Essay Writing of Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated
—–(Issue 1)—–
A Study of Greed
Instructor: Shi Wuguang
Author: Shi Fafu
May 28, 2020
I. Introduction
Living in this world，Everyone yearns to escape suffering and find happiness. So where does all suffering come from? How can we escape suffering? And how can we find happiness? In fact, our ancient sages have deeply understood the essence of Buddhism. They have long found the answer for us in numerous Buddhist scriptures ：”All suffering arises from greed. Yet, few understand where this greed originates. It’s because we’ve forgotten our true nature, the Buddha within. When our minds wander and are filled with countless thoughts, they become our demons.”[1] These four lines perfectly explain why all beings suffer due to greed.
The Vajra-top Sutra on the Superior Signs of the Five-syllabled Mantra of Manjushri states, “A signifies birthlessness.” [2]What does birthlessness mean? Our true nature is birthless. A represents our true nature, and Amitabha represents the light of our true nature. Beings, having forgotten their original, perfect, and complete true nature, endlessly chase after desires, running outward, and thus their every thought is caught in demonic states.
Perhaps upon hearing this, one might be startled. Could it be that we are all demons? Yes. The Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra states, “A Bodhisattva Mahasattva is afflicted by ten kinds of demons…among them, the demon of afflictions, constantly defiling.”[3] Greed is precisely the demon of afflictions and the root of all evil. The Longer Agamasutra records, “Just as a person who abandons greed will no longer have any evil.”[4]
Today, I would like to join you all in exploring the nature of greed. I hope that with my limited wisdom, I can initiate a deeper exploration. Relying on the great wisdom and light of the enlightened ones, may all beings be able to dispel the deep darkness of ignorance. May they deeply understand the harm caused by greed. May they soon be able to leave the realm of greed. And truly experience freedom from suffering and attain lasting happiness.
Ⅱ. Greed Arises from Conditioning
What is greed? Greed is to indulge one’s mind in a state of joyful, persistent, unceasing, and unrestrained pursuit.The Sutra on the Afflictions Caused by Desires states, “The Buddha said to the bhikkhus, ‘Furthermore, the affliction of desire is rooted in attachment. When the mind is unrestrained and indulgent, it leads to resentment between father and son, hatred between mother and daughter, separation of husband and wife, resentment between sisters, hatred between brothers, and mutual slander among family members. This is the affliction of greed and the torment of attachment. When the mind is unrestrained and indulgent, it is drowned in these.'”[5] From this teaching of the Buddha, we can understand that the root of greed lies in the mind’s indulgence in attachment. This leads to unrestrained actions and countless afflictions.
Why do people crave? Because it gives them a good feeling. Where does that good feeling come from? Why do different people have different preferences, or in other words, different things they crave? It’s because our conditioned habits are different. The Abhidharma Sutra on the Five Aggregates states, “Greed arises from conditioning, following unconventional thoughts, and the seeking of relief from suffering is also obtained through conditioning.”[6] For example, I didn’t eat millet when I was young. My staple food was mainly rice. ：Later, I heard that millet is healthier and more nutritious, so I tried it. At first, I wasn’t used to it, but gradually, thinking about its benefits for my health, I reinforced this belief time and time again. Now, I’m used to eating millet. From this, we can see that through repeated experiences, tastes, conditioning, and reinforcement, we come to define certain things as good and acceptable, while others are bad and unacceptable. From the past to the present, our conditioning and reinforced habits have been different, resulting in different points of pleasure and attachment. In other words, the things we crave are merely solidified delusions that we have conditioned ourselves to believe in.
Thus, it’s not difficult to understand why people in Yunnan, Vietnam, and Cambodia enjoy eating certain insects raw, while people in many other places find insects repulsive. Thus, it’s not difficult to understand why people in Yunnan, Vietnam, and Cambodia enjoy eating certain insects raw, while people in many other places find insects repulsive. Thus, it’s not difficult to understand why people in Yunnan, Vietnam, and Cambodia enjoy eating certain insects raw, while people in many other places find insects repulsive. It’s simply because everyone’s conditioned habits are different.
Similarly, our diverse perspectives on people and things can be attributed to the principle of conditioning.From a young age, individuals are constantly immersed in various thoughts, ideas, and values, ultimately shaping their unique cognitive patterns.For instance, Western attitudes towards children are deeply influenced by religious beliefs. They view children as gifts from God and therefore treat them with love and respect. This notion is ingrained in Western minds from a young age, becoming a habitual way of perceiving children. In contrast, in many inland regions, particularly traditional rural areas, a strong preference for sons over daughters persists. This preference is often intertwined with traditional clan concepts and inheritance ideas. In such cultural contexts, boys are seen as the continuation of the family lineage, while girls are relatively undervalued.
