Essay Writing of Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated
(Issue 10) 14714 75
On Dust and Dirt
Instructor: Shi Wuguang
Author: Wang Huaigu
August 14, 2022
Abstract
In the whole Buddhist practice, it is actually the practitioner who takes the initiative to stay away from dust and dirt, and also to cure the disease, so as to early achieve the falling off of the dust from the organs . So, why do we talk about dust and dirt? What is dust and dirt? How much is the harm of dust and dirt? What are the supreme benefits of being free from dust and dirt? How can we keep away from and get rid of dust and dirt? Through the comprehensive understanding of delusions, afflictions, awareness and emotions and other dust and dirt diseases, we aim to thoroughly understand the harmfulness, obstructions, corruptions and masking of all dust and dust diseases, to master all the skillful methods to keep away from dust and clear dust diseases, and to obtain all the extraordinary benefits of keeping away from and clearing dust and dirt diseases.
Key Words：stay away from dust and dirt, cure the disease, falling off of the dust from the organs, masking, skillful methods
Chapter 1: Introduction
The words “dust and dirt” is often found in Buddhist theories and sutras, such as “far from dust and dirt”, ” falling off of the dust from the organs “, “sweeping away dust and dirt”, and “first subduing the afflictions of dust and dirt”. If one doesn’t understand dust and dirt, one can’t comprehend it, and if one can’t comprehend it, one can’t have ways to subdue it and remove it. Therefore, it is very necessary to have a fixed-point thorough understanding of it, so that we can know what it is on earth, what its harmful effects are, and the various ways to remove dust and dirty, so that we can eventually stay away from it, remove it, and even get rid of it from the organs.
In the whole process of Buddhist practice, it is actually the practitioner’s active process of getting rid of dust and dirt, and also the process of healing. So, what is dust and dirt? Is it a disease? What are the harmful effects of dust and dirt? What are the extraordinary benefits of being free from dust and dirt? How can we remove dust and dirt and even get rid of it from the organs? The motivation of this essay is to clarify the above questions.The purpose of this essay is to gain a thorough understanding of the turbidity, solidity, danger, corruption, and obscurity of all dust and dirt diseases through a comprehensive understanding of dust and dirt diseases, and at the same time, to become proficient in all the skillful methods of keeping away from dust and dirt and removing dust and dirt diseases, so that one can obtain the various supreme benefits of keeping away from dust and dirt, removing dust and dirt, and even getting rid of dust and dirt from the organs as soon as possible.
This topic first discusses what is dust and dirt. All delusions, consciousnesses, and feelings are dust and dirt. All precept breaking and karmic causes, conditions, habits, retributions of all the ten bad karmas, as well as all minds of afflictions such as greed, stinginess, and jealousy, are all consciousnesses, all diseases, all dirt, and all diseases of dirt. All diseases that appear on the six organs, such as the eyes, ears, and minds, are dust and dirt diseases. Next, it discusses the turbidity, solidity, unbreakability , truculency , harm, obstruction, destruction, and obscurity of dust and dirt. In particular, it uses myself as an example to illustrate the harmfulness of dust and dirt, that is, dust and dirt are also sufficient, and discusses the influence and effect of dust and dirt played on myself.
After that, he discusses the benefits of being free from dust and dirt: being free from dust and dirt can lead to pure Dharma eyes, supreme spiritual knowledge and awareness, as well as to various supernatural virtues for the six organs, to seeing many Buddhas, and to the pure satisfaction of giving and keeping precepts. Finally, it discusses the various ways in which a practitioner can stay away from and clear away dust and dirt, such as: exercising compassion, acting according to one’s own established wisdom, logic, and rules, practicing the Samadhi of freedom from dust and dirt, using the fire of wisdom to burn down the wall of dust and dirt, using the precepts, giving clothes, and also knowing the process of achieving wisdom enlightenment, through which the dust and dirt of greed, delusions, and afflictions can be broken down and quickly released from the attachment and binding. In this way, one can definitely achieve all the supreme benefits of freedom from dust and dirt.
Chapter 2: What is dust and dirt and the danger of dust and dirt
The term “dust and dirt” is not new to most readers, because it is often found in Buddhist sutras and theories, such as “far away from dust and dirt”, “falling off of dust and dirt”, “washing away dust and dirt”, “sweeping away dust and dirt from the organs”, “dirt of afflictions”, and “the initial subduing the afflictions of dirt like the guests”. In fact, the whole process of Buddhist practice is a process in which the practitioner takes the initiative to leave the dust and dirt behind, as well as a process of healing, in order to achieve the falling off of the dust from the organs as soon as possible. So, why do we talk about dust and dirt? What is dust and dirt? How much is the harm of dust and dirt on earth? What are the supreme benefits of being free from dust and dirt? How can one stay away from and get rid of dust and dirt? The author would like to discuss these topics with all collegues.
Section 1: Why do we talk about dust and dirt
If we only know the word “dust and dirt”, but we cannot understand and realize it. If we can’t even recognize it, we can’t comprehend it, and if we can’t comprehend it, we can’t subdue it and remove it. Therefore, as long as we must know it thoroughly and with fixed point, to know it completely and thoroughly, we will know what it is, it is to the extent of the harm to beings, in order to be able to stay away from the dust and dirt and clear away the dust and dirt. As the Buddha said: “For example, the king, invaded by thieves, send troops to eliminate them, the troops must know where the thieves are.” In the same way, if we do not know the appearance of the thieves of dust and dirt and where they are hidden, how can we clean them up and eliminate them? Therefore, in order to fully understand and realize dust and dirt, and to cure all dust and dirt diseases as soon as possible, it is necessary to discuss and expound the topic of dust and dirt.
Section 2: What is dust and dirt
If one wants to keep away from and get rid of dust and dirt, he should first understand and realize dust and dirt. So, what is dust and dirt?
1. All delusions are called dust, and all consciousness and emotions are dirt. In the Surangama Sutra , it is said, “False thinkings are dust, and consciousnesses and emotions are dirt.” Here is the talk of the consciousness and emotions as dirt, that is, one has a variety of emotions according to the consciousness ,and then generate a variety of thoughts according to all kinds of emotions, if it is the emotion that beings like, they will be greedy if they give rise to false thinking, if it is the emotion that beings hate and they give rise to false thinking, they will hate and be unhappy, and even to the extent of resentment to the heaven, hate to the ground. In other words, in this consciousnesses of the beings, they themselves are taking with this emotion, they have their bias, they think what is good, what is not good, and then create karmic causes and conditions, plus this karmic fruit of the body itself, which are collectively called a core, namely the consciousness, dirt, the consciousness dirt.
If we subdivide this consciousness further, it becomes the first five consciousnesses, the sixth consciousness, the seventh consciousness, and the eighth consciousness. Further down , it involves karma, the cause ,conditions and effect of karma, and the cause and condition of the karma that one is creating, which will form new karmic fruit, all of these are included in one core point, which are Consciousness . That is: they are all dirt, all of them are the dirt of consciousness.
On the other hand, when we talk about dust, we often emphasize that there is a lot of it, but quantity is also a form of expression of dust. Dust has another characteristic: turbidity. For example, when dust is put into water, people will feel unclear, because it has this turbidity. As mentioned earlier, the thought phase is the delusion, or dust, which can also be called floating dust. No delusion has ever sunk to the bottom of the water, because it is floating everywhere, it is called floating dust. In other words, every time a person has a delusion, it is all floating dust, all floating and indefinite, as long as the practitioner has these floating dust, it will definitely bury their own wisdom.
So, what is dirt? Consciousness and emotion are both dirt. The gravity of dirt is is very difficult to remove. For example, glue is equivalent to dirt, because it sticks to something and is difficult to remove. This property that is difficult to remove is the property of dirt. We can imagine, in the wisdom of one’s own wisdom, there are several-meter-thick dust, and then, one adds that dirt of glue in these dust , and finally it will become a cement block. Generally speaking, if dust is wiped off, it will fall down, if dust is blown, it will run, but, if someone add the dirt of glue into the dust and cement powder , then it will be not blown off and also swept away, even with a hammer smash, it may be very difficult to be smashed open.
