Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Twenty-nine

The minds of these Bodhisattvas are upright. They are tireless in discussing and seeking the Dharma.

“The minds of these Bodhisattvas are upright.” “Upright” means sincere. We should treat others with a sincere mind and not be afraid of being deceived. We want to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land in the future. All the beings there have a sincere mind. If our minds are not sincere, we will not be able to attain rebirth there.

A sincere mind should be nurtured in everyday life. We should interact with people and engage in tasks with the utmost sincerity. This is teaching us to maintain an upright mind.

“They are tireless in discussing and seeking the Dharma.” This sentence talks about cultivating oneself and teaching others. “Discussing” benefits both oneself and others. This is what is known about teaching: both teacher and student benefit. When one teaches another, one never tires. When one seeks the Dharma, one is also tireless.

Whether one seeks the Dharma or teaches others, the biggest obstacle is tiredness. When Confucius taught a student, he would not continue to teach the student if the student did not apply what he had learned to three other situations. But when Buddhas and bodhisattvas teach, they are tireless.

I remember one particular time when I saw Mr. Li teach. I was deeply moved. Mr. Li was over seventy years old at that time. Over a period of three hours, his students asked him many questions. He was unhurried and patient in his answers. This was very admirable. From this we know that Buddhas and bodhisattvas are tireless in teaching all beings.

There are many people who get tired in their learning, retrogress, and do not continue to make diligent and focused progress. Why do they get tired? Even though they are learning, they have not obtained the true benefits. If they have, how can they be tired? People get tired or retrogress because their minds are coarse and their goals are shallow. When they achieve a simple goal, they are satisfied and do not want to go further.

During the Tang dynasty, when Precept Master Daoxuan of Zhongnan Mountain was learning the Vinaya in Four Parts, he listened to the lectures on it for more than twenty times. He was thus able to become a patriarch.

People today listen to the lectures on a sutra once and do not care to hear it again. How can they succeed! When I was in Taichung, I listened to Mr. Li Bingnan’s lectures on Fourteen Lectures on Buddhism for eleven years. Only when I was thoroughly familiar with it was I able to taste the flavor of the Dharma.

Years ago in Taichung, at the request of eight people including myself, Mr. Li generated the mind to lecture on the Avatamsaka Sutra. Mr. Li would lecture one hour a week, and so it would have taken him sixty to seventy years to complete the lectures on the Avatamsaka Sutra. He was in his seventies or eighties. That meant that he had to live to one hundred fifty or one hundred sixty to complete the lectures. These are good examples for us. We should be tireless in cultivating ourselves and teaching others.

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

Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Twenty-eight

Their minds are clean like snow mountains. Their patience is like the earth: with impartiality, it bears everything. Their purity is like water: it cleanses all dirt.

“Their minds are clean like snow mountains.” “Snow mountains” refers to the Himalaya Mountains, which are blanketed with snow all year round.

Sakyamuni Buddha was born in today’s Nepal, south of the Himalaya Mountains. Therefore, when the Buddha lectured on the Dharma, he often used “snow mountains” as a metaphor for cleanliness and purity—a pure mind without any pollution.

“Earth” stores boundless treasures. Grain that grows on the earth nourishes us, and gold, silver, and precious minerals that are stored in the earth are for our benefit. But we need to cultivate land to be able to harvest from it. We also need smelting know-how to extract the underground treasures for our benefit.

This is why Mahayana Buddhism teaches us to start our learning with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. “Earth” is a metaphor for the mind. Our minds contain infinite wisdom and capabilities. We need to use the teaching of “filial piety and respect for teachers” in the Ksitigarbha Sutra to plough and plant, and to extract and refine, so that we can obtain benefits.

“Their patience is like the earth: with impartiality, it bears everything.” Should we pour perfume onto the earth, it will not be delighted. Nor will it be disgusted should we pour excrements on it. The earth bears everything impartially. This teaches us to practice the paramita of patience.

The mind should be like the earth, which bears everything impartially. No matter who or what we encounter, our minds should always be impartial. Patience is very important in both worldly and supramundane undertakings. If we do not have patience, we will not be able to accomplish anything. Accomplishing a great undertaking requires great patience; even a small undertaking requires a little patience. Therefore, the Diamond Sutra says: “All accomplishments are attributed to patience.”

It is stated in the sutras that it takes three asamkhyeya kalpas of cultivation for an ordinary being to attain Buddhahood. This is truly an extremely long time. How can one do this without patience? We Pure Land practitioners know that, according to the sutras, when ordinary beings attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land they bring along their karmas and achieve [Buddhahood] in one lifetime. This is how precious the Western Pure Land is!

Of course, there are many factors contributing to this speedy achievement. The most wondrous factor is perfectly attaining the three non-retrogressions. If we practice in other lands, we will progress as well as retrogress. And we will retrogress more than we progress. This is why it will take a long time [to attain Buddhahood].

