Author: Scott Ogata

Episode 885 – Hearing Buddha’s Voice throughout the Three Realms

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>> All sentient beings in the Six Realms are compassionately transformed by the Buddha. He urges beings in the Three Good Realms to listen to the Dharma and attain its benefits. After the Tathagata attained enlightenment, His voice could be heard throughout the Three Realms. His virtue summons from afar great beings of the ten directions according to their conditions.

>> “In this life and future lives, I am the knower of truth. I am the one with all understanding, the one with all views, the one who knows the Path, the one who opens up the Path and the one who teaches the Path.”      [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “You heavenly beings, humans and asuras should all come to this place to listen to the Dharma. At that time, countless trillions of sentient beings came to where the Buddha was and listened to the Dharma.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> These sentient beings came because they resonated with the Buddha’s teachings. The feelings that sentient beings had and the Tathagata’s response influenced and affected each other. Heavenly beings and humans arrived at this place according to conditions. Bodhisattvas came from other places no matter the distance.

>> You heavenly beings, humans and asuras: All sentient beings in the Six Realms are those compassionately transformed by the Buddha. He urges beings in the Three Good Realms to come and listen, to hear the Dharma and attain its benefits. The Buddha’s voice of attaining enlightenment is heard throughout the Three Realms.

>> [You] should all come to this place to to listen to the Dharma: These asuras, along with humans and heavenly beings, listened to the teachings diligently without becoming lax. They were able to constantly remember and uphold all the Dharma that they heard and not forget or lose the teachings they practiced.

>> The perfect, immediate teachings of the One Vehicle are wondrously subtle and extremely profound, difficult to understand and enter. For those without sharp capabilities and wisdom, their ears may become deluded and their hearts shocked when they hear it. They cannot faithfully accept the Right Dharma but instead may give rise to doubt and slander.

>> This is like what happened in the Lotus Assembly, when 5000 people left. Though His Brahma-tones filled their ears, they still took their leave and departed. Thus the sutra says: Throughout incalculable, innumerable kalpas, it is also rare that one may hear this Dharma. This is an analogy for the difficulty of hearing the Dharma.

>> At that time, countless trillions of sentient beings came to where the Buddha was and listened to the Dharma: With this, the Buddha expressed that humans, heavenly beings and others, countless trillions of sentient beings, all came to where the Buddha was to listen to the Dharma.

>> These sentient beings came because they resonated with the Buddha’s teachings. Bodhisattvas came from other worlds, no matter the distance. Heavenly beings and humans arrived at this place according to conditions, like a gathering of wind and clouds.

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“All sentient beings in the Six Realms are compassionately transformed by the Buddha.
He urges beings in the Three Good Realms to listen to the Dharma and attain its benefits.
After the Tathagata attained enlightenment, His voice could be heard throughout the Three Realms.
His virtue summons from afar great beings of the ten directions according to their conditions.”

All sentient beings in the Six Realms are beings that the Buddha, in His compassion, wants to save, teach and transform. The Buddha loves sentient beings dearly. Whether they are in heaven, the realm of greatest enjoyment, or in the hell, hungry ghost, or animal realm, the places with the most suffering, the Buddha has the same thought; He hopes that sentient beings can hear the Dharma, that their minds can comprehend the principles and that they accept the Dharma’s transformation.

Of the Six Realms, hell has the worst suffering. The suffering is unbearable; in Avici Hell, the suffering is continuous and unremitting. Therefore, the opportunity to hear the Dharma is very minute and very rare. Do those in the animal realm have a way to listen to the Dharma? We are unable to understand them, either. As for the hungry ghost realm, there is also much suffering there! Every day, they burn with the fire of hunger. In this kind of cruel world, it is difficult to listen to the Dharma. So the Buddha focused on the Three Good Realms, thinking of every way to transform those in the Three Good Realms.

Although those in heaven live in luxury, they have kind thoughts and still have the opportunity to come to the human realm to listen to the Dharma. There are also wealthy people in this world are willing to listen to the Dharma. After listening to and taking the Dharma to heart, they are willing to go among the people to create blessings. This is like heavenly beings who hear the Dharma.

There are also asuras, who have heavenly blessings but lack heavenly virtue. They too are among those who can be transformed. So, asuras are also included as part of the Three Good Realms. “He urges beings in the Three Good Realms to listen to the Dharma and attain its benefits.” We listen to the Dharma to attain its benefits. This is the mindfulness of the Buddha as He repeatedly returns to this world.

“After the Tathagata attained enlightenment, His voice could be heard throughout the Three Realms.” When the Buddha interacts with sentient beings in the Three Realms, He is able to transmit His voice throughout the Three Realms. The Three Realms here can be an analogy for the Three Good Realms, the heaven, human and asura realms. Each has different ways of spiritual practice. The Buddha uses different methods according to their capabilities to teach them. For those willing to engage in spiritual practice, He created the Three Vehicles, the Small, Middle and Great Vehicles, so people everywhere could accept what they hear, take the teachings to heart and put them into practice.

Although it is in this world that He teaches the Dharma to beings of the Three Good Realms, it was not only us in this Saha World [listening]. In fact, the Buddha’s virtue also summoned great beings from the ten directions. Great beings refers to Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas from the ten directions came when the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra. Together, they followed their conditions to come assist at the Dharma-assembly. In the Introductory Chapter, we already read about this.

In fact, sentient beings suffer in the Six Realms. We suffer so much; this is because our ignorance covers us. We need the Buddha-Dharma to transform, as in this story of causes and conditions, this story of karmic causes and conditions that has been passed down.

In China, in the town of Hankou, there was a man whose family name was Chen. He opened a butcher shop in the town. There was a dog who was famished. When the dog smelled the scent of meat, he went inside the butcher shop. As Mr. Chen was carving the cured meat, the dog kept coming closer to him. Accidentally, with a wave of his knife he severely injured this dog’s head. The dog stumbled and fell into the gutter outside and died where he fell.

Three years passed. One day, when Mr. Chen was coming home, he saw that outside of his store, near the gutter, was an old man sitting down . He asked him, “Are you here to buy meat?” This old man had a very sorrowful face, then suddenly, he disappeared. Mr. Chen thought, “That was very strange.” He was very frightened. When he went into his room at home, just as he was about to lay down, that old man seemed to come into the room and said, “Do you remember three years ago? Your knife slashed me. I was severely injured. I fell into the gutter and died.”

“Not long ago, there was a great rainfall which washed my carcass away to a great river. I was finally able to see the light. I hope that with all the misfortune that I have faced and the affinities that you and I share, you can use the words of your mouth to tell others of my suffering from falling into the animal realm. In the past I had heard the Buddha-Dharma, but it was too late for me to do good deeds. But since I have heard the teachings, I do not want to continue a cycle of revenge. I know you did not intend for this to happen. I only hope that my karmic conditions can be explained to others so they know and can understand the law of karma.” After saying this, the old man vanished.

Mr. Chen thought to himself, “Indeed. Three years ago that event did happen. I did not intend for it to happen, but now I must repent. To repent, the one thing I must do is to quickly tell everyone how the law of karma is a frightening thing, and how this dog turned into an old man to tell me of his suffering. This is karma.”

So [in learning] the Buddha-Dharma, we must be very mindful. In this evil world of Five Turbidities, only the Buddha-Dharma, like water, can cleanse our minds’ afflictions and ignorance.

The previous sutra passage says, “In this life and future lives, I am the knower of truth. I am the one with all understanding, the one with all views, the one who knows the Path, the one who opens up the Path and the one who teaches the Path.”

This is how the Buddha continued after talking about the ten epithets and ten virtues. He wished to further emphasize. “I am the one with all understanding, the one with all views.” Among all the things in the world, He always “knows the Path” and can open up the Path.” Because of this, He expounds the teachings for us. He opens up the road for us and tells us the direction of this path to ensure we do not go astray. Thus, He is called the one who knows, opens up and teaches the Path.

The following sutra passage says, “You heavenly beings, humans and asuras should all come to this place to listen to the Dharma’. At that time, countless trillions of sentient beings came to where the Buddha was and listened to the Dharma.”

This was the Buddha giving a reminder. Whether they live in heaven in enjoyment, are humans in this world or have heavenly blessings but no heavenly virtues, all should come. In summary, the Buddha called for even more people to come and listen to the Dharma. This was at the Vulture Peak Assembly.

At that time, “Countless trillions of sentient beings came to where the Buddha was and listened to the Dharma.” This is talking about the heaven realm. In this world where the Five Destinies coexist, there are those in the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, as well as Dharma-protectors and those from other worlds. They all gathered together.

These sentient beings came because they resonated with the Buddha’s teachings. The feelings that sentient beings had and the Tathagata’s response influenced and affected each other. Heavenly beings and humans arrived at this place according to conditions. Bodhisattvas came from other places no matter the distance.

“These sentient beings came” describes how throughout the ten Dharma-realms, sentient beings came “because they connected and resonated with the Path.” So, “The sentient beings connected, and the Tathagata resonated.” Sentient beings felt the Buddha’s call and came in response to the Buddha’s virtues. These “influenced and affected each other.” Bodhisattvas from other worlds came as well. Thus, they “influenced and affected each other.”

“Heavenly beings and humans arrived at this place according to conditions. Bodhisattvas came from other worlds, no matter the distance.” Not worried about the distance, Bodhisattvas from other worlds came as well. Now all gathered at the Vulture Peak Assembly. Thus, the Buddha said, “You heavenly beings, humans and asuras….” This refers to all beings in the Six Realms. The Buddha had great loving-kindness and compassion for all who were within the scope of His teaching

You heavenly beings, humans and asuras: All sentient beings in the Six Realms are those compassionately transformed by the Buddha. He urges beings in the Three Good Realms to come and listen, to hear the Dharma and attain its benefits. The Buddha’s voice of attaining enlightenment is heard throughout the Three Realms.

As the Buddha was in our world, those He faced and had to mindfully persuade were those in the Three Good Realms. It is easier for those in the Three Good Realms to accept the Buddha’s teachings. Having these causes and conditions, they should immediately come and listen. So it says “hear the Dharma and attain its benefits.” By listening to the Dharma, we gain benefit.

“The Buddha’s voice of attaining enlightenment” means that if we want to attain the principles and enter the direct Bodhi-path, we must rely on this voice. This voice refers to when the Buddha “with a single voice perfectly proclaims.” His voice is heard “throughout the Three Realms.” Within the Three Realms, the Buddha’s voice [can be heard]; whether sentient beings in the Six Realms or the Three Good Realms, heavenly beings, humans or asuras, the Buddha’s voice can enter their minds so they receive His teaching and put it into practice. This is how they gain benefit.

[You] should all come to this place to to listen to the Dharma: These asuras, along with humans and heavenly beings, listened to the teachings diligently without becoming lax. They were able to constantly remember and uphold all the Dharma that they heard and not forget or lose the teachings they practiced.

The sutra goes on to say, “[You] should all come to this place to listen to the Dharma”. At the Vulture Peak Assembly, not only did heavenly beings and humans come, but Bodhisattvas from other places came. It was the same with asuras. People and heavenly beings had come. They “listened to the teachings diligently without becoming lax. They were able to constantly remember and uphold all the Dharma that they heard.” Taking in the Dharma, they could faithfully accept and uphold it and “not forget or lose the teachings they practiced.” As long as they could come before the Buddha, earnestly listen to the Dharma and take it to heart, their habitual tendencies could change. Thus, the Buddha-Dharma is like water that cleanses sentient beings of their defilements. We should believe this because the Buddha is replete in the ten virtues. He is the one who knows the Path, sees the Path, opens up the Path and teaches the Path. So, “The perfect and immediate teachings of the One Vehicle are wondrously subtle and extremely profound”

The perfect, immediate teachings of the One Vehicle are wondrously subtle and extremely profound, difficult to understand and enter. For those without sharp capabilities and wisdom, their ears may become deluded and their hearts shocked when they hear it. They cannot faithfully accept the Right Dharma but instead may give rise to doubt and slander.

The Great Vehicle Dharma of the Buddha is the path that leads to Buddhahood. This is a very complete and perfect path. He had spent more than 40 years teaching up to this point; now He opened up the provisional to reveal the true. This is the perfect and immediate teaching of the One Vehicle. Once we hear it, we can immediately understand. This is truly wondrous. So, “difficult to understand and enter” means these kinds of wondrous teachings are actually very hard to understand and enter. “For those without sharp capabilities and wisdom, their ears may become deluded and their hearts shocked when they hear it. They cannot faithfully accept the Right Dharma.” If they are those who lack wisdom, they may listen and on hearing it feel very confused, “Is this possible? Can I too really attain Buddhahood? Is there truly a karmic law of cause and effect? Is this possible?” They doubt many things. When there is doubt and on top of that arrogance, in situations like this, when people listen to the Dharma, “Their ears may become deluded.” How would people with limited capabilities be able to accept the teachings? They cannot accept the Right Dharma “but instead may give rise to doubt and slander.”

This world is like this. Why did the Buddha have to [work so hard] in expounding the Dharma for more than 40 years? At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, when the Buddha was about to expound the Dharma, at that time, 5000 people left the assembly

This is like what happened in the Lotus Assembly, when 5000 people left. Though His Brahma-tones filled their ears, they still took their leave and departed. Thus the sutra says: “Throughout incalculable, innumerable kalpas, it is also rare that one may hear this Dharma.” This is an analogy for the difficulty of hearing the Dharma.

Think about it. The sentient beings in this world are so stubborn and hard to train. The Dharma appeared before them, yet “Their ears became deluded,” and good advice sounded unpleasant to them. They did not accept the true great path. They did not listen and left the assembly. Although “His Brahma-tones filled their ears,” though they heard the Buddha’s wondrous voice, which made everyone who heard it happy, those 5000 people still left the assembly. Thus, in the sutra there is a passage that states, “Throughout incalculable, innumerable kalpas, it is also rare that one may hear this Dharma.” To hear this truly perfect, immediate and wondrous Dharma is not easy. This is an analogy for the difficulty in hearing the Dharma.

Next it says, “At that time, countless trillions of sentient beings came to where the Buddha was and listened to the Dharma”

At that time, countless trillions of sentient beings came to where the Buddha was and listened to the Dharma: With this, the Buddha expressed that humans, heavenly beings and others, countless trillions of sentient beings, all came to where the Buddha was to listen to the Dharma.

At the time of the Lotus Dharma-assembly, countless trillions of sentient beings, had all come there. So, “These sentient beings came because they resonated with the Buddha’s teachings.” Sentient beings from the Ten Dharma-realms had all gathered at the Vulture Peak Assembly in response to the Buddha’s virtues and according to their capabilities. “Bodhisattvas came from other worlds, no matter the distance.” They had even come from very distant places. With these causes and conditions, they came in response to the Buddha’s virtues, influencing and affecting each other. Even humans and heavenly beings had arrived in accord with their conditions. In the Saha World, all had gathered according to these causes and conditions. This is like a gathering of winds and clouds, that kind of state. When clouds gather in the sky, they display a myriad of changes and form countless different shapes. This also describes the illusiveness of the Ten Dharma-realms. While our eyes cannot see them, the principles are still there

These sentient beings came because they resonated with the Buddha’s teachings. Bodhisattvas came from other worlds, no matter the distance. Heavenly beings and humans arrived at this place according to conditions, like a gathering of wind and clouds.

Therefore, we must be mindful. In learning the Dharma, [we know] all Six Realms are places where the Buddha intends to go to transform and teach. So, when we learn and listen to the Dharma, we must always be mindful.

Episode 884 – Understanding the Threefold Karma

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>> Comprehend, so that your Threefold Karma is guided by wisdom. Know the Path; protect the karma of mind against Leaks. Open up the Path; protect the karma of body against defilement. Teach the Path; protect the karma of speech against error.

>> “I enable those not yet delivered to be delivered. I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated. I enable those not yet at peace to be at peace. I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> ” In this life and future lives, I am the knower of truth. I am the one with all understanding, the one with all views, the one who knows the Path, the one who opens the Path and the one who teaches the Path.”       [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> In this life and future lives, I am the knower of truth: In this life and future lives, with the Three Understandings, He has knowledge of the truth. Knowing past lives gives understanding of the past. The heavenly eye gives understanding of the future. Ending Leaks gives understanding of the present. These are also called the Three Insights.

>> With the truth of each, He knows their causes and effects. In this life and future lives, He understands the truth. This is the wisdom of the Buddha’s Three Insights. In the state of clear, verifiable wisdom, all are revealed clearly.

>> I am the one who understands all, the one who sees all: Through mind-consciousness, He understands. Through eye-consciousness, He sees. Through investigation, He views. Through awakening, He understands. With correct views, He comprehends completely, and He penetrates the source of the Dharma.

>> I am the one who understands all: This is the Buddha’s ultimate wisdom, which resonates with the true principles of all things. His relative wisdom is the conventional wisdom which comprehends all matters and appearances.

>> Ultimate wisdom refers to how all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas use their wisdom of truth to see through the principles of reality. It is wondrously profound, tranquil and still, neither increasing nor decreasing. This is called ultimate wisdom.

>> Relative wisdom: This is the wisdom that allows the Buddha to know all worldly and world-transcending Dharma and teach it according to relative capacities. Thus it is called relative wisdom and is also called acquired wisdom.

>> The one who knows the Path, the one who opens the Path and the one who teaches the Path: He knows well all paths and the phenomena which open or obstruct them. He is the one who knows the True Path, the one who can skillfully open and reveal it and the one who can, for all sentient beings, teach the supreme path.

>> The Path: This is the Middle Way of the Buddha, the truth of the supreme meaning. Only the true wisdom of the Buddha is capable of understanding and realizing this.

>> The afflictions of sentient beings can become obstacles to the Path. Only the Buddha can open up the path to our Dharma-nature, which is equal to His. Sentient beings’ capabilities all differ; only the Buddha can teach them through skillful means.

>> Then, We do not have bias toward emptiness, nor toward existence, nor toward neither emptiness nor existence, nor toward both emptiness and existence. By not falling into either extreme, we are in perfect harmony without obstacles. This is known as the Middle Way.

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“Comprehend, so that your Threefold Karma is guided by wisdom.
Know the Path; protect the karma of mind against Leaks.
Open up the Path; protect the karma of body against defilement. Teach the Path; protect the karma of speech against error.”

To learn the Buddha’s Way, we must comprehend the great path. To comprehend the great path, we must always protect our Threefold Karma. The Threefold Karma refers to the karma of speech, the karma of body and the karma of mind. Whenever we open our mouths to speak, we must be very cautious. If there is a bit of impropriety in our words, whether we slander [others] intentionally or unintentionally make mistakes in our speech, our virtue will be damaged. Not only will we lose virtue in this lifetime, we will also have to face many karmic retributions in future lifetimes. So, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must be very vigilant of our Threefold Karma. To safeguard our minds, we must not give rise to discursive thoughts; then naturally our conduct will not deviate, and we will not easily create karma with our words. All in all, our Threefold Karma must be guided by wisdom.

Starting with our minds, we must go deeper and give rise to wisdom; then all we create through our Threefold Karma will bring blessings for the world. With our karma of speech, all that we speak will be true principles, which purify people’s minds. With our karma of body, all our actions will be good deeds, which will benefit others. Therefore, we must comprehend [the Path] and let our Threefold Karma be guided by wisdom.

“Know the Path.” We should know “the Path.” Since we have come to the world to engage in spiritual practice and learn the Dharma, we should understand how to walk the Path and how to completely understand the principles. We must first “protect the karma of mind against Leaks.” We must eliminate all our Leaks, our afflictions, and never let afflictions and ignorance intrude into our minds again. Only when the mind is very clear, when all the principles are understood, is it possible for our wisdom to develop.

Since we “know the Path,” we need to “open up the Path” even more. To be someone who opens up the path, we must protect the karma of body from defilements. We really need to safeguard our own actions and practice a path of goodness.

In our daily living, our every action creates good or bad karma. Do we really want to save people, to help people? Or do we want to indulge in a world of sensual pleasures? Or, do we go out and perpetrate all kinds of evil? This is the karma of the body. We must protect the karma of body against defilement; then we can guide others along this Path. If there are roadblocks, we must guide others to clear away the roadblocks, so everyone can have a smooth road to walk on. This is being one who opens up the Path.

We should also become teachers of the Path by guiding others and teaching it to others. When we teach it to others, we must be very careful to safeguard our karma of speech against error.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, there was a very young child, and when he started to speak, he would always say things like, “Samsara is immense suffering.” Because of this, the name that everyone called him was “Suffering of Samsara.” From a young age, he only spoke kind words. When he met someone, he would teach them about the immense suffering of karma and cyclic existence. One day, he and his friends were walking in the countryside where the Buddha was teaching to an assembly. Quietly, at a spot far off from the Buddha, he paid respects to the Buddha and then sat down and listened to the teachings. The Buddha saw him from afar as the young man drew near and sat down among the audience. The Buddha then changed the topic and started to teach the Four Noble Truths. When Suffering of Samsara [heard this], his joy was such that it seemed as if he found the path he had been seeking all his life. He was able to untie the knots in his heart. When he returned home, he implored his parents to let him follow the Buddha to become a monastic.

Suffering of Samsara thus joined the Buddha’s Sangha and was received by the Buddha as a bhiksu in the Sangha. There, he felt greatly at ease, and his mood was very peaceful every day. He diligently listened to the Dharma; his mind was tranquil and still, and he was inspired by the Buddha’s every teaching. Thus, he attained the fruit of Arhatship. His fellow practitioners saw that he was so peaceful and diligent, and with every word he seemed to “know the Path.” So, someone asked the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, this bhiksu, Suffering of Samsara, just what were his causes and conditions that he can learn the Buddha’s Way so easily and completely understand all Dharma so quickly?”

The Buddha then began to explain to everyone. In the past, during this Bhadra kalpa, in the time of Kasyapa Buddha, there was a young novice. This young novice was very clever. One day when he looked outside, there was a bustling temple fair taking place, so he quickly went inside and told his master, “Master, it’s very lively outside today. Let’s quickly go beg for alms. We’ll definitely return with full alms bowls.” His master told him, “It’s still early; you must earnestly still your mind. Go sit and meditate.” But while this novice was sitting, although his body was sitting inside, his mind was still outside. So, he said to his master again, “Master, shouldn’t we go out earlier?” The master told him again, “It’s still early; sit quietly.” But his mind was still outside. The third time, the master replied in the same way, and the novice started feeling angry. The fires of anger rose in him and he blurted out, “You’re really stubborn! May you die early!” With that he stood up, and taking his alms bowl, he went out.

Just like that he left. However, as he walked, he reflected, “I didn’t respect my teacher nor honor the Path. I was wrong. I must go back right away to prostrate in front of my master and express my repentance.” Because of this mistake, for 500 lifetimes, he transmigrated in the hell realm.

The Buddha explained how Suffering of Samsara was that novice back then. Although when he had made that mistake, he quickly repented, he had already created karma and had to suffer the retributions. Nevertheless, his blessed karma and his roots of wisdom remained intact, enabling him in this lifetime to be born into a wealthy family, where he safeguarded his karma of speech and often encouraged others to do good deeds. These were the causes and conditions that enabled him to accept the Dharma, become a monastic and attain the fruit of Arhatship.

So, we can understand that everything we say truly creates karma. We must comprehend this in regards to our Threefold Karma. Our Threefold Karma must be carefully protected. Then we will better understand what comes next.

The previous sutra passage states, “I enable those not yet delivered to be delivered. I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated. I enable those not yet at peace to be at peace. I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana.”

Next, the sutra continues, “In this life and future lives, I am the knower of truth. I am the one with all understanding, the one with all views, the one who knows the Path, the one who opens up the Path and the one who teaches the Path.”

The Buddha again expressed Himself to let everybody know, “In this life and future lives, with the Three Understandings, [I have] knowledge of the truth.”

In this life and future lives, I am the knower of truth: In this life and future lives, with the Three Understandings, He has knowledge of the truth. Knowing past lives gives understanding of the past. The heavenly eye gives understanding of the future. Ending Leaks gives understanding of the present. These are also called the Three Insights.

The Three Understandings or Insights mean thorough and unobstructed understanding. They are a very clear and complete understanding. There are three of these [insights]. There is “insight into previous lives, insight of the heavenly eye” and “insight of ending all Leaks.” The Three Insights are insight into previous lives, which gives thorough understanding of the past, insight of the heavenly eye, which gives thorough understanding of the future, and insight of ending all Leaks, which gives thorough understanding of the present

With the truth of each, He knows their causes and effects. In this life and future lives, He understands the truth. This is the wisdom of the Buddha’s Three Insights. In the state of clear, verifiable wisdom, all are revealed clearly.

Since the Buddha understood the past and completely understood the present, He, of course, thoroughly understood the future as well. His understanding was complete and unobstructed. This was why the Buddha said, “In this life and future lives, I am the knower of truth.” He said this so all would have faith. With regard to all that He had understood about the past, present and future and all the principles He wanted to teach us, He hoped we could have deep faith and understanding. So it says, “With the truth of each….” The Three Understandings are real comprehension.

We need to know the causes and effects, since everything follows the law of karma. Whether in the past, present or future, we need to thoroughly comprehend this. Thus, “He clearly verifies this state of wisdom so that all is revealed clearly.” First, we need to understand the law of karma. So, this was the Buddha’s wisdom of the Three Understandings, His knowledge of the past, present and future. He also very clearly verified for us this state of wisdom.

Next it states, “I am the one with all understanding, the one with all views.”

I am the one who understands all, the one who sees all: Through mind-consciousness, He understands. Through eye-consciousness, He sees. Through investigation, He views. Through awakening, He understands. With correct views, He comprehends completely, and He penetrates the source of the Dharma.

The Buddha again verified that. His mind-consciousness understood all. “The eye-consciousness is views.” So, He is “the one with all understanding, the one with all views.” This was because He saw all things with His eyes, and anything He saw with His eyes, He comprehended with His mind. Thus, He used His eyes to investigate and understand the principles. “Awakening is understanding. With correct views, He comprehends completely, and He penetrates the source of the Dharma.” So, this is not only [talking about] our physical eyes, but about our perspective. What the eyes come in contact with externally, the mind-consciousness realizes internally; this is our perspective. The Buddha could understand a thing just by looking at it. This was why the Buddha was the one with all understanding and the one with all views. For all things, He penetrated the source of the Dharma. This was the Buddha’s understanding and views.

I am the one who understands all: This is the Buddha’s ultimate wisdom, which resonates with the true principles of all things. His relative wisdom is the conventional wisdom which comprehends all matters and appearances.

So, “the one with all understanding” means the Buddha had “ultimate wisdom.” Since the Buddha was replete with ultimate wisdom, “His wisdom resonated with the true principles of all things.” What about “His relative wisdom”? This is “the conventional wisdom which comprehends all matters and appearances”

“Ultimate wisdom refers to how all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas use their wisdom of truth to see through the principles of reality. It is wondrously profound, tranquil and still, neither increasing nor decreasing.” This is called “ultimate wisdom.”

In this state, the wisdom-life of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is already pure and undefiled. So, when it comes to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, all things neither increase nor decrease, for they are not concerned with loss or gain. Because their spiritual state is tranquil, the true principles of all things in the world are integrated into their ocean of enlightenment. This is “ultimate wisdom.”

Relative wisdom: This is the wisdom that allows the Buddha to know all worldly and world-transcending Dharma and teach it according to relative capacities. Thus it is called relative wisdom and is also called acquired wisdom.

What about “relative wisdom”? This refers to the principles of the mundane world. As for the afflictions of ordinary people, the Buddha needed to comprehend them one by one. The Buddha, in His wisdom, thoroughly understood the ignorant mindsets of myriad sentient beings. This was the Buddha’s “relative wisdom.” He could gauge sentient beings’ capabilities. He knew what kind of Dharma they needed and sought. The Buddha had to truly understand this. This was His “relative wisdom” ․Relative wisdom: This is the wisdom that allows the Buddha to know all worldly and world-transcending Dharma and teach it according to relative capacities. Thus it is called relative wisdom and is also called acquired wisdom. This wisdom enables knowledge of all Dharma, whether worldly or world-transcending, and the Buddha was replete with it. So, He repeatedly returns to the world, “teaching it according to relative capacities.” This was His “relative wisdom,” also called “acquired wisdom.”

Next, it states, “the one who knows the Path, the one who opens up the Path and the one who teaches the Path.”

The one who knows the Path, the one who opens the Path and the one who teaches the Path: He knows well all paths and the phenomena which open or obstruct them. He is the one who knows the True Path, the one who can skillfully open and reveal it and the one who can, for all sentient beings, teach the supreme path.

This means that. “He knows well all the phenomena which open up or obstruct the path.” He is the one who knows the true path, who can skillfully open and reveal it, who can teach sentient beings the supreme path.

This world is the evil world of Five Turbidities, and there are many obstructions. The Buddha is the one who can open and reveal for us how to take action. He is “the one who can, for all sentient beings, teach the supreme path.” This explains that the Buddha is “the one who knows the Path, the one who opens up the Path and the one who teaches the Path.”

This Path, this road, is the Buddha’s Middle Way, the truth of the supreme meaning. It does not deviate toward one side or the other, but goes straight down the middle. Clinging neither to existence nor to emptiness, it is found in true emptiness and wondrous existence

The Path: This is the Middle Way of the Buddha, the truth of the supreme meaning. Only the true wisdom of the Buddha is capable of understanding and realizing this.

If we engage in practice and grasp the principles, then feel that the law of karma is frightening and that cyclic existence is immense suffering so we do not dare to return anymore, this is attachment to “existence.” With the existence of the law of karma, we no longer wish to form affinities with other sentient beings. If we are attached to “emptiness,” we strive to enter Nirvana; worldly matters no longer matter to us. The Buddha practiced the Middle Way. Everything is empty, indeed; all is illusory. However, suffering exists in the world. If we do not quickly go among people to earnestly help them understand the law of karma, if there is no one to teach the Path, then sentient beings will be lost and confused, and there will be much suffering. So, the Buddha wanted to again encourage people. Truly repaying the Buddha’s grace means going among people. This is called the supreme meaning; this is the Middle Way.

The afflictions of sentient beings can become obstacles to the Path. Only the Buddha can open up the path to our Dharma-nature, which is equal to His. Sentient beings’ capabilities all differ; only the Buddha can teach them through skillful means.

As we learn the Buddha’s Way, aren’t we learning to be just like Him? “The afflictions of sentient beings can become obstacles to the Path.” The Buddha understood all without obstruction. He had the Three Understandings, but we ordinary people do not have these insights. The afflictions of ordinary sentient beings obstruct so many paths for us. So, only the Buddha could open up the path to our Dharma-nature, which is equal to His. He could open up the path for us and help us understand that we all inherently have Dharma-nature. All of us are equal to the Buddha. This principle is the same for all. It is just that as sentient beings our capabilities are not the same; we are all different. Thus, “Only the Buddha can teach us through skillful means”

Then, “We do not have bias toward emptiness, nor toward existence, nor toward neither emptiness nor existence, nor toward both emptiness and existence. By not falling into either extreme, we are in perfect harmony without obstacles. This is known as the Middle Way.”

This was the way the Buddha taught the Dharma when He came to this world. The Buddha taught “emptiness,” and He spoke of “existence.” It is in between emptiness and existence that the Buddha’s true path lies.

Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners we really need to be well-grounded and put effort into being mindful. “Know the Path; protect the karma of mind against Leaks. Open the Path; protect the karma of body against defilement. Teach the Path; protect the karma of speech against error.” Thus, our “Threefold Karma is guided by wisdom.” So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 883 – The Four Great Vows Leading to Nirvana

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>> After the Four Noble Truths were taught thrice, we began to understand suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. We make the great vows to realize our compassion and connect with those who suffer to bring them joy. Because we witness the truth of suffering and pain, we make the great vows to deliver countless suffering beings so they can attain enlightenment.

>> “He calls out these words, ‘I am the Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans, Buddha, the World-Honored One.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “I enable those not yet delivered to be delivered. I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated. I enable those not yet at peace to be at peace. I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> This is the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, understanding suffering, eliminating its cause, practicing the Path and realizing cessation. Thus, we must make the Four Great Vows. To deliver sentient beings, understanding and views cannot be in error. Great vows fundamentally arise out of compassion, and through compassion we connect with those who suffer and bring them joy. The practice of great vows starts with accepting the Four Noble Truths.

>>If we witness the truth of suffering, seeing people oppressed and in misery, living in pain and bitterness, from this connection we are inspired to make vows. Thus it says, “I enable those not yet delivered to be delivered”; this is the vow to deliver countless sentient beings. Deliver means to liberate from suffering and affliction.

>>I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated: If we witness the truth of causation, seeing people who are confused and stuck in cyclic existence, who are bound by delusion and [lost in] in endless samsara, we feel deep pity for them. From this connection we are inspired to make vows. Thus it says, I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated; this is the vow to eliminate endless afflictions. Liberation: Eliminating evil and cultivating good.

>> I enable those not yet at peace to be at peace. This is the path to purity, but sentient beings do not recognize it. Those who practice this path escape from samsara to a place of peace and joy and desire to demonstrate and safely establish this path for sentient beings.

>> I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana. The place where afflictions have been eliminated is called Nirvana; here, seed and fruit end their cycle.

>> Seeds give rise to fruits and fruits to seeds, thus resulting in our present retributions. After seeds give rise to fruits, we can end any subsequent retributions. Thus this is not a fruit giving rise to seeds.

>> Thus we attain two kinds of Nirvana. From this connection we are inspired to make vows. Thus it says, “I enable those who have not realized cessation to realize the truth of cessation and Nirvana”. This is the vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood. To be in Nirvana: This is attaining the Buddha’s Nirvana.

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“After the Four Noble Truths were taught thrice, we began to understand suffering, causation, cessation and the Path.
We make the great vows to realize our compassion and connect with those who suffer to bring them joy.
Because we witness the truth of suffering and pain, we make the great vows
to deliver countless suffering beings so they can attain enlightenment.”

Do we understand this? The Four Noble Truths were taught thrice. We have often talked about how, when the Buddha first attained perfect enlightenment, He observed conditions; thus the first time He taught the Dharma was to the five bhiksus in Deer Park. What He taught were the Four Noble Truths. Just to teach the Four Noble Truths of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, He had to repeat it for them three times before all five of them understood completely.

Suffering in life results from our accumulation of many karmic causes, conditions and retributions. Knowing this, how should we engage in spiritual practice in order to eliminate our suffering? We must practice the Path and put the teachings into action. In the human realm, there are many troubles and disturbances, and traps await us everywhere. These cause our minds to conctantly fluctuate and remain unsettled, as well as give rise to discursive thoughts. Spiritual practice is truly not an easy thing, so this is why we must make the great vows; the Four Great Vows are what we must cultivate.

Everyone knows the Four Great Vows. “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” We must form great aspirations and make great vows. We have experienced suffering, and we wish to transcend this suffering. We also want other people to realize the principles as well and engage in spiritual practice together with us. Then, they will be able to transcend suffering.

Where does our suffering come from? Its causation was the many afflictions accumulated. We need to help people recognize ignorance and afflictions and the karmic law of cause and effect. This is causation; we accumulate many karmic causes and many karmic conditions that become the karmic effects, so when we come to this world, we bring our karma. This is out of our control.

We brought our karma from past lives to this life, and with these karmic retributions we brought, we continue to create more karma in this life. Again, without any control, we bring all kinds of afflictions to the next life. Does this ever come to an end? How can we eliminate these causes, conditions, effects and retributions? We must “vow to deliver countless sentient beings vow to eliminate endless afflictions, vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors” and “vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” Yes, these are the Four Great Vows, and as we work to fulfill these Four Great Vows, we must continuously nurture our compassion to connect with suffering sentient beings. There are many suffering sentient beings, so we must go among the people and relieve sentient beings’ sufferings. This is called “connecting to those who suffer.” They face suffering, and we resolve it for them. We see many people who, after learning the Dharma, are able to comprehend, let go, see clearly and change their lives. They turn negative conditions into positive ones and turn those they hate into spiritual friends. Accomplishing this requires having great vows and then nurturing our compassion to connect with those who are suffering in order to help them find happiness.

“Because we witness the truth of suffering and pain, we make great vows.” When the truth of suffering manifests, when a state of suffering appears, we must understand its underlying principles. Only then do we understand the truth of suffering. Otherwise, all we feel is the unbearable pain of our afflictions. We will be trapped, entangled in our suffering and unable to escape from it. If we know the principles of suffering, we can naturally eliminate suffering and pain so that our minds will be still and settled.

Every day I tell everyone that our minds must be settled; they must be still. We must not let them be disturbed by other people. So, we must be even more earnest in making great vows and must not retreat from our will to practice. We should not allow certain circumstances to cause us to retreat. We must increase our [determination]. We should not forget our great vows. We must deliver countless sentient beings. We must not retreat and say, “I will just seek to awaken myself; the myriad of sentient beings and the turbulent world of temptations is so frightening.” This would be to retreat from our great aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva-path. If our aspirations were cut off, and we retreated, seeking only to awaken ourselves, that would be a shame. We must still make great vows; we still must deliver countless sentient beings.

