Episode 246 – Wisdom Illuminates the World Like the Sun
>>”Wisdom is like the light of the sun and moon; it illuminates the blinding darkness. One lamp can light 1000 lamps 20,000 Lamp Buddhas illuminate the world.”
>> At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke the following verses, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings, speaking of Your attainment of Suchness, the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.”
>> The power of fearlessness. So, “when the Buddha taught at the assembly, He had the virtue of composure and fearlessness.”
>> Fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom: When it comes to [teaching] worldly and world-transcending [Dharma], He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I am the one with right knowledge; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom.
>> Fearlessness of ending Leaks. Because He ended delusion, karma and samsara, He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I have eliminated all Leaks; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of ending all Leaks.
>> The fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation: By explaining how demons and heretics hinder and conceal the noble path, He attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.
>> The fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering. Explaining the paths of ending suffering: As the Buddha said, The noble path I spoke of can lead to world-transcending fearlessness. “By ending all suffering, I attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.”
>>”We must settle the mind in one place. A tamed mind is not irritable.” This mindset allows us to remain calm. “A straightened mind is not distorted. A settled mind is not distracted. This is taming, straightening and settling.” I have explained this to all of you before. So, “a good mind is focused on one place. This is Samadhi.”
“Wisdom is like the light of the sun and moon;
it illuminates the blinding darkness.
One lamp can light 1000 lamps
20,000 Lamp Buddhas illuminate the world.”
This tells us all that wisdom is just like the light of the sun and moon; it can illuminate the blinding darkness. Consider the Buddha’s wisdom; although Sariputra was foremost in wisdom, he still addressed the Buddha as. “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom.” Thus, we can see that the wisdom of the Buddha is like the sun and moon in the sky.
At that time, Sariputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke the following verses, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings, speaking of Your attainment of Suchness, the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.”
What principles of this universe are not understood by Sakyamuni Buddha? He revealed them to teach sentient beings, just like the pervasive light of the sun. As long as the sun radiates light, as long as the place on Earth where we are is turned toward the sun, its light will shine down on us. So, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings.” Since long ago, He has repeatedly taught the great principles of the subtle and wondrous One Vehicle.
Indeed, the sun shines forever in this way and endlessly provides for us. However, our minds are [always] changing. If our minds can turn toward the Buddha, won’t we have a clear understanding of the Buddha’s knowledge and views? Similarly, when a part of Earth turns to face the sun, won’t it be completely illuminated? So, “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom. You have long given these teachings.” If we think about it, this means that the Buddha forever expounds the Dharma in this way. He always wants to shine the light of. His great wisdom into the minds of sentient beings. But we sentient beings have not yet turned our minds toward the light of the Buddha’s mind.
Therefore, we must be mindful and engage in spiritual practice. If we can turn toward the Buddha’s knowledge and realizations, the blinding darkness will completely dissipate. Hence, “one lamp can light 1000 lamps.” When one lamp is lit, thousands and tens of thousands of lamps can be lit from it. The light of each lamp is the same, and each can light and illuminate other lamps. Then this space will be exceptionally bright.
So, by the same principle, after we understand the Buddha-Dharma, we must continue to pass it on, so this Saha world can become even brighter. As the Lotus Sutra states, Manjusri Bodhisattva recounted that 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas came to the word to teach sentient beings. All of us can attain [wisdom] from ancient Buddhas and the present Buddha. The present Buddha praised the wisdom of countless past Buddhas. From Them, Sakyamuni Buddha has continuously [received and] passed on Their wisdom to this day. If we allow Sakyamuni Buddha’s wisdom to enter our minds, aren’t we also [accepting and] passing on the wisdom accumulated by Sakyamuni Buddha? [This is how] “20,000 Lamp Buddhas illuminate the world.”
