Author: Rosalyn Leung

Episode 1234 – Practicing the Lotus Sutra to Approach Nirvana

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>> “Working the dry earth without stopping refers to entering the ground of dry wisdom. By continuing to work, we progress gradually. The moist earth is a metaphor for hearing the Prajna teachings. Reaching the mud is a metaphor for hearing the Wondrous Lotus Sutra.”

>> He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth, and gradually reaches the mud. In his mind, he is certain that water must be close. Bodhisattvas are also like this. 

>> “As for those who have yet to hear and understand and have yet to be able to practice and learn the Lotus Sutra, you should know that these people are still far from Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” 

>> People like these who have not heard or understood, are unable to practice and learn this Lotus Sutra, so they are still unable to free themselves of afflictions.

>> You should know that these people are still far from Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: Thus you should know that these people are still far from the. Dharma of perfect and universal enlightenment. This is just like when he sees the dry earth and knows the water is still far away.

>> Still being far but drawing nearer is an analogy for knowing that only through this sutra can we attain the Three Wisdoms of perfect contemplation and draw near to the fruit. This is not the listening, contemplation and practice of the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna teachings.

>> The Three Wisdoms: [Wisdoms from] listening, contemplation and practice. Wisdom from listening is wisdom that can be attained from listening to the Buddha-Dharma. Wisdom from contemplation is wisdom that can be attained from contemplating the principles of the Buddha. Wisdom from practice is wisdom that can be attained from diligently practicing meditation and Samadhi.

>> “As for those who can listen, contemplate and practice, you must know that they can draw near to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” 

>> “As for those who can listen, contemplate and practice….” This is just like what was said previously, “When it comes to all the Tathagata’s teachings,” we need to mindfully “contemplate, examine and remember them without forgetting and continue to work without stopping.”

>> You must know that they can draw near to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: Gradually seeing the moist earth and mud refers to reaching Nirvana, which is also called “cessation and deliverance.” It means a complete cessation of afflictions and deliverance from samsara.

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“Working the dry earth without stopping
refers to entering the ground of dry wisdom.
By continuing to work, we progress gradually.
The moist earth is a metaphor for hearing the Prajna teachings.
Reaching the mud is a metaphor
for hearing the Wondrous Lotus Sutra.”

We must mindfully seek to comprehend this passage. In our spiritual practice, have we truly attained wisdom? Listening to the Dharma is all about being able to unlock our wisdom. In the past, we were foolish. From the moment we are born, we spend our lives among other people and become defiled by the afflictions and ignorance of the world. We just drift with the currents. This is how we live out our lives. Now that we have heard the Buddha-Dharma, the principles of life, we must open up our minds. We must not merely focus on our own self-interest. We now understand that if we care only about our own self-interest, we will inevitably take issue over things and stir up conflicts. This will cause us many afflictions.

Therefore, we need to have clear understanding. Thus, we need to seek the Buddha-Dharma, open up our minds and let go of our view of self. We need to learn to accept [the Dharma] and, just like the Buddha, realize the true principles of the universe. In interpersonal relations, we need to learn how to be accommodating of other people and how to be of service to others. This is how we Buddhist practitioners learn the principles through people and matters. But if all we know about people and matters is, “I know, I know! Life is impermanent. I know that I must not take issue with others. I will just focus on my own self-awakening!” then it is as if we are standing on a high plateau, trying to dig a well. But as we dig this well atop the high plateau, all we see is dry earth. We put in a lot of effort, but the soil is still completely dry.

This is like how, when we learn the Dharma, at the start we work very hard. In term of people and matters, we attain comprehension of birth, aging, illness and death. [We learn about] the Eight Sufferings of life, birth, aging, illness, death, parting with those we love, meeting those we hate, not getting what we want and the raging Five Aggregates. Together, these make up the Eight Sufferings. Even in a single human lifetime, no one can escape from these Eight Sufferings. Now we know that there is no end to this; [it will last] countless lifetimes. In particular, we understand that if we increase our ignorance, in our next life, we may not be born human; in our next life, we may be born as animals. We have all seen what it is like to be an animal. The animals we can see in this world have no control over their lives. They are hurt and slaughtered by people on a whim. This is life in the animal realm. These living creatures are also sentient beings.

Some people are born into hardship and suffering, as if in a hungry ghost realm in this world. We often see such situations. This world has so many poor, suffering nations. Aside from poverty, people there experience natural disasters, manmade calamities, starvation and so on. [Those places] are like hell on earth or like a hungry ghost realm on earth. This is all outside of our control. We thoroughly understand this, so we decide to engage in spiritual practice. Only through spiritual practice can we cultivate human and heavenly blessings or attain liberation from cyclic existence.

Those who cultivate human and heavenly blessings only know they should create blessings and have no interest in learning the Buddha-Dharma. They have no interest in listening to the Dharma, so they do not wish to join the community of Buddhist practitioners. They only listen and learn from the outside. Being outside, they know they need faith. “A family that accumulates blessings will have abundant fortune.” They take this in, so they are willing to engage in practice. Thus, they worship heaven, the gods and the earth; they keep worshipping. They are also willing to do some minor good deeds. However, they have not entered the Buddha-Dharma. They have not taken it to heart or understood it.

Some people worship and feel, “I am a Buddhist. I worship the guardian god of this land and the god of the city. I worship the spirits. I worship…” and so on. They pray to all the gods they know, thinking that by praying to these gods the gods will protect them, bless them etc. This is seeking human and heavenly blessings.

If what we want is to transcend cyclic existence, we know we [need to learn] the principles of the Buddha-Dharma. However, we only seek to benefit ourselves without caring for others. We each reap the fruits of our individual practice. This is “working the dry earth.” Atop the dry earth of a waterless, high plateau, we constantly dig into the earth, hoping to reach water. This is like entering the ground of dry wisdom. Although we work very hard and attain some wisdom, this wisdom is very superficial. We do not have water to nourish us. We have the seeds of wisdom, but without water to nourish them, our seeds of goodness and wisdom cannot develop. We need the causes of wisdom before our blessed conditions can sprout forth. We need the cause of wisdom and the conditions of blessings to converge [to realize] the true principles. However, if we merely cultivate wisdom without cultivating blessings to nourish others, we will be stuck there in the dry wisdom. This is known as the ground of dry wisdom.

As for working continuously, true Buddhist practitioners diligently listen to the teachings and then mindfully take them to heart. By doing so, we already understand our direction. We know that in order to reach water, we have to go where there is an aquifer. Only there will we be able to find water. If we remain atop our high plateau where there is no water and keep working hard and putting in effort only to benefit ourselves, that is like digging for water in dry earth. We lack a direction. We must have a direction and put our heart into advancing toward it. We need to work hard and earnestly serve others. Through gradually progressing, we will [eventually] see moist soil. As we move in the right direction toward the aquifer, we will start to see moist soil. Once we see moist soil, we know there must be water down below. This is an analogy for “hearing the Prajna teachings.”

Once we arrive at the state of Prajna, the state of true wisdom, we learn that everything is empty. What human or heavenly blessings can we seek? They do not exist! What self is there to free from cyclic existence? If we have yet to eliminate our afflictions and harbor afflictions and our own attachments, as we make these efforts, how can we possibly realize the true principles? We have yet to empty ourselves [of the “self.” Although we have heard the Prajna [teachings], we have not yet let go of our view of self.

We have already heard the Prajnaparamita Sutra. However, our sense of “self” still remains. True prajna means emptying ourselves of everything. Once we reach the state of true emptiness, even our sense of self disappears. In this state of prajna with no self, we no longer act for our own sake. Instead, we work to benefit everyone in the world. This is selflessness, having no self-interest. Rather than seeking to benefit ourselves, we seek to benefit the world. We seek peace and liberation from suffering for all sentient beings in the world. We do not seek this for ourselves.

We have already reached a state without the views of self, of people or of lifespan. When we no longer have any of these, we have truly entered the state of the prajna of true emptiness. So, when it comes to “working,” we have started to put effort into [digging] above the aquifer. When we see moist earth, it is like having entered [the teachings of] the Prajnaparamita Sutra; we have obtained wisdom. However, merely finding wisdom is not enough, so we must continue digging deeper. This is because with this wisdom, we understand true emptiness. But true emptiness contains “wondrous existence.” Once we can [understand] wondrous existence, this means we are about to reach pure water. The purifying quality of this water can wash away all afflictions and defilements.

So as we continue to dig beyond the moist earth, we will find mud. When this mud starts to appear, we know that right beneath it is pure water. “Reaching the mud” is an analogy for already having heard the Wondrous Lotus Sutra. [The lotus] grows from the mud yet is not defiled. This pure water [underneath the mud] is the Buddha-Dharma that we must seek. So, [practicing] the Buddha-Dharma in the world, we must be very mindful.

If we only practice the Small Vehicle Dharma for our own sake, if we only practice limited teachings, but hope to obtain great benefits, that will not be possible. During the Buddha’s lifetime, as He taught the Dharma to His disciples, He taught them using analogies. The Buddha told His disciples of how, in the distant past, there was a very poor person. Although that person was very poor, he still had a little bit of money that he had earned through labor. He had only this small amount of money, but he saw people from wealthy families, very rich families, with great amounts of money. Through his own work, he could only earn a little.

He kept thinking to himself, “If I compare my few coins to the kind of money those people have, it is truly too little. With so little money, what is the point of keeping it at all?” He was about to throw it into the [river] when a person who was nearby quickly stopped him. He said, “Why do you want to throw your money into the water?” He replied, “This is so little money. Look! Others have so much! They are so rich! How can what little I have compare to theirs?” The person next to him then told him, “Even though your small amount of money cannot compare to what those rich people have, this small amount of money can still sustain your life for several days. How can you simply throw it away?”

The Buddha stopped there and said. “People in this world are just like this. Some people are very ignorant. They hear the Buddha-Dharma and know that the Buddha-Dharma is good. They are even willing to become monastics.”

“But when they leave home to join the Sangha, they expect to be like everyone else. They expect to be like the virtuous practitioners who receive abundant offerings from lay devotees. Having become monastics, though they need not worry about food, the offerings they receive cannot compare with those received by eminent monks of great virtue. People’s reverence toward them and the offerings from the lay devotees cannot be compared to their own. The difference is still great. Thus, they say, ‘Here in the Sangha as I engage in spiritual practice, I feel that I am still not equal to others.'”

The Buddha stopped here and said, “This is ignorance. Your mind is full of afflictions. You have yet to attain virtue, yet you already think of comparing yourself to people of high virtue. Their high virtue comes from earnest practice; they have eliminated the afflictions in their minds. They manifest a virtuous appearance and demonstrate virtue in their practice. Thus they receive the respect from people who frequently request the Buddha-Dharma. So of course the offerings and respect they receive from people will be different! One’s virtue must be cultivated through diligent spiritual practice. In order to attain the virtue of wisdom, we must eliminate afflictions at all times. Only by cultivating blessings and wisdom will we receive offerings from others.”

The Buddha said these words to help his disciples understand, to help them realize that blessings and wisdom are accumulated over many lifetimes. They cannot simply form aspirations to join the Sangha and then compare themselves to seasoned practitioners. When they constantly compare themselves to others, they are like that ignorant person who could only earn a small amount of money from his work. When they enter the Sangha, they need not worry over getting food to eat. They no longer need to labor out in the world.

They do not have to worry about their three meals; 1000 households can provide rice for their bowl. But if they have not yet engaged in practice and still desire respect and offerings from people, they are like that foolish person. Whether they are lay practitioners, ordinary people who know little of the Dharma, or [monastics] who have entered the Buddha’s door and practice in the Sangha, if they are only practicing for themselves, then they are all ignorant. We have now entered the Buddha’s door and diligently engage in spiritual practice. We look only at this lifetime, without any thought of our countless past lives. How much wisdom have we actually cultivated? How many good connections have we truly formed? We only know about the present; we do not know the past. Thus we should be content with what we have and focus on the present. We must earnestly do what is right. This is what is meant by “working.”

We must work diligently and gradually draw near [our goal]. As long as we have the right direction, we will draw closer, step by step. Naturally, as we advance through the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna [teachings], we realize that we need not take issue over worldly matters; we know that life is painful and short. In this life, we learn how to obtain wisdom from the Dharma, and we obtain our blessings by going among people. By cultivating good affinities among people and obtaining wisdom from the Dharma, we cultivate both blessings and wisdom. This is how we can gradually advance. Only then can we advance from the moist soil to reach the mud. We can then dig even deeper to reach pure water that can nourish the land. This water enables seeds of goodness to grow into a forest of merits and virtues. We need to follow the principles in this order.

As Buddhist practitioners, this is the kind of faith and patience we need. We need a pure mind to explore the Dharma. The Dharma is inseparable from worldly phenomena. Isolating ourselves from the world to seek the Dharma is like seeking fur on a turtle’s shell or horns on a rabbit’s head. Can fur be found on a turtle’s shell? Can horns be found on a rabbit’s head? We will never find such things! We must [seek things] according to the principles. All living beings have their own principles. In this universe, all things have their principles. They must follow their own principles and their own laws. This is our true direction in learning the Buddha’s teachings.

The previous sutra passage says, “He continues to work without stopping.” On that high plateau, he digs a well in search of water. It is a place without water. He wishes to find water in a place like this, but he is still very far from it. This is what the previous [passage] says.

He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth, and gradually reaches the mud. In his mind, he is certain that water must be close. Bodhisattvas are also like this.

“He continues to work without stopping.” He is digging for water on a high plateau, continuously digging, working very hard. He must know that as he continuously digs downward, he is digging in the right direction. Once he has found the aquifer, “He begins to see moist earth.” Searching continuously, he keeps [digging] through the dry earth until he finds moist earth. He has now seen moist earth.

He “gradually reaches the mud.” He gradually starts to see mud, which means there is water. “In his mind, he is certain that water must be close.” He knows that the water is now close. “Bodhisattvas are also like this.” Digging a well is like this. First we see mud, then we find water. This water is not yet clear; it is very muddy. So we must continue to dig down until we reach clear water, until the water we draw up is clear. This is how it works when digging a well. [The water is found] underground, So if we need water, we need to work very hard for it.

The next sutra passage continues with,

“As for those who have yet to hear and understand and have yet to be able to practice and learn the Lotus Sutra, you should know that these people are still far from Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

We already know this. If we have not yet heard this sutra, the Lotus Sutra, or having heard it, if we have not yet understood its meaning, this shows that we still lack dedication. We must put our heart into our spiritual practice and absorb the principles of the Lotus Sutra. We have not genuinely absorbed [its teachings]. We have yet to do this. So, people like this are still lacking in dedication. As a result, they still have afflictions; they are not yet free from afflictions.

People like these who have not heard or understood, are unable to practice and learn this Lotus Sutra, so they are still unable to free themselves of afflictions.

It is as if they are on that high plateau; they are still at the ground of dry wisdom. They only understand worldly matters. They completely understand these. With suffering, causation and cessation, they know they must seek the Path. However, they merely understand suffering and the causation of suffering. They do not know the way to seek the Path. So, how can we bring cessation to our afflictions? We still harbor afflictions as we engage in spiritual practice. This is like digging for water on a high plateau. We still have afflictions to eliminate, so we are not able to attain liberation.

“You should know that these people are still far from Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Thus you should know that,” we should know that, these people are still very far away from the state of perfect and universal enlightenment.

You should know that these people are still far from Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: Thus you should know that these people are still far from the. Dharma of perfect and universal enlightenment. This is just like when he sees the dry earth and knows the water is still far away.

“Just like seeing only dry earth” means that it is still a long way to the aquifer, that it is still a long way to perfect and universal enlightenment. “Just like seeing only dry earth” refers to when we first begin to put effort [into our spiritual practice]. We only understand suffering and causation, that is all. How can we reach cessation? The direction of the Path is still unclear to us. So, at this point, we have [only] entered the ground of dry wisdom. We understand worldly matters and firmly believe in the suffering, emptiness and impermanence of the world. We understand these very well. However, when it comes to bringing to cessation the source of the accumulation of suffering, how do we follow this Path? The direction is still unclear to us. Thus we are still stuck on the dry earth. We are still far away from water.

Since we are still far away, we need to move closer. By using this analogy, we are able to understand.

Still being far but drawing nearer is an analogy for knowing that only through this sutra can we attain the Three Wisdoms of perfect contemplation and draw near to the fruit. This is not the listening, contemplation and practice of the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna teachings.

Just like the Buddha said to His disciples, we must not underestimate small [accomplishments]. At the beginning, we must take the first step. With our tiny virtues, to compare ourselves with those of great virtuous conduct would be foolish. So, we monastics who have entered the Buddha’s door should earnestly engage in spiritual practice following our rules. We must not compare ourselves with others. We each have our own causes and conditions. Other people have the causes and conditions that they created in their past lives. Thus, in their relationships with others they will have good affinities. However, our own affinities with people are still very far from theirs. So we must be even more earnest; we must form good affinities with people.

We must seek wisdom from the Dharma and seek blessings among people, by going among people, Among people, amidst [all kinds of] afflictions, we will have a way to experience and converge with the Dharma. This is something we must put our heart into experiencing. If we [study] the Dharma in isolation from people, we will never truly experience it. This is like seeking pure water in the dry earth; it is simply too far away. This is because we are not going in the right direction; while there is water underground, we are not [digging] toward the aquifer. So we must continue to work to find which direction the water is in. Then we will naturally reach moist earth and mud, and digging deeper, we will find water.

Therefore, once we understand worldly matters, once we perceive the matters of the world and clearly understand the Four Noble Truths, we must begin to use methods to attain cessation. The method we must use to eliminate suffering is following “the Path.” [Following] this path requires the two feet of blessings and wisdom. We must be replete in both of these [to follow] the path that has been paved for us. We need to put our heart into this. When the Buddha taught the sutras, He always taught them to us simply and clearly. A man worked hard for a small wage and, comparing himself to rich people, wanted to throw what little money he had away. At that moment, someone advised him, saying, “Although this is a small amount, you can sustain yourself with it for a while.” This is the correct [mindset].

Without an understanding of the Dharma, one who is in great difficulty might compare himself to one who is wealthy. How can he make such a comparison? The idea is the same. So, as we enter the Buddha’s door we must gain thorough understanding. We must be clear on all worldly phenomena. We cannot treat the Buddha-Dharma carelessly; we must be very diligent. So, for us who want to learn the Buddha-Dharma, [the Buddha] used worldly phenomena to help us see出框. From these worldly teachings, we must return to the true principles of the Buddha-Dharma. To speak about this is simple, but it is not so easily accomplished. Therefore, we must be mindful; we must work hard. On the high plateau, we already have dry wisdom, so we should know by now that we need to [dig] in the right direction.

It is only through “this sutra” that “we can attain the Three Wisdoms of perfect contemplation. This sutra” refers to the Lotus Sutra, which encompasses the Three Wisdoms.

The Three Wisdoms: [Wisdoms from] listening, contemplation and practice. Wisdom from listening is wisdom that can be attained from listening to the Buddha-Dharma. Wisdom from contemplation is wisdom that can be attained from contemplating the principles of the Buddha. Wisdom from practice is wisdom that can be attained from diligently practicing meditation and Samadhi.

Are you all familiar with the Three Wisdoms? They are listening, contemplating and practicing. Wisdom from listening is wisdom that arises from listening to the Buddha-Dharma. By listening, we will be able to realize and understand. Thus, wisdom from listening is wisdom attained by listening to the Buddha-Dharma. Wisdom from contemplation [comes from] contemplating the Buddha’s true principles. We must put our hearts into thoroughly understanding His principles. In this way, we will be able to grow in wisdom. If we listen to the Buddha-Dharma but do not retain it, we will only understand worldly matters. If we have not taken the Dharma to heart and then carefully contemplated it, we will thus never be able to attain true wisdom. So, we must engage in contemplation. [We must] listen, contemplate and practice. So, “wisdom from contemplation” is “wisdom that can be attained from contemplating the principles of the Buddha.”

Wisdom from practice comes from diligent practice. With diligence, we must practice meditation and Samadhi. Meditation is cultivating skillful contemplation. Through cultivating contemplation, we gain Samadhi. Like this, [we develop] the wisdom of Samadhi. This comes from listening, contemplating and practicing. We listen to the Dharma and attain wisdom. We must then engage in mindful contemplation. After contemplating, we must put the teachings into practice. We must follow the Buddha-Dharma’s guidance and engage in practice accordingly. So, within the Buddha-Dharma, this particular sutra encourages us to go among people. We must follow the Buddha’s teaching, walk the Bodhisattva-path and not isolate ourselves from sentient beings. We must go among people and exercise the Six Paramitas in all our actions; These are the Three Wisdoms. This sutra contains the perfect teachings. We must put in diligent effort. “Contemplation” is observing our thoughts and diligently engaging in contemplation. Only in this way will we draw near the fruit. We must mindfully [learn] the Lotus Sutra.

“This is not the listening, contemplation and practice of the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna teachings.” Not only with the Agama [teachings] but also with the Vaipulya and Prajna, we must listen, contemplate, and practice. But if we stop there, we will deviate in our direction. We will lean toward “existence” or “emptiness.” Coming to the Lotus Sutra, “existence” and “emptiness” are brought together. Wondrous existence is found in true emptiness; emptiness and existence form a complete whole. This means that we must not be attached to the law of cause and effect of the Agama and just stop there. We need to continue forward toward the Vaipulya, which broadens our minds. Then, we must enter the Prajna where we understand that everything is empty. Impermanence, suffering and emptiness all become clear to us. This is “listening, contemplating and practicing.” We need to understand this and not become stuck at that stage.

“As for those who can listen, contemplate and practice, you must know that they can draw near to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

That is what the sutra passage goes on to say.

“As for those who can listen, contemplate and practice….” This is just like what was said previously, “When it comes to all the Tathagata’s teachings,” we need to mindfully “contemplate, examine and remember them without forgetting and continue to work without stopping.”

We must be extremely mindful in comprehending this. After listening, we have taken in the teachings. How will we know which direction to take in the future? The direction we must walk in is the one that the Buddha taught us, so we must examine [His teachings].

We must “remember them without forgetting and continue to work without stopping.” This is like building a road. First, we need to take measurements. From our current position, we must be aligned to the state of Buddhahood. To align with the state of Buddhahood from the ground of unenlightened beings, we need to take careful measurements. We must truly bear in mind and contemplate, over and over, the teachings we have heard in terms of our lives and the lives of sentient beings in this world. We all need to examine these things mindfully. The Buddha-Dharma is more than words on paper. It is not just something we hear and leave in our mind. We need to apply [the Dharma] to the world; this is the true direction of the Buddha-Dharma. So, we need to examine it and remember it without forgetting and continue to work without stopping. We must work very hard so that in our perspectives, we keep the Buddha-Dharma in our lives. It is our wisdom-life and what we [must] contemplate. We must experience and comprehend it in the world.

So, if we are able to do this, “You must know that [we] can draw near to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

You must know that they can draw near to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: Gradually seeing the moist earth and mud refers to reaching Nirvana, which is also called “cessation and deliverance.” It means a complete cessation of afflictions and deliverance from samsara.

We need to practice like this, keeping our direction aligned. By hearing, contemplating, accepting and upholding, our direction will be correct. Like this, we will be able to examine [the world]. We can examine everything in the world. Then we will comprehend and understand. This must be our direction, to [relieve] the suffering of all beings with the heart of the Buddha. How can we dedicate ourselves among people and understand their suffering and afflictions? This is where we must unlock our wisdom and refine ourselves. This is our direction.

“[He] gradually sees the moist earth and mud.” The mud represents Nirvana. Nirvana is also called “cessation and deliverance.” There is suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. We need to attain cessation of all suffering. This applies not just to our own suffering. We need to eliminate all the various kinds of suffering from afflictions and ignorance in life. Sentient beings’ afflictions give rise to ignorance. As ignorance multiplies, the world cannot be at peace. So, in terms of the “self,” we must think of “the greater self,” not “the limited self.” We must practice toward this “greater self” and not cling to our “limited self.” This is how we can reach cessation and deliverance and truly cease the world’s suffering. This is a state of clarity and tranquility. This is where we must put in our efforts, in seeking to benefit both ourselves and others. We must cease our own suffering and also the suffering of sentient beings.

The complete cessation of afflictions means completely eliminating our own afflictions while also seeking to eliminate the afflictions of all sentient beings so that they can be completely pure so they become absolutely free of afflictions. So, deliverance from samsara is represented by the mud. The mud [symbolizes] having attained liberation. Liberation means. “They can draw near to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi,” which is “supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.” Having attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi means having already awakened and realized the Path. Awakening and the realization of the Path are represented by the mud. It is also called Nirvana, or “cessation and deliverance.” This is supreme, perfect, universal enlightenment. This is Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

Dear Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, we must not be Bodhisattvas in name only. We must be Bodhisattvas who put the teachings into practice and benefit others. As we ourselves engage in spiritual practice, we must not do so just for our own benefit; we also need to benefit others. We must not merely seek to bring peace to our own surroundings but to benefit the entire world so that everyone can be peaceful and at ease. Only then will there be true harmony on earth, a pure land in the world. We truly need the Dharma-water to cleanse our hearts. Our wisdom-life is still very dry, so it needs the constant nourishment of Dharma-water. [To find] Dharma-water, we must work hard before we can absorb it and nourish our wisdom-life. This all depends on us, so we must always be mindful.

Episode 1233 – He Is Certain that Water Must Be Close

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>> “If we seek to attain the fruit of Buddhahood, we must know the way; then it will be easy. This sutra is the essential path of practice to attain Buddhahood. Sentient beings are full of afflictions. This is like being on a high plateau. The person looking for water is an analogy for those cultivating the Bodhisattva-path.”

>> “If there are sentient beings seeking the path to Buddhahood who see or hear this, the Lotus Sutra, and upon hearing it have faith in, understand, accept and uphold it, you should know that these people will draw near to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”  

>> “Medicine King, this is like a thirsty person in need of water who digs into a high plateau in search of water. All he sees is dry earth, and he knows that water is still far away.”  

>> “He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth and gradually reaches the mud. In his mind, he is certain that water must be close. Bodhisattvas are also like this.” 

>> He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth and gradually reaches the mud: From the ground of dry wisdom he proceeds gradually, continuing to work without stopping. He abides in the inner assembly; this is like starting to see the moist earth. Reaching the state of the Ten Dedications is like seeing the mud. Dedication of merits means to turn from the cause toward the fruit, to turn from matters toward principles and to turn from oneself toward others.

>> He abides in the inner assembly and practices the Four Reflections. He attains the Dharma of warmth the Dharma of pinnacle, the Dharma of patience and the Dharma of foremost in the world. This is the stage of the four wholesome roots, the highest state of wisdom with Leaks. It is foremost among all worldly teachings. Thus it is called the Dharma of foremost in the world.

>> He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth and gradually reaches the mud: From the ground of dry wisdom he proceeds gradually, continuing to work without stopping. He abides in the inner assembly; this is like starting to see the moist earth. Reaching the state of the Ten Dedications is like seeing mud. Dedication of merits means to turn from the cause toward the fruit, to turn from matters toward principles, and to turn from oneself toward others.

>> The moist earth: This is a metaphor for hearing the Prajna teachings. Reaches the mud: This is a metaphor for hearing the Lotus teachings and drawing near the water of Buddha-wisdom.

>> He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth: This is a metaphor for benefiting oneself and others without rest and thus revealing the appearance of a Great Vehicle practitioner. With this, we can gradually come to thoroughly understand the meaning of this sutra and will be all the more able to draw near to Buddha-wisdom.

>> He goes from moist earth until he reaches mud. He excels in seeking water. This illustrates that those who listen to this sutra excel in practicing the Bodhisattva-path. This sutra is essential for practicing the Path. It is the way to Buddhahood.

>> His mind is certain that water must be close. Bodhisattvas are also like this: When we reach this state of spiritual practice through the gradual teachings, we are in the initial ground of joy. This is the state that Bodhisattvas who have perfected the teachings ascend to and abide in.

>> His mind harbors no more doubts, so it says “certain.” He is not far from the noble state, so it says [he] “must be close.” Bodhisattvas are also like this: This means that what they all practice is the Bodhisattva-path. By gradually practicing and learning, they will all attain Buddhahood.

---

“If we seek to attain the fruit of Buddhahood,
we must know the way; then it will be easy.
This sutra is
the essential path of practice to attain Buddhahood.
Sentient beings are full of afflictions.
This is like being on a high plateau.
The person looking for water
is an analogy for those cultivating the Bodhisattva-path.”

We must all be mindful. Let us recollect what we talked about yesterday. If we get thirsty in the desert and wish to drink water, we need to search for it mindfully. As long as we know the direction, it will not be hard. But if we do not know the direction, then finding the water will be very difficult. By the same token, if we seek to attain the fruit of Buddhahood, then we must have a method. If we have the right method and keep advancing forward, then we will arrive at our goal. When we are directionless, our lives are truly hazy and unclear. Where is our goal? So, as Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful.

“This sutra is the essential path of practice to attain Buddhahood.” The sutra we speak of here is the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra is the king of all sutras. It is supreme; it encompasses all the teachings of the sutras. They are all contained within the Lotus Sutra. All the Dharma the Buddha taught in the past up to His final teachings of the Nirvana period in the future are all included in this [sutra]. Thus, a previous passage says that “what I have taught, am teaching now and will teach in the future” are all within this sutra.

In the past, the Buddha taught the Dharma purely to help everyone understand worldly matters, to help everyone know clearly how our lives came about and how we should prepare for the future. If He had not, we sentient beings would not understand anything. Throughout lifetime after lifetime, we come without any control of our own and have no idea where we will go in the future. We spend our whole lives as if in a hazy mist, amidst afflictions, ignorance and suffering. We are dragged along by karmic forces and, in response to karmic forces, reproduce more karma. Living like this is unbearable suffering; so many things are beyond our control.

The Buddha came to this world to teach us to observe the world as a whole. We must not focus only on ourselves; we must see everything in the world clearly. As for the suffering He taught about, perhaps people who created blessings in past lives, when they come to this life, do not think that there is any suffering. Or perhaps people who were very confused in past lives, when they come to this life, will again be in that same drunken state, living every day as if they were intoxicated. They live their lives half-awake, half-drunk, without understanding any of the principles. Living like this, they treat themselves poorly and are of no benefit to others. In this way, they go through yet another life. There are so many people like this.

The Buddha came to awaken us so that we would not be half-awake and half-drunk. We should awaken fully, wake up completely and come to understand the life we are living. Even if we are rich, life is painfully short. Even amidst our riches, we will still experience birth, aging, illness and death, not getting what we want and parting with those we love. We will be separated in life and in death. We must get a sense of the Eight Sufferings in life and earnestly reflect on ourselves. No matter how good our lives are, we too will experience the suffering of aging, illness and death. We too will part from those we love. We too will have people around us who might lack good affinities with us; just seeing them will cause us to give rise to afflictions and ignorance.

This is to say nothing of not getting what we want or parting from the ones we love. In this way, as human beings, no matter how good we make our environment it is still the same; in the end, when we are ill, who can [suffer] in our place? No matter how much money we have, we cannot buy a longer life. Technology is very advanced now and can enable us to extend our lifespan, but this is a life devoid of function or quality. In [a hospital], there are so many who lie in their beds completely without freedom. Their minds are clear, but their bodies are unable to move about. Or their minds and bodies have both ceased to function, and they are left there, merely breathing. Their spirits face unbearable suffering! Wealthy people also face this kind of suffering. When their illnesses are prolonged, they are also very scared. When in the end they die, where exactly will they go? They do not know this either. This is life.

We should mindfully contemplate our own lives, to say nothing of what the Buddha taught us. He did not merely teach us the importance of knowing ourselves and understanding the Eight Sufferings of life, that life is full of countless hardships, that suffering in life is something universal, He also taught us the principles of all things in the universe, how we sentient beings create karma and how we share collective karma. There is the imbalance of the four elements, earth, water, fire and wind, [which cause suffering] when great disasters arise. This is also found in the Buddhist sutras. This is all contained within this sutra; it can teach us so many things.

We must have a broad perspective on the world. Being rich today does not mean that we will be reborn as humans in our next life, nor does it mean that we will be wealthy in the next life either. We might not even be born in the developed world. Without any control, we face our direct and circumstantial retributions. Perhaps we will be born in the poorest of places. Have you seen how many [poor] countries there are in this world? The one I [currently] see is Haiti. We have been helping Haiti for many years now. In the past several years, Tzu Chi volunteers have gone in and out of Haiti. In particular, James Chen from the US has, over these five or six years, gone there and back more than 60 times.

Why, in a few short years, did he come and go like this 50 to 60 times? It was because he was responsible for that place. Ever since the devastating earthquake [in 2010], Tzu Chi volunteers from the US have dedicated themselves completely to that place. Many international charity groups also went there to help. In that country, people were poor to begin with. The poor people there rarely even had the opportunity to eat corn flour. Some even ate mud. They were starving. This was truly extreme poverty; globally, [Haiti] is considered one of the poorest [countries].

