The Buddha, The Dharma, The Sangha

"Spiritual powers and their wondrous functioning--hauling water and carrying firewood." --Layman Pang, upon his realization

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

There are stories about people who have been struggling with life's problems for a very long time without resolution.  
Once they sit down in meditation and ask, "Who is struggling?", they realize that from the beginning there was never really any problem.  In a true sense this is the only solution that helps us.  Everything else is just a band-aid that gives us a false sense of liberation for a short while.  How many times have we tried these temporary fixes and solutions?  Are we exhausted yet?  If everybody on the planet, including the politicians, businessmen, and religious leaders, started working toward this realization, then the world would immediately be a peaceful place.  People would be much more generous and kinder toward each other.

When all the layers of false identity have been stripped off, there is no longer any version of that old self.  What is left behind is pure consciousness.  This is our original being.  That is our true identity.  Our true nature is indestructible.  No matter whether we are sick or healthy, poor or wealthy, it always remains divine and perfect as it is.  When we realize our true nature, our life is transformed in a way we could not have imagined before.  We realize the very meaning of our life and it puts an end to all the searching right there.

--from No Self, No Problem, by Anam Thubten, edited by Sharon Roe, published by Snow Lion Publications

2 comments:

Jenna said...

Oh.

Wow.

I hadn't even realized it, but that's been me again lately, struggling against...nothing.


Thank you, Brooke. Namaste.

Brookie said...

This all seems so simple, yet it's tough to release our layers of Ego Self. In our practice as Buddhists, there is no getting rid of the Ego Self, and why would we anyway? It serves us well sometimes.
But to be aware of the construct of Ego Self, and to be aware of when it is running us ragged is part of our practice--just that awareness of where Ego Self is ruling everything.
Beneath Ego Self, the True Self shines like a beacon, we just need to trust in its bright existence and discover ways to let it shine!
Namu Amida Butsu!