Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Six Practices: Ten Dedications Part 6(六行~十回向行六)
The sixth of the Ten Dedications is, “From the grounds of all Buddhas arise the causes of all actions. Depending on the seed, the fruit may take us onto the Path of Nirvana. This is called Dedication to treating all sentient beings equally.”
We should know the origin of all actions. In the past, present, and future, the spiritual practices of all Buddhas arise from a cause, a single seed. Plant a good seed into the good field in your mind and start to take action. Earnestly till the field because the fruit we bear depends on this seed.
A cause is a seed, and if we work on cultivating the field, our reward is the fruit. It is said, give one and gain 10,000. So if we plant a seed into a good field and till and take good care of it, fruit trees will flourish and bear many fruits. We also bear the fruits of our spiritual practice.
One of the rewards is “talking the Path of Nirvana.” The starting point for ordinary people is also our final destination; it is the state of Buddhahood. Yes, to pass from the stage of ordinary people to the stage of Buddha we must have this seed. We must plant the good seed and till the good field to attain our goals. The fruit from the seed is the result of spiritual cultivation. It comes from taking the Path of Nirvana.
Actually there is further explanation in the text, “Dedication to treat all sentient beings equally.” This is another name for it. Dedication to treat all sentient beings equally. We must cultivate our goodness. We start with our seed, which is equal to the Buddha’s. Every day we say we and the Buddha are equal. We are born with the same pure, true seed. You, me, everyone, we are all equal. If ordinary people understand this truth, then they are Buddhas. But ordinary people are deluded. If they were aware of those delusions, they would be Buddhas or Enlightened Ones. Transforming delusion into enlightenment is not difficult. The hardest part is applying this wisdom to see everyone as equal and believe each possesses the root of goodness. Though we believe that in theory, when it comes to complicated matters, practice becomes difficult.
Ordinary people are deluded sentient beings. It is not difficult to transform delusion into enlightenment. The hardest part is treating all people as equal while working with them, believing they possess the root of goodness.
Although we believe everyone is innately and equally kind, after transmigrating through the Six Realms, each has acquired different levels of defilement. Some are headed toward the path of enlightenment, slowly beginning to purify their minds and nurture good seeds.
But some people are still profoundly defiled and have terrible habits. So then how do we work with them? It depends on their nature. We see whether they have changed their habits for the better. If not, when we ask them to do things, the results will be far from expected. This is how we live and work with others. How do we convey the ways of the Bodhisattvas, the skillful teachings, to each of them? It is extremely difficult.
Although we know we should treat al sentient beings equally, how do we discern right behavior from wrong? How can we recognize when it is time to influence their habits for the better? It is difficult. So learning Buddhism is easy, dealing with matters and transforming people is hard. If not, Buddha would not need to always come to this difficult world and be the Founding Teacher, to transform sentient begins in the Saha World. Sentient beings are stubborn, so the Buddha waited for the right moment to impart His teachings. If the time is not ripe, there is no way to teach them. This is the difficulty of transforming people and living and working with them.
So next we say, “From the Grounds of all Buddhas arise the causes of all actions.” So the causes of all our actions must arise from the Grounds of Buddhas; that must be the origin. Where do all actions come from? We say Six Perfections give rise to all actions. Once their true and pure natures are defiled, sentient beings keep going astray. From one true nature come varying capabilities that require different means. There are six methods. The Six Perfections are also called Six Paramitas. They are the six ways to transform people. But these six ways encompass all actions, or all skillful means, to address the dispositions of all people.
Last time I said sentient beings have 84.000 different afflictions. So the Buddhas established 84,000 methods; these are Skillful Means, also called “all actions.” So the source of all actions is Buddha-nature. All actions must arise from the Grounds of all Buddhas; that must be the origin. We use all kinds of methods to spread the seed of
Buddha-nature until it is one with the minds of sentient beings.
It is the same with our spiritual practice. Now that we shoulder the mission of Tathagata and accept His teachings, the Great Cultivator has inspired us to cultivate our minds, so we can apply the various skills we learn to the people around us. Many skills and methods are required.
