Episode 61 – Planting Roots of Virtue
>> To “diligently cultivate the power of vows” so we can obtain all Dharma without retreating. Bodhisattvas seek to achieve the Buddha’s enlightenment, vow to transform sentient beings and diligently practice both compassion and wisdom.
>> “By making offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas, we plant roots of virtues in Their presence and are constantly praised for this by all Buddhas.”
>> There are three kinds of offerings 1.Offerings of wealth. To give offerings of money or material goods 2.Offerings of reverence. To give offerings by practicing respect with one’s body when interacting with others; this reverence and harmony is our offering 3.Offerings of Dharma. To give offerings by earnestly cultivating the infinite minds and making universal vows.
>> With these offerings, we attain the two virtues of blessings and wisdom. Thus, we plant the root of all virtues, which is the root of goodness. The root of goodness is the foundation of the two virtues, blessings and wisdom.
>> It is said: They made offerings to countless Buddhas and planted roots of virtues in Their presence. They were those who relied on virtuous spiritual friends to never retreat. They were constantly praised by all Buddhas. Bodhisattvas saw Buddhas as teachers. They learned and practiced the path to enlightenment. Now they were praised by Buddhas who confirmed that they were not mistaken, so their minds were peaceful and free.
Our mindset in safeguarding the Dharma must be.
To “diligently cultivate the power of vows” so we can obtain all Dharma without retreating. Bodhisattvas seek to achieve the Buddha’s enlightenment, vow to transform sentient beings and diligently practice both compassion and wisdom.
This is a very important lesson to learn in the practice of the Buddha-Dharma.
In this world, the Buddha-Dharma can act as a wheel; it can turn evil into good and transform sentient beings. Buddhist practitioners must form great aspirations and great vows to safeguard and uphold the Buddha-Dharma. So, we must “maintain the will to protect Dharma.” In everyone’s hearts, we must maintain this intention to safeguard and promote the Buddha-Dharma so it can flourish. We also have to “diligently cultivate the power of vows.” As we form aspirations, we also make vows. If we have the intention but not the resolve, we will be unwilling to make the effort. So, aside from making aspirations, we also need to make vows so that we can “obtain all Dharma without retreating.”
As we learn His teachings, we must move forward. However, some people give up halfway. Some people have the will to practice, yet while they are on this path, they retreat. A slight deviation causes a great divergence. So, we must attain a state of non-retreating. To do so, we must diligently cultivate the power of vows. Then we can “obtain all Dharma without retreating.”
Bodhisattvas fundamentally “seek the Buddha’s enlightenment and vow to transform sentient beings.” In order for us to “diligently practice both compassion and wisdom,” not only must we respect ourselves and be compassionate toward sentient beings, we must also exercise wisdom. This is most important to learn the Buddha-Dharma. We must not [move] forward only to [turn] back, learning one teaching but losing another one. We must firmly believe in the Dharma that we practice and apply it to our daily living. Then in our daily living, we constantly benefit and teach others so they may continue this cycle. Only then will our spiritual aspirations never retreat.
Next, let us discuss the phrase,
“By making offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas, we plant roots of virtues in Their presence and are constantly praised for this by all Buddhas.”
This verse from the Lotus Sutra tells us that when we learn Buddha’s teachings, we must always feel a sense of willingness and joy. When we are willing, we are constantly filled with the delight of Dharma-joy. When we hear the Buddha-Dharma we are joyous, so we willingly work with others. If we can be like this, when we willingly and happily help other people, then this is making offerings. [When] we accept and apply the Buddha’s teachings, we are accepting and applying teachings of past, present and future Buddhas, which are all the same. When we apply the Dharma to our hearts, the Buddhas will certainly be very happy. When we adopt the Buddha-mind and enter the Buddha-Dharma without retreating, that is also a form of offering.
But let us discuss the meaning of, “Making offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas.” There are three kinds of offerings we can make.
The first is offerings of wealth. This is a tangible, visible offering. When the Buddha was in this world, He and the Sangha focused on spiritual practice. The Dharma was their highest priority, and they practiced it internally and cultivated it externally. So, the daily living of the Sangha was dependent upon Dharma-protectors, the lay practitioners who protected the Dharma by making offerings. Part of the Sangha’s daily living was begging for alms, so all aspects of life, including clothing, food, shelter and transportation, had to be provided by people in society as part of their offerings. So, when the Buddha was alive, He encouraged people to make offerings to provide stability for Him and the Sangha. Then they could promote the Buddha-Dharma among people without worries. That is why we speak of offerings of wealth, giving money or material goods.
