Table of Contents
Teachings of Master Man Sang:
Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings
Buddhism in China: Chinese
Buddhism and Vegetarianism
Dharma Transmitter: How How to Breathe When Making Prostrations
Pilgrimage to India: On to Bodh Gaya
Story From the Sutras: Watch
That Mouth
Reader’s Corner (1): Unlocking
the Heart
Reader’s Corner (2): Reflections
on Penitence
Reader’s Corner (3): Journey to
Mt. Putuo
By Ven. Yin Chi
Someone once
told me he really wanted to know how to practice the Buddha’s teachings. Having
heard many Dharma discourses, he said, he knew that practice should be
integrated with our daily activities. Still, he felt he hadn’t been able to
make much progress and hoped to receive some concrete advice on how to
practice.
I told him
that all practitioners, both monastics and householders, must recite the sutras
and pay respects to the Buddha every day. These regular activities should be
like the three meals we eat daily; they are times when we allow our minds to
quiet down, so we can connect with the Buddha. Immediately we will receive a
dose of spiritual energy.
Amid our
daily activities, we must also maintain mindfulness, as our minds tend to be
pulled in different directions by the various circumstances we encounter. Dharma
practice is learning how to be mindful of our mental activity in daily life.
The contemplation that Buddhism speaks of means to observe and care for our
every impulse, so that our thoughts are correct. This may sound easy, but to do
it properly requires practice. We need to remain sensitive to our galloping
thoughts, and to subdue and transform them as necessary. The aim is to direct
all our thoughts along proper paths.
The is a
story about the Tang Dynasty poet, Bai Juyi. When he was governor of Hangzhou, he heard that Zen
Master Niaoke (Bird’s Nest) was a senior monk of
great wisdom and accomplished practice. Bai decided
to pay him a visit to consult him about practicing the Dharma. “What is the
essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” the governor asked. The monk replied: “Do
no evil, but everything that is good. Purify your thinking. That is what the
Buddha taught.”
Bai Juyi was skeptical. “Is that
all?” he asked. Master Niaoke nodded and said
nothing. “But a three-year-old child knows that!” said Bai,
disappointed. “But not even an 80-year-old can put it into practice,” replied
the monk.
Bai quickly grasped the lesson. How true, he thought to
himself. Though even a three-year-old can recite the admonition – “Do no evil,
but everything that is good. Purify your thinking” – how many people can
actually do as it says?
We may well
have heard this story before, though how many of us have actually reflected on
its meaning? Have we tried to put its message into practice? Many people agree
that the Dharma is fine, and many have aspirations for their practice and are
seeking a proper method. Undaunted by difficulties, they are keen on practice
and want a teacher to show them the way. In fact, the key to practice lies not
in lofty words, but in down-to-earth action.
For students
of the Dharma to maintain mindfulness is no easy thing – but it isn’t too
difficult either. Learning and practice are essential; the most important thing
is whether we have the determination and willingness to apply ourselves. We should
constantly remain mindful, using Buddhism’s yardsticks to reflect on our
thoughts and behavior. We must recognize our own afflictions and seek to
transform our thinking, as such practice accords with the Dharma and brings
real benefits.
As we go
about our daily activities, we should consider whether they are consistent with
the Buddhist injunction to “do no evil, but everything that is good, and to
purify [our] thinking.” When we become aware of our own negative thoughts or
deeds, we should immediately turn them into positive ones. If we are conscious
of good thoughts or actions, we seek to extend them. When we find vexatious
thoughts involving greed, anger or ignorance, we try to transform them.
Our practice
can never be divorced from our daily lives. As a result, looking after our
everyday mental activity is an important part of our cultivation. This is not
easy if we don’t pay attention, but those who are willing to learn and apply
themselves will find they can all do it.
