Sentient and Insentient Beings: Together Realising Supreme Wisdom

This is a record of a message from the late Venerable Master Sheng Yen, received through the spiritual medium of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This letter, the forty-first in a series, reflects his ongoing concern for the monastic community and the salvation of all beings. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxi, on July 28, 2017.

Venerable Master Sheng Yen speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. As a monastic, one represents the Buddha as a saviour. We are meant to save the world; it is an absolute necessity to save the world. We must always remember that in saving sentient beings, we are, in truth, saving ourselves.

Sentient and insentient beings—what an immeasurable and boundless multitude of spirits there are! Even humanity, which possesses the most autonomy, flexibility, and Wisdom, is but one type of being, and yet even humans are crying out in suffering. If this is the case for humans, how profound must the suffering of all other spirits be? We must be deeply aware of this.

The Weight of the Monastic Vow

The realm of beings is vast and immeasurable. We must learn to truly see the pain of these beings, to hear their cries, and to feel the depth of their agony. All things possess a spirit; it is only because of differing Causal Conditions that they manifest in such varied forms. We must know this, and we must be willing to generate the Bodhi mind, making the vow to save them all.

Today, far too many monastics live lives of comfort and ease. Because of this, they have almost entirely lost sight of the existence of these suffering beings. They have forgotten them. Over time, they lose the heart to make vows, the heart to save the world, and many even discard the original intention they held when they first left the home life. This is a grave matter. It is not the behaviour expected of a monastic, nor is it the conduct of a true disciple of the Buddha. We must reflect upon this deeply. With so many spirits waiting for us to rescue them, we truly have no excuse to be lax. We must summon our spirit, face these beings with sincerity, and help them achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Framework of Habit

The children of our community, under the protection of our system, all carry the appearance of 'Dharma Drum' practitioners. They often seem as though they have been trained within a unified framework. Yet, within everyone's personality, there remain their own stubborn attachments and the habits brought over from their secular lives. In truth, I see all of this very clearly. How much one changes is a matter that only benefits oneself. I hope that everyone can truly generate a heart to save beings, and for the sake of the entire Dharma realm of emptiness, fully utilise their talents.

I want everyone to remember one thing: no one is asking you to be the best. I only ask that you give your complete heart and effort. That is enough.

Beyond Competition

I do not wish to see anyone performing Buddha-work just to compete or to 'win'. Among fellow practitioners, there is nothing to fight over. Everyone is the same. No matter how 'good' you think you are, you are still the same as everyone else. You must never harbour a heart of competition. You should see that it is not just about yourself; it is about the entire Dharma realm of emptiness—the sentient and insentient beings who are waiting to be saved.

The mind-capacity for Chao Du must be vast, true, and sincere. Only then is it possible to achieve true deliverance. You must always remember these words of mine. Namo Amituofo."