Category: TLS Chapter 11

Episode 1259 – Revealing What Is True and Not False

---

>> “At the Vulture Peak Assembly, [the Buddha] opened the provisional to reveal the True [Dharma], which is not false. Great wisdom is innate enlightenment. The spiritual training ground is pure True Suchness. The impartial Dharma of great loving-kindness does not discriminate between high and low. Humans intrinsically possess the same nature. The true principles are contained within all consciousnesses.”

>> The provisional teachings of the past contained the truth, just as a lotus flower contains the lotus pod. Opening the provisional to reveal the truth is like a lotus blooming to reveal the lotus pod. Outside of the lotus flower, there is no other lotus pod. With the provisional opened and the true revealed, we see the Middle Way in all Dharma.

>> “All those banners and canopies were made from the Seven Treasures, gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose stone. The stupa was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> “From the Heaven of the Thirty-three, there fell a rain of Mandarava flowers in offering to the stupa of treasures. All the various heavenly beings, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, trillions in all….”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> The Heaven of the Thirty-three: On Sumeru, in each of the four directions, there are eight heavens, and Indra resides in the center, thus making Thirty-three heavens. In terms of the Dharma, these represent the 52 stages of Bodhisattvas.

>> Trayastrimsa Heaven: This is the Heaven of the Thirty-three. It is the second heaven of the desire realm, located on the summit of Mt. Sumeru. Sakra’s Heaven is at the center, and in each of the four directions there are eight heavens, thus forming the Heaven of the Thirty-three.

>> There fell a rain of Mandarava flowers as an offering to the stupa of treasures: All heavens rained down flowers to make offerings to the stupa of treasures. This shows their hearts’ wholesome practices which dignify the Dharmakaya.

>> In terms of worldly appearances, these are the eight groups of Dharma-protectors. In terms of the Dharma, they are inseparable from one mind.
>> The two classes of heavenly beings and nagas have good hearts. The remaining classes of yaksas and others have always had evil hearts. Because of their superior roots of goodness, they controlled all their evil thoughts, countless trillions of them, and transformed them into goodness.

---

“At the Vulture Peak Assembly,
[the Buddha] opened the provisional to reveal the True [Dharma], which is not false.
Great wisdom is innate enlightenment.
The spiritual training ground is pure True Suchness.
The impartial Dharma of great loving-kindness
does not discriminate between high and low.
Humans intrinsically possess the same nature. The true principles are contained within all consciousnesses.”

We must be mindful! The Dharma requires us to mindfully experience it. Only when we are able to actualize the Dharma in our daily living will this be the True Dharma. “At the Vulture Peak Assembly, [the Buddha] opened the provisional to reveal the True [Dharma], which is not false.” This means that after the Buddha attained enlightenment, He began to think about how to help people experience and awaken to their nature of True Suchness. This is the Buddha’s original intent. However, this is easier said than done. The Buddha resolved to patiently guide sentient beings according to their capabilities. Beginning at Deer Park, He started to give teachings, explaining that the world is full of suffering, that everyone is equally [subject to] birth, aging, illness and death. Even people of wealthy families or kings are unable to predict how long they will live; they cannot make such predictions.

So, the Buddha analyzed the cycle of birth, aging, illness and death in the world so that everyone could comprehend that the cycle of birth and death is impartial. He then analyzed the disparities between the poor and the rich, those of high status and low. With different social classes, why are some people born into poverty? On top of poverty they experience illness, on top of illness, disability. Some are born with missing limbs or are born suffering from illnesses. There is suffering from illnesses, suffering from hardships and poverty and suffering from birth, aging, illness and death. He also analyzed the suffering from the world’s natural disasters, caused by the accumulation of many karmic forces. These are the appearances of suffering that He analyzed.

The Buddha then analyzed the imbalance within people’s minds. The way people live gives rise to afflictions and results in man-made disasters. Small disasters affect a family, medium disasters bring chaos to a society and large disasters drive a country into war. This arises from a single thought. So, a single thought creates all the suffering in the world. The Buddha patiently [analyzed] each layer to help everyone recognize suffering and cultivate blessings. Cultivating blessings also happens during this cycle of birth, aging, illness and death. We must seize our time and our karmic conditions to understand the principles and quickly cultivate wisdom and create blessings. He even taught us how to transcend this cycle of birth and death and no longer return to cyclic existence in this world. From the simple to the profound, from the obvious to the subtle, He explained one layer after another, even how people come [to be born]. It is through the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence.

Starting with a thought of ignorance, we are led by karmic forces to a certain household, a certain pair of parents. We follow our affinities there. No matter what kind of environment we end up in, we may be born without all of our limbs, certain to be physically impaired. In this life, regardless of whether we are born into a poor or wealthy family, our situation may be complicated; we may be rich but suffer illness and so on. This is the workings of karma. Born among the rich, we can benefit others and further add to our blessings. This is all demonstrated through [the workings of] karma. All of this is the Dharma.

The Buddha, starting at Deer Park, taught everyone this path of spiritual practice. Everyone needed to have faith in and understand it and put it into action. He helped all people accept it, whether deeply or more shallowly. Some people had a very deep feeling about how the suffering of the world originates in ignorance. Ignorance is found in the world, in the way people interact with one another, affecting one another and mutually creating karmic forces. “I’m afraid! I should just avoid people and focus on engaging in spiritual practice. By ending my interactions with people, I can focus on my practice. I do not want to add to my karma; I want to escape the cycle of birth and death.” They think that by doing this they can transcend samsara. Actually, they have not put an end to their past karmic conditions. However, the Buddha did not say this to them. “Good! Everyone has come to engage in practice. First we should all calm our minds and thoroughly understand the Dharma.” This was how the Buddha taught in the Agama period. In His 42 years [of teaching], He spent 12 years giving the Agama teachings. He repeatedly taught this to everyone because. He worried they would overlook it and forget.

Throughout these 12 years, the Buddha guided everyone in this way to find ways to eliminate their afflictions and refrain from creating more negative karma. They must “practice all that is good and refrain from all that is evil” and form good affinities. Having gone through the Agama period in this way, everyone already understood. The teachings of the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence and many other Dharma-doors were clear to them. They were alert and knew to distant themselves from these causes and conditions. They refrained from creating negative affinities; they knew to distance themselves from that, to guard against life’s afflictions and ignorance. The Buddha was aware of this, so He entered the Vaipulya period. Over eight years, the Buddha taught the Vaipulya teachings. He gradually guided everyone. “Besides benefiting yourself and maintaining the purity of your self-awakening, you still have unresolved karmic affinities, karmic affinities you formed in past lives. You still need to care about the matters of the people of this world and try to understand them.”

But everyone feared being entangled in karma. So, they were a bit hesitant about the Vaipulya. However, the Buddha used wisdom to draw them in and guide them and help them accept the Vaipulya teachings, going one step further with these skillful means to go among people to care for them. Once the Buddha opened up this concept, [people began to] create blessed causes and conditions. Everyone understood and no longer rejected this. They understood their karmic causes and conditions and their causes, conditions, effects and retributions with other people. But the Buddha then went another step further. He spent 22 years discussing the Prajna teachings. The past teachings were about “existence,” the existence of suffering and conditions. They were all part of the truth of suffering, the principles behind suffering, and the principles behind the interaction of causes and conditions. Everyone understood this very clearly by now. After that, He used the Prajna teachings.

The Prajna teachings discussed “emptiness.” Everything that has “existence” has come together, but in the end, it is all ultimately empty. After hearing the Prajna teachings, everyone clearly understood that, indeed, everything in life is ultimately empty. Through birth, aging, illness and death, we pass through our life in this way. Won’t everything completely disappear in the end? Just what kinds of things will happen in future lifetimes? In future lifetimes, the karmic retributions will be even more frightening. They were clearly aware of the workings of karma, but they still treated them as empty. They did not want to contrive any more affinities. So, they stopped at [teachings of] “emptiness” and feared “existence.” They were afraid.

So, in this process, the Buddha knew the time had come. Since they understood that “existence” is the source of karmic forces and since they knew about “emptiness,” they should no longer be attached to the two teachings of emptiness and existence. Everyone was clear. Because of this, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, the Buddha began to open up the provisional to reveal the True Dharma. In the past, He did not tell anyone, “It was because of your capabilities that I guided you with skillful means.” He did not say this in the past. Everyone thought, “If I practice this way, I will transcend the cycle of birth and death.” So, when the Buddha taught skillful means at that time, whether He was discussing emptiness or existence, he left that door closed. Everyone thought that was the way things were. “We will practice what the Buddha teaches.” Now, He took the “provisional,” which is the skillful means, and opened that door so we could all see the ultimate truth, the True Dharma inside. This is just like taking us into the storehouse of treasures. In that storehouse, we see this treasure and that treasure, There are many treasures, and we see them all. In fact, in this storehouse, there is still one more treasure chest. This most exquisite treasure chest has yet to be opened. So, all that people could see was the exterior of the treasure chest.

At this time, He truly opened the lid of the treasure chest. After the skillful, provisional teachings, He opened the next set of doors. This is “opening the provisional.” Within the provisional, there is the True Dharma. So, the “provisional,” the skillful teachings, these doors, had now been opened by the Buddha. “Look, inside here you can find the True Dharma, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. This is everyone’s treasure. Earlier, I helped you understand the Five Roots and Five Dusts. I told you all that the eye-root connects with the form-object, and the ear-root connects with the sound-object.” He explained them all to us one by one. Later He explained what we take in, the convergence of the Roots and Dusts. He used these principles to explain that when the Roots and Dusts converge, it is our consciousness that makes contact. Our mind, our consciousness, makes contact with external conditions. He helped us understand this, layer by layer.

When ordinary beings’ minds make contact with external conditions, the [sixth] consciousness considers good and bad actions. The [sixth] consciousness is where we have dust-like delusions. We take in so many states from the outside world. This is the sixth consciousness, the sixth consciousness before the seventh. What we take in from the Five Roots and Five Dusts is given to the sixth consciousness. After we categorize this signal, [we think,] “I really love this thing, how can I obtain it?” This signal, this information, is then contemplated by the [sixth] consciousness. This results in the consciousness of afflictions, in dust-like delusions. In this process, afflictions lead us to create karma. This is also where those who are sharp and clever act from.

Then, we take action with our bodies to create much karma. Once karma is created, [the process repeats;] the sixth consciousness feels that momentary happiness. Then the seventh consciousness thinks, “I now possess this!” Since we possess, have obtained it, it is then taken into the eighth consciousness. This is how the Buddha, layer by layer, helped us comprehend and understand. The eighth consciousness is where everything is stored, our karma, all our afflictions, all our ignorance and our karmic consciousness. After we take action, everything returns to the eighth consciousness; all the karma we create is stored in the eighth consciousness.

So, ordinary beings stop at this point. We bring our eighth consciousness with us, without any control. We may go anywhere; if we created blessings, our blessed karma may take us to an ideal family, an ideal country, an ideal environment. In the place our direct and circumstantial retributions take us, we will gradually grow up in that place and live an easy and happy life. We will spend our entire lives like this. This is how unenlightened beings transmigrate.

If we bring ignorance along with karma, even if we are born into a life of wealth, we also bring with us greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt and continue to create ignorance in that place, continue to form negative affinities. This makes us “the poor among the rich.” In a world of riches, we do not know to cherish our blessings and still continue giving rise to thoughts of greed. We do not know to do good deeds and instead stop at no means [to get what we want]. Out of greed, we create karma. We may be considered rich, but still continue to create karma. Thus, it continues accumulating, and returns to our karmic-consciousness.

There are also “the rich among the poor.” Although they did not create blessings in their past lives, they have good affinities. They come here with their karma and are born into poverty and suffering. In this state of poverty and suffering, they experience all the sufferings of life. However, because they had thoughts of goodness and good affinities, naturally those affinities will lead them to create blessed karma amidst their poverty.

Take those in Africa, for example. Their circumstantial and direct retributions brought them much suffering. Many people experience suffering and hardship. But among those suffering are a group of seeds who have good thoughts; they are “the rich among the poor.” With that spiritual wealth, they can be very happy. They are happy every day. Every day they walk the Bodhisattva-path and walk it happily. Whether they are climbing over mountains, whether they are making long journeys over streams or muddy roads, even though it is hard on them, they still want to deliver provisions to families that are suffering more than they are. These are the rich among the poor.

Even though their circumstantial and direct retributions in this life have brought them to this impoverished place, they have these good karmic conditions, so naturally they can open up their hearts and make use of their collective strength. They can make use of these karmic conditions to help people and are very happy when doing so. This is the result of the different karma that each person creates. We must believe this. This is how the Buddha, while giving provisional teachings, was actually teaching us the True Dharma. This is because we still have one door [to open]. The True Dharma is in the ninth consciousness. We ordinary beings are only using up to our eighth consciousness. The positive and negative karma we create are stored in the eighth consciousness.

If we can create good karma, we should create pure karma. Right now, what the Buddha is teaching us is to be pure, to do good and be pure. This pure good karma can enter the ninth consciousness, which is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. This is the True Dharma. This is the last door in the storehouse. This door has opened. So, He “opens the provisional.” The previous teachings were part of the process. The door at the end [leads to] the True Dharma. These are the pure seeds of goodness. This is the One Dharma, which is not false. Everyone intrinsically has the nature of True Suchness; we are all equal to the Buddha. If we just push aside all of our afflictions and ignorance, then this pure, wholesome Dharma, our nature of True Suchness, will manifest. This is the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.

The Buddha’s perfect and harmonious teachings, the Lotus Sutra that He taught on Vulture Peak, are for the purpose of revealing the True Dharma. So, He unlocked “great wisdom [which] is innate enlightenment. The spiritual training ground is pure True Suchness.” From this we should be able to understand that everyone has wisdom equal to the Buddha’s. Everyone intrinsically possesses the nature of True Suchness, wisdom which is equal to the Buddha’s. This is our innate enlightenment. Where is this spiritual training ground of innate enlightenment? It is our nature of True Suchness. Where is our nature of True Suchness? It is at the Vulture Peak Assembly. At the Vulture Peak Assembly, the Buddha opened up our innate enlightenment of True Suchness, which is our great wisdom. This is our spiritual training ground.

Though the Buddha is more than 2000 years removed from us, we should know by now that the spiritual training ground of the Vulture Peak Assembly has never disappeared. It is in our hearts; it is everlasting. This Dharma-assembly must continue; we have to walk this road in order to arrive. We clearly know that everyone intrinsically possesses the nature of True Suchness, but our afflictions still exist. So, we must engage in practice and make use of other people’s strength. We make use of people’s afflictions and suffering, by going among people [to help].

So, we [apply] “the impartial Dharma of great loving-kindness.” We go among people with great loving-kindness and compassion. All sentient beings are our family members. They are the same, so all sentient beings are equal. We often see Living Bodhisattvas going among people, people whom they do not have any prior relationship with. These people are suffering, but after much effort, we finally overcome many difficulties to reach these people affected by disasters and suffering. Just as if seeing loved ones who are suffering, we embrace them and give them love. We have sympathy and universal compassion. Isn’t this the impartial Dharma of great loving-kindness? “Great compassion is the abode, [and] gentleness and patience are the clothing.” This gentleness is like a loving mother caring for her child; when she sees the child wronged or suffering, she will always go to comfort the child. This is the “impartial Dharma of great loving-kindness,”

“which does not discriminate between high and low.” There is no difference between high and low. The world is filled with disasters. Italy suffered this major disaster, an earthquake [in 2016]. It was only magnitude 6.2 on the Richter scale, but because the epicenter was shallow, thousand-year-old structures were destroyed in an instant. Tourists all over the world visited these places. Look at these places of historical significance, these buildings. They were leveled, completely destroyed.

It spanned three peaks, three mountain ridges, and numerous ancient buildings that were all listed as the world’s treasures were all destroyed in an instant. Think about it; this is life’s impermanence. The mansions nearby were likewise destroyed in an instant. Tzu Chi volunteers in countries throughout Europe, whether from Germany, France, Great Britain and so on, had already begun to strategize how they were going to get together and take action. This is because in each of these countries, there are not that many Tzu Chi volunteers. Italy only has three certified commissioners and four to five who are still in training. These are the Tzu Chi volunteers of Italy. Because they do not have enough manpower, they must have Tzu Chi volunteers from other countries come and join them.

This is the impermanence of the world. Regardless of how nice the conditions are, how stable the structures are, buildings that have stood strong for over hundreds or thousands of years still could not withstand this earthquake. A magnitude 6.2 earthquake decimated everything just like that. Life is impermanent. No matter how nice the conditions are, how precious [the buildings are], even if they are internationally- or nationally-treasured buildings, the same thing happened to them. There is no difference between the high and low; none at all.

So, “Humans intrinsically possess the same nature. The true principles are contained within all consciousnesses.” Human nature has been exactly the same since Beginningless Time. This is what the Buddha told us. We are equal to the Buddha. “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” We are equal to the Buddha. We all intrinsically have this. All living beings are like the Buddha; they possess the Tathagata-nature. “Humans intrinsically possess the same nature. The true principles are contained within all consciousnesses.” All sentient beings’ nature of True Suchness, the “true principles,” these truths and principles, are all the same. They are all stored in this consciousness. The consciousnesses of ordinary beings, whether it be the sixth, seventh or eighth consciousness, all contain these true principles. The purest of true principles is our nature of True Suchness, the ninth consciousness, the amala consciousness. This is the ultimate state, the Buddha-consciousness we reach upon awakening. The Buddha-consciousness is pure and undefiled, and is one with the universe. This is the true principle that everyone intrinsically possesses.

