The Old Monk Beyond Understanding

Zhaozhou once expounded: "Attaining the true Way is not difficult; the only obstacle is discrimination. As soon as there is language, there is discrimination, there is understanding. This old monk is not within this understanding." The first two lines originate from the teachings of the Third Patriarch of Chan, meaning that realizing the fundamental Way is not hard; the true peril lies in mistaking the conscious mind—capable of thinking, choosing, analyzing, judging, reasoning, recognizing, and other mental activities—for the true Way. Doing so is to move in the opposite direction, for these mental activities are contrary to the Way. Such activities are not in accord with the primordial awareness of the true Way. The self-nature of primordial awareness does not discriminate, does not make choices, does not analyze, does not judge, and is devoid of thought. The eighth consciousness, primordial awareness, lacks these mental activities. If such activities arise, they are invariably the work of the conscious mind, not primordial awareness.

Zhaozhou provided this commentary: "As soon as language, words, or internal thoughts arise, this is discrimination, this is understanding. I, this old monk, am fundamentally not within this understanding." Zhaozhou meant that the eighth consciousness, primordial awareness, has no language, does not speak, does not engage in thought, analysis, or judgment, does not discriminate anything, and does not understand or perceive any of the six dust realms. This quality of understanding and knowing belongs to the conscious mind; it is not the true me, Zhaozhou.