Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Avoid Confusion about What Is Rightand True (慎勿迷真反正)
Everyone, we have to know that our daily lives are inseparable from the Dharma. Everything is deeply meaningful in its own way.
Look at this potted plant, for example. Should we call it a flower or a tree? People say, “This should be called a tree.” But trees should be outside, planted in the ground. There are huge trees outside that provide shade. Those are trees. “Oh, so this is a small tree.” But why is this called a small tree? Before it looked like this, it was a seedling, and before that, it was just a seed.
Why are there so many terms? Why is this tree in front of us so small? Because of the growing method. It is grown in a flower pot, so its roots cannot spread. After a few decades, it will still be this small. But if we take it out of the pot and grow it in the soil, in the open air, its roots will extend, and it will grow into a big tree. The tree goes from seed to seedling, then to sapling and then a small tree. There are many terms, but they all refer to this tree. This type of seed grows this type of tree. But there are different ways to cultivate it.
Grown with different environments and methods, it would take on a different appearance. So, everything innately contains infinite meanings. There are many principles that exist. In the same way, if we use these principles appropriately, we will quickly resolve to realize Bodhi.
This also applies to education. There are many good teaching methods, but everyone has different capabilities. Not only that, they also have different karmic causes and conditions. If the same methods are used for people with different conditions, they will not be able to accept or use this Dharma. If the same methods are used for people with suitable conditions, they will find us agreeable and accept what we say. As long as they can accept this Dharma, they will make a vow. Our natures are intrinsically good.
Haven’t we always heard people say this? “Human nature is intrinsically good.” Doesn’t the Buddha teach this as well? Everyone has the same nature as the Buddha, so we are innately good. It is simply that the way we accept the Dharma depends on our affinities and the use of skillful means which suit our capabilities.
Everything innately contains infinite meanings. Quickly resolve to realize Bodhi. The nature of everything is inherently good.
All thing s are different but share a common truth. There are so many things in this world. There are many types of plants and animals. There is an incalculable number of things, but behind the different forms are the same truths. This is a wondrous thing.
Truly, in one life, there is not enough time to learn and know everything in the world.
The Buddha expounded the Dharma according to sentient being’ capabilities so that everyone can recognize one Truth.
From this one Truth they can see the state of Ultimate Reality. The Buddha taught for 49 years. The Buddha came to this world and expounded Dharma for so long, yet He was unable to help all sentient beings realize their intrinsic nature. We all have a nature equal to the Buddha’s. The Buddha only had one hope, and that was for everyone to return to and clearly see their intrinsic nature. What happens when we lose our true nature?
Earlier we talked about many different forms and appearances of negative karma. We said that “committing the Five Offenses create thick bonds of turbidity and Unremitting Karma.”
There are many different transgressions and many different types of karma, but they are all basically the Five Offenses. These Five Offenses will keep entangling us. So we talk about thick bonds of turbidity. Turbidity is defiled, like very dirty water, or worse, like a mud pit. Water and dirt are already mixed together. This turbid water becomes muddy and sticky. Not only is it sticky, it is deep. So turbidity entangles us. If we fall into a mud pit, it is not like falling into water. We cannot swim to shore or be easily pulled onto shore. If we fall into a mud pit, we keep sinking. Even if people want to save us, they cannot. This thick turbidity completely entangles us. We will sink into the murk. If we create Unremitting Karma, we will be in the state of Hell. We will find ourselves in an endless Hell.
In this world, some people ask, “Why do we keep on suffering?” The next hardship comes before the prior one ends, so their hearts are full of pain. One thing comes after another, layer upon layer of afflictions, layer upon layer of suffering. This is how karma appears in the world. Hell on Earth is full of pain and suffering. Truly, we see it and wonder why their lives are so indescribably painful.
This Unremitting Karma is painful for sentient beings. The Buddha was very empathetic. Our minds used to be pure; how did they become so heavily polluted? It is a sign that we have created too much karma. Now we have no way out. Besides the Five Offenses and their bonds of turbidity, the types of karma, we crate are stated in the following passage “We may crate karma of lcchantika, severing the roots of goodness. We may belittle the Buddha’s words, slandering the Vaipulya teachings.”
