Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Attain Perfect Merits and Virtues (內修外行功德圓滿)
People may be in pursuit of different things. However, what we (in Tzu Chi) seek is all in the same direction. Since we are all Buddhist practitioners following the way of the Buddha, we all seek the path to Enlightenment.
To pursue this path, we must have resolve, have reverence for the Buddha, and practice His teachings out of respect. We seek to do this because Buddha-Dharma can enable us to accumulate infinite merits, virtues and wisdom. Infinite merits and virtues come from having inner humility & outer courtesy. These are the characteristics of a practitioner. They are the source of merits and virtues.
Merits and virtues arise from the Six Paramitas, from Kindness, compassion, joy & equanimity, and from the 37 Practices to Enlightenment. “Such merits, virtues, and wisdom give rise to the Tathagata-body”
We must practice the 6 Paramitas, 4 Immeasurables, and the 37 practices to Enlightenment. As we add these practices to our daily life, in our interactions with people and things, as we refine ourselves, the Buddha’s Dharma-body arises. So merits, virtues and wisdom give rise to the Tathagata-body.
The merits and virtues we speak of are ingrained in our minds, so we have inner humility. People’s egos usually grow when they are among the “haves”. With a rise in status, they become more self-important. They think, “I am rich and famous,” and continuously magnify their egos. This is truly frightening. Through learning Buddhism we learn how to humble ourselves even as our social status, fame, wealth, etc. grow. This is what it means to be humble. Thus it is said, “Inner humility is a merit”
If we are always courteous and humble when we deal with people and things, others will find us pleasing and feel love and respect for us. This is called virtue. As we cultivate our minds, we are outwardly courteous to others. This is how we acquire virtue. Such virtue comes from our spiritual refinement and cultivation. This is called “merit and virtue.” We apply effort inwardly to cultivate ourselves, and outwardly exhibit virtue in our manner. This is called “merit and virtue.”
To have inner humility is merit. To have outer courtesy is virtue. Through inner cultivation and external practice, we perfect our merits and virtues.
When our inner cultivation manifests in our external practice, that is wisdom. Therefore, “Merit, virtue, and wisdom give rise to the Tathagata-body.” We need to master these skills, we need this kind of wisdom. Only then can we give rise to “the Tathagata-body.” Only then will Dharma arise.
Those who desire this body must develop Bodhicitta and seek All-encompassing Wisdom, Permanence, Bliss, Self, and Purity.
“Those who desire this body must develop Bodhicitta.” So if we wish to attain this body, we must live life with abundant wisdom. That means we need to develop Bodhicitta and “seek All-encompassing Wisdom.” All-encompassing Wisdom is a penetrating wisdom. It is the capacity to know everything in this world, be it living or non-living having form or being formless. Thorough and clear understanding of everything is called All-encompassing Wisdom.
There are more details if we explain this further. Such penetrating wisdom enables us to penetrate the true laws underlying everything, accurately, without any deviation. This wisdom to know all Dharma without deviation, be it worldly dharma or world-transcending dharma, is called “All- encompassing Wisdom.”
If we completely and thoroughly realize the Truth of life and the universe without any confusion or deviation, such wisdom is called “All-encompassing Wisdom.”
Now, let us examine Permanence, Bliss, Self and Purity. This phrase requires a bit of explanation. Are things permanent? Are we blissful? Is there a permanent Self? Are things of this world truly pure? There are two different viewpoints. One is of ordinary people. Ordinary people believe in these four notions. As we learn Buddhism, we talk about impermanence every day. Impermanence, nothing in this world stays the same forever. But ordinary people believe in permanence. Because they think everything is permanent, they grasp things and fight over them “I want more assets, higher status, I want greater fame. I also want all my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, all generations thereafter to inherit the family property, business, etc.” They regard the world as permanent and do not understand the notion of impermanence. This is why people spend their lives in suffering, trying to gain more and becoming more and more conceited in the process. Hence, ordinary people think permanence exists.
They also seek permanence in relationships. Before marriage, couples were affectionate and promised to love each other forever. They got married because they believed these sentiments were permanent. As the newlyweds start living together, differences of opinion start to emerge, leading to disagreements. Yet they still dwell in the past, “But you used to treat me in such and such a way. You used to be so considerate and caring.” These are all in the past & cannot be brought back. The more one demands these things, the more it strains the relationship, and the distance between the two grows bigger. This could lead to extramarital affairs.
