For those who get off on such things.
The master shouted and then said, “For those whose root of faith is weak the final day will never come. You have been standing a long time. Take care of yourselves.”
Th en the master said, “Nowadays, he who studies buddhadharma must seek true insight. Gaining true insight, he is not aff ected by birth-and-death, but freely goes or stays. He needn’t seek the excellent—that which is excellent will come of itself.
“Followers of the Way, our eminent predecessors from of old have all had their ways of saving people. As for me, what I want to make clear to you is that you must not accept the deluded views of others. If you want to act, then act. Don’t hesitate
. “Students today can’t get anywhere. What ails you? Lack of faith in yourself is what ails you. If you lack faith in yourself, you’ll keep on tumbling along, following in bewilderment aft er all kinds of circumstances and being taken by them through transformation aft er transformation without ever attaining freedom.
“Bring to rest the thoughts of the ceaselessly seeking mind, and you will not diff er from the patriarch-buddha. Do you want to know the patriarchbuddha? He is none other than you who stand before me listening to my discourse. But because you students lack faith in yourselves, you run around seeking something outside. Even if, through your seeking, you did find something, that something would be nothing more than fancy descriptions in written words; never would you gain the mind of the living patriarch. Make no mistake, worthy Chan men! If you don’t fi nd it here and now, you’ll go on transmigrating through the three realms for myriads of kalpas and thousands of lives, and, held in the clutch of captivating circumstances, be born in the wombs of asses or cows.
“Followers of the Way, as I see it we are no diff erent from Śākya. What do we lack for our manifold activities today? The six-rayed divine light never ceases to shine. See it this way, and you’ll be a man who has nothing to do his whole life long. Virtuous monks, Th e three realms lack tranquility Just like a burning house. 153 discourses | 9 162 This is not a place we remain for long. The death-dealing demon of impermanence comes in an instant, without discriminating between noble and base, old and young. “If you wish to diff er in no way from the patriarch-buddha, just don’t seek outside. Th e pure light in a single thought of yours—this is the dharmakāya buddha within your own house. Th e nondiscriminating light in a single thought of yours—this is the saṃbhogakāya buddha within your own house. Th e nondifferentiating light in a single thought of yours—this is the nirmāṇakāya buddha within your own house. Th is threefold body is you, listening to my discourse right now before my very eyes. It is precisely because you don’t run around seeking outside that you have such meritorious activities "
“Followers of the Way, mind is without form and pervades the ten directions.
In the eye it is called seeing, in the ear it is called hearing. In the nose it smells odors, in the mouth it holds converse. In the hands it grasps and seizes, in the feet it runs and carries. 163 165 160 10 | the record of linji 171 Fundamentally it is one pure radiance; divided it becomes the six harmoniously united spheres of sense. If the mind is void, wherever you are, you are emancipated. “What is my purpose in speaking this way? I do so only because you followers of the Way cannot stop your mind from running around everywhere seeking, because you go clambering aft er the worthless contrivances of the men of old."
"“You keep trying to fi nd buddha, but buddha is merely a name. Don’t you know what it is that you are running around seeking? Th e buddhas and the patriarchs of the three periods and the ten directions appear only in order to seek the dharma. You followers of the Way who are studying today—you, too, have only to seek the dharma. Attain dharma and you’re all done. Until then, you’ll go on transmigrating through the fi ve paths of existence just as you have been. “What is dharma? ‘Dharma’ is the dharma of mind. Mind is without form; it pervades the ten directions and is manifesting its activity right before your very eyes. But because people lack suffi cient faith [in this] they turn to names and phrases, attempting to grasp the buddhadharma through written words. Th ey’re as far away as heaven from earth!"
“An instant of doubt in your mind and you’re obstructed 201 196 200 discourses | 15 204 202 by earth; an instant of lust in your mind and you’re drowned by water; an instant of anger in your mind and you’re scorched by fi re; an instant of joy in your mind and you’re blown about by wind. Gain such discernment as this, and you’re not turned this way and that by circumstances; making use of circumstances everywhere—you spring up in the east and disappear in the west, spring up in the south and disappear in the north, spring up in the center and disappear at the border, spring up at the border and disappear in the center, walk on the water as on land, and walk on the land as on water. “How is this possible? Because you have realized that the four elements are like dreams, like illusions. Followers of the Way, the you who right now is listening to my discourse is not the four elements; this you makes use of the four elements. If you can fully understand this, you are free to go or to stay [as you please]. "
“Followers of the Way, you seize upon words from the mouths of those old masters and take them to be the true Way. You think, ‘Th ese good teachers are wonderful, and I, simple-minded fellow that I am, don’t dare measure such old worthies.’ Blind idiots! You go through your entire life holding such views, betraying your own two eyes. Trembling with fright, like donkeys on an icy path, [you say to yourselves,] ‘I don’t dare disparage these good teachers for fear of making karma with my mouth!’"
“‘Buddha’ and ‘patriarch’ are only names of praise-bondage. Do you want to know the three realms? Th ey are not separate from the mind-ground of you who right now are listening to my discourse. Your single covetous thought is the realm of desire; your single angry thought is the realm of form; your single delusive thought is the realm of formlessness. Th ese are the furnishings within your own house. Th e three realms do not of themselves proclaim, ‘We are the three realms!’ But you, followers of the Way, right now vividly illumining all things and taking the measure of the world, you give the names to the three realms. "
“Because your faith [in yourselves] is insuffi cient, you students turn to words and phrases and base your understanding upon them. Until you’ve reached the half-century mark you continue dragging [your] dead bodies up blind alleys and running about the world bearing your heavy load. Th e day will come when you’ll have to pay up for the straw sandals you’ve worn out. "
"When Linji reached Cuifeng’s place, Cuifeng asked, “Where did you come from?” “I came from Huangbo,” said Linji. “What words does Huangbo use to instruct people?” asked Cuifeng. “Huangbo has no words,” said Linji. “Why not?” asked Cuifeng. “Even if he had any, I wouldn’t know how to state them,” answered Linji. “Come on, try and tell me,” said Cuifeng. “Th e arrow has fl own off to the Western Heaven,” said Linji. "
“Offi cially, a needle is not permitted to enter; privately, carriages can get through.”
OWLENTITY's COMMENT
The Zen Master uses skillful means to break through the attachments which continue to obscure comprehension in those who have understood the Dharma on a verbal or literal level but have not been able to grasp the essence. This is the meaning of a Zen Master shouting, hitting, cutting cats or fingers, or making sacreligious comments. These actions to not represent a disagreement, revision, or rejection, of the sutras and shastras or the means of other schools of Buddhism. The sangha is whole; The Dharma is singular. Read any book, or simply observe the truth for yourself. Samsara is a meat grinder into which you are slowly being drawn. To be human and have understood to the depth you have is an impossible blessing. Complete the task and end cyclical existence once and for all. That is all.
Submitted January 21, 2018 at 06:23AM by owlentity http://ift.tt/2mV7MNd
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