CULTIVATION
We should be as respectful to non-sentient beings as to Buddhas. For example, tables and chairs are non-sentient beings. Our respect to them should be the same as that to Buddhas, without any difference. This is the practice of Samantabhadra. When we see tables and chairs, we put them in their proper places and keep them clean. This is showing our respect to them. The respect in our hearts is exactly the same, though how we express the respect differs. Practicing respect for all Buddhas starts from this point [the impartial respect for all beings].
Enlightenment is to know and correct our faults. Bodhisattvas are enlightened sentient beings. We are also sentient beings, but are unenlightened since we do not know our faults and thus do not know to correct them. We believe that we are already correct.
"Do I have any faults?" we question ourselves, and thinking for a long while we cannot find any. Thus, it is said that ordinary people do not have faults while Bodhisattvas have many. They constantly watch over their every thought, word, and deed, knowing that they have many shortcomings, continuously correcting them and doing so for three great eons. When we think about how many faults there can be, how can we possibly think that as ordinary people we do not have any!
Respect -- everything should start with it, not just when we are learning the supreme Buddha-dharma. "Single-minded respect" -- we often read these words in the repentance section that appears in the Buddhist practice book. Single-mindedness is the practice of Samantabhadra. It signifies impartiality. Single-mindedness is maintaining the same mind whether we encounter Buddhas, people, animals, or tables and chairs. With two minds, differences and discrimination arise. Therefore, with two minds or three minds, we are not quite respectful and not following the practice of Samantabhadra. We must clearly understand this before we know how to learn.
The Buddha's teaching is the most wondrous and virtuous teaching in this world and beyond. Wherever the Buddha's teaching is propagated, whether in country, a city, or a village, if the people can follow his teachings and practice diligently, there will be good learning results: transforming from an ordinary being into a sage, transforming suffering into happiness, and transforming greed, anger, and ignorance into precept observation, meditative concentration, and wisdom. What will be shown is that "the world would be in harmony and accordance." The entire universe can be in harmony and conformity.
To achieve in our practice, we need to let go of worldly concerns. Letting go does not mean that we do not care and will not help. We care, extend our help and let go simultaneously. This is wisdom. Those who care but cannot let go are still ruled by emotions.
How do Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manage to care, help, and let go? They have true wisdom. They have turned all their emotions into wisdom, which is the ultimate perfect wisdom. They have wondrous and amazing flexibility and skills. Although they help all beings out of great compassion, there is no slightest attachment in their minds. This is the wonderful working of innate virtues.
Changing our conduct and improving ourselves is true cultivation. It is by no means just a formality of reciting sutras, prostrating before the Buddha, or chanting mantras. To have cultivated an entire lifetime and still be mired in the cycle of rebirth is to have simply gone through the formalities. For others, formalities exemplify the teachings so that they might see them and begin to awaken. For us, they serve as reminders of the teachings.
For self-cultivation, however, importance is not placed on the formalities but rather on discovering our faults. This is awakening. To correct our faults is to improve in our cultivation. Therefore, the most important point is for us to be calm, introspective, and be watchful of our conduct as we look for our bad habits and faults. When we know these, we will know where to begin, what to correct, and how to proceed. We can then concentrate and use all of our energy to reform.
The more one achieves in practice, the more wisdom one will have. The more wisdom one has, the deeper is one's belief and thus the more one will achieve in practice. As one achieves more in practice, one will have even more wisdom. This is how meditative concentration and wisdom complement each other perpetually. When one practices this way, one will transcend all evil paths.
Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment and Buddhahood at the age of thirty. After he had attained Buddhahood, he started to propagate the Dharma and benefit all beings. He did so for forty-nine years until he entered nirvana at eighty.
During the forty-nine years, Sakyamuni did not have a day off. Why? Because what he taught--ending the cycle of rebirth and transcending the Three Realms --was very important. So he could not take any day off. Had he done so, his students' learning would have been interrupted, and they would have regressed. Learning is like going upstream in a boat; if you do not move forward, you go backward. It is the same in cultivation; if one does not make progress, one immediately regresses.
