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Pojo's Direct Talk on True Mind Introduction Student: Is it possible to know patriarchs Tao of sublime Ch'an? Pojo: Has it not already been elucidated by ancient sages? Tao does not belong to either knowledge
or to no-knowledge. Having a thought of knowledge is a delusion; not having knowledge is
senseless-blankness. If you have once truly touched the level of no-doubt, it would be just like
unlimitedly-vast-empty-space; how could you possibly talk or argue about this? Student: Then, do you mean that the advent of Buddhas and patriarchs is not beneficial for
ordinary beings at all? Pojo: The Buddhas' or patriarchs' coming is to spread to mankind the dharma of formless-doing; they just essentially said to see self-nature. In the Hua Yen Sutra, it says 'understanding all dharma (truth) is nothing but the mind of the self-gnostic-nature; accomplishing the Wisdom-Body does not originate from other's enlightenment.' This is the reason all Buddhas and patriarchs warned us not to attach to words and letters, and to just drop inner perceptions and rest outer perspectives. So, when a student entered Master Dok san's(Te-shan) room, the Master suddenly struck him with his dharma-staff, and as soon as a student entered Master Yim je's (Lin chi) room, the Master suddenly shouted. We have been using our head for speculation for such a long time, for what reason should we
continue to uphold words and letters? Student: We have often heard that Ma myong(Asvaghosa) wrote 'Ki-shin-ron' Shatra (The
Awakening of Faith), the Sixth Patriarch produced 'Tan-kyong'(Altar Sutra), and Hwang-mae(The
Fifth Patriarch, Hong-in) transmitted the 'Wisdom Paramita';all these works were written to
awaken us gradually. According to you, there is no need for an expedient method to be awakened to
only this dharma. Why? Pojo: Although any speculative reflection has not been allowed for so long at Sublim Summit(Mount
Sumeru), still all patriarchs allow some discussion at the second summit. Student: From the level of the second summit, then, could you show us some expedient methods? Pojo: You said it well. Yet, the great Tao is so profound and luminous that you can express neither that it is nor that it is not. The true mind is so deeply subtle that it is severed from speculative thought and thoughtful
meaning. Therefore, one who has not yet entered through the door tries to master five thousand
volumes of teaching, but it is still not enough. However, if one, who has thoroughly contemplated
the true mind, is free from any words of allusion, he has already perfected the dharma. Now, in spite of the contradictory situation, I dare to write a few chapters to clearly awaken the true mind I hope this work can provide the fundamental for entering the Tao. II. True Mind and Its Many Names III. The Sublime Essence of the True Mind IV. Sublime Functioning of True Mind V. Are the Essence and Function of the True Mind Same or Different? VI. True Mind Lives with Confusion VII. The True Mind Does Not Have Deluded Confusion VIII. The Four Conduct-Modes of the True Mind X. The True Mind Does Not Perish XI. Primary and Secondary Motives of the True Mind XII. Virtue and Merit of the True Mind XIII. Experience and Re-examination of the True Mind |
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