Liangshan's Empty Aeon

LIANGSHAN'S EMPTY AEON

LINQUAN'S INTRODUCTION

A frozen river bursts into flame, an iron tree blooms with flowers - it does not come from the loom of creation; how could it be within the range of yin and yang? Where primordial chaos is not yet differentiated, try to see for sure.

QUOTATION

A monk asked Liangshan, "What is that which is before the empty aeon?"

Liangshan said, "The drum which rattles the universe, people of the time don't hear."

LINQUAN'S COMMENTARY

The unbridled wooden horse leaps high before the primordial buddha, the legless stone man walks alone after the emptiness of the aeon; only then will you believe when it's said that inconceivable existence basically is not existent, that real emptiness fundamentally is not empty. Independent, lively standing out, for all time the function is inexhaustible. Thus we know that this thing is not empty, not existent, not one, not two, not the same, not different, not identical, not disparate; try to compare it and you miss, try to discuss it and you're wrong. It is always presented to your face - what a pity that it's cast off behind your head. I deeply pity these folks who try to grasp the moon in the water, not realizing that the moon is in the sky, who try to grasp flowers in the air, not realizing the flowers have no stems. Pursuing an air of fragrance, they mistake the reflection for the head. Searching with all their might, they don't get so much as a bit of hair. That is why Liangshan said, "The drum which rattles the universe, people of the time don't hear." I say, although living beings have ears, how many know the sound? Also see how Danxia settles the harmony; his verse says,

DANXIA'S VERSE

Empty space is the drum, Mt. Sumeru is the drum stick;
Although those who beat are many, those who hear are few.
In the middle of night, a skull awakens from a dream;
Though bright moonlight covers his head, he doesn't think of returning.

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All I get from this is a weary smile. I don't see the possibility of any further empty eons. What would be the point‽

^{Edit: From Vacant Hall Collection}

Submitted April 15, 2021 at 11:33AM by twiceborne https://ift.tt/3aaLekM