Once the mind is pure, all obstacles that prevent us from obtaining good fruits from our cultivation will be eliminated, and one will stay away from the evil paths. When one is free of anger, one will transcend the door of hells. When one is free of ignorance, one will transcend the door of animals. When one is free of greed and miserliness, one will transcend the door of hungry ghosts. Therefore, when one eradicates greed, anger, and ignorance, one will transcend the Three Evil Paths. And if one does not have the slightest yearning for the good fortune in the human and heavenly paths, one will transcend the Six Paths.
Virtue, morality, kindness, and integrity are on the inside and are the cultivation of virtuous conduct. Fame, wealth, and prestige are on the outside and are the enjoyments in life. To be able to receive both kinds of benefits is of great value. As is said in the Avatamsaka Sutra, "not to be hindered in the matter of phenomena or principles" is the ultimate and perfect enjoyment. This is the great perfection of everything going as we wish, when we are satisfied with everything. This is to be liberated; it is to do all that is benevolent and noble as we wish.
Giving is letting go -- letting go of everything in this world. All the afflictions, even illnesses, birth and death, and the root cause of transmigration come about because one is unwilling to let go of wandering thoughts and attachments. One truly reaps the fruit of one's actions. The purpose of giving is to help one let go of one's concerns, worries, afflictions, wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments.
In reforming, we need to have shame, fear, and courageous determination. To have a shameful heart is to be awakened. To have a respectful and fearful heart is to be conscience-stricken. Only when we have both of these, do we give rise to the courageous and determined heart that enables us to regret and reform.
Realizing this, why are we unable to correct our faults? Since we have yet to possess a shameful and fearful heart, we do not have the motivation that gives rise to a courageous and determined heart. If we do not know shame, then we will not be afraid of being laughed at by others so there is little incentive for us to cultivate kindness.
Patience is forbearance. The Prajna Sutra says: "All accomplishments are attributed to patience." Therefore, patience requires resolute endurance. Considerable patience is needed for any accomplishment in worldly undertakings, let alone in learning Buddhism. One must be able to exercise patience. When one is patient, one will be able to maintain a tranquil mind and advance in one's cultivation. If one is not patient, one will not have any progress in one's cultivation no matter how diligently one cultivates. Patience requires true effort. It is a prerequisite for meditative concentration.
To acknowledge all of one's offenses without hiding anything is to regret and eradicate one's karmic obstacles. This must be done sincerely to be effective. Awakening is achieved when we are able to identify our faults. Cultivation is accomplished when we have realized these faults and corrected them. Since most people are unaware of their mistakes, they are not truly cultivating. Therefore, the first step is to recognize our bad habits.
When one has meditative concentration and wisdom, one has great benefit. Meditative concentration and wisdom come forth when the true mind is active. As a result, one is able to control one's destiny anywhere in the universe. When one does not have meditative concentration and wisdom, one is controlled by affliction and temptation. This is pitiable.
Therefore, cultivation is nothing but this: internally, ridding oneself of greed, anger, and ignorance; and externally, cutting off all temptations.
Even the highest-level Bodhisattvas still have faults. What kind?
They still have one degree of ignorance yet to be broken through. If Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas still need to regret and reform, we can imagine how much we need to do!
From now on, we need to have the compassionate heart to feel remorse and change for the better. Even upon reaching the level of Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas, we will still need to do this. Only when there is nothing left to correct will we become Buddhas. We cannot attain supreme enlightenment if we still have one remaining fault.
The Ten Virtuous Karmas are more profound and extensive than the Five Precepts. The Five Precepts are the Buddha's teaching to his students. The Ten Virtuous Karmas are the Buddha's teaching to all the beings, teachings that we should abide by in daily life, at work, in engaging in a task, interaction with people, and dealing with a situation.
The basic educational goals in Confucianism are to sever material desires, obtain awakening, uphold a sincere mind and a virtuous heart, develop self-discipline, have a harmonious family, govern a country, and foster world peace.
Today, schools do not emphasize these principles or the humanities, but stress technology. No wonder our thoughts and behavior have no guiding principles. We are not taught that when we see the misdeeds of others, we are to take a hard look at ourselves and see if we have fulfilled our duties as leaders.
The gravest offense of all is killing; the greatest obstacle to one's cultivation is sexual desire. These are two great obstacles. If in one's cultivation one wishes to transcend this world, one will not be able to transcend the Three Realms without eradicating sexual desire.
Instead of losing our tempers and becoming angry, we should sincerely reflect and remind ourselves that we are only human and that each of us has faults.
