What is meant by a Good Mind?

What has happened to our world?

It is as though the earth is infected with a prolong pandemic!

All the Human beings, please!

All of us are sharing one mother, that is the earth!

And now, not a moment of her life is at ease!   She is covered with sores and wounds. Weakly she lays there, misused by her children, her grand-children, who are so called the most intelligent species on the Earth!

All the men on earth! You are the same like me. We are of the same clan.

What has happened to you? It is as if you have lost your mind, you are controlled by the evil force! 

Men, we are of the same clan, the same species, we are born on this earth, our mother the Earth!

Why cannot we stay at peace?

Men, we are of the same clan, the same species, for the sake of love for our beloved mother, for the sake of love among us, what should we do?

Should we rely on politics, diplomacy, military, morality, laws or education?……..

All these are also necessary.

And of course, there are many humane ones who with their righteousness are trying hard to do it right!

Yet the world is still in a chaotic condition, with lots of disharmony and fights.  As a common man, what can we do to decrease the contention in this world? What can we do to enhance the harmony of the world?

We always feel that our individual strength is so inadequate! We cannot even put down our anger when we face a minor adversity! So, what can we be expected to do anything else?!

So, in this way, I was thinking with distress! I fall into hopelessness, failing to find an answer!

One evening, I went for a walk in the garden. I saw an old lady who was facing the west, holding on to her walking stick. Beside her is a gentle puppy which stood closely next to her. Everything was in silence. Only the falling leaves of autumn were blown down by the breeze. They fell gently, against the background of sunset, looking like pieces of golden feathers.

I walked towards the old lady who was so calm at ease. She recited, ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha…..’  I could hear the weak, shaky and gentle voice calling out to Amitabha Buddha. That is a Amitabha reciter!

Uncontrollably I walked up to her and asked, ‘Amitabha! How are you, my friend?’

She answered, ‘Amitabha Buddha. Fine! When the mind is good, everything will be fine!’

‘When the mind is good, everything will be fine!’

The Buddha has told us that everything is mind made!

This is the teaching of the Buddha! She is an old Amitabha Reciter…….

’Excuse me, what is meant by a good mind?’

 ‘The vow to attain a rebirth in the Western Land. Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha…’ the old lady left with her dog.

The wish to be born in the Western Land is the good mind! Every thing will be fine. If we wish for harmony in the world, we should bring forth the vow to be born in the Western Land.

This is the lesson of the old Amitabha Reciter.

Every man leads a busy life. The whole world is in a chaotic condition. What is the source for all these?

The development of the economy, the advancement of science and techniques, what is the force behind them?

Yes, it is the mind, it is the wish, the desire. It is because we despise suffering, we are searching for happiness!

This is the force for the advancement in the human realm. And all the darkness, sins and offences come forth also because of this forceful desire to search for happiness, to despise sufferings.

From the very beginning we human beings have jumped into the loop hole which is created by ourselves, our mind, our wishes and vows. It is impossible for us to leave this loop! If we cannot break down this loop, all our efforts in the human realm are in vain. They are only the bubbles, the shadow.

I keep on thinking of the old lady’s words, ‘With the vow to attain a rebirth in the Western Land. everything will be fine!’

In the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan, Amitabha Buddha makes the following Vows, ‘All the living beings in the ten directions who sincerely and joyfully have faith should wish to be born in my Land.’

In the Amitabha Sutra, Sakyamuni exhorts us, ‘Living beings who have heard this should bring forth the Vows to seek a rebirth in that Land.’

The two World Honoured Ones from the two lands are pointing out the proper direction for us, aren’t they?

A man who seeks to be born in the Western Land will not seek for anything in this world. They will not run after anything. They will not be attached to the feeling of love and hatred. They will not be attached to goodness or evils. This is because they have already let go of them.

His mind has reached a state of calmness, a state of coolness. He looks at himself with a pair of peaceful eyes. He looks at others in peace. He looks at the whole world around him and he asks himself, ‘What can I do to benefit others?’

He seeks to be born in the Western Land. His mind is already dwelling in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss which is ten million billion Lands away.

