meditation

Are spiritual teachings prescriptions or descriptions? Sudden vs. gradual teachings. Is a practice required?

~ Tom Das ~ 13 Comments

Also see:

Zen (Ch’an) Master Yuanwu: The Sure Way to Enlightenment, The Way of Zen
Buddhism: How enlightenment happens
False enlightenment
3 stories of awakening: no path vs sudden path vs gradual paths to enlightenment

Q.  Hi Tom, often you talk about spiritual teachings as something you have to do, like a spiritual practice such as devotion or enquiry, but in my experience the most effective spiritual teachings are not really teachings or prescriptions but the best teachings are descriptions. Does that make sense? What are your thoughts?

Tom: Hi _____, yes that’s a really good point, especially as you near the end of your spiritual search or spiritual journey, descriptions become more important than prescriptions. Essentially the higher teachings are descriptions and the lower teachings are prescriptions. Let me explain:

Descriptions

The higher teachings simply describe your normal everyday experience, pointing out the Freedom that already is. This is why some higher teachings are called pointers. They are pointing out what already is the case.

They are not saying you need to do anything or become anything, they are not saying you have to improve in some way, but are pointing out the illusion of separation that when believed in causes suffering. Examples include statements like ‘there is no separate self’, ‘there is no doer’, ‘there is only god’, ‘all is one’, ‘awareness always is’.

These teachings are descriptions. These descriptions can trigger an insight, or in-seeing, into something about life as it already is, but has thus far not been recognised/realised.

Prescriptions

Now the prescriptions, the lower teachings: these teachings tell you that you have to do something, they prescribe you something do to, such as meditation, chanting, physical exercises, be near the guru or some other kind of action to do. Prescriptions are instructions to be carried out by the body mind. They are often teachings for the ego, and are something for the ego to do, and so may serve to perpetuate the ego and can often actually reinforce the sense of self/ego/separation.

Prescriptions are instructions to be carried out by the body mind. They are often teachings for the ego, and are something for the ego to do, and so may serve to perpetuate the ego and can often actually reinforce the sense of self/ego/separation.

Perhaps implicit in this type of teachings is that you are not quite good enough as you are and that you have to improve or change in some way. There is also, perhaps, the idea of spiritual progress here, the idea of a path that can be travelled and a destination to be reached. All this is implied in prescriptive practices.

Notice that I write ‘perhaps’ and ‘often’ because practices are not necessarily bad, as I explain below.

Prescriptions as descriptions

There is also a third way of looking at this, which is that teachings that prescribe certain activities or practices can also be seen to be descriptions when looked at in another way, and so what appears to be a lower teaching can then be seen to be a higher teaching.

For example, the practice of mindfulness in which the seeker is instructed to ‘be mindful’ or ‘be aware of the present moment’ can be instead seen as a description of the way things already are, ie. awareness is already aware of whatever is being experienced, regardless of whether or not the mind is caught up in thoughts or not. The instruction of ‘be aware’ has been trumped by the pointer or description that ‘you are already aware’ or ‘awareness is already here.’

Similarly with ‘be unattached’, or ‘be loving’, or ‘be at peace’ – these prescriptions can be seen as descriptions of life as it already is, without having to lift a finger:  ‘be unattached’ becomes a description of awareness that is already unattached and ever-free, ‘be loving’ becomes a description of awareness that already fully embraces, ‘loves’ and is one with the totality of every experience, and ‘be at peace’ points out that awareness is a synonym for peace in that it is a constant in a world of impermanent transitory objects. All things come and go, awareness just is. We could continue: the prescription ‘let go’ becomes a pointer at  the fact that awareness has already ‘let go’ as it is and always has been unattached.

Descriptions are not necessarily better

As I said at the start of this answer, descriptions become more important towards the end of your seeking journey and they are essentially the higher teachings. Descriptions act as pointers that can trigger insight into the illusion of separation. Does this mean they are better? Many would say yes, but I disagree, at least partially. Both prescriptions (practices) and descriptions (pointers) are useful to different people depending where they are.

Practices are useful to purify the mind, reduce neurotic and addictive habitual tendencies, which results in a calm and peaceful mind that is able to better understand the pointers. As the mind becomes calmer, more psychologically integrated and mature, and happier, the pointers work much better and can trigger a ‘shift’ as intended.

Practices are useful to purify the mind, reduce neurotic and addictive habitual tendencies, which results in a calm and peaceful mind that is able to better understand the pointers.