There is an
excerpt from the Sutra on the Ten Meritorious
Practices which is especially worth pondering: “Day and night, contemplate
constantly dharmas that are wholesome and make them grow. Do not allow any
unwholesome dharmas to adulterate them.” Its aim is to remind us that we should
always be aware of our own thoughts and impulses. Simply put, we have to mind
our thoughts and try to ensure that they are positive and in accordance with
the Dharma. We should monitor and assess
whether our thoughts are wholesome, eliminate them if they are not, and accept
and act on them if they are. To transform evil into good in such manner – isn’t
that what practice is all about?
Practice is
to be mindful of, and to nurture, our own thoughts. If we implement what we
learn in this way and carry out what we know, our lives would be practice
itself and our afflictions would quickly transform into wisdom. By so learning
and practicing the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead happy lives and make steady
progress along the path to enlightenment.
Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings
THE
FOURTH REALIZATION: To know that indolence leads to regression. Diligence
overcomes hindrances and wickedness. It subdues the four evils and frees us
from the prisons of the realms of aggregates.
“To subdue”
means to conquer, to tame. The “four evils” are the four kinds of bedevilment.
Many religions use the word “evil.” What does it mean? The character for “evil”
is made up of the characters for “trouble” and “devil.” Demons do not
necessarily have three heads and six arms, with a ferocious demeanor. To put it
simply, evil is “a devil that makes trouble.”
Every day we
encounter devils that make trouble. When you want to go up, they pull you down.
If you wish to be industrious, they make you lethargic and lazy. That is
bedevilment. For example, you might fall prey to the devil of illness just when
you have decided to practice diligently. You are set to do something properly,
but you feel tired and sluggish. You are a victim of the devil of sleep. When you wish to meditate, stressful thoughts
arise in your mind and you encounter the devil of vexations. You want to learn
the Dharma, but family and friends try to dissuade you. That too is a kind of
negative obstruction. Such obstacles stand in our way and prevent our progress.
They are all forms of bedevilment.
Such evil
can be divided into four categories. The first is the evil of vexations, or
afflictions. When we wish to apply ourselves in practicing the Dharma, it makes
us reluctant to forgo our pleasures and indulgences. We are torn inside. Are such
vexations not a kind of evil?
The second
type is the evil of the Five Aggregates. The Five Aggregates are form,
feelings, thought, action and consciousness. Our bodies consist of a
combination of the five. Basically they refer to our spiritual and physical
aspects. Our selves, formed from the Five Aggregates, are subject to
hindrances. When our bodily functions are out of balance, we become sick. The
physical suffering we experience as a result of illness is a type of evil. In
the spiritual realm, our ailments include greed, anger, ignorance, envy and
pride. How can we attain peace of mind if we are unable to subdue our
unwholesome thoughts? Aren’t these negative impediments? So the Five Aggregates
also lead to evil.
The third
type is evil relating to celestial beings and ghosts. The heavenly worlds
consist of the Desire Realm, the Form Realm and the Formless Realm. The
celestial demon Papiyan dwells there. His greatest fear
is people attaining enlightenment through practice, because they would then free
themselves from the three realms and from his evil clutches, escaping his
control. The more diligently you practice, the more he will try to trouble you.
So Papiyan is an evil celestial being who specializes
in preventing humans from achieving enlightenment.
When the
heavenly demon saw that Shakyamuni was about to achieve Buddhahood under the
Bodhi tree, he tried to distract and disturb him to forestall his breakthrough.
If the practitioner is a man, the devil would transform into a beautiful woman
to test his resistance to lust. A moment’s weakness, and the demon would have
him in its clutches. If we wish to free ourselves from the three realms, we
must practice industriously. Only by doing so can we develop the strength of
mind to resist the demon.
The fourth
evil is death. Human beings cannot live forever. Even if our practice brings us
close to enlightenment, the evil of death will descend as soon as our breathing
stops. We will be reborn into a new life. That is why we must not lose any time
practicing. We need to make use of the present moment to practice diligently.
The strength of our practice enables us to subdue the evils of vexations, the
Five Aggregates, celestial beings and ghosts, and death. Then we be “free of
the prisons of the realms of aggregates.”
