Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: A Focused Mind Is in Harmony with the Principles (心專會理 勤行精進)
Date: March.09.2019
“To be free of discursive thoughts is known as focused diligence. To engage in uninterrupted practice is known as advancing. We must focus our minds on practicing in harmony with the principles to ensure we will not deviate toward interruptions and distractions. When we do this, we can be said to be advancing diligently. In all that we learn, if we can uphold our practice with focused diligence, then we will fulfill all our aspirations.”
We must be mindful. We must mindfully listen and recall [what we have heard]. A sutra is very long. As we discuss it daily, we must listen to it every day and constantly remember it, storing it in our minds. If we can listen every day and implement the teachings in our everyday lives, this is uniting matters and principles. When we live immersed in the stream of the Dharma and every day we are nourished with the Buddha-Dharma, we will not forget what we have heard. Then, the Buddha-Dharma always remains bright and clear [in our minds]. Being mindful and “free of discursive thoughts is known as focused diligence.” To “focus” is to bring everything together. A few days ago, we also talked about how we must “gather our spirit”. We must mindfully remember to be focused, pure and free of discursive thoughts. So, we have no discursive thoughts when we are listening to the Buddha-Dharma. “The Dharma is like water”; it can eliminate our discursive thoughts. We can eliminate all ignorance and afflictions by applying the Dharma. Every day, afflictions come to disturb our lives. Because we listen to the Dharma, we can sweep away all disturbing matters. Then, what we gather is essential wisdom. So, we must listen to the Dharma with a focused mind, eliminate ignorance and store the pure [Dharma] in our memory. This requires us to put [the Dharma] into practice. After we listen to [the Dharma], it remains in our daily lives. This is “engaging in uninterrupted practice, [which] is known as advancing.” We listen to the Dharma so that we can implement it in our daily living and use it in our interpersonal relationships. The mistake we made yesterday cannot be repeated today. We must be mindful of this. “We must focus our minds on practicing in harmony with the principles.” We must focus our minds on converging with the principles. We need to be in harmony with the principles, unite matters with principles to implement [the teachings] in our daily living. In this way, we “ensure that we do not deviate toward interruptions and distractions.” With the Dharma we hear today, we must begin today as we go among people to experience it and put it into practice. We should look back to the past and learn about the methods others have used. Our place of practice is a spiritual training ground for Bodhisattvas. We have our own practice and others have theirs. Others practice on the Bodhisattva-path, and we as well, in our spiritual practice, vow to transform all sentient beings as we spread the Bodhisattva-practice throughout this world. We vow to transform infinite sentient beings; is this vow in harmony with our practice? We must constantly and mindfully listen, to hear from fellow practitioners who share the same vows and practice to learn about what they do in this world. Hearing from them, we can apply what we learn. Not only must we learn from them, we must also praise them.
Look at our newly-inspired Bodhisattvas who have started their certification training. The first batch of trainees (in 2018), people from the eastern region, from Yilan, Hualien, Taitung and so on, has all gathered together. These trainees are led by experienced volunteers. What kind of experiences do they have? They share what they have done in the past, the essence of the people, matters and things [that they have encountered], with these newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. They share their understanding, knowledge, and practice; what they know and comprehend and their realizations from putting [the Dharma] into practice with everyone in this way. If we listen [to them], [we hear how] they are accompanying [new volunteers] there. These practitioners have made vows to go all over to accompany these Bodhisattvas. No matter the different places we go to, the understanding, knowledge and practice are the same on the Bodhisattva-path, so the Bodhisattva-path is everywhere. Because Bodhisattvas “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions,” they do home visits in different places. They are visiting so many families, countless families that experience countless forms of suffering. How do these experienced Bodhisattvas visit them? How do they lead activities in the community? What do they know about the community? What actions do they take to deal with issues?[These volunteers] shared the essence gathered from [their experiences] with everyone. Although when everyone talks about the Six Paramitas, they all have their different direction, they all come back to walking the same Bodhisattva-path. So, this is “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions.” Yet, they never deviate from this path. We must unite principles and matters. In this way, we are “focusing our minds on practicing in harmony with the principles.” Every region is different, but they have the same vows, to practicing the Bodhisattva-path. They do not just talk about it, their actions must also be in accord with this. So, we “ensure we will not deviate toward interruptions and distractions.” We go forward with every step, not straying from the path; this is “advancing diligently.” So, “In all that we learn, if we can uphold our practice with focused diligence, then we will fulfill all our aspirations.” Everyone must be very mindful; this is how we walk the Bodhisattva-path. No matter how far or long the path is, we must put our mind into this.
