Episode 94 – Practice the Six Perfections in All Actions
>> We should always remain pure in our hearts as we practice giving to others. Applying purifying virtues and precepts will prevent and cure mental aberrations. [Thus, we can] endure all difficulties and all worldly pleasures.
>> Therefore, be focused, pure and undefiled to advance in the practice of myriad actions. Be meditative and uphold your vows to have. Right Thought, Mindfulness and Practice. With the Power of Samadhi, make great vows to practice giving to and benefitting others.
>> “I also see Bodhisattvas who renounce all frivolity and deluded kin to draw near to those with wisdom. [They] single-mindedly cast out confusion and collect their thoughts in the forests for tens of thousands of millions of years to seek the Buddha-way.”
>> “Or I see Bodhisattvas who, with delectable food and drink, and with hundreds of different medicinal broths, make offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha.”
>> “Fine robes and superior garments, valued in the millions, and even invaluable robes, are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha [along with] a million different kinds of precious dwellings of sandalwood.”
>> “Many wonderful beddings and furnishings are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha. Clean and pure gardens and groves with abundant flowers and fruits, and flowing springs and bathing ponds, are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha. Offerings such as these, of many varieties, and extremely fine, are given joyously and tirelessly as they seek the unsurpassed way.”
As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, [we must practice mindfulness].
We should always remain pure in our hearts as we practice giving to others. Applying purifying virtues and precepts will prevent and cure mental aberrations. [Thus, we can] endure all difficulties and all worldly pleasures.
Learning the Buddha’s teachings truly means taking good care of our hearts. Even the slightest defilement or craving must not be allowed to contaminate our hearts. Therefore, when we practice giving, we should do so without attachments. These are the necessary conditions for. Bodhisattva-practitioners.
To be among people in this world, to continually benefit others and to give with a sense of undefiled Great Love, we must be courageous. If we give without being diligent, or if we have diligence but not courage, then it is difficult to be free of attachments and have a pure heart. “We should always remain pure in our hearts” so our hearts will reach a state in which virtue can manifest. Virtue is what we attain by doing and the essence of what we have accumulated. That is called virtue. Otherwise, [we find that] “Forming an aspiration is easy,” [while] “persevering in it is hard.” Giving is easy, but to do so unconditionally is difficult.
In the Sutra of 100 Parables, there is a story that illustrates this. Once, there was a person who was pulling a large cart. As he was climbing a hill, he could not pull [the cart] up. The cart was heavy and the road was steep, so he could not haul it up. Just then, two people happened to be passing by, so the person pulling the cart said to them, “Please, com help me push this up. Please, come help me push this up.” One of them replied, “If I help you, what will you give me?” The person pulling the cart then answered, “Nothing;” he had nothing to give. But these two people still hurried to help him push the cart up to level ground. One of the two people then said to the person pulling the cart, “Come, didn’t you say you will give me something?” He said, “Indeed, here is nothing.” That person then said, “No-thing is still something. Nothing must be something.” The person pulling the cart then said, “I already told you, [I have] nothing.”
One of the two people gave the other a relaxed smile. He said to his companion who kept asking, “I am telling you, he does not have anything to give us. Why must you stubbornly demand it from him?” But this person was very stubborn. “He speaks of ‘no thing,’ but no-thing is still some-thing. How can I not demand it from him?” But the other one who also pushed the cart explained to him, “’No-thing’ is a false name, it is illusory ‘No’ and ‘thing’ together form a false name. Why take issue over an illusion?”
Even though this passage in the sutra is very simple, it contains true principles. In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha also says, “The mind should act without forming any attachments.” Doesn’t this describe us ordinary people? According to these principles, our hearts should be free of attachments, but we insist on giving rise to such thoughts. Don’t we always talk about how thoughts arise, abide, change and cease? In the minds of ordinary beings, a thought of diligence may arise. So, we begin to work hard and are diligent, yet not long after, [this thought] changes. “The aspiration that I formed in the past may need to be reconsidered.” This is the change. Then, after more time passes, the thought ceases. This thought, this aspiration, abides for only a short period of time. After abiding, it changes, and after changing, it ceases.
