Author: Scott Ogata

Become a person more actively involved in aiding their community.

Ch03-ep0486

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
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Chapter 3

Episode 486 – Virtuous Dharma Turns the Great Dharma-wheel

>> “The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood for the one great cause of transforming sentient beings. The virtuous Dharma is like the cycle of water. The teaching of the Great Dharma is like the turning of a wheel.”

>> “Hearing the Buddha’s soft and gentle voice, profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous, widely proclaiming the pure Dharma, I feel great joy within my heart. My doubts and regrets are forever ended, so I can abide in true wisdom.”

>> “I am certain to become a Buddha, revered by heavenly beings and humans. I shall turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel to teach and transform Bodhisattvas.” I am certain to become a Buddha, revered by heavenly beings and humans: Sariputra had faith in himself that he would receive the Buddha’s blessing and prediction for attaining Buddhahood in the future. The Dharma comes from the Buddha’s mouth.

>> I shall turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel to teach and transform Bodhisattvas: Wisdom-life grows from the nourishment of Dharma. Those who are true Buddha-children realize their part in the Dharma and turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel so that everyone in the world can attain the Dharma without hindrance.

>> When spiritual practitioners encounter the Buddha’s turning of the Dharma-wheel, if they have deviant views and doubts and regrets, those will be completely eliminated. The Buddha, by turning the wheel of Right Dharma, pacifies the entire world with morality and virtuous Dharma.

>> The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice and attained Buddhahood for the sake of teaching sentient beings. He guided sentient beings to follow the virtuous Dharma and return to their nature of True Suchness. Once on the path to Buddhahood, they will immediately shoulder the responsibility of turning the Great Dharma-wheel.

“The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood
for the one great cause of transforming sentient beings.
The virtuous Dharma is like the cycle of water.
The teaching of the Great Dharma is like the turning of a wheel.”

We learn and practice the Buddha’s teachings in order to attain Buddhahood, but how much hope do we have for ourselves of actually attaining it? We listen to the Buddha’s principles, but how many of them can we put into practice? If we can hear, understand and then put the Dharma into practice, one step at a time we are drawing closer to the state of Buddhahood.

Although we are progressing step by step, just how big is each “step”? How far is the distance [we have to go]? Based on what we read in Buddhist sutras, it will obviously take us a very long time. Over this period of time, the distance in space is lengthened accordingly. This space between heaven and earth is so vast, can we really expect to cover it step by step? This is an analogy of something tangible. Actually, the most important part of spiritual practice involves our intangible mindset. We must follow the Buddha’s reasons for engaging in spiritual practice. To engage in spiritual practice we must trace the steps the Buddha took during His lifetime. What were His motivations for engaging in spiritual cultivation? We must understand this intangible state of mind.

Why did Sakyamuni Buddha engage in spiritual practice more than 2000 years ago? He was a crown prince and. He could have ruled a kingdom and been its king. Why didn’t He want this? Because having wisdom and knowledge are different. We, the people of this world, try to understand life by using knowledge. What we learn about the world through “discerning wisdom” is knowledge. To have knowledge is to discern and understand. Discernment can be profound or simple. Each day, we are applying our discerning minds. We discern whether this is the right thing to do, or whether that is the wrong thing to do. We must contemplate everything carefully; this takes “discerning wisdom.”

If we discern based on the Path, then we can walk this road correctly. If we discern based on material desires, then our course will deviate. If wealth, sensual pleasure, fame, food and the desire for enjoyment are the thoughts that arise in our minds, then the things that our “discerning wisdom” is being used to recognize are all things of the world. If worldly desires and pleasures, material things, fame, wealth and status are what we discern and understand, then we truly cannot walk on the right course.

Indeed, “knowledge” and “wisdom” are not the same thing. Intellectuals only “know.” What we are discussing here is “wisdom.” If we apply “wisdom” to understanding principles, they we can gradually grow in wisdom. If we apply “knowledge,” then we are only learning about various kinds of things in the world. Worldly things [include] material desires, fame and status. So, at the time, Prince Siddhartha saw the suffering of sentient beings and wondered, “How can I liberate them from their suffering?” Would ruling his kingdom and relieving only the suffering of his own people be enough? It would not be enough. He wanted to eliminate the suffering of all sentient beings.

How do afflictions actually arise? Where could he find the source of the thoughts that arise and lead us to create karma? There are so many intangible inconsistencies. To resolve these intangible inconsistencies, Prince Siddhartha had to leave the palace to engage in spiritual practice. So, the Buddha engaged in spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood. He wanted to attain Buddhahood for the sake of His one great cause, for the sake of all sentient beings. In order to transform them, He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood. He went through this process so people could follow in His footsteps and learn how to walk this road. This was the Buddha’s state of mind.

“The virtuous Dharma is like the cycle of water.” He left footprints for everyone to follow. This is like water; water flows from high places to low places. It flows down mountain streams to reach the rivers in the lowlands. Then it flows from the rivers into the ocean. This is the cycle of water. We humans are similar in terms of our methods of spiritual practice. Why do we engage in spiritual practice? How do we engage in spiritual practice? The Buddha has already laid this road out for us, so we follow this road the way waters follows a course in its cycle. The Dharma is like this and also like the wheel of a cart. Only if the wheel begins to turn can that cart move forward. The underlying principle here is the same.

This is like the way that we try to expand the reach of this virtuous Dharma. Nowadays, there are many suffering sentient beings. In impoverished places, we help out by providing tangible, material goods. Thus, we develop closer connections and karmic affinities with those people to turn the wheels of their minds with the Dharma.

Tzu Chi volunteers have begun their winter relief distributions. In Swaziland and Mozambique, they are using these tangible, material goods to help impoverished people who are starving. When these impoverished people received the material goods, they felt this sense of love. This has gradually opened up [the door] to their spiritual wealth, which is the love in their hearts. This is happening in these two countries. In these two countries we have already nurtured volunteers with Bodhisattva-aspirations.

They give without any expectations. Although they themselves are poor, they can use their strength to help [transport] supplies sent from Taiwan to South Africa and then, from there to Swaziland and to Mozambique. These volunteers used their own strength, their loving hearts, their knowledge of the local language and their love for their fellow citizens in order to go help others. Seeing these impoverished people receive help, they were happy and willing [to continue], hoping there would be more opportunities to be able to help people. So, after concluding their winter relief distributions there, they accompanied Tzu Chi volunteers to visit some of the poorest and most impoverished families there.

Many in South Africa are affected by violence; people are killed in robberies, by mortars or guns which causes [great]. So, they felt, “We recognize our blessings, and we are content.” This was how they felt after giving. After feeling this way, they continued to dig deeper until they found a sense of gratitude [deep] in their hearts. Although they were poor, they were still able to live peaceful lives.

So, in this way, they felt very grateful. This was what happened in South Africa. Of course, they are still carrying this out. The [understanding] of suffering begins with the truths of suffering, causation cessation and the Path. They are now walking the Path and want to further understand the Dharma. So, “We vow to deliver countless sentient beings. We vow to eliminate endless afflictions. We vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors. We vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” They have now begun to approach the Buddha-path.

So, in spiritual practice, “the virtuous Dharma is like the cycle of water.” The Dharma must be like the cycle of water, like the circulation of blood in our bodies. The Dharma is like this. So, the Buddha-Dharma from over 2000 years ago has been passed down to the present. The Buddha patiently guided us, hoping this Dharma will directly enter our hearts.

Therefore, the previous passage states,

“Hearing the Buddha’s soft and gentle voice, profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous, widely proclaiming the pure Dharma, I feel great joy within my heart. My doubts and regrets are forever ended, so I can abide in true wisdom.”

After Sariputra heard the Buddha teach the Dharma, he gradually began to understand and his mind was now at peace. Now at peace, he wanted to move forward until he attained the state of Buddhahood. His heart was already abiding in true wisdom.

Next, he continued on to say,

“I am certain to become a Buddha, revered by heavenly beings and humans. I shall turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel to teach and transform Bodhisattvas.” I am certain to become a Buddha, revered by heavenly beings and humans: Sariputra had faith in himself that he would receive the Buddha’s blessing and prediction for attaining Buddhahood in the future. The Dharma comes from the Buddha’s mouth.

Sariputra began to have faith in himself, “I will surely become a Buddha in the future. After becoming a Buddha in the future, I will also be revered by heavenly beings and humans.” He will turn the Dharma-wheel in heaven and on earth and teach and transform Bodhisattvas. He did not just want to attain Buddhahood, he also wanted to teach Bodhisattvas.

Of course, if one wants to teach Bodhisattvas, one must first become a Bodhisattva. But right now, the Buddha was still teaching the Dharma, and the Dharma was nourishing his wisdom-life. Therefore, he needed the Buddha to turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel and teach the Bodhisattva Way.

I shall turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel to teach and transform Bodhisattvas: Wisdom-life grows from the nourishment of Dharma. Those who are true Buddha-children realize their part in the Dharma and turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel so that everyone in the world can attain the Dharma without hindrance.

We can use the Dharma taught by the Buddha to nourish our minds. Our minds are like fields. We must cultivate these fields ourselves. As we farm our own fields, we must find water to irrigate them so that the crops can grow. Thus wisdom-life grows from the nourishment of the Dharma. The Dharma from the Buddha’s mouth is what nourishes our minds, the fields in our minds. Then seeds will gradually sprout and develop and mature. This is what makes us true Buddha-children.

Seeds from an external source are planted in the field of our minds. If we are skilled farmers, these seeds will mature and grow. Thus we are called Buddha-children. Our physical life comes from our parents, but our wisdom-life comes from the Buddha. The Buddha taught the Dharma to help our minds develop wisdom-life. Thus we are called Dharma-children, who “realize their part in the Dharma.” If we can attain the Dharma taught by the Buddha and take it to heart, then we have a part in this Dharma. Whether this happens depends on whether we are plowing our fields mindfully so that we can go among people in this world and turn the Dharma-wheel.

If we can attain the Dharma, we can pass this Dharma along. Then, among other people, we can spread the seeds of goodness and share the Dharma [with them]. When we take the Buddha-Dharma to heart, naturally when we share it with others, we will not face any obstacles. We just need to follow the Buddha’s teachings. So, we spiritual practitioners can attain the Dharma that [the Buddha taught]. Then the Dharma-wheel turned by the Buddha will turn unceasingly.

Now the Buddha was turning the great Dharma-wheel. The Dharma He had safeguarded in His heart for many decades was being shared with everyone. He had already started doing this. In the past, we might have had doubts. But now that the Buddha is turning the Great Dharma-wheel, it is time to put an end to doubts. We must now act quickly to eliminate all of our doubts and regrets. Without doubts and regrets, we can accept and be guided by the Buddha-Dharma, then naturally we can resolve all our questions.

In the dedications of merits [we chant], “I vow to eradicate the Three Obstructions and all afflictions. I vow to attain wisdom and true understanding.” Isn’t this the case? Our vow is to be able to eradicate various kinds of karmic obstacles of afflictions. Only when afflictions and karmic obstacles are eradicated can we achieve wisdom and true understanding. So, once we eliminate our doubts and regrets, the Three Obstructions and all afflictions will naturally be eradicated. When afflictions are eradicated, there will be no more obstacles, then wisdom will naturally grow. So, “the Buddha, by turning the wheel of Right Dharma, pacifies the entire world with morality and virtuous Dharma.”

When spiritual practitioners encounter the Buddha’s turning of the Dharma-wheel, if they have deviant views and doubts and regrets, those will be completely eliminated. The Buddha, by turning the wheel of Right Dharma, pacifies the entire world with morality and virtuous Dharma.

In this world, we want everyone to travel smoothly down the path and follow the principles. Only then will this world be tranquil, only then will this world be peaceful. Harmonious families lead to a peaceful society. This all depends on people’s ethics and morals. So, Buddha turns the Dharma-wheel in this world in the hopes that every person will follow the ethical path. Only when we first learn to be [good] people will we know to walk the Bodhisattva-path, and only by walking the Bodhisattva-path can we attain Buddhahood. This was the Buddha’s one great cause for coming to this world.

The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice for the sake of teaching sentient beings. He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood in this world to guide sentient beings to follow the virtuous Dharma and return to our nature of True Suchness.

We sentient beings must aspire to be like the Buddha in this world. Our thinking and wisdom must be applied [to benefit] people in this world. Why does this suffering exist in the world? In order to eliminate people’s suffering, it was necessary to find a path. Thus, the Buddha was born into this world where He began to search for this path. So, the path that He walked has already been openly shared for everyone to understand. If we truly want to be awakened like the Buddha, we must find and follow this road. Only in this way can we “return to [our] nature of True Suchness.”

The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice and attained Buddhahood for the sake of teaching sentient beings. He guided sentient beings to follow the virtuous Dharma and return to their nature of True Suchness. Once on the path to Buddhahood, they will immediately shoulder the responsibility of turning the Great Dharma-wheel.

“Returning to [our] nature of True Suchness” is the path to attaining Buddhahood. We must certainly walk on this road, then “we will immediately shoulder the responsibility of turning the Great Dharma-wheel.”

What Sariputra said was, “I believe in myself. I can attain Buddhahood. I will certainly attain Buddhahood in the future and be revered by heavenly beings and humans. I will turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel. I will teach and transform Bodhisattvas.” Because he wanted to do this, he vowed to take on this responsibility. “Now, I must learn diligently. In the future, I will teach earnestly. All those I teach will walk the Bodhisattva-path.” This was Sariputra’s vow. Actually, Sariputra’s vow represented

the vow of all spiritual practitioners. Sariputra was foremost in wisdom, yet he also had doubts and regrets. Now all his doubts had been eliminated, so he abided in true wisdom with solid faith. Thus, he believed he would attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood, one must walk the Bodhisattva-path. The end of the Bodhisattva-path is the state of Buddhahood. After attaining Buddhahood, one circles back to teach the Bodhisattva Way.

Dear Bodhisattvas, the first step of our spiritual practice must be in the right direction. After we understand the Dharma, we must follow in the Buddha’s footsteps. Then we will not go wrong. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0485

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
>
Chapter 3

Episode 485 – Enter True Suchness with Virtuous Dharma

>> “The sounds we hear enter through our ears. The Dharma-essence enters our hearts and develops our wisdom-life. The Buddha’s teaching of the Dharma is pure and elegant. The soft and gentle virtuous Dharma helps us enter our nature of True Suchness.”

>> The World-Honored One preaches the true path. Papiyas would not do this. Therefore I know for certain that this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. But I had fallen into a web of doubts, so I said it was the doings of Mara.

>> “Hearing the Buddha’s soft and gentle voice profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous, widely proclaiming the pure Dharma, I feel great joy within my heart. My doubts and regrets are forever ended, so I can abide in true wisdom.”

>> Sentient beings are unyielding, difficult to train. But the soft and gentle voice of the Buddha immerses their hearts like the morning dew. It is inconceivable, tranquil and still, profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous and thus allows them to abide in true wisdom.

>> The Buddha freely expressed His intent and proclaimed the Great Vehicle Dharma. The subtle and wondrous. Great Dharma of the One Vehicle resolved my delusions of views and thinking and severed my web of doubts, so I feel great joy within my heart.

>> Now that we have heard the Buddha teach this pure, subtle and wondrous Dharma, we know that intrinsic to our nature is the wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma of True Suchness. All who heard the Dharma became jubilant. So I said, “I feel great joy within my heart.”

>> “Those who seek the Three Vehicle teachings, should they have doubts or regrets, will have them resolved completely by the Buddha so that none remain.”

“The sounds we hear enter through our ears.
The Dharma-essence enters our hearts and develops our wisdom-life.
The Buddha’s teaching of the Dharma is pure and elegant.
The soft and gentle virtuous Dharma helps us enter our nature of True Suchness.”

I want to share this with everyone. Where does the Dharma we listen to come from? Our ears listen, so we hear sounds. External sounds are heard with our ears. The sounds we hear can make us happy, or they can make us unhappy. All kinds of sounds from our surroundings enter through our ears. If we do not become distracted and just focus on listening to what is in front of us, we may be happy or not, but we will not think about how, in the environment in which we live, there are so many complex principles.

We do not pay attention to them. The Buddha-Dharma is what the Buddha, when He comes to this world, uses to remind all of us that besides what we are presently focused on when it comes to matters and objects around us, we must try to keenly understand, comprehend and differentiate them. This takes wisdom, which we call “discerning wisdom.” We apply discerning wisdom to external conditions and then internalize what we learned. Then after we contemplate this, we will devote ourselves to helping people and see all sentient beings as equals. We will exercise the love of the Bodhisattvas among the people.

Take South Africa for example. Right now (2013), they are conducting winter relief distributions. Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho are far away from South Africa, so they distributed there first. After completing the distributions, these volunteers from Swaziland and Mozambique then continued on to South Africa. Their goal was to meet with South African Tzu Chi volunteers and learn from them. The Tzu Chi volunteers in Durban, these South African Bodhisattvas, held distributions in the countryside while at the same time conducting home visits. They began to split into groups; volunteers brought other volunteers to visit families suffering from poverty and illness. They went to see how they could care for those who were poor and sick, elderly and disabled, or who suffered from psychological illnesses, etc. So, each group went a different way.

One volunteer led a group to visit an elderly woman. Her home was rundown and filthy. This old woman was old and sick. She laid in bed with no one to care for her, among a pile of garbage. There was so much clutter around her and she was mixed in with all that filth and garbage. The volunteers came and could not bear to see this. So, they arranged to give her a bath and clean up her house.

It turned out that she had a mentally challenged granddaughter. Not only was she mentally disabled, her body was covered in sores which were rotten and odorous. These volunteers found her outside. They also felt pity for her so they meticulously cleaned her up, prepared a change of clothes for her, and so on. This is what Bodhisattvas do. They went to visit many families. The houses they saw were extremely dilapidated. The people they saw were severely ill; they suffered tremendously, hovering on the edge of life and death. Indeed, this is truly saddening to see.

So, [Tzu Chi volunteer] Michael Pan took this opportunity to teach them. He said, “This family is suffering. In Mozambique and Swaziland, of course you have seen families like this too. But at that time, you had not yet encountered Tzu Chi. If this person had no connection to you, [you might] think, ‘She is poor, but so am I Her illness is her problem I am healthy, so I don’t have a problem.’ She may be poor, but so are you. You are healthy, but she is ill. Without any pre-existing relationship with her, you would just walk away.”

Joining Tzu Chi inspired them [to help]. Because they encountered the Buddha-Dharma, they became Bodhisattvas who benefit others. Being a benefactor to other people is such a noble thing. When they help people, not only do those being helped feel happy, those who help others are also joyful when they see those they help become happy. This happiness is long-lasting. This is the Dharma. Because we have taken the. Buddha-Dharma to heart, we know this is the Bodhisattva-path and so we walk this Bodhisattva-path in the world. Bodhisattvas are not people on a pedestal for us to worship. There is actually a Bodhisattva in every one of us that can help others.

If someone is sick and lives in a filthy environment, [we can say,]. “Though we are poor, we are not sick. We can help those who are poor and sick to clean up their surroundings.” When their surroundings are clean, people who are sick feel much more relaxed, the way this poor and ill elderly woman felt very comforted.

“Does coming here to help this person make you happy? Yes. Seeing this grandma, how poor she is, are we as poor as she is?” One person said, “I’m not much better off.” He was also poor. “But she’s sick and we’re healthy, so how do you feel about that? I am more blessed than she is. Indeed, those who are blessed must quickly help those who are suffering and in difficulty. After we cleaned up her house, we feel happy and she feels relaxed. Will this feeling remain with you? I will remember this forever. Exactly. This is how we become someone who helps others.”

Thus, they continued visiting different families. Aside from seeing the suffering of poverty and illness, they also listened to the various life stories of these care recipients. One of the Mozambican volunteers said, “Originally, I always felt that. I lived in such poverty and with such suffering. But then I came here and saw that in South Africa there were those who were injured by accidents, shot by guns or cut by knives, resulting in a lifetime of physical disability.”

Mr. Pan summarized everything by saying, “This is the Dharma the Buddha taught. Life is suffering.” He talked about the truth of suffering and how the families they visited each had a different story, but all of them resulted in suffering. He told them, “This is the causation of suffering. This is the truth of causation. Life is simply filled with suffering. Do you all want to be liberated from this suffering?” Everyone said, “Yes. I am afraid of this world and I have so many afflictions.” Mr. Pan said, “Do you want to come back here in the next life? No. Then what should you do? You must create [good] karmic conditions. To eliminate suffering, you must engage in spiritual practice. You must walk the path of spiritual cultivation.” I can go on and on about this story. After meeting all these families, this is the lesson they must learn.

This came from the sounds they heard with their ears. Seeing suffering, they recognized their blessings; they understood that this was the law of karma and that they could not control where they were born, so they had to engage in spiritual practice, which meant they had to take care of each other. As “un-summoned teachers” who help others, happiness arises in us, as well as in the person we help; with happiness, we will not suffer. After these principles enter their ears, they walk the great Bodhisattva-path. When this Dharma-essence enters their minds, it develops their wisdom-life. This is how worldly teachings can converge with the Buddha-Dharma.

So, the sutras say that in the Buddha’s lifetime, He gave teachings with a pure and elegant voice and everything He taught was virtuous Dharma. He wanted to help people understand the true principles of the Great and Small Vehicles. The Small Vehicle uses the provisional to entice. The Great Vehicle directly points to their minds so they can return to their intrinsic nature. If the Dharma can flow into their hearts and help them understand their minds, they can instantly attain Buddhahood.

So, in the previous sutra passage, which we discussed yesterday, it states, “The World-Honored One preaches the true path. Papiyas would not do this.”

The World-Honored One preaches the true path. Papiyas would not do this. Therefore I know for certain that this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. But I had fallen into a web of doubts, so I said it was the doings of Mara.

“The World-Honored One preaches the true path. Papiyas would not do this.” This means that when we abide in the Dharma, there is no evil that can disturb our minds. Our minds are disturbed when something in our external environment leads us astray. Then the Dharma leaks out and our minds waver. This is how the maras in our minds disturb the Right Dharma within us. If we can understand this, we know “Papiyas would not [teach the true path].” Then nothing can disturb our minds.

So, “Therefore I know for certain that this is not Mara posing as the Buddha.” Indeed, this Dharma is true and real; it is definitely not an illusion. So, we must believe in it. Let us read the next sutra passage, “Hearing the Buddha’s soft and gentle voice.” Because he completely eliminated his doubts, he believed everyone can attain Buddhahood. Sariputra was certain of this teaching.

Now [the sutra] states,

“Hearing the Buddha’s soft and gentle voice profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous, widely proclaiming the pure Dharma, I feel great joy within my heart. My doubts and regrets are forever ended, so I can abide in true wisdom.”

This addresses sentient beings’ stubbornness. We sentient beings are unyielding and difficult to train. Because of the Buddha’s compassion, He did not abandon sentient beings. He continued to teach with love and patience, just like a kind father in this world. No matter how naughty and disobedient a child is, a kind father still will not abandon his child. For the sake of sentient beings, the Buddha constantly returns to this world. As long as there are still unenlightened beings, the Buddha will never give up. For kalpas, He has adapted to sentient beings in this world and devised causes and conditions to transform them. So, He used various kinds of methods solely to remind sentient beings of their awakened nature of True Suchness.

When causes and conditions are mature, as they listen to the Buddha’s teachings happiness will arise in their hearts. That is because the door to their minds has opened. “Hearing the Buddha’s soft and gentle voice,” Sariputra already understood the Buddha-Dharma and knew that every word was true, was real and not a lie. So, the more he listened, the more gentle the Buddha sounded. Not only was His voice gentle, it was particularly “profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous.”

Sentient beings are unyielding, difficult to train. But the soft and gentle voice of the Buddha immerses their hearts like the morning dew. It is inconceivable, tranquil and still, profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous and thus allows them to abide in true wisdom.

This is when sentient beings’ unyielding minds have begun to accept the teachings. Their mind is like a land with sand covered by dew overnight. So, the sand on the ground is immersed by dew, which moistens the land. As the wind gently blows, the air is very cool and clean. If the sun dries out the sand, the blowing wind would cause a sand storm. This describes a state of mind. So, when the dew immerses the land, the feeling is really incredible. A refreshing and happy state of mind is

“tranquil and still, profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous.” This tranquil state enables principles to sink deeply into the mind. How do we express this? It seems so subtle and wondrous; it cannot be expressed in words. What we can express through words is very simple and superficial. As for profound principles, we have to realize them ourselves; this is the only way to truly understand them.

Then, “[Hearing the Buddha] widely proclaiming the pure Dharma, I feel great joy within my heart.” The Buddha’s voice and the Dharma He taught help people to feel the subtlety and wonder of the principles as they penetrate the mind. This is the sound of the Dharma. So, the Buddha had begun to freely express His intent.

The Buddha freely expressed His intent and proclaimed the Great Vehicle Dharma. The subtle and wondrous. Great Dharma of the One Vehicle resolved my delusions of views and thinking and severed my web of doubts, so I feel great joy within my heart.

The Dharma the Buddha was now teaching brought Him the greatest joy. So, He spoke with great joy and. His voice sounded very special. He really wanted to share this. So, He taught the wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma. [For Sariputra,] this Great Dharma “resolved [his] delusions of views and thinking and severed [his] web of doubts.”

When Sariputra listened to what the Buddha was sharing now, the Dharma he accepted into his heart was truly very joyful, very subtle and wondrous. No words can describe that state of mind. His state of mind was one of gratitude. He was grateful to the Buddha for analyzing and explaining this Dharma.

Sariputra spoke of “my delusions of views and thinking.” Originally, Sariputra still had the slightest afflictions and delusions of views and thinking. Because the Buddha’s Dharma-essence entered his wisdom-life drop by drop, his web of doubts, his delusions of views and thinking and even his slightest afflictions were eliminated. Having severed his web of doubts,

Sariputra said, “I feel great joy within my heart. Now we have heard the Buddha teach this pure, subtle and wondrous Dharma.” Everyone has an intrinsic nature of True Suchness. The One [Vehicle] is the Dharma of True Suchness, which all of us inherently possess. Its principles are the most profound, supreme and great which will return us to our intrinsic nature. This is the Tathagata’s wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma.

Now that we have heard the Buddha teach this pure, subtle and wondrous Dharma, we know that intrinsic to our nature is the wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma of True Suchness. All who heard the Dharma became jubilant. So I said, “I feel great joy within my heart.”

So, “All who heard the Dharma became jubilant.” When everyone heard it, they all felt joy within their hearts. They were so joyful they wanted to leap in the air. “I feel great joy within my heart.” So, what Sariputra expressed was the joy in his heart. He also thought, “My doubts and regrets are forever ended, and I will abide in true wisdom.” He was very joyful. He was so happy, his mind was peacefully abiding. Thus his mind was definitely free of doubts.

So, the Introductory Chapter of the Lotus Sutra states,

“Those who seek the Three Vehicle teachings, should they have doubts or regrets, will have them resolved completely by the Buddha so that none remain.”

This sutra passage is what the Buddha said in the Introductory Chapter. He was now going to teach the True Dharma. If they had doubts, the Buddha would definitely help each of those seeking the Three Vehicles to completely eliminate their doubts. This also applied to Sariputra at this time. His doubts had been eliminated, so he abided in true wisdom. He knew that he has the chance to attain Buddhahood in the future. Therefore, he felt very joyful.

So, with “the sounds we hear through our ears, the Dharma-essence enters our hearts and develops our wisdom-life.” If we allow the Dharma-essence to enter our hearts and accept the Buddha-Dharma with joy, the Buddha’s voice and teachings will clearly enter our ears and become engraved on our hearts. When our minds are as pure as a crystal, then virtuous Dharma will naturally help us enter our nature of True Suchness.

Dear Bodhisattvas, we must be very mindful to establish our faith so we can realize true principles. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0484

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
>
Chapter 3

Episode 484 – Mara Cannot Teach the True Path

>> “We establish faith to sustain our initial aspirations. With great vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature. We guide people to the right course by going among them. This is how we walk the Bodhi-path to perfect enlightenment.”

>> “Establish faith to sustain our initial aspirations. With Great Vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature. We guide people to the right course by going among them. This is how we walk the Bodhi-path to perfect enlightenment.”

>> “Similarly, at this time the World-Honored One, from His birth to leaving the lay life, attaining the Way and turning the Dharma-wheel, has always taught by using skillful means.”

>> “The World-Honored One preaches the true path; Papiyas would not do this. Therefore I know for certain this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. But I had fallen into a web of doubts, so I said it was the doings of Mara.”

>> “In accordance with His own intent, He Taught the true path of the One Vehicle that He had safeguarded in His mind.”

>> Doesn’t the Diamond Sutra say the following? The Tathagata “speaks the truth, what is real. He does not speak falsehoods or what is not so.”

>> “Papiyas” is King Mara. He represents evil. He is one who kills, who constantly tries to end people’s wisdom-life. With evil intent, he fosters evil ways. So, “Those who kill and harm virtuous Dharma are without virtuous Dharma.”

>> From this I know that the Buddha taught with the Dharma of the true path. Therefore I know for certain this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. With solid faith in profound and wondrous True Dharma, wisdom-life will develop.

>> In the past I did not understand that with compassion and wisdom, the Buddha gave provisional teachings, which did not deviate from the path of the wondrous Dharma of One Reality. Therefore I had doubts and delusions, as if I had fallen into a web of doubts. Thus, I said it was the doings of Mara.

“We establish faith to sustain our initial aspirations.
With great vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature.
We guide people to the right course by going among them.
This is how we walk the Bodhi-path to perfect enlightenment.”

For us to believe in the Buddha, we must establish Right Faith. It is easy to have faith, but very difficult to sustain it. So, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must sustain our aspirations. We must have that perseverance to sustain even our initial aspiration. Why do we want to be Buddhist practitioners? The main goal in being Buddhist is to learn the Buddha’s teachings. And what is our goal learning the Buddha’s teachings? We hope to attain Buddhahood.

Whilst among unenlightened beings, we must “turn from the dust toward awakening.” Ordinary people have severe afflictions. Once a thought stirs in our minds, bringing our minds back to a peaceful state is not easy at all. Every day we face interpersonal conflicts as well as our own greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt. Think about this, aren’t they like dust?

After we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must turn away from the “dust.” Then what we are seeing will be pure, pure and undefiled, like the blue sky and white clouds, like a vast sea and spacious sky. This state of tranquility and clarity is a mind [turned] “toward awakening.” We turn around to face the pure Dharma. Then we not only awaken ourselves, we can also share our experiences with other people. “My past afflictions were unnecessary. My past afflictions were not beneficial to me at all.” According to the Buddha-Dharma, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent.

In life, all living beings are suffering. Because we want to understand suffering, we seek out the origin of suffering, or its “causation,” which comes from our afflictions. The better we understand these principles, like how the Five Aggregates are empty in nature, what will there be for us to take issue over? There is no “I”; there is nothing that belongs to us forever. Our lifetime lasts for several decades and we come and go with empty hands. So, what is there for us to be attached to, for us to take issue over? Once we understand all these things, naturally our minds “have no hindrances; there are no hindrances.” Thus, there are no afflictions; “there is no fear.” This is why we must learn the Buddha’s teachings and “turn from the dust toward awakening” to awaken ourselves as well as others. This pure and undefiled mind comes from learning the Buddha’s teachings.

And as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must sustain our initial aspirations; we must safeguard the first aspirations we formed. We must recall this aspiration in our daily living. Everything we do, we do willingly, with the goal of understanding that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, so there is nothing to take issue over. To seize the impermanent, the time that is constantly passing by, we must take advantage of the present and not let any second or minute slip by. So, we must seize each moment.

In this space, we must be grateful that we can be focused [on our practice], without the afflictions or hindrances of family. Having established this resolve, formed great aspirations and made great vows, we must act for the sake of all beings. However, for us to guide other people, we must also take the Dharma to heart. We must use our own lives as an example to guide people. This is part of our great vows.

“Bringing Samadhi to our nature” means that in our nature, we must be calm. When we interact with people, we must not be influenced by worldly matters and various interpersonal conflicts or be tempted to enjoy [empty] pleasure. Our minds must be unwavering. Not only must we “bring Samadhi to our nature,” we must also take good care of other people’s spiritual aspirations. Then, we must help the multitudes who only pursue pleasure and are afraid of hardship to understand how they can, in their daily living, conserve [resources] and engage in spiritual practice. Lay Bodhisattva-practitioners can also make society their place for spiritual cultivation. Family and society are where lay Bodhisattvas engage in spiritual practice. “With great vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature, We guide people to the right course by going among them.” To guide people onto the right course, in the right direction, we must engage in spiritual practice among people.

I often tell you that every person is a sutra. However, people in the past said, “Bystanders can see clearly.” So, when we are by people’s sides, we can guide them to read this “sutra” and understand it. By being understanding of their life’s sutra, we can counsel them. We can counsel them so when they face serious difficulties in life, they know how they can resolve them. Then we guide them to go among people again. Think about it, isn’t this “guiding people to the right course by going among them?”

