Author: Scott Ogata

Episode 1065 – Delivering Oneself and Others

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>> From Beginningless Time to the present, their heartfelt aspiration has been to deliver all in the world who suffer. With wisdom they deliver themselves, and with compassion they deliver others without rest. Thus they and others will all escape from the suffering of Leaks, ignorance and delusions. They deliver and transform countless numbers of those they had formed affinities with during the time of Great Unhindered Buddha.

>> “The Buddha in the northeast is called Destroyer of All Fear in the world. The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha, who in the Saha World have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> “Bhiksus, we each taught and transformed countless trillions of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> Bhiksus, when we were novices: Across boundless space and time, the cause of the fundamental state has existed for beginningless dust-inked kalpas. From Beginningless Time till now, the ability to manifest the transformation-body that He manifests is called the innate body that can manifest, which is the beginningless causal seed of the fundamental state, none other than the. Buddha’s Dharma-body of ultimate reality. This is the inexhaustible fundamental state. Beyond this, there is no true body that can manifest.

>> We each taught and transformed countless trillions of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands: These are those whom they had delivered and formed affinities with over many lifetimes. This indicates that they had accepted the Great Vehicle Dharma and would not retreat. They abide in the unsurpassed path.

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From Beginningless Time to the present, their heartfelt aspiration has been to deliver all in the world who suffer.
With wisdom they deliver themselves, and with compassion they deliver others without rest.
Thus they and others will all escape from the suffering of Leaks, ignorance and delusions.
They deliver and transform countless numbers of those they had formed affinities with during the time of Great Unhindered Buddha.

This is saying, from Beginningless Time until now, their only wish has been to deliver suffering sentient beings. All Buddhas share the same path, and every Bodhisattva does as well. All have the same heartfelt vow; they are willing to give by delivering sentient beings in the world. As we engage in spiritual practice, we all have the same goal, to escape the suffering of the world. We should actually say we want to escape from the suffering of the Five Realms and the four forms of birth. This is because in the Five Realms and four forms of birth, without any control, we face all kinds of suffering in life. Everyone hopes not only to transcend the suffering of the world, but also to understand the principles.

Our life exists amidst the karma created from ignorance. So, the Five Realms consist not only of the human and heaven realms, but also the hungry ghost realm, the animal realm and the hell realm. The human realm is suffering. The heaven realm is an exception; they enjoy heavenly blessings there. But likewise, once their blessings are depleted, they will descend to the human realm or to the hell, hungry ghost or animal realms. This all depends on their time in the human realm in the past, how much good karma they created through benefiting others.

However, though they may have created blessings while in the human realm, they may at times have still done evil, since while they were in the world, they did not fully understand the principles. The world has always been filled with traps so we say it is a mix of both good and evil. There is good, and there is evil. In some, their good intentions may be awakened. They may passionately give to help others and create many blessings. They accumulate many blessings, but never thoroughly understand the Buddha-Dharma. So naturally, they will also commit evils, because their ignorance is not yet eliminated. With this yet-to-be-eliminated ignorance, it is always easy for them to commit evils.

If their blessings are great and the karma created through ignorance is relatively small, they will naturally first be born in heaven to enjoy heavenly blessings. Once their heavenly blessings are depleted, with the negative causes, conditions and karma that they created, with their blessings depleted, karmic obstacles will begin to manifest and these forces will drag them down. Those with lighter karma may return to the human realm, while those with heavier karma will go to the hungry ghost, animal or hell realm. The law of karma is without any error. If one has more blessings, one first enjoys blessings. But just the same, when blessings are depleted, evil karma then begins to surface again.

Some may say, I have done many good deeds. How could I still have [evil] karma? When their karma begins to manifest, they may suffer physical pain, problems in their families, setbacks in their businesses or something else. Many things will not go the way they wish. I do good deeds; why are all these painful things happening in my life?

Those who fully understand the principles will understand that they have the blessings to do good in this life because of causes from past lifetimes. With blessed karmic conditions, we can be in the environment we are in now. So, in this life we continue our past affinities to create more blessings. The blessings we create in this lifetime will be enjoyed in future lifetimes. The blessings we enjoy now in this lifetime were created during past lifetimes. In past lives we also had ignorance. In past lives we also formed negative affinities. In past lives we created all kinds of karma which we have carried into this present lifetime. So, we are good deeds in this life, because the causes and conditions brought from our past lifetimes extend into our present one and allow us encounter opportunities to create blessings which accumulate for the future.

However, [negative] conditions we have carried with us from past lifetimes begin to manifest now in our present one. But we can say, I am willing to accept this. With these karmic causes and karmic conditions, in this lifetime, I will write them off in one stroke. In this present lifetime I am willing to accept them joyfully. Then we will not, due to facing hardship, stop in our resolve to create blessed karma. We will not be affected by [suffering] but continue accumulating good karma as usual. Our evil karma is eliminated in this way. We must do this willingly; since we happily took action in past lifetimes, we must willingly accept [the consequences] now. However, when we give in this lifetime, we should give willingly. So, with all things, we want to be joyful, to accept things joyfully. We must understand this principle very clearly, then we can be firm in our spiritual aspirations.

From Beginningless Time to the present, from Beginningless Time right up until now, we must have had aspirations. As for these aspirations, whether the aspirations from our past lives, aspirations in this present life or aspirations in lives to come, lifetime after lifetime, we are always continually accumulating the same aspiration. Thus, our aspiration is to deliver all in the world who suffer. We have made the vow to deliver all in the world who suffer. If, lifetime after lifetime, we can carry on this aspiration, it will accumulate, and this must be done for a long time. It will continue to accumulate until causes and conditions have matured, and our wisdom manifests. With every measure our blessings increase, a measure of evil is eliminated. We are willing to accept the karma we have created in past lives. Thus, when we face difficulties in this life, we will mindfully exercise wisdom to resolve them.

You can often hear Tzu Chi volunteers say, Take suffering like a tonic. When you meet someone you owe, you should willingly repay the debt. If one repays willingly, there is a discount! If one is unwilling, it will accrue interest. This sounds like a very common principle, yet within this common sense, there is a very profound meaning. When people hear things like this, they think it ordinary. This is how people, matters and things are; everyone knows this. But if we think carefully about it, such a simple [analogy] has such profound principles.

If we can understand this and constantly train our minds to follow this path of goodness, we naturally will not make any more errors, and as we go among others, our wisdom will increase. The causes and conditions we have accumulated will mature. Then naturally, in every lifetime, everyone we meet will be virtuous friends. By meeting virtuous friends and accumulating all kinds of wisdom, when our causes and conditions mature again, we can be born at the same time as a Buddha and hear Him teach the Dharma. We can further increase our understanding and in that Buddha’s time we will again make vows.

Thus we deliver ourselves, but in delivering ourselves, we can also unlock our great aspirations. We form aspirations of great compassion and make vows to go on to deliver others, lifetime after lifetime without rest, constantly continuing to deliver ourselves and others. We hope to transcend the Five Destinies and the four forms of birth. In order to transcend these, we first need to have precepts, Samadhi and wisdom without Leaks. We must hone our skills through external practice and inner cultivation, thus accumulating merit and virtue. We can do this ourselves and then further encourage everyone to eliminate their ignorance and uphold the precepts and the rules. In this way, we practice ourselves and encourage others to practice as well. We deliver ourselves and can also deliver others. We simultaneously benefit ourselves and others. This is what we must be mindful in doing.

Thus they and others will all escape from the suffering of Leaks, ignorance and delusions. The world indeed is beyond our control. Look at those Living Bodhisattvas who are attending to the suffering people in the world. We currently have a group of volunteers in Turkey. Yesterday marked their fourth day there. The many videos they sent back were indeed very moving. They have inspired many people there, consoled many suffering refugees. These refugees’ hearts are filled with knots; they have many complaints. Even as they accepted our help, some still vented their frustrations; they said some things that were truly resentful. These refugees after coming to that country, had suffered much unfair treatment. They felt wronged in many ways and vented their frustration and would at times lose self-control.

The Tzu Chi volunteers hurried to console a woman. They told her, “Look,” we have come from Taiwan, from very far away all for the sake of one thing, love. We are bringing love from so many people. Here in Turkey, the government and these certain officials have provided assistance that allowed us to complete such a heartwarming [distribution] of giving with our love. We consoled her like this. This person who lost control of her emotions was thus able to subdue her afflictions and give rise to gratitude. She said, “I am truly very grateful for” receiving such heartwarming love, thank you! She then apologized

for previously losing her temper. There were even those who said, We will certainly return to our country, and when we do, when society is again peaceful, if you are able to come to Syria we will certainly open our doors to welcome you. They also said things like this. This is how we give; we are very willing. Many people paid their own way and traveled thousands of kilometers, making their way to those faraway places. Once there, they never wasted a minute, continuing to give without stoppping. Only by witnessing suffering can we realize our own blessings.

Upon seeing those who are suffering, people give of their money and their strength. In that place, one can see the refugees there and all the difficulties they face. They have suffered such serious mental and physical torment. After arriving in that country, having left their homes, every day their lives are so painful. They have no work and their lives are bitter. The way they live is truly… they live in difficult conditions and are lacking food and material supplies. In the past, in their own country, they lived in abundance, but now they are lacking everything, so they are filled with grievances. Everything is difficult for them; their lives are very difficult.

So, because of this, there are Living Bodhisattvas willing to give, breaking through any attachments or mental obstacles with regard to religion, with regard to ethnicity, with regard to grievances. They removed these from their minds layer by layer until, in the end, they were filled with gratitude. Isn’t this breaking through ignorance and delusion layer by layer? With gratitude in their hearts, they also wanted to give back. This day will come, and this is a feeling they will always remember. That is the feeling of love; we give with love, which is great compassion. When others hurt, I ache. When others suffer, I grieve. With great love in their hearts, we exercise our lasting compassion. We constantly extend and carry on this lasting compassion and great love. We do this lifetime after lifetime, always willingly giving to others.

It is the same in Jordan. [By 2015] in Jordan, we had been [providing aid for refugees] for more than four years. The Syrian refugees have been fleeing along such a bloody path. As they run, the shots explode all around them. Wave by wave, when those in front fall, those in the rear continue to flee. As they try to escape this way, the road they travel upon is covered in blood. It is truly heartbreaking! They run on foot; once they cross the border their lives are saved. Though their lives may be saved, they may not necessarily all be healthy. Some have suffered many injuries. Having to escape like this is indeed great suffering.

There are now more than 600,000 people living in desert refugee camps, in that vast and empty land. They have tents there, and after so many years, many of their tents have become degraded, letting in wind, rain and moisture from the ground. Indeed, how did they ever get through these thousands of days? In particular, those who suffered the most were the ones who were wounded. Not only are they injured, they have to suffer living in refugee camps. These are the ones whose lives are most difficult.

In Jordan, those receiving long-term assistance need help every month; this includes about 80 or 90 households. These are the refugees who continually receive assistance each month from Tzu Chi volunteers in Jordan. Besides occasional large-scale aid distributions, the long-term assistance is for those who, if we did not help them, would have no way to survive. There are also more than 80 households like this. So, we give them aid every month. If there are not many members in the family, they get 100 lira or so, equivalent to NT 3600 or NT 4500. This is to help them get by each day.

Even more pitiable are those who have been wounded. There was a very pretty girl named Iman who is only 23 years old. During an airstrike in Syria, in her effort to escape from the attack, she panicked and ran into a staircase where she injured her eye. Due to this, she has not been able to see through that eye. She is only able to see about ten centimeters in front of her and nothing any further. Meanwhile, she escaped from Syria to Jordan. She is a very pretty girl but has nearly lost her sight in her one eye.

Our Jordan Tzu Chi volunteers did not give up on her, but brought the girl to get medical treatment, to see an eye doctor. Now, after two surgeries, the girl’s eye has recovered. The two surgeries, including the medicine and surgical expenses, were paid for by the Tzu Chi volunteers. Now, her vision has recovered and she can see the world around her. Recently, they also held a free dental clinic there. She appeared there as well and expressed her gratitude to the Tzu Chi volunteers. Before, Tzu Chi helped me regain my vision so that I could see the world again.

Now, because of the dental clinic, the dentist has helped me. Now that my teeth are fixed, I am not afraid to smile. After my teeth have been fixed and they have given me dentures, I can smile again. I will be grateful all my life, for now I can see and smile happily and with confidence. I no longer feel embarrassed or insecure. So, this girl is very grateful.

There was another, a five year old boy, who during an aerial bombing had suffered severe wounds and whose condition was critical. Although he and his mother had escaped to Jordan, he was still in very critical condition. In the hospital, he received medical treatment with help from a charitable organization. He was operated on in the hospital, then remained there in intensive care. Chi Hui had gone one day to the hospital to visit those there who were suffering. He visited the sick as well.

The doctor told Chi Hui that there was a child in intensive care, that he and his mother were in a pitiful state. The mother was waiting helplessly outside while her child remained in intensive care. When Chi Hui heard about this, he quickly went to see them. The mother was indeed waiting there helplessly, so Chi Hui began taking on this case. He entered the ICU to see the child and made arrangements for the mother to care for her son firsthand. He first helped her get settled in a place to be nearby to her son. Then the mother could be at peace mentally and physically in order to care for her son.

The child went through two surgeries and was returned to intensive care both times. Later he began to gradually recover. During this time, Chi Hui kept visiting the intensive care unit to see this child, to be there as he gradually regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, they were expressionless, but Chi Hui went every day to interact with him. Then gradually his spirit began to return and he began talking with Chi Hui. He was transferred out of the ICU into the regular ward. There he would share with Chi Hui things like what he had eaten that day, or what he wanted to eat. They were just like family, the way the child would speak his mind, telling him what he liked eating that day and what he wanted to eat the next. This was their interaction, as if they were family.

This is to say, with so much suffering in the world, the world needs the loving care of Bodhisattvas. With care like this, those who are suffering can get through, they can get through their most difficult crises. I have heard that this mother and child have already returned to Syria and are back together with their family. However, Syria is still not at peace. Although it is unsafe, it is still better for them to be with their family than wandering around as refugees. This is how they view it. Of course, there are many who have already left with their entire families, who dare not return. There are now still 600,000 of them in Jordan.

Alas, there is so much suffering in the world! So, by helping people like this, we will be able to do more good deeds in Jordan, have more people working together with Chi Hui, and our power to help the suffering people there will grow stronger. So, this is how. With wisdom they deliver themselves and with compassion they incessantly deliver others.

As we walk the Bodhisattva-path, we understand the principles, witness all the suffering in the world and increase our wisdom. This is how we deliver ourselves. By witnessing suffering, we will have a greater understanding of the law of karma. In these bordering areas, as one by one things happen in each country in the Middle East, the refugees always flee to Jordan. So, seeing all the suffering in these countries, their belief in the law of karma becomes more and more firm. Thus they and others will all escape from the suffering of Leaks, ignorance and delusions. The more they come to understand, those who help others will have stronger and stronger spiritual aspirations. Those that receive help will be freed from their difficulties.

Why is there so much suffering in the world? They deliver and transform countless numbers of those they had formed affinities with. Although the 16 princes, over their many lifetimes, may have all been born at different times, they all similarly dealt with life, similarly faced suffering and similarly engaged in spiritual practice with great determination. It is with such determination that they “delivered and transformed countless numbers.” These were the countless numbers of associators in the assembly of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. [The princes] served them over countless lifetimes by delivering and transforming them.

So, when Sakyamuni Buddha was in the world, how many did He ultimately transform? During the Buddha’s time, frankly speaking, the population was not very large and at that time there were many other religions in India. During that time, He suffered from being wronged many times, and underwent many hardships. From that suffering, His will to practice became even more firm, and He shared the principles with those who had affinities with Him. There are those who teach and those who listened; those who listened to the Dharma were all those who had formed affinities during the era of the 16 novices. This continued on lifetime after lifetime.

There is much suffering in the world. There are manmade tragedies, the natural disasters of the macrocosm, as well as the calamities of physical illnesses. Some people who are born bring with them [latent] genetic problems. When the time comes, the physical illness starts to manifest. None of this is under our control. When this happens, it results in much suffering, possibly decades of torment. All this is the suffering of life. So, since there is so much suffering, we must be firm in our spiritual aspirations over many lifetimes. In the future, there is sure to be even more need for Bodhisattvas in the world.

Now, let us look at the previous passage. The previous sutra text reads, The Buddha in the northeast is called Destroyer of All Fear in the world. The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha, who in the Saha World have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

We already reached the Buddha in the northeast. He is called “Destroyer of All Fear in the World.” Because the world is full of fear, fear of natural disasters, manmade calamities and the karma we have wrought, this makes people very uneasy. This Buddha helps everyone feel at ease. He looks for ways to help eliminate our ignorance and fear, to completely get rid of them. Of course, to do so He must also teach the Dharma and deliver sentient beings.

Our Sakyamuni Buddha lived in the same world as we do. He was born in this world, attained Buddhahood in this world and delivered sentient beings in this world; He is the founder of our religion. In the desire, form and formless realms, He is the “guiding teacher of the Three Realms and” the kind father of the four kinds of beings.

This is Sakyamuni Buddha. The next passage says, “Bhiksus,” we each taught and transformed countless trillions of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.

This is Sakyamuni Buddha starting to again call on all the bhiksus listening at the Vulture Peak Assembly. The sentient beings I have transformed are countless, as many as the Ganges’ sands.

Bhiksus, when we were novices: Across boundless space and time, the cause of the fundamental state has existed for beginningless dust-inked kalpas. From Beginningless Time till now, the ability to manifest the transformation-body that He manifests is called the innate body that can manifest, which is the beginningless causal seed of the fundamental state, none other than the. Buddha’s Dharma-body of ultimate reality. This is the inexhaustible fundamental state. Beyond this, there is no true body that can manifest.

Across boundless space and time, the cause of the fundamental state has existed for “dust-inked kalpas.” Dust-inked kalpas ago, in. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s time, Great Unhindered Buddha also told how the 16 novices had already made offerings to countless trillions of Buddhas in the past. Clearly this implies boundless space and time. This is inexhaustible time and boundless space. Not only is time like this, but space is boundless as well. In this boundless space, since Beginningless Time, we have had

the cause of the fundamental state. This is our intrinsic nature. Our intrinsic nature, our True Suchness, has existed for dust-inked kalpas, since time before Beginningless Time, all the way to today. So, [He has] the ability to manifest the transformation-body that He manifests. This is His ability and the transformation-body that He manifests. His “ability to manifest” refers to how now, He manifests a transformation-body in the Saha World. When Sakyamuni Buddha came to the Saha World, He manifested the. Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment. He attained Buddhahood, taught the Dharma, then finally entered Parinirvana. It was 80 years from the time He was born until the time He entered perfect rest. This is how He manifested in the world, hence, “the transformation-body that He manifests.” At that time, He was born in the world.

The Buddha-Dharma, the Dharmakaya, is forever in the world. His transformation-body manifests in the world, and He teaches the Dharma according to sentient beings’ capabilities. He manifested in a worldly palace, engaged in spiritual practice for a period, and so on. In the world, the “innate body that can manifest” is the [beginningless causal seed] of the fundamental state. Here, in this Saha World, after His awakening. His nature of True Suchness and the universe became one. With His physical body and His nature of True Suchness, the fundamental state since Beginningless Time, lifetime after lifetime, the causes and seeds [that He creates] are so clean and uncontaminated. That seed, the seed of attaining Buddhahood, is in fact, the Buddha-nature intrinsic to all of us. This seed of Buddha-nature continues on, lifetime after lifetime.

None other than the. Buddha’s Dharma-body of ultimate reality means it was none other than the Buddha’s Dharma-body of ultimate reality. With the appearance He manifested in the world, He could exercise the true principles of the universe. There was nothing He did not know, nowhere He was not. These true principles, the Dharma-body, can manifest only after a Buddha awakens. This is “the cause of the fundamental state,” the Dharma-body, our pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature. All of us have this, but we are unable to manifest such appearances, for our minds are full of afflictions and full of the karma we have created.

Our bodies are still creating karma through our behavior in the midst of confusion. We are still in the midst of confusion, creating karma whenever we speak. In our confused state, we behave in ways that harm others and such, our minds always lost in discursive thoughts. With unenlightened bodies and minds, how can we ever manifest this. Dharma-body of ultimate relaity like the Buddha’s? This is why we must engage in spiritual practice.

None other than the. Buddha’s Dharma-body of ultimate reality…. This is the “cause of the fundamental state.” The cause of the fundamental state, in hindsight, is the intrinsic Buddha-nature. Everyone has the same intrinsic nature as the Buddha. This is the inexhaustible fundamental state. Beyond this, there is no true body that can manifest. If we can transcend, we [reach] that state, for that fundamental state is inexhaustible; like the boundless universe. Apart from this, There is no true body that can manifest. Besides this, there is no other. If we can understand all of these principles, after understanding them we will know that there are no principles more true than these. This is the ultimate goal of attaining Buddhahood.

We each taught and transformed countless trillions of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands: These are those whom they had delivered and formed affinities with over many lifetimes. This indicates that they had accepted the Great Vehicle Dharma and would not retreat. They abide in the unsurpassed path.

“We each taught and transformed countless billions and trillions of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.”  They had already attained these principles, which are inexhaustible, and manifested Their nature of True Suchness. They taught the Dharma in that fundamental state, wanting everyone understand that all of us inherently have this spiritual state. This is how They taught and transformed. It was through Their pure Buddha-nature that. They continually developed. Their teaching of the Dharma. They led by example; through Their way of spiritual practice. They let us see how it is done, thus teaching and transforming us.

He taught and transformed countless trillions of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands. When it comes to the sands of the Ganges River, before even talking about a river, we cannot even count the grains of sand inside the nail of one finger, let alone the sands of the Ganges, let alone these billions and trillions of beings, as many as the sands in the Ganges. Obviously, lifetime after lifetime, these true principles exist forever without any interruption. Enlightened people continually teach these principles and pass them on lifetime after lifetime. These are those whom they had delivered and formed affinities with over many lifetimes. In every lifetime they deliver and transform those with affinities. It was in the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha that He started to teach the Great Vehicle to deliver and transform sentient beings.

This indicates that “They had accepted” the Great Vehicle Dharma and would not retreat. They abide in the unsurpassed path. When they began teaching the Great Vehicle sutra, that was when they truly began forming extensive affinities. From then, they continually abided in the unsurpassed path. They always remain on the unsurpassed path, the highest and most supreme state, universal and perfect enlightenment. This is Buddhahood. The Buddha’s mind is enlightened. He manifested a worldly appearance with true substance and dignified demeanor, all for us to see. Through His voice, by using His voice, He taught us the true principles of all things in the universe, taught us the ultimate reality of cyclic existance in the Five Destinies and four forms of birth. He wanted us to know these principles.

But for us sentient beings to accept them and truly understand them is truly difficult in many ways! When we suffer, we have no way, it is beyond our control. We have no way to transcend it. It is like being caught in an inescapable net. Karma that is already fixed cannot be altered; since it has arrived, we must accept this suffering in its entirety. Yet in the midst of suffering, after we have accepted the Buddha-Dharma, we come to understand that this is fixed karma, so we willingly accept it. Thus, each day we pass like this, we eliminate one day’s worth of karma. As we thoroughly understand the principles, we become willing to accept this. At the same time, we must use all our mental strength to understand the principles. Just understanding is not enough; we must also put them into practice and be able to change our mindsets.

For instance, during the distribution in Turkey which we just talked about, there was one person who stood up and vented about all the suffering she had endured. After arriving in that country, she received a lot of unfair treatment and so on. Yet, someone immediately consoled her by saying, You must willingly accept it. So, she subdued her ignorance and afflictions until they were eliminated. Then her gratitude manifested. Think about and try to understand how, though this story involved a Syrian [refugee] in Turkey, this affinity is tied to Taiwan, as our volunteers brought Taiwan’s love to Turkey. Causes and conditions like these are indeed inconceivable.

Their suffering is like an inescapable net; they are already caught in it. Only when this violent wind of karma passes can this net of ignorance be broken. Then they will be able to return and rebuild. However, when they return to rebuild, when they get back to their country, will their houses still be there? Will they have the strength to rebuild? The future is unclear! So, when it comes to the inescapable net of fixed karma, we should always willingly and joyfully accept it and earnestly establish a new, correct view of life. This is the only way. What else can we do? So, we must always abide in the principles. In relation to people, matters, objects and principles, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1064 – Buddha-Virtues Nourish the Ten Directions

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>> “Across boundless space, True Suchness has existed for dust-inked kalpas without beginning or end. With His vast Buddha-virtue He rectifies; His noble virtue spreads extensively over the world. In the ten directions, He inconceivably nourishes and enables sentient beings to gain peace and joy. He attains Buddhahood for the one great cause of everlasting compassion and great love.”

>> “There are two Buddhas in the southwest. One is called Indra Appearance. The other is called Brahma Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha. The other is called. Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World. There are two Buddhas in the northwest: One is called Tamalapatra. Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power. The other is called Sumeru-appearance. There are two Buddhas in the north: One is called Cloud Freedom. The other is called Cloud Freedom King.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> “The Buddha in the northeast is called Destroyer of All Fear in the World. The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha, who in the Saha World have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> The Buddha in the northeast is called Destroyer of All Fear in the World: All the world’s varieties of physical substances are subject to formation and decay. Due to sentient beings’ craving for the physical body, their minds often give rise to fears. The Buddha, hoping to transform sentient beings, eliminates their delusion and afflictions, destroys their nests of ignorance and leads them to be free from all fears. Thus He is called. Destroyer of All Fear in the World.

>> The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha: “Sakya” here means “mighty in benevolence.” He nurtures and transforms sentient beings, thus He is called Mighty in Benevolence. “Muni” here means “stillness and silence.” It is the realization of the principles of true wisdom.

>> The epithet of Sakyamuni Buddha has two meanings: The first is a contrasting meaning. The second is a perfectly harmonized meaning. The first is a contrasting meaning. Mighty: With provisional and skillful means, He teaches tactfully according to capabilities. Benevolence: With utmost virtue and immense grace, He nurtures all things universally. This means benefiting all with great compassion. Stillness: Remaining still and immovable and immediately ending all affinities. Silence: Silence is the absence of words, being forever free from frivolous debate. This means perfectly comprehending the principles with great wisdom.

