Changing Direction vs. Breaking Free
During the time of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, there was a monk named Shenxiu who was considered his equal, and in fact, possessed more knowledge and years of cultivation than Huineng. Despite his intelligence and long years of study under the Fifth Patriarch, Shenxiu struggled to attain enlightenment. After the Fifth Patriarch’s passing into nirvana, Shenxiu went north to spread his teachings.
Among Shenxiu’s disciples was a monk named Zhishang. Though he would later become known as Master Zhishang after achieving enlightenment, he faced many obstacles while studying under Shenxiu. (Laughter)
Zhishang made a decision to visit Huineng.
“I have heard Master Shenxiu’s teachings about seeing one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood, but I still harbor doubts. Please resolve my uncertainties and awaken me to enlightenment.”
The Sixth Patriarch replied, “Tell me what he taught you, and I will point out where the issue lies.”
Zhishang explained, “One day, I approached Master Shenxiu and asked about the principle of seeing one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood. He asked me in return:
‘Have you seen the empty sky?’
‘Yes, I have.’
‘Did you see any forms or shapes in that emptiness?’
‘The sky is inherently formless; how could it have any shape?’
Shenxiu then said, ‘Your original nature is like the empty sky. When you turn inward to observe your nature, you will see that there is nothing to be seen – this is called true seeing. When you realize there is nothing to be known – this is called true knowing.
The world of appearances – blue and yellow, long and short – these visible phenomena will reveal to you that the fundamental essence is pure, and the essence of awareness is pure. This is seeing one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood. It is also the Pure Land and the wisdom of the Tathagata.'”
“I have studied these teachings for several years, but still lack clarity. Please explain this to me.”
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng responded:
“The problem isn’t with what you’ve learned from those teachings. Master Shenxiu still maintains views and intellectual understanding, which is why he couldn’t directly point you to enlightenment. Let me share a verse with you:
‘Even if you see nothing, if you maintain the thought of seeing nothing,
It’s like clouds obscuring the sun.
Even if you know nothing, if you don’t even have the thought of knowing nothing,
It’s like lightning flashing in empty space.'”
Shenxiu’s words didn’t come from a place of liberation. His teachings were based on what he had learned and understood intellectually, rather than speaking from direct experience. Speaking about emptiness without having become empty himself, his words were like painted emptiness in a picture – lifeless. Shenxiu couldn’t directly point to the mind of others to awaken them. In contrast, every phrase of Huineng’s words was alive, pulsating with the clear experience of enlightenment.
Understanding True Liberation
“Even if you see nothing, if you maintain the thought of seeing nothing…”
Even if you haven’t read a single page of a book, if you hold onto the thought that you haven’t read it, you’re still caught in that very thought. When you watch TV and decide not to watch a horror movie, your mind takes the same stance as watching it. If you’ve decided not to watch horror movies anymore, while your family watches movies on TV, you’re always prepared to look away when scary scenes appear.
“I’m not watching now. Is it time for the ghost to appear? Then I’m not watching from now on!”
But this isn’t truly not watching. If someone tries to startle you from behind, you’ll jump in fright.
“Aah!”
Though their eyes weren’t watching, their mind was. They were merely hiding their manifestation of fear consciousness within their mind. This is merely changing direction. They tried to avoid their fear of watching by not watching, but the fear remains within them. Changing direction and breaking free are entirely different things. We must not confuse these two.
“Even if you know nothing, if you don’t even have the thought of knowing nothing, it’s like lightning flashing in empty space.”
Huineng wasn’t a particularly knowledgeable person. However, he never had a complex about his lack of knowledge. Though his intellectual knowledge was limited, he never felt its lack. He didn’t even realize his own illiteracy. He was always composed, never seeking to know more or trying to block out what he heard. He was someone who had already experienced the lightning flash in empty space. He was one who planted that lightning in everyone he met. The entire Buddhist canon of 84,000 sutras was illuminated by his flash of insight. He was someone who had already resolved all questions by himself.
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Source: “선문답의 정수 전등록 강의: 더 나아갈 수 없는 길 1” (The Essence of Zen Questions and Answers – Lectures on the Transmission of the Lamp: The Path of No Further Progress, Vol. 1)
Original text from: 6gaknara.com
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