6/18 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: Shakyamuni

[Taigu]

Re: 6/18 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: Shakyamuni

Hi Peter,

Teachers of old don't speak in riddles, they speak about what cannot be spoken of, the ineffable itself. The language is pointing at the space-being-wide-open who is eveyone of us. Indeed, you caught a glimpse that what these texts are talking about is not printed on paper.

What is the color of your eyes? how far can you stretch your arm? as you sitBuddha, who is left to see, what can be seen?


And you don't need to work so hard.

gassho

Taigu

[Jikyo]

Re: 6/18 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: Shakyamuni

And you don't need to work so hard.

Thanks for this reminder, dear Taigu. It seems we all need to hear this now and again.

Gassho, Jikyo

[Shugen]

Re: 6/18 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: Shakyamuni

Still dragging behind......

While reading it's "yes yes yes" "A-ha!". Two days later, "huh". I think I need to reread. I am enjoying the three perspectives Peter spoke of. Not right or wrong perhaps but more different ways of perceiving/understanding the same words.

Ron

[Shogen]

Re: 6/18 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: Shakyamuni

Before Shak This! After Shak This! Thanks you old dog of a pointer. What a wonderous dance. Gassho Shogen

[Nick B]

Re: 6/18 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: Shakyamuni

Please note I am useing Transmission of Light by Thomas Cleary.

"Shakyamuni Buddha realized enlightenment on seeing the morning star. He said"I and all beings on earth together attain enlightenment at the same time."

How could the Buddha attain enlightenment together with all beings at the same time?

Did he perceive an endless sea of awareness in which there was a complete unity in duality?

Did he simply experience the extinction of his self consciousness and noticed that with the extinction of his self consciousness he did not perceive the world as being made up of independent selves?

"With just one robe and one bowl, he lacked nothing."

Thank you very much Taigu.

"That is to say, I is not Shakyamuni Buddha-even Shakyamuni Buddha comes from this I. And it does not only give birth to Shayamuni Buddha -all beings on earth also come from here."

The sense of self our self consciousness is not our essential self (Shakyamuni), the Personality of Shakyamuni as an independent being is born from this self consciousness and this self consciousness not only gives birth to Shakyamuni but when one looks out into the world and sees a sea of independent individual beings that too arises from one's sense of self or self consciousness.

"However immensely diverse the mountains, rivers, land and all forms and appearances may be, all of them are in the eye of the Buddha."

What is the Buddha eye?

Is it that all phenomena arise in the mirror of the mind which is one's essential self which is at once selfless?

"Is the Buddha enlightened with you?"

The Buddha has always been there shining in its original nature, how can it become enlightened?

"Are you enlightened with the Buddha?"

There is no self that is enlightened.

"Even so, I and together are neither one nor two."

"Neither one" means things are not perceived as a mystical unity, meaning grass is grass and trees are trees.

"Nor two" means that all phenomena have the same flavor the Buddha which is empty of self.

"While the seasons come and go, and mountains, rivers, and land change with the times, you should know that this is Buddha raising his eyebrows and blinking his eyes-so it is the unique body revealed in myriad forms."

The world in which we live and have our being is the dynamic nature of mind.

"One branch stands out on the old apricot tree, Thorns come forth at the same time."

When a particular self is grasped out of the sea of life, suffering is born that very moment.