His mind rests in peace over there. He is assured of all the good energy. His eyes are looking towards the West. He does not belong to this worldly realm anymore. He does not wish to take over anything in this world, not even a strand of grass or a tree. He belongs to the other world. It is as though he is going to be transferred to the far away land. He does not belong here.

Such a man will speak honestly, ‘I have committed lots of faults that hurt all of you. I am so sorry. Please forgive me! Before I leave, may I know what I can do for you all?’

He is like a man who is going to pass away. When he thinks about his life and the people he has hurt or harmed, he is most regretful. He will bring forth the genuine repentance.

When he thinks of his life that is so wonderful all because of others’ help, others’ contributions, he feels very bad. True gratefulness will arise in him. He says, ‘I am going soon. Thank you, thank you, every one of you. Please forgive me. I am sending all of you the blessings!’

When we wish to be born in the Western Land, this mind of gratitude will come forth as we are remorseful of our evils. We will be grateful to everyone around us, with a humble mind.

A man who wishes to be born in the Western Land is gentle, with a calm mind.

He maintains a mind of kindness and compassion, which is revealed on his countenance.

He conducts himself with care, humility and he will always give ways to others.

He is blissful, silent and dwells in stillness.

All the afflictions, sufferings and angers, all the stress and depression are released when he goes through the tube hole of Nama Amitabha Buddha that leads him to the great and expansive, spacious Pure Land.

In the shine of the Buddha’s illumination all the negativities are transformed into the auspicious clouds of myriad colours, that adorn the unending space.

He contemplates the worldly realm, from a small unit of a family, a society until all the societies, nations, all the contentions and chaos in the world come from the fighting for self-benefits.

All these happen because we are so narrow-minded, with our eyes only seeing the small earth, with our thoughts within the limitation of the present short lifespan.

As it is thus described,

‘In the span of the sudden lights from striking the two pieces of stones, we argue on who is right and who is wrong. Standing on the tentacles of a snail, we contend to decide who is the winner.’

If we are able to practice Amitabha recitation, to wish to be born in the Golden Land which is situated ten million billion Lands away, seeking to attain a body and mind which is replete with great ease for immeasurable billions of kalpas, then we will not fight for the money, women, the five desires in this worldly realm.

Indeed, we will wish to avoid them.

And all the terrible and acute happenings that bind up the human beings in this world such as the nuclear warfare, the regional warfare, the shortage of natural resources, the environmental pollution, terrorism, the misuse of power, pornography, drugs and all kinds of problems will disappear by themselves.

In the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan, it is thus stated,

‘Wherever the Buddha travels to, the country, village and remote mountainous area,

All the living beings are being transformed.

The world dwells in peace, with the sun and moon shine brightly.

The wind and rain will come in time, and there is no calamity.

The country is rich in abundance and the citizens live in peace.

There is no use for the weapons and armed forces.

Everyone put high values on lofty virtues

And everyone is kind to one another.

They are polite

And they treat each other with courtesy.’

This is truly a marvelous state of existence!

If we wish to travel a thousand mind, we have to start with the present one step.

If we wish the world to dwell in harmony, we should first bring forth the vows.

I only wish that pervasively everyone will bring forth the vows to attain a rebirth in the Western Land.

May all living beings cultivate the conduct of Amitabha recitation.

May all living beings live in peace and bliss.

May peace prevails the worldly realm.

An essay By Venerable Master Shi Jing Zong, the Abbot of Hong Yuan Monastery, Anhui, China

