The underlying principle of Buddhism is still a mystery for many—including scholars. By and large, even Buddhists suffer from a kind of spiritual atrophy which makes it hard to grasp this underlying principle even intellectually. Offhand, such spiritual atrophy is probably the result of Western materialistic enculturation in which all we know about life is phenomena. We are taught that reality, so to speak, is what we can put both hands on. But this is a very limited, samsaric view.
According to the Buddha, we have the capacity to realize our Buddha-nature, fully, even though it remains dormant and repressed. However, at a particular juncture in our lives we may come to face the decision to either forego our love affair with materialism or become, for all intents and purposes, the walking dead. When deciding, it is important to point out, that we are making a choice to see Buddhism on its own terms rather than view it as some kind of religious smorgasbord where we can chose what seems to satisfy our idiosyncratic needs and forget the rest.
Speaking for myself, it took almost a decade for me to witness, for the first time, the living, underlying principle of Buddhism—seeing it on its own terms. And that was only after I had decided to give up materialism long before that. Nor was this the end of what Buddhism had to show me. It was only the beginning.
Gradually, as the fog began to lift from my brain it became evident to me what the great Zen masters were actually trying to teach and why they acted the way koans often portray them. It also became clear what the driving principle of ancient Tibetan Buddhism was which, like Zen, developed a comprehensive path that was designed to help us awaken to the true nature of Mind, thus realizing our Buddha-nature.
Now, as I reflect on this I see, paradoxically, that Buddhism is both simple and confusing in which our mental condition of spiritual atrophy blocks out the simple so that we are often confused. This becomes apparent when we read the words of Padmasambhava. We are unable to resonate with them—let alone realize this vital and precious Mind which I hasten to add is not awareness.
“It is the single (nature of) mind which encompasses all of Samsara
and Nirvana.
Even though its inherent nature has existed from the very beginning,
you have not recognized it.
Even though its clarity and presence has been uninterrupted, you
have not yet encountered its face.
Even though its arising has nowhere been obstructed, still you
have not comprehended it” (trans. John Myrdhin Reynolds).
Comments