Things as They Are

Yutang Lin

"dharma as such" or "things as such" refers to
The original state of all things as they are
So that is what we directly experienced
        Without adding artificial distinctions and choices

In the state of things as they are
All are beyond grasping in anyway
And incessantly flowing away
Beyond distinctions and choices
        Thus it is called "originally pure"
            Without distinction of being pure or impure
All are unified into one boundless totality

"dharma as such" is originally thus
It is beyond practice and attainment
If one tries to return to original purity through "practicing"
The only shortcut would be
Willingly accepts everything and be content with whatever that comes
In this way all ideas of discrimination will wither and become extinct
And one would readily return to the emancipation of things as such

Practices of great wisdom seem like those of great folly

 

Written in Chinese and translated on December 15, 2010