Replenishing Your Buddhist Power: Common Questions from Intermediate Practitioners Answered by Ven. Chang Ge

About Ven. Chang Ge (常格法師):

After graduating from Dharma Drum Sangha University (DDSU) in 2011 with a major in Buddhist studies, Ven. Chang Ge has served at DDM Laity Education Department as a member and lecturer for the Buddhist Teachings Program. She is now the Dean of Student Affairs for Nuns at DDSU.

When she was a lay practitioner, Ven. Chang Ge has taken DDM's Buddhist Teachings Program and participated in seven-day meditation retreats. After her ordination, Ven. Chang Ge became a lecturer for the Buddhist Teachings Program, sharing Buddhist teachings and guiding other practitioners in Chan practice. Having been through different phases along the journey of Buddhist practice, Ven. Chang Ge still learns and grows from various challenges. In this issue, let's follow Ven. Chang Ge to explore the obstacles along the way of learning Buddhist teachings to further transcend and dissolve the attachment to the notion of self.
 

Q1: After years of practicing, I still suffer from leg pain and afflictions during sitting meditation. What can I do?

A: First, we must understand that it is inevitable to have leg pain during sitting meditation. Master Sheng Yen often encouraged us to practice the method without seeking anything. As we keep familiarizing ourselves with the method, things will fall into place. As long as we keep practicing the method, our mind will gradually settle down. When our mind attains a certain state of stillness through practicing the method, we can realize that "it is our legs feeling painful, not me being painful" or that "there is still vexation, but the mind is not bothered by it; there are still wandering thoughts, but the mind is not disturbed by them." In this way, we can gradually gain more confidence, knowing that leg pain is merely a process.

However, we must understand that one occurrence of successful practice sessions does not imply its success in all future sessions. Take myself as an example: I have been practicing Chan for more than ten years, and I do not necessarily have a good session every time, despite my previous good ones. However, through practice, we will become more and more aware of our own physical and mental states, which is an ever-changing process.

If vexation still lingers, it is time to pause and examine ourselves. Master Sheng Yen was once asked how to know if one had made progress in one's practice. The Master replied that we can examine it by checking if our own vexation diminishes over time and if we are causing less vexation to others. The other way to check is by seeing if our character has been uplifted. With a strong personality and a short temper, I used to fly into a rage over trivial things. Ever since I started practicing Buddhist teachings, my mood has become more stable. Moreover, in the past few years, I have gained deeper realization through serving at monastic assignments.

From the perspective of the Yogachara school, when viewing a piece of abstract painting, in the eyes of one hundred, one thousand, and even ten thousand people, everyone has different feelings and perceptions towards the very same painting. In other words, everyone lives in their own world of perceptions. Just like a rainy day, it gets some people down while others find it romantic. Therefore, being misunderstood by others is inevitable, especially when we lack the opportunity to communicate with one another. With such realization, I find it easier to accept being misunderstood and take it as quite normal. When looking at the circumstances of other organizations, I would also put myself in their shoes by thinking what obstacles and concerns they might have. In doing so, I not only prevent myself from having vexation but also cause less vexation to others.

Moreover, the ultimate goal of my cultivation is to let go of self-centeredness. Whenever I hear different opinions, it is a great opportunity to try to put aside the notion of self, detach my emotions from events, and reflect on myself by correcting the mistakes I have made and proceeding with what is sensible.


Q2: Should Buddhist practitioners never lose their temper?

A: It's very unlikely that a person never loses their temper because we are still ordinary people. If a person is practicing Buddhist teachings earnestly, they should be more and more honest with themselves. Take myself as an example: when I felt upset, I used to be reluctant to admit it, saying "I'm not angry!" Now, I see feeling angry in a different light. Being able to be aware of our anger, unhappiness, and vexation draws us closer to clarity or awakening.

A student once shared that if they are upset, they will make the following three remarks: "I feel angry, I feel angry, and I feel angry." The first "I feel angry" means "I am aware that I feel angry;" the second means "I allow myself to feel angry;" the last one means "I am accompanying myself to go through the feeling of anger."

In this "book of life," we have been flipping through its pages for decades. The more we go through, the clearer we will be about ourselves as well as the route for our vexation to arise. For example, we might get upset upon hearing a word in the past, whereas now we might be able to immediately become aware of the changes in our emotions. It means that we are progressing a bit in our practice. However, it is not enough to only be aware of emotions, since it requires using the method to tune our body and mind.

Several years ago, I served as a chief coordinator for a camp, during which our team members had some issues. However, the program was underway, and I could not find a solution at that time. I felt depressed to the core, like having a boulder on my chest. Later, I went to make prostrations before the Buddha, which is the one method I have long applied whenever I encountered obstacles that I cannot overcome.

