It Is Your Choice.

"Peace will never be obtained...it is already there, you just have to stop disturbing it."

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Sunday, January 11, 2009

The Stonecutter 

[from "The Tao of Pooh"]

There was once a stonecutter, who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. 

One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house, and through the open gateway, saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter. 

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!" 

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!" 

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!" 

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!" 

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it — a huge, towering stone. "How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!" 

Then he became the stone, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the stone?" he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stonecutter. 

The Scorpion and the Old Monk      

One morning, after he had finished his meditation, an old monk opened his eyes and saw a scorpion floating helplessly in the water. As the scorpion was washed closer to the tree, the monk quickly stretched himself out on one of the long roots that branched out into the river and reached out to rescue the drowning creature. As soon as he touched it, the scorpion stung him. Instinctively the man withdrew his hand. A minute later, after he had regained his balance, he stretched himself out again on the roots to save the scorpion. This time the scorpion stung him so badly with its poisonous tail that his hand became swollen and bloody and his face contorted with pain.

At that moment, a young monk saw the situation and shouted: "Hey, stupid old monk, what's wrong with you? Don't you know you could kill yourself trying to save that ungrateful scorpion?"

The old monk turned his head and looking into the young monk's eyes he calmly said, "My friend, just because it is the scorpion's nature to sting, that does not change my nature to save."

Going with the Flow       

A Taoist story tells of an old man who accidentally fell into the river rapids leading to a high and dangerous waterfall. Onlookers feared for his life. Miraculously, he came out alive and unharmed downstream at the bottom of the falls. People asked him how he managed to survive. "I accommodated myself to the water, not the water to me. Without thinking, I allowed myself to be shaped by it. Plunging into the swirl, I came out with the swirl. This is how I survived."

   Satisfaction. That comes from within yourself, not outside in the environment. There are always something better and something worse. If you want to be the best, or perfect then you better be one with everything, because if you're not everything, then you're missing something, and that's not perfect. If you accept everything and are no longer attached to specifics, then you have always been perfect.

   Nature. Many blame faults and problems upon others in the outside environment. Because others do not do what we expect them to do then we can't do what we are suppose to do. This means you have chosen to let the environment cover your true nature. You change your actions, belief, and your hearts intentions because of something in the environment. Environment then controls your heart. But if one doesn't look to blame and fault and focuses on one's true nature, then no matter the environment one's heart will not be covered and lose control. Instead one understands true nature and is able to help and understand others and all beings, because it becomes realized that we all have that same nature, just some choose to cover it. I have always thought about criminals, murderers, drug addicts, corrupt officials, etc. did they dream that they wanted this goal when they were babies? Toddlers? Children, adolescents, adults? When did it start? Is that their nature, or because it was too difficult for them to follow their nature that they changed due to environment? Whose to blame? Haha it's not about blame. Solutions aren't found through blame, only temporary satisfaction.

   Freedom. Letting go of the bonds and limitations that hold us even to ourselves, that is freedom. By letting go of the individual ego and the fears and desires that come with it, does this end conflicts of going against nature and going against the self, and one enters liberation and is free no matter the circumstance. Be free from the self, be free with the self... be free.


Friday, September 05, 2008

 

 

 

了凡四訓  --  功過格

The Four Essays of Liao Fan – Merit/Demerit Score Sheet

 

 

 

百功:

100 Merits

百過:

100 Demerits

救免一人死。

Save a person’s life.

致一人死。

Cause the death of another.

完一婦女節。

Protect a woman’s chastity.

失一婦女節。

Violate a woman’s chastity.

阻人不溺一子女,為人延一嗣。

Convince someone to not drown their children, allowing future descendents.

讚人溺一子女,絕一人嗣。

Praise someone for drowning their child, preventing future descendants.

五十功:

50 Merits

五十過:

50 Demerits

免墮一胎。

Prevent one abortion.

墮一胎。

Induced one abortion.

當欲染境,守正不染。

Resist sexual temptations.

破一人婚。

Break up a marriage.

收養一無倚。

Nurture a homeless person.

拋一人骸。

Abandon a person’s remains.

葬一無主骸骨。

 Bury the remains of a homeless person.

謀人妻女。

Steal another’s wife/daughter.

救免一人流離。

Prevent a person from being homeless.

致一人流離。

Cause a person to be homeless.

救免一人軍徒重罪。

Prevent a person from committing a serious crime.

致一人軍徒重罪。

Cause a person to commit a serious crime.

