Episode 940 – The World-Honored One’s Dignified Buddha-Land
>> The Buddha first spoke of the purity of the land and all the followers being wise people. This is due to [Kasyapa] having compassion and encountering Buddhas with utmost sincerity. He compassionately adapts to transform others and attains infinite wisdom in response. The unconditioned Dharma fills this Buddha-land of great magnificence.
>> “The Bodhisattvas there are incalculable in number. Their minds are disciplined and gentle. They achieve great spiritual powers and practice and uphold the Great Vehicle sutras of all Buddhas.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]
>> “The Hearers there, without Leaks and in their final incarnations, children of the Dharma-king, are also incalculable in number. Even with the power of the heavenly eye, one still could not know their number.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]
>> The Hearers there, without Leaks and in their final incarnations: Of the Four Fruits in the Hearer Vehicle, the first three are at the stage of learning, and the fourth fruit, Arhatship, is at the stage beyond learning. Having learned the Path completely, they have no further need for learning. Being without Leaks, in their final incarnation, is the essence of the fruit of Hearers.
>> Without Leaks and in their final incarnations refers to Arhats who have already realized Nirvana with remainder. “To be without Leaks” is to have no delusions of views and thinking. “Final incarnation” means they reached the end of fragmentary samsara.
>> [These] children of the Dharma-king are also incalculable in number: The Buddha is the Dharma-king; Bodhisattvas are His children. They are also incalculable in number.
>> Even with the power of the heavenly eye, one still could not know their number: Both are called the power of the heavenly eye, but apart from the one the Tathagata has, the heavenly eye attained by all other noble beings is not capable of knowing their number.
>> “That Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas: Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. Radiant Light World-Honored One’s circumstances will be as such.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]
>> Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. This has all been explained in earlier passages.
>> Radiant Light World-Honored One’s circumstances will be as such: This is summarizing the text above. Kasyapa’s name upon attaining Buddhahood will be Radiant Light. By teaching the Dharma, He transforms beings, benefiting himself while benefiting others, like the light of the sun which dispels all darkness. In the causal ground, he lit lanterns to continue the illumination. Life after life, his body constantly had a golden hue, so when he was an Arhat he was called Light Drinker
“The Buddha first spoke of the purity of the land and all the followers being wise people.
This is due to [Kasyapa] having compassion and encountering Buddhas with utmost sincerity.
He compassionately adapts to transform others and attains infinite wisdom in response.
The unconditioned Dharma fills this Buddha-land of great magnificence.”
All of you should remember this sutra passage. The Buddha started with giving Kasyapa a prediction of Buddhahood. He predicted that in the future Kasyapa will attain Buddhahood, that his epithet will be Radiant Light and that his land will be Radiant Virtue. This is due to the causes that Kasyapa cultivated. He eliminated afflictions, maintained a steadfast mind and was also very pure; his life was without defilement. He was uncontriving and without desires. He truly had a peaceful and stable mind. He cultivated contemplation as he practiced precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. The Buddha looked at Venerable Kasyapa’s steadfast mind with much respect and affirmation. So, when giving Venerable Kasyapa [a prediction], “The Buddha first spoke of the purity of the land.” In the future when he attains Buddhahood, the land will be pure. Not only will the land be pure and magnificent, but all of his family and followers will be people of wisdom.
This will be Radiant Light Buddha’s [retribution] in the land of Radiant Virtue. He will meet so many wise kin and followers. “This is due to [his] having compassion and encountering Buddhas with utmost sincerity.” For Venerable Kasyapa to attain Buddhahood, he will need to encounter 300 trillion Buddhas. Not only will he encounter Them, he will make offerings to and show Them respect.
This is why Venerable Kasyapa will be able to attain that karmic effect. In the land that he will attain, everyone that he meets will be a wise person. This effect will come about because. “He compassionately adapts to transform others and attains infinite wisdom in response.” These are the past causes. Aside from showing the Buddhas respect, he also compassionately adapts to and transforms sentient beings. He continually goes among the people, continually adapting and transforming. He adapts to sentient beings’ capacities in order to transform them and enable them to accept the Dharma. In response, he gains infinite wisdom, such as giving without expectations. Only a person of wisdom like this can help others unconditionally. “Compassion” means to have mercy. With the compassion of his heart combined with his wisdom, he will be able to attain [a land] so pure, with wise family and followers.
