Episode 234 – Teaching Ultimate Reality through Skillful Means
>>”The wisdom of all Buddhas is vast
and profound. They have achieved rare and difficult-to-understand Dharma. But
based on the various capabilities of the Three Vehicle practitioners, They
taught ultimate reality through dependent truths.”
>>”At that time in the assembly, there were Hearers, Arhats who
ended all Leaks, Ajnata Kaundinya and others.”
>> Besides these 1200 bhiksus, there were people who aspired to be.
Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. Bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas
“The wisdom of all Buddhas is vast and profound.
They have achieved rare and difficult-to-understand Dharma.
But based on the various capabilities of the Three Vehicle practitioners,
They taught ultimate reality through dependent truths.”
In this time, we continue to hope that everyone will develop great faith. Therefore, we must believe that the wisdom of all Buddhas is vast and profound and that They have achieved rare and difficult-to-understand Dharma.
We have been continuously discussing these passages. This is also what the Buddha taught before He taught the Lotus Sutra to the Three Vehicle disciples, Hearers, Solitary Realizers and newly-inspired Bodhisattvas.
The Three Vehicle teachings are different and are for those with different karmic conditions. The Buddha taught them the principles that they could understand. So, those are called “dependent truths. Dependent” refers to how they are suited for their different capabilities. Small Vehicle practitioners, or Hearers, rely on listening to achieve understanding. When they first listen to teachings, based on their capabilities, He taught them principles they could understand. These are “dependent” and are “truths.” Based on their karmic conditions, He taught them principles they could understand.
Realizers of Conditions, Solitary Realizers and. Pratyekabuddhas have the same capabilities. These names mean the same thing. For these practitioners of average capabilities, He taught based on their capabilities and spoke of what they could understand and contemplate deeply. These are also “dependent” and are “truths.” These principles suit their capabilities and understanding.
Newly-inspired Bodhisattvas know that they should not only focus on their own self-awakening but must also awaken others. They must transform themselves and also aspire to transform others. Bodhisattvas who have just made such aspirations are called newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. To these people who have just formed aspirations, based on their capabilities, He taught principles that would help them remain inspired. These are also “dependent” and are “truths.”
“Truths” refers to principles. “Dependent” refers to the karmic condition of their capabilities. Thus, “They teach ultimate reality through dependent truths.” Based on the capabilities they began with, He continually gave them teachings that they could understand to [guide them from] the simple to the profound. Regardless of their capabilities, they would continuously advance from the simple to the profound. Now, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, everyone’s capabilities and conditions should be suitable for the Buddha to give them the great teachings. It is time [to teach] what He had been carrying in His mind for over 40 years, which is the wondrous Dharma of the One Vehicle. This is how He “teaches ultimate reality through dependent truths.” At this time, He was about to reveal the ultimate.
The next verse of the sutra states,
“At that time in the assembly, there were Hearers, Arhats who ended all Leaks, Ajnata Kaundinya and others.”
This is the moment the Buddha was about to speak. The previous sections were given in verse. Now that we are finished with these verses, the next section is in prose. This new passage describes the Hearers in the assembly. They were wondering, “What Dharma will the Buddha expound? Aren’t the teachings we have been listening to the Buddha-Dharma?”
In the assembly, there were people with the capabilities of Hearers, Arhats who had ended all Leaks. We know what Hearers and Arhats are like. Hearers rely on listening to teachings to understand the Buddha-Dharma. By realizing truths, they attain liberation. But, this is a limited liberation. In this way, when people with small capabilities listen to this Dharma, they become open and understanding. This is the level of the Buddha-Dharma that they can understand; these are Hearers. Among the noble beings of the Three Vehicles, Hearers have the most limited capabilities.
Though they have limited capabilities, by aspiring to engage in spiritual practice they have already eliminated their afflictions and are no longer entangled by worldly affections. So, they are also considered noble beings. They are called Hearers. Arhats have ended all Leaks. Having ended all Leaks means that at their stage, they have already eliminated greed, anger and ignorance. By listening to the Buddha’s teachings, they have completely eliminated their doubts and afflictions, particularly their greed. Therefore, spiritual practitioners must be content and have few desires. [By developing that mindset,] they are on their way to becoming noble beings.
Among them was Ajnata Kaundinya. These people were now thinking, “We have already attained liberation with the teachings the Buddha taught in the past. Why is He now giving more teachings? In the past, He taught skillful means. Now, He is going to teach the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle. Why is He doing that?” The 1200 people at the [Lotus Dharma-assembly] had these doubts.
In the sutra, a large group of people is often referred to as 1200 people. In Buddhist classics, we often see the number “1250 people.” This number refers to the Buddha’s retinue; here, they were represented by Ajnata Kaundinya. Because those 1000-plus names could not be listed one by one, Ajnata Kaundinya was used to represent them.