So, “this is how we walk the Bodhi-path to perfect enlightenment.” We walk on the Bodhi-path. “Bodhi” is enlightenment. We seek and learn the Buddha’s teachings so that we can draw closer to the Buddha’s wisdom. This is learning the Buddha’s teachings. So, we Buddhist practitioners [must recall] our initial aspiration. Why did we become Buddhist practitioners? Why are we learning the Buddha’s teachings? We [do this in order to] attain Buddhahood. Learning a skill is about mastering it. It is not that we cannot learn it, we simply must be focused on learning it. If we can master it precisely, then we can teach others.

So, we must.

“Establish faith to sustain our initial aspirations. With Great Vows, we bring Samadhi to our nature. We guide people to the right course by going among them. This is how we walk the Bodhi-path to perfect enlightenment.”

This is so simple, we all should be able to do it. So, the Buddha constantly gave simple teachings, but He always taught true principles.

In the previous sutra passage, Sariputra was saying,

“Similarly, at this time the World-Honored One, from His birth to leaving the lay life, attaining the Way and turning the Dharma-wheel, has always taught by using skillful means.”

This is the earlier sutra passage. The World-Honored One, Sakyamuni Buddha, was also born to parents. Like other humans, he experienced childhood and adolescence. When he was young, he saw suffering in the world, and made a great vow to save the world from its delusion and confusion. We face the suffering of afflictions, of cyclic existence, of parting with those we love, not getting what we want, meeting those we hate and so forth. Our bodies go through birth, aging, illness and death. Where do we go after we die? Where were we before we were born? When he was very young, Prince Siddhartha was already thinking of these things. Because of this, he made great vows and left the lay life.

He went through an arduous period of practice. He was not intimidated by hard work, so he underwent five years of traveling and six years of ascetic practice. He absorbed over 90 different kinds of teachings to understand others and himself. What was it that he wanted? After learning those other spiritual practices, he knew they were not the Dharma that he wanted. “I need to find a teaching that truly comes from my own realizations.” Finally, He attained enlightenment, and all things in the universe were instantly clear within His mind. The Great Dharma of the universe became one with His enlightened state of mind. Thus, among the principles underlying all things, there were none He did not fully understand.

Hence, “from His birth to leaving the lay life, attaining the Way and turning the Dharma-wheel…” When the Buddha observed the capacities of these sentient beings, He knew they would not immediately understand, so He had to teach with skillful means. With skillful means and simple principles, He earnestly guided sentient beings. He wanted us to first understand the suffering in the world, so the Buddha began by revealing to people the principles of the truth of suffering and the methods of spiritual practice to go

from the causation of suffering to delight of attaining the Path. So, we must eliminate afflictions in order to enter the path to enlightenment. ․This was [the path of] all Buddhas in the past, the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, and an infinite number of Buddhas in the future; all Buddhas share the same path. They go through the same process of being born into this world, engaging in spiritual practice in this world, awakening and teaching the Dharma in this world. This is known as leaving the lay life. “From [Their] birth to leaving the lay life,” all Buddhas share the same path. The way They expound the Dharma goes from the simple to the profound. Simple Dharma is skillful means. Profound Dharma is the True Dharma, which helps us return to the Buddha-nature that we all intrinsically have.

So, in the next passage, Sariputra said,

“The World-Honored One preaches the true path; Papiyas would not do this. Therefore I know for certain this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. But I had fallen into a web of doubts, so I said it was the doings of Mara.”

Sariputra was still saying that the World-Honored One taught True Dharma from the very beginning.

“Papiyas” was King Mara. Actually, Mara is generated by our minds; he is the illusory thinking and perceptions that our minds generate. There is no Mara in the outside world. This means Mara is our afflictions. Our afflictions contain many unreal and illusory thoughts. So, “Papiyas would not [teach the true path].”

When Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Dharma, everything that He taught was the principles of the one ultimate reality. This was in accordance with His own intent. The Buddha was beginning to share the the Dharma He had awakened to and directly turn the Dharma-wheel to deliver it to every sentient being and every disciple. He delivered the Dharma from His mind into the minds of sentient beings.

“In accordance with His own intent, He Taught the true path of the One Vehicle that He had safeguarded in His mind.”

This was the true path.

Doesn’t the Diamond Sutra say the following? The Tathagata “speaks the truth, what is real. He does not speak falsehoods or what is not so.”

This is the Dharma taught by the World-Honored One. Even when adapting the teachings to others, the principles came from His heart. This was how He patiently guided people. During the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the World-Honored One, Sakyamuni Buddha, further revealed what He had been safeguarding in His mind, the state of mind He had when He first attained enlightenment over 40 years ago. So, “the World-Honored One preached the true path.”

“Papiyas” is King Mara. He represents evil. He is one who kills, who constantly tries to end people’s wisdom-life. With evil intent, he fosters evil ways. So, “Those who kill and harm virtuous Dharma are without virtuous Dharma.”

Are maras the people around us who treat us [badly]? Oftentimes, because we are not in Samadhi, because our minds and nature, cannot remain unwavering, we give rise to doubts and do not accept the True Dharma. Instead, we pursue erroneous teachings and walk a deviant path. This is all because of our minds. So, Papiyas, maras and evil ones do not refer to other people; they are within us.

If we can have Samadhi in our nature and calm our minds, we will have proper faith. If our minds are unwavering, even if external things are tempting us, we will not be enticed. So, Mara, this evil demon, tries to end people’s wisdom-life. If we give rise to the slightest thought, or if we follow those who tempt us, we may end our wisdom-life. If our minds are in Samadhi, then we will have no illusions or hallucinations. Our minds will not deviate. We must prevent ourselves [from deviating].

So, I have always taught everyone the. Three Flawless Studies, precepts, Samadhi, wisdom. Precepts guard against wrongs and stop evil. We must abide by them in order to protect our wisdom-life. If people with evil intentions tempt us, our minds must remain unmoving.

“One who kills and harms virtuous Dharma is without virtuous Dharma.” He is called “Papiyas.” At present, our minds are already free from discursive thoughts. So, “Papiyas would not [teach the true path].”

“Therefore I know for certain.” Now Sariputra understood that once he calmed his mind, external phenomena would no longer cause it to waver. His faith was also firm. So he said, “Therefore I know for certain that this is not Mara pretending to be the Buddha.”

From this I know that the Buddha taught with the Dharma of the true path. Therefore I know for certain this is not Mara posing as the Buddha. With solid faith in profound and wondrous True Dharma, wisdom-life will develop.

Sariputra clearly understood that the Buddha speaks the truth, what is real; He does not speak what is not so. So, he always believes in what the Buddha says. In his heart he believed this was the Buddha teaching True Dharma and that he was not hallucinating this Dharma. Sariputra was certain of this. From this point on, he understood that the way the Buddha taught, the process, was to first teach simple Dharma, limited teachings to suit people’s capabilities. But within these limited teachings are true and wondrous principles. Now, He was opening up the provisional and setting aside skillful means for the direct to teach the True Dharma. So, Sariputra should believe in it even more now. Thus he said, “Therefore I know for certain that this is not Mara pretending to be the Buddha.”

With a solid faith comes great certainty in this profound and wondrous True Dharma. We should believe in this profound and wondrous True Dharma. This is wisdom-life. If our faith is firm and and we wholeheartedly penetrate these subtle and wondrous true principles, then we can help our wisdom-life grow.

Sariputra himself then said, “But I had fallen into a web of doubts, so I said it was the doings of Mara.” In the past, he had fallen into a web of doubts and could not calm his mind. He thought everything was empty [in nature], so what else was there to cultivate? When he heard about attaining Buddhahood, he did not think that he could attain Buddhahood. He had no faith in himself. He thought this Dharma was illusory and not real. “So, I said it was the doings of Mara.” He thought this Dharma was illusory. Because he clung to his bias toward emptiness, he had this kind of mindset.

In the past I did not understand that with compassion and wisdom, the Buddha gave provisional teachings, which did not deviate from the path of the wondrous Dharma of One Reality. Therefore I had doubts and delusions, as if I had fallen into a web of doubts. Thus, I said it was the doings of Mara.

In the past, he did not clearly understand the Buddha’s wisdom and how the provisional teachings He gave did not deviate from the principles of the Dharma of One Reality. In the past, he did not understand this, so he said he “had fallen into a web of doubts.” At the time, he was still in a web of doubts and clung to his bias toward emptiness. He did not know about the principles of true and wondrous existence. So, he said about himself, “My mind seemed to have been obstructed by Mara.” At that time, he lacked confidence in himself.

Everyone, we must all have confidence in ourselves and believe in what the Buddha taught us, the genuine Dharma of True Suchness. Everyone intrinsically has True Suchness, and everyone can attain Buddhahood. In the past, there were countless Buddhas, and there will be countless Buddhas in the future, so why can’t we believe that we may also become one of the countless Buddhas in the future? We have now attained a little bit of awakening. We have already begun to see the Buddha’s mind, so we must have confidence in ourselves.

Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must take very good care of our minds and our pure intrinsic nature. We must not allow our mind to become scattered. Even Sariputra, who was foremost in wisdom, was trapped in a web of doubts for several decades. Only now was he beginning to break through it and truly connect with the [Buddha’s Path] to begin to develop wisdom-life. So, we must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0483

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
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Chapter 3

Episode 483 – Realize True Suchness with Impartial Compassion

>> “With wisdom of suchness, we realize the essence of ultimate reality. Once in a state of agreement, we will realize the nature of True Suchness. Turning from the dust toward awakening, we can turn the Dharma-wheel.”

>> “The Buddhas of the present and future, whose numbers are beyond calculation, also use skillful means to expound Dharma such as this.”

>> “Similarly at this time, the World-Honored One….”

>> “From His birth to leaving the lay life, attaining the Way and turning the Dharma-wheel, [He] also teaches by using skillful means.”

>> So, the Buddha, for the sake of one great cause, manifested leaving the lay life and engaging in spiritual practice to realize the Path and verify Absolute Truth.

>> Transform the minds of sentient beings. This was turning the Dharma-wheel.

>> The Buddha’s teaching of the Dharma is like the turning of the wheel of a cart. It can turn ordinary people into noble beings, enabling them to transcend all afflictions and attain the Dharma of the Noble Path. This is turning the Dharma-wheel.

“With wisdom of suchness,
we realize the essence of ultimate reality.
Once in a state of agreement,
we will realize the nature of True Suchness.
Turning from the dust toward awakening,
we can turn the Dharma-wheel.”

The wisdom of suchness is our nature of True Suchness. We ordinary people intrinsically have the nature of True Suchness, but because we transmigrate in the Six Realms, our intrinsic nature continues to be covered by the dust of the afflictions in our environment. Layer upon layer of ignorance cover [our minds], so our wisdom of suchness cannot break through our afflictions.

Right now, the teachings we are listening to [seem to] repeat continuously, over and over. After the [Buddha] taught the Dharma, to make things clearer,

He would teach it repeatedly with various methods, such as parables and expressions. Take Sariputra, who was foremost in wisdom. Once he understood the empty nature of things, he realized there was nothing to be attached to. There was no need to cling to any appearances. This is true emptiness. External appearances and forms no longer disturbed his mind. Once he eliminated his desires, there were no more problems. However, he still did not understand the nature of True Suchness. This wondrous existence was not clear to him.

Then at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, through the Buddha’s repeated and lengthy explanations, Sariputra finally began to understand that within true emptiness, there is a very subtle and wondrous existence. This wondrous existence is “wisdom of suchness.” Sariputra had now realized the “wisdom of suchness.” To realize is to verify, to understand. What did he understand? The essence of ultimate reality. The essence of True Suchness was what he had realized.

As I have said before, the mind of the Buddha, the Great Enlightened One, was in a tranquil state when it suddenly converged with the true essence of the universe. So, [the truths of] all things in the universe were verified by the Buddha’s mind. Thus He experienced this and awakened. This is the essence of ultimate reality, or the “wisdom of suchness,” which is True Suchness.

“Once we in a state of agreement….” If we are able to reach agreement, that is a form of verification. When our minds and these principles verify each other, then we have comprehended them. So, “We will realize the nature of True Suchness” because we have already reached agreement; our minds and the principles have converged. Therefore, “Once in a state of agreement, we will realize the nature of True Suchness.”

“Turning from the dust toward awakening” means “we can turn the Dharma-wheel.” In the past, while among all ordinary beings, we were bothered and troubled. When we are in the Six Realms, among the multitudes of people, we become mixed up in interpersonal conflicts, which [causes us to become] unclear. This is like being caught in a dust [storm]. Dust, as everyone should know, can be blown up into the air. When the wind blows, flying dust can fill the sky. When the land is very arid and dry, it becomes very dusty, and once the wind blows, it will all blow in the same direction and create what looks like a layer of fog. This is dust. So, our minds are also covered by a dusty haze but this dust pollutes our hearts, so we cannot clearly see the world around us. Now that we are learning the Buddha’s teachings, we are “turning from the dust toward awakening.”

I often talk about “taking refuge,” which is to turn from black to white. The underlying idea is the same. Our past ignorance and afflictions are what we have turned away from so we can face the clean and pure Dharma. This is “turning from the dust toward awakening.” If we can achieve this, then “we can turn the Dharma-wheel.” We learn the Buddha’s teachings in the hope that we can learn to see clearly. If we cannot see clearly, then even if Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are right in front of us, we would still treat them as ordinary people. Ordinary people judge others by their appearances.

In the sutras, there is a story about this. There was a kulapati, a very respected elder, who was very reverent and had read many Buddhist sutras. He often went to temples to pay his respects, and also studied the sutras very earnestly.

The sutras state that. Manjusri is dignified and wise. He was once the teacher of seven Buddhas. Among his students, seven of them had already attained Buddhahood. So, this elder always felt that seeing Manjusri Bodhisattva was his greatest wish as a spiritual practitioner. So at his home, he often made offerings to monastics. Whenever he made offerings, he always left an empty seat. This seat was on a dais, elevated above others, because he hoped Manjusri Bodhisattva would respond and come to receive offerings.

This elder often made these offerings. One day, the offerings were very abundant, so many bhiksus came and sat in the order of their arrival. Yet, the elevated seat remained empty. Then, a very filthy person arrived. His face was as soiled as could be, with filth stuck to his eyes and flowing from his nose. His entire body was very dirty and unclean, and his clothes were very tattered. He hobbled in, one step at a time, meaning that he was crippled and limping. Just like that, he limped in on a cane and without reservation sat in the elevated seat.

When the elder saw this, he was very displeased. So, he guided him down off the elevated seat, saying, “This seat is not for you, please come down.” After he pulled him down, he coaxed him toward the side to sit in a corner and gave him something to eat. Yet, it kept happening like this, that during those several days, this person kept appearing there.

One day, this elder went to a temple to pay respects to the Buddha. He prostrated to the statue of the Buddha, recited sutras, prayed and made vows as he always did. “I only have one wish; there is only one thing I ask for. I want to see the magnificent Manjusri Bodhisattva, who possesses both blessings and wisdom. Why does this Bodhisattva, who must surely be very dignified-looking, leave the elevated seat empty?”

After he prayed to the Buddha, he was very tired, so he went home and fell asleep. In his dream, someone seemed to be talking to him. The voice said, “Your wish to see the Bodhisattva has been fulfilled. Manjusri sat in that elevated seat seven times, but you pulled him down seven times. This happened seven times in a row. The Bodhisattva sat in that elevated seat, but you did not see his true face; you looked at him with your unenlightened mind.”

At that moment, he suddenly realized that. Manjusri Bodhisattva had manifested this kind of appearance to accept offerings, but he had judged him based on appearance. He felt deeply regretful. The voice spoke again, “When you learn the Buddha’s teachings, you must learn the wisdom of suchness and set aside appearances. As you engage in spiritual practice, you must have a compassionate and impartial mind. When you make offerings, you must do so out of great love, selflessness and deep sincerity. This shows reverence and compassion. A reverent and compassionate mind must be impartial. This is having impartial compassion for all. However, your mind still discriminates.” So, the elder suddenly had a great realization; truly this is how things are.

Often, when we are reading the sutras, our minds will often be limited by the text. We must liberate ourselves from this attachment. This is “turning from the dust toward awakening.” That type of ignorance, that unenlightened attachment to appearances, is something we must avoid. Is there any difference between men and women? Is there any difference between rich and poor? Is there any difference between noble and lowly? Actually, the principles have no [set] form or appearance. This is something we should be able to realize.

So, “with wisdom of suchness, we realize the essence of ultimate reality.” The essence of ultimate reality is like our five facial features and four limbs. A complete human body has these four limbs and five features. This is our appearance. And our essence? We all have the Six Roots and the Six Consciousnesses. By nature, we have a seventh and an eighth consciousness. Our seventh consciousness is our thinking. We see appearances in our surroundings and then contemplate them in our minds. When we read sutras, the text enters our minds, and we contemplate it. If we have taken the Dharma to heart, the seeds of the Dharma will be in our minds. If we are attached to something, we cannot fully eliminate our habitual tendencies. Things are filtered through the alaya (eighth) consciousness before reaching the amala consciousness, the ninth consciousness. What reaches the ninth consciousness is filtered through the eighth consciousness, so it is completely clean.

