Lectures on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (208)

The afflictions in our minds are extremely deep and heavy, and their number is immense, making them very hard to eliminate. Yet in truth, if we say it is hard, it is not really hard: as long as we practice with courage and diligence, the afflictions will melt away like snow beneath the rising sun. So whether it is difficult or easy depends entirely on one's own mind. Take, for example, how those who have awakened to the Way describe the difficulty or ease of Chan enlightenment. Pang Yun said: 难难难，十担麻油树上摊 (Awakening through Chan investigation is as difficult as spreading ten loads of sesame seeds out on a tree)! Then Old Lady Pang said: 易易易，百草头上西来意！Lingzhao: 也不难，也不易，饥来吃饭倦来眠。The three of them had three different feelings about enlightenment, three different perspectives. This shows that the difficulty or ease of all dharmas lies in the person—in the sharpness or dullness of one's faculties. Difficulty and ease are relative dharmas, false appearances; there is no real difficulty or ease that exists.