The monk asked Dòngshān, "What is Buddha?" Dòngshān answered, "Three pounds of flax."
The teacher asked the assembly, "What did Buddha have for breakfast?" The crowd all gave unacceptable answers.
What's in front of you? Phone? Laptop? TV screen?
What do you hear? Cars? The whir of a fan? Children playing?
What do you smell? Smoke from a Canadian fire? Food cooking?
What do you taste? An orange? Cup of coffee?
What do you feel? The cushion of the chair? The pain in your back?
What are you thinking about? What am I? Why am I reading this?
Buddha is all the above. So I ask you, "You, the Buddha, and 3 pounds of flax, same or different? Answer quickly!
Myeong Jin gives the Dharma talk on June 7, 2023.
