Dahui Shobogenzo: If you do anything it is there

A Hindu king asked Parati, “What is buddhahood?”

​Parati said, “Seeing nature is buddhahood.” ​

The king asked, “Do you see nature?” ​

Parati said, “I see the nature of buddhahood.” ​

The king asked, “Where is the nature?” ​

Parati said, “The nature is in function.” ​

The king asked, “What function is this? I don’t see it now.” ​

Parati said, “It is functioning now; it’s just that you yourself don’t see.” ​

The king asked, “Does it exist in me?” ​

Parati said, “If you do anything, it is there; if you don’t use it, though, the substance is invisible.” ​

The king asked, “When it is used, how many places does it appear?” ​

Parati said, “If it appears, there must be eight.” ​

The king said, “Please explain those eight appearances for me.” ​

Parati said, “In the womb, it is called the body. In the world, it is called the person. In the eyes, it is called seeing. In the ears, it is called hearing. In the nose, it distinguishes smells. In the tongue it talks. In the hands it grips, in the feet it steps. It manifests everywhere, including the universe, concentrating it in an atom; those who know realize it is the Buddha nature, while the undiscerning call it the spirit.” ​When the king heard that, his mind opened up and awakened.

Dahui commented, “Right now I dare ask you all—which is buddha-nature, which is spirit?”

Submitted June 12, 2017 at 11:42PM by koancomentator http://ift.tt/2skW43v