Category: TLS Chapter 1

Episode 124 – Sons of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha

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>> The spiritual states of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who have all attained the realization of Dharmakaya, with its perfected precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberation’s understanding and views.

>> The first son was named Existing-Intention; the second, Good-Intention; the third, Immeasurable-Intention; the fourth, Jeweled-Intention; the fifth, Increasing-Intention. The first was named Existing-Intention. When the eye-consciousness sees forms, it can discern the suffering of cyclic existence. Therefore, it leads to the joys of Nirvana.

>> Good-Intention means that when “the ear-consciousness hears sounds it can discern good and evil transcend all afflictions and penetrate the Six Dusts.”

>> The third was named Immeasurable-Intention. The nose-consciousness smells scents, which are intangible and immeasurable and cannot be destroyed or disarrayed.

>> The fourth is named Treasured-Intention. When the tongue-consciousness tastes flavors, it fuels physical life. It also has unobstructed abilities of eloquence to declare the world-transcending Dharma-treasure.

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The spiritual states of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who have all attained the realization of Dharmakaya, with its perfected precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberation’s understanding and views.

This is the spiritual state of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

As practitioners, we must first understand that as long as we form great aspirations and make great vows, we will all have the Fivefold Dharmakaya. We must practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, this is our fundamental responsibility. If we do not uphold precepts, how can we say we are spiritual practitioners? Since we have formed aspirations and made vows, we must take the path to perfect enlightenment. This path has its own rules. If we do not follow the rules, we are not following the precepts. If we want to walk on this path, we must first follow its precepts. So, precepts are a protection; they protect and nurture our wisdom-life. So, with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, Samadhi is very important, and only wisdom can lead to liberation.

We have already said that there was not just one Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. There was another Buddha also named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. And then there was another Buddha, and on to 20,000 Buddhas, all sharing the same path. Their spiritual states are the same. To start on this path, one must have precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. In this way, all Buddhas share the same path. As I previously said, the last of the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas was also a king. Later he became a monastic and engaged in spiritual practice, He had eight sons, eight princes. When they saw their father become a monastic and then attain perfect, supreme and universal enlightenment, they were touched and joyful. So, they also followed their father’s footsteps and became monastics. Actually, these “eight sons” are used to illustrate the pure intrinsic nature of the “mind-king” and how the stirring of just one ignorant thought gives rise to the Three Subtleties and the workings of the Eight Consciousnesses. I hope you will seek to mindfully understand this.

The names of the eight children all have the word “intention” in them. So, now let us learn the names of the eight sons.

The first son was named Existing-Intention; the second, Good-Intention; the third, Immeasurable-Intention; the fourth, Jeweled-Intention; the fifth, Increasing-Intention. The first was named Existing-Intention. When the eye-consciousness sees forms, it can discern the suffering of cyclic existence. Therefore, it leads to the joys of Nirvana.

The name of the first son was Existing-Intention, which refers to the eye and eye-consciousness. Ordinary people’s eye-consciousness connects to external conditions and observes forms and appearances which stirs the mind. But when the consciousness of the “mind-king” begins to connect with this condition, it is no longer using the eye-consciousness of unenlightened beings. Because the eight princes first saw that Buddha became a monastic and attained perfect and universal enlightenment and only then aspired to spiritual practice, this shows that their eye-consciousness was unlike that of ordinary people.

I often say, “in these times, “we must clearly discern right from wrong.” This begins with our views and understanding. If a person is awakened, his eye-consciousness, his views and understanding, “can discern the suffering of cyclic existence.” He can discern the difference. Those who have already awakened see the foolishness of sentient beings. These pitiable people do not understand that impermanence can strike at any instant and is all around them. They spend all day in conflict and turmoil because they are constantly striving for fame, wealth and status and to fulfill their desires. They are truly pitiable! They should recognize that life is full of the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death. Those who have already awakened see that the world is filled with suffering and know they need to practice the path. They are already awakened.

[They know that] suffering in the world comes from the accumulation of various causes. How do they bring suffering to “cessation”? To resolve the “causation,” they need to find a method to eliminate it. This means being aware and aspiring to become awakened. Then their bodies and minds can focus on this path and never stray from it. Thus, they can be diligent. By having the will to practice, they can be diligent and attain “the joys of Nirvana.” They have transcended disruptive afflictions; when their minds are on the path, naturally they are happy and at ease, which are states of Nirvana. Nirvana is a state of stillness and tranquility, in which the mind is completely at peace. It is a truly clear and bright state.

So, eye-consciousness is called Existing-Intention. It sees everything in the world, all forms and things. It sees people, matters, objects and principles; that is why “Existing” is part of its name. All these are contained within the principles. So, it is called Existing-Intention. This is the name of the first prince. The name of the second son was Good-Intention.

Good-Intention means that when “the ear-consciousness hears sounds it can discern good and evil transcend all afflictions and penetrate the Six Dusts.”

Hearers listen to the Dharma to understand its content. The sounds we hear can help our ignorant minds become open and understanding. If we want to understand the Dharma, we need our ear-root to hear sounds. So, when we engage in spiritual practice, what words do our ears hear? When we unenlightened beings hear people praise us, we are very happy. When we hear people criticize us, we are very angry. But people who have been liberated can discern good and evil in what they hear and will not be affected by conflict. On the other hand, when people praise us or say something pleasing, an ignorant thought arises and we are influenced by what we heard. Sounds and forms make us unable to discern good and evil. We cannot tell the difference between the Way and a trap.

The awakened people on this path will clearly understand what they hear and put into practice the things that should be done. They guard against things that should not be done by using the precepts. Our thoughts should not be stirred by what we hear. [The purpose of] the Dharma is to calm the mind. Right Dharma will never agitate the mind. So, when we hear sounds, we need to clearly discern good and evil. People who are awakened can do this already. They “transcend all afflictions and penetrate the Six Dusts.” They can surpass these.

Even though they live among the Six Dusts, where eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body- and mind- consciousness correspond with the [dusts] of form, sound, smell, taste, touch and mental phenomena. Our ears connect with the external environment. When the eyes see and the ears hear things in our external environment, we need to discern them very clearly and transcend them. We should not be bound by all the phenomena of the world. So, this is how we “can transcend all afflictions.” Therefore, once all afflictions have been surpassed, we re-enter [the world of] the Six Dusts. We do so to awaken the self and others, to go among people to transform sentient beings.

We engage in spiritual practice to push these bothersome things to the side and walk forward on a clear path. We do not only walk for ourselves, but we also need to guide everyone onto the enlightened Bodhi-path. This is called “Good-Intention,” a metaphor for ear-consciousness.

The third was named Immeasurable-Intention. The nose-consciousness smells scents, which are intangible and immeasurable and cannot be destroyed or disarrayed.

The third son was named Immeasurable-Intention, which is the nose-consciousness. The nose smells scents from outside. “Quick, look and see where it comes from. Does it smell good or bad?” We may see a flower, so the smell is coming from the flower. Different flowers have different scents. What exactly is the shape of the flower that emits this scent? What kind of scent is this? We analyze the different scents.

“Something stinks! Where is it coming from? Let us look for it! Ah! It is from the dead mouse.” Why does the mouse smell so bad after it dies? Other beings also smell when they die. When we pass away, our bodies will smell really bad! That is why the Buddha tells us, “contemplate the body as impure.” So, when we talk about nose-consciousness, it [detects] something that is intangible and immeasurable. We smell [these scents] because of this nose. Awakened people will not be tempted by scents. We have already attained realizations. Awakened people can discern intangible and immeasurable things such as scents. Scents cannot be destroyed or disarrayed. If we want to know what a scent is, we need to analyze the object. Where do we find it? It is the mouse! And why does it smell bad? Let us try to take out the smell. Can we remove it? No, we cannot. Because even though the bad smell exists, it is intangible and immeasurable. It exists everywhere. No matter how far away the [scent] is, it will come to us; we will still smell it. Everything has its own smell. Everything has its own flavor. So, this is called Immeasurable-Intention, something we intrinsically have.

Since it is intangible and immeasurable, of course, it cannot be destroyed. We cannot find a way to [physically] take it apart, either. So, it cannot be destroyed or disarrayed. Since it cannot be found, we can surpass it and then will not be tempted by it.

The fourth is named Treasured-Intention. When the tongue-consciousness tastes flavors, it fuels physical life. It also has unobstructed abilities of eloquence to declare the world-transcending Dharma-treasure.

The fourth son is named Treasured-Intention, which is related to the tongue. The tongue-consciousness tastes flavors. Because we want our bodies to be healthy, we eat with our mouths and taste with our tongue. So, “the tongue-consciousness knows flavors.” To understands what is in our mouth, we chew the food carefully before swallowing it. It enters our bodies and prolongs our lives. If we did not have a mouth or tongue, I do not know how we could keep living.

Next is “unobstructed abilities of eloquence.” The mouth is not just used for eating, but also for speaking. Unenlightened people gossip but noble beings use “unobstructed abilities of eloquence to declare the world-transcending Dharma-treasure.” How do we transcend the world? How do we attain liberation? How do we eliminate afflictions? We also have to make an effort to understand the principles realized by the Buddha. To clearly distinguish phenomena and principles, we must understand principles through phenomena and deal with phenomena based on principles. This has to be explained to us, that is why we need people with unobstructed abilities of eloquence.

There are people who understand principles, but they do not know how to explain it. They find it hard to speak, like a mute who suffers in silence. “Clearly the principles are behind me. Clearly the thing I want to do is right. But you wish to go about another way, which is the wrong thing to do. I want to do this instead, but I cannot express it.” This is truly very taxing. If we know the principles but cannot clearly explain the phenomena, the principles are not apparent [to others]. Therefore, we need unobstructed abilities of eloquence. Once we have this, we can express things verbally.

Fellow Bodhisattvas, when we practice, we must have a firm spiritual aspiration. We choose our own paths, and since we know this is a good one, we have aspired to become monastics, just like the eight princes. They knew this was a great path, so they also wanted to become monastics. Once we become monastics, once we have chosen this path, we turn consciousness into wisdom. We do so by changing the way our consciousnesses connect with external conditions. So, I hope we can always be mindful!

Episode 123 – The Supreme Mind-king is Within Everyone

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>> Sentient beings do not understand the Buddha-mind and cannot realize the Buddha’s wisdom, so they cycle through the Six Realms without pause. The Buddha used the Three Vehicles to help [everyone], from ordinary to noble beings, realize the Buddha’s wisdom.

>> There was another Buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. And then another Buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. There were 20,000 Buddhas all with the same name, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. They also had the same surname, Bharadvaja.

>> ” Maitreya, you should know that all of those Buddhas, from the first to last, had the same name of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant.”

>> There were so many Buddhas who had these same ten epithets and taught the excellence of the beginning, middle and end. Before the last of Them became a monastic, he had eight princes.

>> The phenomenon we are discussing: Lamp Radiant was a wheel-turning sage king when he was a layperson and actually had eight sons. Even though this can seem like a representation, the following text mentions that the eighth son became a Buddha and was named Burning Lamp.

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Sentient beings do not understand the Buddha-mind and cannot realize the Buddha’s wisdom, so they cycle through the Six Realms without pause. The Buddha used the Three Vehicles to help [everyone], from ordinary to noble beings, realize the Buddha’s wisdom.

We talk about the Buddha-mind every day, but can we really understand His mind? If we do not understand the Buddha-mind, we cannot realize the Buddha’s wisdom. So, we then cycle through the Six Realms, without respite. The Buddha, in His compassion, continuously teaches all sentient beings of varying capabilities. He uses all kinds of methods to teach according to their capabilities to open up their views and understandings. So, the Buddha continuously employs the teachings of the Three Vehicles. As I said, He uses the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, but He originally intended to teach the Bodhisattva-path.

He wanted us to awaken not just from the cycle of rebirth, but also awaken to the need of going into this world to help transform all sentient beings. The Buddha’s manifestation in the world had taught for over 40 years. But how many people out of those who eagerly gathered to hear Him speak at the. Vulture Peak could truly comprehend Him? Taking advantage of this gathering, Manjusri and Maitreya started a dialog in which. Manjusri described how. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha appeared in this world and taught the people of that time the goodness of the beginning, middle and end with various methods. He did this to enable those sentient beings who had not planted roots of goodness to plant them, those roots that had not matured to mature, those whose roots had matured to be liberated.

The liberation He spoke of is an opening of the mind. To have no self-centered afflictions is to open the mind. The Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha was like this, and He was not the only one.

There was another Buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. And then another Buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. There were 20,000 Buddhas all with the same name, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. They also had the same surname, Bharadvaja.

People may think that a single Buddha remains in the world for a very long time. But then there was a second and a third. Not only that, there were 20,000 Buddhas all with the same name and surname. Just how much time did They cover? I think that when we hear the teachings, we have to experience their meaning. My experience is that “sun” and “moon” represent “wisdom” and “compassion, lamp” represents the “illumination” which can lead sentient beings in the right direction. This has to be done again and again, with great perseverance. Because sentient beings have not attained wisdom, their minds are in darkness. So, they need a lamp to show them the way. What was the method used again and again? One of perfect wisdom and compassion. The number 20,000 also signifies perfect attainment. Thus, we should comprehend the meaning of 20,000 Buddhas.

