Could this Sentient Being be a Buddha?

His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, is a great inspiration to me. When I read his books, I'm continously struck by his gentle humility that is matched only by his numerous wonderful qualities. He has an endless reservoir of energy to serve the people of this world. He has a great passion for sincere study, reflection and meditation. He isn't challenged by new views such as modern Science but is willing to open his mind and heart in learning and understanding. His Holiness has more amazing qualities than I can list but I hope I can learn to treat others in the same warm and affectionate way that His Holiness does.

Photo from www.dalailama.com

 When His Holiness meets someone for the first time, you can see how he has nothing but 100% attention and care for them. It doesn't matter how ordinary or important they appear to be. He always holds them with the same regard - that is, in this very present moment, they are someone completely and utterly deserving of his whole-hearted attention. I'm always inspired to follow His Holiness' example but it never takes long for obstacles and old habits to kick in. Before I know it, I'm lost in my own thoughts, concerns & worries while the precious people around me are left to fend for themselves.

Despite good intentions to treat other people as His Holiness does, I easily get hung up on how people either benefit me or make life a pain in the butt. It's easy to forget that other people have Buddha Nature. Instead, I get fixated on how they're too self-involved or how inconsiderate they are or how annoying they are - all the while forgetting that all too often, I myself am prone to these same unwholesome behaviours.

But that doesn't mean I should give up trying to see others for who they truly are. They are sentient beings who simply wish to be happy and who don't wish to suffer. I might not always agree with their methods of achieving said-happiness. While I know that I can't change the habits of the people around me, what I can change is my own way of seeing people.

As Shantideva (a marvellous Bodhisattva once wrote):

"To cover all the earth with sheets of hide-
Where could such amouts of skin be found?
But simply wrap some leather round your feet,
And it's as if the whole earth had been covered!"

Chapter 5: Vigilance from The Way of the Bodhisattva

Now there are many techniques and tools to train the mind in cherishing others. While I'm not going to go through any particular method in detail, here are a few tips & thoughts that I've found highly useful in training my own mind to see others differently.

All Sentient Beings possess Buddha Nature and this should be respected & valued.
In Buddhism, every sentient being (whether human or animal) has the potential to become a Buddha. While animals are very limited in their current forms, the very fact that they possess a mind makes them potential candidates for future enlightenment. So just as we respect and treat Buddhas with respect & care, by the same token, we should also respect all sentient beings (who with the right conditions & causes) can one day become future Buddhas. 

All Sentient Beings have been Directly or Indirectly kind to us.
Everything we use, eat or buy is completely dependent on the skills & efforts of others. From the laptop I'm typing on, to the blog host I'm using, even the clothes I'm wearing, the chair I'm sitting on, the house I live in, the food I eat.... none of this would be possibe without other people. Yes, you could argue that these people had ulterior motives for creating these items/services and that they received some monetary benefit from creating these things. But that doesn't negate the fact that everything we need also depends upon the existance and skills of others. Our community is interdependent and when next we meet someone, this could be our big opportunity to return services, skills and our time as an appreciation of that person's ongoing kindness to our society.

Szarkiewicz / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 All Sentient Beings have been our Kind Mother.
Now this one is a bit tricky, especially if you don't believe in the Laws of Cause & Effect and Reincarnation. For Buddhists, all beings have been reincarnating continously since beginningless time. It's the aim of most Buddhists to end this uncontrolled nature of reincarnation so that they can become Buddhas and therefore, help their fellow sentient beings to be free of the cycle of rebirth. Until such time that we become Buddhas, we remember that if we've been reincarnating since beginningless time, then it stands to reason that we've had many different Mothers who have all given birth to us, cared for us, fed us, clothed us, etc.

Even if we reflect just on the kindness of our Mother in this lifetime, we know that their efforts and care can never truly be repaid. Even if our Mothers were not perfect, we  remember that like us, our Mothers were only human and that they did the best that they could. Being pregnant myself, I'm beginning to develop a deep appreciation of how amazing my own Mum truly is. The physical and mental changes you have to undergo during pregnancy is an experience to say the least and Mum didn't just go through this once, she did this 6 times for all 6 of us kids! I have a feeling that once my own baby is born, my appreciation of Mum is only going to deepen.

Sentient Beings and Buddhas are equal in how kind they are to us.
I've been studying 'The Awakening Mind' - by Geshe Tashi Tsering which focuses on Seven Point Mind training. There's a beautiful section which specifically details the kindness of others. Geshe Tashi Tsering makes the interesting argument that in terms of kindness, there is no difference between the kindness of a Buddha and the kindness of Sentient Beings. Buddhas have the great Omniscience, Power & Compassion to help us free ourselves from suffering. Yet Sentient Beings are the objects on which we develop our own great Omniscience, Power & Compassion. Without Sentient Beings, there would be no 'becoming Enlightened.' After all, the whole point of 'becoming Enlightened' is to help other Sentient Beings do the same. And until such time that we become Enlightened, Sentient Beings are the sandpaper to help us smooth out our own rough edges & splinters.

Last but not least, we should cherish Sentient Beings just as Buddhas cherish them.
Geshe Tashi Tsering also pointed out that the sole concern of a Buddha is the welfare of Sentient Beings. Therefore it's a bit odd to respect and treat the Buddhas well, yet to treat Sentient Beings with indifference and scorn. It's a little bit like being very loving to one's Teacher or Elder in your social circle, but then turning around and kicking their favourite pet dog! This was something I hadn't really thought about before and I thought it was a very valid point. If His Holiness the Dalai Lama holds every person he meets with that loving concern, then just as we respect His Holiness, then so too we should extend that respect to his students and all the people on this Earth.

Ven Sangmo from Thosamling in India returning home to a warm greeting from one of the Thosamling residents.

Now changing our attitudes towards others is a huge undertaking but without a doubt, a very meaningful one. And like all meaningful undertakings, the journey is never easy and will require a lot of dedication & effort. I am far from developing the complete altruisism that His Holiness possesses. But I'll be damned if I stop trying!

How about you? Are you ready to develop your sense of altruism for all beings without exception? Go on. I dare you. I reckon you'd be surprised by the amazing things you discover about the people around you.

Yours truly,
Demi.