What is lcchantika? It is a Sanskrit word. In Chinese it was translated as “evil views.” There are many types of evil views. It is difficult to analyze so many evil causes and conditions. They all continuously arise from evil views. This is lcchantika. lcchantika, or evil views, can refer to not believing in the Three Treasures, and instead slandering them and severing the root s of goodness. The Three Treasures are the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Some people not only refuse to believe in the Buddha, they actually slander Him. We may tell them, “This is Buddha-Dharma, it is very positive. But not only do they disbelieve the Dharma and cause and effect, they actually slander the Dharma.”
We tell them, “Monastic practitioners are kind and make a great vow to shoulder Buddha’s missions to spread the Dharma. The Sangha are the ones who transmit His Dharma.” But not only are they disrespectful, they disturb the harmony of the Sangha. Not only do they do this themselves, they also teach others to do the same. They do it and teach others to do it. Some people cannot discern right from wrong. They find evil words favorable. They cannot distinguish between right and wrong so they are drawn to slanderous and destructive things. This is lcchantika. These are evil views.
They refuse to accept positive views and accept evil views instead. What they do is not only destructive to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, but also destructive to society and the world. They also gossip and cause rifts between people. These are all evil views. They want to destroy everything in the world. Even if they are in the Sangha, they disparage others or become jealous. These are all evil views.
Not only are they disrespectful, they easily slander the Vaipulya teachings. The Vaipulya teachings are teachings about how to benefit others. There are Five Periods to the Buddha’s teachings, including the Agama, Vaipulya, and Avatamsaka. The Vaipulya teachings are about casting off the Small Vehicle to enter the Great Vehile. It is a more advanced level than the Small Vehicle. The Great Vehile is about not being attached, but staying on the good path. But some people slander this Dharma, and belittle the Buddha’s words.
Whether it is the Dharma expounded, or the Dharma we pass down, they denigrate or slander it and try to break its continuation. That is slandering the Vaipulya teachings, belittling Buddha’s words. Though the Buddha is no longer alive, the Sutras record what He taught. If they denigrate it along with the Doctrine of the Great Vehile they will create karma that severs the roots of goodness.
I often say we must help sentient beings transform and develop their goodness. We are inherently good. So we must find a way to nurture these roots of goodness. We must nurture the same way we cultivate seedlings into saplings, and small trees into big trees. This is what we work hard to achieve.
The Buddha came to the world for this reason. He wanted us to relinquish the small self for the Greater Self. Do not save only yourselves benefit others, too. This is the Buddha’s goal in the Human Realm. There are so many good methods, but sentient beings tend to go against the truth. When they go against the principles, they will destroy everything.
Next we talk about “When we destroy the Three Treasures, we create karma of ruining the Right Dharma. When we doubt the law of cause and effect, we create the karma of the Ten Evils. When we are deluded about the truth and oppose what is right, we create karma of ignorance.”
This applies to everyone. For those who do not respect the Three Treasures, a willingness to slander arises, and they will “destroy the three Treasures.” If they destroy them, they create karma of ruining the right Dharma. Once karma arises, it will not only be in their thoughts, but in their actions as well. They will spread evil everywhere. This type of karma is tremendous. This is also Icchantika, evil views like doubting karmic retributions. They do not believe doing evil causes bad karma, or that doing good creates blessings. They simply do not believe it. So they do all kinds of evil, like the Ten Evils. If they commit Ten Evils, they naturally create more karma. They are unable to discern delusion from truth, or they purposely go against the truth which is evil and delusional. The opposite of truth is delusion. The opposite of good is evil. When they are confused about truth, they are truly lost and end up doing bad things.
They even want oppose the truth. These delusions are foolish and are the opposite of the truth. This is karma of ignorance. These are also evil views.
Everyone, since we are learning Buddhism, we must know all things have infinite meanings. Infinite meanings arise from One Dharma. Our duty should be to maintain peace in society, and inspire everyone’s love and Bodhi-mind. We must believe that our nature is inherently good. Everything is different but has its own truth. We cannot be delusional about right and wrong. If we are, then the karma of Icchantika will truly be endless. In the future we will face unremitting suffering.
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