The face you had before you were born | Huineng's question and the answer

As the fifth founding master of Zen passed the robe onto his successor he declared, "Now leave this place as quickly as you can, lest someone should do you harm."

An illiterate young man, outside of the hierarchy of monks at the monastery, had just been chosen as the Sixth Patriarch of Chan — Zen Buddhism. And as to why, we covered that in the last video.

We now continue this tale where it reaches its second climax, in what is perhaps the most direct and most powerful pointer in Zen Buddhism, or any other wisdom teachings for that matter.

We begin here with Master Hung-jen's parting words to Master Huineng.

"Beginning from you the Dhyana School will become very popular. Three years after your departure from me I shall leave this world. You may start on your journey now. Go as fast as you can towards the South.

Do not preach too soon, as Buddhism is not so easily spread."

After saying goodbye, I left him and walked towards the south. In about two months time, I reached the Ta Yu mountain. There I noticed that several hundred men were in pursuit of me with the intention of robbing me of my robe and begging bowl.

Among them was a monk named Hui Ming, whose lay surname was Ch'en. He was a general of the fourth rank in lay life. His manner was rough and his temper hot. Of all the pursuers, he was the most vigilant in search of me.

When he was about to overtake me, I threw the robe and begging bowl on a rock saying, "This robe is nothing but a symbol. What is the use of taking it away by force?"

I then hid myself.

When he got to the rock, he tried to pick them up, but found he could not. Then he shouted out, "Lay brother, lay brother, (for the patriarch had not yet formally joined the order) I come for the Dharma, not for the robe."

Whereupon I came out from my hiding place and squatted on the rock. He made obesience and said, "Lay brother, preach to me, please."

"Since the object of your coming is the Dharma," said I, "refrain from thinking of anything and keep your mind blank. I will then teach you."

When he had done this for a considerable time, I said, "When you are thinking of neither good nor evil, what is at that particular moment, Venerable Sir, your real nature (literally, original face)?"

When you are thinking of neither good nor evil, what is at that particular moment your real nature, your original face?

Over the years this pointer has transformed into various versions.

The one I found most powerful is this one:

What is your original face, the face you had before you were born?

Before even your parents were born.

And at the same time, in this very moment, what is your original face?

As soon as he heard this he at once became enlightened. But he further asked, "Apart from the those esoteric sayings and esoteric ideas handed down by Patriarch from generation to generation, are there any other esoteric teachings?"

"What I can tell you is not esoteric," I replied. "If you turn your light inwardly, you will find what is esoteric within you."

"In spite of my staying in Huang Mei," said he, "I did not realize my self-nature. Now, thanks to your guidance, I know it as a water drinker knows how hot or cold the water is. Lay brother, you are now my teacher."

I replied, "If that is so, then you and I are fellow disciples of the Fifth Patriarch. Take good care of yourself."

In answering his question whither he should go thereafter, I told him to stop at Yuan and take up his abode in Meng. He paid homage and departed.

Let us now contemplate this Koan.

When you are thinking of neither good nor evil, At that particular moment what is your real nature; your true nature; your original face?

Have you noticed how you stare at your eyes in the mirror?

What do you expect to see in there when you are the one looking?

You're exactly in the opposite direction.

There's nothing special behind those eyes.

But there's something to be found here, right at the end of the world.

Deep in the human psyche is this idea of reaching that end. Men cross seas to find that edge, spiritual seekers spend decades trying to get to the 'end of the path'.

But all the time, the end of the world is not out there, but right here!

Where you are looking from.

Your original face is not the one you see in the mirror, or the one I can see, or anyone else can see.

It is this face that you're looking out of.

This is your original face without any trace of deformity, or scarring, or aging.

Just pristine and perfect.

This has been your true face since the day you were born.

And with which you will see this life end.

This is your original face from before you were even born.

If you imagine any other birth; another life, another world, where could it appear but here?

This is what is called Aware-ness.

The pure, infinite capacity to sense and perceive.

Formless, yet more solid than granite.

More real than any possible understanding or truth.

This is the Understanding and the Truth.

Not in words or in the mind, but the Truth in itself.

As an undeniable, self-evident fact.

Your original face is not the one you see in the mirror, or the one I can see, or anyone else can see.

It is this face that you're looking out of.

Pristine, ageless, and perfect.

Once you know this Truth, can you live life as a meek thing searching for something?

Needing to realize or attain, or be enlightened or saved?

No.

When the mind and the world tire you, just look from this original face.

From here, what is all this?

What are all these sentient beings?

They look as much like you than if they were your identical twins.

Because now you don't see their external appearance, the masks they wear.

You can see through to that original face.

Which is your face.

This is all just the experience of different bodies, different points in space and time.

But from the same timeless face.

So, here you are face to face, eyebrow to eyebrow, with all the Buddhas and the Patriarchs.

So close that the eyebrows have merged and only this original face remains.

What does it matter which image is being held up in front of the face?

What does it matter which world is being seen?

This is the face that contains the world.

All worlds.

Right now, and before you were even born.

Primordial and pristine.

When experience first appears; when consciousness appears, with what do you witness its appearance?

That is truly You.

And that is, ultimately, all that is real.

Reality.

This is your original face; the Essence of Mind, the Buddha nature, that is the truth underlying the idea of these separate sentient beings, these separate selves.

This is that original state which was present before you came to know of your own existence.

And this original state is present even now.

It hasn't disappeared.

All knowledge, all that is known, has appeared upon this Absolute State.

It is a superimposition.

But that original state is present even now.

As this Aware-ness.

As this state of being aware.

As that undisturbed peace that is always there to be felt when you aren't concerned with the world. When you see it as just what has appeared later, in front of your original face, for just a fleeting moment.

And just so should you view this fleeting world, looking upon it from your original face:

"As a star at dawn,

A bubble in a stream,

A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,

A flickering lamp,

A phantom and a dream."

So, consider for yourself:

What is your original face, the face you had before you were born?

When you are thinking of neither good nor evil, At that particular moment, what is your true nature, your original face?