Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Immersed in the Dharma-sea of Peace (身處法海安自在)
With the Buddha in our minds, we are inherently kind. With the Dharma in our actions, our window is deep as the seas.
Doesn’t everyone feel this way? Every day I tell you that our minds are equal to the Buddha’s. Since Buddha’s mind exists in our own mind, and naturally is tremendously compassionate, we are inherently kind. Humans are inherently kind and compassionate. But over an unknown number of lifetimes, we have become covered by bad habits. So, our kindness is concealed even though it is still inherent in all of us. Hence, “Human nature is inherently good.”
With the Dharma in our actions, our wisdom is as deep as the sea. When we discover we have a mind like the Buddha’s, we realize that we are inherently kind and that giving brings us happiness. When we do something for others, we feel so happy and free that we want to make this a part of our daily living. So, let us apply the Dharma in our lives and gladly help others. After we help them, we feel happy, peaceful and at ease.
When it comes to giving or taking, which of the two should we choose? That depends on our wisdom. If we choose taking, the door to desires opens. Our greed is bottomless. When people are greedy, they steal, rob, and take ill-gotten gains. This leads to loss of freedom, both spiritual and physical. This is unwise.
Once we start to be kind, the Dharma is in our actions and all we want to do is give unconditionally. We actually have the strength needed to continuously help others. The potential of our wisdom is infinite; our wisdom is as deep as the sea.
So, we must always remind ourselves of the Three Treasures within us. As long as we are willing to give, our strength is endless, like water surging from a pure spring, or like the countless fruits which can be harvested after seeds have matured in the soil. This happens in our intrinsic nature, which is a pure and blessed field. We should make sure that our behavior is on the right and straight Bodhisattva-path. We must properly walk the true and right path. We are talking about the Noble Eightfold Path. This very broad road has eight lanes. If we can stay on the Bodhisattva-path, on this Noble Eightfold Path, we will have clear consciences at all times and places. Anywhere we go, we can lift our heads high and be peaceful and free. So, we can be carefree and at ease in the vast Dharma-sea and endlessly uphold the teachings.
When we walk the right path and give unconditionally, we can be immersed in the Dharma-sea and be peaceful and free.
So, the Dharma already exists in our lives. It is plentiful and endless. Everything we touch is the Dharma; it can be applied in our relationships, it can allow us to be peaceful and free. It is truly useful. If we apply it mindfully, we can see the plentiful Dharma all around us. It is abundant and not lacking in any way.
The Buddha taught us this rich mental Dharma, which allows us to be free and unhindered. The next passage of the text continues with the teachings on repentance. After we are cleansed by repentance, our body and mind will be peaceful and dignified. Then sentient beings around us will feel very happy. Whether they see or hear us, they will be open, understanding, and very joyful. So, we must diligently repent and seek the Dharma. We use the Dharma in our daily living.
After we establish our model character, when sentient beings see or hear us, they will be happy and at ease. Since we have repented again and again, the Dharma has entered our minds. When we walk among others, they will believe in us. The Buddha-Dharma has nourished us so we can attain the true essence of the Dharma. Because of this, we must be grateful. We express our gratitude sincerely by paying respect to the Buddha.
He knew that our ordinary minds tend to relapse, so we must “repent again.” Perhaps in the past we created karma by robbing and stealing.
“The Sutra says, if something belongs to others, they will guard it.”
If something belongs to someone else, if they have ownership, they will guard their possessions. If we take something without permission, whether we do it openly or not, publicly or privately, if we do not have the right, that is stealing.
The Sutra says, “If it belongs to others, they will guard it.” They have ownership. In modern society, there are many robberies. For instance, there was a news story about one woman tending a store at night. A man swaggered in, picked up a beer bottle, and smashed it. He used the jagged glass to frighten the clerk. She was just a weak woman. This big man came in and took her hostage. He told her to open the safe. There was over NT$10,000, and he took it all. After collecting the money, he feared he could not escape before she called for help, so he took her hostage. He figured if they rode away on his motorcycle, even if she yelled, no one could catch them. With the current advanced technology, there was a surveillance camera inside and outside the store. They recorded the entire incident. So, the nearby police and a crowd of people quickly arrived at the scene and caught him. This is an example of things belonging to other people.
