Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Six Practices: Ten Grounds Part 11(六行~十地行十一)
Every moment, the changing environment influences our minds. But in our practice, we train our mind to face changing environments. This is the skill we must constantly practice. The Buddha earnestly guided us. Since sentient beings have 84,000 afflictions, He opened 84,000 Dharma-doors to gradually lead us to make vows. Step by step, we can steadily follow the Ten Stages He laid out, and walk from delusion to the Realm of Awareness.
The Ten Grounds: The Stages of Joy, Defilement-free, Radiance, Blazing Wisdom, Utmost Difficulties, Manifestation, Far-reaching, Stillness, Excellent Wisdom, Dharma-cloud.
The Ten Grounds start with the Stage of Joy? How can one feel joy when life is full of suffering and affliction? The first step in studying Buddhism is an open mind, which frees us from all worries. What is there to worry about? If we can open and broaden our minds, nothing in the world can make us unhappy. The greatest joy is obtaining the Dharma. In the past, we did not know the teachings, so we clashed with others. Because people’s perspectives are different, they become entangled in their views. Love, resentment, passion, and hatred drag us around and muddy our minds.
If we can open our minds, then lust, hate, passion and animosity will all disappear. As a result, we can always be joyous. This is obtaining the Dharma. When Buddha’s teachings truly enter our hearts, we can clearly see the outside world. Then naturally, external states will not pollute our minds. Then, our minds are not moved. Instead, they can move the world, by changing animosity into gratitude, and hatred into love. “Love” here refers to pure, unpolluted love. So everyone is our favorite person, and everything is our favorite thing. That is the first Stage. We must cultivate this joy.
When Buddha-Dharma enters our hearts, we will not be polluted by external conditions. A pure heart can transform outer conditions, and turn resentment into gratitude, hatred into love. We will like everyone we encounter, and enjoy everything we do.
The second Stage is Defilement-free. How can we stay happy? Defilement is affliction. When our minds are full of scattered thoughts, afflictions arise. We say, “Let bygones be bygones.” So we may wonder, if the past is all an illusory thought, what about the future? Do not think too much of the future. That is all discursive thoughts. Illusive and discursive thoughts are afflictions. We must seize the present pure mind. If we can do this, we can be free of defilements, and shake off all of our afflictions. When the heart constantly remains pure, joyful, and undefiled, that is the Stage of Defilement-free.
Constant thoughts of the past are illusive, and thoughts of the future are discursive. Such thoughts are all afflictions. Always remaining pure and joyful at heart frees us from afflictions.
The third Stage is Radiance. Everyone has the same radiant wisdom as Buddha. If ordinary people have the same radiance and wisdom, why are their minds so dark? It is because they are obstructed by ignorance. Ignorance is every kind of defilement that affects us all. We often use the metaphor of a light bulb. The light bulb is bright when it is turned on, but when it is covered by a dark cloth, none of its light can get through. Similarly, even though we study Buddhism, hear much Dharma, and have initiated inner wisdom, we still do not put it into practice. We say, “I know, I know. I know the Buddha-Dharma inside and out.” But just knowing does not help us connect to the right state. We cannot gain a deep realization until we bring out our full potential. So we should let our inner wisdom perform its function. This is called the Stage of Radiance. It is rare to be born human and to have an affinity with the Dharma. Since we were born human and learned the Dharma, we should seize the opportunity to joyfully share it with others. We should live among people and share our experience with others. When with those who are closed-minded or overly attached, we should share the principles we have learned. This is demonstrating radiant potential, like one lamp sharing its flame with another. Our own lamp can light the lamps of others, so let it shine. But one lamp is not bright enough, we need the light from many others so that the environment naturally becomes radiant. Thus in the Stage of Radiance, we must transform ourselves, and at the same time, transform others.
Having attained human form and heard the Dharma, we must seize the chance to live among people and joyfully share the Dharma with others. Develop the radiance of your full potential to light up the heart-lamps of millions.
When the radiance of the mind is sparked, it should not be just the light of one candle that brightens a limited area. It should be like the fourth Stage of Blazing Wisdom, where the radiance of wisdom is boundless and infinite. It is like the sun illuminating the Earth. The sun shines on skyscrapers and small cottages, tall buildings and small houses, great mountains with tall trees, and flat plains with low grasses and flowers. Everything is lit up by the sun. So in the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, one has reached a bright state of equal radiance. The brightness can illuminate the darkest corners. Once our wisdom reaches this level, is there any principle in the world that isn’t clear? Is there any type of deluded human nature that we cannot inspire? The Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas use their wisdom to continually inspire and guide ignorant sentient beings toward the peaceful and radiant state of the Buddha. This is the Stage of Blazing Wisdom
Next is the Stage of Utmost Difficulties. To reach the state of Blazing Wisdom is not easy. Actually, it is quite difficult. We often hear the following quote, “This state is inseparable from our world, and difficulty is inseparable from our minds.” It is very difficult to interact with people, matters, and things. But as long as our resolve is strong and our wisdom is developed, with determination, it is not that difficult. In learning Buddhism, this is the main barrier. We must remain steadfast in our resolve.
