Author: Scott Ogata

Episode 630 – Awaken to the Truth and Understand the Principles

>> “All phenomena are like dreams, like dew, bubbles, or shadows. The mind is intrinsically tranquil, it has always had the nature of emptiness. With the deluded view of existence, one sees flourishing and decay. The arising of passion causes bonds of suffering. In this dream, one acts and faces consequences. What is the harm or benefit? Awaken to the truth and understand the principles of the cycle of phenomena.”

>> “Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there. They would make loud and awful noises while crying out for food. Then there were many ghosts with throats like needles.”

>> “Then there were many ghosts with heads like oxen. They might eat human flesh, or they might eat dogs as well. Their hair was matted and unkempt and they were destructive and treacherous. Driven by hunger and thirst, they screamed and ran wildly.”

>> “The ghostly guards of hell have heads shaped like oxen or heads shaped like horses.” As the Surangama Sutra states, “Spirits of the deceased see an iron-walled city, fiery snakes and fiery dogs, tigers, wolves and lions.”

>> The ox-head jailers are known as the wardens of the king of hell. With human hands and an ox’s hooves and head, they have the strength to move mountains. They are an analogy for the afflictions of extreme views, which begin with inflated view of self. An ox head has two horns, so this is an analogy for the Two Extreme Views.

>> They might eat human flesh, or they might eat dogs as well: They do not know positive causes and effects, nor can they distinguish negative causes and effects, so they cling blindly to nihilism or eternalism. This is like eating human flesh, and is an analogy for damaging the paths of goodness to the heaven and human realms. Eating dogs is likened to practicing evil deeds.

>> When practitioners are practicing Samadhi and unwholesome thoughts suddenly arise, they discriminate between the self and phenomena. They wonder if the self ceased in the past, which allows the self of the present to exist. With this train of thought, they speculate through the Three Periods of Time.

“All phenomena are like dreams,
like dew, bubbles, or shadows.
The mind is intrinsically tranquil,
it has always had the nature of emptiness.
With the deluded view of existence,
one sees flourishing and decay.
The arising of passion causes bonds of suffering.
In this dream, one acts and faces consequences.
What is the harm or benefit?
Awaken to the truth and understand
the principles of the cycle of phenomena.”

Life is truly filled with unbearable suffering, because in this illusory world, we are not mindful of how everything is illusory, so we end up following illusory phenomena through this cycle. So, “All phenomena are like dreams, like dew, bubbles or shadows.” Phenomena are like dreams that we have, like dew, bubbles or shadows. In fact, they are all empty! The dream we had last night no longer exists when we wake up in the morning.

Not only is life like a dream, it is also like dew. Look at the leaves and the grass. See how they have dew on them. Where did the dew come from? the moisture of the earth comes together and condenses into water. There is water on the grass but it did not come from rain or people watering it, so it is called “dew.” In fact, it is water. There is water on the grass but it will likewise drip off and then disappear.

Bubbles are also made up of water. If we strike or stir up the water, “bubbles” form. There may also be foam, which is also water. Bubbles are also made up of water. In fact, many things are in essence “water,” but every appearance has a different name. Water is a real thing. If we humans do not have water, we cannot live. Nothing in this world, including trees and grass, can grow without water. So, water is a true phenomenon, and it can be found everywhere. Everything our eyes can see contains water.

Does iron or steel contain water? Without water, they cannot become iron or steel. Steel is mined from the mountains. Does the soil contain water? Of course, the soil contains water. Everything on the planet, mountains, rivers, etc., comes from the union of the four elements. After being shaped by natural processes, fire is fire, water is water, earth is earth and air is air. Yet, they all contain traces of each other. The various elements have always been there. From various objects, certain things can be separated and extracted. So, [this potential] was there from the beginning. Then we humans use various methods to draw out and combine specific elements to turn them into something with a different name. So, all phenomena have an essence that is true. This is just like how we humans all intrinsically have the nature of True Suchness. Yet, that intrinsic nature that was once pure has been covered over by various defilements, so we have formed different habitual tendencies.

We form these different habitual tendencies because, having been enticed by worldly things, we become [covered by] so much ignorance, so many desires and afflictions. This is a natural cycle, but because of our attachments, we must take this natural cycle, the True Dharma, and apply it to our illusory and dream-like lives. Thus, “All phenomena are like dreams, like dew, bubbles or shadows.” Ultimately, when we analyze everything, we see that in fact everything is a [temporary] convergence, once the parts disperse, nothing is left.

This is like our minds. “The mind is intrinsically tranquil.” Everyone’s mind has always had the nature of True Suchness and “has always had the nature of emptiness.” This is not the first time that I am telling you that everything around us is empty in nature and that our nature of True Suchness was originally tranquil and still. In that tranquility and stillness, there is absolutely nothing. But because we are deluded, we have “the deluded view of existence.” Because of this delusion, we think that these things are truly ours. Thus, we become attached to them. So, “[We] see flourishing and decay.”

Look at the cycle of the four seasons. In autumn, the leaves begin to change color. When we enter wintertime, all the leaves are gone. Then spring arrives, and plants begin to bud again. This is something we humans can observe in this world, in this life. In fact, this [cycle] is a law of nature but we get attached to certain things. Modern people have made many technological advancements. In the past, when we grew vegetables, the season we were in determined the kind of vegetables we planted. Now we grow them with artificial methods, so we can eat the same vegetables all year around. By demonstrating our cleverness, we are disrupting the cycle of the seasons. So, we are deluded, not clever. Clever people are in a state of delusion. So, “With the deluded view of existence,” we bring things into “existence” and thus we “see flourishing and decay.” So, life in this world has become more and more removed from the natural world.

“The arising of passion causes bonds of suffering.” The passions of ordinary people are delusions. Our passions arise from a deluded state, and we do many deluded things in that state. Thus we become entangled in much suffering. This is like dreaming. “In this dream, one acts and faces consequences. What is the benefit or harm?” When we are dreaming, even if we dream that we have achieved much, upon awakening, it is all empty! So, “What is the benefit or harm?” The same thing applies to this life.

Therefore, we must awaken. “Awaken to the truth and understand the principles of the cycles of phenomena.” We must awaken quickly. After awakening to the true principles, naturally the laws of nature of this world will be very clear to us. We cannot let the “Five Skandhas,” form, feeling, perception, action, consciousness, influence our lives without us being aware of them. If we let the days pass without doing anything, then every day our lives are being shortened, while our karma continually increases. We must be vigilant to quickly eliminate our delusions and ignorance and quickly guard against doing the wrong things.

These past few days we have been talking about how all things in the world, birds and beasts and everything else, can all be [related] back to our minds. In our minds, they are afflictions and ignorance. This how the minds of sentient beings are. So, the minds of sentient beings are like intangible evil ghosts.

“Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there. They would make loud and awful noises while crying out for food. Then there were many ghosts with throats like needles.”

We have talked about this before. Some people lack a sense of shame. As humans we must behave like proper humans. We must wear clothes, show courtesy to one another and be neat. That is what we consider human, someone with a sense of shame [and propriety]. As spiritual practitioners, we must follow the rules of spiritual practice so that we will not deviate from the path. Yet, we ordinary people are confused, so we increasingly lose our sense of shame. This happens because in our lives, we have developed these habitual tendencies over time and also carry them through the past, present and future. Thus, it is said, “They have long abided there.”

“They would make loud and awful noises.” Though what we say is incorrect, we keep talking, thinking that the way we practice is correct. So, we keep teaching others and keep talking about how wonderful the Dharma is. We keep sharing loudly with others, but we have not taken the Dharma to heart. So, we are like ghosts “with throats like needles.” They can only make loud noises; they cannot take the Dharma to heart. They are just like hungry ghosts. Their stomachs are big, yet their throats are as thin as needles. They cannot take in the Dharma, but they still continue to yell. This image is a metaphor. We must humbly seek teachings and open up our hearts to be more encompassing so we can earnestly take good teachings to heart.

The next passage states,

“Then there were many ghosts with heads like oxen. They might eat human flesh, or they might eat dogs as well. Their hair was matted and unkempt and they were destructive and treacherous. Driven by hunger and thirst, they screamed and ran wildly.”

This passage describes many ghosts “with heads like oxen.” This is also a kind of metaphor. Is there really a hell? When it comes to hell, some people say, “I can’t see it.” If you cannot see it, that does not matter; we can describe it for you.

“The ghostly guards of hell have heads shaped like oxen or heads shaped like horses.” As the Surangama Sutra states, “Spirits of the deceased see an iron-walled city, fiery snakes and fiery dogs, tigers, wolves and lions.”

This is saying that when we die, our spirit can see the great ring of iron mountains. The Earth Treasury Sutra contains this description. These layers of iron had to be forged one by one, so this is called the great ring of iron mountains. Inside the great ring of iron mountains, there were snakes that seemed to be made of fire. Their entire body was covered in fire, and they also spit out fire. The dogs were the same. There were even tigers, wolves, lions and more. All the fierce animals manifested in hell, completely covered in flames.

Moreover, some of the guards in hell had the forms of ghosts. Some had heads shaped like oxen or horses. The ox-head jailers are also known as “the wardens of the king of hell.” Ox-head wardens serve the king of hell. In the sutras that we recite, they mention ox-head wardens of the king of hell. These jailers are “wardens of the king of hell.” They have the head of oxen, the hands of humans and the hooves of oxen. They are very powerful and are analogies for “afflictions of extreme views.”

The ox-head jailers are known as the wardens of the king of hell. With human hands and an ox’s hooves and head, they have the strength to move mountains. They are an analogy for the afflictions of extreme views, which begin with inflated view of self. An ox head has two horns, so this is an analogy for the Two Extreme Views.

These “afflictions of extreme views” can be found in most people. The Buddha-Dharma is the Middle Way. We must walk toward the Middle Way. If we follow the truth, we will not go wrong. Yet, some end up going astray. So, this is an analogy for “afflictions of extreme views,” which are improper views. With improper views, we will stray from the path.

That is “an inflated view of self”; this all begins with a “view of self,” So, the ox-head warden is very tall and large. He has a very large body and great strength, and two horns like an ox. This ox-head warden has horns. These two horns are an analogy for the two extreme views; people end up staying either to the left or right. This will cause many problems.

Next, “They might eat human flesh or they might eat dogs as well.” They may eat human flesh or other kinds of flesh. Basically, they eat all kinds of animals. “They do not know positive causes and effects.” They do not recognize positive and negative causes and effects. They do not know that creating positive causes will yield positive effects. They just do not understand this concept. Furthermore, they cannot distinguish them from negative causes and effects. They do not understand that by committing evils, they will face negative karmic retributions. They do not even want to try to understand this. They do not recognize the law of karma and and cannot distinguish between good and evil; they just keep creating karma. They blindly cling to the “view of nihilism” or the “view of eternalism.”

They just do what makes them happy in the moment. “I want to do it, and I am powerful enough. I am able to take possession of everything.” This is as if they are eating others’ flesh. It is an analogy for “damaging the paths of goodness to the heaven and human realms.” With negative thinking, negative views and negative thoughts, we will deny the law of karma, which damages the paths of goodness. As for “eating dogs,” that is an analogy for “practicing evil deeds.”

They might eat human flesh, or they might eat dogs as well: They do not know positive causes and effects, nor can they distinguish negative causes and effects, so they cling blindly to nihilism or eternalism. This is like eating human flesh, and is an analogy for damaging the paths of goodness to the heaven and human realms. Eating dogs is likened to practicing evil deeds.

Some people do not advance in their practice of good and moral principles. When we depart from moral principles, everything we do will be wrong.

This is also saying that “when a practitioner is practicing Samadhi,” in our mind, “unwholesome thoughts [may] suddenly arise.” We are spiritual practitioners. Obviously when we engage in spiritual practice, we must cultivate the paths of goodness. But as we engage in spiritual practice, we might have strayed from the Dharma. So, our actions have gone astray as well. When unwholesome thoughts suddenly arise, we may go astray and thus “discriminate between the self and phenomena.”

When practitioners are practicing Samadhi and unwholesome thoughts suddenly arise, they discriminate between the self and phenomena. They wonder if the self ceased in the past, which allows the self of the present to exist. With this train of thought, they speculate through the Three Periods of Time.

Actually, there is a relationship between “self” and “phenomena.” With a “greater self,” we are one with all phenomena. Yet, some people “discriminate between the self and phenomena.” They have separated them.

“They wonder if the self ceased in the past, which allows the self of the present to exist.” Some people do not admit they have a past “self,” thus they are denying the law of karma. “With this train of thought,” this line of thinking, they just debate eternalism and nihilism. They are just constantly debating whether there was a self in the past or no self in the past. Either it did not exist in the past but exists now or perhaps this self existed in the past and also exists in the present. We may be our self of the past, or we may be the self of the present. Because everything is unclear, they “speculate through the Three Periods of Time.”

People with this deviant thinking and view are only focused on the Three Periods, the past, present and future. They become stuck in this thinking. Many people ask, “What was I in my past?” There are places people go to ask, “What did I do in the past? What will happen to me in the future? I want to ask this person about my causes and effects in the Three Periods of Time.” Is this the right thing to do? We do not need to know what happened in the past. However, we must believe that since Beginningless Time, we have been influenced by our habitual tendencies. We planted the karmic causes which created our current conditions, so we must seize this present moment.

We must make an effort to be mindful in our daily living. All phenomena are dreams. Actually, all phenomena are one with the true principles in all of us. We must not depart from truth to live in a dream or get caught up in the outside world.

Our minds were originally empty and tranquil. But for as long as we have been in this world, we always want to take and possess. In the end, isn’t this all empty? So, “With the deluded view of existence, one sees flourishing and decay.” You will see that this is very lush, and that is very dried up. Flourishing and wilting is part of the cycle of the four seasons. Yet, now people are turning the world upside down. Because we have the unenlightened minds of ordinary people, with our unenlightened cleverness, we cause much suffering for this world. “In this dream, one acts and faces consequences. What is the harm or benefit?” We should “awaken to the truth and understand the principles of the cycle of phenomena.” Only in this way will we clearly understand. Everyone must mindfully realize this. We must not deviate in the slightest, otherwise we will go very far off course. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 629 – Transform Oneself and Others with Right Dharma

>> “In India, there were 20 religious doctrines that taught how to be free from all bondage. Those that held nakedness as a correct practice would worship while naked, even in winter. This custom from the heretical doctrine of nakedness, a deviated path of ascetic practices, keeps one stuck in the Three Realms. When Right Dharma abides in the mind, one goes among people to save others.”

>> “Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there. They would make loud and awful noises while crying out for food. Then there were many ghosts with throats like needles.”

>> Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there. This refers to one of the 20 religious doctrines. To demonstrate that they have freed themselves from all bondage, they hold to nakedness as right practice. Their nakedness indicates that they have no shame. Their blackness and gauntness show that they are not nourished by the Dharma. They have no merits nourishing or aiding them, so they are gaunt.

>> They do not practice the virtuous Dharma, which shows they have no shame. This is the meaning of naked. With negative actions, they deludedly inflate their egos. Those who cling to the view of self cannot escape from the Three Realms. Thus it is said they have long abided there.

>> They make loud and awful noises. Awful noises will definitely echo back to them. Beset by the suffering of both hunger and cold, they cry out seeking nourishment. This represents how the view of self and greed correspond with one another. With minds that cling to a sense of self, they pronounce and proclaim the existence of “I.” Thus it says that they make loud and awful noises. They hope that by making these sounds, they can achieve the fruit of the path. Thus it says they cry out for food.

“In India, there were 20 religious doctrines
that taught how to be free from all bondage.
Those that held nakedness as a correct practice
would worship while naked, even in winter.
This custom from the heretical
doctrine of nakedness,
a deviated path of ascetic practices,
keeps one stuck in the Three Realms.
When Right Dharma abides in the mind,
one goes among people to save others.”

I want to share with everyone that in India, during the Buddha’s lifetime, there were 96 religious doctrines. Among these 96 religious teachings, there were 20 which were biased toward ascetic practices. These ascetic practices encompassed all kinds of suffering. The wish “to be free from all bondage”

was their state of mind and they did actually engage in spiritual practice. They did this in the hope of transcending the sufferings of the world. Religious practitioners in those times also wondered why there was suffering in life, where suffering came from and why [people] suffered. They did not discover that “suffering” came from “causation,” but they knew that they were suffering, and if they wanted to transcend suffering, they would have to engage in ascetic practice.

Ascetic practice included various methods that caused great torment to the body. It was a life of painful trials. Their only goal was to free themselves from what was keeping them bound in the Three Realms where they faced all kinds of suffering. How could they be liberated? They would practice according to these methods, to these teachings, which were to use various ways of living to torture themselves. One of these methods “held nakedness as a correct practice.” They thought this method of spiritual practice was correct. It was also an ascetic practice. They wore no clothing, even in winter, which caused them to feel very cold. They worshipped ghosts and spirits while naked. With a naked and bare body, they engaged in these practices.

