Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Wash Away Desires To Purify Defilements (洗欲垢淨息心達本)
Date:March.21. 2016
“Awakened beings wash away desires to purify their defilements. Their minds return to the unconditioned; with minds quiet, they reach the fundamental. Sramanas diligently cultivate the great fields of blessings. They can then end sentient beings’ anger, ignorance and hungry.”
We must be mindful! As spiritual practitioners, we are learning the Buddha’s Way. “Awakened beings” is a name for practitioners who have formed great aspirations. It means that we ordinary people are troubled, unclear about right and wrong and very confused.
We blindly follow what we hear, thus producing afflictions. This makes us unenlightened beings. After we begin to accept the Buddha-Dharma, its principles will slowly wash away the ignorance and defilements in our minds. After we cleanse our minds of ignorance and afflictions, we will naturally return to our nature of True Suchness.
Our minds will return to an unconditioned state. Unconditioned means “of the true principles”. As Buddhist practitioners, the most important thing is to awaken. When we are awakened, we are Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattva [is a Sanskrit word]. “Bodhi” means “awakened,” “sattva” means being. It means “awakened being”. Though we have awakened, we will not give up on this world. Thus, we are willing to go among people. By going among people, we can create blessings. We are able to comprehend why people experience so many conflicts, suffering, manmade tragedies, famines, etc. Thus, we “wash away desires to purify [our] defilements”. We have seen the impermanence in this world. We have seen misfortune and blessings follow one another in this world. Happiness is [often] followed by misfortune.
The Buddhist sutras depict a man who constantly prayed to the god of wealth. He prayed with great reverence. After praying so reverently, a very beautiful woman approached him.
“Who are you?” “I am the one you invited. I am delivering wealth and treasures to you. I am the god of wealth.”
After her came another woman, but she was very unattractive, filthy and untidy. The man then said, “I invited the first woman, I do not want this one who came after. Who is she?” “The second woman is ‘ruin’”. “Why is she here? I only invited wealth and treasure into my life. I do not want ‘ruin’”.
But the [first] woman said, “We two are sisters. We go everywhere together. Things may exist now, but this state will not last forever. So, my little sister is responsible for the ruin that follows.”
This is the principle that the Buddha spoke of, the workings of formation, existence, decay and disappearance. While they exist, all things are gradually formed over time. Then there is abundance in the world, with all kinds of different things. Then as time passes, the karmic forces created by sentient beings will gradually harm and destroy things.
In the [macrocosm of the world], these are the principles at work. What about the microcosm of individuals?
We must not focus on how much we want to do, on how much we want to earn or how big we want our accomplishments to be. Often, we want to be able to do everything. This depends on our blessings.
So, our minds must still return to true principles. We must be one with true principles and quiet our minds.Our desires must not be so great.
We must be able to live simply.
“With minds quite, [we] reach the fundamental. Sramanas diligently cultivate.”
Sramanas are monastics; they must diligently cultivate and understand the principles.
Unconditioned Dharma is the source of principles.Once we are clear on this source, we can then delve into the suffering and joy that sentient beings experience.We must understand the source of suffering; where does it come from?So, we must quickly cultivate great fields of blessings among people.
The more people there are, the more people we can bring blessings to.This is called a grit field of blessings.
But we must do more than create blessings.As we interact with people, we must also meticulously and carefully consider why there are these ups and downs in our lives.Why are there so many who are successful?Why are there so many who are disappointed?This is what we can learn among people.
How do we relieve the grief of sentient beings?
Learning the Buddha’s Way teaches us.After accepting the Buddha-Dharma, we discover the underlying principles of the world.If sentient beings are receptive, we can turn their mindsets around; with a change of thought, suffering can turn into happiness.This is turning afflictions into Bodhi.
As we experience suffering, we are learning.
People talk about “working oneself to the bone”.Indeed, to create a statue of a Buddha, we need different kinds of axes, then knives and chisels.With all kinds of tools, we carve, cut and etch.We must be patient!
In life, this is what we must do in order to develop a great field of blessings.If we do not, the macrocosm of the world is already so out of balance and people’s minds are so deluded and lost that this will be very worrisome.
We must earnestly find a way to benefit people and teach them how to earnestly benefit others.
Otherwise, if we do not put an end to sentient beings’ anger and delusions, famine will follow closely behind.Because of greed, anger and ignorance, sentient beings create karma without restraint.Without discipline, they will create much karma.
