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Principle: "Don't attach to states. There is nothing good in the Triple World. Suffering and bliss don't exist at all."
We're meditating in the car after sunset, parked beneath the redwoods on a deserted mountain top. There are five minutes to go before evening ceremonies begin. Because I nodded and dozed while meditating, I haven't completely "smelted"the energy in my body, there's still a lot of fire circulating as I sit. Just a few minutes more will do it. Oh, there's the bell. Too late. Bummer. Now I will not be able to sleep until I smelt after the Sutra. I've got to sit with these burning legs all through the ceremonies. I'll probably boil over. Heng Ch'au has caused me a lot of pain. It's his fault.
Mistake: Anger and Broken Rules.
Because I attached to greedy thoughts for a body-state, I got angry. During Sutra lecture, despite my vow of silence,
I shot out my steam at Heng Ch'au, criticized him and spoke harsh speech.
Retribution:
As soon as the angry words left my mouth, I felt all my Dharma-protectors quickly retreat. Heng Ch'au says my inner light went out just like a candle. I felt cold and numb. During the night I had a dream of a demon who stole my energy. I woke up spent and unhappy.
Why? Harsh speech is one of the Ten evil deeds. So is greed. So is anger. So is stupidity(deviant views).
The single thought of attaching to a state of bliss dusing meditation broke the rules and led to the chain fo delusion, karmic error and retribution.
If I had let the state go, followed instructions, and been patient with my body, then everything would have been fine.
I should have returned the light and recognized my own mistakes. I slept when it was time to sit and then tried to cover the error and force the schedule.
If I had admitted my error, I would have been right on the Middle Way. I behaved instead like a living being and wound up angry. Bodhisattvas practice kindness and humaneness. They do not blame others.
Yen Yuan asked Confucius, "What does it mean to be humand?"
"Subdue yourself and return to Principle," answered Confucius.
On Tuesday, we found a card on our card window. At first glance, it was a Mastercharge. It was promotion for a Christian sect made up to look like the familiar orange and yellow credit card. It said. "Give Christ charge of your life." We reflected that this was a good idea, as long as Christ represented universal principles like kindness,compassion, joy and giving.
But reliance on any individual is still an attachment. The Buddha teaches total self-reliance. Ananda asked the Buddha, "When the World Honored One enters Nirvana, whom shall we take as our teacher?"
The Buddha answered, "Take the precepts as your teacher."
In other words, don't rely on others, follow the rules. This is the road to ultimate freedom, What are the rules? Simply the Dharma. Foremost is faith. Next is giving. Then comes marality. Patience, vigor, concentration, and wisdon are all Dharma-rules.
As for faith and giving, two weeks ago, as we climbed the coast ridge on our way East to the City of ten Thousand Buddhas, it was REALLY hot. The air was thick with smoke from forest fires, and the road burned our hands, knees and foreheads. We made sunhats out of bandanas and bowed along thinking cool thoughts of faith and renunciation.
Earth Store Boddhisattva lives in the hells all the time! He's vowed to stay there until all hell-dwellers are libereted. That's real giving. Mindfulness of Earth Store kept us going. He gave us faith and strength. I recalled story of Desert Pete from an old Kingston Trio song. Desert Pete kept a well for thirsty travellers in the desert. By the well was a small bottle of water and a note. The note read, "Don't drink the water in the bottle, use it to prime the pump. There's lot of water down below but the pump won't work unless it's primed. "Be patient, friend and you will get your reward." The chorus went,
You've got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe. You've got to give of yourself before you are worthy to receive. Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet, leave the bottle full for others. Thank you kindly, Desert Pete
Desert Pete understood the principle of giving "when you give up one part, you get ten thousand parts in return."
And he taught and transformed many thirsty travellers in this way. Each time we offer up our conduct in faith to true principle, we get ten thousand part in return. It never fails.
Autumn has come. It's county fair time and the road is full of happy faces. This is a year of bountiful harvest. The Boddhisattva has come to the West. America has a new city of light and goodness. Our hearts are full and grateful.
Disciple Kuo Chen
(Heng Sure)
bows in respect