Episode 1211 – Do Not Slander Those Learning the Dharma
>> Newly inspired practitioners read, recite, practice and uphold this sutra. Since they still have afflictions, if they are hindered by slander, they may abandon what they have learned and sever their Buddha-seeds. This transgression is very serious, as it causes people to lose their aspirations to uphold the Dharma-treasury.
>> Medicine King, if an evil person whose mind is unwholesome remains in the presence of the Buddha for one kalpa and constantly slanders Him, his transgression is still considered slight.
>> “If a man utters one vile word to slander lay or monastic practitioners who read or recite the Lotus Sutra, this man’s transgression is extremely severe.”
>> If a man utters one vile word to slander lay or monastic practitioners: He admonished all not to use harsh speech. Even one harsh sentence uttered against those upholding this sutra which causes them to suffer from afflictions is called “vile words,” whether against a lay practitioner, a good man or woman, or against a monks or a nun or against a novice or so on.
>> [If a man] slanders those who read and recite the Lotus Sutra, this man’s transgression is extremely severe: The fourfold assembly reads and recites the Lotus Sutra, but because of this slanderer, these practitioners’ spiritual aspirations are damaged and they retreat from the path. With these obstructions, the promotion of the Dharma and the path to practicing the. Right Dharma in this world are difficult. Therefore, this transgression is severe.
>> The newly inspired practitioners read and recite this sutra. Since they still have afflictions, if they are hindered by slander, they may abandon what they have learned and sever their Buddha-seeds. Thus, this transgression is very serious.
>> A person with an unwholesome mind can denounce the Buddha to His face for as long as one kalpa. This shows how serious his transgression is. Yet, it is still not as serious as the transgression of slandering, with a single word, the fourfold assembly which reads and recites this sutra.
>> The Buddha will not waver in the face of slander or abuse; neither slander nor abuse can do harm to the Buddha. But if one slanders or abuses those who read this sutra, one will do harm to both oneself and others. Just one word can hinder countless practitioners from attaining the merits of benefiting themselves and others.
>> Furthermore, this sutra is the Dharmakaya of all Buddhas of the Three Periods, the seed for the merits of attaining Buddhahood. Anyone who slanders this sutra or those who read this sutra in this way damages the seeds of all Buddhas’ merits and virtues. Thus he commits a more serious transgression than abusing the Buddha.
“Newly inspired practitioners read, recite, practice and uphold this sutra.
Since they still have afflictions, if they are hindered by slander, they may abandon what they have learned and sever their Buddha-seeds.
This transgression is very serious, as it causes people to lose their aspirations to uphold the Dharma-treasury.”
We should know that the merits from upholding the sutras are great! Even with just a single verse or phrase, if you rejoice in it, deepen your understanding of the Dharma and share it with others, the merits coming from this are great. This is because spreading the Buddha-Dharma helps people get a clearer and better understanding of the principles, so they can understand the karmic law of cause and effect. This helps everyone retain the purity of their mind. Newly inspired practitioners take joy in listening to the Dharma. They read and recite [the sutras] and form aspirations to uphold the principles in the sutras. But there are also those who intentionally slander the Dharma. Those who have recently formed aspirations have still not eliminated all their afflictions.
In our spiritual practice, to completely eliminate all afflictions is already very difficult. Look at those who lived during the Buddha’s time and practiced alongside Him in His Sangha. Even they could not completely eliminate all their afflictions, let alone newly inspired practitioners who were accepting, reading and reciting the sutras. This is not to mention how, after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, those who wish to accept and recite this sutra are faced with difficulty upon difficulty. This even more true for those who wish to listen to the Dharma but whose minds remain filled with afflictions.
If they hear someone slander the sutras, they have no way to explain [their meaning] to him. Although they know the principles, they are still not very well-versed in them. Thus, when they hear others say [these things], they begin to doubt the sutras. This puts up obstacles for them. It hinders them from forming aspirations to accept and uphold this sutra. They wish to listen and understand, but doubts arise in their minds. This hinders them. People’s slander cause them to have doubts and obstructions. When this happens, “they may abandon what they learn.” Those who wish to learn and listen to the Dharma may originally have been very diligent, but then they hear the Buddha-Dharma being slandered like this. It causes these spiritual practitioners, those who wished to diligently advance, to abandon the practice that they wanted to diligently learn.
