Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Afflictions Give Rise To Turbidities (煩惱生濁受法淨心)
Date: May. 26. 2014
When I walked outside and looked up at the sky, I saw how beautiful it was. In the distant part o the sky, there were shades of pink and orange. When I looked straight up, the sky was clear and cloudless. I saw only the dazzling and bright stars and moon. The crescent moon was waning, and there was a distinct star some distance from it. The moon at dawn was very beautiful, and the star beside it was also very bright. Indeed, they brought out each other’s brilliance. Aside from the pink hues in the distance, the rest of the sky was free of blemishes, like the clear surface of a mirror. This clear, blue mirror is indeed beautiful. Seeing it can really bring a sense of having complete clarity in our minds, so we can realize how the Buddha felt when He saw the morning star, became enlightened and saw His true nature. He was likely in this kind of environment. The mundane world around us can also influence our minds. This world can lead us to give rise to a complex cacophony of voices. The world around us can bring about complicated views and understandings. Our external conditions can drive us to give rise to limitless afflictions. This is the world we ordinary people live in.
We are currently living in an unenlightened state. In this era, the obstructions of the Five Turbidities are very strong. They have been in this world for a very long time. During the Buddha’s lifetime over 2000 years ago, India at that time was indeed a complicated society. Not only did these complications involve nations invading one another, there were also religious complications.
I often say that during the Buddha’s era, there were 96 non-Buddhist religions. Why were there so many religions? During that era, people’s minds were burdened by afflictions. In that environment, human interactions gave rise to many manmade disasters. So, some people decided to engage in spiritual practice. After becoming a bit more aware, they looked for ways to spiritually cultivate. However, none of them were on the right course, so many religions were established.
At that time, the Buddha was born into the palace. From a young age, he learned about the religions of that era. He also saw that, at that time, people of different castes were not treated equally. So, this prince formed the desire to seek the right path. Thus, the Buddha manifested in this world at that time, as turbidities began to arise in that era. As we previously discussed, “All Buddhas appear in the evil world of the Five Turbidities.” Looking back, we should know that the turbidities have been in this world for a very long time.
The obstructions of the Five Turbidities are very strong at this time. People with shallow wisdom and inferior roots act against their conscience. They have utmost foolishness, utmost ignorance and do not abide by principles. From the turbidity of kalpa, one can also see the other four turbidities.
The turbidities grow stronger as the population grows in size. As times change, people’s thoughts are no longer simple and pure but instead become overcomplicated.
In the world around us,the obstructions of the Five Turbidities are indeed very strong.
This is true for our present era.So,“at this time,”in this era,what are the people like？
They have “shallow wisdom and inferior roots”.People are shortsighted;they see only immediate benefits and do not think about the future.
Looking around the world, we see large corporations everywhere.Because they all want to expand their business, they destroy the mountains, rives and land, and then begin polluting the air.These many [effects] are very complicated and arise from the “shallow wisdom” of people today.Shallow wisdom means that one is clever, but not wise.Thus it is shallow.
Such worldly cleverness and intelligence is directed toward competing with others.
People with inferior roots lack roots of goodness, so they are selfish and only look after themselves.They strive for their own benefits and do not think about the many people who live with unbearable suffering.
Recently, I have seen many victims of natural disasters as well as manmade calamities.Aside from them, there are many who are poor and starving.We see this all around the world.But there are others who keep fighting for power.They have “”shallow wisdom and inferior roots.Ignorance has covered their conscience.This is “utmost foolishness and utmost ignorance”.These foolish and ignorance people do not act in line with principles.
If we could all abide by the morals and intrinsic principles of [being good people,] wouldn’t that be great?However, people today are foolish and ignorant.Their desires and ignorance have covered their conscience, so they do not abide by principles in anything that they do.This is the era when the evil world of the Five Turbidities flourish.
In the “turbidity of kalpa,” we can also “see the other four turbidities”.Haven’t we talked about this before?