Also, dirt, usually speaking, is difficult to remove, so it is called dirt. It must be the right way for one to remove the dirt, but if the method is not appropriate, one almost can not get rid of it. For example, the scale in the kettle must be knocked with a hammer, but also with a certain amount of force, plus a certain method, and even in such a way, there is no guarantee that it will be completely knocked clean. Even so, there is no guarantee that it will be completely clean. It is because the scale has the same characteristics as cement, which is hard, firm, and unbreakable. Why do we use the term “scales” to explain the emotions and consciousness? Because the habit of emotions and awareness is the most difficult to break, it is just like dirt, it is solid, it is very strong. As it is mentioned before, dust is turbid and chaotic, and at the same time, dust is light and floating, so it can be blown up and floated. But dirt, however, cannot float up. For example, the state of cement is called the state of dust, not the state of dirt; after adding water, it forms a solid plate, and after curing, it is called dirt. In fact, by standard, the human body cannot be called dust, it is called dirt. It can grow again even if it is broken in some places. Unlike dust, which can be blown away by human beings, it is solid and will not run away even if one blows on it. Therefore, in Buddhism，the emotional consciousness which is difficult to remove is called dirt.
In short, the beings’ thoughts, consciousness, feelings or emotions, even including the ten bad karmas and so on are dust and dirt.
2. Stinginess, jealousy and all afflictions and breaking precepts are dirt. Volume 6 of the Treatise on Achieving Reality says, “All afflictions are called dirt, and receiving the calling of afflictions called dirt. Receiving the calling of afflictions is dirt, not receiving the calling of afflictions is purity, and greed is the root cause of dirt! ”In addition, Volume 35 of the Flower Adornment Sutra says, “The bodhisattva has been free from the dirt of stinginess, jealousness and precept breaking for an infinite number of hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of kalpa, and has been pure and satisfied with giving and holding precepts.”
That is, we know that the acts of killing, stealing and other precepts breaking are not only dirt, but also not ordinary dirt, but very solid dirt. In fact, the bad karma of killing, stealing and so on is also the scourge of the emotion and consciousness, and the emotion and consciousness itself is the dirt. If one creates all kinds of bad karma on top of the dirt of emotional consciousness, you will be adding dirt to dirt. Moreover, these scales are not only the scales of the emotion and consciousness, but also the bad karmas of creating killing and stealing, and the future fruits that these karmas will bear, all of which can be included in the consciousness.
In other words, killing, stealing and other karmic causes, conditions, habits, effects and greed, stinginess, jealousy and other afflictions are all consciousness, and the more people raise, the thicker and bigger it is, if one creates them more than once, it is more and more thicker and bigger, of which greed is the root. That is, the beings are relying on these emotions and consciousnesses, and through the implementation and creation of the body and mouth , continue to thicken and strengthen the dust and dirt of these emotions and consciousnesses, and if one thinks carefully, it is very scary. In short, these karmic causes, conditions, habits, fruits and greed, stinginess, jealousy and other minds of afflictions can be included in the consciousness, and they are all dirt, are all dirt of consciousness.
In fact, the body of beings is also a kind of dirt. This body is the formation of karmic fruits due to the karma created in the past, namely the condensation of karma, plus the aiding and upholding of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas with their merits and virtues. The body is the formation of karmic fruits , if karmic causes and conditions are now produced in this karmic fruits again, new karmic fruits will be formed in the future , and these can be included in the scope of consciousness, and they are also all dirt.
Let’s talk about breaking the precepts, which is also dirt. This dirt of breaking the precepts, which is described here, stands at a very high level. It is telling beings that they will not be liberated, will not be purified, will not be free, and will only have a painful end. Because the precept is to ensure liberation, to ensure purity, to ensure clean, to ensure freedom, protection, that is to say, the precept is to protect the beings from receiving only good fruits, against bad fruits, against suffering the fruit of suffering.
If someone breaks the precepts now, it is of course dirt, because it must be evil, his later feelings must be bad, must also be painful, so it is called dirt of precepts breaking. To the preceptor, this precept breaking is also called bad karma, and the final result of bad karma is disease, namely dirt and the disease of dirt. In fact, all breaking precepts are dirt, they are all disease of dirt. Because the precepts are not only a precept not to kill, but also precepts not to steal, not to commit sexual misconduct and so on. If someone thinks that if he or she does not break the precept of not killing, then he or she is no longer of no dirt, in fact, he or she cannot think that way.
Because all these breaking precepts are called dirt. Moreover, this body is the fruit of sickness, and on this fruit of sickness he is creating new causes and conditions of sickness, that is, he will still be sick in the future, that is, the fruit of continuous sickness. That is to say, it is adding dirt to dirt, the continuous sickness of dirt, and the continuous retributions. Therefore, breaking all the precepts is all dirt, and it is also a disease, all a disease of dirt.
In short, all these precepts breaking and all karmic causes, conditions, habits effects and all the minds of afflictions such as greed, stinginess and jealousy are all consciousness, all diseases, all dirt and all diseases of dirt.
3. The diseases in the eye organ, ear organ, mind organ and other six organs are dirt. Dust and dirt is disease, the six organs of beings all carry dust and dirt, all carry the causes and conditions of disease, regardless of the accumulation of dust and dirt of any organ to the amount, there will be naturally disease, any organ will not be naturally spiritual. As the Buddha said, “It is like a person with cataract who sees a flower in the sky. If the cataract is removed, the flower is destroyed in the void.”
The cataract here is consciousness, is disease, is illusion, is also dirt. First of all, the eyes that sprout cataract become sick eyes, and then repeatedly cognize these worldly phenomena, not forgetting them is changed into consciousness, although these worldly myriad phenomena are not real to exist, not real existence, but can make the six organs of beings feel as if they exist, so it is also called illusion.
When it comes to dust and dirt, people often can’t relate to themselves, but now the author says that dust and dirt is disease, disease is indeed dust and disease is indeed dirt. so we know that dust and dirt is closely related to their own, closely linked, not coming out of thin air. In the following, the author uses this eye disease as an example to explain what is dirt. The author is nearsighted, so I can see closer and more blurrily than normal. In fact, my nearsightedness is dirt, is the disease. Sickness is equivalent to dirt, and dirt is equivalent to disease. The two words put together are called “disease”. That is to say, dirt is disease, disease is dirt.
Myopia is called a disease in medical science, what disease? Eye disease, that is disease of myopia, this myopia is only one of the many eye diseases. How many kinds of diseases are there in the eye? Some are inflammatory diseases, some are structural problems, then, myopia itself is a structural problem of the eye, it is a kind of eye disease. Eye diseases can be divided into myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, color blindness, cataracts, glaucoma, and all of these are diseases, diseases of dirt. Why do I say so? Because the dirt is aggravated. Then, how does my nearsightedness, which is disease of dirt, form and worsen? Many people can see very far away, but why do I see very close? It is because I used to talk about others and scold them for seeing very close, and this dirt and karma has been very much and thick to be created.
How is this created? It is that I used to say that other people are too short-sighted, but I have become too short-sighted. If something is put as far as one inch away from me, I can see it clearly, but if I put it not as far as one inch, but as far as one foot or one sratch , I can’t see it clearly, and my eyes are a blur.
Why? Because I only have the karma, the dirt, and the cause of the disease of being short-sighted. Because of this dirt, the karma, the cause of the disease has been created more times, now I can only become nearsighted, become myopic, and can not see clearly in the distance. Therefore, nearsightedness is a kind of dirt, is a kind of disease, is a kind of dirt disease.
In this way, the astigmatic person is also a kind of dirt, is also a disease, is also a kind of dirt disease. With astigmatism, one’s vision is scattered, and it is difficult to focus. Just as a person’s mind is chaotic, he cannot fix on one point, he can have a hundred delusions coming out at the same time, how can he fix on one point? The same is true for the eyes of the persons with astigmatism. When he looks at something, he cannot focus on a single point, his vision is scattered. People with astigmatism often look at things obliquely, no matter how he looks at them, they are oblique, and the key is that he does not know it himself. For example, when some people are born with astigmatism, their house is originally square, but when he looks at it, it is oblique, the house is not square, but it becomes twisted and oblique.
Then, what kind of karma did he create in the past, and what kind of dirt did he add to become the result and retribution of astigmatism? It is because in the past, he always said that everything in other people was slanted, and he said it in a disgusting way, not in a good way. If he said it in good faith, he was correcting and rectifying others, but if he said it in a disgusting way, if he said it with false accusations toughly, then he will suffer evil retributions . Such a cause inevitably leads to such a reward, what one falsely accused others, their own feedback will be what, that is, what to give, their own feedback is what, so when time of the realization of the retribution comes , he is the person with astigmatism.
