Buddhist Verses & Silent Readings For Reflection (静思语） - Part 6

[sheamus]

Time never stands still—it is continuously passing. Seconds become minutes, minutes become hours, hours become days, days become years, and as time is passing in this way, you are travelling closer and closer towards death. Imagine an hour-glass, with the sand running into the bottom. The time you have to live is like these grains of sand, continuously running out...Hold your awareness for a while on the experience of this uninterrupted flow of time carrying you to the end of your life.

Life can end at any point: at birth, in childhood, in adolescence, at the age of twenty-two or thirty-five or fifty or ninety-four. Being young and healthy is no guarantee that a person will live a long time— children sometimes die before their parents.

No matter how much we have acquired or developed throughout our life—in terms of family and friends, wealth, power, travel experiences, and so on— none of it goes with us at death. Only our mind continues, carrying imprints of all that we have thought, felt, said and done. It is vital that when we die, we will have as many positive imprints—which will bring good experiences— and as few negative imprints—which will bring suffering—on our mind as possible. Also, we should aim to die at peace with ourselves, feeling good about how we lived our life, and not leaving behind any unresolved conflicts with people.

suman jyote bhante

 

[viethai]

人生中
不爭就是慈悲，
不辯就是智慧，
不聞就是清淨，
不看就是自在，
不貪就是佈施。

斷惡就是行善，改過就是懺悔，
謙卑就是禮佛，守禮就是持戒，
原諒就是解脫，知足就是放下，
利人就是利己。

海濤法師

 

[viethai]

認識五蘊
聖嚴法師

　 欲瞭解《心經》的「照見五蘊皆空」法門，首先，須先認識「五蘊」－「五蘊」是什麼？

　 一部分人將「五蘊」誤以為「五行」－「五行」，即是中國的金、木、水、火、土，它出自《易經》，是中國儒家哲學的基本觀念，後世道家哲學也廣泛採納其「陰陽五行」的思想。因此，也有人說「跳出三界外，不在五行中」，意即，離開金木水火土，離開了三界。

　 但是，「五行」是否即等於「五蘊」？兩者之間的關係、界別究竟為何？

　 「五蘊」出自佛家的概念，代表構成「人」之生命的五個要素，即是色、受、想、行、識。

　 色，指的是有形的、具體存在的物質體。我們的肉體、鳥獸、山河、林木、屋宇、餐具……都是。五行的「金木水火土」皆可以涵蓋在色蘊之內。因為，都是物質體，物質的元素。

　 色，有粗有細，有具相與隱微的。粗的物質體，眼睛可以看見，耳朵可以聽見，可以用手觸摸，也可以以身體感知。但是，微細的物質體，則較難以肉眼察覺，卻仍具體而微地存在著，例如，微生物、病毒、細菌、原子……等。

　 受、想、行三者指的是心理的功能－「受」即感受、覺受的「受」。受苦受樂，感覺憂傷、恐怖或失望。「想」，即思考、思想、想象、念想、猜想。「行」，指的是心理的作用，心理的變遷、變化、與流動。　「行」的特質，即是「相續流轉」－就是不斷不斷地變動、流轉著，如後一水滴推動前一水滴一般，流轉、變動個不停。

　 自然，我們的「念頭」，也是「行」的一部分－因為通常是前念持續到後念，後念又被緊逐而來的另一念所蓋過。念念相續，念念不已，一波又一波，不住流轉，不住變動，如此一念一念串聯下去，組成一種既連貫，又變動的心理行為。

　 精確地說，「受」與「想」都屬於「行」的一部分－是流動的心理狀態中，更明顯，更容易被觀照、覺察的部分。

微細的「行」，自己無法察覺，唯有在禪定中，可以感知。那剎那、剎那，極深，極細的流轉、變動，了知這即是「行」的現象。

　 識，包含了三個層面－其一、是認識、認知；其二、是分析、辨別；其三、則指從前一生至這一生，從這一生到下一生，能夠收藏、貯存生命種種行為、印記的一個記憶的「藏庫」或「主體」。

 

[viethai]

Visitor: Please accept our deepest sympathies on the loss of your mother.

