Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Developing Deep Roots and Firm Aspirations (覺性慧海根深道堅)
Date: December.17. 2015
“In the ocean of enlightened wisdom, the Dharma is boundless. Time and space stretch on at length, while we pass through the Three Periods in a flash. We must protect and preserve our resolve on the Bodhi-path to enlightenment. Maintain faith and understanding as at the start with deep roots and firm spiritual aspirations.”
I constantly tell everyone, “In the ocean of enlightened wisdom, the Dharma is boundless.” This “ocean of enlightened wisdom” is something we all intrinsically have. It is just that we unenlightened beings tend to think about too many things. With our enlightened minds, one moment we are thinking of Taiwan, and then another thought arises, and our minds turn to Africa, to the poorest places, where there are many people of a different ethnicity suffering. Then our minds may turn to Europe. Europe is a place of beauty, with luxurious buildings. It is rich in culture and traditions. All we have to do is turn our thought there, and our awareness will go there too. Our minds will follow [suggestions] around us to mitigate what a certain state is like.
If we do this through our pure intrinsic nature, that awareness, we will know that in this vast world, on this planet, people are born into different places and face different amounts of happiness or suffering. As we have said, this is because of circumstantial retribution. Their circumstantial retribution led them there; because of the karmic law of cause and effect, they followed their causes and conditions to be born there. This is what the Buddha taught us by analyzing many causes and conditions for us. He is an enlightened being, one who has already awakened, so He can share many teachings with us. Such was His ocean of wisdom, it was as vast and boundless as the ocean.
“Time and space stretch on at length.” The space of the universe is vast indeed. What about time? It is the same. Like space, it has no beginning and no end. Time is measured in long periods called “kalpas”. This long expanse of time stretches on at length the same way space does. Time stretches on, yet we unenlightened beings “pass through the Three Periods in a flash.”
At this very moment, we experience past, present and future in an instant. In one instant, we go through past, present and future. That is happening as I speak; every word I said is already in the “past,” but in the moment I spoke it, it was the “present”. A second ago, however, this present moment was the “future”.
From recent events, we should have attained more realizations about this. In an instant, impermanence can strike, causing much suffering anywhere in this world. This reflects the Buddha’s wisdom. With the ocean of His enlightened wisdom, He told us about this more than 2000 years ago. In the world around us, we can see, hear and practice so many of His teachings. Time, relationships, everything is inseparable from the Dharma.
So, “We must protect and preserve our resolve on the Bodhi-path to enlightenment.” The Bodhi-path to enlightenment lies in our minds. “The great Bodhi-path is direct”; there is just this one road. When we dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to transforming ourselves and others, we will be able to realize many teachings.
In Fengyuan, there is a boy named Lin Xuechen. This young Bodhisattva is only 11 years old. Ever since he was in kindergarten, he has accompanied his mother to the Jing Si Bookstore.
He has learned so much in that place. When the adults spoke, he listened carefully. When the [the bookstore staff] shared with him about the law of karma, he understood clearly. He retained the stories he read and the teachings he heard in the bookstore to share them with his classmates. He taught them the karmic law of cause and effect. When his classmates were short-tempered, he counseled them.
Xuechen is truly very exceptional. Though his mother enjoyed going to other Buddhist practice centers, he did not want to go.
His mother said to him, "Oh! You are discriminating!" He said, "I am not discriminating; it is just that the Jing Si bookstore is a place of practice that suits me better." He then shared with her, "One time I heard Grandmaster say that there was a group of older male volunteers who went to the Abode to do chores. Grandmaster called that a mini seven-day retreat. The older male volunteers also shared with Grandmaster that they took the benefical grasses and buried them in the soil so that they would become fertilizer. But, if the grasses were weeds, they would pull them up by the roots so that the weeds wouldn't spread."
He said, "When I heard this, "I thought about how, just as good grasses can become fertilizer, negative thoughts, when kept in the mind, can lead us to do bad deeds." This is what he shared with his mother. He even said to her, "At the bookstore, I heard Grandmaster say that every time we do something that benefit others, we are a Bodhisattva. When we see something good in someone, we must promptly learn from them. I have learned so mush here. When I see the elder volunteers saying the same things over and over again, nagging at other, I remind myself to not criticie others in any way."
Because, at a very young age, he learned so much at the [Jing Si] bookstore, when he grows up, he will contribute so much to others and to society. See, isn't this an example of working to "protect and preserve our resolve on the Bodhi-path to enlightenment"?
A child so young can develop this resolve, so what about us? "Maintain faith and understanding as the start with deep roots and firm spiritual aspirations." Can we do this?
"Maintain faith and understanding as the start". Is the aspiration we formed when we first started still in our hearts? Is our original desire to diligently practice, is the power of the vows we originally had, still within us now? This is something we should reflect on.
When we learn the Buddha's Way, we must have the sincerest intentions. So, the previous passage states, "People like this have the sincerest intentions to seek the Buddha's sariras"
People like this have the sincerest intentions to seek the Buddha's sariras and, seeking the sutras in this way, they have gained and reverently received them. Such people never again resolve to seek other scriptures, nor do they ever think to seek heretical texts. For people like this, you can teach this sutra.
Yesterday we spoke about "satiras". Everyone should be clear that and place where there is Dharma is a place where the Buddha's Dharmaakaya (Dharma-body) is present. Though the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, the Buddha-Dharma lives on in people's hearts. The Buddha's wisdom still exists.
"Seeking the sutras in this way, they have gained and reverently received them." With this mindset, they seek out the Dharma wherever it exists. In any place we attain the Dharma, we should earnestly accept the teachings. "Such people never again resolve to seek other scriptures. Nor so they ever think to seek heretical texts." They do not wish to seek other teachings; they are single-minded in their resolve.
"For people like this, you can teach this sutra." Only when we have this while hearted resolve are we able to attain the subtle and wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle.
The following passage states, "I say to you, Sariputra, if I tell you of the characteristics of those who seek the path to Buddhahood, I will not finish in endless kalpas. People like this will have faith and understanding. For them you must teach the wondrous Lotus Sutra."
The Buddha wanted to give everyone a reminder so He called out, "Sariputra! I [will] tell you of their characteristics." He had already given so many teachings, the 12 divisions of the Tripitaka. For more than 40 years, He continued to teach according to the capabilities of sentient beings. The nature and the appearances of the Dharma are encompassed in the 12 divisions of the Tripitaka.
This reminds all of us to listen to the sutras and the Dharma. We should “respect the Dharma” and follow the precepts. Thus, we must “carefully guard” [the teachings]. We should be very cautious.
To remind him to respect the Dharma and carefully guard the teachings and precepts, the Buddha told Sariputra, “I [will] tell you of their characteristics”. He is speaking of the ten characteristics of world-transcending and virtuous people.
In the past, [out of ignorance,] we may have committed all kinds of wrongdoings. After learning the Buddha’s Way, we must respect the Dharma, follow the precepts. Therefore, we must now be very cautious. All of this Dharma [that was taught] is inseparable from the “then characteristics of world-transcending and virtuous people”. These are ways of teaching us, because as He was guiding sentient beings, His teachings were never separate from these ten teachings for being world-transcending and virtuous people. Knowing how to be good person is very important. If we want to be a Buddha but are unable to be a good person, how will we ever attain Buddhahood?
Therefore, there are ten ways of being world-transcending virtuous people. Virtue comes form following the principles “Being in accord with the principles” means we can follow moral principles. This is virtuous Dharma. “One who practices these ten teachings will always be in accord with the principles of virtuous Dharma”.
If we can follow these ten teachings, we will be in accord with all the principles. When we follow the principles in our actions, we will be a virtuous person. There are two aspects to being a virtuous person; one is cessation and the other is practice. With “cessation”, what are we trying to cease? This means putting a stop to something. “Cessation” is “causing one’s own evil to cease and no longer troubling others”. “Cessation” is using the precepts to guard against wrongs and stop evil.
Cessation: Causing one’s own evil to cease and no longer troubling others.
Practice: Cultivating triumphant virtue for the benefit and peace of all.
As we engage in spiritual practice, we must uphold the precepts. As Buddhist practitioners,if on the one hand we listen to virtuous Dharma and on the other still create negative karma, what should we do? When we give rise to a thought of evil, we must promptly stop and extinguish it. Then we will no longer cause harm to or trouble other people.
The second is “practice”. “Practice” means spiritual practice. We must promptly engage in spiritual practice. Since we have put an end to evil, we must diligently do good deeds. This gives rise to “triumphant virtue”, which is exceptional virtue. We must seize exceptional karmic conditions to accomplish the things we should do. Only through internal cultivation and external cultivation of goodness can we work for the “benefit and peace of all. Everything that we do will benefit ourselves and others and bring peace to ourselves as well as others.
The Ten Good Deeds:
Not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, not gossiping, not speaking harshly, not engaging in flattery, not having greed, not having anger and not holding deviant views.
How do we [practice] the Ten Good Deeds? First is by not killing. Not killing means to cease killing. This is why I constantly promote vegetarianism. To love and protect the earth, we must earnestly purify people’s minds. This starts with the karma of the body.
