Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Four Guiding Teachers Among the Bodhisattvas (菩薩眾中 有四導師)
Date: October.31.2018
“We must abide in empty space and the Middle Way and reside in unconditioned Dharma. The principle of true emptiness is free from obstructions. This is like how the empty void contains wondrous existence, which is unconditioned, uncontrived and immeasurable. True emptiness has no substance. When we thoroughly understand the principles, we will do conditioned good deeds. When we use wisdom to eradicate delusion, the true principle that is revealed is the True Suchness of wondrous existence that encompasses the boundless worlds and pervades the empty void.”
We must mindfully seek to understand this! We must find a way to understand the Dharma completely. This is something we must be very mindful of Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak. In the previous 14 Chapters, He “revealed the manifest.” At this point, He had to start “revealing the intrinsic.” The Lotus Sutra “opens two doors, the intrinsic and the manifest.” We must remember what we have said many times before, that the “manifest” and “the intrinsic” are essential to everything the Buddha taught in life. The manifest concerns how [the Buddha] was born into the world, attained enlightenment, expounded the Dharma and revealed Nirvana. The Eight Aspects of Enlightenment describe how He manifested in this world to transform sentient beings.
When it comes to these manifestations, in response to [the capabilities] of His disciples, the Buddha gave teachings accordingly. According for differences in His disciples’ capabilities, the Buddha adjusted his teachings. [He taught like this] for such a long time, for 49 years! To be exact, prior to the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha had taught for 42 years. He accorded with sentient beings’ capabilities all the way up until this time. Whether He taught about emptiness or existence, it was all meant to help everyone come to understand the great path. He hoped everyone would be able to comprehend the principles. He led them through the door so they could earnestly immerse themselves in the principles and put effort into understanding them. For sentient beings with sharper capabilities, He would explain the true principles of emptiness to them. Because their capabilities enabled them to accept this, this helped them learn to refrain from forming attachments. It is because people form attachments that in their lives, they give rise to so many afflictions and so much ignorance.
The Buddha wanted to eliminate the ignorance and afflictions of sentient beings, so, during the Vaipulya [period], He began to guide people inside. He lead people along the path toward prajna. Prajna is awakened wisdom. Wisdom helps us to clearly discern matters, objects and principles. When we break them down, everything returns to emptiness. This helps us to understand the material world and the forms and appearances of this world. Even though [we feel] emotions and love, everything that we see and touch is illusory and empty. Thus, we must eliminate our attachments to material things and emotions. This is Prajna, which enables us to realize and understand that human life is inherently transient.
Yet before we discuss emptiness, we must speak of “existence”. “Existence” teaches us and enables us to understand that every thought we give rise to is karma and that everything follows the law of karma. These teachings about “existence” enable us to constantly heighten our vigilance. If we can be vigilant, we will uphold the precepts. So, [the Buddha taught] “precepts, Samadhi and wisdom” and other teachings during those 42 years when He taught about emptiness and existence. This enabled sentient beings of different capabilities to accept the Dharma according to their capacities.
However, emptiness and existence must be brought together. Existence is not true existence. Emptiness is not true emptiness. Therefore, the Buddha needed to provide us with an all-encompassing principle. This principle is “wondrous existence.” “Wondrous existence” enables us to understand the Buddha’s initial thought upon attaining enlightenment. This was His great realization that the most wonderful thing in the world is True Suchness, which is the principles. The principle of all things, the True Suchness of human nature, must be made clear for everyone to understand. This, however, is no easy task. This is why the Buddha had to spend so much time and have so much patience while abiding in this world that is hard to endure, enduring these hardships in facing sentient beings. He needed to have patience, for sentient beings’ capabilities are very dull. They are especially stubborn and hard to tame. Simply speaking, we must find a way to imbue our environment with an atmosphere of spirituality. We must maintain this spiritual atmosphere in our lives. In an environment like [the Abode], we must enter the prayer hall early in the morning. We all have the same sense of reverence as we listen to the sound of the bell and drum. We enter the prayer hall in orderly lines, paying our respects to the Buddha and reciting the sutras in a very orderly fashion. We do this while closely adhering to routine. In our daily lives, this is the most routine time of the day, and it is also when we [create] the most spiritual atmosphere. Our experience of this atmosphere is so beautiful!
