Episode 1213 – Paying Respect to Those Who Uphold the Sutras
>> “Sentient beings are always carried on the. Tathagata’s back and shoulders yet are unaware. The direction of people who uphold the sutras completely resonates with the One True Dharma. Sentient beings should follow this direction, pay respect and aspire to make offerings. With wholehearted sincerity, we must reverently collect our minds to pay respect and praise Him.”
>> “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 carried and shouldered by the Tathagata.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 10 – On Dharma Teachers]
>> “Whatever places they go, people should pay respects toward them and wholeheartedly, with palms joined together, reverently make offerings to them and respect and praise them.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 10 – On Dharma Teachers]
>> This explains that they are worthy of offerings that encourage those who read and recite the sutras to joyfully expound the Dharma. Thus, these people will attain Bodhi in a flash. They will be praised universally and will definitely receive offerings from humans and heavenly beings.
>> Whatever direction they go: This refers to wherever these people who uphold the sutras go. These peoples’ direction completely resonates with the ultimate truth. So it says, “whatever direction they go….”
>> “People should pay their respects and wholeheartedly, with palms joined together….” It is hard for the right Dharma to abide in the world; accepting, upholding, and hearing the Dharma is even rarer and more precious. Sentient beings must pay respect in this direction wholeheartedly, joining their ten fingers and palms together to express their respect.
>> They reverently make offerings of respect and praise: To be reverent, humble, respectful and careful is to make offerings sincerely. To respect, hear, uphold, chant and practice the Dharma accordingly is precious. This should be greatly praised and admired.
>> “With flowers, fragrance, strings of jewels, scented powders, fragrant oils, incense, silken canopies, hanging banners, clothes, food and all kinds of music….” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 10 – On Dharma Teachers]
>> They make all kinds of offerings: 1. Flowers and fragrance. These are the fragrance of various plants. They are flowers and fragrance 2. Strings of jewels: These are precious jewels strung together as magnificent adornments.
>> They make all kinds of offerings: 3. Scented powders: Agarwood or sandalwood is ground into fine powders 4. Fragrant oils: This means pure, fragrant perfumes 5. Incense: Incense is shaped into sticks for burning.
>> They make all kinds of offerings: 6. Silken canopies: Fine silken cloths are made into canopies to shield from dust and dirt 7. Hanging banners: These wave back and forth to drive off birds and rats.
>> They make all kinds of offerings: 8. Clothes: From front to back, inside and out, the sutra is bound in fine brocade 9. Food: There are all kinds of pure, delicious foods 10. Music: They dance and play music.
“Sentient beings are always carried
on the Tathagata’s back and shoulders, yet are unaware.
The direction of people who uphold the sutras
completely resonates with the One True Dharma.
Sentient beings should follow this direction,
pay respect and aspire to make offerings.
With wholehearted sincerity,
we must reverently collect our minds to pay respect and praise Him.”
We must mindfully comprehend this! The Buddha loves and protects sentient beings as if all sentient beings were His only child. He cherishes and loves all His children equally. He is just like a father to all beings, who carries His children on His shoulders. This is the kind of love He has for all beings. The Buddha cannot bear to give up on any one of us. He loves and protects sentient beings as if we are His own children. He [carries us along]! “Sentient beings are always carried on the. Tathagata’s back and shoulders, yet are unaware.” Like a compassionate father, the Buddha carries us, bears us on His back. He hopes that we can grow up to be replete with both compassion and wisdom, that our wisdom-life can mature. This is the Buddha’s intention for all beings. Do we sentient beings understand this? No, we do not.
However, the Buddha came to the world for one great cause, to open and reveal to all sentient beings that we all intrinsically have Buddha nature. He hopes that sentient beings will be able to practice according to His teachings. So, the Buddha hopes that all beings can accept His teachings and be transformed and thus go among people to experience and learn from the afflictions of sentient beings, turning afflictions into Bodhi. We must find ways to understand why sentient beings suffer and why sentient beings’ ignorance causes the accumulation of so many afflictions so that they are born in the Six Realms. We create the karma of the Six Realms so we suffer retributions of the Three Evil Destinies. How is this caused? If we do not go among people, how will we know? So, to turn afflictions into wisdom, we definitely must go among people.
