Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Diligence Eliminates Suffering (悲佛涅槃 精勤斷苦)
Date: February.12.2019
“By always keeping patience in our thoughts, we can tame our minds so evil will not arise. When we are harmonious among people, we will cease to have disputes. When we encounter suffering, we will be able to be as enduring as the earth. The right path can eliminate all deviance and eradicate all greed, anger and delusion.”
We must be mindful! As we engage in spiritual practice, we must take the Buddha-Dharma to heart. As we take the Buddha-Dharma to heart, we must actualize it by putting it into practice. While we are in the world, we must go among people. So, as we learn the Buddha-Dharma’s principles, we must use these principles as we go among people. However, when we go among people, according to the Buddha’s teachings, we must “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions.” As we learn the Buddha-Dharma, we are learning tools for dealing with people and handling matters. Because we are in this world and live as humans in this world, we must find a way of life that enables us to eliminate suffering from the world. The world’s suffering is brought about by more than just one individual. This suffering is formed by a combination of worldly matters. Without these worldly matters, how would suffering come about?
Indeed, the source of suffering is a mind that gives rise to discursive thoughts. We give rise to discursive thoughts due to the people, matters and objects that surround us. This is how it has always been; all three play a part. There are people, matters and objects. The convergence of people, matters and objects is what brings about our suffering. People, matters and objects lead us to create karma. The Buddha’s principles teach us how to face this world. It is best to teach people before they create karma that creating karma leads to retributions. If we clearly understand the principles, we will stop creating karma. However, if we have already created karma, how do we eliminate it? We must use the methods of spiritual practice. This is how we eliminate afflictions and ignorance. We must clearly understand these principles. We must “seek the path to Buddhahood and transform sentient beings,” so we must listen to the Dharma and seek to clearly understand it. Once we understand it clearly, we must go among people. As we go among people, we should tell everyone, “Give rise to goodness that has not arisen. Nurture any goodness that has already arisen. Prevent evil that has not arisen from arising. Eliminate evil that has already arisen.” These are the principles that the Buddha taught us.
Some people have already done evil deeds, so we must quickly tell them to eliminate [evil]. For those who have yet to do evil deeds, we must tell them, “Do not create such evil.” We must teach them the principles and encourage them to do good deeds. “I do! I am doing good deeds! That’s great! Now let’s keep creating blessings for people and deepen our understanding of the principles.” If they have yet to do good deeds, we must quickly help them succeed and guide them to find ways to do good deeds, go among people to form good affinities and understand the principles of the Buddha-Dharma. This is how we go among people to spread the Dharma among them. As we go among people to spread [the Dharma], we must train ourselves in [upholding] the precepts.
Among people, there will inevitably be a multiplicity of views and perspectives. Thus, as we engage in spiritual practice, if we do not take care to uphold our aspirations, we will be easily influenced. Also, the world is full of differing opinions; if we do not earnestly keep patience in mind, we will be unable to find happiness in this world. We go among people and then we leave. Among people, it is noisy and crowded; when we leave them, it is very quiet and tranquil.
In the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, we also discussed this. We must learn how to be patient so that when we go among people in noisy places, they will not influence our mind, and when we are alone, we will not feel that we are lonely. We need to always uphold a tranquil and steady state of mind. We gain this skill through spiritual practice; this skill is expressed by the word “patience”. How do we uphold the precepts? How do we learn to be patient? We are willing to practice giving, so we must abide by the rules. We are willing to give to others, so as we go among people, we must be able to have patience. This is the only way that we will be able to advance diligently step by step. As we go among people, our minds will not be influenced by material desires nor swayed by interpersonal conflicts.
Naturally, our minds will be focused and we will attain Samadhi. We will not be affected by our surroundings. If we can do this, naturally, our wisdom will grow. This is known as “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions.” This word, “patience,” is very important to us. So, we must “keep patience in our thoughts.” Patience lies at the center of the Six Paramitas. So, we must be patient. Patience is all about our mindset. We must have patience in our every thought. Then, “We can tame our minds so evil will not arise.” With patience, we will be capable of diligence. We will “refrain from all evil and do all that is good.” We will not commit evil deeds; we will uphold thoughts of goodness.