When everyone is able to follow routine and uphold the precepts, isn’t this a wonderful atmosphere, the best way to start day? “The morning is the key to the day.” In the morning, it is still dark outside, and it is still cool outside. In this environment, isn’t this spiritual atmosphere something that we all work together [to create]? With our common thoughts and actions, isn’t this atmosphere very spiritual? Continuing on to midday, at midday, we reverently enter the prayer hall once more. At the [Abode], because we are busy working all morning, and our work is not easy, after lunch, we can rest a bit. Then, we must return to our work. Before we start working, we gather together again and reverently pray in the prayer hall. This means the first half of our day is over. We have reached midday and are entering the afternoon. At midday, we once again have an opportunity to express our sincerity. Our hearts are full of sincerity. Our sincere thoughts are heard by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Our sincere prayers come not only form our spiritual practitioners but also our staff. Everyone comes together to pray with sincerity.
After this, we commence the rest of the day’s work. In this way, we tame our minds and preserve the discipline of our daily living. We ask everyone to pray at a certain time so that when we gather together, our thoughts will gather together as well. At this time, we must be quiet and refrain from speaking, reverently bring our palms together and still our minds. As we listen to the music and hear the sounds of prayer filling the hall, even the conversations outside will come to a halt. This reverence is [the mark of] a dignified Dharma-assembly. After finishing the day’s work, we call it a day. At night, we attend evening recitations and practice diligently once again. Three times a day, we reverently enter our spiritual training ground.
When we think about it, this is “existence”. Through “existence,” we must understand emptiness. In our own actions and our interactions with others, if we make the most of our time to do more things, we will finish our work earlier. This is all part of “existence”. Our time and work are inseparable from one another. Whenever we become distracted, naturally, we will work more slowly. Thus, we must do our work mindfully and make the most of our time. Then we will have more time to reflect upon ourselves, empty our minds and earnestly focus our reverent thoughts back on the Dharma.
[We do this in] the morning, midday and evening. We do this three times a day, and when we have extra time, [our volunteers] will share [their experiences]. A spiritual training ground like this, with its strict adherence to routine, is this not the best support for our spirit? We must earnestly seek to “abide in empty space and the Middle Way and reside in unconditioned Dharma.” How can we unite our minds with the principles? Emptiness and unconditioned Dharma are the true principles. What of these true principles? Our minds always abide within these true principles. So, “We must abide in empty space and the Middle Way and reside in unconditioned Dharma.” When we are born into the human realm, in the same way as the Buddha, we are born into our parents’ home and grow up there. In this world, everyone lives in a different environment, but our lives take a similar course. We go through childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age and old age; this is the course of life. In our lives, each person experiences different circumstances which we can recall in full. This is just like when the Buddha taught the “teaching of the manifest,” which is about how He came to be [a Buddha] how He interacted with different disciples and what kind of teachings He used to teach them. Those are the manifestations of the Buddha. What about us? We all have manifestations. We all have footprints. Everyone has a childhood. Everyone is young at some point. We are all the same in this. However, when we are adolescents, our [life] gets very confusing.
While the Buddha was clear in His direction we are still confused. The Buddha attained enlightenment and became one with the universe and empty void. His heart thus returned to the true principles. These are the true principles of emptiness. Truly, everything is just like a dream, an illusion, like dew or lightning. Our lives are very transient and illusory. Unenlightened beings form attachments to these illusions and lose themselves in infatuation. So, pulled along by many different karmic forces, they keep creating karma like this. This is all because we fail to empty ourselves and let go of [our attachments]. The Buddha taught us to “abide in empty space and the Middle way”. Previously, we said that [the Bodhisattvas] emerged from the ground and abided in empty space. This is the state of mind of Bodhisattvas. The Buddha taught us that everything we do must relate back to unconditioned Dharma, to the principles. When our mind is free of attachments, we will always act without expectations. This is “unconditioned Dharma”. The past is empty; time leaves no trace. It still passes in this way. Truly, “The principle of true emptiness is free from obstructions”. We must empty our minds and earnestly make the most of our time in life. When we have work to do, we must do it; once we are finished, we need to let it go. This is emptiness. How can we discipline our minds so they do not become distracted? To be empty but not disorderly, to abide by routine and discipline, this is “the principle of true emptiness, [which] is free from any obstructions”. Our minds will not be distracted by passion, lust, material desires or ambitions for fame and profit. [Instead], we will work hard to do what we should. “This is like how the empty void contains wondrous existence”. This is just like how the empty void contains all “wondrous existence”. Is there anything that is not governed by physical principles? Whether it is an animal, a plant or something artificial, it is a conditioned, material object. Everything has its own principles and is formed by combining many different components; once destroyed, they can be brought together again. This is like how, to make concrete, we must destroy mountains [for materials] and artificially refine them into concrete. It is the same for iron. Of all the world’s resources, is there any resource that is not completed through destruction? It is the same for everything. Our bodies are like this as well. We are laden with all kinds of karmic forces from the past that we have no control over. Our previous life is gone, as we died in our past life. It is only because of this destruction that we follow our karma for this life to be born again. Once we are born, we go through birth, again, illness and death, and, eventually, we will also be destroyed. Our bodies will return to emptiness. We will be cremated or buried. In the end, everything is non-existent. After this process, this body will be gone, and we will continue on to our next life. In this world, whether it is an animal or a plant or any solid object we can see with our eyes, everything arises and ceases. We must learn to be “non-arising and non-ceasing”, just like the principles. These principles exist within cyclic existence. Substances and appearances arise and ease, but the principles are ever-lasting and unceasing. “This is like how the empty void contains wondrous existence”. Because [stone] has certain principles, we can turn stone into concrete.
