Episode 35 – Destroy Delusions with Precepts, Samadhi, Wisdom
>> When Hearers receive these teachings, the teachings penetrate deep into their hearts. They follow these teachings and develop the power of wisdom to destroy thieves, which are afflictions. By distancing themselves from ignorance, they eliminate their own cyclic existence.
>> Once the fruit of spiritual practice is realized, the delusions of views and thinking are eliminated. Once thieves are destroyed, wisdom-life is stabilized. Destroying thieves is destroying fruits of evil. When one begins to make great aspirations, the king of demons becomes scared.
Let the Dharma you hear deeply enter your hearts. When we begin our spiritual practice, we start in a state of ignorance. So, once we aspire to enter the Buddha’s path, how can we make progress with each step? We use our ear-root to hear the Dharma, for only by understanding it can we advance. Only through sound can we receive the Dharma. We can say that Hearers receive the teachings, or that teachings are received by those who hear.
The Dharma is heard through our ears. After our ears hear the Dharma, do we clearly understand what we heard? When we listen to another speak but are not sure what the person is saying, [we may say,] “It seems very meaningful, but I still do not quite understand. Can you please repeat it?” After the speaker says it again, we reply, “I hear it. I understand now, but is this what you really mean? I will repeat it, tell me if I am correct.” Then, the speaker hears us and confirms, “Correct, you understood what I said.” We verify that we understand what we heard by repeating it once more and asking the speaker to confirm that we heard correctly. Thus, [it can] deeply penetrate our hearts.
After we hear and comprehend the teachings, they enter our hearts, so we must practice the teachings accordingly. Then our minds can exercise the power of wisdom. From where does the power of our wisdom arise? After we understand a [teaching], we practice it accordingly. Thus, the Dharma enters our hearts, and when we practice it, others can see that it is the Way. The Way [appears] by following the teachings. When we follow and practice the teachings, we are exercising the power of our wisdom. Then, the strength that we gain by absorbing the teachings will not be lost. “Then, there is the correct path.” The path we are walking on is the correct path, and we can prove to everyone that this is how to walk this road and how to cultivate this path. “Follow the teachings to develop power of wisdom.” Then we can “destroy thieves, which are afflictions.”
When Hearers receive these teachings, the teachings penetrate deep into their hearts. They follow these teachings and develop the power of wisdom to destroy thieves, which are afflictions. By distancing themselves from ignorance, they eliminate their own cyclic existence.
I have also said before that the bhiksu is the seed, and the Arhat, the fruit. So, when bhiksus embark on the Buddha’s path, they have to follow the teachings. Which teachings must they follow? They must end evil, scare demons and be almsmen. They have to continuously correct themselves and eliminate past afflictions. That is ending evil. We scare demons by correcting our own thinking. We have to accept [our duty] to seek the Buddha’s Way and transform sentient beings. This is how we beg for the Dharma. Being a bhiksu is the seed of becoming an Arhat, and being an Arhat is the fruit of being a bhiksu. They have already attained this result. Through making an aspiration and engaging in spiritual practice
they have already attained the fruit of Arhatship. At first, one also has to destroy the thieves, which are afflictions. The subtlest thieves one must destroy are the 98 Tempters. These are the “thieves” we must destroy. When the afflictions of the 98 Tempters are all eliminated, there will be no rebirth. After we escape the demon king’s Three Realms, there will be no arising or ceasing. Then it is possible to be worthy of offerings,
to be respected by others and to receive offerings of wealth. Before, I have talked about being a monastic, an almsman and worthy of offerings. Almsmen discipline their minds internally and externally create connections; eventually they become worthy of offerings and will guide others. As we take refuge in the Three Treasures, we say, “I take refuge in the Sangha, May I and all living beings lead the great assembly, without obstruction.” Blessed-field Sangha are worthy of heavenly and earthly offerings.
