Table of Contents
One
Good Deed Leads to Another
Teachings
of Master Man Sang: Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings
Buddhism
in China: Emperor Taiwu’s Eradication Campaign
Pilgrimage
to India: At the Deer Park
Cornucopia: Eight Lies of a Mother
Changing With
Circumstances: A Softer Approach
Dharma Transmitter: Past,
Present and Future
One Good Deed Leads to Another
By Ven. Yin Chi
This is a
true story I once heard. A Chinese lawyer emigrated to America. After putting
in much effort, he qualified for a license. Lacking cash, however, he could
only afford to rent a small space on a street corner. He set up a desk and
began to do business, providing legal services to Chinese seeking residency or
work permits.
The lawyer
did passably well during the high tide of immigration. But as the surge receded
and immigrants became more knowledgeable, his business suffered. Rentals rose,
and he was forced to wind up his practice. He reluctantly packed his things and
got ready to leave. As he was about to lock up, the postman handed him a
registered letter.
The lawyer
read it – and was amazed. A big local company wanted to hire him as a legal
consultant and asked him to hurry over and sign a contract. Though this stroke
of good fortune was unexpected, the lawyer was nonetheless deeply skeptical. He
went straight over to the company and signed his contract. The exceedingly
generous terms would not only allow him to continue his practice, but also
provide him with a luxurious new office from which he could expand the
business.
After
signing all the papers, the lawyer was no longer able to restrain his
curiosity. He asked the manager: “I’m a nobody. How is it that a big enterprise
like yours knows me and is willing to offer such generous terms?” “I don’t
really know,” replied the manager. “I only got in touch with you on the
instructions of my boss.”
Just then,
an elderly Chinese man came up to them and shook the lawyer’s hand in a warm
and friendly manner. “I am the boss who hired you,” he said. “Do you remember
me?” Perplexed, the lawyer shook his head. “Do you recall helping a dejected
worker 15 years ago at the immigration office?” The lawyer became even more
confused.
“I remember
you well, though!” the proprietor went on. “Fifteen years ago, I came alone to
this alien land, hoping to earn some money to send home. Alas, heaven was
unaccommodating and I was unable to find work. Just when I was despairing, a
foreman on the street said he was still lacking a worker. Whoever could get his
paperwork done before nightfall, he said, could report for work the next morning.
I knew my chance had arrived, so I spared no effort and went to the pawnshop to
raise the necessary cash. When I arrived at the work permit section of the
immigration office, it was near closing time. I was told that the cost of a
permit had been raised by $5 – those chilling words shattered my hopes. The
staff were getting ready to close up … How could I find another five dollars?
“As I
panicked, you, a stranger, handed me an old $5 bill and got me out of my fix. I
thanked you profusely and asked for your business card. I promised I would
repay the debt. By the time I had the means to repay you, however, quite a few
years had passed. What I owed you, I told myself, wasn’t just a few dollars,
but an opportunity that changed my life. I resolved to repay you properly when
you had the need. That’s why I kept your card and watched how you were doing.
Now the time has come for me to repay my debt. So …”
This is what
doing good and reaping rewards is about. A moment’s thought to help a needy
person is never in vain; the positive consequences will be plain. And so it is
with our Dharma practice. Generosity heads the lists of practices, and it is an
expedient means of developing positive relationships with others. Bodhisattva Guanyin’s vow to help those in trouble is an example of
delivering sentient beings through the cultivation of good karmic ties. That’s
why it is important to nurture such connections. The Dharma teaches us to
“develop positive human relationships before accomplishing the Buddha’s path.”
People often
give gifts or wish one another well during the New Year or other major
festivals. This builds and strengthens relationships. The Bodhisattva spirit
encourages us to benefit others as well as ourselves. To cultivate both good
fortune and wisdom, Dharma practitioners must learn to “give others faith, joy,
hope and convenience.” Spiritually and in our actions, we should nurture
constructive relationships. By doing so we generate positive life energy and
opportunities.
Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings
THE
SIXTH REALIZATION: To know that bitterness in the
face of poverty and adversity creates bad karma. While undertaking acts of
generosity and other practices, the Bodhisattva considers on an equal basis the
intimate as well as the antagonistic. He harbors neither past hatreds nor
resentment towards malicious people.
The world
has both rich people and poor people. Because they lack financial resources,
the poor are short of food and clothing. They suffer from hunger and are
oppressed by the elements. Many of them do not understand the workings of
karma.
Because of
the hardship they experience, the poor harbor much resentment and hatred in
their hearts. They envy the wealth of others and rail against their own
poverty. Sometimes they blame heaven for turning a blind eye and not looking
out for them. At other times, they decry the lack of social justice and the
inadequacies of the social system. They direct their bitterness at themselves –
and at their families. Having suffered a setback, some go home and take it out
on their wives and children. Everything seems to go badly for underprivileged
couples. Relatives and friends are blamed for being unable or unwilling to help
… The recrimination serves no purpose, except to make things worse for oneself
as well as others.
We need to
know that we should not become bitter even if we are poor. If we are wise and
understand the concept of karma, we would not blame either heaven or other
people. With a little spiritual self-discipline, we can be happy even with a
plain life.
A person who
is both poor and resentful will make enemies easily. If we are constantly
bitter, our anger will readily boil over into unethical acts that harm others.
We will form negative karmic ties, planting unwholesome seeds that ripen into
toxic fruits in due course.
Dharma practitioners need to understand the laws of karma. They should know that the wealth of the rich result from their generosity in previous lives, and that poverty is the consequence of past stinginess. They should realize that karma never treats us unfairly. As the saying goes, “Good deeds have positive payback, bad actions have negative consequences. If they don’t, it’s only because the time hasn’t yet come.”
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas teach us not to be bitter if we are poor, for poverty has its causes. Neither wealth nor poverty appears without reason. If we practice generosity in this life, we will lack for nothing in future ones, for that is how karma works. So we should be neither bitter nor resentful.
The Buddha had a disciple named Katyayana, an arahat. One day he saw a woman weeping by the river. Taking pity on her, he went up and asked: “Why are you crying like this?” She replied: “Because I am poor and have no one to depend on, I became a slave and am constantly abused. Life is too painful. I was getting ready to throw myself into the river and end my pathetic life.”
“It won’t do to kill yourself because of poverty,” said Katyayana. “Why don’t you just sell your poverty? Then you won’t suffer so much.” The woman asked: “If poverty can be sold, wouldn’t there be no more poor people? Who would want to buy it?”
The arahat said to her compassionately: “Yes, poverty can be sold. I’ll buy it from you.” The woman thought that strange; she did not know how to sell her poverty. “Wealth always comes from generosity,” Katyayana told her. “To take leave of poverty, therefore, you must begin practicing generosity.”
The woman indicated that she was so poor that she hadn’t a single thing to offer Katyayana. “Fetch some water from the river and offer it to me,” he told her. “You will then have sold me your poverty.”
The woman filled a pitcher with water from the river and respectfully offered it to the monk. Because he was an arahat with great virtue, Katyayana was able to serve as a field of merit to sentient beings. The gift of even a single drop of water would confer boundless merit upon the giver.
Having received her offering, Katyayana explained the workings of karma and gave her his blessings. The woman took it all in and understood. Thereafter she behaved generously, greeted everyone with a smile and became very popular. She managed to save some money and extricate herself from bondage. She even started a little business. Always remembering Katyayana’s teaching, she made it a point to give her customers something extra and made offerings to the poor. As a result, both her reputation and her assets grew. She not only sold off her poverty, but gained a sterling reputation and substantial wealth.
THE FOUR
PERSECUTIONS OF BUDDHISM
Emperor Taiwu’s Eradication Campaign
The Tang Dynasty saw the golden age
of Buddhism in China. In chronological order, the Southern Dynasties that
followed the Eastern Jin Dynasty were the Song, Chi, Liang and Chen. In the
north the period of external disturbances gave way to the Northern Wei Dynasty,
which was followed by the Northern Zhou.
