Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Fifty-eight

 

The Buddha said: “They plant the good roots, and they are unable to detach from form. They do not seek the Buddha’s wisdom. They are deeply attached to worldly pleasures and the good fortune of the human world. Although they repeatedly cultivate good fortune, the rewards they seek are in the human and heavenly paths. When they obtain the rewards, everything will be abundant, but they are unable to leave the prison of the Three Realms.”

“The Buddha said: ‘They plant the good roots, and they are unable to detach from form.’” This is cultivation with attachment to form. When one has wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments, and aspires to do good deeds, one will receive good rewards in the future. But having the thought of seeking the good fortune of the human and heavenly paths is a great obstacle.

“They do not seek the Buddha’s wisdom.” “Buddha’s wisdom” is mentioned in the previous excerpt: “You should understand and believe the supreme wisdom of all Buddhas.” To seek the Buddha’s wisdom is to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. The Pure Land is “the supreme wisdom of all Buddhas.”

True wisdom is not to be sought.[1] It is the complete understanding of everything. When the Buddha taught all beings, he answered questions as they were raised, without thinking or contemplating the answer. This is because true wisdom is the innate ability of the true nature. It is innate in the true nature and is not acquired from learning. This is why Ashvaghosha Bodhisattva taught us to be free of the mark of speech, the mark of terms, and the mark of mental cognition.

Being free of the mark of speech means not being attached to the words when one listens to the lectures on the sutras. Being free of the mark of terms means not being attached to terminology. Being free of the mark of mental cognition means not using the sixth consciousness to think and contemplate.

Listening to lectures on the sutras without being attached to the mark of speech, the mark of terms, and the mark of mental cognition is cultivating meditative concentration. Listening clearly and understanding perfectly is cultivating wisdom. Listening to the lectures on the sutras in this way is the simultaneous practice of meditative concentration and wisdom.

“They are deeply attached to worldly pleasures.” Being deeply attached to worldly pleasures is a hindrance that arises from afflictions. One is deeply attached to the Five Desires and the Six Dusts, and to riches and honor and is unwilling to let go of them. “Not seeking the Buddha’s wisdom” is a hindrance that arises from the attachment to knowledge. These two hindrances are extremely serious.

“Although they repeatedly cultivate good fortune, the rewards they seek are in the human and heavenly paths.” This is saying that if one truly observes the precepts and practices goodness, one will have the karmic result of being reborn in the human or heavenly path. If one practices good deeds but transgresses the precepts, one will have the karmic result of being reborn in the Three Evil Paths.

When one who practices good deeds but transgresses the precepts is reborn in the path of hungry ghosts, one will be a king of the ghosts or a deity. Generally the spirits that the Chinese people worship have great influence, are rich, powerful, and have many followers. If one is reborn in the animal path, one will be a pet in a wealthy family and enjoy good fortune in that path. These are examples of those who cultivate good fortune but transgress the precepts.

“When they obtain the rewards, everything will be abundant.” When one receives the good fortune in the human and heavenly paths, one may be a high government official, a general, or belong to a rich family. But which one of them has not created negative karmas or wronged people since ancient times? When one uses up one’s good fortune, one will probably go to the Three Evil Paths in the next lifetime. Even if one does not go to the Three Evil Paths, one will not be that rich in the human path. Each lifetime will become worse and worse than the previous one.

When we realize this, how can we not go to the Western Pure Land?

When we look at the conduct and actions of the powerful or influential people in today’s society, then we know that we do not want to come back to this human world again. If we do come to the human path again, we should come as a Buddha or a bodhisattva manifested as a being. If we do not come as a Buddha or a bodhisattva manifested as a being, it is still karmic retribution—this is terrible!

We should be constantly vigilant: enjoying the good fortune in the human path is very frightening, but enjoying the good fortune in the heavenly path is not the ultimate either.  Although there are few opportunities for us to commit evil deeds in heaven, we will still fall into a lower path when the good fortune is used up. As it is stated in the Lotus Sutra: “There is no peace in the Three Realms, just like a house on fire.”

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[1] Wisdom comes by letting go of attachments, discriminations, and wandering thoughts. From deep concentration, wisdom arises. It cannot be sought by thinking that one wants wisdom. The thought about seeking wisdom is a wandering thought.—Trans.

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

Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Fifty-seven

 

Ajita, you should know that doubt and delusion will do bodhisattvas great harm and cause them to lose great benefit. Therefore, you should understand and believe the supreme wisdom of all Buddhas.

