Author: Scott Ogata

Episode 745 – The World-transcending Wealth of the Dharma

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>> Worldly wealth is admired by people, and people desire to seize it, yet it is in truth impermanent. Only this path of enlightenment exists forever. The world-transcending wealth of the Dharma is beyond compare.

>> “He had taken up residence in a certain city, and his household was very wealthy. His riches were immeasurable, with gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass, pearls and the like all stored in his warehouses and vaults, which were filled to overflowing.”       [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> He had many servants, chamberlains, assistants and attendants.   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> In this analogy, the wealthy man had many servants and many managers who had the authority to administer his affairs. These chamberlains, assistants and attendants with great power were countless in number.

>> This is an analogy for the Buddha’s skillful means. They assist right wisdom. The Ten Powers of the Buddha are the chamberlains. The Fourfold Fearlessnesses are His assistants. Thus His great wisdom is perfect, and He is replete with all Dharma.

>> The ten kinds of powers that the Tathagata possesses and utilizes: First: The power of knowing right and wrong in all conditions. Second: The power of knowing all karmic retributions in the Three Periods. Third: The power of knowing all stages of meditation, liberation and Samadhi.

>> Fourth: The power of knowing the quality of the capabilities of all beings. Fifth: The power of knowing all kinds of understanding. Sixth: The power of knowing all kinds of states. Seventh: The power of knowing all paths.

>> The ten kinds of powers that the Tathagata possesses and utilizes: Eight: The power of knowing from having unobstructed heavenly eyes. Ninth: The power of knowing past lives flawlessly. Tenth: The power of knowing how to forever eliminate habitual tendencies.

>> The Fourfold Fearlessness: First: The fearlessness of wisdom of all Dharma. Second: The fearlessness of ending all Leaks. Third: The fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation. Fourth: The fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering.

>> The Fourfold Fearlessnesses are His assistants. Thus His great wisdom is perfect and He is replete with all Dharma.

>>When He was first enlightened, He taught the Great Vehicle Dharma of the Avatamsaka. Those who listened to these teachings were mostly heavenly beings, Bodhisattvas, etc. These are part of the outer assembly. They are likened to hired servants.

>> Perfecting the Ten Stages of Faith is the cause for entering the ocean of the Buddha’s teachings and practicing with infinite Dharma-doors. If one desires to go from an unenlightened to a noble state, it is faith that first guides one until one gives rise to aspirations. Thus newly-inspired Bodhisattvas are represented by the inner assembly of attendants.

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“Worldly wealth is admired by people,
and people desire to seize it, yet it is in truth impermanent.
Only this path of enlightenment exists forever.
The world-transcending wealth of the Dharma is beyond compare.”

We listen to the Dharma every day. We should be able to understand that worldly wealth is truly impermanent. Worldly wealth brings out our bottomless desires, as well as our countless afflictions. This is how worldly wealth [affects us]. Can anyone ever be satisfied with their wealth? People are never satisfied.

However, they always admire others’ wealth. I have often talked about how, decades ago, I met a woman from a wealthy family. She was indeed very wealthy. Sometimes when I traveled to Taipei, Commissioners would bring her to see me, and she would be adorned in jewels. However, she always had to head home before 3 pm. I asked about the reason behind this, and someone told me, “Master, didn’t you see what she was wearing? Yes, I did. Do you know how much all that is worth? The things she waves around on her three, four fingers alone are worth several million dollars (NT).” At that time, you could buy several houses with that much money. But what did this have to do with going home so early? She said, “Her bodyguards have to change shifts, so she has to rush home.” Did she really have to make life so difficult? When it comes to worldly wealth, some people really envy the wealth they see. However, because of their desires, once they possess some things, they want even more.

One time, the Buddha was in the kingdom of Sravasti. King Prasenajit was a very devout disciple of the Buddha. One day, when he sat in meditation, he suddenly thought of three things that he did not like. What were those things? He did not like aging, he abhorred illness and he hated death so much he could not think further. Birth, aging, illness and death are part of the natural course of life. He knew that when he was born, everyone was very happy. He had enjoyed the comforts of the palace. However, as he grew older, he quietly recalled what things were like in his youth. Without realizing it, he had grown old and begun to look frail. He sensed his body growing weaker. He worried about when he would die. That was what worried him the most. Therefore, he came to the Buddha for guidance.

The Buddha told him, “No one can escape aging, illness and death. If not for aging, illness and death, why would Buddhas need to appear in the world?” Sadly, as everyone goes through aging, illness and death, they remain unaware and thus give rise to many afflictions and create much karma. If people in this world can listen to and take the Buddha-Dharma to heart…. “Only this path of enlightenment exists forever.” If we can awaken after listening to the Dharma and develop our wisdom-life, we will not be bothered by aging, illness and death. We will not feel threatened by aging, illness and death. This is why we need the Dharma; it is the only thing that is everlasting.

This is the world-transcending wealth of Dharma. Most people only seek worldly wealth and neglect the world-transcending wealth of Dharma. They do not know that only the world-transcending wealth of the Dharma is everlasting. After we take the Dharma to heart, we can develop our wisdom-life. That is what can last forever; it is boundless, immeasurable and incomparable in amount. This is something that is truly everlasting. So, as Buddhist practitioners, we truly need to be mindful.

The previous sutra passage states, “He had taken up residence in a certain city.” As the elder searched for his son, he came to this place and stopped there. His child had been drifting about, but he came to be at this city too “[The elder’s] household was very wealthy. His riches were immeasurable, with gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass, pearls and the like, all stored in his warehouses and vaults, which were filled to overflowing.”

This is the previous sutra passage. The elder was searching for his son. He had so much wealth, and he was already quite old, but he still did not know where his son was. This elder was extremely wealthy. He lived in this city and was quite rich, so he hired many servants, stewards, assistants and attendants.

He had many servants, chamberlains, assistants and attendants.   

“He had many servants, stewards, assistants and attendants.” This is the analogy of a wealthy person. A person who has a lot of money has many servants by his side. He has many family stewards who administer his household and manage things for him. He also has many attendants who carry out tasks for him when it comes to his household, finances and so on. These people have a lot of authority and a lot of influence, too.

In this analogy, the wealthy man had many servants and many managers who had the authority to administer his affairs. These chamberlains, assistants and attendants with great power were countless in number.

The [elder] is similar to wealthy people today. People with a lot of money end up hiring many senior managers and junior managers, each with their own specific focus, responsibility and authority. So, it is said that they “had the authority to administer his affairs.” These were “stewards, assistants and attendants.”

This is an analogy for how the Buddha makes use of all kinds of skillful means to wisely teach sentient beings according to their capabilities. In His wisdom, when the Buddha helped people, He looked at their capabilities to determine how He would teach them. This was the Buddha exercising His skillful wisdom. Thus it is called “assisting” [This analogy] was used to explain how skillful means can assist right wisdom.

This is an analogy for the Buddha’s skillful means. They assist right wisdom. The Ten Powers of the Buddha are the chamberlains. The Fourfold Fearlessnesses are His assistants. Thus His great wisdom is perfect, and He is replete with all Dharma.

“The Buddha’s Ten Powers are the stewards. The Fourfold Fearlessness are His assistants.” Therefore, He was able to achieve the state where, “His great wisdom is perfect, and He is replete with all Dharma.”

Regarding the Ten Powers, they represent ten kinds of power the Buddha possessed and utilized.

The ten kinds of powers that the Tathagata possesses and utilizes: First: The power of knowing right and wrong in all conditions. Second: The power of knowing all karmic retributions in the Three Periods. Third: The power of knowing all stages of meditation, liberation and Samadhi.

Of the Ten Powers, the first one is “the power of knowing right and wrong in all conditions.” He had the power of knowing right and wrong in all conditions. We humans do not know how we came to be in this world. But the Buddha knew His causes and conditions for descending from Tusita Heaven into the human realm. Born into the palace, He began to carry out. His one great cause for coming to the world. The Buddha manifested the Eight Aspects here, attaining enlightenment, expounding the Dharma, all the way up until entering Parinirvana. All of these demonstrated the Buddha’s “power of knowing right and wrong in all conditions.” He repeatedly steered the ship of compassion into the Six Realms, traveling everywhere to save and deliver sentient beings. This was what He was determined to go and do, unlike unenlightened beings, who have no control [over where they go].

The second was “the power of knowing all karmic retributions in the Three Periods.” This means He understood the workings of karma in the Three Periods. This world goes through the periods of the past, present and future. We come and go in the four forms of birth and the Six Realms. Furthermore, all of our afflictions come from desires, forms and dust-like delusions, which accumulate and come together. This is the Buddha’s clear understanding of the workings of this world. He even explained the karma of the Three Periods, analyzing the past, discussing the present and providing guidance for the future.

Third is “the power of knowing all stages of meditation, liberation and Samadhi.” Therefore, He taught everyone how to transcend dust-like afflictions, ignorance and desires, so as to focus the mind. These were the Buddha’s powers in teaching sentient beings

Fourth: The power of knowing the quality of the capabilities of all beings. Fifth: The power of knowing all kinds of understanding. Sixth: The power of knowing all kinds of states. Seventh: The power of knowing all paths.

Fourth is “the power of knowing the quality of the capabilities of all beings” [The Buddha] knew sentient beings’ capabilities, what kinds of sentient beings they were, the causes and conditions they possessed and the methods necessary to transform them. This shows the wisdom of the Buddha. In order to transform sentient beings, He had to teach according to capabilities. When teaching according to capabilities, He also had to accord with the timing. When the timing or capability is not right, it is difficult to transform sentient beings. Therefore, the Buddha had to understand sentient beings’ capabilities and whether their causes and conditions had matured. With this kind of power of knowing, He could very clearly discern the quality of the capabilities of sentient beings.

Fifth is “the power of knowing all kinds of understanding.” The Buddha could clearly discern the various types of understanding of sentient beings. Do they have great capabilities or limited capabilities? The Buddha could clearly recognize all this.

Sixth is “the power of knowing all kinds of states. All kinds of states” are the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, even that of spiritual practitioners such as. Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. With His power of wisdom, He could understand all of these states. The Buddha had a clear understanding of all sentient beings and all of their states. If He did not have a clear understanding, He would be unable to teach sentient beings.

Seventh is “the power of knowing all paths.” Does this person have the power to practice the path? Does this person have the wisdom? With a glance, He understood how to teach this person with these capabilities in precisely the most suitable way. This takes mindfulness as well

The ten kinds of powers that the Tathagata possesses and utilizes: Eight: The power of knowing from having unobstructed heavenly eyes. Ninth: The power of knowing past lives flawlessly. Tenth: The power of knowing how to forever eliminate habitual tendencies.

Eight is “the power of knowing from having unobstructed heavenly eyes.” Does this person have a broad perspective? Some sentient beings only see what is around them; they have a very narrow view. Some have great conviction and can make great vows. In accord with their capabilities, the Buddha taught the Great Dharma [For others,] He taught the Small Vehicle Dharma.

The heavenly eye is not about how far we can see, but about our perspective. Our understanding and views are our heavenly eyes. Some people have unobstructed understanding and views, while others’ understanding and views are obstructed at every turn. For people who are narrow-minded and have limited capabilities, engaging in spiritual practice is very difficult. They are obstructed by karmic hindrances.

Ninth is “the power of knowing past lives flawlessly.” He knows past lives; He knows the past, present and future.

Tenth is “the power of knowing how to forever eliminate habitual tendencies.” Tenth is forever eliminating habitual tendencies. Habitual tendencies are hard to eliminate. People often ask, “Why do we need to engage in spiritual practice?” It is mainly to eliminate our habitual tendencies. It is hard to eliminate them because we are narrow-minded and have a limited view of the world. This is why we take issue over so many things, this is why we have so many afflictions and this is why we are covered by so much ignorance. We have so many dust-like delusions and are confused by so many things. This is because we have not yet eliminated our afflictions and habitual tendencies. This is our problem as sentient beings. The Buddha understood sentient beings’ problem. Using these ten kinds of powers, He clearly understood sentient beings and transformed them according to capabilities. These were the powers of the Buddha

He also had the Fourfold Fearlessness

The Fourfold Fearlessness: First: The fearlessness of wisdom of all Dharma. Second: The fearlessness of ending all Leaks. Third: The fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation. Fourth: The fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering.

First, He had “the fearlessness of wisdom of all Dharma.” With the fearlessness of wisdom of all Dharma, the Buddha came to the world. Regardless of the circumstances He faced, His mind was always at ease. This was the case even when other religious practitioners tried to take over and harm the Buddha-Dharma. Since the Buddha was awakened, He was fearless. He had “the fearlessness of wisdom of all Dharma.”

Second was “the fearlessness of ending all Leaks.” The Buddha had no afflictions. He had already eradicated all of His afflictions, cleared up His dust-like delusions and revealed His nature of True Suchness. Nothing in the world could defile Him, so His mind was completely pure and clean; He had put an end to all Leaks and afflictions, so He feared nothing. If we have ample wisdom, it is precisely enough, neither too much or too little. It is constantly emerging from our minds. Like a gushing spring, this wisdom is inexhaustible.

Third is “the fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation.” The principles of the Buddha could be used to break down many heretical teachings and deviant views. As for the many afflictions of ordinary people, He was able to use all kinds of Dharma to break down these obstructions of afflictions. With all kinds of Dharma, He broke down the obstructions created by heretical practitioners. He felt no fear at all. The Buddha still did everything He could to analyze things for them.

Fourth is “the fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering.” Sentient beings suffer so much! King Prasenajit had already accepted the Buddha’s teachings and realized the natural course of life, so he could see through his fear of aging, illness and death. No one in the world can escape the Four Sufferings, but as long as we take the Dharma to heart, we can face death without fear or willingly accept our illnesses.

The Fourfold Fearlessness: First: The fearlessness of wisdom of all Dharma. Second: The fearlessness of ending all Leaks. Third: The fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation. Fourth: The fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering.

“The Fourfold Fearlessness are His assistants.” This was the wisdom of the Buddha. He was able to perfect His wisdom and be replete with all Dharma. This was the Buddha’s wisdom

When He was first enlightened, He taught the. Great Vehicle Dharma of the Avatamsaka. Those who listened to these teachings were mostly heavenly beings, Bodhisattvas, etc. These are part of the “outer assembly.” They are likened to hired servants.

Perfecting the Ten Stages of Faith is the cause for entering the ocean of the Buddha’s teachings and practicing with infinite Dharma-doors. If one desires to go from an unenlightened to a noble state, it is faith that first guides one until one gives rise to aspirations. Thus newly-inspired Bodhisattvas are represented by the inner assembly of attendants.

Next is the Ten Stages of Faith. The Chapter on Faith and Understanding is focused on faith. Once we perfect the Ten Stages of Faith, we can “enter the ocean of the Buddha’s teachings” and “practice with infinite Dharma-doors.” This comes from having faith and understanding


If our faith is solid and firm, we can enter the ocean of the Buddha’s teachings and cultivate infinite Dharma-doors. This is how we go from an unenlightened state to a noble state. “Faith” has to come first. In order to go from the state of ordinary people to the state of noble beings, we must begin with faith. Faith is the source of the Way and the mother of merits; it nurtures all roots of goodness.

Then next, we must give rise to aspirations. Once we have aspirations, we are like newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. They are part of “the inner assembly.” The newly inspired have not been truly liberated. They have just completed the Ten Stages of Faith, so they are likened to “assistants and attendants.” People who just formed aspirations are still part of “the inner assembly”; they have already begun to engage in spiritual practice. But newly-inspired people can perfect the ten grounds of Bodhisattvas. Then, they are likened to “stewards.” Bodhisattvas are capable of helping the Buddha teach and transform sentient beings, so they are called “stewards.” Of course, this requires true spiritual practice.

As Buddhist practitioners, we must proceed step by step. Only with the Ten Powers and the Fourfold Fearlessness will we have the power to gradually approach the state of Buddhahood. No matter how much worldly wealth we have, it can never match up to the world-transcending wealth of the Dharma. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 744 – The Blessings and Virtues of the Five Paramitas

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>> In the past during the Prajna period, the Bodhisattva Way was taught. So how can it be true that it was not bestowed upon all until today? For more than 40 years, people had not taken the Dharma to heart. Though unsought, it had now been attained, so they rejoiced happily.

>> “As he grew older in years, he suffered increasing poverty and hardship. He roved in all directions, seeking food and clothing, until eventually in his wanderings he found himself back in his homeland. His father had first come here, searching for but never finding his son.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “He had taken up residence in a certain city, and his household was very wealthy. His riches were immeasurable, with gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass, pearls and the like all stored in his warehouses and vaults, which were filled to overflowing.”       [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> Taking up residence in a certain city is speaking of [the principles]; it is explaining the principles. It is an analogy for the Buddha abiding in the Dharma-city of the Great Vehicle’s equality, where only Bodhisattvas live.

>> The Buddha’s original intent was to teach the Great Vehicle. Thus He abided in the city of the Great Vehicle and sought us there.

>> When speaking of matters, [the city] is used to explain them by being an analogy for the one great cause for which the Buddha manifested in the world. With Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment, He manifested here in response to the world. This is referred to with a certain city.

>> His household was very wealthy: The reward-land where the Buddha’s reward-body lived is the home of the manifest Buddha. He is replete with 10,000 virtues, so the analogy used is that of immeasurable wealth. Thus it says that he was very wealthy.

>> His riches were immeasurable: This is an analogy for the Buddha’s merit and virtue and the flourishing of the Dharma that He teaches.

>> The blessings and virtues of the Five Paramitas are referred to as wealth: 1) Giving. Giving resources out of loving-kindness 2) Upholding the Buddha’s precepts. Being vigilant of actions, speech and thoughts 3) Patience. Being unwavering in the face of all things 4) Diligence. Persevering in all that is good 5) Samadhi. Settling the mind in one place.

>> The Buddha’s wealth is the blessings and virtues of the Five Paramitas. His treasure is prajna-wisdom. All these guiding teachings are contained in the Great Vehicle. Thus it is called immeasurable.

>> Gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass and pearls are the seven treasures that are analogies for the abundance of the Buddha’s Seven Noble Treasures.

>> The Seven Noble Treasures: Faith, diligence, upholding precepts, remorse, renunciation, patience, and Samadhi and wisdom.

>> A warehouse is a place of storage. This means he has conditioned merits and virtues that can nurture wisdom-life.

>> His vaults: they refer to unconditioned merits and virtues that bring peace to the Dharma-body.

>> Which were filled to overflowing: When the inside is stuffed, it is called filled Spilling over to the outside, it is overflowing. This is an analogy for the Buddha’s virtues, which are overflowing with perfection.

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“In the past during the Prajna period, the Bodhisattva Way was taught.
So how can it be true that it was not bestowed upon all until today? For more than 40 years, people had not taken the Dharma to heart. Though unsought, it had now been attained, so they rejoiced happily.”

As we all know, both teaching the Dharma and listening to it are very hard work. There are many people of varying capabilities, so one has to teach according to their capacities. Moreover, those who are listening to the Dharma come at different times. Those who come earlier hear the same teachings repeatedly, while those who came later do not hear what was taught earlier. So, in teaching the Dharma, firstly, the Buddha had to teach according to capabilities. Secondly, He had to make sure that everyone heard the same teachings and that all could understand the Dharma. He had to make sure they could listen now and know the teachings that were given in the past too.