Here, where the mind is already relatively pure, happy and calm, pointers/descriptions become increasingly important. What is interesting is that most spiritual teachings in the public domain tend to be action orientated, ie. practices/prescriptions. Most people when they encounter spirituality never even hear of direct pointers or so-called radical non-duality, so in this context of lack, the pointing teachings/descriptions become even more important.

That said, many seekers do not possess calm, contended happy minds, and so a practice/prescription becomes much more important, at least initially. I often come across seekers who are addicted to the radical non-dual teachings but their minds are still gripped strongly by illusion and as a result the chaotic and addictive habitual tendencies of body and mind doesn’t allow the pointers to truly hit home apart from on the intellectual conceptual level. The pointers do not penetrate the heart as the heart is barricaded in by a barbed-wire fence of intellect and concepts, often non-dual concepts.

These seekers are often lured in by the possibility of a quick, easy and instantaneous enlightenment in which one single ‘ah-ha’ moment will result in the total annihilation and vapourisation of all their pain, suffering and negative habits into a giant puff of smoke, and they will emerge An Enlightened Master from the Instantaneous School of Awakening. And while that may apparently happen for some, for most a process of purification is required, both before and after awakening.

Non-dual prescriptions

Yes, purification is also often required after awakening, and this is why I said ‘perhaps’ above when talking about the prescriptive teachings. Even when the illusion of separation has been seen through, spiritual practices may still be useful. Here, after awakening, practices no longer perpetuate the ego or false sense of self/separation that may happen during seeking.

Just as an enlightened sage can take driving lessons to learn to drive or buy an electric toothbrush to better clean their teeth, they can also utilise spiritual, physical and psychological practices to make their lives more comfortable on the social, physical and psychological levels.

Now practices fulfil a practical function. Just as an enlightened sage can take driving lessons to learn to drive or buy an electric toothbrush to better clean their teeth, they can also utilise spiritual, physical and psychological practices to make their lives more comfortable on the social, physical and psychological levels. They refine the body and mind and remove negative habitual tendencies which in turn results in less suffering on the relative level (of things or objects) and eases the flow of energy in the body. This improves alignment with life and also improves social and physical functioning as a result. As the mind is purified, psychic and intuitive channels are also allowed to more fully open and wisdom can pour in this way too. Lastly, it is this purifying aspect of the teaching that leads to a more ethical way of living and is the link between love, ethics and spirituality.

Lastly, it is this purifying aspect of the teaching that leads to a more ethical way of living and is the link between love, ethics and spirituality.

I often describe this as a process of heart opening in which the conceptual understanding sinks down into the energetic and emotional heart and eventually the knot of the ego is cut when the egoic tendencies have been removed, either by life or with the additional help of a more formal spiritual practice. Here the sense of individuality is lost at an energetic level as well as the intellectual knowing, but the perspective of the body-mind continues as long as the body-mind lives.

Descriptions can also purify

Pointers and descriptions, whilst their primary purpose is to trigger insight or recognition into an aspect of ordinary life that was previously overlooked, they can also have a purifying function, that is they can also have a role in removing negative habitual tendencies which is the usual role of spiritual practices.

This works by being exposed to pointers repeatedly over a length of time. Over time, the pointers seep into the mind of a seeker, infiltrating the mind’s hidden depths, slowly rooting out false thoughts and notions based in ignorance, slowly rooting out ignorance. Then one day a critical mass is reached and the penny drops, the bottom of the bucket of water falls out and the illusion of separation is seen through. If the seeker-finder now continues to expose themselves to the pointers, even though the essential insight/realisation has occurred, these same pointers can have a purifying function in removing residual and vestigial habitual tendencies that may still cause discomfort and suffering on the phenomenal level (ie. the everyday world of objects in which the person/we live)

Gradual vs sudden path

Basically what we have been talking of here have historically been called the gradual and sudden paths to enlightenment. The gradual path is sometimes called the progressive path, and the sudden path can be called the instantaneous path or no-path school. Pointers may form part of the sudden school, whereas practices predominate in the gradual paths. There have been arguments between these ways of looking at enlightenment teachings and technologies/practices for many centuries across various traditions, most notably Buddhist schools.

Hopefully in this answer I have outlined how these two approaches can be utilised together to maximise success in achieving both insight into the Freedom that is already here, as well as remove the negative addictive habitual tendencies that perpetuate relative suffering and egoic decision-making.

