Chapter Four The Knack of Enlightenment
It was a personal conversation, which became a seminar. This is a chance for you to express your ideas and improve your speech communication! (Brother Guo asked: "Master, I felt bothered recently when I heard other followers chatting and laughing. Please tell me why, Master." At this time a few followers expressed their opinions, which are omitted here.) Brother Guo put forth this issue. You all understand what he meant. He did not criticize others, nor did he say others were right. He was expressing his own feeling within his heart. He just wanted to understand why he was bothered, right, Brother Guo? (Answer: "Right.")
We were unaware of this issue. Even worse, we thought that you did not have to feel bothered. You can stop being bothered. If you want to be bothered, go ahead. You are bothered but I am not. As I am not bothered, why are you bothered? Is it really bothering? Are you bothered? It is so bothering! Look, such a big trouble!
You are wrong. You do not understand him. It looks like it can be easily understood. In fact it is not understood. He was very tolerant. He did not give you a hint. He tolerated it quietly. He is not the only one who has this kind of emotion, right? (Answer: Yes.) We need to solve this problem and satisfy his wish. As he is the inquirer, we need to understand his heart.
There were several people who discussed this issue. Little Brother Guo’s discussion contained subtle Chan meaning. They are father and son. Do you know? And Brother Li stated that although all of us focused on how to solve the problem, none of us answered Brother Guo directly. Only Sister Liu said, "I have the same feeling as him. I think this is only part of a process." To discuss how to understand this issue, we must understand the origin of this issue first, and then we can discuss how to solve it. Otherwise, we will take the wrong direction. Do you understand? When a bird is flying over here but you shoot at the other direction, no matter how many bullets you have fired, what is the use of them? If you shoot at the sky instead of the bird, the more shots you fire the farther away the bird escapes. That’s how things go. This mental state is a stage in the process. What Sister Liu said was absolutely right. We all must have had this kind of mental state at some time.
In the same environment and facing the same thing, different people have different mental states. Some say it is "good"; some say it is "not good". Some are interested while others are not. Some say, "let’s participate"; some say, "I am not going to participate". Some say, "Why not" and others, say "I am not going to tell you". Some say, "I don’t know why. I am just not interested." People’s opinions are so varied that it is very difficult to adjust all of the opinions into harmony, right?
What does the mental state that Brother Guo is in mean? As an out-going person, you are checked or controlled so that this kind of attitude arose. That is the manifestation of passive emotion. Do you know that? If this kind of attitude arises when you are in the state of self-control and self-regulation, that would be the manifestation of calmness. Do you understand? When you have this kind of state of mind upon hearing others’ laughs after you are scolded by other people or me and, that is a kind of emotional rebellion. Do you understand?
Brother Guo is an out-going person and so it is easy for him to exhibit himself. But now he is in the state of self-regulation and self-control. It is because our present lesson is to expose everyone’s weaknesses. Since the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita lesson, everyone’s problems have been exposed completely without any sparing, convenience, expedience, tactfulness, and face-saving. Everyone is in this kind of lesson. Brother Guo encountered it. He is a diligent person. He can’t rest. He is very passionate in pursuing the Way. And he also has a strong tendency to exhibit himself. His mouth as well as hands can’t rest for a second. He is afraid that others don’t know what he has done. Although his is old, he is frivolous. He has been scolded by me many times because of this. There were many followers who judged that he could not succeed in this life. I told them to stop saying that because they did not know his causes and conditions.
A while ago we went up to the woods to chop some firewood. I have discussed the incident of "smashed hand" many times. And I have openly talked about his problem before that incident happened. However, the people who came later do not know this story. I will discuss it once more.
On that day we went to the woods to chop firewood, the karmic obstruction between Brother Guo and Sister Rong in a past life then showed up in this life. One was dragging lumber below while one was throwing lumber above. Brother Guo threw lumber and almost hit Sister Rong. Sister Rong complained right away: "You want to smash me with your eyes open?" Brother replied: "How could I want to smash you intentionally?" Sister Rong also complained to me: "How could he want to smash me with his eyes open?" I was not present and no one saw the scene. How could we judge this? How did we solve this problem? At that time, I discussed this issue in class with everyone. I said if Brother Guo had this intention, the Creator would punish him and wouldn’t spare him. And the punishment would come within seven days. If he did not have this intention, he would be fine. Whether he had the intention or not was not my business. I did not have to resolve it. As a result, his hand was smashed three or four days later, and it is not recovered yet. His hand got smashed severely! I discussed this lesson at that time, right? This incident made Brother Guo very embarrassed. And I always warned him: "Do you know why your hand got smashed?" He always wanted to shun away. He did not want to talk about it.
