Original face

Original face is a term used in Zen - Buddhism , the Nonduality highlights of subject and object.

origin

The term "original face" comes from Huangpo's Chuanhsin fayao (8857) and the Hui-sin Edition (967) of Liuzu Tanjing ( Chinese 六祖壇經 , Pinyin Liùzǔ Tánjīng ):

"If you are not thinking of something good and something bad, at this moment, what is your original face?"

This question also appears in section (case) 23 of Wumenguan (Mumon Eka):

“ Eno , the sixth patriarch, was visited by the monk Emyo in Daiyurei. The patriarch, who saw Emyo coming, put the robe and bowl on a stone and said to him, “This robe is a sign of faith. Do you have to fight it with violence? Take these now. ”Emyo went to take bowls, but they were heavy as mountains. he couldn't move it. Hesitating and trembling, Emyo asked the Patriarch: “I come for the sake of the teaching, not for the sake of the garment. Please enlighten me! ”The Patriarch said,“ What is the original emyo (What is your real self?), If you do not think that this is good and also do not think that this is bad? “At that moment Emyo was violently aroused. His whole body was covered in sweat. Emyo screamed, bowed, and said, "Is there or is there no other (deeper) meaning (in Zen) than your secret words and teachings from the last moments?" The Patriarch replied, "What I told you is no secret. Once you have recognized your true self, the depth (of zen) is yours. "Emyo said," When I was at Obai with the other males, I never knew what my true self was. Now you have dispelled the clouds of my ignorance so that I can see, just like a man who is able to distinguish between hot and cold by testing water. From now on you are my teacher! ”The patriarch said,“ We both have Obai as teachers. Take care of yourself! "

Mumon's Comment: We have to say that the Sixth Patriarch was handling an emergency. This revelation, however, resembles the act of an overprotective grandmother who peeled a fresh lychee , removed the stone, and put it in her grandson's mouth so that she could swallow it right away.

You describe it for free,
you visualize it to no avail, you praise it to no avail, you stop worrying at all.
It is your true self, it can no longer hide.
Even if the universe is extinguished, it will not be destroyed. "

This kōan is included in the question:

"What did your face look like before your parents were born?"

Interpretations

The "original face" points to the "nonduality of subject and object" ":

“The phrase“ father and mother ”refers to duality. This is for people educated in the Chinese tradition, where so many philosophical thoughts are figuratively expressed through pairs of opposites. The phrase "your original face" refers to the original non-duality. "

Comparable meditation phrases are: "Look at the flower and the flower sees too"; "Swap guest and host".

It is not about "pure consciousness" as it is often understood in western thinking and which is achieved by "cleaning the doors of perception":

“If the gates of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, unlimited. Because man locks himself in until he sees all things through narrow slits in his cave. - William Blake "

“Pure consciousness without ideas, if such a thing could exist, it would be a booming, buzzing confusion, a sentient field of lightning bolts, unidentifiable sounds, unclear shapes, patches of color without meaning. That is not the consciousness of an enlightened Zen master. "

Comments

Some comments from Zen masters:

“'Sweep away thoughts!' means that one should practice zazen . Once the thoughts are calm, the Original Face appears. Thoughts can be compared to clouds. When clouds disappear, the moon appears. The moon of being is the original face. Thoughts are also like fog on a mirror. If you wipe off all the condensate, a mirror clearly reflects. Put your thoughts to rest and see your original face from before you were born! - Daito "

“End practices based
on intellectual understanding that
use words and
follow speaking.
Learn the backward
step that turns
your light inward
to illuminate.
Body and mind will
fall
away by themselves and your Original Face would manifest. - Dōgen "

“You cannot describe it or draw it,
you cannot praise it enough to recognize it.
No place can be found in which
The Original Face can be placed;
It won't go away even
if the universe is destroyed. - Mumon "

Artistic implementation

Philip Whalen

The American poet Philip Whalen wrote the Metaphysical Insomnia Jazz Mumonkan xxix , which refers to the Koan, and Keith Kumasen Abbott (Naropa University, Buddhist, Colorado ) commented on the poem.

Course I could go to sleep right here
With all the lights on & the radio going

(April is behind the refrigerator)

Far from the wicked city
Far from the virtuous town
I met my fragile Kitty
In her greeny silken gown

fairly near the summit of Nanga Parbat & back again, the wind
flapping the prayer flags

"IT IS THE WIND MOVING."
"IT IS THE FLAG MOVING."

Hypnotized by the windshield swipes, Mr. Harold Wood:
"Back & forth; back & forth."

