The Passing Away of Passing Away

A woman returning home discovers her favourite painting missing. She sees only its absence, whilst another person simply sees the wall. He guides the woman through two stages: release the memory of the painting, then release the absence itself. All spiritual teachings follow this pattern. They descend from the mountaintop to meet us in the marketplace, then guide us upward whilst discarding themselves. Formulations necessary at the foothills – like impermanence or witnessing – become hindrances halfway up and must be abandoned. A good teaching makes itself obsolete. Eventually he says: look at the wall – you're already seeing it. Things borrow their existence from what truly is. When the teaching completes its work, teacher and student become friends. You go for enjoyment, not instruction. The teaching becomes like music. After recognising there is only knowing, we return to ordinary life. Experience loses its veiling power and shines with the reality it seemed to conceal.