The four graces, variously defined in the sutras, generally include
grace of the state, grace of parents, grace of all living beings, and
grace of the Buddha. The world abounding with grace in all forms,
how are we going to reciprocate the wonderful graces as bestowed
upon us?
As national citizen, be law-abiding, loyal, and dutiful to the state; as
child, be filial to and connected with parents. Cherish and appreciate
those directly or indirectly related to and impacting our wellbeing,
exhorting them to emulate the Buddha, to cultivate blessedness and
wisdom, and to aim at exit from rebirth and redeath, but leaving them
to accept or not and to accord with condition.
The Buddha states:
‘May this profound mind be offered to lands as many as dust particles.
Such is aptly called reciprocating the grace of the Buddha.’
The Buddha had never asked of anything from disciples. He only wants
us to give body and mind to the world, to society, to all living beings; he
only wants us to be close to the young, to be responsible, to cultivate
blessedness and wisdom. Such is how we reciprocate the Buddha‘s
grace and virtue.