Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Fulfill Self by Benefiting Others. (利益他人 成就自己)
Life is like an illusory dream. In learning Buddhism, we learn how to come to terms with this dream and how not to get lost in this dream. Let us constantly self-reflect, for we are all ordinary people. Yesterday I said, “Ordinary people act foolishly and are covered by ignorance.” Ordinary people live each day as if in a dream where we have no control. It is really a pity.
As we often say “It is rare to be born human and to hear Dharma.” We have attained human form but we do not know to urgently make the most of this life. The body is the temporary union of the Four Elements and is impermanent. Why don’t we realize this impermanence and make good use of this temporary body so as to seize the time we have to experience life?
Our bodies are formed by the temporary union of the Four Great Elements: earth ,water, fire, and air. Though their natures are illusory and impermanent, if we can make good use of them, we can realize the ultimate spiritual cultivation.
How do we transform ignorance into wisdom? Everyone says, “Without experience, we cannot grow in wisdom.” To transform ignorance into wisdom, we must dedicate ourselves to gaining a better understanding of human relations and world affairs.
If our experience is only from listening or from reading a book, we are actually only learning general knowledge. When something happens, we still think and act in ignorance. Our mindsets and actions still reflect that ignorance and foolishness. It is such a pity that ordinary people attain the human body but are not able to make good use of their lives.
That is why ordinary people are covered by layers ignorance. The more ignorance there is, the more confused we are. Unable to choose right from wrong, when we encounter things we make mistakes again and again. Thus, mixed in the wrong crowd, we are naturally drawn to bad friends.
Ordinary people act foolishly and are covered by ignorance. Drawn to bad friends, afflictions confuse their minds, ignorance of their true nature, they are self-indulgent and self-assured.
Being ignorance of our true nature, when afflictions confuse the mind we become self-indulgent and self-assured. We often feel that our intrinsic nature should be pure and equal to the Buddha’s. But afflictions have confused our minds, so our true original nature has been covered.
Hence, due to ignorance, our minds are naturally unrestrained. Without self-discipline in the mind, we indulge ourselves without any restraint. Self assurance is even more frightening. Some feel that they can rely on their youth, their physical strength, their monetary wealth, or their power, fame, status and so on.
Some feel that they have the support of their parents, of others, or of their friends. Such people indulge themselves and have no direction in life. They refuse to accept the advice of good. People and simply rely on improper advantages and do whatever they desire. This kind of life is truly a cause for concern. Thus, bad habits become deeply ingrained.
If we indulge ourselves and do as we desire, or rely on wealth, power, and fame to do whatever we want, we are living a self-centered life. Such a life id the cause of our future suffering.
Though “human nature is inherently good and our nature are similar, our habits differ greatly.” What are or natures close to? They are close to Buddha-nature. Mind, Buddha, sentient beings are no different. We all once had a nature like the Buddha’s but our surroundings continuously influenced us. Perhaps it happened in this lifetime. Perhaps it happened in a previous lifetime. Perhaps lifetime after lifetime of afflictions have continuously accumulated and covered us.
Some people are born into hardship, but since their natures are inherently good, the environment has no negative effect on them. There are quite a number of people like this.
Whatever our fate and circumstances, we can be firm in our aspirations, be strong, and work hard to create a brighter life.
China’s Ma Ye Village, there was a man named Ma Wen-Zhong. This teacher was born into an impoverished family during a very chaotic time in Chinese society. He suffered from a form of muscular dystrophy. The full onset happened at age fourteen. His limbs did not stiffen up but instead his entire body slowly became limp. He lost strength in all his muscles. Still, he worked very hard and was very diligent in his studies.
He placed first in the entire country on the high school entrance exam. But only a limited number of students from each country could attend school. The administrators felt that given has condition, more schooling would be a waste. They tried to cajole and pressure him to abandon his schooling and yield his spot to another student.
For a person who loved schooling, was diligent in his studies and placed first in the county exams, giving it all up was a very painful decision. But he was very kind and after some consideration he gave up the opportunity. After he did that, he still studied hard on his own.