So, in the past, “The provisional teachings of the past contained the truth.”

The provisional teachings of the past contained the truth, just as a lotus flower contains the lotus pod. Opening the provisional to reveal the truth is like a lotus blooming to reveal the lotus pod. Outside of the lotus flower, there is no other lotus pod. With the provisional opened and the true revealed, we see the Middle Way in all Dharma.

The Buddha taught the provisional. Even though what He taught in the past were skillful means, the true was actually hidden in those skillful means. The True Dharma is like the bud of a lotus flower. The lotus seeds are already inside. Once the flower blooms, we will see this fruit. The lotus seed is concealed within the lotus bud. When the flower blossoms, the fruit will appear. So, opening the provisional to reveal the true is like the lotus flower blossoming. We will see the lotus pod. We will see the lotus pod, and the seeds are in there. So, “It is like a lotus blooming to reveal the lotus pod.” The principle is the same.

The teachings the Buddha taught in the past were not a waste of time. They all contained the True Dharma; it is just that. He did not make it transparent to everyone. [To reach] the True Dharma, we must brush aside our ignorance and go among people. We make use of others’ strength to refine ourselves. When we brush aside our ignorance, we will manifest the True Dharma within us. This is cultivating both blessings and wisdom. This is reaching the perfect teachings. This is the time when the Lotus teachings arrive.

So, “Outside of the lotus flower, there is no other lotus pod.” Apart from this lotus flower, there are no other lotus pods. The lotus flower and lotus pod are joined together. So, when the provisional is taught, it actually contains the True Dharma. When the flower blossoms, we see the fruit. So, it is called the “Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower” because it has the fruit and flower at the same time.

“With the provisional opened and the true revealed, we see the Middle Way in all Dharma.” We bring all the Dharma back to the Middle Way. He discussed emptiness and existence. He discussed emptiness in the Prajna period and existence during the Agama period. So, He taught existence and emptiness. Now, the Lotus Sutra collects both these topics; it is the Middle Way. This is like when a lotus flower blossoms, the lotus pod is in the middle. The principle is right here. We must truly be mindful. The Lotus Sutra is the Middle Way between emptiness and existence, the True Dharma.

The previous passage says,

“All those banners and canopies were made from the Seven Treasures, gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose stone. The stupa was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings.”

The next sutra passage says,

“From the Heaven of the Thirty-three, there fell a rain of Mandarava flowers in offering to the stupa of treasures. All the various heavenly beings, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, trillions in all….”

Where is the Heaven of the Thirty-three? It is on the summit of Mt. Sumeru. Mt. Sumeru’s summit is the highest place of all. “In each of the four directions, there are eight heavens.” In the east, west, south and north, in each of those directions there are eight heavens in all and eight heavenly palaces. Four times eight is thirty-two, but in the center, there is the place where Sakro-devanam Indra lives. It is called the City of Good Views, and it is in the center. All of these together make up the Heaven of the Thirty-three. If we express this in terms of the Dharma, it is an analogy for the 52 stages of Bodhisattvas. We will explain this later on.

The Heaven of the Thirty-three: On Sumeru, in each of the four directions, there are eight heavens, and Indra resides in the center, thus making Thirty-three heavens. In terms of the Dharma, these represent the 52 stages of Bodhisattvas.

The Heaven of the Thirty-three is also called Trayastrimsa Heaven. It is the second heaven of the desire realm. It is still in the desire realm, because those in the Trayastrimsa Heaven still have their family and retinue. [In the desire realm,] there is also the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings. [The Trayastrimsa Heaven] is the second heaven of the desire realm, and it is on the summit of Mt. Sumeru. Everyone should know that in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, one day there is equal to 50 years in this world. One day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is equal to 100 years in this world. This means that it is very far away from our solar system. Indra’s Heaven is in the center, and “In each of the four directions there are eight heavens.” So, combined together they comprise the Heaven of the Thirty-three.

Trayastrimsa Heaven: This is the Heaven of the Thirty-three. It is the second heaven of the desire realm, located on the summit of Mt. Sumeru. Sakra’s Heaven is at the center, and in each of the four directions there are eight heavens, thus forming the Heaven of the Thirty-three.

First, we must understand its environment and its distance from our world. One day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is 100 years for us; this is such a great distance. From such a high place in the sky, there fell a rain of Mandarava flowers as an offering to the stupa of treasures.

We discussed the stupa of treasures previously. Because Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, the stupa of treasures emerged from the ground. Because the stupa of treasures appeared, Mandarava flowers rained from the sky. Those in Trayastrimsa Heaven and the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Beings all came to make offerings. Along the way, flowers rained down to help highlight the magnificence of this spiritual training ground. So, “All heavens rained down flowers to make offerings to the stupa of treasures. This shows their hearts and wholesome actions.” This shows the wholesome practices from our hearts; this wholesomeness is supreme and unsurpassed. This is also a metaphor. Everyone expressed their wholesome intentions, which were supreme and unsurpassed. They came to “dignify the Dharmakaya.” They used this supreme and unsurpassed spiritual state to dignify these true principles. With the true principles, we all must engage in practice with reverence. We engage in uninterrupted practice, practice with nothing further, extended practice, and also practice with reverence. We must always have reverence toward the true principles. These are supreme and unsurpassed wholesome actions.

There fell a rain of Mandarava flowers as an offering to the stupa of treasures: All heavens rained down flowers to make offerings to the stupa of treasures. This shows their hearts’ wholesome practices which dignify the Dharmakaya.

So, “All the various heavenly beings, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, trillions in all….”

There were so many of them. These are the eight classes of Dharma-protectors, heavenly beings and nagas and so on. They all have been transformed by the Buddha and came together to protect this training ground. In terms of worldly appearances, “These are the eight classes of. Dharma-protectors,” the heavenly beings and nagas of the eight classes and so on; they have all gathered together. In terms of the Dharma, this means it is “inseparable from one mind.”

In terms of worldly appearances, these are the eight groups of Dharma-protectors. In terms of the Dharma, they are inseparable from one mind.
Although we talk about the Heaven of the. Four Heavenly Beings and Trayastrimsa Heaven, heavenly beings and the eight classes of Dharma-protectors, when we analyze this in terms of the Dharma, we find that it is inseparable from our one mind. When it comes to our one mind, whether we are from the Heaven of the. Four Heavenly Beings, or Trayastrimsa Heaven, everything is inseparable from our minds. This is all virtuous Dharma; it was the same for the Dharma-protectors like heavenly beings and nagas.

The two classes of heavenly beings and nagas have good hearts. The remaining classes of yaksas and others have always had evil hearts. Because of their superior roots of goodness, they controlled all their evil thoughts, countless trillions of them, and transformed them into goodness.

The two classes of heavenly beings and nagas have good hearts. They all have cultivated blessings. This is goodness. These two classes, heavenly beings and nagas, represent goodness. They are fundamentally good.

“The remaining classes of yaksas and others…..” Yaksas, gandharvas and so on are evil. They are normally evil, just like the asuras and so on, just like animals. The appearances they manifest are considered evil. However, they were transformed by the Buddha, and likewise have the roots of goodness. Since they still have the roots of goodness, this means they were transformed to become good and have become Dharma-protectors. So, “They controlled all their evil thoughts, countless trillions of them, and transformed them into goodness.”

This is how the Buddha-Dharma is the medicine capable of curing the world. Our minds are just like that of the the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. Whether they are on Mt. Sumeru, or in Trayastrimsa Heaven, heavenly beings represent the peak. Not matter how high they are, the Dharma can reach that height. The height of their heart of goodness is the same. Even with everyone’s ignorance, the Dharma can likewise tame our minds and transform [ignorance] into good thoughts. This is how we explain this in terms of the Dharma. The Lotus Sutra is so perfect and harmonious. Through appearances, it manifests the principles. As long as we mindfully comprehend it, at any time in our lives, we will be in constant contact with the Dharma. We simply must keep the Dharma in our hearts and always be mindful.

Episode 1258 – Banners and Canopies of Seven Treasures

---

>> “The surrounding railings are a metaphor for the Dharma’s protecting of retaining and upholding. The countless chambers are a metaphor for the room of compassion. The draped strings of jewels represent the supreme, magnificent Dharmakaya.”

>> Retaining and upholding: This means retaining goodness so it is not lost and upholding not letting any evil arise. We must take our thoughts, Samadhi and wisdom as our body. The thoughts, Samadhi and wisdom cultivated by Bodhisattvas are replete with these merits and virtues.

>> Those who uphold and retain uphold virtue so it is not lost and seize evil so it will not arise. To forget nothing is known as retaining. The Bodhisattvas’ virtue of upholding and retaining is limitless.

>> “Trillions of precious bells hung from it. From all four sides, it emitted the fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood which pervaded the world.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> “All those banners and canopies were made from gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose stone, the Seven Treasures. The stupa was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> All those banners and canopies: and canopies of treasures were used to dignify the top [of the stupa]. They represent the Buddha’s merits and virtues. Banners and canopies: They represent His virtue of benefiting all beings. There is nothing they do not cover.

>> [They] were made from gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose stone, the Seven Treasures: In terms of representations of the Dharma, since gold is firm and resilient by nature, it represents the wisdom of firmness. Silver is pure and white by nature, so it represents purifying practices. The translucence of crystal represents the wisdom of thorough understanding. The smooth curls of mother-of-pearl represents a mind that yields. The multicolored chalcedony represents a mind that takes all actions in response to change. Round and bright pearls represent a mind that is clever and wise. Rose stone is a kind of jade that represents a gentle mind. All these virtues serve to dignify, thus, it says “made from the Seven Treasures.”

>> Those banners and canopies were made from the Seven Treasures: This is a metaphor for being replete with the Seven Noble Treasures. The Seven Noble Treasures are seven kinds of Dharma-wealth: The seven kinds of treasures are the Dharma-wealth of merit and virtue attained by noble beings who have awakened to the Path.

>> The Seven Noble Treasures: The treasure of faith: Faithfully accepting the Right Dharma. The treasure of the precepts: Upholding the laws of the Dharma. The treasure of listening: Being able to hear the correct teachings. The treasure of remorse: Feeling remorse for oneself. The treasure of contrition: Feeling contrite toward others. The treasure of renunciation: Renouncing all things and remaining undefiled. The treasure of wisdom: Illuminating matters and principles with wisdom.

The teaching of these virtues is called the Seven Noble Treasures. The sentient beings who do not retain these are said to be extremely impoverished.

>> It stood tall and reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings: This indicates that all these virtues are exceptional and respected. The Four Heavenly Kings dwell in the belly of Mt. Sumeru. The stupa of treasures was so high that it stood equal to the heavenly palaces. The Fourfold Mindfulness protects the mind just like the heavenly kings.

>> The stupa was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings: This is an analogy for transcending the Four Forms of Birth. The Four Forms of Birth: Womb-born: Contained before birth. Egg-born: Developed within a shell. Moisture-born: In need of moisture for birth. Transformation-born: Transforming into existence from nothing.

---

“The surrounding railings
are a metaphor for the Dharma’s protecting of retaining and upholding.
The countless chambers
are a metaphor for the room of compassion.
The draped strings of jewels
represent the supreme, magnificent Dharmakaya.”

We must be mindful! The stupa of treasures appeared solely to express the Dharma through appearances. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this Dharma. The stupa’s dimensions were 500 yojanas high and 250 yojanas wide. A yojana is 40 li, so we know it was 20,000 li high; this is very high. Its height represents breaking through the Five Realms. I hope everyone will be able to understand and remember this. This is something we must commit to memory. The Five Realms is the place where the beings of the Five Destinies coexist. In this world, there are people with both good and evil. If we do good, we will have blessed retributions, such as the reward of being born in heaven, enjoying wealth and nobility. [This happens] in both the heaven realm and the human realm.

In the human realm, there is also poverty and hardship. [People suffer from] illness and disability, and some suffer from poverty as well as disease and disabilities. This kind of life is like living in hell. That is to say nothing of the actual hell realm. The hell realm is one of uninterrupted suffering; it is truly extreme suffering. There is also the hungry ghost realm, where Maudgalyayana rescued his mother and where Bright-Eyed Girl rescued her mother and so on. These filial sons and daughters had mothers who created karma in the human realm. They went to hell or the hungry ghost realm to save their mothers. We have spoken about this before, about the suffering in the hell and hungry ghost realms. We cannot see the hell or hungry ghost realms, but in this world, there are so many [people who suffer from] starvation and poverty. Their bellies are very bloated due to a lack of nutrition. Their necks are tiny and their limbs are thin. They are all shriveled up; they are just skin and bones, with a great big belly. These are scenes straight out of the hungry ghost realm. This is suffering; it is unbearable suffering.

We can also see the animal realm. It is all around us. All animals belong to the animal realm. Look at hell on this earth. There are so many in the hell of cesspits. They are surrounded by garbage and filth. Most people would not get dare get close, but those people live among garbage day after day. Or they depend on garbage to stay alive, eating from garbage piles. This is something we often see. Whether around the world or here in Taiwan, Tzu Chi volunteers often go to clean up for them. They are living just like in the hell of cesspits. They are poor, ill and disabled, and moreover live in this kind of environment. Their minds are truly as if in hell or in the realm of hungry ghosts or the animal realm, which is everywhere around; there are all kinds of animals. This is beyond their control. These are the Five Realms.

Since we engage in spiritual practice, we must seek to understand this. These are all living beings. The Buddha taught and strongly affirmed that all living beings have the Tathagata’s nature of wisdom, His enlightened nature; we all intrinsically have this. It is just that we unenlightened beings are lost in confusion. We are unable to see things clearly, so they entangle our minds. Why is that? We cannot turn [our thinking] around, so we experience so much suffering.

The stupa was 500 yojanas [high]. A yojana is 40 li 500 yojanas is equal to 20,000 li. This represents actualizing blessings and wisdom in 10,000 actions. As we [practice] the Six Perfections, we actualize blessings and wisdom in 10,000 actions. Is it really only in 10,000 actions? It must be in every action. Blessings and wisdom are created among people. So, the purpose of the stupa was to exhibit these virtues, to exhibit these qualities and virtuous practices, This requires us to take action.

The Six Perfections are giving, upholding the precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These six things can deliver us from this shore to the other shore. This is what it means to cross to the other shore. If we want to cross to the other shore, we must use these six methods. We must go among people and create countless blessings. Through the ignorance of sentient beings we temper our wisdom. This is the meaning of blessings and wisdom. Blessings and wisdom follow [our practice of] the Six Perfections. In this way, we will constantly keep advancing. This is the meaning of “in all actions.”

[This is the purpose of] the stupa of treasures. So vertically, in terms of height, it was 500 yojanas high. In terms of width, its foundation was 250 yojanas wide. This is 10,000 li. This represents us unenlightened beings. Unenlightened beings start out with so many afflictions and ignorance. So, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to this world in order to transform sentient beings. This is why they need to open the Dharma-doors to teach sentient beings with all kinds of Dharma. They begin with the ignorance of sentient beings’ in the “25 forms of existence” and from there continue to analyze for us the names and appearances of the 108 afflictions. We have accumulated such an array of afflictions; it is so wide and vast. The Buddha had to [teach] in accord with sentient beings’ limitless [afflictions]. He thus opened His Dharma-doors to us. By teaching us according to our capabilities, He enables us to engage in spiritual practice.

Engaging in spiritual practice is like climbing a stupa, level by level, step by step. The higher we get, the more we need railings. There needs to be railings all around, or else it will be dangerous; we will easily fall. So, for safety, the stupa had railings all the way around it. They surrounded it. This is “a metaphor for the Dharma’s protecting of retaining and upholding.” [The Buddha] used all kinds of Dharma as analogies to teach us and help us protect our body of precepts, so we will not go astray. As we engage in spiritual practice, we must take care to maintain our body of precepts. So, we must “retain and uphold,” retain all goodness so it is not lost and uphold not letting any evil arise. This is the meaning of “retaining and upholding.”

We must also take care to guard our thoughts. We must take “Samadhi and wisdom as our body.”

Retaining and upholding: This means retaining goodness so it is not lost and upholding not letting any evil arise. We must take our thoughts, Samadhi and wisdom as our body. The thoughts, Samadhi and wisdom cultivated by Bodhisattvas are replete with these merits and virtues.

As we engage in spiritual practice, our minds must be focused and resolute. As we give rise to each thought, we want every thought to be on the Dharma. [With the] Dharma, we actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions and adapt to the capabilities of sentient beings. Times are changing. People’s minds are unstable. Living among these changes and this instability, spiritual practitioners must have firm faith. Therefore, we must “take thoughts, Samadhi and wisdom as our body.” As we engage in spiritual practice, this must be our body; we must put [the teachings] into action. As for our aspirations and our power of thought, we must very mindfully preserve these. We have to travel along the Bodhisattva-path. So, “the thoughts, Samadhi and wisdom cultivated by Bodhisattvas are replete with these merits and virtues.”

