From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Here we are in Barnesville Maryland where it is really pouring hard. Bird feeders just filled so seeds will clump. At least the little guys can stay dry in their little birdie houses. Too bad we don’t have a “Sunflower Seed Tiny Pizza” delivery service. And a tweetie bird to share with!
But I digress. Mostly on days like this I feel so bad for those without comfortable homes be they birds or humans. So wet out and chilly! For so many life is a constant struggle, and eventually it is lost. That is the condition of sentient beings, without exception. Even if we are now comfy, dry and nourished it may not be the case later. Health can fail, bank take the house, no food. So we are all the same in our needs and are the same in our nature. We all have this potential for Buddhahood and yet we cannot say we are all enlightened, awake.
Think of Buddhahood as a clear crystal, pristine in every way. But crystal can vary, in size, shape, and it can get dusty and dirty. One can spill their soup with it. Take it to unclean places. Then the appearance of the crystal is different but it’s inherent quality is still the same undefiled nature. We can mess up our crystal in uncountable ways, yet our Buddha nature remains. Under the dust, soup, grime it remains pure. Nothing to fix.
Yet when we look at each other we see mostly grime, dirt, dust and rotten soup. That is because we ourselves lack the purity to see it in others. Our own crystal is dirty and soupy and everything is distorted. Some even say they got instant enlightenment, no fuss, no muss. Then why are Buddha-like qualities not seen? Why is there still hatred, grasping, ignorance? Why the meanness and petty arguments? Could it be the work was not done, practice not serious, and your crystal nature is still filthy from shallow non virtue? Well, unless your instant enlightenment was in a tub of Windex I bet there is a lot yet to do. But if you insist that perfection is already yours, that you have the “great accomplishment” without actually accomplishing anything – well go ahead. It is your time to waste until death and then there is no time at all. At that time our own eyes will tell the story, and all will be revealed. Just as it is.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