The aggregates are the Five Aggregates, from which our bodies are constituted. Because of our karma, our spirit is constricted within the bodily aggregates as we enter our mother’s womb – thus the “prisons of the realms of aggregates.” If we can, through practice, free ourselves from the confines of our bodies and transcend the cycle of rebirth, we would feel like a bird that has just flown out of its cage.
Chinese Buddhism
and Vegetarianism
Buddhism gradually spread
throughout China during the Eastern Jin period. In the south the tradition
generally focused on practice, while in the north the stress was on
propagation. After the Eastern Jin, the nation split into the Northern and
Southern Dynasties. In the north was the Wei Dynasty and the south was home
successively to the Song, Chi, Liang and Chen dynasties. The southern monarchs
shared one characteristic: They were all Buddhists.
During the
Wei Jin and Six Dynasties period, there were many learned monastics. It was not
unusual for emperors to seek political advice from monks. Though the monastics
never formally became officials, the rulers often sought their views. Like the
prime ministers, they became advisers to the emperors. The phenomenon gave rise
to the term “black-garbed premier,” a
reference to the color of the monastics’
robes. Being Buddhists, the monarchs of the southern dynasties respected
the monks.
That was
especially true of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty. He was the most powerful of
the southern dynasties emperors, as well as the most devout Buddhist ruler in
all Chinese history. Throughout his life, he not only believed in the Buddha’s
teachings but hoped that others would too. He often invited monks to his court
to expound the Dharma, and put special faith in Zen Master Baozhi.
Emperor Wu loved to hear such expositions. Indeed, he would personally speak on
the Dharma to his wives and ministers.
Emperor Wu
built numerous monasteries and gave permission for many to become monks. In
those times, it was not easy to leave the household and take monastic vows.
Aspirants had to undergo a selection process. They also needed imperial
sanction, and all the documents had to be ready before they could be initiated.
Approval would only be given on special occasions by the imperial family, such
as when meritorious deeds needed to be performed. Emperor Wu, however, granted
approvals with alacrity, allowing many aspirants to become monks. He actively
made offerings to monastics, often holding large assemblies for the purpose. On
these occasions, all monks could come forth and none would be refused.
The
tradition of vegetarianism in China began with Emperor Wu. He not only believed
in the Buddha but also undertook the Bodhisattva vows. He advocated compassion
and the avoidance of killing, and actively promoted vegetarianism. Since the
impetus came from the emperor himself, his subjects readily followed his lead.
Even so,
every year the imperial household held many rituals requiring the slaughter of
animals. The emperor, on one hand, had received the Bodhisattva vows and
refrained from killing. On the other, the official ceremonies had to be
observed. What to do? A way was found to make imitation sacrificial animals out
of flour.
Even today,
there are many similar vegetarian dishes, such as mock duck or imitation
chicken. Though purely vegetarian, they bear the names of meat dishes. Their
history can be traced back to the time of Emperor Wu, who played an
instrumental role in the development of the Buddhist vegetarian tradition in
China. As his subjects followed his lead, the practice gradually took root
among the Chinese Buddhist community. It has shaped the Chinese tradition into
a vegetarian Buddhism, differentiating it from the forms in other parts of the
world.
Why didn’t
non-Chinese Buddhists adopt vegetarianism? The main factor was the environment.
Tibet, for example, is located on a high plateau, where the harsh climate and
infertile terrain are inhospitable to agriculture, obliging people to eat meat.
Actually, Tibetans never consumed much meat, but nourished themselves mainly on
milk products and fat-rich foods such as butter tea.
It was also
during the reign of Emperor Wu that Ch’an (Zen)
Buddhism entered China. There is the well-known story about Zen Master
Bodhidharma’s encounter with the emperor. With his many contributions to
Buddhism, Emperor Wu natural accumulated much merit. By insisting that his host
in fact had none, Master Bodhidharma was merely reminding the ruler not to be so
attached to appearances when it came to his actions.
