Lecturer: Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Human Realm Is a Pure Land (人間即淨土)
The Five Destinies, the Six Realms, the human world and the Pure Lands all exist in our thoughts. The Five Destinies are the Heaven, Human, Hell, Hungry Ghost and Animal Realms. The Six Realms includes the Five Destinies and the Asura Realm. Destiny and Realm mean the same thing; both refer to our direction. Where are we going? Are we going to Heaven? Or to Hell? Will we be an Asura? Or a hungry ghost? Or an animal? These are directions. A thought will bring us into any of the Six Realms. Whether we head toward suffering or joy is all determined by our interactions. Humans are born into the Human Realm. We even have the ability to choose whether we want to go to Heaven from here. If we love and respect each other, and live in harmony, if we can do this, we can create Heaven on Earth. If we can practice the Ten Good Deeds, we can go to Heaven. Even if we cannot practice the Ten Good Deeds, we can at least uphold the Five Precepts. Doing so allows us to keep the human form.
If we do not steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or drink alcohol, we are following the rules. If we uphold the Five Precepts, we will have the chance to come back. What is the benefit of coming to the Human Realm? We can still make progress here. In addition to Heaven, we have the chance to choose a Pure Land. What practitioner does not hope to go to the Land of Calm Illumination of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? That Land of Calm Illumination is in our thoughts. If our minds can always be pure and bright, that is like having the Buddha’s tranquil mental state of Nirvana. We often talk about Nirvana. Does Nirvana mean passing away? No. It means we have already entered a mental state of tranquility and radiance. This tranquil Land of Calm Illumination is what we practitioners seek. This is what we are training for. We train our minds to always remain pure, calm and tranquil. This is state we often refer to as “pure and tranquil, vows as vast as the universe.” This is the Land of Calm Illumination. This is where we want to go, and we get there from this world.
We can only practice and attain.Buddhahood in the Human Realm.
So to attain Buddhahood, to practice, we need to be in the Human Realm.In the Human Realm it is easy if we want to go to Heaven, just practice the Ten God Deeds.If we do not draw near to Buddha-Dharma, or practice the Ten Good deeds or uphold the Five Precepts, we create much evil karma.In this way we instantly turn toward the Three Destinies, the Hell, Hungry Ghost and Animal Realms.
So, a change in thought can bring us purity and tranquility.With a thought we can show Great Love, be unselfish, giving, grateful and respectful.Isn’t this Heaven on Earth?Isn’t this a Pure Land in the Human Realm?
If an ignorant thought arises, an Asura mindset will manifest and fires of fury will blaze in our minds.Then when we act, when we see people or work with things, aren’t we in an Asura state or a mental hell?In that state of darkness, we cannot find light and happiness.
So in this world, we can see the Three Destinies.We have to remember, the most important thing is our thought.If we are not careful, we end up cycling in the Six Realms.
So, let us always protect our thoughts.
If our thoughts remain pure and tranquil, and we know to be grateful, respectful and loving, the Human Realm will be a Pure Land.
If an ignorant thought arises, we fall into the Three Destinies, evil realms, and will be in unspeakable pain.So, always take good care of our minds.
Earlier we talked about the Animal Realm.That realm is very painful, very restrictive.
There we toil to repay others.Right now in the Human Realm we can see many different life forms.Besides the human form, we can also see other living beings.We see those without feet, or with two, four or many feet.There are many kinds.
Whether they fly in the air, walk on land, or swim in water, they are all part of the Animal Realm.Look at how wonderful it is to be human!We can do as we desire.We can decide what we want to do.Do not be deluded.If we remain deluded, we will not be able to make our own decisions, and will be seduced and led by ignorance.The door to the Animal Realm is wide open.It is also an easy road for us to take.
So the Five Destinies and Six Realms are found within a change of thought.Do everyone must be careful.Now the next passage is also on the Animal Realm.
“We repent the Animal Realm, where those with fur, feathers, or scales are bitten by all small bugs as retribution.”
“For those countless negative retributions in the Animal Realm, today we repent with deepest sincerity.”
If animals have fur on their bodies, they will have a lot of fleas and lice.When we look at monkeys, we often see mothers look for fleas and lice in the fur of their babies.These creatures live and reproduce in their fur, on their skins.We see that on monkeys. When we look at people washing their dogs, as water flows over the dog, we see the fleas escape. There are so many Animals with fur on their bodies will pat and scratch themselves. They itch because they have many tiny animals on their bodies.
