Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Poison of Ignorance Obscures Wisdom (癡念毒 智慧迷)
Around the world, Tzu Chi volunteers often give aid generously and lovingly, treating others like their own family members. Because we cannot bear to see suffering, we try to help others the best we can. We will be there from the start, to keep them company until they are safe and settled. This happens all around the world. We offer the same kind of love regardless of the time place of people involved. This is the attitude of our volunteers.
Here is an anecdote about people who are the same age, but are very different. In Australia, there was a 97-year-old woman. She always had a dream to have a house of her own, but she was already 97, and she lived alone. Because of her wish, she took out a mortgage and bought a house. It was a 27-year mortgage. Can you imagine? In 27 years, she would be a hundred and twenty-some years old. But she was bold. She believed that she would live in her house for another 20 plus years. This woman’s hope for life is very interesting, but it was all for her own benefit.
There was also a news report of another 97-year-old woman in Australia. There are many illegal or new immigrants in Australia, who do not have a place to live. This 97-year-old woman had worked hard all her life as a dressmaker. Though she was 97, she had relied on a sewing machine for almost 80 years to make a living. But her vision had become poor. One day she heard of a family of ten who had immigrated to Australia, but were unemployed and could not find a place to live. When she heard of their hardship, she came up with the idea to give them the sewing machine that supported her all her life. This is another kind of love. Because she was very old, she felt that she should let go of her belongings. She made a choice to help this family find a way to make a living. She offered them her sewing machine and taught them how to make clothes. This is a different perspective on life.
These two old women were both living alone, but each had a different view on life. This is how ordinary people are, working hard and very busy in this chaotic world of troublesome and trivial matters, unable to break away. But once they set their minds on entering the Bodhisattva-path, they can let go of everything, donating money and time to help other people. Only with this Bodhisattva mindset can they break away from the mundane life. Ordinary people are stingy, greedy, arrogant and angry. As Buddhist practitioners, we must break away from all of this. Only then we can move forward diligently.
Ordinary people are full of afflictions. They are stingy, greedy, arrogant and angry. Only by entering the Bodhisattva-path can one let go of everything and do one’s best to help others. In doing so, one breaks away from the mindset of an ordinary being, returning to a pure, innate nature.
Therefore, the Buddha taught us about the Three Poisons. All sentient beings in this world have the Three Poisons of greed, anger and ignorance. Greed poisons our benevolent thoughts. But if we can rid our minds of it, our intent to do charity and our love will emerge. So we should know that only a change of inset makes us willing to give. Conversely, some ordinary people, even if they are almost 100 years old, still crave a house for the next 20 years. This is also greed. The second Poison is anger. It is a mind of hatred and resentment. With an angry thought, hatred forms in our minds, engulfing us like flames. Hence, it is called anger. The poison of anger gives rise to hatred, causing us to have an aberrant mindset.
In fact, many people get angry easily and get burned by their own anger. This also happens in the outside world. In Australia, over 60,000 hectares of land burned continuously for several days and were destroyed. A big fire like this is quite terrible. What caused the fire? Some said it was an act of arson; some said it happened naturally, originating from a lightning strike and fanned by warm, dry winds. It burned everything to ashes. If the fire was deliberately started, what kind of person would do that, and what was his intention? Was it anger towards society, the result of an unstable mind full of resentment and hatred? Resentment and hatred stem from anger, causing an imbalanced mind. This is quite terrifying.
Even if it was not caused by humans, there are many other great disasters caused by humans. Recently I learned of a family living in the Shui-lien area of Hualien. The husband and wife had a fight over their finances. The man was addicted to gambling and drinking, and was irresponsible. His wife had to work hard to support the family. Both of them felt unfairly treated. The wife harbored much resentment. The husband hadn’t adapted well to family life and became lost, avoiding responsibilities, drinking, gambling, etc. With such mindsets, it was as if the couple’s minds were burning with anger. When their anger collided, it led to an actual gas explosion and fire.