When the Buddha first attained enlightenment, He gave His first teaching at Deer Park. For the five bhiksus, He taught the Four Noble Truths. The principles of the Four Noble Truths are the truth of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. I have often talked about this before. After He taught them the Four Noble Truths, they attained liberation. But He had to repeat this one teaching three times.
The first time He taught it, Ajnata Kaundinya was the only person to realize it. The other four were still confused. Out of His compassion, the Buddha explained the Four Noble Truths again. “Do you understand now?” Two more disciples said, “I now understand the principles You have taught.” But there were still two who did not. So with compassion and wisdom, He explained the Four Noble Truths again.
The same principles had to be explained three times for five people. He had to turn the [Dharma-wheel] three times. We all should know that the. Four Noble Truths had to be taught three times just for the five bhiksus to understand. Only then were the Three Treasures of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, complete. This was accomplished at Deer Park.
After they realized the Four Noble Truths, they began to put the principles into practice. After understanding and realizing the teachings, they became liberated. After their minds attained the Dharma, their bodies and minds were liberated through realization of the Four Noble Truths. At this moment, the Buddha told everyone that the provisional teachings He gave in the past were not perfect. It was inevitable that at this point, they would all have questions.
These 1250 [did not join Him all at once]. After He attained enlightenment, [the first time He taught,]. He transformed five people, Ajnata Kaundinya and the four other bhiksus. In His second year, He transformed 50 people, Yasas [and his friends].
Yasas was the son of an elder. He came from a very affluent family. His parents were still living, and he had 49 very good friends. These 50 people felt, “We were born to such noble families, and our lives are filled with blessings. But look at how much other people suffer. What is the difference between us and them? How come we are so blessed? Let us all make a promise to each other to search for the true principles. If we find the true principles, then we will have something we can rely on.”
So, these 50 fine young men very much wanted to understand the true principles of the world. “Let’s promise that if we find true principles, we will practice them together.” This was their agreement.
One day, Yasas heard someone mention, “The Buddha is one who attained great liberation and great enlightenment.” Thus, he went to the abode to seek the Dharma. The Buddha gave him teachings that helped him understand the impermanence of life and how everyone has the same Buddha-nature, so he should search for the wondrous Dharma of True Suchness. So, he shared these principles with his friends. He also had 49 friends to share them with.
He invited his friends by saying, “We should take refuge with the Buddha.” His friends all agreed with him, These 50 people were the disciples that the Buddha accepted in the second year after He attained enlightenment. These 50 monastics, along with the first five people, were the 55 disciples.
He transformed the three Kasyapa brothers, and they led all of their followers to take refuge with the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, in the third year, the largest number of people took refuge with Him, 1000 in total.
During the fifth year, He transformed Sariputra and Maudgalyayana. We all know that they were transformed because of Bhiksu Asvajit’s dignified demeanor.
As the two of them engaged in spiritual practice, they felt that within all things in the universe, there still seemed to be very wondrous and subtle principles that they had not yet penetrated. So, [they agreed that] if they came across principles that could help them understand even the smallest thing that they did not understand, they would tell each other and take refuge and learn together.
So one day, when Bhiksu Asvajit was walking on the street, Sariputra saw him from afar and wondered, “How does someone [acquire] such a dignified appearance? The way he walks and moves, his every gesture is so dignified. What kind of teachings is he practicing that enables him to have such a dignified appearance?”
So, Sariputra hurried to him for advice. “What practices are you cultivating?'”Who is your teacher?” Bhiksu Asvajit’s response greatly satisfied Sariputra, so he shared it with Maudgalyayana and the two decided to go to the Buddha to seek teachings. The Buddha taught them the true principles, the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. This gave them a deeper understanding to why things happen in life. Aside from suffering, causation, cessation and the path, with the principles of the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, they further understood how life comes and goes. So, the two of them brought their 200 disciples with them when they took refuge in the Buddha-Dharma.
Adding these four groups together totals 1255 people. But when we read the sutras, the beginning only mentions “1250 people.” The phrase does not say “55 people,” but says “1250 people.” This was the Buddha’s retinue. The beginning of every sutra mentions these followers because they were frequently by the Buddha’s side. Sometimes they have the karmic conditions to travel far away to transform sentient beings, but they also often return to the Buddha’s side. So, the “1250 people” refers to the Buddha’s retinue.
The sutra frequently mentions. Ajnata Kaundinya and 1200 others. The exact number is “1255 people.” What the sutra uses is only a symbolic number for the number of people who had questions.
Besides these 1200 bhiksus, there were people who aspired to be. Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. Bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas
all had these same doubts.
They were very mindful, so at the assembly, they were all curious about what the Buddha was going to teach. What is “the ultimate truth of the One Vehicle”? How subtle and wondrous were the teachings the Buddha guarded in His mind? This was what they were all wondering. We also have the same questions. So, we must have great questions to attain great realizations. Therefore, we must still always be mindful.