Without a sacrificing spirit, we cannot grow
up. In this way, it is
useless even if we practice for
several hundred years. To be devoted
only to ourselves
and not to others is not the way of the
Bodhisattvas
(enlightened saints). We should then realize that we are
still far from
being qualified as such. Whenever we do not consider
others, we should
know that we are associating with maya, the
negative power. This is the only
difference between a Buddha (an
enlightened being) and maya. Once we are selfless
in our thinking
toward others, we have become a Buddha. Minding only ourselves and
forgetting others, we become evil. We can clearly weigh ourselves by
this scale. Don't ask me
what level you are at or if you have reached
Buddhahood!
of me forgetting my own benefit, disadvantage,
future, body, comfort, reputation and need.
I no longer care for
anything. I would sacrifice my life for others regardless of whether
I
am successful or not. We cannot measure this by success or failure. It
is not
necessary to be successful each time we do good. Not so! It
depends
rather on our vow to save the dying, on our sincerity to
sacrifice and
devote ourselves for the sake of other beings.