Their diligence turns into indolence, and they lose all interest in the Dharma. Not only do they no longer care about it, they may follow others in having doubts. This severs their Buddha-seeds, [their seeds of future Buddha-hood]. So, we know that slandering the Buddha-Dharma truly is a serious transgression. We must mindfully seek to realize this. If we engage in slander, we influence the minds of spiritual practitioners, causing them to become lax and to lose their spiritual ambitions. We cause afflictions that hinder the minds of those wishing to engage in purifying practices. This is all because they are slandered for upholding the sutras. Originally, they wanted to form aspirations and make vows to promote the Buddha-Dharma and put the Dharma into practice, but upon hearing gossip and slander, the seeds of goodness they awakened, the Buddha-seeds within them, may become completely severed. Clearly, for us ordinary beings, spiritual practice is not easy!
[People set on] destroying the Buddha-Dharma, slandering Buddhist practitioners and bringing harm to the Dharma, people slandering the Buddha and [obstructing] the Buddha-Dharma, existed already in the era of the Buddha.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, He spent a period of time at the Jetavana Abode. At that time, He had 1250 disciples with Him. He accepted the invitation of King Prasenajit, who wanted to invite them to the palace to receive offerings. He also asked that after receiving offerings, the Buddha could teach the Dharma, so that more people could come to understand the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha accepted the invitation. Leading these 1250 people, He set out from the Jetavana Abode. Along the way, many citizens lined up outside their front doors. They very respectfully watched the Buddha enter the city. Everyone was very joyful. The sutra even describes how the eight classes of Dharma-protectors rejoiced in the king’s aspirations and the people’s reverence. The 1250 bhiksus formed a very grand and dignified procession. Everyone truly praised.
They were already close to the palace, and the king had led his ministers to line up outside. At that moment, someone suddenly scurried out from the crowd. It was a bhiksuni, or someone who looked like a bhiksuni. Her name was Bao Zhi. This bhiksuni Bao Zhi seemed to be pregnant. Her belly was very big. She came before the Buddha and, tugging on His robes, said to Him, “Buddha, You have made me pregnant! Yet, You care nothing about how I live! I will tell everyone of this, so that everyone will know.”
When everyone there, the king, the monastics and those who had gathered to watch the Buddha as He entered the palace as well as the eight classes of Dharma-protectors, saw what had happened all of a sudden, everyone started to talk amongst themselves. “How is this possible? It is impossible! The Buddha is honored by all in the Three Realms. The Buddha’s heart is purer than a crystal or a mani pearl. He is very pure, like a mani pearl, as pure as crystal without even the slightest blemish. So why is this? How could this happen? The wisdom of the Buddha surpasses even the light from the sun and moon. How could this happen?” Everyone animatedly discussed this there.
“The Buddha’s inner afflictions, the maras of afflictions, should all have been completely subdued. So how could His mind have given rise to such errant [behavior] so as to make a bhiksuni pregnant? This is so inconceivable that no one would dare believe it. Yet, the matter is right before us! How can this be explained?” During this time, the Buddha just smiled and remained silent. He merely raised His head and looked upward. Then suddenly, a mouse that had gotten in beneath the bhiksuni’s clothing chewed through the rope tied there, and something dropped out. It was a large wooden ladle.
In the past, to scoop up water, people would take wood and hollow it out to make a ladle. So, she had used this rounded wooden ladle and tied it against her stomach with a rope. When the mouse chewed through the rope, the wooden ladle fell out. Everyone clearly saw this.
The king became very angry. Everyone’s doubts were resolved but the king became angry and said, “As a bhiksuni, you have formed aspirations and removed yourself from the love of your family. Your mind should be pure. Monastics who follow the Buddha should praise the Buddha and protect the Dharma. Not only did you not praise the Buddha nor protect the Dharma, you even had the intent to slander the Buddha and obstruct the Buddha-Dharma. This is a transgression beyond pardon.” He then gave order to dig a hole and bury this bhiksuni upside down in the hole, with her head downward and her feet up. He wanted a deep hole dug in which to bury her alive upside down.
At that moment, the Buddha spoke, “King, rescind the sentence. You must not issue this order. Everything is due to causes and conditions. This is the right time to give a teaching to the assembly.” He then began to teach in front of everyone. He told of how, in a time countless kalpas before, a person had gathered treasures from the sea. He had obtained many pearls. After gathering these pearls, at the market, he was about to auction off these pearls, There was a woman who was carrying a washbasin. She wanted to buy them all.
