Buddha Dwelling In The Individual Mind

: BUDDHA, THE UNIVERSAL SPIRIT

Enlightened Consciousness in the individual mind acquires for its

possessor, not a relative knowledge of things as his intellect does,

but the profoundest insight in reference to universal brotherhood of

all beings, and enables him to understand the absolute holiness of

their nature, and the highest goal for which all of them are making.

Enlightened Consciousness once awakened within us serves as a guiding

principle, a
d leads us to hope, bliss, and life; consequently, it is

called the Master[FN#154] of both mind and body. Sometimes it is

called the Original[FN#155] Mind, as it is the mind of minds. It is

Buddha dwelling in individuals. You might call it God in man, if you

like. The following dialogues all point to this single idea:



On one occasion a butcher, who was used to kill one thousand sheep a

day, came to Gotama, and, throwing down his butcher-knife, said I am

one of the thousand Buddhas. Yes, really, replied Gotama. A

monk, Hwui Chao (E-cha) by name, asked Pao Yen (Ho-gen): What is

Buddha? You are Hwui Chao, replied the master. The same question

was put to Sheu Shan (Shu-zan), Chi Man (Chi-mon), and Teu Tsz

(To-shi), the first of whom answered: A bride mounts on a donkey and

her mother-in-law drives it; and the second: He goes barefooted,

his sandals being worn out; while the third rose from his chair and

stood still without saying a word. Chwen Hih (Fu-kiu) explains this

point in unequivocal terms: Night after night I sleep with Buddha,

and every morning I get up with Him. He accompanies me wherever I

go. When I stand or sit, when I speak or be mute, when I am out or

in, He never leaves me, even as a shadow accompanies body. Would you

know where He is? Listen to that voice and word.[FN#156]





[FN#154] It is often called the Lord or Master of mind.



[FN#155] Another name for Buddha is the Original Mind

(Kechi-myaku-ron).



[FN#156] For such dialogues, see Sho-yo-roku, Mu-mon-kan,

Heki-gan-shu. Fu-kiu's words are repeatedly quoted by Zen masters.



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