3. A GUIDE FOR THE DHARMA PILGRIM UPON THE TRUE PATH OF DAO / CHAN

After what appears like an interminable path of teaching with an incredible variety of Identity resistance that has been encountered, letting frustrations fall away while the arrows of the pseudo-dharma minds strike my Dharma armor, I have developed what is perhaps a clear idea of the best path for a Dharma Pilgrim.

The first task is to see where Buddha fits into this Dharma Path. The truth of the matter is that, apart from being an example for everyone, he does not fit into the Buddha Dharma Path at all except as a label to give our Dharma Path a differentiating focus.

That he lived four thousand years ago, as scholars believe, or two thousand years ago, as tradition insists, has no bearing on Dao or Chan.

What is important is that the path which he generated from his own roots, which masters of the Golden Age further developed outside of India, is effective in restoring the so-called human creature's natural dignity and noble characteristics to this pathetic parody which we call man.

There are three elements of the path which have been arbitrarily chosen, realizing that they are "one" and are only conceptually separated in order to advance understanding.

They are:

1. The teachings

2. The meditations

3. The daily application of the teachings (when illuminated by the meditation experiences).

So the first thing to remember is that the teachings are what are important, not titles, robes, stupas, images or fine words. Furthermore, those teachings and the meditations -which may be reflections, concentrations, absorptions or contemplations- must have internal integrity and do precisely what they are supposed to do.

The teachings are actually quite simple, but the cognitive mind with the assistance of Identity masks that simplicity.

Linji correctly declared:

In reality the physical body is not able to expound or listen to the teachings. The lungs, the stomach, the liver and the bile cannot expound or listen to the teachings. That is how it is.

What can expound and listen to the teachings?

It is the solitary light, immediately present, clearly obvious; this is what is able to expound and listen to the teachings.

This is a teaching by Linji. Does your mind clearly understand this or is your intelligence wrapping around like a Boa strangling it?

Examine what you have done.

What the text means simply is that one can capture teachings without the physical presence of a cognitive mind.

In Chan the Chinese character 心, xin, means "heart", but also "mind", "intention", "center" and "core". Although its meaning in most translations is given as "heart", it is not refering the physical heart but the "pure mind". We call it a solitary light.

When you begin to use it you will be astounded that you never knew its presence before. This "pure mind" really is available once the blankets of cognition have been removed.

Now I want to impress you with this, so you must now before advancing further look at the following:

DHARMA LESSONS FOR EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL MINDS

THE EFFECTIVE ANTIDOTE TO POISONED DHARMA