Evidence of our buddha-nature

From Buddha-Nature

< Articles

LibraryArticlesEvidence of our buddha-nature

((by SublimeText.Mediawiker))
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Article
 
{{Article
|ArticleTitle=Evidence of our buddha-nature
+
|ArticleTitle=Evidence of our buddha-nature
|AuthorName=Gyatrul Rinpoche
+
|AuthorName=Gyatrul Rinpoche
|AuthorPage=Gyatrul Rinpoche
+
|AuthorPage=Gyatrul Rinpoche
|AuthorImage=File:Gyatrul Rinpoche2.png
+
|AuthorImage=File:Gyatrul Rinpoche2.png
|AuthorAffiliation=[http://www.tashicholing.org/Gyatrul.html Tashi Choling]
+
|AuthorAffiliation=[http://www.tashicholing.org/Gyatrul.html Tashi Choling]
|PubDate=2018/02/26
+
|PubDate=2018/02/26
|ArticleSource=[http://vimalatreasures.org/free-downloads.aspx Vimala Treasures Free Downloads]
+
|ArticleSource=[http://vimalatreasures.org/free-downloads.aspx Vimala Treasures Free Downloads]
|ArticleSummary=[[Gyatrul Rinpoche]] is a famed modern Tibetan teacher of the [[Nyingmapa school]] and holder of the [[Dudjom Tersar Lineage]]. This short teaching is a clear and pithy presentation of the Tibetan Buddhist view of buddha-nature from the Nyingma viewpoint that reminds us not only that it is obvious that all sentient beings have buddha-nature, but also that recognizing our buddha-nature depends upon learning in a deep way. We must "chew" on what we have learned and really take it to heart: "If you don’t know your buddhanature, learn about it! Don’t just complain that you don’t understand, or say it is too difficult. How can you see it? How can you recognize it? By learning."
+
|ArticleSummary=[[Gyatrul Rinpoche]] is a famed modern Tibetan teacher of the [[Nyingmapa school]] and holder of the [[Dudjom Tersar Lineage]]. This short teaching is a clear and pithy presentation of the Tibetan Buddhist view of buddha-nature from the Nyingma viewpoint that reminds us not only that it is obvious that all sentient beings have buddha-nature, but also that recognizing our buddha-nature depends upon learning in a deep way. We must "chew" on what we have learned and really take it to heart: "If you don’t know your buddhanature, learn about it! Don’t just complain that you don’t understand, or say it is too difficult. How can you see it? How can you recognize it? By learning."
|ArticleContent=A student asked for advice on understanding buddhanature. They said, oftentimes it feels to them like
+
|ArticleContent=A student asked for advice on understanding buddhanature. They said, oftentimes it feels to them like
they don’t have buddhanature, and asked: How can we know for ourselves? How can we trust that we
+
they don’t have buddhanature, and asked: How can we know for ourselves? How can we trust that we
have buddhanature? Here is what Rinpoche said:
+
have buddhanature? Here is what Rinpoche said:
  
All the buddhas say that every being has buddhanature. All the great masters of Buddhism, the
+
All the buddhas say that every being has buddhanature. All the great masters of Buddhism, the
realized beings of every lineage, say the same thing. If we didn’t have buddhanature, how
+
realized beings of every lineage, say the same thing. If we didn’t have buddhanature, how
could we become buddhas? How could we become enlightened? It is only by virtue of
+
could we become buddhas? How could we become enlightened? It is only by virtue of
possessing the buddhanature that enlightenment is possible. Why can we become enlightened?
+
possessing the buddhanature that enlightenment is possible. Why can we become enlightened?
Because buddhanature is present in us. Or you could say that the condition that makes our
+
Because buddhanature is present in us. Or you could say that the condition that makes our
enlightenment possible is that we are endowed with buddhanature. That is why when we
+
enlightenment possible is that we are endowed with buddhanature. That is why when we
practice, we can get a result. If we didn’t have buddhanature, there would be no reason to
+
practice, we can get a result. If we didn’t have buddhanature, there would be no reason to
practice. We would never be able to get any result.
+
practice. We would never be able to get any result.
  
