Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters – 28
8 Dharma Friends
Practitioners need dharma friends, who help you distinguish clearly
between the clean and the unclean.
First, colleagues living at will in forests and mountains
can help you wipe out the mind of anger.
Second, colleagues keeping precepts seriously
can help you fade away the five desires.
Third, colleagues with profound wisdom
can help you escape from the shore of delusion.
Fourth, colleagues with vast knowledge
can help you solve the hard and doubtful issues.
Fifth, colleagues of peace and serenity
can help you easily advance.
Sixth, colleagues of patience and modesty
can help you remove arrogance.
Seventh, colleagues of sincerity and frankness
can help you avoid mistakes.
Eighth, colleagues of vigor and zeal
can help you attain the fruits of the Way.
Ninth, colleagues unattached to possessions and eager to donate can
help you destroy miserliness.
Tenth, colleagues merciful and caring for all beings
can help you liberate from the clinging to self and others.
QUANG TRI
(COMMENT: Buddha, parents, teachers, dharma friends, books… We
need so much help on the way to liberation, because we have to learn a
lot, keep precepts strictly, find an environment adequate for learning
and meditation. But only you can watch your mind, and only you can
wipe out the three poisons – desire, hatred and ignorance -- binding
you in the cycle of rebirth.)
