If you wish
to enjoy the fruits
of enlightenment, abandon
regard for the conventional and
the communal. The Way is a path
for one. Then it narrows
until there’s not even
space for you
anymore.
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Wei wu Wei Ching as part of a
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those who are like the spring breeze
Association with city people
is not as good as friendship with elderly
peasants. Calling on upper-class mansions is not
as good as getting to know peasant homes. Listening
to the talk of the streets and alleys is not as good as hearing
the songs of the woodcutters and shepherds. Talking
about the moral failures and professional blunders
of people today is not as good as retelling
the fine words and noble deeds
of people of old.
Yantou said, “Abandoning things is superior, pursuing things is inferior.” If your own state is empty and tranquil, perfectly illuminated and silently shining, then you will be able to confront whatever circumstances impinge on you with the indestructible sword of wisdom and cut everything off — everything from the myriad entangling objects to the verbal teachings of the past and present. Then your awesome, chilling spirit cuts off everything, and everything retreats of itself without having to be pushed away. Isn’t this what it means to be well endowed and have plenty to spare?
If the basis you establish is not clear, if you are the least bit bogged down in hesitation and doubt, then you will be dragged off by entangling conditions, and obviously you will not be able to separate yourself from them. How can you avoid being turned around by other things? When you are following other things, you will never have any freedom.
The Ultimate Path is simple and easy — it is just a matter of whether you abandon things or pursue them. Those who would experience the Path should think deeply on this.
People in ancient times gave up their whole bodies for the sake of this one matter. They stood out in the snow, worked as rice pounders, sold off their hearts and livers, burned their arms, threw themselves into roaring fires, got dismembered and cut to pieces, fed themselves to tigers and birds of prey, gave away their heads and eyes, endured a thousand kinds of pain and suffering.
In sum, if you do not suffer hardship, you will not arrive at deep realization. Those with the will for the Path must certainly consider the ancients as their comrades and aspire to equal their standard.
You want
to learn to catch a mouse?
Don’t try to learn from a pampered cat.
If you want to learn the nature of the world,
don’t study fine bound books. The True Jewel’s
in a coarse bag. Buddha-nature stops at huts. The
whole herd of folks who clutch at the outside
of things never seem to make the
connection.
You should know that
your own aware essence is neither finite
nor eternal, by nature neither defiled nor pure.
It is still and complete; it is the same in ordinary
people and saints, responding effectively
without patterns, apart from mind,
intellect, and discriminating
consciousness.