They believed that their ancestors passed down these methods for spiritual practice. Actually, these methods of practice were paths that had gone astray. I often say that, when we engage in spiritual practice, a slight deviation can lead us far off course. This kind of “deviated path of ascetic practice” still “keeps one stuck in the Three Realms.” These practitioners remained in the Three Realms. They wholeheartedly hoped that they could transcend the Three Realms to avoid the suffering of cyclic existence, but once they deviated from the path, they remained stuck in the Three Realms, unable to escape.

They did not know that the Three Realms are actually states of mind; the Three Realms are [created by] our minds. These practitioners did not understand this truth. If they understood this truth, they would know that “Right Dharma [must] abide in the mind.” When we take the Buddha-Dharma to heart, naturally we will be able to eliminate our desires, and we will not be affected by afflictions or our external conditions. Once we have transcended our discursive thoughts, we will not be trapped in the Three Realms, and our minds can achieve liberation in this lifetime.

Spiritual practice focuses on having. “Right Dharma abide in the mind.” If Right Dharma abides in our minds, we will be free from our limited self and have “a mind that encompasses the universe.” Naturally, our minds will be open and expansive so we can accommodate everything in the world. Moreover, regarding sentient beings, we will have “unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion.” We will naturally go among people to listen to what they are saying in their hearts and understand their “suffering” and “causation.” After understanding, we will naturally learn the Buddha’s teachings to seek the Dharma and the right path and to realize how we can eliminate afflictions. Then these principles will circulate in our minds. Naturally, when Right Dharma circulates and abides in our minds, we will be able to go among people to transform them. This is the direction of our spiritual practice. To engage in spiritual practice, we must learn to keep the Dharma in our hearts, go among people. This is the true practice of Right Dharma.

So, yesterday we said, “There were many ghosts, their bodies long and large.” We have discussed this before. Ghosts and spirits come and go without a trace; they are likened to the many afflictions in our minds. These attachments and afflictions extend throughout the past, present and future. These kinds of attachments will always be with us. Even when it comes to spiritual practice, we are attached to our biases. As we just said, some engaged in spiritual practice while naked, believing that this had been passed down from their ancestors. The principle is the same; these people are attached to deviant practices the way we are attached to our afflictions throughout the past, present and future. Thus, they are described as having “bodies long and large.”

In our minds, afflictions and ignorance may come and go without a trace. After this continues for a long time, we cannot remain focused on Right Dharma or earnestly engage in spiritual practice to take the Dharma to heart. If this was the way things were in the past, we must now heighten our vigilance and walk on the right path with reverence.

Next, it states,

“Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there. They would make loud and awful noises while crying out for food. Then there were many ghosts with throats like needles.”

“Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there.” Let us examine these words. Regarding those more than 20 religious doctrines, as we just said, what they expressed was that they wanted to be free from all bonds, so they engaged in spiritual practices that caused them deep suffering. “Others cannot bear it, yet I can. This is the skill that I have mastered because I want to transcend suffering in the Three Realms and no longer be trapped in cyclic existence.” This is their stance on their practice.

Whether they practiced with fire or water or by living like an ox or dog, etc., they were all willing to face this suffering. Some even practiced by not wearing any clothes. During the coldest time of the year, they still refused to wear any clothing as they paid their respects to ghosts and spirits. They considered this a proper spiritual practice. This actually represents shamelessness. We humans should have a sense of [propriety]. We must wear clothes. Not only must we wear clothes, we must wear them neatly. This is etiquette. We wear clothes to cover our bodies. In particular, when it is cold, they keep us warm. Not only is wearing clothing part of being human, we must wear it neatly as a part of human etiquette. If we walk around naked, we are shameless [with no sense of propriety].

“Black and gaunt” is a metaphor for how they had not been nourished by the Dharma. The Dharma is spiritual nourishment that can nourish our wisdom-life. Heretical practitioners have gone astray, so they cannot accept Right Dharma. Thus, they cannot nourish their wisdom-life, which becomes black and gaunt. It has become shrunken because it has not been nourished by Dharma-water. It is like a fruit laid out in the sun and has become dehydrated so that it is completely dried out and shriveled. The principle is the same. Our wisdom-life must be nourished by Dharma-water. Without the Dharma, our wisdom-life will wither. If we humans do not eat any food, we will become black and gaunt. This description signifies a lack of Right Dharma. Without Right Dharma, we have no sense of shame [or propriety]. If we do not take Right Dharma to heart and are cut off from Dharma-water, naturally we will be black and gaunt.

Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there. This refers to one of the 20 religious doctrines. To demonstrate that they have freed themselves from all bondage, they hold to nakedness as right practice. Their nakedness indicates that they have no shame. Their blackness and gauntness show that they are not nourished by the Dharma. They have no merits nourishing or aiding them, so they are gaunt.

“They have no merits nourishing or aiding them.” They do not have these merits. They do not attain merits through this practice, so they are just abusing themselves. This is not right. They have deviated in their spiritual practice, so, “They do not practice the virtuous Dharma.” They believe that their spiritual cultivation will help free them from these bonds and transcend the Three Realms, but they have gone astray. In particular, they do not practice virtuous Dharma among people. This also shows they have no sense of shame.

If spiritual practitioners are only trying to benefit themselves and do not think to show compassion to other people, this is not right. This also shows they have no shame. Those who see other people doing good deeds but belittle them are also said to have no shame. Not only do they not take joy in others’ merits, they slander those people. These people have no sense of shame. So, this practice of “nakedness” is mistaken. People should have a sense of propriety and a clear course of spiritual practice.

They do not practice the virtuous Dharma, which shows they have no shame. This is the meaning of naked. With negative actions, they deludedly inflate their egos. Those who cling to the view of self cannot escape from the Three Realms. Thus it is said they have long abided there.

“With negative actions, they deludedly inflate their egos.” They think everything they do is correct and that their spiritual practice is something special. With these negative actions, they deludedly inflate their egos; they cling to “the view of self.” Those who “cling to the view of self” [think] that their views are most correct. As for the principles, they think they are the only ones who understand. They have obviously gone astray, but they think what they are doing is right so they argue with people over every little thing. They are attached to their own views and have a high opinion of themselves. With this inflated ego, they have no respect for other people. People like this are said to be “clinging to the view of self.” As to this “deludedly inflated ego,”

we must treat others with a sense of propriety when engaging in spiritual practice. Showing “gratitude, respect and love” seems like a simple thing, but people with deluded self-importance cannot do any of this. Thus, “With negative actions, they deludedly inflate their egos”; they always “cling to the view of self.” Such people cannot escape from the Three Realms because they have trapped their minds in [the states of] the Three Realms. Within this burning house of the Three Realms, they suppress and pressure themselves. This is indeed a pity. So, “They have long abided there.” The attachments of ordinary people or those with deviant practices and deviant views will keep them abiding in the Three Realms. They are entangled by the afflictions in the desire, form and formless realms.

Next, we will discuss, “They make loud and awful noises while crying out for food.” Because they do not attain the nourishment of Right Dharma, they are starving and will “make loud and awful noises.”

They make loud and awful noises. Awful noises will definitely echo back to them. Beset by the suffering of both hunger and cold, they cry out seeking nourishment. This represents how the view of self and greed correspond with one another. With minds that cling to a sense of self, they pronounce and proclaim the existence of “I.” Thus it says that they make loud and awful noises. They hope that by making these sounds, they can achieve the fruit of the path. Thus it says they cry out for food.

Obviously there is good Dharma in front of them, there is spiritual nourishment, but they do not approach it. Instead, they keep going the wrong way down the wrong path and making loud and awful noises; they think that only they are right, and everyone else is wrong. They shout and yell loudly,

so “Awful noises will definitely echo back to them.” They are just shouting loudly without properly engaging in spiritual practice. They talk at length about principles and criticize the wrongs of others without understanding their own faults. The more loudly they shout, the more they harm themselves. However, they do not understand this, so they are “beset by the suffering of hunger and cold.” In fact, the Dharma that can nourish them is clearly in front of them, but they deliberately do not take in any of it. This is why they lack the nourishment for their spiritual practice. They feel that life is suffering, but all they do is complain about this suffering. They feel that everything is unfair, “Why do some people’s lives go so smoothly, while mine is like this?” They continue to complain about many things. This is like “crying out seeking nourishment.”

In fact, spiritual practice is not about arguing. We practice by cultivating our own minds. This is an analogy for the view of self and the appearance of greed, how greed appears in response. Greed is endless. We previously said that in the state of greed, one feels impoverished. We never feel like we have enough. No matter how much we eat, we will still feel hungry. We see this in Alzheimer’s patients. Even though they have just eaten, they ask, “Why haven’t I eaten yet?” They have completely forgotten that they just ate. After a while, they say again, “I’m hungry, why didn’t you give me anything to eat? You ate just a moment ago. No, I didn’t. I’m still hungry.”

In our lives, we experience a similar illness. Because we ordinary people have these kinds of afflictions in our minds, we have a similar illness. The afflictions in our minds will naturally manifest as physical symptoms. So, we feel poor and lacking. Because we have not taken the abundance of Dharma into our minds, naturally we will never realize and retain it. Thus, Right Dharma does not firmly abide in our minds, so we can never attain Right Dharma. Thus, we will “make loud and awful noises while crying out to seek food.” We will still continue seeking.

“With minds that cling to a sense of self, they pronounce and proclaim the existence of ‘I.'” We just keep talking about “I, I, I,” saying to people, “You must listen to me,” We ourselves are starving [without the Dharma], but we still call to others, “Come listen to my teachings.” Even if there is no Dharma in us, we still “pronounce and proclaim.” This really shows attachment to “self. Listen to me and practice the way I practice.” Practicing with fire or nakedness or living as an ox, dog and so on are taken as proper ways to engage in practice when they are not. So, “They make loud and awful noises.” Clearly, they have not taken the Dharma to heart, but they still want people to listen to them.

“They hope to achieve the fruit of the path.” They tell people, “If you listen to me, you can achieve the fruit of the path.” Some people say, “I am transforming others. If you listen to and believe in my teachings, I will attain merits.” There are some people who teach like this, which is a mistake. The Dharma must abide in our hearts [first]. We need to transform ourselves with the Dharma before we transform others. We must have enough understanding ourselves before we can find a way to transform others.

So, “There were many ghosts with throats like needles.” This is an analogy for “the affliction of stubborn views.” We stubbornly cling to our views and “cannot accept those of others.” We may not accept others’ suggestions and always think that we are correct.

Actually, if we do not listen to others and also do not understand much ourselves, it is like our throats are constricted and we cannot swallow the Dharma even if it is there. This is like being unable to swallow something even after it is in our mouths. All this happens because of deviant thinking. So, everyone, as Buddhist practitioners it is most important to learn to take Right Dharma to heart. Only when the Dharma is firmly in our hearts can we can go among people to purify their hearts with the Dharma-water. We must not be like heretical practitioners who see a permanent self where there is none and see permanence where there is none. These are all incorrect views. The Dharma must abide in our hearts so that we can transform ourselves and then others. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 628 – Transcending the Attachment to Self

>> “All deviant attachments are based on the view of self. Without the self, there are no deviant attachments. All sentient beings, from name, form and the Five Skandhas, generate delusional attachments to the body. This deluded ‘view of self’ drives the mind and spirit to incessant transmigration through the Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms.”

>> “They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.”

>> “There were also many ghosts, their bodies long and large. Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there.”

>> There were also many ghosts, their bodies long and large: This refers to afflictions caused by view of self. The view of self: The mixed-up views and confused thinking that there is an existent self. Perverse calculations for the sake of the body are called “view of self.” The deluded attachments to the self extend through all three periods of time. This is the meaning of. “Their bodies [are] long and large.”

“All deviant attachments are
based on the view of self.
Without the self,
there are no deviant attachments.
All sentient beings, from name,
form and the Five Skandhas,
generate delusional attachments to the body.
This deluded ‘view of self’
drives the mind and spirit
to incessant transmigration through
the Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms.”

I have been talking about how the Three Realms are like a burning house. The mind gives rise to the Three Realms; “The Three Realms are created by the mind.” However, where does our mind come from? We have one because we have a body. Because of our body, we see from the perspective of our “self.” If these perspectives are not correct, and if we are, furthermore, attached to them, we call those “deviant attachments.” But where do “deviant attachments” come from? From the mind in our body, the mind which leads our body to take action. Therefore, deviant thinking and deviant views easily translate into “action,” and through these actions, we create karma. We create karma in the world, which comes back to reaffirm our “views of self.” Thus, our minds and bodies influence each other.

If we can simplify things again, we can be “without the self”; we can transcend this sense of “self” instead of being constantly attached to it. How can we make the best use of this “self”? By setting aside our “limited self” and returning to our “greater self.” Then, we will treat everything in the world as our equal. Buddhist sutras often contain the line, “In all of heaven and earth, I alone am supreme.” Why did the Buddha say, “I alone am supreme”? Actually, in this world, we must be in harmony with both heaven and earth, meaning we must be as encompassing as they are. This way of being is called the “greater self.” Thus, “Our minds can encompass the universe and embrace all the worlds within it.” When our minds can encompass the universe, doesn’t that mean that everything in the world is contained within our minds? When everything in this world is accommodated within our minds, this “greater self” is unsurpassed and supreme.

I hope that all of us, when we hear, “I alone am supreme,” can understand the principles behind it. By opening up and expanding our minds to encompass the universe, our minds can embrace everything in this world. By understanding all these principles, we are in a state that is unsurpassed and supreme. We must understand the world. All things in the world have the same essence as the universe. When we have this understanding, [we have returned to] our nature of True Suchness. To reach this [true] nature, we must first let go of our limited self and our selfishness, our [attachment] to “self. Without the self, there are no deviant attachments.” We must let go of our “limited self.” Without our “limited self,” we will be free of selfishness and biased views. By achieving such a state, sentient beings can be liberated from the contentious attachments of selfishness.

However, for all of us, “All sentient beings, from name, form and the Five Skandhas, [generate attachments].” Unfortunately, sentient beings are selfish and have a limited view of “self.” Therefore, our perspectives are limited by “Name, form and the Five Skandhas” refer to form, feeling, perception, action and consciousness, the Five Aggregates. This body of ours is an example of “form.” Things around us of various shapes and colors, personal recognition, wealth, status, etc. are all things that we want and pursue. When we pursue but cannot obtain them, we feel certain ways. When we do get what we want, we feel something different. So, once there is “form,” we connect to external conditions with our bodies. This evokes a “feeling” in our minds.

So, after form and feeling is perception. The [Chinese] character for “perception” is made up “appearance” [and “mind”]. The external appearances we see continue to be kept in our mind. Thus, in daily living, our minds become imprinted with many appearances and labels. Everything that we are currently pursuing, everything in the past that did not go the way we wanted and everything we want to have in the future are all appearances that are stuck in our minds.

What comes after “form, feeling and perception? Action”; we then take action. If we want personal recognition and wealth, or if we want to possess anything else, we must take action. This gives rise to countless interpersonal conflicts and leads us to create karma. All this happens because of “name, form and the Five Skandhas.” Thus, we “generate delusional attachments.” We engage in these delusional behaviors. It is because we have this physical body

that we form “this deluded ‘view of self.'” Look at all the complications in the world. Because a certain person is there, they create a certain kind of karma. This is all because we have this human body, a human way of thinking, a human way of behaving, a human way of creating karma and so on. It all arises from our “deviant attachments” and originates with having this physical body. Our delusional attachment to this illusory life, this short and temporary life, leads us to go about as if everything will be ours for countless generations to come. This therefore “drives the mind and spirit.” Our mind and spirit are constantly driven while in this environment.

Within the states of the Three Realms, so many difficult matters are oppressing and disturbing our body and mind. Thus, we are driven by our “delusional attachments to the body,” because we mistakenly believe that this body will last forever. Thus we form “this deluded ‘view of self'” that continually “drives our mind and spirit.” Our mind and our spirit are constantly driven by these afflictions, hence our “incessant transmigration through the Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms.”

What are the Twelve Entrances? The Six Roots are our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. The Six Dusts are form, sound, smell, taste, touch and thought. Together, they comprise the Twelve Entrances. What about the Six Consciousnesses? They arise when the Six Roots connect with the Six Dusts. All these combine to form the Eighteen Realms.

When this body of ours comes in contact with a “form” in the world, in that state, the “dust” and our “consciousness” and our “root” are all connected. “Dust” refers to the sense objects around us. We must make an effort to comprehend this. Right now, as I sit here speaking, my “body-root” is here and. I use it to look at all of you. The presence of your “form-object” gives rise to happiness in my mind, so I experience joy in my “mind-consciousness.” I am happy to see your diligent practice and to see you earnestly listening to teachings.

