|
Time
travels from the past to the present; it spans the past, present,
and future. Likewise, space covers hundreds and thousands of realms;
it spreads across all ten directions. For most living beings, time
and space are just like the act of breathing: we breathe every
moment yet are not conscious of this action. Depending on our
individual make-up, we all have different understandings about time
and space. For example, certain insects live for a day and are
contented; humans live to seventy and are still not satisfied. We
all confine ourselves to our own limited slice of time and space.
From
the Buddhist perspective of samsara, the cycles of rebirth, the life
span of all sentient beings is limitless. Not only is space without
bounds, time is also endless and cannot be measured. If we penetrate
the ultimate truth of time and space, we can be liberated from the
space defined by the four directions of north, east, south, and west
and emerge from the time cocoon of seconds, minutes, days, and
months. We then will be in the dimension of total freedom, and we
will be able to experience what is described in the saying,
"Clear cool water everywhere; Prajna flowers every
moment."
I
will now discuss the Buddhist perspective on time and space in four
points.
I.
The Time and Space for All Living Beings
The
term "all living beings" includes not only human beings
but also encompasses beings in the other five realms of existence:
celestial beings, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and beings in the
hell realm. What is the time and space for all living beings within
the six realms of existence?
We
will first talk about time.
A.
Ksana
In
Buddhism, a "ksana" is the smallest unit of time. Within
the context of how we measure time today, it is approximately one
seventy-fifth of a second. It is very brief. In Buddhism, how do we
gauge such a short duration of time?
A
reflection is a moment of thought; one human reflection takes up
ninety ksanas.
Within
one ksana, there are nine hundred instances of arising and ceasing.
There
are 32,820,000 ksanas in one day.
From
the descriptions above, we can glean that the arising and ceasing
within a ksana occurs very rapidly. During any particular moment, we
see flowers as red and leaves as green. In reality, they are
constantly changing from ksana to ksana, and after a while, they
will wilt. Within each ksana, they are perpetually growing and
wilting. Take the example of a table: we see it standing firmly.
However, if we were to look at it under an electron microscope, we
would see that the internal fiber structure of the wood is changing,
expanding and contracting as it decays from ksana to ksana. In a few
years, this table will no longer be any good. In this world, how can
there be any flowers and grass that will never wilt? How can there
be any tables that will not be subjected to destruction? Because all
phenomena and existences are arising from ksana to ksana, all
phenomena and existence are therefore ceasing from ksana to ksana.
There is a saying, "When a young man snaps his fingers,
sixty-three ksanas have gone by." Time goes by very fast. Youth
can disappear in a flash. A ksana is indeed an extremely brief and
short span of time.
B.
Asamkhya Kalpa
In
Buddhism, a very long period of time is called an "asamkhya
kalpa." It is a very, very long period of time; the duration of
an "asamkhya kalpa" is so long that any attempts to
describe it in words would be difficult. At this time, let me talk
about two lesser units of time within an "asamkhya kalpa"
so that you can have some general references.
"Mustard
seed kalpa": Imagine if we were to take a huge container
measuring ten kilometers on each side and fill it with mustard
seeds. Then, every one hundred years, we were to remove one seed.
The time it would take to empty the container of all the mustard
seeds is one "mustard seed kalpa." Exactly how long a
"mustard seed kalpa" is would probably have to be
determined with the help of several computers.
"Boulder
kalpa": Imagine if we were to take a huge boulder measuring ten
kilometers on each side and sand the boulder with a piece of
sandpaper every one hundred years. The time it would take to sand
down the boulder to dust is "one boulder kalpa." This
period of time is much longer than that of a "mustard seed
kalpa."
Within
the Buddhist time scale, both the "mustard seed kalpa" and
the "boulder kalpa" are only considered to be minor kalpas.
In contrast, the duration of a major kalpa like the "asamkhya
kalpa" is so immeasurable and infinite that it is beyond words.
C.
Life Span of Living Beings
Lives
of living beings never remain still. Like bubbles on the surface of
water, they arise as suddenly as they disappear, each with a
different life span. Human beings typically can live to about a
hundred; some insects are born at dawn and are dead by dusk. To such
an insect, one day is the equivalent of one hundred years in human
terms. Tortoises, the longest living creatures on earth, can live up
to two hundred and fifty years. Viruses probably perish in less than
three hours. Although there is a huge difference between three hours
and two hundred fifty years, nevertheless, each existence spans a
lifetime. Elephants and dolphins can live to be ninety. Cows,
horses, monkeys, and dogs generally last fifteen to twenty years.
