What is the Mind's Measure?

With a great capacity of mind, one accomplishes great things; with a small capacity of mind, one accomplishes small things; without any capacity of mind, one accomplishes nothing. What does "capacity of mind" refer to? What does it mean that "the mind embraces the great void, and its measure pervades worlds as numerous as sands"?

Although the tathāgatagarbha embraces the great void and pervades worlds as numerous as sands, the tathāgatagarbha is the tathāgatagarbha—how great is your own mind of the seven consciousnesses? The tathāgatagarbha can embrace the great void, yet your own seven consciousnesses can only embrace yourself, plus perhaps your own family members and relatives. With such a tiny capacity of mind, what can you possibly accomplish?

Who among us has the capacity of mind of a bodhisattva, holding in the heart the entire Buddhist enterprise and the sentient beings of the whole dharmadhatu? If you lack this capacity of mind, and day after day diligently pursue only your own personal gain, thinking only about your own affairs and the affairs of the few members of your family, is it possible to seek the Buddha Way with such a mind and hope to gain benefit from the Buddha's teachings? At the slightest disturbance, you flee in panic, hiding in some corner and refusing to come forward, thinking this way you will be safe and sound; no matter what happens in Buddhism, you absolutely refuse to step forward, yet when something happens to yourself, you go around everywhere seeking help, hoping everyone will come take care of you. Do people with such mental conduct not deserve to suffer the misery of birth-and-death in saṃsāra?

Everyone wants to gain benefit from Buddhism; everyone wants the Three Jewels to protect and support them. But when something happens in Buddhism and the Three Jewels need protection and support, everyone hides far away, refusing to lift a finger, watching the show of Buddhism and the Three Jewels as a joke. Can such people be Buddhist disciples? You rely on Buddhism for your survival and treat Buddhism as your home, yet when the house of Buddhism has troubles, you coldly stand by and watch, looking out for your own safety first. Whether Buddhism flourishes or is destroyed is none of your concern—can such people gain the benefits of Buddhism? Can they receive the blessing of the Three Jewels?

Do they not know that under an overturned nest, how can any egg remain intact? For the rise and fall of Buddhism, Buddhist disciples bear the responsibility. Those unwilling to shoulder this responsibility—how can they be Buddhist disciples?