How to Breathe When Making Prostrations
Everyone
breathes, but very few know how to breathe properly. Not many can take
thoroughgoing breaths. Why is that? We can see that when people’s breathing is
affected if they are busy, or when their minds are focused on external matters.
Their breaths become short and shallow, and sometimes nearly cease altogether. When
we are feeling low or are angry, our breaths are incapable of expelling the
unclean air inside our bodies and drawing in fresh air. After a while the
impure air will accumulate in our bodies and we will lack oxygen. Cells that do
not have enough oxygen turn cancerous easily.
When making
prostrations before the Buddha, we can adjust our breathing so that it becomes
thorough and complete. Prostration is actually a very healthful kind of qigong!
Our
movements during prostration allow us to expel air thoroughly, ridding our
bodies of impure air as well as waste matter. When our limbs and head touch the
ground together, we are completely relaxed. Lax muscles meet with no
resistance, which enables us to breathe fully and deeply. Our blood, in turn,
flows straight into our heart and back out. As we make our prostrations, ever
cell in our body is thoroughly nourished by oxygen as well as the joyous
atmosphere of the Land of Bliss. As we stand up, we should ride on the force of
our in-breaths. That would allow us to stand without having to apply much extra
energy.
I discovered
gradually that whether I perform a thousand or ten thousand prostrations, they
are no different from the one I am doing right now. We needn’t worry, or waste
energy thinking about the next prostration. All we need do is to perform the
present one well and enjoy being face to face with the Buddha. The ancients
said: “Sky of eternity, scenery of the moment!” What they meant was that the
vast sky, going back forever, is no different from the scene presently before
our eyes. It is such scenes of the moment that make up the skies of eternity.
To be always happy and carefree is to be happy and carefree each and every instant.
If we are not happy enough right now, making use of our lives to benefit
others, it would be futile to look to tomorrow or aspire to a longer life.
I have
always liked this old saying: “Even if the world were to end tomorrow, I would
be planting lilies in the garden,” cheerfully singing praises of Amitabha
Buddha!
— Excerpted from Master Tao Cheng’s The Caterpillar Becomes a
Butterfly
On to Bodh Gaya
(Day 7, Oct. 28, 2008)
By Ven. Yin Chi
At
Vulture’s Peak yesterday, I remembered Ven. Ng Chong asking me: “Why did the
Buddha choose to preach here?” I had no idea at the time, thinking only the
Buddha knew. But today, after we left Rajagriha and arrived at the Saptaparni
Caves, it suddenly occurred to me why he might have done so. All the places we
had passed, from Jetavana Vihara and the Bamboo Grove Monastery to Rajagriha,
were located in bustling and densely populated cities, or broad plains with
population centers. Only at Vulture Peak did we encounter mountainous terrain.
The Buddha picked such a spot to teach because of its rarified environment, far
removed from the worldly activities below. The physical layout was such that
wherever one sat, one could see the Buddha. The congregations included not only
monastics but also kings and ministers. They traveled specially to this spot,
showing their respect.
After
leaving the Saptaparni Caves, our vehicles headed to Bodh
Gaya. We were excited, and after 4 hours we crossed the Nairanjana
River. Perhaps because it was autumn, the waterway had largely dried up and no
longer looked like a river, though some people were still bathing there. We
would have liked to linger a bit, but our driver sped by. We soon arrived at Sujata’s village.
We saw only a
dilapidated village with some black and white oxen wandering around. Nearby was
a small hill surrounded by barbed wire. It was said to be where Prince
Siddhartha came, after six years of ascetic practice in the Himalaya mountains,
and received milk from the cowherd Sujata. Amid the
noonday heat, we hurriedly made the rounds and left.
The village
might have been primitive, with a few shepherds moving around, but the natural
environment was both refreshing and inspiring. As our vehicles passed, many
impoverished youngsters followed us. We crossed a bridge fashioned from a
coconut tree and came upon a small temple. It was said to have been built by a
monk from Burma. Inside were sculptures depicting Sujata’s
offer of milk to Siddhartha, commemorating the event. We made contributions
towards the maintenance of the shrine, then continued our journey towards Bodh Gaya.
