Author: Scott Ogata

Episode 531 – The Wealth of Dharma is Limitless

>> “Farmland can sustain life; the goodness in our hearts can nourish the great compassionate field of virtues and blessings. Houses can provide physical shelter; the state of true wisdom helps us put the Dharma into practice and develop wisdom-life. The field of our mind can sustain [wisdom-life].”

>> “Sariputra, in a certain kingdom’s city or settlement there was a great elder who was old and frail.”

>> “He possessed limitless wealth, and had many farmlands, houses and servants. His house was spacious and large, and had only one door.”

>> The wealth of the Buddha-Dharma is limitless. All wisdom, merits and virtues, like our nature of True Suchness, are inherent. With the Six Paramitas, we can achieve the ultimate and be dignified with tens of thousands of virtues. We can bring joy to sentient beings and relieve them of suffering. Then our merits and virtues will mature, and we will attain Buddhahood.

>> This house, this dwelling, is analogous to our “fundamental consciousness.”

>> It is the “amala consciousness.” Amala consciousness is the nature of True Suchness that. I constantly tell everybody about. The nature of True Suchness is a pure and undefiled consciousness.

>> So, “Fundamental consciousness is also called home consciousness.”

>> “This consciousness is fundamentally the same in Buddhas and in sentient beings.”

>> This consciousness, in Buddhas, is called undefiled consciousness. This consciousness, in sentient beings, is covered by afflictions and accumulated delusions and karma, so it is called alaya consciousness. Buddhas and sentient beings both have fundamental consciousness, and both consider this consciousness their home.

“Farmland can sustain life;
the goodness in our hearts
can nourish the great compassionate field of virtues and blessings.
Houses can provide physical shelter;
the state of true wisdom
helps us put the Dharma into practice and develop wisdom-life.
The field of our mind can sustain [wisdom-life].”

We need to understand that we must make an effort to cultivate our minds. Then we will be like farmers tending their fields. As long as they mindfully cultivate the land, the land gives rise to a bountiful harvest of crops as part of its natural cycle. If there is goodness in our minds, then every day, we must be diligent and earnest. We take the Buddha-Dharma into our minds, so that our minds can grow in wisdom, just as the land produces a bountiful harvest. Thus, the Dharma can nurture our virtues. Then naturally we will see the great compassionate field of blessings.

Internally, we cultivate the field of our minds. Externally, we cultivate the field of blessings. Cultivating this field [of blessings] begins when we give rise to great compassion. When we go among people with great compassion, the Dharma we learn from them is returned to the field of our minds, which is our nature of True Suchness. We have this inexhaustible wealth, the wealth of merits and virtues, which is intrinsic to everyone.

So, “Houses can provide physical shelter” is an analogy for this state of true wisdom. The Buddha’s state of mind was likened in a [previous] passage to “a kingdom’s city or a settlement. Kingdom” is used to [represent] the Buddha’s state of mind, which is rich with all things in the world; the Buddha’s ocean of enlightened wisdom is very abundant.

“City” on the other hand [represents] the state of [Hearers], Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas, those who are newly-inspired and just beginning to advance. Although it is still smaller than a “kingdom,” it is bigger than a “settlement.”

As for the “settlement”, this represents the state of ordinary people where the beings of the Five Destinies co-exist, rising and falling [through the destinies]. People do good deeds, form aspirations and engage in spiritual practice, but when they encounter challenges, they retreat. Giving rise to discursive thoughts and vexations, they in turn generate more afflictions. This state of mind compared to a remote village. If the people in that village do not diligently work at cultivating the land, their lives will be very tough. This reflects how, if our wisdom is limited, our minds will be very narrow, and whenever we encounter anything we will be unable to understand it clearly. We will be unable to get over it or understand it. This is the state of ordinary people

discussed in the previous sutra passage. Now, “farmland” is used as an analogy for our spiritual wealth. Spiritual wealth is something that we must diligently cultivate.

Next, “Houses” are where we live. In life, where exactly do we live? We are living in a place of spiritual practice. There are also many Tzu Chi volunteers elsewhere who consider the Jing Si Abode their home. When they go to volunteer at the hospital, they have a place to return to. They leave in the morning and return in the evening. First thing in the morning, they can also listen to and understand the Dharma. Their minds can rely on and rest in this place. This is compared to “the state of true wisdom.”

At the hospital, they witness the differences in each patient’s illness, in each person’s family circumstances and in the way each is treated by their relatives. When we observe worldly matters, seeing suffering helps us recognize our blessings. As we recognize our own blessings, we need to become more understanding of others. With these blessed retributions, how do we act so as to make good use of them? This depends on our wisdom, on our state of true wisdom. In our spiritual practice, if we do not have these external conditions, we cannot establish a home in our minds where we can take refuge.

We accept the Dharma and put it into practice. This practice happens through our actions. As long as we are Buddhist practitioners, we must be engaged in spiritual practice. When it comes to spiritual practice, there is an external component, which is to go among people. There is also an internal component, the state we rely upon. So, a “house” is a safe and stable refuge. Since we have aspired to engage in spiritual practice and are sure of the direction our faith leads us in, every day, after we go among people we need to return to this spiritual home in our minds, the state of true wisdom.

We are able to see and experience external states, which helps us to understand the workings of the world and the habitual tendencies in people’s interactions. From people and matters, we can realize the true principles. Once we understand these truths, we must advance even more diligently and put the Dharma into practice so that we can develop our wisdom-life.

Everyone at our spiritual practice center wants to help us focus on the path. Not only should we move toward the “city,” not only must we reach the city, the Bodhisattva state of mind, we must practice diligently so we can reach the state of the Buddha. We must not always limit our minds to a state like that of the “settlement.” We are all intrinsically wealthy. We have this farmland, but we just need to make an effort to cultivate it. If there is goodness in our minds, we must constantly do good deeds, benefit others and form good karmic connections. This is the state of Bodhisattvas, which is the path we have to go through to reach the state of the Buddha.

The previous sutra passage states,

“Sariputra, in a certain kingdom’s city or settlement there was a great elder who was old and frail.”

The Buddha manifested in this world and dwelled here for the sake of one great cause.

According to the laws of nature, He was born, then grew up and then entered middle age and old age, the same as all people in the human realm. This is also an analogy for the state of the world.

When a person comes to this world if he has the correct way of thinking, then with spiritual cultivation and refinement, “Wealth enriches the house, and virtues enrich the body.” This happens through earnest and hard work. People who are rich do not need to tell us, “I am very wealthy.” This is unnecessary. When we go into their house, we can see the abundance and quality of their life. We know this just by walking in. This also applies to virtuous people. Once we interact with them, we recognize their wealth of knowledge. Their knowledge has been accumulated over time. This is how they developed their spiritual refinement.

The Buddha Himself said that. He spent countless kalpas in the presence of countless Buddhas. His [virtue] came from the spiritual practice. He engaged in over countless lifetimes. So, this took a very long time. Now, His body and mind were already at ease, so there was nothing He did not know. Thus He is an “elder,” rich in life experiences and very virtuous. Because of His advanced age, He was physically weaker and more frail. In the end, He passed away. This is an analogy for the workings of this world,

[how it goes through] Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration. When the Right Dharma abided in this world, the Buddha-Dharma really flourished. Because people cultivated it, they would naturally attain realizations. They could comprehend it. In the era of Dharma-semblance, people knew that the Buddha-Dharma was wonderful, so they rushed to install statues of the Buddha, paint pictures, copy sutras and so on. However, people were only focused on superficial appearances, and their diligent mindsets slowly became lax. In the era of Dharma-degeneration, sutras and images are destroyed over time. So, in the world, people will gradually place less value on the Buddha-Dharma. What will happen in the end? We do not want to see what will ultimately happen if this continues. Right now, if we can recognize [the importance] of the Dharma, we must quickly engage in diligent practice. We need to quickly apply it to our minds. We must clearly recognize its principles in our daily living and in the external conditions that we face. So, through our practice of the Dharma, we can unlock the nature of True Suchness within us. By doing so, we are manifesting Right Dharma in the world.

When it comes to wealth, the following sutra passage states,

“He possessed limitless wealth, and had many farmlands, houses and servants. His house was spacious and large, and had only one door.”

As we have said previously, although the Buddha’s lifetime is over 2000 years removed from ours, in fact, He left the True Dharma behind for us. The everlasting Right Dharma is in people’s minds. If people’s minds can awaken, Right Dharma will be here forever. So, everybody has this kind of wealth. “He possessed limitless wealth.” This wealth will never be exhausted. If everyone can take the Right Dharma to heart, how could they possibly exhaust their wealth?

“[He] had many farmlands, houses and servants.” Not only did he have farmlands and houses, he also had many servants. This expresses how “the wealth of Buddha-Dharma is limitless.” The Buddha-Dharma’s treasures are infinite. The Buddha taught the Dharma so that everyone could learn it mindfully. The Buddha came here for this one great cause. Therefore, “The wealth of Buddha-Dharma is limitless. All wisdom, merits and virtues, like our nature of True Suchness, are inherent.” The Buddha’s wealth of Dharma is limitless. If we can all return to our nature of True Suchness, then indeed [we have] “wisdom, merits and virtues.” Wisdom is awakening, and with awakening, our merits and virtues ultimately lead us back to our nature of True Suchness.

We intrinsically have a nature of True Suchness, but due to a moment of delusion, we continue to experience waves of afflictions. Now we have found the path, so we need to take advantage of the Dharma and use it as a lamp to light our way and help us return to our intrinsic Tathagata-nature. What should we use as the lamp that lights our path back to our Tathagata-nature? With the Dharma, what method should we employ? The Six Paramitas will lead us back to our intrinsic nature.

The wealth of the Buddha-Dharma is limitless. All wisdom, merits and virtues, like our nature of True Suchness, are inherent. With the Six Paramitas, we can achieve the ultimate and be dignified with tens of thousands of virtues. We can bring joy to sentient beings and relieve them of suffering. Then our merits and virtues will mature, and we will attain Buddhahood.

The Six Paramitas, as everyone knows, are giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These six methods are like six lamps. They provide a bright and luminous [path] for us to return to our nature of True Suchness. After we take the Dharma to heart, we must also put it into practice. Then we can “be dignified with tens of thousands of virtues.” These help us do the things we should do. “We can bring joy to sentient beings.” How can we bring joy to sentient beings? Sentient beings are suffering. We must find a way to use methods to bring happiness so that we can relieve their suffering. After relieving them of suffering, they will feel liberated and attain the joy of being peaceful and at ease. We should first be peaceful and at ease ourselves so that we can use this approach to relieve sentient beings of their suffering and help them to also be peaceful and at ease. Only then can we attain merits and virtues that help us attain Buddhahood. This is why I say that not only must we give unconditionally, we must also do so with gratitude.

It is in this way that Bodhisattvas practice the Six Paramitas in the world. The Six Paramitas can deliver us from the shore of ordinary beings to the other shore [of noble beings]. Then from the other shore we can safely return to the shore of ordinary beings, to deliver living beings to where we have been. We use the merit and virtues attained through the Six Paramitas to repeatedly deliver sentient beings. This is something we can all achieve.

“He had many farmlands, houses and servants.” Houses are dwellings. For example, the house of a wealthy person is usually big and its interior is decorated, Not only is its interior [richly] decorated, there are also many servants who clean the house every day, so that there is not a single speck of dust, and everything is orderly.

This house, this dwelling, is analogous to our “fundamental consciousness.”

What is our fundamental consciousness?

It is the “amala consciousness.” Amala consciousness is the nature of True Suchness that. I constantly tell everybody about. The nature of True Suchness is a pure and undefiled consciousness.

In our discussion, we normally stop at the eighth consciousness, but this passage mentions the ninth consciousness. The ninth consciousness only manifests at the state of Buddhahood. So, “Our original consciousness is also called the home consciousness.” In the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, do you recall. Great Magnificent Bodhisattva asking the Buddha, “Where does this sutra come from?” Do you still remember this? How did the Buddha respond? “From the home in all Buddha’s hearts.” This sutra, this Dharma, comes from the Buddha’s pure intrinsic nature. He expounded principles of such wisdom to guide our way. This comes from “pure and undefiled consciousness.”

So, “Fundamental consciousness is also called home consciousness.”

This consciousness is the home shared by all Buddhas.

“This consciousness is fundamentally the same in Buddhas and in sentient beings.”

Our fundamental consciousness is like a big house. The house of all Buddhas contains an abundance of teachings and wisdom. This consciousness, in Buddhas, is undefiled and free of contamination. In sentient beings, it is covered by afflictions.

This consciousness, in Buddhas, is called undefiled consciousness. This consciousness, in sentient beings, is covered by afflictions and accumulated delusions and karma, so it is called alaya consciousness. Buddhas and sentient beings both have fundamental consciousness, and both consider this consciousness their home.

Every day I tell everyone that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. But because we had one ignorant thought, which gave rise to the Three Subtleties we now constantly reproduce our afflictions. Thus, the karma of delusion permeates us and accumulates, layer by layer. It covers [our pure nature]. So, our consciousness becomes alaya consciousness, the eighth consciousness.

The seventh is the manas consciousness. Manas is our seventh consciousness. Before that are the Six Consciousnesses, which interact with the world around us. Once the Six Consciousnesses begin to function the seventh consciousness takes them in. When the seventh consciousness [thinks], we are led to take action, the results of which are stored in the eighth consciousness. When the eighth consciousness is able to be completely pure, we will return [to our true nature]. After everything is filtered out and purified, we will return to the Tathagata-Consciousness. This is why I tell everybody that we need to be diligent in our spiritual practice.

If we do not make an effort to practice, we will not be able to return to our nature of True Suchness. So, we need to seize the moment because our time is [very limited]. Since we can hear the Dharma and engage in spiritual cultivation and gather in this place of spiritual practice, we should cherish this opportunity. Our resolve must be firm; we must not be influenced by external phenomena.

For our body and mind to have a place to rest in and rely on, we must return to the home of the Tathagata. The home of all Buddhas is truly our safe, stable and joyful refuge. To return to the home of all Buddhas, we must apply the Dharma to ourselves. Therefore, in order to reach the state of true wisdom, we must put the Dharma into practice so that it can develop our wisdom-life. I hope everybody can accept and understand this. So, please always be mindful.

Episode 530 – Cultivate Virtue so Dharma Remains in the World

>> “Worldly treasures and wealth [never truly belong to us]. Farmlands and houses flourish and decay, arise and cease and are never permanent. There is no safety in the Three Realms; we are like foolish children playing with fire. Only world-transcending truths [learned] over many lifetimes can lead to Bodhi.”

>> Sariputra, in a certain kingdom’s city or settlement, there was a great elder who was old and frail. He possessed limitless wealth.

>> “There was a great elder who was old and frail. He possessed limitless wealth.”

>> Elder: One who is virtuous and accomplished. With noble character and sterling integrity, his renown and status are well-deserved.

>> Advanced in years, he was old and frail. Similarly, the Dharma that abides in the world becomes frail over the eras of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration.

>> The elder’s virtues are both internal and external. Internally, the virtue of wisdom leads to compassionate vows. He made great vows to transform sentient beings and set an example. Externally, he had an abundance of material wealth. Advanced in years, he had extensive knowledge of the past and present.

“Worldly treasures and wealth [never truly belong to us].
Farmlands and houses flourish and decay, arise and cease and are never permanent.
There is no safety in the Three Realms; we are like foolish children playing with fire.
Only world-transcending truths [learned] over many lifetimes can lead to Bodhi.”

Everyone, to learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must truly see all things in the world clearly. We are born into the human realm, but what is our purpose in coming here? People in the world are in a state of delusion. They believe the ability to attain many riches is considered a blessing. But is this really true? “Worldly treasures and wealth [never truly belong to us].” This is what the Buddha said.

Indeed, worldly treasures and wealth belong to kings, thieves, water, fire and unfilial children. Therefore, [they never truly belong to us]. Why do these five groups include kings and thieves? [Countries have the potential] to become unstable. If certain thoughts arise in a country’s leader, this can destabilize the entire country. Or, if the country is not administered well, not only may there be heavy taxes, but there may also be many corrupt officials. In this way, our wealth belongs to [such leaders].

Then, there are thieves. Thieves include pickpockets, bandits, robbers and so on. Indeed, people worry a lot about robbers and are very afraid of them. Why else would everyone build such solid walls? They are protecting themselves from thieves. Robbers may steal, raid or grab another’s wealth, causing the rich to feel uneasy.

Fire is even more worrisome. In the event that a fire breaks out, the flames are ruthless; once it starts, it burns until nothing is left. Water is also ruthless. We have often seen in international news reports that when it starts to rain, sometimes with this sudden rain, or with a torrential downpour, the heavy rain can instantly cause floods to occur. Half a story, a whole story or maybe even two, the water just keeps rising.

Water and fire are heartless indeed. Also worrisome are poorly-behaved children. These are rebellious children. These kinds of children can cause many problems for their families. How many stories like this have we heard? When we open up the newspaper, we see this kind of story every day.

Do you think that rich people are fortunate? Not necessarily. There are taxes, corrupt officials, robbers, thieves, [disasters of] water, fire and so on. All of these worry them. Life is impermanent. We must understand that nothing in this world [will last].

