The Scripture of the Fo...

Dictionary

The Scripture of the Founding Master

Chapter Eight: Buddhahood

6

The Founding Master said to Song Pyŏkcho, “Interpret the phrase ‘the Way of commanding the nature’ in the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong).” Pyŏkcho replied, “In Confucianism, to conform well to the Way of the heavenly principle and the nature is called ‘the Way of commanding the nature.’” The Founding Master said, “Just conforming well to the Way of heaven is the state of the bodhisattvas, but the state of the buddhas must include using the Way of heaven well. This is like an experienced horseman who can ride confidently both trained and unbroken horses. Therefore, ordinary sentient beings are dragged into the cycle of the six rebirth destinies and the twelvefold chain of dependent origination, but the buddhas break through their natural karma, and thus come and go, ascend and descend, freely and with complete autonomy.”