The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.106)

01 TZU CHI 106 By Dharma Master Cheng Yen Translated by Max Siew aster’s Teaching Listen and view the world with a pure and untainted mind. If we could filter out distractive and unkind words, then all we hear would be the wondrous Dharma. And, if we could open our mind to see past things, then we can rid our minds of afflictions and grow in wisdom. H ow time flies! We are already in winter and with New Year just around the corner, it is time to reflect on the past: How much have we progressed on the path of spiritual cultivation? Do we gain a deeper insight into the Dharma? More importantly, we must always be mindful and integrate the teachings of the Dharma into our daily lives. Biologically, we are one year older, but hopefully, we have grown wiser spiritually. We depend on nature for our survival. People from all walks of life contribute to our well-being and provide us with everything for a comfortable living. If we indulge ourselves in enjoyment, keep on using natural resources without contributing, and just idling away our time, we become social burdens. We should seize the time to do good deeds now, for we may lose our physical and/or mental health one day. By then, we would not be able to act as we wish. We must be thankful for being physically sound and use our healthy bodies to serve the masses. After listening attentively to the Dharma, our hearts are more receptive to new ideas and we become wiser. But, knowledge without practice is of little use, so we must integrate the teachings of the Dharma into our daily lives. Using the Dharma as a guide, we are able to filter out distracting and unkind words. Despite the abusive language levelled at us, we can still use loving-kindness and kind understanding to interpret people’s harsh words as a wake-up call. Always remember: Constant disputes and conflicts is a sure recipe for disasters. We should use our mouths not for bad-mouthing others or backbiting, but for spreading the wisdom of the wonderful Dharma. Using our pair of penetrating eyes, which are guided by wisdom, we can gain an insightful analysis of everything, thus avoiding interpersonal conflicts and undue worries. If we uproot all forms of attachments, turn impurities into purities, and empathize with people’s suffering, then we are walking the path of Bodhisattvas. Let us guard our six Purifying the Mind with a Pure Mind