Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Six Practices: Ten Dedications Part 2(六行~十回向二)
Express the Middle Path. Return to innate enlightenment, and re-enter the Dharma-body to be indestructible. That is indestructible Dedication.
In the second of the Practice of Ten Dedications we see “expressing the Middle Path.” Learning Buddhism is like walking on a path. This Great Path is direct and straight. I often repeat this phrase from the Sutra of the Infinite Meanings as a reminder. When we walk the Bodhisattva-path, we cannot deviate from it. Thus it is called the Middle Path.
There are many traps in this world. Temptations are found in external phenomena and in our thoughts. External phenomena are called Dust. As we have mentioned, the Six Roots, Six Dusts, and Six Consciousnesses all combine to tempt us onto the wrong path. We are reminded not to stray from the path. This is because the external environment arises and ceased, with no stability. We talk of “Impermanence, Suffering and Emptiness.”
The Bodhisattva-path is the Great Path. Walking on it, one must not stray at all. The Six Sense Objects affect Six Sense Organs, defiling the Six Consciousnesses, so we fall into all kinds of traps. We must constantly contemplate the Truth of Impermanence, Suffering and Emptiness.
Some people hear the Dharma and think, “Yes, everything in this world is impermanent. Everything is temporary. If everything is temporary, impermanent and illusory, why should I care?” Thus, they become lazy. Some people only care about instant gratification. Do they think about tomorrow? There is no tomorrow. To practitioners, this is a reminder of impermanence. Life exists uncertainly between our breaths. We must be attentive and diligent. That is the right way. We must be attentive, diligent and aware of our thoughts.
Our every action creates karma, either good or bad. When we do the right thing we create good karma. Good karma is creating good affinities & blessings. It comes from our actions and our thoughts. If our direction is right, we create good affinities, do good deeds, and are on the Bodhisattva-path. Those who think in more extreme terms say, “There is no tomorrow so I don’t need to plan. Why should I work so hard today? There’s no need.” Look at how many people spend their days idly. They go about their lives in a daze.
More extreme people say, “Everything is temporary. Why should I do good deeds? What is scary about doing evil?” They indulge in every desire. There are many people who do evil, and there is no order in this world. If terms like impermanence, emptiness or temporary are used inappropriately, then a small deviation causes a wide disparity. Evil thoughts arise and result in bad karma, chaos in society, immorality, and lack of virtue.
Not only should one have the correct understanding of terms like impermanence, suffering and emptiness, one must use them properly. Otherwise, even a slight deviation causes a wide disparity. Evil thoughts arise and create bad karma, chaos in society, and immorality.
When we learn Buddhism, it is important to take the Middle Path in everything. We should think correctly and give sincerely as we learn the Dharma, and have unconditioned realizations as we walk a conditioned path. Our pure innate nature is unconditioned. We must know this pure nature is the Ultimate Reality of Tathagata-nature. When we transcend the mundane and the ordinary, then we have very pure minds. So we do worldly work with a world-transcending spirit. We must interact and work with people.
When we do so, we must realize that everyone has the same pure, undefiled nature as the Buddha. Do not allow external matters to defile your minds. We must stand among others with our pure minds and work to benefit them.
When one learns the Dharma, one must learn it correctly. Have unconditioned realizations as you walk a conditioned path. Unconditioned is to have pure Tathagata-nature. Conditioned is to live and interact with people, and work to benefit them.
Many people are suffering in this world. We must go among them to help them. We cannot be attached to Nihilism or Emptiness. We must know the Law of Cause and Effect, and believe in it. As is the cause, so is the effect and retribution. Karmic retribution will last many lifetimes. We should know impermanence and not be attached. We cannot possess anything forever. So we often say, “Wealth may not last beyond three generations. Poverty may not last through the next generation. Families that do good have abundant blessings. Leave blessings, not assets, to your descendants.” This is what the ancients and the Buddha taught us.
We need to use our property to benefit people. This teaches us to know cause and effect, to cherish affinities, and create blessings and virtues. If we stray, we will be confused, and slight deviations result in wide disparities. So when we hear, “Practice the Middle Path.” That means we must walk straight and correctly so we can reveal karmic restitution and the states of ordinary people and Buddha through our teachings.
That is the Bodhisattva-path, the Middle Path.
