Infinite Life Sutra Commentary, Excerpt Forty

[All of you] can rectify your minds, correct your thoughts, and refrain from committing evil deeds in this world. This is quite a great merit.

“Rectify your mind, correct your thoughts” refers to generating the Bodhi mind. Simply put, rectifying one’s mind means not thinking, not seeing, and not hearing anything that is not reasonable or that does not accord with the Buddha’s teaching. This is cultivating an upright and sincere mind.

“Evil deeds” refer to anything that does not benefit all beings.

Presently, the world is an evil world of the Five Corruptions.[1] In particular, the tools used to spread news and views are overwhelming. Those who commit evil deeds are many and those who cultivate virtuous deeds are few.

Those who know and accept the Buddha’s teaching should rectify their minds, correct their thoughts, and refrain from committing evil deeds in this chaotic world. If one “refrains from committing evil deeds,” and cultivates the Ten Virtuous Karmas, this is great merit. One is accumulating merits and virtues.

~ Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra by Venerable Master Chin Kung 

[1] The corruption of the age, the corruption of views, the corruption of afflictions, the corruption of sentient beings, and the corruption of life.—Trans.