Q19. Where can we find the Buddha?

~ By Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu ~

The Buddha said, ‘Anyone who sees Dhamma, sees the Tathāgata. Anyone who does not see Dhamma, does not see the Tathāgata. One who does not see Dhamma, though he grasps at the robe of the Tathāgata and holds it fast, cannot be said to see the Tathāgata.’ (‘Tathāgata’ is the word often used by the Buddha to refer to himself impersonally.)

This means that the Buddha isn’t found in the externals of a body. Rather, the Buddha is found in the qualities and virtues in the heart of the Buddha that are called Dhamma. That is what we must see in order to say that we have found the Buddha.

When we prostrate ourselves before the Buddha’s image, we look through the image, seeing beyond the physical body of the Buddha, which the image represents. Then we look through the Buddha’s physical body to his mind, and look through that mind until we penetrate the qualities and virtues present in his mind. We see those qualities as the pure, radiant, peaceful Dhamma, devoid of grasping and clinging, perfectly free. Then we have found the Buddha.

(From “Buddha-Dhamma for Inquiring Minds”)

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Buddha-Dhamma for Students (title of original translation) was composed of two talks given by Ajahn Buddhadāsa in January 1966 to students at Thammasat University, Bangkok. It was translated from the Thai by Rod Bucknell, and revised in 2018 by Santikaro Upasaka. To read/download as free ebook (pdf).

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For all English retreat talks, visit Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu.

For more information and free ebooks, visit Suan Mokkh – The Garden of Liberation.

Photo: Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives D-127