| The Sutra of Hui Neng said that, | | | | "The methods of government of Emperor Wen and |
| "Since time immemorial, it has been the practice for | | | | Emperor Wu are displayed on wooden or bamboo |
| one Buddha to pass on the original truth to his chosen | | | | slats. While the emperors lived, their empires flourished |
| successor, and from one patriarch to another to | | | | but after their deaths, even though their written |
| transmit the awareness of the original heart." | | | | instructions on the tablets remained, their style of |
| This transmission was accomplished without words. It | | | | government was abandoned." |
| was the teaching that went directly from heart to | | | | This is the example of how written words may not be |
| heart. What was passed down from one generation | | | | followed or failed when their essence is not |
| to the next was the heart teaching, the direct link | | | | comprehended. |
| between human nature and divine essence. This | | | | The world is now very different in physical terms |
| teaching enabled the past saints and sages to see | | | | especially the highly efficient communication technology |
| beyond forms and made it possible for them to | | | | and travel. Spiritually the conditions too have changed. |
| perceive with perfect clarity, no confusion, contradiction | | | | There are also many people who have turned away |
| or conflict. They were then able to practise the truth | | | | from the pursuit of material wealth to cultivate their |
| with righteousness and spread the knowledge of truth | | | | lives. It is the time for the heart teaching to be spread |
| widely. | | | | to all people because the time has ripen for the |
| The heart teaching is simple but yet not easy to | | | | Heavenly Tao to be brought to the world. Those with |
| absorb or be enlightened unless one is very wise. It is a | | | | affinity will encounter the Heavenly Tao and this is the |
| teaching of the essence of the truth and by putting it | | | | saying of my Heavenly Teacher JiGong: |
| into practice in daily life; one will ensure complete | | | | "The Tao of Heaven is very precious. A year passes |
| deliverance and freedom from obstructions. The heart | | | | and a year comes. When the great Tao is in Nirvana |
| teaching is the transmission of Tao and Master Zi Si, | | | | (latency), no where can Tao be sought and studied. No |
| who followed in the tradition of Confucius once said: | | | | matter how much money you have, you can't buy the |
| "Tao is treasured by those who know. It will not be | | | | flowing back of time. |
| passed on to anyone other than the right person." | | | | Flower that falls; cannot return atop the tree. Neither |
| All the generations of the patriarchs, saints and | | | | can the water that streams by, return to its spring. The |
| buddhas upon receiving the Tao or the heart teaching, | | | | beautiful scene of sunset disappears upon the advent |
| immediately turned the wheel of dharma to save the | | | | of the night. Even works of righteous will be taken |
| sentient beings. With their great wisdom they wrote | | | | away by the 'Messenger of Death.' Now, the |
| down their understanding of truth and the heart | | | | 'Messenger of Death' may seem to be in a place of |
| teaching in texts which we now called scriptures. | | | | afar with no intention to force near you, but |
| Originally these scriptures were intended as a guide, a | | | | unknowingly and unnoticeably, it comes!" |
| way to dispel obscurity so that eventually cultivator | | | | Time is very precious. It is the ripening of the Heavenly |
| would be able to realize the essence of their true | | | | time that the heart teaching can be revealed to those |
| nature. | | | | with affinity. It is the transmission of the essence of |
| However, after the passing away of these great | | | | Tao from heart to heart, there is no word and it is also |
| saints, sages and patriarchs, few people were able to | | | | called the 'wordless sutra.' We do not know what will |
| understand their profound writings or fully comprehend | | | | happen tomorrow or the next minute, death can come |
| the characteristics of their true nature. This is because | | | | anytime to anyone regardless of whether we are |
| the hidden messages that underlie all the scriptures | | | | young or old. The coffin is for dead people and not old |
| cannot be directly explained in words. The time, | | | | people, says Heaven. The heart teaching is to allow us |
| according to heavenly stages, was not right for the | | | | to transcend the cycle of birth and death and end the |
| widespread propagation of the heart teaching and the | | | | cycle of reincarnation. |
| essence of the scriptures remained generally | | | | During the time of Sakyamuni Buddha 2,500 years ago, |
| undisclosed. | | | | the heart teaching was transmitted using a golden |
| When this main understanding of the texts remains | | | | flower. The Patriarch Arya Mahakasyapa received the |
| hidden, the effectiveness of the texts themselves is | | | | essence of Tao when the Buddha holding the golden |
| minimal even though they have been handed down | | | | flower in front of his eyes looked at him and said, "I |
| from thousands of years to the present time. In short, | | | | have the true dharma hidden in my eye." The rest of |
| the texts, though written by enlightened saints and | | | | the devotees did not get the message and |
| sages, become doctrines and philosophical tracts. The | | | | transmission but Arya Mahakasyapa smiled at Buddha |
| intended offering of the ultimate liberation of our true | | | | knowing the answer to the truth and his divine true |
| nature is not fully grasped and realized, hence human | | | | nature. |
| keeps on searching for the truth. | | | | Author: T. |
| The Doctrine of Mean states that, | | | | |