Episode 58 – Like a Cloud, Great Loving-Kindness Nourishes All
>> In completing the work of one’s spiritual practice, one goes among people to benefit sentient beings. Great loving-kindness is like a cloud that provides shade for all. While giving assistance to sentient beings, one’s mind remains tranquil and unmoving.
>> These Bodhisattvas have all attained the stage of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and will never retreat. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi means supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.
>> It is said that perfect enlightenment differs from the realizations of the Two Vehicles that are biased toward emptiness. Thus, those with perfect enlightenment extensively walk the path of right actions.
After we have chosen the course of our spiritual practice, we must concentrate and wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to working diligently. In our minds, we are cultivating sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness at all times. Whether we are dealing with people and matters, or entering a state of spiritual practice, we must remain sincere. Sincerity is very important. As for integrity, as Buddhist practitioners, we cannot deviate from right actions. With right understanding, we have right view, right thinking, speech, and action. We can all understand this. When we learn the Buddha’s teachings, a slight deviation will lead us far astray. So, integrity is also part of our spiritual practice.
Next is faith. Faith is the source of the path, mother of merits. When we are choosing our course in life, if we believe the course we choose is right, that is called faith. We must have faith in the course we chose. So once we have faith, we will never retreat. We must nurture our will to practice, starting with this sense of faith. Then this faith, integrity and honesty must be carried out steadfastly. In spiritual practice, our minds must be focused and unwavering. This is the inward cultivation of our minds.
Then, our outward actions are those of “loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.” We must go among people to benefit sentient beings. Spiritual practice is not solely about our own enlightenment. We must also benefit others. It is as if we spiritual practitioners are paving our own path. Once we have chosen to practice this path, we must resolve to walk it. No matter how difficult the path ahead is, we just have to concentrate on repairing this bumpy path until it is smooth. We are not just repairing it for ourselves; we hope that those who come after us can walk a smooth path. So, this is how we go among sentient beings to benefit them. By choosing the right path and then walking on it with ease, those behind us can follow us smoothly. So, this is how we “benefit sentient beings.”
We have to take the lead to go among people. We must be like clouds; “Great loving-kindness is like a cloud.” We all have to nurture our loving-kindness. When we are kind, we hope that all sentient beings can be safe and blessed. With a kind heart, we help everyone safely walk this broad path. So, “great loving-kindness is like a cloud that provides shade for all.” Clouds are in the skies, in the atmosphere. If it is scorching hot, clouds can kindly give us a little cover so we will feel less oppressed by the heat. A white cloud in the sky can block the blazing sunlight and make life on Earth comfortable for sentient beings.
In particular, [people] suffering from droughts hope for clouds in the sky. When there are clouds, there is hope for rain. So, how can our great kindness help all sentient beings live peacefully and harmoniously in this world? When the climate is truly harmonious, everyone on Earth can live in peace. This comes from loving-kindness. “Great loving-kindness is like a cloud that provides shade for all.” The land can adapt. When it is time to rain, it needs to rain. This way, everything in the land, whether plants or animals, can live in peace. So, great loving-kindness is very important.
Our spiritual practice begins with loving-kindness and compassion. Vowing to practice spiritually begins with inner sincerity, integrity, faith, steadfastness then we practice loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity toward others. If we fulfill this assignment completely, then we will benefit sentient beings. So “while giving assistance to sentient beings, our minds must remain tranquil and unmoving.” Even though we are busy helping sentient beings in this world, our will to practice cannot be affected.
We often repeat this saying, “With tranquil and clear minds, vows as vast as the endless void, we remain unwavering.” No matter how hard it is to help sentient beings, our minds will “remain tranquil and unmoving.” We will not have a mindset of gain and loss regarding worldly matters. Without gains there are no losses. When we do not seek gain, naturally we will feel no loss. So, our minds are only focused on our mission. The mission of our practice is to benefit others. When we do so, we do not seek our own gain. If we do not seek gain, naturally we will not feel a sense of loss. This part of our spiritual practice requires the greatest effort.
We really have to work hard to protect this state of mind. Even though we are paving the road ourselves, we do it so those who come after may walk easily. We cultivate loving-kindness because we hope that all sentient beings will find peace. This is the goal of our spiritual practice.
In completing the work of one’s spiritual practice, one goes among people to benefit sentient beings. Great loving-kindness is like a cloud that provides shade for all. While giving assistance to sentient beings, one’s mind remains tranquil and unmoving.
At the Lotus Dharma-assembly, there were many Bodhisattvas. What stage of spiritual practice did these Bodhisattvas achieve? The following passage states, “The Bodhisattvas have all attained the stage of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and will never retreat.” The minds of these Bodhisattvas were already very steady, and they had already attained the stage of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. What is Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi? This is a Sanskrit term that implies “highest and unsurpassed.” When we simplify the explanation of its meaning, we say it means “supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.” This supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment is the highest state of spiritual practice.
These Bodhisattvas have all attained the stage of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and will never retreat. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi means supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.
