Category: TLS Chapter 2

Episode 246 – Wisdom Illuminates the World Like the Sun

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>>”Wisdom is like the light of the sun and moon; it illuminates the blinding darkness. One lamp can light 1000 lamps 20,000 Lamp Buddhas illuminate the world.”

>> At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke the following verses, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings, speaking of Your attainment of Suchness, the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.”

>> The power of fearlessness. So, “when the Buddha taught at the assembly, He had the virtue of composure and fearlessness.”

>> Fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom: When it comes to [teaching] worldly and world-transcending [Dharma], He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I am the one with right knowledge; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom.

>> Fearlessness of ending Leaks. Because He ended delusion, karma and samsara, He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I have eliminated all Leaks; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of ending all Leaks.

>> The fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation: By explaining how demons and heretics hinder and conceal the noble path, He attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.

>> The fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering. Explaining the paths of ending suffering: As the Buddha said, The noble path I spoke of can lead to world-transcending fearlessness. “By ending all suffering, I attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.”

>>”We must settle the mind in one place. A tamed mind is not irritable.” This mindset allows us to remain calm. “A straightened mind is not distorted. A settled mind is not distracted. This is taming, straightening and settling.” I have explained this to all of you before. So, “a good mind is focused on one place. This is Samadhi.”

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“Wisdom is like the light of the sun and moon;
it illuminates the blinding darkness.
One lamp can light 1000 lamps
20,000 Lamp Buddhas illuminate the world.”

This tells us all that wisdom is just like the light of the sun and moon; it can illuminate the blinding darkness. Consider the Buddha’s wisdom; although Sariputra was foremost in wisdom, he still addressed the Buddha as. “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom.” Thus, we can see that the wisdom of the Buddha is like the sun and moon in the sky.

At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke the following verses, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings, speaking of Your attainment of Suchness, the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.”

What principles of this universe are not understood by Sakyamuni Buddha? He revealed them to teach sentient beings, just like the pervasive light of the sun. As long as the sun radiates light, as long as the place on Earth where we are is turned toward the sun, its light will shine down on us. So, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings.” Since long ago, He has repeatedly taught the great principles of the subtle and wondrous One Vehicle.

Indeed, the sun shines forever in this way and endlessly provides for us. However, our minds are [always] changing. If our minds can turn toward the Buddha, won’t we have a clear understanding of the Buddha’s knowledge and views? Similarly, when a part of Earth turns to face the sun, won’t it be completely illuminated? So, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings.” If we think about it, this means that the Buddha forever expounds the Dharma in this way. He always wants to shine the light of. His great wisdom into the minds of sentient beings. But we sentient beings have not yet turned our minds toward the light of the Buddha’s mind.

Therefore, we must be mindful and engage in spiritual practice. If we can turn toward the Buddha’s knowledge and realizations, the blinding darkness will completely dissipate. Hence, “one lamp can light 1000 lamps.” When one lamp is lit, thousands and tens of thousands of lamps can be lit from it. The light of each lamp is the same, and each can light and illuminate other lamps. Then this space will be exceptionally bright.

So, by the same principle, after we understand the Buddha-Dharma, we must continue to pass it on, so this Saha world can become even brighter. As the Lotus Sutra states, Manjusri Bodhisattva recounted that 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas came to the word to teach sentient beings. All of us can attain [wisdom] from ancient Buddhas and the present Buddha. The present Buddha praised the wisdom of countless past Buddhas. From Them, Sakyamuni Buddha has continuously [received and] passed on Their wisdom to this day. If we allow Sakyamuni Buddha’s wisdom to enter our minds, aren’t we also [accepting and] passing on the wisdom accumulated by Sakyamuni Buddha? [This is how] “20,000 Lamp Buddhas illuminate the world.”

We are all Buddhas, we just have to understand the profound and wondrous principles of the Buddha-Dharma and put them to good use by guiding others. If people’s minds are still blinded by darkness, we can shine the light from our lamp to illuminate their minds, so that they can also light the lamp in their minds. If this continues on, won’t the light be passed on, lamp by lamp? Isn’t this how each of us discover the intrinsic Buddha-nature we all have?

So, wisdom only means one thing. When we can clearly see and understand the principles, and can treat people and matters in line with them, then we have wisdom.

So, Sariputra earnestly requested the Buddha’s [teachings] and praised Him, recognizing that the Buddha had long been expounding the Dharma, praising all Buddhas, practicing all Dharma and teaching sentient beings. The Buddha continued to give teachings like this.

Sometimes the Buddha talked in this way, “speaking of [His] attainment of Suchness, the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.” The Buddha said, “I already attained [enlightenment]; I can understand all things in the universe, let alone this Saha World. How could I not see through it?” Therefore, “I have seen everything in the world, and I understand it all.” Every time the Buddha gave teachings, He would first describe how many principles He has understood so that sentient beings could accept the principles He was about to teach.

So, the Buddha has “long given these teachings.” He would always teach in this way. “Speaking of [His] attainment of Suchness.” He would say of Himself, “I have already attained so many principles and understood them.” He even [attained] “the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.” His power had already reached the level of fearlessness, so He is called “the Great Sage.” Thus, [it says] “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom.” This is because the Buddha said He had the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.

What kind of power was He referring to?

The power of fearlessness. So, “when the Buddha taught at the assembly, He had the virtue of composure and fearlessness.”

The Buddha’s virtue was the power of fearlessness. As He expounded the Dharma to sentient beings, He was very calm and composed because. His principles were correct. Regardless of whom He was teaching, He was always very calm.

Simply put, when it comes to expounding the Dharma, there are the Fourfold Fearlessness. First is the “fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom.”

Fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom: When it comes to [teaching] worldly and world-transcending [Dharma], He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I am the one with right knowledge; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom.

Having fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom means He is fearless in [giving] worldly and world-transcending teachings. He teaches us ways to interact with other people in this word, along with moral principles. In this world, there are many ways to live. Due to the law of karma, we lead different lives, have different knowledge and different ways of thinking, both good and bad, and all are different. Therefore, in [teaching] worldly Dharma, the Buddha had to use extensive wisdom to teach people according to their capabilities. So, these are worldly teachings.

As for world-transcending Dharma, the Buddha also taught us about cyclic existence in the Six Realms. The principles of the Six Unenlightened Realms were clearly analyzed for us by the Buddha, and some people realized, “I should seek the pure Dharma that will allow me to transcend the Six Realms.” The Buddha then began to [address] those who wanted to transcend the Six Realms and could clearly understand the law of karma, giving teachings on a deeper level. We really want to engage in spiritual practice and really want to purify our minds. If we want to draw near the Buddha and reach the same enlightened state as Him, we must transcend the world. This was the kind of principle the Buddha fearlessly taught when. He was among wise spiritual practitioners.

Thus, the Buddha said, “I am the one with right knowledge.” This is how the Buddha assured ordinary people and those who wanted to transcend the world that. He Himself is the one with right knowledge. “I am the one with right knowledge.” Our thinking and views must be correct. Only with Right Thinking and Right Views can we have right knowledge and correct wisdom. Then, if our wisdom is correct, we will naturally attain peace and stillness and fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom. So, the Buddha had the “fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom,” thus He could correctly and clearly give us the teachings of worldly and world-transcending Dharma.

The second [fearlessness] is “fearlessness of ending Leaks.” This leads to the end of delusion, karma and samsara.

Fearlessness of ending Leaks. Because He ended delusion, karma and samsara, He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I have eliminated all Leaks; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of ending all Leaks.

Delusion is ignorance, very subtle ignorant thoughts. Our karma and delusions of views and thinking must be completely eliminated. Because we have delusions of views and thinking, our thoughts will [continue to] arise and cease in the desire, form and formless realms. If we can completely eliminate them, we can end samsara and reach a state of non-arising and non-ceasing. This is talking about our minds. Of course, these are very subtle teachings that someone in the stage of Buddhahood can completely and clearly understand. Thus, They are not affected by these states of samsara. Therefore, They are fearless.

As the Buddha said, “I have eliminated all Leaks; therefore I have attained peace and stillness. This is the fearlessness of ending Leaks.” All Leaks, all afflictions, have been completely eliminated.

Then, there is the “fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation.”

The fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation: By explaining how demons and heretics hinder and conceal the noble path, He attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.

The Buddha could also pierce the teachings of demons and heretics.

Some people are very attached to their practices; they are attached to what [they believed] they have attained. So, they are all great liars “claiming to have attained what they have not.”

So, the Buddha gave various teachings to pierce such deviant thinking and views. This is the Buddha’s “fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation.” Because deviant thinking and views will greatly hinder us from walking the Right Path. What we need to practice is the noble path, [which will lead us] closer to Buddhahood. But, our thoughts may go astray, and we may become superstitious or unable to give rise to Right Mindfulness. We must pay close attention to these things because we are easily influenced by incorrect teachings and are easily led away from [the Right Path].

So, when the Buddha was among people, He could eliminate the hindrances created by those who obstructed the noble path. So, He can help us return to the right principles to attain peace and stillness and fearlessness.

Fourth is the “fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering.”

The fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering. Explaining the paths of ending suffering: As the Buddha said, The noble path I spoke of can lead to world-transcending fearlessness. “By ending all suffering, I attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.”

The Buddha comes to the world for one cause, which is to help all of us transcend cyclic existence within the Six Destinies and be [liberated] from the ignorance that covers our minds. So, the Buddha comes to this world to “explain the paths of ending suffering,” how we can eliminate suffering. So, the Buddha said, “The noble path I spoke of can lead to world-transcending fearlessness.” The Buddha gave His teachings mindfully to help all of us thoroughly understand worldly and world-transcending Dharma, so it “can lead to world-transcending fearlessness.” This is very important for us Buddhist practitioners.

“By ending all suffering, He attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.” If we can eliminate suffering in our minds, threats from the external environment and the temptation of desires from the outside world, we will naturally become peaceful and still.

In short, there are many worrisome things in this world, concerns about the imbalance of the four elements and worries about interpersonal relationships. Whether it is the suffering of separation from loved ones, of being with those we resent or those of love, hate, affection and enmity, if we can eliminate all this suffering, we will naturally become peaceful and still.

This requires the understanding of the Dharma. From that we can attain fearlessness and among people, give the lion’s roar. We will be able to give teachings to others and be fearless of all things as we turn the Dharma-wheel. This is called the Fourfold Fearlessness.

Samadhi, as you all know, is to “tame, straighten and settle,” so we can reach the right state of mind. Our minds must have Right Thinking. In everything we do, in all of our practices, our minds must be settled.

“We must settle the mind in one place. A tamed mind is not irritable.” This mindset allows us to remain calm. “A straightened mind is not distorted. A settled mind is not distracted. This is taming, straightening and settling.” I have explained this to all of you before. So, “a good mind is focused on one place. This is Samadhi.”

Our thoughts must always abide in a steady mind; only then, can we better understand the Buddha-Dharma.

The Buddha is the bright light of the sun and moon. We must also light the lamp to illuminate ourselves and others. However much we can understand is what we will share with everyone. [Once] our direction is correct, we can benefit ourselves and others. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 245 – With Samadhi, Our Minds Are Not Scattered

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>>”With deeply-rooted Samadhi, our minds will not be scattered. A heart with Leaks cannot see the Truth, just as a reflection cannot be seen in rippling water, and a candle cannot be lit in the wind.”

>> I only pray that the World-Honored One can expound upon this subject of why He is earnestly praising this extremely profound, subtle, wondrous and difficult-to-understand Dharma.

>> Subtle and wondrous: Subtle means profound and extensive. Wondrous means beyond words and thoughts. Bodhi is subtle and wondrous, for all Dharma is difficult to understand. Only the great wisdom of a Tathagata is so subtle and wondrous.

>>”At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke the following verses.”

>>”Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom, at long last You give these teachings, speaking of Your attainment of Suchness, Samadhi of power and fearlessness.”

>> Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom: The Buddha’s wisdom can illuminate the darkness of the world. Therefore, it is compared to the sun. When the sun of wisdom illuminates the world, it eliminates ignorance, defilements and delusions. The Buddha’s wisdom is like the sun, it can illuminate all darkness.

>> [He] spoke of His attainment of Suchness: Truly, such noble teachings, the true nature of things, is called Suchness. The Dharma, as You had taught, fits and agrees with the principles; thus, it is called Suchness.

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“With deeply-rooted Samadhi, our minds will not be scattered.
A heart with Leaks cannot see the Truth,
just as a reflection cannot be seen in rippling water,
and a candle cannot be lit in the wind.”

This tells us that the Power of Samadhi is very important. Our Samadhi must be very deeply-rooted. I often say that roots must be deeply planted. Our Root of Faith must be great; it must be deep, extensive and long. This is true Samadhi. So, “with deeply-rooted Samadhi, our minds will not be scattered.” In our minds, we may still have Leaks, which are also called afflictions. If our faith is superficial and insufficient, the Dharma we take in will quickly leak out. This comes from having afflictions.

The Dharma cannot enter our hearts because we have Leaks, meaning the afflictions in our hearts. So, as long as we have afflictions, we cannot understand or realize the principles. This is just like how “a candle cannot be lit in the wind.” When we want to light a candle, if it is windy, no matter how we try, we cannot light it. This is the same principle. Likewise, in rippling water, we cannot see any reflection.

If we allow the water to become still, we can see a reflection of our surroundings in the water. Then when we lean in to take a look, the water surface is like a mirror that can reflect our appearance. But if we disturb it even slightly, when the water ripples, images cannot take shape. With the same logic, our minds must be still and calm. This requires vast faith. Only when we have vast faith can we cultivate deeply-rooted Samadhi. With deeply-rooted Samadhi, our minds will not be scattered.

