Whether You Are a Mahayana Bodhisattva Is Not Determined by How Much Merit You Accumulate

The key to determining whether someone is a Mahayana Bodhisattva does not lie in whether they have created wholesome or unwholesome karma. Rather, the crucial point is whether they genuinely aspire to "attain supreme Buddhahood above, and deliver sentient beings below."

As Master Ouyi stated: "All phenomena lack an inherent nature and entirely follow the turning of the mind. If the mind is directed toward Bodhi, all phenomena flow toward Bodhi. If the mind is directed toward fame and fortune, all phenomena flow toward fame and fortune."

If we perform a wholesome deed today—whether through giving, upholding precepts, or cultivating patience and meditation—we can only say that such wholesome karma will yield a pleasant karmic reward. What ultimate direction will this pleasant reward take? This wholesome karma does not yet have a predetermined direction—"all phenomena lack an inherent nature." Who, then, determines this direction? It "entirely follows the turning of the mind." Your initial motivation dictates the trajectory of this wholesome karma.

If you cultivate wholesome karma for the sake of Bodhi—"if the mind is directed toward Bodhi, all phenomena flow toward Bodhi"—your acts of giving and upholding precepts may superficially appear as ordinary human or celestial virtues. However, because they are guided by Bodhicitta, they become entirely imbued with the essence of Bodhi. Conversely, if your giving and upholding of precepts are aimed at securing pleasant worldly rebirths—"if the mind is directed toward fame and fortune, all phenomena flow toward fame and fortune"—then your wholesome karma becomes completely stained by the scent of fame and fortune. When the cause is defiled, the resulting reward will naturally be defiled as well.

Consider this: during his causal stage, the Buddha cultivated various wholesome deeds; Mara (the Demon King) also cultivated many wholesome deeds during his causal stage. Naturally, we despise Mara because he obstructs spiritual practitioners. Yet, from the scriptures, we learn that in his past lives, Mara also practiced extensive generosity. He built monasteries, hosted numerous grand unrestricted assemblies, made offerings to a Pratyekabuddha, and even upheld the Eight Precepts. Due to the power of these three types of meritorious karma, he was reborn as Mara, enjoying the worldly pleasures of the five desires.

Why is it that the wholesome karma cultivated by the Buddha resulted in the magnificent, pure, and adorned reward of Buddhahood—complete with the Three Bodies, Four Wisdoms, Five Eyes, and Six Supernatural Powers? Yet, when the exact same wholesome karma entered Mara's mind, it turned into a defiled retribution of worldly desires? Why would identical wholesome karma lead to such vastly different outcomes? It is precisely due to the difference in initial motivation. It is because we give this wholesome karma a different direction, steering it toward entirely different outcomes.

In his collected writings, Master Yin Guang provided an analogy: When a cow drinks water, driven by a virtuous disposition, it transforms that water into milk to nourish living beings. When a venomous snake drinks water, driven by anger and malice, it turns that water into deadly venom to harm others. Both creatures drink the exact same water, yet one produces milk while the other produces poison. This perfectly illustrates the truth that "all phenomena lack an inherent nature and entirely follow the turning of the mind."

Therefore, from the very beginning of our Buddhist practice, we must sincerely align our intentions and rectify our minds. We must be absolutely clear about our goal: What are you truly pursuing in your life? This is the crucial point. If we lose sight of Bodhicitta, any virtuous practices we undertake are essentially Mara's deeds.

As stated in the Avatamsaka Sutra: "To cultivate virtuous practices while forgetting Bodhicitta is called Mara's deeds." Why are they Mara's deeds? Because if you do not seek supreme Bodhi, your virtuous practices are merely aimed at securing human or celestial rebirths, and in your next life, you will attract a karmic reward of wealth and status. However, such blessed circumstances easily cause one to degenerate. The greater your blessings, the heavier your karmic entanglements and the busier your life becomes. The very wholesome karma you cultivated in your past life transforms into an obstacle in this life. When you want to practice the Dharma, it becomes exceedingly difficult because you are distracted by endless worldly affairs. This obstruction to your cultivation of the holy path is exactly what "Mara's deeds" entails. What Mara does is simply to obstruct practitioners, hoping that no one will seek liberation and all will continue to cycle endlessly within the Three Realms.

Thus, we must understand that the true condition for entering the Mahayana path has nothing to do with how much merit and virtue you have accumulated. Rather, it rests entirely on the genuine awakening of Bodhicitta within your heart. This is our absolute foundation.