Wisdom versus Stupidity

We do not have the wisdom to have faith in the Buddha. I will stress again, that we are not wise enough to believe in the Buddha.

If we have to rely on our wisdom, that is the end of the story. How can we have the wisdom to believe in the Buddha?

But we have the affinity with the Buddha. That is why the Buddha seeds come forth from the arising of conditions.

This is truly wonderful.

If you have affinity, you will believe in the Buddha.

Look at the old lady with all the wrinkles on her face. She is illiterate, cannot recognize any words. She is shaking all over while standing on the stage.

She has an encounter with a great scholar. She treated him like a Buddha.

After fifty years, the scholar falls into the three evil paths.

At a juncture of life, she encountered this scholar again, she exclaimed ‘Oh, dear Sir, aren’t you the Great scholar? What has happened, you are a cat now?’

The scholar has undergone transmigration and ended up in the animal realm. The old lady whom everyone looked down upon is transformed into a bodhisattva in the Eastern Aksobhya Buddha Land.

‘I went to the World of Ultimate Bliss from the Saha world. Then I come here from the World of Ultimate Bliss.’

You see, after taking a turning, this is the situation. Can you explain it clearly?

All these happenings do not rely on our thoughts or understanding.

So, how are we to judge people, to determine whether they are wise or stupid?

You might feel that this is a stupid man. This is from the standpoint of mankind.

Indeed, there is this stupid deluded woman. She cannot even speak properly. She does not even know if the rice is cooked or not!

Who is this stupid woman? She is a housewife. One day, a salesman carrying his goods, shaking his drum while he was passing by. The lady wanted to buy needles. She also asked about the needle stand. Do you know what a needle stand is? It is a circular ring with many holes on it. While sewing dresses, we will let the needle rest on it.

The lady asked, ‘How much is this needle stand? How many eggs does it worth?’

A woman from the farm sells the eggs to earn a living. The salesman looked at her and decided she was very stupid. How could a needle stand worth a few eggs?

He said purposely, ‘See, there are so many holes on the stand. Count them and give me that quantity of eggs! The needle stand is yours!’

The woman took it up and started to count. As the holes are all around, it is very difficult to count. Anyway, she does not know mathematics either. She went home to take a gourd scoop and filled it with eggs. She asked, ‘This is a scoop of eggs. I am not sure if they are enough in exchange for the needle stand. What do you think? If they are enough, I will take one needle stand.’

What do you think about this woman?

Is she a wise lady? She could not even count the number of holes on the needle stand. She did not even know that man was cheating her. She did not even know the number of eggs in the gourd scoop! Then, she used the eggs in exchange of a needle stand!

Which is more expensive, the eggs or the needle stand? She does not know either. She is truly a simpleton.

But she can recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. She can attain Buddhahood.

That salesman had taken advantage of her and ended up in the three evil paths, am I right?

So how do you explain wisdom?

According to the standard of mankind, the salesman is very clever. The woman is truly stupid.

But she can accomplish Buddhahood in the west.

This is a joke told by my father when I was young.

But I do not think I can find such a woman now. These days no one is using the needle stand. 

It is not easy to find such a woman. If I can really find her, I will surely tell her to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.

I am very sure she will be a very good Amitabha reciter.

Surely, she will recite Namo Amitabha Buddha and count the number of recitations using the recital beads. She will say, ‘Amitabha Buddha, I cannot remember how many times I have recited! Amitabha Buddha, do you think I have recited enough? From morning till night, I am reciting. If enough, bring me to your Land. If not enough, let it be’

‘Oh dear, it is good to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha!’

我们没有智慧信佛的。我再三说，我们没有智慧信佛的。要靠智慧信佛，我们都完了蛋。我们哪有智慧信佛？但是有缘。所以佛种从缘起。这个缘确实很妙。你有缘，你就能相信。她这个老太太满脸皱纹，大字不识一个，上讲台腿都发抖，遇到一名大学者。就把这学者当佛一样看。结果被人家当作佛的大学者，五十年过后，在三恶道里。一转弯的地方遇到他，“哎，某某人，你不是大学者吗?怎么成阿猫了？” 三恶道，轮回去了。那个被人看不起的老太太，一转，你怎么来到东方不动佛国了？

‘我是从娑婆世界到了极乐世界，从极乐世界到这儿来的。’ 你看，一转弯，你说得明白吗？这些不是靠我们的思维。所以，智慧和愚痴怎么判断？你觉得这个人是愚者，站在人的立场来看，她确实是个愚者。说话都说不明白。家里让她烧饭都烧不清楚。什么是愚者呢？她是个家庭妇女。那天，来了一个卖货郎。就挑一个小担，小鼔一摇。妇女去买针，问起顶针窟。你们知道吗？顶针窟是一个小 的圆环。上面有孔。缝衣服时顶针的 。妇女就来问。她说, ‘你这个顶针窟要怎么卖呀？要几个鸡蛋？’

农村妇女靠鸡蛋买嘛。这个卖货郎一看，这个妇女傻乎乎的，这个顶针窟要得了几个鸡蛋吗？他就故意说了一句话，‘你看这个顶针窟上面很多坑，你数一个坑是一个鸡蛋。你数清楚，你拿就行了。’妇女就拿来数。它是圆圈的，怎么数也数不清楚。数不清，她也不识数，她就回到家，拿了一个葫芦瓢，装了一瓢鸡蛋来了说，‘我这一瓢鸭蛋也不知够不够？你看，要够了，就换一个顶针窟。’

就这么一个妇女，你说有智慧吗? 连顶针窟都数不清，连这个人骗她，她也不知道。连这一瓢鸡蛋，她也数不清。然后，以这一瓢鸭蛋来换顶针窟。谁的价值高，钱多钱少，她也不知道，确实是个傻瓜。但是她会念佛，可以去成佛。那个货郎担，赚了这个便宜，下三恶道，对不对？你说，什么叫有智慧？如果按人来讲，这个货郎担才是聪明人。那个妇女真是笨妇女。但是，人家可以到西方成佛。这是我小的时候，我父亲告诉我的笑话。不过，现在大概找不到这样的了。现在也找不到买顶针窟的了。找这样的妇女，不容易找。能找到，我肯定要告诉她念佛去。她肯定是一个念佛的好手。她一定念佛，边念边计数。她肯定一样地拿着念珠念，“阿弥陀佛，我也不知道念了多少声。阿弥陀佛，你看，够不够，我一天念到晚，够了，你就接我去。不够算了”

哎呀，念佛好啊！