The Jewel in the Lotus
ChatGPT-4o/DALL-E3, 2024-09-07

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
Sri Lanka, ~750 AD

My dear friends,

The first verse of Geshe Langri Tangpa's Eight Verses for Training the Mind reads:

A "wish-fulfilling gem," or cintamani in Sanskrit, is a mythical jewel in Buddhist, Hindu, and some other spiritual traditions. It is said to have the power to grant any wish, providing whatever the possessor desires—whether material wealth, protection, or even spiritual powers. In Buddhism, it represents the ultimate ability to fulfill not just worldly desires but deep spiritual aspirations, symbolizing the fulfillment of one’s highest potential.

In the mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig in Tibetan),

the mani refers to this "jewel." The jewel signifies the perfection of compassion and wisdom, as Avalokiteshvara personifies the compassionate aspect of enlightenment. The wish-fulfilling gem in this context is not material wealth or temporary desires, but the realization of ultimate truth, wisdom, and compassion—qualities that lead to enlightenment.

In this mantra, the mani (jewel) is paired with padme (lotus), symbolizing the union of wisdom and compassion. The jewel represents the bodhisattva's compassionate intention to help all beings, while the lotus signifies purity, wisdom, and transcendence of attachment. Together, they express the essence of the Bodhisattva's path—enlightened compassion and wisdom inseparable in their action to liberate all beings.

Avalokiteshvara’s mantra is a profound invocation for embodying these qualities ourselves, to become a "wish-fulfilling jewel" for all beings, meaning that through our own practice of compassion and wisdom, we seek to alleviate the suffering of others and lead them toward enlightenment.

More Precious Than Wish-Fulfilling Gems

Sentient beings, even those who cause us harm, are more precious than any material wish-fulfilling jewel because they provide the very ground upon which we practice and realize enlightenment. Without others, especially those who challenge us—our enemies, difficult people, or even those unknown to us—there would be no opportunity to cultivate patience, compassion, or wisdom.

From the Bodhisattva’s perspective, all beings are seen as valuable beyond measure, because it is through serving them, cherishing them, and working for their liberation that we ourselves can attain Buddhahood. Just as a wish-fulfilling jewel grants any wish, beings grant us the conditions to develop the perfection of all virtues, especially when our motivation is to benefit them.

What Does It Mean to Cherish All Sentient Beings ("Hold Them Dear")?

To cherish beings means to hold them in our heart with the sincere wish that they experience happiness and freedom from suffering. It means seeing beyond the surface-level appearances and behaviors of others—whether friends, enemies, or strangers—and recognizing their deeper nature as beings who, like us, seek happiness and wish to avoid suffering.

Holding them dear involves developing a deep sense of affection, not out of attachment, but out of recognition of their intrinsic worth and their role in our spiritual growth. It means practicing Bodhicitta, the mind of awakening, which aspires to attain enlightenment for their benefit.

In practical terms, cherishing others includes:

• Offering help where we can.
• Refraining from harming them through body, speech, or mind.
• Seeing even those who oppose us as spiritual teachers in disguise, providing us with opportunities to grow in patience and compassion.

How Can One Person's Attainment of Enlightenment Benefit All Sentient Beings?

When a person attains enlightenment, they embody perfect compassion and wisdom. In this state, they are free from all self-centeredness, delusions, and afflictive emotions, and can act spontaneously for the benefit of all beings. Their presence, actions, and teachings become a source of refuge for countless beings, guiding them out of suffering.

An enlightened being’s influence is vast and immeasurable. Just as the Buddha's awakening over 2,500 years ago continues to inspire and liberate beings even today, every enlightened person becomes a beacon of light for others to follow. Their wisdom penetrates the minds of others, helping them to see their own potential for awakening, and their compassion actively engages with the suffering of the world.

Furthermore, enlightenment is not isolated to an individual; it is the ultimate realization of non-duality, meaning that the enlightened mind recognizes the profound interconnection of all beings. In this way, their attainment is inherently beneficial to all beings, for the enlightened one sees no separation between self and other.

In summary:

• Cintamani, the wish-fulfilling jewel, symbolizes the profound capacity for compassion and wisdom, fulfilling the highest spiritual aspirations.
• All beings, by giving us the opportunity to cultivate compassion and wisdom, are more precious than any external wish-fulfilling gem.
• Cherishing them means to hold their welfare as primary, with love and compassion, recognizing them as essential to our own awakening.
• Enlightenment benefits all because the enlightened one, free from all delusions, becomes a source of compassion, wisdom, and guidance for countless beings.

In this way, the Bodhisattva path calls us to see beyond ordinary appearances and treasure each being as part of our own journey to awakening, with the ultimate goal of leading them all to freedom.