Episode 821 – 知小向大入如來室
>> The Tathagata clearly understood the wondrous truths of the universe. The Buddha guided sentient beings by opening His understanding and views. We now know we must go from the Small Vehicle to the Great Vehicle, the direct Bodhi-path. Thus we enter the Tathagata’s room, the precious storehouse of myriad virtues.
>> “Starved, emaciated and thin, his body covered in sores and ringworms, he gradually made his way to the city where his father lived. Continually hired for different jobs, he eventually arrived at his father’s house.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “At that time, the elder had, within his gates, put up a great bejeweled canopy. He sat upon the lion throne, with his followers surrounding him, and had many attendants and guards. Some were tallying His gold, silver and treasure.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> At that time, the elder had within his gates: This describes how the son saw the father’s appearance of imposing virtue and magnificence. It described where he was when he saw his father, while standing outside the gates. Now it describes the elder inside the gates, both his appearance and his surroundings.
>> Since the Buddha abided in the Great Vehicle, the Great Vehicle was His home. Those still lacking faith and understanding in the great teaching were all outside the doors of the Great Vehicle teaching. Because of teachings, the Buddha grasps the truth; because of practicing, He attains the fruits of realization. Thus, He is said to be inside the gates.
>> Gate: An analogy for the Great Vehicle teaching Within his gates: An analogy for how the Buddha abides in the tranquil hermitage of no conflict, within the Dharma of the place of enlightenment.
>> He saw that his father had put up a great bejeweled canopy and sat upon the lion throne: His circumstantial retributions covered Him with fearlessness.
>> [He] sat upon the lion throne: The Buddha was like a lion among men, so the seat of the Buddha is always called the lion throne. This is like how the throne of emperors was called the dragon’s throne.
>> With his followers surrounding him: Those who receive the Tathagata’s Dharma and those who help the Tathagata to transform others are all called the Tathagata’s followers.
>> With his followers surrounding him, and [he] had many attendants and guards: With His direct retributions He gathers and protects the hearts of sentient beings. This [reward-]body is karmic retribution bestowed based on past karmic causes; thus it is called direct retribution.
>> Some were tallying his gold, silver and treasure: As a Bodhisattva, the Buddha carried out His vows, so He can explain many matters of the past. Thus it says, Some were tallying. The merits and virtues of the Great Vehicle are likened to gold, silver and treasure.
“The Tathagata clearly understood the wondrous truths of the universe. The Buddha guided sentient beings by opening His understanding and views.
We now know we must go from the Small Vehicle to the Great Vehicle, the direct Bodhi-path.
Thus we enter the Tathagata’s room, the precious storehouse of myriad virtues.”
We need to understand that after the Buddha attained enlightenment, His spiritual state was extremely vast. The wondrous truths of the universe were all taken into His ocean of enlightenment. This state of mind is what we need to learn. We need to move toward this state of mind. The Buddha put in a lot of effort and went among people to guide sentient beings. But have we sentient beings accepted what the Buddha opened and revealed for us? “He opens and reveals the Buddha’s understanding and views for sentient beings to realize and enter.” The Buddha opened and revealed, but have we entered into. His understanding and views? Every day as we listen to the Dharma, we must ask this of ourselves. We must ask ourselves whether we have taken each line of Dharma into our minds. Are we living our lives and performing our work in alignment with the Dharma? This is very important.
Now, all over the world, in more than 20 countries [and regions], including Taiwan, we already have roughly 200-300 spiritual practice centers [Everywhere, we rise] at the same time, before daybreak. Some people will drive for more than one hour to the place where everyone diligently gathers to listen to the Dharma. This is quite difficult. They get up so early, before daybreak, and have to drive. It is worse in this cold weather now. For those who live in cold areas, it is tough. They must be so diligent to overcome the cold and throw back the blankets. Early in the morning, they must quickly prepare to leave the house. This is for the sake of listening to the Dharma. So, they are very diligent and their determination is truly precious. But, after making so much effort to listen to the Dharma, have they taken the Dharma into their hearts? This is also what I am constantly thinking about. How can I help everyone experience the principles in daily living?
