Finally Buddha-Nature cannot be compared with "more" and "less".
Why? Because Buddha-Nature is Equal, it is the Universal Equality
of all beings and all phenomenon. Nothing can be added or
subtracted from Buddha Nature for its nature is empty and
self-perfected in all beings. No human intellect or qualities add a
single bit to buddha-nature -- likewise being an animal subtracts
not a single bit of Buddha-Nature of it.
===========================
ideally speaking it's like this ,but in daily life ,there
definitely are some ppl who are regarded higher level in buddha
nature ,that's why we approach to them and listen to them ,seems
that they have more wisdom.
Intellect does not mean anything ,if u refer to know or science
,one person ,may got full knowledge ,but he may be dumb in buddhism
context .But somehow the famous buddhist through out the history
appear to be smart ,at least in context of debating ,that's called
辩才无碍。and 南怀瑾 said a lot of ppl after they practice buddhism they
appear to be more talented in literature ,or peotry stuff
Wise people had not added a single bit to his Buddha Nature --
his Buddha Nature is non increasing and non decreasing. It is just
that since the clouds obscuring the vast sky or the sun has been
removed, it becomes revealed. One's Buddha-Nature then reveals
itself when these obscuration and ignorance has been removed (i.e.
the clouds obscuring the sky/sun has been removed to reveal the
sun).
In reality not a single bit of Buddha-Nature has been added --
the Sky has always been the Sky, it has always been infinite, vast,
limitless and inconceivable, whether there are clouds or not. Not a
bit of sky-ness can be added or subtracted. When clouds has
dissipated to reveal the vast sky, in actuality nothing has been
added -- just what is always so now becomes revealed. Similarly,
our Buddha-Nature which is sky-like, in which all merits and wisdom
is inherent, cannot increase nor decrease.
本 体 自 性 具 足 一 切
功 德， 在 圣 不 增， 在 凡 不 减 --
http://www.humanbliss.com.sg/blissful_articledetails.asp?articleNo=429
In Buddhism, 辩才无碍 is not because one is smart, but because one
has realised one's true nature and thus cannot be obstructed by
doubts and questions. One who realises his true nature will be able
to answer a dharma question in ways that no others can do so. His
dharma eye and wisdom eye will open, a.k.a the third eye between
the eyebrow. He will be able to discern all dharma questions and
works and react accordingly and know whether it is right or wrong.
This is not through thinking and book knowledge, but through his
Wisdom Eye. It is through this wisdom eye that his dharma teachings
spontaneously flows out of his own nature into creative works,
poems, speeches, etc. An enlightened person can not only explain
all dharma texts in his own words -- he can also teach the dharma
without refering to any texts but spontaneously out of his wisdom
and experience. Without thinking, but through wisdom.
One who realises his true nature will at once grasp the essence
of every single sutra in the Tripitaka, not just one. That means
even if he did not read any sutras, he will still be able to answer
your questions on the sutras. Examples are like 6th Patriarch
Hui-Neng, who could not read and only ever heard one verse from the
Diamond Sutra and attained enlightenment. After his enlightenment,
he was able to explain all questions posed by others on the various
sutras. My Taiwanese Teacher as well -- he was also illiterate, the
only sutra he read was the Diamond Sutra and he spent 4 years
flipping through the dictionary in order to understand the words,
but after his enlightenment he could explain very well every single
sutra from questions posed by his students.
Of course such a will be able to describe the dharma in his own
words or poems because he had direct experience. Even if one reads
all the sutras in the world, without enlightenment or direct
experience, it is only intellectual/book knowledge.
Also, there are dumb/stupid people who attain enlightenment.
Which shows that enlightenment has nothing to do with human
intellect.
http://www.dzogchen.org/teachings/talks/SustainAware10694.html
..."I think the genius of Buddhadharma is that it really
provides a workable path to do this inquiry through. Anybody can do
it. Even if you can't memorize anything. It is a do-it-yourself,
liberating Dharma.
One of my favorite stories is about the Arhat Chunda. He was
quite stupid. When his brother became a monk, Chunda just wanted to
do what his brother did. So he went to Ananda, Buddha's attendant.
