Japan Discovery Zen words is The best word “明珠在掌 Meishu tanagokoro ni ari”
The pearls (Buddha-nature) is in the palm of your hand
en is difficult. Zen word is also difficult. That’s why I interpret it as I please. I think that’s fine. Enou Zenji, Dogen Zenji, Ikkyu-san, and Ryokan-san are likely to say, “That’s fine, that’s fine. Let it be."
Today’s Zen word is “Meishu tanagokoro ni ari" It means “The pearls (Buddha-nature) is in the palm of your hand."
The bright pearl is Buddha nature.
“The bright pearl of wisdom of Prajna is in my hand," is written in the Heiyan Lu of the Song Dynasty. Wisdom of Prajna is the power to know the true nature of things (the three aspects of things: impermanence, suffering, and non-self). Wisdom of Prajna can be obtained by hard work. The bright pearl of the diamond is wisdom of Prajna, and “in the palm of your hand" means that you have obtained that wisdom.
If you obtain that power, you can understand all the things in the world. Speaking of knowing everything, it reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Irina Spalko, a female colonel of the Soviet Union, appeals to the Crystal Skull alien, “I want to know everything." Irina’s wish is granted, but she is so painful that she cries out, “Stop it." It seems that knowing everything is painful.
It is difficult for an ordinary person to hold the wisdom of Prajna, which is Myoshu, in the palm of their hand. However, it is possible to polish one’s Buddha nature. A person’s Buddha nature can also be likened to Myoshu. Buddha nature is the essence of a Buddha that a person possesses. It is also the seed that everyone possesses to become a Buddha. If one can fully know one’s Buddha nature, one will be liberated from worldly desires. It seems that good things will come from polishing one’s Buddha nature (Myoshu).
Paradise is a hanging thing above your eyebrows, and you don’t find it very close.
A person’s Buddha nature is originally pure, as can be seen by looking at a newborn baby. A baby is like a pure and shining bright pearl. However, as one grows, the bright pearl becomes clouded. As one becomes an adult, one becomes concerned about others and envies their talents and circumstances. One is no longer able to see things directly.
Why do I have no talent or wealth? Lament that I lost the parent gacha. I belittle myself and call myself an incel. I feel like attacking others. Do you really have nothing like that? At the very least, you have a healthy body and a heart that laments your circumstances. Above all, you have Buddha nature.
“Paradise is a hanging thing above your eyebrows, so close that you do not find it," said Zen Master Dogen. Happiness is so close that you do not notice it. But it is definitely there. Buddha nature does not disappear even if it becomes clouded. The bright pearl, that is, Buddha nature, is in the palm of your hand. You just cannot see it.
The bright pearl is hard to see. It takes some training to see it. Training involves being aware that you have a bright pearl and thinking about what kind of bright pearl your pearl is. Since we cannot do the same rigorous training as Zen monks, let us start by opening our palms and being aware of our bright pearl.
Everyone has bright pearl.
An honest heart is also a bright pearl. If you have an honest heart, you can feel happy. When you are born, your heart is honest. It becomes cloudy as you go through life. If you complain too much, it becomes cloudy. You can’t help but complain about something every day. There’s something wrong with the company, your salary is low, your wife is cold, your new boss is terrible. Your friends tell you that you’re not trying hard enough. Your wife gets angry at you and tells you to earn more.
I’m sick of it, I can’t handle it because of all the things that are going on. At times like these, you can’t see the world with an honest heart. Your friends greet you with a smile. Your wife makes you coffee with a smile when you get home late. If you look carefully around you, you will see kindness and smiles everywhere. Even you yourself smile sometimes. A smile is the radiance of the bright pearl (Buddha nature). The bright pearl shines in your palm. The bright pearl is definitely there, even if you can’t see it.