"Empty, so not sacred."

This is my own translation of Baiyun Duan's case collection from X69n1351_002. Above is the case, below, Baiyun's verse on the koan.

A lot of people who grapple with emptiness get stuck in all kinds of culverts, ditches, dead-ends—it can be difficult to approach such a rich and complicated idea, especially if one's aspiration as Zen Master is ideal arm-chair philosopher.

Bodhichitta is the practice of enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. This may be in degrees, according to the individual, but the outcome of which is sunyata; Dharmas are dreams; merit is empty; nothing sacred; all on the ground of unborn mind.

Compassion and the unbiased come together, the same way wisdom shines in the absence of desire. In the Diamond Sutra it says:

...when a bodhisattva practices generosity without depending on form, he or she is like someone with good eyesight walking in the bright sunshine—he or she can see all shapes and colors.

All of this is contributes to clarity of vision. Impermanence means no fixed self. Grabbing onto self results in bias—add Sunyata, and you have nihilism. "Empty, so not sacred" is deep, unlimited nature.

Baiyun Duan Case Collection: Case Twelve

When Bodhidharma met Emperor Wu of Liang, Wu asked, "What is the highest and most sacred principle of the sages?"

Bodhidharma replied, "Empty, so not sacred."

The Emperor said, "Tell me who you are," to which the Master replied, "Don't know." The Emperor did not understand. The Master then snapped off a reed to cross the river into Wei.

Later, the Emperor raised this before Zhigong in inquiry. Zhigong said, "Does Your Majesty know this person?"

"Don't know"

"This is Guanyin, transmitting the Buddha Mind Seal."

"I ought to dispatch a messenger with an edict for him."

"Don't speak an edict, Your Majesty—were the whole nation's people to go, he is now one who will not return."

Baiyun Duan said:

One arrow will usually fell a single eagle—

Yet another arrow, and efficiency has ceased.

A straight return to Shaoshi peak, to sit before it...

Liang, Sovereign—speak no more of sending summons.

達磨大師見梁武帝。帝問曰。如何是聖諦第一義。師曰。廓然無聖。帝曰。對朕者誰。師曰。不識。帝不悟。師遂折蘆渡江至魏。後帝舉問誌公。公曰。陛下識此人否。帝曰。不識。公曰。此是觀音大士。傳佛心印。帝曰。當遣使詔之。公曰。莫道陛下詔。闔國人去。他亦不回。一箭尋常落一鵰。更加一箭已相饒。直歸少室峰前坐。梁主休言更去招。

(CBETA.X69n1351_002.0296b02-8)

Submitted March 12, 2022 at 02:33AM by surupamaerl2 https://ift.tt/hyRo63G