“Ajita” is Maitreya Bodhisattva. At the discourse on the Infinite Life Sutra, there were two primary beneficiaries: Elder Ananda in the first part of the discourse and Maitreya Bodhisattva in the latter part. The significance of this is very profound. As Maitreya Bodhisattva will be the next Buddha in this world, the Buddha exhorted him, that when he attained Buddhahood in the future, to be sure to speak the Infinite Life Sutra and to urge people to mindfully chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

“You should know that doubt and delusion will do bodhisattvas great harm and cause them to lose great benefit.” “Doubt” refers to having doubts about the Dharma door of seeking rebirth in the Pure Land—of “belief, vow, and mindfully chanting the Buddha-name.” Consequently, this loss is too immense. For example, if a bodhisattva believes in “belief, vow, and mindfully chanting the Buddha-name,” sincerely chants “Amituofo,” and seeks rebirth in the Pure Land, he will attain Buddhahood in one lifetime. He does not need to go through three asamkheya kalpas.[1] This is why here the Buddha said that not believing the Pure Land method is an immense loss.

We usually do not have true confidence in Buddhas and bodhisattvas. We still have doubts. Although we learn Buddhism, we continue to consult with fortune-tellers and feng shui experts. This means that we do not have confidence in Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Our minds are contaminated with impurities. The loss is enormous. The purpose of learning Buddhism is to seek a pure mind—One Mind Undisturbed.

“Therefore, you should understand and believe the supreme wisdom of all Buddhas.” The three Pure Land sutras contain the teachings of being mindful of Buddha and seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land. We will still not completely understand this even if we have the help of the Buddhas’ causal vows.

In this lifetime, we have encountered the Pure Land method. If we can truly believe and vow to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land, then this is supreme wisdom. Not only is our wisdom supreme, our good fortune is also supreme. If we do not have the highest wisdom and good fortune, we will not practice this method.

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[1] Since asamkheya means uncountable, exact measurements of time are not known. But some common values are 10⁵¹, 10⁵⁹, and 10⁶³ years.—Trans.

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

Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Fifty-six

Wherever the Buddha goes, whether to a country, a city, or a village, people will be moved and will benefit. All the lands will be enveloped in peace and harmony. The sun and moon will shine clear and bright. Wind and rain will come when needed. Disasters and epidemics will not occur. The country will flourish and the people will enjoy peace. There will be no need for soldiers or weapons. Virtue will be revered and benevolence will be promoted. People will practice courtesy and humility. There will be no thieves or robbers in the country. There will be neither injustice nor resentment. The strong will not dominate the weak. Everyone will naturally get their fair reward.

“Wherever the Buddha goes, whether to a country, a city, or a village, people will be moved and will benefit.” “The Buddha” here refers to the Buddha’s teachings. “Goes” refers to implementation. “Wherever the Buddha goes” refers to the places where the Buddha’s teachings are implemented. From a place as large as a country to a place as small as a village, if the people there truly practice the Buddha’s teachings, they will change for the better. Those who receive the Buddha’s teachings will have a change in disposition, go from being evil to being virtuous, from being defiled to being pure, and from being improper to being proper. This is the achievement from implementing the Buddha’s teachings.

“All the lands will be enveloped in peace and harmony.” “Peace” means to acquiesce and not go against. Specifically, it means that people understand and accord with the teachings. When everyone abides by and follows the laws, society will naturally be harmonious.

“The sun and moon will shine clear and bright. Wind and rain will come when needed. Disasters and epidemics will not occur.” These describe the presence of favorable climatic, geographical, and social conditions.

Nowadays, natural disasters occur more and more frequently around the world. It is worthwhile for us to reflect deeply on this. Where do disasters come from? The Buddha said: “Dependent rewards change according to proper rewards.” Proper rewards refers to the human mind. Dependent rewards refers to the environment. When the human mind is good, wind and rain will come as they are needed. When the human mind is not good, disasters will occur frequently. Therefore, if we can accept the Buddha’s teachings and practice accordingly, it is certain that “the sun and the moon will shine clear and bright, and wind and rain will come when needed.”

In Chinese history, we read that when there was a major disaster in the nation, the emperor would cleanse his mind of impurities, abstain from all enjoyments, and maintain a vegetarian diet. He would seriously reflect on himself, “What faults do I have? Why has such a major disaster occurred?” When a disaster occurred, the emperor reflected on himself, thought about his faults, diligently ended wrongdoings, practiced virtuous conduct, corrected his wrong ways, and made a fresh start, all in the hope of changing the will of Heaven. This makes sense. This is absolutely not superstitious action. It is very rational.

