Episode 415 – Attaining Peace in Body and Mind
>> “When we are physically, mentally and spiritually at peace, we will take pleasure in attaining peace, stability and freedom, will not be defiled by the Five Turbidities, and will not be threatened by the Eight Sufferings.”
>> The Five Turbidities: kalpa of turbidity, the turbidity of views, the turbidity of afflictions, the turbidity of sentient beings and the turbidity of life.
>> The Eight Sufferings: suffering of birth, suffering of old age, suffering of illness, suffering of death, suffering of parting from those we love, suffering of meeting those we hate, suffering of not getting what we want, suffering of the raging Five Skandhas.
>> “The Dharma abides in the Dharma-state; its appearance in the world is ever-abiding. Having understood this at places of practice, the guiding teacher expounds it skillfully.”
>> Those who receive the offerings of heavenly beings and humans are presently Buddhas of the ten directions. Numbering as many as the Ganges’ sands, They manifest in the world to bring peace and stability to sentient beings, and also teach such Dharma.
>> Those who receive the offerings of heavenly beings and humans: Offerings are the cause for perfecting the Six Paramitas. Through the effort of our bodies and minds, we diligently make offerings, respectfully accept the Buddha’s teachings, walk the Bodhisattva-path and are grateful for the grace of the Three Treasures. This is how we perfectly make reverent offerings.
>> Buddhas of the ten directions number as many as the Ganges’ sands: The ten directions is another way of describing a great trichiliocosm. The sands of the Ganges are so many they are incalculable. This is the number of the Ganges’ sands.
>> They manifest in the world: Sentient beings of the. Three Realms and Six Destinies possess a physical body. The world they are born into is the place of their circumstantial retribution. There are two kinds of retributions, circumstantial and direct. The causes and conditions that are created yield direct and circumstantial karmic retributions according to this fixed law. The creators of such causes and conditions are those who currently face retributions and those who will face retributions in the future.
>> They bring peace and stability to sentient beings, and also teach such Dharma: They guide sentient beings toward a place of peace and happiness, to a state of tranquility, stillness and exceptional and eternal bliss. When the troubles of the world are forever extinguished, we attain peace and stability.
“When we are physically, mentally and spiritually at peace,
we will take pleasure in attaining peace, stability and freedom,
will not be defiled by the Five Turbidities,
and will not be threatened by the Eight Sufferings.”
I want to share with everyone, being physically at peace and healthy is our greatest blessing in life. Aside from being physically healthy, we must also be mentally healthy. Once we are mentally healthy, we will automatically feel at peace. People are concerned about gains and losses, so they are not mentally at peace. So, if we can be physically and spiritually at peace, “we will take pleasure in attaining peace, stability and freedom.” We will then live very happy lives. In addition to living happy lives, we also have to thoroughly understand principles and choose the direction of our lives.
So, we learn the Buddha’s teachings because it is the broadest path available for bringing peace to our hearts. So, this is what we choose. We “take pleasure” in it; it makes us happy. By choosing the great Bodhi-path, we attain peace and stability; we have no conflict over matters, with others or in this world. Then isn’t our life very peaceful and stable?
A life without interpersonal conflicts is a most carefree life. If we can [attain this state], then naturally we “will not be defiled by the Five Turbidities.”
The Five Turbidities: kalpa of turbidity, the turbidity of views, the turbidity of afflictions, the turbidity of sentient beings and the turbidity of life.
The Five Turbidities are truly worrisome. They start as afflictions in our minds. In this era, [afflictions] arise because people have such different perspectives. I always say that people should simply be pure in heart. However, people are not pure in heart. At this moment, we are living in this era, which is called a kalpa. Over this time, even up to this current era [of great change], people still cannot discern right from wrong. Therefore, their ignorant perspectives create turbidity in this space and time. So, this is the “kalpa of turbidity.”
This is a vast space and the whole planet exists in a kind of era where the macrocosm of the land is not peaceful and stable, so the four elements are not in balance. Due to manmade calamities, the microcosm of [people’s hearts] cannot be peaceful and stable. This was all created by the accumulation of people’s views and understandings. We each have our own perspectives, which lead to afflictions. You have your wants, and I have my wants. When each of us want different things, this automatically leads to conflict. These afflictions truly create chaos in the world. So, this is the “turbidity of affliction.”
There is also the “turbidity of sentient beings. Sentient beings” are beings with feelings. Aside from their effect on other people, humans are also the source of problems for all living beings and have become a very large threat to them. With a larger population, we raise more livestock and kill more animals. So, “sentient beings” does not just refer to human beings. With our large population, naturally the animals raised for human consumption will also face great hardships. This is due to people’s views and understandings, their afflictions and cravings for taste. This causes all beings to be unable to find peace.
So, in summary, the source of the Five Turbidities is humans. So, if we engage in spiritual practice, we can bring peace to our minds, see the principles clearly and face the right direction. As we transform ourselves, we must also transform others and bring purity to their minds. As we experience this turbidity, we must purify it. As we purify the Five Turbidities, we must avoid being tainted by them. Our minds are already on the path of enlightenment so we “will not be defiled by the Five Turbidities and”
“will not be threatened by the Eight Sufferings.”
