Question: It is said that when we truly think about the Triple Gems, we cannot help but cry. Why is this?
by Khenpo Tashi
The qualities of the Triple Gems are vast, uncountable, immeasurable.
About the ‘immeasurable’ qualities of the Triple Gems. It is not deliberate crying. When you cry, it doesn’t automatically mean that you are feeling trust in the Triple Gems.
But, when you remember and have faith in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the master, the Bodhisattvas, remembering their qualities, how special they are, and you remember Samsara, and you remember these Buddhas, especially the power of their speech, how these statements and teachings can lead one from Samsara to Out of Samsara, then don’t we feel something?
In their speech is the power of their realization. To understand the true nature of reality. The Buddha is called Tathagata (in Sanskrit), meaning “he who has gone”, but he didn’t go somewhere. He went back to the original state.
To be able to go out of Samsara and lead others also out of it. To escape via a true way towards Enlightenment. Then, that is really something, isn’t it?
Those qualities they have, to find a way, to be liberated and to teach others to be liberated… Thinking about these qualities and those who possess these qualities, we naturally feel something, an unthinkable feeling. Thinking about Buddha’s wisdom, and compassion, his teachings, then we feel something like, “one cannot help but cry”.
Otherwise, ordinary crying is not helpful. It is just about sadness, and we do not need more sadness. This type of crying and tears when thinking of the Triple Gems and their qualities is totally different from ordinary crying.