Category: TLS Chapter 8

Episode 1163 – Predictions for Those at and beyond Learning

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>> “Among those at and beyond the stage of learning, those eliminating false delusions are called those at the stage of learning; those who have learned the ultimate, eliminated delusions and have nothing more to learn and practice are called those beyond the stage of learning.”

>> Small Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Those who have attained the first three fruits, Srotaapanna, Sakrdagamin and Anagamin, are at the stage of learning. Arhats are beyond the stage of learning. Great Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Bodhisattvas in the Ten Grounds are at the stage of learning. Those who have attained the fruit of Buddhahood are said to be beyond the stage of learning.

>> Small Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Those who have attained the first three fruits, Srotaapanna, Sakrdagamin and Anagamin, are at the stage of learning. Arhats are beyond the stage of learning. Great Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Bodhisattvas in the Ten Grounds are at the stage of learning. Those who have attained the fruit of Buddhahood are said to be beyond the stage of learning.

>> Among the four stages of the Hearer Vehicle, those in the three stages of Srotaapanna, Sakrdagamin and Anagamin are at the stage of learning; the stage of Arhatship is beyond learning. This Chapter records the methods of manifestation in the Lotus Sutra, the cycle of using causes and conditions in teaching the Dharma.

>> The method of manifestation: Since the Buddha attained enlightenment in the very beginning through the time He transformed stage by stage, teaching lifetime after lifetime the Dharma of the rising and ceasing of causes and conditions, and even now that He has attained Buddhahood to transform sentient beings, these are all manifestations derived from. His original existence. Thus this is called the method of manifestation.

>> Because those at and beyond the stage of learning heard these past causes and conditions, they first returned from the Small and formed supreme Bodhicitta. The Buddha bestowed predictions upon them that in the future they will become Buddhas. It is called the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning, but this is often simplified as the Chapter on People’s Predictions.

>> In this third cycle of bestowing predictions, the Hearers such as Purna, Kaundinya and 500 disciples were all Arhats beyond the stage of learning. Those who received predictions in this chapter and had not yet attained the four fruits were Ananda, Rahula and 2,000 others. They were not all Arhats or all beyond the stage of learning. Thus, this chapter is generally known as the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning.

>> Purna had the name of Great Arhat and manifested as a Hearer of limited capability. So, among those who received early predictions, he was the first.

>> Purna had the name of Great Arhat and manifested as a Hearer of limited capability. So, among those who received early predictions, he was the first. Ananda was also a Bodhisattva in past lifetimes and manifested as the Buddha’s attendant. Therefore, he was the first to receive predictions in this chapter.

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“Among those at and beyond the stage of learning, those eliminating false delusions
are called those at the stage of learning; those who have learned the ultimate, eliminated delusions
and have nothing more to learn and practice
are called those beyond the stage of learning.”

Small Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Those who have attained the first three fruits, Srotaapanna, Sakrdagamin and. Anagamin, are at the stage of learning. Arhats are beyond the stage of learning. Great Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Bodhisattvas in the Ten Grounds are at the stage of learning. Those who have attained the fruit of Buddhahood are said to be beyond the stage of learning.

We have now already entered the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning. This is the ninth chapter. We must first know the principles regarding being at or beyond the stage of learning. Those at the stage of learning must eliminate false delusions, so which practices should these spiritual practitioners engage in? Because we have many afflictions and a thick layer of ignorance, we must learn how to eliminate false delusions. This is mastery, and mastery must be learned. This is the stage of learning; in the beginning, we must learn.

“False” means unreal. “Delusions” refers to ignorance. In our daily living, we constantly mistake the false for the real. There are so many principles in the world that we have not yet thoroughly understood. We connect with the external five sense objects through our five sense organs and consider them to be what is real. Our eyes perceive things with all kinds of shapes and colors. When we see them, we immediately begin separating them into what we like and what we do not like. We never think of how these things come into being.

These objects come about through convergence. In my hand, I may hold a pen or a piece of paper or a notebook. “Paper” and “notebook” are just names. “This is clearly a notebook, so why do you call it paper? This is clearly a piece of paper, so why do you call it a notebook? Where does this paper come from?” This is all a matter of names and appearances. We humans keep fighting over names and appearances. If we investigate the origin [of these things], we see that they come from the mountains and land, this space, from the water, trees and air of this world. These things are turned into this piece of paper, this notebook in my hand. Do you believe this? Those who have heard the principles before do. Someone who does not understand at all [may ask], “This clearly is a piece of paper. What does it have to do with a tree on a mountain? How could a tree become paper?” These are principles.

In fact, before the tree, there was a seed. A tiny seed became a giant tree. Originally there was a very tiny seed. If we open up the seed and look inside, there is neither form nor trace [of the tree]. It relies on causes and conditions coming together. For a tree seed, what kinds of causes are needed and what ways must it come together [with conditions] in order to become a tree is described by the principles of plant physiology. These are principles, but when we humans do not know these principles, when we do not know the origins of things, we merely argue over the forms we see.

We hear with our ears, and. “One man’s lie becomes truth for thousands.” One misspoken word leads to interpersonal conflicts that disturb our minds and stir up our emotions. This causes divisions and conflicts. This is why this world has so many afflictions and disasters. These are all false delusions, a lack of understanding. We lack understanding, so we begin to doubt one another and lack faith in one another. We lack [understanding of] the principles of all things in the world. As for the workings of living things, we are also very unclear.

In the beginning, we need to learn. In our society, we go from kindergarten to elementary school, to middle school and on to university. We move through the levels stage by stage; there is no end to the principles we can study. This is all considered the stage of learning. It is the same in our spiritual practice. We start from [concepts like] samsara and causes and conditions. Where does the suffering in life come from? Take in particular [the concept of] samsara. Over many lifetimes, life after life, since the distant past, [we have accumulated] causes and conditions. There are our past and present lifetimes and our future circumstantial and direct retributions. How can we truly comprehend these principles? We do know not where we came from nor where we are going. This is because in our lives, we are still stuck in false delusions. This is why we must seek these principles. How we were born and how we should die, how to be free and at ease with birth and death, this is what we must put effort into understanding and learning. This is all being at the stage of learning.

“Those who have learned the ultimate [and] eliminated delusions….” What we want to learn is to reach the ultimate, where all that is false and illusory, all our delusions and ignorance, has been eliminated. This is all part of our process of learning. While we are still in the process of learning, we are said to be at the stage of learning. Only when we reach the ultimate, when we have completely understood everything, do we have “nothing more to learn and practice.” People like this are “beyond the stage of learning.” When one clearly understands all principles, then one is “beyond learning.”

When the disciples of the Buddha first formed aspirations to engage in spiritual practice, as they first came in, they had to start learning. They needed to learn these principles, learn that to be at peace with living and dying, they had to completely eliminate all that is false and illusory. This process is the Small Vehicle [practice]. [These were] “Small Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning.” Here, “at and beyond the stage of learning” is separated into the Small and the Great Vehicle.

Small Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Those who have attained the first three fruits, Srotaapanna, Sakrdagamin and Anagamin, are at the stage of learning. Arhats are beyond the stage of learning. Great Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning: Bodhisattvas in the Ten Grounds are at the stage of learning. Those who have attained the fruit of Buddhahood are said to be beyond the stage of learning.

As for “Small Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning,” they are those who have attained the “first three fruits.” The Small Vehicle has four fruits. The first three fruits are the initial fruit of Srotaapanna, the second fruit of Sakrdagamin and the third fruit of Anagamin. These are at the stage of learning, for those who are still in the process of learning.

Now, we have just entered the initial stage of learning. Once we have understood the initial level, we will have attained the fruit of Srotaapanna. This is the initial fruit. It is the initial fruit of learning where one understands the Four Noble Truths. Have we understood these? We must examine and truly understand these; this is entering the Path. The Srotaapanna has begun forming aspirations and entered the Path.

Next comes the second fruit of Sakrdagamin. This is the second fruit. Having understood the Four Noble Truths, we must begin eliminating afflictions. We must reach a state of thorough clarity and eliminate ignorance. We must completely purify our mind. We then start approaching the fruit of Anagamin. This is the third fruit.

Having attained the third fruit, one already has insights into “cessation” and “the Path.” These are called the three fruits. After completely realizing these three fruits, one can then approach the fruit of Arhatship. The fruit of Arhatship is also called the fourth fruit. They have understood the principles. They are not only clear on the Four Noble Truths, but have also completely comprehended the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence, as well as many other principles. This is Arhatship, the fourth fruit. This is being beyond the stage of learning.

In the Small Vehicle stage of learning, they have already understood the Small Vehicle Dharma, so they keep to the Small Vehicle teachings. They dare not contrive affinities with others, for they thoroughly understand the suffering of samsara. In the obscurity of this long night, where did we come from and where are we going? We spoke yesterday of how, as soon as the mind begins to stir, ignorance begins arising. They are afraid of contriving affinities with sentient beings, so they remain in the Small Vehicle. They are clear on the principles, but they are unwilling to go among people. These are Small Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning.

Then there is the Great Vehicle. As for “Great Vehicle practitioners at and beyond the stage of learning, Bodhisattvas in the Ten Grounds are at the stage of learning.” We begin to form Great Vehicle aspirations. As we form Great Vehicle aspirations, we must open up our minds. Bodhisattvas in the Ten Grounds are Great Vehicle [practitioners]. They start from “the ground of joy.” The initial ground is the ground of joy. We have explained the Ten Grounds in the past. With great joy and great willingness, they agree to go among people. Because they have accepted and fully comprehended these teachings, have realized the Buddha’s intent, they are very willing and joyful. They have faith in themselves; they are able to have flawless faith and [practice] flawless precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. They have faith in themselves, so when they are among people, they never become defiled by sentient beings. Having taken the Dharma to heart, they are at ease. They always listen, contemplate and practice, constantly seek the path to Buddhahood and transform sentient beings.

So, these are the Ten Grounds of Bodhisattvas. Those who are still among these Ten Grounds are in the Great Vehicle stage of learning; they are still learning. They form aspirations and make vows to go among people. They have faith in themselves. Though they are still at the stage of learning, they have faith in themselves. These Bodhisattvas with Great Vehicle aspirations are still at the stage of learning; they are Bodhisattvas at the stage of learning. Some Bodhisattvas are “newly-inspired.” We are presently newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. This is the Great Vehicle stage of learning.

Next, “those who have attained the fruit of Buddhahood are beyond the stage of learning.” If we continuously progress and step by step advance in our spiritual practice through the Ten Grounds until we have learned and understood everything very clearly, then naturally we have reached “beyond learning.”

The Bodhisattva Way is very far-reaching, very broad. The aspirations of [Bodhisattvas] are the same as those of the Buddha. They constantly seek the principles of everything in the world. The caring love and compassion they show for the myriads of sentient beings are just like the Buddha’s feelings of compassion for those sentient beings. These are the Great Vehicle [practitioners] at and beyond the stage of learning. Practicing precepts, Samadhi and wisdom as they go among people, [Bodhisattvas] “seek the Dharma and transform sentient beings” until they finally reach Buddhahood. This is how they seek the Buddha-Dharma. These are the Great Vehicle stages of learning and beyond learning.

Newly-inspired Bodhisattvas are at the stage of learning; they are about to start learning. But there are also Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas, many of whom return on the ship of compassion, such as Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Earth Treasury Bodhisattva and so on. In the past, Guanyin Bodhisattva was. Clear True Dharma Tathagata. She has already attained Buddhahood and returned. Manjusri had also attained Buddhahood and returned to assist at the Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, to help Him teach and transform sentient beings. As Sakyamuni Buddha presently delivers sentient beings in the Saha world, Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas keep returning to the world. Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas never abandon sentient beings. They always help Buddhas teach and transform. They are beyond learning; they have no more need to learn. Their natural intrinsic nature, their ocean of enlightened wisdom, is always there. Thus, as they go among people they have nothing they need to learn.

So, at present [the disciples] were Hearers who relied upon sound for their understanding. “There are four fruits of the Hearer Vehicle.”

Among the four stages of the Hearer Vehicle, those in the three stages of Srotaapanna, Sakrdagamin and Anagamin are at the stage of learning; the stage of Arhatship is beyond learning. This Chapter records the methods of manifestation in the Lotus Sutra, the cycle of using causes and conditions in teaching the Dharma.

As we just said, “There are four fruits. The three fruits of Stream-enterer, [Once-returner] and Never-returner” are considered the stage of learning. A Stream-enterer is one preparing to enter the realm of noble beings. We who are spiritual practitioners today dare not say that we have already realized the initial fruit or the second fruit or the third fruit, or that we have already attained the fourth fruit. We who live today do not dare say about ourselves, “I have already realized all of the fruits.” But actually, in the era of the Buddha, those at His Dharma-assembly included those preparing to enter the realm of noble beings as well as those who had realized the third and fourth fruits. These were people at and beyond the stage of learning. This is what we are talking about now.

The present chapter “Records the Method of the Manifest in the Lotus Sutra.” In the present chapter, the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning, He continued bestowing predictions of Buddhahood.

In the previous chapter, 500 disciples already received predictions of Buddhahood. Now, in the next chapter, He had not yet finished bestowing predictions. As we said earlier, the 500 disciples were there at the assembly. After bestowed predictions on those present, Purna Maitrayaniputra, Ajnata Kaundinya, Uruvilva Kasyapa and so on, as well as the 500 people present who received predictions, the Buddha also entrusted Kasyapa with informing another 700 people that they too would attain Buddhahood in the future, that they too had received predictions.

Was He finished bestowing predictions then? No. The Buddha is so compassionate. Since there were other disciples who were at and beyond the stage of learning, the Buddha wanted to give them all confidence, so He continued bestowing predictions upon those at and beyond the stage of learning. This is in the “method of the manifest” [section] of the Lotus Sutra. Within His teaching of the Lotus Sutra, this is “the cycle of causes and conditions.”

“The method of the manifest” refers to the time since He first attained enlightenment, [His manifestations] after His awakening and throughout His lifetime. This is called the method of the manifest.

The method of manifestation: Since the Buddha attained enlightenment in the very beginning through the time He transformed stage by stage, teaching lifetime after lifetime the Dharma of the rising and ceasing of causes and conditions, and even now that He has attained Buddhahood to transform sentient beings, these are all manifestations derived from. His original existence. Thus this is called the method of manifestation.

The teachings He imparted after attaining enlightenment and in the time since began at Deer Park. Starting from the Four Noble Truths, He then continued level by level. “Stage by stage” refers to how He gradually taught, stage by stage. The Dharma He taught was the Dharma from lifetime after lifetime.

In regard to our past lives, in the Chapter on the Conjured City it says that even if we used dust-inked kalpas to count from Great Unhindered Buddha’s era, we would never finish counting. Over so many lifetimes, He taught of the arising and ceasing of causes and conditions. Starting from His causes and conditions at the time of the 16 princes and ever onward from then, there are many stories in the Jataka Sutra about His causes and conditions with. His disciples [during past lifetimes]. These are teachings of the causes and condition of arising and ceasing over many lifetimes. Since the Buddha first started, this is the road that He walked and the teachings He gave. This is like a person’s footprints. We leave footprints along the road we walk over the course of our lifetime. In this way, all He said, all He did, all He taught and so on through all past lives up until His present one as well as how He transformed sentient beings, all these various causes and conditions “[are] all manifestations emanating from His intrinsic nature.”

Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. We ourselves, along with everyone else, have this! It is just that the Buddha has awakened to it before us. We have always had it. From ancient times until today, everyone has intrinsically had Buddha-nature. So, from His ocean of innate enlightenment, from this wisdom, the Buddha formed aspirations and made vows. He formed Great Vehicle aspirations and made Great Vehicle vows to, life after life, throughout cycle after cycle of birth and death, always be in the world. These “manifestations” are the footprints along the road that He walked. From the time of Great Unhindered Buddha, an incalculable amount of time ago, with the principles He thoroughly understood then, He has continued this way ever since. This is the “method of the manifest.” These [footprints] are so numerous, over such a long time. Their number is incalculable. So, this was how it came about.

Because those at and beyond the stage of learning heard these past causes and conditions, they first returned from the Small and formed supreme Bodhicitta. The Buddha bestowed predictions upon them that in the future they will become Buddhas. It is called the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning, but this is often simplified as the Chapter on People’s Predictions.

“Because those at and beyond the stage of learning….” He was now turning to a large number of people. Everything the Buddha taught during His lifetime, He had to teach again in the Lotus Sutra. The mindsets of those who aspired to become. Buddhist practitioners [were all different]. Some only sought to awaken themselves while some formed great aspirations and made great vows. Some had already attained [awakening] in the past but hid their original [vows], concealing the Great while manifesting the Small, like Purna Maitrayaniputra. There were many people like this in the world and in the Sangha. So, there were “those at and beyond the stage of learning,” and there would be many more in the future.

So, [because they] “heard these past causes and conditions, they first returned from the Small and formed supreme Bodhicitta.” Some hid the Great while manifesting the Small. Some still sought to awaken only themselves. Whether their capabilities were great or limited, the Buddha nevertheless tirelessly taught them about arising and ceasing, telling them of the past and the present. This is how He continually inspired everyone. Now, they had all understood. So, the Buddha praised them for their ability to accept the Dharma, for thoroughly understanding the principles. To provide them confirmation, He told them, “You too will attain Buddhahood in the future.” He started with Sariputra, then He did it for Kasyapa and the others, then again for the 500 disciples. These were all the ones who were listening there.

As the Buddha bestowed predictions on Sariputra, “If Sariputra can become a Buddha, then we should be able to as well.” The four great disciples then told the Buddha, in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, of the course of their spiritual journey. Next, the Buddha continued telling of many things in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants and so on. Later, the 500 disciples too came to understand. Gradually, they all listened to the past [causes and conditions] and began forming aspirations. So, “The Buddha bestowed predictions upon them that in the future they will become Buddhas.” In this way, step by step, He helped them open up their capacities letting them understand more and more, and bestowed predictions on them in sequence. In the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning, the next chapter we will look at, it tells of predictions for those at and beyond learning.

In this third cycle of bestowing predictions, the Hearers such as Purna, Kaundinya and 500 disciples were all Arhats beyond the stage of learning. Those who received predictions in this chapter and had not yet attained the four fruits were Ananda, Rahula and 2,000 others. They were not all Arhats or all beyond the stage of learning. Thus, this chapter is generally known as the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning.

The 500 disciples received their predictions during the third cycle. This was the third cycle of bestowing predictions. Among the Hearers, the first to receive a prediction was Filled Son of Loving-Kindness. Do you remember Filled Son of Loving-Kindness? This was Purna. Next came Kaundinya and the rest of the 500 disciples. They were all already Arhats beyond the stage of learning. They understood the Dharma very well and had great understanding, concealing the Great while manifesting the Small. Those receiving predictions from the Buddha, including the 500 disciples, were all beyond the stage of learning. Now in this chapter, those receiving predictions were disciples who had yet to realize the fourth fruit, like Ananda and Rahula, as well as 2000 other people. They would also receive predictions.

Had Ananda and Rahula still really not realized the fruits? We need to look further at later passages. So, these 2000 who were to receive predictions “were not yet Arhats or beyond the stage of learning.” They still had not attained Arhatship or reached the stage beyond learning. The Buddha was now preparing to bestow predictions upon these people. This was because He wanted to give them confidence. “Thus, this chapter has the general name ‘the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning.'” These are a few things that we need to be very clear on. So, before we go on to talk about the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning, let us first try and understand these things.

Purna was called a great Arhat, so why did he receive a prediction together with those of limited capabilities? He concealed the Great and manifested the Small. Purna had always been a great Arhat beyond the stage of learning, he had just “manifested as a Hearer of limited capabilities.”

Purna had the name of Great Arhat and manifested as a Hearer of limited capability. So, among those who received early predictions, he was the first.

Previously in the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions, we talked about those of great and average capabilities. Sariputra had great capabilities while. Mahakasyapa and the others had average capabilities. As for Purna, he had limited capabilities. Actually, the Buddha was just using them [as examples]. They were all already great Arhats. For the benefit of the others, the Buddha bestowed predictions in stages in order to inspire everyone to form great aspirations.

This is just like how in our large organization we have team leaders. Yesterday, many recycling Bodhisattvas, a group of over 700 officers and an additional 400 to 500 leaders among those officers, altogether over a thousand people, came [to the Abode] together. Among them were some with only a rudimentary understanding of recycling. Why should we recycle? They did not really understand this yet. Where do all of these bottles and cans come from? They still did not thoroughly understand. Those who thoroughly understood broke it down for them. We recycle for the sake of the earth, to reduce carbon emissions and to save energy. The principles behind this are many and profound.

Why should we recycle paper? It comes from the mountain [forests], from a seed [that has grown] through the inconceivable causes and conditions of living things. These very experienced [volunteers] clearly understand the biological principles behind these things. How did these things come about? So, we should recycle these things to return them to their original state, so that we can reuse them in the world. They can be fashioned into different forms so that people can use them again. This cycle, this kind of reincarnation and the principles behind it, is very well understood by our experienced recycling Bodhisattvas; this is like being beyond learning. This is like the Dharmakaya [Bodhisattvas]. “These teachings and these principles, I understand them clearly. I know them all, so I can lead others, lead others who do not yet understand why we need to recycle.” Those who understand can teach these methods to those who do not understand.

Now, they have brought them to [visit the Abode]. They have come to learn more and to do a bowing pilgrimage. They too want to learn even more, so they came with them to Hualien. Yesterday, they accompanied recycling officers from eight countries here in Hualien. There have already been three days of workshops at the Jing Si Hall. Yesterday morning they held the closing ceremony, so yesterday everyone came to the Abode to do a bowing pilgrimage.

They know that the source of the Dharma for promoting recycling is here. So, they brought them back to help them understand our Dharma-lineage and the Tzu Chi School. Although we are a monastery, a place for spiritual practitioners to practice, we still promote the recycling of resources throughout the entire world. From this place, we promote [recycling], appealing to everyone so that everyone will understand and form aspirations to help promote this. They brought them back here to do a bowing pilgrimage and seek their roots. They call it seeking their roots, returning to seek their roots.

The principle is the same in that people are needed who already understand the Dharma well. Purna understood this Dharma very well, so for those of limited capabilities, those who were learning the Small Vehicle, he could serve as an example among them. The Buddha praised him, in this way bringing him to the attention of those learning the Small Vehicle so they would emulate him. By emulating Purna Maitrayaniputra, they formed aspirations and realized that in the past they had been like a drunken man in a long and dark night. This was what those 500 people came to realize. So it says that. Purna was in fact a great Arhat who “manifested as a Hearer of limited capabilities. So, among those who received early predictions, he was the first.” He was the first among them all.

Purna had the name of Great Arhat and manifested as a Hearer of limited capability. So, among those who received early predictions, he was the first. Ananda was also a Bodhisattva in past lifetimes and manifested as the Buddha’s attendant. Therefore, he was the first to receive predictions in this chapter.

Moving forward, it is the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning. “Ananda was also a Bodhisattva in past lifetimes but manifested as the Buddha’s attendant.” Thus, Ananda was first. When He began bestowing predictions, Ananda was the first in line. In the chapter that we will look at, the Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning, the key figures are Ananda and Rahula. In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha was very mindful. The chapters are all connected. One after the other, He connected them all together. He strung them together one after the other. We must be mindful in understanding this. If we are not mindful of this, as we listen to the sutra, we will quickly forget. When we drink water, we must think of its source.

We should be aware of how causes and conditions of previous lifetimes are continuously passed down. So we must continue to pass on the Dharma. Thus, we need to always be mindful!

Episode 1162 – The Long Night of Samsara

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>> “Unenlightened beings transmigrate in the daze of ignorance. In the dark and gloomy long night, it is difficult for sentient beings to see the light. Having not yet attained true awakening, they are as if forever in a dream. Thus the Buddha calls it the long night of samsara. It is called the long night of samsara because it is expansive and lengthy. They were unable to understand and illuminate themselves, so it is called the long night.”

>> “We were also like this. The World-Honored One, through the long night, always taught and transformed us out of pity, leading us to form supreme vows. Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing. Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further.”

>> “Now the Buddha awakens us, saying it was not true cessation and deliverance. Only attaining the supreme wisdom of the Buddha is true cessation. We now hear from the Buddha the magnificent matter of bestowing predictions and in turn pass this on to others. Thus, our bodies and minds are full of joy.”

>> Cessation and deliverance: Cessation means to eliminate the three kinds of delusions, delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance. Deliverance means to be delivered from the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational samsara.

>> Only attaining the supreme wisdom of the Buddha is true cessation: This means that the jewel has been hidden there for a long time. Only the attainment of supreme perfect and universal enlightenment can be called true cessation and deliverance.

>> We now hear from the Buddha the magnificent matter of bestowing predictions: They could take the jewel among people to guide and trade with them. They trade the Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings. Today, all of us personally heard the Buddha bestow predictions of Buddhahood and magnificent future lands upon us.

>> And in turn [we] pass this on to others. Thus, our bodies and minds are full of joy: This was such a magnificent occasion. They received predictions one after another, so their hearts were joyful; joy filled their bodies.

>> And in turn [we] pass this on to others: This means to follow the Buddha’s instruction and pass on [the teachings] among the assembly of 1200 people who would, one after another, receive predictions. Their determination to abide in the Great Vehicle was even more firm. Thus, their bodies and minds were full of joy.

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“Unenlightened beings transmigrate in the daze of ignorance.
In the dark and gloomy long night, it is difficult for sentient beings to see the light.
Having not yet attained true awakening, they are as if forever in a dream.
Thus the Buddha calls it the long night of samsara.
It is called the long night of samsara because it is expansive and lengthy.
They were unable to understand and illuminate themselves, so it is called the long night.”

Sentient beings constantly transmigrate through the obscurity of a long night. They are in darkness all along the way. How wide is the path before them? How far is there still to go? Is the road smooth? Or is it uneven? We truly do not know, because it is so dark. Aren’t we unenlightened beings just like this? We are always transmigrating. Lifetime after lifetime we are always in darkness and ignorance. This is how we sentient beings are. How can we sentient beings possibly come to comprehend this ourselves and understand our path in this world? How can we walk an even and steady [path] where the darkness quickly clears from the sky? When the darkness clears, the sun will shine forth.

It is when the door to our minds is closed that we are in darkness. Once we open the door to our minds, we can see that outside, it was always light. We are in darkness because we have closed ourselves off. We feel that the time is very long and that our path is very long. Actually, we need only open the door of our minds. Once we sentient beings open our minds, in fact, the outside world will be clear; it will appear before our eyes.

The reason sentient beings are in a “long night,” filled with a gloomy darkness, is that they keep waiting for a dawn that never comes. We are just the same. “I work so hard to comprehend the principles. I am resolved to do so, but I am still stuck where I started, turning around and around in place. I have not made any progress. How can I thoroughly comprehend the principles?” This is the long night we sentient beings live in. This in the darkness of our ignorance. We have not been able to open up our minds. Thus, “Having not yet attained true awakening, [we] are as if forever in a dream.” We keep being unable to fully understand. Thus, we spend a very, very long time [stuck] in a dream from which we cannot awaken.

We unenlightened beings do not know from where we have come, let alone where we are going. It is like this for us in every lifetime. From previous lifetimes, I believe you too do not know how you arrived in this present life. Right now, in this present lifetime, are we satisfied? Oh no, nine times out of ten, things do not go as planned. We are unsatisfied! Things are not going our way! Even when we have few desires and are content, we still feel we have regrets in life. Our life is filled with regrets. The things we want to know, want to do, want to comprehend still seem very far away. The list goes on and on. In this life, there are things we want to do, things we want to pursue and want to attain.

Each person’s idea of what they want to do differs. When it comes to doing or pursuing, what each person seeks is different. There are millions of kinds of people with millions of different inclinations. So, as sentient beings, we have “not yet attained true awakening” and thus, each person has his own orientation and mindset. Those whose minds are aimed in the right direction are those who walk the path of Living Bodhisattvas and seek the Dharma. When we face in the right direction, we understand how ignorance is created and how it causes us to live in that long night. Once we have understood this, we wish to pursue [this path]. If we do not realize it, we may create ignorance and afflictions for ourselves, and cause ourselves to fall into a trap without even knowing it. We fall deeper and deeper, but we ourselves are unaware.

Once, in the Buddha’s lifetime when the Buddha was in the kingdom of Magadha, there was a group of hunters. These hunters were all very clever. In order to catch their prey very easily, they all put their minds into designing a large number of traps in the forest, with many different pitfalls and holes. So they started digging holes, one after the other. After digging them, [inside] the holes, they placed bamboo stakes, branches and other sharp objects, and scattered tree leaves on top. In this way, they made many pits and holes.

One day, a deer stepped onto a trap and fell to the bottom of a pit. The deer cried out in pain, very loudly. The hunters all heard it from very far away and knew that a deer had fallen into a trap. All the hunters scrambled to find the deer. Which hole was it in? Actually, the pitfalls they dug were all in different locations. But when they all heard the cries of the deer, they all rushed in from every direction. The deer continued to cry out, and the hunters continued to run. In this way, they raced without knowing where in the [forest] the pits they had not dug themselves were located. Thus they all, one by one, fell into traps.

Inside these traps, some people had placed sharp bamboo stakes and sharp pieces of wood; they sharpened pieces of wood. Some of the people who fell in were injured by sharp bamboo stakes and wooden spears. Some of them were so badly hurt that they died. Others cried out in pain from their injuries. The deer kept bellowing loudly, but the people in the traps cried out even louder. As soon as the villagers heard what happened, they quickly came looking for their next of kin, and one by one [the hunters] were pulled out. Some, as they were pulled up, were already dead, while others were severely injured. Some had minor injuries, and others had serious injuries covering their bodies.

Everyone in the whole village [went to work]. Some started to handle funeral arrangements, while others looked for doctors and medicine to apply. So, all the dead and injured from that village had been hurt by traps they had dug themselves. This was because they had each dug their own pits without knowing of each other’s [traps]. So, upon hearing the cries of the deer, when they all came rushing over, it was inevitable that they would suffer such injuries and deaths.

After the people who were injured had spent some time to recuperate and heal, a visitor from outside of the village arrived. He asked them, “Since this happened, once your injuries are healed, will you continue digging traps for hunting and harming sentient beings’ lives?” These people emphatically answered, “I wouldn’t dare; when I was injured, I suffered wounds all over my body. Only then did I realize the pain of these injured animals. Their cries of suffering were due to the physical pain of their bodies. After calmly thinking about it, we wouldn’t dare. Never again will we do such a thing as harming sentient beings by hunting using traps.”

This man from afar said, “Humans must experience things to personally comprehend them. I once heard the Buddha in the city of Ganliyuan as He taught the Dharma. The Buddha described how our suffering in life comes from our greedy thoughts. Greed leads to ignorance and delusion, which are like a long, dark night. Just like how at night, we cannot see the road, so too have you, for the sake of your livelihood, mercilessly harmed sentient beings. Animals are living beings too. You dug these traps, but as a result, you harmed yourselves.”

