Fo Guang Bodhi Class – Adjusting the Mind

During the 29th August Bodhi class, BLIA Trustee Tina Hua Mei led 11 members to read Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s article “Adjusting the mind”. This piece involves a gatha (verse) composed by Hanshan Bodhisattva during the Tang dynasty, which reads: “Human life last about 100 years, the Buddha taught the 12 divisions cannon, compassion is like a deer, anger is like a guard dog, the dog cannot be chased away while the deer can easily take flight, desire is like a monkey so we should listen to the lion’s roar.” This gatha reminds us to adjust our mind.

The Buddha taught the Dharma for 49 years in this world, employing many different methods; with the emphasis of making sentient beings understand the Dharma. This required the usage of skilful meanings established upon compassion. Compassion is just like a wild deer, being pure without deceit, possessing wholesomeness and kindness. Just like compassion within our heart, it will take flight and disappear like a nervous deer if disturbed by winds of ignorance. This is why hearing the Dharma is important, because ignorant people cannot subdue their own mind when facing external influences. So we become enslaved by the mind and get strung along by our happiness and sadness. But if we can hear, practice and be awakened to the Dharma, we can become masters of our minds, thus subduing ignorance and afflictions. All rivers and mountains can then become a part of us.

As recorded in the ancient Chinese text “Chronicles of Zuo”, the wholesome qualities of accomplishment in merits, morality and trustworthiness are essential to being a good person. This is in accordance to the “do good deeds, say good words, have good thoughts” movement promoted by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. If we are committed to all three, then we would not have squandered this life.