Surangama Sutra Exposition
by Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu
Without health, what good is sudden wealth? Health is the most important; everything else comes second. But if a person is both poor and sick, that is truly a bitter kind of suffering.
“What is meant by turbidity?
“Ananda! Take for example clear water, pure and clean by nature. Dust, dirt, and sand are of a different kind; their nature is to remain and obstruct. These two are fundamentally distinct and do not naturally mix.
“Yet there are people in the world who take that dust and throw it into the pure water. The dust loses its obstructing stillness, and the water loses its clarity. Their appearance becomes muddled and disturbed—this is called turbidity.
“Your five kinds of turbidity are also like this.”
The saha world is called the Evil World of Five Turbidities, as mentioned in the Amitabha Sutra. We are originally pure but born into the saha world, inherent with the five turbidities, we too become turbid and defiled. The wondrous luminous true mind becomes mixed with the dust and defilement, likened to pure water mixed with dirt and filth that it is not drinkable anymore.
The physical body, as soon as it is formed, is inherently impure. What we see, hear, taste, touch, or think is unclean, and we are affected by it. It started as two separate things, but once combined, they become turbid. Such is the saha world.
There is the turbidity of afflictions. Everyone, except for the sages, is subject to afflictions. Consider the afflictions that arise in a hospital: one is distressed when told to undergo surgery; one is anxious about whether one has a tumor or cancer—and if it is cancer, one worries about the stage, since stage four is terminal, while in earlier stages, chemotherapy may still be possible. Even if it is only a benign tumor, one may still worry about why it developed in the first place. Was it caused by certain foods or medications? What should I eat, and what should I avoid?
Now, Grandmaster mainly eats fish, eggs, unsweetened yogurt, and some fruits. He eats slowly and chews thoroughly. He does not eat indiscriminately, because he values his health. One must treasure one’s health. Longevity without health is suffering, whereas a long life with health still brings some happiness. Health is the most important; everything else comes second.
Without health, what good is sudden wealth? Much of it would only be spent on medical care. Even traveling becomes difficult without good health. If your eyesight is failing, there is little left to see; if your hearing is gone, what remains to hear? Even so, we still need money to maintain our health, as nutritious food costs money. If a person is both poor and sick, that is truly a bitter kind of suffering.
In America, almost everything costs money. Owning a home comes with property taxes and many expenses—utilities, insurance, and more. In addition, people must pay various kinds of taxes. In Washington State, annual income of above one million dollars is taxed at around 10%.
So, having money is important—but health is even more important. That is why everyone needs to pay attention to their body and well-being and follow a healthy lifestyle. However, different doctors and experts often give different advice, so which one should we follow? They also have their preferences and biases. Some are conscientious and compassionate; they care for their patients, while others are simply doing their job minimally. So this is a kind of affliction too.
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is very compassionate. May Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, herukas, vajra and dharma protectors, dakinis and divinities protect all True Buddha School disciples—may all be healthy, safe, happy, and live each day with joy. That is true happiness.