Episode 3 – Accept Teachings to Eliminate Delusions
>> The Buddha teaches Right Dharma for sentient beings to diligently learn and practice. Cultivating blessings and wisdom together, we can purify and protect our minds.
>> If, whenever I met sentient beings, I ultimately taught them the path to Buddhahood, those lacking wisdom would be confused. “Deluded, they would not accept the teaching.”
>> “I know these sentient beings have never cultivated the foundation for goodness. They are firmly attached to the five desires, and, out of their delusions and cravings, give rise to afflictions.”
>> I know that these sentient beings have never cultivated the foundation for goodness: The Buddha had compassion for how sentient beings were attached to their delusions and thus, they are not receptive to teachings, did not give up bad habits, often walked deviant paths, did not cultivate virtuous Dharma and did not have faith in Right Dharma.
>> [They] had never planted good causes nor cultivated the foundation for goodness. The foundation is the cause. Goodness is the foundation of Bodhi. Cultivating goodness is the root of Bodhi; therefore, it is the foundation.
>> They are firmly attached to the five desires: The Buddha understands very well that all sentient beings are attached to negative habitual tendencies. The reason they are not receptive to teachings is because, out of ignorance, greed and delusion, they are firmly attached to the five desires.
>> Out of delusions and cravings, [they] give rise to afflictions: A mind filled with confusion is deluded. When it comes to the workings of all things and the principles behind them, people cannot clearly understand them. In their delusion, they give rise to improper thoughts and deluded cravings, their attachments give rise to afflictions.
>> Born into the stresses of much suffering in the turbidity of kalpa, we are inclined toward deviant views of heretics. Like being trapped in a dense forest, we cannot easily find our way out.
The Buddha teaches Right Dharma
for sentient beings to diligently learn and practice.
Cultivating blessings and wisdom together,
we can purify and protect our minds.
The Buddha’s teachings that we learn are based on the Right Dharma, which help us sentient beings develop proper views and understanding. We must know people, matters and objects well to distinguish right from wrong. Right Knowledge, Right Views and Right Thinking are what the Buddha taught us. [Since] “the Buddha teaches Right Dharma,” what must we sentient beings do? We must “diligently learn and practice.” Since the Buddha gave us these teachings, we need to diligently practice them. We must very earnestly and diligently advance and accept and uphold [the teachings]. The Buddha-Dharma is infinite; we vow to learn it this is our duty as Buddhist practitioners.
So, we all long for blessings and wisdom. Who doesn’t want to attain blessings? To attain blessings, we must cultivate wisdom.
By only cultivating blessings, we may be born into a wealthy family in our next life. But wealthy people in this world still experience suffering in their hearts and in their families, a lot suffering that they do not want others to know about. This is because in past lives, they cultivated blessings, but lacked wisdom and thus created bad karmic conditions. So on the surface, they may seem wealthy, but inside, their hearts are empty; they did not cultivate wisdom in past lives.
So, we must be careful in our spiritual practice. As we cultivate blessings, we must cultivate wisdom at the same time. [We need to know] right from wrong. We must do what we should do, what benefits others. This is how we [use] our wisdom to discern right from wrong. If we should do something, we must just do it. If we do what we should not do, we are foolish.
The Buddha is also the Two-Footed Honored One. At all times, He cultivated blessings and wisdom together. Feet are made for walking, and they must walk on the great, direct Bodhi-path. This is the path of blessings and wisdom. We must constantly “purify and protect our minds.” We must constantly safeguard our minds and keep them very clean. From our consciousness to our thoughts, [our minds] must always be well-guarded. Then, when the eye-consciousness sees beautiful things, it will not give rise to greed. Beauty is something external; it has nothing to do with us.
As I recall, one day we talked about a bhiksu, [Vangisa,] who was walking with Ananda. When he saw a girl pass by, he found her beautiful and felt a craving for her. Fortunately, he was a spiritual practitioner, so as soon as his mind gave rise to desire, he immediately reflected on himself and repented. This is a way to “purify and protect our minds.” During the Buddha’s lifetime, even His disciples gave rise to desires, not to mention [our own desires]. So, we must carefully “protect our minds.” Our minds must always be kept very pure.
Then with purity in our minds, our external conditions can also be pure. Over these past few years, the global greenhouse effect has brought great abnormalities in the weather. So, we have begun teaching environmental awareness to inspire everyone to take action. Tzu Chi’s environmental protection program, over these past few decades, has not only been carried out in Taiwan, but also around the world. Wherever Tzu Chi volunteers are, they mindfully [promote it].
In Manila, the Philippines, there is an annual holiday called Day of the Dead. It is similar to Taiwan’s Qingming Festival, when we visit our ancestors’ graves to pay respect. Their name for this is Day of the Dead. On this day, they sweep their ancestors’ graves. This creates a lot of trash, so for three consecutive years, Tzu Chi volunteers set up recycling stations at cemeteries during this period of time.
