Scott Ogata – Page 6 – Dharma As Water

Ch03-ep0608

Posted on January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 by Scott Ogata

Episode 608 – Leave the Three Realms

>> “Within the Three Realms, delusion and karma lead transgressing and suffering sentient beings to birth and death in cyclic existence. The burning house is an analogy for the Three Realms. The kind father of the Three Realms gives teachings to guide those lost in the maze to escape their suffering and hardship.”

>> “Sariputra, I am just like that elder who saw that all his children had each safely escaped from the burning house and reached a state of fearlessness. He considered how his own wealth was infinite and equally gave a great cart to all the children.”

>> “The Tathagata is just like this. Acting as the father of all sentient beings, He sees countless billions of sentient beings using the door of the Buddha’s teachings to leave the suffering of the Three Realms, that fearsome and treacherous path, and attain the joy of Nirvana.”

>> The Tathagata sees all sentient beings leave the suffering of the Three Realms, and attain the joy of the Four Noble Truths. With boundless Buddha-wisdom, He uses the Great Vehicle to equally teach all sentient beings so that attaining Nirvana is not exclusive to only certain individuals.

>> In the endless Six Destinies, using the door of the Buddha’s teachings is also using the door of skillful means. This refers to the complete principles taught in the Agama sutras. “Suffering” refers to the fruits of suffering in the world.

>> Fearsome: This is about birth and death in the world. It is the burning house of the Three Realms. The joy of Nirvana is the world-transcending fruits of joy.

>> This is Small Vehicle Nirvana. Without putting an end to causation, there is no way to escape the fruits of suffering. Without cultivating the path, there is no way to attain the fruits of joy. This is explained by the parable of the children safely escaping from the burning house and reaching a state of fearlessness.

“Within the Three Realms, delusion and karma
lead transgressing and suffering sentient beings
to birth and death in cyclic existence.
The burning house is an analogy
for the Three Realms.
The kind father of the Three Realms
gives teachings
to guide those lost in the maze
to escape their suffering and hardship.”

With this, I want to share with everyone that within the Three Realms, sentient beings continue to give rise to delusions and create karma. Out of ignorance, they continue to create karma. Because they created [bad] karma, they must have committed transgressions. If they committed transgressions, they will suffer the consequences. Sentient beings definitely undergo the cyclic existence of birth and death in the Five Destinies, heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal. Sentient beings definitely transmigrate in these Five Destinies. This is like being [trapped] in a burning house, which encompasses all in the Three Realms.

We do not need to talk about how painful hell is or how tragic things are in the hungry ghost realm. We can just talk about the human realm. Truly, it seems as if some people are living in a burning house. They suffer greatly. So, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to the world solely for the sake of suffering people. It is not easy for a Buddha to come to this world. It takes a very long period of time to encounter a Buddha in the human realm.

He guided everyone to understand the workings of all things in the universe and the many principles of the human realm. As long as we can follow the Dharma, as long as we take it in, understand it and put it into practice, then we are applying the Dharma in this world. Listening to the Dharma, teaching the Dharma and turning the Dharma-wheel is our mission.

After we listen to the Dharma, we can brush aside our delusions, which means we have eliminated our ignorance. Then when we interact with people, we will create blessings and good karma. However, if we lack the right karmic conditions, then not only will we not hear the Dharma, we will still have delusions and karma. With bad karma, we will suffer. This is “birth and death in cyclic existence.” In cyclic existence, “we cannot take anything with us after we die; only our karma follows us to our next life.” We follow our karma to transmigrate in the Six Destinies.

This is how we end up in the burning house. This burning house is what sentient beings who created karma must undergo. So, the Buddha is “the kind father of the Three Realms and guiding teacher of the four kinds of beings.” He manifests in the world to give teachings. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas feel for sentient beings. The Buddha had already left the Three Realms. Seeing sentient beings suffer in the Three Realms, He could not abandon them, so He manifested in this world “to guide those lost in the maze to escape their suffering and hardship.”

We must be very grateful that we have the karmic conditions, the opportunity, to listen to the Dharma. Isn’t this what the sutras explain? All things in the Three Periods are created by the mind, whether in the past, present or future. In the present, we have the causes and conditions to listen to the Dharma. We must also be grateful for having these causes from the past so that in this lifetime, we have these conditions that converge with them. We can listen to the same teachings, and what is even more precious is that we can go out and do the same things.

For example, there is a place in Johannesburg, South Africa where, if students do not do well in their classes, or if they want to make improvements, volunteers will get the students together and give them special tutoring on their classes. Our Bodhisattva[-volunteers] in South Africa started providing lunch to them every day. But as they distributed lunches to the students, they felt that the students probably needed more than just lunch; they probably needed other material things. They distributed material goods as well. So, besides helping the students, our volunteers got to know their families. They found that these families were really poor. Their houses were rundown, and they did not even have beds; they all slept on the floor. When they did their homework, they laid on their stomach on the floor. Despite the conditions, these children still did very well in their classes. So, our volunteers began to provide assistance to these families. As for these children, our volunteers constantly interacted with them as well.

So, I feel that while in this world, there are many places of suffering, there are Bodhisattvas among the suffering. In them we see hope. We can say that it is their karma to be born in that place of poverty and suffering. However, they have the blessings to meet Living Bodhisattvas who go to them and help guide them. So, the causes and conditions of our past lives are truly inconceivable.

In the previous sutra passage, the Buddha calls on Sariputra, saying,

“Sariputra, I am just like that elder who saw that all his children had each safely escaped from the burning house and reached a state of fearlessness. He considered how his own wealth was infinite and equally gave a great cart to all the children.”

After seeing that they had been saved, the elder felt it was not enough. He wanted to give them more abundant wealth. This is like how those Bodhisattva-[volunteers] wanted to give more than just lunch to the students. They also gave them school supplies and cared for their families as well. They hoped these families could then, in turn, show this love to others. This is teaching the Bodhisattva Way.

The following sutra passage states,

“The Tathagata is just like this. Acting as the father of all sentient beings, He sees countless billions of sentient beings using the door of the Buddha’s teachings to leave the suffering of the Three Realms, that fearsome and treacherous path, and attain the joy of Nirvana.”

The Tathagata, like that elder, is “the father of all sentient beings.” He is the kind father of the four kinds of beings. “He sees countless billions of sentient beings,” which means a great number of them. If a great number of sentient beings can directly enter the door of the Buddha’s teachings, if they have the karmic conditions to enter it, then naturally they can gradually leave that fearsome and treacherous path. After leaving the Three Realms, that fearsome and treacherous path, we will be safe and free of fear. Why is that? Because we have “attained the joy of Nirvana.”

With “the joy of Nirvana,” we will be free of afflictions. We already understand that afflictions will tempt us to create bad karma. Now, we understand that afflictions are results of delusions, karma and ignorance. We also understand that we must listen, contemplate and practice, and cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. So, we will protect ourselves; we will stop evil and guard against wrongs. This is how we can remain safe. Our minds are no longer oppressed by these afflictions, so we are safe and at ease. This happens when we escape the Three Realms.

The Tathagata sees all sentient beings leave the suffering of the Three Realms, and attain the joy of the Four Noble Truths. With boundless Buddha-wisdom, He uses the Great Vehicle to equally teach all sentient beings so that attaining Nirvana is not exclusive to only certain individuals.

