Thursday, 15 November 2018

'Mind is Buddha' , or 'neither Mind or Buddha'? Master Fa-ch'ang answers.

When Ch'an Master Fa-ch'ang of Ta-mei Mountain went to see the Patriarch for the first time,‭ he asked,‭ "What is Buddha?"

The Patriarch replied,‭ "Mind is Buddha.‭" [On hearing this] Fa-ch'ang had great awakening.‭

Later he went to live on Ta-mei mountain.‭ When the Patriarch heard that he was residing on the mountain,‭ he sent one of his monks to go there and ask Fa-ch'ang,‭ "What did the Venerable obtain when he saw Ma-tsu,‭ so that he has come to live on this mountain?"

Fach'ang said,‭ "Ma-tsu told me that mind is Buddha; so I came to live here.‭"

The monk said,‭ "Ma-tsu's teaching has changed recently.‭"

Fa-ch'ang asked,‭ "What is the difference?"

The monk said,‭ "Nowadays he also says,‭ 'Neither mind nor Buddha.‭"'

Fa-ch'ang said,‭ "That old man still hasn't stopped confusing people.‭ You can have 'neither mind nor Buddha,‭' I only care for 'mind is Buddha.‭"'

The monk returned to the Patriarch and reported what has happened.‭

"The plum is ripe.‭" said the Patriarch"

(Source: Sun-Face Buddha - The Record of Ma-tsu)



Submitted November 16, 2018 at 12:16AM by McNubbitz https://ift.tt/2Fo20jv

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