‘The twenty-first patriarch was the Venerable Vasubandhu. One time the twentieth patriarch said, “I do not seek the Way, yet I am not confused. I do not venerate the Buddhas, yet I am not conceited. I do not meditate for long periods of time, yet I am not lazy. I do not restrict myself to just one meal a day, yet I am not attached to food. I do not know what is enough, yet I am not covetous. When the mind seeks nothing, this is called the Way.” When Vasubandhu heard this, he aroused the undefiled wisdom.’
From Keizan Jokin’s commentary: ‘If you think that sitting in meditation for a long time is the Way, then sitting in the womb for nine months would be the Way, so what would there be to seek later? … Ever since Bodhidharma came from India in order to make people see directly, zen masters have not spoken of having wisdom or not having wisdom, or of ancient learning and new learning. They have just made people alike sit up straight and calmly abide in the Self. This itself is the great teaching of tranquility and happiness.’
Shundo David Haye 