‘At present I cannot avoid talking in these terms simply because I fear the collapse of Buddhism and the extinction of the sun of wisdom. That is why I am forced to draw distinctions, to convey this information to all people. Our true teaching does not make an issue of whether one is a monk or a layperson, a male or a female; it does not choose between the aristocrat and the commoner or the old and the young. It’s not a question of great or small faculties, of being smart or slow. As long as they have a great heart, ultimately none fail to succeed.
So believe deeply in this Dharma and urgently seek liberation. Set out as best you can; don’t talk about the distance of the journey. The Combined Treatise on the Flower Adorment says, “To whom is this scripture entrusted? This scripture is entrusted to ordinary people with great hearts.”‘ (The Undying Lamp of Zen)
