Episode 1212 – We are Borne Upon the Shoulders of the Tathagata
>> “To carry on the back is to bear. To carry on the shoulders is to shoulder. This sutra’s Dharma-treasure is the Tathagata’s entire body. Those who read and recite this sutra are borne and shouldered on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders. Journeying on the Dharma of Suchness, He came to the world to open and reveal, helping sentient beings to realize and enter the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.”
>> “If a man utters one vile word to slander lay or monastic practitioners who read or recite the Lotus Sutra, this man’s transgression is extremely severe.”
>> “Medicine King, if there are those who read and recite the Lotus Sutra, you should know these people dignify themselves by emulating the Buddha’s dignity. They are borne and shouldered by the Tathagata.”
>> This sutra passage explains: For those who read, recite, hear and uphold this sutra, by practicing accordingly they have dignity like the Buddha’s. Being borne and shouldered by the Tathagata means they are blessed and protected by the Buddha.
>> So, “You should know these people dignify themselves by emulating the Buddha’s dignity.” Those who uphold and recite the sutras “expound the Buddha’s wisdom and wondrous acts, praising the Buddha’s name and magnificence. This is how these people dignify themselves.”
>> The Buddha, with Samadhi, wisdom and dignity, expounds the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The people who read and recite this sutra can cultivate the Buddha’s Samadhi and wisdom. Thus they dignify themselves by emulating the Buddha’s magnificence.
>> They are borne and shouldered by the Tathagata: They are the Tathagata’s emissaries, borne on the Tathagata’s shoulders, who uphold the Buddha’s Right Dharma, transform sentient beings and help sentient beings attain right views. Thus, they bear the great burden of all Buddhas and Tathagatas.
>> To carry on the back is to bear. To bear on the shoulders is to shoulder. This sutra is the Tathagata’s entire body. Those who read and recite this sutra are borne and shouldered on the Tathagata’s shoulders and back. Alas, sentient beings are always borne on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders, yet they are unaware of it.
“To carry on the back is to bear. To carry on the shoulders is to shoulder. This sutra’s Dharma-treasure is the Tathagata’s entire body. Those who read and recite this sutra are borne and shouldered on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders. Journeying on the Dharma of Suchness, He came to the world to open and reveal, helping sentient beings to realize and enter the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.”
Let us mindfully listen and read. “To carry on the back is to bear. To carry on the shoulders is to shoulder.” This means that to “bear” is to carry on one’s back and to “shoulder” is to carry on one’s shoulders. When we move things, we either carry them upon our backs or shoulder them upon our shoulders. When it comes to heavy things, we must use one of these positions. We either carry or shoulder them. When we ordinary people have a heavy burden, this is the position we use to transport it. This is an analogy for taking up the responsibility for the transmission of this sutra. “This sutra’s Dharma-treasure is the Tathagata’s entire body.” The Lotus Sutra must be passed down; it is like the entire body of the Buddha, a treasury of infinite Dharma!
You see, to truly understand a sutra, we cannot just look at that one sutra. Before the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, He spent 42 years giving many teachings. He taught the Agama, the Vaipulya, then the Prajna and [finally] the Lotus Sutra. Then at the end of His life, He wanted to make sure they were passed on, so that everyone could make use of the Dharma. To make use of it, we need to take it up and apply it among the people. We must do this for a long time, life after life. These are the teachings the Buddha gave throughout His life. After His enlightenment, during that initial period. He was in the Avatamsaka state. For 21 days He discussed the Avatamsaka state. At that time, He was in that state, that tranquil and clear state of mind, that Avatamsaka state. This is the state of Buddhahood.
When He emerged from Samadhi, He wondered, “How can I help sentient beings to experience this kind of state?” This state is inherently in everyone. So, when the Buddha became enlightened, His very first thought was, “How amazing! How amazing! All sentient beings possess the Tathagata’s nature of wisdom!” This was the Buddha’s realization. He realized that all sentient beings, all people, are replete with the Tathagata’s nature of wisdom. The Tathagata’s nature of wisdom [come from] returning to the true state of the Tathagata, which is the Avatamsaka state, a tranquil and clear state. He hoped everyone could experience this, could return to the nature of True Suchness that they intrinsically have.
