Episode 131 – All Buddhas Exercise Compassion and Wisdom
>> “[Bodhisattvas] pour a stream of supreme Mahayana on sentient beings’ roots of goodness.”
>> The six auspicious signs prior to the Lotus Sutra were His introductory teachings, His Samadhi, the rain of flowers, the shaking of the land, the beholder’s delight, and the Buddha’s radiance. These six auspicious signs are rituals of teaching that all Buddhas of Three Realms and ten directions must manifest as They are about to expound the Lotus Sutra.
>> So “all attained what they had never had before. They rejoiced and put their palms together and wholeheartedly gazed upon the Buddha.”
>> Everything up to “wholeheartedly gazed upon the Buddha” was the achievement of demeanor in the world of sentient beings. This was just like the present moment when. Sakyamuni Buddha was about to teach the Dharma.
>> “Then the Tathagata radiated light from the tuft of white hair between His brows, which illumined 18,000 Buddha-lands to the east, excluding none of them, just like how we see all Buddha-lands today.”
>> “At that time in the assembly, [were] two billion Bodhisattvas who took delight in listening to the Dharma. Upon seeing this bright light illumine all Buddha-lands, all Bodhisattvas attained what they had never had and wished to know the causes and conditions for this light.”
Have we taken care of our mind? Every day, after attending the morning recitation, we sit down to adjust our mind. Do our mind wander outside, or are we focused on our bodies, or focused on our thoughts? We can connect our mind to the inside, the outside or to itself. It is best for it to connect to our mindset; this state of mind is all Dharma. I have previously said that, in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, the Buddha taught “the unspoken Lotus Sutra.” This begins when we first adjust our minds, starting with the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links. These teachings are like water that cleanses our minds, layer by layer, so we can become pure. It washes away our ignorance and afflictions and cools the mind when it is ablaze with anxiety.
Thus, the Buddha uses Dharma-water to irrigate our minds. So, the Sutra of Infinite Meanings says,
“[Bodhisattvas] pour a stream of supreme Mahayana on sentient beings’ roots of goodness.”
We pour this stream because after we plant the seeds, we need to work on irrigating them so the seedlings may sprout up from the roots of spiritual practice. For the roots to extend and for sprouts to grow, the Dharma is needed. After we absorb it, we need to extend the Buddha’s teachings and continuously use Dharma-water to nourish the seedlings.
As I have said before, we plant the roots of goodness and then bring them to maturity. When the roots of goodness mature, we may attain liberation. This is what the Buddha mindfully [worked towards]. We have to make an effort to water the seeds in our hearts so that the roots of goodness may grow. Thus it says, “spread the seeds of goodness over the fields of merits.” If the land is moist, we need to take advantage of the conditions and quickly sow and cultivate the seeds so they can cover the fields of merits. [To attain] merits, we need to exercise compassion and maintain our wisdom-life. Only with wisdom-life can the land be fertile.
We have said that before the Buddha spoke, there were six auspicious signs. Actually, these indicated that the Buddha was about to give great teachings. This was a great event in the world so six auspicious signs appeared to mark this start of the Buddha’s teaching. The Dharma-assembly had to be magnificent, it had to first have this auspicious appearance. When expounding the Lotus Sutra, both past and present Buddhas manifested the same appearance and engendered a sense of calm and auspiciousness. These are the “auspices of speaking the Dharma,” auspicious signs before the Dharma was taught. This is the first auspice of the Dharma.
After everyone arrived, the Buddha entered Samadhi. This is called “auspice of entering Samadhi.” With the Buddha in Samadhi, a shower of flowers then ensues and the six kinds of shaking occur. People are pleased by the shower of flowers and six kinds of shaking. They delight in the auspicious signs. Next, light is radiated. Everybody is in a calm and auspicious environment. Then they see the Buddha radiating light from the pores of His body. In particular, light radiated from between His brows. This was different from appearances when previously giving teachings. So, these are the “six auspicious signs.” They are rituals of teaching that all Buddhas of the Three Realms and ten directions must manifest as They are about to expound the Lotus Sutra.
The six auspicious signs prior to the Lotus Sutra were His introductory teachings, His Samadhi, the rain of flowers, the shaking of the land, the beholder’s delight, and the Buddha’s radiance. These six auspicious signs are rituals of teaching that all Buddhas of Three Realms and ten directions must manifest as They are about to expound the Lotus Sutra.
We have often said that all Buddhas share the same path. No matter which Buddha appears in the world, no matter how long He has helped sentient beings, in the end, He must teach the Lotus Sutra, because it is the ultimate great Dharma. The Lotus Sutra is truly the great cause for which all Buddhas appear in the world. They all want to “open and reveal” teachings so sentient beings can “realize and enter” them. The true principles and teachings of all Buddhas are the same.
As I discussed previously about the Lotus Sutra, before Sun-Moon-Light Radiant Buddha taught it, these six auspicious signs already appeared in the Dharma-assembly. This phenomenon was unsurpassed and indescribably beautiful and peaceful.
So “all attained what they had never had before. They rejoiced and put their palms together and wholeheartedly gazed upon the Buddha.”
At [the assembly,] they all attained joy they had never had before. Out of that joy, they reverently put their palms together. All of them were reverent, and their minds were focused on the Buddha. Sun-Moon-Light Radiant Buddha [inspired] the same. Not just the first, second or third, all 20,000 Sun-Moon-Light Radiant Buddhas share the same path. Those in the same state, felt the same way and the same reverence, and wholeheartedly gazed upon the Buddha. This is “the achievement of demeanor in the world of sentient beings.”
