Busshō

Third: Buddha Nature

Shakyamuni Buddha said, 'All sentient beings universally possess Buddha nature; the Tathagata is eternal and unchanging.'

Although this is the lion's roar of our great master Shakyamuni turning the Dharma wheel, it is also the crown of the head and the eye of all Buddhas and all ancestral teachers. The transmission of study has come down for 2,190 years [as of the second year of Ninji in Japan, cyclical year *xinchou*]; the orthodox lineage is merely fifty generations [up to my late teacher, Reverend Jing of Tiantong]; twenty-eight generations in the Western Heavens, each generation maintaining and upholding it; twenty-three generations in the Eastern Land, each generation maintaining and upholding it. All Buddhas and ancestors in the ten directions together maintain and uphold it.

The World-Honored One's saying 'All sentient beings universally possess Buddha nature'—what is its essential meaning? It is the turning of the Dharma wheel of 'What is this thing thus coming?'Some say 'sentient beings,'some 'sentient ones,'some 'multitudes of beings,'some 'multitudes of kinds.'The phrase 'universally possess'refers to sentient beings; it is the universal possession of the multitude. That is, 'universally possess'is Buddha nature. The one universal possession within 'universally possess'is called 'sentient beings.'At just such a time, the inside and outside of sentient beings is precisely the universal possession of Buddha nature. It is not merely the skin, flesh, bones, and marrow transmitted singly; it is because 'You have attained my skin, flesh, bones, and marrow.'

Know that the possession which is now universally possessed by Buddha nature is not the possession of existence or non-existence. 'Universally possess'is Buddha's speech, Buddha's tongue. It is the eye of Buddhas and ancestors, the nostrils of patch-robed monks. The phrase 'universally possess'is not 'initially possessed,'nor 'originally possessed,'nor 'wondrous possession'and the like, much less is it 'conditioned possession'or 'deluded possession.'It is not concerned with mind, realm, nature, or characteristics.

Therefore, the dependent and primary environments of sentient beings'universal possession are not due to the power of karmic influence, nor deluded dependent arising, nor spontaneous suchness, nor supernatural powers and cultivation attainments. If the universal possession of sentient beings were due to karmic influence, dependent arising, spontaneous suchness, and the like, then the enlightenment of all sages and the bodhi of all Buddhas, the eye of Buddhas and ancestors, would also be due to the power of karmic influence and dependent arising spontaneous suchness. But this is not so.

The entire realm is without any guest dust; directly, there is no second person. 'Directly cutting off the root, people do not recognize; the busy, busy karmic consciousness—when will it rest?'Because it is not the possession of deluded dependent arising—since 'throughout the realm, it has never been hidden.''Throughout the realm, it has never been hidden'does not necessarily mean 'the whole realm is existence.''Throughout the realm, I have existence'is the wrong view of outsiders. It is not the possession of 'originally possessed'—because it pervades ancient and modern. It is not the possession of 'initially arising'—because it does not receive a single speck of dust.

It is not the possession of 'each and every'—because it is 'gathered together.'It is not the possession of 'beginningless possession'—because of 'What is this thing thus coming?'It is not the possession of 'initially arising possession'—because 'My constant mind is the Way.'You should truly know: within universal possession, sentient beings—a swift and convenient encounter is rare. If one comprehends universal possession like this, then universal possession is thoroughly the body cast off.

Upon hearing the phrase 'Buddha nature,'many learners erroneously speculate like the outsider Srenika's 'self.'This is because they have not met the person, have not met themselves, and have not seen the teacher. They vainly regard the mind-consciousness stirred by wind and fire as the awareness and knowing of Buddha nature. Who says there is awareness and knowing in Buddha nature? Even if the awakened ones, the knowers, are all Buddhas, Buddha nature is not awareness and knowing. Moreover, the awareness and knowing that calls all Buddhas 'awakened ones, knowers'does not regard your and others'such-and-such erroneous understandings as awareness and knowing, nor does it regard the movement and stillness of wind and fire as awareness and knowing; only one or two Buddha faces, ancestral faces—this is awareness and knowing.

Often, ancient elders and virtuous predecessors either traveled to and from the Western Heavens or guided humans and celestial beings. From the Han and Tang dynasties to the Song dynasty, they were as numerous as rice, hemp, bamboo, and reeds. Many mistakenly considered the stirring and attachment of wind and fire to be the perception of Buddha-nature. It is lamentable that due to the increasing superficiality in learning the Way, such errors exist today. Now, late learners and beginners in the Buddha Way must not be like this. Even if one learns perception-knowing, perception-knowing is not stirring and attachment.

Even if one learns stirring and attachment, stirring and attachment are not thus. If one truly comprehends stirring and attachment, one should truly comprehend perception-knowing and perceptual understanding. Buddha and nature reach that and reach this. Buddha-nature is necessarily all existence, because all existence is Buddha-nature. All existence is not a hundred fragments; all existence is not a single iron bar. Since it is a raised fist, it is neither large nor small. Already called Buddha-nature, it should not be shoulder-to-shoulder with all sages; it should be shoulder-to-shoulder with Buddha-nature.

Some think that Buddha-nature is like the seeds of plants and trees. When moistened by the dharma rain, sprouts, stems grow, and branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits bear fruit. The fruits again contain seeds. Such a view is the emotional measurement of ordinary beings. Even if one holds such a view, one should investigate that both seeds and flowers/fruits are each and every one the red heart. There are seeds within the fruit; though the seeds are unseen, they produce roots, stems, and so on. Though not gathered, the many branches become a great circumference—this is not a matter of inner or outer debate, nor is it empty in past or present times. Thus, even if left to the ordinary being's view, roots, stems, branches, and leaves are all born together, die together, and are all existence, which is Buddha-nature.

The Buddha said: 'If you wish to know the meaning of Buddha-nature, you should observe the season's conditions. When the season arrives, Buddha-nature appears before you.'

Now, 'wishing to know the meaning of Buddha-nature'means not only knowing; it also means wishing to practice, wishing to realize, wishing to speak, or wishing to forget. That speaking, practicing, realizing, forgetting, being mistaken, not being mistaken, and so on are all nothing but the season's conditions. In observing the season's conditions, one observes with the season's conditions; one mutually observes with a whisk or staff. Moreover, it cannot be observed using the wisdom of contaminated or uncontaminated wisdom, original enlightenment, initial enlightenment, no-enlightenment, correct enlightenment, and so on.

