The world of Tzu Chi March 2021 (Vol.132)

TZU CHI 132 51 REMINDERS UNDER THE SALA TREES will be unable to grasp where we are going or from whence we have come. The Buddha gave another analogy: “They will be like a wild horse that, if not bridled, will cause the rider to fall into a pit.” When one does not restrain the Five Roots, it is like riding on the back of an unbridled horse. It is extremely dangerous, and we may at any time be thrown into the pit. “If you are robbed by a thief, the suffering lasts a single lifetime. However, the misfortune caused by the Five Roots affect lifetime after lifetime. The harm they cause is severe, so you must be careful.” When the mind is undisciplined, the virtuous treasures inside it are easily robbed from us by unwholesome thoughts. Actually, the intrinsic nature of ordinary beings is no different from that of the Buddha; our inner treasury is the same, it is just that the Buddha incessantly developed his treasury, and in so doing attained great many roots of goodness, blessings and wisdom. Unenlightened people do not know how to excavate the ore of this “mine of treasures”, and even if they do, they are still unable to refine, cut and polish it. If all of us possess the power displayed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, then why do blessings and wisdom still remain out of our reach? It is because ordinary people continue to squander their merits and virtues, and it is our own Five Roots that diminish them. When a thief commits a crime, their punishment ends in this life, but the misfortunes wrought by the thief of the Five Roots keep revisiting us over many lifetimes. If we do not take good care of our Five Roots, we will carry karma with us into future lifetimes, and our evil retributions will be difficult to eliminate. “We bring nothing with us in death other than our karma.” Life after life, we are dragged along by our karma. Ordinary people speak of “luck” or “fate”, but everything can in fact be summed up in one word: karma. Karma comes from the totality of our actions in our past lives. This can cause us great harm, so we must be very vigilant. “For this reason, the wise restrain their Five Roots and do not follow them; they hold them as if holding a thief, and never let them run loose.” Thus, the wise exercise strict control over the Five Roots and do not just drift along following their desires. With their minds, they transform their external environment rather than allowing outer conditions to transform their minds. In learning and practising the Buddha’s teachings, besides understanding the origins of negative karma, we must also possess two kinds of skills: one is the ability to cultivate our minds appropriately according to conditions, and the other is to nurture our minds in all places and at all times. No matter what people or situations we encounter, or whatever the environment in which we find ourselves, we must always be watchful of our minds as if protecting ourselves