白一人冤。

Clear a person from an injustice.

教人不忠不孝大惡等事。

Teach a person to be unfaithful and do great evil deeds.

發一言利及百姓。

Give a speech that benefits the public.

發一言害及百姓。

Give a speech that harms a community.

三十功:

30 Merits

三十過:

30 Demerits

施一葬地與無土之家。

Donate burial grounds to a family that has no land.

造謗污陷一人。

Create slander and disgrace to a person.

化一為非者改行。

Convert a wrongdoer to the virtuous way.

摘發一人陰私與行止事。

Reveal a person’s private secrets.

度一受戒弟子。

Save/help a practitioner who upholds the precepts.

唆一人訟。

Encourage a person to sue.

完聚一人夫婦。

Aid a successful marriage.

毀一人戒行。

Prevent a person from upholding their precepts.  

收養一無主遺棄門孩。

Adopt and raise an orphan.

反背師長。

Going against an elder teacher.

成就一人德業。

Help a person accomplish a virtuous act.

抵觸父兄。

Offend one’s father or elder brother.

 

 

離間人骨肉。

Cause a family to divide and go against each other.

 

 

荒年積囤五穀不糶生索。

Not sharing surplus grains during times of famine.

 

十功:

10 Merits

十過:

10 Demerits

薦引一有德人。

Recommend a virtuous person.

排擯一有德人。

Discredit a virtuous person.

除一人害。

Remove harm for another.

薦用一匪人。

Recommend an evil person.

編纂一切眾經法。

Publish/edit teachings of the Sutra and Dharma.

平人一塚。

Destroy a person’s grave.

以方術治一人重病。

Heal a person with a serious illness.

凌孤逼寡。

Mistreat an orphan or widow.

發至德之言。

Speak with words of virtue.

受蓄一失節婦。

Entertain an unchaste woman.

有財勢可使而不使。

Not using power and wealth for selfish reasons.

蓄一殺眾生具。

Harbor a tool for killing.

善遺妾婢。

Treat servants with respect.

惡語向尊親、師長、良儒。

Speak with vulgar harsh words to parent/teacher/wise person.

救一有力報人之畜命。

Save an animal that can benefit humans.

修合害人毒藥。

Produce poison to harm others.

 

 

非法用刑。

Use improper punishments.

 

 

毀壞一切正法經典。

Destroy any Dharma/Sutra.

 

 

誦經時,心中雜想惡事。

Having evil thoughts when reciting a sutra.

 

 

以外道邪法授人。

Teach a person immoral or evil knowledge or information.

 

 

發損德之言。

Speaking malicious words.

 

 

殺一有力報人之畜命。

Killing an animal that is beneficial to humans.

准五功:

5 Merits

准五過:

5 Demerits

勸息一人訟。

Prevent one lawsuit.

訕謗一切正法經典。

Ridiculing any teachings of the Dharma/Sutra.

傳人一保益性命事。

Transmit a method that can protect/save a life.

見一冤可白不白。

Able to vindicate an injustice but doesn’t.

編纂一保益性命經法。

Publish/edit a method/sutra that can save a life.

遇一病求救不救。

Neglecting a sick person seeking help.

以方術救一人輕疾。

Heal a person with a minor illness.

阻絕一道路橋樑。

Obstruct a road or bridge.

勸止傳播人惡。

Stop bad rumors of another.

編纂一傷化詞傳。

Compile an article about causing harm.

供養一賢善人。

Make an offering to a saint.

造一渾名歌謠。

Compose a lewd song.

祈福禳災等,但許善願不殺生。

Pray for disasters to cease, but vow not to kill/sacrifice.

惡口犯平交。

Disrupting peaceful relations with slanderous speech.

救一無力報人之畜命。

Save an animal that can’t benefit humans.

殺一無力報人之畜命。

Killing an animal that can’t benefit humans.

 

 

非法烹炮生物,使受極苦。

Use cruel way to cook a living being causing extreme pain.

 

准三功:

3 Merits

准三過:

3 Demerits

受一橫不嗔。

Endure abuse without scorn.

嗔一逆耳言。

Becoming angry when hearing offensive words.

任一謗不辯。

Endure insult without retort.

乖一尊卑次。

Oppose the senior-junior order.

受一逆耳言。

Listen to negative criticism.

責一不應責人。

Blame an innocent person.

免一應責人。

Forgive a person at fault.

播一人惡。

Broadcast a person’s wrong.

勸養蠶、漁人、獵人、屠人等改業。

Convince silkworm growers, fishermen, hunters, butchers to change professions.

