Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters – 98
42 The True Body
The Thus Come One attained complete enlightenment,
Realizing the dharma body where all things were equal.
Whether you turn on your heel or not, the irises in your eyes shine
bright.
The True Body becomes all phenomena;
All phenomena become the True Body.
The red cinnamon tree stands beautifully in the Palace of the Moon. In
the one circle, the red cinnamon tree stands tall.
Y SON (? – 1213)
(COMMENT: You can turn a mirror any direction, and see it always
reflects equally. After realizing the true mind, you see that all
phenomena become one with you. All things are your mind manifested
– you are what you think, you are what you feel, you are what you see,
you are what you hear…
The moon here symbolizes for the mind; the red cinnamon tree, for the
nature of the mind. Many Zen masters prefer using the symbol of a
calm lake surface – serenely reflecting the sky. The latter symbol can be
used to describe the two qualities of a meditative mind: serene, and
awake. Buddha said meditation had two approaches: samatha, and
vipassana. Samatha meditation, also known as concentration
meditation, helps you calm the mind; Vipassana meditation, also known
as insight meditation, helps you see things as they are. Both should be
developed in tandem to help you to have a mind of serenity and
luminosity.
If you get confused by so many words, you can just remember the
image of a calm lake surface. Or just remember the two words “serene,
awake… serene, serene, awake, awake… serene, awake … serene,
serene, awake, awake…”)
