Category: TLS Chapter 1

Episode 114 – Endowed with the Ten Epithets

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>> The Ten Epithets of the Buddha: Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, 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.

>> The Buddha proclaimed the right Dharma for sentient beings to enable them to attain the state of wisdom. One perfect in Buddha-virtues is worthy to be called Unsurpassed Guide.

>> This refers to “one who accomplishes great work.” This refers to “one who accomplishes great work with various methods and can tame all sentient beings in the Dharma-realm.”

>> Next is “Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans.” This refers to being “a guide for heavenly beings and humans so that all sentient beings who want to know the Buddha-Dharma can easily practice and uphold it.”

>> Human and heavenly birth are the two karmic retributions which are most conducive to attainment. Therefore, the Buddha was called the Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans.

>> Those who have not planted roots of goodness can plant them, those roots which have not matured can mature and those with mature roots can attain Bodhi.

>> Buddha, the World-Honored One is a teacher of humans and heavenly beings. A teacher can guide [sentient beings] to follow the right path and rules and be a model of Right Dharma.

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As Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful. The Buddha taught us to keep our thoughts on what we are doing while focusing on the Dharma․ If we can be single-mindedly diligent and not become lax, we will naturally attain virtue. We must believe that by attaining the Dharma we will manifest virtue.

We have been talking about how one must be endowed with the ten epithets and replete with the ten virtues before one can be called a Buddha. A “Buddha” is a Great Awakened One. To “awaken” is to realize everything in the world, not just in this world, but in the great trichiliocosm. Thus, [He knows] the truths of the universe. To understand all matters and principles in the past, present and future, takes a long period of wholeheartedly experiencing and understanding all things.

Previously, we mentioned that one of the Buddha’s ten virtues was being an Unsurpassed Guide.

The Ten Epithets of the Buddha: Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, 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.

“Unsurpassed Guide” means He came to this world to teach all sentient beings in the hope that they will spread the seeds of goodness, to help everyone plant the roots of goodness. Once these roots matured, they could be liberated. Then they [could work to reach] the Buddha’s state of being endowed with the ten epithets, which are the perfections of His virtues. Therefore, He is called the Unsurpassed Guide

because He leads everyone to reach His level. What makes Him the Unsurpassed Guide? Heavenly beings, humans, Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas have not yet perfected [their practice]. So, the Buddha is one stage beyond. Buddhas have the most perfect enlightenment. All Buddhas share the same path. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to this world to transform sentient beings by example. They teach everyone to have ethics and morality. So, the Buddha is called the Unsurpassed Guide, a position of utmost and perfect awakening. No one can surpass the Buddha’s most perfect and complete enlightenment. Thus, He is the Unsurpassed Guide.

The Buddha proclaimed the right Dharma for sentient beings to enable them to attain the state of wisdom. One perfect in Buddha-virtues is worthy to be called Unsurpassed Guide.

Next is. “Tamer.”

This refers to “one who accomplishes great work.” This refers to “one who accomplishes great work with various methods and can tame all sentient beings in the Dharma-realm.”

So, Tamer refers to one who will use supreme and unsurpassed Dharma to help all sentient beings in this world succeed. He will help every single sentient being attain this kind of enlightenment. The Tamer is someone who can train all kinds of sentient beings. All sentient beings have different habits. Even if we just talk about humans, each one has different habitual tendencies. Therefore, training the minds of humans is not easy, let alone those of all sentient beings. There are all kinds of living beings, each with their own forms and habitual tendencies.

When the Buddha appeared in this world, He vowed to use all kinds of methods to achieve His great mission, which was to awaken everyone’s intrinsic Buddha-nature and help us return our different habitual tendencies to that one nature, to our intrinsic self-nature which is pure and radiant. So, as we mention often, in spiritual cultivation, there is nothing to cultivate except our habitual tendencies.

However, taming our own habitual tendencies is not easy. So, how can we tame other people’s habits? It will be challenging, but we still have to encourage ourselves and do our best to be a role model for others. This is how we lead people; this is what we ordinary people must work on. So, for Buddhist practitioners to attain Buddhahood is not impossible. We need to return [to our true nature] and self-reflect. Are we taming our habitual tendencies?

The Buddha’s great mission is to tame all sentient beings in the Dharma-realm. It is also to teach us that Sakyamuni Buddha is not the only one [with Buddha-nature]. We also have the Three Treasures in our self-nature. We have our own Buddha-nature. We can teach ourselves and develop our own wisdom with the Dharma [within]. We can overcome our own habitual tendencies through our actions with the Sangha [within]. These are the Three Treasures of our self-nature. We all have to awaken our self-nature and manifest the Tamer within us. We need to practice to become an Unsurpassed Guide and a Tamer.

We are ordinary people, but we should not see ourselves as ordinary. We are now learning from the Buddha, and the only way to do so is to tame our self-nature and develop our perseverance and patience. We must do this ourselves. We do not need to seek the Dharma elsewhere; the Vulture Peak stupa is within our minds. The Vulture Peak assembly is also in our hearts. So, we can all be the host of that. Dharma-assembly on Vulture Peak by having more confidence.

Next is “Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans.” This refers to being “a guide for heavenly beings and humans so that all sentient beings who want to know the Buddha-Dharma can easily practice and uphold it.”

We need to know that a Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans is a role model. The Buddha was not a teacher only in this world. Sakro-DevanamIndra and other heavenly beings also took refuge with the Buddha. So, He was also a teacher for heavenly beings. Therefore, the Buddha is the teacher of heavenly beings and humans, guiding them to enter supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment.

As I have said before, practicing the Ten Good Deeds can enable us to be born in heaven. Upholding the Five Precepts can allow us to retain human form. Both heavenly beings and humans are still transmigrating in the Six Destinies. In our spiritual practice, we want to be liberated from the Six Destinies and even transcend the Three Realms. This is our goal as Buddhist practitioners. Whether it is the Form Realm, Formless Realm or human and heavenly existence in the Desire Realm, we want to transcend them all, including heaven. So, the Buddha came to this world to be a guide for heavenly beings and humans because they can most easily approach the Buddha’s teachings to get close to what He taught.

So, “Human and heavenly birth are the two karmic retributions most conducive to attainment.” The Buddha came to this world because these two groups are most similar to Him. In the other destinies, such as the animal, hungry ghost or hell destinies, beings suffer greatly. Their karmic retributions have pulled them away, so it is very difficult for them to approach the Buddha-Dharma. Thus, the Buddha approaches heavenly beings and humans, who can most easily [attain enlightenment].

Human and heavenly birth are the two karmic retributions which are most conducive to attainment. Therefore, the Buddha was called the Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans.

Even in this world, there are places that are like heaven on earth. People say, “It is difficult for the wealthy to learn the Way.” This is true! But we can use the right Dharma to bring these wealthy, educated people closer to the Buddha-Dharma. Not only can they draw near to it, they can faithfully accept and practice it. Not only that, they can also protect and uphold the right Dharma. These people are heavenly beings of this world.

So as Buddhist practitioners, we need to guide heavenly beings and humans toward the right Dharma. Only by taking the most correct path in the world can we benefit people and also help them correct their mindset. We give unconditionally and with love. Through the act of giving, a sense of mutual love and transcendence arises from our interactions. This state of love is unconditional. More than that, we are grateful [for the opportunity to give].

I often tell Tzu Chi volunteers to give unconditionally and always be grateful, because sentient beings are here to help us. People who are suffering inspire our wisdom. Their suffering in their cyclic existence spurs us to seek liberation from birth and death. We learn that birth and death are laws of nature; so naturally, in the midst of these conflicts from desire and ignorance, our bodies and minds will find a way to liberation.

Those who have not planted roots of goodness can plant them, those roots which have not matured can mature and those with mature roots can attain Bodhi.

Indeed, [the Buddha] wanted to tell us this so that our minds can be on the right course. Then we can eliminate or subdue our habitual tendencies, tame our minds, and learn the right Dharma without deviation. This is “the path.” Heavenly beings and humans are the two groups that the Buddha can most easily approach; He uses methods to help them accept [the Dharma]. He is the Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans. He guides them in the correct direction so they will not deviate. This is the Buddha’s goal in coming to the world.

“A teacher of heavenly beings and humans” can “guide people to follow the right rules and discipline.” To be a teacher, one must lead people, teach them how to walk in the right direction. So with this virtue, the Buddha is called. Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans, guiding teacher of the Three Realms and kind father of the Four Kinds of Beings. Don’t we chant this every morning? Not only Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans but also “guiding teacher of the Three Realms.” At that time, He was closest to humans and heavenly beings and could talk to humans at any time.

Among humans, there are wealthy families and those who live impoverished lives. The beings of the Five Destinies co-exist here. I have explained this in the past. This is where the Five Destinies are intermixed. These destinies include the heaven, human hell, hungry ghost and animal destinies. The place where the Buddha must teach is one of great complexity. So, He must be endowed with the ten epithets and replete with the ten virtues. In this place where all Five Destinies co-exist, He teaches everyone. He is a teacher of humans and heavenly beings and the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. He wants to guide everyone to follow the right rules and discipline.

Buddha, the World-Honored One is a teacher of humans and heavenly beings. A teacher can guide [sentient beings] to follow the right path and rules and be a model of Right Dharma.

To be a decent human being, we must abide by basic disciplines and rules. Spiritual practice has its own rules. To be a model of Right Dharma, we must thoroughly manifest the True Dharma of the Buddha’s teachings. When the Buddha was still alive, Devadatta used the Buddha’s teachings to delude people. Those teachings were not truthful; they had already deviated. So, we must always be vigilant in being models of Right Dharma as we teach people. Then everyone can walk the right path and follow the right rules. This is our responsibility.

“All Buddhas share the same path, are replete with the ten virtues, are perfect and flawless.” They [have reached] this state of being endowed with the ten epithets and ten virtues. All Buddhas of the past, present and future have the same perfect virtues. Earlier we discussed the shared and distinctive epithets. Sakyamuni and Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant are distinctive epithets. There are many other Buddhas with different names, but They must all have perfected the ten virtues and worked to transform sentient beings. All Buddhas share the same path.

Some sentient beings have very dull capabilities, so skillful means were used to lead them. Some have very sharp capabilities, so supreme states are used to enable them to attain immediate enlightenment. This is how the Buddha taught sentient beings. Training sentient beings is very taxing.

If we ask ourselves whether we can even tame our own habitual natures, we will know the greatness of His teachings. The great cause [for which He comes to the world] is this and this alone, to help all sentient beings become His equals, to awaken everyone’s intrinsic nature. It is such great and taxing work! So, we must all train ourselves and start exercising the Three Treasures of our self-nature. So please, always be mindful.

Episode 113 – Buddha’s Virtues Help Sentient Beings Attain Bodhi

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>> The ten epithets of the Buddha: Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, 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.

>> Well-Gone One: The Buddha is skillful in entering infinite worlds to expound the Dharma in accord with the desires of sentient beings so they can clearly understand that suffering in this world is created by their desires.

>> “Though sentient beings are immersed in the afflictions of life and death, He can lead them to feel joy upon hearing the Dharma and guide them ably toward unsurpassed Bodhi.”

>> Next, we will talk about “Knower of the World”. “Knower of the World” refers to how the Buddha fully understands all kinds of desires, delusions and karmic retributions in the world of sentient beings and formation, existence, decay and disappearance in the world of physical objects.

>> “He uses all kinds of methods to lead all sentient beings so those who have not planted roots of goodness can plant them, those roots that have not matured can mature and those with mature roots can attain Bodhi.”

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As Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful. Every day, I talk to everyone about the mind. Our minds can bring all things to fruition. Our minds can also lead us to create much negative karma. Everything is created by the mind.

We previously talked about the Well-Gone One. The Well-Gone One is also a [state of mind]. The Buddha was endowed with the ten epithets, which means He was replete with the ten virtues. Virtue is attained through spiritual practice. So, we must always be mindful when dealing with people and matters in our daily living. When we are mindful, we can come and go freely [in this world].

The ten epithets of the Buddha: Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, 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.

The Buddha can “skillfully enter infinite worlds.” He can come and go freely in infinite worlds such as worlds of sentient beings, worlds of material things etc. We are influenced by the world around us, so our minds are not free or at ease. But the Buddha is enlightened, so He can come and go freely and teach according to the needs of sentient beings. He understands the suffering of the world. This is reflected in the order of His teachings, which begin with “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path.”

The Buddha understood the truth of suffering in the world. For any person who comes to this world, suffering is inevitable. In particular, suffering is created by the desires of sentient beings. Isn’t the origin of our birth into this world found in our parents’ desires? Isn’t it found in the karmic connections we created with them in our past lives? So, the sufferings of sentient beings are created by the desires in their minds.

Well-Gone One: The Buddha is skillful in entering infinite worlds to expound the Dharma in accord with the desires of sentient beings so they can clearly understand that suffering in this world is created by their desires.

Therefore,

“Though sentient beings are immersed in the afflictions of life and death, He can lead them to feel joy upon hearing the Dharma and guide them ably toward unsurpassed Bodhi.”

The Buddha’s virtue enables Him to understand that the origin of sentient beings’ sufferings is desire. In this world, the habitual tendencies and desires of the myriads of sentient beings are all different. We are born into this life, then we create karma during our entire lifetime, and finally we die. In between, we suffer constantly from afflictions. And because of our habitual tendencies, getting us to hear the Dharma is truly difficult. After we hear it, accepting it is also not easy. To feel joy upon accepting the Dharma into our hearts is even harder.

But the Buddha exercises both compassion and wisdom, so His teachings are not obstructed by the afflictions of sentient beings. Therefore, though they are immersed in the afflictions of life and death, He enables them to feel joy upon hearing the Dharma. This is why the Buddha is the Well-Gone One who can come and go freely. No matter what kind of sentient beings He encounters, He can enter and leave their states without difficulty. His goal is to enable sentient beings to feel joy upon hearing the Dharma and then “guide them ably toward unsurpassed Bodhi.”

