What is fundamental in us is not what we observe with our mind’s eye. This includes our primary and secondary emotions. It even includes consciousness. Nothing here is fundamental. What is strange is that we cannot get behind the “mind’s eye” while it seems to be able to stand before phenomena and observe.
It is somewhat like we are only able to observe in one direction while the observer cannot be observed. We don’t have a mirror whereby the observer can be observed.
Zen sometimes speaks of “turning the light to shine back” 回光返照. This term, unfortunately, is not as unpacked as we would like it to be. What do we do with it? I can only speak from experience, and suggest that the way to turn this light back is to realize pure Mind. A singleness is reached when thought (which is interference of Mind) suddenly halts. In an instant, Mind (our mind’s eye) is revealed. The light then comes rolling in big time. The light has, in other words, just been turned around. Mind has met itself but not with any distinguishing marks, which would be the case with consciousness. We have just been introduced to the absolute. There is no part of us that was not bathed in this light.
Turning the light to shine back is certainly a mystical accomplishment and falls under the category of the paranormal. Normally, in our ignorance there is no light and only phenomena. When there is a turning back we see, firsthand, that phenomena are made of light, something like waves are made of water. One more word, it is not enough to believe this. It has to be personally realized.
"The Master always advised people, “don’t get born,” i.e., don’t take on seriously even for a moment any false, limiting identifications of being a man, a woman, a Buddhist, a Confucian, good, bad, old, young, angry, elated, mortal body or even a distinct, immortal soul."
From:
http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/bankei_zen_master.html
Posted by: Nobody | June 22, 2018 at 06:21 PM