Rats may live for three to four years. Although flies and mosquitoes
can only live for a period of about seven days, this is still a
lifetime. The life span of a living being—whether it is a day, a
few hours, a century, or two hundred and fifty years—may seem
lengthy by worldly standards.
However,
in the unlimited extent of time and space, these lengths of time are
still quite brief. Why? According to Buddhist scriptures, there are
beings with much longer life span than human beings. The realm above
humans is the celestial realm consisting of many heavens. The heaven
closest to us is called the "Caturmaharaja Heaven." Beings
in "Caturmaharaja Heaven" can live to five hundred
celestial years, or 25,000 human years. Above that is the "Trayastrimsat
Heaven." Beings in "Trayastrimsat Heaven" can live to
50,000 human years. Beings in "Yama Heaven" have life span
of around 400,000 human years. Beings in "Tusita Heaven"
live for about 1,600,000 human years. Beings in the yet higher
"Nirmanarati Heaven" can live for as long as 6,400,000
human years. Beyond the heavens in the realm of desire are the
heavens of the realm of forms. The length of the life span there is
beyond our comprehension. Within the heaven of forms is the "ParanirmitaVasavartin
Heaven." Beings there can live to be what is the equivalent of
25,600,000 human years. Such long life span really stretches our
imagination. Beyond the heavens in the realm of forms are the
heavens in the realm of formlessness. Beings in this realm can live
to 80,000 major kalpas. The duration of such a life span is
incomprehensible. Regardless of how long these beings live, they are
nonetheless still trapped in the cycle of rebirth. They still cannot
transcend the boundary of time and space.
Conversely,
below the human existence, the hungry ghosts of the Avici Hell
suffer tremendously. Their ever-expansive bodies and their
ever-conscious minds experience relentless torments. Furthermore,
time in the Avici Hell stretches out endlessly. The sufferings from
the incessant punishments are beyond description. The scriptures
give this descriptive example of "a hungry ghost awaiting for
spittle." There was a hungry ghost in hell who had been
starving for a very long time. As he had not eaten anything for a
long time, his hunger was unbearable. Every day, he painfully
yearned for anything to eat. Eventually, he spotted a person who was
about to spit. He eagerly waited for this person to spit so that he
could consume the spittle. He waited and waited. During his wait, he
saw a city crumbled and rebuilt seven times. Countless time passed
before he finally got the spittle. In hell, where there is no day or
night, time stretches out frighteningly long.
Let
us now talk about space. In Buddhism, the largest unit of space is
called a "Buddhaksetra" or Buddha Land, and the smallest
unit of space is called a "suksma" or dust grain. Despite
their differences in names, both terms ultimately describe the three
thousand chiliocosms (major universe), which is endless,
immeasurable, unlimited and unbounded.
How
big is the universe? Modern astronomy says that the planet earth on
which we live is only a part of the solar system. Earth is only
1/1,300,000th the size of the sun. In other words, the sun is
1,300,000 times the size of earth. In the expansive space, the Milky
Way galaxy has hundreds of billions of stars, and a universe
probably has hundreds of million of galaxies like the Milky Way.
Just try to imagine the vast immenseness of the universe!
On
the other end of the scale, modern physics analyzes matter into ever
smaller particles called atoms, protons, electrons or neutrons. A
suksma is even smaller than a neutron. For example, a piece of ox
hair is very small. If we examine the tip of the ox hair under a
high-powered microscope, we would discover that it is made up of
many smaller elements. Similarly, a suksma is tens of thousands
times smaller than anything we commonly know. Our little finger may
look clean and spotless, yet it actually harbors millions of dust
particles and microorganisms. Each eye of a housefly consists of
four thousand lenses. Such spatial dimension is so minute that it is
undetectable by the naked human eyes.
With
the help of modern laboratory equipment, technology has provided us
with a broad and detailed understanding of the time and space in
which we live. When we learn of these modern interpretations based
on scientific research, we realize that the universe is indeed
extremely vast and deep. However, the dimensions offered by these
interpretations are nonetheless small and shallow when we consider
time and space from the Buddhist perspective. Why? In Buddhism, time
and space are immense without an outer limit and yet miniscule
without an inner limit. Time and space are immeasurable and
boundless. Today we are here talking; by tomorrow this speech can be
televised to all of Taiwan. The following day, it can be translated
and distributed to the world in printed form. In the future, it can
be published as a book to build Dharma connections with tens of
millions of people everywhere in the world. The Buddhist Dharma is
forever beyond the limits of time and space.
