existence does not matter, so long as it is appropriate to the particular sentient being. This is true teaching.

Now I will discuss the term, ''thus gone," which actually has the same meaning as "thus come."

The Diamond Sutra states that the Tathagata comes from nowhere and goes nowhere.

When the Buddha attained Buddhahood, nothing increased. When he was a sentient being, he was nothing less than he was at Buddhahood. Buddha Nature did not suddenly appear. Nor will it suddenly depart to leave "only" an ordinary sentient being. In essence, the Tathagata does not increase or decrease.

There was a well-known master in Taiwan who recently passed away. He was in his 90's when he died. His final words were, "Not coming, not going."

After he died, many Buddhists began repeating whatmay do. And if she runs off with someone else? The same attitude applies: "thus
come, thus gone." It is as if she has come; as if she has gone.

A distinguished man I know in Taiwan had a wife about ten years younger than he. She spoke fluent English and had many non-Chinese friends. She ran off with an American and went to Hong Kong. Despite the outrage of his friends, he simply said, "The American gentleman happens to prefer the same woman that I do. He has excellent taste. I am quite pleased."

Six months later she came back and again his friends were upset: "How can you take her back after all that has happened?"

"I have a different point of view," he said. "My wife, too, has good