With Ego There is Selfishness
July 22, 2007 
The Buddha was an awakened person who saw the true nature. The Buddha’s viewpoints and behavior flowed from the innate virtues of nature. When we attain Buddhahood, that is, we see our true nature; our viewpoints and behavior will be exactly the same as the Buddha, because Buddhas see the same reality.
Our viewpoints, speech, and behavior all flow from our true nature when we see our true nature. Otherwise, they flow from our afflictions and residual habits.
Our viewpoints, speech, and behavior are still selfish and dictated by our greed, anger, and ignorance. There is no selfishness or greed, anger, and ignorance in Buddhas’ and Dharma-body Mahasattvas’ viewpoints, speech, and behavior. We should ask ourselves if we are still selfish, or if we still have greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance. If we still like this or dislike that, we still have an ego that likes and dislike.
When we have an ego, then we still have selfishness. Even if there is only a trace of any of those in us, we are not yet awakened. We still have not seen true nature.
One who has seen true nature is completely free of selfishness, greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance.
~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra
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