Second flower bloom

Chapter 10 Refuge
Some people lived a peaceful life without a fixed place, while others fled all their lives in luxurious houses.Refuge is not the starting point of practice, it is the whole practice.

I was born and raised in a land soaked in Buddhism.Like me, the vast majority of people living in that land have a firm belief in Buddhism.We desire neither the ease of this life nor the enjoyment of the world to come.Dharma does not reduce our ups and downs, or even make us feel superior and secure over others, because all beings are equal and have Buddha nature.So, what exactly does Buddhism bring to us, so that even though we have nothing and are at home everywhere, our hearts are still rich and peaceful?
The Buddha's teachings on impermanence and karma have given us so much courage and hope that even the poorest and illiterate Tibetans believe in karma and accept impermanence without fear.

Looking at modern society, all of people's distress and struggles come from the fear of impermanence, and the busyness is nothing but to escape from impermanence.It is very interesting, some people live a peaceful life in no fixed place, while some people flee all their lives in luxurious houses.

People avoid impermanence because they don't know the real situation they find themselves in.First of all, they think that impermanence is just an encounter in life, like adversity, which can be avoided as long as the best solution is found.They try very hard in different ways, hoping to get a once-and-for-all answer before they can live in peace.However, what they try to reject is life itself. Besides change, what else is there in life?As long as you pay attention, it is not difficult to find that everything in life is impermanent, the seasons change, the metabolism of people and things, our body, emotions, and thoughts are all changing.Impermanence is not a transition period in life, but the whole life, whether you like it or not, you must live with it for the rest of your life.

Second, people believe that change brings pain, and that if everything remained constant, there would be no pain.In fact, impermanence is neither good nor bad. It means that if there is gain, there will be loss, if there is surplus, there will be lack, and if there is gathering, there will be separation. It also means that if there is loss, there will be gain, and if there is lack, there will be surplus. .Whether you are happy or sad depends entirely on your standpoint and attitude, and has nothing to do with impermanence.

Impermanence shatters our illusions about security and certainty. We thought that the unbreakable concepts and ideas would change. We thought that those who accompanied us for life would either die or die. Healthy bodies would suddenly be overwhelmed by diseases, and smooth sailing careers would disappear in the blink of an eye. bankrupt.When we realize that our feet may step on the ground at any time, we instinctively want to grab something, which is the origin of attachment.

Suffering is due to the inherent unreliability of what we want to hold on to, to lean on.It is not impermanence that causes suffering, but attachment.Escaping from impermanence is not only futile, it is also unnecessary.

Accepting impermanence is a painful thing at first, because for a long time you have been used to avoiding it.In fact, impermanence is like a strange man with an ugly face but a gentle heart.If you don't know him well, you'll be afraid to see his face; once you know him, you'll be happy with him.

When people are happy, they tend to ignore impermanence, even though things are getting better and better.It is only in the face of pain, illness, separation, shock, when things go wrong that we suddenly feel impermanence.This is life reminding us in a violent way: don't indulge in the illusion of safety, nothing is eternal, nothing is foolproof.If you don't start paying attention to spiritual practice now, this life will soon be wasted in blind pursuit and anxiety.

I first encountered death when I was six or seven years old.My grandmother suddenly fell ill, and the whole family gathered around her bed and wept.I love her very much and wanted to do something for her, so I sneaked to a demolished mani pile outside the village, kowtowed and recited the Guanyin mantra around the ruins.I made a vow to dedicate the merits of kowtowing and chanting mantras to my grandma, hoping that she would get better.A few days before her death, I kowtowed outside and did not stay by her side.

The death of my grandmother made me feel the impermanence of life very strongly, and at the same time let me understand the value of Buddhist practice.I did not attend my grandmother's funeral, but came to Manidui alone to kowtow, praying that this small merit would help the deceased relatives.

