Foyan, Yunmen and Ewk: On the other hand, why aren't you enlightened yet?

Realization obliterates the subject-object split; it's not that there's some mysterious principle besides.

Foyan Qingyuan [1067-1120]

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Master Yunmen once quoted a saying from the Zen poem "Faith in Mind": "When mind does not arise, the myriad things have no fault." Then the master said, "That's all he understood!" Then he raised his staff and added, "Is anything amiss in the whole universe?"

Yunmen Wenyan [864-949]

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On the one hand, why do people set what they like against what they dislike? Why are some high school book reports easy to write, and others people will outright lie instead?

On the other hand, why aren't you enlightened yet?

ewk [The r/Zen Forum]

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Commentary and questions: For those that don't understand, ewk is one of the most compassionate people in the entire forum. Don't be mistaken: 'compassion' means something very different in the Zen sense of the term as opposed to the layperson's sense of the term, and if you don't know the difference I recommend that you investigate it deeply for yourself. Don't let your ego deceive you; Ewk's sword is one that kills and brings to life: On the other hand, why aren't you enlightened yet?

I couldn't leap clear of it whatsoever, and I got cut clean in half. It was a good death for all concerned. This armor-piercing question was wildly unfair to my delicate intellectual sensibilities, because it begged the question, lead the witness and left me nowhere to turn. How could he doubt me, how could he see through? I'm willing to accept at this time that I'm not enlightened as of yet, so I ask myself... why?

Looking to Foyan's radiant clarity again, I understand something of my continual error. I haven't come close to realization, because I haven't obliterated the subject-object split across the entire universe and in every situation. I still pick and choose and separate this from that according to my likes and dislikes. Over time, I've managed to build up a nearly unassailable ghost fortress of intellectual understanding that only a precious few can storm. Ewk does this so masterfully and effortlessly! See him, and understand him.

In conclusion, I'll give Yunmen his say: "Is anything amiss in the whole universe?" Yes, you old bastard! Everything is wrong and amiss, because for some reason I cannot accept buddahood just yet. I'm still wandering and searching, always looking for some kind of grand resolution somewhere else. Here lies Ronin; take pity on me brothers, remember my name, and don't follow my way over the Way!

Submitted January 13, 2020 at 06:02PM by _WanderingRonin_ https://ift.tt/2tVI16m