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.
