Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Guarding against Greed and Laziness (懈怠貪著當警愓)
Date: November. 18. 2013
“Why is there so much suffering in the world? Because a single greedy thought arose, so the pursuit of fame and wealth is now endless. Before, we attain perfect enlightenment, we have many habitual tendencies.”
This answers the question, “Why is there so much suffering in the world?” This is because a greedy thought arose. With a greedy mind, some people crave pleasure and do not want to do the things they need to do. Some people always seem busy, but busy doing what? Pursing fame and wealth. Before we attain perfect enlightenment, we may be Small or Middle Vehicle practitioners or have made Bodhisattva-aspirations and [are told,] “you have formed great aspirations, the powers of your vows are great.” But if a greedy thought arises, this Bodhisattva-aspiration and vow will wane, and will eventually vanish. This is what happens before perfect enlightenment.
Hearers are those who spend a long time listening to many teachings as part of their spiritual practice. Someone may listen to a lot of Dharma yet have not taken it to heart or absorbed it. Perhaps they criticize it as they listen to it, so the Dharma never enters their minds. While it seems that they are practicing, that they are listening, they have not accepted it into their hearts. People who hear the [teachings] but do not take it to heart will still easily become greedy. Although they “know,” they do not thoroughly understand the principles. So we often wonder, “Why is there so much suffering in the world? How was all this suffering created?” If we seek the underlying cause, we find that it originated in a thought of greed.
Indeed, saints truly make an effort to listen to the Buddha-Dharma and exercise wisdom to comprehend the cycle of the four seasons. Perhaps they saw impermanence and changes in the world and became remorseful, so they again sought to more thoroughly comprehend true principles and engage in spiritual practice and self-awakening. When the causes and conditions are ripe, they can benefit others. Those who make Bodhisattva-aspirations and walk the Bodhisattva-path but have not yet reached perfect enlightenment may still be vulnerable to desires and cravings. Let us look at the next section of the Lotus Sutra. Previously, we have discussed that among Wondrous Light Bodhisattva’s disciples there was also one who acted similarly to what was described above.Among Wondrous Light Bodhisatta’s disciples there was also one who acted similarly to what was described above.
“Having presented all Buddhas with offerings, they practiced the Great Way accordingly, and in succession, became Buddhas.”
“In turn, they made such predictions of others, the last of these, King among Heavenly Beings.”So, the eight princes were among those who were nurtured and taught by Wondrous Light after Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha entered Parinirvana.
This group of people made a great effort to enter the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury, so they “in turn made such predictions of others” and this continued until
“the last of these, King among Heavenly Beings, named Burning Lamp Buddha.”
“King among Heavenly Beings” is an epithet for the Buddha because even heavenly beings greatly respect the Buddha.Not only do humans respect Him, even heavenly beings respect Him.Because He is revered by both, He is called “King among Heavenly Beings”.
The Buddha is the Father of the Three Realms, Guiding teacher of Humans and Heavenly Beings and Father of Sentient Beings.So, He was greatly respected and called “King among Heavenly Beings”.From this world up to the heavens, He was not just “King among Heavenly Beings,” respected by both humans and heavenly beings.
He was also “the Guiding Teacher of All Mystics.He transformed countless beings.”In this text, “all mystics” refers to one of the four castes in India, the Brahmins.
They are believed to be the descendants of the Great King of Brahma.So, among the four castes, they are ranked the highest.These were the social circumstances in India at the time of the Buddha.The Brahmin caste was the most respected in India at that time, so they were quite arrogant.However, when the Bdudha attained enlightenment, He surpassed “all mystics,” which were the Brahmins.From amongst the Brahmins, many came to take refuge with the Buddha.So, the Buddha also guided the Braqhmins.
They were very arrogant, yet they accepted the Buddha’s teachings.The pure-in-heart among the Brahmins faithfully accepted and practiced His teachings.
So, He was “the Guiding Master of All Mystics.He transformed countless beings.”
A “guiding teacher” is a teacher who guides beings to the enlightened Buddha-path.Thus, one is called “a guiding teacher”.
Often in worldly education, in addition to teachers, students also have guidance counselors.They guide students onto the right course.As spiritual practitioners, we must also know our course.If we follow our guiding teacher’s directions, we will not go astray.A guiding teacher is an awakened person who does not only awaken himself and others but also has perfect awakened conduct.
The Great Awakened One who exercises both compassion and wisdom is the shared name of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.A Buddha can be called a guiding teacher, and Bodhisattvas can also be called guiding teachers.They are role models for people in this world, so they can be called “guiding teachers”.
Dharma Master Wondrous Light was such a person. At his spiritual practice center, there were many disciples who would receive predictions [of Buddhahood]. They were still guided by him, and he expounded the Lotus Sutra for them. He taught them how to practice the Bodhisattva-path resolutely and accurately.
