Episode 837 – Being Vigilant of Retributions
>> Infinite treasures, though unsought, were attained. Direct and circumstantial retributions are created by us to bring ample wealth, blessings. That guiding teacher in a past lifetime compassionately and patiently taught the diligent practice of the virtuous Dharma.
>> “Before, in a certain city, I lost my son, and searching all around for him, I came to this place. Everything I own, my houses and servants, I bequeath to him that he may do with them as he pleases.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “The son recalled being poor and how his resolve had been inferior. Now, before his father, he obtained great precious treasures, as well as houses and all of this wealth. His joy was extremely great at having attained what he had never had before.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> In the past, before practicing the Great Vehicle’s Six Paramitas in myriad actions, they lacked the blessings and wisdom of Bodhisattvas. They were not adorned with the magnificent necklaces of merits and virtues. The Two Vehicle practitioners only acted for themselves and had no Great Vehicle aspirations of purifying Buddha-lands.
“Infinite treasures, though unsought, were attained.
Direct and circumstantial retributions are created by us to bring ample wealth, blessings.
That guiding teacher in a past lifetime compassionately
and patiently taught the diligent practice of the virtuous Dharma.”
“Infinite treasures, though unsought, were attained.” This is such a joyful matter! Treasures are what everyone hopes for. Though everyone seeks them, even without our seeking them, these treasures can unexpectedly appear before us, and we are told these treasures are ours. This is such a wondrous and delightful occurrence. This is also an analogy. In this world, is there anything we can obtain without putting in any work? This depends on whether, in our past lives, we worked very hard, very earnestly, very painstakingly, to create blessings. In our past lives the blessed karma we created, our circumstantial and direct retributions, brought us to our parents’ house. If they were already rich, then we would be born into a family with so many thriving businesses and such fine material goods for us to enjoy. These are blessings that we must have created in our past lives. Otherwise in this life, we would have had to work hard for this ourselves.
So, “Direct and circumstantial retributions are created by us to bring ample wealth, blessings.” Our direct and circumstantial retributions came from working hard in our past lives to create blessed karma. How do we create blessings? By benefiting other people. Having benefited people in our past lives, in this life we have ample wealth and blessings and are very successful.
But some say, “Wealth does not last beyond three generations.” Life, as we have always said, is impermanent. The results of the first generation’s hard work will not necessarily last thousands of years for successive generations to enjoy. This kind of tangible wealth is [attained] by creating blessings in the world. Then what is it that will protect their offspring? Virtue. If in our every lifetime, in all our successive lifetimes, we keep passing virtue on to future generations, then as this virtue is passed on, things will go well for each generation. But, are we able to do this? That depends on the entire family passing down their family spirit and teaching their ideals.
This is the case for worldly matters. But when it comes to the Buddha-Dharma, there is an even greater need for this. The Buddha spent countless lives in the past continuously engaging in spiritual practice. Life after life, He continued to widely transform sentient beings. Then, when the causes and conditions were ripe, He was born into a palace in India. The prince’s father was the leader of the kingdom, so his family had much wealth. These were his circumstantial and direct retributions. But, he chose not to remain amidst this wealth. He chose to find ways to experience the true treasures of life, to investigate this.
He knew that people’s wealth and tangible things are always subject to change. From looking at other people’s lives he saw the cycle of birth, aging, illness and death. These laws of nature at work in people’s bodies and in their lives. From people’s lives he could see the changes in life, its impermanence and its numerous hardships. Nothing lasts forever; that is what causes unbearable suffering. Thus, he went to investigate this. He investigated the reason why things are ever-changing and impermanent.
This quality of the world was eventually discovered by him. This is a law of nature. When it comes to time, space or interpersonal relationships, there are laws of nature which are everlasting and unchanging. The Buddha realized these truths. But within these unchanging truths, things still easily change. What is it that changes?
A single thought. With a thought of ignorance, sentient beings will create collective karma. A single thought of ignorance leads to both circumstantial and direct retributions, these karmic retributions. When it comes to our lives, some of us are born in rich families, some of us are born in a peaceful, blessed and happy country and some of us are born in a country filled with disasters, poverty and suffering. This is beyond our control.
In fact, so much suffering in the world has always been present. The weather bureau reported that that a cold front is arriving today. The temperature has already dropped; it is cold. Families in ordinary circumstances will be able to protect themselves against the cold. They can dress warmly; they also have heaters. Once they get home they will be warm. But when impermanence and suffering strike, and some are forced to flee their country, think about it, how do they get by?