After we understand the Dharma, naturally we will be peaceful and at ease. Thus, we “attain the joy of the Four Noble Truths.” We have already attained the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. We understand all these principles, so we leisurely swim in the ocean of the Dharma. This is called “joy,” or “attaining the joy of the Four Noble Truths.” We eliminated the afflictions we have accumulated. Thus we are on our way to a state of “cessation.” We do our best to eliminate these afflictions, then we walk onto the Bodhi-path. If we take the teachings into our hearts, we can face suffering, emptiness, impermanence and the natural course of life with composure. We will not be afraid. We will not be worried. This is “attaining the joy of the Four Noble Truths.”

Then, “with boundless Buddha-wisdom….” If we can understand the Dharma, then we can experience how the Buddha’s wisdom is infinite and boundless. The Buddha’s wisdom is truly one with the universe. His ocean of enlightened wisdom is boundless. So, “He uses the Great Vehicle to equally teach all sentient beings.” With compassion, He impartially teaches the Dharma to guide sentient beings. After He guides us to understanding, we must look within ourselves. Because we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, the Buddha hopes that we can realize this Buddha-nature and become one with the universe like He did. This is what the Buddha hoped when He taught sentient beings.

“Attaining Nirvana is not exclusive.” The Buddha does not favor any one person. He hopes countless billions of sentient beings will be saved. The Buddha treats everyone equally. It is just like how the elder equally distributes his wealth to his children. “He sees [countless sentient beings] using the door of the Buddha’s teachings to leave the suffering of the Three Realms.” This is His hope for many sentient beings. Where are these sentient beings? In the Six Destinies.

In the endless Six Destinies, using the door of the Buddha’s teachings is also using the door of skillful means. This refers to the complete principles taught in the Agama sutras. “Suffering” refers to the fruits of suffering in the world.

“In the endless Six Destinies….” These Six Destinies are the heaven, asura, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. These are the Six Destinies. So, sentient beings “in the endless Six Destinies” truly experience unbearable suffering. The Buddha uses teaching methods to open this door and educate sentient beings. “The Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the workings of the world.” We understand the many workings of this world. If we do not understand how to live in this world, how can we learn to transcend the world? “To enter the door of the Buddha’s teachings….” We must first understand the causes behind the suffering of sentient beings in the Three Realms. So, we must continuously go in and out of the door of the Buddha’s teachings. We go in to listen to and accept the Dharma, and we go out to interact with people to comprehend their suffering. So, having learned these teachings, we go freely in and out of the door of teachings.

The teachings contained in the Agama sutras are very complete principles. Among the teachings the Buddha expounded, the Agama sutras explain the ways of living in this world, how ignorance and afflictions arise in people’s minds and how people form good and bad karmic connections with each other. In the Agama sutras, these principles are thoroughly explained. Suffering, the fruits of suffering in the world, also result from causes created in this world. So, causes, conditions, effects and retributions are fully explained in the Agama sutras.

Why are we on a “fearsome and treacherous path”? We must first understand this before we can find ways to leave this fearsome and treacherous path in the Three Realms and attain the joy of Nirvana.

“Fearsome” is about birth and death in this world.

Fearsome: This is about birth and death in the world. It is the burning house of the Three Realms. The joy of Nirvana is the world-transcending fruits of joy.

People are most worried about illness and death. They have already been born, and aging is part of the natural course of life. No matter how old we are, if we fall ill, we feel suffering. Will we die of this illness or not? If we hear we will die, we will be very afraid. In this way, they fear birth and death.

Actually, ordinary people are not afraid of birth, just death. Some people say, “Master, it has been a few years, but our daughter-in-law still isn’t pregnant yet.” So, people are truly not afraid of birth; many people want other people to give birth. But in the instant people are born, they experience unbearable suffering, like the stabbing pain of being flayed. This is suffering! But after that moment passes, they forget about it and begin to grow up. Contaminated by the environment of society, they gradually grow up, develop negative habitual tendencies and then replicate their afflictions. So, this is a very scary matter; it is very fearsome.

Because we often lose our way, we are very scared. So, now that we are no longer lost, no longer on the path of delusion, we must be mindful to not enter that fearsome situation. So, we must have very clear views about birth and death. We see examples of this among several of our Commissioners, such as Mr. Li, a teacher from Kinmen. Right before he died, he was constantly smiling. His wife asked him, “Why are you smiling?” He said, “I have returned to Master’s side.” His wife then quickly said to him, “If you return to Master’s side, what about me? Go back to Kinmen to do recycling work.”

He smiled and fell asleep. This was how he passed away. He left us with the impression that death can actually be a peaceful process. This was how he passed away. So, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must understand birth and death; then naturally we will be in a state where we are not scared and not worried.

We can now attain “the joy of Nirvana” because we understand the Four Noble Truths. We also understand the. Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence; In life, because of a thought of ignorance, the Six Coarse Marks manifest, carrying us into the human realm. It is through the Twelve Links that we come into and leave this life. With the karma we created in the past, when a thought of ignorance stirred, that lead causes and conditions to bring our parents together. This is how we were created, and we remained in the womb until we struggled painfully to get out. We felt unbearable pain throughout our body, so we screamed. Then we began another life as a human being. Thus, we began to create karma again. Indeed, transmigration is endless and very taxing.

Now that we understand and have attained all these principles, we can attain world-transcending fruits of joy. To do this, we must truly take the Dharma to heart. “Without putting an end to causation, we cannot escape the fruits of suffering.” It is impossible. We have to put an end to “causation” in order to escape the fruits of suffering.

This is Small Vehicle Nirvana. Without putting an end to causation, there is no way to escape the fruits of suffering. Without cultivating the path, there is no way to attain the fruits of joy. This is explained by the parable of the children safely escaping from the burning house and reaching a state of fearlessness.

If we do not put an end to “causation,” we will continue to create and accumulate karma. Then how can we escape the fruits of suffering? It is like when we are washing things. If we do not clean up the filth around us, no matter how we wash our things, the filth in our surroundings will get them dirty again. After washing things, we must find a clean place to put them; we must separate them from the dirty things so that they will not get contaminated again.

Otherwise, no matter how we wash things, if they are still in filthy surroundings, they will get dirty again. Therefore, no one can truly attain happiness without engaging in spiritual practice. So, we must put an end to “causation” and cultivate “the Path.” If we do not put an end to “causation,” then we can never escape the fruits of suffering. If we do not engage in spiritual practice, we will never be able to attain happiness.

After hearing the Dharma, we say, “I understand.” But if we have not experienced it for ourselves, we will not realize that saving others is a very joyous thing and helping others is a blessing. “Yes, I understand, I understand.” However, if we do not experience it ourselves and give of ourselves, how do we know how happy we can be? We truly do not know. “Only the person who drinks knows whether the water is hot or cold.” We must experience it for ourselves. Spiritual practice is about putting the Dharma into practice; this is how we can attain true happiness.

“This is explained by the parable of the children reaching a state of fearlessness.” These children have left the burning house and reached a safe place where they do not have to worry. This is spiritual practice. Among the sheep-cart, the deer-cart and the ox cart, the elder saw the children eventually choose the cart drawn by the great white ox. Likewise, when we choose the Bodhisattva-path, the Buddha will feel at peace. So, we must be mindful when we learn the Buddha’s teachings. We must be mindful in our daily living. So, we should be self-disciplined, cautious in our thinking and always mindful.