Than Ajahn: Thank you. My mother didn’t die. She went into another realm. She departed from her old body and she would come back with a new body. She’s actually doing some body transplanting. So there is no need to be sad. She’s right now in a state of sleep and is dreaming. If she had made a lot of good kamma, she would have good dreams. If she had made a lot of bad kamma, she would have bad dreams. Nobody can help her. This is the way it is. So, believe the Buddha and try to do only good kamma and stop doing bad kamma. Then, no matter whether you live or die, you will always be happy.

“Dhamma in English, Jan 23, 2019.”
- - - - -
Q: How to practise the 32 parts in order to get the most benefit possible?

Than Ajahn: You can use it for samatha or vipassanā. Samatha is to make your mind peaceful and calm. Instead of repeating ‘buddho’, you can repeat the 32 parts: hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, bones, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc. You just memorise it and repeat it. If you keep reciting these 32 parts, your mind can become peaceful and calm and you will have samādhi. This is one method.

The second method is for vipassanā, to see the true nature of the body. When we see the body, we normally only see five parts of the body and they are the hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth and skin. That’s all we see and we might think that the body is only made up of these five parts, so we are deceived into looking at the body as beautiful or attractive. This causes us to desire and be attached to the body, thus creating dukkha for the mind.

When you want a body, you have to go and acquire it and when you cannot acquire it, you will become sad. Even after you have acquired your body or spouse, you will one day lose it or him/her and you will feel sad again. If you see the body as the 32 parts then you will not become attracted to the body and you will not have any sexual desire towards that body, and this is one way of getting rid of sexual desire.

When you see the complete picture of the body, you will then see that the body is not attractive. The parts under the skin are not attractive, such as the lungs, the heart, the intestine, stomach, liver, kidneys and all the dirty stuffs that come out of the body. Once you see the body in its entirety, you can get rid of your sexual desire. This is one level.

Another level is to see that the entire body has no person in it. The entire body only consists of 32 parts; for example, the hair is not you or me, the nails, teeth, skin are not you or me; they are just the parts of the body, so in this whole body there is no you or me in it. The whole body is just a composition of the 32 parts and it is not permanent; it is temporary, it is not lasting. One day it has to break up and when it breaks up it will return to the four elements: the liquid parts belong to water element, the heat in the body that makes your body warmth belongs to fire element, the parts that flow belong to the air element and the part that is solid belongs to earth element.

So this body is just a composition of the four elements. There is no person in that body: no father, no mother, no brother, no sister. The father or mother is in the mind and the mind doesn’t die with the body. The mind has to go to the next life when the mind still has desire or craving and it will be reborn according to kamma that it had performed. If it did good kamma, it will go to higher realm where there is more happiness than suffering, but if it did bad kamma, it will have to go to lower realm where there is more suffering than happiness such as the realm of animals, realm of hell (creatures), so this is the contemplation of the 32 parts of the body.

“Dhamma in English, Jul 14, 2016.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com
Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

 

[viethai]

