Linji Teaches

^{inspired by u/coinionaire} post

 

At the evening gathering the master addressed the assembly, saying:

“Sometimes I take away the person but do not take away the surroundings; sometimes I take away the surroundings but do not take away the person; sometimes I take away both person and surroundings; sometimes I take away neither person nor surroundings.”

 

Then a monk asked, “What about ‘to take away the person and not take away the surroundings’?”

The master said:

The spring sun comes forth, covering the earth with brocade;/A child’s hair hangs down, white as silken strands.

~___~

The monk asked, “What about ‘to take away the surroundings and not take away the person’?”

The master said:

The rule of the sovereign prevails throughout the land;/The general has laid to rest the dusts of battle beyond the frontiers.

~___~

Again the monk asked, “What about ‘to take away both person and surroundings’?”

The master said:

No news from Bing and Fen,/Isolated and away from everywhere.

~___~

The monk asked, “What about ‘to take away neither person nor the surroundings’?”

The master said:

The sovereign ascends into the jeweled palace;/Aged rustics sing songs.

 

Going to the West, we find the Buddha-eye of the Indian Patriachs./Where is there dust, if no mirror?/Naturally moving, without concepts,/the world is a jewel.

~___~

Going to the East, the body is perfected;/the mountain paths are chanced, the Pure Lands swept clean./What use is there polishing a tile into a mirror?/Removing distractions, liberation of will is achieved, and peace follows.

~___~

Going to the North, we find the wooden blocks of silent illumination,/undisturbed by the possibility of reflection./Though war may threaten at the gates, how is one to see over a 1000 mile wall?/Rest reigns supreme, and all cares are dislodged.

~___~

Following Deshan to the South, dust and jewels are found everywhere one turns./What extra thing can be discovered?/The Master finds their home, and the Layman makes a joke,/never asking for more.

 

With brutal clarity, Linji lays the entire thing at our feet:

Then the master said, “Nowadays, he who studies buddhadharma must seek true insight. Gaining true insight, he is not affected by birth-and-death, but freely goes or stays. He needn’t seek the excellent—that which is excellent will come of itself.

“Followers of the Way, our eminent predecessors from of old have all had their ways of saving people. As for me, what I want to make clear to you is that you must not accept the deluded views of others. If you want to act, then act. Don’t hesitate.

“Students today can’t get anywhere. What ails you? Lack of faith in yourself is what ails you. If you lack faith in yourself, you’ll keep on tumbling along, following in bewilderment aft er all kinds of circumstances and being taken by them through transformation after transformation without ever attaining freedom.

“Bring to rest the thoughts of the ceaselessly seeking mind, and you will not differ from the patriarch-buddha. Do you want to know the patriarch-buddha? He is none other than you who stand before me listening to my discourse. But because you students lack faith in yourselves, you run around seeking something outside. Even if, through your seeking, you did find something, that something would be nothing more than fancy descriptions in written words; never would you gain the mind of the living patriarch. Make no mistake, worthy Chan men! If you don’t find it here and now, you’ll go on transmigrating through the three realms for myriads of kalpas and thousands of lives, and, held in the clutch of captivating circumstances, be born in the wombs of asses or cows."

Submitted October 16, 2020 at 06:57PM by surupamaerl https://ift.tt/3k5Oj8X