Inexpressible Radiance of the Tathagata

Torei Zenji’s Bodhisattva Vow

When I regard the true nature of all things and all living creatures,
I find them to be the sacred forms of the Tathagatha’s never-failing
essence.

Each particle of matter, each moment, is no other than the Tathagatha’s
inexpressible radiance.

With this realization, our noble ancestors gave tender care to beasts and
birds, with compassionate minds and hearts.
Among us, in our own daily lives,
who is not reverently grateful for the protections of life: food, drink and
clothing!
Though they are inanimate things, that are nonetheless the warm flesh and blood,
the merciful incarnations of Buddha.

All the more, we can be especially understanding and affectionate with
foolish people,
particularly with someone who becomes a sworn enemy and persecutes us
with abusive language.
That very abuse conveys the Buddha’s boundless loving-kindness.
It is a compassionate device to liberate us entirely from the mean spirited
delusions
we have built up with our wrongful conduct from the beginning-less past.

With our open response to such abuse we completely relinquish ourselves,
and the most profound and pure faith arises.
At the peak of each thought a lotus flower opens,
and on each flower there is revealed a Buddha.
Everywhere is the Pure Land in its beauty.
We see fully the Tathagata’s radiant light right where we are.

May we retain this mind and extend it throughout the world
so that we and all beings become mature in Buddha’s wisdom.