Zen teaching of instantaneous awakening A complete translation of the teaching of the Chinese Ch'an Master Hui Hai by John Blofeld, with a foreword by Charles Luk Hui Hai, was one of the great Ch'an (Zen) Masters. He was a contemporary of both Ma Tsu and Huang Po, those early masters who established Ch'an after the death of Hui Neng, the sixth Patriarch. Hui Hai's direct teachings point immediately to this moment of truth and awakening, and the message of this classic eighth-century text is universal and timeless.
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A classic of Zen (Ch'an) Buddhism
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The birth of this translation
Thereupon, my thoughts flew back to a temple secluded in a long, low valley in West China where, during the Second World War, I had gone from my post at our embassy in Chungking to recuperate from illness. Today I do not even remember the temple's name, but I shall not easily forget what befell me there. It is strange (and no doubt a symptom of our need for books such as the Great Pearl's) how quickly the most delicious pleasures pall. Living in that peaceful temple, with nothing to do all day long beyond reading, sipping tea with friendly monks and gazing out at the beautiful pine-crowned ridges to either side of the fertile valley, I presently found myself bored! Beauty and idleness, to which years of hard work and a month of illness had made me look forward with all my heart, had all too quickly lost their charm. The aged monk-librarian, noticing with his shrewd old eyes my need for distraction, took me to spend a morning with him in the library -- a large pavilion almost as big as the main shrine hall of the temple. Inside, I found most of it occupied not by books, but by thousands of delicately incised boards of the kind formerly used for printing Chinese texts. Many of them were centuries old and bore vertical rows of characters so exquisitely formed that I was able to pass several happy hours handling and admiring them; but my state of health had left me weak and presently I felt the need to seek my bedroom, which opened off the shrine hall on the other side of the courtyard. Just as I turned to go, the old monk smilingly placed in my hands a copy of one of the ancient texts block-printed from the boards I had been examining.
Back in my room, which even at midday was rather dark, I lighted a red votive candle and began idly glancing through the pages of the old gentleman's gift. It proved to be a reprint of an eighth-century (T'ang dynasty) text composed by the Ch'an Master Hui Hai, together with a selection of his dialogues with his disciples. Almost at once I came upon an arresting quotation to the effect that sages seek from mind and not from the Buddha, whereas those who seek from the Buddha and not from mind are fools! This sharply awakened my curiosity, for it seemed extraordinary that a pious Buddhist writer should thus castigate those who seek something from the `teacher of gods and men'. Anyone might be forgiven for finding such words blasphemous -- as I did until I had read the whole book and begun to experience the first glimmer of understanding. There and then, I decided to try my hand at translating this intriguing work.
John Blofeld
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58 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic guide,
By Hakuyu "Ikeda" (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening (Paperback)
It is good to know that reprints of this excellent translation are available. Hui Hai, otherwise known as the 'Great Pearl' - was an outstanding Ch'an master of the Tang. This translation repays careful digestion. John Blofeld spent many years in China, frequenting Chinese Buddhist temples. The Chinese text translated here, was given to J.B. during one such sojourn at a Chinese Ch'an monastery. Blofeld's careful translation was given a final 'polishing' by Lu K'uan Yu, an eminent Chinese Buddhist translator, authorised by the Ven. Hsu-yun (1840-1959), the most outstanding Chinese Master of the 20th c. As such, this text could not have a better pedigree.
While certainly the fruit of good scholarship (a useful glossary explains the proper meaning of Chinese Buddhist terms used in the text), this book is pre-eminently practical. It is unusually clear and focused and doesn't come over as a careless hodge-podge of koans. Like Huang Po's discourses (also ably translated by J.B.)Hui Hai's teaching is very direct and to the point. This book is actually a translation of two texts. The first is Hui Hai's 'Treatise on Entering the Gate to Sudden Enlightenment' (Tun-wu Ju Tao Men Lun), the second, a translation of the Tsung Ching Lu or 'Tsung Ching Record.' The latter opens with an account of Hui Hai's meeting with Master Ma-tsu, and Hui Hai's initial enlightenment: Hui Hai: "I have come seeking the Buddha-dharma." Ma-tsu: "Instead of looking to the treasure house which is your very own, you have left home and gone wandering far away. What for? I have absolutely nothing here at all. What is this Buddha-dharma of which you speak? " - whereat the master Hui Hai prostrated himself on the ground, enquiring: " Please tell me to what you alluded, when you spoke of a treasure house of my very own?" Ma-tsu: " THAT which asked the question is your treasure house (i.e. wisdom-mind). It contains absolutely everything you need and lacks nothing at all. It is there for you to use freely, so why this vain search for something outside yourself? " No sooner were these words spoken, than the master received a great illumination and recognised his own mind. Beside himself with joy, he hastened to show his gratitude by prostrating himself again . . ." Hui Hai stayed with Ma-tsu for six years, maturing and deepening his insight, subsequently becoming an eminent master in his own right. It is worth noting the impact of Ma-tsu's words, which pointed directly to Hui-hai's inherent wisdom or the mind -nature, inherent in us all. Hui-hai chose to lead the life of a Buddhist monk, but the essential gist of Ma-tsu's remarks has meaning for us today. What we are 'seeking' is already there. We can't 'find' it outside ourselves, and insofar as it is our inherent endowment, we cannot 'get' it; all we can do - and are required to do - is to un-cover it, by ridding ourselves of dualistic notions. But since the idea of ridding ourselves of dualistic notions, is another dualistic notion, all we are required to do - is to lay down our false thinking - to 'let go' - neither 'clinging' nor 'rejecting' - and 'look into' our minds. Call it spiritual 'Judo' - if you like, not resisting, but sublimating errant thoughts. In fact, without 'looking into' where these thoughts rise and fall, we have no way to find our inherent treasure house. Its a bit like looking at smoke rising from a fire.