Therefore, astigmatism, just like myopia, is also a kind of disease. It is the gradual accumulation of the dirt, and in the end, it forms the fruit of dirt disease. The cause of the disease is dirt, because the dirt has not yet reached enough saturation, so, for the time being, one can not see the fruit of the disease, when the dirt is enough much and enough saturation, the retributions of myopia, astigmatism and other eye diseases will be fulfilled one by one.
All of these dirt diseases are that with the mind of the beings, according to the amount of their knowledge, one will find everything correspondingly according to the karma, all of this will be realized in the body of the karma creator in a living, breathing way and to a tittle. As the Surangama Sutra says: “You do not know that in the midst of the Tathagatas’ Store , the nature of the form is the real empty space, the nature of the space is the real form, it is pure naturally, and all around the Dharma Realm. All of this is that with the mind of the beings, according to the amount of their knowledge, according to their own karma, the sentient beings can feel such kind of phenomenon of retribution. And also, “That is, the person who stares at the flowers in the space with his eyes and is sick, both the eyes and the sicknesses are all characteristics of sickness formed due to staring in Bodhi.” When one thinks about it, he will feel extremely horrible!
Next, let’s look at the dirt disease in the organ of ears. The human eyes have so many dirt diseases, and so do the human ears, which also have many dirt diseases. For example, among all the sound spectrum, only the middle point can be heard by the human ears, but nothing can be heard at the extreme ends of the ultrasound and infrasound waves.For example, infrasound is a sound wave whose frequency is less than 20 Hz but higher than the change in air pressure caused by climate. However, the human ear basically does not feel infrasound waves. It is because of the ear’s dirt disease, as the Surangama Sutra says: “ All of this is that with the mind of the beings, according to the amount of their knowledge, according to their own karma, the sentient beings can feel such kind of phenomenon of retribution.” Also,“ That is, both the ears and the sicknesses are all characteristics of sickness formed due to staring in Bodhi.” When one thinks about it, he will feel extremely horrible!
Here we go on again to look at the disease dirt of the organ of the mind. The organ of the mind of beings is a very thick, very strong and indestructible dirt. Although there are great differences in the disease dirt on the six organs of beings, some are light, some are heavy, but the disease dirt on the organ of the mind is present in almost everyone, all exists, and is very thick and very strong and difficult to be destroyed. The most typical and common phenomenon is that the karma of the mind is difficult, that is, the brain is clumsy and not flexible, the memory, understanding, reaction ability and general ability are declining rapidly and getting worse and worse.
However, there are a few people who are very flexible and have advanced new inventions. For example, the mathematical algorithms invented by the modern Indian mathematician Niwasser Ramanujan are so simple and convenient that even through mental arithmetic one can quickly get the results, one can quickly calculate a company’s accounts of receipts and charging off, etc. There is no need to start from elementary school like the Chinese to break their fingers or calculate slowly and painstakingly and complexly with repeated rounding and declination.
For example, it is mentioned that there are many skills in mathematics, and one can quickly deduce the result in one’s mind by returning to the essence within; the method of multiplication about 11 is: the two sides are built outward, and the middle is added two by two; the ability of mental calculation is advocated, and one cannot rely on external computers and calculators; the fundamental principles and tricks of this calculation should be mastered, e.g., the method of addition is to grasp the fundamental principles and core skills, and to calculate from the high level and directly add together. These methods of his greatly improve one’s number sense, improve one’s sense of numbers and mathematics, avoid these tedious operations of repeated rounding and declination, and easily make one thirsty for knowledge and not bored with knowledge.
He and many Indians will be able to master this ultra-advanced calculation method. However, how many people could master this method other than him and the Indians? Even many people have never even heard of it in their lives. Why is it that many people have never heard of it, even though they live in the same human society and on the same earth? Some closed countries will not be mentioned for the time being, but in many open countries in the West, and in the least closed countries, does everyone know about this advanced calculation method? Then, why do some people know about it and others do not? Why can some of those who know it specialize in learning it, while others cannot? Why do some people learn it, they think they know it and they do not care it, and will he never be good at it ?
At most, he will be good at it at that time, after that, he will never be good at it, because he is not used to that, he is used to using his own old slow and backward method, that is to say, his intentional organs give rise to the dirt disease. Therefore, the organs of the conscious of all beings are extremely thick ,strong and hard to destroy.
Just as the Surangama Sutra says: “You do not know that in the midst of the Tathagatas’ Store , the nature of the consciousness is bright and aware, the brightness of the enlightenment is the real consciousness, the wonderful enlightenment is pure and bright naturally and all around the Dharma Realm, and there is no fixed place for it to appear, and according to their own karma, the sentient beings can feel such kind of phenomenon of retribution.” Also, “Both the consciousness and the sickness of consciousness are all characteristics of sickness formed due to staring over and over in Bodhi. When one thinks about it, he will feel extremely horrible! Therefore, later on, the author will talk about how to remove dust and dirt.
In the same way to be proved , nasal disease, tongue disease, body disease and other diseases that appear on the other three organs are all dirt, all dirt diseases.
Section 3: The Harmfulness, Obstacles, Destructiveness, and Masking of Dust and Dirt
We have already known that all delusions, consciousnesses and emotions, and afflictions are dust and dirt; the ten bad karma and breaking precepts are all dirt; and the diseases that occur in the six organs, such as the eye, ear, and mind organs are all dirt. So, what are the specific harms of dust and dirt?
1. Dust and dirt prevent beings from realizing the wisdom and merit and virtue that the Tathagatas or self-nature originally possesses. The Avatamsaka Sutra says: “ There is no sentient being who does not possess the wisdom of the Tathagatas, but who does not attain it due to delusions, perversions and attachments. If one is free from the false thinking and delusions, all wisdom, natural wisdom and unhindered wisdom will be realized. ”From this we can see that the delusions, perversions and attachments really obstruct the wisdom and merit and virtue that the self-nature of all sentient beings originally possesses.
2. Dust and dirt make beings see limitedly and the eye of ways clouded or turbid. As we all know, in the entire spectrum of light, the visible light of the human eyes is very narrow , much is invisible light, such as X-rays, especially the Buddhas’ light, are not in the human visible spectrum, how can people see the Buddha? Many things are not in the human spectrum of light, but they are actually there, and people cannot see them. That is because of the dirt disease of the human eyes.
The Surangama Sutra says,“False Thinking is the dust, consciousnesses and feelings are the dirt, if one is far away from both of them, then his eyes of ways should be clear and bright in time.” The Dharma eye, that is, the eye of the methods or ways, the Dharma eye that mortals rely on delusion, feelings and consciousnesses is called the dusty eye of the methods, the Dharma eye that is according to the Buddha Dharma is called the pure eye of the methods, the pure Dharma eye and the dusty Dharma eye are completely different. In short, beings rely on the dust and dirt of these delusions, consciousness and feelings can only make their own eyes of the methods turbid.
3. Dust and dirt have turbidity, solidity, firmness, unbreakability , destruction, so that they can make people not adapt and use new things. As mentioned above, dust has turbidity. As already mentioned above, dust has turbidity. If the dust is put into water, it can make the water turbid. For example, if one puts a handful of pigment on the left and a handful of pigment on the right into clear and transparent water, the originally transparent water will become opaque, and the originally clearest thing will become more and more muddy and unclear, all of which these fall within the scope of dust. If one adds cement powder, it will become cement block, that is dirt and it is very solid, and it is difficult to remove and do away with. Similarly, the dust and dirt of afflictions and bad karmas also let the six organs of beings and the noema more and more unclear, and one can not play their wonderful use, the obstacles to six organs and the noema are more and more extensive and solid.
In the following ,the author uses himself as an example to illustrate the harmful effects of dust and dirt. My present state is that my afflictions are not yet broken, my false thinking is not yet eradicated, I am dusty and myopic. My body is a karmic body, and I even continue to create bad karma with greed, hatred, ignorance，arrogance and doubt. I am the dirt-sufficient. In other words, I have both dust and dirt, which is the same as this: I want to be good, but I can’t be good, and I want to be bad, it seems to be unwilling and reluctant, but I especially like it. This is the influence and effect of dust and dirt played on me.
