We are buddha

 

For twenty-five hundred years the Buddha has been teaching us that we are buddha, that we lack nothing of the highest enlightenment.  Still we do not completely understand, and even though we understand, it has not settled down in our hearts.  That is why we have to practice constantly.  We have to practice because we have a mind.

 

Mind is tranquility; it means peace and harmony.  What is wrong with mind?  Nothing is wrong with mind.  What is wrong is that for many years we have given our mind the chance, the environment, the circumstances for it to be a monkey mind.  Monkey mind means the mind is always going out, in many directions, picking up many things that are fun and exciting.  If we always leave the mind to take its own course, finally before we are conscious of it we are going in a different direction than we expected and we become completely confused.  That is why we have to take care of mind.  We have to take care of chances, circumstance, time, and occasions.

 

 

Dainin Katagiri (1928-1990)