Day 7 Mistaking One Mind for No Mind

The mirror of mind reflects without interference;
Its vastness and clarity radiate through countless worlds.
Various phenomena all manifest themselves;
To a perfectly illumined one there is neither inside nor outside.


The verses above describe the "no mind" state of Ch'an. If you still feel there is an inside and outside, it is not Ch'an. If you feel everything is within you, that is not Ch'an either. When the mind is not moving, it only appears that there is no mind, but this is not the case. When the mind is not moving, it is still focused on one thought. Therefore, it would be better to call the unmoving mind the "one mind" state. A person who reaches the point where the mind is not moving may feel as if he has no mind, but he is mistaken.

When only one thought remains, the movement of the mind is not noticeable. This is the "one mind" state. In the "no mind" state there is no discrimination ─ no inside or outside, no near or far, no good or bad. A person in the "no mind" state is aware of phenomena, but he is not attached to phenomena. If he were not aware that he was in a "no mind" state, then he would be a fool.