Lecturer: Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Attain Wisdom-life Through Wondrous Dharma (妙法成就慧命)
We have recently been discussing that we need to respect the Buddha-Dharma, especially the Sutras. The Buddha-Dharma is an essential part of our daily living. The Sutras’ contents teach us the Dharma, so all Sutras are the body of Wondrous Dharma, the mother of Wisdom-life. They are also the Dharma-body of all Buddhas, so logically we should treat Sutras as Buddha.
Seeing the Sutras is like seeing the Buddha. Wherever Sutras are present, so too is the Dharma-body of the Buddha. So, we must treat all Sutras as the wondrous Dharma-body. As Buddhists, we must develop our Wisdom-lives, which can only be achieved through the Dharma in the Sutras. So, Sutras are the mother of our Wisdom-life, and the Dharma-body of all Buddhas. Therefore, in principle, no matter what, we have to respect them as if they were the Buddha standing in front of us.
So, the next passage of the repentance text says, “We may unspool the scroll, disturb the order, lose pages, tear the paper of smudge the ink. We may refuse to practice or transmit the teachings. For these and other transgressions we openly repent today with utmost sincerity.”
Everyone knows most of this. When it comes to the Sutras, we have to be careful and respectful in all our actions. In ancient times, the Sutras were rolled up in scrolls. Even things written on pieces of bamboo were rolled up after they were written. They could be unrolled to be read and recited, or rolled up so they could be revered. Then people used their wisdom and began mass-producing paper. They started printing on paper, so scrolls eventually became books. They were edited and bound into books. So, Sutras have undergone constant improvements over time. We have to be careful when moving to another format so the correct order is not lost.
Sometimes we may “lose pages” in editing, or make mistakes when copying verses, or leave out sentences when reciting them. Sometimes we “tear the paper or smudge the ink.” The ink is blurred or the paper is ripped. “We may refuse to practice or transmit the teachings.” When we see an old Sutra, we do not know to cherish it. If we let good Dharma go to waste by not cherishing it or using it, or refusing to share it, that is also a transgression.
For example, we may hear something beneficial, but refuse to share it with others, keeping it only for ourselves. The principle is the same. People must spread the teachings; the teachings cannot spread themselves. If we set good Dharma aside and refuse to share the truth with others, that is not right. Perhaps before today we made these mistakes. So, let us repent with deepest sincerity.
Next the text says, “We may have listened to Sutras drowsily, read and recited them lying down, or disturbed others listening to Dharma by speaking or laughing loudly. We may have explained the Buddha’s words wrong.”
This part is easy to understand. Sutras are the Dharma-body of all Buddhas’ so we must be very respectful and treat the Sutras as Buddhas. When we read and recite them, we have to sit properly. When we read and recite them it is as if the Buddha Himself were in front us. If we sit, we sit upright. If we stand, we stand up straight. This demonstrates respect.
Some people “read and recite while lying down.” They lie prone while reading and reciting Sutras. This is wrong. Perhaps we talk and laugh loudly while others are listening to the Sutras. That is also wrong.
This “disturbs others listening to Dharma.” We cannot listen reverently to Sutras, so we speak and laugh loudly and prevent others from focusing on listening. This is disrupting their spiritual cultivation.
Perhaps when we explain the Buddha-Dharma, we add our own skewed opinions and corrupt the Dharma with our wrong interpretation. That is also incorrect.
Let us be more respectful when we listen to Sutras. We must respect the Sutras, and be respectful when listening to them.
Since ancient times, all sentient beings possess a spiritual nature. For example, Master Lian-Chai once saw someone catch many centipedes at the monastery where he was staying. There were hundreds of centipedes. This man tied and hung all of them on a bow, a curved piece of bamboo. People used to make medicine out of centipedes. Perhaps this man was going to sell them. When Master Lian-Chi saw hundreds of them tied to the bamboo, he could not bear it.
They were all living beings. So, he purchased them and asked the man to release them. He untied them one at a time.
After they were released, some could no longer move, or barely move, and very few could leave quickly. A few days later, Master Lian-Chi was talking to a monk in the temple when they suddenly saw a centipede on the wall. One person wanted to rush over and drive it out, since it was by the window.
Master Lian-Chi told him, “Do not drive it away.”
He stood up and asked the centipede, “Were you one of those I rescued from that man a few days ago before you were about to be sold? If you are, have you come here today to listen to Dharma? If so, then I will expound Dharma for you. All sentient beings make mistakes because of one ignorant thought. Starting today, cultivate compassion. Besides not hurting others, be kind, compassionate, joyful and giving. After shedding this form, you can return to the Human Realm if you make a grand resolve.”
After he finished, the centipede turned around and left. Master Lian-Chi said, “Go, shed your current form. Seize this affinity and make a great vow.”
