Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Valuing the Dharma Sincerely and Reverently (重法誠敬獨處定慧)
Date: December.07. 2015
“Some people may understand inherent True Suchness. But the dull roots, chronic afflictions and deluded karma of ordinary people are hindrances. If we can give rise to respect and pure faith, we will be reverent and careful, take joy in diligently advancing and forever sustain this without retreating.”
We often say, “If people want to understand all Buddhas of the Three Periods, [they must contemplate] all things as being created by the mind.” This phrase is so common, but do we actually understand, or do we still not understand?
True Suchness is our intrinsic nature. It is inherently within all of us. When we read and recite this, we all know and understand it, but have we actually experienced it? What would experiencing it feel like? Most people are still unable to comprehend this. Therefore, we must engage in spiritual practice. We are still in the state of ordinary beings.
Oh, ordinary people! What makes us ordinary people? It is our dull roots and chronic afflictions. We are driven by the Ten Afflictions. In the past I have explained the five chronic and five acute afflictions. We have greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. We have deviant views, extreme views and all kinds of perspectives that influence the way our minds connect with our daily environment. When our eyes connect to our external conditions, our minds give rise to discursive thoughts. When our sense organs connect to sense objects, discursive thoughts arise. This is why our minds cannot become still. Then with so many tangible objects, our ignorance and our afflictions will continue to be endlessly replicated. These many tangible forms will tempt us, causing desires to endlessly grow in our minds. Thus, our intrinsic nature of True Suchness continues to be influenced by external phenomena; with our delusions and karma, our ignorance continually covers it.
Our minds continue to meet with objects and external conditions. This matter is so clear and obvious; we know what we need to do to take care of it. But then many challenges begin to appear. As Bodhisattvas, we must go among people. People face very much suffering, so as Bodhisattvas, we must go among people and find a way to relieve their suffering. When we see this kind of suffering, we must find a way to help them.
For example, recently a Malaysia Airlines plane crashed in Ukraine. Family members were not able to go there to identify the bodies. [The Ukraine] is a place of conflict filled with manmade tragedies, so they were unable to go there. Through arrangements made by the UN and so on, finally these bodies were able to be recovered, one by one. Presently, the bodies have been sent to the Netherlands, because most of the people on this plane were from the Netherlands.
[We saw that] in the Netherlands, after the plane crash occurred, their society remained calm and stable. It was not yet clear what had happened; had the plane been shot down erroneously, or had something happened to cause the plane to crash? Was it due to human action, or was it simply an accident? The Dutch did not cast blame on anyone, nor did they hurl insults or get overemotional. From this, we can see their self-cultivation. When the bodies arrived in the Netherlands, they were received with a formal ceremony.The motorcade was organized very neatly.As the bodies were received with military honors, we saw the citizens of the Netherlands gather in long lines all along the route.Everyone remained very solemn and reverent.This ceremony and everyone’s demeanor were indeed very admirable.
In Taiwan, recently a TransAsia Airways plane took off from [Kakhsiung] Siaogang Airport and crashed near Penghu [Magong Airport].
Some passengers were injured and many died.
In total, there were over 50 people on board.
In Taiwan, their family members wailed and lamented, unable to accept what happened; we can comprehend how they felt.
So, we mobilized many volunteers; each family member was accompanied by many volunteers.
When we saw that scene, it was truly filled with sorrow and suffering.
Having just witnessed the incident in Penghu, another aviation accident occurred two days ago.This took place in Africa.Yet another plane crashed.Where did this happen?In Algeria.
This plane crashed shortly after takeoff, and it came down in the desert with more than 160 people on board.It has been verified that they all died because the plane was smashed into pieces.
Think about it; this is the impermanence of life.
So, we must have great respect for nature and a healthy sense of fear.We cannot just say, “I’m not afraid of anything, I can do whatever I want.”
We should have a healthy fear of nature, for the power of nature is formidable.
Moreover, karmic forces cannot be resisted.
Thus, the Buddha said, “I cannot alter the karma of sentient beings because the karma of sentient beings is as massive as Mount Sumeru.”Thus, we must try our best not create karma.With the karma law of cause and effect, the karmic forces we create will indeed be massive.
If we understand this, we must recognize that we need to have respect for the whole universe.
We must respect the Dharma by earnestly taking it to heart and putting it into practice.
If we can have this “pure faith,” naturally we will “reverent and careful and take joy in diligently advancing.”
We can be very respectful, whether towards principles, people or matters.I often say we must engage in spiritual practice to be a harmonious person and handle matters harmoniously; then naturally we will be in harmony with principles.
Being a harmonious person depends on being able to [properly] handle matters.