II.
Practical Reality of Time and Space
Our
daily lives in the vast universe are integrally related to and can
never be separated from time and space. How successful a person is
and how effective one handles one's affairs depend on one's
management of interpersonal relationships are managed, one's
utilization of time, one's allocation of space. Without effective
timing, we either move too quickly or too slowly and will bring
about the resentment of others. Without proper spatial awareness, we
end up either taking others' space or robbing others of their
advantageous locations, and we will annoy others. Thus, time and
space have significant impacts on our daily existences.
In
today's society, some people never seem to have enough time; to
them, every second counts. Then, there are others whose time passes
painfully slowly; to them, days feel like years. Some people are
impoverished and homeless. Others possess so much land and buildings
that they even want to own a piece of the moon. There are many
different types of people and circumstances. The famous poet, Po-hu
T'ang, once wrote about how fleeting and illusive time is:
Life
rarely reaches seventy;
That I am seventy is a surprise.
I was too young the first ten years
And too old the last ten.
There are only fifty years in between;
Half of that time is spent at night.
By calculation I have only lived twenty-five years,
During which I have endured much toil and trouble.
Time
is most impartial. The poor do not have a minute less; the rich do
not have a second more. It cannot be hoarded even with all the power
and might.
Time
is the most able judge, as described in the saying, "A long
journey can truly test a horse; the passage of time can reveal one's
true character." Right or wrong, love or hatred, success or
failure—all these will be revealed in time.
Time
is the arbiter of one's character. Hence this saying advises us,
"Do not do [distressing] deeds that cause others to frown; the
world should be free of those who grit their teeth in anger." A
person's character, be it noble or base, will become evident over
time.
Time
exists in a three-fold dimension in our everyday lives regardless of
whether we believe that life rarely reaches seventy or that life
begins at seventy. Lives of living beings gradually flow by in the
three-fold dimension of time: "the past, present, and
future." Time of the "past" is quietly gone; it will
never return. Time of the "present" flies like an arrow;
it disappears in a flash. Time of the "future," amidst our
hesitation, slowly draws closer and closer; it suddenly slips by.
Poets often tried to describe the ephemeral and illusive nature of
time in their poems.
The
only true fairness in this world is gray hair;
It does not overlook the heads of the rich.
—Mu Tu of the Tang Dynasty
Do
not complain that we age too easily.
Even mountains turn white sometimes.
—Ch'i-lan Luo of the Ching Dynasty
What
these lines mean is that time is most fair. Time ages everyone,
regardless of whether you are rich or poor, whether you are strong
or weak. Once years have passed, hairs do turn gray. Just as there
are times when green mountains are blanketed with snow and frost,
there will also be a day when we turn gray:
We
all gain a year on our birthdays;
The world does not single me out to make me old.
—Yu Lu of the Sung Dynasty
What
this verse says is that we all will get old. Every year, we age. The
years of human lives disappear in the midst of the sound of the New
Year firecrackers. Buddhism talks of the cycle of rebirth and the
impermanence of all things, like the poem by the poet Chu-Yi Pai:
Regrettably
my hair is like snow.
You are young and strong with the vitality of clouds.
To whichever youngster who looks down on me,
White hair will also come to you someday.
As
students of the Buddhist teachings, we strive to cultivate
diligently in order to realize Bodhi in infinite time and space. We
need to seize eternity within an instant and to see the wondrous
reality in each flower, each tree, each body of water, and each
rock. We can then venture into the supreme realm of the Dharma.
Not
only must we learn to break through the confines of time, we have to
do likewise regarding space. Some people climb a mountain to seize
land from the mountain. Others fill the ocean to claim land from the
ocean. In countless disputes and lawsuits over real estate
properties, the living fight for space with the living. Sometimes
the living even fight with the dead for space as when graveyards are
reclaimed for the construction of housing. Not only do people have
disputes over lands, nations also battle over boundary lines to
seize more living space for their people. Almost all the wars in the
world are fought over the amount of available living space.
"Ten thousand acres of fertile farm land, but how much can one
eat in a day? One thousand mansions, but one can only sleep in an
eight-foot space." This saying points out that all space, both
tangible and intangible, is ultimately illusive and fleeting. The
rapidly existing and disintegrating space of the three realms
ultimately arises from the mind. Poet Chu-yi Pai expressed this
concept well in the following poem:
Why
fight over the space
on the tip of a
snail's antenna?
Our existence is only as fleeting
as a flint spark.