“Saints have no names, only their virtues are evident.” True saints have no attachments to their names. When we say there are so many Buddhas with the same name, so many Buddhas with the same virtues, it is only a comparison. If we can understand the Buddha’s heart, we can then comprehend His wisdom. If we can realize His wisdom and exercise it, then we need not cycle endlessly through the Six Realms. Out of His compassion, the Buddha uses different ways to lead us. But He only has one purpose, for all people to completely realize their intrinsic Buddha-nature.

So, at this juncture, Manjusri called on Maitreya once again; this shows that their hearts were united. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are closely connected. “Since you ask me, I will tell you.” Since he was speaking to Maitreya, He called on him once again. 

” Maitreya, you should know that all of those Buddhas, from the first to last, had the same name of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant.”

Calling to Maitreya was using fitting conditions. It reminded everybody to listen carefully. This shows [Manjusri’s] wisdom, as he worried those who had been listening for a long time may have lost focus. Some were curious and kept wondering, “Why is the Buddha emitting light?” Because they had questions and their interest in receiving Dharma had waned, he called on Maitreya again, to remind everybody to refocus and to listen carefully.

After the first Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha, there was a second, a third, another 10,000. In the end, 20,000 Buddhas had the same name. Why? [They] were all endowed with ten epithets. 

There were so many Buddhas who had these same ten epithets and taught the excellence of the beginning, middle and end. Before the last of Them became a monastic, he had eight princes.

This tells us that each of these Buddhas, these 20,000 Buddhas who appeared in this world, must be endowed with ten epithets, like Tathagata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfect in Wisdom and Action, [and so on]; we can all recite them. These [represent] the Buddha’s virtues. Because He possesses virtues, He has these epithets. These epithets are shared by all Buddhas. Every Buddha must perfect the ten virtues. So, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas of the past, even though there are 20,000 of them, all have the same epithets, name and surname. These are manifested virtues. In the past, present and future, they absolutely have to have these virtues and be fully endowed with them in order to be worthy of being called a Buddha, a Great Enlightened One. So, They must be endowed with the ten epithets and teach the excellence of the beginning, middle and end.

This is the same. Before the last of the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas became a monastic, he had eight princes. These princes are also analogies for teaching. We must understand this clearly.

The “eight princes” represent the Eight Consciousnesses. The Buddha represents the “mind-king.” This is a metaphor. The [eight princes] is an analogy for “the mind-king in bonds, which transforms into Eight Consciousnesses. The eight princes are all called ‘intentions.'” Each of their names contain the word “intention.” The eight princes each have a name and all eight names contain the word “intention.” So, this is a way to conceal the obvious and reveal the hidden. We conceal the Dharma in the discussion of this matter.

The eight princes represent the Eight Consciousnesses. Previously, I have explained how the five sense organs connect with the five sense objects to give rise to the five consciousnesses, which converge in the mind-consciousness. The five sense objects are experienced when the five roots of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, connect to them. Then everything comes together in the mind. The mind makes discernments about the external conditions. We have talked about this often. Besides the six consciousnesses, there are the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. We unenlightened beings are stuck at the eighth consciousness, which is karmic-consciousness.

Since the Buddha represents “the mind-king,” it is the king that gives rise to “the eight princes.” What is “the mind-king”? You have often heard me mention that after the eighth consciousness is the ninth consciousness. So, we have to realize that we all have the same intrinsic nature as the Buddha.

We discuss phenomena as representations of the Dharma concealed within. The representation here is a father who begot eight sons. Using representations is a way for us to discuss [Dharma] using phenomena.

The phenomenon we are discussing: Lamp Radiant was a wheel-turning sage king when he was a layperson and actually had eight sons. Even though this can seem like a representation, the following text mentions that the eighth son became a Buddha and was named Burning Lamp.

Lamp Radiant was a wheel-turning sage king when he was a layperson. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha was also a king when he was a layperson. Before he became a monastic, he was a wheel-turning sage king, the leader of a country. He had eight sons. Before he became a monastic, he had eight sons, eight princes. Even though he had eight sons, his story as a layperson is similar [to Sakyamuni’s].

So, this section (of the sutra) is used to reveal this. After the “eight sons” were mentioned, a very long sutra passage follows. So, right now we are first going to illustrate this with a story. Manjusri Bodhisattva delayed speaking the principles by first presenting the situation. When the very last Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha was a layperson he had eight children. This was the story.

Actually, all phenomena arises from the mind. The mind is the king of all phenomena, so it is called “the mind-king.” I have just said that a Buddha is analogous to the mind-king. The mind-king is a Buddha because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. All phenomena arise from the mind. A Buddha has realized the truth of all things in the universe, which is that everything arises from the mind. So, because all phenomena arise from the mind, the mind is the king of all phenomena. Indeed, all phenomena are created by the mind. The mind-king can understand all phenomena. All phenomena are created by the mind, so it is called the king of all phenomena. The king of all phenomena is our mind, so it is called “the mind-king.”

Originally the mind is a single embodiment; it is divided into eight consciousnesses of use. Even though there are differences in function, its embodiment is still of one nature. What is this embodiment? One-nature. But this one-nature that we all intrinsically have, this intrinsic awakened nature, has turned into ignorance and has given rise to the Three Subtleties. Because one ignorant thought arose, our clear and pure nature was scattered and became the Eight Consciousnesses.

So, earlier we spoke of the truth of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. Suffering arises because humans live in this world and are focused on their afflictions. Everyone has many afflictions, attachments, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. This creates a lot of suffering in this world. Life is full of suffering. So, how do we eliminate this suffering? How do human beings come to be? The Buddha then further explained the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. That first ignorant thought also arose from the mind-king. Its embodiment is still of one nature. Even though there are differences in functions, the embodiment is of one nature, but separated into eight consciousnesses. We have to make an effort to realize this.

If we can thoroughly comprehend the Dharma expounded by the Buddha and be mindful, we will not let down the Buddha, who continues to return to this world on the ship of compassion. His one great cause has always been to “open and reveal” [teachings]. He continues to wait for the multitude of sentient beings to comprehend the Dharma He taught. [The Buddha] opened and revealed [the Dharma] for us to realize and enter it. But are sentient beings attaining realizations? Has the Dharma entered their hearts? I hope we will first self-reflect on this because our mind-king is waiting for us to self-reflect. Just how much we have understood? If we have not yet reflected on our self-nature, we may still be in the Eight Consciousnesses, wandering aimlessly, continuously creating karma out of confusion.

So, we must understand that all phenomena arise from the mind. The mind is the king of all phenomena, I hope we can understand this [sutra passage] and engrave it deeply into our minds so we can experience and discover our mind-king. Everyone can become a Buddha; the Buddha abides in each of our minds. We all have this awakened, intrinsic nature, so we must always be mindful!

Episode 122 – Regard Precepts as Teachers

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>> Contemplate feelings as suffering. Contemplate the mind as impermanent. Contemplate all things as having no self.

>> The mindfulness of the body is. The mindfulness of the body is to “contemplate that this physical body is completely impure.”

>>2. Mindfulness of feelings. Contemplate that experiencing positive and negative feelings all lead to suffering.

>>3. The mindfulness of the mind. Contemplate that consciousness is impermanent, constantly arising and ceasing.

>>4. The mindfulness of phenomena. Contemplate that all things arise from causes and conditions and has no [permanent] self.

>> Live in the Fourfold Mindfulness. Regard precepts as teachers to understand the wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma. Go and practice among people to promote the Bodhisattva-path.

>>Bharadvaja is translated as “sharp capabilities.” It is one of the 18 great Brahmin surnames.

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Every day, we have to constantly alert ourselves that another day is passing. This moment is the start of another day. At the beginning of each day, we must seize that moment and make good use of time. By making use of time, we will not lose our spiritual aspiration, which we must maintain at all times.

Earlier, I talked about how. Manjusri Bodhisattva used the moment the Buddha manifested light as a skillful way to talk about. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha and how He also came to this world and manifested [amazing] appearances before teaching the Dharma. Using the name of. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha as an illustration, he made everyone aware that the Buddha came to this world to teach according to the capabilities of sentient beings. But from the start, the Buddha wanted everyone to know that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, that everyone has the same potential to reach a state of mind equal to His. But, sentient beings could not comprehend this. So, He wanted people everywhere to attain all-encompassing wisdom.

The majority of us think that being a Buddhist is about asking for the Buddha’s blessing or the Bodhisattvas’ protection. We ask for recognition and wealth, a longer lifespan and so on. We believe that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are here to respond to the desires of sentient beings. On the contrary, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to teach sentient beings to eliminate desires and cleanse the mind of greed. This is the goal of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas when they come to this world to teach.

Think about how, in life, some people keep pursuing things but are never satisfied. Some people do not ask for anything. “I am content. I am joyful. I am happy. I have enough.” So, isn’t this the way to be peaceful and at ease? So, we Buddhist practitioners must constantly live in the Fourfold Mindfulness. We must carefully guard our minds. Aside from learning about suffering, its causes, its cessation and the path to its cessation through the Four Noble Truths, we have to also live in the Fourfold Mindfulness.

Everyone should know the Fourfold Mindfulness. Contemplate the body as impure.

Contemplate feelings as suffering. Contemplate the mind as impermanent. Contemplate all things as having no self.

All of us should understand these principles. We must remember to contemplate and self-reflect.

The mindfulness of the body is. The mindfulness of the body is to “contemplate that this physical body is completely impure.”

Our body is normally protected by our skin. But if we get ulcers from an internal imbalance of the four elements, or if we accidentally cut ourselves, the wound may fester. Then this body will be one of the most foul-smelling things in the world. So, we should contemplate the body as impure. Even the best foods we eat will still become feces. Every day, we need to have bowel movements, otherwise we will become ill. Therefore, what should we provide for this body?

Even expensive clothing is still only used for covering our bodies and keeping ourselves warm in the winter. That is all. ․Do we really need something like mink fur or animal skin to cover our whole body to keep warm? Some think those wearing mink are the most noble. They live a confused life. They only strive for things for the sake of this impure body in terms of food, clothing, shelter and so on. For the sake of this body, think about how much we have toiled and how hard we have worked. If we keep thinking, “I want this, I want that,” then we must quickly reflect and contemplate the body as impure. Next is the Mindfulness of Feelings.

2. Mindfulness of feelings. Contemplate that experiencing positive and negative feelings all lead to suffering.

To contemplate feelings as suffering, look at the positive and negative feelings we experience. When our minds encounter people, environments, matters or objects, a good experience will lead us to feel happy. We are satisfied when things go our way and feel very happy. With those who rub us the wrong way or those with whom we lack an affinity, we feel very unhappy. This is how anger, hate and enmity begin with our experiences of feelings.

3. The mindfulness of the mind. Contemplate that consciousness is impermanent, constantly arising and ceasing.

The third is the mindfulness of the mind. We must contemplate our minds. I talked about before how the first six consciousnesses perceive external conditions for the seventh consciousness to process. After we start to take action, that is stored in our eighth consciousness. In other words, before the eighth consciousness, there are the seventh, sixth and fifth etc. When we are mindful of these, [we see that] they are constantly arising and ceasing. So, we must constantly contemplate how thoughts arise, abide, change and cease. Our minds can give rise to a happy thought, then we change our minds and become unhappy. We may give rise to a good aspiration, but soon we become lazy and create karma again. This is the workings of the mind. The mindfulness of mind means that [we know thoughts] constantly arise and cease.

4. The mindfulness of phenomena. Contemplate that all things arise from causes and conditions and has no [permanent] self.

The fourth is the mindfulness of phenomena, to contemplate all things as having no self. We have to carefully observe all things in the world. For the sake of our bodies, we crave and toil and suffer. Is it worth it? In the end, don’t we all go through birth, aging, illness and death? This is what we need to contemplate. This is a law of this world, that no material object in the world of physical existence will last forever, including our minds. Even our thoughts are not firm and unchanging.

Below the eighth consciousness, everything we do follows the principles of impermanence, constantly arising and ceasing. Not only is everything impermanent, fundamentally, everything is Empty. So, “contemplate all things as having no self.” Is there a “self” that exists? There is not. So, we should understand the Fourfold Mindfulness as four kinds of contemplation in our minds. If we can thoroughly comprehend our body, our feelings, the arising and ceasing of our mind-consciousness, and all things in the world, we are living in the Fourfold Mindfulness.

The Fourfold Mindfulness makes us more vigilant. Do we need to take issue with others? With Right Thinking, Right Views and Right Dharma, shouldn’t we appreciate what we have? Do we really need to ask for more? Do we really need to ask that everything happens as we wish? The things in this world that satisfy us now are impermanent and have no self. Why should we spend so much time on taking these small side roads? Why can’t we peacefully abide in the mindfulness of Right Dharma? So, being mindful of Right Dharma begins with contemplating the body, the mind and surrounding matters and objects. Then we are truly learning the Dharma. In this way, we can then follow precepts. We must “regard precepts as teachers.”

When the Buddha was in this world, He had to enter Parinirvana at some point. So, Ananda asked the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, even when You are in this world, there are six groups of bhiksus that are difficult to subdue. After You enter Parinirvana, what will happen to this Sangha? Who will we rely on as our spiritual teacher?” The Buddha then said, “Regard precepts as teachers.” Everyone has to follow the rules. They are our best teachers. So, I often say that everyone has to follow systems and rules. In this way, we will not go astray.

We also have to understand Great Vehicle Dharma. The Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra to set aside skillful means and reveal the true Dharma, which is the Great Vehicle Dharma. So, we have to work hard to understand this Right Dharma of the Great Vehicle. The Buddha came to this world for this great cause, for these subtle and wondrous principles. So, let us begin to prepare our minds to carefully receive the Buddha’s wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma.

Actually, to be clear, the Buddha’s Great Vehicle Dharma solely teaches the Bodhisattva-path. In the sutra, the text talks about needing to practice among people. The Bodhisattva-path is not about avoiding people; it is about interacting with people. So, when we promote the Bodhisattva-path, this is very important.

Live in the Fourfold Mindfulness. Regard precepts as teachers to understand the wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma. Go and practice among people to promote the Bodhisattva-path.

The Buddha diligently taught for over 40 years. This took a lot of hard work. Within those teachings, He concealed the wondrous Dharma in the hope that everyone could find their own intrinsic nature. But they were stuck on awakening only themselves. Those with these limited capabilities and wisdom could only be taught limited teachings. They truly failed to live up to the Buddha’s forty-plus years of hard work.

So, now I will tell the story of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. In the past, He manifested in this world and was named “Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant.” He came to this world to expound the Dharma according to sentient beings’ capabilities. He also taught the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. In His name, “sun” represents wisdom, “moon” represents compassion, and “lamp” represents illumination. He applies wisdom, compassion and illumination to guide sentient beings on a certain course, which is a path of right understanding and right view.

Next is the beginning of the story of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. This is a supreme and wondrous teaching. Not only was there one such Buddha who came to this world to expound the Dharma countless kalpas ago, later there continued to be other Buddhas. “Then, there was another Buddha, also named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant.” He also had the same name, He was called “Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. Then, there was another Buddha, also named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant.” ․You see, there have already been many Buddhas in the past. “There were 20,000 Buddhas, all with the same name.” Not only did these Buddhas share the same path, they also shared the same name, “Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant, and also the same surname, Bharadvaja.”

This shows that altogether there were 20,000 Buddhas with the same name and even the same surname. They had the same name, surname and teachings, which were supreme and wondrous.

This shows us that our Buddha-nature has been intrinsic since ancient times. For an incalculable amount of time, our self-nature has been perfect and radiant. This perfect, radiant and natural Buddha-nature was shared by all Buddhas. They were all called by this name [because of] the wisdom, compassion and illumination of. Their intrinsic nature. So, They had the same name and surname, which was “Bharadvaja.”

At that time in India, Bharadvaja meant “sharp capabilities” and is sometimes translated as such. Sharp capabilities refers to supreme wisdom, which is supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment.

Bharadvaja is translated as “sharp capabilities.” It is one of the 18 great Brahmin surnames.

In ancient India, Brahmins were very arrogant. One Brahmin said, “I am the most enlightened. I have the sharpest capabilities and am the wisest.” As Manjusri Bodhisattva was also in India at that time, because the Vulture Peak assembly was in India, He used their noblest and wisest tribe to describe these [Buddhas].

Therefore everyone, as Buddhist practitioners, we really have to have consideration for our spiritual training ground and always abide in it. Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we want to live in the Fourfold Mindfulness. We contemplate the body as impure, and know it is a vessel for spiritual cultivation. We must not use this body to create all kinds of karma. We must know how to really go among and interact with people to really and truly help them. This is what truly gives value to our bodies. We must “live in the Fourfold Mindfulness” and “regard precepts and virtues as teachers.”

We need to seek and understand the wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma. It will open the way for us to go among people to promote the Right Dharma and uphold the Bodhisattva-path. This is the true goal of learning the Dharma. So everyone, please always be mindful.

Episode 121 – Walk the Great Bodhi-Path

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>> The Three Principles and Four States are a part of all things. The meaning that can arise from this is the wisdom to differentiate between all of the different kinds of paths. Thus it is called all-encompassing wisdom. It is also called wondrous enlightened wisdom. If one enlightens oneself and others and has perfect enlightened conduct, one has attained all-encompassing wisdom.

>> The Four Truths, Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence and Six Paramitas. Though teachings of the Three Vehicles differ, the World-Honored One’s intention is the same, solely to enable them to attain unsurpassed Bodhi and achieve all-encompassing wisdom.

>> These are the noble beings of the Three Vehicles. They hear the Buddha expound the Dharma, perfect the ultimate and attain all-encompassing wisdom.

>>Manjusri cleverly discussed [the methods] that helped practitioners of the Two Vehicles at the Dharma-assembly self-reflect. For forty years, they enjoyed the Small Vehicle teachings and were attached to and biased toward emptiness. They failed to live up to the wish that the World-Honored One had for sentient beings to attain all-encompassing wisdom. This lasted for a long time.

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As we engage in spiritual practice in our daily living, whether we are moving or still, all we do must be in accordance with the Dharma. In the Buddha’s lifetime, one day, when He was at the bamboo grove outside Rajagrha, He was invited to go into the city to give teachings to the people there. As He was exiting the city, He encountered a cattle herder with a whip in his hand. As the cattle herder yelled and raised the whip, his herd of cattle began to move forward.

[The Buddha] observed that this herd of cattle only obeyed orders from the herder. As they moved forward, these cattle fought with each other, so some made loud noises. The Buddha saw these cattle’s behaviors as. He walked on the side of the road. He lamented, “People and sentient beings are deluded and without awareness.” He sighed regretfully and continued forward on the road back to His abode.

After He entered and washed His hands and feet, He sat down and meditated. Ananda saw that He seemed to have something on His mind that He wanted to share. So, he waited until the Buddha came out of His state of Samadhi. Ananda then respectfully paid respect to Him and said, “Venerable Buddha. As You were just exiting the city and saw that the herd of cattle, You seemed to have something on Your mind. You sighed as you spoke. There must be some Dharma that the Buddha wants to teach us.” The Buddha sighed and said, “Oh Ananda, you also saw that herd of cattle, right?” Ananda replied, “Yes.”

The Buddha said, “You see, those cattle are driven by the cattle herder to remote areas outside the city to graze. This is how he puts them out to pasture. Then in the afternoon, he herds them back. Did you see these cattle? They ate and drank their fill of grass and water, but they still listened to the herder’s calls and followed him wherever he went. Within the herd, the cattle fought with each other and some of them made noises. Are those sounds of sadness or joy?”

“See, the lives of these cattle are growing shorter day by day, but they are not aware of this. But people are just like them, regardless of whether they are butchers or ranchers, even if they own lots of things, the same applies to them. Any blessings they have are constantly depleted as their karma is continuously increasing. They also are unknowing and unaware. I was lamenting that sentient beings live in a state of sadness and suffering.” ․”but are unaware of it. They live very short-sighted lives. I lament over when people will truly awaken.”

This time, the Buddha used the cattle and the way they entered the city as an explanation. He lamented that in life, sentient beings live and die without any awareness. They are accumulating karma under these kinds of circumstances with their different ways of living. People live the life of humans. Cattle live the life of cattle. Their circumstances are different, but they are both incredibly foolish. In our lives, if we do not know what is going on around us, we are foolish. Therefore, I often say that the Dharma is not hard to find. It exists in our daily living in ways we should be able to comprehend.

So, I often speak of the Three Principles and Four States. Can our lives be separated from this world? Can our lives be separated from this world of physical existence? Doesn’t everything we face every day appear as material things in this world of physical existence? Even now, as I am speaking to you, as you are sitting in front of me, you are also not separated from material things. As we sit here, over our heads there is a roof, beneath our bodies is the floor. Also, you can see me and hear my voice through the use of these material things.

The lives of people in this world of physical existence are inseparable [from material things]. So, everything we own is subject to the physics of formation, existence, decay and disappearance. When have we ever been separated from this in our daily living? Never. But we are not aware of when things form, exist, decay and disappear. Our body is an intimate part of us, but when is it aging? When is it deteriorating? It changes with birth, aging, illness and death, but we still do not know or realize it.

We have always known that life is impermanent and that time will never stop. We know all this, yet our actions [are to the contrary]. We wake up very early to come to morning recitation and listen to the teachings. [But some say,] “I am too busy and tired. I can’t do this today.” Clearly, they know that the Dharma is very important. How can we practice without following it? Diligence is important. How can we practice without being diligent? However, we cannot control our minds. This is the sad thing about sentient beings. We are not able to maintain our direction.

So, every day of our lives is inseparable from the Three Principles and Four States.

The Three Principles and Four States are a part of all things. The meaning that can arise from this is the wisdom to differentiate between all of the different kinds of paths. Thus it is called all-encompassing wisdom. It is also called wondrous enlightened wisdom. If one enlightens oneself and others and has perfect enlightened conduct, one has attained all-encompassing wisdom.

The Three Principles and Four States are part of all-encompassing wisdom. What is “all-encompassing”? “All-encompassing” refers to everything in the universe, A full understanding of all matters, things and principles is called all-encompassing wisdom, or “the wisdom to differentiate between all of the different kinds of paths.”

I often tell you that there is discerning wisdom and impartial wisdom. I have recently been speaking about how, in these times, we must clearly discern right and wrong. [The ability] to be able to clearly discern right and wrong is called wisdom. Thus, we need to use wisdom to discern what is right, what is wrong, what is the chain of events, how did it happen, how was it created, what will it become, what will be the result etc. This is all included in all-encompassing wisdom.

We need to learn to discern and to understand the difference between all the different kinds of paths. What practices are we cultivating? In our spiritual practice, how do we follow the path? Do we see a wide road and just walk towards it? We still have no sense of what is at the end of this wide road. Are there any forks in the road? Will part of this big road branch off? When we stand at the fork, which way do we go? Can we choose? Perhaps we take a very narrow road of limited capabilities and wisdom. Will this road simply dead end? We do not know.

We need to choose a very clear and steady Middle Way that is not attached to emptiness or existence. With penetrating wisdom of the different paths, we [realize] true emptiness and wondrous existence. All-encompassing wisdom and the wisdom of all paths are very profound and must be comprehended. So, all-encompassing wisdom helps us understand the course of our spiritual practice.

All-encompassing wisdom can also be called “wondrous enlightened wisdom,” an unsurpassed subtle and wondrous wisdom of supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment. How can we reach this level of “wondrous enlightened wisdom”? We must enlighten ourselves and others and have perfect enlightened conduct. This is what all-encompassing wisdom is. Hopefully, everyone can realize all-encompassing wisdom. The Buddha did not want to be the only to be enlightened and understand. He worked hard in the world and was diligent, solely because He hoped for everyone to achieve thorough understanding by bringing the mind and the path together. Then they can walk diligently on this great Bodhi-path.

This is what the Buddha most wished for, and this is also our goal for spiritual practice and the way we engage in spiritual practice. When we hear and can accept the Dharma, we ultimately transform ourselves. With this same Dharma, we can then aspire to transform others. But when we guide others in spiritual practice, we absolutely cannot deviate by using unenlightened methods. If we deviate in our spiritual practice, we will lead people off the right path toward evil and onto the wrong path. This depends on whether our minds have the Right Dharma. As we mentioned before, speaking the Right Dharma, the Dharma of the right path, is very important.

The Four Truths, Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence and Six Paramitas. Though teachings of the Three Vehicles differ, the World-Honored One’s intention is the same, solely to enable them to attain unsurpassed Bodhi and achieve all-encompassing wisdom.

The Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of. Cyclic Existence, and the Six Paramitas, are the Dharma of the Three Vehicles. The Buddha teaches according to capabilities. Although teachings of the Three Vehicles differ, the Buddha’s, the World-Honored One’s, intention is the same. When He gives teachings to one person, He hopes that the person can accept, understand and achieve liberation. He also hopes this person can teach others the same methods. For one person, He has this hope; for many people, He also has the same hope. So, the Buddha’s intention is the same. The methods of His teaching are to help sentient beings truly reflect on their intrinsic nature so the pure and radiant Buddha-nature can manifest. This is the Buddha’s original intent. So, He hopes to enable us to attain unsurpassed Bodhi and achieve all-encompassing wisdom. This is the Buddha’s original intent.

So, this all-encompassing wisdom is something everyone should understand after hearing about it. “The Three Vehicles” can summarize His teachings. The Dharma of the Three Vehicles is divided into the. Small, Middle and Great Vehicles, which are the teachings for. Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas.

These are the noble beings of the Three Vehicles. They hear the Buddha expound the Dharma, perfect the ultimate and attain all-encompassing wisdom.

Whether Small, Middle or. Great Vehicle [teachings], we should be able to understand when we hear the Buddha speak so patiently and diligently. “Manjusri cleverly discussed [the methods].” Manjusri Bodhisattva, when everyone did not yet understand, had a dialogue with Maitreya Bodhisattva. Manjusri Bodhisattva stated that the present and past Buddhas never deviated from these three methods when. They expounded the Dharma for sentient beings.

Manjusri cleverly discussed [the methods] that helped practitioners of the Two Vehicles at the Dharma-assembly self-reflect. For forty years, they enjoyed the Small Vehicle teachings and were attached to and biased toward emptiness. They failed to live up to the wish that the World-Honored One had for sentient beings to attain all-encompassing wisdom. This lasted for a long time.

He described things in this way. This is the wisdom of Manjusri Bodhisattva. He cleverly discussed the methods used by past and present Buddhas to teach sentient beings. The “practitioners of the Two Vehicles at the Dharma-assembly” were Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. They could self-reflect and contemplate what the Buddha taught, such as the Four Noble Truths and Twelve Links. Now to sum things up, He wanted to conclude with the Six Perfections, or the Six Paramitas. If they were Small Vehicle practitioners in the past, they should carefully self-reflect. For the past forty years, everyone had enjoyed and remained at the stage of the Small Vehicle teachings. They “enjoyed the Small Vehicle teachings” and remained at the Four Noble Truths and. Twelve Links. Thus, they were biased and attached to emptiness or to existence. Biases toward either are the Small Vehicle teachings. They failed to live up to the original intent of the World-Honored One for them to attain all-encompassing wisdom.

So, fellow practitioners, we are all abiding in this Dharma. Manjusri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Bodhisattva were concerned that everyone did not understand, so they brought up the past Buddhas. The present Buddha’s original intent was to find ways to teach sentient beings. We, as the ones who are learning the Dharma, must always be mindful.

Episode 120 – The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence

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>> “The result that is felt becomes the cause; the interconnection of causes becomes conditions.”

>> The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence： Ignorance, volitional formation, consciousness, name and form, the Six Roots, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, old age and death.

>> The Buddha manifests in this world for one great cause. According to capabilities and conditions, He gives skillful teachings of the Three Vehicles and explains the Four Truths and Twelve Links.

>> The Buddha manifests in this world for one great cause. According to capabilities and conditions, He gives skillful teachings of the Three Vehicles and explains the Four Truths and Twelve Links. For Bodhisattvas, those with great capabilities, He taught the Six Paramitas to enable them to achieve perfect enlightenment.

>> “For the sake of the Bodhisattvas, He responded by expounding the Six Paramitas, enabling them to realize Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi and attain all-encompassing wisdom.”

>> Bodhisattvas vow to transform self and others, so He expounded the Six Paramitas to them. When they have reached the shore opposite cyclic existence, they have realized supreme, perfect and universal Bodhi and have attained all-encompassing wisdom. They achieve complete Buddhahood.

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The Buddha-Dharma must be part of our daily living. When it is not part of our living, what can we gain from it? Truly we will not be able to get anything. So, we must experience the Buddha-Dharma through our daily living.

“The result that is felt becomes the cause; the interconnection of causes becomes conditions.”

Every day, in the way we live in our daily living, if our thoughts take us on the right course, they are good thoughts, and there will be a good effect. So, sentient beings experience effects, and before effects come the causes. For example, the kinds of seeds we plant determine the kinds of vegetables we harvest. We plant melon seeds to harvest melons, bean to harvest beans. The beans are the effects. The seeds we planted were their causes. So, in our daily living, we must speak good words and create good connections, which can come from praising others for their good deeds. So, good causes and conditions naturally yield good effects. So, “the interconnection of the causes becomes the conditions.” Here, everyone enjoys each other’s company, shares the Buddha-Dharma with each other, and works together in harmony. A monastery like this creates good causes and conditions. Naturally, this came out of a good effect. Results become causes, causes create effects. Causes, conditions, effects and retributions are a cycle. So, we must remember the law of karma in our daily living.

We talked previously about the Four Noble Truths of suffering, causation, cessation, and the Path. Our suffering comes from the accumulation of various causes and conditions. So, the painful results in this world are caused by an accumulation of their causes. How can we transcend these sufferings? Only by understanding that we need to eliminate afflictions and ignorance from our minds. Then we will naturally be on the right course. This is the world-transcending cause and effect. If we can understand this, we can further examine how we came to be in this world. This goes back to the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence.

The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence：Ignorance, volitional formation, consciousness, name and form, the Six Roots, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, old age and death.

We start with ignorance. An ignorant thought is the condition for volitional formation, which is the condition for consciousness, and so on and so forth, until we reach the human realm, where there are feelings and cravings. These continue to entangle us throughout our whole lives as we face aging, illness and death. After this, we bring the karma we created [to our next life]. Again, we start with ignorance and thus this cycle continues. Our consciousness again brings karma from our actions to the next life, [where we develop] the Six Roots and so on. This continues our cyclic existence. This is the “cause” for “contemplating the Twelve Links.” But how can we understand this clearly? How did we come to this life? How will we leave? Why are we continually entangled? This is why we carefully analyze the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. If we can understand the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, we can “realize the principles of Absolute Truth.” At this time, we will clearly understand the principles of Absolute Truth and be called “one who was enlightened through conditions.” A Pratyekabuddha’s method of realization is to “contemplate the Twelve Links.”

We must know that the Buddha manifests in this world for one great cause. Once He is here, He has to adapt to sentient beings’ capabilities. He establishes skillful means and expounds teachings of the Three Vehicles.

The Buddha manifests in this world for one great cause. According to capabilities and conditions, He gives skillful teachings of the Three Vehicles and explains the Four Truths and Twelve Links.

He teaches the Four Noble Truths to Hearers and the Twelve Links of Existence to Pratyekabuddhas. Those with even higher capabilities are Bodhisattvas. They have superior capabilities and are not only attaining liberation for their own sake, but also helping others become more liberated. This is because Bodhisattvas realize that the world is filled with great suffering and sentient beings go through this endless cycle of existence. They realize and recognize this. But what method can they use to awaken others after they are highly awakened themselves? At the time of the Buddha, there were people of three kinds of capabilities practicing together within the monastic community.

One day, the Buddha was in the meditation room at. Jetavana Grove. Several bhiksus came in and told the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, there is a bhikshu named Vaisakha who is expounding the Dharma to everyone in the lecture hall right now.” The Buddha heard this and asked, “What is Vaisakha’s motive for teaching the Dharma?” The bhiksus replied, “He is just sharing his realizations of the Buddha-Dharma with everyone.” The Buddha then asked, “What is everyone’s reaction after hearing it? Everyone is very happy. After listening to. Vaisakha share his insight of the Buddha-Dharma, everyone is very happy.” The Buddha said, “If this is so, when he finishes speaking, please ask him to come to the meditation room.”

After Vaisakha finished speaking, he came and prostrated to the Buddha. The Buddha asked him, “Vaisakha, were you really teaching the Dharma to everyone assembled in the lecture hall?” Vaisakha Bhiksu said, “Yes! Venerable Buddha, after I heard your teaching on the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, I really understood it and felt happy, so I wanted to share the teachings with everyone. But, I also hoped everyone could form great aspirations. I want to encourage everyone with my insights so then we would all encourage each other and share our insights. Similarly, after I shared the happiness that. I attained with everyone, I feel even happier. Venerable Buddha, was I right to do this?”

The Buddha rejoiced and praised him, “Vaisakha, you are right! You should internalize the teachings you have understood and properly take them into your heart. Then you should share your understanding of the correct Dharma with everyone. Then everybody will have a chance to receive what you have realized through your capabilities. Sharing these things with other people is the right thing to do.” Many bhiksus had followed Vaisakha into the Buddha’s meditation room. They heard the Buddha say, “All bhiksus, Vaisakha was right to share his insights. I hope you will be like him, listening to the Dharma mindfully, taking it to heart, and then sharing the correct teachings with everyone. But everyone, please remember, when sharing the Dharma, you must not use worldly knowledge and worldly views to discuss or encourage each other. I hope everyone will pass on the Dharma with right knowledge and right views. Do not reject or criticize based on worldly ways.”

This shows that the Buddha had high regards for Vaisakha Bhikshu. This protects people who can share the Dharma with right knowledge and right views and encourages them to share and teach more. So, He is warning those who do not yet have the right mindsets and are still confused about what is right and wrong to not criticize others.

In the Buddha’s lifetime, in His Sangha, He used all kinds of methods to teach according to His disciples’ capabilities. Some had superior capabilities and capacities and could quickly accept [His teachings]. Some were still stuck. This was how things were in that Sangha.

The Buddha manifests in this world for one great cause. According to capabilities and conditions, He gives skillful teachings of the Three Vehicles and explains the Four Truths and Twelve Links. For Bodhisattvas, those with great capabilities, He taught the Six Paramitas to enable them to achieve perfect enlightenment.

After everyone understands the Four Noble Truths and Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, the sutra then states,

“For the sake of the Bodhisattvas, He responded by expounding the Six Paramitas, enabling them to realize Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi and attain all-encompassing wisdom.”

We must mindfully comprehend this passage. The Buddha did not just want His disciples to understand how they came to be born, why they suffer, and how they could eliminate those sufferings. Not only that, He wanted them to develop great aspirations and make great vows. So, He taught the Six Paramitas for them because those with great capabilities feel that they should not be the only ones to transcend suffering, that they must devote extra effort to seek and gain more knowledge and realizations. “Bodhisattvas vow to transform self and others.” Bodhisattvas’ vows are very great. After transforming themselves, they also want to transform others. So, the Buddha must teach him methods to cross over to the other shore and also to help others achieve a similar crossing.

A small boat can only take one person from this shore to the opposite shore. The Buddha wants him to reach that shore but hopes this boat can also bring more people across. These methods are called the Six Paramitas. The Six Paramitas are six methods to reach the other shore. We have often discussed these six methods, giving, [upholding] precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. If we do not use these six methods, liberating ourselves from the afflictions of cyclic existence on this shore will be very difficult.

After we understand [the Paramitas], we are still on this side of the shore, which is the state of ordinary beings. Because we are in this state, even if we understand everything, when we face challenges, thoughts will still arise. So, to become truly liberated, we have to do more than just understand the Four Truths and Twelve Links. We only have an understanding but have not actually achieved liberation. So, we have to cross to the other shore. For only one person to do this is not enough. So, we use this method for ourselves to cross, and we also help others cross over to the shore opposite cyclic existence and leave cyclic existence behind.

The cyclic existence we speak of is the arising and ceasing in our minds, the arising, abiding, changing and ceasing in our minds, which is another kind of cyclic existence. Therefore, we must accept the Six Paramitas into our hearts and open up our minds to encompass everything in the boundless universe. The vastness of our mind can help us cross from this shore to the other and thus attain liberation. Thus, [Bodhisattvas] “reach the shore opposite cyclic existence.” This is how they cross.

Bodhisattvas vow to transform self and others, so He expounded the Six Paramitas to them. When they have reached the shore opposite cyclic existence, they have realized supreme, perfect and universal Bodhi and have attained all-encompassing wisdom. They achieve complete Buddhahood.

“They have realized supreme, perfect and universal Bodhi,” enabling them to realize Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. This is “supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.” If we can realize supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment, and attain Bodhi, we will naturally attain all-encompassing wisdom. “Wisdom” is discernment. If we can clearly discern every matter and object, we have “all-encompassing wisdom” and we have “all-encompassing wisdom. They achieve complete Buddhahood.” The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence to help everyone achieve ultimate enlightenment. Then He had to expound the Six Paramitas, the way to perfect and universal enlightenment.

Everyone, to seek the Dharma, we cannot leave this world. If we live a life of away from this world, we cannot practice the Buddha-Dharma. We must remember that we are all still sentient beings, so “the result that is felt becomes the cause.” When “causes” come in contact with “conditions,” we attain the “results.” The law of karma is an endless cycle. We must be mindful in our daily living to know that “one ignorant thought gives rise to three subtleties.” These actions will affect the future. There is past, present and future. The future will become past, then there is another future. It never stops. So, we must always remind ourselves to be diligent in our daily living.

In the Buddha’s lifetime, there are people with three kinds of capabilities within the Sangha, to say nothing of the present. Therefore, the ones who are unable to share right knowledge and views with others must not criticize others or create conflicts with their worldly perspective. Hopefully, everyone can understand this. Everyone, please always be mindful!

Episode 119 – The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence

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>> This bhiksu is like a fine horse. He can tame and subdue his own heart. He has eliminated all desires and is free from cyclic existence. His current body is the last one of his physical existence, an already-defeated army of evil.

>> A Pratyekabuddha is also called a solitary realizer or one enlightened through conditions. For those who sought to be Pratyekabuddhas, He responded with the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Because the law of interdependent origination suited them, He spoke according to what they desired.

>> In a constant cycle, an effect becomes a cause. This cause then becomes a condition, [which produces an effect]. By contemplating the truth of the Twelve Links, one is enlightened through conditions.

>> The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence：. Ignorance, Volitional Formation, Consciousness, Name and Form, Six Roots, Contact, Feeling, Craving, Grasping, Becoming, Birth, Old Age and Death 1. Ignorance: not understanding anything 2. Volitional Formation: taking action 3. Consciousness: delusional thoughts that lead us to rebirth 4. Name and Form: the intangible and tangible forming in the womb 5. Six Roots: the sense organs forming.

>> 6. Contact: After birth, sense objects connect with the sense organs 7. Feeling: the sensations we receive from outside 8. Craving: greed for the five desires 9. Grasping: continuously seeking the conditions of the sense objects 10. Becoming: never-ending cause and effect 11. Birth: taking the form of a body in the Five Realms 12. Old Age and Death: The body ages and decays.

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Every day, we think about ways to clearly apply the teachings of the Buddha in our daily living, ․to connect our daily conditions with His Dharma. Since we want to hear the Dharma, we have to mindfully grasp the principles at the Dharma-assembly. Then the Dharma will truly enter our minds.

For example, in the Buddha’s lifetime, in the Jetavana Grove, He faced the fourfold assembly of disciples. As people were listening to the teachings, all of a sudden a new person arrived. When people saw him, they wondered how could a bhiksu have such a haggard appearance. His skin seemed pale and bloodless, and he was not at all dignified. How could he so brazenly come in like this and present himself before the Buddha, then reverently pay his respects and step to the side to sit down? Seeing this, everyone was suspicious of him.

The Buddha knew that no one regarded this bhiksu with respect, so He said, “Everyone sees this bhiksu’s haggard appearance. But you should not look down on him. You should know that he worked hard on his spiritual practice to experience, contemplate and then fully comprehend people, matters and objects. There is nothing he does not fully grasp and understand, In particular, when it comes to life and reincarnation, he can come and go freely. Now, this bhiksu you see here is like a fine horse. He has completely tamed his own heart. Furthermore, he has completely eliminated all his desires. He is free from cyclic existence and is no longer affected by the pull of karma. He has already attained the fruit of realization. So, he will ‘no longer enter the cycle of existence.'”

This bhiksu is like a fine horse. He can tame and subdue his own heart. He has eliminated all desires and is free from cyclic existence. His current body is the last one of his physical existence, an already-defeated army of evil.

The body that he had was “the last one of his physical existence,” an already-defeated army of evil. This bodily form was the “last one” of his physical existence, his very last body. Will he return to the human realm in the future? He already knew the answer. This bhiksu had been liberated from cyclic existence. This means that he had not only understood the Four Noble Truths, but he also comprehended the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence.

If we can understand them one by one, we can eliminate all afflictions. So, the Buddha said that for Pratyekabuddhas, He expounded the Dharma of the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence.

A Pratyekabuddha is also called a solitary realizer or one enlightened through conditions. For those who sought to be Pratyekabuddhas, He responded with the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Because the law of interdependent origination suited them, He spoke according to what they desired.

All Buddhas share the same path and teach people of all three capabilities, the great, average and limited capabilities. Those who just developed an aspiration are taught the Dharma for Hearers, which is the Four Noble Truths. Those of a slightly higher capability do not need to hear [teachings]; they can already understand the same principles by [observing] their external conditions. They are “ones enlightened through conditions” or “solitary realizers.” Some people already have certain understandings, but these are not yet complete. Therefore, He expounded the Dharma of the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence for them.

In a constant cycle, an effect becomes a cause. This cause then becomes a condition, [which produces an effect]. By contemplating the truth of the Twelve Links, one is enlightened through conditions.

What are the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence? They are expounded for those of average capabilities. After they learn about this Dharma, they can become open and understanding. We must pay attention to these 12 things.

The Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence：. Ignorance, Volitional Formation, Consciousness, Name and Form, Six Roots, Contact, Feeling, Craving, Grasping, Becoming, Birth, Old Age and Death 1. Ignorance: not understanding anything 2. Volitional Formation: taking action 3. Consciousness: delusional thoughts that lead us to rebirth 4. Name and Form: the intangible and tangible forming in the womb 5. Six Roots: the sense organs forming.

In the Twelve Links, the first is “ignorance.” Exactly how did our “birth” come about? Everyone, do you know how you came to be born? We simply do not know. We came here out of confusion. After being born, we continue to live in a state of confusion. In the same way, we keep developing our ignorance and afflictions. In that state of mind, we repeatedly create and reproduce karma in this lifetime. This is because we lack understanding. So, this lack of clarity brought us to this current lifetime along with the connections we created with this set of parents. Thus, we were born.

This happened because of past ignorance, our lack of understanding. “An ignorant thought causes the Three Subtleties” refers to the original ignorant thought, which is the condition for “volitional formation.” Because of this ignorant thought, we begin to act foolishly and create [karma]. This is called volitional formation. In our past lives, we acted rashly because of ignorance. So, this created the conditions for volitional formation. Thus, ignorance leads to the conditions for these actions. In our past lives, we were guided by ignorance, so we experienced volitional formation, which created karma. Thus, “an ignorant thought causes the Three Subtleties,” which are three kinds of very subtle afflictions. These are very minute afflictions of the mind.

So, in our past lives, whether we were creating causes or conditions and so on, it was the result of a previous life. Similarly, we cannot control this “volitional formation.” We are guided by “consciousness.” Because of our “volitional formation,” we created causes and conditions in our past lives. Once we left those bodies behind, we were naturally guided by the conditions we had already created. In these causes and conditions, our ignorance and our volitional formation create conditions. Ignorance is the condition for volitional formation, which is the condition for consciousness.

Here, this refers to our mind-consciousness. We have eight or nine kinds of consciousness, but most ordinary people only reach their eighth; only the first eight are actually being used. Of these eight consciousnesses, we already know the first six, the eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body- and mind-consciousness. First, the sensations of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body are experienced in the sense organ of the mind. The eyes see, but happiness arises in the mind, not the eyes. When we see something and want to grasp it, the eyes are not doing the grasping; it is the mind. Then the body will take action.

In other words, the mind-consciousness is in charge of the five sense organs and sense objects. But when the mind [wants something] in the external environment, it feels happy when it can attain that thing, or frustrated and angry when it cannot. Will that thing remain in our minds? Things that leave a deeper impression will appear in the seventh consciousness. This is a level beyond “thinking”; it is “contemplation.” This “contemplation” lasts a very long time. Something may have happened many decades ago, yet hatred and vengeance remain on our minds. All those past appearances remain in our hearts; the seventh consciousness holds these memories.

Contemplation will drive the first six to act and create karma etc. But our afflicted mind-consciousness will store the causes and effects of the karma we have already created into the eighth consciousness. It is like a storehouse. Whatever we do, good or bad, is stored in the eighth consciousness. These fruitions of ignorance are deeply stored in the eighth consciousness. When we encounter conditions, [what is stored] in the eighth consciousness emerges and engages with the sixth consciousness.

So, when facing external conditions, ignorance is the condition for volitional formation, which is the condition for consciousness. “Volitional formation” creates [karma], then “consciousness” deludedly leads us to the womb after we leave our body. In the past, we already had these ignorant thoughts, committed these kinds of acts and created these kinds of conditions. By the time the conditions we have formed here are exhausted, our conditions there will already have formed. So, this “consciousness” is actually following our own orders to transport the “self” into another body. This consciousness is the delusional thoughts that lead us to rebirth. Because of our connection with these parents, our consciousness will be drawn into the womb.

Next, the fourth [Link] is “name and form,” the intangible and tangible forming in the womb. Because it is not yet tangible, it is called “name and form.” There is already something forming in the womb, shaped by the father’s sperm and mother’s egg. Indeed, pregnancy is a “name and form.” [The fetus] is not yet completely there. Once something is in the womb, with the passing of time, as the second and third months pass, it gradually takes shape. Next, there are the Six Roots. Slowly, we can see eyes, ears and nose take shape.

So when a child is prematurely born at six months, he is very small, but he already has the Six Roots. By the seventh month, everything has taken shape. So, “name and form are conditions for the Six Roots.”

6. Contact: After birth, sense objects connect with the sense organs 7. Feeling: the sensations we receive from outside 8. Craving: greed for the five desires 9. Grasping: continuously seeking the conditions of the sense objects 10. Becoming: never-ending cause and effect 11. Birth: taking the form of a body in the Five Realms 12. Old Age and Death: The body ages and decays.

“The Six Roots are conditions for contact. Contact” happens when, after 40 weeks, or earlier if premature, children are born. The moment of birth is called “contact.” After being born, the [Six] Roots encounter the sense objects. That moment of initial contact with the air shocks the body of the naked baby. The first thing all children do when they are born is cry because the air of this world shocks their entire body, so they feel pain. Thus, we say that “birth is suffering.”

Right when they arrive in the human realm, the pain shocks them to their bones and provokes them to cry. Next is “feeling. Contact is the condition for feeling.” When we first come to this world, we feel hungry and want to eat. When a child is hungry, he will cry. The first time he wants to eat, he cries because he has these feelings. When his diaper is wet and he feels uncomfortable, he will also cry. Then he grows older and can then decide where he wants to go and what he wants to get etc. From the very beginning, when we encounter external conditions, we develop “feelings.” So, “contact is the condition for feeling.”

“Feeling is the condition for craving.” With “cravings” come greed. By the time we are adults, there are many things we crave. We crave for fame and sensual pleasure. Cravings and desire between men and women create continuous entanglements. The five desires of the human realm are thus produced over and over in this way. Thus, “feeling is the condition for craving. Craving is the condition for grasping.” When we want something, we immediately begin to actively seek it. When we begin grasping, we are creating karma.

Tenth, “grasping is the condition for becoming. Becoming” is never-ending cause and effect. Once we take an action, we have already created causes and conditions. We have formed good and bad causes, along with positive and negative karma. We have already begun “becoming.” What is becoming? Karma.

Eleventh, “becoming is the condition for birth.” Once we have karma, once we have created causes and effects, we bring them with us when we leave. Thus, we are born with these ten Links. Because of contact, feeling, craving and grasping, we create a great deal of karma. At the end of this lifetime, we bring this karma with us into our next one as we “take the form of a body in the Five Realms.” We may be born as a sentient being in any of the Five Realms. We may not be human again. We may be in the hell, hungry ghost or animal realm because we have acted out of contact, feeling, craving, grasping and becoming. This leads to suffering in our lives.

Next is the twelfth, “birth is the condition for old age and death.” This is the cycle of a lifetime, and not just one lifetime. The previous lifetime is the condition for being reborn into this one. Then when we come in contact with this world, we feel, crave, grasp and become. This leads to another birth, which then leads to aging, illness and death. This continues endlessly again and again.

So, we should all try to understand that this is the cycle of the causes and effects of a human existence, but we may not necessarily return to this world. Our affinities may lead us to transmigrate to one of the other five realms. So, in our daily living, we must consider what we are seeking to grasp. These are all things that we can control right now. So, let us not wait until “becoming,” until we have to face our karma. Then in our next lifetime, we will once again be in a state of confusion.

So, let us avoid clinging to people’s appearances. When we interact with any person, we should be respectful and remember the law of karma. Therefore, we need to always be mindful.

Episode 118 – Expound True Dharma According to Capabilities

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>> In Amra Grove near Vaisali, Well-Born became a monastic and met the Buddha. He deeply believed that all things are impermanent so he became a monastic to learn the path and eliminate all afflictions. He was completely without Leaks, and his mind achieved liberation. He realized the unconditioned [Dharma] and forever ended his cyclic existence. His pure practices were already established so he would have no more rebirths.

>> He expounded Right Dharma, with goodness in the beginning, middle and end. The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous, pure without distractions, complete with the marks of pure practice.

>> For those who sought to be Hearers, He responded with the Four Noble Truths so that they could transcend birth, aging, illness and death to reach ultimate Nirvana.

>> Those who sought to be Hearers wished to find liberation. So, in response to their seeking the Dharma, He taught them to recognize suffering, eliminate its causes, and realize its cessation through practicing the path.

>> He responded with the Four Noble Truths. The four were found to be true and not false. Suffering and its causation are worldly causes and effects. Cessation and the path of cessation are world-transcending causes and effects. This Nirvana with residue ultimately enables them to joyfully attain realizations.

>>Those who sought to be Pratyekabuddhas attained enlightenment without a teacher because they were born in a time without a Buddha. If they heard teachings on the 12 links of cyclic existence and practiced this path, they were called realizers of conditions.

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As spiritual practitioners learning Buddha’s teachings, we must maintain right thinking and diligence. During the Buddha’s time in this world, ․many people practiced under Him, regardless of ethnicity or social status. The Buddha’s one intention was to remind us all of our intrinsic Buddha-nature.

In Amra Grove near Vaisali, Well-Born became a monastic and met the Buddha. He deeply believed that all things are impermanent so he became a monastic to learn the path and eliminate all afflictions. He was completely without Leaks, and his mind achieved liberation. He realized the unconditioned [Dharma] and forever ended his cyclic existence. His pure practices were already established so he would have no more rebirths.

In the Buddha’s time, those who could accept the Dharma were exercising Right Mindfulness. When the Buddha was in Amra Grove near Vaisali, a man who recently became a monastic came. He was very dignified, and also young. He had an outstanding appearance. When he came before the Buddha, he respectfully prostrated. There were many practitioners present, and they saw that this man was very dignified and already had the appearance of a monastic. Yet, they had not seen him before. The Buddha saw that everyone was curious about this new monastic practitioner. So, the Buddha introduced him to everyone, “Bhiksus, the man you see respectfully prostrating before me, this new monastic practitioner, is named Well-Born. He has already realized the principles of this world. He deeply believes my teachings; thus, he believes that ‘worldly phenomena are impermanent.'” This is because he knew that regardless of the joy and wealth enjoyed by different families, according to this principle, in the end, everything is impermanent and returns to nothing. So, he decided to “become a monastic to learn the path and eliminate all afflictions.” Having made the aspiration to become a monastic, now there is not a single affliction in his mind.

His present inner state is “without Leaks; his mind achieved liberation.” Now, he is already “without Leaks,” which as everyone knows, is a state free of afflictions. For a new monastic to completely eliminate his afflictions and [achieve] this kind of liberation and freedom is is truly not easy! He “realized the unconditioned [Dharma] and forever ended his cyclic existence.” To have realized unconditioned Dharma means that his body and mind were both very pure. ․”Unconditioned” means that thoughts will no longer arise to create the burden of unenlightened emotions. So, when all of them have been eliminated, one has ended one’s cyclic existence. When desires and needs no longer arise, there are no attachments. Thus, “his pure practices were established so he would have no more rebirths.”

Thus, the Buddha used him as an example to remind all His disciples that since they were monastics, their minds had to be this pure. Only then do they have right faith; only then are they [practicing] Right Dharma. Since the Buddha expounds Right Dharma, we who learn the Buddha’s teachings must believe, accept and practice it accordingly. This also requires us to have right faith.

So, previously we said,

He expounded Right Dharma, with goodness in the beginning, middle and end. The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous, pure without distractions, complete with the marks of pure practice.

The Buddha is always hoping that each of us will have a pure mind without any defilements. This is what the Buddha wanted to teach, and why the Dharma is like water. But the capabilities of sentient beings are all different and not equal. So, for these varying capabilities, the Buddha had to establish all kinds of methods. When the Buddha expounds the Dharma, He has to provide for all three capabilities, great, average and limited. He must ensure that everyone can comprehend and develop this aspiration to have right faith, right mindfulness and right action. So, he must teach according to their capabilities. For over 40 years, the Buddha provided for the capabilities of all disciples.

For those who sought to be Hearers, He responded with the Four Noble Truths so that they could transcend birth, aging, illness and death to reach ultimate Nirvana.

If people sought to be Hearers, He would expound the Four Noble Truths for them. The goal was to help everyone understand that birth, aging, illness and death continue throughout cyclic existence in the Six Realms, endlessly reproducing afflictions. We will experience suffering forever and endure all kinds of difficulties and hardships.

At the very beginning, we attain understanding by hearing the Buddha expound the Dharma. Thus, we must use our ear-root to hear. Only by hearing the Dharma can we comprehend it. For those who needed to hear to comprehend, those who had the capabilities of Hearers, the Buddha expounded the Four Noble Truths.

Those who sought to be Hearers wished to find liberation. So, in response to their seeking the Dharma, He taught them to recognize suffering, eliminate its causes, and realize its cessation through practicing the path.

The Four Noble Truths were [taught] for those who sought liberation. As Hearers, their only goal was liberation. They knew that birth, aging, illness and death were very painful. They also believed that this continued cyclic existence in the Six Realms will endlessly replicate the afflictions that they could not eliminate. This was truly very exhausting. In the end, how could they be liberated? For them, the Buddha expounded the teaching that suited their capabilities. So, “in response to their seeking the Dharma” means He responded to their appeal for Dharma; He taught based on their capabilities and helped them recognize suffering. Where does suffering come from? Its “causation” is the accumulation of all kinds of afflictions. So, He hoped that everyone could practice based on this method to realize what they truly seek. They can experience attainment if they can realize what they truly seek.

“To realize” means to thoroughly understand what was spoken. After we thoroughly understand it, it can stay in our minds; there, one can give rise to infinity. Then we can use many methods to resolve the afflictions in our minds. When the Buddha expounds one teaching, we can comprehend many principles and use them to explain things to ourselves. This is “to realize.” If we can realize and comprehend, then we can follow this path and move forward. This is realizing cessation by practicing the path.

This all depends on our minds. Clearly, we know that birth, aging, illness and death are due to [accumulation of] “causes.” The accumulation of all our afflictions results in endless suffering that we cannot be liberated from. Now that we can hear Right Dharma, we should be very mindful and use right faith to walk on the right path. This is the capability of Hearers.

He responded with the Four Noble Truths. The four were found to be true and not false. Suffering and its causation are worldly causes and effects. Cessation and the path of cessation are world-transcending causes and effects. This Nirvana with residue ultimately enables them to joyfully attain realizations.

What are the Four Noble Truths? The Four Noble Truths are four principles that were examined and found to be true. These principles are not something that we are to just accept after we hear them, saying, “Yes, yes, I believe it.” When we believe something, are we believing something true or something false? Do we have deep faith in it or not? Have we analyzed it? The same applies when we hear teachings. We must listen, contemplate and then practice. After hearing the teachings, we have to carefully contemplate the. Dharma expounded by the Buddha to see whether these principles are correct.

So when we listen, we have to carefully and thoroughly contemplate, analyze and think about these principles. They are “true and not false”; they are solid. We can stand on this solid ground and firmly walk forward on this path. So, the causes of suffering are worldly causes and effects. We should carefully contemplate this to understand what suffering and its causes really are. Actually, they are worldly causes and effects.

All of us ordinary people live in this world and cannot live apart from its mundane matters. These mundane matters are inseparable from love, hate, affection and enmity and the desires of greed, anger and ignorance. These are all worldly things, worldly causes and effects. This world is full of greed, anger and ignorance and desire for fame, status etc. That is why there is suffering.

People work earnestly to succeed in business, but suddenly, when there is a great financial crisis, everything is ruined. Some people, with great difficulty, are able to climb very high on the social ladder and gain a lot of power, fighting off many contenders. Then they suddenly fall and are even trampled. This is a common occurrence in this world. Or, maybe with a house, yard, and land, a beautiful and wonderful spouse, a family seems very prosperous. However, prosperity will inevitably decline. To summarize, worldly things are accumulated, resulting in suffering. Suffering is caused by this accumulation. So, love, hate, affection and enmity create many karmic causes and effects. All of this takes place in this world.

Cessation and the path of cessation are world-transcending causes and effects. How can we eliminate the karmic causes and effects of love, hate, affection and enmity? Cessation refers to cleansing, which is also the meaning of repentance. It means to first eliminate all the love, hate, affection and enmity or desires for fame and fortune etc. from our minds. This is the “cessation” of all the afflictions and desires in our minds. We must understand all of this thoroughly to transcend this world. To transcend these sufferings, we must no longer create negative causes and no longer form negative karmic connections.

There is only one way to do so, which is first eliminating afflictions from our minds. This is “cessation.” These are world-transcending causes and effects. ․For us to cultivate spiritually on this path, we must start with our minds. If we can thoroughly understand this, then we will reach “Nirvana with remainder, ultimately enabling us to joyfully attain realizations.” On this path, we know we can attain Nirvana with remainder. Of course we are still unable to attain the state of Nirvana without remainder. At best, we can attain [Nirvana] with remainder.

We ordinary people have not yet completely eliminated afflictions, but we already know not to take issue, not to become greedy, and to no longer give rise to desires. When we are in this state, we can control ourselves well. Even though we have not completely eliminated afflictions, we clearly know and understand that we have to try to eliminate them, no longer create disasters, and not have so many afflictions in our hearts. If we continue on the road of the right path with right faith, naturally it “enables us to joyfully attain realization.” You will achieve joyful attainment of realization. This is the Dharma the Buddha taught for Hearers.

He also taught Pratyekabuddhas.

Those who sought to be Pratyekabuddhas attained enlightenment without a teacher because they were born in a time without a Buddha. If they heard teachings on the 12 links of cyclic existence and practiced this path, they were called realizers of conditions.

We know Pratyekabuddhas as “solitary realizers.” Solitary realizers were born in a time without a Buddha, or had no chance to encounter the Buddha. Yet, they had already attained realizations. They are called “solitary realizers,” and also “realizers of conditions.” This means that based on their surroundings, they can analyze and think carefully. This is a level higher than. Hearers’ capabilities.

Because they are in this environment [and observe the turning of the seasons,] they can carefully consider why they were born into this place and why time passes by unceasingly. Why is it that in this vast universe, the cycle of spring, summer, fall and winter continues in this way? Why do humans go through birth, aging, illness and death? They can comprehend all this. So, “solitary realizers” are also called “realizers of conditions.” They do not need anyone to remind them that life is full of suffering, that the world is impermanent. They have already experienced these truths in their daily living. So, they are called “solitary realizers.” For those who sought to be Pratyekabuddhas, what teachings were they given? For them, the Buddha explained the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence: how we are born, how we continue experiencing cyclic existence, and the state of the body, a small microcosm. He first explained this to them.

So, fellow Bodhisattvas, we engage in spiritual practice to go straight to the Bodhisattva-path, which leads us directly to the state of Buddhahood. So, we must first understand how the Dharma came to be, how we can accept it, and which path we must follow so that our minds can remain in a wonderful state. We must be very clear on this. So everyone, please always be mindful. 

Episode 117 – Practice the Middle Way

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>> All kinds of causes and conditions create suffering and its causation. All kinds of faith and understanding lead to practicing the path to cessation of suffering. All kinds of appearances are manifested to enter and teach in this world. Practicing the Bodhisattva-path creates the causes for transcending the world.

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We must diligently practice day and night. Let us be diligent at all times. Because as time passes by, we are still far from the path of Buddhahood. Therefore, we must be focused and not scattered; we must advance and not regress. Then we will reach the path we are striving for. So, we must seize this rare opportunity in this lifetime.

As we have discussed previously, all Buddhas of the past, present and future and all Bodhisattvas come to this world for one great cause. That is to teach sentient beings how to wash away their defilements, become pure and move toward the Buddha’s wisdom and state. The Buddha did all He could to make this happen, so He also hoped that sentient beings will resolve to practice.

What the Buddha taught were purifying practices. When He came to the world, He was certainly not one to lie or flatter; He was one who spoke the truth. So, we must have faith in the Buddha’s teachings. No matter what skillful means He used in the past, He was always thoughtfully and patiently guiding us to walk the right path. For example, a person who is lost may ask a passerby, “I need to go to such-and-such village. Can you point out the way there? This is a big road with many forks. This is a big road with many forks. How will I know when and where to turn in order to find my destination? ” The guide points and says, “It is there, do you see it?”

“Yes, but it is very far. I am afraid if I am not careful and take a wrong turn, I will circle back to the same spot.” The guide then says, “This is true, there are many ways to arrive at the destination. But, if you deviate from the right path at any point, you may circle around for a while and not be able to find your way. You may even end up in another village.”

Then the person who is lost may say, “Indeed, I am very grateful to have met someone like you who knows the roads. Can you point me to the right path amongst these complicated forks?”

“Since you asked for directions so sincerely, I will tell you a simple and direct way; then you will not get lost easily. As you walk forward from here, there will be wide and narrow roads. Remember, do not take the road that is too wide or too narrow. There is a road that is not too wide or narrow. It is just right.”

“Just right? How wide is ‘just right’?”

The guide says, “I thought you were smart, but actually, you can’t understand ‘too wide, too narrow,’ and ‘just right.'”

“I really don’t know what is ‘just right.'”

The guide then says, “A road that is too wide has no boundaries, so you may actually get lost if you keep going. A road that is too narrow may be dangerous. The middle-sized road was paved by many people, so this entire route is safe and sound. As long as you trust this road and follow it, you will reach your destination, the place you are looking for.”

The person asking for directions is grateful and will trust in the guide’s clear instructions. If many people have paved and walked on this road, it must be safe and trustworthy. Then the person [who asked for directions] will also follow this road.

This story tells us that if we ask for directions, we must be sincere and thorough. A person who guides others must also understand what [the correct] road looks like. Although every path leads to the destination, some will be unnecessarily longer, and we end up taking a long detour before our arrival. Some roads are also dangerous. When we are choosing a path, we should not yearn for a very wide road, nor should we risk taking a very narrow one. We want something in between; a road that is “just right ” will be safe. It is a reliable road that has been walked on and paved by many people in the past. This is called the Middle Way.

The path we need to walk on now is the Middle Way. The Lotus Sutra contains the Buddha’s teachings on the Middle Way, which sets aside what He taught about emptiness and existence. At this moment, He wanted to show us both true emptiness and wondrous existence.

We should know that the Buddha comes to the world to save sentient beings from suffering, which arises from the accumulation of its causes. Suffering comes from causes accumulated over a very long period of time. For lifetime after lifetime, for countless kalpas, we have been transmigrating in the Six Realms. So, over this long period of time, the accumulation of ignorance, afflictions and karma is “the causation of suffering.” The Buddha came to save sentient beings from suffering by telling them that suffering comes from the accumulation of its causes. So, He had to expound the Dharma and give teachings. What kind of teachings? Something that gives sentient beings joy, “the path to cessation.”

He shows people how they can eliminate suffering, which must be done step by step. We should understand that the causes of suffering are greed, attachment and desire. If not for those thoughts, we would not have so many afflictions. This is a very rocky road, but we must believe in ourselves; we will accomplish our goals no matter how long the journey is. We may still have worries since we cannot prevent impermanence or passage of time and wonder if this long path can really lead us to our goals. This is what we worry about. So, I always say, “Time is running out.”

Additionally, what can we do about all this suffering in the world? In this era of ignorance, are people able to cultivate wisdom? Only with wisdom can we know right from wrong and awaken our compassion. With compassion and wisdom, we naturally know that we need to keep repenting our past actions. Without repentance, we cannot awaken our wisdom. If we cannot awaken our wisdom, we cannot awaken our compassion. Without compassion, we cannot know right from wrong. This is how life is.

And in this era, sentient beings experience so much suffering. How can we enable more people to quickly kindle the light within themselves so that they can help others safely walk the path toward their goals?

Whether it is day or night, we must diligently advance in our practice. We do not only walk this path during the day; we must also do this throughout the night. So, when the Buddha was still alive, He practiced at all hours of the night. This shows us that we must cherish time and not only set aside certain times to be diligent. Once we know this, we must quickly practice diligently.

