Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Practice The Three Flawless Studies Together (無漏三學共一心)
Date: April.28. 2015
“Practice and learn the Dharma to transform sentient beings. With the freedom of a pure mind, we make Bodhi-vows. With clear minds, we realize the Three Wisdoms and the Four Noble Truths, and practice the Three Flawless Studies together.”
We have all aspired to learn the Buddha’s Way and to take the Buddha-Dharma to heart. We must also aspire to save other people. We do not merely benefit ourselves, but also benefit others. We do not want only to transform ourselves, but also to widely transform sentient beings. This is our goal in learning the Dharma.
In order to transform others, we must first develop “the freedom of a pure mind.” First, we must purify our minds, so we engage in spiritual practice for the sole purpose of cleansing ourselves of all afflictions. Ordinary people suffer greatly. We suffer from afflictions, ignorance and having many desires. This causes our minds to be deceived by afflictions so we cannot attain freedom.
So, Guanyin Bodhisattva is also known by another name, “Contemplating Freedom.” Indeed, we must engage in contemplation and cleanse our mind so that it is like a mirror. When our surroundings are reflected in our minds, everything we see can be clearly understood. But like the surface of a mirror, our minds must not be covered by any kind of taint. This is “the freedom of a pure mind.” A pure mind can discern external conditions without becoming defiled by them. This is the “great perfect mirror wisdom.” Along with purifying our minds, we must feel free. How can we achieve this sense of ease? By vowing to attain Bodhi, that is, to seek enlightenment.
As we learn and practice the Buddha-Dharma, first we must eliminate our afflictions and free our minds to walk the Bodhi-path. If we can achieve this, then “with clear minds we realize the Three Wisdoms and the Four Noble Truths.” Then naturally our minds will be clear. The Three Wisdom and Four Noble Truths were discussed yesterday. The Three Wisdoms are wisdom from listening, contemplating and practicing. As we listen to the teachings, we listen with our ears and also with our hearts and minds. When we are mindful, the Dharma enters our ears and then our minds. This is [wisdom from] listening.
After listening to the teachings, we must then contemplate them. We must earnestly consider, “Does the teaching that was just given make sense or not?” If these teachings contain a path and make sense, then they give us a road that we can walk and help us face the right direction. Once we have contemplated these teachings, we must begin to take action. This is [wisdom from] practice.
Therefore, listening, contemplating and practicing are essential when we hear the teachings. These are the Three Wisdoms. In addition to the Three Wisdoms, there are also the Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths is something that we discuss every day. Life is suffering! There is much suffering in life. Form the moment we are born until we grow old, the entire process is full of suffering. Some people do not feel it. They have no idea they are experiencing suffering, so they continue to plant more causes of suffering and create negative karmic connections. They themselves do not recognize all the troubles that they have faced in their lives, the way their lives have passed, until they grow old, get sick and die. In life, they suffer from their own unawareness and unknowing, yet they blame it on the heavens or on others.
They are confused and deluded sentient beings.
We are very fortunate that we are able to hear the Buddha-Dharma and know that life is “suffering”.The “causation” of suffering is accumulation.By accumulating many causes and conditions, we have the experience of suffering.So, this accumulation comes from the process of creating karma.Without beings aware of it, we create much karma.We are unaware that external phenomena entice our minds to make a connection with our external conditions, which gives rise to afflictions.These afflictions lead us to act.After we act, the results of our actions becomes seeds in our eighth consciousness.
The material things around us were not brought with us at birth nor do we take them with us when we die, but theses seeds [of karma] follow us lifetime after lifetime.None of our wealth or possessions, can be brought with us; we cannot take anything with us when we die.Except for what?Except for our karma.
Indeed!Karma is the seeds in our eighth consciousness.
The seeds in the eighth consciousness are what we have accumulated over our [previous] lifetimes.All that karma is brought to the present lifetime in these seeds.We love the good people around us.We could spend every single day with them.These are the people that we love, but sadly, life is impermanent, and we “suffer from parting with those we love”.
There is another kind of person, those we dislike.However, causes and conditions bring us together with them.We may have to see each other every day and work closely together.When we see people we dislike, we feel annoyed and angry.But this “suffering from meeting those we hate” is not always within our control.This is a result of the causes and conditions that we accumulated in the past.
