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What Is a Living Being? Evil View #24

Feeding Dharma Duck at the Temple
Feeding Dharma Duck at the Temple

Buddhist define living beings as those creatures, large and small, human and non-human, who have consciousness. As noted in an earlier article, we do not consider larger living beings or humans to be more important than tiny ones or those from other realms. In a related article we explained that all living beings have Buddha Nature and will someday become Buddhas. However, there is a very evil view held by some Buddhists that all living beings were once Buddhas, but who devolved into ordinary living beings. That is simply not true.

Evil View No. 24: Acknowledging that living beings came from the devolvement of Buddhas. There are some people who frequently describe living beings as Buddhas. They say that in beginning-less time living beings were once Buddhas but later devolved into living beings due to the arising of ignorance and defilements. This is an evil doctrine expressed by those who do not understand Buddha-dharma. Living beings have always been living beings and since beginning-less time have never been Buddhas. Living beings are surrounded by karmic hindrances, such as the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. However, all living beings possess Buddha-nature. They can become Buddhas through learning Buddhism, cultivating themselves, and practicing according to the dharma. You must understand that living beings definitely did not devolve from Buddhas into living beings. Living beings are living beings. There is no such thing as Buddhas devolving into living beings. If Buddhas could devolve into living beings, then when would Sakyamuni Buddha devolve into a living being?

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Thus Have I Seen (and Heard) on zhaxizhuoma.org is a blog offered by Zhaxi Zhuoma for English-speaking followers and those interested in the teachings and activities of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Read more about this blog

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Most of the quotes from H.H Dorje Chang Buddha III posted on this blog are from unapproved translations and may contain errors. Likewise the contents of this blog have not been reviewed or approved by the Buddha and should be considered as reference material and not Buddha-dharma.

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