Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Practice the Ten Good Deeds with Careful Words andActions (謹言慎行修十善)
Engaging in spiritual practice is our fundamental responsibility. For the past few days we have been saying that in our spiritual practice, we must be mindful even when open our mouths to speak. We must cultivate good karma of speech. The Ten Evils come out of three types of karma, karma of body, karma of speech, and karma of mind. Together they create the Ten Evils. Everything arises from a thought. Besides creating evil, our body, speech and mind can also help us create the Ten Good Deeds, also called the Ten Blessed Karma. Disasters befall those who do evil. Great blessings befall those who do good. This all goes back to our thoughts.
When our mind stirs, it can create the Ten Evils. Four of these are related to speech. The four evils of speech are invisible. Even if we say only one thing, we can pierce the hearts of others and harm their relationships.
On a small scale, people can hurt each other or create alienation among family members.
On a medium scale, evil words can delude societies.
On a large scale, entire countries can be ruined. This can happen whenever we open our mouths.
Of course, or speech is based on our minds and our mode of thinking. If our thought process deviates everything we say will disrupt the minds of others. We hurt others without regard for our character.
So, the Buddha said, out of the Ten Evils, speech alone comprises four. Earlier we talked about harsh words, lies and flattery.
Next is gossip. When trying to grasp momentary satisfaction or fighting for temporary fame and fortune, we may say things that make others feel uneasy or create distance and divisions between people. This is the transgression of gossip which creates division between people. It leads people to fall into the Three Destinies. The Three Destinies are painful. Once we fall there, who knows how long it takes to come back up. Once we have exhausted our bad karma, we can return to the Human Realm. When we are reborn human, we will attain one of two kinds of retribution. We can see them in the world right now.
Distancing others is a transgression created by gossip and can cause sentient beings to fall into the Three Destinies. If reborn as a human, we receive one of two kings of retributions.
First, alienation within the family.
Second, relatives who are evil.
These are the karmic retributions for gossip.
Tzu Chi volunteers are at the hospital every day. If they listen carefully, they hear many stories of society told in our hospitals. There is so much pain and suffering, not only the torments of illness, but also of people’s minds. They suffer from spiritual torment.
We hear patients talk about how their family members have become estranged. If we want happiness, we need harmony in our family. Only then can everyone in the family be happy. But sometimes the children we love want to be apart from us.
If we adore the child, love him and want him to succeed, we must let go and support him in going far away to study abroad. In some cases, after they leave, they forget the way back. Even if the parents call them to come home, they will not return home anymore. This happens to many families. This is one example of alienation within the family. Pain comes with separation from a loved one.
Second is having an evil relative. Relatives cheat each other for their own benefit. They encroach on each other, and they fight. This is not only within the immediate family, but also with extended relatives. These people have so much resentment.
Sometimes they get so angry they become sick. Where do illnesses come from? From the mind. Illness in the mind brings physical ailment. When people get sick, they stay at the hospital. Will their loved ones visit? Sadly, most do not visit. And if they do visit, they say things that infuriate the patient.
Even between parents and children, they do not ask, “Are you better? What did the doctor say? What is the treatment plan?”
Do they ask the doctor, “What treatment does my parent need in order to get better soon?”
Some do not do this. They ask, “How much time does he have left? If you can tell me, then I can plan ahead. There is still much to be done. We haven’t split the inheritance yet. The will has not been settled. Doctor, please help him get through this, at least until we are done splitting the estate.”
We see this often. No wonder there is so much anger, hate and sadness in some patients. We see this a lot.
So, coming into the Human Realm is only a bit better than the severe retribution in the Three Destinies. It is better in that we have the opportunity to meet good people. Just like sick patients at the hospital, though they are filled with anger, they can encounter volunteers who speak kind words, speak kind words, continuously guiding and counseling them so they can open up and let go of their grievances.
Doctors treat their physical illness, volunteers treat their mental afflictions. Being born human gives them a chance to change, a chance to alter their karma and meet good people. Perhaps they made good affinities in a past life that led them to this volunteer. Karmic cause and effect is terrifying. Gossip alone can create so many transgressions in this world. The Three Destinies are very fearsome.