So, how do the dust and dirt harm me? Specifically, they prevent me from accepting new things, new knowledge, and new skills. I finished watching the video about the Indian mathematician’s advanced and convenient calculation method mentioned earlier, and I found it very refreshing and interesting, and I studied and practiced the master’s advanced calculation method myself once. I also knew this method was super advanced, but I didn’t stick to it and apply it in the end. In other words, I have been accustomed to Chinese addition, subtraction, multiplication and division since I was a child, and I have solidified it, I have to use it, I have tested the advanced method of Indian mathematicians and it is indeed simple, fast and flexible, but I just do not want to use it. Why is that?
It is because I am very accustomed to my own old ways, accustomed to my own repeated entry and exit calculations , subconsciously unwilling to accept, adapt, and use this beautiful advanced method that the Indian mathematician invented, that is, my organ of consciousness here has a dirt disease, which prevents me from its use and application.
Then why is it that some people do not have this advanced method, but once they have it, it becomes their own kung fu? Because he has a very sensitive organ of consciousness and does not have so many dirt diseases and cured bad habits, just like many students in India, even because they are accustomed to using this advanced calculation method from childhood and have very good mental calculation ability and calculation ability, have become executives and engineers in many high-tech companies and advanced enterprises such as Microsoft, Google in the world, and this area has almost become the world and the monopoly of the Indians.
In other words, all of this has a great, close relationship with the evil habits and dust and dirt of beings. Just like the author myself, although I also studied, practiced it once, also know it is advanced and incomparable, but by the obstacles, influence, controlling of my dust and dirt such as delusions, feelings and consciousnesses , I am always used to my own old backward calculation methods that were learned in my childhood in my mind, and am very afraid of trouble. In brief, just like the mung bean fly, it knows that the shit is not good, it knows that the shit with the same color as the banana is not good, but it is used to eating the shit. Although it knows those bananas are good, it still eats the shit because it is too accustomed to eating the shit.
So by the same token, because I am too familiar with that backward arithmetic method, and that’s why I still use it. I tried that Indian guru’s advanced calculation method, and it really works . By common sense, I should have accepted it and applied it, but in fact I didn’t do so.
Why? Because I’m not used to it, I’m not very used to it, I’m still used to my old backward calculation method. Do you think this person is so foolish, so incomprehensible? He is not only accustomed to the bad method, but also holds on to it; he is not accustomed to the good method, and does not play and use it, even though he knows it is advanced and convenient, which is the same as knowing that a banana and a turd look exactly alike, but he chooses the turd instead of the banana, even though he absolutely knows that the banana is better than the turd. Here comes an important issue, that is: the rivers and mountains are easy to change, but bad habits are hard to move. The vicious habits of the beings are serious dirt diseases, very thick dirt diseases, as 10 meters thick reinforced concrete that is as strong, solid, which are even difficult to destroy, difficult to remove, difficult to accept and use new things, new skills, and a great good thing is so damaged and destroyed by the dirt disease of vicious habits.
In other words, the dirt disease is so heavy and thick that he doesn’t even know he is a patient, and he is so sick that his disease is not curable. And these dirt diseases are also that ,with the mind of the beings, according to the amount of their knowledge, according to their own karma, the sentient beings can feel and discover such kind of phenomenon of retribution, and will be realized in the body of the karma creator himself from beginning to end, exactly alike, being tallied in every detail and even adding interest.
4. The dust and dirt are the gods of destruction, causing oneself and others more and more pain, bad luck and corruption. Once a person is eroded by the dust and dirt of delusions and afflictions, he will not know how he died and why he is getting worse and worse. This is because the dust and dirt of afflictions such as ignorance, delusions and evil views are the sources of all sufferings, misfortunes and bad luck, and also the gods of destruction!
Why? The Buddha emphasized in the Surangama Sutra, “ You should know that all sentient beings, from the beginninglessness of time, live and die in succession because they do not know the pure and clear nature of the dwelling true heart and use all delusions and false thinking. This false thinking is not true, so there is reincarnation for them.” It is clear from this that if one follows the dust and dirt of delusions and afflictions, one will be in the cycle of birth and death and will destroy oneself. Moreover, it is meaningless to destroy oneself, to make oneself suffer infinitely, to suffer unbearably. Therefore, practitioners must pay attention to this delusion or false thinking to the extreme. Moreover, when a person is dominated by foolishness and evil views and perverted delusions, it will definitely destroy his or her studies, career, and family, as long as they are good deeds, they will be definitely destroyed by them. Because all day long, they follow ignorance and evil views and perverted delusions, and do not do anything good for themselves.
And it is even more terrible than dogshit, far more terrible than dogshit. Dogshit is just a way to make yourself feel bad and sad, but perverted delusion is not only a way to corrupt yourself and make yourself feel ill and suffer, but also to corrupt others and make them feel ill and suffer, and even to deliberately make others suffer, sometimes according to the rules. There is even a way to treat others as well, or a way to give a man a taste of his own medicine
Therefore, afflictions and dust and dirt are the gods of destruction, causing more and more pain, misfortune, and corruption to oneself and others.
5. The dust and dirt of delusions and attachments are harmful things. The dust and dirt like delusions and attachments are harmful to people! Everyone is living in the dust and dirt of his own delusions and attachments! As it says in Vol. 2 of the Mahayana Awesome Secret Sutra,“ Only because of the Diseased Eyes, the phenomenon has been revealed. The body and Self are your consciousness, and so are all beings. The people who are attached to False Thinking and unaware, always abide in their own attachments. The sentient beings and the body itself, with various forms and characters, though different both inside and outside, they are originated from the Self-nature.” The diseased eyes mentioned here are the dust and dirt of karmas, habits, and vexations that the six organs possess originally. According to their own karma, the sentient beings can feel such kind of phenomenon.
This verse is to explain a fact: all beings live in the dust and dirt of his own delusions and attachments, and they see everything with sick eyes! Because of the difference of the dust and dirt of one’s own delusions and attachments, people cannot understand each other, but they think they all understand each other.
For example, there is a group of people who are nearsighted, farsighted, color blind, and astigmatic, so they see things more differently than normal people. If they see the same red color, will they see the same thing in their eyes? Not the same. So, when they look at the same red color, they feel differently in their minds. One person feels like this, if another person says it is like that, the first person will definitely not agree with another person’s point of view. When they are looking at the same color, a group of people have different feelings, different perceptions, different sensory ability, different preferences, and everything they look at is different, and the result is naturally different.
However, people think they see the same thing, because they all see the same thing, of course the same! It can’t be different! How can it be different? People will all think so. Therefore, every living being is living in their own dust and dirt of false thinking and attachments, constant discord, quarrel, struggle, and they all are harming themselves and others, corrupting each other’s originally very good human conditions or relationships.
In addition, delusions and attachments about food and clothing are also harmful and corrupting. For example, after wearing the best clothes, one will not be able to wear anything, and one will not like any style or material. For this person, can you let him get well? If you really let him get well, he may never get well again.
What are people all doing? It is obvious that delusions and obsessions are sufferings, and they are corruptions, but everyone is going forward continually with fresh forces and going forward bravely! They have to find some sufferings, they have to make themselves disabled, crippled and miserable! Therefore, the practitioners must know how harmful the dusts and dirt of delusions and attachments are, which destroy one’s mood and mental state and corrupt one’s inner world!
In addition, when men and women lust for each other, they are using each other as tools to serve themselves and make each other create pleasure for themselves, which means they are harming slaughtering each other. For example: men’s sweet talk and all kinds of pampering to women, women’s pampering, inviting pampering, seducing, confusing and impressing to men, but only through the polite means to meet the greedy devil, to serve the greedy devil faithfully in order to let themselves finished. The body’s variety of reactions are also used as a great excuse for lust. In fact, the so-called bodily reactions and needs are only the call of the devil, the devil’s needs, and have nothing to do with oneself and one’s own Self-nature. What do they have to do with your spirit? Therefore, the practitioners must know that the evil karma, the lusts and dirt of the evil habits and the evil retributions are all harmful things that are specially designed to damage and destroy one’s physical strength, brain power, energy and vitality.