The sutras, written down more than 2000 years ago, are the Buddha’s description of. His enlightened state of mind and the principles He experienced. He hoped to help us understand that there is much suffering in life. Due to a single deluded thought, we have been transmigrating through the Six Realms. This is beyond our control, and the suffering is unbearable. The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice for many lifetimes. He had only one purpose. He hoped that in each life, life after life, He could remain on the Bodhi-path. Life after life, He sought the Buddha’s Way and transformed sentient beings. This went on until the karmic conditions matured, and He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood.
Being able to live in the same era as the Buddha is already not a simple matter. Yet in a small city of 90,000 people then, only one-third of the people met the Buddha and listened to His teachings, to say nothing of people living today. It has been more than 2000 years since then. The population is so large now. How many people can take the Dharma to heart? And after we understand the Buddha-Dharma, can we really put it into practice? Transforming sentient beings is very difficult.
Thus, guiding sentient beings is something the Buddha has done since His first aspirations as He endlessly sought the Buddha’s Way and transformed sentient beings. So, by now, the Buddha had already been teaching for more than 40 years. With skillful means, He enticed and educated; He taught people according to their capabilities. By this point, everyone understood that they had cultivated the Small Vehicle in the past. Now they should go in the direction of the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma. It was time to begin the direct Bodhi-path, to walk toward this great, broad path. In the same way, they must gradually enter the Tathagata’s room, and from this magnificent storehouse of myriad virtues they would attain treasures.
This is just like the poor son. While still in a state of poverty, he discovered that his father was actually very wealthy and had so many treasures in his storehouse. He had come to gradually understand this.
So, the previous passage describes again how, “Starved, emaciated and thin, his body covered in sores and ringworms, he gradually made his way to the city where his father lived. Continually hired for different jobs, he eventually arrived at his father’s house.”
After leaving behind his wealthy family, [an analogy for] the Buddha, he wandered outside for more than 50 years. Now he had gradually drawn near to the city where his father lived. Not only was he near the city, but he also gradually approached his father’s house.
The following sutra text says, “At that time, the elder had, within his gates, put up a great bejeweled canopy. He sat upon the lion throne, with his followers surrounding him, and had many attendants and guards. Some were tallying His gold, silver and treasure.”
This description depicts the great wealth of the elder. This also explains how the son in the analogy had gradually approached his father’s house and looked in from outside of the house and saw the great elder inside. There were kings, ministers and great elders all surrounding him. Furthermore, he was adorned in jewels. What he wore was so magnificent and dignified. So, as the poor son stood outside, he did not know that this was his father. He simply felt that the master of this house was so dignified. When he saw this, the son was truly intimidated. He turned around and tried to run away. This is describing how the elder in this house had an appearance of “imposing virtue and magnificence.”
At that time, the elder had within his gates: This describes how the son saw the father’s appearance of imposing virtue and magnificence. It described where he was when he saw his father, while standing outside the gates. Now it describes the elder inside the gates, both his appearance and his surroundings.
There is also a description of the place from where the poor son saw his father. From where did he see his father? He was standing by the side of the gate. “Beside the gate” means he was outside; he looked in from outside the gate. He saw the magnificent and imposing interior. This describes the situation as the poor son approached his father. But, he still did not know this was his father
“Now it describes the elder inside the gates.” When he saw the elder inside the gates, the poor son was still outside. Being inside or outside the gate is like how for us, our nature of True Suchness is now inside our minds, yet we are still outside of it. Although we have gradually realized that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, we ourselves have still not fully discovered it. This is just like standing beside the gates. This is an analogy.
Since the Buddha abided in the Great Vehicle, the Great Vehicle was His home. Those still lacking faith and understanding in the great teaching were all outside the doors of the Great Vehicle teaching. Because of teachings, the Buddha grasps the truth; because of practicing, He attains the fruits of realization. Thus, He is said to be inside the gates.