Buddhism
flourished in the north during this period. Many people became monastics and
numerous emperors were Buddhists. Yet Chinese Buddhism suffered “eradication
campaigns” by the “Three Emperors Wu and One Emperor Zong.”
These depredations occurred during the reigns of emperors Taiwu
of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Wu of the Northern Zhou, Wuzong
of the Tang and Shizong of the Later Zhou. In the
event, all four monarchs were short-lived, dying in middle age. Emperor Taiwu was killed by a court eunuch when he was 45, while Wu
died at 36 of a disease that wasted his body. Wuzong
was poisoned by the “immortality pills” given him by Daoist priests; he was 33.
And Shizong expired from an illness at the age of 39.
His Later Zhou Dynasty collapsed shortly afterward.
The first
eradication drive came after Emperor Taiwu acceded to
the urgings of Daoist priest Kou Qianzhi
and Prime Minister Cui Hao. Taiwu
was originally a follower of Buddhism who respected the monkhood. But Cui Hao and Kou Qianzhi were
supporters of Daoism. They long hoped the emperor would convert to Daoism and
used their religion’s arts of immortality to win over Taiwu.
After some time, the emperor’s faith in Buddhism began to waver.
In a bid to
unify northern China and consolidate his authority in the core regions of the
country, Taiwu ordered universal conscription.
Buddhist monastics had long enjoyed exemptions from taxation and military
service. But the emperor decreed that all monks younger than 50 must revert to
the laity and enlist in the army. He was also persuaded by his prime minister
to embrace the form of Daoism advocated by Kou Qianzhi
and reject Buddhism. Step by step, he launched his campaign to do away with
Buddhism.
Taiwu’s efforts began in 444 C.E. with a bid to stifle
Buddhist monasticism. He ordered everyone – from royalty to commoners – to stop
supporting monastics financially, and to turn over any hidden monks. Offenders
would have their entire clan executed.
The
following year, the tribal leader Gaiwu led an
uprising involving tens of thousands in Xingcheng
(today’s Huangling, in Shaanxi Province). Emperor Taiwu personally led a campaign to suppress it. In Chang’an, he discovered weapons in a Buddhist monastery.
Suspecting collusion between the monastics and the rebel leader, Taiwu ordered the slaughter of all monks in the temple.
Whether
there really was collusion was left uninvestigated. But the incident served as
a fuse for the emperor’s eradication drive against Buddhism. Cui Hao poured fuel on the flames and Taiwu
soon put brutal policies in place: He ordered the killing of Chang’an’s monks and the burning of all the sutras and
Buddha images that could be found. His son, who thought the whole affair too
hastily decided, repeatedly asked Taiwu to desist,
but to no avail. The teacher of the crown prince petitioned the emperor on the
matter – only to be executed as a result.
More than
200,000 monastics reportedly lost their lives. Some fled to the south,
providing a boost to the development of Buddhism there. Historians call this
episode the “Taiwu Eradication.”
At the Deer Park
(Day 8, Oct. 29, 2008)
By Ven. Yin Chi
The journey
from Bodh Gaya to Varanasi, where the Deer Park at Sarnath is located, was said
to take about 7 or 8 hours. We set off shortly after 10 o’clock in the morning,
travelling along the highway. Though it was an ordinary asphalt road, it
provided a much better ride than previous roads. Our journey was smooth, and we
arrived in Varanasi around two in the afternoon. Our coach stopped at a
luxuriously appointed hotel, whose guests seemed all to be Westerners. After a
sumptuous lunch, we set out for the Deer Park at 3 p.m.
A half-hour
journey brought us to Sarnath. We stopped first at the Chaukhandi
stupa. When Siddhartha’s five followers saw him abandon his austerity practices
and accept milk from a shepherd girl, they thought he had given up his search
for the path. So they distanced themselves from the prince and agreed to ignore
him even if he should return. But when Siddhartha came back to Sarnath after
achieving Buddhahood, they noticed a new aura around him. The Buddha’s saintly
charisma impelled them, against their intentions, to welcome him
enthusiastically.
