Zen, like other Mahayana schools of Buddhism, has at its core Buddha
Nature. Tagathagarbha is one word associated with Buddha Nature, as in
the womb of the "thus-come." Dharmadhatu sometimes comes into play also,
as in the Buddha-realm, the Absolute Reality, the Dharmakaya.
But
getting back to Buddha Nature....We often hear phrases such as, "You're
already Buddha," or, "You're perfect just as you are" (and Suzuki-Roshi
wisely added, 'And you need a little work.')" So, am I perfect just as I
am? Am I really already Buddha, or a Buddha, or what? If I'm already
Buddha, then you must also be Buddha, and everyone else is, so who are
all these Sentient Beings we Bodhisattvas are supposed to be saving
anyway?
The good news is, just like Chao-chou's dog, we have
Buddha Nature (Mu notwithstanding). But just what exactly is that? I
certainly don't feel like Buddha. Not feeling particularly awakened this
morning. My thus-come-ness just hasn't come today. (Why is it always
late?!?) Innately, yes we are Buddha. We have the potential for
awakening, we have the Nature of a Buddha within, just as a seed has the
nature of becoming a flower within. But a seed is a seed, and a flower
is a flower. You are in the womb of the Buddhas, just waiting to be
awaked. We can all become enlightened, of conducting our lives fully in
the Dharma Field (not that we aren't already, maybe we just don't
realize it).
But if you've read any of the biographies of the
Buddha, if you've read any of the old Suttas and legends, it becomes
very apparent that even Gautama had a lot of work to do before he woke
up as the Buddha. Now granted, he only had unenlightened teachers
wandering the forests in his time, so he had to do the work on his own,
without the aid of the glut of books we have today with his name, Zen,
or mindfulness in their titles. (No wonder it took six years!)
Just
because we've heard the term "Buddha Nature," and think it sounds kinda
cool--who wouldn't want to be a Buddha--and maybe we think that we're
living in reality, already in the Dharmadhatu.The fact that we become
puffed-up about being Buddha, or thinking it's cool, maybe that it makes
us a little special, at least more special than those poor bastards
who've never heard that they're already Buddha--all these things make us
"not-the-Buddha," at least for this moment. (That's as impermanent as
anything else, give or take 84,000 kalpas or so).
We're already
living in the Dharma-field, all dharmas are Buddhadharmas, but that
includes the dharmas that we still struggle, we still have greed, and
anger, and delusion, and aversions, and while they're all very
un-awakened qualities and practices, we do indeed have that germ that
may sprout into Buddhahood, that actual point at which we're doing right
more than wrong, we're doing more good than not, being helpful more
than turning a blind eye to the suffering of the world. A teacher of
mine once referred to Buddha-Nature as what's there...underneath all the
layers of crap (karma) we've gathered onto ourselves.
But
Suzuki-Roshi had it right. There is work to be done! Don't think that
since we're already Buddha, why bother practicing? Dogen already did
that math a lot of centuries ago, and his school (Soto) practices "just
sitting." Rigorous sitting at that, in fact. And if, in fact, there is
no attainment to be done, and nothing to attain, doesn't mean we've
already not-attained not-it. A few lines later in the Heart Sutra we
find out that all Buddhas depend on prajnaparamita and attain Anuttara
Samyak Sambodhi--Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenement.
So get on
the cushion, then get off the cushion, and BE Buddha, not just rest on
your laurels THINKING you're Buddha and being sloppy about life and
practice. Do the work! (Save a sentient being or two while you're at it,
even if there are no beings, and no saving to be done, OK?)
Deep bows to you, Buddha.