After having
lunch at our hotel in Bodh Gaya, many of us felt
tired, perhaps from having climbed Vulture Peak yesterday and trekked up to the
Saptaparni Caves this morning. With the noonday heat another factor, our guide
allowed us some time to rest. We didn’t set out again until after 2:30 p.m.
Bodh Gaya was the fountainhead of Buddhism. The focal point
of our activities that afternoon was the Mahabodhi Temple, behind which was the
Bodhi tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Nearby were numerous
monasteries, representing the Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese and Tibetan
traditions.
Our first
stop was the Japanese monastery. It harbored a great Buddha statue, flanked on
both sides by sculptures of the ten senior disciples. There were rows upon rows
of Sal trees. Parasol-like, they resembled Christmas trees. After performing a
circumnavigation, we encountered many pilgrims’ groups from India as well as
Thailand. We then visited the adjacent Thai and Tibetan monasteries, each of which
had their own special characteristics.
STORY FROM THE SUTRAS
Watch
That Mouth
One day the
Buddha went with Ananda into Rajagriha on an alms
round. As they passed the city gate after they were done, they saw a deep pit nearby.
The people of Rajagriha all dumped their excrement into the cavity. It was
unspeakably filthy, especially after the accumulation of rainwater. Amid the
murky fluid was an insect with human-like body and many legs. As it saw the
Buddha approaching, it poked its head out of the liquid and its eyes teared up. The Buddha was moved to great pity. Upon
returning to Vulture Peak, Ananda asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, what unwholesome deeds did the insect we saw outside
Rajagriha commit? And when might it achieve liberation?”
The Buddha
said to Ananda and the assembly: “An incalculable
number of kalpas ago, a Buddha appeared to teach
sentient beings. After he entered nirvana, there was a Brahmin in the Age of Semblance Dharma who
built a residence for monks. A certain householder made an offering of ghee. But
because Ven. Vinar was resentful that too many monks
were coming to stay, he hid the ghee so they would not be able to partake of
it.
“ ‘Why
aren’t you sharing it with us?’ the monks asked. Ven. Vinar
replied, ‘I am resident here, and you are only visitors. Why should I share it
with you?’ The guests pressed on, ‘But the householder was making an offering
to everyone here.’ At this point, Ven. Vinar lost his
temper. ‘Why don’t you go eat excrement?’ he scolded the visitors. ‘You
shouldn’t be asking me for ghee.’ Because of his malicious words, Ven. Vinar was reborn as that insect in the cesspool. He is
destined to remain in excrement for an incalculable period of time.”
The Buddha
admonished his disciples: “You should guard carefully the words that come out
of your mouths. The negative consequences of ill-chosen words are more fearsome
than a fierce fire. You should always be grateful for the virtue of your
parents as well as the Sangha. Speak gentle words of praise, for the Sangha is
the benefactor that helps you obtain release from the cycle of rebirth, while
your parents are your best source of merit in the three worlds. Within the
Sangha are holy personages who have achieve enlightenment. If you make
offerings to them sincerely, you will not only gain rebirth in the human or
heavenly realms, but also become enlightened. Our mothers carry us in their
wombs for 10 months and our parents raise us painstakingly. They teach us and
provide a suitable environment for us to study. If a child grows up and becomes
a monk, he is capable not only of achieving enlightenment but also of helping other
beings do the same. That would be to benefit himself and others. Therefore the
Sangha and our parents are the two greatest sources of merit. It is due to them
that we achieve rebirth in the favorable realms as well as enlightenment.”
As the
Buddha taught this sutra, countless beings attained the first to fourth levels
of practice. Other beings resolved to become Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas or
Arhats. Members of the assembly pressed their palms together in homage to the
Buddha and made circumambulations. They departed with joy in their hearts.
