5. In both Chan Buddhism and the Northern School of Completely Real
Taoism, "seeing essence," directly experiencing the essence of
consciousness in itself, is temporarily set up as an aim for those who are
bound up in the products of consciousness and thereby alienated from its
essence. After "seeing essence" is attained, it then becomes a means rather
than an end: a means of freeing mental energy for further development.
Because "seeing essence" can give a false sense of confidence before the
union of conscious knowledge and real knowledge is matured, enlightened
guidance is needed. The classical statement of this principle in Chan
Buddhism says, "First awaken on your own, then see someone else" Here
the text says Everything that emerges naturally from essence is tested" in
the sense that it is necessary to examine the subsequent activity of
consciousness for remaining taints of compulsive mental habit ruled by
mundane conditioning. This is one of the most important functions of a
guide.
1.
X. The Light of Essence and the Light of
Consciousness
The distinction between "the light of essence" and "the light of
consciousness" is critical to success in the practice of Taoist alchemy or
Chan Buddhism. Paragraph 1 in Section II makes this clear when it says,