>> Second, the perfectly harmonized meaning: Since compassion is wisdom, He transformed sentient beings until His last day, yet there are no beings to be transformed. In action, there is stillness.

>> In the Saha World: This refers to the great trichiliocosm in which the Buddha transforms. It has two meanings: In terms of Bodhisattvas: They can endure sentient beings’ stubbornness and never get weary of benefiting them. So, it is called “endurance. In terms of sentient beings: They are deluded, so they must endure suffering, for they do not know how to escape.”

>> The land of endurance refers to a great trichiliocosm, the realm that one Buddha transforms. The Compassionate Lotus Sutra states that these sentient beings endure the Three Poisons and all afflictions. They are able to endure these evils, therefore, it is called the land of endurance.

>> [He] attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: This means attaining the enlightenment of supreme, complete awakening. He applies His provisional wisdom to benefit sentient beings. All the kinds of different capabilities are where the Tathagata applies provisional wisdom. The essence of the Tathagata’s Buddhahood rests in His true wisdom. The wondrous application of. His lifetime of teaching and transforming exists in His provisional wisdom.

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“Across boundless space, True Suchness has existed for dust-inked kalpas without beginning or end.
With His vast Buddha-virtue He rectifies; His noble virtue spreads extensively over the world.
In the ten directions, He inconceivably nourishes and enables sentient beings to gain peace and joy.
He attains Buddhahood for the one great cause of everlasting compassion and great love.”

Space is boundless, and time stretches into the distance. Actually, our minds are completely empty. Our nature of True Suchness and boundless space, over such a long time, have existed together in parallel, without beginning or end. This is like the dust-inked kalpas that have passed since Beginningless Time. The past goes back to before Beginningless Time; there is no way to say when it began and no way to say when it will eventually end. It has always boundless, without limits. This is like the universe; it has no starting point and is immeasurable. When did time have its beginning? There is no way to calculate it.

So, time and space are used as metaphors [to describe] the Buddha’s virtues. The Buddha’s virtues are vast and extensive. They encompass the macrocosm of the world. These are the virtues of the Buddha. As for humans, in the macrocosm of the world, human beings are like this, with manmade mistakes and all kinds of manmade deviations. The Buddha’s virtues are the principles; they can encompass everything and rectify it. Whatever is incorrect, He quickly corrects. Only the Buddha’s principles apply equally to all things in the world; they are vast and connect to everything.

The principles have always been like this. The correct principles make no distinction between people or ethnicities. As long as the principles are correct, they can rectify mistakes anywhere in the world and [help] people return to their virtues, go back to a state of morality. The principles are unchanging throughout the world. They are the Buddha’s virtues; the Buddha’s virtues are the principles. All of these penetrating principles are principles only an enlightened person would be able to experience. So, the Buddha’s virtues are used to represent all the true principles.

If everyone could comprehend the principles, we would be like the Buddha, who, to help everyone realize the principles, engaged in spiritual practice for a long time. Since Beginningless Time, throughout boundless space, He has returned repeatedly to widely deliver sentient beings. This is all for the sake of opening up and revealing the principles so everyone would have the chance to come in contact with these principles. Thus, He came to the world for one great cause. Having come, He needed to turn the Dharma-wheel. When He taught the principles, they covered everything in the world. Everyone could experience them. This is very important.

So, “In the ten directions, He inconceivably nourishes.” This is difficult to conceive of. His principles apply all over the world and remain forever unchanging. Moreover, the principles are everlasting, having never changed for such a long time. These are the true principles, which are inconceivable. So, these “enable sentient beings to gain peace and joy.” Everything He did, He did to enable the countless sentient beings to receive the principles, to help them attain peace and joy.

So, He attained Buddhahood for one great cause, everlasting compassion and great love, hoping all of us would become enlightened and then apply everlasting compassion and expand great love throughout the world. This was the Buddha’s one great cause in coming to the world. We know the world is full of suffering, but it all depends on our thoughts. The trichiliocosm is created and led by the mind. The trichiliocosm includes the desire, form and formless realms. From a single thought, we are dragged along, continuously being led. This all come from the mind. We often say that everything depends on the mind; if thoughts are pure, the entire land will be pure. If everyone got rid of afflictions and ignorance, if people’s minds were pure, then naturally the land would be pure. So, we often say that a single thought can move the trichiliocosm and it can create good and evil worlds.

If a thought is evil, it can create an evil world. If a thought is good, it can create a virtuous pure land. Look at the wars in the world; as soon as one starts, it spreads. As soon as a war starts, people suffer great tragedies. Look at the situation in the world now, at how many refugees there are. It has become a flood of refugees. What began with a single evil thought has come to disturb the entire world’s population. Because the hearts of the people in this country were in disharmony, this stirred up ignorance and created a war. It is both a civil war and an international war and has created a flood of refugees, causing so many people around the world to wrack their brains over this problem. However, as refugees suffer in all kinds of ways, there are also many countries seeking ways to help these refugees. We are also among them.

Tzu Chi volunteers have already arrived in Turkey. They are beginning their third day there. Their first day they made preparations, and the second day they distributed aid. They have been distributing aid for two days now. During these last two days, we have seen this cycle of love. By giving to and caring for them, this cycle of love continues on. The refugees received this abundance of love; it is so heartwarming. However, when we first drew up the name list, it was inevitable that some names were missed. Still, when we began distribution, refugees who were not on the list also came by to see if they could get some of the necessities they needed in their lives.

At this time, it all depended on this group of Bodhisattvas coming together [to resolve the situation]. In their compassion and wisdom, they could not bear to let them suffer. These people were also refugees, yet they did not receive any supplies. This feeling in the volunteers’ hearts is the compassion of a Bodhisattva; their hearts went out to them, but that was all the relief aid there was. So, they had to exercise their wisdom. Amongst the crowd, Professor Cuma went into the crowd and began appealing to them in their language. He said, “The things we are receiving have come a long way, from Taiwan. It took a lot of effort to get them here. This aid they have brought is expressly to help you in your lives right now and for your children’s education. With the pure love in their hearts, they hope to carry this out succesfully, so that everyone can receive some aid. Everyone here is suffering, so let’s try help everyone to get some.”

He began telling them our story. “Love is accumulated drop by drop. In Taiwan, Tzu Chi Foundation uses bamboo banks, collecting 50 cents at a time. So, I want to appeal to all of you who are receiving this aid today; if you understand this truth, we can put small amounts together to do a lot. Something so small that it does not really affect you is a blessing when shared with others. See if you can give something back to help your fellow refugees so that they can get some aid as well. Anyone who can do this, please raise your hand.” Everyone raised their hands. They gave a little money, a few coins, or shared a little of their things. Everyone agreed to help. So, during the second distribution, we saw them putting coins into coin banks.

They donated these small amounts of money. As for the aid that was just given to them, there were many different foods items. From the things they had already received, they each took out some to give back. The little each gave accumulated until there was a great pile of goods, which could then be redistributed.

Everyone then hastened to take these goods and reorganize and repack them to distribute to those who were not on the list. Besides the material aid they received, they had also received cash cards. Since all the donations were in the form of small coins, we collected these coins and then communicated with the local markets so they could use the cash cards to buy goods. So, with the material goods and cash cards, everyone was happy. This was in Turkey, at a market in the city of Sultangazi, a place big enough for us to hold two aid distributions. We distributed to 2000 to 3000 people, and it all went very smoothly.

This market was especially large, and, as we had borrowed the space, Tzu Chi Volunteers first had to clean it. The stalls and the tables that were there had to be moved off to the side and the entire place had to be cleaned. While they were cleaning, people from the refugee camps willingly joined in, and the local people also helped. At this time no distinction was made of who was helping who, no differenting between those contributing money and those contributing their strength. Everyone came to clean this large space together.

After it was cleaned, with the goods they had sorted the day before, they spent time arranging the tables and then portioned out and arranged everything. According to how many were in each household, the goods were sorted into small piles. Everything had been arranged so nicely, and the local people had pitched in to help. Some children, when they got off of school, also came to help. There was even one very adorable young girl. We asked her, “This is your time study and do your homework. How is it that you are here helping?” She answered, “I want to give with my strength to help the Syrian children.”

She sighed and then continued, saying, “If a war broke out in our country, then it would be the children from Syria who could save us.” But right after she said this, she quickly added, “We hope there is no war.” This is the child’s wisdom. She herself believes in the cycle of love. “By helping people now, if one day disaster should strike us, they will also help us. But, we hope there will not be a war.” In that place, her loving actions also influenced the adults. Those who wished to help others and those who were receiving help were all willing to give their strength to quickly clean the marketplace and organize everything.

Because the automatic doors to the marketplace were broken, two of the locals told us, “Don’t you worry, go and rest. We will look after the place and protect these things well.” So, they laid out [mats] and slept right there on the floor. They were bitten by mosquitos the entire evening, but they were joyful. When the sun had risen, their mission was complete and without incident.

When everyone had come to begin the distribution, they saw how everyone kept streaming in. In particular, the refugees who had come to receive aid had all arrived. As we mentioned earlier, people who were not on the list had also come. [The volunteers] brought forth wisdom in a crisis. When they spoke with them, they were very respectful and calm. After we made that respectful and quiet appeal, everyone was willing to give a few things. No one expected that the things that were given would pile up into a mountain. After redistributing these things, those who initially had not received anything were just like everyone else. They got what they needed. See, aren’t these true principles? Wherever you go in the world, they are the same. The hidden power in one loving thought is so great. When a little accumulates into a lot, it becomes a great force that can help others.

There were 16 items in all for distribution. Think about it; so many different items, 16 different items, were in the relief supplies. How were they to apportion them? How much time would it take? So, many people pitched in to lend a hand, and there were many moving stories. In any aid distribution, there are always stories of joy and sorrow. There was sorrow at seeing those refugees, whose lives had been turned into tragedies in an instant. For a very long time, they have had no place to call home. When will they be able to return home and regain their peaceful and stable lives? Seeing them, one could not help but feel compassion and empathy for them. When we take others’ feelings as our own feelings, this is called “universal compassion.”

But, everyone has hidden potential. Everyone came together in harmony to help, and everyone felt the same sense of gratitude as they received this love. Love can reach so many suffering people. This is all a cycle of love. A thought of goodness can cover the whole world. What about a thought of evil? These suffering sentient beings are dragged around the world like this, all due to a single thought. So, the universe is immense; space is truly boundless. Truly, True Suchness can spread across the entirety of this boundless space. Seeing those [stories] is truly moving.

Now let us look at the previous passage. “There are two Buddhas in the southwest. One is called Indra Appearance. The other is called Brahma Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha. The other is called. Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World.”

When Buddhas attains Buddhahood, it means that They have gained infinite life, infinite blessings and infinite wisdom. They attain Buddhahood in order to deliver all suffering sentient beings. Of course, Their virtue must be awe-inspiring, Their minds pure and undefiled. Every Buddha has His own epithet of virtue.
“There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called Tamalapatra. Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power. The other is called Sumeru Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the north. One is called Cloud Freedom. The other is called Cloud Freedom King.”

The Buddha’s fragrance of virtue is so fragrant; it can cover the world, and it is as high as Mt. Sumeru. These are the two Buddhas in the northwest. There are two Buddhas in the north as well. “One is called Cloud Freedom. The other is called Cloud Freedom King.” Clouds can fill the entire sky and expand boundlessly. These are the virtues of the Buddha.

The following passage then continues,

“The Buddha in the northeast is called Destroyer of All Fear in the World. The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha, who in the Saha World have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

Sakyamuni Buddha was in the northeast. He was one of the two Buddhas in the northeast. One was called. “Destroyer of All Fear in the World. The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha, who in the Saha World have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

In fact, though each of the 16 princes, attained Buddhahood in a different place throughout the eight directions, actually they all share the same direction and share the same Buddha-virtues. Each of those Buddhas was replete in all the virtues possessed by all Buddhas. Even our Saha World’s. Sakyamuni Buddha is also like this. He has the same virtues as the other Buddhas. They all share a common direction and common virtues. Although we speak about the eight directions, actually, when it comes to the 16 princes, I wonder if there are really two Buddhas in each of the eight directions right now?

In fact, we often say that for a Buddha to appear in the world is not a simple matter. It occurs only after a very long time. Yet, if we analyze this based on the principles, we have faith that everyone is equal to the Buddha. We all have the Seven Branches of Enlightenment, the Eight Factors of Bodhi. We all must have right understanding, right views and right comprehension. All of us have these. If we make use of right understanding and views along with the Seven Branches of Enlightenment, then we will all be mindful and diligent. It is often said that the Buddha has a sixteen-chi golden body. Eight horizontally and eight vertically makes 16, doesn’t it? This shows that He is perfectly replete with the assembled virtues all Buddhas share. The virtues of every Buddha and the direction of every Buddha should be the same. So, with “the Buddha in the northeast,” one “is called Destroyer of All Fear in the World.”

The Buddha in the northeast is called Destroyer of All Fear in the World: All the world’s varieties of physical substances are subject to formation and decay. Due to sentient beings’ craving for the physical body, their minds often give rise to fears. The Buddha, hoping to transform sentient beings, eliminates their delusion and afflictions, destroys their nests of ignorance and leads them to be free from all fears. Thus He is called. Destroyer of All Fear in the World.

Don’t we often talk about the Three Principles and the Four States? The Three Principles and the Four States [include] “formation, existence, decay and disappearance,” the states of matter. All material substances in the world have undergone “formation.” Once they are “formed,” as a result they are used by everyone, then they gradually wear out, slowly going through a process of “decay.” Finally, they “disappear.” They are wiped out; they disappear. We humans are the same; we experience birth, aging, illness and death. Having been born, there will always come a day when we vanish from the world. Ultimately, this all goes back to the mind. Our minds go through “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing.” These are the Three Principles and the Four States. We should understand that this is how the world is; it cannot escape from these principles. This can all be seen in the suffering of the world. So, in the world we can experience the. “Destroyer of All Fear in the World.”

There is so much [suffering] in the world, like in Syria, which we were just talking about. It used to be a wonderful country but has become a place where families and people are wiped out. People have either fled, fallen ill or died. This is truly terrifying. A Buddha appears in the world in the hope that all of the fear and suffering in the world can be eliminated, that people can turn suffering into joy. This shows how all varieties of physical substances in the world will undergo this process of “formation, existence, decay and disappearance.” This is all due to sentient beings’ cravings, our cravings and lust. It is this craving and greedy attachment to all varieties of things that creates imbalanced thoughts in the mind. This, in turn, creates so much suffering and so much fear in our minds. This is the suffering of our world.

“The Buddha wished to teach and transform sentient beings and eliminate their afflictions and delusions.” There is so much worldly suffering which creates so much fear for everyone; people are terrified, frightened and scared. This is all due to the principles of the mind. So, when a Buddha appears in the world, every Buddha shares the same path; They appear in the world to teach and transform sentient beings, eliminate their afflictions and delusions, destroy their nests of ignorance and lead them to be free from all fears. Our ignorance and afflictions are like the nests that birds build. So, the Buddha wanted to eliminate our afflictions and delusions and also destroy our nest [of ignorance] so that we do not create more ignorance within our minds. Thus, He gets rid of all of our fears, and because of this. He is called “Destroyer of All Fear in the World.” When we are without ignorance, we will be without afflictions or fears.

This is what we always chant in the Heart Sutra. “The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha.”

The 16th is I, Sakyamuni Buddha: “Sakya” here means “mighty in benevolence.” He nurtures and transforms sentient beings, thus He is called Mighty in Benevolence. “Muni” here means “stillness and silence.” It is the realization of the principles of true wisdom.

[Sakyamuni] was born in the same world as the one we live in. “Sakya” is translated as “mighty in benevolence.” Being “mighty in benevolence” means having both wisdom and compassion. He can teach and transform sentient beings, so He is “mighty in benevolence. Muni” refers to “stillness and silence.” He is in a tranquil state; His mind is unwavering. Beginningless kalpas ago, dust-inked kalpas ago, in the era of the 16 princes, He had already made offerings to many Buddhas in the past and engaged in spiritual practice for a long time. Furthermore, from that time dust-inked kalpas ago until the time He had attained Buddhahood, He had undergone spiritual tempering until He had truly arrived at a tranquil state, like the empty void, completely pure and still.

“[His mind was] tranquil and clear, [His] vows as vast as the universe.” So, this is stillness and silence. This is the Buddha-mind; space is boundless, and so are His compassion and wisdom. Thus, Sakyamuni Buddha’s epithet has two meanings.

The epithet of Sakyamuni Buddha has two meanings: The first is a contrasting meaning. The second is a perfectly harmonized meaning. The first is a contrasting meaning. Mighty: With provisional and skillful means, He teaches tactfully according to capabilities. Benevolence: With utmost virtue and immense grace, He nurtures all things universally. This means benefiting all with great compassion. Stillness: Remaining still and immovable and immediately ending all affinities. Silence: Silence is the absence of words, being forever free from frivolous debate. This means perfectly comprehending the principles with great wisdom.

“Mighty” means using “provisional, skillful means” to teach tactfully according to capabilities. This is His “might. Mighty” means exercising His wisdom. In accordance with sentient beings’ capabilities, He establishes skillful means. He teaches tactfully according to capabilities. This is the meaning of “mighty.” Nothing is impossible with the wisdom of the Buddha.

His “benevolence” is “utmost virtue and immense grace,” which is great loving-kindness and compassion. “With utmost virtue and immense grace, He nurtures all things universally.” This is like in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, where all things are nourished by the one rain and the land flourishes once again. The principle is the same; this is the meaning of benefiting all with compassion.

“Stillness” means “remaining still and immovable.” Thus, He “immediately ended all affinities.” He had let go of all of His affinities. Sakyamuni Buddha was Prince Siddhartha; to engage in spiritual practice, He manifested this appearance. He let go of His country and His people, of fame, profit, status, family and kin. He left everything behind. He parted from those He loved for the sake of the world’s sentient beings. So, neither fame nor profit nor anything else could cause His mind to waver at all. Thus, He “immediately ended all affinities.” His mind was completely pure.

“Silence is the absence of words.” There was nothing that could be said because everything is empty. Truly, what is there to say? Thus, it is said that “[Truth] is beyond words.” All else is frivolous talk, frivolous debate. So, He was silent. Whenever He opened His mouth it was Dharma, never scattered, frivolous talk. He only spoke in order to teach sentient beings. So, with His great wisdom, He perfectly comprehended the principles. This is the silent virtue of the Buddha. His every action and every word were always to benefit sentient beings, to teach and transform them. So, in addition, His compassion and wisdom were perfectly harmonized.

Second, the perfectly harmonized meaning: Since compassion is wisdom, He transformed sentient beings until His last day, yet there are no beings to be transformed. In action, there is stillness.

Since wisdom is compassion, He does not give rise to the thought that. He is constantly transforming sentient beings. In stillness, there is action. Compassion and Wisdom: The Buddha’s complete virtue takes in all and leaves out none. Since “compassion is” wisdom, “He transformed sentient beings until His last day, yet there are no beings to be transformed.” This is the same principle as having “effortless patience without being patient.” If we have learned this level of mastery, we never get angry; what is there to be patient about? Our giving is our objective, our goal, so when we give unconditionally, how can we say we are giving? The principle is the same. He taught sentient beings every day. Every day until the end of His life, He transformed sentient beings, yet actually, there are no sentient beings to be transformed,

because all sentient beings have Buddha-nature, and everyone can attain Buddhahood. So, “He transformed sentient beings until His last day, yet there are no beings to be transformed,” because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. Our objective lies in giving, thus there is no need to rouse ourselves to action. So, “In action, there is stillness.” There was never really any need to take action. “He transformed sentient beings till His last day yet there are no beings to be transformed.” So, “In action, there is stillness.” It is something very natural for Him; transforming sentient beings is just natural.

So, as for wisdom, “[since] wisdom is compassion,” since compassion is wisdom and wisdom is compassion, they were in perfect harmony. “He does not give rise to the thought that. He is constantly transforming sentient beings.” We do not need to particularly think about how, “I must prepare my mind. I must figure out how I can expand my heart so I will be able to transform sentient beings. I need to get ready first.” [We may ask,] “Can’t you just change a little? Alright, give me some time. Why don’t you want to join volunteer training?” The group of people around him said, “He says he still has a few flaws. What flaws?” He himself answered, “I have a few [habits] I just cannot change. Let me prepare myself.” I continued to ask, “What is it that you can’t change, that you still need to prepare yourself for?” He said, “I still eat a little…. When I eat, I still have a little bit of meat. I haven’t gone completely vegetarian yet.” This is why he says he still needs to prepare, but how much longer will it be?

But we have compassion for all sentient beings, who all have Buddha-nature. With universal compassion we [recognize that] all sentient beings possess life. With universal compassion, we feel others’ pain as our own. All animals in this world possess life. Are you really unable to use universal compassion to awaken your wisdom? If you can, “since compassion is wisdom,” you transform sentient beings until your last day. Then, “In action, there is stillness.” It is something very natural. For me, being vegetarian is very natural. If we need to prepare for it, then we need to rouse ourselves, use wisdom to arouse our compassion. If we have universal compassion, then we will naturally transform sentient beings. We will harm sentient beings’ lives, and will also work to transform them.

Vegetarianism is very natural. Nature’s bounty already gives us all we need. Satisfying our appetite by taking life is not natural. So, to be natural, we must use our wisdom to inspire compassion. Thus, “He does not give rise to the thought that. He is constantly transforming sentient beings.” It is all very natural. Wisdom and compassion are very natural for us; this is our intrinsic Buddha-nature. Our Buddha-nature is wisdom. So, with the interaction of wisdom and compassion, transforming sentient beings comes naturally to us. Fundamentally, “He does not give rise to the thought that. He is constantly transforming sentient beings.” We do not need to prepare anymore. We do not need to think about it. We just naturally live our lives this way. “In stillness, these is action.” So, in stillness, we need to arouse our wisdom.

We must clearly distinguish right from wrong. If we know what we are doing is incorrect, then we should quickly change and return to our pure intrinsic nature. Thus, “Since wisdom is compassion, He does not give rise to thoughts that. He is constantly transforming sentient beings.” Then this is being very still. But [if we feel] we still need to prepare, then we need to arouse our wisdom and understand that all life in the world are equal.

We should be clear about this. So, with wisdom and compassion, “The Buddha’s complete virtue takes in all and leaves out none.” Wisdom and compassion are complete in the Buddha. This is true for every Buddha, each of the 16 Buddhas in the eight directions. By then They had all attained Buddhahood. They likewise all had shared great vows of compassion and wisdom. All had these virtues.

So, the Saha World is the great trichiliocosm where the Buddha transforms.
In the Saha World: This refers to the great trichiliocosm in which the Buddha transforms. It has two meanings: In terms of Bodhisattvas: They can endure sentient beings’ stubbornness and never get weary of benefiting them. So, it is called “endurance. In terms of sentient beings: They are deluded, so they must endure suffering, for they do not know how to escape.”

This is the Saha World. We say it is a world of endurance. “Endurance” has two meanings. One is talking about Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas in the world must also endure, as they must endure sentient beings’ stubbornness. “I tell you again and again, but you don’t change your habitual tendencies.” They feel truly helpless. Yet they must endure even feeling helpless. This is the endurance Bodhisattvas must have; they must endure stubborn sentient beings with habitual tendencies, who are difficult to train. So, they cannot become lax or grow weary, but must continue tirelessly. They must still teach them and benefit them like this. So, “This is called endurance.” This is what Bodhisattvas must endure.

In terms of sentient beings, this is because “they are deluded,” because they are in the midst of delusion. These sentient beings are deluded because “a deluded thought creates the Three Subtleties.” They are deluded because they cannot control themselves and give rise to discursive thoughts, reproducing their ignorance. They come into the world without any control, transmigrating through the Six Realms. Therefore, “They are deluded, so they must endure suffering, for they do not know how to escape.” These are sentient beings. Since they create karma, they must be able to endure [the consequences].
The land of endurance refers to a great trichiliocosm, the realm that one Buddha transforms. The Compassionate Lotus Sutra states that these sentient beings endure the Three Poisons and all afflictions. They are able to endure these evils, therefore, it is called the land of endurance.

So, this is “the land of endurance.” This is the Saha World, the great trichiliocosm. It is the desire, form and formless realms, the Three Realms where the Buddha transforms. The Compassionate Lotus Sutra states, “These sentient beings endure the Three Poisons and all afflictions. They are able to endure these evils, therefore, it is called the land of endurance.”

To be born in such a place, we must have endurance. Bodhisattvas must endure. Sentient beings are suffering, so we must go among them in order to transform all sentient beings. This is the only way to “attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” This is attaining supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.

[He] attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: This means attaining the enlightenment of supreme, complete awakening. He applies His provisional wisdom to benefit sentient beings. All the kinds of different capabilities are where the Tathagata applies provisional wisdom. The essence of the Tathagata’s Buddhahood rests in His true wisdom. The wondrous application of. His lifetime of teaching and transforming exists in His provisional wisdom.

We truly must be mindful. We need to use both provisional and true wisdom. Provisional wisdom is to apply all kinds of skillful means and go among people, helping all sentient beings achieve attainment. The essence of attaining Buddhahood requires us to have true wisdom. The wondrous application of His life of teaching lies in using all kinds of provisional wisdom. With provisional wisdom, He leads people to enter true wisdom, to return to their intrinsic Tathagata-nature.

So, as Buddhist practitioners, we must truly endure for a long time, “across boundless space, for dust-inked kalpas without beginning or end.” We need a very long time to absorb the virtues of the Buddha one by one. This way we can serve others throughout the world. This is what we should learn from the Buddha. Let us always be mindful.

Episode 1063 – Following Affinities to Guide and Transform

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>> In distant past kalpas, the 16 novices, seized the time to dispel doubts and form affinities. Lifetime after lifetime, they were in the company of Bodhisattvas. Without affinities, surely they would not meet. With affinities, surely they would not part. Each followed those they had affinities with to be delivered and transformed.

