2021 Spring Term Monastic Retreat – The Awakening Bodhicitta

Why do we practice Dharma? Why do we study Dharma? Why do we choose monasticism? It is to reconcile with ourselves. We can transform our ignorance into discernment, the wisdom to adopt virtues. Sure enough, we might struggle with non-virtues at times. We might find ourselves caught in the cycle of conflict with people, incidents, good, and bad. Yet, we are not aware that these are the karmic results from the past. When the karmic memories from the past take effect with our present emotions, we'd experience all kinds of good, bad, gains, and losses.  

Today, as we have the opportunity to practice Chan and to know what we should be doing, we are very fortunate. As long as we exert in practicing Chan and observe precepts vigilantly, we can return to our origin through Chan. This origin is our original face or the primordial awareness. It is the source of the entity of interdependence. Practitioners should maintain a clear awareness without getting distracted in daily life. Be mindful of our purity and pristine clarity. Such a mindful contemplation will inspire the potential of our awareness.

Before we came across Buddhadharma, our head is like a department store filled with so many products and services. We sell others these products and services – ideas. We try to make profits like fame, money, benefits, and more. Well, there are times where we sell terrible ideas with non-virtuous deals. Yet, we've changed after studying Dharma. We are open as the sky and we know who we are. We have an insightful understanding of things because our wisdom has sharpened.

What is the “wisdom” implying here? It is the “treasury of the true Dharma eye". When we've acquired the wisdom, we'd know to discern right from wrong. We'd be abiding in a perfect state of clarity, emptiness, and peace both physically and mentally. In this state of awareness, we hold loving bodhicitta towards all beings. Bodhicitta helps to transform all the connections and conditions into positivity. Then, we can offer the proper value, the right view, and conduct to other sentient beings. That's how we open up the possibilities of life for an optimal and diverse application.

Becoming awakened and cultivating bodhicitta are the priorities for practitioners. With bodhicitta, we can make the people and companions in our life to be happy and joyful. We are here to support one another. Because of our primordial awareness, we can be selfless to give. Together, we thrive interdependently.