Killing is committed by the body. Thus, we must cease killing. “Since we are no longer killing, we must practice the good deed of releasing living beings”.
The true meaning behind releasing living beings is the protection of all living beings is the protection of all living beings. We must protect all life and keep their habitats peaceful and safe. That is the principle behind “not killing”.
The second is not stealing, which is also karma created by the body. Some people will steal, rob or seize thing, or they may loot things. By no means can we do this; we must cease. This is “the cessation of all theft”. If we stop doing this, that is a way of doing good. “Since we are no longer stealing, we must practice the good deed of charitable giving”.
Not only must we not steal or desire others’ goods, we should practice charitable giving.
The third is not engaging in sexual misconduct, which is also karma created by the body. So, this must “cease”. The cessation of sexual misconduct is a good deed as well. “As we no longer engage in sexual misconduct, we must practice the good deed of purifying practice”.
The fourth is, “One who does no tell lies” is one who “does not speak empty words”. This is the virtue of the cessation of lying. Speaking lies damages our moral character.
When we speak, we should speak the truth. Thus, “We practice the virtue of speaking truth.”
We must not speak off take or false things, creating something out of nothing and giving rise to many conflicts. This is not the right things to do.
5. Not gossiping: Not spreading conflicts between two parties so as to lead them to fight. This is the meaning of not engaging in gossip. We must practice the good deed of bringing harmony and benefit to others.
The fifth is not gossiping. Not gossiping means not spreading stories or telling different people different things. We say bad things about that person to this person and bad things about this person to that person, creating conflict between both. By gossiping about other people, we are creating problems in relationships and tearing apart friendships.These are not the right things to do.
All these things “lead them to fight.” On a small scale, we cause conflicts among people. On a large scale, we spread rumors throughout society. On an even large scale, a country in conflict ruins many lives. All of this is caused by the negative karma of creating conflicts.
So, if we are doing this, we should quickly stop. “We must practice the good deed of beinging harminy and benefit to others,” we must encourage people to come together, not to split apart. We should not manipulate them.
The sixth is not speaking harshly, or “not engaging in harsh or malicious speech.” We must not speak harshly; instead, we “practice the good deed of gentle speech.”
We should speak the truth and encourage people to come together. We must use soft and gentle words and be elegant when speaking with people. Speaking is a kind of arts, so we must be mindful.
The seventh is not engaging in flattery. Speaking softly and gently is a good thing, isn’t it? But here it says we must “not engage in flattery.” “Flattery” is superficial. There is no sincerity behind those words, but on the surface they sound very pleasant. They speak well of us to our face, but say bad things about us behind our backs.
“Not engaging in flattery” is “refraining from flowery or embellished speech.” We must not dress up what is false to make it sound like it is true or make it very pleasant; we must not do that. So, we must “not engage in flattery,” but rather, “We must practice the good deed of being straightforward and proper in our speech. ”
We should be very straightforward. This is the way things are; “this matter is like this.” “I am speaking the truth of things, and I do so with absolutely no ill-intent.” “This is how it happened; that is the truth. Let us figure out how to salvage the situation and make things right.” This is being “straightforward in speech.”
This means that our words are direct, proper and of excellent quality. These words are true, but still must be gentle and harmonious.
The eight is greed. It is no longer having greed and desire. That is “the virtue of the cessation of greed.” “Since we no longer have greed and desire, we must practice the good deed of engaging in purifying practice.”
The ninth is not having anger. We must not get angry. This is “the virtue of the cessation of anger.” If we start to lose our temper, we must quickly put a stop to it. Once we have the virtue of ceasing our anger, we must practice the good deed of “loving-kindness and patience.”
The tenth is not holding deviant views. Our views and understanding should be correct. “This is the virtue of the cessation of deviant views. Since we no longer hole deviant views, we must practice the good deeds of having Right Faith and Right views.”
All of these are related to our everyday karma of body, speech and mind. There are three good deeds of the body; they are not killing, not stealing and no sexual misconduct. Speech is not lying, not engaging in flattery, not gossiping and not speaking harshly. These are the four good deeds of speech.
In our minds there is greed, anger and ignorance. So, the Threefold karma of body, speech and mind can be turned from the Ten Evils into the Ten Good Deeds. For this we must both “cease” and “practice.” With regard to our body, speech and mind, in our daily living. We must earnestly heighten our vigilance. Otherwise, “Time and space stretch on at length, while we pass through the Three Periods in a flash. This happens in the span of a single thought.
Time passes very quickly; in a flash it is gone. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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