When we know this truth, we should muster the greatest patience possible for learning the Pure Land teachings. We should have true belief and resolutely vow to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. We must have the determination to go there and meet Amitabha Buddha in this lifetime. With this determination, we sincerely chant the Buddha-name until the end of our lives.

We will surely attain rebirth there.

Other than this, “all phenomena are illusory.” We should get by however we can, not fuss about things, and not be attached to things. We should regard all phenomena with impartiality and single-mindedly seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. We should not seek fame or wealth. We should lead as thrifty a life as possible. This way, the resolve to seek rebirth there will be more sincere and resolute. All good deeds, and even good thoughts, should be dedicated to the adornment of the Western Pure Land, not to the pursuit of worldly good fortune.

“Their purity is like water: it cleanses all dirt.” “Purity” describes the mind. “Dirt” refers to affliction or pollution. This sentence teaches us to have a mind as pure and impartial as water. We make an offering of a glass of water to a Buddha’s image because water symbolizes a pure mind. This offering constantly reminds us that the mind of a Buddha is pure and impartial, just like water, and we should emulate the Buddhas by completely cleansing away our afflictions, wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments.

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

Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt Twenty-seven

They know that all phenomena are empty and quiescent. Retribution body and afflictions—both remnants are completely eradicated.

“They know that all phenomena are empty and quiescent”—this sentence conveys exactly the same meaning as “the four basic elements are all empty” and “the five aggregates are without self-identity.” The four basic elements refer to the four qualities of a physical substance: earth, water, fire, and air.

Earth refers to substance. In Buddhism, the tiniest substance is called a speck of dust; in science, it is the atom, electron, or particle. Earth signifies that substance does exist and can be detected by scientific instruments. Water indicates moisture. Fire indicates temperature. The scientific terms are electropositive and electronegative. Fire is electropositive and water is electronegative. Air indicates motion: it is not still. In addition, it moves at great speed.

The four basic elements are the four fundamental features of a substance. All phenomena in the universe are all made up of this basic substance. The Diamond Sutra says: “[That which Tathagata calls] a phenomenon of a composite is not a phenomenon of a composite. And so it is called the phenomenon of a composite.” This basic substance makes up all phenomena, from something as large as a planet or a galaxy to something as small as a speck of dust.

Where did the basic substance come from? It was manifestation of the mind. A commentary of the Consciousness-only school says that from ignorance and non-enlightenment the Three Subtle Marks arise, and with the external environment as conditions the Six Coarse Marks grow. Within the Three Subtle Marks are the subjective aspect [that which sees] and the objective aspect [that which is seen]: the mark of the subjective perceiver and the mark of the objective world.

The basic substance is the mark of the objective world, which is the objective aspect. The objective aspect is generated by the subjective aspect. Existence arises from non-existence and returns to non-existence—“all phenomena are empty and quiescent.” When we understand this, we will know the truth that all phenomena are empty.

Do what we see, hear, and touch presently exist? Or do they not exist? From the perspective of principles, they do not exist; from the perspective of phenomena, they do exist. This existence is nominal: it is not real. But the non-existence is real. What is real never changes. That which changes is not real. Non-existence never changes and is thus called true emptiness.

With regards to existence, all phenomena change. It is obvious that a person goes through birth, aging, illness, and death. Any person can perceive these changes. In actuality, there are subtler changes, such as the metabolism of the cells of a body. Such changes occur every instant. Plants go through arising, abiding, changing, and extinction. Minerals or planets go through formation, existence, annihilation, and voidness. We realize all this.

Therefore, all phenomena are constantly changing. Since they change, they are not real. This is why existence is called nominal existence, illusory existence, or marvelous existence. Thus this Buddhist term: true emptiness and marvelous existence.

But we should know that existence and non-existence in Buddhism are one. Where is true emptiness? It is in marvelous existence. Where is marvelous existence? It is in true emptiness. True emptiness refers to noumenon, and marvelous existence refers to phenomena. This way, we will be able to see the mark of the objective world clearly. What is the benefit of seeing it clearly? It will help us discard all attachments.

From where do attachments arise? From us not understanding the truth and also from thinking that we can own things. Not only can we not own worldly possessions, we cannot even own our body, so is there any point in being attached to anything? Naturally, we will let go! When we truly let go we will attain eternal life.

True emptiness refers to the true nature. Why is true nature true emptiness? Because there is no sign of it: it shows no form and thus cannot be perceived by the eyes. True nature emits no sound and thus cannot be heard by the ears. It cannot be perceived or imagined. Our Six Sense Organs completely do not work here. But true nature truly exists. It is the noumenon of all phenomena in the universe. All phenomena arise from it.

When one sees the true nature, one is in the state of neither arising nor ceasing. One will have the freedom to manifest as any form. One will be able to manifest in any form one wishes.