The Eight Sufferings: suffering of birth, suffering of old age, suffering of illness, suffering of death, suffering of parting from those we love, suffering of meeting those we hate, suffering of not getting what we want, suffering of the raging Five Skandhas.
What are the Eight Sufferings? We have often discussed suffering. It comes from birth, aging, illness and, at the end of our natural course of life, death. These are the four great basic sufferings of life,
the sufferings of birth, aging, illness and death. There is also “suffering of parting from those we love,” when we are separated from those dear to us. In the present day, there is a heavy emphasis on [academics]. Parents have very high hopes for their children. They want their sons and daughters to live blessed lives, so they raise them in a certain way. They keep them by their sides as young children, then send them away when they are older to live and study abroad. Will the children come home? That is uncertain.
This is “parting from those we love.” Even if parents keep their children by their side, eventually they have to let them go to form their own families. No matter how many children people have, in the end they may still end up old and alone. They still cannot keep their loved ones by their side. “Parting from those we love” is very painful! When apart from our loved ones, we may miss them, but we have no choice but to let them go far away. Separated, we worry about each other. This is truly unbearable suffering.
Next is “suffering of meeting those we hate.” There may be someone we do not like, and yet we have to be with this person day and night. Indeed, when we see him, we feel unhappy. Even when we hear him say something nice, we are still unhappy. This is “suffering of meeting those we hate.” We do not get to be with the one we love, and yet those we dislike are by our side. No matter how we are connected to them, when we are “meeting those we hate,” we become afflicted and uncomfortable. This is “suffering of meeting those we hate.”
Next is “suffering of not getting what we want.” In life, how often do we not get what we want? There is a saying, “Nine times out of ten, things will not go our way.” When we pursue something, things may not always go as we wish. They do not go our way more often than not. Why is that? Because our desires are too great. As soon as we attain one thing, we pursue another. There is no end to our pursuit. So, if we want everything to go as we wish, we will suffer from not getting what we want.
I always say that if we have ten we can donate one. Donating “one” is easy when it is a small amount. If I have 10, giving you 1 is easy. If I have 100, giving you 10 is not a problem. If I have 100,000, giving you 10,000 feels like a little too much. If I have 10 million, giving you 1 million feels excessive. If I have 1 billion, how could I possibly give you 100 million? Indeed, many people feel, “having one, they lack nine.” Most people feel this way.
Several days ago, we discussed the president of Uruguay. He has ten and donates nine. He keeps 10 percent [of his salary] and gives away the other 90 percent to the poor. So, he keeps one part for himself. Did he end up only “having one”? No, because of his moral character, he is acclaimed by people around the world.
So, he has already attained widespread respect. We ordinary people keep pursuing gains and never think about how we live only as long as we breathe, or about the impermanence of life. In such a short life, we pursue more and more. Where is the meaning in this? This is “suffering of not getting what we want.” There is no meaning outside their constant pursuit but the result of this is a life of suffering.
Next is “suffering of the raging Five Skandhas.” The Five Skandhas are form, feeling, perception, action and consciousness. When these are combined, we experience all Eight Sufferings in the world. So, in every single day, we must bring peace to our body and mind. When our body is safe, we can be satisfied in our daily living with where and how we live. I always say I am very content. Every day, everywhere I walk [in the abode] takes me no further than 200 steps. As I make this circuit around the Great Hall, I feel very content.
So, I feel physically at peace in this practice center. Furthermore, I am spiritually at peace because. I have attained a clear conscience. Every day I am immersed in principles, in the Dharma, both worldly and world-transcending teachings. Every day, my heart and mind are peaceful. So, we “take pleasure in attaining peace, stability and freedom.” As long as we can be content in our daily living, we can orient our minds in the right direction on the Bodhi-path. Then there are the laws of nature. When we feel at ease with birth and death, what else do we have to be worried about? Nothing. So, we must be mindful in our daily living to make sure the Dharma never leaves our minds and our minds never leave the Dharma. Then we walk the Bodhisattva-path every day and remain [immersed] in the Dharma.
So, as we have said before,
“The Dharma abides in the Dharma-state; its appearance in the world is ever-abiding. Having understood this at places of practice, the guiding teacher expounds it skillfully.”
Next, the sutra states, “Those who receive the offerings of heavenly beings and humans….”
Those who receive the offerings of heavenly beings and humans are presently Buddhas of the ten directions. Numbering as many as the Ganges’ sands, They manifest in the world to bring peace and stability to sentient beings, and also teach such Dharma.
Among “those who receive the offers of heavenly beings and humans,” the Buddha is the. “Father of Four Kinds of Beings, guiding teacher of the Three Realms.” So, heavenly beings and humans make reverent offerings to Him.