So, “The unconditioned Dharma fills this Buddha-land of great magnificence.” It was because in the past he had cultivated a mind of compassion and served all Buddhas with such sincerity that he will be without Leaks or flaws; none of the Dharma will leak away, so he will attain this great wisdom in response.
This is the completely unconditioned Dharma. Unconditioned Dharma is without Leaks, and through it one can attain true principles. We cannot see them, but he took in the true principles of the universe and put this flawless Dharma into practice. Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, he did all of these things. After serving 300 trillion Buddhas over such a long time, because of these things he will attain such a Buddha-land in response, such a great, magnificent Buddha-land.
The previous sutra passage states, “The Bodhisattvas there are incalculable in number.” Everywhere in the world is a place of practice, full of Bodhisattvas responding to the world. Although we say Radiant Light Tathagata will attain the land of Radiant Virtue with so many people of wisdom, in fact, if we can transform our minds right now, everyone can become a person of wisdom, and everyone can form great aspirations. A bumpy road can be paved flat. All of the fallen rubble is actually treasures manifesting to inspire people’s hearts. If it were not for these conditions, how could we experience the principles of impermanence and the land’s fragility?
This is what is written in the sutras, and indeed there are just such conditions. We can clearly see that “the land is fragile” and that “life is impermanent.” When these conditions manifest, they are called Dharma-treasures. This state is currently manifesting in Nepal, where everywhere one sees rubble and brambles. Such a large piece of land is like this.
With the heart of a Bodhisattva, we consider how to help these people, how to pave the land smoothly and transform this rubble and brambles. In the future, we will see whether that place can become clean and orderly. The people living there have all experienced this hardship, so they can reflect and turn their minds back to the Buddha’s land. “If people’s minds are pure, the land is pure.” If the Buddha-Dharma can return to the Tathagata’s birthplace, it can save the sentient beings there.
As for “the Bodhisattvas,” I hope we can go back to the Buddha’s land so that these Bodhisattva-seeds can [grow] there. “One gives rise to infinity, and infinity arises from one.” We go to save sentient beings, and, “Having relieved them from suffering, [we] then expound the Dharma for them,” so these people can accept the Buddha-Dharma. This required faith. If we have faith, the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, will return to Nepal, to the kingdom of Kapilavastu. This is our hope.
The Bodhisattvas there are incalculable in number. Their minds are disciplined and gentle. They achieve great spiritual powers and practice and uphold the Great Vehicle sutras of all Buddhas.
So, “The Bodhisattvas there are incalculable in number.” One gives rise to infinity. “Their minds are disciplined and gentle”; the Buddha-Dharma trains sentient beings’ minds. “They will achieve great spiritual powers.” Our hearts can encompass all phenomena throughout the universe. So, we must be reverent and “practice and uphold the Great Vehicle sutras of all Buddhas.” I hope that everyone can earnestly uphold this Dharma. What we must uphold is the Great Vehicle Dharma; it is the Bodhisattva-path.
Next, the sutra passage continues,
“The Hearers there, without Leaks and in their final incarnations, children of the Dharma-king, are also incalculable in number. Even with the power of the heavenly eye, one still could not know their number.”
They are so numerous! In that place, there are many Hearers who have already formed aspirations to be children of the Dharma-king. Their numbers are truly great. If we use the heavenly eye to look at this number, how many people have formed aspirations and are in their final incarnations? So many!
[These are] “the Hearers there, without Leaks and in their final incarnations.”
The Hearers there, without Leaks and in their final incarnations: Of the Four Fruits in the Hearer Vehicle, the first three are at the stage of learning, and the fourth fruit, Arhatship, is at the stage beyond learning. Having learned the Path completely, they have no further need for learning. Being without Leaks, in their final incarnation, is the essence of the fruit of Hearers.
The Hearer Vehicle has Four Fruits. For practitioners of the Hearer Vehicle, there are the initial, second, third and fourth fruits. These are determined by how much they can comprehend when listening to the Buddha-Dharma, how much they can awaken to as they take the Buddha’s principles to heart. In total there are four fruits, meaning this is divided into four phases. The first three fruits are “at the stage of learning.” This means they must put their hearts into practicing the Dharma the Buddha taught. When they arrive at the fourth fruit, which is the fruit of Arhatship, that is “the stage beyond learning.” It is just like people nowadays who say, “I have already attained my doctoral degree.” So, this is called “the stage beyond learning. I have learned everything I should learn.” Thus, “Having learned the Path completely, they have no further need for learning.”
