Day after day Ma-tsu sat in meditation. His Master (Nan-yueh) finally questioned him about it. Ma-tsu explained that he was hoping to attain Buddhahood. The Master picked up a piece of tile and began to rub it with a stone. When Ma-tsu asked him what he was doing, the Master replied that he was polishing the tile in order to make it a mirror.
“How can you polish a tile into a mirror?” Ma-tsu asked.
“How can one become a buddha by sitting in meditation?” the Master shot back.
“How can you polish a tile into a mirror?” Ma-tsu asked.
“How can one become a buddha by sitting in meditation?” the Master shot back.
Today’s sitting is dedicated to my 88 year old teacher, Gudo Roshi, who lives each day of weakness, strength and changing abilities with poise and balance of body-mind.
Abandon all involvements. Give the myriad things a rest. Do not think of good and bad. Do not care about right and wrong. Stop the driving movement of mind, will, consciousness. Cease intellectual consideration through images, thoughts, and reflections. Do not aim to become a buddha. How could it be connected with sitting or lying down? [Nishijima]
Put aside all involvements and suspend all affairs. Do not think “good” or “bad.” Do not judge true or false. Give up the operations of mind, intellect, and consciousness; stop measuring with thoughts, ideas, and views. Have no designs on becoming a Buddha. How could that be limited to sitting or lying down? [SZTP]
MAKING A BUDDHA
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