The buddhas are present. That presence is our buddhanature. It is not separate. Where are all
+
The buddhas are present. That presence is our buddhanature. It is not separate. Where are all
the buddhas? They are here. They are everyplace. You can’t say there is some place that the
+
the buddhas? They are here. They are everyplace. You can’t say there is some place that the
buddhas are not present. In the same way, you can’t say there is any being who does not have
+
buddhas are not present. In the same way, you can’t say there is any being who does not have
buddhanature. Because sentient beings have buddhanature, they can become buddhas.
+
buddhanature. Because sentient beings have buddhanature, they can become buddhas.
If you don’t know your buddhanature, learn about it! Don’t just complain that you don’t
+
If you don’t know your buddhanature, learn about it! Don’t just complain that you don’t
understand, or say it is too difficult. Of course, if you don’t learn, it will always be too difficult.
+
understand, or say it is too difficult. Of course, if you don’t learn, it will always be too difficult.
You will never understand. If you learn, everything becomes easy. Therefore, study! Listen to
+
You will never understand. If you learn, everything becomes easy. Therefore, study! Listen to
the teachings, read the books, slowly, slowly. These things are not simple. Of course we can’t
+
the teachings, read the books, slowly, slowly. These things are not simple. Of course we can’t
understand in one instant.
+
understand in one instant.
  
You can read. You can listen. You can understand your language. You do have lots of teachings.
+
You can read. You can listen. You can understand your language. You do have lots of teachings.
If you don’t know your buddhanature, you can learn lots about it! You are not poor! But maybe
+
If you don’t know your buddhanature, you can learn lots about it! You are not poor! But maybe
you are stingy—stingy with yourself, just holding your ignorance and not wanting to learn
+
you are stingy—stingy with yourself, just holding your ignorance and not wanting to learn
anything. Don’t do that. That is really putting yourself in the garbage can. You don’t need to do
+
anything. Don’t do that. That is really putting yourself in the garbage can. You don’t need to do
that.
+
that.
  
You do have the buddhanature. You can learn what that means. You can study that,
+
You do have the buddhanature. You can learn what that means. You can study that,
contemplate that, practice that, realize that. Because everything is there! It is already there—you
+
contemplate that, practice that, realize that. Because everything is there! It is already there—you
don’t have to go buy anything! It is called ‘nature’ because it is already there, already in your
+
don’t have to go buy anything! It is called ‘nature’ because it is already there, already in your
hand. More than that, it is already in your heart. Already in your mind. Already your own
+
hand. More than that, it is already in your heart. Already in your mind. Already your own
nature. That is why it is called the nature or essence. Your nature. Not somebody else’s nature.
+
nature. That is why it is called the nature or essence. Your nature. Not somebody else’s nature.
Nobody is poor. Everybody is the most rich: rich with buddhanature. Even if they don’t have
+
Nobody is poor. Everybody is the most rich: rich with buddhanature. Even if they don’t have
one penny or one speck of anything, nobody is so poor that they lost their buddhanature. You
+
one penny or one speck of anything, nobody is so poor that they lost their buddhanature. You
can’t lose it. You can’t give it to somebody. Nobody can steal it from you. Therefore, it didn’t go
+
can’t lose it. You can’t give it to somebody. Nobody can steal it from you. Therefore, it didn’t go
anywhere! Where is it gonna go? Therefore, you have it! You already have it, but you need to
+
anywhere! Where is it gonna go? Therefore, you have it! You already have it, but you need to
recognize it. You have it, but you don’t see it. How can you see it? How can you recognize it?
+
recognize it. You have it, but you don’t see it. How can you see it? How can you recognize it?
  
By learning.
+
By learning.
  
