Sosan Hsin Hsin Ming: The Book of Nothing The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preference. When Love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and is revealed. But Make the smallest distinction, and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart. If you want to see the truth does not take sides for or against. The struggle between what one wants and what he does not want is the disease of the mind.
I - When the deep meaning of things is not understood the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail. The way is perfect like vast space where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess. In fact, it is up to us to decide whether to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things. Live neither in the entanglements of outer things, nor in inner feelings of emptiness. Be peaceful activities without forcing the wholeness of things and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves. When you try to stop activity to achieve passivity your very effort fills you with activity. As long as you remain in one extreme or another never know Oneness. Those who do not live in the single Way fail in both activity and passivity, assertion and negation.
II - Denying the reality of things is to miss their reality, to assert the emptiness of things is to miss their reality. The more you talk and think about it, the more you move away from the truth. Stop talking and thinking and there will be nothing you will not be able to know.
III - The return to the root is to find the meaning, but to pursue appearances is to miss the source. At the moment of inner enlightenment there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness. The changes appear to occur in the empty world we call real only because of our ignorance. Do not seek the truth, only cease to have opinions. Do not remain in a dualistic state; carefully avoided such a pursuit. If there is a trace of this or that, the right and wrong, the Mind-essence will be lost in the confusion. Although all dualities come from, do not be attached even to this. When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way, nothing in the world can offend, and when a thing can no longer offend it ceases to exist in the old way. When no discriminating thoughts arise, the old mind ceases to exist.
IV - When thought objects vanish, the thinking subject vanishes, as when the mind vanishes, objects vanish. Things are objects because of the subject, the mind is such because of things. Understand the relativity of these two and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness. In this Emptiness the two are indistinguishable and each contains in itself the whole world. If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion.
V - live in the Great Way is neither easy nor difficult, but those who have limited views are fearful and irresolute: the faster they hurry, the slower they go, and the attachment can not be avoided: even to be attached to the idea of \u200b\u200benlightenment is to go astray. Just let things be as they are and there will be neither coming nor going. Obey the nature of things (your own nature), and walk freely and undisturbed. When the thought is in bondage the truth is hidden, for everything is murky and unclear, and the burdensome practice of judging brings annoyance and weariness. What benefit can be derived from distinctions and separations? If you want to go in the One Way do not despise even the world of feelings and ideas. In truth, accept them fully is identical with true Enlightenment. The wise man strives for no goals, the foolish man fetters himself. There is only one dharma, truth, law, not many; distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant. To seek Mind with the discriminating mind is the biggest mistake of all.
VI - Rest and unrest derive illusion, with enlightenment there is what you liking and disliking. All dualities come from ignorant inference. They are like dreams of flowers in the air, it is foolish to try to catch them. Gain and loss, right and wrong: such thoughts must finally be abolished immediately. If the eye never sleeps, all dreams will naturally cease. If the mind makes no discriminations, the ten thousand things are as they are, of single essence. Understanding the mystery of this One-essence is to be freed from all impediments. When all things are seen equally the timeless Self-essence is reached. No comparison or analogy can been without cause, and relationships.
VII - Consider holding the movement and stillness in movement, and both states of movement and rest disappear. When such dualities cease to exist Oneness itself can not exist. In this final purpose can not apply any law or description. For the unified mind in accord with the Way all aspirations from the end itself. Doubts and hesitations vanish and life in true faith is possible. With a single stroke we are freed from slavery, nothing clings to us and we do not hold anything. All is empty, clear, self-illuminating, without the use of 'power of the mind. Here thought, feeling, knowledge and imagination are of no value.
VIII - In this world there is no similarity to either the self or other-than-self. To enter directly into harmony with this reality just simply say when doubts arise, "Not two." In this "not two" nothing is separate, nothing is excluded. No matter when or where, enlightenment means entering this truth. And this truth is beyond extension or diminution in time or space, in it a single thought is ten thousand years.
IX - Emptiness here, Emptiness there, but the 'infinite universe stands always before our eyes. Infinitely large and infinitely small, no difference, for definitions have vanished and no boundaries are seen. Likewise about Being and nonbeing. Do not waste time in doubts and arguments that have nothing to do with it. One thing, all things move and intermingle, without distinction. To live in this realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection. Live in this faith is the road to non-dualism, as the non-dual is one with the trusting mind. Words! The Way is beyond language, because in it there is no yesterday
- No tomorrow - no today.
translated from Chinese by Richard B. Clarke, Zen master to the Living Dharma Centers, Amherst, Mass., and Coventry, Connecticut - translated from English into Italian Andrea Mosca webmaster http://www.ebooks4free.net/
Source: vedanta.it
