Episode 55 – Wholeheartedly Seek the Path
>> First, of these 12,000 people, all were replete with such talents and virtues. Their virtues, names and splendor were admired and respected by people. These virtuous monastics were perfect in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
>> Second, there were 2000 people who were at or beyond the stage of learning. The 12,000 mentioned were beyond that stage. These 2000 were still at the stage of learning. Those who were at the stage of learning had incomplete views and practices, were focused on studying the truth and destroying delusions. Those who were beyond the stage of learning used wisdom to completely eliminate [afflictions], realized the truth and ended all delusions.
>> “Mahaprajapati, a bhiksuni with a retinue of 6000.”
>> The Eight Forms of Reverence, also called the Eight Forms of Respect, are the eight ways bhiksunis revere and respect the bhiksus.
>>Rahula’s mother, the Bhiksuni Yasodhara, also had a retinue.
We begin each day early to diligently practice the Buddha’s teachings. Buddhist practitioners must be diligent. When we practice in a monastic community, we follow routines. There are rules for everyday living in our community to help us focus our minds. Therefore, the emphasis is on mindfulness. The term for a community of spiritual practitioners is the Sangha. The Sangha is made up of two groups: bhiksus and bhiksunis.
When the Buddha traveled and taught the Dharma, those who had karmic affinities with Him were joyful upon seeing Him and took refuge with Him. Thus, they became monastics. Monastic communities were scattered around, and in each place there were disciples with causes and conditions for spiritual practice. Starting with the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha began to set aside Small Vehicle teachings, skillful means, and the Vaipulya, Prajna, and other teaching He taught in the past. Whether He was discussing emptiness or existence, the Buddha made a big turn of the Dharma-wheel and turned from Small to Great [Vehicle]. In the past, He taught various means, accepted by sentient beings’ according to their capacities. Those were all skillful means. But now He returned to the concepts of “existence” and “emptiness” so people would know there is a Middle Way, which is the Bodhisattva-path. This allowed everyone to understand that there is wondrous existence in true emptiness, and there is true emptiness in wondrous existence. True emptiness helps break attachments. Wondrous existence helps us advance diligently.
Therefore, while among people and sentient beings, we can eliminate all afflictions and become free from attachments. On the Bodhisattva-path, we advance diligently to seek the path to Buddhahood and transform sentient beings. This is what the Buddha asked of His disciples. He wanted the practitioners and the monastics to start turning away from Small Vehicle [teachings] and start engaging in Great Vehicle [practice]. The Buddha now wanted to teach the true Dharma, so He had the practitioners scattered elsewhere gather in one location, at the Lotus Assembly at Vulture Peak. There were many people, 12,000 in total.
They were all monastic practitioners. Among these 12,000 people, most were replete with talents and virtues. They were fully endowed with virtues that were admired by all. Their talents and virtues were complete and perfect. Thus, their splendor had no flaws. Whether in talents or virtues, internal cultivation or external practice, they were perfect in all. What were they perfect in? The most important were precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. These virtues, when practiced within, readily appear in external conduct.
First, of these 12,000 people, all were replete with such talents and virtues. Their virtues, names and splendor were admired and respected by people. These virtuous monastics were perfect in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
So, these members of the Sangha actually amounted to more than 12,000. Besides those who had realized Arhatship, there were ones at or beyond the stage of learning. Those at the stage of learning were those who needed to continue their practice. Among these 2000 people, most were new. Some of these new monastics were very capable achieving 1000 realizations from one teaching. Although they were new monastics, they eliminated afflictions very quickly. This meant they completely rid themselves of all delusions in views and thinking. This kind of people were beyond the stage of learning. For those who were still learning, upon hearing [teachings], they would say, “I know.” Yet they were still quite a long way from from actually changing. They were those who were at the stage of learning. This means they agreed that afflictions and ignorance damage wisdom-life. But for them to transform right away was truly not easy. So, those who were still diligently studying were those who were at the stage of learning.
Those who completely understood after hearing [the Dharma], could immediately eliminate [afflictions]. They understood all interpersonal disputes, could clearly see through them and apply their wisdom to completely eliminate them. They dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to practice. They could see the path and realize the path. Seeing the path means understanding the principles. In their minds, they could already completely see through worldly interpersonal conflicts. Their realizations were very thorough. No matter what external conditions they faced, their minds did not waver. People who had completely eliminated delusions were called those beyond the stage of learning. Whether or not they realized Arhatship, whether they were among those who were at or beyond the stage of learning, they were dedicated to spiritual practice and to following the Buddha. Those wholeheartedly dedicated to spiritual practice were the Sangha.
Second, there were 2000 people who were at or beyond the stage of learning. The 12,000 mentioned were beyond that stage. These 2000 were still at the stage of learning. Those who were at the stage of learning had incomplete views and practices, were focused on studying the truth and destroying delusions. Those who were beyond the stage of learning used wisdom to completely eliminate [afflictions], realized the truth and ended all delusions.
