As to we people who are born in this world: some of us have come to repay our debts. Some have come to make debts. Some have come to cultivate the Way. Some have come to create karma. Some have come for fame. Some have come for profit. Some have come for food. Some have come for sex. We ourselves do not know the causes and effects of our past existences, nor how to cut off the delusions and put a stop to the flow. Moreover, most do not wish to understand the good and evil karmic conditions of their past lives or to change their faults and start anew. Instead, we discharge our responsibilities in a perfunctory manner and act in reckless ways.

Even though there may be those who possess wisdom and who wish to know their past lives and perpetuate the causes for sagehood, still, it is not easy. Nor is it easy for them to suddenly arrive at an understanding, to remain forever unchanging, and to endure suffering and toil. That is because ignorance is difficult to break through and obstructions pile up layer upon layer. Outflows are hard to replenish and doubts billow like thick clouds.

Those of us who truly wish to understand, must seek within themselves when things do not go our way. We should not curse heaven and blame others. We should subdue ourselves and return to propriety. We should not contend, not be greedy, not seek, not be selfish, not pursue personal benefits, and not lie. In dealing with situations, when adversity comes, accept it compliantly. We should be friendly and humble toward all people. We must bear what others cannot bear. Yield what others cannot yield. Eat what others cannot eat. Accept what others cannot accept.

That's because you should know that most ordinary people repay virtue with enmity. But they are the very ones who help us perfect the strength of our patience! Whenever unreasonable and adverse situations feed on each other and others slander us, we see them as our Good and Wise Advisors intent upon helping us increase our virtue and our cultivation of the Way.

A verse says:

When adversity comes,
accept it compliantly all the way to Paramita.
Advisors like Devadatta help us.
Retributions for past lives' kindness and enmity
are being received in this life.
Distant eons' grievances and affinities
are being cleaned up now.
In reconciling accounts and repaying debts,
we should not delay our payments.
We should establish merit, atone for our offenses,
and not let life pass in vain.
Clearly understanding good and evil,
be careful about cause and effect.
Be as if perched on the edge of a deep abyss,
as if treading on thin ice:
how could we expect escape to be easy?

What is meant by "adversity"? Adverse conditions are anything that you don't like to have happen to you; things that go against you. If there are things that you like, then they are not considered adverse conditions. But the things that you don't like, or the situations that go against your grain, are called "adversities."

For example, there may be things you don't like to hear, but people will say exactly those things to you. There may be things you don't like to eat, but you will be given that very food. There may be things that you absolutely can't bear, but you have to bear them.

When adversity comes, accept it compliantly. That means accept them in an harmonious and gracious manner. For example, if someone scolds you, you should think, "Oh, this person is singing a song for me. I should enjoy listening to this song." What's so bad about getting a scolding? Just accept it compliantly and happily. In that way you can cultivate the strength of patience.

Adverse conditions create heroes. Situations can be either favorable or adverse. But if things go against you, they are the very things that increase your resolution and your will power so that you will bring forth the determined resolve to be a genuine person. That's the meaning behind "adverse conditions create heroes."

When you cultivate, you shouldn't be greedy for people to make offerings to you, thinking, "Oh, if people would give me food and clothes, that would be very good." That's a pretty meaningless attitude. Rather you should think, "There's nobody making offerings to me and I should be happy about that. If I don't have food to eat, I'll just go on a fast. If I don't have enough clothes to wear, I'll just fortify my body so that I'm not turned by either cold or heat. I can bear it. And if I don't have a place to stay, I can live under a tree." You should train yourself that way.