The Buddha taught the Dharma in hopes that we can all uphold the sutras, earnestly recite and read them and also practice according to the Dharma. Then we are called people who uphold the sutras. We must not only read and recite [the sutras], but also practice according to the teachings. This is what the Buddha sincerely hopes we will do. We must know that, “The direction of people who uphold the sutras completely resonates with the One True Dharma.” Those who truly seek to uphold the sutras and are able to expound the Dharma have already resonated with and responded to the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. So, sentient beings should “follow this direction, pay respect and aspire to make offerings.”
When sentient beings see those who uphold the sutras, who practice according to the Buddha’s teachings and uphold and recite the Lotus Sutra, those who follow the path to Buddhahood, the great Bodhi-path, their direction is certainly in the direction of the Buddha’s teachings. When we see people who pursue this direction, we should give rise to respectful reverence and be inspired to make offerings. When we respect those upholding the sutras, the Dharma will flourish and become widespread. If people have respect and are willing to join in, everyone will come to hear the Dharma to experience and understand it. We will naturally learn from those who uphold the sutras. Everyone will share this mindset of upholding and reciting the Lotus Sutra, and following the path to Buddhahood. The end of the Bodhisattva-path is the state of Buddhahood. Once we all know this, we will follow this direction and pay respect. We will follow those walking in this direction, and put the Dharma into practice with single-minded resolve. This is what we call making offerings. We must have a reverent mindset.
So, “with whole-hearted sincerity,” we uphold our mindset of sincerity, With this sincere reverence, we make offerings. This is our mindset. When we take care of our minds, and our root of faith is deep, towards those who teach the sutras we will have faith without any doubt. [When our] root of faith is deep, we will naturally learn from them. We collect the mind to wholeheartedly respect and praise [them]; we will praise and pay respect to those who uphold the sutras.
Previously, we mentioned those who give rise to evil thoughts and slander those who uphold the sutras. Now, I want to tell everyone that we must give rise to a reverent mindset to help those who uphold the sutras. Not only should we help them succeed, we should also safeguard [the Dharma]. Not only should we safeguard [the Dharma], we must also put it into practice. This way, the Buddha-Dharma can be everlasting in this world and can bring purity to people’s minds. Only then will society and the world be safe and harmonious. The Buddha [taught] in this world with the hope that sentient beings can awaken. So, He opened and revealed the Dharma so that sentient beings can awaken and enter the Buddha-Dharma to practice accordingly. This was the Buddha’s goal in coming to this world.
It is not easy to attain Buddhahood! To study the Buddha’s teachings and practice them is even more difficult. Can we learn the Buddha’s teachings? Yes, absolutely. This is an education, the Buddha’s teachings, which He uses to help us to put them into action. The path [He enables us] to walk is the path of spiritual practice. Since we can walk the Path, will we be able to reach its end? This depends on whether we are focused and whether we are patiently advancing forward. If we have vows and aspirations, then we will advance forward. If there is a path, then there is a destination. Our goal is the attainment of Buddhahood; to become equal to the Buddha by reaching the enlightened state of Buddhahood.
This is what the Buddha constantly taught us. In the Jataka Sutra, the Buddha also frequently discussed the process by which. He attained Buddhahood. Learning the Buddha’s teachings is a long road; it is a path that stretches across many lifetimes. Thus, distant kalpas ago, a very long time ago, there was a Buddha called Pusya Buddha. Another sutra names Him as Amoghasiddhi Buddha. Either way, it was many long kalpas ago that this Buddha was born. When a Buddha is born into the world, naturally Bodhisattvas and practitioners, Hearers and Arhats will follow and practice the Buddha’s teachings. At that time, this Buddha, Pusya Buddha, looked around for [one to whom] He could spread the Dharma and bestow predictions of future Buddhahood. Which Bodhisattva, which practitioner would be the ones to attain Buddhahood next in sequence? After observing them, He chose two Bodhisattvas. Of these two Bodhisattvas, one would [attain Buddhahood] first; the other would follow. Who would be first and who would follow? Once again, He carefully observed them.
One was Sakyamuni Bodhisattva, and the other was Maitreya Bodhisattva. Sakyamuni Bodhisattva was replete with compassion. He constantly worked hard, but his mind was always on the suffering of sentient beings. He had experienced and understood the suffering of this world; sentient beings’ suffering is unbearable. So, although he engaged in spiritual practice, his mind was always on sentient beings’ suffering. When it came to “contemplation,” which is having a tranquil mind and entering meditation, or “wisdom,” his contemplation of wisdom was relatively weaker, but he was replete in compassionate practice.