So, for us ordinary beings, “Forming an aspiration is easy,” but “persevering in it is hard.” We give, but we always want something in return. This kind of craving and desire easily unsettles our will to practice. So, impure things can easily defile a pure heart. But eliminating ignorance and bringing purity to our defiled hearts is not easy. So, when we learn the Buddha’s teachings, this is where the difficulty lies.
We should know that everything in this world is an illusion; since they are illusory, why do we take issue over them? Practitioners with no attachments will not take issue over anything. We engage in spiritual practice to become peaceful and at ease. This is how we can be liberated from life and death. When can we be liberated from cyclic existence? Right at this moment. When our hearts are constantly free of attachments, that sense of peace and freedom is called liberation. Being liberated begins with having purifying precepts and virtues.
Precepts and virtues prevent and cure mental aberrations. Only precepts can guard against wrongs and stop evil. Then with each thought that arises, we will not be defiled by desire or ignorance. We have aspired to engage in spiritual practice, whether as monastic or lay practitioners. As monastics, we must remain pure for our whole lives. Our bodies and minds must not be defiled. Lay practitioners have to uphold the ten precepts and practice the ten good deeds. If we do this, we can avoid crossing the boundaries of propriety. Thus, precepts and virtues are naturally purifying.
A pure heart is [achieved through] monastic practice of the mind and body. Take our lay monastic practitioners for example. Though they have the appearance of laypeople, they have the heart of a monastic. Their mindset is the most important thing. Thus, their hearts can also attain a state free of hindrances and obstacles. Without any other attachments or burdens, their minds can be free of all disturbances. Thus, precepts can protect us. So, we can “be patient through all difficulties and all worldly pleasures.” Courage is required to endure and persevere, even when things are difficult.
Previously, in discussing the Water Repentance, didn’t I speak of “Tathatagas in bonds”? Ordinary people intrinsically have Buddha-nature. But passions, cravings and desires bind them. Eliminating those bonds is not easy. So, we must endure these tests of passions and cravings; we must continue even when things are difficult. Therefore, “we can endure all difficulties and worldly pleasures.” All the enjoyment in this world, this kind of lavishness and extravagance, is as fleeting and ephemeral as smoke. After enjoyment passes, sorrow follows. So, when spiritual practitioners are faced with worldly pleasures, they are not influenced by them at all. With precepts and virtues, our hearts are very disciplined, and we are not moved by those things.
Therefore, be focused, pure and undefiled to advance in the practice of myriad actions. Be meditative and uphold your vows to have. Right Thought, Mindfulness and Practice. With the Power of Samadhi, make great vows to practice giving to and benefitting others.
“Be focused, pure and undefiled.” To be focused means to be free of distractions. To advance is to move forward without hindrance. So, we advance in the practice of all actions. We often say, “Actualize the Six Perfections in all actions.” To actualize the Six Perfections, we must practice myriad actions. Whatever we do, we must be able to give without hindrance, which is to actualize the Six Perfections in all actions.
“Be meditative and uphold your vows to have. Right Thought, Mindfulness and Practice.” We must practice meditation, but not just sitting meditation. We practice to always be in a state of Samadhi. In our daily living, we must work on upholding our vows to have Right Thoughts, Mindfulness and Practice. We must constantly have Right Thoughts. Whether we have Right Thoughts, Right Mindfulness or Right Practice, they all fall under meditative thinking and the Eightfold Noble Path.
“With the Power of Samadhi, [we] make great vows to practice giving and benefitting others.” These are the true principles contained in the Lotus Sutra. All the Buddha wanted is for us to give without asking for anything in return. Our hearts must manifest precepts and virtues. So, aside from giving, upholding precepts and being patient, we also need to be diligent. This way we can attain Samadhi and wisdom. Then we can freely and easily actualize the Six Perfections in all actions. This is what we have to practice.
So, the Lotus Sutra states,
“I also see Bodhisattvas who renounce all frivolity and deluded kin to draw near to those with wisdom. [They] single-mindedly cast out confusion and collect their thoughts in the forests for tens of thousands of millions of years to seek the Buddha-way.”
Frivolity refers to things that make our hearts scattered and confused. When we encounter temporary worldly pleasures and stay to enjoy them, then we are certainly scattering and confusing our minds. This is called lack of restraint.