If we cannot forgive others' shortcomings, how can we expect them to forgive ours? Thinking in this manner, we will no longer condemn others but will instead feel empathy for them. People only make mistakes due to their ignorance. They lack the ability to distinguish between true and false, proper and deviated, and between harmful and beneficial. Thus, they cannot correct themselves, end their erroneous ways, or cultivate kindness. We should feel sympathy for them and not be reproachful. In so doing, we follow the Buddha's and Bodhisattva's way of relating to people and situations.
If our every thought is of ourselves, ego-attachment will worsen day by day. How then can we transcend the Three Realms? This is why the Buddha taught us to always think of benefiting all beings. This way, the thoughts of benefiting ourselves will gradually diminish and go away.
Our every thought and every deed should be for all beings, not for ourselves. When all beings have good fortune, we too have good fortune, because we are also one of the beings. Similarly, we cannot avoid misfortune if all beings have misfortune.
Confucius taught loving-kindness, explaining, "The benevolent person has no enemies." If we cannot accept anything that is contrary to what we think, then we are neither kind nor compassionate. Conflict simply does not exist within the heart of loving-kindness. This is also what is meant in Buddhism as great compassion and is what we need to learn and practice to truly benefit ourselves.
We often hurt others with our careless speech. Those we hurt may take offense and bear grudges, and in the future will seek revenge. Thus, many problems are created out of misunderstandings, and resentments arise because of what we have said. "The speaker had no such intention, the listener interpreted it to be so." We need to be careful and restrained in our speech. And frankly, there is no need to talk a lot. In talking less, we will commit fewer mistakes.
Like Confucianism, Buddhism is also founded on filial piety to one's parents and respect for one's teachers. Confucian teaching flourished because of this foundation, as did the Buddha's teaching. Filial piety is thus very important, for only when one is filial will one respect teachers.
If one truly respects one's teachers, one will receive the Way taught by the teachers. If one does not respect one's teachers, they will not be able to teach one anything no matter how good they are. Why? Because one will not believe them nor be willing to learn from them.
When one respects one's teachers, one will listen to their teaching and diligently practice accordingly. One will thus receive the merits and benefits.
Respecting one's teachers is respecting the Way and receiving it.
We should not attach to formalities in our practice. For example, those who are older and less agile do not need to kneel when reciting a sutra. To seek a bond between Buddha Amitabha and ourselves is of the utmost importance. We can continue our practice even when lying down. The weak or aged can use the most comfortable position while chanting "Amituofo" or reciting the sutra, be it kneeling, sitting, or walking. If weak, we can lie down and listen to the sutra on a tape. Lying in bed listening to the sutra or chanting "Amituofo" can achieve the same merits as when we are sitting or walking.
Zhangjia Living Buddha taught that because life is short and full of suffering, one must end wrongdoings and practice virtuous conduct, accumulate merits and cultivate virtues, and should not compete with others or crave anything. These are the key guidelines that he taught me.
Therefore, when someone competes with me for something, I will yield to this person. I have been learning to exercise forbearance and to allow others to take advantage of me. Why do I do this? Because allowing others to take advantage of me brings me good fortune. This is true!
Every time I yield or allow others to take advantage of me, I end up having wonderful consequences. I have always advanced to a higher level in every aspect, and my state of mind has improved. Therefore, I have become more and more confident in the teachings of my teachers, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas.
In learning Buddhism, one needs only to cultivate a pure mind. When one has a pure mind, one will naturally be impartial and enlightened. At all times, in all places, and in all situations, whether favorable or adverse, one needs to maintain a pure and uncontaminated mind. The mind will naturally be pure when:
(1) internally, greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance do not arise in one, and
(2) externally, one is not attached to any environment, good or bad.
A pure mind is the true mind and is true wisdom. When handling any situation, one will do it correctly and completely, without any mistakes. All mistakes arise from desire and thoughts of gain and loss.
We can correct our faults by beginning to change from our minds and practicing good deeds. If we practice from our minds, then even a small good deed such as unreservedly giving a penny to a person in need would be of infinite merits and virtues. Why? This deed comes from the great compassion in our true nature, thus the broadmindedness is boundless.
The good fortune is infinite for the good deed arises from our minds and accords with our true nature. However, if the good deed arises solely from our actions, then it is a small merit for it did not arise from our true nature.
