(Continued from issue #302)
An Instructional talk by Venerable Master Hua, given on March 15, 1976, during a Guanyin Recitation Session
Bodhisattvas cultivate the six perfections (paramitas) and the myriad practices. The six perfections are:
(1) Giving: This means that we should give to other people, not that other people should give to us.
(2) Patience: During this Guanyin Recitation Session, let us see whether you have patience or not. A patient person will successfully complete this session. An impatient person will indulge in idle thoughts all day long, such as, “Later on, I will go to this restaurant and indulge in a big feast.” Or maybe he’ll think, “What’s the use of me being here, reciting Guanyin Bodhisattva’s name? It’s a lot of nonsense. I’m leaving right away!” These are the thoughts of an impatient person. An impatient person cannot cultivate the Way. It doesn’t really matter whether you sit in meditation or recite the Buddha’s name or Guanyin Bodhisattva’s name. These are the same Dharma-door; there’s basically no difference between them. No matter which Dharma-door you cultivate, you need to have patience before you can succeed. If you have no patience, then you’ll not succeed in whatever dharma practice you do. A person who has no patience always find faults in everything. Nothing ever suits him. If this describes you, then what can you cultivate? There is no mark of self within the Way, and no ego to attach to. One who is attached will never be able to cultivate the Way. Someone may say, “I want to meditate!” Well, if you want to meditate, the more patience you need.
(3) Holding precepts: This means “Do no evil and respectfully practice all good deeds.”
(4) Vigor: This means not being lazy.
(5) Chan samadhi, or concentration: We are now reciting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s name and seeking Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s help so that we can obtain Chan samadhi.
Wisdom: Once we have Chan samadhi, we can bring forth wisdom. These six perfections are interrelated.
Someone says, “I’d like to specialize in Chan samadhi.” Well then, I’ll tell you how to cultivate Chan samadhi. Once you enter the Chan Hall, under no circumstances can you leave. Someone asks, “What if I get sick? What will I do then?” If you get sick, then let it be. You should still meditate even if you are sick. “What if I die?” Even if you die, we won’t carry you out of the meditation hall. When a Chan cultivator dies, his corpse is placed under an empty seat. Even though it stinks, it isn’t carried out of the hall. Bottomline is nobody leaves the Chan Hall, even if somebody dies, he is not allowed to leave.
Someone says, “Isn’t that equivalent to being in jail?” Let me ask you, “Do you think you’re not in jail right now?” Every person is locked in his own jail, only he’s not aware of it. When your self-nature wants to leave, it cannot go freely. When it wants to return, it cannot return. If it goes out, it cannot come back; when it comes back, it cannot leave again. Is this what you call freedom? Every person’s body is a jail, but you don’t understand this.
Therefore, during Chan session, you are not allowed to leave the Chan Hall once you have entered. Anyone who leaves will be hit on the head and the back by the proctor’s stick. This is the protocol in a Chan Meditation Session. Likewise, a Guanyin Recitation Session is also the same: no one is allowed to leave the hall. Anyone who leaves gets a beating. Well, who asks you to come in the first place? Someone says, “I saw the announcement; that’s why I came.” Well, the announcement didn’t say that you’re free to leave once you join. You may leave, but only on the condition that you pay everyone’s food bill for the entire session. Otherwise, you can’t go. Why not? Because when other attendees see you leave, they’ll want to leave too. After one person leaves, a second one follows, then a third. Pretty soon, everybody is gone. That’s called “destroying the Way-place.” So, to prevent you from creating the offense of destroying the Way-place, you should pay for everyone’s food. If you can’t afford it, then it’s best for you to stay put!
Everyone who’ve come to Gold Mountain Monastery has deep affinities with one another. If you don’t share these affinities, there’s no way you can step inside the door of Gold Mountain Monastery. Since we have these ties, why don’t we become Guanyin Dharma Session’s friends? Let’s all join hands and go forward together. Where to? We’re going to wherever each of us wants to go. Each one of us should help others out. Why am I saying this? Because I don’t want you to go down the wrong path.
(The End of the Article)