Inheriting the Tathagata’s Enlightened Activity

Our lives are like being trapped within a kind of demonic maze, and studying and practicing Dharma enables us to break free from this state of delusion and attain clarity. The Buddha is none other than luminosity, illuminating the way out of our difficulties; the Dharma shows us how to proceed safely toward the light; and the Sangha guides us so that we may reach that destination without going astray. Buddhadharma is a path—but what kind of path? It is the path that enables us to return to what is most true, to happiness, to freedom from suffering, and ultimately to the unchangingness. The Dharma is the path by which we return. Without practicing Dharma, we do not know how to find our way back; only through studying and practicing Dharma do we come to know the way.

Sentient beings are like children. Regardless of the mistakes we may have made, we should continue to study and practice the Dharma diligently and gradually correct ourselves, slowly entering the path of liberation. It is not the case that because you are a “sinner,” you can no longer study Dharma, as though “the Buddha has already abandoned you.” The Buddha never forsakes anyone. As long as you aspire to liberation, are willing to pursue it, and continue to emulate the Buddha, there will come a day when you attain liberation, a day when you are freed from suffering, and a day when you transcend samsara. Thus, it is only we who may abandon the Buddha; the Buddha never abandons us. This is something everyone should understand. Whatever may happen, if you study the Dharma sincerely and earnestly seize the opportunity to practice, Buddhism can bring you purity, well-being, and peace. It is not the case that because you have committed some transgression, you should therefore be condemned to the hells of boiling oil. The essence of the Dharma teaches us where true well-being lies. This is our own inheritance. We must seek it, and we must inherit this wealth, this spiritual legacy that is rightfully ours. We are not adopted children; we are the Buddha’s own children. Therefore, we are heirs to the tathagata’s enlightened activities.

The Lotus Sutra tells the story of a poor son who was unable to acknowledge that his father was a man of extraordinary nobility as a king. Considering himself lowly and insignificant, he was unable to accept this reality. After undergoing extensive training, however, he eventually inherited his father’s estate. In the same way, many of us who are disciples of the Buddha are like this impoverished son. We do not recognize that we should study the Dharma or that we are entitled to inherit this spiritual wealth. Consequently, we continually avoid studying and practicing Dharma, fail to practice it seriously, and do not realize that the Dharma is the very means by which we can attain our true dignity. What does it mean to be a bhagavan—a World-Honored One? It means one who is honored by the world. If we are to become World-Honored Ones, each of us must study and practice the Dharma. This is the shore of liberation that we must ultimately reach. We should not waver or lose our direction amid the various circumstances and concerns of ordinary life, thereby abandoning our commitment to following and studying the Dharma. This is our inheritance. We must clarify and understand it, and come to recognize what our true nature is.