If the ground is not true, the result will be trouble.

"If the ground is not true, the effect will be trouble." This often quoted famous saying comes from the Shurangama Sutra.

It means that what you sow is what you reap. If a practitioner’s karma is not true, it will inevitably lead to detours and tortuous consequences.

? The question is, if you want to avoid the consequences of taking detours and suffering twists and turns, the cause and place must be true. So, how can the cause and place be considered true?

? If you look at the context of this sentence, you will probably understand.

The Buddha's cousin Ananda was tempted by the goddess Madanga and almost lost his moral integrity. Due to this cause and condition, the Buddha taught and guided the seven bases to conquer the mind, the eight realms, and the five yin and six branches into the twelve bases and eighteen realms. In addition, the twenty-five Bodhisattva Arhats each stated the causes and methods of enlightenment. Later, Ananda finally became enlightened, understood the nature of the mind, knew how to practice, and vowed to save all sentient beings.

So, what should we pay attention to when saving sentient beings? What will be the consequences of not paying attention?

The Buddha clearly taught Ananda that he must strictly adhere to the four principles, not to commit adultery, not to kill, not to steal, and not to lie.

The four no’s mean that the cause and place are true. On the contrary, the cause and place are not true. Immediately afterwards, the fifty evil demons mentioned later in the Shurangama Sutra are the consequences of distortion caused by the unreality of the earth.

From a Zen point of view, in order to achieve the truth of the cause and place, one must have a clear mind and see the nature like Ananda. Without clear mind and seeing the nature, it is impossible to truly achieve the true of the cause and place.

The mind and nature of the mind and nature are the beginning and final destination of a practitioner’s perfect enlightenment. Where can we save sentient beings? Save them here.

? And the sentient beings being saved are precisely the various habits of the body, mind, and body that are caused by untrue sexual intercourse, killing, stealing, and lying.

Ananda’s saving of all sentient beings is the true starting point after enlightenment: eliminating habits and returning to the nature of mind.