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Seek True Principles,

Life after Life

Dharma Master Cheng Yen
Compiled into English by the Dharma as Water Editorial Team

Humans have a body that undergoes birth, aging, illness, and death and a
wisdom-life that is undying. We must make use of this impermanent life to
seek our everlasting wisdom-life.
Jing Si Aphorism by Dharma Master Cheng Yen

fter the Buddha left home to become You can do what normal people cannot? For
a monastic, He engaged in spiritual example, before You became a monastic, You
Acultivation and attained enlightenment. had everything that most people wished for.
Then He led His disciples far and wide to How were You so determined that You gave up
spread the Dharma. After a period of time, everything? What force drove You to take the
many laypeople came to admire His wisdom and path of spiritual cultivation?"
magnificent demeanor, so one after another, they
The Buddha smiled at His disciples and
also joined the Sangha1 to engage in pure spiritual
said, "Actually, my determination did not simply
practice.
arise in this lifetime. Let me explain the karmic
Because of the way many of them came to conditions from a past life…"
be monastics, many of His disciples remained
Then, the Buddha told this story…
confused by the path He took. The Buddha
Countless kalpas3 ago, there lived a very wise
had once been a prince who enjoyed the great
king. Under his leadership, his country prospered,
splendors and wealth of palace life, but in His
and his people lived in peace. One day, the king
youth, He left His wife and young son to engage
told the servant responsible for his grooming,
in spiritual practice as a monastic. His situation
"Pay attention to something for me. If you notice
was very different from that of most spiritual
a gray hair on my head, you must immediately
practitioners, who usually became monastics after
tell me." Then some time passed, and one day
fulfilling their responsibilities to their families
the servant noticed a gray hair as he brushed the
and their work. Therefore, His will to give
king's hair, so he reported it to the king right
up everything and walk the path of spiritual
away.
cultivation was often the subject of discussion
within the Sangha. The king said, "Pull out that gray hair and
One day, the bhiksus2 had gathered to place it in my palm." The servant respectfully
complied with his order. The king looked at this
discuss this topic again. This time, the Buddha
gray hair and thought, "I am old now. How many
noticed them talking in small groups, so He
days do I have left to live? In the past, I gave
asked, "What are you discussing? Allow me to
everything I had to my country. Now, I must
resolve your confusion."
immediately engage in spiritual cultivation and
So, one of the bhiksus said, "Venerable
find my own spiritual path."
Buddha, there is something we do not understand.
How do You perceive life in such a way that
62 Tzu Chi uSA SuMMER 2014