It is extremely rare for sentient beings to be reborn as human
beings. Obtaining this uncommon human body is very precious and
uneasy. We should feel joyful to acquire such a rare human body
with eighteen kinds of perfection. It’s also very rare to be reborn
in an era with Buddha Dharma. In addition to obtaining a rare human
body and being reborn in a time period with Buddhism, it’s
extremely uncommon to follow an authentic guru to learn Buddha
Dharma. We should cherish such merits accumulated in past lifetimes
and diligently learn Buddha Dharma during this lifetime.
In the world the state of pureness and state of impureness
exist. The state of pureness refers to that of nirvana the Buddha
has entered. And the state of impureness means that of being
reincarnated in the six realms. Actually each of us possesses the
pure nature devoid of filth which is same as the Buddha’s, without
difference. The same mind nature, namely Buddha nature, or called
the womb of the tathāgatagarbha, are possessed by all of us. The
differences between the sentient beings and the Buddha lie in that
ignorance arising in the beings and the beings have
self-attachment, thereby they fall into the suffering of cyclic
reincarnation.
With one foundation, two paths, and three fruits, Garchen
Rinpoche bestowed the enlightenments on the auspicious true realm
of Buddhism: one foundation refers to that the essence of sentient
beings inherently is same as Buddha’s, the same mind nature they
possess on same basic; Two paths refer to that of peace and of
suffering in the world; Suffering and sorrows come from sentient
beings having attachments. Due to being clinging, six kinds of
afflictions generate and sentient beings are thereby reincarnated
in the suffering six realms. Peace and happiness are the brought
about with the virtuous effects as the results of the heart of
benefiting others as well as practices of virtuous deeds. Develop
the heart of mercy, compassion, and Bodhicitta with the heart of
benefiting others. Bodhicitta is like a wish-granting jewel that
brings the sentient beings peace and happiness. When you possess
compassion and Bodhicitta, you obtain the peace and happiness of
such as wealth and longevity in this temporary lifetime. And, in
eternity, you continue to gain the precious human body. With that
you will be reborn in the higher realms or even in the Pure Land
where to attain Buddhahood and obtain the ultimate truth of eternal
peace and bliss. However, both the sentient beings who are
reincarnated in the cyclic existence and those who have entered
nirvana inherently possess the same foundation, the same mind
nature. Hence, reincarnations can be treated the same as
nirvana.
Due to the fact that the law of cause and effect is never off,
one who hurts others by evildoings will get hurt oneself as well,
which is just the evil effect; On the contrary, one who, possessing
compassion, helps others with his actions, speeches, and mind will
reap the virtuous fruits as well. Some children are born in peace,
happiness, and easy to look after, while some children are born
with a tendency to be nervous and unhealthy, or even die before
they are born. These are all associated with their different causes
and effects, as well as their karma.
Pervading means that Buddha’s wisdom, different from the worldly
wisdom, perfectly fill out the space. Having realized and been
aware of all things in the universe, the Buddha is able to help
people obtain liberation from suffering of reincarnation and gain
happiness. We human beings have many torments and vexations.
Actually not only human but all begins, no matter a giant animal or
a tiny insect, have sufferings and pains. Now we are not able to
release even a tiny bug’s pain. Only Buddha is able to help us
eliminate our sufferings and pains thoroughly, and further to
benefit other people.
The difference between Buddhism and other religions lies in that
the Buddhist teachings are means to benefit the sentient beings.
The Buddha teaches the worldly people how to eliminate attachment
and step onto the path to liberation from their suffering. The
Buddha did not attain Buddhahood all of a sudden. Instead, the
Buddha had learned from the wisdom of the previous Buddhas and had
practiced for three Asamkhyeyakalpas with 500 lifetimes in pure
bodies and 500 lifetimes in impure bodies so as to cultivate
compassion and Bodhichitta for attaining Buddhahood. Buddha
Sakyamuni is our spiritual teacher, who advises and teaches the
worldly people with 84,000 practice means to liberate them from
suffering.
The vast Buddhist teachings are like the many branches and
leaves of a tree in the summertime. As the number of the Buddhist
teachings is extremely large, some people would wonder whether it
is very difficult to learn all the Buddhist teachings in one’s
lifetime since there are so many practice means. How can we learn
and practice the teachings then? However, even with such a great
number of practice means, all of them are based on an altruistic
mind—mercy, compassion, and Bodhichitta. No matter how vast or
thick the branches and leaves are, clearly the tree has one trunk
only, with its root growing underneath. The root needs water to
grow strong and the root of the Buddhist teachings is mercy,
compassion, and Bodhichitta.