Meanwhile, with “the raging Five Aggregates” in our minds we will replicate our afflictions; all of these things continue on endlessly.This is the cycle we are caught in.This is the “causation” of suffering; it originates from what we accumulate.
We understand this.Since we have learned the Buddha’s teachings, we understand.
I always watch “Grassroots Bodhi,” a show about our recycling volunteers.It is on every day.We can hear about the lives of many elderly Bodhisattva-volunteers.In the past they experienced many hardships.After listening to the teachings, [they share,].“Master Cheng Yen says, When we willing repay [karmic debts], we get 20 percent off.”“So, I let him have it his way; I won’t get upset with him. Now we can truly get along harmoniously.”
After awe understand the law of karma, we must open up our minds to be accommodating.We take a step back to see the bigger picture and distance ourselves from our karmic causes and conditions so that we do not remain entangled by them.Then we will eventually pay off our [karmic] debt.
If we keep borrowing money as we pay our debts, or if we just keep borrowing money, we will continue to incur more debt and will never be able to pay it back.
After we learn the Buddha’s teachings and understand the Dharma, we will comprehend clearly these cycles of kindness and resentment.So, when we give to others, we do not ask for anything in return and we constantly express our gratitude to them.
Whomever we encounter, we should do something good for them, benefit them and create good karmic connections with them.This leads to the “cessation” of suffering.Knowing the truth of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, we must practice the Path, which is the Bodhisattva-path.
These four [truths] are the foundation for our spiritual practice.We must also “practice the Three Flawless Studies together”.We must cultivate the Three Flawless Studies so that when we take the Dharma to heart, none of it will leak out.We must practice all three Flawless Studies.
What are the Three Flawless Studies?Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
Indeed, once we understand the Dharma, we must constantly take good care of our bodies and our minds.
We must follow the rules of beings a good person and walk the correct course through life.This is following precepts.
With precepts, we can attain a state of Samadhi so that we will not be constantly confused or have wild and unruly minds that are constantly disturbed by external conditions.
Thus, if we abide by the precepts, our minds will naturally be in a state of Samadhi, and our course will be correct.
So, we need precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
If our minds are in a state of Samadhi, we will naturally grow in wisdom. So, we “practice the Three Flawless Studies together”. Indeed, if precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are all in our minds, our minds will be open, our thoughts will be pure. We will not be defiled by the ignorance in the world around us.
Therefore, to avoid stoking the fires or attracting the winds [of ignorance], we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice and abide in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. This is very important.
Recently we have been talking about the “burning house of the Three Realms”. So, in the previous passage, the sutra says people did not understand what fire was.
“Moreover, they did not know what fire was, what the house was or what the danger was. They just ran about as they played and merely looked at their father.”
As we just discussed, over our lifetime we create and reproduce karma all without being aware of it; in the same way, within this burning house, the fire was creeping ever closer. Yet house inside did not understand what fire was and continued to play with it. [They did not understand] “what the house was”. Just what kind of state are we actually in? [They did not understand] “what the danger was”. How did we lose all that we had?
We originally had wisdom equal to the Buddha’s and the same pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature. How did we then become unenlightened beings? As unenlightened beings, we face so much suffering how did this happen? This is [not knowing] “what the danger was”. We are unaware of our perilous situation and how we came to be in this burning house. We do not have a clue. “They just ran about as they played and merely looked at their father”. They were Buddhist practitioners; this is an analogy for people who have already heard the Dharma, but have not yet clearly understood it. Some practitioners who have heard the Dharma still do not clearly understand how they came to this life and where will they go [after they die]. These people who have learned the Buddha’s Way still have not realized the Buddha’s intention or the teachings that He gave, not to mention ordinary people and the four kinds of beings.
As we discussed yesterday, if sentient beings have not heard the Dharma or learned the Buddha’s Way, how much can they understand? So, we must now mindfully experience the Dharma; we cannot continue to “just run about as [we] play and merely look at [our] father”. We cannot just look at the Buddha. We cannot just pray to the Buddha and expect to be protected by Him. That is not what we are doing; we want to realize the Buddha-mind and penetrate the principles He taught. Thus, this passage is also an analogy.
“They just ran about as they played and merely looked at their father: This is an analogy for sentient beings who cling to their cyclic existence and transmigration in the Three Realms. As for what the Buddha said, they are completely unaware of it”.
