TOREI IV: Genuine insight into one’s True Nature only emerges in the midst of Great Doubt and Great Faith; it is not the result of accumulated learning and discrimination. When the time is ripe, it appears of itself. Following this ripening process step by step is the purpose of this book. It is relatively easy to accomplish the important matter of insight into one’s True Nature, but uncommonly difficult to function freely and clearly (according to this understanding), in motion and in rest, in good and in adverse circumstances. Please make strenuous and vigorous efforts towards this end, otherwise all the teachings of Buddha and patriarchs become mere empty words, rather than the living Dharma. Tread the path of sincere practice with uninterrupted concentration, and once things have become clear, then it is the time to take up and penetrate the sayings (of the Sutras and Masters).

(Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp by Torei Enji Zenji with comments by Daibi Zenji; pub The Zen Centre London 1989)

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The accompanying podcast to this excerpt includes:

• The parable of the prodigal son from the Lotus Sutra.
• What is the Buddha Nature? It’s history and development from Indian Mahayana Buddhism.
• The process of koan training.
• The three requirements of Zen training.

You can listen to this podcast here.

You can listen to previous podcasts on the teachings here.
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Image:

An image of the elephant keeper in India riding his elephant from Tashrih al-aqvam (1825)… By Unknown - This file has been provided by the British Library from its digital collections.Catalogue entry: IOSM Add.27255, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31452488