This is easier said than done! So, the Buddha had to go back and think about how he could go among the people and help everyone to accept this. He contemplated this! So, He slowly approached Deer Park. The people He wanted to transform, His targets, were Kaundinya and the others. They had followed, pursued the Buddha, to persuade Him to return to the palace. When they failed to persuade Him to return, they could only follow the Buddha to engage in spiritual practice. But there came a moment when they could not understand the Buddha’s mindset, so for a time they remained at Deer Park.
Then, the Buddha attained enlightenment, so He returned to Deer Park to transform these five people. What method did He use to transform them? He began with the Four Noble Truths. This was the start of the Buddha teaching the Dharma to people. This was the first time He expounded the Dharma, and when the Sangha came into being. The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, the Three Treasures, were now complete. The Buddha had already become enlightened and had returned to Deer Park to teach the Dharma. So, the Dharma was present. He expounded the Dharma to those five with the three turnings of the Dharma-wheel. Three times He turned the Dharma-wheel of the Four Noble Truths. Finally, the five bhiksus achieved this; they understood this Path, the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths. This was the initial completion of the Three Treasures, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
The Buddha thus began spreading the Dharma to benefit sentient beings. As causes and conditions ripened, group after group of people with [good] affinities with the Buddha, starting from Sariputra and the three Kasyapas, group after group of people with an affinity for Him, came to join. Very quickly, within several years, there was already a total of 1250 people. Although they were always with the Buddha, listening to the Buddha teach the Dharma, they lingered on the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. They understood that the world is full of suffering, that the Three Evil Destinies are fearsome and that the suffering of cyclic existence in the Six Realms is difficult to end. So, they were focused on finding ways to put an end to cyclic existence and be liberated from the suffering of the Three Evil Destinies.
Thus, those who followed the Buddha in spiritual practice had stopped at that stage. The Buddha made a heartfelt effort to help strengthen everyone’s faith so they would believe that their intrinsic nature is a nature of True Suchness equal to the Buddha’s. But when it came to the Buddha-nature they felt, “I understand, but I dare not go among people. To return to my Buddha-nature, I have to go among people, and I do not dare. That is because. I am too easily influenced by them.” Though they had faith in Him and understanding, when they heard a slanderous comment, or when someone said something that went against the Buddha’s teachings, they were unable to respond. They were very easily influenced in this way.
When it comes to the behavior of Tzu Chi volunteers, people have very high standards. Once they are wearing the Tzu Chi uniform, everyone measures them against very high standards.
This demonstrates that shouldering the mission of the Tathagata is a very heavy responsibility. Regarding our appearance and demeanor, if we are not very careful, people will actually disparage us behind our backs. Or, they may slander us. Some people, upon seeing Tzu Chi volunteers, will be full of praises. “Anyone who wears that uniform is a good person. Whenever anything happens in Taiwan, these people immediately appear to help.”
When people see us, there are many who praise us. However, there are also those who slander us. The kinds of things they say are heard by others and then passed on. Indeed, Tzu Chi volunteers are noticed by everyone. We cannot afford to go astray even a little. This is how the world works.
So, earlier we were talking about slander. When some people lack understanding, they engage in slander in this way. “I am not very clear on this. I heard other people say this, so I will go along with them and pass this on.” This is called “slander.” Some engage in slander intentionally. Others pass things on because they do not understand the principles. This too is incorrect.
So, I say that, when we wear the uniform, the responsibility we bear on our shoulders is for everyone to see that we act harmoniously. Only then will Tzu Chi volunteers truly be praised by everyone and not be criticized by others. It is the same for monastics. When monastic practitioners go outside, they must be careful about what they do and say. It is the same principle.
