本來面目

Original Face

True Colours

第二十三則  不思善惡

六祖因明上座趁至大庾嶺，祖見明至，即擲衣缽於石上云：「此衣表信，可力爭耶？任君將去！」明遂舉之，如山不動，踟躕悚慄，明曰：「我來求法，非為衣也，願行者開示！」祖云：「不思善，不思惡，正與麼時，那箇是明上座本來面目？」明當下大悟，遍體汗流，泣淚作禮，問曰：「上來密語密意外，還更有意旨否？」祖曰：「我今為汝說者，即非密也。汝若返照自己面目，密卻在汝邊。」明云：「某甲雖在黃梅隨眾，實未省自己面目，今蒙指授入處，如人飲水，冷暖自知，今行者即是某甲師也。」祖云：「汝若如是，則吾與汝同師黃梅，善自護持。」

無門曰：「六祖可謂是事出急家，老婆心切，譬如新荔支剝了殼，去了核，送在爾口裏，只要爾嚥一嚥。」

頌曰：「描不成兮畫不就，贊不及兮休生受；本來面目沒處藏，世界壞時渠不朽。」

“What is my Original Face?” is a famous 禅公案 Zen Koan, a phrase meant to stop the mind and cause a breakthrough of insight. The vision, or series of images, came in 5 parts. There were lines of vertical energy, appearing like neon, but each line was liquid light. Then ripples formed the faces of a baby, an adult and a skull, then back to the vertical lines. It felt like a message about our lives being a ripple of energy in the void. Here and gone. The constant was the vertical light. It is our choice whether we identify with the passing body or the deathless spirit passing through.

― Alex Grey

Original Face, 1995 by Alex Grey

Gaze into the fire, into the clouds, and as soon as the inner voices begin to speak... surrender to them. Don't ask first whether it's permitted or would please your teachers, father, or some god. You will ruin yourself if you do that.

― Hermann Hesse, Demian: Die Geschichte von Emil Sinclairs Jugend

積ん読

積読、積ん読（つんどく）は、入手した書籍を読むことなく自宅で積んだままにしている状態を意味する言葉である。

積つん読どく • (tsundoku) (informal) the act of leaving a book unread after buying it,[3] typically piled up with other unread books.

The term originated in the Meiji era (1868–1912) as Japanese slang. It combines elements of tsunde-oku (積んでおく, to pile things up ready for later and leave) and dokusho (読書, reading books). As currently written, the word combines the characters for "pile up" (積) and the character for "read" (読). 積讀（日語：積ん読／つんどく Tsundoku），

Quickly, without thinking good or evil, what is your original face before your parents were born?

— 無門關，公案第二十三則不思善惡

Gateless Gate, Case Twenty-three, 六祖 Huineng's Original Face (GG23) 《無門關》，全稱《禪宗無門關》，宋代無門慧開禪師撰

第二十三則不思善惡(ふしぜんあく)

六祖因(そちな)みに明上座(みやうじやうざ)、趁(お)うて大庾嶺(だいゆれい)に至(いた)る。祖(そ)、明(みやう)の至(いた)るを見(み)て、即(すなは)ち依鉢(えはつ)を石上(せきじやう)に擲(なげう)って云(いは)く、此(こ)の依(え)は信(しん)を表(あらは)す、力(ちから)をもて爭(あらそ)ふべけんや、君(きみ)が將(も)ち去(さ)るに任(まか)す。

二十三　不思善惡

　　六祖因明上座。趁至大庾嶺。祖見明至。即擲衣缽於石上雲。此衣表信。可力爭耶。任君將去。明遂舉之如山不動。踟躕悚慄。明曰。我來求法。非為衣也。願行者開示。祖雲。不思善不思惡。正與麼時那箇是明上座。本來面目。明當下大悟。遍體汗流。泣淚作禮問曰。上來密語密意外。還更有意旨否。祖曰。我今為汝說者。即非密也。汝若返照自己面目。密卻在汝邊。明雲。某甲雖在黃梅隨眾。實未省自己面目。今蒙指授入處。如人飲水冷暖自知。今行者即是某甲師也。祖雲。汝若如是。則吾與汝同師黃梅。善自護持。

【無門曰】

　　六祖可謂。是事出急家。老婆心切。譬如新荔支剝了殼。去了核送在爾口裏。只要爾嚥一嚥。

【頌曰】

　　描不成兮畫不就　贊不及兮休生受　本來面目沒處藏　世界壞時渠不朽

明恵 Myōe

The Gateless Gate by Mumon, translated by

Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps

23. Do Not Think Good, Do Not Think Not-Good

Koan number 23 out of 49 in this work (published 1228, translated 1934)

When he became emancipated the sixth patriarch received from the fifth patriarch the bowl and robe given from the Buddha to his successors, generation after generation.

A monk named E-myo out of envy pursued the patriarch to take this great treasure away from him. The sixth patriarch placed the bowl and robe on a stone in the road and told E-myo: "These objects just symbolize faith. There is no use fighting over them. If you desire to take them, take them now."

When E-myo went to move the bowl and robe they were as heavy as mountains. He could not budge them. Trembling for shame he said: "I came wanting the teaching, not the material treasures. Please teach me."

The sixth patriarch said: "When you do not think good and when you do not think not good, what is your true self?"

At these words, E-myo was illumined. Perspiration broke out all over his body. He cried and bowed, saying: "You have given me the secret words and meanings. Is there yet a deeper part of the teaching?"

The sixth patriarch replied: "What I have told you is no secret at all. When you realize your own true self the secret belongs to you."

E-myo said: "I was under the fifth patriarch for many years but could not realize my true self until now. Through your teaching, I find the source. A person drinks water and knows whether it is cold or warm. May I call you my teacher?"

The sixth patriarch replied: "We studied together under the fifth patriarch. Call him your teacher, but just treasure what you have attained."

Mumon’s comment: The sixth patriarch certainly was kind in such an emergency. It was as if he removed the skin and seeds from the fruit and then, opening the pupil's mouth, let him eat.

You cannot describe it, you cannot picture it,

You cannot admire it, you cannot sense it.

It is your true self, it has nowhere to hide.

When the world is destroyed, it will not be destroyed.

GGG