Episode 372 – Penetrating the Dharma with a Firm Resolve
>> “A straightforward mind is where we practice the path. A meticulous mind is the entrance to the path. A humble mind is how we abide by the path. A wondrous mind is the wisdom of the right path.”
>> Deeply attached to illusory things, they cling firmly and cannot let go. With self-arrogance, they brag of their loftiness. They are flatterers, their hearts insincere. Throughout ten billion eons, they never hear the Buddha’s name.
>> We must control and train our sense organs and eat and drink the right amount. At the beginning, middle and end of the night, we must diligently practice and cultivate the supreme state of mind, just as Nanda did.
>> Those who can control their sense organs well can also control how much they eat and drink. Thus they are considered people of wisdom. They well understand the substance and appearance of the mind. Nanda is someone I praise; all of you should learn from him.
>> “With self-arrogance, they brag of their loftiness. They are flatterers, their hearts insincere. Throughout ten billion eons, they never hear the Buddha’s name.”
>> “Nor do they hear Right Dharma. Such people are difficult to transform.”
>> Nor do they hear Right Dharma: It is difficult to be born in an era with a Buddha. Perhaps our karmic connection with Him is poor. When we are physically obstructed, we cannot hear Right Dharma. When the mind-root is foolish or dull, we will hear but not understand Right Dharma.
>> After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, there may be places where Right Dharma is taught. But we may be physically constrained from going there and listening. Or perhaps we give rise to deviant views and can listen but not faithfully accept it. Thus, listening to the Right Dharma is hard.
As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must practice according to the teachings.
“A straightforward mind is where we practice the path. A meticulous mind is the entrance to the path. A humble mind is how we abide by the path. A wondrous mind is the wisdom of the right path.”
If we can all have this mindset, then naturally we will draw closer to the Buddha’s understanding and views. So, we must have “a straightforward mind” where we can “practice the path.”
As we have said, “The great Bodhi-path is direct.” Bodhi is “awakening” and an awakened mind will not go astray. As we realize the Buddha-Dharma, we start as ordinary people and walk directly toward the Dharma the Buddha taught. Following the path is the right thing to do. Therefore, we must always be attentive and hear the subtle [details] in the Dharma. We must listen to the Dharma very carefully. After we listen, we must deeply experience it.
Though the words spoken by the Buddha are “conditioned phenomena” and can be seen and heard, more importantly, with “conditioned phenomena,” He guided us to “unconditioned Dharma.” The “unconditioned Dharma” is very subtle, smaller than the tiniest hair. It cannot be measured; it is really very subtle. True principles are like this. So, True Dharma is very subtle and is present in all places; it is widespread and pervasive. No matter how small something is, it contains principles.
So, “a humble mind is how we abide by the path.” We must be very unassuming and follow our spiritual aspirations. Our every thought, down to the tiniest one, must abide by the Path. Only in this way can we draw near to “a wondrous mind,” which is “the wisdom of the right path.” Once we take in the principles, we can exercise their wondrous applications. In doing so, from “unconditioned Dharma” we again manifest the principles of “conditioned phenomena,” using analogies, causes and conditions and verbal teachings to guide sentient beings.
There are myriad of sentient beings in this evil world of Five Turbidities. If we go among people, we must teach with the “wisdom of right path” while remaining unaffected by them. Then we have a “wondrous mind.” If we can learn the Dharma in this sequence, the Dharma can truly exist forever.
Deeply attached to illusory things, they cling firmly and cannot let go. With self-arrogance, they brag of their loftiness. They are flatterers, their hearts insincere. Throughout ten billion eons, they never hear the Buddha’s name.
In the past few days, haven’t we been talking about how people are “deeply attached to illusory things”? This means their minds are not in Samadhi, nor straightforward, subtle, humble or wondrous. They lack these qualities.
The Buddha also said of them, “with self-arrogance, they brag of their loftiness.” We can see there are many people like this, too. They think, “I am more educated. I am a cut above everyone else.” These people cannot work with others, comfortably interact others or benefit others. This also leads them to have many afflictions and is very painful.
In the Buddha’s lifetime, He had a [half-]brother named Nanda. I have mentioned Nanda to you before. Because the Buddha half-forced him to join the Sangha, his spiritual aspirations were not firm. He still had many desires and had lofty views of himself. He had “self-arrogance and bragged of his loftiness,” that kind of mindset.
One time, he donned beautiful monastic robes and carried a beautiful alms bowl to ask for alms among the nobles. When people saw this, they said, “Isn’t that the Buddha’s brother? His monastic life is so luxurious. He still wears such beautiful clothing, eats such delicious food, and socializes with many nobles all in very high-class places.”