It is just like the Tzu Chi volunteers in Myanmar who came for the Jing Si Lifestyle Camp (in 2018.) When I saw them, I asked, “How is the situation in Myanmar now?” Several years have passed, so I hoped that they could give a brief report. As of this year (2018), Tzu Chi has been in Myanmar for ten years. Time truly went by quickly; it has been ten years. Thinking back about those past ten years, my thoughts quickly flashed back to ten years ago. Ten years ago (in 2008), there was a typhoon that devastated the whole region near Yangon of Myanmar. How could we send aid to them? We did not have [Tzu Chi volunteers] there. How could we help them? Back then, our disaster relief efforts in Sri Lanka had not yet concluded. There were many volunteers out in the field. So, during that period of time, we were desperate to find a way to help Myanmar. Taiwan did not have diplomatic relations with them and we were not familiar with that place. So, we thought, where is a place closer to them? We thought of Malaysia. We spread out the map. Malaysia is fairly close. Singapore is also fairly close. Of these two countries, which place would be able to give support? It happened that in Sri Lanka, our construction project was near its end and we were wrapping it up. The two young people we had dispatched there were also preparing to return to Taiwan. So, we quickly contacted them. “You two, change your flight and go to Myanmar.” Then, there two young people changed their flights and headed to Malaysia. We established communication with Malaysia. We started to talk to [volunteers] in Malaysia, [working with] Chi Yu (David Liu) who at that time [was CEO] in Singapore and Chi Yuan (Koay Chiew Poh, CEO in Malaysia). These two places are in the south and north, and they are relatively close [to Myanmar]. Would they be able to take on the responsibility? I am very grateful to Penang’s Brother Chi Yuan and his group of volunteers for stepping up. So, over that period of time, they joined forces to find ways to go there. Chi Yn had gone there before, and Chi Yuan also stepped up to guide people there. This is how the work began. It was really tough in those days. Looking at that place, everything we saw was the aftermath of the flood. In particular, there were many people suffering from poverty; most people were tenant farmers who had experienced heavy losses. These farmers had a meager living to begin with. After this typhoon and flood, their losses were great; some had nothing left. It was tragic to see. Many had also lost their lives. Truly, it was a very tragic scene. How could we help them at a time like this? The government had harsh restrictions, but we overcame that and went directly to the poorest area. Over there we made prompt purchases to give immediate aid. Unexpectedly, during that time (in 2008), Sichuan, China, was also hit by an earthquake. The most urgent relief work in Myanmar was almost done [when the earthquake happened]. To continue our work there would likely have required a lot more communication. China needed [aid] after the earthquake in the Sichuan region, so from Taiwan, we quickly made direct contact with China and began communications; we moved a great amount of resources and manpower from both Taiwan and mainland China, directing them immediately for disaster relief work in China. During this time, we received another letter from the Myanmar government inviting Tzu Chi in Taiwan to provide aid. So, it looked like we had cleared a path in Myanmar and could then begin work.
However, Taiwan is very far from Myanmar. Since Malaysian volunteers had first gone there, Taiwan sent medical volunteers for free clinics, while Malaysia began planning how to move forward to help [Myanmar]. The most important thing was to help the farmers. For farmers, rice seeds are crucial. We quickly bought large quantities of rice seeds, choosing high quality seeds. We also provided them with the best fertilizers when distributed the rice seeds. In several provinces, over a very vast area, we distributed rice seeds to every household. During that time, [the distribution] was very large and very proactive. Every household took the rice seeds home and began to plant them. After a period of time, we witnessed the farmers’ gratitude. They also accepted our Jing Si Aphorisms. Whether it was in the countryside or the cities, we continued to hand them out. Jing Si Aphorisms were translated into Burmese. We took them into the schools, the community and the farm villages; they became very popular. In this way, they got to read Jing Si Aphorisms, and learned to cherish things.