You remind me of how, all across the country, Tzu Chi volunteers are diligently practicing. They leave the house before dawn. Many of them leave their house before 5am. At this time of the morning, they gather in their spiritual practice center to listen to the teachings together. What their “eye-root” sees is a television screen with me speaking. They can see my image, and they can also hear my words. Their “eye-root” can do this because of modern technology. I am sitting here in Hualien, and they are in Keelung, Pingtung, Hengchun, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Taipei, etc., in more than 200 community practice centers, and we can all gather together at the same time.

This includes not only volunteers in Taiwan, but in Malaysia and Singapore as well. They are also very diligent. Even volunteers in Jordan are with us. Because of the time difference, they are six hours behind us; but they are not a second behind in their study. As I teach here in the morning in Taiwan, Chi Hui is listening to me at night in Jordan. Over all these months and years, he has diligently practiced every day. He seeks the Dharma, listens to it and upholds his vows while following the path.

This is the perspective we apply to our lives. What perspective do we use for our lives? Is it one of deviant understanding and deviant views, which will cause us to fall? Or is it a perspective that helps us increase the value of our life? We must make good use of this body, because, “If we do not transform ourselves in this life, in which life will we transform ourselves?” If we are diligent and mindful, naturally we will be able to eliminate deviant attachments and the view of self. Our selfish and limited sense of self will naturally be eliminated. When we open up our minds broadly, what we will be pursuing are the truths of all things in the universe. We must return to our nature of True Suchness.

Then this [pure] nature can be united with the universe. “In all of heaven and earth, there is none like the Buddha.” In all of heaven and earth, it is the awakened ones who are able to comprehend all things and unite with the entire universe. This is called the “greater self.” When we can achieve the “greater self,” we can be one with the world and can understand the truths of all things in the universe. “In all of heaven and earth, I alone am supreme” means that if we can open up our minds to unite with the truths of the universe, we will be unsurpassed and supreme. So, we must not be self-centered or small-minded, thinking only of ourselves, working only for the sake of our own benefit. This would be very painful.

Recently, we have been discussing the analogies of birds, beasts, ghosts, etc. for the sole purpose of breaking through our attachment to, understanding of and view of self.

The previous sutra passage states,

“They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.”

Teasing dogs and making them angry makes some people very happy. When two dogs fight with each other, all it takes is for one to bark, and then the entire pack of dogs will bark. This teaches us that, in spiritual practice, when we accept the Dharma, we must abide by Right Dharma. If we deviate from it even slightly, that slight deviation can take us far off course. Not only will we be wrong, we will also guide others wrongly. This is just like when a single dog barks; many other dogs join in and bark with him. The same principle applies here. Therefore, I hope we can all mindfully realize this kind of perspective. If we allow our attachments to lead us astray, then our words and deeds will lead others astray in turn. This human form is precious, as is the Dharma. So, we must earnestly make use of this body to put the teachings into practice and to be an exemplar of the Buddha-Dharma with proper speech and action. When we go among people, this must be our goal.

The next sutra passage states,

“There were also many ghosts, their bodies long and large. Naked, black and gaunt, they have long abided there.”

“There were also many ghosts” is an analogy for the afflictions of view of self. When we have this physical body, we are, at every turn, overly suspicious, or perhaps, everything we see and do is biased.

I always say that I am very grateful when. Tzu Chi volunteers gather at the same time and share the same state of mind. When people perform the musical adaption of sutras, don’t their many voices carry the same tune? No matter how many people join in, it is the same. All these individuals are singing the same verse and following the same rhythm with their body, in their steps and hand gestures. When they do this, they are in the same state of mind. In body, speech and mind, many people are in the same state at once. They share the same teachings and state of mind, so they can produce this beautiful appearance. This is truth, goodness and beauty in the world. When we all share Right Dharma in the world, that is the most true, good and beautiful thing. If we can all steadily walk the right path without deviating from our course, our procession will truly be beautiful. This comes from sharing a common commitment.

However, we humans draw distinctions between “you, me,” and “him.” Every person has a set of biases. These biases are centered around the “self.” Regarding this “self,” everyone has “mixed-up views and confused thinking.” We are confused because each one of us is lost in different things. Everyone’s thinking is different. Good people’s thinking contains right understanding, right views and right teachings of the path. The thinking of people who have gone astray will be negative and filled with afflictions, continually causing problems in the world, in their families, in society, etc. Thus, they are lost and deluded in their thinking and ideas; their perspectives are all mixed-up.

So, they have “deluded attachments to the body.” For the sake of personal gain, they have willingly done many shameless things. They have deviated from morals and virtues.

So, “Deluded attachments to self extend through all three periods of time. This is the meaning of ‘their bodies [are] long and large.'” Once we create these afflictions, we cannot immediately extricate or liberate ourselves from them, and they will extend into the future extend through past, present and future. Thus, they “extend through all three periods of time.” The karmic causes and conditions we have created resulted in the retributions we currently face. And now we create karmic causes and conditions that will extend into the future. This is why ghosts are used as an analogy for our minds. There are ghosts, demons and spirits in our minds. Because of this body, we create negative karma and will continue to do so for a long time. Thus, “Their bodies [are] long and large.”

There were also many ghosts, their bodies long and large: This refers to afflictions caused by view of self. The view of self: The mixed-up views and confused thinking that there is an existent self. Perverse calculations for the sake of the body are called “view of self.” The deluded attachments to the self extend through all three periods of time. This is the meaning of. “Their bodies [are] long and large.”

Therefore, I say to everyone, “All deviant attachments are based on the view of self.” These deviant attachments of which I speak all arise from our view of self. Because we have this physical body we have these perspectives. If we transcend these perspectives, we will no longer have these [attachments].

However, sentient being are constantly immersed in “name, form and the Five Skandhas.” Because we are always like this, we continue to form deluded attachments.

This world is inherently illusory. Yesterday has already passed, not a trace of it remains. However, yesterday we may have been attached to doing certain things today. We continue to plan for the wrong things. That is a delusional attachment. What about the right things to do? “In all of heaven and earth, I alone am supreme.” This comes from having a greater self. Have our minds encompassed the universe? Have we embraced all the truths of the world? We have not made an effort to calculate how much time has passed by already. How much Dharma have we obtained so far? How much of it have we applied? If we have applied and shared it, how many people have we benefited?

Is it enough to just do this in this lifetime? No, it is not, because there are still lifetimes to come. This giving without expectations, giving continually without ceasing, must continue in our future lifetimes. We must go beyond ourselves and return to our greater self. Our pure intrinsic nature must become one with the universe. “In all of heaven and earth, I alone am supreme” means only by realizing the truths can we attain the most valuable and precious greater self. “Greater self” does not refer to the body of a single individual, but rather to the truths of all things. The truths of all things in the universe are all encompassed within wisdom. This is the “greater self.”

Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must contemplate everything from the perspective of all things in the world. If we “share responsibility for the world,” if this is our starting point, we will have a way to thoroughly comprehend all the principles of this world and take them to heart. To sum it up, I hope that everyone can think on this carefully and always be mindful.

Episode 627 – We Calculate Gain and Loss Due to View of Self

>> “All afflictions come from attachment to the existence of the self. Without the self, none of these things exist. One thought of attachment to self gives rise to bonds. With a view of self, we are attached to calculating gain and loss.”

>> Kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt and occasionally jumping up one or two feet into the air, travelling up and returning, lazily indulging in this game.

>> “They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.”

>> “They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves”

>> Attacking and causing him to bark: When dogs bark at each other, it is like heretical teachings being transmitted.

>> They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves: Putting the dog’s legs over his neck is like claiming that deviant precepts can lead to Nirvana. They cause the dog to be scared in order to please themselves. It is an analogy for the many people in India who upheld deviant precepts [in the Buddha’s time]. This is the view of deviant precepts.

“All afflictions come from attachment
to the existence of the self.
Without the self, none of these things exist.
One thought of attachment
to self gives rise to bonds.
With a view of self,
we are attached to calculating gain and loss.”

All afflictions come from “attachment,” attachment to the existence of the self. Indeed, if it were not for the “self,” what would “I” be attached to? It is due to a sense of self that when “I” come into contact with any of the matters and things of this world, “I” may take issue with other people over them.

Because of this body and our sense of “self, I” have needs, “I” want to grasp things, “I” want to be satisfied, “I” want to be happy, “I” am very afflicted, “I” am very angry. These afflictions and all of our attachments arise from our sense of “self.” Without “the self, none of these things exist.”

Due to “one thought of attachment to self,” we “give rise to bonds.” It is as if we have been bound by a rope. The entirety of our lack of freedom, all of our afflictions and all of our sufferings are encompassed by this sense of “self.” Like a thick rope or a large fishing net, this is completely covering us, binding us and trapping us.

This is due to having the view of self. This is part of our views. Therefore, among the Five Turbidities, there is the “turbidity of views.” When it comes to views, everyone’s perspectives are different, so we get into endless arguments over them and “are attached to calculating gain and loss.” Don’t manmade calamities and conflicts all begin from our perspectives?

Look at the manmade calamities in the world, such as the incident at Kunming Railway Station [in 2014]. In the station, countless people come and go. Every one of them has a sense of “self.” Each “self” has their own perspectives, direction and goals. Some people may be filled with hope as they pass through the station. Others might be very afflicted. So, there are millions of different views there.

Out of nowhere, a gang of [eight] individuals rushed into the crowd and attacked everyone they saw. Many died and hundreds were injured. They were quickly divided by the severity of their injuries and sent to 12 different hospitals.

At this time, local hospitals started accepting volunteers. They invited students and teachers from the social work department of a nearby university. There were also therapists and Tzu Chi volunteers. They knew that Tzu Chi volunteers had experience caring for people in hospitals and working everywhere in the community, whether holding winter [relief distributions] or providing assistance where needed. For many years, Tzu Chi volunteers have done things scrupulously and showed genuine sincerity as they gave to others. So, the Tzu Chi volunteers were invited to help.

Tzu Chi volunteers were very careful and mindful. They helped the survivors with utmost sincerity and the heart of a Bodhisattva. The upper-level administrator of this hospital worked [closely] with the Tzu Chi volunteers and the daughter of this administrator even said to her mother, “Seeing Tzu Chi volunteers, my mind is at peace.”

These volunteers also have a sense of “self.” This “self” is a greater self that is selfless. “I came to this world to give to others.” Having accepted the Buddha-Dharma, we must eliminate afflictions and not be attached. We must abide by our precepts. Also, we must form great aspirations to go among people and benefit them. Tzu Chi volunteers around the world share this same sense of “self,” which is pure and undefiled. Filled with selfless great love, they see the world as one big family. Everyone in the world is our loved one.

In this state of mind, we completely let go of our limited self, our attachment to self and our view of self. When others suffer from a wound, we feel their pain in our hearts. We make no distinction of things only belonging to us; we wholeheartedly offer them to all people.

But other people have formed attachments; they hold on to certain perspectives. Why would these perspectives lead that other group of people to suddenly go into the train station and attack others even though they were complete strangers and had not done anything to them? Why did they attack them? In what way were they trying to affect the state of society? They must have had their goals. This is also due to their perspectives. When people deviate in their perspectives, this causes chaos in society.

We know that in this world there are countless “I’s.” Each of us is very attached to this sense of “I” and “mine.”

Is there anyone who isn’t attached to their sense of “self”? With all our attachments, even though we live in a state of impermanence, we do not normally think about how impermanent things are. So, we continue to cling, to fight and to argue without thinking about the impermanence of things. We also have many “views of self.” These turbid thoughts cause chaos and manmade calamities in the world. This all arises from “the self.” Without this sense of “self,” there would not be any of these [problems].

We are all the same way, so let us think a little more clearly; what do each of us want to do with our “self” so that this “self” can be truly valuable, so that this “self” can truly benefit people? When [Typhoon Haiyan] struck the Philippines, Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide began to raise money for disaster relief. Among them was an elderly couple from Malaysia. They saw [the fundraiser] on Da Ai TV and called the Tzu Chi volunteers to say, “Please come see us; we want to donate money. We feel so sad for people in the Philippines.” This was an elderly couple.

When Tzu Chi volunteers visited them, the couple joyfully welcomed them and donated RM 1000, which is equivalent to NT 10,000. The volunteers shared with them about Tzu Chi and how some people donated certain amounts to become Honorary Board Members. The couple discussed this and replied, “We are very advanced in years and cannot do volunteer work ourselves. However, we can donate money.” So, they wrote two checks for what amounted to NT 2 million. The elderly couple knew that for this big organization to do so many good deeds it needed contributions from many people.

The elderly couple had worked hard in their youth and were now frugal in their old age. They had eight children, and all eight are very successful because of how they had been raised. Now, although they are advanced in years, this couple is very frugal. They really grasped the principles. They knew of the disaster in the Philippines and that many people’s love was needed to help. This was their sense of “self.” They thought, “Although I cannot go to help, I will still do everything I can.”

Though sharing this human existence, some humans benefit the world, and some have different views on what to do. So, when we listen to the Dharma, we must unceasingly reflect inwardly and adjust our actions outwardly. When we can act in a way that our “selves” are in harmony, the world will become beautiful and our interactions will be filled with warmth. We will love and work with one another. Isn’t this the best state for the world to be in?

The previous sutra passage states, “Kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt.”

Kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt and occasionally jumping up one or two feet into the air, travelling up and returning, lazily indulging in this game. We can imagine what gourd-shaped ghosts would look like.

The mother of demons cared only for her own children and not for those of other people. So, she captured human children to her own children. After the Buddha transformed her, she had the heart of a kind mother. Although her appearance did not change, her heart did. She became a kind mother who protected sentient beings. She sent children to those who wanted them and protected those who were suffering from illness. We often see examples of this in the world.

[These demons] would “occasionally jump up.” In spiritual cultivation, some people deviate in their practice because they only seek to escape the Three Realms. Some think that living in the desire realm with this body causes great suffering and that if they can transcend this physical state they will be able to enjoy themselves. They may reach the form realm or the formless realm,

but they cannot form great aspirations. Then they remain stuck in the states of the formless realm and the form realm and eventually fall back to the desire realm. Thus they have not been fully liberated. Even if we go from the desire to the form realm, there are still afflictions there. Even if we ascend to the formless realm, there are still traces of delusion there. That state is not fully safe; we still remain in the Three Realms, which are like a burning house.

Although we say, “I know; I am clear about this,” though we know and are clear, with this “knowing” and “clear understanding” have we actually transcended these realms? If we have not, we will quickly return to [where we started]. So, “one or two feet in the air” means that sometimes we go from the desire realm to the form realm, then from the form realm to the formless realm. However, we still have not transcended all three.

How can we transcend the Three Realms? Starting with interpersonal conflicts, we must not think about our “self.” If we are not selfish, there is nothing for us to take issue over because our greater self loves everyone equally. When we consider the whole world as one, we can “show compassion to all equally.” When everyone is equal in our eyes, what is there to take issue over? Nothing.

So, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path; only Bodhisattvas can reach the state of “showing compassion to all equally” that transcends the Three Realms. In addition to listening to the Dharma, we are able to eliminate our afflictions, By eliminating afflictions, we can again go among the people. By interacting with people, we learn the truth of suffering in the world, the principles of suffering. By understanding where suffering comes from, we can heighten our vigilance and deepen our sincerity in seeking the Buddha-Dharma. This is the Bodhisattva-path.

Let us not “travel up and return, lazily indulging in this game.” Some people in this world are frivolous and do not care about anything. They do not follow the rules of the world, so their family relationships are disrupted and society loses a sense of order. By acting this way, they are “lazily indulging in this game.” This is why the world is not at peace.

The following sutra passage states,

“They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.”

“They would catch a dog by his two legs” means they “force him to adopt a certain posture.”

Sometimes when a dog sees humans, he will put up a posture; he will also “adopt a certain appearance” and make certain gestures as if to assert dominance and keep them from approaching. This kind of posturing is a metaphor for clinging to heretical precepts, which is “the view of deviant precepts,” which means taking improper precepts. This is having “the view of deviant precepts.” This is a type of attachment.

Next is “attacking and causing him to bark.” When dogs assume this certain posture, they may start barking at people. Once one dog barks, many other dogs will bark along with him.

Attacking and causing him to bark: When dogs bark at each other, it is like heretical teachings being transmitted.

Have you heard this before? All it takes is for one dog to start barking to cause a group of dogs to respond to him and also start barking. So, “attacking and causing him to bark” means that once the dog is in this posture, he then makes noise, which in turn triggers more noises. This is like when there is an incorrect teaching, but people spread it anyway. Though they are spreading incorrect teachings, some people will accept them anyway. There are many similar [deviant] practices that have a hold on people’s minds.

