In a famous old story, Shenxiu wrote that, in our practice, we must constantly clean and polish the body-mind to keep all free of dust. To that, Huineng responded that there’s never a place for dust to gather …

Thus, Master Dogen wrote in the Fukanzazengi:

Furthermore, the whole body far transcends dust and dirt:
who could believe in the means of sweeping and polishing? [Nishijima]

Indeed, the whole body is free from dust. Who could believe in a means to brush it clean? [SZTP]


Actual mummy of Huineng (d. 713), 6th Chan/Zen Patriarch, prior to near destruction in Cultural Revolution
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