A Special Transmission

What is ‘not dependent on words and speech’ and ‘a separate transmission apart from the teachings’? Chán Master Huángbò said, “When you attain this point, you will realize that Bodhidharma’s coming from the West, directly pointing to your mind, seeing your true nature and attaining enlightenment cannot be contained in words.”

Directly seeing your mind and attaining enlightenment is the function Chán Buddhism, this has sometimes been stated as, “Directly pointing at the human heart/mind and seeing our true nature and becoming Buddha.” Chán Buddhism exists outside of all language and constructs. The authentic Buddha-dharma cannot be put into one at a time thought symbols. This is the practical content that transcends the scriptures and steps forth towards an ineffable world of enlightenment without obstruction where we can see our true nature and become Buddha.

Here the most important aspect of practice is directly pointing at and seeing our mind, and if we can see our mind that is seeing nature and becoming Buddha there is no use of concept and metaphor. However, because Bodhidharma’s four phrases that consist of “not establishing words and letters, a separate transmission outside of the teachings, directly pointing at the human heart/mind, seeing our nature and becoming Buddha,” are the common foundations that present the true face of Chán, they are joined together. These four phrases were expressed in one standard verse in the recorded sayings, the Zuting shiyuan composed by Chán Master Muan Shànqíng: "When the Ancestors transmitted the Dharma, at first they did so together with the Tripiṭaka (three collections) of Sutra, Vinaya and Śāstra, yet Bodhidharma after transmitting the mind only, tried to remove attachment and clarify the fundamental meaning. This is what we call the transmission of the teaching not dependant on words and speech, directly point to the heart/mind, and seeing our true nature.” 

The teaching of a “special transmission outside of the scriptures and not establishing words and speech” shows us that Chán is the practice of seeing the moon in spite of the finger. In this a Chán practitioner transcends the limits that binds to the finger and thereby cannot see the moon. We must directly enter into this core without hesitation.

Historical accounts of Chán Master Danxia burning the Buddha-statues to keep warm or Chán Master Deshān burning the sutras are only found within the tradition of Chán Buddhism. This is the state of beyond the bounds that transcends the frame of thought; additionally, despite being transmitted outside of the scriptures, does not infer that ignoring the scriptures is thereby correct. Here the words, “outside of the scriptures” means do not be attached to the letters in the scriptures. Actually, this is because for a person who sees the moon, all things become the truth.

Chán is awakening to our original mind which precedes thoughts and concepts. It is not explanation or a method of understanding, but directly seeing the true reality of the mind as it is. If we see clearly, we are enlightened at that moment. As a means of directly pointing to that which we cannot understand, generations of Ancestors used Chán dialogues, twisted noses, slapped cheeks, shouting wildly and striking students with their staffs. Kānhuà Chán stands in the tradition of not establishing anything within the realm of concept or construct.