Category: TLS Chapter 6

Episode 932 – When Minds Are Pure, the Land Is Pure

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>> The land, time and people are his direct and circumstantial retributions of practicing the Dharma. A land that is pure is a response to an impartial and pure mind. Debris and brambles are a response to a scattered mind. Excrement and other impurities are a response to a defiled mind. Pits and knolls are a response to a flattering and crooked mind.

>> “His land will be named Radiant Virtue, and the kalpa will be called Great Magnificence. This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas. Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. The realm will be majestically adorned, free from all filth and evil, debris and brambles, excrement and other impurities. The land will be level, without high or low places or pits and knolls.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> A scattered mind brings the response of the retribution of debris and brambles. A defiled mind brings the response of the retribution of excrement and other impurities. A flattering and crooked mind brings the response of the retribution of pits and knolls.

>> Buddhas are never scattered, defiled or crooked, so Their realm is majestically adorned, free from all filth and evil. As They only cultivate pure, wondrous practices, Their land is therefore level, covered with precious flowers. >> Pure: Because Their minds are pure, the Buddha-lands are pure. Because Their minds are pure, all merits and virtues are pure. These are Their realization.

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“The land, time and people are his direct and circumstantial retributions of practicing the Dharma.
A land that is pure is a response to an impartial and pure mind.
Debris and brambles are a response to a scattered mind.
Excrement and other impurities are a response to a defiled mind.
Pits and knolls are a response to a flattering and crooked mind.”

Yesterday we spoke about. Venerable Kasyapa’s future attainment, how he will encounter 300 trillion Buddhas, how the land he will attain will be magnificent and how the land will be flat and smooth. This is what that Buddha will attain. After having been taught by so many Buddhas, his mind will be very tranquil. Since his mind is pure, that land will be pure. So, this is “the land, time and people.” In His land, there will be many people with wisdom. It is the same with the time. That Buddha will live for 12 small kalpas. The Right Dharma will abide for 20 small kalpas and the Dharma-semblance for 20 small kalpas. That Buddha’s name will be Radiant Light, and the name of his land will be Radiant Virtue. This all comes from seeds of spiritual practice, attained due to the pure and radiant virtue in his heart.

Externally, he will receive teachings from 300 trillion Buddhas, so many of them; we should say that over many lifetimes, he will be creating blessed affinities with so many sentient beings. Thus he will attain the direct and circumstantial retributions of that kingdom, that time and those people. His direct and circumstantial retributions come from his practice and from the Dharma. “Practice” refers to lifetime after lifetime of resolute faith, life after life drawing near to Buddhas. The era of Right Dharma remains in our hearts. If we have the resolve to accept the Dharma and put it into practice, Right Dharma will always be there.

Even if we lived during the Buddha’s lifetime, if we did not joyfully draw near the Buddha, then isn’t that the same as living in a time of Dharma-semblance or. Dharma-degeneration? We may see the Buddha yet not have respect for Him in our hearts. We may hear the Dharma but feel it is completely unrelated to us. Then even if we lived during the Buddha’s time, it would not be the era of Right Dharma. For people like this, there is no Dharma in their hearts. Then there is fundamentally no difference between Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance; in fact, there is no Dharma at all.

Since we are fortunate enough to hear the Buddha-Dharma, we should have a heart of utmost reverence. We must cultivate contemplation. We should always engage in contemplation, asking, “What is the Dharma that we hear? What is its function in the world?” In our world today, as we hear the Dharma we must also confirm it. In our world today, in this turbid world, why do we hear that everything is so lacking in harmony? The four elements are out of balance, and people’s hearts are not in harmony.

The four elements that are out of balance are earth, water, fire and air. As for earth, there was [the quake in] Nepal. We communicated with [our volunteers] yesterday. Through videoconferencing, I heard their voices and saw their images. Thomas Huang was the first to speak. When I heard his voice, the first thing he said was, “Master, I really want to cry, but I cannot. There is so much suffering here. Although we have already set up large tents, over 100 people are squeezed into each of them. The living conditions are very bad. Also, there are no toilets. It’s really terrible. Master, is there any way we can help them? Can we use prefabricated shelters like we did in the Philippines?”

I told him, “It is only temporary! Those large tents are made for 40 people. They are 80 square meters, so 40 beds fit inside. It should at least be better than sleeping under plastic tarp propped up with bamboo poles. It should be much better than that. We could improve their living conditions.” However, there are so many people, and they are all so accommodating and pure-hearted [They say,] “Come in! Come in! Everyone can fit inside together!” So, everyone squeezes in, and 40 people soon becomes more than 100.

“Right now, we are trying to get them more tents, and we are thinking of a way to quickly send over Jing Si multi-purpose beds. If we can increase the number of tents and line up the beds inside so there will be 40 beds in each, then their living arrangements will be completely different.” After all, setting up prefabricated shelters is not so easy! If we wait for prefabricated shelters, they must first be prepared, then after being shipped they must be assembled. This would stretch on for a long time. Right now, we are trying to quickly get them the things that we can buy at present, the things that we can send over quickly. We are also quickly shipping large quantities of multi-purpose beds. This will improve their present [conditions], so they do not have to sleep under plastic -sheets. That will make a big difference. We must first settle our minds and concentrate on what we can do for them now in order to get through this critical period.

This is how we [work] in the Saha World. When the four elements are out of balance, when the earth element is imbalanced, as we have seen, in a flash, [nothing is left] but piles of broken tiles and bricks several stories high. This is truly impermanence at work! Whether it is the element of earth, air, water or fire that is not in harmony, it leads to so much suffering in the Saha World.

This is [the power of] nature in this Saha World. There are also manmade disasters that occur when people’s hearts are in disharmony. “As long as it makes me happy, what is there that I can’t do? If I want to curse at someone, I will do it. That is my freedom! It doesn’t matter whether it is true or not.” In the end, people only think about their own happiness, so there is no Dharma to treat them. In our society, people’s hearts are not at peace.

But let us go back to the sutra. The Buddha praised Venerable Kasyapa, saying how in the future he would become a Buddha, but only after drawing near to and serving in the presence of 300 trillion Buddhas, respecting and revering 300 trillion Buddhas. He will serve in this way. Of course, I was saying yesterday that only when we look at every person as a Buddha, treat everyone with reverence and respect and hope everyone will accept our sincerity can we [help] harmonize their hearts. When people’s hearts are harmonious, they accept the Dharma. In this way, the land will be level; there will be more good people, and there will be more wise people.

So, we said, “A land that is pure is a response to an impartial and pure mind.” For a land to be truly peaceful and harmonious, compassion must be shown to all equally. Then naturally the land, the land and the time, [will be favorable], because in this world, the time, place and people can all be pure. If people’s minds can be pure, and compassion can be shown to all equally, only then will this result in a society that is harmonious and peaceful.

Why would there be “debris and brambles”? “Debris and brambles” are a response to a scattered mind. When our minds are scattered, we cannot concentrate. In our practice, if our mind is unstable, lacking the cultivation of contemplation, afflictions will fill our mind all day. It is as if our mind is always full of garbage, and our speech becomes like thorns. Acting in ignorance, we continually hurt others. An attitude like this is like being full of debris and brambles. A defiled mind results in “excrement and other impurities.” This is a defiled mind. People with a defiled mind like this have been infected by many bad habitual tendencies and are defiled with much insincerity.

“Pits and knolls are a response to a flattering and crooked mind.” Pits and knolls are when the ground is uneven and bumpy. There are many “knolls.” This means there are many piles of things there. If we have a flattering and crooked mind it will result in us meeting an environment like this. So, we must make efforts now to balance our minds and mindfully adorn the ground of our minds.

“His land will be named Radiant Virtue, and the kalpa will be called Great Magnificence. This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas. Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. The realm will be majestically adorned, free from all filth and evil, debris and brambles, excrement and other impurities. The land will be level, without high or low places or pits and knolls.”

Having said so much about this, we should by now understand. The Buddha bestowed a prediction on Venerable Kasyapa; upon attaining Buddhahood in the future, his name will be Radiant Light. You all probably remember this. The name of his land will be Radiant Virtue, “The kalpa will be called Great Magnificence.” His era, everything about his era, will be magnificent, for there will be many wise people there. The Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas. Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas.” Dharma-semblance will abide for 20 small kalpas. A kalpa is a very long period of time.

The next sutra passage says, “The realm will be majestically adorned, free from all filth and evil, debris and brambles, excrement and other impurities. The land will be level, without high or low places or pits and knolls.” That land will have nothing like all those things we were just talking about. In the land of Radiant Light Tathagata, there is nothing like that. Everything there is magnificent. The streets and the houses are all magnificent. There are no impure things there. Everything is smooth and level.

“The realm will be majestically adorned, free from all filth and evil. His circumstantial retribution will be undefiled.” Circumstantial retribution is the place where we are born. “His circumstantial retribution will be undefiled.” It will be “free from all evil appearances.” There will be no negative ways of life there.

So, “This land that is pure is the response to an impartial and pure mind.” Impartiality means showing compassion equally. In our past lives, we all engaged in this practice. With compassion and kindness, we treated everyone equally. This is “a response to an impartial and pure mind.” We will come to a place like this because we cultivated actions like this in our past lives

“[Free of] debris and brambles, excrement and other impurities…” Debris and brambles, excrement and other impurities: Whether debris, pits, brambles, thorns, excrement, urine, or any other impurities, none of these will be there. Debris is sand, rocks and so on. “Pits, brambles and thorns” are those kinds of trees which are all very hard. Brambles are very hard branches. There are also thorns. Thorns are sharp, long and pointed. So, these are called brambles and thorns.

“Excrement and urine” refer to feces and all other unclean [substances]. All these things are called excrement and urine. All these unclean things are not found in that land. There are none of these things, because his land will be magnificent.

“The land will be level, without high or low places or pits and knolls.” That land will be very pure and without high or low places. It will be level everywhere. This refers to the ground of the mind. Everyone’s mind is peaceful, upright and straight. So, “The ground of the mind is level, without attachment to high or low.” This is the fruit that comes from utmost sincerity. This land will be level and smooth.

A scattered mind brings the response of the retribution of debris and brambles. A defiled mind brings the response of the retribution of excrement and other impurities. A flattering and crooked mind brings the response of the retribution of pits and knolls.

