The Buddha, The Dharma, The Sangha

"Spiritual powers and their wondrous functioning--hauling water and carrying firewood." --Layman Pang, upon his realization

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Practice Instructions



Emptiness is without characteristics.  Illumination has no emotional afflictions.  With piercing, quietly profound radiance, it mysteriously eliminates all disgrace.  Thus one can know oneself; thus the self is completed.  We all have the clear, wondrously bright field from the beginning.  Many lifetimes of misunderstanding come only from distrust, hindrance, and screens of confusion that we create in a scenario of isolation.  With boundless wisdom, journey beyond this, forgetting accomplishments.  Straightforwardly abandon stratagems and take on responsibility.  Having turned yourself around, accepting your situation, if you set foot on the path, spiritual energy will marvelously transport you.  Contact phenomena with total sincerity, not a single atom of dust outside yourself.

Hongzhi Zhengjue  (1091-1157)
--excerpted from Cultivating The Empty Field: The Silent Illuminations of Zen Master Hongshi
Translated by Taigen Dan Leighton, 2000


With many Thanks to Elana from Daily Zen
www.dailyzen.com

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