Author: Scott Ogata

Episode 1508 – Believing in the Tathagata’s Genuine Words

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>> “Maitreya and the others raised doubts about how the Buddha, in such a short time, could teach and transform these countless Bodhisattvas. He reverently asked the Tathagata to explain the distant causes since. He first attained Buddhahood countless distant kalpas ago. He thus had to first describe. His Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya, and His causes and conditions of the intrinsic and the manifest.”

>> The forever unchanging true principles of all phenomena are known as the Dharmakaya Tathagata. When these unchanging true principles harmoniously unite with the wisdom of spiritual practitioners, they become wondrous merits and virtues; this is known as the Sambhogakaya Tathagata. When one realizes these true principles and can manifest in accord with capabilities, one can apply them inexhaustibly. This is known as the Nirmanakaya Tathagata.

>> The Dharmakaya Tathagata is the essence, the Sambhogakaya Tathagata is the appearance and the Nirmanakaya Tathagata is the function. The one becomes three, yet the three are one.

>> Lifespan: This explains the comparison. This explains the measure of the merits and virtues of the Buddhas in the ten directions and the Three Periods. Now He explains the measures of the merits and virtues of the Three Buddhas in this land. Thus it is called “the Tathagata’s lifespan.”

>> “The Buddha’s words are genuine, true and not false. We must flawlessly examine the truth. Only through deep faith and diligence can we gradually enter the measure of the Buddha’s wisdom. If we want to measure it with the measure of our own mind, on the contrary, we will be unable to enter it.”

>> “At the time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattvas and all in the assembly, ‘Good men, all of you should have faith in and understand the Tathagata’s genuine and true words.'”            [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16 – On The Tathagata’s Lifespan]
>> At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattvas and all in the assembly: For those in the assembly who harbored doubt, the Buddha indicated that He wanted to open up the recent manifest to reveal the distant intrinsic, so He first admonished them to have faith.

>> Good men, all of you should have faith in and understand the Tathagata’s genuine and true words. You should truly believe that the Tathagata’s words are genuine. Do not be attached to. His skillful means and thus doubt the Buddha.

>> All of you should have faith and understanding in the Tathagata’s genuine and true words. Having no doubts about His recent attainment of. Buddhahood is known as “faith.” Clearly comprehending His distant intrinsic is known as “understanding. Genuine” refers to our faith and honesty; “true” refers to our examining the truth.

>> In the past, He taught sentient beings the Three Vehicles as skillful means. This was according to others’ words and wishes, so He did not speak the genuine and true. Now He opened and revealed the Lotus Sutra according to His own words and wishes, so He was not deceitful. His words are pointing to the truth. Thus it says “[His] genuine and true words.” The Bodhisattvas, since they took His sincere admonition to heart, did not dare have doubts. Upon hearing, they were certain to have faith, faithfully accepting His genuine words.>> “For infinite kalpas, the Tathagata has manifested infinite bodies, entered infinite lands, expounded infinite Dharma and transformed infinite people. These are all skillful means.”

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“Maitreya and the others raised doubts
about how the Buddha, in such a short time,
could teach and transform these countless Bodhisattvas.
He reverently asked the Tathagata to explain
the distant causes since He first attained Buddhahood
countless distant kalpas ago.
He thus had to first describe His Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya,
and His causes and conditions of the intrinsic and the manifest.”

We must be mindful! We must mindfully seek to comprehend how to enter “the method of the intrinsic.” Let us seek to understand this. From the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground through the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, we have to be mindful [of what we have learned]. Previously, in the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, Manjusri Bodhisattva made a request to the Buddha on behalf of future sentient beings to open a path of peace and joy for us. [The Buddha] helped us understand the way to traverse [the path] as Bodhisattvas, peacefully and joyfully, working willingly and happily accepting [the consequences]. Though it is laborious, we still work willingly. This is stated in the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy.

The Chapter on the Practice of. Bringing Peace and Joy is followed by the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground. In the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, many Bodhisattvas sprung forth from the ground. Previously, Bodhisattvas from other lands came, made aspirations and expressed their desire to come to Saha world to transform sentient beings on behalf of Sakyamuni Buddha. Sakyamuni Buddha said, “I am grateful. I accept all your goodwill, but in the Saha world, my disciples are here; they are able to take on this task.”

After He finished speaking, many Bodhisattvas emerged from the ground. These Bodhisattvas were very disciplined and polite in their demeanor. Each of them had great spiritual refinement. At the sight of their dignified appearance, joy, respect and praise arose in people’s minds. These many Bodhisattvas suddenly appeared, and they were all so accomplished. Where did they come from? The Buddha said, “These are all my disciples whom I taught and transformed all this time.” This is essentially what the Buddha meant.

In the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, Maitreya Bodhisattva observed the sentient beings in the assembly. Though there were experienced practitioners who understood the Buddha well, there were also newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. These newly-inspired Bodhisattvas possessed little experience. Even though they had deep faith in the Buddha, followed all the Buddha’s teachings and faithfully put them into practice, they did not understand [the teachings] fully. Regardless, they still had faith in [the Buddha].

However, when these appearances manifested, the Buddha said, “These many people are all my disciples, who were all taught and transformed by me.” Although they had faith in the Buddha’s words, the connection between the principles and the matters and appearances [at hand] was apparently difficult for some of them to fully understand. Maitreya Bodhisattva was compassionate. His hope was that everyone would not just have mere faith and [shallow] knowledge. He also wanted to help them thoroughly understand and be free of doubts in their minds. Only then could they forever pass on the Dharma. He not only considered the Bodhisattvas present at the assembly, but also Bodhisattvas in the future.

If people in the future did not fully understand, since the Buddha would have entered Parinirvana such a long time before then, who would be able to resolve their doubts? Therefore, “Maitreya Bodhisattva raised doubts.” He raised these doubts, not because he doubted the Buddha’s words, but because he was considering sentient beings’ [needs], both at that time and in the future. For the sake of eliminating their doubts, he asked these questions at that moment. His key [point] was that the Buddha’s appearance and His attaining Buddhahood in this world had happened only about 40 years prior. At that time, during that era, everyone knew that, from the time the Buddha attained Buddhahood until growing old, He had [only] taught the Dharma for a little over 40 years. To claim that He had transformed so many. Bodhisattvas [seemed improbable] given this short amount of time. In such a short time, how could He have transformed so many people? To teach so many accomplished practitioners would require a long period of time. It was only regarding the amount of time that everyone had doubts, especially those newly-inspired Bodhisattvas.

So, there were “countless Bodhisattvas.” There were so many. Because of the situation, everyone sincerely and “reverently asked the Tathagata to explain” in greater detail “the distant causes since. He first attained Buddhahood.” Beyond the present [causes], [they needed] an explanation of the Buddha’s distant [past] causes beginning at the source. The source of His aspiration was the distant cause. [It was formed] “countless distant kalpas ago.” Since that time so long ago, a truly incalculable amount of time had passed.

In order to help everyone have faith, the Buddha had to first explain His past [causes]. [That time] a long time ago, that era when He formed His aspiration, was the root He had to trace back to. They hoped that the Buddha could describe the origin [of His aspiration]. So, “He thus had to first describe. His Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya.” His Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya originated from the Buddha’s accomplishments, from the source of His enlightenment.

So, there were “His causes and conditions of the intrinsic and the manifest.” Regarding His causes and conditions of the intrinsic and the manifest, Maitreya asked the Buddha to analyze them in detail. “The intrinsic” is what He was starting to teach. They asked the Buddha to explain the root of this. What about “The manifest”? The previous 14 chapters, [which were taught] continuously until now, are all called “the teaching of the manifest.” Everything the Buddha explained was the causes and conditions of His manifestations and the process He took. At this moment, they were hoping that the Buddha would teach “the method of the intrinsic,” which is “this section” of the sutra. This is how He would explain the origin, [using] the fundamentals of the source, by explaining from the very beginning.

We must be very grateful to Maitreya Bodhisattva for [asking the Buddha on our behalf] to trace [His aspiration] back to its root. This allows us today to listen to the Lotus Sutra. We are not only listening to the Buddha describing His past manifestations and the causes and conditions for His continuous return [to this world] to transform people with “the manifest.” Now, it is necessary to understand the origin. This is what Maitreya Bodhisattva asked for us. He very sincerely asked the Buddha to explain and describe the source [of His aspiration]. We must be very grateful to Manjusri Bodhisattva for providing us with a path, the Bodhisattva-path, that we can walk with joy and peace. We must be even more grateful to Maitreya Bodhisattva for providing us with a clear direction. We must be very grateful for how these Bodhisattvas supported the Buddha-Dharma.

So, “The forever unchanging true principles of all phenomena” are known as the “Dharmakaya Tathagata.”

The forever unchanging true principles of all phenomena are known as the Dharmakaya Tathagata. When these unchanging true principles harmoniously unite with the wisdom of spiritual practitioners, they become wondrous merits and virtues; this is known as the Sambhogakaya Tathagata. When one realizes these true principles and can manifest in accord with capabilities, one can apply them inexhaustibly. This is known as the Nirmanakaya Tathagata.

This Dharmakaya is what they needed the Buddha to explain, by tracing the ancient Dharma back to its roots. How does the Dharmakaya come about? At this point they needed to know this. “The forever unchanging true principles of all phenomena” is the Dharmakaya.

We all intrinsically possess this nature of True Suchness. This is the Dharmakaya. You and I, we all have it. Though our Dharma-nature exists, it is defiled by ignorance. Afflictions create ignorance, and ignorance is why we are always confused. [Lost] in our delusions, we are confused because of our afflictions and ignorance. Thus, we are still in the state of ordinary beings. However, the Buddha eliminated His afflictions, fully [eliminated] His ignorance and purified all His delusions. When we eliminate our afflictions and ignorance, purify all our doubts and delusions, purify ourselves of all these, we can then return to the true principles. The Tathagata’s everlasting, unchanging, true principles of True Suchness are the Dharmakaya, the “Dharmakaya Tathagata.”

When it comes to the “unchanging true principles,” when we put them into practice through action, we harmoniously unite with wisdom, and “it becomes wondrous merits and virtues.” This is intrinsic to all of us! We all intrinsically possess the true principles, but we ordinary beings are confused and lost. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have already eliminated their afflictions and returned to the true principles. So, they can transform the five consciousnesses into “all-accomplishing wisdom,” the sixth consciousness into “profound discerning wisdom” and the seventh consciousness into “universal equality wisdom.” Now, for the eighth consciousness, they transform the eighth consciousness into “great perfect mirror wisdom.” Then, they succeed in keeping the ninth consciousness free of defilements and impurities. However, they apply [their wisdom] in the world by going among people to transform sentient beings while remaining undefiled by people’s afflictions and ignorance.

This is what enables Bodhisattvas to practice. We must not only have knowledge and faith, saying simply, “I know, I know,” or “I understand, I understand.” Aside from knowing and understanding, we must put [the principles] into practice. So, “unchanging true principles” and “practice” [are actualized] through action in this world. The Dharma and our daily living must come together. In this way, we harmoniously unite with wisdom, matters and principles can converge harmoniously and we can utilize our wisdom to accomplish “wondrous merits and virtues” among people. When going among people, we must be skillful to “transform consciousness into wisdom.” We need to use these four methods to be able to “transform consciousness into wisdom.”

If we “transform consciousness into wisdom,” when we are among people, we will definitely “harmoniously unite with wisdom.” When principles and matters are in harmony, it turns out that what we do, what we say and all our actions will be solid, and time will not pass us by in vain. “It becomes wondrous merits and virtues.” This is called the “Sambhogakaya Tathagata.” So, the Dharmakaya is the principles of the nature of True Suchness. The Sambhogakaya is how we can apply them.

Next, “When one realizes these true principles and can manifest and accord with capabilities, one can apply them inexhaustibly. This is known as the Nirmanakaya Tathagata.” After realizing these true principles, we must remain undefiled when among people, maintain our purity and accomplish all wondrous merits and virtues. After that, we “realize these true principles.” We also realize the true principles.

“One can manifest and accord with capabilities [and] apply them inexhaustibly. This is known as the Nirmanakaya Tathagata.” When we realize these true principles, we know we are one with the true principles. We are like this in this lifetime, and in the next lifetime, we will again have our Sambhogakaya wherever we end up. We will be clear and without confusion. We will not be like ordinary beings who have created many afflictions and [negative] karma that leads to ignorance, which then further leads to delusions. Thus, they become completely confused and deluded. The only thing we take with us when we die [is karma]. In the end, if we are befuddled and dazed, we will remain in the Six Realms, not knowing where we will go, just following our karmic forces.

If we practice to the point that we are clear about the principles, we can “manifest in accord with capabilities.” We will be clear about where we need to go. “One can apply them inexhaustibly.” We can apply this consciousness, which is the true principles, our pure intrinsic nature. We can apply it freely. In the future, what causes and conditions will we respond to? Where will we go? We will not only get to apply [the principles] freely in this lifetime, knowing where we should and should not go. Not only can we apply them at will in this life, but in the next life, we can also choose where we want to go. In this way, we can apply the principles freely.

So, “The Dharmakaya Tathagata is the essence.” The Dharmakaya is the essence of the Tathagata.

The Dharmakaya Tathagata is the essence, the Sambhogakaya Tathagata is the appearance and the Nirmanakaya Tathagata is the function. The one becomes three, yet the three are one.

We have seen this with Sakyamuni Buddha, more than 2000 years ago, when. He manifested in the world with His Nirmanakaya in response to His causes and conditions. He applied the principles He realized and became one with the universe.

As for His “Dharmakaya,” when He awakened and attained enlightenment, His body [became] the Dharma. His body is the true principles. This is the Dharmakaya of the Buddha, the Dharmakaya Tathagata. Therefore, “The Dharmakaya Tathagata is the essence.” The principles, the Dharma, are [manifested as] the Buddha’s body. The Buddha uses the principles to teach and transform all sentient beings. Thus we can say that the Dharma is the essence.

“The Sambhogakaya Tathagata is the appearance. The Nirmanakaya Tathagata is the function.” These are the “essence, appearance and function.”

As for “Nirmanakaya,” which we just mentioned, He comes and goes freely; wherever He comes from and goes to, He comes and goes freely. So, this is the “Nirmanakaya.” This is called the “function.” Our world also works in this way. We also journey on the law of cause and effect. Every one of us faces retributions according to our karma. Where we are born is beyond our control. However, the Buddha, the enlightened one, is in harmony with the principles of the world, and this is how He has been for a long time.

Thus, there is the separation into “three Tathagatas.” The Dharmakaya Tathagata is the essence; the Sambhogakaya Tathagata is the appearance and the Nirmanakaya Tathagata is the function. In fact, “The one becomes three.” These are all the same Dharma; this is how the principles are. We ordinary beings also have [them], but our ignorance has led us [here] to “face retribution.” According to our causes, conditions, effects and retributions, we come to this world and continue to live in the phenomena [created through] ignorance. We are within the phenomena created by ignorance. This is why we now need to learn the pure Dharma of True Suchness. We need to return [to our nature]. So, the one became three, “yet the three are one.” This is the principle.

So, we now continue into the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan. What is this “lifespan”?

Lifespan: This explains the comparison. This explains the measure of the merits and virtues of the Buddhas in the ten directions and the Three Periods. Now He explains the measures of the merits and virtues of the Three Buddhas in this land. Thus it is called “the Tathagata’s lifespan.”

“Lifespan” is that which “explains the comparison. This explains the measure of the merits and virtues of the Buddhas in the ten directions in the Three Periods.” This gives a complete explanation, allowing us to analyze each item, one by one. As for “the merits and virtues of the Buddhas in the ten directions and the Three Periods,” if we analyze them this way, it will take a long time, the length of our [whole] lifetime. So, “lifespan” and “comparison” refer to the causes and conditions which take a very long time to compare and analyze.

So, “Now He explains the measures of the merits and virtues of the Three Buddhas in this land.” I have talked about “Three Buddhas” before, Dharmakaya Buddha, Sambhogakaya Buddha and. Nirmanakaya Buddha. The Buddha is the Tathagata. So, these are the “merits and virtues of the Three Buddhas.” We need to gradually understand what exactly are the “Three Buddhas,” the Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya. They will become clearer to us over time. “Thus it is called ‘the Tathagata’s lifespan.'” So, this chapter is called the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan. After this passage, the main section will begin. The sutra passage begins like this.

“The Buddha’s words are genuine, true and not false. We must flawlessly examine the truth. Only through deep faith and diligence can we gradually enter the measure of the Buddha’s wisdom. If we want to measure it with the measure of our own mind, on the contrary, we will be unable to enter it.”

In the sutras, we often see passages like this. The Buddha’s words are genuine and not false. This is particularly emphasized in the “Diamond Sutra.” Though the “Diamond Sutra” emphasizes the emptiness of all things, we must believe that the Buddha’s words are genuine, true and not false.

So, to “gradually enter the measure of the Buddha’s wisdom,” we must make continuous efforts with deep faith. With deep faith, we must be very diligent. We must continuously examine the truth. We must be mindful [to achieve] understanding of the true principles. As we listen to the teachings, we must not let them leak away. We need to keep the true principles in our minds. I have continuously repeated this important Dharma to all of you. I hope you can all keep this important Dharma in your minds and apply it in daily living.

This is similar to the story of the [volunteers] who came [to the Abode] from Changsha. At the time, in June and July [of 2017], there was a great flood. They formed the aspiration to [help those in need]. They spent a long time doing this [relief], and there were many difficulties to overcome. With sincerity, they devoted themselves, and they were able to give with their love. They first obtained the trust from the [local] people and local government, [in order to assess the conditions] and feelings of the survivors. Therefore, with very sincere hearts, they gave of their time and served diligently.

In the process of serving them, when they were sharing with others, every sentence they spoke was the Dharma. It is apparent that they have truly been listening to the Dharma regularly and putting the Dharma into action. They have been truly listening to the Dharma, teaching the Dharma, transmitting the Dharma and putting it into practice. In their sharing, none of them departed from this sutra. As the passages in the sutra explained previously, the Dharma harmoniously united with their actions and their lives.

They thoroughly understood worldly matters, and they understood the Dharma. Thus, those who are doing business set aside their business of the limited self and dedicated themselves to help for over 20 days.

By contributing their strength, they relieved the suffering of many people. Most importantly, they brought peace to people’s minds. The people had been suffering due to the disaster. We cannot do anything about natural disasters, so we must always first put people’s minds at ease. They put so many people’s minds at ease with their timely contributions. For those without shelter, who could not rebuild, what they needed most at the time was to put their hearts at ease. Then, the volunteers provided them with shelter. After that, they needed to consider people’s livelihood in the future. This is bringing stability to their minds, bodies and livelihood, which is a long-term [project]. This is the Dharma. [The volunteers] accepted this Dharma and overcame many obstacles. They had to set aside their businesses, entrust their familial duties [to others] or request time off from their jobs. They completely focused on the group of people who needed their help, time and dedication. So, after weighing all these matters, they made “great love” their goal.

So, every word they spoke was about their actions, their “conditioned good deeds.” As for themselves, they have attained “unconditioned Dharma.” They even said, “We should truly forget about what is in the past. However, there is more work to be done, so we must start planning [for their future].” Indeed, they forgot about their “view of self.” Planning ahead is a “conditioned good deed.” They had to provide shelter for their bodies and also bring permanent stability to their livelihoods. These are Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas practice the path according to the principles. This is to “gradually enter the Buddha’s wisdom” and also to “flawlessly examine the truth.” Because they have faith in the Dharma, they are willing to accept it. They believe in the Dharma and accept it. They mindfully and slowly analyze [the situation]. They analyzed [their situation] to understand what these people in suffering need. This is “profound discerning wisdom” with which they “flawlessly examined the truth.” They did not even have a bit of affliction or ignorance; they completely understood that they were giving for sentient beings, not for themselves.

“Only through deep faith and diligence….” Their minds were determined solely to work hard to advance the Tzu Chi school of Buddhism and [transmit] the Jing Si Dharma-lineage. They mindfully uphold the spirit of our ideals so they can “gradually enter the measure of the Buddha’s wisdom.” So, they continue to advance step by step, “taking the Buddha’s heart as their own and their teacher’s mission as their own.” With every step, their heart is close to mine as they advance forward.

So, “If we want to measure it with the measure of our own mind, on the contrary, we will be unable to enter it.” This means that we cannot use our minds as ordinary beings to measure it. “To compare and measure this state of mind, how is this possible?” When we use our minds to measure this, it is beyond what we are capable of. It does not mean that the Buddha cannot do it. We came here following our karmic forces, but the Buddha came with His Nirmanakaya of Dharma. We came here following our causes, conditions, effects and retributions; we came to receive them. The Buddha goes among people with His Sambhogakaya. He remains undefiled among people, and. His Dharmakaya is in harmony with true principles.

So, we cannot compare ourselves to the Buddha or the state created by the Buddha. Since we have faith in the Buddha’s words, we must have faith when the Buddha speaks about the disciples He taught and transformed. We should have no doubt about this. So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this. We should not measure by our personal standards. We must not compare ordinary beings to noble beings. We need to have faith in noble beings. The Buddha’s true principles are certainly right.

The next is “Chapter 16, the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan.” We will begin discussing this now. The sutra passage says,

“At the time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattvas and all in the assembly, ‘Good men, all of you should have faith in and understand the Tathagata’s genuine and true words.'”

In the beginning of the chapter, the Buddha started to explain to everyone present there, [whom He calls] “good men.” Regardless of whether they are experienced or newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, He calls all of them “good men.” This indicates that the Buddha will start speaking.

At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattvas and all in the assembly: For those in the assembly who harbored doubt, the Buddha indicated that He wanted to open up the recent manifest to reveal the distant intrinsic, so He first admonished them to have faith.

“For those in the assembly who harbored doubt.” Whether they were experienced or newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, everyone had doubts in their minds. The Buddha indicated that He would start to “open up the recent manifest to reveal the distant intrinsic.” He opened up “the recent manifest. The recent manifest” is the time since He left the palace to attain Buddhahood. This is called “the recent manifest.” Starting from that point, which they could see and experience, the Buddha began to describe [the past] for them. This is to “reveal the distant intrinsic,” to reveal the past. The accomplishments of today came from distant causes in the past. What the Buddha is about to tell them, they must reverently believe.

They had to know that the Buddha, the Tathagata, speaks “genuine and true words.” His every word is true. They all had to truly have faith. “Truth” refers to true principles. These principles are true principles which they had to believe in. They had to believe that the Tathagata speaks the truth and what is real, and He does not speak falsehoods.

Good men, all of you should have faith in and understand the Tathagata’s genuine and true words. You should truly believe that the Tathagata’s words are genuine. Do not be attached to. His skillful means and thus doubt the Buddha.

Everyone should have faith and not “be attached to His skillful means and thus doubt the Buddha.” We must not be attached. He used skillful means for about forty years during this “recent manifest.” In the past, He had always used “the manifest,” skillful means, to teach the law of karma etc. He had always revealed teachings according to our capabilities. So, we must all not be attached to the teachings [given] according to capabilities. True principles are found in those appearances. We must not be attached to appearances. We need to apply the principles earnestly.

“All of you should have faith and understanding in the Tathagata’s genuine and true words.” We must have faith and be without doubts.

All of you should have faith and understanding in the Tathagata’s genuine and true words. Having no doubts about His recent attainment of. Buddhahood is known as “faith.” Clearly comprehending His distant intrinsic is known as “understanding. Genuine” refers to our faith and honesty; “true” refers to our examining the truth.

“Having no doubts about His recent attainment of. Buddhahood is known as ‘faith.'” This time, He came to the world to transform sentient beings. The appearances [of provisional teachings] over the past 40-some-years are what we should not be attached to. If we are not attached, naturally we will have faith. If we are attached to each of [these teachings], naturally we cannot open the door of our minds to attain the treasure of the True Dharma. So, every one of us must open door after door within our minds. We must not have doubts. We must “clearly comprehend the distant intrinsic.” Only by opening the door can we see afar. We should not just look at what is nearby. We must open the door to look into the distance. So, “Clearly comprehending His distant intrinsic is known as ‘understanding.'” Only when we see through [the truth], can we truly comprehend it.

“Genuine” refers to loyalty, remaining faithful. Since we have faith, we abide on the Middle Way. We have faith, so we are not attached to our biases. Then, we keep going in the right direction and keep to the Middle Way. This is called being “genuine ‘True’ refers to our examining the truth.” We must mindfully examine whether the principles are true or false. When it comes to true principles, we need to have faith. So, we must examine the truth.

In the past, He taught sentient beings the Three Vehicles as skillful means. This was according to others’ words and wishes, so He did not speak the genuine and true. Now He opened and revealed the Lotus Sutra according to His own words and wishes, so He was not deceitful. His words are pointing to the truth. Thus it says “[His] genuine and true words.” The Bodhisattvas, since they took His sincere admonition to heart, did not dare have doubts. Upon hearing, they were certain to have faith, faithfully accepting His genuine words.

“In the past, He taught sentient beings the Three Vehicles as skillful means. This was according to others’ words and wishes, so He did not speak the genuine and true.” At the time, the teaching was revealed according to the capabilities of sentient beings. In fact, this was still not the true teaching. It was just skillful means to enable them to enter through the door. “This was according to others’ words and wishes.” He taught according to words they understood. According to their capabilities and what they could accept, He taught and transformed them. In fact, the Buddha really wants to teach us that we all intrinsically have Tathagata-nature; everyone’s intrinsic nature is pure. It is so simple, yet it is the true principle. But how could everyone [accept this]? This is why He had to teach according to the workings of the world, according to sentient beings’ capabilities and according to the time and occasion. So, He could not speak the genuine and true. We are not saying that the Buddha was not genuine and true, but that the core of the true principle cannot be explained simply in one sentence; there is no way to do this. So, He needed to do it slowly and subtly.

Thus, “Now He opened and revealed the Lotus Sutra according to His own words and wishes, so He was not deceitful. His words are pointing to the truth.” This is leading to [the truth]. Now, He had begun the [teachings of] the Lotus Sutra. He opened and revealed this path, the path of the Lotus Sutra. This is “according to His own words and wishes.” This is how the Buddha wanted to freely express His original intent. When we started, we mentioned how the Buddha freely expressed His original intent. We sentient beings need to comprehend the Buddha’s mind and. His original intent. Only then can we accept the Dharma.

So, every word in the Lotus Sutra is the Dharma spoken by the Buddha from His heart. This is “according to His own words and wishes.” These are the words the Buddha wanted to say, not according to [sentient beings’] capabilities. These are words spoken from His mind. So, “He was not deceitful.” He absolutely did not speak false words. This was not like pacifying children, no. At this point, this is the True Dharma. So, “His words are pointing to the truth. Pointing” means turning toward something. Every word turns toward the truth. Its direction is toward the truth. The source is the Buddha’s mind, and the direction is correct. “Thus it says, ‘[His] genuine and true words.'” These principles are very genuine. These principles are true and genuine.

“The Bodhisattvas took His sincere admonition to heart, faithfully accepting His genuine words.” We must be genuine in our faith. So, we need to very clearly understand that in this world, in the human realm, the Buddha advanced step by step, repeatedly returning here. We believe that the Buddha repeatedly returned countless times. So, since countless kalpas ago, the Tathagata has also manifested infinite forms and “entered infinite lands.” He has been to every place and “expounded infinite Dharma.” At the same time, He “transformed infinite people.” Thus, “These are all his skillful means.”

“For infinite kalpas, the Tathagata has manifested infinite bodies, entered infinite lands, expounded infinite Dharma and transformed infinite people. These are all skillful means.”

Many had seen the Buddha when He was teaching, regardless of what His form was. He manifested with skillful means to teach with His Nirmanakaya. He had gradually guided the causes and conditions all along until this point. He had not yet shown them the true principles. The true principle at this point would be His teaching of the Bodhisattva Way. The Lotus Sutra teaches the Bodhisattva Way. So, to teach the Bodhisattva Way,

we must put it into action, with common understanding, common vision and common action. In the past, He led us to just know the Dharma. Now, He leads us to walk on [the path] with Him, to work hard together, to clear the way and pave this road together to create a broad and everlasting path. This is how the Lotus Sutra teaches the Bodhisattva Way. So, we must always be mindful!

Episode 1462 – Emerging from the Ground, Abiding in Space

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>> “We must respect our teacher, uphold our vows and follow the path. We must accept, uphold and spread the Dharma according to the teachings. When the Tathagata taught the practice of bringing peace and joy, Bodhisattvas from other lands rushed to emerge. The Buddha’s intention was to clearly reveal that in this land, there were Bodhisattvas who could endure and would be able to uphold this sutra. Thus [this chapter] is called ‘Emerging from the Ground.’ Furthermore, the Buddha used people and matters to reveal the Dharma. Because it uses this matter to explain the principles, it was given this name.”

>> “Emerging from the ground” represents the ground where the wisdom of Bodhisattvas abides, the original ground of the intrinsic mind of all Buddhas. All Dharma is in a state of ultimate cessation, having no intrinsic substance or appearance. The unconditioned Dharma is the ground of the true principles. When we take action with conditioned phenomena by advancing diligently, we bring these matters and appearances to fruition.

>> “As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open.” As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open. From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously.      [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 Chapter on Emerging from the Ground]

>> “These Bodhisattvas’ bodies were all golden in hue, with the 32 Marks and infinite radiance. Previously, they had all abided in the empty space below the Saha World.”      [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 Chapter on Emerging from the Ground]

>> These Bodhisattvas’ bodies were all golden in hue, with the 32 Marks and infinite radiance: The Bodhisattvas were magnificent. Their bodies were purple-gold in color. They were replete with Marks and Characteristics and were infinitely radiant. Everyone who saw them greatly rejoiced.

>> A Buddha’s body has the 32 Marks, and those Bodhisattvas were also all like this. Their appearances were dignified by the Marks and Characteristics. Throughout the worlds of the ten directions, their manifestations appeared to transform [sentient beings]. Their Marks and Characteristics were the same as the Buddha’s.

>> Previously they had all abided in the empty space below the Saha World: They pervaded the ten directions. There is no inherent above or below. This represents abiding in the Middle Way. This shows that they emerged from the ground, where they had abided in the tranquil void.

>> Moreover, the ground of the ultimate reality of all Dharma is inherently free from the discrimination of appearances. So this ground represents the emptiness of the supreme meaning. It is also the aforementioned emptiness that they peacefully abided in, which is infinite, boundless, unobstructed and unhindered.

>> In distinguishing and naming these matters and appearances, [the Bodhisattvas] were said to “emerge” and “abide in empty space.” Moreover, “below” refers to the depths of the Dharma-nature and the ultimate ground of the profound methods. Being below [the Saha World] does not mean it is here. Abiding in emptiness does not mean it is there. It is neither here nor there, thus it abides in the Middle Way.

>> “They emerged in this [world], but were not above it, nor were they below it. They were neither above nor below, but abided in empty space. This is also the Middle Way.”

>> They vowed to protect this Saha World, practice and uphold [the sutra] with patient endurance and promote the teachings. When it comes to the practices of bringing peace and joy upon the Bodhisattva-path, patient endurance is the ground they dwell in.

>> Abide in the empty space below the Saha World: Cultivating the Four Practices of body, speech, mind and vows is our aim. In cultivating patience, we take humility as our foundation. They abide in the empty space below, meaning they are humble and selfless. This is because they realize emptiness through non-abiding.

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“We must respect our teacher, uphold our vows and follow the path.
We must accept, uphold and spread the Dharma according to the teachings.
When the Tathagata taught the practice of bringing peace and joy,
Bodhisattvas from other lands rushed to emerge.
The Buddha’s intention was to clearly reveal that in this land,
there were Bodhisattvas who could endure and would be able to uphold this sutra.
Thus [this chapter] is called ‘Emerging from the Ground.’
Furthermore, the Buddha used people and matters to reveal the Dharma.
Because it uses this matter to explain the principles, it was given this name.”

We must be mindful. “We must respect our teacher, uphold our vows and follow the path. We must accept, uphold and spread the Dharma according to the teachings.” This is our responsibility. Sakyamuni Buddha is the compassionate father for all of us sentient beings and the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. He is the father of all sentient beings and also the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. So, we must respect the Buddha’s teachings. Regarding the teachings of the Buddha, we must have faith, accept and follow the Dharma. To have faith, accept and follow the Dharma, we must uphold our vows and follow the path.

We have chosen to follow these teachings, the Buddha’s teachings, which aim to inspire our wisdom-life. All sentient beings intrinsically have the nature of True Suchness, but it has been continuously buried and covered by our afflictions and ignorance. We do not know anything about it. We do not know that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. Now that we have learned about it, we must have faith in it. If we do not have faith in it, it is the same as not knowing about it. We need to understand it very well and have deep faith in it.

Since we truly know about it, since we have firm faith and no doubts, we must earnestly form aspirations. Having made vows, we must uphold them. To respect the vow we chose ourselves, we must respect our own nature of True Suchness. [To return to] the nature of True Suchness, we must safeguard our aspirations and vows. Thus, we must practice according to the teachings.

We know [the Dharma], but how do we follow the Dharma that the Buddha inspired in us so we can move in this direction and open up this path? We must use our understanding. But when it comes to this Dharma that helps us discover our nature of True Suchness, how can we open up this path that is covered by ignorance? We must truly use effort to uncover this path that is covered by layers of ignorance. How can we uncover this path? We must diligently open up the path.

The Buddha is our guiding teacher who is guiding us in opening up this path. We must follow the direction He points out to us. We must follow the teachings. We carefully find ways to clear away our ignorance. It is as if we are clearing a path. This path is covered in wild bushes and weeds without end. There are so many weeds that there is hardly a path to walk on. The overgrowth and thorns prevent people from passing. Still, we know that the direction is there; we know where our treasure is. If we do not pass through, then we will not be able to find the treasures that we are looking for.

Do we still remember [the parable] of the poor son? An elder recognized his [lost] son and patiently and skillfully guided this poor son until he was able to bring him inside his home and lead him to his treasury. From the door, the elder guided him inside and brought him to where the treasures were stored. The father needed a way [to gain the son’s trust] and the son needed someone to guide him. Because there were people who guarded the door, not anyone could enter. [The son] needed someone to guide him inside. Moreover, [the son] needed [a certain level] in order to allow someone to bring him inside. We too also need [a certain level]; we need someone we recognize to guide us.

Now, we are already familiar with the Buddha; we, these ordinary beings, recognize that He, the Great Awakened One, is our guiding teacher. If we follow our teacher’s path, then our direction will be correct. This is like the elder who guided his poor son; the elder knew that it was his child. He had to use all kinds of methods to guide his child. In the same way, ordinary beings must be willing to believe and accept in order to be able to receive guidance. If we do not believe or accept it, we may be like the poor son who became scared and quickly sought to leave that place.

So, we must have faith and accept [the Dharma]. This is like how the elder guided the poor son to not be afraid. “You just need to have faith that the direction we are going is true and correct. You must work hard.” We must work hard to open up the path. During the process of clearing the path, we must [eliminate] all those impurities such as the wild overgrowth and weeds. We must quickly remove these useless things, clear them away. Then, there will be a broad and great path that we can walk on.

To clear the path and pave the road, we must have faith in the direction. So, we must firstly trust that everyone intrinsically has the nature of True Suchness. We must understand and accept that the nature of True Suchness is intrinsic to all of us. As we begin to have deep faith in this, we must work hard toward it.

We must work hard for a very long time; it is a very laborious process. So, we must uphold our aspirations and make great vows. We must uphold our aspirations. The path we need is one that we will forever walk on, that we will open up for countless lifetimes. We must clear the path and pave the road ourselves. We clear the path for ourselves and pave the road for everyone to walk on. This is the Bodhisattva-path.

We must clear the path forward and pave the road as we go. This is why we must go among people and be mindful as we seek the path to Buddhahood and transform sentient beings. Seeking the path to Buddhahood is clearing the path. As we know the direction, we must have faith. So, we must clear this path. Where there was no path, we must open up a path. So, seeking the path to Buddhahood is to accept [the teachings] and lead the way forward. Then, we must quickly pave the road; this is to transform sentient beings.

