Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Cultivate Purity and Goodness (內修淨行外修諸善)
Date: May.19. 2015
“With a life of abundance, we must cherish our blessings. When we have blessings and share with others, we earn respect. We kindle the lamp of wisdom to illuminate Bodhi. The true and wondrous Dharma is incomparable.”
If we are content with our lives, then we are living a life of great abundance. Feeling this sense of abundance and contentment, we feel like we have enough to give to others. It is because we can help other people and create blessings for this world that we feel like we lead a life of great wealth. If we always feel, “I do not have enough! If I want to help other people, I need to wait until I have enough to spare, when will we ever feel that we have enough?” If we do not immediately do good deeds and benefit others, but instead only focus on making money, we will never feel we have enough. Then, day after day, we will be wasting our lives. If every day, we do good deeds and create blessings, we will reap the benefits of our actions.
We must share our blessings with others. If I am the only person who is rich, if I am the only person who is blessed, and everyone around me is poor, then I will not be happy either. We must [carefully choose] where we live. “If we do not choose to be among the benevolent, how can we attain wisdom?” When we chose where we live, we want to be in a community of abundance, a society of abundance, a country of abundance. If we were born into a country, a society and a family of abundance, that is truly a blessing.
What must they be abundant in? In virtue. “Virtue enriches the body as wealth enriches the house.” Wealth can enrich our surroundings and make them more comfortable. If we live in a place where everyone is doing good deeds and everyone is benefiting others then we are living in a place of great abundance; this kind of country is the richest and most powerful. Everyone will be creating blessings, and everyone will be rich and virtuous. This is how we can live a most blessed life.
So, “When we have blessings and share [them] we earn respect.” When there is love and respect between all of us, aren’t we living a most happy life? In addition to blessings, we also need wisdom. “We kindle the lamp of wisdom to illuminate Bodhi.” The wisdom inside each of us is like a lamp. With our spiritual wealth, we can bring light to the world.
So, we kindle the lamp of wisdom by using our wisdom and our hearts to observe the world. It is as if there is one lamp from which the rest of us can light our lamps so that our hearts and minds can be illuminated. Millions of people can light their lamps from this one. When the lamps in the hearts of millions of people have been kindled, won’t everyone in our society, in our world, be virtuous and act in ways that create blessings? The Buddha came to the world for one great cause, to guide all sentient beings onto this road, which is the Bodhi-path.
When we kindle this flame within our hearts, we will automatically be able to see this road. So, we said, “We kindle the lamp of wisdom to illuminate Bodhi.” We do not illuminate this road so that only we can walk on it; we want to help everyone following this Bodhi-path to walk very safely on this brightly lit and very safe road. Therefore, we must aspire to pave a smooth road. This means we must learn to be a good person, to uphold the Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds and listen to the Dharma often. After we understand, we must constantly orient our minds toward the Right Path.
We must prevent our minds from becoming defiled.Once a desire arises, our afflictions will multiply.If our minds are pure and we have understood the principles, the Buddha will then teach us how to practice the Six Paramitas.We benefit ourselves when our minds have been awakened and we understand.When the principles are clear to us, we must immediately step onto this Bodhi-path, which is very direct, and quid others to walk this path to enlightenment.With our wisdom, we can quid everyone onto the Right Path.
The “true and wondrous Dharma” helps us to walk this broad path safe and steadily.Thus, it is the most wondrous; it is “incomparable”.It allows everyone to experience what we have, the joy of coming in contact with the Dharma.“The true and wondrous Dharma is incomparable.”It makes us incredibly happy.
So, we need to be mindful of it every day.For the past few days, we have been describing the elder [of the house] and Sakyamuni Buddha.Sakyamuni Buddha is also called the guiding teacher of the Three Realms and the kind father of the four kinds of beings.
The beings of the Three Realms completely rely on the Dharma that Sakyamuni Buddha taught after His awakening, with which He hoped to preserve the true nature in everyone’s minds.He used various methods.
“Whether you like a small cart, a medium-sized cart or a big cart, just come outside and we will give it to you.”Once they were outside, he gave them guidance.“Look, this great cart is so large. It is not just an empty cart; it is ornately and beautifully decorated. Inside are so many rare and unusual objects, along with many fun things. Look at them! What cart would you like?”He hoped that everyone would choose to have the grand and ornate cart.
Sariputra, at that time, the elder gave each child a great cart of equal size.These carts were tall and broad, decorated with all kinds of treasures, surrounded by railings and hung on all four sides with bells.