In engaging in a task, interacting with people, dealing with a situation, in daily life or at work, remember that allowing others to take advantage of one will bring one good fortune. One must not have the thought of taking advantage of others. If one tries to take advantage of others, one will suffer great loss. When one has the thought of taking advantage of others, one is transgressing the precept of not stealing.
We should do our best to perform deeds that will benefit others. Maybe there is a limit to what we can do, but if we perform deeds with a sincere, respectful, and pure mind and with patience, we will have the support of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Our wishes will surely be fulfilled.
Along the path of cultivation, there are many obstacles. As in a race, we all start at the same starting line, but some progress ahead of others, some lag behind, and some are eliminated. Why? Because there are many obstacles. The obstacles may be people or situations. They may be our family, friends, or those we have hurt in the past and owe karmic debts to.
Who can overcome all these obstacles and progress in their practice? Those who single-mindedly concentrate on cultivation. In our practice, we recite the Buddha's name or our selected sutra every day. We also study the teachings every day. If we are very busy with work and family responsibilities, we can at least chant and study for a few minutes. The main thing is to practice and study every day.
In doing any deed, no matter how small, one should dedicate the merit accrued to all beings, wishing that all suffering beings could leave suffering behind and attain happiness. This is a form of Dharma offerings: by giving of ourselves for all beings.
One does not personally enjoy the good fortune one has cultivated but shares it with all beings. This is the meaning of dedication. One shares one's wisdom, good fortune, skills, and abilities with all beings, wishing that all beings could have peace and happiness. This is a Bodhisattva practice.
Can this be done? Yes. If one truly practices, others will benefit. If these people are about to encounter a disaster, and there is someone who has great good fortune and merits, either they will not encounter the disaster or the severity of the disaster will be reduced.
If we conceal our faults, they will increase at an alarming rate. If we are smart, we will let them be known. Then, when we are criticized and corrected, our karmic obstacles will be gradually eradicated. If others speak out about our mistakes, be grateful even if we have not done what they said we did, for to be wrongly accused by others will also eradicate our karmic obstacles.
There is no need to refute or defend ourselves in the face of undeserved accusations. When we are defensive, others will not want to help us correct our faults. Then the offense will become even more serious.
Although one's destiny is predetermined, it changes every day in accordance with one's behavior. So, can one change one's destiny? Yes, one can. If one's behavior every day adds a little to or subtracts a little from good fortune--by one doing small good acts and committing small bad acts--then one's life will be governed by one's destiny, and there will be no change. But if one does major deeds--either good or evil--then one's destiny will be changed.
Therefore, one's destiny after one is forty years old is greatly influenced by one's behavior in this lifetime. One's destiny before one is forty years old is predetermined, greatly influenced by one's good and evil deeds done in past lifetimes. If one is truly awakened and diligently ends wrongdoings and practices virtuous conduct, one's destiny will change for the better after one is forty years old. This is very important.
Illnesses come from the mind and behavior that are not virtuous. It is brought about by negative karmas committed out of greed, anger, ignorance, and afflictions. The ancient Chinese said: "Worry can age a person." Medical science has now found that losing one's temper is the same as gradually committing suicide. When one's every thought accords with the Three Poisons and the Ten Evil Karmas, the whole body--blood, bones, flesh, and cells--will change for the worse. This is the cause of illnesses.
If we receive the teaching of the Buddha and the sages every day, and we maintain a sincere, pure, impartial, compassionate, loving, and joyous mind, every cell in our bodies will be healthy. How then can we get sick?
From this we can see that constantly having compassion, love, and gratitude in our heart is truly the most important factor for physical and mental well-being, a harmonious relationship with others, and a harmonious environment.
If one is truly awakened, one will naturally be unperturbed in any situation and one can enter very deep meditative concentration--being unperturbed is achieving meditative concentration. When one's mind is not perturbed, one will truly understand all phenomena. This understanding is wisdom. Being free of discrimination and attachment is meditative concentration. When we have meditative concentration and wisdom, meditative concentration and wisdom are perfect and complete. This is the place where we start to cultivate meditative concentration and wisdom. This is real.