This is our essence, our true wisdom, which can comprehend the true principles. So, if we can do this, we will be in agreement with True Suchness. In this way, we are “turning from the dust toward awakening,” and can “turn the Dharma-wheel.” Then, we can go among people to teach the. Great Dharma and turn the great Dharma-wheel.

The earlier sutra passage [states],

“The Buddhas of the present and future, whose numbers are beyond calculation, also use skillful means to expound Dharma such as this.”

The present Buddha is Sakyamuni Buddha, the future Buddha is Maitreya Buddha, and there are other countless Buddhas in the long expanse of the future. So, Their “numbers are beyond calculation,” and all “also use skillful means to expound Dharma such as this.” Countless Buddhas have appeared in the world. Their one purpose is to transform all beings and turn the Dharma-wheel, turning deluded minds toward their awakened nature. This is the path shared by all Buddhas; past, present and future, they are all the same.

So, in the next passage, it states,

“Similarly at this time, the World-Honored One….”

The past and future Buddhas were just like the present Buddha, Sakyamuni.

“From His birth to leaving the lay life, attaining the Way and turning the Dharma-wheel, [He] also teaches by using skillful means.”

Every Buddha does the same. They appear in this world, so according to the workings of the world, They must have parents. This is “from birth to leaving the lay life.” Although They are also born from parents, They come to the world with Buddha-wisdom, born of Their affinities with Their parents. Though born in this world, the way these Buddhas interact with people and deal with matters and objects lead Them to achieve different realizations. The aspirations They form and the great vows They make are also different from other people’s. They have to leave Their lay life to attain Buddhahood. This process of spiritual cultivation is the same.

After becoming enlightened, They attain the Way and turn the Dharma-wheel. Only by realizing the principles of all things in the universe and thoroughly and clearly analyzing conditioned phenomena and unconditioned Dharma can They turn the Dharma-wheel. Though They turn the Dharma-wheel in this way, the Dharma-wheel has to be turned on Earth. This is like a kind of skillful means.

So, the Buddha, for the sake of one great cause, manifested leaving the lay life and engaging in spiritual practice to realize the Path and verify Absolute Truth.

This was how the Buddha was able to turn the Dharma-wheel and

teach the Dharma He had safeguarded in His mind. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, with that state of mind, He could thoroughly understand the ultimate reality of all things in the universe. Things arise according to their principles. Only when many [causes and conditions] converge will an appearance manifest. Haven’t I often given examples of this? Each kind of appearance has its own name. A table has the appearance of a table. The floor, window and ceiling are all made of wood. There are different types of wood, each with its own texture and quality. Certain kinds of wood can be turned into certain kinds of objects. Certain kinds of wood are not suitable for making tables, chairs, doors or windows.

So, different kinds of material objects are formed by different causes and conditions. Each different kind of seed matures under [different] causes and conditions and grows from the land. Their nature and essence are different, so their names are different. Things with the same name, put to different uses, may then be given different names. So, to the Buddha, we are all humans. We have the same limbs and facial features, but our essence and nature differ. Although we have different [habitual] natures, we all have the essence of True Suchness, the same intrinsic nature of True Suchness.

All in all, the Buddha has already realized this. Now, He was turning the great Dharma-wheel, which is turning the wheel of Great Dharma. This was different from the limited teachings of the past. Now He was teaching the Great Dharma. He was transmitting the Dharma He safeguarded. The True Dharma that He had safeguarded in His mind was now being fully shared in order to.

Transform the minds of sentient beings. This was turning the Dharma-wheel.

The Dharma-wheel is like the wheel of a cart. A cart needs wheels so that it can transport its cargo from one place to another. By the same principle, the Buddha transported the Dharma from His mind into the minds of sentient beings, in hopes that we can accept the Buddha-Dharma. This is how we receive the Dharma.

The Buddha’s teaching of the Dharma is like the turning of the wheel of a cart. It can turn ordinary people into noble beings, enabling them to transcend all afflictions and attain the Dharma of the Noble Path. This is turning the Dharma-wheel.

So, [the Dharma-wheel] is like the wheel of a cart. Only when the wheels turn can the cart move. By transporting the Dharma into sentient beings’ minds, He hopes they can develop their wisdom-life and turn from ordinary people into noble beings, thus transforming ordinary minds into noble minds. This helps all beings transcend all afflictions.

If sentient beings do not eliminate afflictions from their minds, they will always remain ordinary people. We must use the Dharma to break down our afflictions. Similarly, as wheels roll over the ground, they will grind and break down filthy things so those can be swept away. This is also a way of turning afflictions into True Dharma. This can enable ordinary people to transcend all afflictions and and attain the Dharma of the Noble Path.

If we accept the Buddha-Dharma into our hearts with a pure mind, then all Dharma converges into one entity, which can then be applied in the world.

Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, I only hope that we can all attain the “wisdom of suchness” so we can realize the essence of ultimate reality, our nature of True Suchness. So, we must apply our wisdom in self-observation and self-reflection to awaken our nature of True Suchness. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0482

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
>
Chapter 3

Episode 482 – Exercise Both the Provisional and the True

>> “When we peacefully abide in flawless Dharma, our minds are clear, steady and at ease. When we understand the provisional and the true, we wondrously apply both. In this subtle and wondrous state, we peacefully abide in true wisdom.”

>> “The Buddha says that in the past, countless Buddhas who entered Parinirvana have abided in skillful means and likewise given such teachings.”

>> “The Buddhas of the present and future, whose numbers are beyond calculation, also used skillful means to expound Dharma such as this.”

>> This immeasurable length and distance of time has allowed incalculable numbers of beings to learn and practice the teachings of the path and attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Their numbers are beyond calculation. This was how things were in the past, and it is how things will be in the future.

>> [They] also used skillful means to expound Dharma such as this: Past, present and future Buddhas all share the same path, teaching the True Dharma to sentient beings. But because of one deluded thought, people have deviated from the course, and their way back became winding and roundabout.

>> So, past, present and future Buddhas

>> “[Through] all kinds of practices, They clearly understand the provisional and the true.”

“When we peacefully abide in flawless Dharma,
our minds are clear, steady and at ease.
When we understand the provisional and the true, we wondrously apply both.
In this subtle and wondrous state, we peacefully abide in true wisdom.”

The most important part of spiritual practice is taking good care of our minds. If our minds can abide peacefully, then, though we are lost, we can find a path back to our pure Tathagata-nature. So, the mind is very important;

it must peacefully abide in flawless Dharma. We are very familiar with [the Flawless Studies], precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Following precepts means that in our daily living, in everything we say and everything we do, we must have discipline. What are the words that are proper for us to say? What are the things that we should do? How do we know if we are on the right course? This is how, in our daily living, we must guard against wrongs and stop evil. This requires following the precepts.

If we physically abide by precepts, our minds will naturally be in Samadhi. When our minds are in Samadhi, our wisdom [enables our minds] to be like mirrors that can clearly reflect all phenomena without being led astray by them.

What kind of life is blessed? A blessed life comes from having a mindset that allows us to be very happy. Where does this happiness come from? From right actions and being on the right path. If we follow this road very precisely and do not deviate from our course, then our mind will be very steady. Thus we can be steady and at ease, free of fear, anxiety and worry. This is what makes a most blessed life, not having a lot of money or great fame or great power. Wealth, fame, power and so on are afflictions that torment our minds. A mind focused on gains and losses will be very afflicted. We should learn what can help us be most at ease.

Even brothers born to the same mother may not necessarily be of the same mind or on the same course. That is very rare. The Buddhist sutras contain the following story. A pair of brothers received a sizable inheritance from their parents. The younger brother diligently ran his business. Even though his business made a lot of money, he still did not feel satisfied. He wanted to grow the family business he inherited to become even bigger, as an expression of his filial piety. So, he added to the fortune he inherited. But the older brother held a different view.

The older brother was not attached to fame, wealth or status. [He felt] life is too short [to focus on those]. He also realized the principles of impermanence, suffering and emptiness. So, all he wanted to pursue was spiritual wealth rather than illusory material objects. This was the older brother’s mindset. He believed that the Dharma helped him understand principles and increased the richness of his wisdom-life. So, he put his heart into cultivating the path.

One day, when these brothers were together, the younger brother expressed his discontent. He told his older brother, “As the older brother, you’re supposed to set an example for me. Upon inheriting this fortune from our parents we should not just maintain it. We must expand and diversify our holdings to increase our wealth and bring honor to our ancestors.” However, the older brother felt differently. “There was an affinity between us and our parents. Because of our karmic connection with them, they gave us this body. So, we should make use of this body to live a useful life. When we see people who suffer tremendously from poverty, illness and so on, we must use our parents’ wealth to do helpful, lifesaving work in this world. If all you do is preserve this wealth, that is not beneficial to our parents at all.”

The brothers kept on debating, unable to agree, until the younger brother said, “Since we are unable to align our minds and goals and you won’t help run the family business, you don’t need to be here. You should just follow the road you wish to pursue.” Thus the older brother renounced the lay life. He was very earnest. He was very focused on the path. So, his actions and thoughts were in line with purifying precepts. With a pure mind and disciplined behavior, he calmed his mind down completely so it could be as still as well water, completely free of waves.

The years passed, and after a long period of time, he wondered how his younger brother was doing. He set out to go see his younger brother, and saw that his brother was still the same. He wanted to find a way to counsel his younger brother to aspire [to help others].

But his younger brother was stubborn. Not only was he unhappy to see his older brother, when he saw his brother’s monastic appearance, ignorance arose in his mind. So, he insulted his brother and looked down upon the Three Treasures, saying harsh and negative things about them. The older brother felt very regretful. Not only did he not transform his brother, he caused him to create karma of speech. He was very anguished. After he left, he was still worried.

After another few years passed, one day on his travels he saw a very skinny ox. Some merchants were bringing salt to market. Salt is very heavy and bags full of them were stacked tightly on the cart. The ox was very old and skinny, and he had a hard time pulling this cart uphill. So, as he climbed uphill, this ox suddenly collapsed. He was barely breathing. The monk saw this ox and felt sad for him. He approached the ox, looked at him and contemplated him with his pure heart. It seemed that this ox had the appearance of his younger brother, crying in front of him.

The monk spoke to him, “My younger brother! What did I say to you in the past? Can our family’s wealth help you now? You have ended up in this skinny and weak body. Do you have enough strength to pull this cart?” The ox started to cry. Upon seeing this scene, the merchant found it very strange.

The monk asked the merchant, “Please, can you be compassionate and give this ox to me?” The merchant said to the monk, “You are a monk, what would you do with this ox?” The monk explained that his younger brother was once a very successful businessman, who only focused on engaging in trade and preserving his wealth, power and fame. Thus he ended up in the body of an ox and was being tormented this way.

The merchant finally understood the past relationship between the ox and the monk, so he kindly lifted the yoke and gave it to the monk, saying, “Very well, you can take this ox with you.” The monk took this ox back to the place where he engaged in spiritual practice. He treated the ox kindly and explained the Dharma to him every day. After a few years, this ox passed away peacefully. The merchant had also told his business partners the story about the monk and the ox to counsel them to not be so attached to their wealth and to pursue the truths of life instead. The merchant became a very reverent Buddhist.

This story tells us that if our minds are clear, we will be able to see the principles clearly. Awakening and delusion are different roads. These different roads lead to different destinations. The results of walking these paths are different. Therefore, our minds must always remain in a state of clarity and be very peaceful and at ease. On the road of our spiritual practice, we must stick to the Three Flawless Studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. If we can do this, it does not matter whether we learn the Great or Small Vehicle Dharma; the provisional is also the true.

So, “We understand the provisional and the true, and wondrously exercise both.” To exercise both [creates] blessings and wisdom. We can benefit others while growing our wisdom. I always say, “Witnessing suffering, we recognize our blessings.” As we observe the conditions of suffering, we must be more diligent in reminding ourselves to recognize, cherish and create more blessings. So, this is a very subtle and wondrous state. Where should the mind peacefully abide? In true wisdom.

So, here the sutra passage states,

“The Buddha says that in the past, countless Buddhas who entered Parinirvana have abided in skillful means and likewise given such teachings.”

Countless Buddhas in the past have come to this world and then entered Parinirvana. Countless Buddhas have come and gone like this. Each one peacefully abided in skillful means. For the sake of transforming all beings, They went among them and taught with skillful means. In the end, all sentient beings will return; they will naturally return to the true path because they were patiently guided there.

The following passage states,

“The Buddhas of the present and future, whose numbers are beyond calculation, also used skillful means to expound Dharma such as this.”

The Dharma now taught by Sakyamuni Buddha followed the same path as past Buddhas. As He interacted with sentient beings, He also taught with skillful means. Future Buddhas will also do the same. This is how “all Buddhas share the same path.” So, He spoke of “the Buddhas of the present and future, whose numbers are beyond calculation.” They are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. [They] “also used skillful means to expound Dharma such as this.” They will teach in the same way.

We [often] think about how the sutra tells us that a long time has to pass before a Buddha manifests in this world. But this passage tells us that in the past there have been as many Buddhas as there are sands in the Ganges. In the future there will also be countless Buddhas. After past Buddhas entered Parinirvana, people in the future will attain Buddhahood. There are so many of Them. Think about this; isn’t this teaching us that everyone is a Buddha? There are countless numbers of sentient beings, and they all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. So, since we intrinsically have Buddha-nature throughout the past, present and future, this Buddha-nature is always non-arising and non-ceasing. However, we have deviated from our course; one ignorant thought has led us astray.

Take the two brothers for example. They had the same parents but were on different roads with different destinations. Because they were on different paths, ultimately they ended up in different places. Among a group of merchants who worked hard to grow their businesses, only one of them, the big brother, realized that the most practical path in life is to engage in spiritual practice. How many people like him are there? Because of this, we say, “Encountering the Buddha is difficult.” It is very difficult to encounter the Buddha,

because to find the right course to safeguard our minds and cultivate precepts and to have the wisdom to comprehend the workings of this world [is not easy]. There are not many people like this, so attaining Buddhahood is very difficult. Otherwise, wouldn’t everyone be a Buddha?

This is why it takes a long time. Over this long time, we truly can gradually experience these truths, awaken, and eventually attain Buddhahood. Because so much time has passed, naturally the people who are described as having attained Buddhahood and gone among people to transform sentient beings are great in number. So, “[This time] has allowed incalculable numbers of beings” to learn the Dharma and become enlightened. After attaining enlightenment, They enlighten and transform others. There are many such enlightened ones.

This immeasurable length and distance of time has allowed incalculable numbers of beings to learn and practice the teachings of the path and attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Their numbers are beyond calculation. This was how things were in the past, and it is how things will be in the future.

To learn and practice the teachings is to seek the path to Buddhahood and transform sentient beings. Those who awaken themselves and benefit others and become unsurpassed enlightened ones are countless in number. The past was like this, and the future will be the same.

So, They “also used skillful means to expound Dharma such as this.” In the past, countless Buddhas did this; present and future Buddhas will do the same. They use various skillful means and teach according to capabilities to expound the Dharma and transform all beings. Thus, They “expound Dharma such as this.”

[They] also used skillful means to expound Dharma such as this: Past, present and future Buddhas all share the same path, teaching the True Dharma to sentient beings. But because of one deluded thought, people have deviated from the course, and their way back became winding and roundabout.

Past, present and future Buddhas all share the same path. All of Them, from past Buddhas to the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, to the future Buddha, Maitreya, all teach in the same way and follow the same road. This road is the great, direct Bodhisattva-path. They are on the same road and transform sentient beings with the same method. For the sake of sentient beings, all of Them ultimately taught the True Dharma. Because sentient beings have lost their way and deviated from their course, they need all Buddhas, the Buddhas of the past, future and present, to devise skillful means.

However, to effectively guide them back is not easy. The way back is winding and roundabout. Various methods had to be used to transform them.

So, past, present and future Buddhas

also undergo the same thing.

“[Through] all kinds of practices, They clearly understand the provisional and the true.”

They engage in various forms of spiritual practice.

So, the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, followed countless Buddhas in the past to engage in spiritual practice. Future Buddhas will also learn from past Buddhas, engage in spiritual practice and understand all truths and principles. In the process of Their spiritual cultivation, “all practices” refers to various kinds of methods. As They follow different Buddhas, They engage in various practices in order to realize true principles. Once they attain Buddhahood, they can understand the provisional and the true.

So, if we can comprehend these principles, we must then apply them in all kinds of practices. After we practice, after we have walked this road, we can attain wonderful realizations. So, when we hear about something, we can understand the true principles behind it. Though we learn provisional teachings, true principles are contained within them. This is how teachings are skillfully given.

