Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: With a Pure Mind We Follow the Right Dharma (意根清淨 皆順正法)
Date: October.14.2019
“Only by knowing this world is full of suffering will we be able to grow in compassion and wisdom. As Bodhisattvas, we must exercise both compassion and wisdom, engage in purifying practices and persist in upholding our ideals. [This way], we can save lives and wisdom-lives and create blessings and wisdom as we go among people.”
We must be mindful. In the world, in time and space, every moment is inseparable from the passing of time. Time passes so quickly, and space is so vast. Interpersonal relationships are wondrously profound and truly impossible to analyze. These principles that we cannot analyze are the truth itself. Indeed, the true principles within time and space are closely interconnected, yet some people are unable to mindfully comprehend them.
From Africa, the Bodhisattvas from South and East Africa [traveled] together to Taiwan this year (2019). How long [does this trip] take them? From over 10,000 kilometers away, they traveled by plane and car, which takes one to two days. They all came here to meet with us about worldly matters, about the people suffering in the world. There is a group of Bodhisattvas who, for the sake of people who are suffering, persist in [the work of helping them]. With their universal compassion, they do not abandon these sentient beings. When sentient beings suffer, Bodhisattvas feel distraught; we feel others’ suffering as our own. Therefore, [in the case of] these Bodhisattvas, in addition to providing emergency relief to those who are suffering, after the immediate aftermath of this disaster, they still need to consider how to [provide long-term] help to those affected and [help them] find lasting peace. They are truly suffering! How can we save such multitudes of sentient beings? If we cannot help them, do we simply give up? As Bodhisattvas, we must “think of ways to help”. [We must not say], “There is no way to help them,” we must simply think of ways to help. This is why the group of Bodhisattvas that came and gathered here in Taiwan began by sharing about the suffering of [the people] in those countries, telling us of how impoverished those people are. Presently (2019), there are nine countries in Africa that Tzu Chi volunteers have served. When volunteers interact with people there, in every family and every household they visit, they encounter [cases of extreme] suffering in the world. Bodhisattvas go there and apply their wisdom as they interact with them. How can we put our compassion to use? We need wisdom as well as compassion; we must exercise both compassion and wisdom. We are very saddened to see the extent of their poverty and how they lack life’s basic necessities. Life’s necessities are the things they need for daily living, including clothing, food, shelter and transportation. They lack all of these. How can we help them? Our Tzu Chi volunteers in Africa, the Bodhisattvas who went there, are willing to be pioneers. They exercise the great love of Bodhisattvas there. In that vast space, in order to cultivate [a field of blessings] there with great love, they must have determination and a pioneering spirit. This is the mindset they need to cultivate [a field of blessings there]. We must further make vows of great love to spread seeds of goodness; we must make vows and practice great love. We must not only cultivate [this fields of blessings], but we must also sow [the seeds of love]. It is not enough to only help them [to have enough] to eat; we must also go on to think of ways to guide the local people to develop great aspirations and make great vows. We must help them to not rely on our regular help. Instead, we need to guide the local people to help themselves. We must teach them to be determined and resolved, to make vows with the mindset of great love. We are truly lacking in local Bodhisattvas there, so our Tzu Chi volunteers from here have gone throughout those nine countries [to serve those in need].
These same volunteers originally travelled from Taiwan to South Africa. They formed great aspirations, made great vows and began to cultivate [a field of blessings] there, with a pioneering [spirit]. They exercise this spirit of great love by spreading seeds of goodness and mentoring and guiding the local people. They reached this ninth country there, before returning to report [their experiences]. After understanding [the local people’s] needs, how can we go about helping them? By exercising compassion and love like this. They combine compassion, love and wisdom and apply them all through giving. They found that the local people are all very pure-hearted and sincere. Without desire and greed, they are pure at heart. We should be putting our heart into helping them. Yet, [that area] is so large and so vast. How can we help [everyone]?
