Episode 259 – The Right Moment to Awaken
>> “Lack of faith gives rise to doubts, obstructs the path and hinders goodness. Faithfully accept and practice the path, and the path will be great. He observes capabilities and the power of faith to [give teachings] accordingly. Those who make great aspirations attain the benefits of great teachings.”
“Lack of faith gives rise to doubts, obstructs the path and hinders goodness.
Faithfully accept and practice the path, and the path will be great.
He observes capabilities and the power of faith to [give teachings] accordingly.
Those who make great aspirations attain the benefits of great teachings.”
This is telling everyone that the most important part of engaging in spiritual practice is having faith. If we have no faith, we may easily give rise to doubts. Having doubts about the Right Dharma is very harmful. Not only do doubts stop our spiritual roots from growing, they also obstruct virtuous practices. If we receive teachings but have no faith, we will give rise to doubts which obstruct [our own practice]. If we then spread our doubts to others, we will also obstruct their roots of goodness. This is how we obstruct ourselves and others. First we obstruct ourselves, then we obstruct others.
so, we must be firm in our faith in order to accomplish our spiritual practice and also guide others. So, faith alone can determine whether we benefit or harm others. If we “faithfully accept and practice the path,” then “the path will be great.” The Buddha told His disciples that if they faithfully accept and practice the teachings, naturally their road would be broad.
The Buddha, out of His compassion, taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities and faith, giving great, average or limited teachings. This was all for the sake of helping sentient beings establish faith so they would not be harmed. Thus they would not harm themselves and would benefit others. This is the most important piece of wisdom that. Buddha used in teaching according to capabilities.
Therefore, “He observed capabilities for the right opportunity” to help everyone form aspirations based on their capacities. For those with great capabilities, the Buddha gave great teachings that they could accept so they would quickly form great aspirations. Great aspirations [are vows to] benefit oneself and others. Practicing the teachings of the great path brings great benefits. This depends on our faith. Our faith affects how we walk the Buddha-path.
To accommodate our capabilities, the Buddha paved many paths for us to choose from. But at this moment, the Buddha wanted everyone to gather on the great Bodhi-path, a straight path that will take us directly to Buddhahood. This is why the Buddha gave the Lotus teachings.
As I have said before, at that time, when Sariputra made this request, the Buddha said to him, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” For now, He was going to stop speaking. He would not speak further because if He continued, those without faith would give rise to doubts.
Heavenly beings and humans in all the worlds did not yet have the capability for thorough understanding. The great teachings, the most complete Dharma, teaches them to set aside their limited sense of self. Getting people to set aside their limited sense of self and selfish affections is really very difficult. But because He was compassionate and wise, the Buddha hoped these people could enthusiastically seek the great teachings. So at this point, He deliberately said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.”
Each time I come to this part of the text, I feel especially joyful. I delight in the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion. He inspired wisdom through compassion. He made those enthusiastically seeking Dharma wait a little longer so that. He could warn the curious people not to be shocked or have doubts. But Sariputra was very eager to receive teachings. So, as the sutra states, “Sariputra again addressed the Buddha by saying, ‘World-Honored One, I only pray that you will speak it; I only pray that you will speak it.'”
The Buddha said, twice in a row, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” So, Sariputra also said, twice in a row, “‘I only pray that you will speak it.'”
“For what reason?” Why? “In this assembly were countless, hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of asankya sentient beings.” At this time, their minds had already given rise to admiration for the Dharma, for the teaching the Buddha was about to give. There were countless hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of asankyas. This is a lot of people. By saying this, He was telling the Buddha that those He was worried about, those who might be shocked and doubtful were very few in number. The vast majority now was enthusiastic about and genuinely admired the Buddha-Dharma. So, he asked the Buddha to quickly give this teaching.
He repeatedly asked the Buddha to speak it. Since stopping was a serious matter, he made an urgent plea. Clearly, the moment for awakening was ripe. If the sunlight is not hidden because of those without sight, why should the Buddha’s teaching be silenced because of those who are ignorant?
“Repeatedly asked” was to repeatedly say, “I only pray that you will speak it.” Why would Sariputra so sincerely repeat his request? Because the Buddha said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” The Buddha did not only respond once. “Stop” was said twice. “Do not speak, do not speak” meant He wanted Sariputra to stop. This was a very serious matter. So, when Sariputra heard this, he felt a great sense of urgency. He urgently felt that if the Buddha did not give complete teachings and stopped at this point, their loss would be great.
So, when Sariputra immediately made this request, he also repeated himself. He pleaded with genuine sincerity. Clearly, their capabilities had gradually matured enough for them to attain realizations.
Take the sun for example; it regularly rises every day. It will never not rise on account of people who cannot see it. That will never happen. So, the Buddha will definitely say what must truly be said. Before giving teachings, He observed people’s capabilities to see how He could accommodate the most people, inspire their faith and increase their capability to [comprehend] the great teachings. Then, He would begin to speak. So, the Buddha would not cease teaching on account of foolish and ignorant people. He would keep teaching but waited for their capabilities to be more mature.
