眾生無邊誓願度
煩惱無盡誓願斷
法門無量誓願學
佛道無上誓願成

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05 Jun 2020    Friday     1st Teach Total 2376

The Avatamsaka Sutra on the Ten Kinds of Pride

O children of the Buddha, the bodhisattva mahasattvas have ten kinds of arrogant karma. What are these ten? That is: Not being respectful towards teachers, monks, parents, śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, those who abide in the proper path, those oriented towards the proper path, and fields of respect and merit. This is arrogant karma. Or, when there is a Dharma teacher who has attained the supreme Dharma, rides the Great Vehicle, knows the path leading to liberation, has attained dhāraṇīs, and expounds the vast teachings of the sūtras without cease, yet one gives rise to a haughty mind towards them and does not generate respect for the Dharma they teach. This is arrogant karma. In assemblies, hearing the wondrous Dharma expounded, yet refusing to praise and commend it to cause others to believe and accept it. This is arrogant karma. Being prone to give rise to excessive arrogance, esteeming oneself highly and looking down on others, neither recognizing their own faults nor knowing their own shortcomings. This is arrogant karma. Being prone to give rise to extreme arrogance, seeing virtuous people whom one should praise yet not praising them, and not feeling joy when seeing others praise them. This is arrogant karma. Seeing a Dharma teacher expounding the Dharma for others, knowing this is the Dharma, this is the Vinaya, this is true, this is the Buddha's word, yet despising the person and also despising the Dharma, giving rise to slander oneself and causing others to slander. This is arrogant karma. If bodhisattvas abandon this arrogant karma, they attain ten kinds of karmically wise actions. What are these ten? That is: Believing in and understanding karmic retribution, not destroying cause and effect. This is the karmically wise action. Not abandoning the bodhicitta, constantly mindful of the Buddhas. This is the karmically wise action. Drawing near to good spiritual friends, revering and making offerings to them, respecting them in mind without ever growing weary or lax. This is the karmically wise action. Delighting in the Dharma and delighting in its meaning without ever feeling satiated, abandoning wrong views, diligently cultivating right mindfulness. This is the karmically wise action. Towards all sentient beings, abandoning self-arrogance; towards all bodhisattvas, giving rise to the thought of the Tathāgata; cherishing and valuing the true Dharma as one cherishes one's own body; revering and serving the Tathāgata as one protects one's own life; towards practitioners, giving rise to the thought of the Buddhas. This is the karmically wise action. Body, speech, and mind free from all unwholesomeness; praising the noble and the sages; conforming to bodhi. This is the karmically wise action. Not destroying dependent origination; abandoning all wrong views; dispelling darkness and attaining light; illuminating all dharmas. This is the karmically wise action.

From the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Flower Garland Sūtra)

——Master Sheng-Ru's Teachings
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