Layman P'ang "Faith"

The Layman was visiting a lecture-mart, listening to a discourse on the Diamond Sutra. When the "no self, no person" line was reached, he asked:

"Lecturer, since there is no self and no person, who is he who's lecturing, who is he who's listening?"

The lecturer had no reply.

The Layman said:

"Though I'm just a commoner, I know a little about faith."

The lecturer inquired:

"What is your idea?"

The Layman replied with a verse:

There's no self and no person,

How then kinfolk and stranger!

I beg you, cease going from lecture to lecture;

It's better to seek truth directly.

The nature of Diamond Wisdom

Excludes even a speck of dust.

From "Thus I have heard" to "This I believe,"

All's but an array of unreal names.

When the lecturer heard this verse, he sighed with admiration.

Wherever the Layman dwelt there was much coming and going of venerable priests, and many exchanges of questions. According to the capacity of each the Layman responded as an echo to a sound. He was not a man to be categorized by any rule or measure.

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This raises a number of questions to the reader.

What is 'seeking truth directly' and how might it be contrasted with this lecturer's teaching?

When describing the Layman's response to the various priests as "an echo to a sound" and "according to the capacity of each", how is this approach different than that of the lecturer and how might it be demonstrated?

What does "He was not a man to be categorized by any rule or measure." mean?

Citations to the text are always a plus.

Submitted November 21, 2019 at 09:58PM by ThatKir https://ift.tt/37rhE7P