>>” Two of the novices became Buddhas in the east. One is called Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy; the other is called Sumeru’s Peak. There are two Buddhas in the southeast. One is called Lion Tone. The other is called Lion Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the south. One is called Abiding Space. The other is called Everlasting Extinction.  There are two Buddhas in the southwest. One is called Indra Appearance. The other is called Brahma Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha. The other is called. Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> There are two Buddhas in the southwest. One is called Indra Appearance: With might, virtue and dignity, He manifests the appearance of a heavenly king.

>> A Buddha awakens to the principles. Opening the door to the path to enlightenment, He establishes the teachings as the founder. He nurtures all sentient beings’ wisdom-life. This is like a king of the world whom thousands of people rely on. Thus they are given the name of a king.

>> The other is called Brahma Appearance: He is replete with purifying practices and manifests the appearance of King Brahma. With Brahma-conduct He remains pure. He is involved in existence but is not defiled.

>> There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha: It means Infinite Life as well as Infinite Light. Infinite Life: His Dharmakaya is everlasting, and He teaches and transforms countless [beings].

>> The other is called. Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World: In His great compassion, He takes mercy on all living beings. He can deliver all who suffer in the world.

>> “There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called Tamalapatra. Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power. The other is called Sumeru Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the north. One is called Cloud Freedom. The other is called Cloud Freedom King.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called. Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power: Tamalapatra: It means a sage of undefiled nature. Candana Fragrance: This is the fragrance of ox-head sandalwood. The wondrous fragrance of the Buddha-virtue fills all Dharma-realms. It can save sentient beings so they can be free of afflictions and defilements and attain pure wisdom. Thus the name: Undefiled Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power.

>> The other is “Sumeru Appearance.” Sumeru is the “king of all mountains” and is an analogy for how the Buddha is the king of all Dharma.

>> There are two Buddhas in the north. One is called Cloud Freedom: His great body is like a cloud that spreads over all things. Amidst all phenomena, He attains great freedom.

>> The other is called Cloud Freedom King: He is as free as a cloud, coming and going without obstruction. He attains the most perfect enlightenment and is the king of all Dharma. Cloud: This is an analogy for how. His noble mind is selfless and its essence and function are unhindered.

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In distant past kalpas, the 16 novices, seized the time to dispel doubts and form affinities.
Lifetime after lifetime, they were in the company of Bodhisattvas. Without affinities, surely they would not meet.
With affinities, surely they would not part. Each followed those they had affinities with to be delivered and transformed.

Our lives are always about karmic “affinities.” These causes and conditions continue on over a long period of time. This is the nature of our lives. Life in the world of unenlightened beings is just like this. In the [state] of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, time passes in the same way. Lifetime after lifetime, the state of unenlightened beings is one of confusion. They are born according to the causes and conditions of their karma. In the state of Buddhas, time is spent seeking the Dharma and transforming others, lifetime after lifetime. In “seeking the Buddha’s Way,” they are diligent; in “transforming sentient beings,” they never rest, even over many lifetimes. Over a long period of time, the [novices] also attained Buddhahood one by one. This is the world of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Over time and throughout space, they always go among the people. That is their spiritual training ground; [sentient beings] are their counterpart in spiritual practice. That is why they must be in the world.

This takes a very long time; since distant kalpas it has been a very long time! Recently, we have been constantly talking about long periods of time. We talk about it almost every day. Dust-inked kalpas are such long periods of time that they are incalculable. As for that time an incalculable number of dust-inked kalpas prior, we are unable to say when it began, so it is called Beginningless Time. There is even Beginningless Time before Beginningless Time, such a long time! The time from Beginningless Time until now is like our universe, that incredibly vast space. When did it come into existence? It has always existed. Even the stars in the universe also undergo formation, existence, decay and disappearance. Some stars will decay, or explode. This is what we can see through astronomy.

Today’s technology is helping us to understand the great space of the entire universe. There are countless, innumerable, incalculable numbers of stars and worlds, including our own planet. All exist in the vast space we call the universe. This empty space is endless and immeasurable. Within it, every object is its own world. Empty space is everlasting; when did this vast universe first begin to expand? No one knows this either.

Our nature of True Suchness is also like this. It permeates the entire universe, time, space, interpersonal relationships and our own bodies; all of these are encompassed by the nature of True Suchness. Just how broadly can it expand? We often say, “The mind encompasses the universe” and the boundless worlds within it. Our minds can expand in this way to be so vast. So it says, in distant past kalpas, the 16 novices, meaning a very long time ago. In Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, the 16 princes, as you have been hearing about every day, seized the time to dispel doubts and form affinities.

When Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha was about to attain Buddhahood, yet before He actually attained Buddhahood, He too sat at the Bodhimanda. Only after many kalpas did He attain Buddhahood. This scene of His attaining Buddhahood, in the Chapter on the Conjured City, was described right at the beginning. We could see Great Unhindered Buddha sitting in His place of enlightenment. For many kalpas He could not attain Buddhahood, until causes and conditions matured, and He finally attained Buddhahood.

Clearly, from these long kalpas, we can see that the process of spiritual practice takes place over a very long period of time, until the Buddha becomes one with the universe. His spiritual state merged with the universe to become one, and He suddenly awakened. His mind encompassed the universe. Similarly, the heavenly beings had come to the place of enlightenment to protect Great Unhindered Buddha together. After He had attained Buddhahood, they began to entreat Him to turn the Dharma-wheel.

The wheel-turning sage king then accompanied the 16 novices who came to leave the lay life. The 16 novices, at Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s place of enlightenment, began to exercise their wisdom. They listened to and accepted the Dharma, formed great aspirations and made great vows. They even requested that the Buddha turn the Dharma-wheel, the Great Dharma-wheel.

They hoped He would teach Great Vehicle Dharma. So, they put their hearts into earnestly asking, asking the Buddha to turn the Great Dharma-wheel. During this time, the Brahma kings of the ten directions continually arrived. Thus, with both humans and heavenly beings, the causes and conditions had matured. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha began opening the Great Dharma-door by teaching the Lotus Sutra. He taught this for a long time, and over that long period of time, as people listened, some were able to comprehend. Some were able to have faith and understanding. But the 16 novices not only had faith and understanding, they faithfully accepted the Dharma. They faithfully accepted and put it into practice.

Some had faith and understanding, but the majority had doubts and confusion. However, Great Unhindered Buddha then entered His meditation room; He [meditated] there for a very long time. For those still with doubts or questions, who was there to teach them? Who was there to dispel their doubts? The 16 novices took on this responsibility. During the 84,000 kalpas when the Buddha was in His meditation room, those 16 novices also spent 84,000 kalpas on the many who still had doubts and confusion, those who did not completely understand, explaining things to them one by one. The 16 novices drew close to those they had affinities with. Each of those 16 novices had his own assembly that had affinities with him. They split up and each went to a place of practice where each then ascended their Dharma-throne and began teaching the One Dharma; that is, the. Great Vehicle Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.

Though each of the 16 novices split up, they all taught the same Dharma, the. Great Vehicle Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Each of them had faith and understanding, each of them was firm in their faith. In this way, the associators who had affinities with them were transformed. Saying they were transformed means that they all gave rise to faith. They formed affinities with their Dharma teacher, with the novice who would teach them over the course of many lifetimes. Each of the novices had those who he had formed affinities with, and now each of them had attained Buddhahood. Each of these Buddhas, who was one of the 16 novices back then, is currently in a different land, with a distinctive epithet, and has attained Buddhahood. The sentient beings in Their lands were those who formed affinities with Them back then. Each followed the Buddha they had affinities with to that Buddha’s place of practice to engage in spiritual cultivation.

So it says, they “seized the time to” dispel doubts and form affinities. These 16 novices,

lifetime after lifetime, were in the company of Bodhisattvas. For the sake of the 16 novices, Great Unhindered Buddha testified to their achieving realizations. They did not just start their spiritual practice in the era of Great Unhindered Buddha. Previously, countless kalpas in the past, they had already made offerings to many Buddhas and had earnestly engaged in spiritual practice. Lifetime after lifetime, they had gathered together with Bodhisattvas, and in every lifetime, they would be with other virtuous people and mutually encourage one another.

In every world there are Bodhisattvas. It was like this in the past as well. In those places, in the place of practice of each Buddha, the 16 novices stayed together with many Bodhisattvas. They were beneficial companions for each other; they were friends for each other and worked to understand the Buddha-Dharma together. After listening to the Dharma, they formed groups to study and review the teachings. “I heard it this way.” You heard it that way. They took what they heard, the strong points from what each had heard of the True Dharma, and brought them all together. This is the meaning of beneficial companions. This is how Bodhisattvas gather together. Everyone took what they had gained from listening and put it together. Thus, “Lifetime after lifetime,” [they were] in the company of Bodhisattvas.

I heard that every day, in the afternoon, the monastic residents here, after their reverent prayers, then get together to hold this kind of study group and further discuss the Dharma. I was very happy when I heard this, that everyone is being so diligent in trying to realize and take the Dharma to heart, to integrate it with our actions in daily living. The Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the workings of the world. By noon today, half the day will be gone; over this half-day, after listening to the Dharma in the morning and going through half a day’s time, have all our actions and the way we treat people and handle affairs been in accord with what we had heard in the morning? Did we gain any realizations? Or, if we kept the Dharma in our hearts after half the day, we can discuss it together and mutually encourage one another. Are you doing this? Yes. This makes me happy, and I give you my blessings. It shows you are taking the Dharma to heart, that you have this true realization. This is just like those Bodhisattvas who come together lifetime after lifetime. It is the same principle. So, we must form deep affinities.

“Without affinities, surely they would not meet.” With affinities, surely they would not part. Upon hearing the Dharma, those with affinities joyfully and faithfully accept it and put it into practice. In the same way, the 16 novices had deep affinities with Great Unhindered Buddha, first those of father and sons, then those of teacher and disciples. Their affinities were very deep, so now as they received the Dharma, they faithfully accepted and practiced it.

By the same token, they certainly had affinities from past lives. With affinities, surely they would not part. Without affinities, even if people are already living together, they each give rise to discursive thoughts and may not be able to stay together for a long time. Or they may live together for a long time but do not value the Dharma, so they cannot form affinities through the Dharma. Though they may engage in spiritual practice in the same place, without Dharma-affinities they distance themselves. Without affinities, surely they would not meet. So, since we live together, we should earnestly treasure [the teachings] and practice diligently. We must have affinities with each other.

In Great Unhindered’s time, we were among those forming affinities with the 16 novices. We must recognize that this was our past. Yet if our Dharma-affinities were not close enough, we may find now that we have only a partial understanding. If our Dharma-affinities were closer, then we would have, one by one, already reached attainment. Or perhaps now, as soon as we hear the Dharma, we give rise to joy and thus remain inseparable from it. So, “With affinities, surely they would not part.”

Thus, each “followed those they had” affinities with to be delivered and transformed. We each have affinities with different people, which are continually extended. The people who were transformed and had affinities with the 16 novices are all still in each place to be transformed. Each followed those they had affinities with to be delivered and transformed. Of those Sakyamuni Buddha formed affinities with, after His attaining Buddhahood more than 2000 years ago, there were those with sharp capabilities who had already been delivered. Those with average capabilities are in “the process of being transformed.” At that time, they never achieved deep understanding. The Buddha entered Parinirvana, but they remained within Sakyamuni’s teachings; lifetime after lifetime they still had the affinities to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. They are in the process of being transformed. They have the affinities to encounter the Dharma.

Those “not yet transformed” are those who have not yet heard the Dharma. They must rely on the. Buddha-Dharma being continually passed down by those who listen to, teach and transmit the Dharma. Then the same Dharma can be continually passed on. Each of us have people we have affinities with. So, we should put our effort into mindfully seeking to understand the importance of having affinities. However, we must also be very clear about time, space and interpersonal relationships. All these have their causes and conditions.

The workings of causes and conditions are truly inconceivable. For the past three days and two nights, our professional staff have been participating in a [spiritual training for staff]. Yesterday, I attended their closing ceremony and heard the participants share their experiences. Everyone had gained so much, and everyone seemed to be very happy. I could see this from the scene there. I not only saw them; I was also given [a prize]. As an individual, I feel unworthy to accept it, but it is nevertheless a great honor for Tzu Chi.

The chancellor of Naresuan University made a special trip to present me with an honorary doctorate, an Honorary Doctorate in Social Development. This is a special honor, but personally I do not feel that I deserve it as an individual, because what he sees is our Tzu Chi organization, the work that the entire Tzu Chi organization has done for people around the world. So, the ceremony was very solemn as the chancellor of Naresuan University presented it.

The chancellor was named Dr. Kasar. Dr. Kasar was previously the Vice-Premier of Thailand. Prior to that, he was the head of five different departments. During our meal together yesterday, he told me that he had been to Taiwan before but he had never been to Hualien. He has a very high position in society and is very influential.

So, in recognition of the importance of his trip, he brought ten individuals with important positions in society, in education and so on. There was the vice chancellor, a retired general, the university president and the dean as well. Each of them came to Hualien to participate in our lifestyle camp. Like everyone else, they stayed here for four days. They could see how organized we are, so yesterday they all seemed very happy. This is recognition for the entire Tzu Chi organization.

Indeed, there must be great affinities here. While we were eating, he expressed to me that he wanted to take refuge. I took this as mere table talk and never expected anything to come of it, but affinities are truly inconceivable. As I was seeing him off, he again told me, “I would like to take refuge.” From now on, I want to become a volunteer. He wants to come again to Taiwan and wants to become a volunteer. He wants to teach a class and interact with everyone.

Yesterday, they were supposed to leave at 1 pm. I was going to see them to their car. But although I kept saying goodbye and asking him to board the car, still he [stayed] until the fourth goodbye. He told me that he was getting in the car now. I again told him goodbye, saying, Alright, you should get in the car; I also must get to my car. I watched him until he had already turned the corner to get to his car. But then as I was getting in my car, he again walked by next to the car and again he took my hand, telling me how happy he was and how he would come back for sure.

These are affinities; with these affinities, he came from so far away yet he too is willing to devote himself to Tzu Chi. He is an individual with much wisdom and of a very high position. Although he is already 82 years old, he is still very healthy and wants to dedicate himself to become a volunteer. This is not a simple matter. So, in coming here, he is our virtuous friend as well as a Bodhisattva. In particular, his coming encouraged us that regardless of age, nationality or so on, we can be in the same spiritual training ground; with affinities we will be in this same place of spiritual practice. This shows that these are very close affinities. We must pay careful attention to causes and conditions.

Now, next, the previous sutra passage says, Two of the novices became Buddhas in the east. One is called Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy; the other is called Sumeru’s Peak. There are two Buddhas in the southeast. One is called Lion Tone. The other is called Lion Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the south. One is called Abiding Space. The other is called Everlasting Extinction.

The prior passage lists one by one the Buddhas who attained enlightenment in the east and southeast.

The next passage states, There are two Buddhas in the southwest. One is called Indra Appearance. The other is called Brahma Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha. The other is called. Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World.

There are two Buddhas in the southwest. One is called Indra Appearance: With might, virtue and dignity, He manifests the appearance of a heavenly king.

Of the two Buddhas in the southwest, one of Them has Buddha-virtues of “might, virtue and dignity.” He manifests the appearance of a heavenly king. He has great might and virtue, so He “is called Indra Appearance.”

When Buddhas awaken, when any Buddha awakens, He awakens to the principles, to the true principles. Opening the door to the path to enlightenment, He establishes the teachings as the founder. When a Buddha is born in the world, there is no Buddha. This Buddha then awakens, so a new Buddha appears in the world. This is a new [era]. There had been no Buddha in the world, and the principles had disappeared as well. So, for every Buddha, there are the eras of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration, until there is an era with no Buddha in the world. In the eras when no Buddhas are in the world, there are Solitary Realizers.

They rely on having, from long ago in the past, an understanding of the Buddha-Dharma. But the Buddha-Dharma has already disappeared. Nevertheless, upon returning to the world, they still retain their enlightened natures, so through observing the climate or physical objects in the outside world, they can realize the principle of impermanence. One who awakens in the absence of a Buddha is called a Solitary Realizer, a Solitary Realizer or a Realizer of Conditions, who awakens through external conditions. One who awakens in the absence of a Buddha is called a Solitary Realizer. They are born in a world without a Buddha.

However, the world cannot be without a Buddha. When causes and conditions become ripe, a Buddha will engage in spiritual practice and naturally manifest attaining enlightenment. Opening the door to the path to enlightenment, He establishes the teachings as the founder.

A Buddha awakens to the principles. Opening the door to the path to enlightenment, He establishes the teachings as the founder. He nurtures all sentient beings’ wisdom-life. This is like a king of the world whom thousands of people rely on. Thus they are given the name of a king.

Attaining Buddhahood in a world without a Buddha and establishing the Buddha-Dharma anew, He can “nurture all sentient beings’ wisdom-life.” A Buddha nurtures all sentient beings’ wisdom-life. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but our Buddha-nature has been buried, so He wants to find a way to help us get rid of our ignorance and nurture our wisdom-life. Thus, this is like a worldly king, who is relied on by thousands of people. If a king rules the country well, the people will have peace and prosperity. The principle is the same. So, this Buddha is named after a king, thus He is “Indra Appearance.”

The other is called Brahma Appearance: He is replete with purifying practices and manifests the appearance of King Brahma. With Brahma-conduct He remains pure. He is involved in existence but is not defiled.

The other Buddha is named Brahma Appearance because He is replete in purifying practices and manifests the appearance of King Brahma. This Buddha, “with Brahma-conduct, remains pure.” He also “[wades through existence] undefiled.” He dedicates Himself among people while remaining undefiled. He remains undefiled even amidst defilement, so He has the appearance of King Brahma. Brahma Appearance means a pure appearance.

There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha. We all know this Buddha. He too has great affinities with sentient beings. Several decades ago, the Pure Land School of Buddhism was very popular, and the Dharma-door of chanting the Buddha’s name also transformed many people. So, Amitabha is the Buddha of Infinite Life. Thus, some people call Him Amitabha Buddha, and others call Him the Buddha of Infinite Life. He is not only the Buddha of Infinite Life but also the Buddha of Infinite Light, because He is filled with wisdom, and this wisdom is radiant light. Long-lived and full of wisdom, He is called the Buddha of Infinite Life and the Buddha of Infinite Light. His Dharmakaya is everlasting, and He transforms countless sentient beings.

There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha: It means Infinite Life as well as Infinite Light. Infinite Life: His Dharmakaya is everlasting, and He teaches and transforms countless [beings].

He has great affinities with the sentient beings of the Saha World; there are many who chant His name. Now, Tzu Chi volunteers are doing the same; they have taken the epithet of Amitabha Buddha and spread it to Africa. We can see in Africa how, when volunteers greet one another, they say “Amitabha Buddha.” This is easy to say and pronounce. Saying “Sakyamuni Buddha” is much longer. So, in Africa they say “Amitabha Buddha.” It seems to roll off the tongue. This has already been spread to that faraway land.

The other is called. Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World: In His great compassion, He takes mercy on all living beings. He can deliver all who suffer in the world.

As for the second Buddha, The other is called. Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World. The world is filled with suffering, so, “In His great compassion,” He takes mercy on all living beings. He can deliver all who suffer in the world.

This Buddha manifested in the world like this; the places where He delivered sentient beings were the same, all filled with suffering. It is also among suffering sentient beings that this Buddha exercises His great compassion and takes mercy upon all living beings. These are the virtues of this Buddha.

Next, “There are two Buddhas in the northwest.” One is called Tamalapatra. Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power. The other is called Sumeru Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the north. One is called Cloud Freedom. The other is called Cloud Freedom King.

There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called. Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power. Tamalapatra means a sage of undefiled nature, meaning His intrinsic nature is pure. All of us are the same; our intrinsic nature is pure, but as unenlightened beings we have become defiled. This Buddha remains undefiled, so He is called a “sage of undefiled nature.” His mind remains uncontaminated by defilements. This is the state He maintains. This is not easy. If one were not a sage, there would be absolutely no way one’s mind could remain undefiled. So, Tamalapatra means a sage of undefiled nature.

There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called. Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power: Tamalapatra: It means a sage of undefiled nature. Candana Fragrance: This is the fragrance of ox-head sandalwood. The wondrous fragrance of the Buddha-virtue fills all Dharma-realms. It can save sentient beings so they can be free of afflictions and defilements and attain pure wisdom. Thus the name: Undefiled Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power.

Candana Fragrance is ox-head sandalwood. The fragrance it emits is extremely fragrant. This is what we often use, the “incense burning in the censer.” With incense, there is agarwood and many other different kinds of incense, but Candana Fragrance is special and very precious. And, this fragrance permeates over long distances, like how the “wondrous fragrance of Buddha-virtue” fills all the Dharma-realms. The “incense burning in the censer” demonstrates “utmost sincerity.” When we smell this fragrance, joy and reverence naturally arise within us, so “[Dharma] can save sentient beings so” they can be free of afflictions and defilements. This means when we are in this kind of atmosphere, when sandalwood incense is used, it is a really wonderful atmosphere that can help everyone settle their minds.

In Chinese medicine, sandalwood or agarwood can be used to settle the mind. Agarwood incense is one kind of Chinese medicine. Similarly, we often use it in temples. Incense is commonly used in temples, so when people smell it, it helps them focus their minds. This is like saving sentient beings; His teachings are like sandalwood, for when that Buddha teaches the Dharma, it focuses people’s minds and spirits. So, “It can save sentient beings so they can” be free of afflictions and defilements. When we listen to the Buddha-Dharma, upon hearing it, it rids us of our afflictions, just like when we smell incense and then settle and focus our minds. The principle is the same. Thus, we are able to attain pure wisdom, So, His name is. Undefiled Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power.

The other is “Sumeru Appearance.” Sumeru is the “king of all mountains” and is an analogy for how the Buddha is the king of all Dharma.

There are two Buddhas in the north. One is called Cloud Freedom: His great body is like a cloud that spreads over all things. Amidst all phenomena, He attains great freedom.

Then, “There are two Buddhas in the north.” One is called Cloud Freedom. His great body is like a cloud that spreads over all things, that permeates all Dharma-realms in the universe. Clouds are everywhere. So, [His great body] “spreads over all things.” Amidst all phenomena, He attains great freedom.

See, clouds are everywhere in the sky. They float freely throughout the sky, and their shapes are ever-changing. Sometimes, when we look at the sky, the clouds may be shaped like flowers, while at other times, they may be shaped like dragons. We can see all kinds of things in the clouds. That cloud looks like a Buddha. That one looks like a Bodhisattva. In the sky, the clouds are infinitely changing and are found throughout the sky. So, clouds in the sky are everywhere; they are free.

The other is called Cloud Freedom King. The other is called Cloud Freedom King: He is as free as a cloud, coming and going without obstruction. He attains the most perfect enlightenment and is the king of all Dharma. Cloud: This is an analogy for how. His noble mind is selfless and its essence and function are unhindered.

As for “Cloud Freedom King,” the previous one was called Cloud Freedom, but this one is called Cloud Freedom King. He is as free as a cloud, coming and going without obstruction. His coming and going is without any obstructions. He attains the most perfect enlightenment and is the king of all Dharma. This is the Cloud Freedom King. He comes and goes without obstruction. The previous Buddha was Cloud Freedom Buddha, who pervades all Dharma-realms in the universe. This Cloud Freedom King not only pervades the entire universe, He also comes and goes without obstruction. He comes and goes among others without any obstructions and attains the most perfect enlightenment. With this perfect, universal enlightenment, He is “the king of all Dharma.”

Cloud is an analogy for how “His noble mind is selfless.” His mind is like that of a noble being, like that of a sage or a Buddha. The mindset of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is simply to give unconditional great love. This is the noble mind of a Buddha. The cloud is an analogy for a noble being’s mind. He comes and goes anywhere without obstruction. The mind is without hindrances; there are no hindrances. This kind of mind exists everywhere in space.

This is like our relief distribution in Turkey. When our Tzu Chi volunteers arrived there and were having a discussion with Professor Cuma, he said, Love is like a house, and millions of people, tens of millions of people, countless billions of people can reside in this house. That is right! Our Tzu Chi volunteers [believe] we are all one family. Isn’t this what Tzu Chi volunteers [believe], just like we sing in the song? Whether in Taiwan or anywhere in the world, before we begin aid distribution, [we sing] that we are one family. We are one family. Everyone in the world is one family. Whether we are related by blood or not, we are all one family.

If we could all [see this], what national or ethnic discrimination would still exist? What discrimination between those we love and those we do not? What discrimination at all? When we open up our minds, like clouds, we can pervade the universe, come and go freely and give unconditionally. While continually coming and going freely, our minds are undefiled by [any attachment to] being one who can help others. We just remain calm and content, but it is very important to give. These are the virtues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and this is what we must learn. We awaken ourselves while awakening others, and with universal, infinite love, we give unconditionally throughout the universe. This is something we can all accomplish, as long as we are always mindful.

Episode 1062 – Polishing Our Mirror on the Path of Enlightenment

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>> “Contemplate sentient beings’ mind-consciousness; afflictions and habitual tendencies are hard to let go of. Seek perfect enlightenment and true wisdom so as to eradicate afflictions and defilements. Diligently polish your perfect mirror to keep it clear and bright. Teach prajna accordingly and attain extinction via the great path of enlightenment, through the formless and infinite wondrous Dharma.”

>> “Bhiksus, I now tell you that that Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices, have now all attained. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. In the lands of the ten directions, They are presently teaching the Dharma. They have countless hundreds of trillions of. Bodhisattvas and Hearers as spiritual family.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> “Two of the novices became Buddhas in the east. One is called Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy; the other is called Sumeru’s Peak.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> Two of the novices became Buddhas in the east: These two novices, among the 16, were the first and the second. Over long kalpas, they sought the Dharma and transformed others. When their causes and conditions matured, they became Buddhas in the east.

>> One is called Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy: Aksobhya is the name of that Buddha. It means immovable. The Land of Great Joy is the name of the land. It refers to the Eastern Land of Wondrous Joy.

>> Aksobhya also means Immovable Honored One. East: The sun rises in the east; it represents the start of all movements. Joy: This refers to movement. This expresses that through movement we realize the principle of being immovable.

