Episode 842 – Practicing with Loving-kindness and Compassion
>>In learning and practicing the Buddha-Dharma, we must make great vows. We give rise to loving-kindness and compassion and transform ourselves while benefiting others. For enlightened sentient beings with great aspirations, the Buddha gave predictions of certainly attaining Buddhahood in the future.
>>”All Buddha-children, having heard this Dharma from us, would contemplate night and day and diligently practice it.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>>”At the right time, all Buddhas would bestow predictions upon them, saying, ‘In a future lifetime, you will attain Buddhahood’.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>>At the right time, all Buddhas would bestow predictions on them: At a time that is right, all Buddhas, with the same voice, would give them confirmation and bestow predictions of attaining Bodhi.
>> In a future lifetime, you will attain Buddhahood: You, in countless ages hence, will perfect the Bodhisattva-path and attain Buddhahood.
“In learning and practicing the Buddha-Dharma, we must make great vows.
We give rise to loving-kindness and compassion and transform ourselves while benefiting others.
For enlightened sentient beings with great aspirations,
the Buddha gave predictions of certainly attaining Buddhahood in the future.”
We always say to everyone that forming great aspirations and making great vows is very important. The Buddha’s hope is that we can all transform ourselves while benefiting others. To transform ourselves and benefit others, we must have great aspirations. We must also engage in spiritual practice. If we do not practice ourselves, how can we teach this to others? If we do not put the teachings into practice, how can we lead others to do the same? Therefore, the Buddha wants us to understand the principles of the Dharma and make an effort to eliminate ignorance and afflictions. If we are able to do this, if we know that we must eliminate afflictions, then when we interact with people, we will no longer replicate our afflictions, stirring up so many afflictions. Of course, this is the sequence of the Buddha’s teaching. If we do not recognize suffering, we will not want to realize its origin. Once we comprehend suffering, we must put the teachings into action to eliminate the source of suffering. Thus we come to understand the Dharma’s profound principles. So, these are the truths of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. This is what we must all understand when we first make vows and enter the Buddha’s door.
After we understand this, the Buddha then tells us, “Life is full of suffering, which all comes from our minds.” Once ignorance arises, it brings the contamination of The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence are the reason we have come to the human realm. When we understand that this is the reason, along with the affinity with our parents, we must then seek to comprehend how our circumstantial and direct retributions result from what we did in past lifetimes. So, once we are aware of our direct and circumstantial retributions, we must heighten our vigilance. As for our afflictions, “Since we have come here, we should be at peace.” We must not let afflictions defile us again. So, we must calm our minds. When afflictions and ignorance arise, we must eliminate them. If we give rise to discursive thoughts, everything around us will become an affliction, and our minds will be [bound] by afflictions again. These are contrived affinities. We are entangled with and defiled by afflictions. This is ignorance.
However, we must go among the people and create blessed affinities. When we get involved in working with others, we must have a very open mind and create blessings, not contrive affinities. If we contrive affinities with others, we increase our afflictions. If we are engaged in spiritual cultivation, when we encounter afflictions, with hearts at peace we can just laugh it off; we will not become entangled in our afflictions. Going among the people and contriving affinities are completely different.
The Buddha teaches us that. “Bodhisattvas arise because of [affinities] with suffering sentient beings.” So, we must give rise to kindness and compassion; the Buddha-mind is one of kindness, compassion. Learning the Buddha’s Way means learning His loving-kindness and compassion. With this loving-kindness and compassion, we can transform ourselves while benefiting others.
Think about it; we now live in the evil world of Five Turbidities. There is extreme weather, an imbalance in the four elements and many disasters. Take the flood in Malaysia for example. The affected area was actually very broad, stretching from Thailand to Sri Lanka, to Malaysia and Indonesia, across four countries. This flooding affected these four countries, but Malaysia was the most severely impacted, with eight states affected by the disaster.
In the areas struck by disaster, Tzu Chi volunteers in Malaysia all came together and mobilized [to help]. From northern, central and southern Malaysia, everyone brought their strength together. Undaunted by the distance, they all joined in the work of disaster relief. Those unaffected by the disaster went there and saw the disaster area; they saw the suffering of sentient beings. So, everyone was very willing to join in, and they served with sincere hearts. This is giving rise to kindness and compassion.
“Transforming ourselves” is about us. Look at the disaster survivors. The power of this disaster was truly great. Whether people are poor or wealthy, when a natural disaster strikes, everyone is affected equally by it. So, we must be aware; the Buddha’s impartial compassion teaches us that we must show compassion to all equally. When we see suffering, we transform ourselves; we recognize our own blessings. By taking the Dharma to heart, we can comprehend the principles of suffering. So, when the Dharma is taken into our hearts, this is what we call “transforming ourselves.”
