The world of Tzu Chi February 2021(Vol.131)

TZU CHI 131 51 REMINDERS UNDER THE SALA TREES and uphold the precepts, you must carefully control your Five Roots.” The Five Roots refer to our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. The eyes can see all kinds of states. When the eyes see material forms in the external environment, our minds give rise to distinctions. This is the root of all afflictions and painful retributions. So, we should carefully protect our eye-root. The ears also cause discursive thoughts to arise in our mind. This is because we are easily affected by what we hear. If we can listen to the Buddha-Dharma every day, we can train and purify our body and mind. However, if we often indulge in entertainment and revelry, our minds will easily become defiled. Similarly, our nose, tongue and body are also susceptible to the allure of our external environment. Buddhists need to learn to control the Five Roots and not to indulge them. Once the Five Roots are let loose, they are easily contaminated by our external environment. The Buddha therefore often warned his disciples: “Never let them loose and allow them to enter into the Five Desires.” The five desires are form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The Five Roots can help us achieve merits and virtues through our spiritual practice; if we can make the best use of their positive potential, they allow us to serve people and walk the Bodhisattva Path. Conversely, if we crave the five desires, we will easily create negative karma. Thus, the Buddha repeatedly instructed his disciples that, because they were to uphold the pure precepts, they must guard their Five Roots, restrain their bodies and minds, and lead a disciplined life without any trace of heedlessness. “This is like a cowherd who holds a rod and watches the cattle in order to keep them from escaping and damaging others’ crops.” The Buddha used a cowherd as an example; goad in hand, the cowherd would watch the cattle from the side to keep them from intruding and treading on other people’s rice seedlings. Therefore, the Buddha often likened bhiksus to cowherds. Monastics must be people of great character. They must develop firm determination and courage, and they must cultivate themselves to assume the Buddha’s mission. Therefore, the whip is just like the pure precepts. One must uphold the precepts and carry out the Buddha-Dharma to prevent damage to one’s own and others’ blessings, virtues and roots of goodness. If we abandon the precepts, it will be impossible to grow our wisdom-life. As spiritual practitioners, we must not only transform ourselves and others,