Each of them listened to this person who had heard the Buddha-Dharma and had come to the village to visit his friend. After he said these things to them, they all came to a realization. So, once they had recovered more, they all decided that they would go to hear the Buddha teach the Dharma. They left for the Buddha’s abode to hear Him teach the Dharma. There, they repented to the Buddha for how they themselves set up these nets and traps to harm living beings. They made a mistake and they knew it, so they wanted to listen to the Buddha teach the Dharma. “From now on, we will never again do things that bring harm to living beings. We wish to turn towards the Buddha.”

The Buddha began telling them, “In life, due to a single moment of desire, we set many nets and traps. Actually, the nets we set ourselves are our ignorance that ensnares us. The traps are our lack of understanding. Thus, we keep falling into these traps. This is like making arrows which will harm our own bodies. There are like arrows in our minds. These are the arrows of craving ‘Craving’ is ignorance and desire. Our ignorance and desire are like arrows which will often harm sentient beings, but which also come back to harm us ourselves. This is like what has happened to you. Life is like a long night spent entirely in darkness.” This was what the Buddha said to them.

We are all in the long night of samsara. “The long night of samsara [is] expansive and lengthy.” It is very, very long. When will we ever be able to get through this murky, vast long night? The ignorance of sentient beings knows no bounds! After this was explained to everyone, having heard it, they gained deep realizations and asked the Buddha to let them become monastics and seek refuge with Him. They all wished to become monastics. Before, these people were unable to self-reflect. So, the Buddha told them that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. Everyone carries a jewel within, and while the jewel is radiant, it cannot illuminate itself. So, this is referred to as “a long night.”

Unable to illuminate ourselves, we need some other light to light up our minds. We need to use light from without; this [light] is the Dharma taught by the Buddha. We need to faithfully accept His teachings and practice according to them; we use this light to kindle the light in our minds. Only if we are able to do so can we help ignite the light in every mind. This is the same principle. In the past, were we not like this? In the long night of our past, throughout countless lifetimes, we were always caught in the net of ignorance. We continually set traps for ourselves by creating our own karma.

Each person’s traps are different. I set my own traps, and you set yours. Everyone sets their own traps and unknowingly, others fall into them. If I am unaware, I might fall into your trap and you might fall into my trap. Isn’t this what life is like? We weave our own nets and set our own traps. Our intentions toward each other are muddled by greed, anger and ignorance. In this long night of ignorance, each of us falls into these traps. In our relationships, we draw each other into our nets of ignorance and into the traps that each of us have set. How dangerous this is! In the long night, we are all truly unaware.

The Buddha placed this bright jewel in the minds of sentient beings, and thus the Buddha-Dharma has been passed on for more than 2000 years. The Dharma has been passed on until now in the hope that all sentient beings will comprehend how “[our] minds, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” He hopes that we can all understand that our ocean of enlightened wisdom is equal to the Buddha’s. The Buddha was able to comprehend the universe, how within tangible objects intangible principles are contained. Actually, not only the Buddha can comprehend this; we can all realize this as well. It is just that we all search outside ourselves and have not focused our minds to comprehend all matters and objects in the universe.

The Buddha guided us in how to use the Dharma, this Path, to study all tangible and conditioned phenomena in order to probe the unconditioned. Through these conditioned forms, we learn about the unconditioned Dharma. The Buddha taught us to explore this; it is just that we do not have the patience, the focus or the Samadhi. Therefore, when we hear the Dharma, it leaks away just like that. We must truly be mindful of [all things] in the universe. Then we can bring purity to people’s hearts. When we all thoroughly comprehend the principles, the jewel in everyone’s mind can manifest and their light will illuminate us all. If everyone’s principles can be brought together, wouldn’t that bring the greatest illumination? This world would be the brightest of places.

The Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions is a chapter we have been reading for a long time. We discussed Purna Maitrayaniputra. The Buddha praised him, and not just for how he helped Sakyamuni Buddha in this era to promote the Buddha-Dharma. Among the disciples of seven Buddhas, he was also the foremost in teaching the Dharma. In the Buddha’s lifetime, he traveled on the Buddha’s behalf to the vilest of places in order to deliver and transform sentient beings. He enabled many people to hear the Buddha-Dharma so they could seek refuge within it. The Buddha praised him and bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood on him. In the future, Purna will attain Buddhahood here in the Saha world. This is because he was willing to go to the worst of places to deliver and transform sentient beings.

Sakyamuni Buddha also had such aspirations. He formed His initial aspiration in hell. Life after life, He went among those in suffering, delivering and transforming sentient beings. Purna comprehended the Buddha-mind and shared the Buddha’s aspiration. Thus, the Buddha bestowed this prediction on him. He said, “In the future, in this very place, he will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. His epithet will be Dharma Clarity. His kalpa will be called Treasure Bright. His land will be called Pure Kindness. Everyone [there] will be a Bodhisattva.” When that time comes, everyone will become Bodhisattvas, and everyone will mutually illuminate each other. Whenever people meet, they will teach each other the Dharma. Does everyone still remember when we discussed how the Buddha bestowed this prediction on Purna?

After that, he turned to Ajnata Kaundinya. When the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths, Ajnata Kaundinya was the first to comprehend the principles of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths. Ajnata Kaundinya also received the Buddha’s prediction of Buddhahood. His epithet will be Universal Radiance. At the same time, 500 bhiksus also received predictions of Buddhahood. There were many disciples, Ajnata Kaundinya and others, who all received predictions from the Buddha. In this one chapter, many disciples received predictions. These 500 disciples all received predictions that they would share the same epithet, Universal Radiance. These are so many Buddhas who will all attain Buddhahood one after the next.

This indicates that after hearing the Dharma, they understood it. They then expressed their understanding using a jewel as an analogy. Once, a drunk man went to a close friend’s house. This close friend gave him a jewel which he placed inside his clothing. After that, he left. When the drunk man woke up, he went on his way. Only after a long time passed did he encounter his close friend again. “You have an invaluable jewel on you!” This is what we have been continually discussing over the past few days. I hope everyone can understand this.

This close friend symbolizes Sakyamuni Buddha. A very long time ago, dust-inked kalpas ago, He expounded the Lotus Sutra to us. Yet, lifetime after lifetime, we have remained in our drunken state. We are drunk, [wandering] in the land of ignorance. When we encounter [Him] again, [He says,] “You all have this jewel on you. You can trade with it. Why do you still [carry on] like this, only seeking to awaken and benefit yourselves?” When we only seek benefits for ourselves, there will be a time when we fall into a trap dug by others. This is very dangerous. Only benefiting oneself is not the ultimate. We must also benefit other people. We must go among people to truly temper ourselves. We must benefit others and use love to pave a smooth road [in life]. We must take the Dharma to heart. It is like a jewel. Once we uncover it, its light will illuminate us all. Then everyone’s jewel will shine, and our lights will illuminate each other.

This is just like Dharma Clarity Tathagata, Purna Maitrayaniputra; he will attain Buddhahood in the Saha world. Sentient beings will be taught and transformed. Everyone’s mind will be pure. Everyone will live according to the Dharma. Everything will be very pure. It will be a world that radiates light. This is the same Saha world [that we live in]. Now, there is so much turbidity here. In the future, if everyone practices according to the Buddha’s teachings, everyone will be Bodhisattvas. Won’t everyone’s path in this world be smooth? If everyone uncovers their jewel, dawn will break and light will shine forth. This is why we must be very mindful. Today, we will more or less finish the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions. So, we must all be very mindful regarding this part of the sutra.

The next passage states, “We were also like this.” This was said by the 500 bhiksus. They expressed to the Buddha that, in the past, they were like that poor man, drunk with ignorance. His friend had given him a jewel, but he was still homeless and impoverished. He was still depressed and unable to find anything that would let him live a life of abundance. This principle is the same, so [the disciples] said, “We were also like this. The World-Honored One, through the long night, always taught and transformed us out of pity, leading us to form supreme vows. Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing. Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further.”

“We were also like this. The World-Honored One, through the long night, always taught and transformed us out of pity, leading us to form supreme vows. Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing. Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further.”

We are just like this, [lost] in the murky, long night, with ignorance covering our minds. For life after life, the Buddha had in this way taken pity on us and educated us, hoping we would open the door to our minds and walk onto the broad, great path. He paved a great path to awakening for us, planted roots of goodness in us and called us to form supreme, great vows. However, we all had too little wisdom. We lacked wisdom, so we were unaware. We were still unable to understand. Having attained a tiny bit, we believed we had reached the ultimate. Having attained a little, we thought, “I already know and understand this. I have completely penetrated all Dharma.”

We unenlightened beings are like this; with the smallest bit of cleverness, we become very arrogant. So, having attained a little, they felt accomplished. It was just a little, but they would say, “I have reached Nirvana. I have understood everything.” Thus, they were unwilling to work harder or to advance in their spiritual practice. “We were content and sought nothing further.” They were unwilling to seek the. Great Vehicle Dharma.

The next sutra passage states,

“Now the Buddha awakens us, saying it was not true cessation and deliverance. Only attaining the supreme wisdom of the Buddha is true cessation. We now hear from the Buddha the magnificent matter of bestowing predictions and in turn pass this on to others. Thus, our bodies and minds are full of joy.”

They had now come to realize this. “In the past we thought we attained the ultimate, but now the Buddha in His awakening has taught us the Dharma to help us awaken as well and realized we had only attained Small Nirvana and not true cessation.”

What is “cessation and deliverance”? “Cessation and deliverance” means eliminating our delusion of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance. These are the three kinds of delusions.

Cessation and deliverance: Cessation means to eliminate the three kinds of delusions, delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance. Deliverance means to be delivered from the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational samsara.

As unenlightened beings, we each have our own biases and we each have our own ways of thinking. We all have ignorance covering our minds, like dust and sand. We have discussed this often, but when it comes to understanding this, there are many who do not understand. So, delusions of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusions of ignorance, are the three kinds of delusions. If we can eliminate them all, this is called “deliverance.” What are we delivered from? “From fragmentary and transformational samsara.”

True “fragmentary samsara” refers to our successive births and deaths. We must understand that in the Five Realms and Four Forms of Birth, we sentient beings experience life after life in fragmentary samsara without rest. If we can understand this, this is called “deliverance.” However, while Small Vehicle practitioners can understand “fragmentary samsara, transformational samsara” is something they do not yet understand. “Fragmentary samsara” means giving rise to thoughts, which is very subtle like a trap. It is covered and unknown. People trap each other with delusion and create delusions to each other. This kind of fragmentary samsara arises from one single thought.

I often mention how “all is determined in the space of a thought.” We must cultivate the Great Vehicle Dharma and pave this rough path of life so it becomes smooth. We must understand and must help everyone else to also understand. Earth Treasury Bodhisattva said, “Until all have been delivered, I will forego enlightenment. It is not enough that I alone understand. I must help everyone understand. I can understand [the Dharma], and so can everyone else. I will teach it and you will all understand it. You will all bring your spiritual practice to completion. Actually, I must still continue [my cultivation].” In summary, [ending] transformational samsara [requires] a firm will to practice so that tiny afflictions in the outside world do not cause our aspirations to waver. Only those practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma can comprehend this and eliminate their dust-like delusions and ignorance. As for “transformational samsara,” we must completely eliminate dust-like delusions to truly end transformational samsara. Only then can we attain true, great Nirvana and realize the truths of everything in the universe.

“Now the Buddha awakens us, saying it was not true cessation and deliverance.”

Now the Buddha awakens us, saying it was not true cessation and deliverance: This means that they reproached themselves for how they had practiced in the past. They had now understood and awakened. “Now the Buddha, the World-Honored One, awakens us by clearly saying that the Dharma we practiced and attained in the past was not the ultimate cessation.”

Having reached this stage, this was how they reproached themselves. They had now understood what the Buddha had said. The Buddha told them that they had not attained true cessation and deliverance. Now, they had understood and realized this. “Now the Buddha, the World-Honored One, awakens us.” He used various means to help them awaken. He had already explained this to them very clearly. The Dharma they cultivated previously was not the ultimate cessation and deliverance. It turns out that they had only understood “fragmentary samsara.”

“Only attaining the supreme wisdom of the Buddha is true cessation.”

Only attaining the supreme wisdom of the Buddha is true cessation: This means that the jewel has been hidden there for a long time. Only the attainment of supreme perfect and universal enlightenment can be called true cessation and deliverance.

Only when we truly attain the same ocean of enlightened wisdom as the Buddha will we attain true cessation. This tells us that we already have a hidden jewel. The Buddha has told us directly, “You have a jewel on you,” To go out and trade with this jewel means to go among people. Therefore, this is “the attainment of supreme perfect and universal enlightenment.” This is to say, we have had this jewel with us for a very long time and, in fact, we can make use of it [to help] sentient beings. By doing so, we can thoroughly understand all conditioned phenomena in the universe. In the midst of unconditioned phenomena, we can understand all this. In this way, we can have clarity regarding transformational samsara and eradicate dust-like delusions and ignorance. Then we have attained “supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment.” In this way, we can understand everything. Only this is “true cessation and deliverance.” Only this can be considered true Nirvana.

“We now hear from the Buddha the magnificent matter of bestowing predictions.”

We now hear from the Buddha the magnificent matter of bestowing predictions: They could take the jewel among people to guide and trade with them. They trade the Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings. Today, all of us personally heard the Buddha bestow predictions of Buddhahood and magnificent future lands upon us.

We all know this. “They could take the jewel among people to guide and trade with them.” [He] urges us to take this jewel among people and trade with them, in order to earnestly guide them all. So, we “trade the Dharma in exchange for the benefit of sentient beings.” By trading with the Dharma and urging others to trade, we are transforming [them]. In one place after another, in this way, their ignorance is transformed to benefit sentient beings; their ignorance is transformed into wisdom. “Today, all of us personally heard the Buddha bestow predictions of Buddhahood and magnificent future lands upon us. We have all heard this now. In front of the Buddha, we directly received His predictions that let us know we can have magnificent future lands. We have understood all of this.”

They had received predictions before the Buddha. All of them understood. So, “In turn [we] pass this on to others. Thus, our bodies and minds are full of joy.”

And in turn [we] pass this on to others. Thus, our bodies and minds are full of joy: This was such a magnificent occasion. They received predictions one after another, so their hearts were joyful; joy filled their bodies.

“We have now all realized and understood, and we can pass this on to others. We pass them down from one [person] to another. We all together engage in spiritual practice, so we will attain Buddhahood one after another. This depends on who is more diligent. Whoever goes among people to [share the Dharma], whoever forms more sufficient Dharma-affinities and can use this Dharma to transform beings and whoever transforms their afflictions to Bodhi, this person replete with causes and conditions, will attain Buddhahood first.” So, they received predictions one after another, and their bodies and minds were joyful. At this dignified event, they received predictions one after another. In this way, they mutually became each other’s teachers and accepted the Dharma from one another.

“We must understand this clearly. Our minds should be very joyful too. Between us, we must be respectful and grateful to each other. Maybe in the next life, you will be my master, and I will accept your teachings. You will have attained Buddhahood, and I will be in your Dharma-assembly. Maybe this will happen, so we must rejoice for one another.”

So, “in turn passing this on to others” was following the Buddha’s instructions. “We follow what the Buddha taught us and pass on [the teachings] among the assembly of 1200 people.”

And in turn [we] pass this on to others: This means to follow the Buddha’s instruction and pass on [the teachings] among the assembly of 1200 people who would, one after another, receive predictions. Their determination to abide in the Great Vehicle was even more firm. Thus, their bodies and minds were full of joy.

The Buddha began by giving instructions to Kasyapa. “I now bestow predictions on these 500 disciples, but there are still people who are not present. All of you must pass on this message. You will all be alike. There are a total of 1200 who will share the same epithet Universal Radiance, the same name that Ajnata Kaundinya [will bear]. Thus, you will receive predictions one by one and you will attain Buddhahood in sequence.” So, “Their determination to abide in the Great Vehicle was even more firm.” Because this was passed on from person to person, not only the 500 people before the Buddha but all 1200 formed Great Vehicle aspirations and went on to practice the Great Vehicle Dharma. “Their determination to abide in the Great Vehicle was even more firm. Therefore, their bodies and minds were full of joy.” All of them alike passed down the teachings from one person to the next.

So, as we learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must have this kind of clear understanding. The Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions ends with this passage. We all used to have this jewel without knowing it, but we have now become aware of it. It was not just the 500 people before the Buddha who received predictions that they will all share the same Buddha-name, that in the far future they will all attain Buddhahood one after another. It will not only be these people; there will be [a total of] 1200. So, we must put our mind into comprehending this.

Purna Maitrayaniputra came before the Buddha with this kind of aspiration. Among the disciples of the Seven Buddhas, he was foremost in teaching the Dharma. His aspiration was [to return to] the Saha world. In the same way, we must form aspirations and make vows. In this Saha world, there are suffering sentient beings who need to be taught and transformed by Bodhisattvas.

Now, in the evil world of five turbidities, if we can pass on the teachings to one another and bring purity to each other’s hearts, the future will be very pure. In a land of purity and kindness, everyone will speak the Dharma and interact according to the teachings. [We will no longer live] in the dark long night. To have a world that is bright and peaceful, all of us need to take the Dharma to heart and put it into practice on the great, direct Bodhisattva-path. We must pave this road with love, inch by inch. We are all enlightened sentient beings, leading each other to walk the path in this world. So, we must always be mindful!

Episode 1161 – Turning Our Minds Back toward the Great

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>> “Due to being covered by ignorance, they were unable to attain awakening. Later, because the Tathagata used skillful means to open and reveal, finally they were able to realize the fruits of the Great Vehicle and attain infinite benefit and joy. So, the jewel inside the clothes is used as an analogy.”

>> “The friend who gave him the jewel later saw this poor man. After he had earnestly reprimanded him, he showed him the jewel that he had fastened. When the poor man saw this jewel, his heart was filled with great joy. Rich with all kinds of assets, he could freely enjoy the five desires.”

>> “We were also like this. The World-Honored One, through the long night, always taught and transformed us out of pity, leading us to form supreme vows. Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing. Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further.”

>> We were also like this. The World-Honored One, through the long night: We Hearers had retreated from the Great to enter the Small. Now we turn our minds back toward the Great. We are no different from the poor man. In the past, we were confused, as if in a long night.

>> Constantly out of pity taught and transformed us, allowing us to form supreme vows: The World-Honored One, in compassion and pity, sees sentient beings being confused for long, so He constantly teaches and transforms them, allowing them to form the vast and great vows of supreme Bodhi.

>> Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing: This says we were as if drunk and unaware. Our wisdom was limited, and we did not remember our past vows, so we were again unable to realize that we have Buddha-nature.

>> Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further: This means that they engaged in practice and, once they attained a small part of Nirvana biased towards emptiness, they thought it was enough and did not seek great benefit.

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“Due to being covered by ignorance,
they were unable to attain awakening.
Later, because the Tathagata
used skillful means to open and reveal,
finally they were able to realize
the fruits of the Great Vehicle
and attain infinite benefit and joy.
So, the jewel inside the clothes is used as an analogy.”

Throughout this sutra passage, the most important thing is this jewel. This jewel is very close to us. It is not only close to us, it is fastened on our person. It is just that our ignorance has covered our minds, so we do not know that we have this precious jewel on us. For many days now, everyone keeps telling me, “Master, you keep telling us so earnestly about this jewel.” Indeed! This is because I myself have always [felt] I need this jewel. I really need this jewel to always be on my person, to be able to smoothly roll between being inside and being brought out. This is what I hope for the most. So, my every thought is on speaking about this jewel. I talk about the jewel, think about it and hope I can make use of this jewel. I hope that none of you will neglect this jewel or leave it behind. It is because we have abandoned this jewel that our ignorance continues to grow. This ignorance will continue to cover up our our bodies, minds and perspectives. All around our bodies, we are surrounded by afflictions, and in our minds, everything is ignorance. This kind of life is truly unbearable suffering!

So, we must know to [seek] awakening, [seek] to understand. We must deeply believe that in this world, our bodies, minds and everything around us, the macrocosm of the universe, contains this jewel. The microcosm of [our minds] is also inseparable from this jewel. When we think about this jewel on a smaller scale, though we call it a jewel, we let it dissolve to become our nature of True Suchness; it is very close to us. When we expand our scope to a larger scale, all things in the world contain this jewel. The principles of matter, life and the mind are all thoroughly suffused with this jewel. We should be able to understand what this means. This means that the Dharma is in our minds.

In the past, we did not know. “Later, because the Tathagata used skillful means to open and reveal….” Sakyamuni Buddha appeared over 2000 years ago. He used His thoughts and perspectives to awaken to the true principles of all things, to converge with and thoroughly understand them in the ocean of enlightenment of His Dharma-nature. He taught according to people’s capabilities, and when the time was right, He taught this Dharma. The Lotus Sutra had been in the Buddha’s mind for over 40 years; actually, we should say for dust-inked kalpas. In the era of the 16 novices, He formed aspirations to teach the Lotus Sutra and created many affinities in the Lotus Assembly. Beginning with that, He continually engaged in practice in this world. Life after life, He created these affinities, affinities for attaining Buddhahood in the future. When causes and conditions matured, He was born in this world. He came to engage in spiritual practice and become enlightened. His goal was to help everyone attain Buddhahood.

Everyone can attain Buddhahood, but everyone’s mind is covered by ignorance. The Buddha had to use skillful means to teach us. Lifetime after lifetime, He journeyed on the Dharma of Suchness to come to this world. When the causes and conditions mature, He hopes everyone will attain Buddhahood, but this is easier said than done. So, He had to teach with skillful means. After more than 40 years, due to the laws of nature and the human lifespan, at this time the Buddha had to quickly proclaim [this sutra] to everyone. He began to teach everyone, allowing everyone to gain some understanding. Even if they knew about it now, they were still a long way from making use of it. So, He said to them, “You certainly have this. You must have faith, faith that your ocean of enlightened wisdom will always be present. In this lifetime and for an infinitely long period of time, earnestly practice according to this [Dharma]. If you have faith and earnestly engage in spiritual practice, then you will definitely attain Buddhahood.” This is in the Lotus Sutra. No matter who they were, the Buddha was willing to bestow predictions of Buddhahood on them. So, His hope when bestowing predictions was to help strengthen everyone’s faith that they will definitely attain Buddhahood in the future.

The Chapter on Bestowing Predictions [says this], as well as the. Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions, but not only those. Later on there is the. Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning. Clearly, the Chapter on [500 Disciples]. Receiving Predictions is very important. The Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions tells us the disciples had already awakened. The 500 disciples were able to take this Dharma, take the Buddha’s mindfulness, their own dull [capabilities] and the Buddha’s teachings to construct an analogy of a jewel. [The jewel] was placed on their person long ago while they were drunk on the wine of ignorance, with afflictions and ignorance still in their minds. Their faith was not yet firm.

Because they lacked faith, they continued to seek only to benefit themselves. They were still reluctant to believe that they would be able to go among people without being contaminated by them. They just hoped that they themselves could awaken, hoped they would not return to this world, to the Five Realms or the Four Forms of Birth. They hoped to completely end [existence] in the Five Realms and Four Forms of Birth. The principles of “fragmentary samsara” was something they understood. They knew that all this happens because we are attached to all kinds of ignorance. Following the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, without any control of our own we come to the Five Realms and Four Forms of Birth.

We are all born to the world without any control. Some people suffer so much that they are unable to free themselves from suffering. We can see that in people’s lives today. For some people, once they are born, no matter where they are in their lives, from their youth to their old age, they constantly live a life of comfort. Their material possessions, wealth, status and fortune are high above everyone else’s. How can there be someone who is so fortunate for such a long time? The Buddha would tell us that in their past lives they have created blessings in this or that way. Their karmic conditions come from the good affinities they formed and the many blessings they have created. This is like making a lot of money. After depositing it in the bank, they are unable to spend it all. They are wealthy because in their past lives they created many blessings.

What about other people? Some have created unwholesome affinities. Everything they did created negative karma. They thus brought many negative causes, negative conditions and negative karma. They follow their circumstantial retribution to a natural environment of suffering. In that natural environment, they are impoverished and face difficulties. In an environment of poverty and hardship, they face hardship upon hardship. That kind of life is filled with illness and many disasters. Is this what they wanted? It is not. They really want to find a way to attain something that will relieve the oppression of suffering. But no matter how hard they try, they are unable to encounter any good [people] who will come to help them. This is the way suffering works. In the past, we created negative causes and conditions. Without any control, we experience these circumstantial and direct retributions. We face suffering of the natural environment and suffering of body and mind, so much suffering!

Take Africa, for example. When we look at the lives of people in Africa, we might feel that [our volunteers] do so much, that it must be very tiring. In that environment, because there is so much they can do, they should feel very grateful. When we live a life of purpose and are able to help people, our hearts must be filled with gratitude. We must be very diligent. Once we understand the Buddha-Dharma, understand the principles, we must have a heart of gratitude as we live our busy lives every day. If we are trapped by our own thinking, we need to look further. In this organization of Bodhisattvas, we must broaden our outlook to see the whole world.

There are many countries in Africa where there are Bodhisattvas. They are there planting seeds. They are willing to dedicate themselves [there]. The sentient beings they encounter suffer so greatly. Their environment is so dirty and transportation is so inconvenient. That is how the people they encounter live. They have no water for bathing. Their bodies are ill and in pain, putrefying and stinking. The [volunteers] have to draw close to them and exercise their love by embracing them. They teach and inspire them by setting an example.

“This is what healthy people should do. We come from such a good environment. We can approach them and open up our arms to embrace them. We are not afraid of the stench of their bodies. We are not afraid of the filth in their homes. We are willing to personally help them clean, and we are willing to care for their wounds.” You see, by doing so, naturally the people who see this will become inspired. “These are people with money. They come from other countries with that kind of living environment, but they are willing to humble themselves and serve our countrymen in this way. I am so touched! I am willing [to help too].” From then on, [Tzu Chi volunteers] were able to recruit a group of volunteers who were originally themselves among the suffering. First, they liberated themselves from the suffering of their bodies, minds and perspectives. They opened up their hearts to take in the Buddha-Dharma. Later, they understood the law of karma and the principles of the Buddha-Dharma. It is like that jewel. They have now awakened their own minds and made use of the Dharma of this bright jewel to go everywhere and give of themselves to others.

Mozambique is a place of great suffering! We often speak of their suffering. Now (in 2016), people there are already caring for their own communities. In this community, there are already [volunteers] in 20 districts. In these 20 districts, once they have inspired people with love, that group of loving people then take care of their own community, their districts. Every community, each district, has many villages. They are now caring for over 100 villages. When everyone comes together, when [the volunteers] from these 20 districts unite and come together, they are already from more than 100 villages.

They started with a very small group; “I just took care of my neighbors. Then I took care of the village close to me; I spread this love to a neighboring village. People from that village came to learn, and people from my village also went to teach.” Thus it spread from one village to the next until the entire district [had volunteers]. This is how they pass on [the love]. So, they spread this power of love. Seeing suffering, they recognize their blessings. Seeing suffering people, they [realize] there are so many who face even greater suffering than they do. So, they all started wearing the gray shirt and white skirt or white pants [volunteer uniform] and began going throughout the community. We see many people like this.

Some experienced volunteers are guiding them and accompanying them. They help them figure out how to assist those who are impoverished and in difficulty. They clean up their surroundings for them. They wash their hair and bathe them. For those with festering [wounds], they dress their wounds for them, apply medicine and then dress them. One by one, they have expanded their efforts. They reported on one care recipient after another. Among them was a woman. She was already ill, very gravely ill. Her abdomen was severely swollen. She had been abandoned in her home, one the ground, in a pile of garbage. When [our volunteers] went to see her, they learned that she had a child and a family. But her family saw her illness as a bad omen. So, in the entire family, no one dared to get near her. Thus, they left her there on the ground, alone. She was in such suffering!

When the Tzu Chi volunteers discovered this, they rushed to help her, to give her care and love. They went to find her child and talked to her, sharing Tzu Chi’s principles with her. They then led her child, her daughter, to her mother’s side to, together with them, clean up the room. They set up a foldable bed and organized the relief goods they had provided. Then they taught the daughter how to care for her mother. Of course, this took some time. Before the children and family accepted this, it was Tzu Chi’s volunteers, people living nearby, who continually went to care for her. In this way, her family members were touched, accepted her and became willing to care for her. These people are all truly Living Bodhisattvas.

In these people’s own neighborhoods, there is also much suffering. In this community, There is a woman who, more than 20 years ago, lost both hands when a landmine exploded. She has no hands, only her arms remain. She does not have her hands. However, she is very determined. For over 20 years she has found ways [to cope] without her two hands. She is still able to gather firewood, make a fire and cook. She can even wash clothes, wring the clothes very thoroughly and hang them up to dry. She works odd jobs to sustain herself and babysits her grandson for her daughter as well.

When she cares for her grandson, she puts him on her back. All by herself she has a way to wrap her grandson in a sling and put him onto her back. She puts her grandson on her body by taking the ends of the sling, wrapping them around her body and tying them into a not. She does all this without hands! She has been able to carry her grandson on her back as he has grown. As she carries her grandson, she works. What a determined woman!

To talk about it all would take too long! There are so many cases like this. Many [volunteers] start with their own family, their own village. After going throughout this village, they move on to the next village, continuously spreading [love] like this until they cover the entire district. One district is made up of many villages. In this way, they cover it all. Now (in 2016), they are already caring for over 100 villages in 20 districts. These families all face unbearable suffering! Once we thoroughly understand the world, we [should] then turn around and look at ourselves. We truly have very blessed lives. Though we are living very blessed lives, we may still feel lacking in many things. So, we still have many afflictions.

More than 2000 years ago, the Buddha used instances of suffering to teach His disciples. He asked everyone to go out and beg for alms daily to see people’s family situations. By having everyone go out, over the course of their travels, they could understand people’s environments, difficulties etc. The Buddha started by telling such stories. The Buddha was a great storyteller. In fact, the stories He told were about suffering in their society at the time. It is like when we speak of Mozambique. Although that place is very far away, these events are happening right now; there is no distance in time.

That is another country. Because [our volunteers] have this Dharma, they have already reached that country. The suffering people in that country opened the door to their hearts. With the Buddha-Dharma in their hearts, they became joyful volunteers, giving of their strength to others. This is their jewel. This is their wealth. They have a loving heart. They have this jewel. They can take this light and bring it to all the dark corners [there]. They use this illuminating Dharma to help them. Once they can stand on their own feet, they too can form aspirations to help others. This kind of result was the Buddha’s most important goal in the world when He came to teach the Dharma. “This is skillful means!” Yes, this is skillful means. However, it is the foundation of the Buddha-Dharma. The end goal is to attain Buddhahood. This is the True Dharma.

