Dear Dharma Friends,
Today, we gather to explore the thirteenth of the sixteen aspects of great compassion — breaking the three realms, relying on right view, practicing the Bodhisattva path, alleviating the suffering of sentient beings, and realizing the truth of mind-only. Let us enter this profound Dharma teaching with a pure heart.
1. Breaking the Three Realms Through Right View
Sentient beings are immersed in the three realms — the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm — clinging to form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, mistakenly believing in a true “self,” thus perpetuating cyclic existence. Bodhisattvas, with right view, discern that the three realms are mind-only, with no external reality, embodying the essence of the holographic universe theory.
Breaking the three realms requires constant training and reliance on right view. Like a skilled artisan mastering their craft, “with practiced hands, it becomes natural and solidified.” When right view permeates our actions, we remain anchored in wisdom amidst all circumstances. In practice, occasional lapses may lead to arrogance or pride, but with timely awareness, repentance purifies negative forces. This is the courage of practice, a swift return to the true path.
2. The Compassionate Reverence of Never Disparaging Bodhisattva
Never Disparaging Bodhisattva perceives that all sentient beings possess inherent Buddha-nature and are capable of attaining Buddhahood. With boundless compassion, he eternally respects every being without discrimination. This reverence stems from deep faith in Buddha-nature and inexhaustible compassion.
3. The Cause and Effect of Generosity and Wisdom
In the early stages of learning the Dharma, we understand the cause and effect of generosity, known as wisdom born of hearing. Attachment to wealth breeds manifold suffering, while generosity yields manifold peace. Clinging to riches leads to exhaustion; only through giving can one truly possess. Advancing further, upholding precepts, cultivating concentration, and realizing wisdom lead to wisdom born of practice, attaining spiritual powers and illuminating all phenomena.
4. Alleviating Suffering and Proclaiming the True Dharma
Sentient beings, enamored with cyclic existence, cling to the five aggregates as real, akin to an addiction, resulting in endless suffering. Bodhisattvas, with great compassion, vow to uproot sentient beings’ attachment to illusory pleasures, proclaiming the true Dharma to reveal the mind-only nature of the three realms, dispelling the delusion of their inherent reality. This is the realization of the holographic universe.
5. Conclusion: Right View and Compassion, Fulfilling Bodhi
Breaking the three realms, relying on right view, and practicing the Bodhisattva path form the core of our practice. With right view, we sever ignorance and master wisdom; with the compassion of Never Disparaging Bodhisattva, we respect all beings; with generosity, we transcend attachment; with the true Dharma, we alleviate suffering and realize the mind-only truth.
Thank you all! Namo Amitabha Buddha!