You must observe your state of mind closely. Do you know that Sister Rong is in charge of general affairs? We all resent the person who is in charge of general affairs. Why do we all resent her? For example, I showed that I kind of "resented" her today. I asked her to give me candles. She gave me two candles but later she insisted that she had given me three candles. I just got two. She keeps the house for the Creator. She keeps the house for all of us. It is not easy! However, everyone would reprimand her due to material tendency and emotion, because we are always dissatisfied. Embarrassment can be easily created in this kind of relationship, and then it ignites extreme views. But if we think about it, she actually serves us. We should help her work and support her work. This is the complete concept of devotion, right? That’s how things should be. However, when we fall into the conception of false ego to handle problems, our emotions will manifest and that unpleasant feeling is still recorded in our "consciousness". When a specific cause and condition occurs, and manifests as a karma obstruction, the emotion of retaliation will likely exhibit. This is not a specific person’s problem. Everyone is likely to have this kind of problem. Do you know? Some exhibit it while others don’t. You can’t see or touch it when it is active in the mind. But when it shows up, it becomes an emotional outburst, right? That is how things go.
During that time, Brother Guo had a lot of lessons. I was not softhearted. I took out to scold him in public and exposed his weaknesses several times. I also moved him over here from another place. He changed a lot recently. I talked about this issue in class over the last few days. Did you notice his change? You did. The reason that the people like to exhibit themselves is mostly because they were situated at a profit-driven level before. As they had been the leaders of their workplaces for a long time, they developed this kind of working style. Therefore it is now hard for this kind of person to refrain himself. He can’t. He would want to take charge all the time and so create enemies. People resent him. There had been many reports of complaints and criticisms against him. Do you understand that? Therefore he had to suffer. But now he is trying to refrain himself. In the process of refraining, he exhibited this state of mind that he discussed today. This is a big lesson. When we need to laugh to exhibit our emotion, it means that our emotion is on the level of manifestation. When we don’t need to exhibit our emotion through laughing, it can exist but not be manifested. There is a kind of non-manifestation quality in the sixty-four qualities of the Creator. Do you understand? This means that we possess both aspects of manifestation and non-manifestation, right?
His state of mind now is the state of self-refraining. He encouraged himself and desired that kind of outward exhibition before. Now he has started self-sanction and self-regulation. But he also feels that this is not adequate, and so feels bothered. Do you understand? This is the reaction period of his self-sanction and self-control. It seems pessimistic but it is not. It is absolutely not pessimistic. However, this is still not a natural process of self-realization. It does not attain to self-realization and naturalness. If he had attained self-realization and naturalness, it would be like what Little Brother Guo said, "people are bothered but I am not". Do you understand? You are happy but I am not happy. I am neither happy nor bothered. Alas, this state of mind is only part of a process.
Let’s say a person is not an out-going person before, but he is a more or less an introverted person who doesn’t like to interact with people or exhibit himself. When he is bothered by seeing others happy or he is happy at seeing others in distress, that is the manifestation of his unsociable and eccentric disposition. He is always trying to cover himself up, pessimistic and concealing. He fears to face his true face. He is afraid to face other people with his true face. That is this kind of emotion.
Then, regardless of what kind of person we are facing, how do we as an observer, who laughs or does not laugh, look at and handle this thing? Alas, in fact you guys have talked about it pretty comprehensively. What Brother Li, Brother Tan, and Brother Huang have said was pretty comprehensive. The most important thing is awareness. As far as this matter is concerned, is the person who laughs aware of the thoughts and the needs of the person who doesn’t? Why do you need to express your happiness by laughing? Is it an appropriate place for you to laugh? Is it an appropriate time for you to laugh? Is the person who doesn’t like to laugh aware of the need of the person who laughs? He should laugh with him. Don’t the words of the song "Hand-holding" go like that? Why do you want to cry when others laugh? Why are you upset at seeing others laughing? Alas, therefore this lesson is huge. It is not easy to handle a small matter well. Therefore, these are different lessons with different perspectives. Do you understand?
What is "awareness"? "Awareness" is not your own matter, not an isolated existence. "Awareness" is a kind of participation, sharing, and being part of a whole. It must have an effect on a complete whole. It is not limited to your own perception and feelings. It is not that! Therefore when our behavior is not situated in a state of self-awareness, we are aiming one-sided manifestation instead of multiple-sided manifestation. As a result, we may cause others inconvenience. Do you understand? Look! Look! These kinds of things happen incessantly without an end. People try to tolerate them again and again. But who can bear them forever? These things continue to happen but the doers don’t know they should stop acting like that. Alas, as people play different roles, these kinds of things will continue to happen.