࿐凡是傷你，都是在煉你࿐

人生中，沒有誰的路是一帆風順的。
總有一些人，讓你寒心；
總有一些事，讓你痛徹心扉。
但請記住——
凡是傷你的，都是來渡你的。

一、#痛苦，#是靈魂的淬煉

沒有經歷過傷痛的人，
永遠不會懂得成熟的價值。

那些讓你哭過的夜，
其實是在逼你成長；
那些讓你心碎的經歷，
其實是在磨你的心性。

修行不是離開塵世，
而是在紅塵裡，
被生活一次次磨礪，
仍能保有一顆柔軟的心。

二、#被傷的地方，#正是你該修的地方

別抱怨命運不公，
因為所有的境遇，
都是你心的投影。

你在哪裡被觸痛，
那裡就是你該修的業；
你在哪裡生氣、怨恨、執著，
那裡就是你該放下的地方。

痛，是轉化的契機。
當你願意覺察、願意改，
那一刻，你就不再是受害者，
而是修行者。

三、#人生沒有白受的苦

每一次被傷，
都是命運在告訴你：
「該覺醒了，該提昇了。」

痛苦不是懲罰，
而是提醒。

提醒你該放下驕慢、減少執著；
提醒你該感恩、該寬容、該柔軟。

當你學會不再怨、
不再逃、不再爭，
你會發現——
那些曾經傷你的人，
都成了成就你的“老師”。

四、#最深的煉，#不在外境，#而在心

真正的強大，
不是外表的堅硬，
而是心裡的柔和與清明。

外境越亂，心越要靜；
人越難對付，心越要穩。

當你不再被情緒牽動，
不再被他人影響，
不再因一句話起波瀾，
那一刻，你就煉成了。

結語：

凡是傷你的，不是來毀你，
而是來助你覺醒。

苦，不會白受；
淚，不會白流。

每一段破碎，都是靈魂重生的開始。
當你願意原諒、放下、感恩，
你就從煉獄裡走出，
進入真正的光明與自在。

 

[sheamus]

Life is short: hurry to meditate, study the Buddha’s teachings, and cultivate your mind before it’s too late.

Be mindful of the reality of your body, observing its impermanence and true nature — the waste it produces, its various secretions (saliva, nasal, ear, eye, genital, etc.), sweat, and the stench it emits. Stop being deceived by the fleeting pleasures it offers, such as comfort, sensuality, or vanity about appearance.

When the Buddha is present in our heart, we come to understand what we could not before, and we see what was previously unseen. But what do we truly understand, what do we really see? We recognize the defilements (kilesas) that stir our mind, shape our thoughts, words, and actions, enslave us, and cause suffering. There is nothing else to know, if you think you have realized anything more, let it go — only what pollutes the mind deserves attention.

A fully awakened being (arahant) no longer clings to the Buddha, the Dharma (the Buddha’s teachings), or the Sangha (the Buddhist community), as their mind is free from all attachment. At every moment, whether sitting or asleep for example, the mind remains vacant, detached from the body, sensations, memories, and thoughts. Whatever the circumstances, it abides in the state of Nibbana — free, pure, unchanging, and unconditioned.

Luang Pu Thue Achalathammo
(หลวงปู่ตื้อ อจลธมฺโม)

 

[sheamus]

BUDDHA–RĀHULA CONVERSATION

Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove. Venerable Rāhula was staying at Ambalaṭṭhikā. In the late afternoon, the Blessed One, coming out of retreat, visited Rāhula. Seeing the Teacher approach, Rāhula prepared a seat and water for washing the feet. The Blessed One washed His feet, sat on the seat, and Rāhula bowed to Him, sitting to one side.

The Blessed One, leaving a little water in the pot, addressed Rāhula:
“Rāhula, do you see this little water left in the pot?” “Yes, sir.”
“That is how little of the ascetic’s nature remains in one who is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.”

Then He discarded the water:
“See this water now gone? That is how the ascetic’s nature is discarded by one who tells a deliberate lie.”

He turned the pot upside down:
“See the pot now empty? That is how upside-down and hollow the ascetic’s life becomes in one who tells a deliberate lie.”

To illustrate further, the Blessed One compared a royal battle-elephant: even a strong and brave elephant protects its trunk; but once it loses restraint in battle, there is nothing it will not do. In the same way, one unashamed to lie may commit any unwholesome deed.

Thus He instructed Rāhula:
“Train yourself: I will not tell a lie, not even as a joke. A lie is spoken only to create a false belief in another.”

So you should train like this: ‘I will not tell a lie, even for a joke.’ What do you think, Rāhula? What is the purpose of a mirror?”
“It’s for checking your reflection, sir.”

“In the same way, deeds of body, speech, and mind should be done only after repeated checking.

Before acting: Examine the deed of body, speech, or mind. Will it cause harm to yourself or others? If so, refrain. Will it bring benefit and happiness? If so, act with diligence and joy.

During acting: Maintain awareness of the consequences.