>> “The other is called Sumeru’s Peak. Sumeru’s Peak means wondrously high. This Buddha is replete with myriad virtues, which are higher than all mountains and all things of this world. So, the analogy of “Sumeru’s Peak is used.

>> “There are two Buddhas in the southeast. One is called Lion Tone. The other is called Lion Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the south. One is called Abiding Space. The other is called Everlasting Extinction.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]>> There are two Buddhas in the southeast. One is called Lion Tone: He is honored by all in the world for His might and virtue and courage. Even nagas and demons admire Him. He is like a lion’s roar that frightens all beasts.

>> The other is called Lion Appearance. He moves in an awe-inspiring manner, just like a lion. Tone and appearance are the two benefits of sound and form. Their voices are harmonious and delightful. There is no fury in Their appearance, yet They are replete with might and virtue. Thus, They are likened to lions.

>> There are also two Buddhas in the south. One is called Abiding Space: He distances Himself from all existence and abides in the empty nature of all phenomena. The principles He has realized encompass the universe and pervade all existence. His nature is true and everlasting, like the abiding of space.

>> The other is called Everlasting Extinction: He does not flow deludedly [in samsara], but constantly abides in tranquil extinction. He did not arise in the past, will not move in the future and does not stir at present. With no arising and no ceasing He is therefore, said to have the appearance of everlasting tranquil extinction.

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“Contemplate sentient beings’ mind-consciousness; afflictions and habitual tendencies are hard to let go of.
Seek perfect enlightenment and true wisdom so as to eradicate afflictions and defilements.
Diligently polish your perfect mirror to keep it clear and bright. Teach prajna accordingly
and attain extinction via the great path of enlightenment, through the formless and infinite wondrous Dharma.”

Sentient beings’ mind-consciousness is something we should mindfully comprehend. With all the shapes and forms we connect with in our daily living, our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind come in contact with external states and all these sights and sounds are differentiated in our mind-consciousness. After this discrimination, we take action, the results of which are taken in as karmic seeds. These seeds are taken into our mind-consciousness. This is why we often say that in order to train our minds well, we must not connect to external states and, in doing so, give rise to discursive thoughts, thus replicating our afflictions. This is the habitual tendency of unenlightened beings. Ordinary people’s habitual tendencies are thus; external states entice our minds to give rise to discursive thoughts. Then we take action; we enact “contact, craving” and “grasping.” This is what happens in our daily living.

With habitual tendencies like these, it is difficult for ordinary people to let go! However, now we are Buddhist practitioners, and as such, we must seek enlightenment. We must no longer allow ourselves to be lead by ignorance and afflictions, without any control. I hope we can return to our nature of True Suchness. I hope that when we face external states, we can see form without having our minds waver. We can have this clarity of mind. We must return to the Bodhi-path of perfect enlightenment to seek our true wisdom. True wisdom is True Suchness; it is also our intrinsic nature. I hope our minds can return to this so we can actualize the path of perfect enlightenment. If we can do this, we can break through and eliminate our afflictions and defilements.

We must work hard on this. Beginning with our mind-consciousness, we must earnestly train ourselves to not give rise to discursive thoughts. We must aim ourselves toward returning to our true wisdom of perfect enlightenment. Only then can we eradicate afflictions and defilements. Afflictions, ignorance and delusion constantly entice us, continually incite us to have greed for forms, sounds, smells, tastes and sensations and therefore create all kinds of karma. These are the maras in our minds, In our mind-consciousness, these afflictions are nothing but habitual tendencies. So, we must find ways to return to the Bodhi-path of enlightenment, remain clear and not be enticed or incited. We will go in the proper direction of the Bodhi-path of enlightenment. Not only will we not be enticed, we will also have the power of Samadhi to eradicate afflictions and defilements.

With all kinds of afflictions, all kinds of ignorance, all kinds of [delusions of] views and thinking, our perspectives and reasoning, we must still not be disturbed by external states. [This depends on] our power of Samadhi and faith. Over the past few days, I have been telling everyone that our faith must be deep. Our faith must be deep, our minds firm. This is what we must work hard on. How do we work hard? We must be diligent. “Diligently polish your perfect mirror to keep it clear and bright.” This mirror requires constant polishing. This takes hard work.

What method do we use to polish it? We go among people with our minds unwavering. The afflictions, sights and sounds we encounter among people are things we need to be very clear about. We are Buddhist practitioners. We are spiritual practitioners. External states test and refine our mastery. How do we help our minds become very clear and bright? We must polish the mirror of our mind, and we must make use of external states to polish the mirror of our mind. Through polishing and grinding, we continuously remove layer after layer of defilement. In the past, we did not understand, so we allowed defilements to build up. Now that we understand, we safeguard it with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom so these defilements do not continue to accumulate. With our past habitual tendencies and afflictions, by going among people now, we witness suffering and recognize our blessings. We witness afflictions and recognize wisdom. We must uphold our wisdom. In the midst of afflictions, it is even more important to verify the [truth of] suffering in the world.

People in this world do not know when impermanence will strike. They spend their days in a state of confusion, and in their confusion, they replicate afflictions without being aware of it. Then when they suffer, they complain; they blame the gods and fault others. This is adding suffering to their suffering. If we understand the Dharma, when we see conditions of suffering, we will have clear understanding. Not only will we not complain, we will be mindful of diligently repenting and be mindful of being more grateful. In our external conditions, after passing through each wave of disaster, through each wave of afflictions, through each wave of ignorance, we can be very discerning and very clear. Then the defilements of ignorance, afflictions and suffering will not contaminate our minds so we further replicate afflictions.

When we are very clear, we can remain firm. Having verified the Buddha’s teachings on “suffering” and its “causation,” we must now practice on “the Path.” We must engage in spiritual practice; we must walk on this road. So, we must diligently polish the mirror of our mind. We witness suffering, and in doing so, we penetrate the principles. When we see the suffering in the world, we do not just see suffering, suffering, suffering. We also recognize that within suffering are the underlying principles. “It is brought about by this kind of causation. The creation of these causes and these conditions brings about this kind of suffering.” Many truths, many principles, are contained within suffering. Suffering that has already occurred contains its own underlying principles.

After we learn the Buddha’s teachings we are clear on these principles, so we must constantly prevent further defilement of our mirror. As we see suffering in this world and understand its principles, we must quickly take action to help sentient beings. We go among people to benefit them, to create good affinities. Then we will not be influenced by external states. This is how we diligently polish [our mirror]. By dedicating ourselves like this, we hone our mastery.

So, we must earnestly polish our mirror so it becomes clear. On one hand, we go among others to serve. On the other, through our service we experience the true principles. Then naturally this mirror wil gradually become perfect; this perfect mirror will gradually become clear. The more we polish it, the clearer it is; in this way it becomes clearer and brighter. This is what we must earnestly master. When we have are clear on all the principles, we can “teach prajna accordingly.”

As we begin to experience the principles, we can verify the Buddha’s teachings on suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence and so on. The more we experience, the more we understand. We know that everything in the world is illusory, and things pass away imperceptibly with time. With the passage of time, our body continually ages, all things in the world continually decay and our afflictions and ignorance continually create collective karma. In this evil world of Five Turbidities, during this kalpa of decay, all things are in a process of deterioration. We must heighten our vigilance and no longer have greedy attachments; that creates karma. We help everyone know that all things are empty, so there is no need to be greedy or grasping. We must not cling to external states of sights and sounds; we must not have these greedy attachments.

This is prajna, “teaching prajna.” Prajna is wisdom, and wisdom is comprehending matters and appearances. Sights and sounds, matters and appearances, can all be broken down and understood. When we break them down, [we realize that] all things are empty. These things are empty, so there is no need to be afflicted, no need to suffer.

Some people are unable to understand. When they lose a loved one, there is no telling how much time they will dwell in a state of not being able to let go. They remain in that state of suffering. When people lose something, whether it be recognition or wealth, they cannot let go and their minds are disrupted. Such states are the suffering in life. Prajna can analyze for us the tangible and intangible, tangible material things and intangible thoughts. When it comes to feelings of gain and loss, prajna can break them down for us one by one. Everything ultimately returns to emptiness. After we understand this and eradicate our afflictions and defilements, we will diligently polish the mirror of our mind. Then naturally we listen to the Dharma, teach it and counsel and comfort people’s minds. This is how we “teach prajna.”

When we can see through everything with our minds, we can let go of and break down all recognition and wealth, sights and sounds. This is the principle of “teaching prajna accordingly.” This is our goal as Buddhist practitioners. If we can “attain extinction via the great path of enlightenment,” naturally, by gradually understanding the Dharma, by taking the Dharma to heart, all worldly matters, objects, sights and sounds, will no longer cause our minds to waver. Thus we will have entered a state of tranquil extinction, one of tranquility and stillness. Our minds will no longer waver and no longer give rise to discursive thoughts.

“By sustaining our original aspiration, we will surely attain Buddhahood.” Life is filled with disturbances. Things do not go our way eight or nine times out of ten. Only when we learn to settle our minds will we enter a state of tranquil extinction. With all afflictions eliminated, our minds become tranquil and still. There will no longer be afflictions troubling us. We will hold fast to our initial aspiration. Our initial aspiration comes from our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Once we have formed these aspirations, we understand how wonderful the Buddha-Dharma is and comprehend that everything in life is illusory. “I aspire to engage in spiritual practice.” This aspirations that we form comes from our nature of True Suchness. We comprehend that life and the world are illusory. However, the path to Buddhahood is very long. “From this day forward, I aspire to engage in spiritual practice.”

How long does the path take? Dust-inked kalpas. Since before Beginningless Time, we have had the intrinsic nature of Great Unhindered. Everyone has this. It is just that we have already spent a very long period of time continually replicating [our afflictions]. We continuously allow external states to incite us so we cannot settle down. Now that we understand, we walk toward the path of enlightenment. We hope that we will no longer be enticed by external states. On this path of enlightenment we settle our minds and strengthen our faith. We must deepen our roots of faith; our faith must be firm. Then external states will not cause us to waver. In this state of stillness, this tranquility and clarity, we must also make “vows as vast as the universe.” By remaining firm, we can completely eliminate external afflictions. This is tranquil extinction.

With “the formless and infinite wondrous Dharma,” external states, appearances, sight, sounds, etc. connect with our mind that is engaged in practice and we completely transcend them. We are already spiritual practitioners. External sights and sounds, those states, and disruptions of people, matters and things, things of every description, will not enter our mind-consciousness again. Our mind-consciousness is already clear and bright. The formless and infinite wondrous Dharma continually arises within us in this way. This is how we develop our wisdom-life.

Life fades away with time; we must seize it. Time is always passing. As we understand the principles, we must continue to take them in, accumulate them. We must understand even more things. As we encounter external states, we must heighten our vigilance even more until external sights and sounds and external states no longer cause our minds to waver, and we have firm spiritual aspirations. This is what we must seek, the ultimate great path of enlightenment.

The great path of enlightenment is the formless and infinite wondrous Dharma. Of course, this requires our minds to reach a state of tranquil extinction. Tranquil extinction, we should remember, is stillness, a state of tranquility and clarity. Things of all kinds will no longer influence us, and we will have eliminated all afflictions. This is how we transcend the mind-consciousness of sentient beings and completely eradicate our afflictions and habitual tendencies. Otherwise we will remain in the mind-consciousness of an unenlightened being and find it hard to let go of afflictions and habitual tendencies. If we cannot let go of habitual tendencies, seeking perfect enlightenment and true wisdom and eliminating [afflictions] will be difficult. So, we must be mindful. Life is filled with suffering, emptiness and impermanence. We must always be mindful.

Come, in the previous sutra passage, the Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, said to us,

“Bhiksus, I now tell you that that Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices, have now all attained. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. In the lands of the ten directions, They are presently teaching the Dharma. They have countless hundreds of trillions of. Bodhisattvas and Hearers as spiritual family.”

Sakyamuni Buddha, after describing. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, returned to the scene at Vulture Peak. Sakyamuni Buddha told everyone, all the spiritual practitioners, “I am telling you that at that time, countless dust-inked kalpas ago, at the place of enlightenment of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, the 16 princes left the lay life and became the 16 novices. Because they listened to the Dharma, formed great aspirations and made great vows, they became Bodhisattvas and learned the Bodhisattva-path. Now they have already attained. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi; they have attained great enlightenment. In the lands of the ten directions, they are now teaching the Dharma. Each is now in a land they have affinities with to teach the Dharma, transform sentient beings.”

This also includes Sakyamuni Buddha. He came to the Saha World and, for the sake of transforming sentient beings, engaged in practice and attained Buddhahood. He manifested the. Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment. In this way, He came to the world to teach the Dharma and transform sentient beings. He too was one of the 16 princes. So each of them, in different lands, delivered and transformed sentient beings. These sentient beings were the ones they formed affinities with at Great Unhindered Buddha’s Dharma-assembly. We also were probably at Great Unhindered Buddha’s Dharma-assembly and formed affinities with one of the 16 novices, the present Buddha, Sakyamuni. We have already heard Him teach the Dharma; we were associators who formed affinities with Him. Lifetime after lifetime, we listened to Him teach the Dharma.

We had the conditions to be born in this era, in this world. The Buddha’s teachings are still here with us. The founder of our religion is still Sakyamuni Buddha. So, we must be mindful of the Buddha-Dharma. Because They taught the Dharma in each place, the Buddha-Dharma spread in those worlds. We too are in one of these worlds, for in our world, the Buddha-Dharma is still circulating.

So, “They have countless hundreds of trillions of Bodhisattvas and Hearers as spiritual family.” Look at the world right now; isn’t that the case? There are many Bodhisattvas who hear people’s cries and go to relieve their suffering. At this very moment in Turkey, there is a group [of volunteers] from Taiwan who have already arrived in Turkey. The day before yesterday, they were in Taiwan. Before they set off, I gave them a few more reminders. The day before yesterday they took an evening flight 13 hours later, they landed in Turkey and began to make preparations.

Yesterday, we already saw the report on the Da Ai TV News. On the screen, we saw that these Bodhisattvas, upon their arrival in Turkey, were welcomed with great courtesy. The minister of education and the former mayor came to greet them, as did Professor Cuma. They all came to greet them. Everyone was very happy, welcoming them with great fanfare.

After arriving at the airport, things were arranged so that not a single second was wasted. In the footage from yesterday, we saw they were already preparing the packages. They opened the boxes they brought and took out all the items, The gift for the children, the things they purchased locally and the things we shipped over were spread out and packaged. They even matched it against the list. They put these all together one by one, with an assembly line. We could see how happy they were doing it.

This group of Bodhisattvas paid their own way and were unafraid of hardship. Upon arriving in that place, they immediately began to work. For seven, eight days straight, Turkish Bodhisattva-volunteers and. Bodhisattva-volunteers from Taiwan worked for the sake of the Syrian refugees. Over those several days, they dedicated themselves to helping others. This is what Bodhisattvas do. It was not for themselves, but for the sake of people who are suffering. They were willing to help.

There they witnessed how discord in the mind caused manmade disasters. They witnessed life’s impermanence. The people who we want to help had lived a good life in Syria. But discord in the minds of a few resulted in this wave of refugees around te world. They have no place to live and are no longer in their homeland. Some rented houses, but things were still harsh. It was very hard to get by, so they need the international community’s care. The volunteers verified the origins of suffering, how it comes about. This was what they comprehended on the Bodhisattva-path.

When my thoughts turn to Turkey, it brings to mind how it was an earthquake in Turkey that brought Tzu Chi volunteers there to help. Because of these affinities, Mr. Hu, Mr. Faisal Hu, was drawn in by these conditions, which led to him facing some troubles. The local people did not understand that he was translating a song. The song was “Spreading the Seeds of Love.” After what happened to America’s Twin Towers, when the airplanes crashed into them, the international situation became unstable. During that time, I hoped to remind everyone every day [to pray] and hoped to share this song internationally. We hoped to translate it into Arabic, but in the process of his translating it, some people misunderstood. So, it almost resulted in disaster for him. He was investigated by the security services and went missing for over 24 hours. This had created a very nerve-wracking situation.

Then, about ten years ago, in fact it was exactly ten years ago, a large earthquake occurred in Pakistan. So Mr. Hu from Turkey, together with Mr. Chen from Jordan, both went there to volunteer. Our medical teams and Bodhisattvas from Taiwan likewise went to Pakistan.

Thinking back on that time, it was very tough on the doctors. Our Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital’s. Dr. Qiu Cong-lang and. [Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital’s] Li Jun-yi were with the first wave of those who went there. It was very difficult; they walked until their shoes broke apart, and they had to use Band-aids, a great many of them, to bind them up again. I think back on these Bodhisattvas in the world, in the international arena. Wherever disaster strikes, that is where they go. We have done this kind of difficult disaster relief work before, collecting supplies under great difficulties and “surmounting each difficulty as it comes.” Truly, when I think back on all this again, it is all truly remarkable. There is no time to share everything in my mind.

As for Pakistan’s big earthquake, this year (2015) will mark its tenth anniversary. At that time, Superintendent Jian, together with Dr. Ye, Dr. Ye Tian-hao, went there in shifts. Tzu Chi International Medical Association teams also went there in shifts. Providing disaster relief there was even more difficult than it is now in Nepal.

Now, for the Nepal earthquake, we can send a large disaster relief team with support from other countries to help our supplies reach their destination. But ten-plus years before, providing disaster relief back then was really very difficult. However, they still persevered and never retreated from their initial aspiration. From that time on, conditions have developed so every time there is a disaster, we know how to mobilize like this. With this present manmade calamity, whether [the refugees] are in Jordan or in Turkey, volunteers in each of these places exercise their local resources with the help of Taiwan [volunteers]. These Bodhisattvas are still being mobilized.

Syria’s [civil war] has already entered its fifth year, but we have not abandoned them and continue to [provide care]. In our major mobilization this time, the Taiwan volunteers are already there. To sum up, countless Bodhisattvas are putting the teachings into practice. With the suffering in the world, being able to walk this path is the most precious process in everyone’s life. This is what Bodhisattvas do; they exercise the value of their lives by going among others. There are also the Hearers, who only listen. They have not walked the path nor gained any great realizations.

For those who have, if we were to ask, “Dr. Qiu, Director Qiu, come, think back to ten years ago, how did you save people in that place?” it would immediately come back to him. In his consciousness, that seed is still stored, and it will quickly surface. If you were to ask Superintendent Jian, he could speak extensively about it. When Dr. Ye Tian-hao came back from Pakistan, as he described the things he saw, he broke down in tears. That was the kind of suffering he saw.

Though he has left that place and returned to Taiwan, that seed is still stored within him for life. It has already nurtured his wisdom-life; it is provisions for his wisdom-life, allowing it to grow and develop. This is truly amazing. So, these are Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas have already deeply delved into their mind-consciousness; they have walked the road and have done these things. If all we do is listen, then we have heard the Dharma, but have not taken these seeds into our hearts. After listening to the Dharma, we must put it into action.

Come, let us look at the next passage. The 16 novices were already spread throughout the ten directions. Each had already attained Buddhahood and was teaching the Dharma. They are presently teaching the Dharma. This is introducing the lands of each Buddha, each one’s epithet and the place where He transform sentient beings.

“Two of the novices became Buddhas in the east. One is called Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy; the other is called Sumeru’s Peak.”

As for these two novices, the 16 novices were introduced starting from the beginning, and these two novices attained Buddhahood in the east. These two who are in the east spent a long time in spiritual practice. For long kalpas they had sought the Dharma and transformed others. When their causes and conditions matured, their affinities lay in the east. So, “They became Buddhas in the east.”

Two of the novices became Buddhas in the east: These two novices, among the 16, were the first and the second. Over long kalpas, they sought the Dharma and transformed others. When their causes and conditions matured, they became Buddhas in the east.

Two Buddhas appeared in the east. The first is called “Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy.” Aksobhya is his Buddha-epithet. It means “immovable.” The name of his land is the Eastern Land of Wondrous Joy. His land is one of wondrous joy. That is where he attained Buddhahood.

One is called Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy: Aksobhya is the name of that Buddha. It means immovable. The Land of Great Joy is the name of the land. It refers to the Eastern Land of Wondrous Joy.

Since Aksobhya means “immovable,” he is also called the “Immovable Honored One.
Aksobhya also means Immovable Honored One. East: The sun rises in the east; it represents the start of all movements. Joy: This refers to movement. This expresses that through movement we realize the principle of being immovable.

Why was this in the east? “The sun rises in the east; it represents the start of all movements.” Our sun always rises in the east. When the sun comes up, it is actually the imperceptible changes that are due to the orbiting of our planet. As Earth rotates and revolves, the sun gradually moves across the sky. We usually say, “The sun rises in the east.” Actually, it is the movement [of Earth] that causes the sun to “rise.” This movement is the revolution of the planet. As it revolves, we gradually turn to face the sun. So we say, “The sun rises in the east,” referring to our direction. The sun begins rising in this direction, the east, so it represents the start of all movement.

Every day, the sky gradually becomes light. Everyone who has been resting begins to awaken from sleep. After awakening, people of all walks of life begin preparing for another day of living. This is because the sun has risen in the east, and the sky has grown light. It is time to work, so people start moving. When it is evening, everyone rests, so they become very still. So, movement means being joyful. “Joy refers to movement.” Joy is movement. “Are you joyful? I am joyful! Why are you joyful? I am joyful just because. I just feel joy in my heart.” We are truly joyful, and this is movement. When we have things to do, then we are joyful. When things are done satisfactorily, we feel joyful. This is the Land of Wondrous Joy.

So, this shows, “Through movement we realize the principle of being immovable.” Actually, Aksobhya Buddha is immovable because he has mastered “tranquil extinction.” After a long time of spiritual practice, he was given his name through his virtue, that of being immovable. So upon attaining Buddhahood, his epithet will be “Immovable Honored One.” [He had attained] tranquil extinction, but the world has always been filled with movement. When movements are very harmonious, this shows the principle of movement while being immovable. Although there is movement, it is very peaceful. It follows along and is quite harmonious. [The planet] will turn in peace. There is both stillness and movement in this.

We were just speaking of Pakistan, how there was an earthquake there and how there had been one in Turkey more than ten years before that. This shows that movements were not harmonious, so there were earthquakes, disasters. Thus it says, when there is stillness in movement, it is very harmonious. So, “Through movement we realize the principle of being immovable.” When our minds and the minds of others are harmonious, there is peace in the world. The reason we have gone to Turkey to help these people is that the minds of the Syrian people are not in harmony, so the country is in turmoil, creating this flood of refugees.

The other is called Sumeru’s Peak. Sumeru’s Peak means wondrously high. This Buddha is replete with myriad virtues, which are higher than all mountains and all things of this world. So, the analogy of “Sumeru’s Peak is used.

“There are two Buddhas in the southeast. One is called Lion Tone. The other is called Lion Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the south. One is called Abiding Space. The other is called Everlasting Extinction.”

Every Buddha has an epithet.

“There are two Buddhas in the southeast. One is called Lion Tone. He is honored by all in the world for His might and virtue and courage.” So, He is called “Lion Tone.”

There are two Buddhas in the southeast. One is called Lion Tone: He is honored by all in the world for His might and virtue and courage. Even nagas and demons admire Him. He is like a lion’s roar that frightens all beasts.

Nagas and demons all admire Him. He is like a lion’s roar. When a lion roars, all the mountains and forests tremble. So, His name is Lion Tone, for when this Buddha came into the world, He was respected by all because of His might, virtue and courage; even the nagas and demons respected Him. So, He is like a lion’s roar, subduing all through His teaching of the Dharma, transforming sentient beings’ minds.

The second one’s name is “Lion Appearance. He moves in an awe-inspiring manner, just like a lion.” He is very steady and stable.

The other is called Lion Appearance. He moves in an awe-inspiring manner, just like a lion. Tone and appearance are the two benefits of sound and form. Their voices are harmonious and delightful. There is no fury in Their appearance, yet They are replete with might and virtue. Thus, They are likened to lions.

This one is called “Lion Appearance.” This Buddha is very steady and stable. His manner of walking is steady like a lion’s.

It says His form and sound can both benefit others. A lion’s demeanor is very steady, yet his roar makes the mountain forests tremble. So, although the sound this Buddha makes is loud, it is nevertheless very harmonious and delightful.

“There is no fury in Their appearances, yet They are replete with might and virtue.” These Buddhas never get angry, never lose Their tempers, yet They are full of awe-inspiring virtue. These are the Buddha-virtues

of these two Buddhas. There are also two Buddhas in the south. “One is called Abiding Space. He distances Himself from all existence and abides in the empty nature of all phenomena.” This Buddha has the virtuous name of Abiding Space.

There are also two Buddhas in the south. One is called Abiding Space: He distances Himself from all existence and abides in the empty nature of all phenomena. The principles He has realized encompass the universe and pervade all existence. His nature is true and everlasting, like the abiding of space.

The principles He realized “encompass the universe and pervade all existence.” We often say, “Our heart encompasses the universe and the boundless worlds within it.” This means that this Buddha’s mind is open and vast. The nature of His virtue is “true and everlasting like the abiding of space.” His mind abides in truth, not in falsehood; it is true and everlasting. This is like space; space is everlasting. Material things may change, but the void of the universe is unchanging.

The other is called Everlasting Extinction: He does not flow deludedly [in samsara], but constantly abides in tranquil extinction. He did not arise in the past, will not move in the future and does not stir at present. With no arising and no ceasing He is therefore, said to have the appearance of everlasting tranquil extinction.

The second Buddha is called Everlasting Extinction. “He does not flow deludedly [in samsara], but constantly abides in tranquil extinction.” This is how stable He is. He constantly abides in tranquil extinction, tranquility and stillness, without ignorance or afflictions. “He did not arise in the past, will not move in the future and does not stir at present. With no arising and no ceasing,” this is the “appearance of everlasting tranquil extinction.” This is the second of these two Buddhas.

So, there are the Buddhas of the east, the Buddhas of the southeast and the Buddhas of the south. In this series of six Buddhas, each has Their own virtues. In summary, each Buddha has His own virtuous practices, each Buddha has His own realm and each Buddha has sentient beings. He has formed affinities with. Thus, we should cultivate virtues and blessings and form affinities; these are essential for attaining Buddhahood. So, let us always be mindful.