Everyone, as we learn from the Buddha, we must be mindful and, most importantly, we must return to our pure Tathagata-nature to attain a state of mind that is clear, steady and at ease. Then when we go among people, we can exercise both blessings and wisdom. When we exercise our wisdom, in that subtle and wondrous state, we abide in true wisdom. This is the goal of our spiritual practice. So, we must seize the present moment to realize and understand that we need to just do this. So, everyone, please always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0481

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
>
Chapter 3

Episode 481 – Give Provisional Teachings, Abide in True Wisdom

>> “With flawless Samadhi and wisdom, our minds will be clear and pure. This inconceivable state is deep and far-reaching. The wondrous provisional is also the true; thus it is called subtle and wondrous. Thus we can peacefully abide in true wisdom and teach this Dharma.”

>> “The Buddha, by means of various conditions, taught with analogies and skillful words and led my mind to be as calm as the sea. As I listened, I severed the web of doubts.”

>> “The Buddha says that in the past, countless Buddhas who entered Parinirvana have abided in skillful means and likewise given such teachings.”

>> He heard the Buddha explain that. He opened up the provisional to reveal the true, and that all Buddhas of the Three Periods shared the same path. They abided in skillful means and what They proclaimed were also skillful teachings, which was also the true path. Thus, this was all to teach the pure Dharma.

>> Upon hearing this, He realized that this is the true path. So, great happiness arose in his mind. Abiding in wondrous, provisional, skillful means, he fully eliminated his doubts and regrets. This is how he entered the true wisdom of the Tathagata.

“With flawless Samadhi and wisdom, our minds will be clear and pure.
This inconceivable state is deep and far-reaching.
The wondrous provisional is also the true; thus it is called subtle and wondrous.
Thus we can peacefully abide in true wisdom and teach this Dharma.”

We often say that we engage in spiritual practice to eliminate afflictions. Afflictions are also called Leaks. Leaks allow things to flow out. We listen to good teachings, but after hearing them, we may forget. This is because our afflictions continue to multiply. Thus, we remain the same as before. Our habitual tendencies still remain. This is why we have Leaks.

How can we take the Dharma to heart without allowing it to leak out? To do this we must put in hard work as we engage in spiritual practice. This means that we must work hard on practicing precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are the Three Flawless Studies. This means that if we abide by precepts in our actions and have Samadhi in our hearts, we will have wisdom in our minds.

Precepts guard against wrongs and stop evil. They prevent evil thoughts from entering our minds and keep us from committing wrongdoings in the world around us; this is what precepts can do.

This is because, within each of us, we have various habitual tendencies. These habitual tendencies cause us to lose our sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness. Perhaps there is also arrogance or anger in us. If people have these emotions in them, coming together to do things will give rise to severe afflictions and many obstacles. Thus we must begin with refining our characters. We must uphold precepts to protect our minds. We must interact with people and deal with things with sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness. We must not interact with people with a mind of greed, anger, ignorance or arrogance. If we can form an organization with this spirit, it will be the best kind of organization.

This is why we must engage in spiritual practice. A monastery is a group of spiritual practitioners. In a community of spiritual practitioners, everyone must truly engage in spiritual cultivation. Everyone must value the precepts. Only when there are precepts in our lives can our minds be calm and focused. So, we must cultivate precepts, then Samadhi. With precepts and Samadhi, we can gain wisdom. If we cultivate precepts and Samadhi, then we will definitely have wisdom.

Because our minds guard against wrongs and stop evil, we can prevent unwholesome and discursive thoughts from arising. Thus our behavior will be free of mistakes. We will be at peace, with a clear conscience, and naturally our minds will be pure like water. If the water is calm, it can clearly reflect the sky, the stars, the moon and so on. This is because precepts can help our minds achieve a state of Samadhi so they can be like still water that clearly reflects all phenomena.

This is what we call wisdom. When we apply wisdom to our surroundings, we will be able to see things very clearly and separate out [the truth in] interpersonal conflicts. Then we naturally do not make mistakes. So, “With flawless Samadhi and wisdom, our minds will be clear and pure. Flawless” means that, [with no Leaks], the Dharma will remain in our hearts and in our daily living. So, if we live according to the Dharma, then the Dharma will not leak away. If the Dharma is applied in all our interactions, then our minds will be pure. This is truly inconceivable. Why is it inconceivable? Because it is very profound.

The Buddha became enlightened when [His mind] converged with the universe. So, wisdom must pervade the universe and all the Dharma-realms, encompassing all things, sentient or non-sentient. Sentient includes humans and all living beings. Non-sentient refers to various things in the world, mountains, rivers and so on. These are non-sentient. Sentient or non-sentient, everything contains very profound Dharma.

Look at all the things in the world. Each of the various grains and plants have different effects on our bodies. Their nutrients can keep us healthy. They can be prepared into delicious food. See, isn’t this also Dharma? The food that grows from the land can provide us with an abundance of Dharma. If we think about it, isn’t this very subtle and wondrous? These principles have existed since Beginningless Time. No matter how much time has passed, the principles [remain].

People’s minds, natures and temperaments have caused interpersonal conflicts since ancient times. When different habitual tendencies come together, afflictions arise in the world. We engage in spiritual practice so that we can understand these afflictions.

Everywhere in the world, regardless of the place, humans and sentient beings have their distinct habitual tendencies. So, no matter how much time has passed, or how vast the space is, peoples’ troubles and afflictions are the same. This is also inconceivable.

We want to return to a pure state of mind, but this is inconceivable. It is also inconceivable to us. So, what methods, how many teachings, do we need [to understand this]? In this vast world, this vast universe, among these multitudes of people, what is the Dharma that can be adapted to people’s understandings to help them refocus their mind on precepts, Samadhi and wisdom? What is the Dharma we can use to purify our minds? It can actually be very profound.

So, the Buddha adapted the teachings according to the various afflictions of sentient beings by using many different kinds of principles. Thus the inconceivable, very profound principles could be reached starting from the simple and, in this way, be suitable for sentient beings. So, “The wondrous provisional is also the true; thus it is called subtle and wondrous.” Within the teachings of skillful means are hidden the true principles.

If we do not understand spiritual practice and are biased and cling to a certain teaching, then we will be like Sariputra. Because he learned helpful principles, he became biased and attached to them. He was attached to the principles of “true emptiness.” He understood this principle well but he still did not thoroughly comprehend the principle of “wondrous existence.” Therefore, there was a deficiency in his wisdom-life. The Enlightened One was wise, so whatever He tells us, we must try to understand. After we understand, we must reflect and awaken, reflect on ourselves and awaken to the truth. If we can do this, though wondrous provisional teachings are skillful means, [we will realize] they contain True Dharma. This is subtle and wondrous.

If we can do this, we will understand that with spiritual practice, our minds peacefully abide. Where can they peacefully abide? In ultimate wisdom. Ultimate wisdom is the wisdom of True Suchness. This is the only way we can understand the Dharma and be able to share it with other people.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, there was a Brahmin practitioner who had gradually come to understand that. Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings were really great. So, he wanted to abandon his Brahmin practices. One day he came before the Buddha and asked, “World-Honored One, in the future, how many Buddhas will appear in this world?” The Buddha replied, “In the future, those who will become Buddhas will number as many as the sands of the Ganges.”

After hearing this, he felt at peace. “When I come back as a human in future lifetimes, I can practice the Buddha-Dharma then.” He was quite satisfied and went home. But halfway home, he thought, “I only asked how many will become Buddhas in the future, but I did not ask how many had attained Buddhahood in the past.” So, he hurried back to ask. Sakyamuni Buddha replied, “Those who have attained Buddhahood in the past are as innumerable as the sands of the Ganges.” Upon hearing this, this Brahmin practitioner suddenly came to a realization.

“Indeed, those who attained Buddhahood in the past are as innumerable as the sands of the Ganges, yet I had not encountered even one before. Though there will be innumerable future Buddhas will I encounter any of Them? Since I never encountered one in the past, I don’t know if I can meet one in the future. Right in front of me is the Great Enlightened One, Sakyamuni Buddha. Why don’t I seize this moment to immediately engage in spiritual practice?” He made this decision and asked to take refuge with the Buddha and become a monastic. The Buddha smiled and happily accepted him, [saying] “Welcome, bhiksu.” Just like that, this Brahmin practitioner worked hard on his spiritual practice and peacefully abided in ultimate wisdom. He knew he must purify his mind. So, free of discursive thoughts and distractions, he focused his efforts on spiritual practice.

This is what we must strive to do in our own spiritual practice. Since we did not attain [realizations] in the past and do not know what the future will bring, why don’t we seize this moment? We peacefully remain in this pure state of mind as we receive the Buddha’s teachings.

So, the passage we previously discussed states,

“The Buddha, by means of various conditions, taught with analogies and skillful words and led my mind to be as calm as the sea. As I listened, I severed the web of doubts.”

This is the previous sutra passage. With the Buddha’s mind, there is not anything in the universe that. He does not know. So, the Buddha, with a pure heart and wisdom as vast as the sea, taught according to sentient beings’ capacities. Sariputra now should have already severed his web of doubts.

So in the next passage, he said,

“The Buddha says that in the past, countless Buddhas who entered Parinirvana have abided in skillful means and likewise given such teachings.”

The Buddha had always said that there have been many Buddhas, countless numbers like the sands of the Ganges. An incalculable number of Them have already appeared in this world. Every Buddha who appeared in this world peacefully abided in skillful means. They likewise taught skillful means.

When Confucius taught, he also gave examples of what happened in ancient history. He just described; he did not create. What he talked about were things that happened in the past. The same principle applies to what I am teaching now, which is what Sakyamuni Buddha taught in the past. So, what I am describing, relating to you now, is what the Buddha recounted in the past. Sariputra described how the Buddha spoke of the past, saying that Sakyamuni, like [past Buddhas], “first taught the provisional then the true.”

The Buddha said that past Buddhas also taught skillful means for the sake of expounding the Dharma in this world. The present Buddha, Sakyamuni, did the same, using skillful means to guide sentient beings. Only at the end did He “open up the provisional to reveal the true.” Because sentient beings have had these habitual tendencies for a very long time, the Buddha had to teach according to their capabilities and habitual tendencies. So, He used skillful means, but actually taught the true path.

He heard the Buddha explain that. He opened up the provisional to reveal the true, and that all Buddhas of the Three Periods shared the same path. They abided in skillful means and what They proclaimed were also skillful teachings, which was also the true path. Thus, this was all to teach the pure Dharma.

These skillful means are actually teaching the true path; they all contained the principles within them. This is like the practical objects we use in daily living. Everything from food to clothing, housing or transportation contains very profound principles. So, within all skillful means and within everything we use there are very profound principles of matter and of life. This is something we must experience and realize.

“Thus, this was all to teach the pure Dharma.” All past, present and future Buddhas first teach with skillful means, then reveal the True Dharma to everyone. Because of this, [people] could understand. Sariputra had already begun to understand. “Upon hearing this, [he] realized that this is the true path.” Only then did he begin to understand that though what the Buddha taught in the past was skillful means, it actually contained true principles.

Upon hearing this, He realized that this is the true path. So, great happiness arose in his mind. Abiding in wondrous, provisional, skillful means, he fully eliminated his doubts and regrets. This is how he entered the true wisdom of the Tathagata.

The Buddha had talked about true emptiness, which actually contains the True Dharma of wondrous existence. It was just that Sariputra did not understand. So now, great happiness arose in Sariputra’s heart.

Previously he only understood one aspect of it. Now he was quite clear about both sides. Similarly, when we have two healthy feet, we can step forward and make great strides to advance. The principle is the same. It is not enough to just cultivate wisdom, we also need to cultivate blessings. “One cannot be lacking in roots of goodness, in blessings, virtues and karmic connections.” If we want to see True Suchness, we must have great roots of goodness, blessings, virtues and karmic connections. Only then can we return to our pure intrinsic Buddha-nature.

Sariputra understood this now, so great happiness arose in his heart. His heart gave rise to happiness and abided in wondrous provisional means. His mind was already at peace and all past doubts had been completely eliminated. If we want our minds to be focused, we must eliminate doubts so that we can peacefully listen to the Dharma. If we do not thoroughly believe it, then our minds will often give rise to doubts. Thus, we must eliminate all doubts and regrets to enter the true wisdom of the Tathagata.

So, when everyone listens to the teachings, I hope they will listen with sincerity. If we can take the Dharma to heart, we can immediately see all things and matters with a sense of respect. All things have living principles within them. We should not think that things are non-sentient and are made to be used by sentient beings. Is the floor sentient or not? Is the roof sentient or not? They are non-sentient, why? Because no matter how we use them, they will not react to us in any way. We can change them however we like, and they take on the form we choose for them. But actually, they contain very profound principles within them. These profound principles exist within.

Think about a thick-trunked tree, whose trunk is so big we have to hold hands to wrap ourselves around it. It grew from a tiny seed that was planted. Then causes and conditions converged; there was sunlight, water, earth and air. Only when these causes and conditions converged did this tiny seed sprout and grow into a sapling. Then it grew from a sapling into a small tree and finally into a thick-trunked tree. After it is cut down by people, it can become lumber. Lumber can be used to produce many products. In construction, it is used to build houses, so it is a kind of building material. When these materials are placed on the ground, we call them “the floor.” When placed above us, we call them “the ceiling.” Their labels are different; this just depends on how we decide to use them. They can be used at people’s discretion.

If we understand these principles, we will feel very grateful. How much hardship did that tree have to weather in order to become a thick-trunked tree? If we can understand the principles behind how it arises and how it is used, if we can understand this, we will all cherish all things. So, the principles can lead us back to our intrinsic nature. If we realize and understand all of them, we will have the wisdom to cherish all things in the world. This is the true wisdom of the Tathagata.

The same principle applies. So everyone, we must mindfully listen to teachings. “From seeing one corner, we can understand the other three.” We must use this skill to understand things. Then there will be no Dharma we cannot understand. So, I hope that everyone abides in the flawless studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom and applies the Dharma in their daily living. So, we must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0480

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
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Chapter 3

Episode 480 – Eliminate Doubts with Compassion and Wisdom

>> “We must exercise loving-kindness and wisdom to give teachings. We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings. With analogies and verbal teachings, many kinds of Dharma are taught. With peace and understanding in our hearts, we can be very accommodating.”

>> “When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great fear and doubt. Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confuse my mind?”

>> “The Buddha, by means of various conditions, taught with analogies and skillful words and led my mind to be as calm as the sea. As I listened, I severed the web of doubts.”

>> With His wisdom, the Buddha taught with various conditions, analogies and skillful words. Now [Sariputra] knows that in the past, the Buddha skillfully taught according to capabilities. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. So, the provisional is the true. Therefore his mind can be at ease and he can eliminate his doubts.

>> Now that he severed the web of doubts, he attained peace as extensive as the sea. Sariputra himself said, “After severing the web of doubts, my mind began to be at peace, like a calm sea that is clear and free of waves.”

>> In the Lotus Sutra, the Chapter on Skillful Means states, “All Arhats, those without Leaks, and those who seek Nirvana have now fallen into a web of doubts.”

“We must exercise loving-kindness and wisdom to give teachings.
We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings.
With analogies and verbal teachings, many kinds of Dharma are taught.
With peace and understanding in our hearts, we can be very accommodating.”

Having true loving-kindness means treating all sentient beings equally. The Buddha cherished all beings the same way He did Rahula, [His only son]. With that sense of impartiality, He saw every person from a parent’s perspective. This is also unconditional loving-kindness. When we hope that someone will live a peaceful and blessed life, don’t we have the heart of a parent?

At the Tzu Chi Teacher’s Association, we share a song with the teachers about treating one’s own children with wisdom and treating all sentient beings with loving-kindness. If they can treat students like their own children and treat their children like any other person, they will have a balanced perspective. Those who treat their students like their children, hoping these children will be blessed and hoping these children will be successful, are the best teachers.

Those who hope all their students will be successful, peaceful, happy and blessed as though they are their own children are good, kind teachers. We must also apply wisdom. To have loving-kindness, to have an open mind and accommodating heart, we must have wisdom. Only with impartial wisdom can we treat sentient beings equally. But how do we help sentient beings relieve their suffering? This also requires wisdom, discerning wisdom. Where does this person’s suffering actually come from? He has money, he has fame, he has power, he has wealth. So, why does he experience so much suffering?

There was a very successful businessperson who owned a chain enterprise with subsidiaries in several countries. This was a big business. Sometimes, he would visit me several times a year. Whenever he came, people would tell me, “Master, give him a little guidance. Recently he has been feeling trapped, unhappy.” They knew he was unhappy. [I would ask,] “Why is he unhappy? I don’t know.” So, I asked him, “Sir, why do you look so concerned? Do you have many afflictions? Ah,” He sighed heavily. Then he said, “I don’t have any worries, It’s just that my son is almost 30 years old. Why isn’t he married yet?”

