Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Six Practices: Ten Grounds Part 2(六行~十地行二)
In a state of tranquility, are our minds still focused on the Path? Is our Path going in the right direction? We have to be constantly mindful of this. The Sutras emphasize repeatedly, “Realizing Great Bodhi with penetrating insight, one’s awareness connects with the Buddha and realizes the state of the Buddha. This is called the Stage of Joy.”
Yesterday we discussed the Stage of Joy, the first stage in the Ten Grounds. How does one obtain joy? If we can attain the Buddha-mind, then naturally, our minds are free of afflictions. A mind without affliction is at peace, and filled with Dharma-joy. In learning Buddhism, it is most important to remain at peace.
Today we are on the second of the Ten Grounds the Stage of Defilement-free.
The second of the Practice of Ten Stages:
Comprehend the state of the Buddha completely. Realize that all things differ but can converge into sameness. Attaching to neither, one is truly free from defilement.
This passage may be difficult to understand, so we need to be even more mindful. We should try to comprehend it from the state of the Buddha. If we can enter the state of the Buddha, then it becomes very clear. We should know, “all things differ but can converge into sameness.” We know that sentient beings all have afflictions. How many afflictions? There are around 84,000 afflictions. That is a lot. So skillful means are needed. “All things differ but can converge into sameness.” Sentient beings’ afflictions vary, so various ways must be used to attract them and bring them back into sameness.
Yet “if one sees the sameness, one does not depart from defilement.” This means that if we see everything as the same, then there is no need to depart from defilement. Since we are already pure, there are no defilements to disengage from. So “when the sameness is also extinguished, then one is truly free from defilement.” With a bit more effort, we can comprehend the meaning of this passage. For example, the Buddha created many Dharma-doors in the world, because sentient beings have different afflictions.
“Dharma differs because afflictions differ,” thus “there is difference between purity and impurity.” You can probably understand it better now. Various methods were created for the different types of affliction. Our dispositions and capabilities so also differ. Those who have greater capabilities are able to lessen their defilement bit by bit. The origins of Dharma are pure and the same. But when the pureness is tainted by affliction, the sameness will turn into variations.
“Wisdom” in Chinese is “Zhi-Hui.” “Zhi” is Differentiating Intelligence. “Hui” is Impartial Wisdom. But even if “Hui” is impartiall, and the mind the Buddha and sentient beings are equal in nature, when polluted, the mind will give rise to different afflictions. So the original Dharma diversifies due to the different types of affliction. This leads to the difference between purity and defilement.
So “without defilement, the nature remains pure.” If the nature is not polluted, then it is pure and there is no defilement to depart from. So we should all understand it better now. Learning Buddhism involves accepting the Buddha’s teachings amidst our very complicated afflictions. We need to abandon various afflictions and give rise to a mind of equality. We must treat those we hate and those we love as equals and treat all beings with compassion. There is really no difference between the self and others, nor between rich, poor, noble or lowly. Everyone’s nature is originally pure. Everyone is as noble as the Buddha - just as rare, precious and dignified. Everyone possesses the same precious nature, so we are all equal.
But under karmic influences, we are riddled with afflictions. If we were in the state of the Buddha, we would see all sentient beings as equal and not differentiate between rich and poor. When we see those burdened with heavy karma and suffering we should have a heart of compassion, for there is no difference between them and us. So we often say, “We are all family.” We were born in the same world, breathe the same air and live on the same Earth. So what is there to differentiate? We should see all sentient beings as our own family. If we can do this, we will not have a discriminating mind.
In learning Buddhism, one must learn to abandon all afflictions, develop the view of equality have compassion for all sentient begins and not differentiate between oneself and others while walking the Bodhisattva-path.
I am grateful that Tzu Chi volunteers around the world share and follow the same mission. Wherever there are disasters, the mission is carried out. What mission is it?
It is mission and the vow of Bodhisattvas. We fine-tune our mindset to connect to the mindset of the Buddha. Everyone tries to emulate the Buddha-mind and walk on the Bodhisattva-path. This cannot be done by only a few people. It requires the work of a great many.