However, it doesn’t mean that the sentient beings can attain
Buddhahood one day even without practice since they, too, have
tathāgatagarbha just like the Buddhas. We all have the nature for
attaining Buddhahood. Nevertheless, only through seeking refuge can
one learn, accept, and cultivate the Buddhist teachings
continuously so as to uncover the nature. Take a piece of hard ice,
for example, if it is placed in a freezing cold place, it won’t
melt even after millions of years. Only when the ice is placed in
the sun and exposed to the sunlight can it possibly melt.
With the knowledge of the rarity of a perfect human body and the
benefits of the Buddhist teachings, the most important thing for
one to do is to seek refuge. One should depend upon the virtuous
friend, your guru, and seek refuge in the Three Jewels—Buddha,
Dharma, and Sangha. As a matter of fact, the virtuous friend, your
guru, is the Sangha Jewel, his words are the Dharma Jewel, and his
thoughts are the Buddha Jewel. Since your guru practices and
observes precepts, he himself is a sangha. With his genuine
experience in the Buddhist teachings, your guru’s advice is the
Dharma Jewel. As your guru has a heart filled with mercy,
compassion, and Bodhichitta, just like those of the Buddhas, and
helps liberate the sentient beings from suffering with such an
altruistic mind, the thoughts of your guru are the Buddha Jewel.
The Buddhist disciples can be categorized into three types—outer,
inner, and secret. Whoever has sought refuge is called an outer
disciple. Those who generate mercy and compassion after they seek
refuge are called the inner disciples. Those who have the
Buddha-nature and depend upon their guru to learn and practice
Buddhism so as to attain Buddhahood are called the secret
disciples.
The gurus who can sit on the Dharma Thrones are the
practitioners who have already broken off from attachments and
attained endurance. A guru’s mind is completely for benefiting
others and not for himself. Every thought from an ordinary person’s
mind is all for his own benefit; however, a guru is all for
sentient beings’ interests, has practiced endurance, and can
tolerate everything done by sentient beings from their ignorance
and blindness without any hatred.
After taking refuge, a disciple should learn, accept, and hold
and protect precepts. And among the levels of behavior, speech, and
mind, the most important is holding the precepts in the mind. After
taking refuge, a disciple relies on the guru, should frequently
contemplate that the guru uses the merciful and compassionate mind,
which is void of nature, to benefit sentient beings, and should
practice Guru Yoga for learning the guru’s dual mind of compassion
and void of nature such that the disciple’s mind can be like the
guru’s mind of benefiting sentient beings and attains Buddha’s
treasure. A person who has taken refuge under the Three Jewels can
attain the three treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha himself.
However, if one does not hold the precepts after taking refuge, one
will not attain the true joyful state of Buddhahood.
The founder Jigten Sumgon had once said, “Hope that all the
sentient beings’ causes, conditions, and karma will all become
mature in this life.” All Buddhas attained Buddhahood from being in
the human realm. Buddhist sutras have stated that one should pray
that in future lives one can obtain a human body and practice
Buddha dharma. Although every child is all raised by its parents,
some children can take refuge under and have contact with Buddha
dharma even before they are born while some cannot; this is related
to their virtues, merits, causes, and conditions.
Therefore, we should grasp this life, cherish the causes and
conditions of practicing Buddha dharma which let us take refuge
under our guru, and fully achieve everything in the sentences of
“Stop all evildoings; conduct all virtuous deeds; purify my mind by
myself; the above are all Buddha’s teachings.” Suffering is
originated from persistence and attachment. When one wants to stop
all evildoings, one has to eliminate persistence and attachment;
doing so, one will be away from sufferings naturally. Wellbeing is
originated from the virtuous thought of benefiting others. When one
wants to conduct all virtuous deeds, one should practice a merciful
and compassionate mind and Bodhicitta; doing virtuous deeds to
benefit others, one will attain peace and happiness naturally. If
one can purify one’s own mind, practice compassion, mercy, and the
wisdom of void of nature, and do Bodhicitta to benefit sentient
beings, one should be able to attain Buddhahood in the future. This
is the true meanings of Buddha dharma taught by the Buddha to the
world.
Buddha’s mind is like a blooming flower while an ordinary
person’s mind is like a flower seed; although they look different,
a flower seed can surely produce the same flower in the future. Do
not think that you do not have the Buddha nature or the womb of
Tathagata; each person has it. It is stated in the Thirty-Seven
Practices of Bodhisattvas, “All perfect Buddhas, source of benefit
and happiness, were born from accomplishing the true Dharma; and as
that depends on knowing the Dharma practices, the Bodhisattvas’
practices will be described here.” Hope that everyone can follow
and rely on the guru and truly practice Buddha dharma. Different
sects of Buddhism are all practicing Buddha dharma and should not
criticize each other; otherwise, it is not practicing Buddha
dharma, but practicing greed, hatred, and ignorance. Those who are
not willing to give alms and make offerings will fall into the
hungry ghost realm. Those who have heavy hatred will fall into the
hell realm.