ATIKOPA


The Rarity of Human Rebirth

Human life is precious and difficult to obtain, yet we have obtained it; the Dharma is rare and difficult to hear, yet we have heard it. If we do not use this life to attain liberation, when will we ever again?
The Buddha taught that the number of beings who attain human form in this lifetime is as numerous as the earth. However, those who will be reborn as humans after this lifetime are as few as a handful of dust in the Buddha's hand. Many will enter the lower realms after this life.
Many people don't realize how terrifying childbirth is. When a child is born, passing through the birth canal from the mother's womb, the child's soul feels as if it's climbing out of two mountains. Upon contact with the world, the skin experiences tearing and pricking pains. At this time, the child is filled with terror. Like the mother, the child is also passing through the "gates of hell," but most people don't realize this.
After birth, the baby is held upside down, patted, and made to cry loudly. This process helps the baby transition from a water-based survival state to a land-based survival state. This proves that the human body inherently possesses the ability to survive in water.
One of our lineage's patriarchs was buried for six months. When the mound was opened after six months, his body was completely unharmed. In fact, during those six months buried in the ground, the body only underwent minimal metabolism, while the soul left the body to travel to another dimension. This is the mystery of life.
When we reach a very high level of spiritual practice, our physical body remains still, while our Dharma body manifests as a Buddha's hand, reaching out to capture the fragrance of lotus blossoms from a thousand kilometers away. We place it here, and with a wave of our hand, the entire area is filled with fragrance. Every soul possesses this ability. This is also the mystery of life. Studying Buddhism is to help us realize the mystery of life.
"Human life is hard to come by, yet we have obtained it"—this is another mystery of life.