Pusya Buddha considered how so many sentient beings had been touched and transformed by Sakyamuni Bodhisattva. For so many sentient beings, the Dharma had already penetrated their minds. Having transformed so many sentient beings, [Sakyamuni] was replete with affinities. Even though his contemplation of wisdom was a little weak, to complete one’s individual spiritual cultivation is relatively easy. To complete the [requisite] affinities with all beings for them to take the Dharma to heart is not an easy thing.
So, Pusya Buddha made a decision; Sakyamuni could attain Buddhahood first, but he had to be trained further. Pusya Buddha made this decision, so He went to where Sakyamuni Bodhisattva harvested medicinal herbs in the snowy mountains. Because sentient beings suffer many illnesses, Sakyamuni Bodhisattva thoroughly understood the principles of medicine for curing sentient beings’ illnesses. He often went looking for medicine in the snowy mountains and picked medicinal herbs so he could be prepared to save sentient beings suffering from illnesses. Pusya Buddha came to this place. He searched out a mountain cave and sat down inside in meditation. His whole body radiated a bright light. Sakyamuni Bodhisattva, picking medicinal herbs, suddenly saw light shining forth in all directions and came searching for [its source].
Seeing the light from Pusya Buddha’s body, there and then his heart gave rise to great joy, and he began to pay respect and prostrate to the Buddha from outside the cave. Reverence arose inside his mind, and he felt great joy, a joy such that he had never felt before. After prostrating [before the Buddha], he single-mindedly stood on one foot, lifted the other foot up high and put his palms together. Thus, he paid his respects wholeheartedly. With this sincere and respectful mindset, he [stood] unwaveringly for seven days and nights, with only reverence in his mind.
He [expressed] his reverence by reciting, “In the heavens above and all that is below, the Buddha is without comparison. Throughout the worlds of the ten directions, He is matchless. Of all I have seen in the world, there is nothing at all that is like the Buddha.” This “Verse in Praise of the Buddha,” was first [chanted then]; we often chant today the “Verse in Praise of the Buddha.” Actually, the story of the origin of the “Verse in Praise of the Buddha” was from this occasion. It was Sakyamuni Bodhisattva and his joy and aspirations upon seeing Pusya Buddha. With sincere, single-minded focus, he wholeheartedly paid homage to the Buddha. “In the heavens above and all that is below, the Buddha is without comparison. Throughout the worlds of the ten directions, He is matchless. Of all I have seen in the world, there is nothing at all that is like the Buddha.”
The only thought in his mind was these verses. Reverently, he spent seven days and seven nights standing on one foot with his palms together. [He stood] for seven days and seven nights; are we able to do this? Sakyamuni Bodhisattva did this. With this power of Samadhi, He had only a single thought in his mind; He had no other thoughts for seven nights and seven days. Thus His contemplations of Samadhi and wisdom were complete. On top of this, he had his compassionate practice, so compassion and wisdom had already converged, perfecting Sakyamuni Bodhisattva’s [spiritual cultivation] at that time. He skipped over Maitreya by nine kalpas and attained Buddhahood earlier.
Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners, we must be firm in our faith. We must regularly nurture our universal compassion for sentient beings; we cannot bear to see them suffer. [Relieving] sentient beings’ suffering is what the Buddha is still attached to. What he is still tied to is sentient beings; what he cannot abandon is sentient beings. Unfortunately, we sentient beings do not know that the Buddha carries us on His back. Although at all times, we are kept safe on the Buddha’s back, we are totally unaware of this. Our minds are still full of afflictions. Sentient beings’ ignorance is such that a single ignorant thought arising can sway the mind of a spiritual practitioner. Then there is no way to pass down the Dharma, because of this. Most beings cannot achieve [their spiritual goals]. Their minds remain full of afflictions; they are constantly afflicted. There are many ignorant, afflicted sentient beings while spiritual practitioners with firm faith and spiritual cultivation are few in number. There are very few because engaging in spiritual practice is difficult and requires a very long time.
You see, in Pusya Buddha’s era, there were many Bodhisattvas and quite a few people who formed aspirations. Yet of all those who formed aspirations, there were only two He could choose. These two still required further practice. Maitreya Bodhisattva’s contemplation of wisdom and Samadhi were sufficient, but he lacked affinities with sentient beings. Sakyamuni Bodhisattva was replete with affinities yet he was weaker in Samadhi and contemplation of wisdom. So, by focusing his mind like this, he transformed himself. Think about it; it is difficult for practitioners to transform themselves. Besides Bodhisattvas, there were also. Hearers and Solitary Realizers, and he had to choose one of them.
