Chan Master Sheng Yen

SUMMER 2015 Calligraphy by Chan Master Sheng Yen “By moving from selfishness to selflessness, we will live with greater wisdom and compassion. Attaining selfless wisdom, our mind will not generate affliction; with compassionate self, we will contribute all without expecting rewards. This is the highest purpose of buddhahood: to manifest both compassion and wisdom.” — CHAN MASTER SHENG YEN The Gate of Chan, 1995 Volume 35, Number 3 — Summer 2015 CHAN MAGAZINE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY Institute of Chung-Hwa Buddhist Culture Selfishness and Selflessness 4 Chan Meditation Center (CMC) by Chan Master Sheng Yen 90‒56 Corona Avenue Elmhurst, NY 11373 The Arising of Conditioned Appearance 10 FOUNDER/TEACHER Chan Master Venerable Dr. Sheng Yen ADMINISTRATOR Venerable Chang Hwa From the True Mind – Part 8 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Buffe Maggie Laffey by Abbot Venerable Guo Xing ART DIRECTOR Shaun Chung COORDINATOR Chang Jie In Daily Life Purify the Mind 14 PHOTOGRAPHY AND ARTWORK Rikki Asher, Kaifen Hu, Taylor Mitchell by Guo Gu COVER ART Photo by Hugo Kerr CONTRIBUTING EDITORS David Berman, Ernie Heau, Guo Gu CONTRIBUTORS Venerable Chang Ji, Venerable Chang Zhai, Fast Food Zen: The Way to “Unlightenment” 20 Venerable Chang Wen (a.k.a. Brother Listen), by Venerable Chang Wen Rebecca Li, Ting-Hsin Wang, Bruce Rickenbacker, Dharma Drum Mountain Cultural Center The Song of Unlightenment 31 CHAN MEDITATION CENTER (718) 592‒6593 DHARMA DRUM PUBLICATIONS (718) 592‒0915 by Venerable Chang Wen [email protected] http://chancenter.org/cmc/publications/chan-magazines/ The Past from CMC, DDRC and DDMBA Worldwide 34 The magazine is a non-profit venture; it accepts no advertising and is supported solely by contributions from members of the Chan Center and the readership. Donations to support the magazine and other Chan Center activities may be The Future retreats, classes and upcoming events 36 sent to the above address and will be gratefully appreciated. Please make checks payable to Chan Meditation Center; your donation is tax-deductible. Chan Meditation Center Affiliates 38 Selfishness and Selflessness BY Chan Master Sheng Yen his article is excerpted from Master Sheng Yen’s book, The Gate of Chan, published in 1995 as “ ” (Chan men). It is one of a selected number of books which have been translated T 禪門 into English for eventual publication under the auspices of the Cultural Center of Dharma Drum Mountain, Taiwan. This article was translated and bilingual edited by Chiacheng Chang, with English editing by Ernest Heau. The talk was given at the Chinese Television System, Taiwan, August 15, 1992. Master Sheng Yen at the Chinese Television System, Taiwan, August 15, 1992 The progress one makes from selfishness having insatiable desires to trying to quench your of others, and not taking advantage of the situation States Period (480–221 bce) once said, “I would not to “no-self” reflects one’s practice in life. There are thirst by drinking sea water – the more you drink the or good luck. In its proper sense, selfishness means pluck a hair from my body to benefit the world.” levels of selfishness, but on the literal level it is to be thirstier you get, and the thirstier you get the more benefiting oneself entirely through one’s own efforts. Taken superficially, someone like that could not mainly concerned about one’s own interests, without you want to drink. The result is suffering. In addition, the chapter on “Conduct of the Scholar” sound more selfish; but if we think more deeply, his caring about other people’s gains and losses. In other (Chinese Ruxing) from the Book of Rites (Chinese Liji) philosophy makes sense. If everyone sought their words, a selfish person goes all out in pursuit of Selfishness as Helping Oneself says, “…vigorous in actions, waiting to be chosen. own blessings and looked after themselves properly, their own desires without caring how that impacts through Self-Power Such is how one should establish and prepare wouldn’t that be good? A person who could achieve others. The chapter on “Ultimate Justice” (Chinese oneself.” If working hard allows one to be successful that will undoubtedly be normal and healthy. But Zhigong) of the Garden of Stories (Chinese Shuo Yuan) Another meaning of selfishness is to enhance through one’s own efforts, there is nothing wrong there are those who talk about helping others and says, “Being biased and selfish makes one unable to one’s own benefits by not being influenced by with that. From this we know that selfishness or self- their country, about being kind, righteous, and moral, reach out to people and relate to them.” This fully the environment. At this level, selfishness is not benefitting is not always a bad thing. If selfishness is while in fact plotting for their own benefit, coveting expresses the meaning of selfishness. Also, the “Story necessarily a bad thing. The chapter “Offering the