Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Affliction of the Four Grounding states (四住地煩惱)
Following the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, afflictions of transmigrations arise. Ignorant since Beginningless Time, we have afflictions as numerous as the sands in the Ganges.
Since Beginningless Time, every one of us has had the same nature as the Buddha. We have the same pure and undefiled wondrous wisdom. Because of a single thought of ignorance, attachment arose. Our wondrous wisdom became obscured, “causing the stirring of ignorance.” Thus we create karma of body, speech and mind. We are confused about the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. We are not clear that the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links are the key to life and death.
Suffering, causation, cessation and the Path must be understood. The Buddha came to this world to lead us onto the Path, to let us know “suffering” comes from “causes.” For the causes of suffering to cease, we must practice on the Path. These are the Four Noble Truths.
However, we are not mindful, and because of our mindlessness, we bring about the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Nothing will follow us after we die, except for our Storehouse Consciousness. The Eighth Consciousness is what stores everything we have done in past lives. We were born in this life based on those causes and conditions that we carry. If we do not engage in spiritual practice in this lifetime, we will experience unspeakable suffering. We should practice quickly to eliminate suffering.
Everyone has the pure, undefiled and wondrous wisdom of the Buddha. However, because of a single ignorance thought, attachment arose; thus we do not understand the Four Noble Truths, and suffer due to the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence.
So we must understand that afflictions are caused by the ignorant thoughts that arise in our minds. If we do not always carefully self-reflect, and keep our wisdom pure and bright, our wisdom will be defiled by ignorance. Then the cycle of the Twelve Links will never end. “Ignorance since Beginningless Time, we have afflictions numerous as the sands in the Ganges.”
This means that afflictions are continuously created through the conditions of the Twelve Links. At some unknowable time in the past, a single ignorant thought arose, leading to continued attachment. This planted many seeds in our Eighth Consciousness, so we are stuck in the Six Realms, life after life. “Afflictions numerous as the sands in the Ganges” means the number of afflictions is immeasurable.
“When the Four Grounding States arise within the Three Realms, the suffering of afflictions is infinite, disturbing the sages and saints.”
What we are the afflictions of the Four Grounding States? [We can find the answer] in our innate nature. I have often said that we have afflictions of the Three Sciences and Four States. Everything in the world goes through four phases, formation, existence, decay and disappearance. Our body goes through the four stages of birth, aging, illness and death; and mentally, thoughts go through the four stages of arising, abiding, changing and ceasing. This cyclic change is very subtle.
The Three Sciences and Four Stages of Existence.
Physical:
Formation, Existence, Decay, Disappearance.
Physiological:
Birth, Aging, Illness, Death.
Psychological:
Arising, Abiding, Changing, Ceasing.
Our minds are always very subtle. For instance, are you angry? If you did not show it while I was talking, I would not be able to tell. This is indeed very subtle. Did I offend you? If you do not express your feelings, no one will ever know. They are very subtle. If I offend you, you continue to keep it in your mind, and continue to dislike me. If you do not like me, and hold on to this in your mind when we have a conversation or interaction, no matter what I do, you will react [negatively]. If I do something right, you will be envious. If I make a mistake, you will reject me, or so on and so forth. I may start to wonder about you attitude. This then becomes confrontational. These small subtle changes accumulate imperceptibly. With these constant changes, afflictions arise in our hearts. Then ignorance abides [in our minds].
When we have a moment of inspiration, we should get together to do good. This inspires us to cultivate our minds. Can we always maintain this inspiration to engage in spiritual practice? The Buddha already taught us the Truth and showed us the way to enlightenment. Are we determined to follow it? Will our intention be firm and our vow steadfast? We can only move forward on the path if we have a firm resolve.
However, we are just ordinary people, our thoughts arise, abide, change, then cease. It is beneficial if we can focus on spiritual cultivation. But, as time goes on, afflictions and worries gradually accumulate in our minds. The will to practice is gradually obstructed by afflictions that arise. Then the afflictions continue to spread until they take over our motivation to practice. Gradually, our minds change. Constantly changing, our minds cannot persevere or hold on to our initial conviction to remain unwavering for countless eons. It is hard. After “change” comes “cessation”, and then our intention to practice is gone.
Once the motivation to practice is gone, afflictions arise in our minds. By the same principle, if we have afflictions, but have a firm resolve to engage in spiritual practice, then we can slowly get rid of all of our ignorance and afflictions. When our conviction is firm, no afflictions or worries can interfere. We strengthen our determination so that our intent to practice is undiminished, and naturally our pure and radiant nature returns.
