Rinzai left Issan. Gyosan went with him to see him off, and mentioned, “If in a while you go north, there will likely be a spot for you.” Rinzai mentioned, “How ought to that occur?” Gyosan mentioned, “Simply go there. Later there will likely be somebody that can assist you, elder brother. That somebody may have a head however no tail, a starting however no finish.” When Rinzai later went to the prefecture of Chin, Fuke was already there and helped the grasp when he began instructing. However quickly after the grasp had settled in there, Fuke forged off his physique and vanished.
Commentary:
Gyosan in contrast the true-Self to a spot by saying, ‘If in a while you go north, there will likely be a spot for you’. In actual fact, the place is free from instructions though he mentioned that Rinzai ought to go north. Then, Gyosan revealed the true-Self by describing what it’s like with the phrases ‘That somebody may have a head however no tail, a starting however no finish’.
Fuke symbolises the true-Self as a result of wherever we might go, it’s all the time there though it by no means strikes in any respect, and since no matter we might do, we can not keep away from relying on its energy. We shouldn’t be deluded by the phrases ‘However quickly after Rinzai had settled in there, Fuke forged off his physique and vanished’. Which means that when you’ve gotten grasped Rinzai’s instructing, that’s, you’ve gotten attained enlightenment, you’ll not be deluded by the phantasm of Fuke.
(It might be a historic incontrovertible fact that Fuke helped Rinzai, however individuals who practise Zen meditation ought to see issues from the angle of Zen.)
Pupil: “What’s the true-Self?”
Grasp: “It’s good however not price making an attempt to be with.”
Pupil: “The place is it?”
Grasp: “You can not escape it.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All photographs ©Simon Hathaway
