The Ven. Tangen Harada Roshi
The following are a few words from the late Ven. Tangen Harada Roshi at his temple in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, translated by the late Belenda Yamakawa, and audios of some talks given by him. He is venerated by many as having been a deeply enlightened, authentic practitioner of the Bodhisattva Way.
"Everything is just Buddha Nature itself, the source of peace of mind. Buddha Nature is our roots, so no matter what happens, if we awaken to our roots, then we can't lose this peace of mind. It can't be shaken. It can't be grabbed from us by circumstances. Our true life is this, and it is eternal."
"There are those who have been studying the Way for years who have read plenty, everything they can get their hands on, but for whom truth is somehow still beyond reach. You can take any Buddhist text and read it and interpret it: 'This means this, and that means that.' Every word in a Buddhist text is an explanation of truth...Truth is not a mere explanation. It's what is happening always and forever. It's what is happening right now!"