Good evening!
Just one day ago we had a storm, tornado, and blackouts. But now we have almost spring-like weather, with the temperature nearly sixty degrees and daffodils ready to bloom soon.
Fortunately, we escaped the tornado hit, but we will see more of violent climate, social turmoil, economic meltdown, ecological disorder, and mass extinction, all going on together. So we cannot escape them indefinitely.
The Buddha said, “When the eastern mountains press upon you, when the western mountains press upon you, when the northern mountains and the southern mountains press upon you, what would you do?” We must face death pressing upon us. So, we must think of our life and death and also of all beings’ death and destruction.
This mass extinction is caused by our own humankind, so we must face our problems and sufferings that much more, sincerely and seriously.
Today, some of you might have read the passage distributed by Tricycle, the Buddhist Review. It was about the Bodhisattva vow. The author said, “People wonder if we can save all beings?” Quoting Huinen, which said it is in our minds, he suggested that it’s our wish to do our best, not necessarily completely committed, hard work.
If it’s about fancies and fantasies, Buddhism would not have lasted long. No religion can last long with fantasies and fairy tales. Buddhism is really based on hard truth and genuine universal truth, not partial, selfish truth, justice, or pleasure.
Partial or selfish truth is not wholly or genuinely truth. There should be no just war, or heaven with pleasures, in what is wholly love or compassion. The Buddha faced this reality and found the universal truth. If he just wished for them in his head, he wouldn’t have needed to quit his royal life or spend his whole life like a beggar.
The Buddha observed the reality of nature and was awakened to the Dharma (Norm) of all dharmas (phenomena), i.e., the Dharma of Dependent Origination (all phenomena dependently originated on causes and conditions: all related and relative).
He observed truth and became truth itself, and was thus called Tathagata (Thus-being, being in truth) beyond his partial identification as Gotama. He lived a wholly wholesome life beyond selfish being, as the total system. His life was dedicated to goodness for all in the beginning, middle, and end.
Is there anything which is good for all in the beginning, the middle, and the end? This sitting is exactly it, without harm, ethical violations, war, or ecological damage, and completely in unconditioned peace and unsurpassed awakening in truth.
The Buddha’s life was systemic, sustainable, safe, simple, and saving for all beings (5Ss); ethical with law, life, love, liberation, and lielessness (5 Ls); and probably concrete with practical ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, rearrange, restore (5Rs); and access, assess, agree, act, and advise (5As).
Buddhism derives from the Buddha (awakened one), and thus means the Awakened Way. It is to become awakened in the universal truth. It must observe the truth as it is without preconceptions and preconditions of dogmas, doctrines, or demagogies.
So this is really good in the beginning, the middle, and the end, good for all in time and space. If we practice this, we can solve all problems and save all beings. If we remain in fantasies and fabrications, we are just doomed to demise and destruction.
3/1/11