Joe, Thanks for this. I have never read any Ch'an texts.
I of course liked this one...Bill! --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@...> wrote: > > 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 > > > ------------------------------------ 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: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
