[Personal share/perspective] A correctly understood Zen teaching takes something away every time or else it has become your obstruction.

This is a personal share/perspective, no authentic cases or real Zen here!

You can read some Zen teachings... Mazu's "mind is Buddha", or Huang Po's "one mind", and thereby gain some understanding, or feel like it. However, other times, it is said more explicitly, or slightly differently, such as when Linji says he has no dharma to give men, or says he gives them yellow leaves so that they will think it is gold. There's nothing you can grab hold of, nothing to stand on. If you can stand on Mazu's mind is Buddha, move on "no mind, no Buddha". If you can stand on that, throw that out. Even the best teachings can become obstructions--Bankei forbade recording his teaching!

So that's that. The point is hammered into the ground, but how much Zen is there and how many ways are there to say it anyway? There is nothing to hold on to, nothing to stand on. If you have gripped, grasped, or understood anything, you've turned it into another obstruction. That's all.

Hopefully, my personal share has taken something away from you and left you confused and demoralized!

Submitted April 21, 2021 at 11:04AM by foomanbaz https://ift.tt/3xd8j0b