A Bodhisattva’s spiritual training ground is within each person’s heart. How can we return to that training ground? We must think of ways, and as we [implement] these methods, we must share common vows and a common path. The basic prerequisite is “knowing the world is full of suffering.” The world is truly full of suffering. Only when we know this “will we able to grow in compassion and wisdom.” We understand the world’s suffering, so we all form the same aspiration. Only by forming aspiration are we able to develop our compassion and our wisdom. These are the things we must be mindful of.
Moreover, we need to be mindful of the fact that the world is full of suffering, so we must begin to cultivate compassion and wisdom within ourselves. The compassion and wisdom within us are things we must cultivate for ourselves. So, we must form Bodhisattva-aspirations. “As Bodhisattvas, we must exercise both compassion and wisdom.” To develop our compassion and wisdom, to become Bodhisattvas, we must begin by exercising compassion. Compassion [is achieved through] harmony. When you and I share the same mindset, then, in harmony, we [work toward] the same goal. With mutual love, we need to work together for the sake of suffering people in the world. When we “exercise compassion” like this, we seek to benefit everyone. This is why we exercise compassion. [We must also] “exercise wisdom.” While we want to benefit everyone, we cannot do good deeds blindly; we must [do good deeds] with wisdom. [We must exercise] compassion with purpose, applying our compassion to creating blessings by clearly discerning [what people’s needs are]. How do we use wisdom? We must help promote harmony among everyone so that we all have the same aspiration, which is to help suffering people to eliminate their suffering. This means [cultivating ourselves] as Bodhisattvas in our internal spiritual training ground by being certain to “engage in purifying practices and to persist in upholding our ideals. “Purifying practices” means eliminating afflictions and not being [affected by] interpersonal conflicts. When we hear sounds of discord, we must be unaffected and unafflicted. If we want to transform sentient beings, to transform people’s suffering in order to bring stability to the world, this depends on us to grow our wisdom. To grow our compassion and wisdom, we must exercise [them]. We must first clear [our minds] of defilements so that our heart are pure, and we must persevere in our ideals. Bodhisattvas cannot lack this resolve. We must be sure that we have this if we are to train ourselves, nourish our wisdom and exercise our power to help others in society. To rescue others [from suffering], we must first save our own wisdom-life. To save our own wisdom-life, we must understand the aforementioned [principles]. “Only by knowing this world is full of suffering will we be able to grow in compassion and wisdom. Are Bodhisattvas, we must exercise both compassion and wisdom, persist in upholding [our ideals]. Only then can we save sentient beings.
Myriad sentient beings are waiting to be rescued, but to do so, we must [first] grow our own wisdom-life. Through the hardship in their lives, [those who are suffering] can also grow their own wisdom. So, if we can mutually activate our wisdom like this, then we can “create blessings and wisdom as we go among people.” This is what Bodhisattvas most need to do.
We see how mindful the Bodhisattvas from Africa are; they made the trip [all the way to Hualien]. What moves us so greatly is how those Bodhisattvas give so willingly and how unafraid of hardship they are to make such a long journey, traveling over 10,000 kilometers both ways. [Moreover], they are constantly traveling, crossing from one country to the next. This is how they work in Africa countries in order to rescue suffering sentient beings, [showing] they are unafraid of personal hardship. This is very touching.
Furthermore, they shared with us how pure hearted the people are whom they have met in Africa. Though they did not know the Buddha-Dharma, [they would say] “This group of people express some very good principles to us, so we are willingly to accept them [too].” [They asked], “Whose teachings are these? We are willing to accept them, practice them and [apply] them in helping others.” They live very simply and [are willing to] take every word to heart and put [the teachings] into practice. I have a deep Dharma-affinity with these disciples in Africa. I hope that, one by one, they will be able to transform their suffering and attain Dharma-joy by transforming their lives and creating different karmic conditions for their next lifetime. The Buddha wants to help sentient beings by transforming suffering into joy and poverty into wealth.
