Living Zen Happy Life

Two Types of Buddha From the perspective of the true nature of our minds, Buddha ultimately means our minds’ true nature. As it was clearly stated in the Zen teaching, “The Buddha is your Mind; this very Mind is the Buddha.” So if you want to become fully enlightened just like the historical Buddha, you have to look for and reveal the true nature of your mind: you have to seek and attain the ultimate nature of this mind, which is actually enlightenment itself. But practically and realistically speaking, we are not yet a Buddha because the causes and conditions are not ripened yet. In the book, we have to go through a lot of difficult practices, hardships, and obstacles in order to achieve that state of perfect enlightenment. We have to practice the bodhisattva path within these six realms for many eons to attain the fruition of bodhi, the supreme and unequaled Buddhahood. The ultimate Buddha, which is our ultimate nature of mind, and the practical and final Buddhahood, which we need endless practice and endurance to attain, coexist and inter-be at the same time. We need these two, and we can definitely seek and attain them here and now. The Tao Is Realized by the Mind The Tao is realized by the mind. All Buddhadharma depends on one condition: clear awareness and perfect understanding. The term “Buddha” itself means “the Enlightened One,” and “enlightenment” actually means “clear awareness and perfect understanding.” A Buddha is not bound by a certain shape or form. A Buddha is a light, the light of wisdom and clarity. The wisdom light of the Buddha shines through all animate and inanimate phenomena. It penetrates existence and nonexistence and dispels all forms of darkness and ignorance. Buddhadharma Is Not a Religion The dharma we are practicing is not a form of organized religion. It is simply a set of universal truths that will enhance our knowledge and wisdom about the reality or truth of the universe. When you attain the essence of dharma, you will be free from all fears and pain. You will be liberated from all anxieties and negative emotions about birth, old age, sickness, and death. By practicing and actualizing the dharma, you attain ultimate peace and absolute immortality, the sublime state of your body, mind, and consciousness. It’s Up to You—Really Your physical body is just like a knife. You can use it to save someone, but you can also use it to kill another person. Through your body, speech, and mind, you can accumulate countless virtues and merits, but you can also create tremendous negative karma. Our physical existence is nothing but a useful tool, and we are the masters of this useful tool. We constantly create our own futures through what we think, say, and do. Our precious human life is such a wonderful tool, so use it wisely and nicely. Appreciate Your Life Appreciate your life; don’t kill yourself please. As long as you are alive, you are free to choose your state of being. Treasure this precious human rebirth. Choose happiness, freedom, and joy, and most importantly, utilize this precious but impermanent life force to practice dharma and to benefit others. No Escape No fear. No worries. No escapes. Face life as it is. Do not run away from it. Radical acceptance is needed if you want to attain total transformation. Be the Master of Your Own Life The Buddha said, “There’s a True Master of your life, hidden within You—but nobody realizes its True Nature.” How sad it is. We have this inner treasure, but we are so caught up with outer appearances such as name, fame, power, wealth, desires, and hatred that our own inner masters have become slaves of their own confusion and delusions. How sad is this! Come back to your own true self, so that you can become the master of your own life, reclaim your birthright to fly freely and soar higher, and transcend all worldly entanglements. As Rumi the Mystic once said, “You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?” This is the ultimate meaning of practicing and realizing the Buddhadharma. Your Buddha Nature Cannot Be Attained Your Buddha nature is the innermost core of your being. It is your true mind, your real self, and your source/home. It cannot be attained, simply because it’s none other than you. Your Buddha nature is naturally perfect; it doesn’t need more perfection. Your nature of mind is primordially pure, clear, and flawless from the very beginning. Hence, no fabricated effort or striving is needed to make it more perfect than it is. And when you understand yourself, you will understand the true nature of the universe because ultimately you and the universe are inseparably one. You suffer when you work too hard and think too much. Just relax your body and mind. Don’t torture yourself with unnecessary burdens and pressure. Instead of striving hard to be a good Buddhist or to become a Buddha, just be your true self. All good things begin from there; you have to do it inside out. The Buddhadharma is akin to a compass of your life or a GPS through which you will find your true way to return home. Treasure this compass/GPS and follow its guidance carefully. Have faith that it will bring you home in the quickest and most accurate way possible. Through the direction and guidance of Buddhadharma, you will enter into the sacred realms of liberation, enlightenment, and pure consciousness. This is a journey within. Look inward, find peace and bliss within, and rest your mind in such wonderful feelings of coming home.