When a Zen teacher says, “Go back to your original state!” he does not ask
you to become a caveman, an amoeba or ether. He asks you to become mind by
itself, without words, without images, without any kind of notion. He asks
you to root out from your mind all thoughts and the many names of many
things. He asks you to get rid of all padding, to clear away all debris, to
make your mind pure as pure water. This is the mind’s original state.
Sokei-an, “RETURN TO YOUR ORIGINAL STATE!”