I will settle something for you right now: the ultimate rule is to see your own mind clearly. This is what Buddhism is, as far as I am concerned...All the sages since time immemorial have been people who clearly saw their own minds.
Settled.
This is a really great section from Foyan. I cut it up and remixed it into themes for easy digestion.
HOW TO: Or ideas to chew on while you search.
Mind does not see mind; to get it, you must not see it as mind. This is a realm apart from thoughts.
As soon as you rationalize, it's hard to understand; you must refrain from rationalization before you can attain realization.
...
...So how can you see it clearly?...My late teacher was someone who saw his own mind, but among those here who were also associated with him in the past, there are very few who clearly see their own minds.
...
...I have brought up the saying that inanimate things teach, but many are those who misunderstand. When you see inanimate things, you say they're inanimate, and when you see animate beings you consider them animate:
If you who study Zen do not understand the teaching of the inanimate, how can you understand the task of the journey? If those who act as teachers do not understand the teaching of the inanimate, how can they deal with people in beneficial ways?
FAILURES: Or how to spot the confused at a distance.
Hearing such talk, some people immediately declare, "I have nothing to say at all, and no reason either." They do not realize this is in fact a rationalization!
...
First [Zen teachers] make cliche of "your own mind," then try to use the mind to realize it. This is called driving a spike into a stump and then running round and round the stump. They pass it on this way, and it is taken up this way, knocking on their chairs and holding up their whisks...[Another] who tells people not to make logical assessments, that they lose contact the minute they speak, and should recognize the primordial. This kind of "teacher" has no explanation at all. This is like sitting on a ballloon-where is there any comfort in it? It is also like the croaking of a bullfrog. If you entertain such a view, it is like being trapped in a black fog.
...
Now if I say this to people, they think I'm criticizing everyone else, but if I do not talk about it, it will be hard to elucidate...There are quite a few Zen teachers in the world, talking about Zen, talking about Tao. Do you think they are self-deceived, or not self-deceived? Do you think they are deceiving others, or not deceiving others? It is imperative to discern minutely.
ATTENTION: Or go back and read the first excerpt again!
I am exhorting you in utter seriousness; I am not lying, I am not making up rationalizations to trap people, I will not allow people to oppress the free, I have no such reasons. If you recognize this, that is up to you. If you say you also see this way, that is up to you. If you say that everything is all right according to your perception, that is up to you, If you say your mindi s still uneasy, that is up to you. You can only attain realization if you don't deceive yourself.
I urge you to examine closely enough to effect an awakening. If you do not yet have an awakened perspective, then approach it in a relaxed manner; do not rush.
AFTERWORD: Or don't. That is up to you.
Foyan is really popular in r/Zen and I am hardly the first popcorn brain to try and ingest him. In fact, I believe I am the second to cover them systematically *in the past year. That's fine because the other person got some things wrong. If you are interested in what has been discussed through the ages, here you go.
[2020-2](Error)
Submitted September 01, 2020 at 03:57AM by surupamaerl https://ift.tt/32GPPqD
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