The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.110)

2019 • 05 46 * This article is extracted from the book “Three Ways to the Pure Land (Revised Edition)”. THREE WAYS TO THE PURE LAND compassion by giving of ourselves to the suffering beings in the world. Simply having compassion is not enough. We need to turn our good intentions into action by helping others and finding ways to benefit everyone. When our hearts go out to a person and we want to help him or her, we have merely planted a seed of goodness. That seed will not grow unless we create the conditions for it to flourish by actually helping that person. In fact, the seed of goodness may soon decay if it never has the opportunity to grow. We must realize that a good intention is useless unless it is realized. Each one of us has a seed of great goodness within. This seed is the cause that can grow into the fruition of Buddhahood. But if we do not do good deeds and walk the Bodhisattva Path, we are not creating the conditions that support the growth of that seed. Without the right conditions, we cannot accomplish anything. Do good deeds every day Time passes swiftly. I hope we will not waste any time. Instead, we must make good use of our time to plant seeds of goodness and create good conditions. If we want to become Bodhisattvas, we must practise good deeds in our daily living, carefully observe the events of each day and vow to do good in life after life. If we carefully observe and contemplate society and what is happening around us, and think carefully about what we see, then we can truly realize the great compassion and intent of the Buddha. We must seize the opportunity we have to make the great vow to follow the Bodhisattva Path in all lifetimes to come. As explained in the Sutra of InfiniteMeanings , our vows must be as vast as the universe, and we must sustain them forever without wavering. To do so requires the wisdom to contemplate life. In this way, we can gain insights into the true condition of human life, and will be able to maintain our vows for countless eons. Ordinary people have the intent to be good, but that intention is constantly emerging and disappearing, as unsettled as dust in the air. They see something good today that touches them and decide to engage in spiritual cultivation. The next day they encounter challenges or hear different opinions, and their determination falters. This being the case, how can ordinary people sustain their vows forever? We must learn to be like the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. “With their wisdom as brilliant and impartial as the sun and the moon, they apply skilful means according to the proper timing and conditions. They support and develop the work of the Great Vehicle.” Remember, time flies, and with every day that passes, we have one less day left to live. By this time next year, how much more will we have developed the work of the Great Vehicle? As the days remaining in our lives decrease, what needs to increase are our wisdom and the works we have accomplished. I hope all of us can diligently progress on the Bodhisattva Path and cultivate both wisdom and blessings! (To be continued in the next issue)