Monday, July 11, 2005

One Possible Epitaph

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you really believe it - this re-birth stuff? Or do you think of it as a student - interesting proposition.... intellectually fascinating...

Larry Keiler said...

Hmmm, interesting question. I think by strict Tibetan-style interpretation there are no Buddhas. The last one was Shakyamuni, our historical buddha. He is to be followed by Maitreya, the next buddha, who will arrive on the 8:30 GoTrain from Clarkson.

But there are countless manifestations of the Buddha and various bodhisattvas. The Dalai Lama is said to be a manifestation of the Bodhisattva Chenrezig (or Avalokiteshvara)...the bodhisattva of compassion. Mother Teresa was undoubtedly a bodhisattva. I expect that many people working for the benefit of others are manifestations of a bodhisattva. Annabanana, you may well be a bodhisattva, which means I better be nice to you...

But hey, whaddoo I know? I'm just a baby bodhisattva. Training wheels...

Look for those who open your heart in some way, or those who teach you something. Perhaps they are bodhisattvas.

This is part of the drill. The Tibetans say it is a serious fault to harm or mistreat a bodhisattva (and the higher the level of that bodhisattva, the more serious the transgression). We're just ordinary beings. We can't see bodhisattvas as they really are. We just see them as ordinary human beings, or maybe even dogs! Therefore, the wise policy is to treat everyone as a bodhisattva, a being of incomparable value.

On the other hand, I once stated with absolute conviction that all of us are buddhas. We just haven't realized it yet. Of course we are! Of course! Awaken and see your true nature!

Help! I've written and I can't get up!