Episode 845 – The Tathagata-garbha is Replete with All Dharma
>> Contained within the Tathagata-garbha is the Dharma of Buddhas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand. Contained within natural laws are the unified principles of all things. In fact, we reach the other shore, like the emptiness and wondrous existence of a pure shadow. Thus contained within the Tathagata-garbha is the Dharma of Buddhas, more numerous than the Ganges’ sand.
>> “We were like that poor son who had drawn near to his father; although he knew of all these goods, he had no wish to take any for himself. Though we taught to others the treasure of the Buddha-Dharma, we had no aspirations ourselves, so we were also like that.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “Having eliminated what was within, we took this to be sufficient. We only sought to finish this matter and never sought any other matters. If we heard of the purifying of the Buddha-lands, of the teaching and transformation of all beings we never took delight in them.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> They were explaining that they were replete with the Small Vehicle, with the virtues of wisdom and ending as its causes, thus they never sought the Great Vehicle Nirvana. The virtues of wisdom and ending: The understanding of the true principles is called the virtue of wisdom. The elimination of all afflictions is called the virtue of ending. Together these result in Bodhi and Nirvana.
>> Having eliminated what was within, we took this to be sufficient: They had eliminated the afflictions within, so they themselves said that this was sufficient. Eliminating what is within means eliminating the delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance. These are the essence of delusion. The elimination of views and thinking in the. Three Realms is called eliminating what is within.
>> So, this is eliminating delusions of views and thinking. Views are the discriminations we make. What this means is that. When the mind-root connects with sense objects, we give rise to deviant views. These are delusions of views. Eliminating delusions of views and thinking: Thinking is contemplation, which also becomes defiled by desires. When the Five Sense Organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body crave the Five Sense Objects of form, sound, smell, taste and touch, attachment to these perceptions arise. These are delusions of thinking.
>> The delusions of views and thinking. When the Five Sense Organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body by all of the Three Vehicles, the Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva Vehicles. Having realized the truth of cessation as well as the True Suchness of emptiness of self, they achieved the fruit of the stage beyond learning. This is why they took this to be sufficient.
>> We saw completing this as the only matter and thought that there was nothing else: They are only concerned about ending cyclic existence and attaining Nirvana, [thinking] there was nothing else, such as the Great Vehicle.
“Contained within the Tathagata-garbha is the Dharma of Buddhas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand.
Contained within natural laws are the unified principles of all things. In fact, we reach the other shore, like the emptiness and wondrous existence of a pure shadow.
Thus contained within the Tathagata-garbha is the Dharma of Buddhas, more numerous than the Ganges’ sand.”
“Contained within the Tathagata-garbha is the Dharma of Buddhas as numerous than the Ganges’ sand.” Think about this carefully; all of us have the intrinsic Buddha-nature, and all of us have the intrinsic Tathagata-garbha. What is ultimately contained within the Tathagata-garbha? Dharma of Buddhas numerous as the Ganges’ sand. Even the Buddha-Dharma of a single Buddha is not something that we can quickly understand, not to mention the Dharma of. Buddhas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand. Actually, all this Dharma is stored within everyone’s Tathagata-garbha.
We have also often said that. “All Buddhas share the same path.” The path of every Buddha is the Dharma, and that path is always the same. Which Dharma is it that is always the same? That which his contained within natural laws. The Dharma lies within the laws of nature. What the Buddha awakened to was how to return to the state of natural laws.
Look how many things a person’s mind can contain. If our thinking contains a thought of ignorance, upon [seeing] what is clearly a good deed, our thoughts about it will be [otherwise]. If we give rise to jealousy we will not want to praise others, but instead slander them with our speech. This is due to thoughts that arise in our minds. If someone else clearly does something good, why wouldn’t we take joy in their merits and virtues? When someone truly does good, we need to encourage them. If the thoughts we give rise to are not proper, through our [negative] speech we will influence the direction of others’ minds. We all do this to each other, because we do not see the principles clearly. That is why we must engage in spiritual practice, to return to the natural laws, to the Dharma, to the principles of our nature. We return to our nature of True Suchness. When we find our own Dharma-treasury we will not be influenced by others. This is the unified principle of all things. This is the intrinsic wisdom that we all possess.