For this, we need to have patience. We must patiently withstand the temptation of the material desires around us. We must patiently withstand the threat of interpersonal conflicts. So, we need this word, “patience.” This is very important. We must have patience so that we can “tame our minds so evil will not arise,” so our aspirations will not be influenced and our wisdom-life will not be damaged. Then, we will naturally be able to protect them. So, “When we are harmonious among people, we will cease to have disputes.” Among people, in our relationships, we will have no disputes. This means we will not take issue over things. We do not need to argue about my strengths and your shortcomings. There is no need for that. We will be able to be happy every day and live our days in peace. When among people, we will not let them influence us. So, “When we encounter suffering, we will be able to be as enduring as the earth.” No matter what kind of conditions we encounter in the world, we will be able to endure them peacefully. This is like how the earth continues to endure, come wind or come rain. When the wind and rain come, though the wind may damage things above land, the earth itself will still be safe and sound. Though floods will come, the waters will recede, and that same earth will be there as always. There will also be raging fires that burn everything to cinders, but after it is all cleared away, the earth will still remain. Even after an earthquake, when mountains collapse and the ground cracks, this great earth will remain as always. Earth has always had its mountains and rivers. The sea turns into land and the land into sea; things have always been [changing] like this. This all takes place upon the earth; even the ocean [rests upon] this earth. In short, we must understand that the earth remains constant, and that all things, whether high or low, are inseparable from this great earth.
The earth is for all the world’s creatures. It contains the myriad things of the world. No matter what conditions arise, the earth can still adapt to them, accommodating all conditions. So, “When we encounter suffering, we will be able to be as enduring as the earth.” In this world, we always need to be able to adapt to environmental conditions. However, we must be steadfast, [like] the constant and all-encompassing [earth], never deviating from its principles. Thus, “The right path can eliminate all deviance.” As long as we walk the right path, we can eliminate all deviance and evil. With the right principles, no matter what kind of deviant evil [emerges], so login as we are right, we will be able to rectify any deviant paths. We will be able to set them right. So, we must work hard to use right mindfulness. With the right path and right mindfulness, naturally, we will be able to avoid deviance.
Deviance is poison. We must walk the right path. We must not deviate in the slightest. So, we must walk the right path and avoid deviance. Look at the good doctor, the Great Medicine-King, [who comes to heal] the sick world. The Buddha does this because people’s minds and the world are sick. In response to the disharmony in the world, He comes to this world to teach everyone to focus their minds on the right principles and put them into practice. This is the Buddha’s one great cause for coming to this world. He guides us to advance along the right path and avoid all deviant paths.
This is where we must be mindful. In this way, we can “eradicate all greed, anger and delusion.” If we have the right path in mind, we can eradicate all greed, anger and delusion. There are so many traps in this world. There are traps everywhere. If we keep the right views and wisdom in mind, we will know how to open up the right path and avoid these traps to safely arrive in the right direction. So, we must be mindful and use love to cultivate the land of this human world. I hope that we can safely arrive in our direction. This is very important.
If our minds deviates, we must quickly rectify ourselves with the Dharma. The same is true with our bodies. When our bodies are sick, we must quickly take medicine to bring them back into balance. The principle is the same. So, in this sutra passage that we discussed previously, there is an excellent doctor. He is a father with many children in his family. He is able to heal the illnesses of many people. However, when it comes to his own children, when he makes medicine for them, they do not understand why they need to take it. The father does his best to make good medicine for them, but for people who are not determined, they do not want to put the medicine to good use. They are dependent on their father’s presence. So, the father is said to use all kinds of methods. He prepares the good medicine and leaves it at home, telling his children, “I still have some work to do, so I must leave! I have grown old now. I might not have much time left at all. I will leave the medicine here for you. Now I have some work to do, so I must leave. Remember to take the medicine. Out of compassion, their father reminds and instructs them [to take the medicine], and then he leaves. Once he leaves, he asks someone to give a message to his children. They tell [his children], “Your father has passed away in another place. This is the method he uses; he actually gets someone to go to their home and tell his children, “Your father has passed away in another place”. When his children hear this, they feel remorseful and grieved. Because of this, they begin to awaken. This is an analogy. This is the nature of sentient beings. When the Buddha was in the world, they did not know they ought to cherish Him. Over 2000 years ago, there were many different religious teachings. In that era, the Buddha taught the Dharma in the world. Some admired the Buddha-Dharma and took refuge in the Buddha-Dharma, following the Buddha’s teachings to engage in spiritual practice.