Everything up to “wholeheartedly gazed upon the Buddha” was the achievement of demeanor in the world of sentient beings. This was just like the present moment when. Sakyamuni Buddha was about to teach the Dharma.
The Buddha gave teachings according to the capabilities of sentient beings. The Lotus Sutra is a great teaching, which teaches us to “retain all teachings and do all good deeds.” As I have said, this is Dharani, which encompasses all teachings. The Buddha came to this world to teach the magnificence of the Dharma. He meticulously expounded these teachings so they would know the sequence of the teachings and the proper ways to pay respect to the Buddha. Then the minds of sentient beings would become disciplined. This is “the achievement of demeanor in the world of sentient beings.” We can see those people listening to the Dharma had achieved discipline and demeanor just as when Sakyamuni was expounding the Dharma. Similarly, the 20,000 past Sun-Moon-Light Radiant Buddhas all shared the same path and gave teachings in the same order as the present Sakyamuni Buddha.
Furthermore, this is how the sutra describes it,
“Then the Tathagata radiated light from the tuft of white hair between His brows, which illumined 18,000 Buddha-lands to the east, excluding none of them, just like how we see all Buddha-lands today.”
This is what Manjusri Bodhisattva described. In the past, Sun-Moon-Light Radiant Buddha also radiated light from the tuft of white hair between His brows. This light illumines 18,000 Buddha-lands to the east and is very expansive and far-reaching. We all know that the sun rises from the east. Actually, the moment in which the Buddha sat there was the time the sun was about rise. The 32 Marks of the Buddha [included how] light shone on the tuft of white hair between. His brows will then be reflected back even more brilliantly. This describes a very long distance and a very broad area. “Excluding none of them” means that the light reached everywhere.
The Buddha’s light cannot be covered by anything, anywhere. This is intrinsic in our minds. If our minds are wise and pure and are able to radiate the light of wisdom, even when we are in a dark place, our minds will still be radiant. This also explains why when we hear the Dharma, it must penetrate our hearts. If the Dharma is in our hearts, there exists no place of darkness. Wherever the light of the Buddha shines, it also shines into the hearts of sentient beings.
This Dharma-assembly was very magnificent. Every person was wholeheartedly watching the Buddha. Everyone’s attention was focused on the Buddha. Every movement of the Buddha was Dharma. The Dharma penetrated people’s hearts. This means that a countless number of people have already received the light of the Buddha. This is called “excluding none of them.”
It is everywhere, “just like how we see all Buddha-lands today.” When Sakyamuni radiated light from between His brows and illumined the east, people did not understand. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva evoked past Sun-Moon-Light Radiant Buddhas to explain the present [situation]. This is Manjusri Bodhisattva’s skillful wisdom. But if nobody asked, Manjusri Bodhisattva would not have spoken. So, this was a sign of Maitreya’s compassion. He saw that people still did not really understand the great cause of the Buddha. The Buddha was about to freely carry out His original intent, but many people still did not understand.
So, this led Manjusri Bodhisattva to speak of past Buddhas. This passage sums up this teaching with a dialog between Maitreya and Manjusri. “Maitreya!” Manjusri Bodhisattva called on Maitreya again. “Maitreya, you should know.” This shows both Bodhisattvas knew each other well so they called each other by name. Moreover, Manjusri Bodhisattva had taught seven Buddhas, and Maitreya was one of Manjusri’s past disciples. So now, Manjusri called out to Maitreya, to alert us all to pay attention. So he called out again, “Maitreya, you should know,”
“At that time in the assembly, [were] two billion Bodhisattvas who took delight in listening to the Dharma. Upon seeing this bright light illumine all Buddha-lands, all Bodhisattvas attained what they had never had and wished to know the causes and conditions for this light.”
“That time” refers to the time of Sun-Moon-Light Radiant Buddha. His Dharma-assembly was well-attended. In this Dharma-assembly, two billion Bodhisattvas wanted to hear the Dharma. Even though they were already Bodhisattvas, they wanted to improve themselves because every Buddha has unsurpassed wisdom. So though they had all reached the stage to be Bodhisattvas, they still have potential to improve. There is still Dharma for them to pursue. This means that we all need to be diligent. We cannot be arrogant and think that we have already heard the Dharma and that the teachings are always the same. When I talk, I also repeat what I say. Indeed, the Dharma is the same, but have you taken it to heart? Have you understood it? Have you experienced it? Have you physically put it into practice? We have to promote it ceaselessly and continue to be vigilant.
So at that time, two billion Bodhisattvas sought the Dharma at the same Dharma-assembly, and they “took delight in” and happily listened to teachings. “All Bodhisattvas, upon seeing this bright light illumine all Buddha-lands.” All the Bodhisattvas were waiting for the Buddha, who was radiating light and had entered Samadhi. They were all very happy to be there and mentally prepared to receive His Dharma. They were happy to “attained what they had never had and know the cause and conditions for this light.” They all saw the radiated light and were happily waiting to hear the great Dharma. They wanted to know why He radiated this light.
These are “auspicious signs of the Lotus Sutra.” All Buddhas share the same path. When they are about to teach the Lotus Sutra, six auspicious signs will appear. Light will radiate from the brows of the Buddha. The causes and conditions for expounding the Dharma have already begun to mature.
So, we have to understand that the Dharma is profound. If we are mindful in our daily living, the Dharma will be inseparable from our hearts. When the Dharma is in our hearts, it will be a part of our actions. So everybody, please always be mindful.