Travelling with the Lights and Dust

Dwelling in this world,

It is unnecessary to follow the crowd,

and tainted by their defilements.

Instead, we must have the mind capacity to join the lights, to withstand the dust.

We must always learn to forgive others.

On hearing others’ slanderous comments,

We must be patient, learn to tolerate.

When people give us good advice,

We must be humble enough to learn and to accept.

On encountering the worldly matters,

We must always learn to accommodate them.

That is why while we are dwelling among the multitude of people,

We should not show off our virtues.

We must have the capacity to accommodate all the slanders, filth and dirt.

When we are staying with many people,

Do not try to differentiate too clearly this and that.

We should learn to accommodate all the good people, evil men, worthies and deluded.

Do not show off your talents in front of others.

Do not change your attitude in righteousness

When you are facing poverty and difficulties.

When everything goes your way,

Do not be too glad

And get drown for being overjoyed.

Do not get angry and complain in a noisy way over minor matter.

Let things happens in the way it should happen naturally,

There will be less afflictions.

When people give a small excuse, just let it be.

It is unnecessary to argue over it.

Dwelling among the multitude, do remember one word, ‘silence’.

Dwelling in the world, do remember one word, ‘Forgive’.

When we can live in accord with conditions, there will be no problem to stay with others.

When we can gather in and transform others in accord with conditions, we will be able to create many good affinities with people.

On treading the journey of life, do not just keep on walking forward.

Sometimes, do turn around and take a look, just in case we might have taken the wrong path.

Whatever unfortunate circumstances arise, we need to put on a smile, to divert it.

This is because when we smile, the surroundings will be enveloped in bliss and peace.

An essay written by Dharma Master Shi Jing Zong.

Guanyin Bodhisattva's Visit to a Butcher:

In 1908, there lived in Shanxi province a butcher named Chang. His parents (who were also butchers) had already passed away and the only family he had left was his sickly younger sister. Everyday, he slaughtered a pig and sold the meat for a living.

When Chang was young, he had detested the cruelty involved in slaughtering pigs. However, as he was the only heir to the family butchery, his parents forced him to learn the trade. By the time he was 25, he was already known in his village as the guillotine that all pigs fear. In fact, the total number of pigs he had slaughtered was so numerous that if all the skulls of the pigs he had killed were lined up in a straight line, it would span several miles.

One day, a old woman visited the village and approached Chang's butchery. She said to him, " I will show you the way to a future fortune if you could give me two porkers free of charge." Chang thought that the old woman was mentally ill and thus ignored her. However, the old woman responded to this snub by recounting in detail his life, history and family situation. She also warned him that this was his last chance to extricate himself from his evil karma.

Startled by the fact that this stranger knew everything about him, Chang immediately suspected that she was a deity and proceeded to comply with her request for two porkers. She left right after taking possession of the two porkers, leaving Chang somewhat bewildered. Nevertheless, he was happy to have not offended a potential deity. However, before she disappeared from sight, she turned back towards Chang and shouted —"I'll be back tomorrow!"

The next day, she came back to Chang's butchery and requested that he give her four pigs. Chang immediately became irate and accused her of being a greedy fraud. However, she paid no heed to his anger and simply repeated her request for four pigs. Chang then demanded to know what happened to the two porkers he gave her the day before. She replied that she had released them.

Incensed, Chang immediately launched into a angry tirade. However, the old woman remained completely calm and simply asked, "Do you understand why I asked for those two porkers?"

Chang ignored the question and continued his tirade. Suddenly, the old lady ascended into the air and transformed into Guanyin Bodhisattva—faced with such a majestic and august sight—Chang promptly fell to his knees in reverence despite not being a Buddhist.

The Bodhisattva did not wait for Chang to compose himself but immediately showed him a vision which explained that the two porkers were actually his parents. They had been reborn as pigs to atone for their sins. Hence, he was just a few moments away from committing patricide and matricide had the Bodhisattva not intervened. Feeling immense shock and guilt, Chang begged the Bodhisattva to show him the way forward. The Bodhisattva said, " Your lifespan has been reduced considerably because of your offenses. Thus, if you wish to save yourself , you must henceforth cease all acts of killing. Furthermore, you must protect the pigs currently in your pigsty until their natural deaths. Afterwards, you must liberate 10,000,000 pigs in order to fully rectify your karmic situation. The first pig to die in your pigsty will show you the way."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Bodhisattva vanished into thin air. It was not difficult for Chang to keep the pigs currently in his pigsty, but he was doubtful that he could ever liberate 10,000,000 pigs. Nevertheless, he thought of the Bodhisattva's assurances and diligently proceeded to do as instructed. From that moment on, he treated his pigs like family. Eventually, word spread that he had renounced his career as a butcher. However, he never told anyone about his encounter with Guanyin Bodhisattva. Instead, he simply exhorted people to

liberate life and refrain from slaughtering animals.

After a few years had passed, one of the pigs fell ill and was on the verge of death. As he was comforting the dying pig, it suddenly started to repeatedly oink towards a spot on the ground. A curious Chang immediately started to dig and to his surprise—crude oil begin to seep out! A short while later, surveyors

concluded that his pigsty was located above a oil reserve. He promptly sold his property and mineral rights for tens of thousands of silver dragons. He used this capital to start a business that soon generated for him a fortune. Everyday, he sent men into the market to purchase live pigs, thereafter depositing these pigs into Buddhist animal sanctuaries. After doing so for 50 years, he finally managed to save 10,000,000 pigs.

Chang lived to the ripe old age of 78. When he died, he left behind a wealthy family. Also, due to the karma created by his good deeds, he was able to avoid the wars of that period—safely retreating to Taiwan after the Communist takeover.

Commentary:

By simply saving the lives of several small animals, the scholar was able to amass enough merit to gain a lifetime of high offices. Furthermore, his remuneration and pension likely amounted to a fortune of tens of thousands of silver taels. In comparison, a small family could live for a year on just a few taels of silver during that time. He did not originally have such good fortune pending, but that one act of Likewise, according to the second account: A minor local official of Suzhou province once circulated letters that encouraged people to abstain from beef. He did so after the spirit of a deceased colleague appealed to him to make merits on his behalf. As a result of this deed, the deceased colleague became a deva and the local official's lifespan was extended by six twelve year periods! Furthermore, his stocks of merit were filled to the brim.

In the Treatise on Response and Retribution, it is stated that grave sins result in one's lifespan being shortened by a period of twelve years and vice versa. Thus, the local official increased his lifespan by a whopping seventy two years by simply encouraging the local community to refrain from eating beef. This increase in lifespan was also accompanied by wealth, happiness, offices and future heavenly rebirth. Therefore, how much more would be our reward if we abstain from all types of meat and diligently promote veganism?

It should be very clear by now that hunting, fishing, meat eating or engaging in the meat packing business will lead to heavy karmic debts. Thus, If we wish to be long lived and happy—and if we want to avoid atrocities and hellish karmic retributions—then we should diligently liberate life and encourage others to do the same. Furthermore, we should eat a meat free diet and abstain from hunting, fishing or working in the meat packing industry. If we sell food and provide catering services for a living, we should not sell meat products or dishes containing meats. The good karma generated from such abstinence will ensure happiness in this life and heavenly bliss in the next. If we dedicate these merits towards Buddahood in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, we will surely realize our aspiration!