Animals and Buddha Nature

Dec 20th, 2011No Comments

Animals have no choice but to directly express their Buddha nature. Buddha nature is our essence–that which we really are: joy, light, and love. Animals, on the other hand, are always honest. (And yes, they do have feelings.) They have no choice but to be innocent and loving–because that is their true nature.

It is only humans that have the ability to reflect their Buddha nature in different ways. We can hide or mask who we really are inside. We choose how to reflect our Buddha nature by tilting our prism. If we are angry or judging someone else, that is how we choose to reflect our Buddha nature. Of all the choices we had to reflect our joy, light, and love in that moment, we chose to reflect our Buddha nature to condemn another human being. What a waste. The condemnation is destructive, but the true tragedy is the opportunity cost. It is the loss of the beautiful way that we could heave reflected our love during that moment.

Our free will is largely how we reflect our Buddha nature. Bart Anderson explains, “The (0nly) choice is how we affect- how we reflect our Buddha nature.” The choice we make is the effect our life has on the world.

Animals do not have this choice. How they are is what you get. It is our privilege to have this choice. Hopefully, we use this freedom well… That we choose to reflect the joy inside of us in some really beautiful ways.

About author:

Michael Hoffman’s passion is guiding people to connect with their natural gifts. He believes that we all have innate gifts that hugely benefit others and the world when we offer them. The purest example of these gifts is the Native American concept of medicine or the gift you offer your people. Michael defines your medicine or gift as the natural effect you have on other people when your heart is open. Unfortunately, the demands of our current culture to comply and fit in often distract people away from their inherent gifts and the natural expression of their being. Michael believes many of us have forgotten our dreams and what we are about. This sadly results in a loss of purpose, passion, and vitality. As an innate gift specialist, Michael offers retreats, classes, and individual sessions to allow people to reclaim their natural gifts. These venues allow people to identify, awaken, and offer their gifts. This experiential work incorporates Zen thought, Native American ceremony, rites-of-passage, and releasing limiting belief systems. Michael also maintains his meta blog to provide knowledge, skills, and awareness for unfolding your natural gifts. He is currently compiling this knowledge and research into a college class and book. Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1987 and Master of Social Work in 1996. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. In addition to his formal education, Michael studied and apprenticed with a Zen Master and spiritual teacher for 22 years to learn how to guide people to understand themselves. He has worked with people professionally since 1986 as a psychotherapist and teacher. Michael currently resides in Oceanside, California.

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