Half 7-2
“Why? As a result of the Dharma preached by the Realised One can neither be obtained nor be spoken; it’s neither the Dharma nor the non-Dharma.”
Commentary:
The Dharma, the true-Self that the historic Buddha talked about can neither be obtained nor be defined. The true-Self is formless and boundless and comprises every little thing, ourselves included. It not solely can’t be obtained but additionally can’t be discarded as a result of we’re additionally a part of it and since there’s nothing however the Dharma as talked about beforehand. We will no extra get hold of, or discard the Dharma than winds can the air.
The Dharma is past description as a result of it’s formless, anonymous and boundless. Because of this the Buddha stated that the Dharma preached by him is neither the Dharma nor the non-Dharma. Historical masters would say that even saying ‘holy’ for the aim of describing the Dharma is like spitting upon a face washed with fragrance.
Then, the secret is how we should always settle for the Dharma talks preached for about forty years by the historic Buddha. We, to know the core of his talks, shouldn’t attempt to realise the Dharma by accepting his phrases in the identical method we do when getting mundane information via literal understanding. An historical grasp named Hwang-po would say to his college students, “You’re fellows who faux to have drunk pure wine after taking solely lees” to scold them for clinging to literal, mental understanding. His comment implies that we should always grasp what’s past phrases and what they’re pointing to after we learn, or hear the Sutras.
Pupil: “If the Dharma preached by the Realised One is neither the Dharma nor the non-Dharma, what’s it then?”
Grasp: “Neither the Dharma nor the non-Dharma.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All pictures ©Simon Hathaway
