Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Eight Defilements
The surroundings here are so calm and clear. Are our vows as vast as the universe? We say, “vows as vast as the universe, they remain unwavering for countless eons.” That everlasting state of mind is what we Buddhist practitioners seek, so we must enter the broad Bodhisattva-path. Even if our minds are not defiled, we want to live among people and sentient beings, and not be swayed by mundane states. Although we live in the sensory realm, our minds can transcend defilements. It is very important to transcend the confusion of the sensory realm. How can we escape this impure, defiled mundane realm? That is what we must learn.
The Eight Defilements may cause all wrongdoings. We have Eight Defilements. Eight Defilements are eight types of contamination. These defilements are indecencies or fifth that pollute us. When we talk about the Eight Defilements, there are eight main types.
The Eight Defilements: Disrespecting Buddha, Disrespecting Dharma, Disrespecting Sangha, Being Unfilial to Parents, Disrespecting Teacher, Not Helping the Poor, Not Assisting the Sick, Having No Mercy for Suffering Animals.
The first three are about disrespecting the Three Treasures, being unwilling to praise and affirm them, and having evil thoughts. This means that people not only refuse to believe, because they have no faith, they are unwilling to pay respect. They are unwilling to express their faith with actions, speech and thoughts. Not only are they unwilling to bow and praise, their minds also bear evil thoughts. Their actions, speech, and thoughts are defiled. Without a pure mind, our Threefold Karma is already defiled.
The fourth is “Being Unfilial to Parents.” Where did our bodies come from? We mentioned how karmic seeds and affinities with our parents caused us to be born to this set of parents, in this particular family. We are then cared for by our parents. Toward our parents, children, siblings, etc., we must be grateful and dutiful. When we came into this world, we received our parents’ love and affection. They cared for us from birth. As we mature, we have families and careers, and our parents grow old. That is when we should give back to them. When we are neither accommodating nor reasonable toward our parents, we are unfilial. This is called being rebellious. One who is rebellious is unfilial. This is called “Being Unfilial to Parents.” The heart is already defiled when one is uncaring and unprincipled.
Our parents have cared for us since we were born. Now that we are grown, we should repay them. When we are rebellious and unfilial, our hearts are contaminated, and we go against the principles.
The fifth Defilement is “Disrespecting Teachers.” Our parents have cared for us since we were born. We have gradually matured, and have our own families and careers. To be able to make a living, we need to learn, starting at a young age. In the past, many people did not have the opportunity to go to school, but they had skills that enabled them to make a living. They used to say, “Seek and respect the teacher.” To obtain a skill, one needs a teacher to pass on the trade. Some say it takes three years and four months to learn carpentry. During that time, one should respect the teacher to learn his skills. It also takes over three years to become a seamstress, during which the apprentices do odd jobs for their teachers to learn the trade. They are dutiful and respectful. Regardless of the trade, after leaving their teacher, they are forever grateful. The teacher imparted a skill that allowed the apprentices to make a living. That is respecting the teacher. It is a principle of being human. One should be grateful for learning a way to lead a peaceful, stable life.
We are more fortunate today because our society values education, and has established many schools. Now education is even more refined. To have deep knowledge, teachers must study a lot. They must broaden their knowledge to pass it on to new generations. Teachers today are different from teachers of the past. So we must be grateful. Only if we respect the teacher can their lessons enter our minds. If we do not respect them, no matter how earnestly they teach, it does nothing for us. The knowledge is in vain. When the mind is defiled and polluted, craving fun and entertainment and wasting time, then one cannot learn. The mind is already defiled. So in terms of education, very few succeed. There are many who study, but few who are accomplished. It is difficult for people today to achieve major success because their hearts are contaminated, and people refuse to respect their teachers. This is a mental defilement.
When there is defilement in the mind, people refuse to respect their teachers. So they cannot receive teachings. When the teachings cannot enter their minds, they have difficulty accomplishing anything.
The sixth Defilement is “Not Helping the Poor.” Why would someone not help the poor? Because they are greedy and lack love. They cling to wealth and are never satisfied. They are not content because they lack love. This is spiritual poverty. Why does anyone lack love? Because one is attached to greed. With greed, one is always lacking. When there is not enough for oneself, how can one give to others? A mindset of poverty comes from being greedy. When one is greedy, the heart feels deprived. Because of this, one refuses to help the needy.
Some people seek fame when they give. That is greed for fame. Some donate to the poor for recognition. That is impure; such a mind is also defiled. Or some help others in order to gain merits, which is greed for merit. Some people crave fame, some seek merit. Then there are those who help others in order to negate bad karma. All of these are wrong. We must truly eliminate mental defilements. Helping the poor is following the principles; it is our duty. If we are living well and help the needy with our surplus, we are on the right Path. To sum it up, if we do not follow the principles, it is still considered defilement. So, Not Helping the Poor is the sixth Defilement.
When the heart is filled with desire and lacks love, one does not help the poor. If one can eliminate the defilement in the heart and truly help those in need, one is on the true Path.
The seventh is “Not Assisting the Sick.” Life is full of suffering. The sick suffer most among the suffering. We should be compassionate and care for the sick. Some people are even afraid of contact with their own sick relatives. This is not in accord with principles. So, not caring for the sick is also a defilement of the mind.
Eighth is “Having No Mercy for Suffering Animals.” Animals live in suffering. One of the Three Evil Destinies is to be an animal. So we should have sympathy for all animals. Buddha said all beings posses Buddha-nature, so we should respect all lives. This is the transcendent love we should possess. There are three Field of Blessings: Gratitude, Reverence, and Compassion. Reverence is respect for the Three Treasures. Gratitude is being filial to parents and respecting our teachers. We need to be full of respect and gratitude. The last three are the Field of Compassion. They are about helping those in need.
Field of Reverence: Respect Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.
Field of Gratitude: Be filial to parents and Respect Teachers.
Field of Compassion: Care for the Sick, Help the Poor, Have Mercy for All.
Everyone, in Tzu Chi you have cultivated the Eight Field of Blessings. We respect, pay reverence, and praise the Three Treasures. We are respectful action, speech and thought. That is called the Field of Reverence. We have accomplished this. All Tzu Chi volunteers know to be grateful toward their parents, teachers and elders. We have also accomplished that. We have accomplished Reverence and Gratitude. Next, we work hard to help the poor and suffering. Tzu Chi volunteers are living Bodhisattvas who appear wherever there is suffering. Regardless of how arduous the task, we still find a way to comfort and care for those in need. Old or young, crippled or ill, the living Bodhisattvas are by their sides.
We should be like farmers, plowing the Field of Blessings. But with a defiled mind, not only do we refuse to create blessings, we are disrespectful, ungrateful, and uncompassionate toward sentient beings. If we split up these three, then there are eight types of defilements, which easily give rise to karma.
Everyone, from where does karma arise? Mostly from defilements of the mind. Defilements of the mind go against the Truth. How do we thoroughly comprehend the Truth? By adhering to the principles. How can we transcend the Inverted Views of the unenlightened toward people, matters, things? How do we transcend the four types of Hinayana Inverted Views? We apply the principles while dealing with people, matters and things. If we can do this, we will not be tainted by these defilements, and will remain calm and lucid, with vast vows and unwavering conviction. There are many Fields of blessings in the world for us to cultivate. What we need are living Bodhisattvas to mindfully tend to these fields.
So everyone, please mindfully cultivate the Fields of Blessings in your heart. We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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