The fourth kind of bowing is called 'wise and
pure'. 'Wise' refers to the functioning of wisdom, and
'pure' refers to the development of purity. It describes one who
uses true wisdom to purify his body and mind. People who are wise use this method
to bow to the Buddha, and by doing so, they purify the Three Karmas
of body, mouth, and mind.
"When someone uses this fourth
method to bow to the Buddha, his bodily karma is correct inasmuch
as he does not kill, steal, commit sexual misconduct, and so in
this way his bodily karma is purified. When he uses this method to
bow to the Buddha, he entertains no thoughts of greed, hatred, or
stupidity, rather he possesses the wisdom born from singlemindedly
and respectfully bowing to the Buddha, and so his karma of mind
also becomes pure. When someone bows to the Buddha, he also recites
the Buddha's name, and by doing so, or by holding and reciting
Sutras and mantras, his mouth karma is also correct and devoid of
any harsh speech, false speech, irresponsible speech or duplicity
and is thereby purified. When the Three Karmas of body, mouth, and
mind are pure, this is called 'wise and pure bowing', with which
one uses true wisdom to bow to the Buddha.
The fifth kind of bowing is called 'pervading everywhere
throughout the Dharma-realm'. . . . It describes one who,
when bowing, contemplates: Although I have not yet become a
Buddha in body, the nature of my mind fills the Dharma-realm. As I
bow before this one Buddha, I bow everywhere before all Buddhas. I
am not just bowing before one Buddha; my transformation bodies bow
before each Buddha, simultaneously making offerings to all Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas.'
"Consider that 'everything is
made from the mind alone', and so one's mind totally pervades the
Dharma-realm (see entry). One's bowing practice totally pervades
the Dharma-realm. What is the Dharma-realm? All of the Great
World-Systems of a Billion Worlds (see world-systems) are contained
within it. In fact, nothing is outside of the Dharma-realm. With
this kind of bowing, you contemplate your respectful bowing
pervading everywhere throughout the Dharma-realm. . .
.
The sixth is called 'sincerely cultivating proper
contemplation.' One who cultivates proper concentration is
one who concentrates his mind and contemplates: 'Bowing to the Buddha is bowing to
the Buddhas of the Dharma-realm; bowing to the Buddhas of the
Dharma-realm is just bowing to one Buddha.' This is because 'all
Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time share
one Dharma-body in common, and all Buddhas' lands and ways are
identical.' A concentrated mind must be used to bow to the Buddha,
to contemplate the Buddha, and to cultivate, so that you will not
have polluted thoughts.
"It is not considered to be
proper concentration if when you are bowing, your mind runs off to
the movies, or to the race track, or goes off hunting, or to a
dance hall, a bar, or a restaurant. You need not purchase a ticket
for your mind to travel off in all directions. With no travel
arrangements at all, suddenly it is in the heavens, and suddenly it
is on earth. Sometimes your mind will fly off to New York and then
for no apparent reason, it comes back to San Francisco. You think,
'Oh, I was here bowing to the Buddha and then I went to New York,
only to fly back to San Francisco again. This must be a spiritual
power!'
"In fact, that is not even a ghostly power, let alone a spiritual
power. It is nothing more than polluted thought and is called
deviant contemplation or improper contemplation. If you cultivate
with proper contemplation, you will not have these polluted
thoughts. You would bow to the Buddha with an undivided mind.
"'Sincerely cultivating' means that when you bow once, that
surpasses one million bows made by someone who bows while having
polluted thoughts. And so in cultivating, 'when you reach the gate,
you enter.' You should understand this Dharma-door, because if you
do not, then when you see others bowing to the Buddha, you will not
bow the way they do but instead will think, 'As soon as I'm
finished bowing, I'm going to have a cup of coffee, or perhaps I'll
have a drink.' People like that have no control over their minds,
and after they have finished bowing, they run off to have a
drink.
"The problem is not only do they themselves go out to have a drink,
but they drag everyone else out with them. That is really pitiful.
That is not 'cultivating purely with proper contemplation', but is
a form of deviant contemplation, because if you have false thoughts
while you are bowing, your worship is devoid of any merit and
virtue.