We walked beside the moony lake
Eating dried apricots
Lemons bananas & bright wedding cake
& benefits forgot

"IT IS THE MIND MOVING."

& now I'm in my bed alone
Wide awake as any stone.

Transmission: Of course I could just sleep here
With all the lights on & the radio on

(April is behind the fridge)

Far from the depraved city
Far from the virtuous city
I met my fragile kitten
in her green silk dress

almost at the summit of Nanga Parbat & back again, the wind
waved the prayer flags

"IT'S THE WIND MOVING."
"IT'S MOVING THE FLAG."

Hypnotized by the wipers, Mr. Harold Wood:
"There & back; there & back."

We strolled on the shores of the moonlit lake,
ate dried apricots,
lemons, bananas & sparkling wedding cakes
& forgotten benefits.

"IT'S THE MIND."

& now I am
wide awake in my bed alone like some stone.

Stuart Davis

The American Buddhist and musician Stuart Davis recorded the song "Original Face". There the chorus is:


There's a light bulb in everyone bright enough to swallow the sun, every mask will be erased, there is just the original face.	Transfer: There is an incandescent lamp in every bright enough to devour the sun, Every mask is extinguished, There is only the original face.

Individual evidence

↑ Hori 2000: 289.
^ Red Pine 2008: 120.
↑ When you're not thinking of anything good and anything bad, at that moment, what is your original face? Red Pine 2008: 120.
^ Eno, the sixth patriarch, was pursued by Monk Emyo up to Daiyurei. The patriarch, seeing Emyo coming, laid the robe and the bowl on a rock, and said to him, "This robe represents the faith. Is it to be fought for by force? You may take them now." Emyo went to move the bowl and the robe and yet they were as heavy as mountains. He could not move them. Hesitating and trembling, Emyo asked the patriarch, "I come for the teaching, not for the robe. Please enlighten me!" The patriarch said, "What is primordially Emyo (ie, your true self), if you do not think this is good nor do you think this is evil?" At that moment Emyo was greatly awakened. His whole body was covered with sweat. Emyo cried, bowed, and said, "Is there or is there not any other (deep) significance (in Zen) than your secret words and teachings a minute ago?" The patriarch answered, "What I have told you is no secret at all. Once you have realized your own true self, the depth (in Zen) rather belongs to you!" Emyo said, "When I was at Obai with the other monks, I never realized what my true self was. Now you have dispersed the clouds of my ignorance to realize it, just like a man capable of discerning warm and cold by tasting water. From now on you are my teacher! " The patriarch said, "We both have Obai for our teacher. Guard your own self!" Mumon's Comments: We should say that the sixth patriarch was in an emergency. This revelation of his, however, resembles the deed of an overly protective grandmother, who peeled a fresh lichi (a dessert fruit), removed its stone and put it to her grandchild's mouth ready for him to swallow. You describe it in vain, you picture it to no avail,
Praising it is useless, cease to worry about it at all.
It is your true self, it has nowhere to hide,
Even if the universe is annihilated, it is not destroyed. CASE 23. ENO'S GOOD AND EVIL. - Shimomissé 1998.
↑ What did your face look like before your parents were born?
↑ Hori 2000: 289.
↑ [T] the phrase "father and mother" alludes to duality. This is obvious to someone versed in the Chinese tradition, where so much philosophical thought is presented in the imagery of paired opposites. The phrase "your original face" alludes to the original nonduality.Hori | 2000: 289-290.
^ Hori | 2000: 289.
↑ Hori 2000: 282-286.
↑ "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thru 'narrow chinks of his cavern." William Blake Quote DB .
↑ pure consciousness without concepts, if there could be such a thing, would be a booming, buzzing confusion, a sensory field of flashes of light, unidentifiable sounds, ambiguous shapes, color patches without significance. This is not the consciousness of the enlightened Zen master. Hori 2000: 284.
↑ "Sweep away thoughts!" means one must do zazen. Once thoughts are quieted, the original face appears. Thoughts can be compared to clouds. When clouds vanish, the moon appears. The moon of suchness is the original face. Thoughts are also like the fogging of a mirror. When you wipe away all condensation, a mirror reflects clearly. Quiet your thoughts and behold your original face before you were born! - Daito.
^ Cease practice based / On intellectual understanding, / Pursuing words and / Following after speech. / Learn the backward / Step that turns / Your light inward / To illuminate within. / Body and mind of themselves / Will drop away / And your original face will be manifest. - Doge.
↑ You cannot describe it or draw it, / You cannot praise it enough or perceive it. / No place can be found in which / To put the original face; / It will not disappear even / When the universe is destroyed. - Mumon.
↑ Falk 2009.
↑ Keith Kumasen Abbott: Satori Kitty Roshi Style (Or, Enlightenment Practices For Stones). A Commentary on Philip Whalen's "Metaphysical Insomnia Jazz Mumonkan xxix".

