We woke up today, and so the day started well. We have another day to practise, but because we do not know how long we will live or when death will come, we need to be fully present in our lives and make wise decisions. Because what we do now has long-term effects in the future, it is important to take care of our mental, verbal, and physical actions.

Sometimes that might mean experiencing a little bit of discomfort in this life to have the opportunity to engage in Dharma practice, so that we create good causes that will benefit our future lives that lead us to liberation and the full awakening of Buddhahood. Sometimes Buddhahood may seem abstract or far away. We may say, “How do I know if it even exists? How do I know that I’m capable of obtaining it?”

The more we understand how ignorance the root of dukkha (unsatisfactory conditions or suffering) is, the more we will investigate how it operates. We will notice how it grasps objects and will question if that is correct. Through deep reflection, we will see that wisdom apprehends objects in the opposite way to ignorance, and thus we will gain confidence that it is possible to eliminate ignorance by generating the wisdom that accords with reality. This wisdom can then eradicate all the mental afflictions and their latencies, making it possible for us to attain full awakening.

Do not just accept the existence of Buddhahood on blind faith. Really think about the root cause of our present situation in cyclic existence. See if it can be eliminated and then learn the path to do so. Consider what your mind will be like when it is free from afflictions. Through such reflection, we will gain conviction based on understanding that awakening is possible and that the Three Jewels exist.

“365 Gems of Wisdom” e-book is out now!