Next, for the “scattered mind,” the response to a scattered mind will be debris and brambles. If we have a scattered mind, the debris and brambles are our discursive thoughts. These things hurt us; they are detrimental things that will continually injure us. So, we truly must eliminate these states of mind that are like debris and brambles. We cannot allow ourselves to easily think of harming others, nor easily feel joyful when seeing others in a state of afflictions and ignorance. We must not do this.

So, “A defiled mind brings the…retribution of excrement.” If our minds are defiled, then what we will attain is excrement and other impurities. The land will be impure, and there will be insufficient facilities, so there will be human waste everywhere. Thus, everywhere will be unclean. If our minds are defiled, then naturally we will receive such a retribution, and the place where we live will be unclean. If our mind is flattering and crooked, we will experience retribution of pits and knolls.

So, we can see this clearly in the sutra text. If our minds are scattered, what will our retribution be in the future? Our retribution is that in our living environment, there will be debris and brambles. If our minds are defiled, what will our retribution be in the future? Our retribution is that in our living environment, there will be excrement and impurity. If our minds are flattering and crooked now, what of our future circumstantial retributions? Our retribution will be to be reborn in a place filled with pits and knolls. This is the environment we will live in.

Our direct and circumstantial retributions result from our past lifetimes, from the thoughts we created then. So, in this lifetime, it is beyond our control; we will face these circumstantial retributions. When Venerable Kasyapa attains Buddhahood in the future, there will be none of these bad things in his environment. It will be an entirely magnificent environment, and everyone will have wisdom. So, let us make an effort to be mindful

“Buddhas are never scattered, defiled or crooked, so Their realm is majestically adorned, free from all filth and evil. As They only cultivate pure, wondrous practices, Their land is therefore level, covered with precious flowers.”

All Buddhas have gone through such spiritual practice over such a long period of time. For example, Venerable Kasyapa will serve 300 trillion [Buddhas]. He will go through such a long period of time with his mind in Samadhi, very focused, as he makes offerings to so many Buddhas. He will treat sentient beings with such impartiality and compassion. Think about it, after he has attained Buddhahood, his realm will be so magnificent, without any filth or evil.

“As They only cultivate pure, wondrous practices, Their land is therefore level, covered with precious flowers.” That environment will be wonderful. If we wish to be reborn there, we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice. We must cultivate pure and wondrous practices and maintain very pure minds. This way, “The land is therefore level” and “covered with precious flowers.” The environment will be like this, and the scenery will be very beautiful.

Pure: Because Their minds are pure, the Buddha-lands are pure. Because Their minds are pure, all merits and virtues are pure. These are Their realization.
Purity means that. “Because Their minds are pure, the lands will be pure.” What place is a pure land? If our minds are pure, and all our merits and virtues are pure, then we will attain the future direct and circumstantial retributions of being reborn in a pure land like that.

In summary, let us be mindful in learning the Buddha’s Way. Let us constantly clear out our minds. We must not have discursive thoughts. We must not have wicked ideas. We must not “hurt people like thorns” or be like debris and brambles, continually injuring others and causing turmoil in society. If we are like this, then in the future we will be born in a place like that. If we avoid such mindsets and are also earnest and diligent, if we put effort into spiritual practice, purify the ground of our minds and dignify the ground of our minds, if we do this, our minds will be pure so the land will be pure, and in future lifetimes, we will bring the Dharma as we go among the people to purify their hearts. This is the direction we should be heading in as we learn the Buddha’s teachings. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 931 – Accumulating Superior Causes from the Dharma

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>> He will meet and serve the World-Honored Ones; outwardly relying on superior conditions, he will be replete with the infinite blessings and virtues of all Buddhas. He widely proclaims the Dharma of impartiality and accumulates superior causes within so he achieves the profound wisdom of all Buddhas.

>> “In his final incarnation, he will attain Buddhahood and be called Radiant Light Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and. Buddha, the World-Honored One.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> “His land will be named Radiant Virtue, and the kalpa will be called Great Magnificence. This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas. Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> Land refers to the place. Kalpa refers to the time. Both are related to his causal practices. His circumstantial and direct retributions are both inseparable from the two [opposites] [The land] is called Radiant Virtue because everyone born there is a person of wisdom [The kalpa] is called Great Magnificence because everyone’s circumstantial and direct retributions are beautiful and superior.

>> His land will be named Radiant Virtue: His causes and conditions will both be superior, and he will be dignified with blessings and wisdom. Thus he is able to attain Buddhahood.

>> Radiance is this land’s virtue of fruition; everyone born there is a person of wisdom. The sentient beings in that land all possess radiance and world-transcending merits and virtues.

>> The kalpa will be called Great Magnificence: With the myriad practices of the Great Vehicle, he will achieve perfection of blessings and wisdom and the magnificence of merits and virtues, which pervade this time and this world. The circumstantial and direct retributions will all be beautiful and superior. Thus, the kalpa’s name will be Great Magnificence.

>> This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas: The body of the pure Dharma-realm fundamentally does not appear or disappear, yet He will abide for 12 small kalpas, manifesting according to the power of. His great compassionate vows. This Buddha’s lifespan: The lifespan of His reward-body.

>> Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas: Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance will each disappear after 20 small kalpas. [The Dharma] prospers and declines in response to sentient beings’ capabilities. The Buddha-body of the Dharma-nature is firm, neither increasing nor decreasing during this time.

>> Right Dharma: When people’s capabilities are superior, it is as if the Buddha is present. This is called the era of Right Dharma.

>> Dharma-semblance: When people’s capabilities gradually weaken, there is only the semblance of Right Dharma. This is called the era of Dharma-semblance.

>> In the era of Right Dharma, the Dharma’s rites have not yet changed. There are people who teach and practice and truly attain the fruits of the Dharma. >> In the era of Dharma-semblance, people teach the Dharma, and there are images and relics of the Buddha, but the Dharma’s true rites and etiquette are not practiced. It seems that the Buddha-Dharma circulates, but no one attains the fruits.

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“He will meet and serve the World-Honored Ones; outwardly relying on superior conditions,
he will be replete with the infinite blessings and virtues of all Buddhas.
He widely proclaims the Dharma of impartiality and accumulates superior causes within
so he achieves the profound wisdom of all Buddhas.”

This is what we spoke of earlier; the Buddha bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood upon Venerable Kasyapa. We also talked about the process described in. Venerable Kasyapa’s prediction. He would meet 300 trillion Buddhas and would make offerings to them by serving them. This is a very long process. However, spiritual practice has always been a process of continual accumulation. This is because ordinary people like us have for countless kalpas already accumulated layer upon layer of afflictions. We must now engage in spiritual practice to return to our pure Tathagata-nature.

When ordinary people engage in spiritual practice, we have clearly made up our minds to eliminate our afflictions; we clearly know this, yet we ordinary people still have delusions that have not yet been eliminated. Whenever we hear certain comments or encounter certain situations, our old afflictions have not yet been eliminated, but new afflictions already arise in us. When we face other people’s challenging attitudes, our afflictions and ignorance are provoked. This is how we ordinary people are. Because of this, we need a long period of time [to eliminate them].

However, Venerable Kasyapa engaged in practice and immediately eliminated any habits of a wealthy and luxurious [lifestyle]. He engaged in ascetic practice with firm spiritual aspirations. The Buddha praised him. The Buddha not only praised him but also highly regarded how he firmly upheld his aspirations. So, at the end [of His lifetime], the Buddha entrusted him with the task of going to. Cock’s Foot Mountain to enter Samadhi. He was asked to wait there until Maitreya attains Buddhahood and comes to the human realm. Passing the Buddha’s robe and alms bowl to him showed the high respect the Buddha held for. Venerable Kasyapa. But how long would it take [for Kasyapa to attain Buddhahood]? He would first have to meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas in order for him to attain Buddhahood. So, to attain Buddhahood is not an easy task; we need to work even harder and have even more patience.

So, “He will meet and serve the World-Honored Ones; outwardly relying on superior conditions….” Outwardly, we must rely on external superior conditions. “Relying on” means trusting in. We have to outwardly rely on superior conditions, the superior conditions of the teachings of 300 trillion World-Honored Ones. Must we truly [wait] for such a long time? Actually, the Buddha’s meaning was for everyone to respect one another and to treat each other as future Buddhas. If we can do this, we create good affinities with sentient beings. When we are able to have many good affinities with sentient beings, we can gain a lot of wisdom from sentient beings’ habitual tendencies. Then won’t we meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas even more quickly? This is learning the Buddha-Dharma of the mind.

“He will be replete with the infinite blessings and virtues of all Buddhas.” If we can treat everyone as a Buddha, the causes and conditions for the blessings and virtues we want to cultivate will quickly [ripen]. Because we listen to the Buddha’s teachings, we must then give the teachings to sentient beings. We take them into our hearts, then cultivate these kinds of practices. Thus “[We] will be replete with the infinite blessings and virtues of all Buddhas.” If we take these practices to heart, when facing the many sentient beings, we can create blessings and engage in practice. This is the direction we should pursue.

“He widely proclaims the Dharma of impartiality and accumulates superior causes within.” We need to be continuously transmitting the Buddha’s teachings, to let everyone know not to discriminate. We should all have respect for one another. Widely proclaiming impartial compassion, the teachings of compassion and equality, is to “accumulate superior causes within” so we can “outwardly rely on superior conditions.” We need to continuously go among people to create countless blessings until causes and conditions ripen. All these [karmic] seeds enter our storehouse consciousness; this is “accumulating superior causes within”

“so he achieves the profound wisdom of all Buddhas.” This is what we must pursue. We want to have wisdom equal to the Buddha’s, profound and superior wisdom. We want to return to the [Dharma-nature], the Dharma-nature that encompasses the universe and all Dharma-realms. If we can all understand this clearly, we can “achieve [this] profound wisdom.”

The previous sutra passage states, “In his final incarnation, he will attain Buddhahood and be called Radiant Light Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and. Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

“In his final incarnation, he will attain Buddhahood and be called Radiant Light Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and. Buddha, the World-Honored One.”   

We have explained this before, so we must be more mindful. What Kasyapa will accomplish in the future will make him replete with the ten epithets.

The next sutra passage states, “His land will be named Radiant Virtue, and the kalpa will be called Great Magnificence. This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas. Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas.”
In the future, when Venerable Kasyapa attains Buddhahood, his land will be named “Radiant Virtue.” When Kasyapa attains Buddhahood, he will be called Radiant Light Tathagata. The Buddha only lived to be 80 years old. But for this Radiant Light Tathagata, His land will be known as Radiant Virtue, and the kalpa will be called “Great Magnificence.” This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas 12 small kalpas is a great length of time; our Sakyamuni Buddha only lived to be 80.

When we speak of a kalpa, even a “small kalpa,” it can be really hard for us to measure. Starting with an average lifespan of 10 years, each 100 years it increases by one year. Every 100 years [the lifespan] increases one year, increasing until the average human lifespan reaches 84,000 years. Then from 84,000 years, with each 100 years the average decreases one year until the human lifespan is 10 years. One increasing kalpa and one decreasing kalpa makes up “one small kalpa.” Think about it, how long are 12 small kalpas? A very long period of time. So, not only is this Buddha’s lifespan long, but the Right Dharma will also abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will abide for 20 small kalpas. This is truly enviable!

Land refers to the place. Kalpa refers to the time. Both are related to his causal practices. His circumstantial and direct retributions are both inseparable from the two [opposites] [The land] is called Radiant Virtue because everyone born there is a person of wisdom [The kalpa] is called Great Magnificence because everyone’s circumstantial and direct retributions are beautiful and superior.

His land will be called Radiant Virtue. “Land” refers to a geographic location. “Kalpa” is a measure of time. Kalpa refers to a long period of time.

“Both are related to his causal practices.” These represent the circumstantial and direct retributions of his spiritual practice. Our direct retribution determines where we are born. Our circumstantial retribution determines which country, whether we are wealthy or poor and so on. This all depends on our causal practices.

“His circumstantial and direct retributions are both inseparable from the two [opposites]. Circumstantial and direct retributions” are both circumstantial retributions and direct ones “[The land] is called Radiant Virtue because everyone born there is a person of wisdom.” This refers to the causes we have cultivated. With the causes we cultivate, if they are good causes, we attain good fruits and will have good conditions. What we will attain and the people we are to be with are to be in a country with all people of wisdom, where all are sages. Our circumstantial and direct retributions are all in that country. Everyone that we meet there is a person of wisdom. “It is Great Magnificence because everyone’s retributions are beautiful and superior.” All that are born there have great magnificence. The people have wisdom and the environment is good. It will be a perfect land

His land will be named Radiant Virtue: His causes and conditions will both be superior, and he will be dignified with blessings and wisdom. Thus he is able to attain Buddhahood.

When Sakyamuni Buddha was born here, at that time in the human realm there was a very clear division between the four castes. The poor and the rich were clearly separated. But the land Radiant Virtue, the land of Radiant Light Tathagata, will be of great magnificence, a place filled with people of wisdom. “His causes and conditions will both be superior; he will be dignified with blessings and wisdom.” His blessings and wisdom make him very dignified. “Thus he is able to attain Buddhahood.” These are the practices we must cultivate daily.

With our circumstantial and direct retributions, where will we be born? That will depend on our causes and conditions, so we must create more blessings.

Radiance is this land’s virtue of fruition; everyone born there is a person of wisdom. The sentient beings in that land all possess radiance and world-transcending merits and virtues.

As for Radiant Virtue, “Radiance is this land’s virtue of fruition.” Radiant Light Tathagata will abide in this land. His virtue of fruition, his result, is to be born in this place; His circumstantial and direct retributions are in this place

“Radiance is this land’s virtue of fruition; everyone born there is a person of wisdom. The sentient beings in that land all possess radiance and world-transcending merits and virtues.” All are willing to engage in spiritual practice, and all are willing to hear the Buddha-Dharma. This shows that the land is very radiant and that it is a very rich country.

“The kalpa will be called Great Magnificence. Kalpa” refers to a long period of time. “With the myriad practices of the Great Vehicle,” with so many practices of the Great Vehicle, he “will achieve perfection of blessings and wisdom and the magnificence of merits and virtues.” Thus it is called Great Magnificence. When Venerable Kasyapa attains Buddhahood in the future, that era and the land [he will have] will be filled with people of great wisdom. They will practice the Great Vehicle teachings to create blessings and virtues. It will be a place of accumulated virtues and magnificence.

Thus, “the myriad practices of the Great Vehicle” also need to have been accumulated in the past for them to “pervade this time and this world.” So, “The circumstantial and direct retributions will all be beautiful and superior. Thus, the kalpa’s name will be Great Magnificence.” This truly will be a society and land of great magnificence

The kalpa will be called Great Magnificence: With the myriad practices of the Great Vehicle, he will achieve perfection of blessings and wisdom and the magnificence of merits and virtues, which pervade this time and this world. The circumstantial and direct retributions will all be beautiful and superior. Thus, the kalpa’s name will be Great Magnificence.

“This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas.” This Buddha’s lifespan is quite long. “The body of the pure Dharma-realm,” [the Buddha’s] body of the pure Dharma-realm, “fundamentally does not appear or disappear, yet He will abide for 12 small kalpas.” Fundamentally the body of this pure Dharma-realm does not increase or decrease, nor does it appear or disappear. This will be a very pure land. But He will live for such a long time, for 12 small kalpas. This is “manifesting according to the power of. His great compassionate vows.”

Actually, He had already reached the body of this pure Dharma-realm, so how can we speak of the length of His life? However, He still wanted the Buddha-Dharma to continually be passed down. Spiritual practitioners will eventually attain Buddhahood. So, once they attain Buddhahood they will have a long time to pass down the Buddha-Dharma. This is the power of great compassionate vows. The Buddha and Bodhisattvas gather together in the same lifetime at this place. So, “this Buddha’s lifespan” refers to “the lifespan of His reward-body.” Thus, this Buddha’s lifespan is this long. He can stay in the world so long in order to expound the teachings

This Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas: The body of the pure Dharma-realm fundamentally does not appear or disappear, yet He will abide for 12 small kalpas, manifesting according to the power of. His great compassionate vows. This Buddha’s lifespan: The lifespan of His reward-body.

So, everyone ought to make a vow that when Kasyapa attains Buddhahood, we will join him in that lifetime. We must be with Kasyapa when he attains Buddhahood in the future, in the era of Radiant Light Tathagata. Right now, we must similarly follow his example of spiritual practice. Then in the future we will have the chance to live during His lifetime.

Next it says, “Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas.”

Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas: Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance will each disappear after 20 small kalpas. [The Dharma] prospers and declines in response to sentient beings’ capabilities. The Buddha-body of the Dharma-nature is firm, neither increasing nor decreasing during this time.

Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance each “will disappear after 20 small kalpas [The Dharma] prospers and declines in response to sentient beings’ capabilities. The Buddha-body of the Dharma-nature is firm, neither increasing or decreasing during this time.” The Dharma will prosper for so long because of sentient beings’ capabilities and their causes and conditions. We have great capabilities to accept Great Dharma, so in the future it will accumulate. Then, naturally our lifespans will be long, and the Dharma will be passed down for a long time. This is in response to the capabilities of sentient beings. Sentient beings’ capabilities create these retributions in response. Thus, the Dharma will flourish like this and be continually passed down.

“The Buddha-body of the Dharma-nature is firm, neither increasing nor decreasing.” It is extremely firm. Everything is gathered [at that time]. His lifespan is long, Right Dharma is long and Dharma-semblance is long. This is because in the past, everyone practiced so many teachings. With very pure minds, they can all abide in that world together, so it will be for a long time

Thus, Right Dharma means. “When people’s capabilities are superior, it is as if the Buddha is present. This is called the era of Right Dharma.”

Right Dharma: When people’s capabilities are superior, it is as if the Buddha is present. This is called the era of Right Dharma.

Right Dharma depends on people’s capabilities. Today, although it is over 2000 years later, if our capabilities are sharp and keen, naturally we will hear the Buddha-Dharma. This is the Buddha’s Dharmakaya (Dharma-body) that remains in the human realm. If we use right understanding, right views and right faith to accept the Dharma, the Buddha’s Dharmakaya will still remain in the human realm. It will be as if the Buddha is present. This is Right Dharma.

Dharma-semblance: When people’s capabilities gradually weaken, there is only the semblance of Right Dharma. This is called the era of Dharma-semblance.

Dharma-semblance is when people’s capabilities gradually weaken. After the Buddha has left and the Right Dharma has also passed, gradually, the Dharma-assembly will decline. This is called Dharma-semblance; we can only see superficial appearances. In that era, Right Dharma and those who earnestly cultivate will diminish. Everywhere you can see images of the Buddha, but the people who earnestly practice the teachings will have decreased in number. This is called Dharma-semblance

In the era of Right Dharma, the Dharma’s rites have not yet changed. There are people who teach and practice and truly attain the fruits of the Dharma.

“In the era of Right Dharma, the Dharma’s rites have not yet changed. There are people who teach and practice and truly attain the fruits of the Dharma.” It is as if the Buddha is still present. People’s way of life has not changed, as there are still “people who teach and practice.” They still teach the Dharma in the same way, they still accept the Dharma in the same way and they still practice the Dharma in the same way “[They] truly attain the fruits of the Dharma.” When there are those who truly attain the fruits of the Dharma, the Right Dharma is still in the human realm.

In the era of Dharma-semblance, people teach the Dharma, and there are images and relics of the Buddha, but the Dharma’s true rites and etiquette are not practiced. It seems that the Buddha-Dharma circulates, but no one attains the fruits.
In the era of Dharma-semblance, “People teach the Dharma, and there are images and relics of the Buddha.” After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, His relics are still preserved. “But the Dharma’s true rites and etiquette are not practiced. It seems that the Buddha-Dharma circulates,” but no one is able to attain the fruits.

In this era we will only see Dharma-semblance. People see the images and relics of the Buddha, but the true Dharma and its rites and the rules of spiritual practice will no longer take form and will slowly dissipate. “It seems that the Buddha-Dharma circulates,” it seems the Dharma is still passed on, it seems that way, but it is not real. All that will be left of the Dharma is the name and image of the Buddha. Thus, the true Buddha-Dharma will slowly disappear. No one will be able to attain the fruits.