about seeking what one deserves through one’s own riches and status. We could use the Buddhadharma of Pan Yue” (Chinese Pan yue zhuan) from the Jin Kingdom” (Chinese Rang wang) from Zhuangzi says: efforts, then it should be acceptable. to influence and change them. History says, “The continuation of misgivings and “One should not gain by destroying others, exalt We can even interpret selfishness as seeking Mahayana Buddhists often criticize the Hinayana misfortunes derives from selfishness and develops oneself through other people’s lower status, or sufficient blessings for oneself and helping oneself sage as a “self-perfecting fellow.” This implies that through desire.” This says that selfish people often exploit the times for self-benefit.” This means that through self-power. Interpreted this way, it is at a followers of the Hinayana are only interested in pursue their desires relentlessly, only to create more one should not achieve success by destroying others; higher level and not particularly bad. For example, delivering themselves, and do not aspire to save worries and misfortunes. The Buddhist sutras liken not elevate oneself by lowering others, not speak ill Yan Zhu, a Chinese philosopher during the Warring and deliver others. Nevertheless, if a Hinayana sage 4 5 can really keep a pure body and pure mind, what is also called the five skandhas, or five aggregates. Form the selfishness that causes no harm; ideally, we should this level of compassion, Buddhists should possess wrong with that? Someone whose physical, verbal, refers to the physical, physiological phenomena, be able to directly benefit ourselves while indirectly this breadth of mind. and mental actions are pure has obtained liberation, while feeling, perception, and volition refer to the benefitting others. Most people’s selfish and self- At the third level is unconditional compassion. so at least they will not be a negative influence on three stages of psychological activities. When we benefitting actions can either be unwholesome or Conditional compassion implies that there is some society. Indeed, they can actually influence others receive an outside stimulus, we think and then give wholesome towards others, though too much of the reason or cause involved. Unconditional compassion in a good way. Isn’t that even better? TheAnalects of rise to a response. This is about feeling, perception, time, more bad than good. Only the selfishness of doesn’t require a reason and a specific receiver in Confucius says, “The virtues of the noble ones are like and volition. Consciousness, the fifth skandha, worthy people is purely wholesome and without evil. mind, or even the thought of being compassionate. wind, while those of inferior people are like grass – is a spiritual phenomenon that connects to and As Confucianism says, “Having achieved personal We don’t harbor thoughts of a giver, a receiver, or when the wind blows across it, the grass bends.” So penetrates time and space. That is, consciousness is a fulfillment, one should perfect the world altogether; the act of saving others. To save sentient beings what is wrong about this kind of selfishness? living entity that penetrates and links time and space when insufficient, one should perfect oneself alone.” without a thought of saving sentient beings is the as the continuous existence of a sentient being’s life. Therefore, Buddhist compassion and loving- so-called “emptiness of the three wheels” – the giver, Selfishness Is Not So, the self can be regarded as smaller or as greater. kindness actually enable transcendence and liberation the receiver, and the gift. Necessarily a Bad Thing Ordinary people regard their body as their self, while from selfishness and egoistic self. Compassion and Most people are capable of the first level of worthy people regard the self as the interactions loving-kindness mean contributing ourselves to the Buddhist compassion if they put a bit of effort If we can uplift the level of selfishness by interpreting between their body/mind and the environment; sages well-being and happiness of sentient beings, and to into it; the second level is only achievable for it as “greater self,” then selfishness takes on a better regard time and phenomena as their self. In this way releasing their distress and suffering. Compassion those who practice bodhisattva deeds; the third meaning. Chapter Seven of The Classic of the Way and of thinking, the so-called “selfishness” or “personal is helping sentient beings eliminate suffering and level is only achievable to great bodhisattvas like Virtue (Chinese Tao Te Ching, a.k.a. Laozi) says, “The self” can actually be very flexible: it can be as small affliction; loving-kindness is helping them achieve Avalokiteshvara. From this we learn that although sage puts himself last and thus, his self is regarded as one’s own selfishness or personal self, and it can happiness and well-being.

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