We can see He chose Sakyamuni Buddha. In Pusya Buddha’s era, he attained Buddhahood and skipped over [Maitreya] by nine kalpas. How long was this period of nine kalpas? As we all know, it starts with a human lifespan of ten years, increasing by one year every 100 years until the human lifespan reaches 84,000 years. Then, from 84,000 years, it decreases by one year for every 100 years again, until the human lifespan reaches ten years. The time it takes for this decrease and increase is called one small kalpa. There are 20 small kalpas in a medium kalpa, and there are four medium kalpas in a great kalpa.
This is how long that time is. It took nine kalpas of time, whether it was nine small kalpas, nine medium kalpas or nine great kalpas. Although the sutra does not clearly specify, even if it was nine small kalpas, this is still a very long time. For all this time, [He] did not pause. Lifetime after lifetime, He came to this world to transform sentient beings. Furthermore, we still remember that the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City [mentions] Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior, who lived dust-inked kalpas ago. In the era of the 16 princes, they taught the Lotus Sutra and formed affinities with all who gathered there. How long was this?
So, transforming a spiritual practitioner to enable them to take the Dharma to heart and transmitting the Dharma in this world is truly not easy. Thus, we must be very mindful when transmitting the Dharma in this world. We must encourage and respect each other; We must support those upholding the sutra and hold great respect for them as well. Not only should we respect them, at the same time, we should also recite and uphold the sutras with them. This way, we gradually engage in practice, yet do not take things slowly; we must actively engage in spiritual practice. Then, we will also attain Buddhahood in the future.
So, the previous sutra passage says,
“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 carried and shouldered by the Tathagata.”
We should know that there are those who recite and upheld the Lotus Sutra like this, those who practice accordingly. They engage in spiritual practice. The Buddha became dignified by engaging in such spiritual practice. So, they “dignify themselves by emulating the Buddha’s dignity.” We should realize that we can do this too; we too can “dignify ourselves by emulating the Buddha’s dignity.” In this way, the Buddha empowers and protects us, safeguarding our wisdom-life so that it can continually grow. He is like a compassionate father protecting His child by carrying the child on His back through treacherous places. This is like the parable of the Conjured City, when the guiding teacher led those people along the dangerous road. It is the same idea, so we must put our heart into being grateful.
Learning to attain Buddhahood requires forming aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path. If we can have this firm determination, then we are “dignifying ourselves by emulating the Buddha’s dignity.” It is on the Buddha’s shoulders we are carried. It is the guiding teacher who leads us through places like this dangerous, difficult and evil path. So, we must have reverence and respect.
The following sutra passage says,
“Whatever places they go, people should pay respects toward them and wholeheartedly, with palms joined together, reverently make offerings to them and respect and praise them.”
This explains that they are worthy of offerings to encourage those who read and recite the sutras and joyfully expound the Dharma. These people will attain Bodhi in an instant. They will be praised universally and will definitely receive offerings from humans and heavenly beings.
We just discussed how. Pusya Buddha wanted to help Sakyamuni Bodhisattva succeed. He radiated light, guiding him toward [its source]. When he found the Buddha and saw Him, he gave rise to great reverence. This is the same. Because the sutras are the Tathagata’s body, this is why “Whatever places they go, people should pay their respects toward them.” Wherever there are sutras, we should pay our respects in that direction. This is encouraging us that, when we read and uphold the sutras, we must be joyful.
After reading the sutras, we must contemplate our insights. We must give rise to joy and begin to speak about the Dharma. The way we read and understand the sutras is something we should quickly tell everyone to enable them all to understand. This kind of person “will attain Bodhi in an instant.” Someone like this who is willing to listen, learn and put [the teachings] into practice, will both naturally and quickly be able to attain Bodhi for the teachings have entered their minds.
I often say that after listening to the sutras, we should discuss them further. After hearing them, we read them again. So now, many people attend sutra study groups. After listening, they read them again, and everyone comes to share their insights. These insights they have gained means these things have become their own. [In terms of] virtue and attainment, “Those who have attained have virtue.” We must begin to make efforts and then share [our insights] with others. The more we share with people, the more deeply this teaching will enter our minds. So, it says, “These people will attain Bodhi in an instant.” Because they are continually repeating, reading and reciting [the sutras], [in doing so], they gain insights, which become deeply engraved in their minds.