Currently, in the macrocosm of the world, the three major and minor calamities have already begun to appear.In addition, [look at] the earth and the climate.The earth has been damaged, and the climate is in a state of imbalance.
This is how the elements of nature, earth, water, fire and air, retaliate against the human world.
Added to these are manmade calamities.
If society is not harmonious, it results in human tragedies.Manmade calamities include the ravages of war.
World War I and World War II are not the only situations considered “wars”.Think about the Syrian refugees.More than a million of them are in Turkey, and they face unbearable suffering!
When Mr. Eaisal Hu came back to Taiwan, he described the suffering in that place.
He hoped we could do the same as in Jordan and help them overcome this hurdle.Recently, he sent information back to us.They held a distribution in coordination with local people.
Professors and religious leaders went to make assessments.
When they saw those who suffered most, the most impoverished, those who could not sustain a living, they gave them food.A household of six would receive two portions.
Each portion is more than 15 kilograms, so two portions are more than 30 kilograms.
Why are they starving?Because of manmade calamities.
They were once part of happy families and had an abundance of assets, but manmade tragedies caused by the discord between people created unrest throughout their country.
Many lives and families were ruined as the people fled in all directions.
At the same time, they starved because.They had lost everything they owned and wandered about in foreign lands.This is truly unbearable suffering.So, we must earnestly create great fields of blessings.We must diligently practice and help everyone understand these principles.
Then we can “end sentient beings anger, ignorance and hunger.”
At that time, though the poor son was pleased at the situation, he still thought of himself as an outsider and lowly worker.
Therefore, for the next 20 years, [the elder] kept him clearing manure.
The previous sutra passage explains that the poor son had come to work in this household to do cleaning working this household to do cleaning. The father had set aside his magnificent clothing to approach him and have a heart-to-heart talk. He comforted him, saying, “If you earnestly do your job well, you can rise in the ranks so you will be even more blessed”. Even though the son felt comfortable there, very happy and safe,
the following sutra text states, “He still thought of himself as an outsider and lowly worker”.
[He felt], “Even though I can live here forever”, this place is not mine.
Therefore, for the next 20 years, the elder kept him clearing excrement”. Even after entering this place, he still had to work for 20 years. During these 20 years, he specialized in clearing away excrement and waste. There were reasons behind this as well.
“Thinking of himself as an outsider and lowly worker” is an analogy for “practicing the teachings of the Path yet still not knowing to shoulder and carry on the great responsibility”.
Some people engage in spiritual practice like this. These principles, the Dharma of emptiness, suffering and impermanence, are known to them. They understand the Four Noble Truths. They also follow the 37 Practices to Enlightenment.
The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence are clear to them. However, they feel their responsibility is eliminating afflictions; that is all. They earnestly work on doing that, but still do not know to say, “I will take responsibility because I am one of the masters of this house because I am one of the masters of this house”. They still do not know this; they do now know to “shoulder” the responsibility. However,they still do not know their own strength. So, “He still thought of himself as an outsider and lowly worker”.
“Therefore, for the next 20 years, [the elder] kept him clearing excrement”. Because he still did not want to shoulder a big responsibility, the elder had to let him continue doing the cleaning in that place.
Actually, this is also an analogy; it is like how we spiritual practitioners are “unable to relinquish limited aspirations and have yet to develop great capacities”.
Therefore, for the next 20 years, [the elder] kept him clearing excrement: Unable to relinquish limited aspirations, they have yet to develop great capabilities. So, from the Agama through the Vaipulya period, they spent 20 years engaging in the practice of the Small Vehicle teachings, realizing the fruit of Arhatship. Thus it says, “He kept him clearing excrement”.
Because our resolve to benefit ourselves is still in our minds, we focus on taking care of ourselves. We have not yet set aside this mindset. The Great Vehicle mindset is focused on benefiting others. We have not yet developed that state of mind so we “have yet to develop great capabilities”.
With great capabilities, we will willingly form aspirations and make vows. Since we have not yet achieved these capabilities, we have yet to form aspirations.
After the Buddha was awakened, His mind was in the Avatamsaka state. For 21 days, He taught the Avatamsaka Sutra. This was the state of the Buddha. In this state, He expressed His original intent. For Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas and heavenly beings, He taught this kind of Dharma.
