One of the most learned and highly trained American-born lamas in the Tibetan Dzogchen tradition. He is a meditation teacher and author.
deluded, a buddha is a sentient being;
awakened, a sentient being is a buddha.
ignorant, a buddha is a sentient being;
with wisdom, a sentient being is a buddha.
if the mind is warped, a buddha is a sentient being if the mind is impartial, a sentient being is a buddha.
when once a warped mind is produced, buddha is concealed within the sentient being.
if for one instant of thought we become impartial, then sentient beings are themselves buddha.
in our mind itself a buddha exists, our own buddha is the true buddha.
if we do not have in ourselves the buddha mind, then where are we to seek buddha?
— Hui Neng, sixth zen patriarch of China
Was this poem from Hui Neng’s Platform Sutra?
As a member of 12 step programs (AA & Al- Anon) for over 30 years, I greatly appreciate this message. Thank you.