amnesia

The difference between a Buddha and an ordinary person, like us, is that an enlightened being knows who they are and we do not. A Buddha realises their true nature because they have reconnected with their innate Wisdom Mind. Buddhas work for the ultimate benefit of others because of their Infinite Heart of Compassion.

We, on the other hand, have no clue what or who the hell we are. You might say we are suffering from the most profound kind of amnesia. It’s like we are wandering about aimlessly and have forgotten who we truly are. We have lost our memory completely and, instead of looking inwards to discover the truth about ourselves and our incredible potential, we create a surface personality to present to the world, to protect ourselves somehow, to show that we do actually know what’s going on, and that we are in control.

Whatever we don’t remember, we simply invent – personality, role, hopes, fears, aspirations…
Look about you and you may notice an intiguing paradox about others: they are busy reinventing themselves on the surface, and yet they have a deep thirst for spiritual self-realisation.

No one, not even a Buddha, knows exactly why this veil of amnesia has descended upon beings. But it appears to be all-pervasive and universally disturbing. It’s as if there has been a cosmic train-wreck and the people have just drifted off into the world, stunned, blank, and desperately trying to put the pieces back together.

We are suffering.

Because we are ignorant of the truth of who we really are, we appear to waste much of our time searching externally for hints and any shred of evidence that may help us solve the eternal mystery: Who am I? What’s going on? How did I get here? What is the purpose of my existence?
We turn to psychotherapists, spiritual gurus, mediums… anyone… in our search for help with our identity crisis. We even allow our peers and loved ones to define who they think we should be – we would try almost anything rather than take personal responsibility, turn our minds inward, and do the work ourselves.

Of course we all need help to guide us through what will be the most profound and exciting exploration of our lives. But who can we trust? The teachings suggest that we find someone who has already realised their own True Nature, a living Buddha. Even in this turbulent age there are many. They shine like diamonds on a rubbish heap. We only have to choose one we can connect with and who will accept us as their disciple.

The buddhas see our suffering and our longing to reveal the truth about who we really are. They recognise it for exactly what it is – the Universal Buddha Nature in each being stretching and yawning, beginning to wake up from its deep sleep, just starting out along the path to full enlightenment. The buddhas know the way and understand their job is to guide us.

However, we must also trust our Inner Teacher to guide us. No matter how powerful the Outer Teacher is – even if the Buddha himself were alive and guiding us – they could not do the work for us, they couldn’t make us enlightened.

Ultimately, enlightenment comes from within. We just need a skillful helping hand. Our True Nature is longing to awaken. It will happen. That’s exactly what the Buddha Nature does… it wakes up! It’s the most natural thing in the world!

However, many many human beings are not yet sufficiently aware of their Natural Mind or interested in its potential. But when they are ready, help will be at hand, in abundance.
But chances are, if you are reading this, you are already on the path to awakening.

Authentic mainstream Buddhist teachers, therefore, do not look for new students or converts to their new ‘ism’. Ultimately, there is even nothing called Buddh-ism. It is a universal, living lineage, a Wisdom Tradition that holds - when individual beings are ripe for these teachings - they will find them.
Then, and only then, can the mists of ignorance and amnesia begin to lift and eventually be dispelled for once and for all.

May all beings take a little break from the exhausting busyness of addiction and aggression.
May we all discover there’s so much more to life than attachment and aversion.
May I dispel the darkness of ignorance, and may we all remember our True Name.