We are all Buddhas, we just have to understand the profound and wondrous principles of the Buddha-Dharma and put them to good use by guiding others. If people’s minds are still blinded by darkness, we can shine the light from our lamp to illuminate their minds, so that they can also light the lamp in their minds. If this continues on, won’t the light be passed on, lamp by lamp? Isn’t this how each of us discover the intrinsic Buddha-nature we all have?
So, wisdom only means one thing. When we can clearly see and understand the principles, and can treat people and matters in line with them, then we have wisdom.
So, Sariputra earnestly requested the Buddha’s [teachings] and praised Him, recognizing that the Buddha had long been expounding the Dharma, praising all Buddhas, practicing all Dharma and teaching sentient beings. The Buddha continued to give teachings like this.
Sometimes the Buddha talked in this way, “speaking of [His] attainment of Suchness, the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.” The Buddha said, “I already attained [enlightenment]; I can understand all things in the universe, let alone this Saha World. How could I not see through it?” Therefore, “I have seen everything in the world, and I understand it all.” Every time the Buddha gave teachings, He would first describe how many principles He has understood so that sentient beings could accept the principles He was about to teach.
So, the Buddha has “long given these teachings.” He would always teach in this way. “Speaking of [His] attainment of Suchness.” He would say of Himself, “I have already attained so many principles and understood them.” He even [attained] “the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.” His power had already reached the level of fearlessness, so He is called “the Great Sage.” Thus, [it says] “Great Sage, Sun of Wisdom.” This is because the Buddha said He had the Samadhi of power and fearlessness.
What kind of power was He referring to?
The power of fearlessness. So, “when the Buddha taught at the assembly, He had the virtue of composure and fearlessness.”
The Buddha’s virtue was the power of fearlessness. As He expounded the Dharma to sentient beings, He was very calm and composed because. His principles were correct. Regardless of whom He was teaching, He was always very calm.
Simply put, when it comes to expounding the Dharma, there are the Fourfold Fearlessness. First is the “fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom.”
Fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom: When it comes to [teaching] worldly and world-transcending [Dharma], He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I am the one with right knowledge; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom.
Having fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom means He is fearless in [giving] worldly and world-transcending teachings. He teaches us ways to interact with other people in this word, along with moral principles. In this world, there are many ways to live. Due to the law of karma, we lead different lives, have different knowledge and different ways of thinking, both good and bad, and all are different. Therefore, in [teaching] worldly Dharma, the Buddha had to use extensive wisdom to teach people according to their capabilities. So, these are worldly teachings.
As for world-transcending Dharma, the Buddha also taught us about cyclic existence in the Six Realms. The principles of the Six Unenlightened Realms were clearly analyzed for us by the Buddha, and some people realized, “I should seek the pure Dharma that will allow me to transcend the Six Realms.” The Buddha then began to [address] those who wanted to transcend the Six Realms and could clearly understand the law of karma, giving teachings on a deeper level. We really want to engage in spiritual practice and really want to purify our minds. If we want to draw near the Buddha and reach the same enlightened state as Him, we must transcend the world. This was the kind of principle the Buddha fearlessly taught when. He was among wise spiritual practitioners.
Thus, the Buddha said, “I am the one with right knowledge.” This is how the Buddha assured ordinary people and those who wanted to transcend the world that. He Himself is the one with right knowledge. “I am the one with right knowledge.” Our thinking and views must be correct. Only with Right Thinking and Right Views can we have right knowledge and correct wisdom. Then, if our wisdom is correct, we will naturally attain peace and stillness and fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom. So, the Buddha had the “fearlessness of all-encompassing wisdom,” thus He could correctly and clearly give us the teachings of worldly and world-transcending Dharma.
The second [fearlessness] is “fearlessness of ending Leaks.” This leads to the end of delusion, karma and samsara.
Fearlessness of ending Leaks. Because He ended delusion, karma and samsara, He is fearless. As the Buddha said, “I have eliminated all Leaks; therefore I have attained peace and stillness.” This is the fearlessness of ending all Leaks.
