In the vast transmigration river of birth
and death, sentient beings are often like dragons and Garuḍa birds—fighting each other, trapped in cycles of vengeance, unable
to escape. Dragons fear bird attacks, while birds depend on dragons for
survival. What appears to be survival of the fittest is actually woven from
collective karma. There are no true victors, only suffering and terror cycling endlessly
through samsara.
When the four dragon kings prostrated themselves
before the Buddha and tearfully recounted their clans’ suffering caused by the Garuḍa birds, the Buddha did not punish the birds or stop their evil
actions. Instead, He gave his own robe—the Dharma robe symbolizing “pure
precept substance and flawless merit”—to the dragon kings and instructed them
to distribute portions of it to all dragon clans. Not a single thread increased
or decreased, and myriad beings all received protection. This manifested not only
the Tathāgata’s miraculous transformational power but, more profoundly, also the
Buddha’s compassion and the sublime power of His precepts. True protection
emanates not from outward actions but from the depth of one's compassion; true
guardianship lies not in material abundance but in the breadth of one’s
compassionate vows. The Buddha’s robe could prevent harm from the Garuḍa birds not because its fabric was special but because it carried
the supreme merit of “the Buddha’s words, which are never false; the Buddha’s precepts,
which are never ineffective; and the Buddha’s vows, which are always
fulfilled.” Precepts are the embodiment of compassion, vows are the driving
force that propels wisdom forward, and transforming compassion into action
enables the deliverance of all sentient beings.
The story teaches us something profound: All
beings, including celestial Garuḍa birds and
dragons with miraculous powers, have limited strength and finite lives. No one can
escape suffering and decay. Yet, here’s the remarkable truth: Even when trapped
in the lowest destiny of existence, one can find liberation through faith in
the Buddha. Observing the Buddha’s precepts faithfully is like being clothed in
the Dharma robe blessed by the Buddha, which shields the wearer from harm. We
can attain true liberation and eternal perfection only by taking refuge in the
World-Honored One, acknowledging and abandoning our wrongdoings, keeping the
precepts, and following the compassionate path taught by the bodhisattvas.
(Part 3/3)
At that time, four Garuḍa bird kings heard that portions of the Buddha’s robe had been
distributed to the dragon clans to ensure their safety. They quickly flew to
the Buddha, prostrated themselves, and asked, “World-Honored One! Why have you
taken away our food?” The Buddha replied, “There are four ways of obtaining
food that will cause one to fall into the three lower realms of hell, hungry
ghosts, and animals: using nets to hunt and kill animals for food; using
weapons to commit robbery and plunder, coercing and bullying others to obtain
food from them; flattering or deceiving others, and violating precepts, to
obtain food; and falsely claiming to be a practitioner (or a Buddha or a pure
practicing Dharma master) to fraudulently obtain food offerings! Using these
four methods to obtain food will absolutely result in falling into the three
lower realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals after death. The true Dharma I
teach eliminates these four ways of obtaining food. One should not sustain
one’s life by harming the lives of sentient beings because all living beings
value their own lives and love themselves! Truly wise people understand that if
you want to protect yourself, you must first protect others. When other beings
are safe, only then can you be safe. One who understands this principle will
refrain from harming others and will absolutely avoid all that should not be
done!”
Upon hearing this, the four Garuḍa bird kings immediately led over a thousand followers to prostrate
themselves before the Buddha and repent, saying, “Today, we sincerely take
refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha! We repent for all the
evil karma we created in the past! From now on, we will uphold the precepts by
practicing the Dharma－giving of fearlessness and cease to prey on all dragon clans so that
they may live free from terror! We vow to protect the true Dharma and follow
the Buddha’s path until the very last moment that the Dharma remains in the
world. We will never violate the Buddha’s teachings!”