So, it is as if we are bearing something heavy on our back, or carrying something very heavy on our shoulders. This is because we want to spread this sutra. So, “This sutra’s Dharma-treasure is the Tathagata’s entire body.” The Buddha has already helped us become replete with the Three Treasures. Proclaiming the Dharma in the world and transforming and delivering sentient beings are [done with] the Tathagata’s entire body. However, we still have some slight flaws. So, we must make a greater effort to be mindful and to be vigilant of ourselves. When we go out, we should always be helping others. Only then are we truly Tzu Chi volunteers. Only then can we successfully walk the Bodhisattva-path.
By the same principle, walking this Bodhisattva-path is promoting the Buddha’s teachings. It is the same principle. So, “Those who read and recite this sutra are borne and shouldered on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders.” As spiritual practitioners, or as Buddhist practitioners, when it comes to our behavior, if we are reading or reciting sutras, we must understand their principles. If we read and recite sutras but do not understand the principles, in this case, the Buddha is actually bearing and shouldering all of our behaviors.
As long as we are reading, reciting sutras, we are on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders; we are the responsibly He bears. So, for the sake of sentient beings He has to take on so much responsibility.
What about right now? Right now we are forming aspirations. We form aspirations of listening to the Dharma and joyfully taking every phrase and verse to heart. We need to let people know about these principles. We need to purify people’s hearts. Right now we are being slandered by others; how should we deal with it? When people slander us, some of the people who hear may think, “They are right! [Tzu Chi] shouldn’t do that!” What do we do when this happens? All we can do is look at ourselves, take a good look at ourselves. We must be very careful in all our actions and get along well with other people. We know this is what things are like among people. So, we must be even more careful and earnestly engage in spiritual practice. In our demeanor, in our actions and so on, we should always be expressing gratitude.
So, “Journeying on the Dharma of Suchness, He came to the world to open and reveal, helping sentient beings to realize and enter the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.” The Buddha comes to the world with only this goal. He hopes every one of us will fully awaken and understand the world’s truths and principles, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. This was His objective in coming to the world. The principles of the True Dharma of the One Vehicle are contained in the Lotus Sutra. In the Lotus Sutra, when the Buddha was about to open the provisional and reveal the true, He continuously praised the wisdom of the Buddha. However, people were unable to understand. What they did understand was that the Buddha’s wisdom was very great. Everyone really wanted to understand how to enter this state of wisdom.
So, the Buddha taught the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. What is the True Dharma of the One Vehicle like? Sariputra came to ask the Buddha to explain how to enter the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. The Buddha actually said no three times, that it could not be taught. That is because if He taught this Dharma, those who did not have very deep capacities and who did not have very firm faith would very easily be influenced by others.
The Buddha said that if people’s [understanding] deviated even in the slightest, they would be unable to apply the principles to analyze things correctly. People like this would not be clear on the Dharma, so they would deviate from the Dharma.
In summary, the Buddha comes to the world by journeying upon the Dharma of Suchness, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. He comes to the world to open and reveal to sentient beings to enable them to realize and enter the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. This is walking the Bodhisattva-path. We take the great, direct Bodhi-path to go among people to understand the principles of the ways of people, the workings of their mind. The workings of people’s mind, the principles etc., are what we can understand.
In any case, as Buddhist practitioners, our minds must be very clear and meticulous, very thorough and discerning. If we have no wisdom, if our faith is not firm, at the slightest gust of the wind of ignorance, we will suffer loss. Is it the wind of ignorance that causes loss? Or is it the one who gives rise to that ignorance? Or is it the one who accepts that ignorance? There can be injury in all directions. In the end, the Dharma will be extinguished. This is the transgression of destroying the Buddha-Dharma.
So, the previous sutra passage states,
“If a man utters one vile word to slander lay or monastic practitioners who read or recite the Lotus Sutra, this man’s transgression is extremely severe.”
