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, and leads us to hope, bliss, and life; consequently, it is
called the Master of both mind and body. Sometimes it is
called the Original 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."
It is often called the Lord or Master of mind.
Another name for Buddha is the Original Mind"
(Kechi-myaku-ron).
For such dialogues, see Sho-yo-roku, Mu-mon-kan,
Heki-gan-shu. Fu-kiu's words are repeatedly quoted by Zen masters.
