by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua
At all times be attentive; at all times be cautious. Do not
slack off for even a single second. Leave no good undone, no matter
how small; and do no evil, no matter how minute. Diligently
cultivate the Bodhi Path; purify and transform the gates of the
three karmas. Increase your blessings and wisdom, plant and nurture
your good roots. Irrigate the field of mind; moisten and nourish
your body with virtue so that you can withstand unforeseen
misfortunes. Take them in stride and remain unmoved; understand and
recognize them so that no anger arises.
Develop a great stupidity, endure what others cannot endure.
Really do it! You cannot stop up your ears and steal a bell; this
is cheating yourself and cheating others. If you pander for name
and fish for fame, you are a thief among the virtuous and a
pretender of the Way. You must become resolved and progress on the
great road of brightness. Until you become a Buddha, you should be
irreversible and dauntless.
A verse says,
The great Path of Bodhi is straight as can be.
Do not be crooked or rely on luck.
With a true mind seek the Dharma, there will certainly be a
response.
Going through the motions halfheartedly, you are just wasting
time.
Use courage, vigor and patience; never retreat.
Giving and holding Precepts garners wisdom.
One day you will perfect the paramitas.
And rejoin the Buddhas of the ten directions at the Lotus
Pool.
Who is the Buddha? If people ask you “Who is the Buddha?” you
can answer them by saying that one who has wisdom is the Buddha.
Studying the Buddhadharma is just the study of wisdom. The Buddha’s
wisdom is extremely great, and Buddhist disciples want to learnhow
not to be so topsy-turvy. Not being upside down is just holding the
Precepts. However, one needn’t always bring up the word “Precepts,”
since the majority of people have absolutely no idea what the
Precepts are. Instead we can say that we’re investigating how not
to be so muddled and confused.
The Buddha is one of great wisdom. To be without wisdom is just
to be stupid and ignorant. We want to destroy ignorance andwipe out
stupidity-just that in itself is wisdom. Wisdom is the Buddha; lack
of wisdom is a demon.
How is it that demons become demons? It’s just because theylack
wisdom and they harbor hatred and anger. Demons have anger; Buddhas
have kindness and compassion. Demons also have an asura-like,
fighting nature. But the Buddhas don’t fight. Why? They have
wisdom. They don’t have even a trace of stupidity. They are a
treasury of great clarity and understanding.
This has been a general explanation of the word “Buddha.”