Episode 3 – Be Gentle, Pure in Heart and Sharp
>> Buddha-children are pure in heart and gentle. With compassion and wisdom, they transform suffering and nurture happiness. They cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer, so they assist the old and the sick, the handicapped, widowed and young.
>> “My aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle, therefore I expound this sutra. Buddha-children, pure in heart, are gentle and have sharp capabilities.”
>> Diligently engage in spiritual practice to seek all-encompassing wisdom, the Buddha’s wisdom and natural wisdom. The Tathagata’s understanding and views lead to compassion for all sentient beings and the aspiration to bring them peace and joy. We intrinsically have compassion and wisdom, a natural and wondrous wisdom, which is all-encompassing wisdom. People with great capabilities form Great Vehicle aspirations and aim to enter Great Vehicle Dharma.
>> Buddha-children are pure in heart: Sentient beings who accept the Buddha’s precepts are called Buddha-children. This is also another name for Bodhisattvas. Because they follow the Buddha’s noble teachings, they give rise to the noble path. It also means Buddha-seeds are constantly sowed so they will never disappear [from the world]. This is also a name for all sentient beings because they all intrinsically have Buddha-nature.
>> Buddha-children are pure in heart: Bodhisattvas cultivate purifying practices to transcend all afflictions. They do not develop attachments to the Dharma, so they are pure in heart. [They] are gentle and have sharp capabilities: This is saying our hearts are really gentle, so we can go along with the conditions and principles. Thus, the sutra states, “Sentient beings, then tamed by faith, become genuine, straightforward and gentle.”
>> Keen refers to having sharp capabilities. Roots refers to. Faith and the other spiritual roots, as well as the eyes and the other [physical] roots. Roots also refers to capabilities, the Five Root-Consciousnesses.
Since we have faith in and learn from the Buddha, we must diligently [practice His teachings]. This is what makes us the Buddha’s disciples. Thus, we must learn how to [keep] our hearts pure and undefiled.
We are unenlightened beings because one ignorant thought defiled our minds and our delusions continuously multiplied. This is what makes us unenlightened. Since we have this opportunity to learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must return to our [pure] intrinsic nature. What methods can we use to purify our minds? We can continuously absorb Dharma-water and use it to cleanse our minds.
In addition to purifying our minds, we must also evoke loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. Loving-kindness and compassion are things we all understand. When we hope that everyone in the world will lead peaceful and blessed lives, we have “loving-kindness, unconditional loving-kindness.” Having “great universal compassion” means “we feel others’ pain and suffering as our own” and we are one with the world’s sentient beings. This is the loving mindset we use when we interact with all sentient beings. So, we must have “unconditional loving-kindness” and “great universal compassion.”
We must also feel joy. When sentient beings are joyful and at peace, of course we will feel very joyful, too. To bring blessings, peace and joy to the world, we must have “equanimity” [in giving]. We must learn how to give [selflessly] with our hearts, wisdom, abilities and so on for the sake of sentient beings in this world. With loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, naturally our hearts will be gentle.
As part of our self-cultivation, in our daily living, we must treat other sentient beings as softly and gently as we treat ourselves. “Buddha-children are pure in heart and gentle.” Since we want to be Buddha-children, have we trained our minds to be very clean and pure? As we interact with others, do we hope that they are blessed and happy? We constantly ask ourselves these questions. If the answer is no, we must promptly give to others so we can become pure in heart and gentle.
“With compassion and wisdom, they transform suffering and nurture happiness.” We must exercise compassion as well as wisdom to transform the suffering of sentient beings. We transform their suffering and “nurture happiness.” We teach them how to remain even-tempered as they interact with each other and how to benefit and make one another happy. This takes nurturing.
Tzu Chi volunteers around the world do so much work. We are constantly doing the work of “transforming suffering and nurturing happiness.” For example, in Haiti, there was a major earthquake in 2010. This opportunity led our US Tzu Chi volunteers to get involved. They are still there, whether they are building schools, or trying to help the locals sustain their lives and get all the nutrients they need. So, we guide them through our. “Cash for Relief program.” This allowed us to set up a moringa farm. This is how we exercise compassion and wisdom.
Since we have the karmic conditions to go there, we must try to transform their suffering and teach them to realize that they are wealthy and can lead abundant lives. This is “helping the poor to realize their riches.” In the US, we teach the rich to help the poor, so wealthy people go to poor nations to help them. At the same time, we also teach people there ways to make a living so they can support themselves, which is only possible if they are healthy. So, “with compassion and wisdom,” we “transform suffering and nurture happiness.” We teach them how to be healthy and how to help each other. This is because we “cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer.”
So, Buddha-children are pure in heart and gentle and cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer. So, wherever we are, we “assist the old and the sick, the handicapped, widowed and young.” These are the most disadvantaged people, those who cannot get by on their own. How do we help them? We Buddha-children must continuously nurture our own hearts to give unconditionally, expand the scope of our love and give to others in the hope that the world will be at peace and everyone can live in a happy, healthy environment.
This is what the Buddha taught us. As Buddha-children, we must be pure in heart and gentle. Every single day, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings and diligently practice, I hope we can maintain this mindset.