Purification and insight

Purification takes time and energy – it occurs at the level of the body and mind and results in a maturation in the psychological and energetic domains. I liken it to weeding a garden. Insight is quick, takes little energy, and most readily occurs in a relaxed but awake and aware state of mind relatively free of thoughts. I liken it to looking up and noticing for the first time the sky that was always there.

Purification involves change and improvement of the body-mind; insight is noticing that which was always there, but was overlooked.

Don’t all practices just perpetuate the false-self? (Seeking vs teaching)

Now I’m sure many will disagree with what I am saying. Particularly the staunch non-dualists, those who say no practice is required and say that all practices just strengthen and reinforce the false-notion of separation/self.

However I have always been interested in what actually works and am not really one to cling to dogma. It was when I started sharing or ‘teaching’ this that I really came to realise how important practices are. Of course, there is such a lack of pointing/descriptive type teachings in the common public domain, this form of direct pointing inevitably becomes very valuable, especially to those seasoned seekers who have not encountered it before.

However I have always been interested in what actually works and am not really one to cling to dogma. It was when I started sharing or ‘teaching’ this that I really came to realise how important practices are.

However I have seen many seekers who need to learn to relax, learn to be more positive and deal with their psychological issues first, as these are the overriding issues that are causing suffering and preventing insight from occurring. Whilst dealing with these psychological issues first is not always  necessary, it does make the awakening process much easier for most, as when the false sense of self is seen through, what can initially happen is that the ego/mind reacts with fear and anxiety. However if these fears and anxieties have largely already been dealt with, then the awakening to no-self becomes much smoother and easier.

Often what happens is that as a seeker becomes more advanced and purified, the direct pointings become more important and it is these that are ultimately liberating. When the seeker becomes a finder, often they stress the importance of the teachings that directly led to their own realisation – ie. the direct pointings.

However to ignore the indirect teachings, or practices and gradual path, we do a disservice to those who need them, and we may also prevent further purification post-insight from occurring.

However to ignore the indirect teachings, or practices and gradual path, we do a disservice to those who need them, and we may also prevent further purification post-insight from occurring.

Some final words

Whilst I try to map some of this out in order to aid seekers, especially those who are unable to find the answers they are looking for in a teacher or teaching, I acknowledge that the path is different for everyone. These are some general trends and I am sharing what I know. I hope you find these words useful. Don’t cling to them too much either and remember this is difficult, if not impossible to put into words.

Best wishes to you and please contact me or join me in one of my online meetings if you think I can be of service.

Tom

Also see:

Zen (Ch’an) Master Yuanwu: The Sure Way to Enlightenment, The Way of Zen
Buddhism: How enlightenment happens
False enlightenment
3 stories of awakening: no path vs sudden path vs gradual paths to enlightenment

The ‘ultimate means’ to liberation

~ Tom Das ~ 13 Comments

om1

The following is the last few verses of Advaita Bodha Deepika, a classical vedanta text that summarises the theories and methods of vedanta. It was also a favourite text of Ramana Maharshi’s. Here is the culmination of the teaching, as stated in the last verses of Chapter 8.

(Note, if you are unsure about why this chapter starts in this way and why we are even discussing ‘extinguishing the mind’, have a look at this post here Advaita Bodha Deepika: Vital Teachings for Self-Realisation which explains the rationale behind this first question):

Disciple: How can the mind be extinguished?

Master: To forget everything is the ultimate means. But for thought, the world does not arise. Do not think and it will not arise. When nothing arises in the mind, the mind itself is lost. Therefore do not think of anything, forget all. This is the best way to kill the mind.

To forget everything is the ultimate means

D.: Has anyone else said so before?

M.: Vasishta said so to Rama thus: ‘Efface thoughts of all kinds, of things enjoyed, not enjoyed, or otherwise. Like wood or stone, remain free from thoughts.

Rama: Should I altogether forget everything?

Vasishta: Exactly; altogether forget everything and remain like wood or stone.
Rama: The result will be dullness like that of stones or wood.

Vasishta: Not so. All this is only illusion. Forgetting the illusion, you are freed from it. Though seeming dull, you will be the Bliss Itself. Your intellect will be altogether clear and sharp. Without getting entangled in worldly life, but appearing active to others remain as the very Bliss of Brahman and be happy.

