Zen and the KISS principle.

KISS is an acronym for "keep it simple, stupid.” The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated; therefore, simplicity should be a key goal in design, and unnecessary complexity should be avoided.

This is good, because the entire Twelvefold canon, the definition of zen, and the complete teaching of zen fits into 8 characters:

直指人心見性成佛

Directly pointing to the heart of the human mind, see the awakened wisdom.

That’s it, zen, nothing more to be said.

So, why are we still talking?

Zen masters “talk so much” because they have different styles and opinions, different methods of pointing they might enjoy, different methods of pointing they might find more or less effective, maybe they are even lazy or efficient and just use the same method of pointing some other master taught them.

If you ask 10 zen masters, “What is directly pointing to the heart of the human mind?” you will get 10 different answers.

If you ask 10 zen masters, “What is the heart of the human mind?” you will get 10 different descriptions.

If you ask 10 zen masters, “What is seeing the awakened wisdom?” you will get 10 different descriptions.

All 10 zen masters giving 10 different answers, methods, and descriptions — all useless as a practice. Yet, all 10 only giving 1 answer, method, and description — all the exact same, giant clue about zen contained in the one statement above.

There is 0 disagreement among zen masters about the heart of the human mind, or the awakened wisdom. So where does all the “disagreement” and “argument” come from?

Quite simply, it comes from people who aren’t zen masters, or people who don’t pay attention to what zen masters have to say.

直指人心見性成佛

Directly pointing to the heart of the human mind, see the awakened wisdom.

Is there anyone on the forum who thinks they can say another word about zen to transcend that statement?

If the crowd has fallen to speechlessness, point to the heart of the mind, and see the awakened wisdom. If you see the awakened wisdom, just smile and twirl a flower.

———

What, does anyone expect a zen master to hold up your index finger and tap it to to the heart of the mind for you, as if such a thing can be done?

☝️

Tapping the top of the head with an index finger, tap tap. Nothing happens, the heart of the mind is 1000 feet inside. Hmmmm. Can’t see it with just the one finger. Maybe if the finger had really good eyes, or if the heart of the mind wasn’t so far away. Why’s it so far away, anyways. How does the heart of the mind get 1000 feet away from an index finger? And what’s up with Gutei’s finger in the first place. Zen is so weird. Probably all this zen is just BS anyways, heart of the mind sounds like hippy talk. This feels nice though, relaxing and calm. Hmm. Oh shit, losing it. What’s that about work tomorrow? Ok ok, get it together, time to focus, sit and blank out to peaceful void .......................................................................................................................... zzZZzzzZZ.

Nothing happened. Where did it go wrong? It’s just one sentence.

直指人心見性成佛

Directly pointing to the heart of the human mind, see the awakened wisdom.

Submitted June 06, 2019 at 01:23PM by chadpills http://bit.ly/2ZhUtrR