Then, the second is offerings of reverence. Reverence means respect. If the Buddha-Dharma is to prosper, then everybody must know to respect the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. They must have this sense of reverence. Only when the Buddha-Dharma is respected can it be promoted among people. Once people accept [the Dharma], then they know to respect it. So, as part of the etiquette of a religion, there must be an offering of reverence. So, [we must] “practice respect with our body when interacting with others; this reverence and harmony is our offering.” These are forms of etiquette and lessons in how to interact with others. Besides acting with respect, we must be harmonious when working with others. The Sangha has six points of reverent harmony. Harmony was an offering they made to the Buddha. The Buddha led a very large monastic community. If they did not live in reverent harmony, then this would not be possible. So, a monastic community must cultivate reverent harmony internally. Then naturally, Dharma-protectors outside of the community will respect [and support] them.
The third is the offering of Dharma, which is to practice the true teachings. This means we must cultivate the Four Infinite Minds and make the Four Universal Vows as an offering. We all know the Four Infinite Minds, loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. Infinite loving-kindness, infinite compassion, infinite joy and infinite equanimity are the Four Infinite Minds. We do not practice to benefit ourselves only; we must also benefit others. Because sentient beings experience much suffering, we Buddhists must exercise our Bodhisattva-minds. A Bodhisattva’s mind is inseparable from loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. These are called the Four Infinite Minds. Therefore, our spiritual practice cannot lack the Four Infinite Minds, or Four Immeasurables, and the Four Universal Vows. This is practicing the true teachings. These are the Three Offerings.
There are three kinds of offerings 1.Offerings of wealth. To give offerings of money or material goods 2.Offerings of reverence. To give offerings by practicing respect with one’s body when interacting with others; this reverence and harmony is our offering 3.Offerings of Dharma. To give offerings by earnestly cultivating the infinite minds and making universal vows.
Everyone, we are grateful every day when we come the prayer hall to pay our respects. The attendant monastic has already prepared everything perfectly and created a solemn atmosphere in the Great Hall. There are flowers and fruits before the Buddha so when we physically enter the Great Hall, there is a sense of solemnity and order. This is considered a way of giving, which is also a kind of offering.
Once this dignified scene has been set, we enter and hear sounds of bells and drums. We enter in an orderly fashion and worship reverently with our bodies and minds. This is practicing respect with one’s body. Then we sit and quietly reflect on the morning practice. Perhaps we then hear a Dharma teaching. As we mindfully listen to the Dharma, are we giving rise to spiritual aspirations? We should, for human form is difficult to attain, the Buddha-Dharma is difficult to hear and the path to Buddhahood is difficult to practice. We have already attained human form and heard the Buddha-Dharma, so now we must put the teachings into practice. If we can do this, we will always make all of the Three Offerings.
So, this is not difficult to do. Simple teachings are easy [to practice] in our daily living. To understand profound teachings, we must be determined and never retreat as we deal with people, matters and objects. We must be able to go among others to help them. We must practice the Four Infinite Minds and the Four Universal Vows when we deal with any person or any issue. If we can make these kinds of offerings, we can attain virtues of blessings and wisdom. If we can do this, then we have reached a level where we can make offerings to countless Buddhas.
Indeed, based on principles, we know that all Buddhas and all people have Buddha-nature. Those in front, behind, to the left and right are all Buddhas. We need to treat everyone we meet as a Buddha; they may be a Buddha now, a future Buddha, or a Buddha from the past. We use this sense of reverence to show them gratitude, respect and love. Gratitude is like an offering of wealth. Respect is an offering of reverence. Love refers to infinite minds. In our interactions with others, we are making offerings at all times and to every person. We must be able to achieve all this.