Nowadays, we all use our own thinking to investigate this world, but we see only one side and not the other for we are still ordinary beings. The Buddha’s wisdom is comprehensive. He could completely understand everything about this world. He could travel through 10 trillion Buddha-lands in the time it takes to eat a meal. No matter the time or space, the Buddha always brings together the principles and appears in this world, coming to teach us all and letting everyone know that our wisdom is equal to that of the Buddha. When we can bring together the wisdom of many and unite it as one, we can comprehend and become one with nature. In this way, “Contained within natural laws are the unified principles of all things.”
“In fact, we reach the other shore.” Presently, we are in the state of ordinary people. This shore of unenlightened beings is ignorance. Within our minds, ignorance and discursive thoughts remain, and our understanding is narrow and very limited. The Buddha wanted to expand, broaden our minds; He wanted us to thoroughly understand that, from this shore, of unenlightened beings, we can arrive at the other shore, of noble beings. He wanted us to understand that this is “the emptiness and wondrous existence of a pure shadow”; this is the same mind as the Buddha’s.
Although we are in this world, we are just like shadows. Are shadows real? They are empty. Regardless, these shadows are extremely subtle and wondrous. Do you still remember this story? There was a bird flying, and it arrived where the Sangha was. Even in the shadow of Sariputra, it still felt uneasy, but arriving in the shadow of the Buddha, it was able to find peace. Likewise, if we are able to take this Dharma to heart, turn from our unenlightened perspective to that of the wondrous Dharma of noble beings and apply it in our lives, it is like we are in the shadow of the Buddha. We are protected in this shadow, for the Dharma can guard against wrongs and stop evils. This is how we apply the Dharma.
“Thus contained within the Tathagata-garbha is the Dharma of Buddhas more numerous than the Ganges’ sand.” The Tathagata-garbha is intrinsic to us all. The Buddha taught us so much Dharma; if we hear one thing, we can understand ten, because it all lies within the Tathagata-garbha that each of us inherently possesses. Everyone intrinsically has this Buddha-nature. Therefore, I hope that all of us, as we learn the Buddha’s Way and listen to the Dharma, will always be mindful.
The previous sutra passage states, “We were like that poor son who had drawn near to his father; although he knew of all these goods, he had no wish to take any for himself. Though we taught to others the treasure of the Buddha-Dharma, we had no aspirations ourselves, so we were also like that.”
We are like that “poor son.” Though he had drawn near his father and had entered his father’s luxurious house, though he knew of those treasures inside and had taken charge of those treasures, he never looked at those treasures as his own. This is like when we listen to the Dharma now and say, “I know.” You know, but you do not change.
We want to “know” this Dharma, to know it so that it becomes our own. Only then is it the True Dharma. Yet we only know and have not yet experienced the treasure of the Buddha-Dharma. We teach it to others, but as for us, “We had no aspirations ourselves. I heard what the Buddha taught, but He did not teach it for me. This is what the Buddha wanted to teach you, so I am telling you based on what He said. Therefore, it is not me who has to go do it; it is you who have to go.”
These are the biased views we all have. These disciples only looked after themselves and dared not walk this path of difficult practice. So, they said, “Though we taught to others the treasure of the Buddha-Dharma, we had no aspirations ourselves, so we were also like that.” Every time I read this passage, I first reflect on myself and think, “Aren’t I just like this?” I am continually telling this to others, but it is always they who are doing it, not me doing it. So, I too feel remorseful.
However, when I see others doing these things, I also feel very joyful. I get to take a bit of joy in their merits and virtues. I can say, “Yes! What you are doing is right. This is the way to do it. This is the Bodhisattva-path.” This puts everyone’s mind more at ease, allowing them to walk even more earnestly on the Bodhisattva-path. This world needs Bodhisattvas, for only then can sentient beings be transformed. How much can one person with two hands accomplish? We all must purify our minds together, and we all must combine our strength to give together. Then an impure land can be transformed into a pure land. In coming to this world, the Buddha hoped that all of us would be able to turn our minds around, to turn an unenlightened mindset to a noble one, to the mindset of a Bodhisattva.
The next passage says, “Having eliminated what was within, we took this to be sufficient. We only sought to finish this matter and never sought any other matters. If we heard of the purifying of the Buddha-lands, of the teaching and transformation of all beings we never took delight in them.”
