12. "Wild cranes
seek no fodder: the wide world is theirs." They fly and rest as they
please and are truly
"free." Our practice ought to be like that: tranquil wherever we are,free
and easy whether at rest or in action. Come what may, our minds should remain
still and unmoved. Such is the state of "samadhi (perfect
absorption)."
13. Expect and embrace
obstacles! For without them, we cannot make progress in our practice. Only when
we comprehend the true nature of adversity and be free of vexations would our
wisdom unfold. For example, when provoked by someone, our minds nevertheless
remain tranquil, calm, and free of vexations. That is the essence of practice.
14. Practice means
"doing what others won't;" only in this way will we be able to eradicate karma and raise
merit. Therefore, we should vow to practice diligently. Let usnot argue with
others and refuse to take up tasks because "That matter is no concern of mine,"
bickering as worldly persons are wont to do. Practitioners do not haggle, do
not calculate how much work "they" have done as opposed to
"I." Such behavior undermines practice and would not facilitate the
advance of merit and wisdom.
15. Practice aims at
retrieving our true nature: "that certain state" in which we were
before we were born. You fail to understand this now because your wisdom has
not yet unfolded. It is like the moon veiled by dark clouds: its true nature,
although shining,cannot be seen.
16. Practitioners should not
quibble over who is right or wrong. When accused of being in the wrong, accept
it even though you know you are right. If you are ready to admit mistakes, you
will remain untroubled; if not, your mind will be disturbed and vexation will
follow.
17. Ascetic practice
means training yourself to "renounce your body" (i.e. renouncing
physical desires and
cravings). You should realize that no matter how well you take care of it, this
body is unreal and will eventually decay. What does it mean when we speak of "renouncing
the body?" It means to dress unobtrusively, to eat plain fare, and in
general to live a moderate life. Stop craving for lavish clothes, meals, and
living conditions is the first step into practice.
18. The harder the path
of practice, the closer to enlightenment you will be. Do not expect people to
treat you well, otherwise you shall be no different from a lay person.
19. Learn to take losses
or be taken advantage of without resentment. Strive to be tolerant rather than
calculating so that you may progress in practice.
20. "Keep constant
watch over our own transgressions, and we will not stray from the right
path." The more we practice, the easier it will become for us to discover
our own shortcomings and feel remorse.
21. Practice to remain
tranquil and unfettered whether in action or at rest. What does this mean? It
means that while you are active, your mind should stay calm and unswayed by your
concerns; but while you are at rest, you must not cling to the idea, or to the appearance,
of "motionlessness."
22. "Sweep the dust
by reciting the name of (Amitabha) Buddha, and the Lotus will flourish." This
stanza means that we practitioners ought to be guided by right mindfulness, purify our
minds and turn all evil thoughts into proper ones by incessant recital of the Buddha's
name.
23. Take everything as it
comes; nothing ought to disturb the mind of a practitioner.
Forgo your cravings for
worldly goods such as lavish clothes, meals, housing, cars, as well as all your
sense of judgment, praise, or blame. Once you have untied yourself from physical
and mental distractions, wisdom will unfold. Conduct your daily lives in an unobtrusive
fashion -- the path is the wisdom of ordinariness. Also, abstain from both vexation
and exultation. Treat others neither overly kind nor too harsh. Foster good karmic
affinity with others when occasions arise but do not court their favor. Be
forever on the watch over your own thoughts and take note whenever an evil
notion arises.
24. The only way to grasp
the essence of the Dharma is to practice in person. Once you have truly
understood the bitter misery of both living in this world and the perpetual wandering
through the cycle of rebirths, your wisdom will unfold. Increasing awareness will
then lead you on to the path of supreme enlightenment.
25. Once you have
obtained wisdom through practice, your mind will become clear and keen, and you
shall be able to complete all your tasks satisfactorily and without obstacles. Therefore,
to deliver other beings, you must first liberate yourself lest you should lead them
astray. Then people will more readily accept your teaching.
