Verses1
A kind of peace
Insert to the end
When the heart serene in the unit,
duality disappears spontaneously.
When we drop ourselves into the serene confidence of the heart, We dwell naturally in the serenity of Samadhi2. This is the state we cultivate during the practice of zazen3.
But, How can we move this serenity to our daily lives, immersed in agitation, anxiety and constant stress that drags us? This state of agitation completely takes us away from our original nature, of our genuine serenity. Normally, We only managed to temporarily anesthetize through ephemeral distractions that act as imperfect substitutes for true calm.
Dwelling in the unit requires finding and maintaining the balance between opposites. It is through the practice of the medium road, that transcends and covers these apparent opposites, as we achieve a state of balance and deep tranquility.
When we immerse ourselves in the serenity of the unit, duality - that constant sway between the right and wrong, pleasure and pain, desire and rejection - begins to dissolve naturally. It is not something we need to force; There is no conscious fight to eliminate opposites. Simply, When resting in the unit, The mind stops fragmenting reality in conflicting parts. The duality disappears spontaneously because we stop clinging to it. instead, What arises is a unified perception, where apparent opposites are integrated more vast.
Over time, By submerging us repeatedly in this serene unit, zazen after zazen, day after day, A more spontaneous and natural way to face everyday life begins to emerge in us. We carry out our daily activities like any other human being, But with a calm background, lucid and serene, that permeates all our actions. This silent serenity fund accompanies us and holds, offering us a safe port in the middle of the turbulence of the outside world.
- From the work Xìn Xīn Míng Song to the Heart of Trust, of the third Chan ancestor Jianzhi Sengcan.
Translation and comments by Dokushô Villalba.
Editions i, 2008. [↩] - State of deep meditative concentration in which the mind becomes completely unified and quiet, ceasing to be dispersed or distracted. In this state, the sense of separation between the subject and the object disappears, and the practitioner experiences a complete absorption in the present experience, Transcending duality. [↩]
- Sedient meditation [↩]