Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Six Practices: Ten Grounds Faiths Part 6-A(六行~十地行六上)
As the seasons change, we experience cold weather on one day and warm on another. When the temperature is unstable, we should pay attention. Spiritual practice is the same way.
In the mundane affairs of our daily lives, there are many ups and downs. Sometimes we are joyous and sometimes afflicted. These are temperamental changes of our world? Thus, when we practice, it should be as if we are protecting the body from the changes of the four seasons. When the weather is erratic, we should be careful, as we should with our minds. Amidst interpersonal conflicts, how can we not carefully safeguard our cultivating minds?
Our will to cultivate and our false thoughts are on parallel paths. Since we must walk on a path, how do we know if we chose the correct one? If we diverge even slightly, the proper path can turn into the wrong path of delusion. Therefore, along our way, we need to be mentally grounded. In order to help us be more clear, the Buddha taught us the Ten Grounds, which are methods for stabilizing our minds and our practice. They are sound methods to broaden our minds, which is what the Buddha patiently taught.
The Practice of Ten Grounds (Stages)
Joy, Defilement-free, Radiance, Blazing Wisdom, Utmost Difficulties, Manifestation, Far-reaching, Stillness, Excellent Wisdom, Dharma-cloud.
Yesterday we discussed the Stage of Utmost Difficulties. This stage is about accomplishing difficult tasks. Worldly sentient beings have 84,000 different afflictions. With all those afflictions, how can we be freed from ignorance and let the brilliance of our wisdom shine? It is truly difficult.
Sentient beings have 84,000 afflictions. Only with the spirit of determination to overcome challenges can we be free of ignorance and develop the radiance of wisdom.
Life is difficult because we are ordinary humans. The staff at our foundation organized a retreat at the Abode. They were happy listening to the volunteers share their experiences and Dharma. They all felt incredible. After the volunteers’ inspirational sharing, the staff also shared their impressions and how they were inspired to resolve to walk the same Bodhisattva-path as the volunteers. This is called deliverance, putting the Bodhisattva-path into practice.
Although they were joyous during the day, they needed to rest at night. Perhaps their greatest challenge was sleeping on the floor with other people. There has not been one retreat where someone did not talk about sleeping on the floor. So it was clearly an ordeal for them. They also had to wake up early, and some of them did not sleep, fearing they would oversleep. Others were about to fall asleep, because to them, it was the middle of the night when we began our early morning recitation. It is bearable in the summertime, but during the winter, it is very challenging. These are difficult practices.
It takes a true practitioner to overcome difficulties and do it with ease. Monastic practitioners, all their lives, year after year, wake up at 3:00 AM regardless of the weather. They have overcome their want of sleep. It is now natural for them, so they do not see it as a difficulty. We have to overcome difficulties in our daily lives so that we have competence. For example, when we are assigned work and asked if we can manage it, we answer, “It seems difficult, but I can definitely do it.”
“Are you competent?”
“Yes, I am.”
When we can overcome obstacles, we are competent. This is the Stage of Utmost Difficulties. If we can overcome the discrimination that arises from sentiments, we can break all views distorted by sentiments, like romantic love, family ties, sentiments for others. How can we view those who are close to us and those who are not in the same way? To view them as equal is not that easy. One should not have “views of sameness or difference.”
If nothing is the same or different, there is no distinction between yours or mine, or between close or far. Everything is equal. With no need to differentiate, one does “not dwell upon appearances. And the pure nature of the Tathagata emerges.” The Tathagata is pure, and our nature was originally very pure. I often say that our true nature is wholesome and undefiled. Without defilement, the innate purity of out true nature becomes apparent.
The sixth Stage is the Stage of Manifestation. Without having views of sameness or differences, the Tathagata’s pure nature readily manifests.
Yesterday we discussed how a lamp illuminates if its light is not obstructed by another object. If something covers a light bulb, its light cannot shine through. Likewise, if we remove differentiation, then the clarity and pureness of our nature emerge. So the Sutra states, “The pure and unconditioned nature of the Tathagata manifests. This is called t he Stage of Manifestation.” If our natures are equal, there is nothing to differentiate. And so our Buddha-nature emerges. The difference between all living beings and the Buddha is their state of mind. When the mind is defiled, we are ordinary people; when it is pure, we become a Buddha. When we are selfish, we are ordinary; without a View of Self, we are a Buddha. State of mind is the main determinant.