After acting: Reflect on the outcome. If unwholesome, confess to a teacher or wise companion and restrain oneself in the future. If wholesome, rejoice and continue training day and night in skillful qualities.

The Blessed One concluded:
“All ascetics, past, present, and future, purify their body, speech, and mind through repeated reflection. Therefore, Rāhula, you should train thus.”

Satisfied, Venerable Rāhula approved of the Blessed One’s words.

This sutta, though addressed to the young Rāhula, remains timeless: it guides all who wish to live with honesty, mindfulness, and ethical integrity, purifying body, speech, and mind in every action.

---with mettā
#AmbalaṭṭhikaRāhulovādaSutta #suttastudy #mindfulness #palitipitaka #buddharahula — feeling hopeful.

 

[heymee]

 

[waterbright]

Kamma & Rebirth​

The Buddha acknowledged that he was not the first to attain the jhānas or to use those states of concentration to attain knowledge of previous lives. However, he noted that it is possible to attain a limited knowledge of previous lives (and by limited, he meant even as long as forty eons of cosmic expansion and contraction (DN 1)) and still develop wrong views about the relationship between kamma and the process by which rebirth occurs. One of the reasons for these wrong views is inappropriate attention—asking the wrong questions—and another is the sheer complexity of how kamma works. Only through his more complete knowledge of previous lives, together with his application of appropriate attention, was he able to realize the general principle of how kamma yields results: that skillful acts tend toward happiness and unskillful acts toward pain. However, he also saw that the results of present and past kamma interact in ways so complex that the question of when and where a particular action will yield its results is hard to answer—so hard, that any attempt to do so would lead to madness. And, given the role of present kamma in shaping one’s experience of the results of past kamma, the intensity with which the results of past kamma will be experienced can’t be predicted at all. Still, the general principle underlying these tendencies is reliable enough to provide guidance in following a path of action that will, eventually, lead to happiness. Not only that, this general principle also proved sufficient to underlie a path leading even further: to the harmless and peaceful happiness of unbinding.

“Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect.” — AN 6:63

 

[lingusthefungus]

 

[AUTUMN&WINTER]

1 min Dharma talk. Namo Amituofo.

 

[viethai]

福要自己造
債要自己還
苦要自己受
業要自己消
生死自己了

 

[viethai]

【星云大师点智慧】

老干新枝
　　“年老的人要传承交棒给年轻人…”
　　老的树干存在很重要，能够发出新枝更为重要！”老干新枝”相互配合，才有生命的传承。
　　《星云大师点智慧》系列，每天在《新明日报》刊登。完整内容请看10月21日《新明日报》。
　　《星云大师点智慧15》以及《点智慧·漫画9》已经开始出售，读者可到全岛各大书局及ZShop集品店购买。
　　新明电子报 一元掌握天下事　　　https://smsub.sph.com.sg/scepsmfb
　　(今日报章将于下午3时30分后发行)

 

[viethai]

【有智慧的人最富有】

感恩慧律法師開示：

人生只是一種觀念而已，好壞是一種觀念，貧富是一種觀念。所以，世界上誰最富有？有智慧的人最富有。為什麼？他每天都很快樂，錢哪裡買得到快樂？

錢買得到床，買不到睡眠，你睡不著,你使用一百萬元的床，你也得不到好的睡眠，不如一個工人，地上木板鋪一鋪，那塊木板二百元還不到，他的睡眠就睡得很好。你有錢可以買書，但是你不一定可以買到智慧，所以世間誰最富有？有智慧的人最富有，因為不論貧富，他的心都這麼喜悅、快樂，他的身體雖然很忙碌，可是他的心多麼的平靜。

 

[viethai]

花開花謝花非花　花開花謝不執著
聖嚴法師

世間的萬事萬物，不論是山川大地、環境中的任何事物與現象、我們的身體、思想、心理反應、……等，都是在不斷的變動之中，沒有一樣是永恆不變的，甚至包括所謂的原則、真理，也會隨著時空的不同，而階段性的有差異。到了該改變的那一刻，應該要放下的就要放下，不需執著。　　