After some time, when he visited again, he said, “Master, what am I to do? My son’s girlfriend is nice, and he likes her, but I’m a little worried.” [I said,] “Since you already like your son’s current girlfriend and think she’s nice, and since he’s happy with her, what are you still worried about?” He said, “She follows a different religion.”

“When it comes to religion, she is free to choose her own religious beliefs. As long as she follows our family traditions. Is the girl well-behaved? She is very nice.” [I said,] “That’s good enough.” His wife then said, “As long as our son is happy, it’s fine. Whatever religion they choose is their business.” He said, “No, she has to follow our family traditions. If she is part of our family and her religion is different, who will make offerings to us when we die?”

I said, “Ah, this is the most important time in people’s lives. All religions are basically the same, so long as they teach people to be loving, kind and caring. Ultimately that is what we call having compassion and great love. If she is compassionate and has great love, won’t she be filial to you? You want her to make offerings to you after you die, but you do not know where you will end up. You might have already come back to this world.” Then, I joked, “After she marries your son, maybe one day, when you pass away, you may return to this world as her child.”

He said, “Is that possible?” I said, “Do you love your family or not? I love my family very much. Since you love this family, don’t you wish to be a part of it forever?” [He said,] “That’s impossible. Indeed, you cannot get what you want, so why do you still want her to make offerings to you?” He agreed with this, so he approved [the marriage]. Then I heard about their engagement and so on, and eventually they got married.

After a period of time, he became worried again. “What are you worried about now?” He said, “Many months have passed….” He worried his daughter-in-law was barren. “How can you have so many afflictions?”

He always had afflictions like these. Often, over those few years, whenever I saw him, he had afflictions. He never had to worry about his business because things were going very well. He only worried about his son and grandson. Before his grandson was born, he was worried. After his grandson was born, by the time he was almost two years old, they realized that something was wrong. A child who was almost two should be able to stand up and walk. He looked healthy and chubby, why wasn’t he able to stand up? Again, he was worried.

He was a successful entrepreneur, but with so many afflictions. He worried about this and that; one affliction arose after another. When he wanted to resolve this mental conflict, he would come visit me. But in the past few years, I have not seen him much. So, when I think of him, I feel the sorrows and suffering in life. Just what is sorrow? What is suffering? He had food, necessities, and his business spanned the globe. In his chain, who knows how many associated businesses he had all over the world? But he worried so much that [his life was full of] sorrow and suffering.

Later on, I met one of his friends, and asked how he was doing. “I hear that he has depression.” I said, “How can this be? So, this is why I haven’t seen him for so long.” [His friend] said, “Ah, he cannot let things go.” He could not unravel the knots in his mind. Perhaps only by meeting Sakyamuni Buddha would he be able to untangle those knots. This is all comes down to our thoughts, to what we do with our minds.

There is a Buddhist story about this. An old monk was building a temple, so he asked master carpenters to build it. At the same time, the monastics in the temple also joined in to help. This old monk saw the nails [for the tiles]. Some of the nails were long and some were short. They were originally separated in piles, but he mixed them together and then told his disciples, “These nails, two inches, three inches, one inch, must all be sorted again.”

The disciples did not dare show their resentment. They just hesitated. The old monk saw that no one had moved, so he turned to them and asked, “If you are not sorting them now, are you waiting until your next lifetime, thinking you have a choice in where you end up?” These disciples had a sudden awakening. “That’s right, we must quickly sort them by size. There are two inch, one inch and three inch ones. Let us quickly separate and organize them.” Finally, they finished just before midnight. They went to their master and said, “We have finished sorting them.” The old monk said, “Whether you sort them or not, that is your business. It has nothing to do with me.” Everyone felt, “We worked so hard, but he did not have one word of praise for us. Then he said whether we did this or not is our own business.”

This old monk then asked them, “Who wanted you to engage in spiritual practice? Why do you engage in spiritual cultivation?” [They said,] “We do it because we want to. Why do you want to build a temple here? To have a safe place to practice.” Then he said, “Once this monastery is built, why will you still be here? Because we want to cultivate the Buddha-Dharma.” The old monk said, “The Buddha and the Dharma are fine; why do you need to cultivate them? Indeed! The Buddha and the Dharma are fine, why do we need to cultivate them?” Eventually, one of the disciples said, “I understand now; what we need to cultivate is our minds.”

Everyone, we must cultivate our own minds. Everything we are doing externally just creates an environment for our spiritual cultivation. Whether we do it or not is our own business. Whether we engage in spiritual practice or not is up to us. So, whether we are good or evil depends on us. But, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must do so according to the path. “We must exercise loving-kindness and wisdom to give teachings.” With loving-kindness, we exercise our impartial great wisdom to teach sentient beings; this is unconditional loving-kindness.

“We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings.” Because we have discerning wisdom, we consider the type of suffering sentient beings face and figure out the teachings they need so they can feel comforted. Whether people face tangible suffering or intangible mental afflictions, we need to apply wisdom to deal with them. So, we must awaken wisdom and apply compassion. This is universal compassion.

Sometimes, I think those with “insatiable cravings” are extremely unreasonable. But we must still have universal compassion. Sentient beings are like this because of ignorance. Therefore, we must be patient. When they come to us, we must carefully discern [their needs] and then comfort them. Who knows how long it will take and whether their issue can be resolved? This depends on causes and conditions. When conditions are right, we must seize them to help eliminate [their] afflictions. Without the right karmic conditions, their suffering will be endless. This is very regrettable. Thus, “We must awaken wisdom and compassion to relieve the suffering of sentient beings.” We must do everything in our power to help when the opportunity presents itself.

“With analogies and verbal teachings, many kinds of Dharma are taught.” The Buddha taught with various parables, like that of the old monk. The nails were in separate piles, clearly sorted by size. He mixed them up for no reason and then demanded they be sorted again. After the disciples worked hard to sort them again, [he even said,]. “Whether you sort them or not is your business.” With these kinds of different methods, the Buddha always helped His disciples to comprehend [principles] through their work. We cannot wait until our very last breath to choose [to practice]. When we have the opportunity to choose, we must seize the time and choose wisely. This is also a teaching. He used these analogies and expressions, all kinds of different Dharma, to teach us, hoping those of us who can accept the Dharma can feel peaceful and be understanding.

Practitioners must always have a peaceful mind. We must be understanding of various matters. Only then will our minds be open enough to encompass everything. I always say the Great Enlightened One of the Universe realized the true principles of the universe. Similarly, we must open up our minds to encompass the macrocosm, the universe. However big the universe is, our minds must be even bigger so we can encompass all things in the universe. This is the goal of our spiritual practice.

So, Sariputra was happy and surprised to be able to attain Buddhahood, but he still had the slightest doubts about himself. This was in a previous passage.

“When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great fear and doubt. Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confuse my mind?”

“Is this true? Can I really attain Buddhahood? Is this Mara coming to disturb my mind?” So, “the Buddha, by means of various conditions,” as this next sutra passage begins, stating,

“The Buddha, by means of various conditions, taught with analogies and skillful words and led my mind to be as calm as the sea. As I listened, I severed the web of doubts.”

Because sentient beings’ capabilities varied, He had to teach the Dharma with various causes and conditions, parables and skillful means. So, the Buddha had to apply. His wisdom to teach us to exercise loving-kindness and wisdom.

This is why we say that in the Buddha’s mind, He saw sentient beings as His only child, Rahula. The Three Realms are like a big house. The elder who owns it treats everyone in the house like his own children. He looks upon them like a kind father looking upon his children. So, the Buddha exercised loving-kindness with wisdom and treated all sentient beings with compassion.

With His wisdom, the Buddha taught with various conditions, analogies and skillful words. Now [Sariputra] knows that in the past, the Buddha skillfully taught according to capabilities. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. So, the provisional is the true. Therefore his mind can be at ease and he can eliminate his doubts.

“In the past, the Buddha skillfully taught according to capabilities.” At this time, Sariputra understood that the Buddha “taught the provisional for the sake of the true.” Actually, the “provisional” is the “true.” Because the true, the True Dharma, the One Vehicle Dharma, cannot be understood by sentient beings, for the sake of the True Dharma, the Buddha had to give provisional teachings and skillful means. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. So, the provisional is the true. Actually, skillful means are wondrous provisional teachings revealing the true. With these various subtle and wondrous, provisional and skillful teachings, He revealed the principles of ultimate reality. So, the provisional is the true; the true is also the provisional. All teachings are wondrous Dharma.

So, what the Buddha taught in the past was also True Dharma. Now He was just affirming it as True Dharma that provides a fixed course. Therefore, Sariputra could eliminate his doubts. He did not need to doubt anymore. He did not need to worry anymore. Thus his mind was as calm as the sea.

Now that he severed the web of doubts, he attained peace as extensive as the sea. Sariputra himself said, “After severing the web of doubts, my mind began to be at peace, like a calm sea that is clear and free of waves.”

By listening to the Buddha’s teachings, now all his doubts had been eliminated. This is like a web that has been cut apart by scissors. When the web is cut open, we will be free. Then our minds can attain a state of peace, can “be as calm as the sea” because they are no longer trapped by the web. When the web is cut open, the world is open to us. Our minds become expansive.

At that time, Sariputra’s mind became peaceful, “like a calm sea that is clear and free of waves.” His mind had already become very calm.

Doubts and delusions can be very painful. Take the businessman I mentioned before; he could have stepped back to see the bigger picture. His business was present all over the world; he should have been very satisfied. Yet he was so worried about his child. Wasn’t he weaving a net and ensnaring himself? So, having doubts and delusions, not being content with what one has, living this kind of life, is like being caught in a web.

In the Lotus Sutra, the Chapter on Skillful Means states, “All Arhats, those without Leaks, and those who seek Nirvana have now fallen into a web of doubts.”

At the beginning of the Lotus Sutra, we spent a lot of time discussing how when people practiced the Buddha’s teachings, they were biased and attached so they could not realize the True Dharma and only sought their own awakening. They only sought Nirvana because they thought that by ending afflictions, they would not transmigrate in the Six Realms. This is not so. Though they may have ended afflictions, delusions and doubts still exist.

So, for the past few days I have been telling you that we must do two things at once. We must cultivate both blessings and wisdom at the same time. Compassion and wisdom must be cultivated together.

We know that life is impermanent and full of suffering. We also know that interpersonal conflicts lead us to accumulate afflictions. Therefore, when we go among people, we must guard against interpersonal conflicts. We must strengthen our resolve and continue to go among the people to relieve their suffering. Then naturally, we will gradually let go of our habitual tendencies and afflictions. Whatever we deal with, whomever we meet, we will treat them all the same. To any person, we will show universal compassion. To any person, we will show unconditional loving-kindness. This is the true Bodhisattva-practice that will bring us closer to the state of Buddhahood.

So, we must open the door to our hearts. By practicing the True Dharma, we are on the Bodhisattva-path. We must be true Living Bodhisattvas who take [the Dharma] to heart. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0479

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
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Chapter 3

Episode 479 – A Clear Mind Is Free of Doubts and Regrets

>> “Upon first hearing the Buddha teach the Great Vehicle Dharma, I was suspicious and thought. Mara was disrupting my spiritual aspirations. Now I know that the Buddha gave provisional teachings in the past and that He was now opening up the provisional to reveal True Dharma, So, my mind is peaceful and clear, and my doubts and regrets have been eliminated.”

>> “Then I told myself that. I had reached the state of Nirvana, but now I realize that it was not true Nirvana,”

>> “For when I become a Buddha, replete with the 32 Marks, I will be revered by heavenly beings, yaksas, dragon-gods and others. When that time comes, then I can say, ‘I have fully attained Nirvana without residue.'”

>> “The Buddha, in the assembly, has declared that I shall become a Buddha. Hearing the teaching of this Dharma, all my doubts and regrets were dispelled.”

>> “When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great shock and doubt. Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confuse my mind?”

>> When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great shock and doubt: Originally I dared not hope that I could attain Buddhahood. Thus now, upon first hearing what the Buddha said, I truly feel shock and doubt in my heart.

>> Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confuse my mind: I did not dare believe this, so I suspected this was something Mara said to disturb and confuse my mind.

>> “Changing rapidly without pause. There is nothing we can rely on. All phenomena are disintegrating; we must quickly leave them behind and head toward the path of liberation.”

>> King Mara acted on his idea and took the form of a manavaka to cause chaos. The Buddha knew that. Mara was causing disruptions, so He said, “Life shortens as each day and night passes, and the long-lived suffer much hardship.” He berated King Mara and told him not to cause disturbances.

“Upon first hearing the Buddha teach the Great Vehicle Dharma,
I was suspicious and thought. Mara was disrupting my spiritual aspirations.
Now I know that the Buddha gave provisional teachings in the past
and that He was now opening up the provisional to reveal True Dharma,
So, my mind is peaceful and clear, and my doubts and regrets have been eliminated.”

I want to share with you that when Sariputra first heard the Great Vehicle Dharma, he was very anxious. He had thought Mara was disturbing his mind. At that time, he did not believe that he could attain Buddhahood. So, when he heard the Buddha say that everyone can attain Buddhahood and everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, he still doubted whether this applied to him. Where there is doubt, there will be fear. So, he feared that. Mara was disrupting his spiritual aspirations.

The Buddha had patiently guided everyone; this was His compassion for sentient beings. Sariputra thoroughly and faithfully accepted [the Dharma]. He brushed aside his doubts because he understood now that the Buddha described what He had taught in the past as provisional teachings which were to guide everyone through the Buddha’s door. From the first stage, to the second, to the third, one stage at a time, He slowly guided them. So, the Buddha said that in the past. He had been guiding them along, but only now was He revealing the path to Buddhahood. So, “He was now opening up the provisional to reveal the True Dharma.”

Sariputra’s mind was now free of doubts. “My mind is peaceful and clear, and my doubts and regrets have been eliminated.” Now his mind was completely pure; all his doubts were eliminated. He had no doubts and no regrets. Now he also heard the Buddha personally say, “Everyone can attain Buddhahood,” so he knew he would become a Buddha one day. Because of the Buddha’s compassion, Sariputra happily and faithfully accepted [the Dharma] and let go of his doubts and questions.

We have talked about the previous passage of this sutra, but we left out another passage. There was the passage we discussed,

“Then I told myself that. I had reached the state of Nirvana, but now I realize that it was not true Nirvana,”

but then there should be the following text,

“For when I become a Buddha, replete with the 32 Marks, I will be revered by heavenly beings, yaksas, dragon-gods and others. When that time comes, then I can say, ‘I have fully attained Nirvana without residue.'”

We have discussed the long-form version of this passage, but now it appears again in verse-form, so we must explain it again.

By now we already understand that self-awakening is not true Nirvana. This was what Sariputra now clearly understood. Thus he now began to believe that he could attain Buddhahood. The verse began as follows, “For when I become a Buddha.” If I can become a Buddha, then I should be “replete with the 32 Marks. I will be revered by heavenly beings, yaksas, dragon-gods and others.” At that moment, “when that time comes, then I can say,” only then would he be able to say, “‘I have fully attained Nirvana without residue.'”

In the long-form section, we discussed the 32 Marks and 80 excellent characteristics. Do you remember them? One hundred good deeds create one blessing. One hundred blessings create one Mark. So, the Buddha wanted us to go among people to walk the Bodhisattva-path in order to eventually achieve these 32 Marks in the future. Only by being replete with the 32 Marks can we transform all beings.

The perfection of the Marks signifies being in perfect harmony with the principles. Perfecting the Marks and the principles is the state of perfect enlightenment. Of course, this requires both blessings and wisdom. Cultivating infinite, countless blessings leads to the perfection of the Marks. [Understanding] infinite, countless Dharma is the perfection of wisdom. So, we must cultivate both blessings and wisdom to be in perfect harmony with the principles. Then we can transform sentient beings.

At this point, heavenly beings, humans, yaksas, dragon-gods and others will naturally revere us. Only then can one be said to have attained Buddhahood. Only then has one “fully attained Nirvana without residue.” When all afflictions are eliminated, the mind will be very clear and the true principles of all things in the universe will be captured in the ocean of Dharma in our minds.

This passage should have come before the sutra passage we discussed yesterday. Yesterday we discussed,

“The Buddha, in the assembly, has declared that I shall become a Buddha. Hearing the teaching of this Dharma, all my doubts and regrets were dispelled.”

The text following this is,

“When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great shock and doubt. Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confuse my mind?”

This passage brings us back. Clearly, Sariputra’s state of mind at that time was considered by the editor of this sutra, Dharma Master Kumarajiva, to be very important. So, he went back to it again.

Sariputra’s initial thought was, “The Buddha said we could all attain Buddhahood. When I first heard what the Buddha said,” the moment he heard those words, “my heart was filled with great shock and doubt.” He was both fearful and in awe. On top of his doubts, he was happily surprised. “Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha?” Not likely! This probably was not Mara coming to disturb his mind. It was a very complicated state of mind. “It is not likely that this is Mara coming to disturb me. I should have faith in what the Buddha said, that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, that everyone can attain Buddhahood.”