After hearing this, the Buddha revealed a
past event to them: “Actually, during the time when Suvarṇa Buddha was in the world, the four of you were bhikṣus named
Delighted, Greatly Delighted, Superior Victory, and Superior Friend. At that
time, however, you not only violated the precepts but also greedily sought
offerings, became intoxicated with pleasure, and attached yourselves to the
powerful. With confused minds and arrogance, you fell into the wrong views and
despised and oppressed ordained bhikṣus. You failed to guard the actions of
your bodies, speech, and minds, thus creating a much evil karma. However, you
also made great offerings to Suvarṇa
Buddha, thus accomplishing immeasurable merit. Therefore, although you avoided
falling into hell, you still assumed an animal form (as Garuḍa birds) due to your evil karma. As Garuḍa birds, over many lifetimes and long periods, you took countless
lives and caused innumerable beings to experience terror.” After speaking, the
Buddha used His supernatural powers to enable the four bird kings to remember
their past-life karmic actions. They clearly saw how they had made offerings to
Suvarṇa Buddha and the Sangha, yet, due to jealousy, greed, and wrong views, had committed
numerous evil deeds. Scene after scene unfolded vividly before their eyes! They
told the Buddha, “We were once so obstinate, and our minds were difficult to
tame. Through greed and jealousy, we harmed countless lives and violated Suvarṇa Buddha’s teachings. From this day onward, even if our bodies are
shattered into pieces, we will absolutely dare not create evil karma again!”
Seeing their sincere repentance, the Buddha gave them this prediction: “In the
future, when Maitreya Buddha attains Buddhahood, you will all be liberated at
his first teaching assembly!” (Part 2/3)
Stuck in
endless cycles of conflict? Stay tuned—the story reveals Buddhist wisdom that the
Ocean Dragon King and Garuḍa bird
kings never discovered.🐉✨
Once four dragon kings—Breath Inhaler, Great Breath Inhaler, Bear Strength,
and Immeasurable Color—approached the Buddha together and respectfully told Him,
“Honorable Buddha! In the great ocean where we dwell live countless types of
dragons—some with enormous bodies, some tiny, some weak—yet all, without
exception, suffer oppression. What we fear most are the four kinds of giant
Garuḍa birds who prey on dragons and their
families! All the dragon clans in the ocean live in terror day and night. We
humbly beseech the Buddha’s compassionate protection so that we may live in
peace, without constant fear!” After hearing this, the Buddha said nothing but
removed the monk’s robe He was wearing and handed it to the Ocean Dragon King,
saying gently, “Take this Tathāgata’s robe and distribute portions of it among
all the dragon clans. Make certain that everyone receives a portion. Those four
kinds of Garuḍa birds will not be able
to harm any dragon who wears even just a single thread from this Buddha’s robe.
It possesses such great merit and power that the vows made by those who uphold
the precepts will certainly be fulfilled.”
The great dragon kings couldn’t help but
worry privately: “This Buddha’s robe is so small. How could we possibly distribute
portions of it among all the dragons in the ocean?” The Buddha immediately perceived
their doubts and said, “Don’t worry! Even if you take this robe and distribute it
to all the people in the entire trichiliocosm, with every person receiving a
portion, it will never diminish or be exhausted! When you take the robe to
distribute portions of it among all the dragon clans, it will be like infinite
space—naturally continuing to manifest endlessly. This is the Tathāgata’s inconceivable,
supreme merit and power!” Hearing this, the Ocean Dragon Kings’ confidence
surged. They immediately took the robe, divided it into hundreds of thousands
of portions, and distributed the portions to all dragon palaces everywhere. Yet,
regardless of the sizes and distances of the dragon palaces or the number of
dragons, the Buddha’s robe was never exhausted or diminished. At the end, it
remained exactly as it was at the beginning—completely undamaged! The dragon
kings were all filled with wonder.
The Ocean Dragon King then said to the
other dragon kings, “Everyone! Please honor this robe of the Buddha as you
would honor the Buddha Himself and as you would venerate Buddha stupas and
monasteries—with utmost respect and offerings! Why? This robe was worn personally
by the Tathāgata! Seeing this robe is like seeing the Buddha Himself! You must
venerate it, as you would venerate Buddha stupas and monasteries! In the
future, anyone who sincerely makes offerings to this robe will gain as much
merit as when they personally make offerings to the Buddha Himself! There will
be no difference!” After hearing this, the Buddha praised the Ocean Dragon
King: “Well said! Well said! Indeed, making offerings to this robe is equivalent to making offerings to
the Tathāgata. Now, have all the dragons and their wives and descendants
received portions of the robe?” The dragon kings answered in unison, “Yes! We
have all witnessed it with our own eyes!”
The Buddha continued, “I now give you this
prophecy: In the future, you will escape your dragon bodies.” In this Fortunate
Eon (Bhadrakalpa), except for those dragons who aspire to achieve
Buddhahood and practice the Mahayana Bodhisattva path, all other dragons will
be able to attain non-attachment of arhatship and finally enter nirvāṇa. Because the Tathāgata remains in the
world, if anyone generates even a single thought of goodness, this good karmic
connection will definitely guide them on the Path to Buddhahood. It never fails!”