Like the way the barking of a single dog will trigger the barking of many other dogs, once one person does something wrong, other people may respond by following suit. “I don’t know if this is the right thing to do, but someone told me about it, so I will pass it along.” They do not subject it to calm contemplation, so they lack the “cultivation of contemplation” to still their minds. They have not experienced that concentration, so their minds follow what other people say.

“They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.” Some people stretch the dog’s legs over his own shoulders. They feel this is spiritual practice. That position is very painful. In the end, if people think spiritual practice should be like this, they have “the view of deviant precepts.” Deviant precepts say, “You cannot do any of that. You have to do things this way.” This shows how we can deviate in our spiritual practice and lose our path. Things are complicated without a path; we end up following the wrong precepts. So, they “scare the dog but please themselves.” They take joy in scaring the dog or in the dogs’ fighting with each other. This is “scaring the dog but pleasing themselves. They would stretch his legs over his neck” as a training method. Whether people train the dog or the dogs [dominate] each other in groups, this is an analogy for the people in India who upheld deviant precepts [in the Buddha’s time].

They would stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves: Putting the dog’s legs over his neck is like claiming that deviant precepts can lead to Nirvana. They cause the dog to be scared in order to please themselves. It is an analogy for the many people in India who upheld deviant precepts [in the Buddha’s time]. This is the view of deviant precepts.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were many heretical teachings. Things nowadays are also very complicated. There are many people who uphold deviant precepts. So, the Buddha’s analogy described how people have deviated from Right Dharma to engage in improper ways of practice. They are engaged in spiritual cultivation; it may not seem like it, but they are. However, their way of practicing has deviated [from the right path]. So, in spiritual practice, we must be mindful and must not deviate from our path of practice. If we stray from the path, a slight deviation will cause a great divergence.

We must remember that all afflictions arise from our sense of “self. How can ‘I’ engage in spiritual practice”? If “I” am to earnestly engage in practice, my direction must be correct. When “I” am engaged in spiritual practice, I must not deviate in the slightest. When “I” am among people, I must humble myself. Our “limited self” must become a “greater self,” because we all share responsibility for the world. So, we must not feel self-important. That will cause trouble in our surroundings. [Instead,] we must exercise both compassion and wisdom in the world.

So, this “self” can do many good things in the world, but if we cling to a sense of “limited self,” then our selfishness will grow until we consider the entire world as belonging to us. With this slight deviation in our minds, we will cause all kinds of trouble in this world. In summary, the power of love comes from our “selfless greater self,” so we must not cling to our “limited self.” If we do, the results will be unimaginable. Thus, we must constantly remind ourselves to be mindful of the “self” so we do not deviate from the path. We must always be mindful.

Episode 626 – Kumbhanda Demons Represent Deviant Precepts

>> “If the direction of our spiritual practice is off by a tiny amount, we may seek a better birth in the heaven realm but fall and return to the desire realm. With deviant thinking and biased actions, we cling to confusion and cannot awaken.”

>> “They were laying, nursing, procreating, each hiding and safeguarding [their young]. Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them. Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts became even more fierce. These sounds of clashing and fighting were deeply terrifying.”

>> “Kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt and occasionally jumping up one or two feet into the air, travelling up and returning, lazily indulging in this game. They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.”

>> Kumbhanda means pot-shaped because they are shaped like pots. These are frightful demons. They crouch, which looks like sitting, or squat, which is actually sitting. This is like how heretical practitioners take deviant precepts. They cling to deviant paths as the correct path. This is seeing the wrong cause as the cause. One example is taking cow or dog precepts.

>> To jump up is to leave the desire realm; one foot into the air is leaving the form realm, while two feet is leaving the formless realm. They always travel up and return, rising and falling in cyclic existence. This refers to futile effort.

“If the direction of our spiritual practice
is off by a tiny amount,
we may seek a better birth in the heaven realm
but fall and return to the desire realm.
With deviant thinking and biased actions,
we cling to confusion and cannot awaken.”

In cultivating our actions, we are also cultivating our minds. The focus of our spiritual practice is our minds. If our [initial] direction is off by a tiny bit, we will end up far off course. Some may seek a better birth in heaven, or in the formless and form realms. They want to transcend the desire realm. But if the direction of their thinking is off, they will “fall and return to the desire realm.” People seeking to be born in a higher realm, if they are not careful, will easily fall down. They end up back in the desire realm.

The slightest deviation in our thinking or action is the difference between going to heaven or falling into the human realm or hell. This is what happens if our mind goes astray or if we make mistakes in our behavior. We may be off only slightly. Where is this slight difference found? In our deviant thinking and biased actions. [The direction of] our thinking must be correct. As we engage in spiritual practice, we talk about following the Eightfold Right Path. Everything from our thinking and views to our actions and livelihood must be right.

“Deviant” means we have gone astray. If we stray from the right path, we have deviated. This slight deviation has led us far off course. After making an initial mistake, we keep going in the wrong direction. So, we cling to delusions and do not awaken. Once we deviate we will cling to that course, making it hard to return [to the right path]. Thus, the course of our spiritual practice is very important.

The previous sutra text states,

“They were laying, nursing, procreating, each hiding and safeguarding [their young]. Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them. Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts became even more fierce. These sounds of clashing and fighting were deeply terrifying.”

As we discussed yesterday, this includes those hatched from eggs and those born with four legs or two, those who are nursed. Thus it says, “laying, nursing, procreating.” This is an analogy for karmic cause and effect. “A seed contains an ocean of fruits.”

Recently (2014), Tzu Chi volunteers from central Taiwan collected some seeds for me to see. When I look at the seeds, I find them wondrous. Some seeds have natural patterns. These different patterns are very beautiful. No matter how we look at it, no matter whether the seed is big or small, it inherently has a tree hidden within it. Once the tree grows, it will endlessly produce fruits. So, “the seed” is very powerful.

Nowadays, people are concerned about atomic or nuclear power. Everyone is concerned about this. We recall the earthquake in Japan that triggered a tsunami; to this day, it continues to cause problems and create all kinds of hidden dangers. This is truly terrifying. Indeed, we can say that seeds like these exist everywhere, and they can contain both good and evil.

We humans are the same. Our genes are like these seeds; the modern term for them would be genes. The Buddha-Dharma describes them as “causes.” The law of karma tells us the causes we create will mature and manifest as certain appearances, which are the “effects.” These are [hidden and safeguarded]. The causes we have created determine the karma we bring with us. These are our karmic causes. The karma we create is contained in these causes.

The source of the “cause” is karma so the Buddha-Dharma describes this as “karmic seeds” or seeds of karma. In all of our actions, in everything we say, if we speak kind words, that will bring people happiness. If we are on the right course, we should keep walking. Thus, we say, “Just walk on” and “Just do it.” By speaking kind words and being on the right course, everything we do will be right. As a result, everyone will be pleased. When we benefit everyone, the karmic causes we create through our actions are also stored in our karmic consciousness. I do not know if everyone can understand this.

In summary, all things in the world, including the Four Forms of Birth and sentient beings’ way of life, etc., arise from karmic causes. First there are causes, then there are effects. This is this karmic cycle of cause and effect. [The causes are each hidden and safeguarded]. We cannot take anything with us when we die; only karma follows us into our next life. This is what we are “hiding and safeguarding.”

We use yaksas as an analogy for how each of us has different causes and effects. Yaksas are invisible to us, much like karmic forces we cannot see.

People say to other people, “Evil spirits seem to be guiding you.” Others might say, “You are bound by the five ghosts.” What are the five ghosts? Form, sound, smell, taste and touch. These are called the five ghosts. Some like to drink, gamble, indulge and so on. Once they are deluded, it is as if living ghosts are pulling them along. These people are not very different from yaksas. While we cannot see what yaksas look like, in our interpersonal interactions, we will encounter [people] like yaksas and ghosts. They destroy our wisdom-life, damage our character and so on. This is a way of describing yaksas who are

“contending and fighting with each other.” Sometimes, we have so many unwholesome friends that when a spiritual friend tries to wake us up, that group of unwholesome friends [prevents this]. Then the five ghosts will entangle us again. This is due to the law of karma. We brought karmic causes and conditions with us, thus we encounter these things in our lives.

So, “Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them.” People often say they have mutual karmic debts. “I work so hard just to keep providing for you.” This could be between men and women, husbands and wives, fathers and sons and so on. It could be someone not related to us in any way, yet they still bind or control us, and we must keep providing for them. There are many such cases. So, “Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts became even more fierce.” These kinds of people exist among us. “These sounds of clashing and fighting were deeply terrifying.” This is the state of our world.

The next sutra passage states,

“Kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt and occasionally jumping up one or two feet into the air, travelling up and returning, lazily indulging in this game. They would catch a dog by his two legs, attacking and causing him to bark. They stretch his legs over his neck, scaring the dog but pleasing themselves.”

See, these kumbhanda demons are one of the eight kinds of demons. They specialize in eating people’s vital essence. They have an ugly appearance, with a body shaped like a pot. Their neck is skinny, but their body is large, like a winter melon. Their entire [body] is very fat, but their arms and legs are skinny. They have a really ugly appearance.

Look at the way young people and middle-age people not only put on pale foundation and red lip stick, they also apply blue, green or black eyeliner. They add many colors around their eyes. Actually, when you apply all kinds of makeup, people cannot tell [what you naturally look like]. So, aren’t we just like kumbhanda demons?

In fact, in Buddhist sutras, there is a similar description. The kumbhanda demon described is actually the mother of demons in the. Sutra on the Mother of Demon Children. This demon had 1000 children. To raise her 1000 children, she hunted the children of other people to feed her own children. During the Buddha’s lifetime, when He heard about this, He was determined to tame the mother of demons.

How could He tame her? With His wisdom, the Buddha called on the bhiksus and Ananda. “Go, from among the 1000 children of the mother of demons, bring me the youngest one.” The bhiksus went to find her children. They captured several of them and brought them all to the Buddha. The Buddha hid all the children, especially the youngest one. When the mother of demons came home from snatching other people’s children to feed her own children, she wondered why so many of them were missing. In particular, her favorite, the youngest child, was also gone.

Then someone told her, “The bhiksus took your children.” She kept crying and looking for her children. When she saw the bhiksus outside the abode, she asked, “My children, where are my children? Why did you take my children?” A bhiksu said, “Don’t you have many children? Let some of them follow the Buddha.”

So, the mother of demons quickly went before the Buddha and begged Him, “Please return my children.” So, the Buddha released several of her children. “There is one still missing. Why is my youngest child not among them?” The Buddha said, “You already have so many children. Will missing one make that much difference?” The mother of demons said, “You cannot keep him; I really cherish this child.” The Buddha said, “What about the other children? Can they follow me? No, I cannot lose a single child.”

The Buddha said, “But you normally hunt the children of others and eat them so that other parents have lost their children and cannot even find a trace of them. How do you think these parents feel?” At that moment, the mother of demons began to awaken. “Yes, I must put myself in their shoes. When I thought I lost my children, I felt tremendous suffering. I have caused so many parents to suffer. That was wrong of me; I realize that now. I am willing to take refuge with You and abide by Buddhist precepts.” The Buddha allowed her to take refuge with Him, and the mother of demons became one of the Buddha’s Dharma-protectors and helped fulfill sentient beings’ [wishes]. When someone was sick or wanted children, she took care of them like a kind mother.

The kumbhanda demon does in fact look like that. If a woman gave birth to that many children, how could her appearance not become unkempt? This happens to everyone. Women can apply makeup to look beautiful. But if they use [too much] in their old age, they will lose the natural beauty of the elderly. Humans are most beautiful when they look natural. Most importantly, they must have the heart of a kind mother.

The kumbhanda demons have bodies shaped like pots. They are shaped like pots. Because they are shaped like pots, people are scared at the sight of them.

Kumbhanda means pot-shaped because they are shaped like pots. These are frightful demons. They crouch, which looks like sitting, or squat, which is actually sitting. This is like how heretical practitioners take deviant precepts. They cling to deviant paths as the correct path. This is seeing the wrong cause as the cause. One example is taking cow or dog precepts.

These “kumbhanda demons were crouching or squatting in the dirt.” Due to the shape of their bodies, they find it difficult to sit. Another way of describing this is, due to their disheveled form, they cannot sit properly. So, “they crouch, which looks like sitting.” To actually sit down is not easy for them. Sitting is not too different from crouching. So, they “squat, which is actually sitting.” This is how they sit; it is very difficult for them. You can imagine the appearance of their bodies. If someone is very fat, weighing well over 100 kilograms, they will find getting up, sitting down, crouching and standing to all be very difficult. “This is like heretical practitioners who take deviant precepts.” Heretical practitioners have deviated in their spiritual practice, so they are attached to the wrong kinds of precepts. When we cling to deviant precepts, we see the wrong cause as the cause and the wrong effect as the effect. Everything we do would be wrong and this would be the opposite of cultivating ourselves.

In ancient India, there were over 90 types of religious practices, including those that involved fire or water or living like cows or dogs. Some practiced living in cow excrement and eating it and so on. They chose to live like cows and dogs. However cows or dogs lived, they lived the same way. They went naked as part of their practice. This is analogous to the ugly appearance of kumbhanda demons. The appearance of these demons is an analogy for the deviant practices of heretical practitioners. The Buddha used this [analogy] to help us realize that we must enter the right path and avoid deviant paths.

“Occasionally jumping up, one or two feet into the air.” For some [heretical] practitioners, it is not that they do not practice; they do engage in spiritual practice. But in their spiritual practice, they “occasionally jump up. To jump up” is to leave the desire realm.

To jump up is to leave the desire realm; one foot into the air is leaving the form realm, while two feet is leaving the formless realm. They always travel up and return, rising and falling in cyclic existence. This refers to futile effort.

In “one or two feet into the air, one foot” means leaving the form realm, while “two feet” is leaving the formless realm. They want to leave the Three Realms. In the hope of doing that, they seek out methods of spiritual practice. They “occasionally jump up” means they leave the desire realm, or the form realm or the formless realm. This is what this means. “They always travel up and return.” They rise for a moment and then fall again. This actually describes our minds. When we listen to the Dharma, [we say]. “I understand; I know I can’t be greedy. I must eliminate my greed.” Or, “I know that my mind is afflicted and. I must let go of my afflictions. I must be vigilant to avoid having afflictions.” But how long can we maintain that state? For how long can we be free of afflictions? Soon, we will fall back into a state of greed, anger and ignorance.

“You want me to be vegetarian? That’s fine. Can I start with one meal a week? Okay, use this skillful means of being vegetarian for one meal per week. Can you try to do it for three meals per week?” They think about it, “Fine, three meals. Can you go a step further and be vegetarian three days per week? That’s harder. I know it’s harder, but give it a try? I will try.” After they do it for three days, “Try for another three days next week? It’s too hard.” Then they retreat again.

Living in this world, we are filled with desires, so abiding by precepts feels very difficult. So, “Jumping up one or two feet up in the air, they always travel up and return, rising and falling in cyclic existence. This refers to futile effort.” I often hear people say, “They have also decided to be vegetarians now. Really? Yes, once a week. What’s the use of doing it one day a week?” This is what people’s minds are like, constantly rising and falling.

Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must be mindful. In being mindful, we have a dignified appearance, which reflects our virtue. “Wealth enriches the house as virtue enriches the body.” We must earnestly engage in spiritual practice, otherwise, we would not be able to see what is truly around us in our daily living. “Yaksas, evil ghosts or kumbhanda demons” may appear around us at any time, but we cannot tell. Are they Bodhisattvas or mothers of demons, or kumbhanda demons, etc.? As we live in the world, there are many goblins and monsters around us. In our lives, they may lead us into traps.

Therefore, dear Bodhisattvas, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must learn the Bodhisattva-path. In this desire realm, we must not let ourselves be led astray by demons. A slight deviation can cause a great divergence, so everyone, please always be mindful.

Episode 625 – Not Believing in Cause and Effect is Terrifying

>> “Beings of the Five Destinies coexist with a mix of good and evil karma. With deluded karma, afflictions and deviant views, we deny the law of cause and effect. Everyone conceals seeds of cause and effect. Seeds contain an ocean of fruit; though hidden, they are not lost.”

>> “They were laying, nursing, procreating, each hiding and safeguarding [their young]. Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them. Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts became more fierce. These sounds of clashing and fighting were deeply terrifying.”

>> Birds lay eggs; this is laying. Beasts nurse newborns; this is nursing. This is analogy for the teachings of karma. That which gives birth is a cause. That which is given birth to is an effect.

>> Each hiding and safeguarding [their young]: Within causes, effects are hidden; this is hiding. They will never be lost; this is safeguarding.

>> Yaksas: With deviant views, people will deny the karmic law of cause and effect. This is like yaksas who fight each other to get human flesh and poisonous insects to eat.

