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Constancy, Bliss, Self, and Purity
Yesterday, I offered a Dharma talk to the No Barriers Zen sangha. You can learn about us here and listen to a recording of the talk by pressing the Play Button above. A video recording, complete with captions and live interpretation in ASL, will be available in the future.
The centerpiece of the talk are the opening lines of Hongzhi Zhengjue’s poem, “Guidepost for the Hall of Pure Bliss.” Specifically, the couplet that reads:
[The Way's] purity is constant,
its bliss is myself.
I reproduce the poem in its entirety below.
The whole of the Dharma talk—the lesson or message I receive from Hongzhi’s words—is expressed in a single line from Rumi: “Your naked freedom is your shield.” It takes time and play in conceptual space to see some of why that is, though.
Enjoy—and thank you for listening, your practice, and your support.
Guidepost for the Hall of Pure Bliss
By seeking appearances and sounds one cannot truly find the Way.
The deep source of realization
comes with constancy, bliss, self, and purity.
Its purity is constant,
its bliss is myself.
The two are mutually dependent,
like firewood and fire.
The self’s bliss is not exhausted,
constant purity has no end.
Deep existence is beyond forms.
Wisdom illuminates the inside of the circle.
Inside the circle the self vanishes,
neither existent nor nonexistent.
Intimately conveying spiritual energy,
it subtly turns the mysterious pivot.
When the mysterious pivot finds opportunity to turn,
the original light auspiciously appears.
When the mind’s conditioning has not yet sprouted,
how can words and images be distinguished?
Who is it that can distinguish them?
Clearly understand and know by yourself.
Whole and inclusive with inherent insight,
it is not concerned with discriminative thought.
When discriminating thought is not involved,
it is like white reed flowers shining in the snow.
One beam of light’s gleam
permeates the vastness.
The gleam permeates through all directions,
from the beginning not covered or concealed.
Catching the opportunity to emerge,
amid transformations it flourishes.
Following appropriately amid transformations,
the pure bliss is unchanged.
The sky encompasses it, the ocean seals it,
every moment without deficiency.
In the achievement without deficiency,
inside and outside are interfused.
All dharmas transcend their limits,
all gates are wide open.
Through the open gates
are the byways of playful wandering.
Dropping off senses and sense objects is like
the flowers of our gazing and listening falling away.
Gazing and listening are only distant conditions
of thousands of hands and eyes.
The others die from being too busy,
but I maintain continuity.
In the wonder of continuity
are no traces of subtle identifications.
Within purity is bliss,
within silence is illumination.
The house of silent illumination
is the hall of pure bliss.
Dwelling in peace and forgetting hardship,
let go of adornments and become genuine.
The motto for becoming genuine:
nothing is gained by speaking.
The goodness of Vimalakirti
enters the gate of nonduality.
Get full access to A Phoenix’s Hut at hoantaishin.substack.com/subscribe
My study and writing about the Dharma is offered freely. If you benefit from what I offer here, please consider sharing and subscribing—even becoming a paid subscriber. You may also offer dāna through Paypal. I am grateful for your generosity.
Additional offerings are listed below:
Get full access to A Phoenix’s Hut at hoantaishin.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Taishin Michael AugustinYesterday, I offered a Dharma talk to the No Barriers Zen sangha. You can learn about us here and listen to a recording of the talk by pressing the Play Button above. A video recording, complete with captions and live interpretation in ASL, will be available in the future.
The centerpiece of the talk are the opening lines of Hongzhi Zhengjue’s poem, “Guidepost for the Hall of Pure Bliss.” Specifically, the couplet that reads:
[The Way's] purity is constant,
its bliss is myself.
I reproduce the poem in its entirety below.
The whole of the Dharma talk—the lesson or message I receive from Hongzhi’s words—is expressed in a single line from Rumi: “Your naked freedom is your shield.” It takes time and play in conceptual space to see some of why that is, though.
Enjoy—and thank you for listening, your practice, and your support.
Guidepost for the Hall of Pure Bliss
By seeking appearances and sounds one cannot truly find the Way.
The deep source of realization
comes with constancy, bliss, self, and purity.
Its purity is constant,
its bliss is myself.
The two are mutually dependent,
like firewood and fire.
The self’s bliss is not exhausted,
constant purity has no end.
Deep existence is beyond forms.
Wisdom illuminates the inside of the circle.
Inside the circle the self vanishes,
neither existent nor nonexistent.
Intimately conveying spiritual energy,
it subtly turns the mysterious pivot.
When the mysterious pivot finds opportunity to turn,
the original light auspiciously appears.
When the mind’s conditioning has not yet sprouted,
how can words and images be distinguished?
Who is it that can distinguish them?
Clearly understand and know by yourself.
Whole and inclusive with inherent insight,
it is not concerned with discriminative thought.
When discriminating thought is not involved,
it is like white reed flowers shining in the snow.
One beam of light’s gleam
permeates the vastness.
The gleam permeates through all directions,
from the beginning not covered or concealed.
Catching the opportunity to emerge,
amid transformations it flourishes.
Following appropriately amid transformations,
the pure bliss is unchanged.
The sky encompasses it, the ocean seals it,
every moment without deficiency.
In the achievement without deficiency,
inside and outside are interfused.
All dharmas transcend their limits,
all gates are wide open.
Through the open gates
are the byways of playful wandering.
Dropping off senses and sense objects is like
the flowers of our gazing and listening falling away.
Gazing and listening are only distant conditions
of thousands of hands and eyes.
The others die from being too busy,
but I maintain continuity.
In the wonder of continuity
are no traces of subtle identifications.
Within purity is bliss,
within silence is illumination.
The house of silent illumination
is the hall of pure bliss.
Dwelling in peace and forgetting hardship,
let go of adornments and become genuine.
The motto for becoming genuine:
nothing is gained by speaking.
The goodness of Vimalakirti
enters the gate of nonduality.
Get full access to A Phoenix’s Hut at hoantaishin.substack.com/subscribe
My study and writing about the Dharma is offered freely. If you benefit from what I offer here, please consider sharing and subscribing—even becoming a paid subscriber. You may also offer dāna through Paypal. I am grateful for your generosity.
Additional offerings are listed below:
Get full access to A Phoenix’s Hut at hoantaishin.substack.com/subscribe