The Buddha attained Buddhahood in His lifetime, yet throughout that process, over that period of 80 years, with the suffering He endured in His practice and the troubles He encountered, He had to undergo all kinds of difficulties. This is to say nothing of us ordinary people! The myriads of sentient beings are truly stubborn, and it is because sentient beings are stubborn and difficult to train that we must make great vows and transform them. We hope that the principles can reach the minds of sentient beings. This is the aspiration we must form.

In the previous sutra passage it says, “He calls out these words, ‘I am the Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans, Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

Yesterday we discussed the Buddha’s ten virtues and ten epithets. The Buddha said, “I am the Tathagata.” This is how He introduced the ten epithets. When He said “I,” He was not referring to Himself as a person, but to all of the principles, to the greater self, not the limited self. With these true principles, He journeyed on the Tathagata’s Dharma to come to this world and transform sentient beings. There is no Dharma that He does not know. There is no principle that He cannot see through. He is the Great Enlightened One. All Buddhas, the Enlightened Ones, are called “Tathagata.”

The next sutra passage says, “I enable those not yet delivered to be delivered. I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated. I enable those not yet at peace to be at peace. I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana.”

The Buddha comes to the world with this aspiration. We, as Buddhist practitioners, must also form this aspiration. We must make the Four Great Vows. Every Buddhist practitioner must put them into action in order to “enable those not yet delivered to be delivered.” The Buddha came to this world over numerous lifetimes to lay down the conditions needed to transform sentient beings. He went among people to create good affinities with sentient beings and accumulate the conditions to transform them.

“I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated.” For example, for the five bhiksus, He had to thrice teach the Four Noble Truths . Even with five people, the Buddha had to ask, “Do you all understand the principles of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path?” One of them said, “I understand. And what about you others?” The other four had listened, but they did not understand completely. “Let me teach you again! Now do you understand?” Two more people understood, but there were still two who did not. “Can you comprehend it? We do not understand in detail. That is alright; I will teach you again.” So, the Four Noble Truths were taught thrice.

Once they understood the law of karma thoroughly, they no longer wished to be covered by ignorance and afflictions. Thus, “I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana.” The Buddha hopes that all of us will not only recognize and understand, but will also engage in spiritual practice until all our ignorance and afflictions have truly been eliminated.

Eliminating the causation [of suffering] is not easy at all! Therefore, we must practice the Path mindfully. Suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, these are the Four Noble Truths.

This is the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, understanding suffering, eliminating its cause, practicing the Path and realizing cessation. Thus, we must make the Four Great Vows. To deliver sentient beings, understanding and views cannot be in error. Great vows fundamentally arise out of compassion, and through compassion we connect with those who suffer and bring them joy. The practice of great vows starts with accepting the Four Noble Truths.

And to put the Four Noble Truths into practice, we must make the Four Great Vows. We help sentient beings have “understanding and views not in error.” We can help everyone further understand where the causes and conditions of the troubles in the world come from. We help everyone to understand, to disentangle their confused minds and have the correct perspective. Of course, this means we must make the Four Great Vows.

“Great vows fundamentally arise out of compassion.” We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. This Buddha-nature of True Suchness means that we intrinsically have compassion. The Buddha’s heart is one of great compassion, and His compassion arises in response to the suffering of sentient beings. So, we must go among sentient beings to bring them joy and eliminate afflictions.

Thus, “The practice of great vows starts with accepting the Four Noble Truths.” When we want to make great vows, accepting the Four Noble Truths is where we begin. In our practice, if we do not face challenges, we will not understand the principles. I often say to everyone that only by witnessing suffering will we know our own blessings. When we witness the suffering of sentient beings, what more will we have to complain about? Others suffer more than we do. This is witnessing suffering and recognizing our own blessings. As we learn the Dharma, we must also go among people to transform sentient beings. As for the Four Noble Truths and the Four Great Vows, one is the starting point, the other is the effect. Thus our cause is [our understanding of] suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, and the effect is that we walk the Bodhisattva-path.

If we witness the truth of suffering, seeing people oppressed and in misery, living in pain and bitterness, from this connection we are inspired to make vows. Thus it says, “I enable those not yet delivered to be delivered”; this is the vow to deliver countless sentient beings. Deliver means to liberate from suffering and affliction.

“I enable those not yet delivered to be delivered. If we witness the truth of suffering, seeing people oppressed and in misery, living in pain and bitterness, from the connection we are inspired to make vows.” To “enable those not yet delivered from suffering to be delivered,” we must make great vows. “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings. Deliver” means to liberate them from suffering and affliction. The world is truly filled with suffering. We see poverty, hardship, illness and disability. Within one family, when several members have physical and mental illnesses, a household like this is like a small hell. It is such a shame! This is “seeing people oppressed and in misery, living in pain and bitterness,” and “from the connection we are inspired to make vows.” When many Tzu Chi volunteers visit poor families and see such conditions, from listening to the Dharma and seeing these environments, they all form great aspirations and make vows to connect with the world’s suffering. They understand they need to earnestly practice, and they remind themselves to be vigilant. To “enable those not yet delivered from suffering” is to “deliver boundless sentient beings.” When we first witness “suffering” and “causation,” we must make great vows. “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings. Deliver” means to liberate them from suffering and affliction. In this human life, afflictions arise when we give rise to discursive thoughts, so.

I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated: If we witness the truth of causation, seeing people who are confused and stuck in cyclic existence, who are bound by delusion and [lost in] in endless samsara, we feel deep pity for them. From this connection we are inspired to make vows. Thus it says, I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated; this is the vow to eliminate endless afflictions. Liberation: Eliminating evil and cultivating good.

“I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated”. The truth of causation is that because we are confused, we are stuck in cyclic existence. Lifetime after lifetime we continue to replicate our ignorance and keep reproducing negative causes and effects. The chain of causes and effects continues, so we continue to suffer. Our ignorance grows thicker, and our delusions grow greater. Life after life we are like this, “[bound and lost in] endless samsara.” This is very pitiful and miserable. Thus, “From this connection we are inspired to make vows.”

So, “I enable those not yet liberated to be liberated.” The “causation” is the accumulation of layer upon layer of ignorance from the past. In the past, we did not understand or realize. Now, we need to understand and realize this. “This is the vow to eliminate endless afflictions.” We must eliminate all kinds of afflictions. “To be liberated” is to eliminate evil and cultivate goodness. We need to do all that is good and refrain from all evil. We must make an effort to help others eliminate the sources of suffering. We must create blessings for the world.

I enable those not yet at peace to be at peace. This is the path to purity, but sentient beings do not recognize it. Those who practice this path escape from samsara to a place of peace and joy and desire to demonstrate and safely establish this path for sentient beings.

“I enable those not yet at peace to be at peace.” For those not yet at peace, we must enable them to attain peace in their minds. We must not deviate; we must walk the Right Path. This is the path to purity. Sentient beings do not know to walk this path. They do not understand how to enter this path. We can “escape from samsara to a place of peace and joy.” So, we need to teach them. We must tell them, “Come, come! We can walk on this path like this, and we will naturally escape from samsara to a place of peace and joy.” Thus, we “enable those not yet at peace to be at peace”

Sentient beings face so much suffering. After we assist them and help their lives to become stable, we must then begin to guide them to be able to give back to sentient beings and to learn how to transform sentient beings. We must carry the Dharma, not our karma, with us. We can carry the Dharma with us life after life, steering the ship of compassion to transform and care for the world’s sentient beings.

“Thus it says, ‘I enable those not yet at peace with the practices to enlightenment to be at peace’. The practices to enlightenment” are the 37 Practices to Enlightenment. I often tell everyone that in spiritual practice, the 37 Practices to Enlightenment are our foundation. This is “the vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors.” We find tranquility by cultivating peace and joyful practices. For cultivating peace and joyful practices, the 37 Practices to Enlightenment are indispensable.

I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana. The place where afflictions have been eliminated is called Nirvana; here, seed and fruit end their cycle.

“I enable those not yet in Nirvana to be in Nirvana. Nirvana” is the place where afflictions have been eliminated. It is a safe and stable place for them. “Here, seed and fruit end their cycle.” Where is a place that is safe and stable? This place is Nirvana. Nirvana is not death, not at all. Nirvana is the elimination of our afflictions, including afflictions of views and thinking and dust-like afflictions. Eliminating these two kinds of afflictions is called the “two kinds of Nirvana.” It is also called “great Nirvana.” This is a place that is safe and joyful.

So, “Here, seed and fruit end their cycle. Seed and fruit” [can be explained with] a fruit tree. A tree begins with a seed planted in the ground. When causes and conditions come together, with soil, water, sunlight and air, the fruit tree grows in the earth. When it is grown, it bears fruit, and we will find seeds inside. Some of us eat the fruit, but not everyone will plant the seeds again; the fruit is eaten and not passed on. This is like when we have engaged in spiritual practice, and we understand the law of karma. We “stop it here” and do not carry it further. “Here, seed and fruit [end their cycle].”

Seeds give rise to fruits and fruits to seeds, thus resulting in our present retributions. After seeds give rise to fruits, we can end any subsequent retributions. Thus this is not a fruit giving rise to seeds.

There are no more retributions, just as the fruit that was eaten is no more. “Thus this is not a fruit giving rise to seeds.” It is a “seed giving rise to fruit,” not a “fruit giving rise to seeds”  

Thus we attain two kinds of Nirvana. From this connection we are inspired to make vows. Thus it says, “I enable those who have not realized cessation to realize the truth of cessation and Nirvana”. This is the vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood. To be in Nirvana: This is attaining the Buddha’s Nirvana.

“Thus we attain the two kinds of Nirvana.” If we can eliminate the causes and effects which arise from afflictions, we naturally reach the two kinds of Nirvana. Small Vehicle [practitioners] eliminate their affliction of views and thinking. Great Vehicle [practitioners] go among people, but are not defiled by them. They can eliminate dust-like ignorance and delusions and achieve the mission of transforming sentient beings. These are called great fruits; they are able to fulfill their great vows.

In this way, “I lead those who have not realized cessation to realize the truth of cessation and Nirvana.” If we have not reached this state, we must hurry to train ourselves further and remain firm in our great vows. This is the “vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” To reach Nirvana is to attain the fruit of Buddhahood. This is like settling in a safe and joyful place. This is what we must learn.

For suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, the way we put [these teachings] into practice is through the Four Great Vows. From “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings” to “I vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood,” in this way, we will reach a safe and stable place. I hope everyone will always be mindful.

Episode 882 – The Ten Epithets of the Tathagata

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>> The Tathagata journeys on the path of Suchness to come here and achieve perfect enlightenment. Bodhisattvas adapt to what the hearts of sentient beings delight in. The Sangha is known as the harmonious assembly that diligently practices precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Our nature pervades the universe and all Dharma-realms. The subtle and wondrous Dharma is our nature of True Suchness.

>> “With His great voice, He covers the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms. This is like that great cloud, which covers all the lands of the great trichiliocosm.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “Amidst the assembly, He calls out these words, ‘I am the Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans, Buddha, the World-Honored One.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> Amidst the assembly, He calls out these words: This means that the Buddha, amidst the assembly of senior disciples, opened His mouth to teach them and called out these words. The merits and virtues of our nature are what the Buddha awakened to. This is the unchanging, inalterable nature that is inherent in all phenomena. If not for the Buddha’s calling out, sentient beings would have no way to know this.

>> He first called out His ten epithets to lead everyone to understand the meaning of “I am the Tathagata”. When the Buddha appeared in the world, 96 different religious teachings were flourishing. Now, before the assembly, He called out His names so they would know the reasons He was esteemed.

>> The Buddha, being replete with the ten virtues, overall shows that the Tathagata’s subtleties of action, speech and thought are all inconceivable. He can benefit all in the nine Dharma-realms, in the Six Destinies and the four forms of birth.

>> The asura, human and heaven realms are called the Three Good Destinies because beings there can attain the benefit of receiving the Buddha’s spoken teachings. This is rare in the Three Evil Destinies, as the teachings are not given there.

>> One Worthy of Offerings refers to how. The Tathagata, the World-Honored One, is an embodiment of all virtues, so He is worthy of respect and offerings.

>> Next, He is the Completely Awakened One, having achieved universal, perfect enlightenment. The Buddha’s perfect enlightened nature is possessed equally by all sentient beings. He has completely awakened to all worldly and world-transcending Dharma; there is nothing He does not know. Thus, He is the Completely Awakened One.

>> One Perfect in Wisdom and Action: The Buddha understands all purifying practices and is replete with all of them.

>> The Well-Gone One: Well refers to skillful ability. He can skillfully go from the village of confusion to the land of wisdom.

>> The Knower of the World: He is understanding of the whole world and the intents of all beings.

>> Unsurpassed Guide: Even Bodhisattvas still have residual ignorance. The Buddha is above them, so they are called “surpassed guides”. The Tathagata attained the ultimate realization, so He is called the Unsurpassed Guide.

>> Tamer: He tames heavenly and human beings and animals. With His compassion and skillful means, He is truly a great person.

>>Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans: Whether heavenly beings or humans, all can be taught by the Buddha. He is the exemplary teacher for the world

>>Buddha: Buddha is a Sanskrit word; it means an Enlightened One who has awakened to all worldly and world-transcending Dharma. >>World-Honored One: Replete with the above ten epithets, He is the one respected and honored in all worlds.

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“The Tathagata journeys on the path of Suchness to come here and achieve perfect enlightenment.
Bodhisattvas adapt to what the hearts of sentient beings delight in. The Sangha is known as the harmonious assembly that diligently practices precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
Our nature pervades the universe and all Dharma-realms. The subtle and wondrous Dharma is our nature of True Suchness.”

As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, how do we come to thoroughly understand the true path of the Tathagata? How do we walk the True Path? “Tathagata” is referring to the nature of True Suchness that we all intrinsically have. One who is called a “Tathagata” is one who “journeys on the path of Suchness.” We apply this path of Suchness; what the Buddha has taught us is what we accept. Once we accept it, we put it into practice on this great, direct Bodhi-path. This is “journeying on the path of Suchness.”

We are like that poor son; in a moment of careless indulgence, we ended up as beings in the Five Realms, straying far from the Dharma of our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. The Buddha’s goal in coming to the world was to teach us. If we can steadfastly engage in spiritual practice and follow this path, we are “journeying on the path of Suchness.” We take this path to come here and attain perfect enlightenment. We take this path to find our way back. This is “journeying on the path of Suchness to come here and achieve perfect enlightenment.”

We must walk this path, but how do we do it? “Bodhisattvas adapt to what the hearts of sentient beings delight in.” In our spiritual practice, we must form great aspirations, make great vows and practice according to the teachings. To repay the Buddha’s grace, we must go among the people to transform sentient beings. To go among people and transform them, we must adapt to what sentient beings’ hearts delight in. In this day and age, what methods do we use to teach sentient beings? This is what Bodhisattvas [must do]. They must “journey on the path of Suchness” to understand the Right Dharma; this is the only way to achieve enlightenment.

However, spiritual practice begins in “the Sangha, known as the harmonious assembly.” Spiritual practitioners form aspirations and sever secular family ties. The process of spiritual practice takes place among monastics in what is called the Sangha. There are so many people here, and each still has her own habitual tendencies. However, if everyone has the same direction, absorbs and takes the same Dharma to heart, we can mutually bring the principles together and live together in respect. We need to harmonize our karma of body, speech and mind. Then we will have a harmonious assembly.

By being open-hearted and forgiving of each other, while we are all earnestly eliminating our own individual habitual tendencies, the Sangha will be a pure and harmonious assembly. This all depends on whether we can “diligently practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.” We must all be very diligent, focused without distractions and advancing without retreating. The most important things are precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. We must all uphold our precepts. All of us have residual karmic forces that affect us individually. So, it is inevitable that we have afflictions and ignorance from outside [influences] contaminating us. So, we must have Samadhi and stillness of mind; we must not let others disturb our minds. This is wisdom. We need an environment for our inner cultivation, and it is the same for our external practice. Spiritual practice takes place everywhere. It is not only something we do upon entering a spiritual training center.

The Buddha nourishes all with one rain; all things in the world can be nourished by this cloud’s rain. All sentient beings in the Five Realms and the four forms of birth can receive the Buddha-Dharma’s nourishment. So, when it comes to our intrinsic nature, as the Buddha has told us, everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. All sentient beings possess the Tathagata’s nature of wisdom. Our nature pervades the universe and all Dharma-realms. It is the subtle and wondrous Dharma, the nature of True Suchness shared by all the earth’s sentient beings. So, coming into contact with virtuous teachings is as if clouds and rain are nourishing the parched ground of our minds, so that in the ground of our minds, the seeds of goodness can sprout and so that the ground of our mind attains the nourishment of this Dharma-rain. These seeds of goodness are spread everywhere so this becomes a field of merits and virtues. This is what we are striving for.

The previous sutra passage says, “With His great voice, He covers the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms. This is like that great cloud, which covers all the lands of the great trichiliocosm.”

The “tri” in “trichiliocosm” is an analogy for the heaven, human and asura realms. These sentient beings were able to receive universal nourishment from the clouds and rain.

So, the next sutra passage goes on to say, “Amidst the assembly, He calls out these words, ‘I am the Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans, Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

The Buddha Himself called out these words, stating that He had attained Buddhahood, that He had perfected the ten virtues and was deserving of the ten epithets

Amidst the assembly, He calls out these words: This means that the Buddha, amidst the assembly of senior disciples, opened His mouth to teach them and called out these words. The merits and virtues of our nature are what the Buddha awakened to. This is the unchanging, inalterable nature that is inherent in all phenomena. If not for the Buddha’s calling out, sentient beings would have no way to know this.

The Buddha called out to these senior disciples. Amidst the assembly means at that Dharma-assembly. This was where He began to teach that: “The merits and virtues of our nature are what the Buddha awakened to.” This is awakening to one’s intrinsic nature; all things have an intrinsic nature. This [awakening] is what can be attained through the process of spiritual practice. So, “This is the unchanging, inalterable nature that is inherent in all phenomena.” Everything in the world has an intrinsic nature that is unchangeable and unalterable. This is called “the Buddha within us.” So, the Buddha Himself called out, “I am the Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One.” With these ten epithets of the ten virtues, “If not for the Buddha’s calling out, sentient beings would have no way to know this.” If the Buddha did not introduce Himself this way, then who would have known?

He first called out His ten epithets to lead everyone to understand the meaning of “I am the Tathagata”. When the Buddha appeared in the world, 96 different religious teachings were flourishing. Now, before the assembly, He called out His names so they would know the reasons He was esteemed.

So, He first introduced Himself as being already replete in the ten virtues and the ten epithets to let all sentient beings know this. Thus, He said, “I am the Tathagata.” This “I” refers to the Buddha Himself. He is introducing Himself. Actually, the “self” referred to here is the greater self of the universe, the self of the Buddha-nature inherent in all things in the great space of the universe.