“Benefiting others” is when everyone goes to help and give of themselves in disaster relief. So, during this period of time, a “cash for work” program was established. Every day that people came to work, they could earn 100 ringgits 100 Malaysian ringgits is sufficient to allow people to feed themselves and buy powdered milk for their children.
In summary, this is the method we used to help others. What we actually wanted to do was provide aid, but there was so much garbage and dirt. If no one cleaned up the area, how could this place recover? How could they live? How could businesses recover? So, the “cash for work” program initiated following Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines was a very good experience to draw from. If it could work there, it should be done here as well.
We mobilized manpower from all over Malaysia in the hope that those waiting for relief aid would be able to mobilize to clean up their own homes through the program. We went to extend help to them. Those unaffected by the disaster and people in those communities mobilized their love to sincerely wish blessings for [the survivors]. They donated or participated [in the relief work]. This is the power of love, which enabled us to finish this aid project sooner.
This power of love has always been the same. The Buddha always hoped for everyone to practice the Buddha-Dharma and to be willing to make great vows. Everyone must have vows, the vows to give rise to kindness and compassion and transform ourselves and benefit others.
“For enlightened sentient beings with great aspirations,” for those who have formed great aspirations, those awakened sentient beings, the Buddha gives His affirmation. He affirms them by bestowing His prediction that “[They] will certainly attain Buddhahood in the future.” He believes when everyone form great aspirations, the path [they walk] is the path to Buddhahood. It is the Bodhi-path.
The previous passage states, “All Buddha-children, having heard this Dharma from us, would contemplate night and day and diligently practice it.”
As I said earlier, these “Buddha-children” are Bodhisattvas. They already have formed Bodhisattva-aspirations. The Dharma that the Buddha teaches is to open up the Bodhi-path. He hopes that everyone will form Bodhicitta, which is put into practice on the Bodhi-path. All those who walk the Bodhisattva-path are called Buddha-children. “Having heard this Dharma from us, [they] would contemplate night and day.” They would earnestly contemplate the Dharma within their own minds. “Isn’t the Dharma like this? Shouldn’t we study and cultivate with diligence and not just listen to the Dharma? Shouldn’t we put the teachings into practice?” Then, we will have taken the Dharma to heart.
The next sutra passage continues, saying, “At the right time, all Buddhas would bestow predictions upon them, saying, ‘In a future lifetime, you will attain Buddhahood’.”
Because they had heard the Dharma, they began to diligently contemplate night and day and diligently walk the Bodhisattva-path. When we form an aspiration, the Buddha knows. So, at that time, “At the right time, all Buddhas would bestow predictions upon them, saying, ‘In a future lifetime, you will attain Buddhahood’.” This is why we must form aspirations, form great aspirations and great vows.
“At the right time” means at that time, when everyone forms great aspirations. We often say that a thought of reverent sincerity can be heard by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The ancients also said, “There are spiritual beings three inches above us.” This means that, three inches above our heads, at such a short distance, there are spiritual beings [watching us]. That is to say, when we give rise to a thought, these spirits know if it is good or evil, not to mention all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Therefore, if we are reverently sincere and continually diligent from the start will naturally be known by the Buddha. Thus, He begins to bestow His prediction on us, because we “contemplate night and day and diligently practice it.” With reverent and sincere minds, of course the Buddha will understand us and will bestow His prediction on us accordingly
At the right time, all Buddhas would bestow predictions on them: At a time that is right, all Buddhas, with the same voice, would give them confirmation and bestow predictions of attaining Bodhi.
“At a time that is right” means at any given time. As soon as we start to give rise to thoughts, we are already determined. The moment we have that determination is the moment we are most sincere; that is the right time.
“All the Buddhas [share] the same voice.” I often say that all Buddhas share the same path. Not just Sakyamuni Buddha, but all Buddhas work to transform sentient beings. Sentient beings’ capabilities and thoughts are thoroughly understood by all Buddhas; there is nothing They cannot understand. So, at any given time, we must form great aspirations. This is what Buddhas and Bodhisattvas rejoice in and what all heavenly beings and. Dharma-protectors watch over.
Therefore, “at the time that is right,” refers to any given time. As long as we form great aspiration and vows, all heavenly beings and Dharma-protectors and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can hear us and understand. So, as long as we are determined, all Buddhas, from the past, present and future, “with the same voice will give [us] confirmation.” They can give us confirmation. Confirmation is the same as bestowing a prediction. They assure us that we just need to follow this aspiration and steadily advance without retreating.
Haven’t we talked about this? Each of us once formed great aspirations, but we retreated partway through our journey and became ordinary people. Or we may be engaging in spiritual cultivation but retreat to the Small Vehicle. For instance, when Sariputra engaged in spiritual cultivation in his past lives, he formed great aspirations and was full of faith. Not only did he give up his wealth, he even gave up his organs. There was a young man [who came to him] who was really a heavenly being in disguise. He said to Sariputra, “I am so sad.” In that life, Sariputra was an elder, and he asked him, “Young man, why are you worried? Why are you sad?” The young man said to the elder, “My mother is ill.” The elder said, “If your mother ill, then she must quickly see the doctor. How much money do you need? I can help you.”