'Should observe'means not being concerned with observer and observed; it should not be aligned with correct observation, erroneous observation, and so on—this is 'should observe.'Because it is 'should observe,'it is not self-observation, not other-observation; it is the season's conditions, indeed; it is transcending conditions. Buddha-nature, indeed; it is the fully embodied Buddha-nature. Buddha Buddha, indeed; nature nature, indeed.

Regarding the path of 'when the season arrives,'people of past and present often think that they wait for the season when Buddha-nature appears before them in the future. Practicing in this way, they naturally encounter the season when Buddha-nature appears before them. If the season has not arrived, they say it does not appear before them even when consulting teachers, inquiring about dharma, or exerting effort in practice. Holding such a view, they vainly return to the red dust and idly gaze at the Milky Way. Such types are likely followers of naturalistic outsiders.

The so-called 'if you wish to know the meaning of Buddha-nature'is, for example, 'you should know the meaning of Buddha-nature.''Should observe the season's conditions'means 'should know the season's conditions.'The so-called 'wishing to know Buddha-nature'means you should know: the season's conditions are it. 'When the season arrives'means the season has already arrived—what doubt or attachment could there be? Even if there is doubt or attachment about the season, 'return my Buddha-nature to me!'Know that 'when the season arrives'is not letting the twelve hours pass emptily. 'If it arrives'is like saying 'since it has arrived.'When the season arrives, Buddha-nature does not arrive.

Therefore, when the season has already arrived, this is Buddha-nature appearing before you. Sometimes its principle manifests by itself. Generally, there has never been a season that does not arrive; there is no Buddha-nature that does not appear before you.

The twelfth ancestor, the Venerable Ashvaghosha, particularly explains the ocean of buddha-nature for the thirteenth ancestor:

Mountains, rivers, and the great earth all depend on this for their establishment; samadhis and the six supernatural powers emerge from this.

Therefore, these mountains, rivers, and the great earth are all the ocean of buddha-nature. 'All depend on this for their establishment'means that the very moment of establishment itself is these mountains, rivers, and the great earth. Since it is said 'all depend on this for their establishment,'you should know that the form of the ocean of buddha-nature is like this. It should not be concerned with inside, outside, or in-between. If so, seeing mountains and rivers is seeing buddha-nature; seeing buddha-nature is seeing a donkey's jaw and a horse's mouth. 'All depend'is 'completely depend'; it is 'depend completely'—understand this or not.

'Samadhis and the six supernatural powers emerge from this.'You should know that the emergence and manifestation of all samadhis are likewise all dependent on buddha-nature. Whether the six supernatural powers are 'from this'or 'not from this,'they are all dependent on buddha-nature. The six supernatural powers are not merely the six supernatural powers spoken of in the Agama teachings. 'Six'refers to the six supernatural powers paramita spoken of as 'the first three threes and the last three threes.'Therefore, do not investigate the six supernatural powers as 'clearly the tips of the hundred grasses, clearly the intention of buddhas and ancestors.'Even if one is hindered by the six supernatural powers, it is an obstruction to the ocean of buddha-nature returning to its source.

The fifth ancestor, Great Master Daman, was from Huangmei in Qizhou. Born without a father, he attained the Way as a child; he was the Pine Planter. Initially, while planting pines on West Mountain in Qizhou, he encountered the fourth ancestor on an outing. The ancestor told the practitioner, 'I wish to transmit the dharma to you, but you are already advanced in years. If I wait for your rebirth, I will still be waiting for you.'

The master assented. He then went to be reborn in the daughter of the Zhou family. He was thrown into a muddy harbor. Divine beings protected him; for seven days he was unharmed, and so he was taken in and raised. Until the age of seven he was a child; on the road in Huangmei he met the fourth ancestor, Great Master Dayi.

The Patriarch saw the master. Although he was a child, his bone structure was extraordinary and refined, different from ordinary children.

The Patriarch saw and asked, saying: 'What is your surname?'

The master answered: 'A surname exists, but it is not an ordinary surname.'

The Patriarch said: 'What surname is this?'

The master answered: 'It is buddha-nature.'

The Patriarch said: 'You have no buddha-nature.'

The master replied, 'Because buddha-nature is empty, therefore it is said to be nonexistent.'

The Patriarch, recognizing his capacity as a vessel of the Dharma, made him his attendant and later transmitted the treasury of the true Dharma eye to him. Dwelling on East Mountain in Huangmei, he greatly propagated the profound wind.

Therefore, when investigating the Patriarch's saying, the Fourth Patriarch said, 'What is your nature? That nature has its essential principle. In the past, there were people of certain countries, of certain surnames. What surname do you say you are?'For example, it is like saying, 'I am also thus, you are also thus.'

The Fifth Patriarch said, 'Surname is indeed existent, but it is not a constant surname.'

That is to say, 'Existent is surname, but it is not constant surname; constant surname is indeed not existent.'

The Fourth Patriarch said, 'What is this surname?''What'is 'this'; 'this'is what has come. This is surname. Making it 'what'is because of 'this'. Making it 'this'is the ability of 'what'. Surname is 'this', is 'what'. This is not added to wormwood broth, nor to tea broth; it is made into the everyday tea and rice.

The Fifth Patriarch said, 'This is Buddha-nature.'

The meaning of his saying is that this is Buddha-nature. Why is it Buddha? To what family does this 'this'ultimately belong? At the very moment it is 'not this,'it is Buddha-nature. Therefore, even if we say 'this'is Buddha, it must be a family that has been shed and penetrated. That family is Zhou. Yet, it is not inherited from the father, not received from the ancestors, not resembling the mother's side; how could it be equal to an onlooker?

The Fourth Patriarch said, 'You have no Buddha-nature.'

This expression means: you are not anyone; even if entrusted to you, it is expounded as 'no Buddha-nature.'Know this, study this: at what moment is it 'no Buddha-nature'? Is it 'no Buddha-nature'at the head of Buddha, or 'no Buddha-nature'beyond Buddha? Do not block the seven penetrations; do not grope for the eight reaches. There is also practice that cultivates 'no Buddha-nature'as a samadhi of one time. One must inquire and express: is it 'no Buddha-nature'when Buddha-nature becomes Buddha, or 'no Buddha-nature'when Buddha-nature awakens the mind? Have the pillar ask; ask the pillar; have Buddha-nature ask; ask Buddha-nature.