As they were discussing the price, suddenly another man also came with a basin and said, “However many pearls you have and whatever your price, I will buy them all.” The merchant had just been bargaining a price with the other woman and had almost struck a deal when this other man suddenly came running in, saying, “I will pay any price you ask.” Thus he proceeded to buy all the pearls.
The woman was very angry. She was resentful and very jealous that someone had bought all the pearls like that and would be able to make a lot of money off them. Just due to a small difference in price, she had lost all those pearls and the chance to resell them for a profit. So, she was very jealous of the one who had bought all the pearls. She was both jealous and hateful. With hatred and jealousy in her heart, she said, “You snatched away my profit like this. No matter how many lifetimes into the future, I will never forget what you have done to me. I will never allow you to succeed in anything. Life after life, whenever you wish to accomplish anything, I will bring you afflictions.” This was her vow.
When the Buddha had told the story to this point, He turned to everyone and said, “King, everyone, the man who carried a basin, who bought all the pearls and then left arrogantly, was I in a past life. The woman with the other basin who was haggling over the price, who lost her chance and harbored jealousy and hatred, is now this bhiksuni here before you. This happened according to the law of karma. Over the course of many lifetimes. I have willingly accepted it. This is a matter of karmic cause and effect!” Everyone’s heart opened up in understanding. Since the Buddha Himself was willing to forgive, the king of course followed His instructions and refrained from carrying out the sentence.
Without further incidents, the Buddha entered the palace and accepted the offerings. After receiving offerings, He went on to teach the Dharma before everyone. He spoke of what we just talked about, how protecting the Dharma brings great merit and virtue, while slandering the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha brings severe karma. Take for example that bhiksuni. She created her own karma. “Although I have forgiven her, that karma she created herself is still [very serious]. Her future retributions and hindrances will still be severe.” The Buddha lamented sentient beings’ heavy karma. In [the bhiksuni’s] mind, since she had not resolved her thoughts of hatred and was unwilling to repent, that karma would always follow her. Even though the Buddha had forgiven her, she never repented. Although the Buddha told then and there of the causes and conditions of that past lifetime, He did not see that bhiksuni repent before the assembly. So, the Buddha followed the king into the palace. Thus, since she did not repent, her karma would continue to follow her.
As far as the Buddha was concerned, this did not influence Him in the least. Didn’t we just talk about this yesterday? If you slander the Buddha-Dharma, or even slander the Buddha Himself, it makes no difference to the Buddha. That is how pure and undefiled the Buddha is in His virtue. However, for ordinary people, like it says here, when someone slanders the Buddha-Dharma, newly inspired practitioners are influenced greatly. In the story I just told, if it had not been for the mouse who happened to be there…. This was a Dharma-protector. When [the Buddha] looked toward the sky, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors naturally came to help, manifesting as a mouse who bit through the rope. If the Buddha had not had Dharma-protectors, wouldn’t everyone have doubted Him?
As soon as doubts arise like this in people, they will lose their will to practice. Even monastics following the Buddha had doubts, so how much more so [those living] after He had entered Parinirvana? If someone with an unwholesome mind were to slander the Buddha-Dharma, how would those who wish to engage in spiritual practice not give rise to doubts? How would it not affect their will to practice? Only if our root of faith is deep and firm will we not lose our will to practice. At the start of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha kept telling us that our root of faith must be deep and firm. We also spoke in the past of how the Lotus Sutra must not be casually taught to any person. If we teach it to the wrong people, they will start to slander it. The sutra can only be taught according to the person, the time and the place. In a previous sutra passage, it continually spoke of how one must not teach casually. If one teaches casually, people will easily give rise to deviant understandings and deviant views causing them to slander [the Dharma].
We talked about this in the past. Now the sutra is speaking of those who are willing to accept the Dharma, form aspirations and accept, uphold and teach the Dharma. Even though they are willing to do this, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, if they hear slander from people in the world, these people who have recently formed aspirations will “abandon what they have learned.” While someone is learning, if they hear slander like this, their will to practice will be weakened or even lost. They become indolent and abandon [their practice]. This will sever their Buddha-seeds. Severing someone’s Buddha-seeds creates very severe karma.
