[WanSong] The Essence of Zen

Excerpt from Case 74 of the Book of Serenity (Cleary translation)

 

Case:

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A monk asked Fayan, "I hear that in the teachings there is a saying, 'From a non-abiding basis are established all things'--what is the non-abiding basis?"

Fayan said, "Form arises before substantiation, names arise from before naming."

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WanSong's Commentary:

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Manjusri asked Vimalakirti, "What is the basis of the body?"

Vimalakirti said, "Craving is the basis of the body."

Manjusri asked, "What is the basis of craving?"

Vimalakirti said, "False discrimination is the basis of craving."

Manjusri asked, "What is the basis of false discrimination?"

Vimalakirti said, "Erroneous conception is the basis of false discrimination."

Manjusri asked, "What is the basis of erroneous conception?"

Vimalakirti said, "Non-abiding is the basis."

Manjusri asked, "What is the basis of non-abiding?"

Vimalakirti said, "Non-abiding has no basis. Manjusri, all things are established from a nonabiding basis."

Master SengZhao's note says,

"The mind is like water: when it's still, there is reflection; when disturbed, no mirror. Muddled by folly and craving, fanned by misleading influences, it surges and billows, never stopping for a moment. Looking at it this way, where can you go and not be mistaken!

For example, it's like trying to look into a flowing spring to see your own appearance--it never forms."

He also said,

"If you take the movement of mind as the basis, then existence is born, based on significations. If you take nothingness as the basis, then existence is born based on nothingness; nothing is not based on nothing--there is no more basis."

He also said,

"Because of non-abiding, erroneous conceptions; because of erroneous conceptions, discrimination; because of discrimination, craving; because of craving, there is a body; since there is a body, then good and bad are both set forth; once good and bad are set forth, the myriad things arise."

It goes on from here--the words are too numerous to go through all of them.

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WanSong goes on from here, but the words are too numerous to go through all of them.

Besides, you should be able to get the basis from this.

Do you even abide bro?

Submitted October 05, 2020 at 09:58PM by ZEROGR33N https://ift.tt/36xIzka