There were five periods to the Buddha’s teachings. During the Five Periods, He did not just teach the Agama sutras for 12 years and then stop. In fact, look at how He began with the Four Noble Truths and then continued teaching them until. He entered Parinirvana. Even in His bequeathed teachings. He called on everyone to pay attention to the Four Noble Truths. It is evident that in Buddha’s teachings, in all the sutras that were taught, at any given time, He was always teaching both the Great and Small Vehicles. He observed their capabilities, and depending on their capabilities, He then decided what kind of Dharma to teach. So, from the beginning until the end, this was how the Buddha taught.

Thus, we said, “In the past during the Prajna period…” [One period of teaching] was the Prajna period. Before the Prajna was the Vaipulya. Before the Vaipulya was the Agama. So, the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna teachings were the teachings that the Buddha gave to His disciples every day throughout His life. Whether they were monastics or lay disciples, the Buddha went over the teachings repeatedly. After giving the teachings once, He repeated them. He unceasingly taught these principles. Did the Buddha actually wait until this assembly to teach the True Dharma of the One Vehicle for attaining Buddhahood? Not at all. Teaching the True Dharma of the One Vehicle was the Buddha’s original intent. He taught it right from the beginning; we were the ones who did not understand it.

When the Buddha began teaching, with the first turning of the Dharma-wheel, He had already completely taught the workings of the world. “How can it be true that it was not bestowed upon all until today?” The Buddha did not wait until this assembly to reveal the entirety of the Dharma. Actually, from the moment He attained Buddhahood right up until the moment He gave the Lotus Sutra. He had been [giving the same teaching]. It was just that we sentient beings were deluded, unable to thoroughly realize His original intent.

So, it says, “For more than 40 years, people had not taken the Dharma to heart.” They just listened, learned and understood. “Did you take it to heart? We are taking it slow.” How long did they have to take it slow? This dragged on for more than 40 years. Subhuti and the others were quite old. They had previously expressed that, having listened to the teachings for so long, they had become tired of listening to them. This was how Subhuti and other leaders of the Sangha expressed what was in their hearts.

Even after more than 40 years, they had not taken the Dharma to heart. They remained biased towards emptiness and did not want to, “having eliminated afflictions, further go among the people to deliver them.” They had no interest in this, so they did not seek to learn it. But now, they understood [that this was essential]. So here, they manifested this appearance of repenting to the Buddha for not earnestly listening to the Dharma.

How can it be possible that they were not earnest? They had all already awakened; how could they possibly not have been earnest? This was their way of teaching future generations. Subhuti meant to awaken the minds of future spiritual practitioners. He hoped everyone would seize the present, cherish the Dharma and and take the Great Vehicle Dharma to heart. Beyond taking the Dharma to heart, we must apply it in our interactions. This was the mindfulness of Subhuti and the others.

So, “Though unsought, it had been attained.” This expressed the joy they felt. “Now, we have formed great aspirations. We have already taken the Dharma to heart and have begun to make [great] vows. Sariputra already received the prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddha. It will soon be our turn to receive this prediction.” In the past, they did not dare dream of this. Now, they were about to receive this prediction, so they were very joyful.

The previous sutra passage states, “As he grew older in years, he suffered increasing poverty and hardship. He roved in all directions, seeking food and clothing, until eventually in his wanderings he found himself back in his homeland. His father had first come here, searching for but never finding his son.”

When I mention this passage, do you still remember what I said? He suffered “poverty and hardship” for already “10 or 20, or even 50 years.” Having transmigrated between the heaven and human realms and the rest of the Five Destinies, sentient beings allowed the Dharma to leak away and have created much karma in this world. This is what happens in the Five Destinies, and it is signified by “poverty and hardship. Until eventually in his wanderings” means that after this man fell on hard times, in his wanderings, he gradually “found himself back in his homeland.” This means that after encountering the Dharma and understanding it, we begin heading toward and drawing closer to our nature of True Suchness. As the man drew near [his homeland],

“His father had first come here, searching for but never finding his son.” This is another description. The father arrived first, but where? To the Three Realms. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, He taught constantly; in the Three Realms, He continued teaching to deliver sentient beings. However, only a few could accept the Dharma; people who could truly realize the Buddha-mind were very rare. Thus this is “searching for but never finding his son.”

The next sutra passage states, “He had taken up residence in a certain city, and his household was very wealthy. His riches were immeasurable, with gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass, pearls and the like all stored in his warehouses and vaults, which were filled to overflowing.”

Taking up residence in a certain city is speaking of [the principles]; it is explaining the principles. It is an analogy for the Buddha abiding in the Dharma-city of the Great Vehicle’s equality, where only Bodhisattvas live.

“Taking up residence in a certain city” is speaking of [the principles]; it is explaining the principles. It is an analogy for the Buddha “abiding in the Dharma-city of the Great Vehicle’s equality, where only Bodhisattvas live.”

In His compassion, the Buddha treats everyone equally. This is an analogy for that teaching. We intrinsically have a nature of True Suchness. We all have this spiritual home in our minds; this is an analogy for the Dharma-city. The source of our nature of True Suchness is the Dharma, and it abides in the Dharma-city. “Where only Bodhisattvas live” means that everyone who lives in this place, in this Dharma-city, is a Bodhisattva. Only those with great vows and aspirations will be able to realize this and thus abide in this spiritual home. If we can realize the Buddha-mind, if we can understand, we will be able to walk the Bodhisattva-path

The Buddha’s original intent was to teach the Great Vehicle. Thus He abided in the city of the Great Vehicle and sought us there.

“The Buddha’s original intent was to teach the Great Vehicle. Thus He abided in the city of the Great Vehicle and sought us there.” So, from His spiritual home, He taught everyone that in order to enter its doors, they must practice the Bodhisattva-path, which is the Great Vehicle Dharma

When speaking of matters, [the city] is used to explain them by being an analogy for the one great cause for which the Buddha manifested in the world. With Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment, He manifested here in response to the world. This is referred to with a certain city.

When speaking of matters, [the city] is used to explain them by being an analogy for the one great cause for which the Buddha manifested in the world. “With Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment, He manifested here in response to the world.” This is referred to with “a certain city.”

He was born in the kingdom of Kapilavastu, and He taught extensively all over India. This was the transformation-body He manifested. The Dharma He taught spread all over the world. This is the analogy of the “city” as far as matters are concerned.

His household was very wealthy: The reward-land where the Buddha’s reward-body lived is the home of the manifest Buddha. He is replete with 10,000 virtues, so the analogy used is that of immeasurable wealth. Thus it says that he was very wealthy.

“His household was very wealthy. His riches were immeasurable. His household was very wealthy” refers to the reward-land in which His reward-body dwelled. This place, the Saha World, was the place He had vowed to return to. He had not been led here by karmic forces; He came because of His vows. Thus the Buddha saw the Saha World as His reward-land. Because the Buddha made a great vow, to bequeath the Dharma to the world and could practice in accord with it, He Himself also returned to the Saha World lifetime after lifetime. He [manifested] a transformation-body here because this is His home; the Saha World is His home.

“He is replete with 10,000 virtues.” Every time He comes to the world, He is replete with the wealth that the world needs. The wealth we speak of is the Dharma, which He teaches in response to worldly phenomena. He enters the world and gives teachings according to worldly phenomena. Thus, the Saha World is where He manifests, where His great household is, where He makes use of His inexhaustible wisdom in order to transform sentient beings. So, He is replete with 10,000 virtues, exercising both compassion and wisdom. Only with virtue can one transform people, so virtues are compared to “immeasurable wealth.” Thus, it says that He is very wealthy.

His riches were immeasurable: This is an analogy for the Buddha’s merit and virtue and the flourishing of the Dharma that He teaches.

“His riches” are an analogy for the Buddha’s merit and virtue “and the flourishing Dharma that He teaches.” The Buddha had already accumulated much merit and virtue. The Dharma that He teaches is wonderful, vibrant; it is flourishing. There is nothing the Buddha cannot comprehend.

“The blessings and virtues of the Five Paramitas are referred to as wealth.” What are the wealth of blessings and virtues of the Five Paramitas? These are simply giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence and Samadhi

The blessings and virtues of the Five Paramitas are referred to as wealth: 1) Giving. Giving resources out of loving-kindness 2) Upholding the Buddha’s precepts. Being vigilant of actions, speech and thoughts 3) Patience. Being unwavering in the face of all things 4) Diligence. Persevering in all that is good 5) Samadhi. Settling the mind in one place.

Because giving teaches us to be compassionate, we will give material possessions. We must also uphold precepts. Only by upholding the precepts can we guard against wrongs and stop evil and thus avoid creating more afflictions and karma. So, we must be cautious. Upholding precepts is done through the Threefold Karma of our body, speech and mind. So, we must be careful when we speak, be cautious when we do things and take good care of our minds. Spiritual practice also requires patience. No matter what difficulties we face in interacting with people, matters and things, for the sake of sentient beings and our own spiritual cultivation, to awaken ourselves and others, we must remain patient. Our minds must remain unwavering, no matter what. We must not allow people, matters and things to cause our minds to waver.

Fourth is diligence. To persevere in all that is good also requires diligence. With diligence, we can eradicate all evils. In this way, “We refrain from all evil and do all that is good.” We must persevere in order to attain Samadhi. With Samadhi, our mind is stable; thus we can “abide in one place.” Where do we abide? We abide in a focused mind, in our pure intrinsic nature. Thus, the Buddha taught us these five practices so that we could benefit everyone. This is what we call “wealth.”

As for prajna-wisdom, which is pure wisdom, this is what we call “treasure”

The Buddha’s wealth is the blessings and virtues of the Five Paramitas. His treasure is prajna-wisdom. All these guiding teachings are contained in the Great Vehicle. Thus it is called immeasurable.

We normally speak of the Six Paramitas. Here, “The Five Paramitas are His wealth,” and the last, “wisdom,” is His treasure [Wealth] is what we use in dealing with the world. Wisdom is inherently within us, our pure Buddha-nature; this is our “treasure. All these guiding teachings are contained in the Great Vehicle.” To guide everyone, the Buddha used many methods. Whether the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence or the Six Paramitas, all of these guide us to realize the Dharma so we can exercise the power of love to serve others. These all lead to the Great Vehicle, thus it is immeasurable. There is much that we must do, thus there are many methods we can apply.

Gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass and pearls are the seven treasures that are analogies for the abundance of the Buddha’s Seven Noble Treasures.

Gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass and pearls are the Seven Treasures. Aren’t there seven of them? These kinds of wealth represent the Seven Noble Treasures. Just two days ago we discussed how, from “faith” we must give rise to “diligence, remorse” and so on.

The Seven Noble Treasures: Faith, diligence, upholding precepts, remorse, renunciation, patience, and Samadhi and wisdom

The Seven Noble Treasures are likened to gold, silver, crystal, coral, amber, glass and pearls. “Glass” is probably crystal. All these are considered treasures by people in this world. Actually, the Buddha-Dharma uses these things that people have great attachment to to turn their [thinking] around, so thoughts of greed turn into thoughts of giving. If we want to give, we must build up our inner wealth. Our inner wealth is the treasure of the Dharma. So, we must have the treasure of the Dharma; we must have an abundance of the Seven Noble Treasures. This is a kind of analogy using what worldly people love most; what we spiritual practitioners love most are the Seven Noble Treasures, the Six Paramitas or the Five Paramitas; these are our wealth and treasures.

A warehouse is a place of storage. This means he has conditioned merits and virtues that can nurture wisdom-life.

It is like the field in our minds. We must quickly and earnestly cultivate the field in our minds, so we must sow seeds. If we cultivate the field but do not sow seeds, that piece of land will remain empty. So, engaging in spiritual practice is not enough; we must also benefit others in the world. This creates “conditioned merits and virtues.” These “conditioned merits and virtues” help us nurture our wisdom-life.

His vaults: they refer to unconditioned merits and virtues that bring peace to the Dharma-body.

As for “vaults,” they refer to “unconditioned merits and virtues that bring peace to the Dharma-body.”

“Unconditioned merits and virtues” means we must do more than just act and then store this in the eighth consciousness; we must also store this in the ninth consciousness so as to make use of this and awaken our ninth consciousness, our pure nature of True Suchness. This will “bring peace to the Dharma-body.”

Which were filled to overflowing: When the inside is stuffed, it is called filled Spilling over to the outside, it is overflowing. This is an analogy for the Buddha’s virtues, which are overflowing with perfection.

In “filled to overflowing, filled” means that the inside is stuffed. It is already very full. There are many warehouse and vaults, and there is so much in these warehouse and vaults that they cannot contain it all, so things have spilled over to the outside. This signifies that the Buddha’s virtues are perfect; they are “overflowing with perfection.” This means that in addition to benefiting Himself, He also benefited others. With the Dharma He had understood so well, He delivered Himself and also others. This was what the Buddha did after realizing the truths of all things in the universe. For many kalpas, a very long period of time, He pervaded all the Dharma-realms. The Buddha’s virtue and wisdom permeated the universe and all Dharma-realms. “Though the universe has bounds, His vows were boundless.” This demonstrates the power of the Buddha’s vows. By putting such great vows into practice. His virtues were just as great. So, “The Buddha’s virtues are overflowing with perfection.” They already have pervaded the universe and all Dharma-realms; the Buddha’s virtues exist everywhere. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 743 – Returning from the Illusory to the True

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>> Human life is like a play, and we are also like travelers merely passing through. We are just temporary names and appearances, pulled along by affinities and retributions. Fathers love and hold on to their children; when the affinities end, they still cling. Passion is a rope that binds us; foolish love becomes delusion.

>> Seeking food and clothing: The hardships of poverty are the lack of food and clothing. This is an analogy for how the afflictions of birth and death pressure us so that we seek to be liberated.

>> The Seven Noble Treasures: Faith, diligence, upholding precepts, remorse, renunciation, patience, and Samadhi and wisdom.

>> Until eventually in his wanderings: This is an analogy for our initial enlightenment. From our innate enlightenment, the mind’s source, the illusory has arisen from the true. Returning to the true from the illusory is what is called initial enlightenment.

>> The cause is gradual permeation over a long period. With listening and contemplation, we attain wisdom and gradually give rise to goodness; this is called initial enlightenment.

>> Still small：Abandoning his father and running away while still small is an analogy for turning one’s back on the true and following the illusory.

>> Or even 50 years: He found himself back in his homeland. This is an analogy for turning away from the illusory and returning to the true.

>> “So, His father had first come here searching for but never finding his son and had taken up residence in a certain city.”  [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> This is an analogy for how the Buddha originally taught the Great Vehicle to the disciples, hoping to find them in the Great Vehicle. He was unable to do so, so He responded by manifesting in the Three Realms.

>> His father: An analogy for the Buddha who, in His compassion, would not abandon sentient beings. Had first come here: The Buddha, thinking of sentient beings, came and went throughout the Three Realms, manifesting arising and ceasing. So, He had been here a long time.

>> Through the intrinsic and the manifest, the Buddha revealed His transformation-body. Though He had first come to guide this generation of sentient beings and teach the heart of the Great [Vehicle], sentient beings themselves retreated, descending into the flow of cyclic existence in the Six Realms. Thus it says searching for his son yet never finding him.

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“Human life is like a play, and we are also like travelers merely passing through.
We are just temporary names and appearances, pulled along by affinities and retributions.
Fathers love and hold on to their children; when the affinities end, they still cling.
Passion is a rope that binds us; foolish love becomes delusion.”

This is what makes us unenlightened beings; we do not understand the truth of life. Every time we come to this world we stay for only a few decades. We toil our lives away and, throughout this process, endlessly accumulate many afflictive emotions. Life is like a play performed on stage. Some people put on an exciting performance, strong and intense. Some people’s dramas teach us about life. Some people are vicious and violent; their plays are hair-raising dramas. However, the show must always come to an end.

Life is just like a play; we do not know how long it will last. It is as if we are just travelers passing through. Some people rush about busily; other people linger and are reluctant to move on. But no matter what, they are still travelers [passing through] this world. “Traveler” is just a label, and “a play upon a stage” is a label also. In the performances we see on stage, we can see every kind of role, but all of those roles are labels. Some are labeled “parents.” Some are labeled “lovers.” Some are labeled “children.” Some are “relatives”; each person has a different label, and we differentiate them accordingly. Just like that, under certain causes and conditions, we come to know each other and are pulled on stage to play a very important role in each other’s lives. This happens because we are “pulled along by affinities and retributions.”

But when our affinities end, we part ways. Whether the parting is in life or by death, the suffering is always unbearable. This is how life is; we use the ropes of passion to bind ourselves, so we become endlessly entangled in them. Thus, “Foolish love becomes delusion.”

In the Buddhist sutras, there is a story. During the Buddha’s lifetime, there was an elder in the city of Rajagrha. In his old age, he had a son, who was adorable. When his son was seven, though not ill or in pain, one day he suddenly stopped breathing and passed away. The father’s pain was so excruciating that he cried until he fainted, and when he awoke again he continued holding his child and crying.

Several days went by, and still he held on to his son. He refused to let him go. Later, although he clung tightly to the child, his family and friends pulled the child away to be buried. The father was devastated. He searched high and low for his son.

One day he arrived at a monastery where he saw brahmacarins engaged in spiritual practice. He went to them and asked how to find his son again. The brahmacarins did not know how to help him so they told him, “Leave and head south. Keep walking until you reach a river. There is an island in the middle of the river. In that place, several immortals pass through every year, to stay there briefly. If you want to find your son, when the king of hell passes through there, go and ask him about your son.”

This father actually made it to that place and found Yama, the king of hell. He said, “King Yama, I want my son. Give me back my son.” The king of hell said, “Over there is a playground. There are many children there; look for him among them. If he wants to return with you, then you can take him back.”

Thus, he walked on. Sure enough, there was a playground. Recognizing his child, he rushed to grab his hand, saying, “Come on, let’s go home.” The child looked at his father and brushed off his hand; he looked very angry. With this enraged expression, he said, “Father! You foolish old man! I was just a traveler passing through your home. I will have another set of parents in the future. Where is it that you’re trying take me?” With that, he pushed him aside and ran away.

“My child will not return with me. Where should I, this foolish old man, go now?” Then he thought, “I often hear people say there is a Buddha now, and He grants whatever people ask for. I should go find the Buddha.” He turned around and began looking for the Buddha’s abode at Jeta Grove.

When he saw the Buddha, he told Him what was on his mind. The Buddha said to him, “Indeed you are a foolish old man! We are all like travelers passing through. We come to this world because of our karmic conditions. Brought here by karma, the length of our stay depends on conditions we created in past lives. When affinities end, conditions disperse and cease. Once that happens, this leg of our journey is at an end. We ordinary people come and go in this world as we continue this journey. Because of foolishness like this, because of your cravings and attachments, the karma you create continues to increase while you ignore the consequences; this kind of pursuit will only end in suffering.” The Buddha then analyzed for him [the truths of] suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. For this foolish old man who could not bring his son back, He explained the Four Noble Truths. Finally, the man clearly understood. Thus, he began to come to his senses.

This is the reality of life. The Buddha tirelessly continues to give teachings, but we remain in this same state, leaving behind our pure intrinsic Buddha-nature and becoming lost in the Five Realms.

The previous analogy describes the state of unenlightened beings, who experience the Five Realms and four forms of birth. Now, we have come in contact with the Dharma, so from now on it is time for us to seek the Dharma. The sutra continues by stating, “He roved in all directions seeking food and clothing.” He only sought to survive, to have clothes to wear when it is cold and food to eat when he was hungry.

Seeking food and clothing: The hardships of poverty are the lack of food and clothing. This is an analogy for how the afflictions of birth and death pressure us so that we seek to be liberated.

So, he was “seeking food and clothing, until eventually in his wanderings he found himself back in his homeland. His father had first come here, searching for but never finding his son.” Subhuti and the others described [the son as] experiencing “the hardships of poverty.” He was trapped, as if he were bound by ropes; the poverty he was in was a total lack of clothes to wear and food to eat. This is an analogy for the [afflictions of] birth and death. Now, we need to seek the ability to come and go freely and to eliminate our many kinds of afflictions so we return to the world on our vows. Returning on our vows means we hope to go among people to transform them. This kind of cyclic existence is free of afflictions. But presently we still undergo a cyclic existence where we experience many afflictions. So, when it comes to birth and death, we are still very afflicted and afraid. We still have not taken the Dharma to heart. How do we leave this world? How do we come back? This is all arranged by our karma. Thus, we still feel afflicted. This is an analogy for how the afflictions of birth and death pressure us. When we develop an illness, don’t we become worried? But nothing can be done.

So, why is it that we need to take such good care of our lives? In order to benefit people. In order to benefit people, we must seek the Buddha-Dharma and take good care of our lives. When we are healthy, we should take advantage of our good health, energetic spirit and our physical strength to do things and to take the Buddha-Dharma to heart so we can understand the principles. We must [apply] the Dharma of the Seven Noble Treasures. We must make an effort to be diligent. We must earnestly put our hearts into developing our faith. We must be capable of remorse and patience. We must learn to be patient in our interactions and to go among people without allowing them to influence us, to disturb our Right Mindfulness.

The Seven Noble Treasures: Faith, diligence, upholding precepts, remorse, renunciation, patience, and Samadhi and wisdom.

These are what we need to cultivate. So, seeking food and clothing is [an analogy for] seeking these teachings. We must enrich ourselves with the Seven Noble Treasures, or we will remain in a state where, “The afflictions of birth and death pressure us.” Now that we have the causes and conditions to accept the Dharma, we need to promptly take it to heart. Then, “eventually in [our] wanderings….”

“Eventually in his wanderings” refers to how, as we go through Six Realms, the four kinds of birth and the Five Destinies, our causes and conditions gradually mature

Until eventually in his wanderings: This is an analogy for our initial enlightenment. From our innate enlightenment, the mind’s source, the illusory has arisen from the true. Returning to the true from the illusory is what is called initial enlightenment.

“Until eventually in his wanderings” is an analogy for “initial enlightenment.” In every person there is “innate enlightenment, the mind’s source.” Then, “The illusory has arisen from the true.” From our nature of True Suchness, we gradually gave rise to illusory thoughts; that is, we unceasingly accumulated afflictions from external sources, so that from our nature of True Suchness we began giving rise to afflictions and ignorance.

“Returning to the true from the illusory” is called “initial enlightenment.” By correcting our habitual tendencies and eliminating our afflictions, we will gradually return to our “innate enlightenment.” So, not yet having reached that state means we are still engaging in spiritual practice and that we have begun to draw near that road that leads home. This is “initial enlightenment”

The cause is gradual permeation over a long period. With listening and contemplation, we attain wisdom and gradually give rise to goodness; this is called initial enlightenment.

“The cause is gradual permeation.” The road of spiritual practice is not easy to walk. We must undergo a very long period of continuous permeation by the Buddha-Dharma. So, when we listen to the Dharma, we must certainly be mindful. We must listen, contemplate and practice in order to attain wisdom. With impartial wisdom, we can realize how the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in nature]. This is a sign that our minds have become more in line with the Buddha’s. Thus we “gradually give rise to goodness; this is called initial enlightenment.”

After we have begun our spiritual cultivation, we should avoid taking issue with people and correct our own habitual tendencies. We are the ones who need to change. We are the ones who must engage in practice. So, by being more accommodating of others, our minds will come to encompass the universe. Thus we gradually give rise to goodness. Nurturing thoughts of goodness in our minds is called “initial enlightenment.” We gradually stop creating the karma of the Ten Evils and create more karma of the Ten Good Deeds. This is what is meant by “gradually”; this is “initial enlightenment”

He found himself back in his homeland: The homeland is our innate enlightenment. All sentient beings have a pure nature. That which transcends all illusory thoughts is what is known as innate enlightenment.

In, “He found himself back in his homeland, homeland” means “innate enlightenment”; it refers to our intrinsic nature, the awakened nature for attaining Buddhahood that we all possess. So, “All sentient beings have a pure nature.” Everyone’s intrinsic nature is pure. But it is due to later influences, our encounters with worldly matters, that we delude our minds. As we engage in spiritual practice, we must “transcend all illusory thoughts,” all of those confused thoughts. Life is like a play, and we are also like passing travelers. We should be very clear on this. As we interact with people, we must not give rise to improper or illusory thoughts. We must transcend these illusory thoughts to gradually return to our innate enlightenment. Our pure nature is our innate enlightenment.

Initial enlightenment is gradual advancement. The gradual advancement in the direction of supreme enlightenment. This is finding oneself back in one’s homeland.

When it comes to the things we understand and the good deeds we do, we must continue to add more. We must strengthen our spiritual aspirations and must never give up on doing good deeds. So, listening to teachings and doing good deeds are the foundation for [cultivating] the Seven Noble Treasures. “Initial enlightenment is the gradual advancement in the direction of supreme enlightenment. Supreme enlightenment” is our innate enlightenment. This is called “finding oneself back in one’s homeland.” Gradually, we have begun to draw closer to our original, pure Buddha-nature.

Still small：Abandoning his father and running away while still small is an analogy for turning one’s back on the true and following the illusory.

Next in our passages is, “Abandoning his father and running away while still small is an analogy for turning one’s back on the true and following the illusory.”

Subhuti and the others used this analogy to talk about their past. For a very long period of time, they experienced the Five Destinies and the four forms of birth. Only with great difficulty were they able to follow the Buddha in spiritual practice, yet they remained attached to the Small Vehicle. So, “abandoning the father and running away” means they “turned their backs on the true and followed the illusory.” In fact, they had turned their backs [on the true] and turned towards illusory thoughts and followed the illusory appearances of the world. In the Five Destinies and as the four kinds of beings, they “turned [their] back on the true and followed the illusory.”

How long had this been going on? They spent “50 years,” which refers to the good and evil realms. Gradually, they developed the opportunity to turn toward the Buddha, to begin “turning away from the illusory and returning to the true.”

Or even 50 years: He found himself back in his homeland. This is an analogy for turning away from the illusory and returning to the true.

Thus “finding themselves back in their homeland” means they now understood that these things were not real. They had spent entire lifetimes in the Six Realms creating all kinds of karma, karma for living in the Six Realms and as the four kinds of beings. Now they had come to know the truth. Gradually they came to know this, which is to say, they “turned away from the illusory and returned to the true.” They returned to their nature of True Suchness

“His father had first come here searching for but never finding his son and had taken up residence in a certain city.

The son had begun to gradually make his way back to his homeland. What about his father? After he left, his father continued to look for him. However, the father was already there [when the son arrived].

This is an analogy for how the Buddha originally taught the Great Vehicle to the disciples, hoping to find them in the Great Vehicle. He was unable to do so, so He responded by manifesting in the Three Realms.

This is an analogy for how the Buddha originally taught the children the Great Vehicle, hoping everyone could understand this Dharma. So, the Buddha had always abided in the Great Vehicle Dharma, had always abided in this city, but His disciples had no interest in the Great Vehicle Dharma. This is “searching for but never finding his son.” Therefore, He “responded by manifesting in the Three Realms.” The Buddha had to manifest in this world or in the Five Realms as one of the four kinds of beings. So, He appeared in the Three Realms to manifest these appearances.

His father: An analogy for the Buddha who, in His compassion, would not abandon sentient beings. Had first come here: The Buddha, thinking of sentient beings, came and went throughout the Three Realms, manifesting arising and ceasing. So, He had been here a long time.

Thus, “his father” is an analogy for the Buddha, who, “in His compassion, would not abandon sentient beings.” He “had first come here” because the Buddha, thinking of sentient beings, came and went throughout the Three Realms. It was for the sake of sentient beings that the. Buddha came and went through the Three Realms, steering the ship of compassion. Thus He manifested birth and death, arising and ceasing. He lived 80 years before entering Parinirvana; this was already a long time. He did not only do this in this one lifetime; it had been this way for many lifetimes. When karmic causes and conditions matured, in this lifetime He was Sakyamuni Buddha. He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood, of Parinirvana and so on in order to teach and guide us.

Through the intrinsic and the manifest, the Buddha revealed His transformation-body. Though He had first come to guide this generation of sentient beings and teach the heart of the Great [Vehicle], sentient beings themselves retreated, descending into the flow of cyclic existence in the Six Realms. Thus it says searching for his son yet never finding him.

Actually, with the Buddha’s intrinsic nature, He repeatedly returns to this world. But sentient beings could never comprehend this. This is “searching for but never finding his son.” Therefore, He had to reveal the “the intrinsic and the manifest” for us. He had “first come here” and had already been transforming and delivering these people for a very long time. His only hope was that everyone would form great aspirations. It was sentient beings who retreated on their own [As described] in the Chapter of Skillful Means, 5000 people paid their respects and left; they left of their own accord, to be lost in cyclic existence in the Six Realms. This is like “searching for but never finding his son.”

So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must truly be mindful. The Buddha [showed us] compassion and love, but unfortunately, due to one ignorant thought, we ended up transmigrating in the Six Realms. We chose to be like the foolish father, the ignorant old man. We must earnestly orient ourselves to our nature of True Suchness and gradually draw near it. We must always be mindful.

Episode 742 – Planting Seeds of Enlightenment

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>> The cause for the attainment of understanding is found first in their listening a long time ago. This is why they celebrated obtaining great benefit and attaining understanding. From recently listening to the extraordinary Dharma of the parables, they understood the Buddha’s intent and obtained the benefit of awakening.

>> “There was a person who, while still small and young, abandoned his father and ran away, living a long time in foreign lands, for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> For perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years: 10 is an analogy for the heaven realm. 20 is an analogy for the human realm. 50 is an analogy for the Five Realms.

>> “As he grew older in years, he suffered increasing poverty and hardship. He roved in all directions seeking food and clothing, until eventually in his wanderings he found himself back in his homeland.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> As he grew older in years: This is an analogy for the awakening of our original Great Vehicle aspirations. The Bodhicitta we gave rise to in the past, once planted in the eighth consciousness, remains forever as a seed of enlightenment. Thus, we will once again have the good karmic condition of meeting a Buddha. This is an analogy for our permeated nature.

>> The Nine Consciousnesses: Eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body- and mind-consciousness are the Six Consciousnesses. The seventh is the adana (manas) consciousness. The eighth is the alaya consciousness. The ninth is the amala consciousness.

>> He suffered increasing poverty and hardship: They had never cultivated impartial wisdom; lacking the Seven Noble Treasures, they were called poor.

>> The Seven Noble Treasures: Faith, diligence, upholding precepts, remorse, renunciation, patience, and Samadhi and wisdom. Because sentient beings do not treasure these, they are said to be in extreme poverty, and as they are burned by the Five Turbidities and Eight Sufferings, they are said to be in hardship.

>>He roved in all directions: Transmigrating among the four forms of birth is like rushing about on the treacherous path of birth, aging, illness and death.

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“The cause for the attainment of understanding is found first in their listening a long time ago.
This is why they celebrated obtaining great benefit and attaining understanding.
From recently listening to the extraordinary Dharma of the parables, they understood the Buddha’s intent and obtained the benefit of awakening.”

Actually, we are able to hear the Dharma now thanks to what we did in the past. We probably spent a long time planting [the seeds for] these karmic conditions. Only with the accumulation of these conditions do we now have the opportunity to be at the same spiritual practice center and thus engage in spiritual practice together, encounter the Buddha-Dharma together. And likewise, we are now beginning to listen to and share the most true and wondrous teachings of the Dharma.

This is all because, in our past lives, we were “listening a very long time ago.” A long, long time ago, we formed these causes and conditions so [now] we are able to “attain understanding. The cause for the attainment of understanding,” what allows us to listen and understand now, is the karmic causes and conditions that were created in distant past kalpas.

Since we have these causes and conditions, we should celebrate that we can “obtain great benefit and attain understanding.” It is because of past causes and conditions that we have the affinities to be able to gather together again now and listen to teachings from this sutra together. We should feel very happy at attaining this great benefit of listening to the teachings. For the same reason, Subhuti and the others were also very happy. Though for a long period of time in the past they did not understand the Great Vehicle Dharma, they now had complete faith and understanding. So, they told this parable. “From recently listening” means they had only recently heard these teachings. In fact, the Buddha had already been teaching for more than 40 years. They had listened to Him teach from the beginning, but it was not until the Lotus Dharma-assembly that they truly achieved great understanding.

In the past they all thought, “Looking after myself is good enough. The Buddha is teaching those who have great capabilities to form great aspirations, make great vows and practice the Bodhisattva-path; this has nothing to do with me.” Thus, they did not mindfully [listen] and their hearts were not inspired. Then, when the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, He began to teach directly to these disciples who were constantly by His side. According to their capabilities, He praised the wisdom of all past and present Buddhas and the intrinsic nature of True Suchness that everyone intrinsically possesses. He explained that everyone has the potential to attain Buddhahood. Then He bestowed His prediction upon Sariputra. This brought faith and great understanding; they deepened their faith and their realizations. They began to develop this confidence. So, this all happened “recently.” The Buddha-Dharma that they were listening to now was truly extraordinary Dharma. So, “They understood the Buddha’s intent”; they understood the mind of the Buddha.

At Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, there were those who had already become Buddhas and, out of compassion, had returned to this world as Bodhisattvas to set an example for others. There were also those like Maitreya Bodhisattva, who would attain Buddhahood in the future, who came to awaken and inspire people. In the Introductory Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Maitreya, who had not yet attained Buddhahood but would do so in the future, and Manjusri, who had already attained Buddhahood as Honorable Dragon King Buddha and had taught seven Buddhas in the past, engaged in a dialogue with each other. Look at how extraordinary the Lotus Sutra is! Many Bodhisattvas who were Buddhas in the past steered the ship of compassion back to this world to support Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly. This is all truly incredible.

Now, in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, four bhiksus that everyone knew and recognized, leaders of the Sangha, expressed how they had neglected the Buddha’s teachings in the past and how, though they were in their old age, they were nevertheless now inspired to form great aspirations. Because of the precious Dharma they heard in the Chapter on Parables, they now understood the Buddha’s intent and that all Buddhas share the same path. By forming aspirations now, they “obtained the benefit of awakening.” They began to form aspirations and put their heart into walking the Bodhisattva-path.

The previous passage states, “There was a person who, while still small and young, abandoned his father and ran away, living a long time in foreign lands, “for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”

“Small and young” refers to looking only at the surface of things, not really delving deeply into them; this is the cause. Thus this kind of mindset was likened to that of a young and mischievous child who had abandoned his father and wandered abroad for a long time. He stayed away a long time and did not come home. How long did this last? “For perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”

Do you remember which realm “10” is an analogy for? The heaven realm. With the Ten Good Deeds we are born in heaven. What about “20”? The human realm of good and evil. Practicing the Ten Good Deeds leads to heaven. Committing the Ten Evils leads to falling into the hell, hungry ghost or animal realm.

For perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years: 10 is an analogy for the heaven realm. 20 is an analogy for the human realm. 50 is an analogy for the Five Realms.

This is due to [our actions] in the human realm. Everything that happens depends on what we do with our bodies in this world. Every day we exist among the Five Aggregates, form, feeling, perception, action, consciousness; every one of these drives us to practice the Ten Good Deeds or the Ten evils. Therefore, in our daily living, we must always be very mindful!

The next passage states, “As he grew older in years, he suffered increasing poverty and hardship. He roved in all directions seeking food and clothing, until eventually in his wanderings he found himself back in his homeland.”

Over time, this person gradually advanced in age. This period of time spanned from when he was “small and young” and left home to when he was much older “50” years means he had experienced all kinds of hardship. Moreover, he was impoverished; he was already very poor. When we have no Dharma in our mind and it is filled with afflictions and ignorance, then we have truly fallen on hard times. He went everywhere, in “all directions”; “He roved in all directions.” He wandered about in all directions, “seeking food and clothing.” He only sought enough to eat for his next meal. “Until eventually in his wanderings,” with no place to live and no course to follow, he gradually headed back towards his homeland. Let us be mindful in listening to this passage.

As he grew older in years: This is an analogy for the awakening of our original Great Vehicle aspirations. The Bodhicitta we gave rise to in the past, once planted in the eighth consciousness, remains forever as a seed of enlightenment. Thus, we will once again have the good karmic condition of meeting a Buddha. This is an analogy for our permeated nature.

When it says, “He grew older in years,” it means that his original. Great Vehicle aspirations had awakened.  This “original Great Vehicle aspiration” is something we all already have; we all have it intrinsically. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. Now this Buddha-nature had begun to awaken. “The Bodhicitta we gave rise to in the past,” that sense of joy we felt upon seeing the Buddha, that Bodhicitta, had begun to stir inside.

It had already been “planted in the eighth consciousness.” We must understand this “eighth consciousness.” How many consciousnesses are there? When it comes to “consciousness,” most sutras only go up to the eighth one, but I have always emphasized to you that there are Nine Consciousnesses. The ninth consciousness is the enlightened consciousness of the Buddha, a pure and undefiled consciousness

The Nine Consciousnesses: Eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body- and mind-consciousness are the Six Consciousnesses. The seventh is the adana (manas) consciousness. The eighth is the alaya consciousness. The ninth is the amala consciousness.

Let us start at the beginning with the eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body- and mind-consciousness. These are known as the Six Consciousnesses. Whenever we interact with our external conditions, we always use our “body of the Five Aggregates.” When we use our Six Sense Organs to connect with our external conditions, we can either practice the Ten Good Deeds or commit the Ten Evils. After we take an action, it goes through the seventh consciousness, the adana consciousness. This seventh consciousness is continually cultivating and producing [seeds] in the fields of our minds, which causes us to do many kinds of things. The fruits of these actions, the good or evil fruits of the seeds planted, are stored in the eighth consciousness, and thus the eighth consciousness contains both good and evil [karma]. “We cannot take anything with us when we die; only our karma follows us to our next life.” According to the karmic causes and conditions stored in the eighth consciousness, we are reborn and face our retributions. Unenlightened people only make use of everything up to their eighth consciousness.

We have the opportunity to listen to the Dharma, to form aspirations and engage in spiritual practice. But though we engage in spiritual practice, understand the principles, have few desires and are content, our ignorance, afflictions and dust-like delusions have not yet been eliminated or cleansed. Thus, we are still in the state of the alaya consciousness. This is about as far as most of us go. If we can move forward and advance to the point where all of our afflictions are eliminated, we will be like Sariputra, Subhuti, Katyayana, Mahakasyapa and Maudgalyayana. They had completely eliminated their afflictions, and now they awakened their great aspirations, which had been “planted in the eighth consciousness.” Having worked through the sixth, seventh and eighth consciousnesses of ordinary people, their minds were now purified, so they began to awaken their great aspirations. They were drawing near the ninth consciousness. With their understanding, they would not become contaminated again. Thus it was “planted in the eighth consciousness,” this pure and undefiled ninth consciousness.