Dharma Master Wondrous Light had a disciple at that time whose heart often harbored indolence and who craved fame and wealth.
Among the 800 disciples he led, there was one who was practicing the Bodhisattva-path but was often indolent. He still had habitual tendencies of indolence and craved fame and wealth. If we are lax, cravings will naturally arise.
What does it mean to be indolent? And since he was engaged in spiritual practice, why did his heart often harbor indolence? This means one who is indolent has encumbrances to all actions. If we are lazy in our spiritual practice, it becomes an encumbrance for us as well. It is not that others have an aversion toward us; this is an impediment for our own spiritual practice.
One who is indolent has encumbrances to all actions. Laypeople who are indolent are lacking in clothing and food and unsuccessful at work. Monastics who are indolent cannot transcend the suffering of cyclic existence.
Spiritual practitioners are not the only people who are impeded by the indolence in their minds. Laypeople can also be indolent. When they are indolent, they do not do things and are very lazy. They do not diligently manage household matters and do not fulfill their familial duties, so their families do not prosper. So, if a layperson is indolent, they will lose their family fortune and cannot get their businesses to prosper. These are laypeople who are lax.
Among monastic practitioners, there are also those who are lax. They engage in spiritual practice because they want to escape from a worldly life in which they must struggle, work hard and be responsible for family matters. So as an escape, they became monastics because they think that is more relaxing. Many people think being monastic is more relaxing. Some monastics may think, “I have practiced for several years, so now people must call me an elder. I can enjoy myself and let the young people work”. Others rely on their seniority and their experience to avoid doing things. We must realize that reciting the Water Repentance is not easy. Once there was a monastery where everybody shared chores and responsibilities.
There was an elderly spiritual practitioner, who despite his great age, was willing to work very hard. When there was no water on the mountain, they took turns carrying water back from elsewhere. So, this elderly spiritual practitioner said, “I also want to take a turn”. Thus, this elderly man willingly supported the aspiring spiritual practitioners in the monastery. Providing water created the strongest affinities with everyone, so he carried the water and did not want to give up this responsibility. One day he saw a group of spiritual practitioners, all of whom were younger than he was.
They were all washing their clothes and used the water without restraint. Meanwhile, the elderly practitioner went back and forth every day, up and down the mountain countless times.
This was tiring, yet he was very willing to do the work. But when he saw these people used the water so wastefully, he could not stand it. First, he could not stand the wasting of water. Second, he could not stand the lack of spiritual cultivation on their part. They did not cherish all things in this world they had not yet awakened and were constantly wasting their lives. Since they were inconsiderate of the hard work done by the water carriers then they likely did not work to awaken others and they continued to waste the water.
So, this elderly spiritual practitioner uttered just one sentence, “My fellow practitioners, you should know that the Water Repentance is difficult to recite.” He spoke this sentence gently, but his gentle words contained a warning for them.
Don’t spiritual practitioners come spiritual practitioners come to a monastery for self-awakening? “You work is so difficult, but do not worry. I will share the load with you. We will do the work together.” This is known as “giving of fearlessness.” There is also “giving of the Dharma.” “If you do not understand, I will teach you. You see, people who live in a monastery, those who aspire to practice, should work together like this. If monastics are lax, they cannot transcend the suffering of samsara.
We engage in spiritual practice to transcend birth and death. As said I before, there are fragmentary samsara and transformational samsara. Fragmentary samsara is a law of nature. Transformational samsara relates to the arising of thoughts in our minds. These are things we should pay attention to. We cannot constantly be lax.
In the past, there were spiritual practitioners like these, and this is still the case now. Lax people such as these tend to crave offerings of wealth. They want to live comfortably among others, eat when it is time to, rest when it is late and wake up and enjoy the fruits of others’ labor. This is called being lax.
Such people tend to crave offerings of wealth. Having insatiable cravings is known as “greed.” Strong thoughts of greed are “attachments.” Monastics who crave offerings of wealth only think about sustaining their bodies. They do not work diligently. They do not help pass on Buddha’s teachings. This is defiled conduct in the era of Dharma-degeneration.
Here, “offerings of wealth” means fame and wealth. Laypeople want to make offerings as a sign of respect for monastics. But if monastics are like this, truly they are very pitiful. We want to be a person who will truly such pitiable people. We want to be a role model for them and guide them. Becoming a monastic is the work of a great person. They must be people sentient beings can rely on, and they must be a model for sentient beings. How could they decline into beings lax and end up craving fame and wealth? This is very pitiful, isn’t it?
In summary, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must be very diligent .In our daily living, we must be very diligent we must be very diligent. Within our minds, we must always be vigilant. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