You shouldn't be greedy for people to give you things or feel happy if you get some little thing from them. If you don't have virtue in the Way and you accept offerings from other people, it's not easy to digest them. That's why it's said, "If you haven't done away with the three aspects of thought, it's hard to digest even water." The three aspects of thought are thoughts of the present, thoughts of the past, and thoughts of the future. If you always have those three aspects of thought and strike up a lot of false thinking, then even if you were to drink just one swallow of water offered by people, you wouldn't be able to digest it. Therefore it's said:

In the future one will have to reborn as a cow or a horse to pay back the debts. Or one will be a chicken and have to lay eggs. When a chicken lays an egg, she says "Guo da! Guo da!" "Guo da" can mean "My offenses are great!" If interpreted this way, then she sounds like she is honestly repenting and reforming. But does she really understand? No. She's not really admitting that her offenses are great.

Actually, she's saying, "The eggs I lay are larger than anyone else's" Because "da" can also mean "exceptionally big!--oversized!" And so she's still exaggerating. You should know that when a chicken has to lay eggs, she's paying back for the offerings she received from other people in the past.

To "cultivate the strength of your patience" means you train yourself to take things that go against you. You fortify your strength of patience to the point that you can endure what cannot be endured.

As to we people who are born in this world: some of us have come to repay our debts. This means that in the past, some of us overspent; we overdrew our accounts. As a result, we have to come to this world to pay back our debts. All of us have come to this world to repay debts. What debts? If you are someone's son, you are repaying debts by being a son. If you are someone's father, you are repaying debts by being a father. If you are someone's husband, you are repaying debts by being a husband. If you are someone's wife, you are repaying debts by being a wife. And if you are a disciple, you are repaying debts by being a disciple. But if you are my disciple and you don't want to repay them, that's all right.

Some have come to make debts. Some of us want to take out more loans. What do people like that do? They are always trying to get off cheap. They are always mooching off other people. They refuse to ever take a loss. People who are not willing to take losses are here to make more debts.

Some have come to cultivate the Way. That's like some of you here who have left the home-life to cultivate the Way. Some have come to create karma. There are people who come to this world to kill, to commit arson, and to steal. All that creates karma. I'm just speaking in general terms. If you analyze this in depth, you will see that there are numerous variations. Many, many people have come here to create karmic offenses.

Some have come for fame. All day long they want to be number one. They are trying to buy a name and fish for a reputation. They want a name, even though it is false. Some have come for profit. Some people have come into this world only in order to strike it rich. They just want to make money. They don't know about anything else. You tell them about something else and they say, "I don't care about that. Just as long as I have money, everything is fine." For money, they would do anything. Once the rooster crows and they get out of bed, the only thing they have in their minds is to rake in the dollar bills.

Some have come for food. They say, "If a person lives his whole without knowing how to eat, he's really an idiot! I've got to eat delicious dishes and rare delicacies every day!" As long as the food they eat is delicious, they don't want anything else. Just take a look at the way pigs eat soybeans. If you feed them soybeans, they shove their snouts right into the soybean mix, flapping their ears up and down. In the past, I've fed pigs and I know the way they eat. The way chickens eat is to peck at their food non-stop, to the point that they entirely forget everything else.

Some have come for sex. They think that the pleasure between men and women is the greatest pleasure--that there's nothing higher. If they can't enjoy that pleasure, they feel they might as well die.

We ourselves do not know the causes and effects of our past existences, nor how to cut off the delusions and put a stop to the flow. They aren't willing to cut off the flow of birth and death.

Moreover, most do not wish to understand the good and evil karmic conditions of their past lives They don't want to learn about what karma they have created and what effects they will reap. For example, a good act will reap a good result. An evil act will reap an evil result. But most people do not wish to know these things. They just go about life in a very muddled way. They don't want to change their faults and start anew. They would never say, "The reason why I'm going through so much suffering now is because in the past I didn't cultivate. And so now I will change my faults and really cultivate well." They wouldn't do that.

Instead, we discharge our responsibilities in a perfunctory manner and act in reckless ways. They say, "Hmm. Just live day-to-day. Just muddle along." They are sloppy and casual.

