We’re All in Denial

If we were not, we would not be here.

The Buddha lacked the distinctively psychological perspective and vocabulary that comes naturally to people in the United States in the 21st century, so he did not put the point this way.

But to say that we are all awake, we just don’t realize it, is tantamount to saying that we are all in denial. We have the capacity to end our suffering, but we fail to avail ourselves of it.

“Denial” means to ignore an obvious truth in a desperate hope of maintaining one’s comfort zone.