Ch03-ep0607

Posted on January 7, 2025 by Scott Ogata

Wisdom at Dawn

Chapter 3

Episode 607 – Leading Sentient Beings to Develop Fearlessness

>> “Bodhisattvas’ affinities are with all sentient beings. With the power of fearlessness, they give rise to compassion. Adapting to the Threefold Karma of all beings, they benefit all with peace and joy and bring them to a state of fearlessness.”

>> “Sariputra, I am just like that elder who saw that all his children had each safely escaped from the burning house and reached a state of fearlessness. He considered how his own wealth was infinite and equally gave a great cart to all the children.

>> “This is describing how the elder, knowing all his children had escaped the burning house, considered his own infinite wealth and equally gave a great cart to all the children.”

>> This is an analogy for how Bodhisattvas cannot bear to let sentient beings create all delusions and karma and thus suffer from the oppression of birth and death and sink into the evil realms. Thus, adapting to capabilities and conditions, they devise teachings. They eliminate all unwholesome teachings and remain in a state of goodness. Then they can help others’ minds attain a state of safety.

>> The Buddha lives among the people to teach the Dharma and has the virtue of composure and fearlessness. In transforming sentient beings, He does not fear the difficulty and works undauntedly until sentient beings are safe and at peace. This is the state of fearlessness.

>> Seeing all his children and contemplating his own infinite wealth, the elder felt he should give equal amounts. So, he gave them all great carts. Those children who sought the small but attained the great were very happy.

>> The Chapter on Skillful Means talks about limitless and unhindered powers and fearlessness. This is called learning well the net of fearlessness and understanding all illusory phenomena.

“Bodhisattvas’ affinities
are with all sentient beings.
With the power of fearlessness,
they give rise to compassion.
Adapting to the Threefold Karma of all beings,
they benefit all with peace and joy
and bring them to a state of fearlessness.”

Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings. To give of oneself while among sentient beings is not an easy matter. So, in addition to having compassion, they must have wisdom. On top of having wisdom, they need fearlessness. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas need the courage and willingness to dedicate themselves to helping sentient beings in hardship with the things they need. Only by giving rise to compassion can Bodhisattvas “adapt to the Threefold Karma of all beings.”

Sentient beings are stubborn and hard to transform. However, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have compassion and wisdom. They never give up on sentient beings. No matter how tiny an animal is, the Buddha likewise respects its life. We often say that the Buddha is the kind father of the four kinds of beings. The four kinds of beings are egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born and transformation-born. All of these different kinds of beings are taught by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas with love.

How does this apply to human beings? Regardless of their skin color, their ethnicity and so on, if these beings are suffering, we will put our hearts into respecting them. We respect their culture and way of life. We also use the different languages they speak to adapt to [their] environment and way of life. Even with sentient beings’ various desires, pursuits, etc., Buddhas and Bodhisattvas still adapt to them, teaching whenever there is an opportunity. In this way, “They benefit all with peace and joy and bring them to a state of fearlessness.”

I recently received some news from Thailand. In mid-February (2014), our school there received a request from the head of the village of Mae Salong Nai, asking Tzu Chi volunteers in Thailand to help another village. That village was 40 kilometers away from Mae Salong Nai. There were nearly 20 thatched houses there. Because it was so dry, a single careless spark completely burned down all of these houses. They were burned to ashes, which left these nearly 20 families homeless, with nothing at all.

Despite being an educational institution, the Tzu Chi school [in Chiang Mai] was notified whenever any disaster or difficulty arose in northern Thailand. Principal Yang, the head of [Tzu Chi Elementary], happened to be there when they received the news. She, along with the teachers and students, 13 people in all, went to that other village. They carried many supplies, including kitchen utensils such as pots, bowls and plates, along with oil, salt, rice and other daily necessities. These 13 people made the 40km journey that was all mountain roads; it was very tiring. They carried the supplies with them up to the mountain for distribution.

The distribution they held was very orderly; it was arranged very well. The supplies being distributed were arranged neatly by family. The way [our teachers] comforted and gave to them was very proper and courteous. Their mutual gratitude, respect and love was very touching to see.

Another place where we saw this was Guatemala. The new school year was starting, and in some schools in a mountainous area, the children did not have school supplies. They lacked many things for their schooling. They hoped we would help them. In Guatemala, there are not many Tzu Chi volunteers, but they do whatever is needed.

Seven people, three Tzu Chi volunteers, one [local] volunteer and three government officials, went into the mountains and found that these families truly led difficult lives. See, at one of the schools, there were four teachers and over 70 students. These students all came from poor families. Another school had three teachers and over 80 students. Every school had rundown buildings.

The children who could consistently go to school were those in the first and second grades. For those in the fourth to fifth grades, they pretty much stop going to school or have to take time off during the harvest season, so they could pick coffee beans to earn money for their studies. Seeing their situation makes us very sad. The Tzu Chi volunteers felt compassion for them and counseled the parents, “Let the children focus on going to school. We will help them with the things they need. The children need to go to school to have a promising future.”

So, they traveled such a long road [to help]. Our Tzu Chi volunteers had to travel back forth on this kind of road. The journey was long and hard, so as they walked they said to themselves, “Bodhisattvas play effortlessly in this world. For the sake of suffering beings, we take these actions willingly and happily receive the effects. We must be grateful; being able to do this is a blessing.” This was how they encouraged themselves and encouraged one another. This mindset that they have is indeed very touching to see. It is very admirable.

This is the perseverance of Bodhisattvas. With the power of fearlessness, they give rise to compassion for sentient beings. This is their mindset. If sentient beings suffer, regardless of ethnicity, or of any language barrier, with just a few words, Bodhisattvas can provide comfort. They help them, provide emotional support and so on. So, “Adapting to all beings’ Threefold Karma, they benefit all with peace and joy and bring them to a state of fearlessness.”

Indeed, in the following sutra passage we can see how Bodhisattvas come to the world and how the Buddha teaches us. His teaching methods are divided into the Great and Small Vehicles. The sheep-cart, deer-cart and ox-cart are analogies for these methods.

So, we read, “Bodhisattvas seek this vehicle.” What Bodhisattvas seek is the Great Vehicle. This vehicle is the great ox-cart; this cart is an analogy for Great Vehicle Dharma. So, Bodhisattvas “are called Mahasattvas,” which are great awakened sentient beings. These great awakened sentient beings “are like those children who [escaped to] seek the ox-cart.” They are like those in the burning house; once they came out, there were three carts for them to choose from. They said, “I want the ox-cart.” To obtain this, they leave the burning house. This is what makes them Bodhisattvas; they are willing to choose the ox-cart and transform themselves and others.

The following [sutra passage] states,

“Sariputra, I am just like that elder who saw that all his children had each safely escaped from the burning house and reached a state of fearlessness. He considered how his own wealth was infinite and equally gave a great cart to all the children.

Once again, Sakyamuni Buddha called on Sariputra in the hope that everyone would be mindful again and raise their spirits to listen carefully. He wanted them to know “I am just like that elder.” He compares himself with that elder. “[He] saw that all his children” had each safely escaped the burning house but the elder, with a father’s mindset, hoped to help the children obtain even more things. “He considered how his own wealth was infinite and equally gave a great cart to all the children. “Equally” means the same. As for these children, he wanted to give them the same things, so they each received a great cart. This was the mindset of the elder in giving to his children.

In fact, the mindset of this elder is the mindset of the Buddha. This wealth is an analogy for the Dharma. The Dharma is boundless, as is His wisdom. So, if sentient beings can develop this mindset, they will become rich in the Dharma and have abundant wisdom.

This is what the Buddha expressed in this sutra passage.

“This is describing how the elder, knowing all his children had escaped the burning house, considered his own infinite wealth and equally gave a great cart to all the children.”

The elder had infinite wealth. Do you remember what that great cart is like? The great cart contained all kinds of treasures, arranged magnificently in great quantities. This is an analogy for “how Bodhisattvas cannot bear to let sentient beings create all delusions and karma and thus suffer from the oppression of birth and death and sink into the evil realms.”

This is an analogy for how Bodhisattvas cannot bear to let sentient beings create all delusions and karma and thus suffer from the oppression of birth and death and sink into the evil realms. Thus, adapting to capabilities and conditions, they devise teachings. They eliminate all unwholesome teachings and remain in a state of goodness. Then they can help others’ minds attain a state of safety.

Bodhisattvas do not have the heart to let people continue to give rise to delusions, which are ignorance. Because of our ignorance and karma, we cannot avoid suffering from the oppression of birth and death. There are sentient beings in all of the. Five Destinies, which are the Five Realms. In the heaven realm, heavenly beings suffer from the afflictions of gain and loss. In the human realm, people suffer from pursuing desires. People in the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms suffer from karmic forces, from the oppression of birth and death.

Nevertheless, we humans are constantly in a state of delusion and ignorance, so we continuously create karma, a mix of both good and evil. Sometimes we give rise to a thought of goodness and create a blessing; this can lead us to be born in the human realm or in heaven. People with blessings can be born in the heaven or human realm. This comes from doing good deeds. If they do not do good, some among the wealthy will tirelessly pursue things with bottomless greed. In this world, they may do many things that cause harm to all things in the world or are detrimental to human beings, etc. They have to repay these debts in the future. Perhaps they will end up in the animal, hell, hungry ghost realms, or even in the human realm, to face all kinds of torments. All this results from creating karma out of delusion. Thus they endlessly suffer from the oppression of birth and death. These beings rise and fall, floundering in these evil destinies.

What can we do about these kinds of people? Bodhisattvas should “adapt to their capabilities and conditions to teach.” We make use of their capabilities and karmic conditions; we must make use of these affinities to help them. Sometimes, when we go to help them, they refuse our help. So, Tzu Chi volunteers have to be mindful and continue to think of different ways to, with patience and love, obtain their trust so that they are willing to accept our help. This is called adapting to capabilities and conditions. Adapting to their capabilities and conditions means that we try everything we can to get close to them to teach and to help. We try everything we can to help them eliminate their unwholesome practices.

There are some people who have been lost for many lifetimes. But [Bodhisattvas] make use of various karmic conditions to connect with them. In the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, many people have eliminated their previous negative tendencies and developed the patience to dedicate themselves to going among people; now it is their turn to transform people. They use their own lives as examples. “Then they can help others’ minds attain a state of safety.” They help people in a state of confusion return to a state of safety and freedom. Thus they are called Bodhisattvas. This is reaching a place of fearlessness; they feel safe and secure. Not only can they transform themselves, they can also transform others. They save themselves, as well as others. This is “a state of fearlessness.” The have already safely returned to their inherently kind nature.

The Buddha lives among the people to teach the Dharma and has the virtue of composure and fearlessness. In transforming sentient beings, He does not fear the difficulty and works undauntedly until sentient beings are safe and at peace. This is the state of fearlessness.

“The Buddha lives among the people to teach the Dharma.” This fearlessness enables Him to teach the Dharma to everyone. He has the “virtue of composure and fearlessness.” The Buddha is without fear; He truly has fearlessness. Because all kinds of Dharma are encompassed in His ocean of enlightenment, He can analyze the principles of all things in the world and can teach the Dharma among the people with composure and fearlessness.

During Sakyamuni Buddha’s lifetime, practitioners of over 90 kinds of religious teachings constantly made things difficult for Him. But for the Buddha, even in this situation, “In transforming sentient beings,” He has no fear of the difficulties and can work undauntedly. He was not afraid of hardship. He wanted to teach sentient beings and overcome their stubbornness. In particular, those other religious practitioners would not only understand and accept the Dharma, they would take refuge with the Buddha. This happened during the Buddha’s lifetime. His wisdom and the power of His vows gave Him the virtue of fearlessness among sentient beings. “Until sentient beings are safe and at peace” means He always helped sentient beings achieve safety and peace. This is accomplished by the Buddha’s teachings. He taught ordinary people to help them reach a state of safety and fearlessness.

The following sutra passage states, “He considered how his own wealth was infinite and equally gave a great cart to all the children.”

Seeing all his children and contemplating his own infinite wealth, the elder felt he should give equal amounts. So, he gave them all great carts. Those children who sought the small but attained the great were very happy.

This expresses that after the children came out, the elder immediately thought about all the things he wanted to give them. He wanted to distribute his wealth to them in an equal fashion. He wanted to equally give them the great ox-cart. “Those children sought the small but attained the great.” They originally sought the sheep-cart and deer-cart; they did not realize there was this great ox-cart. This is an analogy. Those children “sought the small but attained the great.” Indeed, Hearers and Solitary Realizers originally thought their practice was good enough. They never thought that they could also attain Buddhahood. This was the Buddha’s original intent. He hoped that everyone could realize that they are able to attain Buddhahood, that they have a part in it.

So, the Chapter on Skillful Means speaks of “limitless and unhindered powers and fearlessness.”

The Chapter on Skillful Means talks about limitless and unhindered powers and fearlessness. This is called learning well the net of fearlessness and understanding all illusory phenomena.

This is the wealth of the Buddha, that is like the wealth of the elder. The Buddha has an abundance of wisdom. Thus He is not unhindered by anything, and He has powers and fearlessness. He answers the requests of sentient beings and meets their needs; He gives all He has to them. So, I hope everyone will mindfully realize the Buddha’s original intent. He wants to help everyone understand that we intrinsically have the nature of True Suchness. When this Buddha-nature converges with nature, our minds will be pure and undefiled. So, we should always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0606

Posted on January 7, 2025 by Scott Ogata

Wisdom at Dawn

Chapter 3

Episode 606 – Peacefully and Patiently Transport Heavy Burdens

>> “We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time to benefit others. This is the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas. A Bodhisattva uses compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings, like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens. Thus the ox-cart is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”

>> “Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings. They benefit heavenly beings and humans and liberate all. This is the Great Vehicle.”

>> Bodhisattvas who seek this Vehicle are called Mahasattvas. They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.

>> With wisdom, they seek Bodhi. With compassion, they transform sentient beings. Thus they form great aspirations. When speaking of the causal practice, it is called the Bodhisattva Vehicle. When speaking of the fruits attained, it is called the Buddha Vehicle.

>> The practice of benefiting oneself and others is called the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas. Bodhisattvas transform beings with compassion; they are like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports his burden. Thus those who left the burning house for the sake of the ox-cart are an analogy for Bodhisattvas.

>> The ox-cart is an analogy for the Buddha’s teaching of the Bodhisattva Way and the practice of the Six Perfections. They only seek to deliver all people from the Three Realms and do not seek their own escape. They are like an ox who shoulders the burden to peacefully and patiently deliver all. Thus the ox-cart is used as an analogy.

“We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves
and at the same time to benefit others.
This is the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas.
A Bodhisattva uses compassion and wisdom
to transform sentient beings,
like the ox who peacefully
and patiently transports heavy burdens.
Thus the ox-cart is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.”

I want to share with everyone that we learn the Buddha’s teachings in the hope of attaining Buddhahood. Will we attain it by continuously praying, “Venerable Buddha, please help me attain Buddhahood”? Is this how we attain Buddhahood? No. We need to put the Dharma into practice.

We must vow to seek the teachings. To be like the Buddha, of course we need to learn from the Buddha. So, seeking the teachings depends on our own efforts, on whether we are willing to elevate the aim of our aspirations. We must learn to be like the Buddha and attain His level of compassion and wisdom. Since we are learning, we must practice according to the teachings and listen to the Buddha-Dharma.

In the Buddha’s mind, He hoped that after everyone understood, they would then go among people and put the teachings into practice. Then the Buddha-Dharma can be spread widely and sentient beings can actually be saved. This is not illusory; people are truly saved. This was the Buddha’s intention.

Therefore, we should now understand that we must “seek the teachings to benefit ourselves.” We must look to the Buddha. We must follow the Buddha’s spiritual practice and what He manifested in this world to teach us. We need to realize that. His goal in attaining Buddhahood was to save people. If we understand this goal, we must immediately aspire to be like Him. This is what it means to “seek the teachings.” We should have the same mission as the Buddha. We are not seeking only our own understanding, to simply hear and understand. No, what we must understand is how to put these teachings into practice. “[Seeking] the teachings to benefit ourselves” is what we can do for ourselves. If we attain realizations, then benefit others, we are truly benefiting ourselves and others.

We benefit ourselves by developing our wisdom-life. To develop our wisdom-life, we must go among people. By interacting with people, we gain a lot of information about the world, we learn about many ways of living and about suffering, causation, cessation and the Path in the world. These many principles can be learned by going among people. So, this is also how we “benefit ourselves.” When we go among people and gain something, naturally we will want to give to others. This is called “benefiting others.”

We always wonder, when we help people, are we benefiting ourselves? If we have the ability to help others, do we benefit as well? When we help others, while they are helped, we have also attained happiness and joy, which help our wisdom-life grow. So, when we give, we actually reap the benefits. When we are able to give something tangible, it is the work of many people coming together to be able to give. In the end, we actually reap the benefits. We attain joy and a sense of peace. This happens when we seek the teachings and enable our wisdom-life to grow. It is because we help others at the same time. We benefit ourselves and others. This is what it means to “seek the teachings.” By understanding and practicing [the teachings], we attain a sense of Dharma-joy and a deeper understanding of the world around us. This is how we develop our wisdom-life.

If we do not give to others, and just say, “I know, I know,” then how much do we really understand? If we do not give of ourselves at all, we do not actually understand anything. If we do not have the experience, we will not attain any realization, so we will not understand anything. Therefore, to benefit ourselves, we need to benefit others at the same time. To benefit others, we go among people and gather everyone’s strength to give to others. This is how we reap the greatest benefit.

For our wisdom-life, helping others is indeed very beneficial. So, “We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time benefit others. This is the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas.” This is the Great Vehicle Dharma. “Maha” means great, “sattvas” refer to Bodhisattvas, to [awakened] sentient beings. So, Mahasattvas means “great sentient beings.” They follow the Great Vehicle Dharma.

“A Bodhisattva uses compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings.” Mahasattvas are great Bodhisattvas. Great Bodhisattvas exercise their compassion and their wisdom “to transform sentient beings.” This is their vow. All Bodhisattvas have made a vow to learn from the Buddha’s mind and go among people to transform them all.

They are peaceful and patient like an ox. There is so much suffering in this world. So, we need to be peaceful and patient to stay in this world of endurance. If we have the patience, we can get through things safely, “like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens.” Not only is an ox patient, he can also transport heavy burdens; he can shoulder heavy responsibilities. This is his virtue of being peaceful and patient. The ox has virtues, too. He is able to patiently endure this kind of life. Because he had created the karma to be born as an ox, he accepted his fate and patiently endured this.

“Thus the ox-cart is an analogy for Bodhisattvas.” There were three kinds of carts, the sheep-cart, deer-cart and ox-cart. When sheep eat grass, they do not care about anything else, but just focus on eating the grass before them. As for the deer, when they are eating grass, they pay attention to their surroundings. What about the ox? They not only eat the grass, they also have a sense of mission, which is to help humans; they have this sense of responsibility.

So, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, “We seek the teachings to benefit ourselves and at the same time to benefit others.” When we give to other people, we are actually seeing the suffering in the world. The Buddha talked about “suffering,” but “suffering” comes from “causation.” How did we accumulate this “causation”? When we go among people and see how they suffer in this world, amidst this suffering we will naturally realize the principles behind “causation.” Thus we will be more committed to our aspirations. By comprehending “suffering” and “causation,” we can develop our wisdom-life. We will know how to walk “the Path” and achieve the “cessation” of afflictions.

By going among people, we understand this. The world is filled with suffering; to avoid triggering this “suffering,” we must guard against wrongdoings and stop evil to close the door to “causation.” Thus, we cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom because we know how suffering is accumulated. With precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we can protect ourselves from being affected by negative causes and conditions.

This is what we must understand. When we go among people, we must be grateful. This is how we can be great Bodhisattvas. This is how we practice the Great Vehicle Dharma. Great Bodhisattvas exercise both compassion and wisdom to transform sentient beings. They are like the ox, who is peaceful and patient and is able to transport heavy burdens. So, the ox is an analogy for Bodhisattvas. If everyone understands this, our spiritual practice will not be difficult.

The previous sutra passage states,

“Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings. They benefit heavenly beings and humans and liberate all. This is the Great Vehicle.”

If we clearly understand the previous passage, we understand that Bodhisattvas are not only peaceful and patient, they also have sympathy for sentient beings.

“Bodhisattvas who seek this Vehicle….” Bodhisattvas seek the power of these great vows. They “seek the Buddha’s teachings” and “transform sentient beings,” so “They are called Mahasattvas.” This was the aspiration they formed. “They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.”

Bodhisattvas who seek this Vehicle are called Mahasattvas. They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.

This sutra passage is about wisdom. “With wisdom, they seek Bodhi.” Learning the Buddha’s teachings, is “seeking the teachings,” meaning we seek the Bodhi-path to awakening. We must use wisdom to choose the path that we are going to walk. “With compassion, they transform sentient beings.” With our compassion, we help and transform sentient beings. So, Bodhisattvas must constantly “seek and transform. To seek” requires wisdom and “to transform” requires compassion.

“Thus they form great aspirations [and engage in] causal practice.” When we form aspirations, they must be great. To plant these seeds in our minds, we must earnestly form aspirations. These aspirations are causes. We start to think about helping others, instead of just saving ourselves. As we help ourselves, we must also help others. This is our first thought of forming great aspirations. This is the cause. We must then act on this cause. Putting it into action means we “seek the Buddha’s teachings and transform sentient beings.” Speaking of it this way, it is the Bodhisattva Vehicle. We are willing to make aspirations so we then put them into action. This is the Bodhisattva Vehicle. When speaking of the fruits attained, it is called the Buddha Vehicle.

With wisdom, they seek Bodhi. With compassion, they transform sentient beings. Thus they form great aspirations. When speaking of the causal practice, it is called the Bodhisattva Vehicle. When speaking of the fruits attained, it is called the Buddha Vehicle.

We start with the “cause.” If we want to attain Buddhahood, we must form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path. This is called the causal ground. If we engage in spiritual practice and attain the state of Buddhahood, we have attained the “fruit.” Sakyamuni Buddha had already attained this fruit. As for us, we are forming aspirations. We aspire to attain Buddhahood. We are now at the state of “causes.” At the causal ground, we start to engage in spiritual practice. The process of our spiritual practice is to walk the Bodhisattva-path. This takes us to the state of Buddhahood, which is the fruit we attain. Thus, walking the Bodhisattva-path is the cause and attaining Buddhahood is the fruit. So, both the cause and the fruit are part of the Great Vehicle. If not for these causes, how could we attain these fruits?

Bodhisattvas are “sentient beings.” They are “enlightened sentient beings. Maha” means “great,” so Mahasattvas are great sentient beings. Bodhisattvas are also called great sentient beings.

“The practice of benefiting oneself and others is called the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas.” This is the Great Vehicle Dharma. Bodhisattvas “transform beings with compassion”; they are like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports his burden. Even if the load is heavy, the ox is still willing. He walks forward with steady steps, uncomplaining. No matter how heavy, he willingly transports it. Thus those who left the burning house for the ox-cart are an analogy for Bodhisattvas. In order to obtain the ox-cart, they left the burning house; these are Bodhisattvas.

The practice of benefiting oneself and others is called the Great Vehicle of the Mahasattvas. Bodhisattvas transform beings with compassion; they are like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports his burden. Thus those who left the burning house for the sake of the ox-cart are an analogy for Bodhisattvas.

We understand the world is filled with suffering. So, we must mindfully seek the true principles of the Buddha-Dharma. We must not think of spiritual practice as just cultivating ourselves. No, we must also benefit others. From the beginning I talked about the practice of benefiting oneself and others. In fact, as we give to others, we are also reaping great benefits. Every day, we feel that we are very busy. What we are busy doing? Understanding. We try to understand how the world works, because in the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, we have to understand the affairs of the world. We must know what is happening in the world, then our outlook will extend further and broader, and we will be able to realize the ways that people live around the world.

Without the ways of practice laid out by Tzu Chi, we might just focus on our own spiritual practice and only awaken ourselves. How would we know about what is happening around the world? Many people have vowed to me, “Wherever there is a disaster, Master, give me a chance to help. I want to sign up to go.” No matter how far it is or how difficult it is, they are willing to go. Travelling 10,000 miles benefits a person more than reading 10,000 books. The feelings they experienced by going there lead them to further exercise their great love. Because they have already developed their wisdom-life, they will utilize their strengths.

See, so many people are giving unconditionally and shouldering heavy responsibilities. They are taking on responsibility for the world. This is the aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva-path. This is why we researched how, after a disaster strikes and homes are destroyed, we can quickly provide the survivors with a safe refuge to protect them from wind and rain where they temporarily rest their bodies and minds. We researched how to immediately ship shelters to disaster areas and right away provide the people with simple shelters to rest their bodies and minds. We call them prefabricated shelters.

For a few years, we have been developing ways to provide people safe refuge that can [last] at least a few years so that they will have time to focus on building new lives and restoring their homes. Our emergency disaster relief does not only provide them with food so they do not go hungry, we also give them a few years to rest their body and mind. Our Bodhisattvas work earnestly and in healthy competition to develop and implement construction methods and materials that can be easily transported right away to build a large number of units in a short time. Every time I see a prototype, I am very moved.

So, once Bodhisattvas form aspirations, they begin to take action accordingly. We understand worldly matters, understand the suffering in the world and how the causes of suffering are accumulated. Suffering is caused by accumulation, but actually, to attain Buddhahood, we also need to accumulate various causes and conditions in order to complete the Bodhisattva-path and relieve the suffering in the world.

So, the ox-cart is an analogy for “the Buddha’s teaching of the Bodhisattva Way and the practice of the Six Perfections. They only seek to deliver all people from the Three Realms.” The Buddha has one goal, to deliver everyone from the Three Realms. He “does not seek His own escape”; it is not enough if He is the only one who escapes. He also calls on everyone to escape. He is like an ox who shoulders a heavy burden. The ox must be peaceful and patient and endure the challenges in this world in order to deliver so many things. So, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must feel a sense of responsibility like the ox. Even when he is pulling a very heavy cart, he is willing to continue walking forward. We have been discussing this previous passage, “They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the ox-cart.” This is the Great Vehicle, the great ox-cart.

The ox-cart is an analogy for the Buddha’s teaching of the Bodhisattva Way and the practice of the Six Perfections. They only seek to deliver all people from the Three Realms and do not seek their own escape. They are like an ox who shoulders the burden to peacefully and patiently deliver all. Thus the ox-cart is used as an analogy.

Dear Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, we cannot only seek the Small Vehicle Dharma. We must “seek the Buddha’s teachings” and “transform sentient beings.” To “seek the Buddha’s teachings” is to benefit ourselves and others. What we must seek is the Great Vehicle Dharma. What we must apply in the world is both compassion and wisdom. To deliver all sentient beings, we must be like the ox who peacefully and patiently transports heavy burdens. So, these are the Three Vehicles that the Buddha talked about. Even when the Buddha was entering Parinirvana, He still taught the Four Noble Truths. He still had to remind them to return to suffering, causation, cessation and the Path so that all His disciples would remember. In conclusion, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must always be mindful.

Ch03-ep0605

Posted on January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 by Scott Ogata

Wisdom at Dawn

Chapter 3

Episode 605 – Compassionate Wisdom brings Joy and Liberation

>> “Sentient beings possess a deeply hidden nature. We can apply the hidden potential of this natural wisdom. Forgetting the inner, deluded by the outer, whatever we seek we cannot attain, just as we cannot grasp the reflection in a great perfect mirror. Bodhisattvas at the first ground have an experience from listening to the Dharma so they apply it and obtain the Dharma-joy of their nature.”

>> “[They] seek all-encompassing wisdom, Buddha-wisdom, natural-wisdom, untaught wisdom and the Tathagata’s understanding and views, His powers and His fearlessness.”

>> “Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings. They benefit heavenly beings and humans and liberate all. This is the Great Vehicle.”

>> Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings: Bringing others joy out of sympathy is great loving-kindness. Benefiting all and relieving their suffering is great compassion.

>> They seek the Tathagata’s wisdom and virtues to nourish themselves and develop wisdom-life. They also use the Four Infinite Minds to bring peace and joy to all sentient beings so all can transcend suffering and attain joy. They seek the Buddha’s wisdom and. His merits of fearlessness, powers and so on to transform themselves and others.

>> They benefit heavenly beings, humans and others in order to transform them. With this kind of aspiration, they go among the people according to conditions to engage in practice and attain the fruits. Thus they all attain the unsurpassed [fruits]. This is the Great Vehicle.

>> They help them become peaceful and joyful. This “benefits heavenly beings and humans.

>> “By learning and practicing the teachings of the path, we can attain freedom. By understanding suffering, we end causation, the seeds of suffering in the Three Realms. When we eliminate deluded actions, we can practice the path to free ourselves from suffering. When our resolve meets with the path, we will reach the ocean of enlightenment.”

>> “‘You must simply practice diligently.’ The Tathagata used these skillful means to entice sentient beings. Then I said, ‘You should know that the Three Vehicles are all praised by the noble beings.'”

>> “They allow us to be free, with no ties, with nothing that we lean on or seek.”

>> They allow us to be free, with no ties, with nothing that we lean on or seek: Free from the karma of ignorance and delusion, we can attain freedom and have no ties and not be bound by birth and death. Imperfect Dharma means we lean on or seek something.

>> So, “Imperfect Dharma means we lean on or seek something.”

>> With nothing that we lean on or seek: If we realize the truth of cessation, then once this life is over, we will have no further existence. Thus there is nothing to lean on or to seek.

>> Free: If we can end causation, then we will not have the causes of suffering of the ties of the Three Realms. Thus we can be free, with no ties.

>> Realizing the truth of cessation: When we end delusion, the conditions that produce afflictions or karma will not entangle us. Thus, there is nothing that we lean on or seek.

“By learning and practicing the teachings
of the path, we can attain freedom.
By understanding suffering, we end causation,
the seeds of suffering in the Three Realms.
When we eliminate deluded actions,
we can practice the path
to free ourselves from suffering.
When our resolve meets with the path,
we will reach the ocean of enlightenment.”

This is to remind everyone that as we learn and practice the teachings of the path, our minds must be at ease. If our minds are not at ease, how can we learn and practice the path to understand the essence of the teachings? So, if we resolve to learn and practice the teachings of the path, we must train our minds to be at ease.

We learn from the Buddha solely for the sake of our minds. If we do a good job of training our minds, we are true practitioners of the path. If all we do is listen and do not see the Dharma as a part of our lives, if the way we behave and speak is still [driven] by our habitual tendencies, this means the Dharma is not one with our minds. When we listen, we must take the Dharma to heart. Our minds must be one with the Dharma; only then are we true practitioners of the path. By learning and practicing these teachings, naturally our minds will be at ease and will abide in the Dharma.

What inspires us to engage in spiritual practice? First, we must understand the sufferings of life. The Buddha opened up this path for us, and we must start from the beginning. To start at the beginning of this path, first, we must learn to understand suffering, to understand the Four Noble Truths.

Everyone is already very familiar with these, but even if we are familiar with them, do we really understand them? Though listening to teachings makes them familiar, after we finish listening, when we are dealing with people or matters and challenges arise, we may forget what the Four Noble Truths are. Then our minds give rise to afflictions and we create negative affinities. This comes from a lack of understanding.

If we truly understand them, when we are faced with interpersonal conflicts we will think about how taking issue with others leads to suffering and will thus avoid doing it. Then these conflicts will disappear and in our minds there will be no afflictions or ignorance to give rise to delusions. If we are no longer part of any conflicts or disputes between people, haven’t we eliminated this cause of our suffering?

When interpersonal conflicts appear, we can remain disciplined; when we understand suffering, we will be self-disciplined. Thus we guard against wrongs and stop evil. When we understand suffering, we know that if we get involved with certain things, we will add to our causes of suffering, which is to be avoided. So, we will promptly put an end to it. If we can do this, “the seeds of suffering in the Three Realms” will disappear. “By understanding suffering, we end causation.” This is how we put an end to the seeds of suffering in the Three Realms.

I always tell everyone that we do not need to think too deeply about the Three Realms. In the dictionary of Buddhist terms, if we look up the Three Realms, they are explained with so many details. The form realm and the formless realm are analyzed in many ways. Actually, we need not talk about those aspects; we just need to apply the idea of the Three Realms to our state of mind. Have we eliminated the desires in our minds? Are external conditions enticing to our minds? Do discursive thoughts arise in our minds in response to external conditions? After those external conditions are no longer around, our minds may still be attached to the present or the past, or they may be thinking about the future. There are so many kinds of afflictions; do we have these attachments and discursive thoughts in our minds? If our minds are free of discursive thoughts, free of attachment and free of confusion, we will have no more of these formless [afflictions].

So, first we must understand suffering, in order to put an end to causation. In ending causation, all our desires, the [temptations] of forms around us and the [formless] afflictions of ignorance will be eliminated from our minds. Isn’t this very simple?

So, we must “eliminate deluded actions and practice the path to free ourselves from suffering.” We need to practice the path to realize the fruit. Only by realizing the fruit can we transcend suffering. Realizing the fruit means attaining the results of our spiritual practice. We have verified that, in the past, we were ignorant and afflicted; then after we took the Dharma to heart and engaged in spiritual practice, we were able to sweep aside our afflictions so that every day we are very happy. Every day we feel free and joyful. This means we have realized the fruit. We have verified that we have eliminated the causes of suffering and have also verified the happy results. If we think of it this way, practicing the path and realizing the fruit is not very difficult.

“When our resolve meets with the path, we will reach the ocean of enlightenment.” We have resolved to engage in spiritual practice, so we must connect with this path. The Buddha paved this path for us, so we must start walking towards it. If our first step is in the right direction and we keep walking forward, we will connect with this path; our minds will converge with the truth. So, we must mindfully learn the path.

There was a venerable one named Upagupta. He lived 100 years after the Buddha. He engaged in spiritual practice, and everyone respected him very much because he was pure in his thoughts and actions and had taken the Dharma to heart. He shared the Buddha’s teachings with his disciples and everyone else. But in his mind, he wondered, “This era I’m living in is 100 years removed from the Buddha’s lifetime. What were things actually like at that time?”

He knew there was a bhiksuni who was 120 years old. She was alive during the Buddha’s lifetime and had received teachings from Him and followed Him into monastic life. To learn more, Upagupta went to visit her.

When this elderly bhiksuni knew that. Upagupta was coming, she hung up a bowl of sesame oil behind the door. The door was closed, and whoever wanted to come in had to open it. When Upagupta knocked on the door, the bhiksuni responded by saying, “Please, come in.” He gently opened the door and came in. The elderly bhiksuni saw that oil had spilled out of its bowl and onto the ground.

When Upagupta saw the old bhiksuni, he greeted her respectfully and asked her for teachings. He asked, “During the Buddha’s lifetime, what were the demeanors of the monastics?” The bhiksuni said, “During that time, among the monastics there was a group of evil-natured bhiksus. They did not follow the Buddha’s teachings, and they constantly did vile and wicked things. But their demeanors were still better than yours.” In his mind, Upagupta wondered, “How could an evil-natured bhiksu have a better demeanor than mine?” The bhiksuni then said, “Venerable One, when you came in you caused this bowl of oil to spill a little. It has overflowed onto the ground. Did you see it?” He felt ashamed.

The bhiksuni explained to him, “Even if the evil-natured bhiksus put a full bowl of oil on top of their heads and walked around, none of the oil would spill. Think about that. Aren’t their demeanors in walking, standing, sitting and lying down much better than yours?” Upagupta felt a sense of shame from deep within his heart. He felt gratitude toward the elderly bhiksuni. “I should work to improve my Four Demeanors, how I walk, stand, sit and lie down. I should be more cautious in my actions.” Then he bade her farewell.

The Four Demeanors of a spiritual practitioner 100 years after the Buddha could not compare to the evil-natured bhiksus of the Buddha’s time. How much further away are we now, more than 2000 years removed from Him? So, we must be even more vigilant.

