Buddha Nature and Sanity

'Buddha-nature is viewed as the basis of all worlds and phenomena, in the sense that the idea of "beings" and "worlds" only arises when one, out of ignorance, ignores the mind's essential condition, manufactures reference points, and clings to them as if they are real.' -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzogchen#Concepts

Thus we become "mad" when we ignore the essence of the primordial nature of the mind (Buddha Nature), believing the delusion that the ego is real, and that the soul exists as a permanent thing which reincarnates.

To a Christian, we are "born again".

Yet to the Buddhist, we are merely spiritually ignorant of our True Nature i.e. that our primordial goodness is Buddha Nature

Clinging to the ordinary world, both the outer environment and the beings within it, as real is a form of spiritual delusion because it unnecessarily distracts each of us from spiritual cultivation i.e. seeing the basic goodness in all sentient beings.

The antidote to this, such as visualizing everyone as pure deities and the environment as the pure mandala palace, while at the same time considering them to be non-self and the working of loving-kindness, is meditation.

This helps us to realize that each and every sentient being has Buddha Nature.