You don’t have to read everything and become a scholar. You don’t have to read fast. What is
+
You don’t have to read everything and become a scholar. You don’t have to read fast. What is
the hurry? More important is that you chew it, whatever you read, whatever you hear. Just go
+
the hurry? More important is that you chew it, whatever you read, whatever you hear. Just go
slowly, slowly. The bottom line is not if you have read many books and heard many teachings.
+
slowly, slowly. The bottom line is not if you have read many books and heard many teachings.
Of course, if you have, that is wonderful! But the bottom line is if you have gone deeply into
+
Of course, if you have, that is wonderful! But the bottom line is if you have gone deeply into
whatever you have received. Don’t just space out while you are listening, staring dumbly, or sit
+
whatever you have received. Don’t just space out while you are listening, staring dumbly, or sit
slack-jawed like a zombie while you read with an empty brain. What is the benefit of that?
+
slack-jawed like a zombie while you read with an empty brain. What is the benefit of that?
Ask yourself why you are listening to the dharma. It is so then you can think about it! Listening
+
Ask yourself why you are listening to the dharma. It is so then you can think about it! Listening
is not enough. Reading the book is not enough. Even if you read a billion books, still that is not
+
is not enough. Reading the book is not enough. Even if you read a billion books, still that is not
enough. Then you have to think about it. If you have doubts, ask questions. If you don’t
+
enough. Then you have to think about it. If you have doubts, ask questions. If you don’t
understand, ask somebody! Then chew on it more, more, more, more, again, again, again.
+
understand, ask somebody! Then chew on it more, more, more, more, again, again, again.
Why are you reading? So then you have something to think about! Why are you contemplating?
+
Why are you reading? So then you have something to think about! Why are you contemplating?
So you can understand what you heard or what you read. You can go more and more deeply
+
So you can understand what you heard or what you read. You can go more and more deeply
into the meaning, and your understanding will become more and more firm. Then you can
+
into the meaning, and your understanding will become more and more firm. Then you can
really practice, purely, authentically. Then all that study and contemplation finally can really
+
really practice, purely, authentically. Then all that study and contemplation finally can really
benefit your mind. Actually, it benefits everything—body, speech, and mind, together; yourself
+
benefit your mind. Actually, it benefits everything—body, speech, and mind, together; yourself
and others, both. What is that benefit? It is that you start to recognize your buddhanature.
+
and others, both. What is that benefit? It is that you start to recognize your buddhanature.
When you hear the term ‘buddhanature,’ don’t think that it’s some ordinary, material thing like
+
When you hear the term ‘buddhanature,’ don’t think that it’s some ordinary, material thing like
an apple or a potato. That doesn’t work. If buddhanature is a physical object like that, then
+
an apple or a potato. That doesn’t work. If buddhanature is a physical object like that, then
show it to me! Do you keep it in your pocket? No. Buddhanature is the wisdom mind of all
+
show it to me! Do you keep it in your pocket? No. Buddhanature is the wisdom mind of all
buddhas. In Tibetan, they call it deshek nyingpo. Deshek, or dewarshekpa, means ‘buddha’ or
+
buddhas. In Tibetan, they call it deshek nyingpo. Deshek, or dewarshekpa, means ‘buddha’ or
‘sugata.’ Nyingpo means ‘essence’ or ‘nature.’ That nature is enlightened mind. So deshek
+
‘sugata.’ Nyingpo means ‘essence’ or ‘nature.’ That nature is enlightened mind. So deshek
nyingpo, which we translate as ‘buddhanature,’ also means the enlightened mind of all buddhas.
+
nyingpo, which we translate as ‘buddhanature,’ also means the enlightened mind of all buddhas.
How can we know buddhanature? Actually, one way it is only because we have buddhanature
+
How can we know buddhanature? Actually, one way it is only because we have buddhanature
that we are able to stand up, or sit down, or eat. It is only because we have buddhanature that
+
that we are able to stand up, or sit down, or eat. It is only because we have buddhanature that
right now we are able to have even the tiniest bit of altruism or concern for other beings, or be
+
right now we are able to have even the tiniest bit of altruism or concern for other beings, or be
generous, or make offerings. And in the future, it is only because we have buddhanature that
+
generous, or make offerings. And in the future, it is only because we have buddhanature that
we will be able to become enlightened.
+
we will be able to become enlightened.
  
The enlightened ones tell us that all sentient beings have buddhanature. There is no exception.
+
The enlightened ones tell us that all sentient beings have buddhanature. There is no exception.
There is no sentient being who lacks it. Therefore, I have a question: are you a sentient being? If
+
There is no sentient being who lacks it. Therefore, I have a question: are you a sentient being? If
so, you can be sure you have buddhanature.
+
so, you can be sure you have buddhanature.
  
Therefore, know that you have the buddhanature. You have it right now. You already have it. You don’t have to get it from anywhere, go looking for it anywhere, buy or steal or borrow it from anyone. It is already yours. Already your own nature. This instant, you have it. In the past, every instant you have had it. Every instant in the future, still you will have it. It is always with you, always close to you, closer than anything or anyone. More than your boyfriend or girlfriend or husband or wife or anybody, it is always with you. It is the real trustable one. It is even more trustable than yourself! Why? Because how long have you just listened to yourself and gone your own way, thinking you are so smart, and the result is that still you are suffering in samsara? If you go your buddhanature’s way, though, all the buddhas’ way, then you can be liberated from all samsara’s sufferings. That is how much you can trust your buddhanature. Not your go-go nature or your playboy nature, not your liar nature or your cheater nature— they destroy you, every time. But your buddhanature, you can trust.
+
Therefore, know that you have the buddhanature. You have it right now. You already have it. You don’t have to get it from anywhere, go looking for it anywhere, buy or steal or borrow it from anyone. It is already yours. Already your own nature. This instant, you have it. In the past, every instant you have had it. Every instant in the future, still you will have it. It is always with you, always close to you, closer than anything or anyone. More than your boyfriend or girlfriend or husband or wife or anybody, it is always with you. It is the real trustable one. It is even more trustable than yourself! Why? Because how long have you just listened to yourself and gone your own way, thinking you are so smart, and the result is that still you are suffering in samsara? If you go your buddhanature’s way, though, all the buddhas’ way, then you can be liberated from all samsara’s sufferings. That is how much you can trust your buddhanature. Not your go-go nature or your playboy nature, not your liar nature or your cheater nature— they destroy you, every time. But your buddhanature, you can trust.
  