So, since the big earthquake that year, we got involved, and we have been there all the way to the present. In addition to providing disaster relief, we also helped them with construction. There are three schools run by a congregaition of Catholic nuns, including a secretarial school, a middle school and an elementary school, that we rebuilt for them. Moreover, we later also built a preschool there. At the same time, every year, we continue to distribute rice. In that place in particular, public safety is very bad, In the past, there were many gangs everywhere, so public safety was not good. They also lacked electricity and clean water, and there were no construction materials. Upon arriving in that place, although Port-au-Prince is the capital, we could see that most buildings were made from discarded materials. They had pieced together rusted tin sheets to build something. It truly was an extremely poor place.

In this place, the entire ground seemed to be covered in trash. There were many people in these heaps of trash, looking for something to eat. They had no choice! This year (2016), we again went to distribute rice. That place used to be completely devoid of order. There was no functional public safety; they had no ability to protect their own country. So, the United Nations had to send soldiers there to maintain public order. The gangs would roam the streets, causing trouble. So, when we did relief distributions, we were always very worried. We always had to have soldiers come to protect us. Thus, these past few years, we were always very worried when we distributed relief.

However, people can change. As long as we have the will and the vow, we will naturally have the strength to gradually change peoples’ way of life. We can slowly guide people to understand the importance of gratitude and that when people come to help, we must accept it with gratitude. We have seen how, gradually, they all began to understand the importance of respect. This year, when we were distributing rice, we discovered that the local people started to come to volunteer [with us].

There were students from the secretarial school who were willing to become media volunteers. They came to help us take notes and do some administrative work. They could help write, take notes and so on; these are things they could assist with. The locals there were also taking initiative to come to help with carrying the rice, moving things and so on. Moreover, we were very happy to see that they were now forming lines, so the soldiers did not need to restrain them. They understood how to maintain order and knew to line up to get the rice. This happened this year. We could see how people have started to change. 

[We could see] people begin to change and act on their own initiative; they are willing to help and give to others and contribute their own strength. Even though they are still very poor right now, when they know that people are coming to help, they will also make an effort to contribute their own strength to help those who are weaker or older than themselves, help them move and carry things. They have already given rise to this kind of love. Moreover, they have gratitude; we have already seen them express it.

Although this has all taken many years, whether through material assistance or through the effort of volunteers in going back and forth to care for them with love, we have now seen the light [of hope]. That place, that country, should also [have hope of] being saved. This is what we must put our heart into personally experiencing in the world. Thus, we must not just look at our own situation. Although our circumstances in life are already considered very good, there are still people who think, “This is not enough. There is still so much more that I must have.” If we are like this, even if we live in the best of countries or societies, if we all just fight to grab things for ourselves, then this society will slowly enter into an age of darkness.

Now, we may have a very beautiful and excellent country, a wonderful society, lifestyle, family and so on, but if we are too self-absorbed and only ever think of ourselves and never of society as a whole, we will always be fighting, fighting, fighting. In the end, the result will be unthinkable. People who act like this are half-drunk and half-awake. They clearly have a good life, but they do not cherish it. When we enjoy circumstances like these in life, we should be very content. We should be grateful that we can receive an education and are able to receive the Buddha-Dharma, which is something even more precious. So, we should put all the more effort into seeking the true principles of the Buddha-Dharma to understand ourselves and the world. If we have more than we need, if we have the strength, we must quickly go to help others. The truly wealthy are those who are able to help others. As for Haiti, we have the strength to help [the people there], but what we really hope is that we can help them stand up on their own. More than just stand up, [we hope that], at some point, no matter how long it may take, [the people in] that place can also become people who can help others.

Is that possible? Looking at the seed, we know what the future fruit will be. We see how they are now beginning to know the importance of self-discipline. When people come to do a distribution, everyone must abide by the rules. They also understand the importance of dedicating themselves to serve as volunteers. With this causal seed, they are now constantly transforming; their good causes are slowly transforming into good conditions. So, I hope that in this country’s future, there will be good causes and conditions, and that Haiti will gradually become a place of blessings and wisdom. This is the resolve of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, [the heart] to go to serve and teach others. [The volunteers] seek the fruit of Buddhahood, and they already know the direction.

Look at the US Tzu Chi volunteers. Currently in Haiti and Ecuador, with hearts like the Buddha’s, with hearts of great compassion, in these two countries they are now putting the teachings into practice. They are already helping people there. So, “[seeking] to attain the fruit of Buddhahood, we must know the way; then it will be easy.” When we know the direction, we will be walking the Bodhisattva-path. Our direction is walking the Bodhisattva-path to give of ourselves. [These volunteers] have gone back and forth to Ecuador twice and have gone to Haiti more than 60 times. This is the power of love. These are the footprints of Bodhisattvas. So, “This sutra is the essential path of practice to attain Buddhahood.” This means that we must understand the suffering in this world. We must know the direction and put the teachings into practice.

“Sentient beings are full of afflictions. This is like being on a high plateau.” In yesterday’s sutra passage, [a man] on a high plateau was digging for water. This is like being laden with afflictions while wishing to engage in spiritual practice. Having yet to eliminate one’s afflictions while wishing to engage in spiritual practice is like standing atop a tall mountain. That tall mountain represents how, if we still have afflictions yet aspire to engage in spiritual practice and are willing to work hard, what we will obtain is dry wisdom, completely dry wisdom. This is because we have yet to reach the water of the principles. We have yet to reach that water of the absolute truth, of the true principles. This is similar to ordinary people who do good deeds because they seek blessings. What they seek is human and heavenly blessings. All they know is that they must do good deeds to get blessings, that is all. They wish to get something out of it, so they give expecting something in return.

However, the Buddha-Dharma teaches us to give without expectations and moreover to be grateful. Sentient beings suffer; this is what we must thoroughly understand. So we must refine our wisdom and train our power of Samadhi. This is the water of the principles, the Dharma-water. So, forming aspirations is good, but if we have yet to eliminate our afflictions, it is like digging for water on a tall mountain.

The person who looks for water is an analogy for those who cultivate the Bodhisattva-path. We must practice. Practicing the Buddha’s teachings is very good, but we must not keep harboring afflictions. In our course of spiritual practice, we must practice giving while at the same time eliminating the afflictions of seeking rewards. If we are able to do this, then in life, we can mutually encourage and help one another. We should help whoever needs our help without any expectations. We should do this wholeheartedly in the hope of helping them to likewise be able to form aspirations, recruit more Bodhisattvas and, just like us, advance in seeking the path to Buddhahood. This is the Bodhisattva-practice. Just look at the many [volunteers] who, after being helped by us, were brought in, received volunteer training and became certified. This is a great community of Bodhisattvas. So, we should mindfully seek to comprehend this. As Buddhist practitioners, we must seek to obtain wisdom and the nourishment of Dharma-water.

The previous sutra passage states,

“If there are sentient beings seeking the path to Buddhahood who see or hear this, the Lotus Sutra, and upon hearing it have faith in, understand, accept and uphold it, you should know that these people will draw near to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

Seeking the path to Buddhahood is more than just knowing the law of karma. “I benefit others to attain blessings.” It is not like that. We must walk the Bodhisattva-path, give without expectations and go among people to serve others. If we do this, we already understand the ways of the Bodhisattva-path. Where do we find the Bodhisattva-path? In the Lotus Sutra. If people see and hear it, have faith and understanding and accept and uphold the Lotus Sutra, “you should know that these people,” we will know, that they have already began to gradually approach the path of enlightenment. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is the path of supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment. So, we must have this direction.

Yesterday’s sutra passage continued with the Buddha again calling on Medicine King.

“Medicine King, this is like a thirsty person in need of water who digs into a high plateau in search of water. All he sees is dry earth, and he knows that water is still far away.”

[He says] “Medicine King! Do you know? It is like someone who is very thirsty and in need of water. He digs into a high plateau in search of water, digging a well, but no matter how he digs, all he sees is dry earth.” We should know that if the earth we dig through is always dry, this means that though we are practicing and doing good deeds, we are still harboring afflictions. We still carry afflictions as we engage in spiritual practice. Carrying afflictions as we practice is like still being far away from water.

Although engaging in spiritual practice is good, we are still unable to obtain the nourishment of Dharma-water. We are still far away from water. Therefore, we must take the Bodhisattva-path. Only the Bodhisattva-path can truly help us to shake off all of our afflictions. This is like an animal that falls into the water; when he comes out of it, he must shake his whole body. He must exert effort to do this, shaking his body to throw off the water. By the same principle, we must make a determined effort. We must no longer let ourselves become defiled. This is [speaking of] our wisdom-life. Therefore, we must eliminate our afflictions as we seek the Buddha-Dharma. We must not carry our afflictions as we try to attain the Buddha-Dharma. Bringing afflictions as we seek the Dharma would really be a pity!

The next sutra passage states,

“He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth and gradually reaches the mud. In his mind, he is certain that water must be close. Bodhisattvas are also like this.”

“He continues to work without stopping” means we must continue on. Even when we are digging a well, we must know our direction, the direction of our Dharma-lineage. Once we know our direction, then we must put in effort and continue to work without stopping. Although there is a layer of dry earth, we must continue to work hard to eliminate our afflictions. We must diligently eliminate afflictions; we must continue working, must keep putting in effort without stopping. “He continues to work without stopping.” This means never to stop to rest but to continue to exercise our aspiration of seeking the Dharma, advancing diligently and constantly moving forward.

He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth and gradually reaches the mud: From the ground of dry wisdom he proceeds gradually, continuing to work without stopping. He abides in the inner assembly; this is like starting to see the moist earth. Reaching the state of the Ten Dedications is like seeing the mud. Dedication of merits means to turn from the cause toward the fruit, to turn from matters toward principles and to turn from oneself toward others.

“He begins to see moist earth….” [When we encounter] dry earth, we just need to put our heart into digging further. We must mindfully keep going. As long as we have the right direction, we must constantly eliminate afflictions and diligently keep moving forward. Whatever is right, we “just do it” and keep advancing. In this way, we will “gradually reach the mud.” We will gradually see that the earth has become moist. When we see moist earth, we will know that there must be water below, so we must step up our efforts and quickly work even harder. We must keep working hard until we reach the mud. Seeing mud means that we have reached water. This earth is not just moist, it is already mixed with water; this is mud.

So, “From the ground of dry wisdom he proceeds gradually.” [Starting from] the ground of dry wisdom, where we carry our past afflictions of having expectations, we constantly practice and gradually understand. The Buddha has opened [the teachings] for us, so we must quickly turn toward the Great Vehicle Dharma. [We must] quickly turn from the deer cart and sheep cart to the great white ox cart. [We must not practice] merely for our own sake, but also for others. This is the great white ox cart. In this way, from the sheep cart and deer cart, from the ground of dry wisdom, we must turn to the great white ox cart. We must transform ourselves as well as others. Then, we are able walk forward on the great, broad path to enlightenment. Like this, we can gradually advance. “Continuing to work without stopping” means to continuously press forward.

“He abides in the inner assembly.” This is [the highest state of] those who practice the Two Vehicles, the sheep cart and deer cart, the Small Vehicle and Middle Vehicle. He has already formed aspirations to enter into the Buddha-Dharma. Although he has entered the Buddha-Dharma, he still remains in the ground of ordinary beings. However, he is hardworking. He practices the Four Reflections, using these four methods to seek this Dharma, to find out how to eliminate his afflictions and how to be diligent. Practicing these four things, he attains the Dharma of warmth, the Dharma of pinnacle, the Dharma of patience and the Dharma of foremost in the world.

He abides in the inner assembly and practices the Four Reflections. He attains the Dharma of warmth the Dharma of pinnacle, the Dharma of patience and the Dharma of foremost in the world. This is the stage of the four wholesome roots, the highest state of wisdom with Leaks. It is foremost among all worldly teachings. Thus it is called the Dharma of foremost in the world.

The Dharma of warmth is like drilling into wood. The ancients drilled into wood to create fire; they kept on drilling into the wood until it started to burn.

Recently, we have often talked about how dry it is. When a foehn wind blows on dry branches and the branches rub against each other, they can start a fire. Many forests will burn after a drought. This is how it happens. When dry branches keep rubbing against each other they will eventually catch fire. By the same principle, we must work hard in our spiritual practice. The Dharma of warmth requires this. As we continually put in effort, we will naturally obtain the Dharma of warmth. Once we have obtained the Dharma of warmth, our bodies will be warm and our blood circulation will be unobstructed.

Next is the Dharma of pinnacle. This means that in the inner assembly, [Small Vehicle practitioners’ highest state,] they have already attained the highest teachings. Thus it is the highest level of Dharma among the Two Vehicle teachings.

Next is the Dharma of patience. Although we have attained the Two Vehicle Dharma and are in the inner assembly, we are still ordinary beings who are still learning the Buddha’s teachings. We have already gained experience of the Dharma. We already understand the Dharma the Buddha taught. But after we understand it, we still need to proceed forward. The Dharma of patience is something that we spiritual practitioners must have. If spiritual practitioners do not have patience, then regardless of what Dharma we practice, once we encounter external conditions, we will not be able to endure them and will quickly give up on our aspirations. So, we must have the Dharma of patience. Remaining in the inner assembly of. Two Vehicle practitioners, within the Buddha-Dharma but still in the state of ordinary beings, we still need to be patient.

Last is “the Dharma of foremost in the world. The Dharma of foremost in the world” is the highest state of wisdom with Leaks. There are people with wisdom in this world, but they still have flaws. They have not [attained] flawless Dharma. And so, though they have wisdom, they are still laden with afflictions. This is like what we just talked about. Digging a well on a high plateau is an analogy for people who carry afflictions as they engage in spiritual practice. This is called wisdom with Leaks or “dry wisdom.” They still remain in the ground of ordinary beings. Although they have already attained the Dharma of foremost in the world, they have not yet attained the essence of the Dharma. So, this is called “the Dharma of foremost in the world”; it is foremost among all worldly teachings.

They more or less understand worldly teachings and are able to transcend them, but they are still unable to comprehend the Buddha’s original intent which He guarded in His mind. The disciples of the Two Vehicles are still unable to enter the Bodhisattva Vehicle; they stop at this point, within the Two Vehicle Dharma. This is the “inner assmembly.” These unenlightened beings within the Dharma have yet to completely liberate themselves from afflictions. Because of this, they are said to “abide in the inner assembly.” These are people at the ground of dry wisdom. They need to keep gradually advancing. Yet they have already attained “the Dharma of foremost in the world.” In this world, we must not only understand ourselves but also understand the matters of the world. We should observe the world as a whole to understand the kinds of suffering in the world. We must understand them all; this is the Bodhisattva-practice.

We must go as far as to reach “the state of the Ten Dedications.”

He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth and gradually reaches the mud: From the ground of dry wisdom he proceeds gradually, continuing to work without stopping. He abides in the inner assembly; this is like starting to see the moist earth. Reaching the state of the Ten Dedications is like seeing mud. Dedication of merits means to turn from the cause toward the fruit, to turn from matters toward principles, and to turn from oneself toward others.

“Dedication of merits” means “to turn from the cause toward the fruit.” Right now, what we are working toward is the goal of reaching the state of Buddhahood. It is also “to turn from matters toward principles.” In the work that we do, we must not neglect the principles. This is “to turn from matters toward principles.” [Finally there is] “to turn from oneself toward others.” These are called “dedication of merits.” There are ten kinds of dedications, yet all are manifested through our actions. Through all the good deeds we enact, through our body, speech and mind, we are always dedicating our merits. In the end, we dedicate infinite merits to all Dharma-realms. All the good that we do must be dedicated to all Dharma-realms; we must return to the state of Buddhahood. To do this, we must be mindful.

So, regarding moist earth, by the time we see moist earth, we will know that there will be water further down. So, “moist earth” is a metaphor for “hearing the Prajna teachings.” In addition to the Agama and Vaipulya teachings, we have also heard the Prajna teachings. This is “the moist earth. Reaches the mud” is an analogy for now hearing the Lotus Sutra and drawing near to the water of the Buddha-wisdom.

The moist earth: This is a metaphor for hearing the Prajna teachings. Reaches the mud: This is a metaphor for hearing the Lotus teachings and drawing near the water of Buddha-wisdom.

Not only does he see the moist earth, he also knows for certain that there is water in the mud. So, this is a metaphor for “hearing the Lotus teachings.” He has now heard the Lotus Sutra and has more or less been able to obtain the water of the principles. The Dharma-water has now begun [to nourish him]. Earlier, in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, it spoke of “giving the Dharma-water.” He “draws near to the water of Buddha-wisdom.” He has begun to draw near.

So, “He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth.” This is an analogy for “benefiting oneself and others.”

He continues to work without stopping until he begins to see moist earth: This is a metaphor for benefiting oneself and others without rest and thus revealing the appearance of a Great Vehicle practitioner. With this, we can gradually come to thoroughly understand the meaning of this sutra and will be all the more able to draw near to Buddha-wisdom.

As we benefit ourselves, we must also benefit others. Like this, we will begin to exhibit the appearance of a Great Vehicle practitioner. We begin with cultivating limited practices and teachings, the limited teachings of the Small Vehicle, continuing on until we understand that we must benefit ourselves and others. Then, we will gradually exhibit the appearance of Great Vehicle practitioners. “With this, we can gradually come to thoroughly understand the meaning of this sutra.” These are the principles of the Lotus Sutra which we have gradually come to understand. We understand this sutra’s significance “and will be all the more able to draw near the Buddha-wisdom.” Because of this, we will be able to obtain the Buddha-wisdom.

So “From moist earth he reaches the mud. He is skillful in seeking water.” This is because he sees the moist earth and is also able to reach the mud. Seeing mud means we have already reached water. When water is coming out, we must be even more diligent. Below the mud is pure, clean water. This is an analogy for how. “Those who listen to this sutra skillfuly practice the Bodhisattva-path. This sutra is essential for practicing the Path. It is the Dharma for attaining Buddhahood.”

He goes from moist earth until he reaches mud. He excels in seeking water. This illustrates that those who listen to this sutra excel in practicing the Bodhisattva-path. This sutra is essential for practicing the Path. It is the way to Buddhahood.

After listening to the sutra, we must put [what we heard] into practice. We must truly put goodness into practice. We must not only listen to it, but truly put effort [into practicing it] and must “skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path. This sutra is essential for practicing the Path.” This truly is the most important thing in our spiritual practice. Thus, “It is the Dharma for attaining Buddhahood.” This sutra provides the method for attaining Buddhahood.

So, “In his mind, he is certain that water must be close. Bodhisattvas are also like this.” We now know that “having reached this stage in our practice,” when we have reached this point in our spiritual practice, we should know that we have gradually reached the grounds of Bodhisattvas. “Through the gradual teachings, [we reach] the initial ground of joy. This is the state that Bodhisattvas who have perfected the teachings ascend to and abide in.”

His mind is certain that water must be close. Bodhisattvas are also like this: When we reach this state of spiritual practice through the gradual teachings, we are in the initial ground of joy. This is the state that Bodhisattvas who have perfected the teachings ascend to and abide in.

We gradually, starting from the Agama teachings, came to understand the Buddha-Dharma. Through the Vaipulya and the Prajna, He gradually taught, leading us along the way. According to sentient beings’ capabilities, the Buddha gradually taught and we gradually accepted these teachings, gradually drewing near to them until we slowly began to form aspirations. This is the initial ground of joy.

Being able to see this sutra, we give rise to joy, and we form aspirations to accept and uphold, read and recite, transcribe and expound [this sutra]. Doing all this, we feel very joyful. We have already entered the perfect teachings. In the ground of joy, we have begun to enter the perfect teachings, which are the Lotus Sutra. Being in this ground of Bodhisattvas, we are putting [the teachings] into practice. We are in “this state that Bodhisattvas who have perfected the teachings ascend to and abide in.” We have already entered; we have ascended to and abide in that place.

“His mind harbors no more doubts.” We will no longer have doubts; we are now certain. We are already certain of our direction, and because of this, we are certain.

His mind harbors no more doubts, so it says “certain.” He is not far from the noble state, so it says [he] “must be close.” Bodhisattvas are also like this: This means that what they all practice is the Bodhisattva-path. By gradually practicing and learning, they will all attain Buddhahood.

“He is not far from the noble state.” We are now not far from the state of the Buddha. As long as our direction is correct and we mindfully put [this sutra] into practice, “[we] must be close.”

This is because by [practicing] this sutra, we have already ascended to the ground of joy and have begun to walk in this direction. So, Bodhisattvas are also like this. “This means that what they all practice is the Bodhisattva-path. By gradually practicing and learning, they will all attain Buddhahood.” This is what the sutra says.

In short, we must dedicate ourselves to the world and give of ourselves for the sake of the world’s sentient beings. Suffering sentient beings need Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas are saviors among sentient beings. What the Buddha came to this world to teach was for us all to ascend to the ground of joy. By then advancing forward, we can reach “the ground of Dharma-cloud” where we become one with the universe. So, we must not practice merely for our own sake. Since we are born into this world with others, we must serve as benefactors for others; these benefactors among people are Bodhisattvas. All in all, when it comes to the Buddha-Dharma, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1231 – Teaching the Dharma Fearlessly

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>> “Bodhisattvas are able to hear and uphold the teachings of the Dharma. They remember and uphold all its meanings and never forget them. In the great assembly, they teach the Dharma fearlessly. They completely understand how to apply the Dharma-medicine to cure the illnesses. In accord with people’s capabilities, they teach joyfully and fearlessly. With the meaning, rhetoric, teaching and Dharma they are fearless so all deviant views will be destroyed and all the right teachings will be established.”

>> “If there are people who can see this stupa and pay respects and make offerings to it, you should know that these people are close to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”  

>> “Medicine King, there are many lay or monastic practitioners who walk the Bodhisattva-path. If they are unable to see, hear, read, recite, transcribe, uphold or make offerings to this, the Lotus Sutra….”

>> “You should know that these people do not skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path. Only those who are able to hear this sutra can skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.”

>> You should know that these people do not skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path: You must know that people like these have yet to skillfully practice this excellent and extraordinary path that Bodhisattvas walk.

>> Have yet to excel in their practice: Despite all previous teachings, they are unable to be skillfully transformed. Upon hearing this sutra, they immediately enter the perfect teachings. This is called being skillfully transformed, and so they excel in their practice.

>> Only those who are able to hear this sutra can skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path: If there are people who have heard this sutra, it is the essential path. Therefore, it says that only then can they skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path. This means they can skillfully practice this superior Bodhisattva-path.

>> Bodhisattvas are replete in the Tathagata’s infinite teachings. Moreover, to benefit themselves and others they practice all kinds of Dharma and remain totally unattached to it all. This is what it means to skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.

>> When our mind dwells on unwholesome thoughts, we can treat it with the teachings of the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles while still remaining unattached to the human and heaven realms. When our mind dwells on the world, we can treat it with the Two Vehicle Dharma and still remain unattached to the Two Vehicle Dharma. Whether we transform ourselves or others, it is all like this. Then, there will be no Dharma that is not the Dharma of the Paramitas. This is truly and skillfully upholding this sutra, and this is truly and skillfully practicing the Bodhisattva-path.

>> When one is attached to the teachings that one practices and disparages all other teachings as false teachings, this is what it means to not skillfully practice. These people are all unable to see, hear, read or recite this, the Lotus Sutra.

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“Bodhisattvas are able to hear and uphold the teachings of the Dharma.
They remember and uphold all its meanings and never forget them.
In the great assembly, they teach the Dharma fearlessly.
They completely understand how to apply the Dharma-medicine to cure the illnesses.
In accord with people’s capabilities, they teach joyfully and fearlessly.
With the meaning, rhetoric, teaching and Dharma they are fearless
so all deviant views will be destroyed
and all the right teachings will be established.”

Bodhisattvas are able to hear, accept and uphold the Dharma. Once they listen and take it in, the memory remains in their minds. Not only do they remember it, they never forget any of its meanings or principles. In the assembly, they teach the Dharma fearlessly and completely understand how to apply the Dharma-medicine to cure illnesses. This means that we should form great aspirations and make great vows. However the sutra teaches us, that is how we read it. When we read it, we take its teachings to heart. Once we take them to heart, we must strengthen our memory. Reading is not just about having read it through. Reading is about taking it to heart and constantly recalling it. What is the meaning the sutra is teaching us? What were the causes and conditions that led the Buddha to teach this kind of sutra? This sutra can teach us because it suits our capabilities. It tells us that the path laid out in this sutra is a road for us to walk. Therefore, after we read this sutra and accept its teachings, we must put them into practice. This is called “remembering and upholding.” We must always remember them and actualize them in our actions, so our actions do not deviate from the principles. “All its meanings” refers to the principles. We must never forget all its meanings and principles.

All things in the world contain principles. In every word we say and every move we make, we must not deviate in our direction. Our actions must not deviate in the slightest. All these are principles. If our words, actions and memory are all consistent, then the karma we create with our actions will absolutely not deviate. Thus, in the assembly, we can teach the Dharma fearlessly. Because our actions and the Dharma are one, what we hear, what we say and what we do are all consistent. Thus, we can be at peace among the assembly as we teach everyone the Dharma. “Thus have I heard…. This is what the sutra tells us.” We must say what we do and do what we say. This is what the Buddha taught us, so this is what we learn, and this is what we do. As we do this, we must do what we say and say what we do; our speech and actions must be one. This is how we can go among the people and teach the Dharma fearlessly.

So, “They completely understand how to apply the Dharma-medicine to cure the illnesses.” [The problem with] sentient beings of this world is that their bodies and minds are not in harmony. In the macrocosm of the world, the four elements are not in harmony. In the microcosm of individuals, the thoughts of the human mind are not in harmony. Because our thoughts are not in harmony, we easily give rise to the fires of anger and the waters of desire swell. We constantly pass our days in a state of ignorance and foolishness. So, the four elements are not in harmony; in the ground of our minds there is a drought, a lack of Dharma. This is a state of foolishness. This is just like a lack of rainwater on earth. Because there is no Dharma-water to nourish the ground of our minds, we cannot plant the seeds of goodness. So, we are in a state of foolishness. Foolishness is ignorance. This is what sentient beings are like. When earth, water, fire and air are in a state of imbalance in the macrocosm, this creates disasters. Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt in our minds cause us to replicate afflictions. This results in illnesses in our minds.

What can we do about the illnesses in our minds? We must know, in learn the Buddha’s teachings, as Buddhist practitioners, as we read and listen to the sutras every day, everything is for us to understand the methods for curing these illnesses. Like a pharmacist, we must quickly learn the nature of the medicine. If we are ill and know the nature of the medicine, we will know the treatment for each ailment. We form aspirations to go among people, so it is even more important for us to understand the nature of the medicine. Only with this understanding will we have a way to treat the illnesses in the minds of sentient beings. So, we must “completely understand how to apply the Dharma-medicine to cure the illness.” In response to sentient beings’ illnesses, we must prescribe the appropriate treatment. In response to the world, we now recognize that the macrocosm of the world is ill. We must understand the illness of the macrocosm; where does that illness actually come from?

There is pollution of the air and of the earth. Nowadays we talk about carbon dioxide. There is so much pollution of the air, it affects the entire atmosphere and the earth. As a result, [the macrocosm] is ill. The earth has a fever and its temperature is rising. Let us take a look at the world, an imbalance of the four elements in the world is not the only cause of hardships in people’s lives. Take Venezuela for example. Right now (in 2016), this country is experiencing inflation, so its resources and economy are very unstable. 

Because of the instability within the country, when businesspeople know that the prices are about to go up, some will stockpile goods in large quantities. Because these people’s minds are full of greed, there are no goods to buy in the markets. When rich people stockpile goods, regular stores will have nothing to sell. So, some people resort to robbery. Their staple food is corn flour. Corn flour is their main source of food. When wealthy stores stockpile this resource, naturally its price will go up as a result.

One bag of corn flour used to cost 250 Venezuelan bolivares, which is 800 New Taiwan dollars. Now (2016) the price has increased. How much has it gone up to? They ask 2500 bolivares for each bag, which is NT 8000. Naturally, poor people cannot afford this, so some poor people have to resort to robbery. Others are not that poor, but they are also affected by inflation and unreasonable price increases. So, they take advantage of the situation; when they see poor people committing robbery they commit robbery as well. This has caused a great deal of social unrest.

One of our volunteers, [Wu Ranyun,] for many years now, has been in Venezuela, helping people without fanfare.

However, she was the only [Tzu Chi volunteer] there. She had to start with herself. She herself operated a store there, a supermarket. She abides by one principle, that her store will never stockpile goods, nor will she increase the prices without reason. As a result, people have a lot of respect for her.

When they buy things from her store, they line up in a very orderly fashion. They not only respect her for her fair prices, but also because, for many years, she has been going into places of great hardship to care for the impoverished. She also cares for impoverished students, their families and schools. One time, she went to a school to help the children there. When she arrived, it should have been time for class. Why was the school completely empty? The classrooms were empty. It looked like the classrooms were covered in graffiti, and there was a mess inside. What could have possibly happened? It turned out that the students were all starving, and the teachers had no heart to teach. Because of inflation, they wanted to go buy things. So, that school was a complete mess.

Wu Ranyun, our first seed there, quickly thought of ways to help this school. She knew there were more than 200 students there, and she had already found out what they needed. Based on a list of students, she prepared the quantity needed. Because she helped others on a regular basis, she had volunteers, and there were policemen among her volunteers. That area was not very safe, so they helped her deliver supplies to the school.

When they were unloading the goods, the principal did not know that every item was allocated to someone on the list, so he took two portions. Later, a policewoman who was helping them with the unloading discovered this and told Ranyun what the principal had done. So, she began to explain the spirit of Tzu Chi to the principal. Furthermore, she explained that she was there by her own power and strength to help the impoverished. With the food shortage, even with the money, no one could buy anything. She had come here for the sake of these children who were all in the name list. She shared the spirit of Tzu Chi, shared with him many of our principles. The principal was very remorseful, and he returned the items. Just like that, he expressed his repentance and was willing to join them as a volunteer.

This illustrates how, in that place, there is so much disorder in society that even the educational system was affected. Although she has given so much in that place, she [alone] cannot stabilize that society. At the very least, her actions have already guided many people to orient themselves toward a [mindset of] love. So, everyone helps to protect her store; they all respect her actions. Thus, a large group of people have gradually been touched and transformed. These citizens, policemen, teachers and so on, have already expressed that giving to others is actually very enjoyable and can actually bring them respect.

Take Ranyun and her store for example. At the beginning, there was a time when her store was surrounded by a many people who were very unruly and caused damage to her store. She bravely came out and spoke to everyone. She said that in this place, in this country, her conscience was clear. She had been doing business in that place, and giving to others in this way; she had never increased prices due to scarcity. She had never, ever done this; her prices were always fair. All these years, she maintained a spirit of serving society and gave to others out of love. “Destroying my store like this does not benefit anyone. If my store is destroyed, I will no longer be able to do business peacefully as I did in the past and provide you with what you need. This would not do anyone any good.”

So, those who had received her help and those who were her volunteers stood up to speak on her behalf. “Indeed, how many conscionable people are there now? This owner operates such a big store to provide us with goods so that we can peacefully live our lives. If we do not protect and support her, then who will dare to conduct business in a conscionable manner in this country?” As a result, people calmed their tempers and started to realize they were making a mistake. This store was different from the others. So, at other people’s businesses, chaos may happen at any time. As for her supermarket, every single day, everything is orderly. Police proactively come to help maintain order. Actually, even without the police, things would still go smoothly for her.

This is a story about the actions of a Bodhisattva[-volunteer] and her willingness to give. These were her actions in that place. Despite all the chaos in society, she was able to teach the Dharma fearlessly among the people. In the midst of the chaos, she was able to come out and speak. This society is in chaos; it is ill. She recognizes the root of the illness comes from the corruption within the country, from businesspeople who hoard supplies and increase prices. She was determined to be an example for others. She was just what she felt she should do. Some of her fellow storeowners saw this and gradually began to stabilize the situation in the society’s marketplace. This is “completely understanding how to apply the Dharma-medicine to cure the illnesses.”

“In accord with people’s capabilities, they teach joyfully and fearlessly.” Based on sentient beings’ capabilities, society’s circumstances and the minds of the people in society, she responded to that place by manifesting there to teach the Dharma and act in this way. We must do the same.

When we go among and interact with people, this is how we should act; we must say what we do and do what we say. When we truly take the Dharma to heart, we follow the Dharma and the principles in the way we practice, act and speak. Our speech and actions are one. As a result, “All deviant views will be destroyed and all the right teachings will be established.” If everyone can form Bodhisattva-aspirations, listen to and learn the teachings and faithfully abide by and practice them, we will remember and uphold them without forgetting. When we constantly recall these principles, naturally our speech and actions will be one and we will be able to teach the Dharma fearlessly in the assembly.

