Instructional talk given by Venerable Master Hua in the evening of December 17, 1982, at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas
Cultivating the Way means to cultivate true morality by not obstructing others and not being afraid of getting obstructed by others.
People who are learning and practicing the Buddhadharma are sowing seeds in the ground. Whether the seeds will sprout or not depends on various conditions. When all the right conditions are met, the seeds will sprout and grow over time. If the various supporting conditions are insufficient, the sprouts might wither and the seeds may go bad. This tallies with how deep and firm we sow our Bodhi seeds at the time we resolved for Bodhi.
If we sowed them deeply and firmly enough, the seeds will surely take root and sprout in the future. However, if you want to reap the Bodhi fruit, it will take considerable time, and it depends on how well you apply effort. If your cultivation advances well, and you become enlightened, realize the fruition, and accomplish the Way, then you have reaped the harvest.
The process of sprouting, growing leaves, flowering, and bearing fruit needs considerable period of time to nurture, to water, and to fertilize. What is the fertilizer? It is learning the Buddha’s way virtue – morality. Every aspect of cultivation must be based on morality. “Not going against morality” should be our fundamental precept.
A Confucian maxim stated: “Virtue is fundamental. Wealth is peripheral.” A virtuous conduct is the foundation of a person; wealth is just a peripheral object. Cultivators should always cherish their blessings, be frugal and avoid wasting money or resources. Keeping at this practice for days and month on end, they will then be able to develop a virtuous conduct. This way, the branches and leaves will grow luxuriantly, and fruits will be abundant. If you don’t add fertilizer and you make no effort to care for the plant, then it will cause the branches, flowers and fruit to wither and die. Therefore, the foremost precept for cultivators is to place great emphasis on virtuous conduct.
Start practicing virtuous conduct in small areas. “Do not underestimate a good deed as small and hold back from doing it.” Don’t wait around for a big-scale good deed to do, because there aren’t that many. A mountain is formed by the accumulation of specks of dust. Although each speck is tiny, an accumulation can form a mountain. Virtuous deeds may be small, yet when many are accumulated, they will form a mountain of virtue.
Not going against morality constitutes a virtuous conduct. Not hindering others is a virtuous conduct. In whatever you do, you should make it your obligation to help others. If you hinder others and cannot benefit them in terms of profit, time, culture, wisdom, or any other aspect, you are acting contrary to morality. Therefore, in every move and action, every word and deed, take “not going against morality” as our basic rule. If you want to cultivate the Way, you must first develop virtue. Without a virtuous conduct, you cannot cultivate the Way. Some people want to cultivate the Way but they encounter demonic obstacles. That is due to a lack of virtuous conduct. So, it is said, “Virtue is fundamental. Wealth is peripheral.”
(To be continued …)