WHEN PEOPLE TODAY studying Zen learn it wrongly, it is because of no more than two illnesses.
One sickness is speechless, formless motionlessness in the haunt of the mind-body complex, where you say, "Even if the Buddhism and Zen Patriarchs came forth, I would still just be thus." This is one sickness.
Next is to give recognition to that which speaks, hears, works, acts, walks, stands, sits, and reclines. This is also a sickness. Do you know that activity is the root of suffering, sustained by the power of wind?
If people can get away from these two sicknesses and can engage in total investigation, someday they should wake up.
Otherwise, there is no cleaning things up.
There are also two kinds of benefactors who speak bitterly as an expedient for two kinds of students.
Students of one type make up rationales on their own and express things on their own, advancing and withdrawing, raising their fists and joining their palms, thinking this to be the way of Zen. Benefactors, seeing them this way, speak bitterly to them, saying, "You have misunderstood. Why is your attention so fixated when there is really no problem?" This is one kind of benefactor.
Another type of student says, "I don't understand, I do not know. Why? Because I am not tuned in at all." Therefore benefactors, seeing people thus, tell them, "There is nothing the matter with you; why do you seek to understand and tune in? This is another kind of benefactor.
If both the former and latter types of students hear benefactors speaking like this, and are able to turn their attention around and study through experience, they will inevitably attain clarification. If they just say they don't understand, they are creating their own stagnation; even after a thousand years they would just be the same.
Fortunately, you are in its very midst; if you go on saying you do not understand and seek to tune in to it, when will you ever be done?
Do you want to understand? You must not set up limited measurements; you must apprehend it directly before you can get it.
Two sicknesses, one of ignoring everything and the other of being captured In subjective identity.
Foyan points to 'total investigation' as key; it is not found in the two sicknesses.
Two benefactors, with opposing categories of students giving the same basic advice.
Stop doing that and pay attention.
Foyan is clear about his disregard for claiming Zen involves ignorance.
If they just say they don't understand, they are creating their own stagnation; even after a thousand years they would just be the same.
You should trust him when he says 'you must apprehend it directly before you can get it'.
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Submitted July 10, 2020 at 12:24AM by NothingIsForgotten https://ift.tt/2AN8LtO
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