Episode 926 – The Provisional and the True are Not Two
>> We must understand that the Buddha opened up the provisional to reveal the true. Solitary Realizers practice to seek realizations and benefit themselves. Humans and heavenly beings uphold precepts and good deeds to provisionally seek blessings. Amidst this, Bodhisattvas seek nothing.
>> “It is thus, Kasyapa. The Dharma that the Buddha teaches is like that great cloud, which, with the rain of one flavor, nourishes the flowers of humankind so that each is able to bear fruit.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – On Medicinal Plants]
>> “Kasyapa, you should know that using all causes and conditions and all kinds of analogies to open and reveal the Buddha-path was my skillful means. All Buddhas do the same. Today, I will expound to you the ultimate truth.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – On Medicinal Plants]
>> This explains that the Buddha opened up the provisional to reveal the true. The provisional and the true are not two; He merged the Three to return to the One. The Five Vehicles and the Three Vehicles are actually the One Vehicle.
>> Kasyapa, you should know that using all causes and conditions: Earlier in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding the Buddha did not explain enough, so in the present chapter, He included everything. Thus He led them to understand with all good and evil karmic retributions and causes and conditions of past lives.
>> [Using] all kinds of analogies to open and reveal the Buddha-path: He used all kinds of matters and objects in the world as analogies to open, reveal and teach the path to Buddhahood. The Buddha-wisdom is perfect and without obstruction, hence it is called the path to Buddhahood.
>> There are three kinds of paths: 1. That which is attained by Hearers 2. That which is attained by Solitary Realizers 3. That which is attained by Buddhas. Now He is teaching the supreme Bodhi that is attained by Buddhas, hence it is called the path to Buddhahood.
>> So, in the Introductory Chapter it says, Bodhisattvas as numerous as Ganges’ sands, with various causes and conditions, seek the Buddha’s Way.
>> It also says, in the Chapter on Skillful Means, All of those World-Honored Ones gave teachings of the One Vehicle Dharma to transform countless sentient beings and lead them to the path to Buddhahood.
>> The Chapter on Faith and Understanding says: Today we are truly Hearers, and with the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear it.
>> When the fruits of virtue are perfected and Bodhi is realized, that is the attainment of Buddhahood. The path to Buddhahood: Going from learning and practicing the Six Paramitas in myriad actions all the way to reaching the noble state of Bodhi is the path to Buddhahood.
>> [These] were my skillful means. All Buddhas do the same: These are all the skillful means of Buddhas. The skillful means of all Buddhas are also like these. the Chapter on Skillful Means and the Chapter on Parables.
>> Today, I will expound to you the ultimate truth: He first teaches the Three Vehicles that can destroy demons and deviant teachings. This is called the true. Now, He guides them again to gradually enter the One Vehicle. This is called the ultimate truth.
“We must understand that the Buddha opened up the provisional to reveal the true.
Solitary Realizers practice to seek realizations and benefit themselves.
Humans and heavenly beings uphold precepts and good deeds to provisionally seek blessings.
Amidst this, Bodhisattvas seek nothing.”
The Buddha, after 42 years of teaching the Dharma, when causes and conditions had matured, opened up the provisional to reveal the true. At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, He had begun to tell everyone that the teachings He had given in the past had been established and taught in accord with sentient beings’ capacities. Now, He was going to teach in accord with His own original intent, the One True Dharma held in His heart, which is for us to return to our nature of True Suchness. He wanted everyone to awaken and become one with the universe. He wished to help our minds encompass the universe and all Dharma-realms and to understand that the true principles are inherently without substance or appearance. Since they are without substance or appearance, what are we still seeking?
Nevertheless, Hearers and Solitary Realizers have this kind of attachment. They fear returning to this world of cyclic existence. Thus, they practice only for their own benefit, hoping in their present lifetime to realize Nirvana, the state of tranquil extinction. This is Hearers’ and Solitary Realizers’ goal of spiritual practice. As for humans and heavenly beings, they seek heavenly blessings or rebirth in the human realm. They all seek something. They seek what they are interested in. So, “Amidst this, Bodhisattvas seek nothing.” They are not like Hearers or Solitary Realizers, who seek Nirvana. Bodhisattvas have no expectations. They have transcended the heavenly blessings that humans and heavenly beings enjoy. Once people deplete their heavenly blessings, they will still fall back into the lower realms. So amidst this, [Bodhisattvas] seek nothing. They only hope to penetrate the principles and for their minds to be able to destroy dust-like delusions, all their delusions, ignorance and afflictions. They form great aspirations and make great vows to go among people to help sentient beings while remaining undefiled by the turbidity of sentient beings’ afflictions.
So, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the Buddha taught us to let go of our limited sense of self, to realize the greater self and work for all sentient beings in the world. This is the principle the Buddha taught when. He opened up the provisional to reveal the true. So, the previous passage says, “It is thus,” meaning, this is how it is.
“It is thus, Kasyapa. The Dharma that the Buddha teaches is like that great cloud, which, with the rain of one flavor, nourishes the flowers of humankind so that each is able to bear fruit.”
“It is thus, Kasyapa.” Kasyapa, it is this way. The Buddha is like dense clouds bringing rain. When causes and conditions have matured, when the earth is in drought, the rain falls to nourish the earth. Likewise, sentient beings in the world give rise to many afflictions and the ground of their minds is arid, so they need the ambrosial dew of the Dharma-water to nourish them. In this way, He continually helps everyone’s mind to absorb the Dharma. When they take the Dharma to heart and absorb the Dharma, “Each is able to bear fruit.” All of these seeds had ripened.
The next passage goes on to say, “Kasyapa, you should know that using all causes and conditions and all kinds of analogies to open and reveal the Buddha-path was my skillful means. All Buddhas do the same. Today, I will expound to you the ultimate truth.”
In this passage, the Buddha tells everyone more clearly, “Kasyapa, you must know that using all causes and conditions, and all kinds of analogies was my skillful means. Sentient beings’ capabilities were not uniform, so I had to respond to their capabilities in order to inspire their resolve and help them first accept the Buddha-Dharma. This is using skillful means. It is not just I, Sakyamuni Buddha, who does this. All Buddhas do the same. All Buddhas share the same path. The path of all Buddhas follows the same methods.” So, now, “Today, I will expound [this] to you. I will now teach you, Kasyapa and the others, the truest of things, which is the True Dharma.”
In this passage, the Buddha very definitively opens up the provisional and reveals the true. “The provisional and the true are not two; He merged the Three to return to the One. The Five Vehicles and the Three Vehicles are actually the One Vehicle.”
This explains that the Buddha opened up the provisional to reveal the true. The provisional and the true are not two; He merged the Three to return to the One. The Five Vehicles and the Three Vehicles are actually the One Vehicle.
Actually, the Buddha wanted to tell us what was in His heart, but we could not understand. So, He used analogies and expressions to teach us. These are skillful means and provisional teachings that are adapted to sentient beings’ capacities so they will joyfully accept it. In fact, what they accepted joyfully was also Dharma. So, “The provisional and the true are not two.” If He did not use provisional methods, they would not joyfully draw near. So, He used “provisional” means to draw them in, for only by drawing them in could they gradually begin to comprehend that worldly blessings are impermanent, that there are pitfalls everywhere and that afflictions continue on endlessly [Cultivating] worldly blessings and upholding the Five Precepts are only temporary; ignorance still obscured their minds.
Passions are like ropes; seeking them will multiply our afflictions, layer upon layer. So, one by one they severed the ropes of afflictive emotions and formed aspirations to engage in spiritual practice. This is what it means by saying, “The provisional and the true are not two.” First we gradually understand all our afflictions one by one and can then focus on spiritual practice. But in focusing on spiritual practice, we must not only seek to benefit themselves. We should benefit others as well. So, “He merged the Three to return to the One.” Hearers and Solitary Realizers should return to the Bodhisattva-path. Although He taught the Three Vehicles, the Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva Vehicles, what remains is the Bodhisattva Vehicle. Hearers and Solitary Realizers must also form great aspirations. So, “He merged the Three to return to the One.”
“The Five Vehicles and the Three Vehicles are actually the One Vehicle.” In fact, beyond focusing on becoming a monastic, the Bodhisattva teachings include upholding the Ten Good Deeds and Five Precepts. Laypeople can put the Bodhisattva-path into practice as well. So, the two are really one; the Three return to the One. The Five Vehicles return to One Great Vehicle, which is the Bodhisattva Vehicle.
Thus, He says, “Kasyapa, you should know that using all causes and conditions…”
Kasyapa, you should know that using all causes and conditions: Earlier in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding the Buddha did not explain enough, so in the present chapter, He included everything. Thus He led them to understand with all good and evil karmic retributions and causes and conditions of past lives.
Earlier, in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding the Buddha did not explain completely. The Chapter on Faith and Understanding talks about how, though the poor son had already realized he was actually from a rich household and had many treasures, though he already had these things, he still did not know how to use them. So, “In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, the Buddha did not explain enough.” He did not explain very completely.
