Cutting Straight Through

[Shi Da Dao]

One of the monastic habits I was taught was to read a chapter from the Dhammapada each day. My Chinese Masters stated that as this unusual document appears to include the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Paths (in essence) - its recitation reminds us that there is no sectarianism within Buddhism - even if each of us just happen to have accessed the Buddha's Teaching at various cultural trajectories premised entirely upon the randomness of our births! Yes - each Dhammic branch may have a unique shape, size and direction of growth - but ALL the branches (regardless of these inherent differences) can all be traced to exactly the same supporting, central trunk. Diversity renders STRENGTH to the Dhamma and difference is not be feared, rejected or avoided. The Ch'an Methods of the hua tou, gong-an and 'turning-words' are designed to 'cut straight-through'! Each thought, sensation, perception, thought formation and aspect of conscious awareness can be traced as arising directly from the expansive psychic fabric that comprised the empty mind ground. Although this is re-discovered by looking within the mind - the 'emptiness' that underlies human conscious awareness is exactly the same spatial emptiness that comprises the majority of 'stuff' existent in the universe - and which lies at the heart of all 'bright' and 'dark' matter! When fully realised by a practitioner - the human mind is triggered so that it begins to optimally function. Greed, hatred and delusion are permanently uprooted, whilst the underlying and unifying 'emptiness' of conscious awareness is a) directly perceived, and b) becomes all-embracing and reflective of the entire universe. As the enlightened mind embraces and permeates the entire environment - the enlightened being lives within a profound sense of three-dimensional peace and tranquillity that permeates all the objects within the environment and uproots and extinguishes all fires of out of control desire, anger, fear and hostility. Wisdom in the Buddhist sense is triggered through loving-kindness and compassion.