“We must accept, uphold and spread the Dharma according to the teachings.” We must follow the Buddha’s teachings. As we accept the teachings, “We must accept and uphold [the Dharma] according to the teachings.” Whatever He teaches us is what we should accept. We must earnestly uphold the direction of this path, diligently clear this path and pave this road. To seek the path to Buddhahood is to clear the path forward; to transform sentient beings is to pave the road where we are. Everyone must remember this.

“When the Tathagata taught the practice of bringing peace and joy….” He taught us the practice of bringing peace and joy. In the previous Chapter on the Practice of. Bringing Peace and Joy, the Buddha helped us eliminate our ignorance and afflictions to clear the path; Since we already know our direction, we clear the path. We must quickly eliminate any afflictions we have. We must clear away our afflictions and open up a path. He taught us about the ten kinds of people which we should avoid. These ten kinds [of people] create various afflictions in the world with unwholesome actions and methods. These are all a matter of ignorance.

Regarding the ignorance we created in this world, we must eliminate it. We must eliminate afflictions and ignorance to be able to open up this path and pave the road smoothly so that people can safely walk on it later on. These are methods He taught us. So, “When the Tathagata taught the practice of bringing peace and joy,” this is how the Tathagata taught us to safely walk on this path, to ensure that our spiritual aspirations are firm and that we will not give up halfway. He helped us walk on this path very safely so we can clear a path that reaches [the goal]. “Bodhisattvas from other lands rushed to emerge.” The Buddha taught the Dharma in the Saha World with His voice. As we discussed before, the Buddha’s voice echoed throughout the worlds in the ten directions. Even those in Brahma heaven and the worlds of the ten directions could hear it. Bodhisattvas from other places also knew that. [He] was teaching the Lotus Sutra in the Saha world. So, those from other worlds also came because this is the True Dharma, the teachings of the Bodhisattva Way. All Buddhas share the same path.

Because of this, those from other worlds rejoiced and came to listen to the Dharma in the Saha world. These Bodhisattvas from other lands were moved. Their hearts were very jubilant. So, they “rushed to emerge.” Everyone was very joyful. They heard that the Saha world is full of suffering, but they courageously advanced on the Bodhisattva-path. How praiseworthy is this! The Buddha taught these methods. So, those from other lands were jubilant and they rushed to emerge.

That day, I told everyone that all of us have a sky and ground in our hearts. Sentient beings here are like this. Bodhisattvas from other lands are also like this. We share the same sky and ground in our hearts. They were just as jubilant. As we rejoice in what we heard in this place, we become jubilant and joyful. Jubilance is a description. It is an analogy for being truly joyful. People from other lands were also like this, very jubilant.

So, the Buddha taught the Dharma to encourage us, by telling us that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, that everyone can attain Buddhahood. We just need to distance ourselves from our afflictions and ignorance. Once we eliminate ignorance and afflictions, our nature of True Suchness will manifest and our hearts will be kind. A kind heart is pure and bright, free of defilements and very pure. This is our nature of True Suchness. So, the Buddha hopes that everyone will manifest the nature of True Suchness and the beautiful light from their hearts.

So, “The Buddha’s intention was to clearly reveal that in this land….” The Buddha’s enlightened nature is radiant. This enlightened nature is the nature of True Suchness. Sentient beings and the Buddha are equal. We often say this. The Buddha said this. He has His enlightened nature. He manifested this bright awakened nature, revealing this ground of His heart. We intrinsically have [the same nature]; we are also able to understand all this Dharma. Everyone can do this, and we are all also able to speak of it. We should say what we do and do what we say. In this way, we can learn and awaken. To awaken is to give rise to light. This is a path. This is what the Buddha taught us. The teachings are not just what we listen to here. We must teach our children as well as influence other people’s children. This is a form of teaching. Sentient beings in the Saha world can also influence the Bodhisattvas from other lands. This is the principle.

“There were Bodhisattvas who could endure and would be able to uphold this sutra.” The Buddha expressed this intention and that. He had faith in sentient beings of the Saha world. The Buddha had faith that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. With this awakened nature, we have the strength to uphold [the Dharma] and endure. This is something we all intrinsically have. As long as we eliminate our afflictions, there will be no more interpersonal conflicts. Without interpersonal conflicts and ignorance to influence us, naturally, we can form aspirations and make great vows. We can withstand and endure [all difficulties]. So, “There were Bodhisattvas who could endure and would be able to uphold this sutra. Thus [this chapter] is called ‘Emerging from the Ground.'” Moving forward, Bodhisattvas began to emerge from the ground.

Then, He used people and matters to reveal the Dharma. He had to use such an event to encourage people and reveal that this teaching is the True Dharma. The True Dharma is the intrinsic awakened nature that we all have. Through these matters, He wanted to inspire us to understand the principle that we all intrinsically have the nature of True Suchness. “Because it uses this matter to explain the principles, it was given this name.” So, they “emerged from the ground.” This is something we must clearly understand.

“Emerging from the ground” represents the ground where the wisdom of Bodhisattvas abides, the original ground of the intrinsic mind of all Buddhas. All Dharma is in a state of ultimate cessation, having no intrinsic substance or appearance. The unconditioned Dharma is the ground of the true principles. When we take action with conditioned phenomena by advancing diligently, we bring these matters and appearances to fruition.

“Emerging from the ground” represents the ground where the wisdom of Bodhisattvas abides. To reach the state of Buddhahood, we must first walk on the Bodhisattva-path. So, Bodhisattvas must first clear the path. We must first clear this path; only then can we level the ground and pave a smooth road. By the same principle, this “represents the ground where the wisdom of Bodhisattvas abides.” The Saha world is a world of endurance filled with afflictions and ignorance. Bodhisattvas must discover this land, that this is what this place is like.

Now, our minds are filled with afflictions; [they are] hard to endure. We must be able to endure this world. If our afflictions bury us, then we will forever remain in this turbid world of endurance filled with turbidities and ignorance. Starting from this time, the ground will begin to quake and split open. The ground will begin to open. So, we will open our hearts and be understanding. Our hearts will become open and understanding.

As we discussed previously, the seeds are emerging. These Bodhisattva-seeds are in the ground. If soil, water and air are all present, once the causes and conditions are mature, the seeds will naturally break free of their shells underground. With this strength, they break through and emerge from the ground. So, the ground splits open, and [the sprouts] emerge. This is the principle. “Emerging from the ground” represents how our nature of True Suchness has broken through the shell of afflictions. It was as if it had been buried underground, buried in the ground of ignorance. When causes and conditions ripen, the seeds will sprout from the ground.

Those of us who do chores at the Abode should be more mindful in looking at our vegetable garden or when we plant the seeds of beans and rice. We need to be mindful. Back in the days, when we planted peanuts, we had clearly dropped the peanuts on the ground, but someone taught us the method that we had to pack the soil with our feet. [I asked], “Why do we need to step on the soil?” [He said], “You must make the soil firm so the birds will not be able to peck out the seeds. Then the seeds will remain in the ground.” I asked, “If we pack the soil so tightly, how can the seeds sprout?” He said, “You will see; the seeds are strong.” Indeed, he was right. I went to look at the field every day. On the first day, the ground was flat; it was the same for the second day. On the third day, the soil cracked open and the seeds sprouted like little hooks. The next day when I again went to look at them, they had straightened up and the leaves had sprouted.

If we are mindful as we plant the seeds, we can see how the peanuts sprout. The leaves grow bigger and bigger each day. What time of day do the leaves grow? This continues for over three months, then the peanuts are mature and ready for harvest. Wow, when we dug them out, there were actually bunches of them! There were dozens of peanuts buried underground. This shows that this is what seeds are like. They continuously multiply like this; one gives rise to infinity. One peanut seed can grow into a whole bunch of peanut pods. Inside each pod, there may be three or four seeds. They are all connected together.

By the same token, Bodhisattvas need mature causes and conditions to abide somewhere. As we engage in spiritual practice, we rely on causes and conditions. We often say that a lotus flower relies on the mud to get its nutrition. The lotus flower is beautiful and the root is fat; this all relies on the nutrients from the mud. If we want to attain Buddhahood, we rely on the causes and conditions of this land. In this Saha world with its severe turbidities, we must cultivate the pure Bodhisattva-mind and “emerge from the ground.”

This is “The original ground of the intrinsic mind of all Buddhas.” All Buddhas come in the same way from this ground, because they cultivated the Bodhisattva-practice; this is the state of attaining Buddhahood. “All Dharma is in a state of ultimate cessation, having no intrinsic substance or appearance.” This is the principle. What is it that enables the seed to grow? Is it the pod of the peanut? No. Is it the peanut seed? No, it is not. If we continue to break it down to understand it, it is the genes inside that we cannot see [with our bare eyes]. That is it. This is a very tiny thing. It is [like] a principle which “has no intrinsic substance or appearance.”

If we analyze principles to the end, there is no substance or appearance. But for each thing, its principles leads to its appearances. Soybeans are the seeds for soybeans, while peanuts are seeds for peanuts. Each has its own conditions, so there is no intrinsic substance or appearance. Principles have no substance or appearance. If we miss the right time for planting a seed, it will not grow. We need the right timing. If it had an everlasting substance or appearance, then timing would not matter. Indeed, we need time, space and all its principles to converge. So, with the principles, once it is too late, even with seeds and earth, nothing will grow. So, we cannot lack any of the principles. These three [elements] must converge. When we break them down, there is “no intrinsic substance or appearance.”

So, the “unconditioned Dharma” is the law of nature. This is like the empty space, which can also be called unconditioned Dharma. Our mind is also the same. It is also unconditioned Dharma, without any intrinsic substance or appearance, “like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow a dew drop or a flash of lightning.” It will manifest for a while and then disappear. It has “no intrinsic substance or appearance.” So, “It is the ground of the true principles.”

“When we take action….” This is the principle which enables us to take action. If we do not take action, then the principle will have no effect. We must act for the principle to be effective. The truths the Buddha gave us are wonderful, but if we do not engage in cultivation or put them into practice, then the principles will not be brought to fruition. So, we must be very mindful. “By advancing diligently, we bring these matters and appearances to fruition.”

Since we are in the world, “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings;” we must relieve sentient beings from suffering. So, we must cultivate our virtue and demeanor. We need both virtue and demeanor. “With virtue comes attainment.” When we engage in spiritual practice to attain these principles, we will naturally have such virtues and will be able to lead the people harmoniously. These are the virtues that we cultivated. So, we must be very mindful. The principles are like this. We can discuss them in broad terms, but when we bring them back, do we actually understand them? We must truly be mindful to accept [the teachings]. When such vast principles are discussed, are we able to bring them back [to our lives]? This requires us to be mindful.

The previous sutra passage states,

“As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open.” As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open. From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously.

As we heard, this was because everyone had worked hard. Our hearts truly opened and we understood. This split open the ground formed by layers of afflictions. We have now broken through it. This is just like the seed [that sprouted] and broke through the ground’s surface so that [the sprout] emerged. In the same way, “The ground quaked and split open.” Our hearts have opened and we understand.

“From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously.” Once we open our minds and understand, all Dharma and principles will endlessly emerge from within our minds. What we have heard and done in the past, those teachings and matters will instantly rush to emerge in our memory. As we speak, we can express what we heard or encountered in the past at the present moment. This is “countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerging simultaneously.”

Bodhisattvas are awakened sentient beings. Our state of mind must be that of awakened sentient beings. Since we are awakened sentient beings, “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering beings.” How can we help others understand the Dharma? How can we relieve sentient beings from their suffering? This must all come from our minds. The memories in our minds must continuously emerge. This is how we can understand [the Dharma], and this is how we apply it. So, I feel that in learning the Buddha-Dharma, we are not only seeking how to discern things using words or how to explain things. We must also apply it in our lives, in our interpersonal interactions. This is what we call the human world. In interpersonal interactions, when we can apply these principles through giving and manifest them as true appearances that we can apply, this is called the worldly Dharma. What methods should we use in this world to relieve people from their difficulties? We must think of methods to do this.

The next sutra passage states,

“These Bodhisattvas’ bodies were all golden in hue, with the 32 Marks and infinite radiance. Previously, they had all abided in the empty space below the Saha World.”

We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. If we have understood what was said before, then we should be able to more or less comprehend what we will talk about now. “These Bodhisattvas’ bodies were all golden in hue.” Speaking first of matters, “the 32 Marks and infinite radiance” show that these Bodhisattvas were very dignified.

These Bodhisattvas’ bodies were all golden in hue, with the 32 Marks and infinite radiance: The Bodhisattvas were magnificent. Their bodies were purple-gold in color. They were replete with Marks and Characteristics and were infinitely radiant. Everyone who saw them greatly rejoiced.

In the past, we said that “the 32 Marks” were unique to Buddhas. “The 32 Marks” bring people joy when they see them. It is a perfect appearance without flaws. These 32 Marks, which we explained before, were not unique to Buddhas. “The Bodhisattvas were magnificent. Their bodies were purple-gold in color.” They also had this purple-gold hue and displayed such an appearance. “They were replete with Marks and Characteristics.” This appearance [similar to] the Buddha’s “32 Marks” and purple-gold hue, is a replete and perfect appearance.

As for “infinite radiance,” this purple-gold hue radiates light; among many radiant bright [colors], this color is the most replete with the beauty of colors. It very naturally radiates light. This color is radiating infinite light. “Everyone who saw them greatly rejoiced” because they manifested in such perfect forms. People from India are darker in skin tone, so dark that there is a purple hue to it. This purple hue is radiant.

“The Buddha’s body has the 32 Marks, and those Bodhisattvas were also all like this, dignified by the Marks and Characteristics.” They too were like this. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are like this.

A Buddha’s body has the 32 Marks, and those Bodhisattvas were also all like this. Their appearances were dignified by the Marks and Characteristics. Throughout the worlds of the ten directions, their manifestations appeared to transform [sentient beings]. Their Marks and Characteristics were the same as the Buddha’s.

This required forming good affinities with sentient beings, so that people rejoiced when they saw them. Thus, they were replete in the [32] Marks. “Throughout the worlds of the ten directions, their manifestations appeared to transform [sentient beings].” Not only Buddhas have manifestations that transform [beings]. In the Chapter on the Stupa of Treasures, the Buddha had manifestations. Actually, Bodhisattvas too have [manifestations]. Look at Guanyin Bodhisattva, who “manifests with 32 Marks.” He is also a Bodhisattva, and so is Earth Treasury Bodhisattva.

Guanyin Bodhisattva is an ancient Buddha. Earth Treasury Bodhisattva vowed, “I will not attain Buddhahood until hell is empty.” So, only when sentient beings no longer suffer, will he manifest the attainment of Buddhahood. Actually, Earth Treasury Bodhisattva’s great vow is equal to the Buddha’s. Guanyin Bodhisattva attained Buddhahood as. Clear True Dharma Tathagata. Still, he goes among people to transform sentient beings. So, that is to say, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are all equal, and so are all sentient beings. Once we form Bodhisattva-aspirations, we are also equal to them. “Those Bodhisattvas were also all like this. Their appearances were dignified by the Marks and Characteristics.”

“Throughout the worlds of the ten directions,” their manifestations appeared to transform [sentient beings]. They were all delivering sentient beings. When we understand the Dharma well, we can explain it to others. Then they can also spread it to even more people. In this way, people pass it on to one another. “If it is right, just do it.” If everyone has this perspective and does good deeds together, then this is “transforming” [sentient beings]. When we hear good things, we do good together. We are all good people and we all do good deeds. This will make everyone joyful. This is “transforming” [one another]. “Their Marks and Characteristics were the same as the Buddha’s.” In this way, their appearances made people joyful, just like the Buddha’s.

“Previously they had all abided in the empty space below the Saha World.”

Previously they had all abided in the empty space below the Saha World: They pervaded the ten directions. There is no inherent above or below. This represents abiding in the Middle Way. This shows that they emerged from the ground, where they had abided in the tranquil void.

Now, we are discussing how these Bodhisattvas “abided in the empty space below the Saha World. They pervaded the ten directions. There is no inherent above or below.” This means that the wisdom of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas has already surpassed this Earth.

Now, we know that planet Earth is not “underground.” Actually, when we look up, we can see planets and stars. There are celestial bodies all over the sky, orbiting the sun. Earth is also among those celestial bodies. So there are planets above us, below us, and all around us. There are different worlds around us. There are also many stars and satellites. So, we say “[They] abided in the empty space.” Earth is in space. We have knowledge and wisdom. With our knowledge today, we can know about space, astronomy and geography.

In astronomy, how many planets are there? How do high and low pressures form? In summary, with all the knowledge we have now, we know about Earth’s ecosystems and climate patterns. So, “below the Saha World” refers to this entire universe. We can seek to understand it all. Our hearts can then encompass the universe. So, “[They] abided in the empty space” means that we should not be attached to the Saha world. We “abide in the empty space.” Our hearts encompass the universe. “They pervaded the ten directions.” This is being liberated from an ordinary person’s mindset and ignorance. We must have a mindset that “pervades the ten directions” and encompasses the universe. We often say, “There is no inherent above or below.” We do not need to differentiate above and below.

“This represents abiding in the Middle Way.” This emptiness represents practicing the Middle Way. This shows how they emerged from the ground and “abided in the tranquil void. With minds tranquil and clear, vows as vast as the universe….” We must have this state of mind. “With minds tranquil and clear, vows as vast as the universe….” Our minds must abide like this.

Moreover, the ground of the ultimate reality of all Dharma is inherently free from the discrimination of appearances. So this ground represents the emptiness of the supreme meaning. It is also the aforementioned emptiness that they peacefully abided in, which is infinite, boundless, unobstructed and unhindered.

“Moreover, the ground of the ultimate reality of all Dharma….” This is the ultimate reality of all Dharma. We often talk about having “minds tranquil and clear.” Isn’t this [the basis of] our Jing Si Dharma lineage? So, it “is inherently free from the discrimination of appearances. So this ground represents the emptiness of the supreme meaning.” These are the true principles. So, it is the aforementioned [emptiness] that “they peacefully abided in, which is infinite.” This is infinite meanings. It is emptiness that is boundless, unobstructed and unhindered. Our minds must abide in this tranquil and clear state, where our minds are infinite, boundless, unobstructed and unhindered. Only [when we abide] in such emptiness can our aspirations be firm. We must earnestly put in effort to understand this.

In distinguishing and naming these matters and appearances, [the Bodhisattvas] were said to “emerge” and “abide in empty space.” Moreover, “below” refers to the depths of the Dharma-nature and the ultimate ground of the profound methods. Being below [the Saha World] does not mean it is here. Abiding in emptiness does not mean it is there. It is neither here nor there, thus it abides in the Middle Way.

So, “In distinguishing and naming these matters and appearances, [the Bodhisattvas] were said to ’emerge.'” We use these names and matters to express [the Dharma]. Otherwise, the person teaching has nothing to say. When we truly want to teach the Dharma, where is it? There is nothing to say. We must use matters and appearances to explain the principles. Thus they were said to “emerge.” This is “abiding in empty space.” When you explain it, it is actually empty. “Moreover, ‘below’ refers to the depths of the Dharma-nature.” The Dharma is profound and bottomless. In “the ultimate ground of the profound methods, the profound methods” refers to the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma is truly vast and incomparable; there are many vast principles. Our minds must be replete with these. So, it is called the ground of the mind.

“Below” does not belong to this place; there is no set place where it belongs. “Being in emptiness does not mean it is there”; we do not know where emptiness is to be found. So, the ground is bottomless, and the emptiness is boundless. “It is neither here nor there, thus it abides in the Middle Way.” We must practice the Middle Way. so we must abide in the Middle Way. Thus,

“They emerged in this [world], but were not above it, nor were they below it. They were neither above nor below, but abided in empty space. This is also the Middle Way.”

So, they were neither above nor below, nor to the left or right. This is called the Middle Way. This is the goal of the Buddha-Dharma. We must not be obstructed by the extremes. We must be free of obstructions.

So, they vowed to safeguard the Saha world, “practice and uphold [the sutra] with patient endurance and promote the teachings.”

They vowed to protect this Saha World, practice and uphold [the sutra] with patient endurance and promote the teachings. When it comes to the practices of bringing peace and joy upon the Bodhisattva-path, patient endurance is the ground they dwell in.

With minds that are not attached and not obstructed, although the Saha world is hard to endure and full of suffering, Bodhisattvas come here for that very reason. Because of this, in the Saha world, they can endure and take on responsibilities as they promote the Dharma. When it comes to the practices of bringing peace and joy upon the Bodhisattva-path, what we rely on is patient endurance. We are not biased toward emptiness nor existence. The practice of bringing peace and joy is what we rely on, so we must be mindful. Is this difficult? No, we feel blessed and happy. When we accomplish things, this is very wonderful; we are grateful to each other.

We “abide in the empty space below the Saha World.” In this way, we can very steadily abide here.

Abide in the empty space below the Saha World: Cultivating the Four Practices of body, speech, mind and vows is our aim. In cultivating patience, we take humility as our foundation. They abide in the empty space below, meaning they are humble and selfless. This is because they realize emptiness through non-abiding.

So, “Cultivating the Four Practices of body, speech, mind and vows is our aim.” This is our mission. These are the “Four Practices. In cultivating patience, we take humility as our foundation.” We must be modest and humble ourselves. “They abide in the empty space below, meaning they are humble and selfless.” We must be so humble that we are selfless.

“This is because they realize emptiness through non-abiding.” So, we do not need to be attached to the position we are holding or the kind of work we are doing. Whatever is right, we should just do it. Dear Bodhisattvas, Bodhisattvas’ minds do not abide in appearances, instead they just practice the Bodhisattva-path and just do what is right. So, we must always be mindful!

Episode 1461 – The Ground Split Open to Reveal the Intrinsic

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>> “The Buddha’s disciples must spread His Dharma and pass it down forever. They form affinities in the Saha World. With deep causes and extensive affinities, they will certainly gain tremendous benefits. They deeply cultivate the fields of blessing and sow the seeds [of Bodhi]. With Bodhi, one gives rise to infinity. They open the nearby fruits to reveal the distant causes, thus giving rise to infinity from one.”

>> Bodhisattvas reverently follow the Buddha’s will, making vows to remain in the world of endurance. They travel back and forth in the Six Realms and patiently endure hardships to uphold the sutra. They say they have attained non-arising patience and are thus able to endure all hardships.

>> In the Saha World, there are many things that must be endured. For the sake of teaching and transforming sentient beings, Bodhisattvas must be able to endure fatigue. This is why it is called the world of endurance.

>> “Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> “All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> “As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open. From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> Throughout the great trichiliocosm, the ground quaked and split open. These Great Bodhisattvas were about to emerge from the ground, thus this appearance manifested. The ground covered the retinues originally there like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic. Now He wished to open the manifest to reveal the intrinsic, so the ground split open as a manifestation of this appearance.

>> As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open:  As Sakyamuni Tathagata said this, the spiritual powers of the Buddha moved the world, and the ground split and cracked.

>> The great trichiliocosm: 1000 small chiliocosms are known as one medium chiliocosm 1000 medium chiliocosms are known as one great chiliocosm. Trichiliocosm: This represents all phenomena and is also an analogy for an infinite amount

>> The ground split open: The ground covered the retinues originally there below like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic. Now He wished to open the manifest to reveal the intrinsic, so the ground split open to show that the path of all sages would be revealed and spread. To benefit all beings, He must use both compassion and wisdom.>> From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously: From empty space below, those Bodhisattvas, upon hearing the Buddha’s words, came forth from there.

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“The Buddha’s disciples must spread His Dharma
and pass it down forever.
They form affinities in the Saha World.
With deep causes and extensive affinities, they will certainly gain tremendous benefits.
They deeply cultivate the fields of blessing and sow the seeds [of Bodhi].
With Bodhi, one gives rise to infinity.
They open the nearby fruits to reveal the distant causes,
thus giving rise to infinity from one.”

Dear Bodhisattvas, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this. We must truly seize the time we have in this life. Time is continuously passing by, while every bit of causes and conditions accumulates in our storehouse consciousness, following us as we come and go. Everything we create becomes causes and conditions that lead to karmic retributions that we bring lifetime after lifetime. This is something we must very mindfully seek to comprehend.

The Buddha taught the Dharma because He wanted us to thoroughly understand these principles, hoping that we will return to our nature of True Suchness. The myriad sentient beings have many sufferings. They come and go amidst their ignorance. We must give rise to a mind in which we cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer. We must form aspirations to go among people. Moreover, our spiritual training ground is among people. We must experience and understand that our best spiritual training ground is among people. The Buddha taught us to put effort into mindfully comprehending the great path.

“The Buddha’s disciples must spread His Dharma and pass it down forever.” That is right! We are all the Buddha’s disciples. We must accept the Buddha’s teachings and pass down the Buddha’s aspirations. So, we should spread this Dharma that the Buddha has passed down to us. We must go among people and take on this responsibility. The Buddha’s one great cause is to save sentient beings. We are just individuals among sentient beings; there are still myriad sentient beings around us. We are simply very fortunate to be able to encounter the Buddha’s teachings before others; we have these causes and conditions.

Though we say we are before others, those who received [teachings] even before we did, the disciples who lived during the same time as the Buddha, were even more fortunate. Since then, it has been over 2000 years. Perhaps over 2000 years ago, we lived during the same time as the Buddha and listened to the Buddha teach the Dharma. [Perhaps] we also made vows, but we did not earnestly uphold our vows and practices. So, we fell again into the Six Realms. Or perhaps, for several lifetimes, we encountered the Buddha-Dharma and listened to the Buddha-Dharma, but our affinities were shallow. At this point, we still have the causes and conditions to listen to the Dharma.

So, now that we have already heard [the Dharma], we should earnestly seize the causes and conditions in this lifetime and make sincere vows. We must take the Buddha-Dharma to heart and put it into practice in our lives. Every action we take becomes causes and conditions. When the seeds mature, they enter our consciousness. In the field of our eighth consciousness, we have abundant seeds of the Buddha-Dharma. In our future lifetimes, when we again encounter the Buddha-Dharma, these causes and conditions will be very mature. Then, “With deep causes and extensive affinities, we will certainly gain tremendous benefits.” These are the result of being tempered in our spiritual training ground, among people.

So, we must “deeply cultivate the fields of blessings and sow the seeds [of Bodhi]. With Bodhi, one gives rise to infinity.” We must simply earnestly form aspirations and cultivate the field in our minds, growing our seeds so that they reach maturity. Naturally, with these seeds of awakening one will give rise to infinity. When it comes to the Buddha-Dharma, we must have firm [resolve] and make vows. With this seed, for people around us, for the myriad sentient beings, we can influence their aspirations so that they will also learn the Buddha-Dharma and become awakened. So, they will “learn by doing and awaken by learning.” We must guide people in one by one, helping them experience and understand the Buddha-Dharma in their daily living, the Dharma and matters, people, matters and principles. By doing this every day, by experiencing this Dharma daily in our work, we comprehend profound principles through people and matters. This is the Buddha-Dharma. This is bringing together matters and principles.

So, we must “open the nearby fruits to reveal the distant causes, thus giving rise to infinity from one.” [In terms of] “opening the nearby fruits,” we bring our past causes into this life. What are these past causes? Although we do not know what they are, we are clear about the results we experience in this life. In this lifetime, [we know about] our parents, our family and the journey of our lives. How did we encounter the Buddha-Dharma? How did we form aspirations? How did these causes and conditions all converge together? We are very clear about these. In this lifetime, no matter what causes and conditions we encounter, in this spiritual training ground, every day we are listening to the Dharma. Every day we can clearly see this world. The matters in this world allow us to encounter people every day. These are all effects.

Everything happening in this world is effects. In this evil world of the Five Turbidities, the climate is extreme. When summer arrives, every single day is very hot. Earth, water, fire and wind are all out of balance. One country has floods, and another country has hurricanes or typhoons that bring disasters. One country has huge fires, and yet another country has earthquakes. Isn’t this the case? We see this in the world every day; the media reports on matters of the world every day.

And in this spiritual training ground of ours, I also tell everyone every day about how yesterday, in the past, the imbalance of people, matters and things resulted in certain events. All these things that happen are the “fruits,” the outcomes. Where did these outcomes originate? They came from “distant causes.” Don’t we talk about this every day? [We did] these things in the past, including [created the causes for] the imbalance of the climate. After talking about it, I would say, “Our present living environment [is due to] the causes we created in the past for destroying the earth and polluting the air. The imbalance in people’s minds has created manmade calamities and [natural] disasters.” Very clearly, the accumulation of distant causes created the present karmic retributions of the macrocosm and microcosms of the world.

For us individuals, indeed, every one of us has these distant causes and nearby fruits. Everyone has them. As for our nearby fruits, we are already engaging in spiritual practice. As you are sitting here in front of me today, you are facing me, while I am facing all of you. Those to your left and right and in front of you are all spiritual practitioners. Does everyone have the same state of mind in their practice? There are different feelings and capabilities, but the Dharma is the same; it constantly teaches us to eliminate ignorance. In life, there is so much ignorance. There is this kind of Dharma, and there are these matters in life. When we encounter these situations, how do we resolve them by applying this Dharma?

So, [we need] practice with nothing further, uninterrupted practice and extended practice. Everything in this world, every action, [results in] either good or bad conditioned phenomena. When we face harsh situations, we must quickly apply the Four Practices. We must constantly practice with reverence and also engage in uninterrupted practice and practice with nothing further. In this way, we will engage in extended practice. In engaging in extended practice, we must remember to [practice] with body, speech, mind and vows. If we can do this, then naturally, although we are now facing these fruits in this greater environment, we will individually have ways to deal with this world and people’s attitudes. [These ways] are the Four Practices and the four methods [for bringing peace and joy].

We need to employ the Three Directives. This is a series of things that provides us with all [the methods] we need to be able to “open the nearby fruits to reveal the distant causes.” Realizing that it is what we created in the past [that led to] these fruits we face in the present, we must also bring this spiritual practice close to our everyday life so it provides our present causes. [We must use] the Three Directives, the Four Practices and the Four Methods, the “one three” and the “two fours,” in our everyday lives. Isn’t this how “one gives rise to infinity”?

We must earnestly engage in our own spiritual practice. When people have issues with us, we must put effort into improving ourselves. If people show unpleasant expressions toward us, we must put effort into cultivating ourselves. We must put in effort to improve ourselves. We must not just think of changing others. We must improve ourselves. When we improve ourselves, naturally we will be able to influence others. This is the most correct principle. So, I ask everyone to understand this.

“They deeply cultivate the fields of blessing and sow the seeds [of Bodhi]. With Bodhi, one gives rise to infinity. They open the nearby fruits to reveal the distant causes, thus giving rise to infinity from one.” When we go among people, we must put effort into facing sentient beings. This is our spiritual training ground. Our spiritual training ground is among people. So, we must form great aspirations and great vows to engage in the Bodhisattva-practice. The Buddha has one great cause, to teach the Bodhisattva Way; He came to teach us the Bodhisattva Way. We are the Buddha’s disciples. So, we must spread the Buddha’s teachings and reverently follow the Buddha’s will.

The Buddha has one great cause. We are the Buddha’s disciples. The Buddha came to teach and transform sentient beings. We are among those sentient beings. We have special causes and conditions in that we accept the teachings. So, as the Buddha’s disciples, we should pass down the Buddha’s teachings. We must have this everlasting aspiration to earnestly engage in practice that is extended, uninterrupted and with nothing further and to respect the Buddha-Dharma. This is “reverently following the Buddha’s will.”

So,

“Bodhisattvas reverently follow the Buddha’s will, making vows to remain in the world of endurance. They travel back and forth in the Six Realms and patiently endure hardships to uphold the sutra. They say they have attained non-arising patience and are thus able to endure all hardships.”

This is the direction we must take. Why? This is because the Bodhisattvas from other lands heard that this world of endurance, this Saha World, has much suffering and that the Buddha was worried. His disciples in the Saha World had not yet expressed [a wish to] make vows. Those from other lands had already come and begun to express that they were willing to come to this Saha World and again learn the Dharma, to read, recite, uphold, transcribe [the sutra] and so on. They wished to make offerings to the Buddha and to accept and uphold the teachings of the sutra. They were willing to spread this sutra. We had already talked about this.

They were willing to do this in the Saha World. So what about us? We are [the Buddha’s] disciples in the Saha World. We should even more reverently follow the Buddha’s intent. We must take on this responsibility and likewise earnestly engage in spiritual practice. Since we have received the Buddha’s teachings in the Saha World, we must also form affinities with people in the Saha World and sow seeds of goodness, forming affinities with sentient beings. When we earnestly engage in spiritual practice, we will also be able to bring great benefit to sentient beings. This is what is important to us.

So, “In the Saha World, there are many things that must be endured.” In the Saha World, there are many things that must be endured. We must earnestly train ourselves to be able to bear and patiently endure them. Whether they are the natural environment or people’s actions, all these matters are hard to bear and endure. However, as Buddhist practitioners, we must endure challenges. We must be able to be patient and endure. So, there are many matters that must be endured; There are many things that test us. This is how, “In the Saha World, there are many things that must be endured.”

So,

For the sake of teaching and transforming sentient beings, Bodhisattvas must be able to endure fatigue. This is why it is called the world of endurance.

Things can be very difficult and very tiring, and we may be very tired. [People] often say, “You work so hard!” [But we say], “Not at all! We are blessed! This is wonderful!” This is when we are serving others, when we are very tired, but we [work] very willingly. This is because we have made profound vows. We do not say it is difficult. We say, “I am blessed, because by serving others. I am creating blessings among people. I am blessed!” Even though it is tiring to serve with our bodies, we feel very blessed in our hearts. We are willing; we are willing to serve, so we endure. “Bodhisattvas must be able to endure fatigue. This is why it is called the world of endurance.”

We must be mindful. These passages [of the sutra] are all telling us about our state of mind. In the “teachings of the manifest,” we talked about matters, about the Buddha’s and His disciples’ journey, how He engaged in spiritual practice and manifested in this world. Throughout those [first] 14 chapters, it discussed the past and the present. Now, [the sutra] will be talking about how we need to return; in our spiritual practice, how we must cultivate so that we understand the principles. Once we understand the principles, we can return to our nature of True Suchness.

Lifetime after lifetime, we are in this turbulent world of temptations. Just like a snowball, afflictions and ignorance add up layer by layer, constantly turning over and over. What we must know now is that of these past matters that have accumulated, in addition to our own ignorance and afflictions, we can see that all sentient beings in the world are in this turbulent world of temptations. As a result, there is so much suffering. Little by little, we awaken; inch by inch, we draw nearer to the path to return to our Tathagata-nature. So, we use love to pave the path we walk as we return to our Tathagata-nature. This path of love is the Bodhisattva-path. Bodhisattvas engage in myriad practices; this is how they walk the path.

So, in the previous sutra passage, we saw great numbers. These great numbers describes the ground of our minds. Everyone, each of us sitting here has a piece of land in our own mind. We all have our own piece of sky. We all have our own world. However many people there are, there are just that many lands and skies; there are just that many worlds. So, if we can earnestly and clearly understand these principles, as soon as we hear the sutra, we will easily understand it.

Alright, let us now look at the previous sutra passage.

Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.

Do we remember what came before this passage? Bodhisattvas from other worlds came to make a request to spread and pass on this sutra in the Saha World. They were also willing to learn again. The Buddha then said, “Stop! There is no need for all of you.” There was no need. Why was that? Because “In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.” These were all great Bodhisattvas. For these Bodhisattvas, “each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.” He already had people who had formed great aspirations and made great vows. These Bodhisattvas all had people they had affinities with. There were so many people they could transform.

This is also to let everyone know that. “Before attaining Buddhahood, we must first form affinities with people.” There are so many suffering sentient beings. Wherever there is a need, Tzu Chi volunteers continue to form aspirations to connect with people’s families. This is like Guanyin Bodhisattva, who appears wherever people pray for her to come. Isn’t this how each of [these Bodhisattvas] were able to have such a large retinue? These were all people they were transforming now, people they were forming affinities with now.

So,

All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra.

Those from other worlds wanted to come to our Saha World to safeguard and uphold and at the same time read, recite and widely teach this sutra. But the Buddha told them, “It is not necessary. I already have people here. There are so many people who are willing. They have already formed great aspirations. Each of those Bodhisattvas who has formed great aspirations also has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. They also have a great retinue of people with affinities with them, who are waiting to be transformed by them. So, we do not need people from other lands to come.”

