Words of Wisdom for Nov. 6, 2019: Bodhidharma on Mind and Nature

“Our nature is the mind. and the mind is our nature. This nature is the same as the mind of all Buddhas. Buddhas of the past and future only transmit this mind. beyond this mind there’s no Buddha anywhere. But deluded people don’t realize that their own mind is the Buddha. They keep searching outside.they never stop invoking Buddhas or worshipping Buddhas and wondering where is the Buddha? Don’t indulge in such illusions. just know your mind. Beyond your mind there’s no other Buddha. The sutras say, "everything that has form is an illusion." They also say, "wherever you are, there’s a Buddha." Your mind is the Buddha. don’t use a Buddha to worship a Buddha.”

― Bodhidharma,
The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma

ad 191106z