All the dragon clans were extremely joyful upon hearing this. They immediately kneeled uniformly before the Buddha and vowed together, “The Buddha’s words
are true! Today, you have conferred upon us this prediction and led us toward
liberation. From this day onward, all of us in the dragon clan will devoutly
take refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, firmly uphold
the precepts, and contemplate
and constantly practice the Buddha’s teachings! While the Buddha is still in the world, we will certainly visit
and pay homage to Him often, listening to the supreme Dharma. After the Buddha enters
nirvāṇa, we will honor His relics with the most solemn offerings! We will never
regress!” (Part 1/3)
Buddhist Story: The Elder's Son Póshìzhì and the Divine Bird
Adopted from Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish, Chapter 38
Long, long ago in a thriving ancient city,
there lived an extremely wealthy elder named Shīlìzhì. He had his first and
only son very late in life. The child was born with extraordinary features and
remarkable intelligence, bringing great joy to the entire family. They invited
a fortune-teller to name the child.
The fortune-teller asked, "Were there
any auspicious signs when the child was born?"
The elder replied, "My wife used to
be slow of speech, but after she became pregnant with this child, she became
eloquent and articulate, far surpassing ordinary people!"
Thus, the child was named "Póshìzhì."
As Póshìzhì grew up, his brilliance and
talent amazed everyone. One day, while out, he saw a young woman from a
traveling performance troupe. She was graceful and beautiful, and he was
instantly captivated. Returning home, he begged his parents to arrange a
marriage.
His parents objected: "We come from a
noble family, and she is a performer's daughter—the match is completely
unsuitable for the families are not of equal rank!" But Póshìzhì's mind
was made up. He even declared, "If I cannot marry her, I would rather
die!"
Left with no choice, his parents sent
someone to propose to the girl’s family. The woman's family set a condition:
"Unless he masters all the performing arts—singing, dancing, and
acrobatics—and successfully performs before the king, we will not agree to the
marriage."
Driven by his obsession, Póshìzhì actually
set aside his pride and practiced day and night, gradually becoming skilled in
these arts.
Before long, the king held a grand
performance festival. When it was Póshìzhì's turn to walk the tightrope high in
the air, his strength failed him. Just as he was about to fall from the great
height, at this critical moment, the Venerable Maudgalyayana suddenly appeared
in the sky.
He asked, "Would you choose to
renounce the world and save your life, or would you rather die to marry that
woman?"
At that moment, Póshìzhì immediately cried out, "I choose to
live! I don't want that woman anymore!"
The Venerable Maudgalyayana instantly used
his supernatural powers to manifest a solid platform in mid-air. Póshìzhì, his
heart still racing, walked down safely. Deeply moved by life's impermanence, he
followed the Venerable Maudgalyayana to pay respects to the Buddha.
After the Buddha expounded to him the
discourse on generosity, moral precepts, and the path to higher realms, [He] then
specifically reminded him: "Worldly romantic love is illusory like a
dream. Only through spiritual practice and transcending the three realms can
one attain liberation."
Hearing this, Póshìzhì's mind opened. In
that moment of clarity, he immediately attained the first fruition and
requested to become a monk under the Buddha's guidance. Through diligent
practice, he eventually achieved arhatship.
Later, the Venerable Ananda asked the
Buddha, "Why was Póshìzhì so obsessed with that woman? Why did the
Venerable Maudgalyayana go to rescue him? And what karmic connections
ultimately enabled him to achieve arhatship?" The Buddha smiled and said,
"Countless eons ago, Póshìzhì was the son of a nobleman in the kingdom of
Varanasi, and he raised a divine bird. Once, riding this divine bird, he flew
to another country to watch performances and unexpectedly fell in love with the
king's daughter. When the king discovered their secret meetings, he was about
to have Póshìzhì executed. In desperation, Póshìzhì quickly climbed a tree,
mounted the divine bird, and flew away, saving his life. That divine bird is
now the Venerable Maudgalyayana; that princess is now the performance troupe
woman. Because of their past attachment and passionate love, they met again in
this life; and because of the kindness Póshìzhì showed in caring for the divine
bird in his past life, he was rescued again in this life and found
safety."
The Buddha continued, "Póshìzhì's
intelligence in this life and his attainment of sacred fruit are because he
once made offerings to a pratyekabuddha and made this vow: 'May I meet an even
greater teacher in the future, hear boundless profound teachings, and
ultimately attain enlightenment myself.' This virtuous aspiration has now been
completely fulfilled."