We should guide others onto the Middle Path with these clear revelations. “Return to Innate Enlightenment. Re-enter the Dharma-body.” We must walk this Middle Path to return to our Innate Enlightenment. Yesterday I said the Bodhisattva-path is like a running track. At the beginning, we all had the same pure nature as the Tathagata. But then an ignorant thought led us astray when we started running, so we went off-track. But when we return to our pure nature, we want to go back to this point. Each lifetime is a leg of this continuous relay, as we head along this track back to the beginning. This track is the Bodhisattva-path.
During the process of our practice, we follow the Buddha’s directions to return to our Innate Enlightenment, a pure, undefiled Land of Calm Illumination. “Re-enter the Dharma-body.” Our Dharma-body is pure and undefiled. It is like clear water. If water is placed in a round container, it is round and clear. If you pour it into a rectangular container, the water is rectangular and clear. The water will take on the shape of the container, whether it is square or round. Water is the same regardless of the container
This signifies how people and Buddha share the same pure, Innate Enlightenment and wisdom.
So we can enter, interact with, and become part of the crowd and remain indestructible. When we join others to help them, we do so to alleviate their sufferings. No matter what we face, our minds remain undefiled. Others see what Tzu Chi volunteers do as tiring. But Tzu Chi volunteers see themselves as willing, fortunate, and content. They turn suffering into blessing, so there is no suffering, only blessing. When they work, they do it correctly, willingly. They are indestructible. They do not say, “I’m so tired. What’s the point?” They do not complain, “I helped you many times, why haven’t you thanked me yet?” No, they do not think like that or make these complaints, so they have no afflictions. They do not care about the status of their job.
Everyone works willingly and happily. They are glad when they can help or save people. We can give of ourselves in so many different ways. This is the Middle Path of Buddhas & Bodhisattvas. The Middle Path requires us to give mindfully so we can return to our Innate Enlightenment and with Buddha-mind, return to the Dharma-body. This is the Bodhisattva-path. As for methods, we use many types of wisdom. Dharma-body is pure and undefiled wisdom.
If we can give to others with that wisdom and those methods, working among other will not destroy, defile, or afflict our minds. Instead, we will be filled with Dharma-joy.
If one can interact with people and benefit the world with pure and undefiled wisdom, one’s mind will not be defiled. With a constant will to cultivate, one will attain Dharma-joy.
Let us speak again of Innate Enlightenment. That is, “the nature of all sentient beings is pure.” We have mentioned that we all possess the pure Tayhagata-nature. So the nature of all sentient beings is pure. “Be free from delusion, still, and illuminating.” Delusions make us ignorant. We must constantly eliminate ignorance and delusion. First we must leave all delusions behind. When we recite the Heart Sutra every morning, it says, “Far from distorted perceptions.” Yes, we must stay far away. Delusions are confusing. They turn our lives upside down. Everyone wants to enjoy life. But enjoyment exhausts blessings. When we indulge in instant gratification, we create bad karma. Distorted perceptions mean we do things for the wrong reasons. We must be cautions and free of delusions so we can eliminate ignorance. Only then can our minds be tranquil and the light of wisdom shine through.
Tranquil minds are “still and illuminating. In the infinite universe, no place is out of teach.” If our wisdom can shine, it will be like the bright sun in mind-day. At noon, the sun is high in the middle of the sky. Where can its light not reach? It can even shine into the lowest valleys. “In the infinite universe, no place is out of reach.” The sun can shine across the land in mid-day like our elevated wisdom. With wisdom, we can spread love around the world.
Look, how many people are suffering around the world? It is so quiet and peaceful here. But we know that in another corner of world, other have begun helping those who are suffering. We must always be grateful. We have inspired pure and undefiled Tathagata-wisdom, and spread the Dharma across the globe. In different countries and time zones, people are helping others with the same mindset. Thus, “In the infinite universe no place is out of reach. The essential unity of the phenomenal realm is a Dharma-body equal to the Tathagata.”
Therefore, this is Innate Enlightenment. Essential unity of phenomenal realm means that even though we have spoken many types of Dharma, they all fall under the same category, a pure undefiled, true, illuminating wisdom, the Tathagata-nature. Everyone has a Dharma-body equal to the Tathagata. You, I, and Buddha are all equal in our pure, undefiled Dharma-body.
The nature of all sentient beings is pure. When one is free from delusions, one can remain still and illuminating, in the infinite universe, no place is out of reach. The essential unity of the phenomenal realm is the Dharma-body equal to the Tathagata. This is Innate Enlightenment.
So we must constantly take care of our minds. The true form of Innate Enlightenment id pure. If we are free from delusion, then we constantly strive to prevent the birth of ignorance and delusion. One stray thought and our every action will be a mistake. So, we should always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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