Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Eliminate Attachment; Engage in Right Action (心無所住行正行)
Over these last few days, I have said that we should not worry or take issue over too many things. Having worries or issues will still bring us endless suffering in this impermanent life. We learn Buddhism so that in our daily living, no matter what circumstances we face, we can remain free of afflictions. To do so, we must practice the Six Paramitas and use Dharma to transform our minds.
We must also practice the Four Immeasurables to strengthen our minds with Infinite Loving-kindness, Infinite Compassion, Infinite joy and Infinite Equanimity. Over these last few days we have talked about immersing ourselves in these Four Infinite Minds and strengthening our practice of Great Kindness. In this life, we choose this Bodhisattva-path to bring happiness to all beings. No matter how tiring it is, we have no regrets. Great Loving-kindness is without regrets.
Great Compassion is without complaints. We must save all suffering sentient beings. No matter how difficult or dangerous it is we still have no complaints. We must also practice Great Joy without worries. As long as we are moving in the right direction, in the process of giving, others’ happiness will become our happiness. No matter what we went through to give, if others can transcend their suffering, we will also be free of all hardships. So we have no complaints. We must establish an optimistic view of life. Otherwise, we will be hung up on these thoughts, “I help you, I saved you. But what did I gain?” This will make us depressed, so we must be diligent.
We must lift up our back foot as we move forward. After we give to help others, we don’t make a big deal out of it. We just do what is right. Thus we constantly clean our minds so there are no afflictions. Affliction does not only refer to worries; pride and happiness can also be afflictions. So both pain and pleasure are afflictions. We must always take care of our minds. After giving, empty the mind, be peaceful and at ease. This is joy.
To always be peaceful and at ease, we need to let go. We need to give up the afflictions of a moment ago whether they are painful or pleasurable. This is how we can progress diligently on the Bodhisattva-path and have no regrets, no complaints, no worries, no expectations. We keep giving like this until our minds are entirely free of attachments. We want our minds to be pure and clean.
So the Four Immeasurables and Six Paramitas are the Right Actions that all Buddhists must follow.
Let the mind seek nothing and let it not get attached to appearances. Although there is action the mind does not abide in it. This kind of action is Right Action.
In addition, there are the 37 Practices to Enlightenment. We have described Right Action, but we still need support. Since we have developed Bodhicitta, we must firmly go forward on this path. However, this path is truly difficult. Since we are in the state of ordinary people, the process of walking the Bodhisattva-path will be filled with hardship. If we cannot continuously be firm in and strengthen our resolve to practice, we will easily fall into the traps around us. So we need the 37 methods that will help us attain enlightenment.
37 Practices to Enlightenment: Fourfold Mindfulness, Four Right Efforts, Four Bases of Spiritual Power, Seven Factors of Bodhi and the Eightfold Noble Path. The Fourfold Mindfulness leads us to eliminate delusions: contemplating the body as impure, contemplating feelings as suffering, contemplating the mind as impermanent, and contemplating that there is no self.
“Contemplate the body as impure.” Everyone, the body is the source of all wrongdoings. Which karma is not created by the body? As we talked about earlier, there are 10 Evils this body can commit, 4 of speech, 3 of body, and 3 of mind. There are 10 in total. So this body is the source of all evils.
However, if we make good use of the body, it becomes a vessel for spiritual practice. We need this body to practice. We must treasure every moment, circumstance and opportunity. We can physically help many who are suffering. When they are nearby, we can reach out to support and help them. When they are far away, if we are of one mind, we can take steps to travel there. No matter how far away they are, we can cross borders to provide relief. This requires a body. So the body can also perform good deeds.
In our international relief, we practice generosity with our body. Whether we choose to do good or evil, we use the body. We must make good use of it but not be attached to it. No one has ownership over the physical body. Time passes quickly and as the seasons change, our bodies will age. From childhood to youth, middle age and old age, this body cannot be biologically halted at our favorite moment. This is impossible.
From the day we are born to the day we die, how long will our life with this body last? It is uncertain. No one knows. No one knows the length of life. Nevertheless, we can deepen and broaden our lives. This depends on what we do to enrich our lives, or to broaden the way we travel this path. All this depends on how we make use of our lives. Our path must be a wide one and the Bodhisattva-path is the wisest path of all. We must be firm in our mission and resolve to move forward single-mindedly. We need this body to walk on the Bodhisattva-path.