They also share His goal. He never gave up, even when it came to a poor old woman. Once, a poor old woman came to the Buddha and said, “I am poor! [live in] poverty. I really want to make an offering, but I have no blessings; I have nothing at all”. So, the Buddha told her, “You are blessed, and you can make an offering”. What [offering] could she make? “At the hem of your clothing is a piece of cloth on the verge of fraying off. You can make an offering of that piece of cloth”. The Buddha accepted even a frayed piece of cloth from the poor old woman to [help her] create the karmic conditions for her to create blessings and make offerings. This is also what we are doing now [in Africa]. When we go to teach [the locals], we begin by sharing the spirit of the bamboo bank. They found that giving a few coins was meaningful and doable, so they appealed to everyone to join in. These are blessings they can also create so that they will not be born into such poverty, lifetime after lifetime. In their past lives, they had not created blessings. But in this life, they have encountered someone to teach them, and now that they understand, they can go tell others. “Every bit of small change can be accumulated to help others”. Now that they understand this principle, they are willing to give, to promote this idea and to gather others [to follow suit]. Moreover, whenever anyone is sick, even though they may not know them personally, they will go there to help. Whether they are caring for the sick and suffering or helping those even poorer than themselves, they willingly go there to give of themselves. There are many stories like this that are very moving to hear. This is something we can [all] do. We should never think, “So many people are poor, and so many are suffering; how can we ever [help all of them]?” We must be very clear, have confidence and tell everyone, “There is a way!” As long as we each contribute our drop, there will always be one more drop. [Such a small amount] will not impost our lives, but when everyone’s drops are added together, we can help others and crate blessings for the world. This is what the Buddha taught us, that the large comes from the small. Before we continue on with the sutra, this is what I wanted to share with everyone.
Three Vehicle practitioners, in order to escape from afflictions, use undefiled, pure wisdom to eliminate delusions and realize the principles. This is the application of this wisdom. We must transform all sentient beings so as to enter the Buddha’s flawless wisdom.
“Three Vehicle practitioners in order to escape from afflictions, use undefiled, pure wisdom”. Doesn’t this explain that we were just talking about? How did those Bodhisattvas in Africa, who originally came from Taiwan, have these causes and conditions to relocate [so far away]? Having gone to Africa and settled down there, they are like Three Vehicle practitioners, like Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. [They are like] the Great, Middle and Small Vehicle practitioners. The great Vehicle practitioners [will say], “Come, everyone, let’s gather here. I [need to] tell you that we must all better understand these matters; life is impermanent! Let us be mindful and make good use of the time and opportunities that we have while we are here”.
As for Hearers, [they may say], “Come, have you heard! This is the Dharma. Life is full of suffering and the suffering you have experienced has come about this way; it accumulated like this. Let us understand why there are these karmic conditions in the world. Now, there are people here willing to guide us, so we must follow accordingly”. This is how Hearers and Solitary Realizers learn from Bodhisattvas how to engage in spiritual practice.
[The Tzu Chi volunteers] there are like Three Vehicle practitioners. These Bodhisattvas [who] go there [effectively communicate with the local people] and start to show our Bodhisattvas how to go among the people to understand them better and help them learn [practical] methods. We go there to help them know that the way to transcend afflictions is through an undefiled mind. “I should not only care about myself. These Bodhisattvas have helped me understand that I should go and help other people. In helping others, I cannot only care about myself”.
[We saw an example of this] in eastern Africa. In Maputo, we now have 2000 to 3000 new local volunteers. Port Beira is a severely affected area, [but Maputo and Port Beira] are over 1000 kilometers apart, and we do not know anyone [in Port Beira]. Since there was a disaster, we went there to help them. People from many countries went to Port Beira. Of course, the new volunteers from Maputo also went [to Port Beira]. Once there, [the volunteers thought] “We can see how much they were suffering. Their situation after the disaster, is worse than our current stable situation. They have so much suffering. So, I am willing to make a vow to come here and stay for the long term. I will accompany them to become Tzu Chi [volunteers] by using Tzu Chi’s methods. I cannot just take care of myself, I must also care for others and help them find happiness”. This is [due to] karmic conditions. South Africa has its own causes and conditions, and Mozambique has its own causes and conditions too. Each has its own initial causes and conditions that have brought volunteers together like this when they were needed. We mobilized Bodhisattvas who are “already transformed” and “presently being transformed” to go there and transform those “not yet transformed”. This is how the Buddha-Dharma spreads in the world. So, in this world, we must go from the small, to the middle and [finally], to the great. This is a matter of how our minds work.
