Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Proper Mindset and Conduct Bring Constant Joy (心正行端 常保歡喜)
The Five Views may cause all wrongdoings: View of Self, Extreme View, Perverse View, Stubborn View and View of Deviant Precepts.
Yesterday we discussed the View of Self, which is clinging to the Five Aggregates.
We know the Five Aggregates are. From, Sensation Perception, Action, Consciousness. The external environment and our minds continually connect, and affect our thoughts and views. It is a temporary composite of the Five Aggregates.
When we analyze it, we find that nothing is real in this world, everything is a false aggregation. Life is suffering because nothing is permanent or real. Whether sounds, forms or the environment, when our minds connect to them, they can easily control us. That is called Extreme View.
It leads us to adhere to one view, whether good or bad, especially to the Five Wrong Views or Five Poisonous Views. Some get attached to either Eternalism or Nihilism. Some people assume that when they die, they will automatically be reborn as human again. They do not believe in cause and effect. Others believe that life ends like a candle blown out. That what they assume Neither Eternalism nor Nihilism is right; we discussed this yesterday.
We continue to be reborn in the Five or Six Realms. The causes we create determine our retributions. So, don’t assume that you will always remain human, or that you can wait till the next life to practice. Are we sure we will be human in the next life? We don’t know Even born human again, what will our external circumstances be? We don’t know.
I used to speak of the living conditions of people in Ethiopia. They used to drink water from dirty puddles infested with bugs. They knelt down and sucked up the water. After seeing footage of our relief efforts there, we wondered if that place was truly in the same world that we live in. I am afraid that one day I may wake up in such a place. This is possible. If we are born in a remote place, we may never be exposed to or have the chance to hear Buddha-Dharma.
If we lack suitable conditions, we cannot accomplish anything. So we should always believe in cause and effect. Do not adhere to the View of Self, or be attached to Form.
Sensations are feelings. We assume that our feelings and miseries are created by others. That is not true. We must ask ourselves, why others give us such feelings. Have we done something wrong? So, we should reflect on ourselves. These kinds of feelings come from our thoughts. When external conditions influence our minds, we become attached to them. The feelings that come from clinging are miserable and the thoughts remain in our minds.
Feelings of suffering and pain do not come from others. They come from thoughts arising in our minds. When the mind attaches to the Five Aggregates, and is influenced by external conditions, our views become closed and suffering arises.
When Form, Sensation, Perception and Action combine, they form a karmic seed. So we have to be careful not to have Perverse View. We talked about View of Self and Extreme View. If we add Perverse View, our suffering is beyond words. Perverse means deviating from righteousness. If our minds are righteous, then our actions will be appropriate. If we think proper thoughts, we won’t do wrong in our dealing with anything. Instead, we will always do good.
If our views deviate, we are no longer being proper. We say, “Have faith in your unselfishness, and believe there is live in everyone.” It means we believe others have love. They also must have faith in their selflessness. When our thoughts are selfless, our conduct is proper. It is important to act properly in regards to everything. If we are improper, it will lead to deviant and selfish views. Improper thoughts and selfish actions are unrighteous. It is like rejecting cause and effect. As mentioned before, some do not believe in cause and effect. They may know of it, but mock it.
We hear people say, “Why does Tzu Chi help people? Doesn’t that violate cause and effect?” We have also heard others say, “He was born with the karma to suffer. So why do you help him? You go against cause and effect by doing that.”
Everyone, is this right or wrong? Why did the Buddha come to this world? He came to teach living beings to foster kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. The Buddha taught us to be kind-unconditional kindness. Sentient beings’ minds are confused and deluded, causing them to commit wrongdoings, and to lose their blessings. We should help them preserve their blessings, prevent them from doing wrong, and open their minds.
The minds of sentient beings are confused and deluded, causing them to do wrong. Thus, blessings are lost. To learn Buddhism we must help sentient beings refrain from negative karma, so as to preserve blessings.
We often hear, “The greatest punishment is regret.” We suffer when we make a mistake and then regret it. This is a type of punishment where we cannot be joyful. The Buddha taught us how to maintain joy. A joyful mind is one with a clear conscience. No matter what people say, we have a clear conscience. If our minds and actions area proper, others will not talk behind our backs. When we have a clear conscience, we are joyful rather than suffering.
