Why Seek Bodhi Within the Mind?

Bodhi is sought only within the mind; why laboriously seek mysteries externally? It is said that by practicing accordingly, the Western Pure Land is right before your eyes.

Explanation: Why seek Bodhi within the mind? Because Bodhi is the mind itself. But what kind of mind is this? What are its characteristics? To which mind should one turn to seek Bodhi? From which mind can Bodhi be found?

The mind resides within the body, or rather, within one's own mind. It does not dwell in empty space, nor in external forms and sensory objects, nor in other beings. Therefore, seeking this mind does not require outward striving, nor does it involve discussing mysteries or wonders. One need only turn inward to seek within the mind. Yet this mind constantly interacts with all phenomena, including other beings, external environments, and even the vast universe of the material world. When engaging with these external conditions, if you turn the light inward, introspect, and reflect upon your own mind, you can illuminate this Bodhi mind.

Because Bodhi is functional—it is perpetually active, never idle—one must seek it amidst its manifold functions. Simultaneously, one must not let external conditions blind the eyes, fixating solely on external appearances and mistaking them as real. If so, the Bodhi mind cannot be illuminated.

This is called Chan (Zen) meditation. Only through such practice can one realize the true nature of one's mind, realize the Bodhi mind that illuminates the great chiliocosm, realize the Bodhi mind that perfectly accomplishes all phenomena, and realize the Tathāgata—the innate Buddha nature within one's own mind. Upon discovering the Tathāgata, rely on it to transform the defiled consciousness of the seven consciousnesses, purifying it to become as immaculate as the Bodhi mind, as selfless as the Bodhi mind, as pure and unconditioned as the Bodhi mind, and as dedicated to benefiting all sentient beings as the Bodhi mind. Such practice perfects the path to Buddhahood, enabling one to become a Tathāgata whose inner and outer being radiates boundless light, illuminating the three-thousandfold great chiliocosm without obstruction. Merging with the Tathāgata within one's own mind, one will manifest countless great chiliocosms as splendid and magnificent as the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Land of Ultimate Bliss will then be present everywhere, at all times, right before one's eyes, liberating all suffering beings and guiding them to the realm of nirvana—eternal bliss, true self, purity, and tranquility.