Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Six Practices: Ten Grounds Part 3(六行~十地行三)
A tranquil mind radiates with clarity. Everyday we have been saying that everyone’s mind is innately pure. When we return to our innate nature, we have an undefiled and radiate mind. We talked about being free from impurity, impurity means contamination. Sentient beings cannot remain joyful with defiled minds. Before the Stage of Defilement-free is the Stage of Joy.
When our mind returns to its innocent nature, we can always remain joyful and free from worry. But when ignorance arises, the mind is afflicted, obscuring the radiance of our original innocence. We must immediately get rid of ignorance. As mentioned before, to eliminate ignorance, we must refrain from discrimination. We must not discriminate if we feel that according to the Buddha-Dharma everything is pure in nature, then, your nature is pure and so is mine. That is correct.
But if this purity has been defiled, then we differentiate. When differentiating, if we cling to our likes and dislikes, then we make more mistakes. If we say that since everything is equal there is nothing to be cultivated, then we are also wrong. All of us have this innate nature. Once we identify this nature, we realize what we have done wrong. Then what do we do? We must correct our mistakes and clearly distinguish between right and wrong.
Doing so, our minds naturally return to that radiant clarity. This is called the Stage of Radiance.
The third stage of the Ten Grounds: As the views distorted by sentiments are purified, the radiant wisdom of innate awareness develops. The Sutra states, “Utmost purity gives rise to clarity.” This is called the Stage of Radiance.
In the Stage of Radiance, we talk about the view of “sameness” and “difference” being purified. But we should not feel that there is no need to progress further. Knowing that it is wrong to discriminate, we should quickly make amends. If we can clearly distinguish right from wrong, it is called “view of sameness and difference.” Right is right, and wrong is wrong. To remove the impurities, wrongs must be corrected, so we can become pure. We often repeat that saying “Repentance leads to purity.” It means that when faults are corrected, there will be no more mistakes. “Then the radiant wisdom of the innate awareness is developed.” If we can clearly distinguish right from wrong and correct our mistakes, we return to our Buddha-nature and develop the light of wisdom. Then, we can naturally help others develop their innate light of wisdom. Therefore, we say “Radiant wisdom of our innate nature is developed.”
We should know that everyone has this light, a very bright inner light.
If we clearly understand this, then we know that the light in our mind is intrinsic.
The Sutra states, “Utmost purity gives rise to clarity. This is called the Stage of Radiance.” When our mind is completely pure, we call it “utmost purity.”
In the state of utmost purity, the light of our wisdom appears. It is like a rock that looks common and rough. When its surface is covered with dirt, the rock looks just like the dirt. But we know that inside this rock is a gem, jade.
If we take this common-looking rock and put a lot of effort into grinding and polishing it, the dirt is removed and the rock is cleaned. If we continue to polish it, the jade will appear. But the rock must be polished thoroughly before the jade can be seen. Whether it is jade or diamond, when the outer layer is cleaned off, the gemstone appears. When it appears, it is crystal clear. This illustrates the meaning of “utmost purity gives rise to clarity.” At the moment of utmost purity, radiance shines. Thus it is called the Stage of Radiance, which is in you and me. When our mind is at its purest stage, it radiates with clarity.
In life, the affliction of ignorance is but a single delusion, but it can make you miserable. However, with firm determination, regardless of the difficulty, it can still be resolved. Anything can be resolved. The Sutras tell us that we are all deceived by views distorted by sentiments. And due to discriminations based on sentiments, our minds become afflicted.
If we can differentiate right from wrong and remain pure at heart, we are not deceived by views distorted by sentiment, and the radiance of our wisdom can shine through like a precious stone.
There was a story on the news about a single mother in Yi-lan, Taiwan. Her husband had passed away. She had three kids. 17 years old. He worried about his mother’s (financial) burden, so he moved from Yi-lan to Taipei to work.
One day, he went to dinner with his friends. They got into a fight with another group of boys. He was mistaken for someone else, and beaten to death. The mother felt such agony and devastation, that she became delirious. She bought some mannequins, and dressed them as her son. She often held the mannequins as if they were her son.
She nearly went crazy.
During the criminal investigation, she met the other boy’s parents in court. When learned that they had a very difficult life, and that the father was handicapped. The boy’s mother had to work to support the family. The boy was a troublemaker and was in a gang, so his mother suffered unspeakably.