Out of His compassion, He has accumulated many good affinities with sentient beings so everyone feels joy when they hear Him teach. As we have discussed in the past, if we have [good] connections with people, everything they say is Dharma. If we have [bad] connections with people, no matter how wonderful their words are, they become [a source of] conflict and hearing them makes us unhappy. If we have [good] affinities, we are joyful and accepting. Then He can “guide [us] ably toward unsurpassed Bodhi” and bring joy to us all. In the past, the Buddha’s compassion allowed Him to form good karmic connections with everyone, and He used His wisdom to teach the Dharma among the people. This is the virtue of the Well-Gone One.

Next, we will talk about “Knower of the World”. “Knower of the World” refers to. ․how the Buddha fully understands all kinds of desires, delusions and karmic retributions in the world of sentient beings and formation, existence, decay and disappearance in the world of physical objects.

The world of sentient beings includes all things with life; all living beings are sentient. All sentient beings have desires. Is there any animal that does not reproduce because of desire? No matter the size or shape of the animals, they can reproduce, generation after generation. Think about this. Regardless of the kind of animal, it lives in a world of desires which lead to all kinds of delusions and karmic retributions. The mind has many afflictions and delusions, so it is filled with darkness; there is no light. This is due to our karma and afflictions.

“[The Buddha fully understands] formation, existence, decay and disappearance in the world of physical objects.” This is the Buddha’s wisdom. He can understand the worlds of sentient and non-sentient beings. Anything that our eyes can see, including the space we live in, is called the world of physical objects. Everything within this world forms, exists, decays and disappears. Nothing lasts forever.

Do mountains, rivers and land formations never change? They will also change! The law of nature, the four elements of nature, are very powerful. If the four elements are in balance, the weather will be favorable and everything will be safe and sound. If one element is not in balance, the rivers, mountains and land can be damaged and altered overnight.

So just think; the Buddha fully understands the desires and sufferings of sentient beings and that birth, aging, illness and death are part of the natural course of life. In this human realm, and in all the Six Realms of sentient beings, there is nothing He does not clearly understand, particularly this world of physical objects. He understands the state of all material things as clearly as we know the backs of our hands.

So, the Buddha understood humans and this world very well. When He taught, He also applied His wisdom. Once, during the Buddha’s lifetime, a disciple from afar came to pay respect to the Buddha not long after the summer retreat had ended. The Buddha knew this disciple came from afar, so after he sat down, He asked. “Where did you come from?” The disciple answered, “I came from Mount Wei.”

“That is a long ways! It took me a while to get here. I started walking after the summer retreat ended because I have been thinking about You. I have finally arrived and have come to see You and pay my respects.” So the Buddha asked him, “Did this year’s summer retreat go well?” The disciple replied, “Thank You for Your care and compassion. This year, our summer retreat was near Mount Wei. The surroundings were very nice. When we were there, our minds were very tranquil. We could get by and come and go safely. There was only one drawback.” The Buddha asked, “What was the drawback?” He said, “When the sun set, many birds congregated around where we lived. They were very noisy. During the evening, when we wanted to meditate, we could hear the birds chirping loudly.” So the Buddha asked him, “Would you still want to go back and live there? Would you still like this place?” The disciple replied, “This place was really suitable for our spiritual practice; the only drawback was the noisy birds. In the evening, it was more difficult to keep our minds at peace.”

So, the Buddha taught him a method. “When you go back and hear the birds approach at sunset, you must reverently place your palms together and say to the birds, ‘Oh birds, I really need your feathers I need you to offer us your feathers.'” At the beginning, only a few birds heard the requests from these bhiksus asking them to give up their feathers as an offering. So, the birds quickly convened a meeting with the rest of their flock. “The bhiksus now expect something from us. They wish to have the feathers from our bodies. Everyone, think clearly. Do we want to give our feathers as an offering?”

All the birds heard this and said, “Our feathers are the most precious things on our bodies. How can we give them as an offering? If we cannot make this offering, then let us not congregate in this place anymore. Since we cannot fulfill the bhiksus’ request, we should leave right away.” Sure enough, from that night on, the evenings became quiet and peaceful. No bird dared to come near.

Not long after, the bhiksu went to the Buddha to express his gratitude for this method. “With clear days and quiet evenings, this is truly the best place for spiritual practice.” Then the Buddha gave another teaching. “Bhiksus, we all need to recognize that even birds are sentient beings. They know to cherish their feathers, so we humans [must do the same]. We should really care for ourselves and cherish our wisdom-life. Time and Dharma can nurture our wisdom-life. Can we really care any less about ourselves than those birds about themselves?”

In His wisdom, the Buddha used sentient beings’ surroundings to teach them. So, in this world of physical objects, the environments sentient beings live in each have their own strengths and weaknesses. All sentient beings seek to satisfy their desires and protect themselves. This is the state of sentient beings, one of haze and delusion. So, the Buddha repeatedly comes back to the world to expound His Dharma. He has to have blessings and wisdom in order to guide [beings in] this world and teach them the Dharma.

Next is “Unsurpassed Guide.” This epithet is one of the Buddha’s virtues. This refers to how.

“He uses all kinds of methods to lead all sentient beings so those who have not planted roots of goodness can plant them, those roots that have not matured can mature and those with mature roots can attain Bodhi.”

I often say that the Buddha comes to the world for one great cause, to spread the seeds of love and pave a path of wisdom. Then everyone can walk this path. He sows seeds of enlightenment in everyone’s heart so they can cultivate enlightened love in their minds.

We often talk about trailblazers. The Buddha comes to guide sentient beings through the confused wilderness of their minds, to teach them how to clear up their minds, to open up this wilderness and eliminate their confusion. He also comes to teach them ways to create a wondrous state of mind, to plant and cultivate the seeds of goodness in their hearts. With His wisdom, He uses all kinds of methods to deal with sentient beings, so those who have not planted roots of goodness can plant them, those with immature roots can quickly mature and those with mature roots can attain Bodhi. Fellow Bodhisattvas, the Buddha has both wisdom and compassion. Only with compassion can we form good affinities. With good affinities, sentient beings will be able to feel joy and thus accept the Dharma. Then sentient beings can awaken from their haze. That awakening enables them to understand the various principles of the world of physical existence. Since the Buddha attained enlightenment, everything, sentient or not, is known to Him like the palm of His hand. But we sentient beings are still confused.

So please, everyone, we need to awaken our true nature. This is not difficult as long as we are always mindful.

Episode 112 – Buddha-virtues Pervade Infinite Worlds

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>> One Perfect in Wisdom and Action is replete with the Three Insights 1. Insight into past lives 2. Insight into cyclic existence 3. Insight into ending all Leaks.

>> One Perfect in Wisdom and Action is replete in the Three Virtues and can clearly understand his own and others’ causes and conditions from all past lives, can attain ultimate liberation from all flawed phenomena and can attain the fruition of no Leaks.

>> “Every action is in accord with the right Dharma” and “every word is in accord with proper principles.”

>> The Buddha is skillful in entering infinite worlds to expound the Dharma in accord with the desires of sentient beings.

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We seek to learn from the Buddha because we strive to understand everything. But there are many things we do not yet understand. Why don’t we understand them? Because of ignorance, lack of clarity, which causes confusion and unease. So as we learn from the Buddha, we need to learn how to understand all people, matters, objects and principles clearly and thoroughly. Then our minds can be peaceful and at ease. So we have to learn to develop clarity, understanding.

Previously, I have discussed the virtues of the Buddha. He is endowed with the ten epithets. We have already discussed. “One Perfect in Wisdom and Action,” which means that one can enter and leave this world with clarity and freedom. Once we are replete with the Three Insights, we have virtue. “One who is virtuous attains.” What we attain through spiritual cultivation is virtue. If we do not engage in spiritual practice, we will not attain virtues. In order to know things clearly and thoroughly, we must put our efforts into gaining understanding. Once we understand, everything will be clear. This process requires us to be mindful.

The Buddha already understands everything. Is there anything the Great Enlightened One of the Universe does not understand? So, He is already “perfect in wisdom and action. Action” is like what we do with our feet. With two feet, we can walk very freely. But if one foot is out of step, each step will be very difficult. Walking will be very hard work. So, if we are to move toward Buddhahood and walk the path that the Buddha walked, we need to cultivate both blessings and wisdom. We must cultivate them simultaneously in order for us to walk steadily and easily. So, the One Perfect in Wisdom and Action is also the Two-Footed Honored One.

One Perfect in Wisdom and Action is replete with the Three Insights 1. Insight into past lives 2. Insight into cyclic existence 3. Insight into ending all Leaks.

With “insight into past lives,” the Buddha clearly knew everything about the past. This did not just apply to one previous life, but to His countless lifetimes in the past. With “insight into cyclic existence,” He knew clearly how people come into the world and how they leave it. Being born is straightforward. The karmic connections we developed in past lives determine where we are born. Dying is also straightforward. Everyone who is born must die; this is the law of the nature. It is the time between birth and death that is more complex. We live in this world, but how many of its principles do we understand? When people interact, there are many problems. How well do we understand other people? Not only are we unable to understand others, frankly, how well do we really understand ourselves?

Can we really clearly understand the periods between our birth, our childhood and our old age and death? We ordinary people still have not attained understanding or clarity. But the Buddha-Dharma is still here in this world. We have the karmic conditions to hear the Dharma, so we must learn it. This is called learning from the Buddha. In learning from the Buddha, we must practice His teachings. We need to learn about how He was born into this world, what kind of thinking and perspective He used to pursue, work hard at and ultimately realize [the truth].

When the Buddha was in this world, everything He did is something we can learn from. Is it enough to just learn? No, we also need to follow His example and practice His teachings. If we can do this, we can attain wisdom. This is more than just knowing. The construction of Chinese characters is truly very wondrous. “To know” is just to know of, nothing more. Is just knowing enough? [We also need] clarity. The character for “sun” is placed beneath the character for “to know” to indicate clear and thorough understanding.

This creates the character for “wisdom.” With discerning wisdom, He can discern worldly matters and principles. He can clearly understand the past, the present and the future and all the principles they contain. The Buddha can discern them all clearly, not just the wisdom from insight into past lives or into cyclic existence. Actually, with His penetrating wisdom. He has insight into ending all Leaks.

Right now our hearts are full of Leaks. Will we be able to remove all our past afflictions, eliminate all our past ignorance? Once we have attained pure wisdom, are we able to we retain it in our minds? [Eliminating] one bit of affliction to obtain one bit of the Dharma is not easy. Once we understand this, we will change and repent what we did in the past. After we cleanse [our minds] with repentance, will we continue to protect this purity? If we do, have we taken this Dharma to heart? If we have, we can always be vigilant of our [actions]. Then naturally we will not make mistakes again. Once the mind is cleansed, it remains clean. We will not defile it again. If we can do that, we have “ended all Leaks.” If not, no matter how much Dharma we seek to hear, once we hear it, we know it, but we do not clearly understand it. Or if we do understand and then self-reflect and repent, we still quickly revert to our unenlightened minds. This is because we have Leaks.

So, the Buddha is the Enlightened One who has “insight into ending all Leaks.” So, after all afflictions are eliminated, He will not defile His mind again, because the Dharma has not leaked from His mind. This is the insight into ending all Leaks.

These kinds of insights, the Three Insights, are virtues. If we do not practice spiritual cultivation, if we do not obtain the Dharma, how can we attain insights? So, when we engage in spiritual practice, we naturally attain virtues. With these virtues, we have clarity. With insight, we have discerning wisdom and can clearly discern right and wrong in the world. So, “At this time [of crisis], we must clearly discern right from wrong.” To be able to discern right from wrong, we need the insight that ends all Leaks. We have to eliminate afflictions in order to clearly understand what is right and what is wrong during this time [of crisis]. So, this is very important.

Then, we can “understand one’s own and others’ causes and conditions from all past lives.” We will know very clearly what causes and conditions were formed between us in past lives. In this world, there are many complex interpersonal matters. Family members can turn on each other with hatred. The relationship between parent and child should be loving, but instead some kids are unfilial and disobedient. They even commit patricide and matricide. What causes this kind of complicated life? The causes and conditions from past lives.

So, we must be very careful in how we conduct ourselves with others. We do not know about the past, but we have to take advantage of the present to create good affinities with everyone. Since everything is related to the law of karma, focusing on the present is very important in our spiritual practice. We must be clear and aware of everything, and we must not be confused. This is “Perfect in Wisdom and Action.”

If we are perfect in wisdom and action, not only can we clearly understand past lives, we can also “attain ultimate liberation from all flawed phenomena.” We can also thoroughly eliminate all afflictions and be free of bonds. People are tied to each other. A family starts with [a child who has] parents and siblings; then the child grows up and starts another family. This new family also involves dependents, such as a spouse and children. First his parents and siblings [cause] worries as their good and bad affinities affect each other. Then this continues with the new family, which also creates burdens and concerns. There are so many worries. In addition to concerns for our families, in order to survive, we are constantly creating a lot of karma as we interact with other people. There is no end to this.

So, after we understand the causes and conditions from past lives, how can we fully liberate ourselves from worries and from all flawed phenomena? By having insight. So we must cultivate blessings and wisdom.

We cultivate blessings by creating good affinities with everyone. If everyone helps us succeed in our practice instead of creating obstacles for us, that is a blessing. With wisdom, we can then discern everything. We must have a clear understanding of the past, present and future. With discerning wisdom and impartial wisdom, we will have clear understanding. Only then will we reach “ultimate liberation” and naturally be liberated from all flawed phenomena. All afflictions, worries and entanglements will be removed. To do so, we must cultivate blessings and wisdom.

