Once upon a time, there was a man who, when he was very young, ran away from home because he was naughty and playful, and went further and further away. He was still wandering outside when he was very old. When he was down and out and wanted to go home, he had forgotten the way home. Therefore, when he returned to his hometown after many twists and turns, he could not remember that this place was the home he had missed for a long time. At the same time, over the years, his father kept looking for his lost son, and he went through hardships and searched everywhere, but still found nothing! On the other hand, his father also managed his business with his heart, and after years of hard work, he became a rich man.
The poor son, who was still worried about his livelihood, passed by the big house where his father lived. He saw countless servants and strict door control from outside the door, which made him timid and ran away. At this time, the father, who was sitting in a high position, recognized at a glance that this was his long-lost beloved son, and quickly sent a servant to chase him back. The poor son thought he had made a mistake, and fainted from excessive fright. Seeing this, the father no longer forced him and let him leave. He secretly sent two ragged and haggard servants to follow his son in and out of the house, and persuaded him to work in his house to remove manure and sweep garbage.
The father saw his son's thin and dirty figure from the window, and he couldn't bear it. He sometimes disguised himself as a servant to get close to his son and work with him. After twenty years, the poor son gradually became familiar with the life pattern and interpersonal interaction of the rich family. In addition to his hard work over the years, his father was very happy. He let his son take charge of the financial affairs and allowed him to enter and leave the house freely.
Although the poor son was happy to gain the trust of the rich man, he didn't know that the rich man was his biological father, so he still regarded himself as a senior worker. Later, the elderly father fell ill and knew that he would not live long. The father entrusted the poor son with full power to take charge of the housework. They trusted each other and communicated with each other. The poor son's mind and vision became open and calm, and the father felt very relieved.
When he was dying, the rich man invited the king, ministers, and relatives to explain that they were originally father and son, and it was natural for the son to inherit the family business. The poor son originally had nothing to ask for, but he was overjoyed to get the infinite treasures without asking for them.
This story comes from the Lotus Sutra. In fact, the poor child is a metaphor for those who are not clear about the wisdom they originally possessed, and the rich man is like the Buddha. The Buddha's teachings are not rigid, but are based on random circumstances. Just like when the poor child was just chased back by the rich man's servant, the poor child thought he had made a mistake, was too frightened and fainted. Seeing this, the father did not force him and let him go. If it is handled rigidly, many people will have misunderstandings on the road of learning and even give up the opportunity to continue learning. In fact, this story in the sutra tells everyone that everyone can eventually become a Buddha and will inherit the Buddha's cause-saving all living beings. It's just that many people themselves do not realize the wisdom they already have, and do not take their future as a Buddha as their current guiding direction. The final ending of the story is to tell everyone: You yourself are the Buddha, it is just a matter of time.
The Tathagata's room is the great compassion for all sentient beings. The Tathagata's clothing is the gentle and forbearing mind. The Tathagata's seat is the emptiness of all dharmas.
When something is on the pedestal of popularity, the risk of a decline is high.
"Shame": realizing that one is not as good as saints and sages. "Ashamed": realizing that one has not yet been able to stay away from evil deeds. These two kinds of awareness of inadequacy can trigger the power of human beings to be good, to improve, and even to be liberated. This is the most important foundation of human moral strength.
Countless sentient beings are born in one Buddha land. Their visions vary according to whether their minds are pure or impure.
If a bodhisattva wishes to diligently practice and purify the Buddha land, he should first purify his own mind.
Ratnakara Bodhisattva asked the Buddha: What is the solemn and pure Buddha land?
The Buddha said: The world where sentient beings exist is the solemn and pure Buddha land. Because all Bodhisattvas are constantly improving their understanding through contact with sentient beings; it is because of sentient beings that there are various pure merits initiated by Bodhisattvas; it is because of the different behaviors of sentient beings that there are various different acceptances and salvations of sentient beings by Bodhisattvas. It is like building a pavilion. Pavilions cannot be built in the void, they can only be built from the ground. Only the pure merits of saving sentient beings are pure Buddha land. Therefore, the world where sentient beings exist is the solemn and pure Buddha land.
If you pour water into a cup that is already full, the water will overflow. The mind is already occupied by other things, so it is impossible to accept new thoughts. What fills the mind depends on the mind itself, not on external things. Because only the mind can decide what to keep and what to discard. But be careful, sometimes, what is poured in may be dirty water. Therefore, the mind cannot be ignorant. Ignorance causes the mind to be filled, and a filled mind will not grow again. Ignorance has always existed, but the degree is different. Depending on the energy of the mind, the degree to which ignorance is overcome is different. The ordinary mind, the open mind, the no-mind, the bodhi mind, are all the mind. As long as it is not full, there is a chance for sublimation.
The lands of all sentient beings are the pure Buddha lands of Bodhisattvas.