Similarly,
I often tell people the following saying, "Trees may live for a
thousand years; glory and sorrow cannot last for more than a
hundred." These lines are trying to advise us that we should
let go of attachment, let go of illusive forms. We should forego the
sufferings of rebirth and impermanence, and in so doing, we will
eventually abandon pain and attain happiness.
In
our daily lives, there are many examples when time and space are
simply unbearable. We are often rendered desperate, painful and
hopeless. Some of the worst moments are described in the following
verse:
Closing
time at the bank;
Sad and sick in bed;
Wronged with no outlet for grievance;
Disappointed and love sick;
On the day of a fatal diagnosis;
Escaped convicts with nowhere to hide;
Impoverished with nowhere to turn;
One's spouse and children crying in sorrow.
There
is another "comic" verse which describes more of these
moments. It goes like this:
One
waits for one's date at sunset, yet the lovely one fails to
show;
One takes an entrance exam, but one's name does not make the
list;
One faces with farewells and death, and one cries from
heartbreak;
One is about to become a new mother, yet the pains of labor
are unrelenting; One tosses and turns in bed, yet one cannot
fall asleep;
One has teenagers who love to fight, so one is worried sick;
One has terrible stomach cramps and needs fast relief, yet a
bathroom is not to be found;
One tries one's best in a campaign, yet loses the election
when the votes are counted;
One finds a motorcycle heading straight for one's car, so one
tries to brake urgently;
One has been caught for violating the law, and this is the
moment for announcing one's sentence;
One is a hundred meters into the battlefield, and one can
neither advance nor retreat;
One's family cannot get along, and one is in the midst of
fighting and splitting up.
There
are just too many dreadful examples of intolerable time and space.
The situations mentioned above—being stood up, failing an
examination, giving birth, being sick, not being able to find a
bathroom, being in a car accident, awaiting sentence, couples
fighting, facing farewells and deaths—can happen to any one of us.
These situations can lead to monstrous arguments and endless
disputes: this seat is mine; this item is mine; this parcel of land
is mine, and you may not use it. You did not have time to talk to me
because you were in a hurry; you still missed your flight by two
minutes. You were upset about not getting on a ship in time until
you found out that you escaped drowning in a shipwreck… Although
our existence seems real, life is actually illusive like the spots
one sees because of eye diseases, or the reflection of the moon in
the water. Likewise, the time and space we live in is also just as
illusive.
A.
Life is Illusive Like a Flower
During
the time it takes for flowers to bloom and wilt, all of us are
gradually growing old. Just as this year's blossoms are different
from those of the previous year, I too am different from last year.
The following verses aptly describe this change:
The
flowers of this year are as pretty as those of last year;
The person of this year is older than last year.
Fortune does not last for a thousand days;
Flowers cannot blossom for a hundred days;
If one does not treasure the opportunities now,
One is left with nothing when they are gone.
On this day last year, at this threshold,
Your face and peach blossoms glow together.
Now your lovely face is gone,
The peach blossoms still smile at the spring breeze.
B.
Life is Illusive Like the Flowing Water
In
this world, only the shimmering waves of continuously flowing water
from the distant past are ever-present. In contrast, a person's
physical body cannot survive forever. Let me illustrate this point
with the following two verses:
On
the Yangtze River the waves from behind push the waves in
front;
A new generation replaces an older generation.
Water from the rear flows to the fore;
It has flowed like this from ancient time to the present.
The new persons are not the old ones,
They all walk across the bridge year after year.
C.
Life is Illusive Like the Moon
From
antiquity to present, the same moon still shines. In the reality of
human existence, who can be as everlasting as the moon? In fact,
even the face of the moon changes between new and full. Time and
time again, poets of the past to the present have written verses
reflecting on the impermanence of human existence:
Modern
people see not the ancient moon,
But the modern moon once shone upon ancient people.
By the riverbanks, who is the first to see the moon?
When does the moon above the river first shine upon a person?
Generation after generation, people's lives continue
endlessly;
Year after year, the moon appears the same.
Not knowing for whom the moon is shining,
I only see the river flowing downstream.
The
time and space of human existence is like a flower, blossoming and
wilting within a short time, and as illusory as the reflection of
the moon in the water. We are here together now and in this lecture
hall. When the time comes, we all will leave. The lights will be
switched off and the sounds will be silenced. When the doors are
closed, the space that is now occupied by the hundreds and thousands
of people sitting in this lecture hall will be vacated and returned
to a state of quietude. Yet, the Dharma relationships we have built
here today will remain with us at all times, accompanying us
everywhere. All phenomena in this world may disappear like the faded
flowers of yesterdays. Only Dharma relationships are eternal. The
Buddhist Dharma lives forever.