Impermanence is a close friend of practitioners, it always reminds us to stay vigilant, and gives us encouragement and hope.Impermanence means that everything has the potential to change.No matter how big mistakes we have made in the past, and no matter how ignorant we are now, as long as we follow the correct method, we can cleanse our past sins and gradually lose our confusion.

There are also people who look at the problem in reverse, thinking that since everything is impermanent and will pass away, then everyone can do whatever they want, regardless of the consequences, and there is no need to be diligent in pursuing anything, anyway, they will not be able to keep it in the end.After pointing out the fact of impermanence, the Buddha mercifully revealed another truth behind things - the law of cause and effect, so that we will not get lost in impermanence.

Belief in cause and effect is not the same as belief in fate, otherwise, we would not practice so diligently, repent of our sins, and would not think of pursuing the supreme enlightenment as ordinary people.Everything is changing, so there can be no fixed destiny.

Everything we say, do, and think will have corresponding consequences, which will affect and change the lives of ourselves and others.The consequences of some behaviors appear quickly, while the results of other behaviors take a long time to see. Just like weeds that are planted in the soil will soon grow grass, but the highland barley will not bloom until the next year after sowing. result.The law of cause and effect is ubiquitous, profound and complex, and the occurrence of every event is the result of the joint action of many causal relationships.

The Buddha said that only a thoroughly enlightened person like him can fully explain the ins and outs, causes and consequences of things, and most people can only see a certain fragment of them.

Knowing that no matter what we do, even the smallest and most intimate actions have consequences that will affect us and others, we will naturally develop a sense of responsibility and stop doing what we want.We also have a deeper understanding of the mutual influence and interdependence between people and people, and between people and the world.The cultivation of compassion is necessary. If we want to be free from suffering in the end, we should not harm others; if we want to be happy, we should create conditions for others to be happy.

People always compare karma and retribution, but I don't like the word "retribution" because it feels cold, alienated, and has a sense of punishment.We don't think that if we do the right thing, someone will appreciate and protect us, and if we do the wrong thing, we will be punished.In fact, we are responsible for ourselves from beginning to end.

The difficulties and pain we encounter are just a result of past actions. There is no reason to blame others, and there is no need to blame ourselves.If you can treat it with a positive attitude, then the pain you are experiencing not only ends an old cause and effect, but also becomes a new good cause, starting a series of positive reactions.So, pain is not always a bad thing.The ups and downs of life can be an opportunity for enlightenment, the key depends on how you face it.

We take motivation very seriously because the consequences of an action are largely determined by the motivation behind it (aka motivation).

In Tibet, where people love spiritual practice and pursue liberation, even if people do a small thing, they are very motivated, all for the liberation of all sentient beings.Many people have watched the video of Zhaxi holding Lin building a mani pile on the Internet. In it, no matter men, women, young or old, monks, or lay people, no matter whether they are carrying, lifting, or stacking mani stones, everyone’s face is full of happiness. smile.Because of great determination, even just moving a small stone will become the cause of liberation in the future, so everyone feels so happy and satisfied.

When you do something, if your heart is big enough to take into account the well-being of all sentient beings, you will be able to bear all the hardships and tribulations calmly, because your heart is broad enough.

Karma is inevitable and true, and if the result of an action does not ripen in this life, and you do nothing to prevent it from ripening, it will surely ripen in the next life or later.

Death is only the end of the present life, and the cause and effect carried by this life will continue, and the new life will create new cause and effect while inheriting the old cause and effect.Cause and effect are like waves on the surface of the sea, connected head to tail, stretching continuously, and life is therefore constantly rotating.What connects past life, present life, and future life is not a specific "soul", but unbroken cause and effect.Although the two lives of this life and the next life are independent from each other from body to mind, each present life is the basis of the next life.Because of the differences in nature and degree of the consequences of our actions, reincarnations have different attributes, namely the six realms of samsara.Which path to reincarnate into is completely determined by the karma you need to feel.

Guru Rinpoche said: "If you want to know your past life, look at your present situation; if you want to know your future life, look at your present behavior."