Title:【愿生西方，一切都好！】

我们的世界怎么了？如同患了持久的瘟疫。

人类啊！我们只有一个共同的母亲——地球，而今她片刻不安，满目疮痍，颓然地任她号称万物之灵的子孙耗蚀。

人，我族我类，你究竟怎么了？如中了邪一般失去理智。

人，我族我类，同是地球一母所生，为何不能和平？

人，我族我类，为了爱我们共同的母亲，也为彼此相爱，我们究竟要如何行？

倚靠政治、外交、军事？倚靠道德、法律、教育？……

这些都必不可少，也都有仁爱公义的人在努力；但世界还是如此乱象纷生，冲突四起。

做为一个普通人，我们能为减少世界的纷争、增加世界和谐做些什么？

我们会觉得个己的力量太薄弱，我们连自己一口小小胸膛之气都无力摆平，我们还能做什么？！

我这样在无奈中思考，又在思考中无奈。

一天黄昏，漫步公 园，见一位老人，拄杖面西，旁边偎着一只温顺的小狗，寂默无言。

秋风飘送落叶，逆着夕阳，如片片金羽，掠过老人温和的面容。“南无阿弥陀佛，南无阿弥陀佛……”隐约传来颤抖而轻柔的念佛声。

原来是念佛人，我不禁向前。

“阿弥陀佛！老人家，好吗？”

“阿弥陀佛！好！心好一切都好！”

“心好一切好”，一切唯心造，这不是佛陀的教言吗！这位念佛的老人……

“请问，怎么样叫心好？”

“愿生西方。南无阿弥陀佛，南无阿弥陀佛……”老人和她的小狗离去。

愿生西方，就是心好；愿生西方，一切都好。

欲求世界和谐，应当愿生西方。这是念佛老人的理论。

人生忙碌，世界纷扰，究竟以何为源头？

经济发展，科技进步，究竟以何为动力？

曰人心，曰意愿，曰厌苦求乐！

人类的文明进步本乎此，而人间的黑暗罪恶也本乎此。人类一开始就落入了自身意愿所编造的无法跳脱的怪圈。如果不能打破这个怪圈，一切的努力，也都将成为泡影。

我再一次回味念佛老人的话：愿生西方，一切都好！

《无量寿经》中弥陀誓愿说：

十方众生，至心信乐，欲生我国。

《阿弥陀经》中释迦劝导说：

众生闻者，应当发愿，愿生彼国。

这不正是两土世尊为我们所指明的正确方向吗！

愿生西方，则于此世界无所求，无所追逐，无所爱，也无所恨，好坏无所执取。

他已经放下了，他的心已经平淡，已经清凉，他以安和的眼睛看着自己，看着他人，看着周遭世界。

他想：我能为他人真正做点什么呢？

愿生西方，他的心已经安住在十万亿国土之外的极乐净土，在那里获得歇息，获得安慰，获得能量。

他的眼也看向那里，他已经不属于这个世间，他不想占有此世的一草一木，他是另一世界的人。好象即将调任远方的人，已不属此，

他会真心地说：“曾经多多得罪大家，非常抱歉，请多多原谅！在我走之前，还能为各位做些什么吗？”

又如行将就亡的人，想到一生伤害了许多人，他会觉得很惭愧，而起真实忏悔；

想到一生得到那么多人的好处，他会很不过意，而生真心感谢。他要说：“我要去了！谢谢各位！并请原谅！祝福你们！”

愿生西方，他便拥有这样感恩、惭谢、谦卑的心，对待周遭的一切。

愿生西方，他的心和平不暴，慈悲有容，谦卑善让，寂静有喜。

所有的烦热苦恼、紧张压力，通过“南无阿弥陀佛”的管孔，释向广大的净土空间，

在佛光的映照下，现为彩云祥瑞，庄严无尽虚空。

观察世间，小而家庭、团体，大而社会、国家，世间一切纷争冲突，莫不因为利益相争而起，也莫不因为我人的眼睛唯局在小小地球之上，思想唯限在短短的一生之间，

所谓：“石火光中，一争长短；蜗牛角上，一决雌雄。”

如能行净土念佛，慕十万亿程之黄金国土，愿无量亿劫之自在身心，则世间之财色五欲，避之唯恐不及，

而当今世界缠绕人类最严重的核武、地区战争、能源危机、环境污染、恐怖、暴力、色情、毒品等问题，也都将消之于无形。

如《无量寿经》说：

佛所游履，国邑丘聚，靡不蒙化。

天下和顺，日月清明。风雨以时，灾厉不起。

国丰民安，兵戈无用。崇德兴仁，务修礼让。

这是多么令人向往啊！

千里之行，始于足下；和谐世界，发愿为首。

唯愿：普发西方之愿，共修念佛之行；

人民安乐，世界和平。

——净宗法师