All sentient beings can equally realize the fruit of Buddhood. The importance and significance of this insight for those practicing the Buddha Dharma is self-evident. Any practitioner who hears this Dharma, believes in it, and practices it will sooner or later become a Buddha. The fruit of Buddhood is not something we “create” through practice; it is a treasure inherent in everyone. By opening it and utilizing it, one can obtain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation and the great autonomy inherent in life.
For those who do not practice the Buddha Dharma, simply hearing this perspective is equally significant. In life, many people find themselves lost and without a goal. We fail to find the true meaning of life, and our existence must be filled with the satisfaction of various desires; otherwise, we feel empty, bored, or even fearful and worried about the future. We want to control everything—our emotions, our destiny—but we find that it is all in vain because everything changes too quickly. It exceeds our ability; our own joys and sorrows continually arise and pass away in short spans of time. Perhaps some people can “settle” their minds on a single state or task, such as spiritual practice or striving in worldly careers, thereby gaining a small measure of tranquility and peace of mind.
However, the fundamental afflictions of birth, old age, sickness, and death arrive unexpectedly, sweeping over us at any time. Time can ruthlessly strip us of everything—our beauty, our wealth, and those we love. In any space or time, if we have not attained enlightenment, it is impossible to truly obtain “peace of mind” and autonomy. The reason is that the consciousness of life in space-time is composed of a “series” of “unawareness” and “delusions.” Everything we “perceive” is like the moon in the water or a flower in a mirror. Both grasping and letting go are futile; no one can pick up the void or set down the void.
Our “consciousness” flows incessantly along with the “illusory environments” caused by delusion, creating various illusory “karmic forces.” We are then pushed by this “karmic force,” forming the momentum of life’s unceasing rotation within these illusory realms. As long as the “delusions” of life remain, we cannot obtain “Great Autonomy,” and we cannot be thoroughly liberated from birth, old age, sickness, death, and various afflictions. Furthermore, after one term of life ends, we do not truly “die” in the absolute sense; instead, we transform into another image and appear in another space-time (the reincarnation in the Six Paths).
In this way, through birth after birth and death after death, we are pulled by karma, spinning in reincarnation like a top that never stops. If we are tired, exhausted, and want to stop, we must explore the “true meaning of life.” What is the ultimate nature of life? Why do we live? Why are there various differences among people? Why is there birth, old age, sickness, and death? Why is there reincarnation? We must understand all the mysteries of life. To achieve this, one can only become a Buddha. Here, “Buddha” can be called the Tao, the Self- Nature, and so on; it does not refer to a religious title or a specific person. You can only return to the “source” of life.
At this moment, the teaching that “sentient beings are originally Buddhas” is such a direct revelation. It is the key to opening the inexhaustible treasure of life. You are a Buddha; you can use your deepening understanding of “Buddha” to open and decode the cypher of your life. You can cause yourself to “stop suddenly” amidst the constant flow of space-time and the long river of reincarnation. You can enter a state of “Samadhi” that transcends the shackles of space- time in terms of perception. Within the illusion of space-time, you can see the illusion of life itself. You can see how ridiculous it is to be attached to the Three Realms and Six Paths, or to hold onto grudges and entanglements! It is more meaningless than a monkey trying to fish the moon out of the water. Seeing the confused, ignorant, numb, and seemingly poisoned state of the eyes and minds of sentient beings, the compassion of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas arises spontaneously. To save sentient beings from the illusory realm and enable every being to open their own inherent treasure and obtain unending happiness becomes the mission of every Bodhisattva.
Everyone is originally a Buddha; everyone will sooner or later wake from the confused dream and discover their own treasure. In this world, whether you are healthy or disabled, wealthy or poor, beautiful or ugly—no matter what appearance you present—it is the appearance of a Buddha. It is a “manifestation” of the original face ofBuddha-nature. In the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra, the Buddha gives “predictions of Buddhahood” to all who hear the Dharma; certainly, those of us who read this sutra are included. We can completely set aside the mindset of feeling inferior or being unwilling to explore the supreme mysteries of life; the mindset of resigning ourselves to fate within reincarnation without seeking liberation; and the state of dwelling unknowingly in “perverted views,” suffering from the “fundamental delusions” of life, controlled by desires and habits. All who hear this sutra should vow to seek the fruit of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. The Buddha can perceive the conditions of all phenomena; we, too, should understand the truth of the “living universe.” The state of consciousness in the space-time of the “Desire Realm” possesses the best conditions for returning to one’s inherent Buddha-nature.