Steady Progress——54

Praise our Kind Mentor

Author: Fafu

Translator : Lotus

I praise you endlessly, our Kind Mentor, because you are willing to hold up the sky for everyone and give every pitiful sentient being the safest and peaceful refuge. I am deeply grateful to you for your willingness to take me in who is like a stray dog that no one cares for and wants.

I praise you endlessly, our Kind Mentor, because you have been established in the inconceivable power of the merits and virtues of transforming karma. As long as we can accept your instructions with pure faith without any doubt, you can get rid of the obstruction of our karma at once.

I praise you endlessly, our Kind Mentor, because you have never spoken nonsense. You know whether each word you want to speak is helpful to establish your dignity and honour or to ruin your image.

I praise you endlessly, our Kind Mentor, because you have preached about giving pleasures and taught us with unsurpassed compassion, “To serve others is to let others cultivate for you. It is the easiest way for you to achieve. When you are always afraid of losing your own interests, anything you do must be bad and must destroy you.”

I praise you endlessly, our Kind Mentor, because you make me understand what is a shame, “We should know precisely whether our attitudes, expressions, words and actions are solemn or shameful. The feeling of shame is close to bravery and the brave can conquer any difficulties. They can naturally break through karmic habits and afflictions, which betokens that they will be bound to succeed. The shame includes humiliation and defilement. Our afflictions can defile ourselves, pollute others and discredit the Triple Jewel, which is a shame since a real disciple of the Buddha is determined to give up the practice of vexation and confusion.

It is a shame to be impoverished without blessings and wisdom just like a stray dog because the buddhas and bodhisattvas are adorned with blessings and wisdom.

It is a shame that you do not practice according to the rules of a disciple, do not comply with the wisdom and rules and do whatever you want just like a stray fool because a person who is established in the perfect rules of the disciple can achieve fastest.

It is a shame that you have no skillful means to benefit sentient beings so that you are bogged down because in order to save sentient beings, you must precisely know the capacities of sentient beings and precisely know which kind of skillful means will be appropriate to them.

I praise you and are grateful to you. I make a vow that I am going to practice all the time, follow you and save sentient beings only just like you!