Dear all
In section 31, Huineng tells us that listening to Master Hung-jen allowed him to realise the nature of mind and he is writing this sutra to help others do the same. He says that if we cannot realise this by ourselves we may need a good friend (a teacher) to help us. He says that if we can achieve realisation alone we do not need any more than the good friend inside of us, and that the entirety of the dharma is already within us. Regardless of the external good friend, this meeting of the good friend inside us is essential for us to attain realisation (this echoes his earlier statement on going for refuge that taking refuge in the Buddha refers to our own buddha nature as well as those who are themselves realised).
Huineng goes on to say that when we meet our own buddha nature, all of our delusions vanish in a flash. He also clarifies the teaching of ‘no thought’ as seeing all dharmas without being attached to them. We do not stop all of the sense doors from working as they should and sensations comes and go through them freely.
Red Pine notes that Huineng uses the phrase wu-nien (no thought) rather than lu-nien (transcend thought) that is said to be used by Shen-hsiu and his followers. The logic here is to point directly to the emptiness of all thought rather than there being something to actually transcend.
In section 32, Huineng says that those who heed to words of this sutra and attain his dharma will be as if they are doing the work of a buddha and his true body will never leave their presence (his true body being one and the same as this sutra). However, far be it from me to criticise either Huineng or the translation but as I find ‘as if they are doing the work of a buddha’ to be a strange way of putting it as it sounds to me that they will actually be doing the work of a buddha if they attain Huineng’s dharma.
He asks those hearing the teaching to pass it onto others but does warn against teaching those who hold different views or lack resolve because this direct approach could actually be harmful to them.
Red Pine draws on the Diamond Sutra to say that Huineng’s likening of the sutra to his true body can be seen through the three buddha bodies (trikāya) with the dharmakāya being the teaching itself, the sambhogakāya being the realisation of the teaching and the nirmanakāya being the manifestation of the teaching.
In section 33, Huineng presents his Song of Formlessness which begins:
Fools work for blessings not for the Way
working for blessings they say is the Way
from offerings and alms they earn endless merit
then in their minds they build hateful futures.
In this he is clearly pointing that practice is not about gaining merits or blessings for fortune in this life or any future ones but something done entirely for itself. The song harks back to the formless nature of repentance in section 22 in which we repent by freeing ourselves from ignorance.
Questions
Wishing you a joyful week.
Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-
In section 31, Huineng tells us that listening to Master Hung-jen allowed him to realise the nature of mind and he is writing this sutra to help others do the same. He says that if we cannot realise this by ourselves we may need a good friend (a teacher) to help us. He says that if we can achieve realisation alone we do not need any more than the good friend inside of us, and that the entirety of the dharma is already within us. Regardless of the external good friend, this meeting of the good friend inside us is essential for us to attain realisation (this echoes his earlier statement on going for refuge that taking refuge in the Buddha refers to our own buddha nature as well as those who are themselves realised).
Huineng goes on to say that when we meet our own buddha nature, all of our delusions vanish in a flash. He also clarifies the teaching of ‘no thought’ as seeing all dharmas without being attached to them. We do not stop all of the sense doors from working as they should and sensations comes and go through them freely.
Red Pine notes that Huineng uses the phrase wu-nien (no thought) rather than lu-nien (transcend thought) that is said to be used by Shen-hsiu and his followers. The logic here is to point directly to the emptiness of all thought rather than there being something to actually transcend.
In section 32, Huineng says that those who heed to words of this sutra and attain his dharma will be as if they are doing the work of a buddha and his true body will never leave their presence (his true body being one and the same as this sutra). However, far be it from me to criticise either Huineng or the translation but as I find ‘as if they are doing the work of a buddha’ to be a strange way of putting it as it sounds to me that they will actually be doing the work of a buddha if they attain Huineng’s dharma.
He asks those hearing the teaching to pass it onto others but does warn against teaching those who hold different views or lack resolve because this direct approach could actually be harmful to them.
Red Pine draws on the Diamond Sutra to say that Huineng’s likening of the sutra to his true body can be seen through the three buddha bodies (trikāya) with the dharmakāya being the teaching itself, the sambhogakāya being the realisation of the teaching and the nirmanakāya being the manifestation of the teaching.
In section 33, Huineng presents his Song of Formlessness which begins:
Fools work for blessings not for the Way
working for blessings they say is the Way
from offerings and alms they earn endless merit
then in their minds they build hateful futures.
In this he is clearly pointing that practice is not about gaining merits or blessings for fortune in this life or any future ones but something done entirely for itself. The song harks back to the formless nature of repentance in section 22 in which we repent by freeing ourselves from ignorance.
Questions
- How do you feel about Huineng’s statement that we are able to realise awakening without a teacher (good friend)? Do you feel this would be possible for you and, if you have practiced alone, what difference does having a teacher on your practice?
- In section 32, Huineng cautions against teaching those who do not hold a correct view or lack resolve as it might be harmful to them. What do you think the possible harm might be?
Wishing you a joyful week.
Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-
I imagine the same goes for practice. If the student is not yet at a level where they can understand, they’re going to come away frustrated and confused, and likely decide that the would-be teacher is an idiot. (Fortunately I have NOT encountered this here at Treeleaf! My earlier example was non practice related.)
I'm pretty much practicing on my own most of the time. I check in to Treeleaf most days and I touch base with Sangha members periodically but for the most part my practice takes place when I'm either with people who arn't sangha members or when I'm alone (sitting Zazen, reading Sutras, etc...) So I'm going to give it, as is my fashion, a resounding maybe. If the conditions were right then yes, but if they weren't right than no.
). If we do share, we need to meet people where they are at, at the level they need. In the Pali Canon it is clear that the Buddha does this, with different messages being given to his monastics as opposed to when he meets a king or dignitary, lay person or someone else.
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