[ He will become a Buddha ]

23rd Feb 2002

The first missionaries who had come to Japan to convert people into Christianity were amazed by the Zen masters. When they came across a Zen master ... because others had told them, "Don't bother us. You just transform a certain Zen master whom I have loved, and if he changes to Christianity, even if he goes to hell I am ready to go with him. But don't bother with me. You just change the Zen master."

And the missionaries approached the Zen masters with their gospels. The Zen masters laughed; they said, "You don't understand religion at all and you are converting people into religion. You don't have the taste yourself."

One missionary was very angry. He opened the Bible and read the Sermon on the Mount. It is a beautiful Sermon and he was thinking, "Now, let us see what this fellow says."

After three or four lines the Zen master said, "Shut up! I can say only this much, that this guy, whoever has written these lines, will become a buddha sometimes in the future. He is on the path. This much I can certainly say, that some day he will become a buddha. But don't take it seriously, because you will also become a buddha one day. And remember, for becoming a Buddha, Buddhism is not necessary.

[Bruce's remark:

That was the great approach, that for becoming a buddha, Buddhism is not necessary. Nothing is necessary; the buddha is already asleep in us, just some situation is needed in which he can be awakened.

All Zen practices are doing only one thing - creating situations so that the buddha is awake. It is not something to which we are converted, it is our own nature.]

 

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