但是要做到不執著談何容易，該如何去除執著呢？不妨試著從理性的分析，和對自己身心的體驗，來練習去除執著。 　　

所謂理性的分析，就是用“因緣”的觀念，來理解事物的真相。因緣是指一切的現象，不論生理的、心理的或自然社會的現象，都是時間和空間之下所產生的種種關係，是由許許多多因緣條件和合而生的，無法單獨發生，也不會突然出現，更不會永遠不變地存在；只要其中一項因緣條件改變，牽一髮而動全身，原本你以為絕對不會變的事物，就會有了變化。　

另外一種則是用體驗的方式。我們體驗自己生命的過程，會發現人的生命 從小一直到老，到死為止，都在不停地變化，自己的身體、生理在變，觀念也在變。　　

例如一個人，本來是小男孩、小女孩，然後是少男少女，然後變成中年男子婦女，最後變成老先生、老婦人，不斷、不斷地在變，如果要執著，究竟要執著哪一個呢？究竟是十六歲的是我呢？還是八十歲的才是我？其實都不是，因為十六歲的時候已經過去，八十歲的現在也會過去，所以根本不需要執著。　　

從身體的變化可以更進一步來體驗心理和觀念的改變。從小開始，我們就不斷在受教育，也不斷受到環境、父母、老師以及時代變遷的影響，幾乎沒有一個觀念是屬於自己的，都是外來訊息的累積，然後才成為自己的想法。　　

而這些想法也是會變的，例如當你和別人談話，對方提出一個你前所未聞的新觀念，你聽了以後，腦中的想法可能因此轉變，不要說昨天的看法和今天的看法不同，可能這一刻的你和前一刻的你就不一樣了。　　

不論從理論上來分析，還是從對自己的體驗，都可以證明，沒有一個永恆不變的我，甚至沒有一個“我”存在，那又有什麼好執著的呢？　　

不過雖然因緣在變化，但是當下還是有暫時的現象存在。就像一朵花，你今天看它可能好漂亮、好可愛，可是過了幾天，它就會凋謝，不漂亮、不可愛了，可能要換另外一朵花。既然知道事實如此，就不需要對這朵花太執著。因為花開、花謝，是自然現象，不需要太多的執著。

 

[sheamus]

How to Make Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Accept You as a Disciple and Ordain You with Precepts: How to Achieve This?


Venerable Master Mengchan


[Furthermore, in future worlds, whether laypeople or monastics, all sentient beings who seek to receive the pure and wonderful precepts, but who have previously committed grave augmenting offenses and thus cannot receive them, should also practice the repentance method as described above. Once they have reached utmost sincerity in body, speech, and mind being in harmony with goodness, they can then receive them.]


“Furthermore, in future worlds,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva once again entrusts us: in the time of the Dharma-ending age, in the future era, whether lay practitioners or monastics—these sentient beings wish to seek the pure and wonderful precepts of the Three Refuges and Five Precepts. However, in the past, they committed many offenses and never had the opportunity to receive even the Three Refuges and Five Precepts, let alone the Ten Precepts or Eight Precepts; they simply had no chance to receive the “pure and wonderful precepts.” Even if they had received the Three Refuges and Five Precepts before, those were extinguished due to grave offenses. If it involves augmenting grave offenses, can you still get the opportunity to receive precepts? You cannot; “they cannot receive them.” Because you have committed “augmenting grave offenses,” you are unable to receive the precepts.


But Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva teaches us a expedient method: practice the repentance dharma, reaching utmost sincerity—“once they have reached utmost sincerity” (令其至心)—and achieve “body, speech, and mind in harmony with goodness” (身口意善相). However, this must be attained through utmost sincerity.


Alternatively, if you recite the Buddha’s name—just reciting “Amitabha Buddha” once—you must do so with utmost sincerity; without utmost sincerity, it won’t be effective. Once you reach utmost sincerity, it becomes effective: you receive the precepts and attain them, avert disasters and avoid difficulties, and if you seek to eradicate “karmic obstacles,” those obstacles will be eliminated.