In all that we should do and all we should consider are we being thorough?We must do everything with respect and faith.Moreover, we must always be diligent.If we do not diligent advance, then we are retreating.
When something happens, how should we deal with it?The earth’s climate brings natural disasters.Then there is the impermanence of sudden manmade disasters or the impermanence of cause and conditions suddenly converging and giving rise to calamities and so on.How should this organization of Bodhisattvas go among people to dealt with these matters in a manner that is in accord with principles and very harmonious?
This requires being “reverent and careful and taking joy in diligently advancing.”
We must preserve the pure faith in our minds and maintain this sense of respect.We must be respectful towards the Dharma.Only by taking the Dharma to heart can we develop the wisdom to deduce ten things from one example.
Instead, when I ask you to do something, you say, “Very well, I will do it,” and then as you do it, [I have to tell you, [You plan] does not seem very comprehensive. You should do it this way.”
You respond, “Fine, I will pay more attention,” but then [I still have to ask], “Why did you do things this way? Haven’t you thought about how you might be able to do this for him instead of just telling him to do it?”There are so many things that require us to have a few crucial skills and being very meticulous and being very meticulous.This requires being respectful.
When we handle major matters, and in everything we do, we must be mindful.If our faith is very pure, we are able to understand everything.From one example, we can deduce the rest; we can understand everything else.
Therefore, we must constantly train ourselves to” take joy in diligently advancing and forever sustain this without retreating.”
Since we have listened to the teachings, we must earnestly take the Dharma to heart.
We do this through our daily living;in our every encounter with people and matters, we must try to mindfully align ourselves with it and apply it to handle every situation. To do this we must “take joy in diligently advancing”.
We cannot think of things as being bothersome and just handle them [carelessly]; then, “You fell short; this is not good enough. You fell short; you did not complete this”. This means we lacked sufficient respect and faith. Thus, we must constantly be mindful to “take joy in diligently advancing and forever sustain this without retreating”. This is what we must do in our daily living.
As I often tell everyone, the Buddha-Dharma is found in our lives so, it is not the case that every day we only talk about great principles. [The Dharma] is not just great principles, but also the very subtle principles of how we interact with people and deal with matters. It is in these subtle principles. Thus, we must make an effort to be mindful and diligent.
The previous sutra passage states, “If there are people who are diligent and constantly cultivate loving-kindness, unsparingly dedicating their lives, you can teach them this sutra”.
This expresses that if we are truly engaging in spiritual practice, we must have a sense of respect and “pure faith”. We must be “reverent and careful take joy in diligently advancing and forever sustain this without retreating”. This is “constantly cultivating loving-kindness”. This is being “diligent”. This comes from completely dedicating our lives. The life of every cell should be dedicated to diligently cultivating loving-kindness and being respectful of the Dharma. Only in this way are we able to walk the Bodhisattva-path and share principles with other people.
The next sutra passage states, “If there are people who are respectful, with no discursive thoughts, who distance themselves from ordinary foolishness and live alone among mountains and streams, for people like this, you can teach this sutra”.
We must constantly give rise to respect. People who can do this demonstrate that they are focused. When our mind is focused, it will not give rise to discursive thoughts. Our mind will be focused on walking the Bodhisattva-path, on finding ways to relieve the suffering of sentient beings we meet and harmoniously complete our mission. “With no discursive thoughts” means that our mind is very attentive. “Distancing [ourselves]” means no longer having an unenlightened mind.
Since we have given rise to Bodhicitta and want to walk the Bodhisattva-path, we are “Bodhisattvas in name”. we must not stray from our Bodhisattva-resolve, so we must “distance [ourselves] from ordinary foolishness”. We must quickly bring ourselves. Closer to the Bodhisattva-resolve; to become more like a Bodhisattva, we must transcend our unenlightened mind. So, this is how we learn the Buddha’s Way.
“Living along among mountains and streams” is about our minds. This does not mean going to the top of a mountain; we must reach the level where we can go among people without being affected by them. Though we are among people, it is as if we are in a quiet place. Even if we are in a troubling environment, our minds stand along and remain pure. For people who can do this, this sutra can be taught; they will be able to accept the Lotus teachings.
If there are people who are respectful with no discursive thoughts: This describes those with respectful hearts, who practice ending evil, eliminating defilement and turning to purity. With many kinds of diligent practices and the wisdom of Samadhi from tranquil contemplation, those who are without discursive thoughts can be taught this sutra.
