Going Through the Mystery 30: Why am I like this?

Greetings! For my update this month, I'll offer you this short video of chapter 30 in Going Through the Mystery. I'll also be offering a book launch dharma talk this Sunday at 10amCT. If you'd like to come, let me know and I'll share the information with you.

This is one of the shortest chapters in the text and selected in part for recording for that reason! I'll post the question and the verse below. I also read my comments in the recording.

A student is going to be adding headers and footers to a few of these recordings. I'm sharing this, though, before they get to it - so the uncut version!

Why am I like this?

Yuantong asked: “Although this is the Way of becoming Buddha, I’m reluctant to discard the gate of karma. Can you explain why I’m like this?”

Wansong replied: “On the contrary, one skewer pierces through.”

Linquan’s Verse

On the contrary, one skewer pierces through

Many drop the search

Subtle, subtle thinking

Sincerely, sincerely discerning transcendence

Conjecture!

The jackdaw is exactly black; the crane is exactly white