If everyone accepts the Buddha’s teachings and practices accordingly, cleansing one’s mind and changing one’s behavior, all the lands will naturally be harmonious and peaceful.

Only after people live in harmony, will we have a favourable climate. Then nature will also be harmonious and peaceful. “The sun and the moon will shine clear and bright. Wind and rain will come when needed.”

During Great Master Lianchi’s lifetime, there was a drought one year in Hangzhou. The governor of Hangzhou requested Great Master Lianchi to pray for rain for the local people. Great Master Lianchi said, “I do not know how to pray for rain. I only know Buddha-name chanting.” But since praying for rain was for the benefit of the public, he had to do his best. Playing an instrument called a wood fish and leading the followers, he walked in the fields, mindfully chanting “Amituofo.” As it is said, “Sincerity will receive a response.” A pure, sincere mind will naturally obtain a response. Indeed, it rained wherever the great master walked! This is a wondrous benefit from truly learning and practicing according to the Buddha’s teachings. This is also the best proof.

“The country will flourish and the people will enjoy peace.” “Flourish” means that manufactured goods and food are abundant. People will have sufficient food and clothing, so body and mind will be at peace, and everyone will be at ease and happy.

“There will be no need for soldiers or weapons.” There will be no wars.

“Virtue will be revered and benevolence will be promoted.” “Virtue” is morality. “Revered” means to respect and follow. “Benevolence” means putting oneself in others’ positions: “Do not do to others what you would not want to be done to you.” When everyone praises morality highly, and abides by laws and follows rules of conduct, society will naturally be peaceful.

“People will practice courtesy and humility. There will be no thieves or robbers in the country. There will be neither injustice nor resentment.” These are the few requirements in terms of human affairs that must be fulfilled for families to be happy, societies to be harmonious, and countries to be prosperous. “Courtesy” means that people respect and yield to one another. Social order will naturally be good. As it is said, “No doors are shut at night.”[1] “There will be neither injustice nor resentment” means that judicial trials are fair.

“The strong will not dominate the weak.” This sentence means that everyone is able to respect one another regardless of status, wealth, or academic achievement.

“People will naturally get their fair reward.” Everyone will be happy with their roles.

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[1] From Great Learning.—Trans.

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

Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Fifty-five

 

Correct your past wrongs and cultivate good karma for your future. Cleanse your mind and change your behavior. You will naturally receive a response. Your wishes will be fulfilled.

This excerpt talks about the saying: “In Buddhism, every sincere request will receive a response.”

“Correct your past wrongs and cultivate good karma for the future. Cleanse your mind and change your behavior.” This teaches us how to seek. If we seek according to the truth and the teachings, our wish will be fulfilled. If our seeking is unreasonable and unlawful, our wish, as expected, will not come to fruition. How can we seek within the truth and the teachings? “Correct your past wrongs and cultivate good karma for the future” is to accord with the teachings. “Cleanse your mind and change your behavior” is to accord with the truth.

Correct bad habits to end all wrongdoings and cultivate virtuous deeds—this is to “cultivate good karma for the future.” For the future, we should cultivate diligently. This is from the aspect of phenomena.

“Cleanse your mind and change your behavior.” This is from the aspect of the truth. The mind contains afflictions, wandering thoughts, and attachments. These are defilements that need to be removed in order to restore a pure mind. “Behavior” refers to actions—the physical actions of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, and the verbal actions of false speech, divisive speech, and so on, and other bad behaviors.

When our mind, thoughts, and views are not pure, we use “Amituofo”—the method of having belief, vow, and chanting the Buddha-name—to cleanse our mind and change our behavior. When we use the method of ending wrongdoings and practicing virtuous conduct, it is correcting our past wrongs and cultivating good karma for the future.

“You will naturally receive a response. Your wishes will be fulfilled.” If we practice in this way, we will naturally receive a response and our wish will be fulfilled.

Therefore, when we learn Buddhism, we must accord with the truth and the teachings, and not seek extraordinary powers or any response. As long as we cultivate the causes according to the teachings, we will reap what we sow—this principle is definite. A Chinese proverb says, “Just focus on farming. Do not ask what you will harvest.”

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

Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Fifty-four

To your elders and juniors, men and women, family members, and friends, you should impart my teachings. Discipline and reflect upon yourself. Be in harmony and conform with justice and truth. Be happy, compassionate, and filial. If your action is a transgression, feel remorse about the offense. Eradicate evil and cultivate virtue. When you learn about a fault of yours in the morning, correct it by evening.

