Sermon 10, by Master Linji
Master Linji says: Dead-ender*, you keep asking questions about the teachings. What is Buddha? What is Mara? What is Buddha-Mara? I am going to tell you, listen carefully. Seeing through everything, seeing that the ten thousand things are empty, realizing that even the mind is a phantom - that is Buddha. The subtlest trace of distinction in your mind - that is Mara. Seeing through the distinction between Buddha and Mara - that is Buddha-Mara. Do you believe that? Dead-ender, there is no Buddha at all. There is no Mara. There is no Buddha-Mara. There are no sentient beings, there is no one to redeem, there is no one who redeems. All these are figments of your imagination. Phantoms in your mind. What you pursue cannot be pursued. What you think you have achieved did not have to be achieved. There is nothing to practice, nothing to realize and nothing to gain, including this. There is nothing more to my teaching. Whoever thinks I have a higher teaching is putt...