Fo Guang Bodhi Class – Wisdom and Skilful Means

During the Fo Guang Bodhi Class held on the morning of the 21st March, Tina Hua Mei led six Bodhi Class elders to read Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s article “Wisdom and Skilful Means”. This article takes a gatha from the “Vimalakirti Sutra“, that reads “Prajnaparamita is a Bodhisattva’s mother, Skilful Means is the father, and all teachers to sentient beings are born for this reason”.

The gatha explains that humans need the conditions of their parents to be born into this world, but Compassion is the true mother to all saints and sages, and noble ones are born from upright faith. If we want to obtain Buddhahood we must have Prajna wisdom, and only then can the fruit of Buddhahood ripen from the seed of Bodhi. If we have Prajna wisdom, we will have skilful means, then no matter how deep the concepts are, we can allow others to accept and practice it by teaching with skilful means that are joyful according to the conditions, and in accordance with the audience’s inclinations. If a person does not have good relationships with others and often faces obstructions, this means he does not have enough wise skilful means. Hence wisdom and skilful means are very important in our daily lives.

Bao Ju Jang led pupils in the practice of Tai Chi. The movement of Tai Chi helps to train and develop mindfulness. By having a mind that is pure, aware and does not give rise to unwholesome thoughts we can walk toward the right path. The elder cherishes the time that is left and joyfully contributes to Humanistic Buddhism.