Right now it is the rainy season in Southeast Asia. Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, these four, are experiencing natural disasters. In Southern Thailand there is flooding that has caused many deaths. In Indonesia, a few days ago there was a severe mudslide in which an entire mountainside collapsed. This is no minor disaster. Tzu Chi volunteers in Indonesia have [already] begun carrying out disaster relief efforts. In Sri Lanka, there has also been flooding in remote areas. But, we have no way to help, no manpower. All we can do is learn about what is happening. However in Malaysia and Indonesia, there are many Tzu Chi volunteers. After hearing about the disaster, volunteers in both countries provided disaster relief. Those helping disaster survivors are benefiting others. “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.” As long as sentient beings are suffering, if Bodhisattvas have karmic affinities with them, whenever conditions arise, they will dedicate themselves to helping.
In the news reports we see that eight states in Malaysia have been hit with floods. People’s things are all underwater. They had to suddenly leave their homes. What are they going to eat? They can stay in temporary shelters, but where will they find food? We heard that people have been looting or fighting to buy things. Of course, people are scared that there will not be enough to eat, so they want to stockpile. How many more days until the rain stops? No one knows. When will the water recede?
Kelantan experienced severe flooding, so where will the supplies come from? From Penang. As volunteers began to purchase [supplies], they awakened the love in people’s hearts. Some businessmen wanted to stockpile, but others knew that. Tzu Chi was providing immediate emergency relief, so they were willing and happy to release what they had. Tzu Chi volunteers purchased supplies right away and immediately brought them to the disaster areas.
Whether in northern, central or southern Malaysia, Tzu Chi volunteers combined their strength and dedicated themselves [to disaster relief]. Even Tzu Chi volunteers in Singapore asked, “Can we also get involved? Can we help collect donations? Of course you can!” This is how Tzu Chi volunteers, Living Bodhisattvas, promptly help others. With this affinity, the Tzu Chi volunteers there, these Bodhisattvas, arise. When sentient beings suffering disaster give rise to these interdependent conditions, Bodhisattvas quickly go to help.
Where did this principle originate from? In the past, there was a guiding teacher. “That guiding teacher” was Sakyamuni Buddha. More than 2000 years ago, He saw that in this world, time is permanent and everlasting and space is boundless, but human life is temporary and short. Yet during our lives, we create collective karma, turning this world into an evil world of Five Turbidities. The Buddha taught sentient beings that we must not only seek to awaken ourselves; we must also benefit others. We all need to understand how we can truly create blessings and give to suffering sentient beings, even if it takes a lot of hard work. This is the power of love.
“That guiding teacher from a past lifetime” gave one teaching that could reach everyone in the world. In the past, the Buddha “compassionately and patiently taught.” In His compassion, He patiently guided everyone so that after accepting the Dharma, we would spend lifetimes diligently practicing virtuous Dharma. In this life we have been born human, encountered the Buddha-Dharma and are also walking the Bodhisattva-path. Wherever Bodhisattvas have an affinity, with the “interdependent arising” of conditions, they give to help. In peaceful times, we must understand the Dharma. The “empty nature of all things” means we must understand the truth that everything in this world is illusory. Though time and space are everlasting, the wealth we possess in this world lasts for only a few decades. If we use this wealth to help others, only then does it become everlasting.
With what we learn from the Buddha-Dharma, we must diligently cultivate virtuous practices. This is how we “enter” [the teachings]. We must diligently engage in spiritual practice. Then naturally, “Infinite treasures, though unsought, [will be] attained.” With the spiritual wealth that we all have in our hearts, when we see sentient beings suffering, we will come together and therefore have sufficient material supples to settle and bring peace to sentient beings’ minds
“Before, in a certain city, I lost my son, and searching all around for him, I came to this place. Everything I own, my houses and servants, I bequeath to him that he may do with them as he pleases.”
The previous sutra passage states, “Before, in a certain city….” This elder already declared to the ministers, kings and his relatives, “I have found my son. I had spent decades searching for him and. I found him in this place. All of my belongings and assets, including this great house, are bequeathed to my son. My son can take over my estate and”
“the family business.” This is what the elder [said]; his estate included immeasurable treasures and wealth. In terms of the Buddha-Dharma, this is an analogy. It represents the Buddha’s wisdom. With His wisdom, He awakened to the truths of all things in the universe. He knew that time and space are everlasting and that as we interact with each other, the karma we create will shape the world. With this wisdom and truth, He taught us to help us understand the underlying law of karma and the richness of the Bodhisattva-path, the ways for us to give such that we can benefit everyone, such that we can bring peace to the world. These are treasures that cannot be surpassed, so this wealth, this wisdom, was transmitted to us completely.
