Chapter Twelve: Exemplary Acts 5

One of the disciple’s nature and behavior were so rough, that even many years after he ordained, he could not correct his bad habits from the past. So, the disciples said to the Founding Master, “It seems that there would not be much benefit even if you were to guide him in the dharma for a hundred years. We think you should return him to society and purify the atmosphere in this practice site.” The Founding Master said, “How could you say such a thing? If he is like this now even in a religious order, what would happen if I sent him back to society? Moreover, to view the practice site and society as separate is a Hīnayāna (Lesser Vehicle) concept and a point of view concerned only with one’s own perfection. From a broader perspective, society’s impurity is in fact the order’s impurity, and the order’s impurity is in fact society’s impurity. How can you say it is appropriate to eliminate only the impurity in the order and send it back to society? In general, the major point of the buddhadharma is to teach all people to the very end by employing all expedient means necessary to guide them toward what is wholesome. If we associate with wholesome people alone, then where is our original duty? Therefore, do not readily hate or abandon those who do not respond right away to what is being taught, but keep trying hard to teach them until the very end. If a person cannot take it and wants to leave, then let him, but unless he does so, do not let him ever set aside his affinities to achieve buddhahood together with us as disciples of the Buddha.”