44 lines
9.4 KiB
Plaintext
44 lines
9.4 KiB
Plaintext
## XI. Benefiting Self and Others
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### Don't Forget Renunciation; Always Cultivate Bodhicitta
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Q: Does Buddhism emphasize transcending the world or engaging with it? Are these two approaches sequential?
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A: Transcending the world and engaging with it correspond to renunciation and *bodhicitta*. On the surface, they seem to be opposites. In fact, renunciation isn't about leaving the world or hiding in the mountains; it means seeing through the illusion of the five desires and the six sense objects, and letting go of attachment to the world. This attachment is the real root of *samsara*. Buddhism takes liberation as the foundation of practice for all three vehicles. Not only *shravakas* who cultivate renunciation seek liberation; *bodhisattvas* who cultivate bodhicitta also need liberation. Only by removing afflictions and entering the world with a transcendent mind can we better help sentient beings. Otherwise, we're likely to end up like a clay bodhisattva—before we've helped others, we fall apart ourselves. So transcendence and engagement are actually one. Fundamentally, both require a mind of transcendence, a resolve to liberate from samsara. Yet engaging in the world is the bodhisattva's way of helping others; without forming karmic bonds with sentient beings, how can we liberate them?
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As for sequence, although bodhicitta is founded on renunciation, that doesn't mean we have to perfect renunciation before cultivating bodhicitta. This is especially true for lay practitioners: once you have a certain foundation, you can practice them together—don't forget renunciation, and keep cultivating bodhicitta. Of course, if conditions allow for a period of quiet retreat, the mind will become more stable.
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### The Measure of an Altruistic Heart
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Q: Buddhist practice should benefit both self and others, but I feel I'm not capable enough. I can't even help a few friends, and sometimes I get hurt. How far should altruism go? How do I handle this when my capacity is inadequate?
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A: The difficulty of helping others is that it clashes with self-grasping. So the prerequisite for cultivating altruism is truly recognizing the faults of self-grasping and the value of helping others. Such understanding is essential. As for whether there is a suitable measure in the process, it can't be generalized; it depends on your practice, orientation, and capacity.
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Orientation means the standard you set for yourself—whether you want to train as a bodhisattva. Capacity means the most you can do right now, which varies from person to person. For example, the bodhisattva precepts say a bodhisattva may give away his head, eyes, hands, feet, and even his life for the sake of helping others. But this refers to a bodhisattva who has already attained the grounds and realized *emptiness*. Before reaching that level, doing so would backfire, because you're still attached to your body; after such a sacrifice you might become distressed or even lose heart. So you have to measure your own capacity.
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From the Buddhist perspective, improving yourself is also a form of helping others, provided it is done with an altruistic intention. The Mahayana refuge verse, "May whatever merit I accumulate be dedicated to the welfare of sentient beings so that I may attain buddhahood," tells us that cultivating merit and pursuing buddhahood are for the sake of better helping sentient beings. With such a view, you can make a balanced decision according to circumstances and need not obey others' every wish. Do your best within your capacity; otherwise, you can politely decline and explain why, without forcing yourself. When there is a large gap between aspiration, capacity, and actual level, forcing ourselves to act is harmful to both others and ourselves. Of course, you can also stretch yourself a little beyond your current level; this will help you progress faster.
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### Aspiration Must Be Genuine and Earnest
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Q: Many people have cared for and helped me, yet when they face difficulties I feel powerless to help them. I feel especially guilty and don't know what to do. How can I repay their kindness within my ability? What is the ultimate way to repay kindness?
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A: First, do what you can, and at the same time arouse bodhicitta and establish a noble altruistic aspiration. When this aspiration is strong, your ability will quickly grow. It is like studying with a clear goal: the motivation is inexhaustible. Once such an aspiration arises, the conditions for helping others will keep appearing. In fact, no matter how great or small your ability, as long as you have the intention, there is always something you can do. Sometimes, even without doing anything concrete, you can convey compassion and make them feel warmth and care. The key is that this aspiration must be genuine—truly felt and strongly desired. Otherwise, you may just think or talk about it, feel that you're a grateful person, and stop there without taking further action. That's not enough. The ultimate way to repay kindness, of course, is to guide them through Buddhist practice to turn from delusion to awakening and thoroughly free themselves from suffering. But this requires that you yourself have truly benefited from the Dharma; only then will you be convincing.
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### Understanding Brings Compassion
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Q: I know Buddhists should have compassion. When I see stray animals, I want to help them, but when I see people in need, the urge isn't as strong as it is for small animals; I just feel like I should help. Why is this?
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A: This is actually quite common. Many people feel compassion toward animals but find it harder to feel the same toward people. There are many reasons. Mainly, social values today are declining, and negative news is endless—like stories of people who help others being falsely accused. So when faced with a request for help, we instinctively become defensive, afraid of what might follow, and compassion is replaced by all kinds of worries. Moreover, compared to stray animals, helping people is usually more complex and difficult. When compassion is not strong enough, we start to pick and choose between what to help and what not to help. Even among animals, most people would help a cat but not a tiger, because the latter is too difficult; only those with great ability can help it.
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But compassion can be cultivated. We must look at and understand all human differences from the standpoint of *dependent origination*. For example, those we dislike, those with twisted characters, even those with corrupt morality—they became this way over time. In fact, they themselves are the greatest victims of their own negative states of mind and behavior, and only afterward does the harm spread to others. We train compassion on the basis of understanding and acceptance. At first it may not be easy; you have to persuade yourself to act. As compassion grows, you will naturally take on responsibility. On another level, doing so also spreads kindness. Someone will be moved by it and respond with the same kindness to you and to others, creating a harmonious and friendly social environment. When the greater environment improves, mutual help becomes natural, without extra worry. That kind of society requires everyone's joint effort.
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### Sharpening the Axe First
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Q: I'm quite busy with work and have also vowed to form a volunteer team, so I have little free time. Although I'm very interested in the systematic approach of Three-Stage Practice, I don't have fixed time for study. Can I study on my own? In addition, the volunteer organization I lead is oriented toward society and made up mostly of young people. Everyone is busy, and their motivations and interests differ. How can I guide everyone to do volunteer work well?
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A: Regarding study, first, studying is always better than not studying; second, studying with a systematic progression is more effective than studying randomly; third, the atmosphere of participating in Three-Stage Practice is certainly better than self-study. You can choose according to your own conditions. In fact, whether one is busy is relative. Whatever you consider more important, you will find time for.
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Regarding volunteer teams, whether in the Buddhist community or in society, as long as you are doing something beneficial for the public, the meaning is the same. The key is how to do it effectively and sustainably. Effectiveness has two aspects: first, doing the work joyfully and growing through it yourself; second, ensuring that both participants and recipients receive genuine help. Sustainability also has two aspects: first, having clear goals and stable mindsets; second, making the work itself a form of practice, so that it provides a continuous source of motivation.
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How can benefiting self and others be effective and sustainable? It depends on whether your motivation is pure compassion and whether you have the wisdom to guide and skillfully handle matters. This means elevating yourself. When we grow in compassion and wisdom through Buddhist practice and bring this into the volunteer team, guiding everyone to adjust their motivation and act under the guidance of wisdom, volunteer work will naturally be of higher quality and greater meaning. This itself nourishes the team and strengthens cohesion. Many volunteer teams cannot keep going mainly because their thinking is not on the same page and the results are only so-so, so naturally they lose motivation over time. Since we have aspired to do something beneficial for society, we must value our own cultivation. Study is like sharpening the axe first: it makes the work go more smoothly.
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