I talk about the mind every day. We must always keep our minds very still. Some people cannot still their minds, so they cannot deal with their present conditions. We are all influenced by how we lived in the past and are disrupted by our current conditions, so our minds cannot remain in Samadhi as we practice. The past, present and future, distractions and discursive thoughts, all disturb our Power of Samadhi.

So, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must cultivate deeply-rooted Samadhi. In our present condition, we must always be aware that we are spiritual practitioners. Not only should we not carry discursive thoughts of the past with us to the present, in particular, we must also not be swayed by our present conditions. This is what it means to be “deeply-rooted.” We must not be affected by past distractions or discursive thoughts about the future. We must take good care of our minds right now to be single-minded and undistracted.

Our minds must not have any Leaks. We cannot have any afflictions in our minds. If we have afflictions, we cannot realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views. We will be like rippling water that cannot reflect images or a candle in the wind that cannot be lit. So, we must always vigilantly guard our minds.

Previously, I mentioned how. Sariputra asked questions on everyone’s behalf. Because they had doubts in their minds, he hoped the Buddha could expound upon the skillful means He taught in the past and upon the very profound Dharma. He would reveal now and in the future. Hoping the Buddha could give an extensive explanation, he asked Him to “expound upon this subject” to help everyone understand the differences between what He taught in the past and what He would teach from then on.

I only pray that the World-Honored One can expound upon this subject of why He is earnestly praising this extremely profound, subtle, wondrous and difficult-to-understand Dharma.

“Why is [the World-Honored One] earnestly praising this extremely profound, subtle, wondrous and difficult-to-understand Dharma? Before the Buddha started teaching, He kept praising the Dharma He was about to give as as subtle, wondrous and difficult to understand. He had not even started teaching yet; why did He keep saying it was hard to understand? They hoped the Buddha would explain to them how subtle and wondrous it is.

In this case, subtle means “profound and extensive.”

Subtle and wondrous: Subtle means profound and extensive. Wondrous means beyond words and thoughts. Bodhi is subtle and wondrous, for all Dharma is difficult to understand. Only the great wisdom of a Tathagata is so subtle and wondrous.

Profound and extensive means that the teaching is very, very deep. Extensive means it is very, very broad. It is so very deep, broad and also very subtle. It is not something obvious that people can easily comprehend. This teaching is indeed very wondrously profound. This wondrous profundity is very subtle and intricate.

So, to comprehend [His teachings], we must have the same wisdom as the Buddha. Only when we have His knowledge and views can we comprehend these profound and extensive principles. This is the meaning of subtle.

“Wondrous means beyond words and thoughts,” [so it is] not something that we ordinary people can comprehend. [His teaching] is indeed wondrous and is not something we can understand just by thinking about it or discussing it. It is a very profound teaching; it is subtle and wondrous.

“Bodhi is subtle and wondrous, for all Dharma is difficult to understand.” What is subtle and wondrous is Bodhi. Bodhi means awakening, truly realizing and comprehending these profound principles. This is very hard to understand. So, we say “Bodhi is subtle and wondrous, for all Dharma is difficult to understand.” Only “the great wisdom of a Tathagata is so subtle and wondrous.” So, the Buddha repeatedly praised. Buddha-knowledge and views, which are deep and far-reaching, extremely subtle and profound. They are truly broad and deep.

In addition to teaching what He realized, He also praised all past Buddhas, countless Buddhas, for having the same state of mind. But when teaching sentient beings, They also had to start with the method of [teaching them] using skillful means. So, we say all Buddhas share the same path. Every Buddha has the same understanding that can penetrate all subtle and wondrous principles. The state of His realization is not something we ordinary people can easily understand. So, this was why Sariputra asked the Buddha to carefully explain it to help everyone more clearly understand these subtle and wondrous principles.

So, the following verse states,

“At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke the following verses.”

Because he very sincerely asked the Buddha to explain this subtle, wondrous teaching in detail, this request became a formal matter. After asking once, Sariputra restated his request in verse,

which is shorter and more profound. He recited these verses very formally, like reciting poetry. [Verses] are used to emphasize respect.

“Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom, at long last You give these teachings, speaking of Your attainment of Suchness, Samadhi of power and fearlessness.”

Sun of Wisdom is what Sariputra respectfully called the Buddha, comparing His wisdom to the sun. The sun’s rays are brilliant, and as long as the sun rises, it illuminates the whole world. We can see the landscape and all things on Earth because they are illuminated by sunlight. So, the brilliance of the Buddha is like the sun in the sky.

Sun of Wisdom, in Buddhist teachings, can be explained the following way, The Buddha’s wisdom can illuminate the darkness of the world. Therefore, it is compared to the sun.

Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom: The Buddha’s wisdom can illuminate the darkness of the world. Therefore, it is compared to the sun. When the sun of wisdom illuminates the world, it eliminates ignorance, defilements and delusions. The Buddha’s wisdom is like the sun, it can illuminate all darkness.

This means that the Buddha’s wisdom can illuminate the world. See, when the sun rises, the darkness disappears. After night passes, the sun will surely rise. When the sun rises, the night has passed. So, once we unlock our wisdom, our ignorance will be eliminated. Therefore, the Buddha’s wisdom illuminates the darkness of the world.

Our lives are dark and dull; we seem to be walking in the dark. The Buddha’s wisdom represents the sun that [illuminates] the microcosm of our minds. Our ignorance causes darkness [in our minds]. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, the radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom. However, we have shut the door to it, creating an obstacle. Even if there is sunlight outside, if the door is closed, it cannot shine in.

So, we are all replete with intrinsic Buddha-wisdom. But the Buddha’s wisdom has been unlocked because He opened the door to His mind and completely illuminated it. Hopefully, the radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom can shine into sentient beings’ minds.

Therefore, we need the Buddha’s wisdom to open up our minds. When the sun illuminates the world, it eliminates ignorance, defilements and delusions. We must all take the Dharma into our hearts. The Buddha’s wisdom is like the sun and the moon; it illuminates the darkness. We must understand the Buddha’s intention.

The Buddha “spoke of [His] attainment of Suchness.” Sariputra previously said, “Venerable Buddha, your wisdom is great like the sun. You are considered the Hero of the World, and indeed you teach with the courage of a lion. Furthermore, you can understand what we cannot. You spoke of your ‘attainment of Suchness.’ What is Suchness? The true nature of things is called Suchness.”

[He] spoke of His attainment of Suchness: Truly, such noble teachings, the true nature of things, is called Suchness. The Dharma, as You had taught, fits and agrees with the principles; thus, it is called Suchness.

“Thus have I heard” [is how every sutra begins]. Haven’t we discussed this before? “Suchness” refers to what is true. “Suchness” is the way things really are. That is what Suchness means. This is what you have said, and I verify it by saying, “Indeed, so it is.” That is what Suchness means. “The Dharma, as You had taught, fits and agrees with the principles.” What you taught is correct and fits with the principles; thus, it is called Suchness.

“Samadhi of power and fearlessness.” The Buddha said, “This comes from the Dharma I have attained.” Sariputra then said, “Venerable Buddha, what you have said and what you have attained is power.” The Buddha already attained. “Samadhi of power and fearlessness.” The Buddha, the great noble one, can comprehend many things and thus His mind is fearless.

When we ordinary people do things, speak and so on, we are afraid of many things. This means we have fear. [In contrast,] the Buddha is fearless. So, to become fearless, we must first develop wisdom. Once we open our wisdom, radiance appears, so we can see everything clearly. Then when we move forward, nothing around us can make us fearful. So, we have a sense of security.

When we learn the Buddha’s Way, our every step must be grounded, and we must always have deep faith. Our Power of Faith must be very deep if we are not to be influenced by our surroundings or waver in our determination. Once we have this power, naturally we can open up our wisdom and attain the Samadhi of fearlessness. “Samadhi” refers to our concentration. I have already spoken about this before. So, “with deeply-rooted Samadhi, our minds will not be scattered.” This way, we can reach the level of “power and fearlessness.” Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 244 – Plant the Root of Great Faith to End Doubts

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>>”To resolve doubts, we need to be diligent, deeply plant the great Root of Faith and vows, internalize and understand the Buddha’s wisdom, and deeply penetrate the Dharma-sea to realize the Great Vehicle of the true and wondrous Dharma.”

>> At that time, Sariputra, knowing the fourfold assembly’s doubts, and his own lack of understanding, addressed the Buddha, “World-Honored One, for what reason do You earnestly praise the supremely skillful, extremely profound and difficult-to-understand Dharma of all Buddhas?”

>> In the past, I have never heard the Buddha speak in such a way. Presently, the fourfold assembly all have doubts. I only pray that the World-Honored One can expound upon this subject of why He is earnestly praising this extremely profound, subtle, wondrous and difficult-to-understand Dharma.

>>”The wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and far-reaching. This wisdom-door is difficult to understand and enter.”

>>”As for true principles, they felt hesitant and uncertain. Therefore, without realizing the Absolute Truth, they could not eliminate their doubts.”

>> What are doubts? When it comes to Absolute Truth, people are hesitant by nature. They obstruct virtuous Dharma and create karma. Therefore, those who are hesitant find it hard to give rise to goodness.

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“To resolve doubts, we need to be diligent,
deeply plant the great Root of Faith and vows,
internalize and understand the Buddha’s wisdom, and deeply penetrate the Dharma-sea
to realize the Great Vehicle of the true and wondrous Dharma.”

This is telling everyone that if we wish to resolve doubts, we must have utmost sincerity. “Faith is the source of the Way, mother of merits.” Doubt greatly hinders spiritual aspirations. If we have faith, we will not have doubts. If we have doubts, we will not believe the true and extremely profound wondrous Dharma. Therefore, doubt obstructs the Way, so we cannot have doubts in our minds.

If we want to resolve our doubts, then from the bottom of our hearts, we must be focused, reverent and diligent. That is, we must be very reverent and diligently practice. Therefore, we must deeply plant the great Root of Faith and vows. Our Root of Faith must be deep and extensive; it must open up and spread out. Only then will we allow the Buddha’s profound, subtle and wondrous principles to enter our hearts. Then, we can comprehend the Buddha’s wisdom. If we can comprehend the Buddha’s wisdom, naturally we will deeply immerse ourselves in the Dharma-sea.

When we take refuge in the Three Treasures, we vow to “comprehend the great path.” To “comprehend the great path,” we must deeply immerse ourselves in the Buddha’s sea of wisdom. This is what we seek when we take refuge in the Three Treasures, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We do this to comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration, which is the unsurpassed Root and Power of Faith.

When we take refuge in the Dharma, we must deeply immerse ourselves in the Buddha’s sea of wisdom. Only then can we truly accept the Buddha’s teachings completely. Only with faithful acceptance can we have “wisdom like the sea.” The Sutra Treasury contains so much, how can we absorb all of it? Only through “faith.” Only with the Root and Power of Faith can we absorb the Buddha’s teachings of wisdom. The Dharma is as vast and deep as the sea, and upon entering it, we must absorb extremely profound, vast and wondrous teachings.

We cannot waste any time, so [the Path] we walk must be that of the ultimate, true, wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma, which is also called the One Vehicle Dharma. Hopefully, we can all comprehend it.

Previously, I said that everyone had doubts. At that time, Sariputra also knew that all who were present, the fourfold assembly, were filled with doubts. “For over 40 years, we have followed the Buddha and fully accepted His teachings. What is this difficult-to-understand and extremely profound, wondrous Dharma. He is now teaching?” They had these doubts, so Sariputra stepped forward on their behalf to request teachings from the Buddha.

At that time, Sariputra, knowing the fourfold assembly’s doubts, and his own lack of understanding, addressed the Buddha, “World-Honored One, for what reason do You earnestly praise the supremely skillful, extremely profound and difficult-to-understand Dharma of all Buddhas?”

“[He] addressed the Buddha” means he requested the Dharma on their behalf. So, “addressed” is a respectful way of asking. He stepped toward the Buddha and asked, “World-Honored One, for what reason do You earnestly praise the supremely skillful means of all Buddhas?” Why had the Buddha been praising the supremely skillful Dharma of all Buddhas?

In the past, Sakyamuni Buddha used skillful means to teach sentient beings according to their capabilities. The Buddha wanted to show that. He was not the only one to use skillful means to teach according to capabilities; past Buddhas also did the same. They also used skillful means to transform sentient beings. These means were provisional teachings. So, Sakyamuni Buddha praised them, citing past Buddhas to affirm that, like Them, He also used skillful means to teach according to capabilities.

So, Sariputra asked the Buddha why He was praising all Buddhas for their supremely skillful teachings. So, what is this extremely profound, subtle, wondrous and difficult-to-understand Dharma?

In the past, I have never heard the Buddha speak in such a way. Presently, the fourfold assembly all have doubts. I only pray that the World-Honored One can expound upon this subject of why He is earnestly praising this extremely profound, subtle, wondrous and difficult-to-understand Dharma.

“In the past, I have never heard the Buddha speak in such a way.” In the past, he had never heard Sakyamuni Buddha praise past Buddhas for using supremely skillful, extremely profound, subtle, wondrous and difficult-to-understand Dharma. He had never heard the Buddha talk about it.

“Presently, the fourfold assembly all have doubts.” This was the first time he heard this, and it was actually the first time everyone else had heard. Sakyamuni praise the skillful, profound and difficult-to-understand. Dharma of past Buddhas. Not only did he have doubts, in fact, so did everyone else. This was their first time hearing this, so they could not understand it. “I only pray that the World-Honored One can expound upon this subject.” He hoped the World-Honored One would now speak to them very openly.

