Group,
Continuing the thread begun the other day, I'll tag-on the original post, and I
herewith add the conversation between Master and Novice that begins the text of
this ancient Chinese Ch'an writing, THE CEASING OF NOTIONS, from the Dunhuang
Caves.
Usually I don't post quoted segments without commentary, but this text is its
own story, and the teaching is teaching that we are all familiar with. Here,
it's in simple form and has the virtue of a personal presentation and
interaction between teacher and student.
"Is it LIVE, or is it Memorex?"
It's live.
--Joe
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(1a.)
Master: The Great Way is without limit, fathomless, and subtle, beyond
comprehension, beyond words.
(1b.)
Novice: What is it that is called the mind? And how is the mind pacified?
Master: You should not assume a mind, Then there is no need to pacify it. That
is called pacifying the mind.
(2.)
Novice: But if there is no mind, how can we learn the Way?
Master: The mind cannot conceive of the Way. So why should the way depend on
the mind?
(3.)
Novice: If the Way cannot be conceived of by the mind, how can it be conceived,
or thought of?
Master: As soon as a thought arises, there is also mind. Mind is contrary to
the Way. No-thought is no-mind. No-mind is the Way and the Truth, and is True
Awakening.
(4.)
Novice: Do all sentient beings have this mind, or not?
Master: That all sentient beings have this mind is a mistaken view. To set up
a mind within no-mind, in empty mind, only serves to create erroneous ideas.
(5.)
Novice: What exists within no-mind?
Master: No-mind equals no-thing. No thing equals True Nature itself. And True
Nature is the Great Way.
(6.)
Novice: How can delusions of sentient beings be erradicated?
Master: As long as one sees delusions and their erradication, one cannot shed
them.
(7.)
Novice: Is it possible to be at one with the Way without having erradicated the
delusions?
Master: As long as one thinks of being at one with and not being at one with,
one is not free from delusions.
(8.)
Novice: What should one do then?
Master: Just do without the delusions. Not doing anything. Then you will just
naturally and fittingly and accurately respond in any situation.
----------------------------------------------------------------
> "Joe" <desert_woodworker@...> wrote:
>
> A newly arrived book is making an impression, here. It's a translation and
> some commentary by Soko Morinaga Roshi (1925-1995).
>
> The translated text is an ancient Ch'an text discovered in the Dunhuang
> caves. The text may be from the 3rd or 4th Century, C.E. It is a
> question-and-answer type conversation between a Master and novice monk
> student, both of whom are imaginary (fictional). The text, and the title
> Morinaga uses for the book, is: THE CEASING OF NOTIONS.
>
> I'm liking the brevity of the interchanges. There's nothing new here for a
> practitioner who has practiced formally, and/or studied, but this gives the
> book a feel of something like a letter from home.
>
> I may afterwards post a few of the brief interchanges. You may feel the
> familiarity in them. Or, you may feel challenged!
>
> --Joe
>
------------------------------------
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