AMIDA DHARMA - Fascicle 2. Buddha nature and escape from samsara

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1.Escaping the cycle of repeated births and deaths or waking up from the samsaric dream is called the attainment of Buddhahood. As in the case of a precious jewel buried underneath a mountain of trash, all beings have Buddha nature, hidden under thousands of layers of delusions and blind passions.

2. Just like all seeds have the natural potential to become trees, all sentient beings have the natural potential to become Buddhas, that is, to awaken to their own Buddha nature. Beyond the various layers of our delusory personality, the Buddha nature is the true reality, uncreated and indestructible, the treasure hidden in every one of us. When it's discovered, the causes of suffering and repeated births and deaths are annihilated and the one who attained it becomes himself a savior and guide of all beings that are still caught in the slavery of samsara.

3.Buddhahood is also called perfect Enlightenment because it is the same with turning on the light in a room which was in the dark for eons. By attaining this state, beings become Buddhas. It is also called Nirvana because it means to extinguish the fire of blind passions, delusion and ignorance and the attainment of perfect happiness which does not depend on anything.

4. The word ”Buddha” means ”The Awakened One” because He has waked up from the dream of birth and death.

There are many Buddhas as many beings waked up and attained Buddhahood since the beginningless past. These Buddhas are supreme in the universe and, having Infinite Wisdom and Infinite Compassion act as awakeners of others.

The methods through which they try to wake up beings from samsara and the teachings they offer for the benefit of sleeping beings are the Path of the Buddha.

5. No god, spirit or divine character of any religion is superior to a Buddha and no religion or spiritual path is equal to the teachings of the Buddhas. This is why we, the Buddhist disciples take refuge only in the Buddha, in His Dharma and the community of His true disciples (Sangha) and why we do not venerate and we do not depend on any divine character outside of Buddhism.