If we are able to clearly understand this passage, we will be clear on the following numbers. We do not need to wait for someone to tell us. As we are learning, listening and practicing here, unbeknownst to us, we are already forming connections. We already have so many affinities. This is the Saha World. In this place, the Buddha’s disciples have unknowingly formed so many connections.

The next sutra passage goes on to say,

As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open. From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously.

I just told everyone that we all have a world in our minds. Everyone likewise has the sands of the Ganges River in their minds as well. It is a very large number. We must all be very mindful of this. We have countless numbers of thoughts in our minds. We must put effort into understanding this. Throughout the great trichiliocosm, “the ground quaked and split open. These Great Bodhisattvas were about to emerge from the ground, thus this appearance manifested.”

Throughout the great trichiliocosm, the ground quaked and split open. These Great Bodhisattvas were about to emerge from the ground, thus this appearance manifested. The ground covered the retinues originally there like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic. Now He wished to open the manifest to reveal the intrinsic, so the ground split open as a manifestation of this appearance.

This is when the Buddha was about to say to those [Bodhisattvas] from other worlds, “I already have so many people, not just those you see now, there are others too. In my Saha World, in the lands of the great trichiliocosm, [we are] waiting.” So, “The ground quaked and split open. It is not just those you see; people can also emerge [from the ground]. Those who can suddenly emerge are still very many. You have not seen this appearance yet. Starting when the ground splits open, these Bodhisattvas will emerge.” So, this is a description and an analogy. Everyone should be mindful of this.

Do you remember? What year did the 921 Earthquake occur? It was in 1999. The 921 Earthquake was a huge earthquake in central Taiwan. In that earthquake, the earth shook violently, mountains collapsed and the ground split open. We could really describe it like this. On Jiujiu Peaks, the surface of the mountain peeled off. Looking back on that time, it really was a very frightening event.

At that time, before the crack of dawn, a huge earthquake occurred. Also before daybreak, volunteers in blue and white, Tzu Chi volunteers, had already arrived. There were even local Bodhisattva-volunteers whose homes had been severely [damaged] by the earthquake. Their houses were also slanted, walls tilting. At that time, they changed into their blue and white uniforms and quickly rushed out.

They were not the only early ones. There were others who had arrived even earlier. They all gathered together, coming in one after another. From near and far, they arrived one after another, [these volunteers in] blue and white uniforms. Early in the morning, they began serving hot meals, hot congee and hot soy milk. This was how they emerged from the ground. Of course, that is a tangible appearance. This appearance of the ground splitting open was a very tragic disaster.

I just told everyone that [in our minds], we all have a piece of sky and a piece of land. We all have this thought, an infinitely [broad] mind. Do we have thoughts of goodness? Or [do we have] thoughts of evil? When the Buddha-Dharma moves the ground of our minds, the ground of our minds should move [with it] and quake and split open. Look at seeds, for example peanuts. In the past, I planted peanuts. After I planted the peanuts, when I went to look at them the next morning, the ground was still flat. This is because when people plant peanuts, they must stomp them down with their foot to compact and flatten the soil.

The next morning, I looked and it was still level. The following morning, when I went to look, the level ground had begun to split open. It split open two days [after planting], and when I checked again the next morning, the sprouts of the peanuts had begun to emerge. This is how it is with the earth. After we sow the seeds in the earth, when the seeds are starting to sprout, the earth must split open for the sprout to emerge. When seeds of goodness are planted in the ground of our minds, for the seeds of goodness to sprout, the ground of our minds must split open. Only when the ground splits open will the sprout emerge.

We are constantly sowing seeds in the ground of our minds. Are our seeds evil? [Seeds] of anger and ignorance, such bad temper splits the ground of our mind open. So, when we sow the seeds of evil, these seeds of evil will sprout, and we will have a long string of afflictions. When we sow seeds of goodness, the ground must also split open for the sprouts to emerge. Seeds of goodness, seeds of Bodhi, will then sprout. So, our seeds of goodness are also buried in the ground of our minds.

So, “The ground covered the retinues originally there.” We must form aspirations before we can transform people. The principle is the same. When we continuously have good thoughts, naturally, when we see people, we speak good words to them. If their minds are confused, we use the Dharma to exhort them. These are the people who have affinities with us. They are all people we need to transform. So, “The ground covered the retinues originally there.” Every one of us has a retinue, people waiting for us to transform them.

So, “The ground covered the retinues originally there like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic.” We have talked about external principles and listened to the Dharma coming from the outside. In this way, the Buddha told us about. His many appearances in the world, these “manifestations,” the footprints from His travels, so we would know about them. We all understand that this is where the Buddha-Dharma came from, from the Buddha forming His aspiration and manifesting His appearances of engaging in spiritual practice and attaining enlightenment. We know about this. This is “the manifest.” For the Buddha, these manifestations served to reveal “the intrinsic.” We also have this intrinsic [nature]. It is our awakened nature.

The Buddha’s awakened nature has already matured. His seeds of goodness has broken out of the ground to become a great Bodhi tree. Our seeds of goodness are still covered underground. So, when we listen to the Dharma, a seed of goodness will sprout. Once we inspire goodness in our hearts and let our hearts be open and understanding, once we understand, this Bodhi-sprout comes out. This is our nature of True Suchness; our awakened nature begins to emerge.

So, [it is] “like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic.” We already know about “the manifest.” [It covers] what we innately have; It “conceals the intrinsic,” what was always there. The Buddha has His enlightened nature; He is already enlightened. He has manifested its appearance, but we have not. So, our [Bodhi seed] is still underground. So, “like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic” refers to how everyone’s Buddha-nature, our awakened nature, is concealed. “Now He wished to open the manifest to reveal the intrinsic.” Now, He had now already opened up the manifest. In the last 14 chapters, [He taught] the Dharma that He needed to talk about, His manifested appearances in the world and so on, His past, present and future lifetimes. He taught us all this Dharma with analogies. Starting from now, He wanted to “open up the manifest to reveal the intrinsic.” Now He opened up the methods used in the past to reveal everyone’s intrinsic nature. The Buddha wanted to help everyone understand. His original nature, His innate enlightenment.

So, “The ground split open as a manifestation of this appearance.” This is the analogy that was used. Just now, I used the physical ground as an analogy. But in fact, we should return to the ground of our minds. Hopefully, for the seeds of goodness buried in the ground of our minds, that we listen to the Dharma like this will facilitate our conditions. This way, these seeds will be able to sprout in the ground of our minds. In this way, we hope to “open the manifest to reveal the intrinsic.”

So,

As the Buddha said this, throughout the lands of the great trichiliocosm of the Saha World, the ground quaked and split open.” Thus, “As Sakyamuni Tathagata said this,” when these words were spoken, “the spiritual powers of the Buddha moved the world, and the ground split and cracked.

This shows that when the Buddha was teaching the Dharma, Bodhisattvas in the Saha World were very touched. The ground of their minds opened; their minds became open and understanding. So, [what about] “the great trichiliocosm”?

The great trichiliocosm: 1000 small chiliocosms are known as one medium chiliocosm 1000 medium chiliocosms are known as one great chiliocosm. Trichiliocosm: This represents all phenomena and is also an analogy for an infinite amount

1000 small chiliocosms form a medium chiliocosm 1000 medium chiliocosms form a great chiliocosm.

Just planet Earth alone is already very big. In fact, there is not just this planet. To explain the chiliocosm takes a very long time. Now we know that 1000 small chiliocosms form a medium chiliocosm 1000 medium chiliocosms form a great chiliocosm. Three factors of thousand [worlds] are simply called “a trichiliocosm.”

In a more simple analogy, the trichiliocosm represents the Dharma, many, many teachings. This incalculable Dharma is compared to a trichiliocosm. If we explain it [in detail], it would be endless; there are so many worlds. So, there are so many, like the sands of the Ganges River. It is incalculable.

Let us think about how “the ground split open. The ground covered the retinues originally there below like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic.”

The ground split open: The ground covered the retinues originally there below like how the manifest concealed the intrinsic. Now He wished to open the manifest to reveal the intrinsic, so the ground split open to show that the path of all sages would be revealed and spread. To benefit all beings, He must use both compassion and wisdom.

This is to tell us again that we must understand; we must all be very clear. The seeds that are buried in the ground are also our nature of True Suchness. We have layer upon layer of afflictions and ignorance that cover us up. So, that the ground split open means that our hearts are open and understanding. Furthermore, we know that “the ground splitting open” represents how it is the time for the path of all sages to be revealed and spread. In the past, ignorance kept it trapped inside just like how the ground had always buried [the seed]. Now that the ground had split open, [the sprouts] should be emerging.

This is like a seed. The genes in the seed are covered up by the hull. Now the ground has quaked and split open, and the seed is in the ground. With soil and moisture, the hull is about to split open. The ground has also split open, so the sprout emerged. It is the same thing. People are like sages that are concealed, crouching underground. Now this path should be paved. When the direction is right, we can pave the path; [the path] can be spread and revealed. We should reveal the path of these sages. “To benefit all living beings” is [the mindset] we should have.

So,”From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously.” Because of this, when [the path] is spread, it is just like how many, many Bodhisattvas emerged from the ground. So, “From the empty space below, those Bodhisattvas, upon hearing the Buddha’s words, came forth from there.”

From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously: From empty space below, those Bodhisattvas, upon hearing the Buddha’s words, came forth from there.

Those people in the Saha World had already heard it from below. Countless trillions of Bodhisattvas were touched. “People from other worlds are touched; their hearts are open and understanding. So, how can we not understand this?”

“Those in other worlds are all willing to receive the teachings of our Buddha and spread them in the Saha World. They are all willing to endure. So, how can we just sit around waiting?” Thus, at this time, [people in the Saha world] also formed aspirations. So, “From it, countless trillions of. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged simultaneously.” Everyone had already formed aspirations.

Dear Bodhisattvas, we truly must form aspirations. This world is a world that must be endured; there is much to be endured. We must endure suffering and hard work to be able to go among people and use it as our spiritual training ground. We truly must begin to reveal our intrinsic [nature], “open the manifest to reveal the intrinsic.” In the past we were like this, covered by ignorance. We have heard so much Dharma. We must believe in our nature of True Suchness. This is the time for us to see our intrinsic nature. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1460 – Disciples in the Saha World Must Spread the Dharma

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>> “When [the Buddha] taught the wondrous Dharma on Vulture Peak, there were numerous Bodhisattvas from other lands who came from afar to listen. They were many in number, exceeding the infinite sands of the Ganges. They heard what the World-Honored One said, that those who promote this sutra have great blessings, so they were willing to remain in this defiled land and make vows to widely spread the Dharma.”

>> The Buddha stopped those [Bodhisattvas] from other lands who came from afar so as to call upon His disciples in this land of the Saha World to put effort into taking up the task. By safeguarding the blessed causes of the practice of wisdom, we must be diligent among conditioned phenomena and return to the unconditioned Dharma.>> The sixth consciousness: mind-consciousness. The seventh consciousness: Manas consciousness. The eighth consciousness: Alaya consciousness. The ninth consciousness: Amala consciousness.

>> “World-Honored One, should you hear us, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward to be those who protect, uphold and make offerings to this sutra. We will widely expound it in this land.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> “At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, ‘Stop! Good men! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra.'”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> “Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers: In my Saha World, I already have countless disciples. They should spread my Dharma. These disciples are all great Bodhisattvas.

>> Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers: The retinue of followers that every single Bodhisattva had transformed was also as numerous as the Ganges’ sands.

>> “All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra.”  [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra: All of these disciples of mine in this land have deep and extensive Dharma-affinities, and the people who uphold the Dharma are many. They are all capable of spreading my Dharma to benefit sentient beings.

>> He would not trouble the Bodhisattvas from other lands to remain in this land to safeguard this sutra. This is because the Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own affinities, their own responsibilities and their own karmic conditions. In this land, there were already Bodhisattvas who had affinities with this land. So, He stopped the Bodhisattvas from other lands from promoting the sutra in the Saha World.

>> This is to say nothing of the profound and intricate [teachings to come]. All Buddha-Dharma is attained completely through our self-nature. Though our Six Consciousnesses are full of afflictions, if we can awaken to our original mind, we will be replete with wondrous wisdom. Thus, we must practice and attain realization by ourselves, without waiting for others to ask us to do so and without depending on others’ help. If we go and seek externally and depend on others to teach and transform us, then this is not the Tathagata’s true teachings of the One Vehicle.

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“When [the Buddha] taught the wondrous Dharma on Vulture Peak, there were numerous Bodhisattvas
from other lands who came from afar to listen.
They were many in number,
exceeding the infinite sands of the Ganges.
They heard what the World-Honored One said,
that those who promote this sutra have great blessings,
so they were willing to remain in this defiled land
and make vows to widely spread the Dharma.”

We must mindfully seek to realize and comprehend this. Sakyamuni Buddha lived in the Saha World, this world that is hard to endure. When we hear that it is hard to endure, we know that this is a very painful world. This is because this world is full of imperfections and so much inescapable suffering. People in this world strive for wealth and status, but are these people truly blessed? No matter how wealthy someone is, life is limited; the law of nature brings aging, illness and death.

Moreover, there are many instances of impermanence. Anything can happen. This is what we are most afraid of, that which lurks beyond what we are able to predict. At what time, in what place, in which relationship will [impermanence strike]? No one knows. This is “impermanence.” A sudden strike causes unbearable suffering. Also, when it comes to the law of nature, we clearly know that birth, aging, illness and death are very natural. When we are born, everything is very natural. But when we grow up, as we age throughout the years, we gradually grow to learn about worldly things and slowly give rise to greed. As we give rise to greedy thoughts, bit by bit, our afflictions continuously increase.

Through this increase of afflictions and our ignorant actions, without realizing it, we have created the causes and conditions of suffering in the world. This is how we bring this upon ourselves. This is the suffering of this world. This is why [this world] is called “Saha.” In Sanskrit, this means “endurance.” Yes, this is a world that requires endurance. How can we eliminate all of this ignorance and all of these afflictions? Who knows how to do this? Who can understand?

Sakyamuni Buddha is the Great Enlightened One. This is why He is called “Buddha,” whereas we are all unenlightened beings. Unenlightened beings have many afflictions that they are unable to deeply comprehend. However, the Buddha is enlightened, so He understands. The true principles of all things in the universe and the Buddha’s enlightened nature are as one. So, connected to all matters and principles in the universe, He comprehends them all. His mind is one with all matters and principles. There is nothing He does not understand. The Buddha understands all things, but helping everyone else understand these things is easier said than done.

For over 40 years, He patiently guided people all the way to the Vulture Peak Assembly. By that time, He was already old, so He absolutely had to teach the True Dharma. As for the skillful means He taught in the past, the Buddha felt that He had to quickly unite them with the true principles to help everyone realize their intrinsic nature of True Suchness.

The world’s sentient beings experience so much suffering. There are many people who do not understand this principle. So many sentient beings are unable to comprehend these principles. So, the Buddha “taught the Wondrous Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak.” When He taught the wondrous Dharma, there were [Bodhisattvas] from other lands who also heard that the Buddha was teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, so they came. This is because the Lotus Sutra is the path to Buddhahood. It is the path all Buddhas share. Every Buddha is the same. No matter which world They teach the Dharma in, They will never depart from the Lotus Sutra. Because of this, when the Bodhisattvas in other lands heard that in the Saha World. Sakyamuni Buddha was teaching the Lotus Sutra, they [left] their lands to come to. Vulture Peak to listen to the Dharma. So, this verse says there were those “from other lands who came from afar to listen.” We discussed this passage earlier. Now, we will attempt to understand it again.

So, “There were numerous Bodhisattvas”; there were very many of them. These Bodhisattvas from other lands truly were very, very numerous. [Their number] was incalculable; it [exceeded] the number of the sands of eight Ganges Rivers. We should still remember this from the previous sutra passage. When we think about “the sands of eight Ganges Rivers,” if we were to pick up just one handful of sand, that amount on its own would be incalculable, let alone the number of sands in eight Ganges Rivers. “They were many in number.” They were that numerous, these Bodhisattvas who came from other lands. So, we can understand and imagine that scene on Vulture Peak. We should still remember that when the stupa of treasures emerged, there were so many Bodhisattvas who came from other lands. It is the same exact situation here.

Because the Buddha was teaching the Lotus Sutra, the stupa of treasures and Many Treasures Buddha had appeared. In the stupa of treasures, Many Treasures Buddha yielded His seat to Sakyamuni Buddha. This pair of Buddhas was inside the stupa. One taught the Dharma, and the other bore witness to it. Everyone should still remember this. We must [imagine] that surrounding environment in our heads. We must use our brains to contemplate that occasion, that scene. There really were so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

“They heard what the World-Honored One said, that those who promote the sutra have great blessings.” These Bodhisattvas from other lands had heard the Dharma on Vulture Peak. They already understood. But the minds of the beings in the world of endurance had yet to awaken. Their minds had yet to awaken. This is to say nothing of the future world, which was still a long time away. In the future world, sentient beings would be very numerous. In the future world, the turbidities would grow more and more severe. Sentient beings’ afflictions would grow more and more numerous. More than ever, they would need the Dharma to spread through the world. The Buddha had grown old. As He taught the Dharma on Vulture Peak, His heart was very heavy, because He had countless expectations and hopes. He hoped His disciples would be able to form great aspirations and make great vows. This describes Sakyamuni Buddha’s state of mind when He taught the Lotus Sutra.

So, when the Buddha taught the Dharma, during the previous. Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, the Buddha had already said that. He was about to enter Parinirvana and that the Dharma needed to be spread. He needed people to accept and spread the Dharma. Because they had these causes and conditions, these Bodhisattvas [from other lands] were inspired to take action. They were joyful and willing. They made vows and asked Sakyamuni Buddha, “Please permit us to do this. If you give us your permission, we are willing to remain in this land to teach the Dharma to future sentient beings.” But the Buddha’s hope was for. His disciples in the Saha World. He patiently guided His disciples in the Saha World from their confusion.

At the end of the. Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, in this sutra passage, the Buddha said, “You must be diligent. Even when you are dreaming, it must be like you are listening to the Dharma. When you have a heart that seeks the Dharma you will listen to the Dharma even in your dreams. You must be willing to spread the Dharma to sentient beings and even spread the Dharma in your dreams. With this earnestness in seeking the Buddha-Dharma, you must be willing to spread the Dharma throughout this world in the future, and you also need to teach the Dharma yourselves.” These are the kinds of vows that sentient beings must have. After His disciples heard the Dharma, they mindfully delved into its subtleties. What we contemplate by day, we will dream of at night. We must not allow the diligence we have during the daytime to grow lax at night.

So, in the final passage of the previous chapter, in that sutra passage, we can see how the Buddha spoke of His hopes. He said that the Dharma must be spread. He hoped that His own disciples would accept the Dharma and undertake this task, yet it was the Bodhisattvas from other lands who [arose to do so]. The Bodhisattvas from other lands had Buddhas in their own lands. The Bodhisattvas from other lands had been taught by the Buddhas in their lands, whereas in the Saha World, [Sakyamuni] had His own disciples from the Saha World. Why didn’t the disciples from the Saha World want to take action? The Bodhisattvas from other lands had declared that they would spread the Dharma in the Saha World. What about the disciples in this land? Why hadn’t they declared they would do this yet?

The Buddha could not agree to anything [proposed by those Bodhisattvas]. If He agreed that. He would entrust this mission to the Bodhisattvas from other lands, then the Dharma would have no roots in the Saha World. The Buddha had expectations for. His disciples in this Saha World. The Buddha had worked hard to cultivate Himself [and manifested] the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment. Through these manifestations, He helped everyone understand very clearly. Through these aspects, these appearances, this Dharma and this course [of practice], He helped everyone develop faith. With this body of ours that came from our parents, at the change of a thought, we can diligently advance. This is the course of spiritual cultivation. Eventually, our karmic conditions will ripen, and we will perfect our seeds and fruits. At that moment, instantaneously, we will awaken to the true principles of all things in the universe, and our awakened nature that is one with everything in the universe will emerge.

The Buddha was able to attain Buddhahood in this world. Everyone in this world can attain Buddhahood too. We are all born of our parents. We all walk the same path. We can engage in the same spiritual practice, transform our afflictions and return to our nature of True Suchness. Everyone has their own karmic conditions, their circumstantial and direct retributions, but at the same time, all conditioned phenomena are created by the mind. This is why the Buddha came to this world, to guide ignorant unenlightened beings into an awakened state where they will awaken to the world’s impermanence, awaken to the convergence of all kinds of causes and conditions, awaken to this sturdy path to walk upon and awaken to these methods of spiritual practice. In the end, our minds can also become one with the universe. Becoming one with the universe is called “attaining enlightenment.” He hoped that His disciples in the Saha World would be able to awaken like this.

So, the Buddha did not permit the Bodhisattvas from other lands to accept [this mission]. He expected His disciples in the Saha World to take up this mission. So, because of this, “The Buddha stopped those [Bodhisattvas] from other lands who came from afar so as to call upon His disciples in this land of the Saha World.”

The Buddha stopped those [Bodhisattvas] from other lands who came from afar so as to call upon His disciples in this land of the Saha World to put effort into taking up the task. By safeguarding the blessed causes of the practice of wisdom, we must be diligent among conditioned phenomena and return to the unconditioned Dharma.

He did this in order to call upon [the people of] this place, this Saha World, the people of this Earth. These people were all disciples taught directly by the Buddha.

We are over 2000 years removed from the Buddha, yet we are still teaching the Dharma He taught. The principles Sakyamuni Buddha realized over 2000 years ago have been continuously passed down to this day. So, we are still the disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha. The Buddha promoted [this Dharma] to guide us. He guides us so we are able to engage in spiritual practice and undertake this mission. He hopes that [His disciples] in the Saha World will “put effort into taking up the task.”

So, “We must be diligent among conditioned phenomena and return to the unconditioned Dharma.” He encourages and guides everyone to diligently engage in spiritual practice, to be diligent with conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena is everything that we do. We must diligently practice conditioned phenomena because we are in this world. We have not yet transcended life in this world. We have not yet transcended worldly matters, because we are still human.

Regarding worldly matters, we have duties that we must do our best to fulfill. We must do our best to fulfill our duties. Our mission is to engage in our own spiritual practice and spread the Dharma to others. This is our duty that we as the Buddha’s disciples must [fulfill]. However, we have yet to truly become one with the universe. We have yet to do this. The Buddha-Dharma, the Dharma of enlightenment, is something we have yet to realize completely. Our aspirations are still irresolute, so we need to constantly train ourselves. We still need to uphold our practice among people, matters and things.

Because of this, earlier, we discussed the ten kinds of people we should avoid. We must be determined in going among people to understand their many, many afflictions. We must work hard to practice according to the teachings, following the teachings the Buddha gave us. We must earnestly practice according to the Dharma. This is doing our best to fulfill our duties. This is also conditioned phenomena, which lies in everything that we do. We need to safeguard our wisdom. We need to firmly uphold our vows. We must make great vows and work hard to uphold them. This is all considered “conditioned phenomena.”

Through conditioned phenomena, we return to the unconditioned Dharma. The unconditioned Dharma is the true principles. The true principles have no form or appearance; they neither arise nor cease. They are known as “unconditioned Dharma.” We have discussed this previously. So, when it comes to all our interpersonal conflicts in this world, we must use unconditioned Dharma to understand them. Our interpersonal conflicts are nothing at all! They are dreams, illusions, bubbles and shadows. These [principles] are “unconditioned Dharma.”

We must understand that when we wake up from a dream, the dream is gone. Noble beings have no dreams; dreams are unattainable. Dew appears for an instant, then disappears very quickly. As soon as a bead of dew slides off a blade of grass, it is gone; it has returned to the earth. Where did this bead of dew go? Everything is an illusion. We think of illusory things for a moment, and then they are gone. We want to reach for that person, but they have no true body. We wish to go to that place, but that state is not real. So, all things are illusory. This [principle] is unconditioned Dharma. All things are illusions produced by our brains, but they also return to the true principles.

This is just like our Six Roots. The “roots” in “Six Roots” refers to our sense organs. Now, we call them our sense organs. We can sense with our eyes; this is what we see. We can sense with our ears; this is what we hear. This is the true state at this moment. However, as time continues to pass, in another ten seconds, each of us will leave this state. What we sense with our eyes will no longer be this state. As we move along in time, this state shifts to become part of the past.

The sound of my voice disappears right after I speak. This sound cannot be stored in your ears. However, if you are mindful, you will remember everything that I said. This is our mind-consciousness at work. This mind-consciousness is what allows us to understand and deeply comprehend the meaning of this sentence. However, our mind-consciousness also depends on our environment. As we connect to our environment, we develop this consciousness. If we are born in Taiwan, we will speak Taiwanese. If we are born in China, we will speak Mandarin. If we are born in the US, we will speak English. In this way, our mind-consciousness is continuously shaped by our environment. The way we speak and express ourselves will depend upon which language they speak [in that environment], which we must learn.

Some people can understand many languages. This is the mind-consciousness. Where does the mind-consciousness fit in with [the other consciousnesses]? There are also the seventh and eighth consciousness. This mind-consciousness comprehends things, hears things and discerns them. Once we hear something and understand it, then we must contemplate it in order to be able to understand it clearly.

For example, if I really love this thing, I must find a way to grab it. When I try to take it with this hand, picking it up this way is not convenient; I must [change] the direction of my hand so I can pick this thing up and can hold it steadily with my two hands. This all seems to happen very quickly. Very quickly, the external world and my mind-consciousness connect with each other like this. However, if a difficulty arises, my [sixth] consciousness must think of a way to grasp it smoothly and nimbly like this. This is our consciousness. There are the Five Roots and Five Dusts, but we also need the “consciousnesses.” So, these constitute the “Six Consciousnesses.”

Our eye-consciousness is the “eye-root” connecting with external objects, called “dusts.” These are the sense objects. When our Five Roots converge with the Five Dusts, it is our “mind-consciousness” that analyzes them. Our mind-consciousness decides how to attribute and classify [this information]. We must contemplate all of this. This is called our [sixth] consciousness. Our seventh consciousness directs the creation of karma. However, when our sixth and seventh consciousness create karma in response to external conditions, once this karma is created, it returns to our eighth consciousness. The eighth consciousness is called the “karmic consciousness.”

So, the sixth consciousness is called the “mind-consciousness.” The seventh consciousness is called the “manas consciousness.” The eighth consciousness is called the “alaya consciousness.” The ninth consciousness is what we still have no way [to reach]. This is our “amala consciousness.”

The sixth consciousness: mind-consciousness. The seventh consciousness: Manas consciousness. The eighth consciousness: Alaya consciousness. The ninth consciousness: Amala consciousness.

The “amala consciousness” is the Buddha’s pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature. This is the Tathagata’s enlightened nature; it is one with the universe. The inherent nature of the true principles is intangible, immaterial and formless. [This consciousness] is extremely vast; it connects with the true principles of all things. This is the “amala consciousness.”

This amala consciousness is very far away from our current state. So, we cannot comprehend it. However, we all have the nature of True Suchness. It is just that we have yet to realize it. The Tathagata’s awakened nature is intrinsic to us all. So, we must work hard to be mindful.

“World-Honored One!” In the [sutra passage] we discussed previously, it says,

World-Honored One, should you hear us, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward to be those who protect, uphold and make offerings to this sutra. We will widely expound it in this land.

This is what [the Bodhisattvas] from other lands asked the World-Honored One. “We are willing to engage in spiritual practice again here. We are willing to remain in this place to earnestly uphold this sutra.” These were Bodhisattvas from other lands who were taught by the Buddhas in their own lands. Even though the Saha World is hard to endure, they were willing to come to the Saha World to learn once again. So, they wanted to read, recite, transcribe and uphold the sutra through these methods.

So,

At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, “Stop! Good men! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra.”

At that time, Sakyamuni Buddha quickly and tactfully refused them. He called them “Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas” to praise them. “To these great Bodhisattvas, I am very grateful. You do not need to do this, because here in this place, in the Saha World, I already have people. You do not need to trouble yourselves who come from so far away to come here again. It is too troublesome.” This was the Buddha’s wisdom. He got numerous [Bodhisattvas] from other lands to emerge, manifest this scene and express that they were all willing to come here. This was to inspire us, His disciples in the Saha World. “If you are unwilling to accept [this mission], Bodhisattvas from other lands are willing to come and do this.” We must work hard to make the most of our time. This was the Buddha’s intent, His intent and His wisdom. He made use of these Bodhisattvas from other lands to inspire spiritual practitioners of this world to form great aspirations. This is the method He used. So, in the next sutra passage, He said, “Why is this so? There is no need to trouble yourselves so much. There is no need for you to trouble yourselves.” Why?

Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.

This is what Sakyamuni Buddha expressed to His disciples. “I have great faith in the Saha World. In this Saha World, I naturally have countless disciples.” How many disciples were in this place? “There are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. This Saha World has so many great Bodhisattvas. These Bodhisattvas are all my disciples, so they should spread my Dharma.”

Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers: In my Saha World, I already have countless disciples. They should spread my Dharma. These disciples are all great Bodhisattvas.

This is how the Buddha inspired us, His disciples in the Saha World, while also dealing harmoniously with [the Bodhisattvas] who came from other lands. They were willing to come to the Saha World. He had to tell them, “I already have many people here. The strength of everyone here who will [remain] in this world to serve should be sufficient. So, you do not need to trouble yourselves.” This is how the Buddha “stopped” those [Bodhisattvas] from other lands by refusing to accept their [request]. However, He also expressed. His faith in this Saha World, where He had so many [disciples].

In fact, “There are already. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.” This represents the Six Consciousnesses. We are all ordinary beings, and we all have the Five Roots. The Five Roots are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. As our Five Roots connect with the external world, Truly, there are many subtle and intricate things [to sense]. We can hear and see so many things. When we want to eat, we crave so many things. As we bring these things into our Five Roots and Five Consciousnesses, we must turn them around, turn them from desires into Dharma. We must turn from pursuing external desires to seeking out the Dharma; the strength [from doing this] will be very great.

Right now, we have all kinds of cravings and desires for the external world. We must turn all these cravings and desires into conditioned Dharma by taking action. We must form great aspirations and sincerely make great vows. With sincerity, we vow to deliver sentient beings. This aspiration is to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. These vows are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, and there are so many [teachings] that can help us diligently advance. In the myriad practices of the Six Paramitas, there are as many methods as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. The disciples in the Saha World used their Six Consciousnesses to cultivate [themselves] by using the myriad practices of the Six Paramitas. So, this results in an infinite number, especially when [those transformed] use these myriad practices to transform others. “One gives rise to infinity, and infinity arises from one.” This is the principle of infinite meanings.

For all of us in the Saha World, doesn’t everyone in the Saha World need to endure it patiently? We must patiently endure it. We can transform our Six Roots and Six Dusts. With wisdom, we can transform them; we can transform our cravings and desires into the spiritual practice of the Six Paramitas, turning our Six Desires into the Six Paramitas. This way, we can serve as a role model for others. We will be able to transform others one by one, on a constant basis, serving as a role model for others in all things. Doesn’t this [show] “There are already. Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers,” and in turn, “each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers”?

We have the Six Root-Consciousnesses. The people we transform also have the Six Root-Consciousnesses. If we can use our. Six Root-Consciousnesses to comprehend our seventh consciousness, the manas consciousness, and eighth consciousness, the alaya consciousness, and come to understand them very clearly, we will be able to engage in careful contemplation. We will engage in careful contemplation about how to make use of our Six Consciousnesses and how to make use of our bodies so that when our bodies react to [things], we will practice skillful understanding.

As for understanding, I often say, “Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding.” It is so hot; what can we do about it? We must have the wisdom to be understanding. Then, naturally, we will feel at ease. “Oh, serving others is so difficult. What can be done about this? I am so stressed out.” With understanding, we will feel at ease. We must come to know our blessings. “Blessings come from the joy we gain through serving others.” We are all creating blessings. Although it is hard to serve others, we are creating blessings. Tzu Chi volunteers do not call this hardship; they call it blessings. So, “Blessings come from the joy we gain through serving others. Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding.” Haven’t we heard this before? I have always hoped for. Tzu Chi volunteers to understand this.

So, in doing good deeds, we must act immediately without hesitation. This is actualizing the Six Paramitas. With our sixth consciousness, we must engage in contemplation. We must do this to inspire our thoughts of goodness and act immediately, without hesitation. We need to be earnest and diligent and go among people to transform sentient beings. We must bravely undertake this mission. This is true mindfulness. Thus, we need to put effort into being mindful.

So, for each of those Bodhisattvas, “Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.”

Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers: The retinue of followers that every single Bodhisattva had transformed was also as numerous as the Ganges’ sands.

Every single one of us is capable of immediately going out to transform others. We are capable of transforming others. Similarly, every single Bodhisattva possesses the Six Roots and the Six Consciousnesses. By contemplating this state of the Six Dusts, we will be able to create blessings. “Blessings come from the joy we gain through serving others.” The more we serve, the more joy we gain. Although things are hard to endure in this world, although they are very difficult to endure, we must be understanding. “Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding.” We develop our wisdom from the ease we gain by being understanding. This is the mindset we should have.

So, we must not hesitate. We must always choose the right thing and just do it. We must earnestly advance without hesitation. So, every Bodhisattva’s retinue of followers that they have transformed is completely composed of Bodhisattvas. [The people] we have around us are all Bodhisattvas. So, Never-Slighting Bodhisattva said, “I dare not look down on you, because you are all able to attain Buddhahood.” This is something we must very mindfully seek to understand.

So, All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra.

They will transform each other one after the other. One by one, they will become people who actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. So, each person will transform the next. These people will be able to “widely teach this sutra” and spread the Dharma.

All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra: All of these disciples of mine in this land have deep and extensive Dharma-affinities, and the people who uphold the Dharma are many. They are all capable of spreading my Dharma to benefit sentient beings.

“All of these disciples of mine in this land have deep and extensive Dharma-affinities. These disciples of mine are already in the Saha World. In both their past and present [lives], they have accepted the Dharma. Their Dharma-affinities are deep and extensive.” So, “The people who uphold the Dharma are many.” Those who wanted to come to accept and uphold the Dharma are many. So, “They are all capable of spreading my Dharma. These people should all be able to spread my Dharma and benefit the sentient beings in the Saha World.”

Because of this, the Buddha used this method to say, “I do not dare trouble those of you from other lands to remain in this land to safeguard this sutra.”

He would not trouble the Bodhisattvas from other lands to remain in this land to safeguard this sutra. This is because the Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own affinities, their own responsibilities and their own karmic conditions. In this land, there were already Bodhisattvas who had affinities with this land. So, He stopped the Bodhisattvas from other lands from promoting the sutra in the Saha World.

This land already had Bodhisattvas like these who would naturally be able to spread and pass down this sutra here. “This is because the Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own affinities. In your own land, you all have your own karmic conditions. You should return to your own land.”

“Everyone has their own karmic conditions. Everyone has their own responsibilities. There is no need to trouble you to come to this place. This place, this land, already has Bodhisattvas who have affinities with this land. This place already has people with affinities who are studying the Dharma here and transforming sentient beings here. Just like [in your land], they will be able to attain Buddhahood here.”

So, this was the Buddha’s intent. On one hand, he dealt courteously with the Bodhisattvas from other lands who came to the Saha World and [requested] to spread the Dharma here. The Buddha graciously [refused] them. At that time, He wanted to encourage us, His disciples in the Saha World, so that we would start to form aspirations to promote this Dharma in the Saha World.

Moreover, [the teachings] to come would be deeply meaningful and intricate. [The Buddha] had many more things to talk about.

This is to say nothing of the profound and intricate [teachings to come]. All Buddha-Dharma is attained completely through our self-nature. Though our Six Consciousnesses are full of afflictions, if we can awaken to our original mind, we will be replete with wondrous wisdom. Thus, we must practice and attain realization by ourselves, without waiting for others to ask us to do so and without depending on others’ help. If we go and seek externally and depend on others to teach and transform us, then this is not the Tathagata’s true teachings of the One Vehicle.

