Buddha's Evolutionary Theory

[Shi Da Dao]

The Ch'an Master represents the 'still' empty mind ground - whilst the enquiring student is symbolic of the 'moving' surface mind. This is the ancient contract. Our mission, as we are all enquiring students - is to change places with the Master! Of course, the Master does not become a student - but he or she does move into the 'integrated' position. This is the 'stage' beyond 'stages' that has no compare! The mind is to be 'stilled', expanded and integrated. Indeed, all of the Ch'an shematics do not go beyond this understanding. This involves a 'turning-about' at the deepest levels of the mind so that its functionality is permanently and profoundly transformed. The process must be 'exact' but there must be no 'attachment' to process! Words must be 'exact' - like an arrow hitting the bullseye - but words must be used sparingly! Words 'point' to reality - words are vehicles to reality - but words are not 'reality'! Everything else is comprised of greed, hatred and delusion and is entirely superfluous to this process! Words express different realities and we must seek the path that 'cuts-through' all realities! The empty mind ground is the foundation of all human perception and there is nothing that can happen outside of it! At least nothing that human-beings can be aware of. Even the human breathing mechanism manifests from within the empty mind ground - as the Buddha explained. Yes - the breathing process is a mechanical device with its own material (evolutionary) development - but without human perception, how would this be known? How could this be known? Of course, evolutionary theory is no threat or contradiction to the Buddha's teaching - after-all - the Buddha taught his version at least 2,500 before Darwin (in his 'Agganna Sutta')!