20180908自度度他入人群Recruiting Bodhisattvas to Pass on the Buddha’s Dharma
The Buddha teaches us about the world’s impermanence, suffering, and emptiness. So much suffering is due to impermanence of life. The impermanence of life takes place in an instant; no one knows what event will take place in which instant. In life, there are many things we don’t know.
What about the Buddha? He had experienced many events, so he could tell us about a time long ago, describe the world back then, and give us guidance. The Dharma is the principles of the world experienced by Shakyamuni Buddha.
The Buddha brought out such principles hidden within the world, and explained them to us one by one. This is to let us know about the principles, so we’d know how to figure our various paths, and we’d know where would we end up if we travel down certain paths.
We believe this is the right path, so we follow it. When the path is right, we are to follow it. In the past, we’ve look for many different paths.
But, in the end, we still think that this path of learning the Dharma and helping all living beings, the path to benefit all living being, and the path of doing recycling are the paths for us to walk on. Therefore, we are set on them.
When our business failed, for six years, we visited temples all over the place; I even prayed to tombs. I just thought… I was hoping, I hope for a chance to start anew. I think I’m not the only one who does this. I thank many people have done the same.
But, after I encountered Tzu Chi, I learned that, it is hard when we have expectations, we still need to take actions. We need to sow blessings by physically doing good. Only be serving will here be blessings. It’s like a savings account at the bank; if you did not deposit any money, it’s impossible for you to withdraw any money.
We should truly understand principles taught by the Buddha and connect to our Buddha nature. We should try to bring forth our Buddha nature and get to know it as much as we can.
How much Buddha nature can we know depends on how much ignorance and afflictions in our consciousness we can get rid of. We have to keep on cleaning out our afflictions and ignorance.
The Buddha analyzed for us and guided us to transform unwholesome seeds into wholesome seeds in our consciousness. He taught us how to transform unwholesome karma into wholesome karmic affinities.
The Buddha used his wisdom to see what kind of karmic seeds living beings have and guided them to transform their unwholesome tendencies into wholesome ones so that they can form good affinities with others and help themselves as well as others. To do this, one must go amongst people to understand principles.
In working with people, one learns principles through dealing with matters. This is very important. This is the way for us to cultivate. The Buddha is recruiting people who can spread the Dharma. He is also recruiting bodhisattvas. We are the ones the Buddha has recruited. So, we must have a sense of mission.
We are at the stage of learning the Buddha’s knowledge and views. His wisdom is deep, how can people fully comprehend it? We need to encourage one another to learn it. We have been recruited by the Buddha. So, we need to learn his teachings, get in contact with people, and help those in need.
We have to constantly learn the Dharma, try to understand it, analyze it, and share it with people. This requires patience and a long time. A person who can do this is the one recruited by the Buddha to pass on his Dharma.
We must keep on learning the Dharma in order to understand his knowledge and views. We have to listen to Dharma talks again and again.
Not only do we listen to Dharma talks ourselves, we need to encourage others to do the same. After we listen to the teachings, we put them into practice, and then guide others to listen to the teachings and practice them.
One should copy and write the sutra verses and have others to do the same. In ancient times, written text was an important mean for people to get access to sutras. Even nowadays, when spreading the Dharma, we would introduce sutras to people and encourage them to read and copy the sutra verses.
When attending my dharma talks, how many people are there talking notes? For those who take notes in the talks, you should review your old notes and take notes on the latest teachings.
And, you realize that the notes you have taken will become the essence of your life, because the teachings you have learned give you insights that have become part of your experience and stay in your mind. These insights truly become part of your experiences.
While talking notes, you gain insights from the teachings. One day, when you share your notes with others, you can elicit many insights of yours about the Dharma and share them with others. Note-taking helps us to remember the Dharma. All the notes we have taken become part of our life experiences.
Therefore, we must be mindful about this. We should know that sutras are treasures. We should cherish and protect them because the teachings in sutras can help people and the world.
The Dharma is like water, it can help rinse off all defilements from our hearts, particularly in our world of turbidities when most people are lost in delusion of wants and desires. Our world truly needs the Dharma.
That is why we must spread the Dharma and protect sutras. The sutras contain the Dharma which is the Dharma-body of the Buddha. We must be mindful about this. How do we go amongst people and help them? Although we are still moving forward and have yet reached our goal, we have always walked on this path.
I believe that as long as we keep on moving forward, we will eventually reach the destination despite its distance; as long as we are mindful at all times.
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