However, there was still a large group of people who tried whatever they could to destroy the Buddha-Dharma. They not only refused to listen to the Dharma, they also refused to follow the Buddha’s teachings. They even tried to destroy the Buddha-Dharma. This began in the Buddha’s era. Even in the Buddha’s Sangha, there were disciples who did not abide by the rules, like Devadatta. He defied the Buddha and opposed Him, and He even tried to hurt the Buddha. He even incited the Sangha [to join him]. Some people followed Devadatta. Some people followed Devadatta to try to destroy the Buddha’s Sangha; there really were people like this! So, when the Buddha was in the world, even in that era, the Buddha-Dharma suffered so many setbacks and there was so much ignorance. Even in the Buddha’s Sangha, there were adverse conditions all around. When the Buddha was in the world, He experienced so many adverse conditions. This is to say nothing of our present era of Dharma-degeneration. So, we must understand, in this evil age of turbidities, just how wondrous the Buddha’s principles are. We must faithfully accept them and practice them. The Buddha-Dharma is like a medicine prescribed by a renowned doctor. This medicine has been passed down until today. This is the good medicine for healing the world; we should make good use of it to help our wisdom-life grow. We must have this mission.
Indeed, the world is a matter of perspective. People, matters and objects make up the universe in macrocosm and microcosm, and they are all sick. How can we go on like this, living our lives in confusion and ignorance, without any control over this [whereabouts] in this and coming lifetimes? Will we just keep cycling through suffering and causation like this? We must seek the way to the cessation of suffering. The way to the cessation of suffering is this medicine, this wondrous spiritual medicine. We must diligently advance, refining this medicine according to the Dharma. We have a mission to pass this medicine down throughout generation after generation. This is our missions. So, how do we seek the cessation of suffering? We must engage in spiritual practice on the path. If we do not put the Dharma into practice, if we do not earnestly refine our thinking and perspectives, how will we ever find a way to overcome [obstacles] among [worldly] matters? How will we ever be a role model to guide others? We must be diligent ourselves. We must have diligence and patience; we need to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions.
Let us earnestly review the last sutra passage and contemplate it once more. So, the previous sutra passage says, “After giving these instructions, he then goes to another land”.
After giving these instructions, he then goes to another land. He sends a messenger back to announce, “Your father is dead”. When the sons all hear that their father has departed, their hearts are greatly troubled, and they give rise to these thoughts, “If our father were alive, he would have compassion for us all, and he could save and protect us. Now he has abandoned us and died fare away in another land”.
This doctor has made wonderful medicine, which he imparts to his children before he leaves. So, he gives these instructions to his children. Thus, it says, “he gives these instructions…”. He instructs them, “if you have this illness, you really must take this medicine”. He teaches them about the medicine. “Here is the medicine I made. If you have this illness, take this medicine”. This is how he instructs them. After instructing them, “he then goes to another land”. He starts to leave his home for another land. All throughout this process, he transforms sentient beings without rest and saves people without rest. “The children in this house are sick, so I have given them medicine. There are sick people in other places too, so, being a doctor, I must go to others places to treat these people”. He has other duties to attend to, so “he then goes to another land”. He has to go elsewhere. After he leaves, “he sends a messenger back”. He instructs someone, “Tell my sons that their father has died in another land”.
So, [the messenger announces], “Your father is dead. When all the sons hear that their father has departed…”. “Departed” here means that he has left. He has left their home and departed from this life to another land. Thus, “Their hearts are greatly troubled, and they give rise to these thoughts. ‘If our father were alive, he would have compassion for us all. Our father would definitely cherish us. He has always cherished us like this. Whenever we were sick, he would always find us a cure’. He could save and protect us. “henever we got sick, father would save and protect us. Now he has abandoned us and died far away in another land. Now, father has left us for another land, and he is never coming back”. The children’s hearts yearn [for their father], and they give rise to longing.
