Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Turn the Mind from Delusion to Enlightenment (尊重眾生形命)
The Sutra of Infinite Meanings originated in the Buddha’s Abode and goes to the minds of all sentient beings. It abides wherever Bodhisattvas practice. Its Ten Great Merits can nourish all living beings.
Everyone should be familiar with this text. It is the lyrics based on the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. This section can help us understand what type of Dharma this Sutra is passing down and how it teaches and helps transform sentient beings. We have to know that the Sutras are a path to be walked on. They are truths that guide us.
Where is this path? In the Buddha’s Abode. Where is the Buddha’s Abode? In each of our minds. This “Abode” is like a house. It comes from the Buddha’s original home. Where is His original home? In each of our minds. We often hear about returning to a spiritual home. Yes, we each have a spiritual home. The Buddha-mind is the true spiritual home.
So the Buddha’s Abode is the Buddha-mind. We each have it. So, the truth is the Sutra of Infinite Meanings comes from the Buddha-mind, which each of us have. Where does this truth take us? Into the hearts of all sentient beings. The Buddha-mind is the mind of all sentient beings. Sentient beings originally had the Buddha-mind, but become deluded. We have been lost for a very long time. So, we often say, “Since Beginingless Time, our true minds have been deluded.” Since Beginingless Time, for such a long time, the minds of sentient beings have been deluded.
The Buddha came to the world to set an example and expound the Dharma. He showed us how to bring our deluded minds back to their spiritual homes, how to find the Buddha’s primordial home. This path comes from the Buddha’s compassion. He came to the Saha-world to establish teachings and transform sentient beings. For sentient beings’ 84,000 afflictions, the Buddha established 84,000 skillful means suited to the capabilities of sentient beings. After the teachings enter our minds, where do they abide? Wherever Bodhisattvas practice. The Buddha’s hope was for them to work with people to help sentient beings absorb the teachings.
So, I often say, “Keep the Buddha in your hearts, and the Dharma in your actions.” The meaning is here. We originally had Buddha-natures, but we became lost. Now we can accept the Buddha’s teachings, arouse Bodhicitta and walk the Bodhisattva-path. So, keep the Buddha in your minds and the Dharma in your actions, and live among practicing Bodhisattvas.
Since Beginingless Time, sentient beings have been deluded. If we can accept the Buddha’s teachings, develop Bodhicitta to transform sentient beings and live among practicing Bodhisattvas, our delusion becomes enlightenment.
The Ten Great Merits can nourish all living beings. In the Chapter of the Ten Great Merits, we learn that sentient beings have bad habits, but if they come in contact with Bodhisattvas, then those with good affinities will be able to turn fromm evil to good.
In Tzu Chi, many people are living proof of this.
Consider their old lives and habits. Now they are Tzu Chi’s Living Bodhisattvas. Haven’t they changed their rules for living and their ways of thinking? They turned bad habits into good ones. This is the Sutra of Infinite Meanings’s purpose. This path originally existed in each of our minds, we simply lost it. So, we need the Buddha to show us the teachings and Bodhisattvas to practice them. This is all done to save sentient beings.
Sentient beings’ habits are difficult to change especially when they are part of every day actions and speech. Everything is habitual. So, we must be patient. Bodhisattvas practice by facing the varying habitual tendencies of sentient beings and teaching according to their capabilities. So, Master Wu-Da, the Imperial Preceptor, wrote down many things so that every day in the Repentance Text we can see sentient begins’ ways of life, their worlds, human cruelty, etc. There is so much. It is due to human ignorance that these habitual tendencies were developed and much bad karma was created.
Let us now look at the next section.
“We may have tramped sentient beings. For these and other innumerable transgressions, today I openly repent.”
Remember, we talked bout this. Some people are cruel. They see a burrow and they know there are animals inside, so they fill the opening on purpose. They “fill burrows and destroy nests.” They block the opening.
Do you know the story of Rahula? According to some stories, he was born after six years of gestation. Why was he in his mother’s womb for six years? One story says there was once a mischievous boy, who filled mouse holes. When he saw the mouse enter, he used dirt and rocks to block the opening. After six days and nights, he wondered if the mouse was still alive. So he removed the dirt and rocks and saw that the mouse had died.