The clerk was hired to tend the store. She was doing her duty. But while she did so, he came to rob the store. He did it brazenly and openly. Taking what is not given is stealing.
It seems like these things happen every day. Even though there is always surveillance, people remain very foolish, so these incidents keep occurring. This happens because greed and ignorance give rise to the desire to steal. So, the repentance text continues, “If something belongs to others, even a blade of grass or a leaf, if it is not given, do not take it, let alone steal it.”
All of us should uphold our core responsibilities. This is basic human ethics. We cannot take anything that does not belong to us. We cannot even pluck grass or leaves from someone else’s garden. Not even a flower, a leaf, or a blade of grass. That is a basic rule. If the owner did not agree, do not take what is not given. Some people get thirsty when traveling on the road. They see delicious and plentiful fruits, but if they reach out and pick one, they are stealing.
So, as law-abiding citizens who understand the rules, we will not take what belongs to others not even a blade of grass or a leaf, “let alone steal it.” If we see something on the ground, even if no one is looking after it, we cannot trespass and take it, let alone take things people are watching over. Some people rob or steal things openly. They even kill to silence others after they commit crimes. In a moment of foolishness, they get greedy and steal, creating a lifetime of regret and disappointment.
The most painful thing in life is regret. After the deed is done, even if we regret it, it is too late. Then our mind and body will not be free. So, when something belongs to another, whether there are many objects or few, if they do not give permission, we cannot take it. We must always remember that we cannot take anything without the owner’s permission.
Adults have to teach this to young children before they are old enough to steal. At that point, it will be difficult to teach them. So, we have to teach them that we cannot take anything that belongs to someone else, not even a leaf or blade of grass. Otherwise, it is stealing, no matter how little we take.
The text continues on to say, “But sentient beings only see the immediate opportunities, so they immorally take things. Then in the future they will suffer due to it.”
Many people only see what they need right now and take what makes them happy. Many people are like this. These are confused people who only see the present, and do not think about the future. So, they immorally take things that do not belong to them. It is unethical and unprincipled, but they still want to take it.
What is unprincipled？ If we take something that does not belong to us, that is unprincipled. Not following the rules is immoral, unethical. This kind of behavior will bring problems “in the future.” If we take something improperly, then one day, in the future, [we will face consequences]. Whether that day is far away or not, it will eventually happen. This is like the story of the man who held up the clerk, robbed the store, and then abducted her. Think about how quickly he was caught. The events took less than an hour. It happened quickly, in a very short time. After he committed those acts, it was not long before he “suffered due to it.”
Who did this to him？ He did it to himself. He immorally took things so he brought his disaster onto himself. How long was his sentence？ I do not know. At least there is a limit to the criminal sentence. Perhaps behavior like stealing will destroy his character in others’ eyes forever. This comes from a moment of confusion.
Some people already know that this is wrong. They steal not because they lack things, but because it is their habit. Some do not steal money, they have mental disorders and steal strange and random things. These are mental illnesses. They do not lack anything in their lives. No, it is because they already developed these habits. So, after a long time, they are unaware of making those mistakes. They do not know this is wrong.
Even if they are caught and other reprimand them, they cannot change. So, we may wonder how we can counter the desire to steal or cure this kind of mental illness. This is very difficult.
Everyone, learning Buddhism starts with having a pure mind. Not only do we need to equally love and cherish all sentient beings, we have to take care of their environments. We have already said this. Now we have to cherish others’ possessions. We cannot damage or take what does not belong to us. To do that, we must begin with our minds and with our habitual tendencies. When we learn Buddhism, we need to learn to respect people and objects. We each have our own possessions. So, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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