I recall 20 or 30 years ago, I would often visit a certain care recipient. He was a middle-aged man in Shoufeng. The place he lived in was very run down and he would always complain that he was suffering and that his health was poor. His entire body was swollen with excess fluids, and he would always go out to beg. His life seemed to be very difficult. So, we helped him by giving him rice every month, along with some living expenses. We told him, “Go see a doctor.” He also came to our free clinic to get some medicine. The doctor diagnosed him and told him, “You have high blood pressure and diabetes. You need to undergo dialysis for your kidneys.” Though given this advice, he refused to undergo treatment and kept going out to panhandle.

One day, he was seen crying. When his neighbors asked, “What happened?” he said, “Look, outside my house, someone has dug a big hole. To tell you the truth, there were five jars of money down there. When I was young, the house my father and grandfather left to me was burned down. I took the money out of the bank but could never bring myself to spend it, thinking I would save it for when I was older. So, I put it in jars and buried it in the ground.”

People around him felt helpless and and shared this news with us. “That man really has nothing at all now. He had lots of money before, while you were helping him, but now he really has nothing.”

When we went to see him again, he was still crying. When we asked what was wrong, he told us the same thing that he had told them, that he had been saving it for when he was older and needed it more. “But you have been terribly ill, haven’t you needed it? I thought maybe I could beg a little and accumulate more money. Then when I was no longer able to beg….” This is an illness of the mind. He did not merely have a physical illness. After further review with the doctor, the doctor said, “Master, he is not only physically ill, he is also mentally ill.” Thinking about it, it was indeed an illness of the mind.

I think about him when I read the saying, “Worldly treasures and wealth [never truly belong to us].” Some people try to guard their wealth. This man suffered so much just to make money, wanting just a little more.

Look at the kind of life he led. For the sake of that bit of money, he developed the problematic mentality of being enslaved by wealth. He kept begging and disregarded his health. Isn’t this a deluded way of living?

When you look at the disasters around the world, recently (2013), it seems that many countries are not safe. [For example], Syrian refugees have fled in all directions, some of them to Jordan. To help them, we shipped many containers of winter clothing from Taiwan for volunteers to distribute. Mr. Chen, one of our volunteers in Jordan, along with a local volunteer, had to work with the people in charge of the refugee camps to discuss how the distribution would be carried out. At noon, they went to a restaurant to have lunch. When they entered the restaurant and were about to eat, one of the workers at the restaurant, a Syrian refugee who worked at this restaurant, pointed at our group and voiced his anger, pointed at our group and voiced his anger. He was very fierce and kept yelling at them. Mr. Chen then explained to him, “We are from Taiwan. We are here in the refugee camp, because with these cold temperatures, we want to provide them with winter clothing. We are here today to discuss how the distribution might proceed.”

That man then said, “I apologize, I didn’t know that you are from Taiwan. I know about your organization, Tzu Chi. Let me tell you about people who are even worse off than the refugees, those who are in the refugee hospitals.” He began to talk about several individuals who had been wounded while fleeing their country. He told us of many individuals. Our volunteers saw for themselves that the medical stations at the refugee camps could not take any more [patients]. Because the hospitals were also full, elsewhere in the settlements, many houses were provided for the sick and wounded to stay in. Volunteers went to see them in person and heard so many miserable stories, they could not recount them all. These people had once lived peacefully in their own country. Their society was harmonious, and they lived and worked happily. They had led very blessed lives, but their country became unstable. The mindset of a few people resulted in the destruction of the homes of hundreds of thousands of people. The people were forced to flee and many were killed, causing unbearable suffering.

In our lives, do we really need to work so hard to satisfy our desire for personal gain? Must we go to such lengths to hoard our wealth? It is said that worldly treasures and wealth [never truly belong to us]. “Farmlands and houses flourish and decay.” Everything tangible in this world arises and ceases and is not permanent. It will not last forever.

So, in the Three Realms, there is no safety, no everlasting peace. There are many examples of impermanence, suffering and emptiness. Why is there so much suffering in the Three Realms? Because there are many foolish people who are like ignorant children playing with fire. Playing with fire, in an instant of carelessness the Three Realms become like a burning house; the desire realm and form realm are filled with unbearable suffering.

Only “world-transcending truths,” the principles for transcending the world, [learned] over lifetimes, can truly lead to Bodhi. Lifetime after lifetime, we give rise to Bodhicitta and walk the Bodhisattva-path. Then we can help calm the ignorance and afflictions in people’s minds and transform sentient beings. Only when everyone understands the principles will there be peace in the Three Realms; only then can this big house be safe. When there is peace in the world, when the four elements are in balance and when all countries and their people are safe, we will truly be in a pure land on earth.

Yesterday, we discussed “in a certain kingdom’s city or settlement.” A “kingdom” is very vast and expansive, just like the Buddha’s state of mind. After He understood the truths of the universe, His wisdom and enlightenment was like an ocean. All principles were contained in. His ocean of abundant wisdom; His wisdom was as vast as the ocean. Similarly, His wealth was like that of a very prosperous country. A “city” can be the major city in a province or the capital city. A “settlement” is like a town or village. This is an analogy for the Buddha’s great wisdom as compared to the wisdom of. Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas, or to the state of mind of ordinary people. This is what we analyzed yesterday. Clearly, we are still like a village or a house. The scope of our wisdom is limited, so we must learn from the Buddha’s understanding of true principles in the universe to better realize and understand them.

It is rare to be born human and to hear the Buddha-Dharma, so we must open up our minds and not only focus on material wealth and the desire for material things or tangible affections. Limited affection and love will trouble our minds. The desires of our mind, such as the striving for power and profit, will cause turmoil and danger in the world. All this is created by the minds of human beings. If we do not thoroughly understand principles, we will stir up a fire that will burn us and burn and destroy everything in this land. Therefore, we must truly be mindful.

Sariputra, in a certain kingdom’s city or settlement, there was a great elder who was old and frail. He possessed limitless wealth.

Next, we will discuss how.

“There was a great elder who was old and frail. He possessed limitless wealth.”

There was a great elder who was already advanced in age. His body had already become frail. What kind of person is considered an “elder”? It is someone who is accomplished is considered an elder. Older people are also referred to as elders. Those who are spiritually refined are also called elders.

Elder: One who is virtuous and accomplished. With noble character and sterling integrity, his renown and status are well-deserved.

So, the label “elder” is applied to someone who is virtuous and mature in all respects. His virtue is his noble character and sterling integrity. His mind is very pure. Not only does he have many years behind him, he has also accumulated much wisdom. He has wealth as well. This is a man of character. Upon hearing his name, everyone has a sense of respect. His status is also well-deserved. This is what makes an elder.

With advancing age, the body becomes frail; this is a law of nature. But this is also an analogy for the Dharma. Sakyamuni Buddha lived for 80 years. After He entered Parinirvana, the era of Right Dharma lasted for 500 years. The next 1000 years was the era of Dharma-semblance. It was followed by the era of Dharma-degeneration.

Advanced in years, he was old and frail. Similarly, the Dharma that abides in the world becomes frail over the eras of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration.

During the Buddha’s time in the world and after He entered Parinirvana, for several hundred years the Buddha-Dharma flourished. People cultivated proper spiritual practice. However, this era was short. Next, people created images, stupas and temples. However, the pure and virtuous minds of spiritual practitioners gradually weakened. Spiritual practitioners came to be more like ordinary people in the world. They began to pursue fame and personal gain and gradually began to indulge in pleasures and so on. They ceased to uphold precepts. Even though they engaged in spiritual practice, their minds were filled with afflictions. In this way, the Dharma decayed from the era of. Dharma-semblance to that of Dharma-degeneration. This is like getting old and frail.

The Buddha-Dharma is so wonderful. Why can’t Right Dharma forever abide in the world? Because of the human mind. During the Buddha’s lifetime, the Buddha-Dharma flourished for a period of time, because everyone recognized this as the Right Dharma. But after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, “The lion’s parasites eat the lion’s flesh.” Gradually, after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, the will of spiritual practitioners to engage in spiritual cultivation gradually faded.

In India, there were many other religions. With the decline of the Buddha-Dharma, other religious teachings flourished again. So, now it is rare to find the Buddha-Dharma there. Kumarajiva, Dharmaraksa, Matanga and others, as well as several monks from Kucha, brought the Dharma to China. This process was extremely difficult. During the Tang Dynasty, the Buddha-Dharma began to flourish in China. Master Xuan Zang and others traveled to India to seek and bring back the sutras. There were many virtuous laypeople who also went to bring the sutras back to China. So, the Buddha-Dharma began to flourish in China.

This is how we now have so much Dharma to study. But this Dharma was not the same as it was in the era of Right Dharma. With old age, the body becomes frail. This is analogous to the Buddha-Dharma. Even though the elder had unlimited wealth, as he aged he still experienced physical decline and frailty. The Buddha-Dharma also degenerated in this way. Yet, we are still quite fortunate that we still have sutras that we can read and study. If we can experience everything mindfully, then Right Dharma is still in the world.

So, the virtues of an elder are both internal and external. Internally, the virtue of wisdom leads to compassionate vows. He made great vows to transform sentient beings and set an example.

The elder’s virtues are both internal and external. Internally, the virtue of wisdom leads to compassionate vows. He made great vows to transform sentient beings and set an example. Externally, he had an abundance of material wealth. Advanced in years, he had extensive knowledge of the past and present.

“Virtue of wisdom leads to compassionate vows.” This virtue, this wisdom, is intrinsic to all of us. It awakens our hearts so that we cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer. “We vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” If we can put the Four Great Vows into practice, then we have internal, or spiritual wealth. This is the virtue of an elder.

What about external wealth? “An abundance of material wealth” means having many riches. If we awaken the love in every person’s heart and help everyone understand the principles, then we will contribute our external wealth as we gain internal wealth. We can give away our external wealth. This happens out of love. Giving out of love will bring us virtue and wisdom. By doing this, we are consistent inside and out. This is our virtue. So, we have internal and external virtue, as long as we can always be mindful.

Episode 529 – Manifest Virtue through Physical Cultivation

>> “With the nourishment of cultivating our actions, we manifest virtue. Through pure practices, we establish proper demeanor. This is like an elder in the world, who is virtuous, sincere and generous, well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge and whose vows are genuine and mature.”

>> “All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way. However, Sariputra, I shall now make use of analogies again in order to clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

>> “Sariputra, in a certain kingdom’s city or settlement, there was a great elder who was old and frail.”

>> “Kingdom” is an analogy for the magnificent true reward-land, where the reward-body of the Tathagata resides.

>> City: It is a metaphor and abbreviation for the land of skillful means with remainder. Two Vehicle practitioners and. Bodhisattvas who have not yet realized the Dharma-body abide in this land.

>> Settlement: It is an analogy for a land where the ordinary and noble live together, such as the Saha World. It is a land where noble beings live together with ordinary people and for the sake of transforming sentient beings, teach according to capacities. This is the term for a land where the ordinary and noble dwell together.

“With the nourishment of cultivating our actions, we manifest virtue.
Through pure practices, we establish proper demeanor.
This is like an elder in the world, who is virtuous, sincere and generous,
well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge and whose vows are genuine and mature.”

The quality of a person’s character depends on regular spiritual cultivation. Regular spiritual cultivation can help us to unite body, mind, vows and virtue. The vows we establish affect the actions we take. When our thoughts and actions are consistent, people will naturally trust and affirm us. So, the appearances we manifest are from the nourishment of cultivating our actions. Confucius said, “Wealth enriches the house, virtue enriches the body.” This is what Confucius said, and this is also what the Buddha taught.

Our spiritual practice must be proper for us to go among people and apply the Buddha’s teachings to transform them. To transform others, we must be sincere. With sincerity and the proper mindset, we dedicate ourselves to helping others. This is like walking on a road where we encounter many people who are going in different directions. We need to find a way to make this road smooth so that everyone can walk it in safety. The ancients always said that those who build bridges and roads earn great merits. This is true; if a physical road is paved smoothly, people can walk on it safely. So, when we engage in spiritual practice among people, it is as if we are paving a road for them.

Trails are blazed by people. We must clear a very simple and pure path. Although sentient beings are very complicated, we must remain virtuous. [Our thoughts and actions] must be pure in order for us to establish our virtue. By establishing and strengthening our virtue, we will naturally develop a proper demeanor. With a proper demeanor, our virtue will [permeate everything], like wind or fragrance.

So, in our spiritual practice, as we walk this path, we must find ways to pave a path for others. This is what we do externally. What is even more important is to pave the road in our own minds. To be able to pave the road in the world and return to the path in our minds, we must develop Bodhicitta and make Bodhi-vows. This is how the road in this world intersects with the Bodhi-path. If we are able to engage in these pure practices, we can naturally establish a proper demeanor.

[This is like how] schools create a school culture. In terms of moral character, the virtue we establish is an example to others. So, in learning the Buddha’s teachings, we cultivate the Bodhi-path internally and pave a road through this world externally. This is the humanitarian spirit. Therefore, we must engage in internal cultivation and external practice.

Thus we are like “elders,” people considered elders in the world. Elders are people who are virtuous, knowledgeable, and have a family enterprise, status and so on. They are well-established and very respected. People like these are called “elders.” These elders are not only rich in material wealth, but also in spiritual virtue. This makes them elders in the world. Elders are virtuous, sincere and generous. To have virtue, we must be sincere and generous; we need spiritual refinement. Besides having internal and external wealth, most importantly, we must have wisdom.

So, we must be “well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge.” We must clearly understand everything about the past, as well as the present and the future. This goes beyond ordinary knowledge; this is wisdom, which helps us become “well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge.” Establishing very genuine and mature vows is part of our spiritual practice and our spiritual refinement.

So, “With the nourishment of cultivating our actions, we manifest virtue.” As we cultivate our actions, we must be like the land that unceasingly absorbs the rain and dew, naturally producing a bountiful harvest. As we continue to absorb the Dharma, we must take it to heart and then manifest it in our external practice. When our inner virtue is applied to our external practice, we are “manifesting virtue.”

Our spiritual practice must be pure. Whether we are walking the road in this world or the Bodhi-path, we are establishing a proper demeanor for this world so that people will feel that, “This is what I want to learn. This is the example of giving that I wish to set for others.” To do this we must have a very pure mind; only then can we set the example that people need.

When the Buddha came to this world, He was already replete with these virtues. So, when He taught sentient beings, we believed in the Dharma that He taught. We follow the Buddha in our spiritual practice and trace His footsteps. He is the role model for this world. This is because His inner virtues were already genuine and mature and He had vowed to return to the world to carry out His one great cause. Over this long period of time, He has never abandoned sentient beings, so He is called the “kind father of the four kinds of beings” and “guiding teacher of humans and heavenly beings.” One must have very mature vows in order to return to the world and transform sentient beings.

So, the previous passage states, “All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.”

“All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way. However, Sariputra, I shall now make use of analogies again in order to clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

The Buddha did all this for the sake of teaching and transforming Bodhisattvas, teaching everyone to transform into Bodhisattvas. Everyone has this power to give of themselves. The Buddha had this confidence in all beings. Everyone can become a Bodhisattva. Everyone can attain Buddhahood. This is because, in all of our minds, we intrinsically have Tathagata-nature. The Buddha had this confidence in all beings.

Next, “However, Sariputra, I shall now make use of analogies again.” Truly, the Buddha had no choice but to use analogies, along with various causes and conditions and other methods to transform sentient beings. This is because, from the Buddha’s lifetime until now and from now on into the future, sentient beings continuously exist in this world. So, the Buddha-Dharma must also arise unceasingly. This pure stream of water must constantly help to purify people’s minds. So, “The Dharma is like water that can cleanse all defilements.” Because sentient beings will endlessly reproduce afflictions in this world, the Buddha had to apply the. Buddha-Dharma in this world. Though its source is far away, this stream is long. For a long time, the water must continue to emerge from the source and constantly flow on. This cleanses contaminants from people’s hearts. Thus, Bodhisattvas in this world must continue to pass on the Dharma-lineage.

So, the Buddha would explain again. “I shall now make use of analogies again in order to clarify what I mean.” He said that He would use analogies once again to help us thoroughly comprehend the principles. He did this in the past, is doing it in the present and will do it in the future. Those with wisdom can naturally learn very profound principles from these analogies.

In the following sutra passage, the Buddha told Sariputra,

“Sariputra, in a certain kingdom’s city or settlement, there was a great elder who was old and frail.”

Although the Buddha was talking to Sariputra, He actually wanted all of His disciples who were present to listen to Him closely. Calling one name, He called to all disciples at the assembly.

So, in “a certain kingdom’s city or settlement,” the term “kingdom’s city” is an analogy for something in the human realm. The term “kingdom’s city” refers to a major city, a big population center. In every kingdom, there would be a place that would be called the city. There might also be a “settlement.” A settlement can be a village, a town or a township. These are all considered settlements. It refers to an area where people live together or with houses where people reside. These are worldly terms.

Here, the Buddha began to use them as analogies.

