Confucius says all men are innately good-hearted.
Buddha say all sentient beings have Buddha nature and are able
to become Buddhas.
But Buddha also said this in Sutra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's
Original Vows:
"O Ksitigarbha, all the
sentient beings in southern Jambudvipa Realm are unpredictable in
their wills and dispositions. Most of them are accustomed to
evildoing.
Even if they decide to do
good, they may retreat
from their good intentions in an instant.
Surrounded by evil
environmental conditions, their evil wills increase and
intensify moment by moment.
For this reason, I transform
myself into hundreds of thousands of millions of other forms to
convert, deliver, release and liberate them in accordance with
their respective roots and dispositions.
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/clubs/buddhism/ksitigarbha/chap13.html
What is the Buddha trying to tell us here?
I understand that all sentient beings may have Buddha nature but
here the Buddha clearly tells us that "Most are accustomed to
evildoing". And that even if they do feel like being good, they may
retreat from good intentions in an INSTANT.
This is pretty confusing for me. It is wrong to think of all as
evil, but it is equally foolish or naive to think all are good,
isn't it?
I feel so strongly about this because of fellow Buddhists or
Venerables' advice and admonishment that we should regard all those
treat us badly, harm or torture us physically or
emotionally as if they are some kind of
'adversity' teachers. That is the same as saying respect, love
and learn from them, isn't it? You can love a man who steals your
money, but can you love a man who kills your whole family,
including your unborn baby in one night?
I also hear advice to regard all those who harm us like
Bodhisattvas, but would real Bodhisattvas harm you?
If all who harm us are teachers, then why the advice to find a
teacher when trying to learn about Buddhism? I might as well enrol
in secret societies since those who are evil or greedy should
be regarded as teachers.
Buddha nature does not mean each person is inherently good or
evil. In fact, no concept can describe Buddha Nature. However,
because people are endlessly seeking in samsara, and are
conditioned in deluded and attached thinking, they do evil deeds.
Nobody is inherently evil, it is just that their way of thinking is
deluded. Ever caught up in their desires they'll never know their
Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is obscured but never lost.
http://sped2work.tripod.com/huineng.html
He cried out, "Lay Brother, Lay Brother, " (for Hui Neng had not
yet formally joined the monastic order), "I come for the Dharma,
not for the robe. " Hui Neng emerged from his hiding place and sat
down on the rock. Hui Ming made obeisance and begged him to teach.
Hui Neng said, "Since the object of your coming is the Dharma,
refrain from thinking of anything and keep your mind empty. I will
then teach you." They meditated together for a considerable time,
then Hui Neng asked Hui Ming, "When you are thinking of neither
good nor evil, at this particular moment, what is your original
nature (Buddha Nature)?" As soon as Hui Ming heard this, he
instantly became enlightened.