Thus, the way of no Buddha-nature is heard from afar in the ancestral chamber of the Fourth Patriarch. It was witnessed at Huangmei, circulated by Zhaozhou, and raised up by Dawei. The way of no Buddha-nature must be diligently practiced; do not hesitate. Though it may be sought, what standard is there? There is the moment of 'you,'the opportunity of 'this,'the companionship of 'Zhou,'the direct approach.

The Fifth Patriarch said, 'Buddha-nature is empty; therefore, it is said to be nonexistent.'

Clearly, it is said: 'Void is not nothing.'When speaking of Buddha-nature as void, it is not called half a pound or eight ounces; it is called nothing. Because it is void, it is not called void; because it is nothing, it is not called nothing; because Buddha-nature is void, it is called nothing. Thus, the fragments of nothing are the banner proclaiming void; void is the power expressing nothing. The so-called void is not the void of 'form is precisely void.'Saying 'form is precisely void'does not forcibly make form into void, nor does it divide void to fashion form. Void should be the void of 'void is void.'Saying 'void is void'is like a stone in the void. Therefore, Buddha-nature as nothing, Buddha-nature as void, and Buddha-nature as being—the Fourth Patriarch and Fifth Patriarch inquired and expressed.

The Sixth Patriarch of China, Zen Master Dajian of Caoxi Mountain, when he first visited Huangmei Mountain, was asked by the Fifth Patriarch, 'Where have you come from?'

The Sixth Patriarch said, 'I am from Lingnan.'

The Fifth Patriarch said, 'What have you come seeking?'

The Sixth Patriarch said, 'I seek to become a Buddha.'

The Fifth Patriarch said, 'People from Lingnan have no Buddha-nature; how can you become a Buddha?'

To say 'this Lingnan person has no Buddha-nature'is not to say that Lingnan people lack Buddha-nature, nor is it to say that Lingnan people possess Buddha-nature. It means the Lingnan person becomes 'no Buddha-nature.''How then can they become a Buddha?'—this is asking what kind of 'becoming a Buddha'one expects.

Generally, few predecessors have clarified the principle of Buddha-nature. It is not something known by the Agama teachings or by sutra commentators. It is solely transmitted by the descendants of the Buddhas and Patriarchs. The principle of Buddha-nature is that Buddha-nature is not fully possessed before becoming a Buddha; it becomes fully possessed after becoming a Buddha. Buddha-nature necessarily participates together with becoming a Buddha. This principle must be thoroughly investigated through practice. One should practice and study for twenty or thirty years. It is not something clarified by the Ten Saints and Three Worthies.

To speak of 'sentient beings have Buddha-nature'or 'sentient beings have no Buddha-nature'—this is the principle. To study that it is the dharma fully possessed since becoming a Buddha is the correct view. Not studying thus cannot be the Buddha-dharma. If one had not studied thus, the Buddha-dharma could not have reached the present day. If one does not clarify this principle, one does not clarify becoming a Buddha; one does not see or hear it.

Therefore, the Fifth Patriarch, speaking to him, said, 'A Lingnan person has no Buddha-nature.'At the very beginning of seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dharma, what is difficult to attain and difficult to hear is 'sentient beings have no Buddha-nature.'When learning from a teacher or from sutras, what one should rejoice in hearing is 'sentient beings have no Buddha-nature.'Those who have not fully investigated 'all sentient beings have no Buddha-nature'through seeing, hearing, perceiving, and knowing have not yet seen, heard, perceived, or known Buddha-nature.

When the Sixth Patriarch sought to become a Buddha, the Fifth Patriarch enabled the Sixth Patriarch to become a Buddha without any other saying, without any skillful means. He only said, 'A Lingnan person has no Buddha-nature.'Know that hearing and speaking the saying 'no Buddha-nature'is the direct path to becoming a Buddha. Thus, the very moment of rightly being 'no Buddha-nature'is becoming a Buddha. Not yet seeing, hearing, or speaking of 'no Buddha-nature'is not yet becoming a Buddha.

The Sixth Patriarch said, 'Though people have north and south, Buddha-nature has no north and south.'One should take up this saying and work within the phrase. The words 'north and south'should be directly examined with a sincere mind. The Sixth Patriarch's utterance has an essential point. There is a partial understanding that 'though people become Buddhas, Buddha-nature should not become a Buddha.'Did the Sixth Patriarch know this or not?

The saying 'no Buddha-nature'spoken by the Fourth and Fifth Patriarchs, receiving a corner of far-reaching obstructive power, is that all Buddhas such as Kashyapa Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha, when becoming Buddhas and turning the Dharma-wheel, possess the power to say 'all have Buddha-nature.'How could the 'have'of 'all have'not succeed to the 'no'of 'no-no'? Therefore, the words 'no Buddha-nature'are heard from far within the room of the Fourth and Fifth Patriarchs.

At that time, if the Sixth Patriarch was that person, he should have worked on these words 'no Buddha-nature.'Setting aside for a moment the 'no'of 'have and no,'one should ask, 'What is this Buddha-nature?'One should inquire, 'What thing is this Buddha-nature?'People nowadays, upon hearing 'Buddha-nature,'do not ask 'What is this Buddha-nature?'but speak of meanings like the presence or absence of Buddha-nature—this is hasty. Therefore, all 'no's should study the 'no'of 'no Buddha-nature.'The Sixth Patriarch's saying 'people have north and south, Buddha-nature has no north and south'should be dredged repeatedly for a long time; one must have the power of a wave-dredger.

The Sixth Patriarch's saying 'people have north and south, Buddha-nature has no north and south'should be quietly picked up and set down. Foolish people think: 'Since humans have substance and obstruction, they have north and south, but Buddha-nature is empty and融合, not subject to discussion of north and south'—to speculate that the Sixth Patriarch said such is utter ignorant folly. Cast off this wrong understanding and straightaway diligently study.

The Sixth Patriarch instructed his disciple Xingchang, saying: 'Impermanence is precisely Buddha-nature. Permanence is precisely the discriminating mind of all dharmas, good and evil.'

The 'impermanence'spoken by the Sixth Patriarch is not the conjecture of non-Buddhists or the Two Vehicles. Though the root and branches of the Two Vehicles and non-Buddhists are impermanence, they cannot exhaust it. Therefore, if impermanence itself speaks, practices, or realizes impermanence, all is impermanence. 'Now, by manifesting one's own body for those who should be saved, one manifests one's own body and for them expounds the Dharma'—this is Buddha-nature. Further, one may manifest a long Dharma-body or a short Dharma-body. Permanent sage is impermanence; permanent ordinary being is impermanence. To be a permanent sage or ordinary being cannot be Buddha-nature. It is a small, foolish view; a narrow, conjectural view. 'Buddha'is small body; 'nature'is small activity. Therefore, the Sixth Patriarch said: 'Impermanence is Buddha-nature.'