This is how the Buddha saves sentient beings from suffering when He comes to the world. He helps everyone realize that they must stop accumulating ignorance and afflictions. We must see everything with an open mind and simplify our minds so that ignorance and afflictions will pass through and not linger in our minds.

To be able to lead people happily, we must teach according to their capabilities, so that afflictions, ignorance and conflicts can be eliminated from their minds. People can follow this illumination; when they see the light, they can walk the [right] path. This is “the path to the cessation of suffering.” Once we eliminate afflictions, the path appears.

As we eliminate a bit of affliction, we will see a bit more light, which is our spiritual light. Though we have not yet been able to become Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas, I hope we can at least be flashlights that illuminate the path. This is how we “bestow joy and eliminate suffering for sentient beings” by helping them walk a safer path.

All kinds of causes and conditions create suffering and its causation. All kinds of faith and understanding lead to practicing the path to cessation of suffering. All kinds of appearances are manifested to enter and teach in this world. Practicing the Bodhisattva-path creates the causes for transcending the world.

“All kinds of causes and conditions create suffering and its causation.” Due to various kinds of causes and conditions, sentient beings create the causes of suffering. Then “all kinds of faith and understanding lead to practicing the path to cessation of suffering.” If we are deluded sentient beings, we will accumulate causes of suffering because of all kinds of causes and conditions. But as spiritual practitioners, we must also apply all kinds of faith and understanding. We must believe in the Buddha’s teachings. Though this goodness in the beginning, middle and end used different methods that suited different capabilities, we must have faith in and understanding of the many different methods. Then we can practice the way to cessation.

What methods can we use to eliminate mistaken views and understandings, as well as our mistaken habitual tendencies, such as greed, anger and ignorance? We must earnestly walk this path to find a way to eliminate these ignorant thoughts and afflictions. So, “all kinds of appearances are manifested to enter and teach in this world.” We must use teachings that engage with the world to walk the world-transcending Bodhisattva-path.

So, I often say, we must engage with people and adapt to their capabilities. Whatever roles we may play, we can always guide others. If you are the head of a department, you will have already clearly thought out what your department has to do to benefit the department and your group. If everyone believes and follows, it will work. But perhaps some people may wonder, “Why are you making such big changes?” We must all calmly observe [the situation]. Is it the right thing to do? If so, everyone must move forward without doubts, working together in harmony. Then the path will be very clear.

So, “all appearances ” refers to all the different roles that we play, the things we do with the positions that we hold in this world. In all of this, our minds must be firm. We must gently share [this path] with people and exercise wisdom to guide them forward. Thus, “all kinds of appearances are manifested to enter and teach in this world.”

When the Buddha came to this world, He felt the same sentiments toward all sentient beings, no matter their status or whether they had limited or sharp capabilities. For those with sharp capabilities, He used teachings suitable for them. For those with limited capabilities, He used teachings that they could believe. This was using all kinds of appearances. Regardless of people’s knowledge or capacity, He guided all of them equally toward this path.

This required playing different roles and adjusting to sentient beings’ capabilities when entering the world. So, we must play all kinds of roles to create good affinities with everyone while avoiding creating bad affinities. Whatever afflictions you have, I will advise you to eliminate them and open your heart to joyfully walk forward. This is teaching according to capabilities so “all kinds of appearances are manifested.” This sentence is very important.

With this, we can work with people. To “enter and teach in this world,” we must live among and engage with people. Lastly, we walk the Bodhisattva-path. This is truly the path to having no hindrances in this world and advancing toward our goal of being diligent. This is the cause for transcending the world, by helping everyone plant these world-transcending causes. Use a world-transcending spirit to carry out missions in this world.

This is what we often talk about. If we do not have a world-transcending spirit, we cannot carry out missions in this world because of its many traps and temptations. People’s minds are very complex. If we want to engage in spiritual practice and guide others but our minds are not stable and our direction is not correct, we will be quickly pulled under by these complex challenges. So, we must be resolute in our will to practice, in our aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva-path. We should not allow complications in our circumstances to disturb our minds or lead us to become weary.

Bodhisattvas are already awakened sentient beings, so they can lead all sentient beings on the path to transcend this world. To do this, we must spread the seeds of goodness. The Sutra of Infinite Meanings states that the Buddha comes to this world and teaches in response to sentient beings’ suffering. Thus, He wants to be an unsummoned teacher and offer a place of stability and joy in the midst of this suffering. So, whenever He teaches, He is sowing seeds in [the hearts of] those people. One gives rise to infinity, infinity arises from one. May we all “relieve sentient beings’ suffering.”

We need to know that suffering comes from the accumulation of its causes. Before we tell other people, we must first understand that “to give sentient beings joy, He taught the path of cessation.” To understand the methods of eliminating suffering, we must practice the path. All kinds of causes and conditions will create the karma of suffering, so we must be careful. With all kinds of faith and understanding, we can practice ways to eliminate suffering and walk the correct path. “All kinds of appearances are manifested to enter and teach in this world.” No matter what kinds of people we meet, we are willing to engage with them to dissolve the ignorance that covers their minds. When they cannot find the way, we have to guide and teach them.

All kinds of appearances are manifested to enter and teach in this world, and only walking the Bodhisattva-path is truly the strongest cause for transcending the world. So, as enlightened sentient beings, we must not allow sentient beings’ confusion to influence us, especially when we should be influencing others and helping them cleanse their minds so they are free of defilements. These are our purifying practices. Alright, everyone please always be mindful.

Episode 116 – Wondrous Words with Deep and Profound Meaning

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>> He expounded Right Dharma with goodness in the beginning, middle and end. The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous, pure without distractions and complete with the marks of pure practice”

>> [His teachings] were unfathomable to. Two Vehicle [practitioners], so He hid the true and manifested the provisional. He split His teachings into three periods and expounded the Agama teachings. The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous.

>> Speaking according to others’ capacities is skillful.

>> “These three all have right faith, right actions and right fruitions. Thus, they are called Right Dharma”

>> The meaning of the Dharma is unsurpassed, therefore, “The meaning is deep and profound.” Expounding Dharma according to the capabilities of sentient beings enables them to attain benefits.

>> He expounded Dharma to enable all sentient beings to transform evil into goodness, to transform defilements into purity, all to lead them towards ultimate unsurpassed Bodhi so they will not settle in the Two Vehicles. Thus, it is “pure without distractions”

>> All kinds of skillful means were opened and revealed so we may realize and enter the Buddha’s wisdom

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As Buddhist practitioners, we must remember to reverently and sincerely reflect upon the Dharma at all times after we read or hear it. Then the Dharma will enter our hearts and naturally manifest in our actions. This is what we Buddhist practitioners must do.

Does everyone remember the sutra passage we previously discussed? It was Manjusri Bodhisattva’s description of how past Buddhas expounded the Dharma

He expounded Right Dharma with goodness in the beginning, middle and end. The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous, pure without distractions and complete with the marks of pure practice”

Previously, I shared with everyone that the Buddha is the Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans who appears in this world. His teachings at the beginning, middle and end all have deep and profound meanings and the words are skillful and wondrous. This is the Dharma widely taught by the Buddha for sentient beings when He came to this world. We now must understand that the excellence in the beginning, middle and end was explained according to sentient beings’ capabilities.

Excellence in the beginning came from the Buddha’s original intent to freely share what He attained. Even heavenly beings and Dharma-protectors could not comprehend it; how could people in this world comprehend it? So for a period of time, the Buddha was very discouraged. For the sake of sentient beings, He engaged in spiritual practice and attained enlightenment, so of course He wanted to teach them the Dharma. But what should He do if no one could understand? So, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appeared to comfort Sakyamuni Buddha and said, “Sentient beings have always been like this. Since You are enlightened, You have this very rare opportunity to exercise Your inherent abilities, Your might in loving-kindness and. Your intrinsic Samadhi and wisdom, to go among sentient beings and transform them.”

So, Sakyamuni Buddha began to think about the methods He would use to teach people. Thus, for 42 years, He sincerely and skillfully guided them with skillful means according to their capacities. He taught the Dharma that was suitable for them. After 42 years, the Buddha wanted to freely express and share His original intent, spiritual state and the causes and conditions of His coming to the world. So, this is the third and last stage of teaching. When He expounded the Dharma toward the end, skillful means were set aside for direct teachings. He began to reveal the ultimate truth. So, He expounded Dharma in three periods of time.

[His teachings] were unfathomable to. Two Vehicle [practitioners], so He hid the true and manifested the provisional. He split His teachings into three periods and expounded the Agama teachings. The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous.

Actually, when He expounded the Avatamsaka, at that time, He had many difficulties. Sentient beings truly could not comprehend, because His practice and realization of the truth, which was His original intent, took even Him a very long time to achieve. Since it took such a long period of time for. Him to practice and attain this, how could heavenly beings and Dharma-protectors understand this right away?

Also, even the sages of the Two and Three Vehicles in this world could not comprehend it either. So, heavenly beings and humans could not understand the Buddha’s original intention because its meaning was so deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous. So at that time, the Buddha had to teach what was suitable for sentient beings’ needs and abilities. This is called “skillful and wondrous.” Depending on the states of sentient beings’ minds, the Buddha would teach them accordingly to transform their deluded and ordinary minds and guide them to take in the Dharma. So, He had to use clever and skillful means to speak according to others’ capacities. Whatever sentient beings needed, He gave it to them in a way that they could understand, simply and clearly.

Speaking according to others’ capacities is skillful.

“Using the provisional to reveal the true is wondrous.”

In order to freely carry out His original intent, He had to utilize sentient beings’ complex habitual tendencies and their numerous afflictions. We often say, “Afflictions are Bodhi.” The afflictions of myriad sentient beings are the sufferings that the Buddha investigated. So, He already understood that the suffering of this world comes from sentient beings’ various habitual tendencies and complex afflictions. They cause so much difficulty and suffering. This is what the Buddha investigated.

At that point, He already understood this, so He bestowed Dharma-medicine according to sentient beings’ illnesses. In “speaking according to others’ capacities,” the Buddha took advantage of the numerous afflictions of sentient beings to put His wisdom to good use. This was “skillful and wondrous.”

“These three all have right faith, right actions and right fruitions. Thus, they are called Right Dharma.”

Before, we spoke of the Buddha’s Right Dharma. Remember, the right Dharma the Buddha taught was the excellence in the beginning, middle and end. Of course, the excellence in the beginning was the Buddha’s original intent, which we ordinary sentient beings could not immediately accept because it is too profound. But the Buddha in His compassion never abandoned sentient beings and created all kinds of skillful teachings. This is the excellence in the middle. This is also used to inspire right faith in all beings because sentient beings have remained deluded.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were many religious sects. The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice to help people perfect their right faith. Then He wanted to share the fruits of spiritual practice so that everyone could have right faith. After right faith, we must take the right actions. Only when we have right faith and right actions can we attain the right fruitions. The true fruition of our spiritual practice is to return to our pure intrinsic nature, which is equal to the Buddha’s. This is the ultimate fruit of spiritual practice. If our spiritual practice lacks right faith and right actions, we cannot attain the right fruitions. Then difficulties arise, and we remain in the Six Realms of cyclic existence. When we are born again, we must start over from the beginning to develop right faith, right actions and right fruitions.

The Buddha comes here for the sole purpose of teaching the Dharma and leading all beings to take right actions to [achieve] right fruitions. Thus the Dharma He expounded, whether in the beginning, middle or end, is all inseparable from the Right Dharma. So, the meaning of the Dharma is unsurpassed. Each skillful means used in the past 42 years was also carefully thought out and taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities and needs. They could also be used to guide everyone to right faith. Even the skillful means were established to enable everyone to have right faith. So, the meaning of the Dharma is unsurpassed. The supreme wisdom of the Buddha has deep and profound meaning.

The meaning of the Dharma is unsurpassed, therefore, “The meaning is deep and profound.” Expounding Dharma according to the capabilities of sentient beings enables them to attain benefits.

The meaning of the Dharma expounded by the Buddha is deep and profound. All of it is the Right Dharma. Though adapted to sentient beings’ abilities, it is all still the Right Dharma. So this Dharma, though suited to sentient beings’ capabilities, still enables sentient beings to reap benefits. This benefit is the attainment of the Right Dharma. With right actions, they attain right fruitions. Because the Buddha is pointing sentient beings to the right [ultimate] goal, Therefore, “The words are skillful and wondrous.” Everything He said was to help sentient beings avoid straying off-course. This is truly very skillful and wondrous.

Thus,

He expounded Dharma to enable all sentient beings to transform evil into goodness, to transform defilements into purity, all to lead them towards ultimate unsurpassed Bodhi so they will not settle in the Two Vehicles. Thus, it is “pure without distractions.”

The Dharma that the Buddha taught enables all sentient beings to transform evil into goodness. Why do we commit evil? Evil comes from our greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. If we doubt the Right Dharma, we are unable to look back and accept the true Dharma.

Now, young people are arrogant and doubtful. They do not believe in their elders’ path of propriety, justice, integrity and honor. Because of that disbelief, their hearts are constantly defiled, and they will do bad deeds. Thus, they manifest evil thoughts and actions because their hearts have been defiled by ignorance. So, they do not believe in ethics, morality or propriety. Because this is the case, the Buddha used the law of karmic retribution to guide us through each step so we can understand how our arrogance and conceit hurt others, and in the end, also hurt ourselves. He used many methods to explain this.

So, the Dharma the Buddha expounded aims to “transform evil into goodness” and “transform defilements into purity, to lead them toward ultimate unsurpassed Bodhi.” We must not say, “Aren’t these very simple words? What do they have to do with our lives or with our parents? What do they have to do with our elders, or with the Buddha-Dharma?” It has everything to do with the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma is related to worldly practices and is completely used to manage our hearts. If our hearts start to deviate, we can quickly guide them back so that we can return to our intrinsic kind nature.

If we can maintain that, we can slowly return to [the path of] the ultimate, unsurpassed Bodhi. As we learn Buddhism, this is what we must truly understand. This Dharma also enables us to “not settle in the Two Vehicles; thus it is pure without distractions.” We must not stop at the stage of the Two Vehicles of Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. The Buddha told us to do good deeds. Do not hesitate in doing what is good. This is right. Doing good deeds is wondrous existence. When we are free of obstructions, that is true emptiness. But have we really attained the ultimate? The ultimate wondrous existence is what the Buddha truly wanted to expound. He wanted us to not have attachments. But have we really reached the state of true emptiness? Our minds should be free of attachments. Have we reached that state of mind? Not yet.

Some people say, “I recite the name of the Buddha.” But it is easy to be attached to just chanting. Remember? When my teacher, Master Yin Shun was here, [he made a comment] when people responded to what they heard by saying “Amitabha, Amitabha.” Remember? At the time, didn’t we often hear him challenge the volunteers, “Why are you always chanting Amitabha? Do you know what it means?” The same principle applies. Although we are engaged in spiritual practice in our daily living, do we have to say this name at all times?

When reciting the Buddha’s name, we need to let it enter our hearts so we have a Buddha-heart. That means we cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer, so we do good deeds. But in doing good, we cannot become attached. We need to have a Bodhisattva’s heart and give unconditionally while being grateful. These kinds of causes and conditions give us the opportunity to create good affinities. But Bodhisattvas do not become attached to even the good affinities they create. They just give. This is wondrous existence. To relieve the suffering of sentient beings is the mission of Buddhist practitioners, and. It comes from our inherent ability and original kind nature. So, we must be pure without distractions and not become so attached to what we have heard that we insist that things have to be this way.

Therefore, the Dharma expounded by the Buddha does not settle on the Two Vehicles. So, the Dharma expounded now by the Buddha is pure without distractions. This was His original intent. Everything He taught is without complications and is very pure. The Dharma is like very pure water that can cleanse our defilements and discursive thoughts. Therefore, the Right Dharma is pure without distractions.

All kinds of skillful means were opened and revealed so we may realize and enter the Buddha’s wisdom.

The Right Dharma is used to guide everyone to have a purified mind.

No matter what we do in our daily living, we should practice giving. As we do this, we must be free from attachments, pure and without distractions. In this world we cannot lack skillful means, but the [essence of] the true Dharma must still be in our hearts. Therefore, the Dharma was opened and revealed so we may realize and enter it. He made use of all kinds of worldly matters to help sentient beings understand. We often say, “Witness suffering to recognize blessings.” Seeing others’ hardships, we must nurture our compassion. This is part of our essence.

So everyone, as you study the Dharma please continually try to comprehend each paragraph of the sutras and apply it to your daily living. That is truly being mindful.

Episode 115 – Exercise Compassion, Wisdom and Samadhi

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>> One mighty in loving-kindness has compassionate vows to not abandon beings. One replete with Samadhi and wisdom exercises the power of wisdom to extensively help [sentient beings]

>> Sentient beings who endure great suffering and can transform themselves and others to experience great joy are worthy to be the fields of blessings for the heaven and human realm.

>> To expound the right Dharma with excellence in the beginning, middle and end. “The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous, pure without distractions and complete with the marks of pure practice.”

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In learning from the Buddha, we must cultivate both compassion and wisdom. These two things are what spiritual practitioners cannot lack․ So, we have to always act from our hearts when we go among people to provide for their needs by giving of what we have.

Sentient beings need either spiritual or material things. Of these two, the more important is the spiritual. When our hearts are satisfied, our living can be very simple and basic. There are limits to material enjoyment. If the heart is not content, no matter how much wealth and material things we have, [our desires] are still endless. The Buddha came to this world, and because of His compassion, He hoped for all of us to have a sense of contentment. How can the heart be content? We must fully grasp the true principles. If we are clear about them, then naturally, our hearts will always be content.

So, the Buddha came to the human realm to establish and teach methods that bring contentment to sentient beings. As Buddhist practitioners, these are also the principles we must put into practice. So, His compassion makes Him mighty in loving-kindness, which means He maintains the power of His compassionate vows to not abandon sentient beings. Therefore, Sakyamuni Buddha is also called Mighty in Loving-kindness. This name reflects what this Buddha wanted to express from His heart, the teachings He wanted to offer this world and His sense of mission toward sentient beings, which stems from His compassion.

He extended His compassion to all sentient beings and created good karmic connections with them. For a long time, for three asankyakalpas, His spiritual practice was focused on cultivating His compassion. So, He never let go of His compassionate vows and continuously actualized them over incalculably long eons. Sentient beings have many sufferings that cannot be resolved, but the Buddha will not abandon them. Though they are obstinate, stubborn and difficult to reform, the Buddha still adheres to His compassionate vows and does not abandon them.

Aside from compassionate vows, one must also have Samadhi and wisdom. The mind has to be in a state of Samadhi, and one has to have wisdom. I often say to everyone, wisdom helps us distinguish “true” from “false” in this world. This wisdom gives us a type of power. If something is right, we must resolve to do it. If a thing is wrong, we must have the perseverance to eliminate it. This is the power of discerning wisdom.

There is also impartial wisdom. The stubbornness of sentient beings can be tamed through [the Buddha’s] gentle patience. So, Samadhi and the power of wisdom are essential to training sentient beings. Thus, we need to exercise loving-kindness and must have Samadhi and wisdom. We need to make compassionate vows and have the power of wisdom. With compassionate vows, our wisdom can benefit all sentient beings.

One mighty in loving-kindness has compassionate vows to not abandon beings. One replete with Samadhi and wisdom exercises the power of wisdom to extensively help [sentient beings].

To truly help people in this world requires very hard work. If this is so taxing, how do we do it? We have to be patient and endure the worst kinds of suffering. Sentient beings suffer so much in the cyclic existence of the Six Realms and still have not awakened from delusion. Sentient beings suffer greatly. So, Bodhisattvas and all Buddhas willingly go among people who experience the worst kinds of suffering. If they were not mighty in loving-kindness and replete with Samadhi and wisdom, how could they have this power of vows that enables them to enter conditions of great suffering? What do they do in such places? They manifest appearances.

They leverage the appearance of suffering beings so they can show everyone, “This is suffering. Let us promptly recognize this as suffering so we will be able to free ourselves from it. Beyond this state of suffering, there is a state of freedom and openness, a place that is calm, wondrous and vast. It allows us to be very free so that we are not restrained by afflictions. There is no fear, and there is no suffering. This is a carefree and liberated place.”

How can we get there? “Do what I did. I worked to understand many principles. After attaining understanding, I now share them with you, and I want to tell you how to transcend suffering. Come, follow me and do what I do. Come, walk this path with me.” In this way, we can naturally attain a state of liberation without obstructions and be carefree and at ease.

Because the Buddha manifested attaining enlightenment in this world, we now know how to engage in spiritual practice. By letting go of family ties and being free of attachments, desires, greed etc., we can eliminate the states of anger and ignorance. That is, we have to adhere to the principles of the Dharma expounded by the Buddha. We have to accept them. Once we do, our hearts will be free of worries and will not be bound by afflictions. So, when we share our experience with others, we benefit ourselves and others. We enter a state of the greatest happiness and our minds have no obstructions. Because we have no obstructions, there is no fear, no afflictions, no greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance or doubt, and no conflicts or interpersonal disputes etc. We completely release all these afflictions and are very happy! So, [whether we experience] great suffering or great joy depends on our attitudes in life.

Before, I spoke of how the Buddha, after attaining Buddhahood, had ten epithets, Tathagata, One Worthy of Offering, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and Buddha, the World-Honored One. We must diligently study and learn to live up to these ten epithets.

The Buddha is mighty in loving-kindness and replete with ten kinds of virtues. Shouldn’t we diligently cultivate these ten kinds of virtues? In particular, attaining human form is difficult. After finding Buddha-Dharma among humankind, we must develop a great field of blessings in the heaven and human realms.

We often say we can see heaven in this world. The wealthy live in heaven on earth. It is difficult for them to learn the Way. We can make good use of our wisdom, exercise our loving-kindness and Samadhi. Then, through the suffering of the multitudes of sentient beings, we can explain the Dharma so that the wealthy, the blessed ones in this world, can accept it. This will inspire their compassion so they can then help those who are suffering. This is their first step toward the Buddha-Dharma, the beginnings of their great field of blessings. In the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, this is also mentioned in the Chapter of the Ten Merits. So, we have to guide everyone to help those who are suffering, to create a great field of blessings for them.

Sentient beings who endure great suffering and can transform themselves and others to experience great joy are worthy to be the fields of blessings for the heaven and human realm.

Some people suffer from spiritual emptiness; some suffer from material poverty. So, we must be fields of blessings for others. This is also a very important step in learning from the Buddha.

Before, I said that the Buddha was endowed with the ten epithets, so He went among people and began.

To expound the right Dharma with excellence in the beginning, middle and end. “The meaning is deep and profound. The words are skillful and wondrous, pure without distractions and complete with the marks of pure practice.”

After this section of the sutra, Manjusri Bodhisattva told Maitreya Bodhisattva that in the past there was a Buddha, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant (Buddha), who was also endowed with the ten epithets, and who also expounded the right Dharma to others. His teachings were also divided into the excellence in the beginning, middle and end. What is excellence in the beginning, middle or end? We have to understand that “excellence in the beginning” refers to when the Buddha became enlightened. I have often shared this with everyone. The Buddha was in a state of Samadhi when He saw the morning star. Suddenly, His mind and that star became one. That is, the microcosm and the macrocosm suddenly converged in that moment.

I often say the body is a microcosm. Before enlightenment, the microcosm of the human body is an individual entity. But after some time of spiritual cultivation, the body and mind become completely tranquil, still and clear. In this state, they far surpass the microcosm of the immediate self. At that time, in that state of tranquility and clarity, His gaze happened to fall upon that star. Suddenly, His mind and that star became one, the micro and the macro. At that moment, His mind was all-encompassing and boundless. Our mind is actually also that wondrous!

It is not just limited to this planet, but [can encompass] the wider universe. This is the vastness of the mind. So the Buddha’s first words in that moment were, “How amazing! All beings possess the Buddha’s nature of wisdom.” This was His first thought. When His mind and surroundings became united, His first awakening was that all beings have the Buddha’s nature of wisdom; He was not the only one. That is why He always said, “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in nature].”

In this spiritual state, the Buddha saw that all of us sentient beings can attain Buddhahood, and that we all have this perfect and radiant Buddha-nature. So, He was very joyous, very happy. He wanted to quickly share this state with everyone. After this spiritual state arose in Him, all Buddhas of the ten directions and. Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas gathered. This was called the Avatamsaka Assembly.

Heavenly beings and Dharma-protectors also emerged there. How did such an extraordinary state come about? All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions were there, so all heavenly beings and. Dharma-protectors also came. In this spiritual state, the Buddha began to teach the true principles of the universe that He had realized. His mindset was vast, boundless and encompassed the endless void. With such an open mind, He wanted to share these principles.

But the heavenly beings and humans who attended could not understand or comprehend them. At that time, the Buddha was truly discouraged and thought about just entering Parinirvana. “Since I have attained Buddhahood, I have such great principles to share. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can comprehend my state of mind, but why can’t the eight classes of Dharma-protectors comprehend them? Then what use is my attaining Buddhahood? “I should just enter Parinirvana.” At this time, all Buddhas of the past came to comfort Sakyamuni.

This was the state of the Buddha that was described in the Lotus Sutra. So all past Buddhas comforted Him and asked Him to exercise His Samadhi and wisdom. “You already made these compassionate vows; now exercise Your Samadhi and wisdom. The many sentient beings are stubborn and difficult to train. So You must exercise Samadhi and wisdom. Still Your mind and apply Your wisdom. Doing this is within Your ability.”

Thus, He was originally going to teach Avatamsaka, which was His path to realization. This was how He practiced and achieved the state of attaining fruition. Throughout many past kalpas, for a very, very long time, this was what He practiced and achieved. It took three asankyakalpas and much hard work to attain this realization. Heavenly beings and humans could not understand.

You should know that when other people cannot understand what we say, it is very discouraging. Truly, the Buddha and people have the same mind. So, He said there is Buddha-mind in human minds and a human mind in Buddhas’ minds. This is so relatable and makes so much sense.

Everyone, we have developed the aspiration to practice, so we must cultivate both compassion and wisdom, exercise loving-kindness and have Samadhi and wisdom. We vow to never abandon sentient beings. In this evil world of five turbidities, sentient beings are filled with afflictions and lead hard lives. But in the midst of this great suffering, we willingly learn to bestow great joy so everyone can accept the Buddha-Dharma. We can then all have happiness in our daily living. This requires attaining the Dharma. Only then will we have a sense of Dharma-joy. So, we must always be mindful!