Our mindset must “renounce all frivolity and deluded kin.” Some people will use love to bind us; these are called “deluded kin.” So, deluded kin cause us to become afflicted. Ordinary people in this world do not seek to be free of the five desires. If we willingly immerse ourselves in the five desires, then we cannot be liberated. Therefore, we should leave behind these five kinds of worldly desires. So, a Bodhisattva’s mind must uphold precepts. To avoid becoming scattered and confused, we must collect our thoughts. We have to work on focusing our mind and not allow ourselves to become unrestrained. This is how we practice Samadhi.
Next, it states,
“Or I see Bodhisattvas who, with delectable food and drink, and with hundreds of different medicinal broths, make offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha.”
We have to always give by reverently making offerings. The Four Offerings include clothing, food, bedding, etc. [Creating] clean and pure surroundings is another way to give.
Consider our volunteer Bodhisattvas. In the hospital, when we help patients bathe we say, “We are bathing the Buddha.” Even when we clean the homes of those suffering from poverty and hardship, when we bathe them and cut their hair, we see them with our intrinsic Buddha-nature and therefore, everyone is a Buddha.
When we practice in a monastery and embrace this spirit, we are making offerings to Buddhas of clothing, food, bedding and conduct. So, we must not think, “The Buddha is no longer here; how do I make offerings to Him and the Sangha? He is in everyone’s intrinsic nature.” Every person is a spiritual practitioner and worthy of our reverence. We can use everything around us to make offerings. This is all possible.
“Fine robes and superior garments, valued in the millions, and even invaluable robes, are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha [along with] a million different kinds of precious dwellings of sandalwood.”
These examples encourage everyone to mindfully give away all kinds of subtle and wondrous things. We do so happily, unconditionally and without desires. By giving in this way every day, we are also happy; this is the unsurpassed Way. We must not think, “These actions are ordinary, is it really the unsurpassed way?” Yes, it is; by giving willingly, [we have] no attachments or hindrances. Thus, we can benefit everyone, and everyone is happy. Isn’t this the case? So, when we happily, tirelessly and continuously give, we are giving out of our spiritual joy.
“Many wonderful beddings and furnishings are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha. Clean and pure gardens and groves with abundant flowers and fruits, and flowing springs and bathing ponds, are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha. Offerings such as these, of many varieties, and extremely fine, are given joyously and tirelessly as they seek the unsurpassed way.”
Our lives cannot be separated from the four necessities. The four necessities include clothing. As monastics, naturally we have to look the part. The clothing that we regularly wear allows others to know, as soon as they see us, that we are dignified and transcendent monastics. We need to care for ourselves, and our appearance also needs to be very proper. See how orderly everyone looks with their Buddhist robes worn neatly. This is about our clothing.
Though we are engaging in spiritual practice, we still need a place to work and rest. In the Buddha’s lifetime, when the Sangha was first established, they simply slept under trees. [But to them, it was] wonderful bedding. If their hearts are clean and pure, sleeping on the ground is like being in heaven. If spiritual practitioners’ hearts are content, anything is wonderful bedding to them. If we feel very content; even if we sleep on the ground, it feels like heaven. If we are not content, even the most expensive [bedding] will not satisfy us.
Regarding the environment in which we live, we must be very content. As for our bedding and the place where we sleep, we have to look at them and say, “We are very blessed. This bedding is wonderful.” Consider those who are impoverished or ill. What are their surroundings like? When we are close to the place where we rest, we have to be very satisfied about our wonderful bedding. We need to apply this state of mind toward the four necessities.
Among ourselves, we need to be grateful to each other for this environment. This is our offering to one another. We need to be grateful that so many people make offerings and contribute to the abode. If we have this mindset, flowers and fruits will flourish in our surroundings, and every place will be very orderly and clean. Truly, in our daily living, we must always feel a sense of gratitude, a sense of great contentment and no expectations.
All our spiritual states fall within the Ten Dharma-Realms. Which state do we choose? Is it the state of Buddhahood, of Bodhisattvas, of solitary realizers or of Arhats? Everyone, [we must all consider] our mindsets. Even if all phenomena are always of one nature, what mindset do we use to face each of them? So, we must always be very mindful.