Making offerings to infinite sages is also a great virtuous deed. But, we learn from the Infinite Life Sutra that it is even better to turn back from delusion and to conscientiously cultivate. Cultivation is to change ourselves. The ancient sages regarded it as the great virtue of regretting and reforming.
These situations--someone says charming words to us but we do not attach to the words, or someone tries to stir up trouble but we feel no anger--help us to cultivate and attain meditative concentration and wisdom. One Mind Undisturbed and the Buddha-name Chanting Samadhi taught in Pure Land Buddhism are both attained in this way. If one's mind is perturbed by others gossiping or passing rumors about us, one should immediately feel remorse: "I am wrong again. I am affected by the external environment again."
Can society be saved? The answer is most definitely positive. But saved by whom? We have to take this as our responsibility right now. "It is my responsibility to save the world." There is no difference between myself and the world--the world and I are one.
Only when I can let go of all my selfish thoughts, my thoughts of greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance, can I eliminate the disasters in this world and calm the Earth's climate.
When I can truly let go of all conflicts against all people and the environment, our world will be harmonious and peaceful. Therefore, we need to have a great Bodhi mind, a great compassionate mind.
An ancient eminent master said, "[When we die,] we cannot take anything with us; only karmas will accompany us." Fame and honor, wealth and rank, and money and possessions--we cannot take these with us.
All the good karmas and bad karmas created in our lifetime will stay with us. Those who are truly awakened know that they should cultivate what they can take with them. What they cannot take along, they should just ignore and waste no energy on them.
We can choose whichever method best fits our manner of living and level of achievement and understanding. The most important point is to concentrate on just one method. The more methods we try to follow, the more confused we will become. The more confused we are, the more difficult it is to succeed. This is very important, as samadhi or deep concentration, is the key to success in our learning and cultivation.
Confucius often said: "In every group of three people, there is teacher we can learn from." When we include ourselves in a group of three, there will be one person who is more virtuous and one who is less virtuous. We emulate the former and observe the latter to see if we have the same faults. If so, we quickly correct them. In this way, we learn from both examples.
What is the difference between "enlightened" and "unenlightened"? One who knows that they have many faults is an enlightened being--a Bodhisattva. One who does not know they possess numerous faults is unenlightened--an ordinary person.
Wealth is good fortune, and it will be used up some day. It is stated in the sutras that one's wealth belongs to five families. The first is water, which can flood one's properties. The second is fire, which can burn one's properties. The third is the government. In the past, the government would confiscate all the properties of a criminal. The fourth is robbers and thieves. The fifth is spendthrift children, who are hard to guard against.
The Buddha has taught us to let go of all desires and greed. He did not ask us to turn to new objects for our greed. In the past, we sought worldly joys, now we seek and attach to Buddhist knowledge. The mind of greed is still there. Therefore, whether worldly life or for Buddhist knowledge, we would do well not to be greedy. Greed is the source of all misdeeds and wrongdoing.
"The sincere and honest heart" is the essence of the eight guidelines taught by Confucius. We accomplish this by severing our desires and uncovering our true nature. Failing to do this, we will be unable to accomplish ultimate sincerity. When severing desires, what are we cutting off? The Six Dusts or polluting factors of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought and the Five Desires for wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. If these desires cannot be reduced, our hearts will be constantly affected by our surroundings. How can such a heart remain sincere?
Chinese Buddhists primarily practice Mahayana Buddhism and wish to develop the Bodhi mind, the awakened mind that is genuinely free from delusions and that realizes this world is filled with suffering. It is the compassionate and sincere mind, with every thought to attain realization for self and others.
The Buddha told us that suffering exists throughout the six realms, including the human and heaven realms.
In the human realm can be summarized as the Eight Sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, death, hardships, the ability to have what we want, separation from those we love, and association with those we dislike.
Deep concentration is the state of constantly maintaining a mind of purity and equality. Cultivating deep concentration does not solely mean sitting in meditation in the cultivation hall. Practicing sitting meditation is similar to teaching the skills to a beginner. After graduation from school, the students need to practice what they have learned in the cultivation hall by applying the principles in their daily lives. The practitioner will have practiced deep concentration when he or she can remain unaffected by external circumstances.
The first stage [in cultivation] is belief. When we are able to believe then our conditions have matured. There is a saying "the Buddha is unable to help those who have no affinity with him."