At this point, the sutra passage goes on to state, “They feel that they are orphans with no one to rely on. They harbor constant grief, and thus their minds awaken. Only then do they realize that this medicine is wonderful in form, flavor and fragrance. They take it immediately, and their aliments from the poison are fully cured.”
We must seek to clearly understand this passage. They begin to yearn for their father. “The sons grieve the loss of their father’s love.” Now, their father has passed away. They know how much their father loved them.
The sons grieve the loss of their father’s love, and they have no one to rely on. Thereupon, their minds awaken, and they remember the wondrous medicine he has left behind. They take it, and their aliments are cured. This represents how sentient beings, grieving the Buddha’s passage into Parinirvana, rouse and motivate themselves to courageously and diligently engage in spiritual practice to eliminate all illness and suffering.
Only when people pass away do we understand that we must cherish them. These children are the same. Now, they finally understand that their father will never be coming back. Their heart is full of grief and pain. They grieve that their father will never return. “We have lost our father’s love forever.” We have lost our loving father. Now we will have no one to rely on. We have no one we can rely on or depend upon. “Father used to be such a good doctor.” Whenever we were in poor health, father would come and take care of us. Now, we have no one.” Because of this, thereupon, their minds awaken. Throughout this process, they begin to awaken. “Our father loved us so much.
Now, we have no father. We need to stand on our own two feet. We cannot rely on others anymore. Since we have no one to rely on now, we must take care of our own health.” This is just like how we must grow our own wisdom. We all intrinsically possess the Tathagata-nature. We all have this pure, intrinsic nature. We should work hard to cultivate our pure nature. So, at this time, they begin to awaken and they remember the wondrous medicine he has left behind. By now, they realize they must take the medicine right away. We must earnestly [study] the Buddha-Dharma. Like the sick [children] who realize they must take their medicine right away, we need to start seeking wisdom right now; we must immediately seek the wondrous medicine to nourish our wisdom. They remember the medicine their father has left. Where is it?
Where is the Buddha-Dharma, exactly? We must quickly find it and make good use of it. When we find the medicine, we must quickly take it. As spiritual practitioners, we must diligently seek our the direction of spiritual practice. So, this is an analogy for sentient beings. The Buddha is no longer in the world, so we must remind ourselves to be vigilant. More than 2000 years ago, the Buddha manifested entering Parinirvana. The Buddha is no longer in the world, but the Buddha-Dharma still remains here. We must quickly rouse and motivate ourselves and remind ourselves to be vigilant. We must be the source of our own motivation. “We must courageously and diligently engage in spiritual practice”. Now, we must take care of our own wisdom-life. Spiritual practice merely opens the door for us. There was a saying in the past that “Teachers guide us to the door, but the practice is up to us”. We all must “rouse and motivate” ourselves. We must be vigilant, we must be the source of our own motivation. We must courageously and diligently engage in spiritual practice. We must earnestly accept the Dharma and put it into practice among people. We must cherish our time.
Then, we will naturally be able to understand suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. What is “suffering?” We already know this. We have understood suffering for a long time now. We also know that the source of suffering is causation the source of suffering is causation. We continuously accumulate karmic forces throughout lifetime after lifetime. In this way, without any control of our own, we were brought into this life. Since we understand this in this lifetime, we must immediately make use of the Dharma during the time that we have. Other than the present, we cannot go back to the past, and we do not know the direction of our future. We must quickly make the most of the time we have. So, we must immediately work to eliminate illness and suffering. We must eliminate all of our afflictions now and quickly make use of the Dharma. We must sincerely adhere to it. We often say, “Once we learn a good thing, we must sincerely adhere to it”. When we hear these good things and these practical teachings today, we must quickly apply them among people. This is how we make the Dharma our own and put it to use. When people are kind to us and teach us something in this way, this is their [teaching], When people hear this virtuous teaching, they should apply it to themselves in order to help others. In this way, everything we do will be a teaching. This is the True Dharma. The Buddha teaches the Dharma for us to apply toward ourselves. So, we must always be mindful.
