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September 17, 1979
9 miles above Boonville
Dear Shih Fu,
(When the Bodhisattva gives) he does not expect a reward, he does not seek fame or reputation, he is not greedy for benefit; he gives only to gather beings in.
San Bu Yi Bai is a constant lesson in giving. We have been greatly given to. Our feelings have been deeply moved by the giving we have witnessed and by the boundless gifts we have received.
Why are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas greatly happy? Because of one basic quality: The kind of giving that they can do. On the other hand,
Greed kills, Desire is death. Selfishness ends the world.
This is what we've learned on the pilgrimage. As pilgrim monks, we have seen lots of "true-life adventures" and all the good and bad deeds we have witnessed, the scenes that will live longest in our hearts are the acts of kindness, compassion, joy, and giving.
Kindness: Sunday morning, Sea Ranch. A police car stops, turns and slowly creeps back around the curve 200 yards ahead to where our car is parked. Suddenly, a white pick-up truck guns its engine and squeals away, the cop in hot pursuit. A break-in prevented, two grateful monks. Another debt of kindness to repay.
Compassion: Mendocino City, road crew grades the highway. The dust turns the air to pea soup each time the sweeper passes. We can't breath. It blots out the sunlight. Then a big caterpillar bulldozer stops. The driver says to Heng Ch'au, "I want to apologize for all the dust and noise we're making. I hate to bother anyone in their worship. Do you plan to be here long? We'll be working and making lots of dust." Heng Ch'au gives him a handout sheet. As he takes it, he says, "You feallas from that place out of Ukiah? I hope to see that some day. See ya later. God Bless." From then on, the sweepers lift their brushes as they pass the bowing.
Joy: Foggy morning in Gualala. Big white truck passes, slows, stops. Tall, bearded man in heavy work boots approaches. His face is full of light. Is he crying or happy? He bows slowly, holds an apple in both hands above his head. He's happy. He stands, hand to the apple to the monk, then joins his palms and says, "Thank you brother." He turns and disappears into the fog.
Giving: Labor Day, 1977. Monks, nuns, and laypeople get up at 3 a.m. and drive seven hours to Santa Barbara, arriving just on time to bring food, goods, and high-voltage cheer to us. The vibes are pure white, yang, and vitalizing. Their reward? No reward. A long, hot drive back to San Francisco in Labor Day traffic. They gave us Dharma, wealth, and fearlessness. Everyone was happy. This is the kind of selfless work that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do. It teaches us how to give.
Giving Away the Fruit The Open-handed Harvest
On our altar are three round, red fruits: a crimson tomato, a red delicious apple, and a scarlet nectarine. They came from people in the Point Arena area, People offer the produce from their gardens with happiness. Each time, there is a touch of magic in the giving. "These came from our labor on this land. I want to share the fruit of my work with you, because I believe in what you do."
The Bodhisattva's path of transference makes possible a rare kind of giving. The gift is pure goodness, yang-light blessings, merit, and virtue. The Sutra calls it "good roots." All Buddhas took the transference of their good roots as the foundation of their cultivation.
What we give away when we cultivate is ourselves. Since my ego is as big as Mt. Sumeru, I have a lot to give. Offerings to the Buddha, giving to all beings, renunciation of personal benefits, forsaking of evil-all are included in the practice of giving.
But the fruit of this work is never harvested. The Bodhisattva exists only to work. He takes no vacations and expects no rewards. His only satisfaction comes from the gradual growth of his effectiveness. As he gets better at giving, he gets to do more of it. Kuan Shih Yin Bodhisattva bestows happiness from a thousand hands and eyes. His joy at giving is the same as the happiness of the Point Arena gardeners, only multiplied by a thousand. Maitreya Bodhisatvva is the "happy Bodhisattva" because his big bag is ever full of gifts to all beings. Kids flock to him. His joy is as full as his belly.
Even the vow to realize the fruit of Buddhahood is an open-handed harvest, not to be grasped or owned.
Sometimes the work of giving up attachments to self seems bitter and hard to bear. A single thought of transference makes it light and joyous. Pure seeds planted in the Buddha's field of blessings nurtured with hard, selfless work, produce a rich harvest to share with all the world.
"I hope you pilgrims will enjoy this produce. It came from our garden" (note left on bad of vegetables and placed in our car).
Disciple Kuo Chen
(Heng Sure)
bows in respect