Mind is Buddha

Many Zen masters throughout history have said that mind is Buddha. This carries several meanings:

First, the world beyond aporia cannot be expressed in words. It is impossible. Saying “mind is Buddha” is the most easily understood expression of this truth. No one exists without a mind. Observing and cultivating it is the beginning of practice. Therefore, saying “mind is Buddha” is like bait for those seeking the Way.

Second, saying “mind is Buddha” refers to mind in relation to intellect. It speaks of the function of faith in relation to the functions of selection and calculation. In other words, it points to one’s inner world in relation to the external world of objects. Since one cannot seek the Way with a mind biased toward objects, it teaches us to observe our inner world.

Third, after attaining enlightenment, one can convey enlightenment through all functions of mind that operate within oneself. From the perspective of enlightenment, everything is truth. When an enlightened one expresses mind, it is equivalent to Buddha’s teaching.

‘To stop a baby’s crying.’

Indeed. To soothe a crying baby, you must show them something familiar that they like. Showing something unfamiliar will only make them cry harder. Babies must be handled with care. The world you seek is just like a baby. You must handle that baby with care. You must soothe yourself gradually and carefully.

The scholarly monk asked again:

‘What about after the crying stops?’

For one who has finally entered the path of seeking and transcended the world of their own mind – the world of ahamkara (ego-consciousness) – how would you respond?

‘Neither mind nor Buddha.’

In other words, it is the world beyond aporia. It is neither the world of mind nor the idealized Buddha you have imagined. It lies beyond your limitations.