Furthermore, this conditioning not only influences our attitudes towards children but also shapes our perspectives on other things and people. For instance, our views on success, failure, happiness, suffering, as well as our attitudes towards authority, freedom, and equality, are all deeply influenced by the cultural context and upbringing we experience.
In conclusion, people’s beliefs are not innate but are rather the result of subsequent learning and conditioning. The power of conditioning is immense; it shapes our thought patterns and influences our lives from one existence to the next. This principle of conditioning aligns with the teachings of the Buddha in the Shurangama Sutra. In the second chapter of the Sutra, when discussing the five aggregates, the Buddha uses the example of seeing stars to illustrate the illusory nature of the form aggregate, which is formed from solidified delusions. In the third chapter, when discussing the six sense doors, the Buddha states, “In the case of those whose eyes strain and become fatigued, both the eyes and the fatigue are of the same nature as enlightenment, and the strained and fatigued appearance is produced.” [7]Both examples demonstrate the different karmic and afflictive states arising from conditioning.
Ⅲ. Suffering and Affliction Arising from Greed
（Ⅰ）Various Sufferings Caused by Greed
Sentient beings, driven by desires and greed for material things, become attached and pursue them. The very act of pursuing is affliction, and it gives rise to the causes and conditions of negative karma, leading to the retribution of the three evil realms in the future, where one will experience immeasurable suffering. The Mahayana Sutra on the Contemplation of the Mind at Birth states, “Ordinary beings in the world are likewise. They pursue sensual desires and pleasures, unaware that sensual desires ensnare people. They are then burned by the fire of various sufferings.”[8]
All suffering arises from greed. Because greed is the seed, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits that grow from it will all be bitter. It is certain to produce all kinds of suffering. The Mahayana Sutra on the Contemplation of the Mind at Birth also states, “All suffering arises from greed.” [9]As long as there is greed, there will be countless harms but no benefits. Greed is simply bad; it only harms and destroys our body and mind. Greed is like poison. No matter who you are, once you ingest it, you will be poisoned; it’s just a matter of how much you ingest and how severe the poisoning is. In life, the most comfortable, relaxed, and pleasurable feelings we give ourselves are actually our points of greed. In fact, these feelings are like sulfuric acid corroding iron. Unknowingly, they make our body, speech, and mind increasingly difficult, and eventually, they wear out. We can prove this through our own experiences.
Let’s take our most familiar example: gluttony. Logically speaking, as we age and our experiences accumulate, we should become wiser and more perceptive. However, it is quite evident that people tend to become more senile as they age, losing the vitality and agility they had as children. Most adults have a much harder time learning new things compared to children. This is the hardship brought about by greed that gradually corrodes our body, speech, and mind.
For instance, prevalent modern diseases like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes are often caused by overeating. Even in medicine, there is an advocacy for moderation in eating: “If you want a child to be healthy, keep them a little hungry and a little cold.” The Sutra of the Differences in Retributions Preached by the Buddha to Channa the Elder also states, “If one does not digest the previous meal and continues to eat, one will receive the retribution of many illnesses.” [10]Gluttony leads to frequent illnesses and a shorter lifespan.
Let’s consider the current COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its severity, people are unable to go to work. However, without work, there is no guarantee of livelihood, and one may starve. If one goes to work, there is the risk of contracting the disease. Think about it, if people did not pursue the gratification of their appetites, could they not avoid such immense suffering?
Some might argue that basic sustenance like eating is also a form of greed. If one doesn’t eat or drink, won’t they die? Whatever one eats, one creates karma associated with it, thus preventing true liberation. As the Buddha stated in the Shurangama Sutra: “As a person eats the hundred grains from the earth, without leaving the ground…neither taking nor rejecting food, I say that this person is truly liberated.”[11]
Not only can greed for material possessions bring suffering, but attachment to sounds can also cause various kinds of pain. As the saying goes, “One word can bring a nation to prosperity, and one word can ruin it.” One word can make people laugh, and another can make them jump. Why do sounds have such a powerful contrasting effect? It’s because people are attached to sounds. By extension, sentient beings’ attachment to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch will inevitably lead to various kinds of suffering. As the Buddha said in the Mahayana Sutra on the Contemplation of the Mind at Birth, “Laypeople are deeply attached to the five desires: wives, children, relatives, slaves, and servants, all of which they possess. Because of this, they experience birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, pain, hatred, discord, love, separation, poverty, decline, and the suffering of not getting what one desires. Such sufferings follow one like a shadow or an echo, continuing from life to life without interruption. These sufferings do not arise without a cause; they have their root in various afflictions, both great and small.”[12]
（Ⅱ）Suffering Arising from Greed
Perhaps someone might think, “When I eat something I enjoy, it tastes so good. Where is the suffering?” It’s true that greed itself isn’t painful; on the contrary, it can bring momentary pleasure. However, as long as sentient beings harbor greed, they will pursue sensual pleasures, sowing the seeds of suffering. It’s like licking honey off a knife blade – there’s bound to be a cut.