These comments reached the Buddha. Once the Buddha heard about it, He summoned Nanda. “Nanda, you made a mistake. Although you are engaging in spiritual practice, You have not cut off your desires at all. If you practice in this way, not only will you not attain any virtue, you are contriving connections with others. You also have ‘self-arrogance and brag about your loftiness’ because you think you will always be a noble. This mentality is a great mistake and your wrongdoings caused others to create karma of speech.”
After hearing this, Nanda felt very remorseful. He asked the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, how can I eliminate greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance from my mind?” The Buddha answered, “Go and don some discarded rags.” Discarded rags are simple and crude clothing. “Practice in the cemetery so you can repent and control your mind. Go experience the lives of those who live below the cemetery.” Nanda obeyed the Buddha’s teachings so he actually went to the cemetery
and stayed there for four months, over 100 days. The Buddha frequently sent bhiksus to the cemetery to observe the state of Nanda’s spiritual practice. As they walked by every day, they saw Nanda practicing diligently. He ate very simply because he begged for alms in the impoverished neighborhood near the cemetery. So, there was not much food in his alms bowl. After eating this, he behaved very properly and began to sit in meditation.
The Buddha saw that his resolve to engage in spiritual practice was very firm; truly he was completely different from before. Although he was now thinner, he exuded an air of spiritual cultivation. So, his mind was straightforward, meticulous, humble and wondrous. He had put his heart into entering the path, even into practicing wholeheartedly, and also obeying the Buddha’s teachings. So, the Buddha was happy. He praised Nanda, saying, “We must control and train our sense organs and eat and drink the right amount.”
We must control and train our sense organs and eat and drink the right amount. At the beginning, middle and end of the night, we must diligently practice and cultivate the supreme state of mind, just as Nanda did.
Our “sense organs” are eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body and mind. We must completely and meticulously control them. Without inflating our minds, we can take in the subtlest details and principles of entering the path. “At the beginning, middle and end of the night, we must diligently practice.”
We can see how diligent he was. Over the course of a day, he dared not waste any time. He did not let even a second pass in vain. While he rested at night, whether it was at the beginning, middle or end of the night, his mind was very collected and focused. He used this earnest diligence “to cultivate the supreme state of mind.” What he cultivated was a mind of the highest level. This supreme state of mind is the “wondrous mind.” The Buddha told him, “Nanda, thus you are considered a person of wisdom.”
Those who can control their sense organs well can also control how much they eat and drink. Thus they are considered people of wisdom. They well understand the substance and appearance of the mind. Nanda is someone I praise; all of you should learn from him.
We ordinary people often cannot control the arising of our thoughts, but Nanda could already “well understand the substance and appearance of the mind.” He was able to control his mind as it stirred. As his mind stirs, because he understands its substance, appearance and function, he knows how it can be applied to each situation, and which appearances require which methods. By knowing his mind’s substance and appearance, he has already realized true principles.
So, Nanda had attained this state. The Buddha said, “I am very happy.” The Buddha was happy, so He told all the bhiksus, “All of you should learn from him.” This is how everyone should learn.
Though he had made mistakes in his spiritual cultivation, he was able to immediately reflect and repent and could still do so well in his practice that the Buddha praised him. So, the Buddha uses various methods according to the time and the person to give teachings. Therefore, we should immediately accept them.
This was the previous passage in the sutra,
“With self-arrogance, they brag of their loftiness. They are flatterers, their hearts insincere. Throughout ten billion eons, they never hear the Buddha’s name.”
This was mentioned in the previous passage. The next section adds,
“Nor do they hear Right Dharma. Such people are difficult to transform.”
If people have “self-arrogance and brag of their loftiness” or are “flatterers with insincere hearts,” these kind of people over a long time, ten billion kalpas, will find it hard to encounter the Buddha or hear His name. Without knowing the Buddha, how could they know the Dharma? So, “they do not hear Right Dharma.”
“Such people are difficult to transform.” People like this are hard to transform, which greatly concerned the Buddha. How many people are like Nanda? The majority of people have improper thoughts, views and practices, or cannot tame their habitual tendencies. If we cannot find a way to do this, even if the Buddha appears before us, we will be difficult to transform. As the Buddha said, “nor do they hear Right Dharma.”
Nor do they hear Right Dharma: It is difficult to be born in an era with a Buddha. Perhaps our karmic connection with Him is poor. When we are physically obstructed, we cannot hear Right Dharma. When the mind-root is foolish or dull, we will hear but not understand Right Dharma.
Why could they not hear Right Dharma? “It is difficult to be born in an era with a Buddha.” And even if we are in the same era as a Buddha, “perhaps our karmic connection with Him is poor.” People like this are very arrogant and egotistic. People who are arrogant cannot accept the Buddha’s teachings.
