AWARENESS OF ONESELF AS A CHILD OF THE BUDDHA

We speak of “revealing buddha-nature” in simple terms, but what exactly can we do to reveal our own buddha-nature to ourselves?

First, we have to tell ourselves “I am a child of the Buddha” until we are wholeheartedly convinced of it. Then, once we are, we can no longer slack off, sulk about things, lose our temper, and so on.

As a certain psychologist says, “Imagining good outcomes brings about good outcomes, while imagining bad outcomes brings about bad outcomes. The subconscious mind seizes opportunities that lead to the outcome we imagined.”

Morita Masatake (1874–1938), the founder of the Morita Therapy method of treating neuroses, also said,

“If you tidy up your outer appearance, your inner state will naturally mature.”

Just by spiffing up your clothing and carrying yourself with dignity, you will begin to be incapable of letting yourself do improper things.

When you have the awareness that “I am a child of the Buddha!” no matter what unreasonable things other people say, you will have a smile for them. You will be able to deal with them with a compassionate heart that wants them to also understand the teachings of the Buddha.