Our real nature is buddhanature; it is the same nature as the Three Jewels’ nature, every
+
Our real nature is buddhanature; it is the same nature as the Three Jewels’ nature, every
realized being’s nature, every deity’s nature, every lama’s nature, every yidam’s nature, every
+
realized being’s nature, every deity’s nature, every lama’s nature, every yidam’s nature, every
dakini’s nature. Those are not different natures! It is not that sentient beings have a worse one
+
dakini’s nature. Those are not different natures! It is not that sentient beings have a worse one
and buddhas have a better one. That nature is the same nature: nothing better, nothing worse.
+
and buddhas have a better one. That nature is the same nature: nothing better, nothing worse.
That is what they say! Myself, I don’t know these things. I can’t say such things from my own
+
That is what they say! Myself, I don’t know these things. I can’t say such things from my own
experience. I can’t say who has the buddhanature or not. But look in your own mindstream. If
+
experience. I can’t say who has the buddhanature or not. But look in your own mindstream. If
you have even a tiny speck of faith, that is because of your buddhanature. If you are able to
+
you have even a tiny speck of faith, that is because of your buddhanature. If you are able to
practice dharma, that is because of your buddhanature. If you are able to even think of bringing
+
practice dharma, that is because of your buddhanature. If you are able to even think of bringing
benefit to others, that is due to your buddhanature. Through the presence of your
+
benefit to others, that is due to your buddhanature. Through the presence of your
buddhanature, you can cultivate pure compassion, you can give rise to unshakeable faith, you
+
buddhanature, you can cultivate pure compassion, you can give rise to unshakeable faith, you
can bring forth every excellent quality, slowly, slowly. You couldn’t buy these things at the
+
can bring forth every excellent quality, slowly, slowly. You couldn’t buy these things at the
market! It wouldn’t matter how much money you had, you couldn’t pay to get such qualities.
+
market! It wouldn’t matter how much money you had, you couldn’t pay to get such qualities.
They are only possible because of our buddhanature.
+
They are only possible because of our buddhanature.
  
One way, that I can talk to you and you can talk to me is because of the power of our
+
One way, that I can talk to you and you can talk to me is because of the power of our
buddhanature, too. That you can perceive anything with your five senses, think anything, say
+
buddhanature, too. That you can perceive anything with your five senses, think anything, say
anything, do anything—that is because you have rigpa, awareness. That means buddhanature,
+
anything, do anything—that is because you have rigpa, awareness. That means buddhanature,
again! It is the nature of your mind. Just your ordinary mind with ordinary thoughts and
+
again! It is the nature of your mind. Just your ordinary mind with ordinary thoughts and
concepts, nothing special: its nature is rigpa, or you can say buddhanature. Same-same.
+
concepts, nothing special: its nature is rigpa, or you can say buddhanature. Same-same.
Everybody can stand up, sleep, eat, walk, do so many things because they have awareness. In
+
Everybody can stand up, sleep, eat, walk, do so many things because they have awareness. In
the same way, everybody can have desire, and anger, and jealousy, again because the nature of
+
the same way, everybody can have desire, and anger, and jealousy, again because the nature of
those is awareness. All the good thoughts and all the bad thoughts, both, can arise because of
+
those is awareness. All the good thoughts and all the bad thoughts, both, can arise because of
our buddhanature. The nature of the good one and the nature of the bad one, both are the
+
our buddhanature. The nature of the good one and the nature of the bad one, both are the
nature of your mind. That means rigpa. That means buddhanature. Bad thoughts don’t block it;
+
nature of your mind. That means rigpa. That means buddhanature. Bad thoughts don’t block it;
good thoughts don’t increase it. Their nature is the same. How is the one nature going to block
+
good thoughts don’t increase it. Their nature is the same. How is the one nature going to block
itself? How is the one nature going to increase itself? It is just one nature. Nothing to do.
+
itself? How is the one nature going to increase itself? It is just one nature. Nothing to do.
Samsara’s nature, enlightenment’s nature—same. Sentient beings’ nature, buddhas’ nature—
+
Samsara’s nature, enlightenment’s nature—same. Sentient beings’ nature, buddhas’ nature—
same. Same as the nature of our own mind, each second. Do we see that? No. We just see
+
same. Same as the nature of our own mind, each second. Do we see that? No. We just see
naughty things. We just have naughty habits. We don’t believe we have buddhanature. We
+
naughty things. We just have naughty habits. We don’t believe we have buddhanature. We
ignore it, and go sniffing after every stupid thing. That is how the whole of samsara functions.
+
ignore it, and go sniffing after every stupid thing. That is how the whole of samsara functions.
When you study and contemplate the dharma, and then practice and bring forth your qualities,
+
When you study and contemplate the dharma, and then practice and bring forth your qualities,
then you see the results of buddhanature. When you have firm faith and pure compassion,
+
then you see the results of buddhanature. When you have firm faith and pure compassion,
those are the results of buddhanature. Those are wisdom results.
+
those are the results of buddhanature. Those are wisdom results.
  
At the beginning, maybe you don’t see any such qualities. Then slowly, slowly, as you practice
+
At the beginning, maybe you don’t see any such qualities. Then slowly, slowly, as you practice
maybe you start to get some tiny things. Even tiny compassion, tiny altruism, tiny understanding—those are like little sprouts from the root of our buddhanature. What is the result? Not something different. Your buddha tree is buddhanature itself growing, buddhanature itself blossoming. Buddhanature is the leaves, the branches, and the fruit, too. The root and the flower do not have different natures. Same thing with the fruit. You don’t need to put them in separate corners. They are oneness, inseparable.
+
maybe you start to get some tiny things. Even tiny compassion, tiny altruism, tiny understanding—those are like little sprouts from the root of our buddhanature. What is the result? Not something different. Your buddha tree is buddhanature itself growing, buddhanature itself blossoming. Buddhanature is the leaves, the branches, and the fruit, too. The root and the flower do not have different natures. Same thing with the fruit. You don’t need to put them in separate corners. They are oneness, inseparable.
  
Can we say our merit comes from our buddhanature? Of course! Whatever merit someone has,
+
Can we say our merit comes from our buddhanature? Of course! Whatever merit someone has,
that is how much they are paying attention to their buddhanature. How much merit you have
+
that is how much they are paying attention to their buddhanature. How much merit you have
means how much you are connecting to it. Creating virtue means you aren’t ignoring your
+
means how much you are connecting to it. Creating virtue means you aren’t ignoring your
buddhanature. Virtue means you are acting like a buddha, and that buddha is your own nature.
+
buddhanature. Virtue means you are acting like a buddha, and that buddha is your own nature.
Non-virtue means you are failing to act like a buddha, you are just following your own stupid
+
Non-virtue means you are failing to act like a buddha, you are just following your own stupid
idea. That is just ignorance. Where does ignorance take you? To hell. To every suffering. One
+
idea. That is just ignorance. Where does ignorance take you? To hell. To every suffering. One
way, it’s amazing: sentient beings have buddhanature, everything perfect, but still they can go
+
way, it’s amazing: sentient beings have buddhanature, everything perfect, but still they can go
to hell. How? Easily! They follow their own stupidness, their own stupid habit. That is where
+
to hell. How? Easily! They follow their own stupidness, their own stupid habit. That is where
your stupidness takes you, turning away from your buddhanature, even though you are never
+
your stupidness takes you, turning away from your buddhanature, even though you are never
separate. Where does virtue take you? It takes you on the same path as all the realized masters,
+
separate. Where does virtue take you? It takes you on the same path as all the realized masters,
to liberation. That is the path to your own nature. Nothing other than that.
+
to liberation. That is the path to your own nature. Nothing other than that.
  