Unlike the blue colour of the sky, let not the illusion of the world revive in the pure Ether of Consciousness-Self. To forget this illusion is the sole means to kill the mind and remain as Bliss.

Though Shiva, Vishnu, or Brahman Himself should instruct you, realisation is not possible without this one means. Without forgetting everything, fixity as the Self is impossible. Therefore altogether forget everything.’

…altogether forget everything and remain like wood or stone….Though seeming dull, you will be the Bliss Itself. Your intellect will be altogether clear and sharp.

D.: Is it not very difficult to do so?

M.: Though for the ignorant it is difficult, for the discerning few it is very easy. Never think of anything but the unbroken unique Brahman. By a long practice of this, you will easily forget the non-self. It cannot be difficult to remain still without thinking anything. Let not thoughts arise in the mind; always think of Brahman.

In this way all worldly thoughts will vanish and thought of Brahman alone will remain. When this becomes steady, forget even this, and without thinking ‘I am Brahman’, be the very Brahman. This cannot be difficult to practise.

Now my wise son, follow this advice; cease thinking of anything but Brahman. By this practice your mind will be extinct; you will forget all and remain as pure Brahman.

Never think of anything but the unbroken unique Brahman…When this becomes steady, forget even this, and without thinking ‘I am Brahman’, be the very Brahman. This cannot be difficult to practise.

Tom’s commentary:

It is not only Sage Vasistha who tells us we need to ‘forget all’. In the Ashtavakra Gita, sage Ashtavakra says in chapter 16, verse 1:

‘My son! You may recite or listen to countless scriptures, but you will not be established in the Self unless you forget all.’

Similarly Ramana Maharshi says in his text ‘Who am I?’:

‘Eventually all that one has learnt will have to be forgotten’

In the traditional path of Knowledge or Jnana, first we are to know our True Self (Atman) and know this to be the same as the Absolute (Brahman). Then we are to be still and renounce all desires.

This spiritual knowledge (Jnana) of ‘I am Brahman’ (Aham Brahmasmi) allows the mind to become still and desireless. Note this does not mean that the body becomes totally inert – no – rather it continues to function naturally according to its destiny (Prarabdha Karma) until the body dies.

Shankara states this multiple times, eg, in Vivekachudamani, and also in his many commentaries, eg. in his commentary upon the Kena Upanishad – in his introduction to the Kena Upanishad Shankara writes:

And [the Self] being eternal, it is not to be secured by any means other than the cessation of ignorance. Hence the only duty is to renounce all desires after the realisation of the unity of the indwelling Self and Brahman.

This is akin to Self-Surrender, as spoken by Sri Ramana Maharshi:

There is no destiny. Surrender, and all will be well. Throw all the responsibility on God. Do not bear the burden yourself. What can destiny do to you then?”
(Talks 244)

and again here:

Question: Surrender is said to be Bhakti [the path of devotional love]. But Sri Bhagavan [Ramana Maharshi] is known to favour enquiry [ie. the path of Knowledge or Jnana] for the Self. There is thus confusion in the hearer.
Ramana Maharshi: Surrender can take effect only when done with full knowledge. Such knowledge comes after enquiry. It ends in surrender.
(Talks 462)

Krishnamurti: the ending of sorrow is love

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

Continuing the series of Krishnamurti posts this week, the following is written by Jiddu Krishnamurti, taken from BULLETIN 4, 1969:

Desire and pleasure end in sorrow; and love has no sorrow.

What has sorrow is thought – thought which gives continuity to pleasure. Thought nourishes pleasure, giving strength to it. Thought is everlastingly seeking pleasure, and so inviting pain.

The virtue which thought cultivates is the way of pleasure and in it there is effort and achievement.

The flowering of goodness is not in the soil of thought but in freedom from sorrow.

The ending of sorrow is love.

Krishnamurti: to be aware of inattention is to be attentive.

~ Tom Das ~ 1 Comment

Continuing the series of Krishnamurti posts this week, the following is written by Jiddu Krishnamurti, taken from BULLETIN 4, 1969:

The physical organism has its own intelligence, which is made dull through habits of pleasure. These habits destroy the sensitivity of the organism, and this lack of sensitivity makes the mind dull.

Such a mind may be alert in a narrow and limited direction and yet be insensitive. The depth of such a mind is measurable and is caught by images and illusions. Its very superficiality is its only brightness.