“Impartial I and pure wisdom breaks all sentiments.” Only with impartial and pure wisdom can we eliminate views distorted by sentiments. Sentiments are complex. We discussed sentiments yesterday. They are complicated and difficult to explain. We should know that besides sentiments of love and resentment, there are also our own feelings and emotions. People who are very emotional can be difficult to communicate with. When emotions arise, it is difficult for us to sort them out. Unless we possess purity of wisdom, we cannot transcend them. When our emotions tie us down or when external matters or people afflict us, as long as we have purity of wisdom, then views distorted by sentiments are naturally eliminated.
Let the purity of wisdom dispel all views distorted by sentiments. Let the true nature of the Tathagata manifest.
How do selfishness and selflessness manifest? It depends on the external environment. I often say that it was a great cause and affinity that established Tzu Chi. What type of great cause and affinity? The needs of suffering beings cause the Bodhisattvas to come into being. For the sake of the suffering, the Buddha continuously comes into this world to eradicate their afflictions and spark the impartial love that everyone possesses. But ordinary people have blocked their minds. Their constant selfish and biased views lead to many afflictions in the world. The afflictions become actions, and the actions become disasters, creating catastrophes of collective karma. Therefore, many calamities are initiated by people’s biased views.
When there are selfish and biased views, many afflictions emerge. Afflictions can manifest in actions, actions become man-made calamities, creating disasters of collective karma.
So the Buddha continuously comes to the world to teach and guide sentient beings.
Those who take refuge in the Buddha are his disciples. As the Buddha’s disciples, we should shoulder the task of the Tathagata. The Buddha works for the sake of sentient beings. This is the task of the Tathagata. As Buddhists, we must take on this task, which is our great cause and affinity. For suffering beings, we have created and established Tzu Chi. Thus, Tzu Chi volunteers’ mission is embracing all suffering beings in the world. Everyone, Tzu Chi volunteers are Bodhisattvas of the world.
Wherever there are disasters, you see a group of these volunteers. They travel to distressed areas and open their arms to embrace suffering people. They are living Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas manifest in the Human Realm, and they work for the benefit of others. When sentient beings are troubled and trapped, the volunteers, with blessings, overcome obstacles to reach out to the needy. They are living Bodhisattvas.
Seeing them embrace the suffering, we are all very touched. The Sutra points to the Way, the Way is the Path. We often talk about “Sutra recitation.” We know the Sutra points to the path, so we should take action to practice the Sutra, the Way, the Path.
It is better to practice than to recite the Sutras. As disciples of the Buddha, we must shoulder His task, embrace all suffering beings, and practice on the Bodhisattva-path.
Therefore, the Sutra of Infinite Meanings teaches us that we should be the un-summoned teachers of the innumerable sentient beings of the world. We should also be the captains of the ships that cross over the sea of suffering. As captains, we should guide suffering beings toward the proper way. So, “with merits of ifinite meanings, we vow to practice compassion and wisdom.” All of you have resolved to practice both compassion and wisdom, which are truly the merits described in the Sutra. With our actions, we guide the minds and bodies of the suffering. Some suffer mentally, and some suffer physically.
As example of worldly physical suffering is the suffering felt after the earthquake in Pakistan. The weather continued to change, and the temperature continued to drop. Many were homeless and slept on the streets. How did they live? Although some received tents, how could the flimsy tents provide them shelter from the devastating winter cold?
Think about New Orleans as well. Some houses were flooded, and some toppled over by the winter or the wind. Moreover, riots broke out afterward, and some people robbed others and set their houses on fire. Indeed, not only did the buildings turn into rubble, so did some people’s morals. Even moral values were destroyed by the catastrophe. The calamity was already tremendous, but with people looting, it was even more of a disaster. In such a great disaster, who could enter and soothe the people? Tzu Chi volunteers were there. Whether in New Orleans or other states, wherever the victims of disaster were sent, there were always Tzu Chi volunteers who cared for and embraced them. They help them get settled, and assisted them economically and spiritually.
If not for these Bodhisattvas who appeared right away, who would have helped? If not for the true mature of the Tathagata, of which the wisdom of impartiality is lucid, how could one accomplish such tasks? Therefore, “the pure mature of the Tathagata manifests.” When the pure nature is revealed, one forgets all hardships and gives to suffering beings. That is indeed a difficult task. It is the Stage of Utmost Difficulties, and it is the Stage of Manifestation.
The application of our Buddha-nature is found among the innumerable sentient beings. Wherever is problem, we appear. So everyone, spiritual cultivation is actually not easy. However, if we change our mindset, we can resolve all difficulties. Thus, we should use our wisdom to move forward. Everyone, the Bodhisattva in the Stage of Manifestation is the one whose “pure nature of the Tathagata manifests.”
I hope we can purify our minds and reveal our wisdom. We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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