“When the Buddha appeared in the world….” At the time the Buddha appeared in the world, there were 96 different religious teachings, and each of those religions had its own different spiritual practices. Having studied all of these, the Buddha decided they were not the ultimate, so He engaged in ascetic practices for six years. Now at this time, He has opened up the great, direct Bodhi-path. That is why the Buddha called out these names to everyone in the assembly, so all would know and would have respect. The practice of the Tathagata’s teachings is not the same as the other 96 different religions

The Buddha, being replete with the ten virtues, overall shows that the Tathagata’s subtleties of action, speech and thought are all inconceivable. He can benefit all in the nine Dharma-realms, in the Six Destinies and the four forms of birth.

When the Buddha appeared in the world, 96 different religious teachings were flourishing. Now, before the assembly, He called out His names so they would know the reasons He was esteemed. “The Buddha, being replete with the ten virtues,” overall “shows the Tathagata’s mysteries of body, speech and mind.” The three mysteries are like densely gathered clouds and rain that universally nourish everything in the world. They “are all inconceivable and can benefit all in the nine Dharma-realms, in the Six Destinies and the four forms of birth.”

Of the Six Unenlightened and Four Noble Realms, the Buddha is in the highest of the noble realms. He came to teach sentient beings universally, throughout the nine Dharma-realms and the Six Destinies. He introduced Himself to them as the Buddha who had already achieved enlightenment, and [explained] that through His understanding, He had become replete in the ten virtues.

The asura, human and heaven realms are called the Three Good Destinies because beings there can attain the benefit of receiving the Buddha’s spoken teachings. This is rare in the Three Evil Destinies, as the teachings are not given there.

So, “The asura, human and heaven realms are called the Three Good Destinies.” Asuras also have heavenly blessings, it is just that they lack heavenly virtues. What about the human realm? Asuras are also in the human realm. Though rich, they are arrogant, and they like to lose their temper. They are filled with doubt. These are the asuras in the human realm. They are still in a good destiny; one needs blessings to be born in the human realm or in the heaven realm. So, the asura, heaven and human realms are called the Three Good Destinies, where we are able to listen to spoken teachings, the teachings of the Buddha, and take them to heart. We will be able to nourish the fields of our minds with the Buddha-Dharma

 What of the Three Evil Destinies? Among the Three Evil Destinies, hell is full of suffering. In the animal realm, one cannot hear the Dharma; the chances to hear the Dharma are few. In the Three Evil Destinies, with hell’s suffering, how can beings there have the chance to hear the Buddha-Dharma? For animals, living in a state like that, there are also not many opportunities to listen to the Dharma. However, they also have spiritual natures. As we have often said before, cats, dogs and cows can listen to the Dharma, so some can be quite similar in their behavior to us humans.

We have also seen this in monkeys. We saw a group of monkeys in India that were on a train track. One monkey passed out after touching a high voltage rail. Another monkey rushed forward, braving the danger to save the one that had touched the high-voltage rail. He saved the other monkey, just as a human would save another person. He pressed and pushed on the electrocuted monkey with all his might. However, when the monkey did not wake up, he carried him beside a puddle and immersed him in the water. He pulled him out, then immersed him again, pulled him out, immersed him and kept shaking him. He shook him until the monkey who touched the rail regained consciousness. You can see how other sentient beings have spiritual natures similar to that of humans. They also have the chance to listen to and accept the Dharma, though these opportunities are very few. Thus, “This is rare in the Three Evil Destinies.” The chances to listen to the Buddha-Dharma and accept it there are relatively few.

So, the previous passage states, the rain benefits heavenly beings, humans and asuras. Because they exist in the Three Good Destinies, they have chances to encounter the Buddha-Dharma.

One Worthy of Offerings refers to how. The Tathagata, the World-Honored One, is an embodiment of all virtues, so He is worthy of respect and offerings.

Next, besides “the Tathagata,” He is also “One Worthy of Offerings”.” This is the Tathagata, who is replete in virtue and thereby receives the respect of all the world. He is respected for being replete in all virtues, He is worthy of the respect and offerings of both humans and heavenly beings. One Worthy of Offerings is deserving of offerings

Next, He is the Completely Awakened One, having achieved universal, perfect enlightenment. The Buddha’s perfect enlightened nature is possessed equally by all sentient beings. He has completely awakened to all worldly and world-transcending Dharma; there is nothing He does not know. Thus, He is the Completely Awakened One.

The world consists of the Six Destinies, The heaven, human, asura, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. The Buddha has already transcended these, so He is universally and perfectly enlightened. “There is nothing He does not know.” He has universal understanding of the methods to transform sentient beings and to impart the teachings. Because of this, He is the Completely Awakened One. There is nothing He does not understand about the ways of sentient beings. Thus, He is the Completely Awakened One.

One Perfect in Wisdom and Action: The Buddha understands all purifying practices and is replete with all of them.

“One Perfect in Wisdom and Action means the Buddha understands purifying practices. Purifying” means cleansing, engaging in purifying practices. When it comes to the Buddha, He is replete with all of these.

As ordinary beings, our actions are still defiled. As ordinary beings, we are still unenlightened; it is inevitable that we still have afflictions. The Buddha is free and at ease with the Dharma. He remains undisturbed by worldly phenomena, ignorance and afflictions. Thus, He “understands purifying practices and is replete with all of them.” He completely understands all of them.

The Well-Gone One: Well refers to skillful ability. He can skillfully go from the village of confusion to the land of wisdom.

Thus, He is the Well-Gone One. “Well” refers to “skillful ability.” There is nothing He is unable to do. “He can skillfully go from the village of confusion to the land of wisdom.” He fully understands and knows how to go among confused sentient beings without becoming defiled by them and can lead them to the realm of wisdom. Thus, the Well-Gone One comes and goes freely

The Knower of the World: He is understanding of the whole world and the intents of all beings.

Next, He is the Knower of the World. “He is understanding of the whole world and the intents of all beings.” There are no worldly phenomena that the Buddha does not understand. What are the capabilities of sentient beings? What are the intentions of sentient beings? The Buddha, the Great Enlightened One, can understand everything

Unsurpassed Guide: Even Bodhisattvas still have residual ignorance. The Buddha is above them, so they are called “surpassed guides”. The Tathagata attained the ultimate realization, so He is called the Unsurpassed Guide.

Next, He is the Unsurpassed Guide. “Even Bodhisattvas still have residual ignorance. The Buddha is above them” so they are called “surpassed guides.” The Tathagata attained the ultimate realization. So, He is called the Unsurpassed Guide. Bodhisattvas are still in the process of engaging in spiritual practice. They still have a little ignorance remaining. So, the Buddha is above the Bodhisattvas, thus they are called “surpassed guides.” The Tathagata attained the ultimate realization. What the Tathagata awakened to, what He realized, was the ultimate fruit, so He is the Unsurpassed Guide

Tamer: He tames heavenly and human beings and animals. With His compassion and skillful means, He is truly a great person.

Next, He is the “Tamer.” The Tamer has the ability to “tame heavenly and human beings and animals” with “His compassion and skillful means.” He is truly a great person. The Buddha had the courage to enter the world. He dared to go among and tame sentient beings. Whether they are heavenly or human beings, or evil beings upon the earth, stubborn sentient beings or beasts, all are in need of a tamer. You can see that training lions, or tigers or elephants, requires particular methods. One must understand their nature, the nature of the beast. One must first adapt to their temperament, then use a method to teach them. The one who does this is called the Tamer.

Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans: Whether heavenly beings or humans, all can be taught by the Buddha. He is the exemplary teacher for the world

Next is Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans. He is a role model of good character for the heaven and human realms. So, heavenly beings and humans all can accept and be transformed by the Buddha’s teaching. This includes heavenly beings, humans and asuras, beings of the Three Good Destinies. No matter how bad a person’s temper is, when causes and conditions come together, he can accept the principles of the teachings and change his bad temperament to a good one; this can also be done in [the human realm]. So, all can directly accept the teachings of the Buddha. The Buddha is a role model with exemplary virtue for both heavenly beings and humans, thus He is the. Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans.

Buddha: Buddha is a Sanskrit word; it means an Enlightened One who has awakened to all worldly and world-transcending Dharma.

Next, He is called the Buddha. “Buddha” is a Sanskrit word which means an Enlightened One, one who has completely awakened to all worldly and world-transcending Dharma.

World-Honored One: Replete with the above ten epithets, He is the one respected and honored in all worlds.

The World-Honored One is already replete in the aforementioned ten epithets and ten virtues. He clearly understands everything. So, “He is respected and honored in the world.” He is called the “World-Honored One.”

The Buddha-Dharma comes from the mouth of the Buddha to our ears to develop our wisdom-life. So, we are “children born of the Buddha’s speech.” So many teachings came from the Buddha’s mind, from His intrinsic nature. We all have this intrinsic nature; we all have the Dharma within us. It is extremely subtle and wondrous. Let us always mindfully seek to comprehend this.

Episode 881 – Accumulating Merits and Cultivating Blessings

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>> Merits come from the work of the inner cultivation of kind thoughts. By accumulating merits, we can manifest the virtue of practicing goodness. Goodness has the merits of nourishing and of creating blessings and benefits. The virtuous attain, so we must cultivate merits and establish our virtue.

>> “Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also just like this. He appears in the world like a great cloud arising.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “With His great voice, He covers the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms. This is like that great cloud, which covers all the lands of the great trichiliocosm.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> This is an analogy for how. The Buddha teaches the Dharma with His voice. When the causes and conditions come together for the Buddha’s one great cause of saving and transforming sentient beings, He teaches the Dharma according to the time and capabilities in order to give suitable teachings.

>> According to capabilities: An assembly of heavenly beings, humans and asuras had responded by coming to this place in order to listen to the Dharma. They thus came to the place of the Buddha and listened to the Dharma

>> Asuras: One of the Six Realms. It has the meaning of “not-heavenly,” because they enjoy the blessings of heaven, but do not have heavenly virtues. They look like heavenly beings, but are in fact not-heavenly beings.

>> Asura: It also means improper. Because they have an ugly appearance and combative natures, they are constantly fighting with King Sakra. Most are born due to the three causes of anger, arrogance and doubt. In the asura realm, the men are ugly, but the women are beautiful.

>> So, This is like that great cloud which covers all of the lands of the great trichiliocosm, meaning, The Buddha’s body manifests everywhere the way a cloud blankets everything.

>> This is explaining how He summoned and called others to listen to the Dharma. The Buddha revealed to the assembly the merits and virtues of Buddhahood that He had attained. This is how He spoke with His great voice to cover the whole world.

>> “With His great voice, He covers the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms. This is like that great cloud, which covers all the lands of the great trichiliocosm.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> This matches the previous analogy of how the Dharma universally nourishes; all trees, big and small, according to their great, average or small size, each receive something. This is also like the Buddha’s mystery of speech as He turns the Dharma-wheel to give teachings.

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“Merits come from the work of the inner cultivation of kind thoughts. By accumulating merits, we can manifest the virtue of practicing goodness.
Goodness has the merits of nourishing and of creating blessings and benefits.
The virtuous attain, so we must cultivate merits and establish our virtue.”

We must always be mindful! We often speak of cultivating merits and virtue, but actually how do we do this? We must cultivate our minds. Constantly nurturing thoughts of goodness is called “merit” [We must] “do all that is good.” When it comes to all our thoughts and to the ways we treat people and things, we must always have thoughts of goodness as we face people and matters in the world. Thus, those with merits cultivate inwardly, cultivate thoughts of goodness within themselves. This requires us to put in work and not let these thoughts of goodness be interrupted. When we accumulate these good thoughts, “By accumulating merits, we can manifest the virtue of practicing goodness.” We must constantly accumulate [good thoughts] and not allow ourselves to lapse at any time. We must avoid giving rise to discursive thoughts. As soon as discursive thoughts arise, that slight deviation can lead us far astray. If we stray from our course of good thoughts, it takes a lot of effort to regain a good mindset. So, we must put this into practice and take action. When we act, others see us and will understand. When we are able to create blessings among people, others will be able to feel that this goodness is not only within our hearts. We can also put our goodness into action. When we can help humanity and contribute to society, others will acknowledge us. This is called “virtue.”

As we accumulate good thoughts and practice good deeds to benefit others, this goodness has the merits of nourishing and of creating blessings and benefits. When it comes to doing the right thing, more than just doing it, we must also diligently move forward. This is the process of learning. When we learn to only have thoughts of goodness, that is wisdom. As we learn to have thoughts of goodness without being contaminated by discursive thoughts, that is pure wisdom.

When we go among others to help them, we must constantly nourish our own goodness and be without greed; without greedy thoughts, we are able to give to others while not asking for anything in return. Then we are constantly increasing our practice of goodness and developing our thoughts of goodness. This is called “nourishing.” When we create blessings for the world and benefit others, [we return to] our initial aspiration. We often say, “If you sustain your initial aspiration, you will surely attain Buddhahood.” After we form aspirations, if thoughts of goodness are always sustained, we will constantly take goodness into our hearts. Our goodness will not be contaminated, and we will have the merits of wholeheartedly nourishing and creating blessings and benefits. Then, we will constantly add to and be more diligent in [cultivating] good thoughts. This is the merit of creating blessings and benefits.

“The virtuous attain.” We put our effort into this, into [cultivating] the goodness in our hearts. “We must cultivate merits and establish our virtue.” Accumulating goodness within creates “merits,” while putting goodness into action is “virtue.” Combined, they are called “merits and virtues.” This is what we attain through spiritual practice. By putting effort into our practice, we can establish these thoughts of goodness. By working hard to cultivate goodness in our mind, we are able to cultivate ourselves in daily living. This is cultivating our mind and our character. We must always work to cultivate our minds in order to return to our nature of True Suchness and manifest the pure wisdom within us. Then, no matter what challenges we encounter, we will not give rise to discursive thoughts.

For instance, during the Buddha’s lifetime, one day, a spiritual practitioner was performing walking meditation in the woods. Suddenly, he heard a very deep voice, and when the monastic lowered his gaze, he saw a python on the ground slithering toward him. When the bhiksu saw this, he was frightened. It seemed like this python was talking to him, and he was saying, “Please do not be afraid, I will not harm you. There is something that I cannot understand. I only wish to request your guidance. I hope you can give me a direction and point me toward the [right] path.” The bhiksu calmed himself, and then python asked, “Have you ever heard the name King Agnidatta?” The bhiksu thought for a moment and said, “Of course! King Agnidatta upheld the Dharma and gave charitably with a kind heart. Indeed! I was King Agnidatta.” The bhiksu said, “How is that possible? King Agnidatta made offerings and upheld the Right Dharma. When he passed away, he should have been born in heaven to enjoy heavenly blessings. Why did you fall into the form of a python?”

The python replied, “You are right. When I was on my deathbed, one of my attendants was fanning my head for me. However, he carelessly dropped the fan, which fell onto my face. At that time I gave rise to a thought of anger, of hatred and resentment. Because of this, I followed this thought of hatred as I died and was reborn in the form of a python.” The bhiksu then said, “Ah, so this is the reason the Buddha constantly admonishes us that we should avoid giving rise to angry thoughts and constantly cultivate goodness in our hearts. Then, when challenges arise, we bear no hatred. I heard the Buddha teach this. The first time He taught He expounded the Four Noble Truths and the karmic law of cause and effect.” This bhiksu then used the Dharma he had heard and taught it to the python just as he had heard it.

When the python heard it, [he said,]. “Now I understand; this is the law of karma.” So, for seven days and seven nights, the python did not eat anything. He did not search for food. Just like this, after seven days, the python passed away. After the python passed away, he was transformation-born as a heavenly being. As a heavenly being, he received the blessings of heaven and earnestly reflected on his past. He was born as a python due to a single thought of anger. This is quite scary! “The reason I was able to be born in heaven was because when I was the king, I upheld the Right Dharma and made offerings to the Three Treasures. Now that I have been born in the heaven realm, I must repay the Buddha’s grace.”

So, this heavenly being came to the Buddha’s Sangha. When the Buddha gave teachings to the Sangha, flowers floated down from heaven. Everyone felt it was very strange that all of a sudden, with a slight breeze, flowers began to fall from the sky. It was such a wonderful scene. What were the karmic conditions behind this? The Buddha began to recount the python’s story for them from start to finish.

So, we must believe in karmic cause and effect. Even our final thought as our life ends is very important. Thus, we need to cultivate merits and virtues, and we must work even harder on our minds. We must constantly accumulate good thoughts, so that goodness will forever remain in our hearts and constantly increase. This goodness will nourish our blessings, and we will be able to cultivate merits and virtues. In our lifetime, our past mistakes are now in the past; we must quickly repent, for repentance brings purity. Now we need to guard our thoughts well, so we must be constantly vigilant.

The previous sutra passages states, “Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also just like this. He appears in the world like a great cloud arising.”

“Kasyapa, you should know; all plants and living things in the world require rain to nourish the land.” To nourish all the forests of plants and trees, there has to be clouds and rain. The Tathagata is also like this. He appeared in the world and used the Dharma to widely benefit sentient beings, to help the fields of their minds be nourished with Dharma-water. This is the meaning of this sutra passage.

The next sutra passage states, “With His great voice, He covers the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms. This is like that great cloud, which covers all the lands of the great trichiliocosm.”

The Buddha is like gathering rain clouds. When it rains, there is the sound of thunder. As the rain falls, it also makes a great sound. This great sound comes down from the sky, and everyone on the ground can hear it This is an analogy for how. “The Buddha teaches the Dharma with His voice. When the causes and conditions come together for the Buddha’s one great cause of saving and transforming sentient beings, He teaches the Dharma according to the time and capabilities in order to give suitable teachings.”

The Buddha came to the world to teach the Dharma with the goal of transforming sentient beings. This is the Buddha’s one great cause. But, in order for the Buddha to come to the world, karmic causes and conditions had to converge. This depends on His affinity with sentient beings. Were His affinities sufficient? With sufficient causes and conditions, the Buddha would appear in the human realm to open up this direct path for sentient beings. The Buddha had to engage in deep contemplation. With sentient beings’ capabilities and such causes and conditions, which method should be taught to sentient beings? “He teaches the Dharma according to the time and capabilities in order to give suitable teachings.” This is like the great sound from the sky. When the clouds have gathered and the rain is about to fall, the thunderstorm is fully complete. Many causes and conditions must be present for the world to hear that sound.

In this sutra verse it says, “With His great voice, He covers the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms.” This voice reaches the whole world; it refers to the sound of the Dharma that reaches all places, including the heaven, human and asura realms [He had to teach] according to capabilities.