If so, then this is a blessing and it also demonstrates our wisdom. Only those with blessings and wisdom can be grateful to every person, respect every person and love everyone. A person who can do this is blessed and wise and has simultaneously cultivated the virtues of both blessings and wisdom. Thus, the Buddha is [called] the Two-Footed Honored One, for He has cultivated both blessings and wisdom, just as we humans need both of our legs in order to walk smoothly. We must have blessings and wisdom to successfully walk this Dharma-path. So, to attain the virtues of both blessings and wisdom, we must make these offerings.
These virtues are called the root of all virtues. The root of all virtues is the root of goodness. Blessings and wisdom are the roots of our spiritual practice. I often say, “A forest of Bodhi trees flourishes from one root.” When we are in a spiritual training ground, we can arouse Bodhicitta to create blessings and nurture our wisdom. The roots of blessings and wisdom must grow and extend so that each Bodhi tree can flourish. Then our Bodhicitta can thrive. So, the virtues of blessings and wisdom are the roots that we spiritual practitioners must cultivate. We must always be mindful.
With these offerings, we attain the two virtues of blessings and wisdom. Thus, we plant the root of all virtues, which is the root of goodness. The root of goodness is the foundation of the two virtues, blessings and wisdom.
Therefore, we call this making offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas. Those to whom we must make offerings are countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas. As I said earlier, there are countless Buddhas, but when we speak of our Buddha, aren’t we just referring to a specific one? Yes! More than two thousand years ago, Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment. But at that time the Buddha said, “Make offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas.” When we think carefully, we realize this is because the Buddha told us that every person has Buddha-nature. Perhaps one who attained Buddhahood in the past has returned to the human realm out of compassion, just as, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, there were many Dharmakaya-Bodhisattvas who had all attained Buddhahood in the past. During the Buddha’s lifetime, they returned out of compassion to help at this assembly.
Therefore, all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. So we must know that at all times, countless Buddhas are by our sides. Perhaps [that person] is a Buddha. Therefore, we must treat every person as a Buddha. Isn’t this what Never-Slighting Bodhisattva did? No matter how badly others yelled at or beat him, he still paid respect to them with reverence and dared not slight them. We must always have this sense of respect, this desire to make offerings. Moreover, there are past, present and future. Buddhas by our sides. We must make offerings with this state of mind.
“We plant roots of virtues in Their presence.” This means that when we make offerings with this mindset, naturally we are planting the roots of virtues among all Buddhas. Consider the many disasters we see in this world. In Haiti, Tzu Chi volunteers committed to going there and helping despite its harsh environment. We stayed by their sides for a very long time. Wave after wave of Bodhisattvas continuously took each other’s place. They went there with great love and respect. When they distributed relief goods, they bowed deeply from their waist, held the supplies up high and then reverently handed them over. Just think, they are the ones giving to others, but they are still so humble. People like this are called Bodhisattvas.
They feel gratitude and a sense of respect. They are grateful to the disaster victims for awakening their love, helping them understand the impermanence of life, realizing life’s suffering and training their perseverance. If we think about it, isn’t this “planting the roots of virtues in the presence of Buddhas”? In that place, we can nurture our roots of goodness so they become longer and thicker. Then, our [Bodhi] tree can flourish. This greatly strengthens our will to practice. This is how we rely on spiritual friends so we will never retreat. Every person in front of or behind us is a virtuous spiritual friend.
So, when we help others with great respect, of course we also receive their respect. Therefore, this verse states, “constantly praised by all Buddhas.” They are pleased with us and praise us because of our contributions. We are all in this place of spiritual practice; the Saha World is a training ground where all Buddhas can confirm we are not mistaken. If our hearts can be very peaceful, they will be the root by which we never retreat from our Bodhisattva-aspirations. Although giving willingly is very tiring, we are very happy because our efforts are affirmed by every person. Thus we are very peaceful.
It is said: They made offerings to countless Buddhas and planted roots of virtues in Their presence. They were those who relied on virtuous spiritual friends to never retreat. They were constantly praised by all Buddhas. Bodhisattvas saw Buddhas as teachers. They learned and practiced the path to enlightenment. Now they were praised by Buddhas who confirmed that they were not mistaken, so their minds were peaceful and free.
The Bodhisattva-path is this simple; we must train ourselves so that each day, we do not retreat. In interacting with others, we need to feel gratitude. We must treat them all as Buddhas with our gratitude, respect and love. So everyone, please always be mindful.