禅Linji Yixuan

saying

Be the Master Wherever You Are

Linji Lu

Tang

Traditionally attributed

Text

Be the master wherever you are, and wherever you stand is the true place. No matter what circumstances come your way, they cannot pull you off center. Even if you are confronted by the evil influences of old karma, or by the five kinds of uninterrupted hell, these become for you the great ocean of emancipation. Students today cannot get anywhere because they base their understanding on the interpretations of old masters. If you want to be free, be the master right now. Do not be swayed by anything. Break through every obstacle you meet, and the place where you stand will be genuine.

license: public_domain

Attribution

Lineage: Linji

By Linji Yixuan

From Linji Lu

Sources

No per-field confidence has been recorded for this teaching yet. Treat individual claims with the caution appropriate to the source list below.

Attribution status: traditional — see editorial policy for what this means.

1 supporting citation on record (see Sources above).

Spot something wrong? Report an issue — please include a source so we can verify the correction.