When we are able understand the world’s problems, the problems in people’s minds, the problems of the world and the problems of society, we will be able to treat these illnesses with the right medicine. This requires us to first deeply understand the capabilities of sentient beings in society. We must constantly demonstrate the Dharma, teach it and act it out. In this way, naturally we will “teach the Dharma with fearless eloquence.” We must teach often and without fear. Then naturally, “all deviant views,” all those differing views, will gradually become the same. Take those other stores for example. When they saw that Wu Ranyun’s shop could remain safe, they were gradually touched and transformed. Naturally, these people with divergent views and understanding gradually returned to the right [path]. So, “All the right teachings will be established.” Therefore, we must be mindful. All Dharma is meant to be carried out in our actions.

The sutra passage states,

“If there are people who can see this stupa and pay respects and make offerings to it, you should know that these people are close to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

We have already discussed this stupa previously. Wherever there are sutras and the Dharma, we can build a stupa. There is Dharma at that place; the Buddha’s entire body, the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, exists there. When people see this kind of stupa, a place where the Buddha-Dharma exists, a place that reveals the greatness of the Dharma, they should pay respects and make offerings to it. “You should know” means that if people are able to perceive these principles, practice according to the principles and faithfully accept and uphold the teachings, naturally these people will gradually draw near to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. This is drawing near to right enlightenment, to right understanding and right views, to perfect awakening. Then, they are able to take the Dharma to heart and find ways to put it into practice. We each intrinsically have a stupa on our Vulture Peak; this pagoda is in our minds.

Next, it continues with,

“Medicine King, there are many lay or monastic practitioners who walk the Bodhisattva-path. If they are unable to see, hear, read, recite, transcribe, uphold or make offerings to this, the Lotus Sutra….”

The Buddha called to Medicine King again and said, “There are many”; there are many people, whether they are lay or monastic Bodhisattvas, “If they are unable to see…. Unable to see” means they have not yet seen or did not see, hear, read, transcribe or uphold this sutra. This refers to those who are not yet able to make offerings to the Lotus Sutra. Even though they are lay or monastic practitioners and have the will to listen to the Dharma, the will to engage in spiritual practice, they have not yet had the cause and conditions to encounter this sutra. Or perhaps they have encountered it, but are unwilling to read, recite, accept and uphold it.

“You should know that these people….” The following sutra passage states,

“You should know that these people do not skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path. Only those who are able to hear this sutra can skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.”

Although they are monastic or lay practitioners, they still have not had the karmic conditions to read, recite, accept and uphold this sutra. We must know that “these people do not skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.” It is not enough for these people to do good deeds, form aspirations and make vows. Even though they are monastic or lay practitioners who learn the Buddha’s teachings, all they know about is [the law of] karma, “Refrain from all evil and do all that is good.” They have yet to form great aspirations or vows. So, they do not skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.

He does not understand the Dharma yet.

You should know that these people do not skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path: You must know that people like these have yet to skillfully practice this excellent and extraordinary path that Bodhisattvas walk.

“Only those who are able to hear this sutra can skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.” Only those who truly read and listen to this sutra, as well as accept, uphold and practice it, are truly walking the Bodhisattva-path. This is a simple way to put it. So, “you must know” that these people have yet to genuinely form Bodhisattva-aspirations and have yet to attain extraordinary skillful practice. We must genuinely form Bodhisattva-aspirations. We must make the Four Great Vows and have the Four Infinite Minds to truly walk the extraordinary Bodhisattva-path.

So, “[They] do not skillfully practice. Do not skillfully practice” is what we discussed in the past. “They are unable to be skillfully transformed. Upon hearing this sutra, people immediately enter the perfect teachings. This is called being skillfully transformed.” This is what it means to skillfully practice.

Have yet to excel in their practice: Despite all previous teachings, they are unable to be skillfully transformed. Upon hearing this sutra, they immediately enter the perfect teachings. This is called being skillfully transformed, and so they excel in their practice.

Those who have yet to skillfully practice of the Bodhisattva-path are those who have not been skillfully transformed. We must form great aspirations and make great vows to go among people and transform sentient beings. To transform sentient beings, we must have all kinds of skillful means and teach according to capabilities. This is the path that all Buddhas share. To skillfully transform means to transform sentient beings according to their capabilities. So, if we have not yet attained the Lotus Sutra, we do not know the methods for going among people and traveling freely in this world to skillfully transform sentient beings. Thus, “upon hearing this sutra,” upon hearing this sutra, which is the Lotus Sutra, “they immediately enter the perfect teachings.” The Lotus Sutra is the “perfect teachings. They immediately enter the perfect teachings. This is called being skillfully transformed.” As we talked about previously, this is called “skillfully practice.”

“Only those who are able to hear this sutra can skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.”

Only those who are able to hear this sutra can skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path: If there are people who have heard this sutra, it is the essential path. Therefore, it says that only then can they skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path. This means they can skillfully practice this superior Bodhisattva-path.

By stating this, the sutra passage is saying, “If there are people who have heard this sutra, it is the essential path.” This is what the Buddha secretly hid in His mind. The Buddha, for 40 years after attaining Buddhahood, safeguarded this Dharma, His original intent. He continuously protected this within His mind, this Lotus Sutra. All Buddhas share the same path; this sutra is the essential path. Thus, “Only then can they skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.” This was what the Buddha safeguarded in His mind, the most important Dharma He was to teach sentient beings. The most important teaching is to skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path. All the countless sutras and discourses are for the sake of helping sentient beings to skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path. This was discussed in this sutra passage.

So, to “skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path,” to complete the extraordinary Bodhisattva-path, Bodhisattvas must be replete with the Tathagata’s infinite teachings.

Bodhisattvas are replete in the Tathagata’s infinite teachings. Moreover, to benefit themselves and others they practice all kinds of Dharma and remain totally unattached to it all. This is what it means to skillfully practice the Bodhisattva-path.

It is not enough for Bodhisattvas to merely form Bodhisattva-aspirations. They need to practice continuously throughout countless kalpas. They must constantly seek the Dharma and take it to heart. Life after life, they must accumulate the Tathagata’s infinite teachings. This is how Bodhisattvas use the Tathagata’s infinite teachings to benefit themselves and others at the same time. The process of spiritual practice also benefits ourselves. Though we are going among people, we are also creating blessings and forming good affinities. But when we are creating blessings and forming good affinities, the result is that we will be rewarded with respect.

Isn’t this what those volunteers in Venezuela said? Giving brings great joy. Actually, by giving of themselves, they receive the respect of others and have themselves attained benefits. Indeed, this benefits us. Although we are giving to others, we are actually benefiting ourselves as well. So, in order to benefit ourselves, we need to benefit others. We must work hard to seek the Dharma. Once we attain the Dharma, we must experience and understand it. Then, we must be sure to share it with others. When we take the Dharma to heart, it changes the way we see things in life to be in accord with the Dharma. This benefits ourselves and others. If we are very clear on the Dharma, our way of dealing with matters and things will be in accord with the principles. When we apply the principles to people, matters and things, we will benefit ourselves and others.

“They practice all kinds of Dharma and remain totally unattached to it all.” As we engage in spiritual practice, we must truly open up our heart so it can encompass and become one with the universe. In this way, as we remain unattached and undefiled, and when we go among people, no forms, appearances or sounds will contaminate our minds. If we thoroughly understand the Dharma, we will remain undefiled. If we are unattached, we can remain undefiled.

“This is what it means to excel in practicing the Bodhisattva-path.” We must earnestly open up our heart to explore and understand the Buddha-Dharma. We must earnestly practice every teaching we hear; we must remember it and uphold it. We must not forget any kind of principles, and the Dharma must be in everything that we do. We must make use of this Dharma and keep it within our heart. We each have a stupa on our Vulture Peak. When we let others see our Vulture Peak stupa, their minds will give rise to joy. Vulture Peak stupas can be built anywhere; everyone has a Vulture Peak stupa in their mind. If we understand that there is a Vulture Peak stupa in our mind, we will see the Dharma everywhere.

So, “When our mind dwells on unwholesome thoughts, we can treat this with the teachings of the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles.”

When our mind dwells on unwholesome thoughts, we can treat it with the teachings of the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles while still remaining unattached to the human and heaven realms. When our mind dwells on the world, we can treat it with the Two Vehicle Dharma and still remain unattached to the Two Vehicle Dharma. Whether we transform ourselves or others, it is all like this. Then, there will be no Dharma that is not the Dharma of the Paramitas. This is truly and skillfully upholding this sutra, and this is truly and skillfully practicing the Bodhisattva-path.

When we understand the Dharma well and are faced with unwholesome people, with people who give rise to unwholesome thoughts, how should we go about changing those people? We need the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles, the teachings of the human and heaven realms, “We must do good deeds; do you understand that? Humans must ‘Refrain from all evil and do all that is good.’ Committing evil results in negative retributions. Negative retributions lead to the Three Evil Realms. We must do all that is good so that in this world we can attain wealth in our lives and attain the blessings to be born in the heaven realm in the future.”

We can apply this principle toward ordinary people who give rise to unwholesome thoughts. We must put our hearts into gradually helping them understand the karmic law of cause and effect. This is what it means to treat it with the teachings of the Human and. Heavenly Being Vehicles “while still remaining unattached to the human and heaven realms.” We must use this teaching to treat people like this. But we ourselves are not attached to seeking to be reborn in the heaven realm because we do good deeds; we are not. Our hope is to walk the Bodhisattva-path. We give of ourselves without expectations, without asking for anything in return. Bodhisattvas fundamentally give unconditionally. This is called “remaining unattached to the human and heaven realms.” However, when we meet [unwholesome] people, we must take the. Human and Heavenly Being [Vehicles] and share with them the law of causes and effect of good and bad karma. This requires methods, methods to skillfully transform all beings. However, we must remain undefiled by these teachings.

So, “When our minds dwell on the world, we can treat it with the Two Vehicle Dharma.” If we are already engaging in spiritual practice but our minds still dwell on the world, some will say, “The human realm is pretty good. Doing good deeds and being a human is not so bad.” We must quickly treat them with the Two Vehicle Dharma. We tell them, “Though the human realm is nice, do you know about the Four Noble Truths?”

Some people are attached to this human world. They have not experienced any suffering, so they do not do anything in this world. Thus, we need to help them to understand that life is impermanent. Impermanence can strike in the blink of an eye. Life is filled with suffering, and we must help them to understand that this is how the world works. This is the Two Vehicle Dharma. We use the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links to treat them and help them enter the door to the Buddha’s teachings and earnestly engage in spiritual practice. If they are practicing the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, they have already entered the path to Buddhahood and are eliminating ignorance. This is using the Two Vehicle Dharma to treat them. This is also skillfully transforming.

The Buddha used these kinds of methods, and for over 40 years, taught His disciples of the Two Vehicles this way to help them reach the Two Vehicles. However, we must “remain unattached to the Two Vehicle Dharma.” Now, the Buddha is telling us that we must not be attached to the Two Vehicle Dharma; there is still room for us to move forward.

The Buddha used these methods on ordinary people, people who had yet to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. Their thoughts rise and fall, and they continuously give rise to unwholesome thoughts. So, we must use the law of karma to transform them. For those who are already interested in the Dharma, we can teach them how to earnestly observe the impermanence of phenomena in all actions and gradually guide them with the Two Vehicles. Then from the Vaipulya to the Prajna, we constantly advance like this step by step, without being attached.

So, “Whether we transform ourselves or others, “it is all like this.” When we transform sentient beings, we always give without expectations. Our goal is not worldly Dharma, nor is it the Two Vehicle Dharma; our goal is the Great Vehicle. So, we must form Great Vehicle aspirations and walk the Bodhisattva-path. To “transform ourselves,” our own minds must be pure. “Transforming others [is] like this.” It is all the same. We must apply these kinds of methods along the way. In the past, our minds gave rise to unwholesome thoughts at times as well. In the past, when we were ordinary beings, We gradually understand the Buddha-Dharma and accept it. We already began practicing the Two Vehicle Dharma.

Now we must move toward the Great Vehicle, This is why, “Whether we transform ourselves or others, it is all like this.” After we advance through the worldly Dharma and the Two Vehicle Dharma, “Then there will be no Dharma that is not the Dharma of the Paramitas.” To cross to the other shore, there is no Dharma that is not about going from the ignorance, afflictions and bad karma of sentient beings and crossing the river of afflictions to reach the shore of noble beings. Therefore, every teaching will be of the “Paramitas. Paramita” means reaching the other shore, to reach the other shore by crossing over. This is the meaning of being “transformed.” This is what it means to be skillfully transformed.

“This is truly and skillfully upholding this sutra.” If we sincerely accept and uphold this sutra, we will “truly and skillfully practice.” People who truly and skillfully practice walk the Bodhisattva-path.

Dear Bodhisattvas, please do not become attached. “When one is attached to the teachings that one practices and disparages all other teachings as false teachings….”

When one is attached to the teachings that one practices and disparages all other teachings as false teachings, this is what it means to not skillfully practice. These people are all unable to see, hear, read or recite this, the Lotus Sutra.

Some people say, “This is the extent of my practice. If I go any further it will be too deep; I don’t want that.” This is just like when the Buddha began to teach, and some felt they did not want to hear it, so they left 5000 people left the assembly. They were solely attached to the worldly Dharma and Two Vehicle Dharma of the past. They were attached to that place and lingered there. When it comes to truly entering the Bodhisattva-path, they felt aversion to it. They refused to accept it. So, of course they would not be able to attain this Dharma. So, [they] “disparage all other teachings as false teachings.” When it comes to other teachings, they feel, “I know everything taught in the past. I don’t need to listen to many more teachings in the future.” They are fine with staying where they are.

So, “This is what it means to not skillfully practice.” This is not yet complete. Only by reaching the Lotus Sutra do we have the complete teaching. This is not skillfully practicing. These people “are all unable to see, hear, read, recite, accept or uphold this, the Lotus Sutra.” Because of these deviant views, all they do is remain in the past. They are unwilling to keep moving forward. As the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City states, “The path ahead is so treacherous. I am very tired; this is as far as I can go.” This is what they are like.

In summary, as Buddhist practitioners, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path. The sutras are the path, a road for us to walk on. The sutras taught by the Buddha are a road that allows us to reach our destination. We do not need to be afraid; by walking forward we can reach the state of Buddhahood. Otherwise, if we give up halfway, we will forever transmigrate in the Six Realms without control. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1230 – The Dharmakaya Is Wherever This Sutra Is

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>> “The Tathagata, with a heart that is impartial to all phenomena, sees all phenomena as nothing but the Buddha-Dharma. This means that there is no sentient being who is not fundamentally a Buddha. So, it is known as the Buddha’s original intent. This is what it says in the sutra.”

>> Why is this? The whole body of the Tathagata already abides within. This stupa is worthy of all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners and music and songs to reverently make offerings, to honor and praise it.

>> “If there are people who can see this stupa and pay respects and make offerings to it, you should know that these people are close to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

>> If there are people who can see this stupa and pay respects to it and make offerings to it: This explains that if people make offerings to this stupa, they are close to Bodhi. If there are people who see this stupa, they prostrate and make offerings to it.

>> “You should know that these people are close to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. These people with reverence and faith are very close to the path. We should know that they are close to and resonate with the Buddha’s mind. Thus, they are drawing near to perfect and universal enlightenment.”

>> People only need to prostrate and make offerings to the stupa that they see, wherever it is; they do not need to see this sutra. The Buddha already promised them that they are able to draw near Bodhi. This is indirectly bestowing predictions upon them. This makes it clear that this sutra embraces people of all capacities. It helps those who have turned from the small toward the great have more steadfast minds and understand that in the future, they will certainly become Buddhas.

>> “Medicine King, there are many lay or monastic practitioners who practice the Bodhisattva-path. If they are unable to see, hear, read, recite transcribe, uphold or make offerings to the Lotus Sutra….”

>> This explains those who see or hear this sutra. skillfully practice the superior path. This sutra is a cause, and this cause is skillful and wondrous. For those who skillfully practice and for those who do not, it will be explained through analogy in the following text.

>> Medicine King, there are many lay or monastic practitioners who practice the Bodhisattva-path: If you see people, whether they are lay men and women or male or female monastics who practice the Bodhisattva-path….

>> If they are unable to see, hear, read, recite, transcribe, uphold or make offerings to the Lotus Sutra: Like those of the fourfold assembly earlier, though they accept and practice the Bodhisattva-path, when it comes to the Lotus Sutra, they are unable to see, hear, accept, uphold, read and recite it.

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“The Tathagata, with a heart that is impartial to all phenomena, sees all phenomena as nothing but the Buddha-Dharma. This means that there is no sentient being who is not fundamentally a Buddha. So, it is known as the Buddha’s original intent. This is what it says in the sutra.”

We can experience how the Buddha is impartial toward all sentient beings. He is like this not only toward human beings, but toward all sentient beings. Thus, He often says that sentient beings all have Buddha-nature; we must place great importance on. His teachings. Even though it seems so straightforward that we all have the nature of True Suchness, even though it sounds so simple, actually, this is something that sentient beings, that every person, should place great importance on. This is the source of all Dharma the foundation; it is the Buddha’s great discovery. He awakened to the way things fundamentally are. Sentient beings suffer! They suffer out of ignorance. They suffer because life is beyond our control. As it turns out, all of us sentient beings intrinsically have a nature of True Suchness. Fundamentally, all of us sentient beings are the same as the Buddha, with minds that are as spacious as the universe, free of defilement, and tranquil and clear. Where is there any ignorance? Where is there any suffering? “Fundamentally there is nothing there, so where can the dust alight?” All sentient beings are equal.

This was the Buddha’s great discovery about sentient beings. This was what He awakened to. It was such a major discovery that He immediately wanted to explain it to sentient beings. Despite this, sentient beings would rather be like the poor son. He did not know that the area he usually cleaned, a very splendid and luxurious house and the treasures it contains, were actually his. This is also what we sentient beings are unable to comprehend. So, the Buddha had to be like the elder. Once [that father] discovered his child, he wanted to personally live like him. He removed his luxurious and magnificent clothing and put on filthy, tattered clothing for cleaning excrement. Then he approached the poor son. Appearing as a fellow poor person, he approached his son, guided him and found him a job to do. All of you should still remember this story.

But could the poor son, simply by being in that place, in the vicinity of the great house, have knowledge about this house and know that he was the owner of this house? He still did not know. He still needed this person by his side to mindfully guide him. He had to become familiar with the surroundings. He had to clean up the environment. Only after he became familiar with the place and cleaned up the surroundings did the elder gradually bring him into the house and resume his identity as the elder. He called for the poor son to enter and helped him to understand that this place contained many treasures. “I’ll take you inside to see.” This was how he gradually drew him in. Using this father-son relationship, by recognizing him as a godson, he brought him in so he could see his surroundings. When they saw his treasury, the elder said to him, “These are all yours.”

See, for this elder, this kind father, to teach and guide his son, he had to expend this tremendous effort and this wisdom and love in order to approach him. This is to say nothing of what the Buddha does for the sake of all sentient beings! He originally discovered that all sentient beings intrinsically have Buddha-nature and and was impartial toward all phenomena. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. The true principles are so pervasive; they can be found everywhere. Not just human beings, but every single kind of object that can be seen, are replete with ample principles. This was the Buddha’s great awakening. So, He “sees all phenomena as nothing but the Buddha-Dharma.” He sees all sentient beings, without exception, as having Buddha-nature. He sees all phenomena as nothing but the Buddha-Dharma. This is because every single thing contains infinite principles within it.

If we calm our minds and look mindfully, what thing is there, in our environment, above or below us, the roof, the floor, the lights, the backdrop, the people we see, which is not a convergence of infinite principles? Thus, the Buddha “sees all phenomena as nothing but the Buddha-Dharma.” When we ordinary people look at things, based on appearances, [we say,]. “It’s beautiful! I love it!” There are many things that we buy, leave to sit for a long time and do not use. “It’s old, so I don’t want it anymore.” Then, we throw them away, and they become trash. We do not realize that within the trash, within these things, are very great principles. Inside the pile of trash, there are many things that we casually throw away. Which of these tools and instruments are not treasures?

We see so many computers, cell phones, motors and so on. After they are thrown away, we collect them. To protect the environment, we collect them. For the sake of the environment, we treat these “useless” objects as treasures and collect and bring them back; this is called doing recycling work. After we collect the recyclables, we carefully sort these objects. These machines that people have thrown away have iron, copper, tin and all kinds of metals inside them. We take these metals and put iron with iron, copper with copper, tin with tin. They may even contain gold. However, ordinary sentient beings simply regard these things as trash.

We ordinary people willingly regress, willingly see ourselves as ordinary people forever. Thus, as time continues to pass like this, we waste our days in a muddled state. Thus, our thoughts rise and fall, and we replicate our afflictions and ignorance. In the end, according to the laws of nature, our life will come to a close. Where will we go after that? We do not know. We follow our karmic forces and transmigrate. We may transmigrate to the animal realm, to the hungry ghost realm, or to the hell realm; this is beyond our control. We cannot free ourselves of so much suffering. The places we reach following our karmic forces depend on whether we created good karmic conditions in the past.

If we have good karmic conditions, we will encounter a benefactor. This benefactor will guide us to walk the Bodhi-path, drawing us closer to the Buddha’s principles. But it still depends on us, on whether we have the root of wisdom and the root of faith. When we listened to the Dharma in our past lives, did we actually take it to heart and plant this seed? If we do not have this seed, how can we develop roots? So, only if we have this seed will there be a sprout and roots. So, this depends on our having a root of wisdom and blessed karmic conditions. With so much suffering beyond our control, everything depends on whether we have the root of wisdom and blessed karmic conditions. If we have both wisdom and blessings, then naturally when we hear the Buddha-Dharma, we will give rise to joy in our hearts, and we will be able to accept it. Once lost, it takes eons to regain human form. When we listen to the Buddha’s teachings, we should earnestly cherish them. Since the Buddha has told us that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, we should value the Buddha’s principles.

He “sees all phenomena as nothing but the Buddha-Dharma.” If we can mindfully analyze every single thing, if we can analyze these external things, we find that in our nature of True Suchness, there are the same principles. “This means that there is no sentient being who is not fundamentally a Buddha.” There is not a single sentient being who is not inherently a Buddha. This is because all sentient beings were originally this pure and had this intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Everyone has this innate enlightenment. We all have this intrinsic nature. So the Buddha, to help us experience and understand this, spent a lot of time, a span of dust-inked kalpas, to repeatedly return to the human world for the one great cause of teaching sentient beings.

Can sentient beings comprehend this? Unfortunately, they may be like the poor son. [His father] did not dare pull him in immediately. Instead, he took a roundabout way to be with him. Similarly, the Buddha started with limited teachings, with the Agama teachings and patiently guided us, leading us to be able to understand. We also know the karmic law of cause and effect and have experienced it. With the Four Noble Truths, we know that all of life’s suffering comes from “causation,” the accumulation of afflictions and ignorance. Following the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, we unceasingly transmigrate. So, according to the Twelve Links and Four Noble Truths, we transmigrate endlessly. The Buddha began by teaching us and guiding us to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. He used all kinds of methods. With the limited teachings, He gradually led us into the great teachings. He helped us thoroughly understand these methods, drawing near the Buddha and returning to our innate enlightenment and our nature of True Suchness.

Every day we talk about this. The Buddha’s original intent was solely this. He had hidden away His original intent for more than 40 years. Do sentient beings completely understand? Or do they only partially understand? This depends on whether we have experienced it in this way. This is what the sutras state; this is all in the sutras. In fact, He opens and reveals this to us so that we can accept it, so that we can awaken to it, so that we can experience it. We must enter it, just as the poor son entered the great house. If we do not enter it, then there is no way for us to go into this treasury. So, this requires mindful and patient guidance. This is the loving-kindness and compassion of the Buddha, the Tathagata.

Learning the Buddha’s teachings is truly not easy. We all live in the universe. In fact, in this universe there is something we are familiar with but will never get to experience, a wonder of the universe. In 2010, a professor from National Central University, Professor Ye, gave us a piece of outer space; Among the celestial bodies of the universe, he gave us an asteroid by naming it “Tzu Chi.” This asteroid sits between Mars and Jupiter. In the asteroid belt, he discovered an asteroid. It did not have a name yet; it was a new discovery. He submitted an application to name it “Tzu Chi.”

In 2010, they approved to name the asteroid. “Tzu Chi.” They gave this asteroid in the universe a name, and delivered a certificate to us. I asked, “Where is this asteroid located?” The response was, “Between Mars and Jupiter.” I then asked, “How long does it take for this asteroid to revolve around the sun? How does it compare to how long Earth takes?” The time it takes to make one revolution, a year for that asteroid, is five years and seven and a half months on Earth.

Clearly, we can see how far from Earth this is. From 300 to 400 million kilometers away, from nearly 400 million kilometers away, it revolves around the sun. In other words, the Buddha discovered that the universe was infinite, with infinite worlds, an incalculable number of worlds. So, the Amitabha Sutra describes the speed of our mind by saying that in the time it takes to finish a meal, the mind can travel through 10 trillion Buddha-lands. Clearly, we can see how big the universe actually is and how many worlds there are. There are ten trillion Buddha-lands. In this solar system, there is only one Buddha. Because Earth is the only planet with life on it, there is only one Buddha. There are ten trillion Buddha-lands. In this vast universe, how many worlds are there anyway?

This is the extent of the Buddha’s wisdom. Even if we want to describe it thoroughly, we cannot fully explain the Buddha’s wisdom. Wisdom comes from awakening. Is the Buddha the only one who can awaken? No, all human beings, all sentient beings, have innate enlightenment. All of us should have it. How can we find a way to understand this anyway? There is so much; it is like a big garbage pile. In this garbage pile there are many treasures, metal objects. All of the treasures of the universe can be found among the garbage. Right now, we are just one thing among this pile of garbage. Yet we have already discovered the Buddha-Dharma and what the Buddha told us helped us become human beings and approach the Bodhisattva-path. He has guided us toward the Bodhisattva-path. The Bodhisattva-path is the path to enlightenment. As long as we continue to advance on this path to enlightenment, we will approach the Buddha’s enlightenment and return to our pure Buddha-nature.

So, we must seek to mindfully experience this to be able to understand.

The previous sutra passage says, “Why is this so? The whole body of the Tathagata already abides within.”

Why is this? The whole body of the Tathagata already abides within. This stupa is worthy of all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners and music and songs to reverently make offerings, to honor and praise it.

With this purity, we have returned to the true principles. In terms of the true principles, “We each have a stupa on this Vulture Peak.” In everyone’s mind, there is a stupa on Vulture Peak, “We can practice at the foot of that stupa.” Once we have returned to our intrinsic nature, once we have taken the Dharma to heart, this stupa follows us to wherever we go. This is because the sutras and the teachings are the Buddha’s entire body.

So, “This stupa is worthy of all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners and music and songs to reverently make offerings, to honor and praise it.” When it comes to us ourselves, we must cherish ourselves and have self-respect. We have to have self-respect to not degenerate. Only by having self-respect can we walk the Bodhisattva-path. If we do respect ourselves, then it is as if [we are in] a pile of trash. If we respect ourselves, we have a stupa made of the Seven Treasures and constantly receive offerings of the Seven Treasures. We even have magnificent flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners and music, singing and praises. We must act as role models in order to be praiseworthy. This is what makes us precious. We each intrinsically have a stupa on Vulture Peak. As long as we follow the Dharma and earnestly engage in spiritual practice, we can build a stupa anywhere. So, we must be mindful.

The next passages of the sutra states,

“If there are people who can see this stupa and pay respects and make offerings to it, you should know that these people are close to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

“If there are people who can see this stupa and pay respects and make offerings to it….” We should all be able to see this stupa. Everyone should see that this is the way the Buddha-Dharma is; it is inseparable from worldly Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma has always been a path. This path is one that everyone can walk; its direction is very clear. On this path of goodness, we walk to the state of awakening; from this awakened state, we go among the people to awaken others and transform sentient beings. When this root of wisdom and these blessed karmic conditions are complete, then we will have experienced the Buddha’s state. We will have entered the Tathagata’s room and be in the same place as the Buddha.

So, we have seen this. We have seen this true principle; we have seen this manifestation of virtues. The “stupa” is a manifestation of virtues. We also call it a high manifestation. I have explained this before. For Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, [stupas] demonstrate the high virtue of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. So, we call it “high manifestation” and “stupa.” When we see this kind of principle, something that reveals this kind of virtue, we should pay respects and make offerings.

If there are people who can see this stupa and pay respects to it and make offerings to it: This explains that if people make offerings to this stupa, they are close to Bodhi. If there are people who see this stupa, they prostrate and make offerings to it.

This explains that making offerings to the stupa brings us closer to Bodhi, closer to the path to enlightenment. If we pay respect and make offerings to the stupa, then we draw near the path to enlightenment.

“If there are people who see this stupa, they prostrate and make offerings to it.” We have placed our faith in the Buddha and have deeply planted the root of faith. We have faith in the foundation, in the Buddha, in the Dharma and in the Sangha. We have already manifested the Fourfold Faith. So, we must have reverence and respect. Not only must we respect ourselves, we must respect others as well. Not only must we awaken ourselves, we must awaken others as well. In our relationships, we must have mutual respect and faith.

“You should know that these people are close to. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. These people with reverence and faith are very close to the path. We should know that they are close to and resonate with the Buddha’s mind. Thus, they are drawing near to perfect and universal enlightenment.”

They are already approaching the path. They know to respect and have faith in the principles. People who already thoroughly understand the principles, people like this, are very close to the path. How far are we from these people? We are very close! It is like what we just said about the distance between the Tzu Chi asteroid and us. It is 300 to 400 million kilometers away. It is very far! But, after we understand the principles, we know the countless billions of worlds in the Buddha’s mind are all encompassed in His enlightened nature. If we are awakened, we are close to our enlightened nature; we are not far. So, it says they are “very close to the path.” They are not far; they are very close. They are very close to the path.

When we see this kind of Dharma, we give rise to joy in our hearts. We know to show respect and reverence. Wherever people uphold, write, study, speak, hear and transmit the sutra, that is a place where we can build a stupa. We should be reverent. So, “You should know that these people are close to and resonate with the Buddha’s mind.” They have already started to come close. To come close is to be close to His heart. We now understand the Buddha’s original intent. “[We] are drawing near to universal and perfect enlightenment.” We are already close to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, to universal and perfect enlightenment. This is the way we can comprehend the Lotus Sutra. The Dharma, the worldly Dharma and the world-transcending Dharma, is all contained in this sutra. If we are able to truly comprehend it, to truly penetrate and understand it, then we are already close.

So, “They pay respects to it and make offerings to it.” People simply pay respects and make offerings “to the stupa that they see, wherever it is; they do not need to see this sutra. The Buddha already promised them that they are able to draw near Bodhi.”

People only need to prostrate and make offerings to the stupa that they see, wherever it is; they do not need to see this sutra. The Buddha already promised them that they are able to draw near Bodhi. This is indirectly bestowing predictions upon them. This makes it clear that this sutra embraces people of all capacities. It helps those who have turned from the small toward the great have more steadfast minds and understand that in the future, they will certainly become Buddhas.

This means that once we have discovered [the stupa] in that place, we simply need to make offerings and pay respects at the stupa. No matter where we see a stupa, we should just pay respects there. However, “They do not need to see this sutra.” In fact, if we just see a stupa, then we know that within it the Buddha’s whole body is present. This is because that place contains this kind of sutra; the Buddha’s whole body is there. The Buddha said that they were already close to Bodhi. Just by seeing the stupa, we will know that place promotes this kind of Dharma. Thus we begin to draw near and give rise to joy.

We already know this. We do not need to go inside to know that inside is the Buddha’s whole body. We are already close to this place of awakened Buddha-nature. This is indirectly bestowing predictions upon them. The Buddha had begun bestowing predictions. In the Lotus Sutra, He started bestowing predictions in this manner. Although not everyone has awakened, the Buddha said that since everyone had heard this sutra and started to draw near, He would start bestowing prediction on us. In the past, 2000 people received predictions of Buddhahood; Did these 2000 people all comprehend it? Still, the Buddha has said that these people have all received predictions of Buddhahood. This is called “indirect”; it is not direct. This means these people have not yet penetrated this sutra nor seen the Buddha’s whole body. They have yet to attain complete realization, but they casually listen to the Dharma. When they listen, they are happy. They are not averse to nor do they slander it. Having already planted roots of goodness like this, they have the opportunity to attain Buddhahood. So, the Buddha indirectly bestowed predictions of Buddhahood on them.