The constant is that which has not turned. 'Has not turned'means that even if it transforms into the ability to cut off, even if it changes into that which is to be cut off, it is not necessarily caught in the traces of coming and going; therefore it is constant.

Thus, the impermanence of the grasses, trees, thickets, and forests is precisely Buddha-nature. The impermanence of people, things, body, and mind is Buddha-nature. It is because the impermanence of the land, mountains, and rivers is Buddha-nature. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is impermanent because it is Buddha-nature; Mahaparinirvana is Buddha-nature because it is impermanent. All the narrow views of the two vehicles and the Tripitaka masters and the like should be startled, doubtful, and terrified by this Way of the Sixth Ancestor. If they are startled and doubtful, they are of the class of demons and outsiders.

The Fourteenth Ancestor, the Venerable Nagarjuna; in Sanskrit, Nagarjuna. In Chinese, Dragon Tree, also Dragon Victory, also Dragon Vigor. He was a man of Western India. He went to Southern India. The people of that country mostly believed in meritorious karma. The Venerable One preached the wondrous Dharma for them. Those who heard it said to each other in turn: 'People have meritorious karma; that is foremost in the world. To merely speak of Buddha-nature, who has ever seen it?'

The Venerable One said: 'If you wish to see Buddha-nature, you must first remove self-conceit.'

Those people said: 'Is Buddha-nature large or small?'

The Venerable One said: 'Buddha-nature is neither large nor small, neither broad nor narrow, without merit and without retribution, neither perishing nor arising.'

Hearing the excellence of the principle, they all turned their initial minds.

The Venerable One further manifested a body of perfect freedom upon his seat, like a full moon disc. The entire assembly only heard the sound of the Dharma, and did not behold the master's form.

Among that assembly, there was the householder's son Kanadaiba, who addressed the assembly saying, 'Do you recognize this sign?'

The assembly said, 'Now, what our eyes have never seen, our ears have never heard, our minds have never recognized, our bodies have never dwelled upon.'

Daiba said, 'This is the Venerable One manifesting the sign of the Buddha-nature to show us. How do we know this? Because the samadhi of no-sign is in form like a full moon. The meaning of Buddha-nature is vast, empty, and luminous.'

When he finished speaking, the disc-like sign immediately vanished. He returned to his original seat and spoke a verse, saying,

The body manifests the form of the full moon,

To express the essence of all buddhas.

Expounding the Dharma has no fixed shape;

Its function of discernment is not sound or form.

(The body manifests the form of the full moon, to express the essence of all buddhas. Expounding the Dharma has no fixed shape; its function of discernment is not sound or form.

Know that the true function of discernment is not the immediate manifestation of sound and form. The true expounding of the Dharma is without fixed shape. The Venerable One extensively taught buddha-nature, beyond measure. Here, for now, we briefly cite one corner.)

If you wish to see the Buddha-nature, you must first eliminate self-conceit. The essential purport of this teaching must be clearly discerned and affirmed. It is not that there is no seeing; this seeing is precisely the elimination of self-conceit. Self is not singular; conceit is manifold; the methods of elimination are also myriad and diverse. Nevertheless, all these are seeing the Buddha-nature. You should follow the eye seeing and the eye witnessing.

Do not compare the expression 'Buddha-nature is neither large nor small'to ordinary common people or the two vehicles. To think one-sidedly that Buddha-nature is solely vast and great is to harbor perverse thoughts. There is no reason to be obstructed by the expression 'neither large nor small'at the very moment of right thusness; you should consider it as you now hear and receive. It is because you are enabled to use hearing and receiving that is consideration.

For a while, you should listen to and receive the verse expressed by the Venerable One, namely, 'The body manifests the form of a full moon, thereby expressing the body of all buddhas.'Since it is a body manifestation that has already expressed the body of all buddhas, it is the form of a full moon. Therefore, all long, short, square, and round should learn from this body manifestation. To be estranged from body and manifestation is not only dim regarding the full moon form, it is to be apart from the body of all buddhas.

Fools think that the Venerable One temporarily manifested a transformation body and call it the full moon form; this is the perverse thought of factions that have not received transmission of the Buddha Way. At which place, at which time could it be another manifestation apart from the body? You should clearly know: at this time, the Venerable One was simply seated on the high seat. The manner of body manifestation was just as anyone now is seated. This body is precisely the manifestation of the full moon form. Body manifestation is not square or round, not existent or non-existent, not hidden or revealed, not the eighty-four thousand aggregates; it is simply body manifestation.

Speaking of 'full moon form': here, what place is this? The moon spoken of as fine, spoken of as coarse. This body manifestation is, because one must first eliminate self-conceit, not Nagarjuna, but the body of all buddhas. Because it expresses, it penetrates through the body of all buddhas. Therefore, it is not entangled with the Buddha side. Even if there is a luminous void resembling the full moon of Buddha-nature, it is not arranging the full moon form. Moreover, the function of discernment is not sound or form; body manifestation is not the form-body, not the aggregates, sense fields, and realms.

Although it is identical to the aggregates, sense fields, and realms, it is expression; it is the body of all buddhas. This is the Dharma aggregate of teaching; that is without its form. When without its form further becomes the samadhi of no-mark, it is body manifestation. Although the assembly now gazes upon the full moon form, what the eye has not yet seen is the turning point of the Dharma aggregate of teaching; it is the non-sound-and-form of the freely manifesting body. Immediate concealment, immediate manifestation is the advancing and retreating steps of the wheel mark. At the very moment of 'again manifesting the freely manifesting body upon the seat,'the entire assembly only hears the Dharma sound; they do not see the teacher's form.

The Venerable One's direct successor, the Venerable Aryadeva, clearly recognized this full moon form, recognized this full moon form, recognized this body manifestation, recognized this Buddha-nature of all buddhas, recognized this body of all buddhas. Although there were many in the assembly who entered the room and poured from the vase, none could equal Aryadeva. Aryadeva is the venerable of half the seat, the guiding teacher of the assembly, the one sharing the full seat. The correct transmission of the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, the unsurpassed great Dharma, is like when the Venerable Mahakashyapa was the head seat on Vulture Peak.