Who is the first?
Once, the Buddha went from Jetavana to the Thirty-three Heavens to preach to his mother and other heavenly beings. (Because the Buddha's mother died seven days after giving birth to him, she was reborn in Trayastrimsa Heaven and became one of the heavenly beings)
One hundred years on earth is equivalent to one day and one night in Trayastrimsa Heaven, and the lifespan of the Trayastrimsa Heaven is about one thousand years, which is equivalent to more than 30 million years on earth.
During the Buddha's stay in heaven, the beings on earth could not find him. Some even suspected that the Buddha had already entered Nirvana. After three months, when everyone was confused, a heavenly being in the Thirty-three Heavens told Venerable Aniruddha that the Buddha was preaching in heaven, and people knew the truth. So everyone sent Venerable Maudgalyayana, who was the first in supernatural powers, to heaven to invite the Buddha to return to the human world. The Buddha told Venerable Maudgalyayana that he would return to the human world by the big pond in Sanghasi Kingdom in seven days.
After the news spread, people rushed to be the first to see the Buddha return. The Buddha's disciples, kings of various states, and believers all waited by the big pond in Sanghastha.
Among them, the Buddha's disciple, Venerable Ulingvasa Bhikkhuni, wanted to be the first to greet the Buddha. So, she used her magical powers to transform into a majestic and powerful holy king, came to the pond, and waited for the Buddha. When others saw the majestic and powerful holy king, they all made way for him (her).
At the same time, Venerable Subhuti was sewing clothes in a cave on Vulture Peak in the northern suburbs of Rajgir, and also wanted to greet the Buddha.
But when he put down the clothes in his hand, stood up and stepped out with his right foot, he thought as soon as his foot landed:
"I want to welcome the Buddha, but which part is the Buddha? Is it the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind? Or is it the earth, water, fire, wind?
All dharmas are empty, just as the Buddha said: 'To see the most sublime Buddha, you should observe impermanence from the aggregates, the realms, and the elements; no matter the past, future, or present, all Buddhas preach this principle of impermanence. If you want to see the Buddha of any life, you should observe such empty dharma; if you want to see the Buddha of any life, you should work hard on non-self.'
The non-self mentioned by the Buddha means that all dharmas are empty. What self is there? This body of the five aggregates cannot find a part that can control it. Now, let me take refuge in the true Dharma." Thinking of this, Venerable Subhuti sat down again and continued to sew clothes.
On the other hand, the holy king transformed by Venerable Ulingvasa received praise and respect from kings and people of all countries. When the Buddha stepped back to the earth, she was the first to arrive in front of the Buddha.
At this time, Venerable Ulingvasa returned to her original appearance. The kings of all countries saw her and could not help but complain that a nun got there first. Venerable Ulingvasa bowed to the Buddha and said to him: "Now I am paying homage to the most noble Buddha. The first one to see the Buddha today is me, Ulingvasa, the disciple of the Tathagata."
The Buddha replied: "Subhuti was the first to pay homage to the Tathagata. No one was earlier than him. The liberation method of being able to observe emptiness and selflessness is the real meaning of paying homage to the Buddha. Even if you want to pay homage to the future or past Buddhas, you should start from observing emptiness and selflessness. This is the real meaning of paying homage to the Buddha."
Most people in the world go to two extremes: either they cling to reality or they cling to non-reality. If you can be free from attachment, your mind will not be bound or enslaved by the environment, and you will not think that you really exist: when suffering arises, you can clearly see the arising of suffering; when suffering disappears, you can also clearly see the disappearance of suffering, without doubt or confusion, and you don’t need to rely on others’ guidance. This is called right view. Why?
When you can see the arising of worldly things as they really are, you will not say that the world is non-reality; on the contrary, when you can see the disappearance of things as they really are, you will not say that the world is real. This is called the middle way that is free from the two extremes of reality and non-reality; that is, this exists because that exists, this arises because that arises; due to ignorance, karma, ... until the pure great suffering is accumulated; ignorance is eliminated, karma is eliminated, ... until the pure great suffering is eliminated.
In Jing (another name for the State of Chu), a man lost his bow. He refused to look for the bow, saying, "If a man from Jing loses his bow, it will be found by another man from Jing. Why bother looking for it?"
Confucius heard about this and said, "It would be more appropriate if the word 'Jing' is removed from his words."
Lao Dan heard about this and said, "It would be more appropriate if the word 'man' is also removed."
Based on this, Lü Buwei said that people like Lao Dan had reached a very high level.
If you want to defeat others, you must first defeat yourself; if you want to criticize others, you must first criticize yourself; if you want to know others, you must first know yourself.
The root of everything is to govern oneself first.
A person who is good at making an echo does not focus on the echo, but on the sound that produces the echo. A person who is good at making a shadow does not focus on the shadow, but on the shape of the shadow.