“Kingdom” is an analogy for the magnificent true reward-land, where the reward-body of the Tathagata resides.

This means that after attaining enlightenment, the Buddha’s state of mind became like a kingdom. The great breadth [of this kingdom] encompasses everything in the universe. It is the ocean of enlightened wisdom. So, the Buddha’s state of mind is abundant with all things within the universe. This is “the magnificent true reward-land.” There is nothing He does not know, no Dharma He cannot comprehend. All Dharma is contained within the. Buddha’s ocean of enlightened wisdom. This is the kind of state the Buddha abides in. This is like a “kingdom.” It is an analogy for the Buddha’s state of mind and the ocean of enlightened wisdom. He awakened to. This state of mind is one of such great abundance.

“City” is an analogy for “the land of skillful means with remainder.”

City: It is a metaphor and abbreviation for the land of skillful means with remainder. Two Vehicle practitioners and. Bodhisattvas who have not yet realized the Dharma-body abide in this land.

“The land of skillful means with remainder” is where Two Vehicle practitioners or those who are newly-inspired Bodhisattvas abide.

Hearers learn by listening to teachings. As for Solitary Realizers though they are born in an era without a Buddha their awakened natures are more pure. By observing the cycle of the four seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter, by coming in contact with these conditions and observing all things in the world, they realize the impermanence of this world. Though they have this understanding, they remain at this stage [of spiritual practice]. These are Realizers of Conditions. They awaken by connecting to external conditions, but their state of mind is still relatively narrow.

There are also some people who realize, after listening to the Buddha-Dharma, that they must aspire to walk the Bodhisattva-path. However, though they have aspired to practice the Bodhisattva-path, they have not truly awakened. They have only formed this initial aspiration. These newly-inspired Bodhisattvas have only begun to pave the road in this world in order to connect it with the Bodhi-path, but they have not completely recognized or experienced that yet.

This state is like a “city”; as we engage in spiritual practice, our state of mind must slowly approach [the vastness of] a “kingdom.” This is how a populous area of a county can gradually grow closer to being the capital. The same principle applies here. So, a “city” may be a major population center but it is not quite at the level of an actual capital city.

Bodhisattvas who are newly-inspired have already formed aspirations. Their state of mind and the pure state of mind of Solitary Realizers are gradually beginning to converge. As all head toward forming Great Vehicle aspirations and establishing the Four Great Vows, these states will continue to converge. This is likened to a “city”; it is one of the states of mind we develop during spiritual practice.

As for “settlement,” a “settlement” is an analogy for “a land where the ordinary and noble live together.”

Settlement: It is an analogy for a land where the ordinary and noble live together, such as the Saha World. It is a land where noble beings live together with ordinary people and for the sake of transforming sentient beings, teach according to capacities. This is the term for a land where the ordinary and noble dwell together.

This is like the Saha World. The world we currently live in is the Saha World. The Saha World, as we all know, is the world of patient endurance. The Saha World is where the beings of the Five Destinies co-exist, but in this place where they all coexist, ordinary and noble beings are living together. “Ordinary” refers to the Six Unenlightened Realms, “noble” to the Four Noble Realms. The Four Noble Realms are. Hearers, Solitary Realizers, Bodhisattvas and. Buddhas. They all dwell together in this place. The Six Unenlightened Realms refer to the heaven, human, asura, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. These are the Six Unenlightened Realms, and the unenlightened beings [within them]. Actually, we are able to see the Six Unenlightened Realms in this world, and we can experience the Four Noble Realms [too].

The Buddha appeared here. He was born here, engaged in spiritual practice here, attained enlightenment here and taught the Dharma here. So, the Buddha also lived in this world. Therefore, this world, the Saha World, is “where the ordinary and noble dwell together. The beings of the Five Destinies coexist here.” The Five Destinies are the hell, hungry ghost, animal, human and heaven destinies; things are complicated in this world of patient endurance, but in this world where suffering must be endured, sages and noble beings must come forth in order to teach. So, this is where “ordinary and noble beings dwell together.”

This is the Saha World. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for the sake of transforming sentient beings, must come to this world. For instance, oftentimes, if we feel afflicted or nervous, or when we encounter difficulties, we immediately chant “Guanyin Bodhisattva. Guanyin Bodhisattva of great loving-kindness and compassion.” The name “Guanyin Bodhisattva” is firmly in the minds of Buddhist practitioners. Everyone relies on Guanyin Bodhisattva’s great loving-kindness and compassion. Actually, when we call out to Guanyin Bodhisattva, we are calling on the Guanyin Bodhisattva within us. So, we constantly say that everyone is Guanyin, everyone is a Bodhisattva. It is just that the minds of ordinary people are not fully unified with the mind of. Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, to say nothing of an intrinsic Guanyin Bodhisattva. As we return to our nature of True Suchness, during this process, we must strive to realize the state of unconditional kindness and universal compassion. If we encounter any difficulties, we can quickly chant to Guanyin Bodhisattva. So, we know that with [great] loving-kindness and compassion, once we open up our minds, what difficulties could we possibly face? By broadening our road, it becomes the Bodhisattva-path.

Therefore, this Bodhisattva-path in the world can encompass all sentient beings. In order to transform all sentient beings, the Buddha taught according to conditions and according to capabilities. When working with other people, whatever the mental difficulties they face, we can use the appropriate teaching to treat them. Whatever the hardship, we prescribe the specific medicine they need. Whatever emergencies they encounter, we need to use the appropriate means to rescue them with our concerted effort. These teachings must accord with the current times and people’s capacities. This is how noble beings give their teachings when among the beings of the Five Destinies. So, this is the place “where the ordinary and the noble dwell together.”

So, a “kingdom’s city” or a “settlement” are both simple and straightforward terms which actually contain profound principles. Ordinary beings and nobles dwell together. For noble beings to transform sentient beings, they must come here. It is said that. Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering beings. All Buddhas come to the Saha World to deliver sentient beings. Thus the ordinary and noble dwell together. Both are in this Saha World. We must mindfully learn the Buddha’s teachings and form Great Vehicle aspirations. We must diligently progress on the great Bodhi-path instead of remaining in the villages; we must learn to freely travel back and forth. So, everyone, please always be mindful.

Episode 528 – Teaching the Dharma to Transform Bodhisattvas

>> “Create a field of blessings with the pure actions of the body. Form good karmic connections with honest and genuine speech from the mouth. [Perfect] precepts, Samadhi and wisdom with a mind focused on the Path. Reach the land of calm illumination [by cultivating] two Three’s and one Four.”

>> “However, Sariputra. I shall now make use of analogies again in order to clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

>> After Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, over many decades, for one great cause. He drew analogies from various causes and conditions. To teach about the Five Turbidities, He gave provisional teachings and explained the ignorance in worldly matters. Through the workings of the world, the Buddha taught skillful means. With analogies, He helped further clarify His meaning.

>> Sariputra requested the Dharma for the. Three Vehicle practitioners to enable them to more clearly understand their past lives’ causes and conditions. The analogies and expressions, and the complete process of first teaching the Three and then the One, are thus called causes and conditions; All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

“Create a field of blessings with the pure actions of the body.
Form good karmic connections with honest and genuine speech from the mouth.
[Perfect] precepts, Samadhi and wisdom with a mind focused on the Path.
Reach the land of calm illumination [by cultivating] two Three’s and one Four.”

This is what I want to share with everyone. What exactly is spiritual practice? Spiritual practice is all about our body, speech and mind. Our practice takes place in our interactions and how we deal with various matters. If the way we treat other people and all the actions we take are wholesome, we will create good karma. Benefiting others, of course, creates blessings. But as we interact with people and handle matters, while we may look fine on the outside, inside, our minds may be filled with afflictions. Some people might seem to be a kind, but their hearts may be filled with hate, jealousy, afflictions and so forth. In this case, their behavior cannot be considered wholesome. To benefit others, our intent must be to create blessings; we cannot only appear to create them. Only then can we form good karmic connections. Those good connections are fields of blessings.

[We must be mindful of] our actions because our bodies have the ability to do many things; our Six Roots are all a part of our body. When our actions are pure,

the karma our bodies create will be blessed. When we engage in spiritual practice among people, we encounter various kinds of impurities. People’s perspectives bring impurity, their afflictions bring impurity and their bodies also bring impurity. This gives rise to much impurity in our lives, adding to the defilements of this era. These are the Five Turbidities.

Though we physically [live] among them, it is still possible to maintain the purity of our minds and purity in our actions. So, when we go among people, we create fields of blessings. We can sow the seeds of love into the minds of sentient beings and act as the farmers of their fields. This is how we keep our actions pure.

As we interact with people, we are constantly expressing ourselves and communicating. For instance, speaking to you right now is how I express myself and what I am expressing is that we must take action in this world and benefit others by helping them. All this must be expressed through words. Thus, speaking good words and teaching the True Dharma happen through speech. If we are going to speak, we must be genuine and sincere. We must live up to the things we say and our words must be true. Wasn’t the Buddha like this? Everything He taught us sentient beings was to help us to resolve our worldly problems. To solve the problems of sentient beings,

the Buddha taught from the depths of His heart. It is just that sentient beings are foolish. When listening to the Dharma [they say], “Very good, after I hear this, I will remember it, and when I see others, I will also tell them, ‘Thus have I heard.'” People who hear it will also be very happy. “I am so grateful! So-and-so has truly guided me and thus formed a good karmic connection with me. I feel very grateful to him.”

When it comes to our words, people may accept what we say and give us praise and express their gratitude to us, but what about our own minds? Are our minds in accord with the Path? “With a mind focused on the Path” we will cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.

If the teachings go in one ear and out the other, or if we are just listening to satisfy others, that would really be a pity. If our minds are not oriented towards the Path, if our bodies and minds are not actually pure, we may seem to be engaged in spiritual practice, but in our minds we are not actually cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. If that is the case, it would be very sad! We must remember the “two Three’s and one Four.” What are the two Three’s [and one Four]? They are the three evils of the body, the three of the mind and the four of speech. Isn’t this right?

The three evils of the body are killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.

When it comes to killing, we spiritual practitioners all think, “I’m very pure; I engage in spiritual practice and I don’t kill anything. When I see an ant, I would not think to kill it, so I don’t commit any killing.” However, we are constantly destroying the life of objects. As part of our spiritual practice, we must cherish everything. I often say, “If you are not in the room, why don’t you turn the light off?” Think about how one person wasting electricity consumes and kills something that can be used by others. In this way, we are killing the life of objects. Or, take paper, for example. We can actually write on the back of this paper. If we are wasteful with paper, it is as if we are killing it.

Everyone holds a cell phone in their hands. Nowadays, everyone is constantly looking down. What are they looking at? Things that disrupt our resolve to practice. [If we use them to] say negative things, we are transmitting our afflictions to others. Additionally, by constantly replacing our phones, we are destroying the life of many objects. So, can anyone truly say they are pure? Following popular trends, people constantly replace what they have. They do not cherish things at all. Sometimes, overuse can cause conflicts. This is very common, too. This not only destroys material, tangible objects, but is killing people’s wisdom-life as well! Karma from spreading conflict is even more severe than that of killing tangible objects.

So, for our actions to be pure and to constantly create fields of blessings, we must start with our minds. The three evils of the mind are greed, anger and ignorance.

Ignorance is particularly [dangerous]. Clearly, we want to engage in spiritual practice, but we cannot uphold the precepts. Clearly, we want to engage in spiritual practice, but our minds cannot settle down in Samadhi. Think about it, these three evils of the mind hurt not only our own wisdom-life, but also the wisdom-life of others. Ignorance creates greed and anger, so it is the source of delusion. This is one of the “two Three’s.”

Then there are four evils of speech, lies, flattery, gossip and harsh words. Which of these is not spread through our speech? These four trouble people’s minds. These four agitate societies. These four destroy families. These four disrupt organizations.

Think about it, our body, speech and mind, the two Three’s and one Four, are all ways to create negative karma. By doing the opposite, we can create fields of blessings and form good karmic connections. By cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, our minds can “reach the land of calm illumination.”

If we can maintain our bodies’ purity by not killing, stealing or committing sexual misconduct then we will not create negative karma. Our minds, in addition to upholding precepts, can also be in Samadhi; this is wisdom. If our speech is proper and we guard against the four evils of speech, we can help others develop their wisdom-life, turn the Dharma-wheel, benefit society and form good karmic connections. These are the four good deeds of speech. If our minds are focused on the Path, our precepts, Samadhi and wisdom will be flawless. Think about this. Isn’t this state “the land of calm illumination”? Our pure wisdom-life is our Buddha-nature.

Look at Tzu Chi volunteers. Everyone is willing to do good deeds; they treat everyone equally and give out of love. If everyone could be like this, wouldn’t Earth be a very peaceful place? The Buddha comes to the human realm for this one great cause, to help people to purify their minds. Don’t we all engage in spiritual practice by accepting the Buddha’s teachings, putting them into practice and then transmitting the Buddha’s wisdom in the world? Earlier we talked about how the teachings of all Buddhas are “for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.” The Dharma taught by all Buddhas is solely for transforming sentient beings.

Next, the sutra text states,

“However, Sariputra. I shall now make use of analogies again in order to clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

If people have wisdom, they can achieve understanding from causes and conditions, analogies and expressions. Otherwise, when the Dharma is taught, they would just be listening, and the speakers would just be talking. Then despite having heard what was taught, they would be unable to put it into practice. If so, no matter how much Dharma they listen to, it will all be for nothing. The speakers would also be wasting their breath. All this would be “empty,” without any substance.

We must also constantly reflect on ourselves. “Have I violated this rule? Have I said something like this? Did this kind of thought arise in my mind?” If the answer is yes, we must immediately repent. Then we can avoid our minds being disturbed, which would cause discord in our relationships. So, we must all be mindful.

The Buddha pointed to Sariputra and said, “I taught him much Dharma, but he did not understand the principles, so I used causes and conditions and analogies.”

After Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, over many decades, for one great cause. He drew analogies from various causes and conditions. To teach about the Five Turbidities, He gave provisional teachings and explained the ignorance in worldly matters. Through the workings of the world, the Buddha taught skillful means. With analogies, He helped further clarify His meaning.

Over several decades, the Buddha taught only for this one great cause, drawing analogies and teaching the Dharma with various causes and conditions. He did all this to explain the Five Turbidities and to help people distinguish them. The Five Turbidities truly bring unbearable suffering to everyone. This suffering starts with the turbidity of view; it begins with everyone’s perspectives. Our perspectives may prevent us from accepting Right Views. If we cannot accept Right Views, then we cannot practice the Right Dharma; this creates afflictions.

So, the turbidity of views gives rise to the turbidity of afflictions, which causes chaos for sentient beings in their relationships. Children are not filial to their parents. Friends are not kind or loyal to each other. People do not benefit each other at all, [instead] fighting openly and plotting secretly. This turbidity of sentient beings creates so much [chaos] in our lives, which has accumulated in this current era. In our present age, both the macro- and microcosm are experiencing the three major and the three minor calamities. These all occur frequently in our time.

All of this is because we humans are constantly giving rise to the Five Turbidities. Starting with our perspectives, we give rise to afflictions, then among sentient beings, we create turbidity in our lives. This is why in this world and in this era we cannot achieve a state of peace. This is due to the Five Turbidities; this causes us unbearable suffering.

The Buddha kept talking about these things, teaching about them with causes and conditions, analogies and expressions. Great Vehicle practitioners hear something once and immediately understand it. But the Middle Vehicle practitioners still clung to [their understanding] of the Dharma. The Small Vehicle practitioners were still confused and did not clearly understand. So, Sariputra hoped that the Buddha would now teach the Great Vehicle Dharma so that He could help the Small Vehicle and the rest of the Three Vehicle practitioners to understand more clearly.

Thus, “He requested the Dharma for the Three Vehicle practitioners.”

Sariputra requested the Dharma for the. Three Vehicle practitioners to enable them to more clearly understand their past lives’ causes and conditions. The analogies and expressions, and the complete process of first teaching the Three and then the One, are thus called causes and conditions; All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

Through this interaction with the Buddha, Sariputra hoped that future sentient beings would receive the Buddha’s teachings of karmic conditions, analogies and expressions so they could understand more clearly. These methods were again used to teach. This was in order to teach Bodhisattvas and help them to understand more clearly. He hoped that everyone would walk the Bodhisattva-path in the future and that because of their views, they would bring out the full potential of their pure and undefiled intrinsic nature and would go into this turbid world to help people. This would make them Living Bodhisattvas.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, this was His ideal. He hoped future sentient beings would purify themselves with His ideals and then go among people to turn the Dharma-wheel. As the Dharma continues to be shared, we can understand better and better that this world is truly [full of] suffering and we can better comprehend the answer to the question, “What are the causes and conditions of suffering?” They come from the Five Turbidities. These teachings help us to understand. Not only will everyone understand, they can also take this Dharma and transmit it to countless beings in the future. In addition to understanding [the Dharma], if they can deeply comprehend it and also put it into practice among people, then this makes them Bodhisattvas. Think about it, if we could all do this, wouldn’t everyone in this world be a Bodhisattva?

