Without Desire and Attachment, the Heart of Entering the Path

No seeking, no attachment, the heart of entering the Way.

Question: How can I recognize my true heart? Is it by reciting mantras, chanting scriptures, or meditating?

The true heart is something everyone possesses; it is not cultivated by oneself nor created by oneself. It is crystal clear, pure and natural. We use it in the day and at night; we use it in the light and in the dark. The reason we do not recognize it is that our hearts are constantly seeking external conditions. If one can cease this outward seeking of the heart, then given time, it would be strange not to recognize this heart.

Therefore, it is said that for those who wish to attain Buddhahood through learning the Way, there is no need to learn all Buddhist teachings; one only needs to learn to be without seeking and without attachment. Without seeking means that the heart does not generate distractions; if the heart does not generate distractions, then there will be no delusive thoughts or worldly dust to carry you away. If you do not get carried away and do not stray from your true self, then you have a chance to approach your original face; without attachment means that the heart does not dwell on objects or on thoughts about the heart itself. When the heart does not dwell on objects or thoughts about itself, there will be freedom to observe and reflect, providing further opportunity to turn back and see your original face.

If the heart has desires, it is like a hunter desperately chasing after prey; its mind becomes deeply attracted to that prey and thus has no chance to turn back and reflect on itself. If there are attachments in the heart, then its limbs are like a monkey’s hands stuck in tar—therefore it has no opportunity to escape back home. Thus for practitioners of Zen, the key point in recognizing one’s true heart is: no seeking and no attachment. To be free of seeking and attachment means walking towards enlightenment; otherwise, one walks within the six realms of existence.

On ordinary days, great virtuous teachers instruct people on reciting mantras, chanting scriptures, meditating—various skillful means—all aimed at calming the mind. If one can calm their mind until ultimate stillness is achieved, then even reciting mantras or chanting scriptures becomes unnecessary; at that point what purpose would there be in failing to recognize one’s true heart? Without awakening one’s true heart makes attainment impossible. As long as your mind still seeks something or desires something—so long as your mind still clings to something—then you will miss encountering your true self face-to-face.

Therefore those who chant scriptures or hold mantras or meditate do so through these actions as a way to calm their minds. But they should practice being without seeking and without attachment. To be without seeking and without attachment means having no thoughts at this moment; if one can have no thoughts at this moment they can connect with their source of consciousness and recognize their true heart—meeting with Buddha directly. If not so, pursuing outwardly leads one through countless lifetimes of wasted effort; day after day guarding Buddha yet remaining unrelated to Buddha’s essence. Thus practitioners should focus on calming their minds; when the mind calms down its clarity will naturally emerge. If the mind does not calm down it remains trapped in illusions—even while sitting upon one’s true heart they will never come to know it.

Practitioners from all directions who are free from seeking and attachment draw closer to enlightenment; those with desires and attachments walk away from it instead. Those who are free from seeking and attachment also do not cling even to notions of being free from seeking or attachment; if they cling again they become seekers with attachments once more. The meaning of being free from seeking and attachment is subtle beyond comprehension—it can only be experienced but cannot be fully articulated in words. For practitioners who truly achieve being free from both notions of desire or clinging—they themselves become Buddhas too—with nothing else distinguishing them as separate Buddhas. This very state of being free from desire and clinging is indeed our true Buddha nature—the source of our inherent essence.

Being free from desire and clinging reveals essential insights into clarity—the common practice among many practitioners involves reciting scriptures, meditating, holding mantras—all various skillful methods—but they should focus on experiencing this realization practically. If one can hit upon this intent with pure effort while cultivating awareness proficiently—the flowers will bloom—the Buddha will manifest—and within a realm beyond birth there lies freedom for all encounters with truth awaiting you! The original state of our true hearts is indeed devoid of desire or clinging—but achieving such a state aligns perfectly with our original hearts’ nature! Those who understand their own hearts clearly see their own nature while those who perceive their nature see into reality itself! To illuminate one’s own understanding requires being free from desire and clinging—it serves as both path method as well as key insight!

A mole only needs refrain from poking its head out of its burrow—it thus has an opportunity for knowing what happens inside its home—as long as it doesn’t venture outside wandering aimlessly—it won’t get turned around by external things! My mind resembles that mole—my sincere intentions akin unto its burrow—therefore don’t seek outwardly nor wander outside! Linger patiently near your burrow hoping soon enough you’ll turn back! Waves need only refrain from jumping out into open sea looking around aimlessly—a single thought calming down returns them back into vast ocean depths! A practitioner must simply avoid generating new thoughts within themselves—if they remain thought-free right now—they may connect seamlessly with their source essence! Those who seek nothing generate no new thoughts while those unattached pursue nothing further—they neither generate nor pursue thoughts thus embodying emptiness—and such emptiness resonates harmoniously with our truest selves!

You are indeed your own true self—seeking leads only ever further away—returning brings realization immediately! Do not create anything but rather calm your mind until you see clearly! Looking around aimlessly causes loss—you must realize that being free from desire or clinging embodies truth itself! Should people recognize their innate hearts—they would return during every action whether standing sitting lying down searching inwardly once more! Although our original hearts seem like some divine object—we search far across horizons yet fail seeing them directly before us! Ancient Buddhas say: “To conceptualize about ‘the Heart’ creates divergence—to entertain any thought leads us astray”—and indeed so! The truth lies already upon oxen’s backs—why seek further for oxen? Riding an ox searching for an ox seems utterly ridiculous!

Whether meditating chanting scriptures holding mantras—all these forms serve merely like vehicles aiming towards enlightenment—the key lies within ourselves—not merely reliant upon vehicles alone! Traveling towards Buddha’s realm differs greatly compared against worldly paths—we must rely upon good vehicles aiming swiftly onward instead—but when pursuing liberation toward Buddha’s realm—it solely depends upon heartfelt actions—not relying on anything else whatsoever! Thus regardless whatever methods employed—we must apply effort focused inwardly—not externally directed toward objects alone! Reciting mantras chanting scriptures meditating merely represent shells—we mustn’t forget souls residing within those shells—that’s where our hearts lie!

Humanity’s innate hearts remain inexhaustible boundless forever pure while utilizing them unceasingly called ‘without desires’ allowing them unencumbered existence naturally arising therein devoid artificiality whatsoever—inherent qualities reflect naturalness rather than contrived efforts made deliberately however achieving such effortless states aligns harmoniously alongside other sages’ minds too—to understand one’s own innate essence requires first exploring others’ actions embodying genuine absence thereof!

by – Taiwan Wu Wei Tathagata Ya Great Perfection Zen Meditation Center