The stupa
marks the site where this happened. Emperor Ashoka later built a memorial
there; it was known as the “Buddha-welcoming stupa.” On a hillock rose an
edifice that looked like an ancient tower from some fairy tale. It was only a
red-brick memorial, but it was enough to make us pilgrims think of the Buddha.
Because of time constraints, we took a stroll around the grounds and moved on
to the place where the Buddha first taught the Dharma – the Deer Park.
The origins
of the site’s name can be found in the sutras. The area had been a forest where
deer lived. The king in those days liked to go there to hunt deer. To protect
the animals, a Bodhisattva turned himself into a deer king who offered itself
to the king in exchange for the life of a pregnant doe. The monarch was deeply
moved. He thenceforth gave up hunting and created a deer park to safeguard the
creatures. Even today, there is a reserve for deer in a corner of the Deer
Park.
The place
was also were the Buddha first turned the Dharma Wheel. He taught the Four
Noble Truths to his five companions. Having heard his sermon, they felt
enlightened and wished to become his monastic disciples. So was born the first
community of monks. The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha were complete.
Now a major
city in northern India, Sarnath was the capital of Emperor Ashoka’s
Mauryan Dynasty in the 2nd century B.C.
The Buddhist monarch treated monks respectfully. He also built there many
Buddhist edifices such as the Chaukhandi and Dhamekh stupas, turning Sarnath into a prime showcase of
religious and artistic achievement. Unfortunately, many of the monuments were
despoiled in later times.
Arriving in
Sarnath, we saw the expansive grounds dotted with red-brick ruins. The remains
of a broken pillar of Ashoka stood there for visitors to enjoy. It was already
past 4 p.m. when we finished paying our respects at what was said to be the
platform where the Buddha delivered his sermons.
We were
enjoying the soft sunshine and the natural surroundings when we spotted a
peacock ambling nearby. As the peacock was India’s national bird, symbolizing
good fortune, we excitedly followed it, trying to snap pictures. Squirrels also
darted about the grounds. Amid nature’s quiet embrace, we did ambulatory
recitation of scripture and re-imagined the Buddha teaching the Dharma in
ancient times. Finally, after circumambulating one of the stupas, we sat on the
grass and meditated, trying to experience the Buddha’s wordless preaching.
The
tranquility was abruptly broken by the protracted cry of a whistle; it was a
signal from the groundskeeper that visitors should get ready to leave. We
departed most reluctantly, our minds still immersed in the scene of the Buddha
teaching.
We returned
to our well-appointed hotel. The lobby provided a stunning view of the Ganges
River. We decided to meet after dinner for a discussion of our pilgrimage so
far.
On
‘Wealth’
By Wing Fun
The
ever-changing battle over assets among the four families of a certain tycoon
has played like a soap opera in the news recently. A hot topic of conversation,
the saga has made people laugh as well as sigh. Another news story appeared
about the same time: “Top mainland philanthropist gives away money in Taiwan.”
Almost as controversial, it saw one reporter asking the rich man’s son: “Your
father is giving money away rather than leaving it to you. What will you do in
future?” Replied the boy: “When I grow up, I will make my own money!” No
matter, that is a positive message for our children.
These two
controversial news items, both concerning wealth and fame, remind us to
recognize and reflect on the greed that’s latent in our hearts – and to remedy
it. Our personal troubles and society’s tragedies are often the result of
greed, if not of anger or ignorance. It is only a matter of greater or lesser
avarice.
People have
various demands and desires; they hanker after wealth, sex, fame, food or
sleep. Even more prevalent is greed for praise, power, flattery and favored
treatment, as well as aversion to criticism. We pursue pleasures relating to
form, sound, smell, taste and touch. We protect and cherish our “selves.”
Thinking others are wrong and we are right, we stubbornly cling to our views.