“To your elders and juniors, men and women, family members, and friends, you should impart my teachings.”

“Elders” refers to our parents or seniors. “Juniors” refers to our children, nephews and nieces, or anyone younger than ourselves. “Men and women, family members, and friends” refers to our relatives, from our family to the family clan, and then to distant relatives and friends.

When we follow the Buddha’s teachings, practice accordingly, and receive the true, wondrous benefits of Buddhism, we should also do our best to introduce Buddhism to others and urge them to learn. When they benefit from the learning, they will also teach others. This way, we will truly repay the kindness of the Buddha. Urge and encourage others to learn this true teaching. Introduce and recommend it to a town, a city, a country, and even the world. Then society will be in harmony and the world will be at peace.

Great Master Yinguang once held a “Protecting the Country and Averting Disasters Dharma Ceremony” in Shanghai. He clearly explained how to protect the country and avert disasters—mindfully chant the Buddha-name and maintain a vegetarian diet. When everyone maintains a vegetarian diet and mindfully chants the Buddha-name, disasters will naturally be averted and the country will naturally be protected. Therefore, we should spread this teaching to the whole world. This is truly repaying the Four Kinds of Kindness above, and relieving the suffering of those in the Three Paths below. This is protecting the world and eliminating disasters.

There are many ways to spread the Buddha’s teachings. For example, one could print the sutras and give them to others or circulate cassette tapes, video tapes, CDs, and video discs on Dharma lectures. One does one’s best to help others. As for oneself, one should sincerely chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. But one should not force others to have the same aspiration. One only needs to help others to (1) have a good heart, (2) say kind words, (3) do good deeds, and (4) have a happy family.

“Discipline and reflect upon yourself. Be in harmony and conform with justice and truth. Be happy, compassionate, and filial.” These words are well said. They are not only for our cultivation. When introducing Buddhism to others, we should teach not only with words but also with exemplary behavior. If we teach only with words but cannot practice what we teach, others may not believe us or accept the teachings. We must truly practice the teachings so as to really help others build confidence.

“Discipline and reflect upon yourself.” One’s thoughts, spoken words, and behavior should accord with the teachings in the sutras. One should discipline oneself and reflect on one’s behavior and thoughts.

“Be in harmony and conform with justice and truth.” One should be amiable and get along harmoniously with others. “Harmony” refers to the Six Harmonies. “Conform” refers to being in accordance with all beings. Harmony and conformity should not be based on emotions but on justice and truth. There is a principle that one should follow when one accords with others: while according with others, one should inspire and change them. If one cannot help others awaken and reform, one should not indulge them.

“Be happy, compassionate, and filial.” Children should be filial to their parents, and parents should love their children. The family will be happy. This is the foundation. Families make up a society. Societies make up a country. Countries make up the world. Therefore, we should know that the origin of happiness is family.

Happiness is also the most basic requirement in one’s interacting with others and engaging in tasks. As the Mahayana sutras say: wherever bodhisattvas go, they make all beings happy. The bodhisattvas absolutely do not have any thought of, let alone commit any act of, harming others. This is why they are happy, and so is everyone else.

“Compassion” is impartial and pure. All of Buddha’s teachings are developed from filial piety. In Buddhism, filial piety, since the past, has no beginning and into the future, has no end. It extends through time in the three time periods and through space in the ten directions. The entire universe is oneself. It is one entity.

“If your action is a transgression, feel remorse about the offense. Eradicate evil and cultivate virtue. When you learn about a fault in the morning, correct it by evening.”

“As people are not sages, how can they be faultless? When a person becomes aware of a fault and corrects it, there is no virtue greater than this.” [This Confucian quote tells us that] the greatest virtue is correcting faults, which is the teaching of the sages. If one is aware of one’s faults, one is awakened. Cultivation is correcting one’s faults, and correcting one’s faults is cultivation. Being aware of one’s faults is awakening, and correcting one’s faults is true cultivation. When our thoughts, views, spoken words, and behavior are wrong, we should repent. Repentance is not about seeking the forgiveness of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Rather, sincerely admit one’s wrongdoings, completely correct them, and never make the same mistakes again.

“Eradicate evil and cultivate virtue. When you learn about a fault of yours in the morning, correct it by evening.” This describes truly regretting one’s mistakes. One should awaken quickly and correct one’s faults quickly. When one realizes a fault, one should correct it immediately.

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