Where can you see your buddhanature? All the deities, they are showing it, even in the tip of a
+
Where can you see your buddhanature? All the deities, they are showing it, even in the tip of a
single hair on their head or a single pore on their body. All the lamas, they are showing it, too.
+
single hair on their head or a single pore on their body. All the lamas, they are showing it, too.
They are teaching us, telling us, trying to show us, again and again, even though we don’t want
+
They are teaching us, telling us, trying to show us, again and again, even though we don’t want
to listen. What all the buddhas are teaching, all the dharma, is showing buddhanature. Statues
+
to listen. What all the buddhas are teaching, all the dharma, is showing buddhanature. Statues
and thangkas—they are not pictures of go-go ladies and playboys. They are to remind us of our
+
and thangkas—they are not pictures of go-go ladies and playboys. They are to remind us of our
buddhanature, glimpse after glimpse! The peaceful and wrathful deities, they aren’t handsome
+
buddhanature, glimpse after glimpse! The peaceful and wrathful deities, they aren’t handsome
guys and scary, nasty guys. They are all showing buddhanature, too, in so many different ways.
+
guys and scary, nasty guys. They are all showing buddhanature, too, in so many different ways.
The buddhas, when they became enlightened, they didn’t get something fancy. What did they
+
The buddhas, when they became enlightened, they didn’t get something fancy. What did they
get? Their own nature, buddhanature, same as yourself, same as all sentient beings.
+
get? Their own nature, buddhanature, same as yourself, same as all sentient beings.
Sentient beings, we don’t show our buddhanature. It looks like we are really embarrassed,
+
Sentient beings, we don’t show our buddhanature. It looks like we are really embarrassed,
hiding our buddhanature, hiding our qualities like they were something disgusting. You might
+
hiding our buddhanature, hiding our qualities like they were something disgusting. You might
ask, how are buddhas different from sentient beings? Buddhas are showing their
+
ask, how are buddhas different from sentient beings? Buddhas are showing their
buddhanature. That’s it! They aren’t embarrassed by their qualities. They see that nature, they
+
buddhanature. That’s it! They aren’t embarrassed by their qualities. They see that nature, they
realize that nature, all their enlightened body, speech, mind, qualities, and activities are that
+
realize that nature, all their enlightened body, speech, mind, qualities, and activities are that
nature—the same nature, the whole thing, inseparable. Sentient beings, we are so smart, we
+
nature—the same nature, the whole thing, inseparable. Sentient beings, we are so smart, we
ignore that nature.
+
ignore that nature.
  
Anyway, that is what they say. I don’t know, myself. I am not buddhanature. I am not a
+
Anyway, that is what they say. I don’t know, myself. I am not buddhanature. I am not a
buddha. I am just a stupid old man. I am not saying anything, okay?
+
buddha. I am just a stupid old man. I am not saying anything, okay?
  
'''Tashi Delek!'''
+
'''Tashi Delek!'''
  
-''Gyatrul''
+
-''Gyatrul''
  
This material is being made available as a free download by [http://vimalatreasures.org/free-downloads.aspx Vimala Treasures. ©2018 Vimala]
+
This material is being made available as a free download by [http://vimalatreasures.org/free-downloads.aspx Vimala Treasures. ©2018 Vimala]
|PostStatus=Needs Copywriting
+
|PostStatus=Needs Copywriting
 
}}
 
}}
{{Needs Copywriting}}
 

Revision as of 12:50, 17 April 2018

Evidence of our buddha-nature
Article
Article

A student asked for advice on understanding buddhanature. They said, oftentimes it feels to them like they don’t have buddhanature, and asked: How can we know for ourselves? How can we trust that we have buddhanature? Here is what Rinpoche said:

All the buddhas say that every being has buddhanature. All the great masters of Buddhism, the realized beings of every lineage, say the same thing. If we didn’t have buddhanature, how could we become buddhas? How could we become enlightened? It is only by virtue of possessing the buddhanature that enlightenment is possible. Why can we become enlightened? Because buddhanature is present in us. Or you could say that the condition that makes our enlightenment possible is that we are endowed with buddhanature. That is why when we practice, we can get a result. If we didn’t have buddhanature, there would be no reason to practice. We would never be able to get any result.

The buddhas are present. That presence is our buddhanature. It is not separate. Where are all the buddhas? They are here. They are everyplace. You can’t say there is some place that the buddhas are not present. In the same way, you can’t say there is any being who does not have buddhanature. Because sentient beings have buddhanature, they can become buddhas. If you don’t know your buddhanature, learn about it! Don’t just complain that you don’t understand, or say it is too difficult. Of course, if you don’t learn, it will always be too difficult. You will never understand. If you learn, everything becomes easy. Therefore, study! Listen to the teachings, read the books, slowly, slowly. These things are not simple. Of course we can’t understand in one instant.

You can read. You can listen. You can understand your language. You do have lots of teachings. If you don’t know your buddhanature, you can learn lots about it! You are not poor! But maybe you are stingy—stingy with yourself, just holding your ignorance and not wanting to learn anything. Don’t do that. That is really putting yourself in the garbage can. You don’t need to do that.

