Do you know the story of the Buddha? It is said that he sat under the the Bodhi tree for forty years and asked himself the quintessential question, "Who am I?" Again and again and again he would hear, "Not this, not this, not this", until one day he had a realization that parted the heavens. In an instant, he got all the answers and a voice rang out, "You have attained Nirvana. You can spend the rest of your time on earth in samadhi (a divine state of bliss), and you never have to be part of the human condition again".
At that moment the Buddha became The Compassionate One. He said, "I cannot leave until I take all sentient beings with me." In an instant, he realized what it was to live a human existence and what it is to suffer in a human body. He directly experienced onerwhelming compassion for the human condition and that compassion opened his heart to infinite loving.
It was through is humanity that he realized his divinity, not the other way around. He also knew he needed to bring his truth back into the world.
And remember the zen koan: Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. Spiritual experiences come and go - Life remains constant.
This Blog Entry is featured on this month's Buddhist Carnival. Check it out here:
http://www.moritherapy.org/article/a-buddhist-carnival-june-2008-part-2/
Posted by: James | June 19, 2008 at 08:59 PM