Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Settle the Mind (把心安住)
We are so busy every day that our minds are constantly influenced by external conditions. So we easily lose touch with our intrinsic nature and our original convictions. Therefore although we busily deal with external situations every day, we must always remind ourselves to self-reflect. This is most important.
As I said previously we are all lost. How can we return to our true nature? Aside from the Four Immeasurable & Six Parameters, which we have discussed and understood, let us now focus on the 37 Practices to Enlightenment. I have already discussed the Fourfold Mindfulness, which deals with what is most personal to us. In our daily living, we deal with these every moment of our lives. First, contemplate the body as impure.
If we can all be a little more mindful in observing and contemplating our body, we will find that our body is not very clean. The Heart Lotus Palliative Care Ward always evokes many feelings in me.
As I was about to walk in, I saw a man sitting in the small Buddha Hall. When he saw me, he was very respectful and quickly got to his feet. Because he was wearing a hospital gown, I realized he was a patient. But his demeanor seemed very peaceful I asked him, “What’s the matter? Why are you sitting here?”
He pointed to the ward, “I am a patient there”
He indicated the Heart Lotus Palliative Care Ward. However, he did not look like a (terminal) patient. Though he was very skinny, he looked at ease. His smile was peaceful, as if he was waiting for something very holy and sacred to happen. He seemed very serene. After I greeted him, I entered the ward. Once I was inside, my heart grew heavy. I saw patients struggling in pain while the doctors paid close attention to them. When we talk to them, can they really hear us? Even though they must have a lot on their minds, they have no way to express it. I also saw doctors and nurses doing their best.
Next I saw a bed with curtains drawn around it. When I pushed them aside, I saw a child on the floor with a bowl of noodles. He did not know how to use chopsticks yet, so he tried to scoop up the noodles with a spoon. He was very adorable I walk closer and said, “What an adorable child.” The old man resting in the bed quickly propped himself up. There was fluid in his abdomen, so it was very strenuous for him. Still, he tried really hard and used all his strength to sit up. I said, “How are you? Are you feeling better?” He said, “Not bad.” I noticed that his stomach was quite distended. I reached out to feel it. It was quite hard. Then I asked, “Is this your grandson?” He was embarrassed as he told me, “No, he is my son.” “Why is there a huge age gap?” He explained, “I married and started a family late. So my son is very young.”
Then I saw a very young woman sitting across from him. I could tell that her mind was a little slow. Clearly if something happened to this man, this family would be in trouble. So I thought that I should ask our staff to follow up with and pay close attention to this family. The patient’s belly was already very hard and his complexion was abnormally brown. So I was very worried for this family.
There was also a younger patient in his early 40s. He looked physically fit, so how did he get sick? Why was he in the palliative ward? It was clear that he must have a serious condition. While I was talking with him, I heard someone from across the room wail in pain. I went over to see what was wrong. When I moved the curtains aside, I saw a Tzu Chi volunteer stroking and comforting a patient by saying, “He didn’t go too far. He will return soon.” I wondered, “Who is she talking about?”
The nurse said, “This grandma is quite interesting. She gets very upset when her husband leaves her sight. She is afraid he will not come back.” She was a very clingy woman. She was quite old, so why did she still cling so tightly to her husband? I could tell that she was probably a very affectionate and dependent woman. Her image left a deep impression on me. Although she was in much pain due to her illness, her affections and desire to possess were still very strong. The old man had to sit by her side and constantly hold her hand. With such strong attachments, I do not know how she will deal with their final parting. It is really unfathomable.
There was another patient, a young woman, who was sobbing very loudly. Her family told her, “Master Cheng Yen is here to see you.” As she cried loudly, she covered her face. I asked her, “What is the matter?” She said, “I am very moved.” “Why are you crying so hard?” She could not reply. Someone beside her told me, “She is terrified.” I thought, “That is inevitable.” I could tell that she was a woman who cared a lot about her looks. Even though she was ill, she still put on makeup. So she cared a lot about being beautiful. Though she was young, she was already in the Heart Lotus Palliative Care Ward. Our hospital superintendent told me that her cancer cells had already spread into her bones and were probably eating away at them. She was completely paralyzed. She was still so young, how could she possibly accept this?
The patients in each of the hospital beds broke my heart. Let us all contemplate how the body is impure. I believe that the man I saw before I entered the palliative care ward was probably also a cancer patient. Though his body was emaciated, he looked peaceful and at ease. We need to have the same attitude in life. One day, we will inevitably part with our loved ones. Either they will leave us first or we will leave them. Life and death are natural laws. But we are unable to accept this Law of Nature.
