Zen Master Bassui

A collection of the talks of Zen Master Bassui (1327-87) contains a dialogue with a monk who asked questions about the nature of Jizo Bodhisattva

Questioner: "In the sutra of Jizo Bodhisattva it is written: 'The bodhisattva rises early each day and enters various meditations and various hells to free ordinary people from their suffering in the Buddhaless era.' I these words mean that this is his skillful means for beings immersed in the six realms, those who whole-heartdly appeal to this bodhisattva will not fall into evil paths. But why would they seek enlightenment? People would simply appeal for Jizo's guidance. What do you think of this reasoning?"

Bassui: "What's your purpose in asking this question?"

Questioner: "For the sake of understanding the great matter of life and death."

Bassui: "Then why don't you ask the bodhisattva Jizo?"

Questioner: "I have only heard his name and seen his picture and statue. I have never seen his real body. How can I ask him?"

Bassui: "If he can't teach you of the great matter of life  and death now, he is not the right teacher for the world today. If he isn't a good teacher for this present world, how can he guide you after you leave it? If this is the case, then the words 'he guides them through this world and the next' are deluded speech. If you say it is true, it doesn't conform whith what you said earlier. How then could you hope to rely on salvation by the bodhisattva? The words of the sutra are unmistakably clear. Error derives from the reader. As the sutra states that he rises early in the morning and enters various meditative states, could anyone be in any of the many hells when Jizo already abides in the state of meditation? If he were in hell, he could not be in a state of meditation. If he were in meditation he could not be in hell. How could he be in various meditative states and various hells at the same time?"

Questioner: "I only understand the words from the sutra. The reality behind these words is not clear."

Bassui: "Jizo stands for the mind-nature of ordinary people. Ji (the character for earth) is the foundation of the mind. Zo (the character for storehouse) is the storehouse of Buddha nature. It is in this Buddha nature that all the virtue of ordinary people is contained. Hence it is called the storehouse of the Tathagata. When the mind is deluded, as many ignorant thoughts as sands of the Ganges arise; when enlightened, this mind gives birth to infinite wonderful meanings. Being the source of good and evil, this mind is called earth (Ji). The earth gives birth to trees and grasses, hence it is used as an exemple here. Nature, the place where all the jeweled Dharmas return, is referred to as the storehouse (zo). That is why Jizo (earth-storehouse) is another name for mind-nature. Originally mind and nature were not separate. They were the one center where ordinary people in the six realms observed and perceived, and where they were masters of the six senses. It is here that they were teachers of those in the six realms. Since the four activities (walking, standing, sitting, and lying) of Buddhas and ordinary people throughout the day and night are the wonderful work of this mind-nature, it is referred to in the sutra as 'each day'. As for 'early morning', it refers to the period before the distinction  between black and white. Early morning means original nature - where there is no division between Buddhas and ordinary people."