From a class given by Forever Wisdom Forest at Guan Yin (Observing Life Sound) Temple, Taiwan, 29th August 2010.

There is a famous Buddhist teaching about three angles to seeing life. Each one can go so deep that I could teach at least one year on each one, but I’m going to bring the basics together for the first simple idea.

The philosophy poem is:

Not the same, Not different.

Not, Not the same, Not, Not different

As the same, as different

Each one covers something very complicated and deep about life. But you’re not going to learn that much in one session. You can learn and observe for lifetimes about just one of these. But the first one, the basic idea, is very interesting.

Not the same, not different.

When you look at my hand, it has five fingers but is still one hand. Each finger is different, but still just one hand. The ocean is one ocean, but each wave is different. But all the ocean, all the waves, are still just water.

So not the same because every wave is different, but not different because every wave is water.

So, it’s not the same, not different.

The idea – Not the same – talks about the appearance of form.

The idea – Not different – talks about the essence of the form.

So, let’s use that idea of the wave and ocean to see life.

Life is also not the same and not different. Because of that, life is perfect.

But why?

If we are all the same, there is nothing to share anymore. We can be aware of nothing. There is nothing different to be aware of.

But if we are all different, then we can never understand each other because nothing is common. And there is no way to share because we would never understand each other.

So that’s why life is already perfect. It’s at the same time, not the same, but at the same time, not different. It is because we are not the same that all the differences we can share and that helps us be aware of different views, angles, and developments. Finally, through this same essence, we can feel each other.

What is the same essence?

We all have the essence of searching for happiness.

We all have the same essence of trying to avoid suffering.

And we all have the same power to feel everything that exists – that is the power of consciousness.

Consciousness is being conscious, being aware of something. Every life has the power to be aware of something. So, from that view, we are all the same. Because we are all able to be aware, we are all able to communicate.

But because what we are aware of is different, we can share the difference. That’s why life is perfect. Not the same, not different.

If it is not this way, only the same, then there is nothing we can share. We don’t see any difference to be aware of. But if it is the other way, only different, then there is no chance we can share because we never have a chance to understand the difference. We are just totally against each other. So because life is not the same and not different, we can share in unlimited ways, that’s why life is unlimited changing and still we can be aware of and communicate.

Question:

“Sifu, why can not the same, not different, mean that life isn’t perfect?”

Answer:

Everything is perfect already. That is your illusion.

There is no such thing as not perfect. Blind people cannot see the sun, but the sun is there. Is it the sun’s fault for not being bright enough?

No, the blind people can’t see it. The sun is always bright.

Life is perfect because it allows us to be aware and share. Without this, life has no chance to be shared or aware at all. We can’t see it as perfect because we are like the blind man who cannot see the sun.

Buddhism does want you to see. Your eyes awaken.

If we can’t see it, it is not because life isn’t perfect. This idea, not the same, not different, is a bridge to help you see that life is perfect. Without this one, you will not have the chance to be aware or share anything. If you are not aware of anything, then there is no life. So, if you appreciate life, then you appreciate that life is perfect. It is perfect potential to share; it is perfect potential to be aware.

Question:

“I think what he was trying to say was – why do the imperfections in life exist?

Answer:

Some people don’t understand that and they take one side and they think they are different, so they make a war with themselves, with everyone, they think they are different from everyone else. So they don’t want to share. They don’t understand that the essence is all the same. We are all looking for happiness; we are all looking to avoid suffering. Because they don’t understand this, then, they suffer. They make themselves very egoistic and distant from everybody. And that creates suffering. Under all the different forms of appearance, we are all the same, and that gives you a chance to love everyone because the essence is the same.

If you love yourself, then you will love every life. Because appearances are different, how you love yourself and everyone else must be different.

Your love will help you develop yourself and others in an unlimited way, so there will be no more borders or limitations.

So that also brings another perfect. Sharing is unlimited, and the basic essence is the same: if you know you want to find happiness yourself, then life is searching for that, and if you love yourself, then you will be able to love every life. But because nobody understands this, they are all lost by ‘we are all different’, and we become more egoistic. We don’t understand we are all life.

We are all consciousness.

We all have the power to be aware of anything, to avoid suffering, and to search for happiness.

Once you understand that, your compassion opens. And when your compassion opens, and you realise the essence is the same, then life is perfect.

So, from Buddhism’s perspective, there is no such thing as not being perfect; there is only such a thing as blindness that makes you unable to see perfectly.

Our essence is the same; don’t make your ego bigger. Your ego makes you unable to open your heart and love every life.

But because we are all different, you must have wisdom to love yourself first and also understand that the way you love yourself and take care of yourself should be different to the way you love others and take care of others. I would not feed a baby and Vincent the same amount of food. Love every life in unlimited different ways.

Question:

“Sifu, you once pointed at two cups and said these are not the same and not different.”

Answer:

They are not the same – otherwise they would be just one cup. But they are also not different because they are made of the same stuff, dirt. From appearance we are all different, but essence we are all the same. Like water, they are all the same, so every drop can melt into the water. If they don’t have the same essence, if you put a rock into water, it will never melt into water. Put a diamond in, put in gold they will never melt and become water – they don’t’ have the same essence. Any drop into the ocean can right away melt into the ocean because the essence the same.

And the reason we can melt and feel each other is because the essence is the same, we are all life, we are all able to feel emotion. And we are able to feel the idea, to feel desire, to feel the different type of passion, feel different type of activity. So we are all able to do that so the power is the same.

But the way that we feel, our level is going to be different.

So not the same, not different, makes life unlimited perfect.

Perfect able to share, and share in unlimited different ways.

Perfect, to be able to love yourself.

Perfect, because the essence is the same, to make you able to love every life.

Through developing observation and wisdom to know they are different, and because they are different we can share different amazing wisdom.

So this is the basic first view of Not the Same and Not Different.

Question:

“I can feel what you are saying but I don’t understand it up in my head.”

Answer:

That’s okay, Feeling is more important. For the brain to understand it the brain needs more time. Actually until both your brain and heart understand it then your level goes higher. You can use this view to see everything and feel perfect. And that’s why I am able to teach many different students, all of you are very different, but I know all of you have the same ability, you all are willing to learn and share good intention towards each other and that’s why, the essence is the same. You want to develop yourself, you want to learn, you want to care, share good intention, be kind and care towards each other, you are searching for to understand happiness and try to avoid suffering.