Afflictions continually cover ordinary minds. If we use the power of wisdom in our contemplation and settle our minds in the Fourfold Mindfulness, we can tame all worldly greed and worries. The Fourfold Mindfulness includes: contemplating the body as impure, contemplating feelings as suffering, contemplating the mind as impermanent, and contemplating that there is no self.
So we contemplate the body as impure, contemplate feelings as suffering, contemplate the mind as impermanent, and contemplate that there is no self. Will anything in this world exist forever? No. So we must truly make good use of this body and focus on these four methods of contemplation. This is wisdom. We should strive to contemplate that the body is impure, that felling lead to suffering, that the mind is impermanent and that there is no self. When we put effort in these four practices, we will develop wisdom.
When wisdom is the body of our practice, with the power of this wisdom we can focus our minds on the Dharma and the path. The 37 Practices for Enlightenment are 37 methods that help us walk this broad path to enlightenment.
We must pay attention to the first subgroup, the Fourfold Mindfulness. This awakens our wisdom by training our minds to deal with our feelings and sensations of all phenomena in the world, as perceived by our body and mind. These four types of contemplation are based in wisdom. We should focus on wisdom. We all have wisdom equal to the Buddha’s, we just need to awaken and bring it forth. Next are the Four Right Efforts.
The four Right Efforts: Eliminate any evil that has already arisen. Prevent evil from arising. Encourage good to quickly arise. Nurture any good that has already arisen. Single-mindedly, diligently, and vigorously practice these four methods for enlightenment. They are called the Four Right Efforts.
We are all familiar with the four Right Efforts. We need to make an effort and be diligent. In spiritual practice, we must be able to choose between good and evil. It is said, “Refrain from all evil” and “do all that is good.” We must work hard on these two practices. We must hard on these two practices. To do so, we need to apply the Four Right Efforts. Right means not deviant or evil. We must choose carefully.
First, “remove any evil that has already arisen.” Since we should refrain from all evils, if a hint of evil arises in our minds, we must immediately extinguish it. Thus we remove any evil that has already arisen.
Next, “prevent evil from arising.” Let us take good care of our minds. If a hint of evil arises in our minds, we must immediately extinguish it. If we are tempted by external conditions and an evil thought begins to arise, we must quickly become aware of it. Then immediately eliminate it to prevent it from arisen. So remove any evil that has already arisen and prevent evil from arising. This is called “refraining from all evil.”
Do not think that an insignificant evil deed will not matter. Every little bit adds up, like how small drops of water accumulate to fill a tub. Do not ignore the Law of Cause & Effect. We must really take good care of our minds. We must not allow even the slightest bad thought to arise, let alone act it. Indeed, many wrongs originate from the mind.
Refrain from all evil. As an evil thought arises, whether it is major or minor, quickly eliminate it. If we can prevent evil from arising, we can prevent evil from arising, we can constantly keep our minds on the Right path.
Second, we must “do all that is good.” Do not think, “It is an insignificant good deed, will I even get anything out of it? Will it benefit anyone in any way? It is so insignificant.” Actually, we can start by doing small good deeds. We must seize the present and do what is benevolent, whether it is a large or small action. We must not judge the size of the deed. We must take care to always maintain a kind, loving heart. So “nurture any good that has already arisen. If we already have a good thought, we must nurture it and let it flourish. Do not discriminate and choose to do only certain kinds of good deeds.
Do all that is good. Nurture the love in your mind. Have good thoughts continuously, so that every thought you have is in accord with the Dharma and the path.
We really need to seize the present to do whatever is needed to do whatever is needed. We should always have this loving heart and not be picky about the type of good deed we want to do, even if it is just saying something. So we must continually nurture any good that has already arisen so that it grows. Maintain kind thoughts unceasingly. We must also “encourage good to quickly arise.” If we never had a kind thought, once we see, hear or encounter one, we must quickly hold on to it. Aside from awakening the kindness and goodness in our minds, we must quickly share them with others so they have the opportunity to join us. If we can do this, we can pool everyone’s strength to continually do good deeds. Then this society will become peaceful. Otherwise, if everyone continues with evil deeds, the Five Turbidities and Three Calamities in this world will grow in severity.
Fellow practitioners, I hope we will all be mindful every day and train our bodies and minds. We must be more aware of our surroundings and promptly help those who need our help. Therefore, do all that is good, refrain from all that is evil. This is what the Buddha taught. We must not forget the aforementioned Four immeaurables and Six Perfections as we apply the 37 methods which will help us on this path. And we must also always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水).
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