Three family members were injured and treated in the burn unit of our hospital. It is not known if all will survive. The husband suffered severe burns over much of his body and is still in critical condition. It must be quite painful to be burned this way. If they had known that they would survive the explosion but would suffer such great pain, they would probably rethink their actions. They might wonder why they had acted in such a way as to destroy their family. Now the husband and his child are gravely injured. What about his wife? If she had known the consequences, she might have had more patience and not let anger take over. When can people’s minds be appeased? The angrier we get, the worse the suffering we create for ourselves.
It was anger that caused such tragedy for this family. It can also cause damage to the Earth. Let us consider this. All this damage was caused by the mind, beginning with anger and resentment. There are many examples like this in this world. The next poison is ignorance. Ignorance is a poison of the mind. It is delusion. It brings delusion to our minds, to our way of living, and to our interactions with others. Ignorance obstructs our views, confuses our minds and causes delusion. Both greed and anger come from delusion, so ignorance is poisonous to our minds. Once poisoned, it is almost incurable. The greed and anger in our minds all started from ignorance. Thus, this Poison is worse than greed and anger. A deluded mind is easily confused; it cannot understand the truth of things. Being confused and delusional and engaging in evil conduct is the Poison of ignorance.
Ignorance is a poison in the mind and causes delusion, so one cannot understand the truth of things. Being confused and delusional, one engages in evil conduct.
The Sutra of One Hundred Parables relates a very interesting story. There was a shepherd who raised sheep. He had raised many sheep, starting from when he was a child. One sheep became two, two became four, and he continued with his sheep raising business. As an adult, all he thought about was how many sheep he had, and how to increase his herd. So he counted his sheep every day. When he counted one more sheep than before, that meant a new lamb had been born, so he was very happy. But as he reached middle age, he noticed that many men his age already had families, with wives and children. He was very envious, but he had spent all his time tending his sheep. As days went by, he became older. Although he felt he should start a family, his days remained unchanged. He still spent all his time tending sheep.
One day, a visitor said, “You should get married and have a family. You have a lot of money. Look at the number of sheep you have. You are the richest person in the village, but you are swill tending the sheep yourself. It is time for you start a family.” The man was very happy to hear that.
He said, “Yes, I want to have a family, and I want to have a wife and children.”
The person said, “Can I introduce someone to you?”
The man said, “Yes! Good! Please introduce someone to me.”
A while later the person told him, “I found someone that I can introduce to you. She’s a very pretty girl.”
“Really?”
“However, she is in need of money.”
“It’s fine. How much does she need?” The person told him the amount. He quickly sold some sheep and gave the person money.
A while later the person told him, “Your wife just had a baby.”
“Really?”
“But raising a child requires money.”
“Let me know how much she needs.” And he gave money to the person.
Later on the person told him, “Your son is getting married.”
“Really? I will be a grandfather soon. Good! Hurry. I want to give him some money.” Again, he gave his money to the person.
Another period of time had passed. The person came to tell him, “I am here to give you sad news. Your son is sick.”
“What can I do?”
“He needs money.” So he gave this person some money.
After another period of time, the person brought bad news to him. “Your son is dead.” Upon hearing this the man cried and knocked his head until he bled. He suffered unspeakable pain.
The moral of the Buddha’s story is that all sentient beings have ignorance, just like this foolish person who wanted to hold onto his fortune while also pursuing other things. He did not know how to start a family, but he had this delusive desire. In delusion he felt he had gotten a lot and was very happy for himself. He did not know that the deluded mind is constantly leaking spiritual wisdom. This creates ignorance. Do people like the man in the story really exist? The story is just a metaphor. But many people are like the man. They are living a deluded life, unable to let go of the delusion. When the mind is deluded with greed, there is no way to cure it. Isn’t our life also like this?
This is why when someone loses his temper. I think about a saying in the Jing Si Aphorisms, “To lose your temper is temporary insanity.” We must control our tempers. If we hold onto greedy thoughts, how can we transform from being greedy into being generous and giving? In fact, when we give generously and loving to others, we will be loved by others in return. So, the delusions of greed, ignorance and anger are all poisonous thoughts.
The Three Poisons of greed, anger and ignorance cause one to lose wisdom. By generously giving to and loving others, and constantly being mindful and reflecting on one’s own thoughts and conduct, one keeps the Three Poisons away.
Everyone, we should calm our minds and reflect carefully. As human beings living in this world, how should we think and how should we behave? Please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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