Before Nagarjuna turned his mind, when he was in non-Buddhist teachings, he had many disciples, but he dismissed them all. When Nagarjuna had already become a Buddha ancestor, he alone took Aryadeva as the true direct successor of the Dharma transmission and correctly transmitted the Great Dharma Eye Treasury. This is the single transmission of the unsurpassed Buddha Way. Yet, presumptuous and false perverse groups arbitrarily claim, 'We too are Dharma successors of the great being Nagarjuna.'They compose treatises and compile doctrines, largely pilfering Nagarjuna's handiwork, not Nagarjuna's own compositions.

They are the disciples discarded in the past, confusing and disturbing humans and devas. Buddhist disciples should know straightforwardly: what is not transmitted by Aryadeva is not the Way of Nagarjuna. This is correct faith and attainment. Yet, many receive it even while knowing it is false. The foolish ignorance of beings who slander the great prajna is pitiable and lamentable.

The Venerable Aryadeva, incidentally pointing to the body manifestation of the Venerable Nagarjuna, announced to the assembly saying, 'This is the Venerable One manifesting the mark of Buddha-nature to show us. How do we know this? Because the samadhi of no-mark is like the form of a full moon. The meaning of Buddha-nature is vast and luminous void.'

Now, among humans and devas, throughout the great thousandfold Dharma realm, which skin-bags who have seen and heard the spread Buddha Dharma, past and present, have expressed that 'the mark of body manifestation is Buddha-nature'? In the great thousandfold realm, only the Venerable Aryadeva has expressed this. Others only express that 'Buddha-nature is not eye-seeing, ear-hearing, mind-consciousness, etc.'They do not express it because they do not know that body manifestation is Buddha-nature. It is not that ancestral teachers withhold it; their eyes and ears are blocked so they cannot see and hear. Their body-consciousness has not yet arisen so they cannot discern. When gazing upon and bowing to the samadhi of no-mark that is like the form of a full moon, their eyes have not yet witnessed. The meaning of Buddha-nature is vast and luminous void.

Therefore, the manifestation of the body that speaks of buddha-nature is empty and luminous, vast and open. The manifestation of the body that speaks of buddha-nature expresses the essence of all buddhas. Which single buddha or pair of buddhas would not take this expression as the buddha-essence? The buddha-essence is the manifestation of the body; there is a buddha-nature that is the manifestation of the body. Even the buddha-measure and ancestor-measure spoken of and grasped as the four great elements and five aggregates are, in turn, a casual act of the manifestation of the body. Since it is called the essence of all buddhas, it is thus with the aggregates, sense fields, and realms. All virtues are this virtue. The virtues of buddhas exhaust and encompass this manifestation of the body. The coming and going of all immeasurable, boundless virtues is a single casual act of this manifestation of the body.

Yet, since the time of the teacher-disciple pair Nagarjuna and Aryadeva, throughout the three countries, in various places, in earlier and later generations, those who study the Buddha's way have not spoken like Nagarjuna and Aryadeva. How many sutra masters and treatise masters have missed the way of the buddhas and ancestors?

In the Great Song dynasty, from ancient times wishing to paint this causal condition, they could not paint it on the body, paint it on the mind, paint it in emptiness, paint it on a wall; vainly painting on the tip of a brush, they depicted a single round mark like a mirror on the dharma seat, and now make it Nagarjuna's 'manifestation of the body, round moon mark.'Already hundreds of years of frost blossoms have opened and fallen, and though human eyes would make gold dust, there is no one who says it is mistaken. Pitiable indeed, that the stumbling of all matters is like this.

If one grasps that 'manifestation of the body, round moon mark'is a single round mark, it is truly a painted cake. To play with it, laughable, laughable indeed. Lamentable, that in the entire Great Song dynasty, lay and monastic, not a single one hears or knows Nagarjuna's words, does not pass through Aryadeva's way. How much less are they intimate with the manifestation of the body? They are darkened to the round moon, they diminish the full moon. This is due to negligent study of the ancients, not yearning for the ancients. Ancient buddhas and new buddhas, further encountering the true manifestation of the body, do not admire painted cakes.

Know that to paint the mark of 'manifestation of the body, round moon mark,'there must be the mark of the manifestation of the body on the dharma seat. Raising eyebrows and blinking eyes must be upright and direct. Skin, flesh, bones, marrow, the treasury of the true dharma eye, must surely sit firmly. A broken-face smile must be transmitted, because of making buddhas and making ancestors. When this painting is not yet a moon mark, there is no likeness, no speaking dharma, no sound or form, no function of discrimination. If you seek the manifestation of the body, you should depict the round moon mark.

If you depict the round moon mark, you should depict the round moon mark, because it is 'manifestation of the body, round moon mark.'When painting the round moon mark, you should depict the full moon mark, you should manifest the full moon mark. Yet, not painting the manifestation of the body, not painting the round moon, not painting the full moon mark, not depicting the essence of all buddhas, not taking the expression as the essence, not depicting the speaking of dharma, vainly depicting a single painted cake—what use is this? Look at this urgently; who, until now, is full and not hungry? The moon is round form; round is the manifestation of the body. In studying round, do not study it like a single coin; do not resemble a single cake. The body mark is the round moon body; the likeness is the full moon form. A single coin, a single cake—you should study round.

I, in my former cloud-wandering, arrived in the Great Song dynasty; around autumn of the sixteenth year of the Jiading era, Guiwei, I first arrived at Guangli Chan Monastery on Mount Ayuwang. On the wall of the western corridor, I saw painted the transformation scenes of the thirty-three ancestors of the Western Heavens and Eastern Land. At that time, I did not comprehend it. Later, during the summer retreat of the first year of the Baoqing era, Yiyou, I went there again; walking along the corridor with the guest-prefect Cheng Gui from Western Shu,

I asked the guest-prefect, 'What transformation scene is this?'

The guest-prefect said, 'Nagarjuna's manifestation of the body, round moon mark.'In thus speaking, his countenance had no nostrils; within the sound, there were no phrases.

I say, this truly resembles a single painted cake.

Although the guest manager laughed heartily, there was no blade within his laughter; he could not break the painted cake.

Between the guest manager and myself, as we reached the Hall of Relics and the Six Sublime Sites, though we raised several points, none reached the point of doubt. Naturally, many monks who offered interpretations were also not correct.

I say, let us ask the abbot. At that time, the abbot was Great Light Oshō.

The guest manager said, "He has no nostrils; one cannot face him. How could one gain understanding?"

