Redirecting "Oneself" to All Beings

Yutang Lin

 

Generally speaking

A person's thoughts are mostly about and for oneself

Even Dharma practitioners

Could hardly change this habitual tendency

 

Whenever one thinks about oneself

One could redirect the thought on oneself

As referring to all sentient beings

And then one's mind no longer remains narrow and self-reflecting

But opens up to boundless expanse

The minor sufferings and hardships that one was preoccupied with

Would be replaced by

Great sufferings and calamities that are always present everywhere

Thus one would be awakened in awe

As to how one's mind could be so attached in delusion to a small spot

In complete neglect and oblivion of the whole panorama

 

If one could constantly redirect one's thoughts in this manner

Taking all sentient beings as oneself

And think of all beings as soon as one thinks about one's tiny self

Compassion and wisdom will naturally grow from thought to thought

Attainment of awakening and full enlightenment

And then helping all beings to attain enlightenment

Through endless salvation activities

Could all be expected to become realized in time

 

 

Written in Chinese and translated on March 12, 2011

El Cerrito, California