>> Those who have eaten their fill are those who seek principles with deviant views. With their mixed-up and false views they do not believe in cause and effect. Thus they cut off their roots of goodness and help their evil thoughts become more fierce and their deviant views grow more extensive.

>> The sounds of clashing and fighting: In their hearts are evil thoughts and outwardly they express evil actions. With their speech they proclaim that there is no karmic cause and effect. This can lead listeners to fall into the Three Evil Realms. Thus it is deeply terrifying.

>> The view of deviant precepts is clinging to a deviant path as the correct path. This is called seeing the wrong cause as the cause. One example is taking cow or dog precepts.

“Beings of the Five Destinies coexist
with a mix of good and evil karma.
With deluded karma, afflictions
and deviant views,
we deny the law of cause and effect.
Everyone conceals seeds of cause and effect.
Seeds contain an ocean of fruit;
though hidden, they are not lost.”

Spiritual practice is inseparable from our mind. We should know that we are currently living in a place where beings of the Five Destinies coexist, where positive and negative causes and conditions are gathered together.

Beings of the Five Destinies coexist here; we should all clearly understand this. What are the Five Destinies? The Five Paths, the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. I hope everyone will constantly take these in, familiarize themselves with them and remember them. We are now living in the Three Realms and the Five Destinies are in the Three Realms. We are presently in the “human destiny,” which is the human realm. In the human realm, there is both good and evil.

Positive karmic causes result in positive effects. In the human world, some people enjoy great blessings, as if in heaven. They are like heavenly beings in the human realm. Negative karmic causes result in negative effects. Right now, in this world, people who commit evils stir up trouble and cause instability in society. We also see people we feel very sad for. They experience adversities time and again. They are born into a disagreeable environment, and all kinds of suffering seem to be concentrated in on them. Their life is one of suffering! We understand that the causes of suffering we created in the past result in the fruits of suffering we face today. We created causes of suffering in the past, but are we still creating karma of suffering and evil now?

Some people are poor, yet they remain diligent in the face of hardship. Though they labor all their lives, though things do not go as they wish, their hearts are still at peace. They do not create more negative karma. There are also people who are very wealthy, and everything goes smoothly for them. They are still kind and charitable in this life, continuing to give to others. Living a life of goodness, they still do good; these are people with blessings and wisdom. With past positive karmic causes and conditions, they are able to receive the fruits of blessings in this life; they reap blessings because of their karma. As they reap the blessings [of their karma], they create the causes for more blessings. Thus they strengthen their affinity to hear the Buddha-Dharma. This is how they cultivate both blessings and wisdom.

People with evil in them can also change if they created causes and conditions in the past. They were born in this environment, and this shaped the kind of people they became. Though they grew up with the deluded karma, afflictions and deviant views of that place, they can still encounter incredible affinities that allow them to change their ways.

For example, in Selangor, Malaysia, there is a diligent [volunteer] who has been dedicated to doing recycling work for many years. This volunteer is Mr. Chu Jinpeng. In the past, when he was young, he was born into an environment in which his family loved to eat, drink and gamble. Growing up in that environment, of course he also loved to eat, drink, play and gamble. He did all those things. When he drove on the streets, if there was a car in his way, he dared to drive right into that car. After running into them, he got out of his car to argue with them. He never felt like he did something wrong.

He was very loyal to his friends. If any of his friends was bullied, one phone call would bring him out [to fight]. So, he spent his days in the criminal underworld; he constantly argued, fought and yelled. Neither his speech, actions nor thoughts were kind. That was how he used to be. Then he began to wonder why his friends were dying one by one. Some passed away, some ran away, some went missing. He [did not want to continue in] this environment. So, in 1998, he left Malaysia and went to the United States.

There, he encountered a Buddhist organization. Someone gave him the book “Thus I Have Heard.” Through this book he came to learn about Tzu Chi, and about the founder of Tzu Chi. This came from reading that book. This was how he became involved with Tzu Chi in the US and how he devoted himself to recycling work. In 2000, he returned to Malaysia and found Tzu Chi volunteers in Selangor. He got involved and was thus able to put his mind at peace. He was very mindful when he did recycling work and was constantly giving; this made him happy.

His own child said, “My father was not like this before. He is now truly a kind father, very caring.” His mother also said, “He was very disobedient; now he is very filial.” His wife said, “My husband now is considerate and gentle. Before he only used to yell and curse. Now he speaks in tender and loving tones.” He completely turned his life around. Now, he is a certified Faith Corps member. In his now awakened life, he realized that his brothers in the underworld were either dead, missing or on the run. Life has no inherent [quality],

so when he was lost, he created deluded karma, but when he awakened, he walked the Bodhisattva-path. This all happened in the human realm, where beings of the Five Destinies coexist. He grew up in an [unwholesome] family environment and learned to live that kind of life. He had the karmic conditions to go elsewhere, which changed his life.

This is why lately I have been bringing up the Five Destinies, deluded karma and the law of karma. There is so much in life that is incredible. Everything arises from the mind. If we deny that there are positive and negative karmic retributions, then we will continue to commit transgressions and thus be unable to wake up. So, “We deny the law of cause and effect.” But, “Everyone conceals [the seeds].” In every one of us, “Seeds contain an ocean of fruit.”

The source of a great tree is concealed within a tiny seed. With the convergence of causes and conditions, when soil, water, sunlight and air come together, the seed becomes a seedling, which grows into a big tree that produces flowers and fruits. Then there will be an “ocean of fruit.” From this tiny seed comes countless fruit as this cycle repeats endlessly, as the tree bears fruit year after year. This is incredible. Thus, karma is “hidden but not lost.” It is all contained within us.

So, the previous sutra text already described everything from birds and beasts to goblins to monsters. All of this tells us that everything arises from the mind.

Next,

“They were laying, nursing, procreating, each hiding and safeguarding [their young]. Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them. Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts became more fierce. These sounds of clashing and fighting were deeply terrifying.”

“Laying” refer to birds. Birds are hatched from eggs. They lay and then hatch the eggs. So, “laying” refers to birds. “Nursing” refers to the animals who drink milk right after being born. Their mothers are “nursing.” Creatures that fly in the air or walk on the ground are all included in “laying, nursing, procreating.”

Birds lay eggs; this is laying. Beasts nurse newborns; this is nursing. This is analogy for the teachings of karma. That which gives birth is a cause. That which is given birth to is an effect.


Whether they are egg-born or womb-born, they are “each hiding and safeguarding. Each hiding and safeguarding” means that every kind of living being harbors habitual tendencies specific to its species, and each has its own inherent poison.

Several days ago I was saying that bees have their own kind of venom, and mosquitos also have their poisonous nature. Mosquitos are very small creatures that breed and live in filthy conditions. When they bite people, they can transmit germs to them. So in this way, these tiny insects are inherently born with the ability to spread the causes of illnesses. These [toxins] are harbored within them, to say nothing of snakes and bees.

So, among these countless kinds of creatures, there are many different ways of living, different ways of being born. This is an analogy for “the teachings of karma.” That which gives birth is the cause; “That which is given birth to is an effect.” All is concealed within what they give birth to. Their way of life, their body, etc. conceal both causes and effects. This is what “each [is] hiding and safeguarding.”

Each hiding and safeguarding [their young]: Within causes, effects are hidden; this is hiding. They will never be lost; this is safeguarding.

“Within causes, effects are hidden; this is hiding.” Every cause has an effect. Consider a tiny seed. Each seed has a shell that protects it encompassing the tiny thing inside; that is the kernel. Hidden within the cause is the effect, the way a great tree is hidden within a very tiny seed. Within causes, effects are hidden; this is hiding.

We talk about the eighth consciousness, which is also our storehouse consciousness. All the causes we have created are stored within this eighth consciousness. Causes created in past lives were brought with us, and along with causes we create in this lifetime, we bring them with us into the next life. We endlessly add to our storehouse consciousness, so lifetime after lifetime we continue to face the manifestation of our karmic retributions. This is the working of the law of karma and our storehouse consciousness. This consciousness is not only found in humans. All living beings have this storehouse consciousness within.

So, they will never be lost; this is safeguarding. [The karmic seeds] are protected. Whether we do good or whether we commit evil, there is a layer which is safeguarding us. When good or evil meet karmic conditions, when causes converge with certain conditions, the fruit will manifest. This is the wondrous working of karma.

“Yaksas were contending with each other to seize and eat them.” No matter how evil a creature is, there is another that is even more so. No matter how evil vipers or ferocious beasts are, there are [worse creatures] that come and go without a trace. These evil ghosts and yaksas still “battle to grab and pull.” We speak of them as well.

The yaksas mentioned here are an analogy for people’s deviant views.

Yaksas: With deviant views, people will deny the karmic law of cause and effect. This is like yaksas who fight each other to get human flesh and poisonous insects to eat.

If a person’s mind goes astray, then his mind will give rise to evil. Once evil arises, he is no longer pure in heart. Then he will deny the law of karma. He will not want to believe in the karmic retribution of good and evil, so he will have no concept of cause and effect. “As long as I like it, I can do whatever I want.” He shows off and fights and thus is

like the yaksas, who constantly “fight each other to get [things].” They fought to take things from each other, in the open and in secret, as if they were competing to get human flesh or poisonous insects to eat. Whether they want to eat humans or animals, they are always showing off and fighting fiercely. This is their state of mind because they deny the law of karma. Yaksas and evil ghosts seem far removed from us. Among people, there are those who do not fear the law of karma, and those who do not understand the principles. So, we see [examples] of this too. Therefore, “Having eaten their fill, their evil thoughts become more fierce.”

Those who have eaten their fill are those who seek principles with deviant views. With their mixed-up and false views they do not believe in cause and effect. Thus they cut off their roots of goodness and help their evil thoughts become more fierce and their deviant views grow more extensive.

See, they have eaten their fill. This is an analogy for those who seek principles with a deviant mindset, with their mixed-up and false views. People like this do not believe in karma, so they “cut off their roots of goodness and help their evil thoughts become more fierce.” Thus, the evil in their minds rages all the more furiously, and “Their deviant views grow more extensive.” The more extensive these deviant views become, the more their acts of evil expand and grow. Thus, the evil in these people grows stronger.

See how this leads to tragedy for so many. People are driven from their homes and blood is spilled everywhere; this is a result of human cruelty. This is what is meant by, “The sounds of clashing and fighting are deeply terrifying.”

The sounds of clashing and fighting: In their hearts are evil thoughts and outwardly they express evil actions. With their speech they proclaim that there is no karmic cause and effect. This can lead listeners to fall into the Three Evil Realms. Thus it is deeply terrifying.

These sounds of clashing and fighting alone will bring worry and fear to people. In today’s media, whenever something happens in some country or in some society, reports of it will become widespread. These clashes, fights and manmade disasters make people very nervous and unsettled.

“In their hearts are evil thoughts.” People with thoughts of evil will manifest them in their words and actions. With their body, they commit wrongdoings. With their speech, they cause many conflicts. So, they create karma of body, speech and mind. People like this do not believe in cause and effect. Thus, they will fall into the Three Evil Realms. This is inevitable in their future.

As Mr. Chu said, he saw that his friends were either dead or had run away, or else had gone missing. There were no happy endings. “Thus it is deeply terrifying.”

These are all analogies for how deviant views will produce many afflictions in sentient beings. They will flourish endlessly, continuing to replicate and spread. We share these deviant views with each other, so you and I both end up seeing things the same [mistaken] way. People pull each other down, to commit evils and give rise to deviant understanding and views. Some will say, “Fine, I want to practice!” But they deviate in their spiritual cultivation and walk a deviant path. These are mistaken forms of spiritual practice.

The view of deviant precepts is clinging to a deviant path as the correct path. This is called seeing the wrong cause as the cause. One example is taking cow or dog precepts.

In India, some engage in spiritual practices that involve precepts relating to dog and cow excrement. They want to use them to eradicate afflictions. Actually, true spiritual practice takes place among people. By going among people we learn to develop patience; we learn to open up our minds, and we learn to interact with others without being contaminated by their various afflictions. Being willing to give of oneself to others is the only way to truly engage in spiritual cultivation. So, I hope that everyone will contemplate this quite carefully and thoroughly. To do this, we must always be mindful.

Episode 624 – All Things Are Created Only by the Mind

>> “All things are created only by the mind, which gives rise to deluded karma. Those with strength take from those without. The wealth, recognition, profit, authority and power that they desire and pursue, even if obtained, will never bring contentment.”

>> “This pack of canines battled to seize small bits. Emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear, they dashed about seeking food everywhere. They clashed and fought, grabbed and pulled, growling and barking at each other. This house was terrifying, having come to look like this.”

>> “All around there were goblins and monsters yaksas and evil ghosts, eating human flesh. There were all kinds of harmful insects, evil birds and beasts.”

>> All around there were goblins and monsters: This is an analogy for the afflictions of deviant views. Legends say the spirits who live in mountains and rivers are called goblins. Those who live in rocks and trees are called monsters. They are all spirits, invisible, yet they seem to exist.

>> “Yaksas and evil ghosts [were] eating human flesh.” Yaksas are also called [raksas] or “speedy ghosts,”

>> Evil ghosts drink blood and eat flesh. They have the strongest negative karma. They demolish the paths of goodness to the heaven and human realms. They do not respect the Three Treasures and deny the law of cause and effect. Thus sentient beings with deviant views are likened to creatures with ugly appearances or vicious dispositions.

>> There were all kinds of harmful insects, evil birds and beasts: Harmful insects damage crops. Evil beasts create hidden dangers. With venomous and treacherous schemes and stratagems, they all fight and clash with each other.

>> Deluded karma is accumulated and reproduced beyond calculation. We follow our karma as we come and go through the Four Forms of Birth in the Six Realms. Karmic forces can change our original appearance. The five chronic afflictions: All ordinary people have them. When humans do not follow human morality, they are no different from birds and beasts.

“All things are created only by the mind,
which gives rise to deluded karma.
Those with strength take from those without.
The wealth, recognition, profit, authority
and power that they desire and pursue,
even if obtained, will never bring contentment.”

“All things are created only by the mind.” If our minds are oriented toward goodness, everything will be good. But if our minds are oriented toward evil, if we deviate towards evil, that slight deviation can lead us far off course. Once we give rise to a thought of evil, we will begin to create much karma. The more karma we create, the more deluded we become. By making mistake after mistake, we continue down the wrong path. “Deluded” refers to the state of ignorance and afflictions we are in, and “karma” is what we create in that state. Once we create karma out of ignorance and afflictions, we keep going and find it hard to turn back. This is the cause of suffering in our lives, and the reason that in this life, we are lost and cannot return to our nature of True Suchness. This is all created by our minds.

If we cannot turn back, what will happen? “Those with strength take from those without.” In international news, we see so many reports of [people] “giving rise to deluded karma” and of “those with strength taking from those without.” On a smaller scale, all of us get into conflicts for similar reasons. We go through each day, “working at sunrise, then resting at sunset.” This way of living slowly turns into a routine. Some feel that this kind of life is too ordinary, so they are determined to do something [greater], like making big business deals, etc. Then, as they develop more experience and establish their direction, they gradually grow from ordinary people into those who are more well-known, then into major figures. To achieve this, they fight with others and take from them.

So, we must not underestimate anyone. When a seemingly ordinary person expands his ambition and scope, he can achieve great power and influence; this begins with thoughts of greed and desire. Greed for wealth and material possessions is inseparable from recognition, profit, authority and power. People are greedy for all of these things. Desire for these few things alone can cause great havoc in the world. Desire for these few things can disrupt the peace of society.

The minds of human beings were originally very simple and straightforward, yet we create so many complications for ourselves. We never stop in our desires and pursuits, so we never feel content. But, with goodness in our minds, we will understand how, as we are born into this world, we need the earth’s material resources to live. Because these resources sustain us, we should try to give back to the world. This is how we nurture thoughts of goodness. Since the world nurtures our body, we must nurture thoughts of goodness. This is a cycle of goodness.

These past few days we have discussed the ways animals live and the ways humans think. The previous sutra text states,

“This pack of canines battled to seize small bits. Emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear, they dashed about seeking food everywhere. They clashed and fought, grabbed and pulled, growling and barking at each other. This house was terrifying, having come to look like this.”

There are people whose lives are very similar to that of animals. When we see humans interact with each other, sometimes we see the strong bully the weak, or the strong fight the strong, or people fighting openly and plotting secretly. Isn’t this how humans live? Some are relentless when they are in the right, while others keep fighting even if they are in the wrong. After fighting and getting what they want, people may still feel unsatisfied. Therefore, the Buddha felt very sad for us. Are our lives really that sad? Actually, we can all listen to the Buddha-Dharma, understand the principles and let go of our many negative habitual tendencies and quickly eliminate them. If we can remain pure in our body and mind, we can also walk the Bodhisattva-path; we can love others and be loved by them. We can do all these things. So, by turning around our state of mind, we can reach a different state.

