PZI Teacher Archives

  • Allison Atwill
  • David Parks
  • David Weinstein
  • Eduardo Fuentes
  • Jesse Cardin
  • John Tarrant
  • Jon Joseph
  • Michelle Riddle
  • Tess Beasley

Non-Attained Buddha (GG9)

View All Koans

A monk once asked the teacher, “The Buddha of Unsurpassed Wisdom sat on the Bodhi seat for ten kalpas, but did not attain Buddhahood. Why was that?”
“An excellent question,” said teacher.
“Yes, but why did he not attain Buddhahood?”
“Because he was a non-attained Buddha,” the teacher responded.

—Gateless Gate, Case 9