“This makes it clear that this sutra embraces people of all capacities.” This is the expansiveness of this sutra. How expansive is it anyway? All sentient beings are able to indirectly receive predictions of Buddhahood. In the universe, the Buddha can also bestow predictions on the eight classes of Dharma protectors. As we have discussed before, “It makes those who have turned from the small toward the great….” In sum, the Buddha affirmed that all sentient beings have the awakened nature of True Suchness, even if they are still quite far away. Some may still have fallen [into lower realms], and some may have already freed themselves. However, they still have limited capacities and limited wisdom. Still, the Buddha remains patient. He hopes He can gradually bring them to turn from the small toward the great. Even if people have limited capacities, the Buddha still bestowed predictions of Buddhahood on them here. He hoped they could turn from the small toward the great. So, “They know that in the future they will be determined to become Buddhas.” In the future, they too can achieve Buddhahood. This is the Buddha’s compassion; we should always be grateful to Him.

The Buddha then said,

“Medicine King, there are many lay or monastic practitioners who practice the Bodhisattva-path. If they are unable to see, hear, read, recite transcribe, uphold or make offerings to the Lotus Sutra….”

The Buddha called to Medicine King again. He looked to Medicine King and said that there are still people, either lay or monastic practitioners, who aspire to walk the Bodhisattva-path and “are unable to see, hear, read, recite, transcribe, uphold or make offerings to the Lotus Sutra….” Some have aspired to become monastics, but are still unable to see the Lotus Sutra, unable to read and recite it or aspire to uphold it. There are such people.

This explains those who see or hear this sutra. skillfully practice the superior path. This sutra is a cause, and this cause is skillful and wondrous. For those who skillfully practice and for those who do not, it will be explained through analogy in the following text.

The Buddha wanted to explain that “Those who see or hear this sutra skillfully practice the superior path.” When they see this sutra, they give rise to joy. They are willing to uphold, read, recite, transcribe, write and explain it. This is indeed not easy; skillfully practicing this path is a superior ability.

“This sutra is a cause, and this cause is skillful and wondrous.” Because this sutra is the cause for attaining Buddhahood, when we encounter this kind of sutra, when we see it, we are very happy and are willing to uphold it. This requires skillful and wondrous causes and conditions. So, this is the cause, the cause for attaining Buddhahood. “For those who skillfully practice and for those who do not….” Some people are willing. “Skillful” means they are willing. Whether they have become monastics or are lay practitioners, they all are disciples of the Buddha. However, some are not willing, and some lack the conditions. This will be explained more below. There are still many analogies.
So, to Medicine King, the Buddha said, “If you see people….”

Medicine King, there are many lay or monastic practitioners who practice the Bodhisattva-path: If you see people, whether they are lay men and women or male or female monastics who practice the Bodhisattva-path….

We may see someone, a lay practitioner or a male or female monastic, practicing a path of goodness. They may be on the Bodhisattva-path, yet do not give rise to joy toward the sutra and do not yet have the causes and conditions to accept it. “They are unable to see, hear, read, recite, transcribe, uphold, or make offerings to the Lotus Sutra,” There are these kinds of people.

If they are unable to see, hear, read, recite, transcribe, uphold or make offerings to the Lotus Sutra: Like those of the fourfold assembly earlier, though they accept and practice the Bodhisattva-path, when it comes to the Lotus Sutra, they are unable to see, hear, accept, uphold, read and recite it.

We discussed this earlier. With [teachings on] causes and conditions, analogies and so on, going from the Small Vehicle to the Great Vehicle Dharma. We may already practice the Bodhisattva-path, but when it comes to the Lotus Sutra, we may not have seen, heard, or upheld it. There are other sutras, the Agama, the Vaipulya, and the Prajna. We may have read all these sutras. There is also the Avatamsaka; the Avatamsaka is read by even fewer people because it is too large, and in particular, it is entirely describing the Buddha’s spiritual state. Though some people have read the sutras [from these four periods of teaching,] though they know they are practicing the path of goodness, the Bodhisattva-Path, they have not yet reached the Lotus Sutra and truly connected with it. Even if they connected with it, they are not willing to accept it. Even if they accepted it, they are not willing to uphold it.

This all depends on their causes and conditions, on whether they have wondrous causes and conditions. Can their roots of wisdom and good conditions converge in this skillful and wondrous way? There are many of the Buddha’s disciples who may not have even heard of the Lotus Sutra. Some may have heard it, but may not necessarily be willing to listen, read and recite it. This all depends on causes and conditions. Some are still very far away.

During the era of the Buddha, He said that a very long time ago, there was a Buddha who manifested in the world. When this Buddha manifested in the world, many people came to make offerings to Him. Among them was one bhiksu who was very reverent. Every day, he made offerings to this Buddha. He made offerings by lighting a lamp for Him. But, when He made offerings by lighting a lamp, where did the lamps come from? The lamps came from an old woman who sold lamp oil. When this old woman saw this bhiksu, she gave rise to joy. She wanted to make offerings to this bhiksu. When the bhiksu came to buy lamp oil, she gave it to him for free. So, the bhiksu took the lamp oil to make offerings to the Buddha. Eventually, this Buddha began to to see that this lamp was lit by the same bhiksu year in and year out. Each and every day, he lit this lamp to make offerings.

This Buddha expounded teachings for many people, and the lamp remained very bright. When the Buddha was about to enter Parinirvana, He taught the Lotus Sutra and started to bestow predictions of Buddhahood. He bestowed a prediction for this bhiksu, saying, “In the future, you will attain Buddhahood.” At that time, everyone praised the bhiksu, saying, “Because of your spiritual practice, and the way you made offerings each day, the Buddha bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood upon you.” As this story circulated, the old woman heard it; she hurriedly ran before the Buddha. She said to Him, “Venerable Buddha, that bhiksu offered the lamp, and I provided the oil. The bhiksu received A prediction of Buddhahood. Venerable Buddha! You should also bestow a prediction on me.” The Buddha said, “The person who will bestow a prediction on you in the future is this bhiksu. After he becomes a Buddha, naturally he will bestow a prediction on you.”

So, these were the causes and conditions. The workings of karma are inconceivable! It is the same principle. At the time of the Sakyamuni Buddha, among those who practiced under Him, there were both monastic and lay practitioners. They heard all the sutras, but with regard to the Lotus Sutra, they had no interest. When the Buddha started to expound this sutra, 5000 people left. These [people] were not willing to accept the Lotus Sutra, not willing to uphold, read, recite, transcribe and rewrite it. Future sentient beings will also be like this. During the Buddha’s lifetime, 5000 people left. During the Buddha’s lifetime, He gave many teachings. Not everyone could attend the Lotus Sutra Assembly. Some who attended even left. These are the incredible convergences of causes and conditions.

So, the Buddha again said to Medicine King Bodhisattva, “If they are unable to see, hear, read, recite, transcribe, uphold or make offerings to the Lotus Sutra….” What follows after this? In conclusion, there are many principles. We must be mindful. We must mindfully understand that the Lotus Sutra contains many of the principles of all things in the universe. But when will we truly be able to awaken to them? We have to be patient, and we must always be mindful.

Episode 1229 – The Dharmakaya Is Wherever This Sutra Is

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>> “Wherever this Wondrous Lotus Sutra exists, through the root of faith, the Path will be attained there. The great Dharma-wheel will be turned there, and the great Nirvana of ultimate peace will be realized there. So wherever this sutra abides, a stupa must be erected as a sincere offering.”

>> The Buddha’s Dharmakaya already abides in this stupa; there is no need to further place sariras there. Bone fragments are sariras of His physical body. This sutra is the sarira of His Dharmakaya, so there is no need to further place sariras of His physical body there.

>> “Medicine King, in each place where the sutras are expounded, read, recited and transcribed and in each place where the sutras abide, a stupa of the Seven Treasures should be built extremely high and wide, majestically decorated. There is no need to further place sariras there.”

>> “Why is this? The entire body of the Tathagata already abides within it. This stupa should receive use all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners, and music and songs as reverent offerings, to honor and praise it.” 

>> Why is this? The entire body of the Tathagata already abides within it: The sutra manifests wondrous principles. The nature of the principles is pure; they are the pure Dharmakaya of the Tathagata. Wherever this sutra abides, there is a stupa there. The passages of the sutra are the Buddha’s sariras.

>> In the sutras: If there are people who aspire to seek the Buddha’s sariras, these are the people to whom this sutra can be taught. This means that they seek the sariras of the Buddha’s Dharma-body.

>> “To this pagoda, people should use all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners, music and song to reverently make offerings, to honor and praise it”: To this pagoda of treasures, these things should be used to make offerings.

>> Sariras are supposed to be placed in a pagoda, but this pagoda exists wherever the sutra abides. It says that there is no need to further place sariras because this sutra’s meaning is revealed by the Dharma-nature realized by the Buddha.

>> The Buddha Himself proclaimed that because the sutra is there and it already contains the Buddha’s Dharmakaya as well as His reward-body, everything is there. It is the same as having the entire body of the Buddha there. This is more worthy of respect than only having the Buddha’s sariras.

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“Wherever this Wondrous Lotus Sutra exists,
through the root of faith, the Path will be attained there.
The great Dharma-wheel will be turned there,
and the great Nirvana of ultimate peace will be realized there.
So wherever this sutra abides,
a stupa must be erected as a sincere offering.”

[From this] we can understand that any place where the Wondrous Lotus Sutra exists or [any place where] we all have roots of faith, deep roots, and can take the Dharma to heart and apply it in our daily living, such places, as well as any place where we turn the great Dharma-wheel, are where the sariras of the Buddha’s entire body abide. This means that any place the Buddha-Dharma is is a place where we can turn the Dharma-wheel. When the Dharma is in people’s minds and is truly applied in this world, then the Buddha-Dharma can become widespread. This is how the Buddha-Dharma enables us all to achieve great Nirvana in our minds.

Our minds are full of afflictions and ignorance that cause them to fluctuate; they do not settle down, even for a second. Our thoughts continuously fluctuate. As Buddhist practitioners, we must learn to settle our minds in tranquility and clarity, so we can return to our [natural] spiritual state. This spiritual state is vast and tranquil, without any hindrances. This is our tranquil spiritual state. It is not defiled by filth, nor is it affected by afflictions and ignorance. This tranquil mental state is the state of mind that we must cultivate. This is not saying that only when we pass away, after entering extinction, will we be in Nirvana.

In the process of the Buddha’s spiritual practice, He suddenly became one with the universe. The skies became tranquil and the true principles of all things in the universe came together and entered the Buddha’s mind. At this time, nothing in the world could defile the Buddha’s body or mind. He was without defilement; He had been completely liberated from ignorance and afflictions. Free of all ignorance and afflictions, He was not disturbed by any kind of environment. Having entered this tranquil and clear state, the Buddha was now beyond arising and ceasing. This is known as great Nirvana. This is the goal of our spiritual practice as well. If we are to attain this, then in the process, we must travel the Bodhisattva-path.

The Bodhisattva-path means going among people and [experiencing] many kinds of suffering. Although there is suffering, it will not have any affect on the state of mind of. Bodhisattvas who go among people. Because their spiritual aspirations and their roots of faith are already firm, Bodhisattvas’ mental state is not affected by any kind of worldly suffering. They are entirely willing to go among people. This is walking the Bodhisattva-path. The Dharma of the Bodhisattva-path is what the Buddha taught in the Lotus Sutra. In the beginning, the Buddha praised the Buddha’s wisdom, Buddha-wisdom, wisdom of enlightenment, the wisdom of all Dharma, untaught wisdom, natural wisdom and so on. This wisdom inspires our compassion, and our compassion will then guide our wisdom. This is being replete in both blessings and wisdom.

Blessings must be obtained among people by creating blessings for them and creating good causes and conditions by forming good affinities with others. Good karmic causes and conditions result from actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. The Six Paramitas are giving, upholding precepts, patience diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. With them, we can obtain all wisdom. Because we have the Six Paramitas in all actions, when we go among people, we complete our causes and fulfill all conditions. We perfect our causes and conditions. In order to perfect our causes and conditions of actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions among sentient beings, we must follow this sutra. “This sutra is a path, and this path is a road to walk on.” We must walk this path to get there.

This is like our [Tzu Chi volunteers] in Fujian. [Our volunteers] in Xiamen and Fuzhou communicate with us through video conferencing, along with Taichung and Hualien. [Volunteers] in these four places used technology to interact with each other and learn about the disaster areas [they visit]. Whatever they have seen and heard, they describe their perception of it.

In Fuzhou, over 100 people gathered in one place to share their impressions and the things they had seen and heard. On this occasion, everyone participated, including many young people. There were middle-aged people, youth and seniors. Among them were professors, teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers and even a five-star chef; all these people were there. With manpower like this, everyone lent a helping hand and did things they had never done before. They all devoted themselves to the relief effort.

Hearing the thoughts they shared was truly very touching. In particular, we heard from one commissioner. She told us that she was in the last term of her pregnancy and did not dare to go out. At the behest of her family, she did not go out, but she still took on assignments. From home, she took on supporting work, and she had a full schedule like the others. Others had children who were too young to be brought along [to the relief work]. So, they too shouldered responsibilities. In this way, these volunteers helped take care of logistics. [Some people] came from outside, traveling from Taiwan or from other cities. Where would they stay? They helped them contact hotels, arrange accommodations and so on. So, people who were unable to go out [to help] stayed at home and [helped by] doing this kind of coordination work.

Some who traveled to the disaster area had never done relief work before. Seeing such a severe calamity, what could they do to help? When they arrived at a shelter, they saw an elderly person whose leg had been injured and infected. It was heartbreaking! Nurses exercised their skills and quickly cleaned his leg, washing away all the filth. They helped him apply medicine and took care of [his injury]. There was also a young commissioner who saw an elder there who began to cry. She quickly embraced her and told her, “Do not be afraid; we are all here by your side.” This is [what she did].

Another woman who was over 80 years old told them, “I do not have children. It is only my husband and me. There are only the two of us. To suffer such a big disaster is really difficult for us!” Tzu Chi volunteers went and embraced her too, comforting her [by saying], “Grandma, you have us. We are all your children.” They comforted her and helped her calm down. These were the methods they used. This elderly woman told them, “For many days, I have been eating [nothing but] bread. I can no longer swallow it. I have not eaten rice for days.” Hearing that, everyone quickly mobilized. They all gathered together to figure out a way to quickly prepare a meal for them. So, they set up a stove.

Was setting up this stove a simple task? First they had to clean up, but these [volunteers] were professors, teachers, lawyers and so on. They were [accustomed to] sitting in offices, using their minds, not their physical strength. How were they to suddenly take on this task? It was very tiring, but they had to clean. Where there is a will there is a way! Once they decided to do this, no one feared the filth, and they cleaned quickly. Seeing them clean, [we could se] that they did not fear the filth. The whole kitchen in that middle school was very filthy, but they got to work and brushed, polished and cleaned everything, turning it into a bright, beautiful, clean place. People began sending vegetables which they sorted [in piles] until they had a great amount of vegetables. Then people began to send rice. For every good deed there was to do, as long as someone took the lead, the power of people’s kindness came together.

The [volunteers] then began to cook the food for the seniors and children. Finally, all the disaster survivors could smell the fragrance of vegetables and rice. They were very happy. The [volunteers] not only offered food to eat, but they also applied their wisdom by finding a way to provide food without wasting any. There were no leftovers. Everyone had their fill, and there was nothing left. They all finished all the food in their bowls. The service that Tzu Chi volunteers provided was nothing less than five-star service. They arranged the tables as precisely as if measured with a string. When all the tables and chairs were perfectly arranged, they had the [survivors] file in neatly and sit down in an orderly manner.

As they ate, the Tzu Chi volunteers stood by the tables and provided them with meticulous service. In the beginning, the first two days of serving, Tzu Chi volunteers also cleared the dishes and even washed the bowls. They then exercised their wisdom again. They told everyone, “[The volunteers] all come from different places, some from faraway, from Taiwan. They all have a family and a career, but out of love, they could not bear for you to suffer so much from this disaster. So, they set aside their jobs and came from faraway places to help you.”

“There is also a five-star chef, a very famous chef, who has joined this effort, so the food looks, smells and tastes great and is also very nutritious. They have all taken leave [from work], and they do not get paid for that time. Some entrepreneurs have left others in charge of their businesses to come here [to help]. They serve with such respectful love. So I hope that we can all cherish our blessings and show gratitude. When we finish a meal, aside from eating everything in our bowls, we should also wash them clean. Then these people who have traveled so far will not need to wash so many bowls. Several hundred or over 1000 bowls take a very long time to wash. [We should] let these [volunteers] use this time to go do even more [good] deeds.”

Their wise leadership and expressions of love inspired gratitude in [the disaster survivors], so they lent a hand to help. They not only washed the dishes, they also became volunteers. This is wisdom. From the start, we supported and looked after them. This is like how the Tathagata covers and protects those who uphold the sutras. As Bodhisattvas, we must protect suffering sentient beings. Not only must we protect them, but also guide them and inspire them to apply their strength in serving others. People sent large amounts of vegetables every day, so every day there was more than they could cook. They could not let the food rot or allow it to go to waste. So what could they do with the food left uneaten?

Cheng Hao (Joe Huang) advised them, “Do not worry! If some vegetables rot, we can dig holes in the ground and bury the rotten [vegetables] underground. They will become fertilizer, so you can plant things there.” Moreover, there were so many white cabbages and napa cabbages. What could they do with those that they could not finish? Joe Huang again had a solution; “We can peel off each layer, [leaf by leaf] like this.” They had no knives to use to peel each one, so he taught them to use their hands to tear them off layer by layer. Then they laid it all out to dry under the sun. [In the future], if they would not have [fresh] vegetables to eat, they would have dried vegetables to use. This was what he taught them.

“Everyone, come! Come help us with this.” Thus, these disaster survivors became volunteers. Everyone took on a task. Some washed dishes, some peeled off cabbage leaves and others helped spread the vegetables to dry. Rather than just sitting around in that place, constantly worrying, they opened their hearts and mobilized their bodies. Engaging one’s body is healthy. Thus, instead of having an air of depression, they were working together, giving of themselves. As they were creating value for their lives, they soon broke into smiles. They all felt joyful.

This matter may seem insignificant; what is the big deal about drying vegetables? Actually, it [represents] great principles. When we can enable people to open their hearts and mobilize their bodies, they can forget their afflictions. This allows them to interact with others and form good affinities with each other.

If you look at me and smile, as I see you, I feel happy. Then, we can get to know each other and be there to comfort each other. “You and I are both disaster survivors; when we encounter each other, we can encourage one another.” There is no need to be strangers, [thinking,]. “You and I are unrelated. I am suffering more than you so you cannot understand my [situation].” That would make people strangers to each other, living in the same shelter, yet not knowing each other. If we can open the doors to our hearts and mutually accommodate and care for each other, we will form good affinities and be able to cherish our blessings. They heard the Tzu Chi volunteers [explain this], and [the volunteers] also started leading them to do recycling work. They started teaching them how to do recycling.

Aside from learning how to dry vegetables, everyone began to do recycling work. They taught them to sort recyclables and so on and let them know that the blankets they distributed to them were made from recycled PET bottles. These plastics are sorted, washed and turned into PET flakes and then granules. They clearly explained to them how yarn was manufactured from these and weaved into blankets to let them understand how it all [was done]. Thus they realized that the things they used to throw away can be recycled and used to save people, can be recycled and used to save people people who really need blankets to shield them from the cold.

[Our volunteers] even explained how [this yarn] could be used to weave cloth for clothing and so on. In this way, although it was a small action, it helped them understand great principles and develop aspirations to care for each other. If we can continue to lead them like this, these ordinary people will become Bodhisattvas. We must not say that minor actions have no effect. The smallest acts can contain great principles. We saw lawyers and professors who took responsibility for directing traffic. The person directing traffic was a doctor, who also took care of general services work. They performed all kinds of tasks. Regardless of their expertise, they did work they had never done before.

The only exception was the chef, the head chef. As soon as he came in, he told us, “I will work for as many days as needed.” He was willing to cook every day. Others asked him, “Aren’t you tired?” He said, “I am tired! I am tired; that is why I must come. By doing Tzu Chi work, I will not feel tired.” This is wisdom. It is tiring to stand by the stove the whole day. How could it not be? He indeed felt tired, which was why he had to come out. When he did Tzu Chi work he would not feel tired. When asked, “How many days can you work?” [he said], “However many days you need cooking, that is how many days I will work.”

See, this head chef was willing to serve others in this way; this is the power of love. To sum it up, we should know that they mindfully serve others with love; these are all very touching stories, very moving [moments] in history. I heard many such stories. Starting from around 3 pm, I listened to them for close to three hours, or two and a half hours. For the last half hour, I shared with them [my thoughts]. In this way, I heard [the stories] from Fuzhou and Xiamen, and after Xiamen, from Taichung and then from here in Hualien. Only then did I respond to them.

They are Bodhisattvas manifesting spiritual powers. They abide peacefully, without wavering. At our center in Fuzhou, over 100 people gathered. Once they were done, they began listening to [the volunteers] from Xiamen; that group had just come back from the disaster area, so they shared their stories from Xiamen. People from Taichung also listened to the stories from Fuzhou and Xiamen. Then, those from Taichung also spoke once it was their time to share. We not only heard them, we could see them too. Simultaneously, [the volunteers in] those two places in China as well as those in Taichung, in all three places, were right here with me in Hualien.

As one individual here in Hualien, at the same time, I could be with them in those three places. In Fuzhou they could see my image, and in Xiamen and Taichung, Taiwan, my image appeared as well. So, they could see my image at the same time, and at the same time, I could see theirs too. Everyone came together, and back here in Taiwan, I could see them all. Doesn’t this modern technology help today’s Bodhisattvas manifest spiritual powers? For two and a half hours, I heard each of their sharings. I was truly very touched. The Wondrous Lotus Sutra was present there, the principles of the Wondrous Lotus Sutra. Wherever the Wondrous Lotus Sutra is, it teaches the Bodhisattva Way, These are real-life Bodhisattvas who are saving people in those places.

I asked them, “Are you done [with the relief work]?” Tzu Chi volunteers in Fuzhou said, “Not yet; we still continue. When will you finish? Now, the disaster survivors have gradually moved in with family and friends. There are schools that need to be cleaned up; the children are about to start school. Those who were evacuated are making plans to stay with family and friends.”

Was their work done? I said to them, “We are not done yet. We must continue to grow this bond with these people. We must continue to learn about what their lives are like. In the future, for those who have no homes to live in, where will the government find land? How will they build houses for them? For people in poverty, is the government’s support enough? How will they go about rebuilding their homes? We Bodhisattvas have lasting compassion and great love we must expand our great love make our relationship with them long-lasting. We must continue caring for them.” This was my final reminder. Everyone said they could do it and were willing to continue this work. This is what those three places shared with me.

I feel that they are all Bodhisattvas; they are “[where] the Wondrous Lotus Sutra exists.” They are all walking the Bodhisattva-path. Wherever they go, they are all Bodhisattvas. So, “Through the root of faith, the Path will be attained.” With their roots of faith, they pave the road they walk. Following [the teachings] they hear, they walk along this road. “The sutras are a path, and this path is a road to walk on.” The path of the sutras is a road for us to walk on. So, this is having the root of faith. They have faith, so they are willing to serve and follow this road. So, “Through the root of faith, the path will be attained.” Walking this path, they truly embrace suffering sentient beings. Bodhisattvas embrace sentient beings, just like how the Buddha embraces us. They are able to do this.

So, “The great Dharma-wheel will be turned there.” [The volunteers] taught them how to do each of these small actions [which contained] great principles within. They taught them how to wash dishes, how to do recycling work and how to dry vegetables. This is the great Dharma-wheel; this also requires exercising some wisdom so as to not hurt their pride. They told them where these [volunteers] came from and what their jobs are to help them understand that it is not that these people have nothing to do; they are not like that. They had come on their own initiative, due to the love in their heart. [The evacuees] could feel [the volunteers’] love, and thus gave rise to gratitude. With gratitude, they naturally mobilized and all worked together. They opened their hearts and exercised their strength. This is turning the great Dharma-wheel.

These Bodhisattvas paid out of their own pockets, and with much hardship, they walked along muddy and difficult paths. It was very difficult, yet they were not concerned. They were not defiled. This is like that head chef. He was very tired, but precisely because he was tired, he came out and joined in Tzu Chi’s work. He was happy, so he no longer felt tired. See, we must not allow our weariness to affect our spiritual aspirations. Our heart must be as tranquil as the vast space of the universe. No matter the environment, it did not affect the strength of their bodies and minds. They are very willing to serve others, so they do not waver in body or mind.

“So, wherever this sutra abides, a stupa must be erected as a sincere offering.” This is in the sutra. According to the sutra, wherever this sutra abides, wherever there [are people] with roots of faith who are willing to uphold the sutra, wherever we can expound the sutra and turn the Dharma-wheel, or wherever a Buddha has been born, these are all places where we can erect a stupa. This marks a very respectable and noble place. These are all places where we can erect a stupa. This expresses our reverence.

The Buddha’s Dharmakaya already abides in this stupa; there is no need to further place sariras there. Bone fragments are sariras of His physical body. This sutra is the sarira of His Dharmakaya, so there is no need to further place sariras of His physical body there.

The Buddha’s Dharmakaya is already in this stupa. The reason that these things can happen is due to the Buddha’s Dharmakaya being there. The Buddha’s Dharmakaya is the true principles. Wherever the true principles are, there is no need for the stupa that is erected to have sariras inside. In erecting a stupa, “There is no need to further place sariras there,” since the Buddha’s Dharmakaya is already there.

“Bone fragments are sariras of His physical body.” They are sariras of His physical body. The bones left after cremation are also called sariras. Are they the only reason for erecting a stupa? As for the Buddha’s sariras, He only had one physical body, so how could there be so many sariras? We must realize that. “This sutra is the sarira of His Dharmakaya.” In places where this sutra abides, the sarira of His Dharmakaya resides. “There is no need to further place sariras of His physical body there.” We do not need to place sariras of. His physical body there for it to be considered a stupa. Stupas are erected in these places to show that they are very noble places. So it is said that wherever the Lotus Sutra abides, that is where His Dharmakaya exists. So, we must mindfully comprehend this.

Let us now look at the previous sutra passage.

“Medicine King, in each place where the sutras are expounded, read, recited and transcribed and in each place where the sutras abide, a stupa of the Seven Treasures should be built extremely high and wide, majestically decorated. There is no need to further place sariras there.”

We should all already know this. As long as there is a place where we can put this sutra and the Path into practice, then wherever we go, in each of those places we should be able to build a stupa. However, there is no need to place sariras. This means that wherever the sutras are practiced, these are the most noble of places.

“Why is this?” The sutra passage continues,

“Why is this? The entire body of the Tathagata already abides within it. This stupa should receive use all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners, and music and songs as reverent offerings, to honor and praise it.”

Why is this? This tells us of this wondrous principle. “Why is this? The entire body of the Tathagata already abides within it.” [We must] understand this wondrous truth, that the nature of the principles is pure. “The nature of the principles is pure; they are the pure Dharmakaya of the Tathagata.” The principles cannot become defiled; they are the Dharma, the true principles. True principles cannot be seen and cannot become defiled. However, they educate and purify people’s minds. When humans can coexist in peace and harmony, this will be a pure place. The Tathagata’s pure Dharmakaya is the true principles.

Wherever the sutra is, wherever the principles are, “There is a stupa there.” So long as this sutra exists there, then it is considered a stupa. “The passages of this sutra are the Buddha’s sariras.” Where there are sutra passages or sutras or where people transcribe, read and recite, teach and put [this sutra] into practice are [places where] the Buddha’s sariras exist. They are where the Buddha’s principles exist.

Why is this? The entire body of the Tathagata already abides within it: The sutra manifests wondrous principles. The nature of the principles is pure; they are the pure Dharmakaya of the Tathagata. Wherever this sutra abides, there is a stupa there. The passages of the sutra are the Buddha’s sariras.

“In the sutra,” in the Lotus Sutra, there is this passage, “People like this have [the sincerest] intentions to seek the Buddha’s sariras. For people like this, you can teach this sutra.” This means that. “They seek the sariras of the Buddha’s Dharmakaya.”

In the sutras: If there are people who aspire to seek the Buddha’s sariras, these are the people to whom this sutra can be taught. This means that they seek the sariras of the Buddha’s Dharma-body.

Those who wish to teach this sutra, as it says in the previous sutra passage, are people who have the intentions, the vow, to seek the Buddha’s sariras. “For people like this, you can teach this sutra.” This means that these people “seek the sariras of the Buddha’s Dharmakaya.” They seek the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. His Dharmakaya is the true principles. For people who sincerely intend to seek the Buddha’s principles, for such people, we can teach the Lotus Sutra. This is to say that seeking the Buddha’s sariras is seeking the Buddha’s true principles. Someone like this can be taught this sutra.

“This stupa is worthy of all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners and music and songs to reverently make offerings, to honor and praise it.” In the places where these stupas are, we should be able to use many treasures to make offerings to honor it.

“To this pagoda, people should use all kinds of flowers, incense, strings of jewels, silken canopies, hanging banners, music and song to reverently make offerings, to honor and praise it”: To this pagoda of treasures, these things should be used to make offerings.

The Seven Treasures are used to erect this stupa and to make offerings. This is because these places are precious ground; they are replete with everything, including the sariras of the Buddha’s entire body, meaning all of the Buddha’s principles.

The Lotus Sutra is the sariras of the Buddha’s entire body. This is not only from the Avatamsaka state, but also from the skillful means of the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna [periods] and all the way to the Lotus [period]. All this Dharma is included in this sutra. It is the Buddha’s true principles, the sarira of His Dharmakaya.

So, in these places, “In stupas, sariras are supposed to be placed.” However, because the sutras abide in these places, it is not necessary to further place sariras. There is no need. “This sutra’s meaning is revealed by the Dharma-nature realized by the Buddha.”

Sariras are supposed to be placed in a pagoda, but this pagoda exists wherever the sutra abides. It says that there is no need to further place sariras because this sutra’s meaning is revealed by the Dharma-nature realized by the Buddha.

This is the place where the true principles revealed by His. Dharma-nature after He attained enlightenment, the sutras, abide. So, this is like how the stupa has no need for His bone fragments, His sariras. This sutra itself is the sarira of His entire body.

Because. “The Buddha Himself proclaimed that because the sutra is there the Buddha’s Dharmakaya and His reward-body, everything is there.” The Buddha already gave these teachings, which were compiled into the sutra. With this sutra, the Buddha’s Dharmakaya and His reward-body are fully present. Whether His Dharmakaya, reward-body or transformation-body, they are all in this place. So, “It contains the entire body of the Buddha.”

The Buddha’s spirit, all of His principles and the original intent of His mind and body are all in this place. They were made clear through the Buddha’s words and thus became the sutras. In places where this sutra is present, if can we also put it into practice and accept and uphold it, then these places are even more precious than [places with] the Buddha’s [physical] sariras. Simply placing bone fragments there is just that and nothing more. What we must do is resurrect the Buddha’s spirit and wisdom and reveal it to this world. So, making offerings to a place like this is more valuable than making offerings to the Buddha’s bone fragments, His sariras. This is because it brings benefit to others. When the Buddha-Dharma is put into action and applied to the world, everyone will be a Bodhisattva. Then everyone will be able to help and transform sentient beings in this world.

The Buddha Himself proclaimed that because the sutra is there and it already contains the Buddha’s Dharmakaya as well as His reward-body, everything is there. It is the same as having the entire body of the Buddha there. This is more worthy of respect than only having the Buddha’s sariras.

So, the power of love does not require us to prostrate to material items. If this is the Buddha’s true body, the stupa where his cremated bones are stored, and we travel countless miles to prostrate there, is this the only way to make offerings and pay respect to the Buddha? No. The true, living stupa is beneath our feet. As we go out to put the teachings into practice, every [path] we walk is step by step paved with the Buddha’s words. This is the Bodhisattva-path we must learn.

The Buddha’s entire body already abides there. Bone fragments are sariras of His physical body; this sutra is the true sarira of His Dharmakaya. Thus, in erecting a stupa, we need not place bone fragments there. Most importantly, wherever this sutra is, that is a place to erect a stupa. This is what is meant by “in each place”; the Buddha’s Dharmakaya is everywhere. Dear Bodhisattvas, a loving heart is the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. Whatever is pure and undefiled is the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. Practicing [this sutra] by going among people without being defiled [means one has] the Buddha’s pure [Dharmakaya]. These are all the Buddha’s Dharmakaya; it is in each place as long as we are mindful. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1228 – Aspirations Guide Our Intentions

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>> “The Fourfold Faith is the power of thought. The Four Great Vows are the power of vows. Great wisdom is the power of good roots. This means that aspirations can guide our intentions. Our vows lead us to aspire to form the great vows of the true and pure Great Dharma.”