Then, “Being without Leaks, in their final incarnation,” is the essence of the fruit of the Hearers. This is the ultimate fruit of spiritual practice for the Hearers and Solitary Realizers.
Without Leaks and in their final incarnations refers to Arhats who have already realized Nirvana with remainder. “To be without Leaks” is to have no delusions of views and thinking. “Final incarnation” means they reached the end of fragmentary samsara.
“Without Leaks and in their final incarnations refers to Arhats who have already realized Nirvana with remainder,” who have reached the ultimate fruit of the Small Vehicle. In fact, the Buddha hoped they could go one step further. They must be without Leaks, however, reaching “Nirvana with remainder” means they have not eliminated their dust-like delusions. “Final incarnation” means they reached the end of fragmentary samsara. This is the Small Vehicle. The Small Vehicle has “Nirvana with remainder”; these Arhats reach Nirvana with remainder.
“To be without Leaks is to have no delusions of views and thinking.” Their dust-like delusions have not been eliminated. They have eliminated fragmentary samsara, but they have not ended transformational samsara. They truly have not eliminated dust-like delusions. To do that, they need to form aspirations, Great Vehicle aspirations.
[These] children of the Dharma-king are also incalculable in number: The Buddha is the Dharma-king; Bodhisattvas are His children. They are also incalculable in number.
So, “[These] children of the Dharma-king are also incalculable in number.” Now they seek to awaken themselves through the Small Vehicle. They have awakened themselves but not yet others. Even if they come back in a subsequent lifetime, they will only continue to benefit themselves. They do not create the causes and conditions for afflictions; instead they only seek to awaken themselves.
Now the Buddha is encouraging all people to take a step further and delve into the thinking of the Great Vehicle to go among people and train themselves, to eliminate even transformational samsara. So, they begin to slowly enter the Great Vehicle and form Great Vehicle aspirations. Therefore, “[these] children of the Dharma-king,” who have made Great Vehicle aspirations, “are also incalculable in number.”
Thus, “The Buddha is the Dharma-king; Bodhisattvas are His children.” They have formed Bodhisattva-aspirations, and those with such aspirations are true Buddha-children. These people are able to pass on the Dharma; their number is incalculable. They are truly numerous.
“Even with the power of the heavenly eye, one still could not know their number.” There will be many such people.
Even with the power of the heavenly eye, one still could not know their number: Both are called the power of the heavenly eye, but apart from the one the Tathagata has, the heavenly eye attained by all other noble beings is not capable of knowing their number.
“Both are called the power of the heavenly eye, but aside from the one the Tathagata has….” The Tathagata has the Three Understandings, while Arhats have the Three Insights. They are both called the heavenly eye, however, the Small Vehicle practitioners only have some insight and knowledge. If they form great aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path and reach the state of Buddhahood, then they will attain the Three Understandings. So, everything that the heavenly eye sees is absolutely without error. Not only is it without error, none of the principles are obscured from it.
So, “Apart from the one the Tathagata has, the heavenly eye attained by all other noble beings is not capable of knowing their number.” This refers to the Small Vehicle practitioners who are beginning to form Bodhisattva-aspirations but have not yet reached the stage of the Buddha. So, they are considered apart from the Buddha; they have not attained the Three Understandings. Now, they have some insight into the principles, so the Buddha gave them predictions of Buddhahood; in the future, Kasyapa will [practice] in the presence of 300 trillion Buddhas. Life after life he will be trained among people to attain the Three Understandings.
The sutra passage continues in this way,
“That Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas, Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. Radiant Light World-Honored One’s circumstances will be as such.”
This passage reminds us that Venerable Kasyapa received a prediction of Buddhahood. His land will be so pure, and all the people will be wise. As for the amounts of time, Radiant Light Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas. A kalpa is a very long time. We can explain one small kalpa as one increasing and one decreasing kalpa. This makes up one small kalpa. The span of one small kalpa is already very long, let alone 12 small kalpas! So, this Buddha’s lifespan will be very long.
