One sensation outperforms one dependency

The Recorded Sayings of Linji, Taisho Vol 47, Number 1985, J.C. Cleary, page 33:

Throughout the country, most who study the Path try to de­pend on things to do so. I start hitting from there. If they use their hands, I hit them on the hands. If they use their mouths, I hit them in the mouth. If they use their eyes, I hit them in the eye. Almost none of them come forth independently and freely. Most have fallen into the traps around the free and easy teaching devices and perspectives of the people of old.

To interpret this as an imperative "See something, hit something" is not rewarding. An internet search produces no reports of enlightenment by slug bug.

If to be hit is to experience a sensation, then an apparent premise of Linji's method is 'one sensation outperforms one dependency'. Enjoy the feels.

Submitted July 17, 2020 at 11:27PM by thralldumb https://ift.tt/2CNkBVb