[Furthermore, in future worlds, all sentient beings who seek to leave home life or have already left home life, but cannot find a good precept master or a pure monastic assembly, and thus harbor doubts and cannot receive the prohibitive precepts in accordance with the Dharma, should simply cultivate the aspiration for the supreme path. This will also purify their body, speech, and mind. For those who have not yet left home, they should shave their heads, don the Dharma robes, and make vows as described above. They should self-ordain and receive the Bodhisattva precepts and the threefold cluster of precepts. Then, they are said to have fully attained the Pratimoksha. The precepts for those who have left home are called those of bhikshus and bhikshunis. They should then seek out the Vinaya Pitaka of the Sravakas and the Maudgalyayana collection practiced by Bodhisattvas, receive, uphold, read, recite, contemplate, and practice them.]


Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva says again, “Furthermore, in future worlds,” to all “sentient beings” who “seek to leave home life”—in the future, sentient beings who aspire to renounce the worldly life and become monastics, or who have already done so—that is, we bhikshus and bhikshunis—seek to obtain precepts but lack a pure good teacher.


In the Dharma-ending age, in Jambudvipa, during the Ming Dynasty, Master Ouyi sought five pure bhikshus in Jambudvipa but could not find them, so he could not receive the precepts. In the current Dharma-ending age, when transmitting precepts, it is often not in accordance with the Buddha’s regulations.


The Buddha stipulated that one must be twenty years old to receive precepts, but our expedient skillful means allow borrowing. For example, I left home at sixteen and want to receive bhikshu precepts—what to do? The precept-giving abbot lends one year—lends me one year; the transmitting abbot lends one year; the great master lends one year; the usher who leads me lends one year; and thus, we scrape together twenty years.


Can this really be borrowed? This is like pinching your nose to fool your eyes—your eyes see that it’s not allowed, but if you plug your nose so you can’t smell it, it’s fine. In reality, you cannot attain the precepts this way.


In Jambudvipa, it’s impossible to find five pure bhikshus, so Master Ouyi also wanted pure precepts. Thus, he searched in the Great Canon and found the Sutra on Divining Good and Evil Karma.

 

[sheamus]

By relying on the Sutra on Divining Good and Evil Karma, one cultivates the supreme aspiration for the path—using the divination wheel for divining, one attains purity in the three karmas. Then, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva becomes the precept-giving abbot; Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is also the usher; Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva single-handedly serves as the three masters, seven certifiers, and usher. All roles are fulfilled by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva alone.


You recite Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s name, use the divination wheel’s images—the divination wheel purifies the three karmas—and you attain the precepts. This is what Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva says.


If your mind is doubtful and you cannot receive the prohibitive precepts in accordance with the Dharma, what should you do? First, learn to cultivate the aspiration for the supreme path.


The aspiration for the supreme path, simply put, is generating bodhicitta, which purifies your body, speech, and mind.


When generating bodhicitta, at that moment, body, speech, and mind become pure. Those who have not left home can shave their heads and become monastics; those who have already left home should make vows.


What vows? Self-vow—yourself vow to receive the Bodhisattva precepts and the threefold pure precepts. At this point, you fully possess the Pratimoksha, the precepts for those who have left home, and you are considered a bhikshu or bhikshuni.


Afterward, once received, go and study the Vinaya Pitaka of the Sravakas and the Maudgalyayana collection practiced by Bodhisattvas: “receive, uphold, read, recite, contemplate, and practice them.”


The precepts of bhikshus and bhikshunis belong to the pure sangha; receiving precepts is the most venerable and supreme. To what extent? It reaches the level of teacher of humans and gods.


When you cast the wheel and obtain the pure wheel image, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva ordains you with the three-platform precepts: sramanera, bhikshu, and Bodhisattva.


However, this issue is also addressed in the Yogacarabhumi Shastra: once the age of semblance Dharma has passed, in the Dharma-ending period, receiving precepts is extremely difficult—there are no pure precept masters. In that case, receive them through the uncreated, non-made precepts, the unmade vinaya.


