Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Make Offerings with Utmost Sincerity (戒定慧行至心供養)
Date: December.03. 2014
“The highest offering is sincerity. Listening to the Dharma with utmost reverence is the most supreme offering. Cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom is a true offering.”
What is considered an offering? What kind of offering should we make to show our utmost reverence? An offering of sincerity. A mind that is deeply sincere, free of discursive thoughts and fully committed to one goal is a mind of sincerity. Before we chant a sutra, we recite the Incense Chant. As we recite the opening words, delicate spirals of smoke rise from the censer. As we watch the incense floating up, our thoughts turn to those clouds, auspicious clouds. These auspicious clouds [gather] in our hearts. If we have utmost sincerity, in those clouds there are countless Buddhas who will enter our sea of enlightenment. This is because of our infinite sincerity. Because of our sincerity, those Buddhas will enter our hearts and we will manifest the Buddha in ourselves.
For our intrinsic Buddha-nature to manifest, we have to start by uniting our utmost reverence with our awakened nature. This is the highest offering to the Three Treasures of our nature. We realize the Three Treasures within us by faithfully accepting and practicing the Dharma, by making that kind of offering. This may sound very profound, but it is actually all a state of mind. In this state of mind, we reverently listen to Dharma. We listen with the most sincere reverence.
Haven’t we been discussing this recently? A very long time passes before a Buddha appears, so to encounter a Buddha is quite difficult. Haven’t we talked about this the past few days? Even if a Buddha comes to this world and wants to share His enlightened state of mind with everyone, it would still be difficult [for us to realize it]. Who among us can actually awaken to it? For our minds to realize this state, we still have a long way to go. If we cannot reverently accept the Great Vehicle Dharma, we might misunderstand or not believe it. We might even slander it. This was what the Buddha considered. In other words, He contemplated whether people would be able to listen to the Dharma with utmost reverence. Once people have that utmost reverence, a “straightforward mind is where spiritual cultivation takes place.”
If they could faithfully accept and practice the Dharma, it would be easy for the Buddha to expound it. However, sentient beings could not accept it with such a straightforward mindset. Even if they were able to do so, they could not put it into practice. This is why it was difficult for the Buddha to teach, because sentient beings lacked sincerity. This was why they did not have deep faith.
Since the Introductory Chapter, we have been talking about deep faith and the roots of goodness exactly like what we are discussing now. Another aspect of deep faith is reverence. Only with a straightforward mind for practice and deeply rooted reverence and faith can we be one with the Buddha’s state of mind. This is the most supreme offering. The greatest and most profound offering is to “listen to the Dharma with utmost reverence.”
We must put our hearts into listening, and then take it to heart. Usually, when we listen to the Dharma, we quickly forget it. We listen, but it does not remain in our minds. It is like water flowing through a pipe.After the water flows through, the pipe remains empty.This is because we are lacking in the cultivation of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
When the Buddha taught the Dharma, He gave us many methods to apply.He taught us.
What mindset we need in our daily lives to purify ourselves so we can accept the Dharma.Unless we make no mistakes at all, we need to uphold precepts to prevent our minds from giving raise to discursive thoughts.If our minds give rise to discursive thoughts, greed or afflictions will arise and our ignorance and habitual tendencies will appear again.
On the Da Ai program, Grassroots Bodhi, I saw a very amusing couple.Both husband and wife were in their 70s.The husband once lived an irresponsible life.He had neglected his family responsibilities and had even abused his wife.He did not take care of his family.
He lived in a state of confusion for decades.Then his friend said to him, “Let’s go together to learn about Tzu Chi and volunteer with them.”
The man said, “OK, I have heard you are very obsessed with Tzu Chi.”His friend said, “Obsessed or not, come learn more about it. Where should I begin?”His friend took him to do recycling work.He sat down and gave it a try.He saw that as others did recycling work, they praised each other.“This Dharma-brother is very diligent. That Dharma-sister is always very mindful.”Hearing them praise one another, they seemed to be like a big family.“Isn’t this fun? Yes, it is.”So, he kept coming back.
He began by sorting recyclables, then he found his way to the motors and electronics.
He said, “This is my specialty.”So, he put his focus there.He carefully took apart electric fans and disassembled computers.His work made him very happy.
The next step was attending activities with fellow volunteers.When he saw the suffering of other families and how the elderly and ill had no one to care for them, he thought to himself, “Haven’t I lived a fortunate life? Considering what I have done to my family…”
He began to repent.He took part in our musical sutra adaptation, so, he went to the sutra study groups and listened to people share.He thought, “I really must repent.”Thus, he began to change his habitual tendencies.
