Episode 63 – Bodhisattvas Are Enlightened Sentient Beings
>> We learn the Buddha’s teachings so His Dharma can deeply enter our minds. We can uphold the Buddha-Dharma in infinite worlds. Thus, the Dharma will never cease, and we can accomplish the great work of Bodhisattvas to transform sentient beings.
>>Countless hundreds of thousands of Buddhas. Earlier I spoke of how “in the presence of those Buddhas we plant various roots of virtues.”
>> “They trained themselves with loving-kindness and were able to enter the Buddha’s wisdom. They entered the great wisdom and arrived at the other shore. Their names spread throughout infinite worlds, and they can save countless sentient beings.”
>> When their names are known around the world, they can uphold the Dharma so it does not cease. Thus, they can accomplish the great work of. Bodhisattvas to transform sentient beings. Thus, what should be and has been done, must be upheld without retreat.
>> [The passage] begins with Manjusri Bodhisattva, a representative of the Bodhisattvas. Also, there were: Guanyin Bodhisattva. Attained Great Might Bodhisattva. Constant Diligence Bodhisattva. Never Resting Bodhisattva. Jeweled Palm Bodhisattva. Medicine King Bodhisattva. Courageous Giving Bodhisattva. Jeweled Moon Bodhisattva. Moonlight Bodhisattva. Full Moon Bodhisattva. Great Strength Bodhisattva. Unlimited Strength Bodhisattva. Transcending Three Realms Bodhisattva. Bhadrapala Bodhisattva. Maitreya Bodhisattva. Jewel Accumulation Bodhisattva. Guiding Master Bodhisattva.
>>Manjusri Bodhisattva. His name translates to “wondrous virtue,” and he had the virtue of profound and wondrous wisdom, so he is called Great Wisdom Manjusri Bodhisattva.
We learn the Buddha’s teachings so His Dharma can deeply enter our minds. We can uphold the Buddha-Dharma in infinite worlds. Thus, the Dharma will never cease, and we can accomplish the great work of Bodhisattvas to transform sentient beings.
This shows everyone that when we are practicing and learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must let the Dharma deeply enter our minds. I often say that we have the minds of unenlightened beings, but we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. Though we are unenlightened beings right now, we can hear the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma is profound and wondrous, and it can cleanse our minds. It can turn the unenlightened into noble beings. The minds of unenlightened beings contain afflictions and ignorance. Because the Dharma is like water, it can wash away our ignorance. So, we must allow the Dharma to enter our minds so that it can reach our intrinsic nature. This is how we return to the deep place of our intrinsic nature. If we can do this, then we can uphold the Buddha-Dharma in infinite worlds.
Sentient beings of infinite worlds need the Buddha-Dharma. It contains the truth of human nature. If we do not return to our true nature, we remain endlessly lost in the Six Realms. This leads to unspeakable suffering. Only in the human realm can we hear the Dharma and cultivate our minds through our physical form. This is the advantage of the human realm. If we do not take advantage of this lifetime, we will transmigrate endlessly in the Six Realms and be unable to attain liberation. Now that we are learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must strongly resolve to allow the Buddha-Dharma to deeply enter our minds. If we enter the deepest part of our minds, we can understand and realize our true nature. If we can do so, we can uphold the Buddha-Dharma in infinite worlds.
After we are liberated, we must return to the Saha World. Sentient beings of infinite worlds need the Buddha-Dharma [to be] transformed. Therefore, we can uphold the Buddha-Dharma by spreading it to infinite worlds so that the Dharma will not cease. Thus, we achieve the great work of Bodhisattvas. This means that, if we can firmly uphold the Buddha-Dharma and promote it in the human realm, then this Dharma-lineage will remain unbroken, and the Dharma will continue to be spread.
Before, didn’t I mention turning the Dharma-wheel? A Bodhisattva’s practice must reach. Annutara-samyak-sambodhi; we must reach the level of no retreat, of supreme, perfect, universal enlightenment. Then we can have “joyful unobstructed eloquence and turn the irreversible Dharma-wheel.” Joyful, unobstructed eloquence is the way we promote the Buddha-Dharma. Depending on the type of sentient beings we meet and their capabilities, we choose the kind of Dharma to teach. This requires unobstructed eloquence. That is how we turn the Dharma-wheel. Not only that, but it is an offering of conduct. It is an offering of Dharma we make to.
Countless hundreds of thousands of Buddhas. Earlier I spoke of how “in the presence of those Buddhas we plant various roots of virtues.”
