DHARMA IN EVERYDAY LIFE

By Nhat Quan

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According to the Medicine Buddha Sutra, while cultivating, Medicine Buddha made twelve vows. This is the third vow:

- I vow that in the future, when I attain Bodhi, I will use my wisdom and limitless means to save sentient beings, so that everyone will have enough things, no one will suffer from lack, the country will be rich, and the people will be strong. Living together happily requires mutual trust,

The reason why, in this third vow, Medicine Buddha emphasizes that if you want a rich and strong country, living together happily, you must trust each other, because trust is the foundation for all achievements, lack of trust means losing unity, and losing unity means not achieving anything. Indeed, nowadays it seems that all of you have become too vigilant, when you cannot place your trust to cling to anyone or anything that exists around you. Perhaps because of the feeling of suspicion that has been rooted in the heart for a long time, it creates a lot of insecurity. Always facing alone, supporting alone, until tired, wanting to find support but cannot wholeheartedly trust. When you are always in a state of lacking a sense of security, you have to practice to only trust yourself.

Trust is a process of understanding, sharing, sympathizing, and then being honest with each other; from there it comes. You cannot trust anyone arbitrarily, and you cannot suddenly see someone and then put all your trust in them. Because:

- How can you have trust, when every day people are still lying to each other, wearing so many masks and smiling and talking, even just turning away immediately changes to another face, with another mask.

- How can we have trust when people are so used to deceiving each other, just need to justify, need a little benefit to be ready to fight each other. No need to think about other people's feelings, only focus on keeping their own interests.

- How can we have trust when people, after being exposed, disappointed, seeing the harsh truth, become cautious, suspicious, or no longer dare to trust anyone?

- How can we have trust when people are not sincere with each other?

Just in a moment, you feel heavy-hearted, looking around, but can't find anyone. The feeling of being alone in the vast crowd is enough to turn into loneliness that kills all feelings. Many times, there are many people around, but there is not one person for you to trust and rely on, so you just turn away, comforting yourself with to hope that the loneliness will pass quickly.

So, if you don't want to be lonely, you have to know how to trust. And before you know how to trust, you need to learn how to make others trust. Just having trust by your side means you no longer feel lonely. The Medicine Buddha represents his incarnation so that everyone in the world can be happy and joyful. The first three great vows of the Medicine Buddha are the three most difficult things that he has accomplished perfectly. Bodhisattvas and Arhats are experiencing it in their own bodies. As for you, you need to be saved by the Buddha, so the next nine vows that the Medicine Buddha made are aimed at your target, the Bodhisattvas, as disciples of the Buddha who have faith in the Buddha; you must try your best to fulfill them.

If there is a time when the Medicine Buddha vowed to use expedient wisdom to make sentient beings trust each other, practice together, build a community together to enjoy peace together, as a disciple of the Buddha, you must wholeheartedly fulfill it. However, to build faith and have real faith, you must first know the law of faith, which is:

- Whatever you sincerely believe in, it will become reality. The stronger your belief that something will become reality, the more likely it is to become reality.

To truly believe in something means that you cannot imagine it being anything else. So belief is the filter that selects information and guides all actions. You don't necessarily believe what you see, but you tend to see what you believe. You also tend to reject information that contradicts what you believe without considering whether your beliefs and biases are based on objective truth or just subjective feelings. For example, if you absolutely believe that you will achieve great success in life, then no matter what happens, you will continue to focus on the chosen goal. Nothing can stop you. On the other hand, if you believe that success is due to luck or chance, then you will easily become discouraged and disappointed when things do not go as expected. So your beliefs will determine whether you succeed or fail. Generally, people have one of two worldviews:

1- Positive worldview.

If you have a humanistic worldview, you believe that the world is a good and peaceful place, and tend to see the good in every person, every situation, and believe that there are many opportunities around. You believe in the future, in yourself, and in others. Basically, you have an optimistic attitude.

2- Negative worldview.

A person with a negative worldview is basically passive and has a pessimistic attitude towards themselves and life. Because you believe that:

- The rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer, and no matter how hard you work, you will never be able to change.

With this perspective, you only see injustice, oppression, and unhappiness everywhere. When bad things happen to you, you blame your bad luck or blame others. You think of yourself as a victim. Because of this attitude, you don't really love or respect yourself.

Unlike pessimists, optimists are usually cheerful and happy. To them, the world is a beautiful and bright place. However, the biggest mental obstacle you have to overcome is the things that are still contained in your beliefs, because this obstacle limits you in some ways. It holds you back by preventing your efforts. It often makes you witness things that are not real, or in other words, it is unhealthy prejudice.