So, as Buddhist practitioners, we need to keep our feet firmly on the ground. The Buddha-Dharma is in our minds. The era of the Right Dharma is also in our minds. We are now in the era of Dharma-degeneration; in the era of Dharma-semblance, the Dharma was already declining, let alone in the era of Dharma-degeneration! Dharma-degeneration is when the armies of Mara flourish. So, the sutras speak of breaking the web of Mara.

We must now engage in spiritual practice. We must have even more perseverance. We must break this web of Mara. Therefore, we must put our efforts into “meeting and serving” right now. We ought to “meet and serve all Buddhas.” Even if the Buddha is not present, we still need to “meet and serve the World-Honored Ones; outwardly relying on superior conditions.” With every person we encounter, we should treat all as if they are Buddhas. With these superior conditions, we can accomplish our spiritual cultivation. This is why we need to seize [the moment]. So, we must “widely proclaim the Dharma of impartiality and accumulate superior causes within so [we can] achieve the profound wisdom of all Buddhas.” True wisdom is achieved in this way; “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.”

Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 930 – Cultivating and Upholding Myriad Practices

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>> Having cultivated and upheld myriad practices until perfection, He is replete in blessings and wisdom. He is worthy of receiving respect and offerings from heavenly beings and humans. He benefits and transforms sentient beings, thus He has the epithet One Worthy of Offerings.

>> “Kasyapa will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them and widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> “In his final incarnation he will attain Buddhahood and be called Radiant Light Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and. Buddha, the World-Honored One.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> Here a prediction of his distinctive epithet is given to Mahakasyapa, who had cultivated ascetic practices in his lifetime. He followed the Buddha’s instruction and, at Cock’s Foot Mountain, entered the Samadhi of complete cessation to await Maitreya’s appearance in the world so he can pass on the Buddha’s sanghati.

>> His body was intrinsically radiant, as if he had swallowed the light of the sun and moon; such virtue was the original seed from which his fruit of Buddhahood was evident.

>> Final incarnation” has two meanings: First, it means that in this life Hearers have ended [afflictions]. This means that in the realms of samsara, this is their final incarnation. They will not be subject to future incarnations, thus it is called their final incarnation.

>> Final incarnation has two meanings: Second, it means the mind after reaching universal enlightenment, which has diamond-like Samadhi. When one has completely eliminated ignorance and emptied the consciousness of ripened differences, it is called the final incarnation. Here, it is this latter meaning.

>> The consciousness of ripened differences: This is another name for the alaya consciousness. It is also called the consciousness of, ripened differences, as it draws us into samsara when different fruits of good and evil karma ripen.

>> He will be called Radiant Light Tathagata: His distinctive epithet is Radiant Light. In his causal practice, he had remained continuously bright like lit lanterns and coated the Buddha’s statue with purple gold. Thus, lifetime after lifetime, his body is always golden. Thus, when he was an Arhat, he was called Light-Drinker.

>> Upon attaining Buddhahood, His epithet shall be Radiant Light. By teaching the Dharma, He transforms beings and benefits himself as well as others, like the sun’s radiance dispelling all darkness.

>> Tathagata: “Tatha” refers to True Suchness. He journeys on the path of True Suchness and from the seed, comes to the fruit of achieving perfect enlightenment. Thus, He is called the Tathagata.

>> One Worthy of Offerings means. He has eliminated all evil, so He is worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings.

>> Completely Awakened One: He is replete with the wisdom of all Dharma. Among all teachings, there is none He does not understand

>> One Perfect in Wisdom and Action: Wisdom here means the Three Insights, the insight of the heavenly eye, insight into past lives and insight into ending all Leaks. Perfect in action refers to how His karma of body, speech and mind is truly and perfectly undefiled. Through the power of His vows, all of His practices are skillfully cultivated to fulfillment.

>> Well-Gone One: Well refers to skillful ability. Gone refers to going somewhere else. He skillfully leaves the land of delusion and goes towards the land of wisdom.

>> Knower of the World: All worldly and world-transcending phenomena, and all phenomena of cause and effect are known to and understood by him.

>> Unsurpassed Guide: It means He has exhausted all karma of delusion, and there is nothing more for Him to eliminate. Tamer: The Buddha can tame all people who can be transformed and guide them into cultivating the path.

>> Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans: Heavenly beings and humans in the Six Destinies can all take the Buddha as their teacher.

>>  The Buddha: He is replete with wisdom and has perfected the Three Elements of Enlightenment. Thus He is called the Buddha. World-Honored One: The Buddha possesses all virtues and is honored by all the world. For this reason, He is also solely honored in the world.

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“Having cultivated and upheld myriad practices until perfection, He is replete in blessings and wisdom.
He is worthy of receiving respect and offerings from heavenly beings and humans.
He benefits and transforms sentient beings, thus He has the epithet One Worthy of Offerings.”

“One Worthy of Offerings” is one of the ten epithets of the Buddha. The Buddha is worthy of receiving the offerings of the human and heaven realms. This is the Buddha’s virtue, the virtue attained from His practice. Virtue is not conveyed through words, but rather something we put into practice. From deep in our hearts, we must have reverence and respect the Dharma. To have inner cultivation and outer practice, our minds and actions must be unified. Only then can virtue be expressed in our actions. Only when our actions are virtuous are we truly worthy of offerings.

I have often told everyone that every person is our spiritual training ground. Virtuous friends provide us with beneficial conditions [for our practice]. Harmful friends provide us with adverse conditions that also benefit our spiritual practice. All of these can increase our wisdom and help us accomplish our learning. So, we must always keep reverence in our hearts and look on everyone as a Buddha as our means of spiritual practice.

“We cultivate and uphold myriad practices until perfection.” There are so many practices; we actualize the. Six Perfections in all of our actions. When it comes to actualizing the Six Perfections, in regard to giving alone, there are countless different ways for us to put it into practice. Sentient beings suffer in countless ways, so we must also use countless ways of giving to help them in their suffering. How can we help them? Do we give them material aid? Or should we give them spiritual support? There are so many ways to help them! So, we can say that sentient beings have boundless suffering, and we will have boundless wisdom and blessings to go among people [and help them]. Thus, we must cultivate myriad practices. When we have perfected myriad practices, we will be replete with blessings and wisdom.

The Buddha was already replete with these, so. “He is worthy of receiving respect and offerings from heavenly beings and humans.” He is worthy and thereby should receive respect and offerings from sentient beings. “Offerings” does not just mean material offerings. Most importantly, it is that respect arising from deep within; it is with this kind of respect that we make offerings.

Because sentient beings are confused, they suffer endless afflictions and ignorance. Thus, the Buddha used all kinds of methods to explain to us and guide us so we can open our hearts and be understanding. This did not happen over just one lifetime; the Buddha did this over infinite kalpas. Because of this, He is endowed with the ten epithets and is worthy of receiving offerings.

In the sutra, the previous passage says that. Kasyapa “will meet and serve” Kasyapa “will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them and widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.”

This is the previous sutra passage. The Buddha had already said that His disciple Mahakasyapa will engage in spiritual practice and attain Buddhahood in a future lifetime. But during the process, he has to “meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones.” He will make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them, earnestly listen to their Dharma and also spread the Dharma for others to hear.

If we are talking about the present moment, if we regard everyone as a Buddha, when we regard everyone as a Buddha, we can show reverence, pay respect to them and praise Them. If we can do this, it will be one of the Dharma-doors for our spiritual practice. This way, we will not need to go through lifetime after lifetime, countless lifetimes, in order to encounter a single Buddha. If we only meet one Buddha in the course of countless lifetimes, then think of how long it would take before we could make offerings to 300 trillion Buddhas! What the Buddha really meant was that we should treat everyone we meet as a Buddha and make offerings, show reverence and praise Them. We must first create good affinities with others.

The next sutra passage continues on to say, “In his final incarnation he will attain Buddhahood and be called Radiant Light Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and. Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

Thus, he will be endowed with the ten epithets.

Here a prediction of his distinctive epithet is given to Mahakasyapa, who had cultivated ascetic practices in his lifetime. He followed the Buddha’s instruction and, at Cock’s Foot Mountain, entered the Samadhi of complete cessation to await Maitreya’s appearance in the world so he can pass on the Buddha’s sanghati.

In Venerable Kasyapa’s spiritual practice, from the time he joined the Sangha, he engaged in the practice of dhuta. “Dhuta” means ascetic practices. In particular, the Buddha entrusted him with passing on His robe and alms bowl in the future. He was to go to Cock’s Foot Mountain, enter the Samadhi of complete cessation there and await “Maitreya’s appearance in the world.”

Maitreya will appear in the world, according to the sutras, more than five billion years into the future. So, according to legend, Kasyapa entered Cock’s Foot Mountain to await Maitreya Buddha’s appearance in the world. He took the Buddha’s sanghati, which are His robe and alms bowl, to pass them on to Maitreya Buddha. Because of these causes and conditions, the Buddha bestowed this prediction on Mahakasyapa

His body was intrinsically radiant, as if he had swallowed the light of the sun and moon; such virtue was the original seed from which his fruit of Buddhahood was evident.

Kasyapa was also magnificent in his youth, especially in regard to the color of his skin. The color and luster of his skin were different from that of other people. He had a purplish golden hue to him. The skin of Indian people has a purplish hue, and his skin was radiant; it was glossy. It was as if his skin radiated light. When hit by sunlight, it was as if his skin was reflecting the light, as if he had made the light completely his own. So, in describing Venerable Kasyapa’s body, it seemed as if he had swallowed the light of the sun and the moon

This was due to causes and conditions from his past lifetime. In a past life, Kasyapa was a jeweler who applied purple gold to the body of a Buddha’s [statue]. This is a legend. It is a story told of one of his past lifetimes. So, in that lifetime his physical appearance had a special radiance. This explains the name that he was predicted to have in the future, which would be Radiant Light Tathagata.

Final incarnation” has two meanings: First, it means that in this life Hearers have ended [afflictions]. This means that in the realms of samsara, this is their final incarnation. They will not be subject to future incarnations, thus it is called their final incarnation.

“In his final incarnation, he will attain Buddhahood ‘Final incarnation’ has two meanings.” It has two interpretations. First, it means that “In this life, Hearers have ended [afflictions].”