You do have the buddhanature. You can learn what that means. You can study that, contemplate that, practice that, realize that. Because everything is there! It is already there—you don’t have to go buy anything! It is called ‘nature’ because it is already there, already in your hand. More than that, it is already in your heart. Already in your mind. Already your own nature. That is why it is called the nature or essence. Your nature. Not somebody else’s nature. Nobody is poor. Everybody is the most rich: rich with buddhanature. Even if they don’t have one penny or one speck of anything, nobody is so poor that they lost their buddhanature. You can’t lose it. You can’t give it to somebody. Nobody can steal it from you. Therefore, it didn’t go anywhere! Where is it gonna go? Therefore, you have it! You already have it, but you need to recognize it. You have it, but you don’t see it. How can you see it? How can you recognize it?

By learning.

You don’t have to read everything and become a scholar. You don’t have to read fast. What is the hurry? More important is that you chew it, whatever you read, whatever you hear. Just go slowly, slowly. The bottom line is not if you have read many books and heard many teachings. Of course, if you have, that is wonderful! But the bottom line is if you have gone deeply into whatever you have received. Don’t just space out while you are listening, staring dumbly, or sit slack-jawed like a zombie while you read with an empty brain. What is the benefit of that? Ask yourself why you are listening to the dharma. It is so then you can think about it! Listening is not enough. Reading the book is not enough. Even if you read a billion books, still that is not enough. Then you have to think about it. If you have doubts, ask questions. If you don’t understand, ask somebody! Then chew on it more, more, more, more, again, again, again. Why are you reading? So then you have something to think about! Why are you contemplating? So you can understand what you heard or what you read. You can go more and more deeply into the meaning, and your understanding will become more and more firm. Then you can really practice, purely, authentically. Then all that study and contemplation finally can really benefit your mind. Actually, it benefits everything—body, speech, and mind, together; yourself and others, both. What is that benefit? It is that you start to recognize your buddhanature. When you hear the term ‘buddhanature,’ don’t think that it’s some ordinary, material thing like an apple or a potato. That doesn’t work. If buddhanature is a physical object like that, then show it to me! Do you keep it in your pocket? No. Buddhanature is the wisdom mind of all buddhas. In Tibetan, they call it deshek nyingpo. Deshek, or dewarshekpa, means ‘buddha’ or ‘sugata.’ Nyingpo means ‘essence’ or ‘nature.’ That nature is enlightened mind. So deshek nyingpo, which we translate as ‘buddhanature,’ also means the enlightened mind of all buddhas. How can we know buddhanature? Actually, one way it is only because we have buddhanature that we are able to stand up, or sit down, or eat. It is only because we have buddhanature that right now we are able to have even the tiniest bit of altruism or concern for other beings, or be generous, or make offerings. And in the future, it is only because we have buddhanature that we will be able to become enlightened.

The enlightened ones tell us that all sentient beings have buddhanature. There is no exception. There is no sentient being who lacks it. Therefore, I have a question: are you a sentient being? If so, you can be sure you have buddhanature.

Therefore, know that you have the buddhanature. You have it right now. You already have it. You don’t have to get it from anywhere, go looking for it anywhere, buy or steal or borrow it from anyone. It is already yours. Already your own nature. This instant, you have it. In the past, every instant you have had it. Every instant in the future, still you will have it. It is always with you, always close to you, closer than anything or anyone. More than your boyfriend or girlfriend or husband or wife or anybody, it is always with you. It is the real trustable one. It is even more trustable than yourself! Why? Because how long have you just listened to yourself and gone your own way, thinking you are so smart, and the result is that still you are suffering in samsara? If you go your buddhanature’s way, though, all the buddhas’ way, then you can be liberated from all samsara’s sufferings. That is how much you can trust your buddhanature. Not your go-go nature or your playboy nature, not your liar nature or your cheater nature— they destroy you, every time. But your buddhanature, you can trust.

Our real nature is buddhanature; it is the same nature as the Three Jewels’ nature, every realized being’s nature, every deity’s nature, every lama’s nature, every yidam’s nature, every dakini’s nature. Those are not different natures! It is not that sentient beings have a worse one and buddhas have a better one. That nature is the same nature: nothing better, nothing worse. That is what they say! Myself, I don’t know these things. I can’t say such things from my own experience. I can’t say who has the buddhanature or not. But look in your own mindstream. If you have even a tiny speck of faith, that is because of your buddhanature. If you are able to practice dharma, that is because of your buddhanature. If you are able to even think of bringing benefit to others, that is due to your buddhanature. Through the presence of your buddhanature, you can cultivate pure compassion, you can give rise to unshakeable faith, you can bring forth every excellent quality, slowly, slowly. You couldn’t buy these things at the market! It wouldn’t matter how much money you had, you couldn’t pay to get such qualities. They are only possible because of our buddhanature.