“This transgression is very serious, as it causes people to lose their aspirations to uphold the Dharma-treasury.” This is because it completely severs [people’s will] to uphold the Dharma. For those who wish to listen to, teach and spread the Dharma, when they hear other people’s slander, if their will own to practice is not yet very deep and firm, their [aspirations] will naturally be cut off. Because they are severing the Dharma, those who slander create very severe karma. One who is newly inspired will in this way [easily] abandon the Dharma. Therefore, as we engage in spiritual practice, we need to strengthen our aspirations.
The previous sutra passage says,
Medicine King, if an evil person whose mind is unwholesome remains in the presence of the Buddha for one kalpa and constantly slanders Him, his transgression is still considered slight.
This is like in the story I just told. The Buddha had already transcended the Three Realms and was pure in mind and body, so His Buddha-virtue was not affected. However, for a newly inspired practitioner, the effect will be very significant.
The next [sutra] passage says,
“If a man utters one vile word to slander lay or monastic practitioners who read or recite the Lotus Sutra, this man’s transgression is extremely severe.”
This speaks of people who utter vile words, even a casual remark, and in this way influence spiritual practitioners. Whether lay practitioners or monastics, some wish to listen to the Great Vehicle Dharma, but this person’s casual remark destroys their aspiration for spiritual practice. Slander like this affects lay practitioners and monastics alike. Anyone wishing to engage in spiritual practice will be the target of this kind of slander. People slander [the Dharma] because they do not understand its principles and cannot differentiate true from false. Whatever they hear people say, they pass it on, causing both monastics and lay practitioners to be influenced by their slander.
This is why the Buddha admonishes us, [saying,] “You must not use harsh speech.”
If a man utters one vile word to slander lay or monastic practitioners: He admonished all not to use harsh speech. Even one harsh sentence uttered against those upholding this sutra which causes them to suffer from afflictions is called “vile words,” whether against a lay practitioner, a good man or woman, or against a monks or a nun or against a novice or so on.
A vile word can be even just one harsh phrase. You do not need to say much, as long as it is someone who accepts and upholds the Lotus Sutra, whether a lay or monastic practitioner. Even a casual remark, if one is not clear on the principles, can be slander in this way. It may be a single sentence “against those upholding this sutra.” With a single harsh remark, they slander a person upholding this sutra, “causing them to suffer from afflictions. Is there something wrong with reading this sutra? I teach the Dharma the Buddha taught, and pass it on for others. Is there something wrong with this? Why am I being slandered?” If we have not yet totally eliminated our afflictions and suffer other people’s slander, it brings us more afflictions.
So, “[This] is called ‘vile words.'” When those who slander cause afflictions for those who uphold the sutras, this is called ‘uttering vile words.’ As long as they cause afflictions for spiritual practitioners, then they are called harsh speech.
Even a casual remark, if it affects a spiritual practitioner’s mindset, is considered “vile words.” This is the same whether for lay practitioners, good men and women, Buddhist monks and nuns or people with only newly-formed aspirations, novices who have not yet received the precepts. Even a casual remark, if it causes the minds of those Buddhist practitioners, be they lay practitioners or monastics or those newly inspired, to become influenced, is called “vile words.” These people are intent on reading and reciting the Lotus Sutra. As was said previously, whether they are lay or monastic practitioners who have formed aspirations to read and recite the Lotus Sutra, if one were to slander them with vile words, then one’s transgression would be truly severe.
[If a man] slanders those who read and recite the Lotus Sutra, this man’s transgression is extremely severe: The fourfold assembly reads and recites the Lotus Sutra, but because of this slanderer, these practitioners’ spiritual aspirations are damaged and they retreat from the path. With these obstructions, the promotion of the Dharma and the path to practicing the. Right Dharma in this world are difficult. Therefore, this transgression is severe.
In this way, the fourfold assembly that reads the Lotus Sutra may, because of slander, have their spiritual aspirations damaged and lose their will to practice. Those wishing to put the Dharma into practice and walk the Bodhisattva-path may also retreat in their aspirations. Obstructions like these hinder their cultivation of the Buddha-Dharma as well as their putting it into practice. For example, while I was recently traveling around Taiwan, I heard more than a few people saying, “People are saying that. Tzu Chi has a lot of money.” Some commissioners told me, “Is this true? When we go to our donating members’ homes, our members keep saying this. Do we still need to keep visiting our members to collect donations? Can’t we stop now?” Quite a few people were saying this! On this trip, I also heard the commissioners traveling with me say these kinds of things as they were chatting. I heard them with my own ears.