Since they too listen to the Dharma, Hearers may also form great aspirations and make great vows. Through the process of their spiritual practice, “In the realms of samsara this is [their] final incarnation.” If they eliminate all their afflictions, they reach their “final incarnation” and “will not be subject to future incarnations.”

Final incarnation has two meanings: Second, it means the mind after reaching universal enlightenment, which has diamond-like Samadhi. When one has completely eliminated ignorance and emptied the consciousness of ripened differences, it is called the final incarnation. Here, it is this latter meaning.

Second, it refers to “the mind after reaching universal enlightenment”

“The mind after achieving universal enlightenment” means supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment “[It] has diamond-like Samadhi.” This mind is firm, unbreakable like a diamond. Diamond is the hardest substance in the world. A mind with firm resolve is like a diamond. This is used as an analogy for Samadhi. If we are not resolute in our spiritual practice, if we keep fluctuating, advancing and retreating, we will never be able to make progress. We will be stuck in the same place. If we keep advancing then retreating, retreating then advancing, we will forever remain in the same place. So, we must be resolute in our spiritual practice and “completely eliminate ignorance.” All discursive thoughts, ignorance and afflictions must be eliminated completely. So, [we must] “empty the consciousness of ripened differences.”

The consciousness of ripened differences: This is another name for the alaya consciousness. It is also called the consciousness of, ripened differences, as it draws us into samsara when different fruits of good and evil karma ripen.

The “consciousness of ripened differences” is a [Buddhist] term that refers to the “alaya consciousness.” What is the alaya consciousness? In the past, we have often referred to it as the eighth consciousness, “which draws us into samsara when different fruits of good and evil karma ripen.”

“Differences” means everyone’s karma is different. When causes and conditions are “ripened,” we are reborn into this world and bring with us the karma we created.

If we have created much good karma, when causes and conditions ripen within our consciousness, we will follow our consciousness to that future lifetime and be reborn into a good country and a good family. That is our circumstantial retribution. With our direct retribution, we follow our consciousness [to our next life]. If we create a great deal of evil karma, then we lose our human form; that is beyond our control. Following our ripening causes and conditions, we may go to an unwholesome place. It may be a country with constant turmoil, many disasters or the suffering of poverty. There may be no good teachings to be heard there, or there may be no good education and so on. This depends on our karma.

This is the “consciousness of ripened differences.” If we engage in spiritual practice and continue to maintain our practice, in the end we will “empty the consciousness of ripened differences.” All good and evil will be emptied out. There will be no more afflictions. We will no longer be bound by conditions; we will be completely pure. This is our “final incarnation.”

He will be called Radiant Light Tathagata: His distinctive epithet is Radiant Light. In his causal practice, he had remained continuously bright like lit lanterns and coated the Buddha’s statue with purple gold. Thus, lifetime after lifetime, his body is always golden. Thus, when he was an Arhat, he was called Light-Drinker.

“In his causal [practice], he had remained continuously bright like lit lanterns.” His mind was radiant, pure and undefiled. This was his “cause.” He has appeared like this lifetime after lifetime, so bright and so pure.

Kasyapa too, in the era of Dharma-semblance, saw a Buddha’s [statue] that was peeling and quickly applied purple gold to the Buddha’s body, so that the Buddha would remain radiant.

This tells how in the past he had created such causes and conditions, how he had very reverently made the Buddha’s statue shine again. These were his causes and conditions. So, “Lifetime after lifetime, his body is always golden.” His body is always shining. “Thus, when he was an Arhat, he was called Light-Drinker.” When Kasyapa was an Arhat, he was called Light-Drinker.

After attaining Buddhahood, his epithet would be Radiant Light. His name will be Radiant Light. “By teaching the Dharma, He transforms beings.” He will come to deliver and transform sentient beings, will continually teach the Dharma to deliver and transform sentient beings, “[He] benefits himself as well as others.” From the time when he was a Hearer or a Solitary Realizer, he engaged in spiritual practice to eliminate afflictions while at the same time he went among people to transform sentient beings. Like the light of the sun, he destroyed all darkness.

Tathagata: “Tatha” refers to True Suchness. He journeys on the path of True Suchness and from the seed, comes to the fruit of achieving perfect enlightenment. Thus, He is called the Tathagata.

Regarding the word “Tathagata, Tatha” refers to True Suchness. The Tathagata is one who “journeys on the path of True Suchness and from the seed comes to the fruit.” Through the process of spiritual practice, accepting the teachings of all Buddhas lifetime after lifetime, the Tathagata comes to this world by journeying on the Dharma of True Suchness, achieving perfect enlightenment. “He is thus called Tathagata.” As He journeys on the Dharma of True Suchness to be reborn in this world, the result is attaining Buddhahood. Thus He is called the Tathagata.

The Tathagata is also One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World. Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and. Buddha, the World-Honored One. Together, these comprise the ten epithets.

One Worthy of Offerings means. He has eliminated all evil, so He is worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings.

One Worthy of Offerings means  In our spiritual practice, we must eliminate all evil, all bad habits, discursive thoughts, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. All these thoughts must be totally eliminated. If we reach this level, then we become worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings. With virtue like this, one is worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings.

Completely Awakened One: He is replete with the wisdom of all Dharma. Among all teachings, there is none He does not understand

A Completely Awakened One means the principles the Buddha awakened to were extremely comprehensive. He was “replete with the wisdom of all Dharma. Of all the teachings, there are none He does not understand.” He is thereby called the Completely Awakened One.

One Perfect in Wisdom and Action: Wisdom here means the Three Insights, the insight of the heavenly eye, insight into past lives and insight into ending all Leaks. Perfect in action refers to how His karma of body, speech and mind is truly and perfectly undefiled. Through the power of His vows, all of His practices are skillfully cultivated to fulfillment.

In “One Perfect in Wisdom and Action,” wisdom refers to the Three Insights, the insight of the heavenly eye, the insight into past lives and the insight into ending all Leaks. He has completely penetrated everything; He understands it all. When the karma of body, speech and mind are right, free of the slightest deviation, then one becomes very pure, “truly and perfectly undefiled.” When our Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind is correct in its direction, the mind is completely undefiled. “Through the power of His vows, all of His practices [are set in action].” He sets in motion the power of His vows to engage in earnest spiritual practice. For the sake of this world’s sentient beings, He engages in practice and attains Buddhahood. This is the attainment of the Three Insights; this is the meaning of. “One Perfect in Wisdom and Action.” All His practices are completely fulfilled

Well-Gone One: Well refers to skillful ability. Gone refers to going somewhere else. He skillfully leaves the land of delusion and goes towards the land of wisdom.

Another epithet is Well-Gone One. In this epithet, “well” refers to ability. In this epithet, “well” refers to ability, having skillful ability. “Gone” refers to going somewhere else. It means having the ability to skillfully leave the land of delusion and go toward the land of wisdom.

Well-Gone One means. He can come and go freely [in the world]. The Buddha was like this. He did not follow His karma to be born into this world. He came to this world because He could not bear to let sentient beings suffer. He journeyed on the Dharma of True Suchness, coming to this world to deliver sentient beings. He comes and goes freely, so He is called the Well-Gone One. “He skillfully leaves the land of delusion and goes toward the land of wisdom.” The Buddha guides unenlightened beings to the land of wisdom, then from the land of wisdom returns to this world. He can come and go freely, so He is called Well-Gone One

Knower of the World: All worldly and world-transcending phenomena, and all phenomena of cause and effect are known to and understood by him.

As sentient beings, we are ignorant. We cannot understand cause and effect, so we are dragged around by them. We cannot take even the slightest [criticism]; we cannot endure. Actually, the Buddha was not like this. Through spiritual practice, we come to understand that the world and the minds of the world’s people are like this. Our minds must attain the state of Samadhi, then we can become the Knower of the World.

Unsurpassed Guide: It means He has exhausted all karma of delusion, and there is nothing more for Him to eliminate. Tamer: The Buddha can tame all people who can be transformed and guide them into cultivating the path.

Unsurpassed Guide means “He has exhausted all karma of delusion, and there is nothing more for Him to eliminate.” All karma and delusion of ignorance have been entirely cleansed. This is the Unsurpassed Guide. He is unsurpassed and supreme. This is the Buddha, one with supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment. This is the Unsurpassed Guide.

“Tamer [means that] the Buddha can tame all great people that can be transformed” and guide them into entering the path of practice. He can deliver all sentient beings, but the amazing thing is that. He must have affinities with all sentient beings. If sentient beings do not accept the teachings, He will not have the affinities to deliver them. What can He do if the conditions are not there to deliver them? The Buddha still does not abandon sentient beings. He keeps coming back to deliver them. He transforms them all until they begin cultivating the Path. This is the compassion of the Buddha

Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans: Heavenly beings and humans in the Six Destinies can all take the Buddha as their teacher.

He is also “Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans.” Heavenly beings and humans in the Six Destinies “can all take the Buddha as their teacher. “The Buddha: He is replete with wisdom and has perfected the Three Elements of Enlightenment. Thus He is called the Buddha. World-Honored One: The Buddha possesses all virtues and is honored by all the world. For this reason, He is also solely honored in the world.

Next is “the Buddha,” who “is replete with wisdom and has perfected the Three Elements of Enlightenment. Thus He is called the Buddha.”

The next [epithet] is “World-Honored One.” This refers to how. “The Buddha possesses all virtues and is honored by the world,” so He is called World-Honored One. He is singularly honored in the world.

Episode 929 – Widely Proclaiming the Infinite Great Dharma

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>> With wisdom and other teachings, He destroys greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt and so on, these deluded, unwholesome phenomena. He eliminates the suffering of samsara, attains supreme enlightenment and is respected by all heavenly beings and humans, ordinary and noble beings. Thus, He is called the World-Honored One.

>> “At that time, the. World-Honored One, having finished His verse, spoke to the assembly and called out these words, ‘My disciple Mahakasyapa,in future lifetimes…’.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> “[You] will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them and widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.    [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> [He] will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones: It is rare to encounter a Buddha in one’s lifetime yet he is able to meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas to cultivate causes. Outwardly, relying on replete superior conditions, he will cultivate infinite blessings and virtues from all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones.

