3.Buddha nature is always present but cannot be seen bya confused mind

Question: If our every action at any time is the fundamental innate mind, why do we not see it when we die? Answer: The fundamental innate mind is always present, but you just don’t see it. 

A disciple asked: If our every action at any time is the fundamental innate mind. Our actions refer to all our doings, including physical activities, mental activities, etc. Undertaken at any time in the past, present, and future. The fundamental innate mind here should be understood as the nature of mind, or buddha nature.

This is a question that a disciple asked his master: Since our buddha nature and luminous mind never leave us when we are walking, standing, sitting, and lying or eating, drinking, and playing, why do we not see it when we die? Why is it we still cannot see the true nature of our own mind?

There are many such metaphors in Buddhist scriptures. For example, if a lamp is placed in a pot, no light can be seen from the outside, but if the pot is smashed one day, the light will shine outward. Therefore, the questioner believed that since buddha nature is inside our own body and cannot be seen now, it will self-manifest when we die and the body disappears. We should be able to see it then! Why do we still not see it?

The master replied: The fundamental innate mind is always present, but you just don’t see it. His master replied: In fact, your buddha nature is always present. If you do not see it, that does not imply it doesn’t exist.

If the mind is present, why can't it be seen? Have you ever had a dream? Yes, I have. When you dream, is it you? Yes, it is me. Are your words, actions, and movements different from you? No, they are not.

The disciple further asked: If the mind is present, why can’t it be seen? Since the luminous clarity and buddha nature of the mind is always present, why can't it be seen?

So, his master used a metaphor to answer this question.

The master said: Have you ever had a dream? Answer: Yes, I have. 

The master asked: When you dream, is that you? The master asked: When you are lying in bed and dreaming, is the person in the dream you or someone else?

Answer: Yes, it is me. The disciple replied: Of course it is me. For example, when we play ball in a dream, although our real body is lying on the bed, we basically do not know this and think it is our body playing ball. The disciple also believed so, thus he answered "It's me."

He asked again: Are your words, actions, and movements different from you? The master asked again: When you speak, do things, and move in your dream, are these different from you? Answer: No, they are not. 

This is from the dreamer's perspective. Of course, the self in the dream and the self in real life are not the same person. It is just that the person in the dream is never aware there is another body lying on the bed, and believes throughout that the body that is talking, doing, and moving in the dream is his own body, that the actions are his own actions.

If there is no difference, then this body is your dharmakaya, and this dharmakaya is your fundamental innate mind. 

What does this sentence mean? Firstly, the master used the metaphor of dreams to let his disciple understand that buddha nature always exists, but we may not be aware of it; even if we do not know of its existence, it is not different from us, it is our innate mind. In other words, our buddha nature has never left us, it is now the same as us, but we simply cannot see it ourselves. Just like when dreaming, although the real body is lying on the bed, the person in the dream does not know it.

This body lying on the bed is like buddha nature, and our various emotions and events in life are like the person in a dream. Although the person in the dream is never separate from the body lying on the bed, he does not know it in the dream. Similarly, although we all have buddha nature, in real life we do not recognize it. Therefore, just as the person in the dream is not different from the body lying on the bed, our current emotions as well as greed, anger, ignorance, and defilements are also not different from buddha nature.

If there is no difference, then this body is your dharmakaya. Since this body and the body in the dream are one, then this body is the dharmakaya. Which body does "this body" here refer to? The body in the dream cannot be the dharmakaya, so it must refer to the body lying on the bed.

However, the dharmakaya cannot be a physical body, so why is this body said to be the dharmakaya? It should be understood this way: although we have the dharmakaya in our minds, we cannot see it, just like we cannot feel the physical body lying on the bed when we are dreaming. This is a metaphorical way of saying that the physical body is the dharmakaya. If you understand it this way, it will make sense. Not only is there no contradiction in content, but the logic is also very clear.

This dharmakaya is your fundamental innate mind. This dharmakaya, which has been in existence all along, is your innate mind. Therefore, do not think that the dharmakaya and your innate mind are two unrelated things.

In sum, this dharmakaya has always been in our minds since time immemorial. It is none other than the nature of our mind, our buddha nature. Although the dharmakaya is no different from ourselves, we cannot see it, just like we cannot in the dream see the body lying on the bed. Why are we not able to see it? It is ignorance.

This mind since beginningless kalpas has never varied. It has never experienced birth and death, it neither arises nor ceases, neither increases nor decreases, it is neither pure nor impure, neither good nor evil, it neither comes nor goes. 

This mind since beginningless great kalpas has never varied. "This mind" refers to buddha nature, the nature of mind and clarity. It appears not because we learn Buddhism; rather, it has been inseparable from us since beginningless time.

It has never experienced birth and death, it neither arises nor ceases. The nature of mind has never lived or died. It has no birth or death, it neither begins nor ends.

Neither increases nor decreases, it is neither pure nor impure. On the surface, all living beings in the six realms of rebirth are stained and afflicted; only after becoming a buddha, the mind is purified. But in fact, the essence of the mind is neither pure nor impure; it does not increase due to merit or decrease due to wrongdoing.

There is a metaphor in the Buddhist scriptures. Although the blue sky is always blue, we cannot see it from the ground up if there are clouds; after the clouds are dispersed by the wind, we can see the blue sky again. When the clouds gather and disperse, the blue sky disappears and appears accordingly. The fact is the blue sky does not change at all; the changes are all at the cloud level. Likewise, increase and decrease, arising and ceasing, etc. all exist at the secular level; the essence of mind is none of these.