We must understand what kind of teaching this is. “Difficult-to-understand Dharma” means it is difficult to know and learn. Realizing and entering it is also very difficult. We cannot comprehend it because we still do not know it. If we do not know it, we cannot understand it. And because we do not understand it, we cannot comprehend His knowledge and views. If we cannot comprehend it, realizing it would be even more difficult. Their minds all fell short right here; it was difficult to know and learn, to realize and enter. This is where they were lacking.

So, a passage also states,

“The wisdom of all Buddhas is extremely profound and far-reaching. This wisdom-door is difficult to understand and enter.”

I have already talked about this. The Buddha’s wisdom is very profound. Not only is it deep and vast, there are infinite wisdom-doors. We still cannot open this wisdom-door, thus it is difficult to understand and enter. When the Buddha said He “opened and revealed,” this meant He wanted to open people’s minds, so they could understand these principles.

We ordinary people shut the door to our hearts very tightly. We use this door to close off the True Suchness of our intrinsic nature. The Buddha came to open this door so we can all see that behind this door is the True Suchness of our intrinsic nature. So, the Buddha came to the world for this one great cause, to open this door. Thus, He “opened and revealed” to help us all understand that we originally had the Tathagata’s wisdom. The Buddha has opened this door in Himself, but others have not opened their wisdom-door. So, we find [this Dharma] difficult to understand and enter.

This wisdom-door is very difficult to comprehend because we are all looking outward to seek the door in the Buddha’s mind. Actually, the Buddha has come to open the door in our minds. So, this is where we fall short. If we reflect on our own nature, we can see our intrinsic Tathagata-nature. However, we have all been unable to contemplate our own nature and keep looking outwards.

So, the Buddha opened His own wisdom-door, thus He achieved full understanding. After He Himself understood, He knew how to do so. Therefore, He was then able to teach us to open our own doors. However, we did not know how to turn inwardly to open the door in our own minds, so, we found [this Dharma] difficult to understand and enter.

“The fourfold assembly all have doubts.” Here, Sariputra was saying that because the Buddha said His wisdom-door was difficult to understand and enter, everyone still had doubts.

“As for true principles, they felt hesitant and uncertain. Therefore, without realizing the Absolute Truth, they could not eliminate their doubts.”

We may be hesitant because the Buddha told us that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. However, we have not clearly realized this, so we still do not have great Power of Faith. We still do not believe that we have this intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Therefore, when it comes to seeing these true principles, we still hesitate to open the door. We cannot fully accept that, “Indeed, I am the same as the Buddha. I just need to open this door to see my intrinsic nature of True Suchness within.”

What is this door made of? It is made of ignorance and obstruction. We are still unable to open this door. We cannot open it because we feel hesitant and indecisive. “Therefore, without realizing the Absolute Truth, they could not eliminate their doubts.” We must realize what the Buddha told us to believe. To awaken our Buddha-minds, we must have great Power of Faith. Only when we really have faith in the Buddha can we realize the Buddha-mind.

The Buddha-mind holds the principles of Absolute Truth. What the Buddha guards and retains in His mind, what He protects with His every thought, are the principles of Absolute Truth. If we do not comprehend how the Buddha uses these principles of Absolute Truth, then we cannot attain realizations because we cannot end or eliminate our doubts. So, having great Power of Faith is paramount. We must have great faith to be able to understand His principles. Only when we have faith in the Buddha’s principles can we completely eliminate our doubts.

So, to enter the Buddha-door and realize His principles, we must first completely eliminate our doubts. In order to do so, we must have great Power of Faith. And, we need great capabilities in order to have great Power of Faith. If we are Small Vehicle stream-enterers, which means we have just started practicing the Small Vehicle, then we and people beyond the initial fruit or the first Bodhisattva-ground must put even more effort into eliminating doubts.

At this assembly, many people still had doubts. They were Small Vehicle practitioners who had just aspired to walk the Bodhisattva-path, disciples of the fourfold assembly. Therefore, they still had doubts. Sariputra, on their behalf, asked the Buddha these questions.

What are doubts? When it comes to Absolute Truth, people are hesitant by nature. They obstruct virtuous Dharma and create karma. Therefore, those who are hesitant find it hard to give rise to goodness.

“What are doubts?” What does it mean to have doubts? “When it comes to Absolute Truth, people are hesitant by nature.” These are people who are indecisive. We may ask, “Why do they constantly waver like that?” They are just hesitant and indecisive; that is one of their habitual tendencies. But those who are unable to make decisions are hindered [in learning] virtuous Dharma.

If they have doubts, they cannot be firm in their faith. People like this hinder themselves from [learning] all virtuous Dharma, This is karma. By hesitating, they find it difficult to give rise to goodness, to do good deeds. We ordinary people are indecisive like this. When it comes to virtuous Dharma, we find it hard to seize and sustain it forever, and we cannot be resolute in our determination. Therefore, our minds constantly waver. This is what ordinary minds are like.

At this moment, Sariputra, on behalf of everyone, sincerely asked the Buddha to give extensive teachings. He asked the Buddha to more broadly teach and help everyone understand the skillful teachings He gave in the past and how those doors suited the capabilities of sentient beings. How do sentient beings relate the skillful means of the past to the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma? They were all wondering about this, so. [Sariputra] appealed to the Buddha’s compassion to resolve their doubts, to help them have faith and understand. This also [showed] Sariputra’s compassion. On everyone’s behalf, he said, “I still do not understand. Everyone still has doubts, so venerable Buddha, please teach us.”

So, we must all mindfully listen to the Dharma. Listening, contemplating and practicing are very important. Helpful and virtuous friends are also very important, for they can help and benefit us. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 243 – Diligently and Faithfully Pursue Wondrous Dharma

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>>”The Buddha kindly protected the teachings, so we must practice and pass them on. Wondrous Dharma was not completely understood, so we must sincerely seek it. With faith and diligence, we turn toward the Great Vehicle. With sincerity and vows, we comprehend the great path.”

>>”The Buddha spoke of one meaning of liberation, so we obtained this Dharma and thought we had arrived at Nirvana. But now, we do not understand His intention.”

>> At that time, Sariputra, knowing the fourfold assembly’s doubts, and his own lack of understanding, addressed the Buddha, “World-Honored One, for what reason do You earnestly praise the supremely skillful means of all Buddhas?”

>> The fourfold assembly had doubts: They doubted skillful means. “The Dharma attained by the Buddha is very profound and difficult to understand. So, why is the World-Honored One now saying this?”

>>”The wisdom of all Buddhas is vast and profound. They have achieved rare and difficult-to-understand Dharma.”

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“The Buddha kindly protected the teachings, so we must practice and pass them on.
Wondrous Dharma was not completely understood, so we must sincerely seek it.
With faith and diligence, we turn toward the Great Vehicle.
With sincerity and vows, we comprehend the great path.”

[The Buddha] hopes that we can all realize the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma that. He guarded and retained out of compassion. Therefore, we must very mindfully listen to and uphold the Dharma at the same time. We listen, then practice; practice, then uphold. Thus, we must put our hearts into passing on the Dharma.

In the Buddha’s time, even those followers who were constantly by His side were still unable to comprehend His original intent. “Wondrous Dharma was not completely understood.” The truly subtle and wondrous Dharma was guarded and retained in the Buddha’s mind because people could not yet understand it. Thus, “wondrous Dharma was not completely understood” because of people’s [limited] capabilities.

Therefore we, as the assembly, must be focused and sincere. With genuine focus, we are not distracted. With genuine sincerity, we seek the Dharma. We must earnestly listen to the teachings He has guarded and retained. “Wondrous Dharma was not completely understood.” Because we still do not understand some of it, we must become even more focused, sincere and mindful.

“With faith and diligence, we turn toward the Great Vehicle.” The wondrous One Vehicle Dharma the Buddha was about to expound was the Great Vehicle. In the past, the Buddha taught according to capabilities to pave a road for us to easily reach the true path He is opening up right now. In the past, He gave us a temporary path. Although it was temporary, it took us where we needed to go. But we were still missing the [next] part, which was the great path that leads to Buddhahood. So, we must have “faith and diligence.”

To “turn toward [it]” means we must concentrate on the path toward the Great Vehicle. So, only “with sincerity and vows” can we comprehend the great path. Our minds must hold on to genuinely reverent vows and the power of great faith. Only then can we truly comprehend the great path so that our minds can resonate with it.

Previously, we have discussed how, “The Buddha spoke of one meaning of liberation, so we obtained this Dharma and thought we had arrived at Nirvana. But now, we do not understand His intention.”

This text from the previous passage states that we seemed to have attained the principles of liberation the Buddha taught and to have calmed our minds. We understood the Buddha’s teachings, so we knew everything is subject to the law of karma, and thus we were able to quiet our minds. We mistakenly believed that we had already attained liberation. But now, the Buddha reminded us again that the Dharma is very profound and wondrous. He declared that all of the. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas still cannot understand what these teachings are about.

These are ideas the fourfold assembly was unable to realize. So next, “at that time” refers to that moment. From Ajnata Kaundinya to the retinue of 1250, as well as those seeking to be. Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas, none of those in attendance could understand. They thought they had understood the Dharma. They did not realize that they still lacked true understanding of the Buddha’s intentions. When their minds gave rise to these thoughts, that moment was referred to as “at that time.”

At that time, Sariputra, knowing the fourfold assembly’s doubts, and his own lack of understanding, addressed the Buddha, “World-Honored One, for what reason do You earnestly praise the supremely skillful means of all Buddhas?”

“Sariputra, [knew] the fourfold assembly’s doubts.” He knew they had doubts because he did not understand either.

So, “Sariputra, knowing the fourfold assembly’s doubts, and his own lack of understanding” means he had also not attained this knowledge. First, we must realize that Sariputra was one of the Buddha’s ten great disciples. As we can see, the Buddha’s retinue alone numbered 1250 people. But those He constantly praised and affirmed numbered only ten. Clearly, spiritual practice truly brings us closer to the Buddha-mind and helps us understand the Buddha-Dharma and put it into practice. Achieving this [state of mind] is not very easy.

The ten great disciples each had their strengths. Maudgalyayana was foremost in spiritual powers, Sariputra was foremost in wisdom. All the disciples who were considered wise were represented by Sariputra because he was the wisest. So, he was known for his wisdom. Though he was very wise, it also took him a very long time to form great aspirations. If even Sariputra felt this way, what about the others?

I often talk about having an “open heart and pure thoughts.” We must uphold and practice the teachings. Only then do we have a way to completely understand all Dharma. So, the Buddha said, “One must give rise to great Power of Faith.” We must have faith to develop the strength that we need so we are not afraid of hard work and can carry on. This is why we “give rise to great Power of Faith.”

Everyone, as Tzu Chi volunteers, aren’t we all filled with faith? As we face each challenge, we are determined to overcome them. Thus, we achieve our mission. We overcome all difficulties to achieve our mission. Don’t we often hear people say that? This courage comes from the Power of Faith. Upon forming great aspirations, we must have courage and faith in the Dharma. At the same time, we must be strong. We must have the strength of courage, otherwise we will lose our spiritual aspirations.

Sariputra knew the fourfold assembly had doubts. What is the “fourfold assembly”? When the Buddha expounded the Dharma, everyone would gather to listen, so there were three different fourfold assemblies.

First were those who initiated teachings. In the Lotus Sutra, some in attendance, such as Sariputra, wanted to understand the Buddha’s original intention and. His knowledge and views, the subtle and wondrous Dharma He protected. So, on behalf of the fourfold assembly, he requested teachings three times over. Sariputra had to ask three times before the Buddha gave these teachings. So, Sariputra was among the initiators of the Buddha’s Lotus teachings.

Every sutra and teaching we have been given that address our issues came about because someone raised a question. People who request teachings are called initiators.

Our discussions, up until now, have been recounting the Buddha’s intent and describing those with limited capabilities and wisdom. We have not yet begun to discuss the Lotus Sutra. We begin now with the initiators, like Sariputra. He knew the fourfold assembly had doubts, so he stood up and asked the Buddha to give what became the opening teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Thus, Sariputra is called an “initiator.”

The second group is “adopters,” This part of the retinue was always by His side, so they had heard all His teachings. They practiced according to His teachings but each attained individual realizations, and each engaged in solitary spiritual practice. They already understood the Buddha’s teachings but stopped [practicing after attaining] the state of tranquility and stillness. They felt that their minds were free of afflictions and hindrances, so they stopped there. Though they eliminated fragmentary samsara, they had not overcome the final stage, which is transformational samsara. So, these 1250 people were “adopters.”

Some who had planted virtuous roots in past lives had started practicing but were not among the 1250. There were also other people who had been working on internal cultivation and external practices for a very long time. They had already accumulated many virtues and could return to their original nature, the “human nature that is inherently good,” but they had not yet thoroughly understood. For people like this, when “causes and conditions converge and the time is ripe,” they “hear [teachings] and immediately [awaken].” They were also called “adopters.” At that time, people who wanted to listen to the. Buddha teach the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma were called “adopters.”

The third group were “influencers.” They were Bodhisattvas who came from other places to help the Buddha disseminate the Dharma. Many of the 80,000 Bodhisattvas came from other places or had already attained Buddhahood and came to assist the Buddha at the Dharma-assembly. The often mentioned Maitreya, Manjusri, Guanyin, Samantabhadra and so on, all came to help at the Dharma-assembly. So, Bodhisattvas who came from other places were called “influencers.” Many people came not because they could not grasp the principles, but to influence others and verify the Buddha’s teachings as the True Dharma. They are called “influencers.”