>> The Fourfold Faith: 1. Faith in the fundamentals. This is the origin of all practices, faith and joy in the Dharma of True Suchness 2. Faith in the Buddha: This is faith and joy in the Buddha’s great merits and virtues 3. Faith in the Dharma: This is faith and joy in the great benefit of the Dharma 4. Faith in the Sangha: This is faith and joy in the Sangha’s great practice.

>> “These people have the power of great faith, the power of aspirations as well as the power of all good roots. You must know that these people will abide together with the Tathagata and the Tathagata will stroke their heads with His hands.”

>> The practitioners’ heads represent true wisdom. The Tathagatas’ hands represent provisional wisdom. They resonate with the Way. Thus it says “stroke their heads.” This means bestowing predictions on them.

>> Medicine King, in each place where the sutra is expounded, read, recited and transcribed, and in each place where the sutra abides, a pagoda of seven treasures must be built extremely high and wide, majestically decorated. There is no need to go further by placing sariras. 

>> Medicine King, in each place where the sutras are expounded, read, recited and transcribed and in each place where sutras abide: This explains that a place where sutras abide, is where the Buddha’s entire body [abides]. Wherever people circulate this sutra is a place where this sutra abides.

>> In each place: This refers to the place where the sutras are expounded, read, transcribed and so on. This place is not fixed. Whether it is in cities or in remote mountain villages, the place where the sutra abides will be noble.

>> In the Agama Sutra, it states that a pagoda should be built in four places: These places are the Buddha’s place of birth, the place where He attained enlightenment, the place where He turned the Dharma-wheel, and the place where He entered Parinirvana.

>> A stupa of the Seven Treasures should be built extremely high and wide, majestically decorated: This sutra is the birthplace of the Dharmakaya, the place where He attained enlightenment, the place where He turned the Dharma-wheel and the place where He entered Parinirvana. Thus it says: In a place where the sutra abides, a stupa must be erected to make offerings.

>> The Seven Treasures: This is the general term for precious treasures. In ancient times, that which was considered treasure were divided into seven categories. So they have always been called “the Seven Treasures.”

>> There is no need to further place sariras there: This is because the entire body of the Buddha, His Dharmakaya, already abides there, so there is no need to place sariras. In general, erecting a stupa was originally for the purpose of reverently placing the Buddha’s sariras.

>> Sariras: These are the Buddha’s bodily relics left undestroyed by cremation. This can only be attained by those who achieve merits and virtues of the Buddha’s Samadhi.

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“The Fourfold Faith is the power of thought.
The Four Great Vows are the power of vows.
Great wisdom is the power of good roots.
This means that aspirations can guide our intentions.
Our vows lead us to aspire
to form the great vows of the true and pure Great Dharma.”

I hope we can all be more mindful in committing this Fourfold Faith to memory. For us spiritual practitioners, this is a very important tool, so we must put effort into this.

“The Fourfold Faith is the power of thought. The Four Great Vows are the power of vows.” In the Fourfold Faith, first is faith in the fundamentals. We need to have deep roots of faith. All [sutras] emphasize that our faith in the fundamentals must be deep. So, because. “Faith is the source of the Way, mother of merits” it is “the origin of all practices.” [“Fundamentals” means] “having faith and joy in the Dharma of True Suchness.”

We [must] have this faith. The Buddha dedicated Himself to this world; He wanted to tell us all that everyone has the nature of True Suchness. Everyone can attain Buddhahood. Our innate enlightenment is neither greater nor smaller than the Buddha’s. The Buddha wanted to tell us this directly, but we were unable to understand. Thus, the Buddha had to [teach] indirectly. Giving limited teachings using skillful means, [He taught] the Vaipulya and Prajna sutras, guiding us all along the way. He hoped for us to form great aspirations and make great vows to enter the great, direct Bodhi-path. This is the Buddha’s compassion and wisdom; this was how He guided us.

Without faith and patience, how would we make it on such a long road? Without the Buddha enticing us in this way to start walking this long road, we would simply be unable to experience our nature of True Suchness that is equal to the Buddha’s. We would simply be unable to understand it. So the Buddha gradually and patiently guides us. We must have faith, be willing to listen and believe. We must be resolute, with single-minded focus.

“This is the origin of all practices.” As we advance [on the path], the Buddha teaches us how to walk and what direction we should walk in. We must have faith and constantly embrace a joyful mindset. We must “have faith and joy in the great Dharma of True Suchness.” Our faith should be in the Buddha’s teachings. Walking on this path, everything we do comes from our enlightened nature of True Suchness. Willingly and happily we go out to serve others. All Bodhisattvas “work willingly, accept happily.” This is the conduct of Bodhisattvas. This is because they have faith in the fundamentals.

Second is faith in the Buddha. We must have faith. First, we must believe in ourselves. This is what the Buddha taught us. Our faith [in the fundamentals], our roots of faith, must go very deep. Second, we must truly have faith in the Buddha. The Buddha, the Great Enlightened One, had already become one with the universe. The true principles of all things in the universe were thoroughly understood by the Buddha. The Buddha’s mind encompassed the endless void; it was one with the universe. So, we definitely must have faith in the Buddha.

We must have faith in the Buddha and the Dharma that the Buddha taught. Only then can we have faith and joy. We must joyfully receive the Buddha’s teachings, faithfully accept and practice them. The Buddha already perfected His great merits. Since dust-inked kalpas ago, He had continually [practiced] until He attained Buddhahood in the Saha World. Over such a long time, He perfected such great merits. The Buddha [accomplished] this, so we must have faith in His perfect character. Thus, the Dharma taught by the Buddha [is what] we must faithfully accept and practice.

Third is faith in the Dharma. This is “having faith and joy in the great benefit of the Dharma.” The Buddha-Dharma benefits sentient beings, so we must have faith in it. Due to sentient beings’ ignorance and afflictions, they experience so much suffering. Even if someone is famous, has a high position or is very wealthy, don’t you think he suffers from afflictions? He does! His worries over gain and loss are great. The higher his position is, the more he worries. The more fame he has, the more afflicted he is. [With such concern] over gain and loss, compared to the average person who has no fame or high status, his afflictions are much greater. So, when we “have” [something], we “worry about losing” it. When unenlightened beings lack something, they instead “worry about obtaining” it. Lacking, we continually desire things. We seek to greedily acquire things and constantly pursue the things we wish to obtain. So, this pursuit to obtain things also brings afflictions.

Having something, we worry that we will lose it. Having a high position, we worry about demotion. Having fame, we worry about slander and so on. Such a focus on gain and loss, in ordinary people, is called “afflictions.” There are so many afflictions that we cannot name them all. So, we simply say there are “84,000 afflictions.” What this means is that in one day, over the course of 86,400 seconds, every second brings afflictions. So, there are said to be “84,000 afflictions.” These afflictions cause us unbearable suffering. But with faith in the Dharma, we can understand and let go of all [these afflictions]. During the Agama period, the Buddha taught us the law of karma. By understanding causes and conditions, we know we will get what we are supposed to get and will not get what we are not supposed to get. Everything is due to causes and conditions.

Then, in the Vaipulya period, He encouraged us to put forth effort and be mindful. It is rare to attain human form, but as humans who have heard the Dharma, we must put in effort to seize [this opportunity]. Next, in the Prajna period, the Buddha wished to help us eliminate attachments. We must give up all attachments. [Having] the Dharma is like going from the shore of ordinary beings to the opposite shore of noble beings. Between the two is “the river of cravings where 1000-foot swells rise.” On this river, we need a bamboo raft. We need to cross by boat or by bamboo raft. Do we want to take a big ship or a small boat? When we finally reach the other side, we must abandon the boat and step ashore.

Thus, in the Diamond Sutra it says, “If even the Dharma must be relinquished, how much more so what is not the Dharma?” The Dharma is like a bamboo raft on which we go from this side to the other shore. We must abandon this small boat. We must abandon this bamboo raft and step onto the other shore; we cannot be attached to this bamboo raft. What this is telling us is that we must not be attached to these teachings. With proper teachings, we can advance and avoid remaining stuck in the same place. With the Small Vehicle, we remain stuck within the Dharma. We do not seek to diligently advance, and we are unwilling to go among people. Thus we remain in our own pure environment, unwilling to go among people. This is why the Buddha began teaching us to let go of our attachments. After letting go of our attachments, we can step ashore. So what are we to do? The Buddha simply said, “Follow the path without worries; go among people.” This is the [meaning of] the Lotus Flower. The Lotus Sutra wants us to go among people.

This sounds very similar to the Dharma I teach you all each day. Indeed, these teachings are very similar. They seem nearly identical. So, since they are so similar, have we absorbed them yet? Have we drawn near to our nature of True Suchness yet? We must go among people, for it is there that we can find ways to accommodate so many different people with their attitudes and tones of voice. Are we able to accommodate them? If we are unable to do this, that means we have not taken the Dharma to heart.

If we can take the Dharma to heart, we can go among people and always remain joyful. When we hear things that are displeasing or see unwholesome appearances or evil deeds, our mind will [still] be without hindrance and we can keep gratitude in our hearts. When we have unfavorable affinities with someone, we must make use of this opportunity to quickly form good affinities with that person. Having formed good affinities, the negative affinities will be eliminated. [We must be] grateful! At that instant, we have diminished our negative affinities and increased our good affinities. If our mindset is like this, we can take the Dharma to heart and apply it among people. Only by taking the Dharma to heart will we be able to apply it among people. This requires having faith in the Dharma. “This is having faith and joy in the great benefit of the Dharma.” So, we must have faith.

Fourth is faith in the Sangha. “This is faith and joy in the Sangha’s great practice.” We need the Buddha-Dharma in this world. Without the Sangha to spread the Dharma, how could the Buddha-Dharma exist in the world? In the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha’s hope was that there would be people willing to receive, read, recite, transcribe and expound [the Dharma]. This is the duty of the monastics in the Sangha. Single-mindedly and wholeheartedly, they leave their family and loved ones. Single-mindedly and wholeheartedly, they place the Dharma ahead of themselves. This is how they uphold [the Dharma], all for the sake of spreading the Dharma among people. “This is faith and joy in the Sangha’s great practice.”

The Fourfold Faith: 1. Faith in the fundamentals. This is the origin of all practices, faith and joy in the Dharma of True Suchness 2. Faith in the Buddha: This is faith and joy in the Buddha’s great merits and virtues 3. Faith in the Dharma: This is faith and joy in the great benefit of the Dharma 4. Faith in the Sangha: This is faith and joy in the Sangha’s great practice.

We must believe deeply in these four. Only with faith can we truly enter the Buddha’s path. This is how we enter the path of the Buddha-Dharma. Thus, the Fourfold Faith [is what brings] power to our every thought. I often tell everyone that everything is determined by the mind. So, the power of our thoughts is what enables us to uphold the Four Great Vows. “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings. I vow to eliminate endless afflictions. I vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors. I vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” The power of the Four Great Vows is found in the power of our every thought. The power of our every thought comes from the Fourfold Faith; it is linked to the power of our Fourfold Faith. Buddhist practitioners must be like this. So, “Great wisdom is the power of good roots.” If our great wisdom does not [grow] first from the power of good roots, we cannot become firm in our faith and in our vows.

So, “This means that aspirations can guide our intentions.” Our aspirations guide our intentions so we diligently advance. If in our spiritual practice we have no intention, very quickly, our faith, vows and practice will disappear. We must have aspirations in order to charge forward. This is our intention, how our intention is guided. We must continuously push forward toward our goal. No matter what waves of ignorance we encounter along the way, we must remain uninfluenced. We must be resolute in our aspirations. If in spiritual practice we have no aspirations, we have no strength to diligently push forward.

So, “The power of vows leads us to aspire to form the great vows of the true and pure Great Dharma.” If we have no vows, [it is because] we lack aspirations. Aspirations lead to vows, and our vows can guide our aspirations along. This is the power of vows. This is how our aspirations and our vows [strengthen] each other; they work together in partnership. This is what enables us to form the great vows of the true and pure Great Dharma. This pure Great Dharma is what is stored within our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. This storehouse of treasures is intrinsic to us all. It is just that our thick ignorance covers it, layer after layer. Now, we have already begun to peel away this ignorance layer by layer and we can draw closer to the great vows of the true and pure Great Dharma; we can form “the great vows of the true and pure Great Dharma.” We must go among people. With the heart of a Buddha, we see all sentient beings as our own children. This is the vow the Buddha made, and we must also make this kind of vow.

So, this is the great power of faith. Thus, we can abide in the same room as the Buddha. The previous [passage] says,

“These people have the power of great faith, the power of aspirations as well as the power of all good roots. You must know that these people will abide together with the Tathagata and the Tathagata will stroke their heads with His hands.”

We are in the same place as the Buddha. To “abide together” means that all of us have the same intrinsic nature of True Suchness as the Buddha. This is the great power of our vows, our innate enlightenment.

So, “The Tathagata will stroke their heads with His hands.” This [refers to] provisional wisdom. The Buddha using His hands to stroke our heads means that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. We all intrinsically have true wisdom.

The practitioners’ heads represent true wisdom. The Tathagatas’ hands represent provisional wisdom. They resonate with the Way. Thus it says “stroke their heads.” This means bestowing predictions on them.

So, we must firmly establish faith. Our faith must be rooted in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. We must be earnestly mindful. The pure aspirations of the Four Great Vows are what we must tirelessly employ among people.

The next sutra passage says,

Medicine King, in each place where the sutra is expounded, read, recited and transcribed, and in each place where the sutra abides, a pagoda of seven treasures must be built extremely high and wide, majestically decorated. There is no need to go further by placing sariras.    

This sutra passage tells us of the Buddha’s great mindfulness. He calls out again, “Medicine King.” He is again [addressing] Medicine King. By reminding Medicine King, He is giving this reminder to all of us. “In each place,” no matter where it is, if someone is expounding the sutras, if someone is reading or reciting [the sutras], if someone is transcribing [the sutras] or if there are [copies of] the sutras there, that is a place where the Tathagata abides. This is where His Dharmakaya is. Thus, this is explained as, “A place where sutras abide is where the Buddha’s entire body [abides].” The sutras are the Buddha’s entire body. They are the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. The Buddha-Dharma is [the Buddha’s] Dharmakaya.

Sakyamuni Buddha entered Parinirvana over 2000 years ago, but His Dharmakaya is still in this world. So, Sakyamuni Buddha remains the guiding teacher of the Three Realms and the kind father of the four kinds of beings. We must not forget this. The Buddha’s Dharmakaya still resides in the world. As long as we have these Great Vehicle sutras, wherever they abide is also where the Buddha’s Dharmakaya abides. So, they are the Buddha’s entire body. Thus, “Wherever people circulate this sutra is a place where this sutra abides.” If someone circulates this sutra, then that place is where this sutra abides. This is what “in each place” means. As long as someone is reading, reciting, transcribing or expounding [this sutra], in those places the Tathagata’s entire body abides. This is [the meaning of] “in each place.”

Medicine King, in each place where the sutras are expounded, read, recited and transcribed and in each place where sutras abide: This explains that a place where sutras abide, is where the Buddha’s entire body [abides]. Wherever people circulate this sutra is a place where this sutra abides.

This tells us that for this sutra to be taught, read or transcribed, it does not need to be in a specific place. Nowadays, everyone is so busy, so sometimes we can take a copy of the sutra with us when we go abroad. Or if we go out to take care of things outside, we can carry a copy with us so we can read it. Wherever we go, we can share it with others. We can have study groups anywhere. No matter where our home is, we can [gather] and share about “Thus have I heard. This morning we listened to the Dharma. Come, let us review it again today. Let us share our insights.” Anyone can do this at their home, “in each place.”

It does not matter if you read, recite or retell [the sutra you heard]. Didn’t the 16 princes retell [what they heard]? They shared their insights from the sutras and formed good affinities with everyone. [They did this] “in each place.” So, for this sutra to be taught, to be read and to be transcribed, there need not be a specific place. [It can be done] in each place.

[It can be done] in a city or in a remote mountain village. Any place where this sutra exists is noble. Whether one is on a mountain top or in a remote settlement, whether in a temple, an abode or in someone’s house, wherever this sutra is being spread is a noble place. [These places] are not impoverished; they are endowed with wealth and nobility.

In each place: This refers to the place where the sutras are expounded, read, transcribed and so on. This place is not fixed. Whether it is in cities or in remote mountain villages, the place where the sutra abides will be noble.

This is because the people there engage in spiritual practice. Their minds have an abundance, for they understand the principles of the universe. They understand, so they are [spiritually] wealthy. They may be gentlemen or farmers. Whether very learned and educated people or people who farm the land, wherever [they reside] is a wealthy, noble place.

The Agama Sutra speaks of four places where a stupa can be built: A stupa can be built in the Buddha’s birthplace, the place where He became enlightened, the place where He turned the Dharma-wheel and the place where He entered Parinirvana.

In the Agama Sutra, it states that a pagoda should be built in four places: These places are the Buddha’s place of birth, the place where He attained enlightenment, the place where He turned the Dharma-wheel, and the place where He entered Parinirvana.

This is said in the Agama Sutra. This tells us that any place related to the Buddha is a place where His virtues can be made visible. A stupa is [built to] make His virtues visible, to mark places that represent the Buddha’s virtues. In this way, future generations [will know], “This place is the Buddha’s birthplace”; people will forever know that a Great Enlightened One was born in this world. “This is where the Great Enlightened One attained Buddhahood. This is the place where the Great Enlightened One turned the Dharma-wheel after attaining Buddhahood, where He taught the Dharma. This is where He entered Parinirvana.” In this way, these physical forms bear witness to the life of the Great Enlightened One. So, stupas are built to make His virtues visible at these sites.

So, “In each [place], a stupa of the Seven Treasures should be built extremely high and wide, majestically decorated.”

A stupa of the Seven Treasures should be built extremely high and wide, majestically decorated: This sutra is the birthplace of the Dharmakaya, the place where He attained enlightenment, the place where He turned the Dharma-wheel and the place where He entered Parinirvana. Thus it says: In a place where the sutra abides, a stupa must be erected to make offerings.

This can be anywhere; as long as the Buddha taught this sutra there, a stupa can be built in that place. This is done to make His virtues visible. “Extremely high, wide and majestically decorated” means they must be very dignified [to reflect] the dignity of the Buddha’s virtues. [This applies to] any place where this sutra is present. Wherever this sutra is taught is a place where His virtues can be made visible. Wherever the Buddha was once present and wherever He taught the Dharma, the Buddha’s entire body resides. Thus, a stupa can be built there. There are also the places where the Buddha attained Buddhahood, where the Buddha turned the Dharma-wheel and where He entered Parinirvana. These are all places where the Buddha’s virtues were displayed.

So, [it speaks of] “stupas of the Seven Treasures.” Stupas of the Seven Treasures are very precious “‘The Seven Treasures’ is a general term for precious treasures.” The world has many treasures, but they are symbolized by “the Seven Treasures.” These are gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl [and rose stone]. These are called the Seven Treasures.

The Seven Treasures: This is the general term for precious treasures. In ancient times, that which was considered treasure were divided into seven categories. So they have always been called “the Seven Treasures.”

Thus, “the Seven Treasures” is a general term for treasures. “In ancient times, things which were considered treasures were divided into seven categories.” This is what we just mentioned. Stupas are where sariras are placed. They are places to store the Buddha’s sariras. The Buddha’s sariras are crystals found among the ashes after the cremation of the Buddha’s body when He has entered Parinirvana.

“There is no need to further place sariras there. The entire body of [the Buddha] abides there.”

There is no need to further place sariras there: This is because the entire body of the Buddha, His Dharmakaya, already abides there, so there is no need to place sariras. In general, erecting a stupa was originally for the purpose of reverently placing the Buddha’s sariras.

The Buddha’s Dharmakaya is just like His sariras. It is what the Buddha left behind. The Buddha-Dharma’s essence is encompassed in the Lotus Sutra. Thus it is the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, the Buddha’s entire body. He devoted His whole lifetime in this world for the sake of expounding this sutra and guiding us all back to our Tathagata-nature. The road leading back to our Tathagata-nature is the Bodhisattva-path.

The Lotus Sutra is the king of all sutras; it is the entirety of the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. “So there is no need to place sariras.” As long as a place contains the sutras, it does not need the Buddha’s ashes. No sariras are needed. Wherever this sutra is, it is as if the Buddha’s entire body is present. So, most say that constructing a stupa “was originally for the purpose of reverently placing the Buddha’s sariras.” In fact, the Lotus Sutra is His entire body. It is the Buddha’s entire life, including His body, mind and existence. His body and His entire existence were completely [devoted to] the purpose of transforming sentient beings. He transformed sentient beings in order to enable us to move toward our Tathagata-nature until we can attain Buddhahood and become one with the universe. This is the Buddha’s spirit and intent, which are contained within the Lotus Sutra.

So, it says, “Sariras are the Buddha’s bodily relics.” After being cremated, these are the things that remained. The Buddha’s spiritual practice, His meditation, Samadhi, merits and virtues, manifest as these sariras.

In fact, the Buddha’s entire body, His spirit, His principles and the essence of the Dharma are in the Lotus Sutra. If we can mindfully comprehend this, we find that the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere. If we are able to understand this, [we will know that] everyone is a future Buddha. This is true not only for humans; all sentient beings likewise have Buddha-nature. All animals and human beings are alike in this. No matter what kind of animal, all beings have Buddha-nature.

There is a village in Chiang Mai, Thailand where a farming family lives. On their family farm they raise big flocks of chickens. Among their flock of chickens is a mynah bird. This mynah bird is always with this big flock of chickens, and he stays with one hen in particular. Why is this? Some people think this is very strange. Why is it that this mynah bird lives among the chickens? The farmer explained how this happened. A fledgling had fallen from its nest; it was this mynah bird. When this fledgling fell from its nest, the mother hen took care of it. She looked after this fledgling. The mother hen cared for the fledgling and this fledgling followed the mother hen around, always staying among the flock of chickens.

When the hen was sitting on her eggs, this bird would stay beside the mother hen and keep her company. When the mother hen’s eggs hatched, the mother hen began to raise her chicks. Sometimes she would pick worms for them to eat, so this mynah bird would also search for worms and helped raise the chicks with her. This is how the mynah bird and the hen were like members of a single family. Some people found this unbelievable. They wanted to test if this mynah bird would recognize the mother hen. This flock had so many hens; would he really recognize this one mother hen?

Someone deliberately tried to remove the hen, and the mynah bird began to attack that person, pecking him front and back. He continually attacked him, so he had to quickly put [the hen] back. If the owner grabbed this mother hen, this mynah bird remained calm and would not peck at him. So, this mynah bird not only recognized the mother hen, he also recognized people. If you were not the one who raised [this hen] and you grabbed her, you might want to hurt her. So, [the mynah bird] wanted to protect her. But if the owner who raised the chickens grabbed [the hen], he was not going to harm her, so [the mynah bird] trusted him and would not try to [attack] him.

See, even a bird has a sense of trust. It put its trust in the owner. Living among the flock of chickens, he also placed trust in this hen, the one who cared for him since he was young and raised him [to adulthood]. This mynah bird even knows how to speak. Mynah birds are innately able to learn to speak from humans. Chickens do not know how to speak, but this mynah bird knows how to speak. When the owner appears, he cries to the owner, “I am hungry! I am hungry!” Speaking in Thai, he says, “I am hungry! I am hungry!” Or, when he is full, he will say to the owner, “Hello, hello.” This is what the bird does!

From this, we could say that humans and birds [are equal], whether chickens or other birds. Animals and humans truly are equal. This is to say nothing of us and the Buddha. Clearly, we are also equal. This is what the Buddha told us, and we should have faith, faith in the Buddha. Since we are equal to the Buddha and the Buddha is able to attain Buddhahood, why wouldn’t we also be able to attain Buddhahood? We are able! The only difference is that the Buddha returned to His nature of True Suchness. Through His process of spiritual practice and. His power of vows, He returned to the true and pure Great Dharma. Because He formed great vows, He had an intention. He began dust-inked kalpas ago, and lifetime after lifetime, no matter how long it took, He always had faith. His root of faith was very deep, so He was able to believe.

Dust-inked kalpas ago, when Great Unhindered Buddha taught, [Sakyamuni] had deep, unobstructed faith. He had faith in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. He [maintained His faith] all along, continually engaging in spiritual practice until He attained Buddhahood, This shows His great wisdom and power of good roots. His aspirations kept guiding his intention. He never faltered in His progress, no; He kept pushing forward. For dust-inked kalpas, He continuously advanced. He had this power of vows, and thus He attained Buddhahood. With faith, we too can attain Buddhahood.

There is much that allows us to see and experience [the principles]. There is the mynah bird and the mother hen. The mother hen had love in her heart for an animal of a different species. She saw the fledgling fall from the nest and recognized [the value of] his life. She knew to care for him. When this mynah bird grew up, he knew he should be protective. He also knew he should follow along and insisted on remaining with this flock of chickens. He upheld his duty and followed them closely. When the owner fed him, he would show his gratitude by saying, “Hello.” This is the Buddha-nature in all sentient beings. If we are mindful in our faith and understanding, the day will come when we will also attain Buddhahood. All it takes is that we are always mindful.

Episode 1227 – With Firm Faith, We Abide With the Buddha

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>> “Only through sincere and firm faith in the path will we put in the effort to follow our vows to engage in spiritual practice. Those who uphold the Dharma in this world persevere in passing on that which all Tathagatas protect. This means that those who can uphold and expound this sutra are practicing great patience. They are covered by the Tathagata’s clothing which conceals all evils of sentient beings.”

>> “Medicine King, you must know that after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, for those who can write, uphold, read, recite, make offerings and expound the sutras to others, the Tathagata will cover them with robes. Now they will also be safeguarded by all Buddhas in Their respective directions.” 

>> “These people have the power of great faith, the power of aspirations, as well as the power of all good roots:” These people who expound the sutra are replete in the power of great faith and form aspirations to exercise their power to make great vows.

>> The power of faith: This means that because they [learn] deeply, they give rise to faith and understanding. They rejoice in seeking the Dharma and thus give rise to faith. Because of their faith, they attain clear and pure minds. With their own firm faith, they can inspire others to give rise to faith. This is the power of firm faith.

>> The power of aspirations: This means being replete with the aspirations to accept and uphold this sutra. Since their aspirations are great and firm, they exercise their ability to benefit others. This is the power of aspirations. Being willing to accept and uphold this sutra.

>> The power of all good roots: This refers to the roots of faith, thought, Samadhi and so on. They come to have faith in this sutra themselves and are unwavering. They can transform others, enabling them to have faith in this sutra. Their faith is as unwavering as a root, thus it is known as the power of good roots.

>> You must know that these people will abide together with the Tathagata: All Tathagatas abide in the ground of tranquility and cessation of the One Vehicle. Now these practitioners peacefully abide in the treasury of the ocean of merits and virtues of the Lotus [teachings]. Thus it says “abide together.”

>> Abide: This means to live peacefully. The Tathagata takes the three virtues of the Dharmakaya, liberation and prajna as the Great Nirvana. These are the Buddha’s three secret and essential teachings, in which the Tathagata peacefully abides.

>> “Those who accept and uphold this sutra abide peacefully together with the Buddha in this secret and essential treasury. Thus it says that they ‘abide together.'”

>> Thus, “The Tathagata will stroke their heads with His hands. Hands” signify provisional wisdom. “Heads” signify the truth.

>> “The Tathagata expounds the meaning of skillful means. Those who enter the ultimate path of the One Buddha Vehicle will have their heads stroked by His hands.”

>> Stroking the head is what seniors do toward their juniors to show comfort, care and support. The practitioners’ heads represent true wisdom. The Tathagata’s hands represent provisional wisdom. They resonate with the Way. Thus it says “stroke their heads.” This means bestowing predictions on them.

>> “Strokes their heads with His hands” means “The Tathagata wields wisdom of skillful means as His hands.” So, “Those who accept and uphold this sutra are all within the Tathagata’s embrace.”

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“Only through sincere and firm faith in the path
will we put in the effort to follow our vows to engage in spiritual practice.
Those who uphold the Dharma in this world
persevere in passing on that which all Tathagatas protect.
This means that those who can uphold and expound this sutra
are practicing great patience.
They are covered by the Tathagata’s clothing
which conceals all evils of sentient beings.”

What is faith? “Faith is the source of the path, the mother of all merits.” All of us understand this phrase, but do we really have deep faith? This faith must [fill] our heart; only then can we successfully pave our heart’s path, the Bodhisattva-path. So, we must have “sincere and firm faith in the path. Sincere” means to be very earnest, sincere and firm in the path. Are we sincere and firm, certain in our direction and in our faith? Only when we have firm faith can we put effort into our vows for spiritual practice. In our spiritual practice, we must be aware of time, space and human relationships. Most important is for us to [pay heed to] time. No matter where we are, time is always passing us by, second by second.

Legend says that when the ancient Qin emperor built the Great Wall, he wished to build this wall to obscure the sun and moon, to lengthen time a little, to increase his lifespan a little. Is this possible? Actually, this is just an ancient legend. The Great Wall was in fact a protective wall built to keep out invaders. Whether the Great Wall was built to protect the motherland or to have a certain space cut off from the effects of time, neither of these things were possible. The Great Wall was built to protect the motherland, but from ancient times until today, has there been any person who is immortal? Many times in the past, many times, the world has undergone turmoil. It is always the same; the human mind cannot be controlled and neither can time. Yet, the passing of time is a natural law; the minutes and seconds forever pass by. In this world, wherever you may be, as long as you live upon Earth, time will always remain the same.

The same applies to our relationships with others. Whether we thoroughly comprehend the principles or remain foolish and ignorant is a matter of our environment. For mankind in the past, ethics and morality was considered common sense; these were part of the order [of society]. However, people’s relations have now changed. To speak of any morality in this day and age is very difficult! Nowadays, everyone only knows how to argue, how to rebel against the principles. This happens a lot in today’s world. This is different from the past. So we say that, in this era, people’s minds have changed. This is what has thrown this age into disorder and what has caused the natural world to become so polluted. Humans have polluted the air. This air pollution has created imbalances in the four elements. It is humans who is responsible for this. These changes have been due not only to the increase in the human population, but to the way that peoples’ minds have changed. So, we must return to the way we were before. All of us need to have faith, to faithfully accept the true principles and return to the path that we should take.

The path we should take is the Bodhisattva-path. The path to the enlightened nature intrinsic to all of us is none other than the Bodhisattva-path. This is the path to realize our awakened nature. “Only through sincere and firm faith in the path will we put in the effort to follow our vows to engage in spiritual practice.” Right now, we need to hasten. Putting in effort is being diligent. What should we be diligent in doing? [In taking action to fulfill] our vows. We need to make the great vows. “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings. I vow to eliminate endless afflictions. I vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors. I vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” We must put our hearts into making these vows, the great vows, and earnestly engaging in spiritual practice. Time is fleeting; it waits for no one. We must truly put in effort and be very diligent in working to [fulfill] our vows.

Once we form our initial aspirations, we must not allow our surroundings to influence us and cause us to retreat from our aspirations. This requires putting in effort. Our vows must not be affected by small things nor by the greater environment. Whether it is the slightest of things that influences our minds or the ignorance in our greater environment that hinders our diligent practice, [to prevent these] we must always have “sincere and firm faith in the path.” We must be very sincere and be certain in our vows and in our direction as we engage in spiritual practice. This is the only way for us to truly experience the principles of life. Can’t this be done in our lifetime? It can! We can do it.

See how there are so many people now who, for the sake of the many disasters in the world and the many people in suffering, willingly dedicate themselves. They go abroad, traveling far and enduring many hardships. They are willing to go do these things. Even with the floods in China now, everyone there is so mindful. Different teams from different provinces are right now divided into groups, hurrying to assess the disaster areas while at the same time distributing aid. It has been more than ten days. The flooding caused by Typhoon Nepartak in China has been going on for over 10 days now, but still they are there, fanning out through the many villages. They have all come from very far away to gather together like this. “You take three days; I’ll take five.” Taking turns like this, they are working in a relay of love as they carry out the disaster relief.

It is like this in Fujian. In Wuhan they are likewise continuing the relief. In the US as well as in Malaysia, there have also recently been severe floods. Likewise, volunteers have formed groups to go to assess the disaster areas and so forth. There is also Ecuador. Since the (April 2016) earthquake, already more than two months have passed. During the first month, we were mostly involved in emergency relief. We used a Cash for Relief program to help them first [clean up] their cities and provide them a stable livelihood, even if only temporarily.

