Wuxiang's "Three Phrases"
A monk asked Master Wuxiang, "
What is the essence of the Dharma?" Wuxiang said,
"No recollection, no thought, do not forget." The monk was puzzled and asked for further instruction.
Wuxiang said,
"If you cannot embody this, then bind yourself with no-mind." The monk asked,
"What is 'no-mind'?" Wuxiang replied,
"It is not a thing how can I explain it? If you can understand, then understand."
Reflection
Wuxiang's three phrases – no recollection, no thought, do not forget – are a precise instruction for resting in natural awareness. The first two cut off past and future clinging; the third prevents lapsing into dullness. When the monk asks for further explanation, Wuxiang refuses to turn it into a concept. The koan is a practical meditation guide, not a theory to be analyzed.