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I recall 2 advantages to the teaching of buddha nature (there were some more that I cannot remember)..
1 It gives you confidence that although you are so confused etc that you DO have the potential to become a buddha. In other words it is showing you that you may bring together all the causes that budda did (which is the accumulation step of the path) and then proceed to becoming a buddha.
2 It help to relieve the error of arrogance once you do have some realization (theres a thread like this in the beginners section). By seeing that those ignorant fools also have buddha nature it breaks up that rigid thinking that they are inferior and you superior which is the ego.
Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Gompopa, says that the buddha nature is none other than emptiness..
Since the nature of the buddha radiates. Since it is undifferentiated (no high and low beings in that light). Since all beings bare a relationship to the nature (truth of emptiness).
My rough paraphrasing of how gompopa did put it and my limited understanding.
But since all those things are true we all have the potential to become enlightened.
The heart sutra says, "No attainment with nothing to attain." In the diamond sutra the Buddha asks Subhuti, "When the buddha attained Annutara Samyak Sambodhi (perfect unexcelled enlightenment) did the buddha actually attain anything?" Subhuti answered, "No, the buddha did not attain anything. Why? Because there is nothing to attain." So we are already buddha, we only need to break apart all the layers of delusional attachments and conceptual thinking to shine brightly.
When you eat, just eat. When you sleep, just sleep. When someone who is hungry appears in front of you, give them food. Put down your ideas, opinions, your "I, my, me", and just do it!
The funny thing is we already do these things. It is very simple. But we are always thinking, thinking, thinking. "I like this, I don't like that. I want this. Why did this happen to me. I have to do this tomorrow." All of that is a creation of our mind. Put it down.
Comments
1 It gives you confidence that although you are so confused etc that you DO have the potential to become a buddha. In other words it is showing you that you may bring together all the causes that budda did (which is the accumulation step of the path) and then proceed to becoming a buddha.
2 It help to relieve the error of arrogance once you do have some realization (theres a thread like this in the beginners section). By seeing that those ignorant fools also have buddha nature it breaks up that rigid thinking that they are inferior and you superior which is the ego.
Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Gompopa, says that the buddha nature is none other than emptiness..
Since the nature of the buddha radiates. Since it is undifferentiated (no high and low beings in that light). Since all beings bare a relationship to the nature (truth of emptiness).
My rough paraphrasing of how gompopa did put it and my limited understanding.
But since all those things are true we all have the potential to become enlightened.
When you eat, just eat. When you sleep, just sleep. When someone who is hungry appears in front of you, give them food. Put down your ideas, opinions, your "I, my, me", and just do it!
The funny thing is we already do these things. It is very simple. But we are always thinking, thinking, thinking. "I like this, I don't like that. I want this. Why did this happen to me. I have to do this tomorrow." All of that is a creation of our mind. Put it down.
Ask yourself, Who am I?
Only don't know.