How Does Talent Arise?

In all walks of life and various fields, there is an emphasis on innate talent. What is talent? In plain terms, talent seems to be bestowed by heaven; in reality, it is brought from past lives at birth. It is the mark of a seasoned practitioner—innately familiar, becoming increasingly proficient as conditions ripen. It arises from karmic seeds planted in previous existences. Without such karmic seeds from past lives, no matter how diligently one strives upon encountering something new in this life, one remains a novice. Thus, those with talent have spent relatively longer periods in the human realm through countless kalpas of birth and death, undergoing more habituation to human affairs. Being deeply familiar with human matters, having planted seeds through extensive habituation in certain areas, they manifest talent in those domains in subsequent lives. Therefore, when sentient beings accumulate virtue, perform good deeds, and cultivate blessings abundantly in the human realm, they are more likely to be reborn among humans. By amassing karmic seeds from human actions, they gain the opportunity to become talented individuals.

The field of Buddhist practice likewise recognizes this concept of talent. Within a single lifetime—a mere few kalpas—one achieves little in study. No matter how one studies, it resembles being in kindergarten, utterly unable to find the path of practice. Yet, as long as one does not lose heart, there will inevitably come a lifetime when one becomes a seasoned practitioner, an elder in cultivation—born with innate talent, transforming into an expert, becoming a long-cultivated Bodhisattva. Nearly everyone follows this pattern. Due to differing karmic conditions encountered within the six realms of rebirth and the varied seeds planted, some encounter and embrace the Buddha Dharma early, others late—the difference lies only in the gap of time. Therefore, to help other sentient beings encounter the conditions for the Dharma sooner, those of us who have already taken refuge in the Buddha and study the Dharma must dedicate the merit extensively to all unawakened beings, planting wholesome causes for them. In the future, they will then have the karmic opportunity to encounter the Buddha Dharma, begin to believe in the Buddha, and after believing for a long time, they will naturally progress to studying the Dharma. Those who possess such breadth of heart themselves mature swiftly. By caring for others more, they understand more; they themselves ripen quickly and, before they know it, become great Bodhisattvas.