兩舌離間一人。

Split a bond using gossip.

葬一自死畜類。

Bury a naturally dead animal

欺誑一無識。

Cheat an ignorant person.

 

 

毀人成功。

Destroy someone’s success.

 

 

見人有憂,心生暢快。

Rejoice in another’s sorrow.

 

 

見人失利,失名,心生歡喜。

Delighted when another person loses his fame and wealth.

 

 

見人富貴,願他貧賤。

Wishes for a wealthy person to become poor and lowly.

 

 

失意輒怨天尤人。

Blame heaven and others for one’s own misfortune.

 

 

分外營求。

Being especially needy.

 

 

服一非法服。

Support a criminal act.

准一功:

1 Merit

准一過:

1 Demerit

讚一人善。

Praise a person’s good deed.

沒一人善。

Conceal a person’s good deed.

掩一人惡。

Don’t taunt a person’s faults.

唆一人鬥。

Urge a person to fight.

勸息一人爭。

Peacefully resolve an argument.

心中暗舉惡意害人。

Generating an evil thought to harm someone.

阻人一非為事。

Stop a person from making a mistake.

助人為非一事。

Help someone commit a crime.

濟一人餓。

Give food to the hungry.

見人盜細物不阻。

Didn’t stop someone from stealing a small item.

留無歸人一宿。

Let a beggar stay a night.

見人憂驚不慰。

Didn’t comfort a worried or frightened person.

救一人寒。

Help a person from the cold.

役人畜,不憐疲頓。

Not sympathizing with the hardship of a person or animal.

施藥一服。

Offer a prescribed medicine.

不告人取人一針一草。

Borrowed any small item without permission.

施行勸濟人書文。

Give an article that can benefit others.

遺棄字紙。

Throw-out a paper with spiritual writings.

誦經一卷。

Chant a chapter from a sutra.

暴棄五穀天物。

Wasting food/heaven’s gifts.

禮懺百拜。

Repent doing 100 homage.

負一約。

Break an agreement.

誦佛號千聲。

Chant Buddha’s name 1000x

醉犯一人。

Violate a person while drunk.

講演善法。

Speak the virtuous Dharma.

見一人饑寒不救濟。

Didn’t help a person that is cold or hungry.

護持僧眾一人。

Protect and support a monk..

誦經差漏一字句。

Skipped or missed a word while reciting a sutra.

飯一僧。

Give alms to a monk

僧人乞食不與。

Reject a monk asking for alms.

不拒乞人。

Doesn’t refuse a beggar.

拒一乞人。

Refuse a beggar.

興事利及十人。

Organize events that benefit 10 people.

食酒肉五辛,誦經登三寶地。

Indulge in meat, wine, and 5 pungent spices while reciting sutras or staying in a temple.

諭及十人。

Speak of Truth to 10 people

食一報人之畜等肉。

Eat a useful animal’s meat.

救一細微濕化之屬命。

Save a tiny organism. (insects, bugs, etc.)

殺一細微濕化屬命以及履巢破卵等事。

Kill a tiny organism. (insects, bugs, etc.)

拾得遺字一千。

Cherish books/knowledge.

背眾受利,傷用他錢。

Misuse public funds.

見人有憂,善為解慰。

Comfort others from worry.

負貸。

Be in debt.

肉食人持齋一日。

Meat eaters become vegetarian for a day.

匿遺。

Keep a lost article.

見殺不食。

Not eating an animal that one saw got killed.

負寄托財物。

Lose items entrusted by others.

聞殺不食。

Not eating an animal that one heard got killed.

因工恃勢乞索。

Use one’s position and influence to get bribes

為己殺不食。

Not eating an animal that was killed just for oneself.

巧索,取人一切財物。

Set plans to take others’ riches.

葬一自死禽類。

Bury a naturally dead bird.

廢壞三寶尊像以及殿宇、器用等物。

Damage religious statues, temples, equipment, etc.

放一生。

Release/free a life.

斗秤等小出大入。

Use false weights to give less and gain more.

接濟人畜一時疲頓。

Provide relief for tired people and animals.

販賣屠刀、漁網等物。

Sell butcher knives, fishing nets, killing tools (animal), etc.

作功果薦沉魂。

Help departed spirits to move on in the afterlife.

自「背眾受利」以下,俱以百錢為一過。

Gaining selfish benefits, under $100 total, from the public.

散錢粟衣帛濟人。

Donate money and clothing to people in need.

