(Photo above by Eddy Chen / HBO)
In the ‘Euphoria Special Episode Part 1: Rue’ Ali, a character supporting Rue through her struggles with addiction, encourages her to engage in “a real … revolution, inside and out.”
After commenting on the revolutions happening in society, Ali points to developing an inner spiritual core to address the internal sufferings that consume Rue’s daily life.
He assures her:
Ali speaking with Rue.
Your only hope is a revolution. But a real ... revolution, inside and out. But you gotta see it through. You can’t half-ass this. You just have to commit to it, every single day. And know that you can always do it better. And be better. Because who knows? One day you might succeed.
This isn’t by any means an easy ask but Ali’s confidence to share this with Rue is rooted in his belief in the positive potential of her life, or her Buddhability.
Buddhability is an ability we all have within ourselves to change our lives. It’s only as we face obstacles, stress and our own messiness, that we forget it. The heart of Buddhism is the conviction that we each have within the power to overcome anything that comes our way.
Making a consistent effort to recognize and believe in this inherent power, or Buddhability, is referred to as “human revolution.” We essentially, decide that the stress or messiness we feel and see around us do not define us.
By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the name of our Buddhability, we revolutionize the view of our lives from feelings of hopelessness to being grounded in seeing our inherent worth. This view is then communicated in our behavior, impacting all those around us.
The Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda further explains this ‘inside and out’ revolution:
Buddhism is inherently revolutionary. I can’t think of anything more radical than enlightenment. It is both a return to our most natural state and a dramatic change. … The expression “human revolution” was made famous by President Toda. It is a way of expressing the idea of enlightenment in contemporary language. … Through an inner, spiritual transformation, individuals can awaken to a genuine sense of the sanctity of life. This counters the disregard and mistrust for life that is at the root of what is wrong in contemporary society. This inner change is thus the basis for realizing both individual happiness and a peaceful society.
So, if you’re wondering how you can engage in this inner revolution that simultaneously changes society, it all just starts with us. With chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and reaching out to encourage others, we reject the mistrust and anger in society and replace it with compassion and respect.
If you’d like to discover it for yourself, it’s not too late to join our 31-day Buddhability journey.
Note: Buddhism accords with reason, so if you struggle with addiction, please seek out professional help.