Episode 167 – Play Effortlessly with Wondrous Dharma-Joy
>> “They speak profound, wondrous verses, playing and bathing in the pure pool of the Dharma.”
>> “The most wondrous Dharma is called profound; the most profound is called extremely [profound].”
>> Because of the Dharma, Bodhisattvas are joyful and happy. Bodhisattvas always play effortlessly in supremely wondrous Dharma-joy. They are not defiled by states of desire.
>> “The World-Honored One, having praised him, and caused Wondrous Light to be joyful, then taught the Lotus Sutra for a full 60 small kalpas.”
>> “He did not rise from His seat.” He did not leave that place. “The supreme and wondrous Dharma He taught was what Dharma Master Wondrous Light was able to fully accept and uphold.”
>> To accept and uphold: Listening to this wondrous Dharma of the One Vehicle, we accept and uphold this state. Because we gain faith and understanding again, we realize it in our hearts so our self-nature can accept and uphold it. Because we can accept it, we can also uphold it.
At the start of each day, I ask all of you, “Are you taking good care of your mind?” As spiritual practitioners, this is our fundamental duty. If we are mindful, we will not deviate from this broad Bodhi-path. Thus, we want to take good care of our minds.
As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must awaken ourselves and others to have perfect awakened conduct. In learning, our minds can realize [the Dharma]. After we understand the Dharma, we then need to propagate it so that others can realize it as well. Thus, we must expound it. In the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, this sutra passage states,
“They speak profound, wondrous verses, playing and bathing in the pure pool of the Dharma.”
This passage tells us that the Dharma is extremely profound and broad, and its meanings are infinite and boundless. How deep is extremely profound? How vast is the scope of extremely broad? These things are immeasurable. So, they are described this way:
“The most wondrous Dharma is called profound; the most profound is called extremely [profound].”
How profound? We do not know. At its extremely wondrous [state], it is beyond description. At that state, it is very profound. This is one way to describe it.
Actually, everything in the universe is contained within one word, “Dharma.” How can we describe its vastness, profundity and greatness? It is beyond description, so we call it extremely profound. “The most profound” is called extremely [profound]. So, in describing the Dharma’s vastness, boundlessness and depth, we can use the word “extremely.”
As for subtle and wondrous, “subtle” means extremely refined, things so small they are indescribable. This is known as wondrous. Thus, the Buddha-Dharma in the universe, in the macrocosm, in all things, cannot be measured, and can only be experienced with our minds, so we call it extremely subtle and wondrous. If we can experience and feel this Dharma, then it is truly extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma.
Because of the Dharma, Bodhisattvas are joyful and happy. Bodhisattvas always play effortlessly in supremely wondrous Dharma-joy. They are not defiled by states of desire.
“Because of the Dharma, Bodhisattvas are joyful and happy.” We are joyful when we attain this Dharma. That joy is so great it is impossible to describe. For us, this kind of joy is described as “playing effortlessly.” In this state, we are very happy and do not have many entanglements. Extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma helps free our minds from entanglements. This is known as liberation and playing effortlessly.
As I discussed previously, Bodhisattvas play effortlessly in this world. Through this playing, they come to understand human suffering. The Buddha taught principles of the truth of suffering. All Bodhisattvas not only understand the principles of the truth of suffering, they also understand how to transcend suffering and achieve [a state in which] “the mind is without hindrances; there are no hindrances,” this kind of state of liberation.
So, “Because of the Dharma, Bodhisattvas are joyful and happy.” As they help others, they are also very happy and will not be entangled by any worldly desires. Bodhisattvas will not be bound by them, so they are free and at ease. Thus, they are called Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas have attained profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma, so they are very happy.
“Bodhisattvas play effortlessly in supremely wondrous Dharma-joy.” This is every Bodhisattva’s state of mind. Because they are not defiled by worldly desires, they can “play effortlessly.” So, “Because of the Dharma, Bodhisattvas are joyful and happy.” Their joy comes from the Dharma. This is the state of Bodhisattvas.
Indeed, in the past I told a story about that kind of joy. It takes place in the time of King Ashoka. King Ashoka was alive during the Golden Age of India and ruled his country with the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, his people respected each other and particularly admired the Three Treasures.
During his reign, whenever King Ashoka saw a monastic, he respectfully bowed and prostrated. Thus, he expressed respect for the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. On one occasion, when he surveyed his kingdom with his ministers, he saw a young novice monk who looked very innocent and adorable. Great respect arose in the king’s heart, and he wanted to prostrate, but there were so many ministers with him he felt that a person of his stature could not humble himself to bow to a novice monk. Still, the king had this urge, so he led the novice monk to a place where no one else was around. Then he stepped back, bowed and prostrated.
“Young monk, when I saw you today, I felt great joy and respect, so I bow and prostrate to you now. But this is just between you and me. Do not tell anyone that today I, King Ashoka, have prostrated to you.”
After the novice monk heard this, he noticed a jar on the ground and transformed himself into a tiny child and squeezed into it. The young child in the jar was free and at ease. Then the monk transformed back again and stood before King Ashoka. The king was stunned. “How do you have this ability?” The novice monk told him, “Great King, let me tell you that. I’m only showing this to you, no one else knows. Today you saw me squeeze into that jar, but do not tell anyone else. This is our mutual secret.”
