This is how it is in terms of reality. For example, you want a sports car, but you do not have one, so you really want it; a desire arises within you: “I really want that sports car.”
But what is it from the standpoint of truth—of reality? In the ultimate truth of the universe, because you are practicing the Way, do you know that by nature, we already have everything; we are complete in every way? We embrace everything. Everything is right here with me; this “I” is Buddha, and this “I” embraces everything.
When that sports car appears in your field of vision, why can’t you be happy? It has already appeared in your field of vision, yet you are attached, so you cannot be happy. You give rise to the desire, “I want a sports car,” because you are attached; it is not yours.
If a Buddha sees that sports car, all he does is appreciate it. He only appreciates it; he does not wonder whether it is his or someone else’s. At that moment, happiness appears, because that sports car has brought him happiness. This is how it feels to a Buddha.
We ordinary people, though, see that sports car and think, “Good, I want one.” But wanting one and not having one turns that desire into helplessness, or a sense of loss, or a feeling of disparity between rich and poor: “Look, he has one; I do not.” Sometimes it can give rise to inferiority or something else; a whole string of these mental states appears—the arising and movement of thoughts appears. Then this causes us to work desperately to earn money to possess the sports car, and we become slaves to the sports car or to money.
When a Buddha stands there, for him, it feels the same whether someone else owns that sports car or he does; there is no difference. As long as there is one person in this world who owns that sports car, that Buddha owns it too, because the Dharma Realm is his.
That is a kind of divine pride—a complete form of divine pride. This divine pride means he possesses everything. His wealth is not a matter of what he has displayed in his home. Shakyamuni Buddha’s wealth was not a matter of what he possessed—he still depended on the giving of others for his three meals a day, going out with his bowl to receive alms. His wealth came from his mind; his mind was complete.
How complete is complete? Whether you own it or I do makes no difference: whether it is in your safe or in my home, it is the same. Whenever something he likes appears in his field of vision, as long as he considers it good, he is already delighted; and at that moment, even if that thing belongs to his enemy, he is still delighted.
This is the ultimate truth; this is completeness, an expression of the completeness of the nature of mind. Otherwise, once those thoughts arise, your mind is already incomplete; there is an aspect missing within you. In other words, you are separate from sentient beings: you are you, and he is he. That is incompleteness.
Note: This text was prepared from a teaching video by Yang Ning. If it differs from the video, the video takes precedence. Watch the video.
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