I hope our life together is a blessing so we can help each other in our spiritual practice. With good affinities, we will not create obstacles for anyone. We cannot live apart from people. Do not believe that [becoming a monastic] and leaving loved ones means being apart from society. It does not. We need to interact with more people. We leave our immediate families to join the great family of the Tathagata, which is humankind. When we interact with others, they help us succeed. This is the virtue of blessings. Besides that, we also need the virtue of wisdom. So, we must perfect both blessings and wisdom. Then one is called Perfect in Wisdom and Action.

When we “attain the fruition of no Leaks,” our minds are clear and free from obstacles and afflictions. What a beautiful state of mind this is, pure and tranquil, with everything perfectly clear. This is being perfect in wisdom and action.

One Perfect in Wisdom and Action is replete in the Three Virtues and can clearly understand his own and others’ causes and conditions from all past lives, can attain ultimate liberation from all flawed phenomena and can attain the fruition of no Leaks.

If we can arrive at this state of mind,

“Every action is in accord with the right Dharma” and “every word is in accord with proper principles.”

In the human realm, our every action has to be in accord with worldly principles. So, we often say that the Dharma must be in our hearts. Not only must it be in our hearts, as we live within this world, we all need to act in accord with the right Dharma. Then, even when we speak, “every word is in accord with proper principles.” This is a guideline for us. We do not speak thoughtlessly. What we say [must be] reasonable, every sentence in accord with proper guidelines. This is a principle. Whatever we do, whatever we say, needs to be in accord with the right Dharma and the proper guidelines. This is a principle. We live within these rules, which is the path of the Dharma. To become perfect in wisdom and action, we must be even more mindful to comprehend how the Buddha traveled around the world to save all sentient beings.

Next, we will talk about the Well-Gone One, which means one who travels freely.

The Buddha is skillful in entering infinite worlds to expound the Dharma in accord with the desires of sentient beings.

The Buddha’s wisdom is within all sentient beings. Although sentient beings are numerous, with many afflictions and all kinds of obstacles, the Buddha traveled freely among them without hindrance. He had attained liberation without hindrance and can freely enter and exit all conditions. So, He constantly returns out of compassion. This is the Well-Gone One.

Why did He come to this world? To “enter infinite worlds to expound the Dharma in accord with the desires of sentient beings,” because they truly have many desires. For them, He manifested and lived in this world. So, Prince Siddhartha was born in the palace over 2000 years ago. He grew up and was educated in the palace. Then, according to the ways of the world, his father needed him to marry, so he married and had a son. This was a worldly practice and the desire of sentient beings. He understood what these desires were, so He manifested the process of spiritual practice. Without engaging in spiritual practice, He would not have had an opportunity to awaken.

Actually, He had already attained Buddhahood countless eons before and could come and go freely without being defiled. So, although He came to the world in that particular incarnation and had the burdens of a family, He was a great person so. He clearly realized He had to let them go. Thus, He released Himself and left to find a path [to enlightenment]. After He awakened, He returned to the people to guide them onto the right path. Thus, the Well-Gone One freely came and went.

In summary, if we want to be free and liberated, we need to have both blessings and wisdom, and we must be replete with the Three Insights. These are the Buddha’s virtues. So, we all need to clearly understand that wherever we are, whenever it is and whoever we are with, we must always understand this principle and create good affinities with others. Then we will have no burdens and will not be hindered. Then others will help us succeed in our spiritual practice so [our understanding] may be thorough, unobstructed. This is what we must work on. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 111 – Replete with the Three Insights

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>> “Our Buddha-nature is perfect and radiant. It is intrinsically and naturally pure and undefiled, superb and brilliant.”

>> The Buddha-virtues are clearly revealed to guide the deluded to enlightenment. With the three complete and perfect virtues, one is endowed with the ten epithets.

>> “The Ten epithets” which are. Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, 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.

>> “He deserves offerings from those in the heaven, human and the nine Dharma-realms that are below the state of. Bodhisattvas of Equal Enlightenment.”

>> “Four noble realms: the Buddha, Bodhisattva, Pratyekabuddha and Hearer realms.” These are the four noble realms. “Six unenlightened realms: the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost, animal and asura realms.”

>> There are three kinds of offerings: offerings of material goods, offerings of reverence and offerings of conduct.

>> “Perfect in Wisdom and Action means one is replete with the Three Insights.”

>> “1. Insight into past lives 2. Insight into cyclic existence 3. Insight into ending all Leaks.”

>> One replete with the Three Insights can clearly understand one’s own and others’ causes and conditions from all past lives, can attain ultimate liberation from all phenomena with Leaks, and can attain the stage of no Leaks.

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“Our Buddha-nature is perfect and radiant. It is intrinsically and naturally pure and undefiled, superb and brilliant.”

We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, this perfect and radiant nature. We are naturally born with it. It is pure and undefiled, superb and radiant. We all have this precious jewel inside of us, but unfortunately we do not know it. We all have it, but unfortunately we never exercise it. We have concealed it with layers of ignorance and affliction we now know this. But where can we find this true nature? What does this true nature look like? There is a saying, “Mountains and rivers are easy to move compared to how hard it is to change our nature.”

Mountains and rivers can be altered easily and quickly by technology or natural disasters. However, we still have our nature which was originally pure and radiant. It has just been concealed with layers of ignorance. Now we exercise our habitual nature. These acquired tendencies have been constantly and repeatedly reinforced to the point where they are now difficult to change. Actually, if we can undo our habitual tendencies, we can return to our true nature. So some say, “Our natures are hard to change.” Nobody can alter our true intrinsic nature. This Buddha-nature is pure and radiant. We possess it naturally and intrinsically. Nobody can change it.

In our present, future and past lives, we all intrinsically and naturally have this perfect Buddha-nature. But because we obscure this true nature, we are constantly influenced by superficial habitual tendencies that are carried from the past on into the future. So, our habitual tendencies are hard to change. That is why I often tell everyone that in spiritual practice, the only thing we need to practice is eliminating our habitual tendencies. If we are vigilant of our habitual tendencies and the way we live, we can slowly return to our pure and radiant Buddha-nature.

It seems this should not be difficult; it is actually quite simple. Still, it is truly not very easy. The Buddha has been enlightened for countless kalpas, while we ordinary beings have been transmigrating through the. Six Destinies for the same amount of time. An enlightened one always enlightens Himself. One who is deluded will continually be deluded. There is a fine line between “enlightenment” and “delusion.”

The Buddha-virtues are clearly revealed to guide the deluded to enlightenment. With the three complete and perfect virtues, one is endowed with the ten epithets.

The Buddha had already attained enlightenment a very long time ago; His virtues have already been clearly revealed. So, one who has already attained Buddhahood can “guide the deluded to enlightenment” by clearly revealing His Buddha-virtues. This lets everyone know that this is the only difference between us and Him. You and others and I all have an intrinsic self-awakened nature that. He has already clearly revealed.

I have often said that the Buddha manifested the attainment of Buddhahood through eight aspects of His life. He showed these examples so that everyone could resonate with these principles. So, in this world. He used the appearance of people and matters to lead everyone closer to these principles. This is called “clearly revealing.” A pure and radiant true nature is something we all have; we have just obscured it. Since the Buddha was already enlightened, why do we say that He attained Buddhahood? He already intrinsically had Buddha-nature, but He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood to clearly reveal the Buddha-virtues. Through such a process of spiritual practice, one can understand these principles so one can truly take them to heart. They are then revealed to others as “virtuous appearance.” So, “the Buddha-virtues are clearly revealed to guide the deluded to enlightenment.” The eight aspects of the Buddha’s life use the appearances of people and matters to guide everyone to awaken from delusion.

So “With the three complete and perfect virtues, one is endowed with the ten epithets.” All Buddhas are “endowed with the ten epithets,”

“The Ten epithets” which are. Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, 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.

These are the ten epithets. “The ten epithets” are also the ten virtues. The Buddha is worthy of offerings. Because He is replete with virtues, He has returned to this world countless times in the past. He uses different causes and conditions and different appearances over many lifetimes to continually transform sentient beings. So, for many kalpas, the Buddha continued to practice, continued to self-awaken, continued to transform others and continued to interact with other people. He was able to attain Buddhahood because He was replete with “ten thousand virtues.” Because He has done this for a long time, for countless kalpas, what He has given and the number of people He transformed are incalculable. So, in each lifetime He is replete with virtues. “Ten thousand” represents a countless number. Therefore, the Buddha is perfect and replete with all virtues.

“He deserves offerings from those in the heaven, human and the nine Dharma-realms that are below the state of. Bodhisattvas of Equal Enlightenment.”

[This says] nine Dharma-realms, but we often talk about the Ten Dharma-realms, four noble realms, six unenlightened realms. Do we understand all of them?

“Four noble realms: the Buddha, Bodhisattva, Pratyekabuddha and Hearer realms.” These are the four noble realms. “Six unenlightened realms: the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost, animal and asura realms.”

These are the six unenlightened realms. So, the Buddha is replete with all virtues and is worthy of offerings from those in the nine Dharma-realms.

“Offerings” refers to [something] that comes out of our respect and reverence. The kinds of offerings are offerings of material goods, offerings of reverence and offerings of conduct. As I have previously shared, offerings of material goods are when we pay respect to the Buddha using incense, flowers and fruits. When we make these offerings, the area has to be clean. So, temples have monastic attendants who keep the Buddha-hall very clean. This is what we mean by offerings of material goods.

Next is sincerely paying respect. Every morning, don’t we reverently prostrate to the Buddha? This is an offering of reverence. Offerings of conduct are the most important. What are offerings of conduct? Whatever the Buddha taught, we must respectfully accept and uphold. Each time the Buddha finished teaching, all were joyful, then they paid respect and left. After listening, we are very happy and can also understand [the teachings]. Once we understand, we put them into practice. This is how we offer our respect.

There are three kinds of offerings: offerings of material goods, offerings of reverence and offerings of conduct.

So, there are three kinds of offerings, not just offerings of material goods, but also offerings of reverence from the heart. Reverence cannot be seen by others unless we put it into action and take on the Buddha’s mission. The Buddha came here for one great cause, to teach the Dharma to transform sentient beings. Whatever we can understand, we can practice. We also have to share the Dharma with other people right away. Then they can also hear and accept the Dharma and then actualize it. This is a true offering, one of actions and spiritual practice.

Next, [the Buddha] is called Completely Awakened. The Buddha is the. Great Enlightened One of the Universe. There is nothing that He does not know. [He has] supreme, perfect, universal enlightenment so He is Completely Awakened. What He has realized cannot be expressed in ordinary people’s words. The Buddha is already completely awakened. How much does He know? Very much. What the Buddha understands is the great universe, which is the great trichiliocosm.

Earth that we live on is. Earth that we live on is in the solar system, which is only one thousandth of a small chiliocosm. So, we are on [a planet] in the solar system, [which is a very small piece of the universe]. How much can we actually know? Even if we completely understand all things and all creatures on Earth, the extent of our knowledge only covers this limited area, especially compared to [what the Buddha knows]. Consider how deep and profound His principles are. The enlightenment of the Completely Awakened is not something we ordinary people can realize.

We ordinary people live our lives in a daze. During our short lifetimes of a few decades, how much can we understand? But fortunately, we have encountered the Buddha-Dharma. We should establish our faith and believe in the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha’s enlightenment is complete, supreme, perfect, universal enlightenment. This enlightenment is truly all-encompassing. So, we must make an effort to believe in His teachings.

Next,

“Perfect in Wisdom and Action means one is replete with the Three Insights.”

What are the Three Insights?

“1. Insight into past lives 2. Insight into cyclic existence 3. Insight into ending all Leaks.”

We ordinary people enter and leave the world according to our karma. What karma did we create in our previous lives? How did we come to be here, with these parents, in these living conditions, living this kind of life? Why do we encounter these kinds of people? Why do certain things happen? Why? We are in a daze; we do not know. This is because we lack “insight into past lives.”

The Buddha knows what causes and conditions. He created in each lifetime and how they led to certain karmic retributions in this world and so on. He knows this very clearly. We do not even know how we came into this world, let alone how we will leave it. In this cyclic existence, we do not know how we came to be born, how we will die, or when we will die. This is called impermanence. So the Buddha taught us about impermanence.

Indeed, when we speak of past lives, we must speak of cyclic existence in the Six Realms. So the Buddha told us what we must do to be born in the heaven realm. We need to practice the Ten Good Deeds to be born there. How can we be born into the human realm? We need to uphold the Five Precepts to remain in the human realm and retain this human form. If we cannot perfect the Ten Good Deeds or uphold the Five Precepts, we may fall into asura next, then the hell, hungry ghost or animal realms. So, the Buddha has the wisdom to have “insight into past lives.” We ordinary people are not even close to His level. Therefore, we must give rise to respect and accept and practice [His teachings].

We just spoke of “offerings.” We need to sincerely offer our respect to the Buddha and put [His teachings] into practice. We need to accept what the Buddha taught us regarding the Ten Good Deeds and Five Precepts. We can even transcend these by giving without expectations. Then we may have a mind free of worries. This is the “insight into ending all Leaks.”

We all have Leaks, or afflictions. Clearly the Buddha-Dharma is great. But after we have heard it, we allow it to leak away. This is because we are ordinary people. So we must end all Leaks, which means to eliminate all afflictions. We must cleanse the impurities from our minds, so that they can become clean and free of afflictions. Then the Dharma can stay in our hearts. This is the insight into ending all Leaks. These are the Three Insights.

One replete with the Three Insights can clearly understand one’s own and others’ causes and conditions from all past lives, can attain ultimate liberation from all phenomena with Leaks, and can attain the stage of no Leaks.

Fellow Bodhisattvas, the Buddha was replete with the ten virtues. He even clearly revealed His virtues in order to transform and guide us onto the right path of enlightenment. Since He clearly revealed His virtues, we need to really have faith in the Buddha so we can accept His guidance and walk in the direction He pointed out. Then we can escape delusion and awaken. This is what we must do. So, “With the three complete and perfect virtues, one is endowed with the ten epithets.” For the next few days, we must carefully contemplate this. So, please always be mindful.

Episode 110 – All Buddhas Teach the Same Path to Enlightenment

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>> The ten epithets are. Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, One Perfect in. Wisdom and Action etc.

>> The Buddhas’ epithets are extraordinary because. They cultivated virtue for long, countless kalpas. It is wondrous and extraordinary to be endowed with the ten virtues. It is wondrous and extraordinary to have the shared and distinctive epithets, to have the supreme and profound Dharma.

>> His distinctive epithet was. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiance. The sun has two abilities: to guide with illumination, to bring to fruition. The moon has two abilities: to eliminate heat, to refresh. A lamp has two abilities: to dispel the darkness, to pass on illumination. This shows how this Buddha guided the deluded toward enlightenment.

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This time every day is our most peaceful and quiet moment, a time when we share the spiritual state of the Buddha. ․In this peace and quiet, we can mindfully and sincerely hear and accept [the teachings]. As we learn the Dharma and engage in spiritual practice, we must be sincere. The Buddha and all Buddhas in the present, past and future go through the same process of spiritual practice and seeking the Dharma, which requires sincerity. So now that we are engaging in practice, we also need to do so sincerely.

Before, I talked about how. Manjusri Bodhisattva recounted that in the past, there was a Buddha named. “Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant.” So, like us, Buddhas also have shared epithets. They are great enlightened ones of the universe. When a Buddha is born in the human realm, He makes a great effort and is sincere and resolute in engaging in spiritual practice. Because of His strong resolve to practice, His mind does not waver on the path toward the truth. He investigates the principles of all things in the universe, and finally experiences the liberation of His mind.

We unenlightened beings have the same intrinsic nature as Buddhas. But because we are not sincere enough, because our resolve is not sufficient, because our spirit of seeking is lacking, we are unable to eliminate our attitudes and unenlightened habitual tendencies. Thus, we are still called “humans.” But the Buddha stands out from the rest because. He broke free from ignorance and afflictions. Furthermore, He attained Buddhahood countless kalpas ago. This means that for a very long time, He has maintained a pure, undefiled nature. This time, He came to the world to manifest enlightenment to help everyone understand that. Buddhas are also born into this world, have parents, and encounter good and bad environments. Amidst these good and bad environments, He was not tempted by the things before Him. His mind did not become confused.

So, this shows that a pure intrinsic nature can be well-protected. He was not tempted by people and worldly matters and could even take the next step to investigate people’s purpose in life. Just what was going on in their minds? Why did they experience so many kinds of suffering in the human realm? He used this time to manifest the state of leaving the lay life in order to guide people in the future. [He showed us that] for people to leave their delusions and become awakened, they have to transcend their immediate familial and worldly defilements. They have to leave that environment so they can focus. He did this simply by manifesting that appearance.

I often tell everyone that we write the script of our lives. When a play is written well and enacted on this world’s stage, we leave behind a legacy of success. Each day’s program is a valuable story. The legacy of Sakyamuni Buddha has been continuously passed down. Now, it has been over 2000 years. His spiritual principles, His Dharma, can remain forever so they were passed down through the generations. They can stand the test of time. These are the true principles. The name of this Buddha is Sakyamuni Buddha. This is His distinctive epithet.

But among Buddhas, there are shared and distinctive epithets. Shared epithets means They had attained the same level of enlightenment. One who realizes the truth of all things in the universe is called a Great Enlightened One. Their level of enlightenment must be the same to be called a Buddha. A Buddha is a Great Enlightened One. That is a shared epithet. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant is a distinctive epithet. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva told everyone that the present Buddha was doing this, but there were also Buddhas in the past. The Buddhas he had seen also manifested this same appearance before expounding teachings and also shared an epithet, “Buddha.” So, this is the Buddha’s extraordinary epithet. Do not wonder why this needs to be continually explained. We have to first understand how the principles of this world can be related to the Buddha’s state. He had cultivated virtues for countless kalpas. This shows us that it is not that easy to attain Buddhahood. It requires long, countless eons. The sutras talk of asankyakalpas, which means an incalculably long period of time. Such a period of time is called long, countless kalpas, a period of time that cannot be calculated.

So, spiritual practice is not short-term. Some people say, “I have practiced for a lifetime. Even though I have listened to the sutras all my life, I am still filled with afflictions.” For example, during the Dharma as Water musical adaptation, many Tzu Chi volunteers practiced great repentance and maintained a vegetarian diet throughout the process of this performance. They completely changed their living and eliminated unhealthy habitual tendencies. They shared with others how this transformed the tension in their family relationships. They changed their minds, their emotions, and eliminated past stresses in their daily living. Their doubts, arrogance, conceit etc. are now in the past. They self-reflected and knew they had to change. So, they changed themselves, and at the same time, benefited others. Hearing these kinds of stories makes me happy and warms my heart. This is how the Buddha-Dharma can be applied in this world.

The world is imbalanced. Human minds are imbalanced. These imbalances cause illness, so a wondrous medicine is needed. Where can we obtain this wondrous medicine? From the Dharma expounded by the Buddha. So, the Buddha-Dharma, for over 2000 years, [was transmitted] by the superior virtue, patience and great efforts of Dharma masters trekking over the great distance from China to India. The Sanskrit scriptures were brought to China. The translated texts are those that have been passed down. So, we have had these texts for a long time. Is that all we need? For the Dharma to arise, it had to have been spoken by the Buddha and come from His heart, from the undefiled purity that was attained countless kalpas earlier.

So, everyone should know that we cannot attain Buddhahood within one lifetime. Even the Buddha’s own spiritual practice, as I have said, lasted a very long time. We ordinary beings “claim to have attained.” [We say], “I know, I get it. I know all of that. I have heard it all before.” To hear is very easy. But do we understand? “Yes, I understand. I will explain it to you.” We may be able to explain it clearly and logically. But can we practice it? “Oh, practice it? That would depend on the situation!” People do this selectively, not pervasively. They say, “I know. I can do it.” But if it can only be done in certain situations, it is still not pervasive.

We must be completely awakened and perfect in wisdom and action. This indicates how long the Buddha has been cultivating His virtues. The principles He has attained through the process of spiritual cultivation reveal His virtue. So, “Those who attain will have virtue.” We must make an effort to engage in spiritual practice. So, during the process of our practice, the things we realize are what we attain. When this attainment truly enters our hearts, our nature naturally becomes virtuous. Our intrinsic nature is pure and radiant. We should always keep this phrase in mind.

In the past, things were not clear to us. If our mind’s mirror reflects a scene with red flowers and green leaves, we know that this image will appear in our minds. This is like [the minds of] unenlightened beings. The instant we hear this [description], we know it. We can picture the red and green. The mirror of our minds is showing that scene. But, [what is shown in] the mirror of our minds is quickly replaced by other things. So, the thing from before will be replaced by what comes next. Good, bad are all reflected in it, and they all disappear from it. As unenlightened beings, our limited wisdom and capabilities resemble a small, single-sided mirror. This small, single-sided mirror will reflect whatever is before it, good or bad, and then quickly forget it.

For the Buddha, who attained enlightenment, His mirror of the mind is not limited; it is like a perfect sphere. His intrinsic nature is perfectly round, radiant. It can reflect the universe in all directions. Not only can it reflect, it also clearly discerns right and wrong. The Buddha spent a long time cultivating virtues, so the mirror of His mind naturally became perfect. So, we have to understand that. His virtue is vastly different from [the virtues of] ordinary people who have limited capabilities.

He was already “endowed with the ten virtues and wondrous existence.” The ten virtues are shared epithets for Buddhas.

The ten epithets are. Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, One Perfect in. Wisdom and Action etc.

They describe the deeply profound and wondrous virtues [of the Buddha]. So, to be endowed with the ten virtues is wondrous and extraordinary. These are Buddhas’ shared epithets.

The Buddhas’ epithets are extraordinary because. They cultivated virtue for long, countless kalpas. It is wondrous and extraordinary to be endowed with the ten virtues. It is wondrous and extraordinary to have the shared and distinctive epithets, to have the supreme and profound Dharma.

In the previous passages, [these terms] have appeared. Manjusri Bodhisattva was the one who explained that this Buddha from the past was the same as this present Buddha. They both have supreme and profound Dharma that is wondrous and extraordinary. What Dharma is this? The great Dharma. Ordinary people cannot comprehend it. Even if they can, they do not retain it. This is because we are unenlightened beings. Even if we are wise, we still have Leaks. Previously, I have emphasized that indeed we all have wisdom, but it all leaks out. Today we say, “I know, I understand.” But soon after, our habitual tendencies replace what we know. So, the teachings that we know now will disappear because we have afflictions, which are Leaks. When we have afflictions, true Dharma will leak out.

The Buddha had no Leaks; He had flawless wisdom, a state free of Leaks. So, the true principles of all things in the universe are definitely in His mind and have not leaked away. This is great Dharma, the supreme and most profound Dharma. So, “the supreme and profound Dharma” is wondrous and extraordinary. Thus, past, present and future Buddhas share the same path. Therefore, [Buddha] is their shared epithet. Now everyone understands that this was the previous Buddha. Past, present and future Buddhas are all called “Buddha” and are all endowed with this wondrous Dharma. Those with this virtuous nature have these shared epithets.

His distinctive epithet was. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiance. The sun has two abilities: to guide with illumination, to bring to fruition. The moon has two abilities: to eliminate heat, to refresh. A lamp has two abilities: to dispel the darkness, to pass on illumination. This shows how this Buddha guided the deluded toward enlightenment.

The sun has two kinds of abilities. One is to illuminate. If it is daytime, everything in the four directions is lit clearly, so we can see which paths we can safely travel. This is how illumination guides us onto the correct path. The sun can do more than guide with its illumination. As I mentioned the other day, it can also ripen the crops of the land. Their development depends on energy, on the illumination of the sun.

The moon also has two kinds of abilities. It can eliminate heat. In the daytime, when the sun is strong, it is difficult for us to stand outside. When night falls, it is dark. But with the brightness of a full moon, it is refreshing to be outside. When we look up and see the beautiful moon, it refreshes our bodies and minds. Next, the moon can also dispel the darkness. When the moon cannot be seen, the night is filled with darkness. When it appears again in its orbit, the darkness is dispelled. On a refreshing, moonlit night, the surroundings are well-illuminated.

What we have to understand is that this Buddha [represents] wisdom. His wisdom can guide the deluded toward enlightenment. We sentient beings are deluded, so we need illumination besides the sun and moon. This perfect, clear and natural world requires the sun and the moon. Thus, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha came here to eliminate sentient beings’ burning afflictions. The moon can help sentient beings refresh, so their minds can be tranquil and clear. This helps us to make vows as vast as the universe and guides us to establish our resolve and develop aspirations. This is “guiding the deluded toward enlightenment.”

Bodhisattvas, fellow practitioners, naturally we must put great effort into learning the wisdom of the Buddha. Do not fear the length of this journey. As long as we take that first step, the distance will not be a problem. So, everyone please always be mindful!

Episode 109 – Our Innate Tathagata-garbha Consciousness

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>> 1. The vast expanse of time is extraordinary 2. The Buddha’s epithet is extraordinary 3. The supreme and wondrous Dharma is extraordinary.

>> Praise for three extraordinary things: 1. The vast expanse of time is extraordinary. This refers to the countless and boundless inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas.

>> Praise for three extraordinary things: 2. The Buddha’s epithets are extraordinary. These include distinctive epithets such as. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata and epithets shared by all Buddhas, such as. Worthy of Offering, etc., from the ten epithets.

>> “Third, the supreme and wondrous Dharma is extraordinary. Expounding Right Dharma that is deep, subtle, wondrous and replete with all forms and appearances is extraordinary.”

>> “The Tathagata-garbha of the Buddha is endowed with the radiance of great wisdom. Therefore, it is described with”

>>The ninth consciousness is the amala consciousness. It is also known as the undefiled consciousness, pure consciousness or. Tathagata-consciousness.

>> Sunlight is like the virtue of wisdom. Moonlight is like the virtue of ending [all afflictions]. Lamplight is like the virtue of grace.

>> “From the sun arises all light in the world. It can give rise to and bring all things into fruition. Likewise, the Buddha’s knowledge can bring the wisdom of all sentient beings to fruition.”

>> “Moonlight is like the Buddha’s virtue of ending [all afflictions]. It can eliminate the heat of the afflictions of all sentient beings in the world.”

>> “So, the great compassion of the Buddha can dispel the ignorance and blindness of sentient beings. And the Buddha-Dharma is constantly circulated and passed down in the world, the way lamps can be kindled and passed on without end.”

>> “They arise from the radiance of a pure light intrinsic to the mind.”

>> “Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant is named for these virtues. This is the distinctive epithet of this Buddha.”

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1. The vast expanse of time is extraordinary 2. The Buddha’s epithet is extraordinary 3. The supreme and wondrous Dharma is extraordinary.

Indeed, it has already been a very long time since the Buddha came to this world. So, yesterday I said there are three extraordinary things, which include the vast expanse of time. It has already been many asankyakalpas.

Our Sakyamuni Buddha appeared in this world over 2000 years ago. He was only here for 80 years. During that time, though it was only for 80 years, the epithet of Sakyamuni Buddha was heard throughout this vast world under the skies. So, this was also considered extraordinary.

