Sentient Beings Are Very Hard to Awaken

Everyone in this life has experienced suffering, affliction, setbacks, and frustrations, yet the mind consciousness still does not awaken. Even upon encountering the Buddhadharma, when the Buddha taught the true meaning of the truth of suffering, the mind consciousness still does not awaken, and remains attached to suffering, unwilling to escape from it. If even the mind consciousness is like this, what about the manas? Such is the foolishness and ignorance of sentient beings: no matter how much suffering they personally endure, they do not know to reflect and save themselves, and even when the Buddha comes to rescue and deliver them, they do not accept it. Those with thin ignorance, deep roots of goodness, and light afflictions, when encountering afflictions, will try to find ways to resolve and avoid them; foolish people will continue to endure them, sinking deep into them and refusing to pull themselves out. They remember the food but not the beating.

Does the mind consciousness know to save itself? If the mind consciousness knew this, then there would have been no need for the Buddha to come to the Sahā world and teach the Noble Truth of Suffering. Yet after the Buddha finished teaching the Noble Truth of Suffering, what use is it for us inferior-facultied people of the Dharma-ending age? If either the mind consciousness or the manas knew how to save itself, understood suffering, and understood the need to escape from suffering, then there would be no need for the Buddha to come and deliver us. But now, even if the Buddha were to come again in person, it would not be of much use—sentient beings' ignorance is too deep and heavy, their foolishness beyond rescue.

The Kṣitigarbha Sūtra describes: 佛告阎罗天子：南阎浮提众生，其性刚强，难调难伏。是大菩萨，于百千劫，头头救拔如是众生，早令解脱。是罪报人，乃至堕大恶趣，菩萨以方便力，拔出根本业缘，而遣悟宿世之事。自是阎浮众生结恶习重，旋出旋入。劳斯菩萨，久经劫数，而作度脱。 The sentient beings of Jambudvīpa have heavy bonds of evil habits; they emerge from the hells only to fall back in, going out and coming in as frequently as if returning home. "劳斯菩萨，久经劫数，而作度脱。" The bodhisattvas are patient enough already, yet sentient beings feel no shame whatsoever! How low and inferior they are!