Even commissioners who have followed me for decades, due to just a slight gust of ignorance, have been influenced [like this]. Think about it, even those walking the Bodhisattva-path have been affected in this way. Actually, when we go to visit donating members, it is not merely to collect money. It is to guide them in their spiritual aspirations. We need to show them that, as commissioners, we are Tzu Chi volunteers who understand Tzu Chi’s work. When we arrive at their homes, we must be able to chat with them, telling them about what Tzu Chi is doing in the community now, of the activities we are holding in society and, internationally, tell of natural disasters and man-made calamities where Tzu Chi is engaged in relief efforts. Tzu Chi volunteers take all this news and pass it on to members in their homes, to help them take this Dharma and these good deeds to heart. This way their spiritual aspirations, their love and their desire to benefit others can remain uninterrupted. This is the real reason.
However, if our will to practice is affected, in our Bodhisattva practice, we will be hindered in our actions. If we bring about obstacles for ourselves, think about it, how are we to then spread the Buddha-Dharma? We have been obstructed in spreading the teachings because our spiritual aspirations have been affected. Our aspirations are already damaged; we have already lost our spiritual aspirations. When practitioners’ will to practice is hindered, “The promotion of the Dharma and the path to practicing the Right Dharma in this world are difficult.”
In this world, practicing the Right Dharma is very difficult. With the Buddha-Dharma, we pave the path with love. We keep paving it like this, but the slightest gust of ignorance, a wind of ignorance coming out of nowhere, can affect it. Think about it, living in the world, is it difficult to practice the Right Dharma? We pave the path with love, extending our compassion with awakened love paving the Bodhisattva-path. We hope that in this way everyone will develop awakened love, that they will exercise the love in their hearts. Walking on this path, we have already been confronted with such slander, so if you think about it, isn’t our path through this world full of dangers? Previously in the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, we were already told that the path through this world is treacherous. Thus, transmitting the Buddha-Dharma can be very difficult indeed!
So, The newly inspired practitioners read and recite this sutra. Since they still have afflictions, if they are hindered by slander, they may abandon what they have learned and sever their Buddha-seeds. Thus, this transgression is very serious.
Even those who had been following the Buddha for 40 or 50 years still retained a slight measure of afflictions, let alone those who, now that the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, have just begun to form aspirations. Listening to the Buddha-Dharma, they give rise to a wish to read and recite, to listen and understand. People like these clearly have yet to eliminate their afflictions, so upon hearing these gusts of ignorance they give rise to obstructions in their minds. This is because they have so many afflictions.
So, “if they are hindered by slander….” People like this already have afflictions, then on top of that they hear this kind of slander. When something unfounded, not based in fact, is passed on like this, that is slander. When these groundless statements are passed on, they obstruct people and make them give rise to discursive thoughts. These are all hindrances. So, “They may abandon what they have learned.” They abandon everything they have learned “and sever their Buddha-seeds. Thus, this transgression is very serious.”
For a long time, if [a person] keeps spreading it “for as long as one kalpa,” for such a long time, “this shows how serious his transgression is.”
A person with an unwholesome mind can denounce the Buddha to His face for as long as one kalpa. This shows how serious his transgression is. Yet, it is still not as serious as the transgression of slandering, with a single word, the fourfold assembly which reads and recites this sutra.
“Yet it is still not as serious as the transgression of slandering, with a single word, the fourfold assembly which reads and recites this sutra.” Causing these people, these fourfold disciples, the two groups of lay practitioners and the two groups of monastics, to be affected in this way in the slightest is a very serious transgression. When people talk, pass on what they hear and affect the spiritual aspirations of others, then this is a serious transgression. This may go on for a long time. When something is in the past, one should hasten to repent. But some not only do not repent, they go on to think up all methods they can in order to destroy the Path, to destroy the Bodhisattva teachings. Such transgressions are truly very severe. When this kind of slander starts spreading, it truly causes people many afflictions.
“The Buddha will not waver in the face of slander or abuse.” When it comes to the Buddha-Dharma itself, it is actually not affected in the least. The true principles are eternally the true principles. [Slander] does not effect them in the least.
