July 24, 2004

Amitabha everybody!

Actually, I am very familiar with you guys already.  You are the closest ones to me after I came to the United States of America.&nbap; The Law of the Cause and Condition cannot be described and explained with the worldly language and words.  If we didn't practice together in our former lives then we wouldn't have such deep connection in the present.  We came from different places: some are from Taiwan and some from Hong Kong.  We came here to make the monastery better together.  We are o common ground as far as establishing the monastery is concerned.  It is the responsibility of the Buddhists, (four assemblies - monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen) - to establish the monastery.  It is not just monks' and nuns' job but also needs the supports from laypeople.

My Master, Venerable Sheng Kai, had already passed away.  After I became a Buddhist nun, I liked very much to hear him telling stories.  Usually, there were many people who came to my Master's teaching, and he would tell many stories.  During his teaching, he often talked about some of his practice experiences.  I had heard many stories from him.  One of the stories made a very profound impression on me:

Once upon a time, there were many different kinds of animals living on a mountain.  Usually, this forest was very beautiful, very peaceful and very tranquil.  Everybody lived together without worries just like a family.

One day, suddenly, the forest was on fire.  That fire was destroying the whole forest.  These animals were flying, walking, running and jumping to escape from their home.  When these animals were fleeing, they saw a little bird that was flying toward the burning forest.  This little bird was flying here and there expecting that somebody would help him put out the fire.  Because the living beings always treasure their own lives more, so that nobody paid attention on him.  This little bird flew to a lake next to the forest and damped a pair of his wings.  Then, he flew back to that burning forest and shook his wings to sprinkle the water on the fire trying to put it out.

I would like you to think about it, if you were this little bird and the whole forest was on fire.  But you only have a pair of wings, could you go ahead to put the fire out?  I think many people will think that it is a very difficult job.  But, this little bird was just like that flying back and forth trying to put the fire out.  He thought that it doesn't matter; I just wanted to do my best to put out the fire.  But, other animals said: "Hi!  You, get out of there to save your life quickly!  When are you going to stop putting the fire out like this?  The fire kept on buring, but you can just sprinkle a little water on the fire."  He said: "It doesn't matter.  I will keep on doing it until I die."

Even though my Master's health wasn't very good, he still gave teachings, but could not get enough sleep and still had to take care of many things as an abbot.  Several times he almost entered Perfect Rest (honorific term in Chinese Buddhism for dying).  But, he frequently said that he is just like a little bird sprinkling a little Dharma-water trying to moisturize the living beings.

This story could be explained in many different ways.  One of the explanations is that we should be like this little bird in practicing the Bodhisattva path to benefit self and others.  Although our abilities are very limited, we just do our best.  Some people said: "Shi-Fu, right now you need to work hard a little bit.  Wait for me in the future to be famous and earning lots of money, then I would fully assist in establishing the Vairocana Monastery."  I sigh from time to time and say that: "When the time come, you might be gone or I might be gone or the Viarocana Monastery may not exist anymore.  Things are all dependent on the causes and conditions.  You might not have the right conditions to help the temple when you earned lots of money."  This world is not perfect.  If you wanted to keep waiting, the good cause and condition would not wait for you.  Therefore, we should practice the Bodhisattva path based on the circumstances and do our part in benefiting self and others.  Just do whatever we can, do not waste any time.

After I became a nun, because we had to build our temple, we would work all day.  After chanting the stanza of sounding the bell in the morning, we would head to the Earth-Womb temple to dig the foundation and to carry the bricks.  Although we were still young at that time, we all felt that this was a very laborious work.  Wouldn't it be great, if a monastery had already established?  All I had to do daily was to practice.  But my Master had frequently said: "It is very easy to choose a monastery from so many to become a monk or nun.  Many monasteries have great causes and conditions that connect to you.  But not everyone has the chance to enter a monastery in its establishing stage.  You have to have enormous merit and many good causes and conditions to have this luck."  I often feel that building a monastery is actually is a great accomplishment for myself.  Facing many things to test your patience and wisdom, it is to develop a monastery within your mind.

Since my Master was like that little bird sprinkling water with his wings to put the fire out, as his disciple, I should do the same thing as he did.  And I should definitely do this.  Although my Master had passed away, I never forget his spirit and teachings.  All the things that he taught me are great fodder for my practice.

Talking about giving a teaching, I don't actually know how to give a teaching.  Because the true meaning of giving a teaching is that the one who gives teaching is already enlightened.  Opening the enlightenment stage and discovering the truth is called "giving teaching".  Nowadays, every time when we preach to propagate the Buddha Dharma we say we are giving a teaching.  Actually, giving teaching is an expedient way of saying it.  We have learned a lot of Buddha Dharma from our great masters and the Buddha.  Although we are not enlightened yet, howevery, we are willing to share our little experiences from our practice with everyone.  If no one objects, then we will have this little attainment exchange during the ceremonies in the future.