This is due to its underlying principles. It really is that simple, yet the principle behind this is wondrously profound. So, if we fully understand this, that “The empty void contains wondrous existence”, we will come to understand these very subtle and wondrous principles. So, [these principles] “are unconditioned, uncontrived and immeasurable”. These principles are everywhere, and they all return to unconditioned Dharma. Unconditioned Dharma is the true principles. These true principles are not manmade. None of these principles are contrived; this would be impossible. They have always existed. So, “unconditioned Dharma” is impossible for us to create.
[Some] attribute life to the “soul”. The “soul” is everlasting, just like True Suchness. True Suchness is our intrinsic nature or our spiritual essence; you can call it either. These things cannot be seen. So, they are “immeasurable”. There are many such things. Therefore, “True emptiness has no substance”. That which originates from the principles is truly empty and has no substance. “When we thoroughly understand the principles, we will do conditioned good deeds”. When we understand the principles, we will go to serve others.
“Conditioned good deeds” are worldly phenomena. We must serve others. The Buddha has already [identified] all that we do as “true emptiness in wondrous existence”. He told us that we all have causes and conditions and that everything is conditioned phenomena. “Conditioned phenomena” are formed from the causes and conditions we accumulate through the actions we take. Although they all exist, they must return to emptiness in the end.
In everything that we do, we either create positive causes and sow the seeds of goodness and blessings or create negative causes and negative effects. This is how it is. We must refrain from doing evil deeds and sowed need the precepts. Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are the rules we live by. “When we thoroughly understand the principles, we will do conditioned good deeds”. When we understand the principles, we will follow the Bodhisattva-path and go among people. These are called “conditioned phenomena”. These are good conditioned phenomena, not bad conditioned phenomena. In everything we do, we must follow the principles. This is good conditioned phenomena. “When we use wisdom to eradicate delusion, the true principle that is revealed is the True Suchness of wondrous existence”.
We must use our wisdom. When we seek the Dharma and come to understand it, we will be able to eliminate our ignorance and delusion. If we can eliminate our ignorance and delusion, this true principle will naturally be revealed, “the True Suchness of wondrous existence”. Our intrinsic nature of True Suchness will come clearly into view. We will understand it very clearly. This nature of True Suchness of ours “encompasses the boundless worlds and pervades the empty void”. This is True Suchness. True Suchness truly pervades the entire universe. This principle is universal. Let us speak of this “empty void”. These Bodhisattvas abided in empty space, in the Middle Way. Many principles can [be realized] in this place, and infinite wisdom. So, “in the empty void, whether up, down, left or right, there are no limits and no boundaries.
In the empty void, whether up, down, left or right, there are no limits or boundaries. Since Beginningless Time, Bodhisattvas have led beings to uphold goodness and protect the Dharma. They practice the Six Paramitas and go among people to diligently cultivate and protect the seeds of goodness. For such a long period of time, they have never abandoned sentient beings just as the principles will always exist in the universe.