[To cultivate] Samadhi and wisdom, we must work hard. By working hard, we will be able to exhibit virtue. If we do not work hard, how will [our virtue] be visible? Spiritual practitioners must have the resolve of spiritual practitioners. This resolve must be put into action. We must express our perseverance and express our power of wisdom. Our minds must be firm, so that we will not be led astray by external conditions. So, this Dharma is an analogy for the protection of retaining and upholding. We need to protect our good thoughts. We must retain all goodness; [our actions] must include all good deeds. We must work hard to learn this. We must also be very vigilant. We must uphold not allowing any evil arise and retain all goodness so it will not be lost. We must [retain] all goodness so it is not lost and must not allow any evil to arise.

Once we give rise to the aspiration to do good, we absolutely must not let it become lost. After we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we will have a clear understanding. So, we know we can not give rise to evil. Therefore, we need the power of Samadhi and the power of wisdom in order to be able to exhibit these virtues. This is just like this stupa. It was very high, 20,000 li, 500 yojanas.

Inside the stupa, there were chambers. “The countless chambers are a metaphor for the abode of compassion.” Inside such a big stupa, there is chamber after chamber. If we were to enter such a stupa, we would see one chamber after another. This is a metaphor for the room of compassion. Great compassion is the room. If we want to walk the Bodhisattva-path and engage in the Bodhisattva-practice, first we must establish loving-kindness and compassion. As for “countless,” in order to save all sentient beings in the world, we need countless people to be replete in great loving-kindness and compassion so they can enter the Tathagata’s room. Thus, when it comes to the contents of this stupa, as we have previously mentioned, “Great compassion is the room and gentleness and patience are the clothing.” These are already contained within this stupa.

[Next is] “draped strings of jewels.” In this way, we continue to draw closer. Inside, there were many strings of jewels, banners and streamers [hung] high all around the stupa. They were hanging down from above. This is just like all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as they transform sentient beings; they have a very lofty and refined character, but they humble themselves to care for sentient beings and patiently guide them. It is as if they covered them in robes that were [adorned] with strings of countless jewels. The principle is the same. This represents the magnificence of the Dharmakaya. This magnificence of the Dharmakaya is something we must seek to experience and understand. So, we must “retain and uphold.” We must retain all goodness as we give rise to it and [uphold] not letting any evil arise. This is what we must be very mindful of. So, when it comes to these virtuous practices, Bodhisattvas must retain and uphold them. They will then naturally have infinite virtues.

Those who uphold and retain uphold virtue so it is not lost and seize evil so it will not arise. To forget nothing is known as retaining. The Bodhisattvas’ virtue of upholding and retaining is limitless.

Let us look at the previous sutra passage.

“Trillions of precious bells hung from it. From all four sides, it emitted the fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood which pervaded the world.”

[There were] “trillions of precious bells.” This stupa had many bells hung all over it. When the wind blew, the bells would ring. This represents that the Dharma must be spread. It is an admonishment, warning sentient beings to “refrain from all evil and do all that is good.” The principles of the Buddha-Dharma are lofty and upright. They are very lofty. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas exhibit virtue as They teach and transform beings in this world. This is just like bells hung very high. When the wind blows, the sound of the bells helps everyone pay attention to the loftiness of these virtuous practices. They teach, transform and protect sentient beings in order to help us understand.

“From all four sides it emitted the fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood.” This fragrance came from all four sides. This is because when we experience the Dharma, when we perceive the fragrance of the Dharma, we feel joy from within. When the wind blows over fragrant wood, whether fragrant flowers or wood, this fragrance immediately spreads throughout the four directions. So, in all four directions, it was very fragrant. This image from the previous [sutra passage] is a metaphor for the Dharma.

So, the next sutra passage continues,

“All those banners and canopies were made from gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose stone, the Seven Treasures. The stupa was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings.”

“All those banners and canopies” refers to the many banners and canopies made from treasures. We should all be clear on this. Great numbers of treasures were used to adorn these banners. “[There were also] canopies of treasures.” There were banners and canopies of treasures, completely adorned in treasures. They could cover [the stupa] from above. For example, in Japan, whenever there is a big Dharma-assembly, or when there is a large ritual where the emperor is present, or a Dharma-assembly held by eminent monastics, they will raise a canopy high above that can block the sun as well as the wind. It also represents great majesty; it is very dignified. So, “[They] were used to dignify the top [of the stupa].” This represents the Buddha’s merits and virtues, that they are supreme and unsurpassed.

The Buddha’s virtues are supreme and unsurpassed virtues. These virtues pervade the universe. So, the banners and canopies represent. “His virtue of benefiting all beings. There is nothing they do not cover.”

All those banners and canopies: and canopies of treasures were used to dignify the top [of the stupa]. They represent the Buddha’s merits and virtues. Banners and canopies: They represent His virtue of benefiting all beings. There is nothing they do not cover.

The Buddha appeared in this world to benefit sentient beings and teach sentient beings to give rise to love in their hearts and, with that love, go to [the aid of] suffering sentient beings everywhere. This is how the Dharma, the Dharma of goodness, can spread throughout the world. [In this way], love in this world can spread to the places of greatest suffering. This “represents His virtue of benefiting all beings.”

Isn’t this what our Living Bodhisattvas do? They act according to the Buddha’s teachings and exercise this Dharma, this great love, to bring benefit to sentient beings. So, this word, “beings” refers to how all sentient beings can receive protection. When it comes to His virtue, “There is nothing it does not cover.” There is nothing in the world it does not cover. Beneath the canopy of the sky, the Buddha’s virtues are one with the universe. “His heart encompasses the universe and the boundless worlds within it.” After the Buddha was enlightened, He became one with the universe. So, because of this, “There is nothing [His virtue] does not cover.” [He teaches] these principles solely to benefit sentient beings.

So, “[They] were made from gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose stone, the Seven Treasures.” These are supreme, unsurpassed treasures.

[They] were made from gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose stone, the Seven Treasures: In terms of representations of the Dharma, since gold is firm and resilient by nature, it represents the wisdom of firmness. Silver is pure and white by nature, so it represents purifying practices. The translucence of crystal represents the wisdom of thorough understanding. The smooth curls of mother-of-pearl represents a mind that yields. The multicolored chalcedony represents a mind that takes all actions in response to change. Round and bright pearls represent a mind that is clever and wise. Rose stone is a kind of jade that represents a gentle mind. All these virtues serve to dignify, thus, it says “made from the Seven Treasures.”

So “in terms of representations of the Dharma,” gold is “firm and resilient” by nature. Since we want to engage in spiritual practice, we cannot be lacking in determination; we must be firm and resilient. This determination is something that we spiritual practitioners must be replete with. So, the ancients said, “Becoming a monastic is the work of a great person; even a great general would find it difficult.” A general may dare to enter the battlefield, but he dares not engage in spiritual practice. He may be able to unify a country’s rule, but he does not dare to become a monastic. This is because he knows that to become a monastic and engage in practice, he must have great firmness and resilience. He must demonstrate firm wisdom. It requires great wisdom before one will be able to choose the path of a monastic. To engage in spiritual practice on this path requires great firmness and power of wisdom.

[After gold comes silver]. Silver is pure and white by nature. Silver is very white. Gold is yellow while silver is white. It is very pure and white by nature. Moreover, it is able to detect poisons. We can use silver [to detect] whether something is pure or poisonous. In the past, emperors and other nobility would use silver chopsticks when they ate. This is because silver can indicate whether food was poisoned or not. This is what the ancients did. Many rich people used silver chopsticks. So, silver is pure and white by nature, and it can show if something is poisonous. This is the function of silver. It represents purity; it is pure and clean. This is the nature of silver.

As for crystal, it is translucent; it is very clear. [When we say] “as pure as crystal,” [we mean] pure, without blemishes and translucent. This is just like crystal. Thus, it represents “the wisdom of thorough understanding.” With clear wisdom, everything we see is very clear. We can see everything very clearly; our vision is not in the least bit muddled. This is the nature of crystal. Mother-of-pearl has smooth curls. It is rounded with gentle curves and is capable of forming pearls. Also, it represents yielding. From a very high place, it can bend down, yielding according to its external conditions. When [giant clams] are in the ocean, no matter what they encounter, they can curve it according to the conditions. These are its smooth curls.

“Multicolored chalcedony” comes in all kinds of colors. These are all treasures, things that are very valuable in this world. Each of these things has its own characteristics, and they are all very valuable. [Chalcedony] represents “a mind that takes all actions in response to changes.” These things are all found in nature. They follow the conditions of nature to become such precious things.

As for “round and bright pearls,” pearls are round and bright. They “represent a mind that is clever and wise.” Pearls come from oysters. It takes a very long time for them to grow into pearls. They are round by nature and are smooth and bright. Pearls represent a mind that is clever and wise; with it we are able to respond to all things with clever wisdom. “Rose stone” is a kind of stone. It is a kind of jade. Jade is also very valuable. Rose stone represents a gentle mind. So, “All these virtues serve to dignify, thus it says ‘made from the Seven Treasures.'” [The Buddha] has achieved so many virtues, so it speaks of the Seven Treasures.

Specifically, “The banners and canopies were made from the Seven Treasures.” The streamers, banners and so on were all made from the Seven Treasures.

Those banners and canopies were made from the Seven Treasures: This is a metaphor for being replete with the Seven Noble Treasures. The Seven Noble Treasures are seven kinds of Dharma-wealth: The seven kinds of treasures are the Dharma-wealth of merit and virtue attained by noble beings who have awakened to the Path.

Previously, we spoke of the Seven Treasures, gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony etc. [These things] are made from the Seven Treasures. They are also a metaphor for the Seven Noble Treasures. “The Seven Noble Treasures are seven kinds of Dharma-wealth.” They are seven kinds of Dharma. These seven kinds are “the Dharma-wealth of merit and virtue attained by noble beings who have awakened to the Path.”

The Seven Noble Treasures: The treasure of faith: Faithfully accepting the Right Dharma. The treasure of the precepts: Upholding the laws of the Dharma. The treasure of listening: Being able to hear the correct teachings. The treasure of remorse: Feeling remorse for oneself. The treasure of contrition: Feeling contrite toward others. The treasure of renunciation: Renouncing all things and remaining undefiled. The treasure of wisdom: Illuminating matters and principles with wisdom.

What are the Seven Noble Treasures?

The first is the treasure of faith. “Faith is the source of the Way, mother of merits. It nurtures all roots of goodness.” So, we must have faith in the Buddha and faith in the Dharma. We must first establish faith. We must have the right faith. Our faith must be deep in order for us to be able to embrace Right Dharma. Otherwise, we may have all kinds of beliefs, such as superstitious or deviant beliefs. But the faith we speak of is right faith. Faith can serve as the source of the Way and the mother of merits. All spiritual practice begins with faith.

There is also, “The treasure of the precepts,” which is “upholding the laws of the Dharma.” We understand this. We must uphold the precepts, guard against wrongs and stop evils; we must uphold this in our hearts. When our Five Roots connect with our external conditions, in our hearts, we need something like a railing that guards and protects us. When we have a boundary that rails us in, that is upholding the laws of the Dharma. In our spiritual practice, we must [uphold] the conduct of spiritual practitioners. We must follow our rules and etiquettes.

What about the “treasure of listening”? It is “being able to hear the correct teachings.” If it is incorrect, we must not listen to it. If it goes against the principles, do not listen. So, we must listen to the correct teachings.

Next are the treasures of remorse and of contrition. Our minds must constantly have a sense of remorse and contrition. These two words, remorse and contrition, mean “I feel remorse for my own poor virtues. We must always have thoughts of remorse in order to give rise to good deeds.” We ourselves know that we are still very poor in the study of virtue. So, we must constantly remind ourselves to be vigilant. We must always have thoughts of remorse. Only then will we be able to follow others in doing good deeds and putting the teachings into practice. As we follow others to do [good], we must not become haughty or proud, thinking that we already know so much.

We understand, we are very smart, but the virtue of wisdom is something we have not cultivated at all. So, when others do what is right, we should do the same and keep ourselves from becoming arrogant. This is what it means to have remorse. We must always be remorseful. I often hear people say, “I feel remorseful.” But when it comes to “remorse,” they do not know the meaning of this word. It means to have remorse for being so lacking in our virtue. Our spiritual cultivation is lacking, so we must awaken ourselves. We must rejoice in the good deeds others do. We must rejoice and give rise to aspirations. This is what it means to be remorseful.

What about contrition? Contrition is “being afraid of suffering other people’s criticism for the wrong things we did.” If in the past we did things that were wrong, it is difficult to avoid people criticizing us behind our backs for those mistakes. So, we must not do [such things]. We must constantly have a sense of contrition and prevent ourselves from committing wrongs. We did this thing in the past, and other people criticized us. Now that we understand, we absolutely must not do it again. This is called contrition. If we have a sense of contrition, we will naturally keep ourselves from doing wrong. In the past, we had bad habitual tendencies. We were too proud, too arrogant or too foolish, filled with thoughts of ignorance, anger and greed. We committed violations and made mistakes. This was all in the past. But now, if we give rise to a mind of contrition, we will naturally put an end to wrongdoings.

So, this the “treasure of remorse” is “feeling remorse for oneself.” We clearly know ourselves; we know how much [good] we have actually done. We have not done much, so we must not feel overly proud of ourselves. “The treasure of contrition” means that we have made mistakes in the past, so we must not do wrong again. Putting a stop to evil is contrition. So, we must be very mindful. We often talk about these two words, so we should truly seek to understand them better. We must have a sense of what is right and remind ourselves to be vigilant. This is what it means to feel remorse and indebtedness.

“The treasure of renunciation” refers to renouncing everything and not becoming defiled. We must completely renounce our past bad habitual tendencies. Our past ignorance and confusion must be completely eliminated. We must go among people without becoming defiled. This is called renunciation. There is no need to take issue with people. Do not take issue over things; just let them go. The “treasure of wisdom” refers to “illuminating matters and principles with wisdom.” When we are replete with wisdom, we can discern matters and principles very clearly.

These are the treasures of faith, precepts, listening, remorse, contrition, renunciation and wisdom. They are called the Seven Noble Treasures. These seven things are essential in the course of our spiritual cultivation. They are the Dharma-wealth of merit and virtue attained by noble beings who have awakened to the Path. We must mindfully seek to comprehend them.

These are virtues and Dharma. They are called the Seven Noble Treasures. So, “The sentient beings who do not retain these are said to be extremely impoverished.”

The teaching of these virtues is called the Seven Noble Treasures. The sentient beings who do not retain these are said to be extremely impoverished.

In the earlier Chapter on Faith and Understanding, the [parable] of the poor son showed how we have not applied the Dharma in our hearts. This means we lack these kinds of Dharma-wealth, so we are said to be impoverished. Isn’t the world full of people who lack [Dharma-wealth]? Being lacking is to be impoverished. We must put effort into being mindful of this.

In terms of height, this stupa made from the Seven Treasures “was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings.” It was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings. This symbolizes that. “All these virtues are exceptional and respected.” All of these virtues are exceptional and respected. “The Four Heavenly Kings dwell on the slopes of Mt. Sumeru. The stupa of treasures was so high that it stood equal to the heavenly palaces.” This means that “The Fourfold Mindfulness protects the mind like the heavenly kings.”

It stood tall and reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings: This indicates that all these virtues are exceptional and respected. The Four Heavenly Kings dwell in the belly of Mt. Sumeru. The stupa of treasures was so high that it stood equal to the heavenly palaces. The Fourfold Mindfulness protects the mind just like the heavenly kings.

This is like how the Four Heavenly Kings protect the four sides of Mt. Sumeru. This is described in the sutras. This is an analogy for how the Fourfold Mindfulness protects our mind.

“The stupa was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings.” This is an analogy for “transcending the Four Forms of Birth.”

The stupa was so tall that it reached the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings: This is an analogy for transcending the Four Forms of Birth. The Four Forms of Birth: Womb-born: Contained before birth. Egg-born: Developed within a shell. Moisture-born: In need of moisture for birth. Transformation-born: Transforming into existence from nothing.

The Four Forms of Birth are [as follows]. “Womb-born [beings are] contained before birth.” Womb-born beings are contained in their mother’s womb. This is what it means to be “womb-born. Egg-born [beings] develop within a shell.” Things [born from] shells, chicken, birds etc., are all called “egg-born.” They are covered by a shell. At birth, they must break through this shell, freeing themselves from the shell to be born. This is what it means to be “egg-born.” There is also “moisture-born.” They are born in a moist, aqueous environment. These things [live] in moist places or in water. They are all classified as “moisture-born.” [Beings born] in a moist, wet environment are called “moisture-born.” Mosquitos and insects are all like this. They are moisture-born.

“Transformation-born [beings] transform into existence from nothing.” This is called being transformation-born. To be “transformation-born” is to directly go from this life to the next. Heavenly beings go directly from this life to the next. If you have heavenly blessings, once you leave this world having created a great abundance of blessings in this world, you will journey on your blessed retributions and depart from the human world to be transformation-born into heaven. You will be transformation-born into a heaven above. This is what it means to be transformation-born.