Here is an example that I personally experienced a few days ago, which will convince one that the dusts and dirt of delusions, afflictions and attachments are harmful things, and they are the things that kill people without filling their lives. One morning, when the bell rang at the scheduled wake-up call, my delusions were immediately surprised: Why am I getting up, haven’t I slept enough? And then I gave rise to another thought: I have to start another day of hard study and work, how boring!
Especially when I thought of writing an essay, I naturally felt fearful and intimidated. At that time, I also thought: Who is the one who is in surprise and in shock? It was all the dusts and dirt of delusions and emotions and consciousnesses that were at work. Where do they want to take me? It’s okay, don’t be afraid, it’s just a little more sleep, even if it’s five minutes, it won’t cause any big problem. Even if there is any problem, I can make up for it by making more efforts to improve a few efficiencies during the day.
The dusts and dirt of afflictions such as delusions, greed, slackness, and loose just have the masking property like this to let the good time go by. I think about how I have become such a procrastinator and in the past few years, I wasn’t like this before, and I wasn’t like this when I was a kid. I remember when I was in junior high school, I would jump out of bed as soon as the alarm clock rang, and even most of the time I woke up a few minutes early without waiting for the alarm clock to ring, and my biological clock was particularly sensitive. Even if I didn’t get up right away in a few cases, my father would lift the blanket without any hesitation, and I had to get up right away.
In the last few years, I often spoil myself: sleep a little more, it’s okay, it’s a small thing, it won’t affect anything, I’m this old, everything is basically set, what else to fight for? When people are in over thirty years, it is as if the sun had passed noon. it is like the sun passes the noon, I’ve already passed my midday earlier. And I was seduced by the dusts and dirt of delusions. As a result, I sometimes sleep for half an hour or even an hour. I can’t remember how many times I’ve been so loose and slack, so I’ve been corrupted by delusions and afflictions, and the dust and dirt of delusions and afflictions is getting heavier and thicker little by little.
There is really no big problem on the surface, they do not let me be unlucky. But when I think about them, the total number of times I have spoiled myself, slacked off, and procrastinated adds up to how much good time has been wasted, how much study and work has been delayed, how many great opportunities have been postponed, and how much speed of achievement has been greatly reduced. They really make this life of mine almost empty again.
But delusions and feelings still always comfort me with absolute and great reasons: It’s okay, it’s not the fundamental killing, stealing, lust and false speech, so why do I have to make a fuss and suffer from imaginary fears ? At this moment, I still wanted to stay in bed, but I thought I could not let my delusions and feelings harm me anymore, so I got up in a hurry. But after I washed my face and brush my teeth, my delusions were still lingering: I haven’t slept enough, I haven’t slept well, I don’t feel good about writing delusions, and writing essays is really too hard, it’s not a human job! The dust and dirt of my delusion and false thinking are so thick and solid! It’s still there, making a lot of noise. I thought it was better to just do it than anything else, so I ignored it and went straight to the writing desk, and got ready to start writing my delusions and essays. I also thought I must write down the delusion that had just happened as quickly as possible, so that I could recognize the ugly, corrupt faces and features of delusion, but then I remembered that I hadn’t offered pure water to the Triple Jewel today. So I went to make offering of the pure water.
After making offering of the pure water, I remembered how the pumpkin seedlings that I had just transplanted a few days ago were growing last night, and if they hadn’t been knocked down by those two pheasants that fly in every day from nowhere. I looked and saw that the pumpkin seedlings were growing well and were standing tall. At this time, I saw a bunch of moringa flowers falling down naturally, oh, similar to that things will be easily settled when conditions are OK, the dusts falling off from the six organs are perhaps this beautiful, so natural, it is good for me to aspire to! After thinking and walking around like this, I remembered that writing my delusions was one of the key things I planned to do today, and then I settled down to write my delusions.
After finishing writing my delusions, I look back and think: how cunning and harmful this delusion is. From waking up, to offering pure water, to seeing the pumpkin seedlings, to seeing the fall of the moringa flowers, there were all kinds of absolute and great reasons for the delusions, and they were even mixed with the so-called love and Buddhist thinking, and they let me forget what I even planned to do and then finally settled down to write the delusions! It’s not easy ！Maybe the delusions are satisfied, otherwise, they would not have stopped. I remembered that when I was tired of chasing after delusions, I would hasten to study and do things, and after studying and doing things, I felt a sense of accomplishment. In fact, I have been betrayed, abused and done harm to by the dusts and dirt of delusions and afflictions for thousands of times!
This morning’s experience has proved to me that I am really full of dust and dirt, and it is true. Earth Store Bodhisattva said: “All sentient beings in the world are nothing but sinful when they move their thoughts and minds.” The Buddha said, “If I press my finger, the seal of the sea will shine, namely so many corresponding wisdoms like the sea are automatically and clearly revealed; if you raise your mind for a moment, the dusts of afflictions will rise first.” At this moment, since I have experienced all this myself, I really believe in it, and I am convinced. Buddha is the one who speaks truly, the one who speaks truthfully, the one who speaks as the thusness, the one who does not speak differently, the one who does not use arrogant words. If a practitioner does not recognize the corrupting nature of the dusts and dirt of delusion and afflictions, and is alert to the obscuring or masking nature of the dusts and dirt of delusion and afflictions, and lets them go, he or she will definitely achieve nothing in this life and in all lifetimes, and will be in vain.
Only if one does not follow this harmful and corrupting dust and dirt of delusions and afflictions, and do not pick up the moon in the water, will he or she have the possibility of being free from suffering and attaining happiness! Let us always remember: the dusts and dirt of delusions or false thinking, afflictions and attachments are such terrible pests!
In short, the delusion, knowledge, feelings, clinging, even including the ten evil karmas and other dirt, stirred together, accumulated to a certain extent, will form different scales, it has a turbidity, harm, solidity, firmness, difficult to break, destructive, corrupting, is a pest, is to make people can not see the true nature of all things, but also let people can not quickly adapt, accept, use new things, new skills, so that the self and others more and more. The new skills will cause more and more pain, misfortune and corruption.
Chapter 3: The Benefits of Staying Away from Dust and Dirt
Through the previous discussion, we have already known the harmful effects of dust and dirt, but now we should also know more about the great benefits of being free from dust and dirt, so as to lay a solid foundation for how to be free from dust and dirt later.
Section 1: Freedom from dust and dirt can lead to pure eyes of ways and supreme spiritual awareness
Staying away from dust and dirt will enable the practitioner to attain pure eyes of ways and supreme spiritual awareness. As the Surangama Sutra says, “If one abandons birth and death, and abides in the true and constant Self-nature, the constant light will appear, and the afflictions and consciousness of dust will be destroyed from the organs. False Thinking is the dust, consciousnesses and feelings are the dirt, if one is far away from both of them, then his eyes of ways should be clear and bright in time. How can we not achieve supreme awareness?” The eye of ways of a mortal is called the Dharma eye of dust and dirt, but the Dharma eye relying on Buddhism is called the Dharma eye of purity, also called the Dharma eye of clarity. Specifically, for example, the ten Dharma Realms, the Buddha Dharma Realm is the Buddha, the Hell Dharma Realm is the Hell, the one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten of the ten Dharma Realms, all of these are absolutely clear, perspicuous, and can be explained clearly and thoroughly, which is called the Dharma Eye of Clarity. The Dharma eye of clarity is different from the Dharma eye being turbid. What does it mean being turbid in the Dharma eye? I don’t know what the Buddhas’ Dharma realm is like, and I don’t know what the hells’ Dharma realm is like ,either and I can’t distinguish the ten Dharma realms. This is called being turbid in the Dharma eye. As the beings get better, they can see more clearly, they are not nearsighted, they are not myopic, and can see farther.
Therefore, as long as the practitioners can abide in the Self-nature, stay away from the dusts and dirt of the imagination and consciousness and emotions, so that they can naturally achieve the pure eyes of the methods and the supreme spiritual awareness. Otherwise, they only have the eyes of the methods of dust and dirt.
Section 2: Freedom from dust and dirt enables the six organs to attain various supernatural merits and virtues
By keeping away from dust and dirt, the six organs can receive all kinds of supreme merits and virtues, and with these merits and virtues, the six organs can be solemnized and purified. The chapter of the Venerable Masters’ merits and virtues of the Lotus Sutra is described as the extraordinary phenomenon when the six organs of the Venerable Master are possessed with merits and virtues.
