yun's talk

MASTER HSING YUN'S TALK

You do not have the Buddha Nature:
When Master Hui-lang first paid his respect to Ch'an Master Ma-tsu, the latter asked him, "Why did you come here?"
"For the knowledge of the Buddha," answered Hui-lang.
"But the Buddha has transcended knowledge," retorted Ma-tsu. "Only devils have it."
Upon hearing this, Hue-lang respectfully prostrated to Ma-tsu.
"From where did you come?" asked Master Ma-tsu.
"Nan-yueh." [This meant that he was a disciple of Master Shih-t'ou Hsi-ch'ien of Nan-yueh in Hunan..]
Bluntly, Ma-tsu declared, "You belong to Nan-yueh. You're unworthy of your master, Shih-t'ou. You'd better go back immediately. There is no other place that is suitable for you."
When Hui-lang returned to Nan-yueh, he asked Shih-t'ou, "How can I attain Buddha hood?"
"You don't have the Buddha-nature," the Master answered. "But all sentient being have it, even worms. Why don't I ?" asked the baffled Hui-lang.
"Because you're not a sentient being."
"Are you saying that I'm inferior to a worm?" queried Hui-lang. "Yes," confirmed the Master, "because you refuse to take any responsibilities."
Hui-lang finally became enlightened by the Master's words.

< You do not have the Buddha-Nature
> Form and Emptiness are the Same
> I-Hsiu Eating the Honey
> Night Roving
> Getting to the Root
> Before going up the Tree
> Only Partial Agreement

It is very important for Ch'an practitioners to have confidence both in themselves and in the communities where they study Buddhism. Some people trust neither themselves nor the place where they practice. Instead, they blindly run about here and there. It is only after they have finally returned home do they realize that what they have been searching from afar can be found easily at home.

In this world, we should first know ourselves and have faith in ourselves and our vocations. We should avoid running from one place to another simply because we are not given an important position. If we accomplish nothing, it is because we refuse to take the responsibility.