Editing Linji Yixuan (section)

===Non-dependency ===
According to Linji, Zen students fail to make spiritual progress because they lack faith in themselves and are thereby "twisted and turned" by whatever environment they encounter.{{sfnp|Watson|1999|p=23}} They cling to phrases and are obstructed by words like "common mortal" and "sage," and for Linji, this is to still be dependent on something.{{sfnp|Watson|1999|p=36}} Rather than rely on buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the Chan patriarchs, Linji taught his listeners that they should be non-dependent persons of the Way: 
{{blockquote|You listening to the Dharma, if you are men of the Way who depend on nothing, then you are the mother of the buddhas. Therefore the buddhas are born from the realm that leans on nothing. If you can waken to this leaning on nothing, then there will be no Buddha to get hold of. If you can see things in this way, this is a true and proper understanding.{{sfnp|Watson|1999|p=36}}}}