The empty void is very open and spacious, without top or bottom. This is the empty void; it is open and spacious to the left and right. “Since Beginningless Time, Bodhisattvas have led “being to uphold goodness and protect the Dharma”. When Bodhisattvas make vows, they always last for a very long time. Beginning from a single aspiration, they spend a long time over multiple lifetimes going among people of the world to help others. They “lead sentient beings to uphold goodness and protect the Dharma, always leading by example and going among people to transform sentient beings”. They practice the Six Paramitas and go among people. So, we must “diligently cultivate and protect the seeds of goodness”. The good thoughts in our minds are our seeds of goodness. Just watch how these Bodhisattvas emerge from the ground. The ground splits open and the seeds sprout. This is because for a very long time, we protected this thought of goodness we protected this thought of goodness in the depths of our hearts. In cultivating the Bodhisattva-path, [Bodhisattvas] “diligently cultivate and protect the seeds of goodness”. For such a long period of time, they have never abandoned sentient beings. Bodhisattvas never leave or abandon sentient beings. They will forever remain among sentient beings, just like how the principles of the universe will last forever. This is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. When we awaken our Bodhisattva-aspirations, whether they abide in empty space or are hidden deep within the earth, these seeds will last forever. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this.
The previous sutra passage says, “During this time, Sakyamuni Buddha sat in silence and all in the fourfold assembly were also silent 50 small kalpas [passed], but though the Buddha’s spiritual powers, He made it seem like half a day to the assembly.”
These Bodhisattvas emerged from the ground and abide in empty space. They went to the Vulture Peak Assembly and the stupa of treasures, came before the two World-Honored Ones and prostrated before the two Buddhas. They also paid their respects to the Buddha’s [multiple manifestations]. As they surrounded Him, the Buddha had been silent this entire time. Although these Bodhisattvas praised the Dharma and the Buddha in all kinds of ways, for such a long time, the Buddha still remained silent. We discussed this previously 50 small kalpas passed as if it were half a day. This is what we explained previously.
The following passage goes, “At that time, the fourfold assembly, also due to the Buddha’s spiritual powers, saw those Bodhisattvas filling the empty space of infinite trillions of lands.”
At this time, the fourfold assembly, the Buddha’s disciples, consisted of the male and female lay and monastic practitioners This is known as the “fourfold assembly”. At this Dharma-assembly, they saw so many Bodhisattvas. Some were from other lands and some had emerged from the ground and abided in empty space. They saw them reverently pay their respects to the Buddha and reverently praise the Dharma and the Buddha. They were all together at this Dharma-assembly at the same time. This “fourfold assembly” had consistently listened to the Dharma. The Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra for seven years. It had taken him several years to teach up to this point. Everyone [listened] diligently. They had heard the “teaching of the manifest”. It was all clear to them. At this point, they had entered “the teaching of the intrinsic”. These Bodhisattvas were already very familiar with the Dharma and understood the meaning of everything the Buddha taught. It was clear to them, they had absorbed it. They took the Dharma deeply to heart, absorbing it completely.
At that time, the fourfold assembly, also due to the Buddha’s spiritual powers: At that time, the fourfold assembly also relied on the Buddha’s powers. As for “at that time, the fourfold assembly, we must proceed from the narrow definition of the fourfold assembly and envision it more broadly.”
“At that time, the fourfold assembly also relied on the Buddha’s powers.” Because of the Buddha’s teachings, they understood [the Dharma] and took the Dharma to heart. So, in this way, the fourfold assembly relied upon the Buddha’s spiritual powers that come from thoroughly understanding the Dharma. When it comes to the “fourfold assembly, we must proceed from its narrow definition to envision the broader picture”. “Narrow” means limited. The Buddha’s disciples were the fourfold assembly. In truth, the fourfold assembly included many different varieties of la disciples. There were kings, princess, officials and so on. There were also scholars, farmers, laborers and merchants; poor, rich, noble and lowly were all represented. People from every social class were there. Furthermore, there were also monastic disciples, who all came from different backgrounds as well. What a wide range of people! Beyond the broad scope of the “fourfold assembly” in this world were the “eight classes of Dharma-protectors”. They were all encompassed by [this assembly].
So, the fourfold assembly is just a simplistic and narrow definition. In actually, when we break it down, there were many different kinds of people from many different strata of society. So, “They saw those Bodhisattvas filling the empty space of infinite trillions of lands”.
They saw those Bodhisattvas filling the empty space of infinite trillions of lands: The group of Bodhisattvas that came also filled the empty space of infinite other lands. This demonstrates how the true principles that Bodhisattvas realize pervade the Dharma-realms.