As a fellow mother, the woman was very moved. After going home, she thought, “My son already dead and the other boy is so unruly.” She felt empathy for the other mother. Her own husband had already passed away, but the other mother’s husband still needed care due to illness. She had the burden of her family’s livelihood, and now she had to worry about her son being sentenced to death. When she compared her own situation with the other mother’s, she gradually empathized with the other mother.
So one day, she said she wanted to visit the boy in prison. Her relatives all considered it inappropriate because her son was beaten to death by him. But she visited the boy anyway. She saw that the boy had delicate features. He kenlt down before her in repentance and pled for forgiveness from the mother of the boy he had beaten to death. Seeing the boy repent, she told him, “The moment that I decided to visit you, I was ready to forgive you.” So she helped the boy up. The boy was very moved and asked, “Can I hug you?” The boy asked if he could hug her, and the mother was stunned. It seemed as though the boy before her was her own son. So there in the prison, they hugged each other.
Doing that, she was freed from the haze of her madness and grief. She had freed herself. Now she is quite happy and always helps others. She lives her own life and has revived the loving heart of a mother. Although she lost her own son, she redirected her love to the young man who killed her son. She often visits him in prison and says to him, “You should turn a new leaf. When you return to society, you should be a good person.”
Isn’t this wisdom? Without wisdom, one is unable to discern the facts. Logically speaking, her son was unjustly killed. It would be reasonable for her to be angry, but how would that help? Disputes lead to more ignorance. What would result from such ignorance? She would be unable to free herself from suffering, which would lead to insanity. So although it would be logical for her to hold her ground and stay angry, if she could not untie the knot in her mind, she would be entangled in ignorance and views distorted by sentiment, which would result in indescribable suffering. She would lose her sense of direction and continue to suffer.
When she ended up in this situation, she was able to pull herself out. Who can you rely on to save you? You must save yourself. Now she is grateful to her son for the relationship they had for 17 years. She was truly changed because of his death. From it, she learned to transform her feelings of loss into gratitude. She thanked her son for using his short life to educate her, allowing her learn that great motherly love should not be selfish. It should be open and inclusive of not only one’s own child, but also others’ children as well. She learned to empathize with other parents. Now she lives her life with gratitude and wisdom. She lost a child, yet saved another.
You see, the other boy was misguided and participated in gang-fights. After killing someone, he learned a severe lesson. After serving his sentence, would he return to society a good man? Not necessarily. If they do not get through to him, but only control and discipline him in the detention center, once released, he might join gangs again. Yet this selfless mother transcended her agony and become the boy’s benefactor to help him, reform him, and educate him, making him aware of his mistakes so that he could change. Such guidance is really admirable. This is the radiance of wisdom’s light. The mother could easily still be enmeshed in the afflictions of delusion. Although she had all the reasons (to be mad), if she did free herself, she would remain deluded and afflicted. Whether an affliction becomes delusion or radiant wisdom depends on “views distorted by sentiments.” Most people are lost due to sentiments and distorted views.
To tread the Bodhisattva-path, one does not need to renounce worldly life. Actually, lay Bodhisattvas have more opportunities to increase wisdom, because as a lay practitioner, one can see a wider perspective of world. Living in the ordinary world with others, one has many opportunities to encounter disputes and discern right and wrong. When immersed in worldly concerns, or when encountering mush affliction, if one can distinguish right from wrong, that is wisdom.
Sentient beings can easily get lost in views distorted bay sentiments. Remaining in the ordinary world and clearly seeing right and wrong, one can transform one’s thoughts and develop the radiance of wisdom.
So the Stage of Radiance is about the radiance of the mind. We must continue to tread on this bright and proper path. This ordinary woman was able to transcend her views distorted by sentiments and help the other boy. A person who help to save others is indeed an admirable living Bodhisattva.
Everyone, as lay practitioners, you must realize and use such wisdom, and work hard to kindle your inner light. It is actually quite easy to do. Once you change your mindset, it is not difficult. The hard part is being unable to change and free yourself. When trapped in views distorted by sentiments, not only does one experience unspeakable suffering but one also affects others negatively. Therefore, learning Buddhism id nothing other than letting ourselves be free from worldly defilement, contamination, and delusion. Only then can we recover our minds’ radiance. So everyone should always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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