Personal insight: The law of cause and effect is real; every thought
we have sows a seed.
This story profoundly teaches us: every
encounter has a prior cause; every consequence is created by the mind.
Póshìzhì's infatuation with that woman was
no accident—it stemmed from their emotional entanglement in a past life. The
Venerable Maudgalyayana's timely rescue was no coincidence—it was repayment for
the kindness shown long ago. And Póshìzhì's intelligence and cultivational
attainment in this life were all results of his virtuous aspirations and good
deeds from previous lives.
When conditions ripen, we each reap the
results of our own actions. This is the principle of "cause and effect"—not
superstition. According to Buddhist teaching, the fundamental cause is each
person's eighth consciousness, called the "Tathāgatagarbha." It
possesses an intrinsic nature of true suchness, characterized by equanimity and
purity. The seed of our every action in each lifetime is stored without error
in this Tathāgatagarbha, and when conditions mature, it ripens and we reap the
karmic results.
So if you treat others well, others will
certainly treat you nicely in return, because the Tathāgatagarbha operates with
perfect equality and impartiality. The law of cause and effect is the
universe's fair order, the most just arbiter.
The difficulties you face today may be the
result of an unwholesome thought from the past. The kind thought you plant at
this moment will also trigger pure, peaceful, and secure karmic results in the
future. In truth, each of us lives every moment within our own “karmic
script" written by our own Tathāgatagarbha.
Today's version of you can work diligently
toward a future of "wholesome results." Your single wholesome
thought, wholesome word, wholesome action, or opportunity to connect with
authentic and correct teachings and virtuous mentors can all plant wholesome seeds
and conditions for a future of purity and liberation.
May we all, like Póshìzhì, encounter wholesome
conditions when lost, and after awakening, learn, contemplate, and practice the
path to attain liberation—deeply believing in causality, carefully guarding our
mental intentions, and creating lotus blossoms with each step.
To Learn About Karma, Speech Karma, and the Power of Repentance
Excerpted from The Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish (Damamukanidana Sūtra), Chapter 40: The Story of Śreṣṭhin’s Son, Madhuvāsiṣṭha.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, there lived in the kingdom of Śrāvastī a wealthy man named Śreṣṭhin. Although he possessed great wealth, he had no heir, and this caused him great sorrow. He consulted the famous Six Heterodox Teachers of that time, who pronounced, “You are destined by fate to remain childless!” Upon hearing this, Śreṣṭhin fell into despair. He refused even to change into clean clothes, thinking, “I have no children. Once I die, all my properties will be confiscated by the state.” The more he thought about this, the more distressed he became. His wife believed that what a Buddhist nun had told her was true―that the Six Heterodox Teachers were not omniscient beings and thus could not know the karmic conditions of a person’s actions. The Tathāgata was present in the world then, and He clearly understood and penetrated all phenomena, with no obstruction regarding the past or future. Śreṣṭhin’s wife thus urged her husband to consult the Buddha. His hope rekindled, Śreṣṭhin changed into new clothes and went to pay respects to the Buddha. Bowing his head to the Buddha’s feet, he asked respectfully, “World-Honored One! Will I have a son in this lifetime?” The Buddha prophesied, “You will have a son endowed with merit and virtue. When he grows up, he will want to leave home for monastic practice.”
Śreṣṭhin, overjoyed, said to the Buddha, “As long as I can have a son, I will never stop him from leaving home to practice the Buddhist Path in the future.” He joyfully invited the Buddha and the Sangha to accept offerings at his home the following day. The next day, after the Buddha led the monastics to accept the meal offering, on their return journey, they rested beside a marsh that flowed with pure, sweet spring water, and they rinsed their bowls there.
At that moment, a monkey ran toward Venerable Ānanda and asked him to give his alms bowl to it. The Buddha signaled to Ānanda to give the bowl to the monkey. After receiving the bowl, the monkey happily ran toward a honey tree, filled the bowl with honey, and respectfully presented it as an offering to the Buddha. The Buddha instructed the monkey to remove the small insects from the honey and dilute the honey with water. He then accepted the monkey’s offering and distributed the honey water to all the bhikṣus.
Seeing that the Buddha and the Sangha had all accepted its offering, the monkey became so excited that it jumped up and down and danced about. However, it accidentally lost its footing and fell into a deep pit, dying instantly. Its eternal-vijñāna was immediately reborn in the household of Śreṣṭhin and his wife. Before long, Śreṣṭhin’s wife became pregnant. The child was exceptionally handsome—a rarity in the world then. On the day of his birth, all the containers in the household were miraculously filled with honey. The physiognomist praised the child’s profound merit and virtue and named him Madhuvāsiṣṭha (meaning “Honey Excellent” or “Honey Victor”).