When they planted crops, they began to avoid spraying pesticides. They did their best to use natural methods to farm their fields. U Thein Tun is the best example. Every day, U Thein Tun went to his fields to talk to his rice crops. After he sowed his seeds, he would face his fields daily in prayers, singing [Tzu Chi’s] prayer song and then telling the crops Jing Si Aphorisms. Going from the front to the back of the fields he would read them Jing Si Aphorisms, expounding the Dharma for the crops. Some people would not dare do this, but this is what he did. Some people still used pesticides and chemical fertilizer. He did a complete turn around and used natural and organic [methods], even talking to his fields. He did this every day; what was the outcome? At harvest time, those who used pesticides had insects in their crops. For him, he did not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The only thing he did was walk around his fields and recite Jing Si Aphorisms every day. Every day he prayed with a sincere mind. As a result, his fields had a much more abundant harvest than anyone else. There were no insects, so his harvest was better. This news, over that time period, started a very influential movement. The story spread through word of mouth. They called the seeds “divine seeds”. So U Thein Tun had had a bountiful harvest. He kept doing Tzu Chi word and, after three or four years, finally became a certified commissioner. Because he was receiving volunteer training, he heard about the matters around the world discussed by the Tzu Chi volunteers, as well as the spirit and ideals of the Buddha-Dharma analyzed by them. In this village, he used [Burmese] continuously shared proper ways of thinking with everyone. His fields were his testimony. His living standard had improved. He also renovated his home and turned it into a [Tzu Chi] service center. Because of this, many people came to hear what he had to say. Also because of this, many have begun to enter the Buddha-Dharma. Among those he influenced was U San Thein. This man named U San Thein had also heard this news and went there. Afterwards, he took a bamboo bank back [with him]. Because [U Thein Tun] repeatedly told the story of the 50 cent [donations for the bamboo bank], everyone was really happy. Even though they did not have 50 cent they could set aside a handful of rice. So, every day they took a handful of rice and put it into “the rice bank”. This came from the concept of “many grains of rice make a bushel and many drops of water make a river” as well as the 50-cents bamboo bank story. They donated rice instead of coins, using a “rice bank”. Grain by grain, the rice accumulated, amounting to a whole bushel. Even though they did not have 50 cents, they saved a handful of rice from each days’ food and put it into a plastic jar. In this way, with jars of rice, they became “rice bank donating members”. So, hearing about this, U San Thein also requested a “rice bank” and went back to his village. In fact, he was given 10 rice banks. He took these 10 banks back and began to share this principle and concept with his fellow villagers. The villagers responded in kind. With people responding, there are now 11 villages with over 400 households who have joined “the rice bank” [movement]. In fact, all of these over 400 households were impoverished farmers. They were able to save rice, handful by handful, and collect it every month for the most impoverished villagers, such as orphans and widows living alone. Using their “rice banks”, they were able to help these extremely impoverished people, over 40 households. We asked them, “Is the aid given in equal portions? Did you give everyone a small bag of rice?” No. depending on the size of their household, larger families got more rice, and smaller families got less rice. This provided enough food for a month for those who had no livelihood and were in extreme suffering. They were poor to begin with but were able to help the extremely impoverished. These more than 400 household could help over 40 households.
