Lecturer: Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Reverently and Respectfully Maintain Propriety (虔誠敬慎守禮節)
When we learn Buddhism we reverently and respectfully follow the rules, maintain propriety and are dignified in appearance. Buddhist practitioners need to have this attitude. When we enter the Buddha-hall, we treat it as the Pure Land. When respect arises so does Right Dharma. When Buddha was alive, He shared the truths He realized with everyone in the world. He forged a broad and wide path. If we all follow this path forward, we will advance from the stage of ordinary people to the Pure Land of the Buddha. Where is this Pure Land? It takes the form of Buddhist temples and monasteries. There are Buddha-halls in monasteries and there are even beautiful gardens. These are called Sangharama. Within the Sangharama, if respect arises in our minds, it is as if Right Dharma abides and the Buddha is still alive. So everyone, as Buddhists practitioners, we cannot forget the direction and goals of our spiritual practice. If our minds follow the Path, our actions will naturally remain on the Path. So we need to follow rules and precepts, and be careful in how we carry ourselves.
Reverently and respectfully follow the rules. Maintain propriety and be dignified in appearance. The Buddhist temple is like a Pure Land. When respect arises there is Right Dharma. That is the attitude Buddhists should have.
Next the text states, “We may have exposed parts of our body, dressed inappropriately, or stood in front of the Buddha’s image and stepped into the hall with unclear feet.” This should be very obvious. If respect arises in our minds, of course we will behave properly, especially in the Buddha-hall, and in the monastery. We must always be dignified in appearance. Wear your clothes neatly, do not expose anything. That would be indecent. So, we must be very proper. When we enter the Buddha-hall, our clothes must be neat and unrevealing. Do not come in without clothes on or looking untidy. Next, some “dress inappropriately”. This means they are untidy, not only in front of images of the Buddha, but in front of Sutras as well. When we read Sutras, we also need to be very respectful. If we take out a copy of the Sutra, we need to first thoroughly wipe the desk clean. After it is very clean, we place the Sutra on the desk. Previously I told everyone that ancient monks really respected the Sutras. Besides cleaning the table, when they laid the Sutra down on the desk, they lined it up neatly against the edge. They could not toss it down haphazardly.
First, that is not neat.
Second, part of the Sutra extends over the desk.
Half of it is on the desk, half of it is off.
Carelessly picking up and tossing down a Sutra shows a lack of attention and respect.
The ancients said, “Dharma-protectors follow the Sutras.”
“If you do not place it down carefully and half of it is off the tables, the Dharma-protector will hold it up.”
This is a story that has been passed down.
So, let us be reverent toward Sutras.
When we take it down, we hold it with both hands.
When we bring it to the desk, we lay it down very neatly, and do not toss it.
So, in front of Sutras and images of the Buddha, we must be very reverent, respectful and polite.
We have to abide by the rules.
Do not “step into the hall with unclean feat.”
This is committing a light transgression.
Some people feel that this is just their attitude.
Their clothes are untidy or their shoes are dirty so when they step into the hall, they pollute it.
This is also committing a light transgression.
Although this transgression is light, it still creates polluting negative karma.
So, we have to always be very aware of the rules for our daily etiquette.
We all need to make sure we follow them.
If we can do this, won’t everywhere be the Pure Land?
Won’t the present be the Era of Right Dharma?
If Right Dharma can always abide in our minds, we see Living Bodhisattvas everywhere.
So, we must be mindful.
Next the text says, “We may have worn wooden shoes in the Sangharama, defiled the place of the Buddha and Sangha with snot and spit, or disrupted the monastery with carts and horses.”
“All these thing s can disrupt the Three Treasures.”
“The transgressions and obstacles that arise are countless and boundless.”
In the Buddha’s time, people went barefoot no matter how far they traveled.
But when Buddha-Dharma spread to China, according to our rules of etiquette, we had to cover our feet with shoes.
If we wear wooden slippers that shows our toes, when we walk it is very improper.
When someone is walking by, the sound arrives before the person does.
It is truly improper if we wear wooden shoes into the Sangharama.
A Sangharama is a monastery.
Besides the Buddha-hall, it includes the surrounding land.
Look at our abode.
Starting from where you come in off the street, to the dorms, the grounds, gardens and lawns, everything within this area is considered the Sangharama.
We must be very cautious on this piece of land.
If we throw garbage in random places, that is wrong, let alone tossing it into the halls or the rooms.
Do not pollute this space with dirty things, or spit, or anything like that.
This “defiles the place of the Buddha and Sangha.”
We need to be very cautious.
We often talk about karmic retribution.
What is karmic retribution?
It reminds me of a story.
