dialogue

Not Mind, Not Buddha

Transmission of the Lamp

Tang

Traditionally attributed

Text

A monk asked Mazu, "What is Buddha?" Mazu said, "This mind is Buddha." Later, another monk asked, "What is Buddha?" Mazu said, "Not mind, not Buddha." When asked why he gave two different answers, Mazu said, "'This mind is Buddha' is to stop a baby from crying. Once the crying has stopped, I say 'Not mind, not Buddha.' The first is medicine for the sick; the second takes away the medicine when the sickness is cured."

license: public_domain

Attribution

Lineage: Nanyue line

By Mazu Daoyi

From Transmission of the Lamp

Sources