III.
The Holy Practitioners of Buddhism and the Liberation from Time and
Space
Countless
masters in Buddhism have achieved the holy fruits of cultivation.
They have neither hatred nor attachment. They are relieved of
suffering and ignorance. Liberated from the realm of time and space,
they exist in total freedom. For them, time and space are vastly
different from that of ordinary people.
The
holy practitioners of Buddhism, being well cultivated in meditation,
can stop the mind and calm the heart. They can venture into the
profound, subtle, and wondrous realm of Dharmadhatu (realm of the
Dharma). They can break through the boundary of form and liberate
themselves from the constraints of time and space. To them, "A
shortened ksana is not necessarily brief, and a lengthened asamkhya
kalpa is not long." Master Hsu Yun, a Ch'an master in recent
history, once retreated to the Ts'ui Wei mountain in Shensi
province. While waiting for rice to cook, he decided to take a short
meditation in a cave and quickly achieved samadhi, an advanced state
of meditative concentration. When he came out of his meditation, the
rice was already completely rotten. He eventually realized that he
had actually meditated for half a year! This is just like the
saying, "Seemingly only seven days have passed on the mountain,
yet thousands of years have gone by in the world."
The
holy practitioners of Buddhism can escape the constraints of time
and space and venture into the dimension of Dharmadhatu. Their pure
true nature fills the universe constantly and they are at ease every
moment. Their Dharma body is omnipresent and always at peace
everywhere. They can eat one meal a day and not feel hungry. They
can sleep under a tree and be in bliss. The time and space of their
lives is captured in the following verse, "Mountain monks do
not think much about time; a falling leaf announces that autumn has
arrived." Ch'an master Lan Jung abandoned fame and fortune and
became a monk. With only the bare necessities consisting of a pair
of shoes and a patched robe made out of rags, he retreated to the
mountains to cultivate. His younger sister felt sorry for his
impoverished lifestyle and took some food and clothing to the cave
which he called home. When his sister arrived, he kept his eyes
closed, did not utter a word, and continued to sit perfectly still
in his meditation. His sister grew impatient and upset. Consequently
she threw the things she had brought into the cave and left.
Thirteen years went by, and his sister continued to think of him
everyday. Unable to stop worrying about her brother, the sister paid
him another visit. He was still sitting perfectly stationary like a
rock in meditation. The clothing and food she had brought thirteen
years previous remained in exactly the same location, never touched
and completely covered with dust.
Ch'an
master Kao Feng Miao of Yuan dynasty also decided to retreat to a
mountain cave to cultivate. There was originally a ladder leading up
to the cave entrance. Once he got into the cave, he threw the ladder
down and was determined not to leave. Many people felt sorry for him
because he could not wash his clothes, take a bath, trim his hair,
shave his beard or have anything good to eat. The living space was
so narrow that there was barely any room for him to move around. He
did not have anyone to talk to and not a friend visited him. Yet,
Ch'an master Kao Feng Miao endured the unendurable. He did the
impossible. Although he did not have a change of clean clothing, his
Dharma appearance was majestic. Although there was no water for
bathing, his heart was pure and untainted. He could not shave his
hair and beard, yet all his distress was completely eradicated. He
did not have any delicious food to eat, yet he savored the delight
of meditation and the endless taste of the Dharma. He had no
company, but the flowers and trees of nature were full of vitality.
Everything he saw was Prajna; every condition he found was wondrous
truth. His joy was indescribable.
The
freedom and delight enjoyed by these holy practitioners in their
liberated state of time and space cannot be matched in our modern
materialistic society. Nowadays people often only focus on pursuing
material satisfactions and sensory pleasures. They neglect the peace
and serenity of the mind. In reality, more desire will breed more
greed and pain. As a result, people become trapped in the drowning
mire of evil and cannot break free. This is truly a pity. Poet Yu Lu
of Sung Dynasty wrote the following poem to reflect this:
My
body is like a swallow, always being the guest year after
year.
My mind admires the wandering monks; for them everywhere is
home.
The breeze of spring enables me to clearly understand life
And accompanies me as I travel throughout the world.
Many
people of the modern age are stressed by work and depressed by life.