But it is hard for us to become sages, and sages regress to mundane beings. We are all born with the same wisdom as the Buddha. Just because of an ignorant thought, however, we descend into the mundane world and allow ourselves to be confused and disturbed. Since we have already seen the Path, we need to practice it diligently. But, instead, we immerse ourselves in the affliction of the Four Grounding States of arising, abiding, changing and ceasing. Although the intent to practice arises, it wavers with time, and is easily extinguished. The cycle of arising, abiding, changing, ceasing continues on subtly and incessantly, creating immeasurable afflictions that are “as numerous as the sands of the Ganges”
Everything constantly changes, but if we return [to our innate nature], we will be aware of our ignorance. If we can remain firm in our vows and mission, and take care of our hearts, we will regain our pure and wondrous wisdom. How wonderful that would be! But people usually just drift with the current. Ignorance is like a dirty stream, and people drift downstream with the dirty water. That is the suffering of life. We have talked about the “craving of the Four Grounding States and Nine Lands.”
The Four Grounding States, as we just discussed, are arising, abiding, changing and ceasing. We have discussed the Nine Lands before.
There are Nine Lands in the Three Realms.
Desire Realm:
The land of mixed beings from the Five Destinies.
Realm of Form:
Paradise after Earthly Life.
Paradise of Cessation of Rebirth.
Land of Wondrous Joy after the Previous Joys.
Pure Land of Abandonment of Thought.
Formless Realm:
Land of Infinite Space.
Land of Infinite Consciousness.
Land of Nothingness.
Land Without Thinking or Not Thinking.
In the Three Realms, there is the “Land of mixed beings from the Five Destinies.” Aside from the Land of Sages or Buddhas, there are the Nine Lands. There are many affliction which cause us to remain in the Three Realms. The Three Realms are the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm. In the Nine Lands of mixed inhabitants, in the Three Realms, we all suffer two types of karmic retributions, Circumstantial Retribution and Direct Retribution. Circumstantial Retribution means we were born to our parents because of affinities. Direct Retribution is the good and bad karma that we brought along. If you have strong bad karma, even if you were born into a good family with good parents, though your family circumstances are good, your own direct retribution, negative karma and the past habits you brought, may make you unreceptive to your family’s upbringing.
These days many children are not receptive to moral education from their families. They always go out and misbehave. The parents try to guide them, even hire private tutors to assist their studies, but these children’s minds have gone astray. They are not focused on school or their studies. Some may be born to poor parents because of unwholesome affinities. They may be angry with their fate and with their parents, so they behave badly. These are karmic forces.
A few days ago discussed King Yama’s Hall, where we are brought to be judged. Even if our loved ones want to help, they cannot. The trials in Hell are different than the courts in our world. The judges in the human world are swayed by societal pressures when they hand down judgments. There are cases where innocent people were framed and sentenced to prison, while guilty ones received minor penalties. There are many such cases.
But after we die, no matter what we have done, all karma will be accounted for. Some people ask if Hell really exists. It exists, though we cannot see it. We can even see Hell in the Human Realm. In Ethiopia, we have seen people living in poverty. This is something like Hell on Earth. Many people in hospital have had their hands and legs chopped off, or their tongues or pulled out. So do not think that there is no Hell or no karmic retribution. It is true that with one ignorant thought, the Four Grounding States of arising, abiding, changing and ceasing can cause us to live with “craving in the Nine Lands.” There are cravings in each of the Three Realms that create ignorant thoughts and lead to karmic affinities and retributions.
Because of your affinity, you may be born in a poor, remote area. Or, if you have good karmic conditions, you may be born to a wealthy family or a good family with loving parents. However, even if you have good karmic conditions and are born to a good family, you may not be willing to learn and will accumulate negative karma. This is Direct Retribution.
Some people are born into poverty, but can still become successful with hard work. With hard work come good affinities and benefactors who can help. We can turn our fate around and become successful. So, many of our afflictions are caused by ignorant thoughts. There are countless ignorant thoughts.
Thus, not only do we not follow the sages, we oppose and distress them instead. These people came to teach and guide us onto the right path. When we have good teachers and good parents, or meet wholesome people with high morals, instead of following their guidance, we cause them distress. Our parents try their best to nurture us, but we upset them instead. They bring the best teachers to teach us, but we create trouble for those teachers. Even with so many good people around to guide us, we do not learn anything from them. Such behavior “distresses the sages.” People like this have a very hard life.
Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s way we must have faith. He came to this world and witnessed so much suffering, so He contemplated and sought the origin of suffering, He discovered that suffering stems from the gathering of afflictions. Since these afflictions are accumulated, there must be ways to eliminate them. Since afflictions are created from. Ignorant thoughts, there are ways to clear them. If we wish to find ways to eliminate ignorance, we need to practice on the Path. Buddha came to this world to expound the Dharma. He is the witness, expounder and practitioner of the Dharma. We must have faith in His teachings. So please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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