Neither good nor evil, it neither comes nor goes. It is often said that "people's hearts are inherently good," but at the deepest level, the true nature of mind is neither good nor evil. As mentioned before, all dualistic concepts of good and evil, increase and decrease, pure and impure, etc. are relative; where there is good there is evil, where there is a beginning there is an end – these concepts are created in our consciousness, not in the nature of mind. There is no coming or going anywhere.

Before enlightenment, we can only express this theoretically, but it cannot be clearly explained no matter what we do, so everyone must practice. Even if we do not attain a high level of realization after practice, so long as we have a slight understanding and awareness of the nature of mind, we can basically be sure the nature of mind is neither pure nor impure, neither arising nor ceasing! This answer does not come from books, nor from our teachers or spiritual friends, but is found deep within our own mind. It is the final and absolute answer!

Going forward, we will never waver. Why? Because we have experienced it ourselves. For instance, if we taste candy and it is sweet, we will not be swayed no matter how many people say it is not sweet. Such is the case also with enlightenment. Although a strong command of the theory can lead to very good insights, theory can falter at any time, while enlightenment will not. Therefore, everyone must achieve enlightenment. Only after enlightenment do we truly know.

So, what use is there in realizing the true nature of the mind? The benefits are substantial – liberation from the endless cycle of rebirth and, at the very least, freedom from all kinds of suffering in real life.

First, why does enlightenment bring us liberation? Just like when there are no lights in the house and everything is dark, the moment the lights are turned on, darkness will disappear. Similarly, when we enter the state of enlightenment, our mind will be like a lamp that is lit up because there is an absence of a self and worldly afflictions in that state; the differences between you, me, and others that were previously established in the darkness, as well as defilements such as greed, anger, ignorance, and pride have all been swept away.

In addition to achieving liberation, we can easily resolve all kinds of suffering in real life, such as stress, competition, unrequited love, divorce, bankruptcy, etc. A lot of pain that people experience in the modern world is mental. Although there are also external objective factors that exist, the suffering need not be so painful if we can change our mindset. For example, when confronted with the same situation, some people panic, some people are calm, and some people may be very happy – different people have different reactions depending on how they approach a situation. If you realize the nature of mind, at least many of the troubles and pain caused by trivial matters in life can be resolved immediately. Of course, without any realization, this will always be empty talk and will not be of much help.

However, even without enlightenment, these theories and concepts are still useful to us, because many problems in life arise from our own mistaken concepts. Therefore, when something happens in the outside world, instead of sticking to the rules, we should try to look at it from a new perspective. The result may be completely different. For example, when we cannot get over a problem, the more we think about it, the more painful it becomes; once we change our thinking, the knot in the heart may untie, and the pressure may no longer exist.

In short, if we only want to pursue happiness, joy, tranquility, and freedom in real life, all of this can be attained after enlightenment; if our pursuit transcends these, we hope to be able to escape from the six realms in samsara and gain liberation, then help even more people escape from the cycle of life and death and attain fruition, these aspirations can also be realized after enlightenment.

Some people may think, if everyone is liberated and enlightened, what will happen to this society? Who is left to take up work? There is no need to worry like this. People with inner realization can still engage in all kinds of activities without affecting the normal progress of life and work at all. Among people engaged in various walks of life are also many incarnations of buddhas and bodhisattvas. Legitimate professions will not be disrupted because of this, but things like killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, delusion, and war in the world will decrease – since these people have all become enlightened. Therefore, realizing the nature of mind is of great significance to our lives and liberation. We must all strive for enlightenment.

The specific methods for attaining enlightenment are elucidated in a section in the Platform Sutra ; they are also explained very clearly and fully in Dzogchen and Mahamudra. These are methods we can all use. This is true wealth. We cannot bring our material possessions with us when we die, but this wealth can follow us life after life. This is significant.

In addition, I would like to remind everyone that whether it is the Bloodstream Treatise, the Platform Sutra, or other scriptures, all elucidate the methods of becoming a buddha. If we only learn the theory without mastering the methods, we will be at a loss when problems arise in our life. Such knowledge, whether it is Buddhism or worldly knowledge, is empty and flashy. Therefore, in the process of studying the Buddhist principles, we must reflect on how to apply them to practice and daily life, and how to use them to benefit not just ourselves but others when problems such as birth, old age, illness, and death arise. If we do not consider these practical issues and only concentrate on learning the theory, we will never finish learning it all; even if we do, it will have no practical significance. Hence, everyone must put effort into meditating and practicing. This is very important.

It is not right or wrong. It is not male or female. It appears not as a monk or layman, an elder or a novice, a sage or a mortal, a buddha or a sentient being. It neither cultivates nor seeks realization, is not touched by cause and effect, and has no strength or form. 

It is not right or wrong. It is not male or female. The distinction between right and wrong, between male and female, does not exist.

It appears not as a monk or layman, an elder or a novice. The concept of monastics, laity, old and young also does not exist.

Not a sage or a mortal. There is no difference between sages and ordinary people.

Not a buddha or a sentient being. On the level of the nature of mind, there is no distinction between buddha and sentient beings.

The significance of the buddha is realization and enlightenment. Ordinary people in the world go from ignorance to later comprehending the truth of all dharmas; from the secular standpoint, this is enlightenment. From the perspective of the nature of mind, there is no distinction between buddha and sentient beings, since there is no difference between enlightenment and non-enlightenment.