Episode 1061 – Faith and Persistence to Practice the One Vehicle

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>> “They were able to have faith, persist and not be lax. He first praised their virtue and then encouraged all to draw near them and not turn away. He feared that after having been delivered, people might again lose their faith and become lax. This was His intent in encouraging them. Thus, if the Three Vehicle practitioners could have faith in what was taught and accept and uphold it without retreating, they would attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.”

>> “Lifetime after lifetime they were born in the company of Bodhisattvas. They heard the Dharma from them and all had faith and understanding. Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and have not reached the end even now.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> “Bhiksus, I now tell you that that Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices, have now all attained. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. In the lands of the ten directions, they are presently teaching the Dharma. They have countless hundreds of trillions of. Bodhisattvas and Hearers as spiritual family.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha testified to how those 16 Bodhisattvas had, in their past lifetimes, in the presence of countless billions of Buddhas, engaged in extended and uninterrupted practice, practice with nothing further and with reverence. They had gone among people and delivered countless beings

>> Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha spoke freely about the 16 Bodhisattvas’ past causes and conditions. [Sakyamuni] then proceeded to explain the epithets of those Buddhas today and the names of the lands where they transform the multitudes who have affinities with them.

>> Sakyamuni Buddha cited the past to speak of the present: First, explaining Their attaining Buddhahood. Second, revealing each one’s distinctive name.

>> First, explaining Their attaining Buddhahood: For the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, the 16 novices have all attained perfect enlightenment, presently teach the Dharma and thus now have countless people as spiritual family.

>> Second, revealing each one’s distinctive name: These are Their epithets as realized Buddhas. In accord with the virtues They cultivated, Their Buddha-names and epithets are set, as are the places They had affinities with. In accordance with those They should transform, They are thus in the Buddha-lands of the eight directions and so on.

>> Bhiksus, I now tell you that: The Buddha’s words contain profound meaning, revealing the appearances of the past and now: Bhiksus, I tell you: The princes now have all attained Buddhahood.

>> That Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices: Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught, and those 16 Bodhisattva novices listened to the Dharma, upheld the Dharma and transmitted the Dharma. They were sincere and earnest in delivering and transforming sentient beings.

>> In the lands of the ten directions they are presently teaching the Dharma: It speaks about them doing this presently to distinguish it from the past and the future. It speaks about them teaching the Dharma to distinguish this from attaining Buddhahood. They had yet to turn the Dharma-wheel.

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“They were able to have faith, persist and not be lax. He first praised their virtue and then encouraged all to draw near them and not turn away.
He feared that after having been delivered, people might again lose their faith and become lax. This was His intent in encouraging them. Thus, if the
Three Vehicle practitioners could have faith in what was taught and accept and uphold it without retreating, they would attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.”

Recently we have been describing how Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha gave testimony and praise for the 16 novices. He testified to their past [practice] and praised them for widely transforming so many sentient beings. Some people had faith, yet some still harbored doubt and confusion. For those who listened to the Dharma but still had doubts, the 16 novices one by one resolved their confusion.

For those with doubts, [their doubts were resolved] through the 16 novices’ explanations of the Great Vehicle Dharma taught by. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. The Lotus Sutra contains such profound principles. Most people listened but did not understand. Some people listened and took it in but still had doubts and confusion. When Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha entered the meditation room, the 16 novices explained [these principles] on His behalf. They thus delivered many people. Many took the Dharma taught by the 16 novices deeply to heart. They formed deep affinities with and followed the 16 novices lifetime after lifetime to lands where they engaged in spiritual practice and thus reached attainment.

So, “They were able to have faith, persist and not be lax.” It was because of their past that the 16 novices, at Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s. Dharma-assembly, were now able to reach such attainment. After Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha emerged from Samadhi, He was afraid that those listening to the Dharma would doubt the novices due to their youth or not believe that the 16 novices could teach the profound Great Dharma. So, after He emerged from Samadhi, He wanted everyone to have even greater faith in and understanding of the 16 novices and not become lax. Thus, He continually praised [the novices]. He praised the 16 novices for how, in the presence of countless past Buddhas, they had already engaged in spiritual practice and had made offerings. The virtues they had cultivated were very mature. He hoped to let everyone know that though the novices were young, in the past they had engaged in spiritual practice for countless kalpas already, continually being permeated by [the Dharma]. Their virtues had already matured.

So, He kept encouraging these people who listened to the Buddha and the Dharma to quickly draw close [to the novices], so they would not lose their spiritual aspirations after having already developed faith. Thus, He first wanted everyone to understand the novices’ virtues. Then He encouraged everyone to draw very close to them. Draw very close means doing so repeatedly, constantly drawing near to them. To draw close, they must believe in them and not turn away from them. Everyone must believe in them wholeheartedly.

So, “He feared that after having been delivered, people might again lose their faith.” He worried about these people. They heard the Dharma taught by the 16 novices, and everyone had faith. After having come to believe in it, they were able to be delivered. After having been delivered, they might again become lax and retreat. [He worried] they would become lax and retreat from their aspirations. This often happens to us; it is the same for people today. When they begin to believe, they are very passionate and diligent, but after a period of time, they gradually begin losing their faith and gradually start to become lax. There are many people like this today.

In Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior’s time, He also worried that having now come to believe, they might quickly lose their will to practice. So, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha also worried about this. “He feared that after having been delivered, people might again lose their faith,” On losing their faith, they might become lax. Because of this, He again encouraged the assembly. He encouraged everyone to be diligent. It is exceedingly rare to encounter the Buddha-Dharma! “Since you have encountered the Buddha-Dharma, you must faithfully accept it, take it to heart and practice it diligently.” This was Great Unhindered Buddha’s intent, His compassion. They were finally able to listen to the Buddha-Dharma, to have faith in it and be delivered. They must not lose their spiritual aspirations; that would be a pity!

So, this shows how mindful Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha was. During the period when the Buddha had entered His meditation room, for 84,000 kalpas the 16 novices taught the fourfold assembly. The Great Vehicle Dharma encompasses the Three Vehicles. This is like what Sakyamuni Buddha [taught] more than 2000 years ago at the Dharma-assembly at Vulture Peak. He had already, for over 40 years, taught the Dharma according to sentient beings’ capabilities. But the Buddha’s original intent, what He really wanted to tell everyone, was not revealed until after 42 years, when He could not wait any longer. The capabilities of sentient beings were still stuck in the Small and Middle Vehicles, but the Buddha hoped that everyone could progress to the Great Vehicle.

So, when He began teaching the Lotus Sutra, He had to include the past [teachings] of the Small and Middle Vehicles. Now, at Vulture Peak, He absolutely had to include all Three Vehicles. He hoped that when those who practiced the Small and Middle Vehicles heard the Great Vehicle Dharma, they would set aside the Small and take up the Great. All Buddhas share this same path. This was the case for our Sakyamuni Buddha, and it was the same for. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior in the past. So, He explained that with the Dharma taught by the 16 novices at that Dharma-assembly, “if the Three Vehicle practitioners could have faith in what was taught and accept and uphold it without retreating, they would attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.”

So, at this Dharma-assembly, the [practitioners of] the Three Vehicles, those of the Small and Middle Vehicles and those with aspirations to practice the Great Vehicle, all listened to the 16 novices analyze the Dharma taught by Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. All had faith and understanding and also accepted and upheld [the Dharma]. If they could accept and uphold it like this without retreating, they would “attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. Everyone, whether you practice the Small, Middle or Great Vehicle, you can all at the same time attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.” This is how. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha bore witness for the 16 Bodhisattva-novices and at the same time encouraged everyone, “You must believe in them.” He put so much effort into this!

This is the mindset of every Buddha. They hope to open and reveal for sentient beings the fact that all have intrinsic Buddha-nature, that everyone is equal. Yet, to experience and understand this is not that easy. The nature of sentient beings and the nature of the Tathagata is the same. This is true not only for humans; all sentient beings, all living beings, similarly possess the same Buddha-nature.

In America, in the San Francisco Zoo, there is a very intelligent gorilla [named Koko]. The staff at the zoo will teach her things. They taught her sign language. Although they cannot teach her to speak, they have taught her to work just like a human.

They want to help her communicate with humans. Since she is unable to utter sounds to speak, they instead taught her sign language. Surprisingly, she has already learned a vocabulary of 2000 English words. She learned the word “kitten.” A kitten is a cat. When she learned this word, she became very happy and through sign language expressed her desire to raise a kitten. She wanted to keep a kitten as a pet!

When the zoo’s managers saw her sign that she wished to keep a cat, they quickly got a cat for her. They gave her the cat on her birthday. This was on her birthday in 1984. On her birthday, they gave her a cat as her gift. She nurtured the cat very well, and as time went by they were just like mother and daughter, like mother and child.

The zoo later adopted two more cats for her, and they were given names by the staff. One was “Miss Gray” while the other was “Miss Black.” One was more gray in color, while the other one was pure black. She was so happy, very happy every day. Because all of them had fur, when the zoo staff saw this, this gorilla and her three cats, they gave them the name the “furry family.”

They are quite an attraction. Many people come to see them. This gorilla has the personality of a human. Her love is a motherly love. Even animals are replete with such motherly love. Having lost their own mother’s love, these cats received the love of this gorilla, who was just like their mother. Although of different species, they nevertheless get along very harmoniously. Animals are sentient [too]!

So, the Buddha told us that everyone has an intrinsic nature of True Suchness. “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” Look at the intelligence of that gorilla, how she learned sign language and formed a family the way she did. Animals are like this. Even after all this time, their [intrinsic] nature remains the same; their love has not been lost. They are so harmonious, so willing to cooperate. They can even learn human sign language and communicate with humans as well as with other animals. Seeing them like this, we should have faith that animals have maintained, after all this time, a sense of motherly love, a sense of familial warmth. Animals can also commit to a family. Their nature and ours are the same,

even after all this time. There is human time, then there is the time the Buddha talked about. Actually, the way the Buddha spoke of time has its own special meaning, so He gradually explained His view of time for us. Thus, first off, we must have faith that every passage of the Buddhist sutras has true principles hidden within it.

Let us now look at the previous sutra passage.

“Lifetime after lifetime they were born in the company of Bodhisattvas. They heard the Dharma from them and all had faith and understanding. Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and have not reached the end even now.”

This is describing the sentient beings delivered by the 16 novices. For countless kalpas, for countless billions of kalpas, they have continually engaged in spiritual practice and, lifetime after lifetime, been born into places where they are together with Bodhisattvas. So, they were “in the company of Bodhisattvas.”

Bodhisattvas are their spiritual family. “They heard the Dharma from them.” They are all spiritual friends for one another and are always together in the same place, engaging in spiritual practice together, inspiring one another and resolving each other’s doubts. Thus they are each other’s spiritual family.

So, “Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones.” Because of this, from the past and on into the future, they will continue like this, even up to now. [In this passage], “now” refers to the era of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. Even at that time, they were still not finished. “[They] have not reached the end even now.” This means that even after. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, they would still be born in the company of Bodhisattvas; these affinities would continue lifetime after lifetime.

The next passage continues, saying, “Bhiksus, I now tell you that that Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices, have now all attained. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. In the lands of the ten directions, they are presently teaching the Dharma. They have countless hundreds of trillions of. Bodhisattvas and Hearers as spiritual family.”

This is now Sakyamuni Buddha speaking. Sakyamuni Buddha said “Bhiksus,” [calling] to His disciples, the bhiksus before Him. “I now tell you that,” He was now going to tell them that, “that Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices,” where “that Buddha” refers to. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. In Great Unhindered Buddha’s time, the 16 novices who were all at that assembly “have now all attained. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

Sakyamuni Buddha’s description of the past era of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha and the state of that assembly had already come to a close. Sakyamuni Buddha was now telling everyone that those novices from the past were now each in his own land, in the land they had affinities with, and that they had all attained Buddhahood. This refers to how. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha had born witness to these 16 Bodhisattvas’ past [practice] in the presence of Buddhas for countless billions of kalpas. Those 16 novices did not only practice in Great Unhindered’s era. Long before Great Unhindered Buddha’s time, they had already practiced for a very long time. Over this time they had engaged in extended practice and uninterrupted practice, practice with nothing further and practice with reverence.

Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha testified to how those 16 Bodhisattvas had, in their past lifetimes, in the presence of countless billions of Buddhas, engaged in extended and uninterrupted practice, practice with nothing further and with reverence. They had gone among people and delivered countless beings

for such a long time. Even before Great Unhindered Buddha’s era, they had continually engaged in practice like this and were already very mature. By the time they arrived at. Great Unhindered Buddha’s place of enlightenment, once Great Unhindered Buddha taught the Dharma and entered His meditation room, each of them was able to shoulder this responsibility. So, when people had doubts and confusion, they were able to explain the Dharma to them. This shows [their practice] from the past up until Great Unhindered Buddha’s era. Great Unhindered Buddha also testified to how for such a long time in the future they would continue to practice and in the future would attain Buddhahood. He verified this for them.

Clearly, the 16 Bodhisattva-novices had engaged in practice for a very long time, in the past, in the present and on into the future. Their practice was over an extended time, without interruption and with nothing further. Engaging in practice with reverence, in every spiritual training ground, in every lifetime, they made reverent offerings to each Buddha. They made offerings by putting the Dharma into practice, thus making offerings of reverence. In the future, they would go among people and deliver infinite sentient beings. They would continue in this cycle for a long time.

So, this is what Sakyamuni Buddha told everyone, that these 16 Bodhisattva-novices had a practice that was extended, uninterrupted, with nothing further and with reverence. They constantly engaged in spiritual practice. Now, each of them had attained Buddhahood, each Buddha in a different place.

So, “Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha spoke freely about the 16 Bodhisattvas’ past causes and conditions.”

Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha spoke freely about the 16 Bodhisattvas’ past causes and conditions. [Sakyamuni] then proceeded to explain the epithets of those Buddhas today and the names of the lands where they transform the multitudes who have affinities with them.

Sakyamuni Buddha spoke of the 16 novices in Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, how Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha had praised their past causes and conditions. These were their past causes and conditions. Sakyamuni Buddha immediately began to explain how these novices had all attained Buddhahood in different lands. He continued relating this up to the present when. He Himself had already attained Buddhahood. As for the others’ distinct epithets upon attaining Buddhahood and the names of the lands where they transform sentient beings with whom they had affinities, He cited the past, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s time. Sakyamuni cited the past to speak of the present, how they had [practiced] in the past, how they were now at that Dharma-assembly and how they would attain Buddhahood in the future, each with a distinct epithet and each with a distinct Buddha-land.

Sakyamuni Buddha cited the past to speak of the present: First, explaining Their attaining Buddhahood. Second, revealing each one’s distinctive name.

So, this is is divided into [two], first “explaining Their attaining Buddhahood.” They attained Buddhahood “for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings.” So, They had to engage in spiritual practice until They attained enlightenment; once awakened, They would benefit all sentient beings.

First, explaining Their attaining Buddhahood: For the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, the 16 novices have all attained perfect enlightenment, presently teach the Dharma and thus now have countless people as spiritual family.

Since each of the 16 novices wanted to benefit sentient beings, to deliver and transform sentient beings, they had to engage in spiritual practice, in extended practice, uninterrupted practice, practice with nothing further and practice with reverence. They had to make offerings life after life, making offerings to all Buddhas through their actions. This is what they continued to do. These were the 16 novices at Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s place of practice. They now had all attained perfect enlightenment. They were presently teaching the Dharma and now had countless people in Their spiritual family. This shows that Sakyamuni Buddha wanted to clearly help everyone understand the 16 novices’ past, Their time at Great Unhindered Buddha’s assembly and how They attained Buddhahood in the future. They had already formed the spiritual families with which They had affinities.

If one wants to attain Buddhahood but does not form affinities with sentient beings, then there is no way to attain Buddhahood. So we often say, “Before attaining Buddhahood, we must first form good affinities with others.” Going among people, benefiting others, creating blessed affinities with others, this is all very important.

Therefore, Sakyamuni Buddha always hoped that we all accept the Great Vehicle Dharma and go among people to witness others’ suffering, train ourselves and eradicate our ignorance and afflictions. In the midst of that suffering, we experience the principles of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. In the midst of difficulties, we form aspirations and vow to deliver sentient beings. This requires us to put the Dharma into practice.

“In accord with the virtues they cultivated, their Buddha-names and epithets are set.” These were the virtues they cultivated; their epithets were based upon their virtues.
Second, revealing each one’s distinctive name: These are Their epithets as realized Buddhas. In accord with the virtues They cultivated, Their Buddha-names and epithets are set, as are the places They had affinities with. In accordance with those They should transform, They are thus in the Buddha-lands of the eight directions and so on.Every Buddha has a specific name, just like every person has a name. Similarly, in our spiritual practice, each of us receives a name and an epithet. This is true for each of us.

So, these are “places they had affinities with. In accordance with those they should transform” means in accord with those they transform, they split off in eight ways. The eight ways are east, south, west, north and the southeast, northwest and so on. They split off into the eight directions. Later, the epithets of those. Buddhas of the eight directions will be introduced one by one. So, They had already gone to the places where They had affinities, the places They had formed affinities with. “In accordance with those They should transform” means these are the sentient beings whom They should deliver and transform, so They go to do so. In that place, They engage in spiritual practice, attain enlightenment and transform sentient beings.

So, regarding “Bhiksus, I now tell you, the Buddha’s words contain profound meaning, revealing the appearances of the past and now. Bhiksus,” the Buddhas was saying to them, “the 16 princes have now all attained Buddhahood.”

Bhiksus, I now tell you that: The Buddha’s words contain profound meaning, revealing the appearances of the past and now: Bhiksus, I tell you: The princes now have all attained Buddhahood.

In the Dharma taught by the Buddha, in everything the Buddha said, there are underlying meanings, and in the meanings there are principles. Whatever the Buddha said, there would always be profound principles within. So “Revealing the appearances of the past and now” refers to the very distant past, countless kalpas ago, and also to the time after those countless kalpas, the long period of time up to the present. “Bhiksus, I am telling you that the 16 princes have now all attained Buddhahood.” They had by then all attained Buddhahood.

That Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices: Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught, and those 16 Bodhisattva novices listened to the Dharma, upheld the Dharma and transmitted the Dharma. They were sincere and earnest in delivering and transforming sentient beings.

As for “that Buddha’s disciples, the 16 novices, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught how those 16 Bodhisattva-novices” at that time “had listened to the Dharma, upheld the Dharma and transmitted the Dharma.” They earnestly wished to deliver and transform sentient beings.

At Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, they heard Him teach about “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path,” as well as the “12 Links of Cyclic Existence.” For a long time, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha expounded the Three Vehicle teachings. According to sentient beings’ capabilities, He taught the Small and Middle Vehicles and only later returned to the Great Vehicle. So, the 16 novices earnestly beseeched Him, “Venerable Buddha! We hope you will meticulously expound for us the Great Vehicle Dharma. What all of us seek is to have the same perspective as the Buddha. We seek the Buddha’s understanding and views, the same perspective as the Buddha.”

We probably all still remember when the 16 novices asked the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. They hoped to attain the same understanding and views as the Buddha. So, in that Dharma-assembly, they listened to, upheld and transmitted the Dharma. They had already done this at. Great Unhindered Buddha’s Dharma-assembly. In listening to the Dharma, they were mindful. After listening, they faithfully accepted, practiced and upheld the Dharma. Once Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha entered His meditation room, they began transmitting the Dharma. This was how sincere and earnest their wish was to deliver and transform sentient beings. The wish of the 16 novices in delivering and transforming sentient beings was very sincere and earnest. They put their heart into it.

Because of this, they have done this from the time of. Great Unhindered Buddha until now. “They have now all attained. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” The 16 Bodhisattva-novices had by now already all attained universal and perfect enlightenment, “Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi” means supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment. They had all achieved this.

So, “In the lands of the ten directions….” The next section says, “In the lands of the ten directions, They are presently teaching the Dharma. They have countless hundreds of trillions of. Bodhisattvas and Hearers as spiritual family.”

Each of these 16 novices is now in a different land teaching the Dharma. Each of them has. His own spiritual training ground where He is teaching the Dharma to countless hundreds of trillions of Bodhisattvas and Hearers; these are Their spiritual families. What this means is, “It says They are doing this ‘presently.'” This is to distinguish this “from the past and the future. It speaks about Them teaching the Dharma to distinguish this from attaining Buddhahood or from having yet to turn the Dharma-wheel.”

In the lands of the ten directions they are presently teaching the Dharma: It speaks about them doing this presently to distinguish it from the past and the future. It speaks about them teaching the Dharma to distinguish this from attaining Buddhahood. They had yet to turn the Dharma-wheel.

It says “presently” here, referring to the present of Sakyamuni Buddha, not the Dharma-assembly of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha and the “present” He spoke of then.

This is like us now. The present which I speak of now is not the present spoken of by Sakyamuni Buddha during His time. Language follows time in how it is expressed. It always [changes] according to time. In different eras, the same word is used to express this. So, “It speaks about them doing this presently” in order to distinguish it from the past. There is Great Unhindered Buddha’s “present,” and there is the “present” of the future, the “present” of [Sakyamuni] Buddha’s time. There is also the “present” of our own time.

Now the founder of our religion is still the same, still Sakyamuni Buddha. Since we also have been educated by Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings, we are part of His spiritual family. Thus, we are still all [in the era] in which Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Dharma, this present era. So speaking of time, we are not in the era of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha; we are in the era of Sakyamuni Buddha. This is to “distinguish it from the past and the future.” This is the “present.”

“It speaks about Them teaching the Dharma to distinguish this from attaining Buddhahood or from having yet to turn the Dharma-wheel.” Those teaching the Dharma were in the lands of the ten directions. They were all different people. Each taught the Dharma in His own place. Each had His own spiritual training ground. The leaders of those spiritual training grounds each had different names, and the spiritual training grounds where They [taught] were all in different places. So, They were all different. Yet, They transmitted and taught the Dharma in the same way. So, “distinguish this from attaining Buddhahood or from having yet to turn the Dharma-wheel” means that in the past, they had not yet begun to turn the Dharma-wheel. But starting from then, they had already begun turning the Dharma-wheel and would do the same in the future.

In the past, present and future they had always continually listened to, upheld and transmitted the teachings up until they attained [enlightenment]. All of them were in different lands where they continually delivered and transformed others.

With the passage of time, the number of sentient beings coming to hear the Dharma and forming affinities continued to increase. So, “They have countless hundreds of trillions of. Bodhisattvas and Hearers as spiritual family.” Those who were delivered became Bodhisattvas. Those yet to be delivered became Hearers. When Hearers can enter the Bodhisattva-path, they have been delivered and reached attainment. But there are still many yet to be delivered, those yet to reach attainment, so the Dharma must continue to be passed down.

So, “They have countless hundreds of trillions of practitioners of Three Vehicles as spiritual family.” Some have not yet completely reached attainment, so at these assemblies, each [novice] had practitioners of the Three Vehicles. Not everyone had already completely faithfully accepted and practiced the Great Vehicle, the One Vehicle Dharma. Not everyone has reached attainment. So, it will still take a very long time.

To learn the Dharma, we truly need to be patient and mindful. To have faith and understanding of any phrase or of the manifestation of any matter or appearance, we must have experiential understanding. So, “They were able to have faith, persist.” We should earnestly persist and not become lax. We should be diligent and advance without retreating. We must have strong determination to persist over a very long time. We should have faith that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature.

We were just speaking of how that gorilla we mentioned has a nature like a human’s. We should believe in the Buddha when He said, “All living, moving beings have Buddha-nature.” This is something we can believe in and verify, to say nothing of these great lengths of time. Astronomy can likewise testify to these. So, we should believe in the Dharma the Buddha taught. Let us always be mindful.

Episode 1060 – Deep Roots of Faithful Acceptance

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>> “Upon listening to the Buddha’s teachings, they give rise to faith and later comprehend the true principles. Those with sharp capabilities have faith and are able to understand. Those with dull capabilities have faith but can only partially understand. When the roots of faithful acceptance are deep, we can destroy deviant views. Those who understand and awaken can destroy ignorance.”

>> “‘If Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas can have faith in the teaching of the sutra these 16 Bodhisattvas taught, accept and uphold them and never slander them, such people will all attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the wisdom of the Tathagata.’ The Buddha told the bhiksus, ‘These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.'”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> “Lifetime after lifetime they were born in the company of Bodhisattvas. They heard the Dharma from them, and all had faith and understanding. Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and have not reached the end even now.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> Lifetime after lifetime they were born in the company of Bodhisattvas: Due to the affinities of past lifetimes, they constantly encountered one another. Without affinities, surely they would not meet. With affinities, surely they would not part.    

>> They listened to the Dharma from them, and all had faith and understanding: Those whose roots of faith, vows and practice are deep will turn to enter the path of practice. As for those with dull capabilities, when their ear-root matures, they focus [and take it in]. As they rely on the firm strength of their root of faith, it thus says they “have faith and understanding.”

>> Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and have not reached the end even now: Due to these causes and conditions of their hearing the Dharma and having roots of goodness, over this time, they are able to encounter two trillion Majestic Tone King Buddhas.

>> In the ten directions and the Three Periods, all great Bodhisattvas of the Lotus Dharma-assembly and all sentient beings encounter one another. Of these, all were replete with exceptional causes and conditions from past lives. Thus, they can collectively benefit one another without end.

>> They can encounter four trillion Buddhas and have not reached the end: Son-of-Body had sharp capabilities and encountered two trillion Buddhas. Those with limited capabilities would encounter four trillion Buddhas. These refer to those Buddhas who time and again manifest arising and ceasing.

>> So, “Those who mature first are transformed first. If, during this time, they had encountered and constantly accepted the Great Vehicle, these people would have reached attainment in this lifetime, so they have not reached the end even now.”

>> “in this lifetime they would seem to not have reached the end. Today they were able to again listen to the Great Vehicle teaching. But if they only encountered the Small Vehicle and did not encounter the Great Vehicle, they were not yet transformed during that time and still have not reached the end until now.”

