SHIN JIN MEI | 信心銘- TWENTY-SIX

"They are like unto visions and flowers in the air:
Why should we trouble ourselves to take hold of them?
Gain and loss, right and wrong—
Away with them once and for all!"

Sōsan is referring to cherished forms of dualism here. Initially, in ignorance we create concepts - we break what is coming up for us into contrivances so they are easier for us to 'grip'. We name and label things - and this necessarily requires prejudice, as concepts are just mental constructs and rough approximations of reality. In addition to this, we then take these mental constructs and further separate them qualitatively with concepts like good and bad, tall and short, beautiful and ugly, etc. This drives the wedge more deeply between direct experience and the discursive mind, which continues with its formations until they are totally separate and thoroughly deluded. We may find them captivating, like flowers or visions in the air, but they are essentially void.

Setting them aside once and for all is to dedicate ourselves to this present moment thus manifesting Oneness through compassionate action directed by vow. This is the Great Vehicle Bodhisattva at play...