But holy Ananda said, "Sorry. You're too stupid." Ananda thought
this kid was too stupid to become a monk because he couldn't
remember the rules, the chants, the teachings. So the elder brother
and his stupid little brother went to the Buddha, for the Buddha
was extremely wise, kind, and compassionate. He scanned the past
lives of this young, stupid boy, Chunda. He saw in there one tiny
root of merit that could help him get enlightened. He said it
didn't matter how dull-minded he was. It didn't matter that he
couldn't memorize anything. It didn't matter if he could remember
even one rule. The Buddha said to Ananda, "Ananda, you're not the
Buddha, so you couldn't see that this kid can get enlightened. But
I'm the Buddha and I'm going to ordain him because he can get
enlightened. He has one good root of merit from a past life. He can
do it, too. Watch over this little child." (This story always
brings tears to my eyes.)
So Buddha ordained the kid. The kid couldn't remember even one
rule, or how to wear his robes. You know, it's complicated to be a
monk. All the monks were studying and memorizing. There were a lot
of teachings. There were 253 rules of monastic ordination. But the
stupid, youthful Chunda couldn't remember anything.
Finally, the brethren gave him the job of cleaning off the
sandals of the monks. Chunda cleaned the sandals while the other
monks were getting teachings. Since there weren't any books in
those days, 2500 years ago in India, nothing was written down; the
monks had to memorize the teachings. Chunda wanted to practice like
the other monks, and get this enlightenment thing he heard about
every day. So he asked the Buddha how he could get this
enlightenment thing. The Buddha said, "When you're scraping mud and
sweeping the floors, just think, 'Now I am purifying all the
obscurations of the mind.'" So he gave him a little two-line verse.
"With each cleaning of the sandals, I am cleaning off the
obscurations of the shining, perfect mind." The Buddha asked him to
repeat it. He repeated it. The Buddha said, "Can you remember
that?" He said, "Yes."
Then dumb Chunda went out and tried to repeat the verse. "With
each scraping of the dirt, I am cleaning..." And he couldn't
remember it. But he had good karma and had gentle Ananda around to
remind him of the verse. Still, Chunda forgot again. Then Sariputra
the learned came out, and Chunda asked him to remind him. Finally,
the Buddha came back and said to Chunda, "Are you cleaning the
sandals?" He said, "Yes." Buddha asked, "Are you cleaning the dust
off the floor?" Chunda said, "Yes." And Buddha asked, "Have you
cleaned the obscurations off the shining, perfect mind?" Suddenly
Chunda was enlightened! He realized that the sandals with the dirt
are still the sandals. The floor even with the dust is still the
floor. Everything is just as it is. He became an arhat, a fully
liberated sage.
In those days, wherever the Buddha went, the people would always
try to serve lunch, the main meal of the day, to him and the
arhats. They thought if they gave Buddha lunch they would get the
most merit, and if they gave the arhats lunch they would get almost
as much merit. But if they couldn't catch any arhats, they would
feed the ordinary monks and get a little less merit. Everyone knew
how stupid Chunda was, and they didn't believe he was an
enlightened arhat. But wherever Buddha went, he saved a seat for
Chunda, because he said he was the purest-minded, least proud
arhat. Purest-minded because he didn't know anything. And least
proud because he was so simple, so humble, so undemanding and easy
to be with.
Unfortunately, we are not that stupid. We know
too much. Or should I say, we think so much, we know so little. If
we could just be ourselves, and take the path that is genuinely for
us, it would be so easy. Imagine if Chunda was trying to become a
Buddhist scholar, he never would have gotten enlightened. But he
was content to clean the monks' shoes because he loved his brother
and Buddha and the other monks. And it had to be done, so he did
it. And he had a little teaching, a little verse that fit into
that. That's why Thich Nhat Hanh gives everybody a little verse. He
has a little verse for eating, for waking up, for toilet, for going
to sleep, because one little verse can be enough to fully awaken
you to the fullness and richness of the present
moment.
Spiritual life
has nothing to do with how smart you are. In fact, being smart can
be an obstacle. You can become proud and have more clutter in your
brain."...