~ | ~ | ~ | ~ The Recorded Sayings of [Master] Linji ~ | ~ | ~ | ~
Translation: Cleary
[Linji addressed the assembly and said:]
“If you want to get the freedom to go or stay, to take off or put on birth and death, then right now try to recognize the person who is listening to the Dharma."
"This person has no form, no marks, no basis, no root, nowhere it abides, but it is leaping with life. In all its many kinds of activities, it functions without location. Therefore, if you search for it, the farther away it is, and if you seek it, the more you go against it. It is called the esoteric secret."
“People, do not accept this imaginary companion: later it will revert to impermanence. In this world, what are you looking for as liberation? You are looking for a mouthful of food to eat, some simple clothes to wear, a way to pass the time. You must pay a visit to an enlightened teacher. Don’t just follow your routines and pursue pleasure. Time should be valued. Everything is impermanent from moment to moment."
"On a crude level we are harried by earth, water, fire, and air; on a subtle level we are pressed by the four aspects, birth, abiding, variation, and demise. Right now you people should get to know the four formless realms, so you can avoid being knocked back and forth by circumstances.”
Someone asked: “What are the four formless realms?”
Linji said:
"When you have a moment of doubt in your mind, you are obstructed by earth."
"When you have a moment of love in your mind, you are drowned in water."
"When you have a moment of anger in your mind, you are burned by fire."
"When you have a moment of joy in your mind, you are blown around by air."
“If you can perceive this, then you will not be turned around by objects and circumstances, but rather, wherever you are, you will use them. Then you can appear in the east and disappear in the west, or appear in the south and disappear in the north; you can appear in the middle and disappear around the edge or appear around the edge and disappear in the middle."
"You walk on water as if it were earth and on earth as if it were water. Why are you like this [at this stage]? Because you have comprehended that the four elements [earth, water, fire, air] are like dreams or magical illusions."
“People, the [person] in your listening to the Dharma right now is not the four elements that comprise you. Rather, it can employ the four elements in you."
"If you can see like this, then you are free to go or stay."
“In my view, there are no things to despise and avoid. If you love what’s holy, [I remind you:] ‘holy’ is just a name. There are some students who go to Mt. Wutai to look for Manjusri [there in his legendary abode]. Already they are in error: there is no Manjusri on Mt. Wutai."
"Do you want to know Manjusri? This functioning here right before your eyes has never been any different [from Manjusri]."
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"To have no doubts anywhere—this is the living Manjusri."
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"In the moment of nondifferentiating light in your mind, the real Samantabhadra is everywhere."
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"When in a moment of mind you can free yourself from bondage, and be liberated wherever you are, this is Avalokitesvara."
"In the teaching of samadhi, [these three bodhisattvas] take turns as central figure and companions. When they come forth, it is for a certain period. Each one is all three and all three of them are one. Only when you understand like this can you read the scriptures properly.”
Submitted January 09, 2020 at 11:21AM by GreenSage45 https://ift.tt/2uwVrpW
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