So, we must praise them. “They will be praised universally,” praised and respected. They “will definitely receive offerings from humans and heavenly beings.” This person is definitely one to whom both humans and heavenly beings make offerings. Their hearts are already near [the hearts of] heavenly beings’ and humans. So, we often speak of conscience. “You are very conscientious by nature.” We are born with this conscience. What is this conscience? It is our awakened nature of True Suchness. So, as we continually read, recite and expound, naturally, we will draw near the Bodhi-path. Thus, we gradually become one with the universe. In the Buddha’s awakening, He became one with the universe. This is the state we are gradually nearing. Our body and mind are in a vast state that embraces all things in the world,\. We draw closer and closer [to the Bodhi-path].
“Whatever places they go” refers to the places that people who uphold the sutras go. In whatever direction this person heads, whichever way their minds go, they are completely in accord with ultimate truth. Everything they do and say is all in accord with the principles; they use the principles as their guide.
Whatever direction they go: This refers to wherever these people who uphold the sutras go. These peoples’ direction completely resonates with the ultimate truth. So it says, “whatever direction they go….”
I often say that as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must learn them in our daily living among people, matters and things. We must learn them in everyday life. Therefore, the direction of our lives must always be in accord with the Dharma. Thus, no matter what we do, it will always accord with the Dharma; it will be reasonable, fair and sensible. This is “resonating with the ultimate truth. Thus it says whatever places they go.” Their direction, the direction of their mind, will always be in accord with the sutras.
So, “People should pay their respects wholeheartedly, with palms joined together.” We give praises for their mind and behavior. This is absolutely the right thing to do.
“People should pay their respects and wholeheartedly, with palms joined together….” It is hard for the right Dharma to abide in the world; accepting, upholding, and hearing the Dharma is even rarer and more precious. Sentient beings must pay respect in this direction wholeheartedly, joining their ten fingers and palms together to express their respect.
“Wholeheartedly, with palms joined together” demonstrates our respect using our body. “People should pay their respects” means that when our mind follows the principles, our direction in dealing with people, matters and things is correct and is fair and sensible. We pay respect to the Buddha’s entire body like this; we must have a mind of sincere respect. Thus, the Right Dharma can abide in the world. If we are unwilling [to be reverent], then as we said previously about slander it will be hard for the Right Dharma to abide in the world. We know ordinary people have many obstructions. Very few practitioners form aspirations. Even when someone forms an aspiration, there are so many ignorant sentient beings who give rise to discursive thoughts, making it truly hard to practice according to the teachings.
So, as Buddhist practitioners, we must “pay [our] respects, wholeheartedly, with palms joined together,” so that the Right Dharma can transform difficulties into simple matters. While accepting, upholding and listening to the teachings is difficult, amidst this difficulty, we are willing to accept and uphold the sutras, listen to the sutras, retell them and put them into practice. This is so precious! Currently, “It is hard for the Right Dharma to abide in the world.” To find someone willing to uphold the sutras and listen to the Dharma, to retell and put [the Dharma] into practice is truly both difficult and precious.
So, “Sentient beings must follow [the Dharma] and pay respect.” Truly, we must give rise to respect so that this Dharma can exist in the world. As we follow the direction of the Dharma, we should seek to protect the Dharma and follow its path, the Bodhi-path. This is how we put it into practice.
We must also [do so] “wholeheartedly,” by putting our palms together. “Joining their ten fingers and palms together” means folding our fingers together like this. This represents our distracted mind returning to a mind of reverence. It shows an attitude of respect. Our mind is not distracted; it has returned to thoughts of sincerity. This is respect.
So, to “reverently make offerings to them and respect and praise them” means to “make offerings with reverence, humbleness, respect, vigilance and sincerity.” We must also “respect people who hear, uphold, read, recite and practice according to the teachings.” This is very honorable. We must have respect for people like this.
They reverently make offerings of respect and praise: To be reverent, humble, respectful and careful is to make offerings sincerely. To respect, hear, uphold, chant and practice the Dharma accordingly is precious. This should be greatly praised and admired.
We must be very humble and not arrogant. We must be very respectful towards people. In particular, we must be very vigilant. For the Right Dharma to remain in this world, we must be very vigilant. We must avoid listening to rumors and gossip and giving rise to discursive thoughts. We absolutely cannot do this! We must be very vigilant.
We also need to be determined and make offerings with great sincerity. We must be very respectful of those who listen to the sutra, those who uphold, read, recite, expound the sutras and practice according to the teachings; we must treat this kind of people with great respect and praise. Only then can their faith grow even stronger to be able to continuously spread the Buddha-Dharma.