The next sutra passage says, “The son recalled being poor and how his resolve had been inferior. Now, before his father, he obtained great precious treasures, as well as houses and all of this wealth. His joy was extremely great at having attained what he had never had before.”
The elder described how his son had lived in extreme poverty for a time in the past and how his resolve had been inferior. Thus when he came to this great house the elder recognized him as his godson and helped him understand the interior and the precious objects inside. So, they had already established a father-son relationship. This was actually his trueborn son. Thus, his resolve gradually grew to [accept and] understand this relationship. After understanding, his enlightened love was brought out.
So, “Now, before his father, he obtained great treasures.” From being Hearers and Solitary Realizers, these disciples had by this point already brought out their enlightened love. Thus, the Buddha taught these awakened beings the methods for benefiting sentient beings, this wisdom. He unceasingly taught them, thus passing down the entirety of His wealth. These children had the resolve and were willing to seek awakening. His disciples were already willing. So, “[Their] joy was extremely great at having attained what [they] had never had before.” It turns out they also had this strength with which to help others. They could work with others to train themselves and eliminate their dust-like delusions. This is the path to Buddhahood
In the past, before practicing the Great Vehicle’s Six Paramitas in myriad actions, they lacked the blessings and wisdom of Bodhisattvas. They were not adorned with the magnificent necklaces of merits and virtues. The Two Vehicle practitioners only acted for themselves and had no Great Vehicle aspirations of purifying Buddha-lands.
The poor son’s state of mind at that time was like that of those who, “in the past, before practicing the Great Vehicle’s Six Paramitas,” had only practiced the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Those practitioners had stopped in that state and did not practice the Six Paramitas. They felt that actualizing the Six Paramitas was the work of Bodhisattvas. Thus, “They lacked the blessings and wisdom of Bodhisattvas”; they lacked a Bodhisattva’s blessings and wisdom. They did not create blessings, so they were unable to develop their wisdom. They only ended their afflictions but were still unable to eliminate their dust-like delusions.
To eliminate dust-like delusions, they must “actualize the Six Paramitas in myriad actions.” They must go among people in order to experience this and be able to eliminate their dust-like afflictions. So, as we create blessings, we must also cultivate wisdom. This is how we walk the Bodhisattva-path. When we have blessings and wisdom, these are the treasures of our minds. Only when we have these virtues in our heart can our outer appearance be dignified. It is said, “Wealth adorns the house; virtue adorns the body.” Is this person very wealthy? We can tell from his house. Thus it is said, “Wealth adorns the house.” As for virtue, it “adorns the body.” By observing his every move, by looking at the way he acts and treats people, we will know whether he is dignified [with virtue]. Having such an expansive mindset, such generosity and purity of heart, and giving unconditionally like this, this is virtue. Everyone praises a person like this. Thus we say he is dignified. Everyone respects him on sight.
“The Two Vehicle practitioners only acted for themselves. Two Vehicle Practitioners” were. Hearers and Solitary Realizers. They engaged in spiritual practice only to benefit themselves. They focused on their own understanding. People like this had “no Great Vehicle aspirations of purifying Buddha-lands.”
The way things are in the world results from sentient beings’ collective karma. I also constantly say this to everyone. Why is the world experiencing such extreme weather right now? Because of sentient beings’ collective karma. So in summary, this karma we create collectively is something the Buddha taught us about early on. What do we do when we experience [the retribution] of our collective karma? We must be Bodhisattvas who purify Buddha-lands, who arise because of [suffering] beings. If we can all awaken our love, even if a country, society or area is struck by disaster, it can quickly recover. Isn’t this “purifying Buddha-lands”?
The Buddha is the Enlightened One. A great being who attains enlightenment is called a Buddha. Bodhisattvas are awakened sentient beings. They are on the path to Buddhahood, walking the great, direct Bodhi-path. The Buddha leads us to walk this path and do these things. The teachings from more than 2000 years ago have been passed down even to this day. So, when it comes to learning the Buddha’s Way, we must be mindful and put our efforts into opening the doors to the mind. “The mind encompasses the universe and the boundless worlds within it.” Forming Great Vehicle aspirations to purify and dignify Buddha-lands is what we must do as Buddhist practitioners. Therefore, we must always be mindful!