I believe I have told this short story before. A dog happened to run into a room. This room had mirrors on all four walls. When the dog ran inside the room, he was surprised to see so many other dogs there, and he became afraid. Upon seeing the other dogs, he began barking at them. When he barked at them, they barked back. When he made any sound, he saw them make the same sounds in return. Then he became more and more panicked, so he wanted to show them he was dominant and ready for a fight. The other dogs all showed the same expression, as if they were ready to attack from all sides. In that room, he felt surrounded by enemies, so he kept turning around and around, ready to fight the dogs on this side and that. He turned and turned until he became exhausted. Finally, he was so worn out he could not breathe, so he died.

Isn’t this what our life can feel like? Where did those dogs come from? It was that dog himself who ran into the room and became aggressive, so the dogs on all sides became aggressive too. Did those other dogs exist or not? No, they were never really there. However, the dog kept fighting with these non-existent dogs. In the end, he was also left with nothing, not even his life. Isn’t this how people are?

No matter how much authority people have or how they exercise it, what are they actually left with in the end? Our lives end after we take our last breath. What do we bring with us? We bring karma with us. Isn’t this the same for both humans and animals? What is sad is when people’s states of mind contain the natural tendencies of animals. These animal tendencies can all be found in people’s minds.

The next passage of sutra text states,

“All around there were goblins and monsters yaksas and evil ghosts, eating human flesh. There were all kinds of harmful insects, evil birds and beasts.”

These are also analogies. These are ghosts, monsters and so on. In the world, there are many living things that we can see; birds, animals, harmful insects and so on. We can see the way that they live. There are also creatures that we cannot see, “goblins and monsters.” They are analogies for the afflictions of deviant views, which are things that we cannot see.

All around there were goblins and monsters: This is an analogy for the afflictions of deviant views. Legends say the spirits who live in mountains and rivers are called goblins. Those who live in rocks and trees are called monsters. They are all spirits, invisible, yet they seem to exist.

Goblins and monsters are in legends passed down from the ancients. Evil spirits in the mountains and rivers are called “goblins.” People in the past made up stories about the spirits in the rocks and trees or about how the animals that live there, like foxes and so on, would turn into spirits. All this is described in ancient texts, which speak of strange and odd things, such as demons, ghosts, monsters and so on. Actually, the worst demons, ghosts and monsters are inside our minds. Actually, outside of our minds, all these things are only mentioned in ancient legends; we cannot see them. People would talk about monsters who “who live in rocks and trees.” These are spirits in the rocks and trees. So, these are goblins and monsters. “Monsters” are “[spirits] who live in rocks and trees.” These monsters are also spirits. They are invisible yet seem to exist. From what we hear, they seem to exist, and. “It is better to believe in them than not.” That is what people used to say. I always say, “There are spiritual beings above us.” Having spiritual beings above us means that we should be very cautious as we go about our daily living. Though we may not see it, the law of karma still applies. It is because we created those causes in the past that we face these effects now.

When things do not go the way we want, we should promptly examine ourselves. We need not consult the spirits. Instead, we should ask ourselves, “Did I plant causes in the past that led to these karmic conditions?” So, when we are facing these karmic retributions, we need to find a way to get through these negative karmic causes and conditions. We need to develop a mindset that helps us overcome [the effects] of our negative causes. To overcome evil, we must give out of goodness. In summary, we humans must constantly nurture our thoughts of goodness and avoid being tricked by ghosts [in our minds].

These monsters, these legendary ghosts, like to trick and harm people, delude their minds and lead them to do the wrong things.

Our afflictions arise from our own minds, as do deviant thinking, views and practices. This is like letting goblins and monsters into [our minds]. It is as if we are possessed or hallucinating. If we think the voices we hear are real, we will become confused and disturbed. This means that originally we made an effort to be good people, but we could not follow through. Some people say of others, “He did not follow the teachings. Instead he was led astray by ghosts.” This is what happens to people. These goblins and monsters enjoy tricking people. We humans like to trick other people. If we see someone in a good situation, we may intentionally lead that person astray. When that person foolishly listens to what we say,

we enjoy watching them make a mistake or enjoy watching them engage in odd behavior. We are like ghosts that like to trick people and tempt them to go astray and make mistakes. This is how some people are led to become lost. Goblins and monsters enjoy tricking them. So, these things are all invisible and intangible. They are all in our minds.

“Yaksas and evil ghosts [were] eating human flesh.” Yaksas are also called [raksas] or “speedy ghosts,”

because they are very fast. They are a kind of evil ghost. Actually, their life is filled with suffering because they depend on sucking human blood and the blood of other animals to live. So, yaksas are also called. “Lives-off-other’s-suffering.” Living like this is quite painful.

In fact, yaksas are both visible and invisible, so they are also an analogy for deviant views.

Yaksas are evil ghosts that eat flesh and blood; they have the strongest negative karma. This demolishes the paths of goodness to the heaven and human realms. To cultivate the path to the human realm, we must uphold the Five Precepts. But some people deny the law of cause and effect. They are undisciplined and do not abide by the Five Precepts. To reach the heaven realm, we must practice the Ten Good Deeds. When people deny the law of cause and effect and disturb those who are practicing good deeds, they are like evil ghosts that eat flesh and drink blood.

This is an analogy. “Yaksas and evil ghosts eat human flesh.” They are an analogy for deviant views. These disrupt people doing good deeds and destroy people’s Right Views. This is all analogous to “yaksas and evil ghosts eating human flesh.” These are used as an analogy. Those who disrespect the Three Treasures and deny the law of karma are sentient beings with deviant views. Moreover, these kinds of ghosts look ferocious; they are creatures with ugly appearances. Their dispositions are vicious, so they are an analogy for deviant ways that demolish the paths of goodness. This kind of evil will destroy goodness. There are many ways to describe their ugliness.

Evil ghosts drink blood and eat flesh. They have the strongest negative karma. They demolish the paths of goodness to the heaven and human realms. They do not respect the Three Treasures and deny the law of cause and effect. Thus sentient beings with deviant views are likened to creatures with ugly appearances or vicious dispositions.

Next the sutra mentions, “There were all kinds of harmful insects, evil birds and beasts.” Harmful insects damage crops and agriculture. Humans rely on eating crops to live, but then these harmful insects strike. See, crops that are about to be harvested may suddenly be infected by disease, infested by insects, etc. So, loss of the harvest may also be caused by harmful insects. Evil birds and beasts and other vicious animals give rise to dangers in our surroundings. These things do actually exist in the world.

For instance, a snake may suddenly emerge. People are afraid when they see the snake. Some snakes are very poisonous. Some snakes are afraid of people. Some spit venom when they see humans. All these kinds of behavior can be seen in this world.

Humans and animals, whether they are poisonous snakes or people, are afraid of each other. They are vicious and treacherous. This is an analogy for human relationships. People oppose each other and fight each other, each one trying to be more vicious than the next. Each country also tries to outdo the next with their arsenal of weapons. Isn’t this what people do? Humans and animals are the same. “With venomous and treacherous schemes and stratagems,” humans “all clash and fight with each other.”

There were all kinds of harmful insects, evil birds and beasts: Harmful insects damage crops. Evil beasts create hidden dangers. With venomous and treacherous schemes and stratagems, they all fight and clash with each other.

Animals and insects alike can damage our crops. Besides directly causing damage to humans, they indirectly harm us by damaging what we grow. Humans can likewise directly and indirectly cause harm. We also constantly create hidden hazards in our surroundings. There are many clashes between humans and animals, not to mention between different people.

In this way, “Deluded karma is accumulated and reproduced beyond calculation.” We sentient beings are just like this. We create karma out of delusion and ignorance, and after creating it, we reproduce it unendingly with all kinds of vicious acts.

“We follow our karma as we come and go in the four forms of birth and the Six Realms.” Our karma can change our appearance, as we follow our karma through the Four Forms of Birth and the Six Realms. We may be in the human or hungry ghost realm. Perhaps we will end up in the hell realm, or perhaps the animal realm. Birds and beasts all have different appearances. It is the karma we create that leads us to come and go through the Four Forms of Birth in the Six Realms. This is all a result of our karma changing our appearance. This is all the effect of karma.

So, the five acute afflictions are in everyone; every person has them. View of self, extreme view, stubborn view, view of deviant precepts and so on are the habitual tendencies we have in life. Our deviation from proper beliefs start with nothing other than this body. We also have the five chronic afflictions of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. They are all in our minds. So, the five acute and five chronic afflictions are found in everyone. Thus, many do not follow human morality, which makes them no different from animals.

Deluded karma is accumulated and reproduced beyond calculation. We follow our karma as we come and go through the Four Forms of Birth in the Six Realms. Karmic forces can change our original appearance. The five chronic afflictions: All ordinary people have them. When humans do not follow human morality, they are no different from birds and beasts.

In summary, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must be oriented toward the right path. We should understand that where we end up in the Four Forms of Birth and the Six Realms depends on our minds. So, “All things are created by the mind.” All the karma we have arises from our minds and from the actions of our body. Everyone, let us always carefully contemplate everything, and always be mindful.

Episode 623 – Canines as an Analogy for People’s Minds

>> “Everything in the world is impermanent, and we should contemplate impurity. Due to ignorance, we cannot awaken; this is likened to a black-shelled beetle. When our thinking becomes lost, we take the wrong fork. Noble beings see the Three Realms as impure and thus have compassion.”

>> “Jackals and foxes chewed, trampled, sucked and gnawed on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered about.”

>> “This pack of canines battled to seize small bits. Emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear, they dashed about seeking food everywhere. They clashed and fought, grabbed and pulled, growling and barking at each other. This house was terrifying, having come to look like this.”

>> The family Canidae includes many different species. Their sense of smell and hearing is sharp, and they can be trained. With their intelligence, they become arrogant. A pack of canines fight to seize small bits, so they are an analogy for the seven kinds of arrogance.

>> Pack of canines: Just as the delusions of arrogance drive people’s thoughts and actions, dogs rely on the power of humans, and having great strength, they forcefully seize and take from ones with no strength. They dig and search with two feet, defending what they have found. Thus, they battle to seize small bits.

>> Insatiable greed is called hunger. Being unable to quench desires is being emaciated. With various methods, people pursue their own personal gain, bringing on hatred and anger. This ignorance is like madness; thus it says they are maddened by fear. Those who are greedy may be rich but feel poor and follow objects of the five desires everywhere.

>> “Emaciated by hunger” is to be starving and weak, like being unable to get spiritual nourishment. “Maddened by fear” means they have a terrified and frightened appearance that comes from not severing the root of doubt.

>> They clash and fight: Ordinary people secretly and openly fight over recognition or personal gain, or clashed for the sake of the same. Or they may fight because of differences in understanding of the teachings and principles. They advance forward to seize and fight openly and secretly in all dealings. They hold each other back; these are all forms of clashing and fighting.

>> Growling: Opening one’s mouth to reveal teeth. This is an attitude of arrogance. Biting something and fighting for it is growling. Losing something and crying out is barking. These are the sounds of angry fighting.

>> So, a pack of canines is an analogy for “the afflictions of doubt.” When people cannot tell right from wrong in matters and principles, that induces five types of chronic afflictions, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt.

>> The pack of canines battling is called clashing. Their barking at each other is fighting. Going forward to seize is grabbing. Tugging back and forth is called pulling. These are all forms of conflict. Biting something and fighting for it is growling. Losing something and crying out is barking. These are the sounds of fighting.

“Everything in the world is impermanent,
and we should contemplate impurity. Due to ignorance, we cannot awaken;
this is likened to a black-shelled beetle.
When our thinking becomes lost,
we take the wrong fork.
Noble beings see the Three Realms
as impure and thus have compassion.”

As I have said, everything in this world is in fact impermanent. From ancient times until now, among those who have lived, how many can actually be considered to have had long lives? In terms of material things in this world, buildings can last for a long time. For how long? How many places are still standing after 1000 years?

So, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we should be mindful and meticulous and carefully contemplate. What is the meaning of our lives? We must earnestly and quietly contemplate this. Furthermore, sentient beings create karma, especially severely negative karma.

Our minds are scattered and we cannot focus them, so we create karma out of ignorance and delusion. Because we cannot rein in our minds, we cannot realize how “The world is impermanent.” Since we have the karmic conditions to be born human and listen to the Buddha-Dharma, we must continue to refocus our minds and earnestly think about this. “We should contemplate impurity.” How do we control our desires? To address wealth and personal gain, all we have to do is think, “Everything in the world is impermanent; why take issue over anything?” To address the desire for sensual pleasures, we can “contemplate the body as impure.” The human body is very unclean. How long will we actually live? In this lifetime, why should we let our desire for intimacy lead us to create afflictive emotions?

How can we eliminate our scattered thoughts and afflictions? By reining in our minds. All we need is to recall the opening phrases, “Everything in the world is impermanent; we should contemplate impurity.” From this we should be able to realize that there is no need to fight or be attached.

“Due to ignorance, we cannot awaken.” Because we cling to our desire for wealth, we cannot awaken from our state of ignorance. This is analogous to being a black-shelled beetle. They live out their lives in excrement. They are very small and weak, and they physically live in such an environment. Aren’t people living in delusion just like them? Humans are truly insignificantly small, but we claim to be so great, to be on top of the world. We continually take advantage of the weak; we continually destroy things and fight others. Even if we obtain things, how long can we actually possess them? This greed and attachment arises from a state of ignorance. Aren’t we all living in such a state? “Due to ignorance, we cannot awaken; this is likened to a black-shelled beetle.” This happens when “Our thinking becomes lost.” Our minds are all mixed-up; ordinary people are ignorant and confused, so we create karma. This happens because we are lost.

As we engage in spiritual practice, we always talk about precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Samadhi is a meditative state. To cultivate Samadhi and meditation, we must “cultivate contemplation.” But we have lost our constant contemplation of how we can gather our minds into a tranquil and still state. More often, we are lost. If we are lost in desires, the pursuit of wealth or personal affections, then we will easily “take the wrong fork” and fall [into a lower realm]. So, noble beings see the Three Realms as impure. Thus, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have compassion for us.

We seem to be saying the same things every day. However, how often do each of us think about these concepts? The previous sutra passage states,

“Jackals and foxes chewed, trampled, sucked and gnawed on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered about.”

We keep fighting and fighting, until ultimately, what do we end up with? Things scattered about.

The next sutra passages continues on to describe,

“This pack of canines battled to seize small bits. Emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear, they dashed about seeking food everywhere. They clashed and fought, grabbed and pulled, growling and barking at each other. This house was terrifying, having come to look like this.”

See, when in a pack, canines will fight with and harass each other. In fact, canine is a general term. In the family Canidae, there are many animals. Animals described by the family “Canidae” include all the canines. But, there are many different species of canines. Some dogs can be trained to guard the door. Some can be trained to guide the blind. Since they are dogs, they have an acute sense of smell and hearing, so they can be trained to use that.

They are also very clever. Out of cleverness arises arrogance. People say, “The dog steps on horse feces and exaggerates his status.” This is an old saying in Taiwan. Dogs can assess situations, so they are very clever. If their owners are well-known, wealthy and powerful, they will take advantage of their status. Even dogs do this. So, “This pack of canines battled to seize small bits.” Canines also possess the tendency of arrogance. Among the five chronic afflictions of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt, canines are categorized under the chronic affliction of “arrogance.”

The family Canidae includes many different species. Their sense of smell and hearing is sharp, and they can be trained. With their intelligence, they become arrogant. A pack of canines fight to seize small bits, so they are an analogy for the seven kinds of arrogance.

We humans are like these canines. The ignorance of self-arrogance drives us. Therefore, we take all kinds of physical actions.

So, [dogs] “rely on the power of humans, and having great strength, they forcefully seize and take from [ones] with no strength.” Canines also use their greater strength to seize and take from those with less strength. So, “The pack of canines seize small bits.” Some people are the same. The bigger overwhelm the smaller; the strong take advantage of the weak and so on. In this way, people and canines are similar; they both have this kind of nature.

Also, “They dig and search with two feet, defending what they have found.” When dogs take possession of something, they will place all four feet on top of it. After holding down what they want with two of their feet, they will still continue to dig and root around. Similarly, when we humans search for something we can go wild. “Where is the thing I’m looking for?” We dive in head first, digging through and looking for that thing. Dogs do this too.

Therefore, their bodies and minds are strongly driven by the “delusion of arrogance” so they are conceited and arrogant and always want to claim things for themselves. If their minds never stop moving, neither will their bodies. Their bodies and minds are so forceful and busy, but for the sake of what?

Pack of canines: Just as the delusions of arrogance drive people’s thoughts and actions, dogs rely on the power of humans, and having great strength, they forcefully seize and take from ones with no strength. They dig and search with two feet, defending what they have found. Thus, they battle to seize small bits.