The
Pilgrimage
There was a
monk and his disciple who set out on a long pilgrimage to Vulture Peak. They
solicited alms along the way and never stopped for rest, day or night. They had
vowed, before setting out, to reach the sacred spot on Buddha’s birthday.
As they
passed through a stretch of desert, the young disciple fell ill. The Buddha’s
birthday was approaching, and they were still far from their destination. To
fulfill their vow, the monk began to support his disciple as they walked. Soon
he was even carrying the sick man. But that slowed them down, and in three days
they had traveled only the distance they previously covered in a single day.
On the
fourth day, the frail disciple begged his teacher with tears in his eyes:
“Master, my negative karma is heavy and I will not be able to fulfill my vow to
the Buddha. I may even prevent you from doing so … Please go on by yourself and
forget about me. Time is of the essence …”
The monk
looked sympathetically and affectionately at his disciple and carried him on
his back again. “My disciple,” he said, “the pilgrimage is our vow and Vulture
Peak our destination. Since we have already set out and are now on the way,
Vulture Peak is in our hearts and the Buddha in front of us. The Buddha will not
blame those who are sincere. We shall go as far as we are able to!”
What
pilgrims should do is to hold Vulture Peak and the Buddha in their hearts, and
head steadfastly towards their goal. They should make every step properly and
perform each day’s tasks appropriately. No matter how much distance they cover
in the end, they have already reached their destination and fulfilled their
vow.
By Ven. Yin Chi
QUESTION: My parents are both Buddhists. My mother,
who often cooks vegetarian dishes as a volunteer worker, teaches us that we
must always finish our food so as not to waste merit. I am 15 and feel that I
am overweight; my schoolmates make fun of me. But my parents always want me to
eat. How can I stop them from putting more food on my plate?
ANSWER: What your parents taught you
about conserving merit and not wasting food is right, as is their admonition
that you finish everything on your plate. They put food on your plate because
they love you, which is understandable. You should be appreciative of their
affection. Yet they have overlooked your physique and your feelings.
You should speak
frankly with your parents. You could show them what is considered a healthy weight
for someone your age, and tell them your aspirations. Let them know the state
of your health and how you feel. The problem will be easily resolved if you
free them from their worries by eating healthily. You can also allow them to
cook appropriate dishes for you.
QUESTION: A Dharma brother was deeply distressed
by news of the earthquake at Yushu, Qinghai province.
He wanted to take part in the relief efforts. But he has no relief-related
knowledge, such as psychological counseling and rescue work. I was afraid that
his efforts might backfire and he would create more confusion. So I advised him
not to go. He accused me of being heartless and said I would create negative
karma by asking him not to help save lives. This made me very uneasy. I had
meant to benefit him, but could I actually have done wrong? How should I
dissuade him from going?
ANSWER: Your intention was positive and
you were speaking the truth. How can well-meaning words create bad karma?
Relief work in the highlands requires possibly dangerous physical adjustments,
and the doubts about the effectiveness of his initiative are valid. If we
really want to help others, there are many around us who need assistance.
But if your
friend is determined to go, he could apply to one of the relevant relief
organizations and let it make the arrangements. If he insists on going by
himself, then you’ll just have to let things take their course. Good for him if
he is really able to help. If he isn’t, at least he will know better how to
make compromises between ideals and reality. You needn’t trouble yourself too
much about someone else’s affairs.
Unlocking
the Heart
By Wing Mei
I’m
grateful for the opportunity to participate in the pilgrimage to Mt. Putuo sponsored recently by Buddhist Man Sang Hall. During
this remarkable trip, I had an experience that I will remember the rest of my
life. The episode resolved certain doubts I had long had about religion; it
also dispelled some negative feelings which had weighed on me.
The incident
happened on the second day of the pilgrimage. Our group of a few dozen traveled
by tour coach to the Cave of Celestial Sounds at Mt. Putuo.
During the journey, I heard fellow pilgrims say we could see “an emanation of
Bodhisattva Guanyin.” I certainly wanted to be a
witness.