If a good man or woman accepts and upholds this Lotus Sutra, if he or she reads or recites or interprets or writes it, he or she will attain the eight hundred merits and virtues of eyes … With the merits and virtues solemnized, the six organs will be purified. The good man and good woman, born of parents with pure physical eyes, sees all the mountains, forests, rivers and seas inner and outer the three-thousand great thousand worlds, down to the Avichi hell and up to this Summit of Being. They also see all sentient beings therein, and karmic causes, conditions, retributions and places of birth, and they all see and know them all…They have gained 1,200 merits and virtues. With this purified organ of consciousness, he can even hear one sentence or a single verse and understand and master the infinite and boundless meanings. When he has understood the meanings, he is able to manifest and preach one sentence or one verse for one month, four months and even one year. And the doctrines that they preach during that time will conform to the gist of the principles and will never be contrary to true reality. If they should expound some text of the secular world or speak on matters of government or those relating to wealth and livelihood, they will in all cases conform to the correct Dharma. With regard to the living beings in the six realms of existence of a thousand-million-fold world, they will understand how the minds of those living beings work, how they move, what idle theories they entertain.
The Surangama Sutra speaks of the falling off of the dusts of afflictions from the organs and fullness of merits and virtues, which is the phase mentioned in the chapter of the Venerable Masters’ merits and virtues of the Lotus Sutra. At the very least, the body born of the present parents can still have those kinds of abilities and powers that resemble spiritual powers.
Section 3: Being free from dust and dirt leads to seeing many Buddhas and makes giving and upholding precepts pure and satisfying
Being free from dust and dirt enables the Bodhisattvas to see many Buddhas, to make offerings to the Buddhas and the monks, and to give alms and keep precepts in a pure and satisfying manner. The Flower Adornment Sutra says
The Bodhisattvas who dwell in this ground of freedom from dirt, with the power of vows, can see many Buddhas… In all the Buddhas, they are with a great and deep heart, with venerating and respect, service and making offerings of clothing, food, bedding, medicine and all the goods that nourish lives, also make offerings to all the monks, return to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi with this good root…the bodhisattvas have been free from the dirt of stinginess, jealousness and broken precepts, and have been pure and satisfied with giving and holding precepts during an infinite number of hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas kalpa.The benefits of being free from dust and dirt of the bodhisattvas are so abundant and vast!
In the final analysis, “The world’s most beautiful treasures are pure and clean without mixing dusts and defilement, and so are the Buddhas, the Dharma, and the Sangha, all of which are free from the dust and dirt of afflictions. As a student who learns from the Buddhas and a practitioner, one should also strive to follow the example of the Triple Jewel, to be free from the dust and dirt of afflictions as soon as possible, vows to be a lotus flower without cling to water, and not to be a cotton with hiding water, and to obtain the true benefits of Buddhism.
Therefore, once the practitioner stays away from the dust and dirt, clear away the dust and dirt, not only relies on the dust and dirt for the solemnity, but also plays the use of the right skillful ways, the right wisdom and precepts, fully demonstrates his or her strength, solemnize oneself with the Buddhas’ merits and virtues, and these are the beautiful things that all the Buddhas’ disciples wish for , then it is really a blessing for the beings, the world’s blessing and a blessing of Buddhism.
Chapter 4: How to keep away from and remove dust and dirt
In the whole process of practice, it is the process of healing the disease and the process of removing the dust and dirt for the practitioner. It is the process of gradually alleviating the disease and gradually healing the sickness and removing the dirt and dirt with the help of Dharma medicine. When the six organs have been purified and perfected merits and virtues, a certain degree of healing has been achieved. Remember all the time that the dusts and dirt of delusions, attachments, and the ten evil karmas are harmful things, and everyone lives in the midst of delusions and attachments.Then the only way to have a peaceful and happy life is to not run with your delusions and attachments in your study, life, family and work as much as possible. Then, how can a practitioner keep away from the dust and dirt and remove the dust and dirt?
Section 1: To play the mind of compassion
Compassion, that is, the heart to pluck suffering for all sentient beings, is not only to bring mang good things, wholesome things, but also very strongly destructive for the dusts and dirt of bad things and their own bad karmas ,habits and retributions. Just as the Sutra of the Precepts for Upasakas says
If you practice compassion, it is difficult to give but one can give, it is difficult to endure something but one can endure it, and it is difficult to do something but one can do it. In this sense, compassion is the root of all good deeds. Good man, if one can practice such compassion, you should know that one can destroy evil karma like Mountain Sumeru , and soon attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the reward for the little good karma one does is great and strong like Mountain Sumeru.
This shows that if one can practice compassion, one can build lots of mountains of good karmas and merits and virtues, and one can destroy lots of mountains of bad karmas and dusts and dirt. The merits and virtues of compassion are extreme and truly exceptional.
Why is that? Everything is disvcovered according to one‘s own karma, if one creates his own karma, no matter how one learns, and how to seek the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, are not as good as his own practice of great compassion, that is, one often removes the sufferings of beings, he just does it, because doing so is the same breath and is to network with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. That is, maintain a network with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas , or maintain the same frequency with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, that is, their practices are his own practices; their wishes are his own wishes; their great compassion is his own great compassion. The power of practicing according to the Dharma is unthinkable, and kindness and compassion are unhindered. In this way, one is connected with all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and all his resources are shared with oneself! Therefore, the practice of great compassion, you can easily destroy lots of mountains of evil dusts and dirt of the beings.
Section 2: Doing things according to one’s own established wisdom, logic, and rules
By acting according to one’s own wisdom, logic, and rules, one can also eradicate the dusts and dirt of delusion and afflictions. The main thing is to train not to follow delusions, but to act according to one’s own logic and rules, to act according to one’s own wisdom, and not to run after delusions. It is just to train and practice little by little, after practicing for a long time, it is called being unstuck. Because the dust and dirt of the delusions, emotions and consciousness can not be pulled off once, one has to let it change its texture and to do away with binding little by little, that is, beings are originally tied to the dust and dirt of delusion, feeling and consciousness , now they have to untie the rope little by little, get unstuck and untie the tie, sweep the dust and get rid of the dirt, then they naturally have no such dust and dirt of delusion, feeling and consciousness. In other words, when a person has reached the point of not daring to think about delusion, that person will start to get better. Because all the greed, hatred, arrogance, and doubt of a person are manifested in the form of false thinking, and then played out in this body. The delusion of false thinking first strings them all together and is very good at cooperating, and moreover, it is very fast.
Therefore, only by training to do things according to one’s own established wisdom, logic, and rules can one do away with the dust and dirt of delusions and afflictions, and then one can get free from the stickiness and bondage of dust and dirt.
Section 3: The practice of the samadhi of staying away from the dust and the use of the fire of wisdom
1. The practice of the samadhi of staying away from the dust can make the dusts and dirt of all afflictions disappear. Vol. 97 of Treatise on Attaining Achievement by Great Wisdom says, “When one attains the samadhi of staying away from the dust samadhi, all afflictions and dusts and dirt are destroyed, that is the samadhi of the realization of the unborn dharma . The attainment of this samadhi of staying away from the dust samadhi is to have the spiritual power of eliminating afflictions and dusts and dirt.
2. One can use the fire of wisdom to burn the wall of dusts and dirt of delusions and afflictions . In fact, one only needs to stop false thinking and nonsense thoughts and give full play to wisdom. Sometimes, those delusions ,loves and consciousnesses are afraid that people will get rid of them, and they will become obscured and masked, for example, they often reassure people that it’s okay, it’s fine, a bit of gluttony ，a little greedy drinking won’t be a big deal, so people’s wisdom is obscured and they go along with it, because people often make a mistake: they take these delusions and attachments as their own.
One more thing, one does not cling to the dusts and dirt of delusions and afflictions, one knows that they are abominable, they are harmful, and one has to fight against them in order to be in line with one’s identity and status as a disciple of the Buddha. If you always use the fire of wisdom to burn the thick wall of the dusts and dirt of delusions and afflictions, it will gradually be pulverized and collapsed.
