Sooooo. What is The Jewel Mirror?

We've been studying The Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi purportedly by Dongshan, Chinese Chan Master. At least we're supposed to. It's clear that some haven't. But that's all right. We come to our study and take it seriously when we're ready.

So what is the Jewel Mirror? What is the Jewel Mirror Samadhi?

Welp, I came to this study/teaching 50-some-odd years ago, and I'm still puzzling through it. I woke up this morning, for example, with what was for me a new, primary, realization about Thusness and the Jewel Mirror that I think is derived from the story of Dongshan seeing his reflection in a flowing stream and thereby coming to realize Thusness.

Oh? But think about it. What kind of reflection is there in a flowing stream? Is there even one at all?

Well, yes, the water does glint and darken and move constantly, and what you see in the water is made up of reflections, many, many moving reflections, but are any of them your reflection in the water? How would you know?

Yes, it's all "you". Wait, wait, is that what the Jewel Mirror is? 

That was the satori of Thusness I had this morning as I awoke from slumber. 

When you perceive -- whatever you perceive -- you are perceiving yourself, something of you and nothing but you. Everything in your perception is a construction of your mind.

The Jewel Mirror reflects Everything. All at once. Which in the end resolves to... you and nothing but you. Then it dissolves into Emptiness. What I call the Ground State from which everything arises and returns.

Note: it's "Jewel Mirror" not "Jewelled Mirror." The Mirror is itself a Jewel, not unlike the Three Jewels or Treasures of Buddhism. (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha).

The Jewel Mirror Samadhi is the Awareness or Awakening to that realization.

Which we are to "keep it well" -- once we are aware of it -- as is taught in the poem/song. It is the core realization of Buddhist practice. Once you have it, don't neglect or lose it. 

Throughout Buddhist monastic training, the monks and nuns are given koans and teachings (Dharma) that ideally open this awareness, an awareness that cannot be grasped intellectually or physically, but which is everpresent if you let it be. For most, it's hard and takes a long time. Many monks never achieve or accept it. That's considered one of the weaknesses of the monastery.

On the other hand, how does this teaching work -- if it works -- for laypeople not in a monastic setting?

I can only speak for myself and what happened to change my life. I don't know how or whether it works -- or doesn't -- for others. I absorbed the teaching without really "thinking" about it. Without trying to understand it -- something I couldn't do anyway as I had no idea what the many references within it were. I have some better idea now due to all the scholarly commentary available. 

But it doesn't really matter. 

It is what it is, and just this is it.