What is affinity? It is being able to believe. Even a Buddha cannot help someone whose conditions have not yet matured. But when they have matured, the person will have belief. Then the Buddha can help. Religions are different from Buddhism in that once the believers have faith, they are saved. Belief in Buddhism means that we believe in the benefits of Buddhism and accept one of the many methods.
In order to gain, we must first let go. If we are reluctant to let go, then we will not be able to gain. In the sutras, we read that to give is to gain. We first give up something in order to gain something in return. Without giving, we will receive nothing. So, this lesson on reforming our destinies is all about letting go. What if we seek something? To seek also helps us to receive. But how do we accomplish this? Just let go and we will receive everything we are seeking.
We need to know the proper sequence of cultivation: belief, understanding, practice, and attainment. When we speak of belief, first we believe in ourselves. This is where Buddhism differs from religion. In religion, the most important criteria is to believe in God.
In Buddhism, the most important criteria is to believe in ourselves, not something outside of ourselves.
We need to believe that we have the same Buddha nature.
Believe that originally we were Buddhas.
Believe that we are no different from the Buddhas.
Believe that our true nature has become polluted and that once we remove this pollution we will uncover our true nature.
It is essential for us to learn modesty for it is the key to cultivating and improving our virtue. We need to realize that others are better than us and that they excel in what they do. When we are false and conceited, other people may not see this; however, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and the beings and spirits of heaven and earth see us very clearly. Thus, our modesty must be sincere and come from deep within.
We are not better than others and if they accumulate merits and we do not, then, they are better than us. Even when we dare not commit offenses, others are still better than us. This is perfect modesty and it is the practice of the teaching of humility in the Avatamsaka Sutra. I am the only student; everyone else is my teacher.
Every aspect in one's life should be simple. Simplicity leads to a long life. The ancient Chinese often said, "Illness enters through the mouth." Nowadays, many people contract strange illnesses, which come mostly from the food consumed. In the past in China, there were people in the countryside who maintained a simple diet, but they were healthy and lived a long life. This proves that the simpler the food, the healthier one is.
A pure mind with no wandering thoughts, a regular routine, a simple diet, few desires, and contentment--these are the essentials for good health.
In the past, practitioners ate one meal a day. Mr. Li ate a meal before noon every day. His work load was the same as that of five people, but he needed only one meal, and he ate very little at that. Why? Because he had very few wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments, and thus used very little energy.
After we have belief in ourselves, we need to have belief in the Buddha's teachings. Great Master Ouyi described this as believing in principles and in matter. Where does matter come from? From the principle, that is the pure mind of the true nature. All phenomena in the universe arise from the principle. They are related by the endless cycle of cause and effect.
A cause gives rise to an effect, which in turn becomes the cause of the next effect. This process continues ceaselessly. Developing understanding and belief in true reality builds our confidence enabling us to seek thorough understanding of everything. Only in this way can we be free from confusion and doubt, which are obstacles in our cultivation, and obtain enjoyment and smooth advancement.
Being gluttonous and stingy--residual habits from countless kalpas--are great obstacles to the practice of giving and must be overcome. One should live a thrifty life and maintain this simple life. Even when one becomes successful and has great wealth in the future, one should still live thriftily. This way, one will truly have good fortune.
How then do we reform ourselves from our minds? We sincerely cultivating by wanting to correct our offenses, practicing goodness, and refraining from wrongdoings. When we correct from our minds there is no such thing as should or should not. Reforming ourselves by reasoning and realizing the principle is conditional. However, when we reform from the mind, it is unconditional, pure, and sincere. In this way, giving rise to even the slightest of kind thoughts will be in harmony with our true nature. Knowing that everything arises from the mind, we need to correct our faults by beginning from the mind.
Since sentient beings have not yet found their true nature, we teach them to end their erroneous ways and cultivate good deeds. When we have uncovered our true nature, there will be no erroneous ways to be ended and no good deeds to be cultivated, for our minds will be in a state of purity and equality--the One True Dharma Realm--the state of non-cultivation and non-attainment. Within such states we still do whatever is needed for cultivation and attainment. But, we do not attach to either extreme of emptiness or existence.
To change karmic retributions and resolve all disasters, I often use a tree as an example. The mind is the root, our thoughts are the trunk, our behavior is the branches, and our speech is the leaves.