The fourth group were “associators.” They were ordinary people with limited capabilities, lacking in virtues and blessings. These people would listen but not understand anything at all, nor could they form aspirations. But they would [associate themselves] [by saying,]. “When the Buddha lectures, I listen.” These people did not sincerely want to practice, nor did they sincerely want to seek the Dharma.

This fourfold assembly was comprised of initiators, adopters, influencers and associators. This was the first type [of fourfold assembly].

The second is the fourfold assembly of monastics. There are bhiksus and bhiksunis, as well as novice monks and nuns.

There is also the fourfold assembly of monastics and laypeople. Monastics are bhiksus and bhiksunis; laypeople are upasakas and upasikas. They also made up a fourfold assembly. So, this is the third kind.

These three types of fourfold assemblies were all gathered at the Vulture Peak Dharma-assembly. As for the influencers, they came to this assembly to influence everyone. Among them were Bodhisattvas, such as Manjusri, whose hearts were already free of doubts. Since they came to influence the assembly, and to verify the Buddha’s teachings, of course they must have had no doubts. The fourfold assembly I am speaking of now is the one comprised of laypeople and monastics. They were the ones who “doubted skillful means.”

The fourfold assembly had doubts: They doubted skillful means. “The Dharma attained by the Buddha is very profound and difficult to understand. So, why is the World-Honored One now saying this?”

“The Dharma attained by the Buddha is very profound and difficult to understand.” In the past, when the Buddha gave teachings, they felt it was very profound. Now, after much difficulty, they had finally understood it, so why was the Buddha, Sakyamuni, the World-Honored One, presently talking in this way? “Now [He was] saying this.” In the past, He already gave teachings that were difficult to understand, and after putting in a lot of effort, they had finally understood. But now the World-Honored One was telling them,

“The wisdom of all Buddhas is vast and profound. They have achieved rare and difficult-to-understand Dharma.”

They thought they had already understood the profound teachings. Now, the Buddha said, “The wisdom of all Buddhas is vast and profound. The Dharma they have realized is rare and difficult-to-understand.” So, was the Buddha now saying that they cannot really understand it? This is what they were wondering.

What He meant by “extremely profound” now was [different from] what He meant by profound in the past. This new teaching was truly extremely profound, and His intent was really difficult to understand. This meant now they “doubted the past teachings.” [They wondered if] the skillful means taught by the Buddha were True Dharma. Now that the Buddha was teaching something even more profound, could they accept these teachings? This was what they doubted.

So, is the “Dharma” really that profound? No, it is just that our minds have not yet truly connected with it. So, we must learn the Buddha’s compassion. He protected [these teachings,] so we must cherish and guard them. These teachings we are about to hear must be cherished, and we must also form aspirations to “practice and pass on [the teachings].” So, we must “practice and pass them on.”

“Wondrous Dharma is not completely understood,” so we must again give rise to diligence, which is strengthened by our Power of Faith. We must turn to the Great Vehicle to inspire great aspirations. We must not turn back to the Small [Vehicle], but continue to sustain our great Power of Faith. So, only with sincerity and the power of our vows can we thoroughly comprehend the great path. Thus, we must always be mindful.

Episode 242 – Great Samadhi Is the State of True Suchness

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>> “The Buddha’s wisdom is vast, extremely profound and far-reaching. He realized the rare One Vehicle Dharma. Ordinary people and even Three Vehicle practitioners cannot yet grasp it. From the past until now, He gave provisional or true teachings according to capabilities.”

>>”The Buddha spoke of one meaning of liberation, so we obtained this Dharma and thought we had arrived at Nirvana. But now, we do not understand His intention.”

>> In complete liberation, the Buddha’s knowledge and views are bright and clear, and He can discern all without obstruction. This is the meaning of liberation. It is escaping entanglements, attaining freedom, and it is also another name for Nirvana.

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“The Buddha’s wisdom is vast, extremely profound and far-reaching.
He realized the rare One Vehicle Dharma.
Ordinary people and even Three Vehicle practitioners cannot yet grasp it.
From the past until now, He gave provisional or true teachings according to capabilities.”

We must all understand that the Buddha’s wisdom is vast, extremely profound and far-reaching. He realized the rare and wondrous One Vehicle Dharma. For many days, we have been hearing that even. Three Vehicle practitioners, Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, were not able to comprehend the Buddha’s extremely profound and wondrous original intent.

[Even though] they were by the Buddha’s side, they still could not understand Him, let alone us, who live over 2000 years later. So, we still have quite a way to go to comprehend the Buddha-mind. Yet, I keep reminding everyone that the Buddha had decided to tell us that “the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” If we really think about it, regardless of how far apart we are from Him in time or distance, our minds have actually always remained close to His mind because we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature.

It is just that we were later influenced by society and people to continuously give rise to desires, which took us farther and farther away. Thus, a single deviant thought will take us thousands of miles off course. This is why we must promptly return to our original nature. If we can all return to our intrinsic nature, then [our minds] will be vast and clear. If we are still ignorant and driven by karmic forces, then our minds will go far astray. An unenlightened mind that has strayed far from its intrinsic nature is very distant from the Buddha-mind.

So, after the Buddha realized the rare One Vehicle Dharma, the one thing He wanted to do was to help us understand and respect ourselves and our intrinsic nature. Our intrinsic nature is very clear and bright. The Buddha only had this one goal, which was to help all of us [learn] this. “Do you know [of it]? Yes, I know. What is that state like? I am just beginning to figure that out. How long will it take? I don’t know.” What state do we need to reach so that we can be equal to the Buddha? We are still confused; we do not know. So, the Buddha had to guide us from our past confusion and show us the One Vehicle Dharma.

In the past, various limited paths were established by the Buddha in accordance with each of our capabilities. Since He has now established this great path, and we all know we intrinsically have Buddha-nature, we should put it into practice by walking on the broad path of One Vehicle Dharma. This is how He taught the wisdom He realized according to sentient beings’ capabilities.

“Ordinary beings and even Three Vehicle practitioners cannot yet grasp it.” Of course, ordinary beings cannot understand it, since even Three Vehicle practitioners cannot. This broad path was established by the Buddha at the moment when. He freely carried out His original intent and expressed what He truly wanted to say. This helped people get close to the Buddha-mind and opened up the true principles of the universe. The Buddha had already finished paving this path that extends from His mind. He hopes we can all follow this clear and smooth path from [the stage of] ordinary beings to Buddhahood. This is the Great Vehicle, the One Vehicle. So, we should set aside the Three Vehicles and return to the One Vehicle.

Although Hearers, Solitary Realizers and newly-inspired Bodhisattvas all have different attachments and doubts, at this time they must let go of their attachments and open their doubtful minds. In order to believe, they must “give rise to great Power of Faith.” This is what the Buddha said to them when. He first began to give this teaching to help eliminate their questions and doubts.

From the past until this moment, for over 40 years, the Buddha had continuously given “provisional or true teachings according to capabilities.” To people with limited capabilities and wisdom, He gave limited teachings with skillful means. For those with greater capabilities, He could use profound and true Dharma to teach them.

The Buddha had taught according to capabilities, but now He suddenly changed to another method to continuously guide people from the narrow path to this broad great path. So, at this moment, He had to expound the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. The following sutra passage states,

“The Buddha spoke of one meaning of liberation, so we obtained this Dharma and thought we had arrived at Nirvana. But now, we do not understand His intention.”

In the past, they listened to the Buddha explain the Four Noble Truths. They had also learned about the Twelve Links of. Cyclic Existence. They thought they understood and comprehended all these teachings. They believed this Dharma had trained their minds, that they had already reached a tranquil and still state with no arising and ceasing of thoughts. They all believed this. Therefore, what is the meaning of liberation?

In complete liberation, the Buddha’s knowledge and views are bright and clear, and He can discern all without obstruction. This is the meaning of liberation. It is escaping entanglements, attaining freedom, and it is also another name for Nirvana.

Liberation means that, “in complete liberation, the Buddha’s knowledge and views are bright and clear.” They all thought they knew and had seen the Buddha’s teachings. By realizing His teachings, they had [developed] His views. His knowledge and views were bright and clear as they fully comprehended and realized them.

“[They] can discern all without obstruction.” They knew how to teach the Buddha’s principles because He encouraged everyone to share them with others after listening [to His teachings]. Therefore, many of them went out and shared them with all Buddhist practitioners. So, they could “discern all without obstruction.” After understanding these teachings, they could then share them with others. They believed that by doing this, they had already attained liberation. Thinking they were already liberated, they remained attached to the Small [Vehicle].

Clearly, they only understood and realized the Four Noble Truths and. Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. They thought they saw things clearly and understood that the law of karma leads to frightening results. Therefore, they engaged in spiritual practice with firm resolve and believed that they had attained liberation, but actually they had not. If we understand the law of karma, our minds can be pure and strong. Then we must head toward this great path and begin our journey to the state of Buddhahood. We have not yet really attained thorough understanding, so now the Buddha began to speak of the One Vehicle Dharma.

So, the sutra states, “We obtained this Dharma and thought we had arrived at Nirvana. But now, we no longer know where His meaning is headed.” They thought they had attained liberation. Nirvana is tranquil extinction, perfect rest and Samadhi of tranquility. These are all names for Nirvana.

Nirvana does not mean to pass away. We ordinary beings have no control over our death. Once we relinquish this life, “we bring nothing with us, except karma.” Our karma will lead us to our future environment. This is because we ordinary beings have not reached perfect rest, or the Samadhi of tranquility. If we attain perfect rest or tranquil extinction, our minds will no longer go through transformational samsara. As I have explained before, ordinary beings go through fragmentary samsara. And although Three Vehicle practitioners have [eliminated] fragmentary samsara, they still go through transformational samsara because there are still traces of ignorance that have not been completely eliminated.

What does “transformation” mean? We all know our minds go through the four states of arising, abiding, changing and ceasing. This is because our minds are constantly changing. When a good thought arises, we do good deeds. We abide in a state of good deeds and thoughts, but when challenges arise, our mindsets change. Perhaps our good deeds will cease, and our minds will give rise to bad thoughts. I always tell all of you, “Our value in life can easily become obscured.” This is all because we cannot control our unenlightened minds.

We have not eliminated our unenlightened minds. Before eliminating this unenlightened mindset, we continue to transmigrate based on our karma. We are led by causes and conditions we created to face retributions of suffering in the future. This is the samsara of ordinary beings, which is fragmentary samsara. It is beyond our control. When this lifetime, this fragment, is over, we begin our next fragment. Perhaps this next life will be filled with a lot of suffering. No matter what, we always die in the end. Therefore, our samsara is fragmentary. This is all beyond our control because we have not reached tranquil extinction, or perfect rest.

Here, perfect means harmonious. I often say we must learn to be good people. When we are harmonious in our relationships, we will do things harmoniously. When our character and actions are harmonious, we are in harmony with the principles. Unfortunately, we do not [always] know how to be good people. When we are not harmonious in our interactions, we have a lot of afflictions.

We engage in spiritual practice to cultivate a calm mind; this is called “tranquil.” I often talk about “tranquil and clear.” The state of our minds must constantly remain “tranquil and clear,” so our vows can be “as vast as the universe.” The Dharma that we practice strengthens our resolve, so we will not be tempted by worldly desires. We will no longer be affected by chaos in society and thus give rise to afflictions. Therefore, our minds must be tranquil so that we can eliminate these external temptations. Then, we will attain [a state of] “tranquil extinction.”

Then, we can be in harmony with others and will act according to our vows. Since we have made our vows, we must firmly abide by them to live harmoniously. When we are in harmony with people and matters, we will be in harmony with the principles. This state of perfect calm is called “perfect rest.”

How do we want to come to this world? How do we want to leave? After we leave, how do we come again? All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas return to this world on the ship of compassion. They know when their work is done, when to leave and when to come again. As the Buddha made His final preparations, He revealed the One Vehicle Path to everyone because His life was ending and. He was about to enter Parinirvana. The Fundamental Teacher of our Saha World is still Sakyamuni Buddha because He still continuously returns out of compassion.

Previously, we spent some time analyzing [the conversation between]. Maitreya Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva. Because the Buddha wanted to give this teaching, these two Bodhisattvas began to explain. Maitreya, who will be the next Buddha, asked Manjusri, who was once a Buddha and a guiding teacher of all Buddhas, to explain the past.

So, there was a future Buddha and a past Buddha who were paving the way for this Dharma-assembly. This was like a prelude to the Buddha giving teachings at this Dharma-assembly. See, this was how Bodhisattvas returned on the ship of compassion to help Sakyamuni Buddha at this Dharma-assembly. They returned out of their compassion, not because of their karmic retributions.

So, Sakyamuni Buddha also continues to return to this world. That is why we constantly say, “When we look at others with a Buddha-mind, everyone is a Buddha.” Perhaps, the Buddha is among us because. He has returned on the ship of compassion. So, we must always be respectful [to others]. The Samadhi of tranquility is a state of.

True Suchness that transcends time and space. Indeed, the Samadhi of tranquility is very vast. It is a state of great enlightenment. This is why I constantly say that the Buddha is the Great Enlightened One of the universe. He transcends time and space. The state of mind of the Tathagata transcends time and space. This is the state we seek.

Everyone, to really seek the Dharma, we must always use a mind that is very pure and reverent and in the Samadhi of tranquility to accept everything the Buddha taught. Only then can we truly realize the state of. True Suchness that transcends time and space. This is the True Suchness of our intrinsic nature. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 241 – Waiting for the Causes and Conditions to Teach

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>>”The Buddha’s wisdom is inestimable and indescribable. The ultimate reality of our nature cannot be verbalized nor seen. Seek the Dharma with utmost sincerity; the Buddha waits for conditions to mature before He teaches.”