One way, that I can talk to you and you can talk to me is because of the power of our buddhanature, too. That you can perceive anything with your five senses, think anything, say anything, do anything—that is because you have rigpa, awareness. That means buddhanature, again! It is the nature of your mind. Just your ordinary mind with ordinary thoughts and concepts, nothing special: its nature is rigpa, or you can say buddhanature. Same-same. Everybody can stand up, sleep, eat, walk, do so many things because they have awareness. In the same way, everybody can have desire, and anger, and jealousy, again because the nature of those is awareness. All the good thoughts and all the bad thoughts, both, can arise because of our buddhanature. The nature of the good one and the nature of the bad one, both are the nature of your mind. That means rigpa. That means buddhanature. Bad thoughts don’t block it; good thoughts don’t increase it. Their nature is the same. How is the one nature going to block itself? How is the one nature going to increase itself? It is just one nature. Nothing to do. Samsara’s nature, enlightenment’s nature—same. Sentient beings’ nature, buddhas’ nature— same. Same as the nature of our own mind, each second. Do we see that? No. We just see naughty things. We just have naughty habits. We don’t believe we have buddhanature. We ignore it, and go sniffing after every stupid thing. That is how the whole of samsara functions. When you study and contemplate the dharma, and then practice and bring forth your qualities, then you see the results of buddhanature. When you have firm faith and pure compassion, those are the results of buddhanature. Those are wisdom results.

At the beginning, maybe you don’t see any such qualities. Then slowly, slowly, as you practice maybe you start to get some tiny things. Even tiny compassion, tiny altruism, tiny understanding—those are like little sprouts from the root of our buddhanature. What is the result? Not something different. Your buddha tree is buddhanature itself growing, buddhanature itself blossoming. Buddhanature is the leaves, the branches, and the fruit, too. The root and the flower do not have different natures. Same thing with the fruit. You don’t need to put them in separate corners. They are oneness, inseparable.

Can we say our merit comes from our buddhanature? Of course! Whatever merit someone has, that is how much they are paying attention to their buddhanature. How much merit you have means how much you are connecting to it. Creating virtue means you aren’t ignoring your buddhanature. Virtue means you are acting like a buddha, and that buddha is your own nature. Non-virtue means you are failing to act like a buddha, you are just following your own stupid idea. That is just ignorance. Where does ignorance take you? To hell. To every suffering. One way, it’s amazing: sentient beings have buddhanature, everything perfect, but still they can go to hell. How? Easily! They follow their own stupidness, their own stupid habit. That is where your stupidness takes you, turning away from your buddhanature, even though you are never separate. Where does virtue take you? It takes you on the same path as all the realized masters, to liberation. That is the path to your own nature. Nothing other than that.

Where can you see your buddhanature? All the deities, they are showing it, even in the tip of a single hair on their head or a single pore on their body. All the lamas, they are showing it, too. They are teaching us, telling us, trying to show us, again and again, even though we don’t want to listen. What all the buddhas are teaching, all the dharma, is showing buddhanature. Statues and thangkas—they are not pictures of go-go ladies and playboys. They are to remind us of our buddhanature, glimpse after glimpse! The peaceful and wrathful deities, they aren’t handsome guys and scary, nasty guys. They are all showing buddhanature, too, in so many different ways. The buddhas, when they became enlightened, they didn’t get something fancy. What did they get? Their own nature, buddhanature, same as yourself, same as all sentient beings. Sentient beings, we don’t show our buddhanature. It looks like we are really embarrassed, hiding our buddhanature, hiding our qualities like they were something disgusting. You might ask, how are buddhas different from sentient beings? Buddhas are showing their buddhanature. That’s it! They aren’t embarrassed by their qualities. They see that nature, they realize that nature, all their enlightened body, speech, mind, qualities, and activities are that nature—the same nature, the whole thing, inseparable. Sentient beings, we are so smart, we ignore that nature.

Anyway, that is what they say. I don’t know, myself. I am not buddhanature. I am not a buddha. I am just a stupid old man. I am not saying anything, okay?

Tashi Delek!

-Gyatrul

This material is being made available as a free download by Vimala Treasures. ©2018 Vimala