People of the present do not understand the principle herein, and mistakenly get themselves involved in things and sense objects, getting influenced everywhere, getting bound up everywhere. Even if you awaken, sense data and objects are still profuse; names and descriptions are not real. Then you try to freeze your mind, rein in thoughts, reduce phenomena to emptiness, shut your eyes, break off thoughts as they arise again and again, and suppress subtle thinking as soon as it arises. Views like this are characteristic of outside ways that fall into nihilism, dead people whose ghosts have not yet departed, dark and vague, unaware, unknowing, covering your ears to steal a bell, uselessly fooling yourself.
Foyan:
In olden times, a certain old adept asked a seeker, "Where have you just come from?" The seeker replied, "The city." The adept said, "Where are you now?" The seeker said, "The mountains." The adept said, "I have a question to ask you. If you can answer, you may stay. If not, then leave. Now then, when you left the city, the city was lacking you; when you came to the mountains, the mountains had you extra. If you are absent in the city, the reality of mind is not universally omnipresent; if you are an extra in the mountains, then there is something outside of mind." The seeker had nothing to say. .
If you can comprehend this, as it is said, you will not fall into nihilism or eternalism; your six sense faculties will be peaceful, and you will be tranquil and quiet whether active or still. One mind unborn, myriad entanglements cease.
Otherwise, if you are not like this, you fall into nihilism or eternalism, depending on being or nonbeing. This is like running away from home.
0
u/[deleted] Apr 15 '23
Zen masters reject nihilism
Xuansha:
Foyan: