Author: Scott Ogata

Episode 397 – Making Offerings with Reverence

>> So, “In response to conditioned phenomena, our minds can create blessed karma. Through the workings of our body and mind, we make offerings out of reverence.”

>> People such as these gradually accumulated merits and virtues. Replete with great compassion, they have realized the path to Buddhahood. They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless sentient beings.

>> “In stupas or in temples, people may make offerings with reverence to jeweled images and painted images with flowers, incense, banners or canopies.”

>> Since sentient beings are attached to happiness, in order to follow their wishes and liking, [He taught them] to adorn stupas, temples and precious images and reverently make offerings of flowers and incense.

>> “They could cause others to make music with drums, horns, or conches, pan-pipes, flutes, lutes or bamboo lyres, guitars, cymbals or brass gongs.”

>> With wholehearted reverence, they bowed and prostrated. They sang hymns and made music with pan-pipes, flutes and lutes. With palms together they paid their respects. These are all offerings.

In our daily living, we observe people, matters and objects. Everything that we see or hear is a conditioned phenomenon. As long as we can see or hear something, it has a form and appearance.

So, “In response to conditioned phenomena, our minds can create blessed karma. Through the workings of our body and mind, we make offerings out of reverence.”

When it comes to conditioned phenomena, if our mindset is joyful and wholesome, we will see everything as something good. Then we will seize the moment to do good deeds. When joy arises in our hearts, we will just do it. This is creating blessed karma. When we hear unkind words, if we can shift our perspective using our pure hearts, then we can still eliminate our afflictions and develop our wisdom. This is then an “beneficial adverse condition.”

Therefore, the Dharma brings understanding. In our daily living, if we are understanding and accommodating, our minds will always be creating blessed karma. “Through the workings of our body and mind,” our body and mind creates [karma]. If we are understanding of others, even if people see the false as true or the true as false, we can bring harmony to them. Then even those who do not fully understand will still have an opportunity to resolve their issue. All this depends on our minds.

As each of us engage in spiritual practice, if we can take good care of our minds, we can harmoniously deal with matters and objects. Then everything we do creates blessings. These blessings are created by our body and mind, with our demeanor, our actions and so on. These are the virtues we internally cultivate and externally practice. Through the [dignified] actions of our body, when people see us, they automatically recognize that we are spiritual practitioners whom they should not harm and whose words they should listen to. So, even if people with ulterior motives come speak with us, they may shift back to a wholesome mindset. If our body and mind always abide in the Dharma, we can change people’s minds; this is also known as turning the Dharma-Wheel. Negative things can turn into positive things. All of this is created by our body and mind.

We need to exercise reverence and make offerings out of genuine sincerity. The offerings we make do not have to be material, they can come from our hearts, through the actions of our body and mind. This kind of offering is supreme and unsurpassed. The principles of Absolute Truth must be present in our inner training ground so we can apply them in the world at all times. That is the most unsurpassed, precious offering.

Previously we discussed, “People such as these.” They are those who erect stupas, build temples and sculpt statues with reverence in order to spread the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha had repeatedly encouraged this. So, for the sake of sentient beings in the era of Dharma-degeneration, these images were created. These people followed the Buddha’s teachings to erect stupas, build temples and sculpt statues. If they can practice giving with the same reverence and respect, they will unceasingly accumulate [blessed karma]. Through tangible forms, intangible principles can penetrate people’s minds.

During the construction [here at the Abode], many contributed their professional expertise. In this environment, many lay practitioners served wholeheartedly. This was very natural for them. They could form aspirations, devote themselves, and also nurture their sense of reverence.

Since the 921 Earthquake, Tzu Chi has transformed many people through construction projects, especially schools. This is a good thing. People are supposed to help each other, not to mention the fact that future talent is being nurtured as part of the Hope Project. So, many Bodhisattva-volunteers across Taiwan dedicated themselves to this project. Over nearly two years, many people were transformed because of the construction project. The volunteers who joined Tzu Chi that year to this day remain very diligent Bodhisattvas. Therefore, through tangible actions, people can feel the joy of the virtuous Dharma. After taking this Dharma to heart, they will be able to learn the teachings and diligently practice them. Through this example, we should be able to understand this principle.

As long as there are tangible objects, as long as people create them and the environment sustains them, in this way Bodhisattvas can transform sentient beings. The transformed help those who are transforming, who help those not yet transformed. As this cycle continues endlessly, we can “transform and liberate countless sentient beings.”

That is the passage we discussed yesterday.

People such as these gradually accumulated merits and virtues. Replete with great compassion, they have realized the path to Buddhahood. They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless sentient beings.

Now let us look at the next passage.

“In stupas or in temples, people may make offerings with reverence to jeweled images and painted images with flowers, incense, banners or canopies.”

This [sutra] passage is very easy to understand. Everyone can understand it as soon as they read it. Whether we see a stupa or a temple, though it is a conditioned phenomenon, though it is an image, it can still inspire happiness and respect, which leads to reverence. These are all skillful means.

As for “painted images with flowers, incense,” old temples always have some kind of decorations. These banners, embroidered, painted, written on with calligraphy or so on, were used to decorate temples in the past. Of course, these were to demonstrate reverence. Flowers and incense were also used to express the respect in people’s hearts. Thus, “flowers, incense, banners or canopies” were used to adorn the practice center, the space within the temples. All are expressions of reverence. Therefore, these are used to “make offerings with reverence.”

Since sentient beings are attached to happiness, in order to follow their wishes and liking, [He taught them] to adorn stupas, temples and precious images and reverently make offerings of flowers and incense.

Since sentient beings are attached to happiness, when they see such a dignified practice center, they feel they must be reverent and pay respect. The Buddha’s image is there, along with incense, flowers and various banners. This automatically creates the conditions for people to form this attachment to happiness. They like this environment, so from this environment, they develop a sense of reverence. This is how “sentient beings are attached to happiness.” Thus, the Buddha “follows their wishes and liking” [and teaches them] “to adorn stupas, temples and precious images.” To go along with what sentient beings seek, with that kind of mindset, He said there needs to be stupas, temples and images.

But everyone already intrinsically has Buddha-nature. There is a magnificent Buddha in everyone’s mind. There is already a jeweled stupa and a magnificent temple in their hearts. There is a dignified spiritual training ground in everyone’s minds, so why do we need to erect stupas or build temples in the world outside? Why do we sculpt actual statues of the Buddha?

Though all of us have [Buddha-nature], we still have attachments to things. We think that only someone sitting in [a temple] can teach the Dharma. We think we have to be at a certain location to pay respect to the Buddha. This is because we still have attachments. So, the Buddha adapted to our preferences, [knowing] the many ways we are inclined to seek. This is why we have these images, so we can reverently make offerings with incense and flowers.

Next, we will discuss,

“They could cause others to make music with drums, horns, or conches, pan-pipes, flutes, lutes or bamboo lyres, guitars, cymbals or brass gongs.”

We previously discussed structures we can see. Now we will discuss what we hear, the beautiful music that brings pleasure.

When we are paying respect to the Buddha, we use a small handheld bell, a large bowl-like bell and wooden fish block. Their sounds guide us; when the handheld bell starts, we make certain movements. Then with the sounding of the bowl-like bell, our rhythm and movements can be in harmony. We also follow the sound of the wooden fish block to recite in unison. This is very rhythmic.

We may hear or see these instruments during Dharma-assemblies. The round instrument is called a brass gong. There is also the gentle sounding Chinese lute. These can all be used as accompaniments. There may also be end-blown or transverse flutes. Sometimes when we hear the elegant sounds from these instruments, we are filled with a sense of spiritual refinement.

People may play “drums, horns or conches.” In Tibet, they use very long horns which sound very much like the Chinese oboes. From the top [of mountains], they sound the horns. Then everyone at the bottom can hear them. In Tibet, they use the long horns every day to gather people. The sound tells them, now is the time to chant sutras, now is the time to pay respect to the Buddha.

So, “they could cause others to make music.” These are various musical instruments. Drums can be used [to gather people] from afar. The mountain top is very far away. In order to gather everyone together in the Buddha’s era, people used “wooden mallets.” They used them to strike wooden boards. Then, to gather everyone together, people later used drums. Upon hearing the sound of the drums, people knew it was time to gather together. Conches and flutes are blown are plucked. Having a sense of utmost reverence while accompanying recitation of the sutras with music is also a form of offering.

With wholehearted reverence, they bowed and prostrated. They sang hymns and made music with pan-pipes, flutes and lutes. With palms together they paid their respects. These are all offerings.

We can be wholeheartedly reverent. This can be inspired by tangible objects such as stupas, temples and Buddha-images, or the sounds we can hear and so on. All this has to do with our minds. Our minds can allow us to give rise to reverence.

When we begin to recite sutras at a Dharma-assembly, the melody of the chanting tells us when to prostrate. This is like prostrating to the Preface of the Lotus Sutra. We know when to prostrate by following the sound. There is rhythm to the way we bow to pay respect. In particular, when we sing hymns, we must sing them loudly. I constantly remind everyone that as we prostrate, we must keep chanting loudly. Not only can we make offerings with our body, we can also make offerings with our speech, offerings of sound.

When people are very depressed, we can share good teachings with them in a pleasant tone. This is another kind of sound, as well as a way [to help people]. People listen when we chant sutras. If our chanting is beautiful and harmonious, people’s minds will give rise to respect and their chaotic minds will naturally calm down. Thus, when we chant sutras, we cannot just listen to others with scattered minds. Then we cannot chant in harmony. If we cannot chant in harmony with others, the Dharma will never enter our hearts.

When the ancients studied, they memorized and recited the text. When they knew it by heart, everything that left their mouth was Dharma. So, this is how we can learn sutras. If we just sit there and read the words while others are reciting them, will our minds actually be focused on the words? No one else can tell. If we recite them, we are looking at the words as we say them and our body follows the rhythm and prostrates. Then the Threefold Karma of our body, speech and mind will be in harmony. This is the best offering we can make.

This is what we need to do every day. How should we share the Dharma? Sometimes, teachings are directed at people while chants are directed into the invisible realm, toward all of the ghosts and spirits. Do not think that since our eyes cannot see them, [they do not exist]. Actually, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors are all around us. Are we putting effort into our study? Do we clearly articulate every word of the sutras? We can also share the Dharma with those in the invisible realm. Thus, the sutra recitation during our morning and evening practice must be harmonious and in unison. It must sound like our minds are one. If we cannot chant in unison, that may cause our minds to lose focus. When we chant in unison, we are focused. So, by focusing on chanting, we are also showing our respect.

So, flutes and zithers are music instruments. We can play them to sound out pleasant melodies. This is like the. Dharma as Water Musical Sutra Adaptation. We used various kinds of music to accompany the verses. Thus each verse is clearly presented and can resonate with ordinary people. The verses and lyrics are also very inspiring. On top of this there is the sign language. See, these are all ways for the Buddha-Dharma to be passed on. The sutras also teach us this, so we can use many various methods. When we use musical instruments to accompany people’s voices, and put our palms together to pay respect, these are all ways of making offerings.

Everyone, making offerings should come from a mind of utmost reverence. If there is no reverence in our minds, it does not matter how much we bow with our body. Thus, reverence requires a convergence of three things. While our body is paying respect, our mind must be reverent and our voice must be in harmony with others. Thus our Threefold Karma are in unison. This is beneficial Dharma.

In summary, as Buddhist practitioners, we create external images and conditioned phenomena with our minds. What we create depends on whether we want to create blessed karma and make offerings with a reverent mind, or act with a scattered mind. All of this depend on our minds.

Therefore, our minds direct what our body and mind create. When we are focused, we automatically express genuine sincerity that moves people. Since we can move other people, we can move all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is all due to our offerings of reverence.

Everyone, when we make offerings of reverence, we use external appearances to evoke the genuine reverence in our minds. Every kind of religion has these representations and images. These external appearances can be used to manifest our [internal] reverence. Thus, we must all always be mindful.

Episode 396 – Transform Countless Beings with Compassion

>> Spiritual practice is about cultivating our mind. We should “have great loving-kindness and compassion, and feel Dharma-joy and blissful equanimity. Thus we diligently cultivate the Four Infinite Minds.”

>> “Even children at play with straws, sticks or reeds, or even with their fingernails, may draw images of the Buddha.”

>> “People such as these gradually accumulated merits and virtues. Replete with great compassion, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood. They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless multitudes.”

>> Now let us look at “people such as these.” This refers to everyone who erected stupas and created images out of reverence. “With conditioned phenomena and meticulous handiwork, dignified images were spread throughout the world.”

>> [They] gradually accumulate merits and virtues: Over a long period of time they have strengthened their ability to benefit others. This ability is the virtue of doing good deeds. So, they have merits and virtues.

>> Virtuous people internally cultivate their character and externally practice humility and respect. Internally cultivating honesty, integrity, faith and steadfastness is a merit. Externally practicing loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is a virtue. What we attain through internal cultivation and external practice is called merits and virtues.

>> Then we are “replete with great compassion. Great compassion” is to have great universal compassion for sentient beings and earnestly try to relieve their suffering.

>> “Feel others’ pain and suffering as their own. They cannot bear it, so they try to save and relieve them, and enable them to attain liberation. This is great compassion. With utmost sincerity and earnestness, they have no expectations or resentment.”

>> [They] have realized the path to Buddhahood: This path is the cause. The direct cause of the path of spiritual practice is that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. If we exercise perfect and wondrous right perspective, then with great compassion we will pave the Bodhisattva-path toward Buddhahood.

>> “Transform and liberate countless multitudes.” So, [the Buddha] began by teaching skillful means to guide countless sentient beings. He used these skillful means to guide countless sentient beings to “ultimately enter the right path.”

>> “Joyfully seek the True Dharma of the One Vehicle” and “transform and liberate countless multitudes.”

Spiritual practice is about cultivating our mind.
We should “have great loving-kindness and compassion,
and feel Dharma-joy and blissful equanimity.
Thus we diligently cultivate the Four Infinite Minds.”

As we engage in daily spiritual practice, it is most important to cultivate our minds. We must be mindful of the thoughts we give rise to. Whether our thoughts lead us to happily do good deeds or happily turn toward evil depends on the workings of our mind. Orienting ourselves toward goodness is part of our fundamental duty as Buddhist practitioners. Giving rise to an evil thought [creates] karma. The accumulation of unwholesome karma and actions is frightening. So, while giving rise to even the slightest thoughts in our daily living, we must always remind ourselves, “I am a spiritual practitioner. I am a pure practitioner. I am the Buddha’s disciple, a disciple of the Three Treasures. I have aspired to walk the Bodhisattva-path.” We must always take good care of this mindset. If one thought goes astray, we create karma and begin a series of mistakes. Thus, being mindful is very important.

“Have great loving-kindness and compassion.” We must always maintain this inclusive mindset. As I always tell you, “The mind encompasses the universe and the boundless worlds within it.” Spiritual practitioners’ minds are that expansive. However vast the universe is, our state of mind must be just as vast. This is the Buddha’s enlightened state. Don’t we want to learn to be like the Buddha? So, we must develop an expansive mindset. I often say our hearts must be open and our thoughts must be pure. Shouldn’t that be our state of mind? That is great loving-kindness.

When our minds are very broad and expansive, we can nurture our compassion. With loving-kindness, we will also exercise compassion. By maintaining our practice of loving-kindness, we can put our compassionate vows into practice. This is practicing kindness and exercising compassion, thus we have “great loving-kindness and compassion.” We can always exercise loving-kindness and compassion toward others and give of ourselves to meet the needs of others. This is having “great loving-kindness and compassion.”

We must always have compassion. By giving with compassion, we can always feel. “Dharma-joy and blissful equanimity. Blissful” means happy. If we can always practice giving, our minds will be very pure and our every thought will be wholesome and kind, As we interact with people and matters we will “have great loving-kindness and compassion.” Then there will be no attachment that our minds cannot let go of. There will be no one we cannot get along with. If we have open hearts and pure thoughts, everything we see will make us happy. Any circumstance we face will also make us happy. Although we may face difficulties, we consider them adverse assisting conditions. This is the Dharma.

So, we have “Dharma-joy.” If Dharma-joy constantly arises in our minds, we can happily accept whatever situation we are dealing with. We must always practice “blissful equanimity.” This means we give joyfully. Regardless of who the other person is, we will give to him if he has a need. We happily give, happily serve and happily help others. All good things in the world come from giving happily. This is “Dharma-joy and blissful equanimity.” We can always, out of a sense of joy, practice giving to others.

Then we are “diligently cultivating the Four Infinite Minds.” We must diligently practice, and constantly engage in spiritual cultivation. In particular, we must not become indolent. We must diligently progress in our practice of the Four Infinite Minds, infinite loving-kindness, infinite compassion, infinite joy and infinite equanimity. Not only must we have infinite loving-kindness, we must practice it without regret. Not only must we have infinite compassion, we must practice it without resentment. Not only must we have infinite joy, we must practice it without worry. Not only must we have infinite equanimity, we must practice it without expectations. With these Four Infinite Minds, wherever we are, we are engaged in practice and in cultivating our minds.

We open up our great loving-kindness to practice compassion and to always help others joyfully. After helping others, we feel very happy. This happiness comes from loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. These are the Four Infinite Minds. These Four Infinite Minds are indispensable for Bodhisattva practitioners. So, in the past, the Buddha constantly encouraged everyone to be mindful.

During His lifetime, He was able to personally teach the Dharma. But once He entered Parinirvana, would the Buddha-Dharma disappear? So, He [exercised his] compassion and wisdom. He practiced kindness and exercised compassion for the sake of sentient beings of the future. This is why He encouraged using various means and images to guide everyone to take the Dharma into their hearts. So,

“Even children at play with straws, sticks or reeds, or even with their fingernails, may draw images of the Buddha.”

No matter what kind of materials we use, if we are reverent and have the image of the Buddha in our hearts, when we see stupas, we feel joy and respect. When we see temples, we feel reverent as well. All of these things are intended to inspire the compassion in everyone’s hearts, our loving-kindness and compassion.

There was one time when the Buddha clipped His fingernails and asked a bhiksu to bring them to Kashmir and assemble a group of spiritual practitioners in the mountains to the south. This bhiksu respectfully brought the Buddha’s fingernails to Kashmir to encourage everyone to build stupas

500 monastics were there to receive the fingernails. With reverence, the 500 of them mobilized to build a stupa there. On this mountain, there was also a troop of monkeys, a troop of 500 rhesus monkeys. Every day, these monkeys saw the monastics building the stupa. As the monks constructed the stupa, they prostrated with reverence. While they were building the stupa, they engaged in spiritual practice and prostrated. When the 500 rhesus monkeys saw this, they started to imitate the people’s actions; they also began to build a stupa nearby. They collected materials and piled them up, As the monastics prostrated, they also prostrated.

Some time later, there was a heavy rain that began with no warning. Water rushed down from the top of the mountains and the 500 rhesus monkeys were washed away. They all died, but they were all reborn in the heaven realm. The monkeys were amazed,

but then they used the heavenly eyes they now possessed to look at what they had done in the past. They saw that they were [reborn in heaven] because they prostrated as they built the stupa with great reverence and joy. Simply based on this blessed condition, they were reborn in the heaven realm. So, these 500 heavenly beings went to the Buddha’s abode to pay their respects to Him and give thanks for His compassion in sending the bhiksus to build the stupa and providing them with the chance to imitate them. They were grateful to the Buddha. The Buddha taught the Dharma to these 500 heavenly beings, then they joyfully withdrew. This story is from the Dharmapadavadana Sutra. Thus, as Buddhist practitioners, any and all causes and conditions can inspire the benevolence in our hearts and the power of our love.

So, next we will discuss,

“People such as these gradually accumulated merits and virtues. Replete with great compassion, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood. They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless multitudes.”

“People such as these….” Because while building temples, stupas, shrines and statues, they became joyful, they “gradually accumulated merits and virtues.” When other people saw [what they had done], those people reverently prostrated. Then those who reverently prostrated could also gradually accumulate merits and virtues. By prostrating reverently, they accumulated merits and virtues and were inspired to seek the Dharma and put it into practice. Then they could be “replete with great compassion.” This is because when external images are brought into our minds, we can understand the Buddha-Dharma, be “replete with great compassion” and “realize the path to Buddhahood.” These external phenomena can bring purity to our minds; so this is also a way we can realize the path to Buddhahood.

“They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless multitudes.” Here, the Buddha reiterated His purpose for coming to this world. Although He used various methods to establish many skillful means, He was “teaching the Bodhisattva Way.” In everything he taught, He hoped we could bring tangible “Dharma-semblance” into our hearts so we could return to the Buddha’s Right Dharma. So, we still need to walk the Bodhisattva-path in order to transform [ourselves]. When we practice and teach others to practice, we can “transform and liberate countless multitudes.” When we obtain the Dharma, we feel happy and can then guide others to accept the Dharma so they can feel the same Dharma-joy.

Now let us look at “people such as these.” This refers to everyone who erected stupas and created images out of reverence. “With conditioned phenomena and meticulous handiwork, dignified images were spread throughout the world.”

“People such as these” are people who, with utmost reverence, built stupas, shrines and so on. People who spread [the Dharma] in this world “gradually accumulated merits and virtues.” Over a long time they have accumulated the blessings of benefiting others.

[They] gradually accumulate merits and virtues: Over a long period of time they have strengthened their ability to benefit others. This ability is the virtue of doing good deeds. So, they have merits and virtues.

After stupas are built, their image remains in this world. Because their image remains in this world, they are something tangible that can inspire people. Beyond leaving something for future generations, we ourselves must also be reverent and try to understand how we can practice the Buddha-Dharma to benefit people. This is the ability [to benefit others]. This is how we can create things to provide guidance to everyone. Not only can we guide everyone, we can [inspire ourselves] to form aspirations.

“This ability is the virtue of doing good deeds.” Our internal cultivation is about refining our character. If we are spiritually refined, that will manifest in our treatment of others. When we treat others with humility and respect, we are virtuous. When dealing with people, if we have a visibly humble and respectful demeanor, and constantly express our gratitude to everyone, if we are grateful for everything, then we are demonstrating humility. We also must have respect, which comes from having unconditional love in our hearts and having this kind of refinement. So gratitude, respect and love are what we internally cultivate and externally practice.

Virtuous people internally cultivate their character and externally practice humility and respect. Internally cultivating honesty, integrity, faith and steadfastness is a merit. Externally practicing loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is a virtue. What we attain through internal cultivation and external practice is called merits and virtues.

So, [cultivating] “sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness” is a merit. This effort to cultivate our minds is the work we must do internally. Externally, “practicing loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is a virtue.” Practicing giving is a virtue. “What we attain through internal cultivation and external practice” are “merits and virtues. What is attained is virtue.” Through internal cultivation and external practice what we attain are merits and virtues. This comes from cultivating our minds.

Then we are “replete with great compassion. Great compassion” is to have great universal compassion for sentient beings and earnestly try to relieve their suffering.

We must always seek to understand sentient beings’ suffering.

When we are suffering, we think about how to eliminate it. The suffering of others is the same as our own; it must immediately be relieved. We must be earnest about this. This is the Bodhisattvas’ compassion for sentient beings who are facing all kinds of suffering. That is something Bodhisattvas cannot bear. So, they always.

“Feel others’ pain and suffering as their own. They cannot bear it, so they try to save and relieve them, and enable them to attain liberation. This is great compassion. With utmost sincerity and earnestness, they have no expectations or resentment.”

To be a Bodhisattva, we must be truly earnest in all these ways, without expectations or resentment. “Without expectations” is the state of equanimity. “Without resentment” is the state of compassion. Having great loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is the mindset of a Bodhisattva. If we can achieve this, we “have realized the path to Buddhahood.” If we can steadily walk forward on the Bodhisattva-path through diligent practice, we can gradually move closer to the path to Buddhahood.

[They] have realized the path to Buddhahood: This path is the cause. The direct cause of the path of spiritual practice is that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. If we exercise perfect and wondrous right perspective, then with great compassion we will pave the Bodhisattva-path toward Buddhahood.

So, “this path is the cause. The direct cause of the path of spiritual practice is that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature.” Since we intrinsically have [Buddha-nature], if we know how to exercise it, we will use it [to manifest] perfect and wondrous right perspective. We must truly have this perfect, wondrous, skillful and correct perspective. Then with great compassion we will pave the Bodhisattva-path toward Buddhahood. If we use this perfect wondrous right perspective, we can unlock our compassion and our great loving-kindness. With this great compassion, we can pave a. Bodhisattva-path toward Buddhahood. To do this, we must be mindful.

So, “They teach the Bodhisattva Way to transform and liberate countless multitudes.” Because of this, though the Buddha had already spent a very long time teaching skillful means, [He also encouraged] the building of stupas, shrines and statues, which is still skillful means. These skillful means “teach the Bodhisattva Way.” They are used to guide and transform Bodhisattvas. These Bodhisattvas then form aspirations again to.

“Transform and liberate countless multitudes.” So, [the Buddha] began by teaching skillful means to guide countless sentient beings. He used these skillful means to guide countless sentient beings to “ultimately enter the right path.”

Eventually, He led them to Right Dharma, to.

“Joyfully seek the True Dharma of the One Vehicle” and “transform and liberate countless multitudes.”

[Bodhisattvas] want everyone to be “joyful.” They joyfully seek so that everyone can always be happy, with joy always rising from their hearts. In the Four Infinite Minds, joy is said to be freedom from worries and sorrows. We should always have a broad mind to seek the True Dharma of the One Vehicle and transform and liberate countless multitudes. These various methods are all used to guide Bodhisattvas to form great aspirations, to have “great loving-kindness and compassion” and then to transform others.

Dear Bodhisattvas, we must be mindful as Buddhist practitioners. Though these are skillful means, they actually contain very profound Dharma. Everyone, please always be mindful.

Episode 395 – Creating Images That Inspire and Guide

>> “The Tathagata-nature is naturally [within us]. We inherently have childlike simplicity and innocence. The law of karma, a principle of nature, has remained the same since Beginningless Time.”

>> “Even children at play, with straws, sticks or reeds, or even with their fingernails, may draw images of the Buddha.”

>> Through the sequence of using skillful means and guiding people according to capabilities, [He used] skillful means, conditioned phenomena to teach sentient beings to be sincere, to erect images, to make offerings and to nurture their faith.

“The Tathagata-nature is naturally [within us].
We inherently have childlike simplicity and innocence.
The law of karma, a principle of nature,
has remained the same since Beginningless Time.”

This is telling everyone that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. This nature is an inherent part of us. We were born with it, and not just in this lifetime; since Beginningless Time, in life after life we have had this intrinsic nature. This is what the Buddha repeatedly conveyed to us. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, so we must respect ourselves for having the same nature as the Buddha. So, “the Tathagata-nature is naturally within us.”

This is a natural fact. So, “We inherently have childlike simplicity and innocence. Human nature is inherently good.” At the beginning of our lives, we were simple and innocent as children. But our environment unceasingly influenced us, so our pure childlike nature became obscured by mundane habitual tendencies. Also, each of us has different habitual tendencies.

In our daily living, if we live in a vegetarian environment, then we understand how to adopt a vegetarian diet and lifestyle and stay healthy. We may be vegetarians because we cannot bear to eat the flesh of sentient beings or to viciously take the life of a living being. We become vegetarians out of this compassion. After adopting a vegetarian diet, we live in that kind of environment and with that kind of [mindset]. This is healthy for our bodies as well. This is one kind of environment we can live in. In a different environment, where we eat all kinds of meat, we may believe that all living beings exist to be eaten by humans, that this is the way things should be. If we believe that animals are meant to be food for people, that becomes a habitual [way of thinking].

This is another kind of environment. It is said, “We inherently have childlike simplicity and innocence.” Some say we are neither good nor evil, that it is during the time we are children that we are permeated by good and evil in this world. However, when we are born into this world we are following the law of karma. Our lifestyle is one thing; the environment we are born into affects the way we live. But our karmic retributions are also a factor. In our childlike simplicity, we may be neither good nor evil. Young children cannot discern good from evil; they are innocent.

But according to the law of karma, the causes and conditions we created in the past will bear fruit in this lifetime. The kinds of karmic affinities we have created determine the kind of people we will follow. If we follow wholesome people, we will naturally do the Ten Good Deeds and we will be permeated by goodness. If we created negative causes, when we are born in the world this time, we will encounter unwholesome people, who will lead us to evil. This is a result of being influenced by an evil environment. This is the karmic law of cause and effect.

Aside from circumstantial retribution, there is also direct retribution. Circumstantial retribution leads us to be born into this environment and our development will be influenced by the causes and conditions in our surroundings. Whether we are born into wealth or poverty, whether we live in a country at peace or one full of man-made calamities, depends on our causes and conditions. Where we are born depends on our karmic causes and conditions.

Born in a place with many man-made calamities, the people in those countries may flee in all directions and become refugees, or may constantly face disasters and hardships, unable to find peace in their lives. Why are they born in these places? Because of their circumstantial retributions. The causes they created in the past led them to face these retributions, to be born in this kind of country. They have no control over this at all. Some may be born in wealthy countries, but to poor families as a result of their karmic retributions. Or perhaps they may be born to wealthy families. This is all circumstantial retribution. But there is also direct retribution, which means that though some people are born into poor, harsh countries with many manmade calamities, they may still be blessed. Through direct retribution, they have the causes and conditions to shape their lives.

I remember, around Chinese New Year (of 2013), a mayor from the United States [came to visit us]. This mayor was originally from Haiti, which is a historically poor nation. This was his circumstantial retribution. Being born as part of that ethnic group and in that country was circumstantial retribution. But he himself had the karmic conditions to change his life. That enabled him to go to the United States to study and develop a career. He eventually become the mayor of a city.

Then causes and conditions converged when Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast of the United States. Because of this flooding, [the mayor] was able to form a karmic connection with us, with Taiwan. So, he came to Taiwan from the United States to better understand Tzu Chi and then to bring the seeds of Tzu Chi back to the United States. After this, in the future, this mayor will embark on a different path by becoming a Tzu Chi volunteer, a Living Bodhisattva. Thus, the changes in life are inconceivable, but they are inseparable from the law of karma.

Everyone faces circumstantial retribution and direct retribution. The karmic affinity we have with our parents leads us to [face] their circumstantial retribution. No matter where our parents are, or whether they are rich or poor, we are born into their circumstances. Then based on our direct retribution, we have the potential to grow and change. This is our direct retribution. Therefore, we must believe in the karmic law of cause and effect, which

“has remained the same since Beginningless Time.” No matter how far back in time we go, for each of us, “the Tathagata-nature is naturally [within us].” This has been the case since Beginningless Time, from the past to the present, and then into the future. This is beginningless and endless. Our Buddha-nature will always be around. Thus, “if we do not transform ourselves in this life, when will we do so?” We must try to mindfully comprehend that the Buddha came to this world for one great cause. Right before He entered Parinirvana, for the sake of future sentient beings, He worked hard to make sure the Dharma would be unceasingly transmitted. Before the Buddha entered Parinirvana, He encouraged His disciples to build stupas, erect shrines or sculpt Buddha statues. To encourage them, He said that creating statues and building stupas and temples is a way of transmitting the Buddha-Dharma.

There is a legend that takes place in the ancient kingdom of Koryo, presently called Korea. In the ancient kingdom of Koryo, legend tells us there was a king. This king was very benevolent. He treated his people as his own children, so he often ventured outside the city to assess how they were doing. One day, not far from the city, he saw from afar a tuft of rainbow-colored cloud, and this tuft was fully covering the land. He saw this strange phenomenon and thought, “Clouds are supposed to be in the sky; why is that cloud covering the land?” Curious, he walked closer. He headed toward this rainbow cloud. Once he got close, he saw an elderly monastic standing in the middle of the cloud. This elderly practitioner held a tin staff in his hand.

He felt happy upon seeing this person, so he wanted to approach him. But then he could no longer see this monastic; he had disappeared. Then he saw a mound of grass on the ground. He brushed aside the grass and asked his people to dig in the ground there. At about ten feet down, they uncovered a tin staff and a pair of monastic shoes. Then they kept digging deeper, and uncovered a stone slab with foreign writing. They could not read those characters, so he called one of his officials to translate these words. That official translated the words as “stupa temple.”

“What exactly is a stupa?” [The king asked]. The minister said, “Another translation for it is caitya.” The king asked, “What is a caitya?” The minister kept translating the writing. “That is the Buddha’s teachings. After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, there were sutra texts directing people to build stupas, temples and Buddha statues.”

From then on, the king kept studying the Buddha-Dharma and developed faith in it. So, on this land, he built a seven-story wooden stupa. This is the legend of this stupa. Because this king developed faith [in the Dharma], the Buddha-Dharma spread to Koryo. This is how the Buddha-Dharma reached Korea.

As we can see, before the Buddha entered Parinirvana, He had already created the causes and conditions for people to spread the Buddha-Dharma. Thus, in this recent passage from the sutra, the Buddha reminded us that if we aspire to build stupas, shrines or statues, then we can “all realize the path to Buddhahood.”

This is the sutra text we have recently discussed. Next, we will look at,

“Even children at play, with straws, sticks or reeds, or even with their fingernails, may draw images of the Buddha.”

As we mentioned before, various kinds of materials can be used. Things may be built out of wood, out of stone, out of bricks, out of copper and so on. These different materials can be used to build stupas, temples or even sculpt Buddha statues. The type of material [does not matter]. As long as we have reverence in our hearts, we can create these causes and conditions for spreading the Buddha-Dharma. We can even paint the Buddha’s image with brush and paper. That will also work. As we have been saying over these past few days, these things are created solely to transmit the Dharma to future generations so these images can inspire faith in those people.

This kind of faith can arise in both adults and children, as long as we are in the [right] environment. These [teachings] are learned by future generations from previous ones. Since the Buddha had spoken these words, people have been passing them on. This applies to both adults and children. Even building stupas as part of playing can bring merits. As we build stupas, our faith is strengthened. As our faith is strengthened, we build shrines. Because we have built temples and shrines, we carve Buddha statues. This is how we develop faith. Even children know they must pay respect to the Buddha and have faith in Him, so they too want to build stupas and shrines. This is passed down from one generation to next and is a form of spiritual teaching for people of this era.

So, we talked about “children at play.” Remember in King Ashoka’s past life, he built a city out of sand. In the city, there were stupas, temples and large storehouses. When he saw the Buddha, he grabbed a handful of sand from a storehouse [to offer to the Buddha]. In fact, this was just a child playing on the ground. But even though he was just playing, as he grabbed a handful of sand, he saw the Buddha and respectfully placed it in His bowl. This young child said, “This is how I make an offering to the Buddha. This is the finest flour and the finest rice”

and thus offered it to the Buddha. The Buddha gladly accepted this bowl and gave this child His blessing. After He returned to His abode, He poured the sand onto a sand pile, and gave the child another blessing. “When he builds actual stupas in the future, this child will create boundless merits 100 years from now, he will be reborn as a wheel-turning sage king” 100 years after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, King Ashoka built 84,000 stupas to honor Him. Even today, stupas from his time continue to be discovered. Of course these are not big stupas, but they are still memorials.

Thus, “even children at play, with straws, sticks or reeds….” Children do not only use sand. They can also create bundles of straws or sticks and say, “I am making this offering to the Buddha. This is the Buddha right here.” A piece of wood or a piece of rock can be seen by children as a shrine, a stupa or the Buddha. This is childlike simplicity. This is another way that they can express their utmost reverence. “The Tathagata-nature is naturally [within us]. We inherently have childlike simplicity and innocence.” Since [the child] reverently made his offering, the Buddha joyfully accepted his offering and praised him.

Through the sequence of using skillful means and guiding people according to capabilities, [He used] skillful means, conditioned phenomena to teach sentient beings to be sincere, to erect images, to make offerings and to nurture their faith.

Thus, we can use straws, sticks or reeds. A reed can be placed either vertically or horizontally and then surrounded by straws or sticks, and this can be called a Buddha temple. This also brings merits. “Or even with their fingernails.” People can use their fingers or fingernails to create the same effect. After drawing on the wall or on the ground, they may say, “This is the image of the Buddha,” or, “This is a stupa,” or, “This is a temple.” This brings the Buddha happiness. This also brings the children happiness, so they can become Buddhas in the future. This comes from erecting the Buddha’s image.

What the Buddha wanted to remind us is that all of us should have the Buddha in our hearts, the Dharma in our minds and and Dharma in our actions. He hoped that all tangible physical materials can be transformed into objects that can spread the Buddha-Dharma. Guiding people from conditioned phenomena to unconditioned Dharma is the sequence of the Buddha’s skillful means. Moreover, He “guides people according to capabilities.” He looked at people’s capabilities to decide which method can guide them to spread the Buddha-Dharma, then used skillful means and [conditioned] phenomena. So, He reminded all of us that the most important thing is to be reverent as we erect images, make offerings and nurture our faith. Therefore, everyone, our reverence in making offerings is very important. Please always be mindful.

Episode 394 – Adornments of Blessings and Wisdom

>> “If we create blessings as well as cultivate wisdom, we will be like a person with two healthy feet. Then we can steadily practice the Great Dharma and return our minds to pure True Suchness.”

>> Some painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings. Whether they did it themselves or directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood.

>> Adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings: Practicing giving, upholding precepts and the rest of the Six Perfections creates good causes. When all sentient beings do the Ten Good Deeds, the blessings and virtues they create will include the blessings of cultivating all Buddha-Dharma. This is the nourishment from hundreds of blessings.

>> Virtues of blessings and merits and virtues: When we externally do flawed good deeds, we attain blessings. When we internally realize. Buddha-nature and flawless wisdom, we attain merits and virtues. With internal cultivation and external practice, we exercise both compassion and wisdom. This is adorning ourselves with the virtue of blessings.

>> Whether they did it themselves or directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood: Cultivating the virtue of blessings in previous lives will yield abundant treasures in this life. We will encounter virtuous friends, transcend all obstacles and diligently engage in spiritual practice. This is the nourishment of the virtue of blessings.

“If we create blessings as well as cultivate wisdom,
we will be like a person with two healthy feet.
Then we can steadily practice the Great Dharma
and return our minds to pure True Suchness.”

Every day we have the karmic condition to be here with this healthy body, so we must always aspire to create blessings. On top of that, we must also cultivate wisdom. If we have blessings but not wisdom, we are missing something in our spiritual practice. In addition to cultivating blessings, we must also cultivate wisdom.

This is like the many good-hearted people in society who are willing to give and be charitable. Giving charitably cultivates blessings. In the past, we heard comments that we “cultivate blessings but not wisdom.” In fact, our goal has always been for everyone to cultivate both at the same time. As we help others, we must also broaden our hearts and minds. We do not cultivate blessings for the sake of recognition. We do not cultivate blessings for the sake of merits. We are always giving unconditionally, in accord with the [principle of] Three Spheres of Emptiness. The Three Spheres of Emptiness help us cultivate wisdom through non-attachment. When we see sentient beings who need help, we feel this sense of compassion and empathy.

The term “sentient beings” does not only refer to humans, but includes every living, moving organism. First, let us discuss humans. Perhaps others are not connected to us in any way. Perhaps they live very far from us, and not only that, but are of a different ethnicity and so on. These are people we have no connection with. However, having “unconditional loving-kindness” means we must, with great reverence, pray for the four elements to be in harmony around the world so that we can all purify our minds. With pure minds, we can live our days in peace. What methods can we use to enable everyone in the world to live a blessed life? We must spread the Dharma. Accepting the Dharma can bring purity to people’s hearts. If we all do this, this world will be a pure land.

If any kind of disaster takes place, we feel people’s suffering as our own and do everything we can to relieve all suffering. This is an example of “great compassion.” When we give out of great compassion, we expect nothing in return. We are grateful to each other, and work in concerted effort with a sense of unity to successfully help other people. We are grateful to each other, as well as ourselves, for being persistent and accomplishing the mission of helping others. In return, we feel peace and happiness. Asking for nothing in return is wisdom.

Benefiting others and doing good deeds creates blessings. Eliminating afflictions cultivates wisdom. As long as we are free of greed and desires, we will be free of afflictions and hindrances. Therefore, as we cultivate blessings, we must simultaneously cultivate wisdom. Sometimes, we must ask ourselves whether, as we are cultivating blessings, there are still afflictions in our minds. If there are afflictions and hindrances, that means we have not unlocked our wisdom. If we keep giving, never asking for anything in return so that we are free of all things, that is a kind of wisdom.

We want to be like a person with two healthy legs. All we need to do is think about our destination and our legs will automatically take us there. But if one of our legs is in pain, or if one of our legs cannot move, even if the other one is healthy, we still cannot simply go wherever we want. So, [in the Buddha’s teachings,] the two legs represent blessings and wisdom. The Buddha is the “Two-footed Honored One” because He cultivated both blessings and wisdom. Replete with blessings and wisdom, He could practice giving and teach the Dharma in hopes that everyone would develop pure minds, be free of afflictions, give unconditionally and walk the Bodhisattva-path; all this brings blessings and wisdom. Blessings and wisdom are like two legs that can help us “steadily practice the Great Dharma.”

During the process of spiritual practice, we must always remember to “return our minds to pure True Suchness.” This is what I often say to you, that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. But we ordinary people tend to look for it externally, forgetting that we intrinsically have it. “We practice at the foot of the stupa on Vulture Peak.” In our inner spiritual training ground, there is intrinsic Buddha-nature. This is what we must promptly return to. The term “return to” is used as way of telling us to turn away from a scattered mind filled with afflictions and single-mindedly focus on our vows. When we return to a pure and undefiled mind, our mind is in the state of pure True Suchness. That is our pure Buddha-nature. I hope all of you can comprehend these words.

For a period of time prior to this, the Buddha was constantly telling everyone that we all have an intrinsic nature so that we can all return to it and trust that we intrinsically have it. But how will sentient beings in the future find a way to draw near the Buddha-Dharma? The Buddha told them to build stupas, temples and Buddha-statues.

Some painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings. Whether they did it themselves or directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood.

Buddha-images painted by skillful painters can evoke happiness in people who later view them. Out of this feeling of happiness, people begin to reverently pay their respects. This feeling of reverence can lead them to listen to the Dharma and to purify their minds so they can actualize the Buddha’s teachings. This is one of the skillful means [we can practice] after the Buddha’s Parinirvana. So, “Whether they did it themselves or directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood.” Not only would they paint it themselves, they are also willing to teach others so they can also paint it with joyful hearts. With this sense of joy, the image of the Buddha will gradually instill a pure aspiration of attaining Buddhahood.

However, if a person is an ordinary painter, he will simply paint as others instruct and thus not put his heart into it. That image has passed through his mind like water passing through a pipe; afterwards, the pipe remains dry. After the water has flowed through it, there is no water left in the pipe. Therefore, [when painting,] we must use our minds. Whatever Buddha-image we have in our minds, let us mindfully paint that image. Then we will paint with reverence.

In order to paint the Buddha’s image we need to purify our behaviors and all aspects of our lives. This is adopting purifying precepts. We need to nurture loving-kindness and compassion in our hearts. Only then can we “do it ourselves or direct others to do it.” Only in this way can we truly

internalize the image of Buddha in our minds. Let us look at “adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings.” Yesterday we said that, [in order to create adornments,] we must uphold precepts. Not only do we need to uphold the precepts, we need to begin with the practice of giving. Through giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom, with these six practices we create good causes. All sentient beings can do the Ten Good Deeds. This brings blessings and virtues. These are the things we do mindfully. After goodness arises in our hearts, we put that into practice. This is called doing the Ten Good Deeds. You are probably familiar with them. The three of the body are no killing, no stealing and no sexual misconduct. These are the three good deeds of the body. The four of speech are no harsh speech, no lies, no flattery and no gossip. These are the four good deeds of the mouth. The three of the mind are no greed, no anger and no ignorance.

They make up the Ten Good Deeds. Refraining from evil is a way of doing good deeds. This how we do the Ten Good Deeds. This brings blessings and virtues.

Adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings: Practicing giving, upholding precepts and the rest of the Six Perfections creates good causes. When all sentient beings do the Ten Good Deeds, the blessings and virtues they create will include the blessings of cultivating all Buddha-Dharma. This is the nourishment from hundreds of blessings.

“The blessings of cultivating all Buddha-Dharma are the nourishment from hundreds of blessings.” If we are doing good deeds, we need to simultaneously cultivate [our minds]. To do this, we must constantly be permeated by [the Dharma]. Similarly, if we are near a fragrant place, our bodies will be permeated by that scent. [People may ask,] “Where did you come from? How come you smell so fragrant?” If you stand in a perfume store for a while, after you walk out, your body will smell nice. If you are around a smelly place like a cesspit, [people may ask,] “Where did you come from? How come you are so smelly?” This is how we become permeated.

Based on the same principle, if we are always around wholesome people and do good deeds with them, we achieve a state where “the mind is without hindrances; therefore there are no hindrances.” If we wholeheartedly learn the Buddha-Dharma, we are “adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings.” How can we achieve being “adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings”? We must practice according to the Six Perfections and the Ten Good Deeds. If we could cultivate the Six Perfections in all our actions, that would be even better.

I have previously discussed the Four Noble Truths along with the Six Paramitas. What kind of virtuous Dharma must we choose to practice? The Buddha-Dharma begins with the Four Noble Truths; through them, we can understand the absolute truths of life. Then we can put the Six Perfections into practice. The Four Noble Truths help us cultivate ourselves. The Six Perfections help us benefit others. This is how the Buddha-Dharma works together with the virtuous Dharma of the world. These are “the nourishment of blessings and virtues,” the accumulation of blessings and virtues.

The virtues of blessings and merits and virtues are slightly different.

Virtues of blessings and merits and virtues: When we externally do flawed good deeds, we attain blessings. When we internally realize. Buddha-nature and flawless wisdom, we attain merits and virtues. With internal cultivation and external practice, we exercise both compassion and wisdom. This is adorning ourselves with the virtue of blessings.

“When we externally do flawed good deeds, we attain blessings.” Some people do not want to engage in spiritual practice, but they know that benefiting others creates merits, so they do good deeds. “If you ask me to do good deeds, I’m happy to do that. But if you ask me to practice and uphold a vegetarian diet or ask me to do other things, I can’t do that. I don’t have time for that right now, but I will donate or do things to create merits.” These are “flawed good deeds.” If we only create blessings for [merits], these are “flawed good deeds.”

Do they yield blessings? Yes, they benefit people. Thus we say, people who cultivate blessings will go to heaven or come back to the human realm for blessed retributions. Sadly, once their blessings are depleted, their mix of good and evil karma [manifests], so afflictions will cause their minds to waver.

Among asuras, there are blessed people. Among fortunate people in the human realm, there are asuras as well. They will constantly lose their temper and get into conflicts with others. If they create this kind of karma, it inflicts great damage to the human realm. Man-made calamities also originate from asuras.

Asuras have angry minds. They have much greed, anger and ignorance. Though blessed, their minds are still deluded by greed, anger and ignorance. So, when we cultivate blessings, we must also cultivate wisdom. We have to eliminate anger, greed and ignorance to truly practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Only this truly brings merits and virtues. Therefore, “When we externally do flawed good deeds,” we “attain blessings. As we internally realize Buddha-nature and flawless wisdom, we attain merits and virtues.” This comes from working on our minds. Internal cultivation brings merits, external practice brings virtues. Only by simultaneously cultivating both will we have both merits and virtues. Thus we must internally realize Buddha-nature.

As I have just shared with you, a person must have two healthy legs so they can steadily practice the Great Dharma. Through internal cultivation and external practice, we “return our minds to our nature of pure True Suchness.” This is the merits and virtues that comes from internally realizing our Buddha-nature. If we only want to create virtues of blessings, we only have blessings, so we will attain blessed retributions, but will not eliminate afflictions from our minds. Then [these deeds] are flawed. But, if we can simultaneously cultivate “flawless wisdom,” then our practice is very complete.

So, engaging in inner cultivation and external practice cultivates blessings and wisdom. This is the adornment of blessings and virtues, the wisdom of the virtues of blessings. That is adornment. So, as we cultivate blessings, we must also cultivate wisdom. “Merits” come from working internally on our minds and working externally on our practice. This is inner cultivation and external practice. As we give unconditionally, we must also be grateful. This is how we cultivate wisdom and create blessings. Indeed, we must be grateful to each other.

Dear Bodhisattvas, in learning from the Buddha, we must learn to attain purity in body and mind. We do this ourselves and direct others to, as well. For lifetime after lifetime, we must have unceasingly cultivated virtues of blessings. Then in all our subsequent lifetimes, or just in this lifetime, our spiritual lives are still very rich and we can encounter virtuous friends. If we encounter virtuous friends, we can accept their advice and guidance. Then we can transcend obstacles. If we meet someone who wants to lead us astray, we must refuse and draw near the wisdom of our virtuous friends instead. This diligent spiritual practice yields the nourishment of the virtue of blessings.

Whether they did it themselves or directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood: Cultivating the virtue of blessings in previous lives will yield abundant treasures in this life. We will encounter virtuous friends, transcend all obstacles and diligently engage in spiritual practice. This is the nourishment of the virtue of blessings.

If we can put our effort into doing it ourselves and directing others to do it, we will accept wholesome teachings and guidance from everyone around us. This is how we accumulate this nourishment. So, “They have all realized the path to Buddhahood.” [Blessings] can even come from painting Buddhas, building temples and stupas and so on. Though these are blessings for the human realm, if we can slowly receive the guidance of virtuous friends and can take the Dharma to heart, we will put in the effort to diligently cultivate our minds. This is the “adornment of the virtue of blessings.” Therefore, I hope that in our daily living we will always be mindful.

Episode 393 – Painting the Buddha with Goodness in Our Hearts

>> “Exercise impartial compassion with each other. Connect with those with the same vows and path. Do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn the world with blessings. Bodhisattvas cultivate themselves and benefit others.”

>> “[They may have used] wax, lead, or tin, iron, wood or clay, or perhaps lacquered cloth in making and adorning Buddha statues. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

>> “[Some] painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings. Whether they did it themselves or “directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

>> Some painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings: They skillfully and meticulously created paintings. Splendid images of heaven and earth, mountains and rivers were painted in color on paper. They could also paint hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas. Whether they paint it themselves or direct others to paint it, they plant good causes and affinities with the Buddha in their hearts.

“Exercise impartial compassion with each other.
Connect with those with the same vows and path.
Do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn the world with blessings.
Bodhisattvas cultivate themselves and benefit others.”

This is telling everyone that as we learn and practice the Buddha-Dharma, we need to exercise compassion and an impartial view. In our daily living, we must consider all sentient beings in the world. When the Buddha was in this world, He always hoped that all sentient beings would walk the Bodhisattva-path. As His teaching came to an end, He also hoped that the Buddha-Dharma would continue to flourish and remain in this world forever. So, the Buddha’s compassion did not only extend to sentient beings of that era. He also hoped that sentient beings of the future would listen to the teachings.

Perhaps, at that moment in the past, we were all at the Vulture Peak assembly. With the Buddha’s reminder and charge, we have already made aspirations to always have impartial compassion accompanying us. This is what we have done lifetime after lifetime. We have an affinity [with one another], so we “connect with those with the same vows and path.” We must link our hearts with theirs. We come to this world based on the vows we made in the past, and now we will continue to carry out these vows and continue to sustain them unceasingly. This happens when we “connect with those with the same vows and path.”

We must continuously find ways to help people do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn the spiritual practice center with blessings. We must nurture Bodhisattvas and form Bodhisattva-aspirations to cultivate ourselves and help others. As Bodhisattvas, we cultivate ourselves. We must put the Dharma into practice, as well as think about how we can benefit sentient beings in everything we do. Sentient beings experience much suffering. Some people suffer from poverty and hardship. Others [suffer from] accidents and so forth. They all need Bodhisattvas to appear and help them. Also, many people are not poor, nor do they suffer any external hardship. However, they experience much spiritual suffering. Spiritual suffering comes from the Five Poisons, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. Illnesses caused by these five poisons must be treated with Dharma-medicine. Dharma-medicine comes from Bodhisattvas, who constantly seek the Buddha-Dharma and constantly care for sentient beings. Since they seek the Dharma, they take it to heart. Since they care for others, they are willing to give to others unconditionally. This is how Bodhisattvas cultivate themselves and benefit others.

As we learn the Bodhisattva-path, we cannot be selfish, but must instead give to others. Therefore, we must be mindful. We must take our causes and conditions seriously. In the past, we listened to the Buddha teach the Dharma and took on this mission. As causes and conditions continue to converge, we continue to keep each other company. We always encourage each other, and because we share the same vows and path, we unite our hearts to guide sentient beings now and in the future to do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn with blessings the place where we practice the Buddha-Dharma. We also need to form Bodhisattva-aspirations to cultivate ourselves and benefit others, to seek the Dharma and to transform others. To do this, we must be earnest and diligent.

Previously, we discussed how the Buddha had hoped everyone could sustain and help the Buddha-Dharma continuously flourish in the future. He hoped they could use various skillful means to help people realize the Dharma when they see certain objects. So by seeing a temple, they could be reminded that the Buddha appeared in this world in the past to teach the Dharma, that His disciples in the future have continued to transmit those teachings, that this is a place for spiritual practice. When people in the future see this building, or this stupa, they will automatically feel a sense of respect as they realize this is something the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha have passed on.

So, in this passage from the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha encouraged people to create stupas, temples, Buddha statues and so on. These are the external objects we create. But more importantly, as I have been saying these past few days, the Vulture Peak is in our minds. We have an inner spiritual training ground and a Buddha-nature within us. Since the era of the Buddha, when He helped awaken our wisdom, we have had to constantly sustain it. It is our inner stupa and spiritual training ground, as well as our intrinsic nature. Yet, to transform sentient beings, we must start with realizations of “unconditioned Dharma” to create “conditioned phenomena” that can transform sentient beings. That is why the earlier sutra passage states,

“[They may have used] wax, lead, or tin, iron, wood or clay, or perhaps lacquered cloth in making and adorning Buddha statues. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

We have talked about this earlier. Now, the next sutra passage states that in addition to using various materials to carve, engrave or mold, we can use brush and paper.

“[Some] painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings. Whether they did it themselves or “directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

We do not have to use metals. We do not have to use clay. We do not have to use wood or similar materials. All we need is one piece of paper, one brush and some color in order to create the image of a Buddha. We can paint it so that it is “adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings.”

If we can paint, that is great; the image will come from our hearts. If we can paint what we have learned, we will know what our state of mind is like. If we know how to do this, we can also teach others to paint as well. When we paint the Buddha in our minds, we are expressing the “unconditioned Dharma” through this image of the Buddha. This is another way of nurturing our minds so we are inseparable from the Buddha.

Of course, this kind of painting takes utmost reverence and a pure mind. It does not depend on our artistic skills, but the reverence in our minds. “The mind is like an artist.” It can paint all things. The mind is really like an artist; it can paint all kinds of external phenomena. This is what a skilled artist can do. Painting [the Buddha] is a skill that must be learned. We do not learn this to make a living, nor is it a hobby we enjoy. This passage is telling us that it is something we do with utmost reverence.

In ancient times, to show reverence, some people used their blood as ink to paint images of the Buddha. They did this to show their reverence. Through their external actions, they demonstrated the reverence in their hearts and their resolve to uphold their vows. Indeed, we must have utmost reverence. Yet, over time, out of all those who have carved and sculpted Buddha statues or painted images of the Buddha, how many people have truly manifested the image in their minds? We have to put our hearts into contemplating this. If these paintings come from the reverence in our hearts, they are “adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings.” It takes skill and meticulous craftsmanship to express what we have learned.

Some painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings: They skillfully and meticulously created paintings. Splendid images of heaven and earth, mountains and rivers were painted in color on paper. They could also paint hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas. Whether they paint it themselves or direct others to paint it, they plant good causes and affinities with the Buddha in their hearts.

When skillful and meticulous hands paint pictures, if they paint the sky, it looks exactly like the sky above us. Isn’t what you are seeing right in front of you a representation of the solar system in our sky? I could not do this, even if I wanted to. I did not have any part in it as all. As for all of you, you have not learned this specialized skill either. You have not. But, by combining people’s various skills, this backdrop was created, this acrylic wall. Professional knowledge was required to master these skills in order to adjust the size of the materials. If it was not big enough, then how would it be pieced together with no visible trace? This required skill and meticulousness.

After all that, the perfect image was carved. In the solar system, where is the sun located? With our modern, advanced technology, we know where the planets in the solar system are in relation to each other, no matter how far apart they are. They are revolving every day, and their location is different every year. [For this artwork,] we were able to choose to portray the position of the planets in relation to the sun and the earth for the day and year we wanted.

I am grateful many people made the effort to find out what this was like in the 55th year of the Republic of China, which was 1966. They figured out what the sky was like on that particular day, month and year. So, we picked the positions of the planets on the day [Tzu Chi was established] and carved them on this wall. It was not created by paper and brush; it was created by the wisdom of many people. Their efforts, combined with the earth’s resources and modern technology, as well as skillful and meticulous craftsmanship, created this kind of image.

The Buddha is the Great Enlightened One of the Universe, so we did not want to put Him in a small niche. Thus, we used this method to express how we wanted the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha’s wisdom and the truths of the universe He realized to be shown in this expansive sky so they can be transmitted to future generations.

This is the method we used to expressed this. If we had used paper and brush to paint this, we could have painted something like the “splendid images of heaven and earth.” Recently (in 2013), people from Mainland China often come to visit. Traditional Chinese painting [requires a lot of skill]; there are many famous, talented Chinese artists. When people come here, they give me paintings like that. Whether it is calligraphy or painting, they are all very well written or painted; they are very lifelike. For example, in the past, someone sent a painting of rivers and mountains. It was originally divided into two pieces, one piece in Mainland China, the other in Taiwan. For decades, for a very long time, this painting has not been whole. An entrepreneur from Mainland China finally [purchased] and put the pieces together. I believe this painting is very valuable.

So, “splendid images of heaven and earth, mountains and rivers were painted in color on paper.” They are all painted with a brush. Yet, in this world, [conditions] always come together and separate. This painting was once separated, and now the pieces have been united again. The workings of the world are truly inconceivable. There are many karmic conditions. Causes and conditions can separate and causes and conditions can unite. Isn’t that the way the world works? Even a painting can be separated by world events, and now it is combined again. There is an exciting story behind just this painting. It was painted with such skill. This painting was so precious that it was separated, and so precious that it was combined again. In this world, what is precious? What demonstrates skill? We are not experts, but art experts know this history.

So, it is not only a painting of “splendid images of heaven and earth, mountains and rivers”; there is more to it than what we can see. With this kind of mastery, they could “paint hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas.” Skillful brushes can paint many images and hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas. Although they have never seen what the Buddha looks like, they put their hearts into painting the images. If the paintings are dignified, people will feel a sense of reverence and naturally pay respect and bow to the Buddha. Does everyone remember that when I lived in the small hut, I only had one painting, of the. Three Saints of the Western Pure Land? I prayed to them very reverently. Seeing the painting inspired my reverence. But actually, reverence is not attached to appearances. Yesterday I talked about how we can even pay respect to rocks, and can also teach the Dharma to rocks. All of this comes from our state of mind. So, our minds can create hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas.

Also, whether people paint it themselves or direct others to paint it, they are creating good affinities with the Buddha. If people are constantly painting Buddhas, regardless of their goal for doing so, whether it is out of interest or that they were asked to by other people, after painting them for so long, the Buddha-images will enter their minds. This is also planting a cause. So, “They plant good causes and affinities with the Buddha.”

Dear Bodhisattvas, as we learn from the Buddha, we must truly believe in the law of karma. We must respect ourselves. In the past, we must have lived at the same time as the Buddha and shared this karmic affinity with Him. In our hearts, we must always have impartial compassion for all. We must “connect with those with the same vows and path” and “do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn the world with blessings.” Not only should we do it for ourselves, we must also do it for all people. Bodhisattvas cultivate themselves while benefiting others. It is not enough that we ourselves can paint, we must also teach others to paint. As Buddhist practitioners, understanding the Dharma starts with the reverence in our hearts. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 392 – Adorning Our Inner Spiritual Training Ground

>> “Fundamentally, things do not have a difference in value; that only comes from the views of ordinary people. Things that are useful are the most valuable. Reverence is the greatest offering.”

>> So, “[They may have used] wax, lead, or tin, iron, wood or clay, or perhaps lacquered cloth in making and adorning images of the Buddha. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

>> Material things in the world have many names and appearances. Material goods are all unique, and each serves a purpose. When they are combined, they can form all kinds of appearances. We make things as our minds dictate to adorn the spiritual practice center by creating Buddha-images.

“Fundamentally, things do not have a difference in value;
that only comes from the views of ordinary people.
Things that are useful are the most valuable.
Reverence is the greatest offering.”

I am sharing this so everyone will consider, of the things we need in daily living, which are of the greatest value and which are of the least value? The value of something depends on whether or not we need to use it. If we need it and cannot do without it, it is a most precious and valuable thing. If it is something displayed for people to admire, whether we have it or not does not matter. The wealthy can display things as ornaments to demonstrate they have more than they need. Many ornamental material things are merely used as decoration; these are things we can easily do without. So, the most important things in life are the things we need or cannot do without.

But based on our [limited] understanding as unenlightened beings, often when we show something to other people, we are trying to prove we have something better or we are trying to appear trendy and to be the first to have something. This is the view of unenlightened beings. With views and understandings that are shaped by desire, Earth’s resources are continuously being depleted. As industries seek to develop their business, they are constantly tapping into more resources. This is very harmful to Earth,

but that is how things are right now. We spiritual practitioners must understand the principles. “Conditioned phenomena” are most practical for us. In our daily living, we need to be content with the material things we have, as long as they meet our basic needs. There is no need to seek what is new or different. The most useful things are the most precious. This is the contentment of a spiritual practitioner; being content and happy is being blessed.

Reverence is the greatest offering we can make. When we are hungry, the bowl of rice we eat at that moment will be the tastiest. If we attend many business lunches and dinners and spend a lot of money at fancy restaurants, no matter how beautifully made the dishes are, [what we cannot eat] is just surplus. This excess food is dumped into the compost, so it becomes nothing more than waste. Therefore, giving something simple with great reverence is the best offering we can make.

Before, we were speaking about the Buddha. After He entered Parinirvana, how could the Dharma be spread throughout the world? Through images. Some people, in order to transmit the Dharma in the world, used tangible things as manifestations of the Buddha-Dharma. They erected stupas to display the Buddha’s virtue. After the Buddha came into this world, then entered Parinirvana, His remains were cremated. The sariras of His bones were spread in the world and stupas were built to display His virtue. So, stupas were built out of such sentiments.

A stupa, as I said before, is a “manifestation of virtue” through its height. Aside from stupas [built] to display virtues, there are also “temples.” But in the sutras, in ancient times, [temples] were still called “shrines. Shrines,” as I have said before, are where people show respect to and remember [the dead]. To memorialize their ancestors, the ancients built family shrines. They paid tribute in those places to their most revered ancestors. The Lotus Sutra was taught during ancient times, over 2000 years ago. So, during that time, those places were called “shrines.” At the time of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, Matanga and Dharmaratna used white horses to carry sutras into China. They were first received at Hong Lu Temple. We have discussed this before. Having them stay there was a way to respect them as honored foreign dignitaries. But Emperor Ming very much admired the Buddha-Dharma and hoped these two spiritual practitioners would remain in China, so he built a temple outside Luoyang for them called White Horse Temple. That is why White Horse Temple was constructed and why we began to call [a religious place] a “temple.”

However, I have always wondered, “At that time, why was the place used to receive foreign guests called a ‘temple’?” I examined the Chinese character for “temple.” The Chinese constructed characters so cleverly; the upper half of the character is “scholar”, the lower half is “propriety.” [These characters] combined create “temple. Scholar” refers to people free of corruption, who have the knowledge and virtue of learning. So, they have a high status in society. People like this are called “scholars.” As government officials, they govern society. People living in society need rules. A country’s administrative rules must be instituted by officials and ministers. So, there need to be laws. Making and creating a system of laws leads to a “legal order.” When a country’s ministers make and create a system of laws it is a “legal order.”

Emperor Ming bestowed the label “temple” on the place he made as an offering to these two foreign spiritual practitioners to provide a place for them to peacefully reside. The transmission and translation of the sutras then took place at White Horse Temple. This was a sign of the emperor’s reverence, his exceptional sincerity. He had such respect and reverence for these foreign spiritual practitioners. He gave them this place to translate sutras so that the Buddha’s teachings could be spread in China. Indeed, he was very devoted. Making this offering of reverence really was an act of infinite merits and virtues.

Once a temple exists, people can learn about the Buddha-Dharma. Within [a temple], there must be images because people cling to [images]. People’s minds need images to give rise to a sense of reverence. When eminent monks of the past reached the peak of their spiritual cultivation, they did not need to prostrate to images.

There is a story about Sheng Gong. This practitioner, also named Daosheng, very reverently engaged in spiritual practice. He took every word of the Dharma to heart. Having understood the Buddha-Dharma, he wanted to bring his mind to a state of tranquility, so he went to the mountains, built a grass hut, collected rocks, lined them up and taught the Dharma to these rocks. So, “even stubborn rocks nod in agreement” [is a saying] that came from this story.

I recall a time, as the Taichung Tzu Chi hospital was being built, I visited the site after the first phase of construction was complete. The hospital was not yet in use and the landscaping was still being installed. At that time, Professor Chen, a professional landscape designer accompanied me as I walked around the site. He said, “Master, I’d like to bring you to see your disciples.” I thought, “My disciples? Where?” He brought me to see the driveway into an underground garage. Then he said, “Master, look, your disciples are lined up here. I don’t see anyone here!” He said, “Look, I lined them up very neatly.”

He pointed here and there. “Those are rocks!” He said, “Indeed, they are rocks. I carefully made use of local resources to construct this entrance to this driveway. I did my best to make use of local resources so it would look natural. Before using them, I showed them great respect. I told the rocks that we are all Master’s disciples. We all need to be orderly and form lines.”

With great reverence, he paid respect to these rocks; truly all things in the world are useful. “Once the rocks were arranged,” he said, “I knew I had to bring you to them so they can take refuge with you.” This was what Professor Chen did. I think of him as a good disciple overseeing the construction there on my behalf, creating the landscaping there on my behalf and transforming sentient beings there on my behalf. All things on Earth are useful, and useful things are the most valuable.

Some Buddha statues are carved from stone, some from bronze or other metals. Some are made from “wax, lead or tin,” If we want to make a Buddha statue, be it with copper or lead, we must first make a mold.

So, “[They may have used] wax, lead, or tin, iron, wood or clay, or perhaps lacquered cloth in making and adorning images of the Buddha. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

We know that things in the world take many names and forms. They are all different and unique in their own way. Wax is used to make wax statues. People now make wax statues by carving the wax directly. They can be made in various shapes and colors. There are also different qualities of wax. If a statue is made purely out of wax, it can be very beautiful. If one carves a Buddha statue out of it, it will look very dignified. But this material cannot withstand fire. It will melt near fire, so the ancients used wax to make a mold. After that, they used another material, either bronze, tin or another metal, to cast the statue. So, each material is different and serves a different purpose.

All the material things in this world are created as the mind dictates. The mind, knowledge and wisdom are intangible. When we exercise knowledge, apply our wisdom, our minds are doing the dictating. Tangible, physical things are created when our intangible thoughts dictate their production. So, unconditioned Dharma and conditioned material objects combine to form all kinds of appearances. This is making things as the mind dictates.

Whether these are things we use in daily living or not, they are things made as our mind dictates. The same applies to sculpting Buddha statues. Human minds dictate their creation as adornments for spiritual training grounds.

Material things in the world have many names and appearances. Material goods are all unique, and each serves a purpose. When they are combined, they can form all kinds of appearances. We make things as our minds dictate to adorn the spiritual practice center by creating Buddha-images.

In a spiritual practice center, besides a temple and Buddha statues, spiritual practitioners are most important. A few days ago I also said that what truly dignifies a practice center are its people. Even if the place they practice in is very simple, as I just said, when Sheng Gong taught the Dharma to rocks, even stubborn rocks were nodding. This is a sign of the reverence of spiritual practitioners. With this kind of utmost sincerity, Buddhas will naturally appear. In every one of our minds, there is a Buddha. Can this Buddha in us manifest His dignified appearance so we can serve as a model for other people? If we all aspire to engage in spiritual practice to manifest the Buddha within us, this will bring the most dignity to our practice center. This is how we adorn our practice center.

Look at how dignified the Abode has been over these past few days. There were monastics, lay practitioners and. Tzu Chi Bodhisattva[-volunteers] here for a spiritual retreat. Hearing everyone harmoniously reciting together, whether they were circumambulating the Buddha or [chanting] the Dharma, they did so neatly, with dignity and an air of spiritual refinement. Things were also very dignified at the Jing Si Hall. Volunteers from seven countries were there. They had aspired to understand the essence of Tzu Chi and realize the Dharma of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage.

In their respective countries, they are all entrepreneurs, businesspeople, leaders of industry and commerce. Nearly 1000 of them came to Taiwan. Honorary board members from the Central Region volunteered to take on the duties of the hospitality team for this retreat. They took care of the dormitories, the snacks, the cooking and the sweeping. As I watched them do all this, I was very impressed. Even though I did not say anything, I really admired them. They were all honorary board members, wives of important people and so on. In their social circles, they are very well-respected. But in Tzu Chi, everyone shows compassion to all equally and everyone is equal, so they came to serve these overseas businesspeople. This demonstrates their reverence and is a form of adornment. They arranged things in a very dignified way. The spiritual atmosphere of our practice center was thriving.

People create Buddha statues out of reverence. But I feel that, rather than making this external object we should instead, without hesitation, work to create a Buddha statue within ourselves. “We each have a stupa on Vulture Peak.” Isn’t this saying that the “stupa” must be established in our minds? So, the “stupa” is in our minds. A “shrine” is what we call a temple; it is our inner spiritual training ground. Our inner spiritual training ground must be solidly constructed. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. That is the Buddha statue that is in our minds. So, in each of us there can be a stupa, a spiritual training ground and a Buddha statue. This depends on whether or not we are reverent. With great reverence, our spiritual training ground will be adorned with dignity. It is vast because we can practice everywhere and because the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere.

We must understand that the Buddha gave teachings with the expectation that with the passage of time, the tangible would take shape from the unconditioned mind. Thus we use material things in the world to create many kinds of [objects] to create outward expressions of the Buddha-Dharma within us. When our inner reverence and external dignity are unified in this way, the Buddha-Dharma will forever be as it was during the era of Right Dharma. So, among these five periods of 500 years, we will forever be in that first period. Dear Bodhisattvas, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must always be mindful.

Episode 391 – Create Images That Inspire Respect and Faith

>> “The Dharma of conditions arising is profound, subtle and wondrous.”

>> Which is “difficult to see and understand, and also difficult to contemplate. In searching for the Buddha in our minds, we use a skillfully painted image to find the Buddha in our hearts.”

>> “[There were] those who, in the barren waste, piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine, Or even children who, at play, have piled up sand to make a stupa. People such as these, have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

>> “[There were] those who, for the Buddhas, have created images. carving these myriads of marks. They have all realized the path to Buddhahood. Perhaps they used the seven treasures, or bronze, or copper, red and white.”

>> There were those who wanted the Buddha-Dharma to spread throughout the world, to always abide in this world and forever benefit sentient beings. Therefore they established all kinds of images to inspire respect and faith in sentient beings.

>> Carving all kinds of statues, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood: If those who carve statues and sculpt all kinds of images do so with utmost sincerity and respect and can maintain that mindset forever, they can all realize the path to Buddhahood.

In our lives, karmic conditions arise and cease. This is a very subtle and wondrous matter, difficult to contemplate and comprehend. Therefore, I want to share these [teachings on] “conditions.”

“The Dharma of conditions arising is profound, subtle and wondrous.”

When conditions arise, in them we can see very subtle and wondrous Dharma,

Which is “difficult to see and understand, and also difficult to contemplate. In searching for the Buddha in our minds, we use a skillfully painted image to find the Buddha in our hearts.”

Indeed, [the purpose of] creating images or building temples, stupas and so on is only for us to solidly establish the Buddha-Dharma in the world. This allows other people to learn the Dharma when they see the image and, at same time, allows us to find it in our own hearts. However, this takes various causes and conditions. For our minds to converge with the Dharma, we need [the right] karmic conditions. So it is said, “The Dharma of conditions arising is profound, subtle and wondrous.” The way conditions converge is truly a subtle and wondrous thing; underlying this is very profound Dharma.

I often tell everyone, we must believe in the law of cause and effect. When the Buddha was in the world, even the skillful, provisional teachings He gave were inseparable from causes and conditions. Even at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, when. He set aside the provisional to reveal the true, He still talked about the law of karma. This clearly shows that cause and effect is a true principle of the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, “The Dharma of conditions arising is profound, subtle and wondrous.” It is so subtle and wondrous, thus it is “difficult to see and understand, and also difficult to contemplate.” Even when our own causes and conditions converge, we still have different karmic connections with different people.

Within our social circle, we have karmic connections with our family, with the friends around us and with our fellow spiritual practitioners. I think everyone’s [life] is different because of the arising and ceasing of their conditions, which may lead to unbearable suffering. But the convergence of causes and conditions can also help us accomplish our spiritual practice. So, karmic “conditions” are truly inconceivable.

The Buddha constantly taught the Dharma with analogies and causes and conditions. In one teaching, He talked about how, long ago, deep in the mountains, there was a spiritual practitioner who thoroughly understood the Dharma. He had already achieved Arhatship and he engaged in spiritual practice deep in the mountains. In a nearby village, there lived a child. The child was only seven years old, but had questions about the workings of life. He hoped his parents would give him the freedom to leave home so he could seek the Dharma. He was able to reason with and convince his mother. She felt very reluctant, but she allowed her child to leave.

The seven-year-old looked everywhere for a good teacher. A few days later, the causes and conditions came together for him; he found this spiritual practitioner. The spiritual practitioner was very advanced in his spiritual cultivation, and felt this child was different from the children he typically encountered. So, he happily accepted him [as a disciple] and took him along to engage in spiritual practice in the deep mountains. Both teacher and disciple worked very hard.

Several years passed, until one day, as this child was sitting in meditation, a smile suddenly appeared on his face. So when he finished meditating, his teacher asked him, “Just now, when you were sitting in meditation, why did a smile appear on your face? What made you smile?” This child sighed and said, “It was so incredible! While I was sitting in meditation, I seemed to see how five different mothers toiled for my sake and were afflicted, depressed and tormented.”

He said, “I saw, when my first mother gave birth to me, a neighbor woman who was also pregnant gave birth at the same time. So on that same day, two women in this village gave birth, and my mother was one of them. After I was born, the entire family was happy. Unfortunately, our karmic connection was weak and I passed away after a few days. Every time my mother saw the neighbor’s child, every time she saw anyone else’s child, she felt heartbroken. Every single day was the same for her; she felt tormented and afflicted.”

“Then my second mother gave birth to me. After several months passed, I again passed away at a young age. My mother felt a piercing pain in her heart. This was my second mother.”

“After my third mother gave birth to me, I lived for ten years before I died once again. After ten years together, this was hard on her. When this mother saw children my age, she would think of me. Even now, she still feels that sadness and affliction.”

“Then I was born again, to my fourth mother. After 20 years, there was an accident and I died again. After spending 20 years together, she had placed so much hope on me. Suddenly, impermanence struck and she felt as if her heart had been cut by a knife. Even to this very moment, this mother still weeps over [my death].”

“My fifth and current mother gave birth to me and raised me. When I was seven, I sensed the profound mystery of life, so I wanted to seek the origin of our lives and asked my mother to let me leave home to engage in spiritual practice. My mother was very reluctant. Even now that I have become a monastic, my mother still cannot let me go.”

“In these five lifetimes, over a period of time of just a few decades, my five mothers went through so much suffering. The workings of karma are truly inconceivable. Thinking about these successive lifetimes of birth and death, my causes and conditions took me through very many familial relationships. These connections we had, good and bad, brought us together and pulled us apart.”

So, his teacher asked him, “Now that you know these five mothers are, as a result of your time with them, heartbroken, afflicted, pained and tormented, what are you thinking?” This child shook his head, smiled wryly and answered his teacher by saying, “What can be done? People’s lives are tormented by birth and death, so I cannot be attached to and linger on the numerous lifetimes I have lived over many kalpas. There is nothing else I can do. Now that I understand the workings of cyclic existence, I have to be even more earnest and work hard to transcend birth and death to put an end to fragmentary samsara. But [ending] transformational samsara will take more work.”

Therefore, “The Dharma of conditions arising is profound, subtle and wondrous.” How did these karmic conditions come about? After one mother gave birth, why did her karmic connection with him last only a few days? After another mother gave birth to this child, just when he was so adorable and bringing so much happiness to everyone, why was their karmic connection terminated?

And in this lifetime, [though] he could understand the purpose of life, his mother felt so much sadness when he left to engage in spiritual practice. The workings of these karmic conditions are wondrously profound, hard to see, understand and contemplate.

We all go through birth, age, illness and death. If we just let each day pass, we cannot realize the profundity of life. It is “difficult to see and understand, and also difficult to contemplate.” The only thing [we can do] is to find the best way to use this body that our parents gave us. We must quickly become mindful of this. In this lifetime, we must attain the Buddha-Dharma so we can be transformed. If we do not attain the Buddha-Dharma, we will always live in a state of confusion and find things “difficult to see and understand, and also difficult to contemplate.” If we want to understand, if we make this aspiration, that is a good thing. Some people never even think of trying to understand things like, “How did I come to this world? What am I living for?” Many people never think about these things.

So, now we have this opportunity to investigate how our life came to be. Although we still do not know how it came about, at least, we know that “all things arise from causes and conditions,” so we are born because of our karmic connection to our parents. Now that we know about this, about our affinities with the parents who gave us this body, how should we use our body to benefit the world?

We know [how to end] fragmentary samsara but how can we end transformational samsara? Transformational samsara is the arising and ceasing of our minds’ afflictions, the instability of our thoughts. Doesn’t this happen to all of us? So, there is a kind of wondrously profound principle behind this. Therefore, we must keep on searching, and promptly look for the Buddha within us.

So, we “search for the Buddha in our minds.” There is a Buddha in our minds. How do we find Him? The only way to find the Buddha is to brush aside our afflictions so we can clearly see the Buddha within us. However, we are unenlightened beings. Eliminating afflictions is not easy. The Buddha came to the world for one great cause. He continued to use various means to guide sentient beings so that they would all head in the same direction, which is to walk the Bodhisattva-path.

But in the Lotus Sutra, this passage started by talking about how to spread the Buddha-Dharma in this world after the Buddha has entered Parinirvana. The answer is to build pagodas, temples or to sculpt statues. This is because the Buddha knew that when future sentient beings want to [learn] the Buddha-Dharma, they must be looking for something. So, there needs to be an image or a place that can guide them to take joy in creating merits and guide them to give to others. These thing will at least let people know that. “The Buddha was once in this world. There is the Sangha transmitting the Dharma in the world and so on.” This is how the Buddha-Dharma is spread. From these “conditioned phenomena” they can be led to “unconditioned Dharma.” Through appearances, people can be guided to understand the principles.

So as we have already said before,

“[There were] those who, in the barren waste, piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine, Or even children who, at play, have piled up sand to make a stupa. People such as these, have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

That is what we discussed yesterday. Today, we are looking at the next passage.

“[There were] those who, for the Buddhas, have created images. carving these myriads of marks. They have all realized the path to Buddhahood. Perhaps they used the seven treasures, or bronze, or copper, red and white.”

This section of the sutra states, “[There were] those who, for the Buddhas, have created images.” This is telling us that there were people who had the aspiration to help the Buddha-Dharma spread throughout the world, so it could always abide in this world and forever benefit sentient beings. Therefore, they established all kinds of images to guide sentient beings and inspire them to have reverence and faith.

There were those who wanted the Buddha-Dharma to spread throughout the world, to always abide in this world and forever benefit sentient beings. Therefore they established all kinds of images to inspire respect and faith in sentient beings.

When we see Buddha statues, we know to bow, and we feel respect upon entering temples. This shows the Buddha’s thoughtfulness. So, in the sutras, it is said that those who wanted the Buddha-Dharma to spread throughout the world established all kinds of images to inspire faith and respect in everyone.

A Buddha statue can be carved out of various materials. So, “Carving all kinds of statues, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

Carving all kinds of statues, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood: If those who carve statues and sculpt all kinds of images do so with utmost sincerity and respect and can maintain that mindset forever, they can all realize the path to Buddhahood.

A Buddha statue must be carved by people, whether out of clay, wood, bronze or other kinds of different materials. So, people “carve statues” and sculpt all kinds of Buddha-images. Carving is done with wood and sculpting is done with clay. I often talk about how we sculpt with clay, then make a mold out of it to cast it in bronze. This takes various materials and methods. But regardless of the material we use, we always have to feel utmost respect and reverence as we sculpt.

Nowadays, people who sculpt [Buddha statues] may not necessarily have a lot of faith. They only do it because they want merits. If this is the case, this is not needed. So, we must always have a sense of reverence and respect. This cannot just be a temporary mindset. We must sustain this reverence without regressing. Our attitude cannot be, “I have sculpted and delivered the statue to the temple, so I have created merits” and then lose that mindset, not at all. We must sustain that reverence. Only then can we lead everyone to have faith in the Buddha. Of course, this also brings merits.

“Perhaps they used the seven treasures, or bronze, or copper, red and white.” This means that aside from carving wood or sculpting with clay, people may use the seven treasures, or metallic materials. These metals can be white or red; all are formed by different kinds of metals. As long as [we work with] utmost reverence, it does not matter what kind of materials we use. As long as we have that reverence and express our sense of respect, we can also use the most precious seven treasures. We can make, carve or sculpt out of various materials, whether they are red, white, or any other kinds of metal. These can all help us achieve our merits, as long as we can mindfully bring things together.

Without respect, we cannot understand where the Buddha-Dharma comes from. Now, we are in [the era of] Dharma-decay. The era of Dharma-semblance has already passed, so we are in the era of Dharma-decay. In the evil world of Five Turbidities, how we go from the tangible into the intangible and how we go from appearances into principles is very important. Of course, this takes utmost reverence. We must be like that child, who, at such a young age, was already studying how we come to and leave this life. In conclusion, the law of causes and conditions is truly very profound. So everyone, please always be mindful.

Episode 390 – The Buddha-Dharma is Everywhere

>> “In all of space, the Dharma is everywhere. In the open, our spiritual training ground is in all places. Every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma. All of our conduct and speech is Dharma.”

>> Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.

>> “[There were] those who, in the barren waste, piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine. Or even children who, at play, have piled up sand to make a stupa. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

>> The Buddha-Dharma has always pervaded the universe and all Dharma-realms. It is in all places and in all times.

>> People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood: The direct cause is Buddha-nature, which is the supreme meaning. With perfect and wondrous right perspective, we see ultimate reality in skillful means. When we thoroughly realize this principle, we will attain the path to Buddhahood.

“In all of space, the Dharma is everywhere.
In the open, our spiritual training ground is in all places.
Every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma.
All of our conduct and speech is Dharma.”

This is telling everyone that at any moment in time, the slightest thoughts our minds gives rise to, no matter where we are when they arise, are all closely tied to our spiritual cultivation. This is “unconditioned Dharma.”

If we think that this time and space are not very important, we become careless with our body and mind. We spiritual practitioners need to be dignified in our demeanor. If we do not think that this space or this relationship is very important, we will not carefully maintain the standards of behavior befitting spiritual practitioners. When we allow our Six Roots to wander, we will degenerate; our virtues will degenerate.

In other words, no matter what time it is, where we are and who we are with, we must be very vigilant. We must believe that “the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere.” This means all places are filled with the Dharma, so we can feel it everywhere. That feeling, that realization, is at every moment, in every space and every interpersonal relationship.

For example, during a meeting [in 2013], Allen Yeh was going to talk about. Chinese New Year, how everyone was so reverent, and all the exciting things that happened. But there was not enough time, so we asked him to condense his presentation. He said, “That’s ok. I’ll invite this child to speak to everyone.” With a single click, a child appeared on screen. She is from Long Island in the US. She is very adorable. When she appeared, she said, “Grandmaster, I miss you very much. Do you miss me?”

Look at how adorable she is. She has grown up over the last two, three years. Look at [the difference] in time and space. Traveling from Taiwan to the East Coast of the US, to Long Island, is such a long plane ride! [Years ago] could we have imagined that we could see this child and hear her speak? That with just a click of a button, she would appear? But now, scientific principles [have made this possible].

This is “unconditioned Dharma.” It is not that people today are so brilliant; actually, principles of physics are derived by following this path to discover the principles. When we figure out these methods, we can use various resources in the world and separate and refine them to produce [objects]. Things start out as raw earth, as tin and other minerals. Mountains are destroyed to extract these metals so they can be refined into parts that perform many different functions. From these parts, we create [machines] that are not limited by space and time. These functions are now used by all of us.

Through time, space and interpersonal relationships, each individual attains different knowledge. Thus “conditioned phenomena” are created, which are things we can see. We cannot see the “principles” but we can see the “conditioned phenomena” that result from them. The Dharma that the Buddha taught encompasses the principles of matter, of the human mind and of life. Therefore, “In all of space, the Dharma is everywhere.”

The word “Buddha” means “enlightened [one].” If you focus on understanding only one thing, you may be the only person who knows it that well. You may be very aware of how this one thing works; you may comprehend it, but this is a limited and very focused awakening. This comes from a focused and thorough study of one principle. From this, you may understand how to combine many other materials together to create [the technology] that makes things so convenient for us. Although [technology] makes things convenient and enhances our knowledge, it does not tell us how to grow our wisdom-life.

To grow our wisdom-life, we must understand not just one important thing, but how all the principles and the nature of all things in the universe come together in order for things to work harmoniously. If all of us can thoroughly understand this truth, the Buddha-Dharma can spread widely and this world will be like a pure land.

Achieving this right now is not impossible. It depends on whether all of us, regardless of the space we are in or who we are with, firmly believe that the “Buddha-Dharma is everywhere.” If we believe that our actions and behaviors can be examples that will influence many people, then we have deep faith. We must have deep faith in the Buddha’s teachings.

So, if we believe that. “In the open, our spiritual training ground is in all places,” wherever we go, we can engage in spiritual practice. Every place is a place to spread the Dharma. Everywhere we go, whoever we are with, not only can we protect the land, we can also awaken the love in people.

Take a look at our large group of Bodhisattvas who are spread out over dozens of countries. They already understand [the interaction between] the planet and humanity, that protecting the Earth helps keep humanity safe. For many of them, their mind is where they engage in spiritual practice. Regardless of which country they live in, as long as they see their minds as a place for spiritual practice, and have the deep faith that “the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere,” wherever they are, they can create a place for practicing and transforming others.

In places with a lot of poverty such as Zimbabwe, South Africa and the Philippines, look at how these Bodhisattva[-volunteers] see “the Buddha-Dharma everywhere” and “their spiritual training ground in all places.” So, they transform sentient beings there. This is all because “every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma.” Indeed, with the arising of every thought, if we have taken the Dharma to heart, every thought will be in accord with the Dharma. Every thought is Dharma. Every thought that stirs is for the sake of Dharma, and every thought we give rise to is about how to be a role model for transforming sentient beings.

All in all, every thought in our minds is Dharma. So, “all of our conduct and speech is Dharma.” This applies to our every move, our every action. Don’t [volunteers] “enter the sutra treasury” through sign language and choreography? So, sign language and choreography can transform people.

Everyone, in learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must exercise utmost reverence and respectfully accept teachings. Then naturally, “the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere” and “our spiritual training ground is in all places.” Everything is Dharma that can enable us to attain Buddhahood. So, we must mindfully experience this.

We previously mentioned that the sutra text discussed how people built stupas and shrines. As we have said, building stupas and shrines was done in ancient times to pay respect to ancestors. So, we must have pure minds to [create] “glorious adornments.” This demonstrates our great respect.

Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.

The Buddha said that after He entered Parinirvana, our pure bodies and minds should be these “glorious adornments.” Adornments do not only apply to buildings, but also to our spiritual aspirations, which is more important.

[Temples] were built out of various materials, even “sandalwood, agarwood hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.” These are all resources and treasures of the land. These timbers are very rare and of good quality. Many used agarwood, cypress, camphor or cow camphor as timber. These are all very precious timbers. When people used such precious timbers, or bricks or clay to build [the shrines], they were expressing their sincerity through [the construction] of the buildings.

“[There were] those who, in the barren waste, piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine. Or even children who, at play, have piled up sand to make a stupa. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”

As we just said, [spiritual training grounds] are “in all places. [Some] piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine.” The Buddhist sutras still use the word “shrine” in “piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine.” We already know about shrines, and up until Emperor Ming of Han Dynasty, a “temple” was where foreign guests were hosted. Then Matanga and Dharmaratna came [to China], carrying the scriptures on white horses. Originally, they were received at Hong Lu Temple, But Hong Lu Temple was the imperial guesthouse for foreign guests. To show respect to the spiritual practitioners from abroad, [the Emperor] especially built for them. White Horse Temple outside the city of Luoyang. This was the first Buddhist temple in China. From then on, we began to call the place where monastics lived, a “temple.” Before then, people still called it a “shrine.” Later on some even called it a “temple-shrine.”

“Or even children at play….” As long as we are very reverent and our minds are free of impurities, we can pile up sand to make a stupa. Then we can sincerely say, “I have built a stupa.” People with such sincerity can successfully walk the path to Buddhahood. This is because they have already given rise to respect from the bottom of their hearts. In the wilderness, they have piled up sand to make a Buddha-shrine.

The Buddha-Dharma has always pervaded the universe and all Dharma-realms. It is in all places and in all times.

We mentioned earlier that in the universe, in every space, we can find the Buddha-Dharma, so it pervades the universe and all Dharma-realms. “It is everywhere.” No place is without it. The Buddha-Dharma is in all places. “It is ever-present.” There has never been one moment when there was no Buddha-Dharma, not at all. It is always with us. Whether we are aware of it or not, the Buddha-Dharma is always there.

Next, [the sutra states], “or even children who, at play….” If there are children with pure, undefiled minds free of improper thoughts, the principles exist in their play as well. So, they “piled up sand to make a stupa.” They did this with sincerity. This is a very famous story in the Buddha’s teachings that has been passed on to the present day, and in recent history these objects have been found. This tale was told in one section of the Legends of King Ashoka.

This story begins with. Sakyamuni Buddha and Ananda going out to ask for alms. They saw two children; one was named Exceptional Virtue and the other was named Unsurpassed One. Exceptional Virtue was the son of a great clan, born into a wealthy family. The other child was his friend.

These two children were playing. What were they playing with? With dirt. They piled up the dirt slowly, building cities [out of dirt]. The city was indeed complete; it even had a storehouse with flour, rice, etc. The Buddha stood at their side watching happily. When the two children sensed that someone was standing next to them, they turned their heads and looked up, “Wow! This is the Buddha, the venerable Buddha.” The two children respectfully put their palms together and bowed to Him reverently. Their pure hearts were filled with respect.

Exceptional Virtue, the noble-born child, held up a handful of dirt from the “storehouse” and reverently placed it in the Buddha’s alms bowl. He said, “I offer this high quality flour to You, the Buddha.” Then he bowed respectfully again. The Buddha smiled, looking at these two children who were so reverent, innocent and pure and had such undefiled and proper thoughts. This made Him very happy.

He asked them, “When you made these offerings, did you wish for anything?” This pure child answered the Buddha’s question by saying, “I made a vow that, if I am a king in my future life, I will lead my people [well]. I will walk the Bodhi-path and spread the Buddha’s teachings. I want to transform sentient beings. I want to be a king, and also spread the Dharma and transform sentient beings.”

He even said to the Buddha, “I also pray that I have a dignified appearance, and blessings and virtues that can benefit all sentient beings.” Thus, he formed such an affinity with the Buddha. This was the aspiration of a child. He was so innocent, pure and reverent. His friend put his palms together and felt joy for him. One child made a declaration [for his future]. The other said a silent prayer for his friend, hoping that he could realize his aspiration. These two were still just children.

The Buddha saw them and was very happy, understanding how innocent and pure they were. Thus He said, “100 years after I enter Parinirvana, 100 years after that moment, this child will become a wheel-turning sage king”

“replete with blessings and virtues.” This king’s name was Ashoka, King Ashoka.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, he was a child and made this aspiration out of reverence. Then he grew up, matured, grew old and passed away decades later. Afterward, he was reborn into a palace. From the beginning, he had wholesome thoughts. Ever since childhood, he could teach and spread the Buddha-Dharma. When he inherited the throne, he led his people and spread the Dharma. This is how he governed with Right Dharma. So, King Ashoka built 84,000 stupas to benefit sentient beings. This is the karmic affinity King Ashoka formed with the Buddha. With the purest mind and intent, he “had realized the path to Buddhahood.” We must all have the same sincerity.

People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood: The direct cause is Buddha-nature, which is the supreme meaning. With perfect and wondrous right perspective, we see ultimate reality in skillful means. When we thoroughly realize this principle, we will attain the path to Buddhahood.

The direct cause is Buddha-nature, which is the supreme meaning. This is the most important thing, Then we can have wondrous right perspective. Our wisdom must be perfect. Earlier, we mentioned great perfect mirror wisdom, which means our mind must be very bright, pure and undefiled. This is ultimate reality. We can see ultimate reality in skillful means. All of us have the truth of ultimate reality within us. This comes from reverence; with reverent hearts, from “unconditioned Dharma” we can create appearances to expressing our sincerity; this is skillful means. Skillful means [lead us to] ultimate reality. If we can thoroughly realize this principle, we can attain Buddhahood.

Some people ask, “If the Buddha’s principles will always exist, why do I need to engage in spiritual practice?” It is exactly because the principles exist that we must engage in spiritual practice. We follow the spiritual journey manifested by the Buddha in our spiritual practice. This is a road that those before us have walked to reach this destination. We believe that if we follow this road, we will also arrive at the same destination.

In summary, as we learn Buddha’s way, we need deep faith. Only with deep faith can we see that “in all of space, the Dharma is everywhere. In the open, the spiritual training ground is in all places. Every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma. All of our conduct and speech is Dharma.” This means that we must be very sincere. So, dear Bodhisattvas, to learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must always be mindful.

Episode 389 – Make Offerings with Sincerity

>> “Receive the deep and profound grace of the Buddha-Dharma. It nourishes our minds and grows our wisdom-life. Thus, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we sincerely make offerings with all kinds of jewels and treasures.”

>> Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.

>> “[They] decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.”

>> [They] decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone: Truth without tangible appearance is unconditioned Dharma. Wise application of the truth to manifest [principles through] worldly appearances is conditioned phenomena. Such is the building of temples and stupas, and adorning them.

>> Shrines: In olden days, rituals were made to ancestors at these places. There are imperial shrines, ancestral shrines, familial shrines and so on. Places dedicated to gods and Buddhas are commonly known as deities’ shrines or temple shrines.

>> Temples: These were once places for housing foreign guests. In the Han Dynasty, Hung Lu Temple was established to host guests from all over the world.

Each of us always needs to be grateful because it is rare to attain human form, listen to the Dharma and always be immersed in the stream of Dharma. This is why we must always feel grateful that we can.

“Receive the deep and profound grace of the Buddha-Dharma. It nourishes our minds and grows our wisdom-life. Thus, after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we sincerely make offerings with all kinds of jewels and treasures.”

This is something we can accomplish. We need to feel grateful as we receive the Buddha’s grace and kindness. The Buddha-Dharma is like water; it washes away the defilements from our minds. Therefore, we feel as if we are constantly immersed in the sea of Dharma and are cleansed by the Buddha-Dharma. This is the deep and profound grace of the Buddha-Dharma. We are also constantly nourished by

the Buddha-Dharma that is around us. We must be like the land, receiving nourishment from rain and dew. Our pure intrinsic nature must receive this Dharma-water so we can be constantly cleansed and nourished. Then the seeds in our minds can grow. When seeds receive nourishment, they will grow. This is how the fields of our minds are nurtured so our wisdom-life can develop. Thus, the Buddha-Dharma is like rain and dew.

The Buddha had already attained Buddhahood countless kalpas ago. This means that He saw True Suchness, so how is it possible He did not see [the cycle of] birth, aging, illness and death and become weary of impermanence until this lifetime? That was just the appearance He manifested for us to show us that He is just like us. He lived in the same way we do; He also aged and, in the era He lived in, He experienced various kinds of suffering in life. Amidst suffering, He also saw the impermanence of life. At that time, He manifested for us the appearance of the need to seek out the principle of liberation. He did this to teach us.

After He became enlightened, He promptly taught sentient beings about suffering. He started with the truth of suffering. All His teachings from that time began with the truth of suffering. Then He helped everyone understand that their regular behavior leads to the “causation” [of suffering] through accumulation. After He told everyone that the things they regularly do bring about suffering, that this was the “causation” of suffering, then, to go further, He told them they must practice. He taught them many methods of practice.

Because of sentient beings’ [varying] capabilities, how well they can accept the Dharma depends on their knowledge and wisdom. Thus, He first established these skillful means. However, time waits for no one, including the Buddha. Even He manifested the appearance of old age. As His time was running out, He had to teach [the One Vehicle Dharma]. Ultimately, these skillful means bring us back to ultimate reality, the pure and wondrous Dharma of the One Vehicle. This is how we return to the True Suchness in our intrinsic nature. The Buddha spent many years in this world coming up with ways to teach us sentient beings while living the same kind of life we do. For this, we must always be grateful.

So, after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, sentient beings had to form aspirations and vows. Aspirations and vows come from sincerity; sincerity comes from making a vow. This is faith, vows and practice. Faith, vows and practice are indispensable to spiritual practitioners. And of course, we must be sincere. When we are sincere in our faith, we will make vows.

From the moment the Buddha entered Parinirvana until now, it has been more than 2500 years. Do you remember that there were “5 periods of 500 years”? Let us think about them carefully. While the Buddha was alive, people earnestly engaged in spiritual practice, so Right Dharma abided in this world. But 500 years later, though people still had faith, their diligence had gradually weakened. So, very few people attained realizations through their spiritual cultivation.

In the third period of 500 years, people earnestly listened to the Dharma. They “listened to the Dharma to gain knowledge.” At this stage, they treated the Buddha-Dharma as some knowledge to discuss. When these discussions were popular, did they put it into practice? It seemed fewer were doing so.

The fourth period was about appearances. Whether they built stupas, temples or carved statues, they had the attitude that, “Doing this brings merits, so I want to do this.” This was the fourth period of 500 years.

Next is the fifth period of 500 years. We are now at the end of this 500 year period. Do you know [which this is]? The period of conflict, when people’s hearts are not in harmony. When we lack unity and harmony, not only do we not respect and praise each other, we will actually slander each other. This is the state of the Buddha-Dharma in modern times. In this era, more than ever, we must make vows to return to the way things were in that first period of 500 years. Our minds should still be the same as when the Buddha was in this world, neither greater nor diminished.

When the Buddha first manifested in this world, at that time, He taught that He had much faith in the world, because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. Though much time has passed, we still have faith in the Dharma that He originally expounded. Thus, in our hearts we should now accept the Dharma as if we were in the time when the Buddha was teaching. So, we should “sincerely [make offerings] after the Buddha enters Parinirvana.” This is very important.

The Dharma is everlasting and unceasing. So, although He manifested the appearance of crossing into extinction, the Dharma that we have accepted is everlasting. We must make vows. Those vows must come from our sincerity. If we can sincerely accept the Buddha-Dharma, then it will be as if the Buddha was still in this world and our minds were still equal to His.

This helps us let go of what is difficult to let go of. Many people in this world live in perpetual turmoil and confusion. They enjoy many comforts. But if we want them to forego those comforts to help others, that will be very difficult, because their bodies and minds cannot let go. People also cling to their wealth and treasures. If we want them to give up what they crave, that will also be difficult. Therefore, the Buddha teaches everyone that sharing the Dharma can enable us to let go of what we crave and desire in order to accomplish meaningful things.

The most meaningful thing we can do is to ensure that the Buddha-Dharma abides in this world forever. Therefore, in this world, we must constantly teach the means that bring about awakening. This is why the sutra mentioned that we must give up jewels and treasures to build stupas, temples and so on. We need to make offerings of these treasures. But let me remind everyone, we must give unconditionally. This is the Dharma we should learn.

Next, we should make offerings with reverence. If we do not make offerings with reverence, we cannot truly attain the Buddha’s teachings. We must make vows out of gratitude. Gratitude and reverence are essential to making vows.

Then, the next passage of the sutra discusses “pure and glorious adornments.”

Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.

In “pure and glorious adornments, pure” is referring to the purity of our minds. When our bodies are pure, our bodies and minds will be pure. This purity of mind comes from exercising utmost reverence. Both our internal and external states must give and make offerings out of reverence. This is what we discussed yesterday about “pure and glorious adornments.”

Next, “[they] decorate the stupas.” We have talked about stupas in the past. Sariras are placed in stupas so people can look up to and admire the Buddha for a long time. Buddha-virtues are revealed through stupas. Indeed, another way to describe stupas is [something that reveals virtue]. Only those [structures] made as offerings to the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Arhats and spiritual practitioners can be called “stupas.”

In fact, the mundane definition for “stupa” is a place where remains are stored. This is what a stupa is in everyday terms. Actually, for those who are truly virtuous, [stupas are used to reveal their virtue]. So, “to decorate” means to adorn. They built tall stupas to reveal virtue.

“[They] decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.”

Besides building stupas, they also built temples. Temples have existed for a long time. They are built with various materials, such as wood, stone or clay.

Indeed, to “decorate the stupas” or “build temples out of stone,” we must return to the Dharma once again.

[They] decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone: Truth without tangible appearance is unconditioned Dharma. Wise application of the truth to manifest [principles through] worldly appearances is conditioned phenomena. Such is the building of temples and stupas, and adorning them.

The Dharma is the Truth. The wondrous principles of absolute truth are without appearance. I always want everyone to clearly know that truths are everywhere, but they cannot not be seen nor touched. Yet they can be expressed by people. So, “truth without tangible appearance is unconditioned Dharma. Wise application of the truth” is the manifestation of true principles through our knowledge and wisdom.

So we “manifest principles of worldly appearances. [This] is conditioned phenomena.” A space can be completely empty, then we use our knowledge to build something there. The Great Hall we are in is a good example of this. From its underground foundation, we keep building up.

To create this space we are in, how many people’s expertise did we need? We needed all kinds of expertise, in cement mixing, in steel construction and in interior design. So much knowledge and wisdom were combined [to build this place]. This is “conditioned phenomena.” We must build temples, shrines and stupas and adorn them with dignity so everyone knows this is a place to practice the Buddha’s teachings.

We must further understand [the term] “shrines.” In the era of the Buddha, why were they not called “temples” but “shrines”? In olden days, “shrines” were places in ancient China where people performed rituals to their ancestors. These places were memorials for ancestors. They were called familial shrines, or ancestral shrines; the meaning is the same. For a country, there were imperial shrines. They were all built to commemorate ancestors. “As we drink water, we must think of its source.” These places were built to recall and show respect to their ancestors.

Shrines: In olden days, rituals were made to ancestors at these places. There are imperial shrines, ancestral shrines, familial shrines and so on. Places dedicated to gods and Buddhas are commonly known as deities’ shrines or temple shrines.

These places were for making offerings to gods. Over time, these customs were passed on and there came to be many miscellaneous gods, all placed in those temples. There are so many gods we cannot name [them all]. Eventually, places dedicated to the Buddha were also called “shrines.” Indeed, the shrines mentioned in. Buddhist sutras were places of dignity and etiquette. They were places to recall and pay respect to the virtues of the Buddha and ancient sages. Places to remember the virtuous are called “shrines.” This was the meaning of the word at that time.

Places dedicated to gods and Buddhas are called “shrines,” commonly known as deities’ shrines, or temple shrines. Now, [in Chinese] we put the two words, temple and shrine, together and say, “temple shrines.”

“Temples” were once places for a country to house foreign guests.

Temples: These were once places for housing foreign guests. In the Han Dynasty, Hung Lu Temple was established to host guests from all over the world.

The character “temple” is the character for “scholar” on top of the character for “[propriety]. Scholar” plus “[propriety]” means a form of courtesy and law. “Scholar” refers to those with knowledge, people who make policies and rules. It was the place for a country’s officials to make laws and policies. When foreign guests visit, nowadays we take them to a guest house or an executive suite. The principle is the same.

In the tenth year of of Emperor Ming’s reign in Eastern Han Dynasty, Kasyapa-Matanga and Dharmaraksa traveled to China from Madhyadesa, bringing many scriptures on white horses. At that time, Emperor Ming began to seek the Buddha-Dharma, so he treated these foreign monastics as honored guests. To show his respect, he allowed them to stay in Hung Lu Temple. However, this place was for hosting guests, so they could not stay there long-term. Therefore, he built the White Horse Temple. From then on, temples became training grounds for spiritual practitioners. This is an example of how the Buddha-Dharma affects places where it abides. So, monastic temples started arising in China beginning with the White Horse Temple.

Foreigners from the lands in the West called them “sangharama. Sangharama” is often translated as “monastery” and can mean “communal garden.” A place where many people live together is called “sangharama.” The place where they live is also where the. Buddha’s disciples engage in spiritual cultivation and where the seedlings for the Path are planted. Their hearts are like seeds. Practicing together in the monastery is like continuously cultivating the seeds in our minds. This is where we sow and plant the seeds of the Path. When we plant the seeds of the Path, if it sprouts, it will become the seedling for the Noble Path and ripen into a fruit; so a monastery is also like a communal garden.

As we live together in this monastery, this communal garden, we must allow every seed of the Path to sprout. Once it matures, it will ripen into the noble fruit. This takes place in a temple, so we must treat this spiritual training ground as a very holy place. In the past, temples were places where knowledgeable scholars with great propriety established rules of law. Therefore, it is a very holy place. So everyone, we must always be mindful.

Episode 388 – A Pure Heart Brings Dignity

>> Sincerely make offerings of treasure and jewels to show respect, reverence and dignity. The changing scenes in the great, perfect mirror are conditioned phenomena that reveal all kinds of appearances.

>> “After those Buddhas crossed into extinction, those who made offerings to Their sariras built millions of kinds of stupas made of gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, carnelian, rose quartz, beryl and other gems.”

>> “Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.”

>> Pure and glorious adornments: When the body is free of the transgression of evil actions and the mind free of the defilements of afflictions, we will be pure in body and mind. With a pure mind and pure thoughts, we manifest respectful and glorious adornments from our minds for external conditions.

Sincerely make offerings of treasure and jewels
to show respect, reverence and dignity.
The changing scenes in the great, perfect mirror
are conditioned phenomena that reveal all kinds of appearances.

We must be reverent at all times. With reverence, one thought can pervade the great Trichiliocosm. Based on the way we deal with people and things, though no one really knows what we are thinking, they can see whether or not we are sincere.

We must seize every moment to engage in spiritual practice. Through our courteous actions, we make offerings of reverence. For spiritual practitioners in a monastery, the most precious time is the early morning. In the early morning, before miscellaneous things come up, we can be focused on [chanting and] prostrating, expressing our reverence.

However, so many people feel it is too early. They struggle to get up so early in the morning, especially in winter when it is warm under the covers. Getting out of bed at this time of day is very difficult. This is expressing a lack of reverence. I often hear about people who are late to morning or evening recitation. This is indolence. As for those who are hiding under the covers, they will regress. If spiritual practitioners lack sincerity and do not reverently make offerings, how can they be considered spiritual practitioners?

Since ancient times, well-respected and accomplished practitioners have [cultivated themselves] with reverence. They are very earnest and sincere. Making offerings out of sincerity is very important for our spiritual practice. This is [the importance of] reverence.

During our daily interactions with people, we must also feel a sense of reverence. How do we treat other people with reverence? We must be steadfast and not fake. Thus, [we earn] their faith in us. Faith, steadfastness, sincerity and integrity must be part of our character as we deal with people and things. This is how we can set an example for others. This is an example of the way we should be treating each other, not to mention treating Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. This sense of genuine sincerity is the essence of this philosophy.

So, “Sincerely make offerings of treasure and jewels” means we can give up what is hard to give up. Here, “treasure” refers to worldly treasures. There was a very kind woman who was fairly well-off. She often heard that making offerings of worldly treasures brings merit and could be beneficial to her health. Having heard this, she felt she wanted to make this kind of offering. So, she [bought] a tiny piece of incense. It was not a very big piece, yet it cost NT 5 million. With this 5 million piece of incense, she made an offering. This was to show that she could give. Perhaps this offering was made out of blind belief in what other people said. As we make offerings, we must consider whether we are meeting a need. Only then is it considered a true offering.

There is also a group of kind-hearted and wealthy women who have been discussing this. These members of “Friends of Tzu Chi” said, “Once a year we donate things to Tzu Chi for a fundraiser.” These were affluent women who enjoyed collecting jewelry and other precious objects. Now they say, “It is time to let go of one of them. By selling off our collections at the fundraiser, we are supporting good deeds.” Indeed, this is also a way of making offerings. What are they making an offering with? They are making an offering of sincerity to. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

After they accept the teachings of “charitable giving,” when they see how much sentient beings suffer, they give away these precious things and turn them into material goods that can help people who are in need. This is the way they show their sincerity and respect to the Buddha.

The sutra text [reminds] us to always have utmost reverence. Whether we see a Buddha, Bodhisattva, or principled sage as our role model, we need to show respect and make offerings. If we can faithfully accept teachings and put them into practice, we are making offerings. If we are willing to give away our possessions in order to do something more meaningful, that is also a way to make offerings. This is the way we express sincerity and reverence.

Thus, we “show respect, reverence and dignity.” As I mentioned yesterday, soon after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, the Buddha-Dharma flourished for a period of time. People built stupas, temples and golden statues, and all kind of objects to let other people know of this religion, its teachings, essence and ideology.

Look at the Dunhuang Caves in China. Look at Indonesia, [Cambodia’s] Angkor Wat, Sri Lanka and many other countries in. Southeast Asia. These [structures] are evidence that the Buddha was in this world and taught the Dharma. In the caves at Dunhuang, there are numerous “sutra paintings.” The meanings of sutra texts are shaped into stories and then drawn as pictures. These were very popular during the era of Dharma-semblance and are found throughout the entire mountain. They have lasted for thousands of years, yet they are decaying and some have already been vandalized.

Remember what happened years ago (in 1998) to the great Buddha statues in Afghanistan. They had existed for hundreds of years; the entire mountain was covered in Buddha statues. The big ones were huge, over 50 meters. When people stood on the top of a foot, they looked as tiny as ants. That shows how big the statue was.

Although those Buddha statues were carved magnificently and were so massive, they were still destroyed. Everything from their heads and faces, to their bodies, and even their hands naturally deteriorated with the passing of time. They may have also been damaged by natural disasters or through human actions. Then one explosive turned these giant Buddha statues to dust in the blink of an eye.

This is part of our contemporary history. Though these [1500-year-old]. Buddha statues have already been destroyed, they can still bear witness to how the era of Dharma-semblance flourished thousands of years ago. This is formation, existence, decay and disappearance. These appearances are “conditioned phenomena.” Although they are conditioned phenomenon, when the Buddha taught, He still praised the people who create them. After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, those who built stupas, temples, statues and so on out of utmost reverence must have made a resolve to “show respect, reverence and dignity.”

As for “the changing scenes in the great perfect mirror,” in fact, the truth is in our minds. [Our mind] is like a mirror. It can clearly reflect all things in the world. However, even the most beautiful scenery will change as time passes and the conditions change. Our surroundings are constantly changing, but this great perfect mirror, our ultimate truth, sees everything with absolute clarity. So, as the environment around the mirror changes, the mirror itself remains unmoved. Isn’t this true?

Everyone, this is the great perfect mirror; we must all cultivate this mirror in our minds and make sure it is clean. The mirror of the Buddha can reflect your reverence. If you want to be reverent, then do not be lax. The Buddha can sense that [reverence]. When you are indolent, the Buddha can sense that, too. By being indolent, you cause harm to yourself. By being dignified and reverent, you help perfect your own spiritual practice. We often talk about role models. Being a role model for others is a way of helping yourself succeed. When seeing you brings other people happiness, that is a sign of your reverence.

Therefore, this mirror can sense all these things without [being affected] by them. It will neither grow nor be diminished, but it can sense everything. Therefore, we must be reverent. These are “conditioned phenomena that reveal all kinds of appearances.” From these “conditioned phenomena” we can see various appearances. So, please be mindful and manifest this sense of dignity as a way to set an example.

Yesterday’s sutra passage stated,

“After those Buddhas crossed into extinction, those who made offerings to Their sariras built millions of kinds of stupas made of gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, carnelian, rose quartz, beryl and other gems.”

These are all worldly treasures. If people want to benefit others, they will not be attached to those treasures. If they are willing to offer them up to benefit others, that will also bring them merits.

The next sutra passage talks about “pure and glorious adornments.” These people had already offered up all these precious belongings. Their goal was, with the purest mindset, to do something that benefits future generations.

Even if it is Dharma-semblance, it still benefits future generations. Even though they have been constantly damaged, we can imagine how, in that era, those beautiful adornments, statues and so on [revealed] such dignity. These tangible things were magnificently sculpted and decorated; they are truly worthy of our respect.

“Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.”

Glorious adornments are made from all kind of materials. For instance, wood is needed for stupas. Stones and other building materials may also be used for different purposes. Temples are built with stones and other materials as well. Buddha statues may be sculpted out of gold, or “sandalwood, agarwood.” These are fragrant types of wood that are of a very high quality. Also used are “bricks, clay and the like.” Perhaps they used bricks. Perhaps they started with a pile of clay. Perhaps they carved it into the mountainside. These are different ways of making statues. “Pure and glorious adornments” [manifest] when we apply a very pure mindset toward building something.

Pure and glorious adornments: When the body is free of the transgression of evil actions and the mind free of the defilements of afflictions, we will be pure in body and mind. With a pure mind and pure thoughts, we manifest respectful and glorious adornments from our minds for external conditions.

When we talk about a pure mindset, we are talking about our bodies and minds. The purity of the body comes from being free of transgressions. Spiritual practitioners must not act inappropriately. If we act inappropriately, we cannot be regarded as spiritual practitioners. Not only will we be looked down upon by others, we will even disrupt the [harmony] in the monastery. Not only will we disrupt the [harmony] of the monastery, but we will also cause harm to the Buddha-Dharma. The [bad] karma we create will be very severe.

Therefore, we must work to cultivate our bodies. This is not about building a golden statue. This is not about using high-quality wood or gold to create something. To truly manifest the body of the Buddha, we must do so through the actions of our bodies. This is how we dignify the Buddha-Dharma. This is what our bodies must be like.

What about our minds? “The mind [must be] free of the defilements of afflictions.” As for our minds, I always say that afflictions are the source of our mental defilements. Once they arise, [we are filled with] greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. For a very long time prior to this, afflictions and defilements have been in our minds. Perhaps our faith has not been deeply rooted. Perhaps we have been proud and arrogant, so after listening to the Dharma for a long time, we think we know everything.

Though the Buddha received Sariputra’s three requests for teachings, when He was finally about to teach, 5000 people left the assembly. The Buddha was sitting on the Dharma-throne. He was about to give the teachings that. He had safeguarded in His mind for over 40 years. Because sentient beings had been incapable of accepting this Great Dharma, the Buddha held on to it and kept it in His mind. Then as He was about to teach it, some people actually stood up, paid their respects and then left. How could that have happened? Because of their afflictions, pride, arrogance and doubt.

Their faith was not deeply rooted. They thought, “I fully understand everything the Buddha has taught.” This is arrogance. “Is there any Dharma better than what I have already learned? Is there?” This is doubt. When our minds are [filled with] afflictions and defilements, our minds are impure. When we engage in spiritual practice, the most important thing is to eliminate these mental afflictions.

“The Dharma is like water; it washes away the mind’s defilements.” As I keep telling you, if we take the Dharma to heart, our heart will be free of defilements and cannot be contaminated. Then it will be like a great, perfect mirror. Even as your mirror reflects life’s ups and downs, and the beautifully scenery fading away, changing cyclically and so on, even as it reflects everything clearly, your mirror remains unaffected. Our diligence and indolence are both vividly reflected in this mirror. Diligent people will advance themselves. Indolent people will regress themselves. However, they will not affect the mirror. So, the Buddha hopes we can be pure, starting with our bodies and minds.

Spiritual practitioners pay particular attention to the mind and body, to the actions of their bodies and the thoughts that arise in their minds. So, our minds must transcend the defilement of afflictions. This brings purity to our minds. We can, “with pure minds and pure thoughts manifest respectful and glorious adornments from our minds for external conditions.”

In our practice of the Dharma, we work “for Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.” To help sentient beings realize the Dharma, we must give it respectful and glorious adornments. We need a dignified spiritual practice center. The most important thing at this center is the practitioners’ air of spiritual refinement. That is a “respectful and glorious adornment.” Otherwise even if we build many temples, even if they are very dignified, big and expansive, decorated with silver, gold and so on, if the spiritual practitioners inside have impure bodies and minds, there are no “respectful and glorious adornments.” We must be mindful [to create] “pure and glorious adornments.” When we spiritual practitioners are pure, then our practice center will be pure.

Living in this spiritual practice center, we need to return to the era of the Buddha when people learned the Dharma with a pure mind. When we sincerely engage in spiritual practice, we will attain [realizations]. To have “pure and glorious adornments,” the most important thing to cultivate is our minds. This is why we must always be mindful.