Episode 466 – Eliminate Doubt and Perfect Wisdom
>> “With His compassionate vows, the Buddha’s mind is always on sentient beings. The sound of the Dharma is present at all times and all places. Sentient or otherwise, all have the same perfect wisdom.”
>> At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate his meaning, spoke in verse, saying, “Hearing the sound of this Dharma, I have obtained what I never had before. My heart is filled with great joy and. I have eliminated the web of doubts.”
>> I have eliminated the web of doubts: Sariputra knew the doubts in the minds of the fourfold assembly and that he had not resolved his own questions. The Buddha opened up the Three to reveal One. Thus the 1200 who had questions extensively understood the Five Wisdoms, and Sariputra’s doubts were gone.
>> The Five Wisdoms are “great perfect mirror wisdom, universal equality wisdom, profound discerning wisdom, all-accomplishing wisdom” and “the wisdom embodied in the Dharma-realms.”
“With His compassionate vows,
the Buddha’s mind is always on sentient beings.
The sound of the Dharma is present
at all times and all places.
Sentient or otherwise,
all have the same perfect wisdom.”
The power of the Buddha’s compassionate vows comes from His state of mind; His mind is entirely focused on sentient beings. He patiently guided everyone solely to help everyone clearly understand that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature and [have the potential] to come and go with ease. However, because of one deluded thought, in our confused minds three kinds of basic, subtle afflictions continue to arise. They continue to multiply until their numbers reach 84,000.
The Buddha’s hope is that sentient beings can quickly return to their pure intrinsic nature. Therefore, He teaches the Dharma everywhere, and everything is Dharma. Everything is teaching the Dharma to us,
from the sky to the land. Recently (in 2013), whether we look at Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia, [we can see] smog everywhere. What is burning to create these fires? People are razing mountains and forests to create plantations that produce palm oil. There are over 200 [fires burning]. So, from Indonesia, the wind carries the smoke to Singapore, Malaysia. This is a very serious pollutant. It is more than what the human body can handle.
The smog enters people’s respiratory tracts, and into their eyes. Because of this, in Singapore, everyone was encouraged to wear face masks. All at once, people rushed out to buy face masks so that they could wear them. Because everyone went to buy them at once, there were long lines and danger of a shortage. Tzu Chi volunteers thought of the poor people, the old and weak, the disabled and the ill. Immediately, they gathered together and went to each district to visit low-income families whether or not they were our care recipients. They spread throughout the city to provide face masks to people who had not managed to purchase them. For example, they went to subway exits to distribute them.
Wherever people were gathered, our volunteers went to explain the source of this smog and its impact on people’s health. While they explained these things, they gave them face masks and eye drops, along with books of Jing Si Aphorisms. Whenever they had time and there was a crowd, they shared how the imbalance of the four elements was caused by the way humans lived and that if humans were not careful, these actions would be like the single spark which can start an enormous fire. They advised everyone to be reverent. Wherever there was a crowd of people, they called on them to pray reverently for. Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia in hopes that this smog would disperse quickly and that everyone would stay healthy.
If people were complaining, they gently and caringly explained things, hoping everyone could be sincere and turn their resentment into reverence, hoping every place could be peaceful and safe. Isn’t this the sound of the Dharma? No matter in what time, or in what place something is happening, or in what kind of environment it occurs, with the compassion of Bodhisattvas, wisdom will manifest. Everyone intrinsically has a Buddha-mind, and a Buddha-mind is concerned about sentient beings, so I advocate that everyone walk the Bodhisattva-path. The state of Bodhisattvas, in the Buddha’s era, was an ideal. His expectation and hope was that we could all become Bodhisattvas. But now in our time, we see Living Bodhisattvas in the world. Truly, we can all become Bodhisattvas.
Tzu Chi volunteers share the Dharma with everyone they meet. [Encouraging them] to protect their health, to not complain and to be reverent, isn’t this all the Dharma? “The sound of the Dharma is present at all times and all places.”
“Sentient or otherwise, all have the same perfect wisdom.” Aside from humans, other living creatures are also sentient beings. Then there are non-sentient things, such as material objects. Take palm trees, for example. Because humans need them, they get planted. In order to plant these trees, other trees are cut down in order to make way for the palm trees. Palm trees are used to make palm oil, so people harm the environment for personal gain. Sentient beings destroy non-sentient things. Right now, we are very eager to see sentient beings cherish non-sentient things, such as the land, the mountains and the rivers. We hope that all things will be cared for.