I often say, “We must remain unwavering on the Bodhi-path.” We should bring our pure potential without fail. With enough determination, everyone can express this potential. Difficulty is but a thought. Once the Bodhi-mind has arisen, if we preserve it well, there is no difficulty.
Although there are many challenges in the world, if we can remain steadfast in the spiritual cultivation of our Bodhi-mind, we can truly develop our innate potential. Then nothing is difficult for us.
Next is the Stage of Manifestation. During our cultivation, although there are many checkpoints in the previous Stages, if we can pass them, we will discover an infinite field of radiance. We often hear people say, “This is difficult, but I have confidence I can manage this.” That is faith. When we overcome the difficulties and complete our tasks, we feel great.We have a feeling of accomplishment. This is the Stage of Manifestation. It proves that all of us have wisdom and positive potential. With determination, nothing is difficult. This is called the Stage of Manifestation.
On the path of cultivation, there are difficulties. But with faith, we can overcome them all. When we overcome the challenges, we will feel a sense of accomplishment. This success is the Stage of Manifestation.
Next is the Stage of Far-reaching. It is very far. In regards to cultivation, the Buddha talked about “Three eons of unceasing rebirths in the world.” The Lotus Sutra talks about Never-Disparage Bodhisattva. During his practice in the Human Realm, he did not dare to disrespect anyone, because to him, anyone could be a Bodhisattva returning to the world to guide others, or one who might soon become a Buddha. Thus he respected everyone he met. This is Never-Disparage Bodhisattvas, who dared not insult anyone.
So I often say, “In a group of three, I shall find my teacher.” That is two people and myself, a total of three. Aside from me, the other two are both my teachers. One of them has a very good character, morality, wisdom, knowledge, etc. He has good human qualities worth my learning. He is a positive teacher that I should respect. We should honor those who teach us. The other person may be the opposite. We can see that he has no principles and wonder, “How could someone act like that?” he does not have a shred of character. But can we look down upon such a person? No, we cannot. We should be grateful to him. Had he not been this negative, we would have nothing with which to compare. So one of them guides us in the right direction, and the other one demonstrates the wrong path. So these two people are both our teachers.
In a group of three, I shall find my teacher. We should respect the positive teacher and be grateful to the negative teacher for reminding us to be vigilant.
Indeed, how can we succeed on this long journey? We need to uphold our duties and should our responsibilities. I believe this is our core responsibility. Time and space are constantly changing. How can we be well-rounded when interacting with others? We often say, “Perfect relationships, actions, and principles.” If we conduct our affairs flawlessly, it expresses our perfect character. Having a perfect character means we are in accord with the principles. We should know that the path is very long, so we need a long time because the goal is far. Thus, it is called the Stage of Far-reaching.
The Stage of stillness means preserving our unwavering mind. If something takes a while, we complain about the long time or distance, and we feel tired. Practitioners cannot be tired, so we often speak of being attentive and diligent. To be diligent means to keep moving forward, but our determination must remain unwavering. As mentioned before, we must preserve the unwavering Bodhi-mind while bringing out our positive potential. That is the Stage of Stillness.
In the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, besides having, we must also practice. We must practice good deeds at all times. As such, we can lead other people to reach the state of wisdom. We often talk about exercising compassion and wisdom. Usually compassion comes first, then wisdom. Compassion is kindness, which requires wisdom. Thus, “exercising both compassion and wisdom.” Compassion and wisdom are parallel paths. In this way, we reach the Stage of Dharma-cloud. We have said before, when there are no obstacles in the mind, it is the Stage of the Dharma-cloud.
Everyone, we have also said that “Blessings cone from the joy of practice.” From the Stage of Joy to the Stage of Utmost Difficulties, they are all blessings from the joy of practice. For the mind of unceasing joy, there are no difficulties. From the Stage of Manifestation to the Stage of Dharma-cloud, they are all about empathetic understanding, which is wisdom. Wisdom is the freedom we gain from understanding. Blessings are the joy we gain from talking action. We are joyful every day. And wisdom is understanding. With that, nothing in the world can disturb us. Just let afflictions pass. When our mental state is unpolluted, it is radiant. When the Ten Staged are complete in our daily spiritual practice, all our affairs are clear, nothing is muddied, and we are not ignorant.
This requires mindfulness. Let your change the world. Do not let world change your minds. So everyone should always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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