Radiant Light Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas, and then He will enter Parinirvana. One day, He will enter Perfect Rest. Even though it will be a long time. He will still enter Perfect Rest. However, the Buddha-Dharma will remain for for 20 small kalpas. “Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas.” Radiant Light World-Honored One will reach this level in the future.
That Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas: Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. Radiant Light World-Honored One’s circumstances will be as such.
“That Buddha’s lifespan,” the lifespan of Radiant Light Buddha, will be very long. It will be 12 small kalpas. This is in the material world, which refers to the world of material objects. Take our Earth, for example. This planet is part of the material world. This is called the material world. One increasing and one decreasing kalpa is called one small kalpa. In this way, time passes with the rising and setting of the sun. In this kind of world, time accumulates. One increasing and one decreasing kalpa make up one small kalpa. I have already explained the cycle of increasing and decreasing kalpas in the past.
Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. This has all been explained in earlier passages.
“Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas.” This has all been explained in earlier passages.
One small kalpa is one increasing and one decreasing kalpa 20 small kalpas is the length of the Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance. Right Dharma begins in the Buddha’s lifetime; the Buddha passes on Right Dharma in the world. He will live in the world for 12 small kalpas, so He will teach the Right Dharma for a long time. Because the Right Dharma is spread for so long, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, the Dharma will still be the same Right Dharma as during the Buddha’s lifetime. It will be passed on for 20 small kalpas. Radiant Light World-Honored One’s [circumstances] “will be as such.”
Light World-Honored One’s circumstances will be as such: This is summarizing the text above. Kasyapa’s name upon attaining Buddhahood will be Radiant Light. By teaching the Dharma, He transforms beings, benefiting himself while benefiting others, like the light of the sun which dispels all darkness. In the causal ground, he lit lanterns to continue the illumination. Life after life, his body constantly had a golden hue, so when he was an Arhat he was called Light Drinker.
When Kasyapa attains Buddhahood, his epithet will be Radiant Light. Everyone should recall this again. Regarding Radiant Light Tathagata’s causal ground, as Venerable Kasyapa, starting in the Buddha’s lifetime with his first thought of entering the Buddha’s door, he kept himself very pure. He was so steadfast; his mind never fluctuated. Because of this, the Buddha valued him greatly. The Buddha-Dharma was transmitted through Venerable Kasyapa.
So, “By teaching the Dharma, he transforms beings.” Because Venerable Kasyapa taught through his own example, his understanding of the Buddha-Dharma gained people’s respect. The Dharma that he taught was respected by all. So, lifetime after lifetime, in the future, in the process of meeting 300 trillion Buddhas, whether a Buddha is in the world or there is no Buddha in the world, he will continue to teach the Dharma and transform sentient beings, benefiting himself while benefiting others, going among people to benefit himself and others. “Like the light of the sun which dispels all darkness,” these are the causes that Venerable Kasyapa cultivated.
“In the causal ground, he lit lanterns.” In his process [of spiritual practice], he constantly preserved a pure mind, whether or not a Buddha was in the world. In his story, he enjoyed lighting lanterns. Lifetime after lifetime, his love of. Lifetime after lifetime, his love of lighting lanterns before a Buddha was the cause. He believed that lighting a lantern could shed light on one’s inner mind. He made his own heart shine radiantly, so “Life after life his body constantly had a golden hue.” There was also a story that in a past life he saw a statue of the Buddha that was beginning to peel, so he used gold to patch it. He had a very reverent heart, so lifetime after lifetime his body glowed. Thus, “when he was an Arhat” everyone called him Light-Drinker. This was Venerable Kasyapa’s other epithet; some called him Venerable Light-Drinker and some called him Venerable Kasyapa. This was attained through his spiritual practice.
As Buddhist practitioners, we must put our efforts into being mindful. Starting when we make our aspirations, this [initial] thought must be everlasting. I often tell everyone, “If you can maintain your original aspiration, you will surely attain Buddhahood.” We must always maintain our original aspiration, that initial, very first mindset we had at the time of making vows. If we can maintain that forever, then naturally, with this cause of a pure mind, we will not have the effect of afflictions. To have these causes, we must look after our minds in the causal ground. Then, naturally we reach the ground of fruition and will attain Buddhahood in the future and as a result will be surrounded by such purity. I hope all of us can always be mindful!