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English|Vietnamese
HOW TO ATTAIN TRANSCENDENTAL
WISDOM
Ven.
Master Hsuan Hua
We have to use the false to facilitate the cultivation of the true. We
should follow the example of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who have
transcendental wisdom and inconceivable spiritual powers. How did they
attain their wisdom and powers? To put it in a nutshell, when they were on
the causal ground, they cultivated seriously and upheld the precepts
carefully at all times and all
places. They had perfect deportment while walking, standing, sitting, and
reclining, setting an example with their own conduct. They spared no effort
for the sake of living beings and took all the work and blame upon
themselves. They never showed off or publicized the meritorious deeds they
did to benefit living beings; they took rescuing living beings as their
personal duty. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas all embody the spirit of:
Helping living beings without seeking any rewards
Giving to others without any feeling of regret.
They showed great kindness to those with whom they had no affinities and
practiced great compassion by regarding all beings as identical with
themselves. Through such cultivation, they attained transcendental wisdom
and inconceivable spiritual powers.
When listening to Sutra lectures, we have to contemplate and digest what we
hear before we can receive the benefit. Otherwise, after having listened to
many lectures we’ll begin to neglect the doctrines spoken in the Sutras, or
even put the principles on the back burner, neither investigating nor
contemplating them, only using our worldly intelligence to do muddled
things. This kind of foolish behavior is unfilial to the Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas, our ancestors, parents, and teachers. We should earnestly
practice and uphold the Buddhadharma, and not be lazy or careless. We must
be cautious at all times and places, be vigorous, and strictly uphold the
precepts. These are the guidelines cultivators must follow.
If we have improper habits and faults, we must correct them. We cannot cling
to our faults, refuse to correct them, even defend them. That would be
“helping King Zhou perpetuate evil.” King Zhou was a depraved tyrant during
the late Shang dynasty, and evildoers are said to have helped him in his
tyranny. The “King Zhou” of cultivation is Mara, the demon king. When the
demon king sees the Buddhadharma flourishing, he feels uneasy and does all
he can to destroy Buddhism and disrupt its Way-places. If you have a
Way-place, he’ll come to disturb it. If you don’t have a Way-place, then
he’ll come to disturb your body and mind, making you feel restless and ill
at ease, so that you cannot practice the Dharma. This is a case of direct
sabotage. There is also indirect sabotage, such as enticing you with all
kinds of states that cause you to lose Samadhi power, get carried away and
all into his trap, losing the resolve to cultivate.
Therefore cultivators should be as calm and steady as Mount Sumeru,
remaining unmoved no matter what states they encounter. Then the demon king
will be helpless to do anything; he will have to abandon his armor and run
way.

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