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28 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
THE ART OF
CULTIVATING
THE MIND
By Venerable Cheng Yen
Dharma Master Cheng Yen was How can you tell how cultured rules or making mistakes-we will
born in 1937 in Taiwan. In late someone is? We can tell from constantly learn to benefit the
1962, at the age of 25, Dharma how a person deals with his people and be in harmony with the
Master Cheng Yen shaved her own circumstances. If he loses his others. Mutual love and respect is
head to formally renounce the lay temper when things do not go the the cultivation of a good habit.
life and start life as a Buddhist way he had wished for, it means
monastic. She is a disciple of his cultivation is not sufficient. He Being calculative and holding
the late Venerable Master Yin has to work harder on cultivating grudges is also a habit; it’s a bad
a gentle and broad mind, so that habit that we have to eliminate
Shun (1906-2005) who gave her
his actions and speech may be as quickly. Some people say, this
the Dharma name “Cheng Yen”,
soothing as the spring breeze. person is really nice, but this person
and advice her that as a Buddhist
just likes to hold grudges. This is
monastic, she must always
If a person’s mind is tainted by a very apparent habitual attitude.
remember to work for Buddhism greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, We often hear about people like
and for all living beings. In 1966, and doubt, this person cannot this: he has a good heart but has
at the age of 29, Dharma Master stay pure and diligent on the a bad temper or he gets impulsive
Cheng Yen founded Tzu Chi. She path of Buddhism. Cultivation is very easily. Holding grudges and
deeply believes that all people the art of properly repenting and having a bad temper, what kind of
are capable of the same great cleansing the impurities in our impression does that leave? When
compassion as the Buddha. True minds. Actually, habitual tendencies you lose your temper, you ruin your
compassion, however, is not just and thoughts are intangible and image.
having sympathy for another’s invisible, so how do they taint our
suffering—it is to reach out minds? If we can constantly remind Fury is like fire
to relieve that suffering with ourselves to not be greedy, to not When one loses his temper,
be angry, to not be egotistic, to not his thoughts are confused, his
concrete actions. In founding
be arrogant, then we can maintain expression is ugly, and his words
Tzu Chi, Dharma Master Cheng
a heart of compassion and treat are violent. “Losing your temper is a
Yen wished to give ordinary
everyone with gentle love. If a heart momentary insanity.” Many people
citizens the chance to actualize
is always filled with love so gentle have a habit of losing their temper
this compassion, which will bring and kind, how could it be tainted? easily. Whenever something does
inner peace and happiness to the not go according to their wishes
individual, and pave the way for The essential key is how we or when they misunderstand or
world peace and harmony. cultivate this good habit, good misconstrue others’ actions and
thinking. If everyone can be mindful speech, they create conflict with
in each step-not overstepping others.
