A perception, sudden as blinking, that subject and object are one, will lead to a deeply mysterious understanding; and by this understanding you will awaken to the truth.
Huangbo XiyunRead
Not till your thoughts cease all their branching here and there, not till you abandon all thoughts of seeking for something, not till your mind is motionless as wood or stone, will you be on the right road to the Gate.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True understanding comes when the mind is still and free from distractions.
This quote emphasizes the importance of stillness and concentration in achieving clarity of thought and spiritual insight. It suggests that in our chaotic pursuit of knowledge and experiences, we often lose sight of what truly matters; only by quieting our minds can we find the path to deeper understanding and enlightenment.
Themes
StillnessThoughtsUnderstandingMindfulnessEnlightenment
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation session, you could share this quote to emphasize the need for stillness of the mind.
More from Huangbo Xiyun
All quotes →...Therefore it is said: 'The perception of a phenomenon IS the perception of the Universal Nature, since phenomena and Mind are one and the same.'
Huangbo XiyunRead
The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered his real nature, how can there be anywhere or anything separate from it?... ...Therefore it is said: 'The perception of a phenomenon IS the perception of the Universal Nature, since phenomena and Mind are one and the same.'
Huangbo XiyunRead
Our original nature is...void, omnipresent, silent, pure; it is glorious and mysterious peaceful joy - and that is all. Enter deeply into it by awakening yourself.
Huangbo XiyunRead
On seeing one thing, you see all things. On perceiving an individual's mind, you perceive all mind. Glimpse one truth, and all truth is present in your vision, for there is nowhere at all that is devoid of the Truth.
Huangbo XiyunRead
People are scared to empty their minds_x000D_ _x000D_ fearing that they will be engulfed by the void._x000D_ _x000D_ What they don't realize is that_x000D_ _x000D_ their own mind is the void.
Huangbo XiyunRead
Similar quotes
Groups create supernatural beings not to explain the universe but to order their societies.
Jonathan HaidtRead
There comes a moment when the things one has written, even a traveler's memories, stand up and demand a justification. They require an explanation. They query, 'Who am I? What is my name? Why am I here?
Anne Morrow LindberghRead
Consciousness ... is the phenomenon whereby the universe's very existence is made known.
Roger PenroseRead
In our world of sleek flesh and collagen, botox and liposuction, what we most fear is the dissolution of the body-mind, the death of the brain.
A. S. ByattRead
In fighting terror, you cannot let it interfere with the normal life of civilians in Israel.
Yitzhak RabinRead
Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit.
Philip PullmanRead