>> “Today they begin to accept the Great and continue until they reach extinction, thus attaining the truth.”

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“Upon listening to the Buddha’s teachings, they give rise to faith and later comprehend the true principles.
Those with sharp capabilities have faith and are able to understand. Those with dull capabilities have faith but can only partially understand.
When the roots of faithful acceptance are deep, we can destroy deviant views. Those who understand and awaken can destroy ignorance.”

I have been continually talking to everyone about the root of faith. “Faith is the source of the Way, mother of merits. Faith” is essential for us as spiritual practitioners. In the world, if we do not have “faith” in our interpersonal relationships, then we will be unable to mutually [inspire] each other in this world. When people do not inspire faith, they will be unable to accomplish anything. Moreover, in the Buddha-Dharma, if we do not have deep faith, what kind of teachings will we be able to comprehend? So, we must have “faith.” Not only do we need to have “faith,” we must have deep faith. Not only do we need deep faith, we must faithfully accept and practice the Dharma. When it comes to “faith,” faith and understanding, we must mindfully seek to experience the truth.

In the Buddha’s era, Hearers listened to the Buddha’s teachings and gave rise to faith. With faith, they gradually comprehended the Buddha-Dharma and the essence and principles within the Dharma. This must begin with having faith; it starts with this simple word, “faith.” If we did not have faith, why would we mindfully seek to understand? We need to have faith, and furthermore it must be deep faith. Only then can we be mindful of the Buddha-Dharma and immerse ourselves inside the Buddha-Dharma to experience the principles that the Buddha taught. This is very important. We must be incredibly mindful.

Moreover, we who have faith in the Buddha have differing capabilities, sharp or dull. There are those with great, average and limited capabilities. Those with great capabilities will hear the Dharma and quickly understand. As for those with average capabilities, though they may be kindhearted, though they may be willing to accept the Dharma, once they listen to it, though they did indeed hear it, they are unable to understand it thoroughly. What about those with limited capabilities? For those with limited and dull capabilities, not only do they not have deep faith, but with shallow roots of faith, they are unable to accept the Dharma. Or, even if they accept it, they only partially believe and understand it.

This is the way they are. When it comes to capabilities, “Those with sharp capabilities have faith and are able to understand.” These are the people with sharp capabilities. If they have average capabilities, their capabilities are still a bit dull. Though they have faith, they cannot really understand.

These are the people with average capabilities. So, we need to put our effort into taking “faith” into our hearts; taking it deep into our hearts. Naturally, “when the roots of faithful acceptance are deep,” we can destroy deviant views.

If we take our faith to heart and its roots are deep, even if we are facing external difficulties, we will be able to eliminate them one by one because our faith is firm and we understand the Buddha’s proper principles. So, when news from outside comes to us, it will not trouble our minds. Not only are we not troubled, we can even eliminate [deviant views].

“Ah, it is that you do not understand. What is it that you do not understand? Here, let me explain this to you so you can eliminate your [mistaken] perspectives and develop right faith through the Dharma.” As Buddhist practitioners, if we can be people with true and deep faith, naturally we will not only be unafraid of ignorance and conflicts around us, but also, because our roots of faith are deep, we can even resolve their confusion, eliminate their doubts and resolve their confusion. This is how we destroy deviant views.

Some do not deeply understand the Dharma or are unable to understand it all; some even have deviant views and slander the Dharma. Therefore, we need faithful acceptance and our roots of faith must be deep so we can transform these deviated understanding and views. When some people hear rumors, their root of faith will begin to waver. There are many people like this. So, we need to have faith. “When the roots of faithful acceptance are deep,” when we have very deep roots of faith, we can then destroy deviant views.

Not only do our roots of faith need to be deep, we also need “understanding” to “comprehend the great path.” By comprehending the great path, we are able to “form the supreme aspiration.” Comprehending is very important. So, we need to eliminate our ignorance. As long as we can destroy our ignorance, the seeds of faith will allow us to benefit others and eliminate many of sentient beings’ ignorant delusions. This requires us to have firm belief; we must have this kind of faith.

All of the Buddha’s teachings were given with the hope that we have deep and strong faith. With faith, we not only listen to the words, we also believe in these matters and appearances. We hear the teachings and have faith that. “What the Buddha taught is like this.” Then with worldly matters and appearances, we find ways to comprehend all the suffering. Our life is truly full of suffering! Everything the Buddha taught was about the karmic law of cause and effect. In the workings of things, the causes come before the effects; this is the principle. These numerous principles are all inseparable from the law of karma.

Great, average and limited teachings, the Great, Middle and Small Vehicle teachings, are all inseparable from the law of karma. Because the law of karma can be seen in the workings of our world, often the Buddha, in His teachings, would use the method of making analogies with the matters and appearances of our world, hoping everyone could have faith and understanding.

So, from the Chapter on Parables, we saw the children in the burning house, ignorantly playing with the fire. We also read the Chapter on Faith and Understanding. In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, four great disciples, Subhuti and the others, these four disciples, rose to request teachings from the Buddha. They themselves made an analogy, likening themselves to the poor son.

The Buddha had used the analogy of the burning house to explain to them. In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, similarly, the Buddha’s disciples, Kasyapa, Subhuti and so on, made an analogy themselves about how, for a very long time, when the Buddha expounded the Dharma, they had all stopped at the Small Vehicle or sought to only awaken themselves. “There was such a wealth of Dharma, and we thought it only belonged to the Buddha, that it has nothing to do with us. Originally, we were all like this, like the son of a wealthy household. In fact, the great elder’s wealth also belongs to his son.” During that period of time, this was what we discussed.

We saw when the Buddha expounded the Dharma, He used matters and appearances as analogies. His disciples understood this, so they also used worldly matters and appearances as an analogy for the relationship between them, the Buddha and the Dharma. This is to say, in matters and appearances, without a cause, there will be no effect, and without effects there will be no appearances. So, matters and appearances go back to principles. We must understand this very clearly. We must first take in what the Buddha taught. We take in the Buddha’s voice with our ear-root. After everyone hears and takes in [the Dharma], we must all faithfully accept and practice it. This way, we can gradually comprehend the true principles within. We must take in the teachings in this way and earnestly nurture our capabilities.

The Buddha said, “The mind, Buddha and all beings are no different [in their nature].” So, why are there people with great, average or dull roots and capabilities? Why is this so? This is because of [how we learned] the Dharma. Long ago in our past lives, beginningless kalpas ago, we accepted the Buddha-Dharma. We mindfully accepted and comprehended it. We formed aspirations to create blessings life after life. We also formed karmic connections and, by going among the people, took in many appearances of people, matters and things. We have all understood a lot. The time we have in the world is not long, so the Dharma we can comprehend in one lifetime is limited. Even if we are very mindful, we just began to give rise to faith, just began to go among people. How much time do we have left? For many lifetimes, we had ignorance; has it been eliminated? Not yet. So, we will be again born into a life. We follow our causes and conditions, without any control. It is like this life after life.

People with deep roots will, life after life, be inseparable from the Dharma. They will not depart from the Dharma and will continue to be permeated by the Dharma. The more they are permeated, the deeper their roots of faith become and the more clearly they understand the principles. The more they listen, the closer they draw and the more they understand. These are people with great capabilities. After hearing, they give rise to faith and understanding. This is understanding the principles through the matters and appearances of the world. In one lifetime, there is no way we can do this. This is because in our lives, in each lifetime, we draw near the Buddha-Dharma and although we draw near, perhaps it was just like this; we had faith and were able to understand, but lacked putting the principles into practice. We did not bring [the teachings] together with matters and appearances.

So, we had faith, but were unable to comprehend. If we do not make connections with things and only have faith, [we think,]. “I can explain the Dharma; I can a teach a lot.” However, have we truly understood it? We have not really comprehended it. We “have faith but can only partially understand.” Some people are good at expounding the sutras or can chant the sutras very smoothly. But when karmic cause and effect manifests, or the laws of nature take effect, they are still terrified and afflicted.

Some people have very deep roots of faith. When they face death, they are very clear and radiant. They can come and go at ease; their mind is not attached or confused. When causes and conditions arrive, they can be liberated. As they live within cyclic existence, they have already experienced and understood the Dharma. Normally when talking to people, there are many matters and appearances that they can connect with the principles. It turns out these matters and appearances in fact have these principles within them. Though they are not formally expounding the Dharma, in their daily living, as they work and speak to people, they can take anything and make it a teaching. They respond to matters and capabilities. They are not especially speaking the Dharma, but are able to make use of matters in accordance with people’s capabilities.

Among Tzu Chi volunteers, we also often see people like this who are at ease and liberated. The Da Ai drama, “Kinmen Tough Guy,” is a Drama based on real people and true events. Mr. Li was at ease and liberated in this way. His focus in life was other people. He saw other people’s issues as important; he did not care about his own matters. He was earnest when it came to others’ problems, and so this became his temperament. Until the very end, he was still so at ease. He said to his wife, “I am going to [my next life] by Master’s side. You go back to Kinmen and do recycling work.” This is how the world is. He came and went with such ease!

Usually, when I saw him, he was very carefree, but as a volunteer he was very mindful. He played effortlessly through the world, yet his every word was Dharma, and everything he did was to benefit others. With this kind of life, he had already understood [the Dharma]. He had faith and understanding; this was not just faith with only partial understanding, no. He had faith and could understand life.

In Taichung’s Tzu Chi Hospital, Mr. Li Guoming would spend half the time as a patient and the other half as a volunteer. He would also do recycling work as a way to entertain himself. He would ride a unicycle in the wards to entertain other patients. He would also play songs with his flute, also to entertain the patients. He helped the patients find happiness, open their hearts and understand. With a life like this, he was truly at ease.

So, our root of faith must be deeply planted. We have faith and can understand. We must not be content with partial understanding, with faith but only partial understanding. That would be very unfortunate. In this life, we need to be very earnest about the Dharma, not like in the past, where we had faith but only partial understanding. If in this life now we remain the same, with faith but only partial understanding, that would be a pity. When karmic causes and effects manifest, we must earnestly seize the opportunity and bring these matters and appearances of karmic causes and effects back to true principles. So, we must comprehend the principles clearly. Our root of faith needs to be deep in order for deviant views to be destroyed. Only by understanding and awakening can we destroy ignorance. We need to be truly mindful to experience this.

The preceding sutra passage states, “‘If Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas can have faith in the teaching of the sutra these 16 Bodhisattvas taught, accept and uphold them and never slander them, such people will all attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the wisdom of the Tathagata.’ The Buddha told the bhiksus, ‘These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.'”

Everyone should still remember the previous sutra passage. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha was very earnestly reminding everyone again. They had already heard the 16 Bodhisattva-novices expound the Lotus Sutra. Everyone had already eliminated their doubts. So, He again reminded them to have faith and believe in these 16 Bodhisattvas, who were the 16 novices. Everyone needed to believe in, accept and uphold the Dharma that they taught. They must not neglect or forget it. They also must not damage this teaching. They should thoroughly treasure the Dharma taught by the 16 Bodhisattva-novices.

This was because if everyone could treasure these teachings, everyone could likewise attain. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. This is supreme, universal and perfect awakening, equal to the wisdom of the Tathagata. It is returning to the wisdom of the Tathagata, to everyone’s intrinsic Buddha-nature. So, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha then said, “Bhiksus, these 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra.” These were the 16 Bodhisattva-novices. “Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.” These 16 Bodhisattvas had transformed so many sentient beings. Those they “transformed” are those they taught. There were already so many of these people.

In the past, these 16 novices had each transformed so many people, helped so many people reach attainment. There were 600 trillion nayutas of them, countless sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands. This was the compassion of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. He hoped sentient beings can have faith and understanding; faith and understanding is very important. The teachings of the 16 novices were verified by the Buddha as correct teachings. After everyone had listened to them, they should all treasure them. We must know that these 16 novices did not engage in spiritual practice only in that life. In the past, in the presence of countless Buddhas, they had already engaged in spiritual practice and had already transformed so many people. Many associators had formed affinities with them. So, everyone needed to treasure [their teachings]. This was Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s compassion for sentient beings. He once again reminded them and firmly verified [the teachings]; He bore witness so everyone would be firm in their resolve.

The next sutra passage states, “Lifetime after lifetime they were born in the company of Bodhisattvas. They heard the Dharma from them, and all had faith and understanding. Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and have not reached the end even now.”

These 16 novices taught and transformed many beings who had already, life after life, been “in the company of Bodhisattvas.” Life after life, they were taught and transformed by Buddhas and were in the company of all the Bodhisattvas. In every spiritual training ground, they listened to the Dharma and were able to have faith and understanding. Because of such causes and conditions, they were constantly accompanied by spiritual friends. So, with these causes and conditions, they have already met four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, In the past, it was like this. Right now, it is still like this. In the future, it will still be like this. There are still many teachings that require a long period of time [to learn]. So, they will still, life after life, be with many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, constantly being permeated by the Dharma.

Think about this; countless dust-inked kalpas ago, there were the 16 novices. In the future of [that distant past], they still have many Buddhas [to meet]. These 16 novices were the same. In the future of that distant past, the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, also formed karmic affinities with many beings over this time. He also made offerings to many Buddhas and was in the company of many Bodhisattvas. Clearly, to become a Buddha is not that easy. In our minds we must be able to comprehend this. This faithful acceptance over a long period of time is very important.

So it says, “Lifetime after lifetime they were born in the company of Bodhisattvas.” These were the affinities that the 16 novices formed in past lives and the people they had encountered.
Lifetime after lifetime they were born in the company of Bodhisattvas: Due to the affinities of past lifetimes, they constantly encountered one another. Without affinities, surely they would not meet. With affinities, surely they would not part.

“Without affinities, surely they would not meet. With affinities, surely they would not part.” They had these affinities; over many lifetimes they formed many affinities. Before Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, they had already transformed many sentient beings. After Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, how many affinities would they form? So, without affinities, surely they would not meet.

This is like when the Buddha was in the world. In a small city, 30,000 people had affinities with the Buddha. They could see the Buddha and hear the Dharma. Some people’s karmic conditions had not matured, so though they had heard His name, because their affinities were not mature, they were unable to meet the Buddha. Then there were also some who did not even hear the Buddha’s name, let alone meet Him. “Without affinities, surely they would not meet.” Without affinities, they could not meet Him. “With affinities, surely they would not part.” Those with affinities will form affinities in this way life after life. In this way, they reach attainment; they help each other reach attainment and form affinities with one another. So, in forming affinities, we create blessed conditions and cultivate roots of goodness. This is very important.

So, “They listened to the Dharma from them, and all had faith and understanding.”
They listened to the Dharma from them, and all had faith and understanding: Those whose roots of faith, vows and practice are deep will turn to enter the path of practice. As for those with dull capabilities, when their ear-root matures, they focus [and take it in]. As they rely on the firm strength of their root of faith, it thus says they “have faith and understanding.”

Over this really long period of time, they listened to the Dharma from the 16 novices. Over this long time, many lifetimes, they formed affinities in this way. These 16 novices all had deep roots of faith, vows and practice; they turned to enter the path of practice. So, to listen to the Dharma, to listen to the 16 novices’ teachings, we must give rise to roots of faith. Our faith, vows and practice must be deep, then naturally we can engage in spiritual practice and turn to enter and practice. This is to say, we need to thoroughly believe for us to be willing to engage in spiritual practice. Otherwise, with only faith, if we believe but do not want to escape cyclic existence, if we have faith but do not put it into practice, if we do not think to transform sentient beings, then, with only faith, we will forever be trapped in the Six Realms.

Those who cultivate blessings are born in heaven or in the human realm, but can get confused again. When the causes and conditions next appear, ignorance will endlessly multiply, and our minds will be unable to become purified. If our roots of faith are deep, then our faith, vows and practice naturally lead us to enter the path of practice. With practice, we will no longer have these causes and conditions leading us to cling to and contrive affinities. We will not have the causes and conditions of familial affinities binding us. We can focus on engaging in spiritual practice. Without burdens of family or contrived affinities, we can single-mindedly listen to the teachings and take them in and put them into practice. We get deeply involved in society to transform sentient beings. This is spiritual cultivation; we turn to enter the path of spiritual practice.

For those with dull capabilities, once their “ear-root matures,” they focus. When their ear-root hears the Dharma, they are able to take it in. The Dharma can enter their minds, and they can focus when listening to the Dharma.

“They rely on the firm strength of their roots of faith.” They have faith and understanding. “I believe, I understand.” But they still have their causes and conditions. So, there are two kinds of spiritual practice. One kind is lay spiritual practice. The other is monastic spiritual practice. Lay practitioners still have karmic conditions with their family but they can have faith and understanding and hear and take in [the Dharma]. They can also understand it. Lay practitioners begin to form aspirations and likewise act to benefit other people. When conditions mature in their next life, then they turn to enter spiritual practice. This is why we must constantly and gradually develop faith and understanding with the Dharma.

“Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and have not reached the end even now.”

Through these causes and conditions, they are able to encounter four trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and have not reached the end even now: Due to these causes and conditions of their hearing the Dharma and having roots of goodness, over this time, they are able to encounter two trillion Majestic Tone King Buddhas.

The 16 novices were like this; in the past they had these causes and conditions and gradually entered the path of practice. They also had these causes and conditions which continued until now. Right now, it is Sakyamuni Buddha; He has already attained Buddhahood and is recalling the time of that Buddha’s 16 novices. So, there was the past and the future. This continued until the present. The present we speak of is the present time of Sakyamuni Buddha. Sakyamuni Buddha, since that time, had continually formed affinities with Buddhas and been in the company of Bodhisattvas. He also sought teachings and transformed people up until the present; as for the future, it “has not reached the end even now.” In the present He has attained Buddhahood. “Not reached the end” means He does not stop. He still has the future, because there are still myriads of sentient beings who have not yet been transformed.

Over 2000 years ago, the Buddha entered Parinirvana. However, in His compassion, the Buddha is still with sentient beings. The founder of the religion in the Saha World still has constant compassion for sentient beings. It has not reached the end even now; it is endless. Now our fundamental teacher is still Sakyamuni Buddha. Over 2000 years ago, the Buddha entered Parinirvana. Today, more than 2000 years later, the Buddha-Dharma is still used to teach and transform sentient beings.

So, “Due to the causes and conditions of their hearing the Dharma and having roots of goodness, over this time, they are able to encounter two trillion Majestic Tone King Buddhas.” During this time, they meet so many Buddhas. So, “In the ten directions and Three Periods, all great Bodhisattvas of the Lotus Dharma-assembly and all sentient beings encounter one another.”

In the ten directions and the Three Periods, all great Bodhisattvas of the Lotus Dharma-assembly and all sentient beings encounter one another. Of these, all were replete with exceptional causes and conditions from past lives. Thus, they can collectively benefit one another without end. Over such a long period of time, they encountered two trillion Majestic Tone King Buddhas. This period of time was very long. In the worlds of the ten directions, all those at the Lotus Dharma-assemblies mutually encountered all Bodhisattvas and all sentient beings. With all who mutually met each other and all the causes and conditions they had, they were able to continuously connect.

“Of these, all were replete with exceptional causes and conditions from past lives.” Just like this, life after life they would meet these Bodhisattvas and encounter these sentient beings. They became friends through the Dharma and used the Dharma to transform sentient beings. If they encountered Bodhisattvas, they made friends through the Dharma. If they encountered sentient beings, they used the Dharma to transform them. Life after life, it happened this way. These were exceptional affinities from past lives. Thus they can collectively benefit one another without end. As they interact, they collectively benefit one another. They become friends with Bodhisattvas and transform sentient beings. This happened, life after life, for such a long period of time.

So, “They can encounter four trillion Buddhas and have not reached the end.” They continually encountered four trillion Buddhas. They can encounter the Dharma and the Buddha. This is very remarkable.

They can encounter four trillion Buddhas and have not reached the end: Son-of-Body had sharp capabilities and encountered two trillion Buddhas. Those with limited capabilities would encounter four trillion Buddhas. These refer to those Buddhas who time and again manifest arising and ceasing.

To encounter a Buddha in the world is exceptional. However, the sentient beings that the 16 novices transformed and taught were able to, after Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, encounter four trillion Buddhas; this is a lot.

“Son-of-Body had sharp capabilities and encountered two trillion Buddhas.” Who is “Son-of-Body,” do you know? Sariputra! Sariputra had sharp capabilities. Among Sakyamuni Buddha’s disciples, Sariputra had sharp capabilities and had encountered two trillion Buddhas. At the present Buddha’s spiritual training ground, that is, Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, [it was said that] Sariputra’s past was like this. He had encountered so many Buddhas. What about those with limited capabilities? Those with limited capabilities would encounter four trillion Buddhas. Only then could they understand the Buddha-Dharma. The people with sharp capabilities encountered two trillion Buddhas and absorbed the Dharma from Them. Then they could understand it. However, those with limited capabilities, even after encountering four trillion Buddhas, would still be the same, with only a partial understanding. This shows they did not mindfully comprehend.

So, “These refer to [how Buddhas] time and again manifest arising and ceasing” until these people attain Buddhahood. So, whether those with sharp capabilities or those with limited capabilities, the Buddha would meet them life after life. Those with sharp capabilities quickly attained the Dharma. Those with limited capabilities may have to encounter four trillion Buddhas. It might take this long of meeting these Buddhas who expounded the Dharma in order for them to understand it.

In conclusion, in life we are each other’s spiritual friends. You and I have affinities. From one sentence you say, I am able to understand. Those with affinities understand. But we cannot remain mindful for a long time. Thus, as we frequently listen to the Dharma, those with affinities will share with one another, while those without affinities will not even want to listen. Although they have heard it, it is as if they took nothing in. For people like this, how can they reach a thorough understanding?

“Those who mature first are transformed first. If, during this time, they had encountered and constantly accepted the Great Vehicle, these people would have reached attainment in this lifetime, so they have not reached the end even now.”

So, “Those who mature first are transformed first.” There is a sequence. Those with faith and understanding will truly take the Dharma to heart. “Those who mature first are transformed first.” Once they understand and experience it, they can be transformed.

This was just like Sariputra. At this Dharma-assembly, he was first to receive the Buddha’s prediction. He was the first one.

During this time, those they encounter have constantly heard the Great Vehicle Dharma and can similarly reach attainment. However, those who are “reaching attainment” are not those who have “reached attainment.” Thus, this requires forming affinities.

“So they have not have reached the end even now.” They are already on their way. People with very sharp capabilities first must mature and then attain transformation. During this time it is like this. Some people have already attained transformation. Some will remain like this until the future. Some will remain like this even until the future of the future. This is why we must have a long term mindset of transforming sentient beings.

“In this lifetime they would seem to not have reached the end. Today they were able to again listen to the Great Vehicle teaching. But if they only encountered the Small Vehicle and did not encounter the Great Vehicle, they were not yet transformed during that time and still have not reached the end until now.”

“If during this time they had encountered, yet then retreated from the Great,” still continued retreating to accept the Small,
They have not thoroughly understood the Great Vehicle Dharma. They retreated from the Great, so they must start over once again. They would still have to begin again with the Small Vehicle. Those with sharp capabilities can directly mature and directly be transformed.

During this time, even if they hear the Great Dharma, along the way they retreat, so they have to start over again. “In this lifetime they would seem to not have reached the end.” The number of people like this who are stuck along the way are still so numerous. There are still many that are starting again. “Today they were able to again listen to the Great Vehicle teaching.” They begin again, listening to the teaching again from the beginning.

“But if they only encountered the Small Vehicle,” meaning that these people in the Small Vehicle “did not encounter the Great Vehicle, then they were not yet transformed during that time.” Now, whether it is people in the Small Vehicle or people in the Great Vehicle, they have encountered and listened to the Dharma. Though they have made Great Vehicle aspirations, along the way, if they retreat, they will still remain in the Small Vehicle. Those who practice the Small Vehicle now had practiced the Great Vehicle Dharma in the past. But they had retreated once again. Now, they have to start from the beginning. This is saying their faith is not firm. So, they “still have not reached the end even now.”

Thus, “Today they begin to accept the Great.” These same people keep coming and going along this path for a very long time, and their minds have not yet settled. So, they only partially understood the Dharma; they are unable to understand it very thoroughly.

“Today they begin to accept the Great and continue until they reach extinction, thus attaining the truth.”

They continuously retreat, so they have to keep starting over, starting again from the Small Vehicle.

In this way, we must do this over and over until we can thoroughly understand and enter our nature of True Suchness, return to our nature of True Suchness. We still have a long time to go before we transcend cyclic existence. If we see birth and death with an open mind, we can come and go with ease. To reach this level is to truly attain the Path.

The Dharma is always this simple. In matter and appearances, we can experience the principles. However, these principles are very profound, and we cannot understand. Our minds are unable to truly experience them and connect with the Dharma. So, we end up like this, coming and going, moving forward and retreating. Thus, we are constantly transmigrating in the Six Realms without rest. So, in learning the Dharma, our roots of faith must be deep. Only then can we understand the true principles. We must always be mindful.

Episode 1059 – Upholding Vows and Practicing with Roots of Faith

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>> “With a deep and solid root of faith, with steadfast power of thought, we uphold our vows and practice as we listen, contemplate and engage in practice. The Tathagata’s spoken teachings are what we constantly cultivate, remember and maintain. We diligently accept and uphold them to seek the Buddha’s understanding and views.”

>> “He announced universally to the assembly, ‘These 16 Bodhisattva-novices are profoundly extraordinary All have sharp capabilities and their wisdom brings complete understanding They have already made offerings to immeasurable trillions of Buddhas In the presence of all Buddhas, they have constantly cultivated Brahma-conduct to open and reveal it for sentient beings so that they may enter it All of you must draw very close to them and make offerings to them Why is this so?'”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> “If Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas can have faith in the teachings of the sutra these 16 Bodhisattvas taught, can accept and uphold them and never slander them, such people will all attain. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the wisdom of the Tathagata. The Buddha told the bhiksus, ‘These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra. Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.’”        [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> If Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas: Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas refer to practitioners of the Small Vehicle and. Pratyekabuddhas of the Solitary Realizer Vehicle. Bodhisattvas are Great Vehicle practitioners. This refers to newly inspired Bodhisattva-practitioners.

