Buddha Affirms Our True Nature 如來智慧德相

Sometimes, it’s comforting to remember that everyone has an inner light called buddha nature. It’s the part of us that is calm, wise, and peaceful. But when life gets busy or difficult, we may forget that this light is always there.

This short verse helps show how the buddhas are different from us—and how we can learn from their example.

《華嚴經》「一切眾生皆有如來智慧德相，但以妄想執著而不能證得」

In the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Buddha had this thought upon fully awakening under the Bodhi tree:

"All beings possess the wisdom and virtues of a Buddha within them. But because of their wrong thoughts and strong attachments, they cannot see or realize their true potential."

That inner light is like a candle’s flame. Our true nature shines with a special brightness, much like that of the Buddhas, reminding us that we all share the potential to achieve enlightenment. Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

It can be hard to remember that our true self is a Buddha. When I look at my own mind, I often find thoughts that make me feel unhappy. I used to be hard on myself for having those thoughts. I believed that being tough on myself would help—but over time, I realized that judging myself only made me feel more lost. It didn’t help at all.

Instead of being harsh, I began to simply watch my thoughts without clinging to them. It’s like watching clouds drift across the sky. This taught me that thoughts come and go. Many are just passing stories—some not even true—seeds of unhappiness we don’t need to plant. If a thought doesn’t help, isn’t it wiser to let it go?

Here is a video to follow along.