King Ashoka was very shocked [and said], “Indeed, we cannot overlook anything in this world. How could I have looked down on a novice monk?” He felt very remorseful and repentant. “I follow the Buddha and listen to the Dharma, so why couldn’t I break my attachment to ego? I am truly repentant.”
Listening to this story brings a sense of joy. This is also how we can thoroughly understand the Buddha-Dharma. This is also an effortless play with each other. Moreover, as Buddhist practitioners on the Bodhisattva-path, we must constantly apply the Dharma in our hearts with joy. Regardless of what we encounter, we must have a mindset free of entanglements as we earnestly deal with our external conditions.
By being earnest, we can discern right from wrong. To learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must be very earnest. Particularly, in an era like this, we must clearly know right from wrong. By transcending our ignorance, we can attain wisdom and discern right from wrong. When we do the right things, we will feel very joyful. Thus, we will constantly do the right things. This is what [brings us] the greatest joy and is the Bodhisattva-state of playing effortlessly. As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must also learn to attain this wonderful state.
We have discussed the following passage from the Lotus Sutra before. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha praised Wondrous Light Bodhisattva by saying, “You have the clearest understanding of My mind.” This means he realized that Buddha’s original intent. Buddhas harbor subtle and wondrous Dharma. Because Wondrous Light Bodhisattva realized this, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha happily praised him. As this passage of the sutra states,
“The World-Honored One, having praised him, and caused Wondrous Light to be joyful, then taught the Lotus Sutra for a full 60 small kalpas.”
How long is 60 small kalpas? I often explain it with [the following analogy]. If the [average] human lifespan is 80,000 years and decreases by one year every 100 years until the [average] lifespan is only 10 years and then increases by one year every 100 years until the [average] lifespan is again 80,000 years, the time it takes for this decrease and increase is known as “one small kalpa.” How long does this actually take? Truly, a very long time. “One small kalpa” already [feels] incalculable, much less 60 small kalpas
60 small kalpas is then a very long time. So, for that long period of time,
“He did not rise from His seat.” He did not leave that place. “The supreme and wondrous Dharma He taught was what Dharma Master Wondrous Light was able to fully accept and uphold.”
All of this describes a spiritual state. Buddhist disciples must have this feeling, view and understanding as they observe the Buddha. The Buddha was in Samadhi for what felt like a very long time to some people. Actually, for the Buddha it was a very short time. This span of time was indeterminate; it cannot be described as long or short. So, we use “kalpa” to describe it.
“He did not rise from His seat” means. He did not leave that spot. He is leisurely and free, completely free of entanglements and the limitations of time. Thus, no matter how long that felt to us, it felt very brief to the Buddha.
“The supreme and wondrous Dharma He taught was what Dharma Master Wondrous Light was able to fully accept and uphold.” He taught supreme and wondrous Dharma. In that place with so many people, only Dharma Master Wondrous Light was able to fully understand, accept and uphold it.
To accept and uphold: Listening to this wondrous Dharma of the One Vehicle, we accept and uphold this state. Because we gain faith and understanding again, we realize it in our hearts so our self-nature can accept and uphold it. Because we can accept it, we can also uphold it.
“Accepting and upholding” has two parts. One part relates to external conditions; the other relates to our mental conditions. To externally accept and uphold means that “listening to this wondrous Dharma of One Vehicle, we accept and uphold this state.” This means when the Buddha teaches, Bodhisattvas comprehend and accept it, and they know this is wondrous Dharma of the One Vehicle. This is the state they [encounter], so they can take the sound of His teachings into their hearts to accept and uphold them. These are the external states.
In addition, “because we gain faith and understanding again, we realize it in our hearts so our self-nature can accept and practice it.” When the Buddha teaches, we have reverence, faith and understanding. Not only do we believe, but we can also understand. More importantly, we realize and enter [teachings].
We truly realize this Dharma and engrave it into our hearts. That is what it means to realize something, We can verify that the Dharma resonates with our minds. We “realize it in our hearts, so our self-nature can accept and uphold it.” Then the Dharma will be part of our self-nature, and we will fully understand it.
“To hear one thing and know ten things” or “to hear one thing and understand thousands” means to hear one principle and thoroughly understand the true principles of the universe. This is what it means to “realize” something so it enters our minds, so “our self-nature can accept and uphold it. Because we can accept it, we can also uphold it.” We know it well enough to accept it, so we can persist [in upholding it].
Thus, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must receive it from external conditions and allow it to enter our minds. When the Dharma truly resonates with our minds, it becomes part of our realization and awakening. When we hear one thing, we can know ten things or a hundred or a thousand things. A single teaching can give rise to countless realizations. This is true acceptance and practice.
Therefore, the World-Honored One praised. Dharma Master Wondrous Light, so he was very joyous. He knew that the Buddha’s teachings encompassed extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. Thus, regardless of the length of time, in the state of the Buddha, within a short period of time, He can convey many teachings. People who did not understand might have thought, “It is taking so long, what Dharma is He trying to teach?” and could not realize it, no matter how long it took. If they could realize a teaching in that instant, they could then thoroughly understand the true principles of all things in the universe.
Like Bodhisattvas, we must have a sense of playfulness when striving to understand the phenomena of this world. These are teachings that we must make an effort to practice and uphold. So, in summary, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must truly be mindful of extremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. With joyous and unfettered minds, we can treat [everything] as play. This will lead to happiness. Learning the Dharma should fill us with Dharma-joy, not afflictions. Everyone, please always be mindful.