So, when [the volunteers] came this time, I heard them say, “These are ‘rice bank donating members’.” It was my first time hearing about a “rice bank donating members”. Indeed, when these rice bank donating members came together, they could help those in extreme suffering. This is truly very moving. This time, they came back with another [story]. There is a man, Umya Aye. This man had already heard about this eight or nine years ago and learned about how much Tzu Chi did in Myanmar. Tzu Chi had been on his mind, but how could he get in contact with them? Due to the distance, time flew by until this time. So, by this time, he said that, for seven or eight years, he had constantly been looking for Tzu Chi. When he met a Tzu Chi volunteer, he was so happy. He said, “I have finally met a Tzu Chi volunteer! I’ve waited for so long”. For seven or eight years, every day I have saved 50 kyat of grocery money. In fact, their 50 kyat is like $1.50 in Taiwan. He said, “Every day I saved 50 kyat”. This was 50 of their Burmese kyat. He said, “I’ve been saving this money for seven or eight years”. Since it was saved to be donated to Tzu Chi, I didn’t dare touch it. We just kept saving it, putting aside $50 every day. I still keep the money there. Please, come to my house. I don’t live far from here.” In this way, he very sincerely invited the Tzu Chi volunteers to his house. Indeed, he had many plastic jars [with money]. He took out jar after jar, from seven or eight years [of saving]. When he took out the money, the Tzu Chi volunteers saw and felt the bills. They were very neat, there were no creases at all. They were very neat, there were no creases at all. He said, “This is because every year it gets very damp and humid here. As we kept depositing the money, we were afraid it would become damp. From time to time, we would put it in the sun. If there was no sun for a long time, we would use an iron to iron it. The money was dried in the sun and ironed. Indeed, the paper money was old, but when they took it out, every piece was smooth. This money was frequently dried in the sun and ironed. This is the first time I have ever heard of this. The very first time! They also showed me photos. He did not go home to make preparations but just sincerely invited the Tzu Chi volunteers; he ran into them and invited them, bringing them to this home. He immediately brought the money out. This verifies that this money had been ironed. Previously, when I heard, “I have ironed this money, I thought it was a saying. We often hear this saying, “Without enough fresh food to eat, how can I dry any?” [Umya Ave] had dried the money in the sun. [Our volunteers] truly heard and witnessed this. When I heard this, it was new to me, but it really was touching. Doing good deeds is not the privilege of the rich but of all people with love. He responded to the spirit of 50 cents a day. Now, his $50 is like our $1.50. In this way, [his donations] accumulated. How much money he accumulated is secondary. The spirit and ideal are very touching. So, this time we discovered that those in Myanmar who came to help had to overcome [difficulties] in their lives to help others. The poor are helping the poorest of the poor. Although they are materially poor, they are rich in spirit. This has continued to today. This really is not an easy thing. This is why we must “be free of discursive thoughts, [which] is known as focused diligence, and engage in uninterrupted practice, [which] is known as advancing”. [Every day he saved] 50 kyat Isn’t this an uninterrupted [practice]? Every day [they give] a handful of rice. Isn’t this uninterrupted? Once they had the aspiration, they maintained it over these 10 years. Isn’t this being free of discursive thoughts? This kindness, loving heart and diligence are truly very touching. When it comes to helping people, it is not impossible, it can be done! So, “We will fulfill all our aspirations”. We only need to “uphold our practice with focused diligence, then we will fulfill all our aspirations”. Is difficult to help others? It is not difficult. All we need is for everyone to be of the same mind.
When the mind is diligently focused, our thoughts will be tranquil and pure. The nature of the mind is all-pervasive; it pervades the universe in an instant. When it spreads out, it responds to all things. When it converges, it forms a single thought. Thus, whether it is good or evil, noble or ordinary, everything arises from a single thought. As the mind intrinsically contains all Dharma, it can bring all things to fruition.
Indeed! “When the mind is diligently focused, our thoughts will be tranquil and pure. The nature of the mind is all-pervasive”. Love does not arise just in Taiwan. It can arise throughout this world. It can reach anywhere in this world. The same thought of love can spread everywhere. This is everywhere because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, and everyone’s mind and thoughts are pure. So, “The nature of the mind is all-pervasive; it pervades the universe in an instant”. What you are thinking of, what I am thinking of and the principles are all intangible. The nature of our mind converges with principles, which are intangible but pervade everything. So, “When it spreads out, it responds to all things.” When we work together to spread the thoughts in our minds, we can accomplish anything. Even rice that is accumulated handful by handful can save lives. Day by day, every drop of kind thoughts that accumulates adds up, too, and this sizable amount can be donated. Look, it is not impossible. Everyone has this strength. When he took out the money, he had to carry it. This money was neatly stacked up, stack upon stack. It was such a huge stack of money.
