November 9, 2003

In America there are good points and there are bad points.  Americans let go very easily.  They will not be tied down to anything.  They will let go of everything just to enjoy their leisure time.  However, this good point can easily become a bad point.  Americans are not bound to their work and can easily set it aside and never finish it.  But they cling to their leisure time.

One day I saw a news item while surfing the web.  It said that Taiwanese are the hardest working people in the world.  They work an average of seventy-two hours per week.  Most of the time they work without taking any breaks.  This report was based on an American company's survey.  Yet, if you work too hard, then you are clinging too much to your work and not having much time to spend with your family.  Therefore, it isn't good to work too little or too much.  It is similar to playing a string instrument.  If the string is too loose it will not produce a tone.  If it is too tight it will break.  Likewise Buddhism is neither "too tight" nor "too loose" but emphasizes the "Middle Path".

There are many confusing situations in our lives.  Today's topic "Wisdom" shows us how to manage things clearly.  Having wisdom is like holding a lit candle in a dark room.  It lights your way.  Practicing Buddhism is not to pray for Buddha's blessings but to reveal our wisdom.  Having wisdom enables you to face any difficulty and resolve any adverse situation in your life.

Wisdom in Sanskrit (or Pali) is Prajna.  If we understand the empty nature of the interdependent origination that is "Ultimate Emptiness", then we will see things clearly.  Some people misunderstand the meaning of the empty nature as nothingness (i.e. nonexistence).  Others think that getting enlightenment means nothing exists and there is nothing to care for.  If this is true, are those who don't want to work and those who are homeless liberated and full of wisdom?  Wisdom is the empty nature of interdependent origination.  That is "All things begin from Causes and Conditions and all things end because of Causes and Conditions".  For example, you may see many flowers blooming today and you wish these flowers wouldn't fade away.  But the flowers will fade away sooner or later.  If we do not realize the reality that flowers will fade away then our lives will be miserable.  The fading away of flowers is a normal process.  Flowers are dependent on the related causes and conditions.  This includes the seeds, water, air and the proper timing to plant and grow the flowers.  Wishing that flowers would not fade away is an abnormal reaction.  It is not the flowers fault that they fade away.

Many people said I could not survive without my spouse.  We are easily led to this assumption not realizing that each of us is an individual.  No matter how long you and your spouse are together when your present lifetime is ended you and your spouse will be separted.  All things begain and end based on causes and conditions.  Many things are out of our control.  Just like those of a fortuneteller, if they could change their fate they would not have to earn a living by telling fortunes.

Chinese practicing Feng Shui believe that if they buried their deceased parents in the dragon cave (the best place to bury the deceased) their descendants would then have a very bright and prosperous future.  If it were in ancient times then the descendants would become emperors.  In the present time the descendants would be elected as presidents.  Therefore, many Chinese spend an enormous amount of money to hire a Feng Shui teller to find a dragon cave to bury their deceased parents.  I told these people that "If this were true, then the Feng Shui teller would save the dragon caves for themselves to ensure the prosperity of their descendants.  They would not find the dragon cave for you."  This is not the right way to change your causes and conditions.  If you want your child to become a president someday spend your money on the best schools available, encourage your child to study diligently and to develop good moral conduct.

A lady told me that her employer is trying to bring her friend onboard to replace her.  Therefore, her employer is making her working conditions difficult and pushing her to quit her job.  She said her employer is like an evil witch.  Her employer continually finds fault with her and reprimands her.  At one time her employer's daughter was going to have a birthday party.  This lady bought several birthday gifts for the daughter.  Her employer then displayed her gifts to everyone on the desk in her office.  Her employer also opened her office door and speaking loudly so everyone could hear: "You only purchased these gifts to flatter me".  Her employer also requires her to come to work early and leave late.  Sometimes she is asked to locate information during her lunch time making it impossible for her to eat her lunch.  Because of this, she is suffering greatly.

I told the lady: "The economy is not good right now.  You have to keep this job to make a living but you must be careful not to let this hardship become a mental problem."  This lady also told me: "I am gowing older and it is hard to change jobs.  If I lost my job and health insurance it would create a great hardship for me.  Therefore, I have to keep this job."

This lady was reciting many Sutras and Mantras everyday even more than the monks and nuns do.  She asked me: "Shi Fu, it has been two years since I started to recite Sutras and Mantras and dedicating the merits to my employer.  Why hasn't the situation between us improved?"  I told her: "This is because there is a problem in the way you recite the Sutras and Mantras.  Reciting Sutras and Mantras is very effective.  You said that your employer is like an evil witch?"  She replied: "Yes, she is a very disgusting and very hateful person.  She is just like an evil witch".  I told her: "If you had a good practice, your employer would not be a disgusting and hateful person in your mind.  You would have a pure and compassionate mind.  You would not dislike your employer".