If anyone were to do this, to utter one vile word, that casual remark may have an effect on spiritual practitioners. Whether a lay or monastic practitioner or one who wanted to hear the Great Vehicle Dharma, this casual remark could destroy their will to engage in spiritual practice. With this slander, lay or monastic practitioners or anyone wishing to engage in spiritual practice can be affected by this kind of slander. As for disparaging comments, everyone must know that people commit slander because of lack of clarity. They are unclear about what is true, what is false. They just heard others say it and then went along with it and passed on the remark. This is most frightening. In this way, as some people read sutras, other people [criticize them] and so on. Whether toward lay and monastic practitioners, they give rise to this slanderous attitude. When they say these things, it easily causes this sutra to lose [status] in people’s minds. Getting them to put it into practice would be even more difficult.
This is why the Buddha admonished us to never engage in harsh speech. Harsh speech can just be a single vile word, not necessarily an entire diatribe. Those who uphold the Lotus Sutra, whether lay or monastic practitioners, may be [the target of] this remark. These people are not clear on the principles, so they engage in this kind of slander. A single remark, even a single vile word, directed at those upholding the sutra to slander them will cause them to give rise to afflictions. “I am reading the sutra; what’s wrong with that? I am taking the Dharma the Buddha taught and passing it on to others; what’s wrong with that? Why would they want to slander me?” If we have not yet put an end to our afflictions, when people slander us, we will also become afflicted.
The people who slander others and cause those who uphold sutras to become afflicted are said to be engaging in harsh speech. If they cause spiritual practitioners to give rise to afflictions, they have engaged in harsh speech. A simple remark that disrupts the mind of a spiritual practitioner is considered harsh speech.
This applies to lay Buddhist practitioners, those good men and women, as well as female monastics, as well as newly-inspired practitioners, like novices who have not yet taken the precepts. Even a simple remark can cause these Buddhist practitioners, whether they are laypeople or monastics or newly-inspired, to [waver] in their aspirations. This is what harsh speech can do. These people have the will to read and recite the Lotus Sutra. As we mentioned previously, whether they are lay or monastic practitioners who have aspired to read and recite the Lotus Sutra, if people slander them with harsh speech, that would be a very severe transgression.
So, when the fourfold assembly is reading the Lotus Sutra, slander may damage their spiritual aspirations, causing them to retreat. Those who want to practice the Bodhisattva-path may also retreat from their aspirations. This hinders their cultivation of the Buddha-Dharma and their putting it into practice.
If this happens, think about it; how would we spread the Buddha-Dharma? We should be prepared to face obstacles when spreading the Dharma. When people’s spiritual aspirations are hindered, when they have been influenced, their spiritual aspirations are damaged, and they will retreat from them. When practitioners’ will to practice is obstructed, think about it; wouldn’t it be difficult to practice the Right Dharma in the world? We use love to pave this road. With awakened love, we can bring forth long-lasting compassion. This is the Bodhisattva-path. I hope everyone can do this. Everyone can be an awakened being. Everyone can exercise their love. This road is already facing this kind of slander. Think about it; isn’t this road through the world treacherous? Earlier, the Chapter on the Conjured City already told us that the path through the world is hazardous. So, promoting the Dharma is truly difficult and engaging in this kind of harsh speech is truly a severe transgression.
The next passage states,
“Medicine King, if there are those who read and recite the Lotus Sutra, you should know these people dignify themselves by emulating the Buddha’s dignity. They are borne and shouldered by the Tathagata.”
This passage tells us clearly that anyone who reads, recites or listens to the sutra, anyone who accepts and upholds it, or who upon listening puts it into practice, dignifies their place of spiritual practice.
This sutra passage explains: For those who read, recite, hear and uphold this sutra, by practicing accordingly they have dignity like the Buddha’s. Being borne and shouldered by the Tathagata means they are blessed and protected by the Buddha.
We ourselves are engaging in spiritual practice. After listening to and understanding the sutra, we transform our lives. In the past we spoke to others with vile words, harsh speech. Now we use gentle and kind words with them. In the past we treated people harshly. Now we are gentle and yielding when we help them. We have already changed in these ways. This is having dignity.