The young man said, “I do not need money. The doctor told me that to treat my mother, she needs an eyeball from a kind-hearted man to use as catalyst for the medicine. This is the only way my mother will recover. She needs an eyeball from a kind-hearted man.” The elder thought, “I am a kind-hearted man, and I often help others. Since I have two eyeballs and he only needs one, I think I can give one to him. Since I am willing to give away my possessions, I should also aspire to give my body as well. It is just one eyeball.” He said, “Ok, I will give you [my eyeball] so you can save your mother’s life.” Just like that, the elder quickly took out one of his eyes.
The young man saw the elder quickly take out his eye and said, “Why did you act so quickly!? I didn’t get to tell you that. I need the right eye, not the left one. The doctor said only the right eye will work. Why you didn’t tell me sooner? I have already taken it out; now what?” The young man began to cry again [and said,]. “My mother cannot be saved. Stop crying. Alright. Since I already took out one eye, that was my own fault. I will give you my right eye.” So, he took out the right eye. With both eyes gone, he was blind.
That young man deliberately took the eyeball and sniffed it. He took a deep breath [so the elder] would know he was smelling it. Then he said, “How could it smell so bad!?” He threw it to the ground and loudly stomped on it with his foot. The elder thought, “It is truly difficult being a Bodhisattva. I do not wish to be a Bodhisattva anymore. Even when I gave [my eye to him], he criticized it as being smelly.” So beginning at this point, Sariputra made a vow and retreated to the Small Vehicle.
So, Sariputra, foremost in wisdom, was able to encounter the Buddha, yet continued to practice the Small Vehicle for more than 40 years. As we can see, a single thought can cause us to quickly retreat. Though Sariputra did not retreat to the state of ordinary people, he still remained in the Small Vehicle. So, if we strengthen our spiritual aspirations, at that time, “All Buddhas, with the same voice, will give [us] confirmation.” They will affirm for us that we will attain Buddhahood in the future, thus bestowing this prediction on us.
In a future lifetime, you will attain Buddhahood: You, in countless ages hence, will perfect the Bodhisattva-path and attain Buddhahood.
So, “In a future lifetime, you will attain Buddhahood.” This is [the Buddha’s] affirmation for us. This means that. “You, in countless ages hence,” of course this will be after a very long time, “will perfect the Bodhisattva-path and will attain Buddhahood.” We must practice the Bodhisattva-path and furthermore must perfect it. We must be mindful and willing to give and must not retreat from our spiritual aspirations. We must always give without asking for anything in return, and when we give, we must do so joyfully. If we can do this, we “will attain Buddhahood.”
Everyone, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we can say it is simple or complicated. Simply put, we must have firm and solid spiritual aspirations. When our resolve is firm and our vows are sincere, we will be free from any outside factors affecting our minds. Really, this is not difficult. Previously, I spoke of the “path of difficult practice. Actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions” is the path of difficult practice.
With “giving,” when our resolve is firm, we will not retreat from our mindset of giving. There is giving of material wealth, Dharma and fearlessness. We can give material things to others. When sentient beings are in need of help and we quickly comfort them, this is the giving of fearlessness. When we have the opportunity, we can quickly convey the Dharma, these great principles, and thus pass on the Buddha’s teachings. What is difficult about the three types of giving? They are not difficult at all.
After giving comes “upholding precepts.” Upholding the precepts means following the basic rules of human beings. If something is wrong, we should not do it; we must earnestly seek to be a good person. We must guard against wrongs and stop evil. If something is wrong, we must not give rise to any thought of it. This way, we can be free of hindering afflictions.
As for “patience,” with true patience, is there anything we cannot patiently endure? If we can thoroughly comprehend the principles, that all things are empty in nature, then when we engage in spiritual cultivation we can see all worldly matters and people clearly. Knowing that all things are empty in nature, what do we have to take issue over? Then naturally, non-arising patience [will grow] in our minds and manifest in our daily living.
After giving, upholding precepts and patience comes “diligence.” If we can diligently advance every day naturally our minds will become focused, and our “wisdom” will grow. In this way, what difficulties are there in actualizing the Six Paramitas? If we can uphold these six practices and realize them in all our actions, we will be able to give so much to others. In the end, our practice will be complete, and we will truly be filled with great joy.
The world is full of suffering, and Bodhisattvas arise due to suffering sentient beings [So], we must make great vows and form great aspirations to transform ourselves and benefit others. When we have this kind of kindness, compassion, naturally all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will affirm for us that we can attain Buddhahood in the future. So, because of this, we must always be mindful.