than I do.
10. Someone with a rainbow or unicorn in their flair will definitely speak on this thread.

Submitted January 27, 2019 at 09:13PM by WanderingRoninXIII http://bit.ly/2CNbEaX