She then asked me: "What should I do?"  I replied: "It's very simple.&nbshp; When you are busy with your job you become tired and reciting so many Sutras and Mantras is creating stress.  Under these circumstances you won't get any results from your practice.  All you have to do is sincerely recite one Mantra.  You can recite this Mantra while you are driving.  You can recite it in your heart while you are working.  You can also recite this Mantra while you are in bed.  You can recite this Mantra anytime you want while walking, sitting or lying down.  And especially, when your employer is reprimanding you.  This Mantra is so simple that you can memorize it just by reciting it twice.

While your employer is being difficult, you can recite your Mantra.  The most important thing is that you have to visualize your employer as the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.  While you visualize your employer as the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, then the words that are coming out of your employer's mouth are transformed into the Sutra of the Universal Door of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.  You will be very happy that every sentence spoken by your employer is the Dharma Voice.  As long as you visualize your employer as the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, sooner or later your mind will be transformed into a compassionate mind.

The spiritual response of Buddhism is that as long as you are compassionate toward others; you, in turn, will receive a compassionate response from others.  Sometimes the power of your mind is stronger that the power of your words.  You can change anything as long as you have a compassionate mind.  Within these two years, whenever you saw your employer, you hated her in your mind.  She would sense the hate in your mind and would, in turn, hate you too.  Therefore, the relationship between you and her will never improve.  According to Buddhism, your outward appearance is transformed by your mind.  If you don't like your employer, then your appearance will be transformed to reflect your feelings towards her.  How can she like you?"  Finally I gave her this piece of advice: "You have to thank your employer because she has given you this chance to practice patience.  It's like practicing Kung-Fu.  You have o practice it everyday to attain its ultimate results."

The Buddhavatamsaka-Mahavaipulya Sutra says: "If we would like to understand the true meaning of all the Buddhas in the three times, then we should realize that all the phenomena in the Dharma Realm are created by our mind."  There are many methods of practice in Buddhism to suit the different needs of sentient beings.  When we practice we should focus on one method and practice its tenants diligently.  It isn't the recitation of many Sutras or Mantras or having long sessions that makes our practice effective.  This is only a link in the emergence of our wisdom.  With practice our wisdom gradually unfolds.  And with wisdom, we can attain the most effective results in all our endeavors.

There are Eight Sufferings in our lives.  Metting with whom we dislike and parting with whom we love are two sufferings among the eight.  The person you dislike, you have to face every day while the person you love usually lives far away.  As long as you try to like everyone your mind will be transformed and you will be very happy.  Therefore, those Buddhas who have become Buddhas are very thankful to those people who have helped then on their way to becoming Buddhas.  It is because of good and bad causes and conditions from those people that contributed to the practice of those Buddhas.

There is a girl who comes to the States not for sightseeing but to visit her brother who is in prison.  Her brother has a friend who was an international drug dealer.  Once her brother's friend was caught while dealing drugs.&nbshp; His lawyer told him that he would receive a lighter sentence if he told the court that someone else told him to smuggle the drugs into the country.  Therefore, he told the court that her brother was the head of the drug cartel.  When this girl's brother entered the United States again, the FBI arrested him.  His family knew he was innocent.  Even so, he was still sentenced to ten years in prison.  Because of this, she started Buddhist charity work.  She mailed many Buddhist books to her brother in prison.  Her brothers mental outlook changed after he read those books.  Her brother thought this was an opportunity for him to have a retreat in prison.  "I don't hate my friend.  This is my karma.  My mind is very peaceful.  I saw some people in prison who are unbalanced and full of hatred.  If they were released from prison, they would not have a healthy mental outlook.  They are pitiful.  Sister, I think that it was the Bodhisattva who sent me to prison."  Because her brother's English and Chinese are very good, he volunteered to be a translator for the Chinese in prison.  His days are very busy.  He worried about his friend who had framed him.  He hopes that his friend is well.  After I heard this story, I said: "Your brother is such a special person!"  Although we have karma, if we have wisdom we can see the light in the darkness.

If you thoroughly understand the empty nature of the interdependent origination that all things begin and end based on the causes and conditions, then you have wisdom.  The True Emptiness and the Transcendent Existing are two sided of one entity.  If you understand the True Emptiness, it is as though you are awakening from instant enlightenment.  You are no longer clinging to anything anymore.  You are free from delusion.  You are peaceful.  This is the True Emptiness.  The Transcendent Existing is the rebirth after awakning from the instant enlightenment and realizing the True Emptiness.