When talking about prejudice, it means that you are quick to judge someone, concluding contrary to any information, or even regardless of whether the information is right or wrong. To be successful, you must refrain from judging people or situations until you have all the information. Most importantly, you must refrain from hasty self-judgments and narrow-minded thinking. This often happens when you think you are inferior, incompetent, or not as good as others, which is when you are letting yourself fall into the common trap of accepting goals that are much lower than your actual abilities.

You may feel that you are not very smart because your knowledge at school is only average. You believe that you lack creativity, or in your ability to learn and remember. This narrowing of yourself is like a brake that holds back your potential and creates the two biggest enemies of success:

- Doubt and fear.

These two enemies hinder you from taking the challenging risks that are necessary for you to truly express your abilities. Therefore, you need to firmly eliminate any narrow-minded thinking or opinion in all situations, and believe that what Medicine Buddha did, you can do too.

The truth is that no one is more talented or smarter than anyone else. If anything, it is mostly people who know how to develop their natural abilities and talents more than you. Like Medicine Buddha, when he was still a monk, he learned the law of cause and effect and soon applied it to his life as well as to all his work. Within a certain scope, you can also do anything Medicine Buddha did, as long as you have enthusiasm and a desire to learn.

But whatever you believe in, if you believe it strongly, it will become your reality. Even if your belief is wrong, if you believe in it, it can become your reality, but it will be a false result.

Most of your self-limiting beliefs are completely untrue. Because you are only basing them on passive information that you have believed and accepted as true. And when you accept it, your belief makes it your reality. Like Henry Ford said:

- Whether you believe you can, or believe you can't, you are always right.

Surely, there are times when you misplace your trust and are lied to or betrayed, but you know that doesn't happen naturally; it all has its cause. In modern society, it seems like you no longer trust each other. After all, lies are everywhere. For fame, position, money, benefits, love, you are willing to sell your reputation, honor, and your moral conscience, and lose trust in others. You deceive each other in business, in production, in social relations, even in culture, health care, education, and in all activities of life.

Relatives, long-time friends, colleagues, and fellow countrymen can also betray each other just for benefits. Every day, you watch and listen to the news on the newspaper, you cannot help but be confused when more and more fake organizations appear, individuals pretend to be representatives of agencies, organizations, or representatives of businesses, many fake degrees, fake documents, fake companies, fake drugs, fake food, fake doctors, etc. The purpose of forgery is to defraud and appropriate other people's property or public property, to deceive state agencies, and to escape the law.

You are truly insecure when you lose trust in each other, when you have to live in doubt and anxiety. But in reality, you without trust, you cannot live together. No one can live alone without relationships; you cannot establish social relationships without trust, and you always live in doubt and anxiety. Therefore, the third vow of Medicine Buddha encourages you to:

- Light up faith

First of all, believe in the law of cause and effect, which is a necessary belief for every human being. That belief will be your support, helping you to walk on the many paths of life boldly. With faith in cause and effect, you see that lies are the product of a morally degraded society, weak in culture and education, and the consequence of a selfish lifestyle based on pragmatism and individualism that is widespread. Through the lens of cause and effect, you know that all negative phenomena in society do not appear randomly. Believing in the law of cause and effect, you understand that everything has its cause; those causes can be near or far in this life or long ago in the past. From there, you have an attitude of understanding and acceptance easily when bad things happen. Understanding like that, you suffer less, no longer complain, and no longer hold grudges in your heart.

Believing in cause and effect, you are no longer confused and worried. You see cause and effect as the foundation for your strong faith, the purpose of your ideal life. Because cause and effect show that if you are good, you will be rewarded; whatever you sow, you will reap. If the actions of the body, mouth, and mind are true and kind, then the present and future will certainly be good. Believing in and practicing the law of cause and effect will guide your life to a more peaceful and happy life.

In a life where the foundation of mutual trust is weak, it is difficult to exist firmly. When conflicts arise with others, you easily turn your back on reality, and in fact, the consequence of running away from happiness is that others do not trust you. To have trust in each other in happiness, you must accept that no matter what troubles happen. Not many, but somewhere you still encounter scenes of people having new things and forgetting the old ones, even when the husband and wife do not fully understand each other. But most of you do not think that in life, the law of cause and effect always exists. If you do not create trust in life, how can life create trust for you? That is the truth.

