Fulfilment of the Way

It was spoken:¹

The Cowherd was staying at Calvary.² There he sat in the centre of the square courtyard, surrounded by his congregation of monks and nuns, and addressed young Benedict³ “May you be inspired, Benedict, to preach to those who seek awakening, wishing to benefit all beings. Share our teachings with them, and surely they will find the Way they seek.”

Irenaeus, who sat on the side listening⁴, wondered to himself “Will Benedict be speaking his own truths?⁵ Or will the Cowherd really be speaking through him?”

Benedict, predicting Irenaeus’ thought, spoke aloud “When any of his students speak truthfully, they are vessels for his word.

When we practice the teachings as our Cowherd taught us, we come to experience their true nature directly; and once we’ve become one with that true nature, all of our words flow directly from it.

We do not contradict that true nature. That is what it means to follow the Cowherd.”

Then Benedict, drawing upon the truth the Cowherd granted him, addressed him directly “Cowherd, you have beckoned me to teach the Way to the Saints, ‘Saint this, Saint that,’ but what does Saint refer to?⁶ What teachings do these Saints possess?

I would not know where to find a Saint, nor their teachings, nor the Way — so tell me Cowherd — how is it that I may teach anyone the Way, let alone a Saint? What Saint shall I teach, and in which Way?

Yet… when I give the teachings you have asked me to… if a Saint does not flinch, does not submit, does not lose faith, does not cower or turn away… this is their instruction in the Way, their experience of it.

If a Saint remains devout following the Way, let them not become proud of their mind’s progression, for that Somethingness, is in truth Emptiness⁷ — the natural state of the mind is awoken.”

Irenaeus’ curiosity was piqued, and he asked Benedict “If Somethingness is Emptiness, can such a Something even exist?

Benedict replied “In this state of Emptiness, can we speak of Somethingness or Nothingness, can either be observed?”

“No, wise Benedict, we cannot.”

“If in this state of Emptiness, neither can be observed, then why even wonder whether Somethingness exists that is Emptiness?”

“Then what is this state of Emptiness you speak of?”

“Emptiness, dear Irenaeus, is unchanging and free from abstract thought⁸.”

Irenaeus smiled at this, and praised Benedict “Excellently spoken Benedict! In those words one can recognise the true Saint, who shall not turn their back on Awakening.

It would do well for any Saint-to-be to ponder them. Those who wish to follow the Way should study them; let them be remembered, learned, and practiced, for you have carefully harmonised its detail.”

Wise Benedict sat ponderously for a moment, and then addressed the Cowherd again “Cowherd, I cannot find this thing you call ‘Saint,’ nor this thing you call ‘the Way,’ I cannot find or observe Something, I cannot use a mere name like ‘Saint?’

Even that name has no ground to stand on, yet it is not groundless either… That name has never manifested, so it cannot be said to exist or not exist...

There is something I understand now: When a Saint hears such teachings and does not cower or turn away, then this Saint is Awoken — a Saint such as that is inseparable from the Way, following it firmly through pious practice —

They know they must not take their stand on their senses, nor on their abstraction, rationale, or cognition; for if one takes their stand on things one is moving in the realm of mere constructed things, and if one takes their stand on cognition than they are moving in the realm of mere constructed cognition. It is not possible to follow the Way while reliant upon these manifestations; no one who is driven by things or by thoughts is able to grasp the Way.”

Wise Irenaeus asked Benedict what he meant by grasping the Way, and Benedict replied “When we practice the Way, dear Irenaeus, and let go of things and of thoughts, we must even let go of the Way itself. That is the noble manner that the great Saint’s practice the Way, not even daring to grasp Truth itself! For no word or philosophy can approach it.

If Truth could be grasped, then countless Saints would have found it with no need of faith. But it was faith in the Awakening they experienced, and its wisdom, that the Saints found understanding... They did not react to that understanding with pleasure or joy, they did not see it within things or without things or separate from things, nor did they see it through their thoughts. It was not seen as within Somethingness, or outside of Somethingness, or separate from Somethingness. All phenomena were let go of, and there was no phenomena to be grasped. Even Nothingness was let go of… Only through complete surrender of these could the Saints find conviction through their faith…

Cowherd, this is the Way of the Saint.

Let them examine it, let them ask ‘What is this Way? For whom is this Way? Is it the Way if I cannot find it?’ If they ask these unanswerable questions and do not cower or turn away, then that Saint is truly inseparable from the Way.”

Irenaeus, inspired, spoke in turn “I now understand the many pitfalls. To practice in things or in thoughts is to practice in mere form, mere grasping.

Any name we would give to the true Saint’s Way would not be a true name!

Instead a true Saint must move beyond seeing and practicing, even beyond the concepts of seeing and practicing. They must not rely upon any particular practice, instead treading the Way without sight. Because no phenomena come from anywhere or hold anything, because all names cannot truly be given, the state of Emptiness is boundless and without limit. The state where a Saint discovers Awakening.”

Benedict spoke again through the Cowherd’s influence “All Saints received a prediction from the Saints who came before them ‘You will reach Awakening.’ Although they dwell in Emptiness they do not grasp at it, they do not think about it or make claims about it, they do not say “I am in this state,” or “I am sitting in meditation.” By treading the Way, one loses all doubts about it.”

Iraenaeus asked “Can anyone point to or perceive this Emptiness where a Saint dwells?”

Benedict replied “No, it cannot be shown or seen dear Iraenaeus. Even a Saint cannot know or understand it directly.”

Thus was it spoken, heard, and received.