These types of suffering in life arise from our insistent desire for permanence. Everything is inherently impermanent, but ordinary people are confused so they mistake impermanence for permanence. Things in the world are constantly changing. It is impossible to list them one by one. We can recognize impermanence just by looking at relationships. But ordinary people are attached to permanence.
In our world, what landscape or environment remains the same forever? I remember that the land around the Abode was once barren. There were too many weeds to plant rice, and the soil was too poor to plant other grains. It was quite unfertile. Now look, after people worked hard to cultivate it, on the land outside the Abode, there are rows of luscious trees. The grasses there are growing neatly. The landscape is beautiful, completely different.
As for the buildings, in the very beginning life was quite difficult, so we were content to have a building that served as both a Buddha Hall and a dormitory. The Pu Ming Temple where we were staying had a small Buddha Hall, so when we planned to hold a Medicine Buddha Dharma service, we felt that if we could only have a hall that had slightly larger space, we would be very content. So we all worked very hard, and with financial help from my mother, we finally completed our new Buddha Hall. Although we lived and prayed in the same building we were content and happy with what we had. We then began holding seven-day retreats. The Hall served multiple functions. We were very joyful and content to conduct a seven-day retreat there.
One year, a typhoon came and blew away the new roof tiles. If we look at pictures from that time, we can see the desolation in our conditions. At that time, the surrounding lands were still fields. At that time, all we had was a single Buddha Hall. All of a sudden, when the typhoon hit, the roof tiles of the Buddha Hall were blown away.
When I look at that picture, I am reminded of my feelings at the time. I was really content since we previously had nothing. Even thought the land outside had to be reserved for planting rice & grains and this building was not perfect, this building was perfect, I was nevertheless very satisfied.
But look at how the area around our Abode has grown as we acquired adjoining pieces of land. Our grounds already cover a very large area and now there is talk of needing more space. We might need to continue acquiring more lands. Thought our buildings are quite old the Abode, as a whole, looks new. Our needs changes as time went by and we needed to support more people. As we purchased adjoining lands, the appearance of our Abode changed over time. So would you say there is permanence? No, things are constantly changing.
Whenever we added land or a new building, I would say to myself, “I am content, this enough.” This is a place of spiritual practice, we should be content. If we do not have enough, we will make do with what we have. When the conditions arrive, then we will build more. After construction is done, we are content and satisfied. This is the attitude of practitioners.
Ordinary people are different. When they need more space, they tear down old dwellings to build newer and grander ones. Through what they have is pretty good, they feel inferior when they compare with others. Because of their constant comparisons, their hopes will never be satisfied. This is how ordinary people view the world. They believe that their gains will last forever. They do not realize that everything changes. If our attitude toward construction and our surroundings is, “What we have is enough and anything more is great,” our minds will always be at ease. As things change over time, we will be at peace with the conditions.
Realize the world is impermanent. In this state of flux, let your mind always be in a condition of purity and freedom. This is Permanence, Bliss, Self and Purity.
Indeed, mountains, rivers and landscape are also constantly changing. Over 1,500 years ago, Bamiyan, Afghanistan was on the Silk Road connecting China & Middle East. People on this valuable trade route passed through the Bamiyan Valley to reach other countries. The places along this route were very prosperous. This route existed more than 1,500 years ago and was known as the Silk Road. Many of the sutras we read today were carried from India to China by Master Xuan Zhang, Yi Jing, and Fa Xian. Many Dharma Master from China took this road from China to India to bring back sutras. In fact, the volumes of the entire Buddhist canon were all carried back via this route, which went through present-day Afghanistan.
This route was critical in enabling Buddhism to spread to China over a thousand years ago, and enabling Buddhism to thrive in China with the translation of the sutras into Chinese. With passing of time, the forces of nature cause deterioration, and there is also manmade destruction. Everything has already changed. Everyone, everything is impermanent but ordinary people treat it as permanent. So, people fight one another and in the process cause great damage to our natural environment. So everything is impermanent.
Yet as ordinary people, we mistakenly see impermanence as permanence, and thus create a lot of suffering. As Buddhist practitioners, we must see the impermanence in everything. At every moment, with everything, we must always be very vigilant. We must have inner humility and outer courtesy. When we deal with people and things, we must handle everything with wisdom. If we practice in our daily living, we will attain virtue. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水).
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