This is clearly telling us that being respectful means to “practice ending evil”. We must make an effort to earnestly cultivate and uphold the Buddha-Dharma. Unwholesome thoughts, ignorance and afflictions are all considered evils. If there is ignorance in us, or dust-like [delusions], even afflictions as tiny as a speck of dust, we must completely clear them all away. This is how, “With respectful hearts, [we] practice ending evil and eliminating defilement”. This is how we develop a pure mind. Only then can we experience and feel for ourselves where our nature of True Suchness is. Thus, we must make an effort to preserve the purity of our minds.
“Many kinds of diligent practices” means we must use various methods. Our external environment is a place where we engage in spiritual practice. The place where Bodhisattvas practice is among suffering sentient beings. Therefore, when we encounter all kinds of suffering sentient beings, we must diligently practice, earnestly cultivate and review [the teachings]. Then we [develop] tranquil contemplation, the wisdom of Samadhi.
As we know, tranquil contemplation is to be in a state of stillness, as if we are in a state of meditation. Being in “Samadhi” means that our mind is both very still and stable. Carrying firewood and water is also meditation. As we move, our mind must remain still. Thus, we must engage in tranquil contemplation. With a mind that is very still and uncontaminated by our environment, we contemplate what suffering beings need and how we can give that to them.
That is the state we must be in.
Next, with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, this is where we need to focus our minds so we avoid giving rise to discursive thoughts. “Discursive” means change and shifting. Our minds must be focused. Since we want to learn and practice the Bodhisattva-path we must focus on learning and practicing, without allowing external conditions to divert us and cause us to retreat from our resolve to learn and practice the Bodhisattva-path and return to an ordinary and foolish state. Therefore, we must have to the “wisdom of Samadhi from tranquil contemplation [and be] without discursive thoughts.”
People in this state can cultivate the Dharma. They can be taught more profound teachings.
“Those who distance themselves” have completely eliminated their foolishness, so their minds will always remain in a pure state.
Thus, in the past I often told everyone that the Buddha actually wanted to dispel people’s deviated views and understanding. He hoped that everyone could go among people without being contaminated be them. In this way, though they are in a complicated situation, it is as if they are “living alone among mountains and streams” where nothing can contaminate them.This is “diligence.”
“They are diligent, not indolent, and courageously practice all beneficial Dharma.” We must be mindful. When challenges arise, we must handle them with great respect. In this way we “courageously practice all beneficial Dharma.” We must be courageous and diligent.
External phenomena that pose challenges enable us to engage in spiritual practice.
They distance themselves from ordinary foolishness and live alone among mountains and streams: They are diligent, not indolent, and courageously practice all beneficial Dharma. With loving-kindness and compassion for sentient beings they distance themselves from ordinary foolishness. They are not contaminated by others, as if living alone in the mountains and streams.
With loving-kindness and compassion for sentient beings means that we must treat all sentient beings with living-kindness and compassion. We must serve suffering sentient beings. “Distancing [ourselves] from ordinary foolishness we transcend this unenlightened state and go among people with the heart of a Bodhisattva while “not [being] contaminated by others.” When our minds cannot contaminated by others, that is like “living alone among mountains and streams.”
Living alone among mountain and streams also means: They do not abide in cyclic existence and remain uncontaminated by the dusts of delusion. They are Bodhisattvas who practice both Samadhi and wisdom and walk the Middle Way.
“Living alone among mountain and streams also means, “not abiding in cyclic existence.” We do not solely practice for the sake of transcending existence. That is not it. We must dedicate ourselves to [helping] people without a mindset of gain and loss. Thus, we truly engage in spiritual practice. Not being contaminated by the dusts of delusion is a sign of our purity. Lotus flowers grow in the mud but remain undefiled. This is cultivating Samadhi and wisdom and walking the Middle Way of the Bodhisattva-path.
“For people like this, you can teach sutra.” These are people who listen to the Dharma with a respectful mind. With respect and reverence for the Dharma, we can be focused, without distraction. We can wholeheartedly accept this Dharma without a second thought. With this mindset, we are free of discursive thoughts; When our minds are very still, they are in “Samadhi”; this is still contemplation. With wisdom, we can rein in our scattered minds. For people who are neither indulgent or scattered, we can teach this sutra.
Everyone, as Bodhisattva-practitioners, we must always be mindful. Remember [the phrase], “Some people may understand inherent True Suchness. We must truly realize for ourselves that with our dull roots and chronic afflictions, in this environment, we will constantly connect to conditions and thus bury our wisdom. That is such a pity. We must give rise to a sense of respect. We must be respectful toward the Dharma and earnestly practice it. When we attain a good teaching, we must make an effort to retain it. We must have pure faith, be reverent and careful, and take joy in diligently advancing. Truly, we must earnestly persevere and not retreat. Thus, we must always be meticulous and mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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