Anthony, All the questions you have asked about having limits or rules to go by are answered by one sentence below:
"When one realizes his original nature, discipline, calmness and wisdom need not be instituted." And there are no need for rules, multi-fold paths, vows, dogma, rituals or attachment to the concept of karma. Entiende? Kao Jai? ...Bill! From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:zen_fo...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Anthony Wu Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 3:20 PM To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Zen] Platform Scripture of the Sixth Patriarch Platform Scripture of the Sixth Patriarch Reverend Chicheng (pupil of Shenxiu, who shared the same teacher Hongren with Huineng, competing with each other) said to Reverend Huineng, ‘my teacher Shenxiu transmits only the doctrine of discipline, calmness and wisdom. Discipline is to refrain from all evils actions, calmness is to purify one’s own mind, and wisdom is to practice all good deeds.’ Patriarch Huineng answered, ‘His theory is wonderful, but my views are different. In my view, freeing the mind from all wrong is the discipline of our original nature, freeing the mind from all disturbances is the calmness of our original nature, and freeing the mind from all delusions is the wisdom of our original nature.’ Master Huineng continued, ‘your teacher’s teaching of discipline, calmness and wisdom is to help wise men of the inferior type, but mine is to help superior people. When one realizes his original nature, discipline, calmness and wisdom need not be instituted. The original nature has no wrong, no disturbance, no delusion. If in every instant of thought we introspect our minds with Perfect Wisdom, and if it is always free from dharmas and their appearances, what is the need of instituting these things? The original nature is realized suddenly, not gradually step by step. Therefore, there is not need of instituting them.’ On another occasion, Master Huineng said, ‘good friends, there is no distinction between sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment in the Law, except that some people are intelligent and others stupid. Those who are ignorant realize the truth gradually, while the intelligent ones attain it suddenly. But if they know their own minds and see their own nature, there will be no difference in their enlightenment. Without enlightenment, they will be bound forever in transmigration.’ >From World of the Buddha, by Lucien Stryk My comment: I am a 'wise man of the inferior type'. Wait. I am sure about the latter quality, but not so regarding the former, only hope so. Anyway, Master Huineng is saying I can learn from a superior person to get enlightened quicker. Anthony __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5562 (20101025) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5565 (20101026) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: zen_forum-dig...@yahoogroups.com zen_forum-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zen_forum-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