Venerable Kasyapa was using this analogy to illustrate his regret and repentance. He was repenting for the past, for how he had only kept to the Small Vehicle and never thought to form Great Vehicle aspirations. He was older now, and the Buddha had also grown old.
They were explaining that they were replete with the Small Vehicle, with the virtues of wisdom and ending as its causes, thus they never sought the Great Vehicle Nirvana. The virtues of wisdom and ending: The understanding of the true principles is called the virtue of wisdom. The elimination of all afflictions is called the virtue of ending. Together these result in Bodhi and Nirvana.
This was how he had been in the past, only caring about eliminating his own afflictions. The meaning below of. “This is explaining that they were replete with the Small Vehicle,” only standing fast in the Small Vehicle with “virtues of wisdom and ending as its cause.”
As for “wisdom and ending, the understanding of the true principles is called the virtue of wisdom. The elimination of all afflictions is called the virtue of ending.” This is the virtue of wisdom and the virtue of ending. So it simply says, “The virtues of wisdom and ending are its cause.” They were attached to only learning how to cultivate wisdom and how to eliminate afflictions and ignorance. Thus, they only sought Bodhi and Nirvana. They only sought a path to Bodhi. Bodhi is wisdom, and Nirvana is the elimination of afflictions. They just stood fast here. They only sought understanding of the principles and ways to eliminate afflictions. “Thus they never sought the Great Vehicle Nirvana.” So it says, “Having eliminated what was within, we took this to be sufficient”
Having eliminated what was within, we took this to be sufficient: They had eliminated the afflictions within, so they themselves said that this was sufficient. Eliminating what is within means eliminating the delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance. These are the essence of delusion. The elimination of views and thinking in the. Three Realms is called eliminating what is within.
“Eliminating what is within” means eliminating afflictions of the mind. They have already eliminated greed, anger and ignorance, so they think, “I already have a deep understanding of life, so I do not get angry, nor do I have any thoughts of ignorance. Because I understand all is empty and illusory, I am very satisfied with this.”
“Eliminating what was within” means eliminating delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance, the three kinds of delusions. These three kinds of delusions must be eliminated, not just greed, anger and ignorance. Unless these forms of ignorance can be meticulously eliminated, they will be like seeds; if we do not completely eliminate them, these seeds of ignorance can sprout up again. So, this is “eliminating what was within.” Small Vehicle practitioners had eliminated greed, anger and ignorance and were satisfied with this. Actually, their delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance were still quite numerous.
So, how do we eliminate all of this ignorance? We must test ourselves by working with others to see if we really have completely eliminated all of it. If we have not completely eliminated it, when interacting with people or when facing certain situations, we will give rise to afflictions again. Therefore, we must eliminate dust-like delusions
So, this is eliminating delusions of views and thinking. Views are the discriminations we make. What this means is that. When the mind-root connects with sense objects, we give rise to deviant views. These are delusions of views. Eliminating delusions of views and thinking: Thinking is contemplation, which also becomes defiled by desires. When the Five Sense Organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body crave the Five Sense Objects of form, sound, smell, taste and touch, attachment to these perceptions arise. These are delusions of thinking.
So, this is “eliminating delusions of views and thinking. Views” are the discriminations we make. What this means is that. “When the mind-root connects with sense objects, we give rise to deviant views. These are delusions of views.” As our mind-root experiences mental phenomena, like all of the different things that we see, we think, “I want this; I don’t want that.” We thus make this discrimination. When we discriminate by what we want, because we desire it and try to get it by any means possible, thus creating afflictions and ignorance, bringing injury to others and creating karma.
So, in this way, these mental phenomena are what the mind perceives. This is the sense object of mental phenomena. “Phenomena” can also be a sense object (Dust). When the Five Roots perceive the Five Dusts, the mind then reacts in virtuous or unwholesome ways. With virtuous [thinking], when sentient beings are suffering, we use all of our mental and physical power to rescue those sentient beings. If they are unwholesome thinking, we give rise to deviant views. Thus, these are delusions of views
“Thinking” is contemplation. We have intricate schemes to carry out our plans, whether we carry them out ourselves or teach others to carry them out for us. Everyone collectively causes ignorance to arise in people, causing turmoil in society. All of this is thinking that has been defiled by desires. Thinking can be wholesome or unwholesome. If our thinking is wholesome, it means we are cultivating contemplation. This is also spiritual practice. However, if our thinking goes astray, then we are ordinary people defiled by desires. Once defiled by desires, we remain confused throughout our entire lifetime. Thus, when the Five Sense Organs of eyes, ears, tongue, nose and body crave form, sound, smell, taste and touch, attachment to our perceptions arises and stays present in every thought. These are called “delusions of thinking.”
The Chinese character for “contemplate” is a “field” over a “mind.” That field is what we work in. It is for us to sow seeds in and continuously cultivate. This is contemplation. If we sow seeds of ignorance in our minds, then we unenlightened beings will continuously replicate them, multiplying our ignorance so our ignorance and afflictions continue on. This is like planting a field. From a single seed, “One gives rise to infinity, and infinity arises from one.” Therefore, if we think wholesome thoughts, then everything will be wholesome, and we can bring harmony to the world. If our thoughts are unwholesome, if everyone has unwholesome thoughts, it will create chaos in the world. This is how our lives are determined by our thoughts. These are delusions of views and thinking.
These are delusions of ignorant views and delusions of ignorant thinking. We cannot see clearly and cannot get past our thoughts. This is what is known as delusion. We are unable to realize the true principles because we are covered by ignorance
The delusions of views and thinking. When the Five Sense Organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body by all of the Three Vehicles, the Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva Vehicles. Having realized the truth of cessation as well as the True Suchness of emptiness of self, they achieved the fruit of the stage beyond learning. This is why they took this to be sufficient.
These delusions of views and thinking can commonly be eliminated by any of the Three Vehicles, the Hearer, Solitary Realizer or Bodhisattva Vehicle. They all eliminate delusions of views and thinking. This ignorance must be eliminated by all spiritual practitioners. In “having realized the truth of cessation, cessation” means one has completely eliminated one’s afflictions. We use the Path to eliminate our afflictions. Only when afflictions are eliminated will we achieve “realization.” Then we can truly confirm that we have eliminated our ignorance.
When the principles appear before us, this is called “realization.” When we can see all these principles clearly, that is elimination. Therefore, “Having realized the True Suchness of emptiness of self, they achieved the fruit of the stage beyond learning.” When we have realized the “emptiness of self” and can give without expectations, with the Three Spheres of Emptiness, when we achieve this, then this is the nature of True Suchness. We will return to our nature of True Suchness. We must make it to the level of the “stage beyond learning.” We will have learned everything and understood all the teachings. We continuously polish this mirror. When we have continually polished it to the point that there is no more dust to polish, when there is not a trace left to polish, then that is the “fruit of the stage beyond learning.” As a result, the mirror is completely clear, so it reflects the outside environment; it clearly reflects whatever is front of it. This is “sufficient.” Only this can be truly fulfilling.
However, Small Vehicle practitioners think, “We only sought to finish this matter and never sought any other matters. I only want to focus on spiritual practice, to practice to eliminate afflictions, nothing else. I am already quite busy with this. None of those things have anything to do with me.” That was how they thought.
We saw completing this as the only matter and thought that there was nothing else: They are only concerned about ending cyclic existence and attaining Nirvana, [thinking] there was nothing else, such as the Great Vehicle.
Thus, “They are only concerned about ending cyclic existence” [They thought,] “This is my only responsibility.” So, “They never sought anything else, such as the Great Vehicle.” This meant they thought the Great Vehicle had nothing to do with them. Is that true? The Buddha hoped that we would truly return to the Tathagata-garbha and realize that which is contained within it is. Dharma of Buddhas as numerous as Ganges’ sand. We should realize that contained within natural laws are the unified principles of all things. These are all found within each of us. So, contained within us are the natural laws that contain the unified principles of all things. We should make every effort to investigate them. Our Tathagata-garbha contains no less Dharma than that of past Buddhas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand but. “Buddhas more numerous than the Ganges’ sand.” So, our Tathagata-garbha, our Dharma-treasury of wisdom, is contained in our nature of True Suchness. Therefore, I hope everyone will always be mindful.