THE WAY TO A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST

 

By Venerable Master Hsing Yun

 

 

We all look for a bountiful harvest in life.  For instance, farmers want a bumper crop, investors a good return on their capital, and students higher grades.  If we wish for good results, we must first make the sacrifices and do the work hard.  The following are four keys to a bountiful harvest:

 

1. If we want a bumper crop, we must till the land.  If we want a good harvest, we must plow in the spring and cultivate in the summer, so that we may have enough grain to store in the autumn.  In this way, we will not have to worry about the severe winter. Likewise, writers till their creation on paper as they burn the midnight oil, devoting their life to their art.  Teachers patiently write on the blackboard, guiding their students in a tireless effort so as to establish their character and intellect.  Chan practitioners cultivate their mind-field with every successive thought, as they seek to break through delusion and settle their body and mind.

 

2. If we want good fortune, we must be generous in giving.  Good fortune allows us to live in comfort, and it is something we all want.  However, we must first plant the seed of giving if we are seeking good fortune.  “Such is the cause; such is the effect.”  If we do not give, others will not give to us either.  Without contributing anything, it is difficult for us to gain anything.  Therefore, giving is planting seeds, and with the seed of giving, we will enjoy the fruit of wealth.

 

3. If we wish for longevity, we must be compassionate.  Most people like to pray to gods and deities for prosperity, a long life, and happiness.  The truth is that gods, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas do not give us good fortune or a long life.  It is only ourselves who can do so.  If we give people joy, respect their rights, and assist them accordingly, we can naturally live a long life.  Human life is not just the number of years our physical body can live.  It is the lengthening of our life of wisdom.  “In seeking fortune, one should seek lasting fortune; in wishing for longevity, one should wish for the infinite life of wisdom.”  Moreover, our life does not only reside in our body, but lives in our words, virtues, and career.  When we can leave our mark on history, compassion to society, and beauty in the world, we will be living much longer lives.

 

4. If we want wisdom, we must cultivate prajña.  Intelligence and wisdom are not bestowed by heaven, nor do they materialize out of thin air.  If we want wisdom, we must cultivate prajña.  Prajna is our innate nature, our true face, and the origin of all wisdom. Cultivating prajña is the cultivation of our mind.  When our mind is clear, then everything can be understood.  Prajña is thus the treasury of life.

 

 

Ultimately, we should not only look for a bountiful harvest in the material world outside of ourselves, but we must also cultivate our spiritual or inner world.  The latter is the way to attain a true harvest that can last over time.