He said, “Wow, I never imagined I had so much”. Was this large amount of money for himself? It was a donation, so he did not dare touch it. He only cared for it without touching it. Such a huge stack was accumulated. Everyone, this is what he said, “I had never seen as much money as I had stored in there.” You see, this is “responding to all things”. This money could be used to help so many people. So, when [the mind] converges, it forms a thought. When it spreads out, it is vast; when collected, it forms one thought. “Thus, whether it is good or evil, noble or ordinary, everything arises from a single thought”. When we collect [our mind], we make great vows. As Bodhisattvas, we can open up [our mind] to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. When we bring [the mind] back, it become the vows in everyone’s minds. So, [all things] are in this single thought. “As the mind intrinsically contains all Dharma, it can bring all things to fruition.” Our minds intrinsically contain all Dharma. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. So, since we intrinsically have Tathagata-nature, everyone is able to help all sentient beings in this world.
So, the previous sutra passage says, Furthermore, they practice patience, abiding in the state of gentleness. Even if all evils were to befall them, their minds would not waver. When people who have attained the Dharma but harbor overbearing arrogance slight and torment them, they are able to endure this as well.
With just this thought of patience, what Dharma is there that we cannot penetrate?
The next sutra passage says, “Furthermore, they advance diligently, forever firm in their resolve and mindfulness. Throughout countless millions of kalpas, they are single-minded and never grow lax. Also, throughout countless kalpas, they abide in free and empty places. They engage in sitting and walking meditation. Excel when asleep, they constantly discipline their minds.
This sutra passage is also very simple. We have just explained how these people, matters and things converge with this Dharma. [The volunteers] are courageously diligent in all that they face. These people in Myanmar are willing to be people who save others, which is really not easy! For ordinary people like us, to become Bodhisattvas and relieve suffering sentient beings of suffering is also not easy. All we need is a courageous aspiration. [When we receive] this virtuous Dharma, we just need to have courage. With a courageous heart, we must do good deeds. To do that is to “eliminate all evil phenomena from the workings of our mind”. This is being courageous.
When we courageously cultivate the virtuous Dharma in all that we face, we will eliminate all evil phenomena from the workings of our mind. We must earnestly cultivate and uphold the practice of advancing diligently to cure indolence and create perfectly good karma.
If we have the resolve to diligently practice and the aspiration to willingly serve, we will be free of any thoughts of greed, as we only have this thought. This thought is the one that gives us strength. There will be abundance, not scarcity. Look at how they save handfuls of rice, and how every month, over these several years, every month, they are able to give aid to dozens of households. This is not difficult.
So, a handful of rice can save over 40 households; just think about it! So, “We will eliminate all evil phenomena from the workings of our mind”. If we have greed in our mind, we will not save that handful of rice, and our lives will go on like this. When that handful of rice is set aside, our daily lives go on as usual, and other families can also be properly sustained. Isn’t this having “abundant goodness”? This requires us to eliminate thoughts of greed. Then, we will naturally accumulate goodness. So, “we must earnestly cultivate and uphold the practice of advancing diligently”. As long as we diligently cultivate and uphold this. We can also “cure indolence and create perfectly good karma”. To cure indolence, we must diligently advance in this manner.
Focused diligence means pure concentration free of unwholesome distractions. Advancing means moving forward without growing indolent. Training our minds with the Dharma is diligence. Focusing our minds to reach our goal is advancing.
So, “Focused diligence means pure concentration free of unwholesome distractions”. It means when we do something, we do it with focus. So, “advancing means moving forward without growing indolent”. This is written very simply so that we can understand it clearly. “Training our minds with the Dharma is diligence”. We must train our minds and uphold our practice well. “Focusing our minds to reach our goal is advancing.” When we reach our goals, this is “advancing”. So, “Furthermore, they advance diligently, forever firm in their resolve and mindfulness”.
Furthermore, they advance diligently, forever firm in their resolve and mindfulness: This explains the paramita of diligence. Furthermore, they practice earnestly and advance diligently. Their resolve and vows abide in right mindfulness and are always firm. The Chapter on Emerging from the Ground says, “All of you together should have one mind, don the armor of diligence and form firm resolve.
This is how we must transform sentient beings, by diligently advancing in our every thought and in our every step. “Furthermore, they practice earnestly and advance diligently. Their resolve and vows abide in right mindfulness and are always firm”. As long as you have this mindset to accumulate [goodness] bit by bit, this is called a firm resolve. In the Lotus Sutra’s Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, isn’t this what the passage says? “All of you together should have one mind, don the armor of diligence and form firm resolve”. This means we must don the armor, engage in practice, do good deeds and diligently advance with courage.
