No Such Thing As Enlightenment

Taken from Bankei Zen as translated by Peter Haskel, available on Google Play as EPub or PDF.

A monk who had come from Sendai in Ōshū said: “Somewhere I seem to recall there being the expression, ‘The mind enslaved to physical form.’ I’m anxious to accord with original mind at all times, but how should I practice in order to do this? Please instruct me.”

The Master replied: “In my school, there’s no special form of instruction; and as for religious practice, there’s no particular way for doing that either. People fail to realize that right within themselves they’re fully endowed with the Buddha Mind they have from their parents innately, so they lose their freedom and talk about wanting to ‘accord with original mind.’”

* * *

Then, the monk asked: “I find it impossible to control all my passions and delusions. What should I do? It’s simply proved too much for me, and I wish to receive your instruction.”

The Master replied: “Your idea of wanting to control your passions and delusions is itself delusion, changing the Buddha Mind for delusion! Delusions don’t have any actual substance when they arise. In fact, they’re nothing but shadow figures, things you’ve seen and heard that pop up sporadically in response to circumstances.”

* * *

Again, the monk questioned the Master: “What is enlightenment?”

The Master replied: “There’s no such thing as enlightenment. It’s a completely extraneous pursuit.”

ZealousFun: Fancy that 2nd paragraph! I imagine some would be none too pleased about it. Obviously it should be read in the context of the rest of the book. Also, my first OP! I was going to do an AMA but never got around to it. Ask me stuff here if you like, though I'm not sure what you could possibly want to know. :)

Submitted December 17, 2018 at 04:27PM by ZealousFun https://ift.tt/2EA1pKr