An excerpt from a teaching called “The Importance of Shakyamuni” by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
All of the blessings of the Buddhist path are available to us because of the supreme compassion of Lord Buddha. If he had not chosen to stay and forego his parinirvana for some time, forego his entry into the state of nirvana in order to teach sentient beings, it would not be possible for us to be on this path. At the time of his teaching, there was no path that could lead to supreme enlightenment. Again I say there were paths that could lead to spiritual progress, but none of them truly overcame all of the six realms.
Therefore follow this path with great enthusiasm because you have a set of fortunate circumstances that very few other beings on this planet have, very few human beings and far fewer beings of any other realm of cyclic existence. If you think about how many humans there are compared to the other five realms of beings, just having that human condition is extremely rare and is over too quickly. What proportion of those beings that have incarnated in the fortunate human condition have been offered the true path of Lord Buddha? Such a small portion.
You should think about these incredibly auspicious circumstances, and when you do your practice, think that you are doing this to achieve the ultimate goal possible for humankind. Think and believe that there is every reason that you can succeed. Think and believe that there is every reason that even if you don’t succeed now, you absolutely without fail can create the causes by which you will succeed quickly. If not immediately after this life, then you will soon, very soon.
Your moment is now. Are you creating the causes by which you yourself might someday appear as a Nirmanakaya Buddha to guide all beings? This practice that you do now creates the causes. Practice sincerely. If you practice sincerely with the intention of guiding beings, with the intention of breaking through samsaric existence as a true renunciate, if you really renounce cyclic existence with all its betrayal and take refuge sincerely, you are creating the causes, and someday your face will be known as the face of a Nirmanakaya Buddha, and your nature will be known both by you and by all sentient beings to be the Dharmakaya.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
It is great to get these reminders – and refocus! Thank you Jetsunma for staying around and providing so many skillful means.