Blank Essence Blank

Yutang Lin

Essence of all things is blank because of interdependent origination.
In deeds one shouldn't grasp at any one idea and then spin around it.
To cultivate realization of Blank Essence do not expect it to show up.
Salvation activities born of feelings of oneness will carry on naturally.

Comments:

The other side of the truth that all things are of Blank Essence is that all things appear interdependently. In actual practice this means not to grasp any thing or matter as an independent entity. Consequently, one should not keep any thing or matter in mind and then wind around it. Nevertheless, one remains clear in comprehending the causal relationships of matters, and simultaneously, without falling into dualistic handling of matters, one behaves naturally out of feelings of limitless oneness.

That the essence of all things is blank is originally so, but not something that can be realized only through cultivation of visualization. Furthermore, there is nothing that could be grasped as Blank Essence and to be expected to show up. Hence the classical expression: "Blank Essence is also blank." Once this point is comprehended, cultivation of realization of Blank Essence is simply the elimination of grasping, especially to practice to let go of the grasping of regarding things or matters in one's current attention as individual entities.

Written in Chinese on May 3, 2006
Translated into English on May 4, 2006
El Cerrito, California

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