Therefore, I did not ask Old Light. Though I spoke thus, Brother Gui also could not grasp it. The leather bag that heard the talk also did not speak. Seeing the porridge and rice heads before and after, I was not suspicious and did not correct them. Also, the dharma that should not be painted should not be painted at all. If it is to be painted, it should be painted uprightly. Yet, the round moon face that manifests itself has never been painted.

Generally, because people do not awaken from the view that buddha-nature is the present thinking, knowing, reflecting, and perceiving, they seem to lose the very edge of penetration on the path of having buddha-nature and on the path of lacking buddha-nature. It is rare that they learn to express it. Know that this negligence is due to abandonment. Among the various monastery rice servers, there are those who go their whole lives without ever uttering the expression 'buddha-nature.'Some say that companions who listen to teachings discuss buddha-nature, but Zen monks in cloud robes should not speak of it. Such types are truly beasts. What kind of demonic faction is this, trying to defile the path of our Buddha Tathagata? Does 'listening to teachings'exist in the buddha-dharma? Does 'practicing Zen'exist in the buddha-dharma? You should know that there is no such thing as 'listening to teachings'or 'practicing Zen'in the buddha-dharma.

National Teacher Qi'an of Yanguan County in Hangzhou was a venerable elder under Mazu. Once he indicated to the assembly, saying, 'All sentient beings have buddha-nature.'

The phrase 'all sentient beings'should be investigated thoroughly and immediately. 'All sentient beings'—their karmic paths, dependent and primary retribution, are not one; their views are diverse. Ordinary people, outsiders, the three vehicles, five vehicles, and so on, each are distinct. Now, in the buddha-dharma, 'all sentient beings'means all those with mind are sentient beings, because mind is sentient beings. Those without mind are also sentient beings, because sentient beings are mind. Therefore, all mind is sentient beings, and all sentient beings have buddha-nature.

Grasses, trees, lands, and nations are mind; because they are mind, they are sentient beings; because they are sentient beings, they have buddha-nature. Sun, moon, stars, and constellations are mind; because they are mind, they are sentient beings; because they are sentient beings, they have buddha-nature. National Teacher's expression 'have buddha-nature'is like this. If it is not like this, it is not the expression 'have buddha-nature'in the buddha-dharma. Now, the essential point of National Teacher's expression is solely 'all sentient beings have buddha-nature.'Furthermore, what is not sentient beings would not have buddha-nature.

For a moment, one should ask National Teacher: 'Do all buddhas have buddha-nature or not?'One should inquire and test like this. One should study that he does not say 'all sentient beings are buddha-nature,'but says 'all sentient beings have buddha-nature.'The 'have'in 'have buddha-nature'must be脱落.脱落 is a single iron bar; a single iron bar is the bird's path. Therefore, all sentient beings have sentient beings. This principle not only thoroughly explains sentient beings, but also thoroughly explains buddha-nature. Even if National Teacher did not acknowledge his realization in his expression, it is not that there is no time for acknowledgment.

Today's expression is not without an essential point. Also, the principle one possesses oneself is not necessarily realized by oneself, yet there are the four great elements and five aggregates, there are skin, flesh, bones, and marrow. Just so, there is expression in one's lifetime, and there are lives bound to expression.

Chan Master Dayuan of Mount Dawei once indicated to the assembly, saying, 'All sentient beings have no buddha-nature.'

Among the humans and devas hearing this, there are great capacities who rejoice; it is not that there are none who are startled and doubtful. The Buddha's teaching says all sentient beings universally have buddha-nature; Dawei's teaching says all sentient beings have no buddha-nature. The principles of having and lacking are far apart; one should doubt whether the expression is appropriate or not. Nevertheless, solely 'all sentient beings have no buddha-nature'is long in the buddha-dharma. Even if Yanguan's path of having buddha-nature is like sharing a single hand with an ancient buddha, it is still two people carrying a single staff.

Now Dawei is not so; it is a single staff swallowing two people. Moreover, National Teacher is a son of Mazu; Dawei is a grandson of Mazu. Nevertheless, the dharma-grandson is elder in the way of the teacher-grandfather; the dharma-son is younger in the way of the teacher-father. Now, the principle of Dawei's way takes 'all sentient beings have no buddha-nature'as its principle. He does not yet say it is vast and beyond rules. The scriptures in his own house are upheld like this. Furthermore, one should investigate: how could all sentient beings be buddha-nature, have buddha-nature? If there is buddha-nature, this is a demonic faction.

Bringing a single demonic child to lay over all sentient beings. Because buddha-nature is buddha-nature, sentient beings are sentient beings. Sentient beings originally do not possess buddha-nature. Even if one seeks to possess it, buddha-nature is not a principle that comes for the first time. Do not say 'Zhang drinks the wine, Li gets drunk.'If there spontaneously is buddha-nature, then there are no sentient beings. Since there are sentient beings, ultimately there is no buddha-nature.

Therefore, Baizhang said, 'To say that sentient beings have buddha-nature is also to slander the dharma, the buddha, and the sangha. To say that sentient beings do not have buddha-nature is also to slander the dharma, the buddha, and the sangha.'Thus, whether speaking of having buddha-nature or not having buddha-nature, both become slander. Even though they become slander, one must not refrain from expressing the way.

Now I ask you, Dawei, listen carefully to Baizhang for a moment. Slander is not nonexistent; is buddha-nature expressible or not? Even if it were expressible, it would obstruct the speaker. If there is a speaker, the hearer would be a fellow practitioner. Also, one should say to Dawei: Even if one expresses 'all sentient beings have no buddha-nature,'one does not say 'all buddha-nature has no sentient beings,'nor does one say 'all buddha-nature has no buddha-nature,'let alone 'all buddhas have no buddha-nature'—such a thing has never been seen even in a dream. Try raising this and see.

Chan Master Dazhi of Mount Baizhang addressed the assembly, saying: 'The buddha is the supreme vehicle, the highest wisdom. It is the buddha-way that establishes this person; it is the buddha that has buddha-nature; it is the guide. It enables the wind of unobstructedness; it is unobstructed wisdom. Thereafter, it enables one to freely employ cause and effect, fortune and wisdom. It becomes a cart that transports cause and effect. Dwelling in life, one is not detained by life; dwelling in death, one is not obstructed by death; dwelling in the five aggregates is like an open gate. Not obstructed by the five aggregates, coming and going are free, entering and exiting without difficulty. If one can be thus, without discussing stages, superiority or inferiority, even the body of an ant, if it can be thus, is entirely a pure and wondrous land, inconceivable.'

This is precisely Baizhang's expression of the place. The so-called five aggregates are the present indestructible body. The present urgency is an open gate; not being obstructed by the five aggregates. Enabling life, one is not detained by life; enabling death, one is not hindered by death. Do not vainly cling to life; do not recklessly fear death. Since it is the place of buddha-nature, to stir and reject it is the way of outsiders. To recognize the conditions presently before you is to enable the wind of unobstructedness. This is the buddha that is the supreme vehicle. This place of being buddha is precisely the pure and wondrous land.

Huangbo and Nanquan were sitting in the tea hall. Nanquan asked Huangbo, 'Equal learning of samadhi and prajna, clearly seeing buddha-nature—how is this principle?'

Huangbo said, 'Throughout the twelve hours, not relying on a single thing—only then is it attained.'

Nanquan said, 'Is this not the elder's insight?'

Huangbo said, 'I dare not.'

Nanquan said, 'Let's set aside the money for soy sauce; who will repay the money for straw sandals?'

Huangbo then stopped.

The principle of the equal study of samadhi and prajna is this: it is not that the equal study clarifies the seeing of buddha-nature because samadhi does not obstruct prajna; rather, where there is the clear seeing of buddha-nature, there is the study of the equal samadhi and prajna. How is this principle expressed? For example, it is the same as asking, 'Whose doing is the clear seeing of buddha-nature?'To ask, 'How is this principle expressed regarding the equal study of buddha-nature and the clear seeing of buddha-nature?'is also an expression.

Huangbo said, 'The principle of "throughout the twelve hours, not relying on a single thing" means that even if one is situated throughout the twelve hours, one does not rely. Not relying on a single thing—this itself, being the twelve hours, is the clear seeing of buddha-nature. In these twelve hours, what time arrives? What land is it? Are these twelve hours the twelve hours of humans, or are there twelve hours elsewhere? Have the twelve hours of the silver world temporarily come? Even if it is this land, even if it is another realm, there is no reliance. Since it is throughout the twelve hours, there should be no reliance.'

To say 'Is this perhaps the elder's insight?'is like saying 'This should not be called insight.'Even if one says 'the elder's insight,'one must not turn back and say 'it must be oneself.'Even if it corresponds to oneself, it is not Huangbo. Huangbo is not necessarily only oneself; 'the elder's insight'is because it is clearly revolving.

Huangbo said, 'I dare not.'

These words mean that in the land of Song, when one is asked about one's own ability, even if one were to call ability 'ability,'one says 'I dare not.'Therefore, the way of 'I dare not'is not 'I dare not.'That this speaking is this speaking cannot be measured. Even if 'the elder's insight'is the elder, even if 'the elder's insight'is Huangbo, in speaking one must be 'I dare not.'It must be like 'a water buffalo comes out and says moo moo.'To speak like this is speaking. The principle of speaking is further speaking that is speaking; one should try and see by speaking.

Nanquan said, 'Leave aside the soy-sauce money for now; to whom shall the straw sandal money be repaid?'

That is to say, 'for this occasion, temporarily set aside; to whom shall the straw sandal money be repaid?'The meaning of this speaking should be thoroughly investigated through long, continuous practice. Why is the soy-sauce money temporarily disregarded? One should diligently study with care. Why is the straw sandal money managed? It means how many straw sandals have been worn out through the years and months of pilgrimage. Now it should be said: 'If you do not repay the money, you have not yet worn straw sandals.'Also it is said: 'Two or three rounds.'This should be the speaking; this should be the principle.

Huangbo then rested. This is resting. He rested because he was not accepted; it is not resting in not being accepted. A true monk is like this. Know that 'within rest there is the way'is like 'within laughter there is a knife.'This is the fullness of porridge and rice in the clear seeing of buddha-nature.

Raising this kōan, Guishan asked Yangshan: 'Could it be that Huangbo could not grasp Nanquan?'

Yangshan said: 'Not so. You must know that Huangbo had the skill to trap a tiger.'

Guishan said: 'Your insight has grown to such a degree.'

The way of Great Gui says: 'In the past, could it be that Huangbo could not grasp Nanquan?'

Yangshan said: 'Huangbo had the skill to trap a tiger. If he had trapped a tiger, he would have seized the tiger's head.'

Trapping a tiger, seizing a tiger—walking among different kinds. Clearly seeing the Buddha-nature opens one eye. The Buddha-nature clearly seen loses one eye. Speak quickly, speak quickly. The insight into Buddha-nature has grown to such a degree.

Therefore, half things and whole things are not dependent. A hundred thousand things are not dependent; a hundred thousand times are not dependent. Therefore, it is said: 'One basket, twelve times within. Dependent and not dependent, like vines leaning on a tree. Within heaven and the entire heaven, the back of the head has not yet spoken.'

A monk asked Master Zhaozhou Zhenji: 'Does a dog also have buddha-nature or not?'

The meaning of this question should be clarified. 'Dog'means a dog. It is not asking whether it should have buddha-nature, nor is it asking whether it should not have it. This is asking whether an iron man also studies the Way. Mistakenly meeting a poisonous hand, though resentment runs deep, for thirty years since then, it is the style of seeing not even half a sage.

Zhaozhou said: 'No.'

Hearing this teaching, there is a path to study. The 'no'that buddha-nature itself proclaims should be like this; the 'no'that the dog itself proclaims should be spoken thus; the 'no'that bystanders call it should be spoken thus. That 'no'may have a day of vanishing stone.

The monk said: 'All sentient beings have buddha-nature; why does the dog have none?'

So-called doctrines say: if all beings are without, then buddha-nature too must be without, and the dog too must be without. How is that doctrine? Dog's buddha-nature—how could it wait for without?

Zhaozhou said: 'Because he has karmic consciousness.'

The meaning of this way is: 'because he has'is karmic consciousness. Even if 'karmic consciousness has'is 'because he has,'the dog is without, buddha-nature is without. Karmic consciousness has not yet met the dog; how could the dog meet buddha-nature? Even if one both releases and gathers both, still this is the beginning and end of karmic consciousness.

A monk asked Zhaozhou: 'Does a dog also have buddha-nature or not?'

This asking: this monk must have grasped Zhaozhou's principle. Therefore, speaking of buddha-nature, asking about it, is the daily tea and rice of buddhas and ancestors.

Zhaozhou said: 'It has.'

