Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Transform Sentient Beings through The Two Virtues (以二德度眾生)
Date: April.16. 2015
“Sentient beings, hindered by their delusions, are not at peace. Because of the stirring of the wind of ignorance, their minds are not stable. The delusions of views and thinking block the door so they cannot escape. Karmic consciousness is deeply hidden, thus our minds continue to create karma.”
“Delusion” is ignorance and that which “hinders” is an obstacle. Because our delusions and ignorance have obstructed our wisdom, we are unable to understand. Therefore, nearly everything that we do, we do out of ignorance. In this state of ignorance, we create karma. When we do things that are unwise, we create various kinds of karma and end up feelings uneasy. Because the wind of ignorance frequently stirs our minds, it causes our resolve to waver. Because of this we cannot truly persevere. So, the Bodhisattva-path is hard to walk, and Bodhicitta is difficult to develop. This is also an obstacle. Delusions of views and thinking block this door. The door of our minds has been obstructed by our delusions of views and thinking. The burning house of the Three Realms only has one door. To leave this burning house, we must go through this door, which is the door of wisdom, but our delusions of views and thinking block it. We cannot open the door of wisdom, so we cannot get out. That is because our karmic consciousness is normally deeply hidden.
For a very long time, we have unceasingly created karma. With everything we do in our daily living, we sow seeds, which continue to mature. The seeds of goodness and evil are both deeply hidden in our eighth consciousness. So, all obstructions are created by our minds. If there is ignorance in our minds, we will commit wrongdoings and they will obstruct our door of wisdom. If we are in a state of ignorance when we come in contact with external conditions, the winds of ignorance will stir our minds, so our Bodhisattva-practice and Bodhicitta will be obstructed. This is because we are hindered by delusions. Because of this, there is no peace in the Three Realms. The door of the burning house is narrow, which makes it very difficult for people to escape. This must be talking about the door of our minds. We must constantly exercise our wisdom and remind ourselves to be vigilant in our daily living. Our thoughts, our perspectives, our understanding and our thinking must not be covered by ignorance. If our minds are covered by ignorance, the wind [of ignorance] will stir, and our wisdom will be hindered by it. This applies to everything we do in our daily living.
All things are created by our minds. We can do good, and we can also commit evils. In the past few days, a Great Love Village in Indonesia had its dedication ceremony. In 2009, an earthquake completely leveled Padang. When this happened, many people’s house collapsed, and there were also many casualties. So, Tzu Chi volunteers mobilized again.
In addition to providing timely relief, we also very quickly rebuilt their schools. This is similar to the Hope Project [in Taiwan]. The mayor was very grateful that Tzu Chi volunteers had done such a good job. This brought many children a sense of peace.All the children felt more peaceful, and the education there flourished.So, all the residents were grateful to Tzu Chi.
On behalf of the residents, the mayor came to see us in Hulaien.
The date of his visit fell on the day of the closing ceremony for.
Faith Corp and Commissioners training for Tzu Chi Volunteers from around the world.
So, on that occasion, he expressed his gratitude for Tzu Chi to volunteers from around the world.At the same time, he also shared his hope that the citizens of Padang could all become Tzu Chi volunteers.Then the mayor declared that one day every year would be “Tzu Chi Day”.
After all that had happened, Tzu Chi volunteers often visited that city.After the earthquake, many people’s houses could not be rebuilt.There was another non-profit organization that donated building materials to help people rebuild their houses.But though this covered part of the rebuilding, the government still was unable to act.
In addition to construction materials, where were the other resources going to comefrom?Again, they asked Tzu Chi for help.They asked if Tzu Chi could help them to rebuild more than 100 houses.Tzu Chi volunteers in Indonesia agreed to take on the task,This very small-scale, mini-Tzu Chi village of just over 100 households has now been built.After it was completed, the people felt very grateful.
Originally, the people felt some reservations towards Tzu Chi, because Tzu Chi is a Buddhist organization, while most of the people, almost everyone, believe in Islam.
On the day that people moved into this village, former president Habibie said that Tzu Chi volunteers in Indonesia had already helped them so much.Beginning after the South Asian Tsunami in 2004, and into the present day, Tzu Chi volunteers have been very dedicated.They were grateful because these volunteers have helped them unconditionally.
Tzu Chi volunteers never interfered with their religious practices and were very respectful of their faith.So with gratitude, approval and joy, they accepted our volunteers. Therefore, they want to give back.The way that they wanted to give back to Tzu Chi was for everybody in the village to be united in taking care of each other and living in love and harmony.
For example, they said that if someone in the village became seriously ill, they might need to go elsewhere for treatment.Who then would care for the children at home?They would call upon everyone in the village to take care of this family.They wanted to show that the Great Love Village could live up to its name.They would love each other like one big family and work in concert with unity, harmony and love.
Actually, our volunteers in Padang visit them quite often.They go to inspire the love in their hearts and encourage them by saying, “If every day, you can put something in the bamboo bank, that will be great.” 1000 rupiah in coins is a little over two Taiwanese dollars.So, they also put money into the bamboo banks, and every month, someone collects their donation and gives them another bamboo bank.They are happy to pool their love in this way.What they enjoy even more is doing recycling work.The entire village takes turns doing recycling.This is a very organized effort.
When the people who go fishing see garbage floating on the ocean, things like plastics and cans, they gather it up from the ocean’s surface and bring it back and sort it.The whole village is very clean.It is a model village.The villagers’ unity, harmony and love is very heartwarming.
You see, their faith has not been affected.In their hearts, they are very harmonious.In this Great Love Village, they love and comfort each other in this way.By living in this way, this village is a very safe place. The whole village is like one family. Regardless of which family has a problem, the whole village will take care of it right away. This shows wisdom. The people feel safe ad secure there.
