We often hear in Buddhism that Buddhas and bodhisattvas will help us. Hearing that, many look around at the suffering of uncountable people and ask where are the Buddhas and bodhisattvas? With all the problems we are facing, we certainly need help. So why aren't they helping us?
To some degree they are, we just don't know it. But that's only to some degree.
Why aren't they helping more?
Anyone who has tried to help an alcoholic or drug addict will sadly admit that if the alcoholic or addict does not want help, there is little that can be done to help them. Before the person can be helped, they have to be willing to give up their addiction to alcohol or drugs.
It's the same with the rest of us.
We need to let go of our addictions.
What addictions could we possible have?
Greed for starters. We are addicted to the conveniences we consider it is our right to enjoy. We are addicted to doing what we want when we want. Addicted to consuming more than we need, to indulging our senses, and, generally, to putting our own interests before those of others.
Anger. We are addicted to thinking we know what is right and that those who disagree with us are wrong, and need to be corrected. We are addicted to expressing how we feel without first thinking how it will affect others. Addicted to failing to practice self-restraint, to not caring enough about others, and, generally, to being so wrapped up in our own emotions that we ignore those of others.
Ignorance. We are addicted to our own complacency and laziness. We are addicted to seeing the suffering of others, silently thanking whoever or whatever that it wasn't us, and continuing with business as usual. Addicted to thinking we can escape the consequences of what we do, to not feeling the suffering of others as acutely as we do our own.
So many addictions. Addictions we don't want to give up.
It is not that Buddhas and bodhisattvas do not want to help. It is that we have not yet done what is necessary for them to be able to do so.