Moreover, when we are born human again, if our relationships with our family members are troubled, it is very painful.
From Beginningless Time until now, how much karma has been created by gossip? There are many types of bad karma.
In the repentance text it says, “We praise people to their face, but slander them behind their back with clever words. We say one thing to this person and another thing to that person.”
Maybe we have not been aware that in front of someone, we often praise him and say, “He is so nice; he’s very well-behaved” and so on. We praise him to his face. But behind his back, we will say, “This person is bad; he has poor character” and so on. We may easily commit this kind of wrongdoing. Maybe we praise and flatter people to their face, but criticize them behind their backs. That is terrible.
It is also a very easy violation to commit. “With many clever words.” Many people can say very pleasing things. Clever words are always pleasing to hear. Previously we said that, “Clever words and displays of flattery are rarely benevolent.” If we say pleasing things to curry favor with someone, then we have little benevolence and virtue.
So, what we say should be appropriate; we should speak only the truth. Avoid speaking lies or clever words. “With clever words we say one thing to this person.”
We may talk to someone and say, “He said these things about you.”
We say different things to different people. By saying things to stir up conflicts, we can cause others to have resentment, or create a misunderstanding. When someone shares their grievances, people may relate these resentful words to the other person, so that person gets even angrier and vents a lot of frustration.
Some people like hearing others complain about one another, so they fan the flames. It is like they are toying with people. By playing them against each other, one can cause them to have a bad relationship. Then they may both take extreme measures, fighting with and destroying each other. These are very bad things. So, we should be very cautious. Do not ever speak very nice things which are untrue or falsehoods which make someone out to be bad, or slander people behind their backs. Do not do this. Why would you do something like this? “We only know to benefit ourselves, regardless of the harm to others.” We think, “If I say this to you, you will treat me well. If I say this to you, that will benefit me.”
“We only know to benefit ourselves, regardless of the harm to others. We divide kings and ministers and slander the kind and good, so that they will suspect each other.”
People play kings and ministers against each other. In ancient times, kings and ministers took their positions through their lineage. Now they are democratically elected. Now we have nations, governments cabinets, central administrations, and so on. There is still a king-minister relationship. The prime minister or president governs the country. This person also appoints a cabinet.
All the legislative decisions must pass through the president and these high level officials. If they do not get along, they will suspect each other. Then they may slander and ruin each other. That is terrible.
If the king has a problem with his minister, he will not trust him. Then, maybe the minister will become resentful. Perhaps the loyal minister was wronged. This easily happens. Sometimes they get along and treat each other well but then someone plays them off against each other so they split into different factions. Then the factions will oppose each other. This is very bad for the country.
Take countries like South and North Korea. They were once one big country. Because of differing interests, they split into South and North Korea. Their administrations are different. They are all Korean and speak the same language. But they split into two groups. They are split in half by the 38th parallel. They have a long history of frequent skirmishes. South Korea is a democracy, so they have a healthy economy. North Korea is communist, so the people are very poor. The people in the North also lack freedom, cannot trade with foreign businesses, and so on. South Korea is really amazing. Their economy is very good and they are also very democratic. Whenever there is a disaster in North Korea, they will help them, despite their conflict.
October 20, 2007 was a day that brought great happiness. Two people brought. South and North Korea closer to peace. Roh Moo-hyun, the president of South Korea, stepped over the 38th parallel. Kim Jong-il, the ruler of North Korea, welcomed him at the border. The South Korea president spent three days and two nights in North Korea, starting a positive cycle and opening a good discussion. This was very good news. This was a good beginning. If the two Koreas can come together, the people of North Korea can benefit greatly, especially economically.
So, we should know that speech can lead to his historic divisions of countries, causing the people much pain and suffering. On the other hand, if someone mediates and can bring differing opinions closer together, people will be able to live free and peacefully. This is all a matter of perspective. So, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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