Yunmen Wenyan [864-949]: The master said, "Is it alright if we get rid of this word?"

Another time someone asked Master Yunmen, "What is Zen?"The master said, "Is it alright if we get rid of this word?"

Yunmen Wenyan [864-949]: Terebess

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Commentary and questions: What happens if we let go of the word 'Zen' as Yunmen teaches here? What happens if we put a stop to all practices and drop all conceptual thinking? What happens if we don't hold on to a single thing, and what is there if we let fall all terms such as 'enlightened' and 'not enlightened'? What if there is no buddha mind underneath it all, and no Dharma to rely on? How far are you willing to take this path, and what if there is no path after all?

Yet let's not mistake this all for mere nihilism. The Zen masters offered a few skillful concepts to point out the Way for us all, which allows the negation of many less skillful concepts and understandings that we may still be clinging to. Delusion is endlessly impenetrable if one doesn't see through and recognize the deceptive and universal nature of it. Where can you wander without the ground beneath your feet, and where could you build a home without a foundation?

Submitted February 05, 2020 at 09:00PM by _WanderingRonin_ https://ift.tt/31urHGD