When Madhuvāsiṣṭha grew up, he wanted to leave home for a monastic life. His parents were initially reluctant to part with him, but they remembered the Buddha’s prophecy and saw their son’s unwavering determination, so they finally agreed tearfully. Their son was extremely joyful and came before the Buddha, prostrating himself to request ordination. With the Buddha’s single phrase “Good approach, bhikṣu!” Madhuvāsiṣṭha’s beard and hair fell off by themselves, a kaṣāya robe appeared on his body, and he immediately became a bhikṣu. The Buddha taught him the Four Noble Truths and other Dharma teachings. He immediately attained fruition, severed his fetters, and realized arhatship. Moreover, he possessed a special ability: When traveling with other bhikṣus and feeling thirsty or hungry, he could simply toss his bowl into the air, and it would automatically be filled with honey, benefiting himself and others.
Venerable Ānanda was curious about the foregoing and asked the Buddha about its causes and conditions: What merit had Madhuvāsiṣṭha accumulated that enabled him to realize arhatship so soon after leaving home and to have his needs satisfied according to his wishes whenever he was thirsty or in want? The Buddha explained, “The Madhuvāsiṣṭha of today is that monkey in the past who offered honey with a joyful mind. Because he saw the Buddha and joyfully made an offering to Him, he was reborn into a wealthy and noble family, assumed a handsome appearance, and swiftly attained the sacred fruit.”
Ānanda then kneeled and asked further, “What karma did Madhuvāsiṣṭha create in the past that caused him to be reborn into a monkey?” The Buddha revealed an even more distant cause and condition: “In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha in the past, Madhuvāsiṣṭha was a young bhikṣu. Once, when he saw a realized arhat jump over a drainage ditch, he contemptuously said, ‘This person jumps just like a monkey!’ Upon hearing this, the sage seriously reminded him that he should not consider him a nominal śramaṇa and should not mock and slander a holy one, for he had personally realized all four fruits of śramaṇa practice. The young bhikṣu was so frightened that his hair stood on end. He immediately prostrated himself fully on the ground and begged for forgiveness with repentance.
The Buddha concluded, “Because he repented in time, he was spared the grave sin of falling into hell. However, because he had ridiculed the sage’s appearance, he still had to bear the karmic consequence of being reborn as a monkey for five hundred lifetimes. It was also because of the wholesome roots from his past ordination and observance of precepts that in this life, he was able to encounter me descending into the world, hear the Buddha Dharma, and ultimately attain liberation.”
After hearing what the Buddha said, Ānanda and the whole assembly were moved. They said in unison, “The three karmas of body, speech, and mind truly must not be treated carelessly! This bhikṣu of the past, because he could not guard his speech, received evil retribution.”
The Buddha then extensively taught the assembly of fourfold disciples about various dharmas and the methods for purifying the three karmas. Many people realized on the spot the first, second, third, or fourth fruits, while others generated an unsurpassed bodhi mind and abided in the stage of non-retrogression. Everyone rejoiced greatly and faithfully accepted and practiced the teachings.
This wonderful story is not merely a legend but a practical lesson on the law of cause and effect. Now, let us unravel the mysteries within it one by one. To Be Con't.......
A Story of “The Monkey Who Offered Honey” (Part 2)
Excerpted from The Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish (Damamukanidana Sūtra), Chapter 40: The Story of Śreṣṭhin’s Son, Madhuvāsiṣṭha.
In the story, the monkey, with a sincere and joyful heart, offered only a bowl of honey yet was swiftly reborn into a wealthy family, drew close to the Buddha, and attained the fruit of sainthood. The key lies not only in the act itself but, more importantly, in the recipient of the offering. This exemplifies "the superiority of the field of merit ," according to the Buddha Dharma. The Buddha simultaneously possesses a field of merit and a field of gratitude. Moreover, the Sangha led by the Buddha also possesses these qualities as fields of merit and gratitude. Therefore, making offerings to the Buddha and Sangha with sincere joy generates inconceivable merit.