Sakyamuni, when translated into Chinese, means “Mighty in Loving-kindness.” Mighty refers to His ability and perseverance, because at that time, and on into the far future, the multitudes of sentient beings are stubborn. So to train sentient beings in the Saha World without patience, without ability, is impossible. Thus, Sakyamuni Buddha relied on His perseverance, patience and ability to manifest His loving-kindness and compassion, because sentient beings endure much suffering. So, Sakyamuni is the special and extraordinary distinctive epithet of His Buddha-nature manifesting in this world.

The Buddha also said, “From the time I attained Buddhahood, it has already been countless asankyakalpas.” This is why this length of time is extraordinary.

Praise for three extraordinary things: 1. The vast expanse of time is extraordinary. This refers to the countless and boundless inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas.

Next are the Buddha’s extraordinary and distinctive epithets, which reflect His patience and loving-kindness. At that time, when the Buddha was about to expound the great teachings, He exhibited spiritual powers and changed. His appearance by radiating a bright light, but no one at the assembly understood this. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva mentioned another Buddha, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha.

Buddhas of the past, present and future are also all called “Buddhas.” Before, there was Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. Now, there is Sakyamuni Buddha. In the future there will be Maitreya Buddha. So, these different names are called distinctive epithets, which are also very extraordinary.

Praise for three extraordinary things: 2. The Buddha’s epithets are extraordinary. These include distinctive epithets such as. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata and epithets shared by all Buddhas, such as. Worthy of Offering, etc., from the ten epithets.

Next, because the Dharma of past, present and future Buddhas is the same, therefore it is said,

“Third, the supreme and wondrous Dharma is extraordinary. Expounding Right Dharma that is deep, subtle, wondrous and replete with all forms and appearances is extraordinary.”

Everyone can affirm how extraordinary this is. Whether by past, present or future Buddhas, the teachings that are expounded are truly the Right Dharma. They are deep, subtle and wondrous. This is what Manjusri Bodhisattva wanted to explain to everyone. “Buddha” is the shared epithet.

So in the Lotus Sutra, it states, “All Buddhas share the same path.” Every Buddha is called “Buddha,” since each is a great enlightened one. All Buddhas will expound the same Dharma. Regardless of how much time passes by, the Dharma of the past, present and future is the same. This is how the Dharma is subtle and wondrous. Everything They teach is Right Dharma.

So, Manjusri Bodhisattva is telling us, even though all Buddhas appear in this world throughout many asankyakalpas, the lifespans of humans are limited. Therefore, we have to seize the present moment. The Buddha is now expounding the Dharma, so we must elevate our faith and sincerely accept the teachings.

So, the sutras often mention countless and boundless inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas. Actually, regardless of how long ago this was, this was all part of the Buddha’s original intent. So when the Buddha is giving teachings, He may speak of matters that happened a very long time ago. Or the Buddha may teach according to capabilities and may say to everyone, “These were my causes and conditions in the past. At that time, in that life, I was a king.” An eagle was hunting a bird. This bird flew on to the body of this human king (the Buddha). The malicious eagle demanded this bird from the king. To save the bird, the king cut off the flesh from his entire body and offered it in place of the flesh of the bird. Everyone has probably heard this story before.

People of this era may wonder if this is really possible. I must tell everyone, this is the state of the Buddha-mind. Great love and great compassion do not differentiate between the world’s sentient beings. Whether this is possible or not, we must believe that the loving-kindness and compassion of the Buddha has existed for asankyakalpas, since the distant past. No matter how much time has passed,

Manjusri wanted to tell everyone that we ordinary beings will find this inconceivable and difficult to believe. In the Ten Dharma-realms, only Buddhas share the Buddha’s spirit and can understand what He was about to teach. Only at that level, with that capability, do they have the means. But the Buddha still continues on; [teaching] subtle and wondrous Dharma in such a way that everyone can comprehend is not easy. But that is fine. Let us now listen to what Manjusri Bodhisattva said.

He said the coming of the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha to this world in the past was meant to tell us that.

“The Tathagata-garbha of the Buddha is endowed with the radiance of great wisdom. Therefore, it is described with”

“the analogy of these three lights.” These three words refer to three kinds of light. What is the source of this radiance? It comes from the Tathagata-garbha. The Buddha also tells us that [the natures of] the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different. The Buddha-nature is the Tathagata-garbha, which is stored in our intrinsic nature. So, our intrinsic nature is the Tathagata-garbha. I have spoken of the Eight Consciousnesses before. When He taught the Dharma for ordinary beings, He explained up to the eighth consciousness. Actually, there is a ninth consciousness.

The ninth consciousness is the amala consciousness. It is also known as the undefiled consciousness, pure consciousness or. Tathagata-consciousness.

This ninth consciousness is the Tathagata-garbha consciousness, which, generally, we ordinary beings do not use. It is not that we do not have it. It is hidden, stored inside. We all have it; it is just that we ordinary beings have not begun to use it. So, this is called the Tathagata-garbha.

Tathagata-garbha has the radiance of great wisdom. Whether the radiance is coming from the sun, the moon or a lamp, it will illuminate the world. The kind of light that manifests depends on the conditions.

Sunlight is like the virtue of wisdom. Moonlight is like the virtue of ending [all afflictions]. Lamplight is like the virtue of grace.

Now I will explain how the three lights are like the Buddha’s virtues. The Tathagata-garbha consciousness is the Buddha’s purest, undefiled virtue.

Take sunlight for example. “Sunlight is like the virtue of Buddha’s wisdom.” Before we attain Buddhahood, we have to engage in spiritual practice for a very long time. This is the cause. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant [Buddha] has already reached the effect. The effect is the virtue of wisdom. Before there are effects, there are causes. The cause is spiritual practice.

This is like you and me. Right now, we are ordinary people. Right now, we are still in [the state] of causes. We do not yet have effects. We are still [forming] causes. Right now, we only know that there is Buddha-Dharma in this world. It is teaching us and guiding us onto this path. Our goal is to attain the state of Buddhahood. If we arrive at the state of Buddhahood, we will have attained the effects. Now, as we are just starting, we have just formed an aspiration; that is a “cause.” When we put our aspirations into action, that creates conditions. So, we have this cause and a long period of asankyakalpas to create causes and good conditions so we can achieve the effect of virtue.

So, if our Tathagata-garbha manifests, then our afflictions will disappear; it eliminates all afflictions. That is why it is said, “Sunlight is like the virtue of Buddha’s wisdom.” The radiance of His wisdom is like the sun.

“From the sun arises all light in the world. It can give rise to and bring all things into fruition. Likewise, the Buddha’s knowledge can bring the wisdom of all sentient beings to fruition.”

With the different weather of the four seasons, the land produces different crops, fruits and vegetables. The sun regulates these seasons and allows all things to come to fruition. So, the Buddha’s wisdom can bring the wisdom of all sentient beings to fruition. Because of the Buddha’s virtue, our wisdom develops and grows.

The moon is like the Buddha’s virtue of ending. The virtue of ending means that any afflictions that reach the Buddha are eliminated. There is not even a trace of defilement. This applies to all things in the world. What is “true” is based on right principles, which is surely the way it is. Whatever other afflictions, ignorance and darkness that reach the Buddha, the Dharma can end and eliminate all wrongs, darkness, mistakes and ignorance etc. They can all be completely eliminated. This is called the virtue of ending.

It can decisively determine what is true or false, right or wrong. With the Buddha’s radiant wisdom, He can clearly determine whether something is right or wrong. The right teachings must quickly be transmitted. The wrong teachings must quickly be ended.

“Moonlight is like the Buddha’s virtue of ending [all afflictions]. It can eliminate the heat of the afflictions of all sentient beings in the world.”

In this process, the Buddha uses the moon to illuminate these distressing and frustrating afflictions to harmonize the wisdom in our minds. That is, in accepting this right Dharma, our minds will naturally be refreshed. In the dark of night, the moon is there to help us adjust and refresh our mental states.

So, I often say that the state of being tranquil and pure is like the state of the moon. The heat of many afflictions can then naturally be eliminated, and our mental state can be refreshed. This is the analogy of the moon.

What about the “lamp”? The lamp is comparable to the Buddha’s virtue of grace. This virtue of grace is the Buddha coming to the human realm to awaken loving-kindness in everyone. Great love and gratitude have always been connected with each other. If we do not have great compassion, how can we remember to be grateful?

In darkness, when we cannot see the path, what can we do? A lamp, with its small flame, can illuminate [the path]. When we can see, we are grateful. In life, the moments of the greatest suffering are when our minds are darkened by greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. In the darkness of these many afflictions, when we are wrapped up in that state, we easily create karma. So, a “lamp” refers to the lantern the Buddha is carrying to dispel the darkness in the minds of sentient beings.

“So, the great compassion of the Buddha can dispel the ignorance and blindness of sentient beings. And the Buddha-Dharma is constantly circulated and passed down in the world, the way lamps can be kindled and passed on without end.”

This means that in this evil world of the five turbidities, the minds of all sentient beings are darkened. They need the Buddha’s virtue of grace to act like lamplight. Even the smallest lamp can guide our way.

Even though Manjusri Bodhisattva was describing this Buddha of the past, didn’t I just say that there are many Buddhas and spiritual states? What was said may be very hard to believe. But all of this has to be shared so we can [understand] that our mental states [can be like]. Sakyamuni Buddha’s, who is mighty in loving-kindness. Besides Him, in the past there was a Buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant, whose practice resulted in virtues like the radiance of the sun, moon and lamps. Can everyone understand this?

So I hope that all of us can recognize that Buddhas are replete with these three virtues.

“They arise from the radiance of a pure light intrinsic to the mind.”

We also all fundamentally have this.

“Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant is named for these virtues. This is the distinctive epithet of this Buddha.”

This is telling us that we all originally had these virtues, so Sakyamuni Buddha must certainly have them. He is also replete with the virtues of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant [Buddha].

In other words, past, present and future [Buddhas] have this shared epithet. They also have distinctive epithets. Their shared epithet is “Buddha.” Being replete in the ten virtues is also a Buddha-virtue. They are also “shared” virtues.

To summarize, everyone, please always be mindful and think carefully. The Dharma is actually very simple, but helping everyone understand it is very difficult. So everyone, we must always be mindful.

Episode 108 – Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata

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>> “The unsurpassed, great enlightened sage was complete and perfect in the ten virtues. This level of spiritual practice is rarely seen. This great Dharma is exceptional, subtle and wondrous.”

>> “Good men, limitless, boundless, inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas ago, there was a Buddha with the epithet Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata.”

>>Manjusri described how the ancient Buddhas taught by first giving provisional and limited teachings and then true and great teachings.

>> Praise for three extraordinary things: 1. The vast expanse of time is extraordinary 2. The Buddha’s epithet is extraordinary 3. The supreme and wondrous Dharma is extraordinary.

>>Countless, boundless inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas ago.

>> The Buddha’s Tathagata-garbha mind was filled with the radiance of great wisdom. Thus, His virtue is likened to the Three Lights. Sunlight represents the virtue of wisdom. Moonlight represents the virtue of ending [all afflictions]. Lamplight represents the virtue of grace.

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“The unsurpassed, great enlightened sage was complete and perfect in the ten virtues. This level of spiritual practice is rarely seen. This great Dharma is exceptional, subtle and wondrous.”

This reminds everyone that the reason the Buddha came to this world was to help everyone awaken and realize the same perfect wisdom as Him. Though we possess the same perfect wisdom, we sentient beings remain deluded, unable to completely awaken. The Buddha continues to wait patiently, so all Bodhisattvas also come to help teach in the hopes that everyone can understand the Buddha’s original intent.

Manjusri Bodhisattva said that the Buddha does not want only a small number of people to receive His true principles. The Buddha hopes that many people can receive them. The Tathagata’s Nirvana is not for one to attain Nirvana, but for all to attain it. Whenever we think about this passage, we have to be very grateful to the Buddha. The Buddha sees all sentient beings as His own children. The Buddha sees all sentient beings as equals.

He tirelessly instructs them according to their unenlightened, limited capacities. The Buddha was very straightforward and wanted ordinary people to know that spiritual practice requires lasting patience. Buddhahood cannot be instantly realized in one day or one night, or after one hearing [of the teachings]. [At best,] these principles may meet the right conditions. Meeting the right conditions means that when we happen to receive this phrase, this bit of truth, we understand it. However, our hearts have not yet fully awakened. So, if we often listen to the Dharma and hear a certain phrase that makes us happy, we think, “I understand it, I get it, I am [enlightened]!” We should never hold such thoughts! If we think this way, we are arrogant and proud. If we think this way, it is a great lie.

The Buddha said that. He Himself had to engage in spiritual practice for a very long time, for many kalpas, before His ten virtues were complete and perfect, not to mention us ordinary beings! But all people and the Buddha intrinsically have the same Buddha-nature. Everyone can inherently attain Buddhahood. In the same way, everyone has these ten virtues. However, we have not yet awakened and truly, thoroughly comprehended them. So, the Buddha began to carry out His true, original intent and shared everything in His heart with everyone. Although there were still people who did not have the capability to accept this, the Buddha’s time for transforming beings was coming to an end. So, He had to teach this now.

We can see that the original text of the sutra states,

“Good men, limitless, boundless, inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas ago, there was a Buddha with the epithet Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata.”

This passage is Manjusri Bodhisattva’s response to Maitreya Bodhisattva’s question. Manjusri Bodhisattva said, “I have heard and seen this before.” When past Buddhas began to teach great Dharma, they also exhibited these phenomena. The present state of Sakyamuni Buddha is the same as that of past Buddhas. This shows that “all Buddhas share the same path.” Like the Buddhas before Him, the present Buddha is teaching sentient beings. They first gave “provisional and limited teachings.”