“Since the Buddha abided in the Great Vehicle, the Great Vehicle was His home” This means that when the Buddha discovered the true principles of the universe, He attained a comprehensive understanding. So, the universe is his spiritual home; the home of the Buddha’s mind is analogous to the universe. All phenomena of the universe are encompassed by the home of His mind. This is an analogy. The Great Vehicle Dharma is the home of our minds. We all innately possess this spiritual home, which is as vast as the universe.
Those who still “lacked faith and understanding in the great teaching were all outside the doors of the Great Vehicle teaching.” If we do not have faith and understanding, we are still lingering outside the gate, for we do not yet believe. So, “Because of teachings, the Buddha grasps the truth.” Because He ceaselessly sought teachings in past lifetimes, the Buddha thoroughly understands the principles. “Because of practicing, He attains the fruits of realization.” Putting the principles into practice resulted in His attainment of Buddhahood. The Buddha has completely understood all Dharma, and all the truths contained within the great house of the universe are encompassed in the Buddha’s spiritual home. Thus, He is “within the gates.” The Buddha was already inside the gates of this great house as its master.
Gate: An analogy for the Great Vehicle teaching Within his gates: An analogy for how the Buddha abides in the tranquil hermitage of no conflict, within the Dharma of the place of enlightenment.
The “gates” are “an analogy for the Great Vehicle teaching.” They are a door. If we can enter this door, we can enter our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. “Within the gates” is an analogy for “how the Buddha abides in the tranquil abode of no conflict.” The Dharma is in this place of enlightenment. The Buddha’s inner place of enlightenment, His mind, is tranquil and clear. He has no conflicts in this world. But due to His compassion for sentient beings, He goes among the people to transform sentient beings.
He saw that his father had put up a great bejeweled canopy and sat upon the lion throne: His circumstantial retributions covered Him with fearlessness.
So, “He had put up a great bejeweled canopy and sat upon the lion throne, with his followers surrounding him, and had many attendants and guards.” This is analogous to the elder who was already very wealthy. His poor son stood outside the gates and saw how wealthy the [elder] was, with an appearance of magnificence and imposing virtue. The elder “put up a great bejeweled canopy and sat upon the lion throne. His circumstantial retributions covered Him with fearlessness.”
[He] sat upon the lion throne: The Buddha was like a lion among men, so the seat of the Buddha is always called the lion throne. This is like how the throne of emperors was called the dragon’s throne.
Circumstantial retributions are one of our two kinds of retributions. The Buddha “sat upon the lion throne.” This shows, “The Buddha was like a lion among men” The “lion” refers to His being the guiding teacher. He is like the lion of the jungle. The lion is the king of beasts in the jungle. He needs only to open his mouth and roar for all beasts throughout the jungle to hear him. This is like the Buddha; the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha’s teachings, can be spread [everywhere]. These are the true principles that can be taken into everyone’s heart. So, where He sat was compared to the lion throne. This is like the emperors in our world. “This is like how the throne of emperors was called the dragon throne.” This is a name given to show respect. So, it says, “[He] sat upon the lion throne.” His seat was called “the lion throne.”
With his followers surrounding him: Those who receive the Tathagata’s Dharma and those who help the Tathagata to transform others are all called the Tathagata’s followers.
In “with his followers surrounding him,” His followers are those who accept the Tathagata’s teachings. The Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas who assist the Buddha at the Dharma-assembly are also called His followers. Whoever listens to or helps teach the Dharma is called a follower. “With his followers surrounding him” means there were many people surrounding him, “and [he] had many attendants and guards.” These represent direct retributions,
With his followers surrounding him, and [he] had many attendants and guards: With His direct retributions He gathers and protects the hearts of sentient beings. This [reward-]body is karmic retribution bestowed based on past karmic causes; thus it is called direct retribution.
the direct retributions to be able to gather and protect the hearts of sentient beings ․With his followers surrounding him, and [he] had many attendants and guards: With His direct retributions He gathers and protects the hearts of sentient beings. This [reward-]body is karmic retribution bestowed based on past karmic causes; thus it is called direct retribution. The Buddha attained enlightenment in this world solely in order to transform sentient beings. He teaches the Dharma to gather and protect; He helps sentient beings’ scattered minds to be carefully brought back. In the past, He used skillful means. Now He solely uses the Great Vehicle Dharma to help us completely focus on one path. Thus, He “gathers and protects sentient beings.” This is the Buddha’s compassion. He treats sentient beings as His only child with the hope that everyone can realize that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature.