Those who receive the offerings of heavenly beings and humans: Offerings are the cause for perfecting the Six Paramitas. Through the effort of our bodies and minds, we diligently make offerings, respectfully accept the Buddha’s teachings, walk the Bodhisattva-path and are grateful for the grace of the Three Treasures. This is how we perfectly make reverent offerings.
Yesterday we discussed offerings of wealth, offerings of reverence and offerings of conduct. These are the three major offerings. Most importantly, for 24 hours a day, our minds must be with the Dharma. When we take the Dharma to heart, it will be in our actions. This is “the cause for perfecting.” The “cause” for our spiritual practice is to perfect the Six Paramitas. The Six Paramitas are the “cause” for our spiritual practice. To attain Buddhahood, we must put the teachings into practice. We must aspire to practice in our daily living and not deviate from the Six Paramitas.
The Paramitas are six methods consisting of giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These six methods deliver us from this shore to the other shore. To go from the shore of unenlightened beings to the shore of noble beings, we have to use these six methods. So, we must, through the actions of body and mind, diligently make offerings. The actions of our body and mind must be based on those six methods.
This is how we “respectfully accept the Buddha’s teachings.” Then we must “walk the Bodhisattva-path” to reverently put them into practice. When we listen to teachings, at the end we hear how the assembly “respectfully accepted and upheld the teachings, paid their respects and withdrew.” Every sutra contains this [passage] about respectfully accepting the Buddha’s teachings. Now we must respectfully accept His teaching of the Bodhisattva Way and put the Bodhisattva-path into practice. This is how we show our gratitude to the Three Treasures and make offerings to them.
So, the phrase, “Buddhas of the ten directions” refers to how all of us intrinsically have Buddha-nature. In addition to Sakyamuni Buddha, there are Buddhas in all ten directions. All Buddhas of the ten directions include all who intrinsically have Buddha-nature. So, everyone is a Buddha. If we expand our thinking, we can think about Buddhas of the ten directions.
“Buddhas of the ten directions number as many as the Ganges’ sands.”
Buddhas of the ten directions number as many as the Ganges’ sands: The ten directions is another way of describing a great trichiliocosm. The sands of the Ganges are so many they are incalculable. This is the number of the Ganges’ sands.
There are many Buddhas of the ten directions existing throughout the great trichiliocosm. A small chiliocosm consists of 1000 suns and moons 1000 small chiliocosms form a medium chiliocosm 1000 medium chiliocosms combine to form one great chiliocosm. I have explained in the past that “the Ganges’ sands” represents a large number, one that is incalculable. “Buddhas of the ten directions” means. They are widespread and there are many of Them in all of the ten directions. In our world alone, there are already so many billions of people. So, with so many worlds, there really is no way to say exactly how many [Buddhas] there are.
Many have “manifested in the world.” So many Buddhas have manifested in this world, knowing that this evil world of Five Turbidities needs more people who understand principles to come to the world, to the Three Realms. This world is also considered a realm. In this world there is the world of sentient beings and the world of material objects.
They manifest in the world: Sentient beings of the. Three Realms and Six Destinies possess a physical body. The world they are born into is the place of their circumstantial retribution. There are two kinds of retributions, circumstantial and direct. The causes and conditions that are created yield direct and circumstantial karmic retributions according to this fixed law. The creators of such causes and conditions are those who currently face retributions and those who will face retributions in the future.
“The world of sentient beings” refers to living beings. In addition to humans, it includes all other beings. They exist in the Three Realms and Six Destinies. The Three Realms, as you all know, are the desire realm, form realm and formless realm. The sentient beings of the Three Realms and Six Destinies each have their own body and form, which are all different. The states in which animals live depend on where their physical forms and their karma lead them to live. Sentient beings face “direct retribution” and “circumstantial retribution.”
Whether in the form realm or the desire realm, there are many Buddhas transforming all beings. Beings in the desire realm, especially, need help from those who have been awakened. If sentient beings do not feel secure, the Buddhas’ minds will not be at peace. So, to bring peace and stability to sentient beings, Buddhas constantly manifest in this world.
So, “bring peace and stability to sentient beings and also teach such Dharma.” They teach many skillful means, so as to “guide sentient beings toward a place of peace and happiness,” until they reach “a state of tranquility, stillness and exceptional and eternal bliss. Tranquility and clarity” is the state we want our minds to reach. There are many troubles among the matters of the world, preventing us from being at peace. We hope that, with our spiritual practice, our mind can be peaceful, stable and still. So, we need to rely on the Buddha’s teachings.
They bring peace and stability to sentient beings, and also teach such Dharma: They guide sentient beings toward a place of peace and happiness, to a state of tranquility, stillness and exceptional and eternal bliss. When the troubles of the world are forever extinguished, we attain peace and stability.
Buddhas only hope we can be peaceful and stable, and that we can take the right course and practice Right Dharma. This is what the Buddha hopes for. If we can behave in this way, that is the best, unsurpassed and supreme offering. So, we must always be mindful.