26. Practice requires
perseverance; do not aspire to any instant enlightenment. Without reciting the
name of the Buddha continuously thereby removing omnipresent illusions, how can
you hope for any attainment? But if you exercise faith, dedication, and
practice reciting the name of the Buddha continuously, even during your daily round,
you will quite naturally arrive at an enlightened mind and at the realization
of the buddha-nature immanent in all beings.
27. Come what may: the
mind of a practitioner ought to remain calm, unfettered, and
unobstructed. Indeed, it
is at the attainment of such "complete freedom" that our practice aims.
28. In order to attain
true comprehension of the Dharma, you must practice yourself. Just as they say,
"He who drank it knows whether the water was cold or warm." Go ahead and
practice yourself; only then may you have genuine attainment.
29. Emulate the good
(examples given by others), ignore the bad. Keep your sense of right and wrong
to yourself. Unpleasant circumstances are propitious for the practice of forbearance.
Practice is not about judging who is right or wrong or who has more reason. Rather,
the strength of practice lies on whether you can remain undisturbed under challenge.
30. It may come to pass
that the master blames you for not having swept the floor even after you have
indeed done so. If you object, debating right and wrong, you will not yet be in
any way different from a lay person. If, however, you accept the reproach, answering,
"Fine, I shall sweep it again," you have set out into practice.
31. "Forbearance"
is fundamental to practice. If you forbear with others, you will be able to
reform people wherever you go because forbearance brings forth moral conduct and
forestalls resentment. As people enjoy your company, you will quite naturally
attract them toward practice.
32. Practice forbearance!
This is the root and foundation of our practice. If you lack forbearance, you are a
monastic practitioner in name only. Therefore, do not presume that you are
right in whatever you do. If you don't abstain from seeing everything your
"own way," you can never practice forbearance.
33. Practice means
looking inward and gain awareness of your own mind, not going after matters of
the outward world. Instead of tying your happiness solely on agreeable circumstances,
your mind should naturally be filled with dharmic joy from practice. Guard
yourself against capriciousness and indecision lest your mind should come under
the sway of external conditions. If you can abstain from attachment to the form
and sense of "self," you are honestly treading the path of practice.
34. In your practice,
strive to personify lovingkindness and compassion. This must radiate from the
expression in your eyes and let people sense that here, indeed, is a kind,compassionate
person. Only then will you be able to summon people toward faith in the Buddha,
learning and practicing Buddhadharma.
35. In group practice, if
one attains a certain level, all others benefit. They will be inspired to
follow his/her example and practice vigorously. Since all of you wish to
practice and karmic affinity has brought you together, you ought to help and
encourage each other along the way. If, however, you allow sentiments of judgment,
jealousy, and delusion to flourish, it will not only affect your companions'
resolution but will also impede your own tranquility in practice.
36. Practice aims at
unfolding wisdom, but you ought to cultivate merit as well. Be
forever merciful and
compassionate, try your best to help those in need and foster good karmic
affinity with others. This, then, is the dual practice toward gaining both merit
and wisdom.
37. Set out with the dual
practice toward gaining merit and wisdom. As you get on in life, gradually
attaining both, you will quite naturally reach the ultimate goal of practice.
38. Be merciful to all
beings. Remember that they, like us, were born into this world so as to
practice and plant good seeds. Therefore, be merciful and compassionate. Tread
the bodhisattva-path and wish that: "May all beings, sentient or
otherwise, acquire buddhawisdom."
39. Worshippers bring
offerings to the temple with the intention of seeking merit. You
must not assess these
offerings at their material value. Whatever is offered, if only a blade of
grass, we should accept with joy. Most important of all: do not distinguish the
offerings; for as soon as you do, you would desire the good ones and despise
the bad.You might become vexed or even create negative karma through sneering
at them hence spoil your practice. Handle the offerings as they come, use your
wisdom to make the best out of them. Such will then be in keeping with the dual
practice toward attaining merit and wisdom.
40. Those who wish to
tread the bodhisattva-path must never think, "As long as I myself am doing
fine, what are the others to me?" It is indeed the others whose welfare
should always be foremost on your mind -- even at your own expenses. On the
other hand, if you only look after your own concerns, endless delusive
vexations will follow.
