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The Sutra of Hui-Neng - Cities and castles
Identifier
004331
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
The Sutra of Hui-Neng – Grand Master of Zen [translated by Thomas Cleary]
The physical body of a human being is a city. The eyes, ears, nose and tongue are gates. There are five outer gates and one inner gate, the gate of the consciousness. Mind is the ground, nature is the ruler.
The ruler lives on the ground of the mind. As long as essential nature is there, the ruler is there; when nature is gone, the ruler is not there. When essential nature is there, body and mind exist; when essential nature is gone, the body decomposes