We are now deluded, so we cannot manifest as anything no matter how hard we think. After we see the true nature, we will be able to manifest as anything. Throughout the entire Dharma Realm, we will be in control—we will be our own master; we will attain great freedom!

Therefore, we must know the truth: “All phenomena are empty and quiescent.” This is stated from principles and from noumenon.

“Retribution body and afflictions—both remnants are completely eradicated.” “Both” refers to the retribution body and afflictions. The word “remnants” refers to habits, and they are the hardest to eliminate. “Retribution body” signifies birth and death—when we transmigrate within the Six Paths, we continually get a body and discard it.

Transmigration is a phenomenon. Why is there this phenomenon? Because we have afflictions. The phenomenon of transmigration within the Six Paths is generated by afflictions. When we end afflictions, there will be no transmigration. For example, arhats—having eradicated the Affliction of Views and Thoughts—have transcended the Six Paths.

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

Thrice Yearning Ceremony

On several occasions, I have been asked about doing the Thrice Yearning Ceremony in one's own home. Having received another email about this, I though it might be helpful to post an entry on it here. I asked a senior monastic who had been Venerable Master Chin Kung's secretary for several years to address the question as follows.

About Thrice Yearning Ceremony, it is a matter of sincerity. I once heard a layperson ask Teacher a question about the Thrice Yearning Ceremony.

Question: If where we live, there are no Buddhist temples conducting the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, is it appropriate that laypeople practice the ceremony in their homes by following a DVD of the ceremony?

Answer: Yes, it is said in Buddhism that sincerity makes everything possible. If you practice it with sincerity, you will receive a wonderful response. When you dedicate merits to someone, he or she can truly receive benefit from your practice.

Of course, we will suggest layperson practice the Thrice Yearning Ceremony at a Buddhist temple or center. But if there are no centers conducting the ceremony and they feel the need to practice it to dedicate merits to someone, they can do it by reading or following the DVD. They need to do it sincerely enough to make sure those beings can benefit from their practice.

If you invite them to join the ceremony, yet those beings receive nothing from your practice. They will feel unhappy and cause trouble for you.

If people want to practice the Thrice Yearning Ceremony as their personal practice, I suggest they do it simply by reading. When they read the first session of the ceremony, they must skip food offering mantra, water offering mantra, and universal offering mantra, and read only the rebirth mantra (read 7 times). Because if you read those offering mantras, you must prepare the food. You must make sure they have enough food, otherwise, those beings will not leave. When you offer packaged or canned food, you must open the package or the can. Make sure those beings can suck or inhale the smell of the food.

Therefore, it is a matter of sincerity. If, with the mind truly wanting to benefit those beings we do the ceremony wholeheartedly and sincerely, and they really benefit from our practice then we can do it in our home.

If we do it with too many wandering thoughts and worries, then it is better not to do it at home. For our practice will bring benefit to none.

Why Would I Want Non-existence?

Question: Of late, one aspect of Buddhist teaching has been troubling me. The Western idea of soul (mind) as viable individual substance and identity is not present in Buddhism. Therefore, an individual is not an enduring personality or substance. Rebirth does not signify the continuation of a personality, significant and whole in itself. Rather, it is the procession of karmic accretions, linked together and occurring so fast, as to appear as a personality or substance. This phenomenon of personality and substance is rather like the pages in a child's flip-it picture book. Flipped through at high speed, the single pages coalesce into a living, moving, coherent narrative. It's the same way with the links of dependent arising. Thinking about myself, or lack thereof, this way has got me down a bit. Such a perspective robs life of value.

Is there a remedy for this nihilistic viewpoint?

Have I misunderstood a central tenet of Buddhist philosophy? If assiduous practice will eventually culminate in a condition of non-sentient, non-conscious, non-existence, I may not have the courage to continue. Please help me to understand and cope with this dilemma.

Response: It's not that there is no existence, but rather an existence far beyond what we can imagine. It is a state of not wishing for anything; it is pure joy and profound understanding.

We often hear how Buddhas will wait for as long as it takes for us to learn from them and awaken. If Buddhas were in a state of non-existence, what would be left to wait to teach us?

When Shakyamuni Buddha was in our world 3000 years ago, many Buddhas and bodhisattvas came to help him. It is said they took different parts, like actors in a play. If the Buddhas did not exist, how could they have come to help Shakyamuni?

We know from the sutras that Amitabha Buddha is teaching right now in the Western Pure Land. How could this be so if Buddhas no longer existed?

How could Buddhas fulfill their vow of "Sentient beings are innumerable, I vow to help them all" if as soon as they themselves became a Buddha, they were gone? 

Keep reading the excerpts from Venerable Master Chin Kung's talk on the Infinite Life Sutra that are being posted here. Not just once. Keep reading them over and over. What is troubling you will be gradually resolved.