Skillful means, upon first glance, appear to be ways of the world. It can be going to sweep people’s homes, going to care for someone unconnected to us. When people’s bodies are filthy, putrefying and smelly, they are undaunted and are willing to serve. Is this skillful means? Is it? No! Yes? Would you dare to go? No, you would not dare! This is like those practicing the Small Vehicle Dharma. “I’m afraid I’ll be infected by them; I’m scared.” They were already scared. They were afraid of ordinary people, let alone those who were ill. How could they not be scared? The principle is the same. The Buddha said, “Do not be scared; you must go among people like this.” This is what it means to be a Bodhisattva. They are very straightforward; this group of “black pearls” is directly walking on the Bodhisattva-path. This is engaging in spiritual practice. These are “immediate teachings”; they are very fast. These are not “gradual teachings.”

In the Five Periods and Eight Kinds of Teachings, there are immediate and gradual teachings. Gradual teachings are taught gradually, taught according to capabilities. Immediate teachings are when I say things and you do them right away. “I hear you and I understand. I am willing to do this.” These are immediate teachings. Bodhisattvas utilize this shortcut. Thus they attain [realizations] very quickly. This is skillful means; this path is walked in this way. But Bodhisattvas who are able to accept the immediate teachings have, in past lives, continually accepted the Dharma. By accepting the Dharma, they matured and their root of faith was very deep. Therefore, now at this place, among these conditions, they accept [the Dharma] and can exercise their potential.

So, this is returning on the ship of compassion. This is coming with a mission. They did not come to suffer. Instead, they are on a mission. So, over 500 people had now received predictions. In the future, as they continue to transmigrate, perhaps, lifetime after lifetime, they will be in those places with the greatest suffering. They will be just like those volunteers in Africa who willingly give to others, living that kind of life. So, we must mindfully comprehend this. The Buddha-Dharma is truly wondrous. We must go beyond understanding the text; we must have deep understanding.

These 500 bhiksus received predictions for [attaining Buddhahood] in the future. In the past, for infinite kalpas, dust-inked kalpas, they had received this Dharma. Again and again, they had these affinities. Now, they had encountered the Buddha and received the Buddha-Dharma. Thus they began to have faith and be willing to go among people.

This group of Bodhisattvas in Africa already has a deep understanding of the Dharma. In that place, those who received predictions from the Buddha more than 2000 years ago are probably now there, transforming sentient beings and relieving sentient beings’ suffering. Do you believe this? This should be the case!

This is due to what the Buddha has done over all those lifetimes, particularly when He attained Buddhahood over 2000 years ago. Of those who received predictions, now over 2000 years later, how many must be in this world of suffering, dedicating themselves among those in suffering to transform and deliver sentient beings? This is all because they have accepted the influence of the Dharma. Upon receiving it, they accept it and go to help others. Otherwise, how could such a strange thing happen? They do not understand me when I speak. Why are they willing to make the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism and the Jing Si Dharma-lineage such an important part of their lives? They said that since Tzu Chi has already been around for 50 years, not only will they each take on 50 tasks, they will take on countless tasks. They have already made this vow. Think about it; these are past affinities extending up until today.

So, “Finally they were able to realize the fruits of the Great Vehicle.” In the past they were gradually nourished this way all the way up until now. They are still engaging in spiritual practice. They are already practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma, and they do it with great joy. Every time they finish [a task], we can see how happy they are. “[They] attain infinite benefit and joy. So, the jewel inside the clothes is used as an analogy.” They are joyful. The people doing the work are happy, and those receiving assistance are even happier. This is what that we must praise them for. So, we truly must put this jewel to great use.

Next, let us look at the previous sutra passage.

“The friend who gave him the jewel later saw this poor man. After he had earnestly reprimanded him, he showed him the jewel that he had fastened. When the poor man saw this jewel, his heart was filled with great joy. Rich with all kinds of assets, he could freely enjoy the five desires.”

The close friend who gave him the jewel saw him and began to reproach him. “I already gave you this [jewel]. You should be able to make good use of it. Why are you still in this situation?” In the past, dust-inked kalpas ago, He already taught the Lotus Sutra. We should have entered the Bodhisattva-path, but we still remain in the state of the Small Vehicle teachings. Therefore, when the Buddha now taught the Lotus Sutra, He wished to set aside the Small Vehicle and urge on the Small Vehicle practitioners, encouraging people to enter the Great Vehicle. These 500 disciples felt the Buddha was now encouraging them and urging them on.

So, in the next sutra passage, it says,

“We were also like this. The World-Honored One, through the long night, always taught and transformed us out of pity, leading us to form supreme vows. Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing. Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further.”

“We” refers to the 500 people, those who were present and received predictions. They said, “We were also like this. This was how we were. We are just like people drunk on the wine of ignorance.” The World-Honored One, throughout the long night, still continually came to guide us, to carry a lamp to light our way. This is what the Buddha has done for a long time, over dust-inked kalpas. We are all in this long and dark night, and we need someone to come and guide us.

We were also like this. The World-Honored One, through the long night: We Hearers had retreated from the Great to enter the Small. Now we turn our minds back toward the Great. We are no different from the poor man. In the past, we were confused, as if in a long night.

“We Hearers had retreated from the Great to enter the Small.” Dust-inked kalpas ago, we listened to the Great Vehicle Dharma. But over this long period of time, we have continuously retreated from the Great Vehicle Dharma. At the time we heard it, we made vows. But over this long period of time, we gradually retreated from the Great Vehicle teachings. This is because we continued to reproduce ignorance. With a single thought, we can reproduce infinite amounts of ignorance. So, we gradually lost the Great Vehicle Dharma and turned toward the Small Vehicle, practicing to benefit only ourselves.

This journey through the long night has taken a very long time, up until today when we “turn our minds back toward the Great.” This process has taken such a long time. Fortunately we have the Dharma; thus, we have not completely lost everything. Although we retreated from the Great to enter the Small Vehicle teachings, the Buddha-Dharma was still in our minds. Now, the Buddha has gradually instructed us again; we have now turned our minds back toward the Great. We understand. We now know to go in the direction of the Great Vehicle Dharma.

“We are no different from the poor man.” This is what we now [know]. Before, we did not know anything. Now, we know the Great Dharma. We are like the poor man who had the jewel on his body but did not know it. We are just like that poor man. So, “In the past, we were confused.” In the past, we were in a state of confusion. This was as if we were in the long night. It was as if it was nighttime. [This happened] over such a long time. “This jewel was on my person, but I was completely unaware.” The Great Vehicle Dharma is in the world. It is all around us, right by us, but we did not make use of it. We keep saying, “I don’t understand. I just want to protect myself.” In fact, the Dharma that can protect us is all around us. We are the ones who separated ourselves from it. Thus, we always remain in this limited area.

So, only the World-Honored One “always taught and transformed us out of pity, leading us to form supreme vows.”

Constantly out of pity taught and transformed us, allowing us to form supreme vows: The World-Honored One, in compassion and pity, sees sentient beings being confused for long, so He constantly teaches and transforms them, allowing them to form the vast and great vows of supreme Bodhi.

The World-Honored One, in His compassion, pities sentient beings’ suffering. He sees that these sentient beings have such ignorant and dull [capabilities] and are constantly lost in the long night, in this state of confusion for such a long time. So, when the Buddha sees these sentient beings, He cannot bear it. He has compassion and pity for them. So, He constantly comes to teach and transform us, always returning to guide us. It is just that we are too ignorant and confused.

So, He “leads them to make the vast and great vows of supreme Bodhi.” This is what we are like. This is how the Buddha gradually guides us. In guiding us, most important is to lead us all to “[form] the vast and great vows of supreme Bodhi,” to make these great vows, the Four Great Vows and the Four Infinite Minds. He hopes we can all make these great vows. Instead of sticking to limited capabilities and limited wisdom, we should develop great capabilities and great wisdom, make great vows. We must not abandon sentient beings; we need great loving-kindness, great compassion, great awakening and great realizations these kinds of great vows. This is how the Buddha teaches and transforms us.

“Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing.”

Since we had no wisdom, we were unaware and unknowing: This says we were as if drunk and unaware. Our wisdom was limited, and we did not remember our past vows, so we were again unable to realize that we have Buddha-nature.

The Buddha’s hope is for everyone to attain Buddhahood and be equal to the Buddha. He goes among people to teach and transform sentient beings. This shows the Buddha’s dedication. However, we have no wisdom. “We were unaware and unknowing.” It is like being drunk with the wine of ignorance. So, everyone’s wisdom is very limited, and our capabilities are also very limited. “We did not remember our past vows”; we forgot. Dusk-inked kalpas ago, the 16 novices taught the Lotus Sutra, but we forgot all about it. “Unaware” means we had already forgotten. To forget is to no longer know. So, in the past we had also made vows. Thus, once again we could not realize that we had Buddha-nature. We forgot, so we did not know we originally had this Buddha-nature, originally had this ocean of enlightened wisdom. We did not know this.

So, “Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further.”

Having attained a small part of Nirvana, we were content and sought nothing further: This means that they engaged in practice and, once they attained a small part of Nirvana biased towards emptiness, they thought it was enough and did not seek great benefit.

Attaining just a tiny bit, we thought that we were so great, that we knew everything. This was how we lived our lives. This represents how this jewel was placed [on us], but we were unaware of it. After we awoke, we began traveling again. “Once [we] attained a small part….” In this state of confusion, we knew to accept the Buddha-Dharma and enter the Buddha’s door to engage in spiritual practice. From a state of ignorance, we have already transcended a layer of confusion and joined this group for spiritual practice, but we clung to a small part of Nirvana that is biased toward emptiness.

[We have] heard so many teachings. But though we are engaging in spiritual practice and make use of this jewel in our practice, we are biased toward emptiness. We still do not truly, thoroughly understand the purpose of this jewel; we still have no idea. So, “They thought it was enough.” They thought, “I am already satisfied. I have already attained the Dharma. I am practicing to benefit only myself and will put an end to samsara; this is good enough for me.” [Thus, they] “did not seek great benefit.”

This is the way life is. The Dharma is in our minds and in the surroundings of our daily living. We can obviously understand this very clearly, yet we are constantly confused and in a state of drunkenness. This is our loss. From this state of ignorance, we should quickly awaken. We should wake up right away. We must no longer remain in this drunken state. The Buddha’s teachings from over 2000 years ago are so plentiful that. He can accord with sentient beings’ capabilities. For people in the future of that time, which is our present era, He provided teachings. He gave us so many teachings that are suitable for our use today.

So, we should dedicate ourselves to the Great Vehicle Dharma. Sentient beings experience so much suffering! Being in this space and having these abilities, we are moreover able to save people. So, we should all form great aspirations and should not easily allow afflictions to cover our minds. Being smart is not the same as being wise. We do not listen to the Dharma to become smart, to have eloquence of speech. We must make use of our wisdom and use a pure and simple heart to go among people. This way, we will naturally feel unlimited joy; we will be very happy.

This is just like the Bodhisattvas in Africa. They are unable to directly understand the Dharma [in Chinese] and cannot read [Chinese] writing, but they are very mindful. Their root of faith is very deep. Through their suffering, they have already gained comprehension, so they are willing to open the door to their minds and receive this Dharma. They go out to help others. Giving there is very hard work. I am sure it is very difficult. From their appearance, their environment, their path etc., we can tell that doing this work is truly very taxing. I can feel this. However, they are very happy. They have attained Dharma-joy, and those who receive their help are also joyful.

See how. “Dharma-joy and meditative joy are their food.” The Dharma is in their living, which lets them attain the joy of a pure heart. This is called Dharma-joy. It is called “meditative joy.” They focus with single-minded resolve to complete this task. So, a bad environment is not necessarily a bad thing. Since they are in this environment, as soon as they hear and attain this Dharma, they treat [this Dharma] as a jewel and make use of it in their lives. So, in order to live such a life, we must be even more mindful. The Dharma must always be in our lives. In our daily living, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1160 – The Jewel That Provides Unlimited Benefits

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>> “Inside his clothes there was an invaluable jewel. So why, for the sake of clothing and food, did he come to be like this? That person obtained the jewel and should have unlimited benefits. The Two Vehicle practitioners, in the presence of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha had the seeds of the Great Vehicle planted.”

>> “After that man had arisen, he traveled to other lands seeking clothing and food to sustain himself, but making a living was extremely difficult. He felt content when he had a little and did not wish for anything good. He was unaware that inside his clothes there was an invaluable jewel.”

>> ” The dear friend who gave him the jewel later saw this poor man. After he had earnestly reprimanded him, he showed him the jewel that he had fastened. When the poor man saw this jewel, his heart was filled with great joy. Rich with all kinds of assets, he could freely enjoy the five desires.”

>> The friend who gave him the jewel later saw this poor man: The Buddha appeared in the Saha World and again saw those who, in the presence of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, had often listened to the Dharma and had been transformed by Him.

>> After he had earnestly reprimanded him: For 20 years he had constantly made him clean excrement and eliminate delusions of views and thinking. The Vaipulya reproaches [the Small Vehicle] and the Prajna eliminates [delusions]. This is the meaning of “earnestly reprimanded.” After he had earnestly reprimanded him: This means the close friend reprimanded him with earnest words. This refers to how all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas came to transform the world. Their causes and conditions for transformation had now come to an end.

>> He showed him the jewel he had fastened: The time had come for the Lotus Sutra teachings and to reveal the Buddha-nature. This was like pointing out the shining jewel inside his clothes.

>> When the poor man saw this jewel, his heart was filled with great joy: When the Hearers were able to see the Buddha-nature, just like a poor man attaining treasure, their joy was indescribable.

>> Rich with all kinds of wealth: As for the Dharma-wealth of merit, virtue and infinite wisdom, he was replete in all of these. Thus, it says “rich.”

>> He could freely enjoy the five desires: He used form, smell, [sound,] taste and touch to attain a state of Samadhi. He could use them according to conditions broadly, freely and at ease. Thus it says, “freely enjoy the five desires.” Thus it says, “freely enjoy the five desires.

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“Inside his clothes there was an invaluable jewel.
So why, for the sake of clothing and food, did he come to be like this?
That person obtained the jewel and should have unlimited benefits.
The Two Vehicle practitioners,
in the presence of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha,
planted the seeds of the Great Vehicle.”

Everyone, please be mindful. Every day, as we listen, we must connect everything together. This impoverished person, this intoxicated person, was dead drunk. His friend gave him a jewel, quietly placing it in his clothes. But this drunk, impoverished person was unaware of this. Thus he lived a hard life, wandering around. [He did this] just to get clothing and food, to dress warmly and have enough food to eat, just to sustain his life. For a very long period of time, he lived this unstable, vagrant lifestyle. He truly looked very haggard. In fact, this whole time this person had on him that invaluable jewel, so he should have no difficulties with food and clothing. His life should have been one of abundance, so why was he still in such an impoverished and haggard condition?

This is telling us something. Everyone should still remember this sutra passage. The 500 bhiksus received predictions of Buddhahood from the Buddha. When the Buddha bestowed predictions of Buddhahood on these 500 bhiksus, the 500 bhiksus were very happy. So, they came before the Buddha to repent for their past. They had lacked faith, lacked persistence and lacked courage. The reason they lacked courage and persistence was that they did not have enough faith. So, in the past [when] they listened to the teachings given by the Buddha, they understood that life is full of suffering.

More than 2000 years ago, in the Buddha’s era, in what is present-day Nepal, there was the kingdom of Kapilavastu. The way people lived at that time was actually not too different from the way the Nepalese live today. Those who were wealthy were extremely wealthy; that was not too [different from today]. Those who were poor were extremely poor; there is not a big difference there either. Just as today, there were many spiritual practitioners. However, they practiced many different kinds of religions, and each religion had many offshoots. As of now, the Buddha-Dharma in Nepal is in decline. It has become completely different from the Buddha-Dharma we are discussing.

That was the Buddha’s birthplace. Why is it that the Buddha-Dharma seems to be in such decline in that place? It is due to people’s minds. Their roots of faith do not run deep. In the Buddha’s lifetime, the Buddha personally led his disciples. These disciples listened to Him teach and from the very beginning had faith. This is because from the beginning He taught about suffering, and in Nepal at that time, suffering was something that could be widely seen. Everyone was suffering! There was suffering from material [poverty] and there were the four castes. Those living as slaves were hardly treated as human beings. They were the lowest class. Next, there were merchants who engaged in trade. The nobles were the relatives of the royal family. There were also Brahmin practitioners; these were the priestly caste. These religious practitioners each had different ways of engaging in spiritual practice. There were 96 different kinds of religions, and the practice of each religion was different. That was during the Buddha’s era.

We are now familiar with the country of Nepal. What we can see there now is due to the devastating earthquake (of 2015). People came from all over the world to help. Thus, Tzu Chi [volunteers] entered that country and [stayed] for a full six months. In this half year’s time, they lived together with the people of the Buddha’s homeland. [The volunteers] walked around the disaster areas and saw the ways of life in this country. The country is very small, and moreover, the land is uneven; there are many hills and mountains. There are very few large pieces of flat land. Clearly, more than 2000 years ago, in this kind of natural environment, the poor people must have been even poorer. There are also so many mountains, so the spiritual practitioners would each engage in practice on their own mountain. The religious beliefs in the cities were very complicated.

So, the Buddha started talking about “suffering.” When He spoke of suffering, He could analyze the suffering of many different ways of life, the suffering in people’s daily living, the suffering of impermanence, etc., as well as the suffering of inequality in life. Why do some have so many riches? Why are some so impoverished? Thus He began to talk about causes and conditions. These causes and conditions come from ignorance, from karmic forces created out of ignorance etc. Naturally, they result in this way of life. Everyone could see this and feel this. Everyone understood this suffering. [However], there was a way to attain liberation from suffering and not return to this world again. When we come to this world, everything is beyond our control; this is great suffering. So, everyone hoped that they could liberate themselves from cyclic existence.

Focusing on liberating themselves from samsara, many people got stuck in this stage of their spiritual practice, They stopped at the Small Vehicle Dharma of the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. After the Buddha attained Buddhahood, He spent 12 years teaching the Agama Sutras. The 12 years of teaching the Agama Sutras were all a matter of teaching the principles of the Four Noble Truths. Everyone took in the Agama Sutras and understood them. “The world is filled with so much suffering. I need to properly guard my mind and not contrive affinities with others. So, I must eliminate afflictions. I must believe in what the Buddha said about how every word we say, every action we take and every thought we give rise to are all causes, are all conditions , are all karma.” This was what everyone believed in.

Starting from that time, the Buddha taught the Agama Sutras for 12 years, calling on many people to listen to the Dharma. For people with shallow capabilities, when they first encountered the Buddha-Dharma, they would understand all this. Hearing about the law of karma, about the suffering people experience and the many analogies given by the Buddha, they could experience all this in their own lives. He spoke of past causes and effects, the Jataka Sutra [about His past lives] and so on. Everyone was very interested in this. In this way, the Buddha-Dharma kept [spreading] during that time. Gradually, everyone understood that the Buddha came to the world in order to save and transform people in the world. After listening to the Buddha teach the Dharma, we must practice according to the teachings. This was taught over the 12 years called the Agama period.

The Buddha saw that people’s causes and conditions were nearly ready; it was time to go to the next level. So, the Buddha taught the Vaipulya. The Vaipulya Sutras begin the gradual move from Small [Vehicle] teachings to the Great Vehicle Dharma. He began to change direction. He wanted to help everyone know there was more than just the law of karma, that one reaps what one has sown. We must know that the law of karma is not a matter for us alone. It is about how we interact with other people. We need to treat people with love and compassion and forgive them when they create karma. “All conditioned phenomena,” everything created by people, still in the end returns to formlessness, “like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow.” In the end, nothing is left. He told everyone to be mindful of impermanence. For eight years, He taught the Vaipulya. This was the Vaipulya period. There are not just small sufferings in life. There is great suffering! Great suffering is caused by great causes and conditions. With great causes and conditions, we must form great aspirations. He spent eight years [teaching this].

Everyone seemed to understand this Dharma, but [in fact] they were not so clear. What does “impermanent and illusory” actually mean? Next, the Buddha spent a period of 22 years to expound the Prajnaparamita Sutras. “Prajna” means wisdom. He wanted to awaken everyone’s wisdom. He took things with existence and analyzed and broke them down until they returned to emptiness. From existence, He broke them down until there was nothing left. This was all about “emptiness.” In teaching emptiness, He used very profound principles to elevate everyone’s wisdom. For these 22 years, realizing these principles from emptiness was very difficult work. Clearly, things have existence. Clearly, these are things that people need, things that people can experience. How could we view them as being non-existent?

The Buddha spent a very long time, 22 years, to analyze the many principles of formation, existence, decay and disappearance. He also analyzed the numerous conditioned phenomena we can see in the world and how these phenomena come from the convergence of unconditioned Dharma. This was even more profound! Because of this, in the 22 years of the Prajnaparamita Sutras, everyone began to understand “emptiness,” how all things are empty [in nature]. “Since everything is empty, I will let all my ignorance return to emptiness. By doing this, I have already attained the ultimate. I have accomplished this. I am not contriving affinities. I understand the principles of life’s suffering. I know that everything in the past, present and future comes from the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. I understand these principles as well.”

“Regarding the principle of emptiness, the great principle of great emptiness, I already understand that all things are empty. So, I will not be attached to these afflictions and delusions. I have let go of everything. In this way, haven’t I already attained the ultimate Great Dharma? Getting to this stage is good enough for me.”

[In this way], the Buddha spent 42 years in the past teaching. Doesn’t this add up to 42 years? 12 years of Agama teachings and 8 years of Vaipulya teachings totals 20 years. Adding the 22 years of the Prajnaparamita Sutras, it had already been 42 years. After 42 years, the Buddha began to see that it was about time. So, the Buddha changed direction and taught the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. With the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, the Three Vehicles were merged, returning to the One Vehicle.

Withe past limited teachings and teachings for those of average capabilities, the 12 Links, the Vaipulya and the Prajna, those of average capabilities had already begun to understand that all things in the world are illusory and impermanent and empty in nature. This is considered the Middle Vehicle. At this point, the Buddha was shifting to the Great Vehicle. Now, the Prajna teachings are also considered part of the Great Vehicle, but for Small Vehicle practitioners, they are teachings biased toward emptiness. [This was] what they understood. When it comes to prajna, to profound wisdom, they had only understood a portion of it. They were biased toward emptiness. They were unable to understand very thoroughly, to penetrate the principles of true emptiness. Only by thoroughly comprehending true emptiness would they be able to realize wondrous existence.

The Buddha was now adding this part. From their attachment to and bias toward emptiness, He guided them to understand that emptiness is very comprehensive. All things in the universe are without exception empty and illusory. However, within the principles of emptiness and illusion, there are principles we cannot see, the true principles. So, He gave [many examples] of how, throughout the universe, time works differently. In the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, one day is 50 years in the human world, while 100 years in the human world is one day in Trayastrimsa Heaven. He began to explain this kind of distance. We should know that the advancements in modern technology [have shown] that we are in a tiny corner of the universe. In this solar system that we often talk about, among the eight planets, Mercury is the closest to the sun.

Next is Venus; one year on Venus passes more quickly than one year on Earth. Earth is the third closest planet to the sun. So, one year for us is 365 days. Then there are planets that are even farther away. For the farthest planet, the time it takes to revolve once around the sun, one year on that planet, is more than 160 years for us on Earth. This has been calculated by modern scientists. This is just in our solar system. There are so many worlds in the universe! Just in our solar system, there are eight planets. There is also an incalculable number, countless trillions of stars.

In the sky, there is an asteroid that we humans have given the name “Tzu Chi.” This asteroid in space was only recently discovered. It was an asteroid yet to be named; there are still many asteroids that are unnamed. Several years ago (in 2010), a group of astronomers discovered this asteroid. They gave this asteroid the name “Tzu Chi.” This has been registered internationally. They brought us the certificate showing that this asteroid was named “Tzu Chi,” letting us know that in the sky there is a celestial body called “Tzu Chi.” So you all know, in the sky there is [an object with this name].

These things are all general concepts that the Buddha shared with us. [He talked about] how there are many heavens. One day there may be several thousand years in the human world. This is what the Buddha awakened to at the start regarding the worlds in the universe. So, there is Trayastrimsa Heaven. There is also Tusita Heaven. Those are all training grounds for Bodhisattvas. In summary, this is how the Buddha described the universe. We humans are now verifying this [picture] through modern science. The solar system is in a small corner of the universe. In this place, we are able to see Mercury, Mars [etc.]. When comparing the way things are there to the way they are here, how does time pass there? These things have already been confirmed.

So, the Buddha was able to tell us and help us understand that each world in this vast universe and each star has its own lifespan. Earth also has a lifespan. Hundreds of millions, billions of years ago, Earth came into being. Right now, humans are growing in number, causing destruction to the earth. With manmade calamities and natural disasters, naturally, it will enter the stage of extinction. Formation, existence, decay and disappearance in the end leads to the Three Major Calamities.

Right now, the Three Minor Calamities continuously occur. The Three Major Calamities have also begun to occur with higher frequency. The more things humans keep producing, the more destruction we cause. So, this is what the Buddha already told us to help us understand true emptiness in all aspects. It is merely a question of time. So, time and space are principles we need to understand in parallel. All things are empty [in nature]. This means there is true emptiness in all aspects of this universe. Within true emptiness, there is wondrous existence. Earth is just one of the planets in the universe. This was what the Buddha told us.

So, in the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, the Buddha hoped that from limited teachings, we can enter the Buddha’s door. [He hoped we can] gradually advance and open up our minds more and more until “our hearts encompass the universe,” until we can realize the true principles of the universe. This is what should happen. So, “The Three Vehicles merge into the One Buddha Vehicle.” This was after the Lotus period [began]. The Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra for eight years. After more than seven years, He was finally about to enter Parinirvana. In the city of Kusinagara, under a pair of sala trees, for one day and one night. He expounded the Mahaparinirvana Sutra. He did this to calm everyone’s heart.

The principles of “permanence, joy, self and purity” are all teaching us to be mindful. He then returned to the [teachings of] “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path.” In the midst of “suffering and causation,” we thoroughly understand the principles and can earnestly eliminate all kinds of afflictions. Our minds must return to the great Bodhi-path. The great Bodhi-path is the Great Vehicle Dharma that teaches going among people and proactively saving sentient beings in this world. Among people, “permanence, joy, self and purity” is a mindset. When we go among people with this state of mind, afflictions are Bodhi. We must always [maintain] “permanence.” [What is] “permanent”? The Buddha-Dharma; it is everlasting. If we can become one with the Buddha-Dharma, that is “permanence.”

The Dharma will exist forever. When our hearts have experienced the Dharma, isn’t this permanence? There is true emptiness, but there is [also] wondrous existence. This wondrous existence returns to true emptiness. True emptiness is without afflictions or obstacles. But within it there exists everlasting wondrous existence. This is the Great Dharma; it is our nature of True Suchness. It is also that shining jewel. We have this jewel on us, but we are unaware. It has very abundant [value], but we are still very poor. Thus, we only know a limited amount of Dharma. The principles are so great, but all we know is a tiny bit. This is because we ordinary people have too many afflictions. There is so much Dharma, so where do we start? Since we want to understand, we have to seize the moment and be very mindful.

The previous sutra passage also says,

“After that man had arisen, he traveled to other lands seeking clothing and food to sustain himself, but making a living was extremely difficult. He felt content when he had a little and did not wish for anything good. He was unaware that inside his clothes there was an invaluable jewel.”

This is what our lives are like. We have this jewel on us, but we are still in a state of confusion. We still go to other places and find it hard to survive. Obtaining a little, we feel content. Once we obtain a little bit of Dharma, though we are still in a state of delusion, we have the karmic conditions to enter the Sangha and engage in spiritual practice. However, like ordinary people, we still find it difficult to support ourselves. We are in this prosperous and wealthy family, yet we are still like the poor son, satisfied to receive a low wage we can survive on. That is all we seek; we are unwilling to seek anything better. This expresses that we are unaware that inside we have this precious jewel. This is what we sentient beings are like; this is how pitiful we are. We are suffering here, without awareness or understanding.

The next sutra passage says,

“The dear friend who gave him the jewel later saw this poor man. After he had earnestly reprimanded him, he showed him the jewel that he had fastened. When the poor man saw this jewel, his heart was filled with great joy. Rich with all kinds of assets, he could freely enjoy the five desires.”

Everyone should already more or less understand. The close friend, the elder who gave him that precious jewel, after placing it on his body, left in order to deal with other matters. This is describing how the Buddha was born in the Saha World and “again saw those who, in the presence of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, had often listened to the Dharma and had been transformed by Him.”

The friend who gave him the jewel later saw this poor man: The Buddha appeared in the Saha World and again saw those who, in the presence of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, had often listened to the Dharma and had been transformed by Him.

[Like with] the poor son, actually, infinite kalpas ago, in the era of the 16 princes, the Buddha already taught them the Great Dharma. However, they transmigrated in the world, life after life. In the same way, the Buddha continuously taught the Dharma, continuously taught and transformed [them]. Yet they still had limited causes and conditions and never formed great aspirations. So, all they received was Small [Vehicle] Dharma, because they had small causes and small conditions. Thus, for countless lifetimes, they followed this affinity.

The responsibility is on us on the receiving end. The Dharma is so plentiful, but they could only take in a little. So, when the person who gave the jewel saw him, the man was still in this haggard state. Thus, “He earnestly reprimanded him.”

After he had earnestly reprimanded him: For 20 years he had constantly made him clean excrement and eliminate delusions of views and thinking. The Vaipulya reproaches [the Small Vehicle] and the Prajna eliminates [delusions]. This is the meaning of “earnestly reprimanded.” After he had earnestly reprimanded him: This means the close friend reprimanded him with earnest words. This refers to how all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas came to transform the world. Their causes and conditions for transformation had now come to an end.

It had already been 20 years. This is like the poor son in the parable in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding. For dust-inked kalpas, we have always been in the Three Realms, or in the Four Forms of Birth and Five Realms. This is truly very exhausting. In the Three Realms, there are the afflictions of the desire realm, form realm and formless realm. The difference is whether they are light or severe. So, “He had constantly made him clean excrement.” The Buddha-Dharma is always helping us eliminate the afflictions and ignorance in our minds. In the Three Realms, there are afflictions of the desire realm, afflictions of the form realm and afflictions of the formless realm. These light and severe afflictions can all be addressed by teachings of the Dharma, so “He constantly made him clean excrement.” The Dharma always calls on us to eliminate our ignorance, to eliminate our afflictions. It asks us to eliminate delusions of views and thinking. The delusion of views in the desire realm, the delusion of thinking in the form realm and the dust-like delusions of the formless realm these very subtle delusions, all these delusions are called afflictions. These are found in the Three Realms.