This year (2012) was the same. From set-up to clean-up, it took four days. Starting from October 31st, many volunteers began going into cemeteries to set up the recycling stations. They lined up and clearly labeled the waste bins. They set up stations to guide everyone on how and where to dispose of the trash so they could sort it by type right away. Before people entered the cemetery, a volunteer would explain this to them. At every station, there were volunteers who taught people how to sort recyclables. There were seven stations at seven cemeteries. One station alone would collect over four tons of garbage in one day.
One of them was the north station, at a cemetery in northern [Manila]. The mayor [of Manila] went there to sweep a grave. From afar, he saw Tzu Chi volunteers. As he drew closer, he put his palms together [out of respect] when he saw how earnestly they worked and promoted recycling. Actually, the city was very dirty in the past. But then Tzu Chi volunteers appeared. Over these past few years, they have done a good job with recycling.
The media also saw the Tzu Chi volunteers. ․In the first and second days, reporters came to interview and report on them. Among them was. Channel 7, a TV station in the Philippines. They began to appeal to everyone, hoping they would bring in their bottles and jars in exchange for gifts. The TV station then collected them and donated them to Tzu Chi. So one bag after another, they also collected a lot of recyclables, almost a whole truck-load, and delivered them to Tzu Chi.
Seeing the Filipino people earnestly promoting recycling, their local government cherishing this work and showing their gratitude, and TV stations correctly reporting their efforts, I can say there is hope for the Philippines. I saw their [hard work], in particular, how as they were doing recycling, they were also expanding [the facilities] of the Great Love Eye Center, So, they were also appealing to everyone, bit by bit, through their donations, to help with its reconstruction.
One very small young child was selling sodas. When he saw the news, he immediately donated the money he earned. He said he wanted to help with the eye center’s reconstruction. There was also someone who regained his eyesight with an operation by our ophthalmologists. This gave him the freedom to earn money and make a living. When he saw Tzu Chi there, he also donated. So, as we cultivated blessings, we also promoted our medical mission.
Seeing them cultivate both blessings and wisdom, and teach people how to recycle, is truly very moving. We can all do this. Protecting our minds helps our wisdom-life grow. Protecting our environment helps us stay physically healthy. When the land that we all share can manifest beauty, filthy conditions will vanish. All of this is cultivating blessings and wisdom and also “purifying and protecting our minds.” These are things we can do in our daily living.
The Buddha applies Right Dharma in the world, to sentient beings He encounters. Yesterday, we discussed [the passage], “If, when I met with sentient beings, I ultimately taught them the path to Buddhahood.” He applied various methods to teach sentient beings to walk the path of enlightenment. But those lacking wisdom would be confused and would not do good deeds.
If, whenever I met sentient beings, I ultimately taught them the path to Buddhahood, those lacking wisdom would be confused. “Deluded, they would not accept the teaching.”
Yesterday we discussed that those who are deluded “would not accept the teaching.” When the Buddha encounters these people, even He cannot do anything about them. But depending on their karmic conditions, if they are willing and their capabilities mature, they will accept the Buddha’s teachings. If their capabilities are not yet mature, they will be transformed later.
The paragraph below states, “I know that these sentient beings have never cultivated the foundation for goodness.” Who are these sentient beings? As mentioned previously, “Deluded, they would not accept the teaching.” This [describes] sentient beings. So He said,
“I know these sentient beings have never cultivated the foundation for goodness. They are firmly attached to the five desires, and, out of their delusions and cravings, give rise to afflictions.”
This is because “deluded, they would not accept the teaching.” Therefore, they were all “firmly attached to the five desires,” which causes their perspective and thinking to become deluded as if intoxicated; at no time do they have clarity. Like people who are drunk, they are behaving improperly, but they do not realize it at all. This is being deluded.
Let [it says], “I know that these sentient beings never cultivated the foundation for goodness.”
I know that these sentient beings have never cultivated the foundation for goodness: The Buddha had compassion for how sentient beings were attached to their delusions and thus, they are not receptive to teachings, did not give up bad habits, often walked deviant paths, did not cultivate virtuous Dharma and did not have faith in Right Dharma.
The Buddha is compassionate, so He has sympathy for deluded sentient beings and cannot bear to let sentient beings remain deluded as if intoxicated. From their past lives, they bring these habitual tendencies. Then, in this life, they become even more deeply immersed in the five desires. They are so deluded they cannot awaken. They cannot accept and uphold Right Dharma.
Thus, “they are not receptive to teachings” and “do not give up bad habits.” When it comes to bad habits, they just refuse to correct them; they say they cannot be changed. This is because they do not want to change, not because they cannot change. They do not want to change because they are clinging to their delusions. “So what, I like it, why can’t I do this?” They do not try to control their behavior and “do not give up bad habits.” They clearly know these habits were bad; they just refuse to change.
They “often walked deviant paths.” The roads they take all lead them astray. The things they do are all evil deeds that harm others and do not benefit themselves. Those who “do not cultivate the virtuous Dharma” and “do not have faith in the Right Dharma” are the ones who concern the Buddha the most. These people have never planted good causes nor cultivated the foundation for goodness. They cannot be helped. “No Dharma can transform them” because they lack the [right] karmic conditions. Those who lack [suitable] karmic conditions cannot be transformed because they did not cultivate the foundation for goodness and refuse to cultivate blessings.