The next section of the sutra states that aside from the bhiksus, there is another group of monastics. Beside bhiksus, there are bhiksunis. Among the group of bhiksunis were,
“Mahaprajapati, a bhiksuni with a retinue of 6000.”
In the Buddha’s Sangha, this group of bhiksunis were also Dharma-protectors. Besides cultivating themselves, they also motivated other bhiksunis, whether they were at or beyond the stage of learning. Some continued to diligently practice while some thoroughly understood the principles.
The Buddha also said, “Human’s natures are equal.” All possess the same pure nature as the Buddha. Everyone possesses wisdom equal to the Buddha, whether male or female. They only differ in appearance. Since they engage in spiritual practice, they still have to deal with worldly matters. Male monastics are called bhiksus. Female monastics are called bhiksunis. Men have their ways of practicing in their lives. Women have their ways of practicing in their lives. When the female practitioners appeared, Bhiksuni Mahaprajapati’s name was brought up, so we know that she led the bhiksunis well and also spread the Buddha-Dharma.
Even after 40 years, the Buddha’s teachings and the Three Treasures were still in their beginning stages. Throughout that time, the Sangha was very orderly and dignified. Therefore, they could spread the Buddha-Dharma. Many members of the Sangha spread the teachings through their dignified appearances. Both bhiksus and bhiksunis were transmitters of the Buddha’s Dharma-lineage. We all need to cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Afflictions and ignorance all need to be eliminated. When monastics gather after having eliminated all ignorance and afflictions, they [exemplify] true purity. So, this pure and undefiled group can also protect the Buddha-Dharma and help it prosper.
Therefore, when we engage in spiritual practice, we are doing so for the Buddha’s teachings. Besides spreading the Buddha-Dharma and putting Buddhist teachings to practice, we can also influence sentient beings by having a dignified appearance. Bringing joy to people when they see us is also a way to transform them. For the Buddha-Dharma to prosper, the Sangha needs to be harmonious. This unity and harmony is pure, undefiled and orderly. So, they are also called “inner protectors.” In particular, there were many bhiksunis among the Sangha who were Hearers, and they relied on the teachings of other monastics. The bhiksunis were led by Mahaprajapati.
So, the translated meaning of Mahaprajapati is Path-of-Great-Love. [Mahaprajapati] was the Buddha’s aunt. From the stories of Sakyamuni Buddha, we know that seven days after his birth, his biological mother, Maya, passed away. How was this infant to be raised? He was raised by his mother’s sister, Prajapati. She offered to take her sister’s place in raising this little child. So, Prajapati was the Buddha’s aunt, and the surrogate mother who raised him.
After Prince Siddhartha became a monastic and attained enlightenment, He returned to give teachings. At that time, she quickly understood and realized the wondrous nature of the Buddha-Dharma and clearly understood the principles He taught. [His teachings] entered her heart. She was joyful when she listened to the Dharma; she loved and respected His teachings. After the Buddha’s father passed away, Mahaprajapati asked the Buddha to let her become a monastic. But at that time, the Buddha did not accept female disciples. He only allowed bhiksus, no female monastics. The Buddha’s consideration was that those in the Sangha must have pure minds and what affected [men’s] purity of the mind the most was the presence of women. So, the Buddha did not allow women in His Sangha.
But Prajapati was the aunt who raised Him. Though He did not allow her to become a monastic, on three different occasions, Ananda pleaded with the Buddha on her behalf. Then the Buddha finally agreed and allowed the group led by Mahaprajapati to become monastics. However, this was on the condition that they abided by the Eight Forms of Reverence. The Buddha worried that the bhiksunis would be arrogant and conceited, especially because they were connected with royalty. In particular, one of them was His aunt. So, He established the Eight Forms of Reverence to tame their arrogance and to discipline their daily living so that they would know how to be reverent and respectful.
The Eight Forms of Reverence, also called the Eight Forms of Respect, are the eight ways bhiksunis revere and respect the bhiksus.
Mahaprajapati’s retinue totaled 6000 people.
Rahula’s mother, the Bhiksuni Yasodhara, also had a retinue.
Yasodhara was the mother of Rahula. She was the Buddha’s wife before He became a monastic. [Yasodhara] and Mahaprajapati asked to become monastics at the same time. They were well-known among bhiksunis. Yasodhara had a very elegant appearance and was a very virtuous woman. So, Yasodhara is translated as Maintaining-Glory because she maintained her moral integrity and possessed all the talents and virtues that a woman should have. Thus Rahula’s mother, the Bhiksuni Yasodhara, was also in the Sangha.
Everyone, learning the Buddha’s teachings is a harsh task and we must be vigilant in upholding precepts. Becoming a monastic is not easy; it is the work of a great person. Even great leaders would find it difficult. We need to be courageous and vigorous, and be undeterred by hardship and hard work. We must have this mindset. Most importantly, we need to tame all kinds of inner afflictions. Whether we are bhiksus or bhiksunis, we must take good care of our minds. A mind of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt is a mind of the Five Turbidities and a mind of the Five Poisons. This will harm our wisdom-life. So, we must mindfully make an effort to master our thoughts and actions. Therefore, please always be mindful.