Faith In Mind

Seng-Ts'an, the third founding teacher

The Great Way is not difficult;

just avoid picking and choosing!

Only when you neither long nor loath

does it clearly reveal itself.

To see its truth be neither for, nor against.

Conflicts between liking and disliking

are a disease of the mind.

Gain and loss, right and wrong

away with them once and for all!

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The Perfect Way, like vast space

lacks nothing, has nothing in excess.

When the mind does not discriminate

all things are as they really are.

Entering the deep mystery of this suchness

releases us from all attachments.

Viewing all things in their oneness

we return to our original nature.

This state wherein all relations have ceased

is indescribable by analogy.

The mind in full accord with the Way

drops off its self-centered preoccupations.

Doubts clear up

true faith prevails.

All is empty, clear,

revealed effortlessly, naturally.

Neither thinking nor imagination

can ever reach this state.

This ultimate reality

retains neither self nor other.

In this non-dual world

all is one, nothing left out.

In this unmeasurable truth

one instant is ten thousand years.

Things do not separate into here, or there

infinity is manifested everywhere.

One thing is everything all things are One.

If you know only this, then

don't worry about attaining perfect knowledge.

The mind of faith is not divided,

Faith and mind are not two,

Words fail to describe it

for it is neither of the past, present, nor future.