>> So, “[If they can] have faith in the teachings of the sutra these 16 Bodhisattvas taught, accept and uphold them and never slander them,”

>> Such people will all attain. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the wisdom of the Tathagata: Those who uphold the sutra will all attain the Buddha’s supreme wisdom.

>> The Buddha told the bhiksus, “These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra. Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.”

>> These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra: These Bodhisattvas teach no other Dharma. Their hearts constantly take joy in their teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra.

>> Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands: The capabilities of those they had transformed were as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

>> Because the 16 Bodhisattvas took joy in constantly teaching this sutra, each time at their Dharma-assemblies, those who drew near and were transformed were also so numerous. Moreover, these beings of various kinds, for many lifetimes and long kalpas, repeatedly listened to the Dharma from these. Bodhisattvas and engaged in spiritual practice. Each of them would all, one after another, attain Buddhahood.

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“With a deep and solid root of faith, with steadfast power of thought,
we uphold our vows and practice as we listen, contemplate and engage in practice.
The Tathagata’s spoken teachings are what we constantly cultivate, remember and maintain.
We diligently accept and uphold them to seek the Buddha’s understanding and views.”

We must understand; in our spiritual practice. “Faith is the source of the Way, mother of merits. It nurtures all roots of goodness.” The power of faith is so important! If we lack faith, then we will not be able to enact any of our ideals in life. In life, the word “faith” is very important. Whether in our career or our studies, or even our spiritual cultivation, everything is inseparable from faith. Our root of faith must be very deep and firm; this is indispensable to spiritual practitioners.

In the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, there are the Five Roots and the Five Powers. The root of faith is very important; it is first in the list. The root of faith and the power of faith are one of the foundations of our spiritual practice. It is important that we have this root of faith. Next, we also need diligence. The Five Roots and Five Powers come together. These five kinds of Roots and Powers are the root of faith, power of faith, root of diligence, power of diligence, root of thought, power of thought, root of Samadhi, power of Samadhi, root of wisdom and power of wisdom. These all require us to be very mindful.

The root of faith includes the power of faith. If our root and power of faith can be firm, then we will not deviate in our direction. If, with our root of thought and power of thought, we can persevere and be very steadfast, then our direction can be very stable. This way, we will not be taken far off course by a slight deviation. So, the powers of faith, thought, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom are all needed. Thus, we need to be very mindful. “With a deep and solid root of faith, the power of thought is steadfast.” This is the foundation. We must have faith, Samadhi, thought and diligence. Then naturally the direction of our spiritual practice will not deviate.

In addition, we must make vows. With faith, thought, Samadhi, diligence and so on, have faith, thought, Samadhi, diligence and so on, we still must make vows. So, we must “uphold our vows and practice.” We must listen, contemplate and practice continually in our physical conduct. As for the Tathagata’s teachings, we must earnestly accept and uphold them.

Every sutra, whether from the. Small Vehicle, Middle Vehicle or Great Vehicle, no matter what kind of Dharma it teaches, is something we must listen to and take in. The Small Vehicle Dharma should earnestly be applied in our minds and in our behavior. Whether upholding precepts or diligently advancing, this is all to benefit oneself. However, we must not merely benefit ourselves, but also benefit others.

If we do not know to earnestly exercise our faith, vows and action, then we will not have any room to move forward. So, we not only have to be steadfast, but must also advance forward. Faith, vows and action and the power of thought in listening, contemplation and practice are all very important.

As Buddhist practitioners, when it comes to the Buddha’s teachings we must not think the 37 Practices to Enlightenment are only for Small Vehicle practitioners to accept and uphold. If we lack the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, it would be as if there were just only the heavens and no earth beneath it.

Spiritual practice is not only about lofty and high up [states]. When one attains Buddhahood, we often say [this enlightenment] pervades the entire universe. Can we only talk about these [lofty states] and not the ground beneath them? No. In our spiritual practice, the ground of our mind must be very firm and substantial. The earth nourishes and supports our lives. To provide for our wisdom-life, we cannot do without this great land. All things exist upon the earth. All phenomena exist on the earth.

The “heavens” refers to the universe, which covers everything. All these principles start from the earth. So, in our spiritual practice, we must value both the Great and Small Vehicles. The Small Vehicle Dharma begins with us, with our lifestyle and behavior, the people, matters and appearances that are part of our daily living.

Practicing the Buddha-Dharma means taking the principles to heart. In our minds, once we understand the principles, when we see outside people, matters and things, they converge with the principles in us. Then whatever is said, whatever the people, matters or things, whatever has happened, it all undergoes contemplation in our minds. This means that we are regularly absorbing the Dharma. Then when we make contact with external states, we bring them together [with the principles]. We should be able to judge right and wrong clearly. If it is the right thing to do, we must quickly put it into action, overcoming many difficulties to accomplish the things we feel are right. This is the most basic understanding and view. We must be clear about the workings of things. Then, we must be steadfast in our faith, understand our direction and not deviate. So, we need to listen, contemplate, practice and have faith, vows and action. These are very important.

Thus we must rely on the Tathagata’s teachings. If Sakyamuni Buddha had not earnestly guided and taught us for a long time, teaching us the principles passed down from immeasurable dust-inked kalpas ago, before Beginningless Time, how would we able to understand this? So, when it comes to the Tathagata’s teachings, we constantly cultivate, remember and maintain them.

Look at Sakyamuni Buddha. He has already attained Buddhahood. The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City is all about Him looking back on how He constantly cultivated, remembered and maintained [the Dharma]. In His memory, He looked back on a time dust-inked kalpas prior, to matters from before Beginningless Time. This means that when we practice, it must be from the source. After listening, we must take it to heart. Furthermore, our root of faith and power of thought must be firm in order for us to be diligent. The power of Samadhi means we do not let any external states disturb us. We must constantly be diligent. This way, we are able to manifest our wisdom-life. So, with the Tathagata’s teachings, we must earnestly be mindful and constantly cultivate, remember and maintain them. This is very important!

Also, we must “diligently accept and uphold them.” Sakyamuni Buddha attained Buddhahood by engaging in spiritual practice for a very long time. He constantly cultivated and upheld the teachings in lifetime after lifetime. He sought the Buddha’s Way and transformed sentient beings. Throughout this process, as we said yesterday, the 16 novices had already made offerings at the assemblies of countless Buddhas. In the presence of countless Buddhas, they engaged in practice

and made offerings. The meaning of making offerings is to put the teachings into action and dedicate one’s body and mind. For sentient beings’ sake, we accept the Buddha’s teachings. With the Buddha’s teachings, we diligently practice, then go among people and widely transform sentient beings. We do this lifetime after lifetime. So, we seek the Buddha’s Way and go among people to experience the matters and appearances of the world, using these matters and appearances to train ourselves. How must we eliminate ignorance and afflictions and resolve our doubts? When our ignorance and afflictions are eliminated and our doubts have been resolved, naturally, we draw near to the Buddha’s understanding and views.

So, on the one hand we seek [the Dharma], and on the other hand, we must actualize it. So, seeking the Buddha’s understanding and views is our heartfelt wish. We must also put them into action. Even if they are only a few phrases, in the process of our spiritual practice we cannot neglect them. We must be very earnest and diligent with steadfast faith. This is what we must learn. We are truly able to achieve this as long as we have the resolve. Spiritual practice does not require some very deep [understanding] or some very advanced degree. That is not necessary.

In Thailand, there was a recently graduated college student. He graduated from a very well-known university in Thailand called. Chulalongkorn University. It is a very famous university. After he graduated, his father stood silently in the corner at his son’s graduation ceremony. A son graduating is a very proud moment! When he saw his father standing at the corner, his heart was filled with emotion. After he had put on his graduation gown and after the ceremony had ended, he quickly went outside to look for his father.

He saw that his dad was driving a garbage truck. This garbage truck was in front of the university. The father was standing beside the truck in his work clothes. He seemed to be very touched, with tears in his eyes. The son came before the garbage truck to where his father stood. He knelt down in front of his father and touched his father’s feet with both hands, just as we would do when we reverently prostrate to the Buddha. It was just like how, in the Buddha’s time, people would prostrate to the Buddha. He knelt in front of his father’s feet with both of his hands touching his feet. Anyone seeing this would be touched.

It turned out that his father had only been able to attend school until the fourth grade. His family was too poor, so he had to start working odd jobs. He grew up working these odd jobs until he finally learned to drive. When he could drive, he applied to drive a garbage truck so that he could have a fixed income. He had one wish. He felt that his life was so hard, especially as the job he had was considered to be the lowest in society, because he works with garbage. So, no matter what, he was determined to raise his son so that his education level would be higher than his, and he would be able to go to college. It did not matter how expensive the tuition or the cost of raising and educating him would be; he only had this one wish. He was determined to accomplish his wish in life.

But did the son think this way as well? From elementary school to middle school, he had a sense of inferiority and was resentful. He resented that his classmates’ fathers were either businessmen in sharp suits or military or police officers in their dignified uniforms. Only his own father’s clothes were so sloppy. So, he felt very inferior and felt resentful toward his father for doing this kind of work. When it came to his father, he would compare himself to his peers and felt inferior to them.

Thus, the son just continued to work very hard because he knew that no matter what, he wanted to escape his family’s poverty. So, he put in great effort and believed in his own ability. He maintained a firm resolve and was determined to succeed in his wish. So, whether it was primary school, secondary school or university, he put great effort into his studies. But toward his father and his own family, he had nothing but disregard and resentment. He looked down on his own father and resented the family’s poverty.

This went on until that day, when he had his graduation gown on, just like every other student, and went on stage to receive his diploma. As he did so, he looked down and suddenly saw his father in the corner. He seemed very lonely. He saw his classmates’ families, how dignified they all looked with their sharp suits and commanding uniforms. They were all in this place, but then he thought of his father in the corner and himself standing on stage. In all the other families, the parents looked so dignified and successful. But no matter their [background], he realized that when he was on stage, he was just like the rest of his classmates.

Seeing his father so lonely in the corner, at that time he felt overcome with emotion. “I see now that my father has been so lonely his whole life. My father’s whole life he has worked so hard. Although his level of education was so low, although he had to do such heavy manual labor, and in particular, every day had to work with smelly garbage, he was able to provide for my education. I have never gone lacking.” At that moment he was overcome with emotion and quickly rushed out the door. He saw his father’s garbage truck still outside. His father was wiping away tears next to the truck. So, he was very touched; he could not help but bow down. He bowed twice to his father.

His father quickly pulled him up, and both were in tears. But as he was very emotional, he bowed again and then embraced his father. He said to his father, “I am sorry. Ever since I was little, I have never treated you with respect. From now on I will repay you with respect and filial piety.” This is the power of faith. We must have faith in ourselves. Although there was a period of time as he was growing up that he lacked gratitude for his father, now he had succeeded. The reason he was able to [graduate] was because his father had been breaking his back to provide for his son and help him reach today’s accomplishment. This is very touching.

Everyone has latent potential. Although the father did not study much, in his heart, he had the power of his vows and the power of faith and power of thought. Father and son both had this. As a father, he fully exercised his faith, power of thought and power of vows. With this diligence and this steadfast resolve, aren’t these the Five Roots and Five Powers being put to use to fulfill his [life’s wish]? Wasn’t the son also like this? Although he felt inferior because of his family, his faith, power of thought, vows and action, diligence, steadfastness and so on also gave him strength. So, he was able to complete his studies. At this time, he awakened to the debt he owed his father. All this came together so he could make up for what he owed his father.

Isn’t spiritual practice the same? We must first establish our character and clearly discern right from wrong. From childhood, if he had rid himself of feelings of inferiority, then he would not have had doubts. Naturally, from a young age he would have been filial, grateful and respectful. Why do we say he felt inferior? This is an inferiority complex. With his inferiority complex affecting how He treated his family, both father and son had very difficult lives. The father had to endure patiently. The son was also like this; he had a difficult time with this state of mind.

When we become Buddhist practitioners, we continue living in the same world. With our root of faith, power of thought and our actions and vows, we must persevere. Only then can we complete [our practice],

not only by understanding Buddhist principles but also perfecting our virtuous practice. It is not just a matter of saying, “I understand; I have studied this deeply. I can talk about and analyze a lot of things.” If we are lacking in virtue, we will still be unable to complete [our spiritual cultivation]. So, for virtue, take this young man as an example. After graduation he made up for his lack of virtue by expressing filial piety for his father. He lacked this respect for his father, so he made up for it at that time. Thus, acting in this way is the true moral character of an educated person. Only in this way is it sufficient. Otherwise, throughout his entire life, he would still feel lacking. The principles for our lives are the same as the principles of the Buddha-Dharma.

The previous sutra passage states, “He announced universally to the assembly, ‘These 16 Bodhisattva-novices are profoundly extraordinary All have sharp capabilities and their wisdom brings complete understanding They have already made offerings to immeasurable trillions of Buddhas In the presence of all Buddhas, they have constantly cultivated Brahma-conduct to open and reveal it for sentient beings so that they may enter it All of you must draw very close to them and make offerings to them Why is this so?'”

This sutra passage is telling us that. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha understood that there were doubtful people who could [resolve their doubts] with the 16 novices’ explanation. Although the 16 novices were very young, He hoped that everyone would place importance on the Dharma that these 16 novices understood and the practices they had cultivated, that they would value the 16 novices. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha praised and testified to the merits and virtues that the 16 novices had cultivated. These has been deeply [planted]. They were “extraordinary” and profound. Their capabilities were all sharp, and their wisdom was very clear. They had already made offerings to countless trillions of Buddhas. So, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha confirmed that they did not only begin practicing in this life. In the past, these 16 novices had made offerings to countless trillions of Buddhas.

For many lifetimes they have practiced like this. So, in the presence of all these Buddhas, they not only listened to the Buddha-Dharma, but also put it into practice and upheld precepts purely, and even “accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom.” The Buddha’s wisdom refers to practicing the Bodhisattva-path and going among people. Our body and mind must remain pure while we also go among people and widely transform sentient beings. “Open and reveal it for sentient beings” means they hoped that all sentient beings can accept the Buddha-Dharma “so that they may enter it.” They wished to help all sentient beings to be able to enter the Buddha-Dharma.

So, “all of you” means that everyone already heard what the 16 novices said. Their doubts had already been eliminated. Everybody “must draw very close to them.” Everyone had to draw closer to the 16 novices. They also had to have respect and reverence for these 16 novices. Why? “Why is this so?” Everyone had to make offerings and draw close to the 16 novices; why was this?

The next sutra passage states, “If Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas can have faith in the teachings of the sutra these 16 Bodhisattvas taught, can accept and uphold them and never slander them, such people will all attain. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the wisdom of the Tathagata.”

This is true whether they are Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas or Bodhisattvas. Hearers are practitioners of the Small Vehicle. Then Pratyekabuddhas are the Solitary Realizers who only seek to awaken themselves. As for Bodhisattvas, all Bodhisattvas practice the Great Vehicle. However, these are newly inspired Bodhisattvas.

Of these practitioners of the Small, Middle and Great Vehicles, after Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught the Dharma, some had faith and understanding, but others still had doubts. When Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha entered the meditation room, they had no one to answer their questions. So, the 16 novices ascended the [Dharma-]throne, and people who had affinities with them each followed one of the 16 novices to where they sat, so they could receive teachings. They went to listen to the 16 novices’ repetition of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s teachings on the Great Vehicle.

If Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas: Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas refer to practitioners of the Small Vehicle and. Pratyekabuddhas of the Solitary Realizer Vehicle. Bodhisattvas are Great Vehicle practitioners. This refers to newly inspired Bodhisattva-practitioners.

These people already had faith and understanding and completely eliminated their doubts. Thus, as Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha emerged from Samadhi, He understood that the 16 novices had skillfully given explanations. All the people who listened gained faith and understanding. So, He wanted to testify [to their abilities]. “Everyone, it is not only that when I entered the meditation room, the 16 novices taught on my behalf, allowing you to faithfully accept [the Dharma]. I hope that everyone, from now on, will draw close to them, to the one you received teachings from, the one who taught you. These are the 16 novices. Do not take them lightly; you must respect them.” This is because in the past, they have already met immeasurable Buddhas and, at Their places of practice, cultivated purifying practices and Brahma-conduct. They also went among people life after life to widely transform sentient beings. Thus, these people had affinities with them. The Buddha’s intention was to bear witness for and help the 16 novices succeed.

So, “[If they can] have faith in the teachings of the sutra these 16 Bodhisattvas taught, accept and uphold them and never slander them,”

if they could faithfully accept the Wondrous Lotus Flower Sutra that was taught, if they could accept it faithfully, they would “accept and uphold it with utmost sincerity.” They would accept it with the utmost reverence. Then, after faithfully accepting they must faithfully put it into practice. In this way, they would not give rise to slander. This is to “accept and uphold them and never slander them.”

We must be very reverent. Because the causes and conditions had matured, the 16 novices spoke to everyone, and everyone needed to earnestly accept and uphold what they taught. After faithfully accepting the teachings, they must not then give rise to slander. They must not give rise to doubts.

Such people will all attain. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the wisdom of the Tathagata: Those who uphold the sutra will all attain the Buddha’s supreme wisdom.

Then they are someone who upholds the sutras. “Such people will all attain. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi,” the wisdom of the Tathagata. If they could accept and uphold the teachings in this way, then after listening, they should be able to attain the Buddha’s supreme wisdom.

Although the 16 novices were very young, in terms of the Dharma, they did not deviate. They never deviated at all from the Dharma. So, by following the Dharma that they taught, earnestly persevering and firmly accepting and upholding the teachings, in this way, people would also be able to attain the Buddha’s supreme wisdom.

This was also a reminder to all that everyone has latent potential; it just must be brought out through spiritual practice and training. It is not a matter of age.

The 16 novices are the best proof of this. In the past, they had truly practiced ceaselessly and faithfully accepted and put teachings into action. In the presence of countless Buddhas they sought the Dharma and transformed others. The latent potential that they accumulated was hidden in their eighth consciousness. Not only was it in their eighth consciousness, already, every seed in their consciousness was a seed of goodness for attaining Buddhahood. This is from lifetimes of ceaseless practice.

The next sutra passage states, “The Buddha told the bhiksus, ‘These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.'”

We are able to see from this sutra passage that. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha again said to the assembly that these 16 novices were Bodhisattvas. They are always like this, taking delight in explaining the Lotus Sutra and pursuing the Great Vehicle Dharma. For many lifetimes the aspirations they formed were to seek the Great Vehicle Dharma. So, the Lotus Sutra is the path to Buddhahood.

It is [taught] in the assemblies of all Buddhas; all Buddhas share the same path. Every Buddha comes to the world to transform and teach sentient beings, all for the sake of the One Vehicle Dharma. They want to transform sentient beings and hope that everyone can attain Buddhahood and be equal to the Buddha. So, in the end They all will definitely teach the path to Buddhahood. The path to Buddhahood is contained in The Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is the path to attaining Buddhahood. So, the 16 Bodhisattva-novices, lifetime after lifetime, were just like this, “constantly taking joy in teaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra.”

“Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.” This means that the 16 novices, these 16 Bodhisattvas, have been like this. After countless lifetimes of transforming beings, this accumulated to be 600 trillion [nayutas] of sentient beings, as many as the sands of the Ganges River. This describes the vast number of beings. The number is so great that we cannot imagine how much it really is.

In the beginning of the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, how much time was mentioned? The era of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior is “dust-inked kalpas” in the past. Think about it; how much time is this? Each dust particle represents a kalpa; so many descriptions were given. Then in [the time of] Sakyamuni Buddha, He again described the past, and the past Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha again described the 16 novices and how for kalpas they made offerings to all Buddhas. Clearly this amount of time is very difficult to represent.

So, we must know that everyone has always had this intrinsic nature. Since Beginningless Time, everybody has intrinsically had Buddha-nature. It is just that with our ignorance, we continually remain in cyclic existence. Sakyamuni Buddha’s intention was to let us know that [the 16 novices] had patiently persevered for a long time and had steadfast faith to accept and uphold the teachings. They were very determined. Lifetime after lifetime [the Dharma] ceaselessly permeated them physically and mentally. This is just like the cells in our human body. All of their cells were filled with this faith from the root and power of wisdom. They gave of themselves among the people.

Truly, whether the microcosm or macrocosm, what is contained within is infinite, whether the dust particles in the macrocosm or within our bodies, in these microcosms, the immeasurable microscopic bacteria. The principle is the same. There is a countless number of worlds in our body. We must use our wisdom to consider this. In fact, we must be truly mindful to understand all things in the world. Every leaf, every blade of grass is its own world, to say nothing of a grain of sand. Each thing likewise has its own world and its own intrinsic nature. This also requires us to be mindful to contemplate everything in the world. This all requires us to be mindful.

So, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, spoke again to the bhiksus and listeners present. “The Buddha told the bhiksus.” This demonstrates the compassion of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha as He sincerely proclaimed this, wanting to explain the Bodhisattva-novices’ causes. They had guided and transformed [sentient beings] and eliminated people’s doubts. They had the experience of resolving many doubts and transforming many people.

The Buddha told the bhiksus: The Buddha, with compassion and sincerity, proclaimed these words. Through being transformed and having their doubts removed, people could understand and attain benefit. For dust-inked kalpas, these Bodhisattvas have constantly persisted in delivering all beings. It has been an extremely long time.

This is how these Bodhisattva-novices treated all sentient beings. Over many lifetimes, they remained firm in their intentions and transformed sentient beings in this way. They helped all sentient beings to completely eliminate their doubts and helped them to understand profound principles.

“For dust-inked kalpas, these Bodhisattvas have constantly persisted in delivering all beings. It has been an extremely long time.” They began in this way at each Buddha’s place of practice, using the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra to transform sentient beings and enable them to completely eliminate their doubts. They led everyone to accept the Buddha-Dharma and receive benefit. Over this long period of time, they transformed sentient beings persistently and steadfastly. It was a very long time.

“These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra.” These Bodhisattvas are like this, always taking the Lotus Sutra, the path to Buddhahood, as their final goal. Thus they transform sentient beings.

These 16 Bodhisattvas constantly take joy in teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra: These Bodhisattvas teach no other Dharma. Their hearts constantly take joy in teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra.

In fact, all the Dharma that has been said before, including the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, until the ultimate Nirvana, is also Dharma that they taught. So, “These Bodhisattvas teach no other Dharma.” Similarly, the Lotus Sutra already contains so many teachings. Thus, “Their hearts constantly take joy in teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra.”

Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands: The capabilities of those they had transformed were as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

“Each of these Bodhisattvas has transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the Ganges’ sands.” The capacities of those they transformed were of so many different kinds. So, the 16 Bodhisattvas all take much joy in teaching this sutra. At each assembly when they gave teachings, those who drew close and were transformed were so numerous.

Because the 16 Bodhisattvas took joy in constantly teaching this sutra, each time at their Dharma-assemblies, those who drew near and were transformed were also so numerous. Moreover, these beings of various kinds, for many lifetimes and long kalpas, repeatedly listened to the Dharma from these. Bodhisattvas and engaged in spiritual practice. Each of them would all, one after another, attain Buddhahood.

Over this very long period of time, the people they transformed were very numerous. So, all kinds of sentient beings, over many lifetimes, from long kalpas ago until now, ceaselessly and “repeatedly [listened to] these Bodhisattvas.” They did this over and over. These are the people who followed the 16 novices in their practice and in this way experience the Buddha-Dharma. Each would attain Buddhahood successively. So, the [novices] had transformed and enabled many people to walk the Bodhisattva-path. One by one they had completed [their practice], and many have attained Buddhahood. In summary, we all truly formed affinities with the 16 princes at. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s. Dharma-assembly. As the associators of the 16 princes, we have [followed them] until today. So, although much time has passed, we should constantly maintain our faith, vows and action and listening, contemplation and practice. We must uphold precepts, Samadhi and wisdom persistently in our daily living. We must always be mindful.

Episode 1058 – Causes and conditions to Benefit Self and Others

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>> “With inner causes and external conditions, they benefit both themselves and others. These noble and wondrous virtues are profoundly extraordinary. They universally enable people to enter the Dharma of the One True Vehicle. They transform all beings and lead them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.”

>> “One by one they transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the sands of the Ganges River. They revealed the teachings, bringing advantage and joy, and enabled them to give rise to the aspiration to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> So, “Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, 84,000 kalpas having already passed, arose from Samadhi. He went to His Dharma-throne and serenely took His seat.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> “He announced universally to the assembly ‘These 16 Bodhisattva-novices are profoundly extraordinary All have sharp capabilities, and their wisdom brings complete understanding They have already made offerings to immeasurable trillions of Buddha.'”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> He announced universally to the assembly: He spoke with a great voice and announced this universally to all in the assembly. This means He encouraged everyone to draw near to the 16 Bodhisattva-novices and have deep faith in, accept and uphold the teachings of the sutra taught by them.

>> These 16 Bodhisattva-novices are profoundly extraordinary: Because they were able to expound the Dharma, He praised them as profoundly extraordinary. They were replete with the inner causes and external conditions and the virtues of benefiting themselves and others. Therefore, they were profoundly extraordinary.

>> All have sharp capabilities, and their wisdom brings complete understanding: Among all matters, appearances and principles, there are none they do not comprehend, and they also have sharp capabilities. Because they have great wisdom, there is nothing in their minds that is not clearly understood and comprehended.

>> They had long practiced making offerings to all Buddhas. Over many lifetimes, they had cultivated and upheld profound blessings. With their power of faith, upholding of teachings and power of mindfulness, whatever the Tathagata taught through speech, they faithfully accepted and practiced it. This is the greatest offering.

>> “In the presence of all Buddhas, they have constantly cultivated Brahma-conduct. They accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom to open and reveal it for sentient beings so that they may enter it. All of you must draw very close to them and make offerings to them. Why is this so?”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]

>> In the presence of all Buddhas, they have constantly cultivated Brahma-conduct. They accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom to open and reveal it for sentient beings so that they may enter it: In the presence of all Buddhas, they were always learning purifying Brahma-conduct. Whatever they had attained, they opened and revealed for others.

>> They accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom: The Buddha’s wisdom as expressed in the sutra can be accepted and upheld by all Bodhisattvas, enabling them to enter the path of Buddhahood.