The Buddha came to the Saha World, and everyone had the affinity to be in the same place. The Buddha taught us the Agama, expounded the Vaipulya and proclaimed the Prajna. With the Vaipulya Sutra, He began to reproach us. He began to tell everyone, “Do not be attached to the Small Vehicle Dharma. You must form Great Vehicle aspirations.” There is not just minor suffering, not just personal suffering. There is suffering in the world, between people. So, we must earnestly eliminate the ignorance in our interactions. This is why we must go among people. We cannot seek only to benefit ourselves and stay away from people. We must do more than that.

Next, we come to the Prajna period. The Prajna teaches that all things are empty, everything is illusory etc. The principles are more advanced, eliminating so many of our delusions of views and thinking to help us completely empty [ourselves of them]. However, we were still unable to comprehend them. So, toward the end, He still earnestly berated us. He reprimanded everyone with earnest words. The close friend thus said loudly, “What is the matter with you? I clearly gave you this [jewel]. Why are you still in such a haggard state, still failing to live up to expectations, still drifting about?”

This reprimand is an analogy. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifested in the world to teach and transform. They constantly, over and over, give us teachings in this way. With causes and conditions, we undergo lifetime after lifetime of fragmentary samsara. After the causes and conditions for each fragmentary lifetime ends, we come back again. After these causes and conditions come to an end, we still continue drifting in the Three Realms.

“He showed him the jewel he had fastened.”

He showed him the jewel he had fastened: The time had come for the Lotus Sutra teachings and to reveal the Buddha-nature. This was like pointing out the shining jewel inside his clothes.

At this time, the friend made him aware of the precious jewel. “You have this precious jewel on you.” This refers to the Lotus period. The Lotus Sutra was taught to reveal everyone’s. Buddha-nature. He could not wait any longer. He could no longer continue as in those 12, 8 and 22 years. Now, He did not have many years left. So, in this time period, He had no alternative but to begin. Whether we could understand or not, He had to “reveal the Buddha-nature.” He had to tell everyone that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. This Buddha-nature is what we must mindfully experience.

Actually, the Buddha-nature is the principle of True Suchness. Every one of us journeys on this kind of Dharma to come and go life after life. Those who are deluded have no control over their coming and going. Those who are awakened journey on the Dharma of. True Suchness to return to this world to teach. If we are deluded, we will follow our past karma to come to this life. We still come and go in the same way. However, the principle is the same. So, He “revealed the Buddha-nature. This was like pointing out the shining jewel inside his clothes.” In the clothing of gentleness and patience, He showed us our true Buddha-nature. Thus we must be very mindful.

So, “When the poor man saw this jewel, his heart was filled with great joy.”

When the poor man saw this jewel, his heart was filled with great joy: When the Hearers were able to see the Buddha-nature, just like a poor man attaining treasure, their joy was indescribable.

Some of the Hearers, the 500 disciples, said this. “We have all already listened [to the Dharma].” These Hearers had listened and, having heard it, recognized and understood that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. Actually, [this is true for] all of us. The Buddha has always said that we all have Buddha-nature equal to the Buddha’s and an ocean of enlightened wisdom just like the Buddha’s. Everyone intrinsically has this. However, we were never able to experience this. At this point, in any event, the Buddha has already spoken what is true, telling us that in the future we too will attain Buddhahood. “I believe this because the Buddha speaks the truth. He speaks what is true, what is real; He does not speak falsehoods. In the future, after a very long time passes, I too will attain Buddhahood. Clearly, I truly have Buddha-nature.” So, “Seeing the Buddha-nature, just like a poor man attaining treasure, their joy was indescribable.” They truly believed it. They were like a poor man attaining treasure. This happiness was indescribable.

[They were now] “rich with all kinds of wealth.”

Rich with all kinds of wealth: As for the Dharma-wealth of merit, virtue and infinite wisdom, he was replete in all of these. Thus, it says “rich.”

“It turns out that I am actually a rich person!” So, the wealth of merit and virtue is what we must quickly accumulate. In the future, for numberless lifetimes, we must go among people to accumulate virtues, accumulate the Dharma-wealth of merit and virtue. “[Along with] infinite wisdom, he was replete in all of these. So long as I am willing to give, it turns out I can accumulate many merits and virtues. When causes and conditions mature, I can realize all principles.” So, “He was replete in all of these.” This is “being rich, rich with all kinds of wealth.”

“He could freely enjoy the five desires.” As was said previously, the five desires [refer to] the five world-transcending desires. Form, [sound,] smell, taste and touch are part of the process of spiritual practice, of being in the state of right understanding, right views and right Samadhi. So, “He could use them according to conditions, broadly, freely and at ease. Thus it says, ‘freely enjoy the five desires.'”

He could freely enjoy the five desires: He used form, smell, [sound,] taste and touch to attain a state of Samadhi. He could use them according to conditions broadly, freely and at ease. Thus it says, “freely enjoy the five desires.” Thus it says, “freely enjoy the five desires.”

Indeed! We have heard so many teachings. Everything we have seen, all of sentient beings’ ignorance, is our Bodhi, the Bodhi of spiritual practitioners. We should take the world’s suffering as a Bodhisattva’s spiritual training ground. “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.” If we have not opened up our hearts to cherish and take joy in all living beings, how can we “embrace boundless worlds”? How can “our hearts encompass the universe”?

We must open up our hearts, because in the end we want to become one with the universe. If we do not gradually open up our minds right now, we will not be able to accommodate other people; how then can we possibly encompass the universe? If we do not have the openness of the universe, how can we embrace the boundless worlds within it? So, all of the suffering in the world can become our spiritual provisions. It constantly reminds us to be vigilant, constantly reminds us to be mindful. We must be mindful in the world. The Buddha-Dharma can be found in our own lives. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1159 – The Wish-Granting Jewel Is Always with Us

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>> “There is a jewel fastened inside our clothes. Lacking the Dharma, it is hard to make a living. We possess the Tathagata’s nature of. True Suchness. The wish-granting jewel is always with us. We follow our karma through this life and future lifetimes. Beyond our control, we struggle to make a living.”

>> Now, before the World-Honored One, we repent for all our past transgressions. Of the infinite treasures of the Buddha, we have attained a small part of Nirvana. Like ignorant fools, we thought that was enough for us.

>> “We were like a poor man who went to the home of a close friend whose family was extremely wealthy. He prepared all kinds of food and delicacies and fastened a priceless jewel inside the poor man’s clothes. He quietly gave it to him and left. At that time the man was sleeping and unaware.”

>> “Since that man had already arisen, he traveled to other lands seeking clothes and food to sustain himself, but supporting himself was extremely difficult. When he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better. He was unaware that inside his clothes there was a priceless jewel.”

>> Since that man had already arisen, he traveled to other lands: After dying, one is born again, like waking up from drunkenness. Forming aspirations for spiritual practice is called “arising.” Forgetting the Great and practicing the Small is like traveling to other lands.

>> He sought clothes and food to sustain himself, but making a living was extremely difficult: Those who go everywhere seeking the Dharma to dignify their body and mind only seek Nirvana for themselves. They do not transform and guide others. They are like that poor man, begging for food to sustain himself. His way of making a living is extremely difficult.

>> “He sought clothes and food to sustain himself, but supporting himself was extremely difficult.” This is an analogy for transmigrating in samsara, “going to other lands.” We make aspirations to practice but it is not easy. It is extremely difficult.

>> When he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better: They practiced and upheld the Small Vehicle Dharma. They thought this was the ultimate and felt content with it, so they did not further form Great Vehicle aspirations to seek the One Vehicle path.

>> With the Small Vehicle Nirvana, one is free from fragmentary samsara but is not liberated from transformational samsara. So, it is not perfect and complete liberation. Yet being free from fragmentary samsara is the bed of liberation that all Three Vehicles sit upon together. Through this Small Vehicle, practitioners also can be said to attain Nirvana. However, it is not the great Nirvana, because it is not complete. This is why once they realize the small fruit of Nirvana, they think of resting. So, when he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better.

>> He was unaware that within his clothes, there was a priceless jewel: They were unaware that, within their body and mind, there was a priceless jewel hidden. It had supreme value; “supreme” means its value was immeasurable. Thus, it is called priceless.

>> They did not know they were rich with a jewel fastened inside their clothes, so they sought clothing and food in poverty. This means they were advised to diligently trade for a living. Is the affinity of fastening a jewel not like receiving the teachings and understanding the One True Vehicle Dharma of True Suchness?

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“There is a jewel fastened inside our clothes.
Lacking the Dharma, it is hard to make a living.
We possess the Tathagata’s nature of. True Suchness.
The wish-granting jewel is always with us.
We follow our karma through this life and future lifetimes.
Beyond our control, we struggle to make a living.”

This jewel is on our persons. I do not know whether we are all aware of this. In the past, since Beginningless Time, we have always been born with this. Everyone intrinsically has this nature of True Suchness. The Dharma and the principles are inherent in us. All of us intrinsically have [these things]. This is something we should all understand, yet we ordinary beings cannot comprehend it. The principles of all things in the universe have all been neglected by us, life after life. Perhaps, even when it comes to all the principles we have already understood, we have completely buried them all. The minds of ordinary beings are filled with afflictions and ignorance that continuously lead us to enter this path of unclarity and ignorance. In fact, our surroundings are clearly illuminated.

We often use the phrase. “Afflictions are Bodhi.” The opposite of ignorance is illumination, but we remain mired in afflictions, mired in ignorance. Our Bodhi, this path of illumination, has been completely neglected by us. We do not walk toward this path. This is what we ordinary beings are like. So, we suffer and are lost. Therefore, things remain beyond our control. There are so many causes and conditions that lead us to fall into the Four Forms of Birth and Six Realms. We feel so helpless! Everyone has such a jewel hidden within our minds. It is inside of our own clothing, wrapped up deeply inside [our clothes]. Yet, lacking the Dharma, it will be difficult to support ourselves. We lack the [right] methods. If we would just reach our hand into our clothing and take out this jewel, we could trade with it.

Everyone has an intrinsic nature of True Suchness. The ocean of enlightened wisdom is in everyone, but we have forgotten it. It is deeply hidden, hidden deeply within our ninth consciousness. As for the karma in our eighth consciousness, as we connect with our external conditions, whatever we create in our external environment returns to be stored in our eighth consciousness. The seventh and sixth consciousnesses continually connect to what is outside through the Five Roots and Five Consciousnesses. So, in this way, to order to live, to survive, we only rely on our Five Roots to connect to the sense objects of the Five Dusts. Then our sixth consciousness goes there [and we think], “I want this, I want that.” This is so exhausting!

Thus we are lacking the abundance of the Dharma. Instead, we linger in the Small Vehicle teachings. We can clearly have a heart that encompasses the universe and the boundless worlds within it. With so many sentient beings on Earth, we can embrace everyone and everything. We can serve all sentient beings in the world. This Dharma we have is so abundant, yet we insist on only benefiting ourselves and stick to only [worrying] about our own lives. How exhausting it is to work to survive every day! There are so many wealthy people, people with great power, who, with a simple wave of their hand, would be able to help so many people.

Yet when it comes to tangible material things, ordinary people never have enough; they are always lacking something. Even if they are the wealthiest in the world, in their minds, ordinary beings still feel lacking. This is because they do not have the Dharma in their minds. If they had the true principles, the Dharma, they would understand that this life is short, that life is impermanent and that in this world, all things come from the convergence of people’s collective karma. If people understood all these principles, they would be able to use the Dharma, obtaining it in the world and applying it in the world to serve people in the world.

There are also those who, though they are not rich, are very willing to give. They are not only willing to give, but also encourage everyone else to give. They not only encourage everyone to give, but also “rejoice in others’ accomplishments.” This is [due to] the Dharma; the Dharma has filled their minds. Their minds are open and spacious. Their minds are able to bring all things to fruition. However, though some people are very well-off, not only are they unwilling to [help others], but seeing others do it, they feel unhappy. Some people are not only unwilling to act, they even slander those who do. These are all people who lack the Dharma. In short, if we can thoroughly understand the principles of the Dharma, there is nothing we cannot do.

True Suchness, the Tathagata’s intrinsic nature of True Suchness, is in fact intrinsically in everyone. “Human nature is inherently good.” This good heart and kind nature is something that everyone has. The principles are everlasting. The principles of the world will always exist, so the wish-granting jewel is always with us; we can use it whenever we want. In this world, if we do not have money, when [we see] people in difficulty, we can form the aspiration to say to everyone, “Let’s bring our strength together and work together to help them.” Isn’t this a wish-granting jewel?

If I want to give, but my strength alone is not enough, I can rely on everyone’s strength. By making use of each other’s strength, in this way, everyone’s combined strength will enable us to help those in great need. This is especially true when we need to give with great strength in great amounts. When there are disasters, difficulties and so on, as long as people in this world are willing to put out the call, as long as there is the condition of people who are willing to come together, we will have great strength, and it will not be difficult to accomplish things. So, this is also a “wish-granting jewel.”

This does not mean that we each only have our own jewel; everyone has this jewel. This is the principles. Everyone has these principles. As long as everyone brings out the principles from their hearts, everyone’s strength will converge. This is something we can do in this life. So, “We follow our karma through this life and future lifetimes.” If in this life we can put in all our efforts and make use of everyone’s strength, when everyone’s efforts are united in working for good and this power of goodness comes together, we can pave a path of. Bodhi, great love and awakened compassion. In this life and future lives, these principles will always exist.

So, “Without control, we struggle to survive.” This is how it is for us ordinary people. We are not willing to go take action. We have this [jewel] ourselves yet feel that we still lack so much. Thus, we feel that it is difficult to survive.

There are so many things we can do in this world. For example, within our medical system there is the Buddhist Tzu Chi Stem Cells Center. We have so many Bodhisattvas who promote bone marrow donation and who are fully focused on looking after the bone marrow registry. This is because in the world there are illnesses such as leukemia. If someone has leukemia, as of now, in 2016, there is still no medicine or other treatment [that can cure it] except to use a healthy person’s bone marrow. Nowadays, they can also use peripheral blood. The [hematopoietic stem cells] from the blood, these healthy [stem cells], can be given to someone who has lost the ability to create blood. If the healthy person’s hematopoietic function from the bone marrow or the blood [stem cells], can be transplanted into the body of another person, when the person who is ill receives this, the function of these cells will naturally take effect in this ill person’s body. Their function is to produce blood cells.

We cannot live without blood. Blood circulates in our bodies. It is a very important part [of us]. This is just like how the earth needs water. All the blood vessels inside of our bodies, our veins and arteries, whether thick or thin, all need to have blood circulating through them. Some veins are as fine as our pores; thus small amounts of blood can be supplied to our skin, hair and so on throughout our entire body. This all requires blood circulation. This is extremely important. Once our hematopoietic function is lost, we must rely on this kind of [transplant]. Medical treatment today is so advanced, but the only thing that can save someone is a marrow transplant from a healthy donor.

In order to save people’s lives, we have established a database registry. [The chances of] finding a match are one in hundreds of thousands. To find a suitable match, the probability is one in hundreds of thousands. So, we need a very large database registry. Thus, we must continually go out to promote this, asking people to draw blood to become part of this database registry. Of course, this process is quite involved. After the registry had been established, those who needed it could search for a match among these hundreds of thousands of people. They may find one match or several, but the probability is very small.

There was a story that began like this. There was a young person in Hubei, [China]. He was 14 years old. His family had the surname “Liu.” He was the only child and was very adorable. At age 14, he was already in his third year of middle school. Suddenly, it was discovered that he had blood stasis in his feet. How could it be? This gradually spread throughout his whole body. As the boy kept having blood stasis, he was rushed to get a checkup at a large hospital in Wuhan. Later, he was diagnosed with leukemia. This was like a bolt from the blue.

The boy was the family’s only child. His parents said that even if it cost them everything, they had to find a cure for their child. They searched all over Wuhan for a marrow donor, but no matter how they searched finding a match was very difficult! Moreover, they were not very wealthy. Thus, the media began to appeal to people for help. People joined together to help donate money and donated over 200,000 RMB to treat this boy’s illness.

However, as days continued to pass in that place, finding a marrow donor seemed out of reach. At that point, they went to Beijing; with those 200,000 RMB and the family’s entire savings, [the parents] accompanied their son to Beijing. The hospital in Beijing also searched [for a donor], but progress was slow, so they told him, “Why don’t you look for help in Taiwan?” Later, they traveled from the Beijing hospital to Taiwan in search of a matching donor. They were in luck! Out of hundreds of thousands, four matches were found. Of these four matches, one of them was part of a family of Tzu Chi volunteers. Mr. Zhang from Taoyuan was in the Faith Corps and his wife was a Tzu Chi commissioner; His daughter was a Tzu Chi collegiate volunteer. During the matching process, his daughter was found to be a match. This collegiate volunteer was very happy and willing [to donate].

Her parents were even more joyful. When Mr. Zhang heard that his own daughter was a match and that his daughter was happy and willing, he immediately contacted us and we immediately began the marrow donation process.

So, within a short half-year, the marrow transplant was completed. The two sides of the strait, Taiwan and Beijing, [worked together] to deliver the bone marrow. In this way, the bone marrow was sent to Beijing, and this child received the marrow transplant. Although there was some slight rejection, the hospital was very mindful in their care. Later, when they got to meet each other, this young person had graduated college and was working as an accountant.

He said he had dreamed of meeting the benefactor who had saved his life. When they met, they found that their age difference was only five years. She was like his big sister. In his mind, he imagined that she was a very beautiful girl. When he saw her, she truly was very beautiful. Not only was she externally beautiful, her heart was beautiful too. When the two met each other, they called each other sister and brother. This was such a wonderful matter, completed by the efforts of innumerable people. When I saw the scene, it was so heart-warming.

Do you know? This relied on the efforts of so many people. Everyone has a jewel on their person. This collegiate volunteer had uncovered this jewel a long time ago. She is a Tzu Chi collegiate volunteer. She understands many teachings and is willing to save lives. She had no doubts at all. When she heard the news she was very happy and was willing to give of herself. Our database has the love of hundreds of thousands of people in it. As of today (in 2016), it has already been over 20 years. This database of over 400,000 registries has already saved over 4000 lives.

Thinking about this, isn’t this how these principles exist in the macrocosm? The macrocosm contains this jewel; it is in every place. This is called the true principles. It is called the Dharma. The workings of living beings, matter and the mind never depart from these principles, never depart from the true principles. The Dharma contained in the macrocosm, the Dharma contained within our bodies and the Dharma contained within our minds [encompasses] all things in this world. As long as we understand this, once we discover it, we can surely make good use of it. This is “being replete with the Tathagata’s nature of True Suchness.” This is the everlasting true principles. All things in the world are replete with these principles.

“The wish-granting jewel is always with us.” As long as there is a match, causes and conditions converge. Out of hundreds of thousands of people [these two people’s] affinities come together. This is how causes from a past life converge with the conditions of this life. So, we talk of a wish-granting jewel, a wish-granting jewel that is always with us. Our causes and conditions always follow us. “We follow our karma through this life and future lifetimes.” We have this affinity in this life. In the next life, we should have it as well. If we do not have these good affinities and blessed karma, “Without control, we struggle to survive.” If we lack this principle in our mind, then the many hidden treasures of true principles in the outside world will be unobtainable for us.

This depends on the jewel we have in our own minds. If we can obtain it, we can make use of the hidden treasures in all things in the world. Aren’t these [riches] very abundant? If our mind is lacking this perspective, it will be hard for us to survive. If everyone can understand this principle, our intrinsic nature of True Suchness should not be difficult for us to discover. We can make use of it daily.

Now let us look at the previous sutra passage.

Now, before the World-Honored One, we repent for all of our past transgressions. Of the infinite treasures of the Buddha, we have attained but a small part of Nirvana. Like ignorant fools, we thought that was enough for us.

This is how we were in the past. We only cared for ourselves and did not think about others. Thus, our intellect and our willpower were very weak. So now, the Buddha was teaching everyone, and the 500 bhiksus all clearly understood. Thus, they said.

“We were like a poor man who went to the home of a close friend whose family was extremely wealthy. He prepared all kinds of food and delicacies and fastened a priceless jewel inside the poor man’s clothes. He quietly gave it to him and left. At that time the man was sleeping and unaware.”

[They were like] a drunken man who had gone to a close friend’s house to eat a meal. There, he again got drunk, and upon awakening, did not realize that his friend had given him something. He could have gone and traded it, spending his days in abundance, but he did not know about it. Thus, he struggled to survive. This was [what they were like] in the past. They were repenting for the past. The Buddha gave them the teachings of the Great Vehicle Dharma, but they were still unclear and did not understand.

The next sutra passage continues,

“Since that man had already arisen, he traveled to other lands seeking clothes and food to sustain himself, but supporting himself was extremely difficult. When he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better. He was unaware that inside his clothes there was a priceless jewel.”

This man had already arisen, so he began to travel to other places. The person who gave him the jewel had already left to take care of some business, so when [the drunk man] awoke, he too went to other places.

So, “After dying, one is born again.” This is an analogy for this life. We live this life in confusion. In the darkness, we are like sleepwalkers. We are asleep, and when we awaken we are muddled and confused; like sleepwalkers, we are unaware of our actions. In this manner, an entire life passes by. So, “After dying, one is born again.” What have we actually done in this life? We do not know. At the end of this lifespan, we die and are then reborn. This is like one who is drunk. It is already beyond our control. Where will our circumstantial retributions and direct retributions cause us to be born? We do not know. We are reborn, then after we are reborn, it is the same thing. We follow the environment and our karmic forces. This is like being drunk, drunk on the wine of ignorance. We are still living our lives in ignorance.

Then it is “like [we] wake up from drunkenness.” This is like our past; this is an analogy. When another life is over, we will be reborn yet again. Being born is like waking from drunkenness. The alcohol’s effect has already worn off, and we are beginning to awaken. This is like in the past when we still did not understand the Dharma, but then we heard the Dharma and rejoiced. After rejoicing, we sought the Buddha-Dharma and began to make aspirations. “Forming aspirations for spiritual practice is called ‘arising.'” We already know this. We see the Buddha-Dharma, understand and become joyful, wishing to receive the Buddha-Dharma. This represents waking up. Beginning to engage in spiritual practice is arising and going traveling. This is the beginning of our spiritual practice.

So, [we] “forget the Great and practice the Small.” Although we have begun to engage in practice, we forget the Great and practice the Small. In our past lives, we definitely formed affinities with the Buddha. The Buddha has come and transformed us before; Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha used skillful means and the 16 princes gave the Great Dharma teachings. All of them have taught us. Over dust-inked kalpas, although we already were taught with the Great Vehicle Dharma, we forgot it; we “forgot the Great.” We forgot it and abandoned the Great for the Small. So, we remained attached to a small sense of self and thus practiced only the Small Vehicle Dharma.

This “is like traveling to foreign lands.” We have already been in the Tathagata’s house, yet we were still wandering around outside.

Since that man had already arisen, he traveled to other lands: After dying, one is born again, like waking up from drunkenness. Forming aspirations for spiritual practice is called “arising.” Forgetting the Great and practicing the Small is like traveling to other lands.

This was like the poor son. He was clearly part of the elder’s family, yet he insisted on staying outside and cleaning. This is what we discussed before in the parable of the poor son. This is how he was. He was in the vicinity of the Dharma, yet he kept traveling around outside. So, it is likened to traveling to other lands. He did not accept the Buddha’s direct teachings of the Great Vehicle Dharma, so he remained outside.

Thus, “He sought clothes and food to sustain himself, but supporting himself was extremely difficult.” This is “going everywhere seeking the Dharma.” The Dharma is clearly so simple, yet people only seek it outside themselves. [They] “dignify their body and mind” and “only seek Nirvana for themselves. They do not transform and guide others. They are like that poor man, begging for food to sustain himself. His way of supporting himself is extremely difficult.”

He sought clothes and food to sustain himself, but making a living was extremely difficult: Those who go everywhere seeking the Dharma to dignify their body and mind only seek Nirvana for themselves. They do not transform and guide others. They are like that poor man, begging for food to sustain himself. His way of making a living is extremely difficult.

They merely remained in the vicinity, merely displaying this appearance, saying, “I am a monastic. I am engaging in spiritual practice.” Thus, “They only seek Nirvana for themselves.” This is the Small Vehicle. In the Nirvana of the Small Vehicle practice, “They do not transform and guide others.” They are not willing to go out into the world and go among people. They are not willing to do this.

So, “They are like that poor man, begging for food to sustain himself.” They are like the poor man who begged for food. We just say, “I am engaging in spiritual practice,” but we are only practicing the Small Vehicle. We seek something temporary, to not stir up any more afflictions. We eliminate them, having understood causation and cessation. All we understand is “suffering,” that it is caused by the accumulation of [karma]. We want to eliminate suffering, so we no longer want to form affinities. We no longer have any afflictions; we have eliminated them all. But we have only come this far. This is being poor. “Begging for food to sustain himself” is like only seeking the Small Vehicle Dharma. If we only seek a meal to eat our fill, by the next meal, we will be hungry again and will need to seek food again. This is all we do. “His way of supporting himself is extremely difficult.” To truly take this Dharma and apply it seems to be very difficult.

Didn’t we just say that the whole universe is full of Dharma? We can leverage others’ strength to help people. All of this is Dharma, yet we ourselves do not realize it. We ourselves believe that we are not strong enough, so how can we help others? If we leverage our strength, if everyone brings their strength together, we can help everyone on Earth. But we are not aware of this principle.

“He sought clothes and food to sustain himself, but supporting himself was extremely difficult.” This is an analogy for transmigrating in samsara, “going to other lands.” We make aspirations to practice but it is not easy. It is extremely difficult.

How long is one lifetime? We may eliminate afflictions in this life, and in subsequent lifetimes we may still have the causes and conditions to engage in practice, but to truly achieve liberation and great Nirvana is truly still very difficult. So, it is not easy. Attaining liberation is not easy; the hardships are extreme hardships. If, in this life, we do not take care to accumulate spiritual provisions, then if we want to practice in future lives, it will not be easy.

“When he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better.”

When he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better: They practiced and upheld the Small Vehicle Dharma. They thought this was the ultimate and felt content with it, so they did not further form Great Vehicle aspirations to seek the One Vehicle path.

Having already attained a little bit, they were not willing to put in any more effort. They were unwilling to do more. So, “They practiced and upheld the Small Vehicle Dharma. They thought this was the ultimate and felt content with it.” This is practicing the Small Vehicle and assuming that we have already eliminated our own afflictions. “No matter what anyone does to me, I am fine. I can let go. I will not take issue with things. I feel that I am very satisfied like this.” They felt that, “The Dharma, the principles of true emptiness, I understand them all.” But in fact, they were biased towards emptiness. They did not truly understand true emptiness and giving without attachment.

Look at how our Tzu Chi collegiate volunteer donated bone marrow to save a life. She herself was very joyful. She suffered no loss from this and is still very healthy. Her mind was without hindrances; there was only Dharma-joy, a very joyful mind. This is truly the Great Vehicle Dharma. This is the true [meaning] of true emptiness. But there is also wondrous existence. We can exercise the potential of wondrous existence. Out of hundreds of thousands, she was a match; she had this affinity. [Transplanted] from her body to that of another, her cells’ blood-producing function was very good. Think about it; isn’t this wondrous existence?

There are many principles of wondrous existence in the world today. Yet some people [think], “If I donate [my marrow], what will happen to my own health? Oh, no! I regret [getting tested]. I don’t want to donate.” They are willing to draw blood and say that they have this resolve. But in the end, many are unwilling to donate. This creates even greater dangers. So, in summary, the Great and Small Vehicle are merely attitudes. Thus, “They practiced and upheld the Small Vehicle Dharma. They thought this was the ultimate and felt content with it.” [They think] “I will just draw blood. This shows that I already have this aspiration.” But when it is time, they say, “I don’t want to do it.” They do not know that the one who is preparing to receive their blood [cells] already has their life in the balance. It is extremely urgent. If no one can donate to them, they will die. They have no idea about this. So, we could say that the principles of spiritual practice and the principles of life are the same.

“They did not further form Great Vehicle aspirations.” [They are] not willing to give and regret having made the vow in the first place. When the time comes, they are unwilling to give, “to seek the one True Vehicle path.” This is the mind of ordinary beings. They do not know that this One Vehicle path is very safe and is there for us to walk on. They only uphold “the Small Vehicle Nirvana” where “One is free from fragmentary samsara but is not liberated from transformational samsara.”

With the Small Vehicle Nirvana, one is free from fragmentary samsara but is not liberated from transformational samsara. So, it is not perfect and complete liberation. Yet being free from fragmentary samsara is the bed of liberation that all Three Vehicles sit upon together. Through this Small Vehicle, practitioners also can be said to attain Nirvana. However, it is not the great Nirvana, because it is not complete. This is why once they realize the small fruit of Nirvana, they think of resting. So, when he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better.

Small Vehicle practitioners only practice to [end] fragmentary samsara. “I know that my past karma brought me to this life. I understand the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence and the fragmentary samsara of the past, present and future. For the future, I do not want to create more negative affinities now. I want to eliminate future causes and conditions.” They assumed it was like this. They did not know of “transformational samsara,” they only knew of the “fragmentary samsara” of the past, present and future. They did not understand that our minds are in this “transformational samsara.” They had not thoroughly understood this Dharma. So, “It was not a perfect liberation.” In this way, it was not perfect liberation.

They had only escaped “fragmentary samsara.” They knew “fragmentary samsara” and that was all. This is “the bed of liberation that all. Three Vehicles sit upon together.” We must know not only the Small Vehicle, but also the Middle Vehicle and the Great Vehicle. We must know that in our lives, we go through the past, the present and continue on into the future. This is what Small Vehicle [practitioners] call Nirvana. Their Nirvana is “one [that] is free from fragmentary samsara.”

Both Great and Small Vehicle practitioners should know we have a past, present and future. But we have not yet reached the great Nirvana. Because we are still not replete [with Dharma], [we remain in] transformational samsara, giving rise to discursive thinking. We remain the same. We continue to give rise to discursive thoughts. We may form an aspiration, but later, we regret it. Thus, we are unable to truly uphold great vows, to maintain our determination. So, we constantly advance and retreat. This is remaining in the Small Vehicle and not arriving in the state of Great Vehicle Nirvana. So, we are still not replete; we only realize the small fruits.

[We feel that] “I already know this.” After attaining the Four Fruits, Arhats think they have reached [the ultimate]. They do not know these are only the small fruits. It is just the start, to help them understand the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence, how, in the past and present, people came and go in the world. These [teachings] were just to let them know this. To truly become one who thoroughly awakens to the universe and becomes one with the universe, a great enlightened one, we cannot merely stop there. We must converge [with the universe]. But we only attained the small fruits. After having a single awakening we think, “I have already awakened, so I have already attained the fruit. I have achieved Nirvana; I can be tranquil.” So, we wish to rest there.

