The world of Tzu Chi September 2020 (Vol.126)

2020 • 09 46 harma Pure thoughts and proper actions W e will now explain the words, “Maintain purity in living.” If we keep our body and mind pure and clean, and live a simple life, our actions will naturally be proper. Some people’s minds are unhealthy and they are attracted to deviant understanding and views. Once their minds are tainted, their actions will be deviant as well. Tzu Chi commissioners have encountered believers of other religions who say, “You believe in the Buddhadharma, but you do not practise diligently. You only cultivate blessings, but do not cultivate wisdom.” Some even say, “Why help the poor when, in fact, everything is caused by the law of karma? Those suffering poor people are enduring their retribution, so if you help them, is it not against cause and effect? Acting against cause and effect will result in you going to hell!” Perhaps some commissioners or donors may have recently formed aspirations to do good deeds, but these words then shake their faith. In the Jataka Sutra , one passage describes an elder who aspired to walk the Bodhisattva Path. He had been giving to charity his entire life and did not ask for anything in return. All he hoped for was to give rise to a heart of joy, equanimity, and great loving-kindness and compassion. The elder was constantly giving, so he was deeply respected by everyone. When Sovereign Sakra 1 in heaven learnt of this matter, he was shaken. Doing good deeds without asking for anything in return is an act of goodness transcending the Three Realms; this is the practice of a Bodhisattva. Even though Sovereign Sakra wanted people to do good deeds to increase the number of people in heaven, if the person doing good deeds had no afflictions or attachments and did not ask anything in return, he would transcend the mind of ordinary people and attain the mind of the Buddha. Therefore, in the future, he would transcend heaven. Fear arose in the heavenly king, so he went to distract the elder’s spiritual aspiration. Thus, Sovereign Sakra took the shape of an ordinary person and visited the elder. He asked the elder, “Did you know that doing good deeds is something that is against 1 Ruler of Trayastrimsa heaven, the highest of the heavens that maintains a physical connection with the rest of the world. CHAPTER 2 - UPHOLD PRECEPTS