Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Attain Liberation though Right Wisdom (正智得解脫)
Every day we should uphold the pure precepts. Do not be indulgent. Abide peacefully in the Flawless Dharma. Attain liberation through Right Wisdom.
These simple things are everyone’s responsibility as practitioners. In particular, as humans, we all must have inner guidelines to measure our morality and keep ourselves in line. We cannot be lax regarding our behavior. If we become indulgent, our intrinsic benevolent nature may easily go astray. We cannot allow our intrinsic nature to be enticed by the world. We cannot become indulgent. We must abide peacefully in the Flawless Dharma.
Flawless means to be without afflictions. Every day we can be free and at ease, with no afflictions. Haven’t I been talking about this for a long time? When we are free of greed and desire, we will be free of anger and ignorance. When we have no greed, anger and ignorance, afflictions cannot take hold us. So, we peacefully abide, without afflictions, in the purity of our hearts. When we develop wisdom, our body and mind will naturally be liberated, free and at ease. This is what we seek.
In the text it says, “We will always practice the pure world-transcending Dharma. We will diligently uphold the precepts and protect the regulations, as one who crosses the ocean would treasure a life-preserver.”
This passage is very simple. In our practice, we seek to transcend the world and not be trapped in the turbulent Six Realms. We seek the pure world-transcending Dharma. We must be diligent on our quest. We must be focused in upholding the practices, and not become indulgent. If we have diligence, perseverance, and are not lax, we have self-discipline. Everyone must guard their sense of morality well. This is self-discipline; we must not allow ourselves to go astray.
We often say that morality defines boundaries. The Bodhisattva-path is a very wide road. But if we do not follow it carefully, we may wander to the edge and cross the line. Our minds will then become lax. So, we must diligently uphold the precepts and maintain this purity so that it is as pure as ice or snow. We must uphold and protect the regulations completely, as one who crosses the ocean treasure a life-preserver.
When we are out at sea, even if we are on a big boat, we must be prepared in case the boat capsizes. A life-preserver is what will save you. A life-preserver looks a ring filled with air. In the event of an emergency, the life-preserver will be thrown into the water. It can carry someone across the waves safely. The pure world-transcending Dharma must be applied in our daily living, just as we would use a life-preserver to save our life while at sea.
In the past, didn’t I often mention, “1,000 foot swells rise in the river of desire, 10,000 waves surge in the sea of suffering.” This quote mentions the river of desire. Desire is like a flame or a flood. As we have vowed to engage in spiritual practice, we want to safely cross the 1,000-foot swells in the river of desire. To do this, we need the pure and wholesome Dharma. Practitioners must maintain purity of body and mind. The Buddha created the precepts for us so that we would be able to protect this purity. So we have these codes of conduct. If we simply uphold the rules, we will not give rise to the 3,.000 afflictions or the 80,000 transgressions. So, we should be thoroughly diligent. Diligently abide by the rules. We must set our inner guidelines carefully. Then in our daily life, we will not transgress.
So, uphold your code of conduct. If we let go of rules in our life, then there is no difference between practicing and not practicing. The dividing line is that practitioners must attend to their code of conduct and mind the rules and regulations. Then we can tell that we are practicing. Everyone must be mindful. The rules must be protected, the moral boundaries must be mindfully guarded.
Next, it says, “The Six Paramitas and Four Immeasurables should always be placed first. Practicing the precepts, Samadhi and wisdom can increase our clarity so we can quickly become a Tathagata.”
When we practice, what comes first? In the order of things, whether we are monastics or lay people, the Six Paramitas and Four Immeasurables come first. Even lay disciples can fully practice these principles. You all know that the Six Paramitas are Giving, Precepts, Patience, Diligence, Samadhi and Wisdom.
The Four Immeasurables are Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity. Together, these are ten Paramitas.
These ten Paramitas are ten kinds of Dharma, ten methods to use as tools to help us cross the waves and currents to reach the other shore. These ten methods are like life-preservers. We must practice the Six Paramitas. We must have great loving-kindness without regret. When we have a heart of great compassion, we will naturally want to give to others. We can give materials things, give the Dharma, and give fearlessness. Actually, sentient begins are quite stubborn; it is hard for them to change. No matter how nice you treat them, they may not listen to what you say. Moreover, they may not even be grateful.
