(Continued from issue #283)
Instructional talk given by Venerable Master Hua
(2) The Dharma Realm of Bodhisattvas
Sentient beings when enlightened
Leap out of the dust.
Their six perfections and ten thousand practices
At all times are nurtured.
Sentient beings when enlightened:: Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit word which translates as “enlightened sentient being” or “enlightener of sentient beings.” A Bodhisattva is one who teaches all sentient beings to become enlightened. That’s one explanation. Another explanation is that a Bodhisattva is an enlightened one among sentient beings. We have a share in both explanations; we can also become Bodhisattvas. Since we are living beings endowed with sentience, we can also become enlightened ones among living beings. Then we can use the enlightened principles to enlighten all other living beings. Similarly, a Buddha can be likened to a grownup, while we are likened to little kids. As kids need to drink milk every day, we need to listen to the dharma every day. Listening to the Dharma is especially helpful in making our good roots grow and bringing out our wisdom. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to listen to the Dharma, it will be worth more than any amount of money you could make. How fine it is if you can have the time to investigate the Buddhadharma!
I hope the people here will not travel too much. Why? It is because travelling is very dangerous. Have you noticed that there’s always more than one death during every vacation or holiday? So, if you take a trip, you risk being among the casualties. People in America really enjoy having fun and taking vacations. We Buddhists should turn this trend around. It would be much better to spend our vacation time investigating the Buddhadharma, reciting sutras and mantras, and bowing to the Buddhas.
Among sentient beings, a Bodhisattva is an enlightened one. Among enlightened ones, he is one who understands. Among those who understand, he is one who cultivates. Among those who cultivate, he is one who truly practices. If you don’t understand, then you won’t be able to leap out of the dust, because the dust is too thick. When you become enlightened, the dust has thinned out and you can leap out of it. What do you do after leaping out of the dust? Do you just sleep and eat? Well, you still have to sleep, eat, and dress, but those aren’t the only things you do. You don’t live for those three matters. Rather, you live in order to cultivate the six perfections and ten thousand practices. The six perfections are giving, holding precepts, patience, vigor, samadhi, and wisdom. Someone says, “I know what giving means. It means other people give me things.” Wrong! You should give to others. You shouldn’t want money. Money is the filthiest thing, and if you stay close to money too much, you will be defiled by it. If you are able to not want money, then you are very pure and can leap out of the dust.
At all times are nurtured: It shouldn’t be that you cultivate today but not tomorrow, or that you cultivate this year but not next year. Or that you cultivate this month but take a break next month! Or that you cultivate in this life but not in the next life. Or that you cultivate this moment but fall asleep the next moment. That’s not the way! In every moment and at all times, in life after life, we must cultivate the six perfections and ten thousand practices. If you can be this way, then you are a Bodhisattva.
Do you think it is easy to be a Bodhisattva? Not that easy! Not only is it not easy to be a Bodhisattva, it’s not easy to be One Enlightened to Conditions or a Hearer, either. What is it easy to be? It’s most easy to become a ghost, to fall into the hells, or to become an animal. “Difficult” is another word for “not easy.” A Bodhisattva must undertake bitter practices which other people find difficult to undertake, and endure what others find hard to endure. He doesn’t give up on those practices since they are not easy to do. One needs to forge ahead. One who is vigorous is a Bodhisattva. This is it. There’re no other adept ways. If you can do the things that others cannot do, then you are a Bodhisattva.
(To be continued …)