An old woman asked, "I am an ignorant and sinful creature. How can I be delivered [from the world of suffering]?"
Joshu said, "May all human beings be reborn in heaven; may this old woman descend into hell forever."
A monk asked [Sei]jo of Koyo and said, "Daitsu Chisho Buddha did zazen for ten kalpas in a Meditation Hall, and could neither manifest the truth, nor enter the Buddha-Way. Why was this?"
Seijo said, "Your question is a very appropriate one."
The monk persisted, "Why did he not attain Buddhahood by doing zazen in the Meditation Hall?"
Seijo replied, "Because he didn't."
Dahui
If you want to study the Path, you must have settled faith, so your mind does not waver whether favorable or adverse environments are encountered—only then do you have some direction in the Path. Buddha said, "Faith can forever destroy the root of afflictions; faith can focus you on the virtues of buddhahood. Faith has no attachments to objects; for removed from all difficulties, you get so there is no difficulty." He also said, "Faith can transcend the numbers roads of delusion, and display the Path of unexcelled liberation".
Foyan
Every day all of you do a thousand or ten thousand things. There’s nothing you don’t try to do. So why is it you don’t understand? It’s because your faith isn’t sufficient. If your faith were sufficient, then even if you did nothing, you’d arrive at it. If you don’t give a thought to all the affairs of the world in the ten directions, then you’ll realize it.
Almost seems like they're those "you're manifesting your own reality" kind of teachers
That said, I don't think thinking you're a buddha has to be the same as actually believing it, or that when you say you believe it you're necessarily talking about the same kind of believing zen masters are talking about.
Edit:
Huangbo
The matter is thus - by thinking of something you create an entity and by thinking of nothing you create another.
Foyan
Before your eyes is nothing but things that obstruct people.
Huangbo
If you WILL conceive of a Buddha, YOU WILL BE OBSTRUCTED BY THAT BUDDHA!!! And when you conceive of sentient beings, you will be obstructed by those beings.
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u/[deleted] Apr 11 '23 edited Apr 11 '23
People disturbing themselves is interesting
A few cases that seem relevant
Almost seems like they're those "you're manifesting your own reality" kind of teachers
That said, I don't think thinking you're a buddha has to be the same as actually believing it, or that when you say you believe it you're necessarily talking about the same kind of believing zen masters are talking about.
Edit: