Commentary on the Sutra of the Compendium of Fathers and Sons (221)

The Difficulty of Spiritual Cultivation Amid Wealth and Comfort

Our Earth belongs to the Jambudvīpa continent, situated south of Mount Sumeru. North of Mount Sumeru lies Uttarakuru, east is Pūrvavideha, and west is Aparagodānīya. These are the Four Continents. The lifespan of beings in Uttarakuru is one thousand years. They possess majestic appearances and live in great affluence, free from labor. All necessities of life manifest spontaneously for them. Gold, silver, treasures, and the seven precious substances are abundantly present. Their lives are filled with enjoyment. Beings there solely pursue the pleasures of the five senses, neither studying the Buddha Dharma nor seeking liberation. Consequently, the Buddha Dharma does not exist in Uttarakuru, nor are there any practitioners. Only in our Jambudvīpa, where life is interwoven with both suffering and joy, do beings, finding the suffering unbearable, seek the path to liberation from suffering. When encountering the Buddha Dharma, they practice to eradicate suffering and attain freedom from it. In a realm of pure pleasure, the Buddha Dharma cannot take root. If we were to be reborn in Uttarakuru or in the heavenly realms, it becomes difficult to learn Buddhism. As the saying goes, wealth and comfort make spiritual cultivation difficult.

Take the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, for example, where great bliss prevails. The heavenly beings engage in amusement and revelry every day, with no concerns beyond play. Śakra, the Lord of the Devas, must then painstakingly advise these heavenly beings to hasten their study of the Buddha Dharma. Sometimes, he sounds the heavenly drum, compelling them to gather in the Hall of Good Dharma to listen to the sutras and teachings, preventing them from lingering in the pursuit of sensual pleasures. For when their heavenly blessings are exhausted, they will fall back into the three evil realms to suffer. Similarly, if we ascend to the heavens, we too would find it impossible to continue learning and practicing the Buddha Dharma. Thus, spiritual cultivation is difficult amidst wealth and comfort; following the Dharma is challenging in favorable circumstances.