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• Suresh Iyer

  Thanks ! Tolle is good at simple and effective communication.

  A Question : is self inquiry practiced in buddhist traditions ? Do you have a pointer if yes .

  

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  • Nicolas Benau

    Suresh Iyer See:

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Tou

    

    EN.M.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

    Hua Tou - Wikipedia

    Hua Tou - Wikipedia

    

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    Soh Wei Yu

    Suresh Iyer Do read the AtR guide https://app.box.com/s/zc0suu4dil01xbgirm2r0rmnzegxaitq

    

    APP.BOX.COM

    ATR-Practice-Guide-v1.00.docx | Powered by Box

    ATR-Practice-Guide-v1.00.docx | Powered by Box

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    Soh Wei Yu

    (abridged)

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    Soh Wei Yu

    from the longer version:

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    Soh Wei Yu

    “BASSUI’S FIRST LETTER TO THE ZEN PRIEST IGUCHI

    I have read your presentations at length, but it misses the point of the koan. The Sixth Patriarch said: 'The flag doesn't move, the wind doesn't move, only your mind moves.' To realize this clearly is to perceive that the universe and yourself are of the same root, that you and every single thing are a unity. The gurgle of the stream and the sigh of the wind are the voices of the master. The green of pine, the white of snow, these are the colors of the master, the very one who lifts the hands, moves the legs, sees, hears. One who grasps this directly without recourse to reason or intellection can be said to have some degree of inner realization- But this is not yet full enlightenment.

    An ancient Zen master [Rinzai] said: "You should not cling to the idea that you are Pure-essence." And again: "Your physical body, composed of the four basic elements, can't hear or understand this preaching. The empty-space can't understand this preaching. Then what is it that hears and understands?" Meditate fully and directly on these words. Take hold of this koan as though wielding the jewel-sword of the Vajra king. Cut down whatever appears in the mind.

    When thoughts of mundane matters arise, cut them off. When notions of Buddhism arise, likewise lop them off. In short, destroy all ideas, whether of realization, of Buddhas, or of devils, and all day long pursue the question "What is it that hears this preaching?"

    When you have eradicated every conception until only emptiness remains, and then cut through even the emptiness, your mind will burst open and that which hears will manifest itself. Persevere, persevere-never quit halfway-until you reach the point where you feel as though you have risen from the dead. Only then will you be able to wholly resolve the momentous question "What is it that hears this preaching?"

    I am afraid it may be inconvenient for you to write me often, so I am writing you this [kind of detailed] letter. After you have read it drop it into the fire.

    - Bassui Tokusho in 'The Three Pillars of Zen'”

    BASSUI’S SECOND LETTER TO THE ZEN PRIEST IGUCHI

    I have read your letter carefully. Having long admired you for your determination to come to Self-realization. I was highly gratified to learn that you have not forgotten the great question. Your answer has been noted in all respects.

    Here I want to tell you to make this your koan: ''What is the substance of my fundamental nature?" In your search for the master that hears and speaks, though thousands of thoughts arise don't entertain them but only ask "What is it?" Every thought and all self-awareness will then disappear, followed by a state, not unlike a cloudless sky.

    Now, mind itself has no form. What is it, then, that hears and works and moves about? Delve into yourself deeper and deeper until you are no longer aware of a single object. Then beyond a shadow of a doubt, you will perceive your True-nature, like a man awakening from a dream. Assuredly at that moment, flowers will bloom on withered trees, and fire flame up from ice. All of Buddhism, all worldly concern, all notion of good and evil, will have disappeared like last night's dream, and your fundamental Buddha-nature alone will manifest itself.

    Having come to such an inner understanding, you must not then cherish the notion that this Mind is fundamentally Buddha-nature. If you do you will be creating for yourself another thought-form.

    Only because I regard your desire for Self-realization so highly do I write in such detail. Thank you for sending the five hundred packets of caked rice and the pound of tea.

    - The Three Pillars of Zen

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    Soh Wei Yu

    BASSUI’S LETTER TO LORD NAKAMURA - GOVERNOR OF AKI PROVINCE

    You ask me how to practice Zen with reference to this phrase from a sutra: "Mind, having no fixed abode, should flow forth." There is no express method for attaining enlightenment. If you but look into your Self-nature directly, not allowing yourself to be deflected, the Mind flower will come into bloom. Hence the sutra says: "Mind, having no fixed abode, should flow forth." Thousands of words spoken directly by Buddhas and Patriarchs add up to this one phrase. Mind is the True-nature of things, transcending all forms. The True-nature is the Way. The Way is Buddha. Buddha is Mind. Mind is not within or without or in between. It is not being or nothingness or non-being or non-nothingness or Buddha or mind or matter. So it is called the abodeless Mind. This Mind sees colors with the eyes, hears sounds with the ears. Look for this master directly!

    A Zen master [Rinzai] of old says: "One's body, composed of the four primal elements can't hear or understand this preaching. The spleen or stomach or liver or gall bladder can't hear or understand this preaching. Empty-space can't understand it. Then what does hear and understand?" Strive to perceive directly. If your mind remains attached to any form or feeling whatsoever, or is affected by logical reasoning or conceptual thinking, you are as far from true realization as heaven is from earth.