A light and intelligent organism is necessary for meditation. The interrelationship between the meditative mind and its organism is a constant adjustment in sensitivity; for meditation needs freedom.

Freedom is its own discipline. In freedom alone can there be attention. To be aware of inattention is to be attentive.

Complete attention is love. It alone can see, and the seeing is the doing.

Krishnamurti: Out of Silence Look and Listen

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

sunset evening enlightenment

Continuing the series of Krishnamurti posts this week, the following is written by Jiddu Krishnamurti, taken from BULLETIN 4, 1969:

Out of silence look and listen. Silence is not the ending of noise; the incessant clamour of the mind and heart does not end in silence; it is not a product, a result of desire, nor is it put together by will.

The whole of consciousness is a restless, noisy movement within the borders of its own making. Within this border silence or stillness is but the momentary ending of the chatter; it is the silence touched by time. Time is memory and to it silence is short or long; it can measure. Give to it space and continuity, and then it becomes another toy.

But this is not silence. Everything put together by thought is within the area of noise, and thought in no way can make itself still. It can build an image of silence and conform to it, worshipping it, as it does with so many other images it has made, but its formula of silence is the very negation of it; its symbols are the very denial of reality.

Thought itself must be still for silence to be. Silence is always now, as thought is not. Thought, always being old, cannot possibly enter into that silence which is always new. The new becomes the old when thought touches it.

Out of this silence, look and talk.

The true anonymity is out of this silence and there is no other humility. The vain are always vain, though they put on the garment of humility, which makes them harsh and brittle.

But out of this silence the word ‘love’ has a wholly different meaning. This silence is not out there but it is where the noise of the total observer is not.

Krishnamurti: Meditation

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

Continuing the series of Krishnamurti posts this week, the following is written by Jiddu Krishnamurti, taken from BULLETIN 4, 1969:

Meditation is a movement in and of the unknown.

You are not there, only the movement.

You are too petty or too great for this movement. It has nothing behind it or in front of it. It is that energy which thought-matter cannot touch.

Thought is perversion for it is the product of yesterday; it is caught in the toils of centuries and so it is confused, unclear.

Do what you will, the known cannot reach out for the unknown.

Meditation is the dying to the known.

For those of you who do not have direct access to a ‘teacher’…

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

no-thinker

For those of you do not have direct access to a ‘teacher’ and who are genuinely interested in discovering what I call Freedom, no matter where you are in the world, you are invited to attend one of my ONLINE MEETINGS.

Please feel free to join me. No prior experience or beliefs are required (in fact leave these at the door if you can!), but your interest must be deep and sincere for the teachings to work. My experience is that most people tend not to be deeply interested in this, and our meetings tend to be informal, friendly and small. They also create a space where fellow seekers/finders can connect.

The next meeting is this Thursday 8pm UK time.

Even online, the teachings are powerful pointers and reminders directing yourself back to yourself, clarifying this ever-present mystery of ‘what is’, so do come along if you feel moved to.

Interacting with a teacher who has seen this for themselves, and with whom you resonate, can save many years of unnecessary seeking in many cases. Do not underestimate the power of direct interaction. It’s completely different to reading articles and facebook posts. This is not about you coming to one of MY meetings necessarily, but you seeking a teacher with whom you resonate and with whom you can trust on some level. (Of course, if that teacher is me for now, so be it).

Best wishes to you

🙏❤

For details of meetings I hold please see here:
www.TomDas.com/events

To join ONLINE MEETINGS please register here:
https://www.meetup.com/Non-duality-Kingston-London/

How do I deal with craving sense pleasures and neglect of spiritual practice?

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

unplug

 

Q: What would you say to someone (me) who persistently or often craves and desires so that remembrance of the Self seems to get neglected for spells, like it is sometimes a second priority? Presumably it is good to analyse the desire and see that the pleasure from it cannot be lasting and suffering from not always getting the desire is inevitable and see that there is a greater happiness in the absence of craving?

Tom: What does your heart say?

Q: That I neglect my heart feeling  because I look to the Self as being outside the body embedded as oneness in the appearance of the world outside. I have actually just been watching your video with Roger Castillo where you talk about the yogic practise of abiding in the I AM . I used to be a lot more devotional early on in my seeking, now I feel I neglect that aspect, thanks Tom.