It “remains forever as a seed of enlightenment. Thus, we will once again have the good karmic condition of meeting a Buddha.” They were drawing near their ninth consciousness. In fact, this is true “wisdom of enlightenment.” The “seed of enlightenment” is wisdom. The wisdom of enlightenment, of all Dharma, the pure Buddha-wisdom; this is all undefiled wisdom. So, we will “once again meet a Buddha.” We already have the karmic conditions to draw near our nature of True Suchness. This is the analogy of “our permeated nature.” Though we have just begun to eliminate afflictions and have just begun to awaken, our nature has already been “permeated” [Having been] “permeated,” we have the chance to draw near our nature of True Suchness and realize the Buddha’s intent.

He suffered increasing poverty and hardship: They had never cultivated impartial wisdom; lacking the Seven Noble Treasures, they were called poor.

The [sutra passage states that], now he was already old, in his 50s; he went from his 20s to his 50s. “He suffered increasing poverty and hardship”. “He suffered increasing poverty and hardship.” This sutra explains that, “They had never cultivated impartial wisdom.” They had attained discerning wisdom, but not impartial wisdom,

in their spiritual cultivation. Everyone knows about discerning wisdom. We know that we should avoid doing this or that, but we are not yet treating all beings as equals. We still have not personally realized what the Buddha said, that everyone is able to attain Buddhahood. We still have not understood that everyone can become a Buddha. So, “They had never cultivated impartial wisdom.” Thus they lacked the Seven Noble Treasures.

The Seven Noble Treasures: Faith, diligence, upholding precepts, remorse, renunciation, patience, and Samadhi and wisdom. Because sentient beings do not treasure these, they are said to be in extreme poverty, and as they are burned by the Five Turbidities and Eight Sufferings, they are said to be in hardship.

What does it mean to lack the Seven Noble Treasures? It is when our “faith” is not deep, when we are not “diligent” enough, when we practice “upholding the precepts” but are not yet able to uphold the great precepts. As for “remorse,” in our spiritual practice in the past we did not yet feel remorse. While others diligently advanced, we stopped at [that limited state]. This is because we had not yet awakened; we did not yet feel remorse. When listening to the Dharma, we had not reached the stage of joyfully letting go. Perhaps we could not endure being among people, so we lacked patience. Thus our Samadhi and wisdom were insufficient. We are lacking these things.

If we really want to be replete with the Seven Noble Treasures, our faith must grow deeper, and we must be fearless in our diligence. We must courageously advance and directly go among people to widely transform them without being contaminated by their afflictions. This is true diligence. We must uphold the precepts; even though we are in the “mud,” in the evil world of Five Turbidities, we will not be afraid. Thus, we can enter this evil world without being contaminated by its impurities. This is truly the flawless upholding of precepts. This is also a treasure, that of precepts.

Next, we must always have that sense of remorse. To protect ourselves, we must keep a clear conscience and be humble toward others. We should constantly protect ourselves by not giving rise to desires and anger in response to our external conditions. We should constantly minimize our ego and treat others with respect; all of this comes from a sense of remorse. This is also a noble treasure. When we listen to the Dharma, we must be mindful. After we listen, we must joyfully let go so we can give and create blessings for the world. This is also a treasure. Only by taking the Dharma to heart can we develop “patience.” When we are among myriad sentient beings, we must be able to be patient. As we engage in spiritual practice among people, everyone has different habitual tendencies. We must have a open heart and pure thoughts and be understanding and accommodating in order to not become indolent as we interact with people. This is why patience is necessary. It is another treasure that we cultivate. Then we are able to attain Samadhi and wisdom. With precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, the Three Flawless Studies, we will not retreat from our spiritual aspirations. These are the Seven Noble Treasures.

Subhuti and the others openly repented that they were not mindful of these seven treasures. Therefore, their Root of Faith was not deep, and they were not thorough in their diligence. Without thoroughly cultivating the Three Flawless Studies, they only looked after themselves, eliminating their own afflictions and not looking after other people. Lacking these qualities, they were considered impoverished. They lacked the Seven Noble Treasures. These noble treasures are methods, so they lacked methods of attaining Buddhahood. “Because sentient beings do not treasure them….” These sentient beings did not resolve to treasure them, so their spiritual cultivation was lacking. They lacked this because they avoided it. So, previously they had said, “We grew weary of listening to the teachings.” They had listened to the Dharma for a long time, and they had become tired. Thus, they were not diligent. When it came to transforming sentient beings, they felt no joy; no joy arose in them. Thus, “They are said to be in extreme poverty.”

Experiencing the Five Turbidities and Eight Sufferings is called hardship. Trapped in this evil world of Five Turbidities, they faced the Eight Sufferings because they were lacking the Seven Noble Treasures. Because of this, “[The son] roved in all directions seeking food and clothing,” He ran around in all directions, seeking only enough for a single meal. This is like transmigrating among the four forms of birth. “He roved in all directions” means going through the four forms of birth. The four forms of birth are egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born and transformation-born [We are all] living this way. Through the four forms of birth, through the cycle of birth and death, we transmigrate in the Six Realms. Thus, we have already experienced many times birth, aging, illness and death in this hazardous world, full of traps.

He roved in all directions: Transmigrating among the four forms of birth is like rushing about on the treacherous path of birth, aging, illness and death.

Therefore, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we must be mindful. Spiritual cultivation is the result of karmic conditions we cultivated over many kalpas. Let us make the best use of them so that, sometime in the distant future, the day will come when we attain Buddhahood. We must use these treasures, this wealth and abundance of Dharma, to nurture our wisdom-life. We must always be mindful.

Episode 741 – Abandoning Our Father to Stay in the Three Realms

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>> With the accumulation of karma, we will experience rebirth in the Five Destinies. Ignorance keeps us trapped in the Three Realms. With good and evil [karma], we rise and fall with no stability. In a flash, with one thought, the Five Aggregates are set in motion at once, altogether resulting in 50 evils.

“There was a person who, while still small and young, abandoned his father and ran away, living a long time in foreign lands, for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> The father is an analogy for the Tathagata’s reward-body. In the presence of 20,000 Buddhas past, we were taught the supreme path, so the father-child relationship was established. After the Buddha’s reward-body had ceased the work of transforming beings, we retreated from our great aspirations and were influenced by limited teachings. This is the meaning of abandoning the father.

>> [He] ran away: Running away means covering oneself in ignorance and following cyclic existence in the Six Destinies. It means deviating from the teacher’s teachings while indulging in one’s own desires. It is turning one’s back on awakening to meet with objects of desire.

>> Living a long time in foreign lands: This is an analogy for retreating to and wandering in cyclic existence in the Three Realms. We transmigrate through the Three Realms and the Five Destinies and do not peacefully abide in. Great Vehicle aspirations to purify the lands of the Buddha.>> For perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years: 10 years is an analogy for the heaven realm 20 years is an analogy for the human realm 50 years is an analogy for the Five Destinies

>> Sentient beings create countless varied karma. Thus, We experience rebirth in the Five Destinies; we constantly rise and fall in the Three Realms with no stability. The thoughts of all Buddhas are constantly with sentient beings. However, The thoughts of sentient beings are not with the Buddhas. Thus, they abandon the father and run away.

>> Some ask: When the Buddha left His work of transformation, sentient beings gave rise to delusions. So, it was the father who left his children. Then why does it say that it was the children who abandoned their father? Answer: The Buddha transformed and delivered according to the conditions of the world. Because sentient beings did not respond by accepting and applying [the Dharma], the Buddha’s conditions for responding to the world were extinguished. Thus, it was the children who abandoned their father.

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“With the accumulation of karma, we will experience rebirth in the Five Destinies.
Ignorance keeps us trapped in the Three Realms.
With good and evil [karma], we rise and fall with no stability.
In a flash, with one thought,
the Five Aggregates are set in motion at once,
altogether resulting in 50 evils.”

In this life, our minds are constantly fluctuating. Let us reflect on ourselves and assess what it is we are thinking about each day. Everything we do, the thoughts we give rise to and the karma we create, continuously accumulates over time. If we were to divide our karma into good and bad, in the end, would we have more good karma or would we have more bad karma? The different kinds of karma we have accumulated have led us to experience rebirth in the Five Destinies.

The Five Destinies are the heaven realm, the human realm, and the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. Altogether, these comprise the Five Destinies and are inseparable from the karma we have created. When our karma is categorized into good and bad, we can see the conditions we have for entering one of the Five Destinies. This is how unenlightened beings transmigrate among the Five Destinies.

This is because of ignorance. Ignorance keeps us in the desire realm, amidst our desirous thoughts. When we give rise to desirous thoughts and have desires for everything, one deluded thought will give rise to the Three Subtleties, [and elicit] greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance and doubt. Moreover, we also have dust-like delusions; within our minds there are still many subtle delusions, like grains of sand. It is for this reason that we remain in the Three Realms.

This all comes down to good and evil. So, we can be born in the heaven realm to enjoy heavenly blessings because we created much blessed karma as humans. However, once we deplete our blessings, we still fall into one of the other four realms, the human, hell, hungry ghost or animal realm. Therefore, with good and evil karma, we rise and fall [between the realms]. Being born in heaven does not mean that we will be able to remain there forever. Once we deplete our blessings, we will fall again.

“In a flash, with one thought….” Goodness or evil leads us to rise or fall in an instant. A person might have been good friends with you, but then someone asked him, “Why are you so close to that person?” He says, “Because that is my good friend. Really? Well one time I heard him say that you did this or that to him though he did so many nice things for you,” etc. Hearing this, in the instant of a thought, that person forms an aversion towards his good friend. From then on he feels resentment and hatred. Though the two of you had a good relationship, after hearing only a few sentences, his mind changes in a flash. Likewise, people who were doing good deeds may, because of a few critical comments, change their mindset, stop doing good and start committing evils. All of this happens in an instant, in the span of a single thought. This is why I say that we must take good care of our minds.

“The Five Aggregates are set into motion at once.” We all know the Five Aggregates of form, feeling, perception, action and consciousness. These are the Five Aggregates. When a thought of goodness arises, with our [physical] “form” we do good deeds; we put the Ten Good Deeds into practice. If we allow an evil thought to arise, with this same [physical] form, with our body, we commit the Ten Evils. Thus, when one thought stirs, one aggregate leads to one of these sets of Ten. This is so, whether it is “form” or “feeling.” I may be feeling happy. Benefiting others feels great. But if an evil thought stirs, “Why do I have to give to others? Why should I let others take advantage of me?” when this evil thought stirs, this feeling also leads us to commit the Ten Evils.

In summary, when it comes to good and evil, if a good thought stirs, the Five Aggregates are oriented toward goodness, and if an evil thought stirs, the Five Aggregates are oriented toward evil. Therefore, these Five Aggregates result in 50 good deeds or 50 evils. This depends on our minds.

Thus, we must earnestly learn the Buddha’s Way. We must know that we have to constantly observe our minds carefully. In our minds, our innate enlightenment is considered the “father.” This is an analogy for something we intrinsically have in our minds; we intrinsically have a nature of True Suchness. This is like a father, something we all have. Then “initial enlightenment” is like a seed. But if we “turn our backs on awakening,” rejecting our innate enlightenment, we will give rise to ignorance. When ignorance arises instead of enlightenment, this means we are not awakened. Not awakening is like “abandoning our father”; we cannot see our original, intrinsic nature, nor our own innate enlightenment.

So, as the previous sutra passage states, “There was a person who, while still small and young, abandoned his father and ran away, living a long time in foreign lands, for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”

This is an analogy for how, although we form a spiritual aspiration, our will to practice may not be very mature. Sometimes our initial aspirations, when they go up against external challenges, are quickly wiped out. If our spiritual practice is limited only to our own immediate situation, we are like a seed that stopped just after sprouting into a tree. Like a small tree, it is still unable to be healthy and strong. It is still immature. It is for this reason that it is described as “young and small”

“[He] abandoned his father and ran away” describes the way we humans are. When we are undisciplined and desire to have fun, we leave our home and do not think of returning. Once we leave, we do not know the way back home. Thus, “living a long time in foreign lands, for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”

The father is an analogy for the Tathagata’s reward-body. In the presence of 20,000 Buddhas past, we were taught the supreme path, so the father-child relationship was established. After the Buddha’s reward-body had ceased the work of transforming beings, we retreated from our great aspirations and were influenced by limited teachings. This is the meaning of abandoning the father.

Next we will talk about this passage. The father is an analogy for the Tathagata’s reward-body. In the presence of 20,000 Buddhas past, we were taught the supreme path, so the father-child relationship was established. After the Buddha’s reward-body had ceased the work of transforming beings, we retreated from our great aspirations and were influenced by limited teachings. This is the meaning of “abandoning the father.”

Yesterday, we talked about “abandoning the father” [The father] is an analogy for the Tathagata’s reward-body. The Buddha has three bodies, the Dharma-body, the transformation-body and the reward-body. He manifests the transformation-body in the human realm. This reward-body is a response to the maturing of causes and conditions in this world. Thus, He descended from Tusita Heaven into the palace and manifested in this world; he used the Eight Aspects of Attaining Buddhahood to transform sentient beings. In response to the maturation of causes and conditions in the world, the Buddha came here to be born. So, He came to the world in His reward-body.

As we saw in the Introductory Chapter, there were Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiant Buddhas, 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiant Buddhas. Sharing the same name, these 20,000 Buddhas manifested in this world. For one Buddha to manifest is a rare occasion, so for 20,000 Buddhas to come to the world, we can see that this time was truly very long. Over that lengthy period of time, the present Tathagata, the reward-body in this world, Sakyamuni Buddha, had already engaged in spiritual practice in the presence of those 20,000 Buddhas. After each Buddha’s lifetime, after listening to the Dharma, he would respond to the need to go among people and likewise expound the Dharma. Bodhisattvas must be like Buddhas and steer the ship of compassion back to this world, life after life. Thus they walk the Bodhisattva-path and form affinities with many sentient beings. This is how he [practiced] with 20,000 Buddhas. During this whole time, he lived among the people, teaching and transforming them.

For these past 2000-plus years, although we say the Buddha entered Parinirvana, He has not abandoned sentient beings. There is no telling how many tens of lifetimes He has spent in the human realm or how many hundreds in the Six Realms in order to teach and guide us. So many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifested transformation-bodies in this world; they do this life after life. Sakyamuni Buddha has been in this world for countless lifetimes, an incalculable number. He has lived through the lifetimes of so many Buddhas; He appeared in a transformation-body in each of those lifetimes to teach us. Thus, “The father-child relationship was established.” Perhaps in the past we have been. Sakyamuni Buddha’s parents. Perhaps we have also been. Sakyamuni Buddha’s children or grandchildren. He made use of different causes and conditions to save us. Thus, the father-child relationship is used as a simple analogy for the closeness of this connection.

So, “After the Buddha’s reward-body had ceased the work of transforming beings….” More than 2000 years ago, His conditions for transformation ended, so He entered Parinirvana. Sentient beings from that time until now have “retreated from [their] great aspirations and been influenced by limited teachings.” After the Buddha left this world then, when He returns to this world, we have lost the great aspirations we once formed and started from the Small [Vehicle] again. This is “abandoning the father” [It means] we have abandoned our intrinsic nature of True Suchness again; therefore, we have to rediscover our innate enlightenment.

Thus, we always say that life is painfully short. Before our spiritual practice is complete, impermanence strikes at some point, and we stop halfway. Then when we are reborn, we must begin all over again, as we are once again covered by delusion. This goes on, lifetime after lifetime. So, I hope everyone [seizes] this lifetime; if we do not transform ourselves in this life, in which life will we transform ourselves? So, we must take good care of our minds, otherwise we will constantly be “running away” and turning our backs on our innate enlightenment. Thus, we run away “and cover ourselves in ignorance”

[He] ran away: Running away means covering oneself in ignorance and following cyclic existence in the Six Destinies. It means deviating from the teacher’s teachings while indulging in one’s own desires. It is turning one’s back on awakening to meet with objects of desire.

We originally had a pure nature of True Suchness, but we continually gave rise to ignorance, covering our pure Buddha-nature. This is “running away.” This is turning our backs on awakening and walking further and further away. Where are we heading? To “follow cyclic existence in the Six Destinies.”

We still experience cyclic existence in the Six Destinies because we have turned our backs on awakening to meet with objects of desire. Because of this, we become muddled in ignorance, so everything we do is done out of ignorance. This is “running away,” far away [from the right course]. So, we “deviate from the teacher’s teachings” while “indulging in our own desires.” We simply pursue our hearts’ desires. “I do what I want; whatever I want to do, I just go do it.” In this way, we “turn [our] backs on awakening” and “meet with objects of desire.” We are thus entangled in ignorance once again.

When we “turn our backs on awakening and meet with objects of desire” we go against the teachings and commit mistaken actions, so we end up “living for a long time in foreign lands.” We remain forever outside our home.

Living a long time in foreign lands: This is an analogy for retreating to and wandering in cyclic existence in the Three Realms. We transmigrate through the Three Realms and the Five Destinies and do not peacefully abide in. Great Vehicle aspirations to purify the lands of the Buddha.

From the time this person was young, he left his family. He did not know how to come back. He spent decades wandering about, suffering many hardships and becoming filled with afflictions and defilements. This kind of life is an analogy for how we have left our home and abandoned our father and are thus wandering around in cyclic existence in the Three Reams; we are transmigrating in the Five Destinies. We wander through the Three Realms, trapped by our ignorance and afflictions. We have no control over this; we cannot peacefully abide in. Great Vehicle aspirations to purify Buddha-lands.

Therefore, the Buddha constantly emphasized that He was simply teaching us how to rediscover our innate enlightenment, how to find our pure nature again. If we want to find our innate enlightenment, the only way is to earnestly practice the Great Vehicle Dharma among people, without becoming negatively influenced by interpersonal conflicts. Thus, our essence, our intrinsic nature can remain in a state of true purity. This means it is very healthy.

The next lines mention how long this person had been wandering, “for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years”

For perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years: 10 years is an analogy for the heaven realm 20 years is an analogy for the human realm 50 years is an analogy for the Five Destinies

“10” refers to the heaven realm; to be there we must practice the Ten Good Deeds. When a thought of goodness stirs, we practice the Ten Good Deeds and are then born in the heaven realm. In heaven, after we deplete our blessings, we will fall again into the other four realms. In the human realm, the rise and fall of good and evil [thoughts] occur within the workings of the Five Aggregates, form, feeling, perception, action and consciousness. When a single thought of evil arises within us, our “form” is replete with the ten kinds of evils. Thus, the Five Skandhas give rise to 50 Evils.

So, regarding form, feeling, perception, action and consciousness, the Five Aggregates, if we open our minds and see that all are empty, then “The Five Aggregates are all empty”; we will not take issue over anything. Once we stop taking issue over things, we will not give rise to interpersonal conflicts. If our minds are open and our thoughts pure, this gives rise to 50 good deeds. So, this is where spiritual practice takes place. It is inseparable from the Five Aggregates

“Sentient beings create countless varied karma.” Thus, “We experience rebirth in the Five Destinies”; we constantly rise and fall in the Three Realms with no stability. “The thoughts of all Buddhas are constantly with sentient beings.” However, “The thoughts of sentient beings are not with the Buddhas.” Thus, they “abandon the father and run away.”

Some people say that, “The father abandoned His work of transformation” meaning that after [the Buddha] left the world sentient beings gave rise to delusions, so we should say that the father left his children. They mean that the father left his children, because the Buddha left the world after. His conditions for transformation ended. We should say that the father left his children. So, why did Subhuti say that they “abandoned the father and ran away”? The answer is that the Buddha transforms in response to conditions; it was sentient beings that were not being earnest


Some ask: When the Buddha left His work of transformation, sentient beings gave rise to delusions. So, it was the father who left his children. Then why does it say that it was the children who abandoned their father? Answer: The Buddha transformed and delivered according to the conditions of the world. Because sentient beings did not respond by accepting and applying [the Dharma], the Buddha’s conditions for responding to the world were extinguished. Thus, it was the children who abandoned their father.

I recall telling you that the Buddha once said to Ananda, “As long as sentient beings feel a need, the Buddha can abide here for an entire kalpa. But if sentient beings do not feel a need, His lifespan will last 80 years.” But Ananda did not promptly urge the Buddha to remain in this world. The Buddha continued to ask, “Do sentient beings need the Buddha to remain in the world?” He asked thrice, but Ananda gave no response. Thus, the Buddha said, “If this is so, I will stay for only 80 years.”

Later on, Kasyapa asked, “Ananda, when the Buddha said this to you, why did you not urge Him to remain in the world?” Ananda replied, “Because when I heard Him say that He could abide here for an entire kalpa, I was overjoyed. All I wanted to tell Him was that of course sentient beings needed Him. But it felt as if I was held back by a demon. I could not give the response I wanted.” This was because sentient beings did not feel a need for the Buddha to remain. “Thus, it was the children who abandoned their father.”

In conclusion, we have left the seed of our innate enlightenment behind. If our seed begins to grow but we are still small and young, that is just our initial aspiration. That resolve has not yet matured. I hope that we will all be mindful of this precious Buddha-Dharma. “An ignorant thought creates the Three Subtleties. External states lead to the Six Coarse Marks.” When we give rise to a discursive thought, ignorance will manifest again. When ignorance manifests, our external states will contribute to this state of mind so that we create many afflictions. In summary, when learning the Buddha’s Way, we must return to our innate enlightenment. We need not search far away for it; it is in our own minds. So please, every day, always be mindful.

Episode 740 – Shouldering the Tathagata’s Family Business

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>> Do not have faith in limited teachings, for even a minute deviation can cause a great divergence. Do not learn limited paths, for then you will be like young children. Do not form a habit of indulgence, for this will increase your desires. Do not crave enjoyment, for you will lose your way back.

>> “World-Honored One, I and the others who are here now would be pleased to employ a parable to elucidate our meaning.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “There was a person who, while still small and young, abandoned his father and ran away, then lived a long time in foreign lands, for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> This is a contrast to how the [previous] children had first entered the house due to their playing. The father-child relationship is used throughout this and the previous chapter to demonstrate the grace of the Buddha in nurturing His disciples until they matured and to illustrate that the disciples would take up the Buddha’s family business.

>> There was a person: The practitioners of the Two Vehicles likened themselves to children who have shallow and limited views and knowledge. They are lacking a broad perspective, and their ignorance is thick and heavy. Not yet having knowledge, they are called small and young.

>> A person: An analogy for one aspiring to the Great Vehicle. Small and young: Small means weak. Young means little.

>> In the Chapter on the Conjured City, the first fundamental teacher was Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. At that time, He taught 16 young princes to form great aspirations. But, they had only just formed their aspirations and had not yet engaged in spiritual practice, so their roots of goodness were still weak, thus they were called small and young.

>> This confused urchin was foolish and stubborn and firmly in poverty. He abandoned his father and ran away. Abandoned means clinging to the Small and retreating from the Great. The father is an analogy for the Buddha. Abandoning the father is an analogy for turning one’s back on the teachings of the Buddha Vehicle.

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“Do not have faith in limited teachings, for even a minute deviation can cause a great divergence.
Do not learn limited paths, for then you will be like young children. Do not form a habit of indulgence, for this will increase your desires. Do not crave enjoyment, for you will lose your way back.”

When we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must earnestly form great aspirations and make great vows. Once we have aspirations and vows, we should not retreat from them, not retreat from the Great to take up the Small. It is rare to be born human and rare to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. When we are able to hear the truth of the Dharma, we must make an effort to be mindful and not put our faith in limited teachings. Limited teachings prevent our minds from being open and spacious; we will only care about ourselves.

The Buddha taught us that we must open up our minds and widely form good affinities with others. We must create positive affinities with all sentient beings. But if we go even just slightly astray, we cut off our opportunities to form affinities with sentient beings. We should create affinities, not cut them off [“Create” and “cut off” sound similar in Chinese,] but their meanings are very different.

We should eliminate afflictions; that is true. The Buddha taught us to eliminate afflictions. But the afflictions we must eliminate are the ones that arise when we interact with people so that we will no longer be tempted by them, no longer be negatively influenced by them or confused by them. If we do not make use of the Great Dharma, we will go far astray. Thus, “Do not learn limited paths, for then you will be like young children.” In this case, “young” and “children” have nothing to do with age. It means being focused on instant gratification, and in this way obstructing our own lives. So, “Do not form a habit of indulgence, for this will increase your desires.” We must not indulge ourselves. When we let our minds run loose, it is not easy to rein them in.

This happens in our spiritual practice as well. When we listen to sutra lectures every day, it becomes a habit. If we take a break for a few days, to catch up and continue is much more difficult. If we diligently practice from the start, then the more we listen, the more joyful we become. This is because we now understand what we did not before. In addition to understanding our daily living, we also understand the truths of all things in this world. Thus, we continue to take in the fragrance of the Dharma. This “fragrance” is also something that we can cultivate within ourselves. With external fragrances, if we carry a piece of fragrant wood with us, after a while, even if we then take it away, our clothes and pockets will still be permeated by this fragrance. This is an analogy; the same applies to the Dharma. We continuously absorb it, continuously listen. At first we take it in through the sounds, absorbing the words. As we listen to it repeatedly, after a while, we can take the Dharma to heart. From the spiritual refinement of our demeanor and of how we express ourselves through speech, we are already emitting the fragrance of virtue.

So, we must earnestly make use of our time and avoid becoming indulgent; if we are undisciplined, the Dharma in our minds will leak out, leaving us with only desirous thoughts. “Do not crave enjoyment.” If you do, “You will lose your way back.” We must earnestly put our hearts into drawing closer to the Dharma. Not only do we need to get closer to the Dharma, we must let the Dharma get closer to our heart, to enter into our heart.

The previous sutra passage states, “World-Honored One, I and the others who are here now would be pleased to employ a parable to elucidate our meaning.”

Subhuti, Katyayana, Mahakasyapa and Mahamaudgalyayana, these four elders, came before the Buddha and repented with utmost reverence for how they had been attached to limited teachings and had no interest in the Great Dharma. They felt that they had missed out on a lot. Meanwhile, they had continued to grow old. Now they finally comprehended the Buddha-Dharma. They wanted to describe this with a parable. What kind of parable would they use? In the next passage, these four elders express what was in their hearts on behalf of the assembly.

“There was a person who, while still small and young, abandoned his father and ran away, then lived a long time in foreign lands, for perhaps 10, 20, or even 50 years.”

In this passage, we know that there was a person who, while small and young, was very mischievous and left his parents. He ran away from his family. He craved having fun, so he left. Without him noticing, he aged from his teens, to his 20s, and up into this 50s. These four elders had already realized that for a period of time in the past they had been like this child who craved fun and enjoyment. The more he played, the further away he went from his family, until 50 years had passed.

This is a contrast to how the [previous] children had first entered the house due to their playing. The father-child relationship is used throughout this and the previous chapter to demonstrate the grace of the Buddha in nurturing His disciples until they matured and to illustrate that the disciples would take up the Buddha’s family business.

People in their 50s are already middle-aged, on the verge of old age. Ever since he left at a young age, he kept playing and going ever further away. By the time he was in a desperate state and wanted to come back, he did not know the road home. He had forgotten the way back. This is an analogy.

In the sutra, in the Chapter on Parables, the elder saw his children in the burning house; this was a parable with a father and his children. Subhuti and the others, in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, also use a father and child as an analogy. In this parable, the child craves having fun, so he leaves his father. In the previous parable, it was the father who, because of his work, went away from the family. But when he came back, the house had badly deteriorated. The children [were still] playing inside, so he quickly tried to save them. Now, in this parable, it was because the child craved having fun that he left the house and then lost the way back. The analogy of the father-child relationship is used in both chapters. This expresses the grace of the Buddha in nurturing His disciples. What did He nurture in them? He nurtured their wisdom-life.

We come to this world because of our affinities with our parents. This is out of our control; we have affinities with these parents, so they give birth to us. When we enter the Buddhist path, it is because we have made this choice. We “delight in the Buddha-Dharma,” so we learn the Buddha’s Way; this is to develop our wisdom-life, to draw near the Buddha-Dharma and to bring ourselves into accord with the Buddha-mind. Because we are learning the Buddha’s Way, we must learn to develop the Buddha-mind. By taking in the Buddha-Dharma in body and mind, we can be disciplined in our actions and flawlessly uphold precepts. In our minds, we grow in wisdom and attain flawless wisdom. In our daily living, we should strengthen our focus and Samadhi. When we are flawless in these “three studies,” we are developing our wisdom-life. Thus, the Buddha’s grace in nurturing us is nurturing our wisdom-life.

On our side, we disciples have the responsibility of shouldering the Buddha’s mission. As Buddhist practitioners, we must shoulder the Tathagata’s family business. In the Buddha’s later years, He passed on this responsibility to Earth Treasury Bodhisattva. When the Buddha left the Saha World, who would take care of sentient beings in the future?

Although the Buddha-Dharma is in this world, people may not accept it, so they continue to create karma and fall into hell. Thus, Earth Treasury Bodhisattva continues to follow those who create karma and suffer negative retributions. He even goes into hell to save them. Because he has these great aspirations and vows, the Buddha chose Earth Treasury Bodhisattva [to shoulder His mission]. He has the patience and fortitude to be willing to follow sentient beings. This is described in the Earth Treasury Sutra.

Clearly, the Buddha entrusted the Dharma to His disciples, so they have to shoulder His mission. They have this responsibility. When you accept the Dharma, your relationship [with the Buddha] is like that of father and son in this world. When your family nurtures you, you must shoulder the family business. A child carries on his father’s mission; that is only right. That is what this parable is about

There was a person: The practitioners of the Two Vehicles likened themselves to children who have shallow and limited views and knowledge. They are lacking a broad perspective, and their ignorance is thick and heavy. Not yet having knowledge, they are called small and young.

There was a person: The practitioners of the Two Vehicles likened themselves to children who have shallow and limited views and knowledge. They are lacking a broad perspective, and their ignorance is thick and heavy. Not yet having knowledge, they are called small and young. In the passage, “There was a person, person” refers to practitioners of the Two Vehicles. The Two Vehicles, as you all know, are the Hearer and Solitary Realizer Vehicles. Solitary Realizers only benefit and awaken themselves. They have also heard the Buddha-Dharma, but they are stuck at this stage. Thus, they are likened to children “who have shallow and limited views and knowledge.” Today there are still many who think, “I just need to take good care of myself. Why do I need to mind all these other matters? It’s unnecessary.” Many spiritual practitioners today still hold these views and understanding.

So, we should form great aspirations and make great vows. Else, our understanding of the Buddha-Dharma will be stuck at a small and young stage. It would be as if we are still in kindergarten, still needing teachers to take care of us all the time and indulge our desires. Then we will not improve. This is “lacking a broad perspective.” We only know the things happening around us. With the Dharma, we only understand how it relates to us, not [how it relates to] what happens in the world or the things faced by sentient beings. This is lacking a broad perspective.

So, very often, “Our ignorance is thick and heavy.” There is still ignorance within us. Though we say we want to eliminate afflictions and eradicate ignorance, that only applies to our immediate surroundings. It is said we only “clear away the snow in front of our door.” If we only take care of ourselves, we are being too superficial. We only care about ourselves and do not think about other people. This is because our ignorance is still heavy.

In our spiritual practice, we must open up to the truths of this world. We must go beyond understanding matters related to our own cyclic existence; we must open ourselves to understanding all matters in the world. So, we do “not yet have knowledge” of many things; there are many things we still do not understand. Thus, we are “small and young.”

A person: An analogy for one aspiring to the Great Vehicle. Small and young: Small means weak. Young means little.

In “There was a person, person” refers to someone who is small and young. But now, they are moving from being small and young to forming great aspirations.

In the Chapter on the Conjured City, the first fundamental teacher was Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. At that time, He taught 16 young princes to form great aspirations. But, they had only just formed their aspirations and had not yet engaged in spiritual practice, so their roots of goodness were still weak, thus they were called small and young.

Being “small and young” also means being “weak.” Small means weak. If you have read the Lotus Sutra, in the Chapter on the Conjured City, there is a story ․In the Chapter on the Conjured City, the first fundamental teacher was Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. At that time, He taught 16 young princes to form great aspirations. But, they had only just formed their aspirations and had not yet engaged in spiritual practice, so their roots of goodness were still weak, thus they were called small and young. The parable mentioned in the Chapter on the Conjured City occurred “dust-inked kalpas” ago. “Dust” refers to sand and dust; this is an analogy for how long that period of time is. Earth Treasury Bodhisattva spoke of [kalpas like] “the sands of the Ganges river”; this is even longer than that.

At that time, there was a Buddha called. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. Before He attained Buddhahood, He was a king. This king had 16 children. Later, he realized the truths of the Buddha-Dharma, so he handed over his kingdom and went off to engage in spiritual practice, eventually attaining Buddhahood. His 16 princes followed in his footsteps. They aspired to become monastics. They were still young at that time, so they were called the 16 novices. Novices are very young monastics. These young children all left the lay life at the same time. After some time listening to. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, these novices also heard the Lotus Sutra. Though they were small and young in age, they started accepting the Great Dharma.

Even though the 16 princes were novices, they had a great ability to understand, so they taught the Dharma on the Buddha’s behalf. Similarly, in our modern times, there is a group of young Bodhisattvas who have aspired and vowed to pass on the Dharma. At the ages of two, three, four or five, they already say they want to protect the Dharma and be the ones to pass it on, etc. Recently, we have often heard them say this, so I cannot help but think of this passage. In the Chapter on the Conjured City, though these 16 princes were small and young, they were also able to take their realizations and use them to teach and transform others. However, because people thought, “These are the words of children,” they would not take their words seriously. Even though they had formed aspirations, they had not yet engaged in spiritual practice. So, “Their roots of goodness were still weak.”

Those who only form aspirations without engaging in spiritual practice would also be considered “small and young.” This is an analogy from a distant time. These small and young people, frankly speaking, also [represent] us today, because at that time, Sakyamuni Buddha was one of those 16 novices. By now, these 16 novices have all attained Buddhahood in [various places]. And we may have been among those the 16 novices transformed with the Dharma. But we only formed aspirations and did not earnestly engage in spiritual practice; this is perhaps the case.

From that time, dust-inked kalpas in the past, for all the dust-inked kalpas until now, we have been transmigrating in the Six Realms. We have done this all the way up to the present. Having that cause, although it seems very tiny, we must now treasure it and be mindful. Then naturally this small seed [will grow]. Within a seed there is a tree, and within a tree there is a seed. We can also say, within a cause is an effect, and within an effect there is a cause. This is the wondrous concept of cause and effect. As long as we have this fundamental cause, we should earnestly treasure it.

This confused urchin was foolish and stubborn and firmly in poverty. He abandoned his father and ran away. Abandoned means clinging to the Small and retreating from the Great. The father is an analogy for the Buddha. Abandoning the father is an analogy for turning one’s back on the teachings of the Buddha Vehicle.

These children are part of another parable the Buddha used to teach us to help us gradually develop our understanding. Returning to the present sutra passage, there was this person who, at a young age, “abandoned his father and ran away.” This was the act of a foolish, mischievous child. Over the next several decades, he left his wealthy family and kept wandering about in the world until he was in his 50s. He was completely impoverished. This person who “abandoned his father and ran away” represents a person who retreats and clings, who clings to the Small and retreats from the Great. This is an analogy for Small Vehicle practitioners. It is very rare that a Buddha attains enlightenment in this world. They had the causes and conditions to follow the Buddha and become monastics, but they were still stuck in the state of the Small Vehicle and had retreated from the Great Vehicle. Even when the Buddha taught the Great Vehicle, they thought it had nothing to do with them. Even though they were by the Buddha’s side, they had not truly entered the doors to

their nature of True Suchness. They still had not entered the door of the Buddha’s original intent. This is what “abandoned” means. Abandoning or leaving the father is an analogy. The father refers to the Buddha. The child refers to the disciples. “Abandoning the father is an analogy for turning one’s back on the Buddha Vehicle.” The Buddha taught the principles, but they did not mindfully accept them. Thus, they turned their back on the Buddha Vehicle. This is like how we have wandered in the Six Realms for so long and how we are now able to encounter the Buddha-Dharma again; this is the same principle. If we do not promptly accept it, we may never be able to enter the Buddha’s doors. So, we must seize every moment and always be mindful.

Episode 739 – Patiently Guide Others by Using Parables

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>> The Dharma is taught with analogies to help us awaken and to treat the pursuit of the five acute afflictions and the karmic retributions of overbearing arrogance. With the parable of the burning house of the Three Realms, we attained the cart pulled by a great white ox. Then the parable of the poor son was taught.

>> “To our surprise today, we unexpectedly heard this precious Dharma. Thus, we profoundly commended ourselves, for we have attained a great benefit. Infinite treasures, though unsought, have now been attained.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “World-Honored One, I and the others who are here now would be pleased to employ a parable to elucidate our meaning.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> Subhuti and the others stated that they had comprehended the parable which the Buddha taught and would use a parable to explain the meaning of their realization. This was because they understood the Tathagata’s compassion in patiently teaching them and that they had been foolish, lingering in seeking only their own benefits.

>> World-Honored One: To express sincere respect, one must follow propriety with deferential and respectful etiquette. Their minds had that resolve, and they comprehended and accepted the teachings, so they had to first state their utmost sincerity.

>> I and the others who are here now would be pleased to employ a parable. In the Chapter on Parables, an elder of great wealth was used as an analogy for the Tathagata. He estimated that his wealth was inexhaustible, so it says that he bestowed the great ox-cart equally upon all.

>> Both of these two chapters use the paired imagery of father and children. The Buddha has the virtue of helping His disciples to reach attainment, thus He is compared to a father. The disciples have the merit of taking up and passing down the legacy, so they are compared to children.

>> This chapter uses a poor young son as an analogy for the disciples’ lack of aspirations to seek [to advance]. Thus, it says that they unexpectedly obtained their part in the Tathagata’s treasury.

>> The previous chapter describes the loving-kindness and compassion of the Tathagata as like a father who holds his children most dear. Thus, it says the elder entered the burning house in alarm. This chapter writes that the children were foolish and turned their backs on the father. Thus, it says [the son] hastily left.

>> The previous chapter explains how the Tathagata enticed all the children to escape out of the door of the desires, afflictions and dust-like delusions of the Three Realms. Thus, it said that the father was now outside the door. This chapter explains that the poor son was in fear, doubted his father and dared not enter the door. Thus, it says he stood beside the gate.

>> These sets of fathers and children represented how for 40 years, many roundabout methods were used to give and accept the teachings. Today father and sons were in accord, and the teacher and the path had come together. Thus, these two parables express His intentions. (missing in cheinese section insert)

>> To elucidate their meaning: Their meaning was the desire to explain the compassion of the Tathagata, His patient guidance and instruction and their own foolish state of mind. This was why we say those who are wise use analogies to facilitate understanding.

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“The Dharma is taught with analogies to help us awaken
and to treat the pursuit of the five acute afflictions
and the karmic retributions of overbearing arrogance.
With the parable of the burning house of the Three Realms,
we attained the cart pulled by a great white ox.
Then the parable of the poor son was taught.”

All of you can probably recall the teachings. I have been sharing over this long period of time. From the Chapter on Skillful Means and the Chapter on Parables, we learned how the Buddha did everything He could think of to persuade His disciples to find a way to let go of the Small Vehicle Dharma they had clung to. He tried to guide them to enter the Great Dharma of the One Reality. By this point, His disciples had gradually begun to realize the Buddha’s mindfulness. They had now begun to repent or to reflect on themselves. By opening up their minds, they drew nearer to the Buddha’s original intent. This truly was not an easy feat.

Getting rid of all the attachments, afflictions and ignorance in our lives is indeed not easy. Though the Buddha put a lot of effort into this, it still took more than 40 years for Him to inspire this thought in His disciples. So, when we listen to the Dharma, we learn from those before and inspire those after. We should not forget what we learned previously. We should be mindful of what we are learning now and carry it with us into the future.

“The Dharma is taught with analogies to help us awaken.” The Buddha exerted a lot of mental effort and taught with all kinds of methods over the Five Periods of Teachings. He shared His enlightened state of mind only with the Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas, expounding the Dharma and state of mind of attaining Buddhahood. Next He taught unenlightened beings, guiding them into the Buddha-Dharma. So with the Agama teachings, He gradually led them to understand the karmic law of cause and effect, the Four Noble Truths and so on, as well as the suffering people actually faced, the impermanence of the world, the temporary nature of life etc. [He taught] that by accumulating afflictions, we will be led beyond our control by karmic forces and will thus transmigrate in the Six Realms to face unbearable suffering. He taught all of this for more than 12 years.

But the Buddha did not think that was enough; He needed to quickly go to the next level and expound the Vaipulya teachings to break down their attachment to “existence.” He began to let everyone know that everything is empty, illusive and impermanent. He taught this for eight years. In this way, 20 years had passed. However, it was still not enough; they had only put an end to ignorance and afflictions from desires but had yet to eliminate their dust-like delusions. So, He had to expound the Prajna teachings, about how the Five Aggregates are all empty. He broke down all the subtle and intricate principles related to emptiness. Doing this took 22 years. Next, the Buddha expounded the Lotus teachings. So, the paths He opened up in the past were now all brought back to one broad path.

Whether we are speaking of the Avatamsaka, which was taught over 21 days, or teachings given over 12 years, then 8 years and then 22 years, over such a long period of time, “The Dharma was taught.”

So, in the Chapter on Parables, the Buddha told the parable of “the burning house of the Three Realms.” Inside the burning house of the Three Realms, sentient beings are like young and ignorant children who stubbornly play with fire and are burned by it. Though their father called to them from outside, they did not know to leave the house. So, he set up three carts outside the door. By using this approach, he helped the children inside to run out of the burning house and be saved; they could also personally see the magnificent treasures in the great ox-cart. So, they attained “the cart pulled by a great white ox.”

“Then the parable of the poor son was taught.” As we continue in the sutra, there is a story, the parable of the poor son. In the past, the Buddha put in the effort; now it was time for His disciples to do so. Four disciples, including Subhuti and Maudgalyayana, expressed their thoughts at the same time. They repented and openly expressed themselves. They stated that they were advanced in years and could not have imagined that they would be forming aspirations now; they thought they had reached the end. “To our surprise today, we unexpectedly heard this precious Dharma. Thus, we profoundly commended ourselves, for we have attained a great benefit. Infinite treasures, though unsought, have now been attained.”

“To our surprise today, we unexpectedly heard this precious Dharma. Thus, we profoundly commended ourselves, for we have attained a great benefit. Infinite treasures, though unsought, have now been attained.”

 This describes how the children originally did not know there was an ox-cart filled with such an abundance of things. Now they [knew they] had a part in it. So, “Though we did not dare to seek it, this has actually always belonged to us. If we want it, it is ours.” So, they “profoundly celebrated for [themselves].” This was a precious treasure; this was precious Dharma. “We have attained a great benefit.” What they had attained was a tremendous benefit; “Infinite treasures, though unsought, have now been attained.”

The following passage states, “World-Honored One, I and the others who are here now would be pleased to employ a parable to elucidate our meaning.”

Now these four disciples, on behalf of all the spiritual practitioners, were about to describe what was in their hearts. In addition, they would emulate the Buddha’s method of telling a parable to express [their realization]

Subhuti and the others stated that they had comprehended the parable which the Buddha taught and would use a parable to explain the meaning of their realization. This was because they understood the Tathagata’s compassion in patiently teaching them and that they had been foolish, lingering in seeking only their own benefits.

In this next part, Subhuti and the others began to describe, to clearly express, that they comprehended the parable the Buddha taught. Thus, in response, they now used a parable to explain the meaning of their realization.

“This was because they understood the Tathagata’s compassion in patiently teaching them.” So, it was to express their gratitude for the Buddha’s compassion and patient guidance. The Buddha had taken into consideration that they could not accept this [directly], so He established all kinds of teachings to discuss emptiness and existence and devised parables for everything. By using these methods, the Buddha was “patiently teaching them,” gradually drawing them in and teaching them. Now that they understood His original intent and His mindfulness in doing this, they expressed that they had been foolish, lingering in seeking only to benefit themselves. They were only attached to self-awakening.

World-Honored One: To express sincere respect, one must follow propriety with deferential and respectful etiquette. Their minds had that resolve, and they comprehended and accepted the teachings, so they had to first state their utmost sincerity.

Out of respect for the Buddha, they addressed Him again as “World-Honored One.”

“To express sincere respect, one must follow propriety.” Subhuti and the others followed worldly etiquette to express [their respect]. So, they called the Buddha, “World-Honored One.” This was what they wanted to express. This is sincerity; they wanted to demonstrate their deepest sincerity and admiration for the Buddha. This was how they expressed themselves with humble and reverent etiquette.

“Their minds had that resolve” meant they would accept the Buddha’s teachings and walk the Bodhisattva-path. They had realized and accepted this, so they wanted to express their sincerity.

Therefore, they said, “I and the others who are here now would be pleased to employ a parable” I and the others who are here now would be pleased to employ a parable. In the Chapter on Parables, an elder of great wealth was used as an analogy for the Tathagata. He estimated that his wealth was inexhaustible, so it says that he bestowed the great ox-cart equally upon all.

This passage talks about how the elder of great wealth is an analogy for the way the Buddha treated sentient beings. The Tathagata, in His wisdom, realized the extent of sentient beings’ capacities. So, He “estimated” that He had tremendous wisdom to be given universally to all sentient beings. This is like having infinite wealth which can never be exhausted. This is analogous to the elder. He still had a lot of wealth, so he was able to patiently guide the children by making use of all kinds of methods. The three carts, including the ox-cart, were placed right outside the door to entice them to come out. The elder did this with his great wealth, which represents the Buddha’s great wisdom.

Now, in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, “The four disciples use the parable of the poor son.” The four disciples, including. Wisdom-life Subhuti, Katyayana and so on, all employed this kind of parable to respond to the Buddha with their answer. As the Buddha used parables, His disciples also used a parable in response to express what was in their hearts. They said that, in the past, they only wished to stop at the Small Vehicle and used a parable to reply to the Buddha. So, after comprehending [the Buddha’s teachings], they started to express what was on their minds

Both of these two chapters use the paired imagery of father and children. The Buddha has the virtue of helping His disciples to reach attainment, thus He is compared to a father. The disciples have the merit of taking up and passing down the legacy, so they are compared to children.

Previously, in the Chapter on Parables and now in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, the imagery of father and children is used. The previous parable had the father outside the door, unable to bear the children remaining inside. So, he used all kinds of methods [to get them out]. Now, in the parable of the poor son, it was the child who disobeyed his father and left the family. It also uses father and child as the parable. So, the imagery of father and children is likened to the Buddha and His disciples.

The father saving his children from the house is similar to how the Buddha used all kinds of methods to develop the wisdom-life of His disciples. So, “The disciples have the merit of taking up and passing down the legacy.” Children inherit property from their father; the Buddha’s disciples must also shoulder the Tathagata’s family business.

The disciples should listen earnestly. After listening, they share, “Thus have I heard.” They should continue to pass on this Dharma. These are the duties of people who expound and spread the Dharma, to take responsibility for all Dharma in the world. We must spread it widely around the world

This chapter uses a poor young son as an analogy for the disciples’ lack of aspirations to seek [to advance]. Thus, it says that they unexpectedly obtained their part in the Tathagata’s treasury.

“This chapter” refers to the Chapter on Faith and Understanding. “A poor young son” is used “as an analogy for the disciples’ lack of aspirations to seek [to advance].” Clearly, the Buddha expounded so many teachings, but the disciples were still lost in that one; they still lingered in the Small Vehicle Dharma. They had stopped at the Small Vehicle, seeking only to awaken themselves. By this time, [the disciples] had understood and realized this, so they had “unexpectedly obtained. Actually, we can also attain Buddhahood in the future; Buddhahood is within our reach. Although we are old, we still have this pure nature within us. Now we understand. We have comprehended and discovered that the treasures of True Suchness were already within us”

The previous chapter describes the loving-kindness and compassion of the Tathagata as like a father who holds his children most dear. Thus, it says the elder entered the burning house in alarm. This chapter writes that the children were foolish and turned their backs on the father. Thus, it says [the son] hastily left.

“The previous chapter” is the Chapter on Parables. It “describes the loving-kindness and compassion of the Tathagata.” The Buddha is like a kind father who sincerely wants the best for his children. In the parable of the burning house, we saw how the children foolishly and stubbornly remained in the house; not only were they unafraid of the fire, they treated it as a plaything. Aren’t people nowadays just like them? The elder outside the burning house felt a great sense of urgency; what could he do? He had to come up with all kinds of methods.

This was His “loving-kindness and compassion.” The Buddha’s compassion for sentient beings was filled with genuine sincerity, like what a father has for his children. Among spiritual practitioners, how many can actually comprehend the sincerity of the Buddha’s original intent? After more than 40 years, in His old age, they finally understood that the relationship between a teacher and his disciples was the same as that of a father and his children. The father was so eager to save his children that. “He entered the burning house in alarm”

The previous chapter explains how the Tathagata enticed all the children to escape out of the door of the desires, afflictions and dust-like delusions of the Three Realms. Thus, it said that the father was now outside the door. This chapter explains that the poor son was in fear, doubted his father and dared not enter the door. Thus, it says he stood beside the gate.

Now the Chapter on Faith and Understanding expressed that, “The poor son was still in fear.” Though his father continued to call to him, he still had doubts. This was like the relationship between the Buddha and His disciples. He told them, “You can attain Buddhahood,” but they did not quite dare believe it. The same thing applies here. So, they “dared not enter the door.” Previously, the Buddha wanted them to exit the door of the Three Realms. Now, He wanted them to enter the Buddha’s door of True Suchness, the door to their nature of True Suchness. But the children still had doubts, so out of hesitation they dared not enter. This is a contrast. So, “stood beside the gate” means they dared not enter. This is in the following text

These sets of fathers and children represented how for 40 years, many roundabout methods were used to give and accept the teachings. Today father and sons were in accord, and the teacher and the path had come together. Thus, these two parables express His intentions.

“These sets of fathers and children explained” that for this period of more than 40 years, many roundabout methods [were used]. In His later years, the Buddha was old, as were His disciples. By that time, “Father and sons were in accord.” The Buddha had fully carried out His intent to give teachings to His disciples. The disciples had also realized and taken the Buddha’s teachings to heart

To elucidate their meaning: Their meaning was the desire to explain the compassion of the Tathagata, His patient guidance and instruction and their own foolish state of mind. This was why we say those who are wise use analogies to facilitate understanding.

They wanted “to elucidate [their] meaning” to help us have a better understanding of “the compassion of the Tathagata [and]. His patient guidance and instruction.” With patient guidance, the Buddha educated [His disciples], but they remained in a foolish state of mind. They deeply regretted [wasting] such a long time.

“Those who are wise use analogies to facilitate understanding.” In the Chapter on Parables, the Buddha taught parables not because. His disciples were unintelligent. Parables were taught with great wisdom. They were conveyed and told with great wisdom to explain principles. So, in order to understand this parable, people must also apply wisdom in comprehending it.

So everyone, learning the Buddha’s teachings begins with listening to the Dharma. We cannot forget what we have heard and then start over each day. As we listen to today’s teachings, we must comprehend past teachings. Since sutras are very long, this is the only way to connect everything and take the entirety of the Dharma into our hearts. So everyone, we must always be mindful.

Episode 738 – The One Vehicle Contains Infinite Treasures

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>> A mind that seeks more is less content, while attaining something unsought brings much joyful satisfaction . Unexpectedly hearing the prediction of attaining Buddhahood, how could they not joyously celebrate? .

>> “To our surprise, today, we unexpectedly heard this precious Dharma . Thus we profoundly celebrate for ourselves, for we have attained great benefit . Infinite treasures, though unsought, have now been attained .”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> To our surprise: They were stating their celebratory minds and their joy. If one seeks something and then attains it, one may not consider it precious.

>> The Buddha had never taught this in over 40 years, and today He was beginning to teach it . Truly, hearing it was completely unexpected . That Hearers could attain Buddhahood was something they had never heard before . So hearing it now filled them with a profound joy .

>> They unexpectedly heard the teaching on opening up the Three to reveal the One . There is only this precious Dharma of the One Vehicle . Having obtained this, they could truly rejoice and celebrate for themselves, for though they had not sought them, they had attained infinite treasures .

>> The precious Dharma is the wondrous Dharma, which is what this sutra teaches. The Three Vehicles are in fact One Vehicle and Hearers can all attain Buddhahood. This is a precious thing indeed, for it was something they had never heard the Buddha teach before.

>> We profoundly celebrate for ourselves: . Never thinking it possible in the past, today they had already attained it, so they celebrated attaining this benefit . They were glad to awaken and understand, so how could they not celebrate and rejoice for themselves? .

>> These infinite treasures are the Great Vehicle teachings on cause and effect.

>> In the past, during the Prajna period, they received and understood the Great Dharma as a teaching to transform Bodhisattvas, so they thought only Bodhisattvas could attain Buddhahood . How could they know that at the present Lotus Dharma-assembly . He would completely and equally pass on this great matter? Thus it says, Though unsought, it has now been attained?

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“A mind that seeks more is less content,
while attaining something unsought brings much joyful satisfaction . .
Unexpectedly hearing the prediction of attaining Buddhahood, how could they not joyously celebrate?” .

We know that, in life, many things leave us feeling unsatisfied . The more people seek, the less content they are . Today, when we look around the world we see many entrepreneurs . If we ask them, “Do you have enough?” [They say,] “No, my business is still expanding . Even if it is ranked number one in the world, . I hope it can still grow so no one can overtake it and cause it to fall to number two” . So, they feel they do not have enough . Being number one is not enough . They worry about being overtaken by number two . Number two feels even more discontent, because number one is ahead of them . We do not even need to talk about number three . The more they seek, the less content they feel, to say nothing of the average person . This is what the suffering in life looks like; there is so much suffering . Those who do not have anything at all live a life of unbearable suffering . Natural disasters and manmade calamities make things even more unbearable for them . This is life!

If we attain something we did not seek, it brings much joyful satisfaction . When we have no expectations but still attain something unsought, we will feel very happy; this is unexpected joy . In the world, there are many people who have few desires and are content . They constantly feel satisfied . Attaining just a little, they feel very happy and satisfied . This is the way they live . If our only thought is of giving, giving is such a joyful thing . Giving is not just the privilege of the wealthy . Those who are physically able can give; those who have the will can give . These people who are able to give, give without expectations . Simply achieving their goal [of giving] brings them great joy and deep satisfaction .

We sentient beings always seek to have more; we are always unsatisfied . In this world, we are constantly seeking more . We seek personal gain; we seek greater recognition and wealth . Then we spend an entire lifetime lost in mundane matters without realizing life is impermanent and short . The bigger a business is, the greater the damage it causes and the more karma it creates . So, Earth Treasury Bodhisattva remains in hell to transform those with much greed and desire who were never satisfied . Earth Treasury Bodhisattva works so hard at this . He transforms sentient beings unconditionally . As long as they can accept the Dharma and be transformed, he is joyful . His joy is seeing sentient beings leave hell, accept the Buddha-Dharma and purify other beings; this makes him very happy .

As we have discussed in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha’s disciples gradually opened and broadened their minds and accepted the Great Dharma . They began to feel [repentant] that in the past they only focused on self-awakening . Now they had understood that everyone has the chance to attain Buddhahood, so they formed aspirations . This was because Hearers were also able to receive predictions of Buddhahood; they will also become Buddhas in the future . Upon unexpectedly hearing that . Hearers can also attain Buddhahood, this subtle and wondrous Dharma, how could it not bring them joy? Thus everyone was very happy . This was Subhuti expressing [the joy] they felt upon unexpectedly hearing this prediction of Buddhahood, hearing that Hearers could receive predictions and also attain Buddhahood in the future .

As for Earth Treasury Bodhisattva, he did not care when he would attain Buddhahood . What he took from accepting the Buddha-Dharma was to give for the sake of sentient beings . No matter when or if he would attain Buddhahood, he just focused on giving to help sentient beings . “Until hell is empty, . I will not attain Buddhahood” . These are great aspirations and great vows . From the beginning, he had these great aspirations and great vows to benefit others . So, he was constantly in a state of joy as he willingly and happily gave to others . Thus in our spiritual practice, we should look to Earth Treasury Bodhisattva .

The following sutra passage states, “To our surprise, today, we unexpectedly heard this precious Dharma . Thus we profoundly celebrate for ourselves, for we have attained great benefit . Infinite treasures, though unsought, have now been attained” .

This is the sutra passage . “To our surprise” conveys that in their minds, they dared not even think of this before . In their hearts, they had always felt, “This is good enough for me” . But now they knew that if . Hearers form great aspirations and cultivate the Bodhisattva-practice, they can likewise attain Buddhahood . Before they never dared to think this possible; now they declared what was on their minds . They began to express what they had been thinking . This sense of joy was something they had never felt before; now they were very happy . They celebrated because they unexpectedly heard this Dharma .

To our surprise: They were stating their celebratory minds and their joy. If one seeks something and then attains it, one may not consider it precious.

So, “If one seeks something and then attains it, one may not consider it precious” . In the past, they felt that the Buddha was only speaking to Bodhisattvas so this had to do with them . Thus they absolutely had no intent to pursue it . Then, all of a sudden, in teaching the Wondrous Lotus Sutra, the Buddha praised everyone for intrinsically having extremely profound wisdom . Everyone has this, and everyone can attain Buddhahood . Moreover, Sariputra had already received a prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddha . Although they did not expect this in the past, they now likewise hoped that they could also receive a prediction of Buddhahood from Him . In the past they did not dare seek this, but now though unsought it had been attained . This made them very happy . This joy that arose was indescribable . They were simply joyful .

The Buddha had never taught this in over 40 years, and today He was beginning to teach it . Truly, hearing it was completely unexpected . That Hearers could attain Buddhahood was something they had never heard before . So hearing it now filled them with a profound joy .

This is what we must further seek to understand . The Buddha had never taught this in over 40 years, and today He was beginning to teach it  Was this the case? When the Buddha gave the Agama teachings, they already contained subtle, wondrous Dharma . But He could not [directly] say, “Everyone, all of you can attain Buddhahood,” as they would not be able to comprehend this yet . He had always wanted to say this, but the causes and conditions were not right . Now the conditions were right; . He was running out of time so He could not hold back . Thus at this assembly, He began to teach it .

Indeed, “It was completely unexpected” . They unexpectedly heard that . Hearers could also attain Buddhahood . It was “something they had never heard before” . In the past, they had never heard this, but now they had heard the Buddha bestow a prediction of Buddhahood upon Sariputra . “So, hearing it now” brought joy to their hearts.

They unexpectedly heard the teaching on opening up the Three to reveal the One . There is only this precious Dharma of the One Vehicle . Having obtained this, they could truly rejoice and celebrate for themselves, for though they had not sought them, they had attained infinite treasures .

In this way, “They unexpectedly heard the teaching on opening up the Three to reveal the One”
The Dharma the Buddha taught in the Lotus Sutra set aside the Small and Middle Vehicles and brought them back to the One Vehicle . This is “opening up the Three to reveal the One” . In fact, the Buddha never intended to teach three kinds of Dharma . The Buddha wholeheartedly wished to teach only one kind of Dharma, that everyone can attain Buddhahood . But the path everyone must walk to do so is the Bodhi-path . To walk the Bodhisattva-path, we must go among people and widely transform them . This was the Buddha’s goal; . He wanted everyone to understand this . Sadly, not everyone had this capacity .

So, the Buddha’s original intent was not to teach the Three but the One . When He came to this assembly, the Buddha completely set aside skillful means so everyone only had the One Vehicle, one road to walk; this is the Bodhi-path . As it was said, “There is only this precious Dharma of the One Vehicle” . Upon hearing this Dharma, their minds and the Dharma returned to One . Everyone focused on walking this path . So, what they attained was a deep sense of happiness . The joy of their faith and understanding had penetrated every cell in their bodies . It is a deep, thorough joy . Everyone rejoiced in and celebrated their good fortune . This joy arose from their hearts, “For though they had not sought them, they had attained infinite treasures” .

Worldly people view treasures as valuable; the sutras use this analogy of attaining infinite treasures . How can infinite treasures be a metaphor for all the cells in our body genuinely leaping in joy? Cells can laugh; have you ever heard that? In the past I have also mentioned how all the cells in our body can leap in joy . Why are they so happy they jump about? Why are they so happy that they are so relaxed and feel so free? This comes from a truly thorough, extremely deep sense of celebration; it is that kind of joy .

The precious Dharma is the wondrous Dharma, which is what this sutra teaches. The Three Vehicles are in fact One Vehicle and Hearers can all attain Buddhahood. This is a precious thing indeed, for it was something they had never heard the Buddha teach before.

Hence, “The precious Dharma is the wondrous Dharma” . It is “precious” . It is true that everyone can attain Buddhahood; this is indeed very precious Dharma . This was what the Lotus Sutra taught, that, “The Three Vehicles are in fact One Vehicle,” and all Hearers can attain Buddhahood . This is the most subtle, wondrous Dharma in the Lotus Sutra . So, this is a precious teaching, something they had never heard before

These infinite treasures are the Great Vehicle teachings on cause and effect.

We profoundly celebrate for ourselves: . Never thinking it possible in the past, today they had already attained it, so they celebrated attaining this benefit . They were glad to awaken and understand, so how could they not celebrate and rejoice for themselves? .

“Thus we profoundly celebrate for ourselves, for we have attained great benefit . We profoundly celebrate for ourselves” means that before, they never thought they could attain this . Yet this day they have already attained it ․We profoundly celebrate for ourselves: . Never thinking it possible in the past, today they had already attained it, so they celebrated attaining this benefit . They were glad to awaken and understand, so how could they not celebrate and rejoice for themselves? .

In the past, they thought, “I have no chance of attaining Buddhahood . If I could eliminate all afflictions and enter Nirvana, . I would no longer have to transmigrate in the Six Realms” . In the past, this was all they had thought of . Now they had the Buddha’s encouragement and His confirmation that all people can attain Buddhahood; all can make great vows and journey back to this world on these vows . Then they are not driven by karmic forces; they willingly return to go among people to transform them . So, they “celebrated and rejoiced for themselves” . This is what all of us should do .

These infinite treasures, though unsought, were attained . Infinite treasures are what worldly people seek . But spiritual practitioners seek something even more precious than any treasure, the Dharma . Treasures are tangible material things . Tangible material things will disappear one day; they cannot be restored nor can they be brought to a future life . Only the true wondrous Dharma can [remain] in our lives and help us develop our wisdom-life . Only with this wisdom-life can we eliminate all afflictions and karma . But what can we use as an analogy? What is most valuable and brings the greatest joy? It cannot be described; we can only describe it as “infinite treasures” . This is the cause and effect of the Great Vehicle. This is very important.

These infinite treasures are the Great Vehicle teachings on cause and effect.

In the past, I have always told everyone to have deep faith in the law of karma . Everyone must understand this, particularly the Great Vehicle’s cause and effect . Earlier, we spoke of eliminating all afflictions, forming great aspirations and making great vows . In the past, during the Prajna period, [they learned] that all things are empty . The Great Dharma that they accepted then only said that all things were empty; the Great Dharma they should accept now took the Prajna teaching that all things are empty and added “wondrous existence” to them . Wondrous existence contains the cause and effect of the Great Vehicle . These principles of wondrous existence had now been accepted, and the teachings turned to the teaching of the Bodhisattva Way .

The Buddha taught the Dharma in this order . Now that people had understood, realized, experienced and comprehended the great path, they were able to awaken their wisdom . At this moment, they formed great aspirations to lead the people harmoniously and go among them with ease . This is the cause and effect of the Great Vehicle

In the past, during the Prajna period, they received and understood the Great Dharma as a teaching to transform Bodhisattvas, so they thought only Bodhisattvas could attain Buddhahood . How could they know that at the present Lotus Dharma-assembly . He would completely and equally pass on this great matter? Thus it says, “Though unsought, it has now been attained”

They thought that only Bodhisattvas were able to attain Buddhahood . One must walk the Bodhisattva-path in order to attain Buddhahood; this is the absolute principle . “How could they know that at [the Lotus Assembly] . He would completely and equally pass on this great matter?” . At this assembly, the Buddha’s one great cause had been fully revealed, allowing everyone to realize . His original intent . His one great cause in this world was to help everyone transcend from the unenlightened mindset of the Small Vehicle, that view of cause and effect, and patiently guide us from the Small Vehicle view of cause and effect to the cause and effect of the Great Vehicle . This is what the Buddha laid out for us to teach and transform us completely . So, “He would completely and equally pass on this great matter”; . He came to this world for this one great cause . So, “Though unsought, it has now been attained” .

The Dharma we heard today is all part of the Buddha’s original intent; now these teachings were completely laid out for everyone to understand . This is the chance of a thousand lifetimes . This is True Dharma . True Dharma is rarely encountered . There is no telling how many lifetimes and kalpas will pass before we can encounter a Buddha again . Encountering a Buddha is not easy . As we have said before, after Sakyamuni Buddha, . Maitreya will be the next to attain Buddhahood in the human realm . Right now, he is Maitreya Bodhisattva . For him to attain Buddhahood, another 5.7 billion years will have to pass . This is a very long time . During this time, in order for us to return the Buddha’s kindness we should shoulder the responsibility for the Tathagata’s family business .

In His later years, He hoped that everyone would shoulder this responsibility . Nowadays, we constantly hear . Tzu Chi’s collegiate volunteers say that they vow to take on the responsibility [to make a difference in this world] . We must shoulder the Tathagata’s family business . That means we all share responsibility for all matters in the world . Moreover, we spiritual practitioners have inherited His mission to teach and transform . We must feel this sense of responsibility . So, we must be mindful . At all times, we can hear the Dharma . In particular, at this assembly, we can realize His one great cause . The Buddha plainly expressed His original intent for everyone to understand . We must deeply understand this .

We are so busy in this life; what are we seeking? No matter how much we seek and attain, we are still not satisfied . Even if we get what we want, impermanence can strike in a flash . Can we take anything with us after we die? There is no way . Only if we take the Dharma to heart and have it flow through all of our cells so that every cell in our body is happy and joyful can the Dharma help our wisdom-life develop . So, with no expectations, we have joy; we give without any expectations . Doesn’t this bring the greatest happiness in life? The Buddha-Dharma is rarely encountered . Now that we can attain this extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma in our lives, how can we not earnestly make an effort to uphold our faith in and understanding of this extremely profound, wondrous Dharma? So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 737 – Understanding the Buddha’s Mind Brings Great Joy

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>> Their understanding was attained from constantly listening to the Dharma for many decades. This is why they rejoiced and were glad to have attained the great path of great understanding. From what they heard recently of the analogies and this extraordinary Dharma, they understood the Buddha’s intentions and obtained the benefits of awakening.

>> Furthermore we are now already old and decrepit, so when the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Way that leads to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, we did not give rise to any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “When I and the others heard today in the Buddha’s presence the prediction bestowed on a Hearer of attaining. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, a profound joy arose in our minds at having attained what we have not before.”   [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]”

>> A Hearer receiving a prediction of Buddhahood allowed them to awaken to fact that the Tathagata must teach the Dharma according to conditions. That is why He went through four periods of teachings to teach a complete cycle. This refers to opening up the provisional to reveal the true.

>> Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: This is the name for the Buddha’s wisdom. It is translated as “supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment”. It is truly impartial enlightened understanding, the supreme wisdom containing all true principles the supreme wisdom containing all true principles.

>> Ordinary people lack wisdom; they are lost and unenlightened.

>> Heretical teachings or deviant wisdom are not perfect enlightenment.

>> The Two Vehicles are biased toward the wisdom of emptiness, so their perfect enlightenment has not yet reached universal, perfect enlightenment

>> The Bodhisattva’s wisdom of the Middle Way leads to universal, perfect enlightenment, yet they have not yet attained great perfection.

>> Only a Buddha has transcended the nine Dharma-realms. He is above sentient beings, so He can be said to have attained supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.

>> If one seeks something and then attains it, one may not consider it precious. Today they attained what they never sought, which surpassed anything they had hoped for. Thus, they had gained what they never had before.

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“Their understanding was attained from constantly listening to the Dharma for many decades.
This is why they rejoiced and were glad to have attained the great path of great understanding.
From what they heard recently of the analogies and this extraordinary Dharma,
they understood the Buddha’s intentions and obtained the benefits of awakening.”

How long do we have in this life? Isn’t being able to listen to the Dharma for many decades such a cause for rejoicing? If we can constantly listen to the Dharma, we should feel very fortunate. Then naturally we will cherish the Dharma; we will not dare to neglect it or be indolent. When we are nourished daily with Dharma-water, when it permeates the ground of our minds, gradually, we will be able to absorb the Dharma, and in our hearts we will comprehend the great path.

It is for this reason that, even if we heard a teaching in the past and did not really understand it, perhaps at any moment, with a particular matter or a particular metaphor, the Dharma of this analogy may awaken our minds. When we first heard it, we did not really understand the meaning behind it. But now, after seeing this person or this matter, it becomes an analogy that helps us understand that the principle is like this. Once we can understand and experience it, we can recognize that the Buddha-Dharma has always been meant to be applied in our daily living, that the Dharma has always been for this world and that it is inseparable from [our lives] [We will know that] Bodhisattvas have always been alive and present, in us and the people around us.

When we view everyone with a Buddha-mind and see everyone’s life as a sutra, then every person is our teacher. Every person’s story is a sutra we can read. Thus we can attain an abundance of realizations. If we approach the Dharma with this frame of mind, we will be taking in the Dharma every day.

The Buddha came to this world for one great cause. His goal was to manifest [enlightenment] in this world. He descended from Tusita Heaven into the palace; He entered a womb, was born and engaged in a period of ascetic practice until He attained Buddhahood and began to spread the Dharma. In the following 49 years, was there ever a day when He did not teach? He began with “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path,” Then He spoke of the people, matters and things in this world. In life, we go through “birth, aging, illness and death.” People create afflictions as their minds go through “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing.” All things in the environment we live in, all material things, undergo “formation, existence, decay and disappearance.” These are the Three Principles and Four States. For those 49 years, the Buddha mindfully analyzed them to help everyone be very clear on the karmic law of cause and effect.

Karmic retributions are created whenever we open our mouths, give rise to a thought, take action and so on [He taught that] all karmic forces arise from our minds and continued to analyzed how, from the “emptiness” of the entire universe, things converge to give rise to “existence.” The suffering of “existence” is the cause of many things in the world. This is the Buddha-Dharma.

So, Tzu Chi has been in existence for a long time, almost 49 years as well. Over all these decades, we have not merely listened to the Dharma; we have put the teachings into practice first. We began with charity work, then medicine, education and humanistic culture. We have done this all along. We should cherish this! So, now we must develop “understanding. Their understanding was attained from constantly listening to the Dharma.” We must all constantly listen to the Dharma, no matter when we began volunteering, even if it has been “many decades.” Therefore, we should rejoice that we have come so far along the Bodhisattva-path. Now, the Dharma can verify that what we do does not go against the Dharma the Buddha taught. So, we should have attained many benefits because we have brought blessings to many people.

Our greatest joy comes from sentient beings attaining the Dharma. This is Dharma-joy. When sentient beings attain the Dharma, it brings us great joy. This is true Dharma-joy. If we merely say, “I know! I know! I understand many things, so I am very happy!” Is this Dharma-joy? It is not. Dharma-joy comes from giving to others and then seeing them attain understanding. “Having relieved them of suffering, [we] then expound the Dharma for them.” Their understanding makes us happy. This is a benefit. This is how we pave a wide road. I constantly say that only in thoroughly paving a road through the world will we be able to enter the Bodhi-path.

So, “[This is] from what they heard recently.” Recently, we have been listening to the Lotus Sutra, from the Introductory Chapter to the Chapter on Skillful Means to the Chapter on Parables. By now we should have deep faith and understanding. We should be able to realize the Buddha’s one great cause in coming to the world. It is through this that we “obtain the benefits of awakening.” For this we must be very grateful. I hope everyone will put their hearts into this.

Let us look at the previous passage “Furthermore we are now already old and decrepit, so when the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Way that leads to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, we did not give rise to any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it.”

Every day we go over this again; I have touched on it many times. Subhuti and the others felt deeply repentant, so they opened up about why, in the past, the Bodhisattva Way did not inspire them to feel joyful and to make vows. Why did they do this? Because they were beginning to attain realizations. In the Chapter of Skillful Means, they heard praise of the Buddha’s wisdom, that it was extremely profound. In the Chapter on Parables, they learned about the burning house, the great white ox-cart and so on. They finally thoroughly understood everything, but they were advanced in age, and their bodies had become weak; for this they expressed regret. Besides repenting, they also expressed regret. But the Buddha, in His compassion, told them it was not too late because they could still form aspirations; in fact, wisdom-life is everlasting and the Dharma has no beginning and no end. So, the Buddha continued to gradually guide them.

The next sutra passage states, When I and the others heard today in the Buddha’s presence the prediction bestowed on a Hearer of attaining. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, a profound joy arose in our minds at having attained what we have not before.”

In the past no joy arose in them, [but] now they were joyful. Why were they joyful? Because the Buddha had bestowed the prediction of Buddhahood on a Hearer, [meaning] Hearers can also attain predictions of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment, which is Buddha-wisdom. Though the Buddha’s wisdom is extremely profound, unsurpassed in its profundity, Hearers too are able to achieve the same level of wisdom as the Buddha and reach supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment. That is the attainment of Buddhahood. Sariputra had already received this prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddha, so everyone began to have confidence in themselves. “A profound joy arose in our minds at having attained what we have not before.” In the past, they had never been this happy. Now, they were truly joyful at “having attained what [they] have not before.”

A Hearer receiving a prediction of Buddhahood allowed them to awaken to fact that the Tathagata must teach the Dharma according to conditions. That is why He went through four periods of teachings to teach a complete cycle. This refers to opening up the provisional to reveal the true.

Next is “when I and the others.” In the next part we must understand that, “A Hearer receiving a prediction of Buddhahood,” for Subhuti and the others, “allowed them to awaken to [how] the Tathagata must teach [the Dharma]”

They understood that everything the Buddha taught had to be in accordance with conditions. He taught according to conditions, according to the capabilities of sentient beings. He spoke to them in ways that sentient beings were capable of accepting. This is something we should realize by now.

So, He went through the Four Periods of Teachings. The Four Periods of Teachings are the Agama period, the Vaipulya period, the Prajna period, and now, the Lotus period, which had already begun. To complete this cycle, we should include the Avatamsaka period, making it the Five Periods.

In this way the Buddha turned the Dharma-wheel. When He first attained enlightenment, that state of Buddhahood was not something sentient beings could realize, so all He could do was to teach them according to their capabilities. Thus He gave the Agama teachings, then the Vaipulya, then the Prajna before beginning the Lotus teachings, to open up the provisional and reveal the true. Now the skillful means He taught in the past were gradually opened up to help everyone to see the True Dharma. Thus, He “opened and revealed”, opening the door to reveal to us the true teachings that lie within.

We must make an effort to realize that the Buddha always had this abundance of Dharma, but that, to teach it according to capabilities, He spent so much time and used so many methods, all for the sake of saving sentient beings. Sentient beings have already experienced all kinds of suffering in this world, but they still remain deluded by the afflictions in their minds, unable to liberate themselves. So, the Buddha taught them to help the suffering sentient beings around them and to immediately eliminate all the ignorance and afflictions in their minds.

So, opening up the provisional to reveal the true was necessary to help people catch sight of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. The Buddha began to share His wisdom, this Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, which is Buddha-wisdom. Translated from Sanskrit it means, “supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.” We should all know this. It means truly impartial, enlightened understanding of all true principles.

Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: This is the name for the Buddha’s wisdom. It is translated as “supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment”. It is truly impartial enlightened understanding, the supreme wisdom containing all true principles the supreme wisdom containing all true principles.

We must be impartial to all; this is viewing all equally with compassion. In the past I have often shared with everyone that the epitome of compassion is viewing all sentient beings as equals. If we have the perspective that all sentient beings are equal, then killing them and consuming their flesh is a deluded [act], an affliction. It is simply for the sake of “desire,” in this case, the desire for taste, for flavor. Because of this desire, we treat sentient beings unfairly. The Buddha, in His compassion, wanted us all to achieve Buddha-wisdom. The Buddha’s wisdom is exercising both compassion and wisdom. We must have compassion and awaken our wisdom. The epitome of compassion and wisdom is viewing all sentient beings as equals. This is genuine impartiality; this is truly Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. It is the principles of all things; it is unsurpassed wisdom. This supreme and perfect enlightenment was the state attained by Buddhas.

