Forget the words and embody
Posts Tagged → buddha
without the aid of sutras
It has no bridge,
yet the cloud climbs up
to heaven; it does not seek
the aid of Gautama’s
sutras.
if you can penetrate “i don’t know”
Emperor Wu
of Liang asked Bodhidharma,
“I have built temples and had monks
ordained without number: what merit is there
in this?” Bodhidharma said, “There is no merit.”
The emperor said, “Why no merit?” Bodhidharma
said, “These are just the lesser fruits of gods
and men, causes of defilement: like
shadows following shapes,
though they’re there,
they’re not
real.”
The Emperor
said, “What is true merit?”
Bodhidharma answered, “The subtle
perfection of pure wisdom, its essence naturally
empty and still. Such merit is not to be sought with worldly
means.” Only then did the Emperor ask, “What is the
highest meaning of the holy truths?” Bodhidharma
answered, “Empty, without holiness.”
The Emperor said, “Who is facing
me?” Bodhidharma replied,
The Emperor
did not understand, so
Bodhidharma crossed the river
into Wei. If you want to see real merit
right now, don’t look for it anywhere else,
just comprehend it in “I don’t know”.
If you can penetrate those three
words, the task of your whole
life’s study will be
completed.
awareness cleaned my mind
Awareness cleaned
my mind to a polished mirroring.
The presence came near, and I knew
that That was everything,
and I nothing.
those who follow tao
Those who follow
Tao strive for perfection,
but they are wary about being called
prophets. That is a limited role. Being a prophet
represents a great trap baited with the temptation of
self-importance. The ultimate aim of following
Tao is to transcend identity. Those who call
themselves prophets or even masters
maximize their identities.
It is far better
not to be a prophet, and to
eschew the responsibilities, limitations,
and temptations. It is far better to be obscure
and to be thought stupid. Having someone call you
by a title is an interference that you don’t need.
When you are seeing the greatest wonder
of your life, the last thing you want
is to have someone blocking
the light.