Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Buddhahood reflects the upper limit of spiritual awareness, then logic dictates that
there must also be a lower limit of spiritual awareness a state of absolute spiritual
ignorance. Based upon an observation of the life forms around us, it seems
improbable that there is a lower limit to ignorance. Taking hatred amongst human
beings as an example, it can consume a persons mind to such an extent that they
will harm and kill other humans, only to hate themselves and others more
intensely. Perhaps this is what Einstein was referring to when he said: Two things
are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and Im not sure about the universe.
When a person becomes a stream enterer that we referred to earlier, they
become a child of the Buddhas, and enter a completely new world. They leave
behind a life of living a soap opera and their as well as other peoples existence,
takes on new meaning. When a person enters the stream that leads to liberation,
their wisdom eye is opened, compassion takes root in their being, and they begin
to emanate spiritual presence. However, a similar thing happens when that same
stream enterer eventually attains Buddhahood. They are born into a completely
new way of being and perceiving. In fact, the Sanskrit root of the word Buddha is
Budh, which literally means, to wake up or to be awakened to a new way of
seeing.
When a being awakens to Buddhahood, it is not the case that their spiritual
journey has finished. Rather, it has just begun. A Buddha has an inconceivable
amount of wisdom and compassion at their disposition, but they have to learn how
to apply that wisdom, how to grow with it, and how to transcend it. Buddhahood
is a dynamic state; a Buddha is continuously evolving. Therefore, there are young
Buddhas, mature Buddhas, and ancient Buddhas. There are Buddhas who are
learning how to harness and mould the energy of the universe, and how to best
apply it in order to help suffering beings. There are also Buddhas who are
primordial, who are masters of reality, and who gave birth to other enlightened
beings.
Try not to reduce spiritual development into a system of limits, levels, and
labels. For as many Buddhas that exist, there are that many different levels of
Buddhahood. How inspiring that there is no upper limit to the amount the mind
can expand and awaken. How beautiful that the spiritual journey continues for
eternity. How amazing that within every sentient being, there exists the potential to
attain Buddhahood, and then go beyond.
Ven Edo Shonin and Ven William Van Gordon