The Buddha said that this was the story of Rahula’s past life. He thought it was fun, so he committed such unwholesome acts. That is why he was trapped in a “womb prison”. When our mother is pregnant and we are in her womb, it is like being in jail. We cannot see the earth or sky. So, being constrained in the womb was like being in womb prison. Being in the womb is like being in prison. Rahula was in the womb prison for six years.
So, filling burrows, destroying bird nests, or blocking ant nests, are our negative habits as sentient beings. Some may smash an entire den when there are still living beings inside. Others may run it over with their cars. Think about this. Were these deeds committed intentionally or not? If it was intentional, the fault is tremendous. If it was not, then fault is less. So when we trample sentient beings, we destroy their worlds.
Haven’t we mentioned the many worlds on Earth? Human have their worlds. Animals have theirs. Whether they fly in the air, run on land, or swim in the water, they have their own worlds. But humans destroy their habitats. These are all transgressions. How many types are there? Can this be calculated? They are actually innumerable. Today, we know this. So, we must “confess and repent” openly. We openly repent before everyone. We hide nothing and let everyone know about our past mistakes. After everyone knows, we will pay more attention because other people will remind us. We have too many bad habits; it is truly incalculable.
So, it is “from Beginningless Time until now.” We forget how much we have done in this life, let alone since Beginningless Time. It is not just this life, but past lives extending from Beginningless Time until now. This section tells us of our ignorance. Previously we killed out of anger. Habitual anger inspires thoughts of killing. Some kill to eat. Some kill to make a living. Some kill senselessly. They kill because those creatures are displeasing. Angry thoughts arose and led those people to kill and harm others. We spoke of this. So, we need to understand that now and repent.
Since Beginningless Time, we have also acted out of ignorance. Earlier we talked about the 88 Tempters. Ignorance incites us to act. We have thoughts of greed, anger and ignorance. Because we are ignorant, we cannot see. If we do not understand the principles, we will create negative karma by killing. When people kill each others, it is not to earn a living or to eat. It is from the hatred arisen out of ignorance. That hatred begets resentment and enmity. These afflictions will grow continuously. This is karma of ignorance.
During our morning volunteer videoconference, a collegiate volunteer in one of the hospitals shared a story about two old people. These old people got sick in the nursing home and were brought to our hospital for treatment. No relative visited them in the hospital. They were sent to the nursing home because no relatives took care of them. One was an old woman who was painfully ill. She groaned and wailed.
Asked “what was the matter”, she said, “I feel bad.”
“Where do you feel bad?”
“In my heart.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel bad because my children don’t visit.”
The other person was an old man. He had a bad temper and kept yelling at everyone. When the nurses came, he scolded them. When the doctors came, he yelled at them. When the volunteers came, he screamed at them. When this collegiate volunteer came, he was also very mean. He kept yelling. After this young volunteer saw these two elderly patients, he said, “I felt bad for him. He just loved to yell.” Then he thought about how his dad liked to nag him. The volunteer said, “It reminded me of how dad nagged me, how he loved yelling at me.” He said that whenever his dad yelled, he would think to himself, “Just you wait. You will get old, I will grow up. Then watch me send you to the nursing home.” He had that thought until he came to the hospital and saw the old woman groan in pain. This young volunteer felt bad for her. “Why did her children send her to the nursing home?” This helped him come to a deep realization. The old man’s habit of yelling reminded him of his father. Watching them, he thought, “I was wrong. I have to go home and tell my dad I’m sorry. I’ll say, ‘When you are old, I will be filial. I will care for you until you are very old.’”
So, these are types of ignorance. These people clearly love their children, but when they teach them differently the children will feel differently. This happens to many families. In modern society, people easily become resentful and create enmity. Then they vow to kill. Look at all the ignorance in modern society. This is wrong. If one person kills another, he will be killed, too. The murderer is subject to secular law. Everyone will abandon him. He will also suffer in Hell after death. Isn’t that kind of life full of ignorance? From Beginningless Time until now, we have created so much karma out of ignorance. So, everyone, we must always be mindful. We must be more self-aware and more vigilant. Do not let ignorance exist in your minds. Please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)