Buddha-Nature, God-Nature

The Buddha said that all things have Buddha-nature. That means everything has the capacity for awakening. If you are someone who believes in God, then the same thing could be said this way: all things have God-nature. That means that you already have the capacity for connection with divinity; you already have the capacity for awakening. There is nothing extra you have to do. As the Buddha said, “without cultivation, you are already complete.”

So what would a political philosophy based on this notion look like? For one, it would recognize the inherent dignity and worth of individuals residing not just within the United States, but throughout the world. This means all humans, but also extends to all other living beings in the animal kingdom. And too, the trees and plants, and in fact all living things. But the Buddha said “all things have Buddha-nature,” so we must also include non-living things, like the minerals of the Earth. What would a set of policies that recognize the inherent dignity of the minerals of the Earth look like? What would a set of policies that recognize the inherent worth and dignity of plants? Of insects and fungus?

If you’re quick with imagination, you can tell that this could get very complicated, very quickly. How do you make government policy that helps everyone, especially when many of us have conflicting interests? There’s no easy answer to this, but there is a simple one: pay attention to each case that appears, situation by situation, and consider everything. That means policy makers must be awake,, responsive, well-informed, and willing to listen to all the stakeholders in each situation. It would certainly be slower to govern this way; and not everyone will ultimately be 100% happy all the time. But, if everyone thinks Win-Win, and keeps a commitment to understanding each other’s point of view, then all parties need not compromise but instead can come up with higher solutions that benefit everyone. That’s quite difficult and takes a lot of consideration, and a lot of courage.

Nevertheless, beginning with the question, “what if everyone had God-nature?” or “what if everyone is already Buddha?” helps one imagine what the resulting policies might look and feel like. We might not know the details yet—and in fact, laying down the details too early might limit the possibilities later on—but if we know what it will feel like when we get there, that will help. What does it feel like when a government policy honors the worth of all people? It feels liberating. As the Buddha once said, “all of the teachings of the awakened ones throughout past, present and future have one flavor: the flavor of liberation.”

May our elected officials put forward policies that always have the flavor of liberation.