 

 

饒人債負。

Forgive a debt.

 

 

還人遺物。

Return a lost item.

 

 

不義之財不取。

Do not take dirty wealth.

 

 

代人完納債負。

Help another repay a debt.

 

 

讓地讓產。

Share land for produce.

 

 

勸人出財作種種功德。

Encourage others to donate to charity.

 

 

不負寄托財物。

Not taking goods entrusted for others.

 

 

建倉平糶。

Construct grain storages.

 

 

修造路橋。

Build roads and bridges.

 

 

疏河掘井。

Dig and make wells.

 

 

修置三寶寺院。

Repair temples and statues for the Three Jewels.

 

 

造三寶尊像及施香燭燈油等物。

Make Buddhist statues, offer incense, lamp oil, etc.

 

 

施茶水、捨棺木一切方便等事。

Offer tea, coffins, and other convenient items.

 

 

自「作功果」以下,俱以百錢為一功。

Doing any merits, under $100 total.

 

 

 

 

行善應驗象徵

Results from Merits earned.

為惡應驗象徵

Results from Demerits earned.

一善: 神意安定

1 Merit: Stable mind and spirit

一過: 意不安定

1 Demerit: Unstable mind and spirit.

十善: 氣力強盛

10 Merits: Strong energy and strength.

十過: 氣力虛羸

10 Demerits: Weak energy and strength.

二十善: 身無患害

20 Merits: Body is free from harmful problems.

二十過: 身多疾病

20 Demerits: Body has sicknesses and illnesses.

三十善: 所求隨意

30 Merits: Requests become fulfilled.

三十過: 所求不逐

30 Demerits: Requests are unfulfilled.

四十善: 福裕娛樂

40 Merits: Abundant riches and merriment.

四十過: 坎坷衰耗

40 Demerits: Frail body and goals are obstructed/failed.

五十善: 子孫昌盛

50 Merits: Descendants are prosperous. (2nd Generation)

五十過: 終無匹偶

50 Demerits: Unable to have a relationship.

六十善: 不遭誤犯

惡人牽連。

60 Merits: Won’t suffer from criminals./thugs.

六十過: 絕滅子息

60 Demerits: Unable to have *good* descendants.

七十善: 所學顯貴

70 Merits: Receives high education.

七十過: 陰鬼謨害

70 Demerits: Haunted by dark harmful ghosts.

八十善: 獲地之利

80 Merits: Receives Earthly protection/advantages.

八十過: 水穴為災

非橫燒溺。

80 Demerits: Suffer from disasters. (Burn, drown, starve)

九十善: 天神護之

90 Merits: Receives Heavenly protection.

九十過: 貧寒困弱

疥瘡瘋癲。

90 Demerits: Suffer from skin disease, seizures, strokes, and mental disorders.

百善: 天賜其祿

逢遇聖賢。

100 Merits: Receives Heaven’s wealth, and encounter saints/sages.

百善過: 天氣害之

橫事牽引刑法惡死。

100 Demerits: Divine punishment, die horrible death.

二百善: 揚名後世

子孫壽祿。

200 Merits: Glorify descendants with long-lived wealth.

二百過: 地氣害之

盜賊為災

200 Demerits: Earthly punishment, struck by bandits.

三百善: 三世子孫

富貴利樂。

300 Merits: 3rd Generation receives riches, honor, + joy.

三百過: 世世出下賤人

300 Demerits: Every life will be a worthless person.

四百善: 四世子孫

富貴遷祿。

400 Merits: 4th Generation receives prosperity/wealth.

四百過: 世世子孫

窮賤貧乞。

400 Demerits: All descendants will be in poverty.

五百善: 五世子孫

受封超爵。

500 Merits: 5th Generation become government official.

五百過: 子孫絕嗣

500 Demerits: Descendants are unable to have descendants.

六百善: 世世子孫

忠孝富貴。

600 Merits: All Generations will be loyal, filial, and rich.

六百過: 世世子孫

盲聋瘖啞出痴癲人。

600 Demerits: All descendants are blind, deaf, mute, and/or disabled.

七百善: 世世出顯哲人

700 Merits: Every life will be a great philosopher..

七百過:

出五逆不李犯法子孫

700 Demerits: Descendants are evil delnquent criminals.

八百善: 出道德人

800 Merits: Will become a virtuous person.

八百過: 出叛臣逆子

誅滅親族。

800 Demerits: Bear traitorous and murderous child that destroys entire family.

九百善: 出聖人

900 Merits: Will become a holy sage/saint.

九百過: 出妖孽之人

夷滅族類。

900 Demerits: Have a demonic child that destroys many.

千善: 出群仙,古跡善政。

1000 Merits: Will become a Celestial Being, famous in history for bringing justice.

千過: 世世子孫,異形變體為禽獸不具之狀。

1000 Demerits: All descendants are animal-like with deformities.

 

Wow, it's almost been a year since I last used Xanga. Everything was different, didn't even know how to post a new web-log til like 10min. later.

