In a Flash

Having a change of heart towards another can require much patience and effort. Or it can happen in a flash of empathetic understanding.

Picture yourself walking down the street. You're running late as usual so decided to carry your handbag, laptop case, the new reference books you need to use today, and a large cup of coffee rather then make a second trip from the car. Suddenly, you are pushed from behind. Your bag, laptop, and books go flying, and you spill the coffee down the front of your best suit.

Furious, you turn around to demand why on earth the person did this when you find yourself looking at an elderly lady whose eyes are welling up with tears. She's muttering to herself a mantra she may often say "So stupid." She looks terribly embarrassed and seems so frail.

And in a flash, you have a change of heart. Your anger dissolves, and your only thought is to comfort her and tell her it's alright.

If we can similarly feel the suffering of those who upset us, our anger towards them can likewise dissolve.

Even After Death

Question: Buddhism arrived after my father died three years later. Do I not dedicate any merits to him? (because the 49 days are over?) Or not continue to pray he go to the Pureland on his own, when I pray and finish my practice?

Response: This is a very good question that also came up at this weekend's retreat in Nanango, Australia. So rather than post this response as a comment, I'll post it here.

In our every lifetime, we have had parents and other people and beings whom we loved and vowed to help. We have also had many beings we have harmed, either intentionally or because we were not being mindful. So we first dedicate or merits to all beings.

After this universal dedication, you can specifically mention your father's name and say your wish that he "be reborn as quickly as possible into the Western Pure Land to end suffering and attain happiness."

Encouraging people to seek rebirth during the forty-nine days is so important because there is great confusion in the intermediate state between lifetimes. We need to try to connect with beings in this state as they are who torn between the last lifetime and the future lifetime. If we can connect, they could catch our encouraging thought to move on to the Pure Land, heaven, etc.

But even after the being has moved on to the next lifetime, he or she will still benefit from our practice. Personally, after my nightly dedication of merits, I voice the wish that my parents, both deceased, will "be reborn as quickly as possible into the Western Pure Land to end suffering and attain happiness."

This practice accords with causality. The cause: our parents gave us this life. The result: we are the filial children of our parents, honoring and loving them even after they are no longer with us.

Instructions for Cultivating the Pure Land Dharma Gateway

By the Great Ming Dynasty
Dhyana Master Shramana Hanshan Deqing
From "Record of Dream Wanderings"

The dhyana meditator Hai-yang came from afar to have an audience at Gwang-shan. He sought the transmittal of the dharma of the precepts. It was directed that he be given the [Dharma] name of “Profoundly Foolish.” Holding up the stick of incense and requesting assistance, he declared, “I, disciple so-and-so, have made a vow to seek rebirth in the Pure Land of the West and to gather a number of Dharma companions together in the same place that we might exclusively practice pure karma. I pray that [the Master] will be compassionate and proffer instruction in the essentials of Dharma.”

On account of this, the Old Master instructed him, saying, “In the Buddha’s explanation of dharmas to be cultivated for the purpose of going forth from [the sphere of] birth and death, there are many types of skilful means. It is only [the method of] mindfulness-of-the-buddha with the intention of achieving rebirth in the Pure Land that is the most rapid and essential. The perfect and marvelous Dharma gateways of such [teachings as] The Floral Adornment Sutra and The Lotus Sutra as well as the marvelous conduct of Samantabhadra all ultimately point in their import towards the Pure Land. Such great patriarchs as Ashvagosha and Nagarjuna as well as those from this region such as Yung-ming and Jung-feng all engaged in extremely strong promotion of the single gateway of the Pure Land.

This Dharma gateway was spoken spontaneously by the Buddha without his first being asked. It comprehensively takes on all three grades of faculties and equally takes in all four groups [of disciples]. It is not the case that it is a provisional technique set forth for those of inferior faculties. In a sutra, it states, “If one [would] purify the buddha land, one [must] engage in constant purification of one’s own mind.” As the primary priority one must first establish purity in the faculty of the precepts. This is because the ten evil karmic deeds consisting of the three physical, the four verbal and the three mental [karmic actions] constitute the causes for suffering in the three [miserable] destinies. Now, one possesses the essential [prerequisite] of upholding the precepts. If one first takes as a necessity the purification of the three karmic vehicles [of body, mouth and mind], then the mind will naturally become pure on its own.

