Heart and Mind Together

Few people are capable of wholehearted commitment, and that is why so few people experience a real transformation through their spiritual practice. It is a matter of giving up our own viewpoints, of letting go of opinions and preconceived ideas, and instead following the Buddha's guidelines. Although this sounds simple, in practice most people find it extremely difficult. Their ingrained viewpoints, based on deductions derived from cultural and social norms, are in the way.

We must also remember that heart and mind need to work together. If we understand something rationally but don't love it, there is no completeness for us, no fulfillment. If we love something but don't understand it, the same applies.

If we have a relationship with another person, and we love the person but don't understand him or her, the relationship is incomplete; if we understand the person but don't love him or her, it is equally unfulfilling. How much more so on our spiritual path. We have to understand the meaning of the teaching and also love it. In the beginning our understanding will only be partial, so our love has to be even greater.

~ Ayya Khema 

Two to Start a Quarrel

It takes two to start a quarrel. When one party has awakened, the enmity is dissolved. We should not wait for the other party to awaken; we should be the ones who are awakened. Once we are awakened, the enmity is dissolved.

We would not mind being taken advantage of or being deceived. We single-mindedly dedicate ourselves to learning and practicing Buddhism and mindfully chanting “Amituofo” and endeavor to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land at the end of this lifetime.

When we are reborn in the Western Pure Land, our wisdom, capabilities, virtues, and abilities will be uncovered. We will then be able to come back to the Nine Dharma Realms to help those who have an affinity with us. What affinity? Repaying kindness, taking revenge, collecting debts, and repaying debts.

We help those who have these four kinds of affinity with us. As long as there is affinity, with wisdom and expedient means, we will be able to help them end delusion and attain enlightenment, and to help them transform from ordinary people to sages. When we help others achieve these goals, we also achieve in our cultivation of virtues, wisdom, and good fortune.

Whether intentional or unintentional, obstructing others or harming others to benefit ourselves is something that we must not do. Our lives are short. When we try to benefit ourselves, how much benefit can we gain and for how long can we enjoy it? And for this, we will have the retribution of falling into the Three Evil Paths. The length of time we suffer there far exceeds the amount of time we enjoyed those fleeting benefits.

Why would we want to do such a foolish thing?

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra

Nurture Affinities and Resolve Enmities

The causes of affinity are very complex, so the Buddha grouped them into four categories to facilitate understanding.

The first is to repay kindness, the second is to exact revenge, the third is to collect debts, and the fourth is to repay debts. Any of these four kinds of affinity exist among the members of a family, or else they would not become family. One also has one or more of these four kinds of affinity with those one interacts with during one’s lifetime.

The difference is how strong or weak the affinity is. Those who share a strong affinity become family members. If the affinity is not so strong, they become relatives or friends. If the affinity is weak, they become acquaintances. If the affinity is very weak, they may just pass each other on the street, and nod and smile at each other.

If they have no affinity at all, they would not even nod or smile at each other. One also has an affinity with someone who may glare at one, but this affinity is very weak. One may encounter this person only once in the entire lifetime.

Ancient Chinese often said that if you have an affinity with someone, you will travel thousands of miles to meet each other, but if you have no affinity with that person, you may not look at each other even when you come face to face.

If you have been kind to someone in past lifetimes, in this lifetime, this person would be very kind to you. When you are in trouble, he or she will help you wholeheartedly to repay kindness.

If someone takes a dislike to you and often insults and slanders you, and even harms you, this person is taking revenge on you.

If someone defrauds or robs you of your money or belongings, this person is collecting debts from you.

If someone helps you make money so that you can be well off financially, this person is repaying debts to you.

The examples of causality, of cause and effect relationships in the four basic kinds of affinities are numerous, but we can see the general idea—we need to nurture good relationships and resolve enmities.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra

The Himalayan Parrot

In a thicket at the foot of the Himalayan Mountains there once lived a parrot together with many other animals and birds. One day a fire started in the thicket from the friction of bamboos in a strong wind and the birds and animals were in frightened confusion.

The parrot, feeling compassion for their fright and suffering, and [remembering] the kindness he had received in the bamboo thicket where he could shelter himself, tried to do all he could to save them. He dipped himself in a pond nearby and flew over the fire and shook off the drops of water to extinguish the fire. He repeated this diligently with a heart of compassion [for all the animals in the thicket].

This spirit of compassion and self-sacrifice was noticed by a heavenly god who came down from the sky and said to the parrot: “You have a gallant mind, but what good do you expect to accomplish by a few drops of water against this great fire?”

The parrot answered: “There is nothing that cannot be accomplished by the spirit of compassion and self-sacrifice. I will try over and over again and then over in the next life.” The great god was impressed by the parrot's spirit and they together extinguished the fire.

~ Thus Have I Heard, Translated by the Sutra Translation Committee

Obstructions Everywhere

To achieve in our practice, we need to let go of worldly concerns. Letting go does not mean that we do not care and would not help. We care, extend our help and let go simultaneously. This is wisdom. Those who care but cannot let go are still ruled by emotions.

How do Buddhas and bodhisattvas manage to care, help, and let go? They have true wisdom. They have turned all their emotions into wisdom, which is the ultimate perfect wisdom. They have wondrous and amazing flexibility and skills. Although they help all beings out of great compassion, there is no slightest attachment in their minds. This is the wonderful working of innate virtues.

The Buddha often said that this wisdom was not exclusive to him. It is innate in every being. Why do Buddhas and bodhisattvas appear to have it but we do not? Because they are awakened and we are deluded.

When one is awakened, there is no obstruction between principle and phenomena, and there is no obstacle between individual phenomena.

When one is deluded, there are obstructions everywhere.

Our problem is that we are deluded, and our delusion obscures our true nature. We need to awaken, to end delusion and attain enlightenment.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra