Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Benefit Humanity Through Acts of Purity (利益人群當清淨)
Time never stands still. Human life is also impermanent. Anything can be accomplished with time. We can also accomplish our spiritual cultivation. If we can make good use of time, we can practice Right Diligence at every moment. Whether with Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Diligence, Right Mindfulness or Right Concentration, we make “right” use of time and we can become accomplished in spiritual practice.
Today’s topic is Right Livelihood. Life exists between breathes is life just about being able to breathe? Of course, to stay alive, we must breathe properly. Inhalation and exhalation occur in seconds. If nothing goes wrong and this process is smooth, it means we are healthy. However, how are we going to make use of this healthy life? If we have a healthy life with an unhealthy mentality, the longer we live, the more karma we accumulate. If our life lasts a long time and we use it correctly, then we can be successful in our spiritual cultivation.
Be upright and pure in you work and do not disregard the law of cause and effect. Engage in an occupation that benefits humanity. This is called Right Livelihood.
However, as human, we often neglect to think about how we use our lives. Look at the different businesses in our society. From the different occupations we can see that many people, in order to make a living, engage in work that harms other living creatures.
How should we live in this world? We should harmoniously coexist with all beings. Look at how wonderful and delightful it is to see many different species living on the land. Sometimes, we may see nature footage showing various parts of the world and their animals. The mountains, rivers and trees of those places are beautiful. See the deer trotting around, the cows grazing in the pastures, and tiny animals on the land and in the grass. Even a bug crawling in a leaf can add so much beautiful to our world. As we sit here, I am speaking and the birds are chirping. Their sounds create much vitality and truly enrich the world.
So if mankind can peacefully coexist with all living creatures, the world will be a Pure Land, with the Waters of Eight Merits & Virtues, Trees of the Seven Gems and sounds from all kinds of birds. This is how Pure Lands described. Our world can be like this, a wonderful place where everything coexists.
There is story in the Sutras about King Payas, who reigned over his kingdom with virtue. His people enjoyed very peaceful lives. They were all vegetarians, no one killed any animals, so in this kingdom, all living creatures coexisted in harmony. Thus he reigned peacefully and effortlessly. Without needing management the country was peaceful and safe. Humans loved one another and cherished the animals. It was very harmonious. People from all walks of life worked well together.
There was a king from another kingdom who saw how King Payas was able to lead his country to enjoy such abundance. With good weather, abundance and peace, the country was so beautiful. So this other king told his ministers, “I really envy this kingdom. It would be great if it would be mine. Some of the ministers supported the king. Others cautioned him against it and suggested that they coexist peacefully. After hearing their opinions, the king still yearned to own that country, so he decided to conquer it.
With that, the ministers who agreed with him began to prepare for an invasion. In the kingdom of Varanasi ruled by king Payas, the citizens were terrified when they heard this. When the king heard the news, he felt, “Why fight like this? It disturbs the people and puts them in a state of fear. When there is war, the citizens will most certainly suffer. When troops are mobilized to fight, there will inevitably be loss of life.” So he thought to himself, “Why do this? Why fight with other people? Why fight with other countries? No matter which kingdom we are part of, we all coexist on the same piece of land. Why be embroiled in conflict? Each person has one mouth and can only take one bite of food at a time. Each person has one body and can only wear one set of clothes at a time. So what is there to fight over?” so he decided to leave his country.
He felt that if he left, people would not have to fight to defend the kingdom on his behalf. So he left a letter instructing his ministers to ensure the citizens’ safety. They were not to mobile the army or any weapons. The citizens’ safety was their priority. With that, he went deep into the mountains to lead a peaceful and quite life, and be one with nature. After peaceful period of time, one day, a very old man passed through this part of the mountain. The king saw that the man looked very tired and hungry, and appeared to be poor. So King Payas asked him, “Where are you from? You look very tired. Come, rest here for a while.” The old man replied, “Yes, I’m very tired. Do you know how far it is from here to the City of Varanasi?” “Yes, the journey will take over ten days.”
The old man asked, “How is the king doing? Is he safe and healthy?” The king replied, “He is safe and well, and also in good health.” The old man said. “I feel at ease now.” The kind asked, “Why are you so concerned about the king?” The old man said, “The king is a good man, He could never bear to see people suffer and always helped fulfill their needs. I have a request for him.” The king asked, “What will you ask for?” he said, “I am very tired. My whole life, I have been poor. I have a child who lives in hardship with me. I pray that poverty will end with my generation, so my descendants can in prosperity. This is my heart’s wish. So I want to ask the king to lift us out poverty.” When the king heard that this old man hoped for his descendants to transcend poverty, he felt that it was time for him to put his life to good use again. When he was king, he had the wealth to help his people. Once he gave up his throne, all he had left was his body. If he were to continue living such a life, he could not benefit people in any way. He felt this was his opportunity.
He said to the old man, “Come, let me tell you, I am the king you are looking for. He told the old man about how the other king. Planned to invade his kingdom and how he left for his people’ sake. After he explained this, he told the old man, “But now. This body of mine still has some value. Take my head to the new king. He will surely reward you handsomely because he has been searching for me. His mind cannot be at ease knowing that l am alive. If you bring him my head, he will finally reset easy and give you a great reward. The old man said, “No, absolutely not! I am must protect you, my kind. You treat your people with such virtue. I can’t go against heaven’s will and kill a king.”
The king insisted, “This is my wish. If you dare not do this, I will do it myself. But remember what I told you. After he said this, the king took out his sword and beheaded himself. The old man mourned, but since it was the king’s last wish. He wrapped the head and brought it reverently into the city. He told to people of the city, “I have a gift for the king from the old king.” The people had been wondering where the old king was, so when they heard this, they quickly brought the old man to the new king. “What is the gift?” “It is King Payas’s head. 1827
The new king called King Payas’s ministers to identify the head. The ministers wailed in grief when they recognized him. Both civilians and military officials wept profusely and were ravaged by grief. When the new king saw how beloved King Payas was, he though, “I made a mistake.” Once the news spread outside of the city, all the citizens gathered at the palace. This nationwide display of sorrow proved how the people deeply loved King Payas. The new king was filled with regret and realized he had acted against the will of heaven.
So he quickly asked the old man to take them to where the king lived and quickly instructed people to sew the king’s head back onto his body. Then they embalmed the body using gold, silver, and wax and put it in order. They brought the body back to the palace and placed it on the throne. It remained there for 32 years. Until King Payas’s son came of age and took over the throne to rule the country.
In the Sutra, the Buddha said, “Do you know that in my previous lives, I used my life in this world to practice, to benefit people, to teach and guide sentient beings?” This was one of my lives in that process.” So how do we want to live each of our lives throughout our lifetimes of practice? How can we live meaningfully? How can we bring value to our lives? In the Buddhist sutras, we see many teachings about the true value of life.
People with Right Livelihood can accomplish their spiritual cultivation, and fully realize the value of their lives. Otherwise, they will create bad karma.
If we can see through the value of life, we see there is nothing to it, it simply exists between breaths. Everyone, if make use of our lives, we can advance in our practice over time. But if we do not have Right Livelihood and stray in our thoughts &actions, then no matter how long we live, we are just creating karma. So everyone, while we are still alive we must seize the moment and make good use of our lives. So please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水).
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