>> The Buddha has the great grace of constantly guiding and transforming all beings to turn their delusion into awakening. The World-Honored One’s great grace is truly rare. He compassionately teaches and benefits us. Thus, He is the one honored by the world.

>> With utmost sincerity, he will make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them. With the Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind, he reverently follows Buddhas, pays respect to and praises Them. This is the Bodhisattva’s vow to constantly give with respect: His faith is pure, and he reverently pays respect.

>> Those who make offerings to all Buddhas and, with deep faith, love and joy, cultivate all merits and virtues tirelessly will be born into the Tathagata family. This is making offerings to, showing reverence paying respect to and praising Them.

>> [He will] widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas: This is widely proclaiming the Great Dharma, the profound, wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle. Those who widely transform people will achieve, by benefiting others, countless great merits and virtues.

>> Widely proclaim: Those who accumulate superior causes within will achieve the profound wisdom of all Buddhas. Only those with superior causes and conditions, with the two adornments of blessings and wisdom, are able to attain Buddhahood.

>> The Great Dharma can lovingly nourish parched sentient beings. Thus, it is likened to rain. Dharma Masters practicing the Bodhisattva-path are in the Great Vehicle, widely proclaiming the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.

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“With wisdom and other teachings, He destroys greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt and so on, these deluded, unwholesome phenomena.
He eliminates the suffering of samsara, attains supreme enlightenment and is respected by all heavenly beings and humans, ordinary and noble beings. Thus, He is called the World-Honored One.”

We all understand this clearly. With wisdom and other teachings, the Buddha can destroy greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt and so on. This is also the goal of our practice. With wisdom, our minds can be settled. When we are settled, we are able to stay focused. When we know to be patient and diligent, we will know to uphold precepts and to give then we know to uphold precepts and to give. These are the Six Perfections. They are giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. When [the first five] come together, our true wisdom, our pure wisdom, will be able to be applied effectively. What will happen then? We will know how to eliminate greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. In our daily living, the greatest obstructions hindering our spiritual aspirations are these five. These are obstructions we create for ourselves, yet ironically we are unable to eliminate these obstructions and afflictions. As this is the case, unwholesome things will happen.

For instance, when the Buddha was in the world, many ministers and princes were able to become monastics. Among the royalty that came to practice, there were two brothers who were very special. They were the Buddha’s cousins. From one family, two sons were able to became monastics. One was Devadatta, and the other one was Ananda. Ananda and Devadatta were brothers, but they had different personalities. Ananda was pure and kind-hearted, while Devadatta was clever and sly. Nonetheless, Devadatta was very diligent as he practiced in the Sangha. Though arrogant, he was diligent in his practice. For 12 years, no matter what the Buddha taught him, he would practice it. So, after 12 years of hard work, he had penetrated the texts and understood the Buddha’s teachings.

But his greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance, those shortcomings, were not eliminated. These afflictions were still present in his mind.

One day, he felt he should go on to practice something superior to everyone else. He hoped to be able to quickly achieve spiritual powers and abilities to transform. Thus, he went to the Buddha to ask Him, “Could You share the teachings with me soon? Please teach me the power of transporting myself so that I can fly freely and go everywhere to expound the Dharma, to take all the teachings You have given and expound them for everyone to hear.”

The Buddha said, “You should still stick to learning the teachings in the proper order. You should study earnestly and better understand the principles of suffering, emptiness and impermanence.” Devadatta was very unhappy about this and went to see Sariputra. Sariputra said the same thing as the Buddha, “First you need to understand the principles of suffering, emptiness and impermanence.” So, he went to see Maudgalyayana, who also said the same thing, “First you should understand the principles of suffering, emptiness and impermanence.”

Devadatta’s ignorance and afflictions kept surfacing, layer by layer. He felt the Buddha, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana had belittled and excluded him. He was then struck by inspiration and thought of Ananda. Ananda was pure in heart; he had no suspicions of his older brother so he told [Devadatta] what he had heard. “I heard the Buddha teach such Dharma. If you could explore it in depth, then you would gain spiritual powers.” Devadatta more or less understood and put his heart into practicing. He kept practicing until sure enough, he could leave the ground and fly in the air as well as transform in various ways.

Then, taking advantage of his spiritual powers, every day he would go to the palace and transform in different ways, playing with Prince Ajatasatru. The prince was very happy, and he gave Devadatta 500 taels per day. Every day he would grant him any material object he asked for. Starting from that time, the arrogance and conceit in his mind became more and more severe.

The Buddha could only sigh, “Devadatta’s heart has completely [lost its way]. In the future, the Sangha will never be at peace.” As expected Devadatta became bolder and hoped to take the Buddha’s place. He encouraged Ajatasatru to take his father’s throne. Thus, both the kingdom and the Sangha were [rocked by chaos].

This is a very long story. All in all, we need to have wisdom in our spiritual practice. We must “destroy greed, anger, ignorance and so on, these deluded, unwholesome phenomena, eliminate the suffering of rebirth, attain supreme enlightenment and [be] respected by all heavenly beings, humans, ordinary and noble beings.” As the Buddha “eliminated the suffering of samsara,” He truly attained supreme enlightenment. All the true principles of the world are contained in His ocean of enlightened wisdom. He thus earned the respect of heavenly beings and humans, ordinary and noble beings, and is therefore called the World-Honored One.

In the previous sutra passage we already reached the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions “At that time, the. World-Honored One, having finished His verse, spoke to the assembly and called out these words, ‘My disciple Mahakasyapa,in future lifetimes…’.”

“At that time, the World-Honored One, having finished His verse” means that the verse in the Medicinal Plants chapter had concluded.

Next, in the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, the Buddha prepared to [bestow predictions] on those disciples who had comprehended the Buddha’s mind, who resonated with the Buddha’s mind and understood the principles. He now prepared to bestow predictions of Buddhahood on them “[He] called out these words” means that. He started talking to the entire assembly. “My disciple Mahakasyapa, in future lifetimes,”

and then the following sutra passage states, “[You] will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them and widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.”

Kasyapa also practiced like this in the past, and He will still need to practice for a very long time in the future. Thus, he “will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, [He] will meet and serve” means in the future he will meet many Buddhas; he will be able to serve by the side of 300 trillion Buddhas and accept their teachings. How long will this take? “It is rare to encounter a Buddha in one’s lifetime,” yet he is able to live during the lifetimes of 300 trillion Buddhas and able to serve Them, able to meet and get close to these Buddhas, able to cultivate the causes of [serving] these 300 trillion. Clearly, meeting a Buddha is truly not easy

[He] will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones: It is rare to encounter a Buddha in one’s lifetime yet he is able to meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas to cultivate causes. Outwardly, relying on replete superior conditions, he will cultivate infinite blessings and virtues from all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones.

Venerable Kasyapa must have cultivated these causes in the past such that he was able to, in this life, meaning more than 2000 years ago, live at the same time as the Buddha. Now he was able to meet the Buddha and resonate with the Buddha’s mind. So, the Buddha bestowed a prediction on him, that he would be able to meet 300 trillion Buddhas in the future [Meeting] all these Buddhas indicates that. Kasyapa needs to keep cultivating causes. So, he must cultivate until replete, as he is,

“outwardly, relying on replete superior conditions.” Inwardly, he needs to cultivate causes of being able to meet and serve all Buddhas and accept teachings from all Buddhas. This is cultivating causes inwardly. “Outwardly, relying on superior conditions” means going among people, working to help others. We must form many good affinities with others and greatly grow in wisdom. Only with this gradual accumulation of inner causes and outer conditions can we attain Buddhahood in the future

“The Buddha has the great grace of constantly guiding and transforming all beings to turn their delusion into awakening. The World-Honored One’s great grace is truly rare. He compassionately teaches and benefits us. Thus, He is the one honored by the world.”

The Buddha teaches sentient beings with this kind of method. He explained how He Himself had been taught by the Buddhas He met in the past and the mindset He used in accepting the Dharma. He also had to go among people to transform them and [help them] turn their delusion into awakening. So, “The World-Honored One’s great grace is truly rare.” He had to go among people for such a long time. To have such a mindset is truly very rare. “He compassionately teaches and benefits us.” All Buddhas teach and transform us in the same way. “Thus, He is the one honored by the world.” He was able to earn respect from all of us.

With utmost sincerity, he will make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them. With the Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind, he reverently follows Buddhas, pays respect to and praises Them. This is the Bodhisattva’s vow to constantly give with respect: His faith is pure, and he reverently pays respect.

Thus, with utmost sincerity [Kasyapa will] “make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them.” This is the process [of his practice]

As for the 300 trillion Buddhas that. Kasyapa will meet in the future, lifetime after lifetime, he will treat the World-Honored One, every Buddha, with reverence. “He will make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them.” He always has the utmost sincerity, showing reverence in this way “[He uses] the Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind….” This requires that he have reverence in his heart. He serves by putting the teachings into action to show reverence with his body, praises with his speech and makes offerings with sincerity of mind. Thus, with his Threefold Karma, “He reverently follows Buddhas, pays respect and praises Them.” This means that in spiritual practice, we need to have long-lasting persistence and unchanging reverence and respect. Even with 300 trillion Buddhas, we must use the same Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind to “make offerings, to show reverence with utmost sincerity.”

“This is the Bodhisattva’s vow to constantly give with respect.” This is the Bodhisattva’s vow, to help others with reverence. His faith is pure. This means he pays respect reverently. Every morning, we reverently prostrate in respect. In fact, this is showing reverence and paying respect to ourselves. If we have reverent minds, naturally the Buddha-mind will be in our mind

“Those who make offerings to all Buddhas and, with deep faith, love and joy, cultivate all merits and virtues tirelessly will be born into the Tathagata family. This is making offerings to, showing reverence paying respect to and praising Them.”

This is telling us that everyone is a Buddha. Otherwise, how could we possibly [serve] 300 trillion Buddhas? This is the meaning in what the Buddha said, that if you show reverence to everyone, then naturally lifetime after lifetime you are in the family of the Buddha-Dharma and you can be close to the Buddha-Dharma. Thus, we need to make offerings with reverence

[He will] widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas: This is widely proclaiming the Great Dharma, the profound, wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle. Those who widely transform people will achieve, by benefiting others, countless great merits and virtues.

