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Buddhism in Plain Terms
with English subtitles
白话佛法视频讲座
英文字幕版
Episode 1
English subtitle
My fellow Buddhist friends, Buddhist friends from all around the world and also disciples of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, good evening everybody. Today, I would like to touch on Buddhism in plain terms to help everyone get enlightened and see the true nature. That is the most important. That's because in this world, there are times when we don't know ourselves. There are times when we know about others, but we don't know about ourselves. Just like some people they have a lot of shortcomings, but they don't know about it. When others tell you about it, that's when you gradually realise "Oh, so I'm like that."
In reality, if you don't know yourself, you will not know your own karma and its obstacles. Hence, for all those who aspire to practise Buddhism, they must start from understanding themselves. If you don’t even know yourself, then you won't know how much power you have, or how capable you are in accomplishing a certain task. What is your capacity? What can you achieve? Only when you understand yourself can you understand others. So, for a person who doesn't know about the abilities that they possess and has no idea what they can do, how could they comprehend the Buddha-Dharma. Hence, one must learn to truly understand oneself to be a decent person this lifetime.
My talk today is not just about how to attain Buddhahood. When it comes to your conduct as a human, you have to understand yourself, "I have so many shortcomings," "I am so gullible," "I have the habit of spreading rumours and gossiping." Or you are like before you truly understand how to go about something, you have already jumped in to do it. These are shortcomings that people typically possess. Hence, true Buddhists should seek to understand themselves, so that they could control themselves. After you can control yourself, you can become selfless, and you forget about yourself.
Buddhists, who are willing to endure hardships always think about the welfare of others and do everything they can to help others, are like the mother in a family, who always think of her child, always think of others. A mother endures the hardships as she only has thoughts for others. This is how they earn the respects from others.
In fact, an altruistic person already possesses a boundless state-of-mind. So among your friends, if there is someone who always talks about themselves, about how they feel, or brag about themselves, they do not have a boundless state-of-mind. Only those who are able to take themselves lightly can truly understand other sentient beings.
In the past, many people would follow a teacher to practise Buddhism. They would meditate, do chanting and bow and pray every day.
They asked, "Will I attain Buddhahood by doing all this?"
Their teacher would tell them, "You will not attain Buddhahood through meditation. You will not attain Buddhahood through doing chanting."
Then they asked the teacher, "What should I do to attain Buddhahood?"
And the teacher told them that the Buddha has never thought about attaining Buddhahood himself.
This philosophy tells us that, we should focus on working hard, not the outcome. How do so many people become highly respected individuals? How can a Buddhist practitioner transform himself or herself into a Bodhisattva? The answer is selflessness. They never thought that they need to accomplish something, neither do they do things for the sake of their future, fame or gain. They forget about everything. As there is no perception of a self, the perception of the Buddha arises. Buddha will never take its form when there is selfishness. Hence, a Buddha never had once thought about wanting to become a Buddha, and he became one. Just like a kind-hearted person never thinks about exploiting others, and in the end, he or she becomes a highly-respectable individual.
What is on the Buddha's mind then? The Buddha only thinks about ways to help sentient beings. How to give more to others, and how to allow everyone's mind to be filled with wisdom and Prajna. All that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas think about is how to help others and make their life easier. If we think of ourselves less everyday, and have more concern for others instead; ever ready to be of service to others every day; having thoughts like, "I should do a bit more for him," "I should help him," "I should bear that responsibility and do my utmost quietly." Such kind of person never brag about themselves. Gradually, through carrying out their responsibility, they learn to understand, be tolerant and forgiving. In practising Buddhism, they have neither desires nor greed. This is a state free of any desires.
When a person gives without desiring anything in return, this person is the Bodhisattva in the making. Hence, in all your endeavours, don't think about what you can do, or what you want to be in the future, or what you want to gain out of it. Everything is like a dream, an illusion and won't last long. That's why in this world, only when you treat sentient beings sincerely, love them truly, and show them tolerance and forgiveness with all your hearts, will you give all you can with the mind of Buddha. You will then be reciprocated with the Buddha nature of sentient beings. The very Buddha nature that you have awakened.
Many people constantly say, "I want to attain Buddhahood." "I want to attain enlightenment in this lifetime." "I want my prayers to be answered." The needs, such as "attaining enlightenment in this lifetime," "I want to change myself," are in fact not known to the Buddha. That's because no matter what we do, the Buddha expects nothing from us. In our conduct and endeavours, do not allow ourselves to succumb to selfish thoughts. When you truly care about others and live for others, your power of vows emerges. There are many people you think they do not have the power of vows? They do. But where is it? It resides within one's mind; it's not something to brag about; it is when you make the hard efforts behind the scenes, walking on the path of fulfilling your vows. When you have the power of vows, you must also take action. Only when you do that, you shall be accomplished in your spiritual cultivation. That is why I say to you, the Buddha has never thought about becoming a Buddha, neither has He thought that He needs to help others. But on a daily basis, He does what a Buddha does, helping sentient beings become spiritually awakened. How could He not attain Buddhahood.
If you want to be a good person, as long as you perform good deeds every single day, and you never think about being a good person. Doesn't that make you a good person? Where does merit and virtue come from? It is by doing and toiling in silence. That is why if a person could do away with their shortcomings, do away with their greed, hatred and ignorance. This person is already diligently cultivating on the Buddha's path. Every person typically has their wants and needs. But if you seek them, you will be concerned about the gain and loss. Hence, when a person pray for something and say, "I got to have that," then they'll harbour a sense of gain or loss. No matter what we do today, let there be no desires. Think, "I ought to be a Bodhisattva." "I ought to learn Buddhism." "When I dedicate myself to well-being of others, my dedication is unconditional as I expect nothing in return." You won't succeed in your practice if you fail to think this way.