Following this, it says, “Throughout countless millions of kalpas, they are single-minded and never grow lax. Throughout the long kalpas, they are single-minded. They never grow indolent.
This means that no matter how much time passes, [we remain] the same after forming our aspiration. We must uphold our initial aspirations. “By upholding our initial aspirations, we will surely attain Buddhahood”. This is “being single-minded, maintaining our resolve and not being indolent. We must diligently advance forward. “Also, throughout countless kalpas,” throughout countless kalpas, “they abide in free and empty places”.
Also, throughout countless kalpas, they abide in free and empty places: For a long time throughout countless kalpas, they abide in free, empty and tranquil places. With clarity and right mindfulness, they engage in tranquil contemplation.
Our spiritual practice is not just beginning now. In the past, there was a very long period of time when I kept telling everyone that the Buddha engaged in spiritual practice for countless kalpas. So, we formed affinities with Him long ago. As the Buddha, lifetime after lifetime, never abandoned us, we formed very deep affinities with Him; this is why we can now listen to the Buddha-Dharma and learn from His practice. So, this is engaging in spiritual practice.
We engage in spiritual practice, cultivating virtuous practices. A long time must have passed in the past. So, it says, “Also, throughout countless kalpas. The Buddha is like this, and Bodhisattvas are like this. This should be true for us as well. “They abide in free, empty and tranquil places. The Buddha and Bodhisattvas are already very tranquil in their minds. They have spent long kalpas of time being in places of tranquility. Their minds are very tranquil, and they abide among sentient beings without fear. With the purest minds, extremely tranquil and unwavering minds, they repeatedly come and go among people “for a long time.” When discussing the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy, we have also talked about this. So, “They abide in empty and tranquil places with clarity and right mindfulness.” Our minds are always in meditative tranquility. It is like being in Samadhi. There is right mindfulness and right thinking. This is “engaging in tranquil contemplation.” Their minds are in great tranquility and right mindfulness. “They engage in sitting and walking meditation. Except when asleep, they constantly discipline their minds.”
They engage in sitting and walking meditation. Except when asleep, they constantly discipline their minds: They engage in sitting meditation as well as walking meditation. Except for when they are asleep, they constantly discipline their minds, focusing their scattered [thoughts] to become single-minded. So, it says they constantly discipline their minds.
Whether we engage in sitting or walking meditation, it is the same. Whether we practice while sitting or walking, besides when we are asleep, our minds remain very steadfast. In the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy, what does it tell us? Even while asleep, we are listening to the Dharma. Even while asleep, we are teaching the Dharma for others. There is no time when we are sleeping. In this sutra passage, it says, “They engage in sitting and walking meditation. Except when asleep, they constantly discipline their minds.” This word “asleep” is not referring to when we are sleeping, but when we are confused. When our thoughts become confused, it is like when regular people say, “Are you still asleep? You have not woken up yet.” This is not sleeping while lying down, during which we sleep to rest. It is the kind of sleep that we have not fully awoken from. So, we must constantly control our minds well.
When we read this sutra passage, we must not just be diligent in the day and then become lax when we sleep. In fact, we must also guard our minds in sleep. The Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy say that when we sleep, we also hear the Dharma. Even in our sleep, we are teaching the Dharma. Even in our sleep, we are sitting in meditation. Even in our sleep, we are diligently practicing the thinking of the Buddha-Dharma. All this is in the sutra passages. So, everyone, in learning the Buddha-Dharma, we must always focus our minds in one place. Our thoughts must remain in tranquil contemplation. A mind with no discursive thoughts is “diligent.” A practice that is uninterrupted is “advancing.” We must maintain a diligent mindset and implement [the Dharma] in our lives. We must unite the Dharma we have heard with our daily lives as well. As we learn about what others have seen and heard in faraway places, we think about the mission we vowed to take on. So, “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions” means that the Five Paramitas must converge with the prajna paramita. Only when the Six Paramitas are complete can we truly reach the other shore. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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