The Essence of Zen: Avoiding Picking and Choosing with "Verses on the Faith Mind"

Summary:

This video introduces "Verses on the Faith Mind" (Shin Jin Mei), a short but seminal Zen Buddhist text from 6th-century China. The speaker, a Zen priest, reflects on his journey from seeking grand insights as a young monk to valuing foundational teachings in daily life, calling the text his "Dharmic B12 shot". He shares how easily one can get distracted from simple truths amidst life's challenges. The core message from the first line, "The Great Way is not difficult, just avoid picking and choosing," is explored through various translations. This principle isn't about becoming passionless or devoid of preference, but about recognizing a deeper, unified truth that encompasses all opposites—friends and enemies, good and bad—without attachment. It's about making everything "your content," as his teacher taught, expanding one's mind to include all existence. This wisdom acts as a "North Star," guiding through confusion by encouraging a non-dualistic approach to life rather than getting lost in endless distinctions and opinions.

Introduction to "Verses on the Faith Mind" [0:00]

The speaker introduces a seminal Zen Buddhist text, "Verses on the Faith Mind," also known as Shin Jin Mei (Japanese) or Hsin-Hsin Ming (Chinese), written in 6th-century China. [0:00]
- This text is praised for its importance and conciseness, spanning only a few pages with approximately 580 Kanji characters. [0:13]

Personal Journey and the Need for Basic Teachings [0:46]

The speaker recounts his past as a young monk, focused on seeking profound, life-changing insights and "aha moments." [1:29]
He now realizes the ease with which he can lose track of fundamental Buddhist teachings amid daily struggles. [1:56]
He compares this realization to his 104-year-old teacher, who needed B12 shots to sustain energy during retreats, highlighting a personal need for "Dharmic B12" from the text. [0:50]

The Text and its Significance [1:29]

Historical Context and Importance [0:00]
- The "Verses on the Faith Mind" is presented as a crucial and beautiful text, frequently translated due to its profound yet comprehensible nature. [0:33]
Multiple Translations and the Core Message [4:26]
- The central teaching is summarized as "The Great Way is not difficult, just avoid picking and choosing." [4:26]
- Several translations of the opening lines are provided and compared:
  - Richard B. Clarke: "The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences." [7:12]
  - D.T. Suzuki: "The Perfect Way knows no difficulties, except that it refuses to make preferences." [7:59]
  - Sheng Yen: "The supreme way is not difficult, if only you do not pick and choose." [8:28]
  - R.H. Blyth: "There is nothing difficult about the Great Way, but avoid choosing." [8:16]
  - The speaker's preferred version is a synthesis: "The Great Way is not difficult, just avoid picking and choosing." [8:59]

Understanding "Avoid Picking and Choosing" [7:12]

The Nature of Preferences [7:12]
- Adults often possess numerous preferences and political opinions, unlike children who engage with the world more directly. [10:29]
- The constant act of "picking and choosing" creates an artificial division in reality. [10:38]
The "Big Mind" Concept [11:00]
- A monastic teacher once told the speaker that "your mind is also my mind," and it encompasses all beings, objects, life on Earth, and the cosmos. [11:00]
- The teaching advises that "when you're making up your mind, include everything," implying a vast, all-encompassing awareness. [11:57]
Embracing Contradictions [12:00]
- The Great Way is not "rocket science" and doesn't demand a flat, emotionless existence. [13:00]
- Instead, it suggests that a deeper truth holds both our preferences and those of others, encompassing friends, enemies, birth, and death. [14:00]

Relevance in Daily Life and Spiritual Practice [14:00]

Transcending Attachments to Opinions and Feelings [14:00]
- The teaching encourages not always believing our feelings or prejudices, nor feeling compelled to choose what is "good" and reject what is "bad." [14:00]
- This insight extends to political opinions and societal narratives, which, when clung to, can cause suffering. [16:47]
The Impermanence of Self and Perspectives [15:00]
- The speaker reflects on the impermanence of opinions, memories, and even one's identity, using his father's recent stroke as an example of drastic change. [17:52]
- This highlights that our seemingly solid personal frameworks are ultimately transient. [18:41]
Slowing Down and Internalizing Truths [16:00]
- True wisdom comes from slowing down and allowing truthful words to "brighten inside," rather than accumulating endless intellectual knowledge. [16:00]
- Like a flickering lamp that eventually turns on, profound understanding emerges through patient engagement with these core teachings. [16:04]

Conclusion: The North Star Teaching [18:00]

"The Great Way is not difficult or confusing or 'cray-cray'; it simply doesn't privilege, include, allow, or have to do with picking and choosing." [18:00]
This teaching acts as a "North Star," orienting individuals when they feel lost or swept up in dualistic thinking. [19:18]
It encourages including all experiences in one's awareness, embracing them without attachment, fostering inner strength and wisdom. [20:40]