If we pursue [things] outside [ourselves] and depend upon others to teach and transform us, this is not the Tathagata’s true teachings of the One Vehicle. “All Buddha-Dharma is attained completely through our self-nature.” The Dharma is not something that others give to us. It is in our own self-nature. We must put in the effort ourselves. “Our Six Consciousnesses are full of afflictions.” For us unenlightened beings, our Six Consciousnesses are all afflictions. They are full of afflictions.

But it is because of these afflictions that we must engage in spiritual practice. “If we can awaken to our original mind, we will be replete with wondrous wisdom.” If we are able to transform our mind, our afflictions will become wisdom and the desires from our Six Root-Consciousnesses will be transformed. Then, when our Six Roots connect with conditions, we will actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. This is what our Saha World needs. We must know how to serve others and engage in spiritual practice.

“Thus, we must practice and attain realizations by ourselves.” We must practice and attain realization ourselves. No one gives this to us. We must do this through our own hard work. We must fight hard ourselves. The Buddha told us very clearly and led us in the direction we should go. We must walk this road. We must build this road ourselves so that we will be able to walk on it safely. We build and pave the road ourselves. “Thus, we must practice and attain realizations by ourselves.” We must engage in spiritual practice and experience it for ourselves, “without waiting for others to ask us to do so.” We must not wait around for someone else to give us something. This is impossible. We need to eat for ourselves; if others eat for us, we will never be full. This would be impossible. So, we cannot depend on others’ help.

“If we pursue [things] outside [ourselves],” if we keep searching outside ourselves, we will always be in pursuit, chasing after people to give things to us. This cannot happen. “This is not the Tathagata’s true teachings of the One Vehicle.” This is not what the Buddha taught us. So, the Buddha expects for us to engage in our own spiritual practice. We cannot depend on others to do it for us. This is the true principle. The Buddha’s true principle of the One Vehicle Dharma has but one method. If we want to be full, we must eat for ourselves. We must absorb the nutrients ourselves. I cannot eat and be full and give my fullness to you. That is impossible. So, if you want to attain Buddhahood, you must work hard yourself. You must work hard to cultivate yourself. The principle is the same.

So, we absolutely must seek to [cultivate] “blessings that come from the joy we gain through giving.” If we want to be blessed, we must create blessings for others. If we do not create blessings for others, how can we seek blessings [for ourselves]? We need to take action to serve others, and in return, we will feel joy. “Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding.” As we practice to cultivate our wisdom, if we encounter any difficulties, we must be understanding and know that we must cultivate blessings and wisdom immediately. We cannot hesitate. If we do not do it now, someone else will take it on and do it.

Look at what those Bodhisattvas from other lands were saying. “Buddha, please give us your permission. We will do it; we are willing to engage in spiritual practice again.” These other Bodhisattvas were willing to come engage in spiritual practice again. They were willing to start anew. They were willing to come again to this Saha World that is hard to endure. Think about it; if we do not quickly take action, someone else will take it up and do it. So, we must diligently go among people. We must quickly and bravely take up this mission. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1459 – The Buddha Stopped Bodhisattvas from Other Lands

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>> “Those many Bodhisattvas from other lands jubilantly emerged to sincerely make a petition. They were willing to remain in the Saha World to safeguard and spread the wondrous Dharma and deliver and transform sentient beings.”

>> When [the Buddha] taught the Wondrous Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak, the Bodhisattvas from other lands rejoiced and came from afar to listen. They were many in number. They heard that those who uphold, expound and spread the sutra have great blessings, virtues and wisdom. So, they were willing to remain in this land and make vows to go among people and widely spread this sutra. Actually this is a display of matters and appearances.

>> “At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number. They arose from among the assembly, and with palms together, paid respect to and addressed the Buddha.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> “World-Honored One, should you hear us, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward to be those who protect, uphold, read, recite, transcribe and make offerings to this sutra. We will widely expound it in this land.”  [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> World-Honored One, should you hear us: Those Bodhisattvas from other lands came from the lands of other Buddhas. They arrived in this Saha World and listened and accepted with Dharma-joy. Thus, they requested to be entrusted [with the teachings] and sought permission.

>> After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward: In the evil world after. Sakyamuni Buddha enters Parinirvana, they were willing to abide in this Saha World to diligently work even harder to focus on spreading the Dharma that Venerable Sakyamuni taught.>> [They will] be those who protect, uphold, read, recite, transcribe and make offerings to this sutra: They will be those who will also be able to protect, accept, uphold, read, recite, transcribe and reverently make offerings to the Lotus Sutra.

>> We will widely expound it in this land: We will remain in this Saha World to widely expound [this sutra] to the assembly.

>> “At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, ‘Stop! Good men! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra.'”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: At that time, those Bodhisattvas from other lands petitioned to remain in the Saha World to widely spread and safeguard [the sutra]. After deeply contemplating in His mind, the Buddha spoke to those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.

>> Stop! Good men! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra: He relied on those Bodhisattvas from other lands, who heard the wonders of the Four Practices and petitioned to widely spread the sutra in the Saha World. The Buddha immediately stopped them. The Buddha intended to show that in this land, there were already people who could cultivate these practices. So, He put a stop to this as there was no need for the effort of those from distant lands.

>> The Buddha’s intention in stopping those. Bodhisattvas from other lands coming from afar: The Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own responsibilities. If they abided here to spread the sutra, they would neglect their benefit to those lands. Moreover, the Bodhisattvas from other lands had formed shallow affinities in this land. Although they would like to spread the sutra, they would certainly not bring great benefits.

>> If He permitted those Bodhisattvas from other lands to come, then the Bodhisattvas in this land would not be diligent in going among people and take on the responsibility of spreading the sutra and its teachings. Thus He stopped them. He intended to show that in this land there were already people who could cultivate these practices.

>> For these reasons, the Buddha’s disciples should spread His Dharma. Also, they have formed deep and extensive affinities, so they will certainly bring great benefits. Moreover, He had to open the near to reveal the far. Thus, He stopped those [from other lands] and called on these [in this land].

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“Those many Bodhisattvas
from other lands
jubilantly emerged to sincerely make a petition.
They were willing to remain in the Saha World
to safeguard and spread the wondrous Dharma
and deliver and transform sentient beings.”

We must be mindful! We already learned earlier that as the Buddha taught the Dharma in this world, Bodhisattvas from other lands also came to the Saha World to listen to the Dharma. The Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra at Vulture Peak out of care for future beings of the Saha World. In the [future] world of sentient beings, the evils of the Five Turbidities are heavy, and the afflictions of sentient beings are many. The Wondrous Dharma must circulate in the world, because the Dharma is a wondrous medicine that cures the sickness of ignorance, afflictions and delusions for sentient beings. So, transformation is impossible without the Dharma.

However, the Buddha’s time on earth was limited. The Buddha already knew that this Dharma needed to be transmitted, and that His disciples ought to receive, accept and transmit the Dharma. So, He put His heartfelt effort into teaching the Lotus Sutra. He taught this sutra for over seven years. He began with the teaching of the manifest, how He manifested in this world, to begin helping us understand. He descended from Tusita Heaven and entered the palace. After He was born, He grew up in the world, saw the ways of the world and realized that there is suffering and that suffering comes from the inequality and discrimination among humans. Humans are covered by ignorance, so their minds are very chaotic.

The Buddha thought, how could He save and transform sentient beings? How could He help everyone open their hearts and be understanding? Among people, how could they break through the unequal [caste] system? How could He help everyone in suffering realize the karmic law of cause and effect so they can understand what they should do and what they should not do? In this [world of] conflicts, [He wished to help them] clearly understand the principles of what they should do and what they should not do. This is what the Buddha taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities.

Of course, when facing sentient beings, their capabilities are very complicated. This was not only the case for the disciples whom the Buddha faced. Since they had come to practice, everyone’s heart shared the same direction. It was just that their capabilities differed. Some of them understood [the Dharma]. “I understand the Dharma, but I am afraid. This world is terrifying; there is so much suffering. I must quickly engage in spiritual practice to liberate myself from cyclic existence. I must understand this path and not deviate from this direction.” These Hearers tried their best to listen to the teachings of the Buddha and uphold [the principles] to liberate themselves. They wished to avoid returning to the human realm. They were Small Vehicle [practitioners] who only sought to benefit themselves.

Moreover, for those with slightly sharper capabilities, they understood that life is suffering. They too understood it is suffering, but what they realized was impermanence. In the environment, there are spring, summer, autumn and winter; it gets cold and hot. Every environment in the world is constantly and continuously changing. The changing of the world’s environment is a display of impermanence. Change is impermanence. What is impermanence? The climate of the world has brought about all living beings and their way of life, such as the blooming and wilting of flowers and so on in the world. In summary, this is called “impermanence.”

They were already aware of these principles, and they experienced these principles as well. They understood that these principles of impermanence are a result of karmic conditions. All changes and impermanence in the universe are the result of karmic causes and conditions. There must be this seed, this earth, this air, this water and so on that come together. They already knew this. From the Buddha’s teachings, they comprehended, understood and had deep faith. They understood, so they also realized how terrifying the causes and conditions are in the human realm. What makes it terrifying is the rise of discursive thoughts. These causes and conditions always come from the rise of discursive thoughts. Once the mind turns, causes and conditions converge. People become entangled with each other, leading to calamities or blessings. These karmic conditions are very terrifying. Beyond just the seasonal changes of the universe and the ways of life in nature based on causes and conditions, there is more. People’s suffering comes from the rise of discursive thoughts that bring about karmic conditions. Then, between people, the fruition of retribution as blessings or calamities arise in this way.

Thus, they were afraid. After they understood this part of the Buddha-Dharma, they gave rise to fear in their hearts; they became terrified. They likewise wanted to liberate themselves from the cycle of life and death and were unwilling to be among people. Yet the Dharma they listened to and their understanding were wider in scope; they were not only afraid of suffering, they also understood the Four Noble Truths, so they sought only to awaken themselves. They moreover understood the law of karma. But although they understood it on a deeper level, they were still afraid of suffering and were unable to endure hardship.

The human realm is indeed full of suffering; in nature, the changing four seasons bring about suffering. For poor people, when it is hot, their homes feel like [an oven]. Yet, they still must toil in hard labor. Thus, this is suffering as well. In winter, they lack warm clothing, but they still have to continue working hard. They must endure the wind and rain; this is also suffering. Illness also adds to the hardship of poverty. In families, couples in poverty suffer tremendously in many matters. These all add to the suffering.

After realizing all the suffering in the world, they began to fear. They became afraid of thinking more about this. They sought to quickly be liberated! They only focused on engaging in this practice and on accepting these teachings. Solitary Realizers went a step further to comprehend the universe and the Dharma of causes and conditions. However, they still felt fear. [Issues] between people all stem from our minds, so they were also afraid. The human realm is full of so much suffering, from nature, humans, manmade calamities, afflictions, ignorance etc. Since they feared suffering and were always afraid of hardship and torment, they gave up on going among people.

But the Buddha never gave up. “Since they are in the Saha World and it is full of suffering, my disciples must face the suffering, go among people and teach with the Dharma.” This involves going among people to comprehend the suffering in the world. From this suffering, we can refine and train our resolve to not be afraid of suffering. Then, we can transform all sentient beings to accept the Dharma and spread the Dharma in the human realm. This is the Buddha’s one great cause, to teach the “Lotus Sutra.” He [taught for] such a long time, starting from the teaching of the manifest. In the human realm, He manifested [to show] how to face sentient beings and how to transform sentient beings. He also hoped that future sentient beings can spread the Dharma in the world.

However, in the Chapter on the Practice of. Bringing Peace and Joy, the Buddha began to worry. He was about to enter Parinirvana; who will pass on the Dharma? He hoped that everyone would be able, after hearing the Buddha say His time on Earth is coming to an end, to willingly pass on the Dharma. However, had the disciples in the Saha World been touched? Had [the Buddha] inspired their hearts? The disciples of the Saha World had not yet been inspired, but [those from] other worlds were already moved. This is because when Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra in the Saha World, Bodhisattvas from other worlds also came to listen. So, these [Bodhisattvas] from other worlds rose from their seats and put their palms together in reverence to petition the Buddha. They reverently petitioned the Buddha to entrust them with this responsibility. “We are willing to take on this responsibility.”

So it says, “Those many Bodhisattvas from other lands….” These many Bodhisattvas were not from the Saha World but from other lands. They were deeply moved by the Buddha’s teaching. From the bottom of their hearts, they were moved and they were jubilant. Their jubilance surged up from their hearts. “[They] emerged to sincerely [make a petition].” Listening to the Dharma, their hearts were moved and they expressed it in their body and [mind]. So, with a reverent heart, they sincerely expressed their intent. “They earnestly requested to remain in the Saha World.” They reverently put their palms together to pay respect to the Buddha. Toward Sakyamuni Buddha, they earnestly requested and made vows to willingly stay in the Saha World “to safeguard and spread the wondrous Dharma” in order to “transform sentient beings.”

This is very touching! They felt this intent in their minds. It was really surging in their hearts. They were so jubilant. His own disciples in the Saha World remained unmoved, but the disciples from other worlds were so moved and were expressing their sincerity and their willingness. So, [the Buddha] had very mixed feelings. This was during the Buddha’s lifetime, so what about the current era?

Thus, “When [the Buddha] taught the Wondrous Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak, the Bodhisattvas from other lands rejoiced.”

When [the Buddha] taught the Wondrous Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak, the Bodhisattvas from other lands rejoiced and came from afar to listen. They were many in number. They heard that those who uphold, expound and spread the sutra have great blessings, virtues and wisdom. So, they were willing to remain in this land and make vows to go among people and widely spread this sutra. Actually this is a display of matters and appearances.

In the beginning, Bodhisattvas from other lands knew that. Sakyamuni Buddha of the Saha World was teaching this sutra. At first, they came to rejoice in listening to the Dharma, but after listening, they truly felt Dharma-joy. So, they came from afar to listen, as the Buddha’s voice penetrated the Dharma-realms of the universe. So, they came closer to listen to the Dharma. Additionally, the Bodhisattvas far away likewise also listened to the Buddha teach. “[They] came from afar to listen. They were many in number.” People who were listening to this Dharma were many.

This is just like when we talk right now and modern technology helps transmit this Dharma to many faraway countries. In terms of our current era, in addition to those at the Jing Si Abode, everyone can hear [the teachings as well]. This is also an example of how technology augments these sounds so they can be heard all around the Abode. Not only that, we can also transmit the Dharma to a limitless number of nations.

We see how other lands can listen from afar. Nowadays, technology can help us listen from afar. This is to say nothing of the Buddha’s era. Therefore, we must have deep faith. The Buddha, in that era, spoke about spiritual powers. But what about in our current era? Everyone mindfully seeks to develop and invent [things], ceaselessly researching and developing [things]. They study and discover the physical principles of the world and bring them together [as new technology]. Technology is constantly developing. This dedication [to science] takes up many people’s mental efforts. For these intentions to penetrate [the truths] will, of course, require a long time of research and development. In simple terms, aren’t these spiritual powers and understanding? They mindfully and purposefully seek to understand the convergence of the causes and conditions for everything in the world. Solitary Realizers were able to comprehend the profound and wondrous cycle of [seasons] and climate in nature. They could also understand the phenomena of arising and ceasing of all things in the universe.

Over 2000 years ago, when the Buddha taught, with very pure and simple wisdom, [Solitary Realizers] comprehended the lives of all things in the world and the principles of biology. What of our present time, 2000 years later? With modern knowledge of physiology and biology, we can reveal the profound wonders and secrets of all living beings in the world. As we uncover these codes and secrets one at a time, it is also very worrisome.

Wherein lies the value of a human [life]? During the Buddha’s lifetime, He very clearly elucidated the Dharma, explaining the path and principles for humanity. He guided everyone’s heart toward true harmony and a very valuable [way of life] so we can inspire great wisdom as we maintain and uphold [the principles]. But people nowadays feel that they no longer need wisdom. Most people only use their knowledge. In society, the most sincere, profound and wondrous value system is gradually fading into oblivion. So, as the affection in interpersonal interactions becomes colder and colder, the world will become more chaotic. This is a very worrisome matter.

Therefore, it is during these times that we most need the Dharma to help everyone understand that wisdom is more important than knowledge. Wisdom safeguards everything. At this time, if we do not earnestly safeguard this complete path and the virtues of our mindset, if we cannot achieve this, we will have more and more unimaginable things happening. Therefore, we must earnestly listen to and uphold [the teachings].

The Bodhisattvas from other lands had heard. “They heard that those who uphold, expound and spread the sutra….” They heard the Buddha encouraging everyone that listening to the Dharma brings merits and virtues and especially teaching and spreading the Dharma brings merits and virtues. The virtue from creating blessings in the world and growing [people’s] wisdom is very great.

The Bodhisattvas from other lands realized that by coming to the Saha World, which is so disorderly, to teach the Dharma here, they could grow blessings, virtue and wisdom. Thus, they were joyful and willing. “So, they were willing to remain in this land and make vows to go among people.” They were willing to remain in this Saha World and make vows to go among people and “widely spread the sutra. Actually this is a display of matters and appearances.”

Actually, this sutra passage taught by the Buddha reveals a fact. For example, if we are unwilling to earnestly and mindfully work with diligence, then there are people from other places who are willing to provide assistance. There are many! There are people willing to come and help. If we are unwilling, then other people will come. They form aspirations and are willing to serve, so why are we unwilling? That is how it is. We must mindfully seek to comprehend that the Buddha has His intention.

So,

At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number. They arose from among the assembly, and with palms together, paid respect to and addressed the Buddha.

This was the previous passage. These Bodhisattvas from other lands had arrived. How many were there? We have discussed so many times about vast spaces and long periods of time. To describe the incalculable number of people, we use “exceeding the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number” as an analogy. That is to say, we sentient beings in the. Saha World had not been moved, but there were already so many from other worlds who came to express their intent. As they came to express themselves, they put their palms together and paid respect before addressing the Buddha. The next [sutra] passage says,

World-Honored One, should you hear us, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward to be those who protect, uphold, read, recite, transcribe and make offerings to this sutra. We will widely expound it in this land.

[They said], “World-Honored One, should you hear us….” This means not only to listen, but to allow. This “hear” means “permit.” It actually means to allow them.

World-Honored One, should you hear us: Those Bodhisattvas from other lands came from the lands of other Buddhas. They arrived in this Saha World and listened and accepted with Dharma-joy. Thus, they requested to be entrusted [with the teachings] and sought permission.

This refers to the aforementioned “petition.” They petitioned the Buddha to give them this responsibility, to entrust them with it. Why is it called entrusting? Because this is the Saha World, and they were from other worlds. If those beings from other worlds want to come to the Saha World, of course they will need the Buddha of this world to entrust this to them.

Thus, “Should you hear us, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana…. Buddha, should you permit us, after You have entered Parinirvana, to remain in this Saha World, we are able to diligently advance in this world. In this place, we will safeguard and uphold, read, recite, transcribe and make offerings to this sutra. In this way, we make offerings to the Buddha. If You are not here, You do not need to worry. We will uphold this sutra in this place so that the Dharma does not vanish here.”

Thus, these are the Bodhisattvas from other lands; they came from the lands of other Buddhas. The Saha World is [the world of] Sakyamuni Buddha. Other lands also have their own names. Thus, these [Bodhisattvas] came from other lands, so they are called “Bodhisattvas from other lands.” They “came from the lands of other Buddhas,” from lands that were guided by other Buddhas. If those lands did not have a Buddha, then how would there be Bodhisattvas? Only with Buddhas will there be Bodhisattvas, because Buddhas teach and transform Bodhisattvas to help them understand that they must practice the Great Vehicle Dharma. It is because they have accepted the teachings of the Great Vehicle Dharma that they are referred to as Bodhisattvas.

The other lands are like this as well. So, “They arrived in this Saha World.” This means that Bodhisattvas from other worlds came here to listen to the Dharma; they received it and were filled with Dharma-joy. They originally came to rejoice. “The Dharma is being taught in the Saha World, let’s go see for ourselves.” They came to rejoice, but now they were moved because they “listened and accepted with Dharma-joy.” They were moved and they rejoiced, so they sincerely wanted to be in the Saha World.

“Thus, they requested to be entrusted [with the teachings] and sought permission.” They hoped the Buddha would grant them permission. “After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward.”

After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward: In the evil world after. Sakyamuni Buddha enters Parinirvana, they were willing to abide in this Saha World to diligently work even harder to focus on spreading the Dharma that Venerable Sakyamuni taught.

They were willing; they clearly knew that the Saha World was a world that is hard to endure, yet they were willing to come to the Saha World and put in great effort. Since this place is a world that must be endured, they were willing to relearn everything here, in this environment of the Saha World. So they said, “We will diligently advance forward.” They had already become Bodhisattvas in other lands, so when they came to the Saha World they had to diligently advance again to adapt to this environment. This environment is a world that must be endured, but these Bodhisattvas were very determined.

After Sakyamuni Buddha entered Parinirvana, they would be willing to be in this place, “diligently work even harder” and improve their mastery. “[They would] focus on spreading the Dharma that Venerable Sakyamuni taught.” They were willing, willing to do this. They had to relearn the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha. The teachings were the Bodhisattva Way, so they had to learn the Bodhisattva Way here, as this is a place of endurance. Thus, it was worthwhile for them to come here, learn and overcome [challenges]. Therefore, they were willing to be here and go among people to learn more.

So, to practice the Bodhisattva-path in the Saha World is truly not easy. Those Bodhisattvas from other lands had to learn from the start, so it required a great vow. Thus, they were willing to “protect, uphold, read, recite transcribe and make offerings.” They would have to relearn all of this. Moreover, they wanted to “protect, accept, uphold, read, recite [and] transcribe”; they wished to mindfully and reverently make offerings to the Lotus Sutra.[They will] be those who protect, uphold, read, recite, transcribe and make offerings to this sutra: They will be those who will also be able to protect, accept, uphold, read, recite, transcribe and reverently make offerings to the Lotus Sutra.

This is what they expressed in “this land. This land” refers to the Saha World. All of them were willing to be in this Saha World, “to widely expound [this sutra] to the assembly.”

We will widely expound it in this land: We will remain in this Saha World to widely expound [this sutra] to the assembly.

They were very willing to train themselves through experience here, in the world of endurance. They were willing to train here by going among people to transform them and protect this sutra. From those who came from other worlds, this intent was expressed with utmost sincerity.

How did Sakyamuni Buddha respond? The following sutra passage states,

At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, “Stop! Good men! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra.”

That was what Sakyamuni Buddha did. “You all came to rejoice and listen to the sutra, and it is wonderful that you formed aspirations to remain in the Saha World and spread this sutra, to diligently advance [here].” These were the Buddha’s considerations.

At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: At that time, those Bodhisattvas from other lands petitioned to remain in the Saha World to widely spread and safeguard [the sutra]. After deeply contemplating in His mind, the Buddha spoke to those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.

Speaking of “at that time,” we must understand the Buddha’s considerations. The Buddha had His considerations. At that time when “those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas from other lands” petitioned to spread the sutra in the Saha World and uphold the sutra, “[The Buddha] deeply contemplated in His mind.” When the Buddha saw these Bodhisattvas emerge. He immediately knew their intent, so the Buddha began to deeply contemplate this. From deep contemplation, He reached His conclusion. When they petitioned the Buddha, He quickly responded and

“spoke to those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.” He quickly responded to these people with one word. That word was “Stop! You have formed aspirations, I understand that but that is enough. I understand the sincerity behind the aspirations you have formed, but I cannot accept.” Just like when someone offers us a gift, “I understand your intent. I understand the intent you have expressed, but this is too valuable for me to accept.” This is a form of etiquette as well. “Stop! Good men. There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra.”

Stop! Good men! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra: He relied on those Bodhisattvas from other lands, who heard the wonders of the Four Practices and petitioned to widely spread the sutra in the Saha World. The Buddha immediately stopped them. The Buddha intended to show that in this land, there were already people who could cultivate these practices. So, He put a stop to this as there was no need for the effort of those from distant lands.

Regarding this passage, we must mindfully seek to comprehend it. The Buddha was describing it to us for us sentient beings of the Saha World to learn from His teachings. During that era, for the disciples who practiced with Him, the Buddha treated them this way to inspire them to form aspirations. So, He relied on [Bodhisattvas] from other worlds.

“See, you are practicing and listening to my Dharma. What about those from other worlds? They are not from here. They are Bodhisattvas from other spiritual training grounds who have come to listen to the Dharma. The Bodhisattvas from other spiritual grounds have already formed aspirations to willingly come and receive my Dharma, to transmit the Dharma in the future on my behalf in my spiritual ground. For my future disciples and sentient beings, those from other lands are willing [to teach].” This it to “rely. To rely” means “to depend on.” He relied on the Bodhisattvas from other lands “who heard the wonders of the Four Practices and petitioned to widely spread the sutra in the Saha World.” The Bodhisattvas from other lands came to listen to the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. In this chapter, the Buddha spoke of difficulties. It will be very hard to spread the Dharma in the Saha World; We will face so much slander, many [challenges] and more.

Not only [practitioners of] non-Buddhist teachings but even those who share our practice will also have this mindset; Even in the same spiritual training ground, the minds of spiritual practitioners cannot be perfectly harmonious, to say nothing [of people in] the Saha World. The mindset of Buddhist practitioners regarding the Great, Middle and Small Vehicle is different. Spreading the true Great Vehicle Dharma is easier said than done! The environment, voices and behaviors which we will encounter must be patiently endured. We must cultivate this practice of patience. With the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy, we must practice patience to endure. That is why Manjusri Bodhisattva asked the Buddha to teach us how to avoid [hardships]. We must avoid these ten kinds of people to strengthen our spiritual aspirations. If our spiritual aspirations are not yet firm, then we must not draw near to them. We can use this method to safeguard our spiritual aspirations.

When the Bodhisattvas of other worlds heard this, because there are no such situations to endure in other worlds, so, being from other worlds, they heard about the suffering in the Saha World and how people must form such great aspirations and were moved. However, at this point, the Buddha said, “Stop! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra.”

When the Buddha told them to stop, His intent was that. “In this land, there are already people who can cultivate these practices. This Saha World does not lack people; there is just a lack of aspirations. It is not that they do not form aspirations, they just have not expressed it yet. So, we do not need you to come. We already have people like these here.” Because of this, the Buddha wanted to protect our Bodhisattvas who have formed great aspirations in the Saha World. That is why He said, “Stop!”

We do not lack people here. We have people here willing to form aspirations. They just have not formed them yet. The Buddha replied to the Bodhisattvas of other worlds by saying, “I understand your sincerity. However, I cannot accept because I already have [people]. There are people like this here. There is no need for the effort of those from distant lands. There is no need for your efforts to come here. We have enough people here to handle it. We have enough people here to transform others. This is a very difficult task, so we do not need to trouble you. We will take care of it ourselves.”

Thus, “The Buddha’s intention in stopping [them]” was actually to protect us, the Saha World Bodhisattvas who have formed aspirations. He also had another consideration. “The Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own responsibilities.”

The Buddha’s intention in stopping those. Bodhisattvas from other lands coming from afar: The Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own responsibilities. If they abided here to spread the sutra, they would neglect their benefit to those lands. Moreover, the Bodhisattvas from other lands had formed shallow affinities in this land. Although they would like to spread the sutra, they would certainly not bring great benefits.

Although each Bodhisattva in their own land does not have to endure so much, they still have sentient beings to transform. So, “The Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own responsibilities. If they abided here,” if they came to the Saha World to spread the sutra, then “they would be neglecting their benefit to those lands.” In those places, they were transforming and educating sentient beings very successfully. If they were permitted to come here, with so much hardship to endure, they would be neglecting those sentient beings to come here and take on such a tough job; it would be very hard.

Moreover, He was even more mindful of how “the Bodhisattvas from other lands had formed shallow affinities in this land.” Those from other worlds had only connected with sentient beings of the Saha World with very shallow affinities. Without affinities, one cannot transform others. This is something the Buddha considered as well. Their affinities with the Saha World were not deep. “Although they would like to spread the sutra, they would certainly not bring great benefits.” Although they formed aspirations to come to the Saha World to teach and transform, in fact, they would not bring any great benefits to the Saha World. Thus, [His response was] “Stop!” He did not accept them.

Moreover, if the Buddha did permit so many Bodhisattvas from other lands to come, “then the Bodhisattvas in this land would not be diligent in going among people to take on the responsibility of spreading the sutra and its teachings.”

If He permitted those Bodhisattvas from other lands to come, then the Bodhisattvas in this land would not be diligent in going among people and take on the responsibility of spreading the sutra and its teachings. Thus He stopped them. He intended to show that in this land there were already people who could cultivate these practices.

If these Bodhisattvas came to the Saha World, then the people here would be even lazier. They would not practice, and they would not go among people to transform sentient beings. They would then abandon their own wisdom-life; this was not acceptable. So, the Buddha cherished His disciples and kept this environment for His own disciples to earnestly practice in.

This is why He said “Stop!” There are many meanings of this word, “Stop!” Thus, the Buddha’s intent was “to show that in this land there are already people who can cultivate these practices.” This was because. “In this land, [they are] the Buddha’s disciples.” Those in the Saha World were those whom He taught and transformed. They were all His disciples. So, “[They] should spread His Dharma.” They should be the ones to spread His Dharma. They ought to transmit and spread His Dharma. It is like how we are trying to pass on our [Jing Si] Dharma-lineage now and establish the guiding principles of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage and Tzu Chi School. We are all mindfully working on this. The principle is the same.

For these reasons, the Buddha’s disciples should spread His Dharma. Also, they have formed deep and extensive affinities, so they will certainly bring great benefits. Moreover, He had to open the near to reveal the far. Thus, He stopped those [from other lands] and called on these [in this land].

“They have formed deep and extensive affinities, so they will certainly bring great benefits.” Throughout lifetime after lifetime, we have repeatedly come to this Saha World, countless times. The Buddha-Dharma we heard in the Saha World should have accumulated over time. Thus, we should understand this. So, if we can do this, “having formed deep and extensive affinities, [we] will certainly bring great benefits. Moreover, He had to open the near to reveal the far.” In this moment, the near is the “manifest,” which is the skillful means.

The Buddha taught with various skillful means about how we must eradicate the various afflictions and ignorance of sentient beings to reveal our nature of True Suchness. We should be able to realize our nature of True Suchness, our Tathagata-garbha nature. “Thus, He stopped those [from other lands] and called on these [in this land].” He stopped the Bodhisattvas from other lands and called on His disciples of the Saha World. “If you do not form aspirations now, then, look, the Bodhisattvas from other lands are already willing to come. Bodhisattvas from other lands are willing to come here, but what about us? Why have we not quickly formed aspirations and made vows ourselves? We need to focus and single-mindedly be diligent and overcome hardship.” During this lifetime, we must put in the effort. “If we do not transform ourselves in this lifetime, in which lifetime will we transform ourselves?” Since we have the affinity to come to this world, we should go among people, form positive affinities and gain wisdom. We should only be too glad to do it!

Fellow Bodhisattvas, we must mindfully comprehend this passage. The Buddha attracted the great aspirations of. Bodhisattvas from other lands. Out of joy, they reverently wished to come to the Saha World to serve. The Buddha asked them to “stop.” He insisted there was no need to look after both [their lands] and [this land]. We often say volunteers are split up by regions so those in this region can care for those in this region. When [Tzu Chi] is started in a country, the seeds ripen and the people of that country will use these seeds to grow their own affinities, wisdom, blessings and virtue. In this way, we hope for affinities to be expanded throughout the world. Is it not the same as this? If there are people there, then we do not need to go there. It is the same principle. If we already have volunteers here, do we really need people from outside to come? It is the same principle. Therefore, if everyone is mindful, we can deeply penetrate these principles. So, we must always be mindful!

Episode 1458 – The Bodhisattvas Petition to Spread the Sutra

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>> “The aforementioned Four Practices of. Bringing Peace and Joy can help practitioners who uphold the Dharma in this lifetime transform their obstacles and become diligent, until they perfect the fruit of all actions and attain Buddhahood. He only feared that when people hear this Dharma, there will be no evidence to verify it. So, He relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands, who heard the wondrous Dharma of the Four Practices and immediately asked for permission to spread the sutra in the Saha World.”

>> [The sutra] opens two doors, the intrinsic and the manifest. The Dharma and analogies clarify the profound truth, enabling all those in limited [vehicles] to realize the Buddha’s wisdom.

>> Guanyin was. Clear True Dharma Tathagata in the past. This is the intrinsic, while the manifest is the universal doors of Guanyin. These manifestations of the provisional and the true are wondrous. Thus, He used the intrinsic and the manifest, the provisional and the true in sequence to explain [the Dharma].

>> Also, the sutra explained previously that the goal of cultivating the Four Practices was to abide in the ground of patience. So, now people who were able to cultivate these practices, however many they were, all emerged from the ground of patience.

>> Though this chapter concludes the essence of wondrous practices of the previous chapter, it actually destroys the near to reveal the far and explains the original cause of [the Tathagata’s] lifespan.

>> “At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number. They arose from among the assembly and with palms together, paid respect to and addressed the Buddha.”  [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 – On Emerging from the Ground]

>> The Bodhisattvas from other lands petitioned to safeguard this sutra in the Saha World. The Bodhisattvas from other lands, having heard of the merits and virtues of the Four Practices, made vows to abide here to spread the teachings widely. Thus, they petitioned to spread the teachings in the Saha World.

>> At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number: Those Bodhisattvas coming from other lands to hear the Dharma were numerous.

>> They arose from among the assembly and with palms together paid respect to and addressed the Buddha: They were about to ask the Buddha to entrust [the teachings] to them, so they arose with proper etiquette and addressed the Buddha.

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“The aforementioned Four Practices of. Bringing Peace and Joy can help practitioners who uphold the Dharma
in this lifetime transform their obstacles and become diligent,
until they perfect the fruit of all actions and attain Buddhahood.
He only feared that when people hear this Dharma,
there will be no evidence to verify it.
So, He relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands
who heard the wondrous Dharma of the Four Practices
and immediately asked for permission to spread the sutra in the Saha World.”

The aforementioned. “Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy,” came out of Manjusri Bodhisattva’s and. Sakyamuni Buddha’s skillful conversation. Manjusri Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, for the sake of sentient beings in the future, to explain how to spread this sutra. Sakyamuni Buddha told everyone that it is very important to practice the Bodhisattva-path in the world. The Bodhisattva-path is found within the Wondrous Lotus Sutra. To expound the Wondrous Lotus Sutra’s spirit and ideals in this world is not easy. There are layers of obstacles. We will encounter many different difficulties.

When Manjusri Bodhisattva heard the Buddha tell this to the assembly, he considered the assembly’s growing fear. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva, in his wisdom, quickly asked the Buddha again, “Venerable Buddha, since this sutra is so important, future sentient beings truly need this sutra’s spirit, truths and wondrous principles to continue teaching and transforming people in the world. We need people now to form aspirations for this sutra to be continuously passed down. However, being met with so many difficulties and so many dangerous circumstances, what methods can they use to avoid difficulties so they can continue the spirit and ideals of the sutra in future generations?”

Certainly, this is the Buddha’s original intent. Sakyamuni Buddha’s one great cause was to come here and teach us the Bodhisattva Way. The Bodhisattva Way must be passed on. Since He had not yet finished teaching this sutra, of course He had to take care of everyone’s heart so they would not give rise to fear. Everyone’s mind had only just passed through the stages of Hearer and Solitary Realizer. Now the Buddha was pushing very hard for. His hope that everyone could turn from the Small to the Great. So, He began to inspire everyone’s mind. Once people began forming aspirations, He bestowed predictions of Buddhahood for them.

After receiving their predictions, attaining Buddhahood would still take a long time. Throughout this very long time, during the process of attaining Buddhahood, they must practice the Bodhisattva Way. Practicing the Bodhisattva Way requires upholding this sutra. So, when the Buddha began teaching this sutra, He truthfully and openly told everyone, “If you form aspirations and make vows to uphold this sutra in future lifetimes, then you must be mentally prepared for many difficulties.” He had to speak truthfully and be upfront, but He also had to look after everyone’s mind. He feared that people’s strength was insufficient and that they would give rise to fear.

