Episode 445 – Expounding the Non-discriminating Dharma
>> “From Beginningless Time until now, things have been as such. The way [Buddhas] teach the Dharma is the same. First, They give provisional teachings suitable for people’s dispositions. Ultimately, They freely carry out. Their original intent.”
>> “When Bodhisattvas heard this Dharma, their webs of doubts were eliminated. All 1200 Arhats would also attain Buddhahood.”
>> “As the Buddhas of the Three Periods, spoke the Dharma in such a manner, so do I likewise now expound the non-discriminating Dharma.”
>> As the Buddhas of the Three Periods, spoke the Dharma in such a manner: From ancient times until now, this is how wondrous Dharma [is taught]. The Buddhas of the Three Periods used skillful, wondrous teachings, analogies and language, all kinds of manners to teach the Dharma.
>> In the Three Periods, past, present and future, the manner in which all Buddhas teach the Dharma is the manner in which the Buddha now teaches, with non-discriminating Dharma. Like all Buddhas, He reveals the true. The true is beyond language, so what manner could there be?
>> There is no inherent difference between the provisional and the true. For those with dull capabilities and limited wisdom, He teaches the same non-discriminating Dharma. The manner in which He teaches is to first teach the provisional and then the true. Thus, He waits for the right time to teach the wondrous Dharma.
>> He said, “I teach in the same way as all Buddhas. First teaching the three, and then the one.”
“From Beginningless Time until now, things have been as such.
The way [Buddhas] teach the Dharma is the same.
First, They give provisional teachings suitable for people’s dispositions.
Ultimately, They freely carry out. Their original intent.”
I am always sharing with everyone that “from Beginningless Time until now, things have [always] been as such.” Such is the truth of all things in the universe. As we humans go through rebirth, as we leave and return to this world, these truths will always exist.
However, as time continues to pass, the ignorance of sentient beings continues to grow each day. If people increasingly create negative karmic connections with each other, they will create increasingly negative causes. In this way, negative causes and conditions increase over time. But the truth remains the same, never more, never less. The Buddha returns to the world, life after life, solely for the purpose of expounding the Dharma so that everyone can understand it. From past Buddhas to the present Buddha, They all explained teachings the same way. All Buddhas share the same path, giving the provisional before the true teachings.
“First They give provisional teachings suitable for people’s dispositions.” At first, before sentient beings have encountered the Buddha-Dharma, [They consider] what methods can help them encounter the Dharma? After that, to help them to listen and accept it, [all Buddhas] give provisional teachings. So, “First They give provisional teachings suitable for their minds.” In the end, “ultimately, They freely carry out. Their original intent.” The Buddha never gave up on His goal. He absolutely will achieve His purpose of helping sentient beings realize the true teachings He wanted to convey.
Some people may think, “Is this really that difficult?” It is extremely difficult. Even for a teaching as simple as the Four Noble Truths, I think we still do not really understand. If we understood, there would not be so many interpersonal conflicts and afflictions. These arise because of our lack of understanding.
For example, the Buddha spent some time teaching in the city of Vaisali. One day, Ananda went into town to beg for alms. As he was about to enter the city, he saw a group of children of the Licchavi tribe. These children came from prominent families. In an open field, they had set up a target and were using it to practice archery.
As Ananda walked by, he stopped to watch them. He thought, “These children are so young, how have they become so skilled in archery? Every arrow has struck the center of the target.” Ananda was astonished. After he returned to the abode, he reported [what he saw] to the Buddha. The Buddha asked Ananda, “So, you consider it very rare for children to be able to strike the target? Would you consider this to be difficult?” Ananda answered, “Yes. For people their age, shooting arrows so accurately is uncommon, indeed.”
Then, the Buddha said to Ananda, “Take the follicle of our hair for example. After we pull out a strand of hair, we can see the follicle. If we reduce it to 1/100 of its size, would it be difficult to shoot an arrow into such a tiny pore?” Ananda said, “How is it even possible?” The Buddha said, “Indeed, shooting an arrow into such a tiny pore is something that is truly very difficult.” For us to understand the principles behind the truth of suffering is like shooting an arrow into a pore 1/100th the size of a hair follicle, an infinitesimally tiny opening. Shooting an arrow into that tiny opening would be as difficult as trying to realize the truth of suffering.
What is the causation of suffering? Why, with so much suffering in the world, are people so deluded that they still seek pleasure within suffering? By seeking pleasure in suffering, they continue to create karma, remain entangled in interpersonal conflicts, and still suffer from meeting those they hate and from being apart from those they love. This proves that they still have not penetrated the principles underlying suffering.
