Do Not Trail Along

Yutang Lin

With pure mind to spread the Dharma to all equally;
Advices given now and then on suitable occasions.
Views and behaviors of thousand varieties yield variations;
Do not trail along others?ways and fall into illusive grasping.

Comments:

In propagating the Dharma, one should, with an equal mind, provide service to all who comes into contact. If someone is doing his own thing in conflict with the teachings of Buddhism, then, based on compassion, admonishment and advices should be given at appropriate occasions. However, it could not be pushed and insisted to the extent that unwise disputes arise. All sorts of sentient beings with variant views and behaviors yield the colorful phenomena as we witness. With such an understanding, one should tolerate all varieties with a mind as open and broad as the whole Dharmadhatu. Thus one may transcend disputes and discord, and no longer bound within quarreling. Do not trail along others?commitment into making it a source of one own sorrows and worries. Each has his own causes, conditions and the resulting consequences; there is no need to be trapped into entanglements. Only when there is one more mind clear and peaceful, will there be one more chance of a world in peace and harmony.

Written in Chinese: December 8, 1998
Translated: September 1, 1999
El Cerrito, California

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