>>”Why now does the World-Honored One earnestly praise skillful means? For 40 years the teachings He gave were all provisional, skillful means. Is what we have realized also skillful means?” This is the doubt about skillful means.

>>”The Dharma attained by the Buddha is extremely profound and difficult to understand. As to what He has said, His intent is difficult to know.”

>>”When the Buddha spoke of liberation, I understood it and have attained Nirvana.” They mistook the Nirvana of the Two Vehicles for the ultimate liberation of the Buddha. Therefore, they did not know the meaning behind the Tathagata’s earnest praise.

>>”As to what He has said, His intent is difficult to know. None of the Hearers or Pratyekabuddhas could grasp it.”

>> As to what He has said, in order to teach according to sentient beings’ capabilities and accommodate practitioners of all three capabilities, the Buddha established skillful means.

>> Also, the Dharma expounded by the Tathagata in the past, present and future, the worldly and world-transcending Dharma, was all given for the sake of transforming sentient beings. Thus, the Buddha had to give many teachings, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, boundless and endless.

---

“The Buddha’s wisdom is inestimable and indescribable.
The ultimate reality of our nature cannot be verbalized nor seen.
Seek the Dharma with utmost sincerity;
the Buddha waits for conditions to mature before He teaches.”

We recognize that the Buddha’s wisdom is inestimable. We ordinary people are certainly far behind Him. Right now we are listening to the vast differences between the principles in the Lotus Sutra and the skillful means He taught in the past. Just how different are they? [The difference] is truly “indescribable.” We cannot use language to describe the vast differences between them.

So, rather than making vague estimates, we should just return to our intrinsic nature, the ultimate reality of our nature. Within our minds, we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, an intrinsic nature of True Suchness that is “no greater in Buddhas, no less in sentient beings.” Both ordinary beings and Buddhas have the same ultimate reality in their nature.

Although it is indeed as we say, it “cannot be verbalized nor seen.” We cannot describe it in words or show it tangibly. Do we still remember? The previous passage stated, “The Dharma cannot be demonstrated.” The Dharma expounded by the Buddha cannot be produced as a material object. This Dharma is inherent in everyone’s mind; it cannot be seen, so we have to mindfully experience it.

Look at how so many environmentalists from around the world come to Taiwan nowadays to [learn our methods]. They come to our recycling stations to observe with their own eyes how we reuse and recycle things. [They see] bottles and cans, papers and plastics, and so on, piled high as a mountain. They see many people working very joyously, and they listen to old folks in their 80s and 90s also listen to old folks in their 80s and 90s explain [what happens with] each object there.

Whether these visitors have PhDs, are professors or well-known experts, when they come here, they listen to and [learn from] the practical experiences of these elderly Bodhisattvas. These people from around the world find what they hear makes sense and become very touched. They also say they will take these methods back to their countries. This is the Dharma. It is all around us in this world. Therefore, all things in the world are our teachers.

Doctors treat patients as their teachers. We spiritual practitioners see all things in the world as our teachers. So, all things can inspire our minds and natures. Therefore, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must always be mindful. So, “the ultimate reality of our nature cannot be verbalized nor seen.” We cannot just talk the talk, with nothing to show for it; we must take action. All things in the world have an appearance, and all appearances contain the Dharma. In the end, what can we point to as the appearance of Dharma? Therefore, the Dharma is hard to describe. It can only be expressed by the actions that it has led us to take. So, we must be very mindful to comprehend it.

We all must have spiritual aspirations and seek the Dharma with utmost sincerity. We must use a heart of utmost sincerity to listen to the Dharma and put it into practice. If our practice is superficial, it will be very difficult for the Dharma to penetrate our hearts. It is not simply “not easy,” but it is indeed very difficult. So, if we seek the Dharma with utmost sincerity, no matter how far apart in time we are from the Buddha, He is still waiting for our capabilities and conditions to mature to teach us.

The Buddha’s Dharma, His wisdom-life, is still spreading in this world. As long as people in the world still have the sincere resolve to seek the Dharma, when the conditions are mature, He will manifest to give teachings.

The Buddha continuously waits for conditions to manifest and teach. He wants to help us understand that however profound the Dharma is, it is in fact very simple. However, practitioners of the Three Vehicles and fourfold assembly still cannot comprehend it. So, His teachings are extremely profound and difficult to understand. Actually, they are not difficult to understand, it is just that there is still some distance between the Buddha and us. Therefore, as I said earlier, rather than always looking outward, we need to look inward to find our nature of True Suchness. But the sutra states, “Why now does the World-Honored One repeatedly praise skillful means?”

“Why now does the World-Honored One earnestly praise skillful means? For 40 years the teachings He gave were all provisional, skillful means. Is what we have realized also skillful means?” This is the doubt about skillful means.

The fourfold assembly wondered why all of the Buddha’s teachings over the past 40-plus years were skillful means. Did this mean that they had only realized skillful means? They wondered if they had walked the path of skillful means in vain. Had the spiritual practice they engaged in [led to nothing]? Had it? No, there was truth in it. The principles are the same.

If we can all understand these principles, we will recognize that the Buddha’s past teachings were still based on the principles. They were wondrous provisional [teachings]. Provisional [teachings] are skillful and suitable means that help familiarize people with the surroundings, and eventually take them to their destination.

So, when people heard the Buddha say, “My past [teachings] were skillful means. I will now go back and teach the ultimate truth,” some people were doubtful. In the past 42 years, were all of the Buddha’s teachings skillful means? If that was the case, then was everything they had realized skillful, and not the true [principles]? Skillful refers to something that is not the ultimate, to an explanation based on analogies. Actually, [skillful means] are true.

It is also the case that if we are not carefully guided, our minds will be filled with ignorance, afflictions, arrogance and pride. And if our minds are still completely filled with afflictions, how can we accept the ultimate truth, our pure intrinsic true nature? Skillful means are just like water; they can slowly cleanse the mind until it is [completely] pure. Therefore, skillful means are also Dharma, and they are particularly suited to us.

But, everyone still thought,

“The Dharma attained by the Buddha is extremely profound and difficult to understand. As to what He has said, His intent is difficult to know.”

They all believed [the Buddha] now wanted them to understand the True Dharma of. His intrinsic nature of True Suchness, which is very profound and difficult to understand; how would the Buddha explain it? “The Dharma attained by the Buddha is extremely profound and difficult to understand.” Sakyamuni Buddha Himself told everyone this. Now, He would teach the One Vehicle Dharma that He had guarded in His mind for over 40 years. The Dharma He attained is extremely profound and difficult to understand. This is what the Buddha told everyone before He gave the [Lotus teachings].

For a long time, I have constantly told all of you that Sakyamuni Buddha’s wisdom was equal to that of past Buddhas from countless kalpas. Sakyamuni Buddha and all past Buddhas thoroughly understood the ultimate reality of all things in the universe. Although we have wisdom equal to all Buddhas’, we have not yet achieved full understanding. Therefore, there are doubts in our minds about when exactly we will finally be able to be equal to Buddhas and thoroughly understand Their principles.

So, from “what [the Buddha] said, His intent is difficult to know.” This is in the passage we are discussing. The Dharma attained by the Buddha was very profound. The intent and direction of the Buddha’s mind, the meaning and course of His teachings, are still truly difficult to understand for us ordinary beings.

“When the Buddha spoke of liberation, I understood it and have attained Nirvana.” They mistook the Nirvana of the Two Vehicles for the ultimate liberation of the Buddha. Therefore, they did not know the meaning behind the Tathagata’s earnest praise.

“When the Buddha spoke of liberation, I understood it and have attained Nirvana.” They all believed that they had accepted the Buddha’s teachings on liberation. After accepting it, their minds also became very tranquil and still. Because of this belief, they mistakenly thought that the Nirvana of Two Vehicle practitioners was the ultimate teaching of the Buddha. This is because ordinary beings are arrogant and have attachments. They all thought, “I have understood and comprehended everything the Buddha taught, so my mind is already very tranquil, and thus I have already attained ultimate liberation.” They all believed this, so they remained at that stage and did not want to diligently move forward.

So, they did not know why the Tathagata earnestly praised and kept talking about how He taught skillful means in the past and was going to give true teachings in the future. This was what people did not understand. Because of their lack of understanding, [we] must recognize that,

“As to what He has said, His intent is difficult to know. None of the Hearers or Pratyekabuddhas could grasp it.”

The Dharma the Buddha had taught truly had deep and profound meanings, even the simple and superficial teachings. You can ask sentient beings, “Do you know? Yes. Can you change? Eventually.” They are all like this. Truly, changing is very difficult. Why is it so difficult? Because we do not fully understand and these clear principles have yet to penetrate our minds. If we only listen, we cannot change our deeply-rooted habitual tendencies. This is how we unenlightened beings behave.

What about spiritual practitioners? They also hinder themselves; they have the “hindrance of knowledge.” We often hear people say, “I know, I know.” Yet after they say, “I know,” they hinder themselves by thinking they already know everything.

But, when they face the Buddha, He tells them, “What you have practiced in the past was only one stage. To truly get close to the state of Buddhahood, [to learn] the ultimate reality of One Vehicle,” they must switch to the great path of the Great Vehicle. “His intent is difficult to know.” If we keep going on this great path, where will we end up? This is such a great path. In the past, we were on a very narrow path and had become familiar and comfortable with it. Then, suddenly, we are on this broad path; do we know how to walk it or where we are going? We do not know. This is why we have doubts. What kinds of people have doubts? “Hearers or Pratyekabuddhas.”

As to what He has said, in order to teach according to sentient beings’ capabilities and accommodate practitioners of all three capabilities, the Buddha established skillful means.

So, “what He has said,” is what He taught according to capacities, to accommodate practitioners of all three capabilities. The Buddha had been giving teachings for over 40 years to those of higher, average and lower capabilities; He had to perfectly teach all of them at once. Thus, the same sentence had to be accepted by those of different capabilities. This is how He accommodated practitioners of all three capabilities.

Also, the Dharma expounded by the Tathagata in the past, present and future, the worldly and world-transcending Dharma, was all given for the sake of transforming sentient beings. Thus, the Buddha had to give many teachings, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, boundless and endless.

[He] now wanted them to turn from past teachings and return to the Dharma of the One Vehicle, the Great Vehicle. Think about it. How could Hearers and. Pratyekabuddhas accept this? The Buddha’s wisdom was so broad and great. They all thought, “I will just continue to do the same thing. How could I teach with one perfect voice and accommodate all three capabilities like the Buddha did?” So, everyone doubted their own abilities.

The Buddha kept encouraging us that “[the nature of] all Buddhas, minds and sentient beings do not differ.” As long as each of us are sincere and devoted, the Buddha will wait forever for [the right] conditions. When karmic conditions mature, He will begin to expound the Dharma. However, every single teaching is True Dharma. Earlier I said that all phenomena are Dharma, and all Dharma are revealed by the True Suchness of our intrinsic nature. If we have thorough understanding, “True Suchness helps us realize ultimate reality.” If we use the wisdom of the True Suchness of our intrinsic nature to understand all things in the world, everything is Dharma.

Therefore, spiritual practitioners treat all things in the world as teachers, just as a doctor treats patients as their teachers. In summary, we must better understand that the worldly Dharma is really the Buddha’s true teachings. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 240 – Verbally Teaching Skillful Means

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>>”The Buddha taught the Dharma with His words. Perhaps He spoke of the past, present and future, or worldly and world-transcending Dharma. For the sake of transforming sentient beings, He gave these teachings.”

>>”Bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas, each had the following thought.”

>>”Why was the World-Honored One now repeatedly praising skillful means but proclaim that the Dharma attained by Buddhas is extremely profound and difficult to understand?”

>> In the past, out of His kindness, the Buddha gave provisional means according to capabilities. Now that He set aside the provisional to reveal the true, the assembly doubted that they could fathom the Buddha’s Wisdom. Therefore, this led the disciples of the. Three Vehicles and fourfold assembly to each have the following thought.

>> Why now does the World-Honored One repeatedly praise skillful means? For 40 years, He gave teachings of the provisional, skillful means. So, was what they realized also skillful means? Here, they doubted skillful means.

>> It is said the people in this world, in their present lifetime, drew near to virtuous and spiritual friends. Because they listened to their teachings of skillful means, they developed Bodhicitta. This is the power of skillful means.

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“The Buddha taught the Dharma with His words.
Perhaps He spoke of the past, present and future,
or worldly and world-transcending Dharma.
For the sake of transforming sentient beings, He gave these teachings.”

This shares with everyone about how the Buddha gave teachings verbally. After He attained enlightenment, He wanted to share. His state of mind from that moment.

Sometimes when He taught, “He spoke of the past.” The sutras contain many stories of people asking the Buddha, “What is the reason for my present suffering?” The Buddha would then describe their past lives, their karmic conditions from countless kalpas ago. In Buddhist sutras such as the Agama Sutra and the Jataka Sutra, many stories from the past were used to teach about the present. So, “He spoke of the past, present and future,” thus verbally guiding everyone using teachings of the past to seize the present and [learn] about the future.

[Sometimes] “He spoke of worldly and world-transcending Dharma.” The Dharma that the Buddha taught is inseparable from worldly teachings. The Buddha-Dharma was created for the world, so the Buddha taught exhaustively about the world. Whether about astronomy, geography, psychology, morality and so on, these were all worldly teachings the Buddha gave. He taught all kinds of worldly Dharma solely to guide sentient beings to transcend the world. Therefore, He also had to teach world-transcending Dharma. These were the teachings He gave in His lifetime and the great cause for which He came to this world.

So, when we listen to the teachings, we are not just listening to stories, we are listening for how we should engage with the world. What is our goal when we enter the world? To work on its behalf. We all share responsibility for the world, so we should [learn] how to go into it and take on this responsibility, our responsibility to share the teachings.

Some people might think, “What does teaching have to do with me? I am not a teacher; why is it any of my business?” Actually, people teaching each other is how the Dharma is continuously passed on, lifetime after lifetime. So, passing on the Dharma is called teaching. We can teach by example, by putting [the Dharma] into practice. We can teach through actions and speech and by being a role model for others. This is how we pass on the Dharma. This is how we teach others so that those we encounter can develop their wisdom.

We must always keep the Dharma in our hearts. If the Dharma is in our hearts, then we can cleanse our minds of defilements. Once those defilements are washed away, we will clearly understand worldly matters because the mirror of our mind is clean. Once this mirror is clean, we can clearly see everything in the world and clearly discern right from wrong. Then our verbal teachings and physical examples will be clear and apparent. So, the Buddha “spoke of worldly and world-transcending Dharma.”

The Buddha first gave worldly teachings, which were skillful means given according to people’s capabilities, needs, ignorance and suffering. In every person’s mind, there are delusions, the inability to let go and afflictions. To address their afflictions, the Buddha had to teach according to capabilities in order to help people first eliminate them. He then went on to

teach them the Four Noble Truths and. Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence so that everyone could understand that they could not grasp at conditions like this. Conditions, both positive and negative, continuously multiply. People cannot help but constantly reproduce and accumulate ignorance. Therefore, they cannot transcend this world. How do they escape? By practicing the Dharma. [So, they need] world-transcending Dharma,

which we have been discussing. Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas are the practitioners of the Three Vehicles, who diligently cultivate world-transcending Dharma. So, “the Three Vehicle teachings can all be transformative.” From Hearers to Solitary Realizers to those who aspire to walk the Bodhisattva-path, all are guided by Him. Establishing teachings for sentient beings was the Buddha’s goal in coming to the world.

There is so much suffering in the world. I [recently heard] a touching story. A woman lived in Neihu district. When she was young, her family was poor, and her parents often argued over the family’s livelihood. When she was young, her parents separated, and all the children were sent to an orphanage. As an orphan, she was always very resentful.

After several years, their mother came to retrieve them, and finally they were a family again. But her mother did not fulfill the responsibilities of educating her children. She constantly left the young children [at home] and went out on her own. When she was thirteen, she started doing odd jobs like running errands. This was a difficult period in her life.

So, she wanted to quickly find someone she could depend on and get married. However, the man she married was very attractive and popular with women. She constantly fought with her husband, and he beat her as a result. So, she felt very helpless; her mind was in great pain and torment.

Once, she accidentally got pregnant, and she gave birth prematurely to a daughter. The doctor declared that the child had an abnormal growth in her stomach, like a malignant tumor. This new mother felt great pain in her heart. She felt that this was a punishment, and this suffering was a result of her karma being passed on to her daughter, causing her child to suffer in her place. Therefore, she felt terrible and made a vow to do good deeds to make up for her daughter’s suffering.

After becoming involved with Tzu Chi, she was very devoted. She believed in the Jing Si Aphorism, “As long as we have the will, nothing is difficult.” She wondered about the mistakes she had made and thought of how she resented her mother. For a long time, she had refused to speak to her mother. So, she continuously repented and diligently volunteered. Whenever there was a Tzu Chi activity, she would participate and help out.

Incredibly, one day her mother suddenly appeared before her, asking for her forgiveness. Her mother told her, “In the past, I did not take care of you, and I really caused you a lot of suffering.” At that instant, they embraced each other in tears. She also told her mother, “I was also at fault. You probably suffered a lot. I could not comprehend your suffering, so I just kept complaining. I was wrong to do that.” So, they truly empathized with each other.

Over time, [their relationship changed]. Though her life had not changed very much, in her mind, she had thoroughly understood the principle that the world is filled with suffering so she must work hard on her spiritual practice. Therefore, the Dharma penetrated her mind.

This is how worldly Dharma works. There is much suffering in the world, and only by understanding the world’s suffering can we strive to “practice teachings.” To engage in spiritual practice, we must value the teachings and put them into practice. We must use the Dharma as water and continuously cleanse our minds with it. This is why, when we learn the Dharma, whether it is worldly or world-transcending, we must always be more mindful.

The sutra states, “Bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas, each had the following thought.”

Starting with Ajnata Kaundinya, everyone at the assembly had these doubts. “Didn’t the Buddha’s past teachings guide us toward the Buddha’s path, the path to enlightenment? Did we take the wrong path? Why is the Buddha now teaching us again?”

Next the sutra states,

“Why was the World-Honored One now repeatedly praising skillful means but proclaim that the Dharma attained by Buddhas is extremely profound and difficult to understand?”

Why did the Buddha offer this praise? He repeatedly praised skillful means of the past for being suitable for people’s capabilities and guiding sentient beings. So, why was He now saying, “the Dharma attained by Buddhas is extremely profound and difficult to understand”? Why was the Buddha saying this now? So, everyone had doubts.

In the past, out of His kindness, the Buddha gave provisional means according to capabilities. Now that He set aside the provisional to reveal the true, the assembly doubted that they could fathom the Buddha’s Wisdom. Therefore, this led the disciples of the. Three Vehicles and fourfold assembly to each have the following thought.

In the past, the compassionate Buddha gave teachings according to capabilities and used skillful means that suited each person. He gave provisional teachings, which are skillful means. This was how He wisely taught us. And now, “He set aside the provisional to reveal the true.” He was about to set aside provisional teachings, to tell people not to be attached to skillful means. Now He was setting aside the provisional to reveal the True Dharma. So, this is “setting aside the provisional to reveal the true.” He wanted to expound the True Dharma to the assembly.

But people there had doubts in their minds. “This road that we have been taking, is it the wrong one?” Actually, the Buddha was not saying that the road they took was wrong. He had been carefully guiding them and hoped that they would not be attached to the road that had led them here. [Now,]. He was forging a wide path for everyone to walk, and this is the real road that would lead them to Buddhahood.

Why now does the World-Honored One repeatedly praise skillful means? For 40 years, He gave teachings of the provisional, skillful means. So, was what they realized also skillful means? Here, they doubted skillful means.

They still did not understand the Buddha’s intent, so they had doubts and questions in their minds. So here, they doubted skillful means. The Buddha’s mind contained True Dharma. Sentient beings’ minds contained doubts. How could the two be reconciled? He wanted to help everyone understand that He was about to give great teachings.

He did this to assure everyone that the teachings He gave in the past were not wrong. They had been suited to their capabilities, so He taught and guided them with these means. These were the teachings He gave in the past. So now, they all had to believe and verify that the teachings they had already accepted helped them resolve many of their afflictions. But, they had to keep moving forward. After we eliminate our afflictions, that does not mean we have been liberated. Not yet. There is still a long road ahead. We must truly penetrate the Buddha’s teachings. Therefore, what we realized were skillful means. Though we have eliminated afflictions, we must still diligently move forward.

It is said the people in this world, in their present lifetime, drew near to virtuous and spiritual friends. Because they listened to their teachings of skillful means, they developed Bodhicitta. This is the power of skillful means.

In this world, in this present era, we draw near virtuous and spiritual friends and listen to their teachings of skillful means, which can also lead us to develop Bodhicitta. After we listened to [the earlier story], we may realize, as long as she had the will, “nothing was difficult.” The woman we just heard about read this simple phrase in “Jing Si Aphorisms.” Then, she repented and became determined to made diligent progress. “As long as we have the will, nothing is difficult,” This also inspired her to develop Bodhicitta.

So, the Buddha’s teachings are not too difficult. As long as our minds resonate with the principles, and we put our hearts into moving forward, encountering the Buddha-Dharma is not difficult. The Buddha teaches verbally, and we take it in with our ears. Out of His compassion and through His voice, the Buddha expounds the Dharma. When we listen carefully with a mind that seeks the Path [to awakening] and take the teachings into our minds, naturally we will realize the Buddha’s knowledge and views and. His state of mind. So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must always be mindful.

Episode 239 – Eliminate Doubts to Seek the Dharma

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>>”Doubts may be deep or superficial.
Capabilities may be sharp or dull. The disciples in the fourfold assembly did
not understand the Buddha’s wisdom. They uphold Small Vehicle teachings and
think that is enough. They do not seek Great Vehicles teachings but [instead]
doubt the One True Dharma.”

>>”Ajnata Kaundinya and others, 1200 in all, as well as those who
aspired to become. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas
and upasikas, each had the following thought,”

>> Upasaka is a Sanskrit word that means lay devotees. Though they are
lay practitioners, they uphold the Five Precepts and abide in their pure faith.
It is also said that male and female lay followers can follow precepts and draw
near to and uphold the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, they are called upasakas and
upasikas.

>> Each had the following thought: Over 40 years, they followed the
Buddha and listened to the Three Vehicle teachings. They were taught according
to their capabilities. But now as they listened to the Buddha’s. One Vehicle,
extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma, they found it difficult to know
and understand because of their strong attachments and deep doubts.

>> At the assembly, these Hearers, Arhats, had strong attachments and
deep doubts. The fourfold assembly all gave rise to doubts and sought [answers]
from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There were roughly 80,000 of them, all with
doubts.

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“Doubts may be deep or superficial.
Capabilities may be sharp or dull.
The disciples in the fourfold assembly
did not understand the Buddha’s wisdom.
They uphold Small Vehicle teachings
and think that is enough.
They do not seek Great Vehicles teachings
but [instead] doubt the One True Dharma.”

This is meant to tell us that among the afflictions in our hearts, besides greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance, there is doubt. It hinders our diligent will to practice. Therefore, we must pay close attention to our minds. Do we have doubts about the Buddha’s teachings? Have we given rise to great Power of Faith?

Previously, I mentioned that the Buddha had especially told everyone, “One must give rise to great Power of Faith.” To understand the ultimate One Vehicle Dharma, we must give rise to great Power of Faith.

However, “doubts” can be deep or superficial. If we have severe doubts, we will stubbornly cling to unenlightened delusion. Though we have doubts, if they are superficial, after we are given a [deeper] explanation, we will naturally give rise to faith. When doubts are eliminated, faith arises. So, the Root of Faith can be deep or superficial. Thus, the Buddha gave teachings based on our capabilities.

“Capabilities may be sharp or dull.” People with great capabilities and strengths are sharp. They are very keen and are fast learners. Hearing [one teaching,] they know ten things. They are people with great, sharp capabilities. But if people have dull capabilities, they can listen to the teachings again and again [with no effect]. This is because we sentient beings, while in the Six Realms, continuously create afflictions. The more afflictions we create, the deeper and thicker they accumulate, and the duller our capabilities become.

Consider a piece of cloth. If it picks up just a little bit of dirt, we can beat it lightly and it will be clean. But if it gets dirtier, then it needs to be washed. And if it gets even dirtier, it takes great effort to wash it clean. We must look at how many afflictions we have in our minds, and look at how many habitual tendencies we have developed over our many lifetimes. Thus, the sharpness of our capabilities depends on the amount of defilements we have amassed.

In particular, we must be vigilant of our doubts. Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt are the five major hindrances to our wisdom-life. So, they are called poisons, or turbidities. Therefore, we must be mindful [of them].

At the beginning of the Lotus Sutra [Assembly], “The disciples in the fourfold assembly did not understand the Buddha’s wisdom.” For over 40 years, everyone had faith in themselves, believing that they had the best understanding of the Buddha’s teachings, that they had already attained the most important Dharma. Therefore, they were very conceited, believing they had a complete grasp of the Buddha’s teachings. Whether their capabilities were sharp or dull, they believed that they clearly understood the teachings of the Buddha.

But, during the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the Buddha began to set aside the skillful means of the past and revealed the One Vehicle path. Among the disciples in the fourfold assembly, many did not understand the Buddha’s wisdom. Only now did they realize that they had not yet clearly understood the Buddha’s mindfulness, the Buddha’s wisdom, and all of the Buddha’s teachings. Therefore, “disciples in the fourfold assembly did not understand the Buddha’s wisdom.”

Even those in the Four Noble Realms could not understand, not to mention those of us still in the Six Unenlightened Realms. Compared to the disciples of the fourfold assembly at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, we are even farther from the Buddha’s wisdom and have no way to understand it. Therefore, we must be even more diligent; we cannot be conceited.

Many people say, “I listen to [the Dharma] every day. And because I have listened, this is my understanding. I know this.” If we are always conceited, we will always remain very far away from the Buddha’s wisdom. If we have faith though we are far removed from Him in time, we understand what the Buddha [meant] [when He said], “Those who believe my teachings, even though they are thousands of miles away, are in the same room as me.”

So, we must have faith in the Buddha’s wisdom. I frequently tell everyone that the Dharma the Buddha originally wanted to teach was very simple. He wanted to tell us that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. This is what He wanted us to know. But we could not realize that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, so He had to continuously and repeatedly teach us according to our capabilities. There was not much else He could do. Faced with disciples who had tremendous doubts, who could not immediately give rise to great Power of Faith, the Buddha could not [give true teachings]. So, He had to continuously teach according to capabilities.

These people who upheld Small Vehicle teachings “thought that was enough;” they believed that they had already attained everything. So, “they did not seek Great Vehicle teachings but [instead] doubted the One True Dharma.” Their minds had given rise to doubts about the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma. They had doubts because they believed they were content with the understanding they achieved. “How could there be a more profound Dharma than what I already know?” This is how we ordinary people obstruct our progress through conceit and arrogance. Therefore, we must be very vigilant.