According to capabilities: An assembly of heavenly beings, humans and asuras had responded by coming to this place in order to listen to the Dharma. They thus came to the place of the Buddha and listened to the Dharma.

When the Buddha came to the world, to spread the Dharma everywhere in this world, the capabilities He had to teach to were those of heavenly beings, humans and asuras. The conditions He was responding to were to come to this world for these people. Thus, all “had responded by coming to this place.” They probably all came to listen to the Dharma. “In order to listen to the Dharma, they thus came to the place of the Buddha and listened to the Dharma.” During the Vulture Peak Assembly, when the Buddha was teaching the Lotus Sutra, heavenly beings, humans and asuras were all gathered at the Dharma-assembly.

Asuras: One of the Six Realms. It has the meaning of “not-heavenly,” because they enjoy the blessings of heaven, but do not have heavenly virtues. They look like heavenly beings, but are in fact not-heavenly beings.

So, the “asura realm” is one of the Six Realms. Their name can be translated as “not-heavenly.” Although they may be in the heaven realm and enjoy the blessings of heaven, they do not possess heavenly virtues. They have created blessings in the world, therefore they acquired heavenly blessings. However, they do not have heavenly virtues. So, they are not categorized as heavenly beings. They are called another name, “asuras.”

They are “not-heavenly”; although born in heaven, they lack heavenly virtues. So, they are “not-heavenly.” Their name can also mean “improper,” which is due to their ugly appearances. With expressions of anger and hatred, they are not dignified; they are ugly. They have combative natures and love to fight. Wherever they go, they cause trouble. So, asuras often have battles with King Sakra

Asura: It also means “improper.” Because they have an ugly appearance and combative natures, they are constantly fighting with King Sakra. Most are born due to the three causes of anger, arrogance and doubt. In the asura realm, the men are ugly, but the women are beautiful.

In heaven, there is also war. War is common between King Sakra and the asuras. This comes from the three causes and conditions of anger, arrogance and doubt. They are combative by nature, due to their minds being filled with great anger as well as great arrogance and great doubt. These three factors are concentrated within their minds, thus causing them to become asuras.

However, in the state of asuras, men are ugly while women are beautiful. Asura women are very beautiful, and King Sakra even married an asura woman. But asuras often came to stir up trouble. So, is the heaven realm a peaceful place? It is not peaceful either, since there are still asuras in the heaven realm. All together, these are called the Six Realms; the Six realms are never at peace

So, “This is like that great cloud which covers all of the lands of the great trichiliocosm,” meaning, “The Buddha’s body manifests everywhere the way a cloud blankets everything.”

This is like when the Buddha was in the world. The Buddha’s Dharmakaya is like the convergence of causes and conditions that causes rainclouds to gather in the sky.

This is explaining how He summoned and called others to listen to the Dharma. The Buddha revealed to the assembly the merits and virtues of Buddhahood that He had attained. This is how He spoke with His great voice to cover the whole world.

This explains how He “summoned and called others.” Everyone invited each other to the Dharma-assembly.  He wanted the Dharma to be heard by more people, so “The Buddha revealed to the assembly the merits and virtues of Buddhahood that He had attained” [He did this] to help everyone understand that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. All sentient beings have those merits and virtues. In the end, if we can engage in spiritual practice according to the Dharma, then in the future, we can be equal to the Buddha. So, “spoke” means the Buddha used the Dharma to teach sentient beings around the world. This is how “He spoke with His great voice,” and the sound “covered the whole world”

“With His great voice, He covers the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms. This is like that great cloud, which covers all the lands of the great trichiliocosm.”

What is expressed in this passage is what we have been saying since the beginning. This entire passage is showing that the Dharma taught by the Buddha “covered the whole world and the heaven, human and asura realms.” This is like a great cloud that covers the trichiliocosm

This matches the previous analogy of how the Dharma universally nourishes; all trees, big and small, according to their great, average or small size, each receive something. This is also like the Buddha’s mystery of speech as He turns the Dharma-wheel to give teachings.

The Buddha hoped His voice could reach [all lands in] the trichiliocosm. This is analogous to our world, to “all trees, big and small.” All the trees, whether big or small, tall, average or short, are nourished by the rain. This symbolizes “the Buddha’s mystery of speech.” It is a mystery because it is densely concentrated, universal and uninterrupted. The Buddha’s Dharma is found throughout the world. We are reading the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, which should help us understand more clearly that all things in the universe contain principles within them. Whatever we do not understand, the Buddha teaches us, one by one. This is how the Buddha’s voice turns the Dharma-wheel and transforms sentient beings. This is the karmic condition for the Buddha to come into the world.

Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners, [we know] the conditions for a Buddha to appear in the world do not come easily. So, we should begin to practice right now, just as the Buddha accumulated merits and virtues over many lifetimes. We should constantly accumulate merits and adjust our state of mind. We must earnestly put the teachings into action and create blessings among people while cultivating goodness in our minds. This is perfecting merits and virtues. Thus, we must constantly learn the Buddha-Dharma. We must be very meticulous and always mindful.

Episode 880 – The Tathagata Appears Like a Cloud Arising

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>> The Buddha uses the provisional means of the good deeds and precepts to enable us to draw near the human and heaven realms. Some may create distant affinities of deep respect with bowing of the head and raising of the hands. Some may engage in the practice of cultivating blessings and wisdom on the Bodhisattva-path. We head toward the distant place of treasure with the Six Perfections, the Dharma that harmonizes matters and principles.

>> “Though born on one earth and nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also just like this. He appears in the world like a great cloud arising.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also just like this:. He warned all that in listening to the Dharma we must take it to heart with faith and understanding. We must earnestly practice to experience the Buddha’s awakened observation. Previously He was teaching the analogy; now He was bringing it together with the Dharma.

>> He appears in the world like a great cloud arising:. The Buddha appears like a rising cloud, as matters and principles resemble each other. He is knower of truth in this life and the next. I am the one who knows all, the one who sees all, the one who knows the Path, the one who opens the Path and the one who teaches the Path.

>> This complements what the previous passage stated: Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is the king of all Dharma. That which He teaches will never be false. This is the analogy for the Dharma-king appearing in the world and for how He gives teachings with the Buddha-body.

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“The Buddha uses the provisional means of the good deeds and precepts to enable us to draw near the human and heaven realms. Some may create distant affinities of deep respect with bowing of the head and raising of the hands.
Some may engage in the practice of cultivating blessings and wisdom on the Bodhisattva-path.
We head toward the distant place of treasure with the Six Perfections, the Dharma that harmonizes matters and principles.”

With compassion, the Buddha came to this world to teach. For the sake of one great cause, He came and opened and revealed the teachings, hoping that sentient beings could realize and enter them. He had to employ various teaching methods. At first, He “used the provisional means of the good deeds and precepts”. He used the Ten Good Deeds and Five Precepts to educate sentient beings, hoping everyone could do good deeds in this world. Regarding good deeds, the Buddha taught that if we create good karma, we attain fruits of blessings and will be reborn in heaven. This is what everyone prays for. Everyone hopes to get blessings by praying. So, the Buddha adapted to people’s capabilities and gave teachings about goodness. Those who practice the Ten Good Deeds will be reborn in heaven and enjoy heavenly blessings. As for regular people, the Buddha taught them to uphold the Five Precepts; as humans we must uphold our moral principles. According to these principles, we must be filial to our parents, be respectful to our teachers and elders, be grateful to sentient beings and give help and love to sentient beings. These are the principles of being a good person.

The Buddha also taught that, besides these principles of being human, we should further understand the truths of all things in the world. We should not only comprehend the worldly Dharma but also deeply know the world-transcending Dharma. To deeply comprehend world-transcending Dharma, the principles of astronomy, geology, psychology, biology and physics must all be understood completely. We must mindfully penetrate the Buddha’s teachings.

So, at first He used provisional means to teach what worldly people pursue and need. The Buddha’s first stage of teaching was to approximate what people pursue. This is the Dharma He taught in the first stage. So, He “used the provisional means of the good deeds and precepts to enable us to draw near to the human and heaven realms”. He taught us worldly people the principles for being a good person. As human beings, if we want to seek blessings, we must practice the Ten Good Deeds. Thus, we can not only attain worldly blessings, but also enjoy heavenly blessings.

Though being human brings much suffering, we must not lose our human form; only in the human realm can we attain Buddhahood. So if we can keep the human form, life after life, we still have the chance to listen to the Dharma. We often say,. “In heaven there is no Dharma to practice”. In heaven, everyone enjoys blessings and no one feels they are suffering. Thus, they do not form aspirations to engage in spiritual practice. If people fall into the hell realm, the hungry ghost realm or the animal realm, it is too painful!. Their lives are so full of suffering that it is difficult to even survive. How could they engage in spiritual practice?.

So, we often say that for the rich to go among people to benefit sentient beings and walk the Bodhisattva-path is truly not easy. When the poor are inspired to be spiritually rich, although they are poor and lacking material goods, they are rich in love, which is also very rare and precious.

In Tzu Chi, there are many wealthy people. There are also those who lead difficult lives, yet they form aspirations; rich at heart, they go among people and help, just like everyone else. This is equality. This can be achieved in our human realm. The Buddha used this method to inspire love in this world. This is “to draw near the human and heaven realms”.

“Some may create distant affinities of deep respect with bowing of the head and raising of the hands”. We go among people to form good affinities. The Buddha came to this world, again and again, always going among people to form good affinities. Some people in this life cannot form great aspirations, make great vows or engage in spiritual practice, but at least they can form affinities with the Buddha. They listen to and happily accept the teachings. Though the Buddha is very distant from them, they are very happy to see and hear Him; they are just happy to listen. This is “creating distant affinities”. The seeds of causes and conditions have already been planted in the fields of their hearts.

Thus, more than 2000 years ago, the Buddha manifested in this world and attained Buddhahood. For countless kalpas, He had formed affinities with countless sentient beings. These were distant affinities; distant affinities of deep respect were formed. With all sentient beings, we must have a deep sense of respect; we respect them from the bottom of our hearts. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature; even if they are now biased or speak harshly, one day, perhaps in a future life, they will encounter one with the right affinity and be transformed so they too can engage in spiritual practice. They will also have a chance to attain Buddhahood, because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. If we think this way, we will have deep respect for everyone.

“Some may engage in the practice of cultivating blessings and wisdom on the Bodhisattva-path”. If there are people who have these aspirations and affinities next to us or in front of us, we should carefully guide them in so we can all go among people and cultivate blessings and wisdom together. This is the Bodhisattva-path.

“We head toward the distant place of treasure with the Six Perfections”. Of course, whether through the worldly practice of the Ten Good Deeds and Five Precepts or from a distance creating good affinities with everyone, gradually they will be able to take in what we say and gradually connect with this state to accept the Buddha-Dharma. Thus, we bow our heads and raise our hands, setting examples with our actions to educate and benefit the world and help people become rich at heart, rich with love. This is to create causes and conditions to transform people in the future.

It takes a long time to walk this Bodhisattva-path. Since it is the right road, the true path, we must advance forward by using the Six Perfections. We use the Six Perfections of giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom, these six methods. Even if the path is very long, our goal is to attain Buddhahood. Our goal is to return to our pure Tathagata-nature. If we can bring matters and principles together, then we can return to our nature of True Suchness. This was the Buddha’s goal in coming to the world, so we must be mindful in accepting the teachings.

In the previous sutra passage, there is an analogy of the clouds and rain nourishing the earth “Though born on one earth and nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences”.

The same cloud lets the rain fall on so many kinds of things on the land, on the forests of vegetation and trees and on all kinds of material objects and so on. They are all universally nourished by the same cloud and rain.

So it says, “Though born on one earth…”. All people, matters and objects exist between heaven and earth. Clouds, rain and thunder are all in the sky; [the rain] falls universally. This principle shows that the Buddha’s mind is open and spacious. His perspectives are one with heaven and earth. Therefore, many things are encompassed in the Buddha’s ocean of enlightenment.

So, “Nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences”. After learning the Dharma, some people can move straight onto the great, direct Bodhi-path and act according to the principles. Others learn the teachings but misunderstand them and act against the principles. So, all things on earth have their differences.

The next sutra passage states, “Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also just like this”. “He appears in the world like a great cloud arising”.

The Buddha again called out to Venerable Kasyapa. “Kasyapa, the Tathagata is also just like this”. Why did He say this?. When the Buddha had taught up to this point,. He called Kasyapa’s name again;. He did this to wake everyone up

Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also just like this:. He warned all that in listening to the Dharma we must take it to heart with faith and understanding. We must earnestly practice to experience the Buddha’s awakened observation. Previously He was teaching the analogy; now He was bringing it together with the Dharma.

“He warned all that in listening to the Dharma, we must take it to heart”. Although He called Kasyapa, this represented calling for the whole assembly to listen to the Dharma and take it to heart with faith and understanding. He reminded everyone to practice earnestly; in spiritual practice we must seize the time. We must not let various troubles disturb our minds. We should realize the Buddha’s enlightened view.

When the Buddha first expounded these teachings, what was on His mind?. What were His intent, His enlightened nature and all the things He had realized?. We should go deeper to experience the Buddha’s mind, His enlightenment and the wisdom He used to observe things. So, we must be very mindful.

This is also saying that. He previously taught with analogies, and now He was bringing these together with Dharma. Previously, we compared the Three Realms to a house on fire. It is full of suffering, unbearable suffering. In this house on fire, sentient beings are ignorant like ignorant children playing with fire. How could He get them out?. He called to them, but they would not come out. So, He made use of sentient beings’ desires and prepared what they desired outside to entice them to come out. This is in the Chapter on Parables.

Then, in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding,. Venerable Kasyapa and three other great disciples gave an analogy on behalf of the assembly. They had only understood the Buddha wanted to transform them, to help them be able to purify their minds, eliminate their afflictions and be liberated from the cycle of life and death. However, they remained stuck at that stage. They had not yet formed great aspirations to go among people to transform sentient beings, so they used the analogy of a poor son. This is the principle mentioned before. Now the Buddha [made an analogy] using all things in the world. Since the Buddha’s teachings cover all things in the world,.

“Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also like this”. “He appears in the world like a great cloud arising”. The Buddha appears in this world “like a great cloud arising”.

So, “The Buddha appears like a rising cloud, as matters and principles resemble each other”

He appears in the world like a great cloud arising:. The Buddha appears like a rising cloud, as matters and principles resemble each other. He is knower of truth in this life and the next. I am the one who knows all, the one who sees all, the one who knows the Path, the one who opens the Path and the one who teaches the Path.

He appears in the world like a great cloud arising:. The Buddha appears like a rising cloud, as matters and principles resemble each other. He is knower of truth in this life and the next. “I am the one who knows all, the one who sees all, the one who knows the Path, the one who opens the Path and the one who teaches the Path”. This describes the Buddha appearing in this world. “As matters and principles resemble each other” means that [to realize] all principles will take a very long period of time. This is like how, for clouds to yield rainfall, they must gradually accumulate [vapor] until there is sufficient moisture; then they can universally nourish the land.

“He is knower of truth in this life and the next”. As for the Dharma that the Buddha understood, we actually cannot cover it all in one life, two lives, or even in three or five lives. As stated in the sutras,. “I am the one who knows all, the one who sees all, the one who knows the Path the one who opens the Path and the one who teaches the Path”. This is what we see in the sutras. The Buddha wanted everyone to know this. “You should have faith that the causes and conditions for a Buddha to come to this world are not so easy to come by”. For the Buddha to come to this world,. He had to go through countless kalpas. The merits and virtues He accumulated were from creating blessings among people and accumulating wisdom among people. This is how He became the one who knows all. He not only knew the Path, but He also knew how to walk it, so He was called “the one who knows the Path”. He knew the direction He was heading and how to walk the Path.

Thus, the Buddha had accumulated all of this, and when the causes and conditions had matured,. He came to this world. With the way He looked at the world, [He thought,]. “Why is life so unfair?”. “Why do the rich get to enjoy so much?”. “Why do the poor and distressed suffer so much?”. “Why do people suffer from aging, illness, death and from being separated in life or by death?”. “Why is there suffering from unattained desires?”. “Where do the principles of the world come from?”. “How am I going to walk this road?”. Therefore, [this prince] left his small family and gave up his authority over a country and his position as a king. To this young man with an open and broad mind, these things were of little importance. What he wanted to seek were the things human beings had not understood yet. He wanted to find a path for them.

So, this is the meaning of “the one who knows all”. This even included the ways of humans, the concepts of social divisions; he had to explore and study these. So, he decided to engage in spiritual practice. Spiritual practice, or cultivating the Path, is to blaze a trail that can be walked. He let go of all his desires and afflictions and settled and stilled his mind. He ultimately awakened and became one with the universe. Therefore, He was able to return to the multitudes of sentient beings in this world to teach the Four Noble Truths. He opened up this road [and said],. “Everyone, come walk on it”. He returned to transform sentient beings. So, He was “the one who opened the Path and the one who taught the Path”. This road was opened up by Him, so He taught these principles for us to follow.

Thus, it says, “Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is also just like this”. “He appears in the world like a great cloud arising” ․This complements what the previous passage stated:. “Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is the king of all Dharma”. “That which He teaches will never be false”. This is the analogy for the Dharma-king appearing in the world and for how He gives teachings with the Buddha-body. The passage is to help everyone who listens to the Dharma to comprehend.

This complements what the previous passage stated:. Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is the king of all Dharma. That which He teaches will never be false. This is the analogy for the Dharma-king appearing in the world and for how He gives teachings with the Buddha-body.

So, it states, “Kasyapa, you should know that the Tathagata is the king of all Dharma”. “That which He teaches will never be false”. Once more, the Buddha wanted to inspire faith and understanding in His disciples and have them study earnestly and seek to comprehend the Buddha’s original intent. We must practice according to the Path that the Buddha taught and apply it in our daily living. We must believe that He was the king of all Dharma. He appeared in this world in order to teach and guide sentient beings. When the time was right, the Buddha appeared in this world and taught the Dharma. He taught the principles with His voice and put them into practice with His actions. In the monastic community,. He lived the same way as His disciples. He also had to go door to door begging for alms. He also gathered with everyone else and constantly taught the Dharma. This was the Buddha’s goal in coming to this world.

The Buddha was like clouds and rain up in the sky; [as it falls, we are] “nourished by one rain”. However, we sentient beings on earth have different capabilities, so we should constantly and earnestly use “great roots, stems, branches and leaves” to accept the rain from the clouds. This means we should use great capabilities to learn the Buddha’s teachings, form great aspirations, make great vows and go among people to transform sentient beings. So, we must always be mindful

Episode 879 – Rainfall Nourishes All Things Equally

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>> The macrocosm is made up of heaven and earth, and the things it contains are immeasurable. It creates countless billions [of resources] in the mountains, rivers and lands. This one earth gives life to all things, and no resources are lacking. Space and the four elements respond to time, and the land benefits all living things.

