Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Three Spheres of Emptiness in Giving (三輪體空 無念無求)
Yesterday we spoke of the Three Obstructions delusion, karma and retribution. Delusion is the same as affliction, or ignorance. Our mind is filled with ignorance. With ignorance, we will create bad karma through our actions. Once we create karma, we will face retribution.
The karma we create can be good or bad. Bad karma will naturally prevent us from attaining human form in the future or being reborn in the Heavenly Realm. Doing good deeds, though positive, can also create obstructions if we are too proud of ourselves. This hinders our mind on its spiritual path. If we’re upset when we are unsuccessful, this also obstructs cultivation. When we cultivate and practice kindness, we must realize the Three Spheres of Emptiness.
Three Spheres of Emptiness means that when giving, we must remain pure and free of judgment. Towards the giver, the recipient, and the gift, we maintain an unconditional mind.
Good deeds cannot be categorized as big or small. We must be present with whatever is front of us. Perhaps a few words or small gestures can be a great act of kindness, as long as we do not make distinctions. If we do not discriminate, good deeds cannot be big or small. If we discriminate, then our minds will be obstructed.
A discriminating mind is indeed the greatest obstacle to spiritual cultivation. So “goodness obstructs the path to transcendence.” If we cultivate the Three Spheres of Emptiness when we give, we do not think of ourselves as the giver. We will just do it. We do not keep track of how much we have given. We just do it, we do not try to quantify it. We also do not keep track of how much help someone has received from us. If we can give without thinking about the giver, recipient or gift, we have attained the Three Spheres of Emptiness.
Then we can be very joyful in our giving and live each day openly and freely. Our minds can be empty and free of vexations. There will be no obstructions. As we discussed yesterday, it is very important to not cover the mind with afflictions. Otherwise we will feel more doubt about everything in this world and have more disputes with others. These are all afflictions. Our every word and every action creates karma.
Each is a seed that enters the field of the mind. When the seed bears fruit that is called retribution.
So we say there are Three Obstructions to the Noble Path and good deeds that lead to Heavenly & Human Realms. These three things will prevent our rebirth in the heavenly & Human Realms. The next obstruction is Unmoving Dharma.
We also spokes of Unmoving Dharma yesterday. It means we are unmoving by good and bad. This can also obstruct our path to Buddha-hood. We learn Buddhism to develop kindness, compassion, joy and giving. We strive to attain Buddha and Bodhisattvas-mind so we cannot bear others’ suffering and we feel their pain as our own. This is the Middle Way.
Even though we do not have the many accumulated afflictions others have, we can face everything with understanding, accommodation, gratitude, and contentment. Thus our minds are free of afflictions we will do what needs to be done. We will not be apathetic to the good and bad things around us.
If we completely disengage ourselves, we will be cold and uncaring. If we feel disconnected from worldly affairs, that is not right, either. In this way, we will obstruct our great vow, our Bodhisattvas-vow to walk the Bodhisattvas-path. Hence, cultivating Unmoving Dharma, being impervious to suffering or joy, and practicing only for our own benefit is also very frightening.
These are the Three Obstructions to the Noble Path. The Sutras describe the Three Obstructions. Evil obstructs the path to Heavenly & Human Realms. Goodness obstructs the path to transcendence. Unmoving Dharma obstructs the way to Buddha-hood. These are the Three Obstructions.
“Thus Buddhas & Bodhisattvas taught skillful means.” Buddhas and Bodhisattvas understand that sentient beings have many problems. Thus, they use skillful means to teach sentient beings according to their capabilities, like medicine prescribed according to the illness.
We need to know that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are like great doctors. They can observe sentient beings’ capabilities. They can teach based on time, place, people, matters, and capacity for understanding. They can discern what circumstances they need to create to guide different types of people to receive the teachings. This is teaching based on people’s aptitudes.
According to Buddha-dharma sentient being truly possess many illness of the mind. Habits and afflictions are difficult to correct. How bad habits and afflictions are eliminated not only depends on the person, but also on the entire environment. Thus, all Buddhas teach skillful means. They are like great doctors who can diagnose the illnesses and provide expedient ways to treat sentient beings.
Take Tzu Chi, for example. People can choose among the 4 Missions and 8 Footprints. Some people suffer from depression. If they stay at home all day long, the onset of depression will cause them to feel agitated or to lose their tempers. They many take things too hard, feel self-loathing, act violently towards others or hurt themselves.
