Lecturer: Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Keep Buddha in Your Minds, Dharma in Your Actions (心中有佛 法在行)
To learn Buddhism we must respect the Dharma. We must always keep the Buddha in our hearts, and the Dharma in our actions. Then we can reach our goal in learning Buddhism. So, let us show our utmost respect.
When the Buddha was alive, He realized the truth of life and expounded the Dharma. Therefore, that period was the era of Right Dharma. The people who began their practice at that time saw the Buddha Himself. He personally led the Sangha and spread the Buddha-Dharma everywhere He went. For the first 42 years, the Buddha expounded much Dharma, such as the Vaipulya, Prajna, Avatamsaka, and so on. These are all very good methods, but the Dharma is like a great ocean. We sentient beings are busy with worldly affairs. When will we encounter Buddha-Dharma? When will we truly enter the Buddha’s door to receive His teachings? Time is too short.
Look at what the Buddha said to Ananda “Ananda, pick up some sand with your fingernail.”
Ananda obeyed and picked up some sand from the ground.
The Buddha asked, “Ananda, is there more sand under your fingernail or on the ground you see by the Ganges River?”
Ananda did not need to think about it. “How could the sand under my fingernail compare? You see, the sand by the shores of the Ganges looks endless. Of course there is more sand on the ground.”
The Buddha said, “Ananda, that is right. How much of my Dharma have you heard?”
“A lot. Buddha, I have heard everything you said, whether it was said to ordinary citizens or to kings and ministers.”
The Buddha said, “That is incorrect. The Dharma is like a great ocean, greater than the number of grains of sand by the Ganges. But the Dharma I have expounded is like the little bit under your fingernail.” Hearing this, we know that the Buddha’s wisdom is like the ocean. His enlightenment fills the great universe. There is still so much of His Dharma [unspoken]. In the first 42 years, He removed the dregs and kept the cream. He condensed that Dharma into the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra was most commonly transmitted in China as the 28 Chapters we typically recite, split into seven sections. Along with the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, and Sutra of Meditating on Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, there are 9 sections. These comprise the Threefold Lotus Sutra.
If we condense the Lotus Sutra further, we would select the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. When you recite it, can you see how it is perfectly applicable to modern people and matters? In the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, we see the impermanence of life, the negativity in people’s minds, the decay of morals and ethics, manmade and natural disasters, and so on. There are so many principles within Ultimate Truth. Worldly appearances and phenomena are a result of [causes and conditions] coming together. When worldly appearances come together, everything in the world is a manifestation of the Ultimate Truth.
This teaching is truly profound. We should study the last seven years of the Dharma. Actually, we should really study all 49 years, layer by layer, to find the essence. If we are disrespectful, will Buddhism decline like it did in India after the Buddha entered Parinirvana?
After He entered Parinirvana, other religions began to flourish again. The religions in India are very complicated. Many people were Brahman and there were over 90 religions. The Buddha came to the Human Realm to correct many religious perspectives. But 49 years was not enough time. Buddhism briefly flourished, but after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, though all His senior disciples quickly gathered to compile Sutras and were very proactive, 49 years was still too short of a time. These religions in India were too deeply rooted. I often say, good and evil are in a tug of war as are the deviant and the true. So, we need great strength. How do we increase our strength? It takes time and manpower to accumulate strength. So the true path and deviant path are in a tug of war. There was not enough time and not enough strength, so Buddhism in India slowly declined.
The deeply rooted Indian religions slowly began to flourish again. Buddhism is very weak in modern India. This is very sad India has not changed much in over 2,000 years. People’s lives have not changed. Although India is big, it has a huge population. Their government is not poor, but they spend money to develop powerful weapons to invade others countries. In addition to their complex religious beliefs, Indians are very good at philosophical thinking. Indians are very smart. But they have a polarized educational system. The rich are educated. The four castes are clearly separated. The rich receive the best education. Many Indians are talented in technology, computers, weapons development, and so on. Sadly, most of them leave the country.