It took place in the time of Emperor Wu of Liang.
Before he founded the dynasty, he was a commoner.
He had a friend .They were poor and lived in poverty .But Emperor Wu worked very hard. He had great ambitions and aspirations. He accomplished many things over his lifetime so he became the emperor. He owned the lands and became the ruler of a nation
He was a very devout Buddhist .Whenever he had time he went to the monastery, to the Sangharma .That monastery bordered a very wide river. The land was expansive, so he strolled around and saw the tranquil scenery of the monastery
Unconsciously, he walked toward the riverbank. He saw a man who ferried people across the river. He recognized this ferryman .This was the friend from his youth, before he founded the dynasty and became emperor.
Every time he saw him from far away, he wanted to ask, “Are you this person?” But when these thoughts arose and his vassals would surround him and say, “Time is up. You need to go back to the place” The country’s business awaits
This happened many times Every time he saw that person and wanted to walk over, something would happen to call him back .One time he finally had the opportunity to walk up to this person .By the time this man saw him, the emperor was already in front of him, so he quickly kowtowed, Have I committed any offense?
He did not dare to directly look at the most honored emperor .The emperor quickly helped him up. Emperor Wu said, “I want to ask you, do we know each other? Look at me” He lifted his head, “Aren’t you……?” Emperor Wu said, “You recognize me, and of course I recognize you too”
“Come find me here tomorrow.I’ll appoint you to a position . ”He was happy .The vassals came again, Emperor, please return to the palace .So he left. He arranged to meet his friend the next day. He wanted to appoint him the head of a county.
He wanted to appoint him the head of a county. But when this man came at the appointed time, But when this man came at the appointed time, Emperor Wu was tied up with national affairs. For three days he could not leave the palace to go to the monastery.
This man was very sad and disappointed, “I can’t here three days in a row. Why can’t I see the emperor? ”Then he saw the abbot of the monastery .The ferryman quickly paid his respects and before he opened his mouth to ask, the abbot said, before he opened his mouth to ask, the abbot said, “I know you want to ask me why you don’t have the karmic conditions to receive this appointment from the emperor.”
“That is what you want to ask about , right? “
“Yes , I felt the emperor was very sincere when he arranged to meet me .”
“He normally comes every day ,“
“so why couldn’t he come during the three days “
“he arranged to meet me?”
The old abbot said ,
“Let me tell you about karmic retribution”
“Did you know , in a previous life , “
“the present emperor was a great donor ?”
“He was going to make a large contributtion,”
“to the Sangharama, where the monks practice ,”
“You told thim that you wanted to help “
“So he subsidized your contribution first “
“You told him that you would pay him back “
“But you never saw him again after that “
“He used your name to make that contributtion,but “
“you never paid him back “
“These are the causes and conditions “
“Now he wants to give you an appointment”
“But you do not have the affinity to receive it “
“Let me tell you , you will never receive it”
This man understood. So ,he returned to his job as a ferryman and ferried people and pulled their boats. He did not dare to think he would meet the emperor again.
This story shows how a Sangharama is a very holy place.
It is focused on cultivating the abilities of spiritual practitioners. So it is called Sangharama.
Clearly , we need to treasure every blade of grass and every tree there. We need to carefully take care of those surroundings. This is very tranquil and holy place ,Where we cultivate our ability to practice. Therefore，let us be respectful.
Next the text says ,
“We disrupted the monastery with carts and horses “
What does that mean ? It is best not to drive a car to the temple. We can imagine that if there are many cars parked in front of this sacred place,this state of tranquility woll disappear.
So, monasteries are usually farther away from people. Monastics need to live in quiet places.
If the monastery is loud and noisy ,that is not good. Some people “ride horses ”
They ride their horses by the gate and cause the dirt and dust to fly up. That is also not acceptable. Whether we are talking about cars or horses ,It is better that they are not around the monastery. That would “disturb the monastery” so it would not be tranquil or clean.
These things can disturb the Three Treasures. They disturb the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha,whether with sounds garbage, filth ,or so on ,This is all in the Three Treasures’s Sangharama. If we make it impossible for a Sangharama to remain tranquil to nurture people’s will to practice ,that is really serious karma. So ,we must recognize our blessings and be content. In this tranquil and sacred place ,we must be respectful and follow rules and precepts.When we earnestly treasure this land, we will reverently and respectfully follow the rules，maintain propriety , and be dignified in appearance ,
Treat Buddhist temples as a Pure Land.
When respect arises that is Right Dharma.
So , the Right Dharma is in our minds as long as we are vigilant and respectful.
Our ability to practice can only grow stronger with this kind of life
So everyone , please always be mindful.
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