Now that Sariputra understood this, he said, “When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great shock and doubt.”

When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was filled with great shock and doubt: Originally I dared not hope that I could attain Buddhahood. Thus now, upon first hearing what the Buddha said, I truly feel shock and doubt in my heart.

Sariputra originally did not dare to hope that he could attain Buddhahood. Thus he remained within the Small Vehicle, which is biased toward emptiness. When he first heard what the Buddha said, he actually still had doubts in his mind. “Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha?” It was unlikely that Mara took the Buddha’s form to come and disturb his mind. This was not likely. It was his heart not daring to believe, and because he still did not completely believe, this was his mentality at the time.

We may also have many conflicting thoughts in our minds. When we listen to the sutras, [we wonder,]. “Is this true? Did this really happen? Did things really happen as the Buddha described? Is there really a heaven? Is there actually a hell?” Many people still have these doubts. But if we can take the Buddha’s wisdom and apply it to the world around us, then we can see how we are enjoying heaven on earth.

In the past we talked about how heavenly beings fly freely through the skies. But don’t people in this era also fly freely through the skies? To travel around the [seven] continents, all we need is a plane ticket. Isn’t this something only wealthy people can do, spending money to go wherever they want?

With the advancements in science, they can even go on space shuttles. They may even one day be able to go beyond Earth, to the moon or even to other planets. Scientists and business people work together. By signing multimillion dollar contracts, a person can travel in space. So, more than 2000 years ago, the Buddha had already talked about wealthy and noble people like this in the world.

The wealthy are not necessarily noble. Nobility comes from having a good heart, from being a benefactor to others. Who are the benefactors in this world? Bodhisattvas.

We have seen many Taiwanese volunteers devote themselves to international disaster relief work. They work hard and give unconditionally. After they help others, they are still full of Dharma-joy and gratitude.

Aside from cultivating goodness and blessings, we diligently listen to the Dharma to accumulate wisdom and safeguard our minds. By knowing to give without expectation, we very willingly give to others. However, when we are among people, we must not allow interpersonal conflicts to influence our minds. We must wholeheartedly remain diligent and not allow our resolve to be disturbed. Thus we have tranquil and still minds; we have “peaceful and clear minds.” This is the only way to dispel our doubts and eliminate our afflictions.

So, Sariputra now understood this. Being replete with blessings and wisdom is something we can achieve as long as we take action. Then we can become Buddhas and be endowed with the 32 Marks.

We know that, before the Buddha attained enlightenment, He had to first defeat Mara. Where is Mara? When we try to quiet our minds, we often feel our minds fluctuating. This is Mara coming to disturb us. Sariputra had yet not stabilized the fluctuations of his mind, so of course he still had many doubts. Sariputra also knew that before the Buddha attained Buddhahood, Mara had come to disturb Him, so he feared and suspected that this was happening to him.

Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha, coming to disturb and confuse my mind: I did not dare believe this, so I suspected this was something Mara said to disturb and confuse my mind.

In the sutras, we have often read about how. King Mara disturbed people’s minds, particularly the minds of spiritual practitioners. This still happens to people nowadays. People look for something to believe in and end up lost and unable to control themselves.

We often hear stories like this. It was the same during the Buddha’s lifetime. When He lived by City of the House of Kings, in a cold forest along with His disciples, He often expounded the Dharma to them. He said, “All things are impermanent,”

“Changing rapidly without pause. There is nothing we can rely on. All phenomena are disintegrating; we must quickly leave them behind and head toward the path of liberation.”

This means He wanted to tell everyone, to tell these bhiksus, that they must improve themselves and take good care of their minds. Everyone must understand impermanence. All things are impermanent, changing rapidly without pause. Impermanent things can change very rapidly. We may be safe today, but we do not know about tomorrow. We may be safe at this moment, but we do not know what will happen in the next. We really do not know.

Take the imbalance of the four elements; some countries pray for rain, but when the rain comes, there may be too much. So, this imbalance causes a flood. In the same way, some people happily leave the house, laughing and joking, but suddenly get into an accident. So, “all things are impermanent.” In particular, they “change rapidly without pause.” Things happen very quickly.

“There is nothing we can rely on.” You cannot rely on your youth. I have shared this with everyone. You cannot always remain young. You cannot rely on your youth. You cannot rely on your talents. All of these are disintegrating phenomena. You may have a lot of money, but you worry about gains and losses. You may have many descendants and loved ones, but this love, these relationships, are forms of entanglement. So, separation in life or by death, parting with those we love and emotional conflict, aren’t these all ways in which things deteriorate? So, “We must quickly leave them behind.” We must quickly leave them behind and head down the path toward liberation.

The Buddha continued to tell His disciples that nothing is permanent in this world and encouraged them to seize the moment and immediately engage in spiritual practice. However, at that time, King Mara knew that if everyone were to engage in spiritual practice, then in the Three Realms, the number mara-descendants would be reduced. So, he hoped that everyone would remain trapped in the Three Realms. Thus he often came to disrupt [their practice].

King Mara acted on his idea and transformed himself into a “manavaka.” A manavaka is a young man. King Mara took on the form of a young man and came to the Sangha to speak with the monastics. He spoke of “the eternity of night and day.” He told people that night and day are eternal and that “life always returns.” After they go through birth, aging, illness and finally, death, they will return again. When they return to this world, they would still have the chance to engage in spiritual practice. [He told them that] they should fully enjoy their wealth and that when they return in the future, they will enjoy the same level of wealth. This “clinging to permanence” was the deviant teaching that this young man spread in the Sangha.

Quickly the Buddha let everyone know that this was Mara coming to disturb them. The Buddha added that, “life shortens as each day and night passes.” Life passes by with each day and night, “and the long-lived suffer much hardship.” This is saying that living a long life means facing much hardship and suffering, so people must not linger in this world. Moreover, all things are governed by the law of karma. Doing good deeds leads to blessings doing evil deeds leads to [negative] retributions. This is the correct principle. There is no such thing as wealth that will carry over into all future lifetimes. Real wealth comes from creating blessings. However, no matter how long people live, they will suffer while they are in this world. So, the Buddha began to berate King Mara for causing disturbances in the Sangha.

This story is in the Agama Sutra.

King Mara acted on his idea and took the form of a manavaka to cause chaos. The Buddha knew that. Mara was causing disruptions, so He said, “Life shortens as each day and night passes, and the long-lived suffer much hardship.” He berated King Mara and told him not to cause disturbances.

For those in His Sangha, the Buddha painstakingly continued to help them purify their minds by encouraging everyone to be earnest and diligent. But very often this kind of mara would appear to disturb people’s minds or to slander the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, the Buddha constantly reminded everyone to heighten their vigilance.

So, when Sariputra thought about how the Buddha said he could attain Buddhahood, he began to heighten his vigilance. Was this Mara? Was this Mara coming to tempt him?

This is how spiritual practitioners can safely cultivate the Right Dharma and go among people to become their benefactors. The Buddha taught us to go among people, so we can see more and understand more. Only by realizing the Buddha-Dharma can we strengthen our spiritual aspirations.

Blessings come from giving and wisdom comes from taking the Dharma to heart. Benefactors who go among people are walking the Bodhisattva-path. This is how we can maintain the purity of our minds. This is the state for attaining Buddhahood. We must develop it in order to attain Buddhahood. So, everyone must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0478

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
>
Chapter 3

Episode 478 – Listen Well to the Sound of the Dharma

>> “When our mind is very peaceful, we will abide in True Suchness. With a prediction of perfect enlightenment, we will attain Buddhahood. With self-confidence, we can faithfully apply this teaching. When our mind is pure, it can reflect like a clear mirror.”

>> “I was freed of all my deviant views and realized the Dharma of emptiness. Then I told myself. I had reached the state of Nirvana, but now I realize that it was not true Nirvana.”

>> “The Buddha, among the assembly, has declared that I shall become a Buddha. Hearing the teachings of this Dharma, all my doubts and regrets were dispelled.”

>> “I heard the Buddha say among the assembly that I shall become a Buddha,”

>> He “felt very fortunate”

>> Although he had attained the fruit of the Small Vehicle, he had not believed that he would attain Buddhahood in the future.

>> And now, hearing the Buddha personally teach this Dharma, explaining that in the past He had given provisional teachings according to capabilities and was now revealing the true teachings, I feel fortunate that I have attained it and all my doubts and regrets were dispelled. “In the past, He gave provisional teachings according to capabilities and was now revealing the true teachings.”

>> As we engage in spiritual practice, we should be learning how to listen. We must listen well, even to sounds that are ugly, argumentative, noisy or strange. If we can be like Guanyin Bodhisattva and transform them all into purifying sounds, we can understand the good intentions behind rude and negative words. Thus, “listening well to teachings of this Dharma” can immediately resolve our doubts.

>> “Those who seek the Three Vehicle teachings, should they have doubts or regrets, will have them resolved completely by the Buddha so that none remain.”

“When our mind is very peaceful, we will abide in True Suchness.
With a prediction of perfect enlightenment, we will attain Buddhahood.
With self-confidence, we can faithfully apply this teaching.
When our mind is pure, it can reflect like a clear mirror.”

A mind that abides in True Suchness is the most peaceful.

Sentient beings have, since Beginningless Time, developed unenlightened habitual tendencies. Thus, the Buddha compassionately started teaching at the beginning. He taught us all how to eliminate our habitual tendencies, one by one, in order to return to perfect enlightenment, to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. So, the Buddha spent over 40 years doing this, until the Vulture Peak Assembly, the Lotus Sutra Dharma-assembly. Then the Buddha began to continuously praise the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle, for the sole purpose of inspiring us to form great aspirations and vows so He can bestow on us a prediction of attaining Buddhahood. He helped us believe that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. On this path to perfect enlightenment, everyone can attain Buddhahood.

It is just that we are lost and do not know the way back. We do not know how to return. The Buddha is providing us with the path, so we must avoid going down side roads or taking the wrong fork. We should quickly return to the direct Bodhi-path. So, He constantly calls to us, hoping that those who have lost their way will be able to quickly come back and walk on the correct path. We must walk this path ourselves; this is spiritual practice.

We must affirm and believe that we have a nature of True Suchness. Our nature of True Suchness can enable us to make the most of our potential. We do that by forming great aspirations and vows and by going among people to help them. We must not let this resolve be disturbed by others. Our minds must remain peaceful. A very peaceful mind indicates that we have returned to our nature of True Suchness. As we interact with people, we cannot allow them to affect our resolve,

so we must have a sense of self-confidence and faithfully apply the teachings. If we have faith [in our Tathagata-nature], we can apply this in our interactions with people and thus not be influenced by them. Then we will be like a mirror, which reflects phenomena of all sorts but returns to a state of purity once they pass. So, we should all quickly polish the mirror of our mind so that it is clean. Then naturally, the phenomena before us will be reflected clearly. Similarly, when our mind is peaceful and abides in our intrinsic nature of True Suchness, it will not be disturbed by sentient beings. This is most important in our spiritual practice. Recently, I have been continually telling everyone to return to our intrinsic awakened nature. The Buddha is calling to us out of compassion. We should recognize that we are lost and that we need to quickly return.

So, in the previous passage, Sariputra says,

“I was freed of all my deviant views and realized the Dharma of emptiness. Then I told myself. I had reached the state of Nirvana, but now I realize that it was not true Nirvana.”

This is saying that, after hearing the Dharma, [he realized] that he held deviant views, such as an attachment to and “bias toward emptiness.” He thought that he had attained realizations, that his mind had already been purified and that he would not be defiled by external conditions. He thought he had attained the fruits of spiritual cultivation, but had he really? In the past, this was what he had thought. He thought he had put an end to his transmigration. Only now did he realize that he had been mistaken. “It was not true Nirvana.”

Only through self-reflection and self-awareness do we have the hope of improving ourselves. Without self-reflection and self-awareness, we will never be able to improve. Everyone has habitual tendencies, and with these habitual tendencies we often disturb ourselves. It is not other people who disturb us; it is our own habitual tendencies of attachment that disturb us.

The next passage states,

“The Buddha, among the assembly, has declared that I shall become a Buddha. Hearing the teachings of this Dharma, all my doubts and regrets were dispelled.”

In this passage, we understand the compassion of the Buddha. Sentient beings’ capabilities varied greatly. The Buddha saw that everyone still had the tendency to form attachments, so He could not directly [guide us to] understand our minds and realize our true nature. So, in the past, the Buddha had used a variety of skillful and provisional means to guide us. Now, here at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, He began to bestow predictions of Buddhahood. At this assembly, He wanted to verify this for all His disciples. Although everyone still had residual habitual tendencies from the past, the Buddha bestowed predictions for them in the distant future. So the Buddha, among the assembly, “has declared that I shall become a Buddha. I” here refers to Sariputra; Sariputra heard the Buddha say this in front of everyone.

All he needed to do was form great aspirations and make great vows. So, we must eliminate our deviant, biased views and not remain biased towards “emptiness.” There is still “wondrous existence,” which is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. He taught us about the wondrous nature of True Suchness so that we can apply this to go among people without hindrances. This is the Middle Way. We understand that every aspect of this world is illusory and impermanent, suffering, empty and without self. We know these things, but we also have a nature of True Suchness, that is very useful. It allows us to go among people without our minds becoming polluted by their turbidities. This is “wondrous existence.”

This is what the Buddha pointed out at the beginning of the Lotus Sutra. Sariputra began to mentally prepare himself for attaining Buddhahood. So, Sariputra said,

“I heard the Buddha say among the assembly that I shall become a Buddha,”

that everyone can attain Buddhahood.

He “felt very fortunate”

that he also had the hope of attaining Buddhahood.

Although he had attained the fruit of the Small Vehicle, he had not believed that he would attain Buddhahood in the future.

After attaining realizations, he lingered in the Small Vehicle understanding of impermanence, suffering, emptiness and illusoriness. He continued to remain in that state. He began to lose faith that one day he too would attain Buddhahood. He began to lose that faith. This was Sariputra’s mentality at that time.

But then he said, “Hearing the teachings of this Dharma, all my doubts and regrets were dispelled.” This was after Sariputra had personally heard the Buddha teach this Dharma. Sariputra’s ears heard the sound of Buddha’s voice. Thus he took the teachings to heart.

And now, hearing the Buddha personally teach this Dharma, explaining that in the past He had given provisional teachings according to capabilities and was now revealing the true teachings, I feel fortunate that I have attained it and all my doubts and regrets were dispelled. “In the past, He gave provisional teachings according to capabilities and was now revealing the true teachings.”

He told everyone very clearly, “What I taught in the past was adapted to everyone’s various capabilities. You are at this stage because you still have all those attachments. So, I cannot guide you to understand your mind and realize your true nature.”

We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. This great principle was also included in the “provisional” teachings, which are skillful means. However, those with attachments cannot understand this. So, now the Buddha opened up the provisional to reveal the true and guide everyone to eliminate all their attachments. He taught us to look within ourselves and find our own path to True Suchness.

So, now he understood this; Sariputra finally understood that to seek out this road in our minds, we must first affirm and have faith in ourselves. With self-confidence and self-affirmation, we will feel very fortunate and happy. Once we know we are lost, we must look for a road that leads us back. Thus, “All my doubts and regrets were dispelled.”

We should know that spiritual cultivation is about learning. What do we need to learn? We must learn to listen. How must we listen so that we can identify what is the True Dharma? As we learn how to listen, we must learn how to listen well. In the sutras, we find that when someone requests the Dharma from the Buddha, He always says, “Listen well, listen well. I speak for your sake.” We must listen carefully, because the Buddha is about to explain something. Since he is going to explain, we must listen very earnestly. This is what is meant by “listen well.”

As we engage in spiritual practice, we should be learning how to listen. We must listen well, even to sounds that are ugly, argumentative, noisy or strange. If we can be like Guanyin Bodhisattva and transform them all into purifying sounds, we can understand the good intentions behind rude and negative words. Thus, “listening well to teachings of this Dharma” can immediately resolve our doubts.

“Listening well” teaches us to listen to all the sounds we hear in the world. We may hear the sound of a person speaking, the sound of harsh or angry words, or the sound of an argument. In our surroundings, we may also hear the sound of machines whirring, the sound of chickens clucking, dogs barking, birds calling or insects chirping. There are so many sounds. How do we humans choose which sounds to listen to?

At times we will hear others praise us. We are quite happy when we are praised, as if we are walking on clouds. This is very dangerous; why is that? We may become arrogant and proud, which adds to our afflictions and increases our ignorance.

