Dark and obscure

Having entered the Dharma Hall for a formal instruction, the Master said: “Every person originally has the radiant light—yet when it is looked at, it is not seen: dark and obscure!” With this, the Master left the teacher’s seat. —Yumen

Zen hides a great mystery, but paradoxically, an obvious one. In fact, Zen is all about mysticism—Chinese style. If you are not keen on mysticism you might miss the real teaching of Zen and lose your life in the sea of samsara.

When Hui-k’e sought an audience with Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch, he was on a spiritual quest. Hui-k’e wanted to find the transcendent which is beyond birth and death. He knew that if he could encounter it, directly, he would be free from the deadly influence of samsara. When they met, Bodhidharma could tell that Hui-k’e was ripe for Mind baptism. He had exhausted all of his options and presuppositions about pure Mind. Hui-k’e was like a little mouse trapped in the dry horn of a bull, pushing his little nose against the small part of the dry horn.

Hui-k’e implored Bodhidharma to bring peace to his mind. Then Bodhidharma said, “Show me the mind. I will make it peaceful.” Hui-k’e responded by saying, “I have searched for it, but I could not find it.” Then Bodhidharma said, “I have once and for all brought peace to your mind. Do you now see it?” With these words, Hui-k’e became greatly awakened.

If Hui-k’e had known that Mind, with a capital ‘M’, had brought him to Bodhidharma which also animated this thoughts and words, he would have twisted the nose of the old sagely one. But, obviously he didn’t. He didn’t recognize that Mind is without characteristics and invisible, or that Mind is radiant and animative. Hui-k’e, to use an old Zen expression, was riding a donkey in search of one.

Make no mistake about it, Hui-k’e was a brilliant person and already knew a great deal about Buddhism, but he was not smart enough to know and to see that Mind is like an invisible force which cannot be grasped or seen—especially with words. But with the help of Bodhidharma Hui-k’e’s mind found Mind.

Today, those who seek the heart of Zen are often not told that Mind is a numinous power which animates us. They are just told to sit and basically, shut up. But Hui-k’e was not sitting when he saw “it”. And he didn’t shut up. He was hot on the trail of Mind; hot enough to seek out Bodhidharma. I bet it astonished him to sense the spiritual power of Bodhidharma when he first approached him. How could Hui-k’e not help but see “it”, the Mind. Bodhidharma was a powerhouse of Mind’s radiant nature. In fact, one of the legends about Bodhidharma is that he sat Wall-gazing. But correctly translated it says, "transcends discrimination and abides in the numinous."

Comments

[Bodhiratna]

Like mind seeks like mind, LOL. I would guess that the mystical power and the mind's will to self-realization have something to do with it. BTW, I can relate to the last part in the author's post about Hui-ko sensing Bodhidharma radiant power. I myself almost collapsed after I visited a great Zen Master in Thu Duc city in Nam. Trust me, it knocks the devil out of you, LOL.

Bodhiratna

[TSN]

Very good article. Very suitable for newcomers to Zen, with to much aching in their backs from sitting and to little light in their minds from genuine self-awareness of the imageless.

I am impressed by your singular style in conveying the very heart of Chinese "Zen" in such a fascinating use of the english language.

TSN