So, we must respect those who spread the Dharma. Everyone can become a spreader of the Dharma, and every one of us can attain that respect. So, it is like following the Bodhi-path, diligently advancing down this road. We must pay respect to those ahead of us, just as those behind us will respect us also. In this unbroken stream, [we all] advance. On this path, we pave the road with love and pass down compassion through awareness. By spreading great love and extending compassion, the Buddha-Dharma can spread throughout the world. Only then can we bring blessings to the world and benefit people.
The following sutra passage says,
“With flowers, fragrance, strings of jewels, scented powders, fragrant oils, incense, silken canopies, hanging banners, clothes, food and all kinds of music….”
All kinds of methods are used to make offerings. [Regarding] “flowers” and “fragrance,” I often say that flowers and fragrance mean the “fragrance of various plants.” If they have a fragrant smell, they are referred to as flowers and fragrance. This includes the scent of agarwood or sandalwood, which both come from wood, or of flowers and grasses. The fragrances that comes from grasses can also be referred to as “flowers and fragrance.” So, whether it is from woody or herbaceous plants, all of the fragrances are known as “flowers and fragrance.”
They make all kinds of offerings: 1. Flowers and fragrance. These are the fragrance of various plants. They are flowers and fragrance 2. Strings of jewels: These are precious jewels strung together as magnificent adornments.
There are also “strings of jewels.” They are precious items at the bottom of the ocean or on the land. This represents many various precious objects, These are jewels and other [valuable] things strung together as adornments. Whether it is for curtains or other decorations, they are all made with precious items. When they are strung together like this, they adorn the spiritual training ground.
The third [type of offering] is “scented powders,” which are agarwood or sandalwood ground into powder. They are used daily in the temples. The fourth [type] is “fragrant oils.” They are scented liquids or scented grasses that are applied. They can be applied on the ground, on magnificent instruments of practice and so on. All of these are “fragrant oils.” It can be a liquid or something else that is fragrant.
They make all kinds of offerings: 3. Scented powders: Agarwood or sandalwood is ground into fine powders 4. Fragrant oils: This means pure, fragrant perfumes 5. Incense: Incense is shaped into sticks for burning.
Fifth is “incense.” In the past, incense was always used. Now, we make an effort not to use much incense because it creates air pollution. We can “light the incense of our hearts.” With this incense as an expression of our wholehearted respect, it is enough. It does not even need to be tangible; even [offering] the incense in our minds is enough. The population was much smaller before, so it said [to burn incense as offering]. Now, the population has grown, and our material consumption is too excessive, so we can just use sincere minds [as offerings]. We do not need to [offer] many material things; we now offer the sincerity of our minds.
The sixth [type of offering] is “silken canopies.” Silken canopies refer to anything made of cloth, which can be used to block the sun, or as coverings [to keep out] dust and so on. This is what silken canopies are. The seventh is “hanging banners.” Hanging banners can wave in the air. When they wave in the air, sometimes, when teaching the sutras or doing something, [they keep away] many things such as birds, mosquitoes, flies, rats and so on. With the hanging banner waving and flapping in the wind, these will naturally stay away. This is why hanging banners are used.
They make all kinds of offerings: 6. Silken canopies: Fine silken cloths are made into canopies to shield from dust and dirt 7. Hanging banners: These wave back and forth to drive off birds and rats.
The eighth [type of offering] is “clothing,” and the ninth is “food.” These are various kinds of pure, delicious foods. Pure, delicious foods are things like fresh vegetables, fruit and grains. These are pure, delicious foods.
The tenth is “music.” Music and dance are used as offerings. This is like what we often see with the musical adaptation of sutras. There are both melodies and sutra passages. Melodies are composed for [the sutra text], while body language is used for expression. Body language is used to express the meaning of the sutras. Thus, we can make all kinds of sincere offerings.
They make all kinds of offerings: 8. Clothes: From front to back, inside and out, the sutra is bound in fine brocade 9. Food: There are all kinds of pure, delicious foods 10. Music: They dance and play music.
As Buddhist practitioners, this should be our mindset. We should use our very best offerings to dignify our spiritual training ground. We must listen to the sutras and read them mindfully, taking the Dharma of the sutras to heart. We must also transmit the Dharma to other people. Others can also transmit and explain it to others. We must also be reverent and respectful. Wherever the Lotus Sutra is, the Buddha is present there also. So, we must always be reverent. When our minds abide in the Dharma, the Dharma will be in our lives. So, we must always be mindful.