of  Taoism.  The  use  of  the  qualifying  term  wu

　　   fulfills  the same  function  for hsin  that Lao Tzu

　　   accomplishes  for wei.  That is, rather than being a

　　   denial  or negation, it represents  a more  profound

　　   transcendence.   Your  original   nature  is  always

　　   present, like enlightenment;  it is tzu-jan, natural

　　   spontaneity.  The subtle change of focus wrought  by

　　   Hui-neng  moves  us  from  the  Taoist  emphasis  on

　　   methodology  (wu-wei  as non-interference  with  the

　　   working  of Tao) to existential  awareness, which is

　　   more appropriate  to Buddhism.

　　　　  Hsin represents  not simply  one's  intellectual

　　   center, but the way of dealing  with the world  that

　　   relies on consciousness  and the comparatively  weak

　　   tools  of  language   and  logic.   When  these  are

　　   recognized  as a potential  trap, one  is led to the

　　   second  stage of denial, pu-hsin, really a denial of

　　   our self-restriction  to consciousness.  However, it

　　   is impossible do this literally. Instead, we need to

　　   cultivate  the mind of no-mind  at the third  level,

　　   which is the Buddha mind. What we must rid ourselves

　　   of  is  not  sin,  but   attachment   to  artificial

　　   limitations. In a sense, then, we are excavating the

　　   underlying foundation. It is a kind of homecoming, a

　　   return to Tao, a return to one's original mind. This

　　   also grows out of the transmission Hui-neng received

　　   from the Fifth Patriarch  to avoid attachment, which

　　   Hui-neng further developed as non-abiding  (wu-chu).

　　   This  translates  into an avoidance  of fixation  on

　　   concepts, words, or doctrines, whether positively or

　　   negatively propounded.  It constitutes teaching  by

　　   non-teaching, which thus avoids  both the dependency

　　   of the first level (Great Faith) and the more subtle

　　   dependency on independence (Great Doubt).  So it has

　　   been said, "the Buddha taught for forty-nine  years,

　　   but no word was spoken."

　　   ────────────

　　   (39) As  quoted  by  Wu, p.81.  wo-lun's  poem, also

　　　　   cited  by Wu, was:

　　　　   Wo-lun  possesses  a special aptitude:

　　　　   He can cut off all thoughts.

　　　　   No situation can stir his mind.

　　　　   The Bodhi tree grows daily in him.

　　　　　　　　　　　　  P.367

　　   Ch'an Master Pai-chang Huai-hai