From the first not a thing is

Attributed to the 6th Patriarch of the Zen school, Huineng

D.T Suzuki described Huineng’s teaching here as a bomb because of it’s implications, and I think he’s right. It is the ultimate preclusion of form, doctrine, practice, mental objects, etc.

There are questions about the authenticity of much of the record attributed to huineng, but either way this teaching gets echoed by other zen masters through the centuries

  • theksepyroOPM
    1·
    2 years ago

    It’s one of my favs. Lots of different translation options (for portions of his record anyway) that help to make what he says quite clear

    • ZenFriedRice
      1·
      2 years ago

      Ah good idea. I’ve got a bunch of books, but they are all just one translation each. I’ve never thought any seeking out other translations.

      • theksepyroOPM
        1·
        2 years ago

        I like to imagine using multiple translations as a kind of triangulation on the original intent. It’s often not necessary, but when there’s something that makes absolutely no sense to me at first, that’s the initial step I like to take