Episode 320 – Read and Recite for Understanding
>> Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas do not understand the Buddha’s intent. Their blessings and virtues are few, so they cannot accept great teachings. In times without Buddhas, one must diligently read and recite [sutras] and focus on understanding the meaning to extend one’s wisdom-life.
>> “Unless it is after the Buddha has crossed into cessation, when there is no Buddha present. Why is this? After the Buddha crosses into cessation, those who accept and uphold, read and recite, understand the meaning of sutras such as this are very rare.”
>> To read and recite: To read is to look at the text. To recite is to memorize the text. Reading and reciting while cultivating an internal state of still contemplation is like adding wood into the fire. It increases the illumination of the mind.
>> To understand the meaning: To truly understand what the Tathagata taught and the profound meaning of the Dharma in the sutras. From understanding, we establish practices. By engaging in spiritual practice that correspond with principles, we can promote great teachings. This is how we can attain Bodhi and really understand the principles in the sutras.
For our unenlightened minds to understand the Buddha’s mind, understanding and views, we still have a ways to go. However, the Buddha said that if we can turn our minds around, we can very quickly draw near the Buddha-mind. Even Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas can transform [their minds] and understand the Buddha-Dharma they encounter. However, after shortening the distance between themselves and the Buddha, they stopped at that point and just stood there, looking at the Buddha in the distance. Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas thought that the capacity of His mind, His understanding and views, His understanding are unique to and can only be attained by Buddhas like Sakyamuni. They thought they could only be recipients of His teachings, so they put a stop to their progress.
Thus in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha used the analogy of a conjured city. Although these disciples had the karmic conditions to receive the Buddha-Dharma, they got tired easily and would stop. So, He gave them a conjured city [to rest in]. However, the conjured city was not real. There was still a farther place that was the real and ultimate destination, a place of True Suchness where everything is clear and empty. We can reach that place from the state of unenlightened beings; as long as we are diligent, by transforming our minds, we can surpass Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas.
Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas do not understand the Buddha’s intent. Their blessings and virtues are few, so they cannot accept great teachings. In times without Buddhas, one must diligently read and recite [sutras] and focus on understanding the meaning to extend one’s wisdom-life.
Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas tend to limit themselves, so they are unable to move forward. Pratyekabuddhas do not understand the Buddha’s intent, thus they limit themselves to that position.
To engage in spiritual practice, we must cultivate both blessings and wisdom. By comprehending the Buddha’s understanding and views, [we attain] wisdom, which we must put into practice. By cultivating both blessings and wisdom, we can transform sentient beings.
Pratyekabuddhas and Arhats only seek to awaken themselves, so “their blessings and virtues are few. Virtue” is attained through interacting with and helping sentient beings without being influenced by them. These are the true merits and virtues cultivated by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who go among the people;
this requires “internal cultivation and external practice.” With internal cultivation, the mind can remain unaffected by external conditions. But our goal is to dedicate ourselves to [working in] those conditions. This will depend on the firmness of our resolve to engage in spiritual practice. The magnitude of the vow we make determines the strength of our aspirations. So, only with firm aspirations and great vows can we protect our minds. When our minds are well-protected, it will be safe to go among people.
So, Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas do not feel secure. They limit themselves and do not progress further. Thus, “their blessings and virtues are few, so they cannot accept great teachings.”
So, when the Buddha came to this world, He used the course of His life as an example for us to show that ordinary people can become Buddhas. We just need to follow His methods, form aspirations, maintain our resolve, engage in spiritual practice and so on. Each stage of His process is very clear, so we can follow in His footsteps.
The Buddha’s enlightenment encompasses the infinite things of the universe. He understands all the inconceivable people, matters and objects. So, we ought to learn the Buddha’s teachings and cultivate great blessings, great merits and great wisdom. Naturally, this is called great Dharma. Cultivating great blessings, merits and wisdom is [cultivating] great Dharma. We need to surpass the self-imposed boundaries of Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas. We must surpass this state by leaving the conjured city and diligently progressing toward ultimate reality.