>> The clouds rain down on the earth, so the plants and trees receive nourishment according to their own measure. With the virtuous Dharma that is in accord with the two causes of the habitual tendencies and the retributions of sentient beings, all receive and are nourished by the Dharma-rain. Then with their two effects of habitual tendencies and retributions, each will grow.

>> “All trees, big and small, according to their great, average or small size, each receive something. From the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature, is given life, grows, blossoms and bears fruit.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “Though born of one earth and nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> So, we say, though born of one earth. The one earth is an analogy for intrinsic nature. It is inherently equal in all. The varieties of life are like people’s minds; what is desired differs in each. The one earth is the earth of this great trichiliocosm.

>> Nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences:. The one rain is an analogy for the Dharma which universally benefits all things. The natures and capabilities of sentient beings all differ. Like the plants and the trees, each is endowed differently.

>> The rain is all the same, but what we each receive differs. This is an analogy for how the teachings given do not differ, yet sentient beings’ capacities and the benefits they receive differ. Dharma is given equally to all sentient beings, yet we do not know this.

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“The macrocosm is made up of heaven and earth, and the things it contains are immeasurable.
 It creates countless billions [of resources] in the mountains, rivers and lands.
This one earth gives life to all things, and no resources are lacking. Space and the four elements respond to time, and the land benefits all living things.”

We humans live here between heaven and earth. We must be grateful for heaven’s virtue above and for the earth’s support below. When we are grateful, we will naturally cherish all things in the world. We also must have mutual love. When we cherish and love each other like this, we repay the grace of heaven and earth. It is same for the Buddha, who taught in the world. To repay His grace, there is only one way, teaching and transforming sentient beings and going among the people to help them be able to understand the principles and purify their minds. This is how we repay the Buddha’s grace.

As we talk every day, every day we encourage each other to do this. In fact, the Dharma exists naturally in the universe. It is just that our minds are in a state of confusion. Since Beginningless Time, how much time have we spent being influenced by this evil world of Five Turbidities?. The true principles and the fragrance of the Dharma have not permeated us. Yet, we bring with us a lot of ignorance and a contaminated state of mind to this lifetime. With these karmic affinities, when we face our current causes and conditions, this modern society, modern people and all things in this modern era, it is as if this evil world of Five Turbidities has become even more defiled. These turbidities are so strong that to maintain a pure mind and see things clearly and thoroughly seems truly difficult!. This is what worries the Buddha most. The future as seen from the Buddha’s era, our present time, is an evil world of Five Turbidities. Thus, so many sentient beings suffer greatly.

We lack the principles of heaven and earth as well as the principle of [living] between them because we have been buried beneath our ignorance. Otherwise, [we would see that] the macrocosm is made up of heaven and earth; the number of things contained within them is truly immeasurable. These things are all available to humans for us to make good use of them, but when it comes to the world’s resources, if we develop and use them in excess, we harm the macrocosm, which is heaven and earth. The land is damaged and the air is polluted.

So we say, the things this world contains are immeasurable; there are so many resources. “It creates countless billions [of resources] in the mountains, rivers, and lands”. This creation is so complete. This is heaven’s virtue, the grace of heaven and earth. The things created are in the countless billions. Where are the countless billions [of resources]?. In the mountains, rivers and lands. So, “This one earth gives life to all things, and no resources are lacking”. In fact, this is the nature of the earth. It provides for humankind so that we do not lack any resources. If we can properly utilize what the earth has provided us, we will not lack anything. Yet, we are simply not content; we are too greedy, so we use resources in excess.

“Space and the four elements respond to time, and the land benefits all living things”. Fundamentally this world is so harmonious, encompassed by emptiness, by empty space, all within the vast open space of the universe. Within space are earth, water, fire, and air, the four elements. “Space and the four elements” respond to time. Following each second, each day, each month and each year, the four seasons cycle. In this world, the four elements cycle like this within “space,”. In this natural cycle of the world people and nature are in harmony with each other. Following the cycles of heaven and earth, we can all exercise our abilities in our lives.

In the past, people of all walks of life lived like this. Now, times have changed and we no longer understand these principles. We even wantonly waste [water] and do not know how to conserve it. The resources the universe provides us are so rich and plentiful; the mountains, rivers and land contain countless things, more than we could ever make use of. This is because “This one earth gives life to all things, and no resources are lacking”. We lack absolutely nothing.

The four elements in space respond to the flow of time. The four seasons continue to cycle in turn. “The land benefits all living things”. This earth benefits us and all living things. Whether plants, humans, animals, etc., all things exist between heaven and earth [The earth] contains countless resources, so we must always be mindful. We must cherish all of the world’s creations.

The clouds rain down on the earth, so the plants and trees receive nourishment according to their own measure. With the virtuous Dharma that is in accord with the two causes of the habitual tendencies and the retributions of sentient beings, all receive and are nourished by the Dharma-rain. Then with their two effects of habitual tendencies and retributions, each will grow.

So, we are speaking of clouds. “The clouds rain on the earth, so the plants and trees receive nourishment “according to their own measure”. When we look up, we ask, “Will it rain?”. When it rains, we are happy because the rain nourishes the land. In this world, we use clouds and rain as analogies in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants  In fact, rain, dew, clouds and so on are very important to human beings. Like all things between heaven and earth, the clouds and rain follow the habitual tendencies of sentient beings and their karmic causes and effects. These causes, conditions, effects and retributions are a law; if we apply virtuous teachings, we earnestly make good use of all our resources. While we are in this world, we must live according to the principles. If we can do this, the rain will bring nourishment. The rain will nourish the earth. When the earth’s weather is balanced, people are safe.

Speaking of people, if we accept the Dharma,. “All are covered and nourished by the Dharma-rain”. We have all already heard the Buddha-Dharma, so we can take the teachings to heart. Our habitual tendencies formed in past lifetimes and the karmic causes and conditions we created are now things that we understand. Yet, how much do we really understand?. So it says, “Each will grow…”. The Dharma-rain nourishes our mind,. Which teachings we accept and how we apply them in the world depends on our own capabilities.

The following sutra passage says, “All trees, big and small, according to their great, average or small size, each receive something.. From the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature, is given life, grows, blossoms and bears fruit”.

Whether we have great, average or small roots, the amount of water we take in will be that much. Yet, how much of the Dharma we have learned has been applied to our own minds?. “Only the person who drinks the water knows its temperature”. So, “Each, according to its seed-nature, is given life, grows, blossoms and bears fruit”. How big will it be, how many flowers will bloom and how much fruit it will bear?.

The next sutra passage continues, “Though born of one earth and nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences”.

Even thought they are all on the same land, once we have sown the seeds, “nourished by one rain,” the different vegetables in the garden will grow accordingly. Chinese cabbage, Napa cabbage, white cabbage etc., all grow differently. “All the plants and trees each have their differences”. Depending on the species, what grows will be different

So, we say, “though born of one earth.. The one earth is an analogy for intrinsic nature.. It is inherently equal in all.. The varieties of life are like people’s minds; what is desired differs in each.. The one earth is the earth of this great trichiliocosm”.

 The “one earth” is an analogy for intrinsic nature. We are now listening to the Dharma, [so we know] we are all equal in our nature. Everyone has the nature of True Suchness and the potential to attain Buddhahood. So, “one earth” means equality; it is talking about the land “[Intrinsic nature] is inherently equal in all.. The varieties of things” refers to the many different things in the world. It is also an analogy for our minds.

We each intrinsically have Buddha-nature. From the past until now, from Beginningless Time, we are born with our nature of True Suchness. The Buddha continues to remind us that we each intrinsically have Buddha-nature. However, everyone has different habitual tendencies. The habitual tendencies are our states of mind. We all have different states of mind. I often say,. “When a mother gives birth to ten children, including her they are of 11 different minds”. In other words, a mother gives birth to a child, but what that child is thinking is something even the mother does not know. Even siblings from the same womb have different personalities. Each of our habitual tendencies, our personalities and our states of mind are different. So,. “The varieties of life are like people’s minds”. People’s minds and habitual tendencies are all different. “What is desired differs in each”.

What each of us desires is [different]. Some people desire very little and are content. “I am content with what I have.. I do not need a lot”. They form great aspirations and are willing to help others. There are some people of this mindset. However, there are others who want to own everything in the world. They want the highest social status and fame. They wish for everything to belong to them. Yet, when asked to give of themselves, they are unable to let go. This mindset is the result of acquired tendencies. Thus, each person’s mind is different, because the tendencies we have acquired differ. “What is desired differs in each”.

So, on the “one earth,” on this same piece of land, there are truly many different things. This is “the earth of the great trichiliocosm”. Within the great universe, countless numbers of worlds are contained. All planets in this universe are contained within this great space. All these living things are found on the earth. Because there is water here, many kinds of animals and plants can live here. This is called the “one earth.. Born of one earth,”

Nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences:. The one rain is an analogy for the Dharma which universally benefits all things. The natures and capabilities of sentient beings all differ. Like the plants and the trees, each is endowed differently.

“and nourished by one rain, all the plants and trees each have their differences”. Although all are born on the same land and are nourished by the same rain, the plants and trees on the earth are different.

The one rain is an analogy for the Dharma. The Dharma can “benefit all things”; all sentient beings can benefit from the Dharma Just as the same water rains down [on all plants], the Dharma is used to benefit all. However, “the natures and capabilities,” sentient beings’ capacities and natures, [differ]. If we have great roots, branches and leaves, we can absorb a lot of water. If our roots, branches and leaves are small, naturally we can only absorb a little water. So, “The natures and capabilities of sentient beings all differ”. This is like growing vegetables. Some vegetables require more arid soil, whereas others cannot be at all lacking water. Their roots and natures differ; they are all different. “Like the plants and the trees, each is endowed differently”. The needs of the plants and trees are different.

The rain is all the same, but what we each receive differs. This is an analogy for how the teachings given do not differ, yet sentient beings’ capacities and the benefits they receive differ. Dharma is given equally to all sentient beings, yet we do not know this.

However, “The rain is all the same”. The rain is no different, “but what each receives differs.. I am only able to take in so much.. It is the same water, but I can only take in so much”. This is because we all have different capacities. This is an analogy for how “the teachings given do not differ”. The Buddha’s teachings, given to all sentient beings, do not differ. “Yet, sentient beings’ capacities and the benefits they receive differ”. Our capacities differ, so the benefits we receive also differ.

When we try to teach people, some cannot understand [the Dharma] and cannot tell right from wrong. They take something they hear and spread and share it with others. “A slight deviation leads us far off course”. Therefore, when giving these teachings to sentient beings, we must give them based on the person, time, place and the person’s capacity. The kind of Dharma they can accept determines what we can teach them to avoid their carelessly spreading [rumors]. Spreading the wrong message may cause disturbances with people, matters and things. So, we must be careful when giving teachings.

“It is given equally to all sentient beings, yet, they do not know it themselves”. When the Buddha taught sentient beings, how much of what we received were we able to understand?. Sometimes, even after we receive the Dharma, not only do we not apply it in the world, on the contrary, we use one teaching to dispute another, pitting [the Dharma against itself]. This creates many conflicts. When the Dharma is misused like this,

it is like [what we have seen] in modern times, these terrifying kinds of thinking. People destroy nature, criticize their parents, or judge others and so on, all types of unwholesome [mindsets]. We might be [well-educated], yet we lack virtuous thoughts. If we lack virtuous thoughts, this will lead to evil ways that destroy our world

In summary, we need to understand that every day, when we see the spacious sky, we must think of all things in the world that exist because of the sky’s protection, providing us with the harmony of the four elements. We must be grateful! We must earnestly cherish it. The earth can sustain and give life to all things. All things are born of the earth. As the water in the air unites with the earth, they together nourish us based on our capacities and allow all seeds to grow. So, in the grounds of our minds, what kind of seeds will we plant?. How much water do they need?. “Only the person who drinks the water knows its temperature”. Therefore, we must always be mindful

Episode 878 – The Dharma-rain Nourishes Universally

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>> The Dharma-rain nourishes the ground of the mind for the practitioners of the fivefold assembly. All the causal seeds we have habitually created received the rain and were nourished. Roots, stems, branches and leaves are analogies for faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.

>> “There are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves and those with great roots, great stems, great branches and great leaves. ”      [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> So, people say, It takes ten years to cultivate a tree. It takes 100 years to cultivate a person. Establishing virtues requires nourishment. Eliminating evil requires pulling out the root.

>> Contemplate under a tree to seek the Path. When the Buddha was born, when He attained enlightenment, when He turned the Dharma-wheel and when He entered Parinirvana, all of these took place beneath trees.

>> All trees, big and small, according to their great, average or small size, each receive something. From the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature, is given life, grows, blossoms and bears fruit.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> Bodhisattvas can be divided into two kinds. Those who follow gradual teachings are small. Those who follow immediate teachings are great. According to their differing capacities, what they accept is different.

>> They nourish each other in sequence. Those with small roots are an analogy for the faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of humans and heavenly beings. Those with average roots are an analogy for the faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of the Two Vehicles. Those with great roots are an analogy for the faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of Bodhisattvas.

>> From the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature: The one great cloud is an analogy for the Tathagata’s body. Widely pouring down the sweet rain is an analogy for the Tathagata’s teaching. It accords with the root, seed and habitual nature that each is endowed with.

>> [Each] is given life, grows, blossoms and bears fruit. The rain nourishes all living things, so they can flower and produce fruit. The Dharma nourishes radiant wisdom, becoming grace and bringing rewards. Things live, grow, blossom and bear fruit, each according to its own seed-nature. This shows the differences in nourishment accepted.

>> To be given life represents initial aspirations. To grow is an analogy for later cultivation. To blossom is an analogy for hearing the teachings and engaging in practice. To bear fruit is an analogy for realizing principles and attaining the fruits. This means that though all receive the rain that falls equally, the benefits that are created by each are different.

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“The Dharma-rain nourishes the ground of the mind for the practitioners of the fivefold assembly.
All the causal seeds we have habitually created received the rain and were nourished.
Roots, stems, branches and leaves are analogies for faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.”

As practitioners, the ground of our minds needs the Dharma-rain in order to be nourished. What is the fivefold assembly? Practitioners can be grouped into five categories. There are bhiksus, bhiksunis, sramanera (male novice), srameneri (female novice) and siksamana; these are like the Pure Practitioners we have now. Though they have not yet become monastics, they live in the monastery and follow the monastic practice of accepting and upholding the Buddha’s teachings. All together, these make up the fivefold assembly.

Looking outward, if we expand the scope a bit, we have the Five Vehicles; the Five Vehicles include the teachings that both monastics and laypeople have in common. These are the teachings of the human and heaven realms. When we add the monastic practices of the Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva Vehicles, we have the teachings of the Five Vehicles. So, together these are called the fivefold assembly and the Five Vehicles.

Because people’s capabilities differed, the Buddha gave teachings each person was able to accept, as well as the precepts, Samadhi and wisdom they needed. The precepts He taught all differed; different people needed to cultivate different precepts in their practice so each individual could gradually advance according to their aspirations. This is why it says, “All the causal seeds we have habitually created received the rain and were nourished.”

Seeds are all different. If we look at the earth, we see all the plants, trees and grains have different seeds. Rice has rice seeds. Wheat has wheat seeds. Vegetables, gourds and so on all have its own different seeds. So, people’s capabilities and thinking are also different. Although we are all human, over a long period of time, each individual is influenced by acquired habitual tendencies. Some people have been raised in a positive environment and have the conditions to receive wholesome teachings. When they take wholesome teachings to heart, they will practice good deeds in the world. They have already nurtured thoughts of goodness. These may be thoughts of great goodness or thoughts of average or limited goodness. Whether thoughts of goodness are great, average or limited, they are expressed through our actions so the karma we create among people differs. The causes or seeds we habitually form also differ.

Thus the seeds of goodness influence us according to whether they are great, average or limited. The Dharma must also be taught according to whether people’s capabilities are great, average or limited. If we look at things from the other side, those who live long in a negative environment, among negative causes and conditions, when they again meet with causes and conditions, will be led astray by these causes and conditions. So, limited, average or great evil also continuously reinforce their habitual tendencies. If influenced by negative environments and led by negative causes and conditions, it will be very difficult for people like this to accept the Buddha-Dharma. Having been permeated with negative things, it is difficult for them to be nourished by the Dharma-rain.

So, this is “all the causal seeds we have habitually created.” Once these causes and conditions exist, regardless of whether our habitual tendencies are great, average or limited, the seeds of goodness that have permeated us only need to receive the rain. Once seeds in the ground have rain to nourish them, then with soil, water, sunlight and the air surrounding them, naturally they will grow. This is like our roots of goodness; whether great or limited, the causes and conditions we accumulated in the past are different for all of us. So, as long as we listen to the Buddha-Dharma, these seeds of ours, these seeds of goodness, will always grow. In our minds, after the seeds of small plants have grown, we can then begin to plant tree seeds in the ground of our mind. Those small plants can be used as nutrients so the trees we plant in our minds will grow big. This is why, lifetime after lifetime, we as spiritual practitioners must ourselves cultivate the grounds of our own minds. What kind of seeds do we wish to sow? This is very important.

So, “Received the rain and were nourished” includes all roots, stems, branches and leaves. These are all analogies, illustrating that in whatever we practice, we must first have faith, faith and understanding. We must believe, and we must comprehend. We must “comprehend the great path” and “form the supreme aspiration.” The Buddha hopes that we can spread the One Vehicle to all sentient beings, that all can have faith and understanding and accept and uphold [this teaching]. What is it that we must accept and uphold? Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. With the precepts in our minds and actions, naturally we cannot go wrong. We will guard against wrongs and stop evil. Then naturally, our minds will be in Samadhi. With our minds in Samadhi, our wisdom will grow. So, let us mindfully make efforts to realize this.

The previous sutra passage says, “There are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves and those with great roots, great stems, great branches and great leaves.” This is describing the appearance of big and small trees.

What is considered a big tree? It is when it is at least ten years old. To cultivate trees so they become a forest, we need big trees that are over ten years old. What about nurturing a person? It takes longer to nurture people than trees. So, there are six years of primary education and six years of secondary education, which together totals 12 years. It takes four years to complete university; it takes seven years to become a doctor. If you think about it, this is almost 20 years. It takes almost 20 years of education before they finally complete their studies. Then, after their studies are complete, do they enter society as mature adults? Their experience of the world and its affairs is still shallow ․So, people say, “It takes ten years to cultivate a tree. It takes 100 years to cultivate a person. Establishing virtues requires nourishment. Eliminating evil requires pulling out the root.” This means that cultivating trees and nurturing people are similar. When cultivating a tree, we must mindfully weed, water and take care of it. This is nothing compared to nurturing a person.