This appearance of existence is not the existence of the doctrinal schools'masters, nor is it the existence of the Abhidharma treatises. One must advance and learn the Buddha's existence. The Buddha's existence is Zhaozhou's existence; Zhaozhou's existence is the dog's existence; the dog's existence is the Buddha-nature's existence.

A monk said, 'Since there is existence, why then does it crash into this skin bag?'

As for this monk's saying, is it present existence, ancient existence, or 'since there is existence'? In questioning 'since there is existence,'even if 'since there is existence'resembles all existence, 'since there is existence'is solitary illumination. Should 'since there is existence'crash in, or should it not crash in? The conduct of crashing into this skin bag is not a futile, missed opportunity for practice.

Zhaozhou said, 'Because he knows and deliberately transgresses.'

These words have long circulated in the world as ordinary speech, but now they are Zhaozhou's saying. What is said is 'knowing and deliberately doing.'Few will not harbor doubts about this saying. Although the meaning of the single character 'enter'is difficult to clarify, even the character 'enter'is unnecessary.

Moreover, 'If you wish to know the undying person in the hut, how could you be apart from this very skin bag?'Even if the undying person is anyone, when is one not inseparable from the skin bag? 'Deliberately transgressing'does not necessarily mean entering the skin bag; 'crashing into this skin bag'does not necessarily mean 'knowing and deliberately transgressing.'Because of 'knowing,'there should be 'deliberately transgressing.'Know that this 'deliberately transgressing'likely conceals the conduct of the whole body. This is speaking of 'crashing in.'When the conduct of the whole body is rightly concealed, it is concealed from oneself and concealed from others.

Yet, even though it is like this, do not say there is no escape, you fellow before the donkey, behind the horse. Moreover, Yunju Daoying said, 'Even if you learn the peripheral matters of the Buddha Dharma, you have quickly mistaken the mind's use.'

Therefore, even if one has long erred in learning the peripheral matters of the Buddha Dharma, deepening day by day, month by month, this should be the dog crashing into this skin bag. Even if it is 'knowing and deliberately transgressing,'there should be Buddha-nature.

At the assembly of Elder Changsha Jingcen, Minister Zhu asked, 'When an earthworm is cut into two segments, both ends move. I do not know, in which head does the Buddha-nature reside?'

The master said, 'Do not engage in deluded thinking.'

The minister said, 'But what about the movement?'

The master said, 'It is merely that wind and fire have not yet dispersed.'

Now, when the minister speaks of 'an earthworm cut into two segments,'does he firmly decide that before being cut it was one segment? In the everyday activity of the Buddhas and Ancestors, it is not so. Originally, the earthworm is not one segment; cut, the earthworm is not two segments. One must diligently investigate and study the expression of this one and two.

When speaking of 'both ends move,'is the 'both ends'taking the one end before being cut as one head, and the Buddha's transcendence as one head? Even if the minister's understanding or lack thereof is not the point, do not abandon the words. The two cut segments are one head; is there yet another head? In speaking of 'move'as 'both move,'both the stillness of concentration and the activity of wisdom should be moving.

I ask, in which head does buddha-nature reside? If buddha-nature is cut in two, I ask, in which head does the earthworm reside? This saying must be examined minutely. 'Both heads move, in which head does buddha-nature reside?'If both move, does this mean it is impossible to locate buddha-nature? Or, since both move, even though the movement is simultaneous, within which should buddha-nature's location be?

The master said, 'Do not engage in delusive thought.'What should be the principle of this teaching? It is to say, 'Do not engage in delusive thought.'Therefore, when both heads move, is it that there is no delusive thought, that it is not delusive thought? Or is it simply that buddha-nature has no delusive thought? One must also investigate whether it is not a matter of discussing buddha-nature, nor a matter of discussing the two heads, but simply saying 'no delusive thought.'

What about moving? Does saying 'if it moves, one should further add a single sheet of buddha-nature'mean that if it moves, it is not buddha-nature?

Saying 'wind and fire have not dispersed'must mean causing buddha-nature to appear. Is it buddha-nature? Is it wind and fire? One cannot say both emerge; one cannot say one emerges, one does not emerge; one cannot say wind and fire are buddha-nature. Therefore, Changsha did not say 'the earthworm has buddha-nature,'nor did he say 'the earthworm has no buddha-nature.'He simply said 'do not engage in delusive thought,'he said 'wind and fire have not dispersed.'The functioning of buddha-nature must be discerned through Changsha's way. The words 'wind and fire have not dispersed'must be quietly worked on. What principle is there in 'not dispersed'?

Does saying 'the gathered wind and fire have not yet reached the time to disperse'mean 'not dispersed'? This cannot be so. 'Wind and fire have not dispersed'explains the buddha-dharma; 'not dispersed wind and fire'explains the dharma-buddha. For example, it is the time when a single sound explains the dharma. The single sound of expounding the dharma is the arriving time. The dharma is a single sound; because it is the dharma of a single sound.

Furthermore, to think that buddha-nature exists only at birth and does not exist at death is fundamentally shallow hearing and thin understanding. At birth, there is buddha-nature and there is no buddha-nature. At death, there is buddha-nature and there is no buddha-nature. If one discusses the dispersal or non-dispersal of wind and fire, it should be the dispersal or non-dispersal of buddha-nature. Even at the time of dispersal, there may be buddha-nature, there may be no buddha-nature. Even at the time of non-dispersal, there may be buddha-nature, there may be no buddha-nature. Despite this, to perversely hold that buddha-nature's presence or absence depends on movement or non-movement, that its divinity or non-divinity depends on recognition or non-recognition, that its nature or non-nature depends on knowing or not knowing—this is the view of outsiders.

Since time without beginning, many deluded people have mistaken consciousness-spirit for buddha-nature, taking it for the original person—laughable indeed. Even when speaking of buddha-nature further, though it should not be dragging through mud and stagnating in water, it is walls, tiles, and rubble. When speaking from the standpoint of the ultimate, what would this buddha-nature be? Do you fully understand?

Three heads and eight arms.

The Shobogenzo, Buddha Nature, Volume Three

Written and copied on the nineteenth day of the first month of the guimao year, the fourth year of the same era, by Huai Rang.

At that time, on the fourteenth day of the tenth month of the xinchou year, the second year of Ninji, he addressed the assembly at Kannon Dori Kosho Horin-ji Temple in Yoshu.

This is the colophon of the re-edited imperial text.

Completed by collating with the re-edited imperial text on the twenty-fifth day of the fourth month of the wuwu year, the second year of Shoka.