The Great Supreme (7)

1 On the way of practice there is no so-called master and so-called apprentice. If a master must be pointed out, then the one who has imparted rudimentary knowledge of practice is called the master.

2 Actually, in the practice the Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement take the whole responsibility of arranging schedule, direction and other details. The supervision and guidance of how to practice by the so called master are unnecessary at all.

3 Confucius was both Yan Hui’s friend and master. The two often discussed about the experience of practice. But how to practice was the business of the Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement of Yan Hui himself, Confucius needed not and could not put one finger on it.

4 Once Yan Hui said to his master, “I feel that I’ve made some progress.”

5 Confucius asked, “What different do you feel?”

6 Yan Hui said, “I guard the five sense organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body very strictly. For example, such outward stimulations as music and beauty can’t have any influence on me. My heart is too sound and tranquil to shake.”

7 Confucius nodded, “Very good! But it is insufficient yet.”

8 After some time, Yan Hui said to Confucius, “I’ve made more progress.”

9 Confucius smiled, “This time what happen to you?”

10 Yan Hui said, “The worldly moral codes, such as benevolence, righteousness, loyal and credit, become trivial to me. All my actions and ideas get well along with everything of the universe. I become a free man.”

11 Confucius was delighted in the achievement of his advanced student. He said to Yan Hui, “Very good. This is a breakthrough but not the end. There is a distance from Nirvana to you. Come on!”

12 Day after day, Yan Hui focused on his practice and never loosed it.

13 Someday, Yan Hui went and saw Confucius. He said, “Sir. Do you know what is 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'?”

14 It is the first time for Confucius to hear it. He knew that his gifted student must have some new progress in practice. He asked Yan Hui, “What you felt when you were in the 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'?”

15 Yan Hui said, “Sitting in Zen way to some extent makes the man of practice’s breathe weakly to stop and make his heart beat slow to no pulse. His physiological cycle ceased. Only his body temperature is ongoing; his body is still soft and flexible; his consciousness still exists. In this case, he appears to be died but his body is filled with Self-nature, Buddha-nature, Calmness and Refinement. The limited knowledge that consciousness possesses is shallow to work yet. He has realized the truth of Universe, and the knowledge of physicist is childish and not that informative to him any more. When the man of practice does to this extent, we call it 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'.”

16 Listening carefully to it, Confucius signed, “A man of perfect practice integrates himself into the Nature so he has no feeling of like or dislike to everything. When he gains the non-self and being flexibility cultivation, personal affairs disappear from his heart. The obstacles that personal interest and fondness produced are vanished.

17 Yan Hui! Congratulation! You’ve gained 'Forgetting Myself In Sitting'. To myself, from now on I should reduce the outward affairs and spend more time in the practice.”