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because from here to here, there is no space for the way. If you are going somewhere else a way is possible -- difficult or easy, it depends. But if you are not going anywhere, but simply being yourself, here and now...
Joshu needs a good hit.
By chance today Master Niskriya is dressed up exactly, but Joshu is not here. But wherever Joshu is, and whoever the people are who believe in Joshu's enlightenment, Master Niskriya's hit will reach. I am using Master Niskriya's hit because I am a very nonviolent person; moreover, so lazy that I have dedicated my whole function of hitting people to Master Niskriya. And he really looks... He is not only dressed up, at this moment he is. It is another matter that the next moment he may forget.
This moment you are also just emptiness.
No knowing.
Pure innocence.
But to go on remembering it is the only problem. You don't have to do anything, except to continue to remember that you are where you are, that you are what you are; that whatever you do, you can never be anywhere else, anybody else; that in this simple acceptance of your being, you have achieved all that has been achieved by the great buddhas.
There is no question of way; hence I can say that Joshu has a little understanding, but not much. He says, "The real way is not difficult."
JOSHU SPOKE TO THE ASSEMBLY AND SAID,
"THE REAL WAY IS NOT DIFFICULT.
IT ONLY ABHORS CHOICE AND ATTACHMENT.
WITH BUT A SINGLE WORD THERE MAY ARISE CHOICE AND ATTACHMENT OR THERE MAY ARISE CLARITY.
THIS OLD MONK DOES NOT HAVE THAT CLARITY.
DO YOU APPRECIATE THE MEANING OF THIS OR NOT?"
If you accept the basic assumption that there is a way -- it is only a hypothesis -- then Joshu is right that the only things that can prevent you from reaching it are judgment, choice, attachment.
"WITH BUT A SINGLE WORD THERE MAY ARISE CHOICE AND ATTACHMENT OR THERE MAY ARISE CLARITY. THIS OLD MONK..." He is referring to himself: THIS OLD MONK DOES NOT HAVE THAT CLARITY. Only on this point does he reach a height, accepting that THIS OLD MONK -- he is not using the word `I' -- THIS OLD MONK DOES NOT HAVE THAT
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