Biggest Obstacle
The biggest obstacle to the development of compassion and wisdom is anger and
hatred. It is said that in a single burst of anger, one loses all the merits
accumulated from charity, discipline, offerings to the Buddha and other wholesome
deeds.
The Four Immeasurable States of Mind
The Buddha said, "Hatred ceases only by love; hatred never ceases by hatred.
This is an eternal law." In order for us to cease our anger and hatred,
the Buddha urged us to cherish the Four Immeasurable States of Mind: (1) Kindness
Kindness is the sincere wish for the welfare of all sentient beings. This will
eradicate greed and bring forth peace of mind. In most cases, it doesn't take
more than a sincere smile. (2) Compassion Compassion is the sincere wish to
remove the sufferings of all sentient beings. It can eliminate hatred and violence,
and bring forth mental concentration. Kind words, care and charity are the common
expressions of compassion. (3) Appreciative joy Appreciative joy is the sincere
mind that rejoices over the success and prosperity of others. It can dispel
jealousy and generate happy acquiescence. A sincere congratulatory expression
and a supporting mind are the basic elements of appreciative joy. (4) Equanimity
Equanimity is defined as the state of mind free of affection and dislike. It
can dissipate the effects of suffering and bring forth peacefulness through
the ups and downs of our life. Whether it is gain or loss, praise or blame,
and success or failure, no longer can it affect us. Buddha's Vow As a noble
prince of a kingdom, the Buddha forsook the palatial life of luxuries to cultivate
the Way. After six years of painful practices, the Buddha was resolved to make
his final search for the way to Enlightenment. At the root of a Bodhi tree,
he sat cross-legged with half-closed eyes looking through the tip of his nose.
He then made a heaven-startling and earth-shaking vow as follows: Though my
blood may dry up... My flesh may decay... My bones may turn to dust... Yet I
will never leave this place... Until I find the way for Enlightenment. Following
this vow was a spiritual struggle of immeasurable intensity. Wandering thoughts
and temptations of devils besieged the prince. However, having determined to
search for the truth transcending all human sufferings, he rejected every single
one of them. Finally, he attained Enlightenment by fully understanding the Four
Noble Truths. It is clear that the power of resolve of the Buddha can help eliminate
all the impurities of the mind, thus dispelling the darkness of ignorance.
Bodhisattvas' Vows
The vow of the Buddha becomes our light of faith. It separates us from any doubt
in the Path. It is said in the Flower Adornment Sutra that faith is the source
of the Path. To start our journey in seeking Enlightenment, we can make the
Four Universal Vows that the Bodhisattvas made:
Sentient beings are boundless... I vow to save them all... Afflictions are endless...
I vow to extinguish them all... Dharma doors are measureless... I vow to learn
them all... The Buddha's path is unsurpassed... I vow to realize it. Through
these powerful vows, we can develop a strong will and practice with vigor and
progress. These vows help us lighten up on our own personal joys and sorrows.
We begin to shift the focus from the vicissitudes of our life to the well-being
of sentient beings. We have more respect and sympathy for others. By applying
the Buddha's teachings in daily activities, we will become better fathers or
mothers, husbands or wives, sons or daughters in the families. We will also
become better employers or employees in the workplaces as well as better citizens
in the society. Life becomes more joyful and fulfilling.