Once inside
the Cave of Celestial Sounds, Master Yin Chi led us in several recitations of
the Heart Sutra. One person in the
group said she saw the Bodhisattva manifesting in the cavern, but I wasn’t able
to see anything. Master Yin Chi then kindly directed me to stand where my
fellow pilgrim had stood. I did a few Buddha recitations and opened my eyes –
an image of Bodhisattva Guanyin, holding a child,
appeared in front of me.
I was both
startled and delighted. Startled, because of the inconceivable power of religion!
When we arrived in the cave, it was pitch-black. But after we had recited some
scripture, we were able to see emanations of Bodhisattva Guanyin!
I was also delighted because as I was leaving by a stone staircase, a strange
feeling came over me. I looked back and saw the entire figure of the
Bodhisattva outside the cave. Fuzzy at first, the image gradually became
crystal-clear. Before my eyes was the dignified and compassionate-looking Guanyin, holding a child and standing on white lotuses.
I was
stunned! “Bodhisattva Guanyin has come out of the
cave!” I couldn’t help exclaiming. My fellow pilgrims heard my cry and turned
back to look. Some saw the image clearly while others spied a blurry figure;
yet others couldn’t see anything.
Under my
mother’s influence, I had actually been a believer in Buddhism from an early
age. Though I accepted that Bodhisattva Guanyin could
be present anywhere, I was a little skeptical about the idea of emanations in
front of people. Were they real – or illusions? But my personal experience this
time has convinced me that my doubts over the years were mistaken. My faith is
now stronger than ever.
The
pilgrimage had another big benefit. Just over a year ago, someone very dear to
me passed away. I was extremely distressed, and the passage of time did not
dilute my feelings. But since the pilgrimage, I have learned to let go of my
attachments better. My spirits lightened, as though I had put down a heavy
load. We should live in the present moment, and live each day well.
I am deeply
grateful to Master Yin Chi for giving me the chance to join this pilgrimage. I
also thank the other monastics who went on the trip and offered me guidance, as
well as my fellow pilgrims for their help, which enabled me to complete the
journey without mishap. May I wish you all progress in cultivating both merit
and wisdom. Homage to Amitabha Buddha!
Reflections
on Penitence
By Wing Fun
The
Penitence Ritual of the Liang Emperor is the best-known service of its kind. It
was composed by Zen Master Baozhi at the behest of
Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty. The emperor wanted the ritual to expatiate the
bad karma of his late empress, who had been reincarnated as a giant python.
The text of
the ritual runs to ten scrolls, making it one of the longest of its kind. It isn’t easy for us ordinary practitioners,
tied up with our daily affairs, to put aside the several days needed to
participate fully in the ceremony. The last time I joined in was in 2001,
during the inauguration of our Dharma center. Nearly a decade later, I had the rare opportunity to
participate in another Penitence Ritual led by Ven. Yin Chi.
I was full
of anticipation when the ceremony began in the spacious main hall of Po Yan Monastery
in Kuala Lumpur. It didn’t occur to me that any obstacle would arise. But
perhaps because I was not accustomed to using a relatively high praying
cushion, I soon felt uncomfortable. I had to leave briefly for a rest, then
relight the lamp and make a dedication. It wasn’t until the afternoon that I
settled down.
During the several
days of the ritual, Ven. Changchuan looked after us
well. Snacks and drinks were available during every rest period. The local
Dharma brothers and sisters enthusiastically offered dishes they had prepared,
and we could rest in the air-conditioned conference room during breaks. The
monastics’ own room had no air-conditioning, though, which made me both ashamed
and grateful!
For us, a
pampered group of ordinary practitioners, doing penitence in the
non-air-conditioned hall and sweating away amid temperatures above 30 degrees,
would normally have been grounds for complaint.
But when we saw that the monastics were sweating just as profusely, we
thought better of it. Instead, we focused on the ritual as an exercise in
purging our bodies of toxins. That simple change in attitude helped us feel a
lot more at ease.