We can constantly be in the state of the Buddha. Besides making offerings to the Buddha and rescuing sentient beings, we want to continuously accumulate virtues. Bodhisattvas seek the Buddha’s Way and transform sentient beings. So, we must also transform sentient beings. Earlier it was also mentioned that. Bodhisattvas’ hearts are very open and broad, and they are continuously saving sentient beings. [The passage] also says that we rely on opportunities to transform beings to perfect our wisdom. As mentioned earlier,
“They trained themselves with loving-kindness and were able to enter the Buddha’s wisdom. They entered the great wisdom and arrived at the other shore. Their names spread throughout infinite worlds, and they can save countless sentient beings.”
Bodhisattvas want to attain supreme, perfect, universal enlightenment and turn the Dharma-wheel without obstruction. Thus, “they enter the Buddha’s wisdom and arrive at the other shore,” which is the state of Buddhas. Then, “their names spread.” This is what we must understand. The farther we go and the more we do, the more affinities we form with sentient beings. So, “to achieve the great work of Bodhisattvas,” we must always [remain] in infinite worlds. No matter where we are or what kind of environment we are in, we must plant blessed causes and create good connections with sentient beings. This creates opportunities to save all beings, to accomplish the endless task of saving all sentient beings. This is the goal of our Bodhisattva-practice, of learning the path to Buddhahood.
So, there are many Bodhisattvas. “Their names spread throughout infinite worlds and they are able to save infinite sentient beings.” Because their names are known around the world, “they can uphold the Dharma so it does not cease.” If we can constantly let others hear the names of Bodhisattvas, then everyone will know that. Bodhisattvas are Buddhist practitioners, who firmly uphold the Buddha’s teachings as they transform many beings in the human realm. Since Bodhisattvas live in this world, of course they must have names. So, “their names spread” and are heard by people everywhere.
There are still people in many places who do not know about the Buddha-Dharma or Bodhisattvas. Take the country of Haiti for example. The majority of the population is Catholic. What about Buddhism? They have not heard of it. Since they have not heard of Buddhism, how would they know what a Bodhisattva is? These were the causes and conditions. [However], there was a great disaster in Haiti, a strong earthquake. With these causes and conditions, Tzu Chi volunteers from the US went to Haiti. Amidst this group of suffering sentient beings, they ceaselessly provided for them.
The suffering of sentient beings is truly a living hell. Tzu Chi volunteers felt deeply for them and thus continuously rotated [in teams], replacing one another without stopping or resting. They were also like a wheel that radiated out from a center. Every day they gathered in one place and then went out to help everyone in that area. They did not only give out material goods but were also able to show them, “There is a group of people from faraway; you do not know them and their skin is of a different color. They also speak a different language. So why would these people enter these challenging conditions to help you like this?”
To help them understand, they had to explain, “We are from the US. Our organization is based in Taiwan. This is a Buddhist organization. What is Buddhism? In Buddhism, there are those called ‘Bodhisattvas Bodhisattvas’ are ‘awakened sentient beings’, [meaning] they have awakened to comprehend the world’s many forms of suffering. They understand that the world is impermanent and that we never know what will happen or when.” Those who comprehend the appearance of the world, [its many] forms and its nature are called “Bodhisattvas.” We have all learned, heard and comprehended these teachings of the Buddha and are practicing the Bodhisattva-path. We practice [charity] in this world based on the Bodhisattvas’ methods. The power of love we exercise originates in Taiwan, with this religious organization.
Using skillful means and responding to their capabilities, adapting to the time and place, we share teachings with other people at all times. We do not only talk about them, we also put them into action. So, in Haiti, when people see a group of people in blue and white uniforms, they know these are Tzu Chi volunteers. They know that in Tzu Chi, these people are called Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas are all good people, people who help others. The religion of these Bodhisattvas is Buddhism.
With their actions, they “uphold the Dharma so it does not cease.” They teach by example and use their actions to promote the Buddha-Dharma, “[to] achieve the great work of Bodhisattvas [by transforming] sentient beings.” This is the principle behind spreading the name. Otherwise, we would be shut away in a monastery to focus on our own enlightenment. After comprehending the Buddha-Dharma, what should we do? We have to spread this Dharma around the world so that the Buddha-Dharma will not cease. That is how we attain the state of Bodhisattvas.