But your mind cannot harbor doubt. If you doubt the purity of the precept master or transmitting father, or if you doubt the purity of the certifying assembly that ordains you during the precept ceremony, you cannot attain the precepts.


Therefore, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva employs skillful means and tells us again: If you want to attain precepts but have no master to transmit them to you, what should you do? Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva tells us: kneel before the Buddha and prostrate to the Divination Repentance.


This prostration repentance does not cultivate other practices; it is solely for seeking to attain precepts—this is called the prostration for seeking precepts, specifically to attain them.


At this time, cultivate the aspiration for the supreme path; the aspiration for the supreme path is bodhicitta, the mind aspiring for supreme enlightenment, the mind to become a Buddha.


But you must cast the wheel images for body, speech, and mind—the three karmic wheels. If the three karmic wheel images are all pure, then I will ordain you with precepts.


Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva says: If you prostrate until the three karmic wheel images are all pure, you have already attained the precepts. Those who have not left home can shave their heads; you can don the Dharma robes—Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva accepts you as a disciple and ordains you with the three great platforms of precepts.


However, obtaining pure wheel images cannot be faked; you must absolutely prostrate until the three karmas are pure—this is called self-receiving the precepts. Master Ouyi received precepts in this way, which is why Master Ouyi advocated the Sutra on Divining Good and Evil Karma; this is the origin of his receiving precepts.


In daily life, when you want to escape many sufferings, dangers, and worries but have no way to do so yourself, then perform a divination—Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva will tell you and help you.


You should make vows; while making vows, you should also regularly prostrate to the Divination Repentance. This repentance method is the same as other repentances, except that the dedication and the request differ somewhat.


If you have not attained precepts and wish to seek them, set up an image of Ksitigarbha, sincerely prostrate with the Divination Repentance method, and when the divination yields a pure wheel image, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva will ordain you with precepts, and you will attain them.


In the late Ming Dynasty, Master Ouyi believed that in Jambudvipa, it was impossible to find five pure bhikshus to serve as his precept masters. So, he found the Sutra on Divining Good and Evil Karma in the Great Canon.


The sutra states: If you prostrate with this repentance method and use the divination wheel to divine purity in the three karmas, then you attain the precepts; you become a bhikshu. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva ordains you with Bodhisattva precepts in the same way.


Thus, Master Ouyi prostrated to the Divination Repentance and attained the precepts. But he did not know how to make a divination wheel; instead, he used drawing lots to see if it was pure or if there were remaining karmic residues. However, using drawing lots does not fully conform to the Divination Sutra, because the divination wheel involves many transformations in its images.


Later, Master Hongyi propagated the Divination Sutra and the Ksitigarbha Dharma door. I asked him to make a divination wheel. The divination wheel has specific dimensions; when making it, it must conform to the standards specified by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

 

[lingusthefungus]

 

[heymee]

 

[waterbright]

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, don’t be afraid of acts of merit. This is a synonym for what is blissful, desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming—i.e., acts of merit. I directly know that, having long performed meritorious deeds, I long experienced desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming results. Having developed a mind of goodwill for seven years, then for seven eons of contraction & expansion I didn’t return to this world. Whenever the eon was contracting, I entered the (realm of) Radiance. Whenever the eon was expanding, I reappeared in an empty Brahma-abode. There I was Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Unconquered Conqueror, Total Seer, Wielder of Power. Then for thirty-six times I was Sakka the deva-king. For many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king of Dhamma, conqueror of the four corners of the earth, maintaining stable control over the countryside, endowed with the seven treasures23 —to say nothing of the times I was a local king. The thought occurred to me, ‘Of what action of mine is this the fruit, of what action the result, that I now have such great power & might?’ Then the thought occurred to me, ‘This is the fruit of my three (types of) action, the result of three types of action, that I now have such great power & might: i.e., generosity, self-control, & restraint.’”

Train in acts of merit
that yield the foremost profit of bliss—
develop generosity,
a life in tune,
a mind of goodwill.
Developing these
three things
that bring about bliss,
the wise reappear
in a world of bliss
unalloyed. — Iti 22