Huangbo Xiyun: On no account make a distinction between the Absolute and the sentient world.

When the lotus opened and the universe lay disclosed, there arose the duality of Absolute and sentient world; or, rather, the Absolute appeared in two aspects which, taken together, comprise pure perfection. These aspects are unchanging reality and potential form. For sentient beings, there are such pairs of opposites as becoming and cessation, together with all the others. Therefore, beware of clinging to one half of a pair. Those who, in their single-minded attempt to reach Buddhahood, detest the sentient world, thereby blaspheme all the Buddhas of the universe. The Buddhas, on manifesting themselves in the world, seized dung-shovels to rid themselves of all such rubbish as books containing metaphysics and sophistry.

My advice to you is to rid yourselves of all your previous ideas about studying Mind or perceiving it. When you are rid of them, you will no longer lose yourselves amid sophistries. Regard the process exactly as you would regard the shoveling of dung.

Yes, my advice is to give up all indulgence in conceptual thought and intellectual processes. When such things no longer trouble you, you will unfailingly reach Supreme Enlightenment. On no account make a distinction between the Absolute and the sentient world. As a real student of Ts‘ao Hsi Zen, you must make no distinctions of any kind. From the earliest times the Sages have taught that a minimum of activity is the gateway of their Dharma; so let no activity be the gateway of my Dharma! Such is the Gateway of the One Mind, but all who reach this gate fear to enter. I do not teach a doctrine of extinction! Few understand this, but those who do understand are the only ones to become Buddhas. Treasure this gem!

Huangbo Xiyun, On the Transmission of Mind, translated by John Blofeld, 1958

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Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: Here, Huangbo teaches when the lotus opened and the universe lay disclosed, there arose the duality of Absolute and sentient world; or, rather, the Absolute appeared in two aspects which, taken together, comprise pure perfection. Then later, on no account make a distinction between the Absolute and the sentient world.

This all points to the truth that everything that we may be searching for is quite literally all right here, right in front of our faces. It is all One Mind, again and again, and nothing remains aside. Wherein lies the problem, then? Potentially, a disbelief or a lack of faith in that this is all there is, and a mistaken notion that there is something beyond the ordinary world of chopping wood and carrying water. There is nowhere to go, no knowledge to collect, no heaven to ascend to or hell below. Even if there were, there should be nowhere that a man or woman of Zen couldn't walk freely without concern. Yet one false step, one careless attachment or stray aversion can send us careening a thousand miles away from this Absolute moment. Be diligent, be diligent...

Submitted May 31, 2019 at 07:47PM by WanderingRoninXIII http://bit.ly/2EL2bTf