In the news there was a story about a man recently released from prison when his sentence was commuted. In the past, he was quite successful, but he lacked a sense of propriety. He was hopelessly prodigal, throwing away money on food and drinks. He went into debt and was convicted of financial crimes, which got him into jail. When he was released, he was in bad shape. A friend saw him and took pity. They were once neighbors in the same village so the friend tried to help him, but this man would take drugs and drink.
One day he went to ask his friend for more money. He was intoxicated. Sitting at the door of the shop owned by the man who usually helped him was a 5 or 6-year-old child, a relative’s grandson. The man grabbed a knife and cut the child, who sustained serious head wounds. In addition, the man cut off the child’s hand. What could a 6-year-old have done to make this man so angry? Nothing. What had this place or this family done to this man? They had had no grudge with him. The child was just a relative of the friend who always tried to help this man. How could there be any enmity between them? There was none. But he repaid his friend’s help with hatred. Drinking after taking drugs caused him to become insane. If sentient beings lack a sense of morality and propriety, their minds will be chaotic.
Think about it. Chaotic minds lead to these kinds of situations. Do you think this child’s family has regrets? Won’t everyone blame him and say, “How could you help that kind of person?” But this is simply karma. If you have regrets, you will sever the roots of goodness. Not everyone is like this, but sentient beings do have habits are difficult to change. Actually, it is very difficult to help them. The Paramita of Giving alone is quite hard if we cannot maintain great kindness without regret. This man’s behavior was something else. Not everyone is like that, so we still must continue to help those suffering. When we harbor no regrets, our minds will be able to hold great kindness. Great compassion without resentment means living among people and wanting to relieve their suffering with compassion. Sentient beings suffer so much. We dedicate ourselves to relieving suffering, and it is hard work.
It is like this story that shocked South Korea. It happened in Afghanistan. A Taliban organization invited some Christian youth from South Korea to go to Afghanistan to help them. But upon arrival, these 20 youths were abducted. The Taliban wanted to exchange prisoners. The U.N. had captured many Taliban members and imprisoned them for being terrorizes. This organization wanted the U.N. to release these prisoners. They wanted 20 people released by a certain time, otherwise they would execute the youths. These youths were truly innocent. When these things happen, should people become resentful? Is this a problem with Afghanistan? No. it is with people’s minds. Is this a problem with religion? No. It is problem with people’s morality. Muslims are good and kind people, and Christians are also very loving. As long as people have proper faith, they will have a good sense of morality. But when the minds of a select few deviate just a bit, extremism arises. The force of this extremism causes much harm to people. It creates chaos in their minds and societies, even chaos in international relations. In the end, it is innocent people who suffer. With compassion, we want to relieve suffering. But if you encountered this kind of lawless mind, do you think you would be resentful?
If you are a Bodhisattva practicing the 6 Paramitas, there is no resentment. “Forgiving others is kindness to yourself.” Didn’t we hear about the child who was hit by a car and taken to the hospital. In the emergency room, while being treated, this child expressed that he wanted to forgive the other person, because he had seen the story of Mr. Zhang, a teacher, on Da Ai TV. This kind of forgiveness is kindness to oneself.
See, these are people without resentment. They can let go and forgive. If we can do this, then we can sustain our benevolent thoughts. So, with great compassion, we have no complaints; with great joy, we have no worries. We should act joyful, with a peaceful mind. We should establish our good character. We should be a paragon, a model, for others.
With a joyful heart, exercise great equanimity without expectation. Since we want to give, what else is there to ask for? Nothing. This is the heart of the Paramitas. As spiritual practitioners, the Six Paramitas and Four Immeasurables are the beginning of our cultivation. Whether you have entered the monastery, or are a lay Bodhisattva, these are what must be practiced first. This is our first step.
Next is “the practice of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.” We want to uphold the precepts, guard our concentration, and use our wisdom. If we can perfect the practice of these qualities, then we “can increase clarity.” We can transform our ordinary ignorance, slowly increasing our wisdom and clarity. We can break open ignorance to reveal pure, undefiled brilliance. If we can do this, we will “quickly become a Tathagata.” The intrinsic Tathagata-nature is in our minds, but we ordinarily bind it with our ignorance. This is a “Tathagata in bounds.” If we use the Four Immeasurables and Six Paramitas, along with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we will able to free ourselves from ignorance. The brilliance of everyone’s Tathagata-nature will shine forth. We will bring out our positive potential.
Everyone, we must all be mindful. If we are always mindful of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, our Tathagata-nature will quickly manifest. This is the essence of learning Buddhism. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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