“Our resolve [must] meet with the path.” Now that we have resolved to engage in spiritual practice, we must find a way to connect with the path. We must have the Dharma in our hearts in order to awaken our enlightened nature. Then we will be able to develop our wisdom. This is how we complete the path. This is why we should be mindful and cautious.

The previous sutra passage states,

“‘You must simply practice diligently.’ The Tathagata used these skillful means to entice sentient beings. Then I said, ‘You should know that the Three Vehicles are all praised by the noble beings.'”

The Buddha, out of compassion, used the Three Vehicles to entice us to walk this path. He felt that sentient beings needed more reinforcements and reminders. So, “Then [He] said, ‘You should know that the Three Vehicles are all praised by the noble beings.'” We should know that at that moment, the Buddha was preparing everyone for the future.

He had already opened up the provisional and was about to reveal the true. “The provisional” refers to the Three Vehicles. The Buddha already said, “These are skillful means. The true teachings are the Dharma of the One Reality.” But here, the Buddha said, “The Three Vehicles are all praised by the noble beings.” He was telling everyone that we must not look down on the Three Vehicles. He was saying this for the future, for those of us here right now. It was as if He was handing this down to us.

Since the Buddha established these teachings, we cannot take them lightly. This next passage states, “They allow us to be free, with no ties.” You should know that the Three Vehicles “were praised by all the noble beings.” ․”They allow us to be free, with no ties, with nothing that we lean on or seek.” Returning to the Dharma itself, the Three Vehicles can teach us how to become free in body and mind.

First, we can “be free, with no ties, with nothing that we lean on or seek,” which is to free ourselves from ignorance and deluded actions. How can we be free? Freedom comes from learning and practicing the teachings of the path. This is the only way to free our minds. If we do not earnestly learn and if we do not take the Dharma to heart, how can we be free? Even with just the Three Vehicle teachings, Hearers enter [the path] by taking in the sound of the Dharma. Solitary Realizers deeply contemplate the Dharma. They think about the principles of impermanence, suffering, emptiness and no-self in this world. This is all part of the Dharma. This Dharma was praised by all past Buddhas.

Not only did the Buddhas of the past praise it, our present Buddha, Sakyamuni, and all Buddhas of the future, Maitreya and so on, all Buddhas of the Three Periods, teach it. Since the distant past, countless Buddhas have followed this sequence of establishing teachings to transform all beings. So, when we practice and learn, we must practice mindfully. “By understanding suffering, we end causation.” In this way, we can eliminate desires, forms and [formless] afflictions, delusions and ignorance from our minds. Only then can we be free, with no ties and nothing that we lean on or seek. We can free ourselves from ignorance and from the delusions caused by ignorance.

If we can be free from delusions and ignorance, we will not create any more bad karma. We will only create good karma and blessings. We will not commit evils, create afflictions or give rise to more ignorance. This is how we can free ourselves from the karma of delusions and ignorance. Then, “We can attain freedom and have no ties and not be bound by birth and death.”

They allow us to be free, with no ties, with nothing that we lean on or seek: Free from the karma of ignorance and delusion, we can attain freedom and have no ties and not be bound by birth and death. Imperfect Dharma means we lean on or seek something.

If we can eliminate delusions and ignorance, then our minds will naturally be free. We are no longer bound by those ropes, so we are free. If we are no longer bound by the ropes of birth and death, we are liberated. I always say, “Through spiritual practice we attain liberation.” To attain liberation means that we are no longer bound by ropes. We have broken free.

As Buddhist practitioners, we need [to follow] the Dharma. If we do not take the Dharma to heart, what we have learned is imperfect Dharma. It is as if we are still bound by ropes, because our precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are lost even as we cultivate them; they leak away. Although we are always listening to the Dharma, it goes in one ear and out the other. If the Dharma keeps leaking from our minds, no matter how much Dharma we hear, we will not be able to take it to heart.

So, “Imperfect Dharma means we lean on or seek something.”

We are still seeking something to rely on. “Please teach me something. Please help me avoid disaster. I pray to the Buddha, worship the Buddha, consult spirits and do good deeds all in order to attain blessings.” All of this is a result of not having taken the Dharma to heart. Even if we listen to teachings, they still leak out of our minds.

To sum this up, we must take the Dharma to heart and apply it. If we do not earnestly take the Dharma to heart, with the many things and principles in the world, we will never be able to study them all and will never be able to learn them. In conclusion, “By grasping one truth, we understand all truths.” If we can truly take the Dharma to heart, when we really understand this, our understanding of that will not be flawed.

The most important thing is for us to have “nothing that we lean on or seek.” To attain a state where we do not lean on or seek anything, we need to realize the truth of cessation. We must eliminate the afflictions of causation.

With nothing that we lean on or seek: If we realize the truth of cessation, then once this life is over, we will have no further existence. Thus there is nothing to lean on or to seek.

Our minds will be free of attachments. No matter how other people treat us, we feel that by willingly repaying our karmic debts, we will no longer be karmically entangled.

Thus, “If we realize the truth of cessation, then once this life is over, we will have no further existence. Thus there is nothing to lean on or to seek.” If we have realized the truth of cessation, we have witnessed how we can eliminate mutual entanglements of kindness and resentment. When we let go of these cycles of gratitude and grudges, we will have eliminated the causes of suffering. Once we eliminate our accumulated causes, we will be free of suffering. So, “If we realize the truth of cessation, then once this life is over….” When we do not give rise to discursive thoughts, our attachment to birth and death is no longer in our minds. So, “We will have no further existence.”

If, in this lifetime, we put an end to these afflictive emotions, in our future lives we will not owe anything to each other. Then there is nothing that we lean on or seek. What is it that we are still looking for? Do you still need to pray to spirits? Do you still need to cast lots? Do you still need to pick an auspicious date? There is no need. Our minds will be in a state of freedom, and every day we will feel at ease.

Freedom comes from ending causation. Only by ending causation can we realize the truth of cessation. When we put an end to causation, we will not suffer “the ties of the Three Realms.” To “be free, with no ties,” is great freedom.

Free: If we can end causation, then we will not have the causes of suffering of the ties of the Three Realms. Thus we can be free, with no ties.

The Three Realms, as I keep emphasizing to you, are in our minds; they are the Three Realms of our minds. Right now, we are in an unenlightened state. We must quickly transcend the Three Realms of our minds and not continue to create interpersonal conflicts, give rise to cravings for material things, etc. If we let go of these things, every day we will be at peace, seeking nothing, relying on nothing. Then we will no longer be attached to or afflicted by anything.

Realizing the truth of cessation, we put an end to delusions. Delusion is ignorance. If we can put an end to all delusions, the conditions that produce afflictions and karma will not entangle us. We must put an end to these. By putting an end to afflictions, these delusions will disappear. If we are free of afflictions, the conditions for creating karma will no longer pull us along. Then there is “nothing that we lean on or seek.”

Realizing the truth of cessation: When we end delusion, the conditions that produce afflictions or karma will not entangle us. Thus, there is nothing that we lean on or seek.

“One who seeks nothing has the noblest character.” There is no need to constantly be seeking; what we must do is figure out how to help others. That should be our aim in life.

Dear Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful. The Buddha must be in our hearts, and the Dharma must be in our actions. We must do everything according to the Dharma. To achieve this, we must always be cautious and mindful.