The world of Tzu Chi October 2020 (Vol.127)

TZU CHI 127 51 * This article is extracted from the book “Reminders under the Sala Trees – A Commentary on the Sutra of the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teachings”. repentance brings purity. Repentance is not just reciting the Repentance of Eighty-Eight Buddhas or the Great Repentance text in the evening—true repentance means bravely confessing one’s own mistakes in public, and vowing openly never do those actions again. We call this “openly repenting”. He who dares to admit his wrongs is courageous and persevering, and will advance diligently. On the other hand, if we have committed wrongs but cover them up, then we show that we are cowardly people without a will to advance. Those who hide their own faults will inevitably repeat them. As spiritual practitioners, we must keep our minds pure and tranquil. By upholding the precepts, we maintain the purity and calmness of our mind, which is why we must not cover up our flaws. This is like a bowl of spoiled food; not only do we need to quickly discard it, we must also wash the bowl very well before using it again. It is the same for our mind. Since we know we have committed wrongs, we must quickly repent and change our ways. This process is called “starting anew”. After this, our wisdom-life can truly become eternal. Tzu Chi commissioners often share their own stories, revealing their past mistakes with the purpose of improving themselves. With the audience as their witness, they denounce evil and turn towards goodness. Being able to completely correct one’s wrongs and make a fresh start is transforming oneself; this is the mark of a person who is bravely forging forward. Tzu Chi has many such brave and diligent Bodhisattvas who are worthy examples for us to emulate. Fourth, “do not display extraordinary powers to delude others”. In spiritual practice, we must practise so as to have peace of mind, and we must be practical. We must accept the methods of cultivation suitable for this world. We should not seek spiritual powers or the ability to communicate with spirits. Rather, we ought to cultivate ourselves until our minds are focused and unobstructed. When there are no defilements and impurities in our minds, our minds will be perfectly pure, just like a clear crystal without any trace of colour or impurity. In order to reach such a state, single-minded focus is the only way. With such focus, we can be calm and at peace. Then, everything we do will naturally be smooth and unobstructed. Since we wish to engage in spiritual practice, we should nurture the spirit of great loving-kindness and compassion towards all beings rather than pursuing spiritual powers or superstitious healing methods, or claiming that we have special powers of Samadhi or superior virtue. We must maintain an unaffected mindset and train ourselves to open our hearts to embrace all sentient beings. This is truly acting like a noble being. If we display extraordinary powers to delude people and always glorify ourselves, this is an example of deviant views and practices. (To be continued in the next issue) REMINDERS UNDER THE SALA TREES