“By practicing [the sutra] accordingly,” we “have dignity like the Buddha’s.” So, we often say that by chanting the Buddha’s name, the Buddha-mind will enter our minds. By being mindful of the Buddha so He enters our hearts and practicing what the Tathagata practices, we are being dignified like the Buddha, so our “dignity is like the Buddha’s.” We will be just like the Buddha. By doing the Tathagata’s work with the mind of a Buddha, we bring dignity to the Buddha’s work. So, those who read and recite, accept and uphold and practice this sutra accordingly, truly bring dignity to the Buddha’s work. We take the principles the Buddha taught and translate them into our work in the world. In this world, through our body, through our speech and actions, we become dignified. This is what people who recite the sutra, listen to the sutra and uphold the sutra should be like. We need to demonstrate our dignified demeanor. Then we will be just like the Buddha; our behavior will be just like the Buddha’s.
“Being borne and shouldered by the Tathagata” means our dignity is the same as the Buddha’s. Because the Buddha entered Parinirvana, spiritual practitioners must be like the Buddha in the world. Whether people praise us or disparage us, the Buddha likewise shoulders that for us. He takes responsibility for us. We are all borne upon the Buddha’s shoulders.
Thus, “They are protected by the Buddha.” We journey on the Buddha’s teachings of wisdom. The Dharma has been passed on, and we also now have sutras that we can read and put into practice accordingly. Indeed, it is just as if we are standing upon the Buddha’s shoulders. The Buddha takes responsibility for us. The Buddha bears us upon His Dharmakaya. So, we must be very mindful, very dignified, and be like Bodhisattvas in our spiritual practice. Bodhisattvas can attain Buddhahood; this is what we should demonstrate.
So it says, “Medicine King, if there are those who have read and recited the Lotus Sutra,” if people do this with this sutra, “we should know that such people, those who are upholding the sutra,” all of those who uphold this sutra, must demonstrate this kind of appearance, must be just like the Buddha’s teachings. This depends on us.
So, “You should know these people dignify themselves by emulating the Buddha’s dignity.” Those who uphold and recite the sutras “expound the Buddha’s wisdom and wondrous acts, praising the Buddha’s name and magnificence. This is how these people dignify themselves.”
Do you understand? To uphold the sutra and teach what the Buddha taught, we must first put it into practice ourselves. If we can teach, but cannot do, if we cannot put it into practice, it is as if the Buddha-Dharma is not in the world. For the Buddha-Dharma to truly be in the world, we must successfully walk the road of the Dharma. We have to walk upon it. So, to do this we must “read and uphold this sutra, expound the Buddha’s wisdom and wondrous acts. Praising” means everyone will admire us and praise both the Buddha-Dharma and the Bodhisattva-path for their magnificence. By helping others, respecting others, we bring love into the world. This is dignifying ourselves. This is what we do, so people will likewise praise us.
“The Buddha, with Samadhi, wisdom and dignity, expounds the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.”
The Buddha, with Samadhi, wisdom and dignity, expounds the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The people who read and recite this sutra can cultivate the Buddha’s Samadhi and wisdom. Thus they dignify themselves by emulating the Buddha’s magnificence.
The Buddha expounded the sutra with Samadhi and wisdom. With the Buddha’s discipline, His power of Samadhi and His wisdom, He is magnificent. So, when He teaches the Dharma, He always does so with the magnificent appearance of having precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, much less when He taught the Lotus Sutra. Before He began teaching the Lotus Sutra, He emitted light and manifested signs; this was different from how He ordinarily taught. So, with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, ordinarily, when He taught the sutras, He was like this. However, when He taught the Lotus Sutra, it was different. He emitted light and manifested an appearance. He was so magnificent! So, Maitreya and Manjusri [Bodhisattvas] engaged in a dialogue. They told the story of the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. That was such a magnificent Dharma-assembly! So, we must truly take great care.
