小根智人若聞法，心生不信，何以故？譬如天龍下雨於閰浮提，城邑聚落，悉皆漂流，若漂草葉；若雨大海，不增不減。

When those with limited wisdom and faculties hear this dharma, doubt shall arise. Why is it? Should the dragon deluge Jambudvipa (this world) with pouring rain, settlements are washed away like drifting grass and leaves. Should the rain fall on the great ocean, nothing adds or subtracts.

For example, during Typhoon Morakot, when the heavy rain was dumped in the southern mountains in Taiwan, CNN reported that the precipitation for that day was equal to that of a whole year. The rains flooded houses. Mountains collapsed and caused mudslides, and all trees fell down. Everything was just like drifting grass and leaves. Human beings seemed so insignificant and the houses were no different than the leaves and grass that washed away. If the rain hadn’t fallen on Taiwan but on the Pacific Ocean, it would have been nothing at all. Pacific Ocean is still an ocean, with no rise or drop.

Jambudvipa means samsara. If it rains on the samsara, things float away. If it rains on the great ocean, the water in the ocean will neither increase nor lessen. The ocean here is similar to those with superior wisdom and faculties. Those with limited wisdom and faculties are just like streams and rivers. The ocean has a large capacity to hold all rainfall, but streams and rivers do not.

Buddhist practitioners should have great capacity/tolerance. Learn to be an ocean to accommodate hundreds of rivers. This is the tolerance that Acharya Lian Miao was referring to.

To practice Buddhism is to be happy everyday. If you have great capacity, you will be happy everyday. If you are a person with limited wisdom and faculties, you’ll be unhappy everyday. If you are a person with superior wisdom and faculties, I will help you develop and grow. If you are a person with limited wisdom and faculties, I won’t give up on you either. I will teach you dharmas and principles and help you grow your capacity.

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經中分明讚嘆，莫能具說。此法門是最上乘，為大智人說，為上根人說；小根小智人聞，心生不信。

The sutra thoroughly praised, but could not expound. This Dharma gate, a Superior Vehicle, is taught to those with superior wisdom and faculties. When those with limited wisdom and faculties hear it, doubt shall arise.

The Sixth Patriarch said that there were many praises in the Diamond Sutra for the teachings contained within. The doctrine had been held in the highest esteem and can only be taught to those of superior wisdom and faculties. Those of limited faculties and wisdom will doubt and distrust this Sutra when hearing it.

The supreme truth in the Sutra is sacred and should not be revealed directly. When Shakyamuni was teaching the Diamond Sutra, He did not reveal the supreme truth but merely depicted its properties. The reason He did that was because if the supreme truth was disclosed, all those of limited faculties and wisdom would not believe it.

The supreme truth appears not only in the Diamond Prajna Sutra but also in the Great Prajna Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra and the Sutra of Complete Enlightenment. According to Shakyamuni, the practice of the Diamond Prajna Sutra has led many to attain Buddhahood. Those who can explain and propagate the Diamond Prajna Sutra will realize immeasurable and infinite merits.

The supreme truth is about knowing one’s true nature. Many who had read the Diamond Prajna Sutra do not understand the supreme truth, which is why only those enlightened could interpret it. It is a scripture of great wisdom. The Fifth Patriarch used it to authenticate the enlightenment of the Sixth Patriarch.

Acharya Lian He spoke about the Homa I performed to deliver the victims of the Taiwan Morakot Typhoon last Sunday. I felt that it was nothing to boast about. His address sounded self-important. We should never be arrogant. The Black Angels told me to jump into the Homa fire in order to save the souls, but I had more wisdom than that! Acharya Lian He also mentioned Golden Mother had once said that I could choose to return to the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds next year, at the age of sixty-six. What that also means is that I can choose not to return to Maha Twin Lotus Ponds. It’s all up to me. However, from the Diamond Prajna Sutra, we know that there is no such thing as coming or going.

Acharya Lian He also spoke about the demise of the fifty Padmakumara substitute bodies during the Homa. I want to clarify that the Padmakumara substitute bodies are not the same as the ordinary substitute figurines most know of. When my Central Channel is no longer blocked, I visualize one Padmakumara’s consciousness in my heart chakra, then merge with my Buddha light. It then leaves my body through my head chakra high into the heavens to join with the star light. This Padmakumara Star Light Body can travel to anywhere in the world to fulfill missions of saving people.

The Homa is no longer on my mind once it’s over. I normally do not think about what I said or did any more as a new day approaches. As with the Deliverance Homa for the Taiwan Marokot Typhoon victims, I do not think or feel that I am superior to others in the ability to save. There are many capable masters out there. My disciples would believe and trust what I say, but outsiders may not; therefore, we should not be presumptuous.

We need to exercise wisdom to handle different situations in life and not be stubborn or rigid. In Buddhism we say, “Kindness toward those with no connection; Sympathy toward those with a bond.” The Diamond Sutra teaches us to save all sentient beings in the six ordinary realms including Heaven, Men, Asuras, Animals, Hell, and Hungry Ghosts. Our Lotus Light Charity Society had extended help to all those victims in Taiwan both with money and labor. Although we weren’t publicized in the news and other media, that doesn’t mean we didn’t perform charitable deeds. We did our part but we didn’t lobby the news media to report it. There are many types of charity. Dharma charity is first. Monetary charity is second. I believe, what is important in the practice of Buddhism is to understand one’s mind and see the Buddha nature, end rebirth, and rid all stress.

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善知識，若欲入甚深法界，及般若三昧者，須修般若行。持誦《金剛般若經》即得見性，當知此經功德無量無邊。

Virtuous and knowledgeable friend, those wishing to enter the extremely deep Dharma realm and the Prajna Samadhi should practice the Prajna. Reciting the Diamond Prajna Sutra shall reveal the self nature. Realize this sutra has immeasurable and infinite merit.