“Having relieved them from suffering, Bodhisattvas then expound the Dharma for them”. Inspiring the love in people’s hearts and helping them to realize their spiritual wealth so that people can have safety and stability is also what Bodhisattvas do in this world. To do this, they must eliminate the hindrances of their delusions of views and thinking. If they are confident, have faith in each other and help each other out of love, then there will have no obstacles. We each have our own religious beliefs. Buddhism has its wisdom and Islam has its loving ways. If we bring wisdom and love together, won’t this be very harmonious?
All of this can happen in our daily living. Then with our every action, the results are stored in our consciousness. All things are created by the mind.
As we discuss the Lotus Sutra, we have already spent such a long time describing the burning house. Earlier we said that the elder’s children.
We still in the burning house, continuing to play games. They had not realized that the fire was burning on all sides. They were unaware, unknowing not shocked nor afraid, so the elder was worried about them.
The fire was already getting closer and closer, but the people inside remained confused, enjoying themselves and playing games. We think the world will never change, unware that impermanence is always around us. Thus we pass each day in a state of ignorance. As time passes, day after day, our bodies age and weaken, day after day our bodies age and deteriorate, day after day. Yet, we are unware, unknowing not shocked nor afraid. In fact, once the fire reaches us, once impermanence has arrived, even if we rail against suffering, it will be too late, and where we will end up in the future, is still unknown.
Our minds continue to linger, not attempting to figure out how to escape this burning house and dash out through this door. To open this door, we need to exercise wisdom to brush aside ignorance; then this door will open.
The following sutra passage states, “Sariputra, the elder had these thoughts. My body and arms are strong, I can wrap them in a sack or place them on a table and carry them out of the house.”
This is an analogy expressing how worried the elder was. The Buddha reminded Sariputra of this again. Because this sutra passage is important, the Buddha was constantly calling on Sariputra. He was not only reminding Sariputra, but everyone at the assembly. [He called Sariputra’s name] because he was the recipient of the Lotus teachings. This means that he was the one who stood up and asked questions. People’s capabilities still varied. Sariputra’s capabilities had been awakened, so he stood up and asked the Buddha questions. As a representative of the Lotus Assembly, he requested that the Buddha explain the principles of the One Vehicle Dharma.
So, when the Buddha started to speak. He directed His words at Sariputra. In fact, He wanted all the disciples there to listen earnestly. “The elder had these thoughts”. At that moment, this elder mindfully contemplated this issue. This shows how worried the elder was, he thought to himself because he was concerned. With great care, he contemplated this problem. He worried that the children were still inside, unaware and still playing. How could he save all of them? This greatly worried him.
“The elder had these thoughts: The great elder was worried about his sons being in a dangerous place without trying to escape. One who learns and practices the Bodhi-path will teach the Great Vehicle, but sentient beings do not value and seek it. He had these thoughts: The Buddha had already attained awakening, so His thinking gave rise to wondrous Dharma.”
All of his sons were in this dangerous place, but they did not want to get out. They did not want to promptly accept the teachings. This was a lament about how we sentient beings clearly see the way the world is; clearly face many hardships in it and clearly know life is filled with suffering, yet we do not earnestly accept the wisdom that would help us escape through this door. We do not want to learn and practice it. We do not step onto the path to enlightenment, which is the Bodhi-path.
Though surrounded by dangers, people deluded remain in these conditions. They do not try to quickly escape from this dangerous place.
I often say that disasters frequently occur in this world. These earth-shattering disasters should bring about world-changing awakenings, so we can we learn and practice the Bodhi-path.
This was what the great elder was thinking about. He thought about what method to use to reveal the Great Vehicle Dharma so that everyone would be willing to accept it.
So, He had these thoughts.” In fact, the Buddha had already attained enlightenment. He had already transcended the Three Realms, but He could not bear to leave sentient beings in their unenlightened state, unceasingly creating karma.
Their negative karma has already come together, so the four elements are not in balance causing manmade disasters to happen frequently. Disasters are already slowly closing in from all four sides.
The elder is an analogy for Sakyamuni Buddha, the Great Enlightened One. He was most anxious and worried about how to help everyone truly awaken in time. This is very important.
What method could he use? “Body and hand [that] are strong.” In the sutra text, “body” is an analogy for the power of Great Vows and “hands” are analodies for how wisdom can pull us up.
This represents the two kinds of virtues. The virtue of ending and the virtue of wisdom are like our two hands.
The virtue of ending and the virtue of wisdom: The virtue of ending is the virtue of putting an end to all afflictions. Then we can teach all of the wondrous Dharma for liberation.
“The virtue of ending” is the virtue of putting an end to all afflictions. This is liberation. If we can be liberated from everything, we will attain wondrous Dharma. “The virtue of wisdom is the understanding of true principles. With “the virtue of wisdom we will be able to comprehend all true principles.
The virtue of wisdom is the understanding of true principles. The virtue of ending is putting an end to all afflictions. This is Bodhi and Nirvana.
So, the virtue of ending and the virtue of wisdom, are like our two hands. When our mind is in and awakened state of tranquility and stillness, we are on the Bodhi-path.
The Buddha had that kind of wisdom and that kind of power. But what could He do? Each person only has two hands. The Buddha was only one person; of course, He needed “all the sons” to awaken first. They cannot leisurely practice skillful means. They must come together in the One Great Vehicle. After making the Great Vows from their hearts, they must immediately develop the virtue of ending and the virtue of wisdom to eliminate all afflictions and awaken their nature of True Suchness. Their wisdom must be awakened. With body and mind in harmony, they can then use other methods to deliver sentient beings from the burning house. So, we need to make the [Four] Great Vows. We also need wisdom, the power to pull everyone up. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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