Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Seven Factors of Bodhi (七菩提分)
We’ve discussed the 5 Spiritual Roots & 5 Powers and the method & order in which to Practice them. They’re Faith, Diligence, Thought, Samadhi, Wisdom. We have learned about each one, but have we practiced them in our daily living? After the 5 Spiritual Roots and 5 Powers come the Seven Factors of Bodhi, also called the Seven Branches of Enlightenment.
The first factor is the Factor of Discernment, also called the Branch of Discernment. It means to wisely choose our practices. There are many accepted principles in the world. How do we choose the one that will be the guiding principle of our path? Choosing the right one is very important. For instance, when we choose to practice,
We must choose the monastery and that we will rely on. When we choose the right monastery and the right Dharma Master, our choice aligns with the direction of our practice in this lifetime. This is an act of discernment.
Once we have chosen the monastery and the path of cultivation, we must walk on the path diligently. For myself, as a spiritual cultivator, once I resolved to practice, I had to find the direction in which to focus my efforts. The direction was to dedicate my entire life to work “for Buddhism, for all sentient beings.” My master, Ven. Yin Shun, said those words to me. This is the path which I’ve chosen to practice wholeheartedly for my entire life. When my master spoke those words, I knew that it was my path. This is called discernment.
So first, we must have discernment. Let us choose our path in life with wisdom. Let us also use wisdom to discern true principles from false ones. Is this the Truth, or a misguided belief that arose out of ignorance? Indeed, there is no truth behind superstitions. They are false beliefs. Truths are correct principles and beliefs. Therefore, we must carefully discern and choose between true and false. This is the first step in learning Buddha’s way. It is very important. When we choose the path of our practice, we must choose the true, and eliminate the false. To do this, we must be very cautious and mindful.
With the Power of Enlightened Wisdom, choose the proper refuge. Discerning between true and false principles is called the Factor of Discernment, or the Branch of Discernment.
Second is the Factor of Diligence, also called the Branch of Diligence. To be diligent is to bravely go forth. Since we have already chosen to follow this correct path, we must advance step by step. Do not merely say, “This is the path that I have chosen,” and then just stand there. Since our direction is right, let us bravely march forward. I have spoken about crossing over to the other shore from the state of ordinary people. We are aware that the state of ordinary beings is full of traps, and every word we speak creates karma. We know this now, so we engage in spiritual practice. The Six Paramitas, Four Immeasurables, 5 spiritual Roots and the 5 Powers are methods that serve as warnings and guidance. They provide us with a broad and spacious path. So, we must bring forth our courage and valor to depart the state of ordinary people and cross over the river of afflictions.
Otherwise, the river of afflictions with its giant waves may be difficult to cross. This is what spiritual practice is about. As we walk this path, we must be diligent, and carry a bold and brave heart. Only by strengthening our courage will we be able to walk the correct path.
With a heart of courage and valor, diligently walk the Bodhisattva-path. Practice True Dharma wholeheartedly. This is called the Factor of Diligence, or the Branch of Diligence.
Third is the Factor of Joy. Joy is happiness, being constantly happy in benefitting others. People often say to Tzu Chi volunteers, “You must be tired.” They always reply, “No, we are joyful.” When we do the right thing, knowing that our actions are benefitting others, a sense of joy will arise in our hearts. We often hear stories of bone marrow donors. To donate bone marrow, first undergo general anesthesia. Then the marrow is extracted from the pelvic bone. This requires a very thick needle to puncture (the bone) several times and draw out the marrow.
Two days later, the donors would come to the Jing Si Abode. I would tell them, “Thank you for being willing to donate your bone marrow to a patient, who is unable to produce healthy blood. Your bone marrow will reinitiate the patient’s blood production. You have saved a person’s life. For that, I am truly grateful.” Their replies are always something like, “It feels good to save a life. I am very happy. I want to thank Tzu Chi for giving me the opportunity to enlist in the donor registry and for matching me with someone. I was able to give a bit of myself, to help and save another person. Though I do not know who this person is, I sincerely wish this person all the best in his or her recovery.”
Such heartfelt thoughts come from love that is pure and undefiled. Their joy comes from their own willingness to give. I think we can relate to this. Therefore, joy comes from giving, from meeting spiritual friends or from perceiving the Truth. So we often talk about “nourishment from Dharma-joy and meditative bliss” This nourishment fuels our Wisdom-life.
When joy arises from hearing Dharma, that is nourishment from Dharma-joy. When meditative bliss arises from practice, that is nourishment from meditative bliss.