We discriminate and are calculating. We are afraid of losing out, and we
believe our gains are too small. Such impulses and behavior give rise to
various vexations.
Many people
don’t believe they are greedy. They consider their desires normal and fair.
Often, they fail to notice their own excesses.
The many
natural and man-made disasters we see in today’s world also stem from greed.
People crave conveniences, advantages and ever-expanding profits. Seeking high
returns, they take big risks without regard for consequences. They neglect the
environment, psychological health and the inculcation of ethical values. They
concern themselves only with such matters as personal performance, company
results and the national trade balance. If these pursuits become excessive and
unbalanced, the result will be trouble – from minor difficulties to major
disasters.
It’s not
hard to understand that there would be no progress without a longing for it.
However, we must learn to steer a middle course. Master Yin Chi recently gave a
brief introduction to the Tiantai school of Buddhism.
She spoke about “desire” in the “Five Practices.” Though it is a kind of
aspiration, it is different from worldly longing. Dharma practitioners pursue
the non-worldly goal of “avoiding deluded thinking in order to achieve
concentration and wisdom.” They hope to practice diligently in the correct way.
Longing to “attain the Buddha’s path and deliver sentient beings,” they try to
encourage one another in their practice.
May all
beings be able to hear the Dharma. May they temper their greed, anger and
ignorance by developing concentration and wisdom through the hearing,
contemplation and practice of the Buddha’s teachings. More wisdom means fewer
afflictions, while greater compassion, empathy and generosity diminish
internecine struggle and the miseries of parsimony. There would then be peace in
the world, and the Pure Land would manifest instantly. Homage to Amitabha
Buddha!
Eight Lies of a Mother
This story
begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we hadn't enough to eat.
Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she
was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say: “Eat this rice, son! I'm
not hungry.” – This was Mother's First
Lie
As I grew, Mother gave up her
spare time to fish in a river near our house; she hoped that from the fish she
caught, she could give me a little bit more nutritious food for my growth. Once
she had caught just two fish, she would make fish soup. While I was eating the
soup, mother would sit beside me and eat what was still left on the bone of the
fish I had eaten; my heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other
fish to her on my chopstick but she immediately refused it and said: “Eat this
fish, son! I don't really like fish.” – This
was Mother's Second Lie
Then, in order to fund my
education, Mother went to a match factory to bring home some used matchboxes
which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover
our needs. One wintry night I awoke to find Mother filling the matchboxes by
candlelight. So I said: “Mother, go to sleep; it's late. You can continue
working tomorrow morning.” Mother smiled and said: “Go to sleep, son! I'm not
tired.” – This was Mother's Third Lie
When I had to sit my final
examination, Mother accompanied me. After dawn, Mother waited for me for hours
in the heat of the sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her. Mother embraced
me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was
not as strong as my Mother's love. Seeing Mother covered with perspiration, I
at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said: “Drink, son!
I'm not thirsty!” – This was Mother's
Fourth Lie
After Father died, Mother had
to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job; she had to
fund our needs alone. Our family’s life was more complicated. We suffered from
starvation. Seeing our family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle who lived
near my house came to help us solve our problems big and small.
Our other neighbors saw that
we were poverty stricken, so they often advised my mother to marry again. But
Mother refused to remarry, saying: “I don't need love.” – This was Mother's Fifth Lie
After I had finished my
studies and gotten a job, it was time for my old Mother to retire but she
carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I
kept sending her money but she was steadfast and even sent the money back to
me. She said: “I have enough money.” – That
was Mother's Sixth Lie
I continued my part-time
studies for my Master's degree. Funded by the American corporation for which I
worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to
bring Mother to enjoy life in America but Mother didn't want to bother her son.
She said to me: “I'm not used to high living.” – That was Mother's Seventh Lie
In her dotage, Mother was
attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now living far across the ocean,
I went home to visit Mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried
to smile but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble. But Mother
said: “Don't cry, son! I'm not in pain.” – That
was Mother's Eighth Lie.