3. We should also know the process of achieving wisdom and enlightenment, through which we can break the dusts and dirt of greed, delusions and afflictions, and quickly get rid of the stickiness and bondage. It just is: The taste food and the beauty seem to be coveted, if so, why are they needed further more? Being confused by what they have seen, heard and touched subtly, the beings have tried picking up the moon in the water for myriads of years. All the illusory gain and loss, bliss and suffering are manifested by the Self Nature according to their consciousness. Able to transfer the conscious mind into Wisdom of Superior Insight , and at the moment they can master their own destiny. They can make all their wishes fulfill like the Muni Pearl, so they have been free and easy Dharma-Kings.
It is telling us: we and all sentient beings are constantly greedy for the tasty food and the beauty in all our lives and even up to this life, we all think we are greedy as if we have got it, but if it is true that we are greedy to get it, why do we need to be greedy for the tasty food and the beauty, and then again greedy for a second meal and a third meal …? Why do we need to covet a second man or woman, or a third man or woman …?
We beings are all confused by what we have seen and heard and all the sensations, perceptions, feelings, and all the wonderful touches between the bodies of men and women, just like monkeys fishing for the moon in water for myriads of years, forever fishing for something that is not really there in the first place, and of course never really getting it. In this way, it’s a never-stopping, never-ending picking up the moon in the water. Obviously I see a beautiful moon, how can I get only water ?
Because beings are foolish and perverted , and do not know that the moon in the water is only the illusional reflection of the moon in the water, its essence is only water. Because sentient beings regard these illusions as real, in which they participate in greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance and doubt vigorously, create karma with afflictions, naturally in which they have illusory gain and illusory loss, gain illusory suffering and happiness, in fact, the illusory gain and loss ,illusory happiness and suffering are only thousands of illusions manifested relying on their own self-nature according to their own cause and condition with their feelings and consciousnesses.
They are all manifested only with their consciousnesses and discovered according to their karma relying on the platform of their own self-nature!
If the beings can transfer their consciousness into wisdom, such as the sixth consciousness into the wisdom of wonderful observation , can observe subtly all the tasty food and the beauty and all people ,things and objects, can really know, realize, understand that all of these are thousands of illusions manifested relying on their own self-nature with their own cause and condition and according to their feelings and consciousness, then they no longer catch the moon in the water, no longer chase the clouds and dreams, they can master their own destiny right now, can control their own destiny right now and know how to establish the causes and conditions for the achievement of all worldly, out-of-worldly and Buddhas’ merits and virtues and abilities.
When the causes and conditions are ripe and comes to fruition, naturally, in their self-nature like the muni pearl, they will be able to manifest all the worldly and out-of-worldly needs and even all the Buddhas’ merits and virtues and powers at will, and then they will be free and at ease, and they will be able to be the Dharma King, will be at ease in all dharmas, namely the noble Dharma King who can transmute all the dharmas, and become Buddhas!
If we think about it in this way, and our wisdom fire is burning like this all the time, we may realize one day: Why have I been so perverted and confused every day in the past, harming myself, corrupting myself, adding such thick and strong dusts and dirt, making the karma of my body, mouth and mind so difficult, my memory, thinking, observing, responding, adapting and synthesizing abilities are not good enough, and I can’t do anything useful anymore. I can’t do anything anymore, so why do I still add this dust and dirt of afflictions ? Am I really greedy for anything? No.
Since I can’t be greedy for something, why should I go to greed? I think about it with the wisdom, that is, I use the fire of wisdom to burn this concrete wall of dust and dirt gradually, and finally I can burn it to ashes. Then, once I wipe off the ashes, I will see how I am now brighter. I am no longer ignorant! When the dust and dirt are removed and the light begins to appear, then I return to the state of the spiritual knowledge, spiritual awareness, the wonderful and bright and Real Heart, and spiritual light radiating all around, where there is no dust and dirt, but only purity, light, and wisdom:“ In the Holy Realm, it has no increase, and in the mortal world, it has no decrease. In the stream of life and death, the precious pearl shines alone in the sea of life and death; on the shore of nirvana, the laurel wheel shines alone in the midst of the heaven. When all Buddhas enlighten it, it is falsely named as Heart; when sentient beings confuse it, it becomes false consciousness.”
To sum up, it is to be truly enlightened: first, what is illusion must be penetrated and mastered. Secondly, what is consciousness must also be penetrated and mastered. Third, how to transform the sixth consciousness into the wisdom of wonderful observation must also be penetrated and mastered. Those who have penetrated and mastered wisdom can naturally be clear at a glance , and know they are the processes of attaining enlightenment.
If we are more specific and concise, we can say that: the eyes have cataract and become sick eyes, or: repeated cognition and not forgetting become conscious, or: that all ten thousand dharmas, all humans, things and objects are not real to exist but can make the six organs of beings feel as if they exist is called illusion, in other words, cataract is consciousness and illusion, consciousness is cataract and illusion, illusion is consciousness and cataract. The cataract, consciousness and illusion are all dusts and dirt, and they are all diseases.
All this is the root of the infinite and wonderful use of the wisdoms of wonderful observation. If the practitioner apply and play these wisdoms, he or she can easily remove and do away with all the diseases of dust and dirt, and can “first subdue the afflictions like guests and dusts, and forever eradicate the fundamental ignorance.”
Section 4: Using the Precepts
Use the precepts to keep away from dust and dirt and to remove dust and dirt. Because the precepts are used to ensure liberation, purity, and cleanliness. If one follows the precepts, he or she is guaranteed liberation; if one doesn’t follow them, he or she is guaranteed to degenerate.
Without improper sex, one can be free from dust and dirt and remove dust and dirt. “Because one doesn’t have sexual misconduct, the good fame is spread and one stays away from dusts and dirt.”
If one uses the precepts, abide in the ground of freedom from dirt, and perform the ten good karmas, he or she can also stay away from dust and dirt and clear them away. As in the Flower Adornment Sutra , it is mentioned that:
The bodhisattva abides in the ground of freedom from dirt, and is truly free from all killing, does not store knife and staff , does not harbor resentment in his heart , have shame and guilt, is possessed with kindness and forgiveness, and always has a heart of benefit and kindness for all sentient beings who have lives … And he is free from evil views, the Bodhisattva abides in the right path, he does not practice divination, does not accept and uphold bad precepts, has a righteous mind and view, is not madcap and flattering, and has a firm faith in the Buddhas, the Dharmas and the Sangha.
The bodhisattva protects and upholds the paths of the ten good karmas in this way always without interruption, will naturally and gradually move farther and farther away from the dust and dirt of afflictions and evil karmas, and will eventually keep away from and clear away all dusts and dirt.
Section 5: Drawing on the power of Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ vows and merits and virtues or making great compassionate vows
With the power of vows and merits and virtues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, one may and will be able to remove dust and dirt and eliminate dust and dirt. As everyone knows, according to the meanings and principles of Buddhist scriptures, as long as the karma of the body, mouth and mind of sentient beings is in line with the power of the supreme vows and merits powers of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, a thousand prayers will be answered or responded in a thousand places naturally. This seems especially more supreme for those sentient beings who do not have enough power of the wisdom, advance of vigor and effort, or meditation and who are unable to eliminate dust and dirt.
At the same time, one must also understand that it is difficult to break out of the ring of encirclement of dusts and dirt of afflictions by oneself alone, so relying on the power of the Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas supreme vows and merits and virtues is much easier, just like riding in a hitchhike with saving time and effort, conveniently and quickly.
Specific action: One should always pray sincerely as the Buddha taught him or her: “May all the Buddhas protect me compassionately and destroy all minds of perversions.” The minds of perversions are afflictions. It is very and extremely important to pray and ask for the aid and blessings of the Buddhas, because as long as one corresponds to the power of Buddhas’ vows, the Buddhas will be able to bestow protection compassionately and eliminate the afflictions and dusts and dirt. Even if one is very stupid, it does not matter, he or she can also eliminate the afflictions and dusts and dirt, just a little slower. If the beings are smart and wise, the speed of eliminating the afflictions and dusts and dirt will be faster. In this way, the cause of eliminating the trouble and dust will be there. Of course, one also must make offerings to the Buddhas, relying on the Buddhas to provide the arising of conditions, then the teachings of the Buddhas are easy for him to understand, easy to grasp, easy to play, easy to achieve. In this way, the cause is there and the arising of conditions is there, and when the cause meets the conditions, the retributions are self-rewarded. Naturally, one can remove the dust and dirt, eliminate the dust and dirt, and get rid of all the minds of afflictions and perversions.