Look at little Christopher [Yang]. He is so young, but he is truly wise, so when he hears the Dharma, he takes every word to heart and understands it. When others praise him, he reminds himself to be vigilant, to not become arrogant. “I am not the most outstanding. There is still much for me to learn. I cannot allow other people’s praise to make me feel self-satisfied.” A sense of self-satisfaction will be a hindrance to our progress on the path. So, we must remind ourselves to be vigilant.

If we hear people say critical things about us, we may feel, “But I made such a great effort; the things they said really hurt me.” When this happens, our way forward on this road may be obstructed. We may hear people yell at us [and think], perhaps they do not only yell at us to our face, but [slander] us behind our backs as well. Thinking these things, we may become [afflicted].

This even happened to spiritual practitioners in the Buddha’s lifetime. When the Buddha spoke to Rahula, He made a remark very lightly. But when it spread through the Sangha and reached Sariputra, the comments felt very harsh. Thus they hindered. Sariputra’s spiritual aspirations. Things like this happened even in the Sangha.

So, as Buddhist practitioners, we must not allow anything we hear from other people to hinder us. Whether we hear harsh or scolding words, or bothersome noise in our surroundings, we must always be vigilant. We must constantly practice. What are we practicing? The practice of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

When we hear praise, we must be vigilant. When we hear harsh words, we must be grateful. “Waves do not arise where there is no wind.” Perhaps we really did fall short. The person who points it out to us is like a mirror that helps us see that there is a smudge on our face.

[A mirror can also help us] see what is ahead. For instance, when we are driving, there may be a mirror at a [blind] intersection. We will pause for a moment to look into it. If we can see a car coming, we will stop and wait for it. After the car passes, we will continue forward. When people talk about us, whether it is to our face or behind our backs, even if they find fault in every little thing, we must see it as a chance for self-reflection. This is how we can be understanding.

If we have not done anything wrong, we must have faith in ourselves. We must be grateful. Perhaps the other party lacks an understanding [of the situation]. We should think of a way to help them to understand more clearly. This is how we can be understanding. By being understanding of ourselves and others, we can transform a negative situation into a good one. This comes from being “understanding.”

Next, we must be “accommodating.” The sounds of [slander], yelling, arguing and so on, are just some of the things that are in the world. So, we should be accommodating of them. We hope that others will understand us. If they really cannot understand us, then we must accommodate them. Because the enlightenment of the Buddha is universal and accommodates all things, His “mind encompasses the universe.” There is nothing that we are unable to accommodate.

Next is being “grateful.” There are all manner of shapes and sounds in the world. When we are understanding, we hear everything as teachings of the Dharma. So, being understanding means “listening well to the teachings of the Dharma.” If we can be understanding, the sounds of all things in the world impart to us the teachings of the Dharma, including the sounds of human beings. So, being understanding is essential. This is the only way for our minds to be free of doubts.

Thus, “All my doubts and regrets were dispelled.” The previous passage of the sutra states, “Hearing the teachings of this Dharma, all my doubts and regrets were dispelled.” The teachings of the Dharma that Sariputra heard in the Buddha’s lifetime were the Buddha-Dharma. Actually, the Buddha wanted to teach us to listen to all the sounds in the world and use them to immediately hear, understand and eliminate our doubts.

In the Introductory Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, there is a passage that states,

“Those who seek the Three Vehicle teachings, should they have doubts or regrets, will have them resolved completely by the Buddha so that none remain.”

This passage is in the Introductory Chapter. It appears because in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha had already begun to help everyone eliminate their doubts and regrets. So, He had to explain to them how they could find their way back from being lost to return the correct spiritual path and discover their nature of True Suchness.

Dear Bodhisattvas, our daily living is indeed inseparable from hearing all kinds of sounds and seeing all kinds of appearances. The way things look and sound may bring us happiness or make us unhappy. Happiness can be an obstruction on our path; unhappiness can sever our roots of goodness. So when we listen to the Dharma, we must be understanding and listen well to the teachings of the Dharma. This is very important. Everyone, please always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0477

Posted on by Scott Ogata
Wisdom at Dawn
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Chapter 3

Episode 477 – Turn to the Great in Accord with the Principles

>> “Having heard the Buddha teach the Great Vehicle Dharma, we must feel fortunate that we are returning to the right and the true. Setting aside the limited teachings focused on emptiness, we are now in accord with the principles and turn to the Great [Vehicle Dharma].”

>> “Formerly, I was attached to deviant views and was a teacher to the Brahmins. The World-Honored One knew my heart, rooted out my errors and taught me Nirvana.”

>> “I was freed of all my deviant views and realized the Dharma of emptiness. Then I told myself that. I had reached the state of Nirvana, but now I realize that it was not true Nirvana.”

>> In the past he believed that he had already attained Nirvana, simply because he did not understand that skillful means were suitable teachings given by the Buddha. Those skillful means were taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities. Upon encountering these teachings, he believed and accepted them. Thinking that he had attained realizations, he hindered himself by not seeking Great Dharma.

>> Now he learned that he had to realize the Great Vehicle to attain ultimate Nirvana. By transcending the suffering of cyclic existence, he could attain ultimate peace. This is the joy of attaining great Nirvana.

“Having heard the Buddha teach the Great Vehicle Dharma,
we must feel fortunate that we are returning to the right and the true.
Setting aside the limited teachings focused on emptiness,
we are now in accord with the principles and turn to the Great [Vehicle Dharma].”

This is saying that, having heard the Great Vehicle Dharma, we must know that [the goal of] learning from the Buddha is to be in accord with the Buddha’s true principles. The Buddha’s true principles are what He awakened to. We ordinary people are deluded, so as we transmigrate through the Six Realms, we endlessly create more afflictions. Thus we develop ignorance and habitual tendencies and are born as ordinary people. It is rare to be born human, even more rare to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. We have already been born human, heard the Buddha-Dharma and have understood the principles that the Buddha had realized. These are not truths that can only be realized by [someone like] Prince Siddhartha 2500 years ago. We all intrinsically have these truths in us.

Over 2000 years ago, Prince Siddhartha was saddened to see the state of the world. The four castes were kept separate. Wealthy families were very powerful, held a high status and enjoyed great prosperity. But the poor were considered lowly and looked down upon and lived in poverty and suffering. So, he felt great compassion toward them.

In addition to this, everyone experiences birth, aging, illness and death. So, the young prince wondered, “How can there be happiness in this kind of life? Where is the principle of true happiness? How can everyone live as equals, where all are wealthy and respect each other?” At that time, these were the thoughts in the young prince’s mind. Once he had the idea, he sought out the true principles.

We often say, “One thought [can last] one lifetime.” Perhaps for many lifetimes, we have been shaped by a thought like this one. This prince gave rise to the desire to seek the truth, so he renounced the lay life. He traveled for five years and engaged in ascetic practices for six. Eventually, he understood all the teachings cultivated by non-Buddhist practitioners and realized that they were not the ultimate. So, he investigated and delved further, applying his mind to unceasingly exploring the principles of the universe. Finally, He attained enlightenment,

that tranquil state of mind. On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month before dawn broke, his mind was very tranquil and converged with the light of the stars in the sky. The light of his mind and the light of a star in the sky converged. Suddenly, his mind became one with the universe. At last, His “heart encompassed the universe and the boundless worlds within it.” The true principles of the universe were completely encompassed by His mind, so it is called the “ocean of enlightenment.” Once He became enlightened, His mind was so open that it was one with the heavens and the earth.

This was the Buddha’s mind at that moment. Upon realizing that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, He felt so joyful that He wished to share this knowledge with everyone. But sentient beings’ capabilities were not yet mature enough, so the Buddha began by teaching according to capabilities. For over forty years, He taught according to people’s capabilities.

Sariputra was originally a Brahmin practitioner and learned the Brahmin teachings. After being told by his teacher that beyond these teachings there were still ultimate true principles and that he should search for them, he came to join the Buddha’s monastic community. Because of his background with. Brahmin teachings, his mind was on the course of finding a way to purify his heart completely and avoid the entanglements of worldly relationships and the conflicted emotions of the world. So, after listening to the Buddha’s teachings, he knew that his mind must remain very pure and must reach a state of tranquility and clarity. Having understood this, he remained at that state.

Then, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, Sariputra gradually realized that his mind must not only be tranquil, but within that tranquility, his mind must “remain unwavering.” His mind was tranquil, but when it encountered any phenomena it would waver again. This is not the ultimate state. To reach the ultimate, he had to “return to the right and true.” Now he understood this, so Sariputra was happy; he “felt fortunate.” His mind was now on a course to turn from the Small to the Great. Before, he had been biased toward emptiness and the Small Vehicle principles. His mind had remained in the. Small Vehicle state of eliminating cyclic existence. So, when he heard the Great Vehicle Dharma, he began to develop doubts in his mind.

There is a saying, “Great doubts lead to great realizations.” When we hear the Dharma, we must listen, contemplate and practice. After listening, we must still give it careful thought. “Is this teaching correct? Have I taken it to heart? Are my actions consistent with the thoughts in my mind?” Some people think one way, but their actions are still in line with their habitual tendencies. This should not be the course of our spiritual practice. We must reflect on and contemplate ourselves. We must constantly remind ourselves, “After I listen to the Dharma, am I accurately following its course?”

Whatever the Buddha taught, our actions must be in accord with the Dharma that He expounded. Then, in our hearts and in our actions, we are engaging in spiritual cultivation and practice. “Cultivation” refers to cultivating our mind and refining our character. “Practice” refers how we correct our behavior. By doing this, we are true spiritual practitioners. Otherwise, if we only listen to the Dharma but still retain our habitual tendencies, acting as we wish without changing ourselves, then listening to the Dharma has not been helpful to us at all; we have wasted our time.

Sariputra already felt “fortunate he was returning to the right and true.” He was on the right course of the True Dharma. Sariputra, at this time, had “[set] aside the limited teachings biased toward emptiness.” He had by now set aside the past limited teachings of the Small [Vehicle] Dharma. At that point, his mind was very free. He was now “in accord with the principles.” Now, his mind and the Buddha’s teachings had come together and resonated with each other.

So, we must “turn to the Great [Vehicle]” and walk the Bodhisattva-path and interact with people. As we interact with people, various conflicts inevitably arise about who is right and who is wrong. People have various kinds of habitual tendencies, so while we are among them, we must not allow ourselves to be affected by their negative habitual tendencies. We must go among people to train ourselves so that our minds will not be affected at all. Only by having a firm resolve can we accomplish anything.

If we hear one person say, “This is right, just do it,” and then another person says, “No, I think I know the right way,” and we change our course to follow that person, if a third, fourth or fifth person tells us what to do, which one shall we listen to? We should wait until they are united in their understanding before we take action. Think about it, if we try to [follow everyone], we will be sloppy in everything we do, we can never relax and no issue will ever be fully resolved.

So, we must seize the moment and learn how to make big decisions as we interact with others without being affected by discursive thoughts or the views of the people around us. Of course, when something is the right thing to do we must seize the opportunity and do it.

In the previous verses, Sariputra said,

“Formerly, I was attached to deviant views and was a teacher to the Brahmins. The World-Honored One knew my heart, rooted out my errors and taught me Nirvana.”

Sariputra expressed that his mind was once focused on principles he had learned from the Brahmin teachings. When he learned the Buddha-Dharma, he heard the Buddha teach how to maintain the purity of the mind. Everything is empty in nature, so there is no need to be attached to material things, relationships and so on, or to hold onto desires. He had achieved this in his spiritual cultivation.

He was not the only one. He had led an entire group of people to engage in spiritual practice, so he was called “teacher to the Brahmins.” Sakyamuni Buddha understood sentient beings’ thinking and past habitual tendencies, so He was able to continue to guide them. This was why Sariputra said, “The World-Honored One knew my heart.” He knew that Sariputra had not eliminated his habitual tendencies. The Buddha patiently taught him to eliminate his deviant views and his bias towards emptiness. So, Sariputra was saying that he had remained focused on emptiness but the Buddha led him away from it, step by step.

In the next passage, Sariputra says,

“I was freed of all my deviant views and realized the Dharma of emptiness. Then I told myself that. I had reached the state of Nirvana, but now I realize that it was not true Nirvana.”

At that time, he thought that by entering the Buddhist path, he had eliminated the habitual tendencies that he had developed as a Brahmin, so he was focused on the principle of emptiness. He thought that his old deviant views were gone. He reached an understanding of true emptiness, that all things are empty in nature, so he thought that he had attained the fruits of spiritual practice. At that time he felt in his heart, “I have already attained Nirvana. I will no longer transmigrate in the Six Realms.”

But at this time, “now I realize that it was not true Nirvana.” Before, he only knew about “true emptiness” but had not yet reached the state of “wondrous existence.” This “wondrous existence” is our nature of True Suchness. We all intrinsically have it; it will never change. The nature of True Suchness in our hearts is the true principles. In addition to emptiness, to not being attached, we should also realize the subtle and wondrous truths within true emptiness. We have not reached this state yet. Sariputra at that point recognized that he had not attained the ultimate state. This was his mindset. He continued to clearly lay out his past mistakes.

This bias toward emptiness and the Dharma of Nirvana had only liberated him from the suffering of the Three Realms but he had not yet attained the principles of ultimate Nirvana without residue.

The Three Realms are, as we have explained before, the desire realm, form realm and formless realm. Now, we will explain this in terms of this world. “Desire” refers to the desires in our minds. Sariputra had already completely eliminated his desires. The form realm refers to various kinds of forms. Living in the human realm, when we open our eyes everything that we can see is a form. When these things no longer tempt our pure hearts, the form realm will no longer be attractive. What about the formless realm? In this realm there are no attachments to forms of any kind. These are the Three Realms in this world. Sariputra had only attained liberation from these realms.

Everything is empty because ultimately, when we keep breaking things down, there is nothing there. Yet when many [causes and conditions] converge, things can come to fruition. But if we break these things down completely, they each return to their existing nature. This is the truth.

So, this is all about labels. Although Sariputra had the wisdom to not be affected by labels, he could not penetrate their true principles. So, his Nirvana was focused on emptiness. Although he said he was liberated from the suffering of the Three Realms and his mind was no longer tempted by these states, within these states there are subtle and wondrous principles that he had still not yet realized. So, this was not the “permanent elimination of suffering without residue.” He had not reached that level.

So he said, “Then I told myself, I had reached the state of Nirvana.” In the past he had believed, “I have already attained Nirvana.” This was just because he did not understand then. He thought he had attained Nirvana because at that time he still did not understand the Buddha’s skillful means.

In the past he believed that he had already attained Nirvana, simply because he did not understand that skillful means were suitable teachings given by the Buddha. Those skillful means were taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities. Upon encountering these teachings, he believed and accepted them. Thinking that he had attained realizations, he hindered himself by not seeking Great Dharma.

[He only practiced] the Dharma the Buddha had expounded according to people’s habitual tendencies, capabilities and needs.

At the time, Sariputra still did not understand that “those skillful means were taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities.” So, he attained this Dharma; “upon encountering these teachings, he believed and accepted them.” Attaining this Dharma made him very happy, so he accepted it, thinking that he had attained realizations. He thought that attaining this Dharma meant he had attained the fruits of spiritual practice. He “hindered himself by not seeking Great Dharma.” He hindered himself. Thinking that he already achieved [his goal], he did not keep advancing in his studies.

But to attain everlasting, non-arising and non-ceasing ultimate Nirvana, he must continue to advance forward. So, “He had to realize the Great Vehicle to attain ultimate Nirvana.” To attain ultimate Nirvana, he had to “transcend the suffering of cyclic existence in order to attain ultimate peace.” After attaining this peaceful state, external conditions would not cause him to waver. This, then, is the true and great Nirvana, a safe, stable and joyful place of refuge.

Now he learned that he had to realize the Great Vehicle to attain ultimate Nirvana. By transcending the suffering of cyclic existence, he could attain ultimate peace. This is the joy of attaining great Nirvana.

In our spiritual practice, when we only listen to part of the Dharma, we may think we understand everything. If we understand but cannot practice it, then we have not actually understood. We must achieve a state where we will not be affected when we are among people. Benefiting people is what the Buddha really wanted to teach us.

He came to the world for the one great cause of saving and transforming sentient beings. We must transform ourselves and also others. We must not allow various worldly phenomena to influence us and trigger our afflictions. Then we can be free of afflictions forever. [We will] remain forever pure and treat the happiness of sentient beings as our Dharma-joy. If we can achieve this, then we have truly pushed aside our own obstacles.

We should know that the Buddha devised teachings according to sentient beings’ capabilities. We should not think, “This is good enough.” Instead, we should keep advancing forward. Let us not obstruct ourselves. If we obstruct ourselves, we will not be able to go forward on the great Bodhi-path of Bodhisattvas. So, in learning the Dharma, we must not hinder ourselves, nor should we seek to awaken only ourselves. We must also simultaneously benefit others. Therefore, we should always be mindful.