Taken from a Dharma Talk given by Zen Master Dae Bong during a retreat conducted in Singapore. Zen Master Dae Bong, a Zen Monk, received dharma transmission in April 1999. He began practicing with Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1977 and became a monk in 1984. Before studying Zen, he worked as a counselor in a hospital and as a welder in a shipyard. He has practiced and taught extensively in Zen Centers throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He is currently living at Mu Sang Sa, Kye Ryong Sahn International Center in Korea
Many people who are interested in Buddhism think about enlightenment. In Zen sometimes we talk about 3 kinds of enlightenment. There’s 1st enlightenment, original enlightenment and final enlightenment. If you have interviews maybe you already understand. 1st enlightenment is perceiving our substance.
In the West there is a famous philosopher named Descartes. Descartes said “I think, therefore I am.” So that “I am”, that “I” is a thinking “I”, then Zen Master Seung Sahn always used to say “not thinking then what”. So that is the point. So if we are not thinking then what?
So this is our original substance. Before thinking is my true substance. My before thinking is my true substance, your before thinking is your true substance. Then your before thinking substance, my before thinking substance, the substance of the sun, the moon, the stars, all universe’s substance is the same substance.
So when you keep a mind that doesn’t know, when you keep a mind that has no thinking, that time you are the universe, the universe is you. That substance has no name no form. No life, no death.
So if we perceive our true nature, our true substance, then we have no life no death. Only body has life and death. True self has no life and death. This is just an physical example, but its like this. Ice, water, steam. Name and form are all different, function’s different. But everybody understands that the substance is the same, H2O. When ice melts, nobody cries, the ice has died!When water appears nobody says, the water is born! We know each of them is just changed form.
If we understand that point, then when we die crying is not necessary. When I first met the Zen Master, it was 1977. During a seven-day retreat, his heart suddenly has a big problem, it was missing many beats so he had to go to the hospital. That time people were afraid that he might die. Then I was really upset! I thought I finally found my teacher now he is going to die!So right before he went to the hospital, he came down to the meditation room to give a talk. Then I remembered very clearly, he began by saying: “I don’t have a problem, you have a problem.” “If you are attached to your teacher then you have a problem.”
And then he said, “Our body is just like a rented car. That is a “not me”. It is rented from universe. The rental agent is my father and mother. Then when you die you return the car to the universe. That time you must pay for the rental.” So he said, “So now my rented car has a problem, maybe soon broken, then return to the universe. Then get a new car, no problem. So if we are attached to this car then when we die we have a big problem. But if we find the driver, then when we die no problem. Driver continues get a new car.” So if we realize our true nature, then our mind is not suffering. The body may suffer, but the mind is not suffering.
So first thing Buddha said when he got enlightened was, “Amazing! Everything in this universe has this Buddha nature, has this substance.” So even when we are ignorance, we still have it. Just that we don’t recognize it. So 1st enlightenment is realize my true nature.
Original enlightenment means no subject no object, everything becomes one. When everything becomes one, you can see clearly, hear clearly, smell taste touch clearly. So outside is dark, inside is light. In the fields, the insects goes…That’s original enlightenment. See clear, hear clear, everything is clear. Sometimes we call that “truth” in our teachings.
Final enlightenment is one more step. You and everything, what is the correct function, what is the correct action? So you already understand. Cup and you drink. When somebody is thirsty, give them a drink. Somebody is suffering, help them. The name is final enlightenment. So these are just teaching words. Don’t hold on to these teaching words. Don’t check myself – did I get 1st enlightenment, original enlightenment or final enlightenment.
Sixth patriarch said, “When the Buddha has a moment of opposite thinking, then he is a sentient being. When a sentient being has a moment of clarity, he is a Buddha.” So moment to moment is most important. In our school, we say enlightenment is easy to get, but difficult to keep moment to moment. That means, it is easy to be clear one moment, but not easy to be clear moment by moment. So practice is very important.
In the West there is a famous philosopher named Descartes. Descartes said “I think, therefore I am.” So that “I am”, that “I” is a thinking “I”, then Zen Master Seung Sahn always used to say “not thinking then what”. So that is the point. So if we are not thinking then what?
So this is our original substance. Before thinking is my true substance. My before thinking is my true substance, your before thinking is your true substance. Then your before thinking substance, my before thinking substance, the substance of the sun, the moon, the stars, all universe’s substance is the same substance.
So when you keep a mind that doesn’t know, when you keep a mind that has no thinking, that time you are the universe, the universe is you. That substance has no name no form. No life, no death.
So if we perceive our true nature, our true substance, then we have no life no death. Only body has life and death. True self has no life and death. This is just an physical example, but its like this. Ice, water, steam. Name and form are all different, function’s different. But everybody understands that the substance is the same, H2O. When ice melts, nobody cries, the ice has died!
If we understand that point, then when we die crying is not necessary. When I first met the Zen Master, it was 1977. During a seven-day retreat, his heart suddenly has a big problem, it was missing many beats so he had to go to the hospital. That time people were afraid that he might die. Then I was really upset! I thought I finally found my teacher now he is going to die!
And then he said, “Our body is just like a rented car. That is a “not me”. It is rented from universe. The rental agent is my father and mother. Then when you die you return the car to the universe. That time you must pay for the rental.” So he said, “So now my rented car has a problem, maybe soon broken, then return to the universe. Then get a new car, no problem. So if we are attached to this car then when we die we have a big problem. But if we find the driver, then when we die no problem. Driver continues get a new car.” So if we realize our true nature, then our mind is not suffering. The body may suffer, but the mind is not suffering.
So first thing Buddha said when he got enlightened was, “Amazing! Everything in this universe has this Buddha nature, has this substance.” So even when we are ignorance, we still have it. Just that we don’t recognize it. So 1st enlightenment is realize my true nature.
Original enlightenment means no subject no object, everything becomes one. When everything becomes one, you can see clearly, hear clearly, smell taste touch clearly. So outside is dark, inside is light. In the fields, the insects goes…
Final enlightenment is one more step. You and everything, what is the correct function, what is the correct action? So you already understand. Cup and you drink. When somebody is thirsty, give them a drink. Somebody is suffering, help them. The name is final enlightenment. So these are just teaching words. Don’t hold on to these teaching words. Don’t check myself – did I get 1st enlightenment, original enlightenment or final enlightenment.
Sixth patriarch said, “When the Buddha has a moment of opposite thinking, then he is a sentient being. When a sentient being has a moment of clarity, he is a Buddha.” So moment to moment is most important. In our school, we say enlightenment is easy to get, but difficult to keep moment to moment. That means, it is easy to be clear one moment, but not easy to be clear moment by moment. So practice is very important.
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