Repentance Begets Peace and Bliss; Repentance Begets Serenity and Clarity

I apologize for taking up everybody’s time. I myself greatly cherish time. I know everyone is very busy. Some lay people come in the morning to bow in repentance for a little while before taking off to take care of business, and rush back in the afternoon to continue bowing. They must be very busy. I couldn’t bear seeing them this way. Since we are presented with this causal condition today, I hope to take this opportunity to share with everyone some insights I have gained from my studies.

Just now Dharma Master Shr asked if we should start a new roll of repentance text since we still have some time left. I said it’s better to start a new roll altogether tomorrow instead of having to continue from where we stopped. This way I’ll be able to talk to everyone. During the precept training period this year, I organized some information and study materials I have dating back more than twenty years ago, about the Four Great Awesome Deportments. I’m really eager to have the chance to share with everyone what I know about this subject because the Four Great Awesome Deportments are very closely related to the practice of cultivation. However, Dharma Master Shr proposed that I hold a discussion on repentance since we are now holding the repentance bowing ceremony.

In the monthly publication Source of Wisdom, I saw a lengthy article written by Dharma Master Heng Shun. I find this article very precious. It talks about how he joined Dharma Realm Buddhist Association and narrates the experiences of following the Venerable Master for many years in cultivating the way. His topic dwells on the importance of repentance. Dharma Master Shr told me, “You don’t have to read the entire article. Just give a brief summary.” I said okay. Since she gave the directions already, I will duly follow. I will discuss the content of the article based on what I can remember.

In Buddhism it is said that all living beings have buddha nature and have the potential to become buddhas. Although all of us have buddha nature within us and can become buddhas, we also have the potential to fall into the realms of animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings. Hence, in Buddhism the dharma door of repentance is extremely important. It enables living beings in the evil paths to transform into sages and even achieve buddhahood.

In this article, Dharma Master Shun mentioned a case record from the time of the Buddha. In Buddhism, we all know that every Buddha has two key disciples, one foremost　in spiritual power and one foremost in wisdom. Foremost in wisdom is Venerable Shariputra; foremost in spiritual power is Venerable Maudgalyayana.

In one of his past lives, Venerable Maudgalyayana was a demon king in another world. He committed a lot of evil karma. Later on, he gradually gained some realizations, and through repentance he was able to eliminate his karmic offenses. Afterwards he even became Shakyamuni Buddha’s disciple, a very loyal one too. In the Dharma Flower Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha bestowed upon him the prediction that he would become the future Tamalapatra Chandana Fragrance Buddha.

Everyone make mistakes, in many different occasions. That’s why bowing in repentance is very important for everyone. We deeply feel the importance of bowing in repentance throughout all the many years that we followed the Venerable Master. The Venerable Master cared deeply about his disciples’ cultivation. In particular, there is repentance ceremony on our schedule every day, every month, and every year. Currently, we bow the Great Compassion Repentance daily. Annually, we bow the Ten Thousand Buddhas Jeweled Repentance and the Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance. In some branch monasteries, the Medicine Buddha’s Repentance is held every month.