The effectiveness of medication is limited. It can suppress the symptom but after some time, there will be another outbreak. The best treatment is to take medicine and set up an environment where they can interact with others and do something. This way, they will forget their own troubles. Their bodies are being productive, and their minds are being counseled by others. After some time, this period of depression will pass, and they will be healed. As they open their hearts, they will be healed.
But there are people who are bad-tempered and have bad tendencies. They are basically good, but find it hard to eliminate their bad habits. There is a Faith Corps member in Xinzhu. He is now a very devoted volunteer.
After the 9/21 Earthquake, he spent most of his time at our construction sites. When construction began at the Jing Si Abode, he also often came to help. Mr. Chen is a very kind-hearted person. But when he was young, he had a gambling habit. He treated his wife and children very well and was filial to his parents.
He just had no interests except gambling.
Ha had a good temper. As for his character, he was filial to his parents and great to his family. But every time he gambled, he lost track of time. It was very difficult as he made excuses every time he came home. He was afraid that his wife or mother would be angry, so he lied to his wife and his parents. Eventually, no one trusted him. He was very frustrated with himself. He wanted to change and tried many times.
But for 10, 20 years, whenever his gambling buddies invited him, he could not control himself. Sometimes he gambled until dawn “I knew I couldn’t keep doing this. What excuse could I give my wife and children? But whenever I started gambling, I lost track of everything.” His wife was very wise. She asked Tzu Chi volunteers to guide him. At the time, our Tzu Chi office in Xinzhu was being set up. When he helped out, he became so busy that he forgot about gambling.
The volunteers continually invited him to help. He became distant from his gambling buddies. After a period of time, when the construction was almost finished and he had more free time, he started to gamble again. He could not control himself.
What made him change completely was his involvement in rebuilding after the 9/21 quake. It took a long time and he was enveloped in a loving environment. He has never gambled since. He has remained truly grateful to Tzu Chi for saving his Wisdom-life and his physical life.
One day, I saw him at the construction site I said, “Why is your face flushed? Go see a doctor.” I told the group leader, “Make sure someone takes him to the Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital.” It turned out that he had a brain tumor deep in the center of his brain, which made it difficult to remove. Fortunately, medicine technology is very advanced. The Superintendent from our Hualien hospital operated on him with the Dalin neurosurgeons. Fortunately they were able to save him despite very dangerous circumstances.
Later he said to me, “Master, Tzu Chi Hospital saved my life.” He was very scared of the surgery but he said it was the Superintendent who made him feel at ease. When the Superintendent saw him before the surgery, he said, “You are my senior Dharma-brother I will take very good care of you.” With his mind at ease, he was anaesthetizes. When he woke up, his first reaction was that he was hungry. Thus began his recovery. The next day, he was moved to the general ward.
And now, he still volunteers actively. Wherever we have a construction project, he travels there to take charge. When other missions, like Medicine, Education or Culture need volunteers, he is there. He even leads local community volunteers, the Faith Corps, and the recycling volunteers. On top that, he also joins international relief trips. Wherever he is needed, he is there. He was once addicted to gambling. Once he stared, he lost track of everything.
The Tzu Chi environment is one of skillful means. As long as you are willing into Tzu Chi, you will receive the appropriate teachings. In this era, how can we transform Buddha’s teachings into a pure stream that flows into people’s minds? This requires skillful Means.
So the Text states, “All Buddhas & Bodhisattvas teach skillful means. They teach us various expedient ways to repent and eliminate the Three Obstructions. Thus everything from the 6 Roots and 10 Evils to the 84,000 types of afflictions is completely purified.
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are like doctors. The skillful means they prescribe are like medication for our particular illnesses. If we follow the doctor’s orders, we fill the prescription and obtain the medicine. Hence, repenting through bowing or recitation is akin to finding the medicine. After such practices, our minds will be happy and peace. Thus we can change our ways. In this way, our illness will be cured. If the illnesses are eliminated, it is as if our karmic obstructions have disappeared.
This is known as Skillful Means. With the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha began to speak the True Dharma. In the prior 42 years, what he taught was all Skillful Means. To reveal True Dharma that directly addresses the mind and Buddha-nature is truly difficult. To practice this direct path is really hard. He had to slowly pull us along, slowly teach us. He used various teachings that were well-suited to the era and the environment. Everything can be a teaching.
That is why I say, “In our daily living, everything is Buddha-dharma.” Please be mindful every blade of grass and every tree is speaking the Dharma for us. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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