They had seen so much here already. The fourfold assembly was able to see these Bodhisattvas fill up all the empty space. Everywhere they looked, there were Bodhisattvas. When we keep the Bodhisattvas in our heart, everyone we see will be a Bodhisattva. When we have this mindset, we will see Bodhisattvas everywhere. So, “Filling the empty space, the assembly of Bodhisattvas that came also filled the empty space of infinite lands.” At this assembly, there were not only people from this world but Bodhisattvas from other lands as well. So, they also filled the empty space of infinite other lands. There were we still many other Bodhisattvas. This demonstrates how “the true principles that Bodhisattvas realize pervade the Dharma-realms”. The principles that Bodhisattvas realize pervade the Dharma-realms, filling all the empty space throughout them. This shows that the true principles we accept are very vast and broad. If we can accept many great true principles and comprehend the extent of their meaning, then we will see nothing but Right Dharma and Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas practice within Right Dharma, filling the universe. This is how it is described to us. There are so many [Bodhisattvas].
So, the next sutra passage says, “Among the assembly of Bodhisattvas, there were four guiding teachers”. Among the many Bodhisattvas who arrived were four guiding teachers. “The first was named Superior Practice. The second was named Boundless Practice. The third was named Pure Practice. The fourth was named Peacefully Abiding Practice”. This means that among these Bodhisattvas who came to Vulture Peak, there were four among them who were the “foremost guiding teachers”.
They were the foremost among the Bodhisattvas. The first was called “Superior Practice”. Why was he called “Superior Practice”? This is because “He actualized all practices by cultivating and upholding right conduct with his body. In this, he was extraordinary and supreme”. Because of this, “His name was Superior Practice”.
When we engage in spiritual practice, we must put the Dharma into action with our bodies. Ever since He formed aspirations, this Bodhisattva practiced constantly throughout the Six Realms. “Actualize” here means that, while transmigrating throughout the Six Realms, he always upheld right conduct while transforming sentient beings among people. We need to have this body to engage in spiritual practice. We rely on this body for spiritual practice. We must make the most of it in our environment. Even in the wonderful environment we have here, we still get very busy, bustling about among people. Still, we must make the most of our time. In the morning, we must engage in spiritual practice together. At midday, we must quiet our minds for a bit. In the evening, we must return [to our practice]. All Dharma lies within our actions.
We must return to our original mind. This is what it means to cultivate and uphold. “By cultivating and upholding right conduct with his body,” he had become extraordinary and supreme. Because of this, he was called Superior Practice.
The second was called Boundless Practice. In order to teach the Dharma, we need to teach with our speech. Thus, “He could use right speech to expound boundless wondrous meanings, thus his name was Boundless Practice”. When we earnestly teach the Dharma, many people will hear this and many of them will come to listen. They will all come from different places. [The Dharma] will enter their ears and minds. They will take whatever insights they gain back to where they live abroad, back to their homeland, spreading this Dharma far and wide. This is called [expounding the] “wondrous meaning”. This good Dharma is boundless. Those who are able to spread and teach the Dharma are said to [expound its] “boundless wondrous meanings”. For this, we must use right speech. We must practice with right conduct and teach the Dharma with right speech. So, the first was called “Superior Practice”. The second was called “Boundless Practice”. If we can put the teachings into action, our Dharma will spread wide throughout the world.
The third was called “Pure Practice” for his purity in practice. Our mind must be pure and undefiled. With an undefiled mind, we will naturally teach the Dharma with impartiality. So, he was called “Pure Practice”. When we treat others with impartiality, we will also teach the Dharma with impartiality. We will not discriminate between anyone. We might teach someone somewhat deeper principles, and then teach other people principles that are easier to understand. No matter if it is one person or many, we will teach the Dharma to them with impartiality. Thus, teaching the Dharma is not about the quantity [of people] or discriminating between them. We teach them all the same true principles. When teaching the Dharma, our minds must be pure. To teach the undefiled Dharma, our intentions must be pure. If our intentions are pure and we teach the Dharma with impartiality, this is what it means to have a “pure mind”. We must have the right intentions. So, He was called “Pure Practice”.
The fourth was “Peacefully Abiding Practice. Peacefully Abiding Practice” refers to vows. “Through his power of compassionate vows, He helped everyone abide in this Dharma. Thus, due to his great compassion, he was called Peacefully Abiding Practice.”
This fourth guiding teacher [represented] “vows”. When we read the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, the Buddha taught us the Four Practices. These Four Practices help us uphold [this sutra]. With our body, we must put the Dharma into action as we earnestly go among people to transform them. It is only through this body that we will be able to do conditioned [good deeds]. We must do conditioned good deeds among people. We need to have right conduct to go among people. This is “the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body”. Only with the right bodily conduct and the undefiled and unconditioned true principles will we be able to demonstrate pure, undefiled conditioned [goodness] and do conditioned good deeds among people.