In the Buddha’s time, more than 2000 years ago, the total population was over 200 million. More than 2000 years later, there are more than 7 billion people in the world. Life was more simple in the past, but as the Buddha described, for people to penetrate the Four Noble Truths was already very difficult. It is even more so for people now, over 2000 years later, when society is filled with so many complications. Because of our collective karma, we already have a lot of afflictions, ignorance and bad karma.
To help sentient beings understand suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, the Buddha opened many Dharma-doors and gave “provisional teachings suited to their minds.” He did this until He felt that. He could wait no longer. Even though they could not fully understand, He felt that those who had the affinity to gather were already at the assembly, and He could wait no longer. So in His old age, it was time to freely carry out His original intent. This helps us realize that skillful means and True Dharma are both taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities.
As He freely carried out His original intent, the Buddha was “joyful and without fear.” He was happy and at ease. This is what is in the sutras, but I believe that He was still not at ease. Sentient beings had accumulated more layers of ignorance, so the Buddha was probably still very worried. However, He only had so much time.
Earlier we said that the Buddha, joyfully and without fear, had begun to teach the ultimate truth.
“When Bodhisattvas heard this Dharma, their webs of doubts were eliminated. All 1200 Arhats would also attain Buddhahood.”
This is telling us that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. Although “all 1200 Arhats” had not truly walked the Bodhisattva-path, the Buddha said in advance that everyone can attain Buddhahood. Similarly, I am telling everyone now that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. We all share the same goal of advancing on the great, direct Bodhi-path and entering the Tathagata-door, [staying] in the Tathagata-room and sitting on the Tathagata-seat. This is also stated in the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, every one of us can attain Buddhahood.
Over 2000 years ago, the Buddha said, “All 1200 Arhats would also attain Buddhahood.” Because these people had awakened their wisdom, they believed the Buddha’s teachings, walked the Bodhisattva-path and would eventually attain the state of Buddhahood. As long as they have the faith to open the door and advance toward their goal, the road leading them there will be smooth.
The sutra then states,
“As the Buddhas of the Three Periods, spoke the Dharma in such a manner, so do I likewise now expound the non-discriminating Dharma.”
The Buddha is like Buddhas of the Three Periods, the past, present and the future. From ancient times until now, They all taught the same truths. The wondrous Dharma [that was taught] will always exist. The truth never arises or ceases, it will never change; it remains the same.
As the Buddhas of the Three Periods, spoke the Dharma in such a manner: From ancient times until now, this is how wondrous Dharma [is taught]. The Buddhas of the Three Periods used skillful, wondrous teachings, analogies and language, all kinds of manners to teach the Dharma.
Like the Buddhas of the Three Periods, the Buddha also used skillful, wondrous teachings. Sakyamuni Buddha was not the only one. He was following the sequence of teachings of past Buddhas. By distinguishing sentient beings’ capabilities, He gave them different teachings.
As other Buddhas of the Three Periods did, the present Buddha followed past Buddhas and future Buddhas will follow the present Buddha. The teachings that you are listening to now, the Dharma I am teaching now, is based on what Sakyamuni Buddha taught over 2000 years ago. Over that very long period of time, the virtuous people of the past realized and translated [the teachings] from Sanskrit to Chinese, to Japanese and all kinds of different languages. These truths were translated into words in different languages.
In fact, we are still translating. How can we take the teachings of Tzu Chi and the methods we have practiced, and share them with people around the world? Recently (2013), volunteers from ten countries came [to Hualien] from their respective countries. Some speak French, some speak Portuguese, some speak Thai, some speak Indonesian, These many countries all speak different languages, so there is a need for translation.
Will translation lead to any differences? I can confidently say, “Yes, it will.” When we take the truths we know and translate them, there will be a difference in wording and grammar. Did the Buddha truly and directly describe what He originally intended to teach? That is hard!
Furthermore, when I try to express His thoughts right now, I must also consider, “When I try to express His thoughts, will people be able to understand it?” I want to talk about the Buddha’s thoughts, but I may end up talking about my own. I share my thoughts with you, and you share your thoughts with others. But as we pass on these thoughts like this, will there be absolutely no differences? Will it be as precise as [shooting an arrow] [and hitting] that microscopic pore? Will we [share] each teaching with such precision? That is very difficult! So, realizing the Buddha-Dharma is difficult, and realizing the Buddha’s thoughts even more so.