Also, when people want to [become monastics], I often hear vigorous opposition from parents. When parents want to [become monastics], their children may also strongly oppose this. In conclusion, whether we are connected to a person as family, as friends, or as an acquaintance, the causes and conditions of these relationships may obstruct our practice.
Or, when we begin to learn the Buddha’s teachings, something happens around us that demonstrates the impermanence of life. Then we become afraid [and think], “I had just formed aspirations, why is my family, my career, or so on, not going well lately? Is it because I am following the Buddha? Is this the wrong thing to do? Did my karma bring maras to test me?”
I often hear people say, “This is because the Buddha is testing you.” The Buddha would never test people like this. This comes from our own minds. Have we really taken the Buddha into our hearts? Do we firmly hold on to our awakened minds? If we do, then no matter what challenges we encounter, we will be able to overcome all of them.
No matter what this severe karma is, as long as we want to repent, as long as our minds are resolute, then with time, these karmic obstacles will dissipate. This is the meaning behind “eliminating karma through conditions.” Even if things do not go our way, we can further strengthen our resolve. If these things cause us to lose our spiritual aspiration, then we are being obstructed.
If we remain obstructed, our karmic obstacles may grow. As time passes, our karma grows. Our karma grows with every second as our ignorance and afflictions multiply. Then we will create more bad karma. This is how it grows. Sometimes, our connections with family, friends and unwholesome people obstruct us. At other times, life events obstruct us, preventing us from hearing Right Dharma. “We cannot hear Right Dharma” because of various causes and conditions.
“When the mind-root is foolish and dull, we will hear but not understand Right Dharma.” Some people are not obstructed by external conditions or matters, so they can listen to the Dharma as they wish. However, their mind-root is foolish and dull. If, in the past, we built up too much ignorance and afflictions, our present mind-consciousness and -root may be rather foolish and dull. We can hear but cannot understand Right Dharma. Sometimes we hear Right Dharma but turn it into delusion, so we become even more deluded.
Some people may be Buddhists, but they do not properly understand principles. Upon [reading] the Earth Treasury Sutra, they say, “The Buddha said that there are water gods, stone gods, tree gods, plant gods and so on. So, I am very afraid of them. So, everywhere I go, I must pay my respects with joss paper and incense before I dare go forward. If there is a rock, I am afraid to step over it because there is a stone god.”
Consider this. In the Earth Treasury Sutra, the Buddha did say that in the dimensions of this world there are different beings in charge of different things, many ghosts and spirits and so on. But if we return to Right Dharma, to the principles of the Great Vehicle, [we will know] that the Buddha said this because when He began teaching, there were more than 90 religions in India. So, He had to adapt to the sentient beings and [beliefs] at that time. He used provisional teachings to help people draw near and understand, so they could first put aside those over 90 kinds of improper thinking and teachings. He first accommodated their capabilities so they would follow Him.
The Earth Treasury Sutra is a sutra about filial piety and making great vows. He gradually led people to see filial piety as the foremost of all good deeds. With the concept of filial piety, he guided all sentient beings to see all elders as their parents and all young people as their children, then expand their vow to cover the world, all sentient beings and all those in hell. This is how the Buddha patiently guided them. He waited until the end to teach the One Vehicle Dharma, when He wanted everyone to bring all the teachings back to their mind.
After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, there may be places where Right Dharma is taught. But we may be physically constrained from going there and listening. Or perhaps we give rise to deviant views and can listen but not faithfully accept it. Thus, listening to the Right Dharma is hard.
So, some people encounter all kinds of obstacles or are obstructed by their dull capabilities. These people existed during the Buddha’s lifetime, not to mention after He entered Parinirvana. There are places where Right Dharma is taught, “but we may be physically constrained.” All kinds of obstacles constrain us, preventing us from listening.
After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, there have been places that teach Right Dharma. People who want to go and listen may face all kinds of difficulties. Some people are physically constrained by others so they cannot listen to it. Others, having heard it, still cannot accept Right Dharma. For them, having listened to it is the same as not having listened at all. Perhaps they partially comprehend it, or take things out of context. When this happens, they might as well not have heard it. So, “nor do they hear Right Dharma. Such people are difficult to transform.”
As Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful and faithfully accept and practice it. Only with a straightforward mind will we not stray. We must enter the Path with a meticulous mind so we can truly take Right Dharma to heart. “A humble mind is how we abide by the path.” Only by following the teachings can our every thought be in line with the path. Only then can we [succeed].
If we can accept and practice teachings from the start, that is the best way. But if we already started listening to and practicing the Dharma, yet still allowed our mind to waver, in the end, we have a chance to turn back and make vows. Then as with Nanda, the Buddha will be happy and praise us. Listening to Right Dharma and engaging in proper practices are what we must work hard to do; we must never stop doing this. Therefore, we must always be mindful.