The following sutra passage contuses by stating, “And on top of each a canopy was erected, which was also decorated with various precious jewels, crisscrossed with jeweled ropes, draped with flower garlands, spread with elegant mats and set with scarlet pillows.”
Form this sutra passage, we learn about the top of the cart.In addition to the decorated interior, the outside was the same.
On top of this cart, “a canopy was erected”.It seemed to cover the entire cart.This covering over the cart hung down like a mosquito tent which protected people from their surroundings, by preventing flies and mosquitoes from entering.
But this is an analogy.The canopy being referred to was very magnificent.
So, the canopy is an analogy for loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, the Four Infinite Minds, which cover everything.
If we want to be safe, that is like wanting to be protected, not wanting to be bitten by bugs.The meaning is similar, so the “canopy” is those things that protect us and keep our minds healthy.
A healthy mind is most beautiful and wonderful.It contains loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.These are the Four Infinite Minds.If we have loving-kindness and compassion, we will love everyone we see.
Out of compassion, we hope for everyone to be happy peaceful and safe.If people suffer or face difficulties, we cannot bear it.
Having universal compassion, we feel the pain of others as our own.
Similarly, we feel their happiness as our own as well.Therefore, if other people’s happiness brings us happiness, we should create happiness for everyone.This comes out of great loving-kindness.
If we cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer, if we cannot bear for a single being to suffer, if we feel their pain as our own, we will immediately want to help them to eliminate their suffering.By relieving them of their suffering, we are relieving our own suffering.
This comes from our compassion.
Joy comes from feeling happy when we see that other people are happy.If we see that people need something, we immediately give to them out of equanimity so that they can be satisfied and not be lacking.This is what it means to have loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.
Moreover, with the Four Infinite Minds, we have great loving-kindness without regrets, so when we give of ourselves, we feel no sense of regret at all. We have great compassion without resentment, so when we give to sentient beings we do not feel any kind of complaint. We have great joy without worries, so we give for the sake of others, not for ourselves. We do not think, “I am bringing others happiness, and as for me…” We do not think in this way; we just want everyone to be happy. With equanimity, we are willing to let go and give without expecting anything in return. We give unconditionally. This comes from having loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. These are the Four Infinite Minds. When we give, from the bottom of our hearts a feeling gushes forth, as if from a spring. The more we give, the more abundant we feel. The canopy is an analogy for this. It covers everything and protects everything. To protect all sentient beings, we must have loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, and a broad, open and boundless mind. This is symbolized by the canopy.
The cart is also “crisscrossed with jeweled ropes”. “Crisscrossed with jeweled ropes” is an analogy for the Four Great Vows. We make the Four Great Vows because we cannot bear for sentient beings to suffer. These are the Four Great Vows.
“Crisscrossed with jeweled ropes: Jeweled ropes are an analogy for the Four Great Vows. Because those with these vows cannot bear for sentient beings to suffer, they must cultivate non-arising patience. Internally cultivating purifying practices and eliminating all evil brings merits. Externally practicing all good deeds brings virtues. Thus, the virtuous attain. What we attain through our spiritual cultivation are called merits and virtues. Not letting them be scattered is the meaning behind being “crisscrossed with ropes”.
“I vow to deliver countless sentient beings”. We want to deliver sentient being. “I vow to eliminate endless afflictions”. When we interact with sentient beings, we cannot have afflictions in our mind. We must protect our mind and keep it pure. When we are among suffering sentient beings. We should become happier the more we are able to help. That comes from being unable to bear for sentient beings to suffer. So, we must engage in spiritual practice and cultivate our “non-arising patience”.
In the world around us, or in our relations, etc., if we face something that is difficult to bear, we have to be patient to endure. We must be patient with everything, from the imbalance of the four elements in the macrocosm of the world to the lack of harmony in the microcosm, in our minds and our interpersonal relationships.
No matter what people say to us or what kinds of looks they give us, we must be patient. We must cultivate “non-arising patience” so that as we face suffering and afflictions, our minds will not go through arising or ceasing, increasing or decreasing. We must maintain our [calm] minds. This is the meaning of “non-arising patience”.
Internally cultivating purifying practices, engaging in practice to purify our minds and putting an end to all evils brings “merits”. External practice is about perfecting all good deeds. There are many kinds of good deeds. By doing all good deeds and creating all blessings, we can perfect all virtuous practices. This bring “virtues”. “This is how we interact harmoniously with others. I often say that if we are successful in conducting ourselves properly, we will be successful in whatever we do and be in harmony with the principles. So, if we are in harmony with people, we will be in harmony with what we do. If we do things harmoniously, we are in harmony with the principles. The meaning is the same; this gives rise to “virtue”. When our character is harmonious, we are virtuous.
