Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Pure Wisdom (清淨的智慧)
When we are in a very serene state, we can feel the breath of life. When we can breathe smoothly, we should cherish it. In the Sutras, we read passages that alert us to be vigilant. As we talked about yesterday, “Life is impermanent. Our lives are like candles. “When we can’t breathe in again, we become ashes.”
When people pass away, whether they are buried or cremated, they ultimately end up as a pile of ashes or as a part of the soil. Is there anything left? Yes, there is. What is it?
The painful retributions of the 3 Destinies. Whatever we do, the karma we create follows us. These karmic seeds leave the body with our soul. Then a pleasing phenomena will appear and we will be drawn to it and follow it. But are those phenomena real? They are illusions not real. Based on our likes and preferences, such phenomena will appear to tempt us. Once we follow them, we end up in the 3 Destinies or back in the Human Realm. What will our life back here be like? We do not know. It depends on our karmic affinity with our future parents. We will be guided to wherever they are. It is entirely out of our control.
So the Water Repentance states, “We face painful retributions in the 3 Destinies.” This means we must bear the sufferings ourselves.
No wealth, treasures or pleading can absolve us. In the dark about our fate, with no pardon in sight, we suffer alone; no one can take our place.
“ No wealth, treasures of pleading can absolve us.” There is nothing we can do. One day we will enter the Hall of the King of Hell to receive judgment. His court is different from the courts here. In our courts, we can pay some money as bail and temporarily remain free. But in the Hall of the King of Hell there is no such thing as bail.
I remember many years ago, I traveled west to fundraise to build a hospital. During the discussion, a prominent member of society suddenly said, “Teacher, you said that life is impermanent and we take nothing except karma with us when we die. I firmly believe this.”
So I ask him, “What experience have you had to make you believe it so strongly?”
He said, “It’s not my personal experience. It was so-and-so’s experience.”
He said this person became seriously ill and was admitted to a first class hospital ward. His condition was critical, and all the doctors at the hospital worked on him. Even though the prognosis was not favorable, they did not give up. Eventually, they were able to save his life. He spent a long time recuperating in the hospital.
After he came home, he slowly regained his speech and slowly recovered his health. One day, a group of people whose backgrounds were similar to his went to visit him. By then, he was able to sit up and talk. He told them: “I have returned from the gates of death.”
His friends asked him, “What was it like?”
He said: “The horror of it really cannot be described. Everyone was fierce-looking and frightening. In that place, I felt very alone. I knew no one. “They took me into the Hall of Judgment. The King of Hell was very mean. In an eerie tone, he yelled ‘Order!’ I was extremely frightened. He took out the record book of deeds to see what good deeds I have done. After checking the book, he found none. But I told the king I must take care of important national matters. I cannot stay here. At least let me take a leave of absence and give me some time. I can pay ball. I will pay whatever you decide.
The king said: “Bail only exists in the world of the living. There is no such thing here. However, since you say the country needs you, I am willing to release you on bail.
The man was elated and asked, “How much?”
The king replied, “Not too much, just give me one dollar right now.”
The man quickly searched himself all over. He could not find a single dollar.
He said, “I don’t have any money.”
“Why don’t you have any money?”
“I have a lot at my house, just not on me.”
The king said: “Yes, you have much money in the world of the living. But now you are here alone. Money is of no use here. What I want to know is what you did while you were alive. That is what matters the most. Here we can see good and evil very clearly. Whatever you did while you were alive, good or evil, can be judged here.”
The man was deeply shocked and that was when he woke up. So he told his companions: “Life is truly impermanent. One day I will pass away. Who can accompany me? Should anything happen to me, who can vouch for me and say that I have done good things? There is no need to talk about what I have done. Every deed is clearly recorded there.”
At that moment, the person who relayed this true story to me had a realization.
He said, “We take nothing except karma with us when we die. When the King of Hell looks at the record book of deeds, isn’t it our karma that he sees?”
I said, “Yes. Birth and death are not important. The most important things is what we have done in this life. Everything is recorded clearly in the book. In this life, everything we do in our daily living, all our dealings with people and things, is recorded in that book.”
He said, “I understand now.”
This person has now become a very dedicated member of Tzu Chi.