I read a story from the Dominican Republic. I was very moved by it. In Haiti, when the earthquake struck, so many people lost their homes and could no longer continue living there, so they went to the Dominican Republic. In the Dominican Republic, there are many places with tremendous poverty, and there is a lack of medical treatment. What happens if someone has a toothache? There was a man from Haiti who had gone there and now extracted people’s teeth for a couple of US dollars per tooth. This was how he made a living.

However, after a while, he had a stroke which affected his mobility. So, he lost his source of income. In the Dominican Republic, he had no relatives. All his friends were very poor and were also refugees; they were people who escaped from the disaster. Who could help him? This case was reported to Tzu Chi. The Tzu Chi volunteers in the Dominican Republic accepted this case and paid him a visit. The place where he lived was very dirty, extremely simple and crude. The volunteers mobilized people to help him clean. At the same time, they gave him free medical care, to help treat his body. As this was all happening, this person voiced his true wish, “My one wish is to go back to Haiti.”

Tzu Chi volunteers exercised their love. They helped him to organize everything. They tried to contact his friends and neighbors in Haiti to tell them, “We want to help this person return to Haiti.” They finally got in touch with his friends. Tzu Chi volunteers helped him organize and pack, then picked him up in a car to go process the necessary paperwork; after all, he was going into another country. Then they took him to a bus stop. Everyone gave him many reminders and advice. They then asked the driver to help take care of him on their behalf and stay in contact with them. Thus they helped this person to arrive safely back to his home country of Haiti.

Hearing this story [reminds me of] how we do this often in Taiwan. This is unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion. In the Dominican Republic, for the sake of this suffering person from Haiti, a group of people joined together to help. For three or four months, they took care of him and organized everything to help him be able to return to his hometown. See, aren’t they Living Bodhisattvas?

Everyone, if we do not walk the Bodhisattva-path, we cannot return to our intrinsic Buddha-nature. If we do not return to our Buddha-nature, our Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind will forever be the “two Three’s and one Four,” which will give rise to the Five Turbidities. These turbidities will continue to defile the human realm, causing tremendous confusion. So, we must help people to purify their minds. Many who become Bodhisattvas are able to do so because through teachings of causes and conditions, analogies and expressions, they were able to experience and realize the principles. So, I hope everyone will always be mindful.

Episode 527 – Attain Understanding through Analogies

>> “For as long as heaven and earth have existed, there have been natural laws. Experience and realize the true principles of the aggregate of action. The ocean of wisdom contains infinite meanings. First let fall drops of dew to immerse the dust of desire.”

>> “At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra, ‘I did not at first talk about it, but don’t all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, teach the Dharma by means of various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'” This was how the Buddha expounded the Dharma.

>> “All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way. However, Sariputra, I shall now make use of analogies again in order to further clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

>> Sariputra entered the Path through [teachings about] causes and conditions. He realized the Buddha’s intent in teaching the Dharma among all beings. With all these various causes and conditions, analogies and expressions, the Buddha was teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

Due to Typhoon [Usagi] (2013), over the past few days, my heart has also felt like it is in a typhoon; I have been heavy-hearted and worried. More than once, I have thought, “To be human comes with so much suffering!” Not only is it difficult to interact with people and deal with matters and things, but the rise and decline of things in the world can also cause us to feel very troubled. This imbalance in the world arises from the imbalance in people’s hearts and minds. When can our minds truly be one with the Dharma so that [they] can be in harmony with nature? As long as we can all change our mindsets, environmental conditions will become favorable.

“For as long as heaven and earth have existed, there have been natural laws. Experience and realize the true principles of the aggregate of action. The ocean of wisdom contains infinite meanings. First let fall drops of dew to immerse the dust of desire.”

We are talking about a long period of time. Based on the explanation of time in the sutras, we ordinary people do not have the wisdom or a way to measure this amount of time. So, this is “for as long as heaven and earth have existed.” Just how long has the earth existed? Today’s scientists continue their research to figure out exactly how many trillions of years our planet has existed. I do not think that number is very important. The most important thing is that we know that for as long as the world has existed, so have the laws [of nature]. The principles of heaven and earth and the rules we follow should be one and the same. The difference is only in duration.

A human life is like a microcosm, [which] only lasts for a short time. Consider the karma of sentient beings. Heavenly beings, besides those born in. Trayastrimsa Heaven, may be born in Tusita Heaven or in Mahesvara Heaven, or in any of the many other heavens. There are so many heavenly realms.

The other planets orbiting in the same solar system as Earth all vary in their distance from the Sun. There is a planet whose revolution around the Sun takes over 160 Earth years. In just this tiny corner of the immense universe, time is calculated differently on other planets, to say nothing of the rest of the vast universe, with its countless other solar systems and countless other worlds.

The Buddha, in His wisdom, already comprehended the great path and the aggregate of action. There are many different realms, even just taking the closest ones for example. The heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings is the closest to the human realm, followed by Trayastrimsa Heaven. One day in the heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings is the same as 50 years in the human realm, while one day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is the same as 100 years in the human realm. In addition, as I just mentioned, on other worlds, years and time would definitely be calculated differently than they are here.

In our solar system, the planet Mercury makes one revolution around the Sun in only 88 Earth days. [Venus] makes one revolution in around 240 days. Earth takes the third shortest amount of time, 365 days. And so it goes for the other planets. The farther away from the Sun, the longer it takes to make one revolution. The planet must adhere to its orbital path and cannot deviate from its course in the slightest. Thus everything remains in its right place.

So, we always say that we must be very grateful. When we look up at the sky, we see clouds. The right amount of wind and rain benefits the land. The land is [free of disasters] when the four elements are in balance. The harvest of crops will also be abundant, and everything on earth will be nourished. This is why I always tell everyone that we should respect and care for the earth.

The Buddha comes to this world for the sole purpose of helping us unlock the wisdom in our minds. We must not live every day simply for the sake of getting by or enjoying empty pleasure, thus passing our days in confusion daze. In addition to knowing about the cycle of day and night, we must understand how it relates to the smooth rotation and revolution of the Earth. We must comprehend its motion. As you all sit before me, behind me you can see [the image of a starry sky]. This is just one small corner of the universe. What you see are the planets in the solar system. It is there to help remind us that as we face the universe every day, we should open up what is stored in our ocean of wisdom. We cannot just limit ourselves to our [own] understanding of the people, matters and objects in our immediate surroundings. “I crave this,” or “I covet that.” These limited and unenlightened affections will entangle our minds and cause unbearable suffering.

We must experience and realize the principle of the aggregate of action. This principle applies to all the planets that orbit the Sun, including the Earth. The same principles apply to our bodies. We are also subject to the laws of nature; thus we experience birth, aging, illness and death. In the workings of the body, the new is constantly replacing the old. Metabolism is a form of the aggregate of action.

The aggregates are our feelings, perceptions, action and consciousness. All these undergo infinitesimal changes. So, “action” is really this subtle. Things of all colors and shapes may look very beautiful to us right now. But tomorrow, the day after or three to five days from now, when we look at the same flowers and grasses they will have already dried up and withered. When flowers change color, this change is not something that happens five days in the future. It is happening right now. As they undergo the aggregate of action, their petals gradually begin to wither and fall off.

The aggregate of action in our body is the process of metabolism. But there is one thing that is forever the same and will neither grow nor diminish. It is something that we must quickly find. This is our intrinsic Buddha-nature. Our true, intrinsic nature will exist forever, unaffected by the aggregate of action. It is without beginning or end. All people intrinsically have this Buddha-nature. So, our wisdom must be as deep and vast as the ocean. In addition to experiencing and realizing the truths of the aggregate of action, we must absorb these principles into our ocean of wisdom.

Sakyamuni became enlightened after accumulating lifetimes and kalpas [of practice]. He had to learn in every lifetime. After learning from each Buddha, he had to constantly practice and go among the people to walk the Bodhisattva-path. In the world, the aggregate of action [takes many forms]. We see people of every description, of many different skin tones. They all have different ways of thinking and each person creates different kinds of karma. Their perspectives and thinking change endlessly along with external conditions, thus they end up tormented by afflictions. All of this is due to the aggregate of action.

[The results of] the aggregate of action end up stored in our consciousness. We are still led by our unenlightened consciousnesses. The Six Consciousnesses discern, the seventh consciousness thinks and the eighth consciousness stores. We cannot take anything with us when we die. The Sixth Consciousnesses will not function, and whatever is in the seventh returns to the eighth consciousness. So, the eighth is the storehouse consciousness, and this is what we take with us when we die.

The mindset of the Buddha and of all Bodhisattvas is truly to make use of this long, long time to constantly learn and steer the ship of compassion back to this world. Observing sentient beings’ aggregate of action, they have gradually realized true principles. So, with their ocean of wisdom, their minds become one with the universe. Thus, they can understand worldly matters by observing the laws of nature. This is how they are. The laws of nature fill us with suffering as we experience arising and ceasing, birth and death.

Every time someone says to me, “Master, I am old.” [I say,] “This is the law of nature. Master, I am ill. This is the law of nature. Master, my life is…. This is the law of nature.” There is nothing to be done; we must understand the laws of nature and store them in our ocean of wisdom. There is so much more we must still learn. I hope that what we learn can be added to our ocean of wisdom within our minds to help us return to our intrinsic Buddha-nature. It does not arise or cease, begin or end; that is our intrinsic nature. Contained within it are infinite meanings.

The Sutra of Infinite Meanings states, “First, let fall drops of dew to immerse the dust of desire.” The human mind is truly out of balance. It is dry and arid. When the wind of ignorance blows, sand flies through the air. This is why the Buddha-Dharma is needed in this world, even if it is but one drop, those small drops of dew that fall. When these drops fall to earth, even though there is dust on the ground, once there is some moisture, once the dust is moistened by Dharma-water, naturally if the slightest wind of ignorance blows the dust will not fly about. This is [why] we are learning the Buddha’s teachings. The field of our minds is very arid, so we must quickly open our hearts to receive [this Dharma-water]. Even tiny drops of dew will be of great use to us.

“For as long as heaven and earth have existed, there have been natural laws. Experience and realize the true principles of the aggregate of action.” We must make an effort to realize how the aggregate of action leads us to accumulate so many afflictions that cause harm to our lives and the natural world. If we do not understand the aggregate of action and do not make good use of every moment, whenever the wind of ignorance blows, dust will fly up and obscure our way forward. Where will we go in the future? Where did we come from?

There is a story about a time when the Buddha was teaching at Rajagrha. At the edge of the crowd was an elderly bhiksu who had dozed off, with his feet stretched out before him. The Buddha felt saddened. Then He saw, at a spot closer to Him, Then He saw, at a spot closer to Him a child of seven or eight years, sitting properly and listening mindfully.

When the Buddha saw all of this, He changed the focus of the teachings and said. “Bhiksus, do you see what is happening? Even though the elderly bhiksu is listening to the Dharma here, he is actually struggling with nagas and snakes. His mind is tangled up with them. Next, consider this child. Right now he is realizing the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Four Right Efforts, so this child has already fulfilled his spiritual aspirations.” This is only a very short story from the time when the Buddha was teaching to show how He taught according to conditions.

We must understand that the duration of the heavens and earth is as great as the number of teachings [He gave]! We are surrounded by people who are accepting the Dharma and people who are indolent. Everyone’s state of mind is different. Some people are very earnest and take the Dharma to heart after they hear it. Some people look earnest as they listen, but their state of mind is constantly changing. Are they clinging to their afflictions, trapped in the aggregate of action? We must reflect on whether we are like this.

The previous sutra passage states,

“At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra, ‘I did not at first talk about it, but don’t all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, teach the Dharma by means of various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'” This was how the Buddha expounded the Dharma.

The next passage states,

“All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way. However, Sariputra, I shall now make use of analogies again in order to further clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

Looking at this text, we can clearly see that the Buddha had, in the past, taught the Dharma with analogies, skillful means and expressions. Though He was now returning to the One Vehicle, everyone’s capabilities were still on different levels. Although there were many who had already comprehended the great path because they were at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, there were others who did not really understand. He had to carefully find a way to teach this.

Sariputra, for example, entered the path through [teachings on] causes and conditions, Do you recall how Sariputra came to be a part of the Sangha? It was because of Bhiksu Asvajit. He respectfully asked Bhiksu Asvajit, “What did your master teach you that gave you such a proper, dignified demeanor? Just the sight of you brings happiness.” Do you recall Bhiksu Asvajit’s response? “All things arise due to causes and conditions. The Buddha, the Great Sramana, always teaches this.” All things in the world, and all teachings help explain to us that, “All things arise due to causes and conditions. All things cease due to causes and conditions.” What principles did the Buddha teach to help eliminate afflictions that have already arisen? “Causes” and “conditions” are the two words that helped him to realize this answer. So, Sariputra entered the Path through [teachings about] causes and conditions.

Sariputra entered the Path through [teachings about] causes and conditions. He realized the Buddha’s intent in teaching the Dharma among all beings. With all these various causes and conditions, analogies and expressions, the Buddha was teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

“He realized the Buddha’s intent in teaching the Dharma among all beings.” With the teachings at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, a Sariputra gained a deeper realization of the Buddha’s state of mind as well as the great principles. In His mind and His ocean of wisdom, the Buddha wants nothing more than for everyone to realize the true principles. However, ordinary beings have limited capabilities so He has to spend a very long time

using “various causes and conditions.” Through the teachings of causes and conditions, Sariputra attained realizations. But can teachings on causes and conditions alone bring about understanding? Among His teachings on causes and conditions, the Buddha drew on analogies and other teachings. He had to teach with many parables and analogies. When speaking to the elderly, we must teach them in a way they can understand. They have already weathered the storms of life and experienced many things in this world, so we must learn all we can from them about the workings of the world. The Buddha taught according to their capacities, knowing what they need most at this point is good health and to have a way of contemplating their lives and thus understanding what is in their future. This is what the elderly desire to know, the workings of this world and how to transcend it. This is why the Buddha took great care and used many kinds of analogies. He used their child or daughter-in-law or their many life experiences to come up with many analogies, while for children, He used a different approach. So, the Buddha spoke to people of all capacities; whether elderly, middle-aged or young, He exercised wisdom when speaking to them.

To teach them the same principle, He would use different analogies. This was to teach the Bodhisattva Way. The Bodhisattva Way is about doing good deeds and eliminating unwholesome things. Because we live in this world, ways for living in the world must be taught. Through these teachings, we realize the principles of how to liberate ourselves from afflictions. This is considered world-transcending Dharma. There is no other path; everyone must walk this Bodhisattva-path. This is the One Vehicle Dharma. To do this, we must always be mindful.

Episode 526 – The Wise Attain Understanding Through Parables

>> “He requested teachings for his fellow practitioners in fond recollection. He requested guidance for the fourfold assembly to create conditions for transformation. Now receiving the prediction of Buddhahood, he exercised great compassion by making the Four Great Vows to create good karmic connections.”

>> “At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra ‘I did not at first talk about it, but don’t all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, teach the Dharma by means of’ various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'”

>> “All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.”

>> And yet He said, “However, Sariputra, I shall now make use of analogies again in order to further clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

>> All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way: Sariputra entered the Path through [teachings about] causes and conditions. He realized the Buddha’s intent in teaching the Dharma among all beings. With all these various causes and conditions, analogies and expressions, the Buddha was teaching the Bodhisattva Way. Furthermore, Sariputra requested, once again, that He explain His one great cause and the reason He had first taught the Three and then the One.

>> He requested the Dharma for the. Three Vehicle practitioners to enable them to more clearly understand their past lives’ causes and conditions. The analogies and expressions, and the complete process of first teaching the Three and then the One are thus called causes and conditions; all of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

>> After Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, over many decades, for the sake of the one great cause, He drew analogies from various causes and conditions: To teach about the Five Turbidities, He gave provisional teachings. If, from beginning to end, His explanations had not been clear, those with average or limited capabilities would not be able to understand.

>> Through the truths they understood, He revealed the Dharma they had not understood. A comparison is used as a reference. An example allows one to understand the teaching. Based on one thing, we understand something else. Through something simple, we learn something profound.

For the sake of the one great cause, the Buddha comes to the world and teaches the Dharma, hoping for everyone to comprehend the principles. We must all understand that whether the world faces disasters or blessings is determined by human behavior. Our minds can lead us to do good deeds that create blessings, and they can also lead us to commit unwholesome deeds and create [negative] karma.

The Buddha’s one great cause for coming to the world was to teach us this in the hope that we can all return to our pure, intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Hoping for all sentient beings to hear and accept the Dharma, He spent 49 years of His life teaching [it]. For the first 42 years, He taught skillful means, and afterwards, for the last seven years, He gave the Lotus and Nirvana teachings. After teaching the Lotus Sutra, He prepared to enter Parinirvana. These were the teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime.

At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, among the 1250 disciples who were always following the Buddha, Sariputra was the foremost in wisdom and the leader of the Sangha. He already received the prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddha. Yet he remained the same; he still exercised compassion. He cared very much about his fellow practitioners and about future Buddhist practitioners. So, let us look at this passage.

“He requested teachings for his fellow practitioners in fond recollection. He requested guidance for the fourfold assembly to create conditions for transformation. Now receiving the prediction of Buddhahood, he exercised great compassion by making the Four Great Vows to create good karmic connections.”

Sariputra had already received the Buddha’s prediction of Buddhahood, but he still requested teachings for everyone. Thus his request for the Dharma was on behalf of his fellow practitioners. His fellow practitioners were those who had engaged in spiritual cultivation with him. He made this request in fond recollection of the many years that they had already shared the same spiritual path. He hoped that everyone could be like him and resolve the doubts in their minds so that they could fully and directly accept the Buddha’s teachings about the True Path. Thus Sariputra “requested teachings for fellow practitioners in fond recollection.” He cherished their relationship.

I always say that we must remember our old relationships. As we drink water, we must consider its source. It is the same when thinking about our friendships with those who share our path. With the sentiments between fellow practitioners, when we attain a realization, we hope that everyone else can do the same. This was Sariputra’s request.

“He requested guidance for the fourfold assembly.” In addition to making this request for his fellow practitioners, he also did this for future disciples who will resolve to engage in spiritual practice either as monastics or as laypeople. Sariputra hoped that these people in the future would better understand the great care that the Buddha took in giving teachings, hoping they could accept them more quickly. So, for the sake of the fourfold assembly in the future, Sariputra requested the teachings. This was how Sariputra felt after he had opened his heart and mind and exercised great loving-kindness.

So, he “made the Four Great Vows to create good karmic connections.” Sariputra, from this Dharma-assembly on, in all his subsequent lifetimes, would go among the people over a long period of time to do good deeds, benefit others and create good karmic connections with all beings. So, he “made the Four Great Vows to create good karmic connections.” This was Sariputra’s mindset.

The previous passage states,

“At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra ‘I did not at first talk about it, but don’t all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, teach the Dharma by means of’ various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'”

Yesterday we discussed the phrase, “I did not at first talk about it.” The Buddha, after attaining Buddhahood, wanted to share His state of mind with everyone. However, sentient beings did not have the capabilities to accept it. Because of this, He kept the Dharma in His [mind]. Though He taught with skillful means, analogies and expressions, it was actually [to help them attain]. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Although He had not freely carried out His original intent, didn’t He teach with various skillful means to guide everyone to walk the Bodhisattva-path? This was what the previous passage explained.

The next passage states,

“All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.”

The past [teachings] were given to teach and transform Bodhisattvas,

And yet He said, “However, Sariputra, I shall now make use of analogies again in order to further clarify what I mean, for all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

Everything the Buddha said in the past was for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way; it was all in order to teach Bodhisattvas. Therefore He told Sariputra that at this present Dharma-assembly, “I shall now make use of analogies again.” He would continue to make use of analogies to further clarify the underlying principles. “For all those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.” Those who have wisdom can attain understanding and realizations through parables. For some people, when the workings of the world are taught with analogies and parables, they are able to comprehend the principles. These are people with sharp capabilities.

As for Sariputra, he entered the Path through [teachings about] causes and conditions, not analogies. Before, he only knew the provisional teachings, which were skillful means. Now, he understood that they also contained wondrous principles. Through these causes and conditions, he attained realizations. So, Sariputra grasped the Buddha’s intent in “teaching the Dharma among all beings.” From causes and conditions and analogies, the Buddha brought out the principles, the truths contained within. Hidden in analogies are the true principles. So, the Buddha once again used analogies to teach the Dharma among all beings.

All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way: Sariputra entered the Path through [teachings about] causes and conditions. He realized the Buddha’s intent in teaching the Dharma among all beings. With all these various causes and conditions, analogies and expressions, the Buddha was teaching the Bodhisattva Way. Furthermore, Sariputra requested, once again, that He explain His one great cause and the reason He had first taught the Three and then the One.

After the Buddha attained enlightenment, He never left sentient beings. He went among them and transformed these true principles into ways of living in the world. He used worldly matters and their principles to draw analogies to the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma was contained in these analogies. So, this was “the Buddha’s intent in teaching the Dharma among all beings with various causes and conditions, analogies and expressions.” He used [teachings about] causes and conditions and analogies to help to explain. Every teaching was about the Bodhisattva Way,

even when He taught that Being filial and doing good deeds cannot wait. In addition to being filial to our parents, we must love all sentient beings. Isn’t this the Bodhisattva Way? This is how we treat people properly. With these very obvious [examples], the Buddha explained various consequences of the karmic law of cause and effect and drew analogies with various matters, all for the sole purpose of teaching the Bodhisattva Way. He taught everyone how to do good deeds and benefit others and to create good karmic connections with all beings.

So, He now began to do this “once again.” Sariputra requested the teachings again, even though he understood them. This is what the prose and verse sections both explain. Sariputra requested that. “He explain the one great cause and the reason that He first taught the Three and then the One.” This means that He

first taught for the Three Vehicle practitioners. The Three Vehicles are the. Small, Middle and Great Vehicles. All sentient beings have different capabilities. Small Vehicle practitioners are Hearers. They depend on their ears to listen to the Dharma and understand principles. Those of average capabilities, after hearing the Dharma, are able to realize, through the natural cycle of the four seasons, the cyclical principles of the world. In addition to understanding worldly principles, Great Vehicle practitioners also understand the true principles of all things and apply them in their interactions with others. With these principles, they “seek the Buddha-Dharma and transform sentient beings.” They look after their minds and keep them pure so they can go among people without becoming confused or defiled. This is the Great Vehicle, the Bodhisattva Way. [We perfect this] through our interactions with other people.

At the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) Conference (2013), this year a doctor [named Patricia] joined from El Salvador. She said that regardless of whether she was treating patients or making outpatient visits, she would tell them stories about Tzu Chi and promote the spirit of the bamboo banks.

One of patients at the clinic took the story to heart and began to save small amounts of money in a bamboo bank. When he heard that. Patricia was traveling to Taiwan, he entrusted her with the donation. The day she came to the Abode, she brought the bamboo bank with her and gave it to the Dharma masters here. Think about how far this bamboo bank had traveled. Doesn’t this show that compassion goes beyond ethnicities and nationalities? This love and compassion of Bodhisattvas are so far-reaching that a person that far away was able to realize this principle also. The power of love can connect far-away people to us [in Taiwan]. This is [an example of] causes and conditions.

These causes and conditions were the result of a great matter, because of the hurricane at that time, called Hurricane Mitch. In El Salvador and throughout Central America, it caused major damage. So, we had the karmic conditions to help them. From then until now, we have continued to show our great love and compassion to the people there. Now our volunteer has returned and brought back this bamboo bank as an offering of repayment [from this man]. This is the great cause of the human realm,

to transform people into Bodhisattvas, [to] “teach the Bodhisattva Way.” The Dharma [the Buddha] taught was for the sole purpose of teaching everyone to become Bodhisattvas. Even though people may be far away from us or may be following a different religion, they all still have the same Buddha-nature, the one nature of True Suchness. Everyone has this same intrinsic nature. As long as we accept the principles, the Bodhi-path to enlightenment will be a single, bright and broad path.

He requested the Dharma for the. Three Vehicle practitioners to enable them to more clearly understand their past lives’ causes and conditions. The analogies and expressions, and the complete process of first teaching the Three and then the One are thus called causes and conditions; all of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

Dear Bodhisattvas and fellow practitioners, we must mindfully learn the Buddha teachings. In the past, the Buddha taught for the sake of the Three Vehicle practitioners the Small, Middle and Great Vehicles. Sariputra knew that, in the past, the Buddha taught the Dharma for their sakes, so now he was requesting the Dharma for the sake of future Three Vehicle practitioners. At the Lotus Assembly, when he requested the Dharma for the. Small, Middle and Great Vehicle practitioners, he was, in fact, also doing this for the sake of future practitioners, those of us who are living now. He hoped the Buddha would explain in more detail so those in the future could better understand. He hoped that the Buddha would explain causes and conditions from past lives, and analogies and expressions, one by one in great detail.

Thus, Sariputra expressed his intent. This was also the Buddha’s intent when He taught the Three Vehicle Dharma before giving the Lotus teachings. At the time of the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the Buddha began to teach the One Vehicle, the Great Dharma. Everything from His initial to the final teaching is known as “the complete process.” In the beginning, for Ajnata Kaundinya and the rest of the five bhiksus, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths. Having begun with those causes and conditions, He was now teaching the Lotus Sutra before in the end entering Parinirvana. Sariputra hoped that during this process, the Buddha would explain these causes and conditions again. “All of these teachings are for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.” He wanted everyone to better understand that the Buddha taught the Dharma for the sake of teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

Even though this is something we put our heart into understanding, it was actually Sariputra’s mindfulness that enables us in the future to better understand. He asked the Buddha to explain in further detail, and the Buddha answered his request. We know that the Buddha began to [explain it again], and in the future, the Lotus Sutra still contains many more analogies and teachings of [causes and conditions]. The Buddha agreed to continue to use analogies and expressions to reveal the true principles.

After Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, over many decades, for the sake of the one great cause, He drew analogies from various causes and conditions: To teach about the Five Turbidities, He gave provisional teachings. If, from beginning to end, His explanations had not been clear, those with average or limited capabilities would not be able to understand.

After Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, over many decades, for the sake of one great cause. He drew analogies from causes and conditions. He did this to help us understand the Five Turbidities. Everyone should understand the Five Turbidities. We are now living in the evil world of Five Turbidities, which are the turbidities of view, sentient beings, life, afflictions and the kalpa of turbidity. So, [we are in] the era of Five Turbidities. So, the Buddha appeared at that time in the past [to help] sentient beings who will be affected by these turbidities now, in the future. Their views and understanding are impure, so these sentient beings create many afflictions. There is much ignorance in them, so they create much karma.

Therefore, the Buddha had to use various principles of the people, matters and objects of this world to teach and explain this to everyone. So, provisional teachings were used throughout the complete process, from the beginning to the end. He still needed to use these methods to explain, otherwise, those with average or limited capabilities would not be able to understand.

“Through the truths they understood, He revealed the Dharma they had not understood.” He needed to use various analogies and expressions to reveal the true principles so that everyone who had not understood could gain a better understanding.

Through the truths they understood, He revealed the Dharma they had not understood. A comparison is used as a reference. An example allows one to understand the teaching. Based on one thing, we understand something else. Through something simple, we learn something profound.

Those who did not yet understand must [be taught with] analogies. An analogy is both a comparison and an example. “What is long? What is short? What makes it long? What makes it short?” We use analogies to help make these comparisons.

Comparisons [give us a frame of] reference, and examples help us to understand the teaching. “Do you understand now? Yes, I do.” Analogies help everyone to better understand.

“Based on one thing, we understand something else.” To explain a particular teaching, we compare it to the workings of a particular thing. “Through something simple, we learn the profound.” What sounds like a simple teaching is actually a profound principle. Profound principles can actually be found in the workings of things. “All those who are wise can attain understanding through parables.”

In summary, [the Buddha] hoped that drawing analogies to things in the world would [help explain] principles we cannot see. These are analogies and [teachings of] causes and conditions, which help us to understand. Those who are wise can understand them. So, in summary, since we have the resolve [to understand], we must always be mindful.

Episode 525 – Teaching Accordingly for Complete Awakening

>> “Sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely, so the Buddha taught with analogies according to capabilities. He skillfully explained matters to reveal truths until they reached complete awakening.”

>> Yet now, from the World-Honored One, they hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion. Excellent, World-Honored One. May you, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, speak of these causes and conditions to enable them to shed their doubts and regrets.

>> “At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra, ‘I did not at first talk about it; but don’t all Buddhas, teach the Dharma by means of various causes and conditions, parables, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'”

>> At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra: He called on Sariputra to make known his wisdom and understanding. Then, the Buddha praised Sariputra again for requesting the Dharma on behalf of the Dharma-assembly. I did not at first talk about it: The Dharma should not be too much or too little. He taught what was just right, the Middle Way.

>> All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones: All of them, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world and explained what They had done for countless kalpas. In the presence of infinite Buddhas, They learned various kinds of practices, various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“Sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely,
so the Buddha taught with analogies according to capabilities.
He skillfully explained matters to reveal truths
until they reached complete awakening.”

This is the Buddha’s state of mind. He understands all beings in the world, all people, matters, objects and so on, Yet, “Sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely.” If we sentient beings do not make an effort to mindfully listen to the Buddha’s teachings, we will continue to give rise to more ignorance and afflictions. Even if we now have the resolve to learn, it will still take time, a very long time. We have to be mindful, face the right direction and take steady steps forward, moving forward bit by bit.

The Buddha does not abandon sentient beings, “so [He] taught with analogies according to capabilities.” There are so many sentient beings with so many different habitual tendencies, ideas and perspectives. But the Buddha actually had the patience to teach according to their capabilities by devising various analogies which suited their understanding.

Using various skillful means, He explained matters to reveal the truth, revealing the principles behind these matters. In the Lotus Sutra, in addition to using analogies, expressions, karmic conditions and retributions and so on, He used worldly matters to reveal the principles, and used profound truths to explain the appearances of things. Thus, He ceaselessly used different methods, different skillful means, to reveal [truths] for us to understand, all for the sole reason of helping us attain “a complete awakening,” which is the state of infinite realizations.

We should always mindfully seek to comprehend the Buddha’s compassion. We see the working of things in a certain way, but there are actually profound principles behind them. Coming up with analogies to explain these matters with profound principles is hard! It is indeed difficult for us ordinary people. Yet the Buddha did His best to come up with them. Without using matters as examples, how can we possibly realize these principles? There is a story that explains this more clearly.

In India, during the era of Right Dharma, many people engaged in spiritual cultivation at monasteries. The Buddha hoped that everyone would be mindful, regardless of age or social class, and so He accepted anyone who had the aspiration and made the vow to be a spiritual practitioner. He set no limits on age or class and gave everyone a chance to engage in spiritual cultivation.

At the time, there was an abode which, although quite simple, still housed many monastics. People in that area knew, “The Sangha is diligently studying the Dharma. If I make offerings to the monastics every day so they can focus on learning the Dharma, this will allow the Buddha-Dharma to be spread throughout the world.”

One of those people was an upasika, which is a female lay practitioner. Although she would have liked to make many offerings every day, her resources were limited. So, the most she was able to do was to invite one monastic to her house every day to accept her offerings. [The monastics] at the abode took turns going. Whenever it was someone’s turn, that person would go to receive her offerings. As for this good woman, this upasika, her thoughts were, “After a bhiksu receives an offering from me, I hope that they will explain the Dharma to me.” This continued for a long time; every day it was like this.

One day, it was an elderly monk’s turn. He had a strong desire to seek the Dharma, but felt that his own capabilities were dull and that he did not understand the Dharma very well. Because of this, every day he felt very troubled. When it was his turn to receive her offerings, he was very worried, but he had no choice but to follow the rules. “The rule of the abode is that when it is my turn, I have to go, but my heart is heavy. After I receive the offerings, what Dharma can I teach her?” So, on his way to the home of the upasika, he hung his head low and walked very slowly. His every step was as heavy as his heart. Gradually, we began to feel worried. How should he deal with this situation?

When the woman saw this monastic arrive, [she] quickly prostrated with reverence and invited him to sit and enjoy the offering of food she had prepared. After he finished eating, the upasika respectfully came to sit before him and reverently requested teachings. What was this elderly monastic going to teach? He looked down, very worried, and said, “Foolishness, ignorance and a lack of wisdom bring tremendous suffering, indeed.” That was all he said.

When the upasika heard this, she was very moved. She thought, “Truly, this is a Dharma master who is very advanced in his spiritual practice. Aren’t all sentient beings foolish and ignorant? It is due to their foolishness and ignorance.” ․”that they create karma and set the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence in motion.” Because of the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, an ignorant thought arises, which produces the three subtle afflictions. This causes afflictions to multiply endlessly, so we transmigrate in the Six Realms without rest. “Truly, this Dharma Master is advanced in His spiritual cultivation. In addition to making an offering of food, I must quickly find something of value to present as an offering,” [she thought].

The upasika immediately stood up and left the room to look for something valuable, but when the Dharma Master saw her leave, he decided beat a hasty retreat. He quickly left and ran back to the abode. Upon his return, he did not dare see his master and immediately went to his room.

Yet, out of the great respect she felt for him, the upasika brought some cloth to the abode as an offering. She explained how this monastic helped her. “The Dharma he taught me was truly profound, but he made it easy for me to understand, so my heart is filled with Dharma-joy. This is why I came to make this offering.” His teacher heard this and quickly sent for the elderly bhiksu who had only recently been ordained as a monastic. “The simple words that you have spoken today have helped this benefactor, this good woman here. She now understands the principles, so you should accept her reverent offering.”

Thus, everything happens because of causes and conditions. The bhiksu had a heart heavy with afflictions, but because this woman was someone who sincerely sought the Dharma, [his words] resonated with her. This is why the Buddha said, “Everything depends on cause and conditions.” With these causes and conditions, he inspired her according to her capabilities.

So, “the Buddha taught with analogies according capabilities.” During the Buddha’s lifetime, He taught according to capabilities with analogies. For all of us ordinary people, even though we still do not really understand, if we resolve to engage in spiritual practice, we can transform afflictions into Bodhi. In the Lotus Sutra, although the Buddha continually mentions “trillions of kalpas,” we should seize every present moment. The Dharma is by our side at every second. If we have this mindset, a long period may seem short to us. In the latter parts of the Lotus Sutra, there are more analogies about this.

In summary, time just keeps passing, so let us quickly develop our understanding. What was in the previous sutra passage?

Yet now, from the World-Honored One, they hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion. Excellent, World-Honored One. May you, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, speak of these causes and conditions to enable them to shed their doubts and regrets.

This passage begins with, “Now, from the World-Honored One.” These words came from Sariputra’s heart and were spoken on behalf of [the many who gathered]. At that moment, everyone was sitting before the World-Honored One, listening to Him teach the Dharma.

“They hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion.” In the past, they heard the Buddha teaching skillful means. Now, He turned around and set these aside to teach the True Dharma. So, those who listened suddenly had doubts, including Sariputra. This passage describes how, upon hearing that everyone can become a Buddha, some fell into a web of doubts. [They wondered], “Can I really achieve this?” This was many people’s mindset.

So, [Sariputra expressed] his gratitude. “Excellent! I am grateful to the World-Honored One for explaining this and helping me to understand. I was also able to receive the prediction of Buddhahood from You, and so many people took joy on my behalf. I am also grateful that the Buddha repeatedly explained the causes and conditions for the fourfold assembly. Everyone has different karmic conditions, and since the Buddha compassionately bestowed this prediction upon me, the karmic conditions for many others should also be maturing. Therefore, I believe that the Buddha will subsequently bestow this prediction on others.” In this way, he helped everyone to better understand that they all had this opportunity to eliminate doubt, give rise to faith and vow to accept the Buddha’s teachings. This is the general meaning of this passage.

The following passage states,

“At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra, ‘I did not at first talk about it; but don’t all Buddhas, teach the Dharma by means of various causes and conditions, parables, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'”

When the Buddha responded to Sariputra, He called out his name, This indicated that. He placed great importance on Sariputra’s question and also wanted to strengthen everyone’s desire to hear the Dharma. He said, “I did not at first talk about it.” He, first and foremost, commended Sariputra for continuing to ask questions on others’ behalf, even after he received his prediction. On behalf of those at the assembly, he asked questions. On behalf of those at the assembly, he again requested the Dharma. The Buddha praised Sariputra for doing this. He not only looked after himself, he requested teachings on behalf of many others.

So, the Buddha began by explaining, “I did not at first talk about it.” When the Buddha first began to teach, because sentient beings could not yet really understand, He could not give teachings that were too [advanced], but He could not give incomplete teachings either. He could not teach too much nor too little; it had to be just right. Based on each person’s capabilities, He had to say things that could be understood and give teachings that could be accepted. Thus, the teachings He gave were not biased towards “emptiness,” nor towards “existence.” This is the Middle Way, which is just right.

At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra: He called on Sariputra to make known his wisdom and understanding. Then, the Buddha praised Sariputra again for requesting the Dharma on behalf of the Dharma-assembly. I did not at first talk about it: The Dharma should not be too much or too little. He taught what was just right, the Middle Way.

Teachings that were too advanced were teachings that people did not have the capabilities to understand. What wouldn’t they have understood? The true principles of all things in the universe. But if He said too much, they could not accept it. So, He turned back and put those teachings away in His heart. Instead, He used various matters to explain the principles. [So], skillful means are teachings suitable for the listener’s capabilities.

Take the elderly bhiksu, for example. His mind was filled with afflictions, yet he was able to speak in a way that one who sincerely sought the Dharma was able to understand and thus attain Dharma-joy. This was because it suited her capabilities. This is why Sakyamuni Buddha said, “I did not at first talk about it.” When He first began teaching, He did not tell everyone that they could all attain Buddhahood.

All Buddhas have come to the world for the same reason, for the sake of one great cause. So, They all explained the workings of causes and conditions. These are skillful means. The Buddha explained how He had engaged in spiritual practice in past lifetimes. The Jataka Sutra and the sutras about His disciple’s past lifetimes are all about how, in a past lifetime, such-and-such disciple formed such-and-such karmic connections with Him and how He Himself had engaged in spiritual practice in the presence of all Buddhas. He was explaining the causes and conditions of the spiritual practices of past Buddhas and how His own were the same.

So, “All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world.” Sakyamuni Buddha was not the only one to do this. All Buddhas, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world and explained how, for countless kalpas, They had engaged in spiritual practice.

All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones: All of them, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world and explained what They had done for countless kalpas. In the presence of infinite Buddhas, They learned various kinds of practices, various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“In the presence of infinite Buddhas, They learned various kinds of practices.” Sakyamuni Buddha Himself, in the presence of infinite Buddhas, cultivated various kinds of practices. He also practiced under various kinds of causes and conditions. In addition, through the use of many analogies for the principles of people, matters and things, [He helped others] accept and understand. This all came from what He attained from all Buddhas’ teaching of the Dharma with expressions and skillful means, “Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” All Buddhas had [taught this way], and Sakyamuni Buddha did as well. He taught with various causes and conditions, analogies and expressions.

The Buddha, for the Two Vehicle practitioners, taught with various causes and conditions and skillful means. The Two Vehicles are the Small Vehicle and the Great Vehicle. The Small Vehicle is also replete with the principles, but the Dharma is taught and explained through matters. Contained within the workings of things are subtle and intricately connected principles.

The Buddha said, “There was not a day that I did not expound teachings for the sake of perfect enlightenment.”

Every day, the Buddha taught in this way. Although addressing Small Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, and teaching truths through matters, there was not a day that He did not expound teachings for the sake of perfect enlightenment, all in the hope that everyone can realize the true principles contained within matters.

At this assembly, He set aside matters and explained true principles to everyone. True principles are inherently in everyone; this is their pure and undefiled Buddha-nature. But, did everyone understand this? If they did not, the Buddha had to, once again, patiently expound the Dharma to them all. In summary, sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely so. He taught with analogies according to capabilities. The Buddha did not abandon sentient beings, so we must always be grateful to Him.

So, Sariputra called Him, “Excellent, World-Honored One. Excellent” expresses his gratitude; he showed his gratitude and praise by saying, “Excellent.” He hoped the Buddha would explain things again, one stage at a time, to help everyone better understand and put an end to their doubts. To bring clarity, the Buddha skillfully used appearances of things to reveal their underlying principles. Everything He did was in the hope that everyone could attain boundless and complete awakening [which is attained when] when the truths of all things in the universe converge with our minds and our ocean of wisdom. Though we are discussing this lightly, we must still always be mindful.

Episode 524 – Delusions Lead to Denial of the Law of Karma

>> “Learn precepts, Samadhi and wisdom to cultivate the flawless studies. Those in the state of creating causes are at the stage of learning. Those in the state of receiving effects are beyond the stage of learning.”

>> Those at and those beyond the stage of learning, each believing that they had freed themselves from the view of self, the view of existence and non-existence, and so forth, claimed to have attained Nirvana.

>> “Yet now, from the World-Honored One, they hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion. Excellent, World-Honored One, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, may you speak of these causes and conditions to enable them to shed their doubts and regrets.”

>> Some heard what they heard but did not awaken. Because of the view of self, they gave rise to deviant and extreme views such as the views of existence and non-existence. These views of existence and non-existence and so on can be summarized as the two views on existence and non-existence, or nihilism and eternalism.

>> The view of nihilism: The extreme view that, after people die, they will never be reborn. The view of eternalism: The extreme view that the body and mind.

>> Sentient beings deludedly cling to all phenomena as having real existence from the convergence of causes and conditions. This attachment to existence is the “view of existence.”

>> However, some sentient beings, cling to all phenomena with the deluded view that all things have no intrinsic nature. These people have the “view of non-existence.”

>> “In the past, the Buddha had said….”

>> “My Dharma can free you from the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death that you see right now and enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.”

>> So, “everyone who practiced according to this Dharma would definitely understand how to eliminate the causes of suffering.”

>> At this time, they again heard the Buddha talk about setting aside the provisional to teach the true. But none of them understood that they could attain Buddhahood in the future.

>> They still did not know the way to realize the fruit [of Buddhahood]. Thus they fell into doubt and delusion. May the World-Honored One, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, explain the causes and conditions behind this to enable them to end their doubts and regrets.

“Learn precepts, Samadhi and wisdom
to cultivate the flawless studies.
Those in the state of creating causes are at the stage of learning.
Those in the state of receiving effects are beyond the stage of learning.”

Those at and beyond the stage of learning differ in that those who are at the stage of learning have Leaks, while those who are beyond the stage of learning do not have Leaks. Whether we have Leaks or not, it is most important that we cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.

To practice, we must learn. To learn, we must practice. When a person says something unreasonable, should I become angry? If we cannot control ourselves, once we open our mouths, we criticize them or begin to spread conflicts. This creates karma of speech. We may also see objects of desire that are very tempting. We like them very much, so we want to grasp them, even trying to obtain them by any means. Is this the right thing to do or not? We must contemplate this carefully.

The people, matters and objects in our daily living may disturb our cultivation of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. This is why we must engage in spiritual practice. We cannot let external conditions such as the tone, facial expressions or actions of others cause discursive thoughts to stir in our minds. As we interact with people, matters or objects, we must be very disciplined. We must cultivate the flawless studies, [which are the practices of] precepts, Samadhi and wisdom to prevent Leaks. We must constantly safeguard our minds so that the Dharma we take to heart will not leak away. To do this, we must practice; from what we learn, we must continue to uphold precepts, Samadhi and wisdom until we reach our goal. These are the flawless studies, and we must uphold them. This is the state of creating causes.

Engaging in spiritual practice is just like earning a degree. This is the primary school level. After high school, we earn a diploma. Then we may earn a bachelor’s degree in college. So, it is like we are taking classes now. To be in the process of learning is what “[creating] causes” refers to. After we attain our degree, we are then in the state of [receiving] effects. [When we reach this point], we are beyond the stage of learning. If we are in the state of creating causes, we are still at the stage of learning. When we are engaging in spiritual practice, we are still in the stage of learning. So, we must engage in practice until we attain the effect, which is when worldly defilements can no longer affect our minds.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, He [often] went back to the kingdom of Kapilavastu. [There, He met] a man named Mahanama. Mahanama asked Him, “Venerable Buddha, I often listen to You as You teach the Dharma. I know that we engage in spiritual practice to attain liberation. However, I constantly wonder about liberation. Just what is the meaning of liberation? Do we have to be in a state of Samadhi in order for us to attain liberation? Should we attain Samadhi before liberation, or liberation first, and then Samadhi? Or should we attain them both simultaneously? I am still not clear on this. Is it that I have not yet reached this state in my practice or that I have not cultivated it at all which has given me no sense of it? I do not understand any of this. Venerable Buddha, please explain it to me.”

[However], the Buddha was silent and gave no reply. The man asked again, but the Buddha remined silent, so Mahanama asked more than three times. In the midst of this, Ananda was standing by the Buddha’s side. “The Buddha is not well,” [he said], “He is still in a period of recovery.” So, Ananda volunteered to answer Mahanama’s questions on the Buddha’s behalf. He said, “The Tathagata said to first learn the precepts.” This is the first step of spiritual practice.

As we interact with people, our minds are repeatedly covered by ignorance, because we have not been able to uphold precepts. So, as we begin to learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must first learn the precepts. That is why the Buddha began by teaching the precepts to His disciples. He even taught precepts beyond the stage of learning. He also taught everyone to “learn” Samadhi. In addition to teaching about precepts, He also taught everyone to develop Samadhi and taught the Samadhi beyond the stage of learning. The Buddha also taught people to “learn” wisdom and taught wisdom beyond the stage of learning. So, when the Buddha spoke of liberation and learning [to attain] liberation, He also taught liberation beyond the stage of learning. This was what the Buddha constantly taught us.

This means that if we focus on cultivating precepts, we will naturally attain Samadhi. If we uphold precepts, we will not be tempted by objects of desire in our surroundings. Then naturally our minds will settle down. When our minds are in this state of Samadhi, the people, matters or objects around us will not disturb us. Then wisdom will naturally arise. This is what the Buddha continually taught.

But Mahanama asked Ananda, “If so, since the Buddha spoke of precepts and precepts beyond the stage of learning, how do we differentiate them?” Ananda replied to him, “The Buddha taught us to be firm and patient as we practice virtuous Dharma. When we cultivate many virtuous teachings, naturally we can gradually eliminate all Leaks. Eliminating all Leaks means that we have taken all the Dharma to heart and none of it will leak out. It will take a very long time to patiently learn this. We cannot attain this simply because we want to.”

Mahanama calmly listened to Ananda’s teachings, [and felt it] was likely what the Buddha would have taught, because Ananda was always by the Buddha’s side. While Ananda answered, the Buddha still remained silent, indicating that Ananda’s answer on His behalf likely met with His approval.

In summary, this is how learning happens. Many of those who followed the Buddha in practice during His lifetime felt the same confusion. To cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, should we begin with precepts or Samadhi? If we want to attain liberation, but lack precepts and wisdom, how can we possibly become liberated? To attain Samadhi and liberation, we must uphold precepts. Only then can we attain Samadhi and give rise to wisdom. We must have wisdom to truly attain liberation.

I have previously mentioned the Fivefold Dharmakaya, [of]. Precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberated understanding and views which comprise it. To become liberated, we must be replete with understanding and views of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. This is called the Fivefold Dharmakaya. Thus, we must study and practice the Buddha-Dharma. Going beyond the stage of learning depends on our cultivation of precepts, Samadhi, wisdom and liberation. Precepts and Samadhi are part of the course of our spiritual cultivation, and when we complete that spiritual cultivation, we will be beyond the stage of learning. While we are still in the course of our practice, we are at the stage of learning. When we are finished, we are beyond the stage of learning. When our understanding is complete, we have liberated our understanding and views. For Buddhist practitioners, the Fivefold Dharmakaya is very important. We must all be mindful of it.

Previously, we mentioned “those at and those beyond the stage of studying.” Those at the stage of learning are still in the state of creating causes of learning. Those beyond the stage of learning have no Leaks. If we have completed our studies and received our degree, the matters that we have understood, our understanding and views, are quite abundant. This is like Ananda; he understood the Buddha’s physical condition, so he replied on His behalf, and Mahanama was satisfied with the answer. Thus, some of those at the stage of learning have a deeper, better understanding. Those with a deeper understanding, could answer in place of [the Buddha]. They were at the stage of learning, [meaning] in the process of creating causes.

So, [of those at the assembly], “each believed that he had freed himself from the view of self, the view of existence, non-existence and so on.” I explained this yesterday.

Those at and those beyond the stage of learning, each believing that they had freed themselves from the view of self, the view of existence and non-existence, and so forth, claimed to have attained Nirvana.

Some people are attached to existence. “This will be mine forever. This is what I want to pursue” and so on. They cannot attain liberation. Some people realize, “[Everything is] a temporary union; everything is empty in nature. Therefore, I only seek to awaken myself, I do not want to fight for anything else.” This is also not the right way to live. So, I have been talking about “wondrous existence in true emptiness” and “true emptiness in wondrous existence.” We must choose the Middle Way.

Since everything is empty, our minds can be free of hindrances and attachments. However, we must still go among the people. If, while doing so, we can prevent our minds from being defiled by impurity, we will be able to turn the Dharma-wheel and transform other sentient beings. We must pave a smooth path that begins at the state of ordinary people and connects to the awakening of the Bodhi-path. This is how we walk the Middle Way. When we know both “emptiness” and “existence,” we can walk the Middle Way and come and go with great ease. If we can do this, we have cultivated “the flawless studies.”

“Yet now, from the World-Honored One, they hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion. Excellent, World-Honored One, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, may you speak of these causes and conditions to enable them to shed their doubts and regrets.”

Of all of those who listened to the Buddha teach, some had understood the Dharma completely. Yet there were others who believed that they had already transcended the view of self and the views of existence and non-existence. They thought they had transcended all these views. People like this think they are always right.

Now, in the presence of the Buddha, they heard Him say that everyone can attain Buddhahood. This was something some people had doubted. So, [Sariputra] was very grateful. “Excellent” was meant as praise. He was deeply grateful to the World-Honored One for having patiently guided them in the past. At this assembly, some people still had doubts, and some did not yet thoroughly understand. So, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, he asked the Buddha to explain just what these causes and conditions were, to enable everyone to shed their doubts.

“Some heard what they heard, but did not awaken.” In fact, [to say that] “they heard what they never heard before” actually means they heard but had not awakened. It is not that they had not heard it before. For more than 40 years, the Buddha taught with provisional skillful means. Everyone should have heard these true principles. However, “Some heard what they heard, but did not awaken.” They had no way to experience its truth.

Some heard what they heard but did not awaken. Because of the view of self, they gave rise to deviant and extreme views such as the views of existence and non-existence. These views of existence and non-existence and so on can be summarized as the two views on existence and non-existence, or nihilism and eternalism.

This is because people still have a view of self. They are still attached to the “self,” to their own views and understanding. Their perspective is one of “existence,” that everything truly “exists.” But things actually arise from the convergence of causes and conditions. Some people believe that everything is a temporary union. Both views are extreme views. We discussed this yesterday.

“Existence” and “non-existence, views of existence and non-existence and so on” are all extreme views. If we are biased towards “emptiness,” we will deny the law of karma. If we are biased towards “existence,” we are attached to the law of karma. So, we must unify our understanding of both “emptiness” and “existence.” This is the Middle Way. So, “the deviant and extreme views such as the views of existence and non-existence” is talking about the views of people who are attached to “emptiness” or “existence,” or to “views of nihilism” or “views of eternalism.”

The view of nihilism: The extreme view that, after people die, they will never be reborn. The view of eternalism: The extreme view that the body and mind.

The “view of nihilism,” not believing [in karma], causes us to indulge ourselves, become arrogant and do unwholesome deeds. [Those like this] are not afraid of anything. This is not a correct view. When we have “the view of eternalism,” we think that since we are human in this life, then we will also be human in our next life, and that a pig will always be a pig. The belief that all beings are fixed in their cycles of existence is also not correct.

This is why the Buddha taught us that our transmigration in the Six Realms is solely a result of the causes and seeds that we create in our daily living and accumulate in our storehouse consciousness, and thus our karmic causes lead to karmic effects. We need to understand these principles clearly. So, we must not cling to “the view of nihilism” or “the view of eternalism.”

That is how sentient beings cling to deluded views of all phenomena. By not clearly understanding them, we deludedly make plans based on them. This is not correct.

Sentient beings deludedly cling to all phenomena as having real existence from the convergence of causes and conditions. This attachment to existence is the “view of existence.”

We should follow the rules and understand that things arise because of the convergence of causes and conditions; things do not arise out of nothing. For something to come into “existence,” there must be principles and causes [that bring it about].

However, some sentient beings, cling to all phenomena with the deluded view that all things have no intrinsic nature. These people have the “view of non-existence.”

If we can clearly understand this, if we understand people, matters and objects, then naturally we can understand and be clear about Samadhi and wisdom.

So, Sariputra was very grateful to the Buddha because He helped him to clearly understand these principles. Now he hoped that others would also understand them more clearly. Sariputra was grateful for the Buddha’s 40-plus years of teachings.

“In the past, the Buddha had said….”

This was what the Buddha said in the past.

“My Dharma can free you from the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death that you see right now and enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.”

The Buddha wanted to teach the Dharma in a way that everyone could experience. He began by giving teachings that people in this world could all relate to. So, He started with suffering, causation, cessation and the Path and birth, aging, illness and death. Everyone can see and experience these things. This is the natural course of life; once we are born, we cannot escape illness and death. This is why we say life is impermanent. Once people clearly understand the principles, they must promptly engage in spiritual practice. Everyone must follow this path through life and practice according to the Buddha’s teachings so that they can ultimately attain Nirvana. The ultimate state of Nirvana is a tranquil and clear state of mind. Then we must uphold vows as vast as the universe in order to steadily walk this path.

So, “everyone who practiced according to this Dharma would definitely understand how to eliminate the causes of suffering.”

If we continue to walk this path, then we can definitely understand how to eliminate the causes of suffering. We will certainly attain Nirvana. We must walk the path according to the principles. And when we come to the end of this path, we will know everything, understand everything and be liberated from everything.

So, at this assembly, over and over people heard the Buddha set aside the provisional to teach the true.

At this time, they again heard the Buddha talk about setting aside the provisional to teach the true. But none of them understood that they could attain Buddhahood in the future.

Setting aside the skillful means taught for the past 40-plus years and returning to the True Dharma of the One Vehicle is the state of the Lotus [Dharma-assembly]. Everyone can be a Buddha. It is just that people are not aware of this. So, at that time, the Buddha verified this for them. The fruit [of Buddhahood]

was something they had heard of but had not yet awakened to. Now they understood that because they had not awakened, they “fell into doubt and delusion.”

They still did not know the way to realize the fruit [of Buddhahood]. Thus they fell into doubt and delusion. May the World-Honored One, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, explain the causes and conditions behind this to enable them to end their doubts and regrets.

Sariputra was describing this process. The World-Honored One had explained the causes and conditions to the fourfold assembly so they could end their doubts and regrets.

This is why Sariputra was expressing his gratitude. He was proving to everyone that the Buddha had taught this. Sariputra had experienced it himself. In the past, he himself had fallen into doubts and regrets. He had heard the Buddha say that everyone could attain wisdom equal to His own. Only after clearly understanding this was. Sariputra able to receive the Buddha’s prediction.

So, we must mindfully learn the Buddha-Dharma. We must understand and comprehend it. Then naturally the Dharma will enter our hearts and become manifest in our actions. Turning from delusion to awakening and returning to our intrinsic nature depends on us always being mindful.

Episode 523 – Attain Realizations Through Learning

>> “When we learn at the stage beyond learning, we can awaken to our intrinsic nature. Ultimate reality is not found in the substances and appearances outside our minds. In the True Suchness of ultimate reality we truly understand emptiness and existence and attain the state of clarity in the tranquil and still light.”

>> “The foremost paramita spoken of by the Buddha is not the foremost paramita. Therefore it is called the foremost paramita.”

>> “The 1200 people here, whose minds are free and at ease, were once at the stage of learning. The Buddha always taught and transformed them by saying, ‘My Dharma can free you from birth, aging, illness and death and will enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.'”

>> “Those at and those beyond the stage of learning, each believing that they had freed themselves from the view of self and the views of existence and non-existence, and so forth, claimed to have attained Nirvana.”

>> Those at and those beyond the stage of learning: Sariputra was their leader. He said that because he had already received the Buddha’s prediction for attaining Buddhahood, he no longer had any doubts or regrets. This shows the distinction between those at the stage of learning, people with Leaks, and those beyond the stage of learning, people without Leaks. This is the deeper meaning behind the reason that the Tathagata bestowed predictions of Buddhahood among His disciples.

>> The Three Flawless Studies are the essence of learning. Those who advance in practice are at the stage of learning. Those who advance in perfection, the practice of bringing the mind to rest, are beyond the stage of learning.

>> “Each believed that they had freed themselves from the views of self, of existence and non-existence and so forth.” They called this Nirvana. “View of self” is an attachment to self.

>> “The view of existence” is when sentient beings deludedly cling to all phenomena as having real existence from the convergence of causes and conditions.

>> “The view of non-existence” is. “Sentient beings deludedly cling to all phenomena as being without an intrinsic nature.”

>> “They are attached to its non-existence.” This is called “the view of non-existence.”

“When we learn at the stage beyond learning, we can awaken to our intrinsic nature.
Ultimate reality is not found in the substances and appearances outside our minds.
In the True Suchness of ultimate reality we truly understand emptiness and existence
and attain the state of clarity in the tranquil and still light.”

This is telling us that we all need to learn first, and then awaken. By learning the Buddha’s teachings, we can thoroughly understand true principles and awaken to our nature of True Suchness. However, for who knows how long, we have transmigrated in the Six Realms, as our intrinsic awakened nature has been covered with ignorance.

Now that we have encountered the Buddha-Dharma, we must seek to understand how we came into this life and how we will leave this life. Where will we go? How will we return? As ordinary people, none of us understand this, so we must learn. We must learn at the stage beyond learning, which means to return to our awakened nature. So, we constantly say, “Learn by doing, awaken by learning.”

Thus, “Ultimate reality is not found in the substances and appearances outside our minds.” These substances and appearances are things we can see with our eyes, but is there anything that really is as it appears? No. The flowers you saw last time are not these. Those have all withered. Those withered flowers had once grown from the earth. It took some time for someone to plant the flowers and take care of them. So, external objects like these all go through a process of formation. Truly, they are “not ultimate reality.” There is not one thing that has always existed. First, there has to be a “cause,” a seed, and then “conditions,” such as soil, rain, dew, and so on. Then they must be arranged by human hands before they appear here in front of us. How long will they last? After a few days, they will be replaced.

This cycle between existence and non-existence demonstrates that they are not ultimate reality. Everything is formed by the convergence of humans, causes and conditions. This desk, this room and so on, everything external to our minds, these substances and appearances, do not truly exist. They have not always been that way. The “me” you saw yesterday is not the same “me” that you see today. Every second, the old is replaced by the new. My body continues to [metabolize], [creating] infinitesimal changes.

Before we realize it, infants become children; when did this happen? Parents hold their dear children in their embrace, but suddenly it seems that they are all grown up. So, substances and appearances continuously go through infinitesimal changes; this shows that they are not the ultimate reality.

“In the True Suchness of ultimate reality, we truly understand emptiness and existence.” Ultimate reality is something we must learn about and understand. Small Vehicle practitioners understand the principle that all things only come together in a temporary union. “There is no need to be attached; everything is empty in nature. I have few desires, so I am content. I will cultivate myself, and with clear wisdom, I can protect myself. I will not bother with external matters.” This is only a partial understanding. They know that everything is a temporary union. But how did all of these temporary unions come about? How does the law of karma continue the cycles of existence? Wondrous existence is something we must understand more fully. [To reach] the True Suchness of ultimate reality we must “understand emptiness and existence.” Only wondrous existence in emptiness is the ultimate reality. Only by unifying emptiness and existence can we attain a truly perfect realization.

The truth is that, in our lives, there is not one day that we are not undergoing the infinitesimal changes of the aggregate of action. Thus, with our ignorance and afflictions, we are affected by these ever-changing phenomena. In this world, there is so much confused and distorted thinking. Now that we have encountered the Buddha-Dharma, we need to immediately seize this moment. Only by understanding the Buddha-Dharma, can we understand worldly appearances. Our confused and distorted thinking must be corrected by applying the Dharma and returning to “the state of clarity in the tranquil and still light.” This is our goal in learning the Buddha-Dharma.

Through the workings of things, we must find a way to learn the true principles. What can we do in this world so that, while living amid “wondrous existence,” we can realize “emptiness”? To experience “true emptiness,” we have to understand it in “wondrous existence.” The people, matters and objects we encounter over the course of our lives are what we must experience.

For instance, in the kingdom of Kapilavastu, ruled by the Sakya clan, in the great garden within the palace, there was a group of children, all of them six, seven or eight years old. They were all part of the royal family. Nearly 500 children were there playing in the garden. One of them was named Devadatta. In the garden, he saw a small bird on a tree, so he aimed an arrow at the bird and shot him. When the arrow hit the bird, he tried to fly despite his injury and

fell in front of another group of children. One of them was a boy named Siddhartha; Prince Siddhartha was among this group. When he saw this small bird with the arrow in his body he felt a sense of compassion and picked him up to apply some medicine.

Devadatta ran up to Prince Siddhartha. Holding out his hand, he said, “This bird is mine. I shot him, give him to me.” Prince Siddhartha said, “You shot this bird and if he had died, I would have given him to you. But as I saved his life, so I will not hand him over.” As they stood there, continuing to argue,

the teachers of this group of children, two elders, walked over. “What’s going on here?” After everything had been explained, these wise elders pronounced their judgment. The small bird was originally flying in the sky. Shooting him was bringing harm to a living thing, while saving him was in accord with human nature, and since nature embraces living beings, they judged that Prince Siddhartha was right.

From then on, Devadatta felt hatred in his heart, which stayed there [even at this Dharma-assembly]. In the Buddha’s teachings, [we hear of how] Devadatta slandered the Dharma and tried to destroy the Sangha. This karmic connection continued to entangle them. But Sakyamuni Buddha had attained Buddhahood, so now, in the Lotus Sutra, as He was bestowing predictions of Buddhahood, He still had a spacious mind and pure thoughts. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, so one day, Devadatta will also be able to attain enlightenment. Therefore, when the Buddha bestowed predictions, He also bestowed a prediction upon Devadatta that he would also attain Buddhahood.

Clearly, awakening to our intrinsic nature, depends on how we are learning now. If we can be mindful right away, we will diligently practice [the right teachings]. We must wholeheartedly move in that direction without deviating in the slightest, working to diligently advance. Those who walk diligently will arrive first. In fact, everyone can get there. We can all return to our awakened nature of True Suchness; the only difference is in how long it takes. “When we learn at the stage beyond learning,” we can “awaken to our intrinsic nature.”

In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha also says,

“The foremost paramita spoken of by the Buddha is not the foremost paramita. Therefore it is called the foremost paramita.”

Thus, we “awaken” to the principles of learning at the stage beyond learning. After we understand the foremost paramita, we are able to reach the other shore, but after getting there, we must come back. We go from the deluded state of ordinary people to the awakened state of noble beings. After attaining a noble being’s awakened state, we have to come back to transform deluded people. So, we must go back and forth. This awakening starts with learning. “When we learn at the stage beyond learning,” our learning has reached the ultimate, which is to return to our Tathagata-nature, So, “when we learn at the stage beyond learning, we can awaken to our intrinsic nature.”

Everyone must clearly understand this. Previously, in the sutra it was stated,

“The 1200 people here, whose minds are free and at ease, were once at the stage of learning. The Buddha always taught and transformed them by saying, ‘My Dharma can free you from birth, aging, illness and death and will enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.'”

In this previous passage, Sariputra described the retinue that was constantly by the Buddha’s side. These people’s minds were already at ease, and they were determined in their direction. By hearing the Buddha’s teachings, their minds were put at ease. ․At that time, they were still at the “stage of learning.” Everyone was at ease with being in an environment where they were being taught by the Buddha. They also frequently heard the Buddha say that, by giving everyone these teachings, He hoped they could all be freed from birth, aging, illness and death so they could reach the state of Nirvana.

To truly penetrate our awakened nature, we must go among people to experience the truths of birth, aging, illness and death. Then we must help those who, because of birth, aging, illness and death, experience all kinds of suffering, to also realize these truths and be transformed. We must penetrate and practice the paramitas to deliver them. By helping them to understand the principles, they will be free of the fear of birth and death. This is how learning the Dharma can lead to a state of freedom. Understanding that birth and death are natural laws, they can attain a tranquil and clear state; they are able to pass away peacefully. After leaving, they will come back again, living and dying in a state of ease. This is learned from the Buddha-Dharma.

Therefore, the next passage continues, saying,

“Those at and those beyond the stage of learning, each believing that they had freed themselves from the view of self and the views of existence and non-existence, and so forth, claimed to have attained Nirvana.”

Some people were still at the stage of learning. Those beyond learning had already understood everything they needed to. Of these 1200 people, Sariputra was their leader.

Those at and those beyond the stage of learning: Sariputra was their leader. He said that because he had already received the Buddha’s prediction for attaining Buddhahood, he no longer had any doubts or regrets. This shows the distinction between those at the stage of learning, people with Leaks, and those beyond the stage of learning, people without Leaks. This is the deeper meaning behind the reason that the Tathagata bestowed predictions of Buddhahood among His disciples.

So, Sariputra himself had personally received the Buddha’s prediction of attaining Buddhahood. Sariputra also expressed that he no longer had any doubts or regrets. He deeply believed in and understood the Buddha’s teachings.

Here, he began to divide people who were learning into different categories. “Those at the stage of learning” have Leaks. They are not clear on how to uphold precepts, their Samadhi is not strong enough and their wisdom has not matured. This is what it means to have Leaks. Having Leaks means they still have afflictions, so their wisdom will be insufficient as long as there is still ignorance in their minds. Their minds are like a mirror that has not been wiped clean. They still have Leaks, so they need to continue learning. Thus they are “at the stage of learning.”

“Those beyond the stage of learning” have no Leaks. Everything they needed to learn, all the principles that the Buddha taught, was already completely clear to them. They could accept and experience this truth. So, Sariputra, who had been affirmed by the prediction bestowed upon him by the Buddha, was in the category of “those beyond learning.” They already understood everything they needed to. Now it was time to act. The Dharma must be in their actions, and they must act in accord with the Dharma. From now on, what was needed was action. This is “the stage beyond learning.” After understanding principles, they must act. These were the ones the Tathagata would bestow predictions upon.

So, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are what we have to cultivate; these are the essence of our learning.

The Three Flawless Studies are the essence of learning. Those who advance in practice are at the stage of learning. Those who advance in perfection, the practice of bringing the mind to rest, are beyond the stage of learning.

What we learn has an essence, appearance and function. In the course of our spiritual practice, we must understand its essence. What are the principles of this essence? As we just discussed, this essence is not ultimate reality. No phenomenon inherently exists; many causes and conditions must converge in order for us to see this appearance. Appearances have a function we can make use of. The same applies to the Buddha-Dharma. We have to realize the essence of the Dharma, the appearance of the Dharma, and how to apply its functions. This is the essence, appearance and function.

What we learn is “the essence of learning.” As we learn, we need to thoroughly understand. As we gain understanding, we have to move forward and advance through practice. After hearing the Dharma, we must constantly review it. “Those who advance in practice are at the stage of learning.” This is all a part of our spiritual practice. This happens “at the stage of learning.”

If we are “advancing in perfection,” then everything we do is already perfect, and we freely apply our understanding of essences and appearances. Our practice of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom will be flawless and without Leaks. This is called perfection. Perfection is “the practice of bringing the mind to rest.” When we have perfected what needs to be learned, we are “beyond the stage of learning.” We can already freely apply [what we have learned] and will not be defiled by worldly matters or objects. This is “the stage beyond learning.”

“Each believed that they had freed themselves from the views of self, of existence and non-existence and so forth.” They called this Nirvana. “View of self” is an attachment to self.

Everyone has this attachment. Everyone has a different way of thinking. Everyone’s way of doing things is different. So, we talk about “unity, harmony, mutual love and concerted effort.” Giving to the world in this way creates a state of truth, goodness and beauty. This also requires every one of us to eliminate our view of self and be united in the way we do things. Then we can do things in perfect harmony.

If we remain attached to our sense of self, it will be hard to do things to help others. Our attachments cause hardships for ourselves and will also cause hardships for others. This comes from our attachment to self. “Not doing things my way is a mistake. I am right; you all are wrong. When you don’t listen to what I say, I get angry.” When we are attached to our sense of self, we see a permanent self where there is none. This will continue to create many afflictions for us. We must avoid having this view of self.

“The view of existence” is when sentient beings deludedly cling to all phenomena as having real existence from the convergence of causes and conditions.

They think of this as “existence.” If there is “existence,” what is it that exists? This is how many superstitious beliefs arise. If we do not understand the principles, we will end up with many deluded beliefs. “Do I need to look for an auspicious day? Is today a good day for doing this or not? I have to look for an auspicious direction. Is this the right direction to go in or not?” In any case, people have so many attachments.

“The view of non-existence” is. “Sentient beings deludedly cling to all phenomena as being without an intrinsic nature.”

Thus they deny the law of karma;

“They are attached to its non-existence.” This is called “the view of non-existence.”

With the view of non-existence, it is easy to develop “views of nihilism. When people die, that’s it. There will be no more karmic retribution.” For this reason, they commit all kinds of evil and do many unwholesome things without fear of karmic retributions. These people are very stubborn. This is also a form of deluded attachment. “As long as I am happy,” “nothing is off-limits to me.” This kind of person “clings to all [phenomena] as being without an intrinsic nature.” They do whatever makes them happy; that is their only consideration. They are “attached to non-existence”; this is called “the view of non-existence.”

In summary, as Buddhist practitioners, we have to take the middle path and learn the true and proper principles of life so we can walk a road that leads somewhere, in particular the road that we should take. We must make sure our direction is correct; this is something we must mindfully learn. If we want to learn, we must act. “Learn by doing, awaken by learning.” In fact, this awakening is returning to our awakened nature. This is how we should engage in spiritual practice. Going from the “stage of learning” to “the stage beyond learning,” we will return to our intrinsic awakened nature; this is our true direction in spiritual practice. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 522 – Be at Ease by Practicing the Dharma

>> “By learning and always practicing, we attain Dharma-joy. When the Dharma is in our actions, we will be at ease. The Buddha teaches sentient beings the way the sun illuminates all. The laws of nature are found in our daily living.”

>> “At that time, Sariputra said to the Buddha….”

>> “World-Honored One, I now have no further doubts or regrets, having personally received from You the prediction of attaining. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

>> “The 1200 people here, whose minds are free and at ease, were once at the stage of learning. The Buddha always taught and transformed them by saying, ‘My Dharma can free you from birth, aging, illness and death and will enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.'”

>> Bodhisattvas apply the provisional and skillful means of [cultivating] blessings and wisdom to tame their own minds. Their minds transcend the entanglements of afflictions and reach unobstructed understanding. In this way, they are at ease.

>> The Buddha said: An evil person who harms a sage is like one who spits towards the sky. The spit does not reach the sky, but falls back on the person. When one flings dust against the wind, the dust does not reach others but is blown back on oneself. The sage cannot be harmed, so the ruin will destroy the doer. The Sutra of 42 Chapters.

>> Their mind is free: When they are no longer attached to the self, their mind is free and at ease. But they are still attached to their concepts of the Dharma. They have not yet become at ease with the Dharma.

>> “The Buddha constantly taught and transformed them by saying, ‘My Dharma can free you from birth, aging, illness and death and will enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.'”

>> Therefore, “to teach and transform” means to counsel, which is to teach people to transform evil into goodness.

>> In the Chapter on Skillful Means, we talked about how. “All Buddhas, the Tathagatas, only teach the Bodhisattva Way.”

>> “Ultimate” means to the very end. “Ultimate” means to the very end. To completely awaken to the source of the defiled mind is to attain the ultimate realization. This is the same as intrinsic enlightenment. Thus it is called ultimate enlightenment.

“By learning and always practicing, we attain Dharma-joy.
When the Dharma is in our actions, we will be at ease.
The Buddha teaches sentient beings the way the sun illuminates all.
The laws of nature are found in our daily living.”

In our daily living, whenever we interact with people and matters, that is the Buddha-Dharma. If we apply Dharma in our interaction with others and in the way we handle matters, the Dharma will always be in our daily living. Then aren’t we “learning and always practicing”? If we lived according to the Dharma, then in interacting with people and matters, what afflictions would we have? Wouldn’t we be very happy? If the Buddha-Dharma is part of our daily living, we will always be happy and at ease. So, “When the Dharma is in our actions, we will be at ease.”

Our hearts will always be free of afflictions, and our minds will be free of hindrances. Our every action will be in accord with the Dharma. When we talk about “action,” we are referring to what happens in our daily living. The minutes and seconds continuously pass, and our thoughts arise uninterruptedly, one after another. Everything we do happens in the contexts of time, space and interpersonal relationships. All actions happen in the intersection of these three contexts. This is the continuous change of the aggregate of action. If the Dharma always remains in our hearts, there will be nothing that can hinder us. To completely understand everything, the Dharma must be a part of our actions, meaning everything in our lives has Dharma in it.

So, “By learning and always practicing, we obtain Dharma-joy. When the Dharma is in our actions, we will be at ease.” By doing this, it is like having the Buddha in the world. “The Buddha teaches sentient beings the way the sun illuminates all. The laws of nature are found in our daily living.”

The Buddha came to this world for one great cause, for one goal. He hoped that all sentient beings in the world could accept the Buddha-Dharma. [The Buddha-Dharma] is like the sun in the sky; when the sun shines, everything is clearly illuminated, unless we deliberately shut the sun out. If we seal off an enclosed environment, it will be dark inside. If the sun is shining on a house, but all the doors and windows are closed and covered, won’t it still be dark inside?

The Buddha-Dharma was selflessly given to us. The Buddha is here for one great cause. His only hope is that everyone can come in contact with the Buddha-Dharma. However, some sentient beings have karmic conditions that cut them off from it. The sun’s rays of light, in fact, cover everything. All we need to do is open the door to let them in. This is such a simple principle. Therefore, we must gratefully open the door to our minds and take in the Dharma, like the illumination of sunlight.

This is a law of nature. In the solar system that we are in, there are other planets that are also orbiting the sun. Each of them has its own orbital path, each is on a natural course. We can make use of this law of nature. If everyone can understand the natural principles of the world, then in the conditioned phenomena of everything that we do, we will not transgress the boundaries of human rules and morals. So, “The laws of nature are found in our daily living.”

We learn and then always practice. We learn to apply the Dharma to our lives, to our bodies and minds. Then the actions of our bodies and minds, regardless of time, space or relationships, will not deviate from the Buddha-Dharma. This will happen without our awareness. “It is only natural that we should act this way.” The Dharma has already been engraved on our hearts. This is the right thing to do. This is virtuous conduct.

Some people think to themselves, “I am educated and engage in spiritual practice. I’m living my life this way; why aren’t you praising me? This makes me feel troubled.” As practitioners, we should not feel this way. This is simply part of our fundamental duty. Applying the Dharma in our daily living is naturally something we should be doing. It does not matter whether others know or not; we truly must learn to have this be a natural part of our lives. The natural laws are found in our daily living. We can bring people, matters, objects and principles together in harmony. This is how we can truly engage in spiritual practice.

The Buddha-Dharma must be applied in daily living and we must be Bodhisattvas among people. If we can do this, we will be at ease in our spiritual practice, and we will always be happy and full of Dharma-joy.

Similarly, in the Lotus Sutra, when Sariputra received the Buddha’s prediction for attaining Buddhahood, his body and mind were happy and jubilant. And not only was Sariputra happy, but everyone else at the assembly was, too. They all took joy in his merits. This can also happen in our daily living. When other people achieve something, it is as if we have achieved it ourselves. This is how we take joy in others’ merits.

So, the previous sutra passage states,

“At that time, Sariputra said to the Buddha….”

Sariputra was beginning to speak.

“World-Honored One, I now have no further doubts or regrets, having personally received from You the prediction of attaining. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

Sariputra expressed the joy in his heart and the great ease he felt. Because he had doubts and regrets in the past, his mind was not at ease. Now, having attained the Buddha’s affirmation and received this prediction from Him, his mind was completely at ease. “In the future, if I keep practicing this way and do not deviate from this direction, I will be able to attain supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment, which is Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. I now have this faith in myself, and I have affirmed that I can do this. But I will not be the only one.”

The following sutra passage states, ․”The 1200 people here, whose minds are free and at ease, were once at the stage of learning. The Buddha always taught and transformed them by saying, ‘My Dharma can free you from birth, aging, illness and death and will enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.'”

Sariputra began by saying that aside from him, there were also “1200 people here.” These “1200 people” all had minds that were at ease. For many decades, they followed Sakyamuni Buddha and remained by His side to listen to the teachings. They also followed Him all over to spread the Dharma. Their resolve to engage in spiritual practice was very firm. So, their “minds were free and at ease.” This shows that they would not turn back or be obstructed. Having a mind that is at ease means that they will not retreat or be affected by any obstacles. We ordinary people constantly face obstacles. Our own greed, anger and ignorance are three obstacles that hinder our minds.

Is greed really that powerful? Actually, with spiritual practice, true spiritual practitioners are content and always happy. They are always very content to live with simply three robes and an alms bowl. With so few desires, they are content. If they can stay warm, cover up their bodies, and get enough to eat, that is all they need to live. What else would they desire? If we are free of greed, we do not create karma.

As for anger, since we are engaging in spiritual practice, the Buddha taught us to expand our mind so that it is spacious enough to encompass the universe. Then there is nothing that can bother us, so we will not give rise to afflictions or lose our temper when things do not go our way.

As for ignorance, because we practice the Buddha-Dharma, the sunlight, the light of wisdom, is always illuminating our minds. Thus we do not have the darkness or delusion caused by ignorance. If our minds are always calm, they will not give rise to ignorance. The Buddha’s teachings help our wisdom-life grow. So in this way, what can possibly obstruct us? We will not retreat nor be hindered; this is the state of ease.

Bodhisattvas apply the provisional and skillful means of [cultivating] blessings and wisdom to tame their own minds. Their minds transcend the entanglements of afflictions and reach unobstructed understanding. In this way, they are at ease.

This states, “Bodhisattvas apply the provisional and skillful means of [cultivating] blessings and wisdom to tame their own minds.” If we want to form Bodhisattva-aspirations, we must begin by learning. If we want to turn the Dharma-wheel, we accept the Buddha-Dharma into our hearts, then from our hearts we share our realizations and understanding with other people. At the same time, sentient beings’ habitual tendencies and afflictions will not defile us. Thus our minds will “transcend the entanglements of afflictions.”

The many afflictions we encounter will not defile our minds. This is because we have tamed our own minds. Even if you want to make me angry, I will not get angry. I will not punish myself with other people’s mistakes. If they are wrong in the way that they treat us, that is their problem. If we do not let it in, we will not be provoked.

Like the Buddha said in the Sutra of 42 Chapters, if someone grabs a handful of sand and throws it at you, but he is throwing dust against the wind, who does it hit? It does not hit the person ahead, but rather the person who originally threw it.

The Buddha said: An evil person who harms a sage is like one who spits towards the sky. The spit does not reach the sky, but falls back on the person. When one flings dust against the wind, the dust does not reach others but is blown back on oneself. The sage cannot be harmed, so the ruin will destroy the doer. The Sutra of 42 Chapters.

Therefore, we must learn to develop the open and spacious mind of a Bodhisattva. We must not only accept the Buddha’s teachings, but also use them to teach and transform others. Some sentient beings may be foolish or dull, with severe habitual tendencies. We must also be like the Buddha and calm our minds. We must avoid losing our temper with someone who is deluded. These habitual tendencies are theirs; they have nothing to do with us. But we care about these people, so we say, “Get rid of these kinds of habitual tendencies.” By doing this, we are taming ourselves. Not only do we train ourselves, we must also apply “the provisional and skillful means of [cultivating] blessings and wisdom” in order to transform sentient beings. If we cannot teach others, we must tame our own minds so as not to be influenced by them.

We must train our own minds, then we can transcend afflictions and free ourselves from their entanglements. Though we want to go among people, we must still protect ourselves with the Buddha-Dharma. Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom can help us protect ourselves. Thus we “reach unobstructed understanding.” In this severely turbid atmosphere, those who are pure have purified themselves, and those who are clear found their own clarity. The turbidities and afflictions of other people will not defile them. This is also being free and at ease.

“In this way, their minds are free and at ease.” They are Small Vehicle, Two Vehicle practitioners, such as Hearers or Pratyekabuddhas. People like that, since they do not go among people, will not attract afflictions. Because they know that everything in the world is inherently illusory, they cultivate the purity of their minds. This is the freedom of Small Vehicle practitioners.

Their mind is free: When they are no longer attached to the self, their mind is free and at ease. But they are still attached to their concepts of the Dharma. They have not yet become at ease with the Dharma.

“But they are still attached to their concepts of the Dharma.” Although with the Small Vehicle they were liberated and had purified their minds, they stubbornly refused to go among people to transform them. They stopped there and could not move forward because of this attachment to the Dharma. So, they could not let go of this attachment to go among people with a sense of freedom. Thus they had “not yet become at ease with the Dharma.”

They were at ease with the limited “self” but could not feel at ease with the greater self of the Great Dharma. This is why obtaining freedom is not so simple. We absolutely must learn to go into places with severe turbidities. When we do, it will be like clouds passing by the moon; as the cloud passes, it is not caught on the moon. We must learn to achieve this state. This is why we say, as Buddhist practitioners, we must have an open and spacious mind.

“In the past, they were at the stage of learning.” This means that, in the past, the cause they planted was their aspiration to learn from the Buddha. During that time, “they learned and always practiced to end delusions.” They constantly trained to treat their minds. This was “the stage of learning.”

When we first begin to learn, we all must go through this stage of learning to put an end to our delusions. Delusion is ignorance, and ignorance is affliction. The afflictions of the three obstacles all begin with delusion. The seeds of our spiritual practice have to start from this. To truly eliminate our attachment to the Dharma, we must train ourselves among people. If we form great aspirations, we must interact with others to polish and hone our spiritual aspirations. Only by becoming at ease with the Dharma are we truly learning it.

So, we talk about the Buddha.

“The Buddha constantly taught and transformed them by saying, ‘My Dharma can free you from birth, aging, illness and death and will enable you to ultimately attain Nirvana.'”

The true Dharma of the Buddha had been safeguarded in His mind for decades. He was now proclaiming it to everyone. “Honestly speaking, this is what my Dharma can do. It can free everyone from birth, aging, illness and death.” After being liberated from this cyclic existence, one will ultimately reach the tranquil and undefiled land of calm illumination, “tranquil and clear, with vows as vast as the universe.” That is the state we can reach. This is what the Buddha taught sentient beings.

Therefore, “to teach and transform” means to counsel, which is to teach people to transform evil into goodness.

We begin “by learning and always practicing,” [discovering] “the laws of nature” and so on. We must [go along with] the laws of nature, abide by these natural moral guidelines. So, we cannot wait to be filial or do good deeds. This is the way that we are already practicing the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha’s teachings also counsel people to transform evil into goodness.

In the Chapter on Skillful Means, we talked about how. “All Buddhas, the Tathagatas, only teach the Bodhisattva Way.”

This means that, in the past, all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, only wanted to teach sentient beings one thing, to go among people, practice the Bodhisattva-path and transform evil into goodness. This was the Buddha’s goal for coming to the world. He wanted to help us all arrive at the ultimate, to arrive at the ultimate state of Nirvana.

What is this ultimate state of Nirvana? It is a state where we can “completely awaken to the source of the defiled mind.”

“Ultimate” means to the very end. “Ultimate” means to the very end. To completely awaken to the source of the defiled mind is to attain the ultimate realization. This is the same as intrinsic enlightenment. Thus it is called ultimate enlightenment.

Our suffering begins in our defiled minds, in greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt etc. Only by understanding the source of these defilements of the mind will we have a way to reach that ultimate end, which is that ultimate state. That is returning to our intrinsic enlightenment, which is known as the ultimate enlightenment.

If we do not know the source of these defilements, we will have no way to purify our minds. To understand the source of these defilements, we must go among people to understand their afflictions and the truths of “suffering” and “causation.” Only then can we reach “cessation” and see the “Path.” By eliminating all afflictions and defilements, we will truly see the Path. Therefore, all of us must always be mindful.