Now, a month later, [our volunteers] have again taken action. They wish to continue mid- and long-term planning for how to bring people stability for the future. When it comes to their long-term living situation, how can we help them [rebuild their homes] so they can have stability for generations to come in the places where they live? There is also the children’s education. This is all a very large undertaking. So, by now they have already begun appropriate preparations. Our Taiwanese media [volunteers] and our staff at Da Ai TV along with experienced [Taiwanese] Bodhisattvas and volunteers from the US and South America have now gathered together again. They are beginning to prepare today. They have gone from Taiwan to meet in the US. After meeting and finishing the preparations, they will then go from the US to Ecuador.

Think about it; these Living Bodhisattvas have formed these aspirations. After forming aspirations, they put in effort to follow their vows. Having formed aspirations, the path they take is the Bodhisattva-path. [Those who are] on the Bodhisattva-path believe in the true principles of the world. Bodhisattvas arise in response to human suffering and benefit others, creating great, blessed affinities with sentient beings. They are certain in their direction; they want to follow this path. Therefore, they diligently advance. Following their vows, they practice on this path, the Bodhisattva-path. This is how we engage in spiritual practice today.

This is because our era is different from past eras. In the era of the Buddha, people still did not understand the principles. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, He realized that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. That Buddha-nature of True Suchness exists as one with everything in the world. It is one with nature; “His heart encompasses the endless void and the boundless worlds within it.” This is being one with all life on Earth. Everyone in the world is part of a single family. We should use our power of love to help others. This is called practicing on the Bodhisattva-path.

In the Jataka Sutra on the Buddha’s past lives, in order to save people, the Buddha, lifetime after lifetime, helped others without regard for His own life. There are many stories like this in that sutra. This was the course of His spiritual practice. It tells of the relations the Buddha had with His disciples in past lives and of the sacrifices He made for sentient beings throughout the process of His spiritual practice. However, He was only one person and could only help one person at a time. So, He had to, lifetime after lifetime, spread the principles to people universally so that, instead of [Him helping] one at a time, everyone would be able to come together to serve.

Thus, when a group of Bodhisattvas in the world find they lack sufficient manpower in one place, they will gather people from second place. If the manpower there is still not enough, those from a third place will gather. They come together from different counties and provinces, and if that is still not enough, those from other countries come to support them. This is because the world’s Bodhisattvas share the same aspiration. They share the same path. The Buddha hoped this would happen in the future, so during His own era, that era more than 2000 years ago, He incessantly appealed to others to give rise to great Bodhicitta and walk the Bodhisattva-path. He taught all His disciples that all return to the Bodhi-path. This was the Buddha’s intention.

Isn’t this what we are doing now? Ecuador originally had no Tzu Chi volunteers, but when it was struck by disaster, Tzu Chi volunteers from abroad, from the US and South America, got involved there. Volunteers went from Taiwan, and even a young person from France joined in the relief efforts there. Though of different ethnicities and nationalities, everyone nevertheless had the same purpose in going to Ecuador together. You see? Isn’t this what the Buddha had in mind more than 2000 years ago, hoping we would pass this Dharma down to later generations?

Not too long ago when there were floods in France, similarly, Taiwanese people living in France, Germany and the United Kingdoms as well as many other countries, these Tzu Chi volunteers all crossed the borders to gather in France to provide relief after the floods. This all happened very recently. Clearly the Buddha-Dharma can unite everyone through a common ideal and brings them together in Tzu Chi. Bodhisattvas from different countries, whenever something happens, single-mindedly come together with a common aspiration. With their vows and effort, they are very brave and diligent. “Putting in effort” means bravely advancing. With this courage and diligence they act according to their vows to dedicate themselves and engage in spiritual practice. This is our present spiritual training ground.

Our entire planet, every country in the world, is a spiritual training ground for Bodhisattvas. So, “Those who uphold the Dharma in this world persevere in passing on that which all Tathagatas protect.” Where do these principles come from? Everyone shares the same resolve, willingly giving to others. Where do these principles come from? From upholding the Dharma. The Dharma that the Buddha taught 2000 years ago has been continuously passed on. They uphold this Dharma in the world, bringing the Dharma into the world and ensuring that it continues forever. This is how they rely on the Dharma. Wherever they are, these people who are still now helping others, caring for people and providing disaster relief are all wearing [Tzu Chi’s] blue and white uniform. Though in different countries, they all wear the same uniform. As they go to different places to aid those suffering from different disasters, they are all in the same organization. They have taken the same teaching to heart and are all serving in this way.

Where does this Dharma come from? It is “that which all Tathagatas protect.” The Great Vehicle Dharma is what all Tathagatas protect in their heart. This Great Vehicle Dharma is something people have passed down lifetime after lifetime. This is why we have this Dharma that can unite everyone’s heart in helping others in the world. They are not just helping others materially, but are transmitting the Dharma at the same time. This is the same principle. When providing emergency relief, whether in Fujian or now in Wuhan, after helping them with material relief, they take the opportunity to teach them about recycling, about how to safeguard the earth. The constant occurrence of natural disasters is related to many environmental principles. They take the opportunity to teach these principles, to let people know how they can reduce waste, how to cherish the things [they have] and how to do recycling work. These may seem like very simple teachings, but their effect is very significant. They can protect the earth and save sentient beings. These are true principles; they are Dharma.

So, “This means that those who can uphold and expound this sutra are practicing great patience.” To know and uphold this sutra, to be willing to accept a teaching like this, one must cultivate the practice of great patience. Yesterday, listening to our Suzhou Bodhisattvas share with us how they listen to the Dharma, I was very moved! The distances are great there. The time they listen to the Dharma every morning is the same as it is for us here, but the locations where they can listen are much fewer than what we have here in Taiwan. For them to reach the our Suzhou campus takes over an hour’s journey by bus.

In the winter, it is very cold there. They have frost and snow, or wind and rain. For the sake of hearing the Dharma, they still go out, whatever the weather may be, to wait for the night bus. When I say the night bus, I mean a bus that runs before 4 am. In this way, they are able to gather there. Some people took on the task of driving a Bodhisattva-car, a great white ox-cart that was specifically to bring Bodhisattvas to the office. They have to leave a bit past 4 am.

We can imagine, listening to them, how diligent and dedicated they are. There is also a child who is 12 years old. Seeing his mother go out every day to listen, [he thought], “What is it she is listening to that she is so passionate about?” That child now goes together with his parents to listen to my teachings. At 12, he takes in the Dharma the hears. He not only takes notes but also draws pictures. He is able to take [the teachings of] the sutras, such as the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, and draw pictures of them. This is amazing! There is a nine-year-old who does the same. They persist in following their parents, braving the elements to listen to the Dharma.

We also heard about their relief work, the charity work and long-term care that they do. They have followed some cases for six or seven, even eight or nine years! They have now started doing recycling work. The things these Bodhisattvas are doing are all very moving. In that place, they persist in listening to the Dharma, and after hearing the teachings, they firmly uphold their spiritual aspirations. This requires long-lasting dedication.

Giving, precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom, these six practices, all require great patience. They must endure the weather, nature’s elements, and getting up so early in order to travel so far. They must persevere against both tangible and intangible [obstacles]. To persevere like this requires great patience.

So, “They are covered by the Tathagata’s clothing which conceals all evils of sentient beings.” They are covered by the Tathagata’s robes and [receive] the Tathagata’s praise and the Tathagata’s teachings. When we adhere to the teachings of the Tathagata, like we said yesterday, we are children born from the Buddha’s speech. We are all like the Tathagata’s children. When the Tathagata stretches out His arms, He gathers us all together and covers us with His robes, hiding our evils. He changes sentient beings’ evils, helping us turn them into thoughts of kindness. Thus, we must be mindful and have faith in our understanding of the Dharma. “Faith is the source of the Way and the mother of all merits.” We must be firm in our faith, certain in our direction and put in the effort in practicing our vows. Only then will we be able to step by step advance forward.

The previous sutra passage said,

“Medicine King, you must know that after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, for those who can write, uphold, read, recite, make offerings and expound the sutras to others, the Tathagata will cover them with robes.”

This gives such a warm feeling. The Buddha holds sentient beings very dear. As long as we put our hearts into advancing, the Buddha will always hold us dear. “Now they will also be safeguarded by all Buddhas of other worlds.”

This is not just [speaking of] Sakyamuni Buddha but of all current Buddhas in other places as well. Do you remember? The 16 princes attained Buddhahood at the same time in the ten directions. They are now still in other worlds, doing the same what all Buddhas safeguard is the True Dharma of the One True Vehicle. This is what all Buddhas in all worlds safeguard; They willingly dedicate themselves and give of themselves for others. This is not the case only for Sakyamuni Buddha; the Buddhas of other worlds safeguard this as well.

The next passage says,

“These people have the power of great faith, the power of aspirations as well as the power of all good roots. You must know that these people will abide together with the Tathagata and the Tathagata will stroke their heads with His hands.”

The Tathagata not only covers us with His robes, He strokes our heads with His hand. This indicates that we have comprehended and resonated with the Buddha’s intent. For the Dharma safeguarded by the Buddha, we can overcome all kinds of difficulties to accept, uphold, read and recite it. Having drawn close to the Buddha’s heart, we have the same intent as the Buddha. So, [we take on] the Buddha’s spirit of safeguarding [this sutra]. Thus it says, “These people have the power of great faith.” We must have the power of great faith as well the power of vows in order to cultivate our good roots. Our good roots must be cultivated through the power of great faith and vows. Only in this way can we put in effort to advance.

Those who expound the sutras have the power of great faith and the power coming from forming great vows. They must have the powers of faith and vows.

“These people have the power of great faith, the power of aspirations, as well as the power of all good roots:” These people who expound the sutra are replete in the power of great faith and form aspirations to exercise their power to make great vows.

“The power of faith” refers to how, “Because they [learn] deeply, they give rise to faith and understanding.” Only with the power of faith are we able to truly deeply penetrate [the Dharma]. Only then can we realize the wondrously profound Buddha-Dharma. After attaining realizations, we “rejoice in seeking the Dharma and this gives rise to faith.” The more we experience, the more we are willing to delve deeper. “Rejoicing” means being more than willing. The more willing we are to seek, the deeper we will delve into the Dharma. This all starts with the power of faith. Only through faith will we become increasingly willing and joyful. By delving deeply into it like this we also deepen our root of faith.

The power of faith: This means that because they [learn] deeply, they give rise to faith and understanding. They rejoice in seeking the Dharma and thus give rise to faith. Because of their faith, they attain clear and pure minds. With their own firm faith, they can inspire others to give rise to faith. This is the power of firm faith.

Because of their faith, “They attain clear and pure minds.” As we delve deeper, our ignorance and afflictions are stripped away layer by layer. The deeper we delve, the nearer we draw to our pure, innate Tathagata-nature of True Suchness. Thus, we have “clear and pure minds. With [our] own firm faith….” The power of our own faith grows firmer and firmer. Look at those Living Bodhisattvas. If their faith were not firm, they could not go time and again to accompany others for as long as they do. This comes from having firm faith. “They can inspire others to give rise to faith.” They not only have their own faith, they are also able to teach and guide others, to inspire faith in others. This is being firm. Only when our own aspiration is firm are we able to inspire faith in the minds of others.

Thus [we need] “the power of aspirations.” Only faith can engender the power of aspirations. It is “being replete with the aspirations to accept and uphold this sutra.”

The power of aspirations: This means being replete with the aspirations to accept and uphold this sutra. Since their aspirations are great and firm, they exercise their ability to benefit others. This is the power of aspirations. Being willing to accept and uphold this sutra.

to read and recite it, to listen to it being taught and to expound it to others, we have the aspiration to accept and uphold this sutra. “Their aspirations are great and steadfast.” [We need] powerful aspirations; we need to be willing to read and recite it and to listen to and teach it. Look at how Tzu Chi volunteers, in order to listen to the teachings, do not fear the winter cold. Even if the rain and snow froze their legs and feet straight through the soles of their shoes, they still willingly go every day without pause. They have such great and firm aspirations to listen to the Dharma. Think about how persistent they are in listening. How could I not be just as persistent in teaching?

I can hear how diligent they are. In this way we help one another maintain our determination. The person who teaches must be determined and those who listen must be diligent. We encourage one another through our mutual diligence. So, our own faith and power of vows inspire faith and vows in others. We “exercise our ability to benefit others.” In this way, we are able to benefit others. This is the strength of this sutra. This sutra was [taught] solely to strengthen our faith, so we truly must advance with courage. This is the power of aspirations.

Next it speaks of “the power of all good roots.” Besides the power of aspirations, there is also the power of all good roots. The power of all good roots refers to the roots of faith, thought, Samadhi [etc.].

The power of all good roots: This refers to the roots of faith, thought, Samadhi and so on. They come to have faith in this sutra themselves and are unwavering. They can transform others, enabling them to have faith in this sutra. Their faith is as unwavering as a root, thus it is known as the power of good roots.

Having the root of faith, we must also have the root of thought; we keep [faith] in our mind with every thought. We [must have] thoughts of faith. If even a single thought is influenced by other [people’s] ignorance and afflictions, out thoughts of faith can be interrupted and our vows be severed. So when it comes to the root of thought, our every thought [must be of faith]. Then there is the power of Samadhi; we need to have the root of Samadhi. So, a firm root of faith and power of thought are very important. Thus, we “come to have faith in this sutra [ourselves] and are unwavering.” We must be steadfast. Then we can also “transform others, enabling them to have faith in this sutra.” As we all see this, we understand.

When our own faith is steadfast, we can also influence others so they too can have thoughts of faith and the power of roots. We must be mindful and steadfast. “Their faith is unwavering as a root”; this refers to the power of good roots. Just look at a large tree. It can stand so firmly upon the earth because its roots are deep and strong. They are very deep and sturdy, so the tree does not fear wind and can stand [firmly] on the land. The principle is the same.

So, “You must know that these people will abide together with the Tathagata.”

You must know that these people will abide together with the Tathagata: All Tathagatas abide in the ground of tranquility and cessation of the One Vehicle. Now these practitioners peacefully abide in the treasury of the ocean of merits and virtues of the Lotus [teachings]. Thus it says “abide together.”

We know that whoever upholds the sutra like this, whether by reading, reciting, transcribing it, listening to it, teaching it and so forth, whoever does this with firm determination, “will abide together with the Tathagata.” They will live in the same place as the Tathagata; this is where “all Tathagatas abide.” In that place, they will permanently abide; they will live there together with the Tathagata.

This place is “the ground of tranquility and cessation of the One Vehicle.” This is the One Vehicle, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. That is the place where we will live. Our minds, our pure, intrinsic Tathagata-nature, will be as firm there as the Tathagata’s mind. So, “Now these practitioners peacefully abide in the treasury of the ocean of merits and virtues of the Lotus [teachings]. Thus it says ‘abide together.'” Now they are all able to peacefully abide in the ocean of merits and virtues of the Lotus [teachings]. The Lotus Sutra is the Bodhisattva-path. Bodhisattvas actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. When we earnestly persevere in this, with each experience we naturally grow in wisdom. Our wisdom becomes tempered among people. We will have merits and virtues like an ocean and draw near the Buddha’s original intent.

We will “abide” together with the Buddha. “Abide” means to live peacefully.

Abide: This means to live peacefully. The Tathagata takes the three virtues of the Dharmakaya, liberation and prajna as the Great Nirvana. These are the Buddha’s three secret and essential teachings, in which the Tathagata peacefully abides.

“The Tathagata takes the three virtues of the Dharmakaya, liberation and prajna as the Great Nirvana.” The virtue of the Dharmakaya, the virtue of liberation and the virtue of prajna are known as the three virtues. The Tathagata’s Dharmakaya

is the eternal true principles, the undefiled innate nature of True Suchness. The true principles of the world are known as the Dharmakaya. We already understand the virtue of liberation, of wondrous existence within true emptiness, a mind which is uncontaminated. When our minds are not affected by the various kinds of contamination, that is liberation. That is wisdom. Wisdom is prajna. When we attain wisdom, we are able to attain liberation and not be contaminated by afflictions. We can return to the Tathagata’s Dharmakaya, our innate nature of True Suchness. These are known as “the three virtues” or “Great Nirvana.” Actually, the principles of Nirvana lie in these.

“These are the Buddha’s three secret and essential teachings.” These three are the teachings that are safeguarded in the Buddha’s mind. When taken together, they form the Great Dharma of the Lotus Sutra, which is nothing but the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, the virtue of liberation. Within this sutra, every [teaching] contains great wisdom. These are the contents of the Lotus Sutra. Its principles are “the Buddha’s three secret and essential teachings in which the Tathagata peacefully abides.” This is where the Tathagata peacefully abides.

“Those who accept and uphold this sutra abide peacefully together with the Buddha in this secret and essential treasury. Thus it says that they ‘abide together.'”

If we can accept these teachings, we will abide peacefully together with the Buddha. We abide together with the Buddha in that place, in this secret and essential treasury. Most important are the three virtues, the Dharmakaya, liberation, and prajna. These three virtues are brought together into the One True Dharma, so we abide together with the Buddha.

Thus, 
“The Tathagata will stroke their heads with His hands. Hands” signify provisional wisdom. “Heads” signify the truth.

This is an analogy. The Buddha’s wisdom is like a pair of all-capable hands that adapt to the capacities of sentient beings, be they high or low, great or limited. His all-capable hands represent provisional wisdom. “Head” represents the truth, the true principles. All thinking takes place inside the brain. We speak of forming aspirations in our heart, but it is our brains that interact with external states, so the heart and the brain must become united. In any case, “heads” represents the true principles. When our Five Roots connect with the external Five Dusts, they come together in our consciousness. This means that it is after completely absorbing all principles as well as the various appearances of the world that we create karma, which enters our eighth consciousness. [We need to] return to the ninth consciousness, our nature of True Suchness. This represents the truth.

“The Tathagata expounds the meaning of skillful means. Those who enter the ultimate path of the One Buddha Vehicle will have their heads stroked by His hands.”

Though Tathagatas teach through skillful means, these principles of skillful means serve to lead us to enter the Buddha Vehicle. The ultimate path is the Buddha’s wisdom. This is how He guides us. Our “heads are stroked by His hands.”

“Stroking the head is what seniors do toward their juniors.” Elders do this to their children and grandchildren and superiors comfort their subordinates this way to show deep care, to console and support.

Stroking the head is what seniors do toward their juniors to show comfort, care and support. The practitioners’ heads represent true wisdom. The Tathagata’s hands represent provisional wisdom. They resonate with the Way. Thus it says “stroke their heads.” This means bestowing predictions on them.

“The practitioners’ heads” are true wisdom. “The Tathagata’s hands” are provisional wisdom. Everyone has intrinsic Buddha-nature, which is true wisdom. The Tathagata uses teachings of skillful means to guide us through provisional wisdom. “They resonate with the Way.” We all have an intrinsic nature of True Suchness, we just do not know it. The Buddha used skillful means to guide us, to help us resonate with the Way of the Buddha. So, He “strokes their heads and bestows predictions of Buddhahood.”

“Strokes their heads with His hands” means “The Tathagata wields wisdom of skillful means as His hands.” So, “Those who accept and uphold this sutra are all within the Tathagata’s embrace.”

All those who accept and uphold this sutra are within the Tathagata’s embrace. “Embrace” means gathering them together between His two hands. So, He “strokes their heads with His hands.”

As Buddhist practitioners, the most important thing is to truly have deep faith without doubt. “Only through sincere and firm faith in the path will we put in the effort.” Making vows and following them to engage in spiritual practice is very important. Therefore, we must always be mindful!

Episode 1226 – All Buddhas Safeguard Those Upholding This Sutra

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>> “When we resonate with the Buddha’s mind, we will be safeguarded in the original intent of all Buddhas. We must have faith that we can accomplish this with our own minds, for our wisdom-body will not be awakened by others. Thus, it says having the roots of great faith and wisdom is attaining the truly pure Great Dharma.”

>> “As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous, to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.” 

>> “Medicine King, you must know that after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, for those who can write, uphold read, recite, make offerings, and expound the sutras to others, the Tathagata will cover them with robes. Now they will also be safeguarded by all Buddhas in Their respective directions.” 

>> Medicine King, you must know that after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, for those who can write, uphold, read, recite, make offerings and expound the sutra to others: After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, these people can write, uphold, read, recite, and make offerings to the sutras.

>> This Dharma is hard to have faith in and understand, so whoever can have faith in or understand it, these Dharma teachers, are Bodhisattvas. They are thus embraced by Sakyamuni Buddha together with all Buddhas of the ten directions. “Whoever can have faith in or understand it, these Dharma teachers, are Bodhisattvas. They are thus embraced by Sakyamuni Buddha together with all Buddhas of the ten directions.”

>> The Tathagata will cover them with robes: For those who unflaggingly practice the Six Perfections in all actions, the Tathagata will cover them with robes. If not for the power of their spiritual practice, how could they promote the sutra? They can actualize giving, precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi, wisdom and so on, which in combination form the robe of patience.

>> Robes refers to, as stated in this Chapter, the robe of patience. This indicates that Sakyamuni Buddha is protecting them. It means that those who can uphold and expound this sutra are practicing great patience and are covered with the Tathagata’s robes.

>> Now they will also be safeguarded by all Buddhas in Their respective directions: revere this sutra. Those who can uphold this sutra resonate with the Buddha’s mind. Thus, they are safeguarded by all Buddhas.

>> Safeguarding means keeping in mind those Bodhisattvas who accept and uphold this sutra, as well as supporting them.

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“When we resonate with the Buddha’s mind,
we will be safeguarded in the original intent of all Buddhas.
We must have faith that we can accomplish this with our own minds,
for our wisdom-body will not be awakened by others.
Thus, it says having the roots of great faith
and wisdom is attaining the truly pure Great Dharma.”

In order to cultivate the Buddha-Dharma, we must draw near to the mind of the Buddha. To draw near to the Buddha-mind, we must resonate with the Buddha’s intent. The Buddha’s wish was to teach the Dharma to the world. If we cannot comprehend the Buddha’s mind, then how are we to ever understand the Dharma? So, we must resonate with the Buddha’s mind. When we resonate with the Buddha’s mind, we will naturally be safeguarded in the original intent of all Buddhas. What the original intent of all Buddhas safeguards is the One Great Vehicle Dharma. This is the True Dharma, the Dharma that has been safeguarded by the Buddhas for dust-inked kalpas. It was dust-inked kalpas ago, as everyone should remember from the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, that the 16 princes first accepted [the teachings] of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. The teaching they received from Him then was the Great Vehicle Dharma, the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.

The Buddha was one of the sixteen princes who listened to and taught the teachings; after listening joy arose in Him. When [Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha] entered His meditation room, the 16 princes were able to be in accord with the Buddha’s mind, so they each went outside to encourage the sentient beings who had affinities with them and teach them the Lotus Sutra. They repeated what they had already heard, each to those who had affinities with them. This was when He became determined in His resolve to spread those seeds lifetime after lifetime. So, the Buddha, our Sakyamuni Buddha, attained Buddhahood in this world. It was due to causes and conditions that had begun long ago in the past. Lifetime after lifetime, what He had safeguarded was the one True Dharma, the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.

Past Buddhas taught like this, our present Buddha teaches like this and future Buddhas will teach like this as well. So, we should mindfully listen to this sutra and let its principles resonate with us. This way we resonate with the Buddha’s intent, because the Dharma the Buddha taught came from what He had safeguarded. Though separated from us by more than 2000 years, even now, the Buddha’s wisdom-life, His Dharmakaya, still remains with us in the world. When we mindfully experience the Buddha’s wisdom-life, His Dharmakaya, and then go on to accept it, this is resonating with the Buddha’s mind. When we resonate with the Buddha’s mind, that is the original intent of all Buddhas. It is not just Sakyamuni Buddha’s intent, but what has been safeguarded by all Buddhas. In other words, the true principles are the same for all Buddhas. We must mindfully experience how the true principles are eternal and unchanging. What all Buddhas want to teach and what they want us to understand does not deviate from the true principles.

The true principles are inherent in the mind of each one of us; they are just covered by our ignorance. The Buddha came only to tell us that we have such a nature of True Suchness, but lifetime after lifetime, our afflictions multiplied, keeping it covered. This is what He wanted us to understand. Who can clear away for us these afflictions that cover us? We must clear them away ourselves. Knowing that they are dirty and contaminate us, that they keep multiplying, that they damage our wisdom-lives, we want to immediately know the method for getting rid of them. So, the way that the Buddha taught us is the way that we should practice. Thus, to engage in spiritual practice is to work on eliminating our habitual tendencies. For many lifetimes and over many kalpas, layer by layer, these habitual tendencies covered us, so we need to better understand from the Buddha how to be mindful.

The Dharma that came from the Buddha’s mouth is what we should earnestly learn to accept. Our wisdom-life is nourished by the Dharma, thus are we called the Buddha-children, children who are born from the Buddha’s speech. The Buddha had taken these true principles of the universe to heart. Then from His heart, He taught them to us through his speech. So, we are all the Buddha-children for we accept the original intent of the Buddha that He taught with his speech. As we gradually come to accept it, it nourishes our wisdom-lives. Wisdom-life is the Dharma, so it says, “We must have faith that we can accomplish this with our own minds.” We should imprint the Buddha’s mind in our own and resonate with the Buddha’s mind. The true principles harbored in the Buddha’s mind should all resonate within us. We already understand the Buddha’s original intent, the true principles He safeguarded. As we have already come to accept these, we should have confidence in ourselves that we “can accomplish this with our own minds,” can use our minds to bring all of these teachings to fruition. When our minds take the Buddha-Dharma to heart, we are firm and stable in our deep resolve.

A while back we kept talking about being “firm and stable in [our] deep resolve.” We should listen mindfully to the Dharma, listen until it enters our heart and becomes firm and stable in our mind, like how the Buddha stored the true principles in His original intent. We too should continuously take these principles to heart and not let them leak away, so they are always at the bottom of our hearts. Thus, it is we ourselves who must establish this kind of faith. So, “We have faith that we can accomplish this with our own minds.”

As for our “wisdom-body,” for the Buddha, we talk about the Dharmakaya. But we have not yet completely taken the Dharma to heart, so we dare not call ours the Dharmakaya. We beg the Dharma from the Buddha and as we take the Dharma to heart, it nurtures our wisdom-life, so this we can call this our wisdom-body, which is also our wisdom-life. It “will not be awakened by others.” Our wisdom-life is something we must bring to fruition ourselves. After listening to the Dharma, we engage in spiritual practice ourselves and eliminate afflictions layer by layer ourselves. If we are not willing to eliminate our own afflictions and our own delusions and ignorance, if we ourselves are not willing to transform, then our right mindfulness and the True Dharma will never manifest itself. Since our delusions and afflictions are covering us, if we are unwilling to turn our thoughts around, we will forever remain in ignorance, forever in a state of affliction. So, we must [always remember that]. “Our wisdom-body will not be awakened by others.” No one can practice for us. We must practice ourselves. No one can give us their awakening. That is impossible. We must take the Dharma to heart ourselves. We must get rid of our afflictions on our own and every measure of afflictions we get rid of increases our wisdom-life by the same measure.

Thus, “Our wisdom-body will not be awakened by others.” Our wisdom-life is not something someone else can give us. The Buddha-Dharma expounded by the Buddha has continued up until the present. For us to now awaken through this Dharma it depends entirely upon ourselves. It is not something that someone else can give us. When studying, we ourselves must study in order to be able to understand. It is like how many parents today worry about their children’s exams. They worry so! What use is worrying? It is the children themselves who must put their own efforts into their studies. They cannot study in place of their child. The children must study for themselves. As much as parents may love and care for their child, they cannot study for him to take his tests. This would be impossible. The child must make his own effort.

Similarly, the Buddha took great pains to come to the world to open and reveal to us His original intent, to help us understand. Yet, we could not understand, so He had to put his effort into using the skillful means of the limited teachings to continuously and patiently guide us, so that now we would be able to hear what He had to teach in the end. He had to begin to completely reveal His original intent, completely open up His original intent so that everyone could understand. From this we can understand the Buddha’s efforts. He taught the Dharma over and over, in hopes that we might be able to utilize any one of His teachings, that perhaps a certain phrase or a passage might help us be able to awaken and understand. This was how the Buddha put His efforts in.

Once our minds have been activated, we will then study hard, and then take our exam. Now, with the Lotus Sutra, it is like we are entering the exam room. We learn the Buddha-Dharma to attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood, we must form great aspirations and make great vows. We must practice the Bodhisattva-path and experience it. We must test ourselves amongst the evils and turbidities of society. We must test ourselves to see whether or not we are defiled by the world’s afflictions and turbidities, and whether we are firm in our will to practice. If we are firm in our will to practice, the Dharma will be firm in our minds and will not leak out.

So, “We must have faith that we can accomplish this with our own minds.” When we have listened, contemplated and practiced, when our precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are totally flawless, then we have accomplished this. The growth of our wisdom-life depends entirely upon us to mindfully seek to experience the truth. To experience it we have to enter the exam room, this evil world of Five Turbidities, to listen to the sutras and at the same time go among people. This is what we must mindfully experience. In such a severely turbid world, how do we go about protecting our will to practice, and how do we go about inspiring faith in others? It is now that we really must be able to withstand this test. No one else can do it for us. It is we ourselves who must strive to endure these tests. 

So, “It says having roots of great faith and wisdom is attaining the truly pure Great Dharma.” We should have great faith, for this is the True Dharma. The True Dharma of the One Vehicle is the Great Vehicle Dharma, not the past Dharma of skillful means. Since it is the Great Dharma, we must have great faith and be determined in our spiritual aspirations in order to accept the Great Vehicle Dharma, and bring our root of wisdom of great faith to fruition. We must have great faith and understanding. For great faith and understanding, we must immerse ourselves very deeply.

Thus,, we often say, the length of our lifespan is beyond our control, but its breadth, width and depth depend entirely upon us. So, have our minds already unlocked these Great Vehicle aspirations? The mind encompasses the universe; it accommodates all things in the universe. Thus our mind needs to be vast, and our faith must be deep. The Buddha’s Dharma is profound, subtle and wondrous. It is a “supremely profound and wondrous Dharma, rarely encountered even in billions of kalpas.” Now, in this evil world, in this world of evil turbidities, we can listen to the Buddha-Dharma like this and are already in the midst of practicing it. We should earnestly accept and uphold it, faithfully accept it and put it into practice, So, this is the “roots of great faith and wisdom.”

We are not small plants! We are great trees. We are great trees with great roots, roots that penetrate deeply into the earth, trees that grow upwards and flourish. This way, they can absorb lots of rainwater, for it is only by absorbing lots of rain that the tree can nourish the earth. We are great trees! It says this in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants. If we were small plants, then we would only absorb a little rain. The dew from us would also only be a little, just a drop. This dew that would slowly drip to the earth would only be a single drop of dew. This is a small plant. So, our roots of faith should be like those of great trees, penetrating very deeply into the earth. Thus, our “roots of great faith and wisdom” are just like those of a great tree. This is “attaining the truly pure Great Dharma.” If we can do this, we can absorb an abundance of rain; we will have taken the Great Dharma to heart. When we take the Great Dharma to heart, we will be able to nourish the earth.

There have truly been many natural disasters lately. We see Bodhisattvas in the world “arise because of suffering sentient beings.” On July 9, 2016, Typhoon Nepartak swept passed Taiwan, making landfall in China and flooding Fujian. Though it was no longer a typhoon when it reached there, the flooding was still severe! It affected a large area spanning two counties. [We went to] Tazhuang Township in Minqing County, and we also went to. Qingliang Township in Yongtai County. We went to both counties and have finished [distributions] there. Our emergency relief aid distribution there has already come to an end.

When they went and looked, there were many villages and many towns in each county. There were two counties, and in each township, there were many villages. Imagine how widespread the affected area was! They saw from the flooding that houses in many villages had collapsed; it was complete disorder and total ruin. People were without homes to return to. What would become of the elderly and the weak, the women and the children? Our Tzu Chi volunteers, our Living Bodhisattvas, have roots of great faith and great wisdom. They are not like small plants, but great trees. With the Dharma, they are firm in their faith. They know that Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings. They immediately set out on the 9th on their journey to Fujian.

After arriving in Fujian, in their eight or nine days there, they traveled through many villages! In particular, Qingliang Township also suffered a great disaster. When they arrived there, they quickly came to understand that many there had not had any hot meals in days. They only had dried foods; it was very difficult. The first thing Tzu Chi volunteers did was to quickly prepare hot food for them, to get them something to eat. As they had not eaten proper meals in days, we quickly set up cooking facilities for them. Where did they do this? They did it at the Qingliang Middle School. Before setting up the stoves, they first had to clean the place. They had to sweep and clean the entire area.

That place was originally very dirty, used for accommodating the disaster victims. They quickly cleaned up the kitchen and so on. They purchased lots of rice and vegetables, quickly readied all the oil, salt, rice and vegetables that they would need. When the stoves were readied, they hurried to cook hot food for them so that they have piping hot meals with fresh green vegetables to eat. They made everyone very happy.