Nowadays people very early on begin to say, “I want to retire; I want to rest.” They have this kind of life. To be alive, we must be active. We must move. If we want to stay alive, we must move around. To truly engage in spiritual practice, we must be able to eliminate samsara and arrive at the great Nirvana. Our enlightened nature needs to converge with the universe. We must continuously [advance], always maintain our power of Samadhi, diligently move forward and practice the Great Vehicle Dharma. Do not say, “I am already engaging in practice. I understand. I know, I know. Now I want to rest.” If that is the case, our time in life will always be wasted. Thus, “When he obtained a little, he felt content and did not wish for anything better.”

“He was unaware that within his clothes, there was a priceless jewel.”

He was unaware that within his clothes, there was an priceless jewel: They were unaware that, within their body and mind, there was a priceless jewel hidden. It had supreme value; “supreme” means its value was immeasurable. Thus, it is called priceless.

Just like that person, we do not know where are our jewel is. It is not just about our own jewel. As we just said, all things in the universe contain the principles; these are called Dharma-treasures. This is likened to a jewel. It is a priceless jewel. “They were unaware that within their body and mind, there was a priceless jewel hidden.” This jewel was supremely valuable; it was worth a lot of money. Its worth could not be expressed in numbers, so it was said to be priceless.

“[It was] so supreme its value was immeasurable.” It was worth a lot; its value was incalculable. This is “immeasurable.” This is like the sands of the Ganges. How could we calculate this? The Buddha-Dharma often mentions “like the sands of the Ganges.” This is an immeasurable number. Immeasurable means this object is of supreme value. This is known as being “priceless.” There is no way to calculate how much it is worth. This is something we must understand. In our world, how could we count all the true principles? We cannot do it. We do not know that our clothing contains a jewel. We are all very wealthy, yet we are “seeking clothing and food in poverty.” This is how we get things backwards.

So, in this manner, every day, we should be trading for a living. We must trade for a living. “The affinity of fastening a jewel” does not just refer to receiving the teachings. In fact, we must know clearly that when the teachings enter our mind, we must exercise our potential. We must know that the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle is not just something we should casually listen to.

They did not know they were rich with a jewel fastened inside their clothes, so they sought clothing and food in poverty. This means they were advised to diligently trade for a living. Is the affinity of fastening a jewel not like receiving the teachings and understanding the One True Vehicle Dharma of True Suchness?

Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners, we must truly be very mindful in our daily lives. This is not just about [focusing] on ourselves, saying every day, “Every day Master says that the jewel is on our own person.” Correct! We all innately have Buddha-nature. We all have an awakened nature of wisdom equal to the Buddha’s. This is our awakened nature. This awakened nature is called True Suchness. This [nature of] True Suchness pervades the universe and all Dharma-realms. Everything contains a nature of True Suchness. If we can thoroughly discover the true principles, that is the precious jewel inside us, which we have always had with us. We only need to accept this one thought and be willing to go and help others. Then, we will have discovered our precious jewel. So, everyone, we must always be mindful.

Episode 1158 – Cultivating Contemplation in Samadhi

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>> “Cultivating contemplation in Samadhi brings pure, free and peaceful Dharma-joy. We must fully understand ignorance, volitional formation and the other. Links of Cyclic Existence in the Three Periods. By destroying all deviant views, we will attain the tranquil and pure ocean of wisdom. When our enlightened nature and the universe merge, we will realize the wondrous True Dharma of true emptiness.”

>> “We receive predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before. At that time, Ajnata Kaundinya and others, wishing to restate their meaning, spoke this verse.”

>> “All of us heard the supremely peaceful and calming sound of bestowing predictions. We rejoice for having what we never had before. We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom.”

>> “Now, before the World-Honored One, we repent for all our past transgressions. Of the infinite treasures of the Buddha, we have attained a small part of Nirvana. Like ignorant fools, we thought we could be content with that.”

>> Now, before the World-Honored One, we repent for all our past transgressions: They repented for their previous lack of understanding. Now, before the Buddha, they repented for being attached to the Small and for the boundless past transgressions of being deluded and ignorant of the Great Vehicle.

>> They had four transgressions: They forgot their original vows. They were afraid of the Great Vehicle. They took joy in the Small Dharma and were content in attaining the Small.

>> “Of the countless treasures of the Buddha,” “we had gained but a small portion of Nirvana”: They repented for contentment in attaining little. Of the Buddha’s treasure of infinite great wisdom, they had only attained a small portion of the. Nirvana biased towards emptiness.

>> Like ignorant fools, we thought that was enough for us: They reproached themselves for their dull capabilities and difficulty in awakening. Just like ignorant fools, they felt content with the Small Vehicle Dharma was enough.

>> “Like a poor man who went to the home of a close friend whose family was extremely wealthy. He prepared all kinds of food and delicacies and fastened a priceless jewel inside the poor man’s clothes. He quietly gave it to him and left. At that time the man was sleeping and unaware of it.”

>> Like a poor man who went to the home of a close friend: In the following passages they use an analogy of fastening a jewel. The poor man refers to them. The close friend refers to the Buddha. In the past they relied on the Buddha, like going to a close friend’s house.

>> Whose family was extremely wealthy: The land of actual retribution is the Buddha’s home. He is replete with merit and virtue. Thus, He is called “extremely wealthy.”

>> He prepared all kinds of food and delicacies: The Dharma-appearance is completely manifested, like all kinds of food and delicacies. Ordinary forms of sustenance are called food; fine foods are called delicacies. Food and delicacies: This refers to the era of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, when they first heard the skillful teachings.

>> [He] fastened a priceless jewel inside the poor man’s clothes: This invaluable jewel is the potential for Buddhahood within us. Teaching the Dharma through skillful means is called “fastening the jewel. Inside the clothes” refers to the physical body of direct retribution. Fastening the jewel: This refers to how the princes repeatedly taught and formed great affinities.

>> Quietly gave it to him and left. At that time the man was sleeping and unaware: The friend quietly and secretly fastened the jewel inside the man’s clothes and left to transform beings in other lands. Thus, it says that he “left.” At that time they were deluded and ignorant like a sleeping, drunken man who had no awareness.

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“Cultivating contemplation in Samadhi
brings pure, free and peaceful Dharma-joy.
We must fully understand ignorance, volitional formation and the other.
Links of Cyclic Existence in the Three Periods.
By destroying all deviant views,
we will attain the tranquil and pure ocean of wisdom.
When our enlightened nature and the universe merge,
we will realize the wondrous True Dharma of true emptiness.”

We must cultivate contemplation! We must always be mindful. Our minds must constantly be in Samadhi. In our daily living, when we face [the karma] we have created, we must put our efforts into being mindful and remain in Samadhi. Cultivating contemplation is meditation, which is the meaning of Samadhi. Everything comes back to the Samadhi of right thinking. Our minds must be in Samadhi in order to not be disturbed by people or matters. Spiritual practice is about cultivating the mind. Therefore, we must always reflect on ourselves and take care of our minds. When it comes to the things we face now and the things we do now, we ourselves need to earnestly contemplate whether they are right or wrong. Right and wrong must be clearly discerned. Doing the right thing is wisdom. If it is the wrong thing to do and we do it, that is called foolishness.

Life after life, we engage in practice so we should have faith that we ourselves, since Beginningless Time, have had an affinity with the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma we [encounter] comes from all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifesting in the human realm. Life after life, they have [come] to deliver us. Life after life, we have had the affinity to encounter them. As we have the affinity to encounter the Dharma, when it comes to people, matters and objects, right and wrong, true and false, all must be discerned clearly. After clearly discerning right and wrong, we must earnestly do the right thing. This is developing our wisdom.

Our wisdom-life can develop because, in past lives, we cultivated wisdom and listened to the teachings. Thus, in this life, in dealing with people, matters and objects, we can clearly discern matters and principles. When we do the right thing, we develop our wisdom. If we become careless and deviate slightly, we will do the wrong thing; we will be unable to control our minds. A slight deviation can lead us far astray. Once one thought goes astray, every further step is in error. So, with one stray thought, 1000 missteps follow. This is foolishness. Once we make mistakes, we repeat them and replicate our ignorance. This is because in listening, contemplating and practicing, we lack the power of Samadhi.

So, as we engage in spiritual practice, in this lifetime, we must have clear discernment. At all times, with matters, people and objects, we must recognize everything clearly. Our minds must be in Samadhi. We must seize the right methods. We must persevere in the right actions. We must pay careful attention and not let people disturb our minds. We must not let our thoughts get stirred up over matters and people. Once such turbulence occurs, ignorance arises. To truly settle the thoughts in our minds is very difficult.

Look at water. When it is still, water can reflect people’s image. When the water is still, 1000 moons can be seen in 1000 rivers. When the water is still, the images of all mountains, rivers and lands will appear in the water. But this still water cannot withstand even a grain of sand. A tiny grain of sand, when thrown into the water, will cause the water to ripple and the images will likewise begin to quiver. If we more vigorously disturb [the surface], the entire scene is obscured and disappears. This is just like our minds. We must earnestly maintain the stillness of our minds. To keep still, our minds must always abide in the Buddha-Dharma. The mind needs the power of Samadhi. Then naturally, in this stillness, we will feel pure, free and peaceful Dharma-joy.

If we could enter such a state, how joyful would that be? In our daily living, external states would not disturb our minds. External refers to the external environment. Once we understand that everything is illusory, is all true emptiness, what is there to take issue over? All relationships depend only on our thoughts. When other’s thoughts are different from ours so that what they say is opposite to what we say, shouldn’t we calm our minds and earnestly contemplate whether what they say is right or whether what we think is right? If what we do has not gone astray, we should believe in ourselves, believe that we are selfless. Although other people may have different thoughts, opinions and perspectives, we must believe they have love in their hearts. In this way, we will not take issue with them.

Never-Slighting Bodhisattva’s practice is what we must apply in daily living. “I do not dare look down on you, because all of you can attain Buddhahood. It’s just that your current thinking has gone astray. With time to earnestly adjust your thoughts, I believe everyone can eventually understand and gradually adjust in order to enter Samadhi.” If their mind can settle down, in the same way it will be pure, free and peaceful. They can attain the same spiritual state as us, where they too can rejoice in hearing the Dharma.

We have heard that many Tzu Chi volunteers, in their lives in the past, heard some remark that was made casually, yet they took it very seriously. They then kept those remarks in their hearts, in this way disturbing their own minds. This then turned into what people these days call depression. If this depression became severe, it affected their whole lives; whatever they wanted to do would be disrupted. How many people are in this situation? Because of a casual remark, ignorance enters our minds. The person who spoke had no [bad] intentions, but the person who heard it took it to heart. Nowadays, events like these have caused many people’s thinking to go astray. There are many cases of depression and anxiety. To readjust ourselves, we need to be mindful.

However, there are also people who, after listening to the Dharma, understand that the world is inherently filled with suffering. The afflictions and ignorance we accumulate are all due to us; we are trapped by our own thinking. So, they break free and let go. They transform their mindset [and realize that] there is no need to get upset. In this way, they gradually adjust their own minds. Having made adjustments, they are very diligent. With all things, they are able to see them clearly and let go. They are at ease and filled with Dharma-joy. Among our Faith Corps members and commissioners, there are many people like this!

We should listen more to other people. We are all listening to the Dharma; some people hear it, take it to heart and eliminate the afflictions they have accumulated in the past. They change their attitude. Now, they volunteer in Tzu Chi and benefit people. Every day, they feel peace and Dharma-joy. There are so many people like this!

But there are also some who are confused, drunk with the wine of ignorance. They live their life intoxicated and confused. In Pingtung, there is a man, Dong Jinhua, who is 55 years old. However, his life has been quite unique. When he was little, he had many siblings. His father died early on, so his mother, by herself, had to raise nine children, both daughters and sons. Their life was not easy. Her husband had died early, so she, as a single mother, had to raise so many children. Dong Jinhua had a fever when he was little, which impacted his intelligence. When he was ten years old, he finally learned how to walk. It was a very unique illness. The way his mind was affected, at 10 years old, he finally learned how to walk.

Their lives were very harsh. His mother was already getting old. The two of them relied on each other to survive. When he was thirteen, he started going to a textile factory to study as an apprentice. He was still very young when he started. It was difficult for him to learn, but whatever people told him to do, he would just do it. Some coworkers began asking him to drink with them. He was not very intelligent to begin with, and they started giving him alcohol to drink. He developed a drinking habit. So, in this way, he began being drunk every day. His mind was not very sharp to begin with, and now he was intoxicated every day. He did not listen to what his boss told him, nor did he listen to what his coworkers taught him. So, he got fired.

What could he do? Being drunk every day and with poor intelligence, where could he find work? So, the mother let him stay at home. Every day, he was bored and had nothing to do. Every day, he would ask his mother for money. The mother grew old, year by year. She worked hard and took jobs on the side. Seeing how her son was a drunk and moreover mentally challenged, she thought, “What can I do?” Every day, he drank at least five bottles, and he asked for more than NTD 500 every day. The NTD 500 was for alcohol and betel nuts. He had already become addicted to alcohol. What could be done? He was unable to sober up, so he was drunk every day.

After being drunk, once he got sober he would tell his mother, “I was wrong, I made mother worry again, I will change.” But no matter how he tried, he could not change. Later, they brought him to Hualien to go into rehabilitation. There was a place for people with alcoholism, where he went to quit his addiction. His mother accompanied him there.

A month went by, and he still could not quit drinking. But this family was so impoverished, and the mother was already very old. What could they do with this child? Later, he was transferred to a hospital in Yuli for treatment, where he stayed for another month. Still, they could not find a way to help him. This lasted until one day, Tzu Chi volunteers went to the hospital in Yuli to hold an event. During the event, he saw them.

This man saw the Tzu Chi volunteers and their orderly appearance. Clearly, he also had deep roots of goodness. When he was not drunk, although he was not very bright, when he saw the Tzu Chi volunteers, something inconceivable happened. Joy arose in his mind, and he approached the Tzu Chi volunteers. He said, “Can I be like you and wear such neat and uniform clothing?” One volunteer answered him, “Of course you can! As long as you are willing to make a vow to change your drinking habit, you can wear the same clothes as we do.” This was what they said to him. Starting from that time, in that place, he gradually kept trying to figure out how he could get to wear this uniform, how he could quit drinking.

This was a place of quarantine. For his treatment, he had to be quarantined. He felt, “I should be with those people.” Thus, he thought, “I don’t want to stay here and be quarantined. I should go back.” He kept saying that he wanted to go back. So, his mother did not know what to do with him. Since he kept arguing, they went back [home]. From that time, Tzu Chi volunteers often interacted with them. They referred this case to Pingtung volunteers. Our Pingtung commissioners and. Faith Corps members took over the case and started often visiting this man. Mr. Xu from Gaoshu in this way started often visiting their home to care for this man. He often brought this man to do recycling work. They kept doing recycling work. He kept looking after him, kept guiding him. As it turned out, he loved doing recycling. They let him wear the grey shirt and white pants (for volunteers in training).

He started to feel, “I’m just like you, so I should have the same lifestyle and conduct. I must not drink alcohol again.” In this way, he started to continuously change himself, until finally…. Of course, this took a very long time. Tzu Chi volunteers were very patient and caring. Although sometimes he secretly drank a little, the volunteers would first let him “get away with it.” Then they gradually became stricter with him. In this way, they kept guiding him until he finally quit his drinking habit completely. Then, they let him join the introductory and advanced volunteer training programs.

His mother was very grateful to the Tzu Chi volunteers for not giving up on him. They helped guide her son to overcome so many negative habitual tendencies. He quit drinking alcohol and his personality changed. Though he lacked in intelligence, he grew wiser. He is now a certified volunteer. He was certified in 2007, and he now does recycling work and teaches others. He is not just a volunteer in grey and white; he is wearing the blue and white uniform!

Truly, this is life in [this world]. Starting from a young age, he drank until he was over 50. Now, in this moment, he has sobered up and has started to transform his life. Now, he is a Living Bodhisattva. When he goes on duty with Tzu Chi volunteers, he is capable of doing everything. His siblings want him to focus on Tzu Chi work, so they all help with the family’s livelihood and let him focus on volunteering for Tzu Chi. His mother is over 80 years old now. Seeing how her son has changed, her mind has been put at ease.

In the same way, we need Samadhi in our minds. Otherwise, we will always be intoxicated in the land of ignorance. After birth, this man fell ill when he was little and started walking only at ten years old. When he was thirteen, he was given alcohol at work. These were the causes and conditions in his life. These were circumstantial and direct retributions. But as long as he still had his roots of goodness, he still had good affinities. Once he encountered good causes and conditions again, he was able to sober up. In the same way, he entered a state of “free and peaceful Dharma-joy.” Every day, he says he is very joyful. He has no conflicts, no ignorance and no bad habits. When people teach him how to do something, he just does it. This is truly something rare.

So, “We must fully understand ignorance, volitional formation and the other Links of. Cyclic Existence in the Three Periods.” The Links of Cyclic Existence in the Three Periods [start with] ignorance. Ignorance leads to volitional formation, which gives rise to consciousness, which gives rise to name and form which give rise to the Six Entrances. This is the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. Past ignorance makes us take action, which gives rise to consciousness, which gives rise to name and form. This is how it is; that refers to the past. Then there are the Six Entrances. Once we have the Six Entrances, we start to make contact.

In [40 weeks] of pregnancy, a person’s form is shaped inside his mother’s womb. When the Six Roots are fully formed this person will be born and will make contact [with the world]. Once there is contact, feelings arise. He feels intense pain all over his body. At this stimulation, the baby begins to cry. Starting in this way, the child gradually makes contact with the world. “I like this; I don’t like that.” This ignorance of craving arises, and he starts to grasp. “I crave this; I will grasp it. I want to grasp it, so I will think of many ways to obtain it.” Thus, he begins to create karma. As he creates karma, there is becoming. This karma enters his eighth consciousness, resulting in the coming into being of seeds for future [existences]. In our present lifetime in this human realm, there are people, matters and objects; right, wrong, true, false are all in this world. We keep creating [karma], and in the end, we age, become ill and die. Once we die, another lifetime begins.

Everything we do in this lifetime, through feeling, craving, grasping and becoming, is the [karma] we create in this life. After we die, we bring this with us and ignorance again leads to volitional formation, which leads to consciousness, which leads to name and form. They continue to give rise to each other. So, this is called the Three Periods. Continually, from the past to present to future, we continue to create [karma]. “Ignorance [and] volitional formation in the Three Periods” is talking about very subtle actions [and changes]. “Volitional formation” refers to very subtle and infinitesimal changes. We were born as little babies. When did we become this old? It happened continuously, without us knowing.

These changes occur continually. From the past and present to the future, everything goes through these kinds of changes. This volitional formation occurs through all kinds of causes and conditions. The causes and conditions from the past, those we create in the present and those of future lifetimes are all described [through these 12 Links].

As we learn the Buddha-Dharma, “by destroying all deviant views, we will attain the tranquil and pure ocean of wisdom.” This is the goal of our spiritual practice. When we cultivate contemplation in our daily living, when we have Samadhi in our daily living, naturally external states and conflicts, what is true or false, right or wrong, can all be clearly distinguished. Naturally, [our views] of self and others, our ignorance and deviant views, can all be eradicated. Naturally, our minds can uphold this cultivation of contemplation. We cultivate contemplation to remain in the tranquil and clear ocean of wisdom. This is our enlightened nature. When we return to our enlightened nature of True Suchness, our enlightened nature merges with the universe. One day, our enlightened nature will unite and become one with the universe, like how the Buddha saw the bright star at night and realized the truths of “true emptiness and wondrous existence.” We too will understand all this. This is the practice we need to cultivate.

Look at this man who had no control of his life, this Mr. Dong. He had lived like this since he was little, and only when he was over 50 did he meet these benefactors and return to his intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Now, his mind is very simple. In his community he works to help the planet and to help others. Even these benefactors in his life who are guiding him in this manner are part of his causes and conditions. The principle is the same, so we must mindfully seek to comprehend it.

The previous sutra passage states,

“We receive predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before. At that time, Ajnata Kaundinya and others, wishing to restate their meaning, spoke this verse.”

This was what the 500 disciples said. At this time, everyone was very joyful because everyone had already received predictions from the Buddha. So, at that moment, they expressed the words in their hearts. These matters were truly very important, and they wanted everyone to review them again. The sutra passage restated it again, so this verse was spoken.

“All of us heard the supremely peaceful and calming sound of bestowing predictions. We rejoice for having what we never had before. We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom.”

[They felt,] “All of us are very joyful. Our minds have already settled down because the Buddha bestowed predictions on us. Since He has given us predictions, no matter how long it will take in the future, we too will attain Buddhahood someday. So, all of us are very joyful. We rejoice, for our minds are calm. All of us believe that as long as we maintain the power of Samadhi, maintain that mindset in future lifetimes, lifetime after lifetime this Samadhi will be maintained in this way, and we will someday attain Buddhahood.”

Next, let us look at the following sutra passage.

“Now, before the World-Honored One, we repent for all our past transgressions. Of the infinite treasures of the Buddha, we have attained a small part of Nirvana. Like ignorant fools, we thought we could be content with that.”

Now, they were in front of the World-Honored One. Facing the Buddha, everyone repented for the past. “In the past, we were like a drunk person who was in his friend’s house, intoxicated. When the friend saw him so drunk, he quickly wanted to help him. So, he placed a jewel on him.” We have previously discussed this sutra passage. They were very remorseful. They repented that, in the past, they were like a drunk person. They did not understand the Buddha’s mindfulness in teaching so that they could all realize that everyone can attain Buddhahood. “Inside, we all have a nature of True Suchness and the true principles of all things. We can all be one with these true principles. We were in fact one with the true principles, but we did not know it. So, we are very remorseful. We feel remorse for being deluded amidst the Dharma. Our spiritual practice cannot compare to others.’ So, we are truly remorseful.”

Now, before the World-Honored One, we repent for all our past transgressions: They repented for their previous lack of understanding. Now, before the Buddha, they repented for being attached to the Small and for the boundless past transgressions of being deluded and ignorant of the Great Vehicle.

Sariputra, Maudgalyayana. Mahakasyapa, Katyayana and the others had all received predictions from the Buddha. “Only now are we starting to understand. In the past, we stuck to benefiting ourselves. Now, before the Buddha,” at this time, in front the Buddha, “they repented for being attached to the Small. We feel regret for spending so much time being attached to only benefiting ourselves. We feel very repentant.” These are “the boundless past transgressions of being deluded and ignorant of the Great Vehicle. We were deluded; the Buddha clearly told us this. We were still fearful, unwilling to accept it, thinking Great Vehicle was contriving affinities. So, we did not want to walk on the Great Vehicle path. Thus, these were our past transgressions.”

So, “They had four transgressions.” They forgot their original vows, they were afraid of the Great Vehicle Dharma and did not dare enter; they took joy in the Small Vehicle Dharma and were content with attaining the Small.

They had four transgressions: They forgot their original vows. They were afraid of the Great Vehicle. They took joy in the Small Dharma and were content in attaining the Small.

These were their four transgressions from the past. They forgot they had formed great aspirations and made great vows. As for the Great Vehicle Dharma, they did not have the mindset to accept it. They continued to take joy in the Small Vehicle and only benefit themselves. They thought they had understood all Dharma, that their afflictions were eradicated and that they would no longer transmigrate in cyclic existence. This was what they thought. These were their past transgressions.

“Of the infinite treasures of the Buddha, we have attained a small part of Nirvana.” They were truly foolish in the past, “content with attaining the Small.” Of the infinite treasures of great wisdom from the Buddha, they had only attained a small portion. This was the “Nirvana biased towards emptiness.”

“Of the countless treasures of the Buddha,we had gained but a small portion of Nirvana: They repented for contentment in attaining little. Of the Buddha’s treasure of infinite great wisdom, they had only attained a small portion of the. Nirvana biased towards emptiness.

They realized that all is empty, so they knew to not take issue [with others]. In life, everything is like dew or lightning. All is illusory and not real. But this was all that they knew.

“Like ignorant fools, we thought that was enough for us.” In this way, they thought that all Dharma was clear to them. They did not want to mistake the illusory for real. So, they had an open and thorough view on life. They thought they had attained it all. [Now] they were blaming themselves for thinking this was the case.

Like ignorant fools, we thought that was enough for us: They reproached themselves for their dull capabilities and difficulty in awakening. Just like ignorant fools, they felt content with the Small Vehicle Dharma was enough.

“Like ignorant fools, we thought that was enough for us.” They blamed themselves for their dull capabilities. They only knew emptiness, were biased toward it, not knowing the principles of wondrous existence. So, they blamed themselves for having very dull capabilities. It was very difficult to awaken. “Just like ignorant fools,” once they attained a bit of Dharma, they felt very content with it. They blamed themselves because of this.

The next sutra passage states,

“Like a poor man who went to the home of a close friend whose family was extremely wealthy. He prepared all kinds of food and delicacies and fastened a priceless jewel inside the poor man’s clothes. He quietly gave it to him and left. At that time the man was sleeping and unaware of it.”

They made this analogy for themselves, comparing themselves to a poor person who arrived at a very rich household. Delicious food and drinks were prepared for him. They used this poor person as an analogy. They used to be just like that. The close friend is an analogy for the Buddha. In the past, they relied on the Buddha, “like going to a close friend’s house.” They relied on the Buddha’s Dharma to be taught and transformed. It was just like going to a close friend’s house.

Like a poor man who went to the home of a close friend: In the following passages they use an analogy of fastening a jewel. The poor man refers to them. The close friend refers to the Buddha. In the past they relied on the Buddha, like going to a close friend’s house.

“Whose family was extremely wealthy….” This family was very wealthy. This is like the land of actual retribution. Where will our circumstantial retribution be? When the Buddha comes to the human realm, we can also come to the human realm and encounter the Buddha. We form aspirations to engage in spiritual practice in the Buddha’s family. This is the Buddha’s home. “He is replete with merit and virtue. Thus, He is called ‘extremely wealthy.'”

Whose family was extremely wealthy: The land of actual retribution is the Buddha’s home. He is replete with merit and virtue. Thus, He is called “extremely wealthy.”

This family was very wealthy. This close friend and his family had accumulated many merits and virtues. So, he was called extremely wealthy. This close friend’s family refers to the Buddha. The Buddha accumulated many merits and virtues. So, He was compared to an extremely wealthy man.

“He prepared all kinds of food and delicacies.”

He prepared all kinds of food and delicacies: The Dharma-appearance is completely manifested, like all kinds of food and delicacies. Ordinary forms of sustenance are called food; fine foods are called delicacies. Food and delicacies: This refers to the era of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, when they first heard the skillful teachings.

Seeing this poor man, this extremely wealthy man quickly prepared delicacies for him to eat. “Ordinary forms of sustenance are called food; fine foods are called delicacies.” With all kinds of food, he fed the man. It is the same when we eat. We do not just eat rice, we also eat accompanying dishes. It is the same principle. These very appealing dishes and delicacies are an analogy for the teachings of skillful means they first heard in Great Unhindered Buddha’s era. It was dust-inked kalpas ago that they started to listen to the Dharma.

“[He] fastened a priceless jewel inside the poor man’s clothes.”

[He] fastened a priceless jewel inside the poor man’s clothes: This invaluable jewel is the potential for Buddhahood within us. Teaching the Dharma through skillful means is called “fastening the jewel. Inside the clothes” refers to the physical body of direct retribution. Fastening the jewel: This refers to how the princes repeatedly taught and formed great affinities.

The priceless jewel is the potential for Buddhahood within us. We all have the potential for Buddhahood; this is True Suchness. “Teaching the Dharma through skillful means….” All of us have this wisdom-nature within us. The Buddha, the Awakened One, taught us like this. What exactly did He give us? He gave us the Dharma. The Dharma is for us to awaken ourselves. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. We have this awakened nature. The Buddha’s teaching us is like placing a jewel inside our clothes. “Inside the clothes” refers to the physical body created by direct retribution. During this lifetime, we have this physical body with [this jewel], so we should cultivate [this] in our practice.

Fastening a jewel is an analogy for the causes and conditions for the princes to repeatedly teach the Great Vehicle. Sakyamuni Buddha was among the 16 princes. After Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha finished teaching the Dharma, for those with affinities with them, [the princes] taught the Lotus Sutra. If [the princes] had not been at. Great Unhindered Buddha’s assembly, all they would have heard and understood would have been skillful means such as the Vaipulya teachings and so on. But truly hearing the Lotus Sutra and being able to attain Buddhahood was from the teaching of the 16 princes. This was like placing a jewel on their bodies. Once they realized it, they could trade with it. This is the Buddha’s affinities with us. He gave us [the teaching that] we all have this intrinsic Buddha-nature. These are all our affinities with the Buddha.

“He quietly gave it to him and left.” He quietly gave it to him and left. “At that time the man was sleeping and unaware.”

Quietly gave it to him and left. At that time the man was sleeping and unaware: The friend quietly and secretly fastened the jewel inside the man’s clothes and left to transform beings in other lands. Thus, it says that he “left.” At that time they were deluded and ignorant like a sleeping, drunken man who had no awareness.

Because the close friend quietly gave it to him, this jewel was inside his clothes. He “left to transform beings in other lands.” The causes and conditions to transform had ended. He had to leave to go to other places. “Thus, it says that he ‘left.'” Throughout His entire lifetime, He explained the Dharma for us, until this point. These were the causes and affinities.

The Buddha entered Parinirvana at 80 years of age. He taught us the Dharma more than 2000 years ago. Perhaps we too were at the Lotus Dharma-assembly and heard this Dharma. Yet we are still unenlightened beings. Nevertheless, we have a priceless jewel, which is this affinity we share with the Buddha. This present moment is precisely when we can make use of this affinity, like how we can take out a jewel and use it. After listening to the Dharma, we can apply the Dharma in the present moment. This was like how, after the wealthy man gave the poor man the jewel, the causes and conditions were such that the wealthy man had to leave.

“At that time they were deluded and ignorant like a drunken man in confusion.” At that moment, they were still deluded like a drunken man. The Buddha taught the Great Vehicle Dharma, but they were still in that drunken state, that land of ignorance, afflictions and delusions, without being aware of it. So, they were like drunken people, drunk and asleep, unaware. This is what we sentient beings are like. For lifetime after lifetime, we encountered all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Dust-inked kalpas ago, we perhaps met Sakyamuni Buddha at the time of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. A few days ago, we also discussed how, in the eras of the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas or Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, we merely listened to the Dharma every day. Every day, we were still like a drunk person; we were still unclear and confused.

Therefore, we must earnestly spend every day cultivating contemplation in Samadhi. Our minds must always have Samadhi to always be at ease and free and return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness, to our enlightened nature united with the universe. How can we experience the intangible principles with all tangible objects? If we can first understand this, naturally in the distant future, we can become one with the universe. We will likewise attain the principles of true emptiness and wondrous existence.