To be supreme requires perfect and complete spiritual practice, having already reached the highest level. This is like academic degrees in our world. Whatever kind of work or department we choose, if, after graduating from college, we still want to do some research, we study for a master’s degree. If a master’s degree is still not enough, we study for a doctorate. A doctorate is very specialized and can be in any number of topics. After choosing and concentrating on research, we eventually understand [the subject] and can present a dissertation. We can even educate others. Then we have reached the highest [level].
Basically, “supreme” means the highest, that the level of spiritual practice has already reached the highest, most supreme stage. Furthermore, the course of that practice is perfect and universal and has never deviated from the right path. Ever since we made that initial aspiration, when we chose the course of our spiritual practice, we have continued on this path without deviating. If our will to practice strays even a little, that slight misstep will lead us far off course.
What this passage says is that when we make the correct choice and are determined, we will faithfully accept and practice [the teachings]. Then from this initial stage, we continue to walk this path correctly to its very end, to the highest level. Our course was perfect; we never deviated from this path. This is what we mean by “perfect. Universal” refers to the highest level. Through this process, we attain perfect enlightenment. We have awakened, which means we fully comprehend all things in the universe. We know everything and have realized everything. The Buddha attained supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.
He also told us, “You are the same as me. We are equals. I can attain such enlightenment, and so can you. We all have the same intrinsic nature. As long as you vow to work hard and do not deviate from your course, you can reach this place like me. You can also see this beautiful view.” This is the faith that the Buddha inspired in us. And besides the Buddha, many Bodhisattvas have already practiced and attained this “supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment.” Bodhisattvas in the past did this. They do so now and will do so in the future. We should all do this, too. Not only can present people reach supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment. Future sentient beings can do it also.
So, this right understanding and enlightenment are what we past, present and future disciples of the Buddha must seek. This is the Bodhisattva-path. If we do not follow the Bodhisattva-path, then we cannot reach the state of Buddhahood. So in learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must interact with people again. Among people, there is much good and evil. Good people truly deserve respect; they have reduced their afflictions and are kind and faithful. They do not deviate from being a good person. Evil people, with evil hearts and thoughts, have gone off track. Many sentient beings have negative habitual tendencies. Like illnesses, there are varying degrees of severity.
Some people are truly wicked and merciless. How do we train these kinds of people? How do we educate them? This is also like saying that among patients there are many kinds of difficult to treat illnesses or rare diseases. What doctors treat is an imbalance of the body. What the Buddha and Bodhisattvas treat is an imbalance of the minds of sentient beings. So, how do we save the world? First, go among people to transform their minds and relieve their suffering. Then they can correct their behavior. Therefore, the Buddha taught His disciples how to go among people and physically engage in practice with the aim of reaching perfection.
So, this perfect, universal enlightenment is already distinct from and “different from Two Vehicle teachings that are biased toward emptiness.” Who are the Two Vehicle practitioners? Hearers and Solitary Realizers. These are the Two Vehicle practitioners. Hearers rely on hearing the Buddha’s teachings to comprehend the principles of the Dharma. There is also another type [of practitioner] with very deep wisdom. They do not attain understanding through hearing. They observe the cycle of the four seasons, the changes from spring, summer, fall to winter. Simply by experiencing these changes, they comprehend the principle of impermanence, of arising, abiding, changing and ceasing, the states of formation, existence, decay, and disappearance, and the cycle of birth, age, illness and death. So just from observing the cycles of the seasons, they can become awakened. They are Solitary Realizers, because they become enlightened through observing external conditions. Therefore, they are wiser than Hearers.
Whether they became enlightened through hearing [the teachings] or by comprehending external conditions, they are both biased toward emptiness. Because they are attached to emptiness, they think that there is nothing more to do in this world and that doing things do not matter. This is not correct. So, the Buddha quickly said that the Bodhisattva-path is the Middle Way. It is not biased toward attachment to existence nor emptiness. So, this perfect, universal enlightenment is without bias. It is not the enlightenment of Hearers nor is it the enlightenment of Solitary Realizers. It is the principle of “extensively walking the path of right actions.”
It is said that perfect enlightenment differs from the realizations of the Two Vehicles that are biased toward emptiness. Thus, those with perfect enlightenment extensively walk the path of right actions.
We all understand that it is good to realize the world is impermanent. It is a truth. We understand that we should seek to be liberated from this world. Achieving our own liberation is very good, but we should also seek liberation for all sentient beings in the world. So, “extensively walk the path of right actions.” Not only do we want to walk this path, we also want to pave this road for the sentient beings who follow. Then they can do what is right, walk on this path and no longer create karma. Then their minds will be on the right track. As practitioners, this is the most important. We should not be biased.
The work of our spiritual practice is to attain a state of perfection so we can attain perfect, universal enlightenment that is supreme. Then when we return to the Saha World, we can go among people to benefit sentient beings. Fellow Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, it is not about our own enlightenment. We must also benefit the world. This is our goal in being practitioners. So, always be mindful.