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Main Case Edit

Zen master Sengmi of Shenshan was travelling with his dharma brother Dongshan Liangjie.

Dongshan pointed to a temple on the roadside and said, "In that temple is a person who discloses the mind and discloses the buddha nature."(1)

Shenshan said, "Who is it?"(2)

Dongshan said, "Someone who has just achieved complete death as you asked."(3)

Shenshan said, "Who discloses the mind and discloses the [buddha] nature?"(4)

Dongshan said, "Someone who has achieved life in death."(5)





Notes Edit

Although this is common enough, it is rarely understood. Having asked, it turns out there is only one exit. The blind man wants to drag his companion into it. He obliges, how nice. But say, where is all of this leading? This fellow likes to create complications. But tell me, what does he really mean?

The teaching of eliminating the mind and eliminating the nature has been transmitted generation to generation from Sakyamuni Buddha down to the present time. It is the holding up of the flower on Vulture Peak and Mahakasyapa's smile. It is the Sixth Ancestor's shaking the sieve and Dogen's falling away of body and mind. The mountain's form and the river's sound are none other than disclosing the mind, disclosing the buddha nature.

When mind appears, the whole universe appears. When mind disappears, the whole universe disappears. The truth of this teaching is not to be found in mind, no-mind, buddha nature, or in things. If you can see into it here, you will understand that even the buddhas and the ancestors have not attained it.

Capping Verse Edit

Though we may speak of it, it cannot be conveyed;

try to picture it, yet it cannot be seen.

When the universe collapses, "it" is indestructible.

Appearances Edit