Tom: Be with your heart ❤ Don’t neglect the powerful devotional instinct if it moves you. Fall flat on your front and prostrate yourself if need be. Pour out your heart and soul in prayer, if moved to. Weep and worship, if called. And let me know how you’re doing ❤🙏❤ Many thanks for your questions 🙏

Clarifications on Self-Enquiry

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

Q. ​Hi Tom, when Ramana says in the book  ‘Who am I’ ‘cultivate the constant and deep contemplative ‘remembrance’ (smrti) of the true nature of the Self’ – would this be like repeatedly bringing the attention back to what is here now with the understanding that the Self is all that is?

Tom: Not quite, although that can be part of it. It means to know:

(1) the essence of who you are, experientially, is unchanging and is also unaffected by gross and subtle objects

(2) there is no lasting fulfillment in objects, which are all transient

(3) the essence of you does nothing (the self is not a doer)

(4) it means to lose interest in objects as sources of pleasure, happiness or fulfillment as we bathe in the bliss of simply being (ourselves).

All this is captured by the words sat-chit-ananda (being-consciousness-bliss), which indicate the nature of the Self.

Turn away from the gross and subtle world-objects.

Not allowing the concept/thought ‘I’ to rise up, wielding the weapon ‘who am I’ to strike down any such thoughts, remain as the Self.

If this all sounds too complex, don’t worry: it is intuitively ‘grasped’, so to speak, through simply allowing the mind to rest and be still and allowing ‘the truth’, so to speak, to arise within naturally.

Zen (Ch’an) Master Yuanwu: The Sure Way to Enlightenment, The Way of Zen

~ Tom Das ~ 15 Comments

zen letters yuanwu koan

The following is a letter written almost 1000 years ago by the great Chinese master Yuanwu  (1063-1135). Yuanwu is perhaps best known for compiling the Blue Cliff Record, a classic zen text which comprises a collection of stories and sayings famous for their ability to arouse enlightenment in those who pondered them, together with advice on how to best approach them.

In Yuanwu’s letters, he reveals precise instructions in the ways of Zen that are written with a heartfelt tenderness for his student. This letter is taken from a compilation called ‘Zen Letters’ (translated by JC Cleary and Thomas Cleary). The letters in this compilation are all written by Yuanwu, and they cover a variety of subjects including how to teach and how to appoint a successor, but in this letter we find a clear and thorough overview of the path, perhaps the clearest within the entire compilation, with a focus on how to actually attain enlightenment: a description of the fundamental ground, how to approach it, how to realise it, and how to practice thereafter.

I hope the reader doesn’t mind that I have taken the liberty of interspersing my comments in italicised red and I have also bolded some lines for emphasis. Yuanwu starts by introducing the reader to the ‘fundamental ground’ that is inherent in each and every one of us. Here starts the letter:

Fundamentally, this great light is there with each and every person right where they stand – empty clear through, spiritually aware, all-pervasive, it is called the scenery of the fundamental ground.

He then describes the characteristics of this ‘ground’, stating that it is the basis of everything including the body and perceived world, but that it remains untouched and still nonetheless:

Sentient beings and buddhas are both inherently equipped with it. It is perfectly fluid and boundless, fusing everything within it. It is within your own heart and is the basis of your physical body and of the five clusters of form, sensation, conception, motivational synthesis, and consciousness. It has never been defiled or stained, and its fundamental nature is still and silent.

Then Yuanwu describes how realisation is obscured (ie. the nature of ignorance, avidya) , first through false thoughts or conceptual beliefs, and then how this conceptualisation leads to grasping which in turn leads to suffering or ‘the toils of birth and death’.

False thoughts suddenly arise and cover it over and block it off and confine it within the six sense faculties and sense objects. Sense faculties and sense objects are paired off, and you get stuck and begin clinging and getting attached. You grasp at all the various objects and scenes, and produce all sorts of false thoughts, and sink down into the toils of birth and death, unable to gain liberation.

In order to disillusion you of any fantastical and fanciful notions of enlightenment, in his compassion Yuanwu informs us that all Buddhas merely woke up to this essence (here called ‘fundamental basis’), that very essence that is within us all, and therefore Buddhahood is within all our reaches:

All the buddhas and ancestral teachers awakened to this true source and penetrated clear through to the fundamental basis. They took pity on all the sentient beings sunk in the cycle of birth and death and were inspired by great compassion, so they appeared in the world precisely for this reason. It was also for this reason that Bodhidharma came from the West with the special practice outside of doctrine.

