Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Four Methods of Contemplation Part 5 (四種觀行五)
For the past two days I have been saying that we must pay attention to causes and conditions. Without causes, there will be no conditions. With no conditions, nothing will come to fruition. If all the elements do not come together, absolutely nothing will happen.
What is an argument? It takes two people to argue. With one person, it is simply a scolding. If we do not respond when others berate us, then there is no argument. If we can remain open minded, understanding and grateful when others scold us, then the argument will be single-sided. If we resolve our misunderstandings with others, we will avoid creating a cycle of enmity. So, a cause is just one factor; many conditions must converge for there to be an effect.
If someone is being verbally abusive to you, there must be causes and conditions behind it. Maybe someone told him something about you and he believed it. If that is not the reason, then maybe he misunderstood your actions. There must be a cause, a reason, for conditions to arise. That is how everything works. So I repeatedly talk about causes and conditions to remind everyone.
Everything has a cause. Without causes, conditions would not arise, and nothing would come to fruition. With empathetic understanding and gratitude, we can resolve misunderstandings and cease being influenced by conditions to create enmity.
Without soil, a seed will dry out if it remains unused for a long time. Even if the seed is in the soil, if the soil is too dry, the seed will shrivel. What else does it need? In addition to soil, it needs moisture. But even with soil and moisture, the seed will rot without sunlight. So without water, the soil is too dry. The send shrivels and dries out. It needs water. If there is water, but no sun, the seed will rot. If the seed has been planted for many days and it rains constantly, the seed will rot. All the farmers know that without sunlight, seed, soil and water are useless. Heat and warmth are necessary. Causes and conditions must converge. Earth, water, fire and wind must be present. When there is sunlight, though the conditions are almost complete, if the air quality is poor, the seed will sprout, but not flourish. Over time, it will wither and dry up. The four conditions must come together to nurture the seed. Then we will see a flourishing forest. Forests thrive if the send of every tree is surrounded by the four conditions of soil, water, sunlight and air.
Human beings are similar. In addition to requiring a man and woman, there must also be craving, grasping, contact, etc. for there to be a new existence, for the woman to get pregnant. Many conditions must come together for a result. Many conditions must come together for a result. There is much logic behind causes and conditions. The scientific and the Buddhist view of causes and conditions in the universe state that nothing can exist without causes and conditions.
Many scientists, whether they are inventors, researchers, or biologists, gather a lot of information, and then study and analyze it piece by piece. Look around you. In our society there are many scientists, meteorologists, astronomers and geologists who are calling attention to the myriad dangers that the Earth is facing due to the greenhouse effect. This phenomenon is starting to be well-known, and many people are studying and analyzing it. Yes, there is a lot of pollution. But what exactly are the pollutants? The scientists study and analyze them over and over to identify the sources. So now, that appeal to people to start with the unassuming recycling work. It must start with every individual. Isn’t this a matter of cause and effect?
It all starts with a single thought, a single craving and the endless pursuit to satisfy desires and fulfill pleasures. Because we feel hot, for example, we invent air conditioning. Air conditioning is nice. We even use it in the car. It requires coolants, which emit many pollutants. The car also emits pollutants with the exhaust from burning gasoline. We should know that this creates carbon dioxide. This is what driving a car does. When we walk into our house, we enjoy cool air if we have air conditioning. But when we go out, isn’t it still burning hot? Where does that heat come from? The air conditioners inside our homes discharge hot air back into the environment, so external temperatures keep rising. The temperature in the atmosphere rises as well. As the temperature rises, the ice caps melt. When ice caps melt, ocean levels rise because ice turns to water when it melts.
As the air becomes increasingly polluted and temperatures keep rising, the ozone layer gets destroyed. Carbon dioxide traps heat so it cannot dissipate. Then it gets very hot. If the water vapor does not evenly disperse, when it rains, the rainfall is irregular resulting in heavy rain that we cannot control. As the human population grows, we use more non-biodegradable materials like plastic and Styrofoam. Products made from petroleum do not decompose.