We sentient beings cannot escape the Four Forms of Birth. Sentient beings experience suffering because they follow their karma without control. Sentient beings with negative karma are born into this world to suffer; they create more karma and suffer its retributions. The greatest suffering is to be transformation-born into hell, to go directly from this life to hell. In an instant, we fall into hell. This is also being “transformation-born.”

But in the hells of this world, we can also see Living Bodhisattvas. They go to the hells of this world and save people. There is a 96-year-old man in Zimbabwe who is all alone. This elderly man also created karma in his past. In the past, he had a wife and son, but he left home, abandoning his wife and son. He ended up raising another person’s family, working to earn money. All his life, he worked like this, living a very difficult life. Zimbabwe society is matrilineal. This man eventually became old and ill. He had spent most of his time working to earn money, but aside from that, his behavior was quite poor.

His second family consisted of a single mother and her child, whom he helped to raise. However, when he became old, this mother told the child bad things about him. So, even this child who was raised by him came to reject him and drove him out of the house. He was living all alone. He was very miserable, ill and old. He was 96 years old. Tzu Chi volunteers saw him and felt for him. They often cared for him and brought him things.

One day, his grass hut could not withstand the wind, and his roof was blown away. For several days, he suffered the sun’s heat, rain and wind, curled up in a corner of the ruined grass hut. The African Tzu Chi volunteers found him there and felt for him. They immediately went to buy zinc sheets and quickly covered the hut with them. They brought him a [Jing Si] folding bed and provided him with [necessities]. They helped him tidy up and cleaned everything.

The group of volunteers then led him outside, surrounded him and kept wishing him well. He cried and said, “I have no son; I have no relatives.” The group of young African Bodhisattvas kept telling him, “I am your son. I am your daughter.” It was like what we do in Taiwan. They continued to comfort him. This elderly man was so moved that he knelt down. With tears streaming down, he looked up and said, “Thank you! I hope Master can always lead people like this to care for those who are suffering.”

In this world, we see Bodhisattvas using the Seven Noble Treasures to do good deeds and go among people. If we do not have faith or listen to the Dharma, how will we be able to uphold these ways of goodness and continue walking on this path? Our suffering in this world is beyond our control. Will we fall into hell or come to this world again to suffer more hardship? Or will we create many blessings and be transformation-born into heaven? Among the Four Forms of Birth, [where we end up] is beyond our control. So, the Buddha came to teach us to enable us to choose, to help us understand the noble Dharma that enables us to come and go freely. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1257 – The Wondrous Sound Pervades the World

---

>> “After hearing the Dharma at the Vulture Peak Assembly, the recipients of the teachings had not awakened. So, Manjusri and Maitreya told the story of the 20000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. Then, Sakyamuni Buddha emerged from Samadhi. He opened, revealed and praised their all-encompassing wisdom, but they could not let go of their deluded views of arising and ceasing, purity and defilement.”
>> The precious bells are a metaphor for the wondrous sound of the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms of Eloquence. The fragrance emitted from all four sides represents how the wind of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths blows with the fragrance of the Four Virtues. This demonstrates that these virtues are extraordinary and respected.

>> The Four Virtues: Permanence, joy, self and purity. Permanence is the essence of Nirvana. It is everlasting and unchanging, neither arising nor ceasing.

>> Joy is the essence of Nirvana. It is always perfectly tranquil, peaceful and carefree, applicable and without even the slightest afflictions.

>> Self is the essence of Nirvana, the attainment of the greatest freedom, without even the slightest constraint.

>> Purity is the essence of Nirvana. It liberates us from all defilements and is very pure.
>> “All kinds of treasures dignified the stupa. It had 5000 railings with posts and 10 million chambers, It had countless banners and streamers as majestic adornments, and was draped in strings of precious jewels.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> “Trillions of bells of treasure hung from it. From all four sides, it emitted the fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood, which pervaded the world.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> Trillions of bells of treasure hung from it: The bells were made out of treasures and hung upon the stupa. When the breeze blew and moved them, they produced a wondrous sound.

>> He used the wondrous and precious sound emitted from the reward-body to teach the Dharma according to capabilities in order to guide and benefit all beings. The precious bells: This is a metaphor for the Four Kinds of Eloquence. The Four Kinds of Eloquence: There are Four Kinds of Unobstructed Eloquence: the wisdom of unobstructed Dharma, the wisdom of unobstructed meaning, the wisdom of unobstructed rhetoric and the wisdom of unobstructed joyful eloquence.

>> From all four sides, it emitted: From all four sides of the stupa, the wind of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths blew with the fragrance of the Four Virtues. The Four Noble Truths: First, the truth of suffering, second, the truth of the cause of suffering, third, the cessation of suffering and fourth, the truth of the Path. The Four Virtues: This refers to the four virtues belonging to the Great Parinirvana of the Great Vehicle, which are permanence, joy, self and purity.

>> The fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood: Tamalapatra is the name of a type of incense wood. Fragrance as spoken of here is a metaphor for our undefiled nature.

>> Undefiled sandalwood: This is the ultimate wondrous fragrance. Through His practice, He is fulfilled. He is pure without any blemish, just like the incense from Ox Head Mountain, representing undefiled nature. Sandalwood fragrance is inherently undefiled. This is a metaphor for the unfathomable transformations of the three wheels. They help all sentient beings to turn evil into goodness and turn defilements into purity to attain the undefiled fragrance of merits and virtues.

>> The three wheels: This is the Buddha’s Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind. The Buddha uses His Threefold Karma to crush and destroy the deluded karma of sentient beings. Thus, it says that the three wheels pervade the world. The fragrance of people with virtuous actions spreads throughout the ten directions, thus it says “pervaded.”

---

“After hearing the Dharma at the Vulture Peak Assembly,
the recipients of the teachings had not awakened.
So, Manjusri and Maitreya
told the story of the 20000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas.
Then, Sakyamuni Buddha emerged from Samadhi.
He opened, revealed and praised their all-encompassing wisdom,
but they could not let go of
their deluded views of arising and ceasing, purity and defilement.”

Now, let us all recall the Introductory Chapter. At Vulture Peak assembly, the Buddha expounded the Dharma starting with the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. When the Buddha finished teaching it, He remained motionless, as did all sentient beings. Since the Buddha did not move, no one left the assembly. They saw that the Buddha had entered Samadhi. He emitted light from between His brows and illuminated 18,000 Buddha-lands to the East. Everyone should remember this.

While this was happening, whether they had heard the Sutra of Infinite Meaning or saw the Buddha’s light illuminating the east, at this time, even though everyone had heard the Dharma, they were still incapable of comprehending this wondrous state [of Buddhahood]. Meanwhile, Manjusri and Maitreya saw that everyone still had doubt in their minds, and their capabilities had not matured yet. Manjusri and Maitreya understood the Buddha’s intention, but those sentient beings who listened to the Dharma had not yet matured in their capabilities. Thus, they were incapable of fully comprehending the Sutra of Infinite Meanings from earlier, which was extremely profound. As for these extremely profound, true principles, they were still unable to comprehend them.

The Buddha sat in Samadhi, radiating light. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Bodhisattva then began a dialogue. Maitreya asked questions and Manjusri answered them. We should be able to recall this scene. When we were reading the sutra, we began with the Introductory Chapter. In our memory, this Dharma-assembly should be very familiar to us. It is as if we went there personally, as if we attended it ourselves, as if we were at this Dharma-assembly and received the Buddha’s teachings there, in this place of spiritual practice. When we are reciting the sutra, we should have this impression.

Manjusri and Maitreya recounted the period of The 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas were 20,000 Buddhas who came into the world one after the other. They were all named. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. Their radiance was like the sun and moon in the sky, like lamps lighting up the world at night. This is an analogy. This is just like how the Dharma encompasses everything in the universe and illuminates like the sun and moon. It is everlasting. In human realm, the planet rotates, so there is day and night, There is daylight during the day and moonlight at night, but indoors, we have the light of lamps. This is just like how we must always keep our minds illuminated. Whether it is the illumination from the light of the sun or moon, in our minds, even if we are in the human realm, we must have this light in our minds. This is an analogy.

Ordinary beings will always need to rely on the light from outside to illuminate the darkness in their minds. When our minds are dark, a single lamp can help our minds shine brilliantly. By the same principle, in this world we live in, there is the sun in the day and the moon at night; it is the same principle. We all have the intrinsic nature of True Suchness, this light that is like the light of the sun and moon, which illuminates the principles for us to clearly understand. This is all something that we all innately have. It is just that we are like this; even though we have the light, we cover it up with a black cloth. Even though we have the sun and the moon, we are still enshrouded by ignorance. The sun and the moon are still there, but their light is concealed by our ignorance.

In the same way, the light outside may be very bright, but if we build a house [around us], we will shut out the light. In the same way, we shut out our surroundings and the light cannot come in, so it also becomes dark. [It is the same] with our intrinsic nature of True Suchness; we have created [these walls] ourselves, sealing off our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Manjusri and Maitreya recounted how the past 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas had been around since Beginningless Time. Lifetime after lifetime, they passed on [the light] one generation after another in the human realm. This shows how the light and the principles are always present.

At that time, Sakyamuni Buddha waited until Manjusri and Maitreya finished their dialogue. Then Sakyamuni Buddha emerged from Samadhi and began to teach. He began His teachings by constantly praising the wisdom of all Dharma, Buddha-wisdom, the wisdom of all paths and all-encompassing wisdom. He began to praise the state of the Buddha. However, sentient beings still remained the same, with “their deluded views of arising and ceasing, purity and defilement.” Ignorance rises and falls in our minds; our minds arise, abide, change and cease. These ordinary beings had listened to so many sutras and so much Dharma, but even after forty years’ time, they were still unable to leave behind this “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing” state of mind.

Likewise, as we listen to the sutra, we may understand it clearly, but our ignorance and afflictions still come to cover us once again. With the constant arising and ceasing of thoughts, we may give rise to pure thoughts of the Dharma, but we will soon forget them. In this way, we let the Dharma leak out. Our minds are still defiled, so we “cannot let go of our deluded views of arising and ceasing, purity and defilement.” Ordinary people are like this. [Our thoughts] arise, abide, change and cease, so we cannot stabilize or focus our minds. As a result, we cannot unlock our wisdom. In order to unlock our wisdom, such as the Buddha’s wisdom of all Dharma or all-encompassing wisdom, and to manifest it, we must put effort into settling our arising, abiding, changing and ceasing state of mind. Only then will we be able to manifest our wisdom and nature of True Suchness.

Otherwise, we will just follow our deluded views, the delusions of this world of turbidities, as they drag us along. We become agitated by interpersonal conflicts. This is what the mind of ordinary beings is like. If we can eliminate our deluded views of purity and defilement, removing them completely, if we can let go of these deluded views of arising and ceasing, purity and defilement. If we can completely eliminate these worldly delusions, we will be completely pure and undefiled. Then, our wisdom will naturally manifest.

So, now we are at the beginning of the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures wherein the stupa of treasures appears. Before the Chapter on the Stupa of Treasures was the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. So, now, we know that the Lotus sutra is the perfect wondrous Dharma, the perfect teaching. We must work hard to mindfully accept and uphold it. Then the complete body of the Buddha is there. There was more than just the complete body of the Buddha. When Sakyamuni Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra in this world, the causes and conditions were ripe, so Many Treasures Buddha’s stupa appeared. With the appearance of this stupa, [the Buddha] used matters to reveal the principles. He used appearances to help us understand the Dharma.

The stupa of treasures is the appearance, and we must clearly understand the principles behind it. So, starting with the stupa’s height and the width of its foundations, we will explain the principles behind it.

The precious bells are a metaphor for the wondrous sound of the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms of Eloquence. The fragrance emitted from all four sides represents how the wind of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths blows with the fragrance of the Four Virtues. This demonstrates that these virtues are extraordinary and respected.

[One feature] of the stupa of treasures’ appearance is its bells of treasure. Bells of treasure are hung from every corner of the stupa. These bells are like temple bells, hanging from the stupa. From every corner, a string of bells hung down. When the wind blew, these little temple bells, which were very light, swayed in the wind. The clappers in the bells made a tinkling sound. This is the sound of bells.

The bells of treasure are an analogy for the wondrous sound. The wondrous sound is an analogy for how we must have the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms in order to expound the Dharma. Next is “the fragrance from all four sides.” This stupa of treasures is not just surrounded by the sound of bells, ringing as they sway along with the wind, making such a pleasant sound, We do not even need to see it to know it is here. The sound of the stupa’s bells showed the wisdom and virtue of the Buddha. So, the four sides of the stupa emit fragrance, and this fragrant air reveals the Four Noble Truths. The four sides of the stupa of treasures are an analogy for the Four Noble Truths. When the wind blows and the bells ring, this sound can expound the Dharma. The Dharma has its fragrance, so that is why we all say, “permeated by the fragrance of the Dharma.” The fragrant aroma of the Dharma is like “the wind of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths.” When the wind of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths blows, by the same principle, “the fragrance of the Four Virtues” flies up. This demonstrates that “these virtues are extraordinary and respected.” After listening to this Dharma, many people give rise to reverence and respect in their hearts. When people listen to the Dharma, they express their reverence and respect, for this is an extraordinary opportunity.

What are the Four Virtues? They are permanence, joy, self and purity.

The Four Virtues: Permanence, joy, self and purity. Permanence is the essence of Nirvana. It is everlasting and unchanging, neither arising nor ceasing.

We often talk about “permanence, joy, self and purity. Permanence” is “the essence of Nirvana, which is everlasting and unchanging.” We often say to everyone that Nirvana is [a state of] tranquility and stillness. Our nature of True Suchness is tranquil, clear, everlasting and unchanging. It is tranquil and clear like this. The Dharma-realm of the universe fundamentally is not in a state of arising and ceasing. The great universe is always a boundless, infinite space. It will always be free of the state of arising and ceasing. It is a constant and unchanging tranquil and still [state]. This is “permanence.”

“Joy” is “the essence of Nirvana. It is always tranquil.”

Joy is the essence of Nirvana. It is always perfectly tranquil, peaceful and carefree, applicable and without even the slightest afflictions.

This is the essence of Nirvana and tranquility; If we want to say that the principles have form, in reality, they are completely empty. This emptiness is always perfectly tranquil, neither arising nor ceasing. In the vast universe, this is the essence. It is always “perfectly tranquil, carefree and applicable.” It can be applied throughout the universe. Without any space in our mind, we will be unable to bring forth any Dharma. Without any space on the land, there would be no room to build anything. Without any space, we cannot produce any crops. The principle is the same.

So, as for this great empty space, its essential form is peaceful and applicable to people. This space is tranquil and clear. It will always be a great space of tranquility and clarity. If we are able to experience it and be free of even the slightest affliction, this space will be completely free of obstacles. This is like the boundless void of the universe. What can obstruct it? Nothing. Nothing can obstruct it. In the great universe, there are many planets in the universe, and they do not obstruct one another. The principle is the same. This is joy. Our minds are free of obstructions, and people also do not obstruct us, so our minds are pure.

“Self” is “the essence of Nirvana, the attainment of the greatest freedom.”

Self is the essence of Nirvana, the attainment of the greatest freedom, without even the slightest constraint.

When it comes to Nirvana, when we have attained Nirvana, we will be in a state of tranquility and clarity. Naturally, we will attain great freedom. Wisdom is to be free and at ease. This is why we say “Blessings are the joy we gain through giving.” What is wisdom? (The freedom we gain by being understanding). So, to gain freedom, we must have wisdom. We must be in this unobstructed state to attain our freedom. Then, [we will be] free of even the slightest constraints; there will be nothing that can confine us.

With the Dharma in our heart, we accord with capacities, just like water; no matter what kind of vessel, we flow to fill the shape of the container, just as water flows along with its surroundings. It is the same with space. The principle is the same. Thus, we will not be obstructed by anything.

So, “purity” is also “the essence of Nirvana. It liberates us from all defilements and is extraordinarily pure.” After attaining liberation from all defilements, our minds will truly be very pure.

Purity is the essence of Nirvana. It liberates us from all defilements and is very pure.

This is what happens when we have the Dharma at heart. Permanence, joy, self and purity are the Four Virtues. With them, we will always be in a state of tranquility and clarity. None of the world’s afflictions will be able to obstruct us. We must have this mindset. “Great compassion is the room.” Sentient beings are suffering. Throughout the world, we “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions” yet remain undefiled as we go among people. This is because our minds are tranquil and clear with permanence, joy, self and purity. No afflictions will be able to affect our minds.

If we can understand [the Dharma], we will liberate ourselves from all afflictions and abandon our defilements and attachments. Then, we will naturally attain purity. I hope that everyone can understand this well. To learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must first uphold the sutras. We must be very clear on their content, on their Dharma. Appearances are used to demonstrate the principles. We use tangible things to experience the intangible [principles] contained within, the Dharma contained within. Then we will become true upholders of the sutra. Only by understanding the sutra will we be able to become those who teach the Dharma and put the Dharma into practice. To do this, we must be very mindful.

