Treasury of the Eye of True Teaching #504

Master Deshan Yuanming said to an assembly,

Coming on thus is a presently complete official decision; coming on not thus is a target arising inviting an arrow. Coming on not so at all is partiality meeting bias. A swift point is already dull. When there are no clouds for ten thousand miles, the blue sky is still there.

A monk asked, "How is it when standing out with no deviation?"

He said, "A donkey tethering stake."

The monk said, "Where is the fault?"

He said, "One's own shit doesn't seem to stink."

The monk said, "It's alright for you to say so."

He said, "A dung beetle pushes a ball of dung."

He was asked, "No tracks, no traces - whose conduct is this?"

He said, "A thief stealing an ox."

"How is it when attaining the reality body without going through immeasurable eons?"

"This is still standing under a sign."

"How is it before a ram gets hung up by the horns?"

"A dog chasing crap."

"What is the road of the ancient Buddhas?"

"A sacred tree by the wayside."

---

Zen isn't about refraining from making decisions, or trying to make the "decision-making mind" go away or whatever. It's not about trying to induce a psychological sensation of stillness. This case makes that extremely clear.

Coming on thus is a presently complete official decision

What is a "presently complete official decision"? What's the last decision you made? Was it complete and official? If you can't say, how can you answer for yourself?

"How is it before a ram gets hung up by the horns?""A dog chasing crap.""What is the road of the ancient Buddhas?""A sacred tree by the wayside."

This is fucking rich. Let's be real... after that "dog chasing crap" comment, zen is a non-toxic dog toy at best. And even then, who cares? I read today that we consume a 2x4 lego block's worth of plastic each month. I mean, what the fuck right?

Anyways, I guess the question stands: which are you? Donkey, dung beetle, ram, dog... ox? Thief, Ancient Buddha? Sacred tree by the wayside? Speak up!

Submitted April 16, 2021 at 12:24PM by hashiusclay https://ift.tt/3ts8yCj