If we try to correct the problem of an unhealthy tree by plucking off each leaf while forgetting to treat the root, our efforts will be futile. But if we were to begin from the root, to understand from the basics, our problems would be easily solved.
I am grateful to Ms. Han Yin, who helped me for thirty years. During those years, she helped me have the opportunity to lecture on stage every day. She was a true Dharma protector. I am grateful to her from the bottom of my heart for my present achievement. Without the thirty years of lecturing experience on stage every day, how could I have any achievement? She then passed away. I will always remember her and feel gratitude to her. How do I repay her kindness? With my achievement. This is the only way I can repay her kindness.
It is much better to practice goodness without letting anybody know and even better if some people reproached us, for this will help to reduce our negative karma. It would be best if our negative karma and retributions were reduced and even eradicated, while our merits and virtues remained unknown.
Why did the Buddha not simply tell us with what we need to know? He did. But we did not listen.
We were told the method, but thought to ourselves, "Well, this may not be a good method. I heard that another one is better." We have thus argued with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. So, they have chosen not to come to us. Please carefully consider this. We need to be very patient before we can attain achievement. Without patience, we cannot advance to a higher stage, for patience is the prerequisite for meditative concentration and diligence.
When we find ourselves subjected to hearing gossip, we would just respond with Amituofo. If they gossip more, then again say, "Amituofo." Let them hear this several times. After they are finished talking, we will have listened but disregarded what they said. We will only have said "Amituofo" to them. This is good for it is best not to say much.
When one has few desires and is content, one's afflictions will reduce and be lighter. Every day, it is enough for one to have a full stomach, adequate clothing, and a place to shield one from wind and rain. A content person is often happy. When one is content, one will want few things. The less one wants, the more at ease and the happier one is. If one truly does not compete with others or crave anything, one will be happier than a celestial being.
Great Master Yinguang aptly said that whether or not one achieves in one's learning depends on how sincere and respectful one is. If one is insincere or disrespectful, one will achieve little.
When people verbally abuse, criticize, and slander us, we should accept it with a grateful heart rather than a vengeful heart. Why? They have provided us with invaluable assistance that can help us reflect and correct our mistakes immediately if we do have these faults, or guard against them if we do not. If we are not at fault, do not blame these people; instead be encouraged to make further improvements.
There are three categories of patience. First, tolerate the injuries of physical and verbal abuse. Patience is a virtue. With patience, we will have a quiet and pure mind; thus, it will be easier to attain meditative concentration and achievement. When we successfully practice patience, we will gain the greatest good fortune.
Second, be patient with variations of the natural elements, hot and cold, summer and winter, hunger and thirst, as well as natural disasters.
Third, be patient in the arduous course of our practice. Before we attain the joy of cultivation and our cultivation becomes strong, we will encounter many obstacles. However, once we get through this phase, we will attain happiness.
After the sixth Patriarch of Zen, Master Huineng, became enlightened, circumstances found him acting as an attendant to a group of hunters. Daily, he witnessed their hunting and killing. He served meat and cared for them. The hunters were his masters; he was their servant. He did this for not just a short time, but for fifteen years.
Could we have endured this? He not only endured, but was contented and did not have any wandering thoughts, discriminations, or attachments. These were fifteen years of true cultivation. He reached enlightenment when he was in Huangmei, in the southern part of China. Whether under favorable or adverse circumstances, he cultivated his mind of purity, equality, great compassion, and loving-kindness. There is nothing more important to our cultivation than these four virtues, and these were what he practiced.
Four kinds of karmic links exist between children and parents. The first is to repay kindness. In past lifetimes, they had a good and happy relationship with one another. The children come to repay kindness, so they are very filial.
The second is to exact revenge. The children are karmic debtors from past lifetimes. They are usually wastrels. When they grow up, they will cause the families ruin.
The third is to collect debt. It all depends on how much the parents had owed the children. If the parents did not owe much [previously], the children will die young. If the parents owed the children a lot, the parents will spend a lot of money on the children's education and take very good care of them, and the children will suddenly die when they are adults.
The fourth is to repay debt. The children owed the parents in past lifetimes. When the amount is a lot, the children will look after their parents very attentively.
If the children's debt is little, they will take care of their parents just enough to ensure that their parents lack nothing. But there is no respect for their parents--the children only take care of their physical needs.
