Here is a Zen discourse by Era
as when the mind vanishes, objects vanish
-----------------OriginalMessage-----------------
From: "Era" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 17:04:00 -0000
Subject: [MillionPaths] Faith Mind bt Zen master Seng-Tsan
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 17:04:00 -0000
Subject: [MillionPaths] Faith Mind bt Zen master Seng-Tsan
FAITH MIND by Seng-Tsan the 3rd Zen Patriarch
The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences
for those who have no preferences
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and undisguised
everything becomes clear and undisguised
Make the smallest distinction however
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart
If you wish to see the truth
then hold no opinions for or against anything
then hold no opinions for or against anything
To set-up what you like against what
you dislike is the disease of the mind
you dislike is the disease of the mind
When the deep meaning of things is not understood the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail
The Way is perfect like vast space
where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things
where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things
Live neither in the entanglements of outer things nor in the inner feelings of emptiness
Be serene in the Oneness of things and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves
When you try to stop activity to acheive passivity your very effort fills you with activity
As long as you remain in one extreme or the other you will never know Oneness
Those who do not live in the single Way
fail in both activity and passivity, assertion and denial
fail in both activity and passivity, assertion and denial
To deny the reality of things is to miss their reality; to assert the emptiness of things is to miss their reality
The more you talk and think about it
the further astray you wander from the truth
the further astray you wander from the truth
Stop talking and thinking and there is nothing you will not be able to know
To return to the root is to find the meaning
but to pursue appearance is to miss the source
but to pursue appearance is to miss the source
At the moment of inner enlightenment
there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness
there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness
The changes that appear to occur in the empty world we call real only because of our ignorance
Do not search for the truth
only cease to cherish opinions
only cease to cherish opinions
Do not remain in a dualistic state
avoid such pursuits carefully
avoid such pursuits carefully
If there is even a trace of this and that, of right and wrong,the Mind-essence will be lost in confusion
Although all dualities come from the One
do not be attached even to the One
do not be attached even to the One
When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way
nothing in the world can offend
nothing in the world can offend
And when things can no longer offend
it ceases to exist in the old way
it ceases to exist in the old way
When no discriminating thoughts arise
the old mind ceases to exist
the old mind ceases to exist
When thought objects vanish, the thinking subject vanishes
as when the mind vanishes, objects vanish
Things are objects because of the subject (mind) the mind (subject) is such because of things (object)
Understand the relativity of these two
and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness
and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness
In this Emptiness the two are indistinguishable
and each contains in itself the whole world
and each contains in itself the whole world
If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine you will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion
To live in the Great Way is neither easy nor difficult
But those with limited views are fearful and irresolute
The faster they hurry, the slower they go
and clinging (attachment) cannot be limited
and clinging (attachment) cannot be limited
Even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray
Just let things be in their own way
and there will be neither coming nor going
and there will be neither coming nor going
Obey the nature of things (your own nature)
and you will walk freely and undisturbed
and you will walk freely and undisturbed
When thought is in bondage the truth is hidden
for everything is murky and unclear
for everything is murky and unclear
And the burdensome practise of judging
brings annoyance and weariness
brings annoyance and weariness
What benefit can be derived
from distinctions and separations?
from distinctions and separations?
If you wish to move in the One Way,
do not dislike even the world of senses and ideas Indeed, to accept them fully
is identical with true Enlightenment
do not dislike even the world of senses and ideas Indeed, to accept them fully
is identical with true Enlightenment
The wise man strives to no goals
but the foolish man fetters himself
but the foolish man fetters himself
There is one Dharma, not many;
distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant
distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant
To seek Mind with the (discriminating) mind
is the greatest of all mistakes
is the greatest of all mistakes
Rest and unrest derive from passion,
with enlightenment there is no liking or disliking
with enlightenment there is no liking or disliking
All dualities come from ignorant inference
they are like dreams or flowers in the air
Foolish to try to grasp them
they are like dreams or flowers in the air
Foolish to try to grasp them
Gain and loss, right and wrong,
such thoughts must finally be abolished at once
If the eye never sleeps
all dreams will naturally cease
such thoughts must finally be abolished at once
If the eye never sleeps
all dreams will naturally cease
If the mind makes no discriminations
the ten thousand things are as they are - of single essence
the ten thousand things are as they are - of single essence
To understand the mystery of this One essence
is to be released from all entanglements
When all things are seen equally
the timeless Self-essence is reached
the timeless Self-essence is reached
No comparisons or analogies are possible
in this causeless, relationless state
in this causeless, relationless state
Consider movement stationary,
and the stationary in motion
and the stationary in motion
Both movement and rest disappear
when such dualities cease to exist
when such dualities cease to exist
Oneness itself cannot exist,
to this ultimate finality no law or description applies
to this ultimate finality no law or description applies
For the unified mind in accord with the Way
all self-centered striving ceases
all self-centered striving ceases
Doubts and irresolutions vanish
and life in true faith is possible
and life in true faith is possible
With a single stroke we are free from bondage
nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing
nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing
All is empty, clear, self-illumination
with no exertion of the mind's power
with no exertion of the mind's power
Here thought, feeling, knowledge and imagination are of no value in this world of Suchness there is neither self nor other than self
To come directly into harmony with this reality
just simply say when doubt arises: "Not two"
In this "not two" nothing is separate, nothing is excluded no matter when or where, enlightenment means entering this truth
just simply say when doubt arises: "Not two"
In this "not two" nothing is separate, nothing is excluded no matter when or where, enlightenment means entering this truth
And this truth is beyond extension or diminution in time or space
in it a single thought is ten thousand years
in it a single thought is ten thousand years
Emptiness here, Emptiness there...
but the infinite universe stands always before your eyes Infinitely large and infinitely small, no difference for definitions have vanished and no boundaries are seen
but the infinite universe stands always before your eyes Infinitely large and infinitely small, no difference for definitions have vanished and no boundaries are seen
So too with Being and non-Being
Don't waste time in doubts and arguements that have nothing to do with this
One thing, all things:
move along and intermingle without distinction
move along and intermingle without distinction
To live in this realization
is to be without anxiety about non-perfection
is to be without anxiety about non-perfection
To live in this faith is the road to non-duality
Because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind
Because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind
Words !
The Way is beyond language
For in it there is
For in it there is
no yesterday
no tommorrow
no today
no tommorrow
no today
(VERSES ON THE FAITH MIND by Seng-Tsan the third Zen Patriarch. Translated by Ricahard B. Clarke).
***********************************NOTE: Everything is made of the same one source substance, even as countless waves emerge from and live within one ocean. The waves are
impermanent and hence unreal, the ocean alone is permanent and hence real.
impermanent and hence unreal, the ocean alone is permanent and hence real.
love, Era
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