Manjusri described how the ancient Buddhas taught by first giving provisional and limited teachings and then true and great teachings.

In the past He taught provisional teachings, which were skillful means. Because our capabilities as sentient beings are all very different, the Buddha considered our capabilities and then expounded the Dharma accordingly. The Buddha taught according to capabilities. Sentient beings have limited capabilities, so the Buddha first gave provisional and limited teachings. He first used skillful means, which are “provisional. Limited” refers to Small Vehicle teachings. When one’s capabilities were limited, He would teach these simple means. This is not yet the ultimate great Dharma. But nothing could be done; the capabilities of sentient beings could only accept this much. Thus, the Buddha had to use different analogies from worldly matters to speak to them.

So, this is teaching according to capabilities. At the end, since all Buddhas share the same path, They all give the true and great teachings. At the end, They must set aside the provisional teachings of the past and give true teachings. It must be emphasized to everyone that in the past, skillful means were used to slowly lead them [onto this path]. But they have not yet arrived; with these teachings, they could only benefit themselves. But they have not yet arrived; what they understood was biased towards emptiness, it was not the real true emptiness. It was a bias.

We have to know that in emptiness there is wondrous existence. True emptiness can be experienced in our daily living. So, what exactly are we attached to? We should know that life is impermanent, that impermanence manifests as time passes according to the karmic law of cause and effect. It constantly surrounds us. No one can know when things will change. But we spiritual practitioners must realize that impermanence is always by our side. Truly, everyone needs to clearly understand this principle.

We want to see, [but] we cannot see anything. However, this principle is still there. Thus, it is called wondrous existence. We have to completely and fully realize wondrous existence and true emptiness. So in essence, the Buddha wants to enable all sentient beings to understand that they have to learn how to transform sentient beings and walk the Bodhisattva-path. This is the truth that everyone intrinsically possesses. It is not enough for just a few to understand this. This is something all sentient beings have. If we do not all achieve the same level of realization, then our cyclic existence in the Six Destinies will still be very painful. So, everyone has to fully realize these true principles, so they can last through the ages. Then over a very long period of time, they can continue to be passed on.

Because the Buddha was perfect in the ten virtues, He could reach all sentient beings. He did not hope for only a few to be enlightened but hoped that we can all model this [way of] living and lead others. To lead others, we must become role models; this is what the Buddha taught us. So, we have to understand that in the past, the Buddha gave provisional teachings. Later when His time for transforming beings was nearing its end, He gave the true, great teachings. The time had come for Him to give the great teachings. This was the Buddha’s original intent,

So, Manjusri Bodhisattva announced to everyone that the Buddha was about to give the great teachings. This is an extraordinary moment in time. The Buddha attained enlightenment long ago. How long has it been? The sutras say that it happened countless, boundless, inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas ago.

Praise for three extraordinary things: 1. The vast expanse of time is extraordinary 2. The Buddha’s epithet is extraordinary 3. The supreme and wondrous Dharma is extraordinary.

We all know the epithet Sakyamuni Buddha. But even before Sakyamuni Buddha, a long time before, countless asankyakalpas before, a Buddha had appeared in this world. He was called Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata; this was His distinctive epithet. Sakyamuni Buddha, SakyamuniTathagata, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant (Tathagata), these epithets show that Sakyamuni is a Buddha and. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant is another Buddha.

This is like those of us sitting here now; we are all called “humans.” But among humans, we all have different family and given names. But we do have a common name, we are called “humans.” Among the Six Destinies, we are now in the human realm. There are many sentient beings here, each with a distinct name. But among all sentient beings, we are part of a group called “humans.” Humans also have distinctive epithets.

So, this past Buddha was called Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata and “shared the epithet of the present Buddha.” Though He [had a different name], He was like the present Buddha. Buddha means enlightened one. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata was also an enlightened one. They both realized the truths of all things in the universe.

How were they enlightened? They had to be endowed with the ten epithets. This is what I meant in the beginning when. I talked about being complete and perfect in the ten virtues. Perfection of the ten virtues means they are endowed with the ten epithets. To have the ten epithets is to have these virtues. Past Buddhas have them, and the present Buddha is the same. They need to have these ten virtues and be endowed with the ten epithets before they can be called great enlightened ones. So, the past Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Tathagata and the present Buddha shared these epithets; these are called shared epithets. Past Buddhas had the ten virtues, and in the present, so does Sakyamuni Buddha. This is “shared.”

But for a Buddha to be endowed with the ten epithets, He must perfectly manifest wondrous existence and true emptiness in His living. Everything He does must be thorough and. His virtuous conduct must be clear for. Him to be endowed with the ten epithets.

Next is teaching the Dharma. The ten epithets must be replete with this Dharma. The supreme and wondrous Dharma is rare, as is each Buddha who has transformed this world in the past. Past Buddhas did this and the present Buddha is doing the same, teaching all beings based on their capabilities. So, this is what Sakyamuni Buddha is doing. He originally intended [to teach] the true principle of all things. Time kept passing, and now He was to expound the true Dharma. Past Buddhas did this, and the present Buddha is doing the same.

This true Dharma is deep and subtle, embodying the subtlety and wonder of all forms. So, before expounding the Dharma, the Buddha continuously radiated light. Each ray of light had a different appearance. This represented the profundity and perfection of the Dharma. It was very wondrous and extraordinary. Ordinary beings could not [understand it]. This is what Manjusri Bodhisattva explained to everyone [regarding] the perfection of this kind of manifested light.

Next,

Countless, boundless inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas ago.

This represents a wondrously long period of time. This is the capacity of the Buddha-mind. The capacity of this mind is an incalculable number.

When we read the sutras and it says “countless and innumerable,” how long is that? It is impossible to say. But this is the capacity of all Buddha-minds. How can we explain it? We must use many kinds of analogies. So, it is said, “countless, boundless inconceivable numbers of asankyakalpas ago” because this is the capacity of the Buddha-mind. We ordinary beings cannot comprehend such a big number.

So, the three words “Sun-Moon-Lamp,” is a distinctive epithet that signifies the innate radiance of this past Buddha. So, the name of this past Buddha represented His radiance. Our Sakyamuni Buddha has a distinctive epithet that reflects His compassion, so He is “Mighty in Loving-kindness.” Mighty means to have perseverance. Because sentient beings in the world at this time are stubborn, perseverance and patience are needed for one to have loving-kindness and compassion. So He is called Mighty in Loving-kindness. Sakyamuni translated into Chinese means “Mighty in loving-kindness.” The past Buddha’s name, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant, means that He had that radiance. These are distinctive epithets.

The Buddha’s Tathagata-garbha mind was filled with the radiance of great wisdom. Thus, His virtue is likened to the Three Lights. Sunlight represents the virtue of wisdom. Moonlight represents the virtue of ending [all afflictions]. Lamplight represents the virtue of grace.

The name of this past Buddha, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant, had this meaning.

Everyone, the Buddha-virtues are so very profound and wondrous. We should be able to realize them in our living, but we have not yet discovered them. The Buddha has to continuously be patient in the hopes that all of us can experience this. The Buddha made these painstaking efforts in the world. Since He painstakingly [taught this], we must also make a great effort to comprehend it. We cannot fail to live up to these ten virtues, So, we must diligently practice. We must spend a long time experiencing this. I hope that everyone can experience the spiritual state of the Buddha. To do so, we must always be very mindful!

Episode 107 – Evoke Sincerity to Have Faith in the Great Dharma

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>> Buddha-virtues are inconceivable. The enlightened ones of the past, present and future work together to help transform all beings by evoking their sincere faith in the great Dharma. They praise and promote each other’s virtues. So, we must model Right Mindfulness in this era of delusion and be the stream of water that purifies people’s minds.

>> Therefore, all sentient beings in the world and the Small Vehicle sages find this great Dharma difficult to believe. So, this [was] the Dharma of liberation the Buddha taught the practitioners of the. Two Vehicles, the Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas.

>> “This was the Dharma of liberation the Buddha taught the practitioners of the. Two Vehicles, the Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas.”

>> “The skillful means of the. Great Vehicle Bodhisattva teachings.”

>> “Because He wished to lead all living beings to hear and understand this Dharma that is difficult for those in all worlds to believe, He manifested auspicious appearances.”

>> “It was stated, ‘The Tathagata’s Nirvana is not for one to attain Nirvana, but for all to attain it.’ This was difficult for people to believe.”

>> “[The Buddha] opened and revealed [His wisdom] for us to realize and enter. This enables all sentient beings to understand that their mind is the Buddha-mind.”

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I have been sharing the virtues of the Buddha with everyone. We all have to first believe in the Buddha; only then can we comprehend the Dharma and penetrate His teachings. So, we must have faith and reverence.

Though Buddha-virtue is difficult to conceive of, we ordinary people must understand the virtues attained by the Buddha. This is truly not easy. It is difficult to conceive of and comprehend. Though Buddha-virtue is difficult to conceive of, we have to first establish this faith and believe that past Buddhas have come to this world too and made great efforts to transform [all beings]. All Buddhas share the same path. This is the case for past Buddhas, and it is now the case for Sakyamuni Buddha. In the future, it will be the same for those who qualify and receive predictions to become Buddhas. This requires a very long period of time.

But it also depends on our capabilities. Some realize ten things from hearing one thing, while others realize only one thing. Some people, upon hearing something ten times, still cannot truly realize even one thing. This depends on our capabilities. Whether one’s capability is high or low, the important thing is to have faith and sincerity and practice [the teachings] to figure out how we can [walk this path]. Then the Dharma and our actions become one. This is the way to practice. This is what each of us needs to believe.

In the Lotus Sutra, we have already seen that all Enlightened Ones from past, present and future work together to help transform all beings. I have also mentioned this before. Maitreya Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva were past and future Buddhas. Everyone shares this great cause of manifesting all subtle and wondrous Dharma. So, they came to help Sakyamuni Buddha. For the sake of transforming sentient beings, they worked together to help each other.

Buddha-virtues are inconceivable. The enlightened ones of the past, present and future work together to help transform all beings by evoking their sincere faith in the great Dharma. They praise and promote each other’s virtues. So, we must model Right Mindfulness in this era of delusion and be the stream of water that purifies people’s minds.

So, everyone works together to help transform all sentient beings by evoking their sincere faith in the great Dharma. They praise and promote each other’s virtues. This is how they help each other. They help each other succeed [in their practice].

Past and future Buddhas must praise the present Buddha. I have often said that for Buddhism to prosper, monastics must praise each other. This was said by a great practitioner in the past. If we are to praise one another, then we must all accept and practice [the teachings]. We have to maintain our own virtues and believe in all Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ teachings. We also must vow to transform all sentient beings. To transform them, there is a prerequisite, our organization must be completely flawless to be able to transform sentient beings. In the Hualien Jing Si Hall, the Great Enlightened One of the Universe is a mosaic, made up of very small pieces. There are millions of pieces in this mosaic, different colors assembled carefully and laid out to form this image. When we see it from afar in the Jing Si Hall, this picture is very beautiful.

Similarly, in our spiritual practice, our [inner] world is like that of the Buddha. We all have the same perfect and radiant nature. But when a Bodhisattva has affinities with sentient beings of a certain era, he will be put forth to manifest and attain Buddhahood. Now, sentient beings in this era, which began over 2000 years ago, all have affinities with Sakyamuni Buddha. Therefore, this Saha World is. Sakyamuni Buddha’s to transform. So, in this time period, many enlightened ones of the past, future and present all gathered together to form this magnificent image of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This image appeared at the Vulture Peak assembly. They motivated and helped one another to achieve this magnificence to inspire devotion in all. So, we “evoke sincere faith in the great Dharma.”

The Buddha’s wisdom does not just explain the way things are on Earth. It encompasses the true principles of all things in the universe. So, we have to be sincere to be able to comprehend the great Dharma of the Buddha, the Great Enlightened One. Because we praise one another, as we are praised, we must quickly perfect our virtues. So when we praise others, they quickly perfect their virtues. When others praise us, we ourselves must also quickly perfect our virtues. In other words, mutual praise and encouragement [lead to] mutual success. Our perfect radiant nature is very important.

So, the Buddha-Dharma has been passed down to this day. But now, at this time, sentient beings are deluded, so we have to continue this work. Because we are all disciples of the Buddha, we vow to follow the Bodhisattva-path and to transform all sentient beings. Therefore, in this deluded era, we must bring about right mindfulness. Truly, how do we guide people to practice right mindfulness? Not only must we awaken ourselves, adjust the course of our minds and have right mindfulness, we must be like a stream of water and bring purity to people’s minds.

We must be like a current of purity. We use the teachings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to cleanse our minds first. After we cleanse our minds, we have to then bring forth a stream of water from it so that we can also purify others. This is what I want to share with everyone. I hope that all our minds will follow the path of true enlightenment of all Buddhas. Though the Buddha-virtue is so profound that it is difficult to conceive of, we must have faith in order to enter the essence of the Lotus Sutra. If we can fully understand it, then we can comprehend the true principles of the Lotus Dharma. So everyone, please be mindful.

Therefore, all sentient beings in the world and the Small Vehicle sages find this great Dharma difficult to believe. So, this [was] the Dharma of liberation the Buddha taught the practitioners of the. Two Vehicles, the Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas.

Ordinary people in the world and. Small Vehicle sages find this great Dharma difficult to believe. Actually, the great Dharma was expounded to us because the Buddha wanted everyone everywhere to understand it. So, He manifested light and auspicious signs. This auspicious light was radiated while He waited for people to awaken their faith and patience for thoughtful reflection first. Then the Buddha began to teach the great Dharma.