When the days become unbearable, they go for a vacation abroad to
look for a new way of release. Some may visit SouthEast Asia, Japan
or Korea. Others want to really get away by traveling to European
countries, the United States, or South Africa. Their efforts are
much like digging for a well when one feels thirsty, very poor
planning indeed. The relief from this kind of efforts can never
bring anyone the completely liberated state of time and space. For
the ultimate liberation, it is much better to observe and cultivate
the teachings of Buddhism. The Buddhist holy practitioners can
attain eternity in an instant. They can realize the endless universe
in a grain of sand. The limitless Dharma and the infinite universe
are in our hearts. Why bother to search for them outside?
Countless
Ch'an masters have the power to break through time and space. With
the thought of letting go, they instantly let go of everything. When
free of attachments, "The mind can travel into antiquity; a
thought can traverse ten thousand years." Not only are they not
restricted by time and space, but they also can overcome the
hindrance of time and space. They are in the company of the Buddhas.
Let me illustrate this point by telling you of a legendary story,
"Abbot Ling Shu welcoming the monastic headmaster."
During
the Late Liang Dynasty, Ch'an master Chih Sheng (also known as Ch'an
master Ling Shu) preached in Ling Shu Temple, which was located near
the present day county of Ch'u Chiang in Kwangtung Province. The
temple had hundreds of resident monks; yet, there was not a monastic
headmaster in charge. Some people then urged Master Chih Sheng,
"Since we have so many monks in this temple now, you should
appoint a monastic headmaster."
Master
Chih Sheng reflected for a moment and replied, "The monastic
headmaster of this temple has already been born into this world. He
is now herding sheep. Let's just be patient."
A
few years went by and nothing happened. Others once again urged
Master Chih Sheng to appoint a monastic headmaster. Master Chih
Sheng nodded, "It will be very soon. Our monastic headmaster
has already renounced household life to become a monk. Please be
patient for a bit longer."
Many
years passed, yet the position remained vacant. Others raised the
question again. The older Master Chih Sheng smiled and said,
"The causes and conditions are gradually ripening. Our monastic
headmaster is now traveling and studying Ch'an under many different
masters."
After
this exchange, Master Chih Sheng remained calm and unperturbed.
Twenty-two years passed and Master Chih Sheng was getting old.
Everyone was now worried. Once more they raised the issue of the
monastic headmaster with him. Master Chih Sheng looked up to the sky
and smiled. He assured everyone, "Good! Good! Our monastic
headmaster has finally crossed the Five Mountains Range and is
heading this way. We will only have to wait a very short while
longer."
With
this said, he then retreated back to his room to meditate. Looking
at each other, the monks started to discuss among themselves. More
time passed. One day, the old master asked the disciples to clean up
the quarter of the monastic headmaster. The old master even
inspected the room himself. A few days later, the big bell was rung.
Everyone knew it was the signal that the monastic headmaster had
finally arrived and that they should put on their formal robes. They
were to gather before the entrance to welcome the monastic
headmaster. Everyone followed the elderly master and stood outside
the entrance. Soon, a monk showed up with his alms bowl. He was
Master Yun Men Wen Yen, who would later become the founder of the
Yun Men school of Ch'an.
Master
Chih Sheng asked smilingly, "Our monastic headmaster position
has been vacant for several decades now. Why are you so late and why
did you wait until today to show up?"
Wen
Yen respectfully joined his palms and replied, "Everything was
determined by previous causes and conditions. The length in time and
the distance in space are not important. Am I not finally
here?"
Master
Chih Sheng smiled understandingly. Accompanied by all the disciples,
he escorted Wen Yen into the main shrine and appointed him as the
monastic headmaster. This is the wonderful story of "Abbot Ling
Shu welcoming the monastic headmaster." In recent history,
Master Hsu Yun, the famous Ch'an Master, stayed in the Yun Men
Temple when he revived the Yun Men School of Ch'an in 1943.
Let
us all pause here to reflect. How free are the lives of these Ch'an
masters! How unconstrained is their time and space! In contrast,
people of present days feast on gourmet food but are not satisfied.
They have fame and fortune but no peace. They sleep on comfortable
mattresses but toss and turn all night. They reside in mansions but
feel insecure. They fight and struggle everyday. They can never
experience the wonder of limitless time and space. Is this not
really regrettable?
IV.
The Utilization of Time and Space
In
Buddhism, there is a saying, "The mind encompasses the space of
the universe, traversing realms as numerous as all the grains of
sand." What this means is for those who use time and space
wisely, their time is the time of the mind. They can freely journey
from past to present. They have endless Ch'an wisdom and
application. The universe is indeed their time. His space is the
space where the Buddha Dharma flows. It freely fills all dimensions.