As long as we know that we have a jewel on us, we can trade with this jewel. Those who listen to, teach and transmit the Dharma must go among people to train themselves. Afflictions are Bodhi. The turbidity among sentient beings is severe. There are so many afflictions and ignorance. This place is our spiritual training ground, where we can understand why ignorance arises and why we create karma. Once we understand it, we are clear. So, afflictions are Bodhi. We must always be mindful.

Episode 1157 – Deep Roots of Compassion and Wisdom

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>> “They felt fortunate being able to understand now and ashamed of their lack of understanding in the past. They had four transgressions: They forgot their original vows, they were afraid of the Great Vehicle, they took joy in the Small Dharma and they were content with attaining the Small.”

>> “‘As a skillful means I manifest the appearance of You thought you had truly attained Nirvana. World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas.”

>> We received predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before.

>> We received predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: They received predictions of attaining supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment. This is the prediction of attaining Buddhahood and manifesting Nirmanakaya.

>> Nirmanakaya: This means that from the first ground to their ultimate fruition of wondrous enlightenment, they accumulated merits, virtue and Dharma that were right and perfect. Therefore, they were able to manifest according to capabilities. They taught all kinds of Dharma and delivered many sentient beings. Thus, this is called “Nirmanakaya.”

>> Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before: Because they were bestowed with this prediction of the causes and conditions to attain Buddhahood, they felt great joy in their hearts for having what they never had before.

>> Only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas: This shows that they did not know it in the past. They worked so hard and suffered such afflictions. After [the Buddha] opened the provisional to reveal the true, they already understood clearly that they truly were Buddha-children. Because of this, they were able to receive predictions from the Buddha. Therefore, they felt infinite joy.

>> “At that time, Ajnata Kaundinya and others, wishing to restate their meaning, spoke this verse, ‘All of us heard the supremely peaceful and calming sound of bestowing predictions We rejoice in gaining what we never had before We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom.'”

>> All of us heard the bestowing of predictions that was supremely peaceful and calming: They again stated that they felt fortunate for now being able to understand. All of them could hear the predictions bestowed by the Buddha that made their minds peaceful and calm. Supremely peaceful and calming: This refers to Sakyamuni Buddha giving them predictions of Buddhahood. With this, they gave rise to joy in their hearts.

>> We rejoice in gaining what we never had before. We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom: Those in the assembly rejoiced for having what they had never had before. They prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, the One with infinite Wisdom, the World-Honored One of 10,000 virtues.

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“They felt fortunate being able to understand now
and ashamed of their lack of understanding in the past.
They had four transgressions:
They forgot their original vows,
they were afraid of the Great Vehicle,
they took joy in the Small Dharma
and they were content with attaining the Small.”

Let us be mindful when listening to the teachings. In the past, we heard the Dharma, but after hearing, we may have quickly forgotten. The teachings entered our ears, yet leaked out of our memory. We were only casually listening. We did not take the teachings to heart, nor did we apply them in our daily living. These are our failings as sentient beings. This is the shortcoming of our minds. “I did listen! It’s just that I forgot. That’s all there is to it.” Indeed, that is all; we have just wasted our time.

In this way, time slips away every minute and second. We already know that we should be diligent and put the teachings into practice among people. “I already knew this. I just forgot it for a bit. I just have this tendency not to get along well with people. This is just who I am. This is just the way things are.” As a result, we do not apply the teachings, and we do not form [good] affinities with people. Although we have been listening, if we do not use [what we learn], it is useless. So, we must feel remorseful and repent.

The 500 disciples of the Buddha felt remorseful. They repented that they had wasted their time. Now they had understood. After the Buddha bestowed predictions of Buddhahood on them, they felt very fortunate and expressed the words in their hearts. So they said, “[We feel] fortunate being able to understand now and ashamed of our lack of understanding in the past.” They rejoiced. “I am so fortunate! Fortunately, I have now understood the Dharma that the Buddha taught.” However, they were ashamed that in the past they had wasted so much time. The Buddha was so dedicated in teaching the Dharma, but they were never able to thoroughly understand His intention. So, they were “ashamed of their lack of understanding in the past.”

“They had four transgressions.” In this way, they had wasted their time. They could not realize the Buddha’s intent, nor could they really understand the teachings. They isolated themselves from people and were unable to realize [the teachings] in their lives. They had committed four kinds of transgressions. What were they? “They forgot their original vows.” They forgot that for dust-inked kalpas, lifetime after lifetime, they had been born during the times of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas seized the causes and conditions to teach them, yet lifetime after lifetime, they were covered by their own ignorance. They had listened to the teachings, but they were unable to fully comprehend them. Sometimes, they took them to heart, were moved and formed aspirations. However, after forming aspirations, they soon forgot about them. So, “They forgot their original vows.”

In lifetime after lifetime, they were touched. In kalpa after kalpa, no matter what era they were in, they had also formed aspirations. However, they would forget them every time. Even if they thought about it, were moved and formed vows, they would still hesitate. This means “They were afraid of the Great Vehicle.” They feared if they put their vows into action and went among people to transform sentient beings, [then,]. “Wishing to transform sentient beings, we are instead transformed by sentient beings.” They were very scared. So, regarding the Great Vehicle Dharma, they hesitated and did not dare go among people. They did not dare to accept [the teachings] and apply them among people. Thus, “They were afraid of the Great Vehicle.” They were terrified, afraid to accept [the teachings] and go among people.

They only “took joy in the Small Dharma.” They kept hesitating and lingering in the Small [Vehicle] Dharma. They felt [life was filled with] suffering. Their only wish was not to return to this world. After thoroughly understanding the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, they earnestly accepted [and upheld] them. They knew well the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. [They thought] that if they were not careful, they would contrive affinities, and once they contrived affinities, they would be pulled back by sentient beings. They lacked confidence in themselves, so they limited themselves to the Small Dharma. In this way, they took joy in the Small Dharma meaning they limited themselves only to the Small Dharma. They were “content with attaining the Small.” Having attained the Small Vehicle Dharma, they already felt satisfied.

This was because of these four transgressions, they are common failings that we all have. With these four common failings, we forget the teachings we heard in the past as well as the aspirations and vows we formed. We dare not accept the Great Vehicle Dharma. Instead, we remain in the Small Vehicle. Having attained the Small Vehicle, we are already very content and only hope that we will not be reborn again to cyclic existence in the Six Realms. This is all we hope for. In this way, [the disciples] wasted many decades. Even though they lived when the Buddha was in the world, followed Him to join the Sangha and directly listened to His teachings, for several decades, they had not progressed. They had passed their time in vain. Therefore, they deeply repented.

This teaches us that we all should be mindful. “With each passing day, we draw closer to death.” Human existence is rarely attained and the Buddha-Dharma is rarely encountered. Today we have attained human existence and have moreover encountered the Buddha-Dharma. This is so precious! We should earnestly seize this [opportunity]. “Once lost, it takes eons to regain human form.”

However, our intrinsic nature exists forever. In the past, I have talked about different kinds of animals, how they all have a spiritual nature. There are so many animals. Those closest to humans are cats and dogs. Yesterday a group showed me a story of a dog in Penang, [Malaysia]. In our Jing Si Hall in Penang, there is a group that gathers every morning to listen to the Dharma. They have already done this for over three years. One of the attendants is Yang Suhua. There is a stray dog who is often seen in her neighborhood. This street dog came to her door. With her love for animals and her compassion, when she saw this stray dog, she started to feed him every day. Although she did not adopt him, he would come every day. Whenever she saw him, she quickly gave him food.

One day, she noticed that as she was riding her bicycle to the Jing Si Hall for the early morning Dharma study, surprisingly, the dog followed her bicycle. He ran behind her all the way to the Jing Si Hall. Once there, he was very well-behaved, as if listening to the Dharma with the humans. This happened every morning. Sometimes, if she left home later than usual, the dog would already be waiting at her door. When she started riding the bicycle, the dog would follow her. One day, Suhua worried that if the dog kept following her, he might put himself in danger. Therefore, she decided to drive her car and take the dog with her to the Jing Si Hall. Actually, the hall is not far from her home. It is only about one or two kilometers away. However, she worried that if the dog followed her, it might be dangerous. So, she wanted to drive her car and give the dog a ride.

But when she brought the car in front of the dog and invited him to jump in, he refused. She had no choice but to drive the car by herself. The dog then followed the car all the way to the Jing Si Hall. This happened every day. Every day, the dog refused to get in the car, but instead followed behind it. At the Jing Si Hall, the other volunteers saw this dog and wondered if he had come as her Dharma-protector or to listen to the Dharma. Therefore, one day another Dharma-sister said to Suhua, “Maybe you can drive to the Jing Si Hall and drive around it without stopping. Drive around two or three times and see how the dog reacts.”

As usual, the dog followed [the car] from her door all the way to the Jing Si Hall. When he was about to enter, he noticed that the car did not stop. The car continued to drive to go somewhere else. The dog was very confused but stayed at the Jing Si Hall. Later, he saw that the car came back again. He thought the car would stop, but again, it did not. So he kept waiting there. No matter how [Suhua] called for him, “Doggie!” he would not follow her. Eventually, when the car drove away again, he ignored the car and entered the Jing Si Hall. He meekly sat there and listened to the Dharma.

This was a report about a dog from Penang. From the beginning, the dog had been following the car to listen to the Dharma. In fact, the distance is not far. It is only a little over one kilometer, a walk of ten or so minutes and even less for a dog. No wonder the dog did not want to get in the car. He was expressing his sincerity in this way, by punctually listening to the Dharma every day.

Think about it. Although this dog has the physical form of a dog, he could have been a human being in his past lives. As a human, he might have listened to the Dharma but violated the precepts. Thus, without any control of his own, he fell into the animal realm, However, his Buddha-nature, his intrinsic nature of True Suchness, was not lost. Our intrinsic nature is everlasting and never lost. This time, he encountered a kind person who fed him every day. It turns out that the person who fed him is a Bodhisattva who does good deeds and listens to the Dharma every day. So, the dog comes punctually every day. Suhua said that, seeing the dog as she opens her door, she is now much more diligent. She does not dare to slack off. If the dog is able to arrive at her door on time, how can she slack off and not go to the Jing Si Hall? This is the story of a human and a dog, [a story of] diligence. This is how this person and this dog interact.

Of course, human nature is also like this. We saw another story, that of Hong Shunfa, a Faith Corp member from Tainan. He was born into a family environment where his father had two wives. He was the child of the second wife and was also the youngest of the father’s six children. His father was busy with his business, so whenever his mother felt wronged, she scolded her child to vent [her anger]. This resulted in psychological [problems] for him. He would always spend time with troublemakers, and of course he followed their bad example.

After he returned from military service, he started running [underground lotteries] like “Everyone Is Happy, Mark Six” and so on. At the same time, he continued to be involved with the gangs. So, all of his life he made his mother worry. This went on until the 921 Earthquake struck. He had joined a security company. When the 921 Earthquake struck central Taiwan, he saw the Tzu Chi volunteers and found it hard to trust them. This was because he rejected religion. “These people are doing charity work, but are they genuine or fake?” His mind gave rise to doubt. After a period of time, he heard about Da Ai TV station. He [subscribed to] Da Ai TV and began to watch the Da Ai dramas. In the Da Ai dramas, he saw the story of Xie Kunshan, a person with disabilities. He had no hands or feet and he was also blind on one eye, but he was able to draw very beautiful pictures. He had such a successful life! He was even able to go abroad to share his story with Tzu Chi volunteers there.

When [Hong Shunfa] saw these stories, he was very impressed. He also realized that he should change. In particular after his mother passed away, he kept feeling he had made mistakes in his life. He saw his mistakes, so he resolved to change. But although he wanted to change, it is hard to change one’s habitual tendencies. It was like this until he became very ill. A kidney problem resulted in high blood pressure and caused a stroke. After the stroke, there were residual effects. His vision was affected. His eyes could only see straight ahead; he had no peripheral vision. This brought him deep realizations. So, as he experienced these changes in life, his mindset changed.

His sister also saw how he gradually came to interact with Tzu Chi volunteers. Tzu Chi volunteers took him to do recycling work and began inviting him to all kinds of activities. He was very interested in photography, so whenever he attended events, he always brought his camera with him. Without even noticing, he became a media volunteer and a recycling volunteer. He became a Tzu Chi dad in the community school, a classroom dad. He participated in every activity, helped tutor children in the school and taught the children Jing Si Aphorisms.

However, one day, the words of a first-grade student provoked him. The child said, “I can’t stand the sight of you. I feel uncomfortable seeing you.” Hearing this upset him greatly. He said that if this happened in the past, he would have thrown the kid to the ground. However, he had already taken the Jing Si Aphorisms to heart. He was teaching Jing Si Aphorisms; [one says,]. “If others dislike us, it means we are lacking in spiritual cultivation.”

He began to form an aspiration in his mind, “Some day, you will feel happy to see me.” So, rather than making a scene, he made a vow. He started to be very careful. When he was in school, he was very polite and kind. In this way, he drew closer to the students. He taught the Jing Si Aphorisms very earnestly. Now, that child is in third grade. Whenever he sees [Hong Shunfa], he always salutes from a distance and shouts to him, “Good morning, Dad! Hello, Dad!” [Hong Shunfa] said, “Wow, what a big difference!”

In the past, when people saw this person’s [bad] temper, even small children would say, “I can’t stand the sight of you.” Now when they meet, they greet him, say hello and even call him “dad.” So what about him? These students are like his own children. In the past, he spoke loudly; he would shout and yell. Nowadays, he gently and kindly draws near to them, hugs them and helps them. In this way, everyone is happy to see him. This is why we should go among people. When we go among people, to be able to naturally form good affinities requires long-term spiritual practice. Even dogs do not lose their intrinsic nature. We humans need to form great aspirations and vow to go among people. Then, we can also form good affinities.

Thus, the 500 disciples of the Buddha wanted to express what was in their hearts. In life after life in the past, they forgot the original vows that they had formed or they feared the Great Vehicle Dharma, so they limited themselves to the Small Vehicle and only sought to awaken themselves. This was all wrong. They now lived during the era of the Buddha. The Buddha was in this world, and they were able to follow the Buddha to become a monastic in the Sangha. [Moreover], the Buddha taught them in person. So, at this moment they all felt very fortunate that they still had time. Now that the Buddha taught the Great Dharma, they could all open their hearts and understand. They felt fortunate “for now being able to understand.” It was just that they felt remorse for previously being unable to understand the Buddha’s intent and as a result having wasted so much time. It was because of the four transgressions that they had wasted so much time. This was the sentiment the 500 disciples expressed.

Actually, think about that dog. His intrinsic nature is still there. Look at our current Faith Corps member. He changed his past habitual tendencies with just a change of mindset; he put the teachings into practice and changed his life. It is completely different now. Ordinary people can also turn into Bodhisattvas. So, shouldn’t we seize the time without delay?

Now, let us look at the previous sutra passage.

“‘As a skillful means I manifest the appearance of You thought you had truly attained Nirvana. World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas.”

Here the Buddha expressed that since sentient beings have different capabilities, He used skillful means to teach the principle of “neither arising nor ceasing.” If everybody could eliminate afflictions and end negative affinities with sentient beings, the conditions that give rise to afflictions, they would not transmigrate in the Six Realms. This is called “Nirvana.” He started with the Four Noble Truths, the principles of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, and taught them in this way. This is called “skillful means.” After they took the teachings to heart, they practiced accordingly. They thought that with this kind of practice, they would enter Nirvana. These were the skillful means that the World-Honored One, the Buddha, established. This was how the 500 bhiksus described the Buddha’s past teachings.

“World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas.” Only now did they realize that they too were able to form aspirations to become Bodhisattvas. This is what the 500 bhiksus expressed. We just need to form aspirations; everything is created by the mind. We can become Arhats and we can also become Bodhisattvas.

Thus, once we change our mindsets, naturally, as we practice the Bodhisattva Way, “We received predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” This comes from the following sutra passage.

We received predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before.

They had begun to form Bodhisattva-aspirations. Thus, the Buddha knew that they had already formed great aspirations, so the Buddha bestowed predictions of Buddhahood, of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. This means supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.

“Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before.” This is what this sutra passage states.

As the Buddha had bestowed upon them predictions of Buddhahood, everybody greatly rejoiced for these causes and conditions. They had never been so joyful before. This was because the Buddha bestowed upon them predictions of Buddhahood, of supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment, as well as the reward-body they would manifest upon attaining Buddhahood. In the future, once causes and conditions mature, they will be born in the human realm and engage in spiritual practice. Following the same process as the Buddha, they too will engage in spiritual practice and awaken to attain Buddhahood. This is the prediction the Buddha bestowed regarding their future reward-body.

We received predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: They received predictions of attaining supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment. This is the prediction of attaining Buddhahood and manifesting Nirmanakaya.

[To attain] this future reward-body, they will have to undergo a long period of time of coming to the world, lifetime after lifetime in response to causes and conditions here. Only when the causes and conditions are mature and perfected will they manifest s reward-body and again return to the world. So, “This means that from the first ground….” It starts from the beginning.

Nirmanakaya: This means that from the first ground to their ultimate fruition of wondrous enlightenment, they accumulated merits, virtue and Dharma that were right and perfect. Therefore, they were able to manifest according to capabilities. They taught all kinds of Dharma and delivered many sentient beings. Thus, this is called “Nirmanakaya.”

In fact, all of us are manifesting a body. Me too, I am manifesting one, in accordance with causes and conditions, with the time, the place and the affinities we have with our parents. So, according to these causes and conditions, we are born to this world. I was born into this world, and you too were born to the world according to your causes and conditions. There are also karmic conditions between us. In response to these causes and conditions, we are now abiding in the same place.

However, the bodies that we manifest are still those of unenlightened beings. From our past until the present, we have been in this process of [learning] of manifesting a body to hear the Buddha-Dharma. We must earnestly put effort into listening, practicing, teaching and spreading the Dharma repeatedly following this cycle. “From the first ground [we advance] to our ultimate fruition of wondrous enlightenment.” The day will come, after countless future lives, if we continue to engage in spiritual practice, when we too will attain “ultimate fruition of wondrous enlightenment.”

So, “we accumulate merits, virtue and Dharma.” Only then can we return to the world with perfect [causes and conditions], “manifesting in response to capabilities.” At that time, we will clearly have positive causes and conditions. With aspirations to engage in spiritual practice, we will naturally “be able to manifest in response to capabilities.” After attaining Buddhahood, we will be able to “teach all kinds of Dharma” to “deliver many sentient beings.” This is called a reward-body.

Manifesting a reward-body is the result of lifetime after lifetime responding to causes and conditions in the world. We must earnestly cherish our human existence and earnestly accept the teachings of the Buddha-Dharma. We must take the teachings to heart. We should not only take them to heart, but also go among people and use the Buddha-Dharma to widely transform sentient beings and form good affinities with them.

So, “Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before.”

Due to these causes and conditions, we greatly rejoice for having attained what we never had before: Because they were bestowed with this prediction of the causes and conditions to attain Buddhahood, they felt great joy in their hearts for having what they never had before.

These were the causes and conditions. They all felt great joy because they had received predictions of Buddhahood from the Buddha. The causes and conditions of future Buddhahood began from that moment. They were able to form their resolve. With determination in their hearts, naturally, they felt great joy. This was something they never had before. They now knew that they were truly Bodhisattvas. As long as they formed aspirations, they would be able to become Bodhisattvas.

Only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas: This shows that they did not know it in the past. They worked so hard and suffered such afflictions. After [the Buddha] opened the provisional to reveal the true, they already understood clearly that they truly were Buddha-children. Because of this, they were able to receive predictions from the Buddha. Therefore, they felt infinite joy.

It is quite simple to be a Bodhisattva. As I often say to everyone, when we benefit sentient beings with every action and with every word, encourage people to do good deeds and give of ourselves to others, this is the conduct of a Bodhisattva.

Thus, we should know [this]. We “did not know it in the past. We worked so hard and suffered such afflictions.” Because we keep forgetting the past, we constantly remain in this unenlightened state. But the Buddha, starting with limited teachings, has continually guided us until now. When the time and capacities were mature, He opened up the provisional to reveal the true and began to teach the Lotus Sutra. They saw Sariputra, the four great disciples as well as Purna Maitrayaniputra. They heard so many teachings taught using both True Dharma and parables, direct teachings, indirect analogies etc. They now understood very clearly; they were completely clear that “they truly were Buddha-children.” We are actually truly born of the Buddha’s speech. So, we are all [born] from the Dharma. The Buddha taught the Dharma with His speech, and when we take this Dharma to heart, the wisdom-life of our Dharma-body grows. Thus, we truly are Buddha-children. “Because of this, they were able to receive predictions from the Buddha. Therefore they felt infinite joy.” Thus, they received predictions from the Buddha and all felt great joy.

The following sutra passage states,

“At that time, Ajnata Kaundinya and others, wishing to restate their meaning, spoke this verse, ‘All of us heard the supremely peaceful and calming sound of bestowing predictions We rejoice in gaining what we never had before We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom.'”

Ajatna Kaundinya and the others spoke this verse to express their remorse and repentance as well as their feelings of gratitude and joy. Having finished speaking, because it was so important, they hoped everybody would remember it better. Thus, to “restate their meaning, [they] spoke this verse.” They will now repeat it again in verse.

In this way, Ajnata Kaundinya and the 500 Arhats, in order to be cautious, used verse form to reiterate the previously expressed meaning.

They continued to say, “All of us heard the bestowing of predictions that was supremely peaceful and calming.”

All of us heard the bestowing of predictions that was supremely peaceful and calming: They again stated that they felt fortunate for now being able to understand. All of them could hear the predictions bestowed by the Buddha that made their minds peaceful and calm. Supremely peaceful and calming: This refers to Sakyamuni Buddha giving them predictions of Buddhahood. With this, they gave rise to joy in their hearts.

This is what they were all like. Listening to the Buddha calmed their minds. Although they would still require a long time, countless lifetimes, even with such a long time ahead, the Buddha had now already put their minds at ease. They trusted the Buddha’s [prediction] that they could truly attain Buddhahood in the future. The Buddha’s prediction made them feel calm and peaceful. Hearing these predictions of Buddhahood, all of them felt great joy.

They felt very happy and “fortunate for now being able to understand,” They were filled with joy. Now they had attained predictions of Buddhahood from the Buddha. “All of them could hear [the predictions].” Now they could also hear the Great Vehicle Dharma and the great, direct, supreme Bodhi-path. This “made their minds peaceful and calm.” It made their minds very peaceful and very joyful. Upon hearing the bestowing of predictions of Buddhahood from the mouth of the Buddha, their minds were very calm and peaceful. This was the joy and the peace and calm that the Buddha gave them. They could now deeply believe that they would attain Buddhahood in the future.

So, they were “supremely peaceful and calm.” This was because Sakyamuni Buddha had told them they would attain Buddhahood. Thus, they felt great joy.

“We rejoice in gaining what we never had before. We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom.”

We rejoice in gaining what we never had before. We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom: Those in the assembly rejoiced for having what they had never had before. They prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, the One with infinite Wisdom, the World-Honored One of 10,000 virtues.

In the past, we were ignorant and thus wasted time. Now that we have formed aspirations, our mind is very peaceful and joyful, and we have no more doubts. We have decided to go among people and transform sentient beings. So, with great joy in our minds and with the utmost reverence, “We prostrate to the Buddha of infinite wisdom.”

Sakyamuni Buddha has infinite wisdom, so He is called “the Buddha of infinite wisdom.” Thus, “Those in the assembly rejoiced for having what they had never had before.” With such joy and reverence in their minds, “they prostrated at the feet of the Buddha.” This was their way of showing their utmost respect. With their foreheads, they one after another touched the Buddha’s feet. So, they prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, “the One with infinite Wisdom, the World-Honored One of 10,000 virtues.” This was a way to pay their supreme respect to the Buddha. They praised the Buddha as the One with infinite Wisdom, as the World-Honored One of 10,000 virtues. He was respected by everyone in the world and was replete in wisdom.

So, dear Bodhisattvas, since we have already formed aspirations and have faith that we can become Bodhisattvas, we must carefully protect our intrinsic nature. Our intrinsic nature is definitely everlasting. From Beginningless Time until now, it has neither increased nor decreased. We must safeguard it. Not only should we safeguard it, but we must also keep advancing. As we listen to the teachings, we must form great aspirations; with a change of mindset, we can form great aspirations to be Bodhisattvas. This is all up to us. Do we have the resolve to practice? Are we willing to go from the state of unenlightened beings to walking the Bodhi-path and attaining the awakening of the Buddha? Are we willing to do this? If we are willing and have such aspirations, then we must always be mindful.

Episode 1156 – Deep Roots of Compassion and Wisdom

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>> “The Tathagata’s enlightenment is wondrous, perfect and radiant. Our nature of True Suchness is pure. We must see through all afflictions and completely eliminate them. The essence of all truth is inherently tranquil and free from all appearances. Wondrous good roots of compassion and wisdom are so deep that they cannot be uprooted.”

>> Having attained Arhatship, we thought we had reached Nirvana. We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little. But the vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost.

>> Now the World-Honored One awakens us all. He spoke these words, “All bhiksus, what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana. For a long time, I have helped all of you to plant the Buddha’s good roots’Buddha’s roots of goodness.”

>> “‘For the sake of skillful means, I manifested the appearance of Nirvana, but you thought that you had truly attained Nirvana.’ World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas.”

>> “Means” refers to the methods. “Skillful” means something used provisionally. These methods are provisionally applied in accordance with sentient beings’ capabilities.

>> For the sake of skillful means, I manifested the appearance of Nirvana: To accommodate the practitioners with limited capabilities who were afraid of the Great Vehicle, He used the power of skillful means and manifested the appearance of. Small Vehicle Nirvana.

>> And you thought you had truly attained Nirvana: You all abided in the Small and would not enter the Great; you believed it was the ultimate true Nirvana. And you thought you had truly attained Nirvana: You all abided in the Small and would not enter the Great; you believed it was the ultimate true Nirvana.

>> World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas: They said to the World-Honored One, “Only now do we all know that we are inherently Bodhisattvas.”

>> Bodhisattva: This refers to sentient beings aspiring to seek the great path. Awakened sentient beings refers to those who form aspirations for the great path and great love. Sentient beings aspiring to seek the path: This refers to those who seek the path and seek great awakening. Sentient beings who diligently seek the path with a straightforward mind are great awakened sentient beings.

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“The Tathagata’s enlightenment is wondrous, perfect and radiant.
Our nature of True Suchness is pure.
We must see through all afflictions
and completely eliminate them.
The essence of all truth is inherently tranquil
and free from all appearances.
Wondrous good roots of compassion and wisdom
are so deep that they cannot be uprooted.”

We must be mindful! The Buddha constantly reminds us of the teachings, that we must put effort into being mindful of the Great Vehicle Dharma. This is because the Great Vehicle Dharma is able to uncover our nature of True Suchness. Every day, we say that everyone possesses the nature of True Suchness. Clearly, it is in our minds. Our awakened nature is clearly in the wondrous ocean of the innate enlightenment of our minds. We possess a wisdom capable of understanding many principles, yet somehow we are unaware of it. Why are we unaware of it? A few days ago, we discussed how we are intoxicated by the wine of ignorance; we are hungover and have not yet awakened. This is why we often forget about our nature of True Suchness. Our minds, in the midst of the principles of people, matters and things, are unable to accept or see things clearly. So, frequently, amidst people, matters and things, we give rise to afflictions and ignorance. This is what we ordinary people are like.

When we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must learn how to return to the wondrous enlightenment of our pure and radiant True Suchness, our intrinsic nature. Our intrinsic nature has always been pure. We often talk about this; you all often hear it. But the purity of our nature of True Suchness is not something we can perceive. Our wondrous, perfect and radiant enlightenment is not something we can experience or uncover. We do not realize or clearly [understand it]. This is because we are still stuck at the stage of unenlightened beings. Thus, we must work hard. We must have clear understanding so that we are able to truly realize and connect with [our pure nature]. This is to “see through all afflictions and completely eliminate them.” We must truly work hard to realize the teachings.

Whether a given person does good or evil deeds depends on his mind. When this person had a moment of confusion, a thought arose. Among people, matters and things, he did not see clearly. Disputes arose, and in his confusion, he committed a crime. Having committed a crime, he lost his freedom and went to prison.

While this person was in prison, a group of Bodhisattvas visited there, bringing principles into that place. These Bodhisattvas constantly went there, bringing [Dharma]-water to nourish the dry lands [of people’s minds]. The grounds of people’s minds lacked the nourishment of Dharma-water. In the minds of these [prisoners], their roots of goodness were deeply buried while their afflictions were all on the surface. Once a slight wind of ignorance blows, the dust [of afflictions] will fill the air. This man who committed a crime went to prison, but the Bodhisattvas used Dharma-water to mindfully and patiently nourish [his mind]. They slowly allowed the seeds in the inmate’s mind to germinate. Gradually, they nurtured his roots of goodness and let this person’s seeds germinate. As the roots of goodness grew, as the seeds sprouted, good thoughts started arising; he was able to take in the Dharma. In that place, he began to earnestly reflect on his own past mistakes.

In addition, the [Bodhisattvas] were able to come and go freely. They came and left at any time. They came in to say what they had to say. After they finished talking, they helped everyone open their hearts and develop understanding. Then they would happily say, “See you next time! We will come in regularly to care for you all.” Those inside the prison looked forward to [each visit]. At the appointed time, [the Bodhisattvas] from outside could come in. They shared news from the outside world, touching tales as well as stories about how they used to live in confusion. These now-awakened Bodhisattvas talked about their own life experiences. This way, the prisoners could deeply realize and clearly recognize all kinds of afflictions.

Their past mistakes were caused by ignorance and afflictions. Now that the inmate saw this clearly, he was willing to correct his faults. He formed aspirations and made vows. In this way, in the prison he started to repent and change his habitual tendencies. He behaved well, so he was released on parole. “We are giving you freedom earlier, but you still carry a sentence. We are releasing you on parole, but you must come and report every day. We will see how you are behaving outside.”

Like that, he joined this group of Bodhisattvas. Free to move around outside, he followed this group of Bodhisattvas under open skies and through spacious lands. He joined our volunteer organization and started doing recycling work to care for the earth. He knew that material goods are made through damaging mountains, rivers and land. Extracting fossil fuels pollutes the air. This is how industrial products are made. People have a need to use these products, but they then quickly throw them away. The discarded products are returned to the earth, causing harm to the land. He understood these principles.