Telling me this, her eighth
lie, she died.
In life,
lies often cast people into the depths of despair. Yet well-intentioned lies
can sometimes nurture the most beautiful flowers and allow them to bloom. The
love of a parent for his or her child overlooks nothing; it is full of selfless
giving. A parent’s lies often contain the world’s loveliest affection and
greatest sacrifices.
- From the internet
A Softer Approach
By Ru Zang
The
conclusion of the Dharma Life Camp left me grateful and touched. My gratitude
was for the unceasing efforts of Master Yin Chi to propagate the Buddha’s
teachings, the involvement of the participants, and my good fortune in be able
to help facilitate the proceedings. I was moved by the way participants were
transformed, by their joy in hearing the Buddha’s teachings, and by their
changed views and their endorsement of the Dharma. As Master Yin Chin shone the
light of wisdom, sentient beings found a course as they steered in the bitter
ocean of life. In their minds were planted wholesome roots and Dharma seeds,
helping them find a direction in their lives. I was deeply grateful for the
opportunity to form a Dharma bond with them.
When I began
doing volunteer work, I was very attached to results. I hoped the activities
would come off well, and my professional work as an instructor conditioned me
to be excessively stern and demanding of participants. Many years later, some
of them would still recall fondly their experiences of the “military style” of
our early retreats. But the austerity certainly vexed some participants. Those
who had not yet taken part feared they might not be able to cope. They passed
up chances to participate in the Observance of Eight Abstinences at Lo Hon
Monastery, missing a wonderful opportunity for Dharma learning.
At the
sharing discussion of this Life Camp, however, it seemed that most participants
enjoyed the tranquility of the three days and the merit of the Observance
without feeling undue pressure. The reason: Master Yin Chi, taking into account
the changing times and the capabilities of today’s newcomers to the Dharma,
made adjustments in our approach. While preserving the traditional rigor, we
tempered the pace and intensity of the activities. We also asked volunteer
workers to do more prompting and less instructing.
Ever since
the relocation of our Dharma center, Master Yin Chi had thought carefully about
how to devise appropriate guidelines for participants. Should the rules be
rigid or loose? In the end, because the center’s
external environment wasn’t conducive to a prohibition of speech, it proved
hard to be overly demanding. An austere approach, Master Yin Chi reasoned,
might counterproductively turn away Dharma beginners, cutting off their
wholesome roots and Buddha seeds before they had a chance to benefit from the
Buddha’s teachings.
So we used
various methods to draw them into contact with Buddhism, then helped them
according to circumstances to develop correct understandings and views. With a
firm foundation, they would be able to progress properly in their learning and
practice of the Dharma.
This
compassionate approach was adopted with group after group of participants over
the years. They knew virtually nothing about the Dharma when the first came to
the Dharma center. After participating in the elementary and intermediate
Dharma classes, Thursday Dharma talks and various services, many undertook the
Three Refuges as well as the Five Precepts. They became diligent and
disciplined Buddhists who support our Dharma center. This has fully vindicated
Master Yin Chi’s original decision.
For their
part, volunteer workers were guided by practical realities. They avoided a
strict and critical approach. Instead, they politely offered pointers from the
sidelines, skillfully encouraging the assembly to learn and practice happily
and in accordance with the rules. This avoided undermining through censure the
resolve of those who hadn’t yet become Buddhists, as well as that of Buddhist
beginners. Nor did expedient means lead them to become casual about their
practice, or freedom turn into license.
Indeed,
volunteers and members of the assembly interacted cooperatively, in the process
practicing good fortune and wisdom with a wholesome attitude. They formed
Dharma relationships and travelled together down the Buddha path, creating a
more harmonious environment in our Dharma center. As a result, more people are
encouraged to learn the Buddha’s teachings and more seeds are planted along the
Bodhi path.