Thus, all Buddhas share the same path and teach according to sentient beings’ capabilities with skillful means. They give all kinds of provisional teachings for the sole purpose of helping sentient beings accept [the Dharma]. He taught with analogies, expression and various methods. Therefore, as the Buddhas of Three Periods had to teach the Dharma in a certain sequence, “so [does He] likewise now expound the non-discriminating Dharma.” Sakyamuni Buddha also taught the same non-discriminating Dharma as past Buddhas in the same sequence. In the Three Periods, past, present and future, all Buddhas taught in this same manner.
In the Three Periods, past, present and future, the manner in which all Buddhas teach the Dharma is the manner in which the Buddha now teaches, with non-discriminating Dharma. Like all Buddhas, He reveals the true. The true is beyond language, so what manner could there be?
Though Buddhas give many provisional teachings with various analogies and metaphors, in the end They all reveal the True Dharma. They teach the provisional solely to reveal True Dharma. The Lotus teachings began with the opening of provisional and skillful means. Opening this door helps people see and penetrate the true, subtly wondrous principles of the True Dharma behind it. This is how all Buddhas reveal True Dharma.
True Dharma is beyond words. It cannot be expressed through language. No amount of words can express even one-trillionth of this wondrous Dharma.
It is as difficult [to understand] as shooting an arrow into one of those tiny, microscopic holes. The same principle applies to sentient beings’ capabilities. No matter if [our minds] are as sharp as an arrow, it is nearly impossible to hit a microscopic hole so tiny we cannot see it with our eyes. Aiming for and hitting a hole that small is as hard [as it is] for those with ordinary capabilities to truly realize the “supreme, profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma.” That kind of Dharma “is difficult to encounter in a hundred thousand million eons.” Not only is it difficult to encounter, even when we apply a meticulous, detailed mind to realizing those subtle, intricate truths, that is still very challenging.
We try to use plain, everyday words, but it is even [hard to] understand these simple words. Sometimes I say, “Repeat that for me so I can tell if your understanding is correct.” After I hear it, I may say, “That is not correct. It is very simple, but the way you explain it is very far off. Try again.” This happens again and again. So think about it, aren’t these [truths] beyond words? To be able to describe true principles is not easy at all. It can only be experienced by our minds. We need to apply our awakened nature, our nature of True Suchness, to realize it. If we only apply our unenlightened knowledge, that is like trying to shoot an arrow at a microscopic hole.
There is no inherent difference between the provisional and the true. For those with dull capabilities and limited wisdom, He teaches the same non-discriminating Dharma. The manner in which He teaches is to first teach the provisional and then the true. Thus, He waits for the right time to teach the wondrous Dharma.
“There is no inherent difference between the provisional and the true.” There is no fundamental difference between the provisional and the true. They ultimately lead to the truth; there is no distinction. But the Buddha taught according to capabilities. For those with dull capabilities and limited wisdom, He had to often explain non-discriminating Dharma. In essence, there is no difference, but He had to come up with skillful ways to help people recognize the suffering in life. Only by recognizing suffering will they want to be liberated from it. But, how much do they know about suffering? This is very hard. So, He taught in the manner of past Buddhas.
The Dharma is fundamentally simple. It can help us understand our minds and realize our nature. However, our capabilities are dull and our wisdom is limited, so we only understand ourselves, but cannot realize true principles. We only focus on ourselves, so we become afflicted, take issue with others, encounter those we hate and so on. This is due to their limited wisdom. So, the Buddha had to teach the provisional and then the true. This was the way He taught the Dharma. “Thus, He waits for the right time to teach the wondrous Dharma.” To truly teach the wondrous Dharma, the Buddha had to judge the timing.
[This took a lot of work].
He said, “I teach in the same way as all Buddhas. First teaching the three, and then the one.”
The Buddha first taught the Three Vehicles and then the one True Dharma. This is called non-discriminating Dharma.
The Three Vehicles and True Dharma are the same. They lead everyone in the same direction. So, the Buddha tells us to proceed directly on this road. What is the road? The Bodhisattva-path of benefiting others, the practice of beneficial conduct. So, this path of benefiting others, this Bodhisattva-path, is the direct path toward attaining Buddhahood.
Everyone, by benefiting others, we are actually benefiting ourselves. Through our tangible actions, we receive the intangible gains of accumulating positive causes, positive conditions and positive retributions, and growing our wisdom and heading in the right direction. This is the great, direct Bodhi-path. So, we must always be mindful.