Are we able to view all sentient beings as equals? We still have thoughts like, “This person’s words are to my liking” or. “I do not like that person’s attitude.” We all have these discriminating thoughts. When will we finally be able to treat everyone the same, with an impartial mind?

Doing this is very difficult; we can say, “You have to treat everyone equally. All of you should get along and work together with the same mind.” Unfortunately, things remain the same. When certain people do things, they are looking out for themselves. They still have a sense of aversion toward others and a sense of self-importance, etc. If this is the case, how can we say that they have an impartial mind? So, achieving this state is very difficult! This is why we must engage in spiritual practice; for only if we all engage in spiritual practice can we all show compassion to all equally. Then when we do things, we will only think of the greater good and treat everyone as equals.

This is the only way we can [achieve realizations]. Yet right now, when it comes to people, we may say, “This person is capable, daring, etc.”; actually that person is still unenlightened ․”Ordinary people lack wisdom; they are lost and unenlightened.” They have not yet penetrated the Buddha’s truths.

Ordinary people lack wisdom; they are lost and unenlightened.

They rely upon their cleverness and make use of their relationships to pave their road through the world; this is not true wisdom, nor is it true virtue [To create] merits and virtues, we must first cultivate humility within and must be courteous to those around us; in our dealings with people and matters, we must be consistent, internally and externally. Only then do we have true wisdom. However, it is regrettable that we are all still ordinary people.

Heretical teachings or deviant wisdom are not perfect enlightenment.

The wisdom in heretical teachings is not proper wisdom. Heretical spiritual practices will lead us astray.

Earlier, in the Chapter on Parables, the Buddha constantly said that if someone had biased or deviant understanding and views, we must not teach them the Lotus Sutra. So, the Buddha also took precautions. This kind of deviant knowledge is not true enlightenment.

The Two Vehicles are biased toward the wisdom of emptiness, so their perfect enlightenment has not yet reached universal, perfect enlightenment.

As for the biased wisdom of the Two Vehicles, as it is biased toward emptiness, practitioners stop at self-awakening; this is also not perfect enlightenment because they have not attained the impartiality toward all people and all sentient beings of [thinking,] “I can be transformed, so all sentient beings should be transformed too.” Two Vehicle practitioners only think, “As long as I am transformed, that is good enough.” They do not think about transforming others.

The Bodhisattva’s wisdom of the Middle Way leads to universal, perfect enlightenment, yet they have not yet attained great perfection.

As for the wisdom of a Bodhisattva, it is the wisdom of the Middle Way. Although they have attained proper wisdom, they must engage in spiritual practice themselves and at the same time transform sentient beings. So, we are in the middle; we seek the Buddha’s Way, so we must still humble ourselves, for the Buddha’s Way is still beyond us. We must continue seeking that path, while seizing the opportunity to transform sentient beings. This is “the Bodhisattva’s wisdom of the Middle Way.” Although with this they have attained universal enlightenment, “They have not yet attained great perfection.” They have not yet attained great perfect mirror wisdom.

In the past, we spoke for some time about “great perfect mirror wisdom.” This refers to a very perfect, harmonious and pure state of mind [In this state,] the mirror of the mind is exceptionally clean, and the whole world and all things in the universe can be taken in by the mind.

Only a Buddha has transcended the nine Dharma-realms. He is above sentient beings, so He can be said to have attained supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.

“Only a Buddha has transcended the nine Dharma-realms. He is above sentient beings.” I have spoken in the past of the Ten Dharma-realms. Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Hearers and Solitary Realizers comprise the Four Noble Realms. The hell, hungry ghost, animal, human, heaven and asura realms make up the Six Unenlightened Realms. Only the Buddha transcends the nine Dharma-realms [His realm] is topmost of the Four Noble Realms, to say nothing of the Six Unenlightened Realms. So, only the Buddha was able to transcend and be liberated. “He can be said to have attained supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.”

Subhuti [and the others] already understood all of this, that everyone could become equal to Buddha, so they were very joyful “[We have] attained what we have not before.”

If one seeks something and then attains it, one may not consider it precious. Today they attained what they never sought, which surpassed anything they had hoped for. Thus, they had gained what they never had before.

“If one seeks something and [quickly] attains it, one may not consider it precious.” If they could easily attain something, if they could easily attain what they sought, they would not have considered it precious. Now, “They attained what they had never sought.” Unexpectedly, they attained something that they had never thought possible to attain before. This is attaining what we have not before. They had never dared to hope for this. They had never dared to think this was possible. Now they heard they actually had a part in this; it was inconceivable to them that they too could attain Buddhahood. So, they were very joyful; thinking back, they had never experienced the kind of joy that they experienced now.

Everyone, in learning the Buddha’s Way we must be mindful. We must apply the Buddha-Dharma to our daily life and be Living Bodhisattvas in this world. If everyone exercises a Bodhisattva-mind and uses all kind of methods to help all beings come in contact with the Dharma, then we are spreading seeds of goodness. A seed of goodness is something we are all capable of cultivating; we can all be farmers of the mind, as long as we have the aspiration. So, everyone must always be mindful.

Episode 736 – Contemplating True Principles and Actualizing the Six Paramitas

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>> Contemplate true principles so that attachment to worldly love is forgotten. The Bodhi-path is one of lasting compassion and great love. The Dharma can transform all and quell suffering and hardship. Impartial compassion for all is the practice of the right path.

>> [As for] purifying Buddha-lands, and perfecting sentient beings, we took no joy in these. Why was this so? The World-Honored One had helped us to transcend the Three Realms and attain realization of Nirvana.  [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> Furthermore we are now already old and decrepit, so when the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Way that leads to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, we did not give rise to any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it.  [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> Since they were already old and decrepit, they thought the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma, which is to teach and transform Bodhisattvas, had no relation to them, so no hope arose within them with regard to it. How much more true is this for the four of us and others? This is Subhuti and the others, for they were already old and decrepit. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> In regard to the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma, which teaches Bodhisattvas how to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions and seek the teachings while transforming others, this is not something of which I am capable, nor is it something to which I aspire. So, it does not inspire hope in me, nor any thought of interest or joy whatsoever. Thus it says: We did not give rise to any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it.

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“Contemplate true principles so that attachment to worldly love is forgotten.
The Bodhi-path is one of lasting compassion and great love.
The Dharma can transform all and quell suffering and hardship. Impartial compassion for all is the practice of the right path.”

“Contemplate true principles”; true principles are the Great Dharma of the One Vehicle. We must mindfully delve into and meticulously contemplate these true principles.

We humans, because of worldly love, become confused over principles. All the feelings we are experiencing cause afflictions to gather in our minds, forming the current conditions of our life. With the way people live today, laypeople face hardships and worries of lay life; they have their careers, their families and their relationships. They experience happiness when spouses are loving toward each other, when fathers are kind and children are filial. Can we all [build] smooth relationships and bring our families together in harmony by following the principles? Eight or nine families out of ten cannot.

Nowadays most households are small because they are unwilling to live with their elders. The elderly have no choice in this; many end up alone, with no one to rely on. If they get sick, or if they are on the verge of death, their children are too far away. Some parents are very compassionate [They think,] “I don’t want the children to know. I don’t want them to worry. It’s not easy for them to make the trip home.” But some miss their children and grandchildren and hope to see them. If they let them know, they hear, “I’m very busy; if you need to talk, we can talk on the phone. Your father is sick. So take him to the doctor! Come home and see him. He won’t die that quickly! Call me when he’s closer to death.” We often hear stories of these kinds of family and parent-children relationships.

When they were young, their parents raised them and successfully nurtured them. They sent them to college and even helped them to go study abroad. All these opportunities came from their parents. But then these children become successful; they have their own families in places far from their hometown. They forget where they came from. There are even people who are more heartless. Clearly, the children live nearby, and yet their father or mother is living all by themselves. It is hard for them to get around, and when they fall ill, the house becomes filthy, and there is no one to cook their meals for them. Tzu Chi volunteers went to see a person like this, and after building a relationship with her, they asked her, “Where are all of your children?”

She began to cry. She took the Commissioner’s hand, put it on her chest and said, “Sister, the children I raised for decades don’t live very far away, but they never come to see me. Sister, you and I are not related, yet you and the other Dharma-sisters and -brothers visit me often and clean the house for me. I’m very grateful to you, Yet I also feel very sad. Why don’t my sons and daughters want to come home and see me?”

Her husband was quite successful in his youth. Because of his success, he was often out socializing, so she took care of their home and their business. “So, when my husband would come home, I would get angry at him. We’d get into huge fights. After I fought with my husband, I’d take it out on my children. But normally I really cherished them. Things just continued to build up this way. My children told me, ‘When we have our own families,’ ‘we will not come home to visit’.”

“When they spoke to me in anger, I responded to them in anger. So, I told them, ‘You don’t have to come back to see me;’ ‘even when I’m old, ill or dying, ‘you don’t need to come see me’.” The volunteers asked, “Granny, do you want them to see you? Sister, if I said no, I’d be lying. I don’t even know how many grandchildren I have.” This is so tragic. There is no telling how many families like this are out there now.

Her house was filled with trash, and although her neighbors felt bad for her, who could actually take care of her? In the beginning [volunteers] tried to get her to open the door to her heart and the door to her house. It was not easy to get her to open her door, let alone to let them inside. This relationship was built up over time. Over and over again, the volunteers asked to help clean her house. It took a lot of gradual communication before she let them clean the entire house, allowing them to touch her neighbors’ hearts too.

As these neighbors gradually became closer, they told the volunteers, “Don’t worry, brothers and sisters; you don’t have to come by so often. We will drop by more frequently “and sit with her. When it comes to her meals, we can take turns bringing some food to her.” This is genuine affection. If they were not Living Bodhisattvas, how would they be able to relieve sentient beings’ suffering? How could they transform people’s hearts and awaken their love? They are indeed Living Bodhisattvas.

Living Bodhisattvas already understand principles. They “contemplate true principles.” They already understood that in life, the hardships of her old age had their beginnings in her younger days. Because of those conditions and relationships and the karma that she created, she ended having children and grandchildren with whom she had no relationship [When we encounter] these kinds of lives, we must “contemplate true principles.” If we observe them mindfully and carefully, “Attachment to worldly love [will be] forgotten.” Then, we can learn to let go of this idea of “my” family, this concept of “you and I.” The relationship between “you and me,” the issues between two people, will cause [problems] for the next generation. When [that couple] became unhappy and fought, those feelings turned into hate and resentment.

If we understand the true principles, we can let go of worldly love and this concept of “you and I.” Then we can treat everyone equally, cherishing them as if they were our own children. We can view all sentient beings with this mindset. The Buddha said, “All sentient beings are like my only son.” He treated all beings the way He treated Rahula. With a heart like this, He loved all beings. But He also applied the same love He had for them toward the relatives of His clan. This is an impartial mind. Only by doing this are we “contemplating true principles so that attachment to worldly love is forgotten.” Only then can we open up our compassion and expand our love to be so great that, “Our minds encompass the universe.”

The heart of a Bodhisattva must be one of “long-lasting compassion and great love.” We must extend our compassion and expand our great love; this is the great and direct Bodhi-path. This is the only way we can walk this path over the long distance. Bodhisattvas engage in spiritual practice over countless lifetimes; the path to awakening is very long. We seek the Dharma and transform others. We continuously seek the Buddha’s Way and continuously transform sentient beings. This is lasting compassion and great love. This is how we walk the Bodhisattva-path.

This makes me think of the imbalance of the four elements and how they repeatedly result in major and minor calamities. When I think about this, I feel that we must seize every moment. We are running out of time, so I feel a great sense of urgency. We must promptly use the Dharma to deliver all beings in order to relieve their suffering and hardship. The only way to relieve suffering and hardship is to purify people’s hearts with the Buddha-Dharma. We must awaken everyone’s loving hearts. Then, everyone will treat each person as if they were a dear family member.

So, “Impartial compassion for all is the practice of the Right Path.” This is the path we need to walk; this is our direction. Even in the simple times when the Buddha lived, He was able to address the future, our present, with its complexities and viciousness that result in the three major and minor calamities. When I think of the Buddha’s wisdom, how can I delay in sharing [these teachings]. I must quickly teach them; I am running out of time even to teach. Though we are simply relying on sutra passages, [the problems in] today’s society were what the Buddha intended to address at that time. His original intention was to point out what life will be like in society in the future. So, through the sutras, we can understand people’s present states of mind.

These principles are unchanging; they are true principles, which will never change. So, we must be able to accept them at any time in order to cultivate our compassion and nurture a sense of the equality of all beings. Only then are we walking the true path.

What was the Buddha’s original intent more than 2000 years ago? He hoped we could understand more deeply and not wait too long like Subhuti. Katyayana, Kasyapa and Maudgalyayana. Their mindset was such that they wanted to continue listening to the Dharma, but when it came to walking the Bodhisattva-path and going among people, they felt no interest in that. They only wanted to put an end to cyclic existence and stop transmigrating in the Six Realms.

They did not feel this way for no reason. At that time, if they had walked the Bodhisattva-path, who would they transform? India was big; how many people would they come across? Would they encounter many people? Would those people be very complicated? No, they would be quite simple. So, during that time they engaged in spiritual practice with simple and pure hearts to delve deeply into the principles and understand. However, they did not declare, “I aspire and vow to walk the Bodhisattva-path in the future.” This is the part they were missing. So, the four of them stood up and repented to the Buddha; they fully explained their state of mind ․”[As for] purifying the Buddha-lands and perfecting sentient beings, we took no joy in these.”

“Why was this so? The World-Honored One had helped us to transcend the Three Realms and attain realization of Nirvana.”

「於菩薩法，遊戲神通、[As for] purifying Buddha-lands, and perfecting sentient beings, we took no joy in these. Why was this so? The World-Honored One had helped us to transcend the Three Realms and attain realization of Nirvana. 

The Buddha had continuously emphasized that we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice and eliminate our afflictions. He wanted us to transcend the Three Realms and eliminate our dust-like delusions and the delusions of afflictions. By eliminating our worldly greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt, we avoid creating karmic causes and conditions that result in the suffering of this world. We all come to this world carrying our karma, and only by putting an end to this karma can we achieve Nirvana. This is the course we must work hard to follow.

Next, we discuss, “Furthermore we are now already old and decrepit, so when the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Way that leads to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, we did not give rise to any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it.”

Because they were already old, when the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Way, they thought it was meant for young people or for those who felt inspired. Because of this, they did not develop the will to form great aspirations and make great vows. Because of this, they did not take joy in nor did they want to warmly accept the aspiration of walking the Bodhisattva-path. This was because they had grown old; they repeatedly expressed [this fact]. In this passage, “already old and decrepit” has appeared many times. Clearly, as people age they become more passive. They feel, “I do not have much time left; why do I need to learn so much?”

But we need to remember that life is not distinguished by its length. Human life is inherently impermanent; regardless of its length, we must broaden the scope of our lives. We must deepen the value of our life. We can expand the breadth of our life, and as we interact with people at this time, we must quickly form good affinities to prepare spiritual nourishment for transforming sentient beings. Then in our next life, people who see us will feel happy. The good affinities we form now will be the conditions for future happiness. This is the breadth of our lives. We must seize the present and quickly do the right thing. As for depth, we must listen to the Dharma and develop deep faith and understanding. Doing this depends on our thoughts. Otherwise, when we are truly “old and decrepit,” as our age continues to increase we may become less active. We must not become passive; we must quickly act.

The [elders said] they were “already old and decrepit.” Because they felt old and decrepit, “They thought the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma, which is to teach and transform Bodhisattvas, had no relation to them.” They thought that the Buddha was teaching this for Bodhisattvas, that only Bodhisattvas were the suitable recipients of the Buddha’s teachings and that it had nothing to do with them. “So, no hope arose within them with regard to it.”

Since they were already old and decrepit, they thought the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma, which is to teach and transform Bodhisattvas, had no relation to them, so no hope arose within them with regard to it. How much more true is this for the four of us and others? This is Subhuti and the others, for they were already old and decrepit.

They thought, “Venerable Buddha, when You teach the Bodhisattva-path, that has nothing to do with us; You are teaching other people.” Was that really the case? When we listen to the teachings, we may sometimes think to ourselves, “When Master talks about greed, anger and ignorance, she is not talking about me. It must be someone else who is greedy, angry and ignorant. She could not mean me.” This is how we tend to think. Sometime I give praise, saying, “They form great aspirations, make great vows and are kind toward others. She must mean me!” We all choose between the good and bad ourselves, but we must know that we need to actually take in all of it. When we hear positive things, we must take them to heart deeply. When we hear negative things, we should immediately eliminate those faults.

The teachings given by the Buddha are like dew drops or rain drops. When land suffers from drought, once it rains every inch of the ground is nourished by its moisture, and the seeds in the ground will naturally sprout. So, our mind is like a piece of land. When we accept the Dharma, it is as if rain is falling all over the land. So, we must be mindful.

“How much more true is this for the four of us and the others? Others” refers to how. Subhuti was not just representing the four of them in seeking the Dharma and repenting; he was representing everyone at the assembly. Thus he said “[the four of us] and the others.” Aside from Subhuti himself, there were many others who were also advanced in age. “They were already old and decrepit” and had become physically weak. They are “already old and decrepit”; they had already declined in physical strength. They walked differently, and their posture had changed. Here, Subhuti is describing the changes to their body.

In regard to the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma, which teaches Bodhisattvas how to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions and seek the teachings while transforming others, this is not something of which I am capable, nor is it something to which I aspire. So, it does not inspire hope in me, nor any thought of interest or joy whatsoever. Thus it says: We did not give rise to any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it.

“So, when the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Way that leads to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi…” In regard to the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma, which teaches Bodhisattvas how to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions and seek the teachings while transforming others, this is not something of which I am capable, nor is it something to which I aspire. So, it does not inspire hope in me, nor any thought of interest or joy whatsoever. Thus it says: We did not give rise to any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it. When the Buddha taught the Great Vehicle Dharma, how would they be able to accept that teaching? The Bodhisattva Way requires “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions.” Everyone knows the Six Paramitas, giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. But we must also actualize them in all actions. We must go among people, but [interacting with] myriad sentient beings is truly very difficult.

At that time, the Buddha said that walking the Bodhisattva-path requires “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, seeking the teachings while transforming others” and going among the people. “But this was not what I want to do, nor is it something I am capable of doing.” So, “It does not inspire hope in me.” They did not have that hope, so they did not wish to diligently advance. They had “[no] thought of interest or joy whatsoever.” They did not seek to do this at all. “Thus it says, ‘We did not give rise to’ ‘any thoughts of taking interest or joy in it’.” That was their mindset.

As Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful. Look at today’s society. We cannot just listen to teachings; once we learn the teachings we must adapt them to our current society. Look at the world right now; disasters are happening frequently. The three major and minor calamities occur one after another. If you think about it, shouldn’t we be mindful right now to bring the Buddha’s teachings into the world and go among people to transform them in accordance with the era? The Buddha-Dharma is everlasting and unchanging. So, we must accept the Dharma and apply it to our present times. Therefore, we must always be mindful.