It neither cultivates nor seeks realization. The nature of the mind is always pure. There is nothing to cultivate and nothing to realize.

People may ask: sometimes it is said that one must make a firm resolution to attain realization, and sometimes it is said that there is no realization, no buddha, nothing. How does one reconcile this seeming contradiction?

A clear distinction needs to be made here. As far as the state of the buddha or the nature of all dharmas is concerned, there is indeed no buddha, sentient beings, good and evil, cause and effect, practice, and realization. But from the standpoint of ordinary people, all such phenomena exist; cause and effect, good and evil, cultivation, and realization are certainly an integral part of the process whereby one gradually steps into the state of the buddha. Therefore, we must develop renunciation and bodhicitta and strive for realization. These two concepts – conventional truth and ultimate truth – are very important in Mahayana Buddhism, and must be clear to everyone.

It is not touched by cause and effect. As mentioned before, when talking about the state of the buddha, you can essentially deny cause and effect and boldly say "there is no cause and effect." There is no need to say "cause and effect exists, but the essence of cause and effect does not exist." Because cause and effect are a product of ignorance, it is no other than our illusion. The buddha has completely eradicated ignorance, so its product naturally does not exist either.

No strength. The body and physical strength do not exist.

No form. There is no appearance either.

The nature of mind is none of these. So, what is the nature of mind like?

It is just like space. You cannot possess or discard it. It cannot be hindered by mountains, rivers, or stone walls; it can come and go with ease; it can penetrate the mountain of five skandhas and cross the river of samsara. This dharmakaya cannot be bound by any karma. 

It is just like space. The nature of mind is like space, there is nothing of substance that exists. This phrase is very important.

It has been explained in the Bloodstream Treatise and the Platform Sutra what true enlightenment is. Whether it is using Dzogchen, Mahamudra, or Chan methods, the final goal is to experience the true nature of mind. What does it mean to truly experience? First, it cannot be obtained by logical reasoning or observation; second, it cannot be obtained by knowledge borrowed from books.

If someone asks, “Why is the nature of the mind empty like space?” We would say it is because the Buddha and Nagarjuna said so. This answer actually does not contain any opinions of our own. They are the view in Buddhist scriptures and Nagarjuna's works, which we are just repeating. The Buddhist scriptures were propagated by the Buddha. We have merely perused and looked over the Buddhist scriptures, this is not called enlightenment.

Although we can understand certain truths through logical reasoning, and claim to have something of our own, this is still an understanding at the intellectual level, not a personal experience. For example, we know what water is and what chemical components it is made of, but if we have never had water to drink ourselves, we would never know its true taste.

Let’s say there are two people: one does not know the composition of water, but knows what water tastes like; the other does not know the taste of water, but through various methods, has a clear understanding of water molecules, atoms, and even more subtle things. What is the difference between the two? The person who does not know what water tastes like can only talk about it at the conceptual level; if you elaborate on emptiness and buddha nature the same way, this is not called enlightenment. The other person cannot say how water is composed, but he knows what water tastes like – just like Master Hui Neng, who may not have been proficient in many Buddhist theories but understood the essence of the Buddhist scriptures, this is called enlightenment.

If one day, like drinking water personally, we experience the nature of mind to be empty "like space," this is none other than enlightenment. Although easy to say, it is not simple to do. If it were, we would all be enlightened. On the other hand, it is not that difficult either, since it is not something mysterious or complicated. If asked to believe in or comprehend something that cannot be seen or heard at all, we naturally cannot do so. But here we are talking about our own mind, it is precisely what it is. As soon as we see that the nature of mind is likened to space, we need not confirm this with anyone. We can be certain that we have attained enlightenment, at least preliminary enlightenment.

Of what use is preliminary enlightenment? At this stage, many of our original concepts will change. We will no longer cling to things; our lives will be less stressful. Concurrently, we will not be governed by excessive emotional fluctuations, fears, and other afflictions. However, we need to advance along the path to be able to attain liberation. If we continue to practice on this basis, we will thoroughly understand birth, aging, illness, and death, even without any fear, and become more compassionate at the same time. Compassion is not necessarily related to attachment, but afflictions like anger, desire, etc. are rooted in attachment.

Enlightenment is very interesting. It looks inward, not outward; it simplifies, rather than complicate things. Hence, we say it is not that difficult to achieve. You only need to look at your own mind, nothing else. If our blessings are great enough, we can really see that the nature of mind is empty like space. What if we cannot see it? Then training is needed. For example, when we dream, we do not know that our body is in fact lying on the bed; but with a little training, the self in the dream will know this body here is not me, that my real body is lying on the bed. This training is called dream yoga.

Dream Yoga is a unique practice in Tibetan Buddhism that belongs to Highest Yoga Tantra. The tantra contained in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism is called Outer Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism; at a deeper level is Inner Tantra, to which Dzogchen, Mahamudra, and Kalachakra all belong. Many people assume there are no inner tantras in Chinese Buddhism. In fact, there are many tantras, or books, in the Tripitaka of Chinese Buddhism that fall in this category. However, during translation, they were not given the name of the corresponding tantra, but were translated as Buddhist scriptures instead. Although we find many scriptures of this kind in Chinese Buddhism, they are not necessarily used in practice, since the lineage is now lost.

