Listen to the Dharma Earnestly
How to listen to the dharma earnestly? Teacher mentioned 2 methods. Firstly, it is to repeat and repeat listening. By repetitively listening to the dharma, you will slowly get to understand the meaning of the contents in the Lamrim, and you are also getting very close to Master Jih-Chang’s heart. Teacher cited herself as an example. Before meeting Master Jih-Chang, she learned her Lamrim very seriously and she would diligently listen to Master Jih-Chang’s tapes. When she met Master Jih-Chang, she realised a lot of his teachings had been heard on the tapes before and she could mention to him which part of the tapes she heard it from. When she sought Master Jih-Chang’s advice or when in discussions, she was always very happy because she felt that she was very close to him. Teacher hoped that when she meets us in the future and discuss the Lamrim together, be prepared that when she asks any question, you have to be very familiar with the Lamrim studies at your fingers tips!
The second method is to make aspirations. Teacher said that making aspirations should become our habits, regardless whether anyone or no one pushes you to do so. It is very important to have making aspirations become habitual. You make an aspiration to listen to the Lamrim in order to attain Buddhahood; you make an aspiration to listen to the Lamrim in order to help all sentient beings be liberated. In actual fact, when you supplicate fervently in front of the Buddha in your daily prayers, your aspirations will be in concordant to what you heard in the Lamrim, that is Mahayana virtuous root! Everybody knows that, for where your aspiration is directed towards, it will take you to that destination, your final goal. So this aspiration is like a directional sign, it is very, very important.
To what extent do we practice making aspirations? It is not just merely saying, “I take refuge until I am enlightened in the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha. By the positive potential I create by practicing generosity and the other far-reaching attitudes, may I attain Buddhahood in order to benefit all sentient beings,” just casually recite. It must be (recited) in concordant with your aspiration, which touches your heart and motivates you to make such a great aspiration!
Will you think of making aspirations as your daily activity? Will you aim to make aspirations daily every 2-hourly? Will you want to make aspirations during the festive periods? Will you aspire to attain Buddhahood during friends and relatives gathering? A lot of times we have forgotten about this very important task, because it has not become our habits in our lives. We can practise making aspirations in our Lamrim class, after practising for a few years, Teacher hopes that when we discuss about our goal of attaining Buddhahood, it will motivate us progressively.
Translation and review by Jasmine Ng and Dawn Chen