I really like this excerpt from the Manual of Perfections. It’s a good food for thought.
QUESTION: Would a great interval of merit-building, having enriched the
fulfilment of perfections, be good reason for some specific form of
Enlightenment as one would choose?
ANSWER: No. The reason is this: failure to have made a firm wish at the outset
> for some specific Enlightenment is due to one of the following weakness,
namely:–
- One has never understood the value of Perfect Self Enlightenment or
lesser specific forms of Enlightenment.- Even though the value is understood, there is tardiness to make the
plunge for Bodhisatta-hood because it involves great sacrifices in
fulfilling the perfections such as giving up one’s own life and limb
and one’s wife or children or one’s cherished possessions such as
kingdom, etc., coupled with the incapacity to exert oneself on a
super-human scale. This tardiness, of course, is due to stong selfishness which is deeply ingrained in the ordinary man.- The fear to go through such great lengths of time for Enlightenment,
reckoned innumerable aeons — although, when compared to the
incalculable past that one has already fared in saṃsāra, such seemingly
great intervals are actually fleetingly short.
That being so, it is a matter of “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”The seed-germ of merit that lies in the heart of a weakling is weak in
mindfulness (sati), wisdom (paññā), faith (saddhā), desire (chanda), and energy
(vīriya); so much so that however much it is nurtured over great intervals of
time, it does not increase sufficiently to merit any special type of Enlightenment. An all year round mist will never fill rivers, tanks, and oceans; a
thousand year growth of grass, however tall or stout, can never serve as
construction timber. It is the brave one, understanding the real value of
special type of Enlightenment; such as Buddhahood, etc., who sets his heart
unwaveringly on it, and who is prepared to undergo the rigorous practice
that is formidable indeed, and who awaits for his goal the countless aeons
as though it were the next morning. Yes, it takes a fierce desire (mahājjhāsaya),
a firm resolution (daḷhasamādāna), to make a Bodhisatta.
For a detailed discussion on this point see the Paramatthadīpanī, the
Commentary on the Cariyāpiṭaka.
The resolution of such lion-hearted persons may be likened to the epochal
rains that fall at the renewal cycle of the universe that fill up the trillion
world-systems (cakkavāḷa) with water in no time; or the instant magic mango
tree planted by Kaṇḍa the gardener, or the Bodhi Tree that rose in a trice to
shelter the budding Buddha — for all those Bodhisattas (i.e., the four specific
types of future Enlightened Ones) carry through their resolve to the very
goal over the requisite intervals.
From this account it is useful to note that those who have not the mental
courage to wish for the higher forms of Enlightenment should do well to make
the best of the present opportunity of having come under the Buddha’s Teaching
to work for release from rebirth here and now, without making much fuss.
As the commentator on the Puggalapaññatti puts it:–
Who is this (sixth) type of person? This is the question. The answer is: he is
a well-conducted or virtuous one with slackness. Yes, he is one who says to
himself: ‘Why should I enter nibbāna under Gotama Buddha’s Teaching? I will
do that in the future under Metteyya Buddha.’ So, in spite of his promising
grounding in purity of morality he does not cultivate insight. To such a person
as well, good counsel ought to prevail. He ought to be reminded of the vagaries
of one’s future course. He should not forget that a worldling’s destination is
surrounded by utmost uncertainty so much so that there is no guarantee that
he would gain the presence of Buddha Metteyya, so that it behoves him to strive for Arahantship by cultivating insight, instead of remaining heedless.”
What the commentator says here is, if one has no specific form of
Enlightenment in view it is best to hasten one’s steps towards emancipation
from saṃsāra, for it is a great gamble to yearn for Metteyya Buddha’s Teaching,
missing which one’s chances of Enlightenment are actually doomed. This
obviously does not apply to one who stands in firm resolve to go for some
specific Enlightenment.