All Buddhas share the same heart and path. Manjusri Bodhisattva was. Honorable Dragon King Buddha in the past. Manjusri Bodhisattva was an ancient Buddha. He had already attained Buddhahood in the past. It was to support. Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly and to spread these teachings for future sentient beings in the Saha world that he came here to aid the Dharma-assembly as Manjusri Bodhisattva. This was Manjusri Bodhisattva. He had already attained Buddhahood and he had even taught other Bodhisattvas who later attained Buddhahood. With such superior wisdom, he came to the world as a Bodhisattva and he understood Sakyamuni Buddha’s intent. So, [the Buddha] first spoke honestly to help everyone understand that this is a very difficult mission; He wanted everyone to know this.

Because of this, Manjusri Bodhisattva, during this [assembly], asked the Buddha, on behalf of the assembly, to teach them how to practice the Bodhisattva-path without encountering difficulties and, while spreading the Lotus Sutra, how to avoid the many dangers and difficulties. Thus, Manjusri Bodhisattva stepped forward, as we just discussed,

to ask the Buddha to teach [the assembly] how to joyfully walk the Bodhisattva-path without encountering difficulties or suffering. The Buddha was very joyful and quickly explained how to avoid difficulties and how to safeguard our great spiritual aspirations that have not yet matured. Since our faith and great vows are not yet firm, He worried that we will retreat in our spiritual aspirations. So, He explained, “You should avoid these kinds of people and those kinds of people.” So, as we have previously discussed, [the Buddha] wanted to help everyone understand, be clearer and more vigilant. When it comes to these 10 types of people, for us newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, we should not draw near to them. If we can do this then we can continue to firmly accept and uphold this Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy.

So, there are “the aforementioned. Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy.” We must remember the Four Practices of body, speech, mind and vows. Indeed! Though body, speech and mind are very important, have we formed the Four Great Vows? Are we very firm in our Four Great Vows? Forming vows requires us to be very resolute. These are the Four Practices of. Bringing Peace and Joy. If we have firm resolve and our will to practice is solid, then, naturally, we will become more mature as we go among people. It will not be easy for others to obstruct us or for our minds to waver; we will be very firm. Thus, even when we encounter difficulties, we will still be safe and sound, and we will be joyful in doing our work.

We often see Living Bodhisattvas giving of themselves among people. However difficult the job is, for the sake of helping others, they are willing to accept any challenge. They are very vigilant, and advancing step by step, they overcome all difficulties to complete the work of saving others. Afterwards, their hearts are very joyful. So, in the practice of bringing peace and joy, they do not fear difficulties or hardships. They can always overcome these difficulties to achieve their goals. This is [how they bring] peace and joy. They overcome [difficulties] with peace and joy. “When I meet these people, I am not affected. But my skills are not sufficient yet, so I try my best to avoid them. I gradually practice until [my skills] are very mature. Then, when I encounter these people, my mind will be very peaceful and firm. It will not waver.” This is also practicing bringing peace and joy.

So, in this case, they peacefully overcome [difficulties] with methods from the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy. Peacefully practicing these methods “can help practitioners who uphold the Dharma in this lifetime to transform their obstacles and become diligent.” Now, the people that we meet in this lifetime will not obstruct [our spiritual practice]. This is because we have formed great vows so that, when we go among people, we are not contaminated by people’s afflictions and ignorance. While we are in this world that must be endured, in this greater environment, conditioned phenomena will not affect us. “The environment is very vile. I dare not enter,” or “These people’s mentalities are so complicated. I dare not draw near.”

Mature Bodhisattvas, who are very skillful and whose minds are very firm, do not fear [these things]. So, when it comes to the greater environment in their current lifetimes, they are without fear. Thus, when it comes to people and things, they will not be affected. So, practitioners who uphold the Dharma can transform obstructions in their current lives. They can transform obstructions right now, and in particular, they can diligently advance. Already in this lifetime, they are able to uphold the Dharma without fear. Now, no matter what obstacles arise, they will not be obstructed. They can keep advancing forward.

“They perfect the fruit of all actions and attain Buddhahood.” When we are no longer affected by our greater environment or by people who obstruct our resolve, we can “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions” and safely overcome [difficulties]. This is “perfecting the fruit of all actions.” When it comes to the Bodhisattva-path, we can make regular progress without obstructions. This is how we perfect this fruit, which is the fruit of Buddhahood. Once we are replete with Bodhisattva-causes, we will attain the fruit of Buddhahood. This all depends on whether our resolve is firm.

Furthermore, “He only feared that when people [heard] this Dharma, there [would] be no evidence to verify it. So, He relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands.” Now, as the Buddha finished teaching the Four Practices of. Bringing Peace and Joy, He only worried [about one thing]. He was worried about average people who had already formed aspirations. After forming aspirations and having listened to all these previous chapters, everyone [thought], “Wow! The virtues and merits of upholding this sutra are so great!” Since Beginningless Time, for a long time, our nature of True Suchness has been deluded and confused, which makes us unenlightened beings. Our karmic retributions have led to our experience of hardship in this world. The Buddha-Dharma is not easily [encountered]. That we are able to listen to the Dharma, uphold the sutra and go among future suffering sentient beings to give of ourselves and so on, [means] we will gain many virtues and merits and a great sense of accomplishment.

Previously, we were discussing “accomplishments in battle.” The mara of afflictions is aggressive, so the king mobilized soldiers to fight him. This is just like how, when our minds have given rise to afflictions, the great Dharma of the Buddha arises in our minds and we utilize this Dharma to subdue these afflictions. This truly requires great skill. After defeating the mara of afflictions, we can then go among people to transform sentient beings. This is so beautiful and wondrous! In the process of our Bodhisattva-practice, we encounter sentient beings, so everyone greatly admires us.

For those [capable of] great accomplishments, once they form aspirations, they become very dedicated. They want to go among people right away. When some people hear the Dharma, they are very joyful and willing to form aspirations. Forming aspirations is very easy for them. However, without any kind of proof, most people find it difficult to believe. So, [the Buddha] considered how to strengthen everyone’s faith to help them establish faith based on proof. Since there was no proof yet at the moment,

“He relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands.” The Buddha said that going among people to uphold the sutra and teach the Dharma brings great virtues and merits. By actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, we can go among people and attain the fruit of Buddhahood. Although this is how it is, what teachings could He use for everyone to strengthen their faith in this? “[He taught them] the wondrous Dharma of the Four Practices.” To rely on other lands is to “depend” on them. “Rely” here means to depend. The Buddha thus began to depend on Bodhisattvas from other lands. The Bodhisattvas in other lands heard that the Buddha was expounding the Lotus Sutra in the Saha World. Everyone should still remember, in the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, how Bodhisattvas from other lands came along with the Buddha’s manifestations. This was when the Buddha was in this world, expounding the Lotus Sutra in the Saha world. At the same time, Bodhisattvas from other lands were also listening to the sutra.

This was just like how, right now, we are at the Abode, and at this moment, all these sounds and images are broadcast through the cloud and are available around the world.

Tzu Chi volunteers, knowing that it is time, with a gentle click turn on the screen. They can see my image and hear my voice. As I teach the Dharma in this place, people in other lands can also hear it. In this way, we can use our present time as an analogy for the Buddha’s time in the past. In the past, when the Buddha taught the Dharma in the Saha World, Bodhisattvas from other worlds also heard it. They heard [the teaching of] the “Four Practices,” the wondrous Dharma of the “Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy.” This was heard also in those other worlds. So, in the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, at this time, people from other worlds will emerge.

The Buddha had finished the Chapter on the Practice of bringing Peace and Joy and began to carry on teaching everyone the Dharma. In the past, [He gave] various teachings using the manifest. He [manifested] being born in the palace, engaging in spiritual practice, attaining Buddhahood and so on, the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment. The intrinsic manifested in the world. Starting in the Introductory Chapter, the Buddha followed this path, [explaining how] in certain places. He taught the Dharma to certain disciples, starting from the teachings of Hearers all the way to Solitary Realizers. Thus, He continually taught for everyone to hear. Starting from “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path” and continuing with the karmic law of cause and effect and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence, the Buddha then expanded [His teachings] by continuing on with the “Vaipulya” [teachings], then entering the “Prajna” [teachings] and so on. This was how the Buddha had patiently guided people using all sorts of methods of education so everyone could comprehend the Dharma clearly. This was all within the method of the manifest.

The course of the Lotus Sutra starts from the Introductory Chapter, the Chapter on Skillful Means, and the Chapter on Parables and it continues onto the Chapter on Faith and Understanding and so on. All of these [chapters] describe how various causes and conditions have arisen to make this moment possible. He connected these causes and conditions to a very distant time, to the time of Great Unhindered Buddha. At that time, there were 16 princes. As time went by, the 16 princes attained Buddhahood in different lands with their own causes and conditions etc. This includes Sakyamuni Buddha in the Saha World.

In any case, the previous teachings were taught in order, until He reached the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures. Buddhas from all ten directions came, and the stupa of treasures emerged from the ground. Sakyamuni Buddha also rose into the air to open the door to the stupa of treasures. Everyone should have heard this part before. Remembering further, He began to help everyone understand how great the virtues and merits are for spreading the Dharma. He taught this in the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. [The Buddha] patiently guided us along the way until this moment. These [teachings] were to guide everyone to [accept] this Dharma which [was taught through] the Buddha’s manifestation in this world. All Buddhas spread the Dharma in the world.

All Buddhas share the same path. They teach the same Dharma using many different methods in the world. This is because the world is always changing and the workings of karma are inconceivable. So, because of this, the Buddha used all kinds of methods. Arriving at the. Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, He taught the “Four Practices” to help us understand how to walk the Bodhisattva-path and strengthen our resolve. This teaching of the manifest, the method of teaching through manifestations, was now finished. Now, it was time to reveal the true, which is the intrinsic.

All in all, our intrinsic [nature] is like how Manjusri Bodhisattva concealed the intrinsic and revealed the manifest. He was an ancient Buddha, but now at Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, he [acted as] a Bodhisattva. Maitreya Bodhisattva was also there; he will attain Buddhahood in the future. There was also Guanyin Bodhisattva and so on. There were many who concealed the intrinsic and revealed their manifestations in the world. So now, the Buddha would begin, section by section, to help everyone understand how to uphold the Dharma and how to reveal its true appearance. This meant that He had to depend [on others]. He had to rely on Bodhisattvas from other lands who valued this Dharma. So, Bodhisattvas from other lands came [to help].

In the next passage, [He] began to “reveal the intrinsic.” He began revealing the most fundamental teachings. So, the Buddha first relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands to come to the Saha World, expressing that they had already heard about the “Four Practices” and that it was very subtle and wondrous Dharma. So, they all came to the Saha World to make vows to spread the sutra. They came to the Buddha of the Saha World and declared, “We are willing to come to the Saha World to accept this Dharma. The Buddha is about to spread the Dharma, and we are willing to accept it. We are willing to accept the Buddha’s teachings, and in the time and space of the future, we are willing to pass them on.” This is how they expressed their mindset to us. This was what happened.

In fact,

[The sutra] opens two doors, the intrinsic and the manifest. The Dharma and analogies clarify the profound truth, enabling all those in limited [vehicles] to realize the Buddha’s wisdom.

Next, in “the teaching of the intrinsic,” we must know that we all intrinsically have the root of the Dharma. It is just that sentient beings have severe afflictions. When the Buddha attained perfect enlightenment, He realized that. “How amazing! How amazing! All beings possess the Buddha’s intrinsic nature.” All of us possess this awakened nature. This is what “the intrinsic” refers to. He wanted to help us understand this simple fact, but how could we accept it? We may understand the words, but not the principles. Therefore, the Buddha had to conceal the true and open the provisional. Concealing this truth meant that. He had to teach the provisional. This is the same as concealing the intrinsic and revealing the manifest. The meaning is the same.

So, there are “the intrinsic and the manifest.” We need to open these two doors. The Buddha first helped everyone know the door of the provisional, limited [vehicles] so they would enter. He used this [limited] Dharma as an analogy. He wanted to teach the True Dharma, but He needed to use various methods to create analogies. So, “The Dharma and analogies clarify the profound truth.” Although we say that matters contain very profound principles, these matters and appearances are meant to help everyone deeply understand the true principles of the Buddha-Dharma. They are meant to help us truly understand how ordinary beings are ignorant and deluded and to help us find a way back to our nature of True Suchness. So, He “enabled all those in limited [vehicles] to realize the Buddha’s wisdom.” The Buddha uses the limited teachings of the provisional to transform those of limited capabilities. As ordinary beings, our knowledge is superficial so He had to use various skillful means to teach us.

So, this is like Guanyin Bodhisattva who was Clear True Dharma Tathagata in the past but is Guanyin Bodhisattva in the present. So, “The manifest is the universal doors of Guanyin.” This refers to the provisional. “These manifestations of the true are wondrous.” In truth, he was Clear True Dharma Tathagata. He had already attained Buddhahood, but he manifested as Guanyin.

Guanyin was. Clear True Dharma Tathagata in the past. This is the intrinsic, while the manifest is the universal doors of Guanyin. These manifestations of the provisional and the true are wondrous. Thus, He used the intrinsic and the manifest, the provisional and the true in sequence to explain [the Dharma].

For us in this world, if we look at the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva, he appears in the form of a woman. He manifested “universal doors” as his method to transform sentient beings.

In truth, he has already attained Buddhahood as Clear True Dharma Tathagata. Likewise, Manjusri Bodhisattva was Honorable Dragon King Buddha. They have already attained Buddhahood in the past. However, now they use the manifest. “Thus, He used the intrinsic and the manifest.” The intrinsic and the manifest are applied in parallel in this way. We must very mindfully seek to comprehend this.

In truth, the Buddha’s [teachings] have great significance. In order to teach the future Chapter on. Emerging from the Ground and the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, He had to begin in this place, so everyone could gain some understanding of how the Buddha came to the world in the past, and the order in which He taught the Lotus Sutra up to this point. He had all kinds of [manifestations] in the past, starting with the Eight Aspects, attaining Buddhahood and teaching the Dharma. From the Lotus Sutra’s Introductory Chapter, all along the way [He had] this intent. Now, as we enter Chapter 15, the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, we must very mindfully seek to comprehend it.

Also, the sutra explained previously that the goal of cultivating the Four Practices was to abide in the ground of patience. So, now people who were able to cultivate these practices, however many they were, all emerged from the ground of patience.

In the aforementioned Four Practices, they had to start from the ground of patience. The purpose [of practice] is developing patience. In the previous “Four Practices,” we had to have patience. How many people were now accepting and upholding this practice? To uphold the sutra and expound the Dharma is truly not that easy. So, there are not many who truly want to uphold it. Thus, among these “however many,” what exactly is the number? “All emerged from the ground of patience.” These people [came]; this is an analogy. He now wished to help everyone understand the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground and how many people that were willing to so bravely, truly make great vows to willingly uphold [the sutra].

We must go through training in difficult times. Although things may be difficult, we do not see them as difficulties. Because we are willing, we are very joyful and peaceful. This requires patience. Without patience, we are unable to resolve our difficulties. So, we must patiently endure. People, matters and things [create] difficulties, so we must endure. In “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions,” patience is central. So, patience is very important. To be patient is very important; we must endure. In the world, no matter what sounds we hear or what appearances we see, we must still be patient. Only with this ground of patience in our mind can we give rise to the vows of great Bodhisattvas. We must have patience. For this ground in our mind to emerge, we need the mastery of patience. Only then is this possible. Now that I have mentioned it, how many people can emerge from the ground? Those who truly made vows to uphold the sutra, just how many of them were there? So, we must truly be very mindful to comprehend this.

So, in this chapter, Chapter 15,

Though this chapter concludes the essence of wondrous practices of the previous chapter, it actually destroys the near to reveal the far and explains the original cause of [the Tathagata’s] lifespan.

As for the meaning of this chapter, if we continue reading mindfully, we have concluded the previous [teachings] on how to engage in spiritual practice, so we must be mentally prepared. The Buddha had already taught us many methods, and now, He was to “destroy the near to reveal the far.”

We must know that it is not only the Saha World that must be endured. In fact, in other worlds, they have already understood this Dharma. At the same time, regarding others and ourselves, we ourselves as well as others can understand this. In the past, you, me and others were all still ordinary beings. We had many deluded views and understandings, much ignorance and many arguments. Now, we must eliminate them all. We need to earnestly return to our mind, which originally contains our nature of True Suchness. Countless kalpas ago, we made aspirations just like how the Buddha passed on what. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught.

In truth, prior to. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, there were countless dust-inked kalpas. This was our far [past] from very long ago, things that are very distant. We must pull these things back into our minds. We must recognize and believe these, believe that our nature of. True Suchness is equal to the Buddha’s. We must believe that our nature of True Suchness has existed since Beginningless Time. The source of the principles has no beginning nor end. So, we need to be able to comprehend this point.

We must “destroy the near.” The “near” refers to our attachments and ignorance throughout countless lifetimes. We must now transform them and set them aside. We must pursue and seek out our nature of True Suchness. We must establish our faith. So, [the chapter] “explains the original cause of [the Tathagata’s] lifespan.” This “lifespan” refers to a very long and distant time. [This time] is extremely long. We can now begin to understand this lifespan and its length. How can we truly form aspirations? Where exactly did our source come from? We must now begin to explore this.

We now come to the sutra passage, which says,

At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number. They arose from among the assembly and with palms together, paid respect to and addressed the Buddha.

From this [sutra] passage, we know that it was a great number, [which corresponds to] a very long [time]. It was a long time and a great distance. Therefore, “[They] exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number.” The number was very great. In the assembly where the Buddha was teaching the Dharma, they were already present. That is why it says “they arose from among the assembly and with palms together paid respect to and addressed the Buddha.” We must very mindfully seek to comprehend this. We must “destroy the near to reveal the far.” First He had to tell us not to be attached to the number. It is a limiting attachment. Ordinary beings’ minds cling to the number. We cannot use an ordinary being’s mind to look at this state.

The principles have always been infinite. The world, the universe and the totality of celestial bodies cannot be measured with an ordinary being’s mindset. Therefore, we should “destroy the near,” which is the mind of ordinary beings. We must demonstrate the great enlightenment of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Therefore, we must comprehend what the Buddha came to prove, how broad and expansive the principles are; their numbers are great.

So, these Bodhisattvas from “other lands” had all come to the Saha World and began to petition [the Buddha].

The Bodhisattvas from other lands petitioned to safeguard this sutra in the Saha World. The Bodhisattvas from other lands, having heard of the merits and virtues of the Four Practices, made vows to abide here to spread the teachings widely. Thus, they petitioned to spread the teachings in the Saha World.

Although the Buddha was teaching the Dharma for the Saha World, Bodhisattvas from other lands came to listen to the Dharma. In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, we saw this very clearly. So, “to safeguard this sutra in the Saha World,” they [came] to listen to the Dharma here. They wanted to make vows and safeguard the Dharma in this place. This is because the Buddha lamented that He was about to enter Parinirvana, so who would spread the Dharma? Therefore, Bodhisattvas from other worlds appeared to listen to the sutra. They were moved and made vows to willingly come to the Saha World and spread the Dharma.

So, “the Bodhisattvas from other lands, having heard of the merits and virtues of the Four Practices,” made vows to abide here to spread the sutra. When they heard that the virtues and merits of spreading the Dharma were great, they were willing to be here to spread the sutra. Thus, they asked to abide in the Saha World to teach the Dharma. This is what this passage is explaining to us.

So, At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number: Those Bodhisattvas coming from other lands to hear the Dharma were numerous.

There was a great amount of people who came to the Saha world to listen to the Dharma. “They arose from among the assembly and with palms together paid respect to and addressed the Buddha.” There were so many Bodhisattvas present who formed aspirations and made vows. They were very reverent as they stood up, arising from among the assembly. With a reverent attitude, they put their palms together to express their wishes to the Buddha. With such reverence, they followed the rules and etiquettes. Though they came from other lands, they petitioned to be in the Saha World. They also had great etiquette.

So, they petitioned in this way, in hopes that the Buddha would entrust them with coming to the Saha World. After all, they were from other worlds. For them to be in the Saha World to spread the Dharma, they had to ask the Buddha for permission. So, “to ask to entrust” means they asked the Buddha to entrust them with spreading the Dharma in the Saha World. Thus, they expressed their reverence [to Him]. This is what the sutra passage [says].

They arose from among the assembly and with palms together paid respect to and addressed the Buddha: They were about to ask the Buddha to entrust [the teachings] to them, so they arose with proper etiquette and addressed the Buddha.

Dear Bodhisattvas, whenever a new chapter of this sutra begins, we must again review [what we read] in the past. I hope that everyone, after listening to the sutra, will once more recall [the teachings], listen, contemplate and practice. When we listen to the sutra, we must be mindful. Once we hear it, we must earnestly contemplate it; [this helps us] remember it. Once we have memorized it, we must put it into practice. We must always be mindful!

Episode 1389 – Cultivating the One Mind and the Three Directives

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>> “These Bodhisattvas reverently followed the Buddha’s intent and vowed to travel back and forth in the evil world throughout the lands of the ten directions. They were unstinting with their lives and would endure hardships in order to widely spread the teachings of this sutra. These Bodhisattvas could endure hardships and claimed that they had attained non-arising patience. They vowed to practice in the turbid and evil age of Dharma-degeneration to uphold the sutra and protect sentient beings.”

>> In dealing with matters, we must be able to observe the subtlest things. We must be serene and patient with peace of mind. In terms of the principles, we must be gentle, harmonious, virtuous and compliant. If we can see thoroughly into matters, we will not be deluded by baseless opinions. We must keep our hearts stable so that we will not be disturbed by momentary irritations. This path is the best method for practitioners to be in the world as well as the wondrous way to uphold the sutra.

>> One mind: This refers to a single thought. The Three Directives for Spreading the Sutra: The room of compassion. The clothing of patience. The seat of the emptiness of all phenomena. The Fourfold Patience: This is the common cause which. Bodhisattvas must practice, the Four Practices for bringing peace and joy with body, speech, mind and vows.

>> One mind: This refers to a single thought. The nature of the mind is all-pervasive; it pervades the void in an instant, unhindered by phenomena. When it spreads out, it responds to all things. When it converges, it forms a single thought. Thus, whether it is good or evil, noble or ordinary, everything is created by the mind.

>> The Three Directives for Spreading the Sutra: The room of compassion. The clothing of patience. The seat of the emptiness of all phenomena. The Fourfold Patience: This is the common cause which. Bodhisattvas must practice, the four practices for bringing peace and joy with the body, speech, mind and vows.

>> …and furthermore, when they have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma and observe the True Appearance of all Dharma without any action or discrimination, this is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> “What do I mean by the places that Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas draw near to? Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas do not associate with kings, princes, great ministers or officials.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> He feared that if they followed worldly customs, they would become sycophants who grasp at power and status and become arrogant and extravagant. Grasping at offerings, these people engage in devious flattery in order to ingratiate themselves. Thus [the Buddha] admonished them to not draw near [to these people]. Once they drew near to people like this, they might abandon their rightful duties and allow themselves to sink into internal defilement.

>> We will run about wagging our tails and begging for pity. We will be anxious about everything. We will be busy wiping away the tears of the mundane; how will we keep our minds on the path? Because of this, He warned us not to draw near to [these people].

>> What do I mean by the places that Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas draw near to?: Earlier, He said that we must peacefully abide in the places where [Bodhisattvas] draw near to. Our bodies must diligently cultivate and uphold all good deeds; we must retain the teachings of the Great Vehicle sutra.

>> Do not associate with: This means they must not be driven by emotions. By clinging to or relying upon powerful people, they end up oppressing others. If they were to draw near powerful people, the Buddha feared they would come to rely upon power and status and do harmful things that would be of no benefit to the path.

>> Kings, princes, ministers and officials were powerful people at that time. They must not contrive affinities with them. If their worldly affinities were too heavy, their actions would not completely accord with the path to Buddhahood.

>> If we draw near to these people, as soon as we refuse to comply with them, we will be harmed by the adverse conditions that come from our entanglement in their afflictions. If we do comply with them, we will be harmed by the favorable conditions that come from improper offerings. All of these are beneficial conditions that are harmful to the path. This is one of the reasons why we must avoid these harmful affinities.

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“These Bodhisattvas reverently followed the Buddha’s intent
and vowed to travel back and forth in the evil world
throughout the lands of the ten directions.
They were unstinting with their lives
and would endure hardships in order to widely spread the teachings of this sutra.
These Bodhisattvas could endure hardships
and claimed that they had attained non-arising patience.
They vowed to practice in the turbid and evil age of Dharma-degeneration
to uphold the sutra and protect sentient beings.”

These few days everyone has had to be very mindful in using the Dharma we have truly absorbed. We must take the Dharma to heart and make vows to go among people so we can share the Dharma with everyone. If we wish to share it with others, then we have to understand it clearly ourselves. Listening to the Dharma is not just constantly reading the sutras and just understanding the meaning of the text. After we understand the meaning of the text, we must go further to experience its truth. This means that even though when the meaning of the sutra is verbally explained and our ears can take it in and our mind can understand it, this is still not enough. We must take what we understand in our minds and [ask] whether we ourselves have practiced it and have experienced it.

The Dharma is intangible, without substance or appearance. However, here in this organization, there are many things we have done in the past. And our companions in this organization, our Bodhisattva-companions, have done things in the past that they have shared with us. They have given and interacted with people; they have experienced these things. Can the ways they do things and treat people be correlated with the Dharma we have learned? Do the things we ourselves have done correspond? This is very important [to ask ourselves].

The sutras are written texts; the oral teachings are just sounds. We can look at the written sutras [at any time], but when we listen, by the time the sound enters our ears, it has already disappeared. Does the memory of it remain in our minds? We may remember it, but have we used it? Have we experienced it in the past? If we have experienced it, then we will know that this Dharma is a path; it is a path that we have walked. So, this path is a path we have walked; it is a path we have actualized. This path is the sutras. We have already awakened to the sutras we were taught. So, “The sutras are a path; this path is a road to walk on.”

So, on the awakened path of Bodhisattvas, have we encountered this Dharma? If so, from the depths of our hearts, we will be inspired; we are inspired to give rise to this aspiration. We must verify for ourselves whether we are using this sutra as a path and whether we use this path to walk on every day. This is something we should reflect upon again and again each day. When the meaning of a previous sutra passage is repeated again, this means that we must not forget it. When something is brought up again, it is something that

we must be sure to continuously keep in mind. So, “Bodhi” means “enlightenment” and “sattva” means a sentient being. A Bodhisattva is an awakened sentient being. Even though Bodhisattvas have achieved realizations, have been putting the Dharma into practice and, for a very long time, have been practicing according to the teachings without retreating from their aspirations, still, when it comes to actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, they have not yet perfected their causes. Only when their causes have been perfected will they approach the fruition. This means they must be replete with all causes and conditions. To have the causes and conditions, we must put the teachings into practice. Have we walked the path? When it comes to our mind, do we still have afflictions in our mind, in our consciousness? When it comes to giving, though this is the evil world where people, matters and things are very complicated, we still form aspirations to do this. Amidst the swirling dusts of the world, we willingly go among the people to help them.

Yet now, even though people are saved, will those people joyfully accept [the teachings]? Afterwards, can their minds be purified? All we can do is do our best to give in hope of eliminating their illness and suffering. Of course, we also hope that in addition they will be able to accept the teachings in their hearts. This is what we need to be mindful of. Perhaps there are those around us who share the same aspirations, the same path, the same resolve. Though we share this aspiration, path and resolve, and though they have Bodhisattva-aspirations and are headed in the same direction as we are, every person’s habitual tendencies are different. When people with different habitual tendencies all come together to walk the same path, is it possible that everything will always go the way we want? Will everything we see always be pleasing to us? Will everything we hear always make us happy? They may still have their habitual tendencies, may still have faults or make mistakes. We still need to know how to treat these people. This is something we need to practice.

We purify each other by practicing together. When we practice together, we encourage each other, we help each other learn how to move in the correct direction, how to persevere in our efforts. This requires a very long time. Bodhisattvas must actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions, so we must care for those who share our aspirations and be mindful of those who need our help. This helps all things become perfect and complete, helps those who are saving and those being saved to have perfect and complete [karmic conditions]. Then, with these causes and conditions, we can transform evil into goodness and turn goodness into blessings. Then we can turn blessings into awakening to be awakened sentient beings. This means that when we give, we transform those around us. We transform people at the same time.

So, to perfect and complete the Bodhisattva-path is not an easy thing to do. In a world like this we must continually and incessantly train ourselves. This is how awakened sentient beings, in this evil world of Five Turbidities, will face great difficulties; this is a very difficult task. This is the one great cause; Bodhisattvas also have this one great cause. Because we wish to seek the path to Buddhahood, we should reverently follow the Buddha’s intent. When it comes to what the Buddha taught us, we must be extremely diligent and reverent as we accept it. If we wish to be able to attain the Buddha-Dharma, then we must accept it. When we accept the Buddha-Dharma, if we do not have reverence, if we do not cherish at all the Dharma in our hearts, then how will we ever be able to utilize it? So, we must cherish [the Dharma] and we must respect it. So, we must “reverently follow the Buddha’s intent.”

The Buddha had an ideal; He sought nothing else in coming to the world, only that sentient beings could awaken to the fact that everyone has the nature of True Suchness, that everyone could love themselves and love others and that everyone could be free of afflictions. When our mind is without afflictions, we will not be obstructed by matters or things in the world. We will have no obstructions and no fear, no afflictions or delusions; all delusions, afflictions and discursive thinking will have been eliminated. Sentient beings suffer because they have too many afflictions and discursive thoughts. It is truly impossible for their minds to be at peace and at ease. If we engage in discursive thinking, once we have stray thoughts and one thought goes astray, it can stir up a dense cloud of afflictions in our minds. This is will be very hard for us.

So, we should be very mindful to respectfully follow the Buddha’s intent. We must make vows, vows to be in this evil world. Only in this evil world can we become polished; we must withstand this polishing. If we want some object to shine, we must first polish it. We must cut and polish it, for only when it is cut and polished does it become very refined and smooth. An object must be cut and polished. So, this is why we must make vows.

This evil and turbid world is the only place; it is like a fiery furnace that enables us to become refined. So, we make vows to be in this evil world. We do not try to escape; we face its reality. If we wish to go among people, if we wish to enter this turbid world, then we must have the power of vows. We return to the world not because of our karma, but because of our vows. So, we make vows to be in this evil world and bring purity. Whether our fellow practitioners or those we wish to influence and transform, those suffering people whom we wish to help, these are all people for whom we make vows. We are not afraid of the trouble, so we return again and again. For those we cannot transform in this life, we will come try again in the next one, lifetime after lifetime.

So, they would “travel back and forth throughout the ten directions.” They were willing to go to any land, any land in the ten directions, any place at all. They would give everything they had; they were unstinting with their lives and would give until their last breath. Regardless of how many lifetimes it takes or of what place they must go to, they were always like this, unstinting with their lives. In this evil world of the Five Turbidities, our minds must be prepared to “endure hardships in order to widely spread the teachings of this sutra.” We must be able to endure all kinds of different difficulties. “These Bodhisattvas could endure hardships.” We must be able to endure so many [challenges] with people, matters and things, all kinds of difficulties and hardships; we must endure all of these.

Some of those Bodhisattvas expressed a great deal of confidence and said, “I have already attained non-arising patience. When it comes to the Buddha’s teachings, I have respect for the Buddha and have experience with everything the Buddha taught. With non-arising patience, whether I face difficulties that arise from the natural world or from other people, I can endure them all.” Thus, they vowed to practice in the turbid world of the era of Dharma-degeneration. “I am willing to remain in this evil world of turbidities in this era of Dharma-degeneration. I am willing.” What were they willing to do? They were willing to uphold the sutra and safeguard sentient beings.

Everyone, we should be very mindful, and our understanding should be very thorough. After we attain understanding, we must then take action. This resolve must be firm. If we only listen and say, “I will do whatever you tell me” then we will not be determined in our vows. So, we must consider things, and then firmly establish our resolve. Then our resolve will not waver. This is the true power of a Bodhisattva’s vows.

In dealing with matters, we must be able to observe the subtlest things. We must be serene and patient with peace of mind. In terms of the principles, we must be gentle, harmonious, virtuous and compliant. If we can see thoroughly into matters, we will not be deluded by baseless opinions. We must keep our hearts stable so that we will not be disturbed by momentary irritations. This path is the best method for practitioners to be in the world as well as the wondrous way to uphold the sutra.

“In dealing with matters, we must be able to observe the subtlest things.” While we are in this world, even the smallest objects and matters are things we should be very mindful of observing. This applies to every word we speak, everything we do and every person we deal with. Every person has different habitual tendencies. When we [hear] what others say, whether the meaning within is true or false, real or illusory, it is what we need to very mindfully seek to understand and deal with. Different people have different habitual tendencies and many other differences. So, whether with matters or principles, we must always have meticulous contemplation as we are observing them. So, “In dealing with matters, we must be able to observe the subtlest things.”

We must try to understand even the smallest of things. We know that this person’s habitual tendencies are like this. Yet regardless, we must learn how to accommodate them, how to gradually influence and transform them. This is also what we must be mindful of when we go among people. We cannot give up on anything just because it is difficult. We cannot give up on anything or anyone, even if a person has bad habitual tendencies. As long as we remain in the world, we will never give up, even over many lifetimes. Our vows are deep and profound, so we must not give up easily. Thus, in this world of evil turbidities, Bodhisattvas must have perseverance. This is the only way for our minds to settle down.

“We must be serene and patient with peace of mind.” Only in this way can we face any kind of bumps in the road or [problems] caused by other people, any kind of thing at all. Although our minds are quite clear, these matters are quite troublesome, but what else can we do? We must be serene and patient, have peace of mind. What else can we do? We must experience it fully. How can we face such a complicated and turbid world? “In terms of the principles, we must be gentle, harmonious, virtuous and compliant.” We [need] the principles. Although there are many difficulties when it comes to people and matters, we must first train ourselves with the principles. This means we must cultivate our mind and character over a long period of time. We must cultivate this gentleness and harmony, this virtue and compliance.

This requires that we cultivate our mind and our character at all times. So, when it comes to the principles, we will always be able to respect the Buddha’s intent and overcome all kinds of difficulties in this complicated world. “If we can see thoroughly into matters,” if we can be clear on all of the principles, then when it comes to matters, we will be able to see thoroughly into them. Even with the most subtle and intricate things, we will have a way to observe them all. So, with this principle, if we are gentle, harmonious, virtuous and compliant, we will see through all matters and appearances and “will not be deluded by baseless opinions.”

We will be able to understand how illusory and baseless these things are. When our mind remains calm and collected, we cannot be influenced by illusory, baseless things among people and matters, things which seem to be true but also untrue. We must clearly analyze the principles. “Should I do this or not?” If we should not do it, then we should be mindful to hold fast to not doing these things. When it comes to things we should do, we must learn to overcome any difficulties to doing what we should. So, our minds must remain very clear; we must discern right and wrong clearly. So, “We will not be deluded by baseless opinions. We must keep our hearts stable.” In our hearts and minds, we must persevere in our Samadhi and the power of our vows.

So, “We will not be disturbed by momentary irritations.” We must not act rashly or give in to momentary irritations, allowing ourselves to become agitated or annoyed. We must “not be disturbed.” Our mind needs to be very stable so our mind can remain focused in Samadhi. We must remain very stable. “This path is the best method for practitioners to be in the world.” For those practicing upon the path, this is the best method to use when they are dealing with the world. It is also “the wondrous way to uphold the sutra.” For those of us who practice the path and who have also made vows to uphold the sutra, this is the best method. This means. “In terms of the principles, we must be gentle, harmonious, virtuous and compliant.” Only then will we be able to penetrate matters so that when we encounter issues, we will not become that irritated or annoyed. We must be peacefully settled; only then will we not be tempted by things, nor will our minds become confused by them. Then we will be able to have Samadhi and not become momentarily irritated or annoyed because of something we have encountered.

So, this is what we must truly persevere in. This is the best method of being in the world for practitioners on the path. The way we uphold the sutra is by using this method, for it is only through this that we can persevere along this path and be able to overcome difficulties. So, we must use the Buddha’s teaching of “one mind, Three Directives, Fourfold Patience.”

