Revealing the Nature of Doubt

When we meditate on ourselves, we will actually discover that there is this immense amount of self-doubt and insecurity. It is everywhere. Doubt in relationship to our survival, to our spiritual practice, our connection to people, health, mortality. Our mind is run by these doubts which are created by hope and fear. Why do we have so many kleshas (habitual tendencies)? Because we are identified with ego.

But we are going to identify with the vast spacious place where there is no longer any doubt or hope or fear. That is called immeasurable love. When we have this immeasurable love we are able to engage in immeasurable activity. We may ask, “Since I can barely manage my own life, how can I help infinite beings?” It seems that there isn’t time or energy to do our own stuff, our personal stuff. Do we have that doubt?

We have this belief that our ability and capability is not enough to even benefit ourselves. But the very idea of immeasurable action is that the Bodhisattva does not have any doubt about his own actions. A Bodhisattva has complete faith in his or her own actions as a single cause to benefit beings. When we are beyond that doubt, then even very small things like releasing animals or giving lunch to one person, these kinds of actions become immeasurable activities. When we go beyond doubt, every act becomes an immeasurable act. When we get rid of that doubt toward ourselves and believe in our intrinsic love and compassion, then every act becomes an immeasurable act.

In the absence of doubt there is immeasurable joy and happiness in each of us. Joy and happiness is the natural expression of freedom that the Bodhisattva experiences beyond the mundane. It is beyond words. There is no comparison with ordinary joy and happiness.

Ordinary joy and happiness are impermanent and dependent upon causes and conditions. It can be injured and disturbed. It never lasts forever. And it’s always based on klesha, on selfish mind. There is always insecurity about our own happiness or freedom. There isn’t really happiness in ordinary happiness. The Buddha said it’s like sitting on the top of a needle. There’s no happiness sitting on that.

True happiness comes from immeasurable love. Nothing can destroy it or take it away. We may die but we will not lose our joy, happiness, and freedom. We may be sick or poor or the object of hatred for other people. But our joy and happiness has nothing to do with those conditions. Because of that we become the source of joy and love and generosity to other beings. This is everlasting freedom and happiness. It is pure, authentic, and absolute. Bodhicitta mind is the Buddha, because it is the guide. It is Dharma, because it is the path. And it is the sangha, because it accompanies us. It is the deity. It is the wish-fulfilling jewel. If he walked in front of us right now, even Buddha could not grant us happiness. But Bodhicitta mind can, so it is ultimate Buddha nature. The Dzogchen teachings say that we are Samantabhadra (the Primordial Buddha) because Bodhicitta mind resides inside of us.

In some way, nothing matters to us anymore in this lifetime. Once we become a Bodhisattva, we become fearless, ultimately confident. Whether we become successful or a loser, whether we are sick or dying, it doesn’t matter, because the mind steeped in the ultimate reality of love and compassion is unshakable. Our happiness springs from inner richness, which is love and compassion. We begin to experience the state of great equanimity, where there is no longer the sense of separation between self and others, friend and enemy. For a Bodhisattva, this insect is as important as a human being. Everyone is as important as himself. There is no longer hatred or partiality. There is all-embracing love and compassion. But remember that we already have this intrinsic love and compassion. Remember to evoke it. That is all that matters to the end.

Life can be very challenging. Especially when we practice Dharma, because we no longer take refuge in illusions. In that way, we have a chance to exercise and strengthen our Dharma practice, to use Dharma as a way to overcome our personal obstacles. Dharma is not intellectual knowledge. It is direct experience of personal purification. When we know how to apply Dharma directly, we begin to experience liberation. We experience the profound effect of Dharma.

Please continue with Dharma practice every day. There are many areas which have to be improved. But do not judge Dharma practice. Maybe we can put forth more effort, more determination, more time to cultivate Dharma practice. We understand that the Dharma practice is the only source of happiness we have. It’s the most precious guide we have.

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Source: Based on Tulku Thubten Rinpoche. “The Bodhisattva Way of Life”. Used with permission from https://sourcepointglobaloutreach.org/what-we-offer/

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