Building trust is a key element to a happy relationship and social success. Feeling close, safe, and connected will grow naturally with trust. Lack of trust can ruin your life and turn your relationship into a nightmare. Surveys show that most couples in family life say that lack of trust in the relationship is one of the main reasons for your stress in life. Generally, you all think that trust will arise naturally with the commitment of love, and you deserve to be trusted. That is true to a certain extent, but trust and mutual respect in love must be cared for and nurtured by both parties. Therefore, according to the Medicine Buddha, the secrets to building trust in a loving relationship in the family, in the national community, and the world are to know how to build and:

- Take Responsibility

A trustworthy partner is always responsible for his or her own actions. Remember that starting a relationship also means taking on sweet responsibilities and requires your maturity.

- Always be sincere

Be devoted to your relationship, and be honest with each other in everything. Be very careful because just one mistake of yours can potentially lose the trust of the person you love.

- Show concern

Caring does not mean you have to constantly think of romantic things. Because gestures, words, and emotions can say a lot about what is called concern. But trust is a very powerful force in love in the family and in society as well. So you should focus on nurturing each other's trust, and love will naturally go hand in hand with that.

In this direction, according to the teachings of the Medicine Buddha, in terms of appearance, you must learn:

- Decorate the country where you live.

There are two different ways of thinking about the meaning of the solemnity of the country:

- Solemnizing the country in terms of external appearance and scenery.

- Solemnizing the mind in terms of consciousness.

First of all, the Medicine Buddha did not establish or create a Buddha land, but he solemnized the Buddha land with the merit of practice. And if he solemnized his mind, then solemnity itself will be the cause for a solemn country.

For those of you who are not yet at ease, these two solemnities of the scene and mind are the means of control and support necessary for you, especially in terms of enlightenment and becoming a Buddha; these two solemnities are very necessary.

What mind manifests that scene! Because the mind and scene always go together. For example:

- Mice and rabbits like the scene in the cave. People like high-class houses and means of transportation.

Depending on karma, there are also different living conditions. People born and living in Vietnam must enjoy the living conditions in Vietnam. Vietnamese people who crossed the border to America also have the causes and conditions to live in America. Both are Vietnamese, but the minds of these two Vietnamese people are very different according to the circumstances. Cultivating the mind according to good dharma will create merit, energy, and capacity. This meritorious energy makes the self become more and more dignified. A kind self and a peaceful country will naturally be the result, according to the law of cause and effect of karma, in which the mind is the main factor in creation. The mind and the circumstances are the supporting conditions of karma and also the result of karma. The Buddha country is dignified due to the power and merit of cultivating the body, mouth, and mind of the Buddha, which is the result of karma, and also the supporting conditions for the peace and liberation for sentient beings.

A word, an action, a consciousness that is emitted always consumes energy and creates energy. Therefore, once you strive to uphold the precepts of diligence in right speech, right action, and live a right livelihood, stabilize your consciousness with right mindfulness and right concentration, and strive to live with right thinking and right wisdom. All these efforts, mental and spiritual efforts, you must make an effort to do so; there must be force or energy, called mental energy or spiritual energy. Once you have made an effort to practice good karma for many lifetimes, diligently practicing the three karmas of body, speech, and mind until the merit is complete, then this merit has immense supernatural power, benefiting everywhere. In this way, it not only affects a group of people but also a vast Buddha land, where sentient beings can be reborn and become Buddhas.

Medicine Buddha was not born, did not create the Eastern Pure Land world like an almighty god, but that Pure Land was due to his meritorious practice of body, speech, and mind in accordance with the principles, which responded to cause and effect to create such a world of Peace and Bliss. All of this was due to his skillful cultivation, the result of his practice according to his original vows for the benefit.

The methods he practiced were all practiced by Buddhas of the ten directions. He also used the 37 Bodhipakṣa, the ten Paramitas, and the ten thousand practices, which are the common Dharma of the Buddhas of the ten directions, adding to the special Dharma meritorious virtues to adorn the Pure Land by observing and absorbing the merits of the Buddha realms. The meritorious practice was completed over many years, many lifetimes, skillfully absorbing hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddha minds into one Buddha mind, to fulfill the 12 great vows, which is the greatest meritorious work in his practice and becoming a Buddha.

You practice Pure Land Medicine Buddha recitation, which means always remembering, always admiring, respecting the Buddha's merits and vowing to rely on his power of blessing; that is, you must recite the scene, which means reciting the name and the solemn land, and reciting the mind, which means contemplating the compassionate mind, great vows, and blessings of the Buddha, etc., as the Medicine Master Sutra teaches.