“and widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.” We must not only make offerings reverently, but also pay respect to and praise all Buddhas and widely proclaim the. Great Dharma of all Buddhas. In our physical conduct we must rid ourselves of conceit and arrogance and show respect to everyone. This is the true way to reverently make offerings to all Buddhas. We do not have to wait until future lifetimes to meet 300 trillion Buddhas. In this lifetime, we can treat everyone as the Buddha. With a mindset of reverently making offerings, we pay respect to and praise Them. At the same time, we are also proclaiming the Buddha-Dharma. This is the same

“This is widely proclaiming the Great Dharma, the profound, wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle.” The Great Dharma that is widely proclaimed is the profound, wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle. It widely transforms people. Whoever sees and listens to it can become an example for others. Their body, mind and speech all proclaim the teachings, especially the Great Dharma. So, they “will achieve, by benefiting others, countless great merits and virtues.”

Widely proclaim: Those who accumulate superior causes within will achieve the profound wisdom of all Buddhas. Only those with superior causes and conditions, with the two adornments of blessings and wisdom, are able to attain Buddhahood.

Widely proclaiming is to “accumulate superior causes within.” Internally, we accumulate many superior causes. Since we are learning the Dharma, much Buddha-Dharma is already in our minds. Thus, we “will achieve the profound wisdom of all Buddhas. Only those with superior causes and conditions, with the two adornments of blessings and wisdom, are able to attain Buddhahood.” Actually, everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. From past lives, our accumulated good causes, superior causes, are in our minds. It is because we had the Dharma in the past and can again listen to the teachings in this life that these causes keep accumulating. “Only those with superior causes and conditions” means we need causes and conditions. The causes are in our minds. The conditions are from the outside. The wisdom we cultivate will forever remain in our minds as causes. Externally, we respect everyone, which creates blessed conditions. So, “with superior causes and conditions [and] the two adornments of blessings and wisdom,” blessings and wisdom dignify our body so we will naturally be respected by all who see us. With both blessings and wisdom, we “are able to attain Buddhahood.” This is how we are able to attain Buddhahood

The Great Dharma can lovingly nourish parched sentient beings. Thus, it is likened to rain. Dharma Masters practicing the Bodhisattva-path are in the Great Vehicle, widely proclaiming the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.

The Great Dharma is like Dharma-rain falling and nourishing everything on Earth. This is an analogy, showing that the Dharma is like nourishing rain. “Dharma Masters practicing the Bodhisattva-path” take the Dharma as their own teacher and go among people to give the teachings “[They] are in the Great Vehicle, widely proclaiming the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.”

All in all, we need to practice earnestly in our daily living. We need to act with wisdom. Thus, we need to earnestly learn how to tame our greed, anger and ignorance. These unwholesome things must be quickly eliminated. This is getting rid of all afflictions. Then we can truly converge with the true principles of the universe and attain great awakening. This is what the Buddha taught us.

Venerable Kasyapa will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones. We may think this will take too long, that we do not have the patience. So, we should see everyone as a Buddha. See, right now, how many future Buddhas are we all meeting? Every day, we pay respect to everyone. By seeing everyone as a Buddha, we are truly respecting ourselves. Therefore, we must always be mindful!

Episode 928 – Receiving Predictions of Buddhahood

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>> When Mahakasyapa and the others heard the Buddha bestow predictions of Buddhahood upon Son-of-Sari, they used analogies to show their awakening and recounted the Parable of the Poor Son. They did so to guide Two Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, to gradually enter the perfect teachings. When Two Vehicle practitioners understand the One True Dharma, they enter great Bodhi.

>> The Chapter on Bestowing Predictions: They were able to receive predictions because they had engaged in spiritual practice, eliminated delusions of afflictions and ignorance, resonated with the Buddha-mind and attained the truth. In accord with the principles, the Buddha gave confirmation and bestowed predictions of Buddhahood on them. This is like how worldly rank or status are passed down; thus there was the bestowing of predictions.

>> “Of all you Hearers in the assembly, none will cross into extinction. What all of you are practicing is the Bodhisattva-path, and by gradually practicing and learning, you will all attain Buddhahood.”       [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>> “At that time, the World-Honored One, having finished His verse, spoke to the assembly and called out these words, ‘My disciple Mahakasyapa, in future lifetimes…’.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]

>>  Bestowing predictions: The World-Honored One made predictions for His disciples about their future lifetimes. This is predicting the cause and effect. Here He bestowed a prediction on Mahakasyapa about his causal practice for attaining Buddhahood in the future.

>> For those who receive predictions, the degree to which they follow the Buddha differs depending upon the power of their vows, their meritorious practice in serving the Buddha differs depending on their causes, conditions and ability and their epithets on attaining Buddhahood differ depending on their causal practice.

>> At that time, the World-Honored One, having finished His verse: The Buddha said at that time because it was for those with suitable conditions that He taught the Parable of the Medicinal Plants. This was so important that He repeated it in verse. The time He finished was that time.

>> Kasyapa also knew he must teach the Buddha’s understanding and views and manifest the Buddha in his nature. Matching mind with mind is called bestowing predictions of Buddhahood.

>> [He] spoke to the assembly and called out these words: He announced to all in the assembly as He spoke these words.

>> My disciple Mahakasyapa, in future lifetimes…: The future exists because something existed before, which has already gone past. Thus He says “in future lifetimes”. >> [He] also knew he must teach the Buddha’s understanding and views. Manifest the Buddha in his nature. “Matching mind with mind” is called “bestowing predictions of Buddhahood”

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“When Mahakasyapa and the others heard the Buddha bestow predictions of Buddhahood upon Son-of-Sari,
 they used analogies to show their awakening and recounted the Parable of the Poor Son.
They did so to guide Two Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, to gradually enter the perfect teachings.
When Two Vehicle practitioners understand the One True Dharma, they enter great Bodhi.”

When we read this passage, we should all understand it clearly. In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, Venerable Kasyapa began to [share his understanding] of. Sariputra receiving the Buddha’s prediction of Buddhahood. Venerable Kasyapa, Subhuti, Katyayana and. Maudgalyayana, these four disciples, represented the Sangha in coming before the Buddha to express that they finally had faith and understanding. They had faith in the Buddha’s teaching that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature and that everyone can attain Buddhahood. They understood that everyone already possesses a treasure trove of Dharma.

This was like the poor son; he originally had this, but he left his home and wandered aimlessly. Regardless of how tiring it was, his father pursued his son, constantly searching for him. But his son was out in the world, stumbling around alone for more than 50 years. This is the cyclic existence of the Five Realms in which unenlightened beings wander. Sometimes, we are born in heaven. Sometimes, we are born in the human realm. Sometimes, we fall into the Three Evil Realms. This is how we transmigrate in the Five Realms. It had not been easy for them to encounter the Buddha-Dharma and be born in the same era as a Buddha. So, they knew that they must listen to the Buddha’s earnest teachings. They finally understood this. So, when they used the poor son as an analogy, the Buddha was joyful at what the four of them expressed.

Next, the Buddha used even more profound teachings [and spoke of] “one appearance and one flavor.” Actually, He regarded all equally. The Buddha converged with the true principles of the universe to the point that all sentient beings became equal to Him. With one appearance and one flavor, He taught the same Dharma to everyone. However, we all have different capabilities.

Once everyone understands that the Dharma is of one appearance and one flavor, [we know] it is given equally to everyone, out of His loving heart. It is we who have not changed our habitual tendencies; it is not the Buddha who discriminates between sentient beings. We all must reflect on ourselves and repent. If people do not reflect on their mistakes, they lock up their minds and do not take in the Dharma. Then, when they go among people and encounter afflictions, they will only complain about this. People like this are unable to accept the Dharma. They do not take in any teachings, so they have no way to face the tests of life. This is such a pity. Therefore, we must all be mindful.

So, this verse says, “When Mahakasyapa and the others heard the Buddha bestow predictions of Buddhahood upon Son-of-Sari….” Mahakasyapa and the others, these four, in the Chapter on Parables, at the moment the Buddha bestowed His prediction on Sariputra, all had an awakening. “They used analogies to show their awakening.” In the Chapter on Parables, Sariputra attained understanding, and the Buddha bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood on him. So, it was the same for these four; at that moment, seeing the Buddha affirm Sariputra, the four of them also came [before the Buddha]. In the Chapter on Parables, they had already attained understanding, so they recounted the Parable of the Poor Son.

“They did so to guide Two Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, to gradually enter the perfect teachings.” At that moment, the Two Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, already fully understood; they had gradually entered the perfect teachings. In the past, the gradual teachings were used to lead everyone one step at a time. They had heard the teachings up to this point and had eliminated afflictions. They thought this was enough to enter Nirvana, that they would not come back to this world with their karma. They believed this was crossing into extinction.

However, in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha kept announcing that what He was teaching was of one appearance and one flavor, the One True Dharma, the One Vehicle. The Buddha cast aside the Three Vehicles to emphasize to everyone that there is only one vehicle, not three, because the “One” is that all people are equal and all can attain Buddhahood. The teachings that He expounded were like this; everyone has a part in them. It is not that some people do not receive it, but that their own capabilities [determine what they can accept], and their own habitual tendencies have not yet been eliminated. So, now we understand that this method of teaching is complete and perfect, thus we gradually enter the perfect teachings.

“When Two Vehicle practitioners understand the One True Dharma, they enter great Bodhi.” As the Chapter on Medicinal Plants concluded, the Buddha’s true intent was His hope for the Two Vehicle practitioners, those already engaged in spiritual practice, to now understand and be able to experience the One True Dharma. Then they would begin forming great aspirations and enter the teachings of great Bodhi. This was the Buddha’s intent.

Now we begin the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions

Bestowing predictions: The World-Honored One made predictions for His disciples about their future lifetimes. This is predicting the cause and effect. Here He bestowed a prediction on Mahakasyapa about his causal practice for attaining Buddhahood in the future.

