The question we are trying to resolve is: According to the current text, an insect can get enlightened in that very lifetime, but according to Sutra teaching one cannot get enlightened in the very lifetime in which one starts practicing .i.e. it takes three countless eons.
In order to see if there is a contradiction, we could start by examining the two components of the statements:
- Form: human form versus insect form
- Lifetimes/Duration: single lifetime versus multiple lifetimes.
If we see Shantideva’s text as emphasizing “form” i.e. the form of an insect versus human form (keeping aside the question of lifetimes/duration) whereas the Sutra teachings are emphasizing lifetimes/duration (keeping aside the question of form), there is no contraction,…
Brilliant observation Ishani.
The question we are trying to resolve is: According to the current text, an insect can get enlightened in that very lifetime, but according to Sutra teaching one cannot get enlightened in the very lifetime in which one starts practicing .i.e. it takes three countless eons.
In order to see if there is a contradiction, we could start by examining the two components of the statements:
- Form: human form versus insect form
- Lifetimes/Duration: single lifetime versus multiple lifetimes.
If we see Shantideva’s text as emphasizing “form” i.e. the form of an insect versus human form (keeping aside the question of lifetimes/duration) whereas the Sutra teachings are emphasizing lifetimes/duration (keeping aside the question of form), there is no contraction,…