“In the present chapter He included everything.” Now, in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, He used the analogy of the water contained in dense clouds in the sky; when the causes and conditions have matured, there is rain and ambrosial dew [The Dharma] is like rain, like timely rain or ambrosial dew that enables the parched earth to obtain rainwater. Universally, everywhere on the planet, rainwater is the same; it is of one appearance and of one flavor. Universally, wherever it is needed, the Dharma can be brought to that place.
“Thus He led them to understand.” So, He told Kasyapa that he should know this. He hoped everyone would clearly understand, so “[He used] good and evil karmic retributions and causes and conditions of past lives.” Why did the Buddha constantly speak about past causes and conditions? It is because of causes and conditions that people’s capabilities are not uniform. All of us bring karma with us. Some have created great karma of blessings, while others have created much karma of wisdom. We are not even in our blessings and wisdom, nor in our positive or negative [karma]. Sentient beings are not uniform; each has his own causes and conditions, so the Buddha used “all kinds of analogies to open and reveal the path to Buddhahood.” He had to use all kinds of methods because sentient beings all have their own causes and conditions, and their capabilities are not uniform.
[Using] all kinds of analogies to open and reveal the Buddha-path: He used all kinds of matters and objects in the world as analogies to open, reveal and teach the path to Buddhahood. The Buddha-wisdom is perfect and without obstruction, hence it is called the path to Buddhahood.
So, “He used all kinds of matters and objects in the world as analogies to open, reveal and teach the path to Buddhahood. The Buddha-wisdom is perfect and without obstruction,” hence this is called the path to Buddhahood. The Buddha opened and revealed this for us, but to get us to realize and enter this is not easy at all! So, for all kinds of things and matters, the Buddha had to use all kinds of analogies to “open, reveal and teach the path to Buddhahood.” The Buddha had to do so very patiently, over the course of more than 40 years. He used people, matters and things as analogies to open and reveal the path to us. He wanted sentient beings to be equal to Him, to be on the same level as Him, in hope that we would enter the path to Buddhahood.
So, “The Buddha-wisdom is perfect and without obstruction.” The Buddha’s wisdom is perfect, without any obstructions. He used the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms, these four methods. Depending upon sentient beings’ capabilities, He used a variety of methods to “open and reveal the path to Buddhahood.” The Buddha’s wisdom is perfect and without obstruction. To suit the capabilities of sentient beings, He guided them slowly and patiently, using both gradual and immediate teachings. He applied His teaching methods in accordance with the capabilities of sentient beings.
There are three kinds of paths: 1. That which is attained by Hearers 2. That which is attained by Solitary Realizers 3. That which is attained by Buddhas. Now He is teaching the supreme Bodhi that is attained by Buddhas, hence it is called the path to Buddhahood.
So, there are three kinds of paths. The first is the path attained by Hearers. By listening to the voice of the Buddha and by understanding the principles, they eliminate ignorance and afflictions. The second is the path attained by Solitary Realizers. The path attained by Solitary Realizers is through connecting with external conditions. They observe the events, objects and environments in their external conditions. When the tender leaves have burst forth, it is spring. When the leaves are falling, falling to the ground, it is autumn. They realize the impermanence of the four seasons and the impermanence of the world, these kinds of principles, the cycle of causes and conditions. These are Solitary Realizers. By connecting to ever-changing conditions and the appearance of impermanence, they awaken. This is the path they attain. The third is the path attained by Buddhas, which is the practice of the Bodhisattva-path. They go among people and create blessings, and by being among people, Their wisdom is increased. Thus They are replete in both blessings and wisdom. The perfect Buddha-wisdom is what is attained by Buddhas.
Thus, “Now He is teaching the supreme Bodhi that is attained by Buddhas, hence it is called the path to Buddhahood.” They had finally reached this point; they were already able to understand and their causes and conditions had also matured. But this path was still quite long. Those of us who engage in spiritual practice must still pass through the Bodhisattva-path before truly attaining enlightenment. To walk on the Bodhisattva-path is to walk on the path to Buddhahood, so we must start walking upon it
So, in the Introductory Chapter it says, “Bodhisattvas as numerous as Ganges’ sands, with various causes and conditions, seek the Buddha’s Way.”
This means that we may have just started and may not thoroughly understand the principles, but we have already formed aspirations. So, it says there are Bodhisattvas as numerous as Ganges’ sands. There are a great many of them. Everyone is a Bodhisattva. The Buddha also said that all of us are Buddhas; we must simply pass through the Bodhisattva-path. “With various causes and conditions” means as they seek the path to Buddhahood they still have all kinds of causes and conditions. This expresses that we all can attain Buddhahood, but we must form aspirations and advance in the direction of this great aspiration
It also says, in the Chapter on Skillful Means, “All of those World-Honored Ones gave teachings of the One Vehicle Dharma to transform countless sentient beings and lead them to the path to Buddhahood.”