One mind: This refers to a single thought. The Three Directives for Spreading the Sutra: The room of compassion. The clothing of patience. The seat of the emptiness of all phenomena. The Fourfold Patience: This is the common cause which. Bodhisattvas must practice, the Four Practices for bringing peace and joy with body, speech, mind and vows.

“One mind” refers to “a single thought.”

One mind: This refers to a single thought. The nature of the mind is all-pervasive; it pervades the void in an instant, unhindered by phenomena. When it spreads out, it responds to all things. When it converges, it forms a single thought. Thus, whether it is good or evil, noble or ordinary, everything is created by the mind.

“This refers to a single thought. The nature of the mind is all-pervasive; it pervades the void in an instant.” The mind is very nimble. If I tell you, “Europe’s scenery is beautiful,” anyone who has ever been there will be off there in their mind; they will arrive there in the blink of an eye. This is the mind. “The nature of the mind is all-pervasive; it pervades the void in an instant.” It is completely unobstructed. The mind can ascend to heaven or descend to hell. It is completely unobstructed. If you want to go somewhere or if you form an aspiration to save someone, as soon as that thought arises and you form a firm and powerful vow, you naturally will be able to do many things that will benefit that person. So, “The nature of the mind is all-pervasive; it pervades the void in an instant.” This state is determined by our mind. [The mind] is “unhindered by phenomena.” We completely understand all Dharma and are furthermore unhindered by anything.

Although the Buddha-Dharma is very profound, as long as we can [transform] our mind, we will definitely completely understand it. Wherever you want to go in the world, you will be able to arrive there. As long as you have been there, those impressions will always be there. This principle is the same. Though the Dharma has no substance or form, its principles are still firmly rooted in our mind. “When it spreads out, it responds to all things.” When we apply the Buddha-Dharma to our mind, if we wish to apply it on a vast scale, it can be applied very widely and broadly.

For instance, in Sichuan, everyone is very diligent. They are using the same Dharma there to bring together our spirit and ideals in that place so they can mindfully help others there. They all gather together there from many provinces. Right now they are also listening to the teachings. They are unhindered in doing so. Our mind is able to be like this. “When it spreads out, it responds to all things.” It is unhindered in going anywhere. If we collect it, “When it converges, it forms a single thought.” When we bring it together, it is collected in one thought.

We can spread out our mind so that it can go anywhere in the world. When we collect it, it becomes a single thought. “Thus, whether it is good or evil, noble or ordinary, everything is created by the mind.” Do we want to be a noble person or do we want to be an evil person? Both result from the same mind. So, when we spread out our mind, it can reach everywhere in the world to manifest its abilities and effectiveness. When we focus it, the mind becomes one teaching. So, we should use this one mind, but we must work hard to safeguard it. We should not let it deviate; whether we become a noble or an evil person depends merely on the direction we take. If we deviate in our direction, then we can become an evil person. If we follow our direction correctly, we can become Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

To spread the sutra we need the Three Directives. We enter the room of great compassion, wear the clothing of patience and sit on the seat of the emptiness of all phenomena. These are the Three Directives. And the Fourfold Patience? This is how Bodhisattvas should practice, with body, speech, mind and also vows. These are the Four Practices for Bringing Peace and Joy.

The Three Directives for Spreading the Sutra: The room of compassion. The clothing of patience. The seat of the emptiness of all phenomena. The Fourfold Patience: This is the common cause which. Bodhisattvas must practice, the four practices for bringing peace and joy with the body, speech, mind and vows.

To be able to completely understand, we need the one mind, the Three Directives and the Fourfold Patience. Everyone, we must be mindful. Previously these were all explained repeatedly. This was all done to help everyone really take the Dharma to heart.

We must not only take it to heart, but also apply it to many things, in many places. So many people have used it successfully. We have all worked together to do things, which have brought us peace of mind, These things have benefited others, and we can recall them, thinking, “Where did we go? What methods did we use there? This is how the Dharma can be spread out to reach many different faraway places. We can recall them now. No matter how far away they are, we can recall them. Then we collect our thoughts and return our mind to the present. So, we should always mindfully understand this.

Thus, the previous passage says, “And furthermore, when it comes to the Dharma, if they have nothing to practice….”

…and furthermore, when they have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma and observe the True Appearance of all Dharma without any action or discrimination, this is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.

We have so many teachings, so the previous passage tells us again that we must not have any attachments to the Dharma as we give to others. “Having nothing to practice” means we have no attachments. Amidst the Dharma, we are actually very free and at ease. If we then try to say, “This is how I engage in practice” or “These are the good deeds I do,” we are constantly talking about this “I”! What is this “I” really?

When it comes to what we do, if it is right, then we just do it. We have “nothing to practice.” This is just how it is. When it comes to the Dharma, we should be mindful, not constantly be hung up by inner afflictions. We give without any expectations. We “observe the True Appearance of all Dharma.” We observe the ultimate reality of the Dharma, how in reality it is without substance or appearance. The principles are solidly rooted, but they are without substance or shape. This is what the principles are. We can spread our mind throughout the universe, or return it to one thought. We can send it out or pull it back freely. This is the Dharma.

We are “without any action or discrimination.” There is nothing further to be done; the past is the past. “This is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.” The mind a Bodhisattva constantly preserves is a clean and unhindered one, and because it remains unhindered, the Bodhisattva knows the wondrous existence in true emptiness. This is what Bodhisattvas understand.

The following sutra passage says,

“What do I mean by the places that Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas draw near to? Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas do not associate with kings, princes, great ministers or officials.”

Those who Bodhisattvas can and cannot draw near to must be delineated very clearly.

He feared that if they followed worldly customs, they would become sycophants who grasp at power and status and become arrogant and extravagant. Grasping at offerings, these people engage in devious flattery in order to ingratiate themselves. Thus [the Buddha] admonished them to not draw near [to these people]. Once they drew near to people like this, they might abandon their rightful duties and allow themselves to sink into internal defilement.

This is because the Buddha was afraid that “if they followed worldly customs, they would become sycophants who grasp at power and status and become arrogant and extravagant. Grasping at offerings, these people engage in devious flattery in order to ingratiate themselves.” This is telling us we must discipline ourselves, teaching us we must prevent this. Our hearts should not contrive to create these kinds of affinities. If we go flatter people, flatter those sitting in high positions, there is the fear that we will gradually keep retreating from and eventually lose our spiritual aspirations, that we will move toward wanting to have power. We will continually want to make connections with those who have power. [We may say], “I know this person and that one, so you should treat me differently. I can get in touch with so-and-so and have them help me, so you should be good to me” and so on. This is “grasping at status and power.” People may become very arrogant and extravagant. They become more and more arrogant, selfish and self-aggrandizing.

They “grasp at offerings.” When this happens, spiritual practitioners end up flattering others merely for the sake of receiving offerings. This is absolutely unacceptable. We have our moral character and moral integrity, so we must earnestly protect our character. We should not ingratiate ourselves with others merely for the sake of pleasing them. We use gentleness, harmony, virtue and compliance and are very sincere with others, but we never need to use cleverness or pretension. We can say good things to them, and we can teach them the Dharma. These are things that we can do. But are we using a method of flattery? This is something we should be very cautious about.

What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, but when someone does something wrong, we must find a way to deal with their mistake. Still, we must not get irritated or annoyed. We must be able to keep our mind settled and find ways to help him understand why he is wrong. We need know ourselves [why it is wrong]. So, we do not need to try to please others or ingratiate ourselves with them. We want to do the right thing. If something is wrong, we should not do it just because people have authority or power and we want to try to curry favor with them. So, if something is wrong and we will still tell them, “Right, right, right! You are right!” then this is wrong; we are the ones who are wrong. We should clearly distinguish right from wrong. This is teaching us to guard against wrongs and stop evils so that these evil habitual tendencies will never enter our minds.

“Once they drew near to people like this, they might abandon their rightful duties.” If we go astray by flattering and grasping for power, wanting to rely on other people’s authority, on other people’s power, on other people’s fame, then we should quickly earnestly reflect on ourselves. If we are like this, then we may easily abandon our rightful duties, abandon our spiritual aspirations. If we abandon our rightful duties because of this, then we can easily degenerate. This is very bad. This is something we should truly be mindful of.

We will run about wagging our tails and begging for pity. We will be anxious about everything. We will be busy wiping away the tears of the mundane; how will we keep our minds on the path? Because of this, He warned us not to draw near to [these people].

If we degenerate to the point where we are trying to please those with authority and power, “We will run about wagging our tails and begging for pity.” This is like [a dog] wanting to please his master; it just sits there wagging its tail. Do we all understand this? Do not wag your tail to beg from people. If a dog comes near and we pet it, it will just keep on wagging its tail! It does this to make you love it more. We do not need to do this. As spiritual practitioners, we truly have our moral character. However, we should not be conceited or arrogant. We should distinguish these clearly. We need to preserve our moral integrity, preserve our integrity, preserve our aspirations, not wag our tails pitifully or try to flatter others.

“We will be anxious about everything.” Thinking like this is just a waste of time. “We will be busy wiping away the tears of the mundane.” If all we are doing is flattering others, then when will we find time to engage in practice? All we will do is contrive affinities with others, coming and going doing mundane things. “What are you doing there? Why didn’t you take care of this? Oh, sorry!” Many things happen like this. We should do the things that we should do, not just try to contrive affinities with others. If all we do is contrive affinities like this, how will we have time for anything else? We need to make good use of our time; otherwise, how will we ever walk the path? Our time here is limited.

“Because of this, He warned us to not draw near to [these people].” Because of this, the Buddha warned us to not draw near to people like these, to kings and ministers and so on. We should not do this. Of course, if we need to get something done, then if we are very respectful, very grateful and truly sincere, we can go to people whose help we need and ask them for their help. Sometimes to get things done, we need our government. We need them to understand and to help us, but we do these things for all the world. We do not do these things for our own benefit, single-mindedly currying favor by flattering them. That is not what we do. Thus, we should distinguish between these clearly.

So, “What do I mean by the places that Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas draw near to?” It said previously that we should “peacefully abide in the places where [Bodhisattvas] draw near to.” These are places we should draw near to. With our bodies we diligently cultivate and uphold all good deeds and we should put effort into retaining “the teachings of the Great Vehicle Sutra.”

What do I mean by the places that Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas draw near to?: Earlier, He said that we must peacefully abide in the places where [Bodhisattvas] draw near to. Our bodies must diligently cultivate and uphold all good deeds; we must retain the teachings of the Great Vehicle sutra.

This is where we need to be diligent. In our spiritual practice, we should uphold all good deeds and eliminate all evil. We must quickly eliminate all evil, all the things we should not do. As for the things that we should do, we should hasten to diligently carry them out. We should safeguard our mind and our thoughts. This is what the Great Vehicle sutras teach. We benefit ourselves and benefit others. By earnestly engaging in spiritual practice, we benefit ourselves. By thoroughly understanding the principles, we benefit ourselves. By giving, we benefit others.

So, “Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas do not associate with kings, princes, great ministers or officials.”

Do not associate with: This means they must not be driven by emotions. By clinging to or relying upon powerful people, they end up oppressing others. If they were to draw near powerful people, the Buddha feared they would come to rely upon power and status and do harmful things that would be of no benefit to the path.

This means we do not need to ingratiate ourselves with others. We do not need to flatter or fawn upon others, but we must use sincerity when dealing with them. Whether it is a king, a great minister or an official, in fact they should want to serve the people. If we have to flatter them to get something done, then this is very inappropriate. However, as citizens we have our duty. Whenever we want to do something, we must follow the rules and make [proper] reports. This is following the rules. This is acting with Right Dharma

“‘Do not associate with’ means they must not be driven by their emotions.” We should not let our emotions rule us, indulging ourselves in our emotions. We also should not “cling to or rely on powerful people and oppress others.” Only relying on the power of others would not be correct. We should do things honestly, handle matters honestly, for the benefit of sentient beings. We should be upright and honest, do things according to the Dharma and not indulge ourselves by becoming attached to those with authority and power. If we cling to and rely upon people like this, if we only depend upon their power, by relying on their power we may oppress others. Sometimes people take things that they should not have from others. Those who are weaker have no way to hold on to what should be theirs because it is taken away by those who are stronger. This should not happen. Thus, “clinging to and relying on powerful people” is something we should not do.

So, “If they were to draw near powerful people, the Buddha feared they would come to rely on power and status.” If there are influential people, people with great power, and all we do is continually try to get close to them, then there is a fear that we ourselves will start acting like this. This would be wrong; we must not do it. This would do “harmful things that would be of no benefit to the path.” All we would be doing is wasting time there. If all we do is flatter powerful people in order to depend on them, then we will waste a lot of time. Not only that, we may acquire things we should not have. This is something that does not benefit others, nor does it benefit our own spiritual path. So, these are harmful; they do not benefit others, nor are they beneficial to our spiritual practice. Whatever falls within these boundaries, we should comprehend clearly. We must be meticulous and mindful.

Kings, princes, ministers and officials were powerful people at that time. They must not contrive affinities with them. If their worldly affinities were too heavy, their actions would not completely accord with the path to Buddhahood.

So, there were “kings, princes, ministers and officials.” These “were powerful people at that time.” Practitioners must not contrive affinities. “They must not contrive affinities with them.” Actually, “king” or “prince” is only a title. Even if someone is a king for a lifetime or is a great minister for a lifetime, it is only for a one lifetime, it is not eternal! It is not forever; it is not eternal. A time will come when a king will lose his power or he may also meet with an accident. It is the same for princes and ministers, to say nothing of how people’s minds are not balanced; one never knows when the world may change. We may rely on someone’s power now, but what if they lose their power in the future? There is no need.

If our mind is truly upright, if our thoughts are correct, if we give of ourselves for the sake of the world’s sentient beings, then we need not contrive affinities like these with powerful people. These are only temporary. We have no idea how long they will last, so there is no need to contrive these affinities, especially as in spiritual practice we need to rely upon ourselves. We must earnestly use the power of our minds to cultivate the Dharma. Only by taking the Dharma to heart will we understand the path we should walk. By walking it correctly, as we come and go, we return to the world with the Dharma of Suchness. One who does this is called a Tathagata. By coming to the world on the Dharma of Suchness, coming and going like this, we preserve our intrinsic nature of True Suchness and do not allow it to become disrupted, do not let it become scattered. So, we absolutely do not contrive affinities.

“If their worldly affinities were too heavy, their actions would not completely accord with the path to Buddhahood.” This comes from continually seeking to contrive affinities in the mundane world. Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we do our utmost not to contrive affinities. We do our best not to do this. However, when it comes to doing things that will truly purify people’s hearts, that will truly benefit people, we must prepare ourselves well. How will we be able to purify people’s hearts? How will we be able to guide people to mutually benefit one another? It is for reasons like these that we go among others. It is not to curry others’ favor so they will give us authority and power. This is not why we do it. So, we must be very mindful in trying to understand this. Otherwise, “if their worldly affinities were too heavy,” if their actions were like this, they “would not be completely in accord with the path to Buddhahood.” So, we should form aspirations to go among people, and we should stay within the proper boundaries.

․If we draw near to these people, as soon as we refuse to comply with them, we will be harmed by the adverse conditions that come from our entanglement in their afflictions. If we do comply with them, we will be harmed by the favorable conditions that come from improper offerings. All of these are beneficial conditions that are harmful to the path. This is one of the reasons why we must avoid these harmful affinities.

If we draw near to these people, as soon as we refuse to comply with them, we will be harmed by the adverse conditions that come from our entanglement in their afflictions. If we do comply with them, we will be harmed by the favorable conditions that come from improper offerings. All of these are conditions that(I think you want to remove this word) are harmful to the Path. This is one of the reasons why we must avoid these harmful affinities.

So, “If we draw near to these people, as soon as we refuse to comply with them, we will be harmed by the adverse conditions that come from our entanglement in their afflictions.” If we associate with these people for a long time and then suddenly we no longer comply with them, if we no longer flatter them, if we no longer follow them, it could possibly bring on many adverse conditions of afflictions or entanglements that may harm us. This is possible. We should not say, “I am a close associate of that powerful person.” He may be powerful, but if a time comes when you no longer do what he wants, it may bring on many harmful adverse conditions.

“If we do comply with them, we will be harmed by the favorable conditions that come from improper offerings.” This is also harmful. If now you keep complying with him, and keep on complying with him, the only thing we attain will be offerings of fame and fortune that are undeserved. This too is harmful in its way.　So, this is why we say that attachment to and reliance on power is never correct.

So, “All of these are beneficial conditions that are harmful to the path.” To continually associate with these people will always be harmful to our path. Its effect on our cultivation of the path as spiritual practitioners will always be harmful. These are this [kind of] beneficial conditions. “This is one of the reasons why we must avoid these harmful affinities.” This is only one reason why we should not associate with them. What we should draw near to is the Dharma, Right Dharma. The things that we should not draw near to, we should not draw near to. This is what it means to “not draw near.” With things that we should draw near to, we should truly be mindful. What we should draw near to is the one mind, Three Directives and Fourfold Patience. We must be very mindful. We must not draw near to those with power, for this is one kind of harmful affinity. So, kings, ministers and so forth are the ones who have power. This is what we should mindfully seek to realize. So, I ask you all to always be mindful!

Episode 1388 – Observing the True Appearance of All Dharma

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>> “Those great beings affirmed that they had attained non-arising patience and could endure many difficult things, whereas those who had newly received predictions feared the many hardships of the Saha World. Because of this, they became fearful, claiming to have not yet cultivated patience and to lack the strength to endure. They wished to accept and uphold [the sutra] in other places.”

>> What Manjusri meant was that when Dharma teachers spread this sutra in the era of Dharma-degeneration, though they will be able to endure hardships, it is better to face no hardships or hindrances while upholding the sutra. So for the sake of the recipients of the teachings, he asked the Tathagata about methods for protecting the mind. [The Tathagata said] to abide in the. Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy with the body, speech, mind and sincere [vows].

>> “This refers to the four methods of bringing peace and joy that the Tathagata taught. He demonstrated that when Bodhisattvas attain these wondrous practices for upholding the sutra and can realize and practice them, they will certainly bring peace and joy. We must follow these Four Practices, for they are instructions bestowed by the World-Honored One.”

>> To uphold and practice the True Dharma, we can humbly engage in these practices. Then, as we traverse the evil world, we will uphold the sutra. As we go among the mundane world’s troubles to respond to all beings, no matter where we go, we will bring peace and joy. Our bodies and minds will be peaceful and at ease.

>> “Manjusri, what do I mean by the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas? When Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas abide in the ground of patience, are gentle, harmonious, virtuous, compliant and never impulsive or ill-tempered, moreover, when their minds remain undisturbed….”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> .”..and furthermore, when they have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma and observe the True Appearance of all Dharma without any action or discrimination, this is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> …and furthermore, when they have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma: Furthermore, we must abide forever in the wondrous Dharma and reverently follow the Buddha’s intent. We must be modest and self-disciplined. We must cultivate our minds and nurture our wisdom-life. When it comes to the Dharma, we should not say we are [people who] have something to practice.

>> “Dharma” refers to all practices of the Dharma. As we practice this Dharma, we must not be attached to appearances. This is what it means to have nothing to practice. If there is something to practice, there must be someone to practice it. The appearances of subject and object stand in relative opposition. This is how we make enemies with others. Then we will encounter adversity and hardship, and this will inevitably give rise to grievances

>> Observe the True Appearance of all Dharma: We must observe the True Appearance of all phenomena as inherently empty and still. In all the Dharma that we practice, we must observe in all phenomena that True Appearance is of non-appearance. Then we will have nothing to practice, and we will not discriminate, either. We must observe with nothing to observe and practice with nothing to practice. We must forget our emotions and consciousness, eliminate [our attachment to] right and wrong and blend the worldly and world-transcending Dharma into one. Only then can we be said to have the Dharma of impartial contemplation. Bodhisattvas’ aspirations and actions are just like this.

>> ..without any action or discrimination: They fear that people who hear that the Dharma is inherently still will say everything is empty and make no discrimination. So they do not even practice this view of non-discrimination, either.
>> This is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: Engaging in spiritual practice as such is the place of practice of Bodhisattvas. Following the Three Directives for Spreading the. Sutra in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings is the place of practice of Bodhisattvas: 1. Entering the room of compassion 2. Wearing the clothing of patience 3. Sitting upon the seat of the emptiness of all phenomena.

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“Those great beings affirmed that
they had attained non-arising patience
and could endure many difficult things,
whereas those who had newly received predictions
feared the many hardships of the Saha World.
Because of this, they became fearful,
claiming to have not yet cultivated patience
and to lack the strength to endure.
They wished to accept and uphold [the sutra] in other places.”

Let us think back. The Chapter on Encouragement to Uphold the Sutra and the Chapter on the. Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy are connected. We must not forget the previous [teachings]. In the previous [chapters], the Buddha bestowed predictions upon His disciples. The disciples feared the Saha World and made vows to go to other places to transform sentient beings. The great Bodhisattvas were able to comprehend the Buddha’s mind and give rise to courage and diligence; they were fearless, with great benevolence, courage and diligence. So, “Those great beings affirmed that they had attained non-arising patience.” They bravely volunteered themselves, believing they had attained “non-arising patience.” Anywhere throughout the universe, be it in nature or among humans or wherever, whatever others found difficult to endure they already saw as something very ordinary. Things like these already posed no hindrances to these spiritual practitioners. So, they “could endure many difficult things.”

With effortless patience, they endured without feeling like they were enduring anything. When we feel like we are enduring, we are enduring. This is very painful. If we can view hardships as something that comes naturally, this will be a very healthy [mindset]. For example, in our everyday life, we do not realize that our body is breathing. This means our breathing is smooth and healthy. When our arms and legs move freely and there is no pain or disability, this is what it means to be healthy. Sometimes, when we take a step, we say, “Ow! My foot hurts. My legs are sore. I cannot squat down. I cannot stand back up.” We also have to endure this pain. When this happens, we have feelings in our body, so we must endure. When we do not feel [pain], we are in good health.

When we move our body just like before, [sometimes] we feel this unbearable pain; why? Because we are not healthy. When we do not need to endure [pain] and can go about our lives as usual, this means we are healthy in body and mind, and we can go about our lives with ease. In this world, in interpersonal relationships, in the passing of time, we will sometimes face adversity. If we are aware of this adversity, we can be mentally prepared. Then, we will be clearly aware that this situation will occur, and this is what will happen when it does.

When we know in advance that a typhoon is approaching, we will quickly fortify structures in preparation. We [used to] pull cables over the houses. In the old days, no matter the house, they were all very simple. So, when a typhoon came, they would use thick iron cables to secure the roof. They tied the cables to large rocks on the ground to reinforce [the roof] so it would not be blown away. If [the wind] ripped up a corner of the roof, this could be very dangerous. So, we had to make sure the corners of the roof were very secure. So, when they pulled the cables over, they had to pay attention to the roof’s corners. The greatest fear was that the wind would rip up a corner, because then, the slightest wind would find a way to go under the roof, and then a big wind could rip the entire roof off.

The principle is the same. When we are always prepared, everything will be ok. All the principles in the world are the same. In nature, there is the wind and the waves. This is how nature is supposed to be. In the past, people said that the climate must moderate itself. So, there were the four seasons, and there would be typhoons in the summer. This was simply the climate moderating itself. However, [the weather] did not used to be as extreme as it is now.

In the past, [the weather] was very moderate. It rained in the rainy season, and there were typhoons during the typhoon season. Although everyone lived a very simple life, they knew the importance of being prepared. Back then, whenever a typhoon came, it was never as big [as today’s]. We were prepared for it. The typhoons would come from the north. When these winds came, they came [from the north], Later, they would come from the south. This was called the “returning south wind.” The typhoon would leave and turn into the returning south wind. Then everyone would open their doors and resume their lives. This is how life was in the past. We knew to take preventative measures, but it was very simple [back then]. So, in living so simply, everything comes very naturally. A natural life is healthy.

However, in the [modern world], there has been more and more pollution. We are polluting this vast world, so the climate is changing and everything is completely different. Houses nowadays are very sturdy. Steel rods and cement are very sturdy. But a truly powerful typhoon can still damage these material structures, to say nothing of simple structures! This really does seem to be very out of balance. The world has lost its balance. [Bodhisattvas] must come to this world and go among people, but people are both stubborn and hard to tame. Bodhisattvas must also deal with nature and this world. So, in this Saha World, both the internal and external conditions are not very ideal.

In spiritual practice, we hope for an ideal life where we can transcend and liberate ourselves from the [challenges] of nature and liberate our body and mind. This is what spiritual practitioners hope for. However, our most important goal is the one great cause that Sakyamuni Buddha hoped for in this world. Because there will be so much suffering in the future, because sentient beings will suffer even more, Sakyamuni Buddha’s heart went out to them. He clearly knew of this suffering. Where does suffering come from? It all comes from the human mind. Due to our state of mind, our minds [influence] external states, leading to conflicts among people. Or our desirous thoughts and so on accumulate and bring many disasters upon the world,

whether they are natural or manmade disasters. Natural and manmade disasters must both be treated at the source, which is the human mind. Indeed, we need to bring purity to people’s minds. To bring purity to people’s minds, we need the Dharma. “The Dharma is like water.” It can cleanse the defilements in sentient beings’ minds. So, the Buddha hoped that the Dharma will be continually passed down. However, while typical spiritual practitioners engage in spiritual practice and more thoroughly understand the world’s suffering, the source of suffering is in people’s minds which are hard to tame; this makes them afraid and makes them want to escape. So, we must go through training to nourish our wisdom-life to become vibrant and strong. When our wisdom-life is vibrant and strong, we will form great aspirations and make great vows.

Earth Treasury Bodhisattva said, “Until all have been transformed, I will forego enlightenment. If I do not enter hell, who will?” This is the vow of a great Bodhisattva. He clearly knew there would be suffering there, so he felt that he must go. This is great loving-kindness, great courage and great diligence. In this world, this is the power capable of saving and transforming sentient beings. So, “Those great beings” were well aware that there would be suffering, but they examined their own courage and knew that they had attained “non-arising patience.” Whether it was nature or their own bodies and minds, they would be able to face them. So, they “could endure many difficult things” and were willing to offer up their bodies.

But “Those who had newly received predictions feared the many hardships of the Saha World.” Because of this, “they became fearful” in their minds and wanted to escape [from this world]. They kept thinking that they were not cultivated enough and that their power of patience was insufficient, so they would be unable endure it and would be unable to take up this vow. So, they wanted to go to other lands and continue to engage in spiritual practice. The conditions in other lands were not as harsh. So, they were willing to go to those places to accept and uphold the sutra. They were willing to practice in those places to transform sentient beings. Here, “accept and uphold” means to embrace [the sutra] and put it into practice; it means to “seek the Dharma and transform others.” This requires constant cultivation.

“What Manjusri Bodhisattva meant was that, when Dharma teachers spread this sutra in the era of Dharma-degeneration, though they will be able to endure hardships, it is better to face no hardships or hindrances while upholding the sutra.”

What Manjusri meant was that when Dharma teachers spread this sutra in the era of Dharma-degeneration, though they will be able to endure hardships, it is better to face no hardships or hindrances while upholding the sutra. So for the sake of the recipients of the teachings, he asked the Tathagata about methods for protecting the mind. [The Tathagata said] to abide in the. Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy with the body, speech, mind and sincere [vows].

This is Manjusri Bodhisattva’s great wisdom and great compassion. He saw those who would not dare to [return here] as well as these Bodhisattvas who bravely volunteered themselves to do so. Out of compassion, Manjusri Bodhisattva, among the assembly, asked the Tathagata how spiritual practitioners and those who uphold the sutra could protect their minds. So, he asked the Buddha about “methods for protecting the mind.” How can we protect our minds? If we will encounter so many hardships, dangers and evils in this world, how can we face them? What methods can we use to protect our minds?

Thus, the Buddha taught the. Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. These Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy are to use the body, speech, mind, as well as our very sincere [vows]. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this.

“This refers to the four methods of bringing peace and joy that the Tathagata taught. He demonstrated that when Bodhisattvas attain these wondrous practices for upholding the sutra and can realize and practice them, they will certainly bring peace and joy. We must follow these Four Practices, for they are instructions bestowed by the World-Honored One.”

Those who can realize and practice them are called people who uphold the sutra. They are able to realize what the world’s principles are like and what the state of the human mind is like. The future world would be full of so many hardships and difficulties. This evil world of turbidities would be ever-changing. To respond to capabilities and dedicate ourselves among people, we must practice the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. Then, we “will certainly bring peace and joy.” Our minds must peacefully abide in this ever-changing world of evil turbidities. How can we get our minds to abide peacefully? To help our minds peacefully abide, we must “follow these Four Practices” with our body, speech, and mind and our sincerity; we must give with sincerity. These are the “instructions bestowed by the World-Honored One,” the Buddha. We must earnestly put our mind into upholding them and putting them into practice.

To uphold and practice the True Dharma, we can humbly engage in these practices. Then, as we traverse the evil world, we will uphold the sutra. As we go among the mundane world’s troubles to respond to all beings, no matter where we go, we will bring peace and joy. Our bodies and minds will be peaceful and at ease.

“To uphold and practice the True Dharma of Suchness, we can earnestly engage in these practices.” As humans, to “humbly engage,” we must be very earnest as we use our bodies to put [the Dharma] into action. This is what it means to be earnest and courageous. I often say, we must work “with our heads bowed.” Not only should we put the Dharma into action, we must never be arrogant; instead we must be humble and earnest as we serve others.

“We go among the mundane world’s troubles to respond to all beings.” We are willing to enter this evil world. We are clearly aware of its evils, so we must walk into [this world] with courage. As we enter [this world], we must be vigilant. Since we have come to this world, since we are here, we must be at peace. But we must be very vigilant as we enter into this world of evil turbidities. We must uphold this sutra, put its principles into practice and go among people to bring them purity. “The Dharma is like water.” We go to the places that are most in need of water and provide them with the Dharma-water. So, since we clearly know these places suffer from drought, that the sentient beings there suffer greatly and find it difficult to survive, we are willing to go to these places.

The principle is the same. We go among the mundane world’s troubles to serve and respond to all beings. In such an evil world and under such harsh conditions, we are willing to bring this Dharma there, to enter into this evil world. Among the troubles of this mundane world, sentient beings have many afflictions and so much ignorance. In a world of constant turmoil, people’s minds are dry and lack Dharma-water. So, we must go to provide it for them. “Wherever we go, we will bring peace and joy.” We willingly go to serve them. We saw what these people attained; once relieved of their hardships, they were able to abide in peace.

I saw our Humanistic Culture [staff] from Da Ai TV; our reporters visited Africa. [In 2017] there were severe storms and flooding in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. These two are neighboring countries. Water flooded these two countries and the wind blew down countless houses. This is because their houses were not quite houses, but dilapidated grass huts and so on. They were [so dilapidated] to begin with that they could not withstand the slightest wind, let alone strong winds and floods.

When they first started, whether in Mozambique or Zimbabwe, there were very few Tzu Chi volunteers who were able to lead and mobilize people; they were greatly lacking strength. Luckily, there were locals. Although they were very poor, once the Tzu Chi volunteers mobilized them, the local Tzu Chi volunteers in Africa, starting from South Africa, slowly became self-sufficient. The local volunteers, despite being very poor, were very joyful. They opened the door to their hearts and their spiritual wealth to find limitless joy and limitless patience. This is how they live in that place. They do not feel this is suffering to be endured. No. This is all part of life for them. To encounter another natural disaster was truly awful, but they still abide peacefully in that place, following the will of nature. What else can they do? Nature does not respond to our calls. What can be done?

Tzu Chi volunteers began preparations to care for them and hold distributions and so on. When they did a disaster assessment in Mozambique, it was the same. They sent back picture after picture. [The pictures] were all heartbreaking, but we still saw [everyone] smiling. They were still happy doing relief distribution. We saw their homes and their surroundings, how their dilapidated houses were still flooded with water. The water was everywhere; everything was soaked. How were they able to live on like this? Yet, they still had a smile on their faces. This is effortless patience. These local Bodhisattvas formed aspirations and opened the door of their hearts. They have nothing at all, yet are rich with love. They also traveled a long way by foot, carrying rice on their backs to give out. They clearly knew this was a place of suffering, and they suffered themselves, but they did not feel it as suffering. They were willing to serve others. Despite how difficult it was to endure, they were still full of love.

This is like in Zimbabwe. The volunteers in Zimbabwe traveled several hundred kilometers, and it was still flooded there. There was water everywhere. Cars could not cross, but people could. This is because they could feel with their feet and test the road first to see if it was safe. The water was flowing and the bridges were broken, but people left behind their cars, carrying things on their backs as they waded through the water. They checked to see if cars could cross the road. They could not, so they went on foot. It took them several hours. From dusk until nightfall, they walked forward in the dark, arriving in the middle of the night. They had to move quickly in that place. They had carried the rice they meant to distribute. They quickly opened up the rice and cooked it.

They had also carried cabbages. They carried 500 cabbages from so far away, as well as the rice. Like this, they traveled several hundred kilometers, working so hard to bring the cabbages and rice to that village. Once they got there, it was simple. There were pots and rocks, so they were able to build a fire and cook to provide [meals] for people. They worked all through the night until dawn. They made over 5000 meals. How did they do it? It was incredible! Just think about it. This is how they “go among the mundane world’s troubles to respond to all beings.” They are Bodhisattvas. “Wherever we go, we will bring peace and joy.” After the distribution, they watched them eat. Though they ate with their hands in great hunger, they were still smiling so happily. They were so happy to have cabbage and rice.

Then they went to distribute rice again. We could see them singing and dancing; they made up a song. When they did disaster relief, this was the series of hardships they faced. Truly, when they brought the footage back to show me, I felt such great admiration for them. I admire these Bodhisattvas who faced such harsh conditions and were still able to endure. They were willing to go and dedicate themselves. So, “Wherever we go, we will bring peace and joy.” We saw where they had traveled. They worked so hard, but they were so joyful and their bodies and minds were peaceful and at ease. It is truly indescribable. This is what it means to be a Bodhisattva. Although they are also in poverty there due to their direct and circumstantial retributions, they are able to endure. “If I do not enter hell, who will enter hell?” Since they are there, they must be at peace. In that place, this is really not easy to do.

So, we are very grateful to Manjusri Bodhisattva. He served as the recipient of the teachings and asked the Buddha questions so that the Buddha could teach us how to be patient and how to protect our minds. Thus the previous passage states,

“Manjusri, what do I mean by the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas? When Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas abide in the ground of patience, are gentle, harmonious, virtuous, compliant and never impulsive or ill-tempered, moreover, when their minds remain undisturbed….”

How could He help everyone at that place to bring peace to their minds and maintain a gentle, virtuous and compliant state of mind? “Since you are willing to dedicate yourselves, how could your minds still be irresolute, impulsive and ill-tempered?” We are so impulsive and ill-tempered that we get very depressed and get angry very quickly. We are quick to show our impatience. This is how impulsive and ill-tempered we are. Our minds are unable to endure, so we show others a very ugly disposition. This is very worrisome. We must make aspirations as Bodhisattvas. How can we have such a bad temper? How can we treat others with such a rude disposition? This will not do.

So, this is what this sutra passage teaches us. The Buddha came to teach us to be gentle, virtuous and compliant, and to never be impulsive or ill-tempered. What mindset should we use to calm [others]? Also, our “minds [must] remain undisturbed….” Do not be afraid; what is there to fear? We cannot become so anxious so quickly! [We have seen] this state of mind in our local volunteers in Africa; we have seen this, and I am so grateful! I am so grateful that the world is like this, and I am grateful that the sutra has already discussed this for us. So, the Dharma is like water. Wherever there are defilements, the water will emerge in time. This pure, flowing spring will bring purity. Will this water be able to bring purity? Will it be able to nourish us? Of course! But sentient beings are stubborn and hard to tame, and we must still maintain constant patience.

So, the next sutra passage states,

“..and furthermore, when they have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma and observe the True Appearance of all Dharma without any action or discrimination, this is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.”

This is written in the sutra; we must be mindful and refrain from deviating .”..and furthermore, when they have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma” is not telling us, “This is how the Dharma is. You do not need to do anything; you do not need to go [among people].” No. This is teaching us to “abide forever in the wondrous Dharma.” We must abide there within this wondrous Dharma so that our body and mind will forever be within this Dharma.