Brother Zhou expressed his view. From this viewpoint, his view is closer to Brother Li’s. In other words, Brother Zhou’s view is distinguishing as far as how others or Brother Guo treat this problem—do not ask the environment to suit you. An environment that you think very beautiful may not be always beautiful. It’s impossible for you to be in a certain state of mind all the time. When your mind changes, that environment may be inappropriate for you. Sometimes we need something coarser; sometimes we need something subtler. Sometimes we need to have more tart; sometimes we need to have more spiciness. But it is not easy for the environment to change. Do you understand? Therefore we need to adjust our own mentality to fit the environment and can’t ask the environment to change for us. One who emphasizes a good environment must suffer. It means he has a lot of wants but can’t get all he wants! Therefore one should ask himself to change. The heart should go in harmony with the environment but not be led around by the environment. In this way you will settle peacefully in any environment. It is called "abiding in neither having nor non-having" in Buddhism. Therefore, facing any events at any instant moment, we must remember that none of us is short of anything. Everything is necessary. There must be something in everything that will help us achieve understanding. The problem is whether you understand it. If you don’t understand it, you will miss it; if you understand it, it is the right thing for you, right? That’s how things are. Therefore, be not picky. Don’t select or discriminate between things.
Now everyone pays more attention to his own emotions and his attitudes. You have entered into a very subtle process. I have talked about this issue with a couple of followers. Everyone’s realization has risen to a higher platform recently. We have held so many classes in just a few days. This is very important. Therefore, this is an unexpected chance for you to express your views and discuss your problems and needs. Then, express your personal wishes and share them with other people. This is a pretty good method. Then, we sort out common problems. In this way, it saves a lot of time! It is very beneficial. Em, that’s it.
Do you know or want to know how I got enlightened? (Applause.) Those great Bodhisattvas who have followed me since the beginning always have a question. They said, "We have dined with you and come through everything with you. We discovered at an early stage that you knew everything, but we did not. Where did you learn all the knowledge? How come you know so much? Where does your knowledge come from? Where does your knowledge come from?" They have been constantly concerned about this. I would like to share a knack with you. That is I pay attention to the shining points of everyone, as well as frustrations of everyone. Through their frustrations I realize truths. Through their successes I realize truths. Both their frustrations and successes are the origins of my realizations. I do half work with double results, saving energy and efforts. I observe everything with a clear and acute state of mind. I don’t get involved in or select things. Then, I imagine myself to be the subject, the one in that cause and condition. It is similar to simulating my states of mind in a computer in those situations. I observe it, conclude it, and practice it. I observe it again and again. I make a conclusion again and again. I practice it again and again. Do you understand? That’s the method. Otherwise, you need to wait for your own opportunity to come or a certain cause and condition to come. Sometimes the chance may be wasted because you don’t do it well. (Master laughed.) There are many chances wasted. How much time do you have? A lifetime that lasts only several tens of years will pass away quickly. If you are skilled in this method, you will have many chances to get enlightened in a single day. Do you understand? You refuse neither good or bad. Then, you put them together. That thing may be bad, but the lesson of that thing is very valuable! Therefore, the good is the bad and the bad is the good. I am using this kind of method.
After finding this principle, I felt that I should tell everyone this and let everyone adopt this method. That will save one a lot of time on their path to enlightenment as well as Buddhahood! I am confident. I know if I tell you this method, you will change quickly. Your practice of it will tell you whether this is true. Haven’t you changed already? You are accepting this principle. You execute this principle. This is my knack, the knack of enlightenment.
Therefore, how can I not love the people who have taught me? How can I refuse to help them? Sometimes you don’t trust me or dislike me, but I always trust you and like you. Do you understand? (Applause.) I always learn the most beautiful qualities from you quietly. Through your sufferings, I have learned very good lessons, preventing myself from repeating the same frustrations. As you suffer for me, I should thank you and repay you. I should tell you not to do that anymore, right? Now what I tell you everyday is this. I return the Way originated from you to you! The Way should not belong to anyone. It is shared by everyone, right?
Therefore, do not criticize an environment or demand a certain kind of environment. Don’t wait to change ourselves until the environment has changed. In that way, life would be too short. It would end quickly after you have just done a few things. If we harmonize with our surroundings and follow causes and conditions, we will find any environment is just right. Nothing is extra. No single things should not have happened. When it is good, don’t say it is good. When it is bad, don’t say it is bad. What you need is to actually observe its true face. Then, you would be the one who understands its true meaning. You are the knower of its rhythm. Then, do you know what you have become? A controller. You are your own boss. Do you understand? That’s it.