Potential is there,
yet as if ‘not there’,
if never actualised.– Zhaojian
[1] We Have Great Potential: We all have Buddha-nature, which is the perfect potential to become fully liberated and enlightened Buddhas, with True Happiness. This is so even if karmically ‘detouring’ to the deepest hell for a long time.
[2] We Have Total Fairness: As there is the impartial and universal law of karma always at work, everything is ultimately fair. Even the greatest suffering due to much but limited negative karma in a hell does not last forever, and can be turned around.
[3] We Have Many Connections: We are all interdependent and connected, not independent and alone. The Bodhisattva path exists, with the goal of Buddhahood possible, because of us, and those who vow to guide us on the path to reach this goal.
[4] We Have Much Guidance: The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are always doing their best to most skilfully guide us to realise our Buddha-nature, to attain Buddhahood. This is so even if it does not seem obvious now, due to some karmic obscurations.
[5] We Have Unrelenting Help: There are immeasurable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who vow to guide the immeasurable number of us, all to Buddhahood, even if it takes immeasurable time. We can also do our best to emulate them, to best be guided by them, and to guide others.
[6] We Have ‘Enough’ Time: As we can have immeasurable rebirths with immeasurable time for learning and practice of Buddhism, although we might run out of time in one life, we will never truly be short of time over many lives. (However, if we take forever, we will be forever trapped.)
[7] We Have Most Efficiency: We can all learn and practise to reach Amitabha Buddha’s (Amituofo) Pure Land, which is the easiest Pure Land to enter, that connects to all other Buddhas’ Pure Lands. It also provides the swiftest, most blissful and fully guaranteed path to Buddhahood.
[8] We Have Instant Betterment: Once we start practising Buddhism, life can only get better from then onwards, as this creates some merits, that eradicates some negative karma. This is so even if life seems to become ‘worse’ a little, due to the ripening of some past negative karma, which would have been truly worse if without any practice at all.
[9] We Have Wish Fulfilment: When we become Buddhas, we will be able to most skilfully guide all to Buddhahood, which is what all truly need, to have True Happiness. To guide all to this goal is also what we all truly wish to do. This is the ultimate wish fulfilment for one and all.
[10] We Have Truest Hope: In the end, we will be alright. If we are not alright, it is not the end. As our truly happy ending is the attainment of Buddhahood, in the end, we will all be alright. If we are not alright yet, it is not truly this happy ending yet. May we all strive on diligently then, in learning and practice of Buddhism!
Potential is not there,
yet as if ‘there’,
if already actualised.– Zhaojian