>> All of you must draw very close to them and make offerings to them: Draw close: Draw close to virtue and do not turn away. Offerings: Materials to nourish the body and virtue to nourish wisdom-life, thus cultivating blessings and revealing teachings.

>> So that they may enter it: This means to transform all sentient beings and help them all enter the Buddha-wisdom. This means delivering both themselves and others.

>> Why is this so?: The reason that He encouraged them to draw near and make offerings to the Bodhisattva-novices was that if the practitioners of the Three Vehicles could believe in what they taught, accept and uphold it without slandering it, they should be able to return to the One Vehicle and enter the Tathagata’s wisdom.

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“With inner causes and external conditions, they benefit both themselves and others.
These noble and wondrous virtues are profoundly extraordinary. They universally enable people to enter the Dharma of the One True Vehicle.
They transform all beings and lead them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.”

Everything is due to causes and conditions. Causes are internal, while conditions are external. Our daily lives are inseparable from causes and conditions. Internally in our minds, however it is that we think leads to our external actions. Our actions, whether good or bad, all go back to that inner cause. The internal cause is the seed which eventually results in the fruit, the fruits of suffering in life, of suffering beyond our control. Actually, this suffering beyond our control comes from the cause of seeds created in the past, which resulted in our present fruits. Those causal seeds bring external conditions to fruition, and the power of those external conditions then elicits thoughts within our minds. Once these thoughts arise in us, we use our power to bring external conditions to fruition.

These mutually incite one another. But this is what we must work on in our spiritual practice. As our minds connect with external states, should we seek to attain them? This depends on our minds. If a whole chest of gold is in front of us, shining so brightly, our eye-root will make contact with this chest of gold worth a fortune. Will I give rise to thoughts of greed. If so, I think, “This is very valuable.” In my mind I calculate, “This is so valuable! If only I had this I would be rich!” The external state [of the gold], our eye-root and the thoughts in our minds, these three things, come together. Then we want to possess it. Do thoughts of stealing it, of taking it, of seizing it arise? If so, we manifest our power.

Once we use our power, it becomes what is known as stealing. If we take others’ things or rob or steal, this all has the power of action. The power of these actions in fact results from thoughts arising within us. These are inner causes and external conditions. Outside us are these situations and things that lead us, once our eye-root makes contact, to give rise to greed within our minds. Then naturally we make use of our power. So, these inner causes and external conditions are terrifying.

When we see someone who is sick or suffering, our hearts go out to them. “Why is life so filled with suffering? I can help, so I will go and help him. But I do not have enough strength by myself, so let me call on more people to help him!” This likewise comes from inner causes and external conditions. With external conditions like these and the inner state of our minds, when we see others who are suffering, our hearts go out to them; we cannot bear it, so we naturally [give] with our power, while also drawing upon the strength of others. With our own and others’ strength, we help those who are suffering. This benefits both us as well as others. When we help someone and also invite others to join in helping them, all three parties experience gratitude and joy. The person receiving help is grateful and joyful, while those who help him come to recognize their blessings by witnessing suffering. Seeing him happy, they become joyful themselves.

This is like a case of ours in Yilan. There was a man nearly 70 years old, who normally receives government assistance, but has an alcohol problem. His habitual tendencies leads him to drink. He is not in the best of health. It is impossible for him to work, and he lives alone in a house with joint ownership. It was once a home shared by his ancestors. This house was dilapidated, very small, less than 30 square meters. The roof leaked, and it was basically uninhabitable. He had accumulated so much [garbage] inside, it was like a dirty warehouse, a garbage dump. That was where he lived.

But when it rained heavily, the entire place became essentially unlivable. So, the township office thought, “How can we help? This house is jointly owned. We cannot touch it or tear it down. Without the approval of all the owners, it is impossible to touch it.” The authorities’ hands were tied, but this house was truly uninhabitable. So, the authorities informed Tzu Chi volunteers. They brought the case to Tzu Chi.

Yilan Tzu Chi volunteers quickly went to visit. “It is so sad! How can he live in such a house? Even if we do the repairs, the house is still so filthy!” So, they kept speaking with him, telling him, “Besides fixing the roof for you, what if we were to all come here and help you to clean the house?” The man replied, “No thank you! I would be embarrassed! If you helped me fix my house. I would be very grateful. How could I ever let you come and clean my house?” So, he was unwilling.

But Tzu Chi volunteers told him, “It’s OK; there is no need to be embarrassed. However, we hope that you, in the future, once we repair your house, will follow one condition, that you quit drinking. Then you can work. What work can I do? You can first do recycling. If you quit your drinking habit, you will definitely be able to work.” With this, more than 20 people went to help clean. They first fixed his roof, then helped him clean the inside of the house. When they cleaned, it was really so dirty. No one knew how long this had been accumulating. The floor was thick with dirt, and there was a lot of garbage on the floor.

When they were cleaning, they kept on throwing the trash outside, when suddenly they saw a snake’s nest. It was a nest full of snakes. There were many of them, and once they disturbed them, many snakes scattered in all directions. When one of the commissioners disturbed them, the snakes began slithering in all directions. She got scared and rushed outside. What was going on? When the male volunteers saw, it scared them too. What could they do? The owner of the house just said, “What’s the big deal?” He began catching the snakes one by one, saying, “These are not poisonous.” He simply caught all the snakes one by one and released them outside.

Everyone helped him to clean up. In a single day they had helped fix the roof and clean the house. This man they had helped was filled with gratitude. “All I wanted was for my roof not to leak. You Tzu Chi brothers and sisters are all so kind. You even helped me clean my whole house.” The Tzu Chi volunteers said to him, “You should always keep it this clean. Now you need to start….” He said, “Not drinking anymore.” He himself said, “I won’t drink anymore. You have helped me so much. You are all so kind. I have to listen to you. I won’t drink anymore. I can go help with recycling.”

Tzu Chi volunteers rejoiced upon hearing this. This is benefiting oneself while benefiting others. Though this was [a simple] action, even I was touched and grateful when I saw. The place was so dirty, and these people were completely unrelated to him. Why would this group of more than 20 people willingly climb his roof to help him fix it? Why would so many help clean the house? They were of no relation to him at all, yet they arrived early in the morning and did not leave until after the sun had set. When they arrived it was like that; when they left it was like this. The man went from a state of helplessness to having a safe place to live. These are inner causes and external conditions.

In the past, this person’s inner cause was not loving himself. He merely passed his days drinking and thereby damaging his health. He was already old and this house belonged to others; it was a joint property. In such a state, he did not even know where to begin cleaning. External conditions presented themselves, and a group of people, these Living Bodhisattvas, could not bear to see him suffer, so they willingly went to help him. These were the inner causes and external conditions. The inner cause was the man himself. The external conditions were these Bodhisattvas, who ordinarily form great aspirations and make great vows. Their inner causes lay in taking the Dharma to heart and practicing the Dharma in their actions. So, whenever sentient beings are suffering, they will all work together to go to help them. So, internally and externally, there are these causes and conditions. This man had already been transformed; he had been delivered and saved. He was saved physically and transformed mentally. This is all the workings of causes and conditions in the world.

So, “These noble and wondrous virtues are profoundly extraordinary.” We can take the Dharma to heart, and when we take the Dharma to heart, whether our aspiration is newly formed, or whether for many lifetimes we have become Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, our noble and wondrous virtues must likewise be accumulated from our initial aspiration onward. Over many lifetimes we have brought this virtue to fruition. The Bodhisattvas we see now, because of their accumulated virtue, have the causes and conditions to listen to the Dharma. This is accumulated over many lifetimes, so people are at different places in the process. Some have already reached fruition, some are in the process of reaching it and some have yet to begin reaching it.

That man they helped had not yet reached it, but those who were helping him were in the process of achieving this. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have already achieved it. These causes and conditions have been continually passed down from the source. All in fact go back to the same intrinsic nature. It is just that we have become lost, so we now face karma beyond our control. We should gradually return to our nature of True Suchness, gradually accept the Buddha-Dharma and put the teachings into practice one by one. This is like that man; he not only quit alcohol, and we hope he continues to abstain from it, but is also starting to do recycling work. We hope he can do this for a long time, for he is already quite advanced in age.

This is the same principle. If he continues to take this seed to heart so his inner cause is firm, then external conditions will naturally continue to help him throughout his life. The external conditions that help him come from the cause that is always within him, a heart of gratitude. Then at the end of his life, with this seed, the causes and conditions in his next lifetime will be better. He will depart with a heart filled with gratitude. When will his life naturally come to an end? He is now almost 70,

and he is starting like this. Through this example, we should understand, yet it is still not easy to meet a good person. It is even harder to attain the Right Dharma. So, these are “profoundly extraordinary.” People’s minds are extraordinary. If we constantly train our minds like this, this eventually becomes habitual; it becomes habitual for us to help others. Lifetime after lifetime we will be like this, continually benefiting ourselves while benefiting others, transforming ourselves while transforming others. “They universally enable people to enter the Dharma of the One True Vehicle.” Those who engage in practice and listen to Dharma, like Hearers and Solitary Realizers, can all continue to advance until they reach the level of Bodhisattvas. Although this will take a very long time, they will naturally be able to transform all sentient beings. They enable all sentient beings to have the causes and conditions to draw near the Buddha-Dharma and even engage in spiritual cultivation by putting the teachings into practice. Then naturally they can enter the Buddha-wisdom.

This is talking about [what we see] in our world. The Buddha’s state and the environment in which. His disciples engaged in practice were even higher. From this example, we can infer [the state of]. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha and, moving forward, that of Sakyamuni Buddha. So, from Sakyamuni Buddha’s description of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha all the way to Sakyamuni Buddha Himself, we can see this came from lifetimes of continually accumulating inner causes and external conditions. If we can understand how to engage in spiritual practice, then it becomes very easy.

The previous passage says, “One by one they transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the sands of the Ganges River. They revealed the teachings, bringing advantage and joy, and enabled them to give rise to the aspiration to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

These novices, one by one, recounted the Dharma taught by Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior, helping those with doubts and delusions to get rid of their doubts, helping everyone open their hearts and understand, understand this Dharma. So, “One by one they transformed 600 trillion nayutas of sentient beings, as many as the sands of the Ganges River.” They transformed so many, 600 trillion [nayutas], like the Ganges’ sand. This is the sands of not only one Ganges River, but of 600 trillion nayutas of Ganges Rivers.

Even the amount of sand that sticks to your finger is impossible to count, let alone the sand from 600 trillion Ganges Rivers. Clearly this will take a very long time, and they will come into contact with so many people. With every person they encountered, the 16 princes would always seize the time and make use of the causes and conditions in order to guide sentient beings. “They revealed the teachings, bringing advantage and joy, and enabled them to give rise to the aspiration to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” They helped everyone to thoroughly comprehend the Buddha-Dharma.

So, “Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, 84,000 kalpas having already passed, arose from Samadhi. He went to His Dharma-throne and serenely took His seat.”

The novices taught the Dharma during the time Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha entered His meditation room to meditate. How long was this? 84,000 kalpas. This was such a long time. He now arose from Samadhi, emerged from Samadhi, came out of His meditation room and “went to His Dharma-throne.” He made his way over like this and “serenely took His seat.” He wanted to understand, “Is everyone at peace?” We spoke yesterday of how He [inquired], “Was everyone listening to the Dharma? Was everyone following the teachings?” This was how He normally [asked after everyone]. It had been 84,000 kalpas, such a very long time. The 16 princes had been teaching the Dharma, repeating the teachings for 84,000 kalpas. It had been such a long time; had everyone really accepted the teachings? He was also concerned about this. So, after emerging from His meditation room, on the way to take His Dharma-throne, He also showed His care. Taking His seat, He understaood that the Dharma they all had been teaching had been applied by so many people. So, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s mind was put at ease.

The next sutra passage states, “He announced universally to the assembly ‘These 16 Bodhisattva-novices are profoundly extraordinary All have sharp capabilities, and their wisdom brings complete understanding They have already made offerings to immeasurable trillions of Buddha.'”

Having heard and understood that the 16 novices had, over such a long time, repeatedly taught the Lotus Sutra on behalf of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, He also understood that many had accepted and were practicing it with faith and understanding. So, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha praised the 16 novices, telling everyone that the 16 novices were profoundly extraordinary. Everyone need to mindfully understand this.

He announced universally to the assembly: He spoke with a great voice and announced this universally to all in the assembly. This means He encouraged everyone to draw near to the 16 Bodhisattva-novices and have deep faith in, accept and uphold the teachings of the sutra taught by them.

“Announced universally” means openly, to everyone. He announced this about the 16 novices. This was when the Buddha took His Dharma-throne and began speaking. Because He understood these things, He began to speak. “He spoke with a great voice and announced this universally to all in the assembly.” He announced this to everyone to encourage them to draw near to the 16 novices and not take them lightly because of their age or because they only recently became monastics. He wanted everyone to know that these 16 novices had already engaged in spiritual cultivation for a very long time in the past.

So, everyone should “have deep faith in [them].” Everyone should have faith in and understanding of the Dharma that they taught. He was testifying on behalf of the 16 novices. “The Dharma they were teaching is correct. They were recounting the Dharma I taught. This Dharma is true and not false.” He was bearing witness on behalf of the 16 novices to deepen everyone’s faith and understanding. He wanted everyone to earnestly accept and uphold the sutra expounded by the 16 novices. This was Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha testifying on behalf of the 16 novices.

These 16 Bodhisattva-novices are profoundly extraordinary: Because they were able to expound the Dharma, He praised them as profoundly extraordinary. They were replete with the inner causes and external conditions and the virtues of benefiting themselves and others. Therefore, they were profoundly extraordinary.

These sixteen novices were truly extraordinary, “because they were able to expound the Dharma.” The 16 novices were very young, but they were able to accept such profound Great Dharma. Thus they were worthy of praise. Moreover, they expounded the Dharma very well, so they were worthy of being praised. They were really extraordinary.

They had inner causes and external conditions and virtues of benefiting themselves and others. We just explained inner causes and external conditions. The seed is the consciousness in their mind. Their minds continually remained very firm; for lifetime after lifetime, they had preserved this inner cause. Their internal practice was very solid. The external conditions were all these people, the 600 trillion beings, as many as Ganges’ sands. [The novices] had already formed so many good affinities in the past, had engaged in spiritual practice for so long. These are inner causes and external conditions; they were always benefiting themselves and others, so they had brought their virtues to fruition. Thus He praised them as profoundly extraordinary.

All have sharp capabilities, and their wisdom brings complete understanding: Among all matters, appearances and principles, there are none they do not comprehend, and they also have sharp capabilities. Because they have great wisdom, there is nothing in their minds that is not clearly understood and comprehended.

“All have sharp capabilities, and their wisdom brings complete understanding.” Through their sharp capabilities, the 16 novices had already come to understand. They attained the Hearers’ “insights” and understood; the Three Insights and Six Spiritual Powers were clear to them. With sharp capabilities to understand things, they could thoroughly comprehend all worldly matters, appearances and principles. They understood all of these things. Their capabilities were especially keen; with sharp capabilites, when it came to worldly matters they undoubtedly understood all quite clearly. There was nothing of the Buddha-Dharma that they did not understand and comprehend. So, “Because they have great wisdom, there is nothing in their minds that is not clearly understood and comprehended.” Such great wisdom took many lifetimes to accumulate.

So, “They have already made offerings to immeasurable trillions of Buddhas.” They had long practiced making offerings to all Buddhas. Over many lifetimes, they had cultivated and upheld profound blessings. With their power of faith, upholding of teachings and power of mindfulness, whatever the Tathagata taught through speech, they faithfully accepted and practiced it. This is the greatest offering.

They had long practiced over countless lifetimes making offerings in this manner. They made offerings by practicing the Dharma of all Buddhas. “They had long practiced making offerings to all Buddhas.” Their blessings from lifetimes of practicing and upholding the teaching were very profound. So, offerings come from our minds and our actions. We must truly take the Dharma to heart; this is what makes the Buddha the most joyful. Putting the teachings into practice is the greatest offering one can make to a Buddha. This is what gives Buddhas the most satisfaction.

We have been discussing this sutra for so long. We have seen how the elder gave for the sake of the poor son, as well as the analogy of the burning house and the methods the kind father used to save his children. As long as the children were safe, as long as they could understand and make great vows, the father was very joyful. The Buddha’s mind and a father’s mind are the same.

So, “They had long practiced making offerings to all Buddhas.” For a very long time, over many lifetimes, they had practiced and upheld [the teachings]. Over many lifetimes, they had continually saved and delivered sentient beings. Their power of faith in the Dharma, their power in accepting and upholding it as well as their power of mindfulness were all complete. They continually served others. With their faith and a firm resolve, their minds were pure and undefiled. They had persevered for a very long time. “Whatever the Tathagata taught through speech, they faithfully accepted and practiced it.” This is the “greatest offering.” Having deep faith, accepting the teachings and putting them into practice are the greatest offerings.

The next sutra passage says, “In the presence of all Buddhas, they have constantly cultivated Brahma-conduct. They accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom to open and reveal it for sentient beings so that they may enter it. All of you must draw very close to them and make offerings to them. Why is this so?”

Now the Buddha, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, told everyone of how these novices had engaged in spiritual practice in the past. They had deep roots of faith and firm spiritual aspirations. They achieved such a high level in their practice. While practicing in the presence of all Buddhas, not only did they make offerings to the Buddha, they also engaged in Brahma-conduct. They maintained mental and physical purity by constantly cultivating Brahma-conduct and by accepting and upholding Buddha-wisdom. They not only sought to awaken themselves, but with the Buddha’s views and understanding, they sought to widely transform sentient beings. Not only that, they listened to the Dharma, taught the Dharma as well as spread the Dharma. “They open and reveal it for sentient beings so that they may enter it.” They hoped that all sentient beings would enter the wondrous truths of the Buddha-Dharma. This is what the 16 novices had attained by practicing in the presence of all Buddhas and continuously cultivating pure Brahma-conduct.

In the presence of all Buddhas, they have constantly cultivated Brahma-conduct. They accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom to open and reveal it for sentient beings so that they may enter it: In the presence of all Buddhas, they were always learning purifying Brahma-conduct. Whatever they had attained, they opened and revealed for others.

With what they opened and revealed, if everyone could follow their actions, they could likewise place great importance on the Dharma the 16 novices taught.

“They accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom so that [everyone] might enter it,” so that everyone could enter the Buddha-wisdom. Everything they taught was taught in order to guide everyone to enter the Buddha-wisdom.

They accepted and upheld the Buddha’s wisdom: The Buddha’s wisdom as expressed in the sutra can be accepted and upheld by all Bodhisattvas, enabling them to enter the path of Buddhahood.

Buddha-wisdom lies in forming great aspirations, making great vows and helping the world’s suffering sentient beings. This is Buddha-wisdom. “The Buddha’s wisdom as expressed in the sutra can be accepted and upheld by all Bodhisattvas,” This is Buddha-wisdom and is something all Bodhisattvas can practice.

So, “All of you must draw very close to them.” Everyone should earnestly make offerings, make offerings by drawing close to them. Everyone should draw closer and closer.

All of you must draw very close to them and make offerings to them: Draw close: Draw close to virtue and do not turn away. Offerings: Materials to nourish the body and virtue to nourish wisdom-life, thus cultivating blessings and revealing teachings.

The 16 novices, with their wisdom, had something to teach us. If someone wants to teach us and we do not draw close to them, how can we receive what they wish to teach us? We must draw close to them. By “drawing very close to them,” we “draw close to virtue and do not turn away.” We should earnestly draw close and while doing so we should not have any kind of afflictions or ignorance. “Turn away” means to turn against or go away from.

When it comes to offerings, material offerings nourish the body, while virtues nourish wisdom-life. If we make offerings this way, by giving of ourselves, whether it is our body, mind or wisdom-life, we are able to develop.

This comes from “cultivating blessings and revealing teachings.” On one hand we cultivate blessings by making offerings; on the other, we teach other sentient beings. Listening to, teaching and transmitting the Dharma are how we can make offerings to give back,

“enabling them to enter the path of Buddhahood.” This enabled them to enter the path to Buddhahood, to enter the Bodhi-path of enlightenment.

“So that they may enter it” means “to transform all sentient beings and help them all enter the Buddha-wisdom.” This is about transformation, transforming ourselves as well as sentient beings.

How do we transform sentient beings? In the past, this is how [the novices] did it. Now, in the era of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, they had these achievements. This proves that in the past they had transformed many sentient beings. So, now they had these affinities. Each of the 16 novices had formed his own individual affinities with sentient beings. They “helped them all,” helped all sentient beings. Each novice helped those he had affinities with to attain clear understanding. “[They] help them all enter the Buddha-wisdom.” These people who had doubts and confusion were countless in number. After Great Unhindered Buddha finished teaching, they still had not attained understanding. So, the 16 novices split up, gathered those they had affinities with and taught the Dharma to them.

Thus, those people, all these sentient beings, each went with the novice they had affinities with. They formed into groups, each following the novice whom they had affinities with. This was how they drew close and learned from them to attain the wisdom of the Buddha. By leading others into the Dharma, they could deliver themselves and others. This was how the 16 novices, over kalpas, for a very long time, delivered both themselves and others.

Why is this so?: The reason that He encouraged them to draw near and make offerings to the Bodhisattva-novices was that if the practitioners of the Three Vehicles could believe in what they taught, accept and uphold it without slandering it, they should be able to return to the One Vehicle and enter the Tathagata’s wisdom.

“Why is this so?”  Why? Saying “Why is this so?” means that He was encouraging them to draw close to the novices and make offerings. Why make offerings to these novices? Because of the profound depth of these novices’ causes and conditions. Why should they make offerings? When Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha told them to make offerings, He meant that they should draw near to them. He wanted everyone to draw near to them, to “draw close to virtue and not turn away.” He wanted them to continually draw closer. “Do not look down on these novices, for all of them are already Bodhisattvas. They are Bodhisattva-novices.”

So, “The practitioners of the Three Vehicles could believe in what they taught, accept and uphold it without slandering it.” At this assembly, doubt and confusion had arisen in practitioners of the Three Vehicles. There were Hearers, Solitary Realizers and those who had formed initial aspirations, whose understanding was not yet thorough. They all listened to the Dharma the novices taught and accepted and upheld it without slandering it.

“They should be able to return to the One Vehicle.” They all could be just like the novices, faithfully accepting and putting it into practice. Then everyone could ultimately walk the great path of the One Vehicle and enter the Tathagata’s wisdom.

So, we say learning the Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the Bodhisattva-path. All Buddhas share the same path. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha was like this dust-inked kalpas ago, then Sakyamuni Buddha, the Buddha removed from us by over 2000 years, was also like this. Their intentions were to continually pass down the Dharma. In passing down the Dharma, all Buddhas hope that those who transmit the Dharma are mindful and are drawing near to spiritual friends. Though the 16 novices had yet to attain Buddhahood at that time, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha was already encouraging everyone, saying they must draw near to them, because the Dharma they taught was the. Dharma of Great Unhindered Buddha. So, in drawing near to the novices, people would be drawing near to the Dharma. By practicing according to the teachings, the Dharma can be passed down. This simply requires everyone’s resolve to be firm. We must have faith and accept the teachings. We must accept and uphold them with deep faith and take action to put them into practice. This is not impossible.

Bodhisattvas like those in Yilan that we just talked about are increasing in number in Taiwan as well as abroad. Take Malaysia, for example. There is an old lady in her 80s. Although she has two daughters, they are married, so the old woman lives alone. Where does she live? In a shabby hut in a graveyard. Who could possibly take care of her there? She had also had a stroke, so she needs people around her, but who will take care of her?

Her own daughter reported the situation about her mother to the Tzu Chi volunteers in Malaysia. Hearing this, the Tzu Chi volunteers in Malaysia asked the daughter to bring them to visit her mother. Another person was there when they arrived. This person did not know the woman well, but in the past when he was down and out, this old mother was caring and helped this person totally unrelated to her. Seeing him down and out, the old lady had helped him.

So, after a while, this man who had been working odd jobs and who had never received much education, learned that this old woman had suffered a stroke and was living alone because her daughters had their own families and could not take care of her. So, this man who had received her help before set aside his work and came on his own initiative to care for the woman. He treated her like his own godmother, like his own mother in serving and caring for her. He helped her bathe and prepared her three meals.

The Tzu Chi volunteers were moved upon seeing this. There was after all someone there. But this man was without a job; how could they support themselves? The house was so run down, and they were living in a graveyard. How could they survive like this? It turns out this godson, let us just call him her godson, was raising a few chickens and regularly collected the eggs to sell. The amount he earned was minimal, but he could exchange it for some items with which he made offerings to the old mother.

You see, he was not related to her in any way, nor was he a Tzu Chi volunteer. He was just an ordinary person, who had once received help from her. Now, he willingly took initiative to care for her. He carried her here and there, helped her wash her body, hair and face, and prepared three meals a day for her. He had set aside his own job and raised a few chickens there. It was a meager living, but he just wanted to repay her kindness. Starting at this time, Tzu Chi volunteers got involved and began helping with their expenses. Since her godson was by her side, everyone felt more relieved. They helped clean the rundown and dirty place, cleared out the clutter. Tzu Chi volunteers took on this charity case and began providing for their livelihood.

You see, this is the power of love. From just one seed, once begun, this was able to continue on. These examples of love have already spread to many countries, like Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, USA, England and France, there are so many. On the five great continents, there are so many who are exercising their love.

As a regular person with no knowledge of Dharma, he was nevertheless quite willing to repay the kindness he received with gratitude. Clearly, “Human nature is intrinsically good.” This ordinary person had such inner causes and external conditions. She had cared for him in the past, had helped him, and now he was repaying her kindness. These actions all begin with a single thought and result in their mutually helping one another. Moreover, we have formed great aspirations and made great vows. We want to be Bodhisattvas. We want to attain Buddhahood. Don’t we also need to form this great aspiration? Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha was like this, as Sakyamuni Buddha described Him. His causes and conditions, as well as the 16 novices’ causes and conditions, had each come to fruition. So, now it is up to us. Let us always be mindful.