Past, Present and Future
When I was
young, my father used to tell me: “The Buddha can see the past, the present and
the future.” He spoke about the matter very rationally. Father was 43 years old
that year, and he cited an example. Suppose a certain star was 43 light years
from the Earth. The light of the star we now see was emitted the year Father
was born. It took 43 years to travel to the Earth, where we can observe it.
From the star’s perspective, the light we currently see is light from the past.
And the star’s present light will arrive on our Earth only after another 43
years.
In that
instant, the past and the future were also present … If there were beings on
that star, what they would see is the Earth of 43 years ago. If their eyes
could function like a telescope, they would be witnessing conditions that
prevailed during the year Father was born. This is not science fiction, but
reality.
My father
also said that when we finished a task, it could be considered past in terms of
Earth time. But from the viewpoint of another planet, it might not even have
begun. An observer on another star might be able to see us actually performing
the task.
That’s why
we must not take lightly anything that we do. Though we might consider
everything to be changing from moment to moment, it can also be seen as
eternal, unchanging. Even the concept of time is not fixed; it transforms with
space, location and people’s states of mind. If we are happy, time passes
quickly. If we are suffering it goes slowly.
I was only a
Primary 4 student when I heard Father’s words. Though I didn’t understand them
too well, I was intrigued. What he said seemed to open a vast space in my mind.
Later, as I read the Buddhist sutras, I found that they never mentioned a
specific year, month or day, merely “at one time.” The reason is that Buddhist
sutras are valid throughout the universe. Because of the time differences, it
would not be appropriate to designate something as having occurred according to
the time of one particular place. If our wisdom is elevated to the level where
we can connect with what the Buddha is saying, we would be in the realm of “at
one time.” The label “at one time” also suggests that the Buddha’s teachings
are eternal.
Inhabitants
of the Western Land of Bliss, the Buddha also said, can look into the past and
the future; they are able to travel freely among different worlds, as their
minds are unimpeded by time and space. When I heard this, I was at once able to
accept its factuality and rationale. I must thank my father for his guidance,
for it was he who enlightened me by teaching me how to look at the stars.
— Excerpted from Master Tao Cheng’s The
Caterpillar Becomes a Butterfly
By Ven. Yin Chi
QUESTION: I am often worried and nervous. Even small
things tug at my emotions, making me easy to anger. I suffer both
psychologically and physically. What should I do?
ANSWER: Since you are aware of your own
problem, you should constantly remind yourself that any difficulty can be
overcome, given sufficient resolve and perseverance. If the issue is very
serious, you should see a doctor. If not, besides reminding yourself to
exercise restraint, you could take part in Buddha-recitation and meditation
sessions, as well as Eight Abstinences retreats and life camps, organized by
proper Buddhist institutions. Such activities allow you to immerse yourself in
an extended period of purification and practice.
If the
conditions aren’t ripe, you might attend more Dharma talks. The wisdom in the
Buddha’s teachings can help elevate personal character. You could also set
aside a fixed period of time each day to recite scriptures or chant the
Buddha’s name. For example, recitation of a scripture such as the Diamond Sutra or the Chapter on Bodhisattva Guanyin’s
Universal Gateway could be followed by 5-10 minutes’ intonation of Amitabha
Buddha’s name. Allow your emotions to settle. When you have finished your
recitations, dedicate the merit and ask the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to help
you manage your feelings better. If you do so with application and sincerity,
your problem will lessen.
QUESTION: Recently I found worms in
flour that I bought a while ago. What should I do? And some time back, there
were ants around the water tap in my kitchen. Not wishing to kill them, I was
unable to do my cooking. A monastic suggested that I recite the Great Compassion Mantra. I did so, and
after a while the ants were gone. But the worms are in my flour jar, which is
sealed. So they cannot get out on their own. What can I do?
ANSWER: You can follow the monastic’s
advice and recite the Great Compassion
Mantra, planting on the worms’ behalf the wholesome seeds of the Dharma.
Besides, you’ll need to throw away the flour, since it has been infested. If
the amount isn’t too much, you can do so in the natural surroundings of the
countryside. Just take care not to spoil the environment.