The representation and manifestation of principles are limitless.
The Dharmadhatu is their space. On the other hand, for those who
cannot use time and space wisely, their time is constrained by the
movements of the clock and is controlled by the hands of the clock.
To them, an hour is an hour, no more and no less; a minute is a
minute, no more and no less. Its use is limited. Their space is area
and distance bounded by feet and inches. A kilometer cannot be
lengthened; a meter cannot be shortened. It is confined and limited.
Let me illustrate with an example. A devotee once asked Ch'an master
Chao Chou, "How can I use the twelve hours of a day
wisely?"
Master
Chao Chou stared at him, "You are bounded by the twelve hours
of the day. I use my twelve hours appropriately. What kind of time
are you talking about?"
The
wise know how to use time and space perfectly; they lead free and
harmonious lives. Fools are enslaved by time and space; they are
busy running around all day. Wise or foolish, the difference is
obvious. There is an ancient fable called "Marking the boat to
look for a sword" which illustrates what happens when one is
ignorant of time and space. In the country of Ch'u, a man was
crossing a river on a ferry. In the middle of the river, he
accidentally dropped his sword. Everybody urged him to dive into the
water to recover the sword. He was not worried but leisurely made a
mark on the boat. He was quite proud of himself and replied
confidently, "My sword fell down from here. When the boat
stops, I will dive for my sword from here. Why worry?" Others
told him that as both the boat and water were moving, it would be
impossible for his sword to follow the boat in step. When time
passed and space changed, his sword could not be retrieved. He did
not listen. When the boat finally docked, he started looking for the
sword beneath the spot he had marked on the boat. Do you suppose
that he succeeded in retrieving his sword?
Of
course not, it was the wrong time and space.
As
we all work in society, some people just want to make a lot of
money. They work day and night. They scheme and cheat. They use
every avenue to make money. They may make ten thousand a month, a
hundred thousand a year. For their entire life, they may earn a few
million dollars. From this amount, if you deduct the expenses for
clothing, meals, and entertainment, how much money is left? To forgo
all ideals and happiness for a few hundred thousand dollars, what is
the meaning of this? What is the value of life? To throw away a
precious lifetime in exchange for a few pieces of crumpled and
illusive paper currency, is this really worthwhile? Why do we not
use our valuable time to pursue the path of real fortune and
happiness?
When
I arrived in Taiwan thirty-four years ago, not only was I unable to
replace my old torn clothes and shoes, I had great difficulty in
obtaining a pen and some paper for writing. Sometimes I had to
endure hunger and coldness for months and still could not afford to
have these few items. When I saw others receiving generous offerings
by conducting Dharma functions or performing services, I did not
feel inadequate. They bought comfortable clothing and good food; I
did not feel poor or deprived. In cold weather, I warmed myself
under the sun. The sun was there for everyone to enjoy. The sun was
my robe; it was so very warm. During the hot season, I cooled myself
with the breezes. The wind was there to keep everyone cool. The wind
was my gown; it was so very free. I looked at trees and flowers;
they were my Dharma companions. No one could prohibit me. I had oh
so many Dharma companions. I walked across rivers and plains; they
gave me so much Dharma delight. No one could take that away from me.
My Dharma delight was so fulfilling. If our minds are broad and
open, the heaven and earth, sun and moon, they are all ours. We can
have all time and space. If all you know is how to complain and get
depressed about poverty and obstacles, you will be poor and ill at
ease in all places and at all times. All your time and space will
become an endless hell and a boundless sea of suffering.
Let
me tell some more stories to illustrate my point and to illustrate
how we can intelligently use our time and space for our own
blessings.
One
day, a young person saw a very old man. He was curious and asked,
"Sir, can you tell me how old you are?"
With
a smile, the gentlemen replied, "Oh! I am four. I am four years
old."
The
young fellow was shocked. He looked at the old gentleman left and
right, "Oh! Sir, please do not joke with me. Your hair is so
white and your beard is so long. How could you be four?"
"Yes!
I am really four!" The old man then kindly explained, "In
the past, I lived a befuddled life. I was selfish and preoccupied. I
wasted away a great portion of my life. It wasn't until four years
ago that I discovered Buddhism. Then I learned to do good and be
helpful. I learned to get rid of my greed, hatred, and ignorance. I
realized that I should cultivate myself to find my true nature. My
entire life had not been meaningful, valuable, or fulfilling until
these past four years. You asked me my age. I really feel I have
been a worthwhile person for only these four years. This is why I am
only four."
