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Someone asked Dharma Master Cheng Yen, “How can I be understanding when I am in rage?”
The Master answered:
The Buddha said that mundane beings have twenty difficulties, and the twentieth is, “It is difficult to be understanding.” This may sound easy but it is actually the hardest thing to do. Let us look at the multitude of things around the world. A lot of principles are manifested in different forms and appearances. If we are not able to untangle the knots in our hearts, we will always be swayed by external forms and appearances, causing us to feel various kinds of emotions, such as happiness, joy, anger, and sorrow. Thus, we will be trapped by outer forms and appearances, and be bound by many things in life.
Our mental afflictions are like big ropes. Everything we hear and see often bring us afflictions, which entangle our hearts. Therefore, it is very difficult for us to liberate ourselves. What is most important is that we learn to be understanding. Only with an understanding mind can our problems be resolved.
There is a Chinese saying that goes, “lifting a heavyweight with a small effort’ (which means “solving a big issue with little effort”), and this is actually a kind of skilful means. If we can remain understanding when things do not meet our expectations, we will be in line with the right principles. Therefore, being understanding is the key to (realising principles through our dealings with people and things), and this is a kind of skilful means. So where do we practise such skilful means? It is in every action we take.
The key is to be understanding
As we deal with people and things in our daily lives, we will see and hear various things. When we hear words that we like or dislike, we will react according to our feelings. Therefore, we need to cultivate a magnanimous heart so that we can remain understanding and flexible whenever we see or hear something. We will be able to respond gently and kindly, and not lose our temper easily.
Some people will get angry easily upon hearing things that they dislike. They will start throwing things and stamping their feet to vent their anger and dissatisfaction. Such behaviours only show their lack of understanding. Hence, they cannot understand true principles.
If we are understanding towards everything we come across, we will be able to turn our anger into gentleness. Therefore, we must not stamp our feet or smash things whenever we see or hear anything that upsets us. Maintaining a gentle, kind, and accommodating attitude are the best and cleverest way to solve an issue.
We must always remember that there is something we can learn from every action we take. Therefore, as we face and deal with many things that come our way, we must start by cultivating our minds, and manifesting our practice in action. Then, it will not only benefit our spiritual practice but also benefit and transform others. This all depends on whether we can be understanding towards everything that we come across in life.
Isn’t practising Buddhism about discovering truths in whatever we encounter? This is wisdom. Everyone in this world will encounter issues in life. Our daily life is all about dealing with people, matters and things; no one is spared from facing all these.
However, we often feel troubled and give rise to mental afflictions due to issues with people, matters and things. This means that the ways we deal with matters and things are not in line with the right principles. In the past, I often said that when we are in harmony with others, our actions will be harmonious; then, we will be in harmony with the right principles.
What is most important is that we learn how to conduct ourselves and treat others in a proper manner, and then achieve harmony between things and principles.
When we conduct ourselves and deal with others, it is particularly important that we adjust our mindset. If you fail to adjust your mindset well, you will not be understanding towards others. Only by being understanding can we broaden our hearts and minds to accommodate all the things and principles in life.
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
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