In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, we can see its appearance right from the beginning. Its appearance contains so much Dharma, there is so much Dharma within; Within this stupa alone, there is so much Dharma. It represents so many principles through its appearance. Even from the sound of ringing bells of treasure, there is so much Dharma to learn. We must be mindful.

The previous sutra passage states that.

“All kinds of treasures dignified the stupa. It had 5000 railings with posts and 10 million chambers, It had countless banners and streamers as majestic adornments, and was draped in strings of precious jewels.”

We should remember that the stupa had all kinds of majestic adornments, and it had 5000 railings with posts. This is so we will know that this is where the Five Destinies coexist. Sentient beings are afflicted and ignorant. The railings are the precepts that enable us to protect our minds. In the process of learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must guard against wrongs and stop evils. In [the stupa’s] chambers, shrines and altars, there were countless people doing good deeds. There were countless people who formed aspirations to follow the Bodhisattva-path. There were many good deeds and millions of virtuous teachings contained within. We explained the streamers and banners yesterday, about how they displayed virtue. There are even jewels hanging [from the banners]. These represent how the great and profound Dharma draws close to the world. We explained this generally yesterday.

The next sutra passage continues with,

“Trillions of bells of treasure hung from it. From all four sides, it emitted the fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood, which pervaded the world.”

As the stupa appeared, there were so many bells of treasure. So many of them, trillions of them, hung from [the stupa]. We have just explained how these bells of treasure “were made out of treasures.”

Trillions of bells of treasure hung from it: The bells were made out of treasures and hung upon the stupa. When the breeze blew and moved them, they produced a wondrous sound.

Our bells are like the ones that farmers from olden times would hang around the necks of cows or on horses in order to alert everyone that cows and horses were coming through. This is an analogy.

However, on the stupa of treasures, there were trillions of bells. They were all made from treasures. All kinds of treasures, such as gold, silver and so on were made into bells and hung upon the stupa. When the breeze blew and moved them, the bells began to ring. The sound that these bells made was different from the sound of the bells made in our world. This sound rose and fell like music. It was such a wondrous sound.

“He used the wondrous and precious sound emitted from the reward-body….”

He used the wondrous and precious sound emitted from the reward-body to teach the Dharma according to capabilities in order to guide and benefit all beings. The precious bells: This is a metaphor for the Four Kinds of Eloquence. The Four Kinds of Eloquence: There are Four Kinds of Unobstructed Eloquence: the wisdom of unobstructed Dharma, the wisdom of unobstructed meaning, the wisdom of unobstructed rhetoric and the wisdom of unobstructed joyful eloquence.

[In terms of] the reward-body, the Buddha has the Dharma-body, manifestation-body and reward-body. The Buddha’s lifespan in this life matched the lifespan of humans in this world. So, this is called the reward-body. He came to the world and manifested this body. He was born into the palace. Then, He became a monastic and engaged in spiritual practice. After that, He attained Buddhahood. After attaining Buddhahood, He taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities. Like this, He guided and benefited all beings. He taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities, expounded Dharma to benefit sentient beings and led sentient beings to enter the Buddha’s door. So, the precious bells are an analogy for the “Four Kinds of Unobstructed Eloquence.” The Four Kinds of Unobstructed Eloquence are also the Unobstructed Wisdoms. They are also called the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms. The “Four Unobstructed Wisdoms” are also known as the Four Kinds of Unobstructed Eloquence.

[First] is “the wisdom of unobstructed Dharma.” We must understand the Dharma thoroughly. Whether it is people, matter or things, we can adapt to opportunities [provided by] people and matters and use the Dharma to guide others. This is the wisdom of unobstructed Dharma. The Dharma that is taught is imperceptible; we do not need to try to teach them the Dharma. With each particular person, we must guide them according to their capabilities and use everyday language that is close to them. When our everyday language contains the Dharma, the Dharma will be unobstructed. [Next is] “the wisdom of unobstructed meaning.” [This means teaching] the Dharma in accordance with people and matters and analyzing the principles within. “The wisdom of unobstructed rhetoric” refers to [the attainment of] unobstructed rhetoric.

Sometimes sentient beings misconstrue or misunderstand [the Dharma], or even purposefully [twist its meaning]. If we have an abundance of Dharma and clearly understand its meaning, we will be sufficiently eloquent to debate others and persuade them. Even if they harbor bad intentions or do not understand clearly, we will be able to explain for them. Next is “the wisdom of unobstructed joyful eloquence.” [With this], we will not be afraid to work hard as we expound [the Dharma] again and again. We will constantly look for opportunities to share our insights and understanding with everyone.

“From all four sides, it emitted….”

From all four sides, it emitted: From all four sides of the stupa, the wind of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths blew with the fragrance of the Four Virtues. The Four Noble Truths: First, the truth of suffering, second, the truth of the cause of suffering, third, the cessation of suffering and fourth, the truth of the Path. The Four Virtues: This refers to the four virtues belonging to the Great Parinirvana of the Great Vehicle, which are permanence, joy, self and purity.

The sound of the bells of treasure [rung out] from the stupa; it came from all four sides. “From all four sides of the stupa” represents how “the wind of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths blew with the fragrance of the Four Virtues.” We should all clearly understand the Four Noble Truths by now, the principles of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. When we look at the stupa, we know that it is full of so many principles. The world is full of illness and suffering. We actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions to respond to all the different kinds of suffering that sentient beings experience. This will help us understand how to eliminate suffering in the world. These are all part of the Four Noble Truths.

How do we engage in spiritual practice? How do we eliminate suffering and engage in spiritual cultivation? It is like listening to the sound of bells. The wind blows them around, producing the sound. This means that after we understand [the Dharma], we must go on to share the teachings we have understood, teach them to others. This is just like the bells [blowing in the wind], “blown with the fragrance of the Four Virtues,” which are permanence, joy, self and purity. When we are listening to the Dharma, we should do so with a persistent mind. [When we learn the Dharma,] we must be selfless; we must be tranquil and clear. We must have a very pure mind, not be influenced by our surroundings and always be happy; we should be empty and at ease. “The mind is without hindrances; there are no hindrances.” In this way, we should always be free. These are the Four Virtues, the fragrance of the Four Virtues. These are the fragrance of virtue and the fragrance of the Dharma.

So we all know the Four Noble Truths, suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. Everyone knows them. We just discussed the “the Four Virtues.” They are “the four kinds of virtues belonging to the Great Parinirvana of the Great Vehicle,” which is completely tranquil and still. This is called Great Parinirvana; it is [tranquil] just like the universe. It is called Great Parinirvana. This is Great Nirvana. The four virtues which it possesses are permanence, joy, self and purity, just as we have discussed.

Then it says, “The fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood.”

The fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood: Tamalapatra is the name of a type of incense wood. Fragrance as spoken of here is a metaphor for our undefiled nature.

This is a type of incense wood from India called tamalapatra. It was originally called “Indian bay leaf.” This kind of tree has fragrant wood. Not only is its wood fragrant, but its leaves are also fragrant. Both its branches and leaves are fragrant. When the wind blows, this aroma drifts up into the air and diffuses out. Some plants give off an aroma when the wind blows. For example, when the cassia tree has its flowers, they give off fragrance when the wind blows. When a jessamine tree blooms, [we smell] its fragrance as we pass it by. When pomelos bloom, the wind is also fragrant; when betel nut trees bloom, the wind is fragrant. They all share the same principle.

Tamalapatra and sandalwood are especially fragrant. When the wind blows, their aroma spreads even farther and wider. This is an analogy for the fragrance of Dharma. As long as we are willing to teach the Dharma accurately and thoroughly so people can understand and experience it, then this Dharma will continue to be passed down.

There are many people like this. So many Bodhisattvas have come from afar. In July (of 2016), China’s Hubei Province suffered severe floods. When Tzu Chi volunteers heard this news, they immediately went to assess the damage. While they did this, they also arranged times to distribute [aid]. After the distributions, they continually went on home visits. At the shelters where people were gathered, they continuously cared for them and provided everyone with guidance. Since they had just returned from Hualien, they knew the reason our current climate is in such disharmony is due to our way of living in this world, which is far too extravagant, Furthermore, we desire whatever we lay eyes on.

[One volunteer] said, “We went to Hualien on a pilgrimage to our roots. Master said, ‘With the things we want to use, do we buy them because we like them? Or do we only buy things ‘when we really need them?” She shared such a plain and simple [story] with everyone. There was so much trash. After the typhoon, there was so much trash. Since some of the trash could be recycled, the volunteers displayed their recycling spirit and started talking to people everyday about Tzu Chi and recycling. At the end, they promoted the spirit of the bamboo banks.

In this way, while they were there, they began to mobilize everyone to help clean up. It was so dirty everywhere after the typhoon, so they mobilized everyone to clean up. People listened and felt that this made sense, so they put it into action with their own two hands. After they had finished cleaning, they turned back to look, and it was completely clean. It was so pleasant! With these things that they had [picked up] they began to apply the spirit of recycling. they sorted and tidied up these things and cleaned them. Then they explained the meaning of recycling once again. This is the Dharma. When we do recycling and sort the recyclables, [we see] that they are all treasures. This is the Dharma. They got them to understand how the petroleum from underground is extracted and how it pollutes. After they came here and heard all this, they went back and told [everyone], “Our master said this.” This is what it means to spread [the Dharma]. This is the fragrance of the Dharma. This is how the Dharma is spread.

In short, the Dharma is like this. As it is spread, people can experience the flavor of the Dharma. A few days ago, we were just talking about the flavor of the Dharma. When we can experience the truth of the Dharma, it is like attaining the Dharma-fragrance, this pure and undefiled aroma.

Undefiled sandalwood: This is the ultimate wondrous fragrance. Through His practice, He is fulfilled. He is pure without any blemish, just like the incense from Ox Head Mountain, representing undefiled nature. Sandalwood fragrance is inherently undefiled. This is a metaphor for the unfathomable transformations of the three wheels. They help all sentient beings to turn evil into goodness and turn defilements into purity to attain the undefiled fragrance of merits and virtues.

So, [it speaks of] “undefiled sandalwood.” Sandalwood is pure and fragrant. Thus, “This is the ultimate wondrous fragrance.” The Dharma is very fragrant. Through our practice, we become fulfilled; we feel inwardly fulfilled, as the Dharma has entered our hearts. This is just like the fragrance of sandalwood. When such an aroma permeates our hearts, we will feel very fulfilled. Thus, we will be “pure without any blemish”, very pure without any defilements at all. We will be just like the undefiled incense of. Ox Head Mountain, which is also a type of fragrant wood. I have explained this before in the past. Not only is it fragrant by nature, it is also an undefiled fragrance. It is free of impurities; it is very clean.

The fragrance of sandalwood represents the undefiled nature. This fragrance is undefiled. It is a pure fragrance. This is a metaphor for “the unfathomable transformations of the three wheels.” The three wheels are [the Threefold Karma of] body, speech and mind. With the Buddha’s Threefold Karma, He can crush [our ignorance and delusions] just like a rice mill. When the unhusked rice comes, we use a rice mill to grind it, to remove the husk in this way. Inside [the husks] are the grains of rice. By the same principle, sentient beings’ ignorance and delusions are ground away, like the husk, leaving only the rice.

This is what is meant by the three wheels. “The three wheels pervade the world.” This is their nature.

The three wheels: This is the Buddha’s Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind. The Buddha uses His Threefold Karma to crush and destroy the deluded karma of sentient beings. Thus, it says that the three wheels pervade the world. The fragrance of people with virtuous actions spreads throughout the ten directions, thus it says “pervaded.”

The rice in the husk is what we need. The principle is the same. The Buddha’s body, speech and mind all serve as a model to this world to transform and deliver sentient beings. “They help all sentient beings to turn evil into goodness and turn defilements into purity to attain the undefiled fragrance of merits and virtues.” This is the meaning of the fragrance of tamalapatra and sandalwood.

The Buddha has these virtues, so he taught these teachings. We must learn the purity of the Buddha’s Threefold Karma. This requires spiritual practice. Since we want to learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must keep our Threefold Karma pure. As for our body, we must uphold the precepts against killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. We must abide by them all. As for our speech, we must not lie or engage in flattery or gossip. As for our mind, our greed, anger and ignorance must be completely eliminated. Isn’t this simple? Ordinary people are too attached, so their bodies are full of defilements. Spiritual practitioners must purify their. Threefold Karma. When we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must learn His pure Threefold Karma. Only then will we be truly equal to the Buddha in our intrinsic nature of True Suchness and wisdom. Thus we arrive at the state of Buddhahood.

So, for “people with virtuous actions,” that fragrance, the fragrance of their virtue, can be smelled throughout the ten directions. This is referred to as “pervading.” This is the Dharma. The fragrance of sandalwood pervades the world. This is the fragrance of virtue. In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, it talks about the stupas appearance, but it is filled with the meaning of the Dharma. We must always be mindful!

Episode 1256 – The Stupa Emerges to Reveal the Buddha-nature

---

>> “The Chapter on Dharma Teachers reveals that the Dharma and its teachers are both worthy of respect. The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures illustrates that wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught, Many Treasures Tathagata in His stupa of treasures will certainly appear as a testimony to those who listen to the sutra.”

>> The stupa of treasures emerged to reveal that sentient beings and the Buddha are equal. The Dharmakaya abides forever. It never departs from the ground of our minds, but ignorance closes off the ground of our minds and has not yet opened. This is why this stupa does not reveal itself or appear for the assembly to see.

>> At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures, 500 yojanas in height and 250 yojanas in length and width, emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> “All kinds of treasures dignified the stupa. It had 5000 railings with posts and ten million chambers. It had countless banners and streamers as majestic adornments and was draped in strings of precious jewels.”    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> All kinds of treasures dignified the stupa: Myriad good merits and virtues served as solemn and dignifying adornments. With much Samadhi and wisdom, we cultivate the seeds and seek the fruits to dignify ourselves.

>> 5000 railings with posts: The horizontal railing and its vertical supporting posts serve as guards on the stupa of treasures 5000. This signifies protection from the Five Realms.

>> 5000 railings: These represent the Five Roots and Five Powers; the Five Roots and Powers of faith, diligence, thought, Samadhi and wisdom thought, Samadhi and wisdom.

>> The railings represent retaining and upholding. The chambers are the room of infinite compassion. The hanging banners represent the wonderful appearance of spiritual power.

>> Ten million chambers: The cavernous treasure chambers in the stupa numbered ten million. This means that wherever practitioners abide, there will be infinite Dharma-doors.

>> “Chambers” also means: The room of infinite compassion. The ten million chambers: This illustrates that those who uphold and practice the sutra with Samadhi and wisdom are so many.

>> It had countless banners and streamers as majestic adornments: Banners represent calmness. Streamers represent inspiration. Calmness is Samadhi. Inspiration is wisdom. With Samadhi and wisdom in balance, we will be dignified with virtues.

>> Banners and streamers: An analogy for the loftiness and prominence of [the Buddha’s] virtue of wisdom and the superior appearance of spiritual powers. The Tathagata uses impartial wisdom to illuminate all phenomena completely and without obstruction. This is the virtue of wisdom.

>> Draped in strings of precious jewels: All kinds of precious jewels were linked into strings and draped everywhere. They represent the jewels of wisdom that drape all skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings. The majestic Dharmakaya above embraces the sentient beings below.

---

“The Chapter on Dharma Teachers reveals
that the Dharma and its teachers are both worthy of respect.
The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures illustrates
that wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught,
Many Treasures Tathagata in His stupa of treasures
will certainly appear as a testimony to those who listen to the sutra.”

We should remember that the stupa of treasures appeared as a testimony for people in the world when Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra. Many Treasures Buddha’s great vow was that in the future, in any country, in any place throughout the ten directions, wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught, the stupa of Many Treasures Buddha will appear as a testimony. We discussed this yesterday. Every Buddha has His own great vow. Every Buddha’s vow is different, but Their path is the same; all Buddhas share the same path. They all come to this world in order to transform sentient beings.

Sentient beings constantly flounder in the river of afflictions, covered by layer after layer of afflictions and ignorance. The only solution is for. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to come journeying upon their vows to transform this world. This is what our world is like. It is full of suffering. Who will go to help the people who suffer hardship? People with aspirations and vows give of their strength and willingly go to help others. No matter which place [is in need], with their power of love, they are willing to go there without fear of hard work. They follow the sounds [of suffering] to understand which places have people that suffer. These people are Bodhisattvas. Whenever our Living Bodhisattvas hear the news [of misfortune], wherever it is that people need help, they will rush there. This is something we can see in our modern times. This is to say nothing of how the Buddha’s teachings [can be applied] from the past through to the present.

Take for example how this stupa emerged. The stupa was high and wide. Its height was 500 yojanas. This represents transcending the Five Realms. The Five Realms are where the beings of the Five Destinies coexist. This place where the Five Destinies coexist is where we unenlightened beings are. Even if we practice good deeds and are born into heaven, heaven still lies within the realm of unenlightened beings. Once we have exhausted our blessings, we will again fall [into a lower realm] as we continue to follow [the karma] we created in this world. When we accumulate many blessings, we will journey on our blessings and ascend to heaven. This happens when we ourselves have accumulated great amounts of blessed karma. In the end, we will then follow our blessed retributions and be born in heaven. Or perhaps we will be born in the human realm and enjoy blessings in this world. We will be successful in everything we do. Everything will go according to our wishes. All our life, we will enjoy blessings in the world. This is all due to the blessings that we created in our past lives.