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We must first open up and eliminate afflictions, first clean out [the defilements] in our minds. Having eliminated afflictions and ignorance, we must safeguard that pure mindset. As we take the Dharma to heart and understand it, we will no longer be affected by other afflictions. This pure wisdom is [what we want to] help them clearly understand, step by step. So, we “eliminate delusions and realize the principles”. [This means] we are no longer afflicted, nor are we bothered by sounds of discord. “This is the application of this wisdom. this is how we must use it. First, we must know, and then, after knowing, we will be able to use these methods. Bodhisattvas must be certain to “eliminate delusions and realize the principles. This is the application of this wisdom”. This purpose of this wisdom is to help us better understand [the principles]. Once we understand these principles, we can eliminate our afflictions and ignorance and be at ease enough to understand even more principles. This is the application of wisdom.
Our [ability] to discern is called “discerning wisdom”. with this discerning wisdom, we know that one person’s life can influence many to [exercise] the value [of their own lives]. This is discerning wisdom.
“We must transform all sentient beings so as to enter the Buddha’s flawless wisdom”. We must always go among people, continuously guiding them, because this is the only way for us to draw near to the Buddha’s flawless wisdom. so, it is not enough just to have common sense. Common sense if something we must experience. We must put the principles into practice. we must put them into practice until our body and mind are joyful and at ease. This is how we truly eliminate delusion and realize the principles. If we do so willingly and joyfully, we will not fear challenges as we go among people, nor the ignorance of sentient beings. we will always be in perfect harmony and filled with Dharma-joy. In this way, we eliminate delusion and realize the principles. This is [discerning] wisdom.
It is with wisdom that we transform sentient beings. only by transforming sentient beings can we enter the Buddha’s wisdom. Though we have repeated this over and over, we always come back to this principle, for this is how we walk the path. So, by understanding these principles, we can accept the Buddha’s sutras. Then, when we read them, we can really understand them.
So, the previous sutra passage says, “Everything they teach will follow in the direction of these meanings”.
Everything they teach will follow in the direction of these meanings without ever going against the ultimate truth. Whether they expound secular teats, give speeches about world governance or work to make a living, they will always follow the right Dharma.
They teach according to sentient beings’ needs. When we listen to these principles, [we learn] that sentient beings are “suffering” due to “the accumulation” [of karma]. When it comes to the principles, it is only devoting ourselves to helping others that we can truly embody these principles. “They follow in the direction of these meanings.” The direction of these meanings is the suffering of sentient beings, so Bodhisattvas must practice this principle by relieving sentient beings of their suffering.
So, [whatever they teach never goes against the ultimate truth”. When it comes to these truths, we must not simply keep listening to them, keep teaching them and keep passing them on. If this is all we do, we will never be able to change [the conditions of] suffering in others’ lives. We must actually go out [among people]. This is “the direction” we must follow. This is [the principle] we come back to. When we go forth and serve others, we return to this original principle. So, we never go against the ultimate truth, for [this principle] is “true;” we “never go against the ultimate truth”. We go and then come back again, always [returning] to this starting point. We always return to this starting point. So, “Whether they expound secular texts, give speeches about world governance or work to make a living, they will always follow the Right Dharma. Whatever else we do in life, we must always do good deeds. People in the past would say, “Only by doing good deeds do we attain good retributions.” People long ago also used to say this, but the Buddha explained it with the most clarity. So, “They will always follow the Right Dharma”.
The next passage then says, “When it comes to all the sentient beings of the Six Destinies within the great trichiliocosm and their thought processes, the workings of their minds and the idle theories within their minds, they will know them all. Though they have yet to attain flawless wisdom, their mind-root will be as pure as this.”
