The Problem of the Untainted Mirror

In the Platform Sutra, there is a well-known story of a poetry competition between Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, and a senior disciple. Hui Neng’s winning poem is as follows:

菩提本無樹，明鏡亦非臺。
本來無一物，何處惹塵埃。

Bodhi originally has no tree,
The mirror(-like mind) has no stand.
Buddha-nature is always clean and pure;
Where can the dust collect?

(Yampolsky’s Translation)

What is Buddha Nature?

Buddha nature is a key concept in Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism, representing the innate potential for all sentient beings to attain Buddhahood. It suggests that deep within every individual lies an inherently pure Buddha-essence, untainted by negative actions, thoughts, or circumstances. This idea emphasizes an intrinsic capacity for goodness and enlightenment. While rooted in Indian Buddhist thought, Buddha nature reached its full development in China, especially within the Zen (Chan) and other Mahāyāna schools. Often, Buddha-nature is metaphorically portrayed as a “bright mirror” that reflects reality purely, free from distortion by emotions, thoughts, or delusions — imagery particularly emphasized in Zen.

This metaphor of the untainted mirror is beautifully illustrated in the Platform Sutra, but it presents certain philosophical…