Zen Koan – Cookies of Zen – No. 5 – Four-Line Verse

That one raises a sincere faith on the Four-Line Verse is not just a formal request for belief. Zen Verse:

Whatever has a form, as a whole, is all delusory. If you see all form as no-form directly you see the World-Honored.

If one could discern a core word out of this four-line verse, he would be the one who has really raised sincere faith. When the scripture said.

... already has planted every good root with unlimited millions of Buddhas ..., and ... it is for those who have set out in the Great Vehicle..., or ... it is for those who have set out in the utmost Vehicle...

They are referring to such a student who could discern this one word. What is the way to discern this one word? In order to do this, one should behold the moment before one thought arises! Simply reading and chanting this Verse and the essence of the scripture. If one practices good conduct, he could avoid the suffering of the three different karmic branches and gain the resultant superior karmic consequence, enjoying various pleasures in Heaven and in the human world. But if one raises sincere faith for even a short while, the virtue and merit will be immeasurably greater; as the scripture says:

If any good man will fill the three thousand great world systems with the seven precious treasures and use that to satisfactorily make an offering for all indigent beings, ... and would let all indigent beings in the world all together attain the four karmic fruits, then this merit and virtue would be immeasurable and illimitable, but still inferior to the virtue and merit of one who would hear and uphold the Four-Line Verse for even a second.

Therefore, this Law is the most respected and is superior to any virtue and merit. Nothing can be compared with this. A Verse said:

One thought from immaculate mind is the temple: Superior to the merit of erecting as many seven-jeweled stupas as the number of sands of the ever glowing Ganges River. Stupas will finally perish into dust. One thought from immaculate mind will accomplish the Great Enlightenment.

Bearing this in mind, the sincere mind cultivator must have faith in and continuously examine this word. One cannot expect liberation in the next life unless he liberates himself in this life; right now in this time! When this moment goes awry, it will hopelessly split into then million kalpas. Cultivating firmly today, although difficult, will become less difficult and will, with mastery, become more spontaneous.

People today starve themselves to death even though plenty of delicious dishes are before them! They get sick and die although a doctor is right before them! They would rather complain, "What should I do? What should I do?"

I would have to also respond, "What should I do?" Again, the Law-of-the-form-of-doing in the ordinary world can be seen, and the apparent consequences can be experienced. Everyone praises achievement saying it is rare and wonderful. Even though this teaching of "Mind-is-Buddha" cannot be seen and is immeasurable, its virtue and merit are inevitable.