The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—the Three Jewels—are revered because they are regarded as the most supreme fields of merit in the world as they can give rise to all worldly and transcendental merits. This demonstrates that even the smallest wholesome deed performed with sincerity and joy can bring immeasurable karmic fruits. A single thought of reverence or a minor offering resembles sowing seeds in fertile soil—although the seeds are small, they can yield limitless fruit. On the other hand, while giving and offering are wholesome acts, if the recipient is inappropriate, not only will merit fail to accumulate, but harm may result. Therefore, discerning true fields of merit from poisonous fields is a critical form of wisdom that practitioners must not neglect to develop.
What are “poisonous fields”? They are those who present a virtuous appearance while actually holding wrong views, going so far as to undermine the True Dharma and mislead sentient beings—teachers who are wholesome in name only. Making material offerings to such people not only does not constitute true giving but also creates the cause for shared karma in destroying the Dharma. Making offerings to those who break precepts and slander the Dharma is like aiding evildoers—it not only fails to generate merit but also hinders a life of wisdom. This is comparable to sowing seeds in fields contaminated with heavy metals: Even with diligent cultivation, the harvested grain will contain toxins, and consuming it will bring no benefit but harm. Similarly, one who makes offerings to pseudo-Buddhist teachers or Dharma destroyers will not only fail to accumulate provisions for liberation but may also actually develop ignorance and obstruct the conditions for personally realizing the Buddha Dharma.
Therefore, to plant in the correct field of merit and reap vast rewards leading to liberational Dharma, one must draw near and make offerings to authentic wholesome teachers and the Sangha who uphold the definitive True Dharma—fields of merit and gratitude—thereby developing supreme wisdom and generating the great resolve to abandon afflictions and realize the Path to Buddhahood.
The second core question in the story is “Why did the young monk become a monkey for five hundred lifetimes because of a single remark?” This reveals another extremely important yet often overlooked aspect of the law of causality: verbal karma. This monk obtained an extremely grave negative karma with just one careless remark for two main reasons. The first reason was disrespect toward a saint. The object of his mockery was a saint, who had already attained arhatship. According to the causal principles taught in the Buddha Dharma, the level of attainment of the recipient of one’s words profoundly affects the severity of the karmic retribution. Thus, ridiculing a saint of complete virtue carries far graver consequences than ridiculing an ordinary person. This is because the arhat was a wholesome teacher yet was made an object of ridicule. His sharp rebuke, harsh as it was in tone, came from deep compassion, jolting the young monk back from the precipice and awakening him to timely repentance. The second reason that the monk obtained an extremely grave negative karma with just one careless remark was that he had a mocking mind. The young monk’s mental state at the time was frivolous and disrespectful. This “contemptuous mind” was the root cause of the negative karma he had obtained. One’s words are merely the expression of one’s inner thoughts; what truly plants the seed of negative karma is a mocking and irreverent mind.
Verbal karma is an “invisible blade.” Our careless remarks, when arising from contempt, can create far-reaching karmic consequences. Therefore, being cautious in speech and conduct is a fundamental way to protect ourselves and avoid negative karmic retribution. As a single remark can cause five hundred lifetimes of suffering, after making such a mistake, is there still hope for salvation? The story gives an affirmative answer: Yes, there is still hope for salvation, and it is through sincere repentance.
The story of “The Monkey Who Offered Honey” is like a condensed life epic, fully demonstrating the principles of wholesome and unwholesome cause and effect. Our destiny is not controlled by mysterious external forces or determined by outward appearances and circumstances; rather, it is shaped by our own “body, speech, and mind” actions in each moment. Every thought, every word, every deed of ours writes the future scripts of our lives. All sentient beings inherently possess the pure eighth consciousness—the tathāgatagarbha—which stores all our wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral karmic seeds. Thus, each action of body, speech, and mind becomes a karmic seed stored in the tathāgatagarbha. When conditions ripen, the karmic consequences naturally manifest with flawless precision.
Each of us is both the scriptwriter and director of our own life’s script. Our “mental intentions” form part of the scripts of our lives, determining the plot of our lives’ dramas. “Verbal actions” and “physical actions” are the dialogue and movement cues in that script, shaping our relationships with others and our environment. “Repentance and wholesome conduct” represent our editorial rights over our lives’ scripts, giving us the opportunity to correct erroneous scenes and rearrange the directions of our life stories.
May we all skillfully employ the power of using awareness as our pen, wholesome thoughts as our light, and repentance as our catalyst, constantly observing our own minds, being cautious in our speech and conduct, courageously correcting what needs to be corrected in them, and ultimately directing a great life drama that leads toward liberation and accomplishes the perfection of merit and wisdom.