Regarding reincarnation, many eminent monks and great virtues have very incisive expositions, and examples of reincarnation can also be found in many literatures.One of my disciples personally witnessed the reincarnation of her daughter.I am very grateful to her for recording what happened in detail and sharing her experience with everyone (see the article "Reincarnation I Witnessed" on the Bodhizhou website), hoping to awaken people's correct understanding of reincarnation.

We live in an era where "death" is kept secret, and any topic related to death is not welcome, including reincarnation.

Whenever I mention reincarnation, people will ask: "I haven't seen reincarnation, how can I believe it exists?" "If I did experience reincarnation, why don't I remember it?" Only by hearing can we believe that things exist.For example, you never met your ancestors, but you never doubted that they existed on this earth.Scientists tell you that besides our Milky Way, there are countless similar nebulae in the universe, some of which are so far away that even the most advanced astronomical telescopes cannot observe them, but you believe in their existence.

As for memory, you may forget what you did and said yesterday, or even just now, so why is it so strange not to remember things in your previous life?You have not seriously thought about the existence of reincarnation. When you say "I don't believe in reincarnation", you actually mean "I don't want to believe in reincarnation", because the concepts of reincarnation and reincarnation are too foreign to you, making you Feeling overwhelmed, you don't even have the interest or courage to even try to understand it.

Perhaps you feel that issues such as reincarnation and life and death are too far away from your daily life, and you are already busy enough to survive, so there is no time to think about the things after death.If you can ignore death because you are too busy with life, you can wait until you get tired of life before thinking about reincarnation, life and death.However, look around, many people are planning to leave this world suddenly with enthusiasm for life.You have no reason to believe that you must be luckier than these people.

Tibetans often say: "We don't know who will come first, tomorrow or the next life."

In order to show their sobriety, some people resolutely reject such "superstitious" concepts as reincarnation.If death is the end of everything, what is the purpose of living?Eating, drinking and enjoying, and turning into a handful of loess after the end, thinking about such a life makes people sad.

If cause and effect are denied, people will involuntarily get lost in the torrent of impermanence, family, career, and relationship will eventually be let go, and ideals, beliefs, and values ​​will not stand up to scrutiny.It's not that these things are not important, but the meaning of life should be more than that.

Modern life is so full of assumptions that I sometimes wonder why they don't assume an afterlife.This is no more absurd than assuming there is a tomorrow or a next year.

People are keen to plan for the future, to develop multiple alternatives, and to prepare for possible emergencies.In this case, why not also prepare for the afterlife by the way?What if there is reincarnation after death?Isn't that also a possible emergency?

Everyone's world view should be established by themselves. Blindly or forced to accept other people's views is a disrespect for life, but closing the heart and sticking to prejudices is also a disrespect for life.

I think that people who are skeptical about reincarnation may as well adopt a "scientific" attitude, admit that they don't know whether reincarnation exists, and at the same time do not reject learning more about reincarnation.After all, no sage has ever denied the existence of reincarnation since ancient times, and there is no need for you to rush to a shocking conclusion.

Tibetans attach great importance to spiritual practice, which stems from their deep understanding of impermanence and their firm belief in cause and effect.Taking refuge in the Triple Gem of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is nothing more than natural for Tibetans.If the Buddha hadn't finally realized the truth of life through his many lifetimes of practice and exploration, and compassionately shared the knowledge and experience he gained with us, I am afraid that we are still groping blindly, not knowing who we are, nor knowing who we are. Why did I come to this world, and where did I go.

Just like someone said: "I live because I was born alive, and I have to live until I die, even though life is meaningless and helpless." Hearing such words, my heart is full of gratitude to the Three Jewels.If the Buddha did not teach the Dharma, and his followers did not pass down the precious teachings, so that I can hear and practice them after 500 years, then I am the one who said such words, and I am the one who is so confused and helpless !

After enlightenment, the Buddha discovered that all sentient beings are self-sufficient and have the possibility of enlightenment.This is good and inspiring news, otherwise, looking at the current situation where we are full of five poisons, we really don't know what we can be even if we are good.

