Ending all fear

  The Buddha had no religion, he did not teach “Buddhism.”  In the Lotus Sutra when the father gets all his children out of the burning house, he reveals he is like this father, desiring all people to become like him—fearless, ever seeking the good, benefiting all beings—knowing that “all the living” possess this capability, realized once they enter “the Buddha way.”

  “The Buddha said to Shariputra, "Good! Good! It is even as you say, Shariputra! The Tathagata is also like this, for he is father of all worlds who has forever entirely ended all fear, despondency, distress, ignorance, and umbrageous darkness and has perfected boundless knowledge, powers, and fearlessness; is possessed of great spiritual power and wisdom; has completely attained the virtues of tactfulness and wisdom; who is the greatly merciful and greatly compassionate, ever tireless, ever seeking the good, and benefiting all beings.

  "I am the father of all creatures and I must snatch them from suffering and give them the bliss of the infinite, boundless Buddha-wisdom for them to play with.

  "As long as these creatures have never escaped birth, old age, disease, death, grief, and suffering, but are being burned in the burning house of the triple world, how can they understand the Buddha-wisdom?

  "Know ye! all these three vehicles are praised by sages; in them you will be free and independent, without wanting to rely on anything else. Riding in these three vehicles [learning, self-awareness, world of compassion], by means of perfect faculties, powers, perceptions of the seven degrees of intelligence, ways, concentrations, emancipations, and contempla­tions, you will as a matter of course be happy and gain infinite peace and joy."