They contain sentient beings of the Six Destinies as well as “their thought processes. In the heaven realm, heavenly beings, having done good deeds, can enjoy the environment there. In the human realm, there is both suffering and joy. In the hell realm, there is so much suffering that it becomes impossible to breathe. No matter the realm they are in, all beings are seeking something. Their minds are always seeking like this, in whatever they are doing. Perhaps all they are thinking is, “The principles are good; I will spread them”. They may talk a lot about them and may embellish them extravagantly, teaching them with beautiful words. For these sentient beings in the Six Realms, whether their speech or behaviors are good or bad, every action does not depart from good or evil. They are inseparable [from good and evil] because their minds are always turning, always cycling.
When it comes to all the sentient beings of the Six Destinies within the great trichiliocosm and their thought processes, the workings of their minds and the idle theories within their minds…: For sentient beings in the Six Realms, as soon as their mind stirs, their body will take action. Whether good or bad, their actions spin and build up [like a vortex]. The places their thoughts lead them are all false and illusory; these are idle theories on various phenomena.
We are all still unenlightened beings. We might say and do god things, or we might say and do evil things. Good and evil spin like a vortex inside our minds. Sentient beings always lack resolve; they cannot do good deeds without having discursive thoughts [like], “I want to do good I want to practice the Bodhisattva-path, but I cannot take some of the things that people are saying to me. I will retreat and give rise to afflictions” There are many people who are like this.
So, the Bodhisattva-path is difficult to practice [because of how] our minds are. Our minds are dragged around by good and evil, spinning around and around and accumulating layer upon layer of afflictions. There is always good and evil within us; evil and good [cause our minds] to spin around and accumulate afflictions. This becomes very painful. This is how it is for sentient beings in the Six Realms. So, “The places their thoughts lead them are all false and illusory”. We may say we are engaging in spiritual practice, but if our minds keep on spinning like this, then no matter how much more we are taught, we will never gain anything and everything will be illusory. What we say may all make sense, it all may be clear and logical, but if we do not actually practice it, it is illusory. How can we then draw near the Buddha’s wisdom? To draw near the Buddha’s wisdom, we must give of ourselves.
We already talked about this before. So, we must know what idle theories are. If we never put the Dharma into practice, if we never advance the principles that we teach by putting them into practice, then how can we hope to ever return to those principles? We cannot. [Then all we have] are “idle theories”.
They will know them all: Bodhisattvas who can sincerely accept and uphold this sutra, uphold the Dharma and do their best to serve as admirable role models understand all the workings of their minds.
“They will know them all”. We should know that all these [idle theories] are a waste of time; they are empty. Our words are empty, and because they are not being accepted, not heard and not put into action, then what we have said is wasted. “I am telling you; why won’t you listen to me? You never listen to what I teach”. We are wasting our efforts; if no one does anything with it, it is useless for us to teach. So, this is what we must know. Bodhisattvas who “can sincerely accept and uphold this sutra” must “uphold the Dharma and do their best to serve as admirable role models”. “Doing our best” means giving our utmost. If we say we will do something, then we must follow through. This is “doing our best”. If we are truly focused, then once we start [on the Bodhisattva-path], we will never regret taking it, for it will ultimately lead us to the principles, to the state of Buddhahood. So, we want “to do our best to serve as admirable role models”. We want to act so that we show people that we are respectable so they will willingly follow us. [We must act] “admirably”. When people see our demeanor and what we do, they will really admire what we do. Their minds will be influenced, and they will willingly follow us. Sometimes, when people do not listen to what we say, we lament to ourselves, “I did not do it myself so people will not listen to me”. We lack virtue, so we must immediately pick up our pace. If we just sit and complain, then we will regress, so we need to learn to speak in ways that people are willing to listen to, while allowing them to have accomplishments and gaining some insights for ourselves as well. This is why, when we are among others, we must truly “serve as admirable role models”. We must “understand all the workings of their minds”. We must also understand what they are thinking. What are the workings of the minds? What do they focus their minds on? These are the things we need to be clear on, that we need to clearly understand.
When sentient beings of the Six Realms throughout the great trichiliocosm have the opportunity to be taught according to their capabilities, they will be diligent and never indolent. When their minds are pure, everything they say will accord with the Buddha’s teachings.