There were many other families in his village that could not afford to send their children to school. As a result, the children gave up on themselves. They were very wild and lived their lives without purpose and direction. There were also some from well-off families who acted like little bullies at school. They were terrible.
This teacher, Mr. Ma, was very perceptive. He felt that children cannot go uneducated. If people do not receive educations, they will not know anything and will waster their lives. He could not bear for the children to lose the opportunity to receive an education. The little bullies also worried him. If children in this village grew up with these habits, they would cause problems for the area.
Therefore, he worked very hard. He hoped to give children from poor families a chance to receive an education. He also wanted the chance to befriend and help the problematic children.
Fortunately, he had a great father who was very supportive. His father was his source of strength. He truly had “Wisdom as his beams, great love as his walls”. Indeed, his father was his beam and wall, who constantly supported and encouraged him. His father worked very hard. They had no money, so he worked as a laborer by day and hauled dirt at night. Slowly, with one cartful after another, his father mounded the dirt. Then he molded the dirt and dried it into bricks under the sun. This father was truly a great man. Through his efforts, a school was built. Although a simple building, it was good enough as a place for the children to study.
But who would come to this school? They had to recruit. However, people in the village were very afraid that Mr. Ma’s disease was contagious. So no one dared to send their children there. Furthermore some people couldn’t pay even a small fee.
Mr. Ma was only a teenager himself. He dragged his body around on a small stool. It took great effort for him to move. It was difficult to move even a tiny bit, even an inch. Every little move was difficult. But his will was strong. He went from house to house and knocked on every door to persuade people.
Some said, “I don’t have money.” “I can’t pay the tuition.” Mr. Ma replied, “That’s okay. Just let your child attend I won’t charge any tuition” “But we have no money for books and pens.” “That’s Okay too. I’ll try to provide those.” Then were they willing to let their children go?” “No, I am afraid you will infect my child.”
Facing so many challenges, he was never despondent. Finally, 8 children came to attend his school. They were poor, so he did not charge tuition. As for bullies and problematic children, he used patience, love and wisdom to guide toward goodness.
When his students took the county’s middle school entrance exam, 6 out of the 8 students passed with high scores. All his years of hard work finally paid off. The newspaper started reporting his story. People in the village began to trust him. So his students grew in number. He then taught a class of more than 30 students and all of them passed except for one. The school became a sensation. Mr. Ma’s reputation became well-publicized,
Because he was famous, he gained favorable affinity which connected him with his future wife across great distance. The workings of karma are truly inconceivable. Mr. Ma and his wife worked very hard. Their ultimate wish was to expand their school and make it more like a regular school so that all the children in the village could have the chance to study there. Eventually, Tzu Chi helped them fulfill this wish.
I was very moved when I read his story. I asked Tzu Chi volunteers in Shanghai to pay him a special visit and bring back a written report. What they reported was very touching. We had to help him fulfill this wish. Therefore, we decided to build this school, and the project has since been completed.
Mr. Ma and his wife were very grateful and touched. They used their story as an example for others. We went to their house to record the whole story. These real people and real events deeply moved us.
In this world, some people’s lived are like a beautiful dream. For others, it is like a nightmare a struggle. Though Mr. Ma struggled a lot, he never lost his direction. Thus, I often say that in life, we must not become self-indulgent. Appreciate your healthy bodies. If we do not cherish and make good use of our bodies, it is a great pity.
Cherish and make good use of this precious body. Hold fast to the direction of your life. With self-encouragement and self- motivation, we can realize the Path of benefitting others and gain self-fulfillment in the process.
So, do not be unrestrained, self-indulgent and self-assured. Do not think, “I am still young and strong, I can afford to wait till tomorrow or next year.” Do not be this way. Do not waste a sing second. Make good use of this life to draw close to the Dharma and work among people. Without experience, we cannot grow in wisdom. Wisdom is gained through working with people. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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