20230607真純虔誠入法髓Bringing Out the Essence of the Dharma with Our Genuine Sincerity
This sutra adaptation presentation is on the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings the and I have such high hopes for it. I hope the presentation will bring out the sutra's essence, and it'll stay true to the sutra, as to achieve a state that is tranquil and pure while bringing out the sutra's infinite meanings.
To engage in spiritual cultivation is to cultivate a still and tranquil mind. Only when we are at ease and at peace will we be able to really discover the truth and the principles of the universe. Otherwise, why would people say that it's best to cultivate at a quiet place? To be at a quiet, tranquil, peaceful place is to cultivate a mind that is tranquil and pure.
May we think deeply about the concept of "our mind being tranquil and pure," (which, in the sutra) is followed by "Our vows are as vasts as the endless void. Let us uphold our vows unwaveringly for countless enos of time." These few verses are the essence of the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings. These verses are what to be expressed (for this presentation.)
If participants can grasp these concepts and display them, then they have successfully brought out the essence of this sutra. These verses are the core, the bone marrow of this sutra. "Cultivate a mind that is tranquil and pure. Our vows are as vast as the endless void. Let us uphold our vows unwaveringly for countless enos of time." Let us present the state which is to uphold our vows unwaveringly. This is having unwaveringlly resolve; we aim for this in our spiritual cultivation, for a revolve that lasts for countless eons of time.
We often speak of "a long time" but time cannot be expressed (in exact) because it has no endpoint, no bound, thus, it's "countless enos". I truly cherish this affinity, (with all of you creative minds here,) having the same goal as mine, hence, I hope this will happen. I hope and am expectant to see a production which includes visuals and sounds as well as emotions and meanings being expressed artistically.
It's easier with visuals and sounds as long as people are mindful in fliming and putting the settings together. However, to artistically express these feelings and meanings truly requires people's sincerity. I feel that... I often speak about blessed affinities; (it's a blessed affinity to have) a group of disciples who can produce something that is truly what I had in mind and make it so beautiful.
May we spread the Dharma to benefit living beings; this can be done when affinities are all there. Right now, we all harbor a sincere heart, and people here have a variety of artistic talents, plus, we have come together with sincere piety; (everything is all right here in the present.) This is not mere talks to put a play on stage, if we don't plan it, there will be no presentation.
Hence, we say that it takes six conditions for the Buddha to expound the Dharma. In order for a talk to happen, a place is needed, with a place secured, an audience is needed; time is also needed for the occasion. for the Buddha to expound the Dharma, there must be an audience, people who want to listen to the Dharma. There needed to be a speaker, an audience, a location, and time. Were all the affinities in place? There were six conditions that must be met.
Sutras start with "Thus I have heard," the Buddha was at such and such place. This was the condition of having an audience. There were also the conditions of the Buddha as the speaker, audience as the listener, a specific location where the talk took place, the time of the talk, and what Dharma was expounded. We now have the conditions for presenting a sutra adaptation.
I hope this time the affinities are all there. We want to integrate the essence of Tzu Chi and the essence of art together. The visuals and sounds can capture people's hearts, and present the essence of the Dharma. This essence of the Dharma comes from deep in the sutra. I've extracted the essence from the sutra. This is why I keep talking about the "essence".
Volunteers keep on taking in this essence until everyone has developed faith. At this time, people join together with their sincerity and faith. This sincerity. Every Tzu Chi volunteer harbors sincerity. With wholeheartedness, we want to do better. Through our deeds, we express our sincerity. Thus, we are to be truly sincere so that all Buddhas show their perfect form. This is not acting. I keep telling volunteers that this is not acting. We are to be very sincere in presenting the Dharma. So, we must be very ,very sincere.
Now, everyone, let us plan and think about how to present the sutra adaptation well and display sincerity, truth, goodness, and beauty. With our genuine sincerity, we display the beauty of goodness. This goodness is wholesome Dharma. Dharma is invisible, so what is wholesome Dharma? It's showing people that we are good people. A good person does good deeds. How many good deeds do we have to do to be considered as a good person? Unlimited good deeds.
I'm in my old age right now. Volunteers, I want to tell you that the value of one's life lies in being genuinely sincere. In this life, I have no special skill, except being genuinely sincere. I've been like this for my whole life, if I feel like something needs to be done, I will do something about it. This is why people are moved by my sincerity. I have no strength or anything else to call on people except my sincerity. It seems simple talking about it. Yet, thinking about it now, it's truly meaningful.
I also want to say that this requires going through piles of sand and panning for gold. Do you know that the gold extracted from sand is very, very fine? This is why I say that all Tzu Chi volunteers had been panning for gold for hundreds of lifetimes. We keep on panning for gold (within ourselves) and now, we are each one speck of gold. If it weren't for so many people, like the piles of sand mixed with gold, how can we have so many Tzu Chi volunteers now, who are truly precious and (valuable like gold).
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