That is a pity. With the tremendous wisdom of the Buddha, if the people of India could continue to explore the world and the truth of the Universe with His teachings, if Buddhism could flourish again in India, that would be the world’s blessing. Sadly, the karma of sentient beings is tremendous. After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, Buddha slowly declined in India.
The morals and ethics of many people went off-track into deviant teachings and methods. Human ethics have deviated too much from reason. On November 25, 2007, over 600 volunteers from 23 countries gathered at the Jing Si Hall. Each represented country had a lot to share. It was very touching. As they sat there, it was like they were listening to the Dharma or reading Sutras. They saw the Truth of Suffering in the world, heard the Truth of the Aggregation of Suffering, and experienced the Truth of the Bodhisattva-path. They all shared the same desire, to eliminate suffering from the Human Realm, to dispel and reduce disasters in the world.
This was very touching, but when these more than 600 people from 23 countries return to each of their countries, how much influence can they have? The number of Tzu Chi volunteers in each country compared to the population there is like amount of sand under a fingernail. So few! But when there is a will, there is no difficulty.
The Sutra of Infinite Meanings comforts and teaches us in this way. Infinity arises from one. One can give rise to infinite things. Three people came back from Jordan, Ji-hui, Ji-ren, and Tzu-ai. Three people, three religions Ji-hui is a very devout Buddhist. Ji-ren is a devout Muslim and Tzu-ai is a devout Catholic. They have different religious beliefs, but together they came to take refuge. They took refuge under the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, which originated from the Jing Si Dharma-lineage. They were willing to come lean and become part of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage. They came to join the Tzu Chi School and to promote the Tzu Chi spirit. They are local Jordanians so they can put down roots and reach out. They are the few Tzu Chi volunteers we can see among the multitudes in Jordan. Now whether they can create infinity from one depends on their mindfulness.
Before I left, I also saw Tzu Chi volunteers from South Africa on stage. They are so lively. They have a different skin color and believe in different religions. They are Protestants. Catholics or Muslims, or of course, Buddhists. The 12 of them spread out across the stage. Although they live in poverty, they have been in training for 12 years to
come back and receive their certification. They slowly saved up money for their trip so 12 years later, they could be certified. Their numbers are few, but they create infinity from one.
Now there are thousands of diligent volunteers there. There volunteers take care of AIDS patients and people who are very ill. They take care of over 600 AIDS patients, and over 500 uncared–for and very ill patients. They also care for over 2,000 students and orphans. Think about it. There are only a few dozen Commissioners, but they can bright out thousands of local volunteers, who all have different skin colors. They get so involved and take care of so many people. I admire them the most for the over 600 career training centers that have trained over 14,000 people. That means 14,000 families can stand on their own. They can support themselves, and can already help others.
Think about it, these are the seeds of love. One seed can produce infinite things. Infinity can arise from one. We heard this in the Sutra of infinite Meanings.
Where did this Sutra come from? From the Buddha’s abode. Where is this Sutra going? To where there are suffering sentient beings. How is it practiced? By following the Bodhisattva– path. We take this path to places with suffering sentient beings.
[u]This Sutra comes from the abode of all Buddha’s. It goes to all sentient beings so they may give rise to the Bodhi – mind, and it abides where all Bodhisattvas practice. The Sutra of lnfinite Meanings.
See, with the methods the Sutras provide, we can make sure the path is in our minds. This is the Buddha’s wisdom ,so we respect Him. Though He entered Parinirvana over 2,000 years ago, the Saha–world is Sakyamuni Buddha’s transformation realm, the place where He transform people. In the universe, this is the only planet we know has life. So, He is the Fundamental Teacher of this world. His Dharma still exists, so His Dharma–body lasts eternally through the ages.
Let us respect the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as we would if. Buddha Himself were right on front of us. With the Buddha in your heart, and your mind on the Dharma, you can promote Buddha-Dharma throughout the world.
Everyone, we must truly respect Sutras. Let us respect the Sutras and images of the Buddha. So, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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