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Making Good Connections

Enables the Bodhisattva Path

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

When we have a positive karmic connection with someone,
every word they speak is Dharma.
When we have a negative karmic connection with them,
every word they speak creates conflict.
Dharma Master Cheng Yen

uring the Buddha’s time, there was a Ananda was astonished. “Why are you asking
very poor woman who would turn and me for teachings?" he asked her. "Why do you not
Dtake another route whenever she saw listen to the Buddha’s teachings? It is clear that
the Buddha near. He was revered by everyone— you have great faith.”
kings, ministers, and elders—but this poor
“Every time I see the Buddha, I feel irritated
woman detested Him. So, many people thought
and unhappy,” the woman said. “I don’t know
this was odd. “The Buddha is the teacher of
why. But when I see you, I feel joy and want to
heavenly beings and humans,” they said. “Why
follow you. Please teach me!”
can’t this woman be transformed by Him?” It
“I need to bring you to the Buddha,” Ananda
was obvious to all that this woman did not like
replied. “It is not right that you feel disdain
the Buddha.
toward Him. If you want me to help you find the
“This woman does not have a positive karmic
Dharma, you must first repent to Him.”
connection with me,” the Buddha explained, “but
Now it was the woman who felt reluctant,
she does have a positive karmic connection with
but she nevertheless obeyed and followed Ananda
Ananda.”
to see the Buddha. When they arrived, she knelt
Everyone was skeptical. "The woman will
and repented before the Buddha. People were
not even listen to the Buddha. Why would she
amazed. They wanted to know what causes and
listen to Ananda?"
conditions had brought this about.
So, the Buddha instructed Ananda to find
The Buddha began to explain the karmic
the woman, befriend her, and then bring her back
laws of cause and effect. “As are the causes and
to Him.
conditions, so are the results and retributions,"
"Will I really be able to do this?" Ananda was said the Buddha, and He began to tell this story.
incredulous.
In a previous lifetime many eons ago, there
"All you need to do is find her, and she will were two spiritual practitioners studying with the
naturally follow you," the Buddha said. same teacher. One day, the two went out to beg
for alms on the street. They walked one in front
Ananda did not dare question the Buddha,
of the other, and when they came upon a woman
so he reluctantly went to find her. He knew the
crying, the monk in front asked, "Why are you
path she took to beg for food each day, so he
crying so?"
waited there for her. As soon as the woman saw
him, she joyfully prostrated and asked Ananda to The woman confided in him and shared that
teach her the Dharma. her husband had died many years ago and her

5 8 Tzu CHi uSA FALL 2013