If the Buddha is not in the world, like now, where can we find Him? Over 2000 years ago, the Buddha lived and entered Parinirvana in India. Though His Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya are no longer in the world, His Dharmakaya is still here. Yesterday, I mentioned that if we are earnest and diligent, the Buddha-Dharma will remain in the world. We must diligently read and recite [sutras] and focus on meticulously understanding the meaning of the sutra’s text. Extending our wisdom-life in this way is our mission as the Buddha’s disciples. If the Dharma is applicable to our times, then there is hope it can continue to be passed on.
The Buddha-Dharma can be constantly adapted to suit the needs of the times. If we mindfully take in the Dharma, it will be alive in our hearts, and we can apply it to the present time.
The Buddha often [referred to] experiences of. His spiritual practice in ancient times and applied them to the time in which He was teaching. For example, during the Buddha’s lifetime, in the Kingdom of Sravasti, there was a man whom we would call a thug, He was disobedient and unfilial. He loafed about, just eating, never holding down a job. He committed all kinds of crimes. So one day, the authorities arrested him. The king sentenced him to be executed.
As he was being taken to his death, causes and conditions came together and the Buddha happened to be leading a group of bhiksus into the city to beg for alms. They saw a group leading the criminal toward execution. When this evil young man saw the group of bhiksus from afar, he yelled loudly, “Oh, Buddha! Buddha, please save me!”
This evil person was named As-Wished. As-Wished saw the Buddha and yelled again, “Oh, Buddha! Save me! If I can be spared from death, I am willing to follow You as a monastic. I will diligently engage in spiritual practice. Oh Buddha, help me!”
The Buddha turned around and told Ananda, “Ananda, tell King [Bimbisara]. I request that he pardon this man and hand him over to me.” Ananda went to the king and explained the Buddha’s intention and His hope that he would pardon this man and let him live.
The king was a very devout Buddhist practitioner, willing to make offerings to the Buddha. Since the Buddha has asked him to spare this man’s life, turning the man over to Him was just like making an offering. [The king] was happy to pardon him. Thus, he could minimize his own killing while also making a respectful offering to the Buddha. If the Buddha could teach him and the world gain another spiritual practitioner, he would be glad to make this happen. Because of His deep devotion, he gave orders to pardon As-Wished.
Thus, As-Wished was set free. He was actually saved as he had wished. The gratitude he felt at that moment was very strong. In this new life, he was definitely going to form great aspirations, make great vows and diligently practice.
So, he followed the Buddha’s Sangha back to the abode and became ordained as a monastic. From then on, he did not waste a single second and diligently listened to the Dharma and earnestly practiced. Whether he was among others or with the Sangha, no matter how other people looked at him, or how they criticized him, he felt profound joy. “This dispels my karma! Thank you for teaching me!” With such humility and gratitude, he accepted the teachings. Within a short period of time, he attained the fruits of realization. Indeed, he eliminated all his afflictions.
Whether he was among others or with the Sangha, whenever people saw him, admiration arose in them, and they sincerely respected him. People intently discussed this. If As-Wished was such a terrible person, how could he aspire to spiritual practice? After changing his ways, initially he was despised by everyone who saw him. But now he was respected by all who saw him. Evidently, his mindset had changed, and he had attained fruits [of realization].
Ananda was among the bhiksus discussing this. So they asked Ananda to ask the Buddha about the kind of practice He had engaged in that allowed His words to be so powerful that a person was who about to be executed could be [pardoned] by the king; with one phrase from the Buddha, he was saved. Then this evil person was able to accept the Buddha’s teachings and change so much so quickly. What practice had the Buddha engaged in that could make this happen?
Ananda really went to ask the Buddha, who told His disciples the following story about how these blessings and virtues came from countless lifetimes ago. When Indradhvaja Buddha was in this world, He traveled and gave teachings. There was also a brahmacarin, who engaged in purifying practices. Although he was not yet a monastic, he engaged in another kind of spiritual practice, which was still a purifying practice. But when he saw Indradhvaja Buddha, he was filled with joy. Thus, he reverently made offerings to Him. He paid his respects with body and mind and made offerings with his body like offering flowers and fruits.
