Chapter 806: Seventeen Grades (I)
At home, the heart and deeds are beautiful.
"Although they are dressed in white, they adhere to the pure discipline of Shamen", white clothes represent the meaning of commoners, compared to officials or monks, Chinese monks wear silk clothes, which are dyed with cloth of unbeautiful colors. I sometimes write letters to my family, and I write white clothes where I am named, which means that I am a layman, because I can't claim to be his disciple. Although the Vimal monks are in the family, they are able to observe all the precepts of the monks, and their hearts are monastic.
"Although I am at home, I don't live in the Three Realms", although it is manifested in the family, the heart has jumped out of the Three Realms, and everything is not attached.
"Show that you have a wife, and always practice Brahmanism", although like the rest of the family, there are wives and children, but they have always practiced pure practice.
"Existing dependents, always happy to stay away", there are many dependents around, such as parents, wives, friends, students, etc., but his cultivation realm will not be nostalgic for these, and it has already been transcended. It's like I told an old friend, when your children are older, don't worry about them anymore, don't owe each other, and don't expect your children to reciprocate, otherwise you may become a child of your children in the next life to pay off your debts. Some friends are worried about their children's misfortune, so I advised them to look away, young people in society must be good and bad, it is impossible for all of them to be good, and do not demand that their children must all be good, but always share some of them. Everything in your own family is not a bodhisattva. We pick some of the sufferings of others, and this is also a dedication.
"Although I wear treasures and ornaments, I am strict with my appearance", some people often tell me that a certain woman has studied Buddhism and is still dressed so strongly. I said, what's so strange about that? Is it true that if you study the Buddha, you will not care about the image and make all sentient beings unwilling to get close to you? You see how good-looking Guanyin Bodhisattva is, with everything hanging on his head and holding in his hands, all of which are full. Bodhisattvas should be kind and strict with their bodies, and not make people annoying, not for the sake of being pretty. Vimal monks also wear jewelry, not to seduce people, but to solemnize the body. Our human bodies are so dirty, and when we peel off the skin, it is dirty and smelly! So be dignified, but don't be attached in your heart.
Ordinary ordinary people dress up for others to see, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty has a concubine who is seriously ill, Emperor Wu went to see her, this concubine just covered her face and did not show it to Emperor Wu, the maid asked why this concubine, she said that the emperor loves herself, because she loves her beautiful appearance, if you show the sick face to the emperor, not only will she fall out of favor, but even her family will lose care in the future, this is the truth.
"Although the diet is restored, and the taste of Zen joy is the taste", of course, the family has to eat and drink, but all the diet and nutrition are for their own Taoist use, if eating it hinders their own learning of the Tao, they will not eat.
Vimo also went in and out of casinos, played chess, and went to entertainment venues, but he went to these places to facilitate the education of people, and he still gave and kept vows on that occasion. This is not what you do, especially you monks, you have to understand it.
"If you accept all different ways, you will not destroy the true faith", and you have learned all the foreign ways, and you have contacts with the outer ways, but you have taught people with the correct belief in the Dharma.
"Although the world is clear, the Dharma is always happy", the world is all the knowledge in the world, he does not know, but his real center is to practice the Dharma, is the Mahayana path of lay behavior.
"Everything is respected, and the most is offered", so Vimal monks are most respected and supported in any place. Another meaning can also be said that Vimala himself treats all sentient beings with the utmost respect, does not look down on anyone, and is making offerings to the Dharma.