Pearl. . .

The dictionary defines grace as, ‘a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior.”  Another definition that is commonly used in religious circles is, ‘underserved mercy.’ To understand the Buddhist interpretation of grace we first need to understand the teaching of Original Enlightenment, which is found in the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana Sutra – It states that all sentient beings are inherently enlightened. More than that, they all exist as part of a single Buddha-body. We can understand this teaching by imagining the ocean in the north pole.  We have the ocean water itself, which represents the Dharmakaya.  Next we have icebergs, which represent the Sambhogakaya.  Finally, we have clouds, which represent the Nirmanakaya. They all appear separate, but science tells us that they are all made of identical water molecules.  Similarly, the three bodies of Buddha appear separate, but they possess the same Buddha-nature. Of course, this begs some questions like, “If all sentient beings are Buddha, why does suffering exist,” and,  “If all beings are Buddha, why are people so terrible to each other?”  These are excellent questions, and the answer can be found in the Lotus Sutra where Buddha tells the story of a poor man who has a pearl sewn into his pocket by a friend. The poor man endures hardship for many years because he is unaware of the wealth that he is carrying around.  And some times, out of desperation, he makes bad decisions that cause harm to himself and others.  It’s only after his friend tells him about the pearl in his pocket that he sees the error of his ways, and uses the pearl to end suffering for himself and others. It is the same with us and our own enlightened nature, which is represented by the pearl.  We don’t realize that we are Buddhas, so we act out in ways that are not in-keeping with our originally enlightened nature. So today, take a moment and look into the metaphorical pocket of your life and discover the pearl of grace you have been carrying all along.