WHAT IS ZENr
eternity;letyourselfbelikedeadashes,coldandlifeless;again
letyourselfbelikeanoldcenserinadesertedvillageshrine!'
"Puttingyoursimplefaithinthis,disciplineyourselfaccord-ingly; letyourbody and mindbe turnedintoaninanimate
objectofnaturelikeastoneorapieceofwood;whenastateof
perfectmotionlessnessandunawarenessisobtainedallthesigns
oflifewilldepartandalsoeverytraceoflimitationwillvanish.Notasingleideawilldisturbyourconsciousness,whenlo!allofa
suddenyouwillcometorealizealightaboundinginfullglad-
ness.Itislikecomingacrossalightinthickdarkness;itislikereceivingtreasure inpoverty.Thefourelementsandthefive
aggregatesarenomorefeltasburdens;solight,soeasy,sofree
youare.Yourveryexistencehasbeendeliveredfromalllimita-tions;youhavebecomeopen,light,andtransparent.Yougainan
illuminatinginsightintotheverynatureofthings,whichnow
appeartoyouassomanyfairylikeflowershavingnograspable
realities.Hereismanifestedtheunsophisticatedselfwhichisthe
original faceofyourbeing; hereis shownallbare themost
beautifullandscapeofyourbirthplace.Thereisbutonestraight
passageopenandunobstructedthroughandthrough.Thisisso
whenyousurrenderall—yourbody,yourlife,andallthatbelongs
toyourinmostself.Thisiswhereyougainpeace, ease,non-
doing,andinexpressibledelight.Allthesutrasandsastrasareno
morethancommunicationsofthisfact;allthesages,ancientas
wellasmodern,haveexhaustedtheiringenuityandimaginationto nootherpurposethantopoint thewaytothis. Itis like
unlockingthedoorto atreasury; whentheentranceisonce
gained, every object coming into your view is yours, every
opportunitythatpresentsitselfisavailableforyouruse;forare
they not, however multitudinous, all possessions obtainable
withintheoriginalbeingofyourself?Everytreasurethereisbut
waitingyourpleasureandutilization.Thisiswhatismeantby
'Oncegained,eternallygained,evenuntotheendoftime.'Yet
reallythereisnothinggained;whatyouhavegainedisnogain,
andyetthereissomethingtrulygainedinthis."