What is our objective in nurturing a person? We want to give to others. With the virtue we cultivate through inner cultivation and external practice, we want to nourish people. This is our purpose and objective in “cultivating a person.”

How can we benefit people? We must “eliminate evil [by] pulling out the root.” We must quickly eliminate our habitual tendencies and return to our nature of True Suchness. So, it says, “Establishing virtues requires nourishment. Eliminating evil requires pulling out the root.” So, we must put effort into being mindful.

Contemplate under a tree to seek the Path. When the Buddha was born, when He attained enlightenment, when He turned the Dharma-wheel and when He entered Parinirvana, all of these took place beneath trees.

The Buddha placed great importance on trees. He “contemplated under a tree to seek Bodhi.” For the Buddha, He was born, engaged in practice, attained enlightenment, turned the Dharma-wheel and entered Parinirvana, all beneath trees. At the Buddha’s birth, Lady Maya was beneath a tree as she gave birth to Prince Siddhartha. Prince Siddhartha later engaged in spiritual practice. When He engaged in spiritual practice, it was also beneath a tree. When He saw the morning star, He awakened. So, He also attained enlightenment beneath a tree. When He first turned the Dharma-wheel, He went to Deer Park to transform the five bhiksus. It was also beneath a tree there that He turned the Dharma-wheel. At the end of the Buddha’s 80 years of life, He entered Parinirvana. This also occurred between two trees. So, trees are things that we should consider very mindfully

“All trees, big and small, according to their great, average or small size, each receive something. From the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature, is given life, grows, blossoms and bears fruit.”

This sutra passage tells us that, “All trees, big and small, according to their great, average or small size, each receive something.” Whether a tree is big or small, no matter what its size is, it will likewise receive the rain.

Bodhisattvas can be divided into two kinds. Those who follow gradual teachings are small. Those who follow immediate teachings are great. According to their differing capacities, what they accept is different.

So, trees can be divided into big and small. This is like Bodhisattvas; Bodhisattvas are also divided into two kinds. One kind of Bodhisattva cultivates and practices “gradual teachings.” With “gradual teachings” we take it slow. “I know benefiting people is a good thing, but let me take it slowly.” This is like a small tree. Following gradual teachings is called small.

Following immediate teachings is called great. The [second type] is “immediate teachings.” Since we have heard the teachings, we must seize the moment. “I want to begin right now to form great aspirations and make great vows.” This is known as “following immediate teachings.” We must form aspirations very quickly. Right away we form great aspirations and vows. This is like Sakyamuni Buddha. Since forming His initial aspiration, over a period of countless kalpas. He repeatedly returned to this world, throughout the Five Realms, never resting. This is practicing the “immediate teachings.” It is practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma

So, clouds and rain in the sky moisten each tree, big and small, accordingly. This is like the Dharma that we sentient beings accept; do we accept the Great Vehicle Dharma, or do we accept the Small Vehicle Dharma? The great and small teachings both benefit us, but do we receive great or small benefits? Do we want to return to True Suchness quickly, or do we want to take our time? This depends on our capabilities.

They nourish each other in sequence. Those with small roots are an analogy for the faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of humans and heavenly beings. Those with average roots are an analogy for the faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of the Two Vehicles. Those with great roots are an analogy for the faith, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of Bodhisattvas.

So it says, “They nourish each other in sequence.” We mutually teach each other like this. “Small roots” are an analogy for “the faith in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of humans and heavenly beings.” Average roots are an analogy for the faith in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of Two Vehicle practitioners. Great roots are an analogy for “the faith in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of Bodhisattvas.”

Do we want to uphold the Five Precepts, to accept the teachings of the Five Precepts, so as not to lose our human form? Or do we prefer to practice the Ten Good Deeds in order to enjoy heavenly blessings? If we wish to enjoy heavenly blessings, then we must practice the Ten Good Deeds [Just as before,] we must uphold the Five Precepts. With the Five Precepts and the Ten Good Deeds, we will be born in heaven, where we will enjoy long life and pleasures. This the meaning of small roots; they only result in blessed retributions in the human and heaven realms.

Average roots are likened to those in the Two Vehicles and their faith in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom; they have faith in and understanding of these. The Two Vehicle practitioners are Hearers and. Solitary Realizers, those who practice the Small Vehicle teachings. They know they must eliminate afflictions and maintain the purity of their bodies. They have the self-respect to preserve the purity of their mind and body and eliminate their afflictions and ignorance. This means they practice to awaken themselves. This is known as having average roots.

Those with great roots have “the faith in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom of Bodhisattvas.” When among the myriads of sentient beings, whatever kind of defilement or serious matter comes upon us, we must always remain unwavering. We must uphold precepts. We must patiently endure; this is called Samadhi. If we can be at peace with a clear conscience and abide among sentient beings without fear, that is wisdom. These are great roots; this is the Dharma accepted by Bodhisattvas. This is having “great roots, great stems, great branches and great leaves.” This is the Bodhisattva-aspiration we have formed.

From the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature: The one great cloud is an analogy for the Tathagata’s body. Widely pouring down the sweet rain is an analogy for the Tathagata’s teaching. It accords with the root, seed and habitual nature that each is endowed with.

This is how “from the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature…”. The rain falls like this. It falls on all things on the land. So, this great cloud and rain are an analogy for the Tathagata’s body, the Dharmakaya. “Widely pouring down the sweet rain. Widely pouring down” is like widely anointing all with the ambrosial dew of Dharma-rain. These are the teachings of the Tathagata. This is how “from the rain of one cloud, each, according to its seed-nature….” This is our capability and habitual nature. Different kinds of tree seeds grow into different varieties of trees. It all depends on what kind of seed it is. Likewise, we humans have habitual tendencies. As far as people are concerned, every individual has their own habitual nature. So, “from the rain of one cloud,” each receives moisture according to its seed-nature

“[Each] is given life, grows, blossoms and bears fruit. The rain nourishes all living things, so they can flower and produce fruit. The Dharma nourishes radiant wisdom, becoming grace and bringing rewards. Things live, grow, blossom and bear fruit, each according to its own seed-nature. This shows the differences in nourishment accepted.”

With rain to nourish them, they will naturally flower and bear fruit, will naturally grow quite luxuriously. Whatever our capabilities may be, we are all moistened and grow from the rain. When the rain falls, all things, if water, air and sunlight are sufficient, naturally and gradually, as time passes, will blossom and bear fruit.

Likewise, “The Dharma nourishes radiant wisdom.” If we accept the Dharma and use the Dharma to nourish ourselves, naturally our wisdom will be radiant. To this end, we must be very mindful when we listen to the Dharma, as it “becomes grace and brings rewards” [With] gratitude in our hearts, we will be able to respect the Dharma. When we take the Dharma to heart, naturally our seeds will manifest.

So, “Things live, grow, blossom and bear fruit, each according to its own seed-nature.” This sutra passage tells us that just as moisture nourishes, we too are nourished by upholding the Dharma. There are many different kinds of trees. So, depending on its variety, each produces a specific kind of fruit. Thus it says, “This shows the differences in nourishment accepted.” The trees may be of different kinds, but they are nourished by the same rain.

To be given life represents initial aspirations. To grow is an analogy for later cultivation. To blossom is an analogy for hearing the teachings and engaging in practice. To bear fruit is an analogy for realizing principles and attaining the fruits. This means that though all receive the rain that falls equally, the benefits that are created by each are different.

“To be given life,” to sprout, is an analogy for “initial aspirations,” for forming aspirations. “To grow” is an analogy for “later cultivation” “To be given life” represents initial aspirations. “To grow” is an analogy for later cultivation. “To blossom” is an analogy for hearing the teachings and engaging in practice. “To bear fruit” is an analogy for realizing principles and attaining the fruits. This means that though all receive the rain that falls equally, the benefits that are created by each are different. So, to be given life requires us to unlock our minds and understand the preciousness of the Dharma. We must put it into practice, so we first have initial aspirations, then proceed by nourishing ourselves with the Dharma. “To grow” is an analogy for “later cultivation.” We must constantly absorb it.

Then we can abundantly “blossom and bear fruit.” This is saying that we should blossom and bear fruit. So, this is an analogy for listening to the Dharma. “Hearing the teachings and engaging in practice” here means in our process of hearing the teachings and engaging in spiritual practice we are like a tree that has already blossomed. So, having borne fruit means we have “realized the principles and attained the fruits.” After we have engaged in spiritual practice, we know the principles, and we can utilize them freely. So, it is “an analogy for realizing the principles and attaining the fruits.”

“This means that though all receive the rain that falls equally, the benefits that are produced by each are different.” Actually, the Dharma-rain falls on all impartially [The difference is] in the ground of our minds; do we have big or small trees? As people, we are the same. Do we ultimately form great or small aspirations? If our virtue is limited, our mind’s capacity will remain small. If our virtue is great, then our mind’s capacity will be open and broad. If our mind’s capacity is open and broad, what we receive will be the Great Dharma.

So, in forming Bodhisattva-aspirations, do we want go about it gradually or immediately seize the moment and become willing to give our lives and devote our bodies to help other people right now? This depends on the aspirations we form. Like the plants on the ground, the Dharma-rain nourishes the ground of our minds, and it is in the ground of our mind that we sow seeds of virtue. So, everyone, when it comes to what kind of seeds we sow, we must always be mindful!

Episode 877 – Dharma Rain Falls, Benefiting Sentient Beings

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>> The land is covered by clouds and rain, so all things can flourish and thrive. The rain from the sky moistens all things, giving the grace of nourishment to the world. The earth can give birth to, nourish and bear all things. The Dharma is likened to the sky, earth, clouds and rain, as it can nourish our wisdom-life.

>> “So, In the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants, there are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves and those with great roots, great stems, great branches, great leaves and so on.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> Since clouds and rains equally cover all, the nourishment they provide is received universally by all grasses and tress, and the medicinal plants that can cure diseases receive equal nourishment as well.

>> So, in the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants, vegetation is a general term for all plants, including the great, average and small plants. There are also the two groups of trees, big trees and small trees. When they grow together, it is called a forest.

>> This is likened to the Buddha’s mystery of speech. With the Four Eloquences in His voice, He easily lets fall the rain of Dharma. If clouds are not dense, they cannot equally rain on all things, nourishing the land and nurturing the plants. If [His] kind aspirations were not densely formed, [He] could not widely benefit sentient beings.

>> So it says, There are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves. Humans and heavenly beings are those with small roots and small stems. Hearers and Solitary Realizers are called average medicinal plants.

>> For those with great roots, great stems, great branches and great leaves, roots are an analogy for good seeds, stems are an analogy for good vows, branches are an analogy for good methods and leaves represent the good practices.

>> Among the trees of this world, those with great roots and stems will have many branches and leaves. This is an analogy for Bodhisattvas, whose vows and wisdom are great. Those who form Bodhisattva-aspirations are people with great wisdom and vows. They have profound practice and understanding.

>> The stalk of the plants is called the stem. The roots, stems, branches and leaves of great, average and small plants grow in sequence. These represent the Human, Heavenly Being, Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva Vehicles. They each realize the principles according to the teachings, engage in practice according to the principles and attain fruits according to the practice.

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“The land is covered by clouds and rain, so all things can flourish and thrive.
The rain from the sky moistens all things, giving the grace of nourishment to the world.
The earth can give birth to, nourish and bear all things.
The Dharma is likened to the sky, earth, clouds and rain, as it can nourish our wisdom-life.”

Medicinal plants are born and grow on the land. The land is that which “gives birth,” while medicinal plants are that which “is born.” It is not only medicinal plants; big and small trees [are born] as well. Nor is it only big and small trees and medicinal plants; everything that we humans have in the world, everything we can see, all material things,, exist between heaven and earth, and all must be nourished by clouds and rain so they can flourish and be nurtured.

“The rain from the sky moistens all things, giving the grace of nourishment to the world.” When rain falls from the sky, it can nourish and moisten the land. All of the various seeds on earth can sprout and grow into trees, into plants, all kinds of grains and so on. These all depend on rain from the sky. So, the earth can bear all things, while in the sky there are clouds, rain, wind and also sunlight. These all exist in the space of our world. When the [natural] cycle is in harmony, we have sufficient material resources and do not need to worry about our living. Thus, we must be grateful for this. “The rain from the sky moistens all things,” giving the grace of nourishment to the world, allowing our world to be safe and peaceful and helping our lives to be smooth and easy.

I keep listening to the weather reports. Our government and the water company are constantly warning us. The weather reports are saying that [in 2015], there may be a drought. This is something we should worry about. Even more worrying are the water reservoir levels, which are gradually dropping. The bottoms of the reservoirs are beginning to emerge. When we see this, we must be vigilant. We really must conserve water.

People in this world do not know to be grateful and cherish things. Now a crisis is already imminent, but people are still ignorant, consuming and wasting vast quantities of water. People remain totally unaware. They also do not work to wake people up; instead, they talk about improper matters, listen to improper matters and read about improper matters. If these inappropriate things just continue to be read, listened to and spoken about, this will make society more and more turbid, making harmony even more difficult to achieve. In this day and age, everyone should settle their minds and be calm. “Calmness leads to stability.” We want our minds to be stable, so we must always have a grateful heart.

Thus, “The earth can give birth to, nourish and bear all things.” We must be very grateful for heaven’s great space that encompasses so much and keeps the four elements in harmony. We must be grateful that the earth gives birth to, nourishes and bears all things. We are all born and live together on this earth. We must coexist with the whole world, mutually care for each other, love each other and help each other, thus benefiting others and ourselves. We must earnestly engage in spiritual practice; this is benefiting ourselves. We must earnestly care for the earth, people and all things; this is benefiting others. We must have a heart of gratitude.

Next, “The Dharma is likened to the sky, earth, clouds and rain, as it can nourish our wisdom-life.” In the space of the world, everything needs water. Furthermore, in our interpersonal relationships we need the principles of absolute truth and moral values in order to maintain propriety in our lives in the world. The Dharma can help us to maintain moral values in our lives so that we treat each other and deal with matters with a sense of propriety. This is such a beautiful thing! Treating each other with sincerity brings harmony to our society. So, a world of truth, goodness and beauty depends on the Dharma, on principles and morals. This is how we can live a life that is true, wonderful and happy.

So, “The Dharma is likened to the sky, earth, clouds and rain.” It can nourish our wisdom-life, nourish our wisdom. This is not just knowledge, but wisdom. When we can understand the truth of all things, our wisdom-life has developed. Then, naturally we will not violate the rules nor will we go against the Dharma. When we are interacting with people, seeing others doing good deeds will make us happy. If we join them and do good deeds together, with the Dharma-joy we experience, whether we do it ourselves or see others do it, we will feel great happiness. Such a life is one of even greater abundance.

The previous [sutra passage] speaks of “the forests of plants and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants.” The rain and clouds, clouds and rain, cover all universally. This means that the mountain forests and the valley groves begin to be nourished by clouds and rain

So, “In the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants, there are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves and those with great roots, great stems, great branches, great leaves” and so on.

We can see that if a tree is big, its roots are thick and long, and grow very deeply; this is a tree. The thickness of the trunk shows the thickness of its roots; they continue to extend into the ground. So when it rains, the leaves, branches and stems naturally collect the water, which slowly flows down leaves, branches and stems down to its roots as they enter the soil. This is a cycle [The water absorbed] depends on the tree’s size. This is a cycle of rain and water. So it says, “There are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves” [Plants] such as these absorb less water. “Those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves” can absorb a little bit more. If there are “those with great roots, great stems, great branches, great leaves,” they protect the land by pentrating even deeper. So, whether they are big or small trees, over time, they protect the land.

Since clouds and rains equally cover all, the nourishment they provide is received universally by all grasses and tress, and the medicinal plants that can cure diseases receive equal nourishment as well.

For both big trees and small trees, “Since clouds and rains equally cover all, the nourishment they provide is “received universally by all plants and trees,” and the medicinal plants that can cure diseases receive equal nourishment as well. Medicinal plants grow in forests. There are many plants and trees on the land, many medicinal plants. For these plants to flourish, they need clouds and rain.

So, in the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants, vegetation is a general term for all plants, including the great, average and small plants. There are also the two groups of trees, big trees and small trees. When they grow together, it is called a forest.

So, in “the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants, vegetation” is “a general term for all plants,” including the “great, average and small plants.” There are also the two groups of trees, big trees and small trees. When they grow together, it is called a “forest.” So, this is the “forest of vegetation and trees.” This is a forest that is completely undamaged. It is called a “forest.”

This is likened to the Buddha’s mystery of speech. With the Four Eloquences in His voice, He easily lets fall the rain of Dharma. If clouds are not dense, they cannot equally rain on all things, nourishing the land and nurturing the plants. If [His] kind aspirations were not densely formed, [He] could not widely benefit sentient beings.

This represents “the Buddha’s mystery of speech;” which is like “dense clouds spread extensively” ․This is likened to the Buddha’s mystery of speech. With the Four Eloquences in His voice, He easily lets fall the rain of Dharma. If clouds are not dense, they cannot equally rain on all things, nourishing the land and nurturing the plants. If [His] kind aspirations were not densely formed, [He] could not widely benefit sentient beings. We have mentioned in a previous sutra passage that. “Dense clouds are spread extensively.” We look up at the sky and see dense clouds that spread extensively. This shows that many principles have been taught through the Buddha’s speech. With a single voice He perfectly proclaims. So, we listen to His voice with our ears; as we hear the principles we are educated. Our wisdom-life will thus grow.

If we listen to unwholesome words and speech, taking it in through our ears, our wisdom-life will be harmed, and we will give rise to afflictions and ignorance. We can also speak [to others] but it can be like the sky; when the rain falls evenly and mildly, it benefits the earth. The earth’s natural environment absorbs it. In this way, the sky and earth are in harmony. Yet if unwholesome words are spoken, clever but lacking wisdom, if we indulge in a moment of careless speech, that shows we do not understand the principles, and we will hurt people with harsh words. Some people do not understand and cannot distinguish right from wrong. They accept deviant principles which give rise to discursive thoughts.

Now technology is advanced. Some people have leukemia, which cannot be cured by medicinal plants. They need another person with matching bone marrow to help them [regain] hematopoietic function. The odds of finding a match are one out of several hundreds of thousands. When there is a successful match, our marrow donor team tries to locate the person who originally had the aspiration to give a blood sample to be kept in our marrow donor registry. Right now we have found a match. Among the vast sea of people, we have located the person who can save a life.