Even though there may be those who possess wisdom and who wish to know their past lives--there may be people with some wisdom who want to know about their previous lives. Someone may find out that in his last life he was a dog because in times past, he always liked to fight with people. He liked to bite people. Wise people will want to know their past lives and perpetuate the causes for sagehood. Say in the past they planted causes that will lead to sagehood and so in this life they want to continue those causes. But, still, it is not easy.

Nor is it easy for them to suddenly arrive at an understanding--to suddenly understand their past lives. Nor is it easy for them to remain forever unchanging. That is, they may think, "No matter whether I get a response or not, I'm still going to cultivate. I'm going to be forever unchanging," but it's not easy for them to endure suffering and toil. Most people would say, "I've already taken too much of a loss." They don't wish to endure suffering. That is because ignorance is difficult to break through. Ignorance is very hard to smash. And obstructions pile up layer upon layer. There are many obstructions that impede our cultivation.

Outflows are hard to replenish. Our outflows are like a leak in a bottle. You can fill the bottle up, but the water leaks out again. And doubts billow like thick clouds.
You talk to people about the Buddhadharma, and they start having doubts. They say, "Is it really that way?" Their doubts are as thick as clouds. You talk to them about the truth and they don't want to believe it. Just now someone said that he doubted whether virtue in the Way--virtuous behavior--was a true principle. That's really a pity!

Those of us who truly wish to understand, must seek within themselves when things do not go our way. When things are going the wrong way, for example, when people are not treating you well, you should "return the light and illumine within." Always return the light. "See within yourself." This means to find your own faults; not to blame others.
We should not curse heaven and blame others. People shouldn't say, "Heaven is unfair; people are unjust. Why is it that I'm so poor and he's so rich?" We should subdue ourselves and return to propriety. This means we should retrain our selfish desires and always comply with proper principle.

We should not contend, not be greedy, not seek, not be selfish, not pursue personal benefits, and not lie. In dealing with situations, when adversity comes, accept it compliantly. We should be friendly and humble toward all people. Being friendly doesn't mean that one fawns on people, trying to play up to them. It's not that when a wealthy person shows up, one makes bows and fusses over them, fawning in a disgusting manner, but that when poor people come, one won't even look at them. One won't pay the least bit of attention to them. That's not the way to be.

We must bear what others cannot bear. Yield what others cannot yield. Eat what others cannot eat. Accept what others cannot accept.

That's because you should know that most ordinary people repay virtue with enmity. Most people in the world are quite mundane: the better you are to them, the more animosity they feel towards you. And so they repay kindness with enmity. Why do they do that? They behave that way out of stupidity. That's how stupid people are: the kinder you are to them, the more they return your kindness with resentment. But even though that's the way things are, still, we have to be kind to people. We should still behave virtuously towards people. Let them be as they will.

We must use this attitude as we cultivate the Way. But we must also understand that there are two sides to most questions. That means that every person has his or her own reasons for doing the things they do. When we cultivate, we must focus our attention on one thing: we must make sure that we ourselves are behaving correctly. But we don't need to pay attention to whether other people are behaving correctly. It suffices that we ourselves are doing the right thing.

Whether other people are good to us or not doesn't matter; they may be among those who repay virtue with enmity. But they are the very ones who help us perfect the strength of our patience! If we are good to people, we shouldn't seek a reward from them. When we bestow kindness, we don't ask for recompense. And after we have given something to someone else, we don't regret it. When we are kind to people, we don't want them to pay us back. Why? We should say, "I am representing the Sages. I am representing Heaven and Earth by holding to true principle." We should do things that benefit others. We shouldn't make other people benefit us. "I want to help others; I don't need other people to help me." If we want others to help us, then we will be weak and reliant. If we lack sufficient resolve, we will keep asking other people to help us. We will be sticks-in-the-mud--listless and procrastinating. We won't be able to muster any energy.