Learning Buddhism helps us understand that at the last moments of our lives, we cannot take anything with us, except for karma, which will follow us as we are reborn into new lives.
Fellow practitioners, we may be enjoying a good life now. But one day, when we are at the end of our lives, our soul will leave our body. Where do we want to go? Which kind of phenomena will entice us? Will we suddenly end up in a bitterly cold and hostile place where everyone is unsympathetic and treats us in a harsh and fierce manner? When the time comes, all our wealth and possessions will be useless. We cannot ask someone to speak on our behalf. Who will speak on our behalf? Everyone there is cold and unfeeling. Who will care to help us? “In the dark about our fate, no pardon in sight.” We cannot ask anyone for a favor. The only way to receive a temporary reprieve is if our worldly affinity is not yet exhausted. Only then can we return. If our karmic affinity has ended, no amount of medical help can save our lives.
In Singapore, a surgery for a pair of conjoined Iranian twins drew worldwide attention. Laden and Laleh Bijani were completely different. But they were joined together at their heads, so they had to do everything together. This is so agonizing! Doing the same things despite their differences is “the suffering of meeting with what we hate.”
It is not only “meeting”, they are conjoined. Such torment!
The doctors at the hospital in Singapore were hoping to make a medical breakthrough, so they were willing to attempt this surgery. The surgery was very risky. But the sisters had been stuck together for so long and suffered tremendously, so they hoped to be liberated and freed. If they could be separated, each one could pursue her own career, do what she likes, use what she wants to use, say what she wants to say, and be with the person she wants to be with. They really hoped to lead independent lives, so they were willing to take the risk. The hospital in Singapore agreed to take on their case. They invited specialists from medically advanced countries, such as the United States, England, Germany, France, etc. There were dozens of world-famous surgeons. Aside from the large medical team assembled, the surgery also cost a lot of money. The operation cost over NTD$1,000,000(US$300.000). Over 100 medical professionals were involved in this surgery to separate them.
After over 50 hours of surgery, the twins died. Once their karmic affinities were exhausted, not even the best surgeons could save them, as if surgeons’ hands were tied behind them. It did not matter how famous the doctors were or how much money they spent. Even with so many medical advancements, they still could not save these two lives. So when we die, we die alone. In the end, we are just by ourselves. When we leave this life, we do not know what kind of phenomena will manifest to tempt us. Without knowing better, we will just follow them. We do not know whether we will be reborn in the lower realms or suffer in the Human Realm.
This is just the reality of life. In the end, we are all “in the dark about our fate, no pardon in sight”. It is very lonely.
We must endure the sufferings ourselves. We cannot even ask for leniency. “We suffer alone, no one can take our place.” No matter what kind of retributions we face, no one can suffer it on our behalf. Therefore, as Buddhist practitioners, we must always be vigilant and cautious along the path of life. Since we are born to this life, we should be content with what we have. Do not complain by saying, “Why has fate been so cruel to me?” There is no need to complain. What we have done in our past lives determines what our lives are like now. Since we are already here, let us be content.
When will we pass on? When our time is up, we will leave this life. Is death frightening? Actually, death itself is not frightening. What happens after we leave this body is scary. We have no control over where we will go. We are “in the dark about our fate.” We may come across dark, cold surroundings, or our karma may manifest. These conditions will tempt us. So it is beyond our control. By that time, even if we are very worried it is useless. This moment now is critical. What can we do now so that our minds will be very determined about where we will go in the future?
We must regularly abide by the precepts and follow the rules. We must not overstep the bounds of morality. We must train our mind to remain steady and unwavering.
Once we have found the right direction, we must keep our minds tranquil and firm.
Only then can our wisdom arise. Once we have wisdom, we can come and go freely.
We will not have to worry about where we will end up or where our karma will take us.
Let us be determined in our mission and vows. Let our hearts and minds always abide in Dharma. We must uphold the proper precepts and avoid overstepping the bounds of morality. Only then can pure wisdom arise. Once wisdom arises, we can come and go freely. We will not be led by karmic forces.
So I ask you all to please look after your daily lives. Maintain self-discipline, uphold the rules of proper conduct, and carefully condition your minds. If you can do so, the dying will not be frightening. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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