Many people were very touched, especially the elderly. Tzu Chi volunteers went up to one [elderly woman], [asking her,] “How old are you? I am in my eighties or nineties. How many people are in your family?” She began crying, “It is only me and my husband. We don’t have any children!” When she began to cry, Tzu Chi volunteers immediately took out a towel to wipe the tears on her face. “It’s ok! We are all one family. We are like your children. I am just like your daughter. All of us here are just like your sons and daughters.” This is how they comforted the elderly woman. Seeing them like this, this is truly what. Living Bodhisattvas are like.

How do Living Bodhisattvas do these things? This large group is like great trees that have already absorbed an abundance of Dharma-water and have an abundance of love. They have compassion and wisdom in their hearts. Their minds are open and spacious enough to accommodate all sentient beings in the world. Their spiritual aspirations were firm as they went into places of suffering like this. Those roads were difficult to walk on and covered with mud, yet step by step, they very carefully step forward, going to village after village, visiting house after house and going to the shelters to comfort the people there. They are like great trees. Theirs are “roots of great faith and wisdom.” Seeing the many suffering there, they empathized with them. “I hurt when others are hurt. I grieve when others suffer.” We embrace sentient beings in their sorrow, but we always remain free and at ease, continuously giving with a loving heart. This is the pure Great Dharma.

The path of the Living Bodhisattva is like this. It is not actually difficult. As long as we put our hearts into it and as long as we resonate with the Buddha’s mind, then naturally we can apply the Buddha’s teachings on ourselves to perfect our wisdom-body. We absorb the Buddha’s Dharmakaya to nurture our wisdom-life. We must grow our roots of great faith and wisdom. As we go among people, the testing ground of this world is rough; the road is very bumpy, and yet we enter upon it. This is the testing ground of the Bodhisattva, among the people. We should go out step by step steadfastly walk among them.

Let’s look at the previous sutra passage.

“As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous, to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.”

To safeguard this sutra and uphold this sutra, there are many difficulties and this sutra is suited for the modern era; in this era of the evil world of Five Turbidities, the True Dharma of the Bodhisattva is exactly what the world needs. But for the Great Dharma of Bodhisattvas to enter the world, there are many obstacles. During the Buddha’s era, there were many obstacles, much resentment and jealousy. To uphold this sutra is not easy, let alone spreading this sutra’s true principles in the world. This involved even greater difficulties. It was like this during the Buddha’s time. And after the Buddha passed into Parinirvana? It would be even more difficult. As soon as people begin to form aspirations, begin to [practice] Right Dharma and right mindfulness, naturally deviant thinking and deviant views begin to hinder them. This is what it was like in the Buddha’s time, so how much more so in the present days. So, for us to uphold this sutra, we must be determined in our resolve and endure many obstacles testing us. So, we should always be mindful.

The next sutra passage again says,

“Medicine King, you must know that after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, for those who can write, uphold read, recite, make offerings, and expound the sutras to others, the Tathagata will cover them with robes. Now they will also be safeguarded by all Buddhas in Their respective directions.”

We should be grateful! The Buddha is again consoling Medicine King here because those Dharma teachers who will uphold this sutra in the future will face many difficulties and be tested by a great many trials. But the Buddha begins this section by consoling those who would read, recite, accept and uphold this sutra in the future. The Buddha called out Medicine King’s name and spoke again to Medicine King like this, “Medicine King, you should know that after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, for those who can write [this sutra]….” They had to be able to handwrite it. Because printing was not common in ancient times, to help more people understand this sutra and let people know about it, it had to be written down word by word by hand.

This is like in the past when. I wanted to teach the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. We had no money to buy copies of the sutra to teach from. In order to teach that sutra, we needed to have copies for people to look at. First of all, at that time, we were in no shape financially to buy them. Furthermore, back then, copies of the Sutra of Infinite Meanings were not available for purchase. It was not sold separately, but only as part of the Lotus Sutra. It was circulating in Japan then as the Threefold Lotus Sutra.

When I later saw the Threefold Lotus Sutra, it made me very happy. Through various causes and conditions, I obtained a copy of the Threefold Lotus Sutra from Japan. From there, I then took the text from the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, and copied it out word by word. Although the hand I used to copy it still hurts because I injured it then, it filled me with such joy, Dharma-joy. From then on, I sometimes remember, whenever I see that sutra, how I wrote it out on wax paper with a stylus on a metal plate backing and how I carved out every word. Now we can get printings of this sutra, so that everyone can read it. It brings me joy whenever I think about it; what does a little pain in my finger matter?

This was the determination to copy this sutra which could not be bought anywhere, and which we had no money to buy, so that people could read and listen to it. This was nearly 50 years ago, a time more than 40 years ago when. I copied it and wrote it down, when I carved those [characters]. This was back then.

Medicine King, you must know that after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, for those who can write, uphold, read, recite, make offerings and expound the sutra to others: After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, these people can write, uphold, read, recite, and make offerings to the sutras.

More than 2000 years ago, this was how the Buddha taught the Dharma. After He entered Parinirvana, [there are] “those who can write” and those who can uphold the sutra; we must mindfully uphold this sutra. Possessing this sutra is not just having it physically, but completely upholding this sutra in our hearts. We should engrave it in our hearts and not merely carve it out on wax paper with a metal stylus and a metal plate backing. We must engrave every word of it in our hearts.

[The Buddha’s] tranquil and clear state of mind began at that time [more than 2000 years ago]. So no matter the afflictions and ignorance in the world, although He may worry, He is never afflicted. He worries there is much suffering in the world. We already knew about the ignorance and afflictions in the world. The myriads of sentient beings have so much ignorance and afflictions. But of those truly willing to accept the Buddha-Dharma, put it into practice and joyfully accept it, how many are there? So, for the Right Dharma to be in the world, those upholding it must have firm faith, and uphold it by persevering with it in our hearts. Thus, they read it, and they recite it.

These past few days, people have been helping me find the sutra text from which I copied back then, that Japanese edition of the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. I had wondered, what does it look like? They ended up finding it. When we looked at that copy, when we picked it up and looked at the back cover, we could not even see the words anymore. Why is that? It is because I was constantly handling it, constantly picking it up and looking at it. When we put the book upright, you would not see that it was the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. This proves how at that time, with a Japanese copy of the Threefold Lotus Sutra with the Sutra of Infinite Meanings inside, I must have read, must have recited, must have looked at and transcribed the sutra. This is how I handled this copy of the sutra.

So, when done with reverence, this is called making offerings. “Make offerings and expound the sutras to others.” The offerings I made there, the reverence I had for this sutra, [was expressed in] prostrating to every word, not just merely transcribing it. This was when I was in the small wooden hut. This was how I used my utmost reverence. After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, it was truly not easy for those who uphold the sutra, but upon looking back at that experience, I feel I was still filled with Dharma-joy.

We “expound the sutras to others” wholeheartedly. “After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, these people can write, uphold, read, recite, and make offerings to the sutra.” This is indeed difficult, since this sutra’s teaching is hard to have faith in and hard to understand. In upholding and reciting this sutra, it is difficult to have faith and understand. When we explain this sutra and analyze the text, it is very easy to talk about the past, but this sutra should be applied to the world today. The Dharma must be utilized in the world now. So, to thoroughly explain the Dharma is indeed very difficult.

This Dharma is hard to have faith in and understand, so whoever can have faith in or understand it, these Dharma teachers, are Bodhisattvas. They are thus embraced by Sakyamuni Buddha together with all Buddhas of the ten directions. “Whoever can have faith in or understand it, these Dharma teachers, are Bodhisattvas. They are thus embraced by Sakyamuni Buddha together with all Buddhas of the ten directions.”

They will be embraced by all Buddhas. We often say, “I ask the Buddha to protect me. I ask the Buddha to embrace me. I physically and mentally take refuge in the Buddha’s embrace.” When we take the precepts, what we read is often like this.

So how do we do this? “[We] unflaggingly practice the Six Perfections in all actions.”

The Tathagata will cover them with robes: For those who unflaggingly practice the Six Perfections in all actions, the Tathagata will cover them with robes. If not for the power of their spiritual practice, how could they promote the sutra? They can actualize giving, precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi, wisdom and so on, which in combination form the robe of patience.

The Six Perfections are giving, [upholding] the precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. This is the Bodhisattva-path. “In all actions” means that it is impossible to count them all. All sentient beings’ sufferings, whether physical or mental, whether natural disasters or manmade calamities, all of these, require Bodhisattvas to put their hearts in and give of themselves. How can they help resolve others’ difficulties? They must “unflaggingly practice the Six Perfections in all actions.” We should be diligent and never indolent. Then, “The Tathagata will cover [us] with robes.”

This was the Buddha, in His compassion, hoping to console, telling Medicine King Bodhisattva that although in the mara realm there are lots of ignorance and obstacles and it is very difficult, those who are able to uphold the sutras will be cherished by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. [The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas] will use their robes to cover them for they are the Buddha-children, born of the Buddha’s speech. Sometimes we see young [bookstore] volunteers; they are adorable as they draw near into a group. With one arm I can draw them all close. Sometimes when I gather them close, there will be lots of young Bodhisattvas. It seems as if. I am covering all of them with a robe. This is how the Buddhas and Tathagatas cherish [those who uphold the sutras].

“If not for the power of their spiritual practice….” To uphold this sutra, we must persist in spiritual cultivation through the 37 Practices to Enlightenment. To walk this path, we must use these powers. So, we must put all these different powers of spiritual practice into practice. If we cannot do this, “How could [we] promote the sutra?” How will we ever have a way to promote this sutra of the True Dharma in the world?

So, “They can actualize giving, precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom.” These are the Six Perfections spoken of before; giving, [upholding] precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. All of these together make up the robe of patience. To truly uphold this sutra, to enter this path in the world and to practice the Bodhisattva-teaching, we must be like this; we must have the power of patience. These six kinds of teachings will be just like a robe covering and protecting all sentient beings. We must practice like this ourselves.

“The Tathagata will cover them with robes.” Although the Buddha was concerned for us, everyone has intrinsic Tathagata-nature, With the Tathagata-nature, they can exercise the mindset of Bodhisattvas, like gathering the children together, like covering them in a robe. We cherish sentient beings like the Buddha cherished children. I was just watching [the TV] inside. In Xiamen, they set up a foldable bed so an elderly woman could lay down and rest. They brought a cotton quilt and quickly covered her with it, tucking her in tightly. It was so heartwarming to see this. These Living Bodhisattvas, these young people, laid out that bed and covered that elderly woman; this is the six teachings. Giving, [upholding] precepts, patience, diligence, are like that quilt. They are like that blanket. Whatever people need, we provide it to them. This is cherishing others.

So, “robes refers to, as stated in this Chapter,” in the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, “the robe of patience.” This passage will appear later. So, this states clearly that. Sakyamuni Buddha is protecting us. Although He told us that upholding this sutra will be very difficult, still the Buddha protects us. “It means that those who can uphold and expound this sutra are practicing great patience and are covered with the Tathagata’s robes.”

Robes refers to, as stated in this Chapter, the robe of patience. This indicates that Sakyamuni Buddha is protecting them. It means that those who can uphold and expound this sutra are practicing great patience and are covered with the Tathagata’s robes.

To uphold this sutra and expound it, we need to practice great patience, So, we will be protected by the Tathagata’s robes.

“Now they will also be safeguarded by all Buddhas in Their respective directions.”

Now they will also be safeguarded by all Buddhas in Their respective directions: revere this sutra. Those who can uphold this sutra resonate with the Buddha’s mind. Thus, they are safeguarded by all Buddhas.

It is not only Sakyamuni Buddha who protects us. There are also others from other directions. Now Buddhas from other directions have all come to safeguard us. They are like Sakyamuni Buddha, because all Buddhas share the same path. Every single Buddha [knows] that to promote the Lotus Sutra in the world is very difficult. To walk such a difficult path, all Buddhas safeguard them. So, “All Buddhas in their respective directions revere this sutra.” All Buddhas revere this sutra. All Buddhas safeguard this sutra. So, “Those who can uphold this sutra resonate with the Buddha’s mind, thus they are safeguarded by all Buddhas.”

So, “safeguarding” is protecting and upholding and keeping them in mind. This is called “safeguarding. The Bodhisattvas who accept and uphold this sutra” are safeguarded by everyone together.

Safeguarding means keeping in mind those Bodhisattvas who accept and uphold this sutra, as well as supporting them.

There are so many teachings that have all been collected together in this sutra. Everyone, we must be mindful and loving. When we are among people, we should always resonate with the Buddha’s mind. Then we naturally will realize what is safeguarded by the original intent of all Buddhas. We should believe this. Since everyone of us has the nature of True Suchness, the innate enlightenment of the Tathagata, we can cherish the world’s sentient beings protecting them with robes to cherish them. [We must take] the Buddha’s mind as our own, and the Buddha’s actions as our own. Though this is difficult, we can achieve it. We must us always be mindful!

Episode 1225 – Sentient Beings are Stubborn and Resentful

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>> “For over 40 years, He delayed and did not teach it immediately. Now that He wanted to teach it, 5000 people left their seats all at once. Even when the Tathagata lived, people were like this. This is to say nothing of the situation in the future. The reason is that sentient beings are stubborn and hard to tame and transform.”

>> “Medicine King, this sutra is the secret and essential treasure of all Buddhas. It cannot be spread and taught carelessly to people. All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, protect it. From the past to the present, They have never taught it openly.”

>> “As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous, to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.”  

>> As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous: When the Buddha still lived in the world, people found it hard to believe in this sutra and many harbored resentment and jealousy. In the Chapter of Skillful Means: Their roots of transgressions were deep and grave and they had such overbearing arrogance.

>> Resentment and jealousy give rise to overbearing arrogance: For instance, when the Buddha taught this sutra, 5000 people of overbearing arrogance left their seats. They thought that He had taught the Small Vehicle before and now suddenly said it was not the ultimate, so they felt resentment and envy.

>> “This is to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana”: It is like this even while the Buddha is still alive, let alone after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.

>> His words were serious with profound meaning: Do not be careless in propagating [the Dharma]. First, this Dharma is the secret and essential treasury. From the past to the present, it has never been openly taught. Second, when the Tathagata now taught this Dharma, many people were still resentful and envious.

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“For over 40 years,
He delayed and did not teach it immediately.
Now that He wanted to teach it,
5000 people left their seats all at once.
Even when the Tathagata lived, people were like this.
This is to say nothing of the situation in the future.
The reason is that sentient beings are stubborn
and hard to tame and transform.”

This is so regrettable! It is rare to be born human; it is rare to hear the Buddha-Dharma. To be born during the time of the Buddha is even rarer. Over 2000 years ago, the Buddha appeared in the world. To be able to live in the same era as the Buddha and listen to His teachings for over 40 years was such a rare occurrence. Yet He started with the Agamas and the Small Vehicle teachings. Why was that? It was because the capabilities of sentient beings were still unable to accept the Great Dharma. So, the Buddha had to spend a long time, using His love and patience to guide sentient beings with dull capabilities.

Only after 42 years did the Buddha begin to teach the True Dharma, opening up the provisional to reveal the true. But during those 42 years, the Buddha “did not teach it immediately.” He delayed and kept His True Dharma concealed deep within His mind. It was not yet time for sentient beings to hear this Dharma. This is because their capabilities were still uneven, and they were unable to accept it. Because of this, He “did not teach it immediately.”

Now, at this point, “Now that He wanted to teach it, 5000 people left their seats all at once.” This “now” refers to the era of the Buddha. At that time, the Buddha was about to expound it. He was about to expound it. We ought to remember that, after teaching the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, the Buddha had no intention to rise from His seat. He remained seated just as before. The Buddha paused momentarily and began to enter Samadhi while emitting a radiant light. This scene was so extraordinary, so extraordinary; nothing like this had ever happened before. This time, it seemed that. He had finished teaching the sutra, but it also seemed He was not yet done. Just like this, He entered Samadhi. In addition, when the Buddha entered Samadhi, it had a different appearance. In the tuft of white hair between his two brows, slowly, like bright daylight, light radiated in all directions. Everyone felt that the Dharma He was about to teach must have never been taught before. What fascinating Dharma was the Buddha going to be teaching? It seemed to be teachings that would be greatly relevant to everyone, truly closely related and important teachings. So, during that time, no one left their seats; they wanted to wait, to wait for the Buddha to teach the Dharma that He wanted to teach. However, for a long time, the Buddha did not emerge from Samadhi but continued radiating light. Why was this happening? Puzzled, everyone turned to look at one another.

Amidst all this was Maitreya Bodhisattva. In the Lotus Sutra, Maitreya Bodhisattva would receive predictions that He will attain Buddhahood in the future, in the Saha world. He would attain Buddhahood after Sakyamuni, teaching and transforming sentient beings in the Saha World and forever help the Buddha-Dharma to continue. To him, this was a great responsibility. At the time, people began giving rise to doubt. Unable to understand, they looked around at one another. “What is the Buddha going to teach?” Maitreya Bodhisattva felt that it was his duty, so he stood up to ask a question. Who could he ask?

The Buddha had entered Samadhi, so who could he ask now? The teacher of the seven ancient Buddhas, Manjusri Bodhisattva. Manjusri had already attained Buddhahood as the Honorable Dragon King Buddha. Everyone should still remember this. Moreover, in the course of his spiritual practice, he also taught seven ancient Buddhas who attained Buddhahood, one after the other. From this we can tell that Manjusri Bodhisattva was a Buddha in the past, and that Manjusri Bodhisattva would also be a Buddha in the future. The future Buddha asked the past Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, “Why is our guiding teacher doing this?” For what reason was their teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, radiating light like this? He had entered Samadhi and was radiating light. What reason could the Buddha have for doing this? What kind of Great Dharma was He going to teach?

Manjusri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Bodhisattva engaged in dialogue like this. They mentioned the era of the. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. It was not just one, but 20000 Buddhas with the same exact name who appeared in the world, all for the sake of one cause, which was to teach the Lotus Sutra.

Their process for teaching sentient beings was the same as that of Sakyamuni at that time. The past Buddhas also guided patiently, always teaching the Lotus Sutra before entering Parinirvana. The past Buddhas were all like this. All Buddhas share the same path. It was the same for Sakyamuni Buddha. Their causes and conditions were all the same. It was because sentient beings have dull capabilities and are stubborn and hard to tame that whenever a Buddha appears in the world. He always needs to take a long time and proceed in sequence from shallow to deep, from small to great, guiding them patiently. All Buddhas share the same path.

During the era of Sakyamuni Buddha, which was over 2000 years ago, in over 40 years of teaching, the capabilities of sentient beings had yet to fully mature. Yet time waits for no one. The minutes and seconds pass by all the same. When the Buddha was in the world, He lived as humans lived, a life following the laws of nature, going through the same course of aging and illness. He also went through childhood, preadolescence, adolescence, adulthood, middle age and old age according to the laws of nature, following this process. He was a Buddha in the human world; he lived like the people in the world.

To attain Buddhahood is to open our heart and mind and realize our most wondrous quality, our Buddha-nature. When it comes to us sentient beings, I have been talking lately about how our Five Roots connect with the Five Dusts, leading our consciousness to discriminate. So, because of our Five Roots and Five Dusts, or the Six Roots and Six Dusts, we take in external phenomena within our [sixth] consciousness and contemplate it. Do we create afflictions and ignorance? We bring in these external conditions that cause us to create karma. Do we take negative actions or positive ones? Negative actions arise from greedy thoughts. Once we connect with our external conditions, we take them into our [sixth] consciousness and contemplate them, crave them and grasp for them. What method must we use to grasp what we crave? The actions we choose to do so are negative ones.

Those who commit evil deeds are also very smart, especially with the advanced technology nowadays. With computers, if we want to withdraw money, we do not need to go to the bank. Instead, we can withdraw money on our way; as long as there is an [ATM] and we have an [ATM] card, we can make a withdrawal. Some people are very proficient with computers, so they can change the software and programming to take out millions and millions of dollars. They took out millions in cash like this, going everywhere in Taiwan.

Public safety in Taiwan is pretty good, and cases get solved fairly quickly. In the news recently (2016), we have constantly seen reports in the newspapers about people coming from foreign countries to commit such crimes. These actions of creating [karma], where did they come from? They were from within their [sixth] consciousness. Their [sixth] consciousness contemplates how to take advantage of modern technology. Such intelligence and sharp capabilities, as we mentioned before, can also be a type of affliction. The slightest deviation can take us far off course and cause a great divergence. When a single thought goes astray in the [sixth] consciousness, there is nothing that people cannot do. They can take advantage of technology to steal a lot of money.

In the same way, just as evil is produced, there are also ways to deal with it. Everything in the world is relative. When someone gets sick, it is because their body is in disharmony and bad bacteria and germs cause problems. After a doctor checks our symptoms, they prescribe medicine to treat us accordingly. The medicine can also be considered poisonous; by combatting poison with poison, they treat the illness and eliminate the poison. The bacteria that cause the disease are thereby eliminated. Often, when a good doctor treats patients, they do not necessarily need to prescribe medicine. They tell them instead, “You don’t need to take medicine to treat this illness. You should get better in a couple of days. Drink more water and get more exercise.” And surely enough, they get better.

But some people might say, “Doctor, please prescribe some medicine for me. If you don’t give me medicine, my mind won’t be at ease.” Good doctors will tell them, “You shouldn’t always want to take medicine. Medicine is not good for the body. It has its poisonous components.” They will help us understand that for some diseases, we must take medicine; but for others, a good doctor will tell us, “There is no need to take medicine. As long as you drink more water, rest more and exercise more, you will feel better.” For more serious conditions, “You must take medicine. You can take it for a couple of days, but no longer than that. The medicine is also harmful to the body, so do not take it for too long.” These are good doctors. They give us ways to treat our illnesses and protect our health.

In the same way, when people in the world see all the material objects of the world, thoughts arise within us. We want to grasp them, and to grasp them, we use any means necessary. Such unscrupulous behavior is driven by the functions of the [sixth] consciousness, which works to make contact and grasp things. The desire to grasp arises from this contact. And so when we desire to grasp things, this further gives rise to “becoming.” What does it become? It becomes karma. These seeds of karma that are created are then contained within the eighth consciousness.

It seems like I am talking about this constantly, but since everyone will forget, I will remind everyone again. The sixth, seventh and eighth consciousness all arise from our connections with external conditions. The karma we create is then stored in the eighth consciousness. It is stored there within our eight consciousness until the end of our life. We do not take anything with us [except our karma]. All the worldly matters that we fuss over, the things we cling to and the evils we commit all come to nothing in the end.

This is life.

We spend all our lives fussing over minor matters. By the time we get what we want, our life has come to an end. We leave behind our belongings and careers. Our life passes us by like this, then our body is cremated and turned to ashes. Is this the end for us? We are not done yet. We come back to this world bringing our karma. In our world, there is hell in this world, the animal realm in this world and the hungry ghost realm in this world. In these Three Evil Destinies in our world, beings suffer all kinds of torments; such a life is beyond their control. So, sentient beings are stubborn. We reap what we sow. We are difficult to tame and transform. Thus, the Buddha, out of His loving-kindness and compassion for sentient beings, came to the world lifetime after lifetime for one great cause. Even though sentient beings are constantly reproducing karmic forces, the Buddha did not give up on us. So, He came back to guide sentient beings.

When one more person is taught, then there is one more Living Bodhisattva. He kept coming to our world in this way. To help sentient beings be able to realize this, He used skillful means. This is the Buddha’s wisdom, the skillful wisdom of the One True Dharma. So, over these first 40 or so years, He used the skillful wisdom of the True Dharma. The Buddha taught the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna, all the way until now, when He felt He must teach [this sutra]. At that time, when He started to expound the Lotus Sutra, He manifested auspicious signs and radiated light in hopes of everyone cherishing [this sutra]. Then when the Buddha was about to begin teaching, He first praised the Dharma as well as the state of wisdom of all Buddhas. Sariputra in his wisdom understood the Buddha’s intent and what He was going to teach in the future. So, Sariputra asked the Buddha three times. The Buddha stopped him three times, before finally starting to teach. At that moment, 5000 people left their seats all at once. Weren’t they very stubborn? Why did they do this? We will explain what was going on in their minds later on.

“When the Tathagata lived, people were like this. This is to say nothing of the situation in the future.” When the Tathagata was alive, when the Tathagata taught the Dharma in person, even the contemporary disciples of the Buddha, got up from their seats as the Buddha taught the sutra 5000 people paid respects to the Buddha and left. The era of the Buddha was like this, to say nothing of the future. In the future, teaching the Lotus Sutra would be even more difficult as sentient beings become more and more stubborn. So, the reasoning behind this is that. “Sentient beings are stubborn and hard to tame and transform.” We were already like this when the Buddha lived, to say nothing of the situation in the future. We ought to understand this.

So, let us look at the previous sutra passage. The previous passage states,

“Medicine King, this sutra is the secret and essential treasure of all Buddhas. It cannot be spread and taught carelessly to people. All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, protect it. From the past to the present, They have never taught it openly.”

This was what the Buddha said in the Lotus Dharma-assembly. He also said this in the Chapter on Skillful Means. When Sariputra requested the Dharma, the Buddha also said this. Now to Medicine King Bodhisattva, in the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha said this again. Because…. Why didn’t He quickly teach it during those 40-plus years? Because it was not time yet. Due to the capabilities of sentient beings, they were not yet ready to accept it. So, the Buddha retained this. True Dharma of the One Vehicle deep within His mind. This is “the secret and essential treasure of all Buddhas.” It is very important. He came to the world only for this cause, which was to teach everyone that. “Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature.” He wanted to teach everyone that. “Everyone can attain Buddhahood.” How do we attain Buddhahood? We must discover our nature of True Suchness. However, sentient beings are stubborn, so this is easier said than done.

“It cannot be spread and taught carelessly to people.” Sentient beings are so stubborn. When we share with them, not only do they refuse to listen, they respond with aversion and defiance, and will slander us. They do not have a good impression; being averse to it means having a bad impression. Because they are unable to accept [the Dharma], without a good impression of it, they will argue about it. Therefore, “It cannot be spread and taught carelessly.” It cannot be taught carelessly to anyone whose capabilities merely reach the level of worldly knowledge and cleverness, and have yet to reach pure wisdom. So, He was not able to teach it yet. “It cannot be spread and taught carelessly.”

The Buddha, just like “all Buddhas, World Honored-Ones, protected it.” He also protected it in His mind. This is how all Buddhas share the same path. Every Buddha is like this. Thus, “from the past to the present, They have never taught it openly.” Throughout those 40-plus years, the Buddha did not begin teaching it. At that time, the Buddha told the Medicine King Bodhisattva that. “For over 40 years, [I] delayed and did not teach it immediately.” He waited until this point because sentient beings were still severely ignorant and very stubborn. Their capabilities were not yet mature, and their faith was not strong enough. If He were to teach them this sutra, they would interpret it in a negative way and slander it. Due to their deviant views, deviant thinking, and deviant behavior, the Buddha could not teach this Dharma yet.

He had to lead people until they were closer to the Buddha’s mind. When people more or less could draw near to the Buddha’s mind, then the Buddha taught it to help everyone understand. Even if they could not understand thoroughly, at least they would not slander it. So, He had to help everyone approach gradually and draw a bit closer to His mind, have a bit more faith. Only then could He teach it. This was the reason He gave Medicine King to explain why, throughout more than 40 years, He “delayed and did not teach it immediately.” He did not teach it right away, because He was waiting for people to draw closer, understand the Buddha better and have deep faith without doubt. For the Dharma that the Buddha taught, when they listened to it now, even if they did not understand it very well, at least they would not slander it or do anything improper. This was the Buddha’s intent.

The following [sutra] passage states,

“As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous, to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.”

After reading this sutra passage, I feel very sad and worried. When the Buddha was in the world, people were “still resentful and jealous.” When the Buddha was in the world, He wanted to take the principles He had realized and help sentient beings understand them. The Buddha had so much hope that sentient beings could have the same level of understanding and views as Him and could awaken to the true principles of all things in the universe just like He had. He did not want to see sentient beings sinking, creating evil karma among people. Nor did He want to see them suffer in the world. The Buddha really hopes that we all can be like Him and thoroughly understand everything. He wanted us to open our hearts to encompass the universe and understand the dangers [we will face] along the path in this world, to realize the true principles of the universe and this beautiful state of tranquility and clarity. This was the Buddha’s hope, that sentient beings can experience the same state of mind as Him.

But alas, there was nothing He could do. Sentient beings are “still resentful and jealous.” During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were many deviant teachings, and many complicated religious beliefs. Even within the Sangha of those He taught, there were still resentful and jealous people. The group led by Devadatta was always causing disturbances in the Buddha’s Sangha and slandering the Buddha’s character. During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were already people who were resentful and jealous of how everyone respected the Buddha and envious of how the Buddha’s wisdom was able transform so many people and gain the faith of so many people; they were really jealous and resentful of this. So, they gave rise to thoughts of jealousy and hatred, and thus gave rise to evil. With an evil mind, they sought to destroy. This is how it was during the Buddha’s lifetime, to say nothing of after He passed into Parinirvana.

As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous: When the Buddha still lived in the world, people found it hard to believe in this sutra and many harbored resentment and jealousy. In the Chapter of Skillful Means: Their roots of transgressions were deep and grave and they had such overbearing arrogance.

“As for this sutra, even though the Tathagata is still alive now, many people are still resentful and jealous.” So, it was like this even when the Tathagata lived in this world. “People found it hard to believe in this sutra.” When the Buddha first began to teach this sutra, for people to completely believe in it, understand and comprehend it was very difficult at that time. What is more, many people had deviant thoughts and rebelled against the Buddha’s intentions. Such resentment and jealousy was already apparent even during the Buddha’s lifetime. So, do we still remember the Chapter on Skillful Means? This passage from the sutra states, Their roots of transgressions were deep and grave and they had such overbearing arrogance. They were very stubborn. They were hindered by layer after layer of afflictions and karmic forces. Their unwholesome thoughts and ways were many, so their roots of transgressions were deep. They had many hindrances.

They were unwilling to accept the virtuous Dharma, and their unwholesome thoughts kept surging up in their minds. They even gave rise to overbearing arrogance, thinking that they were so amazing, assuming that their thinking was correct; Devadatta was like this. So, “Resentment and jealousy give rise to overbearing arrogance.” Because of resentment and jealousy, they gave rise to overbearing arrogance.

Resentment and jealousy give rise to overbearing arrogance: For instance, when the Buddha taught this sutra, 5000 people of overbearing arrogance left their seats. They thought that He had taught the Small Vehicle before and now suddenly said it was not the ultimate, so they felt resentment and envy.

“For instance, when the Buddha taught this sutra, 5000 people of overbearing arrogance left their seats.” They were all like this. They heard how the Buddha kept praising the wisdom of all Buddhas and heard of the supreme Dharma of the One Vehicle, how He wanted to give up the skillful teachings of the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna. This was “opening up the provisional.” The Buddha praised the Dharma of the One Vehicle. This was to “reveal the true.” These people, 5000 of them, gave rise to overbearing arrogance and refused to stay in that place and listen. And so, as if by prior agreement, 5000 people stood up together, paid their respects and left. This was all due to the negative influence of their overbearing arrogance. They left their seats like this. It was already like this in the Buddha’s lifetime. What about nowadays? [There are] those who are unwilling to listen to the sutras and think they are always right. There are many people like this. They all have overbearing arrogance.

So “They thought that He had taught the Small Vehicle before.” This was what they thought. In the past, all He taught was the Small Vehicle, and “now He suddenly said it was not the ultimate.” He taught the Agama in the past, and since then, they had been continuously listening and practicing like this. When He taught the Vaipulya, they also accepted and practiced accordingly. It was the same with the Prajna; they had been practicing this way. But at this point, He said these were not the ultimate teachings. Because of this, they gave rise to resentment and jealousy. They spent so much time in spiritual practice and now He said that it was not ultimate. And so, they gave rise to resentment and envy.

Resentment gave rise to envy and hatred. They had spent so much time on this, but they had yet to reach the ultimate. Thus they gave rise to overbearing arrogance. This was during the Buddha’s lifetime, after they had heard the Buddha teach the sutras for more than 40 years. See, when they heard the Buddha say that they had not yet reached the ultimate, they started to feel resentful and envious. They had no patience and started to say, “This is not the goal that I want.” They gave rise to discursive thoughts and began to distance themselves. Thus overbearing arrogance arose in them.

“[This is] to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.” It was so hard even during the Buddha’s lifetime. So, what about after He passed into Parinirvana? What about the time after the Buddha passed into Parinirvana?

“This is to say nothing of” “after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana”: It is like this even while the Buddha is still alive, let alone after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.