Virtuous
deeds should be done as soon as possible. The Dharma should be
learned as early as possible. Please let me ask all of you: in your
brief existence in this realm of time and space, how have you been
leading your lives? Have you used the opportunity to do good and to
seek the truth? Have you used all available time and space to
benefit others and yourselves?
The
scriptures tell of this following allegory. A king had two close
attendants. The king liked his attendant on the left much better
than the attendant on the right. The attendant on the right was
puzzled and wondered why he was not in the king's favor. He
carefully monitored every move of the other attendant, and finally,
he discovered the reason. When the king spit, the attendant on the
left would quickly wipe the spit off the ground with his foot.
Naturally, the king liked him better. With this knowledge, the right
attendant planned to do the same. He was, however, always a step
slower than the other attendant and failed to make good of the
opportunities to wipe the king's spit. Finally, he thought of a
plan. The next time when the king was ready to spit, he would jump
on the opportunity. He figured that if he could aim correctly, he
would be able to wipe the spit right off the king's mouth before it
could land on the ground. Unfortunately, when he kicked his foot up,
he knocked out the king's teeth and bloodied his mouth. This way, he
also "wiped off" any opportunities he had to gain the
king's favor.
Greed
and ignorance prevent us from using time and space wisely and even
missing out on valuable opportunities. Only if we want to benefit
others and ourselves, can we seize boundless time and space.
Once
a high official in Japan asked Ch'an master Tse An about the use of
time. "Oh! My position as an official is a meaningless job.
Everyday, people want to flatter me. After a while, all compliments
sound the same and are actually quite tedious. I do not enjoy
hearing all the flattery. Days seem to pass by like years. I just do
not know how to kill the time."
The
Ch'an master smiled and gave him these words, "This day will
never return; the passing of time is precious like treasure."
Time once passed will never return. We should treasure our time and
remember that time is precious like exquisite jade.
Nowadays,
it is fashionable to talk about "conservation."
Unfortunately, we only emphasize on conserving materials, conserving
money. We do not know that we should also conserve time and our
emotions. We should conserve our desires and our lives. We should be
careful with every thought and deed. We should not let ourselves be
indulgent and lose control. Only then can we know how to use time
and space wisely.
Ch'an
master Tsung Yen of Japan liked to take afternoon naps. It was his
habit. His students asked him why he slept so long. He replied,
"What do you know? In my dreams, I visit ancient scholars and
masters, much like Confucius dreaming of the Duke of Chou. The
longer my dreams are, the better is my cultivation. What do you know
about this practice of ‘befriending ancient scholars'?"
One
day, a few students were scolded by the Ch'an master for taking long
afternoon naps. The students replied, "Well. We are learning
from your examples. In our dreams we have gone to seek and to study
with ancient masters and scholars."
"What
then have you learned from them?"
"Oh
yes! In our dreams, we visited many ancient masters and scholars. We
asked them, ‘Is our master studying with you all the time?' They
all replied, ‘No, we have never seen or heard of your
master.'"
One
must be true to and honest about time and space. "Day by day,
time goes by; each day will never return." The arrow of time
never flies backward. If we do not seize the opportunities, we will
not be able to make anything out of them. There is a very well-know
poem:
Youth
never returns; a day just has one dawn.
Work diligently now; time waits for no one.
In
Buddhism, the "Take Heed Verse" of Samantabadhra
Bodhisattva aptly describes the urgency of using our time wisely:
This
day is over; life has decreased accordingly.
As a fish in dwindling water, where is the joy?
One should work diligently, as if extinguishing flames on the
head.
Be mindful of impermanence; do not relax one's efforts.
Time
and space quickly disappear. If we want to seize time and space, if
we treasure life, we should chant "O-Mi-To-Fo (Amitabha
Buddha)" and learn from "Amitabha Buddha." "Amitabha"
means infinite light and infinite life. Infinite light is boundless
space; infinite life is endless time. If we can make time and space
boundless and limitless, we will have risen above the confinement of
time and space. We will have broken from the rounds of birth and
death. We will have turned ignorance to enlightenment. We will have
escaped from the sea of suffering from samsara and have transcended
the confusion and hindrance of worldly phenomena. We will have
ventured into the bright and free world of Nirvana, the Pure Land of
ultimate bliss.
My
best wishes to all of you. May each of you extend the limited
existence of life into unlimited time and space. May each of you
walk the broad path of peace and happiness in life. Thanks to all of
you.
|
