Bodhisattvas Fear Causes, Sentient Beings Fear Effects
May 18, 2010 (The following is from a lecture series I have started giving at the Pure Land Learning College in Toowoomba, Australia. It is based on a talk by my teacher, Ven. Master Chin Kung, who based it on the writing of his teacher's teacher, Great Master Yin Guang, the thirteenth patriarch of the Pure Land Buddhism.)
It has been said that bodhisattvas fear causes while sentient beings fear effects. Consequently, bodhisattvas fear committing ill effects and take steps to avoid creating all negative causes. In so doing, they eradicate the debts; the karmic obstacles generated from their previous wrongdoings as well as accumulate perfect merits and virtues until they reach the state of Buddhahood. Whether worldly phenomena or the teachings of the Buddhas, nothing is exempt from the Law of Cause and Effect. It is said that everything is empty and unreal, an eternally impermanent element. But the Law of Cause of Effect is unchangeable and real, an eternally permanent element.
Both cause and effect are closely related as they continuous and cyclic. A cause becomes an effect, which in turn gives rise to another cause. From this endless cycle, we can see that a particular cause is not fixed. Neither is a single effect the only effect. The combination of cause and effect forms a vicious cycle, the cycle of rebirth.
A bodhisattva is an awakened, understanding being and is therefore well aware that every single cause produces an effect. Because of this, they are very cautious in their every thought, word and action, understanding that a negative cause will bear a negative karmic effect in the future. They understand they will have to personally bear their consequences.
But unlike bodhisattvas, we sentient beings do not understand the principles and the realities of life. The little knowledge we may have is limited and vague, far from complete. Consequently, we carelessly commit causal actions and do not understand, when the effects occur later, why they happened. By then it is too late for regret. Cause and effect are constantly being played out all around us. If we are unable to connect the occurrences, it is because we are not mindful. Rather we are impulsive and careless, not yet truly understanding. So for our own sake, we do not want to create any more bad deeds or causes, to only cultivate good deeds, which is what ancient masters, sages, and the patriarchs tried so hard to encourage us to do.
Regardless of the method we practice, the method of practicing Buddha-name Chanting while seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land adheres to the Law of Cause and Effect. The Pure Land method allows us to carry our existing karma to the Western Pure Land. But it is crucial that we understand that existing karma refers to the “old” and not the “new.” This “new” existing karma, which is created in the present, cannot be brought to the Pure Land. Actually, this new karma will be one of the impediments obstructing us from reaching the Pure Land. Carrying over our “old” existing karma means carrying over the negative karma that was created before we began to learn and practice Buddhism.
With this understanding, we must resolve not to create any more negative karma. Only if we do so can we be totally liberated. It would be wrong to think that we can still be born in the Pure Land even if we continue to do bad deeds, that chanting alone will be enough. One of Venerable Master Chin Kung's teachers, Mr. Li Bingnan, said that out of ten thousand people, who practice the Buddha-name Chanting Method, only a handful are able to obtain birth into the Pure Land. The remaining 9995 could not obtain birth into the Pure Land. Why? They did not stop creating negative karma in the present lifetime. In the end, regardless of all their chanting they were unable to obtain birth in the Pure Land. They still bore their consequences in the Six Paths of rebirth. It is crucial that we understand this.
To practice Buddhism, we need to bring forth the Bodhi mind. What is the Bodhi mind? The awakened mind. The mind that clearly understands the principles and true reality of life and the universe. The mind with perfect determination to cease committing all wrongdoings, to cultivate only good deeds, to practice only virtuous ways. Practicing with this Bodhi mind, our karmic debts can be eradicated.
The Buddha has explained it in this manner so that we are able to understand. In truth, our karmic debts cannot be eradicated; they can only be transformed into good fortune. Unfortunately, since good fortune is the great benefit of the human and heavenly realms, it is both temporary and still subject to birth and death. But transformation is equivalent to elimination to transform our afflictions into the Bodhi mind. It is to transform the cycle of birth and death into the state of Nirvana. In the process of transformation, our merits and virtues become flawless and reach completion as we attain Buddhahood, the ultimate perfection.
In The Flower Adornment Sutra, the Buddha told us that all sentient beings inherently possess the virtuous abilities and innate wisdom of the Buddhas. To uncover this original nature is to attain Buddhahood—to attain the state of perfect wisdom. Our virtues, talents, abilities, and good fortune are also perfect. Thus, when our every aspect is perfect, we become Buddhas.
Why then are we presently leading such difficult lives? Because of wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments. In other words, because of afflictions. The Buddhas taught us that the universe is generated from our wandering thoughts and discriminations, is created from our attachments. These obstacles represent false beliefs and erroneous viewpoints and have created the forty-one Dharma Body Bodhisattva stages of enlightenment Ten Abodes, Ten Conducts, Ten Transferences, Ten Grounds, and Equal-Enlightenment. Why are there different levels? They manifest from our different degrees of ignorance and wandering thoughts.
Where do the Ten Dharma Realms come from? They appear due to the lack of equality, from our discriminatory thoughts. When we harbor one single differentiating thought toward other beings and situations, the Ten Dharma Realms will appear. The highest of these are the Four Sage Realms of Sound-hearer, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, and Buddha.
When we cling to attachments, the Six Realms of Rebirth will appear. And, as our attachments increase, the Three Bad Paths, being the lower of the realms will appear. Finally, when our attachments are the most serious and tenacious, the hell realms will appear. Why are we unable to transcend the cycle of birth and death? Unable to sever our karmic obstacles? Not only do we not yet want to correct our faults, we are constantly increasing them!
How then do we rid ourselves of these deluded and illusory thoughts to uncover the original capabilities and virtues of our true nature? The only way is by letting go of our wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments. When we have eliminated all of these, we will not only overcome the cycle of birth and death in the Six Paths but will surpass the Ten Dharma Realms as well. And when this happens, we will dwell in the One True Dharma Realm, the state of the Buddhas. And it is within this reality that the Law of Cause and Effect lies.
Wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments are causes. Greed, anger and ignorance are causes. The Ten Dharma Realms, comprised of the Four Sage Realms and the Six Paths of Rebirth, are effects. Since wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments generate negative karma, they ought to be eliminated so that our merits and virtues can then be perfect and complete. The accumulation of merits depends on our cultivation. What is this cultivation? The ability to let go of wandering thoughts and discriminations, to let go of attachments, to correct our erroneous thoughts and behavior. What are virtues? Virtues arise from having accomplished deep concentration, wisdom, and the One True Dharma Realm. The attainment of these beneficial merits and virtues is the perfect attainment of Buddhahood.
Reader Comments (2)
With this understanding, we must resolve not to create any more negative karma. Only if we do so can we be totally liberated. It would be wrong to think that we can still be born in the Pure Land even if we continue to do bad deeds, that chanting alone will be enough. One of Venerable Master Chin Kung's teachers, Mr. Li Bingnan, said that out of ten thousand people, who practice the Buddha-name Chanting Method, only a handful are able to obtain birth into the Pure Land. The remaining 9995 could not obtain birth into the Pure Land. Why? They did not stop creating negative karma in the present lifetime. In the end, regardless of all their chanting they were unable to obtain birth in the Pure Land. They still bore their consequences in the Six Paths of rebirth. It is crucial that we understand this.
Sincerely in light,