Gradually, at home, he truly became a model husband.However, his wife still clung [to the past].“It is only right that he treats me well now. You don’t know [what he did to me].”
We kept complaining about his past actions and reprimanded him very often.He simply smiled in response.Other people would say, “Hey, what has happened to your temper?”
He said, “What temper? I have used up all of my anger already, so now I’m willing to yield. Being scolded can be a good thing. I won’t allow what she’s saying to put me back in that old frame of mind. We need to follow Master’s teachings.”
So, he just practiced the Dharma.“Indeed, what I did in the past was wrong. When I think about it, I feel very ashamed, so now I want to repent. I see people who are suffering and I have the strength to help. Thought I am over 70 years old, I can still help them.”
The [Da Ai] reporter asked him, “Do you want anything in return? No, I don’t want anything. I just want my body to be nimble enough to do recycling work. Without me, there is one fewer pair of hands. The environment still needs me.”He was asked, “Do you want anything else? No, but I am needed to do recycling work.”See, this is wisdom.He was asked, “Do you want anything else? No, they need me to do recycling work.”He gave without asking for anything in return.He demonstrated precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.How deeply rooted was he in the precepts?
This elderly man in his 70s was able to change his old ways.Why should this be difficult?He simply followed my words.Just by following my words, he was able to change his habitual tendencies, repent and help others every single day.When I saw [the program], I felt that this was a true offering.Those who make true offerings have great reverence for the Dharma.
So, yesterday we discussed this passage,“[The Dharma is] like the udumbara flower, in which all take delight which heavenly beings and humans prize, yet which only blooms at eh right time.”
We should know that it is rare for a Buddha to manifest in this world just like the udumbara flower, which appears once every few thousand years.It is already rare for a Buddha to appear; moreover, They have to teach according to capabilities.It is particularly hard for people to have the capabilities to directly connect with the Dharma.
It is, therefore, so rare that “Heavenly beings and humans prize it”. When it comes to the lifespan of a heavenly being, one day in their realm equals 100 years in ours. Even from their perspective, it is very rare for an udumbara flower to appear, let alone for those of us in the human realm.
Although the udumbara flower only appears once in a very long time, it still exists in this world. Its underlying principles are still present. So, “it blooms only at the right time”. Only when there are great causes and conditions will this flower manifest. Whether the Buddha or the Dharma is in the world also depends on causes and conditions. Is the Buddha-Dharma so widespread that everyone can listen to it? Of the people who can listen to it, how many can faithfully accept and practice it? They are also very rare. The following sutra passage describes how very important the Dharma is for this world. Let us discuss it.
“Those who hear this Dharma and give joyful praise are, by uttering just a single word, making offerings to all Buudhas of the Three Periods. People like this are extremely rare, more rare than the udumbara flower.”
The Buddha now used the udumbara flower as a metaphor for how very difficult it is for humans to encounter and accept the Buddha-Dharma. “Those who hear this Dharma give joyful praise”. This is showing how we can reverently and faithfully vow to practice [the Dharma]. When we listen to the Dharma, we must do so with utmost reverence. We must have this faith. Not only must we be reverent and sincere, we must develop deep faith. After we have faith, we must then vow to practice the teachings. If we can attain this Dharma take it to heart and practice it, “those who hear this Dharma give joyful praise”. Only by taking the Dharma to heart we will be happy. If we do not take it to heart we will not be happy.
“Those who hear this Dharma and give joyful praise are, by uttering just a single word: This refers to people who can reverently and faithfully vow to practice it. Upon hearing the Dharma, they give joyful praise, take the Dharma to heart and apply it, then guide the Dharma into the hearts of others so they may also apply it. Upon hearing the Dharma, they attain Dharma-joy, and, by uttering just a single word, praise it with utmost sincerity.”
Take that recycling Bodhisattva, for example. He has already taken the Dharma to heart. So, no matter what attitude he sees at home, what his family says about him, he does not mind, because the Dharma is in his heart. So, he is always very happy. Thus, we must take the Dharma to heart, listen joyfully to the teachings and also praise them. Not only should we take the Dharma to heart, we should also apply it. When we take it to heart, we must first digest it.
When volunteer guides at the Abode come back to meet with me, I ask them, “Are you here to guide tours?” They say, “Yes, it’s our turn to be tour guides”. I tell them, “You must first guide yourselves, to be able to guide others”. By the same principle, we need to take the Dharma to heart first before we can “guide the Dharma into the hearts of others so they may apply it”.
According to the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, “One gives rise to infinity and infinity arises from one”. Each of us takes the Dharma to heart, then considering people’s different causes, different conditions and capabilities, we can teach the Buddha-Dharma accordingly, we can teach the Buddha-Dharma accordingly. This is how we share the Dharma with them. How do we help sentient beings?