These animals are biting them. Didn’t the Buddha make a similar analogy? The Buddha said, “After I enter Nirvana, in the future, Buddhism, my Dharma cannot be destroyed by any religion.Buddhism can only be destroyed from within.” He compared it to a lion. The lion is the king of all creatures in the jungle.Many animals are scared when they see a lion. Even if it is dead and lying there, many animals are still afraid to approach. They are still intimidated by the lion’s ferocity. So, the other animals dare not approach. But when the lion is alive, parasites on the lion eat the lion’s flesh. So if Buddhism decays, it will be due to parasites that destroy their own host.
Buddhism needs the Buddha’s disciples to promote His Dharma. As disciples of the Three Treasures, let us act for Buddhism, for sentient beings. We need to practice, starting with our minds. We must love ourselves and have self-respect. As for our actions, we must keep our minds pure and use our bodies to uphold the precepts.As Buddhist practitioners, we need to set an example with the way we treat people and objects.
If Buddhists can set a good example themselves, people will see and respect Buddhism, will come to support Buddhism. If any of these disciples act very improperly, Buddhism will be dragged down, will decay.
So as Buddha’s disciples, we should promote Dharma. We do not need to promote it in a special way. Our bodies are, in modern speech, living billboards. Your body, actions and speech are the best tools for promoting Buddha-Dharma.
So Tzu Chi volunteers, I hope you act for Buddhism, for sentient beings. In this world, Buddhism, must be promoted through our relationships with people. We need to set an example and start with ourselves.
So ,as Buddha’s disciples,we do not want to be the parasites on the lion which consume the lion they live on.
“As Buddha’s disciples,Let us set an example with ourselves. Promoting Buddha –Dharma is our duty.Do not be parasites on the lion that destroy the spirit of our Dharma-lineage.”
This is what happens in the Animal Realm. Isn’t it the same in the Human Realm ?We often talk about macrocosms and microcosms.Each type of animal has their own universe.Even the tiny parasite on a lion has its own world.Even microorganisms invisible to the naked eye
have their own worlds.
Once I visited Professor Jiang in one of our laboratories in Xindian.When I entered she said,
“This is a great piece of equipment.This is our newest instrument. It can clearly analyze bacteria and gems.”She stepped aside and I leaned over to see.“Wow , this image is so beautiful. Where did you visit?”She said , ”I didn’t travel anywherer. ” I said , “Aren’t we looking at a map?This place looks so beautiful.”She said , ”Master , this is an enlargement.The microscope is magnifying the germs and the things inside of them. ” “Where do these germs come from?”She said , “This is extracted from the blood and placed here ,so we can see what it looks like.”She said , “We can’t see it with the naked eye.We extract it and place it there.”“That is how we get this picture.From this picture we can analyze which places are not in harmony,which places shows illness.”
See , that is scary.We cannot see them with the naked eye,but we will attract these germs.
So, we can see how wondrous the worlds is when we put effort into understanding the Dharma. The Buddha is truly one who spoke the truth.He was a great philosopher , a great scientist,the great Enlightened One of the universe.
If we are mindful ,everything we can and cannot see is all encompassed in the truth of the Dharma ,especially when it comes to the Animal Realm. When can see the Animal Realm.
There is a lot of suffering there,even for lions. Lions are fierce and not afraid of anything,
but they fear the bugs in their fur in the Animal Realm , there are those with“fur ,feathers or scales”.Those with fur have bugs.Do those with scales also have bugs?Yes.Look at pangolins.We very rarely see them. They are found on mountain plains.Their bodies are covered with scales.When they contract ,their bodies are very hard. If they open up their scales,ants and bugs will go in and eat their flesh .They also eat these bugs as food.If these beings approach their bodies,they contract their scales.So these insects,whether they are ants or bugs,are considered to be their food.But their food also treats them as food.That is the animal kingdom.Each beings is the enemy of another. They hurt and eat each other.
So in the Animal Realm,“Those with fur ,feathers ,or scales are bitten by all small bugs as retribution.”It is truly pitiful.“For these countless nrgative retributions in the Animal Realm,today we repent with deepest sincerity.”These retributions are truly painful.
We should all be very vigilant .The Five Destinies or Six Realms,the Human Realm or the Pure Land all exist in this world ,in our thoughts.
If our thoughts are negative , we are in the Asura ,Hell ,Hungry Ghost or Animal Realms.
With positive thoughts we are in the Animal Realm ,Heaven or Pure Land.
This all depends on whether or not we take good care of our thoughts.
Everyone ,please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)