1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

[Jundo]

Talk about being willing to 'give one's right arm' to study the Dharma! (Actually, the legend says the 'left' arm, and may actually be based on the biography of a completely different master who had his arm cut off by bandits during a robbery. Cutting it off oneself to show one's determination makes a better fable).

We sit with the mind 'like a wall' ... stilling conditions outside, no grasping of mind inside, and not even thought of 'inside' or 'outside' the wall ...

But do not think of this "wall" as some thing dead and dull as a pile of bricks, or the thick and confining walls of a prison. Rather, it is clear, alert and ever bright, very much vibrant and living. As Keizan says, trying to "become mindless like a wall ... is not the intimate experience of the Mind. [Thus Hui-K'o] said 'I am always clearly aware'. If you can become like this, then this is what the Buddhas have realized."

I also greatly appreciate the end of the story, as the Enlightened Ancestor chooses, for his own reasons, to return to the village and marketplace, to spend his last years "sometimes entering wine shops, sometimes engaging in street talk, sometimes joining workers who empty the privies."

Cook from 153
Hixon from 138

[Myoku]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

Keizan wrote "In the realm that is empty and bright, conditions and thought are exhausted; It is clear, alert, and always bright."

A sunny days couldn't bring more light and happiness in my life,
yes, yes, thoughts can fall apart, mind can become clear. Now.
_()_
Peter

[BrianW]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

I’m going to be a bit loose this week and riff off a phrase in Hixon as it captured my interest and I see the phrase relevant on a number of levels to our practice. Hixon states:

Zendo floor, childhood memory

How should we view personal memory in our Zen practice? During Zazen, memories may flash before us and then disappear like vapor. During our day a memory enters our mind, we find ourselves caught up in the recontextualization of this memory to more closely fit our present understanding of our “self.” Hixon states:

Why continue to move through this panorama like fictional characters playing fixed roles in our own drama? Allow the entire mindscape to become a smooth wall, thereby coming to the end of cyclic experience.

This wall is the end of conditions, the end of our life lived as film or literary fiction.

So is this “wall” to be a dissolution of our identity – our life story? Is the wall to be dark, calm, and barren of life forms? As Jundo cited above:

As Keizan says, trying to "become mindless like a wall ... is not the intimate experience of the Mind. [Thus Hui-K'o] said 'I am always clearly aware'.

So for a number of weeks we have been reading accounts of “the passing of the light.” At times, and for good reason, we explore the veracity of these accounts. Somewhat like our personal narratives that we tell ourselves about our lives, it is difficult to discover what is really the “truth”. Our readings are part fact, part fiction, part molded by social, historical, and cultural factors. Yet we see value in these stories, even when they read like rather impressionistic tales, on some level they inform our understanding of wisdom. Hixon states in terms of our “wisdom wall”:

Swirling atoms of experience,
become still, fuse, melt in transparency

I like to envision the “wall” as being a kaleidoscope, which sometimes contain “lightly held” fragments of our life passing before us and quietly fading away. Our personal stories merge, blur, and dissolve with the “transmission of light.” As Kezian states:

You will not distinguish past and present, self and others

As Hixon points out, Dogen Zenji states:

This is the moment when the one called you is actually Buddha Ancestor Hui-k’o.

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

[Myoku]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

About memories, I see them as something popping up in my mind right now, like ideas or plans. Actually I think they are just part of a "normal brain" and appear as such. I was used to dive into these memories, to believe these stories and to feel them as if the memory was the truth. And thus memories are part of the day-dream, when not seen as "just a memory popping up".
_()_
Peter

[Shokai]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

Whenever I read stuff such as found in this thread I'm brought back to Shunryu Suzuki's "Beginner's Mind" and especially the part on "Constancy" which happens to be this month's feature at dailyzen.com : http://dailyzen.com/zen/zen_reading1101.asp
Isn't it amazing how clear the mind can be;
“in constancy there is no particular effort involved—there is only the unchanging ability to accept things as they are.”

[Hoyu]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

Given the impact of this chapter with Hui-k'o cutting off his arm I find the first sentance oddly befitting
"After remaining at the RIGHT HAND of the awakened one".......
Hmmmmm just a coincidence??

Gassho,
John

[BrianW]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

Given the impact of this chapter with Hui-k'o cutting off his arm I find the first sentance oddly befitting
"After remaining at the RIGHT HAND of the awakened one".......
Hmmmmm just a coincidence??

Nice John....didn't notice this.

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

[Jundo]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

Given the impact of this chapter with Hui-k'o cutting off his arm I find the first sentance oddly befitting
"After remaining at the RIGHT HAND of the awakened one".......
Hmmmmm just a coincidence??

Nice John....didn't notice this.

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

Hmmm. And how could he form the Mudra without a left arm?



Would that be just like the "sound of one hand clapping"?

Gassho, J

[Hoyu]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

Sure!
Zen master: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
Student: "Hui-k'o!"
I can see that :lol:

Gassho,
John

[ghop]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

About memories, I see them as something popping up in my mind right now, like ideas or plans. Actually I think they are just part of a "normal brain" and appear as such. I was used to dive into these memories, to believe these stories and to feel them as if the memory was the truth. And thus memories are part of the day-dream, when not seen as "just a memory popping up".

I like to think of my thoughts as being a form of "brain-gas." Yep. Cerebral farts.

Kinda takes the pain out of even the painful thoughts and memories.

I usually have gas because I ate something good. Memories hurt now because I lived something good.

Bombs away.

Just let em go, man.

gassho
Greg

[Shohei]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

Hiyas
A very interesting one.
Mind like a wall, a mind like all off space all-accepting and in need of not one thing
I too, appreciated his returned to the marketplace.

Gassho
Shohei

[AlanLa]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

After a two month hiatus, I am back. One of the great things about these readings is that they are so short it is easy to catch up, which I plan to do over the next few days to a week.

I'm guessing Huike was right handed, so maybe he thought, "Hmm, it's not like it's my dominant arm." Just kidding :mrgreen: Anyway, talk about devotion! Most of us (hopefully all) would consider devotion so strong that when someone cut off their own arm enough to say, "ok you've proven yourself," but for Bodhidharma that is only enough to let the poor guy in the door. Then it takes eight more years before the old Bodhi-man finally feels poor H-dude has proven himself. Talk about your tough masters AND disciples :twisted:

I liked the basics. From Keizan:

...if you put an end to conditions externally, the many thoughts will no longer exist internally. Without becoming darkened, you will be alert, clear and originally bright. You will not distinguish past and present, nor will you distinguish self and others.

And from Hixon:

Words are inadequate.... May we cut away obstacles, our own and those of all beings in this global realm, with the clean, clear gaze of naked awareness--the sharpest, brightest sword.

Finally, a question: Him going back to the marketplace is like the last of the ten ox herding pictures, so is he the inspiration for that last pic?

[Geika]

Re: 1/14 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Hui-K'o

To me, the mind is like a radio, picking up and transmitting.