Cultivate Your Mind, Return to Your Inner Buddha

Deepening Awareness of Our Buddha Nature

Shakyamuni said that if we sow seeds of faith in our minds and continue to cultivate them without interruption, we “will be liberated from every kind of suffering.” These words resound with a powerful message, not only for those who were present in Shakyamuni’s time, but also for those of us who are living today. So, we should eagerly accept these splendid words and pursue the Buddha Way.

As I wrote in last month’s issue, however, it would be naive to wonder if “trying once to cultivate your mind would free you from suffering.” I think that as we repeat the words and deeds constituting bodhisattva practices that cultivate and soften the soil of our minds, in the course of our daily lives, we are uncovering our inner buddha—that is, unearthing our own buddha nature—which in turn will lead us to a life with less suffering.

One moment, you may realize the sanctity of yourself and others, possessing the same nature as the Buddha, only to feel overwhelmed by doubt again the next. Or at other times you may forget that realization. However, when you see someone in trouble and feel compassion for them—that is, the desire to do something to help them—this will remind you that you yourself are the buddha nature, and your awareness will deepen. It is important to repeat such experiences.

This month, we observe the anniversary of Founder Niwano’s entering Nirvana. He taught us, time and again, the importance of each person realizing the buddha nature in themselves and others. The Lotus Sutra, the scripture in which we place our faith, is said to be “a sutra that explains the importance of human beings realizing their own buddha nature.” If we bring forth and put into action the “treasures of the mind”—the buddha nature—such as the conscience, sincerity, and good intentions that we all possess, we will always have cheerful minds and live peaceful lives.

However, if we forget to cultivate our minds for just a little while, the soil of our minds hardens and loses its flexibility, and then we can not see the buddha nature in ourselves and others. As an ancient text says, “Those who do not know that they have buddha nature within them are called ordinary persons.” Therefore, you should be able to return to your inner buddha at any time, but sometimes you may forget this and end up believing that your deluded self is your true self.

The Mind of Compassion Unearths Our Buddha Nature

In that case, how can you return to your original self, which is one and the same as the buddha nature? One clue is found in the words of Founder Niwano, who used to say that “buddha nature is the mind of compassion.” As I mentioned earlier, every time we give rise to the mind of compassion and put it into practice, we are unearthing our buddha nature. For example, if you see in a spider—an animal you usually dislike—the same spark of life that you have, and that stops you from killing it, then with your mind of compassion, you have revered the spider’s buddha nature, and moreover, the spider has caused you to unearth your own buddha nature and made you more aware of it.

However, even though we gradually deepen our awareness of the buddha nature, when things do not go as we wish, we end up complaining, getting angry, or being mean to others. In addition, some people may feel ashamed or troubled by the gap between their inconsiderate self and their self that is aware of the buddha nature.

That said, there is no need for self-deprecating thoughts, such as “for someone like me, realization of my buddha nature is impossible.” Even a high-ranking monk of the past admitted that “My great awakenings have been eighteen, and my small awakenings are beyond count.” While repeatedly experiencing awakening and performing self-reflection, this monk continued to cultivate his mind by always trying to live like the Buddha. This suggests that the very awareness of a sense of humility becomes the stepping stone to growth and self-improvement. Furthermore, I think that the most important thing is that we are grateful for the blessing of having been given life as human beings, who are capable of grasping that all living beings have buddha nature, and we are always kind and considerate.

Founder Niwano said, “As we continue to perform deeds that make other people happy, the mind of great compassion, the buddha nature bestowed upon us, shines brighter and brighter,” and that “One buddha nature resonating with another buddha nature builds the realm of the Buddha.” Therefore, I believe that we are all living beings who will inherently be freed from every kind of suffering.