Was this centipede one of those that Master Lian-Chi liberated? Perhaps. So, other sentient creatures will also come and listen to Sutras. Therefore, let us respect Sutras and Dharma. Let us respect all beings and all things. Do not look down on anything. We must have respect for every matter and every object; everything is full of truth. So, not only must we respect Sutras, we must also respect everything in the world.
Next the text says, “We may have distorted the sages’ meaning, called something Dharma when it is not, and vice versa, or called something a transgression when it is not, and vice versa.”
As I said earlier, sometimes we misinterpret the Buddha’s words. We use the Buddhas teachings to claim that we can explain the Sutras. But some people will inadvertently misunderstand the Sutras and the Buddha’s intentions. Some people do it for their own fame and benefit. They claim they can expound the Sutras, but they do so without correct understanding. This creates tremendous karma. Some “distort the sages’ meaning.” Distort means to skew.
If we skew the sages’ meaning, we have deviated from the true meaning. “We called something Dharma when it is not.” This is not Dharma, but he claims that it is. The Chinese words, “cause and effect never fails” and “do not fear cause and effect” sound very similar.
But there is a big difference in meaning. So, if we explain “cause and effect never fails” as, “do not fear cause and effect,” that is incorrect.”
In summary, we have a clear understanding. Do not call something Dharma when it is not or “say it is not Dharma when it is.” True Dharma is just like this, but if you say it is not, that is wrong.
Some people say, “You only cultivate blessings, not wisdom.” Actually we have to cultivate both. If you say, “I will let go of everything, even the thought of creating blessings, so my mind can be pure, this is wrong too.” Let us inspire the love in our hearts and create blessings for all humanity. We must cultivate both blessings and wisdom. Then we are truly reading Sutras and hearing the meaning of Dharma. The Buddha came to the world solely to teach us to love, to inspire kindness, compassion, joy and giving.
The Dharma is His method of guiding us. Let us guide people to practice Right Dharma. Humans are ordinary beings, so making mistakes is inevitable.
If we can recognize and correct our mistakes, it is not too late. This way we can guide them onto the correct path. Look at all the people in this world. Among them is there one who never made a mistake? Everyone has made mistakes. The Sutras remind us to repent today. We all have made mistakes in the past, so starting today we need to repent. If we make a mistake, the worst things to do is recognize it, but refuse to correct it. That creates tremendous bad karma.
Before, people did not know they had made mistakes. Now we have made them aware, so they know it is wrong. After they make a mistake and recognize it, we quickly comfort them “Don’t worry. That is in the past As one foot steps forward, the other must lift. Do not be attached to the past, or else you will be unable to move forward toward this Dharma of diligent in the future. The only way to make up for past [mistakes], is to open your heart and mind. Give with love to make up for the past.”
This is how we can guide others. Even if they made mistakes, we still comfort them. If a person makes a mistake and you say, “Don’t worry, just keep doing it,” that is also wrong. Once they recognize the mistake, let us quickly comfort them and give them the opportunity to change and improve. Then we can earnestly give them an analysis. Some commit minor transgressions, but we “call small wrongs great ones, great ones small.” This is distortion. So with wisdom, let us analyze if something is a big mistake or a small one. Some children are confrontational in action and speech toward their parents. Is this right or wrong? Wrong. What do we do if it is wrong? We must quickly tell them, so a small mistake does not escalate to a big one. So, we must use our wisdom to clearly discern the severity of things. With regard to the Sutras, “We may have copied the front to the back, and put the back in front, put the ends in the middle, or the middle at the ends.”
Those who mess up the order of the Sutras, are not very knowledgeable. Those who study them must clearly know the order and the different categories. Those who specialize in studying them cannot make errors.
When Venerable Master Tai-Xu studied the Lotus Sutra, he even carefully categorized the preface. So, we know that editing a Sutra is truly not very easy.
The same applies when we write an essay. Sometimes if a word in a sentence is moved up or back, that can completely change the meaning. So when we are speaking, whether it is something we said before, or something we are saying now, we have to be very mindful in how we express ourselves. What we wanted to say can come out differently in print, depending on how we order our words.
So, we must be very mindful. Sometimes we correct other people. The precepts of Buddhism are many and complicated. When we receive precepts, the teacher also tells us how many there are. But if precepts are explained incorrectly or if the person receiving them is biased, that makes practice very difficult.
Perhaps when they speak to lay practitioners, they may also mislead them in their understanding.
In conclusion, regarding the Sutras, we have to have Right Thinking, Right Thoughts, Right Knowledge, and Right Views. We have to also face Sutras with great reverence so we can understand them.
Everyone, in learning Buddhism, we must truly respect Dharma.
The Dharma is the mother of our Wisdom –life. Thus, we have to respect all Dharma and Sutras as if we were before the Buddha’s Dharma –body.
So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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