Buddha-children are pure in heart and gentle. With compassion and wisdom, they transform suffering and nurture happiness. They cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer, so they assist the old and the sick, the handicapped, widowed and young.
In an earlier sutra passage, we previously discussed how the Buddha taught “according to the capabilities of sentient beings.” In this world, the Buddha used the Nine Divisions of Teachings to suit sentient beings’ capabilities until the karmic conditions ripened. Previously He used these nine divisions to pave the way. At that moment He was going to lead people onto the Great Vehicle path.
“My aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle, therefore I expound this sutra. Buddha-children, pure in heart, are gentle and have sharp capabilities.”
Indeed, shouldn’t we examine our hearts now? If our hearts are already pure and undefiled, we will be unaffected by interpersonal conflicts. We will wholeheartedly and diligently move forward on the great, direct Bodhi-path. Are our hearts pure to this degree?
We must be pure in heart, be gentle, have compassion and sharp capabilities, as well as wisdom. If we have compassion but no wisdom, then we cannot discern right from wrong. So, we must mindfully accept the Buddha’s teachings for us.
“My aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle.” This was the Buddha’s original intent. Originally, the Buddha wanted to teach us the Great Vehicle Dharma. The Great Vehicle points directly to our minds so we can understand it and realize our true nature. It helps us all understand that you and I are both equal to the Buddha. The Buddha originally wanted to teach this. The wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma of One Reality was the Buddha’s original intent. So, from this moment on, His “aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle.” Thus, He began “to expound this sutra” so they can diligently engage in spiritual practice. He began to guide them toward diligent practice “to seek all-encompassing wisdom.”
Diligently engage in spiritual practice to seek all-encompassing wisdom, the Buddha’s wisdom and natural wisdom. The Tathagata’s understanding and views lead to compassion for all sentient beings and the aspiration to bring them peace and joy. We intrinsically have compassion and wisdom, a natural and wondrous wisdom, which is all-encompassing wisdom. People with great capabilities form Great Vehicle aspirations and aim to enter Great Vehicle Dharma.
Now, we must also do the same. We must continuously and diligently practice. We must always seek “all-encompassing wisdom,” which is the Buddha’s wisdom as well as “natural wisdom.” This is unconditioned Dharma.
Just because the Buddha has extensive spiritual powers, that does not mean that if He hopes all sentient beings can attain Buddhahood, He can create a Tathagata-nature in them. He cannot use His spiritual powers to create another Tathagata-nature in us. The Buddha also cannot take our defiled hearts and wipe them clean with His hands so that everything is clear and bright to us.
This is also impossible because in truth, we all have an intrinsic nature of True Suchness. This is a truth. If we can clearly understand the truth, our intrinsic nature of True Suchness will appear. This is unconditioned Dharma. [That nature] has always been there and is intrinsic to all of us, so it is also “natural wisdom. Natural wisdom” is not something people can grant us. We must diligently practice and seek it on our own. Then we can take the principles to heart.
So, we should “seek all-encompassing wisdom, the Buddha’s wisdom and natural wisdom.” This refers to the Buddha’s understanding and views. Because of His understanding and views, He can have compassion for sentient beings and [aspire to] “bring them peace and joy.” He also teaches us what to do when sentient beings are suffering so that we can relieve their pain and so on. This is where we must start; this is the Buddha’s understanding and views.
He saw the suffering of sentient beings, so He taught us the Four Noble Truths. We need to thoroughly understand them. “Suffering and its causation” mean that because we accumulated afflictions, we will suffer. So, we must bring about its “cessation.” The way to eliminate it is to have compassion for all sentient beings. If we can have sympathy for other people, that shows we have taken the Dharma to heart. Then we have enough to be able to help others. This begins with feeling compassion.
This is how we teach the rich to help the poor and inspire the poor to realize their riches. That is also our goal. Teaching us how to cultivate compassion and bring peace and joy to all sentient beings is an important part of the Buddha’s aim “to lead [us] into the Great Vehicle.” This is His goal for expounding this Dharma.
“We intrinsically have compassion and wisdom.” Compassion and wisdom are things we intrinsically have; this is a truth. This is our intrinsic Buddha-nature. “We intrinsically have compassion and wisdom, a natural and wondrous wisdom.” We all have natural and original wisdom, “which is all-encompassing wisdom.” It is something natural. We can even understand that this wisdom allows us to thoroughly comprehend everything in the universe. This is intrinsic to all of us.
With great capabilities, we must develop Great Vehicle aspirations. Since we have accepted the Buddha-Dharma, we must believe in ourselves, believe that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. Therefore, we must already have great capabilities. We cannot feel inferior or think, “My capabilities are very limited. I don’t know anything.” Actually, you know everything, but you lack mindfulness. Thus, we must know “we intrinsically have compassion and wisdom.” Everyone possesses these equally. This is natural and wondrous wisdom. So, since we have natural and wondrous wisdom, which is “all-encompassing wisdom,” then we know we definitely have great capabilities and can naturally form Great Vehicle aspirations and “aim to enter Great Vehicle Dharma.” Thus, we should have faith in ourselves.