So, in “the evil world of the Five Turbidities, sentient beings are heavily defiled with stinginess, greed, envy and jealousy.Thus, they develop all roots of unwholesomeness.”
The Buddha was sad.As he spoke of “the era of chaos and turbidity of kalpa,he began by talking about the “turbidity of kalpa”.” The “turbidity of kalpa”is happening right now.
This world,all the people around us and all sentient beings are in the “turbidity of kalpa”.
This is a time of disorder.The natural order of the world is disrupted,and the four elements have become imbalanced.Morals have also become unclear,so people do not
fulfill their familial roles.This is something that is happening to families.
In this era of chaos and turbidity of kalpa,“sentient beings are heavily defiled.”Because
sentient beings are heavily defiled with “stinginess,greed,envy and jealousy” they cause confusion and disorder in this era.
So, disorder arises from confusion caused by affliction and [lake of] understanding,the
turbidity of views and turbidity of affliction.These two turbidities have shaped this era.
Affliction give rise to turbidities.Incorrect understandings give rise to turbidities. So,this
creates the turbidity of kalpa.Because of this,“they develop all roots of unwholesomeness.”As for “unwholesomeness roots ,” we should know this story from
the Buddha’s lifetime.In this era,there were monastics who very experienced,and those who were very inexperienced.Those with deep wisdom were the elders,and the young
ones were novices.
But one day,as the Buddha taught,surrounded by his disciples,there was an elder in the front. He sat with poor posture and his legs outstretched.He was not sitting properly.Meanwhile,an eight-year-old novice was also seated in the front,right the Buddha.He sat very properly as he mindfully listened to the Dharma. The Buddha
saw that this experienced elder was not sitting upright or paying attention.He could tell
that he was not mindfully listening to the Dharma.When he saw this,He felt very sad and taught according this situation.
He said, “In spiritual practice,those who started earlier are called elders.”Then He said,
“Actually,in our daily living,we need to be diligent and mindful. Living in this environment,as we receive many material goods,we must begin to analyze all things around us with loving and pure minds.”Everything around us is teaching us the Dharma.
Every place our eyes make contact with can teach us the Dharma. Everything help us
train our minds.Our spiritual aspiration is inseparable from loving-kindness,
compassion,joy and equanimity.Only by diligently developing these qualities,
upholding precepts and respecting our teachers can we truly become spiritual practioners with roots of goodness.
After the Buddha said this, He told everyone, “Behold this elder who is seated before me. Do you see him?” Everyone focused their gaze on this slouching person in front of the Buddha. He was not sitting properly at all. They said, “Yes, we see him”. Then the Buddha said, “Now, do you see this person? This novice in front of me is dignified and earnestly listens to teachings. Do you see him?”
Then everyone focused their gaze on this young novice. They said, “Yes, I see him”. They saw the novice’s diligence and the elder’s indolence. The Buddha continued, “Indeed, spiritual practice is about paying attention to your surroundings and heightening your vigilance to nourish your root of goodness by developing loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity, and being diligent and upholding precepts”. “Everyone should be vigilant of themselves”.
Thus, this section of the sutra states, “Sentient beings are heavily defiled with stinginess, greed, envy and jealously”. Indeed, in our daily living, these emotions often arise in our minds.
Sentient beings are heavily defiled: sentient beings with these countless afflictions make up the group of evil sentient beings. They cannot see or accept those who do good.
Let us look at “sentient beings are heavily defiled.” “Sentient beings with these countless afflictions” are “heavily defiled”. They do not simply have mild afflictions; they have very serious ones too. Thus they are “evil sentient beings”. These evil sentient beings “cannot see or accept those who do good”. When others are doing good deeds, not only do they not praise them, they do everything they can to slander them. These are evil sentient beings. They refuse to do good, and when they see people do good, not only do they not admire them, they find all kinds of way to undermine their efforts and slander them. These are sentient beings of great evil. They are heavily defiled and cannot resolve these serious afflictions, so not only do they refuse to do good themselves, they undermine people who do and slander them. Thus, they are exceedingly evil.
