Lingyun's verse on awakening on seeing peach blossoms says, "For thirty years I've sought out a swordsman; how many times have the trees shed their leaves and again sprouted twigs! Ever since seeing peach flowers once, right up till now I've never doubted anymore."
The matter of Lingyun getting enlightened after seeing peach blossoms is super famous in the Zen tradition. Like, pretty much every Zen text after 1100 that we have translated tackles it.
Outside of the Zen conversation, its fame is lesser. Pretty much anyone who does want to reference it does so in order to give a legitimacy to them going on about their favorite flavor of prayer.
I think the actual case is unsettling for those types in two ways:
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Zen Masters don’t insist on a context for discussing his enlightenment that extends beyond him seeing peach blossoms.
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His verse is a kick in the face to “gradual” enlightenment doctrines that demand a progression of understanding.
For anyone out there that has questions…
Ask!
Submitted June 07, 2022 at 11:59PM by ThatKir https://ift.tt/7C2z4wb
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