The sutra states,

“Ajnata Kaundinya and others, 1200 in all, as well as those who aspired to become. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas, each had the following thought,”

because they all still had traces of doubts.

We already explained [the terms] “bhiksu” and “bhiksuni.” Now I will explain what upasakas and upasikas are.

The translation of upasaka is [a male] lay devotee. Their hearts are very pure. Those who have faith in the Three Treasures are called “lay devotees.” They are lay practitioners, and they may have spouses and families. They uphold the Five Precepts and abide by their pure faith. They are also Buddhist practitioners. They have accepted the Buddha’s teachings and are continuously washing away the greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt from their minds. Therefore, they are called lay devotees, spiritual practitioners who purify their minds and have faith in the Three Treasures.

Upasaka is a Sanskrit word that means lay devotees. Though they are lay practitioners, they uphold the Five Precepts and abide in their pure faith. It is also said that male and female lay followers can follow precepts and draw near to and uphold the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, they are called upasakas and upasikas.

Lay practitioners must also uphold the Five Precepts. Precepts guard against wrongs and stop evils. They prevent people from repeating past mistakes and immediately stop them from committing wrongs. So, we must learn to reflect and repent. We must absolutely prevent ourselves from doing wrong things. If we have already committed wrongs, then we must cease immediately. This can be done with precepts, which guard against wrongs and stop evils. This is how they abide by pure faith and protect themselves. They are also called laymen. Upasikas are called laywomen.

Whether they are male or female lay disciples, they must follow the Buddha’s rules. They have to uphold the Five Precepts to shoulder the responsibilities of the Dharma and constantly draw near to it. This is because the Buddha, in His teachings, gave rules to both monastic and lay practitioners so they would have discipline.

Lay practitioners must learn to be content and then practice giving. Charitable giving can lead to great joy. If they are immersed in the Buddha-Dharma, have deep faith and uphold precepts, they will be able to practice giving and become content, having very few desires. By helping others and giving often, they let go of stinginess and greed. This is what the Buddha taught upasakas. The rules that lay practitioners must uphold are also the rules all of us must know.

Lay practitioners must first, give rise to faith; second, uphold precepts; third, understand the Dharma and fourth, practice giving. This is what laymen and laywomen must do. They are also called “lay devotees.” Their hearts are very pure, and they have faith in the Three Treasures. They uphold precepts and are humble, content, generous and so on. For lay practitioners, these are necessary spiritual practices.

So, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, there were many Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, those who formed Bodhisattva-aspirations, bhiksus and bhiksunis and the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. And on this occasion, the Buddha proclaimed, “In the past, I taught skillful means. Now I will set aside the skillful for the direct and talk about the One Vehicle Dharma.” So, all those people “each had the following thought.” This was mentioned in the previous section. Besides Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, bhiksus and bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas “each had the following thought.” They all had similar thoughts in their minds.

Each had the following thought: Over 40 years, they followed the Buddha and listened to the Three Vehicle teachings. They were taught according to their capabilities. But now as they listened to the Buddha’s. One Vehicle, extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma, they found it difficult to know and understand because of their strong attachments and deep doubts.

This is what they were all thinking. For more than 40 years, they followed the Buddha, as the Buddha had been teaching the Dharma for over 40 years. During all that time, no matter who the Buddha was teaching, these followers listened and understood. The Buddha taught according to capabilities, so He developed the Three Vehicle teachings for. Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and those who formed Bodhisattva-aspirations. With the Three Vehicle teachings, the Buddha taught according to capability, so regardless of people’s capabilities, they could faithfully accept them.

But now, “they listened to the Buddha’s One Vehicle, extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma.” Now, all of a sudden, they heard the Buddha say that there were also the One Vehicle principles, extremely profound, subtle and wondrous. So, at this time, they found it difficult to know and understand. Why is that? Because of “their strong attachments and deep doubts.” They each had their own attachments and believed that the Dharma they had heard was the True Dharma. They believed they had already understood the Buddha’s teachings. They were conceited, so they were very stubborn, with “strong attachments and deep doubts,” All the attendees of the Lotus Dharma-assembly shared this doubt in their minds.

At the assembly, these Hearers, Arhats, had strong attachments and deep doubts. The fourfold assembly all gave rise to doubts and sought [answers] from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There were roughly 80,000 of them, all with doubts.

At the assembly, the Hearers, who were Arhats, as well as Pratyekabuddhas and others, all had “strong attachments and heavy doubts.” It could be said that the fourfold assembly all gave rise to doubts. All attendees gave rise to doubts, Clearly, in the past, when the Buddha taught sentient beings according to their capabilities, they all remained in their comfort zone. They did not open their minds and did not truly establish their faith.

So, as I previously said, “Doubts may be deep or superficial, capabilities may be sharp or dull.” Regarding this “doubt,” people with keen wisdom can quickly understand and resolve their doubts. However, they still have quite a ways to go before attaining the Buddha’s wisdom.

Recently, I have been telling everyone that even people with great capabilities may still fall short, so they still have doubts. Even Bodhisattvas of the tenth ground still have. Dharma-clouds in their minds and still do not have thorough understanding, not to mention “disciples of the fourfold assembly, [who] do not understand the Buddha’s wisdom.” People who practice Small Vehicle teachings are conceited and self-satisfied because they believe they thoroughly understand the Buddha’s teachings. So, they no longer want to advance further. This was what the Buddha was worried about. Thus, He set aside skillful means for the direct to pull those with Three Vehicle capabilities closer to the state of Buddhas. This is the most important principle of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 238 – Benefit Sentient Beings to Eliminate Arrogance

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>>”Leave behind loved ones to become
monastics and practice the Path. Benefit sentient beings to eliminate
arrogance. Develop control over sense organs to remain undefiled by worldly
desires. When encountering something pleasurable, remain [unmoved] and endure
like the earth.”

>> Bhiksus and bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas, each had the following
thought.

>> Bhiksus are also called Blessed Field Sangha. They benefit sentient
beings, eliminate their own arrogance and are humble and self-effacing. Thus, they
achieve refined virtues.

>> At Ananda’s sincere request, the Buddha accepted His aunt,
Path-of-Great-Love, as a monastic, This was the beginning of bhiksunis.

---

“Leave behind loved ones to become monastics and practice the Path.
Benefit sentient beings to eliminate arrogance.
Develop control over sense organs to remain undefiled by worldly desires.
When encountering something pleasurable, remain [unmoved] and endure like the earth.”

This is telling everyone that those of us who have left those we loved to become monastics and practice the Path must maintain our aspiration to “benefit sentient beings to eliminate arrogance.” We must recognize that life is filled with suffering; thus we aspire to engage in spiritual practice. To do so, the first thing we must do is leave behind those we love.

The kindness and affection within a family appear to be very enjoyable but are actually hiding entanglements. [A family] is like a flaming furnace that continuously burns and consumes our wisdom-life. It is also like a metal chain that grows and binds us more tightly and deeply. After we learn [the principles,] we will become awakened and will leave behind those we love to become monastics to practice the Path. This is not for our own sake. After we awaken, we realize we must benefit others. We accept the Buddha’s teachings, and then transmit them to others. This is how the Dharma-lineage is passed on;

once we inherit the Buddha’s teachings, we must develop our wisdom-life [so we can] pass them on to others. Those who continuously transmit the teachings are called Dharma-children. The Buddha’s words and teachings give birth to our wisdom-life.

The words the Buddha spoke aloud while He was in this world were used by Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas to realize the Path. Since the Buddha began giving teachings, they were continuously compiled and passed on. Though His voice can no longer be heard, we can still hear and spread His teachings.

So, the Buddha had Dharma-children, who were born from His words and teachings. His Dharma continuously helps us attain realizations and develop our wisdom-life. This is why monastics are called Dharma-children, children born from the Buddha-Dharma. Since monastics are transmitting wisdom-life, we must have a sense of mission and shoulder the Tathagata’s family business. So, we must “benefit sentient beings” and

create blessings for them. To teach sentient beings, it is very important to [create] the conditions for them to receive the Dharma. Thus, once they accept the Dharma, it will open up their wisdom. If they do not accept the Dharma, their wisdom will be difficult to unlock. So, they need to mindfully accept and become deeply receptive to these teachings. If they can, they will eradicate their arrogance and truly “benefit sentient beings.”

The eradication of arrogance is only possible when the Buddha-Dharma meets with the right opportunity and conditions. So, when we become monastics, we must learn to “control [our] sense organs.” It is very important to tame our Six Senses Organs. When our minds encounter phenomena, what kind of wisdom should we exercise, what kind of perspective should we have, so that our minds will not be defiled by the Six Sense Objects in the world? We must live among people without being tempted by any worldly desires.

Thus, [it tells us], “when encountering something pleasurable, remain [unmoved] and endure like the earth.” When we see other people enjoying themselves, we do not need to be envious or greedy. We do not need to envy their great wealth or fame. There is no need. [Instead,] we should feel fortunate that we are blessed to not have greed or attachments. Without greed, we do not judge, nor do we [give rise to afflictions]. Then isn’t the whole world ours?

I can recall an occasion when a group of wealthy wives were showing off the size of their diamond rings. I told [one of them], “The joy of showing off is limited. The joy from showing off is limited. If you lose the diamond, you will suffer greatly. Why not leave such suffering to others? We can just admire it when others wear it; then our minds will be free of hindrances. Wouldn’t that be great?” We do not necessarily need to strive to own things. With this mindset, we can wish them the best with their possessions and enjoy what they have [in our own way]. This is endurance. By cultivating endurance, desire will not arise in our minds,

and we will remain [unmoved] like the earth. The earth contains all things and provides everything to sentient beings. It has no greed whatsoever. So, the earth is like a mother who continuously provides with no greed or attachment. When we understand this, we will be more diligent in our practice.

Bhiksus and bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas, each had the following thought.

Being a monastic is the work of a great person. Bhiksus are also called Blessed Field Sangha. This means that in their spiritual practice, they take great care of the field in their minds, so those fields are very fertile. In particular, since they have pulled the weeds, once they sow the seeds, there will be an abundant harvest.

For us to eliminate our arrogance, we must eliminate the weeds in our minds. Then when the Dharma enters our minds, every Dharma-seed will fall into the soil; nothing will be lost. This is how we cultivate our own minds to create our own field of blessings.

Bhiksus are also called Blessed Field Sangha. They benefit sentient beings, eliminate their own arrogance and are humble and self-effacing. Thus, they achieve refined virtues.

Bhiksus work to transform sentient beings. During the time of the Buddha, seeking alms was a way to make connections. After they accepted the Buddha’s teachings, they sought alms from sentient beings to nourish their [bodies]. In return, they gave the Dharma to sentient beings. This is called “benefiting sentient beings.”

Bhiksunis are the same; they also seek the Dharma from the Buddha and beg for food from sentient beings, which is a way to eliminate pride and arrogance. We humans are very proud. Some who followed the Buddha into monastic life were members of the royal family or nobility. For everyone to be equal, they all had to go ask for food. Only when they accepted [this way of life] could the Dharma enter their minds.

Now I will discuss bhiksunis, which is the general name for all female monastics. The meaning of “bhiksu-” is the same as what we have said before, so bhiksunis just refer to female monastics. [The order of] bhiksunis began because of one called Path-of-Great-Love.

At Ananda’s sincere request, the Buddha accepted His aunt, Path-of-Great-Love, as a monastic, This was the beginning of bhiksunis.

We should know that Path-of-Great-Love is also called Mahaprajapati. Mahaprajapati was Sakyamuni Buddha’s aunt. When Sakyamuni Buddha was born, His mother, Lady Maya, was a bit old to bear a child. So, seven days after a difficult labor, she died. The king needed help to raise the prince, so Lady Maya’s younger sister offered to care for him in her stead. Her name was Mahaprajapati, which can be translated as “path of great love.” She was the Buddha’s aunt.

After the Buddha attained enlightenment, for a period of time, King Suddhodhana invited Him to expound the Dharma in the palace. While He was teaching at the palace, Path-of-Great-Love, Mahaprajapati, led the palace maids to sincerely take refuge with Him. Afterwards, they diligently listened to and practiced His teachings. What they heard, they put into practice. Thus, in the palace, there were many women who took great delight in the Dharma.

After a while, the Buddha left the Kingdom of Kapilavastu and traveled far away to spread the Dharma. During this time, Mahaprajapati constantly missed the Buddha and yearned for His teachings. So, she longed for the Buddha and the Dharma. In the whole palace, everyone, including Yasodhara, felt unhappy. When they gathered, they felt that worldly amusements and pleasures were meaningless. After the Buddha left the palace, they could no longer hear His teachings, so they felt very empty [and wondered,]. “What is the meaning of life?” Therefore, everyone was very unhappy.

One day, Mahaprajapati suggested that perhaps they should follow the Buddha into monastic life. Then they could constantly receive His teachings and develop their wisdom-life. Everyone echoed [the suggestion]. [So, Mahaprajapati] said to the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, without the Dharma, our lives seem so empty. Only the Dharma can bring us contentment; only then do we truly feel alive.” So, she asked the Buddha to allow them to join the Sangha and also listen to the teachings. But the Buddha remained silent and did not agree. [Mahaprajapati] asked three times consecutively, but the Buddha did not approve. So, Mahaprajapati appealed to Ananda [to help her].

