Skip to main content

AtR Dharma Library

Library shortcuts

Continue exploring the core readings, free books, audio and full Dharma library.

Browse Must Reads ↗ — begin with Seven Stages, then On Anatta.

See and Hear Directly

By

Zen master Munan said, “There is nothing to Buddhism—just see directly, hear directly.  When seeing directly, there is no seer; when hearing directly, there is no hearer.”


>Shidō Munan (至道無難, 1602-1676) was an early Tokugawa Zen master mostly active in Edo. He was the teacher of Shōju Rōjin, who is in turn considered the main teacher of Hakuin Ekaku. He is best known for the phrase that one must "die while alive," made famous by D.T. Suzuki.


….


Another Zen Master said,


'You get up in the morning, dress, wash your face, and so on; you call these miscellaneous thoughts, but all that is necessary is that there be no perceiver or perceived when you perceive—no hearer or heard when you hear, no thinker or thought when you think. Buddhism is very easy and very economical; it spares effort, but you yourself waste energy and make your own hardships.'

(Foyan Qingyuan, in Instant Zen, p 70)

Comments

The AtR Dharma Library

Must Reads

New here? Begin with Seven Stages, then On Anatta. Explore the full collection below.

View full list on page →

New in the AtR library

Latest posts

Up to 20 recent articles, newest publication first.

Browse more posts below.

Browse more posts →

AtR Library

Browse books, articles, recordings and ways to follow AtR.

Start Here →Recommended readings and the free AtR guides John Tan’s Website ↗
Free Books
    View section on page →
    Featured Articles
      View section on page →
      Audio & Video
        View section on page →
        Further Reading
          View section on page →
          Follow Awakening to Reality
            View section on page →
            Full library on page

            Search AtR

            Examples: anatta · I AM · emptiness · dependent origination · Zen · Mahamudra · Dzogchen

            Try Google for broader results ↗

            Google searches this site in a new tab.