The next part states, “Emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear, they dashed about seeking food everywhere.”

Those with strength fight each other. What about those without strength? Their insatiable greed is “hunger.” Among humans, some are always greedy. Although they have enough to live on, they still feel that they do not have enough. Being unable to quench desires is being “emaciated.” In this verse, “emaciated” means to be very thin. They feel malnourished and are always hungry and scrawny. Never being able to quench their desires, they are like those who never feel well-nourished.

So, with various methods, people pursue their own personal gains. They keep thinking that what they have attained is still not enough. So, all their lives they are hateful and angry and keep creating problems for themselves. They bring worries and anger on themselves. If they cannot complete the deal they want, they hate that they could not make it happen. So, this kind of person truly has “ignorance [that] is like madness.” This is “maddened by fear.” We keep currying favor and fighting for more. Limitless greed is like being “emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear. Those who are greedy may be rich but feel poor and follow objects of the five desires everywhere.”

Insatiable greed is called hunger. Being unable to quench desires is being emaciated. With various methods, people pursue their own personal gain, bringing on hatred and anger. This ignorance is like madness; thus it says they are maddened by fear. Those who are greedy may be rich but feel poor and follow objects of the five desires everywhere.

Some seem to be very rich, with many possessions, [but their state of mind] is not much different from that of the poor. So, I often talk about the similarities between greed and poverty. Thus, those who are rich may feel poor. People like this never feel they have enough, so they pursue their objects of desire everywhere. In this world, amidst the sense objects of form, sound, smell, taste and touch, their greed for the objects of desire is endless. This is what people are like.

“Emaciated by hunger” is to be starving and weak, like being unable to get spiritual nourishment. “Maddened by fear” means they have a terrified and frightened appearance that comes from not severing the root of doubt.

We may have not yet attained the Dharma. If we have attained the Dharma, we will be content, grateful, understanding and accommodating. Isn’t such a life one of great wealth? People who are not able to feel content have not tapped into their Dharma-nature. They have not taken the Dharma to heart, so they have not awakened their pure nature. Their wisdom-life is still parched because they lack the nourishment of Dharma-water. This is similar to being emaciated by hunger.

“Maddened by fear” means they have a terrified and frightened appearance that comes from not severing the root of doubt. If they do not take the Dharma to heart, they will be fearful; they fear losing their fame and wealth to others. People like this are constantly frightened. This is because they have not taken the Dharma to heart. Because they have doubts, they wonder if people are friendly to them because of some ulterior motive. People with this kind of doubt can never make any close friends. They are fearful and suspicious, because they have not taken the Dharma to heart. When they act out of fear, they will not do things in the right way. This makes life hard for them.

“They clashed and fought, grabbed and pulled.”

People fight like this. Ordinary people secretly and openly fight over recognition and personal gain, or clash for the sake of the same. Perhaps people fight because of differences in their understanding of teachings and principles. Why is this argument necessary? Principles have always been principles. What is there to argue over? People fight over worldly recognition and gain and argue over what is right or wrong regarding principles of faith. What is the use of all this? We must elevate our own wisdom and, once we know the direction to follow, we should just stay on that course. When it comes to the right thing to do, we should just do it. What is there to argue over and fight about? All of that is really unnecessary.

But, “They clashed and fought.” In the last 100 years, this has led to so much sorrow and suffering. People fight openly and clashed secretly. They advance forward to seize or fight openly and secretly in all dealings. They mutually hold each other back, so major conflicts will endlessly arise and lead to endless clashes. Then when will this world be at peace? With all this fighting and clashing, when will it finally be over? [This depends on] people’s minds.

They clash and fight: Ordinary people secretly and openly fight over recognition or personal gain, or clashed for the sake of the same. Or they may fight because of differences in understanding of the teachings and principles. They advance forward to seize and fight openly and secretly in all dealings. They hold each other back; these are all forms of clashing and fighting.

Fighting and clashing are like “growling and barking at each other. This house was terrifying having come to look like this. Growling” is what canines do when they fight. A pack of canines will fight over food or over a pile of flesh and bones. When they fight, as they hold what they seized under their paws, they try to lay claim to other things. They feel, “This belongs to me, don’t you dare.” So, they open their mouths to reveal their teeth. Can you imagine what this looks like?

Growling: Opening one’s mouth to reveal teeth. This is an attitude of arrogance. Biting something and fighting for it is growling. Losing something and crying out is barking. These are the sounds of angry fighting.

Canines lay claim to things and are reluctant to let go. When they see that something they want is about to be taken away, they seize it in their mouths and pull back their lips to reveal all their teeth. When they bare their teeth after biting down on something, they appear to be very fierce. If we see canines fighting, this is what they look like. If this is what canines fighting look like, what does it look like when people are fighting?

They look arrogant and self-important. Fighting like this is like “growling.” They want ownership of all things and want to win on principle. They want both recognition and personal gain. This situation is called “growling and barking.” The way people shout and curse at each other is like how dogs bark at each other. This is like “growling and barking. Losing something and crying out” is called “barking.” They try to lay claim to something. If they cannot claim what they want, they get very loud. We humans do the same thing when we shout and curse at each other. We not only shout and curse when we fight, some people, out of ignorance, often yell at other people.

So, a pack of canines is an analogy for “the afflictions of doubt.” When people cannot tell right from wrong in matters and principles, that induces five types of chronic afflictions, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt.

There is arrogance in all these afflictions. In greed, there is arrogance. In anger, there is also arrogance. In ignorance, there is also arrogance. Even in arrogance, there is more arrogance. Doubt also contains arrogance. These chronic agents of action contain many afflictions.

Out of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt, we “clash and fight. We also argue over right and wrong,” so “We grab and pull. Debating” who is right and wrong and so on is “growling and barking.” These are the five chronic afflictions.

When a pack of canines battle to seize things, these canines all gather around and tug back and forth to take things from each other. This is a very sad way of living.

The pack of canines battling is called clashing. Their barking at each other is fighting. Going forward to seize is grabbing. Tugging back and forth is called pulling. These are all forms of conflict. Biting something and fighting for it is growling. Losing something and crying out is barking. These are the sounds of fighting.

So, when it comes to sentient beings, humans are just like other sentient beings. We are all animals.

There are many species of canines, but there are many more species of animals. All animals have special characteristics. But human [characteristics] include all the animal characteristics. We have all these tendencies within us. So, the behaviors of animals can all be found in the human mentality. In summary, we must understand the principles and be able to distinguish right from wrong. “Everything in the world is impermanent; we should contemplate impurity.” In this way we can naturally tame our ignorance. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 622 – Fundamental Delusion Gives Rise to Afflictions

>>The creation of all negative karma begins with fundamental delusions. Our attachments and bonds drive us to give rise to all afflictions, which pervade throughout the ten directions of space and extend throughout the three periods of time. Desire, form and ignorance stir up the flames of the Three Realms.

>>All sorts of vicious creatures were running back and forth in places that smelled of urine and feces, where filthy things flowed. Dung beetles and other insects were gathered on top. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3 – A Parable]

>>Next, it states, Jackals and foxes were chewing, trampling, sucking and gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered about. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3 – A Parable]

>>Chewing: Chewing is using one’s teeth to bite, gnaw and grind up food. They will chew the tasty parts and discard the parts they do not want. This is like our greed for external conditions; we grasp at what we want. Heretical practitioners have doubts and thus do not have faith in the True Dharma. Hence they do not know the causes and effects of birth and death in cyclic existence and thus deny and throw out the true principles.

>>The affliction of greed has two varieties 1. Greed of the powerful: Those with this kind of greed seek to obtain things through dominance. In their greed they only think of themselves, they abuse others and bully the weak, causing great suffering for the people. They are like jackals 2. Greed of the powerless: Those with this kind of greed want to beg from or cheat others. They take advantage of good people by relying on and ganging up with powerful people who abuse others.

>>Chewing, trampling, sucking, gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered all around: The creatures stamped and trampled on them. They would chew on the small pieces and trample the extra pieces. Sucking out the blood is called sucking. Breaking bones with ones teeth is called gnawing. This is an analogy for insatiable greed.

>>The corpses are the analogies for the five sense objects. Scattered about means that when a pack of wolves is lying in rest out in the plains, they leave things in disarray; this is why it says scattered about. Insects will chew and eat thoroughly, but the creatures sucking and gnawing on the corpses leave remnants, thus bones and flesh were scattered about. Because they do not eat it all, the extra is scattered and dropped around the plains.

>>Worldly people throw banquets and feasts with plates and cups scattered around. They gather the five sense objects and become indulgent and messy in their behavior. They do not know to stop when they have enough. Life is like this.

“The creation of all negative karma begins with fundamental delusions.
Our attachments and bonds drive us to give rise to all afflictions,
which pervade throughout the ten directions of space and extend throughout the three periods of time.
Desire, form and ignorance stir up the flames of the Three Realms.”

“The creation of all negative karma begins with fundamental delusions.” We ordinary sentient beings do not realize that in our daily living, we constantly engage in many kinds of erroneous behavior, and in this lack of awareness, our minds give rise to fundamental delusions. These fundamental delusions are also called fundamental ignorance, also known as the five acute and five chronic afflictions.

What we have been describing are the afflictions and ignorance of sentient beings and the natural tendencies of birds and beasts, which are similar to our unenlightened states of mind. So, we must constantly heighten our vigilance and never allow our minds to develop the same tendencies as the birds and beasts. We must carefully distinguish ourselves from them. Drawing this distinction will bring us back to our human morals so that we can purify our minds and develop our wisdom-life.

So, “Our attachments and bonds drive us.” We often become bound by our entanglements. The “bonds” that trap us bind us up tightly. Thus, our minds are bound and become entangled in afflictions. Because these afflictions that arise from our fundamental ignorance entangle our minds, in our daily living they surface quickly before we even realize it. When we see a particular person, hear a certain voice or see certain conditions, our greed arises and we do everything we can to [get what we want]. Even though we have listened to the teachings, when we come in contact with these conditions, these [afflictions] quickly surface in our minds, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, etc. In this way, amidst external conditions our minds constantly become entangled and endlessly give rise to many afflictions. Thus, we are already deluded. “Delusion” is really the same as “ignorance”; ignorance is also referred to as delusion. So, delusion and ignorance are “bonds [that] drive us.” They create serious afflictions!

When it comes to these afflictions, over the course of a day, or a year or an entire lifetime, won’t they certainly “pervade throughout the ten directions of space”? Don’t they fill our minds, spreading north, south, east and west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest, up and down, in all the “ten directions of space”? They also “extend throughout the three periods of time.” To “extend” means to go through [time], from the past to the present and into the future, from our past lives to this life and then into our future lives. This happens through [time] [Afflictions] extend from the past into the present. If we still cannot let go, we will extend them even further into the future. Even with matters of yesterday, today, tomorrow we are unable to let go, to say nothing of matters of our past lives, our current life or our future lives. The same principles apply. So, [afflictions] “extend throughout the three periods of time,” thoroughly penetrating past, present and future. They continue to expand across [time and space], endlessly growing outward. This is what happens with our afflictions.

Where do these afflictions come from? Desires, forms and formless [thoughts]. In the desire, form and formless realms, ignorance stirs up the flames of the Three Realms. So, we must make an effort to be mindful. Everyone knows the Three Realms; they are the three states of our minds, desires, forms and formless [thoughts]. This is all in our minds. With desires, we instantly become greedy; we want it right away. We begin to think about it every day and eventually develop serious afflictions. This is what happens in our minds over the course of our daily living

>>All sorts of vicious creatures were running back and forth in places that smelled of urine and feces, where filthy things flowed. Dung beetles and other insects were gathered on top.

We should all understand that life is full of suffering. In these passages we are reading about the lives of birds and beasts. The way they live brings deep suffering. Take “dung beetles and other insects” for example. They live their lives in filthy places, where they are “running back and forth.” Whether they walk on four legs, slither about without any legs or fly [with their wings], they are found everywhere throughout our world, above, below and around us.

In particular, the environments some live in are composed of animal manure and urine. That is also where they reproduce, because that type of filthy environment contains what they need to live. Their eggs are laid and hatched there. They live in this environment all of their life.

When we see them, we may feel pity and wonder, “Why were they born in such an environment?” Actually, our human lifespans tend to be short; a human life is really not that long. Yet within this short lifespan, we create so much negative karma. We destroy mountains and rivers, disrupt people and society and so on. So, when heavenly beings look at humans, they wonder, “Why are their lives so sad? There is poison in their minds, and their afflictions and ignorance are very severe.” This is what they think when they see us.

Yet when the noble beings see heavenly beings, they also feel pity for them. Although heavenly beings live for a long time and enjoy many pleasures, they do not have any spiritual aspirations. “It is hard for the wealthy to learn the Way.” They waste their time in enjoyment. After they deplete their blessings, the Five Signs of Decay manifest. Then they will fall [into a lower realm]. So, when noble beings see heavenly beings, humans and animals, they feel sad for the beings of the Three Realms. Therefore, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas hope that with the conditions we encounter in the world, we can understand suffering and immediately engage in spiritual practice so that we can quickly become awakened

Next, it states, “Jackals and foxes were chewing, trampling, sucking and gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered about.”

Jackals are very similar to foxes. These animals are very clever, but also full of doubt and very suspicious. There are many foxes that look similar but some are smaller. Their coloring is tawny, and their tails are bigger. So, even though they look like other foxes they can be distinguished by their coloring and their tails, They live in similar places, usually in places that are dangerous to get to. This is to ensure their safety; it keeps people from destroying their homes. Thus, they tend to live in places that are dangerous and hard to get to, though to them, these places are safer. To us they seem very dangerous. When evening falls, their howls can be heard. So, they were thought to be monsters. This kind of fox was thought to be a monster.

Chewing, trampling, sucking, gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered all around: The creatures stamped and trampled on them. They would chew on the small pieces and trample the extra pieces. Sucking out the blood is called sucking. Breaking bones with ones teeth is called gnawing. This is an analogy for insatiable greed.

“Chewing” means that when these animals are eating something, they bite down on it. As they eat, they bite down to crush and gnaw on things. They gnaw on the parts they cannot chew and swallow the rest. When they eat, they bite down and then swallow. This is their way of living. This is an analogy for “our greed for external conditions” as “we grasp at what we want”. Chewing: Chewing is using one’s teeth to bite, gnaw and grind up food. They will chew the tasty parts and discard the parts they do not want. This is like our greed for external conditions; we grasp at what we want. Heretical practitioners have doubts and thus do not have faith in the True Dharma. Hence they do not know the causes and effects of birth and death in cyclic existence and thus deny and throw out the true principles. Because of the attachments in our hearts, in our spiritual practice, we often focus on one thing without regard for the rest.

The same principle applies to their way of life; when they eat they tear things apart and chew slowly with their teeth. They simply throw away what they do not want. This is what heretics do. They have doubts, so they do not have faith in the Right Dharma; they cling to their methods of spiritual practice instead of developing proper beliefs. They think that by engaging in such practices they can realize the fruits [of awakening] and become liberated from cyclic existence. They cling to this shortcut because they have not comprehended the truths of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. They choose their own methods of practice. They do not practice according to the teachings. When it comes to the truths of life, they deny the law of karma. They do not believe in this true principle. This is a form of greed. They are greedy for immediate results from their spiritual practice. This is a kind of greed. In fact, all our afflictions arise from the five acute and the five chronic afflictions. The five chronic afflictions begin with greed

The affliction of greed has two varieties 1. Greed of the powerful: Those with this kind of greed seek to obtain things through dominance. In their greed they only think of themselves, they abuse others and bully the weak, causing great suffering for the people. They are like jackals 2. Greed of the powerless: Those with this kind of greed want to beg from or cheat others. They take advantage of good people by relying on and ganging up with powerful people who abuse others.

There are two kinds of greed. The first is “greed of the powerful.” Greed of the powerful means we seek to obtain things through our power. Many people nowadays have this insatiable greed. They want to be on the very top. The big dominate and bully the small. This causes suffering for the people; this “poison” spreads throughout the world. People like this are like jackals. “Jackals and foxes” are very cunning like this.

The second kind is “greed of the powerless.” When we have this greed, we want to acquire things by “begging from or cheating others.” When someone is very powerful, we attach ourselves to that person in order to prosper by association. We have no power so we associate ourselves with someone who is very powerful. Along with them, we “take advantage of good people.” There are also many people like this. Whether the strong are bullying the weak or the weak are aligning with the powerful, the same kind of karma is created. People “gang up with powerful people who abuse others.” People without power rely on other people’s power to do bad things to get what they want.

This is how they go about things. Another way is like. “Sucking and gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered about”

Chewing, trampling, sucking, gnawing on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered all around: The creatures stamped and trampled on them. They would chew on the small pieces and trample the extra pieces. Sucking out the blood is called sucking. Breaking bones with ones teeth is called gnawing. This is an analogy for insatiable greed.