  Even though there is no true good nor bad, until we are able to break the dualism, here is a cheat sheet of good merits and bad merits by Yuen Liao Fan, who obtained this information from a zen master. This was written like 500 years ago, so a lot of the deeds here are more towards the "ancient" times. If there are some mistakes with the translations let me know.

 

Peace.


Sunday, December 09, 2007

It Will Pass

A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!" "It will pass," the teacher said matter-of-factly.

A week later, the student came back to his teacher. "My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!'

"It will pass,"
the teacher replied matter-of-factly.

Holy Man

Word spread across the countryside about the wise Holy Man who lived in a small house atop the mountain. A man from the village decided to make the long and difficult journey to visit him.

When he arrived at the house, he saw an old servant inside who greeting him at the door.

"I would like to see the wise Holy Man," he said to the servant.

The servant smiled and led him inside. As they walked through the house, the man from the village looked eagerly around the house, anticipating his encounter with the Holy Man.

Before he knew it, he had been led to the back door and escorted outside. He stopped and turned to the servant,

"But I want to see the Holy Man!"

"You already have," said the old man. "Everyone you may meet in life, even if they appear plain and insignificant... see each of them as a wise Holy Man. If you do this, then whatever problem you brought here today will be solved."

Surprising the Master

The students in the monastery were in total awe of the elder monk, not because he was strict, but because nothing ever seemed to upset or ruffle him. So they found him a bit unearthly and even frightening.

One day they decided to put him to a test. A bunch of them very quietly hid in a dark corner of one of the hallways, and waited for the monk to walk by. Within moments, the old man appeared, carrying a cup of hot tea. Just as he passed by, the students all rushed out at him screaming as loud as they could.

But the monk showed no reaction whatsoever. He peacefully made his way to a small table at the end of the hall, gently placed the cup down, and then, leaning against the wall, cried out with shock, "Ohhhhh!"


Tuesday, November 20, 2007

No Loving- Kindness

There was an old woman in China who had supported a monk for over twenty years. She had built a little hut for him and fed him while he was meditating. Finally she wondered just what progress he had made in all this time.

To find out, she obtained the help of a girl rich in desire. "Go and embrace him," she told her, "and then ask him, "How does it feel?"

The girl called upon the monk and instantly embraced him, asking how did it feel.

"An old tree grows on a cold rock in winter," replied the monk somewhat poetically. "Nowhere is there any warmth."

The girl returned and related what he had said.

"To think I fed that fellow for twenty years!" exclaimed the old woman in anger. "He showed no consideration for your needs, no disposition to explain your condition. He need not have responded to passion, but at least he should have evidenced some compassion."

She at once went to the hut of the monk and burned it down.

Moving Mind

Two men were arguing about a flg flapping in the wind. "It's the wind that is really moving," stated the first one.  "No, it is the flag that is moving," contended the second.

A Zen master, who happened to be walking by, overheard the debate and interruped them. "Neither the flag nor the wind is moving," he said, "It is the mind that is moving."

The Budai Monk

The primary story that concerns the Budai Monk is in a short Chan story. In it, the Budai Monk is said to travel around giving candy to poor children, only asking a penny from Chan monks or the lay practitioners he meets, and when they ask him "What is the meaning of Chan" he would drop his bag and after getting the penny he would put in his bag and pick it back up.

 One day a monk said to him, "I will give you a penny if you can answer my questions." The Budai Monk smiled and the monk asked, "What is the meaning of Chan?" The Budai Monk dropped his bag. The monk then asked, "How does one realize Chan?" The Budai Monk then picked up his bag and continued on his way. The monk then became enlightened.


Thursday, August 16, 2007


Karma (The Four Wives)

"In one of the Agama Sutras, the Buddha's early sermons, there is a very interesting story:

Once there was a man who had four wives. According to the social system and circumstances of ancient India, it was possible for a man to have several wives. Also, during the Heian period in Japan, about a thousand years ago, it was not unusual for a woman to have several husbands. The Indian had become ill and was about to die. At the end of his life, he felt very lonely and so asked the first wife to accompany him to the other world.

