(1) Being Trapped by the Problem

• This is the period when one hears the teachings about Seon and enlightenment, becomesobsessed with enlightenment, and is caught in the thirst for enlightenment.
• At this time, even though one hears terms like "enlightenment" or "Seon," one knows nothingat all, so it is a dark and ignorant time.
• Although it's dark and ignorant, by encountering the teachings, one becomes even moretrapped by this issue.
• This issue settles in one's heart, like a wound or a homework assignment, at all times.
• One is consumed by the issue but has no idea what to do, so they remain helpless and stifled.
• This is the most urgent and pressing issue, and because of the mental block, other mattersfade into the background.
• Since one can do nothing and time passes without a clear end, one eventually experiences frustration.
• This stage is like unrequited love — you’ve fallen for someone, but they don’t return your affection, so you can only watch from afar, heart aching.
• This period is commonly described as being blocked by an "iron wall of silver mountains" or being within a "mass of doubt" (疑團).

(2) Suddenly, Thoughts Are Released

• In a frustrating and completely blocked situation where one relies on a wise teacher and listensattentively to the Dharma talks, one day, what was blocked suddenly collapses, and doubt disappears.
• After the doubt disappears, no thoughts arise, and one only feels the fact that one has settled in a singular, unchanging place.
• There is a sense of relief, like someone who was dying has come back to life.
• One is not holding onto anything, not realizing anything, and no particular view has been organized.
• One is not clinging to anything, and without any thoughts, it opens up vast and unobstructed, with no hindrance in the mind.
• One reacts immediately and without hesitation to approaching matters, without the intervention of thought.
• Thoughts occur only when and as needed, so thoughts do not become a hindrance.
• With the disappearance of the frustrating and blocked uncertainty, darkness, and doubt, a sense of ease emerges, like someone who has finally found a way to live.
  
• Being freed from the shackles of delusion, it is incredibly refreshing, light, free, and comfortable.
• However, there is still a distinction between the unobstructed and unchanging place and where it is not, and one is not yet completely free and unrestrained within one's own thoughts. There is a difference between whether it is "right dharma" or not, or whether one is studying or not — in other words, there is still a Dharma to uphold.

(3) Suddenly, the Mind Disappears

• At a certain moment, the mind suddenly disappears.
• Once the mind disappears, the distinction between inside and outside ceases to exist, and theworld and every single phenomenon are the living mind itself.
• All things are happening exactly as before, yet there is nothing at all.
• Even when thinking, there is no thought; even when speaking, there is no speech; even when acting, there is no action.
• There is no separation between thought and being free from thought, no separation between stillness and noise, no separation between reality and delusion, and no separate experience of "seeing nature" or "enlightenment."
• The thought of "the study of the mind" no longer arises.
• Everything is neat, light, and consistently clear, so there is no Dharma, no mind, no enlightenment, no Buddha, no study.
• A glance, a word, a single thought — each moment is neither existent nor nonexistent, so nothing ever truly happens.
• Originally, there is only the One without duality, so even trying to doubt is impossible.
• The fact that there is only this one non-dual reality is always clear.
• There is nothing more to seek or attain.
• This state is referred to as Non-dual Middle Way in scholastic teachings, Prajñāpāramitā in the Heart Sutra, Non-dual Dharma Gate and Patience in Non-arising in the Vimalakirti Sutra, Wisdom and One-Practice Samadhi in the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, and Yuanwu Keqin said, "I cannot deceive you."

(4) Becoming Familiar with Unwavering Oneness Beyond Duality

• There is no such thing as study, truth, Buddha, or enlightenment; the entire world is simply one unchanging reality.
• All experiences in daily life and all encountered circumstances are all the same one thing.
• As time passes, the habitual tendencies accumulated in the past gradually fade, and the power of Prajñā (wisdom) becomes even more solid, detailed, and strong.
• One finally understands the words of old masters that this study is not a momentary experience, and that "enlightenment is easy, but completion is difficult."
• While assenting to the Sixth Patriarch's words, "Sudden enlightenment, sudden cultivation (頓悟頓修)," one also assents to what the Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: "The principle is suddenly realized, and with realization it is resolved; but phenomena do not vanish all at once — they disappear gradually in sequence (理則頓悟 乘悟倂銷 事非頓除 因次第盡)."
• One also understands what Dahui Zonggao said: "The study of the mind is about becoming unfamiliar with what is familiar and familiar with what is unfamiliar."
• As time passes, it becomes increasingly clear that the words of the patriarchs and the scriptures are not abstract theories, but direct expressions of the reality right before our eyes.
• No matter what circumstances one encounters, what experiences one has, what words one hears, what thoughts one has, or what feelings one experiences, they are all one single matter.
• Every event that unfolds simply reveals this one Dharma, and one truly feels that all things in the universe are constantly speaking the Dharma.