We cannot control the length of life but we can choose to broaden it. We utilize the body to do what we should do and make full use of our lives. Thus we walk the broad and wide Bodhisattva-path.
However, this body is impure and unclean. When we look around the world, we see very poor countries where the poor lack water and suffer hardships. Every person’s body, whether healthy or sick, is very filthy. Meanwhile, we live in such a good and blessed environment and can take a shower every day. We can clean because we are in good health. But when we are sick, the illness will torment us. Our Commissioners take volunteer shifts at the hospital. The sights they see must affect them deeply. When we enter a patient’s room, we can figure out a patient’s condition just by smell.
Cleary we must recognize that the worst-smelling thing is the body. The filthiest thing is the body. That is why the body is truly an impure object. In life, all we do is bicker on behalf of this impure object, find ways to decorate this impure object, and seek enjoyment for this impure object. This is a pity.
Our entire lives, we work so hard for this body. As we practice Buddhism, we see the Truths of life. Since we have this life and this body, we should use it to understand Truth and no longer use it to create karma. Otherwise, we will forever be trapped in the cyclic existence of the Six Realms. Therefore, we must heighten our vigilance and constantly “contemplate the body as impure.”
To learn Buddhism is to thoroughly penetrate the Truth of life. Realize the body is an impure object. Use it as a vessel for practice, not as an obstacle to practice. Doing good or evil depends on a single thought.
“Contemplate feelings as suffering.” Truly, feelings lead to suffering. This is particularly true for patients. Some suffer from extreme physical pain. Some are still conscious but due to the damage to their nervous system, they are unable to move their body. They are fully aware, but cannot communicate and cannot express joy, anger, sadness or happiness. Think about how painful that is!
Even for healthy individuals, in interacting with people and dealing with things, what goes according to their wishes? This is very difficult. We experience many feelings throughout our lives. When we are in pain, we get depressed. When we are happy, we get lost in our happiness. Afflictions, karma, are often created when these feeling dictate our speech and actions. As we learn Buddha’s way, if we can understand these feelings, naturally we can open our minds to be accommodating, understanding, content & grateful. Practitioners should always be vigilant of their feelings.
I often tell you remember these four things, Tzu Chi’s “Four Spiritual Ingredients Soup.” They are: understanding, accommodation, gratitude and contentment. If we can always remember these four ingredients in interacting with people and dealing with things, what problems in the world can’t be resolved? As Buddhist practitioners, we must apply Dharma in our daily living to deal with our feelings and sensations.
Afflictions arise mainly from feelings. Pain and joy can both bring suffering. If we can contemplate all feelings as leading to suffering, and use contentment, gratitude, understanding and accommodation as antidotes, we can transform suffering into joy.
Next, contemplate the mind as impermanent. Is there anything that we will like forever? After the initial excitement, does the happiness abide forever? That is rare! Sometimes those we like best become our worst enemies. It is through our interactions that we form enmity and hatred. Fellow practitioners, we should not think that we can do anything as long as it pleases us. That is wrong. Ordinary people do as they desire. That is wrong. Do not engage in something you may regret forever for a moment of pleasure.
We should do good deeds willingly. When we resolve to do good and make vows, we will have no regrets or complaints as we willingly give to benefit sentient beings. We must not indulge our whims and so whatever we like, no matter what. That is wrong. Our minds can be very frightening.
Our thoughts are ever-changing and impermanent. Do not be afflicted by changing circumstances. Contemplate and realize the mind is impermanent to establish a deep and great vow to willingly give for the benefit of sentient beings.
Finally, “contemplate that there is no self.” What is the self? Is it the self from yesterday or today? The seconds and minutes continuously pass. Everything is impermanent. When does the self exist? It does not exist. Moreover, we have no idea if our lives will be long or short, how long we can live, how long we have to feel these sensations. Can we hold on to pleasant sensations? That is very difficult. Thus we contemplate that there is no self.
Material objects arise when conditions converge. And cease when conditions dissipate. If we can see through the illusory nature of self, our thoughts can abide on the Dharma-path.
As Buddhists, we must know that the Six Paramitas and Four Immeasurables are Right Actions. So we must truly put them into action. We can use the 37 Practices to Enlightenment in our daily living so if you want to you can review them. The Fourfold Mindfulness is about mindfulness of our bodies. When we contemplate that the body is impure, our focus is always on our bodies. Since the body is impure, we must not be too attached to its feelings. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水).
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