@But don't listen to me, listen to Hui Hai! Hui Hai's 'Treatise on Sudden Awakening' is excellent: Q. What method must we practice in order to attain deliverance? " A. It can be attained only through a sudden illumination. Q. What is Sudden Illumination? A. 'Sudden' means ridding ourselves of deluded thoughts in a flash. 'Illumination' means the realization that illumination is not something to be attained. Q. From where do we start this practice? A. You must start from the very root. Q. And what is that? A. Mind is root. Hui-hai's pithy talk, giving hints on how to approach 'sudden enlightenment' - is a real gem. Not a 'Treatise' in the modern sense at all (the Chinese 'Lun' - in Buddhist terms, is the equivalent of a shastra), readers will find that Hui-hai's text is simply re-iterating, from different angles, the same point - often likened to an adamantine wedge, cutting through every conceivable distinction that would otherwise hinder or block direct perception of the Mind-nature. Hence, coupled with what Hui-hai has to say about Dhyana-practice, readers will find that Hui-hai's words help to 'centre' consciousness. In short, you will forget all about Hui-hai and words - and discover the substance of what he is pointing to. This is powerful stuff. But note well: Hui-hai does recommend Dhyana-practice, otherwise known in the West as Za-zen. Not that long go, some Western exponents of Zen used to argue that masters such as Ma-tsu, Hui-hai etc., disregarded this practice and deemed it unnecessary. This misunderstanding came about, because such masters warned people not to think that mere 'sitting' was an end in itself, lest they get caught up in a one-sided preference for stillness over activity. Viewed aright, what is known as Dhyana-practice ultimately predisposes the mind to return to its inherently still condition, whether we are sitting, or engaged in our ordinary daily activities. Dhyana begets stillness, and stillness gives rise to prajna, or non-dual wisdom. Once aroused, proper dhyana-prajna operates or takes effect, regardless of our physical location, or the relative states of stillness and activity. Even so, at the beginning of training, most practicers find difficulty trying to arrest their errant thoughts. If they adopt a natural attitude toward Dhyana practice, they will find that its effects carry-over to their daily activities, which become one with the practice. Ultimately, what Hui-hai is pointing to can be actualised wherever we happen to be - if we only follow his advice. Another thing worth noting about this text, is Hui-hai's extensive knowledge of the traditional Buddhist sources. Loathe to cling to well known terms and idioms, and thus reluctant to encourage this trait in others, such masters coined their own terms, used slang etc., to drive home the practical meaning or message of Buddhism. This has sometimes led modern scholars to form the unfortunate conclusion that such masters rejected the Buddha's teaching. However, as the present text clearly shows, Hui-hai was well versed in traditional Buddhist doctrine. Left to his own devices, he preferred to use his own idioms, with a modest sprinkling of Buddhist terms. But some of his callers were travelling Dharma-masters (Fa-shih) who specialised in giving lectures on Buddhist texts. Alas, sometimes proud of their learning, they would challenge him to answer questions in this regard. As will be seen, Hui-hai was able to handle himself well in such circumstances, replying with detailed answers- and, very often, exposing the fact that such Dharma-masters had little real insight into the doctrines they gave lectures on! All in all, a remarkable text, detailing the teachings of an excellent master. Ma-tsu, Hui-hai etc., and a handful of masters like them, shaped a whole tradition. We often approach them today - piecemeal, through later distortions and caricatures. It is refreshing to be able to digest these primary sources and good to see this excellent translation back in print.
31 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic zen text,
By A Customer
This review is from: Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening (Paperback)
This record of the teachings of Ch'an Master Hui Hai is one of the classics of Zen from ancient China. It is a very small book, and should not cost more that $12, even if published using the highest standards. It is sad that this text is not now available in an affordable edition. Also, it is very unfortunate that Amazon has erred in categorizing The Zen Teachings of Instantaneous Awakening as a New Age book. It is not. It is a classic of Zen.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic book to complement Zen Teaching of Huang Po,
By
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This review is from: Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening (Paperback)
Translator John Blofeld also translated "Zen Teaching of Huang Po" which is one of my favorites. Blofeld wrote in the introduction: "In a way, the present work is complementary to The Zen Teaching of Huang Po; for, while both masters carry us to the very heart of things, Huang Po deals rather more uniformly with the subject, whereas the Great Pearl (Hui Hai) relates each part of his exposition more specifically to some of the various tenets common to the Mahayana as a whole, or to particular tenets emphasized by this school or that, as well as to some of the doctrines of Taoism. It seems to me that Huang Po gives us a brilliant overall picture of the means of arriving at the goal, and that the Great Pearl deals just as brilliantly but more precisely with most of the separate difficulties involved. For this reason, while his book is by no means of less interest than Huang Po's to the general reader, it will make a special appeal to those readers with a detailed knowledge of the various facets of traditional Buddhist doctrine." I could not agree more.
Reading this book also helps greater understanding of Diamond Sutura, Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, Heart Sutura (translator Red Pine), as well as teaching of modern sages like Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, David R. Hawkins.
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