Delusion is ignorance, very subtle ignorant thoughts. Our karma and delusions of views and thinking must be completely eliminated. Because we have delusions of views and thinking, our thoughts will [continue to] arise and cease in the desire, form and formless realms. If we can completely eliminate them, we can end samsara and reach a state of non-arising and non-ceasing. This is talking about our minds. Of course, these are very subtle teachings that someone in the stage of Buddhahood can completely and clearly understand. Thus, They are not affected by these states of samsara. Therefore, They are fearless.
As the Buddha said, “I have eliminated all Leaks; therefore I have attained peace and stillness. This is the fearlessness of ending Leaks.” All Leaks, all afflictions, have been completely eliminated.
Then, there is the “fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation.”
The fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation: By explaining how demons and heretics hinder and conceal the noble path, He attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.
The Buddha could also pierce the teachings of demons and heretics.
Some people are very attached to their practices; they are attached to what [they believed] they have attained. So, they are all great liars “claiming to have attained what they have not.”
So, the Buddha gave various teachings to pierce such deviant thinking and views. This is the Buddha’s “fearlessness of explaining hindrances of spiritual cultivation.” Because deviant thinking and views will greatly hinder us from walking the Right Path. What we need to practice is the noble path, [which will lead us] closer to Buddhahood. But, our thoughts may go astray, and we may become superstitious or unable to give rise to Right Mindfulness. We must pay close attention to these things because we are easily influenced by incorrect teachings and are easily led away from [the Right Path].
So, when the Buddha was among people, He could eliminate the hindrances created by those who obstructed the noble path. So, He can help us return to the right principles to attain peace and stillness and fearlessness.
Fourth is the “fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering.”
The fearlessness of explaining the paths of ending suffering. Explaining the paths of ending suffering: As the Buddha said, The noble path I spoke of can lead to world-transcending fearlessness. “By ending all suffering, I attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.”
The Buddha comes to the world for one cause, which is to help all of us transcend cyclic existence within the Six Destinies and be [liberated] from the ignorance that covers our minds. So, the Buddha comes to this world to “explain the paths of ending suffering,” how we can eliminate suffering. So, the Buddha said, “The noble path I spoke of can lead to world-transcending fearlessness.” The Buddha gave His teachings mindfully to help all of us thoroughly understand worldly and world-transcending Dharma, so it “can lead to world-transcending fearlessness.” This is very important for us Buddhist practitioners.
“By ending all suffering, He attained peace and stillness and fearlessness.” If we can eliminate suffering in our minds, threats from the external environment and the temptation of desires from the outside world, we will naturally become peaceful and still.
In short, there are many worrisome things in this world, concerns about the imbalance of the four elements and worries about interpersonal relationships. Whether it is the suffering of separation from loved ones, of being with those we resent or those of love, hate, affection and enmity, if we can eliminate all this suffering, we will naturally become peaceful and still.
This requires the understanding of the Dharma. From that we can attain fearlessness and among people, give the lion’s roar. We will be able to give teachings to others and be fearless of all things as we turn the Dharma-wheel. This is called the Fourfold Fearlessness.
Samadhi, as you all know, is to “tame, straighten and settle,” so we can reach the right state of mind. Our minds must have Right Thinking. In everything we do, in all of our practices, our minds must be settled.
“We must settle the mind in one place. A tamed mind is not irritable.” This mindset allows us to remain calm. “A straightened mind is not distorted. A settled mind is not distracted. This is taming, straightening and settling.” I have explained this to all of you before. So, “a good mind is focused on one place. This is Samadhi.”
Our thoughts must always abide in a steady mind; only then, can we better understand the Buddha-Dharma.
The Buddha is the bright light of the sun and moon. We must also light the lamp to illuminate ourselves and others. However much we can understand is what we will share with everyone. [Once] our direction is correct, we can benefit ourselves and others. So, we must always be mindful.