swell

Jane Falk: Finger Pointing at the Moon. Zen and the Poetry of Philip Whalen. In: John Whalen-Bridge: The Emergence of Buddhist American Literature. SUNY Press 2009.
Victor Sogen Hori: Koan and Kensho in the Rinzai Zen Curriculum. In: Steven Hein, Dale S. Wright (eds.): The Koan. Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2000.
Red Pine: The Platform Sutra: The Zen Teaching of Hui-neng. Counterpoint Press 2008.
Eiichi Shimomissé: The Gateless Gate. 1998.

Web links

TriCycle, Green Koans case 12: Original Face "

[1] Hori 2000: 289.

[2] Red Pine 2008: 120.

[3] When you're not thinking of anything good and anything bad, at that moment, what is your original face? Red Pine 2008: 120.

[4] Eno, the sixth patriarch, was pursued by Monk Emyo up to Daiyurei. The patriarch, seeing Emyo coming, laid the robe and the bowl on a rock, and said to him, "This robe represents the faith. Is it to be fought for by force? You may take them now." Emyo went to move the bowl and the robe and yet they were as heavy as mountains. He could not move them. Hesitating and trembling, Emyo asked the patriarch, "I come for the teaching, not for the robe. Please enlighten me!" The patriarch said, "What is primordially Emyo (ie, your true self), if you do not think this is good nor do you think this is evil?" At that moment Emyo was greatly awakened. His whole body was covered with sweat. Emyo cried, bowed, and said, "Is there or is there not any other (deep) significance (in Zen) than your secret words and teachings a minute ago?" The patriarch answered, "What I have told you is no secret at all. Once you have realized your own true self, the depth (in Zen) rather belongs to you!" Emyo said, "When I was at Obai with the other monks, I never realized what my true self was. Now you have dispersed the clouds of my ignorance to realize it, just like a man capable of discerning warm and cold by tasting water. From now on you are my teacher! " The patriarch said, "We both have Obai for our teacher. Guard your own self!" Mumon's Comments: We should say that the sixth patriarch was in an emergency. This revelation of his, however, resembles the deed of an overly protective grandmother, who peeled a fresh lichi (a dessert fruit), removed its stone and put it to her grandchild's mouth ready for him to swallow. You describe it in vain, you picture it to no avail,
Praising it is useless, cease to worry about it at all.
It is your true self, it has nowhere to hide,
Even if the universe is annihilated, it is not destroyed. CASE 23. ENO'S GOOD AND EVIL. - Shimomissé 1998.

[5] What did your face look like before your parents were born?

[6] Hori 2000: 289.

[7] [T] the phrase "father and mother" alludes to duality. This is obvious to someone versed in the Chinese tradition, where so much philosophical thought is presented in the imagery of paired opposites. The phrase "your original face" alludes to the original nonduality.Hori | 2000: 289-290.

[8] Hori | 2000: 289.

[9] Hori 2000: 282-286.

[10] "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thru 'narrow chinks of his cavern." William Blake Quote DB .

[11] ure consciousness without concepts, if there could be such a thing, would be a booming, buzzing confusion, a sensory field of flashes of light, unidentifiable sounds, ambiguous shapes, color patches without significance. This is not the consciousness of the enlightened Zen master. Hori 2000: 284.

[12] "Sweep away thoughts!" means one must do zazen. Once thoughts are quieted, the original face appears. Thoughts can be compared to clouds. When clouds vanish, the moon appears. The moon of suchness is the original face. Thoughts are also like the fogging of a mirror. When you wipe away all condensation, a mirror reflects clearly. Quiet your thoughts and behold your original face before you were born! - Daito.

[13] Cease practice based / On intellectual understanding, / Pursuing words and / Following after speech. / Learn the backward / Step that turns / Your light inward / To illuminate within. / Body and mind of themselves / Will drop away / And your original face will be manifest. - Doge.

[14] You cannot describe it or draw it, / You cannot praise it enough or perceive it. / No place can be found in which / To put the original face; / It will not disappear even / When the universe is destroyed. - Mumon.

[15] Falk 2009.

[16] Keith Kumasen Abbott: Satori Kitty Roshi Style (Or, Enlightenment Practices For Stones). A Commentary on Philip Whalen's "Metaphysical Insomnia Jazz Mumonkan xxix".