The Cycling of Dharma FlowYutang Lin
Comment: On the path of Bodhi one practices making offerings and giving alms. Whatever is to be used or enjoyed, first think of offering it to the holy beings and then of giving it to all sentient beings, so that the whole Dharmadhatu would share it in oneness. As to the goal of one's aspiration and prayer, it is only for all sentient beings to become free from suffering and attain pure joy, and soon realize complete awakening. After attaining awakening it is not a state of idleness, rather one would out of the compassion of being in oneness employ all kinds of approaches to help sentient beings proceed on the path of Bodhi so as to ultimately salvage them from transmigration. Among such approaches are naturally included the giving of wealth, of Dharma and of fearlessness. Once the above is understood, then the six-fold sublimation (paramitas) of Mahayana is no longer limited to being practices on the path but can also be applications of the resultant attainment. Furthermore, from the point of view of the oneness of the whole Dharmadhatu, all things and matters are interdependent as causes and conditions that affect one another in endless cycling. This is just the natural state of things. In accordance with nature to make offerings and give alms so as to distribute and share, that would be in agreement with the truth of oneness of all, and would gradually approach and eventually merge into oneness. Once oneness is attained, then it would be a cycling with neither beginning nor pause nor end. However, this cycling is different from transmigration. Transmigration is limited by grasping to self and hence shaped by karmas and resulting in endless suffering. While the cycling of the Dharmadhatu in oneness consists only of the evolution of conditions' meeting and dissolving, beyond considerations of suffering and happiness. Written in Chinese: September 15, 1999 [Home][Back to list][Back to Chinese versions] |
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