We need training of this kind to achieve enlightenment. Buddhism never comments on ghosts and gods, nor does it worship any ghost or god; it only talks about Dharma protectors, if at all. The emphasis in Buddhism is on human experience; the so-called practice means experience and realization, which are the experiences of living people. If we can put in some effort, realization is not that difficult. Its only criterion is to see the nature of mind "like space." If fully implemented, this is none other than enlightenment.

You cannot possess or discard it. Since the nature of mind is empty like space, it cannot be held or discarded.

It cannot be hindered by mountains, rivers, or stone walls. Nothing, including mountains, rivers, and earth, can stand in its way.

Because everything in the outside world is a projection of our mind, there can be no obstacles. Just like a rainbow, although it looks beautiful, it is in fact not outside; the rainbow is created by our eyes since there is no color in the air and water of a rainbow, and colors only appear because of eyes. It lacks substance and does not take up any space, so there is no obstruction of any kind. If we stretch out our hands, can we touch the rainbow? Will it get in the way of my hands? Impossible! Similarly, everything in the universe, mountains, rivers, and the earth is a projection of our own mind. When we fully understand the nature of our own mind, nothing will hinder us – because there is no attachment in the mind, everything can be seen clearly.

It can come and go with ease. The comings and goings are smooth and free. Because there is no attachment to this world, everything flows freely and is unobstructed.

It can penetrate the mountain of five skandhas and cross the river of samsara. The "five skandhas" or five aggregates are the life structure of all living beings; "penetrate" means to see through or understand thoroughly. After seeing the nature of the five aggregates with enlightened wisdom, one can cross the river of life and death.

This dharmakaya cannot be bound by any karma. The dharmakaya will not be constrained or restricted by the law of cause and effect.

This mind is subtle and difficult to see, it is different from the sensual mind, everyone wants to see this mind. Beings whose thoughts and actions are carried out within the clarity of this mind are as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges, but if you ask them, no one can explain it. They are like wooden figures; they always use it, so why don’t they know it? 

Everyone should note that this "mind" sometimes refers to our consciousness, and sometimes to the nature of mind, to buddha nature. It must be viewed in context.

This mind is subtle and difficult to see. "This mind" refers to the true nature of mind, the buddha nature. It has never left anyone, not even people who commit evil. Although on the surface there is good and evil, there is no such distinction at the deepest level or the basic nature of mind; all is clarity. "It's subtle and difficult to see." Even though the nature of all minds is thus, it is not easy to discover. You will attain enlightenment if you find it.

It is different from the sensual mind. The nature of mind is different from our worldly mind, our consciousness. The worldly mind has all kinds of emotions and afflictions; when we look inside, we know precisely what we are thinking, whether we are happy or troubled. But the nature of the mind is different. It is very subtle, and hard to observe.

Everyone wants to see this mind. All practitioners are eager to see the true nature of their own mind.

Beings whose thoughts and actions are carried out within the clarity of this mind are as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges. All movements of living beings – whether they are physical activities such as those of the hands, feet, mouth, etc., or mental activities such as those of the mental consciousness – take place within the basic clarity of mind. Such beings are as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges in India.

In fact, all the words and deeds of sentient beings in the six realms of samsara, whether they are good deeds to benefit sentient beings, or evil deeds such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, telling lies, etc., have never left the nature of mind – this is true even of the actions of beings suffering in hell and the hungry ghost realm. The nature of mind is always like this, but because of one's own ignorance, its clarity is temporarily obscured.

Although the actions of living beings, such as walking, standing, sitting, lying down, and eating, drinking, and playing are all carried out within this clarity, how will they answer if you ask them, "Do you know what the nature of your mind is?"

But if you ask them, no one can explain it. Even if you ask as many sentient beings as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, no one can answer. They will say "I don't know" or say nothing; in short, you will not get an answer.

What do they look like at this moment? Like wooden figures, speechless and unable to answer. On a worldly level, people are very smart and can easily respond to questions. But when it comes to the nature of their mind, even someone like Einstein, who is highly intelligent, does not know what it is.

They always use it. Why don't they know it? People "use" their mind every day; all their thoughts and movements never leave the clarity and nature of mind. That being the case, why are they unable to answer? Because they do not know their own nature.

The Buddha said, “All sentient beings are deluded. They fall into the river of samsara because of their deeds. They want to escape but cannot because they do not see their nature.” If sentient beings were not confused, why would they not answer, why would they not know their mind? The sages are not mistaken; deluded people do not know their own mind. 

The Buddha said all sentient beings are deluded. The Buddha said that all troubled sentient beings are confused – this confusion comes from ignorance.

Because of their deeds, they fall into the river of samsara. Although people know a lot of things, among the seven billion people in the world, except for a few enlightened people, no one understands the nature of mind, so they cannot escape from the cycle of life and death. Moreover, now that people have mastered a wealth of knowledge and technology, they have also committed more transgressions, making liberation even more elusive.

They want to escape but cannot because they do not see their nature. Although they long for liberation, they are still bound to cyclic existence. Why? It is because they cannot see the true nature of their own mind, they have not attained realization.

If sentient beings were not confused, why would they not answer? If sentient beings are not deluded, why is it that no one can answer when asked about the nature of mind?

Why would they not know their own mind? Our actions and conduct, movements involving hands and feet, etc. are all carried out within the clarity of the mind, so why is it we still do not know our own mind? Because we are not enlightened, we cannot experience it; in the same way, any action in the dream is inseparable from the body lying on the bed, but the dreamer cannot experience it.

