Buddha-nature...

"For enlightenment you must have deep faith. You must profoundly believe what the Buddha and the Patriarchs from their own first-hand experience declared to be true,
namely, that everything, ourselves included, intrinsically is Buddha- nature; that like a circle, which can't be added to or subtracted from, this Self-nature lacks nothing, it is complete, perfect. . . .

Now, why if we have the flawless Buddha-nature are we not aware of it? Why if everything in essence is Wisdom and Purity itself is there so much ignorance and suffering in the world? , ... This is the 'doubt-mass' which must be dispersed. . . .

Only if you deeply believe that the Buddha was neither a fool nor a liar when he a all inherently Whole and Self-sufficient, can you tirelessly probe your heart and mind for the solution to this paradox," ...


Yasutani Roshi, Three Pillars of Zen