'My dear wife,' he said, 'I loved you day and night, I took care of you throughout my whole life. Now I am about to die, will you please go with me wherever I go after my death?'

He expected her to answer yes. But she answered, 'My dear husband, I know you always loved me. And you are going to die. Now it is time to separate from you. Goodbye, my dear.'

He called his second wife to his sickbed and begged her to follow him in death. He said, 'My dear second wife, you know how I loved you. Sometimes I was afraid you might leave me, but I held on to you strongly. My dear, please come with me.'

The second wife expressed herself rather coldly. 'Dear husband, your first wife refused to accompany you after your death. How can I follow you? You loved me only for your own selfish sake.'

Lying in his deathbed, he called his third wife, and asked her to follow him. The third wife replied, with tears in her eyes, 'My dear, I pity you and I feel sad for myself. Therefore I shall accompany you to the graveyard. This is my last duty to you.' The third wife thus also refused to follow him to death.

Three wives had refused to follow him after his death. Now he recalled that there was another wife, his fourth wife, for whom he didn't care very much. He had treated her like a slave and had always showed much displeasure with her. He now thought that if he asked her to follow him to death, she certainly would say no.

But his loneliness and fear were so severe that he made the effort to ask her to accompany him to the other world. The fourth wife gladly accepted her husband's request.

'My dear husband,' she said, 'I will go with you. Whatever happens, I am determined to be with you forever. I cannot be separated from you."

This is the story of 'A Man and His Four Wives.'

Gautama Buddha concluded the story as follows:
'Every man and woman has four wives or husbands. What do these wives signify?'

THE FIRST WIFE
The first 'wife' is our body. We love our body day and night. In the morning, we wash our face, put on clothing and shoes. We give food to our body. We take care of our body like the first wife in this story. But unfortunately, at the end of our life, the body, the first 'wife' cannot follow us to the next world. As it is stated in a commentary, 'When the last breath leaves our body, the healthy color of the face is transformed, and we lose the appearance of radiant life. Our loved ones may gather around and lament, but to no avail. When such an event occurs, the body is sent into an open field and cremated, leaving only the white ashes.' This is the destination of our body.

THE SECOND WIFE
What is the meaning of the second wife? The second 'wife' stands for our fortune, our material things, money, property, fame, position, and job that we worked hard to attain. We are attached to these material possessions. We are afraid to lose these material things and wish to possess much more. There is no limit. At the end of our life these things cannot follow us to death. Whatever fortune we have piled up, we must leave it. We came into this world with empty hands. During our life in this world, we have the illusion that we obtained a fortune. At death, our hands are empty. We can't hold our fortune after our death, just as the second wife told her husband: 'You hold me with your ego-centered selfishness. Now it is time to say goodbye.'

THE THIRD WIFE
What is meant by the third wife? Everyone has a third 'wife'. This is the relationship of our parents, sister and brother, all relatives, friends, and society. They will go as far as the graveyard, with tears in their eyes. They are sympathetic and saddened...

Thus, we cannot depend on our physical body, our fortune, and our society. We are born alone and we die alone. No one will accompany us after our death.

THE FOURTH WIFE
Sakyamuni Buddha mentioned the fourth wife, who would accompany her husband after his death. What does that mean? The fourth 'wife' is our mind [or Alaya consciousness]. When we deeply observe and recognize that our minds are filled with anger, greed, and dissatisfaction, we are having a good look at our lives. The anger, greed, and dissatisfaction are karma, the law of causation. We cannot be separated from our own karma. As the fourth wife told her dying husband, 'I will follow you wherever you go.'"

Picnic/Meditation

In answer to the observation that some people say they do not meditate because they are too busy, the Dalai Lama told the following story:

A monk keeps promising his student that he will take him on a picnic but is always too busy to do so. One day they see a procession carrying a corpse.

"Where is he going?" the monk asks his student.

"On a picnic."

Because I'm Here

An old monk was sweeping the yard in a monastery under the scorching sun.

Another monk passed by and asked him, "How old are you?"

The old monk replied, "I'm seventy-seven."

"You are so old! Why are you still working so hard here?"

"Well, because I'm here."

"But why are you working under the scorching sun?"

"Because the sun is there."

[Act without worrying about the results, and strive for excellence without dwelling on it. If we put all of our hearts into what we do without complaining, we can become one with the "Way."]



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