Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters – 206
88 The Buddhas Within
When your unreal body stands in front of a mirror, you see it and its
image shown in mirror look alike. It’s impossible if you want to accept
the body and reject the image, because the body is also unreal. The
body originally is not different from the image; you could not accept
one and reject the other. While you want to accept one and reject the
other, you are very far away from the truth. Also, while you like the
holy and dislike the unholy, you are bobbing up and down in the sea of
birth and death. Similarly, when affliction appears in your mind,
blissfulness can not be found anywhere. If you don’t discriminate
against any appearance, you will enter the Way quickly. Buddhas of the
three times are in your body. Covered by external phenomena, and
blurred by habit, you are deluded by yourself. When your mind has no
thought, you are all the Buddhas of the past. When your action comes
from serenity, you are all the Buddhas of the future. When you respond
to circumstances naturally, you are all the Buddhas of the present.
When you are pure and don’t cling to the six fields of the senses, you
are the Apart From Defilement Buddha. When you come and leave
freely, you are the Supernatural Power Buddha. When you are peaceful
and happy in any place, you are the Unconstraint Buddha. When your
mind is pure and luminous, you are the Shining Light Buddha. When
your mind is firmly trained in dharma, you are the Indestructible
Buddha. Just one true nature, but you are manifesting in countless
forms.
HƯƠNG HẢI (1628 - 1715)
(COMMENT: Decades ago, I asked Zen Master Tich Chieu, “Should I
recite the name of the Buddha every day?” My master replied, “You
only recite the name of the Buddha correctly if your hands also recite
the name of the Buddha -- and so do your feet.”)
