A Commentary Literature on ‘Faith in Mind’

Chapter 4. Lack and Excess

The Way is perfect like great space.
Without lack, without excess.
Because of grasping and rejecting,
You cannot attain it.

Commentary by Wong Weng Hon

This is the fourth portion of the Chan poem ‘Faith in Mind’ composed by third Chinese Chan Patriarch, Sengcan (between 6th-7th century C. E). ‘Faith in Mind’ elucidates the Chan experience of self-awakening of Sengcan. The author, who holds a MA degree in Buddhist Studies from the Post-graduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies was a former Buddhist lecturer in International Buddhist College, Southern Thailand.

The supreme Way or the Path of the Buddha is perfect like the great space as it embodies or contains all things under the sun. There is neither lack nor excess. It neither lacks something nor is overflown with surplus . It is just perfect without any necessity of decrease or increase to perfect it (in the ultimate truth). A wordling always experiences insufficiency and seeks for more (due to notion of I-ness).

Consequently, greed, motivated by lack, arises because of the attachment to pleasant or agreeable objects of senses. When one is inflicted with problems or difficulties, one struggles to reduce it and aversion arises. A worldling always reacts due to lack or excess thereby entangling himself in the cycle of birth and death. Owing to the inclinations of attachment and rejection, a worldling can not actualize the Supreme Way, i. e not being able to enter the stream of true Dharma. When one has actualized the Supreme Way, the Buddha-mind is manifested. The Buddha-mind, like the vast space, can contain myriad things without being defiled.