In addition, according to the Sutra of the Precious Rain Preached by the Buddha, the power of vows of Stop All Afflictions and Obstructions Bodhisattva is very supreme: “There is a Bodhisattva named Stopping All Afflictions and Obstructions – why is the Bodhisattva given this name? If all sentient beings hear his name, they will be able to eradicate all obstacles and the bonds .”From this it can be seen that the Bodhisattva of Stopping All Afflictions and Obstructions, namely the Bodhisattva of Removing All Afflictions and Obstructions, has the supreme power to help and empower sentient beings to eradicate all the obstacles and dusts and dirt such as all the obstacles of afflictions, karma and retribution! He is an expert in removing all obstacles and dusts and dirt, and specializes in removing all obstacles and dusts and dirt. Of course, if one is a person of aspiring to the Buddhist Way, one can stop turning back. If one prays to his compassionate power of vows of the Bodhisattva of Removing All Afflictions and Obstructions to aid and uphold oneself, so that he and all sentient beings can hear his holy name, and even worship, respect, make offerings, and serve him, one will be able to remove and eradicate the dusts and dirt of all obstacles, afflictions and binds and bonds!
It is also written in the Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata ：
“If such beings, in their former lives as humans, heard the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and by this good cause are able to remember it and sincerely take refuge with that Buddha, then, by means of the Buddha’s spiritual power, they will be liberated from all sufferings. They will be endowed with keen organs or faculties, and they will be wise and erudite. They will always seek the supreme Dharmas and encounter good friends or kind mentors. They will eternally sever the nets of demons and smash the shell of ignorance. They will dry up the river of afflictions and be liberated from birth, decay、aging and old age , sickness, death, anxiety, grief, suffering, and vexation.”
Here also mentions the supreme power of vows and aid or blessings of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata: “They will eternally sever the nets of demons and smash the shell of ignorance. They will dry up the river of afflictions.” From this it can be seen that the supreme power of vows and aid or blessings of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata can also dry up and destroy the dusts and dirt of afflictions of sentient beings.
From this, we can see that all these Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have the desire, power and merit to break the troubles and dust of all sentient beings. As long as we can sincerely pray for their compassionate protection, and respect, offer, and serve them, we will definitely be able to correspond with their wishes and will definitely be able to make contact with them and be free from all the dust of vexation and consciousness.
One can also clear away and eliminate the dusts and dirt by making the vows for Bodhi oneself. As the Flower Adornment Sutra says, “May all sentient beings dwell in being free from the defiled dharma, and eliminate all afflictions and dusts and dirt … May all sentient beings be covered with the good dharma, and eliminate the dusts ,dirt and feverish afflictions of the world … May all sentient beings be forever free from all the confusions and dusts and dirt of the world.” According to the law of cause and effect, such cause can lead to such effect. If one has the causes of being far away from and clearing of dust and dirt, and then provide the extremely good conditions of respecting, honoring, making offerings to, and serving the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, one will definitely bear the fruit of being far away from and clearing of dust and dirt in the future.
In summary, with the power of the wishes, vows, merits and virtues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and with one’s own efforts, one can clear away and eliminate dusts and dirt.
Section 6: Giving Clothes
Giving clothes can let one not be defiled by dust and dirt and keep one away from dust and dirt. In the Sutra of the Buddha’s Explanation for the Elder Shou Jia of Distinctions in Karmic Retribution, it is said, “ The following ten virtues and merits can be obtained by giving clothes: … Thirdly, one is not defiled and attached by the dusts and dirt.” The dust and dirt here refers not only to the external dust and dirt, but also to the internal dust and dirt of afflictions. Not being defiled and attached by the dusts and dirt not only contains the power of vows of the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas, but also contains the essential merits and virtues of the Buddhas’ Clothes. In the Sutra on Mahayana Contemplation of Generating From Heartland Originally, the inherent merits, virtues and abilities of the Buddhas’ Clothes are described as follows: “Fifthly, if, when wearing the Buddhas’ Clothes, one gives rise to the thought of a precious banner, one can eliminate all sins or offense and produce all kinds of virtues of blessings. Sixthly, the Buddhas’ Clothes are made into unattractive colors, which causes one to stay away from the thoughts of the five desires and not give rise to greed for love. Seventhly, Kasaya is the Buddhas’ pure clothes, forever cuts off the afflictions and is a good field … Tenthly, Buddhas’ Clothes is like a suit of armor, so that no one with it can be harmed by the poisonous arrows of afflictions.”
Of course, in order to obtain the inherent merits, virtues and abilities of wearing the Buddhas’ Clothes , it depends on how much the person wearing the Buddhas’ Clothes values the Buddhas’ Clothes . If the person wearing the Buddhas’ Clothes can think of the the Buddhas’ Clothes as a pagoda, then there is a possibility that the initialized merits and virtues can be demonstrated on him. Otherwise, there would not even be a possibility of this initialization.
On the other hand, after making offerings to the saints’ clothes and to the Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ clothes , if one wants to achieve the goal of not having the dust and dirt on the outside and the inside of the person ,it depends on whether or not the saint being made the offerings has the power of the vows of not being defiled and attached by the dusts and dirt .If he has this power of the vows and this merit and virtue, and when he is a fruitful person, only then can the person who makes offerings of the clothes obtain the reward of not being defiled and attached by the dusts and dirt.
In short, as long as the above-mentioned methods are used truly and strictly, one can not be defiled and attached by the dusts and dirt, free from dusts and dirt, cut off dusts and dirt, and even make the dusts of afflictions, karma and habits of the organs fall off from the organs.
Chapter 5 Conclusion
The whole process of practice is actually a process of distancing oneself from dusts and dirt, and a process of healing. Through a comprehensive understanding of delusion, vexation, consciousness ,feelings and other dust and dirt diseases, a thorough understanding of the turbidity, harm, obstruction, solidity, corruption, and masking of all dust and dirt diseases, and a mastery of all the skillful methods to stay away from and remove dust and dirt diseases, one will eventually be able to obtain all the extraordinary benefits of staying away from dusts and dirt, removing dust and dirt diseases, and even the falling off of the dusts of afflictions from the organs.
Appendix References
I. Ancient texts (in chronological order of dynasties)
1 〔Yao Qin〕Translated by Kumarajiva：the Lotus Sutra , vol.9, Daizheng Store.
2 [Yao Qin] Translated by Kumarajiva：the Treatise on Achieving Reality, vol. 32, Daizheng Store.
3 [Later Qin] Translated by Kumarajiva：Treatise on Attaining Achievement by Great Wisdom says，vol. 25, Daizheng Store.
4 [Northern Liang] Translated by Tan Wuchan：the Sutra of the Precepts for Upasakas , vol. 24, Dazheng Store.
5 [Sui] Translated by Gautama Fazhi: the Sutra of the Buddha’s Explanation for the Elder Shou Jia of Distinctions in Karmic Retribution, vol. 01, Dazheng Store.
6 [Tang] Translated by Paramiti: the Surangama Sutra, vol. 19, Dazheng Store.
7 [Tang] Translated by Siksananda: the Flower Adornment Sutra, vol. 10, Dazheng Store.
8 [Tang] Translated by Siksananda: Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva, vol. 2, Dazhengzang.
9 [Tang] Translated by Divakara: the Mahayana Awesome Secret Sutra,vol. 2, Daizheng Zang.
10 [Tang] Translated by Prajna: the Sutra on Mahayana Contemplation of Generating From Heartland Originally, vol. 2, Daizheng Store.
11 [Tang]Translated by Dharma Liuzhi : the Sutra of the Precious Rain Preached by the Buddha, vol. 1, Dazheng Store.
12 [Tang] Translated by Xuanzang: the Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, Dazheng Store.
13 [Song] Collected by Zi Rui: Sutra of the Meanings of Explanations and Notes of Surangama , vol. 4, Dazheng Store.
14 [Song] Stated by Yanshou: Chanting of Buddhist Ceremony of Three Times, The New Continuing Store.
15 [Song] Translated by Tian Xizai: The Sutra on the Distinctions of Good and Evil Retribution, vol. 2, Dazheng Store.
II. Others
1. lost author: Chinese Mathematics VS Indian Mathematics Which one do you think is better to use? Website name ： YouTube, Website address ： https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPtxIJCqlpc, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqdRPjdXS8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L0blEyBbco, retrieved on: 20 August 2022.