“Sentient beings of the Six Realms throughout the great trichiliocosm” have this opportunity. How can we help sentient beings of the Six Realms [to realize] this opportunity? How can we guide them? This depends on karmic conditions. Returning to the topic of Africa, the fact that we can go there and meet those who are suffering is also due to our karmic conditions. Because they are really suffering there, the need the help we are providing. Since we have this opportunity to help, we can bring the Dharma into their environment. The principles of the Right Dharma are the things [we can teach them]. We teach them and guide them so that they can then guide others. This is truly transforming lives. When they live in darkness, without light or shadows, if we can give them a little guidance, they will have a way [out].
So, “When sentient beings of the Six Realms get the opportunity to be taught according to their capabilities…”. “If I have the chance to be taught by someone then I will naturally accept their teaching. I will naturally be diligent and never indolent”. [It is we who can [give them this opportunity. We should form an aspiration that, whichever realm we are in, we will all try to create good karmic conditions to deliver and transform sentient beings by giving them the chance to accept the teaching; [we must give them] the chance to be diligent. Then, they will never become lax.
“When their minds are pure…”. How can we help them to purify their minds? How do we point them in a direction to eliminate their afflictions? This goes for us as well. What we are talking about is another opportunity. How do we do it ourselves? We must take this method and apply it to ourselves. [We must] accept the teaching ourselves and accept this opportunity [to learn]. We must be diligent and never indolent, resolving to no longer be troubled by afflictions. In this way, everything we say will accord with the Buddha’s teachings.
This means, “All of their contemplations, calculations and speech will be the Buddha-Dharma, and they will all be true”.
Being able to do this ourselves makes everyone really contemplate [the teachings], including ourselves. By really contemplating, by carefully calculating, we come to realize just how much strength we really have. We understand our own strength, and then, when we combine it with theirs, we will realize how much strength we really have. [We realize] how many things we can really do, what our karmic conditions are really like and how much of the Dharma we can teach people. Is our degree of understanding deep or shallow? We must consider and measure this for ourselves. So, in “all of our contemplations,” we think and see for ourselves just how much strength we really have and how much we are able to go and help others. These are all things that can be taught; they all belong to the Buddha-Dharma. We teach what we know; we teach from our own experiences. When we teach like this, we are never mistaken. This is all the Buddha-Dharma, and [it is] “all true.” Just as they had to travel for this period of time over a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers just to get here, this is all true and not illusory. [Those volunteers] really went to help; they truly give help [to others], and [the people suffering] were truly helped. Those people truly received help. The principle is the same.
For those who uphold the sutra, all the thoughts in their minds and all their careful calculations and explanations are the True Dharma. Because their minds are upright, all their thoughts and speech will accord with the Dharma word for word, and they will all be true.
“For those who uphold the sutra, all the thoughts in their minds and all their careful calculations and explanations are the True Dharma.” Such people are very focused. “Careful” means focused. If we are focused, not scattered, we are “careful.” [Consider their] “careful calculations and explanations.” We should think carefully and truly consider the things we say to ensure that they are true. We should speak carefully. Whatever distance we describe, however long we teach, to however many people, we should always speak carefully and never deviate from the Buddha-Dharma. Then, all we teach is “the True Dharma”. This is all Buddha-Dharma. So, “Because their minds are upright, all their thoughts and speech will accord with the Dharma word for word, and they will all be completely true.” All of this is true; those people are truly suffering. They are suffering, truly suffering! What the Buddha taught about suffering is true. This is because we have seen and heard it. Now what we need to learn how to do is to alleviate that suffering. We, too, have our own suffering, suffering from discursive thoughts and afflictions. Discursive thoughts afflict our minds and cause us to retreat and suffer greatly.
In short, there is suffering everywhere in the world. So, as people, we should try and help one another. Those who can teach should do so mindfully so that those who can accept it may mindfully do so also. If we teach people, but they do not listen, then that time was wasted, no matter how much was said, for it was never truly heard. None of it will be true; it will all be illusory. We will have wasted time, for nothing useful will come of it, and no one will benefit from it. [These are] the principles of time, space and interpersonal relationships. So, as we live in this time, among each other, have we learned to cherish [these affinities]? So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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