“Good Knowing Advisors, the ability to cultivate the conduct of not dwelling inwardly or outwardly, of coming and going freely, of casting away the grasping mind, and of unobstructed penetration, is basicaly no different from The Prajna Sutra.”
~ Sixth Patriarch, Hui Neng
You say , “Dharma Master , I quite agree with you. I don’t want to be attached. In fact, I don’t want to follow the rules. After all, the rules are just an attachment.” Wrong! If you can “cast away your grasping mind” and be unattached, you should be unattached to what is wrong, but you should not be unattached to what is right. For example, if you follow the rules you can become a Buddha. But if you think, “I am not attached. I don’t have to follow the rules,” the you cannot become a Buddha.
Go down the right road.
Retreat from the wrong one.
Do not become attached to principles which are in opposition to the Way, but grasp and hold tightly to those principles which are in accord with it. Holding to and reciting may be an attachment, but holding to and reciting The Diamond Sutra is cultivation.
Do not say , “I’m attached. I have a small fault which I do not want to give up. What is more, I do not want anyone to know about it.” That is even more attached. “All right then,” you say, “I don’t care if anyone knows about it . If people say I am wrong, I will be unattached and pay no attention.” That is deviant knowledge and deviant views. The more you cultivate that way, the farther you drift from the Buddhadharma.
Once you have left attachments behind, you can penetrate and understand without obstruction and be without obstacles to your own progress. The ability to cultivate this conduct “is basically no different from The Prajna Sutra (~ Hui Neng).” If you cannot cultivate this conduct, you will be in opposition to the principle of The Diamond Sutra , but if you can cultivate, it is Prajna wisdom manifest.
Excerpt commentary by Master Hsuan Hua
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