Daoism Series 14 靈光 Divine Radiance

-唐吕岩《水龙吟》词：

To clearly recognize the Divine Radiance’s true purport and original appearance; these profound and subtle principles are not to be instructed easily or without care.

Lü Yan (Lü Dong Bin), from《Water Dragon Poem》

________________________________________________

The Daoist expression Divine Radiance points to the Buddhist term, Buddhist Nature, which every living being inherently possesses. It is pure and clear, without any defilement. Its divinity shines and emits a radiant light. Both terms for the original nature of human beings appear in a passage from the《Collection of the Five Lanterns》[五灯会元], a Song Dynasty History of Chan Buddhism in China (1252):
靈光独耀，迥脱根尘，体露真常，不拘文字。心性无染，本自真成，但离妄缘，即如如佛。
The [spark of] Divine Radiance shines alone, having escaped far from the dust of the roots, [1] [and] the body reveals true constancy, being unconfined by writings [2]. The Heart-Mind’s Inner Nature is without defilement and contamination, primordially true and accomplished in itself. If [one were to] depart from [one’s] absurd predestined affinities [3], [then] immediately [one would appear] as a Buddha.
This spark of Divine Radiance is the foundation for becoming a Buddha and acting as an Ancestral Master.

[1] The dust of the roots [gen chen 根尘] stands for the six sensory organs and their respective perceptions in Buddhism.
[2] Literally by writings and Chinese Characters.
[3] The absurd predestined affinities are the conditions of unreality

_________________________________________________
Post-Scriptum:
This article will appear in the appendix of Purple Cloud Press’ forthcoming publication of 《The 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao》 by Xing De/Li Shi Fu, a manual for refining one’s Inner Nature based on Liu Yi Ming’s 50 Barriers. Li Shi Fu is abbot of Five Immortals Temple (www.fiveimmortals.com).

Post-Post-Scriptum: Purple Cloud Institutes webpage is now online, find all our articles on www.purplecloudinstitute.com