We see this with dogs or some other animals, most commonly with dogs. When they begin to eat something, they hold it down with their paws as they bite it. This is what “sucking and gnawing” refers to. They step on it with their paws to claim it, then they begin to eat it. We often see this. While they hold something down with their front paws and are gnawing away at it, if they see something else they want, they hold down what they have with back paws and grab the new thing with their front paws.

We can see the way they live. When they “suck out the blood,” they have ripped open the insides. The animal in their jaws is completely crushed. When the strong eat the weak, this is what happens. They still gnaw on the bones with their teeth. We see this kind of interaction between animals, the strong biting the weak and the weak struggling and dying in the jaws of the other animal until their body is destroyed. The stronger animal is eating the flesh and blood while his teeth are still gnawing on the bones. This is “an analogy for insatiable greed.” Indeed, this is very sad to look at and also very scary.

The corpses are the analogies for the five sense objects. Scattered about means that when a pack of wolves is lying in rest out in the plains, they leave things in disarray; this is why it says scattered about. Insects will chew and eat thoroughly, but the creatures sucking and gnawing on the corpses leave remnants, thus bones and flesh were scattered about. Because they do not eat it all, the extra is scattered and dropped around the plains.

As for “corpses,” animals that have been chewed up may not have been completely devoured. Their guts may be laid bare in a bloody mess after their bodies are destroyed. This is an analogy for the five sense objects

The five sense objects are form, sound, smell, taste and touch. Don’t we humans desire these sense objects? Form, sound, smell, taste and touch are the things we are greedy for. How are we that different from the strong animals that bully and snatch things away from the weak? This is our greed. Even as we are working, we still think about and desire those things that are scattered about.

When animals fight over something in the bushes, they tear at it until it becomes a mess. They may eat, then rest, then tear at it again. This state of chaos is what is referred to as “scattered.” Insects are the bugs that arise [on corpses]. When other animals eat corpses, whatever is left looks very messy. “Bones and flesh scattered around” describes what happens after the strong eat the weak. There is such a mess there. This is like what happens with humans. After manmade calamities occur, isn’t the trail of destruction that is left considered a scattered state? This indicates that things are not eaten cleanly, bits and pieces are scattered all over the place.

Worldly people throw banquets and feasts with plates and cups scattered around. They gather the five sense objects and become indulgent and messy in their behavior. They do not know to stop when they have enough. Life is like this.

Why would we go and destroy the good things around us? Why would we bring conflict into a life that is going smoothly? This is what people are like. In order to obtain [what they desire], some people hold many business dinners. Dish after dish of food is brought to the table. While eating all kinds of delicacies, people play drinking games. In those restaurants, the food that is brought out smells so good. Entire roasted chickens and suckling pigs are torn apart and eaten piece by piece. The entire table becomes messy. After people have drank and eaten their fill, all that remains on the table are some bones. Trash is littered all over the table.

This is how we entertain others. And why do we do this? You want something, I want something. We negotiate over a meal. Isn’t this what people do? We become indulgent and scattered in behavior. This is what happens when we do not understand when to stop. This is the way life is.

Dear Bodhisattvas, as we learn the Buddha’s Way we must be constantly vigilant. We must be aware of our negative karma and our fundamental ignorance, the five chronic and five acute afflictions. Greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt constantly bind us like a rope. They wrap around us quickly and tightly. If we do not relax these ropes, these bonds of afflictions will drive us and remain in our minds.

These afflictions which bind and drive us can give rise to countless afflictions. One thought of greed can give rise to countless afflictions pervading throughout the ten directions. Throughout the past, present and future this continues, thus we develop habitual tendencies. Because of this, the desire, form and formless realms are the three states that have filled our minds, within which fires and disasters break out. This reflects what happens in the world. Therefore, I hope that everyone can constantly be self-disciplined and reverent, be cautious and never become lax. To do this, we must always be mindful.

Episode 621 – Do Not Get Lost in Ignorance Unawares

>>We should understand that the attachments of ignorance and doubt lead us to deludedly cling to all conditions, which are impermanent and impure. In ignorance, we create deluded karma, and in the midst of all phenomena, we cling to permanence, joy, self and purity. We are contaminated with desirous thinking and sink slowly into confusion.

>>Also, There were snakes, vipers and scorpions, centipedes and house centipedes. There were geckoes and millipedes, weasels and rats.  [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3 – A Parable]

>>All sorts of evil creatures were running back and forth in places that smelled of urine and feces, where filthy things flowed. Dung beetles and other insects were gathered on top. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3 – A Parable]

>>Dung beetles and other insects were gathered on top: Due to the endless affliction of ignorance, people cling to permanence, joy, self and purity and thus give rise to defiled attachments. Like dung beetles gathered on top, when people have desirous thoughts towards men or women, they become extremely confused.

>>This is an analogy for the affliction of ignorance. What people see as being impure and filthy is what the dung beetle takes joy in.

>>Noble beings who transcend the world contemplate the Three Realms as unclean. But sentient beings in Three Realms do not realize that.

“We should understand that the attachments of ignorance
and doubt lead us to deludedly cling to all conditions,
which are impermanent and impure. In ignorance, we create deluded karma,
and in the midst of all phenomena, we cling to permanence, joy, self and purity.
We are contaminated with desirous thinking and sink slowly into confusion.”

We must recognize “the attachments of ignorance and doubt.” Once ignorant thoughts arise, doubts will follow. So, we must maintain clarity in our minds. If ignorance and doubts arise, once they are in our minds, we may become attached to them. If we continue to be attached to them, they “lead us to deludedly cling to conditions.” That is how people get lost; they deviate from the correct course and head in the wrong direction. That is due to their attachment. No matter how we try to convince them, it is hard to get them to turn back

“[Conditions are] all impermanent and impure.”

What are the conditions we deludedly cling to? The impermanent and impure states in which we create deluded karma out of ignorance. We create karma without realizing it. We do not understand that these conditions are impermanent and impure. We have been contaminated by so much ignorance that we cannot draw this distinction. Thus in ignorance, we continue to create deluded karma.

In the midst of all phenomena, we “cling to permanence, joy, self and purity.” We cling to what is not permanent as permanent, we cling to what is not joyful as joyful, we cling to a non-existent self as self and we cling to what is impure as pure. With these deviations, we become attached to the existence of a “self.” This means we count on these things as belonging to our “self.” We count on them being “permanent.” We count on obtaining many things to bring us “joy.” We center our world around this “self.” Whatever good conditions we find ourselves in, we see them as “what I have achieved.” With these views on “permanence, joy, self and purity,”.

We do not think about how long we will actually live. We do not think about being in accord with morality and virtue or the virtues of bringing harmony to society and maintaining proper family relationships. These are not on our minds at all. All we cling to are the ideas of getting what we want and doing what we want. Look at how manmade disasters in many countries arise when discord divides people into factions. They have not been invaded by another country; they themselves created the unrest and turmoil. In Syria, disagreements between two factions led to a confrontation that has caused many people to flee their homes. How many people has this affected? That country of beautiful rivers and mountains, filled with ancient and historical architecture, has been completely destroyed, turned into ruins.

In the end, they have taken possession of a broken society and shattered buildings. So many people have died because of this. What is the use of occupying that piece of land? People do not understand the consequences. Once they start fighting, they keep going. They are deluded and cannot awaken. In modern times, so many people have been displaced because of such conflicts, and so many countries are in a state of unrest. Life is indeed unbearably painful.

In this state of ignorance and doubt, people form “attachments.” We sentient beings cling to things; they are what we are attached to. It is because of ignorance and confusion that we form these kinds of attachments. We are so attached that we fight over things until we are satisfied with the results. But once we start, when will we be satisfied? Thus we continue to reproduce our ignorance, which “leads us to deludedly cling to conditions.” As soon as our minds give rise to attachments, we cling to our conditions and cannot bring our minds back; we just remain attached. All things are impermanent and impure.

Is anything in this world actually permanent? Nothing is permanent. Humans can create all kinds of things and can also destroy all kinds of things. Our planet has gone from “formation, existence” to a state of “decay and disappearance” all because of humankind’s destructiveness [Not recognizing] the impermanence of life is actually the most common source of human transgressions. Originally, under the laws of nature, everyone lived a life that was peaceful, free and happy. But because of people’s greed, they turned “happiness” into “suffering.” This is also due to their mindsets.

How long can we actually live in this world? How many years will this “I” exist? Only for a few decades. But we think that this “I” will last forever and that everything in this world belongs to “me.” How can that be?

People try to escape from life. They flee from the karmic debts of previous lives only to repay them in this life. They create karma in this life, then try to flee into their next life. In summary, every few decades, we have to “leave,” but the karma we have created is calculated in the “trillions.” This number is so high, yet the length of our lives is limited. Just how much karma have we created? It must be measured in the trillions. Even if we have wealth valued at tens of trillions or hundreds of trillions, on our last day we still have to leave this world. We leave with all the karma we have created. It follows us when our lives end. When we leave, it is like we are “fleeing.” It may seem we are running away from this life. But we end up repaying our debts in the next life.

This is because we do not know where we will be reborn in our next life. We have no choice in this. We cannot choose the place where our circumstantial retributions will lead us. We cannot choose who our parents will be. We do not know if we will be a human or a cow, sheep, horse, dog, cat or pig. We do not know, and we absolutely are not able to choose. After creating so much karma, no matter how we try to flee, or where we try to go, we cannot leave our karma behind.

We think that what is not permanent is permanent, we think that what is not joyful is joyful, we think a non-existent self is the self and we think what is impure is pure. Thus “We are contaminated with desirous thinking.” All of this comes from our own thinking. We thought this up, and we believe that we are right, so we are in a state of delusion and confusion. This is how we live. This is the way life is. Think about it, what is the benefit of living a life like this? We must try to understand the minds of people and animals. All the birds and beasts have certain ways of living, which are attachments the same way we have attachments.

For example, birds have one main habitual tendency, which is arrogance, looking down at everyone. All humans have this potential for being arrogant

Also,
“There were snakes, vipers and scorpions, centipedes and house centipedes. There were geckoes and millipedes, weasels and rats.”
Snakes can be quite large creatures. “Snakes, vipers and scorpions, centipedes and house centipedes” are all poisonous creatures, [representing] losing our temper without reason, losing our temper with reason or losing our temper because we feel we are in the right; These are different kinds of anger. There are also “weasels and rats.” They bully fellow rodents who are weaker, like by burrowing into the ground to eat mice. This is like the way humans treat their fellow humans. Humans killing other humans also seems like a very contradictory thing. Humans are also a kind of animal,

so we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice. Humans have civilization and education so we can understand morals. This is what makes us human. Once we have been educated, if we do not keep the principles in mind, and do not put them into practice, what is the difference between us and other animals? So, though this sutra passage is talking about birds and beasts, actually, the ways they live reflect the ways that we think.

So this passage states,
“All sorts of evil creatures were running back and forth in places that smelled of urine and feces, where filthy things flowed. Dung beetles and other insects were gathered on top.”

Different kinds of creatures, including those with four feet, those flying in the sky and those crawling on the ground, were all “running back and forth.” Some of them lived in “places that smelled of urine and feces.” These are very unclean places. If we take a look at filthy places, they are full of tiny insects burrowing in and out. Places “where filthy things flow” means the environment is very dirty.

In particular, “Dung beetles and other insects were gathered on top.” In this analogy, the dirtier a place is, the more of these kinds of creatures we see. This is an analogy for the things in this world, which are all decaying, impermanent and impure. Things in this world decay very quickly. Even delicious delicacies, if we leave them out for a few days, will go bad. This is to say nothing of our bodies. We take such good care of ourselves, but one day, we will cease to breathe. This body is also full of impurities, so one day it will decompose and attract worms. Likewise, everything in this world is impure and subject to decay.

“Dung beetles” are a kind of black beetle. They are in the family of scarabs. The way dung beetles survive is by living off of “human and animals’ feces.” They burrow into feces, bite it off piece by piece and then roll those pieces into balls. They have this ability to turn feces into small balls, and then they stack these up in piles. They do this when they are about to lay eggs. They lay their eggs among them so that the larvae that hatch from the eggs can eat this supply of feces. That is how they live.

Is this kind of life one of suffering? For human beings, this would truly be suffering. So, this is the “chronic affliction of ignorance.” These creatures are an analogy for ignorance and the karma we create from the “chronic affliction of ignorance.” If we are in such a state of deep ignorance right now and have not awakened, we may be born as dung beetles in the future. This is a possibility. So, “dung beetles and other insects” means many insects have this way of life

Dung beetles and other insects were gathered on top: Due to the endless affliction of ignorance, people cling to permanence, joy, self and purity and thus give rise to defiled attachments. Like dung beetles gathered on top, when people have desirous thoughts towards men or women, they become extremely confused.

“Due to the endless affliction of ignorance, people cling to permanence, joy, self, purity and thus give rise to defiled attachments.” This is comparing us to these insects. Regarding “permanence, joy, self and purity,” we cling to them and are attached, just like dung beetles. Dung beetles dig around in filthy places; they were born there. Aren’t humans the same? In the midst of such filth, we wallow and fight with each other. This way of living is indeed suffering, but humans see it as joyful. We think, “By doing things this way, I will forever be….”

In this world, does anything last forever? After we have created all of our karma, we have to leave this body. When we cannot take another breath, won’t this body that we think of as “I” decompose as well? Thus, we do not recognize that we are tunneling back and forth amidst this impurity. In this impure state, we create karma. All of our afflictions are filthier than feces. As human beings, we wallow in these afflictions. This is a truly sad state, so it is sometimes said that humans are sad creatures.

Men and women are like “dung beetles gathered on top,” This is an [analogy for] “when people have desirous thoughts towards men or women.” This is what humans are like. So many people, to satisfy sexual desires, create many problems for their society and their families. They are “extremely confused”

This is an analogy for the affliction of ignorance. What people see as being impure and filthy is what the dung beetle takes joy in.

This is an analogy for the affliction of ignorance. “What people see as being impure and filthy is what the dung beetle takes joy in.” We humans wonder why those dung beetles live in these filthy things, biting off pieces of feces and then rolling them into balls. They collect and pile up these balls of feces and then lay their eggs there. When their eggs hatch, the larvae that emerge will eat the feces there. When humans look at dung beetles, we may feel that they are so ignorant. In fact, how different are we from them? Not very.

Noble beings who transcend the world contemplate the Three Realms as unclean. But sentient beings in Three Realms do not realize that.

In the heaven realm, when heavenly beings observe the human realm, they also tell us that we are very impure. Heavenly beings have such dignified appearances. They enjoy happiness, long lifespans and blessings. They see us work until sweat drips from our backs. To them, the food we humans eat is unclean. We humans also constantly fight with each other. From the perspective of heavenly beings, they laugh at how unclean we are. However, we are not aware of this. We think our life is outstanding. We think we are very talented. We think we are…. We have much pride and arrogance and fight with each other out of anger and ignorance. Indeed, we are truly very unaware.

Heavenly beings see us as unclean, but we are not aware of this ․”Noble beings who transcend the world contemplate the Three Realms as unclean.” But sentient beings in Three Realms are not aware of this. When noble beings who transcend the world look at heavenly beings, humans and animals, they consider them all as unclean. The pleasures heavenly beings enjoy will end, as will their long lifespans. But they continue to indulge in pleasures instead of earnestly accepting the Buddha-Dharma. So when their blessings end, they will fall again. Noble beings who transcend the world look at sentient beings of the Three Realms as truly being very unclean. But sentient beings in the Three Realms are unaware of this. So in the end, each level is higher up than the last, until the highest level.

Supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment is something only Buddhas have. It is something only Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can “understand.” They clearly understand the conditions of the lives of humans and heavenly beings. The Buddha understands everything because He is one with the universe, and there is nothing that He does not know. So, He completely and clearly understands. He understands the ignorance of sentient beings. Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt lead people to replicate more and more karma; they cling to their delusions and do not awaken.

This is why the Buddha appeared in this world and did everything He could to awaken us. He used various methods, analogies, expressions. In His awakened state of mind, He contemplated the heaven and human realms and the ways various animals lived. Then He synthesized all of this. These are all expressions of our unenlightened nature. Our unenlightened nature is no different from that of animals. Humans are also a kind of animal.

In summary, if we mindfully observe the ways of life and environments of beasts and insects, we feel sympathy for them. But when heavenly beings look at our lives, they feel sympathy for us. When Buddhas and Bodhisattvas look at heavenly beings, humans and animals, we are all deserving of their sympathy. So, we should make an effort to contemplate this meticulously and in great detail. We cannot be careless and lose this opportunity. Together we can create a pure land in this world and follow the Right Path of the Dharma with our body and mind. So, we should always be mindful.