“They feel that they are orphans with no one to rely on.” This means, “They feel that their body and mind have no place to take refuge.”
They feel that they are orphans with no one to rely on: They feel that their body and mind have no place to take refuge. They are orphans with no one to rely on and no one to help them. Since their compassionate father has died, they no longer have a father to rely on.
“Our father is no longer here, so we have no one to rely on”. The Buddha has already left this world, but the Dharma remains in the world. Who should we depend on? There is no Buddha in the world for us to rely on! So, we are truly alone. However, we must work hard to make use of the Dharma around us. Otherwise, we will be alone forever, helpless, with no one to rely on. If we fail to apply the Dharma toward ourselves and we remain surrounded by life’s illusions, what else can serve as our wisdom-life’s companion? If we are not careful in life, we might create negative karma. What is most important is our wisdom-life. What is available to us that can truly help us grow our wisdom-life? If we do not earnestly accept the Buddha-Dharma, how will we ever grow our wisdom-life? Our wisdom-life will be truly orphaned and alone. We must earnestly accept and apply the Dharma and take in all the teachings the Buddha left behind. The Buddha is no longer in the world, so if we do not apply the Dharma or take it to heart, we will be truly alone, wasting our lives away. In this lifetime, we will also accumulate all kinds of suffering which we will then bring into our future lifetimes. So, we must earnestly remind ourselves to be vigilant. So, “They harbor constant grief, and thus their minds awaken”. Now is the time when we need to awaken.
They harbor constant grief, and thus their minds awaken: Due to the death of their father, they harbor constant grief. They keep remembering their father’s virtues. Deeply moved, their minds awaken. “Due to the death of their father, they harbor constant grief”.
At all times, we must keep the Buddha in our hearts. Although the Enlightened One left us over 2000 years ago, we still yearn for the Buddha in the same way, as if He only left us a short while ago. The Buddha’s teachings are right here with us. We must have this kind of mindset. Only in this way will our minds gradually awaken. Once we begin to awaken, our minds will become clear and awake. Although the Buddha is no longer in the world, we are awake now, so we must earnestly accept and make use of [the Dharma]. “Only then do they realize that this medicine is wonderful in form, flavor and fragrance. They take it immediately, and their ailments from the poison are fully cured”.
Only then do they realize that this medicine is wonderful in form, flavor and fragrance. They take it immediately, and their ailments from the poison are fully cured: Thus, they gradually come to awaken. Only then do they realize that this medicine is wonderful in form, flavor and fragrance. This is an analogy for the wondrousness of the Buddha-Dharma and the depth and profundity of the principles. If people can practice according to the teachings, they can put an end to all karma of afflictions. [The children] take it immediately, and their ailments from the poison are fully cured.
Now we understand. We have gradually come to realize that this medicine if perfect in form, flavor and fragrance. We should take it joyfully. This is an analogy for the wondrousness of Buddha-Dharma and the depth and profundity of the principles. “If [we] can practice according to the teachings, [we] can put an end to all karma of afflictions”. We can eliminate all karma of afflictions as long as we practice according to the teachings. As we go among people, we will not be disturbed by others or tempted by material things. We will naturally be able to eliminate afflictions. Our karma will no longer increase, and we will be able to eliminate karmic obstacles. “They take it immediately, and their ailments from the poison are fully cured”. If we earnestly take our medicine, naturally, our ailments will disappear. If we earnestly make use of the Dharma, our afflictions will slowly be eliminated. We must be mindful.
Fortunately, the wondrous medicine to heal the world is everlasting. After the Tathagata entered Parinirvana, sentient beings would awaken and take the medicine of spiritual practice. With these causes and conditions, they would be able to transform sentient beings in the future. In [the Sutra of] Bequeathed Teachings, [the Buddha] says, “For those who have yet to be transformed, I have already created the causes and conditions for their future transformation.”