“The people who read and recite this sutra can cultivate the Buddha’s Samadhi and wisdom.” People who are willing to teach this sutra must have lots of self-confidence and must put it into practice themselves. To practice as one preaches is truly not very easy! Among the myriad sentient beings, attaining the same Samadhi, wisdom and dignity as the Buddha is really not easy. Yet, we have to teach the Dharma, or the Dharma cannot be passed down. So, we must work even harder. To transmit the Buddha’s. True Dharma of the One Vehicle, we must “cultivate the Buddha’s Samadhi and wisdom.” So, we must work even harder and heighten our vigilance, thus we can dignify ourselves by emulating the Buddha’s magnificence. Everyone is the same. If we are determined to spread these methods, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle, then we must resolve to truly work hard to attain the dignity of the Buddha’s Samadhi and wisdom. Only then can we teach this sutra in a way that everyone can accept it.
“They are borne and shouldered by the Tathagata.”
They are borne and shouldered by the Tathagata: They are the Tathagata’s emissaries, borne on the Tathagata’s shoulders, who uphold the Buddha’s Right Dharma, transform sentient beings and help sentient beings attain right views. Thus, they bear the great burden of all Buddhas and Tathagatas.
How do we teach so that sentient beings can accept and practice according to the Dharma? This is a heavy responsibility. Just as the Buddha bears responsibility for us on His shoulders, we too must take responsibility. It is like we are bearing the Buddha’s entire body, the sutra-treasury the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, upon our shoulders. “They are the Tathagata’s emissaries, borne on the Tathagata’s shoulders.” This is what the Tathagata’s emissaries do. We must spread the Buddha-Dharma, which is the Buddha’s responsibility, which He sent us to this world [to take on].
So, we “uphold the Buddha’s Right Dharma, transform sentient beings.” We must uphold the Buddha’s Right Dharma so we can transform sentient beings. Just because many people said that we should do something, it does not mean we should just do as they say. The Buddha-Dharma is the Buddha-Dharma. The Right Dharma is the Right Dharma. We cannot blindly follow the crowd. We must be resolute in firmly upholding what we know we should uphold. Just because things are a certain way in society, that does not mean we have to go along with it. This would be very dangerous.
So, we “uphold the Buddha’s Right Dharma, transform sentient beings.” We cannot be transformed by sentient beings. Sometimes when I think of the modern world, I think of how very hard it is to uphold the Right Dharma. It is not easy. There are truly many things to worry about. So, I hope everyone will have right views. As for the skillful means we use in the world, we should also remain firm. With the skillful means we choose, we should truly be very firm. “Thus they are bearing the great burden of all Buddhas and Tathagatas.” We carry a heavy burden upon us. It is very taxing!
So, to carry something heavy on our back is to “bear.” To carry it upon our shoulders is to “shoulder.” To shoulder the responsibility for the world is not that easy; it is exhausting. So, “This sutra is the Tathagata’s entire body. Those who read and recite this sutra are borne and shouldered on the Tathagata’s shoulders and back.” Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners we must truly be mindful in learning the Buddha’s Way. We must have the Tathagata’s Samadhi and wisdom. In the world now, people are saying all kinds of things. Which path should we take? The Lotus Sutra teaches many skillful means. With so many skillful means, firmly upholding and using the correct skillful means is truly not easy at all. We are “shouldered on the Tathagata’s shoulders. Alas, sentient beings are always borne on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders, yet they are unaware of it.”
To carry on the back is to bear. To bear on the shoulders is to shoulder. This sutra is the Tathagata’s entire body. Those who read and recite this sutra are borne and shouldered on the Tathagata’s shoulders and back. Alas, sentient beings are always borne on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders, yet they are unaware of it.
We sentient beings are all upon the Tathagata’s shoulders, His back. He carries us on His back. This is such hard work, yet we have never understood this and are unaware of it.
So, I hope that everyone is very careful with their actions in the world. We cannot deviate even a little in the way we sound and look, in our appearance. If others are not understanding of us, the fault lies within our organization. So, I hope everyone will be mindful among people. When among people, we must always be mindful.