For example, when we’re about to eat something delicious and someone else gets it first, we might become angry and blame them, thinking, “They shouldn’t have eaten it.” We might become deluded and start to wonder, “Why did they want to eat that?” We might become arrogant and think, “Why should they get to eat it?” Or we might become doubtful and wonder, “Is there something wrong with them that they had to eat it?”… From these initial thoughts, countless afflictions arise, leading to the creation of countless negative karmas. This seed of greed quickly takes root and grows into a towering tree of suffering, and all that awaits us is a harvest of endless pain.
（Ⅲ）The Essence of Greed is Suffering
Let’s examine whether what we consider delicious truly brings us happiness. Genuine happiness, like money, increases with quantity and brings greater joy. If eating truly brought us happiness, then one bowl would be enjoyable, two bowls would be more enjoyable, and three bowls would be even more enjoyable. The more we eat, the happier we should feel. However, this is not the case. Once we overeat, we only experience suffering. Therefore, the thing we crave and consider delicious is not truly beneficial.
When we look around, we see that everyone is bustling about, chasing after fame and fortune. Countless corrupt officials have fallen from power and lost their lives, while countless others suffer endlessly in pursuit of face. All of this is caused by greed. No matter how hard we strive or how desperately we pursue, everything we seem to gain is fleeting and ultimately unattainable. As the Shurangama Sutra states: “Due to the coming together of causes and conditions, false existence arises; due to their separation, false existence ceases.” [13]The pleasant feelings we experience are merely momentary illusions, arising and passing away in accordance with our nature and conditions. Yet, the pursuit of these fleeting pleasures inevitably leads to countless sufferings.
Ⅳ. Conclusion
（Ⅰ） The Innate Nature is Naturally Endowed with Eternal Bliss
Since we now understand that greed only brings suffering, what should we pursue if we don’t want to be greedy? How can we attain true and eternal happiness? As long as we abide in the subtle, unborn, and undying nature, we will naturally possess the eternal bliss, purity, and true qualities of this nature. As the Buddha taught in the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra: “For the sake of all sentient beings, I teach the Dharma without error. That is to say, I teach that birth and death are impermanent, without pleasure, without self, and without purity. Only Nirvana is peaceful, subtle, and complete with all kinds of eternal bliss, self, purity, and true qualities.”[14]
Someone might ask, “But how can we abide in our true nature?” The saying goes, “To cease is to attain enlightenment.” As long as we stop and cease to follow our delusions, the Bodhi mind will naturally manifest. It has always been there, within each and every one of us. As the Buddha said in the Fourth Volume of the Shurangama Sutra: “If you simply do not follow the three continuums of worldly actions, results, and beings, and do not differentiate among them, then the three conditions will be cut off, and the three causes will not arise. In your mind, the Mara demons will naturally cease, and cessation is enlightenment. Your superior, pure, luminous mind originally encompasses the entire Dharma realm. It is not obtained from others. Why exert oneself so laboriously in cultivating and realizing it?”[15] As long as we do not follow our delusions, we can abide in our true nature and experience its inherent purity and wonderful qualities.
（Ⅱ）Wisdom and Supernatural Powers Arising from Meditation
Once we cease our outward pursuits and truly settle into meditation, infinite wisdom and miraculous powers will naturally manifest. The Avatamsaka Sutra states, “The wisdom of a Tathagata pervades everywhere. Why is that? Because every sentient being possesses the wisdom of a Tathagata, but due to delusions, distortions, and attachments, they cannot realize it. If one is free from delusions, then all-knowing wisdom, natural wisdom, and unimpeded wisdom will manifest.” The Great Treatise on Perfect Wisdom also states, “[16]Moved by great compassion, a bodhisattva wishes to benefit all sentient beings with the eternal bliss of nirvana. This eternal bliss arises from true wisdom, and true wisdom arises from one-pointed concentration.”[17] The sutra further states, “Moreover, some bodhisattvas, attaining profound meditative states, develop the supernatural powers of a bodhisattva.”[18]
May all sentient beings soon be free from afflictions, delusions, and the cycle of birth and death, and attain the ultimate nirvana, the ultimate happiness free from all suffering!
V. Reference Materials
I. Ancient texts (in chronological order of dynasties)
[Later Han] An Shigao’s translation: Abhidharma Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi (Treatise on the Establishment of the Consciousness-Only Doctrine), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 28.
[Western Jin] Zhi Fa-hu’s translation: Ssuyu zhi huan jing (Sutra of the Causes and Effects of Desires), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 17.
[Later Qin] Buddhabhadra and Zhufoneng’s translation: Dīrghāgama Sūtra (Long Āgama Sutra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 01.
[Later Qin] Kumarajiva’s translation: Da Zhi Du Lun (Great Treatise on Perfect Wisdom), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 25.