Next, how to ‘clearly awaken’ to this fundamental ground/essence/basis/mind:

The most important thing is for people of great faculties and sharp wisdom to turn the light of mind around and shine back and clearly awaken to this mind before a single thought is born. This mind can produce all world-transcending and worldly phenomena. When it is forever stamped with enlightenment, your inner heart is independent and transcendent and brimming over with life. As soon as you rouse your conditioned mind and set errant thoughts moving, then you have obscured this fundamental clarity.

Before a single thought is born, that essence is already here, shining, untouched, unscathed, and in this way it is ‘independent and transcendent’. Therefore still your mind, quieten your mind, and see.
This essence is also not apart from life, so here Yuanwu describes it as ‘brimming over with life’. This essence is the basis of all perceived worldly phenomena. However, he warns that by buying into and believing in mental concepts (‘rousing your conditioned mind’), we have already made the cardinal mistake, entered into the world of suffering, and seemingly obscured that which cannot be obscured.

If you want to pass through easily and directly right now, just let your body and mind become thoroughly empty, so it is vacant and silent yet aware and luminous. Inwardly, forget all your conceptions of self, and outwardly, cut off all sensory defilements. When inside and outside are clear all the way through, there is just one true reality. Then eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and conceptual mind, form, sound, smell, flavor, touch, and conceptualized phenomena – all of these are established based on that one reality. This one reality stands free of and transcends all the myriad entangling phenomena. The myriad phenomena have never had any fixed characteristics – they are all transformations based on this light.

The method is to let everything go, let go of body and mind, forget everything so the mind is ’empty and vacant and silent’. However we are not to fall asleep. The mind should remain awake, ‘aware and luminous’.
To elaborate and be more specific, we are instructed inwardly to ‘forget all conceptions of self’. This is to remove the basic error of belief in separation. We are to forget about the distinction between ‘I’ and ‘not-I’, or between ‘me’ and ‘the world’, both of which depend on a concept of self.
Outwardly we are instructed to ‘cut off all sensory defilements’, which essentially means the compulsive or ego-driven desires which Yuanwu will touch upon later in this letter. These sensory defilements are themselves contingent on ‘conceptions of self’, but it is important to cut these off too as due to force of habit they may persist even when the illusory separation is seen through. Hence the need for practice.
Yuanwu now beautifully describes the fruit of this practice and in having faith in what is realised:

If you can trust in this oneness, then with one comprehended, and with one illuminated, all are illuminated. Then in whatever you do, it can all be the indestructible true essence of great liberation from top to bottom.

Thus far Yuanwu has instructed the reader how to realise the all-pervading yet unchanging essence, and also to realise that perceived life is non-separate from this essence. Now he goes further to explain what we should do once this essential mind has been realised.
Note that so far he has used the words ‘fundamental ground’, ‘fundamental basis’, ‘mind’, ‘inner heart’, ‘true reality’, ‘oneness’, and ‘essence’ all as synonyms to beautifully point to that-which-has-no-name. Here, in the next passage he refers to it as ‘mind’:

You must awaken to this mind first, and afterward cultivate all forms of good. Haven’t you seen this story? The renowned poet Bo Juyi asked the Bird’s Nest Monk, “What is the Way?” The Bird’s Nest Monk said “Don’t do any evils, do all forms of good.” Bo Juyi said “Even a three-year-old could say this.” The Bird’s Nest Monk said, “Though a three-year-old might be able to say it, an eighty-year-old might not be able to carry it out.”

This is a classic teaching of insight first, followed by cultivation or purification. Realisation of the fundamental essence which remains untouched is good as a start, but without purifying the mind or ‘cultivating goodness’, the enlightenment is not complete. The age-old habitual afflictions may otherwise continue. At worst they can wrestle away the realisation resulting in a ‘I got it! I lost it’ syndrome where the seeker goes back and forth wondering why their realisation of yesterday is not firm and secure, and at best the afflictions continue and this causes suffering and discomfort in the relative phenomenal world, both to the seeker and those around him/her.
Purification or ‘cultivation of all forms of good’ can occur prior to and/or after realisation of the fundamental essence (a part of the insight teachings, as I teach them), but can only gain deeper fruition post-realisation when the illusion of separation is starting to be seen through.
Yuanwu continues:

Thus we must search out our faults and cultivate practice; this is like the eyes and the feet depending on each other. If you are able to refrain from doing any evil and refine your practice of the many forms of good, even if you only uphold the elementary forms of discipline and virtue, you will be able to avoid sinking down to the of animals, hungry ghosts and hell-beings. This is even more the case if you first awaken to the indestructible essence of the wondrous, illuminated true mind and after that cultivate practice to the best of your ability and carry out all forms of virtuous conduct.