The sages are not mistaken. So, what the Buddha said is correct, deluded people do not know their own mind. Everyone has ignorance. If you are not enlightened, you will not be able to discover the nature of your own mind.

Indeed, it is difficult to know, only the buddha understands this mind; humans, gods, and other sentient beings do not. 

Indeed, it is difficult to know. Clearly, the nature of mind is not that easy to understand.

Only the buddha understands this mind. In this world, only the buddha fully understands this truth.

Humans, gods, and other sentient beings do not. Except for the buddha, humans, gods, and other sentient beings in the six paths of reincarnation do not know the nature of their mind.

Of course, each of us will eventually become a buddha, and will one day understand the nature of our own mind.

If this mind is enlightened, it is called dharma nature, it is called liberation. Not bound by life and death, nor restrained by anything, it is called the Dharmakaya Buddha; it is also known as the Inconceivable, the Sacred Body, the Immortal, the Great Sage. Although the names are different, the essence is one. 

If this mind is enlightened, it is called dharma nature, it is called liberation. If we one day achieve enlightenment and use this enlightened wisdom to completely understand the nature of mind, the nature of this mind is called dharma nature, it is also called liberation.

Not bound by life and death, nor restrained by anything. At that time, we gain absolute freedom from the cycle of life and death – life and death cannot restrict us, nothing can affect or hinder this wisdom. This is absolute freedom of a kind!

It is called the Dharmakaya Buddha. Because this mind has achieved complete enlightenment, it is called the Dharmakaya Buddha, much like the Samantabhadra Tathagata in Dzogchen. At this moment, one truly becomes a buddha, is completely liberated, and free from all defilements!

In the secular world, if we have external freedom of every kind but have not resolved our inner problems, we still cannot gain freedom in our hearts. Only after enlightenment can you gain true freedom!

Also known as the Inconceivable. This state is incredible.

Also known as the Sacred Body. The "sacred" is the buddha. At this moment, it becomes the buddha's true body.

Also known as the Immortal. There is no death at this moment.

Also known as the Great Sage. The Great Sage here does not refer to God, but to the buddha.

Although the names are different, the essence is one. When we achieve enlightenment, we can say that we have seen the true nature of phenomena, have attained liberation, or have transcended life and death. Although the explanations are different, their essence is one, which is the realization of the nature of our own mind. This cannot be expressed in words and can only be described using metaphors – for instance, it is "like space." After you achieve enlightenment through your own practice, all problems are resolved. This is true liberation.

Do not think liberation means that a person leaves and never comes back, that everyone vanishes and the world becomes empty in the end. That is not the case. This world will still be around, but what will it look like? Suppose we have ten thousand illiterate people at the start; if they all go to school, the illiterate will decline in number as people graduate; eventually, everyone will graduate, and all ten thousand people will be literate. In other words, there will still be people, but no illiterates. Similarly, there will always be sentient beings in the six realms of cyclic existence, but those who wage wars, plunder resources, and connive against others will no longer exist – because they have all become buddhas and bodhisattvas! Although this sounds very idealistic, it is completely achievable if we all practice.

However, not everyone will practice – that we can be sure. What is important is that we practice ourselves, become liberated, and then come back to liberate one, two, ten, or a hundred people...as many lives as we can. Although our actual abilities are limited, we must still aspire to save all sentient beings; we cannot think, "I will only save some, and not care about others."

Shakyamuni Buddha also vowed to save all sentient beings at the beginning; even though there are still countless people left to be freed, the Buddha's activities to save sentient beings never stop; liberation is only a matter of time. Just like after sunset, although the sun cannot be seen here, other places will still be illuminated by the sun. Similarly, the focus of the buddhas' activities may sometimes be here, and sometimes elsewhere; although we do not see the buddhas all the time, we can always feel these activities exist. Hence, all sentient beings will eventually attain buddhahood!

Of course, this is a very distant future. Now we must first attain realization ourselves, then do our best to save all sentient beings.

The sages vary in kind, but never leave their own mind. 

Their "own mind" here refers not to consciousness, but to the nature of mind, that is, buddha nature and clarity. This sentence can be understood in two ways:

First, the word “vary” pertains to various classifications. There are different classifications of sages, such as buddhas and bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, shravakas and pratyekabuddhas in Theravada Buddhism. Although the state of realization of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas is not as profound and broad as that of buddhas and bodhisattvas, they are classified as sages because, at a minimum, they have realized selflessness.

All sages are not separate from their own enlightened mind. Although the inner essence of all living beings is buddha nature, they are still ordinary people if they are not enlightened. Only after enlightenment can they be called sages.

Second, the word "vary" pertains to various thoughts. All thoughts that arise in sages are not separate from their enlightened wisdom, which is the nature of mind.

Some people may wonder, do sages also have thoughts? Of course they do. The bodhisattvas below the eighth level all engage in mental activity, but the thousands of thoughts in the mind of a sage are never separate from the wisdom of enlightenment, so there are no afflictions, and karma is not created.

The mind’s capacity is unlimited, its applications are endless; the eyes seeing forms, the ears hearing sounds, the nose smelling fragrance, the tongue knowing taste, every movement is your mind. 

The mind’s capacity is unlimited. After enlightenment, the mind is limitless and can accommodate everything.