“Fortunately, the wondrous medicine to heal the world is everlasting”. Fortunately, this wondrous medicine will always remain in the world. This is because the principles are everlasting. The Buddha has already explained them for us and taught them to us. The principles will forever remain in the world. “After the Tathagata entered Parinirvana, sentient beings would awaken.” After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, it would be time for sentient beings to awaken and “take the medicine of spiritual practice”. Earnestly taking medicine is like accepting the Dharma and engaging in spiritual practice. We must practice according to the teachings. “With these causes and conditions,” if we practice this, in future lifetimes, we will never lose the Dharma. We are cultivating the Dharma in our consciousness. We are “turning consciousness into wisdom”. We are turning consciousness into wisdom. This Dharma is already pure; these are pure teachings. The pure Dharma is wisdom. We are taking in all the knowledge in the world and turning it into wisdom. So, taking medicine is just like engaging in spiritual practice. “With these causes and conditions,” with this wisdom, we will know our direction in our lives to come, we will encounter good affinities and we will perfect our spiritual cultivation. “[We will] be able to transform sentient beings in the future”. We will to transform sentient beings in the future. In this lifetime, we are “transforming consciousness into wisdom”. We do this with the experience we gain from being among people without letting them influence us. This helps us grow in wisdom. “Afflictions are Bodhi” Transforming afflictions is Bodhi. Transforming consciousness is wisdom. In this lifetime, we must accumulate the experiences of “turning afflictions to Bodhi” and “turning consciousness into wisdom” so that in future lifetime, we will have the opportunities for transformation. According to these causes and conditions, we will be able to have good opportunities to transform sentient beings. This should bring us great joy. Having such causes and conditions is “the practice of bringing peace and joy.” As long as we are able to be patient and are willing to be diligent, we are engaging in “the practice of bringing peace and joy” in this lifetime. So, in the Sutra of Bequeathed Teachings, there is a passage where [the Buddha] says, “For those who have yet to be transformed, I have already created the causes and conditions for their future transformation.”
At this time, we must work hard to create the causes and conditions for our future transformation. We must form good affinities with our fellow practitioners. We hope that our affinities with others will last into future lifetimes so that we can transform them. This is how karmic conditions connect us. We must always put our heart into practicing this.
“When the father hears that all his sons have recovered, he soon returns home and allows them to see him.”
This is what the sutra passage says; the father hears that his sons have begun to take the medicine. They have realized they must take the medicine. He hears that they are already slowly recovering. There is hope that his sons will be saved. As causes and conditions come to fruition, the father rejoices in hearing this, so he returns home once again. This is just like the Buddha. He returns to the world in the same way.
When the father hears that all his sons have recovered…: This represents how the Buddha will benefit all beings in the future.
Although the Buddha claimed He would enter Parinirvana, He never actually did this. When He claimed He would enter Parinirvana, this was just for the benefit of sentient beings. He used these skillful means to admonish everyone, helping them to understand by saying, “You all must be diligent now I prescribed this medicine for you, but I have grown old. When I leave this time, you must take the medicine when you get sick.” He left this medicine for us. The Buddha left us these causes and conditions for future transformation. So, if the Buddha had remained in the world for a long time, we would be just like the sons in that family. If our father never left home, we would grow dependent on him. If our father left and said that he had died, we would realize that we ought to love and cherish him. We would be able to respect our father and realize what a good father he is. Only then would we realize we ought to cherish the medicine he prescribed for us and realize we should take it. Once we clearly understand that our father is a brilliant doctor, naturally, when we get sick, we will think about how good his medicine is, and we will take it. This is why the Buddha claimed. He would “enter Parinirvana.” This was actually a form of skillful means that He devised for sentient beings to get them to think that the Buddha is no longer in the world. The Buddha-Dharma is very precious and its principles are subtle, wondrous and profound. We must mindfully seek to comprehend them. We must take these principles to heart so that we can comprehend and awaken to them and bear witness to the Buddha’s teachings. We must put effort into comprehending them. So, in daily life, we must never forget that we need to seek the Buddha-Dharma as Buddhist practitioners. The Buddha-Dharma teaches us to practice according to the teachings. Since the Buddha cares for this world, His one great cause is to teach people to walk the Bodhisattva-path. Since we walk the Bodhisattva-path, we must actualize the Six Paramitas in the world, constantly making use of them. What this world needs most is patience and diligence. We must make use of them every day, so we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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