Internally, we are cultivating our minds. Externally, we are behaving in this manner. If we do not let [merits and virtues] be scattered, but gather them together, everything will be perfect. We will not lose any of them. With internal cultivation and external practice, we will not lose our merits and virtues. This is the meaning of “crisscrossed”.
“Crisscrossed with jeweled ropes” symbolizes how all these things cross and overlap. We must work on ourselves inside and out and put the teachings into practice so our bodies and minds are united. Then we will not lose anything. This is like being “crisscrossed with jeweled ropes”.
Next, we talk about “draped with flower garlands”. “Flower garlands” is an analogy for charitable giving, loving speech, collaborative work and beneficial conduct, the Four All-Embracing Virtues.”
When we practice charitable giving, we feel that we have enough to spare. Therefore, we should give to others.
1.The virtue of charitable giving. If sentient beings want wealth, give them wealth. If they want Dharma, give them Dharma. This will give rise to the path to pure love.
Giving can be giving of wealth or giving of the Dharma. The giving of wealth is being willing to give other people material things being willing to give other people material things. We can also give fearlessness. “If you cannot finish this work, it is fine. I will help you finish your work.” “This area is so big, you cannot sweep it all. I will help you sweep.” These are small and simple things. If we are wiling to give in this way to help people in all kinds of matters, this is known as charitable giving.
As for loving speech, because we are always willing to help others, and the things we say make sense, when people are afflicted, we immediately go to comfort them. This is loving speech. If there is something people do not understand, we should immediately guide them. We do this with loving speech.
2. The virtue of loving speech. Based on the capabilities of sentient beings, use kind and comforting speech, so that they give rise to the path to great love.
Next is collaborative work. Not only do we live together in this world, we all share the same mission, and we all work to accomplish the same things. All of this is part of collaborative work. We have the affinity to be together, so inevitably, [conflicts] will arise. If we have enough to spare, we can help others and guide them. Once we realize teachings, we should share them widely. By doing this, we can transform others through collaborative work.
Last is beneficial conduct. We want everything we do to benefit sentient beings. This is the direction of our spiritual practice.
3. The virtue of beneficial conduct. With good practices in body, speech and mind, benefit sentient beings and help them give rise to the path to great love.
4. The virtue of collaborative work. With Dharma-eyes, observe sentient beings’ capabilities. According to what they like, manifest an appropriate form to lead them to do beneficial work and thus accept the path.
Charitable giving, loving speech collaborative work and beneficial conduct form the path that we must walk. This is the Bodhisattva-path.
[The cart is also] “spread with elegant mats.” This is a beautiful and elegant decoration. “Mats” are a covering for the floor. Not only is the top of the cart well-decorated, its floor is very smooth and comfortable. It is stable for walking and comfortable for sitting. This is symbolized by “spread with elegant mats.”
[The floor] is covered very smoothly and evenly. The Buddha put His heart into this because He could not abandon sentient beings. He wanted to give them a safe place where they could be at peace. “Set with scarlet pillows” symbolizes how everything that we do is not only to provide a place for people to rest, but also comes out of our deep sincerity
Set with scarlet pillows: Scarlet pillows are a place to rest. This is like using sincerity to eliminate feeling and perception and attain Samadhi It also refers to all meditation. With the purity of the. Threefold Karma, by following precepts we give rise to Samadhi and thus to all meditation. All of this is explaining the great cart.
Like a practitioner who wants to eliminate feeling and perception and attain Samadhi. If we eliminate afflictions from our hearts then no matter what we sense or how we perceive it, we will remain steady and calm. We will not be enticed by external conditions to give rise to the slightest thought. When we are steady and calm, we are in a state of Samadhi.
So, Right Thinking and Right View [lead to] the Right Path. We must eliminate the evils of Threefold Karma to give rise to precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
Thus we give rise to meditation. This sutra passage is conveying the Buddha’s hope that we will all be in the great carts, practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma. They are so magnificent and peaceful and steady; this is such a wonderful state of mind. When we transform ourselves and others, we are practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma. This house can be beautiful once it has been remodeled, just like this great cart. We must travel on the Bodhisattva-path.
So dear Bodhisattvas, the Dharma is very intricate and wondrous. We must make an effort to be mindful and to diligently practice every day, always with one mindset, to always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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