This great Dharma, for those of our present world and even for. Small Vehicle sages, is difficult to believe. “The world” refers to the limited state of our minds. The state of ordinary people is the world of ordinary people. The mindset of sages of the Two Vehicles is the world of sages of the Two Vehicles. A “world” is where time, space and people converge. The world of us ordinary people refers to our mental states; how we, as spiritual practitioners, spend our time together, how we live together in this space, and the level of comprehension of our spiritual state.

So, this is the great Dharma. Before the Buddha opened His mouth to speak, Manjusri Bodhisattva told everyone at that assembly, “Though this Dharma is very profound, you must believe it. I will be a witness. I verify that past Buddhas did this, and the present Buddha is doing the same. So, everyone must believe.” This came from the wisdom of Manjusri Bodhisattva and the compassion of Maitreya Bodhisattva. Compassion and wisdom were exercised together at that assembly to help establish people’s faith.

Actually, the Buddha’s teachings were directed toward the world of ordinary people and sages because He came here in order to teach the Dharma of liberation to the. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas of the Two Vehicles. He had to tell the sages of the Two Vehicles, “What you believed and practiced before was based on your capabilities. I carefully and thoughtfully guided you. Now, everyone must believe that there is another way. What you are now able to receive is the ultimate Dharma.”

“This was the Dharma of liberation the Buddha taught the practitioners of the. Two Vehicles, the Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas.”

What He would teach now was.

“The skillful means of the. Great Vehicle Bodhisattva teachings.”

In the past, the path He taught us to walk was the skillful means of the past. Now we enter the Great Vehicle Bodhisattva teachings. So the sutra states,

“Because He wished to lead all living beings to hear and understand this Dharma that is difficult for those in all worlds to believe, He manifested auspicious appearances.”

He did this for everyone. Everyone falls into one of three categories. Whether we are of inferior capabilities, average capabilities or superior capabilities, skillful means were used to patiently guide us in the hopes we could all be closer to the Buddha-Dharma and accept it. The ways of the past were gathered and set aside before the true Dharma was proclaimed. Now the Buddha was going to freely carry out. His original intent. But we must know that this teaching is difficult to believe. This Dharma is difficult to believe.

His original intent and His virtues are hard to conceive of, so of course His teachings are hard to believe. But this difficult to believe Dharma is the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle. So, the Buddha-virtue and the intrinsic nature of ordinary people are actually completely identical; both are the One Vehicle.

I often say that we have a nature equal to that of the Buddha. But the Buddha used certain methods to keep His intrinsic nature clear, bright and perfect. Our intrinsic nature is like a large mirror. All sort of colors have stained our perfect and radiant intrinsic nature, the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle. So, what we are talking about now is the need to be truly sincere. When I say the Dharma is difficult to believe, you may think that I keep circling back to the fact that this great Dharma is difficult for those in this world to believe even though you already know it. You may understand it but still do not comprehend exactly how important this great Dharma is to us. That it is hard to believe does not mean we can just believe it up to a point or as much as we can. This is not the case. So, the Buddhist sutras repeatedly stated that this great Dharma is difficult to believe. So, we cannot help but spend a lot of time to raise everyone’s awareness about this great Dharma which is difficult to believe, because this is very important to us. Therefore, this is the Dharma that is difficult for all in the world to believe.

From the previous sutra passage we can tell that almost all from the Six Destinies were represented. All sorts of demons and monsters were also there. So, this difficult-to-believe Dharma [was to be taught] in such a big Dharma-assembly. Not only do sentient beings in evil realms, who have not been tamed by the Dharma, find it hard to believe, humans and heavenly beings find it hard to believe. Therefore, even unenlightened people and heavenly beings who practiced the. Ten Good Deeds find it hard to believe. However, heavenly beings and those in this world are all still in an ordinary state. Not only do people in ordinary states find it hard to believe, even practitioners of the Two Vehicles, Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, find it hard to believe.

“It was stated, ‘The Tathagata’s Nirvana is not for one to attain Nirvana, but for all to attain it.’ This was difficult for people to believe.”

This passage appears in the sutra because the Buddha hopes that everyone can believe that we, too, can become Buddhas, that we are equal. The Buddha does not wish for anyone to say, “I have attained Buddhahood, but you will never become a Buddha.” This is not the Buddha’s hope. The Buddha hopes for the. Ultimate Truth of the One Vehicle [to be realized] that everyone can clearly become a Buddha. So, He confirmed that everyone has the opportunity. The rest depends on people’s effort, the perspective of their minds.

So, I hope everyone can understand this.

“[The Buddha] opened and revealed [His wisdom] for us to realize and enter. This enables all sentient beings to understand that their mind is the Buddha-mind.”

This is what the Buddha wanted to reveal, to let everyone enter His wisdom. So, I keep telling everyone that the Buddha opens and reveals, so how long will it take for sentient beings [to realize and enter the Dharma]? Truly, we must wait patiently for all sentient beings to hear and understand, to know that the Buddha is the mind, and that a sincere mind is the Buddha.

Fellow Bodhisattvas, everyone is inherently a Buddha, so we should call everyone Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Each of us is truly equal to the Buddha. We each have the great Dharma of the One Vehicle; this perfect and natural intrinsic nature is surely within everyone. Everyone must believe they have the Buddha-mind. So, believe in the Buddha, believe that each of us is a Buddha. Everyone, please always be mindful.

Episode 106 – Vow to Pass Down the Buddha’s Discipline

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>> Bodhisattvas hid their realizations and manifested questions to guide those who have gone astray back to the path of enlightenment. They felt sympathy for deluded sentient beings, so they vowed to pass down the Buddha’s discipline by wearing Buddhist robes, upholding purifying precepts, repenting attachments to delusions and cleansing mental defilements.

>> Bodhisattvas hid their realizations and manifested questions to guide those who have gone astray back to the path of enlightenment. They felt sympathy for deluded sentient beings, so they vowed to pass down the Buddha’s discipline by wearing Buddhist robes, upholding purifying precepts, repenting attachments to delusions and cleansing mental defilements.

>> After radiating this brilliant light, He was about to speak the great Dharma. Only Buddhas can realize this ultimate [teaching].

>> “Only Buddhas can realize this ultimate [teaching].”

>> Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas have heard the Buddha’s teachings and attained Nirvana. They say they have attained the state of no-arising, therefore they do not believe there is an unsurpassed Bodhi-path beyond that.

>> Therefore, all sentient beings in the world and the Small Vehicle sages find this great Dharma difficult to believe. So, this Dharma of liberation that the Buddha taught the practitioners of the Two Vehicles, Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, was actually the skillful means for teaching the Great Vehicle Dharma of Bodhisattvas.

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As Buddhist practitioners, we must be sincere and apply our right understanding and right views to pursue the teachings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. [Buddhism]. ․was established in response to worldly principles. So in this world, there is a need for a Buddha to lead us. This is like every group in this world, every organization. They all need leaders.

A hospital has a leader called a superintendent. Then there are many departments. A large hospital requires several assistant superintendents to help. Besides assistant superintendents, there need to be chiefs and directors for each specialty and department to help fulfill these missions. This is how the world works. Buddhism, to be in this world, has to adapt to it.

Sakyamuni Buddha was not the only one who has attained enlightenment over countless eons. The same applies to all Bodhisattvas. Therefore, all Bodhisattvas came at this time to assist Sakyamuni Buddha in transforming this world.

Bodhisattvas hid their realizations and manifested questions to guide those who have gone astray back to the path of enlightenment. They felt sympathy for deluded sentient beings, so they vowed to pass down the Buddha’s discipline by wearing Buddhist robes, upholding purifying precepts, repenting attachments to delusions and cleansing mental defilements.

Modern sentient beings are stubborn and hard to train and tame. So those who attained Buddhahood come to this world and become Bodhisattvas. They hide their understanding and raise questions to guide those who have gone astray back to the right path. This tells everyone that at this time, all Bodhisattvas “hid their realizations and manifested questions.” They clearly knew the causes and conditions of the Buddha’s auspicious appearances. Thus, Maitreya Bodhisattva knew this. He had been close to many Buddhas, and every Buddha shares the same path, so how could he not know? He knew, but deliberately asked because.

“Bodhisattvas hid their realizations and manifested questions.” He already knew, but under the current causes and conditions, he had to initiate these questions so no one would have further questions. Therefore, he asked the one Bodhisattva who everyone knew was foremost in wisdom. This is why the Lotus Sutra is very exciting and relatable starting with [the section on] the assembly. We need to have great sincerity and respect to understand the causes and conditions that converged at the Lotus Dharma-assembly. Therefore, we must be mindful.

So, the discussion between the Bodhisattvas was to “guide those gone astray back to the right path.” We sentient beings have deviated. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature but. Just one thought going astray marks the difference between noble and unenlightened beings, between a pure land and a hell. This great distance comes from just one thought going astray.

Out of their compassion, all Bodhisattvas helped. Sakyamuni Buddha in training sentient beings. Therefore, they had this conversation. “You ask and I answer, and this will help everyone understand.” Thus, they conversed to “guide those gone astray back to the right path.” They guided people who had strayed, who had no faith and were doubtful, to be able to establish faith again. Then, those people could walk on the path to enlightenment again.

[They did this] because they had “sympathy for deluded sentient beings.” Sentient beings are deluded so they need Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to continually steer the ship of compassion back to this world, This is “sympathy for deluded sentient beings.” So, every Bodhisattva “vowed to pass down the Buddha’s discipline.”

Buddhism has always had to adapt to worldly principles so it requires this kind of worldly appearance. That is why the Buddha had to manifest the physical appearance of attaining Buddhahood through spiritual practice. Spreading the Dharma requires monastics. Monastics represent Buddhism’s original method for spreading the Buddha’s teachings, the “vow to pass down the Buddha’s discipline.”

The spiritual practices of monastics are completely different from those of lay people. Lay people have many [worldly] obligations in their lives, and they face many traps, karmic forces etc. So, their confused minds drift up and down in the sea of afflictions. Being a monastic begins when one is willing to be free of these kinds of worldly afflictions and ignorance, to liberate oneself from the sea of suffering due to desires. One then makes a steadfast vow to walk this path to enlightenment. Therefore, when we vow to become monastics, we must take on a certain physical appearance. By following the Buddha’s rules and precepts,

we manifest the appearance of monastics to pass down the Buddha’s discipline. We all need to be role models. A role model for whom? For Dharma-practitioners and society at large so people know, “These are the Buddha’s disciples who have accepted the Buddha’s teachings and uphold the purifying precepts.” The Buddha’s disciplines can be seen in these people’s words and actions. They fully demonstrate the Ten Good Deeds. I believe this will strengthen the faith of ordinary people. So with our physical appearances and our practice of the discipline, we can guide sentient beings, so that all who see and hear us can uphold the teachings. So, when they see monastics they become happy and vow to enter the door to receive the Buddha-Dharma. This is our responsibility.

Thus, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas had to go through this process in order to attain Buddhahood and to truly become a Bodhisattva. This “vow to pass down the Buddha’s discipline” is very important, and so is “wearing Buddhist robes [and] upholding purifying precepts.” Once we put on this robe, we have truly become monastics. To leave home to become a monastic is to leave the house of afflictions. We need to know that family is a worrisome burden. However, we are still grateful for the affinity with our parents that brought us here. We are grateful for our parents’ grace and for this karmic affinity. We become monastics to repay our parents’ grace. Their sperm and egg created our bodies. Our bodies can then help develop many people’s wisdom-life. The merit from this will repay our parents’ grace.

So when we wear Buddhist robes, we must carry out the mission to uphold purifying precepts. We must constantly repent. So [we must] “repent attachments to delusions and cleanse mental defilements.” We need to make a firm commitment. Everyone, please remember this passage.

“Bodhisattvas hid their realizations and manifested questions to guide those gone astray back to a path of enlightenment. They felt sympathy for deluded sentient beings, so they vowed to pass down Buddha’s discipline by wearing Buddhist robes, upholding purifying precepts, repenting attachments to delusions and cleansing mental defilements.”

These are the vows we make, to “wear Buddhist robes and uphold purifying precepts.” To reinforce that, we constantly “repent attachments to delusions” and always “cleanse mental defilements.” We must cleanse our mental defilements and have a pure heart. We cannot have doubts about the noble teachings of the Buddha. How can we still have doubts? So, do not doubt and do not be influenced by the paths of maras. Evil cannot intrude upon the righteous mind. Before Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, He also had to overcome maras and many doubts, conquer the discursive thoughts in His mind.

In summary, we have to “wear Buddhist robes, uphold purifying precepts, repent attachments to delusions and cleanse mental defilements.” Therefore everyone, please always be mindful.

After radiating this brilliant light, He was about to speak the great Dharma. Only Buddhas can realize this ultimate [teaching].

As we have mentioned, the exchange between Maitreya and Manjusri was to explain one thing only. Before the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra at this extraordinary spiritual training ground, He radiated light and showed auspicious signs. So Manjusri Bodhisattva told everyone, “I have seen this before. When past Buddhas expounded the great Dharma, They also manifested light like this. After this state passes, it will be time to expound the great Dharma. So this kind of state, this kind of Dharma, this great Dharma is the ultimate Dharma only Buddhas can realize.”

This is his way of reminding everyone, “Fellow Bodhisattvas, not only have I seen it, you have seen it, too.” These Bodhisattvas had all seen it, so they believed it. In truth, Manjusri wanted to remind ordinary people. “Not only have I seen it; you also know that all Buddhas share the same path.” After manifesting this state, it will be time for Them to expound great Dharma. But this great Dharma can only be realized by Buddhas. Unenlightened beings with limited capabilities still cannot accept it.

Some sitting in the audience were already starting to feel impatient. The Buddha still had not even begun to speak. Then He started and told everyone, “I have set aside skillful means of the past. I am now going to expound the true Dharma. Everyone, pay attention.” But when some people heard this, they thought, “I have heard the Dharma for over 40 years. I have heard what He is about to say. I have heard the principle of true emptiness. Everything in the world cycles between non-existence and existence. Everything the Buddha says revolves around that.” So they thought, “I already understand everything.” Right then, 5000 people left the assembly because they did not believe.