People with such serious obstructions are heavily defiled. There is also “stinginess, greed, envy, jealousy”. [With these afflictions] in our relationships, not do we not take joy in others’ merits, we also do not respect or help capable subordinates to succeed. They do not know how to promote the talented; instead, they are jealous of and slander them. They are envious of the successful and talented.
Stinginess, greed, envy and jealousy: These evil sentient beings are jealous and greedy. They are unwilling to help and benefit each other and only know to fight and harm each other.
When they see exceptional people who are more talented, they begin to develop afflictions out of jealously if they see others with many skills, they will try to suppress them so they cannot demonstrate their abilities. They suppress the talented as they are envious of the successful and talented. They are also greedy. Those who are jealous of others desire recognition and benefits for themselves. They fear losing their own prestige and wealth, so they envy the successful and talented. This is “stinginess, greed, envy and jealously.” When they obtain good Dharma, they refuse to share it with others. When they do good deeds, they do not encourage others to come along. They suppress the talented because they are [ultimately] afraid of loss. This comes from greed.They are greedy for recognition, for their own wealth and advantage, so they suppress the talented and are unwilling to benefit others.
As for good deeds, we often mention the four all-Embracing Virtues, which are charitable giving, beneficial conduct, loving speech and collaborative work. We should practice charitable giving and generously share good Dharma with others. We should engage in beneficial conduct because it is advantageous to our practice. We should mutually encourage one another by training ourselves to use loving speech. We all need encouragement. To encourage others, we must use “loving speech” and transform people through collaborative work. By working together on a task, we share with, benefit and support each other. This is transformation through collaborative work.
But the stingy, greedy, envious and jealous will not do this. “They only know how to fight and harm each other.” When others are better than them, they find ways to bring them down and suppress them because of suppress them because of “stinginess, greed, envy and jealousy.”
These Five Turbidities, such as turbidity of kalpa, turbidity of affliction and turbidity of view, are all causes.Indeed, as I have just said, the turbidity of kalpa comes from the turbidity of affliction. Along with the turbidity of views, these caused the turbidities in our present kalpa. In this era, the concept of morality is diminishing. As it fades, “the turbidity of sentient beings” is created.
People do not know to purify themselves. Not only can they not purify themselves, they actually defile themselves. Not only do they defile themselves, they also defile others. So, we frequently say that we must purify people’s minds. This is the reason for it. We must purify people’s minds. To purify others, we must purify ourselves. If the turbidity of sentient beings cannot to be controlled, it leads to the turbidity of life. The turbidities of sentient beings and life are effects.
Right now, we face more and more psychological pressures and afflictions from our environment, as well as manmade and natural disasters. These events are threatening our lives. This is the turbidity of life.
We live only as long as we can breathe. Now there are natural and manmade disasters, as well as more diseases. Rare diseases keep appearing. Human and animal germs are intermixing and are causing epidemics. This is all related to the way we live.
So, the turbidity of sentient beings and turbidity of life are the effects. The turbidity of affliction and turbidity of views leading to the turbidity of kalpa are the causes. The results are the turbidity of sentient beings and turbidity of life. These are the Five Turbidities. This evil world of the Five Turbidity is truly filled with unbearable suffering.
Among these Five Turbidities, the turbidity of kalpa, turbidity of affliction and turbidity of view are the causes. The turbidity of sentient beings and the
turbidity of life are the effects.
Everyone, we are all very fortunate to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. Although the Buddha lived over 2000 years ago, the Dharma has remained in the world. let us wholeheartedly accept the Buddha-Dharma, the same True Dharma He taught in His lifetime. If we become lax and indulgent, even if the right Dharma is before us, it will degenerate. It will disappear from us. Therefore, we must always be mndful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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