Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Introduction To
Buddhism

Birth

We have to spend the first 9 months of our lives crapped inside of our mother's wound. At the beginning the rapid growth of our limbs makes us feels as if we are stretched out on a rack. At the later of the pregnancy we feel as if we are squashed inside a water tank full of filthy liquid. We are extremely sensitive to everything our mother does. For example, if she runs our fragile body is severely jolted and if she drinks something hot it feels like boiling water scolding our skin. During all this time, we are completely alone. Our mother does not know the suffering and fear that we experience. Even if she did, she will be powerless to help us. When we finally emerge from the wound, it is like being forced through the narrow crevice of two hard rocks into a harsh alien world. We have forgotten all we knew in our previous life and no way understanding what is happening to us. It is as if we are blind, deaf, or dumb. Our skin so tender that even the softest clothes will embrace it. When we are hungry, we cannot say "I need food". When we are in pain we cannot say "This is hurting me". The only sign we can make are hot tears and furious gestures. We are completely helpless and have to be taught everything how to eat, how to sit, how to walk, how to talk.