“This [reward-]body is karmic retribution bestowed based on past karmic causes.” This is the body of His direct retributions. We often speak of two kinds of retributions. We ordinary people are also like this; karma leads us here, beyond our control. The Buddha came here according to His vows. Observing the places where. He had affinities with sentient beings, He was born into a palace in India. He then vowed to engage in spiritual practice and attained perfect enlightenment. This is His direct retribution. This is the Buddha’s direct retribution.
Some were tallying his gold, silver and treasure: As a Bodhisattva, the Buddha carried out His vows, so He can explain many matters of the past. Thus it says, Some were tallying. The merits and virtues of the Great Vehicle are likened to gold, silver and treasure.
“Some were tallying his gold, silver and treasure” ․Some were tallying his gold, silver and treasure: As a Bodhisattva, the Buddha carried out His vows, so He can explain many matters of the past. Thus it says, “Some were tallying.” The merits and virtues of the Great Vehicle are likened to gold, silver and treasure. “As a Bodhisattva, [He] carried out His vows, so He can explain many matters of the past.” The Buddha attained Buddhahood beginning with one thought in the past. From when He gave rise to Bodhicitta and started walking Bodhisattva-path until now, it has been a very long time. So, He “can explain many matters of the past.” He can retell many of His past experiences. Thus it says, “Some were tallying.” If we try to tally up the past, the duration of time was really long and the space was vast. He experienced endless lifetimes in the four forms of birth and Five Realms. All of these must be tallied. “The merits and virtues of the Great Vehicle are likened to gold, silver and treasure.” Everything He has done has been to go among people with no regard for Himself. What He practices is the Great Vehicle. He saves and transforms sentient beings. He shows us the way. He guides us. The merits accumulated from this are called “gold, silver and treasure.”
In learning the Buddha’s Way, we must always take the Dharma to heart. If the Dharma is in our hearts, naturally we will be able to walk this great path very freely and smoothly. It is not about only us walking the path smoothly; we can also guide others and tell them, “This path is absolutely safe. Walk forward without hesitation!” We must have faith and understanding that this path directly leads to Buddhahood. I hope we do not stick to limited teachings. We should open our minds and let our hearts encompass the universe. The home of our minds is as vast as the universe. Our minds must be as vast as the universe. However many principles there are in the universe, we must thoroughly understand as many teachings.
This is the enlightened state of the Buddha. As Buddhist practitioners, we must be like the Tathagata and thoroughly understand the wondrous truths of the universe. With such broad minds, we can guide sentient beings. We can also open and reveal [teachings]. All the Dharma we have taken in can then be shared with others to help them understand that everyone must keep their minds open and spacious, without any view of self or attachment to self. With a view of self and attachment to self, the door to our minds will remain closed. Even if the Dharma is right next to us, are we inside or outside the gates? We stay outside the gates forever, only able to look inside, to see this person with an appearance of imposing virtue and magnificence. Meanwhile we remain outside, begging for food and clothing. If we do not open the door to our minds ourselves, we cannot go inside.
Thus we have limited understanding and views. Though we vowed to engage in spiritual practice, we are not willing to open the doors to our heart to accommodate more people and walk the direct Bodhi-path together with them. So, we must always be mindful and examine our own mind to see if the doors are open. Are we happy when we see people today? Are we accomodating of others today? We need to earnestly assess our minds to see if we are applying the Dharma after we hear it. Therefore, we must always be mindful.