When these four kinds of karmic links exist between people, they will become family. People will become relatives or friends when the karmic link is weaker. When the link is stronger, people will become family.
A student once asked me, "I am confused by so many methods. Which one do you think I should choose?"
At the time, there happened to be a ball on the ground, which I pointed to and said, "Look at this ball. The surface has points countless as the number of methods. The teachings require you to find the center of the ball. You can reach it from any point on the surface as long as you follow a straight line. You need not find a second or a third point for as an old saying goes, "Follow the road and you will get home. There is no need to circle around.'"
He then understood that Buddhism pursues the true mind. Once we attain enlightenment, we attain everything. Therefore, no matter which method we choose, the key to success is concentration on one method. So long as we adhere to our chosen method, we will achieve deep concentration, attain wisdom, and uncover the True Nature of Great Perfection.
How does one show by example? By practicing according to the teachings. If we teach people to act one way but we ourselves act another way and do not practice what we teach, then those who listen to us may not believe our words. For example, if I tell you to mindfully chant the Buddha-name and I do not do so myself, would you believe my words? You would not.
One must practice what one teaches. This is "show by example." One is not putting on a show; one understands the teachings and principles in the sutras and actually practices them fully. One does what the Buddha teaches one to do and does not do what the Buddha teaches not to do.
It is a wandering thought to hope for an early harvest of rewards for our goodness, for such thinking can create obstacles. We are only to ask about the cultivation, not the harvest. As long as we diligently cultivate, the harvest will naturally follow, why bother to constantly seek it? This is the true way of cultivation: to not seek anything. Just concentrate on ending improper behavior and cultivating goodness; eventually, we will obtain whatever we desire.
When we seek, our gains are limited, for most likely we will only receive what we request, as our cultivation of virtues is not in accordance with our virtuous natures. Without seeking, everything is a manifestation of and in accordance with our virtuous natures.
There are two approaches in learning Buddhism. The first is practice--here one starts with cultivating a pure mind. The other is understanding--here one studies the teachings. Which approach is more advantageous? Practice.
As long as one has a pure mind, it does not matter that one has no knowledge of Buddhism. If one eradicates affliction, then the mind is pure and the Buddha Land will also be pure. One will be able to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
If we wish to attain wealth, we practice the giving of wealth. To attain intelligence and wisdom, we practice the giving of teaching. To attain health and longevity, we practice the giving of fearlessness. This is the correct way to change our destinies. By following the right principles and methods, we can even attain Supreme Enlightenment much less worldly enjoyment and happiness.
It is said, "A sheep dies and is reborn a human; a human dies and is reborn a sheep." In this life you are the human and you are stronger than the sheep; you kill and eat it. In the next life, the sheep becomes the human and you become the sheep; he will kill and eat you. Each one, in turn, pays back. This is "alternately harming and killing one another." Such agony!
The weak being the prey of the strong is an abnormal phenomenon. It is a malicious relationship--one of continual reprisals. In addition, when one takes revenge, one will not do it in the exact amount--one will overdo it a little. Therefore, the enmity will continue lifetime after lifetime without end and will never be resolved. The retributions will become more and more terrible.
All Buddhas symbolize our virtuous nature. All Bodhisattvas and Arhats symbolize the virtue of practice. Without the virtue of practice, the innate virtuous nature cannot be revealed. This complementary relationship is why the Buddha table includes both Buddha and Bodhisattva images. The Buddha represent original nature and the Bodhisattvas represent the application of this nature and form. The original nature is empty, as it has no set form. All creations or form arise from this original nature, and once there is form, there is application.
To know our faults daily is to awaken daily. Once we discover a fault, we sincerely correct it; this is how we will build our strength of cultivation. We need not do much. if we were to find and correct one fault a day then we would become a sage or virtuous person in three years.
We understand the truth, so we should feel empathy for all beings--we should love them, not harm them. What is the cause of wars in this world? The Buddha told us that it is killing. Therefore, if wars are to end forever, beings should not eat meat.
The Vimalakirti Sutra tells us that "a sincere heart is a cultivation place, a pure heart is a cultivation place, and a compassionate heart is a cultivation place." A proper cultivation place is within our hearts. When our hearts are on the path to enlightenment then no matter where we are, there will always be a place for cultivation.
N a m o A m i t a b h a B u d d h a