Student: I've heard inspiring sharing from many students. If I continue to stay here to train, please do not expect that I can behave as well as those other students.
Sifu: You come here to become Buddha. You don't come here to be someone that you are not.
The student was speechless, not knowing how to respond.
Commentary:
Zen means wake up to our true nature.
When Hui Neng first met the Fifth Patriarch, he asked him: "Where do you come from and what do you want? Hui Neng replied: " I am a commoner from Xinzhou in Guangdong. Apart from paying my respect to you. I ask for nothing but Buddhahood.
The Fifth Patriarch tested him and said:"You are a native of Guangdong -- a barbarian? How can you expect to be a Buddha?"
Hui Neng replied: "Although people may be from the north or south, Buddha-Nature originally has no north or south.
A barbarian may be different from the Patriarch physically, but there is no difference in our Buddha Nature."
This is indeed the correct attitude for practicing Zen: attain our True Nature so that we can connect with
everyone and help each other.