Free from Antagonism  

Yutang Lin

 

 

One who learns to become a Buddha should know that
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas treat all beings equally
       With merciful gaze and compassionate mind
Thinking only on how to relieve sufferings and beget happiness
And lead beings all the way toward and until full enlightenment

A Dharma practitioner should know that
Interactions with others in daily life activities
As well as attitudes and actions taken in treating other beings
If they are still mixed with comparisons and retribution
Those would be the surfacing of one's grasping
Now that one aims at full enlightenment
One should be free from antagonism
Take the opportunity to reduce and extinguish personal grasping
And thereby approach closer to Buddha's path of actions

This is mistake that a practitioner could easily commit
And also a fine point for reflection on the Dharma path
May all Dharma practitioners become able to reflect soon afterwards
At every mistake that one has inadvertently made from time to time
And thus soon gain steady progresses on the path to full enlightenment

Written in Chinese and translated on February 21, 2012
El Cerrito, California