The Buddha had only just started by saying, “I have set aside the skillful for the direct and will now expound the true Dharma.” Then these arrogant people left. The Buddha saw this and felt sympathy for them, but in the sutra He also stated, “It is good that they left.” This way, they would not slander the great Dharma just because they could not accept it. Their causes and conditions had not ripened, so it was better that they left.

We can see that expounding great Dharma that sentient beings can truly accept and understand is not easy. So here the sutra states, “After radiating this brilliant light, He is about to expound the great Dharma.” Then, listen carefully to the next sentence. 

“Only Buddhas can realize this ultimate [teaching].” Everyone should know that the Dharma the Buddha was about to expound could only be realized by Buddhas. Therefore, we must have patience if we want to engage in spiritual practice and attain Buddhahood.

Then the sutra talks about. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. Most attendees of the Lotus Dharma-assembly were [at the level of] Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. The Buddha worried that in this moment, if He did not speak soon, they would stay at the same level. Therefore, the great Dharma must be expounded quickly for Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas to accept it.

Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas have heard the Buddha’s teachings and attained Nirvana. They say they have attained the state of no-arising, therefore they do not believe there is an unsurpassed Bodhi-path beyond that.

At this Dharma-assembly, “Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas have heard the Buddha’s teachings and attained Nirvana.” They thought, “I have followed the Buddha for a long time. I pretty much know everything. I have heard and understood what the Buddha has taught. I have already attained Nirvana. I understand all the Dharma. My mind is filled with the Buddha’s teachings so. I already have control over my mind.” So, they believed they had realized and were able to enter the state of Nirvana.

Nirvana is a tranquil state where afflictions will no longer arise. The Dharma trains all beings to erase afflictions. They thought their afflictions were all eliminated. So, “They say they have attained the state of no-arising.” They believed that. “I understand all the Dharma. My mind is free from disturbances” and so on. So, “They say they have attained the state of no-arising, therefore they do not believe there is an unsurpassed Bodhi-path beyond that.” Thus, they had no patience. When they heard the Buddha say He would begin to expound the Dharma, they became impatient.

Therefore, all sentient beings in the world and the Small Vehicle sages find this great Dharma difficult to believe. So, this Dharma of liberation that the Buddha taught the practitioners of the Two Vehicles, Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, was actually the skillful means for teaching the Great Vehicle Dharma of Bodhisattvas.

Fellow practitioners, if we are seeking the path to Buddhahood, we need to walk the Bodhisattva-path. The Bodhisattva-path is vast and boundless. The Buddha’s teachings are great and unsurpassed, deep and profound. Therefore, we need to sincerely seek the Buddha’s teachings. Our minds must be free of disturbances. We must self-reflect and repent. Our minds are still full of afflictions. Have we really achieved attainment? No, we are still far off. So, we all need to have patience and perseverance and pray for the Dharma to penetrate our hearts and develop our wisdom-life, bit by bit. Everyone, please always be mindful.

Episode 105 – The Buddha’s Great Compassion Is the Cause

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>> “There must be causes and conditions for the Buddha to expound the Dharma. With His great compassion as the cause and the desires of sentient beings as the conditions, He uses infinite analogies to reveal the Dharma.”

>> Good men, as I surmise, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, now wishes to expound the great Dharma, to let fall the great Dharma-rain, to blow the great Dharma-conch, to beat the great Dharma-drum, and to proclaim the great Dharma-doctrine.

>> Good men, I have, in the presence of past Buddhas, seen such auspicious appearances. After radiating this light, They immediately expounded the great Dharma. Therefore, it should be known that the manifestation of light by the present Buddha means He will also do such. Because He wishes to lead all living beings to hear and understand this Dharma, which is difficult for all in the world to believe, He therefore manifests auspicious appearances.

>> “Good men, I have, in the presence of past Buddhas, seen such auspicious appearances. After radiating this light, They immediately expounded the great Dharma. Therefore, it should be known that the manifestation of light by the present Buddha means He will also do such.”

>> “Because He wishes to lead all living beings to hear and understand this Dharma, which is difficult for all in the world to believe….”

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It is rare to hear the Buddha-Dharma, but we have now heard it.

“There must be causes and conditions for the Buddha to expound the Dharma. With His great compassion as the cause and the desires of sentient beings as the conditions, He uses infinite analogies to reveal the Dharma.”

We should know that the Buddha’s great compassion is infinite. As I keep mentioning, He came because of one great cause, to open and reveal [the Dharma]. But all sentient beings must have great reverence and sincerity. By receiving the Buddha-Dharma with great reverence and sincerity, we sentient beings can awaken. Although the Buddha teaches the Dharma mindfully, if sentient beings are not moved, and are not responsive, then they still have a ways to go before [fully understanding] the Dharma.

Why does the Buddha repeatedly come back to the Saha World? Because of His compassion. He feels for sentient beings in their confusion, as they continually suffer in the cyclic existence of the Six Destinies. Because of His great compassion, He cannot bear this.

This is the Buddha’s cause, His intention. However, sentient beings have varying capabilities. Therefore, the Buddha had to teach according to abilities, with the conditions that sentient beings desired. If sentient beings cannot accept it, the Dharma cannot help them, even though it is supreme, subtle and wondrous. This wondrous Dharma must be taught according to capabilities. He tailors His methods according to the sentient beings He is teaching. If they cannot understand the true principles, then He uses analogies to awaken and develop their faith and understanding.

Because the Buddha is compassionate, He has kept waiting. No matter how stubborn sentient beings are, the Buddha still does not give up. Out of compassion, He keeps returning to and manifesting in the human realm. He uses all kinds of methods to teach the Dharma. This is the Buddha’s compassion. But do sentient beings have the capabilities and conditions to accept it? No matter what, the Buddha will not give up; He uses every method. So, we must mindfully realize the Buddha’s compassion. We have to examine ourselves. Since we have the opportunity to receive His Dharma, can we understand and awaken? Therefore, we have to be constantly mindful.

Good men, as I surmise, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, now wishes to expound the great Dharma, to let fall the great Dharma-rain, to blow the great Dharma-conch, to beat the great Dharma-drum, and to proclaim the great Dharma-doctrine.

As we have mentioned, Maitreya Bodhisattva asked Manjusri Bodhisattva a question during their exchange. Manjusri Bodhisattva answered by saying, “Good men, as I surmise. Good men” and “all great beings” refer to Bodhisattvas. He called on them to pay attention. “I will say this to those who are capable of understanding.” Before Manjusri Bodhisattva gave an explanation, he addressed Bodhisattvas in particular [so people could reflect on] whether their capabilities have reached that level. [Then they may decide that] they need to mindfully and sincerely listen to Manjusri Bodhisattva’s explanation of the Buddha’s causes and conditions for still radiating light. This was a form of inspiration. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva especially targeted those with Bodhisattva-status.

Therefore, He said “as I surmise.” We want to know who are considered “good men.” In modern times, it may be someone who does great deeds and accomplishes great missions. They can be called good men.

In this modern era, there are many people who do not do good deeds in this world but instead try to take shortcuts or deviant paths. They are not good men. In other words, although born men, some only do deeds of greed, anger and ignorance some do only deeds of greed, anger and ignorance. They act ignorantly, disregarding right and wrong. In their living, they have confused their minds, disturbed their families, and disrupted society. They cannot be considered good men. So the title “good man” cannot be applied to just anyone.

This came out of Manjusri Bodhisattva’s wisdom. Over 2000 years ago, before giving an explanation, he especially addressed those with Bodhisattva-status at this Dharma-assembly. In our present time, this title applies to people who can embody everything good in the world and accomplish great deeds and missions. They have their ideals and seek to benefit others. This kind of people are called good men.

Next, we talk about “surmise” in “as I surmise.” In his wisdom, Manjusri Bodhisattva wanted to explain the Buddha’s current appearance. He also wanted to consider this carefully. The Buddha is the Great Enlightened One. As for His every move, ordinary people cannot presume to know what He was thinking when He acted. No.

He gave his explanations very cautiously. This was also a teaching method and model. Then everyone would know that it is not easy to analyze a person, let alone explain why the Buddha was now radiating light and auspicious appearances. This reminds us to speak carefully. When we speak about things, often times a small mistake can lead us far off course. Even Bodhisattvas speak very cautiously, so it is even more crucial for us ordinary people to do so. As we are now learning the Buddha-Dharma, can we speak thoughtlessly?

So, surmise means think deeply [and theorize]. We must think very carefully and meticulously, and check everything down to the smallest details. If we do not accept it carefully and sincerely, if we cannot understand the depth of his thinking, how can this Dharma enter our hearts? So after careful consideration, Manjusri Bodhisattva surmised that the Buddha radiated light and manifested auspicious appearances for one purpose: to expound the great Dharma.

Good men, I have, in the presence of past Buddhas, seen such auspicious appearances. After radiating this light, They immediately expounded the great Dharma. Therefore, it should be known that the manifestation of light by the present Buddha means He will also do such. Because He wishes to lead all living beings to hear and understand this Dharma, which is difficult for all in the world to believe, He therefore manifests auspicious appearances.

This great Dharma was the Dharma the Buddha himself had confirmed with His true wisdom. He wanted to freely carry out His original intent. Each Buddha of the past, present and future share the same path. Although the Buddha had the cause to come into this world, He still had to be responsive to sentient beings’ conditions, because their capabilities are so diverse. So, He had to teach according to capabilities.

Therefore, the Buddha had kept His true wisdom, these true principles, in His mind for a long time. How long? From the first moment He attained enlightenment. His mind fully converged with the ultimate principles of the boundless universe. He realized the karmic law of cause and effect of sentient beings in this world and so on. With His very detailed and thorough mind, He, at that initial moment, fully realized absolutely everything. He missed nothing. All the ultimate and true principles were in His mind.

At first, He was very joyful. He wanted to share His thoughts with everyone. “The Dharma I attained is so wonderful. I am so joyful. All beings in the world have this perfect and radiant nature.” He wanted everyone to know that. He was not the only one who had it; we all have it. He felt this joy. But we could not comprehend the vastness and boundlessness of the mind. We do not know anything about that beautiful state of tranquility and clarity.

That was what the Buddha wanted to freely express from that initial moment. He wanted everyone to understand this completely. At that instant of enlightenment, all past Buddhas of the ten directions and. Dharma-protectors appeared at once to celebrate His awakening and attainment of Buddhahood. He had so much to say to them. “I am enlightened. I have now realized such and such things.” But the heavenly beings and dragon gods could not understand Him. And if even they could not understand, how could ordinary people understand? So He concealed and kept this true Dharma in His heart.

Then, more than 40 years passed. He used many methods to reveal teachings, hoping people could accept them. He wanted to inspire every person to connect their mind to the true principles. He began to see that those with higher capabilities had started to slowly develop roots of goodness, which then matured. The ones who had not planted roots of goodness were slowly beginning to [develop these roots of goodness]. So when the Buddha’s conditions for teaching in this world were about to end, He had to quickly talk about these joyful things. The principles that arose from the convergence of His mind with everything in the universe were what He wanted to freely express and joyfully share with everyone so they can achieve the same understanding. Thus, He freely carried out His original intent.

Before, He feared this would be a waste of time because people would not understand or would misunderstand His teachings. But the conditions for transformation were ending, so even if people could not understand, He was still going to speak it. So, the great Dharma had been concealed within the Buddha’s heart for such a long time. Now He was going to start expounding His genuine wisdom and the Dharma He had attained.

So, Manjusri Bodhisattva said to them,

“Good men, I have, in the presence of past Buddhas, seen such auspicious appearances. After radiating this light, They immediately expounded the great Dharma. Therefore, it should be known that the manifestation of light by the present Buddha means He will also do such.”

Now Manjusri Bodhisattva raised the point that he also had attained Buddhahood in the past and had taught his disciples to also became Buddhas. Since he had been around for a very long time, he used his own experiences to talk about the auspicious appearances of Buddhas. He described them based on his own past experiences of having seen

all past Buddhas radiate this light before They began expounding the great Dharma. The light manifested by Sakyamuni Buddha was the same as the auspicious appearances of. Buddhas from the past. The “this” in “radiating this light” refers to the light and auspicious appearances they were seeing at the time. What he had seen in the past was the same as this. When a Buddha shows this auspicious appearance, He will “immediately expound the great Dharma.”

“Therefore, it should be known that,” so everyone should know, “the manifestation of light by the present Buddha means He will also do such.” The Sakyamuni Buddha that everyone saw was the same as all Buddhas in the past. “The manifestation of light means He will also do such.” This was the same as in the past.

“Because He wishes to lead all living beings to hear and understand this Dharma, which is difficult for all in the world to believe….”

The Buddha wanted to enable all sentient beings to hear this now.

In the past, He taught according to capabilities. Not any more. He wanted to make sure that “all attain”, that sentient beings all attain by hearing, and thus understanding, this Dharma that is difficult for all in the world to believe. So, He specifically mentioned that this is the Dharma that the world finds hard to believe. Therefore, the Buddha was radiating light and manifesting auspicious signs to inspire everyone to focus their minds and accept this Dharma with great sincerity.

Fellow practitioners, we all sincerely want to learn the Dharma. In these times, we must clearly discern right from wrong. In this world filled with multitudes of beings, there are many disasters. So, it is definitely time to cultivate compassion. Therefore, we need to sweep aside our ignorance and develop our wisdom. To develop wisdom, we need to self-reflect more often on whether we have wasted time in the past, whether we have deviated even slightly from the true Dharma. Everyone, please always be mindful and constantly self-reflect.