The Platform Sutra says that before enlightenment even the most broad-minded people cannot be very accommodating because of their attachment. When the mind clings to oneself and others, inside and outside, or high and low, it can never reach a state of equality. For instance, when we think that we are better than others, we will develop arrogance; when we are jealous, we will be unhappy when others are the same as or better than us.

To cite an example, when we do not know the salary of our colleagues in the same department, we are content with the generous compensation we receive; but if we learn that our salary is lower than all our colleagues, we will immediately be unhappy, even if our salary has not been reduced at all. Why is that? We cannot accommodate or rejoice in the happiness and success of others, especially when they are better off than us. The reason is because we have too many attachments.

Sometimes this can also happen between friends. Originally, we hope that our friends can live a good life, but if one day the other person is really living a good life, or has surpassed us, it can be hard to bear. In fact, we do not lose anything when others live a better life; we can likewise live well, so why can't we accommodate the good in others? This is also because of our attachment.

The Buddhist scriptures make it very clear that if there is the slightest bit of attachment in the heart, it will affect us negatively at any time like a cancer, and cause great discomfort. Within the rules of the game in this world, the above is considered a normal psychological phenomenon, but in fact it is not normal. It is not that it does not conform to the views of a certain person, a certain religion, or a certain school of thought, but that this kind of thinking leads to suffering and discontent – even if it does not bring us any harm, it can still leave us emotionally drained. I believe everyone can connect deeply with this feeling.

With attachment, no matter how hard we try, we cannot really open our hearts. Ordinary people often destroy their own happiness because they cannot tolerate the trivial things in their lives; the powerful in the world have brought about many tragedies in human history because they too have not been able to accommodate different values.

However, if one day we take the opportunity to go deep into the mind and clearly see its nature, our hearts will be completely opened. The mind at this time is as boundless as the sky and can accommodate everything – this is the mind of the buddhas and bodhisattvas! After enlightenment, the mind is in a state of great equality; because the mind is limitless, it can accommodate everyone. If someone is superior to us, we can try to catch up or surpass him, but we will certainly not suffer because of it.

When we can truly accommodate everything, what is there in life to be unhappy about? Only if we cannot satisfy our basic need for food and clothing, which can cause physical pain and in turn affect our mental wellbeing. In general, we all have food, drink, and shelter, and enjoy good living conditions. If under these circumstances we are still troubled by afflictions, it is because we have not yet attained enlightenment, we are not broad-minded enough. When our hearts are open, these troubles will not appear at all.

Clearly, a closed mind is the main reason for our unhappiness. Before enlightenment, we cannot be accommodating because of attachment. So, everyone should work hard to achieve enlightenment.

Its applications are endless. After enlightenment, the functions of the mind are limitless. Our mind can grow and develop endlessly, and finally reach the state of the buddha without limitation. If you cultivate your mind, the applications in life, work, benefitting others, etc. are inexhaustible.

People usually place more value on material things. The reason we attach great importance to material things, and not so much to the spirit, is because when we obtain something, we can use it at any time, and the effect is quick and obvious. But in fact, the mind also has a very broad function. It is only that we do not understand its function; moreover, we are not clear on how to train the mind and what role it can play after training. In addition, the biggest mistake we make is to blame all psychological problems on material goods and to think the latter can solve all our troubles.

If we value spirituality as much as material things in our lives and work, the applications of the mind in many areas are endless. For example, in terms of health, modern medicine has proven that 76% of human diseases are related to emotions. Although early Western medicine considered this to be pure nonsense, many scientific experiments later confirmed this. Now, Western medicine generally recognizes the role of emotions – positive emotions will have a positive impact on the body, and negative emotions will have a negative impact. This is the application of the mind in terms of health.

Not only that, the mind directly affects our happiness and satisfaction; more importantly, it can help a person find meaning in his or her existence. People derive their true sense of existence from altruism, from their contribution to humanity, society, and all living beings. It all starts from our own mind. We must first have compassion; only then can we act in a way that is beneficial to others.

We must never ignore the function of the mind. A person's happiness, especially the meaning of life, cannot be realized by relying just on material things. While we will never deny the value and role of material things, the mind is even more important; moreover, its applications are endless.

Specifically, how are the applications endless?

The eyes seeing forms, the ears hearing sounds, the nose smelling fragrance, the tongue knowing taste, every movement is your mind. The external world recognized by the five senses, as well as all movements such as walking, sitting, and reclining, are your mind. They are all in a state of enlightenment and wisdom.

Before enlightenment, when our eyes see something, there are usually three kinds of outcome: the first is greed, when we see something that we like; the second is aversion, when we see something that we dislike; the third is ignorance, when we see something that we neither like nor dislike – in this state there is barely any reaction at all, nor is there analysis or judgment, we actually do not know what the object is. People who have not yet attained enlightenment experience these three states of mind when they see things.

For people who have achieved enlightenment, although their senses are also functioning – seeing things, hearing sounds, etc., their minds are free of greed, anger, and ignorance, and are completely in a state of wisdom. This is called "self-liberation of the six senses" in Dzogchen or Tantric Buddhism.

At every moment, when there are only words without attachment, it is your mind. 

The “mind" should be understood as " one's enlightened mind," instead of one's own mind. This sentence means when an enlightened person speaks, he only has words and no attachment.

When ordinary people speak, they are in fact expressing their own emotions, as there are often a lot of emotions behind their words; when enlightened people speak, they only have words without attachment. For example, when the Buddha was turning the wheel of Dharma, he spoke like an ordinary person, but without emotions or discriminating thoughts.