People viewed these objects as trash, but he dedicated himself to that pile of trash and began to sort and recycle these objects. He understood that the origins of these objects were from inside the earth. Fossil fuels are originally lying peacefully under the earth. But we clever human beings extract them, disturbing the earth. We drill very deep to pump the fossil fuels out, thereby polluting the air. He understood this principle. We see this pile of objects before our eyes. If no one puts their heart into recycling them, sorting them and remanufacturing them, where will these objects accumulate? They will be buried inside the earth. We also know that they will not decompose for thousands of years. This is how it is. How big is this land [that we live on]? These objects, this dirty trash, when buried in the ground, will not decompose. The land is obstructed by this trash and can no longer be used. In the future, the land that we all rely on will thus become barren. We must mindfully think about the origins [of these things] and the [manufacturing] processes. This manufacturing and use by humans ultimately damages the earth. He understood all these principles. Although it looked like a pile of trash, he started to think about how it was not so different from himself.

If his mind had not been polluted and he had not replicated afflictions, causing him to make mistakes, would he have lost his freedom and gone to prison? For a long time after coming out of prison, he still had to be under supervision. Moreover, his own habitual tendencies were dependent on the environment. Many people have put their effort into guiding him and helping him transform his life. To regain everyone’s trust, not least that of his own relatives and friends, will still take a very long time. So, this person must have a firm resolve and truly work hard. Isn’t this the same for us who engage in spiritual practice? Since beginningless kalpas ago, our nature of True Suchness has not been arising or ceasing; it is innate within us. We were there in the era of the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. We also experienced the era of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. We [listened to] the eight princes, to the 16 princes and to the countless Bodhisattvas who, lifetime after lifetime, came to this world to transform us. Yet we are like this, still in a state of confusion.

Fortunately, in past lives, we had the affinity to meet and to get to know close friends. Are they our close teachers? Or do they provide assisting conditions to inspire our kindness? We must have had [such people around us] lifetime after lifetime. But our lives in this world are painfully short. We are not quite finished with our learning. As for our friends, once the time for their service has ended, they can no longer teach us. Our own time in this life is also limited, and our future lifetimes are beyond our control. Moreover, we have circumstantial and direct retributions that we follow into our subsequent lifetimes. Once again, we become intoxicated, drunk in the land of ignorance, immersed in poisonous water. This “poisonous water” is our desires, our greed, anger and delusions. Thus, we continue to create karma. But still, those dear friends may encounter us again.

We had an affinity in the past. They were our good friends and very close to us. When they see us again, [they say], “Why are you still like this? I remember the time you were drunk. In my home, I gave you a jewel. I left it inside your clothes. Don’t you know this? You can use this jewel to trade with!” See, we carry this jewel on us, yet are unaware. We clearly have it. It was just that a moment of ignorance arose. Now we already know that. “We must see through all afflictions.” We know that we are drunk in the land of ignorance. We are immersed in poisonous, polluted water, in the midst of air full of the Five Turbidities. At this time, we are still unenlightened beings.

Fortunately, we had this affinity. Life after life we had the affinity to receive guidance from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Although we spent so many lifetimes in the land of ignorance, in life after life, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have appeared in front of us; our virtuous friends are teaching us. So, “We must see through all afflictions.” We already know that everything is due to afflictions and ignorance. We need to form the resolve to eliminate all afflictions. This time we must “completely eliminate them.”

This is like how, during the Buddha’s time, some of the bhiksus had already encountered Him and received His predictions of Buddhahood. At that time, they ought to have completely understood and completely eliminated all afflictions. In the process of spiritual cultivation, they should [know that] “the essence of all truth is inherently tranquil.” They now knew that “the essence of all truth” is the nature of True Suchness that is buried deep inside our minds. Actually, this principle forever exists in the world; it is in our minds and is intrinsic to us.

“The essence of all truth is inherently tranquil.” In the universe, it was we ourselves who did not comprehend that this nature of ours is “free from all appearances.” As I have often mentioned to everyone before, truths and principles intrinsically have no substance or appearance. These are the principles. “Where are the principles? Show them to me. I cannot physically show them! Birth, aging, illness and death, are these principles? Yes, these are principles. Show them to me!” I cannot show them to you; instead, over a long time, we have to experience them ourselves. Think about when we were young children when we go back to our homes and look around, are there pictures of us that our parents took when we were little? If there are photographs, if we look at our appearances in them and our appearances now, are they the same? They are not the same; this is birth. That was when we were little. This is the principles! The father’s sperm and the mother’s egg were the causes and conditions for [our life]. The causes and conditions of our origin stem from the causes and conditions of our parents coming together. We and our parents had this affinity. We had an affinity with these parents. So, our mother became pregnant, and we were born. The appearance we were born with was like this. This is the principle.

The 12 Links of Cyclic Existence are concepts we should know well. The 12 Links of Cyclic Existence are principles. We go through birth, aging, illness and death. How did we end up looking like this? Decades ago, I got to know a person. Decades later, I saw his appearance and could not help but deeply sigh. This is proof that the essence of all truths has no appearance. In actuality, the principle underlying everything are tranquil and still, but causes and conditions come together to form an appearance. Once the causes and conditions disperse, there are no longer any appearances. [Going through] birth, aging, illness and death, all appearances will disperse again. No matter how appearances change, [in the end], these appearances always disperse.

So, we have to return to what the Buddha taught us about how to return to our intrinsic nature. The principle that. “Human nature is inherently good” is the foundation of human beings. People from the past said this, and the Buddha also told us this. Our nature of True Suchness is pure and free from pollution. “The heart encompasses the universe.” When we become enlightened, “the universe,” which is the true principles of all things, will in its entirety be in our minds. In this way, the mind encompasses the universe. In the world, there are so many people who suffer. Unawakened people remain in suffering. The Buddha teaches us one by one that human beings must awaken. We must awaken and free ourselves from ignorance. Gradually, when we eliminate ignorance, kind thoughts arise, and naturally, we [will grow] “wondrous good roots of compassion and wisdom.” This is intrinsic in every one of us.

Our roots of goodness are so deep that they cannot be uprooted. No matter what kind of person we are, even if we have done all kinds of evil and cannot be pardoned by the law, we still possess deep seeds of goodness. Many years ago, there was a criminal who was sentenced to death. Right before his execution, he had a request. He said that in this life, he had committed many evil deeds and hoped to make amends. He repented and wished for the organs in his body to be donated to save other people. This was [said] by the inmate before his execution by a firing squad. He still had a thought of kindness, to donate his organs to others. This also proves that every sentient being has Buddha-nature. These roots of goodness and seeds of goodness are buried deeply.

However, the seed developed too late. The negative karma he created will cause him to face retributions in life after life, even though in the end he had a kind thought. Yet the seed is still there. We should thoroughly realize that “the Tathagata’s enlightenment is wondrous, perfect and radiant. Our nature of True Suchness is pure.” We should all believe this and earnestly experience the principles. As we engage in spiritual practice now, we must be like a farmer cultivating a field. We have a seed of Bodhi that requires us to put effort into cultivating it. A farmer cultivating a field must sow seeds. Besides sowing our own seeds, we can go among people and spread seeds of love to everyone. In this way, the world will become a forest of Bodhi trees. Bringing about favorable weather, harmony in our societies and purity in the minds of people in the world are the Buddha’s main goals in coming to the world. As Buddhist practitioners, we need to be able to learn the Bodhisattva Way.

Let us look at the previous sutra passage. Yesterday, we discussed how the 500 disciples had received predictions of Buddhahood. They also said that they possessed a jewel, but they were unaware of it. This is like the Small Vehicle practitioners; they sought only to awaken themselves. They worked diligently and laboriously, but only knew the principles of the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. After contriving affinities, they would again fall into the Six Realms and Four Forms of Birth, so they were afraid. Thus, they only sought to benefit themselves. They had an abundance of principles, but were afraid of using [them]. Thus they continued in the same way, diligently engaging in spiritual practice in the Small Vehicle.

Having attained Arhatship, we thought we had reached Nirvana. We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little. But the vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost.

“We thought we had reached Nirvana.” They thought that they had reached Nirvana and would have no more future rebirths. But practicing the Small Vehicle Dharma was very hard work. This was because they still did not thoroughly understand many great principles. Because of delusions, dust-like delusions, they still did not understand. So, they had “difficulty making a living.” Could they truly enter great Nirvana and [truly] end samsara? Could they be truly free? Now they were just like people released on parole. They were afraid of making mistakes in the world and losing their freedom again. This is the same principle. So, “We felt content attaining even a little.” This was the case for those who practiced the Small Vehicle Dharma. “But the vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost.” It turns out that it was still the same. We had this jewel on us, but in the past, we did not know it. In fact, we have the same wisdom as the Buddha and an awakened nature equal to the Buddha’s. We have always had this.

“Now the World-Honored One awakens us all.” Now the World-Honored One taught them so much Dharma to help them understand. He also bestowed upon them predictions of Buddhahood. He helped them gain more confidence that the nature of True Suchness existed in them too.

Now the World-Honored One awakens us all. He spoke these words, “All bhiksus, what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana. For a long time, I have helped all of you to plant the Buddha’s good rootsBuddha’s roots of goodness.”

“He spoke these words.” This is what the Buddha had told them. “All bhiksus, what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana.” The Buddha had already personally told them that they were all practicing the Small Vehicle Dharma; this was not the ultimate Nirvana. They were only following the. Small Vehicle practice of benefiting themselves. Indeed, the Buddha had already, in the. Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, mentioned this very clearly. In the era of the Great Unhindered Wisdom Buddha, He taught them this way. “For a long time, I have helped all of you to plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness.”

The 16 princes also expounded the Great Vehicle Dharma. Such a long time ago, they had already given us this treasure and helped the roots of goodness extend deeply into our minds. “Helped all of you” means that we all have this intrinsic nature. These seeds of roots of goodness must be [deeply] planted. [The princes] taught us to plant the seeds; they were not given to us. This is [what it meant by] “helped all of you. For a long time, I have helped all of you” meant that He taught us how to plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness. We already had this. We originally had this seed, but He taught us how to plant it. This is the Great Vehicle Dharma.

Through the Lotus Sutra, the 16th prince continuously taught us this. He did this life after life, until the causes and conditions matured and he attained Buddhahood in the Saha world. Then He met [them] again, and those with the causes and conditions started to engage in spiritual practice. In the Sangha, everyone had different capabilities; there were great, medium and limited capabilities. The Buddha taught for a very long time in hopes that everyone would return to their nature of True Suchness. But no one was able to understand.

So, the following sutra passage says,

“‘For the sake of skillful means, I manifested the appearance of Nirvana, but you thought that you had truly attained Nirvana.’ World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas.”

In this passage, the Buddha said to these people that. He taught them using skillful means, indicating that there is a tranquil and still state with neither arising nor ceasing; this is Nirvana, the state of great tranquil extinction, the state of Nirvana. “You thought that you had ended all causes and conditions. Having understood the origins of suffering, [did you think] you had already entered Nirvana? That was not the case.” This was what the Buddha had said to everyone. Here, they repeated what the Buddha had told them.

Then the 500 disciples said, “World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas. Venerable Buddha! We have now awakened and realized that we must not remain just benefiting ourselves. We should give rise to Bodhicitta and walk the Bodhisattva-path. We too can be Bodhisattvas and go among people. We now understand this.”

So, [the teachings] in the past were skillful means. “Means” refers to the methods. “Skillful” means something used provisionally.

“Means” refers to the methods. “Skillful” means something used provisionally. These methods are provisionally applied in accordance with sentient beings’ capabilities.

The Dharma contains methods that can be used provisionally. Since we do not understand, the Buddha had to use methods that were easily understood to help us understand. “This method is provisionally applied in accordance with sentient beings’ capabilities.” With these skillful methods, [the Buddha] helped us form aspirations. Understanding that the world is full of suffering, we begin forming aspirations. To understand suffering, we must know the causes of suffering. So [He taught] “causation,” to help everyone understand how causes and conditions accumulate to create all kinds of suffering. In this way, [He] was able to resonate with the capabilities of all sentient beings. The Buddha used methods that followed the capabilities of all sentient beings, teaching everyone Dharma they could accept. He taught the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence to make it easier for everyone to comprehend.

So, “For the sake of skillful means, I manifested the appearance of Nirvana.”

For the sake of skillful means, I manifested the appearance of Nirvana: To accommodate the practitioners with limited capabilities who were afraid of the Great Vehicle, He used the power of skillful means and manifested the appearance of. Small Vehicle Nirvana.

He used skillful means to accommodate those with limited capabilities. These practitioners with limited capabilities were afraid of the Great Vehicle Dharma because they knew that all suffering was brought about by causes and conditions. They did not want to go among people again and contrive affinities with others. They only wanted to quickly eliminate all afflictions in this life, [thinking] that would be enough. They were afraid of going among people. So, these people with limited capabilities “were afraid of the Great Vehicle Dharma. He used the power of skillful means and manifested the appearance of. Small Vehicle Nirvana.”

This was what the Buddha did. Knowing that these people were afraid, He used provisional teachings. He used this power to teach us and showed these Small Vehicle practitioners, “If you eliminate afflictions, no more causes and conditions will cling to you. No more sufferings will entangle you.” This was a [teaching] method, [manifesting] the Small Vehicle Nirvana.

And you thought you had truly attained Nirvana: You all abided in the Small and would not enter the Great; you believed it was the ultimate true Nirvana.

“And you thought you had truly attained Nirvana” means. “You thought that this was already extinction, that you had already reached the end. You are all people who remain in the Small Vehicle and do not want to advance to the Great Vehicle. That is why you thought this was Nirvana. You [thought], ‘This is all there is.’ You thought this was the ultimate true Nirvana. That was incorrect. You thought that everything ended here.” This is just like those who are on parole. If they commit a crime again, they will still accumulate many more afflictions. The only way is to go among people and work hard. Afflictions are Bodhi. Therefore, we must earnestly go among people.

“World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas.”

World-Honored One, only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas: They said to the World-Honored One, “Only now do we all know that we are inherently Bodhisattvas.”

We now know that we too can walk the Bodhisattva-path; we too are able to do this. The Bodhisattva-path is for awakened sentient beings. We now understand this. Awakened sentient beings are also called beings who form aspirations for the great path. We should comprehend “awakened sentient beings. Bodhisattva” can be interpreted as sentient beings aspiring to seek the great path; they are also called “awakened sentient beings.”

Bodhisattva: This refers to sentient beings aspiring to seek the great path. Awakened sentient beings refers to those who form aspirations for the great path and great love. Sentient beings aspiring to seek the path: This refers to those who seek the path and seek great awakening. Sentient beings who diligently seek the path with a straightforward mind are great awakened sentient beings.

This is saying that those who aspire to seek the path, who form aspirations for the great path and have great love, are called Bodhisattvas. Sentient beings who have a Bodhisattva’s aspiration for the great path, those seeking the path to great awakening, are called Bodhisattvas. This is having a straightforward mind. Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we should directly form great aspirations and practice the great path. We must be straightforward and diligently seek the great Bodhi-path.

Although we are now still ordinary beings, we must directly seek the Bodhi-path. We must be diligent and go among people. This is the most direct way. By walking on this path and returning to our nature of True Suchness, we become known as great awakened sentient beings. As Buddhist practitioners, we must have this aspiration to great awakening, open our minds to great love and seek the great path. This is truly our ultimate and perfect great Bodhi-path.

Indeed, whether we want the Small Vehicle Dharma or the Great Vehicle path depends on our own mindset. If we seek the Great Vehicle path, in our state as ordinary beings, we can directly form great aspirations. Then, we can be Bodhisattvas right now. The Buddha’s 500 disciples now knew this. “Only now do we know that we truly are Bodhisattvas. We too can form great aspirations and walk this direct, great Bodhi-path. We can directly walk it without stopping. We understand this now.” The Buddha’s 500 disciples understood this. Have we also understood this? This depends on each of us. We must always be mindful.

Episode 1155 – The Six Paramitas Are the Vehicle of Bodhisattvas

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>> “The Buddha teaches the six ways of Bodhisattvas. Enlightened sentient beings go among people and uphold the pure Dharma without being defiled. They widely transform sentient beings and liberate them from suffering. Bodhisattvas practice the Six Paramitas. The Six Paramitas are the vehicle they use.”

>> “Now you can use this jewel to trade in exchange for what you need. Then you will always have what you wish and be short of nothing.”

>> “The Buddha is also like this.” The Buddha is also this way. “When He was a Bodhisattva, He taught and transformed us, enabling us to form aspirations of the wisdom of all Dharma. But we soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware.”

>> “Having attained Arhatship, we thought we had reached Nirvana. We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little. But the vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost.”

>> Having attained Arhatship, we thought we had reached Nirvana: Once they realized the Four Fruits, they thought they had already attained the ultimate Nirvana.

>> We have difficulty making a living, and we feel content when we have little: Eliminating evil and cultivating good requires extremely hard work. To make a living was extremely difficult for them. They already attained a stage beyond learning, so they felt content.We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little: Eliminating evil and cultivating good requires extremely hard work. To make a living was extremely difficult for them. They had attained the stage beyond learning, so they felt content.

>> The vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost: In the past they formed great aspirations to seek the wisdom of all Dharma. This great aspiration still exists; even now, it is not lost until now.

>> The vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma: This is the original vow of the Great Vehicle. Was still there and had not been lost: This unsurpassed heart of awakening had long permeated them. This is in their clothes of new consciousness. Therefore it is still now not forgotten or lost until now.

>> “Now the World-Honored One awakens us all. He spoke these words, ‘All bhiksus what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana For a long time, I have helped all of you to plant the Buddha’s good rootsBuddha’s roots of goodness.'”

>> Now the World-Honored One awakens us all: Now the Enlightened World-Honored One at the Vulture Peak awakens and enlightens us all.

>> He spoke these words, “All bhiksus, what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana”: He announced these words, “The stage beyond learning that you realized is still of the Small Vehicle. It is not the true Nirvana.”

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“The Buddha teaches the six ways of Bodhisattvas.
Enlightened sentient beings go among people
and uphold the pure Dharma without being defiled.
They widely transform sentient beings and liberate them from suffering.
Bodhisattvas practice the Six Paramitas.
The Six Paramitas are the vehicle they use.”

We need to mindfully understand this. We should be able to gradually understand this. When the Buddha teaches sentient beings, He in fact gives us teachings in the hope that we can all become Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas must be replete in these six methods. This is how we become Bodhisattvas. We should be clear on the six ways of Bodhisattvas. “Giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom.” These are the Six Perfections of Bodhisattvas.

Is giving difficult? Actually, it is not difficult at all. Giving is expressing the love in our hearts. When we see seniors who have trouble walking, we extend our hand to support them and help them walk easily up the stairs, feeling free and at ease. This is giving.

In interacting with other people, when we are walking, we yield to others so they can walk past us. We move just slightly to the side. This action is also a kind of giving. Giving is when, in our daily living, we step aside for a moment to give others a broad path [to walk]. We can use love to mutually guide each other and create harmony in our interpersonal relationships. With each phrase of kind words, we forge a path toward opening up people’s hearts. So, in terms of tangible [giving], as we just mentioned, we can yield to open up the road for others to walk. That is tangible [giving]. In terms of intangible [giving], by saying a kind word and being understanding, we can help people open up their hearts by interacting with others. However, we need to have wisdom. We must be clear on what is right, what is wrong.

To clearly distinguish between right and wrong, we need to learn the Dharma. We must go among people and say kind words. When it comes to right and wrong, we must be very clear. Then, we can open up people’s hearts and help people understand not to commit wrongdoings in order to help them avoid making mistakes. We must abstain from wrongdoing. When something is right, we must all come together to go out and help people [in need]. We have this aspiration, but this is not something we can do by ourselves. We need the strength of many people to accomplish this together. Our minds need to be open and spacious. Everyone’s mind needs to be open and spacious. With open and spacious minds, we can mutually accommodate one another. When we unite our strength, that [power] is truly great. This requires being very clear on right and wrong. We come together to do the right thing, to give to people [in need]. As for wrongdoings, of course we cannot become involved in them. When we become involved in wrongdoings, that will disrupt people’s minds. If a group deviates even slightly, it will easily stray far off course. So, we need to apply wisdom.

When we are among people, of course, we hope that everyone can develop the resolve to go out and help people. This is going among people. We need to be clear on right and wrong. If it is the right thing to do, we must quickly encourage everyone to join in giving. If something is wrong, we must quickly urge people not to make mistakes. In fact, this is also a kind of giving. Giving is not necessarily donating money; that is not the only kind of giving. Giving is not just about giving away many things. No. That is [just] tangible giving. Most important is intangible giving; that is what we must do. For example, when the Buddha came to the world, He told many stories from the process of His spiritual cultivation. Of course, the process of. His spiritual practice was very long, and over all those lifetimes He touched many lives. So, He had many stories [to tell].

In the Jataka Sutra, He told this story about one of His past lifetimes. In that lifetime, his life was very difficult. He was an impoverished man who always did manual labor. He always worked to serve others. As he worked with others, he was often together with the poor and people in difficulty. Some of these poor and suffering people were physically weak. Their lives were hard, and they lacked food. So, they were physically weak. However, the work they had to do was very heavy manual labor. He said that, in doing this kind of manual labor, he would often help others. When it came to his own assigned work, he used his time and energy to quickly finish it. Then he helped those who were weak and needed to earn money to support their families. He would always help these manual laborers. He did this over an extended period, without any [free] time remaining. He exerted all his strength for their sake. Helping in this way was his spiritual practice.

One time, his boss wanted to [transport] some goods to engage in trade. To engage in trade, these goods had to be shipped across the sea. The boss came to choose workers. He wanted laborers who were strong and had good character to go out to sea with him on the ship. This impoverished man was one of the laborers the owner chose. All the crops that were harvested were all piled onto this large ship. On this ship, in addition to the boss’s goods, there were also the goods of many other people. All these were to be used in trade across the sea. After boarding this ship, every day his lifestyle was no different. Normally, when he worked on land, he diligently practiced the Buddha-Dharma. He was a very reverent person. Every day, he took refuge in the Three Treasures. Early in the morning, he purified his body and mind. While everyone was still asleep, he would be the very first to get up. Then, he would look out onto the expansive land and take refuge in the Three Treasures.

First, he took refuge in the Buddha, praying to comprehend the great path. He made vows; he was always willing to form the supreme aspiration. Next, he took refuge in the Dharma. He hoped to comprehend the principles and delve deeply into the sutra treasury, to understand infinite principles and develop wisdom like the ocean. Finally, he took refuge in the Sangha. His deepest wish was to become a monastic, take refuge with the Buddha and draw closer to the Dharma. He hoped to be able to join the Sangha. But that was not possible. His life did not allow him to join the Sangha. However, in his mind he was constantly taking refuge with the Sangha and upholding precepts. His conduct was like that of a monastic. He upheld the precepts and hoped he could influence his fellow laborers, the people who did manual labor with him. He hoped that he could help people. He hoped he could uphold the precepts and influence everyone to listen to his words and understand the Buddha-Dharma. This was his wish.

Every day he worked on shore, he did these things, taking refuge with the Three Treasures. He had deep faith. [Facing] the vast open sea, he had deep faith in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha within himself. He never strayed from the practice of the Three Refuges. Having boarded the ship, he did the same. Every day he faced the vast open sea and the expansive starry sky. Before daybreak, facing the wide, vast sky with the moon and countless stars, on that vast open sea, he likewise took refuge in the Three Treasures.

This was his daily practice.

The ship was very steady as it travelled across the great sea. Then, one time, the ship ran aground; it could not move. The ship could not move, however, everyone was safe. The owner of the ship, the boss of this manual laborer, had a dream. He dreamed of an old man. His hair and beard were white, and he was dressed in white. This man came to him and said, “This ship has already been here for six days and is still unable to leave. It is stranded and unable to leave. This is because of a certain person on your ship. This is a person you brought with you. He is a manual laborer; he is a spiritual practitioner. So, on your ship, he often practices precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. It is because his power of Samadhi is so strong that this ship is firmly stuck in this place. It is unable to move forward. If this person leaves, then naturally the ship will move.”

When the boss had this dream, it seemed very odd to him. “Indeed, I hired this worker. He certainly has a strong will to practice. Every day he engages in morning recitation and takes refuge with [the Three Treasures] within. His mind is very steady and firm. But what does this have to do with my ship being unable to move?” He could not understand, so he brought it up. He described the events of his dream to everyone, to the others who also had goods on the ship. These businessmen said to him, “Do not overanalyze this. Since you had a dream in which this old man directly told you that it is because of this person on our ship that the ship is unable to move, why don’t you have this person leave the ship? He is such a good person. How would you have him leave the ship?”

“All around, there is nothing but the sea. As we are in the middle of the ocean, how could we have him to leave the ship?” As they were discussing it, this manual laborer heard what they said. He said, “Everyone here is a big boss. I do not want my presence on the ship to cause you to rack your brains like this. If everyone wants me to leave this ship, I can leave. Just give me some bamboo or wooden planks. If you give me some bamboo or wood, then I can leave this ship.” Everyone thought, “If he can leave, then our ship will move again. If we take some planks of wood or some bamboo and tie them together, then he will be able to leave. That is very good!” So, in this way, they tied wood and bamboo into [a raft], allowing him to float on the ocean, drifting with the wind. So, this person left the ship and floated far away.

However, a day later, suddenly, in the middle of the night, the weather abruptly changed. The wind and waves became stronger. Because of the large waves, the ship was lifted by the water and was set free from the reef. However, once in the open sea, there were huge, roaring waves. The winds and waves were so strong that the ship began to shake. Soon, the entire ship capsized. Not a single person survived. Everyone drowned in the sea.

As for the [laborer] with his [raft] made by a few pieces of wood and bamboo, he was blown by the wind and, amazingly, safely reached a big island. As he got close to the island, a wave pushed his raft onto the beach. In this way this man reached the shore. From shore, he saw an endless open space. Where should he go? He slowly walked forward and kept going. After [walking] for several days, he was both thirsty and hungry. Then in the distance, he finally saw a boatman. He asked him, “What is this place?” The boatman said, “I too do not know what this place is called. However, all of us living in this place rely on the ocean for our livelihood. In our village, things are happy and harmonious. We live peacefully and free.”

After talking with him, he followed this boatman into the village. The people in the village were all very friendly, and it was a very beautiful place. This impoverished man then began to share [teachings] with everyone. Everyone saw that this person from the outside was very kind and very knowledgeable. They had never heard such well-informed principles. Everyone wanted him to stay there, in that place, and share the principles with them every day. He took this opportunity to share the principles of the Five Precepts and Three Refuges for everyone to hear. This inspired everyone to give up fishing and take up farming instead. They took up agriculture and lived as farmers. Everyone upheld the precepts and took refuge in the Three Treasures. The Buddha-Dharma started to flourish there.

After the Buddha shared this story, He said to His disciples, “Of my innumerable lifetimes since dust-inked kalpas ago, this is just one of the countless lives I lived. In every one of my lifetimes, though my body had to endure much torment, I never forgot the Dharma. My one wish was that wherever I went, I could share [the Dharma] with everyone and transform sentient beings so they would develop affinities with the Buddha, uphold precepts and take refuge in the Buddha-Dharma.” This was how the Buddha taught and transformed. So, “The Buddha teaches the six ways of Bodhisattvas.” This is how He teaches and guides sentient beings. He starts out with the Five Precepts. We must first closely uphold our rules, the Five Precepts. Then, we can cherish living things, abstain from killing and promote love.

In this way, the Buddha began with very detailed rules relating to our daily living. “The Buddha teaches the six ways of Bodhisattvas.” These are six methods to use in daily living. If we can uphold these rules, we can transform misfortune into fortune. I believe that the god of the sea saved [that man]. At sea, if he had shared collective karma with the people on the ship, then he would have lost his life. But he did not share collective karma with them, so the sea god appeared and allowed him to leave the ship. His causes and conditions brought him to that small village, where he transformed sentient beings. This was a matter of causes and conditions.

So, it is possible everywhere for “enlightened sentient beings to go among people.” They go among people, showing by their example how to “uphold the pure Dharma without being defiled.” Though he was in a fishing village, he did not engage in any killing. Instead, he transformed people to stop killing. So, He “widely transforms sentient beings and liberates them from suffering.”

“Bodhisattvas practice the Six Paramitas.” This means, “The Six Paramitas are the vehicle they use.” To us spiritual practitioners, the Buddha gave these methods to practice. Even though they are such simple teachings, once causes and conditions in place, as long as we have good intentions and do good deeds, we can likewise practice and uphold our precepts. When we do the things we should do and do not share collective negative karma with others, we can likewise save ourselves.

This is just like the poor young man. Because he did not ordinarily uphold the rules, he succumbed to the poison of alcohol. Unawares, he ended up in a drunken stupor. In previous sutra passages, we have already discussed this. The previous sutra passage [says],

“Now you can use this jewel to trade in exchange for what you need. Then you will always have what you wish and be short of nothing.”

This was what he was like in the past, haggard and homeless, wandering about. He was intoxicated by the wine of ignorance. He was in a drunken stupor. Yet, he had this kind of close friend who, seeing him passed out drunk in his house, quickly gave him a precious jewel. After the close friend left, the drunk man woke up and then went somewhere else. Eventually they encountered each other again. This close friend said to him, “I have already given you this priceless jewel, yet you are still wandering about homeless, in this haggard state. You have this priceless jewel on your person. You can make use of it!”

This is what we discussed yesterday. To trade refers to going among people to give; it is not cultivating the Dharma just for our own use. We should go out and give to others. This is what the Buddha taught us. If we are willing to share the Buddha-Dharma with everyone, it is inexhaustible. We must listen mindfully, seek the Buddha-Dharma and transform beings, thus unceasingly advancing in seeking the Dharma. Clearly, as we earnestly transform sentient beings, the Dharma we have is inexhaustible. So, this is what it means to trade.

Next, it says,

“The Buddha is also like this.” The Buddha is also this way. “When He was a Bodhisattva, He taught and transformed us, enabling us to form aspirations of the wisdom of all Dharma. But we soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware.”

This refers to the 500 disciples who, after the Buddha bestowed predictions upon them, were very joyful. They compared themselves to a drunken man. They then compared the Buddha to that close friend. “The Buddha is also like this.” He is just like that close friend. This is the way He was in the past when He was a Bodhisattva. Lifetime after lifetime, He served as a Bodhisattva for all sentient beings. So, “When He was a Bodhisattva, He taught and transformed us.” This was how He taught us in the past. He taught us to form aspirations of the wisdom of all Dharma; He wanted to awaken our wisdom and our heart of loving-kindness.

But then we left. In each lifetime, according to the laws of nature, [in the end] we leave and go our separate ways. Then we forget. This was how “We soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware.” Once again, we forget it. A veil of darkness separates us from what. Bodhisattvas taught us in the past. Because our practice is not advanced enough, this is beyond our control. We follow the karma we create to our circumstantial and direct retributions; in this way, we follow our karmic forces. So, once again, we forget what. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have taught us in our past lifetimes. However, the causes and conditions still remain.

So, the next sutra passage continues with,

“Having attained Arhatship, we thought we had reached Nirvana. We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little. But the vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost.”

