..續本文上一頁 and Mahāyāna Buddhists. For Hinayāna Buddhists, the lower powers of mind are hindrances to the attainment of the sixth power of mind. But to the Mahāyāna Buddhist, when you see or hear or think, it may be done in the sixth way. For the Hinayāna the lower faculties are obstacles and the seat of evil desires; they tend to take an annihilistic attitude with regard to them. The Mahāyāna attitude is more positive and not so strict in the physical sense. But with regard to the idea of self, Mahāyāna is more strict than Hinayāna. The sixth power is emancipation from all ideas of self; to perceive in the sixth way is to see or hear or think, but not from an egoistic or self-centered point of view. To have any idea of self involved in your perception is to be prey to evil desires; what you then perceive is not reality and you can have no true understanding of human nature or sentient beings.

　　There is an old Chinese story which illustrates the power of mind or understanding when one is truly free from any idea of self. A famous old Zen master, Esan was taking a nap, his face to the wall. His disciple, seeing that he was asleep, passed by very quietly to avoid awakening him. But Esan turned over and soon awoke. His disciple said: “Oh, did I disturb you

　　 Why not sleep some more.” But Esan only answered: “I had a wonderful sleep and dream; do you know what it was

　　” His disciple at these words, left the room without replying and came back with a basin of fresh water and a towel. Esan washed his face saying: “That”s wonderful!” Then a second disciple came into the room. Esan asked him the same question: “I had a good sleep and a wonderful dream; can you tell me what my dream was

　　” The second disciple left the room and came back with a cup of fresh tea! Esan was delighted with his two disciples. He said: “Why, my two disciples are even better than Sariputra!” (Sariputra was one of Buddha”s first disciples, a disciple of great Mahayana spirit, the one whom Buddha addresses the Prajna Paramita Sutra.)

　　This story has deep meaning. Most people want to help others and try very hard. But it may be quite difficult to know how to help people. In order to help another it may be necessary truly to understand him. For this, the sixth power of mind, or absence of any idea of self is necessary. Our Traditional Way transmitted from the Patriarchs is the way of the sixth power of mind. When you are one with what you are doing, there is no idea of self. The transmitted way of practice is to become one with what you are doing, and to practice without cessation to express this oneness. To do something is to help others, and at the same time to help yourself. When you sleep you help yourself, and you help others too. When you take a cup of tea, you help others and you help yourself. Even if you sit alone in the zendo (meditation hall, you are helping others. And even if you do something quite different, you are sitting in the meditation hall. Practice is one. It is continuous and uninterrupted; there should be no discrimination of activities. Your attitude when helping yourself should be the same as when you help others. You are all quite sincere when you are helping yourselves; how about when you are helping others

　　 We find it easy to want to help those we like.

　　So practice is not just to come to the zendo and sit in meditation posture; it is everything you do in your everyday life. It is, for example, to anticipate the wish of someone and bring a bowl of water, if such an activity be done with true zazen spirit (without thought of self). If your attitude is right, when you help another, you help yourself and vice versa. Sitting in zazen is the easiest, safest way to help yourself and others. It may be pretty hard to help…

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