A. A monk asked Seijo, “Daitsu Chisho Buddha practiced Zen meditation for ten kalpas in a Meditation Hall but could not attain Buddhadood (enlightenment) because the true Self didn’t appear before him. Why was this?” Seijo said, “Your question is a very appropriate one!” The monk asked again, “Why couldn’t he attain Buddhahood in spite of such a long Zen meditation in the Meditation Hall?” Seijo replied, “Because he could not.”
Student: “Why did Seijo say, ‘Your question is a very appropriate one’ about his student’s question?”
Master: “Because the student was telling the truth.”
Student: “Why couldn’t Daitsus Chisho Buddha attain Buddhahood?”
Master: “Because he didn’t do wrong.”
Commentary:
All Sutras are only Mara’s talk to him who doesn’t recognise his own Dharma talk.
Even Mara’s talk is a Dharma talk to him who knows what he himself says.
It was because Daitsus Chisho Buddha couldn’t attain Buddhahood that he was admired.
He would have become a laughingstock if he had attained Buddhahood.
Water becomes ice at zero degrees, but ice becomes water at zero degrees.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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