Because we have blessed karma, we will follow our karma to either be born into wealth in this world or transcend this world to be born in heaven. This is a matter of what we have accumulated throughout our past lives. Yet we still remain within the realm of unenlightened beings. Once we exhaust our blessings, then even as heavenly beings, we will exhibit the Five Signs of Decay. Then, everything we are so proud of, all of it, will vanish completely in an instant. Even our bodies will exhibit the signs of decay, indicating that we have exhausted our blessings. This is all beyond our control. Although we may enjoy heavenly blessings and be born in heaven as heavenly beings, our own karmic forces will still be beyond our control.

The same goes for coming to the human realm. No matter what blessings we enjoy in this life, we are still unable to escape birth, aging, illness and death. The conditions of aging, illness and death still bring suffering. With these states of suffering once illness befalls us, no matter how we make ourselves up our body will still exhibit the Five Signs of Decay. In the end, we will still die. Whether we are human or heavenly beings, we cannot escape any of this. This is suffering. The Buddha wants us to engage in spiritual practice in the human realm. Thus, every Buddha appears in the human world. This is because this world has an equal mix of both suffering and joy. Following the circumstances of their environment, the minds of unenlightened beings produce [karma], commit evil and suffer retributions of suffering. They return to this world again without any control.

No matter how strong, how fierce, or how evil they are, they still suffer all the torments of the world. Take for example asuras in this world. They appear to be very strong, but did you know? People like this suffer more than average people. Their minds are uneasy and burdened by anger. Afflictions and ignorance torment them from the inside; this is why they are so angry. Their minds do not get a moment’s peace. This is also suffering. When people see them, they feel scared, so they stay far away from them. This kind of life is not joyful at all. Once they are born, they follow their karmic forces. Whether they are born into a wealthy family or not, life is impermanent and full of changes. Their family may fall into difficulties. Or perhaps they themselves, no matter how good their family situation is, refuse to listen to [their elders] and go down the wrong path, creating karma. In this way, they bring much negative karma upon themselves. There are many [people] like this in the world, more than can be described.

Because of this, the Buddha needed to come to this world to teach and transform [sentient beings]. He needed this Dharma, the Small, Middle and Great Vehicle Dharma. The Buddha would always teach according to capabilities. Those who had very mature capabilities could accept the Buddha’s teachings of the Great [Vehicle] Dharma. As soon as they heard, they understood. Hearing one thing, they realized 1000. Since they were able to understand, they quickly formed aspirations. There were also people who heard [the Dharma] and rejoiced, but could not understand it very well. So the Buddha patiently taught them the Dharma of the Middle Vehicle to help them to understand the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence, how we accumulate all kinds of conditions. When we accumulate negative conditions, we receive negative retributions. This is all beyond our control. The 12 Links of Cyclic Existence begin from a single thought of ignorance. Ignorance leads to volitional formation which leads to consciousness which leads to name and form and so on. After our nearly ten months in the womb, we make contact [with the world] and to feel which leads us to create [karma]; this is “existence.” In this way, the cycle of birth, aging, illness and death continues on.

Some understood this and realized the difference between positive and negative karma. They began to see the importance of taking good care of themselves as well as taking care of others and thus formed initial aspirations. Others heard this and [thought], “This is suffering! We must be very prudent in everything we do.” So, they sought only to benefit themselves. People like these still did not understand. The Buddha taught them that everything in life is suffering and that suffering comes from causation. He encouraged everyone to be diligent in their spiritual practice. As for the Great, Middle and Small Vehicles, people entered through the Small Vehicle and [the teachings on] life’s suffering, which is something that everyone can feel. Then He explained the origin of suffering and began to guide everyone to earnestly engage in spiritual practice. To eliminate all suffering, we need to adhere to the rules; we must follow this road and practice according to this path.

In summary, whether the Small, Middle or Great [Vehicle], in teaching the Dharma for over 40 years, the Buddha always taught in this way. Yet in His heart, the Buddha protected this Dharma, the purest [teaching] and that which is most well-suited to this world. He united emptiness and existence in order to respond to everything in the world. [This teaching] encompasses the principles of all things in the world. The principles of our minds, of our bodies etc., all the principles we need to know, are contained within this sutra. So, in the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha very mindfully taught things in order. He began by praising the wisdom of the Buddha and the Buddha’s state; He is one with the universe, and He knows all things in the universe. [He spoke of] the Buddha’s wisdom, the wisdom of all Dharma and the wisdom of all paths. In this way, He kept praising [this wisdom] hoping that everyone would give rise to admiration and wish to seek the Buddha’s wisdom. However, it is very, very, very profound.

Sariputra began to request it. On everyone’s behalf, He asked the Buddha to teach. Of course, the Buddha intended to do so. But those who listen to this sutra must have great patience and very deep faith, and they must be able to accept it without giving rise to doubt. They must be single-minded in their resolve. So, He purposely refused three times to weed out people who lacked faith, people with shallow faith, wavering resolve and impure thoughts. In order to weed out these people, the Buddha refused three times. Of course, there were people who lacked faith and patience and who were not pure at heart. Because of this, 5000 people at the assembly left their seats. “It is good that they left.” Sakyamuni Buddha said that it was just as well that they left, as they would not have been able to accept it. Even if they could have accepted it, they would have been unable to comprehend. They would be unable to truly comprehend it and thus give rise to doubt. After giving rise to doubt, they would become arrogant, slanderous and so on. So, since this was their state of mind, it was better for them not to hear it at all. “It is good that they left.” It was just as well that they left the assembly before He started to expound this sutra.

We can see that teaching this sutra requires us to be very cautious. We must be very careful and choose people who are able to accept it. Thus He expounded the teachings in order, the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Chapter on Parables, the Chapter on Faith and Understanding and so on until He reached the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, which demonstrates the importance of this sutra, and how for the sake of this world it must continually be passed down. If we are able to reverently accept this sutra, we will be covered by the Buddha’s robes. This means that the Buddha will protect us. We know that this sutra must be spread throughout the world. It is wondrous medicine for the world. But wondrous medicine has a bitter taste. Not wanting to taste bitterness, people reject it. Most people are like this. It is the same principle. The Dharma taught by the Buddha, this sutra, is wondrous medicine to cure the world. To administer the Dharma in the world of the future is not easy at all. It is very difficult; naturally people will slander it and so on. There are so many difficulties. So, the Buddha transforms people so they will guard and protect [this Dharma]. We have talked about this previously.

So, the Chapter on Dharma Teachers says that, although [teaching this Dharma] is so difficult, it is wondrous medicine for saving the world. So long as this sutra is in the world, the Buddha’s entire body is present, meaning that the spirit of the Buddha-Dharma is fully present. So, [this chapter] reveals the essential spirit of this sutra. “The Dharma and its teachers are both worthy of respect.” We must respect the Dharma and we must respect those who teach the Dharma. Those who put the teachings into practice as they walk upon this path, those who walk the Bodhisattva-path, are also people we need to praise and respect. They are those who make offerings of the Dharma by putting the teachings into practice. They do more than just read, recite and teach [the Dharma]. They are people who put the teachings into action. We must respect these people.

Now, in this chapter, the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, it tells of how, wherever someone teaches the Lotus Sutra, “Many Treasures Tathagata in His stupa of treasures will certainly appear as a testimony to those who listen to the sutra.” This is the vow of Many Treasures Buddha. He knows that this sutra is the unsurpassed and supreme wondrous Dharma. Whenever someone can expound it in the world, His stupa of treasures will certainly appear. This is the message of the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures.

The stupa of treasures emerged to reveal that sentient beings and the Buddha are equal. The Dharmakaya abides forever. It never departs from the ground of our minds, but ignorance closes off the ground of our minds and has not yet opened. This is why this stupa does not reveal itself or appear for the assembly to see.

The stupa of treasures emerged to reveal that sentient beings and the Buddha are equal. Sentient beings and the Buddha are equal. “The Dharmakaya abides forever, never departing from the ground of our minds.” This Dharmakaya, the Buddha’s Dharma-body, is in fact intrinsic to everyone. [It is] our nature of True Suchness. This nature of True Suchness abides in us forever. When we form aspirations, [we discover] that this Dharma is something we all possess in the ground of our mind. We each have a stupa on our Vulture Peak. Indeed! Within every person, “The Dharmakaya abides forever, it never departs from the ground of our minds.” Whenever a person is able to accept the teachings in the Lotus Sutra and put them into practice, this person’s Dharmakaya is also like this; the Dharmakaya is the true principles. It already exists within the ground of his mind.

“But ignorance closes [us] off.” Our minds, the ground of our minds, is completely covered over by ignorance. So, because of this, “this stupa does not reveal itself or appear for sentient beings to see.” The stupa cannot appear before us because we are still unenlightened beings. We are still at the ground of dry wisdom, still digging a well in [this state of] ignorance. We spoke of this before. So, although we are teaching the Lotus Sutra, we have not seen the stupa of treasures. Right? Because we are still unenlightened beings, the stupa of treasures will not appear for us. It cannot appear for the assembly to see. This refers to the state of unenlightened beings.

During the time of the Buddha, when the stupa of treasures appeared, it was actually a revelation of the principles. [The stupa] was 500 yojanas high and 250 yojanas wide.

At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures, 500 yojanas in height and 250 yojanas in length and width, emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.

Vertically, its height represents transcending this place where the Five Destinies coexist. Horizontally, it was 250 yojanas wide. This represents our life as humans. “Width” represents the minds of unenlightened beings. The varieties of unenlightened beings’ minds number in the thousands and millions. We are still in this place where the beings of the Five Destinies coexist. So, vertically, we must [transcend] to be able to cross over from this place where the Five Destinies coexist.

That is what this represents. The stupa’s foundations are in this world, within the place where the Five Destinies coexist. All Buddhas come to this world in order to transform sentient beings, for people in this world to be able to attain Buddhahood. So, the Buddha came to this world because this is where the beings of the Five Destinies coexist. This is what [the stupa’s] width represents. It [symbolizes] “the 25 forms of existence,” which refers to the many forms of ignorance we unenlightened beings have. The foundation of this stupa represents the hope that we will be able to transcend [the Five Realms]. These are the principles behind the appearance of the stupa of treasures.

The next sutra passage says,

“All kinds of treasures dignified the stupa. It had 5000 railings with posts and ten million chambers. It had countless banners and streamers as majestic adornments and was draped in strings of precious jewels.”

This passage describes the stupa’s magnificence. “Myriad good merits and virtues served as solemn and dignifying adornments.” To be able to erect such a high stupa of treasures requires engaging in spiritual practice. We must cultivate myriad good merits and virtues to serve as solemn and dignifying adornments.

All kinds of treasures dignified the stupa: Myriad good merits and virtues served as solemn and dignifying adornments. With much Samadhi and wisdom, we cultivate the seeds and seek the fruits to dignify ourselves.

When we engage in spiritual practice, we must follow the precepts. We must have [the right] demeanor. Our appearance arises from our mind. Our appearance and our conduct all originate in our minds. To engage in spiritual practice and turn toward goodness, in our conduct, we must practice good deeds. As we engage in spiritual practice, we must follow the Six Points of Reverent Harmony. We must be in harmony with everyone and in every action [cultivate] “myriad good merits and virtues.” The seeds of the Bodhisattva[-practice] lead to the fruit of Buddhahood. So, [to attain] myriad good merits and virtues, we must practice, work hard and do [good deeds]. Then, naturally our appearance will be one of “solemn and dignifying adornments.” We will be very dignified.

“With much Samadhi and wisdom….” We must have much Samadhi and wisdom. To accept and uphold this sutra, it is very important to have Samadhi and patience [in order] to seek this Dharma, which contains such great principles. We must have wisdom for this. If we can recognize and believe in [this sutra] and put it into practice, this is what it means to “cultivate the seeds.” Through cultivating Bodhisattva-seeds, we seek the fruit of Buddhahood. This is what we look forward to the most. So, this is what it means to “dignify.” This is how we dignify ourselves.

What about “5000 railings with posts”? They “serve as guards on the stupa of treasures.”

5000 railings with posts: The horizontal railing and its vertical supporting posts serve as guards on the stupa of treasures 5000. This signifies protection from the Five Realms.

All the floors have railings. The railings are handrails. The horizontal railings are the parts our hands touch. The horizontal parts are the railings and the vertical parts are the posts. The railings “serve as guards on the stupa of treasures.” If someone goes into [the stupa], [the railings] are there to protect them. The railings hold them in and keep them safe. The railings represent guarding against wrongs and stopping evils in the course of spiritual practice. This is the function of railings. Our course of spiritual practice is like climbing up a stupa. As we ascend level by level, to ensure our safety, we are surrounded by railings.

The number 5000 signifies “protection from the Five Realms.” The Five Realms is the place where the beings of the Five Destinies coexist. From this place where the Five Destinies coexist, we hope to raise [ourselves] up. This is the way for us to earnestly engage in spiritual practice. We must not slip or take a wrong step. As we practice, we should ascend ever higher. In order to be able to see farther, we must climb very high. Only then can we have a very extensive view. But we must keep ourselves safe. The “5000 railings with posts” are there to protect us

“5000 railings with posts” can also represent our Five Roots and Five Powers. [The first] is faith, the root and power of faith. We must also have diligence, the root and power of diligence. Next is thought; our every thought must be on spiritual practice.

So, we must have the root and power of thought. Then comes the root and power of Samadhi and the root and power of wisdom. This is what the 5000 railings represent.

5000 railings: These represent the Five Roots and Five Powers; the Five Roots and Powers of faith, diligence, thought, Samadhi and wisdom thought, Samadhi and wisdom.

We must uphold the precepts in our minds. We cannot allow external states to entice us or affect our faith. We must be diligent and have the power of thought and the power of Samadhi. Then we will have firm resolve.

Railings and posts represent retaining and upholding. They guard and protect us from all sides. This is the significance of the railings. “Chambers” represents “the room of infinite compassion.” Great compassion is the room. Gentleness and patience are the clothing. The emptiness of all phenomena is the seat. The chambers are full of so many principles.

“Banners and streamers” represents the superior appearance of spiritual powers.

The railings represent retaining and upholding. The chambers are the room of infinite compassion. The hanging banners represent the wonderful appearance of spiritual power.

Many Treasures Buddha vowed that wherever the Lotus Sutra was taught throughout the worlds of the ten directions, the stupa of Many Treasures Buddha would appear in that place to act as a testimony. This is Many Treasures Buddha’s spiritual powers. In fact, everyone has [spiritual powers]. Right now, there are so many people who use the power of the heavenly ear to hear things thousands of miles away or use the power of the heavenly eye to see things thousands of miles away. They can listen and watch at the same time. Are these not spiritual powers? They are! In any case, there are many principles within this stupa.

Ten million chambers: The cavernous treasure chambers in the stupa numbered ten million. This means that wherever practitioners abide, there will be infinite Dharma-doors.

As for “ten million chambers,” inside the stupa was one chamber after another. We call them Buddha-chambers. When we enter a stupa today, inside the stupa there is chamber after chamber, one after the other. These chambers are like caves. They are “cavernous treasure chambers.” Each treasure chamber is like a hollowed-out cave. These chambers, these treasure rooms, “number ten million”; there are so many inside. Inside the stupa of treasures, there were also great numbers of chambers; it had all of these inside. [They] “numbered ten million”; they were so many. This represents “wherever practitioners abide.” These are people who are willing to put [the Dharma] into practice. We all have a Vulture Peak stupa in our minds. Wherever our minds abide, this stupa is there. So, “Wherever practitioners abide, there are infinite Dharma-doors.” Wherever we abide, there are infinite Dharma-doors.

You have all been reading and reciting this in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, isn’t that right? “Infinite Dharma-doors readily appear in front of them.” Within this sutra, [Dharma-doors] are constantly revealed to help us attain understanding. We all intrinsically possess what is concealed within the stupa of treasures. What we all possess is infinite amounts of Dharma, equal to that of the Buddha. So, the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures reveals that sentient beings are all equal to the Buddha.

Thus, [the sutra] also speaks of “chambers.” [They represent] “the room of infinite compassion.” The chambers represent a place of infinite compassion. “The ten million chambers illustrate that those who uphold and practice the sutra with Samadhi and wisdom” are very many.

“Chambers” also means: The room of infinite compassion. The ten million chambers: This illustrates that those who uphold and practice the sutra with Samadhi and wisdom are so many.

Those who uphold and practice the sutra with the precepts, Samadhi and wisdom should be quite many. Since they have entered this chamber, they are replete in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Practitioners who vow to uphold the sutra and put it into practice are also very numerous.

“It had countless banners and streamers as majestic adornments.” The many banners and streamers represents a dignified [appearance].

It had countless banners and streamers as majestic adornments: Banners represent calmness. Streamers represent inspiration. Calmness is Samadhi. Inspiration is wisdom. With Samadhi and wisdom in balance, we will be dignified with virtues.