This passage refers to the 10 Dharma Realms including 4 Holy Realms and 6 Ordinary Realms. The 4 Holy Realms are Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas and Arhats. And the 6 Ordinary Realms are Heavens, Men, Asura ,Animals, Hell, and Hungry Ghosts.

To enter the extremely deep Dharma realm or the Prajna Samadhi, also known as Right Concentration, you should bring and retain your mind to one place. As I taught in Singapore, the Kalachakra Nine Stages of Meditation is a method to enter Samadhi, to keep your mind concentrated. Through this Right Concentration you will enter the state of purity and isolated tranquility.

The Diamond Prajna Sutra, also known as the Diamond Prajna Paramita Sutra, is derived from the Great Prajna Sutra.

In the Diamond Sutra, there is a well known verse – “All conditioned Dharmas are like a trance, a mirage, a bubble, a shadow. Also like a drop of dew and a flash of lightning. Regard them as so.” In addition, everyone should understand there is “no notion of self, others, sentient beings and life span.” This is immense wisdom.

From the Diamond Sutra, Manjusri Bodhisattva grasped the notion of 4 Emptiness – Emptiness of the body, mind, dharma, and nature.

No one in this world knows when one would pass away. Just like many people killed in the August 8th flood in Taiwan. The townspeople had no idea just one day later most lives would be lost. How many of us sitting here today will still be living after 50 or 100 years? This is no notion of self.

True happiness is in cultivation. The ultimate bliss, such as being reborn in the Pureland, is only achievable by cultivation. Honestly, nothing really makes you happy. There is a saying, “Out of any 10 matters, 8 are unhappy ones.”

No notion of sentient beings means no Natural World, which refers to this material word. No notion of life span means no time or spatial dimension. These are mentioned in the Diamond Sutra.

Doing meaningful things is practicing Prajna. Like Reverend Lian Zi said, Prajna is plucking weeds, trim bushes and trees, and apply fertilizers. Many do not understand Prajna practice. Grow. Progress. That is Prajna practice. Evolve in your practice of generosity, precept, tolerance, diligence, meditation and wisdom.

Thanks to Lotus Light Charity Society in Taiwan for their hard work to help people affected by Typhoon Morakot. We also thank Acharya Lian Yue for presiding over the Bardo deliverance of those killed in the flood. We’ll attend the fundraising event for Typhoon Morakot Disaster sponsored by the TECRO (Taiwan Economic Cultural Representative Office) in Seattle . We help those affected by this disaster and help them help others. Everyone has to give something. Charity is practicing Prajna.

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無憶無著，不起誑妄。用自真如性，以智慧觀照，於一切法不取不捨，即是見性成佛道。

No remembrance, no clinging, delusions do not emerge. Through own true-suchness, contemplate with wisdom, in all dharma to not seize or relinquish, is awakening and fulfilling the Buddhahood.

Senior Reverend Bi Jen said everything in this world is considered a convenience. In Buddhism, convenience is kindness and compassion. Wisdom is the original Buddha nature. The greatest wisdom is to not seizing or relinquishing. It is also permanent. Think about it. No one can live on earth forever. I never see one to be able to take a penny when passing on and yet one still clings to wealth.

No attainment is wisdom. We live in this world. We have nothing so we don’t attain anything. But people who cling to things believe they have hung on to something. Actually, no one attains anything. If you would not attain anything, you don’t have to think too much because thinking won’t help.

Not seizing not relinquishing is also a great wisdom. Living in this world is only temporary. I don’t seize anything from this world. Yet I don’t relinquish anything from this world. I make use of conveniences to gain wisdom. Convenience incorporated with wisdom becomes the Middle Path. Every one of us can become stubborn and biased but neither way is good.

The wisdom in “not seizing not relinquishing” is very impressive. We live in this world. You can’t forcefully seize other people’s things yet you don’t have to reject their offers. My Master, Monk Liow Ming, told me not to ever ask for money. This teaching helped me tremendously. No one could claim that Grand Master Lu cheated him out of money. Never. That’s because I never solicited money from anyone. I don’t demand people to give me money. But if people voluntarily make offerings, you are allowed to accept them. When you have enough to use, that’s good. This is “not seizing not relinquishing.”

Senior Reverend Bi Jen talked about conveniences. My spread of dharma teachings here is a kind of convenience. My use of spoke and written words to spread dharma teachings is also a convenience. My spread of dharma teachings from my dharma seat is also a convenience. All these will open the door to wisdom to teach people to not seize not relinquish; teach people to achieve the wisdom of Middle Path. Too little or too much is no good. Focusing only on your own practice and be indifferent to others isn’t good either.

Just like what Acharya Lian Deng said, one with no wisdom sees mountains as mountains and waters as waters. When one starts to practice, one abides by the precepts to suppress all her/his desires. But suppression is not the right way. We use wisdom to guide people. What is wisdom? No attainment is wisdom. No remembrance and no clinging are wisdom. Not seizing and not relinquishing are wisdom. When one can see mountains not as mountains and waters not waters, as well as seeing mountains as mountains and waters as waters, then one is “not seizing or relinquishing.” He has wisdom. You know you can use money for charitable purposes, for printing sutras and spreading dharma teachings. This is “not relinquishing.” Not using illegal methods to make money is “not seizing.” This is the wisdom of the Middle Path.

A famous master once said, “Peace at heart is being safe.” It is very good to say that but he didn’t reveal the instructions of obtaining peace. That would be of the utmost importance. Let me tell you. When you awaken, you will have peace of heart. “Peace at heart is being safe” is only a saying but to truly understand how you can achieve that is something I want you all to contemplate.

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