Why is it that some people give but don't get what they want? That's because when they gave, they were thinking of reciprocity. When a person gets something in return naturally, that is because he truly practised giving. The Buddha has never thought about gaining anything from us, but he has been constantly helping us. Isn't that our blessings? Isn't it like when we perform meritorious deeds and Buddha gives us blessing? That's why we must learn how to garner boundless virtues and boundless blessings.
How can one obtain boundless virtues? They come from observing the precepts. Where do boundless virtues come from? They come from your unconditional and selfless deeds.When a person selflessly help others, they have virtues. Hence, as Buddhists, we should be selfless, be morally upright, and help others. Think about it. When you are helping others, haven't you also gained something? All these theories may seem empty on the surface. To cultivate a mind, that is selfless and without the notion of self, isn't an easy task. But in reality, in our daily lives, many people are indeed making efforts selflessly. That is what I often say to you, mothers are selfless. They selflessly take care of their child and their family, without thinking about gaining anything in return. They just give all they can, this is selflessness. That is why mothers are greatly respected.
A common saying goes, "Mothers are the greatest." Am I right? That's why, when you do something selflessly, you eliminate the notion of "self." You'd think, "nothing, I didn't do any meritorious deed."Just like when a person has done many good deeds. "Oh you have done so much boundless merits and virtues." "No, I didn't do anything. I haven't done anything meritorious or virtuous." But do you have merits and virtues? Yes, you do. There is no need to blow your own horn. This is the way to conduct yourself when practising Buddhism. Merits and virtues are in our every thought.
How does your merit come about? The moment you have the thought of helping someone, you have accumulated merits. "I need to help him." "I need to save him." "I need to assist him." These are merits. When you actually do it, you have accumulated virtues. Due to your virtues, you contribute your time, you contribute your energy. You give up so many for the benefits of others. That means you have reached a formless state of spirituality. You do things only for others not for yourself. That means Way of Discipline already takes root in your mind.
Do you know what's the Way of Discipline? Discipline as in observing the precepts; Way as in the Way of Buddhism. If a person aspires to be a Buddha, they must observe the precepts. When you are able to control your desires, and you go and help others, you have mastered the Way of Discipline. In our daily interactions, in our daily lives, we have too many selfish and distracting thoughts. We have too many desires every day all these delusional and distracting thoughts: "I want this and I also want that." Delusional thoughts like these show that you can't control your thoughts and the motion of your mind.
Do you know what "setting your mind in motion" means? When someone tells you something, the moment that your mind moves, this is setting your mind in motion. What are thoughts? When you see delicious food or something appealing, you want them. This is when the thought arises. "I don't understand this," thoughts arise again. Hence, when a person gives rise to thoughts, they have already taken action following their karma; hence, the law of karma is very serious.
Karma is like the shadow that never leaves us. We can't rid ourselves of it, hence, if our mind is impure you'll definitely sow the seed, and consequences will follow. That's why people often say: "What are the consequences?" Actually, you know the best. If you stole something today, the consequence is that you'll eventually get arrested. If you badmouthed somebody today, the consequence is that you'll be scolded by that person. Am I right? You reap what you sow. If you sow the seed of wholesomeness, you'll reap fruits of wholesomeness; if you sow the seed of purity, you'll reap the fruit of purity; if you sow the seed of harmony, you will reap the fruit of harmony; so if you truly observe the precepts, you will attain the fruit of discipline, the fruit of discipline.
For someone who's good at following the precepts, people will say, "you are so disciplined." "How can you not be angry?" "How can you let it go so easily?" "How is that you are always so clear-sighted?" "You are able to let it all go so easily." "Why aren't you angry even a tiny bit?" This kind of person knows very well, that today will never be the same as tomorrow and vice-versa. This is a very wise person.
Is today the same as tomorrow?
No, it's not.
Is tomorrow the same as next week?
No, it's not.
Is next week the same as next month?
No, it's not.
Is next month the same as next year?
No, it's not.
Everything is subject to change; hence, everything dwells in impermanence. Our weakness lies in our inability to see through the reality of things. We keep digging deeper and deeper into a problem, spending all our time thinking about it. But we break our precepts whenever we give rise to thoughts. Can you name a day that you didn't break the precepts? While driving, you see a beautiful lady. If you catch one more glimpse of her, you have broken the precepts. Today, you walked past a good-looking guy, and if you catch one more glimpse of him, you have broken the precepts too.
As a Buddhist practitioner, if you feel that should go and take a little bit more, you have broken the precepts again. Everything stems from the thoughts you give rise to. Alright, this is Buddhism in Plain Terms for today. When I get the chance, I will give more talks on this. I hope that everyone can practise Buddhism with diligence and stay undisturbed no matter what happens.
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The above texts are taken directly from the video subtitles, please bear with us if you spot any imperfections in the translation. For Master Jun Hong Lu’s teachings, please visit the official English website:
http://guanyincitta.com/en/
以上文字根据视频字幕摘录整理，如果有任何疏漏之处，敬请原谅。关于卢军宏台长英文版的开示，请以官网http://guanyincitta.com/en/ 为准。
任何不如理不如法的地方请诸佛菩萨和龙天护法原谅。
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发表于 2020-3-10 11:06:21