Posted by Sam on December 02, 1999 at 07:25:50:
In Reply to: Are there any Buddhas alive today? posted by Remmy on November 30, 1999 at 21:58:03:
I am not, strictly speaking, a Buddhist, though it is a major facet of my own indefinable path. Still, I study Buddhism on my own time and so am not an authority on this matter. But I read your message and was struck with an intuitive response, words so clear and instinctive that I must put them here. Take them for what they are.
Are we not to be seeking, ultimately, our own Buddha nature? I too have wondered about living Buddhas and have longed to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, but meeting a Buddha will not release you from the cycle of Samsara. Only BECOMING a Buddha can do this. What's the old adage? If you meet a Buddha on the road, kill him. In other words, those who claim outright their own Buddhahood are not Buddha, because Buddha is not a man or a woman but a state of being. Seek the Buddha within yourself, Remmy. Then you will be satisfied.
Peace and much luck... Sam :)