The Buddha will not waver in the face of slander or abuse; neither slander nor abuse can do harm to the Buddha. But if one slanders or abuses those who read this sutra, one will do harm to both oneself and others. Just one word can hinder countless practitioners from attaining the merits of benefiting themselves and others.
So, “Neither slander nor abuse can do harm to the Buddha.” Slander and abuse can harm neither the Buddha nor the Buddha-Dharma. “If one slanders and abuses those who read this sutra,” one does harm to both oneself and others. When we do not know whether something is true and merely repeat what we have heard from others, it can harm those who read and recite this sutra. Those who read and recite the sutras have not eliminated their afflictions. When they are harmed, naturally those who harm others also harm themselves first. When they harm others and make them lose their spiritual aspirations, it also serves to agitate their minds, causing many afflictions to arise in them.
“Just one word can hinder countless practitioners from attaining the merits of benefitting themselves and others.” Slander like this, even one phrase, can obstruct others. It can hinder many people who wish to learn the Dharma and to walk the Bodhisattva-path by going among people and benefitting themselves and others. If people who wish to advance become affected by these rumors, it can hinder them so that they no longer progress in developing merits and virtues. The development of their internal cultivation and external practice will simply stop. This “hinders countless practitioners,” hinders many who wish to form aspirations so that they no longer advance in the merits of benefiting themselves and others.
“Furthermore, this sutra is the. Dharmakaya of all Buddhas of the Three Periods, the seed for the merits of attaining Buddhahood.” Anyone who slanders this sutra or those who read this sutra in this way damages the seeds of all Buddhas’ merits and virtues. Thus he commits a more serious transgression than abusing the Buddha.
Furthermore, this sutra is the. Dharmakaya of all Buddhas of the Three Periods, the seed for the merits of attaining Buddhahood. Transmitting this sutra to later generations will purify people’s minds and allow the Buddha-Dharma to remain forever in the world. It is a sutra for the past, the present and the future.
We also spoke yesterday of how those who come to the world journeying on the Dharma of True Suchness to safeguard the Buddha-Dharma are emissaries of the Tathagata, people who have been dispatched by the Tathagata. These people should be firm in their faith, yet they become obstructed. Even emissaries of the Tathagata, those dispatched by the Tathagata to promote the Buddha-Dharma in the world, can be greatly influenced. Think about it; those who slander this sutra truly commit severe transgressions.
[Slandering] “those who read this sutra, in this way damages the seeds of all the Buddha’s merits and virtues.” Slandering this sutra and those who read this sutra both severs people’s seeds of Buddhahood and harms the transmission of the Buddha-Dharma in the world. When the spiritual aspirations of spiritual practitioners are damaged, they will not pass on the Dharma. “Thus he commits a more serious transgression than abusing the Buddha.” This transgression is truly severe, even more severe than that of reviling the Buddha. When people reviled the Buddha to His face, He took it in stride and explained the past karmic causes and conditions [leading to] this retribution. Nevertheless, those who might have been forming aspirations toward spiritual practice, who were already thinking of leaving their families to become monastics and practice within the Sangha, may have been made to reconsider. What if, in the Buddha’s era, the Buddha had not had the virtue which allowed Him to have such Dharma-protectors who manifested as a mouse that bit through the rope? Think about it; would it still have been possible for the Dharma to be passed down?
We often say, “The lion’s parasites eat the lion’s flesh.” Those who slander and harm the Buddha-Dharma, those who want to destroy the practice of the Bodhisattva-path, may not necessarily be outsiders. People within the religion can also damage the Dharma. The methods each person practices are different. Even a causal remark can influence those upon the Bodhisattva-path.
I remember a period of time back when people would keep saying, “Oh! You only cultivate blessings but not wisdom!” Many commissioners also started to think, “We are only cultivating blessings in Tzu Chi, not wisdom. We should hurry and seek wisdom so we can put an end to samsara!” This went on for a long time!
In summary, for the Buddha-Dharma, for the Great Vehicle Dharma, to remain in the world is by no means easy. It can only happen if those who form aspirations and make vows can hold on to their aspirations. Their will to practice and their faith must be firm as they practice along the Bodhisattva-path. Otherwise, it will be like what we talked about not long ago in the Chapter on the Conjured City; the world will be a treacherous place. For the Right Dharma to abide in the world is not easy. It requires those who form aspirations and make vows to be mindful. Thus, we must always be mindful!