奇哉！奇哉！此诸众生云何具有如来智慧，愚痴迷惑，不知不见？
– 释迦牟尼佛
《华严经》
Marvellous! Marvellous! Of all these sentient beings, why are they complete with the Thus Come Ones’ wisdom, yet ignorant and confused, not knowing and not seeing it?
– Śākyamuni Buddha
(Flower Adornment Sūtra)
In the book, ‘If You Live to 100, You Might as Well Be Happy: Lessons for a Long and Joyful Life’ by Rhee Kun Hoo, this was written — ‘Your life is a unique piece of art created by no one but yourself… Treat it with the respect that it surely deserves, and do not talk it down out of all that regret pestering your heart… [T]here comes a time for us to confront, accept and admire our own lives. Buddha, we’re told, said the day he was born in the gardens of Lumbini: ‘In the whole universe, only I exist’ [sic] (天上天下，唯我独尊). Didn’t he shout for all of the world to hear that every one of us is unique, irreplaceable and literally singular in this world? [sic] If you have to learn one aphorism by heart, learn this one and remind yourself day and night.’ (The errors above will be addressed below.)
All sentient lives are ‘unique’ with their different karmic manifestations. Our lives are karmically created and recreated by ourselves from moment to moment. To treat ourselves respectfully, we should have a sense of that ultimately respectable within us — our Buddha-nature (佛性), which is our true nature, the constantly present potential to be fully meritoriously virtuous like the Buddhas. Since we have this precious nature, which can benefit many when realised, how can we let it down, thus letting ourselves and others down? The key existential regret would be to not acknowledge our birthright for Buddhahood, to not attempt to align with it at all.
The time to recognise our Buddha-nature is now, as soon as possible, for time is always running out, even if you do live to 100. It is with living up to our true nature that we become worthy and thus admirable, not that it is an ego trip. In fact, it is a journey towards the bliss of egolessness (or non-self: 无我). The proper translation of ‘天上天下，唯我独尊’ is: ‘In the heavens above and the heavens below [i.e. everywhere], only I alone am honoured.’ This ‘I’ does not refer to the egoistic self, but to his Buddha-nature, which is the same as that supreme Buddha-nature within all of us. Thus, the Buddha-to-be’s proclamation was not a ‘shout’ that affirmed ego; it announced seeing of his Buddha-nature, reminding us to see ours too.
Even though karmically different from one another, as mixed bags of good and evil karmas, as ripened, ripening and going to ripen, we also have the same Buddha-nature, the opportunity for perfection. Buddhahood is the pure ‘singularity’ to work towards. If we always remember our intrinsic worth, we will never feel hopelessly down. Further practising to reach Āmítuófó’s (阿弥陀佛) Pure Land (净土) with the Dharma Door Of Mindfulness Of Buddha (念佛法门), immeasurable life (无量寿) for Buddhahood will be realised most swiftly. Is this not the path to a truly joyful life, whether it is long or short now? Thus, if keeping one phrase in mind, may it be Āmítuófó’s name, the key for connecting to our Buddha-nature and his Buddha land.
我当教圣道，令其永离妄想执着，自于身中得见如来广大智慧与佛无异。
– 释迦牟尼佛
《华严经》
I will teach the noble path, to enable them to forever depart from false thoughts and attachments, to personally within themselves attain sight of the Thus Come Ones’ vast and great wisdom, to be with the Buddhas without difference.
– Śākyamuni Buddha
(Flower Adornment Sūtra)