Buddha-children are pure in heart: Sentient beings who accept the Buddha’s precepts are called Buddha-children. This is also another name for Bodhisattvas. Because they follow the Buddha’s noble teachings, they give rise to the noble path. It also means Buddha-seeds are constantly sowed so they will never disappear [from the world]. This is also a name for all sentient beings because they all intrinsically have Buddha-nature.
“Buddha-children are pure in heart. Sentient beings who accept the. Buddha’s precepts are called Buddha-children.” Since we are learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must cultivate the Three Flawless Studies, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, so our hearts will not be defiled by impurities and we can remain pure. This is how precepts can maintain the purity of our hearts. So, we are known as Buddha-children.
Then we have to develop Bodhisattva-aspirations. Bodhisattvas are also commonly referred to as Buddha-children because they continue the spirit of the Buddha’s Dharma-lineage in this world. So, another name for Bodhisattvas is Buddha-children. “Because they follow the Buddha’s noble teaching, they give rise to the noble path.” He teaches us in the hope that we can be like Him. Thus, His teachings are the noble path that allows us to become sages and noble beings. To be sages, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path. To be noble beings, we have to attain Buddhahood.
This is how the Buddha’s teachings are passed on. So, “Buddha-seeds are constantly sowed so they will never disappear [from the world].” This is the Dharma-lineage the Buddha taught. If we can continue this Dharma-lineage, then we are Buddha-children who will never let the Dharma disappear.
“This is also a name for all sentient beings.” Because we sentient beings have the potential to attain Buddhahood, and since we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, as long as we believe in the Buddha and learn the Dharma, then all of us are Buddha-children.
So, “Buddha-children are pure in heart.” Being “pure in heart” is very important, since “Bodhisattvas cultivate purifying practices. Purifying” means cleansing. If we want to walk the Bodhisattva-path, we must cultivate purifying practices. Our hearts must be free of impurities and desires. This kind of purity comes from being free of greed, anger and ignorance. We must leave all these afflictions behind. By eliminating ignorance and afflictions, we can maintain the purity of our hearts. “They do not develop attachments to the Dharma.” So, we have to understand that when Bodhisattvas cultivate purifying practices, it cleanses them. Giving must be unconditional and must be carried out with gratitude.
Tzu Chi volunteers typically say, “Give without expectations and be grateful.” It reflects this passage, “Bodhisattvas cultivate purifying practices to transcend all afflictions.” They have no expectations and attachments. “They do not develop attachments to the Dharma.” As for the Dharma, even if we cultivate virtuous Dharma, we must not have any expectations. We have to just do it. When we do what we should, we are happy. A heart without attachments or expectations is a pure heart.
Buddha-children are pure in heart: Bodhisattvas cultivate purifying practices to transcend all afflictions. They do not develop attachments to the Dharma, so they are pure in heart. [They] are gentle and have sharp capabilities: This is saying our hearts are really gentle, so we can go along with the conditions and principles. Thus, the sutra states, “Sentient beings, then tamed by faith, become genuine, straightforward and gentle.”
This passage comes from a verse in the latter part of the Lotus Sutra. Sentient beings are tamed by faith. Since they believe in the teachings, their minds can be tamed.
Sentient beings are stubborn, and since we are one of them, our hearts are also stubborn and unyielding. Sometimes when people try to counsel us, we do not listen. We have to transform our own mindsets. If sentient beings are tamed by faith, and we are sentient beings as well, after we believe in the Buddha’s principles, we must tame our own minds. If we can tame our stubborn minds, we “become genuine, straightforward and gentle.” We must use a very direct, great Bodhi-mind
to train our minds to be gentle. Thus, we will be pure in heart and gentle. We discussed this earlier. If we are gentle, then naturally our capabilities will be sharp. Whatever people are saying, we will listen mindfully and with a straightforward mind. It is often said, “A straightforward mind is where spiritual training takes place,” so we “become genuine, straightforward and gentle.” A straightforward mind is where spiritual training takes place. This is a mind that is gentle. With a gentle mind come sharp capabilities, [which are also called keen roots].
Keen refers to having sharp capabilities. Roots refers to. Faith and the other spiritual roots, as well as the eyes and the other [physical] roots. Roots also refers to capabilities, the Five Root-Consciousnesses.
The Five Roots, the Five Spiritual Roots, the Five Powers and and the 37 Practices to Enlightenment are concepts we have already discussed. What are the Five Roots? Besides the Five Roots of our sense organs, there are the Five Spiritual Roots in the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, the root of faith, the root of diligence, the root of thought, the root of Samadhi and the root of wisdom. These are the Five Spiritual Roots, or the Five Dharma. We must also be mindful of the Five Dharma, and constantly review and try to understand how the Buddha-Dharma can tame our minds. If our minds are not tamed, then our minds cannot be “gentle.” Having “gentle minds” is very important. To be “pure in heart and gentle” is our goal in learning the Buddha’s teachings.
Dear Bodhisattvas, life is filled with suffering, so we must aspire to be mindful of the Dharma. When we can tame ourselves, we can care about all things in this world. Thus, we must always be mindful.