Posted on: June 16, 2009 

Posted by: TBTTs

(Reverend Lian Hsu talked about why we must practice Buddha’s teachings.  Through Buddhism, we’ll realize our own Buddha nature and attain Buddhahood.)

(Acharya Lian Chuan talked about how people view themselves.  She told a story about -how a miniscule yet sincere offering can generate great merit.  Acharya Lian Chuan stated the lesson to be learned here is that what you don’t know might still be true and what you don’t see might still exist.  “It all begins with believing,” said Archarya Lian Chuan.  “Spreading the Buddha dharma starts with every TBS disciple.”)

When I mentioned Shi Mu, everybody chuckled.  She may not be watching, but I still have to mention her.  As with lots of things, even though you don’t see her, that doesn’t mean she does not exist.  Shi Mu could be omnipresent.

Chapter 2 of the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Prajna, has the following scripture:

Cling to state - initiation and cessation,
As ebb and flow of water,
Known as “this shore”,
Retire from state - no initiation and cessation,
As smooth flow of water,
Known as the “opposite shore”,
Hence the name Paramita.
 
Acharya Lian Chuan told the story of a peasant woman making an offering of all she had to Lord Buddha – a bowl of spoiled congee, produced great merit.  This is how a tiny seed (the spoiled congee) can grow into a great tree (great merit) that can provide shade to 500 carriages.

Don’t make the distinction of big and small.  The same thing can be said about beauty and plainness.  Beauty and plainness should not be different.  The same can be said with size, that is, big and small are essentially the same.  Entering a state sees initiation.  A state can be happiness or sadness.  Leaving a state sees cessation.  In Buddhism, ceasing thoughts and cognition concludes initiation and cessations.  Just like wind and water, no wind, no waves. 

Like I said last week, this shore and the opposite shore, no initiations and no cessations, if you can achieve this you’ve truly awakened.  Acharya Lian Chuan mentioned those people she met in Europe who would not believe in the spiritual world unless they see ghosts with their own eyes.  Let me tell you, those who can see ghosts, they should belong in the psych ward.  Because they say they see everything, God, Buddha, you name it.  So next time when you visit Sweden, tell these folks that they can see ghosts when they are admitted into a ward too.  Here is a joke provided by somebody about psych wards.  All patients in a mental hospital want to be released, so the administrator thinks up a plan.  On a wall, he draws a door with a door handle and tells the patients that to leave here just open this door.  Everyone scrambles after the door and tries to open it.  But one patient doesn’t bite.  The administrator thinks this guy perhaps is closer to normal and asks this patient why he doesn’t try opening it.  The patient says no one can open this door because I have the key.  Turns out he is the worst afflicted patient there.  So, when you can see ghosts, you are like them. 

In real life, when you can see ghosts, you may also be near death.  When you are dying, your body is approaching bardo, so your spirit is almost there.  So next time, when you visit Sweden, tell them you can only see ghosts when 1) you are admitted into a psych ward or 2) you are about to die.  When my grandmother was about to pass away, she asked us kids to fetch her a hammer and she would keep it with her all day.  My mother asked her why, and grandma said: because I can see them.  They want me to go with them so I use the hammer to chase them away.  This is when you can see ghosts.  On the day that she passed away, grandma said never mind the hammer.  Next time they come back, I will go with them.  That night, she passed away.  So when you are almost dead, you will see ghosts.  Another way you can see ghosts is an easier way.  And I mentioned this in one of my books before.  When somebody is about to pass away, try to collect their tears, store them and make sure to not let them dry out, then put a few drops into the eyes of the person who wants to see ghosts, they will see ghosts. 

In the psych ward joke, what the patients see is false, not true.  But even what we see right now is not real and not permanent.  In recent past, I mentioned three famous people.  First is A-Bien, he was the ex-president of Taiwan, and everyone knows where he is now.  He is held in detention pending trial for bribery charges.  Nothing is permanent.  Second is Wang Yung-Ching.  He was the richest person in Taiwan before he died.  His family is now fighting over his fortunes.  The richest still can’t get away from the initiation and cessation.  Third is Tsuei Tai-Ching.  She used to be very pretty.  Recently, paparazzi took pictures of her and she is completely out of shape and unattractive.  All three people are changing, and are evidently going through the initiation and cessation.  Although we know there is initiation and cessation, we still chasing after vanity, wealth and looks.  Acharya Lian Ming asked me today what he can do to get rid of his pimples.  Even though he’s an enlightened one, he still cares about his appeal. 

If you detach from the state, you are not bound to either initiation or cessation.  I have been saying that I am now twenty years old, but that’s just me saying it.  I believe that I am only twenty.  So I leave the state of being sixty-five, then I see no initiation and no cessation.  You just celebrated my sixty-fifth birthday, but I think I am twenty.  Even when I become eighty-five, I still think I am twenty.

There is a teacher who is very kind.  He always leaves good comments on his students’ year books.  One of his students always dozes off in class.  When he’s not napping, he talks to other students.  So this teacher writes, “Likes to ponder and not afraid to express himself.”  His vision is close to perfection.  This teacher is just like me.  I see everyone a perfect person.  Just like Buddha, He knows every being has Buddha nature.

Six realms represent states.  Only when you realize all things are equal, you will be librated.  I treat favorable and unfavorable circumstances as equal.  When you treat favorable and unfavorable circumstances the same, you will not be distressed over anything.  That’s why I say, live a day, be happy, practice Buddhism and be thankful.  You should be thankful under all circumstances.          

The sixth Patriarch is saying that you have worries in this shore and you will become worry free if you reach the opposite shore.  But I say this shore is the same as the opposite shore.  If you realize that, you are enlightened.  If you can transcend jealousy, appeal, and accumulation, you will have a neutral and undifferentiated heart capable of libration.

Reported by Justin Chiu
Proofread by Angela Yeh
Edited by Morgan

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