In the Chapter on Skillful Means, it says the aspiration of the Buddha is the same as all World-Honored Ones and Buddhas. He hopes all sentient beings can attain Buddhahood. He teaches the One Vehicle Dharma to transform countless sentient beings, hoping these countless sentient beings will all enter the path to Buddhahood. This is mentioned in the Chapter on Skillful Means.
The Chapter on Faith and Understanding says: Today we are truly Hearers, and with the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear it.
In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, Kasyapa and the others said to the Buddha that now they truly were Hearers. “And with the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear it.” It turned out that they understood by listening to the voice of the Buddha. So, these were the Buddha’s fruits of virtue. He enabled the Hearers and the Solitary Realizers to also awaken, enabled countless sentient beings in the world to be Bodhisattvas, enabled everyone with the resolve to practice to universally be able to listen to the voice of the Buddha and come to understand the Buddha’s teachings. Thus “His fruits of virtue are perfected”
When the fruits of virtue are perfected and Bodhi is realized, that is the attainment of Buddhahood. The path to Buddhahood: Going from learning and practicing the Six Paramitas in myriad actions all the way to reaching the noble state of Bodhi is the path to Buddhahood.
If we practice the path to Buddhahood by walking the Bodhisattva-path, our fruits of virtue will naturally be perfected. Causes and conditions result in retributions. Depending on how we walk the path, each section of the path brings its own results and its own state of mind for us to reach. So, “When Bodhi is realized, that is the attainment of Buddhahood.” We must walk along this path.
The path to Buddhahood begins with “going from learning and practicing the Six Paramitas in myriad actions.” Giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom are the practices of the Six Paramitas. “All the way to reaching the noble state of Bodhi” refers to how if we practice the Six Paramitas and advance forward along this path, we will naturally reach the noble state of Bodhi. The noble state of Bodhi means to arrive at the state of Buddhahood, hence it is called “the path to Buddhahood”
[These] were my skillful means. All Buddhas do the same: These are all the skillful means of Buddhas. The skillful means of all Buddhas are also like these. the Chapter on Skillful Means and the Chapter on Parables.
“[These were] my skillful means. All Buddhas do the same.” These methods for guiding sentient beings are the skillful means of Sakyamuni Buddha. This is the same path that all Buddhas take. “All Buddhas share the same path”; this is the path they have taken. So, “[These were] my skillful means. All Buddhas do the same.”
“These are all the skillful means of Buddhas.” The way He had led them in the past and the direction He had guided everyone in, though skillful means, are actually what all Buddhas [use] to lead sentient beings. They use the workings of things in the world to teach. So, “The skillful means of all Buddhas are also like these.”
Likewise, “These are the main ideas of the Chapter on Skillful Means and the Chapter on Parables.” This is mostly what these chapters are about. The Buddha first gave us many teachings, praising the wisdom of all Buddhas, and taught many methods using analogies.
Today, I will expound to you the ultimate truth: He first teaches the Three Vehicles that can destroy demons and deviant teachings. This is called the true. Now, He guides them again to gradually enter the One Vehicle. This is called the ultimate truth.
“Today, I will expound to you the ultimate truth. Now I am openly announcing to you, telling you about my past skillful means, that this is how I have continually led you. Do not think that you Hearers have completely eliminated samsara. The samsara you have eliminated is ignorance, but you must still practice the Bodhisattva-path according to the teachings.” So, it says, “Today, I will expound to you the ultimate truth.”
“He first teaches the Three Vehicles to destroy all demons and deviant teachings.” At first He taught the Three Vehicles to help us to know the direction of the path. “This is called the true.” If we are able to move forward along the path of Bodhi, then demons and deviant teachings will not be able to entice us.
“Now, He guides them again to gradually enter the One Vehicle. This is called the ultimate truth.” Now He began to guide them to enter [the path]. Now the path goes directly [to the destination]. The road He led in the past was winding. Now, the path we are walking on takes us there directly.
In short, what is most important is that the Buddha taught us all the Dharma in the universe to enable us to clearly understand it, take it deeply into our minds and unlock the wisdom of our true nature. This is most important. So, the dense cloud, Dharma-rain and ambrosial dew are all there to nourish us, to help manifest the seeds of Buddhahood within us. Therefore, we must always be mindful.