The Buddha not only pointed out that all beings can be enlightened, but also patiently taught us how to eliminate confusion.He told us the truth, and taught us how to verify and test those truths.According to people's different habits, preferences, and characteristics, he reveals the truth, inspires inspiration, and inspires confidence in different ways.

As long as we wander in samsara, our confusion will be deep.

The Buddha said that in his countless reincarnations, he was only reincarnated as a white dog, and the pile of bones left behind after death was higher than Mount Meru, and the degree of our indulging in samsara will only be worse than this.Now, if we want to change all this, we must rely on effective and powerful methods.The process of pursuing enlightenment is like breaking through an endless maze. Without the guidance of Buddhism, we will always be trapped in it, spinning in circles.

There are some people who are the followers of the Buddha and are said to be the incarnation of the Buddha. They will appear beside us, train us to break through the encirclement skills, and fight side by side with us.Let us not lose our confidence in enlightenment even in the most perplexing and difficult times, because through them, we can see that enlightenment is indeed possible.

India in the time of the Buddha was a land of spiritual practitioners.A large number of people from all walks of life are devoted to seeking spiritual liberation.They tried all kinds of methods, and some reached a very high level of awareness, but in the end only the Buddha realized the perfect wisdom and insight into the reality of all dharmas.

After many people consulted him, they realized their own problems in practice, so they decided to correct or abandon their previous practice methods, and sincerely accepted the Buddha's guidance.They expressed this determination to the Buddha with reverence, and thousands of others later expressed this determination either in the presence of the Buddha or through his followers.

This heart-to-heart transfer is the transmission of teachings.When you are determined to open your heart and learn the method of liberation from the Buddha without prejudice, you need to solemnly express your determination through physical and verbal actions in front of a practitioner who has the teaching tradition.This is not formalism.

The process of practice covers the three aspects of body, speech and mind, so at the starting point of practice, the completeness of taking refuge in body, speech and mind is the perfect dependent origination.The reason why you have to take refuge in front of people who have the teaching lineage is because by doing so, your determination will be integrated into the ocean of determination of countless predecessors, peers and future Buddhist practitioners.It will no longer be the determination of you alone, but the determination of countless people, and it will be in line with the perfect wisdom of the Buddha.

Imagine what a tremendous amount of heart power this is.Body, speech, and mind are complete, and an unprecedented decision has been made in the heart, and the practitioner has obtained the precept of refuge.Among the body, speech, and mind, the most important thing is mind refuge, that is, to sincerely agree with the teachings of the Buddha, to believe that the Dharma will definitely help you realize your original mind, and to believe in the support and guidance of the Sangha.

When I was growing up, Buddha statues, scriptures and monks were almost invisible, but people’s belief in the Three Jewels was not shaken. Many children, including me, knew to pray to the Three Jewels.Later, when I got in touch with many people, I found that not everyone knew how to pray.Many people don't have the courage to admit they need help and have the humility to learn from the successes of others.

I loved mantras and the rosary was nowhere to be found at the time.I remember that a group of us children often went to the mountains to pick cypress seeds to make rosary beads.Cypress seeds are very hard, and threading them into rosary beads takes a lot of work, which I never tire of.At that time, I often found a nest in the bushes, leaned against it and mended my torn clothes first, and then began to wear my rosary, spending a happy day in this way.

I also like to learn to read scriptures from the elders in the village, which is a real word of mouth.They were illiterate, and neither was I. They recited the scriptures they had heard to me sentence by sentence, and I memorized each sentence in my heart.Looking back now, there are too many mistakes in the "Tara Sutra" and "Ukrainian Vows" that I learned at that time. However, because the memory is too deep, even though I tried my best to correct it later, there are still a few mistakes.

From childhood to adulthood, my heart to the Dharma has brought me great happiness.However, taking refuge in the Three Jewels does not mean that life will be safe and worry-free from now on, and that we will never step on the ground, nor does it mean that as long as we are willing, someone will come out to solve our troubles for us at any time.

