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Autumn Retreat - The Record of Linji, Part Two
A student of the Buddha needs to have right view so that birth and death cannot touch them; at that point, walking and standing are free, not chasing after external circumstances, because transcendence will naturally come. Lacking self-confidence, it is easy to be deluded by forms and words—from the twelve beautiful marks of the Buddha, the three bodies: Dharma body, Reward body, Transformation body, to the image of an all-powerful God—forgetting that the true Buddha, the true Ancestors, and the true God are present right in our own present moment. If we cannot touch the Buddha and the Ancestors in this very moment, then for countless lifetimes we will continue in samsāra within the three realms, chasing after pleasant experiences and being reborn as oxen or donkeys.
With each breath and each mindful step, the six rays of miraculous light—the streams of light arising from the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness—will shine forth when we have mindfulness and concentration. The three bodies of the Buddha are not external objects, but exist right in our own true nature:
- Dharma body—the true nature of the Buddha
- Reward body—the body of retribution, the body that manifests through conditions
- Transformation body—the manifestation and transformation of the Buddha in countless forms
Practicing the miraculous power of walking on the earth with each step, embracing infinite time and space, is evidence of the depth of Rinzai Zen meditation. When we keep our mind shining brightly without interruption, being at ease—complete freedom with no projects left—and “wherever you are, the Way returns you home” (I have arrived, I am home) will become a reality in daily life.