Master Yin
Chi often teaches us to be resolute and to discipline our minds. As we recite
the penitential texts, perhaps we think we surely won’t commit the heavy
offenses. Yet we also overestimate our ability to avoid the lesser ones, such
as taking petty advantage, indulging in pleasures, relishing praise, and being
lazy, jealous and small-minded. We tend to be easy on ourselves and harsh
towards others, and to speak ill of them. Over many lifetimes, such negative
acts of the body, mouth and mind have accumulated to mountainous proportions. As
the ancients say, “Since negative deeds originate in the mind, repent them
through the mind. Offenses are extinguished along with the mind. Both are then
empty, and that is called true penitence.”
Master Yin
Chi has told us that while learning the Dharma, we must maintain a state of
mind that is respectful, awake, harmonious, compassionate, grateful and ready
to bear responsibility. We do not have to wait for a penitence ritual, but can repent
before the Buddha any day, purging ourselves of our vexations and bad karma. We
can do so on behalf of other sentient beings as well. And we can resolve to
deliver other beings. “Merit will accrue to sentient beings who bow down
respectfully before Bodhisattva Guanyin,” say the
scriptures. Indeed, great is the merit from doing penitence before the Buddha.
We can dedicate it to our family as well as all sentient beings, living and
deceased.
Yet this is
more easily said than done. Our personal practice depends on our own efforts,
while a collective ritual allows participants to encourage one another. That is
why Master Yin Chi advises us to place equal importance on personal and group
practice.
When the ritual was over, I slept sweetly till daybreak the next morning. My backache was gone. We were full of the joy of the Dharma. With light hearts we toured Malacca, then headed home.
Journey
to Mt. Putuo
By Yu Fung
I am
grateful, as I often feel I have been helped by Bodhisattva Guanyin.
Yet every time I hear the words “Mt. Putuo,” I wonder
what this sacred site of pilgrimage for all Buddhists is like. Because I
haven’t been following the Buddha’s teachings very long, I know virtually
nothing about it, except its iconic link
with Bodhisattva Guanyin. I have long hoped I would have an opportunity
to visit it, but the chance never came.
Once again,
Bodhisattva Guanyin has come to my aid! As I pursued
my practice, the conditions came together so I could participate in this dream
pilgrimage to Mt. Putuo. I was very excited and
grateful to be able to go to this splendid site to pay respects to Bodhisattva Guanyin. But the sutras were right in warning us that when
we are happy, misfortune can creep up on us quietly. The day before the journey
began, I injured some ligaments in my knee – a key part of the body in making
prostrations. My knee hurt terribly if I bent it, though I could walk all
right. Wasn’t that strange? The problem arose only when I bent my knee.
I thought to
myself: “How can this happen? I’ve been doing the scripture-recitation set for
the pilgrimage, and am continuing to do it. If I cannot kneel, how can I make
prostrations? That’s terrible … It must be my bad karma. Why did I hurt myself
at this very moment?” Yet I am grateful that the Bodhisattva has continued to
help me. Though I could not kneel down to make prostrations, I could still walk
and pay my respects in other ways. I set off for Mt. Putuo
without further mishap.
During the
four days of our pilgrimage, I felt profoundly how Mt. Putuo
truly was a “Buddha-land in the human world.” There were monastics everywhere.
The dignified exchanges of “Amitabha Buddha” with pressed palms calmed my mind.
The serenity I experience was hard to describe. To be able to pay respects to
the Buddha with such peace of mind was something new to me. Perhaps because I
was able to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha amid such tranquility, I was privileged
to see purple and red Buddha-light, as well as splendid images of Amitabha
Buddha and Bodhisattva Guanyin. I immediately paid my
respects. How peaceful and firm of mind I felt at that moment!
I was also touched by the accommodative, caring and supportive attitude our group members showed one another. If everyone had a chance to hear the Dharma, I believe every place would be like Mt. Putuo! I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my fellow pilgrims for their understanding and help, allowing me to complete the trip full of the joy of the Dharma! Homage to Amitabha Buddha.