We have talked about offerings. We must guide lay practitioners; they have the duty of making offerings. This means they must vow to render offerings. There are three types of offerings. One is the offering of wealth. However, the Buddha said that these offerings of wealth are illusory. If the heart has not received the Dharma, these material offerings are useless. Indeed, how can the impoverished make offerings? In the past, the Buddha praised a poor woman. Do you remember the story of the poor woman?
The offerings of kings, ministers and rich men were not particularly praised by the Buddha. But numerous stories were told of the Buddha receiving offerings from the poor; the poorer those making offerings, the higher the praise they received. What can the impoverished offer? They offer their hearts, their joy and respectful practice. When they hear the Dharma, joy arises within, so they willingly obey and practice the teachings. This is called the offering of reverence. It is not necessary to make offerings of wealth. When one acts according to the Buddha’s teachings, these are offerings of reverence, of right conduct.
How do we guide the assembly and others in reverence and [right] conduct? Of course, we must ourselves be virtuous. We must end evil in ourselves, in our own conduct, our karma of speech and body. If we do not make an effort to carefully monitor our voice and expressions, then we are no different from ordinary people. Then is our practice worthy of offerings? So, the first stage is to end evil.
After ending evil, we can destroy thieves. If we can harmonize our bodies, speech and minds, we will respect and love one another, and achieve the six points of reverent harmony in a monastery. I have often spoken to everyone about these [kinds of] appearances. If we want to know how our organization is doing, we only have to observe our interactions, our movements, voices, expressions and daily behavior. Do we really get along? Are we consistent in interpersonal interactions? These are all signs of the degree to which we have ended evil and destroyed thieves.
The ending of evil is more evident, for it shows in our voices and expressions. But when destroying thieves, we do so in our thinking. From the deepest parts of our minds, from our habitual tendencies, afflictions often arise. We often lose our tempers and give rise to unwholesome thoughts. Even though unwholesome thoughts may not be evident in our actions, they are hidden in the 98 Tempters. They have not yet been eliminated. So, we must destroy thieves. To destroy is to completely drive away and prevent from arising again. Then afflictions and unwholesome thoughts will not have a chance to rise again in our minds. Thus, we are called thief-destroyers.
If we can destroy thieves, we can avoid rebirth. When our minds are not covered with afflictions, When our minds are not covered with afflictions unwholesome thoughts will not abide in our hearts to prevent us from becoming pure and tranquil. So, we must end evil [and] destroy thieves. Ending evil is the seed of spiritual practice. If this seed did not exist from the start, then attaining the fruit of Arhatship, the stage of attainment, would be impossible to achieve. So, the Arhat is the fruition of the bhiksu; ending evil is the cause of destroying thieves, destroying thieves is the effect of ending evil. The result is that all the evil thoughts in our minds are eliminated.
We must know the virtues of wisdom and of ending to reach the stage of Arhatship. When we can comprehend everything, this is called the virtue of wisdom. When we can eliminate all afflictions this is called the virtue of ending. This must be something we hear through sounds. We must accept the Dharma, allow it to deeply penetrate our will to practice. We must rely on the teachings and power of wisdom to destroy these thief-like afflictions, for only then can we greatly distance ourselves from ignorance. Then we can eliminate our cycle of birth and death so we no longer transmigrate in the Six Realms. And if we do transmigrate, it is out of our resolve to return out of compassion; this is the vow of all Bodhisattvas.
The Earth Treasury Bodhisattva’s vow is to not attain Buddhahood until Hell is empty. That is also a Bodhisattva’s great resolve. So now, we understand that once we realize the fruit of practice, we can receive offerings. We must all remember that [we should] be worthy of offerings; being a monastic does not mean one receives offerings as a given. What I keep telling you is that when we receive offerings, we ourselves must be virtuous.