What our spiritual friends teach us can strengthen our Wisdom-life. The Truth we hear can nurture our Wisdom-life. The opportunity to practice and the feelings from giving are the Dharma-essence of Wisdom-life that fills our bodies and minds. Thus, we must be very happy. The Factor of Joy arises when we realize ways of goodness. When we attain good Dharma, we become happy.
Realize True Dharma and joy will arise. Resolutely let the Dharma abide in the heart. This is called the Factor of Joy, of the Branch of Joy.
Next is the Factor of Peace. We need to feel peaceful and at ease. Life is full of unspeakable suffering. In the state of ordinary people, who is free of afflictions? Some people face many hardships. These are called heavy afflictions. They may not only come from a poor family, someone in their family is ill, and they themselves are ill too. Just think, isn’t such a life filled with heavy afflictions? To eliminate these heavy afflictions, we must purify our hearts. I saw a news report on Da Ai TV. At our Taipei Tzu Chi office, there is a very special volunteer. This volunteer had surgery for colon cancer so now she has to carry a drainage bag to collect her urine and feces. Besides being in poor health, she also walks with a hunched back.
Moreover, she has to worry about her elderly husband who suffered a stroke. Every day, she has to look after him. They also have a son with a slight mental disability, who ran away so his whereabouts are unknown. Their eldest daughter is already married. The younger daughter is in secondary school so that took out a loan to pay for her tuition. Just imagine this family of three. Her husband is bedridden and always needs her assistance. Her daughter’s tuition is paid by a loan. She suffers from cancer and needs to wear a drainage bag for her bodily waste. Despite all this, she still serves as a volunteer.
She says that she used to be very miserable and weighed down by afflictions. Every day, she complained about the world, her living conditions, and her life. She was full of resentment. Their only source of income is a disability pension from the government. Each month her husband receives around NT$5,000. After her surgery, she began collecting less than NT&2,000 a month. This is all they have to live on. Yet she insists on donating NT&300 each month. Our Tzu Chi Commissioners keep telling her, “Do not donate so much. You life is already quite difficult.” She replied, “I must do this on behalf of the three people in my family. I must create blessings for my child. I have suffered so much because. I did not create blessings in my past lives. So in this lifetime, I must create blessings for my child, even if it means enduring more hardship.
Later on, a commissioner suggested, “You can go visit our branch office in Taipei.” After she went, she felt, “There are things I can do there. I can be a cleaning volunteer who cultivates the field of blessings. All the cleaning volunteers look so happy as they work. I want to join them. I can come once a week.”
She insisted on it and has been doing this for half a year. She says, “I am very happy. Despite my poor health, I still have the chance to serve by providing a clean place for so many Bodhisattvas to come here to practice. She feels very happy, peaceful, and at ease. The Buddha said, “Sweep the ground of the mind. I encourage people to be recycling volunteers. So she feels she is doing the right thing. She said something that moved me deeply. She said, “I have accepted my fate. I have no complaints.” Her words touched me deeply. Thought her health is so poor, she still chooses to be a cleaning volunteer and even finds happiness in her work. She said, “By doing this, I can get rid of my afflictions. I can provide a clean place for many people to practice.” This is why she is so happy. Her life is truly weighed down with heavy afflictions.
But she can sweep them away. This is what we need to learn. When we are faced with adversity, we must try to be at peace in our hearts and at ease with our bodies. This is called peace and ease. Although her illness causes great pain, she works very industriously. This is called ease of body. This is called peace of mind. Haven’t you heard her say, “I have accepted my fate. I have no complaints. Being able to provide a clean place of practice for others makes me very happy.”
Isn’t such a life filled with peace and ease? This is a result of clearing away her afflictions. So when we suffer from afflictions, we must use our minds to sweep them away. Fellow practitioners, spiritual practice is not something we do in our spare time. It is not only we are healthy that we pay respect to Buddha or help others. This is not the way. True practice is how this woman overcame all obstacles and adjusted her mindset. She alone bears so many heavy afflictions. Yet she was able to sweep them away and eliminate them to find peace and freedom. I think this is true mastery of practice.
Fellow practitioners, we learn Buddhism to obtain this true mastery. We can use our minds to transform conditions, regardless of what they are. So everyone, please always be mindful.
Eliminate heavy afflictions of body and mind to attain freedom, peace, and happiness. This is called the Factor of Peace, or the Branch of Peace.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水).
首頁 
