Our Hidden Nature

Buddhism teaches about the relationship between human beings and nature. The Buddha taught that all human beings have an inner nature which includes the light of wisdom. Wisdom is a treasure for human-beings as wisdom is one of the three jewels, namely, morality; concentration; and wisdom. Wisdom hides within human life; it must be uncovered and made use of. Without wisdom, life gets into trouble. Therefore, we must seek it and make use of it. Otherwise, life will always be in darkness. In this dark world wisdom is only one light which can show human beings the right path. This path will lead them to happiness.

For more understanding, there is a story which helps explain this well. Here is the story:

Once upon a time there were two friends who loved each other; one was wealthy and another was poor. The wealthy man worried about his poor friend and tried to help his friend in many ways, but the poor friend could still not help himself.

One day the wealthy friend was compelled to go on business far away from his poor friend. He feared that his friend might be in need, so he hid a jewel in the poor man’s garment. He thought that when the man recovered the jewel, he could sell it and use that money to live on. But the poor man did not know that his friend had hidden a jewel in his garment. He wandered about for many years in poverty and hunger. A long time afterwards the two friends met again and the friend told the poor man about the jewel and advised him to look for it.

From the story, we can see that many people are like the poor man. They wander about suffering in this life, and they don’t know what is hidden away in their inner nature, their light of wisdom, which can show them the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. They must learn to pull out their inner nature and make use of it to help them out off suffering. The Buddha and his disciples are always good friends for all human beings to have. It is worth listening to them and following their way of life, to learn and practice what they advise. In this way they may help you seek out the inner treasure.

About learning, there is a good saying: “A smart man can learn from smart men, but a wise man can learn from everyone”. Therefore, learn to be a wise man, so you can learn from everyone and everything.

Let wisdom guide your life and live your life by wisdom.