This passage continues to explain that, in this lifetime, causes and conditions have come together for us to follow the Buddha in spiritual practice. We have accepted the Buddha’s teachings. According to our capabilities, the Buddha gave us the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links. We mindfully engage in spiritual practice, but we just focus on entering Nirvana ourselves, seeking only our own benefit. We know that cyclic existence in the Six Realms causes deep suffering and that birth and death are beyond our control in the Four Forms of Birth and Six Realms. Now that we have attained the Buddha’s teachings, we hope that this life will be the end. We do not want to return to cyclic existence in the human realm. So, we want to continue to stay at this place, in the [state] of Arhatship, where we only practice for our own benefit.

Having attained Arhatship, we thought we had reached Nirvana: Once they realized the Four Fruits, they thought they had already attained the ultimate Nirvana.

“Once they realized the Four Fruits,” they merely remained at the state of Nirvana. Reaching Nirvana requires spiritual practice. Through practice, they realized the Four Fruits and “thought they had already attained the ultimate.” They worked hard and had deep understanding; they had already attained [the fruits of] Sakrdagamin, Anagamin and so on. They had already attained Arhatship and the Four Fruits. However, they were still only seeking to benefit themselves. They thought, “We have already attained the ultimate Nirvana.” They thought that this was the ultimate Nirvana. “I completely [understand] the Dharma, and as long as I uphold this Dharma and do not form affinities with people, I will not get lost again and follow my karma back to the human realm.” They thought this was the case.

So, “We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little.”

We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little: Eliminating evil and cultivating good requires extremely hard work. To make a living was extremely difficult for them. They had attained the stage beyond learning, so they felt content.

So, once in the state of Arhatship, they thought their level of spiritual practice was enough. Actually, they had attained very little Dharma. They still had ignorance, still had not put an end to dust-like delusions. They still had many delusions. So, “We had difficulty making a living, and we felt content attaining even a little.” It turns out that they had only attained a little bit of Dharma. They only knew the Four Noble Truths and Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. The Buddha had attained so many teachings, the true principles of all things in the universe, but they were still unable to deeply understand it. So, they only thought about “eliminating evil and cultivating good.” This “requires extremely hard work.”

They had always known that all these things were [filled with] suffering, that they had accumulated so much ignorance, the causes and conditions for coming to this world. They only knew about these things. So, knowing about these things alone, they already knew things were very difficult. This “was extremely difficult for them.” So, “They had attained the stage beyond learning.” They thought that since they already knew all these complicated matters, they did not need to pursue anything more. They thought what they knew was [enough]. They knew that when ignorance and afflictions accumulate, the result is suffering. “I already know all this. I do not need to further advance in my practice. I have already attained the stage beyond learning. I am already satisfied with this.” This is what they thought.

So, “The vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost.”

The vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost: In the past they formed great aspirations to seek the wisdom of all Dharma. This great aspiration still exists; even now, it is not lost until now.

The Buddha had already begun to expound the Lotus Sutra. In the beginning, Sariputra was the initiator, asking the Buddha to teach the. Great Vehicle Dharma in depth. Sariputra then received a prediction of Buddhahood. The four great disciples also awakened and also received predictions. Then came the [parable] of the conjured city, through which they clearly understood that [spiritual practice] takes a very long time. They also heard about how Purna Maitrayaniputra was so close to the Buddha’s heart and how the Buddha praised him. They [had seen] this entire process. “As for the vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma, it turns out we too already have this kind of comprehension. Sariputra comprehended this, and the four great disciples also comprehended this. So we, the 500 Arhats, should be able to reach the same comprehension. They had already received predictions, and we are not that different from them.”

So, “The vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma was still there and had not been lost.” These were the great aspirations we formed in the past. The Buddha taught us and Bodhisattvas guided us, so we began to form great aspirations and seek the wisdom of all Dharma. This vow is still within us. Now, we finally know that it has not been lost. Since we made this vow in our hearts, this vow is already there. Although we have not gone out to help others, the vow we made is still there. With these good aspirations, we return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness.

“The vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma is the original vow of the Great Vehicle.” Everyone intrinsically has this. The principles of the Great Vehicle is what we all have, what we are all able to follow.

The vow to seek the wisdom of all Dharma: This is the original vow of the Great Vehicle. Was still there and had not been lost: This unsurpassed heart of awakening had long permeated them. This is in their clothes of new consciousness. Therefore it is still now not forgotten or lost until now.

So, “was still there and had not been lost” means. “This unsurpassed heart of awakening had long permeated them.” A very long time ago, countless, dust-inked kalpas ago, we had already heard these teachings and had taken in the fragrance of the Dharma. We were already permeated by this Dharma. This is “in our clothes of new consciousness.” Now, at this time, we are again absorbing the Buddha’s teachings. We already accumulated the old teachings and were permeated by them; we still remember them. Now, we need to put effort into awakening our Great Vehicle heart of awakening. It is now gradually being opened up; we are gradually attaining understanding. We are able to completely comprehend all the true principles of the world.

In this lifetime, [this is] “in [our] clothes of new consciousness.” Now we know we have this jewel. “I now already understand that it is in my clothing. This is because my close friend told me that, in my clothing I have this precious jewel. I now know this. Thus, even now it is still not forgotten or lost. It turns out that this jewel is still here. Though I have wandered for a long time and lived such a haggard life, this jewel has been in my clothing all along.” Are we not the same? Although we ordinary beings are ignorant, actually, our nature of True Suchness is still there. What the Buddha could accomplish, we should all be able to accomplish too.

“Now the World-Honored One awakens us all. He spoke these words, ‘All bhiksus what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana For a long time, I have helped all of you to plant the Buddha’s good roots.Now the World-Honored One awakens us all. He spoke these words, ‘All bhiksus what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana For a long time, I have helped all of you to plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness.'”

This passage states, “Now the World-Honored One….” Now the Buddha was expounding the Lotus Sutra. Now the Buddha was already enlightened and was awakening us to help us all understand. Everyone spoke of how deluded they had been, how they had been lost in their intoxication. So, the Buddha has told us, “All bhiksus, what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana.” The Buddha has already said this to us. But, “For a long time, I have helped you all plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness. From a very long time ago, I have already planted roots of goodness for you. In your spiritual practice, there is still room for you to improve even more. In the past, I constantly told you to earnestly form great aspirations and make great vows. Now the World-Honored One awakens us all.”

Now the World-Honored One awakens us all: Now the Enlightened World-Honored One at the Vulture Peak awakens and enlightens us all.

Now at the Vulture Peak Dharma-assembly, the Great Enlightened World-Honored One opened up [our wisdom]. He helped us realize our nature of True Suchness. This is what the Buddha began to do now.

“He spoke these words, ‘All bhiksus, what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana.'”

He spoke these words, “All bhiksus, what you attained is not the ultimate Nirvana”: He announced these words, “The stage beyond learning that you realized is still of the Small Vehicle. It is not the true Nirvana.”

Now the Buddha tells us that the stage beyond learning that we have realized is a Small Vehicle fruit. Everyone thought that this was enough. Actually, what we understood was the Small Vehicle Dharma, which is about benefiting ourselves. “It is not the true Nirvana.” This was not the true, ultimate Nirvana. We were just benefiting ourselves, just focusing on ourselves. This is very dangerous; when outside challenges arise, we will still become defiled.

So, “For a long time, I have helped you all plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness.” For a long time, I have helped you all plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness: For long kalpas I have helped you all plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness.

The Buddha had already told everyone this. For a long time, He had taught them to plant great roots of goodness and form great aspirations to go among people. For a long time, this is what He told us. It was many kalpas ago that He began to tell us to “all plant the Buddha’s roots of goodness.” These roots of goodness already exist within us. We should all earnestly look inside to find our nature of True Suchness. Our nature of True Suchness is everlasting; it is forever in our hearts. We just have to be mindful of the nature of True Suchness in our hearts. We must not disrupt this awakened nature. We must practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. After listening to and taking in the Dharma, we must put effort into contemplating it. After contemplating it, we must earnestly practice. By putting the principles into practice, there is nothing we cannot understand and nothing we cannot accomplish. So, we must always be mindful!

Episode 1154 – Making Use of the Precious Jewel

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>> “Their minds of faith and joy had developed. Their roots of goodness were due to constantly hearing the Dharma. With wisdom and vows as the seeds, they formed affinities and attained perfect understanding. Since Beginningless time, they heard the Dharma that they possessed this jewel, the intrinsic nature of True Suchness within.”

>> “On a certain day, month and year, I fastened a priceless jewel inside your clothes, and it is still there now. Yet, you are not aware of it. You work so hard and suffer such afflictions just in order to survive. You are extremely deluded.”

>> “Now you can use this jewel to trade in exchange for what you need. Then you will always have what you wish and be short of nothing.”

>> The parable of urging him to trade refers to the prediction of Buddhahood being bestowed. This means that this great Bodhicitta will bring infinite merits and virtues without any shortage.

>> Now you can use this jewel to trade in exchange for what you need: “This jewel” refers to the Buddha-nature. “Trade” refers to transforming and transmitting. “What you need” refers to the robe of patience and the food of meditative joy.

>> Though the value of the jewel is immeasurable, it must be traded so as to be useful. They had thoroughly understood the causes in their minds. Even though they had ultimate understanding, their actions had to be in accordance with this understanding.

>> Then you will always have what you wish and be short of nothing: This means you can constantly be wealthy and have whatever you wish, lacking nothing at any time.

>> The essence of the jewel is inexhaustible. It can be traded endlessly. Only in this way can the use of the precious jewel be manifested. In cultivating oneself and transforming others, all kinds of immeasurable treasures will be reached without effort. They will be inexhaustible for us and others. Thus it says, “whatever you wish, lacking nothing.”

>> “The Buddha is also like this. When He was a Bodhisattva, He taught and transformed us, enabling us to form aspirations of the wisdom of all Dharma. But we soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware of it.”

>> The Buddha is also like this. When He was a Bodhisattva, He taught and transformed us, enabling us to form aspirations of all-encompassing wisdom: The Buddha is also like a friend. When He was a Bodhisattva in the causal ground, He taught and transformed all of us, enabling us to form aspirations of all-encompassing wisdom.

>> But we soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware: Later they soon neglected and forgot this. They were unable to understand it and were unaware of it.

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“Their minds of faith and joy had developed.
Their roots of goodness were due to constantly hearing the Dharma.
With wisdom and vows as the seeds,
they formed affinities and attained perfect understanding.
Since Beginningless time, they heard the Dharma that they possessed this jewel,
the intrinsic nature of True Suchness within.”

Recently, haven’t we constantly been talking about a drunk man who went to his close friend’s house? Intoxicated, he fell asleep there. His friend saw the sad state he was in, but he was still sleeping, so this friend put a precious jewel in his clothes. Then he left to take care of official business. When this drunken man woke up, he also left that place. After a long time, they saw each other again. The friend saw this man still looking so destitute. Why was he still like that? Clearly, this precious jewel was priceless. There was no way he could have spent it all. So why was it that, when they now met again, he was still in such a sad state?

When it comes to this story, we must be very mindful. This is the Buddha teaching the Dharma with an analogy, with a very interesting [story]. This sutra passage comes after the 500 disciples received predictions. They were very joyful, but also very remorseful. They came to express to the Buddha that they were like that drunken man, intoxicated by the wine of ignorance. They had always lived in confusion like this. Although they had encountered the Buddha and, over many lifetimes, formed affinities with Him and received His teachings, still in this lifetime, although they had met the Buddha, they remained stuck in their own limited capabilities and wisdom. The teachings given by the Buddha are meant to guide everyone to form great aspirations and make great vows, [yet] they were still stuck to just wishing to end cyclic existence for themselves. They truly felt very remorseful.

“Their minds of faith and joy had developed.” Lifetime after lifetime, they had accepted the Buddha-Dharma and their root of faith had remained unsevered. This mind of faith and joy, faith and joy in the Buddha-Dharma, had continued to develop lifetime after lifetime. “Their minds of faith and joy had developed.” They were still advancing. Their roots of goodness came from life after life of “constantly hearing the Dharma.” They had always been listening to the Dharma.

“With wisdom and vows as the seeds….” That wisdom, that cause, is the seed. That seed is the intrinsic nature of True Suchness, the inherent wisdom found in everyone. So, they had been listening to the Dharma. Over a long time, over countless lifetimes, they had constantly listened to the Dharma. Their minds of faith and joy had been developing. With this wisdom, this seed, they continued making vows lifetime after lifetime. They were constantly making vows.

Aren’t we too making vows every day? After finishing our recitations, don’t we make these vows? “I vow to eliminate the Three Obstructions and all afflictions. I vow to obtain wisdom and true clarity. I vow to eliminate all karmic obstacles and, life after life, follow the Bodhisattva-path.” These are the vows we make every day. Thus, “Wisdom and vows [are] the seeds.” But every day, after we make these vows, how much of an effect do they have on us? In fact, we are not being mindful. All we do is care for this seed. We engage in morning and evening recitations, we chant the sutra passages and we make these vows according to the script, but that is all we do. We are not truly very mindful.

[This mindfulness] is about forming affinities. The Buddha, since the past eras of the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas as well as. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, for such a long time, life after life, had been teaching the Dharma and seeking the Dharma. He sought the Buddha-Dharma and transformed sentient beings. Lifetime after lifetime, in the Six Realms and Four Forms of Birth, He always went among people, going among sentient beings to plant the seeds for paving the road to Buddhahood. He wanted to widely form good karmic connections and enter all the realms of sentient beings to experience and understand all that suffering, how the causes of suffering are accumulated. He spent a very long period of time forming affinities with all sentient beings, teaching the Dharma and delivering sentient beings. This is “perfect understanding.” His causes and conditions had already matured, so He came to this world and attained Buddhahood. In the process of spiritual practice, the final result is manifesting the attainment of Buddhahood.

The Buddha then continued to resolve the karmic affinities of the past. Aside from engaging in practice, He continued to transform sentient beings. His difficulty was that while sentient beings formed affinities with Him life after life, they still had not formed great aspirations. So, although these karmic affinities had matured, our listening to the Dharma since. Beginningless [Time] has been like. Him continuously giving us that precious jewel. He is always telling us, “You have a precious jewel on you.” At any time, He is telling us that. “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings, are no different [in nature].” Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. He wants to let us know this, but we are still drunk with the wine of ignorance. We still have not understood; we have not understood that we intrinsically have this nature of True Suchness. We clearly know this; the Buddha has told us this. We believe it and we understand it; it is just that we are unable to exercise it.

Why is that? It is because we have not eliminated our ignorance and afflictions. We have not worked hard enough. Although we listen to [the Dharma] every day, after listening to it, we leave it in the deepest part [of our minds]. We do not take it out and apply it. This is a great pity. Sentient beings live in the world. The world’s sentient beings experience much suffering. We should put our hearts into understanding this. Since ancient times, good people safeguard their thoughts of goodness, while ignorant people for no reason will [negatively] affect the world at large. This is like the ancients’ notion of ethics, “There are spiritual beings three inches above us.” This describes the perspective of the law of karma.

Take for example orangutans, or a gorilla like Koko. These are other types of living beings. They are not humans; they are animals. Yet they also know [to cherish] nature. As for humans and the earth, we are harming the earth, which has resulted in our current abnormal weather.

A very long time ago, during the Han Dynasty, in Donghai County there was a very filial daughter-in-law. Not long after this filial daughter-in-law married into a family, just a few years later, her husband passed away. This daughter-in-law was very filial; she was very filial toward her mother-in-law. Thus, she made a vow to never marry again in order to be by her mother-in-law’s side and serve her until her death. This mother-in-law cherished her daughter-in-law like her own daughter. She knew her daughter-in-law was still young. “My son let you down. You should find another good man and marry again.” But this widow remained determined to preserve her purity and fulfill her filial duties.

This made the mother-in-law very troubled. She thought, “Am I, this old person, burdening my daughter-in-law? If I were to die then she would have no worries and would go find a good man to remarry.” So, once this mother-in-law had thought this, she committed suicide by hanging herself. This was what happened. When the mother-in-law’s daughter came back for the funeral, she kept insisting, “This happened because my sister-in-law is still young and wanted to remarry. You only pretended to be filial. You said you would take good care of my mother, but you probably could not remain pure. You manipulated or abused her, [driving] my mother to die like this. This happened because my sister-in-law was unfilial and abusive toward my mother. Even if it was suicide, it was caused by my sister-in-law. She cannot avoid the charge of being unfilial.”

At that time, the county magistrate, based on the case the daughter brought to him, sentenced the widow to death by beheading. Starting from that time, the entire Donghai county did not have any rain for three years’ time; there was a drought. The people in the county felt that this region had always had favorable weather; there had never been a time when it did not rain for three years, so how did this problem come about? A new prefect came to the county and saw how this drought caused the farmers unbearable suffering. Nothing was growing at all. Across the whole county, due to this devastating drought, the people were suffering. What could have happened in this county? Everyone discussed this. There had to be something that had happened.

This new prefect came to this place to assume responsibility. He wanted to understand; had anything odd happened in this county? So, he brought out and reviewed all court cases. After reviewing them, he discovered this case. He quickly brought it up for a retrial. This was because He had heard the local people speak about how filial this daughter-in-law was. There was no way she had abused her mother-in-law. Everyone thought it was impossible. Unfortunately, the previous county magistrate sentenced her to death.

So, this prefect, having heard this news, brought the case up for renewed investigation. It turned out everyone in the county said the same thing. This should not have been a matter of the daughter-in-law abusing the mother-in-law. Most likely, the mother-in-law loved the daughter-in-law so much that she ended her own life. The daughter-in-law had been unjustly beheaded. This was a great injustice. Therefore, the prefect quickly gathered people and personally arranged a memorial ceremony for her. They held a memorial ceremony for this widow and erected a monument to her purity.

On this day, the people of the county all came together to pay respect to this widow. Seeing a monument erected to her purity made everyone very happy. Incredibly, just like that, dark clouds began to appear. Then it began to rain. This classic story is called “Three Years without Rain.” This happened because an injustice was done. Until this injustice was resolved, heaven and earth remained unforgiving. So, it did not rain for three years. This is a classical story from the past.

Indeed! Why is the weather so abnormal right now? Right now, people’s minds are full of ignorance. The web of ignorance keeps [growing]; people do not know what is real or illusory. Many things happen because people are unable to establish faith in what is true and unable to clearly discern right from wrong. They cannot see this clearly, so they mix up what is pure and what is turbid. So, many people have minds shrouded by ignorance and afflictions. They are enveloped in this [ignorance]. Thus, man-made calamities are now frequent, as are natural disasters.

Therefore, we should quickly bring purity to people’s minds and bolster people’s faith. The True Dharma and human morals must quickly be bolstered. Right now, [the lines] are very blurry. This is because people are drunk on ignorance. We must all be mindful in awakening our nature of True Suchness. We must earnestly nourish our minds of faith and joy. We must establish our pure intrinsic nature, earnestly listen to the Dharma and clearly distinguish right from wrong.

For a long time already, the seed from listening to the Dharma has been buried deep in our minds. Every one of us has this precious jewel on our person. We must earnestly use this precious jewel to develop our inexhaustible wisdom; the true principles can then manifest in our daily living. This is our goal in seeking the Dharma. As it is, the macrocosm of the world is becoming imbalanced. This is due to ignorance covering the microcosm [of our minds]. So, we must be very mindful.

The Buddha mindfully teaches the Dharma and guides sentient beings. He has accompanied us for a long time. When will we finally recognize that the Dharma is in our nature and in our minds? How long will it be before we are able to find it? This is such a pity.

So, it has been a very long time. Isn’t this what the previous sutra passage said?

“On a certain day, month and year, I fastened a priceless jewel inside your clothes, and it is still there now. Yet, you are not aware of it. You work so hard and suffer such afflictions just in order to survive. You are extremely deluded.”

For a very long time, since the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas’ and. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s eras, for dust-inked kalpas, He has repeatedly given this priceless jewel to us. We have it within us, but even now, we still do not know it. It is still like this. “[We] work so hard and suffer such afflictions just in order to survive.” We are still working only to benefit ourselves. What we seek is the Small Dharma; [we seek] only to satisfy ourselves. Thus, “We are extremely deluded.” We should all form great aspirations, make great vows and go among people so everyone can understand, so it is not only we who understand. 

If we are the only ones who understand, we are just benefiting ourselves. People in this world have not yet been transformed. Sentient beings of the world are covered by ignorance, so naturally the world is out of balance. The macrocosm is out of balance and the microcosm as well. So, everyone must quickly form great aspirations and make great vows to go among the people to teach the Dharma, to spread the Dharma. We need to give to help others and comprehend people’s suffering. From amidst ignorance, we seek awakening. This is what the Buddha taught us.

The next sutra passage continues,

“Now you can use this jewel to trade in exchange for what you need. Then you will always have what you wish and be short of nothing.”

[The friend said,] “Now that I see you again, I am telling you that you have on you a precious jewel. You should know now that with this precious jewel, you can make the most of your abilities. You can be free and at ease. You will not be lacking in anything. You will not lack in clothing or food. You will live your whole life in abundance.” What is meant by not lacking clothing and food is [not lacking] the Dharma. We will be able to freely exercise the Dharma. This passage advises us, “You need to trade with it. Do not keep this thing inside [your clothes]. Take it out and share it with others. It is such a good thing. Go out! By trading, you are giving. After giving, you will obtain great Dharma-joy in return. You need to go out and trade.”

This symbolizes being bestowed with a prediction of Buddhahood.

The parable of urging him to trade refers to the prediction of Buddhahood being bestowed. This means that this great Bodhicitta will bring infinite merits and virtues without any shortage.

We need to work hard and truly go among people to transform sentient beings. When we form great aspirations, we will naturally receive a prediction of Buddhahood. This is an analogy for great Bodhicitta. We must give rise to great Bodhicitta. This is “to trade.” When we give rise to Bodhicitta, we must give of the Dharma in order to attain Dharma-joy in return. So, “[It] will bring infinite merits and virtues.” After we give of ourselves, what we get in return are merits and virtues. Regularly engaging in internal cultivation brings merit. Going out and giving to people brings virtue. Thus we will have infinite merits and virtues. When we trade [like this], what we get in return are infinite merits and virtues. This is “without any shortage”; we will definitely have an abundance.

So, “Now you can use this jewel to trade in exchange for what you need.”

Now you can use this jewel to trade in exchange for what you need: “This jewel” refers to the Buddha-nature. “Trade” refers to transforming and transmitting. “What you need” refers to the robe of patience and the food of meditative joy.

Right now we should [know that] this jewel is our Buddha-nature. We must know that to trade means transforming and transmitting. The Dharma we hear must be meticulously understood and taken to heart and then passed on to everyone. According to sentient beings’ capabilities, according to the needs of the times, we can transform and transmit [the teachings].

“What you need” refers to “the robe of patience and the food of meditative joy.” Even though society now is very complicated, we must go among people. Thus, we truly must have patience. We must be gentle, kindhearted, respectful, modest and humble. We must be very gentle and adapt to sentient beings. We must exercise our kindness. No matter what, we must calmly accept adversities and be respectful toward others; we must be humble. Being gentle, kindhearted, respectful, modest and humble, being able to yield to others and not taking issue with others, these are the skills we need to master. This takes patience. 
In this era, in this society, we must cultivate patience. We must wear the robe of patience. This pearl has been put in our clothes. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. We must all have the appearance of a spiritual practitioner. To look like a spiritual practitioner, we need to wear this garment. This helps people know that we are spiritual practitioners. This helps people recognize that this is the kind of organization we are. Spiritual practice is internal, but it must also be expressed outwardly. So, we must always [take in] “the food of meditative joy.” This is engaging in calm contemplation. We must earnestly purify our minds and earnestly engage in contemplation to cultivate our minds.

Listening, contemplating and practicing, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are our clothing of gentleness and patience. If we constantly wear this clothing, we will constantly attain many teachings. Only by going among people will we know that, indeed, this is the case, that the joy we feel after taking action is what nourishes our wisdom-life. This is “the food of meditative joy”; it helps our wisdom-life develop even further.

“Though the value of the jewel is immeasurable, it must be traded so as to be useful.”

Though the value of the jewel is immeasurable, it must be traded so as to be useful. They had thoroughly understood the causes in their minds. Even though they had ultimate understanding, their actions had to be in accordance with this understanding.

Though this jewel is very valuable, we must trade it [to bring out its value]; we must give of ourselves. Only by doing this can we benefit sentient beings. It is not enough for us to have a jewel; we must share it with everyone. Just by having the Buddha-Dharma, we cannot mitigate the world’s disasters. We must change everyone’s minds, help all people purify their minds and awaken their love and sincere reverence. Only then will the world be peaceful. The reverence of one person alone is not enough to touch heaven and earth. It will require everyone’s collective reverence to reach the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. Then all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas understand that everyone’s reverence has come together, and we are giving out of the power of love.

So, although the jewel’s value is immeasurable, it must be traded “so as to be useful.” This is the only way it can be useful to us. If we are not among people, we will not know that helping people is such a joyous thing. If the Dharma can pervade the world, it can bring peace and harmony to the world. Having a peaceful and harmonious world is beneficial to humankind. Thus, the Dharma must be applied in this world.

So, “They had thoroughly understood the causes in their minds.” We need to be very clear that these are our causes and conditions. We must thoroughly understand these ourselves. Since dust-inked kalpas ago, we have had the nature of True Suchness. We have had this Dharma. Although we already understand everything, “even though they had ultimate understanding, their actions had to be in accordance with this understanding.” Even though we clearly understand the Dharma, though we have a deep understanding, we must put it into practice. Our inner cultivation and external practice must be in accord with each other. Only then will the Dharma be useful in this world.

So, “Then you will always have what you wish.”

Then you will always have what you wish and be short of nothing: This means you can constantly be wealthy and have whatever you wish, lacking nothing at any time.

When the Dharma is applied in the world, we can achieve a world free of disasters. When society is peaceful and harmonious, that is a blessing for all humankind. So, we must be very mindful in taking the Dharma to heart and putting it into practice. The internal and external must be in accord as we [work] in the world. So, “This means that you can constantly be wealthy and have whatever you wish.” If we wish for everyone to be safe, then we must give of ourselves. So, we “lack nothing at any time.” This Dharma is in all places at all times; it [provides us] with great abundance.

So, “The essence of the jewel is inexhaustible. It can be traded endlessly.”

The essence of the jewel is inexhaustible. It can be traded endlessly. Only in this way can the use of the precious jewel be manifested. In cultivating oneself and transforming others, all kinds of immeasurable treasures will be reached without effort. They will be inexhaustible for us and others. Thus it says, “whatever you wish, lacking nothing.”

This jewel is actually the Dharma. When the essence of the Dharma is in our minds, it is truly inexhaustible. We do not need to worry, thinking, “If I share it and others make use of this Dharma, will I have less of it?” This is like when a disciple asked the Buddha, “If I were to pass this Dharma on to others and they make use of it, will my merits and virtues decrease? When others obtain merits and virtues, will I have less?” The Buddha used a candle as an analogy. “Once your candle has been lit, if another comes to be lit [by its flame], if ten candles are lit or even millions or billions of candles are lit, will this affect your candle’s flame? No. Have your surroundings become brighter? Yes.”

That is right! The principle is the same. If we understand the Dharma and give it to others so that they understand it, will we have any less of it? No. We can unceasingly, by giving to others, attain more realizations and then share them with everyone. So, “The essence of the jewel is inexhaustible. It can be traded endlessly.” We can endlessly continue to share with others. “Only in this way can the use of the precious jewel be manifested.” Only in this way can we manifest the function and use of that precious jewel.

“In cultivating oneself and transforming others, all kinds of immeasurable treasures will be reached without contriving.” This is all mutual. It cannot be just for me to enjoy for myself. If I am the only one who enjoys it, then it will not be of any use. It must be [shared] with everyone; we must “cultivate ourselves and transform others. All kinds of immeasurable treasures” do not belong to us alone. If it just belonged to me, it would be of no use. It belongs to everyone. The Dharma is something everyone inherently has. We need to awaken the love in everybody. “For oneself and others without end” [means that] your spiritual wealth, my spiritual wealth, everyone’s spiritual wealth is endless. This is truly “whatever you wish, lacking nothing.” This is the power of love.

The next sutra passage says,

“The Buddha is also like this. When He was a Bodhisattva, He taught and transformed us, enabling us to form aspirations of the wisdom of all Dharma. But we soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware.”

It is like this. This is the meaning. The Buddha taught us in this way. When He was a Bodhisattva, He likewise “was like a close friend.” He was like that friend. This was “in the casual ground.” In the distant past, when He was a Bodhisattva in the casual ground, during the eras of. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha and the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas, during those eras in the causal ground, He began to “teach and transform us, enabling us to form aspirations of the wisdom of all Dharma.”

The Buddha is also like this. When He was a Bodhisattva, He taught and transformed us, enabling us to form aspirations of all-encompassing wisdom: The Buddha is also like a friend. When He was a Bodhisattva in the causal ground, He taught and transformed all of us, enabling us to form aspirations of all-encompassing wisdom.

From that time on, He always continued to teach us in this way. He taught us so that we would be able to transform sentient beings. He taught us to form aspirations of the wisdom of all Dharma. This is what all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas did in the past. They used the heart of a Bodhisattva to teach.

“But we soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware .”

But we soon neglected and forgot this, so we were unaware: Later they soon neglected and forgot this. They were unable to understand it and were unaware of it.

Presently, we are still often [like this]. Lifetime after lifetime, although we listen to the Dharma, we forget about it again. The Dharma was originally firmly in our minds but it has been neglected. We have not put in the work, so it has been neglected. We forgot about it and became unaware of it. “Later they soon neglected and forgot this. They were unable to understand it.” We are unable to self-reflect. It is as if we are constantly intoxicated. With this wine of ignorance, we spend every day in a state of ignorance. Every day, we seek the Dharma, but every day we do this only for ourselves. We try to understand the Buddha-Dharma because we want to break free of cyclic existence. We want to have the Buddha-Dharma for ourselves and do not want to share it with others.

Actually, whether Great or Small Vehicle Dharma, as long as we listen and [realize] principles, once we open our hearts and understand, we must quickly share this with others. We do not say, “Hold on. Wait until I completely understand the Great Vehicle Dharma. Then I will tell you.” This is like the Buddha’s disciples who had listened for 40 years. They were all getting on in years. How long were they going to wait before going among people? Once we hear the Dharma and [understand] it, we must immediately share it with everyone. We should not wait too long.

So, faith and joy must forever be nourished in our minds. Our roots of goodness must be endlessly extended. Since we know we have these causes and conditions, we must earnestly apply the Dharma in our daily living. The internal and external must be in accord, then we can spread the Dharma. Only when all sentient beings obtain the Dharma and understand the principles can the four elements be in balance, society be harmonious and everyone live in peace. This depends on whether we can always be mindful.