Slowly, as my body became relaxed, my mind mellowed as well. I then started praying to Guanyin Bodhisattva, for supporting me to have the compassion and wisdom to cope with the current situation so that I can take care of the camp participants. At that very moment, I suddenly had a strong sense that even when others misunderstand me, Guanyin Bodhisattva would never do so! I felt like I was receiving an empathetic response from the Bodhisattva, which rendered me even softer and humbler, yet more powerful. With the change in my attitude, the situation was turned around.

Everyone has emotional ups and downs. The point is to be aware of vexation when our emotion, be it anger or depression, arises. The first step is to be aware of it, after which we apply a wholesome method to cope with it, in order to truly leave suffering behind.


Q3: People around me devoted themselves diligently to practice while I keep on my relatively mild practice intensity. Does it mean that I lack the faith to attain enlightenment?

In the process of our Buddhist learning, we all have been through a period where we vigorously devote ourselves to intense Buddhist practice. However, what follows might be slackness and laziness. Therefore, Master Sheng Yen often reminded us that spiritual cultivation should be practiced like tuning musical instruments--that is, neither too loose nor too tight-- so that our practice can be everlasting like a gentle water flow.

There is no need to compare our cultivation with that of others. Instead, what we need to develop is our awareness of our actions and thoughts. If we find ourselves less and less engaged in the practice of Dharma centers and the teachings of the Three Jewels, it is time to create favorable causes and conditions for self-cultivation. As mentioned in Master Zhiyi's work Mohe Zhiguan (摩訶止觀), virtuous friends (kalyana-mitra) can be categorized into three types: reliable Buddhist teachers, reliable fellow-practitioners, and reliable Buddhist patrons. Among them, fellow-practitioners play a crucial role in our learning. When I was still a lay practitioner, I joined Dharma Drum for Young People (DDYP), where I met like-minded friends to attend the Buddhist Teachings Program together, participated in seven-day retreats, and learned how to use Dharma instruments. When I occasionally felt like slacking off, I would get phone calls asking me to help with DDYP activities. Therefore, we can move towards a wholesome and virtuous direction through the cohesive energy of a group. The same thing applies to my mother. After her grandchildren were born, my mother's life was completely occupied with family. But whenever fellow practitioners called and asked for help in a support-chanting service, the group's power would bring her back to the Dharma center. Thus, there is no need to compare our practice with that of others, but we must be self-aware and create favorable causes and conditions for ourselves to join the company of virtuous friends as well as learn correct Buddhist teachings.

As for the question of whether relatively mild practice intensity implies that one lacks the faith to attain enlightenment, practice intensity and the faith to attain enlightenment are two different things, which cannot be mixed together. The point is whether we are aware of our mentality. If one practices Buddhist teachings to gain karmic rewards in the human and heavenly realms, it will not be easy for one to develop the determination for renunciation of samsara. Perhaps one can ask oneself what the purpose of life is, for one to go through so much in the process. The Buddha had already shown us the bodhi path to transcend samsara while benefiting ourselves and others. It is all up to us to walk the path or not.


Q4: Some people have been learning Buddhist teachings for a long time but they act in the same old way . It seems that learning Buddhist teachings is useless.

A: Occasionally I would hear lay practitioners complaining: "People come to Dharma centers to learn Buddhist teachings for quite a while. Why do they still act in the same way? They even fight and scheme against one another over power and resources." Along the journey of learning and practicing Buddhist teachings, everyone has different causes and conditions. When we see such phenomena, it is time to ask ourselves how we perceive these phenomena, which should be the very subject of our practice. As a matter of fact, people we met at Dharma centers are not saints; nonetheless, they are people who want to practice Buddhist teachings. Thus, it is normal that these practitioners still have vexations derived from greed, anger, and ignorance. As we understand the causes behind these phenomena, and accept people as who they are with a spirit of inclusiveness, we can help one another keep coming to Dharma centers to learn correct Buddhist teachings and further improve ourselves. In doing so, we are embodying compassion and wisdom.
 

Q5: When facing provocation or misunderstanding, how do we defend Buddhism?

A: Master Sheng Yen once said that the best way to cope with provocation is to keep on manifesting correct Buddhist practice. In my case, the best way to support Buddhist teachings and the Sangha is to do my own part as a monastic. When we have correct Buddhist views and devote ourselves to practice by incorporating Buddhist teachings into our daily life, we will have less vexation and cause less vexation to others. This way, our conduct will be the greatest affirmative argument for Buddhism.



Compiled by Ven. Yan Wen (演穩法師) based on the interview with Ven. Chang Ge 

 
Happy Buddhists: Common Questions from Beginners Answered by Ven. Chang Yong

Replenishing Your Buddhist Power: Common Questions from Intermediate Practitioners Answered by Ven. Chang Ge

Common Questions from Advanced Chan Practitioners Answered by Ven. Chang Chii



Resource: Issue 492 of Humanity Magazine (August 2024), Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Translation: Li Siang-ling
Editing: Keith Brown, James