Thus, loving-kindness is bestowing happiness, teaching us to remain joyful constantly. Then we won’t have regrets. We should do things properly, since wrongdoing leads to regret. We should take care our minds, and not punish ourselves with regrets. We continue to do what we can. If someone reprimands us, we should correct ourselves if we were wrong. At least if our minds and actions are proper, we have a clear conscience. That is the right thing to do. The Buddha taught us kindness.
When the mind is unwholesome, action is improper. When we act without a clear conscience, we suffer from regret. When thought are proper, actions are appropriate. When we act with a clear conscience, we can always stay joyful.
Then Buddha also taught us compassion. When others hurt I hurt; when they suffer I grieve. We feel for all suffering sentient beings, so we must help them. We cannot bear having other living beings suffer afflictions, so we must comfort them. That is compassion. “When others hurt I hurt; when they suffer I grieve.” We cannot slander others. If we do so, whatever else we do will be wrong. It is we who are at fault. Therefore, we should be very mindful.
If we reject the law of cause and effect, it is also called perverse View. It ruins all good deeds. Good deeds can be ruined by one bad word which hurts others, such as saying others are wrong when they are obviously right. We should rejoice in seeing others do good.
There is a saying, “Rejoice in others’ merits.” When people do good, we should encourage them. Even if we cannot participate in the good deed, we should be happy about it. That is the right thing to do. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Tzu Chi volunteers conducted distributions at the shelters. We saw some people who were really miserable, and some who were very joyful.
There was a Christian woman who saw the distribution and offered to donate money. Our volunteers said, “We are very grateful.” This lady replied, “I am grateful to you. I am a Christian. The pastor of my chapel mentions and praises Tzu Chi each time he preaches. He speaks highly of Tzu Chi and its volunteers and commends your work.” She even said, “Our pastor kept talking [about Tzu Chi]. Once time he said that maybe one day our Chapel will become a Tzu Chapel.” This was what the donor said to our volunteers. When other volunteers heard this conversation, they felt honored and happy. It showed them that they were on the right path. This is rejoicing in other's merits. However, at a fundraising event, our volunteers were scolded by someone.
A homeless person said, "I commend all the good work you have done. But I can't agree with what you are doing now." Why? He said once he went to New Orleans, and because he was homeless, people there looked down upon him. One tried to make him leave, and pushed him down some stairs. Since then, he had a bad impression of New Orleans. So he felt that they deserved the disaster. Whatever was done to him, was done by only one individual among millions in New Orleans. It occurred in one place in a huge area. Considering the tragedy befalling the city, we should be compassionate instead of taking pleasure in it. After scolding our volunteers, the man left. But volunteers followed him and explained, "That's not right, let us explain to you." After hearing what they said, he was very moved by their sincerity. So he donated a dime. But even then he still had disparaging remarks.
The volunteers sensed he was still not happy, so they didn't give up and continued to accompany him and explain it to him.
In the end, he said, "Your sincerity is very moving. Fine, I will donate another dime." When he put in the other dime he was no longer critical. He again said, "I am moved by you all." This moving feeling is the compassionate mind. We do not want him to have bad thoughts and deny cause and effect. He should reflect on the cause, on why someone pushed him down the stairs. With a healthy body, why did he not work; why did he just wander around? This caused others to look down on him. One should reflect on oneself. Perhaps his attitude was hostile, prompting others to take such wrongful actions against him. So he needed to examine himself, and also consider that it was the action of one individual out of millions, and in one specific location.
So we should be clear about cause and effect. It is wrong to make false generalizations. Thus, Perverse View is frightening. With improper views, we can be very mistaken.
If we have wrong views and believe that there is no cause and effect, we engage in activities that destroy our good deeds. This is called Perverse View.
Everyone, in learning Buddhism, we should be mindful when dealing with people, situations, sounds we hear, objects we see, and thoughts in our minds. We have to be always mindful of the mind, body and external environment. Then, in our behavior, we will not deviate due to View of Self. We must walk the Middle Path. The Buddha taught us not to adhere to Eternalism or Nihilism. The belief in cause and effect is a necessity for spiritual practice. If we do not walk in the middle, then we are adhering to either Eternalism or Nihilism, and then we cannot move forward. So, to be diligent, we cannot have extreme views.
We should be more wary of Perverse View. Perverse View can change what is right to wrong. This is very frightening. The principle of cause and effect is clear, and very important to practitioners. It is also a crucial factor for people to cultivate virtues though their daily conduct. If people deny cause and effect, they will fear nothing, and can commit all kinds of wrongdoings. So we should be wary of Perverse View.
Everyone, let us constantly be clear on the views, concepts, and actions of our minds.
Please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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