To a Buddha, all beings are Buddhas.

In the mind of an enlightened one, the mountains, the rivers and the earth are also enlightened. In the eyes of a Bodhisattva, the flowers, the grass and the trees are nothing but Bodhi itself. This state is referred to as “Totally Is”.

“Totally Is” is one’s penetrating capability of seeing the Buddha Nature in everything and everywhere. It is the realization that right or wrong, likes or dislikes, life, death or Nirvana, are just reflections of our true nature.

“Totally Is” is experiencing everything now and here, following the flow and at ease.

“Totally Is” is accepting everything, and seeing things clearly as they are.

“Totally Is” is viewing every occurrence and circumstance in life as appropriately perfect.

“Totally Is” is having no urge or willingness to judge or choose anymore.

“Totally Is” is trusting purely and surrendering oneself totally.

“Totally Is” is offering oneself unsparingly to the whole existence.

“Totally Is” is equanimity.

“Totally Is” is strength, the diamond that cuts through illusion.

“Totally Is” is a vast mind that is beyond boundary and limitation.

Unless the mind is vast, the enlightenment cannot be great.

Unless the totality of mind is apparent, the attainment of enlightenment cannot be ultimate.

The mind of ordinary people is always changing. In alternate states, we have various minds: minds of anger/compassion, greed/generosity, ignorance/wisdom, wiliness/kindness, good merit/ guilt, and right/wrong. These minds either contradict each other or are totally irrelevant to each other. They eclipse the light emanating from our true nature and consume our life energy. The constant changing of the minds turned the grandest true nature into weak characters.

These minds can be categorized into three groups by their characters: greed, anger, and ignorance. If classified by the concept of time, they are the minds of the past, the present and the future. Of these three minds, the present mind always floating up in the air, we don’t take time to pay attention to the mind of the present. We either look back to the past or daydream about the future; we don’t bother to take care of the present. We live in illusion instead of reality. Although we have three minds, we consume most of our energy on the minds of the past and the future. This is called vacillation. Vacillation means not living in mindfulness. Not living in mindfulness means not in a state of ‘Totally Is’. Without being in the state of ‘Totally Is’, you cannot even accomplish much on the mundane affairs, not to mention attaining enlightenment and gaining insight of our Buddha nature.

That is why Buddha asks us to live in mindfulness, to transform all minds into one concentrated mind. Only when we have one mind in now place, gradually we gain insight of what ‘Totally Is’ means.

‘The effort itself to rid of suffering only makes the disease worse. The endeavor to attain nirvana is also wrong’, said one master. Why, because it lacks in totality, absoluteness, comprehensiveness and pureness.

Complete trust will engender complete gratitude. Complete trust will bring about incredible blessings. Complete gratitude makes it possible for one to become enlightened now and here.

‘Totally Is’ is a state that is beyond comprehension.

As your awareness increases, you will ultimately realize that everyone is you, and you are everyone.

The flowers, the grass, the trees, the mountains, the rivers, and the earth are you, and you are the flowers, the grass, the trees, the mountains, the rivers, and the earth.

That distinction of separateness has disappeared. All phenomena has become one. The mountains in the distance are the sleeping Buddhas. The hills nearby are the sitting Buddhas. Each mountain boulder looks like a magnificently standing Buddha. The clouds are dancing. The winds are singing. The prairie, the sand, the forest, even the tiny grass are singing and paying their homage to their master Shakyamuni Buddha.

You might not have a taste of it yet. But all it takes is for you to whisper softly: ‘We are all one.” Can you imagine how wonderful this experience will be? Try it! If you feel the inspiration, then embrace it — this oneness and totality of things! It will become an indispensable factor for you to attain enlightenment in this life.