Awakening the Buddha Within _ Eight Steps to Enlightenment - Lama Surya Das [52]
Samsara is without beginning but it has an end in enlightenment and deliverance. We can also say that samsara has a beginning in ignorance, but no end. Buddhist logic likes to play both sides of a question against the middle, to point out the relativism of our assertions.
According to the Buddha, each of us is endowed with perfect Buddha-nature, which has the full potential for everlasting peace and nirvanic happiness. In this promise we find the rich soulfulness of Buddhist spirituality. Until each of us is able to purify and transform our obscurations, defilements, and delusions, this inner sun is as if obscured by the clouds of duality and illusion.
The Buddha taught that everything is ephemeral, interdependent, and in process—subject to karma and conditioning. He taught that at death the ordinary, unevolved, conditioned consciousness is like a dead leaf blown about by the autumn wind, while the consciousness of a realized liberated saint—who is master of himself, master of awareness, and master of karma—is like an unswerving bullet shooting through the wind, directed at fulfilling his evolution. This is the same as it is in life: Some people seem to have a clear purpose and direction; others are blown about by every passing breeze.
In Buddhism there is a tradition of storytelling to make a point. One such well-known teaching tale is about a Buddhist master who lived “once upon a time.” According to legend, not only was this master very learned and devoted, but he had also been blessed by visions and had developed selfless loving-kindness and unconditional compassion.
The Buddhist was involved in a public religious debate with a non-Buddhist teacher. The latter stated that he did not believe there was any firm evidence to support the rebirth doctrine, which therefore brought into question the entire teaching regarding karmic cause and effect. “If there is no proof of former lifetimes,” the non-Buddhist teacher asked, “how can we believe in future incarnations?” He then promised the Buddhist master: “Prove conclusively that reincarnation actually exists, and I and all my students will convert to the Buddha’s way.”
The Buddhist thought about this. Then he said, “I will die and intentionally be reborn in a manner that demonstrates that rebirth is possible, taking the king as my witness. Then you shall have your proof.”
Shortly after that, the Buddhist died. But before doing so, he placed a vermillion mark on his forehead, and he put a pearl in his mouth. As he had requested, the king and his counselors placed his corpse in a sealed copper coffin.
Because he had completely mastered the illusion of birth and death, the Buddhist master was immediately reborn, as he intended, as the son of a learned person in that region. Many auspicious signs and omens attended the infant’s birth; among them were a vermillion mark on the baby’s brow and a pearl in his mouth. These marvels were, of course, brought to the attention of the royal advisors who, in turn, informed the king.
Then the king summoned the non-Buddhist teacher and other witnesses, and ordered the sealed casket opened. The pearl was gone, as was the vermillion mark. Finally convinced, the non-Buddhist led his followers into the Buddhist path.
The Buddha himself said that he recollected countless rebirths. Mahayana teachings emphasize that he recalled five hundred previous lives as an awakening being evolving on the way to full enlightenment. The sutras tell us how we can all develop mental powers such as clairvoyance and recall of past lives when we are able to achieve very deep meditative levels. Today many believe that we can learn to recall past lives through a variety of means: deep meditation, lucid dreaming, dream yoga practices, and hypnotic regression are just a few.
All traditional Buddhist teachers believe in