In those who have realized emptiness, strenuous impulsion toward
equanimity in the face of the eight worldly obsessions and effortless
compassion for others arise simultaneously in the mindstream.And in the Ornament of the Middle Way, the abbot Shantarakshita said,
Toward those beings who have not understood,
Immense compassion arises.Then the individual who has attained the immaculate view gains immeasurably
more trust in karmic cause and effect than before. The lama who shows us the
natural perfection of mind is regarded as the real buddha. Compassion arises
naturally for those beings who have not understood the nature of mind and that
compassion is uncontrived, unfabricated, and arises together with every
perception.
Furthermore, we manifest potential that we were not even aware of possessing
earlier. Our reasoning is more clear, and common clairvoyance and the ability to
perform miracles and so forth increase like the waxing moon and creep up on us
without our being aware of it. At that time we do not need confirmation from
anyone else as to whether our view is genuine or not. We can be quite sure of it
ourselves. We will have lost any pride and haughtiness that we might have had on
the path to nirvana. From then onward whatever acts of body, speech, and mind
we perform are all naturally correct. Not a whit of any sort of desire or hatred
arises toward anything, and if some gross thought of desire or hatred arises all of a
sudden, it is immediately one with luminous mind, like a wave mixing again with
the ocean. All thoughts will dissolve in the dharmakaya.
Remember what Sri Saraha sang,
The ultimate wealth is contentment;
Detachment is the ultimate pleasure.If we are not satisfied with the wealth and reputation that we possess presently,
then our dissatisfaction will be limitless. Even if we have a mountain of food in
front of us, still we will feel hunger, and if we have a lake of water, still we will
feel thirsty. From history we know that some rulers spent their entire lives in
expanding their empire and power—Adolf Hitler, for example—but still they were
not satisfied.
If we become attached to beautiful things, we will suffer either directly or
indirectly. Desire and hatred are the cause of suffering right from the beginning.
Unless desire and hatred can be released, there is suffering; in the same way fire,
unless released, will burn the hand that holds it. Suffering ensues from
attachment to our jewels, our money, and of course to our favorite child.
Shakyamuni Buddha abandoned everything—his kingdom, subjects, wife, and son
—and renounced the world. This was an object lesson to show that we need to
abandon desire and anger, for surely he did not renounce without good reason.
Likewise, Atisha, who was the son of an emperor of Bengal, abandoned all his