If they are in need of material things, we must quickly meet that need. We must find ways to alleviate their suffering. We must find ways to alleviate their suffering. After we alleviate their suffering, they will be receptive to what we say. When they understand [the Dharma] we share, they can apply it. This happens after we ourselves have digested it. We walk the Bodhisattva-path to help people; this is how we apply it.
When we guide and transform others, they apply it. So, listening to the Dharma, we attain Dharma-joy. After having listened to the Dharma, we attain the happiness of the Dharma. “By uttering just a single word, they praise it with utmost sincerity”. People who listen to the Dharma are joyful and will praise it.
“When people joyously listen to the Dharma and take it to heart, they will not forget to apply it when dealing with people and matters. When principles and matters are in harmony, mind, Dharma and principles are connected. When all matters are in harmony, they can be clearly perceived without obstruction. Thus people will praise the Dharma.”
After joyful taking the Dharma to heart, we must not forget it. Hearing the Dharma today we may say “I will remember, I heard the teachings today very clearly”. If we hear it clearly, we must remember it clearly. “For Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings”. I will always firmly remember these words. For many people, “Just do it” are the words, they firmly remember. If we can always remember these words, we can apply them to people and matters. There are principles underlying people and matters. We must clearly distinguish right from wrong and resolve interpersonal conflicts in a way that is in harmony with [true] principles. In addition to this, the mind, the Dharma and the principles are also connected. Our minds should also resonate with and be in harmony with these teachings and principles. “When all matters are in harmony, they can be understood without obstruction”. Then will there be anything in this world, we cannot clearly understand?
People, matters, objects and principles have always been connected. They have never obstructed each other. This is where joy comes from. Because we take the Dharma to heart, we will always be happy and always give praise. Because people, matters, the Dharma and principles are connected, then “when all matters are in harmony, they can be understood”. If all matters are in harmony, won’t they be understood without obstacles? “Infinite Dharma-doors will readily appear before us and we will attain great wisdom”. Isn’t this what happens when we have taken the Dharma to heart? So, we must always be mindful.
“They make offerings to all Buddhas of the Three Periods”. If we can take the Dharma to heart and put it into practice in this world, we have applied it ourselves and enabled others to apply it as well. This an offering we make. By reverently accepting the Dharma, we can apply it and so can others.This an offering we make.
They make offerings to all Buddhas of the Three Periods: In body, speech and mind they reverently and respectfully praise [Them]. With utmost sincerity of the Threefold Karma, they make offerings to all Buddhas of the Three Periods.
To “make offerings to all Buddhas of the Three Periods, of the past, present and future, our body, speech and mind must be unified to reverently and respectfully praise [Them].” So, “with utmost sincerity of the Threefold Karma, the Threefold Karma, they make offerings to all Buddhas of the Three Periods.”
The Threefold karma is body, speech and mind. Our speech should be inseparable from the Dharma Our bodies engage in action by following the Dharma. The Dharma has been reverently [accepted] into our minds. Speaking and doing things reverently all begins with the mind. This is how we can make offerings to all Buddhas of the Three Periods. These are offerings of utmost reverence.
“People like this are extremely rare, more rare than the udumbara flower.”
People like this are truly rare. “Such people, when they encounter the Buddha and listen to the Dharma, can immediately become happy and give praise.”
People like this reverently make offerings Their Threefold Karma, body, speech and mind, are inseparable from the Dharma in this world. “Such people” are very rare. These people can encounter the Buddha, listen to the Dharma and always be happy because they make offerings with utmost sincerity. Such people are truly very rare
Indeed, people like this are extraordinary. We may often tell others, “You are very reverent.” But true reverence is shown in our daily living. When we listen to and accept the Dharma, we apply it ourselves and help others to do so. We change our past habitual tendencies. Cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom is an offering of mind and body. This is an offering of utmost reverence.
Dear Bodhisattvas, learning the Buddha’s Way is learning to make offerings with body and mind and to joyfully listen to the Dharma.“Uttering just a single word” means that, with utmost reverence, a single sentence of the Buddha-Dharma can be applied to countless situations. The Dharma is infinite. The kind of offering is the best offering. Those who make such offerings have the greatest spiritual wealth. So, everyone, be mindful in learning the Buddha’s Way. Making offerings with utmost reverence is part of “the diligent path of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage” and “the road of the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism.”
After listening to the Dharma, we must faithfully accept and diligently practice so we can truly become one with the Buddha and the Dharma. Thus, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must seize the present and take all Dharma to heart. This is the only way to attain realizations. We must take the Dharma to heart, so we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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