Isn’t our daily living filled with tools that make things convenient for us? All of these tools were assembled using natural resources in order to meet our needs. Can we really say these objects are lifeless? Sentient beings must cherish non-sentient things. We must treat them as living things that “all have the same perfect wisdom.” Our wisdom can cover everything, thus “the mind encompasses the universe.” This is how we can realize the true principles of all things in the universe. Therefore, we need to mindfully experience this.
Lately, we have been talking about Sariputra and his frame of mind. Yesterday, we discussed how Sariputra repeated his feelings in verse. Sariputra felt that since they had now heard the sound of the Dharma, and had heard what the Buddha was teaching, what they heard made them very happy. Knowing that everyone could attain Buddhahood, they had confidence and faith in themselves. Thus they accepted the Great Dharma, so their “heart was filled with great joy.” Their past doubts were completely eliminated.
At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate his meaning, spoke in verse, saying, “Hearing the sound of this Dharma, I have obtained what I never had before. My heart is filled with great joy and. I have eliminated the web of doubts.”
These are the words he used to describe his state of mind in the past. He had followed the Buddha, but had only accepted what he could. Actually, all the Buddha’s words had three aspects; every sentence of Dharma He spoke was suitable for people of all three capabilities. People with limited capabilities applied it to their self-awakening. People with average capabilities understood that life and the world are impermanent. People with great capabilities knew that because life is impermanent, it will be short. So, instead of spending this short life causing afflictions for other people or destroying nature and the world, they understood that they must devote themselves to teaching and transforming sentient beings and offering direct assistance to the suffering. These people have great capabilities. They will listen to the Dharma, realize it and put it into practice.
I have eliminated the web of doubts: Sariputra knew the doubts in the minds of the fourfold assembly and that he had not resolved his own questions. The Buddha opened up the Three to reveal One. Thus the 1200 who had questions extensively understood the Five Wisdoms, and Sariputra’s doubts were gone.
The Buddha opened up the provisional teachings; He opened up the Three to reveal the One. After setting aside the Three Vehicles, now He was going to teach the One Vehicle Dharma. Previously, people who had doubts numbered 1200 or 1250 people; they were those who started following the Buddha around the same time as Sariputra. They had stopped at the state of the Small Vehicle. Now, everyone understood. They “extensively understood the Five Wisdoms.” So, Sariputra’s doubts along with the doubts of those 1200 people, should all have been eliminated.
The Five Wisdoms are “great perfect mirror wisdom, universal equality wisdom, profound discerning wisdom, all-accomplishing wisdom” and “the wisdom embodied in the Dharma-realms.”
These are the Five Wisdoms. Because of Sariputra’s past level of wisdom, he could only accept the Small Vehicle Dharma about how things arose and ceased due to causes and conditions. This wisdom only led to self-awakening, so it was not perfect. But now he accepted that what the Buddha had taught in the past was just a part of the process and only now was He actually teaching the right course. He saw the great, direct Bodhi-path ahead of him. This path to enlightenment was broad and direct, and led directly to the state of Buddhahood. The view in front of him was so expansive. So, His state of mind was like a big mirror. Although a mirror may seem very small, if you direct it toward the landscape, toward the mountains or toward the ocean, everything is reflected in it clearly. Similarly, if great perfect mirror wisdom manifests, it can transform something small into something big. This is perfect wisdom. Sariputra attained unprecedented joy.
In this state, not only could he see clearly, he also had “universal equality wisdom”; he could experience great impartial compassion. If our mind is open and spacious, if we have a heart of great compassion, we realize that all beings are one and are equals. With “unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion,” all life, sentient or non-sentient, is equal, and all live together in this world. If we have this kind of universal equality wisdom, we can broaden our understanding.
Next is “profound discerning wisdom,” with which we can make meticulous and detailed observations. As an ordinary being, I can see all of you sitting here. I see not only the people in front of me, but also the diligent Bodhisattvas outside in the atrium. At this time, what I cannot see are those at hundreds of locations around the world, who, at the same time, are with us [virtually]. They are listening to me as I teach. They “wake up early to take in the fragrance of Dharma.” With modern technology, this image and sound can be widely transmitted. This is not only in Taiwan. Overseas volunteers who come to Hualien share that, “We are listening at the same time.” Indeed, I have heard them say this. Although I cannot see them now, I know and realize how diligent everyone is. This is very subtle and wondrous. This is a kind of “profound discerning wisdom.”
