Part 4
“Furthermore, Subhuti, the Bodhisattvas should not dwell on anything when they practise charity. That is, they should not dwell on sounds, scents, flavours, feelings, or phenomena when they practise charity. Subhuti, the Bodhisattvas should not dwell on forms by practising charity like this.”
“Why? Because if the Bodhisattvas practise charity without dwelling on forms, the merits are inconceivable.”
Commentary:
‘Not dwell on anything’ is so critical that it is no exaggeration to say that it is the core of Buddhism. It means not to attach any labels, words to anything and anyone, which implies to see everything as it really is, or to see everything as empty. So, when we don’t dwell on anything in practising charity, a giver is not a giver, a receiver is not a receiver and charity is not charity, and there is no distinction between the one who practises charity, the one who takes charity and charity itself. No matter what charity we may practise, we should never have the least idea that we practise charity. When there is no distinction at all amongst things and actions in this way, everything becomes one, which is referred to as the true-Self, the Buddha, Emptiness, or Oneness.
In other words, not dwelling on anything when you practise charity implies to see your act of practising charity, the receiver’s action and the charity as the functions of the Buddha.
In short, we should see everything, including ourselves, as the Buddha by seeing it as it is in our everyday life, much more when practising charity.
Then, the merits are inconceivable because the greatest merit of Buddhists is to see the Buddha, that is, to realise that they themselves are the Buddha.
Student: “How is it when we don’t dwell on forms?”
Master: “Who asks whom what?”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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