A Single Thought
- If one wishes to know
- All the Buddhas of the three periods of time,
- One should concentrate the nature of the Dharma Realm;
- Everything is made from the mind alone.
The Ten Dharma Realms are not apart from a single thought of the mind. This is the same principle.
If
a person gives rise to a good thought, an auspicious spirit will come
to protect them. If a person gives rise to an evil thought, a cruel
spirit will trail them. The difference lies in a single thought. The
ancients said,
- If you take one single wrong step,
- You'll regret it for a thousand years.
We
can also say, "If you have a single wrong thought, you'll regret it for
a thousand years." Good and evil are each contained in a single
thought. I often say people's minds are like motes of dust, knocked
around in space. Suddenly, you're in the heavens, then suddenly among
the animals, hungry ghosts, or in the hells.
There's no end to
the bitter sea of suffering, so hurry up and come back to the other
shore. There's nothing esoteric about it. It's simply a matter of
getting rid of your bad habits and faults.
- No selfishness
- No seeking
- No greed
- No fighting
- No seeking for self-benefit
If
you can follow these rules, you quite naturally won't go against
heavenly principle or the hearts of people. If you can use these as a
measure against your own actions each day, then you won't make any
mistakes. Whether you want to be a person or to practice transcendental
Dharmas, you need these five principles as a guide.
If I say any more today, you'll just forget!
p. 86, Treasure Trove
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