The banners represent calmness. When those banners unfurled, they brought calm to everyone. The streamers represent inspiration. The streamers would fly in the wind. Calmness refers to Samadhi and inspiration refers to wisdom. With Samadhi, our mind is very steady. No matter what kind of circumstances emerge, our mind will remain steady. No matter how many people praise us, we will still not begin to think highly of ourselves, not at all. What is so special about praise? What we do is just our duty. What have we done to be worthy of praise? We need to keep our minds steady. We should do our duty. So, we must keep our minds settled.

When we encounter adverse circumstances or abuse or are threatened with knives, sticks, bricks or stones, likewise, our minds must be very steady. We must not be fearful; our mind must remain settled. This is the meaning of “banners.” We must be very calm and settled. The streamers represent inspiration. Inspiration refers to wisdom. No matter what conditions we encounter, we will have a way to adapt to these conditions. This is using our wisdom. We must exercise compassion and wisdom in parallel. With compassion and wisdom, we must go among people. We must not be lacking in Samadhi and wisdom. So, “With Samadhi and wisdom in balance….” We must have these things in parallel. Having decided to go among people and transform sentient beings, we must have Samadhi. As we go among people, we must find a way to use [the Dharma] to transform afflictions into Bodhi. This requires wisdom. So, we must be replete in both Samadhi and wisdom. We must be replete in both. [They must be] equally balanced. So, this is what it means to be dignified with virtues. We must be very mindful of this.

Moreover, the banners and streamers represent “the loftiness and prominence of [the Buddha’s] virtue of wisdom.”

Banners and streamers: An analogy for the loftiness and prominence of [the Buddha’s] virtue of wisdom and the superior appearance of spiritual powers. The Tathagata uses impartial wisdom to illuminate all phenomena completely and without obstruction. This is the virtue of wisdom.

The banners and streamers were hung high; they were very eye-catching. They are an analogy for helping everyone to see the Buddha’s wisdom and virtues. The wisdom and virtues of all Buddhas and. Bodhisattvas are lofty and prominent. “The superior appearance of spiritual powers” is just like the sudden appearance of the stupa of treasures, like how this superior appearance suddenly emerged before them.

“The Tathagata uses impartial wisdom to illuminate all phenomena.” In His wisdom, the Buddha sees all sentient beings as equal. Whether they are humans or animals, in the Buddha’s eyes, all beings are equal. Among all things in the world, there is nothing that is particularly precious, nor is there anything that is particularly lowly. He has eliminated all desires. All the Buddha owned was three garments and an alms bowl. He was very content with this. His love encompasses the entire world without discrimination. He was content and accommodating. These are the Buddha’s virtues; they are complete and without obstruction. He “illuminates all phenomena completely and without obstruction.” This is like how the universe accommodates all things without obstruction. This is called the virtue of wisdom.

“Draped in strings of precious jewels.” This means that it was draped in all kinds of precious jewels strung together. This is a description.

Draped in strings of precious jewels: All kinds of precious jewels were linked into strings and draped everywhere. They represent the jewels of wisdom that drape all skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings. The majestic Dharmakaya above embraces the sentient beings below.

“Draped everywhere….” They were strung together and placed with the banners and the canopies, so [the stupa] was adorned in layers of precious jewels hanging down from above. This represents “the jewels of wisdom that drape all skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings.” [The jewels] draping them represent using all kinds of skillful means. What the Buddha wants to teach sentient beings is not distant or unattainable. It is not distant, nor is it very profound. He drew near to our human nature, using all kinds of skillful means to guide us. This is like lofty banners and streamers. He used strings of precious jewels and so on, stringing them together and hanging them down in order to reach people. This represents using “skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings.”

“The majestic Dharmakaya above….” The banners and canopies above were very majestic. When speaking of the Buddha, this represents His Dharmakaya. This majestic Dharmakaya “embraces sentient beings below.” The Buddha-Dharma’s true principles will always be high above us. The universe has so many principles. These principles are constantly right before our eyes. These principles are supreme and very profound. The way we express this is by saying they dignify [the stupa]. Because sentient beings’ minds are in chaos and are constantly enshrouded in afflictions and ignorance, they need the Dharma.

Sentient beings must aspire to seek the Dharma. Seeking the Dharma is not easy at all. For some, it is a very long road. “We travel 1000 miles to find a teacher and 10,000 miles to learn a skill.” This is what the ancients said, and it is truly the same for people today. To seek the Dharma, some travel very far. Right now, [this is happening] in China. China is very big. In its northernmost area, there is a group of Bodhisattvas who have begun volunteer training. All they want is to become certified Tzu Chi volunteers, to be Living Bodhisattvas in the world.

So, they do not shrink away from hardship. They are from the very northernmost part of China on the Russian border; it is so far. In Heilongjiang, the northernmost province there is a city called Heihe. That place also has volunteers who have formed aspirations. In the past few years, they have gotten to know Tzu Chi. They too seek [the Dharma]. Here [in Taiwan], introductory and advanced training takes two years, but there, they require three years. So, for three years’ time, they must go to a training session every month. From Heihe city in Heilongjiang province, they have to go to Beijing where they gather together.

Besides [Heihe], people also come from Dalian, Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin and so on. From the far north, from Heihe on the China-Russian border, how long does it take to go [to Beijing]? It takes more than one day by train. Exactly how far is it? It is 1809 kilometers.

They “travel 1000 miles” seeking the Dharma. They travel nearly 2000 kilometers, nearly 4000 kilometers round trip. Each time they travel back and forth like this, they have two days of classes but the trip takes three to four days. This is how they travel back and forth to receive training. In order to become certified Tzu Chi volunteers, they undergo such hardship seeking the Dharma. How many are they? At present, there are over 400 people from northeast China. Every single one of them is very appreciative and diligent.

Everyone, these are Bodhisattvas. They seek the Dharma with all their heart. No matter how difficult it is, they wish to complete. Tzu Chi’s certification training. So, we who are so close, shouldn’t we be even more appreciative?

Every year, Tzu Chi volunteers abroad come to Taiwan to become certified. They travel several thousand kilometers! In summary, the Dharma encompasses everything in the universe. To complete the Bodhisattva-path we must be very mindful. Moreover, we must have patience, Samadhi and wisdom. Only then will we be able to reach [our goal]. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1255 – Revealing Initial Enlightenment

---

>> “In the state of True Suchness of the great enlightened Dharmakaya, He first, with a ray of light, thoroughly illuminated the east. He perfectly demonstrated that sentient beings and the Buddha have always been the same and thoroughly revealed the wondrousness of the minds of sentient beings.”

>> The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures reveals the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya. [The Buddha] directly demonstrated that the true reward of the pure land is tranquility and clarity. He wished to help sentient beings resonate with the Buddha’s one true perfect teaching. The Dharma was opened and revealed through the Buddha’s speech for sentient beings to realize and enter.

>> To see the stupa of treasures means using the wisdom of initial enlightenment to see the nature of the Tathagata-garbha. This means, in the ground of peoples’ minds, to open and reveal the intrinsic nature of the Tathagata-garbha.

>> In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, long and distant kalpas in the past when Many Treasure World-Honored One was about to enter Parinirvana, He announced to the great assembly, “Those who wish to make offerings” “to my entire body” “must form aspirations to erect a great stupa. In the world of the ten directions,” “wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught,” “because they listened to this sutra,” “my stupa of treasures” “will emerge before them” “to serve as testimony.” Now, because the Buddha was teaching this sutra in this land, Many Treasure Buddha, with His power of vows, heard from afar and emerged from the ground.

>> “At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures, 500 yojanas in height and 250 yojanas in length and width, emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]

>> 500 yojanas in height: This refers to the mind of the Tathagata-garbha, which does not correspond to the defiled minds of sentient beings and transcends the Five Destinies.

>> The Five Destinies: This is also known as the place where the Five Destinies coexist. It can also mean the Five Realms. These are the realms of heaven, humans, hell, hungry ghosts and animals

>> 500 yojanas in height: This is 20,000 li. This vertical measurement represents myriad actions in the causal ground and the myriad virtues of fruition. Looking to the fruit from the cause is the meaning of “height.”

>> 250 yojanas in length and width: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha being the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.

>> Length and width: The appearance of the stupa, 250 yojanas in length and width, is measured in yojanas, which is approximately 10000 li. To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body. There are 250 precepts in total for Hearers. Now, He opened the Small Vehicle teachings and returned them to the Path to Buddhahood. By following the three studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we will manifest them in our appearance. Thus, it says that the measurement of the base of the stupa is as such. Our Four Demeanors share the same measurements. So it says: 250 [yojanas] in length and width.

>> [It] emerged from the ground and stayed in the air: In terms of appearance, it is easy to see. In terms of the Dharma, it emerges from the mind and stays in the emptiness of the ultimate Great Nirvana.

>> Emerged: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha mind, which emerges from the hindrances of afflictions of views and thinking etc. Stayed in the air: This is an analogy for abiding in the true emptiness of ultimate reality.

>> The stupa of treasures emerged from the ground. It was an ancient Buddha from the past, Many Treasure Tathagata, who personally came to listen to the sutra in order to testify how superior and wondrous this sutra is.

---

“In the state of True Suchness of the great enlightened Dharmakaya,
He first, with a ray of light, thoroughly illuminated the east.
He perfectly demonstrated that sentient beings and the Buddha have always been the same
and thoroughly revealed the wondrousness of the minds of sentient beings.”

We must mindfully understand this. “In the state of True Suchness of the great enlightened Dharmakaya….” The Buddha is already in the state of great understanding and great awakening. All the Buddha’s teachings are true principles and wondrous Dharma. Everyone should remember the term Dharmakaya; “Dharmakaya” refers to the principles. The One True Dharma is the true principles that pervade the universe. The Buddha has already attained enlightenment. [His mind] penetrates everything in the universe; it has converged with the nature of True Suchness. This is the state He is in.

At Vulture Peak, when the Buddha was about to begin to expound the Lotus Sutra, He sat in meditation and began to radiate light. A ray of light from between His eyebrows illuminated 18,000 Buddha-lands in the east. This is the beginning of the Introductory Chapter. Everyone should remember this. So, this ray of light illuminated the east. He did this to indicate that now, after more than 40 years of expounding the Dharma, He should be able to fulfill the objective of His life, to reveal this perfect teaching. This was the Buddha’s vow in coming to the world, His one great cause. This one great cause was not yet finished. Now, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, He wanted to bring His vow to completion. So, He “perfectly demonstrated” this. What was this vow? Upon attaining enlightenment, the Buddha’s first words, His initial realization, were. “How amazing! How amazing! All beings possess the Buddha’s nature of wisdom.” When the Buddha attained enlightenment, He realized that all sentient beings have the same intrinsic Tathagata-nature of. True Suchness as the Buddha. It is just that sentient beings are unaware and unawakened, lacking understanding and realization. So, the Buddha wanted to help us all attain knowledge and awakening, to thoroughly understand and realize this. This was the Buddha’s original intent.

“[He] perfectly demonstrated that sentient beings and the Buddha have always been the same. The mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” Since dust-inked kalpas ago, since Beginningless Time, this has been the case. Thus, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, the Buddha “thoroughly revealed the wondrousness of the minds of sentient beings.” This was the Buddha’s state. He hoped that all sentient beings can experience this state of mind. Before the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra, He taught “the unspoken Lotus Sutra.” Before He began to speak, He emitted a ray of light that illuminated 18,000 lands in the east. He hoped the perfect teaching of the Great Vehicle would begin [to take root] in the east, be preserved there and spread throughout the world.

As for “the unspoken Lotus Sutra,” before expounding the Lotus Sutra, [the Buddha] first taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. Then, He began to reveal the unspoken Lotus Sutra to confirm that the previous. Sutra of Infinite Meanings was “very profound, very profound, truly very profound.” It was truly very profound teachings. Now, with the Lotus Sutra, He would give an even more detailed analysis of this extremely profound, wondrous Dharma. This Dharma is medicine for saving the world.

This must begin with saving our minds. All sentient beings innately have Buddha-nature. We are equal to the Buddha; this has always been the case. It has always been like this. However, we unenlightened beings are unable to comprehend this. In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha wanted to bring the principles of “emptiness” and “existence” together as one. In the Lotus Sutra, this is what the Buddha wanted to reveal to us. This is the Middle Way. We should cling neither to emptiness nor existence. Wondrous existence is found in true emptiness. This is the medicine for saving the world, and it starts with awakening ourselves. Once we have awakened ourselves, we [discover] that we all have the nature of True Suchness. Then we help everyone to experience this.

Since we all have the same intrinsic, enlightened Buddha-nature, everyone is able to attain great awakening, comprehend the great path and become one with the universe. We must all thoroughly understand this principle. But the fact remains, we have layer upon layer of ignorance that obstruct us. Every day, after I finish my Dharma talk, when everyone has finished listening, [we chant,] “I vow to eliminate the Three Obstructions and all afflictions. I vow to obtain wisdom and true understanding. I vow to eliminate all karmic obstacles. I will follow the Bodhisattva-path, life after life.” Indeed, for life after life, we must follow the Bodhisattva-path. Life has so many obstructions, layer upon layer of hindrances, but as long as we can apply a pure and undefiled mindset, we can go among people without being obstructed by their afflictions. To do this, of course we need to eliminate our karmic obstructions.

When our karmic obstructions [manifest], when we encounter myriad sentient beings bringing wave after wave of difficulties, our every thought must be tranquil and clear. We must purify our every thought and eliminate all our afflictions. Only then can we fully and clearly understand the principles before us. This is why we must be very mindful. When the Buddha expounded the Dharma, He too was extremely mindful. So in the beginning of the Introductory Chapter, He first taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, then “the unspoken Lotus Sutra,” where He radiated light and manifested appearances. He illuminated 18,000 lands in the east. In this way He manifested auspicious appearances. Beginning in the Chapter on Skillful Means, He continuously praised the Tathagata’s wisdom, the subtle, wondrous wisdom of the Tathagata. The Tathagata’s wisdom-nature returns to the true principles of all things in the universe. But the people in the assembly were unable to understand this.

Sariputra was foremost in wisdom, so he understood the Buddha’s intent. All things in the universe are contained in the Buddha’s great awakening. Therefore, the Buddha-wisdom, this all-encompassing wisdom, encompasses all things in the universe. These are the principles that the Buddha awakened to. But how could He explain these principles? Sariputra requested [the Dharma] three times, and the Buddha refused three times. “Stop, stop; there is no need to speak further.”

Why was that? It was because this sutra is very profound and difficult to understand. Sentient beings cannot comprehend or awaken to it. In a moment of carelessness, “A slight deviation will take us far off course.” This is why the Buddha had to be very careful. Sariputra did not give up; he wanted to be in accord with the Buddha’s mind. So, he again requested the Dharma; only then could he realize that the Buddha did this to inspire everyone. He made them all give rise to questions. He wanted to first inspire everyone, but everyone needed to have this kind of determination [to learn it]. This is why the Buddha refused over and over. Only after refusing three times did He begin. He had to start by enabling them all to be resolute in their faith.

This was because sentient beings are hard to tame. When it comes to listening to this sutra, it is difficult for sentient beings to understand [this Dharma]. Everyone must have patience, and everyone must tame their stubborn views. If we cling to our own perspectives and do not wish to open the door to our minds, we cannot directly accept the Buddha’s teachings. Thus, in the Chapter on Skillful means, the Buddha continuously praised the Tathagata’s nature of wisdom. Sariputra, on behalf of the assembly, requested teachings, and [finally] the Buddha agreed. Now, He would open the door of skillful means.

In the past, the Buddha [used] skillful means; He taught the true principles with skillful means. Teaching about existence and emptiness was His way to guide sentient beings in the past so they could understand the worldly principles. Then He thoroughly analyzed the principles for us, how they are pure and undefiled, as pure as the void. Thus, all things are empty [in nature].

Sentient beings, during the Vaipulya and Prajna periods, [were taught] the emptiness of all phenomena, but what direction were they supposed to go in? In the vast emptiness of the universe, how do we find our bearings? The slightest misstep will cause our direction to deviate. This is why He had to use all kinds of analogies to gradually help us all develop faith and understanding. He painstakingly [did this], chapter by chapter, until reaching the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. There, the Buddha very carefully let everyone know that wherever the Lotus Sutra is present the Buddha’s entire body also abides.

“His entire body” [means] the perfect teachings, which are the true principles that encompass the entire universe. So, we must all very reverently accept this sutra. We must respect it and have deep faith in it. In the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha repeatedly reminded the recipient of the teachings, Medicine King Bodhisattva, that everyone must be clear on the importance of this sutra. This sutra is important for the world.

After this, the Buddha wanted to reinforce our understanding that all Buddhas share the same Path. All Buddhas in the past, Sakyamuni Buddha in the present and all Buddhas of the future must all bring this perfect teaching to the world. The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures reveals “the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya.”

The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures reveals the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya. [The Buddha] directly demonstrated that the true reward of the pure land is tranquility and clarity. He wished to help sentient beings resonate with the Buddha’s one true perfect teaching. The Dharma was opened and revealed through the Buddha’s speech for sentient beings to realize and enter.

