A series of quotes from Foyan Qingyuan [Source: Terebess]
If you don't ask, you won't get it; but if you ask, in effect, you've slighted yourself. If you don't ask, how can you know? But you still have to know how to ask before you can succeed... Remember the story of the ancient worthy who was asked, "What was the intention of the Zen Founder in coming from India?" Amazed, the ancient said, "You ask about the intention of another in coming from India. Why not ask about your own intention?" 1
When my teacher [Wuzu Fayan] was with his teacher, his teacher used to say, "This path is a natural subtlety attained by oneself," generally focusing on the existence of innate knowledge. 2
I always tell you that what is inherent in you is presently active and presently functioning, and need not be sought after, need not be put in order, need not be practiced or proven. All that is required is to trust it once and for all. 3
... Just because I wondered deeply, I later attained penetrating understanding.... If you do not reflect and examine, your whole life will be buried away. 4
Whatever you are doing ... there is something that transcends the Buddhas and Zen Masters; but as soon as you want to understand it, it's not there. It's not really there; as soon as you try to gather your attention on it, you have already turned away from it.... Does this mean that you will realize it if you do not aim the mind and do not develop intellectual understanding? Far from it – you will fail even more seriously to realize it. Even understanding does not get it, much less not understanding! 5
People who study the path clearly know there is such a thing; why do they fail to get the message, and go on doubting? It is because their faith is not complete enough and their doubt is not deep enough. Only with depth and completeness, be it faith or doubt, is it really Zen; if you are incapable of introspection like this, you will eventually get lost in confusion and lose the thread, wearing out and stumbling halfway along the road. But if you can look into yourself, there is no one else. 6
The path is not revealed only after explanation and direction; it is inherently always out in the open. Explanation and direction are expedient methods, used to get you to realize enlightenment; they are also temporary byroads. Some attain realization through explanation, some attain realization through direction, some attain by spontaneous awakening; ultimately there is nothing different, no separate attainment. It is simply a matter of reaching the source of mind. 7
You have to be able to monitor yourself. When people proceed on the path because they are confused and do not know their own minds, they come to mountain forests to see teachers, imagining that there is a special "way" that can make people comfortable, not realizing that the best exercise is to look back and study your previous confusion. 8
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Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: It is quite strange to me how some people in the forum claim that there is 'nothing to do' in Zen, when we have a series of quotes from a historic Zen master that determines quite the opposite. Let's investigate what Foyan said point by point here, and see what we can find to clarify things.
- Asking and having intention are active things. One must apparently do something to find the truth.
- How can something be attained without an action or direction of some sort?
- Active and functioning. Furthermore, 'trust' requires a thought-action. Trust is a leap of faith.
- 'Understanding' is a revelation of truth. How can the truth be revealed without clearing away delusion?
- Foyan explains that one cannot realize it if they do not aim the mind or develop intellectual understanding.
- Studying of the path in order to realize it is a series of actions. Introspection is one of the grandest of actions.
- Expedient methods, used to get you to realize enlightenment. Attain realization, reaching source of Mind.
- The best exercise is to look back and study your previous confusion. Exercise, looking back, study, all actions.
Submitted January 01, 2019 at 09:30PM by WanderingRoninXIII http://bit.ly/2BY5XX8
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