Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: We Can Be Each Other’s Benefactors (互為貴人)
Since we have the affinity to gather here together, we should be each other’s friends and benefactors. We can lead each other towards proper precepts and behavior. If everyone was a good friend to everyone else, wouldn’t this organization and this society to be more harmonious?
You would be my virtuous friend who would inform me of my mistakes right away. I would accept it with joy and gratitude. If you erred, I would quickly let you know as well. You would accept it with joy and peace. If we were all each other’s virtuous friends, then we would all be surrounded by benefactors. We could also be the benefactors of others. Then there would be no deception, fraud, or conflicts between people.
So, we should guide each other onto the right path, especially in following proper precepts and etiquette. We should lead one another to do kind deeds so everyone can become a Living Bodhisattva.
If we go slightly astray regarding our precepts and behavior, someone will correct us and guide us back. We can also do the same for others. If everyone abided by the rules and presented a positive image, then wouldn’t this world be a Pure Land of Bodhisattvas? This is very important. So we should be each other’s spiritual friends and benefactors.
Let us continue with the Water Repentance.
“From Beginningless Time till now, we could not find our virtuous friends because of our karma.”
What type of karma is this? As we mentioned before, it is the karma of killing. When we eat the flesh of beings, we create enmity and hatred. The defilements from such transgressions are as deep as the ocean. When we create so much enmity and resentment, it is difficult to have virtuous friends. This is due to our karma. From Beginningless Time till now, how many living beings have we killed? How many beings have we eaten? We truly do not know our past. Once deluded, we cannot extricate ourselves.
So, because of this, we do not encounter good friends and teachers, and do not come across the transcendent Dharma. We continue to transmigrate in the Six Realms, unable to free ourselves. This is very pitiable.
Only be having virtuous friends and teachers do we have the opportunity to encounter the Dharma. During the Buddha’s time, there was such an incident.
Within the Buddha’s Sangha, Devadatta, the Buddha’s cousin, had left home with joy and practiced diligently. He eventually developed spiritual powers. As this happened, his ego grew. He felt that he was equal to the Buddha. He could not understand why he did not receive the same offerings, respect and praise as the Buddha. He devised ways to gain status and respect equal to or beyond the Buddha’s. With such arrogant thoughts, he began to have evil ideas. He needed someone with power and authority to support and sponsor him.
He found Ajatasatru, who was a prince at the time. Ajatasatru’s parents were pious Buddhists who respected Sakyamuni Buddha, but Ajatasatru was very rebellious. So, Devadatta chose Ajatasatru and used various methods and mystical powers to delude him. After witnessing Devadatta’s spiritual powers and intelligence over a period of time, Ajatasatru was completely enchanted by him. Ajatasatru developed evil views and obeyed Devadatta’s every word. Gradually, his evil views manifested physically, and he committed the Five Offenses. Devadatta wanted to become the new Buddha. He wished to rebel and overthrow the Sangha, then take the Buddha’s place in leading a new Sangha.
Ajatasatru wanted to become the new king. So, he committed the Five Offenses. He had befriended Devadatta; he thought that Devadatta had already surpassed the Buddha, and therefore he should make every effort to support, respect and provide for him. So, each day he sent 500 carts of food to Devadatta and his 500 disciples. This was a separate Sangha that had formed in the Buddha’s time to oppose Him.
The Buddha could do nothing at the time. One day, when the Bhiksus went to the city for alms, they saw the 500 carts that were being sent to Devadatta’s Sangha. The townspeople all talked about it; some praised it while others disapproved. After asking for alms, the Bhiksus returned to the abode and ate peacefully. After they had eaten their fill, they went to the Buddha, paid their respects, and reported what they heard and saw in the town. They told the Buddha that Devadatta had gathered many people and his Sangha was growing, as it was supported by Ajatastru. Upon hearing this, the Buddha began to expound Dharma to the Bhiksus.
He said, “Everyone must safeguard his mind. Do not give rise to envy because “Devadatta receives offerings from Ajatastru. You should not aspire to have those things. Everyone must be vigilant.”
Why? The Buddha explained, “Devadatta will be harmed by his gains in the future. You leave home to diminish your desires, but Devadatta is doing whatever it takes to obtain what he wants, like using supernatural powers to enchant Ajatasatru for personal gain. He wishes to obtain authority, but this will bring him harm in the future.”
The Buddha continued, “The banana tree dies when it bears fruit.”
Do all you know about bananas? After the banana plant bears fruit, it is cut down, so naturally it dies. We also hear people say that river snails die after giving birth. They begin to reproduce only at the end of their life. In the same way, Devadatta acquiring all these benefits was like the banana plant bearing fruit, or the pregnant river snail soon to die. It was the same “Devadatta is a foolish, unwise person who does not understand the principles. So, after receiving offerings and benefits, he will suffer immensely in the future.”
Everyone should know that later Devadatta tried to harm the Buddha, so the ground opened and he was buried alive, then descended into Hell. This was the result of his actions. The Buddha continued to remind His disciples to forsake all greed. Everyone must be vigilant in relinquishing all matters associated with greed. We should observe and analyze principles in depth, and clearly distinguish right from wrong.
Since we have given up the lay life, we should no longer desire worldly wealth. Those of us who willingly left home should remember the principle of living a simple life. Then we will not be deluded by greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance or doubt. We should deeply contemplate the principles. We must monitor our minds and our conduct. This is the lesson in what the Buddha said to His Bhiksus regarding Devadatta and Ajatasatru.
Devadatta was not Ajatasatru’s virtuous friend, in fact he was a bad influence. Even as a prince, Ajarasatru could not find virtuous friends and instead found an evil one, who perpetuated his desires and evil views. Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt, the Five Poisons, tainted his mind. So, good friends can guide us to the right path, but bad friends can lead us toward evil paths. The right path is toward light, and evil paths lead to ignorance and darkness.
Next the passage says, “Thus, the Sutras say that the transgression of killing can cause beings to suffer in the Hell and Hungry Ghost Realms.”
If we cannot find virtuous friends, it is due to our karmic causes and conditions. Think about it. Ajatasatru’s parents were very sincere and pious disciples of the Buddha. Yet Ajatasatru could not accept His teachings. Instead, he listened to Devadatta, and his thinking went astray. A slight deviation will lead to great divergence. So, Ajatasatru committed the Five Offenses.
Everyone, we must always maintain kind thoughts and be virtuous friends to one another. We must take care of our core responsibilities. We have to keep a high standard of purity for our minds. If we can do this, we will be our own benefactor, as well as the benefactor of others. Furthermore, there will be opportunities for others to become our benefactors. This is a blessing.
So, within an organization, we should guide each other toward proper precepts and behavior. We should always work hard to train the mind and not allow it to go even slightly astray. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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