Beyond Seeking

 

 

Whoever looks for me in form, whoever follows me as sound,

Engaged in the mistaken endeavours, they do not see me.

The Buddhas are seen as dharmata, the dharmakaya of the Tathagatas

Just as dharmata is not a knowable, it cannot be cognized.

– the Buddha, in Diamond Sutra (Vajra-cchedika-sutra)

 

ये मां रूपेण अद्राक्षुर् ये मां घोषेण अन्वयुः
मिथ्याप्रहाणप्रसृता न मां द्रक्ष्यन्ति ते जनाः |
द्रष्टव्यो धर्मतो बुद्धो धर्मकायस् तथागतः
धर्मता च अप्यविज्ञेया न सा शक्यं विजानितुम्॥

Seeking the Buddha is not like a bee seeking honey. One does not find the Buddha by looking for him in form, in sound, in taste and so on. He is not found by seeking him outside or deep inside. Stop seeking, and just be. As you see forms, see the very nature of seeing. Be aware of the nature of experiences, feelings, perceptions, thoughts, emotions, etc. Discover Buddha right there.

 

Mind itself is like a flower bud. Let that blossom into Buddhahood with the warmth of wisdom and compassion. Relax from all kinds of looking and grasping, for this and that. Instead of ‘looking’ for something, ‘see’ the nature as it is. There, you see the Buddha that you are — seeing everything free from blemishes.

 

As you discover the Buddha that you are, there is Buddha in every form and sound. If you remain deluded and seek elsewhere, everything is seen as Samsara. Upon awakening, everything is seen to be empty and insubstantial, and in that emptiness everything appears vividly. Empty and still appearing, empty and yet aware! There is the oneness of emptiness and appearance, and emptiness and awareness. In that luminous expanse of empty-display you reach the ground of Buddhahood!

 

Dharmata, the nature of phenomena as it is, is the empty expanse from which all experiences arise. Realization of this expanse of one’s own mind is the Dharmakaya Buddha (truth-body). This is the space of one’s awareness – the ground for the appearances of Samsara and Nirvana. It as open as empty space and thus, not ‘seen’ as a ‘thing’. Yet, one’s own awareness realizes its own empty expanse as the Dharmakaya.

 

The quoted lines are from the Diamond cutter sutra (vajra cchedika sutra, also known as Diamond Sutra). This is an important text of Mahayana Buddhism, belonging to the collection of Prajna-paramita-sutras (The Sutras on the Perfection of Wisdom).