Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: A Bodhisattva Exercises Compassion and Wisdom (菩薩悲智雙運)
Date: June. 13, 2013
To learn the Buddha’s Way, we must “penetrate the Buddha-mind” so that “we can attain Great Wisdom”. “[We must] promote all Dharma and turn the great Dharma-wheel. Then the infinite Dharma-doors will readily appear. When the Buddha-Dharma is in the world, all places become spiritual training grounds.”
Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s Way we need to bring clarity to our minds and see our nature. That means we must penetrate the Buddha-mind. When we start to learn the Buddha’s Way, we must always adopt the Buddha-mind as our own. To attain great wisdom, our minds must be pure and undefiled like the Buddha’s mind. If we can return to the state of our pure and undefiled nature, then our wisdom will manifest. If we are wise, we will realize that we actually engage in spiritual practice to help relieve the sufferings of sentient beings. This is our mission. So if we develop our wisdom, we will have no difficulties promoting the Dharma and we can turn the Dharma-wheel all the time to turn evil into goodness and turn ignorance into wisdom. Turning the Dharma-wheel is very important. To turn the Dharma-wheel, we certainly need infinite Dharma-doors to become readily apparent in this spiritual training ground. Then we can teach according to the capabilities of sentient beings and apply wisdom and [skillful] means to help others. Infinite Dharma-doors exist among people. Every person suffers from something different. Countless different types of difficulties exist. Bodhisattvas need to penetrate them all. So, these are also called Dharma-doors. If we enter these Dharma-doors, then we are using them. We must use the kind of Dharma that resonates with the capabilities of those sentient beings. So I often say, Buddha-Dharma exists in the world, it is not available outside of this world. We absolutely must believe that the teachings the Buddha gave us were about walking the Bodhisattva-path, bringing relief to sentient beings as we experience the wonder of the Buddha-Dharma. So, all places become spiritual training grounds. Right now, there are many disasters in the world. Sentient beings truly experience much suffering. We can comprehend how the imbalance of the four elements and our collective karma lead us to experience so much suffering. But Bodhisattvas respond according to the conditions, time, place and capabilities.
For example, after the earthquake in Haiti, a group of Living Bodhisattvas appeared among the suffering sentient beings. They were fulfilling their mission to relieve the suffering of sentient beings. In that place, they exercised both compassion and wisdom to address as many of the people’s needs as possible. Every day in the scorching hot weather, they offered free medical treatments and gave food to the hungry. Moreover, they did so with wisdom. They gave food in exchange for work, because after the earthquake, every place was filled with debris, rubble, etc.These things littered the streets.So, we asked them to clean the surroundings.But we did not offer them money.There was nowhere to buy things with money.We offered them the job for enough food to feed their whole family.This was called a work relief program.
It was very important to them.We stayed there to continuously comfort them, and this gave them a chance to meet Tzu Chi volunteers.Every day, Tzu Chi volunteers kept them company and inspired them before the work began by sharing the Buddha-Dharma with them and explaining what a ”Bodhisattva” is.We explained that being loving gives us a healthy mind, that live is the most blessed power in the world, and that people who give are the most blessed.We guided them with very simple teachings, by explaining the karmic law of cause and effect.We grew close to them and developed a close relationship with them.We led them in their work and talked to them.
After we established a relationship, we started to counsel them and asked them to help spread the love.We did not only want to show them love but wanted them to internalize it as well.So, I heard that in the midst of their difficulties, they even created a place for spiritual practice.It is a small and simple place where they could use methods to inspire and train people in proper etiquette and in how to express their love.Indeed, this is very similar to our volunteer orientation workshops here.Meanwhile, they also inspired their drivers, bodyguards and everyone around them to become the new seeds [in Haiti].This was not easy!
So with this kind of Buddha-Dharma in the world, all places become spiritual training grounds.
These people are Living Bodhisattvas.They never give up on sentient beings in time of such enormous disasters.These Bodhisattvas from the US arrived in groups, one after another.
They were able to complete the transmission of teachings to the local volunteers was created amidst great difficulties and in such a simple space.Think about it isn’t this an exercise of both compassion and wisdom?
When I heard about it, I was deeply touched.In the beginning, over 40 years ago, though Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Association was established, I had no means to conduct trainings.We only held seven-day Buddhist retreats.We treated this annual seven-day retreat as our Bodhisattva training ground.Now volunteer training is very organized, and there is a sequential curriculum.Therefore, the quality of volunteers is improving.The practices of compassion and wisdom are very closely connected.This is a cycle of love and a constant turning of the virtuous Dharma-wheel.I am very moved by it.This is how we “penetrate the Buddha-mind and attain great wisdom”.Truly, when Bodhisattvas exist in the world, all places become spiritual training grounds.So, I greatly admire them.
Yesterday we began introducing the Bodhisattvas.Next is Medicine King Bodhisattva.
His cause was to be a great doctor in the world.The fruition was that he applied Dharma-medicine to save sentient beings from illnesses of the body and mind.This means that when he was in the causal ground, he studied medicine.
