1) Reliance on words and letters: Our true nature is realized through language.
The Lankavatara Sutra says:
"By merely following words and making discriminating attempts to formulate a proposition concerning the truth as it is, a man falls straightway into the bottom of hell on account of this very proposition."
Zen aims at a direct seeing of ultimate reality which transcends words and letters including propositions concerning the truth. This is entirely mystical.
2) Meditation: Physical sitting is the means to awakening.
The Buddha never taught that meditation is supposed to rely upon a sitting posture; that failing to sit upright with legs crossed is not meditation. The goal of meditation is to become aware of the pure lucidity of mind which is immaculate. When this happens, the next step is expanding this insight in which one becomes more of it and less of the former self.
3) Koans: Their purpose is to cut off speculation. Koans have no significance beyond that.
First let me say, to rely on words and letters goes against the spirit of Zen which makes the use of koans seem contradictory. But there was a method to the madness of the koan developers!
The development and use of koans was originally for the purpose of putting an end to the speculation of the literati whose approach was decisively literary rather than mystical. In this respect, koans never proved all that successful as tools to help one see their true nature insofar as the real intention of the koan was not well understood. Later the hua-t'ou (huatou) was introduced by Ta-hui (1089–1163) which was an improvement. The point is to investigate the hua-t'ou, this being mind before it is stirred, not the literary structure of the koan itself. The hua-t'ou pointed to the unstirred, pure essence of mind rather than the stirred words of the koan, itself, such as the all familiar "Mu" of Joshu which is a generated construct/function of essence—not essence, itself. All koans, it could be said, point to the same transcendent source. This source is beyond words and letters—beyond even our birth and death. This is what koans are always hinting at with a strange reply or gesture. Above all, it is our true nature which we are to realize with the help of the koan.
4) Kensho: There are many awakenings.
If all awakenings are different this is not kensho because true nature is unchangeable. Think of seeing the outline of the sun behind fog. Then think of seeing the sun appear, suddenly, then become covered by the fog again. Eventually, imagine the fog disappearing with only the sun above. The sun has not changed. Only the fog has changed. Our fundamental nature which his luminous, is like this. Ironically, it is always present even though we believe otherwise. We are just not attuned to its pure, undefiled nature. We are only accustomed to thought-images which are never other than maculate.
Excellent write-up! Gonna save this one for future reference when some beginner asks me about Zen.
Posted by: M | May 03, 2015 at 10:59 AM