At this assembly, there were numerous seekers of the path who, in the past, had encountered all Buddhas. Their blessings from past lifetimes were not slight and their roots of goodness had matured. So upon hearing the great path, they courageously shouldered [responsibilities], for they all had superior wisdom. When [teachings] entered their ears, they believed. Many people had this sincere faith.
At this assembly, there were numerous seekers of the path who “in the past had encountered all Buddhas.” Thus, “their blessings from past lifetimes were not slight. Their roots of goodness had matured. So upon hearing the great path, they courageously shouldered [responsibilities].” These words were used to comfort the Buddha, telling Him that the majority of people, an infinite, countless number of them, had already created these affinities with the Buddha in their past lives. They had heard a lot of Buddha-Dharma and had also engaged in spiritual practice up until that moment. Now, their capabilities were about to mature. So, if the Buddha could quickly give these great teachings, then “upon hearing the great path,” upon coming in contact with it, they would awaken a strong aspiration, great wisdom and great faith and would be brave enough to shoulder responsibilities. If they were willing to shoulder responsibilities, that meant their wisdom was already extraordinary. There were many people like this at the assembly.
For people like this, teachings from the Buddha’s mouth would directly enter their ears. When these great teachings “entered their ears, they believed.” So, the Buddha did not need to worry. He only had to quickly give the teaching because they had already developed a strong will and would courageously shoulder responsibilities. So, when they listened to the Dharma, they could respect and believe in it.
The Buddha had confidence in Sariputra. So, He deliberately said, “Stop, stop.” He had faith that Sariputra would be persistent, that he would continue to ask. Just because the Buddha said “Stop, stop,” that would not stop Sariputra from asking again. The Buddha had faith that Sariputra would continue to sincerely request teachings. So, the minds of the teacher and the student were in harmony. If the Buddha were to say. “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further” and everyone really did stop, then the great Dharma would not have been transmitted.
Each time I read this portion of the sutra, I always feel very joyful. For these minds to be in sync is truly rare.
Please speak it for those who have faith because few will be harmed by it, and many will benefit. Even for those who do not believe in it, affinities are created for future faithful acceptance. By teaching, both benefit. By stopping, both are harmed.
So here, “speak it for those who have faith” is asking Him to speak to those who have faith. “Few will be harmed by it, and many will benefit.”
What kind of harm? We have discussed this before. If people had doubts, not only would they refuse to faithfully accept the teachings, contrarily, with aberrant thoughts and views, they would engage in negative practices. This would be harmful to themselves as well as others. This was what the Buddha was most concerned about.
But Sariputra told the Buddha that there were few people like this. Thus, “few will be harmed by it,” and “many will benefit.” Even if some who were present did not have faith, they were still creating the conditions for faithful acceptance [in the future]. Although they did not have faith or understanding, if they were allowed to listen to this teaching, that would be like sowing a seed that creates future conditions for acceptance.
So, “By teaching, both benefit. By stopping, both are harmed.” If He began to teach, both sides would benefit. Those who were enthusiastic about the Dharma, those who sought it, would benefit. If they could quickly listen to great teachings, of course they could faithfully accept and practice them. For the minority, although they still had doubts, this would plant conditions for them to accept the Dharma in the future. So this way, it would still benefit them.
In this case, “by teaching, both benefit” and “by stopping, both are harmed.” Those who really wanted to hear the teachings would not get to hear it because He said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” So, He stopped. If they did not hear the teachings, wouldn’t they suffer harm? Fortunately, Sariputra was wise, so of course the Buddha did not really stop. This is one of the Dharma-assembly’s most exciting dialogues. It is very delightful.
“Ordinary people who do not believe the Buddha’s words,” those who did not believe him, “may slander [the Dharma], create karma and thus fall into hell. So, how could one expound Dharma that would lead people to bring suffering upon themselves?”
Indeed, the Buddha did not want people to slander the Dharma due to lack of faith. If people had no faith but did not slander the Dharma, they would only hinder themselves. Their karma would be less severe. If they obstruct other people, then they will fall into hell. Therefore, the Buddha did not easily give great teachings.
If shock and doubt do not lead to slander, one’s obstruction is slight. If overbearing arrogance gives rise to resentment and verbal slander, one will certainly fall into the depths of hell. Not only is there no benefit, there is harm.
So, for people who felt shock and had doubts but did not slander, “their obstruction was slight.” They only obstructed themselves and not others. The most frightening were those with “overbearing arrogance.” Not only did they have doubts, they also transmitted their misunderstanding to other people because they had “given rise to resentment.” Naturally, “verbal slander” would follow. Their minds, mouths and thoughts would, because of their doubts, give rise to resentment. Out of resentment, they commit slander. In this way, “they will certainly fall into the depths of hell. Not only is there no benefit, there is harm.” This is what the Buddha took into consideration, so He wanted to help everyone calm their minds for a moment. “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” Calming them down for a moment was the Buddha’s intention.
Fellow Bodhisattvas, as Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful. In speaking or requesting teachings, we must clearly [understand the situation]. In seeking the Dharma, we must be sincere. So, we must always be mindful.