    How can you cut off at a stroke the sufferings of birth-and-death? As soon as you consider how to advance, you get lost in reasoning; but if you quit you are adverse to the highest path. To be able neither to advance nor to quit is to be a "breathing corpse." If in spite of this dilemma you empty your mind of all thoughts and push on with your zazen, you are bound to enlighten yourself and apprehend the phrase "Mind, having no fixed abode, should flow forth." Instantly you will grasp the sense of all Zen dialogue a well the profound and subtle meaning of the countless sutras.

    The layman Ho asked Baso: "What is it that transcends everything in the universe?" Baso answered: ' I will tell you after you have drunk up the waters of the West River in one gulp.' Ho instantly became deeply enlightened. See here, what does this mean? Does it explain the phrase "Mind, having no fixed abode, should flow forth," or does it point to the very one reading this? If you still don't comprehend, go back to questioning, "What is hearing now?" Find out this very moment! The problem of birth-and-death is momentous, and the world moves fast. Make the most of time, for it waits for no one.

    Your own Mind is intrinsically Buddha. Buddhas are those who have realized this. Those who haven't are the so-called ordinary sentiant beings. Sleeping and working, standing and sitting, ask yourself "What is my own Mind?" looking into the source from which your thoughts arise. What is this subject that right now perceives, thinks, moves, works, goes forth, or returns? To know it you must intensely absorb yourself in the question. But even though you do not realize it in this life, beyond a doubt you will in the next because of your present efforts.

    In your zazen think in terms of neither good nor evil. Don't try to stop thoughts from arising, only ask yourself; 'What is my own Mind?" Now, even when your questioning goes deeper and deeper you will get no answer until finally you will reach a cul-de-sac, your thinking totally checked. You won't find anything within that can be called "I" or "Mind." But who is it that understands all this? Continue to probe more deeply yet and the mind that perceives there is nothing will vanish; you will no longer be aware of questioning but only of emptiness. When awareness of even emptiness disappears, you will realise there is no Buddha outside Mind and no Mind outside Buddha. Now for the first time you will discover that when you do not hear with your ears you are truly hearing, and when you do not see with your eyes you are really seeing Buddhas of the past, present, and future. But don't cling to any of this, just experience it for yourself!

    See here, what is your own Mind? Everyone's Original-nature is not less than Buddha. But since men doubt this and search for Buddha and Truth outside their Mind, they fail to attain enlightenment, being helplessly driven within cycles of birth-and-death, entangled in karma both good and bad. The source of all karma bondage is delusion i.e. the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions (stemming from ignorance). Rid yourself of them and you are emancipated. Just as ash covering a charcoal fire is dispersed when the fire is fanned, so these delusions vanish once you realize your Self-nature.

    During zazen neither loathe nor be charmed by any of your thoughts. With your mind turned inward, look steadily into their source and the delusive feelings and perceptions in which they are rooted will evaporate. This is not yet Self realization, however, even though your mind becomes bright and empty like the sky, you have awareness of neither inner nor outer, and all the ten quarters seem clear and luminous. To take this for realization is to mistake a mirage for reality. Now even more intensely search this mind of yours which hears. Your physical body, composed of the four basic elements, is like a phantom, without reality, yet apart from this body there is no mind. The empty-space of ten quarters can neither see nor hear; still, something within you does hear and distinguish sounds,

    Who or what is it?

    When this question totally ignites you, distinctions of good and evil, awareness of being or emptiness, vanish like a light extinguished on a dark night. Though you are no longer consciously aware of yourself, still you can hear and know you exist. Try as you will to discover the subject hearing, your efforts will fail and you will find yourself at an impasse. All at once your mind will burst into great enlightenment and you will feel as though you have risen from the dead, laughing loudly and clapping your hands in delight. Now for the first time you will know that Mind itself is Buddha.

    Were someone to ask, "What does one's Buddha-mind look like?' I would answer: "In the tree fish play, in the deep sea bird are flying." What does this mean? If you don't understand it, look into your own Mind and ask yourself: "What is he, this master who sees and hears?"

    Make the most of time: it waits for no one!

    - The Three Pillars of Zen

    “c. Venerable Ones, get to know the one who plays with these configurations. He is the original source of all the Buddhas. Knowing him, wherever you are is home. Your physical body, formed by the four elements, cannot understand the Dharma you are listening to; nor can your spleen, stomach, liver or gall; nor can the empty space.

    Who then can understand the Dharma and can listen to it? The one here before your very eyes, brilliantly clear and shining without any form — there he is who can understand the Dharma you are listening to.

    If you can really grasp this, you are not different from the Buddhas and patriarchs. Ceaselessly he is right here, conspicuously present.28”

    - Ch’an Master Linji (Zen Master Rinzai)

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    Soh Wei Yu

    Suresh Iyer I've seen self enquiry taught in Zen, Dzogchen and Mahamudra. But not all teachers teach exactly the same way. So it depends.

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