But this person who can save a life heard some rumors. Without discerning whether they are true or false, he began to have afflictions caused by his lack of understanding. Our marrow donor team told him, “You are a match.” But he said that he does not want to donate because of such and such. So, he refused to be a donor. This is a matter of life and death! A patient is waiting for someone to save his life. But the person refused. What can be done? So, on hearing this news, we immediately searched the registry to see if there is another shred of hope. Fortunately, after another search, another suitable match was found. So [all was well.] But what if no match was found? The patient clearly has a chance to survive. But this string of harmful speech and impure views and perspectives could destroy the opportunity to save a life.

This is the speech of we unenlightened beings, which contains such impurity. But the Buddha’s speech is entirely true principles and absolute truths. He teaches us all the truths of the universe to help us understand so that we can know how to save people. The way to save people is not only using medicinal plants. People fundamentally have the ability to donate the organs of our bodies to each other. This is as it says, “His head, eyes, marrow and brain were all given to others.” This is expressed in the sutra. So, this is like the Buddha’s speech, His mystery of speech, which contains so many principles.

He has “the Four Eloquences in His voice,” the Four Unobstructed Eloquences. He has the unobstructed eloquence of the Dharma, the unobstructed eloquence of meaning, the unobstructed eloquence of rhetoric and the unobstructed eloquence of joyful teaching. He continually teaches the principles. So, He has these Four Eloquences. “He easily lets fall the rain of Dharma.” It is like a ceaseless fall of. Dharma-rain from the Buddha’s mouth.

“If clouds are not dense, they cannot equally rain on all things”; they cannot let the rain fall equally to universally cover the land of our world. So, clouds must be dense for the rain to be spread universally. “If clouds are not dense, they cannot equally rain on all things.” If there is no rain, nothing can grow. It is the same with our wisdom-life; without the Dharma, our wisdom-life cannot grow. So, “Nourishing the land and nurturing the plants” means the world needs clouds and rain to moisten the land. This is an analogy for the Buddha’s ability to teach the principles with His speech to help our wisdom-life grow. “If His kind aspirations were not densely formed, He could not widely benefit sentient beings.” So, the Buddha’s aspirations, His intent, is great loving-kindness and compassion. He never abandons sentient beings. Thus, densely packed together and concentrated, His thoughts are always on sentient beings

So it says, “There are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves. Humans and heavenly beings” are “those with small roots and small stems. Hearers and Solitary Realizers are called average medicinal plants.”

These trees are categorized according to their size, great, average or small, yet they are all equally moistened by the rain [The small are] “humans and heavenly beings.” Some are in the heaven realm, while some are in the human realm. For humans, He teaches the Five Precepts, for the heaven realm, the Ten Good Deeds. These are small roots and small stems. “Hearers and Solitary Realizers are called average medicinal plants.” Average medicinal plants are an analogy for Hearers and Solitary Realizers. Humans and heavenly beings are small medicinal plants

For those with great roots, great stems, great branches and great leaves, roots are an analogy for good seeds, stems are an analogy for good vows, branches are an analogy for good methods and leaves represent the good practices.

Seeds of various kinds are planted in the ground and need to have water, air and so on; all these causes and conditions must come together when seeds are planted. What kind of the seeds are they? The seeds of big trees, when conditions come together after planting, will naturally grow into big trees. “Stems” are an analogy for “good vows.” We have good seeds, but we must also make vows. We have the seeds of great capacity, but we must also make great vows. With the Four Great Vows, we vow to deliver countless sentient beings, etc. We must make these good vows. “Branches” are an analogy for “good methods.” We not only make vows, we must also put them into practice. This is like branches; when branches spread out, they will naturally sprout leaves. Leaves represent “good practices”

Among the trees of this world, those with great roots and stems will have many branches and leaves. This is an analogy for Bodhisattvas, whose vows and wisdom are great. Those who form Bodhisattva-aspirations are people with great wisdom and vows. They have profound practice and understanding.

Among the trees of this world, “those with great roots and stems will have many branches and leaves.” This is an analogy for Bodhisattvas, “whose vows and wisdom are great.” Those who form Bodhisattva-aspirations are people with great wisdom and vows. They “have profound practice and understanding.” Because they have great aspirations, like a big tree, their roots naturally go deep.

The stalk of the plants is called the stem. The roots, stems, branches and leaves of great, average and small plants grow in sequence. These represent the Human, Heavenly Being, Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva Vehicles. They each realize the principles according to the teachings, engage in practice according to the principles and attain fruits according to the practice.

Plants also have roots. The great, average and small plants grow their roots, stems, branches and leaves in sequence. It is the same; plants follow this same principle. This represents the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles, those who uphold Five Precepts, Ten Good Deeds. Within the Buddha’s teachings, [average plants represent]. Hearers and Solitary Realizers, and trees [represent] the Bodhisattva Vehicle. These all follow the teachings and principles. According to our capacities, we form aspirations and make vows. With teachings and practices come realizations. We follow the teachings and put them into practice. With spiritual practice, we can truly attain realizations, experience this for ourselves. “Engaging in practice according to the principles” means we practice according to the principles and “attain fruits according to the practices.” Having the principles, we must put them into practice. Because we put them into practice, we will attain these karmic fruits

So we say that, when engaging in practice, we must be mindful. Rain falls from the sky; clouds and rain universally moisten the earth. The earth gives birth to and bears all. It is on the land that we are born and carried; we are what is born and carried. The rain from the sky brings nourishment and helps our wisdom-life grow. So, we must be mindful and earnest in learning the Buddha’s teachings. When the principles and the natural world are brought together, we return to the truth. Therefore, we must all always be mindful.

Episode 876 – The Buddha Was Like the Great Medicine-King

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>> The great trichiliocosm is an analogy for the worlds of all things and all beings. Mountains, rivers and so on are an analogy for the worlds of the Four States and Five Skandhas. The world is comprised of nothing other than mountains, rivers and so on. Sentient beings are composed of nothing other than the Five Skandhas.

>> Dense clouds are spread extensively, covering all in the great trichiliocosm. All at once, they rain down equally, so their moisture permeates all universally. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – Medicinal Plants]

「卉木叢林及諸藥草，小根小莖小枝小葉，中根中莖中枝中葉，大根大莖大枝大葉」《法華經藥草喻品第五》In the forests of grasses and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants, there are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves, and those with great roots, great stems, great branches and great leaves. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – Medicinal Plants]

>> In the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants: The Buddha is like the Great Medicine-king, who skillfully cures illnesses. He knows well the properties of medicine and can skillfully apply these to use medicinal plants to treat illnesses. This is like how virtuous Dharma is used to treat evil. The flawless Dharma that treats evil is proper and effective. Thus it is likened to medicinal plants.

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“The great trichiliocosm is an analogy for the worlds of all things and all beings.
Mountains, rivers and so on are an analogy for the worlds of the Four States and Five Skandhas.
The world is comprised of nothing other than mountains, rivers and so on.
Sentient beings are composed of nothing other than the Five Skandhas.”

Does everyone understand this? The worlds of the great trichiliocosm, as we have previously explained, refer to how one thousand small chiliocosms make up one medium chiliocosm and a thousand medium chiliocosms make up one great chiliocosm [Three thousand great chiliocosms] is one great trichiliocosm. So, this refers to an incalculable number.

We might ask, in our solar system alone, how many planets and worlds are there? An astronomer once told me, in this way, “We cannot say; it is unknowable. The number of celestial bodies is incalculable. Every celestial body is its own world.”

The Buddha has already awakened to this. At the moment He became enlightened, He already comprehended the entire universe with its countless [worlds]. Of course, we in the human realm reside on the world of planet Earth. Nonetheless, this expresses how great and how vast the Buddha’s enlightened state of mind is. The Buddha came to teach us so that we could understand the vastness of His spiritual state, not to mention [the principles of] our own small world.

This planet Earth, the world of our human realm, has people, animals and other living things, which all take different forms and appearances.

What we can normally see are elephants, oxen and so on. There are also some small animals, like ants and small insects, which we can still see with the naked eye. The Buddha also wished to tell us about that which our eyes cannot see. In this world, all the tiny bacteria, microorganisms and so on are encompassed by the Buddha’s mind. This is the “world of all things and all beings”. This is all contained in the great trichiliocosm.

“Mountains, rivers and so on are an analogy for the worlds of the Four States and Five Skandhas”. These “mountains, rivers and so on” are an analogy for this body we are intimately familiar with. The Four States of our body are “birth, aging, illness and death”. The Four States of our mind are “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing”. Furthermore, beyond our body and mind the world also undergoes “formation, existence, decay and disappearance”. This happens within this world of all things and all beings. So, the mountains, rivers and so on [refer to] how, from the [microcosm] of our own bodies to everything in the world beyond our bodies, everything is inseparable from the “Four States”.

The many principles in the world, whether principles of matter or life, are all contained within the great trichiliocosm, within this planet on which we live. There are still so many profound principles. Among us ordinary people, who can fathom them all? Only the Buddha, the Enlightened One, can do so. What He awakened to, whether the principles of matter or life, all return to the principles of the mind.

These principles are invisible and hard to predict. But just to live in this world is easy. If we live life according to the principles of natural survival, then we can live quite simply. It is the mind that is complicated. The principles of the mind are hard to predict. “One ignorant thought creates the Three Subtleties; external states lead to the Six Coarse Marks”. Our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind follow [the sense objects of] form, sound, smell, taste, touch and thought. When we connect to these states, we give rise to discursive thoughts; our mind gives rise to discursive thoughts, so we begin to create good and evil karma.

Evil [karma comes from] greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. In this world, starting from the human mind, from greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt, the whole world ends up facing manmade calamities and natural disasters. In particular, in our modern age, technology has become so advanced. With the positive aspects of this, we must be grateful that advancements in technology have helped us discover many things and to see things quickly.

For example, at the same time we all gather for the “morning assembly”, despite being in different countries, everyone is diligently advancing together. This is possible due to technological advancements. While I am speaking here [in Taiwan], they are practicing diligently over there, at exactly the same time as we are here. They can hear me and see my image on the screen. The Buddha spoke of the spiritual powers of “heavenly eye”, “heavenly ear”, “transporting oneself”, etc. So, we must be grateful for this; this is a virtuous use of technology.

Yet if even one thought deviates slightly, then we can create a disturbance in everyone’s minds. In the past, there was a period of time when people said that the end of the world was imminent. Many people went crazy over it. Some people killed themselves, some people…, a lot, causing great unrest in people’s minds. This is an example of our advanced technology being used in deviant ways, which truly causes profound harm to people.

So, the “Four States”, in this world today, have already made people’s minds unhealthy. If our minds are not healthy, then our families, society and the whole world will fall into chaos. If we live our lives in a pure and simple way, how could great calamities arise? They only occur because of the mind. Our minds set karmic forces in motion; karmic forces are very worrisome. Every day, we are so worried. Just how are we to turn our afflictions into positive thoughts? How can we turn turbidity into purity and evil into goodness? This seems very difficult.

We are all comprised of the “Five Aggregates”: form, feeling, perception, action, consciousness. These are also known as the Five Skandhas. When we connect to external states, we connect with these many forms and appearances. Then we take those forms and appearances into our minds. So, naturally, our body and mind will not be settled or at peace, thus we create many afflictions in our minds. These are the Four States and Five Skandhas. This characterizes our interpersonal relationships and our world. In our world, in this time, this space and our interpersonal relations, we experience many instances of disharmony. Yet, all of this is contained within the great trichiliocosm.

So, the world is comprised of nothing else. There is really nothing else. To put it more simply, originally the world was very pure. The tangible world was made up of mountains, rivers, canyons, forests, plains, the great ocean and so on. It was comprised of things like this. This is the world; all the tangible things that make up the world are like this, quite simple. However, “Sentient beings are composed of nothing other than the Five Skandhas”.

Sentient beings endure the “suffering of the raging Five Skandhas”. When the Skandha of “form” agitates our minds, the feelings we experience follow the instability and ways of life in this era. [With this way of life,] in a world of advanced technology, if our minds deviate even slightly, our “feelings” [will be affected]; every person’s “feelings” are different, thus every person’s behavior will be different. So, everyone’s form, feeling, perception, action and consciousness are different. Due to all this, we create constant chaos and turbidity in our world.

Thus, we are “composed of nothing other than the Five Skandhas”. This is the principle of sentient beings. The Buddha has worked extremely hard since Beginningless Time, constantly trying to help us understand the principles, the principles of all things in the universe. Most important is how we adjust our minds. If our minds can remain undefiled by false, illusory external states, then we can live in peace and be at ease.

The previous sutra passage says, “Dense clouds are spread extensively, covering all in the great trichiliocosm. All at once, they rain down equally, so their moisture permeates all universally”.

Next, it goes on to say, “In the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants, there are those with small roots, small stems, small branches and small leaves, those with average roots, average stems, average branches and average leaves, and those with great roots, great stems, great branches and great leaves”.

This describes a forest in this world; the first humans also came from such forests. The Buddha too spoke first of forests, mountains, rivers and canyons. The Buddha is like a Great Medicine-king. He saw how sentient beings all experienced illness. This had already started. In this world of “formation, existence, decay and disappearance”, everything continually changes amidst the aggregate of action. In life we undergo “birth, aging, illness, death”. Our time and our lives are painfully short. But, with our intangible mental state, we are continually accumulating karma. This is also a kind of illness.

The Buddha wanted to tell us that this body of ours only lasts a few decades, yet we remain in a state of confusion, continuing to create karma and transmigrate without any control. This is what the Buddha wanted us to know. This is the great illness of our physical bodies. Our body is our great liability; because we have this body, our world has become so unbalanced. The human mind which creates manmade calamities can only exist within a body. Only with the principles of the body can we have the principles of the mind. With there is illness in our mind, we allow our bodies to create so much suffering in this world.

卉木叢林及諸藥草：佛如大醫王善治病，曉了藥性，善能應用者為藥草治病。如善法治惡，無漏善治惡法義勝，故喻藥草。In the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants: The Buddha is like the Great Medicine-king, who skillfully cures illnesses. He knows well the properties of medicine and can skillfully apply these to use medicinal plants to treat illnesses. This is like how virtuous Dharma is used to treat evil. The flawless Dharma that treats evil is proper and effective. Thus it is likened to medicinal plants.

So, “The Buddha is like the Great Medicine-king, who skillfully cures illnesses. He knows well the properties of medicine”. The Buddha knows how to cure our illnesses. He understands our symptoms, and He understands where our illnesses came from. However, we sentient beings [do not accept it]. The Buddha has already prepared the medicine; He knew which medicine to use for which illness. However, are we willing to accept these teachings and these principles and put our hearts into experiencing them? Sometimes, the Dharma is right in front of us. These principles are put right in front of us, yet unfortunately we misunderstand them or intentionally confuse the meaning. If people are like this, they twist the principles and turn them into something else. Then these are not the true principles. Yet this is exactly what happens when illnesses enter our minds and cause trouble.

The Buddha came to this world to establish the means to save sentient beings. This was such a great task, but He could not change how little time He had. The Buddha’s lifespan was only 80 years, and after subtracting His youth and His process of spiritual practice, He could actually teach the Dharma for only about half of His life. For 49 years He taught the Dharma, only half of His life. Although the Buddha was the Great Medicine-king, the amount of time that He spent in this world was only these few short years. It was only during this time that He could teach. So, the Dharma remaining in the world depended on those who later compiled it.

Now we have an expansive treasury of teachings. Although there are many people who cannot understand what the sutras tell us, at least there are these written words left to us. So, we should be very grateful that over these 2000-plus years this road has been paved and the Buddha’s Dharma-lineage has been carried on. Although this is not 100 percent the principles that came directly from the Buddha’s mouth, although many teachings were added thanks to the understanding of great sages and benefactors.

I also hope that we can do the same. If something is a good teaching, when we have that initial awakening, or that initial enlightenment, [and realize]. “Ah, so the principles are like this!” we can take it to heart. Then we can write these down one by one. This is like when everyone takes notes for the “morning Dharma lectures”. What we like and understand, we can further digest and express; this will be even clearer than the spoken words. When we write things down like this, they can be left for people of later times, to pave a road for them to walk on. This is what is known as “the path”.

To only have one doctor is not enough. Now, we have many doctors, and we even have assistant doctors, nurses and others who come to help. We even have pharmacists; when a doctor prescribes medicine, the pharmacist must know how to prepare it. In the same way, we must be mindful and constantly take the Dharma to heart. When we understand it, we must write it down. If something is achievable, if the principles can enter people’s hearts, then we must be mindful of it.

So, “The Buddha is like the Great Medicine-king, who skillfully cures illnesses. He knows well the properties of medicine and can skillfully apply these to use medicinal plants to treat illnesses”. If one can understand these medicinal plants, their function and properties, one will know which medicines can be used to treat the illnesses of human beings. The Buddha had to understand the composition of these plants and trees, and their medicinal applications.

In the past, when children had a cough, people would say: “Pick some Chinese fever vine.” I do not know the official medicinal name for the “Chinese fever vine”. In the past, people used the “Chameleon plant” and other herbs to cook a broth, and these were used to cure illnesses. Medicine in ancient times involved knowing how to pick herbs and cook them into a drink to cure illnesses. In the past, when we worked in the fields, there was “nut grass” that we would pick to sell to a pharmacy. Out of all the weeds, the one that most worried us was nut grass. We had to slowly dig it out, and once we dug it out, we would wash it and take it to the pharmacy to sell. This weed also served as medicine.

So, in the end, “We can skillfully apply these to use medicinal plants to treat illnesses”. Thus, “In the forests of vegetation and trees and all kinds of medicinal plants,” all the vegetation, trees, medicinal plants, etc., can be used to cure illnesses. This shows that the Great Medicine-king not only knew illnesses, He also knew how to make use of medicinal herbs. “This is like how virtuous Dharma is used to treat evil. The flawless Dharma that treats evil is proper and effective”. We must apply the flawless, virtuous Dharma, which is precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. With precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we will be firm in practicing all virtuous Dharma and will have an abundance of principles. How can we help spread these in order to treat unwholesome ways?

Unwholesome phenomena must be treated with the flawless, virtuous Dharma. If some people have a set of twisted principles, how can we bring them back to what is right? How can we turn their misconceptions back to the right [understanding]? As we walk on the great, direct Bodhi-path, how can we make use of these medicinal plants?

We ourselves may know [these principles], but we may still be helpless. What is so worrisome is that the people of this world have unsettled minds. We worry that people’s minds will be in chaos or that their minds will suffer illnesses. When people’s minds are ill, this causes “illness” in the family, the society and the country. This is what worries us the most. However, to worry is useless. I hope that we can try our best not to come into contact with unwholesome ways. We must stay away from unwholesome phenomena. We must be focused on the path towards goodness. What is the virtuous Dharma that we must use? The flawless, virtuous Dharma is what we must use to deal with unwholesome ways and to help the whole world be harmonious. So, we must all bring our hearts together to accept the Dharma. Therefore, we must always be mindful!