Elder Upasaka Li Bing-Nan’s Exhortation: Managing Life And Death is the Greatest Matter
“As humans, we are afflicted by the pains of birth, aging, sickness and death. Moreover, we are also subject to the perils of unending transmigration within the Samsara. What a frightening reality! When we die, it is akin to moving house as our souls and consciousnesses never die. Based on the virtues and vices we have accrued over the course of our lives, our balance of good and evil karma compels us to suffer the pains of death and rebirth. Those who have done good are reborn in the three pleasant realms of existence ; those who have done wickedness are reborn in the three evil realms and will suffer limitless woes. In our countless deaths and rebirths since time immemorial, we have all lived in the Heavens, been reborn as humans or Asuras, and suffered as animals, ghosts and hell beings.”
“The Samsara is like six different houses. Our flesh bodies are like a transient and unreliable home. Even a fortune in wealth and property cannot grant us immortality or forever guarantee our health and strength from decay.”
“Thus, we must enlighten ourselves to these facts without delay. As humans, we toil daily for wealth to satisfy our material needs. We labor to support our sons and daughters and to further our businesses or careers. Thus, we exhaust both mind and body as we anxiously strive in a world filled with much disappointment and little joy.”
“Currently, most consider the acquisition of wealth and luxury to be the most glorious pursuit. They do not realize that the soul and consciousness does not die with the body but will continue to suffer the wearisome cycle of birth and death.”
“Pitiful beings we are! If we only observe carefully, we would realize that human life is tainted by birth, old age, sickness and death. It is also afflicted with the sufferings caused by failure, deprivation, enmity, and the loss of or separation from what we love. Moreover, it is defined by the misery of the five skandhas, the three pains and eight sufferings. It is filled with calamities, accidents, and myriad misfortunes and anxieties which constantly assail and unsettle us. All persons are afflicted by these manifold miseries.”
“Thus, we must not dither in realizing this. We must recite the name of Amitabha. If we persist on the path of striving for temporal success, then even if we do eventually achieve wealth and position, we would most likely be old by then — trapped in a decaying body propped up by medication. And then death dawns upon us. Thus, isn’t this so very frightening? With death comes the loss of everything, and neither our wealth nor our dearest family members may accompany us. Only our accumulated good and evil determines our fate within the wearisome Samsara, and not our personal will.”
“Most people acquire next month’s grain beforehand, or lay up next year’s grain this year. Yet, so many ignore the fact that no one is immortal. It is just like if our house has decayed beyond repair, what type of dwelling will we be able to acquire and move into next? Those who do much evil will have no choice but to move into the homes of animals, ghosts and hell beings, suffering woes for a long period of time. Only when their evil karma is finally exhausted may they return to the realm of humans. Such is the indescribable suffering they must endure!”
“If we are to be intelligent and wise, then we must prepare the merits and good deeds needed to guarantee a pleasant future rebirth now. To give our souls and consciousnesses an assured and stable future.”
A Simple Standard of Good and Evil (Excerpt):
“…The boundaries between good and evil are misunderstood by most people. Too often, they fail to recognize the good and cannot tell when a deed is evil. Thus, by using the Sutra on the Ten Good Deeds, we can identify a standard of good and evil. To transgress this standard is to commit evil, to abstain is to be good and virtuous.”
Actions to Refrain From:
The Three Karmas of the Body:
— Lust
— Theft
— Killing
The Four Karmas of the Mouth
— Lying
— Frivolous Speech
— Abrasive Speech
— Divisive Speech
The Three karmas of the Mind
— Avarice
— Wrath
— Ignorance
“As long as a critter or sentient being has life, no matter how big or small it is, one commits the offense of killing if one harms it. As for the property or reputation that justly belongs to others, no matter how much or how valuable, one commits theft if one appropriates it without permission, be it through power, intrigue, force or deceit. Moreover, promiscuous conduct, and any carnal knowledge outside of a true marriage, violates the precept of chastity.”
“To utter false words with the intent to maliciously deceive is considered lying. And all speeches, written works, spoken and written communications that promote moral laxity and undermine public decency are considered frivilous speech. Abusive and insulting words constitute abrasive speech, and any attempt to create disharmony, distrust and mutual enmity between two parties represents divisive speech.”
“Furthermore, to hold unrelenting attachment to the manifold material desires, to seek excessively despite already having much, is avarice. To meet misfortune and respond with hatred or anger is to be wrathful. Lastly, to be without reason, to be willfully befuddled and doubtful of the words of the Buddha, Sages and the Laws of Karma, is the mental offense of ignorance.”
This post is a translation of Elder Upasaka Li Bing-Nan’s exhortations from his book: The Priceless Treasure that is the Buddha Dharma (printed for free distribution by the Buddha Education Foundation).
Illustrated Retributions of Evil Karma
If you want to understand the myriad retributions for violating the Ten Good Deeds in depth, I highly recommend the The Painting Scenes of the Hells (link below). This masterpiece was drawn by Buddhist cultivator Jiang Zi Yi, based on visions he received.
Recommend Resources on Cultivating Pure Land Buddhism and Good Karma
