Skillfully Using the Heart: Teachings from Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha

The Discipline of the Practitioner

On the fourteenth of February, 2019, we received these profound teachings. Great Master Zhiyi once instructed that those who are truly committed to the path of practice must maintain a serious and disciplined state of mind in every daily action, every word spoken, and every thought that arises. One must guide oneself with absolute integrity and strict adherence to the Right Way.

To maintain this purity of practice, one should adopt the following principles:

• Do not speak unless your words are of benefit to all beings.
• Do not perform any action unless it serves the welfare of all beings.
• Do not harbour any thought unless it is rooted in the intention to benefit all beings.

The Wisdom of Karma

There is a saying that Bodhisattvas fear the cause, while ordinary beings fear the result. The Buddha’s teachings explain the laws of karma and cause and effect, while simultaneously emphasising the importance of compassion. We must understand that beings are currently suffering, trapped by the Five Desires and the Six Dusts, and ensnared by emotional entanglements and attachments to family and loved ones.

Every affliction we experience arises because of selfishness and the desire for personal gain or fear of loss. We do not know how to stop these wandering thoughts, nor do we know how to let go of the people, events, and objects to which we are emotionally attached. Because of this, we remain anxious and troubled, unable to understand that we are the architects of our own suffering through the laws of karma and cause and effect.

The Mission of Compassion

When we observe a true practitioner, we see someone who understands the nature of reality. They have made a sincere vow to benefit all beings. They skillfully use their heart and mind, ensuring that every vow they make is dedicated to the welfare of all beings. They pray that all beings may leave suffering behind and find happiness, that their wisdom may grow, and they even take upon themselves the suffering of others. They understand the worries of beings and provide Dharma talks to resolve their afflictions.

Through the Buddha’s teachings, the truth is revealed. Practitioner Su delivers these teachings, and each being understands them according to their own capacity. The sound of the Dharma spreads without boundaries. The Dharma protectors and the heavenly beings gather to support the bodhimanda. The Ten Kings of Hell sit on either side, and the ghost messengers stand in respectful silence. In the Western Land of Dharma Nature, there is great joy. Through these teachings, beings break through delusion and attain enlightenment, resolving their doubts as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas rejoice.

The Gathering at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre

The great Bodhisattvas and virtuous ones from the Western Land of Dharma Nature have come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to hear the teachings of Practitioner Su. They have arrived specifically to listen to sutras and hear the Dharma. The power of the Dharma is boundless, and all spirits present are filled with joy as they listen to the truth. This is the work of saving endless suffering beings, a mission that never ceases.

Namo Amituofo