But after 21 days had passed, He contemplated how to go back into the world. Sentient beings would be unable to accept great [teachings] like this. So, He had to remove His magnificent clothing. He formed the Sangha, and in the Sangha He began to promote the Dharma. This was the Agama period, during which He taught the Four Noble Truths, Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, etc. These were easier to understand as.
He used people, matters, and objects to form analogies. He spent 12 years doing this. Then, the Buddha felt that in these 12 years, people had slowly begun to comprehend the Dharma. after comprehending this Dharma, understanding the fundamental teachings, they should be able to advance and step up to the next level. Thus, He then spent 8 years expounding the Vaipulya teachings, the Vaipulya sutras.
So, out of these 20 years, the Agama period lasted 12 years, followed by the Vaipulya period of 8 years. During the Vaipulya period, He gave both great and limited teachings. Thus, those who clung to the Small Vehicle still practiced according to limited teachings and could only attain Arhatship.
They were still at the beginning stages of comprehending the Buddha-Dharma; they stopped at that stage.
The 20 years, when speaking of time, can be explained as after attaining Buddhahood, the first 21 days when He taught the Avatamsaka, the following 12 years when He continued by teaching the Agama, and then 8 years when He taught the Vaipulya, gradually moving into the Great Vehicle teachings.
These 20 years speak of time spent in spiritual practice. Patriarchs in the past used the following verse to help us easily comprehend.
“The Agama for 12, the Vaipulya for 8, the Prajna for 22 years and the Lotus-Nirvana for 8 years in sum. But first the Avatamsaka for 21days.
When speaking of spiritual practice: [20 years] is the stage of seeing the truth, achieving realization of the true principles. These are Hearers who attained the noble stages of srotaanna and above through eager and diligent uninterrupted practice.
“Seeing the truth” means we must knew that in spiritual practice, we are able to realize these principles. That is how we “achieve realization.”
In the Agama sutra, it states: They relinquish grace and affection, renounce the lay life and practice the Path, nurture and control all Roots and remain undefiled by external desires. With loving-kindness for all, they cause harm to no one. Encountering happiness, they are not joyous. Encountering suffering, they are not sad. They are firm in patience like the earth. Thus, they are called sramanas.
This passage from the Agama Sutra tells us that we must leave our loved ones, renounce lay life, practice the Path and control our Roots so they do not run wild all over the place. If we can do this, with loving kindness we cause harm to no one, “Encountering happiness, [we] are not joyous” and “Encountering suffering, [we] are not sad.” We must be patient, be firm in patience like the earth. This is true mastery of spiritual practice. Only then have we attained realizations; we have practiced and realized. The principles are in our minds, and we can resonate with them.
So, we must be truly mindful and nurture our loving hearts. We must continue to engage in spiritual practice with “the ten flawless methods of practice.
Replete with the ten flawless methods of practice: The ten methods of practicing and upholding [sutra] are copying the text, making offerings, giving to others, listening, reading, accepting and retaining giving discourses, chanting, contemplating and practicing the teachings.
In monasteries of the past, first is “copying the text.” People want to read sutras, but printing presses were not prevalent. They had to rely on people copying them by hand. Copying them enabled everyone to read the sutras. As they copied the sutras, they could cultivate their minds, calm their minds; this is copying the text.
At the same time, they must form aspirations and constantly make offerings. “Making offerings of respect.” There are also offerings of conduct and offerings of wealth. So, we must give of ourselves.
“Giving to others” is not able about wanting to acquire things for ourselves. We should give of ourselves to help everyone; this is charitable giving.
We must also mindfully listen to the Dharma; this is “listening.” When we listen to the Dharma, we must be mindful. Not only must we mindfully listen, afterwards we must recite the teachings.
We must continuously recite them. In order to commit them to our hearts so that we will not forget them.
Next, we must “accept and retain.” We must go beyond memorizing; we must earnestly accept and retain them. By accepting and retaining, we understand. Then we can expound on and transmit the Dharma.
After we hear the Dharma clearly and take it to heart, when people do not understand it we can transmit it to them. We do this by “giving discourses.”
As for “chanting,” we must chant the sutras morning and night so the sound of teachings will pervade the universe. We must also earnestly contemplate them. If, while earnestly chanting the sutras, we constantly take the teachings to heart, we are “practicing the teachings.” These are the “ten flawless method of practices.”
Dear Bodhisattvas, we must mindfully engage in spiritual practice; only then can we become awakened beings. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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