[Sui] Fa Zhi ‘s translation: Buddha wei Shouka changzhe shuo ye bao chabie jing (Sutra Spoken by the Buddha to the Elder Śūka on the Differences of Karmic Retributions), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 01.
[Tang] Amoghavajra’s translation: Jingangding chaosheng sanjie jing shuo wenshu wuzi zhenyan shengxiang (Sutra on the Transcendence of the Three Realms by the Vajra Peak, Explaining the Excellent Manifestations of the Five-Syllable Mantra of Mañjuśrī), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 20.
[Tang] Śikṣānanda’s translation: Da Fang Guang Fo Hua Yan Jing (Avatamsaka Sutra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 10.
[Tang] Paramartha’s translation: Da Fo Ding Ru Lai Mi Yin Xiu Zheng Liao Yi Zhu Bosatu Wan Xing Shou Leng Yan Jing (The Śūraṅgama Sūtra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 19.
[Tang] Prajñā’s translation: Da Cheng Ben Sheng Xin Di Guan Jing (Sūtra of the Contemplation of the Mind Ground of the Bodhisattva), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 03.
[Tang] Xuanzang’s translation: Da Ban Ruo Bo Luo Mi Duo Jing (The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 06.
[Yuan] Zhongfeng Guoshi’s work: San Shi Xi Nian Fo Shi (Three Periods of Mindful Remembrance of the Buddha).
[1] Zhongfeng Guoshi’s work: San Shi Xi Nian Fo Shi (Three Periods of Mindful Remembrance of the Buddha) , New Continuation Collection, Volume 74, p.58.
[2] Amoghavajra’s translation: Jingangding chaosheng sanjie jing shuo wenshu wuzi zhenyan shengxiang (Sutra on the Transcendence of the Three Realms by the Vajra Peak, Explaining the Excellent Manifestations of the Five-Syllable Mantra of Mañjuśrī), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 20, p709.
[3] Śikṣānanda’s translation: Da Fang Guang Fo Hua Yan Jing (Avatamsaka Sutra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 10, p307.
[4] Buddhabhadra and Zhufoneng’s translation: Dīrghāgama Sūtra (Long Āgama Sutra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 01， P75.
[5] Zhi Fa-hu’s translation: Ssuyu zhi huan jing (Sutra of the Causes and Effects of Desires), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 17，P540.
[6] An Shigao’s translation: Abhidharma Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi (Treatise on the Establishment of the Consciousness-Only Doctrine), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 28，P998.
[7] Paramartha’s translation: Da Fo Ding Ru Lai Mi Yin Xiu Zheng Liao Yi Zhu Bosatu Wan Xing Shou Leng Yan Jing (The Śūraṅgama Sūtra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 19，P114.
[8] Prajñā’s translation: Da Cheng Ben Sheng Xin Di Guan Jing (Sūtra of the Contemplation of the Mind Ground of the Bodhisattva), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 03， P318.
[9] Prajñā’s translation: Da Cheng Ben Sheng Xin Di Guan Jing (Sūtra of the Contemplation of the Mind Ground of the Bodhisattva), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 03， P310.
[10] Fa Zhi ‘s translation: Buddha wei Shouka changzhe shuo ye bao chabie jing (Sutra Spoken by the Buddha to the Elder Śūka on the Differences of Karmic Retributions), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 01，P892.
[11] Paramartha’s translation: Da Fo Ding Ru Lai Mi Yin Xiu Zheng Liao Yi Zhu Bosatu Wan Xing Shou Leng Yan Jing (The Śūraṅgama Sūtra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 19，P132.
[12] Prajñā’s translation: Da Cheng Ben Sheng Xin Di Guan Jing (Sūtra of the Contemplation of the Mind Ground of the Bodhisattva), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 03，P309.
[13] Paramartha’s translation: Da Fo Ding Ru Lai Mi Yin Xiu Zheng Liao Yi Zhu Bosatu Wan Xing Shou Leng Yan Jing (The Śūraṅgama Sūtra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 19，P114.
[14] Xuanzang’s translation: Da Ban Ruo Bo Luo Mi Duo Jing (The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 06，P701.
[15] Paramartha’s translation: Da Fo Ding Ru Lai Mi Yin Xiu Zheng Liao Yi Zhu Bosatu Wan Xing Shou Leng Yan Jing (The Śūraṅgama Sūtra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 19，P121.
[16] Śikṣānanda’s translation: Da Fang Guang Fo Hua Yan Jing (Avatamsaka Sutra), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 10， P272.
[17] Kumarajiva’s translation: Da Zhi Du Lun (Great Treatise on Perfect Wisdom), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 25， P180.
[18] Kumarajiva’s translation: Da Zhi Du Lun (Great Treatise on Perfect Wisdom), Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 25， P277.