We should have a firm will. Adverse conditions mold great people. When people are not good to you, it may be because they are testing to see whether you are true. If you are true--if you are not seeking for any rewards--then what does it matter whether they are good to you or not? It's best you don't believe the principles I am explaining. Once you believe them, you will always be taking a loss!

Whenever unreasonable and adverse situations feed on each other, to the point that people are being very discourteous to us--and others slander us--we should see them as our Good and Wise Advisors intent upon helping us increase our virtue and our cultivation of the Way. They are helping us nurture our blessings, develop our wisdom, and amass virtue in the Way. They are actually helping us out.

I always say to you that there are many people who scold me and slander me. Frequently the ones who scold me are left-home people (monks and nuns). I'm telling you the truth! Some people say, "I haven't seen monks and nuns scold you." Well, how many monks and nuns do you know? Actually, among lay people there are many who slander me as well. There's a saying that goes, "If you don't attract jealousy, then you must be a very ordinary people." But we should look into it: "Why are people scolding me?" It's because they are afraid their Dharma protectors will believe in me and then they won't have anything to eat. They think that if they scold me, then their Dharma protectors will protect their Dharma and then they will have food to eat.

And so, it's a good thing! Indirectly, I'm giving to them. If they scold me, and, after scolding me they get food to eat, then isn't that a case of saving a person's life? Isn't that a good thing? And so, because they scold me, they get Dharma protectors; because they scold me, they obtain benefits. That's excellent! Buddhism advocates compassion, and this is one kind of compassion. Therefore, it's fine. I'm helping them.

A verse says: What follows is a verse. I call it a verse, gatha in Sanskrit. It's not a poem. The words don't have to rhyme and it doesn't have to adhere to a fixed meter. These eight lines have a looser structure.

When adversity comes, accept it compliantly all the way to Paramita. This is a method of crossing to the other shore.

Advisors like Devadatta help us. Shakyamuni Buddha himself said, "Devadatta is the very one who helped me realize Buddhahood." Devadatta was willing to fall into the hells himself, so as to help the Buddha realize Buddhahood.

Retributions for past lives' kindness and enmity are being received in this life. Whether people are kind to us or unkind to us is a matter of conditions from past lives. Now we should pay them back and clear up our accounts. Someone may say, "I don't believe in past lives." Well, I ask you, do you believe there was a yesterday? "Yes, I do." Do you believe there was a last year? "Yes, I do." Well, if you believe that, that's just past lives. Suppose you killed a person last year, and this year someone kills you. If you kill someone's father, then someone will kill your father.

If you kill someone's brother, then someone will kill your brother. If you scold people, then people will scold you back. If you kick somebody, then someone else may slap your face. That's called repayment in kind. You say you don't believe in past lives' retributions. But if someone were to hit you now, would it hurt? If it would hurt, then that is also a retribution.

Distant eons' grievances and affinities are being cleaned up now. Past feuds and grudges are being cleared up now.

In reconciling accounts and repaying debts, we should not delay our payments. People are too concerned about progress. But can it end birth and death? If you can progress to the point that you don't have to die, that's real progress! "Well," someone says, "I don't believe in the principle you are discussing." I didn't ask you to believe. You are so smart that you are unable to believe something that a stupid person like me says.

We should establish merit, atone for our offenses, and not let life pass in vain.We must owe up to our debts. We must pay them back. Don't drag them on. Don't seek foreign aid, so that you accumulate more debts. Instead, we should establish merit and redeem the offenses we created in the past. Don't let life pass in vain!

Clearly understanding good and evil, be careful about cause and effect. We should understand that if we do good, we will get a good reward; if we do evil, we will get an evil retribution. As is the cause, so is the effect.

Be as if perched on the edge of a deep abyss, as if treading on thin ice: how could we expect escape to be easy? It's as if we were approaching a deep abyss or treading on thin ice. It's very difficult to get out of cause and effect. We have to be very careful. Now someone is saying, "Dharma Master, I can't believe a single sentence of what you have said today." Then, I haven't uttered a single sentence!