- Namo Medicine Master Buddha

This sentence means turning back to and relying on Medicine Buddha through his power of blessing both the mind and the scene.

Living in a community, no one can be independent without relying on others. If someone is proud to say that they do not need to rely on anything but only need to rely on themselves, then you should not be sad because of that, but keep reciting Buddha's name and sincerely pray for them to clearly understand the original aspiration and compassionate vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, to overcome all obstacles to knowledge and enter the sea of acceptance of Tathagata, and quickly attain peace and liberation. Whichever Buddha's name you recite, the Buddha's virtue and wisdom will appear clearly in your mind. When you recite with understanding the virtues and wisdom of the Buddha you like with a sincere heart, gratitude, and devotion towards him, then your wish will be fulfilled.

It is a mistake to only pray for wealth and forget to pray for more achievements in faith and virtue. Praying for peace, happiness, and prosperity is a cultural, religious, and spiritual feature imbued with the humanity of all Buddhists. Peace, happiness, and prosperity are legitimate wishes, and thanks to that, you have the opportunity to establish your own happiness as well as join hands to do good things for others, to make life more beautiful.

People have many dreams, endless desires, but determining what is the most fundamental and important achievement is still a matter of prayer and determination to strive; not everyone who goes to the temple can clearly show it. According to the Medicine Buddha, establishing faith, establishing balance and equilibrium in a life of abundant material and true spirit, is the foundation of true happiness. If one only achieves material success but is spiritually depleted, one cannot be considered blessed, let alone achieve immeasurable blessings. Therefore, Buddha Sakyamuni taught:

- At one time, the Buddha was in the country of Savatthi, in the forest of Prince Jeta, in the garden of the wealthy man Anathapindika. At that time, the World-Honored One told the Bhikkhus: Three things appear before the eyes, then good men and good women will receive immeasurable blessings:

- If faith appears before, then good men and good women will receive immeasurable blessings.

- If wealth appears before, then good men and good women will receive immeasurable blessings.

- If keeping the precepts appears before, then good men and good women will receive immeasurable blessings.

After the Buddha finished teaching, three things appeared, and the Buddha immediately spoke a verse:

- Faith, wealth, and virtue are hard to obtain,

Those who receive, those who keep precepts,

Knowing these three things,

The wise give at the right time.

Long-term peace,

The Devas always support,

Thereby, self-pleasure,

The five desires never tire.

Therefore, Bhikkhus, good men, good women, find the means to accomplish these three dharmas. Thus, Bhikkhus, learn this!

Indeed, having faith is achieving immeasurable merit. This is within your reach! As a Buddhist, you must have full faith, vow to be steadfast and wholehearted in that faith. Sincerely believe in the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, firmly believe in Cause and Effect, Karma, deeply believe in Dependent Origination, and Non-self. Just having such a firm, unshakeable faith is enough to gain immeasurable merit. That faith is the right faith. Thanks to the right faith, you do not believe in vague, unrealistic, uncaused, and effectless things. Thanks to the right faith, you always believe in yourself:

- Light your own torch and go.

Losing this faith is losing everything; all success without this faith is just a dream, an illusion. Therefore, faith is the source of the path, the mother of all merits (Avatamsaka Sutra).

In short, if you want to have a peaceful, happy, and joyful life, you must have mutual trust, which is why the Medicine Buddha vowed:

- When I become a Buddha, I vow to use my boundless wisdom and means so that everyone can have mutual trust.

Use Faith after achieving faith, then comes wealth:

- Only with food can you uphold the path.

Wealth is a very important means of living. To create an abundant source of wealth, you must also go through countless hardships; some of you have to exchange it with blood and tears. Having a lot of wealth means immeasurable blessings. However, earning wealth, money also requires clean wealth and money. Spending money is the same; it must benefit yourself and others, benefit in the present and the future.

In particular, having money that is good karma, but without morality, can easily create many sins. All kinds of useless arrogance in life have proven this. Many people, when they have money, have many bad habits. So after achieving faith and wealth, the Buddha focused on achieving virtue. For you, virtue is the five precepts along with Buddhist ethical standards such as shame, humility... Only by having virtue can you be called having immeasurable blessings.

Therefore, it is a mistake to only pray for your children to be rich and forget to pray for them to achieve the right faith and virtue. The Medicine Buddha has clearly pointed out that Buddhists should find ways to achieve these three dharmas. That is, if a Buddhist wants to establish lasting, sustainable happiness, you must perfect three basic elements:

- Right faith,

- Wealth,

- Morality.

When you who achieve this are said to have immeasurable blessings.

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