Master Hsuan Hua's Quotable Quotes

Buddha is one who possesses great wisdom. We, on the other hand, possess great stupidity. Therefore, we should study the Buddha. We should study the great wisdom of the Buddha. We should take the mind of the Buddha as our own mind. We should take the vows of the Buddha as our own vows. In every moment we should be studying and practicing the four immeasurable minds of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and even-mindedness. In every moment we should be cultivating the Dharma gateway of "being able to endure that which is difficult to endure and being able to practice that which is difficult to practice."

Lotus

A fault which we have developed is delighting in the praise of others. We enjoy being highly esteemed. If somebody offers even a single sentence of praise then we feel blown about, dazed and confused. How do you achieve buddhahood? One doesn't know how oneself and what's more one's gotten all befuddled. If one is able to uphold the precepts and cultivate meditative stabilization, then one will have some wisdom and will then be able to reach that point where "Whether it's slander or good reputation, it doesn't move the mind." No matter who slanders you, there's no displeasure in the mind. If somebody praises you, there's no delight in the mind.

The fact of the matter is that praise and blame are a kind of worldly wind. This is what is referred to in the saying, "The eight winds blow but do not move me." What are the eight winds? They are praise, blame, suffering, bliss, gain, loss, slander, and good reputation. If it happens that when one is blown by the eight winds one's mind is shaken, then that's a case of your foundation not having been well laid. What is it that we refer to as the foundation? It's just virtuous conduct. If one's virtuous conduct is insufficient then one's anger is very great and one's ignorance is extremely heavy. If one possesses virtuous conduct then there is no anger at all and ignorance has been transformed into wisdom. Therefore, when we cultivate it's necessary to nurture virtuous conduct.

Whoever is able to conquer the six sense faculties, six sense objects and six consciousnesses so that these eighteen sense realms are prevented from rebelling, it's he who is a bodhisattva. Whoever is able to clean up his own emotional sentiments so that there is nothing trashy about them, it's he who is a bodhisattva. A bodhisattva doesn't tend towards crying and laughter. At all times and in all places he is sovereignly independent. He is unrestrained and unfettered, is not hung up, is unobstructed, undistressed, and unafflicted. He doesn't perceive things as either produced or destroyed, either defiled or immaculate, or as either increased or decreased. Those who study Buddhism should apply their efforts in this area.

(From Lotuses in the Spring Sun)