According to Zen master Bassui (1327–1387) the failure to see into our true nature, thus maintaing a deluded mind, is breaking the five precepts. Of especial interest is the first precept, which is the precept not to take away life (prânâtipâta). According to Bassui:
“The power from seeing into your own nature will extinguish all delusion and bring life to Buddha-nature. This is the precept not to kill living things” (trans. Arthur Braverman).
On the other hand, by failing to realize Buddha Mind; being more interested in keeping a deluded mind in the belief it is otherwise, this is killing our own Buddha Mind or Buddha-nature. In this sense we are natural born killers who are attached to the psychophysical body (skandhas) which the Buddha equates with a killer (S. iii. 189).
Lacking insight into our true nature, everyday becomes a day of killing for us since we are attached to a killing machine which obstructs our ability to see the deathless Buddha Mind which gives life (prânâ).
"For several hundred years people in both China and Japan have misunderstood the Zen teaching, trying to attain enlightenment by doing zazen or trying to find 'the one who sees and hears,' all of which is a great mistake. Zazen is just another name for original mind, and means to sit with a tranquil mind. When you do sitting meditation, you're simply sitting, just as you are. ... Those who do speak about Buddhism, for the most part, are only blinding people's eyes." (Bankei)
Posted by: KJ | March 29, 2012 at 02:50 PM
Excellent insight!
Posted by: MStrinado | March 29, 2012 at 09:27 AM