There is a saying, “Bring together the ideas and power of the people.” If everyone’s strength can be united, the suffering beings in the world can be saved. That is why I always feel grateful. For instance, on October 10, 2005, in Pakistan, the earth shook violently for a few brief moments. It turned into a disaster of such magnitude that it stunned the whole world. Did the earthquake awaken everyone in the world to the truth of impermanence? Actually, the deluded ones remained deluded, but those whose minds were close to the Buddha’s and who had vowed to walk the Bodhisattva-path became alert right away. “Since we are all one family, who will go save the victims if I don’t?” With such resolve, they gathered their inner strength and went to help. Was one person enough? No. How about two people? Not enough either. How about people from one place? Still not enough.
So we quickly formed relief team which included Tzu Chi volunteers from many countries. There were also doctors, a group of Great Healers. The team split into two groups that went one after another. It was a relay of love. Departing from Taiwan, joined by volunteers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey and Jordan, Tzu Chi volunteers came together in disaster-struck Pakistan. Volunteers from these five countries merged all their strengths.
Everyone had different specialties. For example, Mr. Chen Qiu-hua from Jordan came with the support Jordanian Prince Hassan. Mr. Chen worked for the Prince and was always smiling and very amicable. He works with the Jordanian Prince’s family. With his stature and compassion, he came to Pakistan. Many different groups from the United Nations were also in Pakistan. Since there were people like Mr. Chen in Tzu Chi, some people felt that Tzu Chi was quite distinct from the other organizations.
There was also Mr. Hu Guang-zhong from Turkey, Mr. Hu was a very devout Muslim, who worked wholeheartedly and closely with Tzu Chi. That was also very special. There were also volunteers from Indonesia. In the past few years, Tzu Chi has been very involved in doing charity work there in this the chaotic community, Tzu Chi was able to convert even the heavily polluted Angke River into a Great Love Village, and stabilize the community. With that experience, they joined the global team in Pakistan.
As for the volunteers from Malaysia, though it is usually peaceful there, many of their countrymen live in poverty. The Malaysian volunteers had participated in the tsunami relief in Sri Lanka. So the group of doctors from Taiwan, together with volunteers from five countries who all had disaster relief experiences in their own way, joined together in Pakistan. They were the first relief team.
They all shared the same goal. It was truly a wondrous collaboration. Then there was the second team led by Asst. Superintendent Jian who brought a team of doctors to Pakistan. The doctors from Da-Lin, Xin-dian and Hualien included specialists such as pharmacists and anesthetists. Many had ample experience in global relief work. They tool the baton of love from the first team, and continued the same great work there. It was very hard work.
As far as the eye could see, there were only mountains. All the house gad collapsed and were covered in debris. They had to live in tough conditions and bear tremendous variations in temperature. Staying in tents, they endured scorching heat in the day and slept on the floor during the frosty night. They had to live in such harsh severe conditions.
Their working conditions were even more difficult. IV stands were nowhere to be found. So IV bottles were hung on tree branches while people stayed underneath the trees. Even in such rough conditions, the volunteers were able to maximize their impact. Furthermore, they did not remain in one place. They climbed mountains and waded rivers, encountering difficulty every step of the way. The supplies they needed had to be transported first be air, and then by cars. Although confronted by these many challenges, the volunteers accomplished their mission. They brought the victims tents and blankets. Even though it brought only temporary comfort to the victims, we did the best we could.
Therefore, although we are all equal and the same, in order to save lives or purify minds, in order to save lives or purify minds, we still need to apply different methods, which can be difficult. Sentient beings experience numerous different types of suffering, afflictions and delusions. Although the Buddha continuously told us that all living beings are equal in all levels, they experience numerous types of suffering that require different methods to resolve.
The pain and suffering of sentient beings vary greatly as ignorance and afflictions arise. One must apple all kinds of skillful means to transform and purify people’s minds.
So we should try to understand and really experience the notions of “difference” and “sameness.” Since there is no difference between the two, there should not be a distinction. So the Buddha said, “all things differ but can converge into sameness. One might say that if all things are different, it is impossible for them to converge to sameness. That is why we must apply the Dharma. “If one sees the sameness, one does not depart from defilement.” If we see everyone as pure and equal, then there is no need to save anyone.
Yet livings suffer differently. So everyone, although the text can be quite abstruse sometimes, we must try hard to comprehend. We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)