Intellectual Understanding vs. True Enlightenment

This is a continuation of the story about the Dharma teacher who questioned Master Huihai. The Dharma teacher was a scholar-monk who came to seek teachings from Huihai, a Zen master.

‘Tathagata’ refers to the realm beyond our intellectual understanding. It points to one who has transcended all complications, attained true freedom – in other words, the Buddha. From here, Huihai begins to challenge the Dharma teacher on the subject of Tathagata.

‘Isn’t it said that Tathagata is the suchness of all dharmas…’

Tathagata is the flow of nature, the law of nature, nature itself – it is the Way, the Truth, Life itself – don’t you know this? The Dharma teacher agreed. Huihai continued:

‘Your saying “that is so” is not so.’

You speak not from having attained the realm of Tathagata, but from knowledge of what is written about it. The world you know is not the true world.

Looking at our world through the lens of science, we understand that all phenomena, when broken down to their smallest parts, consist of atomic nuclei with electrons. Logically, one might conclude that the aggregation of elements that forms ‘you’ and the aggregation that forms ‘me’ are essentially the same, just arranged differently. Similarly, trees and stones are also collections of elements, different only in their arrangement.

This line of reasoning, however, falls into materialism by following mere verbal logic. The Dharma teacher fell into the same trap, becoming caught in Huihai’s net.

From Huihai, we can discern something remarkable: while remaining ordinary and free, he overcomes the Dharma teacher’s world of extensive logical knowledge. He freely handles any realm, whether of wood and stone or otherwise, casting and retrieving his net at will.

The Dharma teacher, however, is not free. He is bound – bound to knowledge, bound to seeking Tathagata. Pitifully, he has neither become a Tathagata nor even remained an ordinary human being.