In our lifetime, we have never experienced our innate clarity, even though all our suffering, happiness, and emotions come from deep within the mind. Buddhism often uses the term "clarity" to describe the most fundamental level of the mind (luminosity and clear light are other terms also used). This kind of "clarity" is neither visible light, nor non-visible light; it cannot be found in any electromagnetic spectrum in physics. It is a state of purity totally free of defilements. There is no happiness or joy, suffering or anxiety in this state of great equanimity.

Buddha Sakyamuni realized this clarity when he became enlightened. All Buddhist practitioners aspire to achieve the same realization. In the sutras, it is also called Buddha nature. Buddha nature or the innate clarity of mind can be directly realized and experienced. There is a saying in Ch' an Buddhism: One who drinks the water knows if it is cold or warm. The emphasis in Ch' an on knowing the nature of mind is none other than realization of this innate clarity.

~ Depicted from THE PAPER TIGER : Suffering is just a Paper Tiger

It is not that easy to be a real Buddhist, but do not let that discourage you either.

Are renunciation and bodhicitta only fit for gods and celestial beings to develop? No, it is totally possible, even now in the so-called period of decline of the Dharma, for ordinary people like us to generate renunciation and bodhicitta. If they were only the privileges of the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas of the first bhumi, and impossible to be achieved by ordinary people, we would not be able to do anything even knowing that we are not yet qualified as Buddhist practitioners. But it is not like that at all.

Renunciation and bodhicitta are something that ordinary people are absolutely capable of generating. We need not be too discouraged nor too arrogant, just honestly evaluate ourselves and spur ourselves on all the time to make constant improvement and not be a practitioner in name only. The fact that we are probably not yet practitioners by any standards ought to keep us under pressure and ultimately push us to make progress. Nothing but serious actions can lead us to success.

~ Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW : The Three Supreme Methods - The Ultimate Methods of Cultivating Virtue and Training the Mind

We know that the animal realm is the preferred rebirth among the three lower realms; however, a key point is that animals are extremely ignorant and incapable of any kind of practice. Not only that, they cannot distinguish between good and evil, are just as afflicted by desire, anger, and delusion, and repeatedly commit unwholesome actions. Thus, taking rebirth as an animal will create even more bad karma, the result of which is one may never again return as a human being.

~ Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA : The Importance of Practice

The illusionist David Copperfield performed the walk through the Great Wall of China, but he didn’t actually walk through. In ancient India, there were many magicians even more powerful who could turn a pebble into an elephant simply by reciting a mantra, and an elephant into a pebble instantly with another mantra recitation. The elephant produced by magic could also walk and eat like a real elephant. So, even if it is something we can see, it is still an illusion. Apparently, that which our eyes can see is not necessarily true.

Our consciousness is often fooled by the sense organs. Consciousness is categorized as rationality while sense organs are about sensibility. In philosophy, rationality is considered superior to sensibility, but Buddhist logic deems just the opposite.

~ Depicted from THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE’S JOURNEY : On The Three Poisons – How to Refute Ignorance

Some students of Buddhism or other religions like to dwell on clairvoyant power and states of realization, but this is not the real purpose of Buddhism. Although Buddhism does not object to transcendent power, it does not chase after it. Buddhism mainly teaches how to cultivate compassion, develop wisdom, and serve others.

~ Depicted from ARE U READY FOR HAPPINESS : The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today

There are many kinds of desire – money, fame, love, etc. When desire is not under control and allowed to grow freely, it becomes insatiable, making us all slaves to its command. This short lifetime will then be spent in pursuit of illusive targets and wasted in striving to satisfy desires. Looking back when life nears its end, one painfully discovers that happiness is a real scarcity with unhappy moments scattered throughout one’s lifetime. Uncontrolled desire can destroy not only this life but also next life, not only oneself but also other beings. Robbery, for example, is basically caused by desire—desire to take what one lacks and others have; in so doing, one not only destroys this and future life but also disrupts the life of others.

~ Depicted from THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE'S JOURNEY : On The Three Poisons - How to Handle Desire

Although a lot of Buddhist practitioners are vegetarian, nine out of ten have all had seafood in the past and have committed substantial negative karma. In just this lifetime, over tens of thousands of lives have been killed to satisfy people’s appetite. Who did these living things die for? Why did we pay to eat seafood in the first place? Why did the restaurant owner ask the chef to kill? And why did the chef consent to kill? It’s all because of this “self.” Because of the “self,” the proprietor of the restaurant, as well as the employees, have committed the same karma; because of the desire of this “self,” they were all accomplices. That being the case, what is “self”?

~ Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA : All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence

To chase away darkness, there needs to be light. To eliminate the darkness of ignorance, we need the light of wisdom. Here, wisdom is not common cleverness. Cleverness in real life may actually be a kind of delusion—knowing how to make and spend money may seem very clever, but it is likely to ruin one’s own and others’ chance for liberation and also future life, hence a delusion. The only one who understands the true nature of ignorance and knows how to resolve it is Buddha Sakyamuni. Many people have come to realize the reality of the world through the Buddha’s teachings and attained ultimate freedom and liberation.

~ Depicted from THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE’S JOURNEY : On The Three Poisons – How to Refute Ignorance

We should know it is not unusual or special to be a high official, business tycoon, or social elite. In the six cyclical realms, the celestial beings, azuras, and some of the hungry ghosts have wealth and possessions which are immeasurably greater than that of human beings. Although the rich have substantial wealth, they lack compassion and the wisdom that comes from listening, reflecting, and practicing the Dharma. From the standpoint of Dharma practice, they are deprived and unfortunate.

By comparison, we can see how well off we are; hence we should first exchange our blessings for the Dharma and then exchange the teachings for a deeper and more lasting happiness. In this way, happiness and the practice can become mutually beneficial.

~ Depicted from ARE U READY FOR HAPPINESS : Taming the Mind as in Taming an Elephant - How to Face Happiness?