Posted inMC Podcasts

Teisho: Case 52, Book of Equanimity: Sozan’s Dharma Body

March 9, 2017

Case 52: Sôzan asked Elder Toku, “The true Dharma-body of Buddha is like the empty sky. It manifests its form corresponding to things – just like the moon on the water. How do you explain the principle of this corresponding?” Toku said, “It is like a donkey looking into a well.” Sôzan said, “You put it in a nice way, but you were able to say only eighty percent.” Toku said, “How about you, Master?” Sôzan said, “It is like a well looking at a donkey.” 

“… “[The] true dharma body of Buddha is like a mirror. Whatever appears in it is exactly itself. The mirror itself has no content. It only shows what appears in it. And yet, every last little molecule, arising, appearing, just as it must. How do you explain this?” ~ Henry Shukman

reflection

Description: In this podcast, Henry explores these two seemingly contradictory, yet actually totally congruent aspects of the dharma body through Sozan’s interchange with the monk Taku. Henry discusses how this very dharma body with its two corresponding sides is actually you! This is what we are always saying: not just infinite, not just empty, but singular. One. Miraculously, we can experience for ourselves that we are what we see. Instead of being the possessor of experience, the agent, the observer, the perceptor of experience…we are the experience.

Post & Featured Image (edited): Reflection by skeeze, CCO Public Domain.

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