…and furthermore, when they have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma: Furthermore, we must abide forever in the wondrous Dharma and reverently follow the Buddha’s intent. We must be modest and self-disciplined. We must cultivate our minds and nurture our wisdom-life. When it comes to the Dharma, we should not say we are [people who] have something to practice.

We must “reverently follow the Buddha’s intent.” We must always be reverent and practice with reverence. We want to engage in spiritual practice, so we must be reverent. We must respect what the Buddha taught us. So, we must engage in practice with reverence, practice with nothing further, uninterrupted practice and extended practice. We must practice to become “modest and self-disciplined.”

We ourselves must be modest. We ourselves must earnestly cultivate our minds and earnestly nurture our minds. This is like raising sheep. Why are pastors called that in Christianity? Pastors compare themselves to shepherds. Yes, we are also shepherds. Our shepherding is directed inwardly at our minds as we earnestly cultivate our wisdom-life. We must “cultivate our mind, refine our character and correct our behavior.” This is our wisdom-life. So, we must be modest. We cannot become arrogant. If we become arrogant, we will easily become impulsive and ill-tempered. Even if we do good deeds, if we are arrogant, this impulsive ill-temper of ours will flare up. This state of mind is something we must constantly be vigilant of. To “reverently follow the Buddha’s intent,” we must “be modest and self-disciplined.” This is very important; we must be very mindful.

We must “cultivate our minds and nurture our wisdom-life.” We must cultivate our minds, refine our character and nurture our wisdom-life. “When it comes to the Dharma, we should not say we are [people who] have something to practice.” We do not seek the Dharma to gain blessings. No. We [seek it] to apply the Dharma in our minds. We do not just seek to gain spiritual protection. There are so many people who say, “Master, please give me spiritual protection.” But in fact, sometimes when I sit down, I have a hard time standing back up. How can I give you protection? I am also human! A human cannot be a spiritual protector for humans. I can only wish you blessings. You must be mindful on your own, take to heart any Dharma that you hear and start to put it into practice. You must put it into practice yourself. This practice is spiritual practice. We ourselves must be “modest and self-disciplined.” We must engage in spiritual practice ourselves. We must work hard at our spiritual cultivation.

What is it that we cultivate? We cultivate our minds. We must nurture our wisdom-life. We must cultivate ourselves and not simply think, “[I have] the Dharma; if I recite the sutra, I will be blessed.” This is not how it works. So, we must not depend on names and appearances. We must take [the Dharma] to heart and naturally give of ourselves. This is very important.

“Dharma” refers to all practices of the Dharma. As we practice this Dharma, we must not be attached to appearances. This is what it means to have nothing to practice. If there is something to practice, there must be someone to practice it. The appearances of subject and object stand in relative opposition. This is how we make enemies with others. Then we will encounter adversity and hardship, and this will inevitably give rise to grievances

“‘Dharma’ refers to all practices of the Dharma. As we practice this Dharma, we must not be attached to appearances.” As we discuss the Dharma, we must not be attached to appearances. This is like what I said at the beginning; if we feel our feet, that means our feet are sore and aching. We must endure this soreness and pain. If we do not feel our feet, that means we are very healthy and these two feet will take us forward. The principle is the same. As we abide in practice, [we must not] be attached to appearances. We must practice within the Dharma, so we must not be attached to appearances. We do not brag to people and say, “Look at how I recite the sutras. I am a spiritual practitioner.” We recite the sutras, but do we understand their principles? We engage in spiritual practice but are we truly shepherding our own mind, practicing modesty and self-discipline? This is what we must ask ourselves.

So, “We must not be attached to appearances.” We should not feel, “I am so great, you all have to listen to me. Because I have done so many things, I am in control of everything.” We must not be like this; this is “attachment to appearances.” So, if we are able to accomplish this, this is called “having nothing to practice.” This is “observing the True Appearance of all Dharma,” but “without any action,” without discrimination. We must learn how to be in a state where we “have nothing to practice regarding the Dharma,” which means we are not attached to appearances. We do not need to be attached to appearances.

The Diamond Sutra talks about “non-appearance. There is no view of a human, no view of self and no view of a lifespan.” This means we must not be attached to appearances. This is called “having nothing to practice.” There is nothing to practice regarding the Dharma. In fact, when we abide in the Dharma, how could there be any other Dharma to practice? In this way, we will be “reverently following the Buddha’s intent.” We will practice modesty and self-discipline and earnestly cultivate our minds in our dealings with people and matters.

“If there is something to practice, there must be someone to practice it, subject and object.” This “object” stands in relative opposition to the “subject.” There is a self, who can give to others. There are others, those we give to, appearances of people and the amount given. We give without expectations and are grateful. We help the world’s sentient beings in suffering, asking nothing in return, and we are grateful. This is what it means to truly accept and uphold the principles of this sutra.

So, we have “nothing to practice. Subject” and “object” stand in opposition. When there are both “subject” and “object,” there is opposition of these appearances. So, “This is how we make enemies of others.” If we remain attached to that appearance, naturally we will come to stand in opposition to others. “Why don’t you listen to me? Why do I have to listen to you?” This is opposition of appearances. People want to do [good], but when some people want to be in control, others will be unwilling to follow even though they want to do [good]. Then, we will “encounter adversity and hardship, and this will inevitably give rise to grievances.” We will have grievances against one another because our views of self and others are in opposition; [We will cling to] our ability to give and the amount we give. This creates opposition. So, we must [realize] that everything is empty and give without expectations.

“Observe the True Appearance of all Dharma.”

Observe the True Appearance of all Dharma: We must observe the True Appearance of all phenomena as inherently empty and still. In all the Dharma that we practice, we must observe in all phenomena that True Appearance is of non-appearance. Then we will have nothing to practice, and we will not discriminate, either. We must observe with nothing to observe and practice with nothing to practice. We must forget our emotions and consciousness, eliminate [our attachment to] right and wrong and blend the worldly and world-transcending Dharma into one. Only then can we be said to have the Dharma of impartial contemplation. Bodhisattvas’ aspirations and actions are just like this.

We must observe the True Appearance in all. “We must observe the True Appearance of all phenomena as inherently empty and still.” This is the true principle. The principles are intangible, without substance and appearance. This is the principle. I am always telling everyone about how,

“in all the Dharma that we practice, we must observe [this] in all phenomena.” Along this path that we walk and in all things that we do, we must carefully and thoughtfully give of ourselves to others. As we give, we must understand that there is nothing to giving; everything is empty. According to the Three Spheres of Emptiness, there is no person who gives, there is no amount that we give, and there is no person who receives. There are none of these things. We must give constantly like this; we are always discussing this. Thus “True Appearance is of non-appearance.”

“But there are appearances! . Those sentient beings are clearly suffering. Yes, they have the appearance of suffering. We must go to help them.” Clearly, we gave this amount, so how can there be no appearances? This suffering really does exist, and we gave this amount. But after we give, we must quickly give them our blessings. We must not think, “You should be grateful to me” or “This is how much I have given.” If we are always calculating, for those of us who practice giving and practice the Dharma, this will become a huge burden. We must feel light and at ease. This means that after we give, we must let it go. Once we give, it is in the past. Then our hearts will feel very light and at ease.

Then, “we will have nothing to practice.” Because there are no appearances, we no longer need to attach ourselves to “subject” and “object.” We do not need to do this. “We will not discriminate either.” We do not need to discriminate, saying, “You are the recipient; I am the giver.” There is no need for any discrimination. “We must observe with nothing to observe.” We must care for others in this way, but after we care for them, we do not need to worry about them or constantly worry about that place. We must “practice with nothing to practice.” Once it is done, it is done. So, “We must forget our emotions and consciousness.” Our “emotions” are like this. Awakened sentient beings serve sentient beings. This is what we must do. After we give, we must forget. We do not need to keep worrying about it. “We must forget our emotions and consciousness.” Our consciousness does not need to dwell on this forever.

So, we must “eliminate [our attachment to] right and wrong.” Whether it is right or wrong, we must let it go. If we did the right thing, we must be grateful. We must be grateful to everyone and to ourselves; we had the right idea and did the right thing. It was right of us to benefit others. We are grateful for this, and it is now past. If some kind of conflict arises or there is something we cannot let go, we must quickly resolve it with the other person. We must not hold grudges over anything. We must be understanding and forgiving. Then, we will not hold grudges in our hearts; we must not constantly dwell on things, unable to let them go.

So, “the worldly and world-transcending Dharma” can be “blended into one” like this. Transcending the world requires spiritual practice. We do not want to dwell in this place of afflictions and ignorance. We want to leave [this place]. We are not attached to fame and fortune. But the world is full of suffering, so we must enter into this world. The Buddha had a world-transcending mindset as He came to this world for His one great cause. We must learn from the Buddha to have a world-transcending mindset as we enter this world to do worldly things. So, the world-transcending and worldly Dharma are completely the same. “Only then can we be said to have the Dharma of impartial contemplation.” All sentient beings are equal. This is impartial contemplation. “Bodhisattvas’ aspirations and actions are just like this.” Our direction must be like this. What we persevere in, all our actions, must be like this. This is how we must view matters and principles

“..without any action or discrimination”: “We fear that when people hear that and say that the Dharma is inherently still….” What we fear the most is that when people hear and say that the Dharma is “inherently still, they will say everything is empty and make no discrimination, and they will not even practice this view of non-discrimination.”

..without any action or discrimination: They fear that people who hear that the Dharma is inherently still will say everything is empty and make no discrimination. So they do not even practice this view of non-discrimination, either.

When it comes to this, everyone must be very vigilant. We must neither be biased toward emptiness nor attached to existence. By not being biased toward emptiness or existence, we can walk the Middle Way. Our life comes from the karmic conditions of our “consciousness.” As ordinary beings, we come following our karmic retribution, while noble beings come following their vows. Whether we come following the “law of karma” or following our vows, we all need to [understand] this concept of inherent emptiness and stillness. As we learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must learn the Buddha-nature and understand that all things are empty and still.

So, “Everything is empty.” However, we must not be biased toward emptiness and not [differentiate] at all. It is not like this. Even though we cannot see them, [this emptiness] is full of many principles. This is “wondrous existence in true emptiness. They will not even practice this view of non-discrimination.” We must not be biased toward emptiness, saying that there are no differences, no differences between male and female no differences between objects and ourselves. We are clearly inside this room. We definitely need a door to enter it. How could we possibly say that our house doesn’t need a door? Without a door, how will we enter? We will always need these tangible appearances. With a door, we can step through it and go inside. [Otherwise] we will just stand there, unable to enter; then we will be stuck. In short, if we understand one principle, we will understand all principles.

So, “This is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. Engaging in spiritual practice like this is the place of practice of Bodhisattvas.” We all have the power to do this. In the place of practice of Bodhisattvas, we must follow the Three Directives accordingly and enter the Tathagata’s room, wear the Tathagata’s clothing and sit upon the Tathagata’s seat. This is our goal.

This is known as the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: Engaging in spiritual practice as such is the place of practice of Bodhisattvas. Following the Three Directives for Spreading the. Sutra in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings is the place of practice of Bodhisattvas: 1. Entering the room of compassion 2. Wearing the clothing of patience 3. Sitting upon the seat of the emptiness of all phenomena.

This is the journey of spiritual practice that we must make. So, we must always be mindful. We must genuinely engage in spiritual practice. We cannot be impulsive and ill-tempered. We cannot be afraid. In this world, sentient beings’ collective karma [manifests] in the natural environment. We must learn how to face this evil world of turbidities. We can only do this by applying the Buddha-Dharma with open-mindedness and patience. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1387 – Abiding in the Ground of Patience

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>> “With sincerity, we vow to deliver all sentient beings. With integrity, we vow to eliminate all afflictions. With faith, we vow to learn the boundless, wondrous Dharma. With steadfastness, we vow to attain Bodhi, universal enlightenment.”

>> They must abide peacefully in four methods: 1. Wherever [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice and wherever they draw near to is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body 2. Guarding against transgressions of speech enables [Bodhisattvas] to excel in expounding the Dharma. This is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with speech 3. Purifying their karma of mind to free themselves from greed, anger and delusion is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind 4. Giving rise to compassion and vowing to transform all beings is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with vows.

>> “The Buddha told Manjusri, ‘If Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas wish to expound this sutra in the future age of evil, they must abide peacefully in four methods.'” The Buddha had begun to answer Manjusri Bodhisattva. “First, they must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice and the places they draw near to to be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> “Manjusri, what do I mean by the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas? When Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas abide in the ground of patience, are gentle, harmonious, virtuous, compliant and never impulsive or ill-tempered, moreover, when their minds remain undisturbed….”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> “Practice” refers to the practice of contemplation. They must abide in the ground of patience so their minds remain undisturbed. Having contemplated the practices of bringing peace and joy, they use the true wisdom of contemplation as their foremost guide and then begin to practice. All teachings of the Small Vehicle take freedom from desire as their foundation, whereas the teachings of Bodhisattvas take freedom from anger as their foundation. If we cannot free ourselves from anger, we will not be able to benefit others. In this evil world of turbidities, wherever we go, we must not be disturbed by our afflictions.

>> Each of these two places, the place of practice and the place to draw near to, contains practices of matters and of principles. Without matters, we would have no way to be involved with the mundane world. Without principles, we would have no way to resonate with the truth. Once we understand both matters and principles and are not hindered by the true or by the mundane, we will teach the Dharma to benefit beings and wherever we go, we will abide in peace and joy.

>> When Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas abide in the ground of patience: People who can engage in practice will abide peacefully in the ground of patience. Bodhisattvas take patience as their abode. They abide in patience, just as they abide upon the ground of the earth. They are like the great earth, able to embrace all the mountains, oceans plants, trees and living beings. All sentient and non-sentient beings are incapable of leaving this earth to go live in other places. We must all do our best to abide here peacefully.

>> “Ground” here is that which can bear. There is nothing the ground does not bear. Their patience is like the ground; likewise, there is nothing they cannot bear. They do not have preferences, likes or dislikes, so they can transform the violent world. They dwell in patience, thus it says they “abide.”

>> If they are gentle, harmonious, compliant and never impulsive or ill-tempered…: Being gentle, they will not be forceful. Being harmonious, they will not start conflicts. Being virtuous, they will stay far from evil. Being accommodating, they will do what is appropriate, and they will not act hastily or impulsively.

>> When their minds remain undisturbed…: If they hear the wondrous Dharma, they will not be doubtful or fearful. Bodhisattvas enter the world to transform sentient beings. What they do is not done to be in accord with worldly desires. When it comes to the cravings for and attachments to the Five Desires and samsara, Bodhisattvas vow to eliminate them all. Thus they will always be resented and harmed by evil sentient beings.

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“With sincerity, we vow to deliver all sentient beings.
With integrity, we vow to eliminate all afflictions.
With faith, we vow to learn the boundless, wondrous Dharma.
With steadfastness, we vow to attain Bodhi, universal enlightenment.”

[We must be] sincere! Everyone, do we all have sincerity in our hearts? Sincerity is giving rise to the power of vows from our heart. As Buddhist practitioners, we must take the Buddha’s teachings to heart. As we take the Buddha-Dharma to heart, our hearts must be full of reverence. Are we sincere? Do we take genuine joy in the Buddha-Dharma? We have faith in the Buddha-Dharma, but do we truly respect the Buddha? If we truly respect the Buddha, then we must engage in long-term practice, uninterrupted practice and practice with nothing further. This is how we genuinely express our sincere reverence.

We must not forget our initial aspiration. When we first formed this aspiration, we wisely chose the path of. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which is the path to enlightenment. Upon this path of enlightenment, if we wish to single-mindedly advance, this relies upon our sincere will. “We must completely devote our lives. With sincerity, we vow to deliver all sentient beings.” As we learn from the Buddha, the Buddha’s intent and the Buddha’s teachings are all for the sake of His one great cause in the world. This one great cause in the world is suffering. There are countless [different kinds] of suffering. In addition to the human realm, within this universe, [there is the cycle of] formation, existence, decay and disappearance. Within our natural environment and our interpersonal relationships, our state of mind is impermanent and changing. In the world, impermanence brings change and among people, impermanence does the same.

As Buddhist practitioners, are we determined [to pursue] our aspiration? Do we have the sincere will that, clearly knowing the world is suffering, we form aspirations and make vows to go among people? How do we eliminate sentient beings’ suffering? Sentient beings exist within the natural world and within the human world. Within this greater environment; there are different ethnicities, different ways of thinking, different nationalities and different cultures. So, how do we face them all? They are all different, but this difference is created in our minds. The thoughts [in our minds] arise, abide, change and cease. This is what our mind are like. As soon as we form aspirations, we start to mindfully put them into action with willingness and sincerity. However, if we give up half-way through, this is “changing.” When our minds change, we can turn from goodness toward evil. This is why our world, the space [we are in], the human world, is in such chaos.

This world has no fixed appearances; this is the source of suffering. People’s minds are always changing. So, there are no fixed appearances or fixed natures. In fact, this instability in appearance and nature is entirely created by people’s minds. Actually, when we talk about natures, our nature of True Suchness is everlasting. It is just that ignorance has tarnished our nature; this defilement coats us layer by layer. We are haunted by our external afflictions such that our nature of True Suchness is always trapped within, unable to break through our ignorance and afflictions. So, our minds fluctuate; they undergo arising, abiding, changing and ceasing. [Once our thoughts] change, they are different.

If we do things in this way, at a certain point, we will feel “self-important.” This is arrogance. Doesn’t the Chapter on. Encouragement to Uphold the Sutra [mention] the turbidities of sentient beings? These turbidities arise from the greed of sentient beings. They desire recognition and benefits, so they easily give rise to anger. Because of greed, they have expectations, and thus are quick to give rise to anger. They crave recognition and benefits, seeing themselves as very important. Slowly, their greedy and desirous thoughts arise; if they do not crave benefits, they crave fame, authority and power and they will abuse their power; these are people’s habitual tendencies. With all these afflictions, people suffer; this is where suffering come from. Naturally, people become angry, afflicted and confused. “Everyone else is wrong, and I alone am right.” These angry thoughts, this self-importance, is “anger.”

As for “ignorance,” ignorance brings even more suffering. Since we are trapped by afflictions of greed and then defiled by the ignorance that anger brings, once they enshroud us in this way, we become defiled, and are thus unable to free ourselves. This is called “ignorance.” To be lost in delusion amidst our greed and anger is “ignorance.” We are unable to escape from this place. This is foremost because we are not sincere enough. That initial aspiration we formed has already been obscured by external conditions, by [cravings for] fame and power. So, our arrogance comes from greed, anger and delusion. We are arrogant and think we are most important. With such “self-importance,” we think that “power” and “fame” belong to us. This is our delusion going into action. When we are deluded, we cannot distinguish between the principles of right and wrong, so we give rise to arrogance.

When we are arrogant, we become doubtful. We start to doubt other people. This doubt turns into resentment, and our resentment turns into hatred. So, this will cause chaos in the world. The chaos and hardship in this world is where our suffering lies. What methods should we use to correct ourselves and reflect upon ourselves? If we become like this, [full of] greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt, we must treat these diseases in our minds. This requires sincerity. We must ask ourselves, “Since I first formed aspirations, my direction has been to serve others with selfless love. Am I sincere in this?” Our sincere will is the “vow to save all sentient beings. We vow to deliver all sentient beings.” We must begin to frequently ask ourselves, “In our daily lives, do we treat other people with sincerity?” If we do, then we must have integrity.

It is inevitable that as we do things, as external conditions constantly arrive, our Six Roots and the Six Dusts will stir up our minds. If this is so, we will have so many afflictions. What can we do? We must have integrity and the power of vows that comes with it. We must seek to eliminate all kinds of ignorance and afflictions. As we just mentioned, aren’t we already in this world of turbidities? As for these “turbidities,” isn’t it our minds that are turbid? The world within our mind is turbid; the Five Turbidities have already taken form within our minds. Isn’t this so? We must immediately use a mindset of integrity to eliminate our afflictions. So, “With integrity, we vow to eliminate all afflictions.” We must be upright and make sure we do not deviate in direction.

We must recall the aspiration we had when we first made vows. “With faith, we vow to learn the boundless, wondrous Dharma.” The Buddha-Dharma is something we must use. It is not that the Buddha-Dharma has some kind of power. The Buddha-Dharma’s principles are like this, and this is how the Buddha teaches us. He hopes that when it comes to these principles, we can sincerely take them to heart, change our way of thinking and always maintain right mindfulness. This is what the principles teach us, so we ourselves must work hard to accept them. We must clear our own minds of afflictions and ignorance. No one can help us do this. Thus, we must reflect on ourselves.

Do we have faith in others? Do our words earn people’s trust? Are we loyal to other people? Do we serve others with devotion? Are we tolerant of others?

So, our mindset must be upright, with integrity. With integrity, we will eliminate afflictions. This is the power of vows that comes from faith. “With faith, we vow to learn the boundless, wondrous Dharma.” The wondrous Dharma is for us to make use of, to apply within our minds and within our actions as we deal with people, matters and things. It nurtures our wisdom-life and brings out our power of love. We must have open and pure hearts and leverage each other’s strengths as we serve sentient beings together. We must have broad and open minds to be able to accommodate others. We must have a pure heart. We all put our heart into the things we do, so we must have faith in everyone else. Thus, with faith, we can accept the wondrous Dharma. With faith, we will not be suspicious of people, but be grateful to them. This is all part of the wondrous Dharma.

So, with steadfastness, we vow to attain universal, perfect enlightenment. We should treat others with sincerity and regard the Buddha-Dharma with sincerity. With a mind of utmost sincerity and reverence, we will not deviate in any way, internally or externally. Internally, our hearts must be sincere and upright. Externally, our hearts must be faithful and steadfast. When we deal with people and matters, we must be like this. In order for our appearance to truly earn people’s respect, we must engage in inner cultivation and externally practice loyalty and faith. Only in this way will we be able to earn other people’s respect and unite everyone under the same aspiration and the same direction. So, we must engage in spiritual practice.

Previously, I told everyone that. “[Bodhisattvas] must abide peacefully in four methods.” You should remember this.

They must abide peacefully in four methods: 1. Wherever [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice and wherever they draw near to is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body 2. Guarding against transgressions of speech enables [Bodhisattvas] to excel in expounding the Dharma. This is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with speech 3. Purifying their karma of mind to free themselves from greed, anger and delusion is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind 4. Giving rise to compassion and vowing to transform all beings is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with vows.

They must abide peacefully in these four methods. The first is “wherever [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice,” and “wherever they draw near to.” We must draw near people. We must have a broad and open mind to accommodate others. Not only do we need to draw near people, but when they need us, we must put [the Dharma] into action and dedicate ourselves with genuine courage. When we peacefully abide in this Dharma and treat others in accordance with it, this is “the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body.” If we do this, whatever we do, wherever we go, when people see us, they will be joyful and happy to draw near us. When we bring peace and joy with our bodies, people will naturally have faith in us. Using exemplary bodily conduct to teach others and draw them in is “the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body.” The second is “guarding against transgressions of speech.” When we open our mouth to speak, we should not [speak] lightly or suddenly say whatever [comes to mind]. Sometimes, words spoken lightly can be sharper than knives and swords. So, this “enables [Bodhisattvas] to excel in expounding the Dharma.” How should we speak so that we can bring peace to people’s minds? To bring peace to people’s minds with our words is the most difficult thing. We must engage in self-reflection; did we say something wrong?

It “enables us to excel in expounding the Dharma”; this is bringing peace and joy with speech. If we speak but people cannot accept it and misunderstand us, we should truly feel repentant. Sometimes, I constantly feel I must repent. This is due to insufficient virtue. So if, when we talk, people do not listen, then we must repent for ourselves. Otherwise, what can we do? In the end, this is what we must do. We must constantly repent; this is the method for abandoning afflictions.

The third is “purifying [our] karma of mind.” We must always remind ourselves that when we cannot influence others, we must immediately go back to “purify” ourselves, to “purify” our karma of mind. [In purifying] our karma of mind, we “free [ourselves] from greed, anger and delusion,” as well as arrogance and doubt. “Arrogance and doubt” are what people most dislike seeing in others. “How could they be so arrogant? How could they be so self-important?” They have not come near us yet, but they already cannot tolerate us. So, this is due to “arrogance and doubt.”

This person, if you speak with him, is always quick to become suspicious of others. Thus, you do not want to speak with him. So, there is not only greed, anger and delusion but also about arrogance and doubt. If we can purify our karma of mind, naturally, this is the “practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind.” This is what the Dharma teaches us, but have our minds been able to accept it? Have we put it to use? When we put it to use, [they will say,]. “This person has changed for the good. Everyone enjoys being near them.” Won’t this be due to our spiritual cultivation?

Next is the fourth [method], which is “giving rise to compassion.” We must always be compassionate and never forget our “vows to transform sentient beings.” This is sincerity. Our hearts must be sincere to eliminate greed, anger and delusion. Making vows must begin from a sincere intent. So, with sincerity, we take “great compassion as the room and gentleness and patience as the clothing.” We have talked about this before. So, we must “give rise to compassion” and “vow to transform all sentient beings.” This is “the practice of bringing peace and joy with vows.” When we make vows, we must always peacefully abide in this place.

Previously, the Chapter on Encouragement to. Uphold the Sutra taught that the evil world of Five Turbidities will be severe, so right now, we must be very vigilant. In the evil world of Five Turbidities, what should we guard against? We must truly be vigilant. In the Chapter on the Practice of. Bringing Peace and Joy, the Buddha teaches us how to bring peace and joy. We must be grateful to Manjusri. Before the Buddha opened His mouth to speak, Manjusri Bodhisattva quickly asked the Buddha on behalf of the Bodhisattvas. “In such an evil place, simply enduring it is not good enough. Besides endurance, is there any other method that will enable us to have effortless patience?” It is not about enduring the unendurable; whether they had to endure or not, they would always have peace and joy. What method was needed for this? So, Manjusri Bodhisattva began to ask questions.

The previous sutra passage says,

“The Buddha told Manjusri, ‘If Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas wish to expound this sutra in the future age of evil, they must abide peacefully in four methods.'” The Buddha had begun to answer Manjusri Bodhisattva. “First, they must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice and the places they draw near to to be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings.”

Our minds must earnestly abide in the place where we form Bodhisattva-aspirations. “The places they draw near to” means to allow others to draw near. When people willingly approach us, we must draw near to them and go among them. “To be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings” we must not only teach the principles, but also put them into practice.

So, the following sutra passage continues with,

“Manjusri, what do I mean by the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas? When Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas abide in the ground of patience, are gentle, harmonious, virtuous, compliant and never impulsive or ill-tempered, moreover, when their minds remain undisturbed….”

We must be very mindful of this passage. Now it is telling us how to walk. When it comes to “practice,” the place of practice of Bodhisattvas, this is how we must walk.

“Practice” refers to the practice of contemplation. They must abide in the ground of patience so their minds remain undisturbed. Having contemplated the practices of bringing peace and joy, they use the true wisdom of contemplation as their foremost guide and then begin to practice. All teachings of the Small Vehicle take freedom from desire as their foundation, whereas the teachings of Bodhisattvas take freedom from anger as their foundation. If we cannot free ourselves from anger, we will not be able to benefit others. In this evil world of turbidities, wherever we go, we must not be disturbed by our afflictions.

“Practice” refers to the practice of contemplation. With our minds, we must put our efforts in; We must use our minds to contemplate how we should act and how we should engage in spiritual practice. We must begin by “abiding in the ground of patience.” Bodhisattvas must form aspirations to abide in the ground of patience until, as [indicated] in the previous passage, “Their minds remain undisturbed.” This is what we read in the previous passage. The ways for Bodhisattvas to abide and the ways for their minds to remain fearless are what we must seek to mindfully comprehend.

We must abide peacefully, minds undisturbed. If our conscience is clear, if we are neither selfish nor guilty, naturally our minds will be at peace. We practice according to the Right Dharma, so we will not be afraid. So, our “minds will remain undisturbed.” When our minds remain undisturbed, we will not display any [negative] attitudes that would let others clearly see how we are impulsive or ill-tempered. If we cannot bring peace to our minds, our minds will fluctuate. We must bring peace to our minds.

So, “Having contemplated the practices of bringing peace and joy, they use the true wisdom of contemplation.” They have already firmly established this; they have contemplated [these practices]. How do we bring peace and joy? By using our hearts and minds to engage in careful contemplation, in mindful thinking. So, we must “use the true wisdom of contemplation.” We use our true minds and our sincerity to contemplate and observe what these things are actually like. We must take [this wisdom] “as our foremost guide and then begin to practice.” Only after earnest reflection can we start practicing. This is what we must do in order to be able to do things in a very stable fashion, to do them so they bring peace to people’s minds and bring peace to our own minds. This requires us to be mindful so our true wisdom remains undisturbed. We must engage in careful and earnest contemplation. “Contemplation” means reflection. We must put effort into reflecting on exactly what our perspective is. So, this is what we call our perspective. “Your perspective is off” means that our way of thinking is wrong, so we must put effort into being mindful.

However, “All teachings of the Small Vehicle take freedom from desire as their foundation.” Small Vehicle practitioners seek to avoid desire. But for Bodhisattvas to absorb this Dharma, they must work hard to eliminate anger. As we deal with matters, we should refrain from getting angry. This is elimination. Once anger arises, we must learn how to immediately eliminate it. This is taking freedom from anger as our foundation. The Bodhisattva Way is to “take freedom from anger as their foundation.”

Small Vehicle practitioners take freedom from desire as their foundation. Bodhisattvas take freedom from anger as their foundation. They do not lose their temper or give rise to afflictions. “If we cannot free ourselves from anger, we will not be able to benefit others.” If we cannot refrain from losing our temper, how can we benefit others? So, we must be free from anger. We must earnestly cultivate until we are free of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. This word “anger” is just a symbol; this single word brings four more words along with it. This means if Bodhisattvas want to benefit people, they must absolutely eliminate greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. If we cannot eliminate these things, we cannot benefit other people.

So, “In this evil world of turbidities,” we know that we must awaken. The place we abide in is the Saha World that must be endured, where the turbidities are becoming more and more severe. These turbidities are not put upon us by others. It is our own minds that give rise to turbidities, turbid thoughts of afflictions and ignorance. When others’ afflictions and ignorance and our afflictions and ignorance interact with each other, this creates turbidity within our relationships, and the sparks will fly. I used to frequently tell everyone, “Ah, don’t get angry! But I get angry whenever I see him!” I said, “If you throw a ball at the hard ground, it will bounce back up. The [harder you throw] it, the higher it bounces. If you lay a blanket on the floor, when you throw the ball, it will not bounce back. The principle is the same. If people are hard, we should be soft, and the sparks will not start flying. So, when we are in the world of turbidities, it is not just others who are this way; we also have severe turbidities.”

Therefore, “Wherever we go, we must not be disturbed by our afflictions.” Afflictions are everywhere. If we have these turbidities, afflictions will be everywhere. Afflictions disturb people’s minds; they disturb our minds. We say we want to engage in spiritual practice, but in actuality, our afflictions disturb us. As a result, we are not always capable of revealing our sincere intentions. “Sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness” [are not always possible] for us to actualize as we deal with people and matters. We cannot do it.

So, “Manjusri, what do I mean by the place of practice of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas?” The Buddha repeated the question and answered it. “The Bodhisattvas’ place of practice” is something we discussed previously. We must abide in “the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy.” We must earnestly eliminate all the afflictions and ignorance from our minds. Faced with such severe turbidities, we must have the heart of a Bodhisattva, which is free from anger. So, we must be free of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt as we face [turbidities]. Otherwise, Bodhisattvas cannot benefit people; we will just be Bodhisattvas in name and will not actually benefit people.

There are two places, “the place of practice and the place to draw near to.”

Each of these two places, the place of practice and the place to draw near to, contains practices of matters and of principles. Without matters, we would have no way to be involved with the mundane world. Without principles, we would have no way to resonate with the truth. Once we understand both matters and principles and are not hindered by the true or by the mundane, we will teach the Dharma to benefit beings and wherever we go, we will abide in peace and joy.

We must put the Dharma into practice. The place of practice is something we discussed previously. We must draw near [people] and put the Dharma into practice. For people to draw near us, we must draw near them. “Each [place] contains practices of matters and of principles.” We must put the Dharma into practice. As we put the Dharma into practice, there is “the practice of matters” and “the practice of principles. The practice of matters” is part of the place of practice; this is when we encounter people and matters. When we go among people, there will be matters. Within matters, there must be principles, because matters and principles are in parallel. There are both matters and principles.

“Without matters, we would have no way to be involved with the mundane world.” We live in a world that is filled with many mundane matters. When we are saving people, aren’t they all ordinary people? Ordinary people’s lives and our lives are the same. When they are in suffering, we must help them. So, this means that we are all part of the world. In this mundane world, our food, clothing, housing, transportation and our dealings with people and matters are all worldly matters. These worldly matters have principles.

What is it that we need to do? Should we do things that benefit ourselves or do things that benefit others? Benefitting ourselves is developing our wisdom-lives. In fact, when we constantly give of ourselves, this is the [the practice of] principles. As we engage in practice through matters, we hope that we can grow our wisdom-lives; this is the [the practice of] principles. As we go about helping and benefitting others, this is [the practice of] matters. We must actually take care of matters. So, when it comes to matters and principles, we must abide in “the place of practice and the place to draw near to.” There must be matters and principles. If there are none, it is not the worldly Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the world; the world is inseparable from the Buddha-Dharma. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this.

“Without principles, we would have no way to resonate with the truth.” Without principles, how would we return to our nature of True Suchness? How do we clearly understand the principles? Without principles in the world, wouldn’t the world be in chaos? Without principles in the world, how would we save people suffering from disasters? How would we benefit them? Sick people would not have any doctor to see them. A doctor must know the principles of the illness and keep the principle of love in his heart. These principles are inseparable from the world. So, “Without matters, we would have no way to be involved with the mundane world. Without principles, we would have no way to resonate with the truth.” We must be very mindful and [practice] matters and principles in parallel.

We must “understand both matters and principles, not be hindered by the true or by the mundane.” We must understand both matters and principles. When there are matters, there are principles. With the true principles, we will not be hindered by matters. We will apply true principles in worldly matters. When these things do not hinder one another and are interconnected, then “We will teach the Dharma to benefit beings.” Matters and principles will not hinder each other. In this way, we will teach the Dharma and benefit beings, and, “Wherever we go, we will abide in peace and joy.” Whatever we encounter, we will be joyful. Why would we have any afflictions? Why would we have any obstructions?

So, “When Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas abide in the ground of patience [means] people who can engage in practice will abide peacefully in the ground of patience.”

When Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas abide in the ground of patience: People who can engage in practice will abide peacefully in the ground of patience. Bodhisattvas take patience as their abode. They abide in patience, just as they abide upon the ground of the earth. They are like the great earth, able to embrace all the mountains, oceans plants, trees and living beings. All sentient and non-sentient beings are incapable of leaving this earth to go live in other places. We must all do our best to abide here peacefully.

This means that great Bodhisattvas abide in the ground of patience. This means that we must form aspirations and put them into action. “People who can engage in practice will abide peacefully in the ground of patience.” We must put our minds at ease. We are doing the right thing; this is the true practice. So, we must be at peace. No matter how turbulent the mundane world is, we must be at peace. This is the ground of patience.

“Bodhisattvas take patience as their abode.” No matter how full of hardships or how evil and turbid the world can be, Bodhisattvas must take patience as their abode. “They abide in patience, just as they abide upon the ground of the earth.” We must abide in patience just like how we always abide upon the ground of the earth. This is like how the great earth accommodates “all the mountains, oceans plants, trees and living beings. All sentient and non-sentient beings are incapable of leaving this earth to go live in other places.” We must do our best to abide here peacefully. Look at this earth; it is like this. Our minds are like the earth. The earth can accommodate entire mountains and hold entire oceans, plants and trees, sentient beings and so on. They are all on this earth. We must be able to endure; we must endure so many things, meaning to accommodate them in the ground of our minds. We must be able to accommodate everything. “We must do our best to abide here peacefully.” Upon the ground of the earth, we are all able to be accommodated.

So, “‘ground’ here is that which can bear.”