Yuanwu reiterates the same point again, stating that we should actively find our faults and seek to remedy them. This is the case prior to awakening-to-essence, but even more effective once awakening has occurred.

Let no one be deluded about cause and effect. You must realize that the causal basis of the hells and the heavens is all formed by your own inherent mind.

Here Yuanwu is talking about karma, or cause and effect, stating that it is nothing but our own minds and our afflictions (or lack of them) that will create our future ‘hells and heavens’.
Next Yuanwu goes into more details on how to cultivate this good, or how to purify the mind:

You must keep this mind balanced and in equanimity, without deluded ideas of self and others, without arbitrary loves and hates, without grasping and rejecting, without notions of gain and loss. Go on gradually nurturing this for a long time, perhaps twenty or thirty years. Whether you encounter favorable or adverse conditions, do not retreat or regress—then when you come to the juncture between life and death [the last moment of your life], you will naturally be set free and not be afraid. As the saying goes “Truth requires sudden awakening, but the phenomenal level calls for gradual cultivation”.

This instruction is similar to Krishna’s injunction to Arjuna in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita when he states that ‘yoga is evenness of mind’. Yuanwu reiterates the importance of being equanimous and again not to engage in concepts of self (and others), and the outward manifestation of this as love/hate, grasping/rejecting, loss/gain.
Whilst awakening to the essence is sudden, changes on the phenomenal level take time. Therefore ‘go on nurturing this for a long time’.
This last line, which I have bolded, is one of my favourites. Yuanwu nicely captures in words something I have often struggled to articulate: ‘Truth requires sudden awakening, but the phenomenal level calls for gradual cultivation’. Beautiful!. 
Next Yuanwu goes on to warn against an intellectual egoic approach that he sees all too commonly. In his other letters he also warns against an overly sentimental or emotional approach too, and recommends ‘forgetting thoughts and feelings and finding independent realisation’ (Letter entitled Leaping out of the Pit, p. 78). Again, the solution is to remain inwardly quiet in mind and not to just dabble in conceptual understanding:

I often see those who are trying to study Buddhism just use their worldly intelligence to sift among the verbal teachings of the buddhas and ancestral teachers, trying to pick out especially wondrous sayings to use as conversation pieces to display their ability and understanding. This is not the correct view of the matter. You must abandon your worldly mentality and sit quietly with mind silent. Forget entangling causes and investigate with your whole being. When you are thoroughly clear then whatever you bring forth from your own inexhaustible treasury of priceless jewels is sure to be genuine and real.

Next is a summary: awaken to essence, then cultivate good: arouse compassion, have no (inward) concept of self/others, remove (outward) attachments. Then wisdom will manifest.

So first you must awaken to the Fundamental and clearly see the true essence where mind equals Buddha. Detach from all false entanglements and become free and clean. After that, respectfully practice all forms of good, and arouse great compassion to bring benefits to all sentient beings. In all that you do, be even and balanced and attuned to the inherent equality of all things – be selfless and have no attachments. When wondrous wisdom manifests itself and you penetrate through to the basic essence, all your deeds will be wonder-working. Thus it is said, ‘Just manage to accept the truth – you won’t be deceived.”

Implicit in this is that ‘wondrous wisdom’ has not yet manifested when the Fundamental Essence has been realised. The ‘wondrous wisdom’ requires both realisation of the Fundamental essence (what in my teachings I call insight) together with a removal of all that is not good (what I call purification in the way I teach).

Make enlightenment your standard, and don’t feel bad if it is slow in coming. Take care!

Here ends this wonderful letter from Yuanwu!
He reminds the student not to desire anything less than full and complete enlightenment. Yes, it may take time, but do not be disheartened and get to work now!
My gratitude to Yuanwu, his student, the translators who made the reading of this text in English possible, and to all other beings and objects that contributed towards this wonderful expression. I hope you have found it, and my commentary, of benefit.
Wishing you peace.
❤

Also see:

False enlightenment

3 stories of awakening: no path vs sudden path vs gradual paths to enlightenment