Therefore, it is said: "The tathagata's universe is endless, and so is his wisdom." 

The tathagata's universe is endless. The world the buddha sees is endless.

Ordinary people develop an attachment to objects they see, so their vision is limited and they cannot see things in other dimensions or spaces at the same time. In addition, our eyes can only see but not hear; the buddha's eyes can not only see but also hear and smell. The buddha's sense organs possess such functions, so "the tathagata's universe is endless."

So is his wisdom. At the same time, the buddha's wisdom is also limitless.

The mind perceives infinite forms. That it can distinguish all things and their every movement is the mind’s wisdom. 

The mind perceives infinite forms. This "mind" is the enlightened mind. From a secular perspective, the buddha can see and hear what we cannot, since his senses are not limited; moreover, he can see matter in different dimensions and spaces at the same time – the same goes for other senses such as ears. From the standpoint of ultimate truth, the buddha perceives that all matter is empty; there is no limitation of any kind in emptiness, hence there are "infinite" forms.

Its ability to distinguish all things. On the one hand, the buddha fully realizes the emptiness of all things; on the other hand, the buddha "can distinguish all things." This not only means the ability to clearly distinguish colors, sizes, etc., but also the capacity to see a complete universe in an atom, an electron, the smallest particle, or even more subtle matter! As stated in Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, "In the tiny end of a hair, the sublime realm of the three times appears," the buddha can see a complete world in the tip of a strand of hair. What an incredible state of mind this is!

The sensory experiences of ordinary people are basically illusions. We cannot possibly imagine how the entire universe can exist in an electron. In our eyes, big and small are always the opposite of each other. The buddha cuts through this dualism; in his eyes, there is no distinction between big and small – big is small, small is big, the entire universe is a particle, and a particle is also a universe. Hence, the buddha can not only see everything we see, but also things we can never see.

When the Buddha was alive, there were many heretics in India who were highly accomplished in meditative concentration. Their eyes could penetrate the deep structure of matter like a microscope; however, there were still many things that were beyond their scope because they had not yet attained enlightenment. And what they could not see, the arhats could; what the arhats could not see, the bodhisattvas could; what the bodhisattvas could not see, the buddhas could – the higher the state of realization, the bigger the universe. In other words, when cultivating wisdom, the deeper our understanding of the nature of matter or the mind, the bigger the world we can see.

Ordinary people can only make judgments based on their own senses. Even if scientists have various instruments, they must still rely on the naked eye in the end. Because the senses have their limitation, we can never rely on them to understand true reality. The Buddha transcended this limitation, using neither senses nor instruments but wisdom to observe the world. Hence, the mind "can distinguish all things."

And their every movement is the mind’s wisdom. For an enlightened person, all movements such as walking, standing, sitting, and reclining are carried out in wisdom.

The actions and speech of ordinary people are based on discriminating thoughts, but the buddha operates all of this in wisdom. However, even though we are ordinary people now, we may become enlightened sometime in the future. By then, all walking, standing, sitting, reclining, as well as sleeping, can likewise proceed in wisdom.

The mind has no form and its wisdom has no limit. Therefore, it is said: "The tathagata's universe is endless, and so is his wisdom." 

So, what is the mind really like?

The mind has no form. The mind has no color or shape.

Is formlessness the same as emptiness? No. There are many things that have no form, such as oxygen; although we cannot see its color and shape, it has its own function in the world, so formlessness is not equal to emptiness. Our mind is not only formless, but also empty, like space.

Its wisdom has no limit. When the buddhas or enlightened people speak and do things, their mind is in a formless state, and their wisdom is also endless.

The tathagata's universe is endless, and so is his wisdom. Therefore, it is said that the world the buddha sees is endless, and so is his wisdom.

A form body composed of the four elements is unsatisfactory, it is subject to birth and death; the real body, the dharmakaya, exists without abiding anywhere, it never changes. 

A form body composed of the four elements is unsatisfactory. The physical body, which is composed of the four elements or energies of earth, water, wind, and fire, produces numerous afflictions.

Why are there so many afflictions? It is subject to birth and death. Because our physical body is subject to birth and death, also to aging and illness during the process. This suffering is the cause of our afflictions.

The dharmakaya exists without abiding anywhere. The nature of mind is different. It is the eternal dharmakaya, the real body. Because it is empty, it does not reside anywhere.

It never changes. The dharmakaya is eternal and does not change. What changes is only our physical body.

All our afflictions and suffering such as birth, old age, illness, and death are caused by changes in superficial forms. If we enter our inner essence, the dharmakaya, we will find that it has not actually changed at all, so naturally there is nothing to worry about. Therefore, learning Buddhism is to elevate one's level in all areas. With practice, these afflictions and pains can be eradicated.

Nowadays, we are fragile physically, but even more so psychologically. We cannot even endure the slightest criticism. In fact, words are the easiest to tolerate. Why? When the physical body suffers a blow, ordinary people except for highly realized practitioners will feel pain; however, when abusive or vicious remarks are directed at us, it will not impact us if we simply adjust our mindset – the pressure wave from the sound can shake the eardrums, but it cannot disturb our hearts at all! Nonetheless, ordinary people are accustomed to working in coordination with others; thus, the sound not only vibrates the eardrums, but also our hearts, which leads to pain.