If the body does not engage in killing, does not engage in stealing and does not engage in sexual misconduct, then the karma of the body becomes pure. If one does not lie, does not engage in frivolous speech, duplicitous speech, or in harsh speech, then the karma of the mouth becomes pure. If the mind does not engage in greed, hatred or stupidity then the karma of the intellectual mind becomes pure.

When in this manner the ten evil actions have become eternally cut off and the three karmic vehicles have become as pure as ice this brings about the essential [prerequisite] of the purified mind. Within this pure mind one develops an aversion for the suffering of the Saha world, brings forth the vow to go forth to rebirth, and peacefully nourishes one’s establishment of the correct practice of mindfulness-of-the-buddha. Having done this, then the absolute essential requirement in mindfulness-of-the-buddha becomes the urgency of one’s mind in relation to birth-and-death.

One first cuts off external conditions. One exclusively brings up the one thought. One takes the one phrase, “Amitabha” as the very root of one’s life. It is not forgotten for even a single moment. It is not cut off for even the space of a single thought. During both the day and night, whether walking, standing, sitting or lying down, whether picking up a spoon or raising the chopsticks, whether twisting or turning around, whether bending down or raising up, whether moving or still, and whether at leisure or busy, — in every single moment one refrains from any stupidity or mental darkness. One does not allow the intrusion of any other conditions.

If one uses the mind in this manner then after a time it becomes so pure and completely developed that one does not forget [one’s mindfulness] even in one’s dreams. Wakefulness and sleep become of a single suchness. When this becomes the case then one’s skill becomes subtle and integrated and then becomes fused into a single, [continuous] entity. It is at this time that one gains realization of the power [of this practice].

If one’s mindfulness reaches the state where one is single-minded and [one’s thoughts are] not scattered, then when one approaches the end of one’s life, the realm of the Pure Land will manifest before one. Then, one will naturally not be detained by birth and death. This being the case, one will then achieve as a response [the manifestation of] Amitabha who will emit light and lead one forth. This demonstrates the efficacy [of this practice’s ability] to definitely bring about [the desired] rebirth. Thus this single-minded exclusive mindfulness assuredly is a correct mode of practice.

...If one applies one’s mind in this manner and if one meticulously upholds the practice of the precepts, then the six faculties become pure. If one eternally cuts off evil karma and afflictions, then the mind ground becomes pure. If one’s contemplative mindfulness becomes continuous, then the marvelous practice is easily perfected. As for the true cause of the Pure Land, there is nothing which lies outside of this.

If one’s mindfulness of the buddha consists only in verbal utterances and yet one seeks thereby to gain rebirth in the Pure Land, if one fails to uphold the pure precepts, if one fails to cut off the afflictions, and if the mind ground is defiled, the Buddha declared of such a person that he will be eternally unable to succeed in this.

Therefore, the practitioner must first take the upholding of the precepts as the foundation while employing the bringing forth of vows as auxiliary causes. Mindfulness of the buddha...constitute[s] a correct mode of practice. If one carries out one’s cultivation in this manner and yet does not succeed in going forth to rebirth [in the Pure Land], then the Buddha would thereby fall into [the offense of] false speech.

~ English Beta Translation ©1990 by Bhikshu Dharmamitra

Making the Situation Worse

If we react to a situation in which people are already angry by becoming angry ourselves, then we are making the situation worse. We will have allowed another’s anger to destroy our peace of mind and rob us of our mind of compassion.

If we fall into the habit of proceeding from bitter­ness and anger, then we will be reacting out of blind, destructive emotion. When we do this, we are not helping anyone—not the other person, not ourselves—because we will become emotionally ensnared in the other person’s situation. If we can remain calm, we will have a much better chance of successfully utilizing our innate wisdom and thus knowing how to be truly helpful.

Renting Instead of Owning

If our body really belonged to us, it would obey our commands. If we say, "Don't get old," or "I forbid you to get sick," does it obey us? No! It takes no notice. We only rent this "house," not own it. If we think it does belong to us, we will suffer when we have to leave it. But in reality, there is no such things as a permanent self, nothing unchanging or solid that we can hold on to.

~ Ajahn Chah