I often think: it really takes courage to have a heart for the Dharma.Dharma does not promise you security or certainty; in fact, it seeks to shatter your illusion of security.Taking refuge in the Three Jewels shows that you are determined to face everything in your life without fear, no longer seek comfort, sustenance, and care, and no longer attempt to find another way out except to experience the present moment.The word "Buddhist" in Tibetan means "inner Taoist", that is, a person who looks inward and seeks the truth from the original mind rather than outside the original mind.

In our age of flamboyant climbing and chasing distractions, words like "silence," "insight," and "introspection" feel foreign and unattractive, yet the foundation of all Buddhist practice is mindfulness, that is, staying close to Be aware of your body, speech, and mind at all times.

People always feel excited when they are new to something new, and it is the same with studying Buddhism, especially when you get some spiritual enlightenment, your heart will be full of expectations.Learn to sit still, recite mantras, eat a healthy diet, and live a regular life. You believe that your life will be orderly, your goals will be clear, and your practice will continue to improve. Even enlightenment seems to be just around the corner.But soon you start to be disappointed, the uncertainty of life has not decreased, and you have not improved for the better. On the contrary, you find yourself in trouble again and again in the practice, and the training of mindfulness makes you look at yourself in dismay, at a loss as to what to do.Is this the practice?

The spiritual practice is not a magic show that excites, amazes and dizzies you from beginning to end.Nor is it a shield from the everyday, because it may be more mundane than the everyday you are trying to escape.

The purpose of practice is not to perfect the present life or to beautify oneself. If this is the case, the Buddha did not have to give up his throne and become a monk.He lived in the high wall built by his father for him since he was a child, with rich clothes and good food, and he didn't know what pain is. Don't lie to yourself anymore.There is no grand goal in practice, just stop deceiving yourself.

Once we start practicing, we realize how ignorant we are of what we are doing.The habits we have developed since beginningless time make us dislike simply being with ourselves.Staying awake and aware is hard work because it means you don't judge, you don't hope, you don't avoid any situation.It literally leaves you feeling cornered.But awareness doesn't stop there, you also have to see clearly how you try to find a way out, but fail to find a way out.

To be honest, for those who have just embarked on the road of spiritual practice, this feeling is not wonderful.In the past, when you were unhappy or encountered problems, you could be anxious, bitter, angry, and self-blaming;However, being aware allows you to realize that none of this can be done.

Since ancient times, people who pursue spiritual cultivation need to have a quality, that is patience. "Patience" seems to be associated with "weird, self-abuse" in the dictionary of modern people, so most people don't bother to have this quality.However, from the perspective of practice, forbearance refers to not rushing to react when encountering situations, not rushing to escape from uneasiness and seeking comfort, but to slow down the pace of the whole thing, leaving a little space for yourself to observe and feel, so that you can see Understand the original appearance of the matter, instead of being led by the nose by impulse.This is also sometimes called asceticism or solitude.

Continuous awareness training will make us gradually get used to this kind of non-rejection.Expectations and fears are actually two sides of the same thing. Where there is expectation, there is fear, and avoidance strengthens fear.Being unrestrained relaxes us, and then we are more likely to catch a glimpse of what is behind all our thoughts and actions, all our joys and sorrows.

People like to make life crowded and busy, so busy that they don't want to be alone with themselves.People who have a heart for Dharma are determined to get along with themselves intimately.The process of spiritual practice will undoubtedly be full of setbacks. Every practitioner will fail again and again, and fall back into old habits again and again.Even so, we are still practicing diligently throughout our lives, neither giving up nor escaping.

Thank you Sambo for your continuous inspiration and courage, otherwise, we would not be able to persevere.

Refuge is not the starting point of practice, it is the whole practice.

Chiarombo
Nov. 2008, 11

The third day of the ninth lunar month in the Tibetan calendar
Disciples finishing
(End of this chapter)