I have heard the Thai Tzu Chi volunteers say that they attend morning study every day. I asked them, “Do you live close by? No, I live 20km away from the office 20km, and you attend every morning?” One of them answered, “Yes, I leave very early. Do you drive? No, I ride a motorcycle.” Someone told me, “I can get there by walking. What time do you get up? Around 4am.” If these people were not very diligent, how could they do this every day, rain or shine? I have heard many examples like these from volunteers in many countries. This is because their minds can understand.
If our minds can understand, then we can [learn] from all things. We must listen closely to the subtle and intricate sounds of all things. We must quiet our minds to hear them. I often tell everyone about the time in the morning before daybreak. After autumn turns into winter or before spring turns into summer, as I emerge from my study before sunrise, I stand outside, look up at the sky and quiet my mind to listen to the sound of the earth breathing. In that vastness, I hear very subtle sounds. The heaven and the earth have a particular sound, as do our hearts. So, all things in the world have their own sounds, even a state of stillness [has a sound].
Actually, inside our bodies, is there any organ that doesn’t make a sound? Every organ makes a sound; otherwise, why would a doctor use the stethoscope in their examinations? We may think, “But I don’t hear anything at all!” Indeed, we may not hear any sound from our bodies. But a doctor can put the stethoscope against our bodies to clearly hear the sound.
The other day I heard about an old man who accompanied his wife on her visit to the doctor. They have been married for many decades. The wife was ill, so he came with her. The old man could not hear what the volunteers were saying to him. Then the doctor asked, “What is your wife’s condition?” The old man could not hear him at all. The doctor suddenly had a bright idea and gave the headset of his stethoscope to the old man. Then he talked into the chest piece. “What is your wife’s condition? She…” and so on. Think about this, once the old man could hear, he could reply to the questions effortlessly.
This is how technological advancements are helpful. In fact, all things in the world produce sounds. However, we do not pay close attention, so we can only hear the people around us. When I am talking, you are listening. And when I am talking, the loudspeakers project my voice so that all of you in this big hall can hear me. Moreover, people overseas can hear me too. The principles behind this are incredible.
These principles have always existed, but technology brings everything together. This is what I mean when I talk about how “unconditioned Dharma” [brings elements together] to manifest as “conditioned phenomena.” These underlying principles are always there. The principles of matter are very organized. We just need to know how to bring them together. The Buddha, in His wisdom, can explain all things with a simple phrase; He can reveal the true principles of the universe. This is “profound discerning wisdom.” It is very subtle and meticulous and can discern all tangible and intangible things and all sentient and non-sentient things. This was the wisdom of the Buddha. Sariputra and the others finally understood that the Great Vehicle Dharma included the true principles of all things in the universe. By returning to their nature of True Suchness, they finally understood “profound discerning wisdom.” Next is “all-accomplishing wisdom,”
which is the wisdom that brings everything together. How do we explain the Dharma? True principles cannot be seen or touched. They are unconditioned Dharma. So, how can they be shown? By applying “all-accomplishing wisdom” to patiently teach this Dharma with analogies, so that the many principles contained within will be easily understood by all of us.
There is also “the wisdom embodied in the Dharma-realms.” In the Dharma-realm, there are stars beyond stars. The sun, moon, and stars are in the sky, very far from those of us here on Earth. From the perspective of humans, the distance is very great and has to be calculated in light years. But the distance that we can see is actually very limited. In fact, the Buddha explained to us that each of the stars is a world of its own.
In summary, the Buddha’s wisdom encompasses the true principles of all things in the universe. It includes great perfect mirror wisdom, universal equality wisdom, profound discerning wisdom, all-accomplishing wisdom and the wisdom embodied in the Dharma-realms. So, it includes everything. This wisdom is very mature.
Everyone, we should learn the Dharma mindfully; we must put our hearts into deeply penetrating it. Whether something is tangible or intangible, it is Dharma. Whether we hear a sound or not, it is Dharma. In sum, we need to have a very good understanding. “Do you understand it? Yes. Do you comprehend it? Yes.” However, to analyze something carefully and truly understand it, there is only one requirement. Our minds must be quiet. If we cannot quiet our minds, no matter what we do, we will not understand. So, we must always quiet our minds, and we must always be mindful.