Ah! You’re referring to the Buddhist concept often expressed as “the myriad (ten thousand) things” (萬物, wàn wù in Chinese; सर्वं वस्तूनि / sarvaṁ vastūni in Sanskrit). This appears frequently in Zen, Mahāyāna, and Chan Buddhism, emphasizing the interconnectedness and impermanence of all phenomena.
🌸 Core Idea: Ten Thousand Things (Everything)
- All Phenomena Are Interconnected
- “Ten thousand things” is a poetic way of saying all beings, objects, and experiences.
- In Mahāyāna: nothing exists independently; all arises due to causes and conditions (pratītya-samutpāda).
- Impermanence
- Every “thing” is transient. The phrase reminds us that attachment to these phenomena leads to suffering.
- Non-Self and Emptiness
- The “ten thousand things” are empty of intrinsic self-nature (śūnyatā).
- Their appearance is relative; the underlying reality is ungraspable.
🧘 Zen/Chan Usage
Zen masters often use this phrase in koans and poetry. Example:
“When the mind is clear, the ten thousand things return to their source.”
(一切万物皆归一源 – “yīqiè wànwù jiē guī yīyuán”)
Meaning: When the mind realizes emptiness and pure awareness, all multiplicity resolves into the underlying reality (often equated with Buddha-nature).
🕉️ In Practice
- Mindfulness & Meditation: Observe the arising and passing of all phenomena—the “ten thousand things”—without clinging.
- Non-Attachment: Recognize that all objects, emotions, and experiences are impermanent, interconnected, and empty.
- Compassion: Seeing the unity in multiplicity fosters empathy, as all beings share the same impermanent nature.
If you want, I can trace the specific Zen koans or Mahāyāna sutras where “ten thousand things” is explicitly discussed, and show their context in teaching impermanence and non-duality.
Do you want me to do that?
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