Travelling Together in Pair
By Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu
Translated by Cheng Yew Chung
Edited by TBN
I remember in my book, Life as an Ocean of Emptiness: Pilgrimage to Kobo Daishi`s Eighty-Eight Temples of Shikoku, I once wrote these words:
When we first encountered the Japanese pilgrims of the esoteric sect, we noted these four words, `travelling together in pair` written on their straw hats and shoulder bags. When we first saw this phrase, we were puzzled. Why `travelling together in pair`?
Later, our tour guide, Mr. Zeng Tai Yen, explained, `All pilgrims have the firm belief that Kobo Daishi, despite his physical passing, still illuminates every Dharma realm in his Dharma body. While the pilgrim appears to be making his clockwise pilgrimage around the circuit of the eighty-eight temples individually, he is always in the company of Kobo Daishi, Kukai-hence, the phrase, `travelling together in pair`.
The explanation makes perfect sense to me, and I believe the words.
Subsequently, while living in solitude during my retreat at Leaf Lake, I gained a completely new understanding of the phrase, `travelling together in pair`.
I believe the Buddha is always with me. And I do have a deep understanding of his teachings. In my journey through the ocean of life, I find no other companion except the Buddha himself. The Buddha and I are thus `travelling together`.
The words, travelling together, carry multiple meanings.
It means having a companion as my teacher, as my friend. It also means the relationship between my self and the True Self.
Why do I include `my self` and the `True Self`? `My self` refers to Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu. The `True Self` refers to the Buddha Nature, the True Reality. Isn`t this `travelling together in pair`? Another way of saying this is that the True Self is like the shadow that trails behind us, always accompanying us. One is the visible physical body, the other is the enlightened mind of the Tathagata.
In the Surangama Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha spoke to Ananda clearly on the reality of the True Tathagata Mind:
Bodhi is inherently pure; just use this mind, and you will directly realize Buddhahood.
To me, `travelling together in pair` means the Buddha and I are inseparable. Together we are one, and as one reality, you shall find the two of us.