We have always taken for granted that it is the other person's words that make us unhappy, but after logical analysis, we will find that the other person is only part of the reason; if we ourselves do not go along with what others do or say, or cooperate, we cannot be affected. Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva makes it very clear that everything arises due to causes and conditions – this is known as "dependent origination." Therefore, do not think that suffering is caused by others; it is largely of our own doing. It is difficult to control what people say; the simplest and best way is to control how we interact with others. All emotional pain can be solved in this way.

Buddhism teaches us how to eliminate pain, not by relying on the blessing of gods and ghosts, but by relying on our own strength. Where does this power come from? It comes from wisdom. The reason we cannot control our emotions and pain is: firstly, we do not understand the process and causes of pain; secondly, although we understand it, we have not trained our mind. If we recognize all this through wisdom, and invest some time in our practice, these psychological problems can be easily solved.

In addition to illness, many people in the modern age suffer from psychological pain. Sometimes the mental anguish that illness brings is even worse than the physical pain, causing the condition to worsen. In fact, physical and psychological pain can be treated separately. When a patient's mental health is strong, it will inevitably boost the therapeutic effect of drugs, and facilitate a faster recovery. These principles that Buddhism has long made very clear, the scientific community now also accepts.

It is Buddhism that has the most complete study on spiritual issues. A fundamental concept is that our mind, like matter, has its own internal structure and changing laws. Scientific research in the mind has been a gradual process; until now, psychology still knows very little about it; it has not even clarified what consciousness is, let alone its structure and laws. A lot of helplessness and pain in life is precisely because people are ignorant about consciousness.

The reality we must acknowledge is that there is significant room to further elevate our consciousness. For example, from the point of view of knowledge, comprehensive qualities and other aspects, people who have never received higher education and those who have received higher education operate on completely different levels of consciousness. If people can accept more advanced teachings and better methods, they can continue to raise their consciousness; moreover, there is no limit to their potential.

Ultimately, to what extent can consciousness be elevated? To the level of a bodhisattva or even a buddha. To be precise, when our compassion and wisdom reach the unsurpassed state, this is the buddha. If we put in the corresponding effort in this area, we will surely reap huge rewards.

Therefore, the sutras say: "Sentient beings should know that buddha nature inherently exists." The Venerable Mahakashyapa realized just this true nature – the true nature is our mind, our mind is the true nature, this is the same mind as all the buddhas. 

Sentient beings should know that buddha nature inherently exists. Everyone should know that buddha nature is something they always have.

The Venerable Mahakashyapa realized just this true nature – the true nature is our mind, and our mind is the true nature. The true nature is our mind, and our mind is in fact the true nature. This true nature is exactly what the great disciple of the Buddha, the Venerable Mahakashyapa, realized. This nature has the same meaning as buddha nature, tathagatagarbha, and clarity.

This is the same mind as all the buddhas. If we realize our true nature, then our mind is the same as the mind of all the buddhas. Our mind is the buddha mind.

The buddhas before and after only transmit this mind; apart from this mind, no buddha can be obtained. 

The buddhas before and after only transmit this mind. Buddhas of the past, present, and future only transmit this mind. Especially Chan Buddhism which does not establish words, but teaches mind to mind. What is conveyed is the true nature of mind, its clarity.

As mentioned before, the symbol of Buddhism is the Dharma wheel, which looks like the wheel of a vehicle. The wheel can rotate, symbolizing the passing of the Dharma from generation to generation, like the wheel of a vehicle that is constantly turning. What is passed down from generation to generation? Certainly not greed, anger, and delusion, but the essence of greed, anger, and delusion, which is the wisdom of enlightenment.

Some people will question: if you say everyone inherently possesses buddha nature, what is there to teach? This can be explained with a metaphor: an oil lamp is complete with a wick and oil, but when it is not lit, there is no light; lighting each oil lamp is called passing the light on to future generations. What does the Dharma teach? It teaches wisdom and clarity, it is the buddha “transmitting this mind.”

Apart from this mind, no buddha can be obtained. Other than this mind of wisdom, this luminous mind, there is no other buddha to be attained.

Deluded people do not know that their own mind is the buddha, they search outside and are busy all day long; reciting the buddha's name and worshipping the buddha, where is the buddha? Do not cling to this illusion, just know your mind, there is no other buddha beyond the mind. 

Deluded people do not know that their own mind is the buddha. We are referred to as deluded beings, because everything we see is inverted or upside down. For example, the various colors we see do not actually exist at all; the real substance that makes up the table in front of us is a composite of atoms, molecules, and electrons, but these we cannot see. In other words, we cannot see what really exists, but we can see what does not exist. It is not only our vision, but also the other senses, hence sentient beings are said to be deluded. This is not the buddha insulting us, it is just the truth.

They search outside and are busy all day long. Not knowing our own mind is the buddha, we always think that the buddha is outside. Hence, we are busy all day long, constantly looking outside.

Reciting the buddha's name and worshiping the buddha, where is the buddha? Many people chant and worship the buddha every day, thinking that the buddha is in the Main Hall of the monastery. You would be wrong to think so! The buddha statues in the Main Hall are made of clay, metal, and other materials, and are not the real buddha.

Do not cling to this illusion. "This illusion" refers to the perception that the buddha is outside. We should not hold or cling to such a view.

Just know your mind, there is no other buddha beyond the mind. When you know your own mind, you will realize your mind is the buddha. Apart from the mind, there is no so-called buddha at all.