Changqing once said, “I would rather say that arhats have three types of poison than say that the Buddha has two kinds of expression. It is not that the Buddha has no expression. It is just that he does not have two kinds of expression.”
Baofu asked, “What is the Buddha’s expression?”
Changqing asked, “How can a deaf person hear it?”
Baofu said, “I knew you were speaking on a secondary level.”
Changqing said, “Then what is the Buddha’s expression?”
Baofu said, “Have a cup of tea.”
Student: “Why are there so many various kinds of expressions by the Buddha in the Sutras?”
Master: “Because you read and hear the expressions that were not spoken by the Buddha.”
Student: “What is the Buddha’s expression?”
Master: “What have you heard so far?”
Commentary:
Anyone can say the Buddha’s expression, but no one can write it down.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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