“Sentient beings cling to their cyclic existence and transmigration in the Three Realms”. We simply remain within the Three Realms; we are constantly troubled but unaware of the reason behind it. We transmigrate within the Six Realms, and the Six Realms are inseparable from the Three Realms. The Three Realms are like a burning house; this is what we are unaware of. “As for what the Buddha said, they are completely unaware of it”. We still do not really understand the principles that the Buddha taught and are unaware that what we are doing in our lives keeps us trapped in cyclic existence. As Buddhist practitioners, if we listen but do not seek to experience the truth and put the Dharma into practice, we will forever remain in the burning house of the Three Realms.
The previous passage mentions that “the great fire arose from all four sides”. These flames arose from all sides at the same time.
“Earlier it was said that the great fire arose from all four sides. Now it is said that the house is being burned. Earlier it was said that suffering and pain threatened them.”
Whenever I read this passage, my mind goes to faraway places, to fires around the world. I often hear about forest fires in the United States. Recently I have also heard about massive fires in Australia, hundreds of fires burning at the same time. Many people’s houses have already burned down. According to the sutras and what the Buddha said, the Three Realms are like a burning house. This is a description found in the sutras. The Buddha, in His wisdom, described the world that would exist in His future, which is our present. We have all heard of disasters which seem to be continually arising in. Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia. The four elements are already out of balance.
This passage also states, “This house is already being burned”. Flames are leaping up on all four sides. Earth, water, fire and air are not in balance, resulting in many disasters in this world. So, “Suffering and pain threaten them”.
The previous sutra text mentioned, the fire arising from all four sides and how suffering and pain threaten them. As these disasters become more concentrated, the people living in those areas suffer greatly.
In the world today, there are not only environmental disasters that can be seen. Every day, looking at new from around the world, we see these kinds of unusual conditions. In many developed countries, we see discord among the people. All across society today, people’s minds are also not in balance.
So, “fires of anger and winds of rage arise in people’s minds and cause.” “suffering and pain [to] threaten them.” Therefore, if people’s minds continue to be in a state of imbalance, everything will be consumed in the blaze.
Now they are likely to be burned and in danger of losing their lives. “My sons and I shall certainly be burned.” This is an analogy for why the Buddha used the Great Vehicle to transform and save their wisdom-life.
“Now they are likely to be burned” In this era, people will certainly get burned. They are not just watching a distant fire; it is already pressing in on them, so they are “in danger of losing their lives.” If the fire reaches us, we will lose our lives. If the fire reaches us, we will lose our lives. If we do not earnestly practice the Dharma, we will lose our wisdom-life as well.
So, the elder in this parable actually refers to Sakyamuni Buddha, He said, “My sons and I shall certainly be burned.” This shows that when sentient beings suffer, the Buddha is not at ease. This parable is about why the Buddha transforms with the Great Vehicle Dharma With teachings, He transforms everyone in the hope that they can save their wisdom-life. Sentient beings crate collective karma. Not much can be done about karma that has already been formed. But the Buddha will not give up. He uses the Great Dharma to transform them, hoping that they can preserve their wisdom-life. We may lose our physical life due to collective karma, but we must protect our wisdom-life. We cannot just keep playing in the burning house and not understand that we must immediately put the Buddha’s teachings into practice.
We cannot listen to the Dharma, yet go the opposite way. Acting in this way will give rise to karma upon karma and suffering upon suffering. Naturally, as our minds fluctuate between good and evil, we fall into a state of delusion. We constantly experience ups and downs.
When we do good we ascend, with evil we fall. Some say, “I’m doing good deeds, yet if the Dharma is not in their hearts.” They will quickly be tempted to stray by others Habitual tendencies are still hard to eliminate. Though they are doing good deeds, habitual tendencies are hard to eliminate. So, we rise and fall between goodness and evil. This is why we cannot escape this burning house of the Three Realms.
So, we must always be mindful. We must preserve our wisdom-life Right now, in this world, not only must we preserve our wisdom-life, we must help it grow as well. We must “learn and practice the Dharma to transform sentient beings.” We must cultivate ourselves and quickly transform others. We must purify our minds and walk the Bodhisattva-path. We must, “with clear minds, learn the Three Wisdoms and Four Noble Truths.” We need to have precepts, Samadhi and wisdom in our minds in order to escape this burning house. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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