Bodhisattvas help each other’s spiritual practice. Thus, “what should be and has been done must be upheld without retreat.” As for what we should do as [Living] Bodhisattvas, we should learn the Bodhisattva [Way] and go among and interact with people. This is our duty. This is our mission; it is “what should be done.” It is not just something we should do, but something we are all responsible for. We all must undertake this mission. We must uphold the Buddha-Dharma so it will not cease in this world. So, this is our responsibility. No matter “what should be and has been done, [all] must be upheld without retreat.”
When their names are known around the world, they can uphold the Dharma so it does not cease. Thus, they can accomplish the great work of. Bodhisattvas to transform sentient beings. Thus, what should be and has been done, must be upheld without retreat.
As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, since we have developed these aspirations, when we find something good, we take it to heart. Since these are good teachings, we must always seize them and practice them with our bodies and minds so the Dharma will not recede.
These Bodhisattvas need to have names, because “their names spread.” There are many Bodhisattvas. How many are there? In the assembly at Vulture Peak, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, there were many. Besides the tens of thousands of Arhats and the assembly of bhiksunis, there were 80,000 Bodhisattvas in total. It was such a grand assembly. Just think, with 80,000 Bodhisattvas, there must have been representatives of the Bodhisattvas. Earlier, I spoke of the representatives of the bhiksus and Arhats. Similarly, because there were 80,000 Bodhisattvas, they must have had representatives.
[The passage] begins with Manjusri Bodhisattva, a representative of the Bodhisattvas. Also, there were: Guanyin Bodhisattva. Attained Great Might Bodhisattva. Constant Diligence Bodhisattva. Never Resting Bodhisattva. Jeweled Palm Bodhisattva. Medicine King Bodhisattva. Courageous Giving Bodhisattva. Jeweled Moon Bodhisattva. Moonlight Bodhisattva. Full Moon Bodhisattva. Great Strength Bodhisattva. Unlimited Strength Bodhisattva. Transcending Three Realms Bodhisattva. Bhadrapala Bodhisattva. Maitreya Bodhisattva. Jewel Accumulation Bodhisattva. Guiding Master Bodhisattva.
The 18 Bodhisattvas on this list represented the 80,000 Bodhisattvas there.
Bodhisattva, as I have said before, means “an enlightened sentient being.” In this world, enlightened sentient beings are also called “great beings.” Do you remember? We often hear about the “great being in white,” which is Guanyin Bodhisattva. So, another name for Bodhisattvas is “great being,” or “great name.” The names of these Bodhisattvas are well-known.
They may be named according to the schools of Buddhism they follow or the methods of their practice. They may be named based on their virtues [or] for their fundamental vows. So, each Bodhisattva had a talent. An example of one name based on a method of practice is.
Manjusri Bodhisattva. His name translates to “wondrous virtue,” and he had the virtue of profound and wondrous wisdom, so he is called Great Wisdom Manjusri Bodhisattva.
We also know that Manjusri Bodhisattva had already attained Buddhahood and had been the teacher of the seven ancient Buddhas. He had [cultivated his] wisdom for a long time and had practiced it for countless kalpas. He focused on the Dharma-practice of wisdom. So, when we learn Buddhism, if we lack wisdom, we cannot attain our goal. Indeed, the Buddha told us that sentient beings intrinsically have Buddha-nature. The wisdom of sentient beings is equal to that of the Buddha, but it is covered by ignorance. What methods can we use to eliminate our ignorance so that we return to [a state of] wisdom? Of course, we use wisdom to eliminate ignorance. The principle behind this is cyclical in nature. Everyone’s intrinsic nature has wisdom equal to the Buddha’s wisdom. As for ignorance, it must be eliminated by wisdom.
Therefore, Manjusri was a teacher of the seven ancient Buddhas and was also the begetter of wisdom. So, he used wisdom to spread the Buddha’s teachings in this world and to guide sentient beings to enter the Buddha-Dharma. So, Manjusri was [named] Great Wisdom, which means he has profound and wondrous wisdom. He is an immensely wise Bodhisattva. He is rare because he enlightens himself and others and has perfect enlightened conduct, and he has even guided others to attain Buddhahood. So, if we truly want to enter [the Dharma] with wisdom, we must diligently practice. Manjusri Bodhisattva’s teachings. So, we can understand. Manjusri Bodhisattva’s character. He has perfected his spiritual practice and helped the seven ancient Buddhas attain enlightenment.
In conclusion, Buddhas transmit [the Dharma] to each other, and then return out of compassion to help [other] Buddhas transform sentient beings. This is the virtue of a Bodhisattva. So, we must always be mindful, and moreover, we must delve into and comprehend the Buddha-Dharma. So, everyone, please always be mindful!