How would the Dharma be passed on? This is what the Chapter on Dharma Teachers is all about. After the Buddha passed into Parinirvana, how would the Dharma passed on? How would this sutra be upheld and recited? How would this sutra be safeguarded? How would this sutra be taught? This was truly worrisome. Now, after the Buddha has passed into Parinirvana, even hearing the sutras is difficult, and teaching the sutras is even harder. In this evil world of the Five Turbidities, if someone is willing to listen to the sutras, I am very grateful for this. It is very natural for people to not listen. Even during the Buddha’s lifetime, there were disciples like this. So why complain?

This is why it “cannot be spread and taught carelessly.” But why is it that sentient beings are so pitiful, never able to experience the truth of the Buddha’s intent and. His dedication in teaching this sutra? Of course, when teaching it now, it is even harder for people to understand it. Thus it says, “It was like this even while the Buddha is still alive, to say nothing of after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana.” These words were serious with profound meaning. They sounded very serious. Even back then, the Buddha had already talked about this very explicitly. In fact, this has deep and profound implications.

His words were serious with profound meaning: Do not be careless in propagating [the Dharma]. First, this Dharma is the secret and essential treasury. From the past to the present, it has never been openly taught. Second, when the Tathagata now taught this Dharma, many people were still resentful and envious.Third, after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana, because this sutra is hard to believe and comprehend, there will be even more resentful and envious people with overbearing arrogance. Thus, the Buddha advised others that the sutra cannot be spread and taught carelessly.

The Buddha was worried about what sentient beings would do in the future. He was not only worried about [sentient beings in] His own era, but He also worried about future sentient beings. What could He do about them?

The future sentient beings are us in the present. When we compare [our world now] to [the world] during the Buddha’s lifetime, how large was the population on Earth then? How about now? During the Buddha’s time, human thought was pure and simple. What about nowadays? Our thoughts are so complicated. The Buddha understood that the future would be a world of turbidities. How will the sutra be passed down? How do we pass it down? And so, there are more sutra passages later on where the Buddha says He protects those who teach the Lotus Sutra. These are what the later sutra passages talk about. His words were serious and with profound meaning. The meaning [of His words] was deep and profound, how all the way into the future, throughout the Buddha’s lifetime and into the future, sentient beings could be transformed in these ways. Yet, [the Lotus Sutra] cannot be taught lightly.

Thus it says. “Do not be careless in propagating [the Dharma].” When we teach this sutra, we must do so to the right people at the right time in the right place. What kind of people should we share it with? What times are appropriate for sharing it? Where can we share this sutra? There is nothing easy about this. So, “Do not be careless in propagating.” We must not teach it however we like. Instead, we should be earnest and cautious, because if people do not understand this sutra, the damage from deviant views will be even worse. So, we cannot teach it carelessly. However, we still need to teach it. This is a dilemma. We cannot teach it carelessly, but cannot fail to teach it. So, we “[must] not be careless in propagating it.”

The meaning of the word “careless” is twofold. We should not share it carelessly or propagate it however we want. At the same time we need to ensure that the Dharma will be sustained forever in the world to come. Thus, it is difficult on two accounts. So, we “[must] not be careless in propagating it.” We need to propagate it, but we must also do so with the right people, at the right time and in the right place. We must make wise choices, and we have no choice but to teach it. We still need to teach it.

First, [we must know] that “this Dharma is the secret and essential treasury.” The Lotus Sutra is secret and essential. It must be taught. It is the Buddha’s original intent. [The Lotus Sutra] is the king of all sutras and the essence of all sutras, so how could the Buddha not teach this sutra? So, it must be taught. However, it is the secret and essential treasury, so we must be extremely careful. “From the past to the present, it has never been openly taught.” The Buddha has never taught it openly before. This is the first thing that we must know, to not be “careless in propagating [the Dharma].” We need to spread it, but we must be very careful. The Buddha always had to be very careful, to say nothing of us in the present.

Second, when the Tathagata now taught the Dharma, many people were still resentful and envious. To teach this sutra, we need to be aware that during Buddha’s lifetime, there were already so many resentful and envious people with so many afflictions and so much ignorance. As we start to teach this sutra, we will encounter so many afflictions and so much ignorance. Isn’t this true? Nowadays we talk about the internet. The “net” is everywhere. If this is a net that gives rise to afflictions, we will get stuck everywhere. There are so many afflictions and things that trouble and disturb people. We need to have this kind of awareness. During the Buddha’s lifetime, when He started to teach the Lotus Sutra, people already had so many afflictions. Now that the Buddha has passed into Parinirvana, when we teach this sutra, we first need to have this kind of awareness. So, even during the Buddha’s lifetime there were still many resentful and jealous people. This is to say nothing of the future.

Third, after the Buddha passes into Parinirvana, because this sutra is difficult to believe in and comprehend, there will be even more resentful and envious people with overbearing arrogance. This is the third thing that we must know. Thus, “The Buddha advised others that the sutra cannot be spread and taught carelessly.” For this reason, starting from the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha warned us that this sutra cannot be spread and taught carelessly because it is difficult to believe and understand, a teaching that many people may resent. Teaching this sutra can lead to many afflictions. Thus, to teach the sutra, we really must have great courage and awareness. We must be aware of such [challenges,] yet still be willing to teach this sutra.

This is why there are so many hardships, afflictions and disasters in the world. When the Five Turbidities are so severe, it means that the Dharma will be unable to flourish in the world and sentient beings will be unable to take the Dharma to heart. The Bodhisattva-path, this Bodhisattva-path is a broad and open road; it is the great, direct path to Bodhi. Yet people do not dare to move ahead out of fear. It is not easy at all to walk this path. Still, we have no choice but to teach it. So, when listening to the teachings, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1224 – The Secret Dharma Was Never Taught

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>> “In terms of people, the intrinsic and manifest [aspects] of teacher and disciples have both existed for a very long time. The people and the methods differ from the past, thus it is hard to believe and comprehend. What is always hidden and protected is called ‘secret.’ The ultimate reality of True Suchness which retains all teachings and upholds all goodness is called a ‘treasury.'”

>> At that time, the Buddha again told Medicine King Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, “The sutras I teach are countless trillions, including what I have taught, am teaching now and will teach in the future. Among those sutras, this, the Lotus Sutra, is the hardest to believe and comprehend.” 

>> “Medicine King, this sutra is the secret and essential treasury of all Buddhas. It cannot be taught carelessly to people. All Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, protect it. From the past to the present, it has never been openly taught.”

>> Medicine King, this sutra is the secret and essential treasury of all Buddhas: This [sutra], the Lotus Sutra, is all Buddhas’, all World-Honored Ones’, secret and essential Dharma-treasury of wondrous merits and virtues.

>> Secret and essential treasury: This is said because it is deeply hidden and hard to understand and believe in. It is hidden and untaught, so it is called secret. It retains all teachings and upholds all goodness, so it is essential. That which contains the ultimate reality of. True Suchness is called a treasury.

>> So, “‘secret and essential’ refers to the Tathagata’s skillful teachings for the benefit of others. Those who have not perfected their causes and attained fruition cannot practice this secret and essential path.”

>> For example, when we prescribe medicine for the ill, if we need to use poisonous medicine to treat an illness, anyone who is not a skilled doctor with deep understanding of medicine and its application should not do it. The Buddha is also like this. For those who had formed. Great Vehicle aspirations, the Buddha first used Small Vehicle teachings to transform them and help them grow. Then, He opened up the provisional to reveal the true by eliminating their conjured city and helping them return to the One Vehicle. Regarding the Buddha’s original intent, if He did not always have the skillful wisdom of the supreme and true secret, how could He achieve this wondrous application of the True, Great Dharma?

>> All Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, protect it: The sutra states that the path walked by all Buddhas is protected by all Tathagatas.

>> From the past until now, it has never been openly taught: Ever since He attained Buddhahood in the past, He never openly taught it because of people’s limited capabilities. So He used skillful means to teach it secretly. This is what is stated in the sutra: Sentient beings hear it, and their minds give rise to doubt.

>> It cannot be taught: The wondrous Dharma is hard to believe. People with profound wisdom can be taught, but people with no wisdom do not believe it. They slander it, committing transgressions. So, it cannot be taught carelessly.

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“In terms of people,
the intrinsic and manifest [aspects] of teacher and disciples
have both existed for a very long time.
The people and the methods differ from the past,
thus it is hard to believe and comprehend.
What is always hidden and protected is called ‘secret.’
The ultimate reality of True Suchness
which retains all teachings and upholds all goodness is called a ‘treasury.'”

That is to say, people [come together due to] affinities. There is the affinity between teacher and disciple as well as between people and the Buddha. When a Buddha has affinities with the world, He will manifest in the world, will be born into the world according to His direct and circumstantial retributions. Take Sakyamuni Buddha for instance; He was born in the kingdom of Kapilavastu. His karmic conditions were made manifest through the footprints He left in the world. He was born in that place, born into the palace; these are part of the footprints He left, part of His life’s path.

He engaged in spiritual practice, attained Buddhahood and then went among people to teach the Dharma. Some people had [good] affinities with Him; others did not. Those He had affinities with heard the Dharma and believed in and understood it. They accepted and practiced the teachings, becoming His disciples. Some became monastics and joined the Sangha. Some had families or social responsibilities. There were kings, ministers and so on. They had different titles, but they all had affinities with the Buddha. These are “the intrinsic and manifest [aspects] of teacher and disciples.” The Buddha manifested in this world. It is the same for us all. We ordinary people all came in the same way. We came to this world without any choice of our own. However, the Buddha came with a purpose, a mission. He came to transform the sentient beings who were led here by karma. So, He came to this world for one great cause. Thus, we have these records in history in the sutra treasury etc. and so on of the Buddha’s path in life.

The Buddha was the Great Enlightened One, so it is a part of human history that such a person existed. Actually, at that time, we were also [in the world], but we did not leave the same footprints because we were too insignificant. Also, we were among the myriad sentient beings, unaware of where we came from or where we would go. Perhaps, when the Buddha was teaching the sutras, [we were] among His disciples. In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, the four [great] disciples addressed the Buddha. Perhaps those four disciples can be found among us know.

In the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions, it was the same with Purna; perhaps he is among us, in a place of suffering somewhere in the world, teaching and transforming sentient beings. There was also Rahula, the Buddha’s disciple. During the Buddha’s lifetime, they were [all] in His Sangha and were all recorded in history. They all wanted to return to this world. They may be anywhere in the world right now, in any spiritual training ground or in any country, among people in that society. They are all transforming sentient beings according to their own karmic conditions. These are the “intrinsic and manifest [aspects] of teacher and disciples.”

In the Buddha’s time, the Buddha Himself and His disciples kept transforming people in this world. It is just that it has been a very long time. Between Sakyamuni Buddha and our time alone, it has been more than 2000 years. Was that the only [lifetime] for the Buddha? Before He attained Buddhahood, for countless dust-inked kalpas, He came [to this world] lifetime after lifetime. So, in the past, before He attained Buddhahood, He likewise had to engage in spiritual practice. From knowing nothing of the Buddha-Dharma, He accepted it and began to engage in spiritual practice. In this process, He attained understanding and formed great aspirations and made great vows to walk the Bodhisattva-path. He created blessings by [serving] others, and He formed great positive affinities, unceasingly [cultivating] causes and conditions. In each lifetime, He never forsook these karmic conditions. He kept coming back to this world, continuously forming affinities with people. [He did this] for a very long time.

“The people and the methods differ from the past.” Our current era is different from the past; we need different methods to teach and transform. The times have changed, and so must our methods. Modern day technology is very advanced, so we can use technology to aid us. I can teach the Dharma here, but throughout the Jing Si Abode alone, whether you are listening outside or inside, the sound is the same. My voice is not louder or softer.

Furthermore, among the 32 Marks of the Buddha was. His deep and far-reaching tone of voice. He could be heard from very far away, but people nearby would not find it too loud. With modern technology, the words I speak here are not even confined to the Jing Si Abode. People both inside and outside can hear my voice as well as [people] overseas and around the world. Simply by [accessing this] technology, this “cloud technology,” they can [hear my voice]. With the push of a finger, after starting the computer, people anywhere can hear my voice, just as we in here can hear it right now. They can not only hear my voice but also see me.

In the Buddha’s lifetime, He could manifest anywhere to teach the Dharma. How could we do that now? Actually, with modern technology it is possible. The times are different, and as technology develops, we must quickly make use of it to spread the Dharma everywhere. However, we still need the causes and conditions. When it comes to causes and conditions, [it is the same] in our age as in the past. In the past, some people lacked affinities with the Buddha. Or they accumulated envy and negative affinities, so they slandered and denounced the Buddha for lifetime after lifetime. People who slandered the Buddha-Dharma [existed back then], not to mention now.

So, if the conditions are not yet ripe, it will really not be easy to spread the Dharma. Sentient beings nowadays are stubborn and difficult to train and transform. It was like this even during the Buddha’s time. Even He could do nothing! They could hear His voice and see His image. What else could He do? There was nothing He could do. He had to rely on causes and conditions. So, “The people and the methods differ from the past.” Times have changed, but karmic conditions remain the same. Those with good karmic affinities can accept [the Dharma]. It is a matter of people and methods. The affinities differ, but just as in the past, those who lack affinities lack affinities. “Thus it is hard to believe and comprehend.”

People with shallow or negative affinities cannot be trained; they are very stubborn. There are all kinds of people. There were [people with] different capabilities in the Buddha’s time, and it is the same nowadays. In the Buddha’s time, there were people who were unable to believe and comprehend, to say nothing of us today. There are still sentient beings today who find it hard to believe and comprehend; this is how people are different.

Thus, “The Buddha always hid and protected the secret Dharma.” The Buddha held onto His original intent [to teach] the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. This original intent was [what He realized] after His awakening. “How amazing! All beings possess the Buddha’s nature of wisdom.” He wanted to tell everyone that all can attain Buddhahood. Every person can attain Buddhahood; it is just that their abilities differ. It was like this in the past, and it is still the same now. So, the Buddha took into consideration those who were unable to believe and understand. Thus, [He hid] the True Dharma in His mind, always keeping it there. Dust-inked kalpas ago, He accepted. Great Unhindered Buddha’s [teaching of] the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Having accepted it, He taught it to everyone, forming affinities with them. In this way the. Lotus Sutra, the True Dharma [of the One Vehicle], was stored in His mind. So “What is hidden and protected is called secret.” He was never able to teach it to sentient beings.

However, since He had now attained Buddhahood, He absolutely had to teach the True Dharma. So, after over 40 years, He had no choice but to make His original intent, the True Dharma that He had kept secret, completely open and known to everyone. This Dharma had been hidden in the Buddha’s mind, so it was called “secret”; this secret Dharma had been kept hidden and was not openly revealed. Thus, it was described as “secret.” Now, He began to tell it to everyone. So, exactly what does this Dharma contain?

“It retains all teachings.” We discussed this yesterday, how at the time the Buddha was awakened, the spiritual training ground of His mind opened up and became one with the universe. His inner spiritual training ground [entered] the Avatamsaka state. Yet, from that time onward, He would still return to the world. In returning to the world, His wish was to plant seeds in the minds of sentient beings to help them all expand [their minds]. The seed in everyone’s mind is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness, but ignorance and afflictions have covered it, one layer after another. So, layer by layer, the Buddha wanted to gradually help us lift away our afflictions. This was His method. So, [He gave] the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna [teachings]. In this way, 42 years passed. In those 42 years, He taught emptiness and existence and the great and small according to capabilities. He taught on both the illusory and the real. So, at this point [He taught] “retaining all teachings and upholding all goodness.” This is the Bodhisattva-path.

“True Suchness is called a treasury.” As for the ultimate reality of True Suchness, True Suchness exists in sentient beings’ minds, and the principles of the ultimate reality are stored in the Buddha’s original intent. Thus, [the Buddha] had to think of how to open up the True Dharma for everyone to understand. Already in chapter ten, the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha wanted to tell everyone about the True Dharma of people and phenomena. [Yet due to] their varied capabilities, the changing times and different karmic conditions, [sentient beings] remain difficult to train and transform. It is still hard for them to believe and understand. The Lotus Sutra encompasses all sutras, from the Avatamsaka, to the Agama, to the Vaipulya and the Prajna. Arriving at the Lotus teachings, He wanted to return to the Avatamsaka state. For all to attain that tranquility and clarity and open their minds requires a very long time. That time is very long, so we must put in effort to comprehend the wondrous principles of the Buddha-Dharma. We must be mindful!

The previous sutra passage states,

At that time, the Buddha again told Medicine King Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, “The sutras I teach are countless trillions, including what I have taught, am teaching now and will teach in the future. Among those sutras, this, the Lotus Sutra, is the hardest to believe and comprehend.”

As the Buddha spoke this passage, He felt very helpless within. Clearly, every person is a Buddha, yet no one was able to comprehend that our intrinsic Buddha-nature exists within. Clearly, all people have this treasure, yet our minds are so impoverished; our knowledge and wisdom are so lacking. This was why the Buddha felt so helpless!

People rely on cleverness and can argue very eloquently, but they have no wisdom. This describes people nowadays. Everyone appears to be very smart, but what we lack is wisdom. Our roots of goodness are continuously mired. When our roots of goodness are submerged, our wisdom-life is unable to grow. This makes it “hard to believe and comprehend.” The Buddha said, “The sutras I teach are countless trillions.” He had already taught so many [sutras] in the past.

So, “What I have taught” is what He taught in the past. “What I am teaching now” is the Lotus Sutra He was teaching now. “What I will teach in the future” is the sutra He would teach right before entering Parinirvana; “what I will teach in the future” refers to the Nirvana Sutra.

“Among those sutras…,” among these many sutras, “this, the Lotus Sutra, is the hardest to believe and comprehend.” It is difficult to believe and comprehend. If we can all believe and comprehend this sutra, that means that our afflictions have already been eliminated, layer by layer. The Dharma is truly engraved in our minds, and on the road which is already paved before us, we go among people, advancing step by step. This is an awakened state of mind, to willingly go among suffering people. This is how we can advance step by step.

The next sutra passage states,

“Medicine King, this sutra is the secret and essential treasury of all Buddhas. It cannot be taught carelessly to people. All Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, protect it. From the past to the present, it has never been openly taught.”

We should understand that this sutra is “the secret and essential treasury of all Buddhas.” All Buddhas share the same path; every Buddha attains Buddhahood in this world, and before They enter Parinirvana, They must teach the Lotus Sutra. This is the original intent of all Buddhas. [It is] their true principles and their path to attaining Buddhahood. So, it is “the secret and essential treasury of all Buddhas.”

Medicine King, this sutra is the secret and essential treasury of all Buddhas: This [sutra], the Lotus Sutra, is all Buddhas’, all World-Honored Ones’, secret and essential Dharma-treasury of wondrous merits and virtues.

The Buddha’s mind contains the Lotus Sutra; it is the true principles, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. This is the same path all Buddhas share; it is the same for every Buddha. They attain Buddhahood, and before entering Parinirvana, they definitely must teach the Lotus Sutra.

So, “This [sutra], the Lotus Sutra, is all Buddhas’, World-Honored Ones’, secret and essential Dharma-treasury of wondrous merits and virtues.” Every Buddha who comes to this world, each World-Honored One, has this secret and essential [treasury] which they secretly keep in Their ninth consciousness. It is the Buddha’s original intent. Ordinary people can only reach the eighth consciousness. Having attained Buddhahood, one has obtained the True Dharma. One has returned to one’s intrinsic nature, the pure and undefiled ninth consciousness. This is the Dharma-treasury of the Buddha’s mind, “the Dharma-treasury of wondrous merits and virtues.” All Buddhas share this path; they all have this.

[It is called] “secret and essential treasury because it is deeply hidden and is hard to understand and believe in.”

Secret and essential treasury: This is said because it is deeply hidden and hard to understand and believe in. It is hidden and untaught, so it is called secret. It retains all teachings and upholds all goodness, so it is essential. That which contains the ultimate reality of. True Suchness is called a treasury.

This secret and essential treasury is the True Dharma. It is not in the eighth consciousness, but at an even deeper level, in the ninth consciousness. This Dharma is such that ordinary unenlightened beings [cannot] truly comprehend it. [This is because] their roots of goodness are not yet deep enough, their wisdom-life has not yet matured and they have not yet walked the Bodhisattva-path. Now, we see Bodhisattvas mobilizing in the world [in response to] all its suffering. There is goodness in their hearts; “Human nature is inherently good.” With this “inherently good nature,” they have already formed initial aspirations. They are newly inspired Bodhisattvas, very joyful and willing to go among people to serve them.

They have begun to pave the path, but before they truly comprehend this Dharma, the Buddha’s secret and essential treasury, they still have quite a long way to go. So, “It is deeply hidden and is hard to understand and believe in.” Because we are only newly-inspired, our aspirations are not yet firm. Sometimes, we take joy in this work, but sometimes some situation arises, and our afflictions obstruct us. People-related afflictions obstruct us, natural afflictions obstruct us and afflictions due to karmic obstacles obstruct us. Each morning, we [recite], “I vow to eliminate the Three Obstructions and all afflictions. I vow to attain wisdom and true clarity.” But have we obtained wisdom?

If we have obtained true wisdom, our minds will naturally be focused and settled. We will understand the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. We will understand it all, the Vaipulya and the Prajna, all [teachings] on wondrous existence and all [teachings] on true emptiness. We should also enter the Lotus Sutra to realize this wondrous existence. All things are empty, so what is there that can obstruct us then? Yet we still do not comprehend wondrous existence, and sometimes “emptiness” also obstructs us. So, the Buddha definitely had to teach us the principles of wondrous existence. Thus, in the Lotus Sutra there are [teachings of] emptiness and existence, of suffering and of abundant Dharma-joy; these are the wondrous principles of the Dharma.

So, the Buddha knows that our capabilities are not yet fully developed and that we have only recently formed aspirations. We have already formed aspirations, but we still do not dare [to go among people]. Our capabilities are still very limited; we have planted the seed, but it has only just sprouted. It has not become a big tree, so we are afraid of the wind and rain. Although we have understood, we are still very afraid. We are afraid that sentient beings’ stubbornness will [cause us] to lose ourselves, to lose our spiritual aspirations. Thus, we dare not [go among people]. Although we have formed aspirations, we dare not [go among people], for [fear of] being obstructed and losing ground. So it says, “It is hard to believe and comprehend.” In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha continually seeks to let us know, as stubborn, unbelieving sentient beings, how we can hone ourselves and stabilize our faith. This is the reason the Buddha taught this sutra.

So, what is “hidden and untaught” is “secret.” It is still kept secret, stored in His mind. So, “It retains all teachings and upholds all goodness.” This is very important. This sutra encompasses the Agama, the Vaipulya and the Prajna, all of them. It encompasses the Buddha’s great awakening, the Avatamsaka state. In order to be truly enlightened, we must “retain all teachings and uphold all goodness. The heart encompasses the universe and the boundless worlds within it.” Only with this kind of open mind are we able to comprehend this principle.

So, “That which contains the ultimate reality of. True Suchness is called a treasury.” The principles of the ultimate reality of. True Suchness are contained within it. “Contained” means it is completely held inside it. This, it is called a “treasury. The secret and essential treasury of all Buddhas….” It is the secret treasury of all Buddhas. Their original intent, the True Dharma, is hidden in this place.

So, “‘secret and essential’ refers to the Tathagata’s skillful teachings for the benefit of others. Those who have not perfected their causes and attained fruition cannot practice this secret and essential path.”

Why must it be kept secret? The Buddha-Dharma is a good thing, so why must it be kept secret? It is because sentient beings’ capabilities are insufficient; they find it hard to believe and understand. The Buddha felt the time had not yet arrived. He was still waiting for sentient beings to learn from the Prajna sutras to activate their wisdom; since everything is empty, there is nothing we need be attached to. However, this was still not enough. “There is wondrous existence in emptiness.” We must quickly [attain] that state of purity where we manifest the ultimate reality of True Suchness. This is [what is taught in] the Lotus Sutra. This refers to “the Tathagata’s skillful teachings for the benefit of others.”

Intrinsically, we all possess the Buddha-Dharma. However, we do not realize it. So, the Buddha had to use all kinds of methods to peel away the ignorance of sentient beings. We have so much ignorance, so how can we identify it all? Our ignorance is the common form of all our hindrances.

In our daily living, we frequently give rise to ignorance. We have so much ignorance. For example, the weather is so hot now that people need to have air conditioning everywhere. We clearly know that the temperature of the earth is rising. But why is it rising? There are many hidden karmic conditions, constant industrial development, pollution etc. These gradually [affect] the atmosphere. The land used to be covered by forests, rice paddies, farmlands and so on, but that is no longer the case. Now, it is all high-rise buildings. The paddies and lakes have been filled in.

Grass used to cover the ground, but now it is all tar and cement. As soon as the sun shines on it, the temperature rises. There are also everyone’s air conditioning units. When we go inside, we feel very cold, but the air coming out from [these units] is hot enough to burn people! See, this is a vicious cycle. The principles are clear, but we cannot help ourselves. Thus, we constantly keep creating more heat. Heat is constantly being created.

This is the vicious cycle of the modern world. We cannot help ourselves or control our desires. This is how sentient beings are. So, the Tathagata used skillful means for [our] benefit; there was no other way. It is still the same today. Sentient beings have varying capabilities, so there is no other way. The Buddha had to teach using all kinds of methods.

Now, I too am not able to [do much]. The weather is so hot. I must apologize to you all. The Jing Si Abode has no air conditioning, so it is very hot. If we want to engage in spiritual practice, we must be able to endure hardship. This is what is called spiritual practice. We are still going among people. Are we not among people right now? Everyone’s body produces heat; every person’s body temperature is over 36 degrees [Celsius]. With this body heat and so many people, as soon as we come in, we will feel very hot. But we must endure. This is spiritual practice.

So, we must practice the Four Noble Truths and the Six Paramitas in all our actions. Once we understand the world’s suffering, we must form aspirations [to practice] giving, upholding the precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. This means we must go among people and practice giving while upholding the precepts. We need to abide by our rules. We must be patient. We must endure the weather in the world as well as the stubbornness of sentient beings. Are we able to endure these? We must endure. This is our spiritual practice. In order to skillfully benefit others, we must share all kinds of teachings with people.

Indeed, it is because of all this that we must be more patient. We should not turn on the AC for no reason, or do this or that for no reason; we need to endure. This is also a kind of “skillful means.” I am teaching you all this for you to know how we must go about accumulating [karma] and eliminating all karmic obstacles. This is not only for a few; only when many people learn to have patience can we end all natural and manmade disasters. As it is, with continuous population growth and high-rise buildings constantly being built, the natural world is continuously being destroyed. How could the climate not change? These extreme changes in the climate are not without causes.

So, “Those who have not perfected their causes and attained fruition cannot practice this secret and essential path.” With that said, we must always engage in spiritual practice. Our causes and conditions must be perfected. Otherwise, this path, the Bodhisattva-path, will be difficult to walk. It is difficult to explain; it is not only hard to walk but also hard to explain. Thus, “They cannot practice this secret and essential path.” Sentient beings are stubborn, so it is hard to teach them; it is hard for them to believe and understand. Even if we wish to truly do this, unless we have very firm patience, we are unable to do it.

So, “For example, when we prescribe medicine for the ill, if we need to use poisonous medicine to treat an illness, anyone who is not a skilled doctor with deep understanding of medicine and its application should not do it.”

For example, when we prescribe medicine for the ill, if we need to use poisonous medicine to treat an illness, anyone who is not a skilled doctor with deep understanding of medicine and its application should not do it. The Buddha is also like this. For those who had formed. Great Vehicle aspirations, the Buddha first used Small Vehicle teachings to transform them and help them grow. Then, He opened up the provisional to reveal the true by eliminating their conjured city and helping them return to the One Vehicle. Regarding the Buddha’s original intent, if He did not always have the skillful wisdom of the supreme and true secret, how could He achieve this wondrous application of the True, Great Dharma?

When someone is ill, we must prescribe medicine according to the illness. Thus, the Sutra of Infinite Meanings says that we must “discern the forms of diseases” before we can know the principles of medicine. Only then can we prescribe the right medicine according to the illness. Some medicine includes toxic substances to fight illness. Some illnesses require this kind of medicine, but these toxic kinds of medicine must be used to treat these illnesses only. It is the same in Western and Chinese medicine. So, when we are ill, we have to see a doctor to get the appropriate medicine. Furthermore, the dosage must be just right.

Similarly, the Buddha taught and transformed sentient beings according to their capabilities. Sentient beings have illnesses of the mind, so the Buddha had to prescribe spiritual medicine. Thus, He prescribed medicine according to capabilities. The principle is the same. So, “Anyone who is not a skilled doctor with deep understanding of medicine and its application should not do it.” If they cannot understand medical principles well, then there is no way they can be a doctor. They cannot be doctors. Doctors must understand the principles of medicine. We now distinguish between pharmacists and doctors, but back then, Chinese doctors had to memorize prescriptions and types of medicines, know the medicinal [effects of plants] etc., to be able to see patients and prescribe medicine. [It is the same] with us sentient beings. For the Buddha to transform sentient beings, He faced many difficulties.

So, “The Buddha is also like this. For those who had once formed. Great Vehicle aspirations, the Buddha first used Small Vehicle teachings to transform them and help them grow. Then He opened up the provisional to reveal the true.” The Buddha had always had. Great Vehicle aspirations; every Buddha has Great Vehicle aspirations, but when They come to this world, They must use the Small Vehicle Dharma to teach sentient beings. This is similar to preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, master’s and doctoral programs and so on. [The teachers] must teach according to their students’ capabilities.

Only after their limited capabilities had gradually grown, only after they had matured, did He begin to open up the provisional and reveal the true. He then abandoned the skillful means of the past; He now taught the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. He wanted to do away with the conjured city. In the Chapter on the Conjured City, because sentient beings were tired, [He said,]. “Fine, I will let you rest a bit, but do not turn back. That path is filled with evil and dangers.” They still needed to advance; after the conjured city was eliminated, they had to advance to return to the One Vehicle Dharma.

“Regarding the Buddha’s original intent, if He did not always have the skillful wisdom of the supreme and true secret, how could He achieve this wondrous application of the True Great Dharma?” This is what [the Buddha] is like. If He did not have a mind that encompassed the universe, a mind that contained the True Dharma of the universe, if not for this, then how would He have been able to manifest the true and secret Dharma? He always held these true principles [in His mind]. Ignorant sentient beings have limited capacities, so He had to exercise His wisdom. Thus, if not for the Buddha’s great wisdom in using provisional teachings, how could sentient beings’ illnesses be cured? So, “How could He achieve this wondrous application of the True Great Dharma?” This was the Buddha’s great wisdom. He encompassed the universe and the One Vehicle of all teachings in His mind; He used all kind of methods to guide us and now He revealed this Dharma, the Great Dharma.

To sum it up, “All Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, protect it.” This Great Dharma is what all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, protect. So, “The sutra states that [this is] the path walked by all Buddhas.” All the sutras are the footprints left by the Buddha. They are “what all Tathagatas protect.”

All Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, protect it: The sutra states that the path walked by all Buddhas is protected by all Tathagatas.

These teachings are in their totality protected by all Tathagatas.

So, “From the past until now, it has never been openly taught.” In the past, He never taught it.

From the past until now, it has never been openly taught: Ever since He attained Buddhahood in the past, He never openly taught it because of people’s limited capabilities. So He used skillful means to teach it secretly. This is what is stated in the sutra: Sentient beings hear it, and their minds give rise to doubt.

This means that for more than 40 years, it had not been taught. “Ever since He attained Buddhahood in the past, because of people’s limited capabilities,” because of sentient beings’ inferior capabilities, “It has never been openly taught.” He never taught it before, but He “used skillful means to teach it.” This means He used all kinds of skillful means to teach everyone. This is what the sutra states. “Sentient beings hear it, and their minds give rise to doubt.”

At this time, we must be mindful, otherwise, it will be as the Buddha described; in the past, “It [could] not be taught.” Because our capabilities have not yet matured, “The wondrous Dharma is hard to believe, [but] people with profound wisdom can be taught.”

It cannot be taught: The wondrous Dharma is hard to believe. People with profound wisdom can be taught, but people with no wisdom do not believe it. They slander it, committing transgressions. So, it cannot be taught carelessly.

Now, He was gradually bestowing predictions in the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions and so on. People with sufficient capabilities and profound wisdom began to receive predictions. Those without wisdom still did not have faith. What do such non-believers do? They slander it. “They slander it, committing transgressions.” They commit the transgression of slander, “so it cannot be taught carelessly.” He worried that it would cause people to slander and give rise to discursive thoughts. If we tell them [these things], they will slander us in return. So, because of this, the Buddha was very careful. In teaching this sutra, He was truly very careful. Even now, we are still earnestly reminded of this. So, we must always be mindful!