So, we must use body and speech. We must use our body to put the Dharma into action and teach people the methods they need. Teaching people requires a method, and our method requires using our mouths to speak. Thus, we need right speech to teach the Dharma. This is the right conduct for our mouths. Third, we need our “minds”. Our minds must be very pure. If our minds are undefiled, naturally, everything we do will be free of defilements, free of afflictions and free of ignorance. Everything will be pure. This is [the power of] our mind. When our minds are pure, everything is pure. This is what we mean by “mind”. With upright body, speech and mind and right conduct, right speech and right mindfulness, at this moment, we must make vows. When we make vows, we need to have compassionate vows and wisdom.
This is our power of compassionate vows. We must have great loving-kindness without regrets and great compassion without resentment, great joy without worries and great equanimity without expectations. If we can always be like this, with loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity in our actions, then our power of vows will be long-enduring. So, “He helped everyone abide in the Dharma.” [He helped] everyone abide in the Dharma without regrets, resentment, worries or expectations. This is how He served others with loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, [helping] everyone to abide in the Dharma. Thus, “Due to his great upright compassion, he was called Peacefully Abiding Practice.” This great upright compassion and power of vows are all established through practice. So, the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy are exemplified by these four model Bodhisattvas. We must be very mindful. Teaching [the Dharma] can be so simple, and putting it into action will not be hard so long as we are mindful.
“Through his great power of compassionate vows, He helped everyone abide in this Dharma. Thus, due to his great compassion, he was called Peacefully Abiding Practice.” [The name] “Peacefully Abiding Practice means that through the virtue of according with all, he could abide peacefully.”
We must accord with sentient beings’ capabilities. In the Buddha’s 49, almost 50 years, of teaching the Dharma, He did this all in accordance with the capabilities of sentient beings. Thus, when the Buddha taught sentient beings about emptiness and existence, He always adjusted to their capacities for accepting it. In this way, these sentient beings were able to accept the Dharma. Everyone can implement conditioned good deeds. When we take the Dharma to heart among people and abide in unconditioned Dharma, we will fill all the empty space throughout the universe without obstruction. Our minds will be unobstructed by worldly affairs. However, there will still be suffering.
The Buddha tells us that life is suffering. This is true! It is suffering. So, we must patiently endure [this suffering]. In this way, we will be able to see the true principles of suffering clearly. If we can see these principles clearly, then we will no longer suffer. We will understand the law of nature, the cycle of birth, age, illness and death, that what comes, comes, and what goes, goes. There is also [the suffering of] “parting with those we love, meeting those we hate, not getting what we want” and “the raging Five Aggregates.” If we thoroughly understand these principles, the suffering of “parting with those we love” will no longer torment us or cause us anguish. In life, people will pursue unrequited love by any means necessary. In the name of love for another, how many disasters have people created in the world? There is also hate; people hate others so much that they will do anything to make them suffer or become so full of hatred that even in death, they will still have yet to release this hatred. The suffering of “parting with those we love” and “meeting those we hate” is truly unbearable. These are the hardest things to endure in life, parting with loved ones and meeting those we hate. Or perhaps it is “not getting what we want.” We constantly want more. We want a longer life, more fame and more wealth. There are so many things we want; they are endless. We will never stop wanting things. There is also our body and everything we feel with it. Such sensations, the suffering of the “raging Five Aggregates,” all cause us suffering. If we do not understand these principles, this suffering will fill our hearts forever, torturing us. It will always be part of our lives, inescapable and unbearable. So, we will feel love, hate, passion and animosity. As we engage in spiritual cultivation, we must see them clearly and impartially. This alone is true liberation. This is unconditioned Dharma.
When we see the true principles clearly, we will have no sense of gain or loss. With no sense of gain or loss, we can go among people to do conditioned good deeds and make the most of our time. In this way, Bodhisattvas are everlasting. They make good use of their bodies and use their speech to teach the Dharma, always upholding the [right] bodily conduct and state of mind for spiritual practice. With their body, speech and mind, they practice conditioned [goodness]. They also make vows and persevere in upholding them throughout lifetime after lifetime. In this way, starting from our initial aspiration, we must be mindful about seizing the time we have. Our lives [unfold] among conditioned phenomena, so we must be vigilant and mindful. Three times a day, we must cherish this place of spiritual practice. Whether it is conditioned or unconditioned, this all takes place in our everyday lives, so I must ask everyone to always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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