“Ground” here is that which can bear. There is nothing the ground does not bear. Their patience is like the ground; likewise, there is nothing they cannot bear. They do not have preferences, likes or dislikes, so they can transform the violent world. They dwell in patience, thus it says they “abide.”

The ground can support and bear all, so we should also be able to support and bear all. The earth endures patiently, so it can bear heavy objects. Whether they are great mountains, great oceans, great trees or small plants, they all live on this earth, so we must coexist with them, in peace; thus we can accommodate them.

“Ground” here “means to bear.” The ground can support and bear. The earth must bear such heavy objects. The current population is over seven billion. Now, on the surface of this earth, there are so many objects. So, it must support and accommodate them all. It must be able to bear them. So, this is the meaning behind “ground.” There is nothing it cannot bear. It cannot refuse anything by saying, “I will not bear it.” The patience of the earth is like this. “I will do what I must.” Their patience is like the ground, like the earth. Our minds must be like the earth. “Likewise, there is nothing they cannot bear.” We must bear [it all] as well.

“They do not have preferences, likes or dislikes.” We should not say to people, “This is what I like, so I will strive for it. This is what I dislike, so I will discard it.” When it comes to the ground of our minds, [we must see] all sentient beings as equal. Regarding sentient beings, the Buddha’s ground of the mind is like this; no matter how bad they are, He accommodates them. If they have bad habitual tendencies, how should we transform them? If we cannot transform them, we must be patient. “If I cannot save you in this lifetime, I will save you in the next.” The Buddha is like this.

Our mind should “not have preferences, likes or dislikes.” We should not say, “I like you more, so I must have you by my side. I dislike you, so I will push you away. I like you more, so I will help you. I dislike you, so I will make things difficult for you.” These are likes and dislikes, and we cannot have them. Our minds must remain level like the ground of the earth. “They do not have preferences, likes or dislikes,”

“so they can transform the violent world. They dwell in patience.” If we want to transform this violent and evil world that has such aggressive, arrogant and prideful people, how do we do it? How do we pacify their minds? First, we must be patient. Without patience, how will we do this? So, we must be patient. “They dwell in patience, thus it says they ‘abide.'” It is like this.

So, “If they are gentle, harmonious, compliant and never impulsive or ill-tempered….”

If they are gentle, harmonious, compliant and never impulsive or ill-tempered…: Being gentle, they will not be forceful. Being harmonious, they will not start conflicts. Being virtuous, they will stay far from evil. Being accommodating, they will do what is appropriate, and they will not act hastily or impulsively.

We must be gentle. “Being gentle, they will not be forceful.” We should not act too aggressively. “Being harmonious, they will not start conflicts.” We should not start conflicts; we just need to explain the principles clearly. Why would we need to start conflicts? “Being virtuous, they will stay far from evil.” If we are virtuous, we will know that we are not strong enough. After those bhiksus and bhiksunis received predictions, they dared not remain in the Saha World. They stayed far from evil and wanted to go to other worlds. But Bodhisattvas do not abandon [sentient beings]; they still go among people. However, as we tend to worldly matters in this world, we must learn how to be harmonious. We are clearly aware of this evil, so how do we keep ourselves vigilant and self-disciplined? Through vigilance and self-discipline, this evil will not draw near to us. While people will draw near to us, evil will not draw near.

So, “Being accommodating, they will do what is appropriate.” We must stay far from evil, but use an accommodating approach to be able to transform people. We must transform people so that they will be clearly aware that they must guard against evil, “refrain from all evil.” They must correct evil habitual tendencies and earnestly engage in self-reflection. So, we do not stay away from these people, but instead stay away from evil habitual tendencies. Thus, we must be virtuous and accommodating. “Being virtuous” means staying away from evil. “Being accommodating” means that to transform these people, we must “not act hastily or impulsively.” We should not act impulsively, decide things on an impulse and immediately give up on them. We must not do this.

So, “When their minds remain undisturbed….”

When their minds remain undisturbed…: If they hear the wondrous Dharma, they will not be doubtful or fearful. Bodhisattvas enter the world to transform sentient beings. What they do is not done to be in accord with worldly desires. When it comes to the cravings for and attachments to the Five Desires and samsara, Bodhisattvas vow to eliminate them all. Thus they will always be resented and harmed by evil sentient beings.

Our minds cannot be afraid. Bodhisattvas intrinsically have great compassion, great courage, great diligence and great loving-kindness. So, we must “wear the armor of patience.” Besides the clothing of patience, we must also wear the armor of patience. We do not need to be afraid. “If they hear the wondrous Dharma, they will not be doubtful or fearful. Bodhisattvas enter the world to transform sentient beings. What they do is not done to be in accord with our worldly desires.” Bodhisattvas enter the world to transform sentient beings. They do not act out of desire; their actions do not follow their desires. We all have our own perspective and our own power of vows. As for sincerity, an upright mindset and right mindfulness, we all possess these things ourselves.

So, we will not be tempted by the desires for worldly fame or wealth, no. This is what Bodhisattvas do as they come to the world to transform sentient beings. They do not use desires to engage with people. We must be mindful. “When it comes to the cravings for and attachments to the Five Desires and samsara, Bodhisattvas vow to eliminate them all.” Bodhisattvas vow to eliminate them all. Whether it is samsara or the Five Desires, we must do our best to avoid them. Bodhisattvas seek to abandon greed and desire, not to abandon sentient beings. “Thus they will always be resented and harmed by evil sentient beings.” We are in this world for the sake of guiding sentient beings and advancing Right Dharma. The world has been overcome by desire, so as we seek to do this, people will often denounce us. This is quite normal. Evil sentient beings are just unwilling to [accept] this aura of goodness and virtue. Amidst their desires and [struggle for] power, they will denounce [us].

We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. There are many traps in the world. In the future evil world, there will be so much deviant arrogance. Once our minds deviate, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt will all flourish. The world we must enter has severe turbidities. We must truly maintain constant vigilance and awareness, so we must always be mindful.

Episode 1386 – Abiding Peacefully in Four Methods

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>> “Those who had recently received predictions feared that there would be many adversities and hardships in the Saha World. They claimed to have not yet cultivated patience and to lack the strength to endure. But those Bodhisattvas claimed to have attained non-arising patience, so they would be able to endure all hardships. They thus took the initiative to make great vows.”

>> Manjusri, in his great wisdom, resonating with loving-kindness and exercising compassion, comprehended the Buddha’s intent. In the era of Dharma-degeneration, Dharma teachers will widely spread and uphold this wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle. They will widely spread it and teach by going among people. Though practitioners can endure hardships, in the evil world of turbidities in the era of Dharma-degeneration, they will encounter stubborn people with weak capabilities.

>> How can those monastics who received predictions of Buddhahood take action in the evil world to expound this sutra without all these hardships? Manjusri had to ask the Buddha for instructions as to how to use right wisdom to take right actions and how to resonate with the Tathagata’s wisdom, eliminate delusions, illuminate the truth and uphold Right Dharma.

>> At that time. Dharma-prince Manjusri, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, these Bodhisattvas are extremely rare and precious. Because they reverently follow the Buddha, they made great vows to protect, uphold, read and expound this Lotus Sutra in the future world of evil. World-Honored One, how can Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas in the future world of evil expound this sutra?”
[Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> “The Buddha told Manjusri, ‘If Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas wish to expound this sutra in the future age of evil, they must abide peacefully in four methods.'”
 [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> They must abide peacefully in four methods: 1. The practice of bringing peace and joy with the body 2. The practice of bringing peace and joy with speech 3. The practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind 4. The practice of bringing peace and joy with vows.

>> First of the four methods: Wherever [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice and wherever they draw near to is where [Bodhisattvas] abide in the practice to bring peace and joy with the body.

>> Second of the four methods: Guarding against transgressions of speech enables them to excel in expounding the Dharma. This is called abiding in the practice to bring peace and joy with speech.

>> Third of the four methods: Purifying their karma of mind to free themselves from greed, anger and delusion is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind.

>> Forth of the four methods: Giving rise to compassion and vowing to transform all beings is where [Bodhisattvas] abide in the practice to bring peace and joy with vows.

>> The four methods also refer to the four practices below: The right practices of bodily conduct. The right practices of speech. The practice of eliminating all evils from the mind to benefit oneself. The practice of cultivating all goodness in our hearts to benefit others.

>> “First, they must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice and the places they draw near to to be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings.” 
[Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14 – On The Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy]

>> “Places” refers to the states that our body has actually reached. “Drawing near” refers to the actions we take as our bodies experience these states. The Tathagata manifested in the world to expound, according to what was appropriate, the wondrous principles that. He experienced while in this world.

>> “Practice” refers to moving towards purifying practices. “Draw near” means growing close and familiar. [By abiding] within these two places, we will never go against the path. This is the place that. Bodhisattvas practice to draw near to. This is the essence of the practice of the body.

>> First, they must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice and the places they draw near to: Wherever we are immersed in the Dharma as we practice all day long is our place of practice. Wherever we distance ourselves from bad friends while drawing near to virtuous people is the place [Bodhisattvas] draw near to.

>> To be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings: If they practice and apply the Dharma and draw close to people, then they will be able to expound this sutra for others.

>> Abide peacefully: Their minds resonate with the principles, and their bodies practice these matters until they completely master this practice without anything unsuitable. Place of practice: This refers to wherever the mind goes, rests or abides. Place to draw near to: This refers to places we become familiar with and draw close to.

>> Anywhere the mind connects to or the body comes into contact with that does not resonate with the Right Dharma or the nature of the principles is not the place where Bodhisattvas practice or the place where [Bodhisattvas] draw near to.

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“Those who had recently received predictions
feared that there would be many adversities and hardships in the Saha World.
They claimed to have not yet cultivated patience
and to lack the strength to endure.
But those Bodhisattvas
claimed to have attained non-arising patience,
so they would be able to endure all hardships.
They thus took the initiative to make great vows.”

We must understand that. “Those who had recently received predictions feared that there would be many adversities and hardships in the Saha World.” I have repeatedly mentioned to everyone that in the Chapter on Encouragement to Uphold the Sutra, the Buddha was still bestowing predictions of. Buddhahood on everyone. Afterwards, everyone made vows, all hoping to go to other worlds, because they feared the Saha World. They “feared that there would be many adversities and hardships in the Saha World.” Therefore, there were experienced Bodhisattvas who had the experience of repeatedly returning to the world. They had formed Bodhisattva-aspirations and gone among people. This group of Bodhisattvas was very confident in themselves. So, they were willing to make vows. Because they would be in the Saha world, they would need to patiently endure. This word “patience” includes “Arising patience” and “non-arising patience” are things we master through spiritual practice, so that when we face [the challenges of] nature, we can endure them, and when we face [challenges] among people, we can endure these challenges and so on. This all requires patience.

In particular when it comes to the Dharma and the true principles, when we go among people who go against the true principles, how can we face them and get through peacefully? If we are not very patient in enduring, then if we want to vow to be in the Saha World, it will truly be very difficult. So, experienced Bodhisattvas are needed. If there are only newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, even though they have made aspirations, they still need more experience. They are dedicated and willing to be patient but what would they need in order to be patient? People say, “Forming aspirations is easy, persevering in them is hard.” To persevere in our aspirations, we need arising and non-arising patience. Only when we are able to endure with patience have we attained true mastery. So, “They will be able to endure all hardships.” These experienced Bodhisattvas “took the initiative to make great vows.” They did not need the Buddha to tell them anything. The Buddha only took one look at them and they understood and comprehended the Buddha’s intent. So, they came forward to make sincere vows to the Buddha that [they will] endure with patience.

Manjusri Bodhisattva was present and saw them. Indeed! To come to the world is by no means easy. To endure for a long time in the world, especially during the future era of Dharma-degeneration, a time of turbidities and Dharma-degeneration, to be willing to return again, will be a great challenge. Manjusri Bodhisattva’s wisdom was transcendent; he saw these many people, Bodhisattvas who were brave and diligent, making great vows. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva quickly added, “Even though these experienced Bodhisattvas are full of confidence, as they continuously and widely transform sentient beings, there are other people who can form. Great Vehicle aspirations. Will they be able to endure patiently for long? So, they need the right methods. The Buddha is about to teach how to be patient, how to uphold the sutra in the future evil world and how to face [these challenges].”

So, Manjusri [Bodhisattva] exercised both compassion and wisdom. He exercised loving-kindness and compassion. At this Dharma-assembly, Manjusri Bodhisattva began to ask these questions.

Manjusri, in his great wisdom, resonating with loving-kindness and exercising compassion, comprehended the Buddha’s intent. In the era of Dharma-degeneration, Dharma teachers will widely spread and uphold this wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle. They will widely spread it and teach by going among people. Though practitioners can endure hardships, in the evil world of turbidities in the era of Dharma-degeneration, they will encounter stubborn people with weak capabilities.

“Manjusri, in his great wisdom, resonated with loving-kindness and exercised compassion.” His great wisdom helped him understand the Buddha’s intent. If these people only made vows, it was not enough; they further needed methods as a supplement. But before the Buddha started teaching the Dharma, Manjusri Bodhisattva began [to act]. He understood the Buddha’s intent. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva again became the recipient of the teachings. In an assembly with so many people, Manjusri Bodhisattva right away started to “resonate with loving-kindness.” He resonated with the Buddha’s compassion and understood the Buddha’s intent. He also “exercised compassion.” He felt compassion towards those future. Bodhisattvas who will form great aspirations, thinking of how to mindfully guide them

to further understand the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha hoped for everyone to go among people and transform sentient beings in the Saha World. With this intention, there were also methods. So, Manjusri hoped that everyone could further understand the Buddha’s intent. Thus, the Buddha needed to use the Dharma to teach everyone [the method]. This is what Manjusri Bodhisattva asked on everyone’s behalf. Nobody thought about asking this, but Manjusri Bodhisattva asked on their behalf, asked for ways they could uphold sutras and promote the Dharma in the future.

“In the era of Dharma-degeneration, Dharma teachers will widely spread and uphold this wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle.” The “age of Dharma-degeneration” refers to the time period when the Dharma degenerates. In this time period, how can Dharma teachers widely spread this Right Dharma? Within the age of this evil world, how can we widely spread [the Dharma] smoothly and thoroughly? How could they in this space “uphold this wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle”? How should the. Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra be upheld? How should [the sutra] be applied in the Saha World? This is what Manjusri Bodhisattva wanted to ask on behalf of the Bodhisattvas, both for newly-inspired Bodhisattvas and experienced Bodhisattvas.

They “will widely spread it and teach by going among people.” How can we widely spread the Lotus Sutra so the teachings can pervade the world and reach all people? So, “practitioners” are people who engage in spiritual practice and uphold the sutras. “Though practitioners can endure hardships,” although all these Bodhisattvas said they can endure, when they encounter this “evil world of turbidities in the era of Dharma-degeneration,” which is the time of Dharma-degeneration, the world will be evil and turbid. The Dharma will have already declined and diminished. Nobody will want to widely spread the Dharma and nobody will know the direction of Right Dharma. In this era, this world will be very turbid and evil and the Dharma will have declined and diminished. At this time, in the world, there will be “stubborn people with weak capabilities.” Among the world’s sentient beings, among people, everyone’s capabilities are very weak. Moreover, they are very stubborn. To teach them the Dharma is very difficult! They will either reject it or slander it. It is very difficult for them to accept the Right Dharma of the Great Vehicle.

How can those monastics who received predictions of Buddhahood take action in the evil world to expound this sutra without all these hardships? Manjusri had to ask the Buddha for instructions as to how to use right wisdom to take right actions and how to resonate with the Tathagata’s wisdom, eliminate delusions, illuminate the truth and uphold Right Dharma.

“Those monastics who received predictions” means that in the Chapter on Encouragement to Uphold the Sutra, for these monastics, one group after another, the Buddha bestowed predictions of Buddhahood. Not only the bhiksus but also the bhiksunis received predictions of Buddhahood. But these people who received predictions would be in “the evil world,” so how could they take action to put [the teachings] into practice? In this world, [how could they] “expound this sutra without all these hardships”? These people who received predictions reflected upon and considered [their abilities]. “This world is so evil. We do not have sufficient ability. Therefore, we do not dare to stay here.”

Although they aspired to go to other worlds, once these Bodhisattvas made vows, they reflected on themselves. They were willing to further nurture their great aspirations and vow to return to the Saha World. If such people are in this evil world, how can they take action to uphold the sutra and spread the Dharma in the world? To “take action” means to actualize the teachings. How do they keep their feet firmly on the ground and walk the path among people? As they walk the path among people, how can they “expound this sutra” without meeting any obstacles? Considering these were all very fresh and newly-inspired Bodhisattvas who might encounter difficulties, it would be better to teach them how to prevent difficulties. So, they would be able to “expound this sutra without all these hardships.” He would help keep them very peaceful and safe without all sorts of hardships.

So, “Manjusri had to ask the Buddha” and requested that He give teachings. This sutra passage illustrates why Manjusri Bodhisattva specifically asked the Buddha again. The meaning of it is here. Experienced Bodhisattvas can endure [hardships], but those who just received predictions of attaining Buddhahood in the future must practice the Bodhisattva-path. This Bodhisattva-path can be practiced anywhere. But if no one was willing to come to this Saha World, wouldn’t this world become even more evil?

[The Buddha] needed to encourage everyone who received predictions to make vows to return to the Saha World. This was Manjusri’s compassion and wisdom. He sympathized with the newly-inspired Bodhisattvas and encouraged them to go among people. But they were afraid. So, [Manjusri Bodhisattva] asked the Buddha to comfort them. “It is not that scary. As long as you form great aspirations, and make great vows, then it will not be that scary.”

[Manjusri] asked the Buddha for instructions on how to use right wisdom to guide everyone in the right direction so they will use the direction of right wisdom to “take the right actions and to resonate with the Tathagata’s wisdom.” Then these people could truly comprehend the Buddha’s intentions and understand the Buddha’s wisdom. [They would know] how to work in this Saha World. The Buddha would not abandon the Saha World. The Buddha would again return to the world. What method would the Buddha use to [help them] “exercise wisdom”? And then how were they to resonate with loving-kindness and exercise wisdom in this world? They must “resonate with the Tathagata’s wisdom.”

What method can be used to “eliminate delusions?” We sentient beings have a mindset of gain and loss because we have a mind of afflictions. How could He help all beings to be very courageous and go among people, using the Tathagata’s wisdom, without being contaminated by people? In this way, “eliminating delusions and illuminating the truth” refers to using His true wisdom so that Right Dharma could be demonstrated among people. This is what Manjusri Bodhisattva asked the Buddha to give instructions about.

So the previous sutra passage says, “At that time, Dharma Prince Manjusri, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva….” He was a transcendent Dharma-prince who transmitted the Buddha’s wisdom-life.

At that time. Dharma-prince Manjusri, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, these Bodhisattvas are extremely rare and precious. Because they reverently follow the Buddha, they made great vows to protect, uphold, read and expound this Lotus Sutra in the future world of evil. World-Honored One, how can Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas in the future world of evil expound this sutra?”

All Buddhas share the same path. The wisdom-life of ancient Buddhas was passed on by Manjusri Bodhisattva. Whichever Buddha came to the world, Manjusri Bodhisattva would do the same, helping the Buddha to spread the Dharma here and teach and transform sentient beings. This is Manjusri Bodhisattva’s unique quality. At Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, he also did the same. He was called the Dharma-prince who transmitted the Buddha’s wisdom-life, which is the wisdom-life of awakening. He resonated with every Buddha’s wisdom and guided sentient beings to understand. Right Dharma, right wisdom and right mindfulness. This was how Manjusri Bodhisattva exercised both compassion and wisdom.

So, [he said], “World-Honored One, these Bodhisattvas are extremely rare and precious.” These Bodhisattvas were truly very precious, very hard to come by. Because this group of Bodhisattvas reverently followed the Buddha’s intent, they made such great vows before the Buddha. They said they were experienced and considered themselves unafraid. In fact, they still needed reminders. There were also those newly-inspired Bodhisattvas whom they wished to put at ease so they could make vows to return to the Saha World. “[They vowed] to protect, uphold, read and expound this Lotus Sutra “in the future world of evil.” For this Lotus Sutra to be passed down in the world, many people were needed to return to the world and form aspirations and great vows to safeguard the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. So, “World-Honored One, how can Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas in the future world of evil expound this sutra?” Though these Bodhisattvas were all experienced and were all great Bodhisattvas, in the future world of evil, how could they safeguard this sutra so that when they widely spread it they would not encounter difficulties? To reduce their difficulties as much as possible was Manjusri Bodhisattva’s intent.

The next sutra passage [says],

The Buddha told Manjusri, ‘If Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas wish to expound this sutra in the future age of evil, they must abide peacefully in four methods.'”

At this time, the Buddha began to answer. He said to Manjusri Bodhisattva, “In the future, within this world of evil, these great Bodhisattvas or these newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, in the future evil world of the era of Dharma-degeneration, will want to expound this sutra. If they wish to expound this sutra, they must be very mindful and abide peacefully in four methods.” To teach this sutra, they need the right approach.

They must abide peacefully in four methods: 1. The practice of bringing peace and joy with the body 2. The practice of bringing peace and joy with speech 3. The practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind 4. The practice of bringing peace and joy with vows.

First, “Wherever [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice and wherever they draw near to” is “the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body.”

First of the four methods: Wherever [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice and wherever they draw near to is where [Bodhisattvas] abide in the practice to bring peace and joy with the body.

To teach and guide sentient beings, we must be unsummoned teachers. We must be very joyful when expounding the Dharma in order to teach and transform. We use these true principles to go among people to teach and transform sentient beings. If sentient beings are unwilling to come, we ourselves must draw near to them;

we must find ways to draw near them. It is the same in present times. When teachers are teaching students, they think of various ways to awaken the students’ interest so they can accept this education. This is the way it is in present times, let alone in the future! In the past, to study in school, students had to accommodate the teacher. Nowadays, teachers need to win the students over in order to inspire their interest to learn. The times have really changed!

The Buddha taught us in this way. To find ways for sentient beings to be willing to draw near to the Buddha-Dharma, we must first draw near to them. “Wherever [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice” is “the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body.” Wherever we go, we must make people feel at ease, feel very happy. This is just like how, sometimes, when Tzu Chi does international [relief work], at the beginning, some people will say, “These Buddhists are here to convert us.” Tzu Chi is not there to convert anyone; we go there to work in harmony and unity.

This is the same principle. For instance, in Ecuador, which is a Catholic country, a major earthquake occurred in April [of 2016]. Think about it; this 7.8 magnitude earthquake was very severe. Suddenly, there was violent shaking in the ground. Some buildings were destroyed right away, many people were injured and countless people became homeless. The whole place was devastated including the communities and streets. Originally, in this country, the people were not very wealthy. Now that they endured such a major disaster, they did not know where to find help.

Tzu Chi volunteers from the USA and South America gathered in this country. Seeing the situation, they thought about how to help. Where should we begin? We had a method from our past experience during Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. This typhoon devastated Tacloban city in Leyte Province. The governor initially wanted to abandon the city. But Tzu Chi volunteers arrived. People with financial means could have left this island, but where could the native people that made up most of the population of this island go? With such devastation, what could they do?

In the interactions between the volunteers from the Philippines and Taiwan, the team showed their spirit of unity. So, I suggested to them, “In that place, you must immediately start a ‘Cash for Relief’ program.” Though it started off slowly at first and did not go very smoothly, once it was started, it went from the first day, to the next few days, to the next few weeks, and finally the program lasted nearly one month. After a few weeks, the numbers they mobilized reached over 10,000, 20,000 and even over 30,000 people. We paid out wages every day. With the “Cash for Relief” program, they could get wages every day. [We] continued to pay out [the cash], and they continuously made great efforts to keep cleaning and sweeping. Within a month’s time, they cleared up all the debris. All the large roads, small streets and alleys were perfectly clean. This was a very good experience.

So, Tzu Chi volunteers brought this experience to Ecuador. In Ecuador, they already knew about the Cash for Relief program in the Philippines. The news had spread among the NGOs. So, when the USA Tzu Chi volunteers arrived and mentioned the Cash for Relief program, the locals happily accepted. Thus, the program was set into motion very quickly. The local people could earn a wage while cleaning up their own homes. This was their only hope, so the people mobilized very quickly. From being depressed and helpless, they were given strength by the volunteers, as well as spiritual encouragement. So, everyone stood back up and each exercised their strength. In this way, very quickly in these places, within days, four cities recovered very quickly and were completely cleaned up.

As this was going on, we encountered a. Catholic church and saw that the nuns there were very helpless. The church had collapsed. How could they clean up the debris? How could they rebuild it? That was nowhere in sight. Tzu Chi volunteers first mobilized to clean up, then [sent] this message back for consideration. All of us took this into consideration, because the locals there were mostly believers of the Catholic faith and people need religious support from a proper faith. Catholicism is the spiritual food of this country, so we needed to quickly give them a place they could rely on for their faith and spiritual needs. Thus, we decided to rebuild this church.

The nuns and the priests joyfully accepted this, because they knew that Tzu Chi in Haiti helped rebuild schools for Catholic [nuns] and helped repair the Catholic nuns’ church. In the Philippines, we also helped rebuild a church. So, they knew about all this and joyfully accepted [our help].

Thus, the teachings of the Great Vehicle are not only to be taught orally. The Dharma is to be applied by going among people. When people have a need, we must give and help them in reality. So, this is “the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body.” Wherever our body goes, among people, we help people to be at ease; after receiving help, they can be joyful. This is “where [Bodhisattvas] teach and practice” and also “where they draw near to.” It is also where the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body takes place. This is our body; this is what our body can do.

The second [method] is “guarding against transgressions of speech” which “enables them to excel in expounding the Dharma.” This is called “the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with speech.” It means we must be very mindful when we speak.

Second of the four methods: Guarding against transgressions of speech enables them to excel in expounding the Dharma. This is called abiding in the practice to bring peace and joy with speech.

With sincerity, we do not tell lies. We must speak what is true. We must speak with gentle speech, without harsh words or gossip. Whatever we have promised other people, we must follow through and keep our word. This is what it means to be truthful. We must always be vigilant and guard against transgressions of speech. If we do not have sincerity in our heart but we make exaggerated promises and in the end we cannot do it, this is unacceptable. Therefore, once we say that we will do something, we must follow through. So, it “enables them to excel in expounding the Dharma.” If we can be a person of our word, then naturally when we want to draw near people to teach them the Dharma, they will surely believe us. Hence, this is “the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with speech.”

The third is to “purify our karma of mind.”

Third of the four methods: Purifying their karma of mind to free themselves from greed, anger and delusion is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind.

To “purify our karma of mind,” we must earnestly tend to our minds and “free ourselves from greed, anger and delusion.” Everything that we do is giving without expectations. We are at ease and free, joyful and grateful. This is “the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with the mind.”

The fourth [method] is “giving rise to compassion.” Our hearts must constantly give rise to compassion. “Vowing to transform all beings is the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with vows.”

Forth of the four methods: Giving rise to compassion and vowing to transform all beings is where [Bodhisattvas] abide in the practice to bring peace and joy with vows.

We must always give rise to compassion so that we can make great vows to transform all sentient beings and go among people with sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness. This is “the place of the practice of bringing peace and joy with vows.”

Next, there are another four methods. These four methods will be explained in detail in the next passages. Apart from “Four Practices of. Bringing Peace and Joy,” there are four methods which are “the right practices of bodily conduct, the right practices of speech” and “the practice of eliminating all evils from the mind to benefit oneself.” The fourth is “the practice of cultivating all goodness in our hearts to benefit others.”

The four methods also refer to the four practices below: The right practices of bodily conduct. The right practices of speech. The practice of eliminating all evils from the mind to benefit oneself. The practice of cultivating all goodness in our hearts to benefit others.

We should engage in spiritual practice and cultivate goodness which is to benefit others. These are four methods which we will explain in more detail later on. The following sutra passage says,

“First, they must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice and the places they draw near to to be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings.”

This passage [discusses] the first practice, “They must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice.” [As we engage in] the Bodhisattva-practice, since we have formed aspirations, we should steady our mind and resolve.

“Places” refers to the states that our body has actually reached. “Drawing near” refers to the actions we take as our bodies experience these states. The Tathagata manifested in the world to expound, according to what was appropriate, the wondrous principles that. He experienced while in this world.

“As for the states that our body has actually reached,” when we put [the principles] into practice, these are the states we actualize. However our minds think, our bodies, that is, our two legs, can take grounded steps to gradually draw near [these states]. This is how “our bodies experience these states.” We draw near the path that we should walk on. We want to enter the Bodhisattva-path and actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. This is the track for us to move forward on. This is the road for us to practice and walk on.

“The Tathagata manifested in the world to expound, according to what was appropriate, the wondrous principles that. He experienced while in this world.” The Tathagata manifested in the world according to what was appropriate. According to sentient beings’ capabilities, He taught the wondrous principles He experienced while walking the Bodhisattva-path. Sakyamuni Buddha attained Buddhahood in this life. But actually, without his past lives and what He experienced among people, at this time, to be able to awaken to the true principles of the whole universe would be easier said than done! To be able to awaken and penetrate the true principles of the world, we must undergo training by going among people. This is how we must accumulate all those experiences.

These are “the wondrous principles that. He experienced while in this world.” Wherever he went, as the saying goes, “Without experience, one cannot grow in wisdom.” Without experiencing the state ourselves, we cannot know what the state is like. The principle is the same. We must talk about the road that we have traveled. If we ourselves have not traveled [the road], how do we give directions to others? “He expounded, according to what was appropriate, the wondrous principles that. He experienced while in this world.” From where we have gone, we have realized principles.

So, “‘Practice refers to moving towards actualizing purifying practices.”

“Practice” refers to moving towards purifying practices. “Draw near” means growing close and familiar. [By abiding] within these two places, we will never go against the path. This is the place that. Bodhisattvas practice to draw near to. This is the essence of the practice of the body.

This is how we must walk [the path]. “Going towards” means moving ahead. We are moving forward. To “actualize” means to put into practice. We put the teachings into practice while keeping our feet firmly on the ground. As we take these steps, every step is a purifying practice; [each step] is pure. The Bodhisattva-path of giving unconditionally is the “purifying practice ‘Drawing near’ means growing close and familiar.” This is drawing near; we continuously practice and draw near. This is our place of practice, the place we draw near. “[By abiding] within these two places, we will never go against the path.” We never go against the path when we put [the principles] into practice.

“This is the place that. Bodhisattvas practice to draw near to.” When we draw near and dedicate ourselves without going against the path, this is called the place that. Bodhisattvas draw near to. “This is the essence of the practice of the body.” This body is for us to put the teachings into practice. Our body is a vehicle for spiritual practice. Without our body, how can we engage in spiritual practice? So, our body is a vessel for spiritual practice. This is [the body’s] “place of practice,” the way to bring peace and joy with the body. We have made the vow to put it into practice. “They must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice.” These are also “the places they draw near to.”

First, they must abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice and the places they draw near to: Wherever we are immersed in the Dharma as we practice all day long is our place of practice. Wherever we distance ourselves from bad friends while drawing near to virtuous people is the place [Bodhisattvas] draw near to.

“Wherever we are immersed in the Buddha-Dharma….” This is our first practice. We just mentioned “the places they draw near to.” This is the practice of bringing peace and joy with the body. This is the first practice. “Wherever we are immersed in the Dharma as we practice all day long” means we keep our feet on the ground and put [the Dharma] into practice. So, this is “our place of practice.” This is how we walk the path. “We distance ourselves from bad friends while drawing near to virtuous people.” Those we draw near to are all virtuous people. Regarding evil people, if we lack proper mastery, then we should not get close to them. We must be able to differentiate right and wrong. So, we should not draw near [them]. If we cannot transform people and instead are transformed by sentient beings, then it becomes very problematic. So, when our mastery is not yet very firm, we should draw near virtuous friends and distance ourselves from bad friends. As for “drawing near to virtuous people,” where we draw near virtuous people is called “the place we draw near to.” This is the method that the Buddha teaches us so we can abide peacefully in the places where Bodhisattvas practice. We must put [the principles] into practice, but we must know how to choose [people]. Physically, we must first accept and uphold [the principles] and keep our feet firmly on the ground.

“For the sake of sentient beings, to be able to expound this sutra….” This way they can expound the Wondrous Lotus Sutra for sentient beings. This is how “they practice and apply the Dharma and draw close to people, then they will be able to expound this sutra for others.”

To be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings: If they practice and apply the Dharma and draw close to people, then they will be able to expound this sutra for others.
To be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings: If they practice and apply the Dharma and draw close to people, then they will be able to expound this sutra for others.
To be able to expound this sutra for the sake of sentient beings: If they practice and apply the Dharma and draw close to people, then they will be able to expound this sutra for others.

When we put [the Dharma] into practice, we need the Dharma in our own minds to apply it in our lives. We engage in spiritual practice so that we can apply the teachings. We listen to Dharma to understand it and put it into practice once we understand it. So, to apply what we practice requires the Dharma.

Therefore, [we must] “draw close to people.” The people we must draw close to are those who can truly help us to grow our wisdom. Or we must draw close to those who need our help. We must use many methods to draw close to them. This is what it means to “seek the Dharma and transform others.” Virtuous friends can help us, and those who need us are those we must help. None of this can be done without people. “In a group of three, I will find my teacher. When I see someone who does good, I follow suit. When I see someone make mistakes, I correct my own.” This was said by Confucius. He taught us to differentiate right from wrong. We must also be other people’s virtuous friends. We must be strong and have the Dharma in our minds when we draw close to people. These are all places Bodhisattvas draw near to. But we must clearly discern right from wrong. If we can do this, “Then [we] will be able to expound this sutra for others.” We can also abide peacefully. To abide peacefully means to be in this place, to abide peacefully where Bodhisattvas practice. We must abide peacefully here.

Abide peacefully: Their minds resonate with the principles, and their bodies practice these matters until they completely master this practice without anything unsuitable. Place of practice: This refers to wherever the mind goes, rests or abides. Place to draw near to: This refers to places we become familiar with and draw close to.

To abide peacefully means. “Their minds resonate with the principles.” Our minds and the principles must always be in harmony with each other. “Their bodies practice these matters.” The principles are in our minds. Our bodies must act in accordance with the principles. With principles in our minds, our outer appearance must also be in accord with these principles. So, “They completely master this practice, without anything unsuitable.” In this way, there is nothing unsuitable. We can always be in harmony and unity. Whatever method we need to heal the world, we have the ways to treat issues and prevent evil from entering our heart. If we prevent evil in our conduct, we can expound the Dharma in the world.

So, this is a “place of practice.” This is the path our mind is resolved to walk on. It is “where the mind goes, rests or abides.” Where should our minds be? We go among people, but our minds cannot fluctuate. When we encounter situations, we should not lose our senses or reason. When we encounter a situation, we should not become nervous or panic. We should play effortlessly in this world. When our direction is correct, if we encounter a situation, we should not be nervous or panic.

Therefore, we must “rest.” [The mind] “goes, rests or abides. To go” means to move. “To rest” is for us to quiet down. In movement there must be tranquility. How should we act in the world? There is much disturbance in the world. When we face this world filled with disturbance, if we go along with [the disturbances], our minds will be disturbed too. In our present lives, there is so much disturbance and unrest. To enter these conditions, we should see them as a game. It is just like the rain. No matter how vast the bamboo forest is, the water remains the same, without being obstructed by the bamboo.

This is the way our minds should be. To eliminate this turmoil, our minds must not move along with it. We must train ourselves to be calm and stable. Hence, this is the place we “abide”

“‘Places to draw near to’ refers to places we become familiar with and draw close to. In any place the mind connects to or the body comes into contact with, [we have compassion].” If what the body comes in contact with or the state that we connect with “does not resonate with. Right Dharma or the nature of the principles,” if it cannot unlock principles of Right Dharma, it is “not the place where Bodhisattvas practice or the place they draw near to.”

Anywhere the mind connects to or the body comes into contact with that does not resonate with the Right Dharma or the nature of the principles is not the place where Bodhisattvas practice or the place where [Bodhisattvas] draw near to.
If we cannot combine Dharma with true principles then this cannot be called “where Bodhisattvas practice” or “a place [Bodhisattvas] draw near to.” So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this.

What comes after also contains many methods to heal the world. We must always be mindful!