The Infinite Dharma Wheel
Throughout
his life the Venerable Master was totally selfless. He vowed to take
the suffering and hardships of all living beings upon himself, and to
dedicate all his own blessings and joy to the living beings of the
Dharma Realm. He practiced what was difficult to practice and endured
what was difficult to endure, persevering in his heroic and pure
resolve. He was a candle that refused to be blown out by the gale, an
irreducible lump of pure gold in the hot fire. The Venerable Master
composed a verse expressing his principles:
- Freezing to death, we do not scheme.
- Starving to death, we do not beg.
- Dying of poverty, we ask for nothing.
- According with conditions, we do not change.
- Not changing, we accord with conditions.
- We adhere firmly to our three great principles.
- We renounce our lives to do the Buddha's work.
- We take the responsibility to mold our own destinies.
- We rectify our lives as the Sangha's work.
- Encountering specific matters,
- we understand the principles.
- Understanding the principles,
- we apply them in specific matters.
- We carry on the single pulse of the patriarchs'
- mind-transmission.
From the time he left the home-life, the Venerable Master firmly
maintained the six great principles - do not fight, do not be greedy,
do not seek, do not be selfish, do not pursue personal advantage, and
do not lie - bringing benefit to the multitudes. Teaching with wisdom
and compassion, dedicating himself to serving others, and acting as a
model for others, he influenced countless people to sincerely change
their faults and head towards the pure and exalted Bodhi Way.
Living beings of the present have deep obstructions and scarce
blessings indeed, for a Sage of the era has abruptly manifested passing
into stillness. The living beings of the Saha world have suddenly lost
their harbor of refuge. Yet the life of the Venerable Master is
actually an enactment of the great Flower Adornment Sutra of the Dharma
Realm. Although he has manifested entry into Nirvana, he constantly
turns the infinite wheel - not leaving any traces, he came from empty
space, and to empty space he returned. His disciples can only carefully
follow their teacher's instructions, hold fast to their principles,
honor the Buddha's regulations, and be ever more vigorous in advancing
upon the path to Bodhi so that they can repay the Venerable Master's
boundless and profound grace.
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