The sun shines day after day without fail, yet if clouds appear to make the sky overcast, it can’t be seen. It still comes up in the east every morning and goes down in the west. The only difference is that you can’t see it because it’s hidden behind the clouds. The sun is your original mind, the clouds are your illusions. You are unaware of this mind because it’s covered by illusions and can’t be seen. But you never lose it,  not even when you go to sleep.

The unborn mind that your mothers have given you is thus always there, wonderfully clear and bright and illuminating.

Bankei Yōtaku (1622-1693), Rinzai Zen master, 

who emphasized our original nature or inner aliveness,  which he terms the Unborn