Medical treatment is very important.In life, illnesses cause us the worst pain and must be treated with medicine.So when the Medicine King Bodhisattva was in the causal ground, he studied and practiced medicine to save sentient beings from the pain of illnesses.He also used love as a remedy. So, on top of treating the illness and the person, we must treat the mind illnesses of the body and mind need to be treated at the same time to relieve sentient beings from suffering. This is what the Medicine King Bodhisattva did in the casual ground and in the stage of fruition as he continuously saves and transforms people. So, we say that he uses Dharma -medicine. Dharma is medicine. Dharma -medicine can be used to counsel people and relieve their sufferings. So, he diagnoses the illness and then prescribes the medicine accordingly. The medicine he dispenses is based on the illness. There is no elixir that cures all illnesses. He diagnoses the illness of each sentient being, and then he prescribes the right medicine. So, we must diligently practice Buddhism to attain infinite Dharma. Then we can suit the countless capabilities of sentient beings.
Likewise, Medicine King Bodhisattva heals all illnesses. There is no illness he cannot treat. Similarly, even though we sentient beings are stubborn and willful, Bodhisattvas can teach us according to our capabilities. So, there is no one they cannot transform. Therefore we must exercise compassion, wisdom, patience and perseverance when we dedicate ourselves to working with people. We must believe that every living being intrinsically has Buddha-nature and a kind heart. For thing to take a turn for the better, we must teach the Dharma accordingly to turn sentient beings from evil toward good and guide them onto the path of Buddha-Dharma. When we teach according to capabilities, all can be transformed.
Medicine King Bodhisattva. His cause was to be a great doctor in the world. The fruition was that he applied Dharma -medicine to save sentient beings from illnesses of the body and mind. When medicine is prescribed according to illness, all diseases can be healed. When Dharma is taught according to capabilities, all beings can be transformed.
Next is Courageous Giving Bodhisattva, who will persevere forever. He began with an initial aspiration and will maintain it forever. What was the aspiration? To give all treasures to sentient beings. To give, we also need courage. Without courage, we cannot let go. Not everyone can readily give away tangible material goods. Charity really requires courage. So, we talk about courageous giving. It takes true courage to give fully. Look at the way Tzu Chi Bodhisattvas transform the human realm through giving. There Bodhisattvas go among people.
In the past, they taught the rich to help the poor. Now as they help the poor, they also teach them that they are rich. Therefore, they awaken the loving people who live in poverty and difficulty so that they can courageously give. Even if they only have a dime in their pocket, or fifty cents or one dollar, they can still courageously give. This cures the greed in sentient beings by awakening their love and opening the door to giving. This is Courageous Giving Bodhisattva. He is very willing to give. He gives away wealth and treasures, as well as the Dharma. He also gives his time and energy, along with both tangible and intangible things. When he is among people, whatever sentient beings need, there is nothing he is unwilling to give. Thus, he is called Courageous Giving Bodhisattva. He gives away all his treasures so people can transcend sufferings and attain joy. No matter what sentient beings need, he is ready to give it to them.
Courageous Giving Bodhisattva forever gives all treasures to sentient beings so they can transcend suffering and attain joy.
Next is Jeweled Moon Bodhisattva. A moon waxes and wanes with time without benefiting or damaging itself. The Bodhisattva-way appears or disappears according to capabilities without magnifying or diminishing itself.
This means Jeweled Moon Bodhisattva changes with time like [the moon] in the human realm. From the first to the fifteenth of the lunar month, [the moon grows as it rotates and orbits accordingly. Like the Earth and the Sun, its orbit is very precise and the length of that time never varies; it always takes the same amount of time.As it orbits over a period of time, the moon seems to shrink and grow. Sometimes the moon looks very small, but it becomes larger over that period of time. The moon waxes and wanes and thus this Bodhisattva is like the moon. According to the capabilities of sentient beings, sometimes he expands [his presence]. When the moon is full, moonlight will shine across the world. But if it is not the right time, it wanes and disappears. So depending on [people’s] capabilities, he may appear or disappear.
I often say that we must humble ourselves and not always have a big presence. Sometimes we need to reach out. Sometimes we need to shrink back. How do we know what method to us? Sometimes when needed, we must expand [our presence]. Then people can feel that we are always by their side when they need this kind of support. But if sentient beings feel that this is their time to shine, then we must hold back and let them exercise their talents. This is how we appear and disappear based on capabilities without magnifying or diminishing ourselves. This Bodhisattva [is like the moon]. When the moon is full, it does not think that it is great. When its light can illuminate the land, it does not think that it is great. This Bodhisattva also does not feel he is great. He allows others to shine. He minimizes his presence but does not leave. He is still there. So, we often say that we must be flexible. We are always present, but we must be able to reach out and shrink back. Similarly, when we are among people, sometimes we need to manifest to protect and embrace sentient beings. But if sentient beings can be self-reliant, we can just keep them company and help them do their best, just like Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva and other Bodhisattvas have all attained Buddhahood. But they come to help Sakyamuni Buddha. Even though He is the fundamental teacher, these Bodhisattvas accompany Him. They meet the needs of the world by constantly manifesting among people to help Sakyamuni Buddha teach and transform sentient beings. This is what Bodhisattvas do. No matter what the circumstance are, they can manifest themselves. They are not magnified or diminished. They only have one mission, to save sentient beings. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do not come to the world for their own enlightenment but to teach and transform sentient beings. So what every one of us has practiced and attained the ultimate level, this sense of mission will naturally arise. Then we are close to having a Buddha-mind and great wisdom can manifest. Therefore, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, our Buddha-nature does not magnify or diminish, it is just a matter of how much we can comprehend. L hope that everyone will always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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