We acquire more and more things. We throw away slightly used things for new ones. New models of air conditioners keep coming out, and the same goes for televisions and computers. What we already have still works, but commercials tempt us to upgrade to newer things that are more energy efficient, user-friendly, or offer more functions, etc. The more easily tempted we are, the deeper we fall into the trap. We all know to conserve electricity. To do so, we upgrade light bulbs and appliances to energy-efficient models. If we replace everything, like these light bulbs, what happens to the old ones? They are garbage. Air conditioners, televisions, cars, and everyday objects quickly become obsolete. In the past, our clothes were all made of cotton. After we wore them, we would wash them by hand but they were made from cotton, so they were quickly torn from frequent washes. If they ripped, we would mend them and wear them again. If someone had kids, they could turn old torn clothes into baby blankets or diapers. We can reuse these products continually. When we can no longer use them, we can bury them and return them to the soil, because they are made out of cotton. Cotton was once a seed. It was planted and then grew from the soil. Then the cotton was harvested. Sometimes sisal was used as well. This all happens naturally when the Four Elements converge. Soil, water, sunlight and air, plus a seed, will produces something from the earth. Humans use wisdom to harvest cotton, extract silks, and weave clothes to wear. We wear them until we convert them into things like diapers or rags. We continue to recycle and reuse them until they can no longer be used. When they become garbage, they are buried and returned to the soil to decompose. After they decompose, they become fertilizer that nourishes other living things. In the past, people were wise enough to cherish blessings and care for their resources, which is a very natural cycle.
Back then, we also felt four distinct seasons. It was cold when it was supposed to be, and spring felt like spring. In springtime, everything flourished. Grasses and trees thrived in the spring, and farmers were happy to start planting. Those were happy times. Humans were acclimated to the temperatures, and everything changed along with the seasons. That was truly a natural lifestyle.
We humans lives be taking all we need from nature. If we are content and have few desires, cherish our blessings and care for our resources, then we can reduce our material consumption.
However, people today are driven by greed. We are always tempted to pursue modern technology, and are seduced by commercials to buy new products. We have forgotten about our past abilities. I heard that when a journalist from Da Ai TV visited mainland China, although he saw many people suffering, he also saw people who diligently studied. To succeed in the future and escape poverty, they knew that they had to study hard. He witnessed a lot of people who were inspired to make a better life for themselves. That phenomenon seems very hopeful. But in China, it is difficult to raise a child, so they placed restrictions on the number of births per family. Because there are fewer children, parents spoil them more. Whether they are rich or poor, they adore their children. In first grade, schools provide nutritious lunches. There was a child who did not know how to feed himself. Why didn’t he eat when everyone else did? His classmates said, “He can’t eat because he doesn’t know how to hold a bow and chopsticks.”
What would he do?
“His mother will come to feed him.”
This healthy child has two hands and two feet. Why give him such an unhealthy mindset? He lacks even basic ability to hold a bowl and chopsticks to feed himself.
Look at people nowadays. Children faint after brief exposure to the sun. Children in the mountains used to walk for hours to attend school, but now children can barely run. Modern education has reached the point where the school board forbids punishing children by making them stand in the corner. People have lost their morality and sense of responsibility. We are now walking on a perilous path, where we can fall at any time.
The environment is already warning us that this is a very dangerous time. So shouldn’t we become alert, and enlighten ourselves? Every day we need to remind ourselves to be aware of the karmic law of cause and effect. We cannot say enough about the cycle of cause and effect. Although we have not spoken about retribution, we learn much from causes and conditions alone.
Everyone, causes and conditions are rooted in our minds. The truths of all living things in the world are inseparable from the mind. We are all responsible for these disasters. So every single one of us should have a sense of responsibility.
The natural environment is warning us that we are now in the Era of Decay. Cause and effect continuously cycle. All disasters are related to every one of us, so we must all self-reflect.
We must take good care of our minds every day. Do not neglect kindness just because it is small. Do not refrain from doing small good deeds, and do not keep even the slightest evil thought in your mind. Do not do any bad deeds even if they seem minor. They will accumulate.
Everyone, we must take a broad view of causes and conditions. Contemplate deeply, consider things carefully, and think clearly. We must contemplate with Right Wisdom. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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