Thus, we must also be aware that we are continually receiving offerings. Jing Si disciples are disciples of the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Tzu Chi commissioners and Faith Corps members practice the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism by dedicating their bodies and minds. They do not make offerings of wealth to us, but they make offerings of reverence and right conduct. Do we give them teachings for their reverence and conduct? Because we offer them teachings, they then [know] how to show respect and how to conduct themselves. When the Dharma enters their hearts, they then know how to interact with people.
The Buddha came to this world for one great cause, to open and reveal [so we can] realize and enter. To open and reveal means He came to give teachings and to share what He realized with all sentient beings. He wants to widely spread His teachings to save the wisdom-life of sentient beings. The Buddha said that this world goes through the four states of formation, existence, decay and disappearance. And as for us humans? [We go through] birth, aging, illness and death. The length of our lives depends on our past, how many connections we have made, how many good deeds we have done and how many evil deeds we have done. This all depends on our past [karma]. So, we humans do not know the length of our lives, but we know we are not free from the karmic law of cause and effect.
So, where do karmic retributions originate? [They originate] in our minds, as our thoughts arise, abide, change and cease. Our minds were [once] very sincere and gave rise to a will to practice, but demonic conditions appeared. Once afflictions arose, our will to practice became confused and caused us to go astray. This is what we call the workings of the mind. [Thoughts] arise, abide, change and cease, so at all times we must be mindful and take good care of our minds.
Therefore, we need to have precepts, Samadhi and wisdom to first end evil, then scare demons and to give rise to the virtues of wisdom and of ending. Then we can lead others. If we want to lead them, they have to respect us. So, [we must first consider whether] we love and respect ourselves. Our character is that of a spiritual practitioner, [so] we must be role models for other people. So first, we must examine ourselves, reflect on ourselves and ponder our virtues and actions. We must carefully consider how virtuous we are so we can consider if we are worthy of offerings.
Right now, the offering we speak of is our hope that people will love and revere each other. If we can first respect others, that is an offering of reverence. We make mutual offerings and practice together. “How can I use reverence and conduct to help you? You are working so hard, I want to join in to lighten your load. By offering a bit of my strength, this reduces the effort you have to give.” We use our actions to make
offerings of right conduct. We must respect each other. This is gratitude, respect and love. First, we must focus on doing this with those around us. Precepts help organize us. By showing mutual respect and reverence, we are making an offering to each other. To be respected and receive offerings, we must first respect ourselves and others. Then it will be mutual.
To be worthy of offerings is the effect of being an almsman. We begin by cultivating the Three Studies, which are precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. We must all remember to start by cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. We start by ending evil so we can scare demons. By destroying thieves, we may avoid rebirth. This requires precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. So, only when we [can apply them can we] eliminate delusions in views and thinking. In this way, we can eliminate afflictions and ignorance. Thus, we can stabilize our wisdom-life. Otherwise, can our wisdom-life grow and be very stable? So, after we destroy thieves, our wisdom-life can be safe.
Destroying thieves is destroying fruits of evil. We need to completely eliminate fruits of evil to truly destroy thieves. We start with great aspirations, and once we do so, we must not waver. Otherwise, once we make great aspirations, the king of demons will start to stir. Therefore, we must solidify our resolve, so we will not be vanquished by the king of demons.
Once the fruit of spiritual practice is realized, the delusions of views and thinking are eliminated. Once thieves are destroyed, wisdom-life is stabilized. Destroying thieves is destroying fruits of evil. When one begins to make great aspirations, the king of demons becomes scared.
We practice to vanquish the king of demons, so we will not be entangled by demons and afflictions. Everyone, what I say should be very clear. So, because we live together, we must be respectful of one another. This is my greatest hope for everyone. Even though every day, I open and reveal teachings, each of you must realize and enter. To open and reveal are the duties of a teacher. But, to realize and enter depends on us, on whether we have accepted [teachings], whether we have applied them to our practice, and whether our heart has entered the path or not. This is up to us. So, everyone, please always be mindful.