Over a period of 5,000 years, through the lineage of Tao, there are 64 Patriarchs and one of them is Hui Neng. On the Essence of Mind, he said that it is pure by nature and it is the seed of enlightenment. By making use of this mind alone we can reach Sainthood directly and one of his saying is "Sentient beings who sow the seeds of enlightenment; in the field of Causation will reap the fruit of Sainthood. Inanimate objects void of Godly-nature; sow not and reap not."

This is one of Hui Neng's beautiful stanzas (teachings):

"A master of the Buddhist Canon as well as of the teaching of the Dhyana School, may be likened unto the blazing sun sitting high in his meridian tower. Such a man would teach nothing but the Dharma for realizing the Essence of Mind. And his object in coming to this world would be to vanquish the heretical sects. We can hardly classify the Dharmas into 'Sudden' and 'Gradual' but some men will attain enlightenment much quicker than others. For example, this system for realizing the Essence of Mind, is above the comprehension of the ignorant. We may explain it in ten thousand ways, but all those explanations may be traced back to one principle.

To illumine our gloomy tabernacle, which is stained by defilement, we should constantly set up the Light of Wisdom. Erroneous views keep us in defilement, while right views remove us from it, but when we are in a position to discard both of them, we are then absolutely pure.

Bodhi is immanent in our Essence of Mind and attempt to look for it elsewhere is erroneous. Within our impure mind the pure one is to be found, and once our mind is set right, we are free from the three kinds of beclouding (defilement, evil karma, and expiation in evil realms of existence).

If we are treading the Path of Enlightenment, we need not be worried by stumbling-blocks, provided we keep a constant eye on our own faults. We cannot go astray from the right path. Since every species of life has its own way of salvation, they will not interfere with or be antagonistic to one another. But if we leave our own path and seek some other way of salvation, we shall not find it, and though we plod on till death overtakes us, we shall find only penitence in the end.

If you wish to find the true way, right action will lead you to it directly; but if you do not strive for Buddhahood, you will grope in the dark and never find it. He who treads the Path in earnest, sees not the mistakes of the world. If we find fault with others, we ourselves are also in the wrong. When other people are in the wrong, we should ignore it, for it is wrong for us to find fault. By getting rid of the habit of fault-finding, we cut off a source of defilement. When neither hatred nor love disturb our mind, serenely we sleep. Those who intend to be the teachers of others, should themselves be skilled in the various expedients which lead others to enlightenment.

When the disciple is free from all doubts, it indicates that his Essence of Mind has been found. The Kingdom of Buddha is in this world, within which enlightenment is to be sought. To seek enlightenment by separating from this world, is as absurd as to search for a rabit's horn.

Right views are called 'transcendental'; erroneous views are called 'worldly.' When all views, right or erroneous, are discarded, then the essence of Bodhi appears.

This stanza is for the 'Sudden' School. It is also called the 'Big Ship of Dharma' (for sailing across the ocean of existence). Kalpa after kalpa, a man may be under delusion, but once enlightened, it takes him only a moment to attain Buddhahood."

In the practice of Tao of Heaven, Hui Neng is one of my spiritual teachers. He is the reincarnation of Bodhisattva Ti-Tsang, also known as The Holy Teacher of the Underworld or Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha.

Author: T.A Chew
Website: http://www.white-sun.com