On Kānhuà Chán

Dàhuì once said, “I cited Mazu’s comment; ‘It is not mind, it is not Buddha, it’s not a thing.’ and instructed my student to look into this matter. Moreover I added this explanation; you must not take this statement as the truth. Also, you must not take Mazu’s statement as something you do not need to know anything about. Do not take it as a flint struck spark or a lightening flash. Do not try to conceptualize the meaning of his statement. Do not try to figure it out within the context in which I originally brought it up. ‘It is not mind, it is not Buddha, it is not a thing; so, after all what is it?’”

The only possible direction for a Zen Student is that of total surrender. “You must in this moment break through this one thought—then and only then will you understand the meaning of birth and death. At this moment it will be called accessing your own awakening. You need only put it all down, all at once, your mind full of deluded thoughts and inverted thinking, your mind of logical discrimination, your mind that loves life and hates death, your mind of knowledge and views, interpretation and comprehension, and your mind that rejoices in stillness and turns away from disturbances.”