Do you think that the sages, the spiritual masters are ordinary, or do you think there are extraordinary? Do you think they are special, unique, or do you think they are just normal?
If you think the masters are just normal, you will never reach enlightenment. If you think the masters are extraordinary, you will never reach enlightenment. If you think that the masters are normal, you will not pursue the goal of spiritual practice correctly. In Zen tradition, this is illustrated in almost graphic ways. “The one who set their mind on the goal of enlightenment is to practice as if their hair was on fire and they’re looking for a lake into which to dive into”. It is with this urgent energy that one is to pursuit Enlightenment. So, if you think masters are just ordinary, you won't have the necessary energy to pursue it. If you think masters are extraordinary. You won't even start the journey. “Ah, these lofty goals are for a select group of people, some special fantastic spiritual VIP club. Why should I even try, it's not for me.”
Are the masters are ordinary or extraordinary? They are both, ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. The masters are role models. They are examples for us. They accomplished the great spiritual goal of enlightenment. We can do it too. It requires a certain amount of effort, perseverance, patience, and training. But it is doable, for each and every one of us. The only difference between the masters and us is their level of knowledge, their experience, and understanding. But fundamentally they are no different from you and me. Their true nature is the same as ours. And because it is the same, all that they have accomplished is also possible for everyone else. We need to remember that we too are ordinary and extraordinary at the same time, then we have a nice balance with which to pursue our spiritual goals.
Many people are celebrating today. Today is Easter. Resurrection Day.A day of leaving one existence for another existence. A day of reincarnation. Today, we chanted “Om Ma Ni Pan/d Me Hum”. Let’s talk about it.
Within the 6 realms (Om, M, Ni, Pan, Me, Hum) three are considered “higher” (more favorable) and three are considered the “lower”.
The three higher realms are :
Om are the heavenly realms
Ma- are angry, jealous, fighting, and lustful for entertainment
Ni is the human realm governed by greed, desire, and passion.
The three less desirable “lower” realms are:
Pan- animal realms where the characteristic energies of ignorance, prejudice, and stubbornness govern the being born there. These being also lack the understanding of the laws of cause and effect.
Me- Realm inhabited by Ah-gwi (usually translated as hungry ghosts) beings ruled by hunger, possessiveness, and covetousness
Hum- are hell realms where hate and aggression are the dominant traits.
Often we think of these six realms as places to be reincarnated in once we leave this particular world. When my time to leave this world comes, then I'm hoping to enter the heavenly realms. We shouldn’t think of these realms or reincarnation itself in such a limited way.
We are continuously swirling around spinning around, leaving one and entering another realm time and time again all within a single day. We reincarnate over and over…even from one moment to the next.
Our human realm is the realm of greed, desire, and passion. It’s a world of 50/50. 50% good, 50% not good. That means that there is always a choice, right in front of us, at all times. Which way will you tip the scales? How will you direct your thoughts, actions, and speech?
If at the moment I am shackled and dragged around by greed. If I am ruled by desire. If I make my decisions and choices based solely on passion. I am human but I am also tipping the scales toward the not-so-good 50%. If I act out of ignorance and stubbornness. If I don’t weigh my actions and act without any regard for the principles of cause and effect, I am no longer human...I am now inhabiting the animal realm.
I become an Ah-gwi when I get possessive and I plunge into the heals when I am ruled by hate, anger, and aggression.
What about the heavenly realms? Those are realms of confidence. confidence, not arrogance. Quiet, dignified, self-secure confidence. Not egoistic confidence. Not “confidence” born out of oppressing, overpowering, or ruling others. This is confidence devoid of the qualities of greed, anger, or ignorance. This is the confidence of knowing how to leave the other realms behind. Confidence of knowing your own true power, your own true identity, your true self.
Self-awareness is critical amid this dizzying inter-realm travel. Knowing what realm I am heading for, or what realm I currently inhabit, I can free myself. How?
Within the human realm, I should abide by precepts and morality.
Within the fighting, jealous realm of Asura (Ma), I need to exercise my Patience.
If acting from the animal energies of ignorance, stubbornness, and prejudice I should employ Wisdom and weigh my action with cause and effect in mind.
When inhabiting the realm of Ah-Gwi with its hunger and possessiveness I should break free with Generosity and selflessness.
I must calm and pacify my mind when I plunge into hells, to douse the fires of hate and aggression.
This manual of freedom is the compassionate gift from the Buddha to us. For each realm, there is a keypad code that unlocks the door so that we may no longer remain trapped in one realm or the other.
Let's remember that we are ordinary in this transmigration across the realms and that we are also extraordinary in that we can free ourselves. We must remember who we are. It is at times easy to forget. Especially when we get or become convinced that “I am this emotion, this state, this realm”. Don’t be duped by the momentary, impermanent flux. You are not that. That is a thought, an emotion, a paradigm, but it is not who you truly are. Don’t be duped into thinking that when you are angered you ARE anger. That all there was, is, and ever will be is anger. Don't forget who you are.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are sadness.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are aggression.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are jealousy.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are greed.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are this small.
What you are is that which swallows up all of those things in a single gulp. You embody all those things, but you are greater than all of those things. The whole is greater than its individual parts. When we are ordinary we have reduced ourselves to that one small thing. When we are extraordinary and know that a small thing is indeed just a small thing, we remain greater. In fact, we are greater than that which we can imagine and so we need to believe. Believe until you know. I believe in you. You masters. You Sages. Happy moment-to-moment reincarnations. Happy resurrection ya’ll.