[They] had never planted good causes nor cultivated the foundation for goodness. The foundation is the cause. Goodness is the foundation of Bodhi. Cultivating goodness is the root of Bodhi; therefore, it is the foundation.
We often say, “Help the poor and teach the rich.” Then everyone has a chance to plant good seeds. When drops of water flow into a big urn, they will accumulate and fill it. Or, these inexhaustible drops of water [gather] and flow into the ocean. We do not worry about how small the deeds are, just whether people will aspire to do them. When drops of water accumulate, they can meet the needs of many people. This is how we form good karmic affinities with many people.
So, the Buddha constantly encouraged everyone to plant good causes and cultivate good conditions. If we never cultivate causes and conditions, we will not have the karmic conditions to be transformed. So, “the foundation is the cause.” The “foundation” is a cause. So, in “the foundation for goodness” the word “foundation” means cause. Because they never planted the seeds, none of the seeds in this garden are theirs.
So, the “foundation” is also called the cause. Goodness is the foundation of Bodhi. We must do things to benefit people. The Bodhisattva-path is the road to Bodhi. “Bodhi” is awakening; it is the cause of awakening, the seed for awakening. Thus, it is “the foundation for goodness.” To do good, we must have the root of Bodhi. To achieve this, we must always be mindful, exercise our wisdom and give unconditionally. All of these little things are part of our fundamental responsibility. Thus, this is “the foundation for goodness” which is the Bodhi-path, also called the Bodhi-root. We must be diligent and give to others.
So, “they are firmly attached to the five desires.” The Buddha knows that all sentient beings have strong attachments. Stinginess, greed and attachment are the afflictions of sentient beings. These are also their shortcomings.
They are firmly attached to the five desires: The Buddha understands very well that all sentient beings are attached to negative habitual tendencies. The reason they are not receptive to teachings is because, out of ignorance, greed and delusion, they are firmly attached to the five desires.
What are sentient beings attached to? To bad habitual tendencies. We refuse to change any of them. Because we refuse to give up habitual tendencies we are attached to, we are not receptive to teachings. The causes for not being receptive to teachings are ignorance, greed, anger and delusion. They are the foundation for our firm attachment to the five desires.
We are firmly attached to the five desires because we are not receptive to teachings. So, “out of delusions and cravings,” we “give rise to afflictions.” We trouble ourselves, as well as other people. We are creating karma for ourselves, and also causing others to create karma. These mutual interactions and influences give rise to man-made calamities. All this is caused by delusion.
Out of delusions and cravings, [they] give rise to afflictions: A mind filled with confusion is deluded. When it comes to the workings of all things and the principles behind them, people cannot clearly understand them. In their delusion, they give rise to improper thoughts and deluded cravings, their attachments give rise to afflictions.
Delusion is confusion. “When it comes to the workings of all things and the principles behind them, people cannot clearly understand them.” When it comes to things and their principles, people cannot clearly understand them. These people are also in a state of delusion.
Aside from them, we also see people with low IQs, or those with mental disabilities. Clearly, this is due to the karma they brought with them. Actually, right now there are many smart people who are lacking in wisdom. They cannot clearly discern principles and matters so they are confused about right and wrong. Smart people are often like this; because they are confused about matters and principles, they are also confused about the Dharma and cannot understand it. Therefore, they are confused and cannot distinguish right from wrong,
“[thus giving] rise to improper thoughts and deluded cravings, their attachments give rise to afflictions.” Thus when we “give rise to afflictions,” we will constantly trouble ourselves as well as others. So, we cannot even clearly know our own minds and our perspective will not be accurate. These are the habitual tendencies we are born with.
“Born into the stresses of much suffering in the turbidity of kalpa….” Aren’t we all like this? If people’s minds are not clear and they confuse right and wrong, living among them will be unbearably painful. This comes from deviating to heretical paths. Some people recognize suffering but seek improper knowledge, improper teachings and improper practices. This is like being in a dense forest with lush grasses and trees. If we get stuck inside, we cannot get out. So if we are stuck in delusions and cravings, we cannot find a way out. Although the Dharma is right in front of us, our habitual tendencies keep us from accepting it. When we are heading toward or on a deviant path, we cannot escape it. This is all caused by delusion.
Born into the stresses of much suffering in the turbidity of kalpa, we are inclined toward deviant views of heretics. Like being trapped in a dense forest, we cannot easily find our way out.
Everyone, spiritual practice helps us develop clear wisdom. When we have clear wisdom, the matters and principles that we see are very clear and understandable. How can we achieve this state? We must be receptive to and accept the Buddha’s Right Dharma. We must diligently cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. We must cultivate blessings and wisdom at the same time and always safeguard our mind so we remain unwavering. If our mind-consciousness connects with external conditions and give rise to [discursive] thoughts, that will be very dangerous.
Dear Bodhisattvas, indeed, a tiny action can be greatly beneficial to people. A small recycling effort can protect the planet and bring purity to people’s minds. Therefore, do not neglect to do small good deeds. We must always be mindful.