Do Not Use Your Hand Like A Visor

Do Not Use Your Hand Like A Visor

After he had completed training, one of our Zen ancestors, Tiāntóng Zōngjué (天童宗珏, Heavenly Child Clan of Jewels; J. Tendō Sōkaku; 1091–1162), appeared in the world as a teacher.

Yes, the source text has the phrase "in the world."

Keizan notes in his Denkōroku (Record of the Transmission of Illumination), that "while preaching to benefit people," a monk asked, “What about the Way?”

Zōngjué said, “When you are in the middle of a busy crossroad, do not use your hand like a visor.”

There's old Zōngjué disclosing the Way fully in just seven Chinese characters.

That is all.

What is the Way?

In the world, in the midst of the business of daily life, right here, dead-center in the middle of the crossroad of life-death, open your eyes to the intense and radiant illumination of it all.

Holding up your hand like a visor is extra and unnecessary. Doing so simply leaves us in the pit of suffering.

Drop your hand.

That is all.