If you think the masters are just normal, you will never reach enlightenment. If you think the masters are extraordinary, you will never reach enlightenment. If you think that the masters are normal, you will not pursue the goal of spiritual practice correctly. In Zen tradition, this is illustrated in almost graphic ways. “The one who set their mind on the goal of enlightenment is to practice as if their hair was on fire and they’re looking for a lake into which to dive into”. It is with this urgent energy that one is to pursuit Enlightenment. So, if you think masters are just ordinary, you won't have the necessary energy to pursue it. If you think masters are extraordinary. You won't even start the journey. “Ah, these lofty goals are for a select group of people, some special fantastic spiritual VIP club. Why should I even try, it's not for me.”
Are the masters are ordinary or extraordinary? They are both, ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. The masters are role models. They are examples for us. They accomplished the great spiritual goal of enlightenment. We can do it too. It requires a certain amount of effort, perseverance, patience, and training. But it is doable, for each and every one of us. The only difference between the masters and us is their level of knowledge, their experience, and understanding. But fundamentally they are no different from you and me. Their true nature is the same as ours. And because it is the same, all that they have accomplished is also possible for everyone else. We need to remember that we too are ordinary and extraordinary at the same time, then we have a nice balance with which to pursue our spiritual goals.
Many people are celebrating today. Today is Easter. Resurrection Day.A day of leaving one existence for another existence. A day of reincarnation. Today, we chanted “Om Ma Ni Pan/d Me Hum”. Let’s talk about it.
Within the 6 realms (Om, M, Ni, Pan, Me, Hum) three are considered “higher” (more favorable) and three are considered the “lower”.
The three higher realms are :
Om are the heavenly realms
Ma- are angry, jealous, fighting, and lustful for entertainment
Ni is the human realm governed by greed, desire, and passion.
The three less desirable “lower” realms are:
Pan- animal realms where the characteristic energies of ignorance, prejudice, and stubbornness govern the being born there. These being also lack the understanding of the laws of cause and effect.
Me- Realm inhabited by Ah-gwi (usually translated as hungry ghosts) beings ruled by hunger, possessiveness, and covetousness
Hum- are hell realms where hate and aggression are the dominant traits.
Often we think of these six realms as places to be reincarnated in once we leave this particular world. When my time to leave this world comes, then I'm hoping to enter the heavenly realms. We shouldn’t think of these realms or reincarnation itself in such a limited way.
We are continuously swirling around spinning around, leaving one and entering another realm time and time again all within a single day. We reincarnate over and over…even from one moment to the next.
Our human realm is the realm of greed, desire, and passion. It’s a world of 50/50. 50% good, 50% not good. That means that there is always a choice, right in front of us, at all times. Which way will you tip the scales? How will you direct your thoughts, actions, and speech?
If at the moment I am shackled and dragged around by greed. If I am ruled by desire. If I make my decisions and choices based solely on passion. I am human but I am also tipping the scales toward the not-so-good 50%. If I act out of ignorance and stubbornness. If I don’t weigh my actions and act without any regard for the principles of cause and effect, I am no longer human...I am now inhabiting the animal realm.
I become an Ah-gwi when I get possessive and I plunge into the heals when I am ruled by hate, anger, and aggression.
What about the heavenly realms? Those are realms of confidence. confidence, not arrogance. Quiet, dignified, self-secure confidence. Not egoistic confidence. Not “confidence” born out of oppressing, overpowering, or ruling others. This is confidence devoid of the qualities of greed, anger, or ignorance. This is the confidence of knowing how to leave the other realms behind. Confidence of knowing your own true power, your own true identity, your true self.
Self-awareness is critical amid this dizzying inter-realm travel. Knowing what realm I am heading for, or what realm I currently inhabit, I can free myself. How?
Within the human realm, I should abide by precepts and morality.
Within the fighting, jealous realm of Asura (Ma), I need to exercise my Patience.
If acting from the animal energies of ignorance, stubbornness, and prejudice I should employ Wisdom and weigh my action with cause and effect in mind.
When inhabiting the realm of Ah-Gwi with its hunger and possessiveness I should break free with Generosity and selflessness.
I must calm and pacify my mind when I plunge into hells, to douse the fires of hate and aggression.
This manual of freedom is the compassionate gift from the Buddha to us. For each realm, there is a keypad code that unlocks the door so that we may no longer remain trapped in one realm or the other.
Let's remember that we are ordinary in this transmigration across the realms and that we are also extraordinary in that we can free ourselves. We must remember who we are. It is at times easy to forget. Especially when we get or become convinced that “I am this emotion, this state, this realm”. Don’t be duped by the momentary, impermanent flux. You are not that. That is a thought, an emotion, a paradigm, but it is not who you truly are. Don’t be duped into thinking that when you are angered you ARE anger. That all there was, is, and ever will be is anger. Don't forget who you are.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are sadness.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are aggression.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are jealousy.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are greed.
Don't be duped into thinking that you are this small.
What you are is that which swallows up all of those things in a single gulp. You embody all those things, but you are greater than all of those things. The whole is greater than its individual parts. When we are ordinary we have reduced ourselves to that one small thing. When we are extraordinary and know that a small thing is indeed just a small thing, we remain greater. In fact, we are greater than that which we can imagine and so we need to believe. Believe until you know. I believe in you. You masters. You Sages. Happy moment-to-moment reincarnations. Happy resurrection ya’ll.