41. Monastic
practitioners ought to be kind and compassionate to all beings while providing them with
expedient guidance for practice. Remember, all bodhi fruits grow out of loving ,kindness and
compassion.
42. After I am gone,
there is no need to worry that no one would guide you in your practice. Just remember
what I told you: reciting the name of the Buddha; practice diligently and with firm
determination; abstain from the pleasures of the six senses; adapt yourselves
to circumstances (rather than insisting on your own way). If you are able to do
so, it will be as if I were still among you.
43. You might enjoy a
great deal listening to your Master's expositions and feel them
quite agreeable. However,
such "agreeableness" reflects the stage reached by your
Master. As for your own
level of attainment, it depends on how much you put those
teachings into practice.
Only through such a process will you be able to fully comprehend and verify
their truthfulness and usefulness.
44. True listening does
not rest in how much you have listened to your Master but in
how well you have
listened. Even if you have listened well, you would benefit only if
you can apply properly
what you have heard to the circumstances you come across.
45. We who chose the path
of ascetic practice ought to regard all circumstances and
hardships as good
opportunities to discipline our minds and bodies. Such training will
help to cut off our
delusion and vexations, to cleanse our habitual patterns, and to
toughen us against all
resistance. Merely performing laborious tasks in the temple
certainly does not turn
us into ascetics. Therefore, you who have left home for practice ought not to
be afraid of hardships. Only through overcoming continuous adversities canwe
discipline our minds and unfold our wisdom.
46. "Without
hardships, there can be no attainment in practice." Walking the path of
asceticism requires firm
determination. With such willpower, you naturally will not
discriminate against
tasks assigned to you. Instead, you will carry them out devotedly without even
considering them as menial, for such tasks will wear down your pride and help
to reduce your karmic obstructions. Therefore, a practitioner ought not to be
afraidof, nor try to escape from, hardships, for without them there is nothing
to practice on hence no attainment to speak of.
47. There are eight kinds
of misery from which we constantly suffer: birth, aging,
disease, death,
separation from loved ones, company of hated ones, failure to obtain what we
desire, and all the ills of the five skandhas (form, sensation, perception,
volition, and consciousness). In addition, we are also vexed by our greed,
anger, and ignorance.Unenlightened as we are, we totter from day to day under
the full sway of such delusive and afflictive karma, suffering immensely.
Without diligent practice under the guidance of Buddhadharma, we can never be
liberated.
48. Among the four forms
of birth, the spiritual level of human beings is the most
elevated. However, if we
do not understand the Dharma and the principle of causality, we might kill
animals just to satisfy our desires of eating meat. This will create very
severe karmic obstructions. Listen! As we butcher those creatures, they, too,
know the pangs of death and will scream out miserably, and those are screams of
resentment. If we kill them anyway, we shall come under the sway of this
negative karmic affinity. This will start a vicious cycle of killing and
revenge, barring us forever from escaping samsara. For this reason, a Buddhist
should faithfully keep the precept against killing, cultivating a compassionate
mind instead.
49. Among the six
divisions, our human existence is by no means easy to attain! The
idea, though, is that we
should grasp this unique opportunity for practice so as to break out the cycle
of birth and death and ultimately reach buddhahood. Do not accumulate additional
negative karma through our greed, anger, ignorance, and endless pursuits of tasty
food, lavish clothing, worldly pleasures, children and grandchildren, etc. If,
instead of diligent practice, we remain attached to the six sensual objects and
lose this precious opportunity of human existence, we will be forever confined
to samsara. Be aware that human beings can easily be reborn as animals like
cows, horses, pigs, dogs, etc., hellbeings, or hungry ghosts. Where we end up
depends on where we put our minds. We can either utilize this human existence
to practice in the hope of attaining Buddhahood, or to create more negative
karma hence confine ourselves in the six divisions of rebirth.
Since we all have chosen
to leave home for practice, wouldn't it be wise for us to follow the Dharma and
find a suitable way to escape the entanglement and torment of samsara?