The Tathagata journeys on the Dharma of True Suchness to come to this world. [Tathagata means] “Thus Come One.” This Dharma is the path shared by all Buddhas, the True Dharma of Suchness, the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya. Everything in the universe contains principles, and these principles are the Dharmakaya of all Buddhas. Thus, “[The Buddha] directly demonstrated that the true reward of the pure land is tranquility and clarity.”

The spiritual state of all Buddhas is the Buddha’s pure land, which is the true reward-land of the Buddha. This mean returning to a state of tranquility and clarity. Thus, He wanted to enable all sentient beings to resonate with the Buddha’s one true perfect teaching. We must resonate with the Buddha’s mind. This means returning to all true principles, to the one true perfect teaching. Thus, the one great cause of the Buddha was to open and reveal the Dharma to sentient beings. So, with His speech, the Buddha opened and revealed the Dharma for sentient beings to realize and enter.

[We are] Dharma-children born of the Buddha’s speech. The Dharma was taught through the Buddha’s speech, so sentient beings must have firm faith when accepting the teachings of the Buddha. Only then will we have a way to experience, realize and enter [the Dharma]. Sentient beings need to realize and enter the Buddha’s understanding and views, the state to which the Buddha awakened.

The previous Chapter on Dharma Teachers was the 10th Chapter. Now, the following chapter is the 11th of the 28 chapters in the Lotus Sutra,

The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures is intended to reveal “the wisdom of initial enlightenment to see the nature of the Tathagata-garbha.” Our wisdom is [no different from] the Buddha’s all-encompassing wisdom, the Tathagata-nature everyone intrinsically has. This is the Tathagata-garbha; it exists in the minds of us all. This Tathagata-garbha nature is found in the ground of our minds. He thus “opened and revealed the intrinsic nature of the Tathagata-garbha.”

To see the stupa of treasures means using the wisdom of initial enlightenment to see the nature of the Tathagata-garbha. This means, in the ground of peoples’ minds, to open and reveal the intrinsic nature of the Tathagata-garbha.

This is something we all have. It is just that it is concealed under layers of ignorance and afflictions. In fact, we all intrinsically have this, all possess the Tathagata-garbha. The Tathagata-[nature] is stored within our fundamental nature. Our nature of True Suchness is stored within the Tathagata-garbha; this is intrinsic to everyone.

In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, long and distant kalpas in the past when Many Treasure World-Honored One was about to enter Parinirvana, He announced to the great assembly, “Those who wish to make offerings” “to my entire body” “must form aspirations to erect a great stupa. In the world of the ten directions,” “wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught,” “because they listened to this sutra,” “my stupa of treasures” “will emerge before them” “to serve as testimony.” Now, because the Buddha was teaching this sutra in this land, Many Treasure Buddha, with His power of vows, heard from afar and emerged from the ground.

So, the Chapter on. Seeing the Stupa of Treasures [describes how], “Long and distant kalpas in the past when Many Treasures World-Honored One was about to enter Parinirvana, He announced to the great assembly, ‘Those who wish to make offerings to my entire body must form aspirations to erect a great stupa.'”Before Many Treasures Buddha entered Parinirvana, He entrusted [His assembly] with His wish. Many Treasures Buddha wished that after He entered Parinirvana, sentient beings would build a great stupa for Him. Why did He want this stupa? Of course, Many Treasures had His reasons. He made a vow that, 「十方世界說法華經 / 的地方 /，我之寶塔因聽經故，湧現其前，為作證明」。

Before Many Treasures Buddha entered Parinirvana, He entrusted [the assembly] with building a great stupa for Him. “In the worlds in the ten directions, wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught, my stupa will go wherever people listen to the sutra, emerging before them to serve as a testimony.” It would serve as a testimony that this sutra is the path shared by all Buddhas. All Buddhas, when They manifest in the world, follow the same path of benefitting sentient beings by curing the world of turbidities and sentient beings of their ignorance. As it says in this sutra, [the Buddha] responds to the needs of the world. The Buddha appears in the world in response to the needs of the time to transform sentient beings. [He helps] sentient beings understand that the method to engage in spiritual practice is to walk the Bodhisattva-path. The Buddha teaches and transforms sentient beings so we can practice the Bodhisattva-path. Thus, this great Bodhi-path is the road that all Buddhas open for us as they come to the world.

This Dharma, this path, emerges from His speech. The Buddha’s speech paves the road for us and helps us understand how to return to our pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature. We just need to follow this road. “The sutras are a path. This path is a road to walk on.” This is the road we must walk. This is the road all Buddhas follow when they come to this world; it is the road they pave for all sentient beings of the future. Thus, all Buddhas share the same path.

“Now that the Buddha was teaching this sutra in this land….” At this time, in the Saha World, Sakyamuni Buddha was expounding this sutra. Thus, “Many Treasures Buddha, through His power of vows, heard this from afar.” So, [the stupa] “emerged from the ground.” This served as a testimony to the Lotus Sutra as expounded by Sakyamuni Buddha. In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, this is the objective of the stupa’s emerging. Many Treasures Buddha came to support the Lotus Sutra. Wherever the Lotus Sutra is upheld, Many Treasures Buddha goes there to listen to that Buddha’s teaching. This was the vow of Many Treasures Buddha. When Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, the Stupa of Many Treasures Buddha suddenly emerged from the ground. This is the teaching we will discuss next. Now, as we listen to this, we [must] first understand the principles behind why the stupa of Many Treasures Buddha emerged. By reading this sutra passage, we understand the principle that all Buddhas share the same path. The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures begins with the sutra passage,

“At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures, 500 yojanas in height and 250 yojanas in length and width, emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.”

“At that time” refers to when the Buddha had concluded the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. He hoped everyone could form aspirations to uphold the Lotus Sutra. [He wished we would] read, recite, transcribe and explain its principles and then put the teachings into practice as an offering to the Buddha. Now that He had finished this teaching, “At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures…. At that time,” refers to this moment when He had finished teaching the Chapter on Dharma Teachers.

At that time, before the Buddha was a seven-treasured stupa: At that time: When He finished teaching the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. Before the Buddha: This means at the Lotus Dharma-assembly. Seven-treasured stupa: This refers to the mind of the Tathagata-garbha, which is the pure nature. The seven-treasured stupa was the stupa of Many Treasure Buddha. Stupa: A representation of the ultimate truth, the place where the Dharmakaya resides

“Before the Buddha” refers to how in front of the Lotus Dharma-assembly a stupa of seven treasures emerged.

The stupa of seven treasures is an analogy for the Tathagata-garbha mind. The Tathagata-garbha mind is our intrinsic Tathagata-nature; it is our pure intrinsic nature. The Buddha lived in this world. In this world, could a stupa really suddenly emerge from the ground? This is intended to teach us a principle. All of this is an analogy. The stupa of seven treasures [represents] the Tathagata-garbha mind. We intrinsically have the Tathagata-garbha in the field of our minds. It is our pure intrinsic nature. Everyone innately has this pure, undefiled nature, the Tathagata-garbha. “The stupa of seven treasures was the stupa of Many Treasures Buddha.”

This stupa “represents ultimate reality.” This stupa was a physical object. In that place, people saw a stupa emerging [from the ground]. But actually, this is an analogy. Saying that the True Dharma is stored within the stupa means it is stored inside everyone’s minds, in the Tathagata-garbha. This represents the state of the ground of everyone’s mind.

“The place where the Dharmakaya resides” is the place where the principles reside. This is the Tathagata-garbha. Where does this Dharma reside? Although it pervades the entire universe, unenlightened beings are unaware of it. Actually, ordinary beings’ nature of True Suchness also contains the true principles of all things; it is wisdom equal to the Buddha’s. We have always had this; we truly have it

“500 yojanas in height.” How high was this stupa? “500 yojanas in height.” This is an analogy for “the Tathagata-garbha mind which does not resonate with the defiled minds of sentient beings; it transcends the Five Destinies.”

500 yojanas in height: This refers to the mind of the Tathagata-garbha, which does not correspond to the defiled minds of sentient beings and transcends the Five Destinies.

Our Tathagata-garbha mind and our ignorant, unenlightened minds cannot resonate now. We fundamentally have [this mind], yet, as unenlightened beings, our ignorance continuously covers it. Our defiled minds are covered in layer upon layer of ignorance, so we are unable to resonate with our nature of True Suchness. It “transcends the Five Destinies.” Our Tathagata-garbha mind transcends the Five Destinies.

What are the Five Destinies? The Five Destinies [are all found in this world]. They are also called the Five Realms. The Five Destinies are the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. These are called the Five Destinies.

The Five Destinies: This is also known as the place where the Five Destinies coexist. It can also mean the Five Realms. These are the realms of heaven, humans, hell, hungry ghosts and animals

In the Five Destinies, everyone is unenlightened and creates ignorance, afflictions and all kinds of negative karma. Thus, all beings continuously transmigrate within the Five Destinies. The Five Destinies are five different paths. Unenlightened beings’ defiled minds are all within these five paths. Within the Five Destinies, the defiled minds of unenlightened beings cannot resonate with the Tathagata-garbha. The Tathagata-garbha has already transcended the Five Destinies. So, the description of 500 yojanas means it has already transcended [the Five Realms]. It is very tall, 500 yojanas [in height].

500 yojanas in height: This is 20,000 li. This vertical measurement represents myriad actions in the causal ground and the myriad virtues of fruition. Looking to the fruit from the cause is the meaning of “height.”

[How much is] 500 yojanas? One yojana is equal to 40 li (around 13 km) 500 yojanas is 20000 li (around 6500 km). [This stupa] was very tall.

Thus, the vertical measurement of the stupa represents “myriad actions in the causal ground.” Knowing this, we just need to keep following that one road. There is only one Bodhisattva-path, which is to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions.

So, in “the myriad virtues of fruition,” this fruition refers to how the Bodhisattva’s causes lead to the fruition of attaining Buddhahood. “The myriad actions in the causal ground, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions,” require a very long time of walking on the Bodhisattva-path. This road is very straight and very long.

So, by “looking to the fruit from the cause,” by walking in the direction set by the cause, we will be able to attain the fruit we seek. This is the state of Buddhahood. Thus, “looking to the fruit from the cause” is the meaning of “height.” The Buddha’s virtue is supremely high. This is our goal. This is concealed inside the Tathagata-garbha. “We each have a stupa on Vulture Peak; we can practice at the foot of that stupa.” This stupa contains our intrinsic Tathagata-garbha nature. So, [the stupa] was this tall and was.

“250 yojanas in length and width.” This refers to “the Tathagata-garbha being the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.” The Tathagata-garbha stores the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.

250 yojanas in length and width: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha being the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.

“The 25 forms of existence” will be explained later, since it will take a long time. In any case, this essence is very expansive. Length and width: The appearance of the stupa, “250 yojanas in length and width,” is measured in yojanas. This is approximately 10,000 li. To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body. So, “length and width” refers to “the appearance of the stupa.” It is not only high but also wide. This is its appearance. So, it is “250 yojanas in length and width,” which corresponds to 10,000 li. It is 10,000 li in length and width 250 yojanas is 10,000 li. Thus, the length and width correspond.

Length and width: The appearance of the stupa, 250 yojanas in length and width, is measured in yojanas, which is approximately 10000 li. To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body. There are 250 precepts in total for Hearers. Now, He opened the Small Vehicle teachings and returned them to the Path to Buddhahood. By following the three studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we will manifest them in our appearance. Thus, it says that the measurement of the base of the stupa is as such. Our Four Demeanors share the same measurements. So it says: 250 [yojanas] in length and width.

“To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body.” In our practice, to attain the Dharmakaya we must uphold the precepts. The precepts are our foundation. Precepts can guard against wrongs and stop evil. The things we do that are wrong must immediately be stopped. In our conduct, we are already making mistakes. We cause other people to feel unhappy and form negative affinities with others. This is not right! We must immediately stop. Our actions must not deviate even in the slightest. We need to guard against wrongs and stop evils. The wrong that we do must immediately stop. We need to constantly be vigilant to prevent ourselves from making the same mistake a second time.

One of Confucius’ disciples, Yan Hui, is known for “never committing the same wrong twice.” He never made the same mistake twice. The first time, if Confucius said to him, “You are in the wrong. Your attitude is incorrect,” Yan Hui would immediately stop. “I will not have this attitude in the future.” This is what Yan Hui was known for; he “never committed the same wrong twice.”

As Buddhist practitioners, we should also be like that. It is best to not even make one mistake or error, to say nothing of making the same mistake twice. If we still make the same mistake again, that shows we keep covering ourselves by ignorance. So, we must take the precepts as our body. In our spiritual practice, upholding precepts is very important. In our daily living, the words we say, the actions we take and the thoughts we have all require us to be very vigilant. These are all part of the body of precepts. So, we must take the precepts as our body.

“Hearers have 250 precepts. Now He opened up the Small Vehicle teachings.” The Buddha had now opened the Small Vehicle teachings. In the past, everyone was at the stage of the Small Vehicle teachings. Now, He opened up the Small Vehicle Teachings “and returned them to the path to Buddhahood.” There are not only the 250 Precepts, but also the 500 Precepts. Not only must we follow these 500 Precepts, there are countless, infinite numbers of precepts we must not violate. This is how we can gradually “return to the path to Buddhahood.” This refers to the Three Flawless Studies, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom; we have to be replete in these.

When it comes to the Dharma, we cannot listen to it and then let it go. After listening to it, we must take it to heart. So, “They will manifest in our appearance.” Our appearance and demeanor [shows] whether we engage in spiritual practice or not. Have we violated the precepts? Our appearance will show whether we have violated any precepts. This all depends on us.

“Thus, it says that the measurement of the base of the stupa” is as such, 250 yojanas. This is how wide it is. This [represents] our precepts. We should know that we need these precepts. “The measurement is as such. Our Four Demeanors share the same number.” Our Four Demeanors are expressed in our actions. Whether we talk or give rise to thoughts, it is all part of our Four Demeanors.

We must all be very mindful. Otherwise, it will truly result in great sadness. Must we spend our every day as unenlightened beings? Why can’t we immediately refocus our unenlightened minds and follow the footsteps of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? We ought to be very mindful and pay attention to our Four Demeanors in our daily living.

So, [it is] “250 yojanas in length and width.” This is the width and length [of the stupa]. We must take the precepts as our foundation. The precepts are [represented by] 250 yojanas. This is called “the 25 forms of existence.” There are many precepts that we must not violate. We must use them as our foundation.

“[It] emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.” This stupa of seven treasures which was so tall and so wide emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.

[It] emerged from the ground and stayed in the air: In terms of appearance, it is easy to see. In terms of the Dharma, it emerges from the mind and stays in the emptiness of the ultimate Great Nirvana.

By using its appearance [as an analogy], it is easier to understand. In this analogy, the stupa’s appearance is easily seen.

“In terms of the Dharma,” speaking in terms of the Dharma, “it emerges from the mind.” After hearing the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, this stupa of seven treasures should also emerge from the ground of our minds. Wide and tall, its height and width transcend the Five Destinies. Our minds should not remain in this place where the beings of the Five Destinies coexist. We must transcend this place where the Five Destinies coexist. We must transcend the Five Realms. So, in terms of our minds, this represents the Dharma. In terms of appearance, it is the stupa, while in terms of the Dharma, it is what emerges from the ground of our minds. “[It] stays in the ultimate Great Nirvana.” We should let our minds be tranquil and still. We must calm our minds and not give rise to discursive thoughts. We need to pay careful attention to our Four Demeanors.

“Emerged” refers to “the Tathagata-garbha mind” which emerges from afflictions of views and thinking.

Emerged: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha mind, which emerges from the hindrances of afflictions of views and thinking etc. Stayed in the air: This is an analogy for abiding in the true emptiness of ultimate reality.

Delusions of views and thinking and other afflictions all hinder us. This is why we cannot manifest [True Suchness]. We ordinary beings are covered by ignorance which hinders us. Our afflictions of views and thinking, our dust-like delusions, stand in our way.

Staying in the air “is an analogy for abiding in the true emptiness of ultimate reality.” All Buddhas abide in the true emptiness of ultimate reality. This is the state of the Buddha, which is wondrous existence in true emptiness.

“The stupa of treasures emerged from the ground.” This [originated] in the past; the ancient Buddha of the past, “Many Treasures Tathagata, personally came to listen to the sutra.” This Buddha of the past came to hear the Dharma to “testify to the superiority and wondrousness of this sutra.”

The stupa of treasures emerged from the ground. It was an ancient Buddha from the past, Many Treasure Tathagata, who personally came to listen to the sutra in order to testify how superior and wondrous this sutra is.

[He came to] testify to how superior and wondrous this sutra is. Of course, the Dharma that the ancient. Many Treasures Buddha came to listen to contains principles that are truly great, very profound and broad. Vertically, it is both deep and high. Horizontally, it is very wide and broad. These are the principles that we must comprehend. Where are these principles found? They are in the Tathagata-garbha mind, in the mind of every person. It is just that they are constantly covered by layer upon layer of ignorance. So, as we listen to and learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must always be mindful.