The Nine Examples of Buddha Potential
Loden, Geshe Acharya Thubten. "The Nine Examples of Buddha Potential: Meaning of the Examples of the Obscured Objects and Their Obscurations." In Fundamental Potential for Enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism, 118–31. Melbourne: Tushita Publications, 1996.
1 Brief explanation
2 Extensive explanation
That existing within the enclosure of the delusions
Is known by these examples
Though the nature of the mind of sentient beings is pure, it nonetheless exists within the enclosure of the delusions.
However, these delusions, which are merely adventitious stains, do not permeate the nature of the mind. This can be
seen by examining the following nine examples.
Like a Buddha in a decaying lotus, honey amidst bees,
Grain within its husk, gold inside filth,
Treasure in the ground, and sprouts and so on arising from
the seeds (within fruits),
A Buddha's form in tattered cloth, and
Like a king in an ugly woman's womb,
A precious form existing within a clay (mould): similarly,
Obscured by the stains of the adventitious delusions,
This Buddha potential exists in all sentient beings.
What then are the nine examples? The first is the presence of a Buddha's form, complete with the major and minor marks, enclosed within a decaying lotus flower. The second is the presence of honey amid a swarm of bees. The third is a grain existing within its husk. The fourth is the presence of gold covered by filth. The fifth is the existence of a precious treasure under the ground. The sixth is the potential within the seed of a fruit to sprout into a tree. The seventh is a Buddha statue made from precious jewels covered by tattered rags. The eighth is the presence of a baby, who will become a great king, within the womb of an ugly woman. The ninth is the presence of a golden Buddha statue encased in a clay mould.
As illustrated by these examples, Buddha potential exists within the continuum of sentient beings, obscured by the stains of nine types of adventitious defilements.
Suppose abiding within an ugly-coloured lotus
Were a Tathagata shining with thousands of marks.
When perceived by a human with the pure divine eye,
It would be extracted from those 'water-born' petals.
Similarly, the Tathagata sees with his Buddha eye
The true nature of even those abiding in the lowest hells.
Unobstructed, and remaining through compassion till the
limit of the future,
He makes us free of obscurations.
Just as the Tathagata within the closed decaying lotus
Is seen inside by the divine eye and then the petals cut
away,
Likewise the completely enlightened essence is perceived
enclosed by the obscuring impurities of desire, hatred and
so forth,
And through compassion the Victor destroys such
obscurations.
