Zen Story

[Guest guest]

I Am Awake

 

It is said that when Buddha was first

Enlightened he was asked,

 

" Are you a God? "

 

" No, " he replied.

 

" Are you a saint? "

 

" No. "

 

" Then what are you? "

 

And he answered, " I am awake. "

[Guest guest]

After reading this story I would like to share my experience with meditation

that the only time I feel awake in a day of 24hrs is when I meditate.

 

Its like when you are dreaming while asleep, and when you wake up you realise

that you were dreaming.

 

Similarly, when I meditate I realise that even thou I looked awake a while

ago... working, eating, talking, seeing the world... it was in a dream. Now I

am awake!

 

But the strange thing is when I come out of meditation I forget that its a

dream. I become the same Mani again... working, eating, talking, seeing the

world...

 

Reminds me of the teachings of Master Daikaku and Ryusui.

 

MASTER DAIKAKU SAID:

EVEN IF YOU DON'T BECOME ENLIGHTENED, WHEN YOU SIT ONCE IN MEDITATION, YOU ARE A

BUDDHA FOR THAT SITTING; WHEN YOU SIT FOR A DAY IN MEDITATION, YOU ARE A BUDDHA

FOR A DAY; WHEN YOU SIT IN MEDITATION ALL YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE A BUDDHA ALL YOUR

LIFE.

 

MASTER RYUSUI SAID:

EMPTINESS IS A NAME FOR NOTHINGNESS, A NAME FOR UNGRASPABILITY, A NAME FOR

MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, THE WHOLE EARTH. IT IS ALSO CALLED THE REAL FORM. IN THE

GREEN OF THE PINES, THE TWIST OF THE BRAMBLES, THERE IS NO GOING OR COMING. IN

THE RED OF THE FLOWERS AND THE WHITE OF THE SNOW, THERE IS NO BIRTH AND NO

DEATH.

 

JOY, ANGER, LOVE, PLEASURE -- THESE ARE BEGINNINGLESS AND ENDLESS DELUSION.

ENLIGHTENMENT, PRACTICE, REALIZATION -- THESE ARE INEXHAUSTIBLE AND BOUNDLESS.

THUS, EMPTINESS IS THE NAME FOR NOTHING ELSE; ALL THINGS ARE THE REAL FORM. IN

ALL WORLDS, IN ALL DIRECTIONS, THERE IS NO SECOND, NO THIRD.

 

THEREFORE, IN THE FUNDAMENTAL VEHICLE THERE IS NO DELUSION OR ENLIGHTENMENT, NO

PRACTICE OR REALIZATION. EVEN TO SPEAK OF PRACTICE AND REALIZATION IS A RELATIVE

VIEW.

 

IN OUR SCHOOL, FROM THE FIRST ENTRY, THIS POINT SHOULD BE PRACTICED WHETHER

SITTING, LYING DOWN, OR WALKING AROUND. WHEN SLEEPING, JUST SLEEPING, THERE IS

NO PAST OR FUTURE. WHEN YOU AWAKEN, THERE IS NO SLEEP EITHER. THIS IS CALLED THE

ABSOLUTE HOST.

 

, " novalees " <dhyana

wrote:

>

> I Am Awake

>

> It is said that when Buddha was first

> Enlightened he was asked,

>

> " Are you a God? "

>

> " No, " he replied.

>

> " Are you a saint? "

>

> " No. "

>

> " Then what are you? "

>

> And he answered, " I am awake. "

>