Suratapariprccha Sutra: Hold true to your faith

Posted by blue crystal on 13-06-2013, 2:31 PM :

Hold true to your faith:

Master Cheng Yen teaches that everything in the world expounds the Dharma to us. If we are mindful, we will recognize the Dharma everywhere and gain wisdom that will enable us to see the truth of all things.

The following story appears in the Suratapariprccha Sutra: 

When the Buddha preached in Sravasti, a practitioner named Surata listened to him mindfully and devoutly took his teachings to heart. Although Surata was poor, he believed what the Buddha said: “You do not need to have wealth or power to walk the Bodhisattva Path. All you need is love and a willingness to help others.”

Surata had a heart full of love. His heart ached when he saw people suffering from hunger, poverty, illness, or cold. He tried all ways to find work, and he used all the money he earned to help the needy.

One day, Sakra Devanam Indra, ruler of Trayastrimsa Heaven, was surprised to discover that though Surata was penniless, he was able to take care of so many poor and sick people, orphans and widows. Many people had even Surata’s influence. Seeing the power Surata was accumulating, Sakra grew scared. “He is amassing so much spiritual merit. Is he thinking of usurping my place in the future?”

To impede Surata’s spiritual progress, Sakra transformed himself into a group of people and went to Surata’s shack. They shouted and cursed outside, hoping to disturb the practitioner’s peace so that he couldn’t quietly meditate. But Surata remained unperturbed. Next, the group burst into the shack and threatened to beat him or even kill him. Despite all that, Surata remained composed and serene.

A man broke from the group and said to Surata, “These people do not understand you at all. I know that you love to help and give to others.” He then offered Surata gold, silver and other treasures, and he told him that he could sell the treasures and use the money to aid those in need. Surata smiled at the man’s incredible offer… and then turned him down. “I can’t take any money I didn’t earn myself. It’s not the right thing to do.”

Seeing that the offer of wealth could not tempt Surata, Sakra tried to entice him with a beautiful woman. But that failed too. In fact, all these temptations only made Surata grow more committed to his spiritual practice.

At his wits’ end, Sakra appeared in person before Surata and asked, “Why are you so diligently cultivating your spirituality? What are you seeking?”

Surata replied, “I’m not seeking anything. I just hope that everyone in the world can be safe and well, that they can grasp the Buddha’s teachings, be relieved from suffering, and do good deeds to benefit others. There is nothing more I want than this.”

Sakra was impressed. “With your level of cultivation, you have already transcended the Six Realms of reincarnation [heaven, human, Asura, animal, hungry ghost, hell]. You are already a bodhisattva.” With those words of praise, Sakra disappeared.

When the Buddha heard about this, he told his disciples, “Surata diligently cultivated his spirituality in his past lives. That’s why, even though he is destitute in this life, he doesn’t suffer from it. In fact, his poverty only helps him along on the path of spiritual practice.”

This story from the Suratapariprccha Sutra points out that those who aspire to enhance their spirituality must hold true to their resolve to cultivate themselves so that no outside circumstances can sway or influence them. When they firmly believe in the Dharma, steadfastly uphold it, and put it into practice in daily life, they are truly embracing the Buddhist spirit.

To learn the Bodhisattva Way, we must go amongst people instead of shunning them. Everyone is like a sutra from whom we can learn. In fact, everything in the world expounds the Dharma to us. If we are mindful, we will recognize the Dharma everywhere and gain wisdom that will enable us to penetrate the truth of all things