Now that we shoulder the mission of the Tathagata and accept His teachings, we should cultivate our mind so that we can apply the various methods we learned to the people around us.
“The true cause from which all actions arise manifests and validates the Path of One Vehicle of Cessation.” All Dharma originates from and converges into one. Even the 84,000 methods are part the Path of One Vehicle. The One Vehicle is the Great Vehicle. While we practice, we need to also educate and guide others, “we seek Buddha’s way and transform sentient beings.”
Our minds were in a state of cessation, but when afflictions arose, they created much karma. We suffer because of karma. We know the origin of suffering is the aggregation of karma. We must think of ways to eliminate the origins of our suffering. As we practice, we recognize life’s complications, so we try everything we can think of to simplify things. We must do our best to differentiate between right and wrong. First teach others about what is wrong. Then we guide them onto the right path. If we let them continue in the wrong direction, they will stray far off the Path.
So for now, we say, “Stand here for now and think carefully. Move forward after you truly understand things.” It is the same with spiritual practice. People say, “If I become enlightened after being deluded, I would be a Buddha.” Is that so? After enlightenment we must also take action. When we act, are we going in the right direction? If not, we have to start over from the starting point.
So if we want to “manifest and validate the Path of One Vehicle of Cessation,” we must know Suffering, Causes of Suffering. Now we are practicing Cessation of Suffering, where we eliminate our wrongs and retain only the good and pure. That is the innate source and true cause of the Path.
Eliminate past wrongs and retain the purity and simplicity of life. That is the innate source and true cause of the Path.
So we must know that we start from the Ground of Truth, the source. Then we progress to all actions. We must work with others but never abandon that pure and innate seed, that Buddha-nature. In this way, we move forward by cultivating ourselves and transforming others in the Great Vehicle. Vehicle refers to movement. We move from here to there with these methods. So, we use the vehicles of Suffering, Causes and Cessation. When we find the way to eliminate suffering, we just need to follow the Path.
We say “actions arise from the Truth.” These actions are spiritual cultivation. How does a practitioner walk this Path? Starting with truth. So the Ground of Truth directs us to causes and actions so we can move toward fruition. So when actions arise from the Ground of Truth, the vehicle can bring forth all actions. If we do not start from the origin, we cannot move forward in the right direction. To move forward, we must eliminate all suffering. We must find the true sources of karma and eliminate them, treat them one by one. That is treatment. After treatment we can return to the Truth.
Find the origin of karma and eliminate all kinds of suffering so that we can return to the Truth, where it all began. In doing so, we are on our way to fruition.
This “treating all sentient beings equally can produce the fruits of the Way.” We should know that sentient beings are this way. We accommodate their various capabilities so we understand, respect, and treat them with gratitude, respect and love. How can we express gratitude and respect while we live among others? There are many methods. There are 84.000 ways to love others. So without love, we cannot be grateful and respectful in our work eliminate them, treat them one by one goodness, the Buddha-nature in others. There are so many people for whom we should be grateful. No matter what afflictions and teats we face, we should still be grateful. People should not oppose each other. If it reach that level, that is Cessation. If we remain in opposition, we will truly suffer.
From the Ground of Truth of all Buddhas arise the causes of all actions. They manifest and validate the Path of One Vehicle of Cessation. We treat all sentient beings equally when all actions arise from the truth. The root of goodness can produce the fruits of spiritual cultivation.
Everyone, a seed is so small, but it expands. So we should not disparage small thoughts because they are seeds. We must carefully till the fields of our minds. If we can cultivate and manage our minds well, the seeds we sow will surely germinate and grow into a tree which flowers, bears fruit and produces more seeds. So be “dedicated to treating all sentient beings equally.” Although we have many complaints and afflictions, if we remember that everyone has that root of goodness, we thank, respect and love them.
This may sound profound, but everyone clearly knows the original Ground of Truth, we apply many methods without deviating from the true cause, the cause and actions of our Buddha-nature. So we take care in how we deal with people and matters in our daily lives. That is all. I share this with everyone. Hope everyone still be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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