Zen Enlightenment: Zen a little every day with ease

Author: Gao Zhiming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: The Platform Sutra records: Once, Huineng stayed at Fasheng Temple in Guangzhou. At night, the wind blew, causing the temple banners to flutter and make loud noises. Two monks inside the temple debated, one saying the banners moved and the other saying the wind moved, with neither able to reach a consensus. Huineng observed and said, "Neither the wind moves, nor the banners move—it is the mind of the wise that moves!" This classic Zen saying directly points to the human heart, meaning that all attachments to the external world are merely manifestations of the mind, and all delusions are things within the mind. As the saying goes, "Wine does not intoxicate the person; the person intoxicates themselves. Color does not the person; the person becomes."
Zen is the transliteration of the Sanskrit word "Dhyāna," meaning "tranquility and emptiness." It is a method of achieving profound enlightenment through seated meditation and contemplation. Zen is a door that opens the path to liberation of the mind. Life is an art, and Zen is a profound wisdom in exploring the meaning of human existence. In the noisy mortal world, amidst the vibrant social interactions, being free and unrestrained is a state of being. Zen can cultivate a green field for our souls, allowing them to swim like fish in water and soar like birds in the sky—natural, free, and at ease, unburdened by external matters, and thus radiating the brilliance of life. Zen helps us find the paradise our hearts have lost. In a materialistic society, many people suffer from spiritual oppression and emptiness, their minds restless and indifferent, while utilitarianism corrupts the soul of every individual. People have little time to explore the value and meaning of life, gradually becoming slaves to material possessions. Zen is like clear rain and dew, like a sudden blow to awaken us, making us realize the truth, guiding us back on the right path, and bringing our minds to a state of freedom and ease, allowing us to live naturally with an ordinary heart. Zen provides people with wise eyes to observe life. Seeking fulfillment in duty, finding peace in obligations, pursuing happiness in dedication, and striving for progress in selflessness—these are the Zen insights in life. Zen faces reality while transcending it, both worldly and transcendent. In worldly engagement, it achieves inner self-transcendence, guiding individuals to become free travelers who navigate both worldly and transcendent paths through practice. Zen, embodying Eastern wisdom, has increasingly attracted interest and favor due to its focus on individual life and the mind, as well as its pursuit of authentic existence.
Practicing Zen involves three stages:
First stage: "Leaves fall on the empty mountain, where can one seek the traces?" The practitioner obsessively seeks the nature of Zen but finds nothing.
Second stage: "Empty mountain, no person—water flows, flowers bloom." The practitioner has a superficial understanding of Zen, seemingly enlightened yet not truly so.
Third stage: "Eternal void for ages, a single dawn of phoenix and moon." The mind opens, directly realizing that the instant is eternal, and eternity is the instant. This is like the saying, "Looking for her a thousand times in the crowd, yet she is not seen—only to turn back suddenly, and there she stands, in the glow of lanterns."
Although Zen principles may seem profound, their form is simple and vivid, often consisting of Zen sayings, stories, and more. For 365 days a year, one must "reflect on the body three times daily." This book selects 240 classic Zen stories, accompanied by lively and dynamic comics, embedding Zen wisdom within stories and illustrations. During leisure time, brew a pot of clear tea, sit quietly, set aside worldly troubles, and read a Zen story with ease, savoring the true essence of life—is this not a form of enjoyment?