Precious human life, gained but once,
Has great potential but is easily lost.
Inspire me to remember this constantly
And to think day and night of taking its essence.
-- The Foundation of All Perfections, Verse 2
Has great potential but is easily lost.
Inspire me to remember this constantly
And to think day and night of taking its essence.
-- The Foundation of All Perfections, Verse 2
When the Lam Rim refers to "precious human life," it is talking about your life, here and now, made special and blessed with ten endowments. We've already seen the first two of them in the Chiggala Sutta. As you look at these first five, you'll realize that we are doubly blessed, in a rare and precious way, through access to both Christian and Buddhist living traditions!
- Tathagatas ("thus-gone ones", fully awakened beings) have arisen in the world.
- They have taught the Dharma ("doctrine and discipline").
- The Dharma remains in the world.
- The Dharma is being followed.
- The teaching of the Dharma is generously supported.
The second five blessings are those that make your life particularly blessed:
- You are a human being (only humans are capable of learning and practicing Dharma).
- You are in a place and time where you are free to practice your religion.
- You are capable of understanding and practicing the Dharma.
- You have not committed crimes so heinous that they prevent spiritual development (in Christianity these are called "mortal sins without penance").
- You are capable of developing enduring faith.
Now the question is: How to take advantage of these blessings in order to achieve the best this life has to offer, that is, immeasurable and lasting love, compassion, joy and peace?
