Chan Instructions by Thomas Cleary

Author:Thomas Cleary [Cleary, Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2016-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

To missionary Ji

Before the ancient Deshan had gone traveling, he looked on the whole land as empty; his attitude of superiority was overbearing. Then when he went south he first called on Longtan; when Longtan blew out the paper torch, his bucket of lacquer broke, and he said, “From now on I won’t doubt what everyone says.” Striding the earth, no one surpassed the restlessness of this elder; at a single hammer stroke he immediately penetrated the heights and depths, his perception no different from old Shakyamuni Buddha. Wasn’t he broadminded, unconcerned with trifles? In this way, for thirty years he just wielded a bare cane—if a Buddha came, he struck; if a Patriarch came, he struck. Essentially this is not the principle of blowing out the torch; even iron eyes with bronze pupils could not see through him. This is what is meant by the saying that the deeds of great men are not something generals or ministers can do.

In general, students need to have genuine accurate knowledge and perception; then they can be refined by the furnace and bellows. Still they might not be able to bear it, and eventually retreat from their aspiration on that account. How much the more so the willfully blind who don’t know what’s there—are they even worth talking about? Even if you have accurate knowledge and perception, if you don’t meet someone you’ll still be confused by the thorns of views and not attain freedom. There is nothing worse than that disease. Generally students with some standing are often affected by this problem; if they are unable to get free, it becomes leakage.

If you actually have the will to be a descendant of Shakyamuni Buddha, you should definitely not form associations casually. You certainly need to clearly attain the great truth; then you will not fall into the webs of false teachers. Then you will be the best of people.

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