Because Ananda was very sentimental, he reluctantly agreed to plead with and beseech the Buddha. The Buddha saw that Ananda had come to plead on behalf of Path-of-Great-Love, so He granted His permission. But there was a condition, which was that they must abide by the Eight Forms of Reverence. Mahaprajapati and the others believed that, as long as they could follow the Buddha and listen to teachings as part of the Sangha, they could agree to any condition.

Actually, the Buddha had brought this up as a challenge for Mahaprajapati, hoping it would cause her to retreat. But Mahaprajapati was single-mindedly determined to seek the Buddha’s Way. So, no matter what His conditions were, she was willing to accept them. So, the Eight Forms of Reverence were created to break down her “arrogance and pride”

[because] life in the Sangha was very different from life in the palace. In the palace, [Mahaprajapati] was the queen, the mother of the nation, respected by all. Her place was especially prominent in the palace. But if she came to engage in spiritual practice, she would lose her title and status. Coming here to engage in practice, she would lead the same life as everyone else. They all had to go out to ask for alms every day. When she encountered bhiksus, she had to bow respectfully.

[The Buddha set up these rules to] break down her “arrogance and pride.” He was afraid that these female followers, who had special status in the palace, would break the Sangha’s code of conduct. So, the Buddha presented these really strict and harsh conditions, but Mahaprajapati still willingly accepted them.

She followed the Eight Forms of Reverence and also the Ten Precepts and the complete [monastic] precepts. In their daily living, bhiksunis must abide by the most subtle of rules. Compared to bhiksus, the rules governing their lives are even stricter. They must also be deferential to all bhiksus. These were the essential rules for bhiksunis.

To learn the Buddha’s Way and become monastics, we must maintain clear and very pure minds. We must refresh ourselves daily and eliminate defilements from our minds. We should not let any person, matter or object that we encounter lead to any erroneous thoughts. When the slightest thoughts arise in our minds, they invariably harm our spiritual aspirations. So, we must truly be Blessed Field Sangha.

Entering monastic life takes great [dedication]; even great leaders would find it difficult. This is why we must be courageous and eliminate our arrogance and pride. We must learn to be humble, minimize our egos and maintain a pure mind toward everything. Thus we “refresh ourselves daily.”

So, we engage in spiritual practice to learn to eliminate the source of suffering. We must leave behind all love and affection, and even the pleasures of family life. After becoming a monastic, what is there to pursue? When affection and love, fame and wealth have all been eliminated, what is there to take issue over? If we take good care of our spiritual aspirations, we will not be far from [attaining] the One Vehicle Dharma. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 237 – Eliminate Doubts to Give Rise to Faith

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>> For all of us, “big mistakes are easy to
correct, habitual tendencies are difficult to eliminate. Attachment to the
small, bias toward emptiness lead to doubts about the One Vehicle Dharma. They
had happily received the Dharma and intended to only benefit themselves. Small
Vehicle practitioners have strong attachments and deep doubts.”

>>”At that time in the assembly, there were Hearers, Arhats, who
ended all Leaks, Ajnata Kaundinya and others, 1200 in all.” These people
numbered 1250 in all. Aside from these people, there were also many. Hearers
and Pratyekabuddhas.

>> The fourfold assembly consists of bhiksus and bhiksunis, upsakas and
upsikas. They “each had the following thought.”

>> Bhiksus: Also called almsmen. “Alms-” means they are seeking
something “-Man” makes this a refined title. They seek the Dharma to
nurture their wisdom-life. They seek food to nourish their physical life. A
pure life is what they live.

>> Almsmen are also Blessed Field Sangha. “They benefit sentient
beings, eliminate their own arrogance and are humble and self-effacing. Thus,
they achieve refined virtues.”

>> Bhiksuni has the same meaning as what is above. It is the term for
female monastics who have taken the complete monastic precepts.

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For all of us,
“big mistakes are easy to correct, habitual tendencies are difficult to eliminate.
Attachment to the small, bias toward emptiness lead to doubts about the One Vehicle Dharma.
They had happily received the Dharma and intended to only benefit themselves.
Small Vehicle practitioners have strong attachments and deep doubts.”

In other words, it is easy to correct big mistakes. Killing, theft, sexual misconduct, lies, etc., are very obvious transgressions. In the past, [those who made] these kinds of mistakes in front of others [confessed] and changed their ways. [Although] there were many like this, it is eliminating our minor habitual tendencies that is truly not so easy.

[This is because] we are born with them, and they continuously influence us, life after life. So, changing these small habitual tendencies is not that easy. But one who is willing to change is a great person. Great people have everlasting resolve. Since they have vowed to change, they will constantly be vigilant of whether their behavior is right or wrong. If it is right, they [continue to] diligently improve. If it is wrong, they immediately correct it.

Thus, big mistakes are easy to change, but habitual tendencies are hard to eliminate. When we ordinary people know we have done a great wrong, we must repent [in order to be] purified. But does this truly cleanse us? [Actually], we still have our minor habits, so it is not easy to quickly and completely wash away all of our mental defilements.

If we have grievances in our hearts, even though we do not say them out loud, we will still continue to accumulate them. This also leads to afflictions and is also a habitual tendency. We know that we should not take issue with others. And though we may not visibly do so, in our minds we are often constantly taking issue with others. This also leads to afflictions and is also a habitual tendency. So, as we learn the teachings of the Buddha, we need to be vigilant of this.

If we ask ourselves, “Have I changed?”, [we may think,]. “Yes, I have changed a lot already.” What we should really ask ourselves is, “Have I eliminated my habitual tendencies?” This is most important. So, we must be vigilant of our tendencies and avoid giving in to them.

Many of us are attached to the Small Vehicle and biased toward emptiness. Some have attained a high level in their spiritual practice but are just focused on benefiting themselves. “If we do not contend with other people, we will all be at peace. If we have no conflicts over matters, everything will be tranquil.” By applying this perspective, they feel they do not need to contend with the world. This being attached to the Small Vehicle, only looking after oneself.

So, we must broaden [our perspective]. We cannot only focus on our own spiritual practice and just refrain from hurting others. we also have to guide others to do the same thing. We must transform ourselves and others. We must purify our minds and teach others to do the same.

We should know that if only one person becomes good, the world will still be in disarray. There needs to be many good people in this world for it to be peaceful. If we only focus on ourselves, we feel detached from everything else. So, that is bias toward emptiness, which [causes us to] “doubt the One Vehicle Dharma.”

The Buddha was starting to set aside the provisional teachings, the skillful means He taught in the past, for He about to teach the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma. But those attached to the Small Vehicle and biased toward emptiness began to have doubts. “Isn’t my spiritual cultivation good enough? What else do I need to practice? Isn’t my mind tranquil and still, in a state of Nirvana? In my state of mind, I no longer have any conflicts with others. Worldly matters have nothing to do with me. Isn’t my mind already tranquil and still? Is there really a state that is higher than this state of tranquility and stillness?”

In the past, as they cultivated Small Vehicle teachings, they had become very happy. “They had happily received the Dharma.” They felt they had no conflicts with others, for they only sought to benefit themselves. They no longer had afflictions that entangled them with other people and no longer planted evil karmic causes or formed negative conditions. Therefore, they felt that their minds were already tranquil and still.

But even if we do not plant negative causes, are we creating blessed conditions? We must create blessed karmic causes and conditions. Not having negative causes and conditions is a good thing, but we must still plant blessed causes and create blessed affinities. Only then can we cultivate both blessings and wisdom.

When we cast off negative causes and conditions, we are cultivating wisdom. But, we still need to [do good deeds to] create blessed causes and conditions. That is how we cultivate blessings. When we go among people and practice giving, we are creating blessings for them; we cannot just focus on benefiting ourselves.

So, “Small Vehicle practitioners have strong attachments and deep doubts.” They are firmly attached to. Small Vehicle teachings. Now that they were asked to go to the next stage to practice the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma to return to their intrinsic Tathagata-nature, they instead had doubts in their minds. These doubts and worries go very deep. This happened as His teachings were in the transitional stage. So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must always keep an open mind and not be attached to any one stage.

The previous sutra passage said,

“At that time in the assembly, there were Hearers, Arhats, who ended all Leaks, Ajnata Kaundinya and others, 1200 in all.” These people numbered 1250 in all. Aside from these people, there were also many. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas.

When the Buddha taught, the fourfold assembly always gathered. Aside from bhiksus and bhiksunis, there were lay practitioners, upasakas and upasikas, male and female devotees. They were also at the Dharma-assembly, listening to the Buddha-Dharma. The capabilities of some of these lay practitioners were very great. After listening to teachings, they also intensely contemplated them, so they could realize [the truth of] the Dharma. Thus, they could also be considered. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. They had the same knowledge, so they were like Hearers, who ended all Leaks. Even if they did not become monastics, they still listened to and understood the Dharma and were mindful of all things in the world. Take the lay practitioner, Vimalakirti, as an example. His wisdom was not inferior to Arhats or bhiksus.

Thus, upasakas and upasikas were also there. The fourfold assembly consists of.

The fourfold assembly consists of bhiksus and bhiksunis, upsakas and upsikas. They “each had the following thought.”

They all had doubts, so “the following thought” refers to their doubts.

They had grown used to the Buddha’s previous teachings. They had made the improvements to their minds they needed to make. Since they no longer had conflicts with others, their hearts were very pure; what else did they need to do? What was this wondrous One Vehicle Dharma? Not only were monastic disciples doubtful, but the lay disciples also had the same doubts. So, they “had the following thought.”

We will now discuss those who felt this way, starting with Ajnata Kaundinya. What does it mean to be a bhiksu? We have to first understand [the word] “bhiksu.”

In Chinese, it means “almsman.”

Bhiksus: Also called almsmen. “Alms-” means they are seeking something “-Man” makes this a refined title. They seek the Dharma to nurture their wisdom-life. They seek food to nourish their physical life. A pure life is what they live.

“Alms-” means they seek something from others, meaning they ask and beg for things “-Man” indicates refinement. So, they are called almsmen

“-Men” is a suffix in Chinese that expresses a sense of refinement and status. In Chinese, one with a doctorate is called a “man of abundant knowledge.” One with a master’s degree is a “man with extensive knowledge.” When we call someone a “gentleman,” we indicate that his character is very disciplined, noble and courteous. It is an elegant title, so the suffix “-man” is used.

So, almsmen are people who “seek the Dharma to nurture their wisdom-life.” From whom do they seek teachings? From the Buddha. Some monastics [in the Buddha’s time] were from [wealthy families] and had lived in luxury, yet they abandoned that life to become monastics with only three pieces of clothing and an alms bowl. But for the sake of their spiritual cultivation, they felt it was very important to seek the Dharma from the Buddha.

So, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we are not just trying to transform in this life, just temporarily. No, we want to develop our wisdom-life. So, if we do not seek the Dharma, that is like eliminating our source of food. If we stop eating, we cannot stay alive. So, we must seek the Dharma to nurture and grow our wisdom-life. [This is why] we seek the Dharma.

We must also seek food. We “seek food to nourish our physical body.” Our body needs nutrients to sustain itself. Only when we are well-nourished can we seek the Dharma to grow our wisdom-life. So, “almsmen” are those who seek the Buddha-path, the teachings of the Buddha. We also seek food to nourish our body, to sustain our pure living.

In particular, we must know that begging for food is a way to make connections. Monks, after receiving Dharma from the Buddha, went to people’s homes to make connections. People would immediately make offerings of food with great respect. Then the monks would give teachings to the laypeople. This was how they passed on the teachings and made connections.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, this was how the monastics lived, so “bhiksus are also called Blessed Field Sangha.” They sought the Dharma from the Buddha and then passed it on to laypeople. And when laypeople saw monastics, they felt joy and could practice giving. Benefiting sentient beings is blessing and helping others. How does this practice affect us? It eliminates our arrogance and pride.

For monastic disciples, whether bhiksus or bhiksunis, since they live in a monastic community, the first step in their practice is to eliminate arrogance and pride. Some of them were the Buddha’s royal relatives. When royalty engaged in spiritual practice, if they were still proud and arrogant, how could they succeed? So, in the Buddha’s Sangha, everyone was equal. Each had three robes and one alms bowl. To eat, they had to beg for alms and go door to door to benefit others and eliminate their arrogance. This was a way to be humble and self-effacing. They had to diminish their egos and be humble. [Eliminating] arrogance and pride is the foundation of spiritual practice.

“Thus, they achieved refined virtues.”

Almsmen are also Blessed Field Sangha. “They benefit sentient beings, eliminate their own arrogance and are humble and self-effacing. Thus, they achieve refined virtues.”

This describes bhiksus. They are male monastic practitioners. There are also bhiksunis.

Bhiksuni has the same meaning as what is above. It is the term for female monastics who have taken the complete monastic precepts.

The meaning of bhiksuni is the same as [bhiksu]. Bhiksunis must also eliminate their arrogance and pride. In the Buddha’s Sangha, everyone was equal. There were bhiksunis with very high status, such as the Buddha’s aunt, or Yasodhara, etc. They all became monastics. In the royal palace, they had enjoyed luxuries and high status. Now that they were practicing in the Sangha, could they still live like royalty? Of course not.

So, as part of our spiritual practice, we must cultivate the concept of equality. Therefore, they are almswomen, bhiksunis “-Ni” connotes female, hence the terms bhiksus and bhiksunis.

Fellow Bodhisattvas, in learning the Buddha’s Way, particularly as monastics, we must be very mindful. As we benefit sentient beings, we must also tame our arrogance. We cannot be attached to the Small [Vehicle] and biased toward emptiness. So, we must go amongst people. This is the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma that the Buddha taught His disciples. Therefore, in our daily living, we must realize the wondrous One Vehicle Dharma. There is no need to doubt it. So everyone, we must always be mindful.