Those who “received predictions” did so because they engaged in spiritual practice and eliminated their afflictions and ignorance. Why did the Buddha bestow predictions? Because the Two Vehicle disciples had engaged in spiritual practice and thus eliminated their afflictions and ignorance. They had gradually eliminated them. Some disciples began to resonate with the Buddha-mind. Their minds were in accord with the Buddha’s mind, so they “resonated with the Buddha-mind and attained the truth.” They understood the Buddha’s intent to point them towards the great, direct Bodhi-path. He had begun to guide them, so they should have realized the Buddha’s intent and already seen this path clearly. “In accord with the principles, the Buddha gave confirmation and bestowed predictions of Buddhahood on them.” Because they resonated with the Buddha-mind and had already discovered this path, as it should be according to the principles, He gave confirmation and bestowed predictions. The Buddha wanted to confirm this for them. “That is right; you now understand. You are in accord with my intention and my mind. My mind is the same as yours. Your thoughts are the teachings I have shared.”

“This is like how worldly rank or status are passed down,” just like a king passing his crown to the prince. It is passed down, from generation to generation. An entrepreneur’s assets are passed to his son. The principle is the same. “Thus, there was the bestowing of predictions.” Because of this, there is the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions.

If you remember, previously in the. Chapter on Medicinal Plants, at the end it said, “Of all you Hearers in the assembly, none will cross into extinction. What all of you are practicing is the Bodhisattva-path, and by gradually practicing and learning, you will all attain Buddhahood.”

The Buddha was reminding everyone again, saying, “you Hearers in the assembly,” which also includes the Solitary Realizers. “None [of you] will cross into extinction. Your spiritual practice does not stop here. What all of you are practicing” means everyone was engaged in spiritual practice. The Buddha hoped that not only these four, but all His disciples, could understand that they should not remain Hearers or Solitary Realizers, only practicing for their own benefit. He wanted everyone to open their minds and form great aspirations and make great vows to walk the Bodhisattva-path. The Bodhisattva-path is the true path. We must go among people to practice and learn, must go among people to temper ourselves. This is how we gradually practice and learn. If we can do this, we will be able to attain Buddhahood.

This sutra passage is meant to encourage us and is also a kind of confirmation.

The Chapter on Bestowing Predictions starts out saying, “At that time, the World-Honored One, having finished His verse, spoke to the assembly and called out these words, ‘My disciple Mahakasyapa, in future lifetimes…’.”

Now, it begins with the Buddha “having finished His verse” and calling out to everyone. After the long-form prose of the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, He continued with repeated verses. Everyone should remember this. Now, in the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, the Buddha “spoke to the assembly.” Again, He addressed everyone and “called out these words.” He used a loud voice and raised His tone, saying, “My disciple Mahakasyapa, in future lifetimes…. Everyone, listen carefully. My disciple….” Think about it, this was said with such warmth. Venerable Kasyapa persisted in ascetic practice, so he was able to eliminate his attachments. His mind had returned to emptiness. This was what the Buddha was praising

Bestowing predictions: The World-Honored One made predictions for His disciples about their future lifetimes. This is predicting the cause and effect. Here He bestowed a prediction on Mahakasyapa about his causal practice for attaining Buddhahood in the future.

So, “bestowing predictions” means that “The World-Honored One made predictions for His disciples about their future lifetimes. This is predicting the cause and effect.” This refers to future events. Predicting the cause means that because he engaged in spiritual practice, the effect would be his attaining Buddhahood. So, “Here He bestowed a prediction on Mahakasyapa about his causal practice for attaining Buddhahood in the future.”

For those who receive predictions, the degree to which they follow the Buddha differs depending upon the power of their vows, their meritorious practice in serving the Buddha differs depending on their causes, conditions and ability and their epithets on attaining Buddhahood differ depending on their causal practice.

Why was he able to receive the Buddha’s prediction of Buddhahood? “For those who receive predictions, the degree to which they follow the Buddha differs.” This is the course of his spiritual practice ․For those who receive predictions, the degree to which they follow the Buddha differs depending upon the power of their vows, their meritorious practice in serving the Buddha differs depending on their causes, conditions and ability and their epithets on attaining Buddhahood differ depending on their causal practice. Why did Kasyapa receive a prediction of Buddhahood? It was because of his spiritual practice, the degree to which he followed the Buddha. The degree to which they followed the teachings was either great or little. Each person was different. Some of them listened, yet their habitual tendencies remained the same. Venerable Kasyapa had completely eliminated his past indulgences and his past [lifestyle]. He completely let go of them. Since he was engaging in spiritual practice, he completely adopted the Buddha’s teachings. Therefore, he had great capabilities.

So, “The degree to which they follow the Buddha differs depending upon the power of their vows.” Kasyapa had that vow, that power. So, in “serving the Buddha,” drawing close to the Buddha, their “meritorious practice differs.” In their resolve to draw near the Buddha, each person was different. So it “depends on their causes, conditions and ability.” Their skills and their ability, how they followed the Buddha and how they accepted the Dharma, their firm spiritual aspirations and their causes and conditions for practice all depended on their causes and conditions. The Buddha bestowed predictions in sequence, and.

“Their epithets on attaining Buddhahood differ.” Everyone will attain Buddhahood at different times. By what karmic conditions are they able to attain Buddhahood? Where will they attain Buddhahood, and what will be their epithet? This “depends on their causal practice.” This depends on their causes.

At that time, the World-Honored One, having finished His verse: The Buddha said at that time because it was for those with suitable conditions that He taught the Parable of the Medicinal Plants. This was so important that He repeated it in verse. The time He finished was that time.

“At that time, the World-Honored One, having finished His verse” The Buddha had finished expounding the. Chapter on Medicinal Plants, so “at that time” refers to the period right after, right after He spoke the verses in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants. “It was for those with suitable conditions that He taught.” The Chapter on Parables [was] their understanding; the Buddha taught the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, and the Chapter on Medicinal Plants also included many repeated verses. These are all very important teachings. So, at this time, the Chapter on Medicinal Plants had also concluded. “He spoke to the assembly and called out these words.” He spoke to everyone. “He announced to all in the assembly as He spoke these words”

 [He] spoke to the assembly and called out these words: He announced to all in the assembly as He spoke these words.

“‘My disciple Mahakasyapa, in future lifetimes…’.”

My disciple Mahakasyapa, in future lifetimes…: The future exists because something existed before, which has already gone past. Thus He says “in future lifetimes”.

Who was Mahakasyapa? Everyone knows; he was someone everyone recognized, the one who led the Sangha. At that time, he was leading the Sangha; in the future he would pass the Dharma on to Maitreya. This made Mahakasyapa a very important person. “The future exists because something existed before, which has already gone past. Before” refers to the past. Thus He says “in future lifetimes.”

Mahakasyapa had causes and conditions from his past lifetimes, as well as his present causes and conditions, so because of the present, there will be a future.

What happened in Mahakasyapa’s past? There were life after life of karmic causes, the causes and conditions of his previous lives. But, in his present life, he engaged in spiritual practice. In his spiritual practice, he was distinguished by the practices of “Dhuta. Dhuta” means ascetic practice. What others could not bear, he could endure. In what areas did he have to endure [hardship]? In clothing, food and housing, he persisted in hardship. “Enduring ascetic practices” was what he specialized in, and thus, “He was called the foremost in ascetic practice.” This was what the Buddha appreciated about Mahakasyapa.

Mahakasyapa was originally married, but fortunately, both wanted to engage in spiritual practice. It was only their parents who pushed them to marry and they fulfilled their parents’ wishes. But, while they shared the same room, they slept in separate beds, and they agreed that in the future, they each would engage in spiritual practice. So, they both maintained their physical purity. Later, after the many twists and turns of life, their wishes came to fruition. After their parents grew old and passed away, and as the two were both willing to engage in spiritual practice, they went their separate ways. Kasyapa told his wife, “I will leave first. If I can find a suitable, truly virtuous sage or noble being, a spiritual practitioner that I wish to follow, I will let you know, and you can come to engage in spiritual practice.” Just like that, he renounced the lay life.

He searched all around, and after three years, he met the Buddha. From that point on, he listened to and persevered with the Buddha’s teachings. He could accept them all, and he could bear what others could not. Others could not bear ascetic practices, but he was able to bear them.

He was so close to the Buddha’s heart. At the Vulture Peak Assembly, the Buddha held up a flower, and Kasyapa smiled. This subtle action by the Buddha of holding up a flower was not understood by anyone else. Only Kasyapa reacted and smiled, and the Buddha praised him. This story is about transmitting the Dharma of the mind, the Buddha’s mind, which Kasyapa was able to understand. So, in the Zen School, this story is told frequently. This is called transmitting the Dharma of the mind. “The Buddha passed the supreme Dharma to Kasyapa to prepare for His Parinirvana and pass on His Wisdom-life.” The Buddha’s wisdom-life was to be inherited by Kasyapa

>> [He] also knew he must teach the Buddha’s understanding and views. Manifest the Buddha in his nature. “Matching mind with mind” is called “bestowing predictions of Buddhahood”

“[He] also knew he must teach the Buddha’s understanding and views” Kasyapa also knew he must teach the Buddha’s understanding and views and manifest the Buddha in his nature. Matching mind with mind is called bestowing predictions of Buddhahood. Mahakasyapa had already attained understanding. What the Buddha had taught, Kasyapa now realized and understood; he had the understanding and views. What the Buddha had revealed to him was taken deeply into his heart. “Manifest the Buddha in his nature” means he already understood the Buddha in his nature. “Matching mind with mind” means Kasyapa’s mind was matched with the Buddha’s mind. As for the Buddha’s original intent, Kasyapa was in accord with the Buddha-mind. So he saw the Path, this path of spiritual practice, which is the great, direct Bodhi-path “[This is] bestowing predictions of Buddhahood. Matching mind with mind” is called “bestowing predictions of Buddhahood” [The Dharma of] one appearance and one flavor had been understood by Kasyapa, so he received a prediction of Buddhahood.

Thus, this sutra passage first says that Venerable Kasyapa received predictions of Buddhahood from the Buddha. Therefore, as Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful [Attaining Buddhahood] requires a long time, a very long period of time. We must go among people and temper ourselves. We must gradually enter the Bodhisattva-path. Then, surely, we will all attain Buddhahood. This is what the Buddha confirmed for us. This depends on changing our habitual tendencies and eliminating our afflictions. In this way we can test the progress we have made. So everyone, please always be mindful!