If you do not reflect and examine, your whole life will be buried away: Introspection in Zen practice.

Just because I wondered deeply, I later attained penetrating understanding... If you do not reflect and examine, your whole life will be buried away...

People who study the path clearly know there is such a thing; why do they fail to get the message, and go on doubting? It is because their faith is not complete enough and their doubt is not deep enough. Only with depth and completeness, be it faith or doubt, is it really Zen; if you are incapable of introspection like this, you will eventually get lost in confusion and lose the thread, wearing out and stumbling halfway along the road. But if you can look into yourself, there is no one else.

Foyan Qingyuan

_____________________________________________________________________

Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: Foyan seems to be unusual among the Zen masters in that he constantly teaches and promotes introspection, or the mind turning back and investigating the mind. Why is this? The Zen teachings generally tend to point back to mind, which is revealed as the source-essence of all things once the split of subject and object is overcome.

Yet why the apparent difficulty involved with this practice? Because mind is also limited in part by delusions, or concepts that cloud the moon of truth, and even attachments and aversions. What are some questions that would lead to deeper introspection and investigation of mind? I've created a list below; be as honest as possible with yourself with them, and feel free to add a few questions of your own in the comments.

1. What is the real reason that you came to Zen in the first place?
2. If any, what does your Zen practice actually consist of?
3. What Zen master seems to resonate the most with you, and why?
4. What single teaching or quote resonates the most with you?
5. Why do you continue to study and practice Zen?
6. Do you feel that you may be biased or are picking and choosing from the teachings?
7. What Zen teachings do you tend to ignore, or don't believe in?
8. What is Zen to you? A religion, philosophy, way of life or something else?
9. What are your current limitations or weaknesses on the path of Zen?
10. What does enlightenment mean to you at this time?

Submitted June 05, 2019 at 03:46AM by WanderingRoninXIII http://bit.ly/2KslTqL