Indradhvaja Buddha saw that the brahmacarin reverently made offerings his with body and mind. Indradhvaja Buddha was joyful and asked him, “You have made offerings so wholeheartedly, do you have any requests?” The brahmacarin then said, “No, I do not. If I have any wish, it is to cultivate purifying practices forever. Pure body, speech and mind are what I hope to perfect in my future spiritual practice. I hope my speech will be virtuous and the Dharma I teach will be helpful to all beings. Transforming people with virtuous speech is what I seek to do. With pure body and mind and virtuous and perfect speech, everyone will happily listen to me and respect [my teaching]. If they respect it, they will diligently apply it to cultivate their body and mind. This is my only wish, to transform people with virtue of speech.”
The Buddha then said to everyone, “Do you know that brahmacarin is now me?” So, when Sakyamuni Buddha spoke, everyone who heard His Dharma-voice, even the king, naturally felt joy, respect and faith. Even such an evil person could also faithfully accept and practice the Dharma. For countless, incalculable lifetimes, life after life the Buddha cultivated virtuous speech by reading and reciting sutras, then putting them into practice. After reading and reciting teachings, putting them into practice is very important.
So, as previously stated in the sutras, the Buddha said,
“Unless it is after the Buddha has crossed into cessation, when there is no Buddha present. Why is this? After the Buddha crosses into cessation, those who accept and uphold, read and recite, understand the meaning of sutras such as this are very rare.”
In eras without Buddhas, people who accept and uphold, read and recite and understand the meaning of [sutras], those who are so mindful, are very rare. When the Buddha is not in the world, we must have faith in and apply the Dharma. We must have great respect for it. Similarly, when I enter the Great Hall, if I hear everyone reciting together, harmoniously and in unison, as if with one voice, that shows that everyone is diligently practicing. When we recite the sutra aloud, our minds are in a state of still contemplation.
To read and recite is to look at the sutra text. We ought to read it out loud. We have to do this repeatedly to take it to heart.
To read and recite: To read is to look at the text. To recite is to memorize the text. Reading and reciting while cultivating an internal state of still contemplation is like adding wood into the fire. It increases the illumination of the mind.
We must repeatedly read a text until we do not need to look at the words to know it. When we memorize something, we take it to heart. So, the benefit of reciting sutras is that they will be imprinted in our minds. Reciting sutras will not eliminate our problems, but it can imprint [teachings] in our minds. If we memorize [the text], we will not commit wrongdoings. When we memorize sutra texts, naturally we will have good character. We do not recite sutras to eliminate our problems, but to enhance our memory and develop our wisdom.
So, looking at and memorizing sutras is called reading and reciting. Meanwhile, we are in a state of still contemplation. When we recite sutras, our minds cannot wander. Our minds need to follow the text and contemplate the Dharma. So, we “cultivate internal still contemplation.” After we finish reciting sutras, we commit them to memory and imprint them in our hearts. This is internal cultivation.
As our minds become still, we recite sutra texts. We use internal stillness and external recitation. Reading and reciting [brings] internal stillness; internal stillness [aids] reading and reciting. This is like boiling water. Before the water boils, we need to add firewood. After adding firewood, the water can boil quickly. This is similar to chanting sutras out loud, so they enter our hearts. “It increases illumination of the mind.”
In a state of stillness, we must recite the sutra loudly. Reciting loudly allows other people to join in, so we can harmonize our voices to theirs. Then we will be of one mind and chant in one voice to show that our minds are focused. With a still mind, I will listen to your chanting, and you will listen to my chanting, so our voices can blend together, and our minds can become more illuminated. As you recite and I recite, our clear voices will resonate in the air to evoke joy in others. With internal cultivation and external practice, we can benefit each other. When our voices are clear, we are truly reading and reciting the sutra. When reading a sutra, we must understand it.
Understanding its meaning is to really understand the Tathagata’s teaching. We must understand the extremely profound meaning of the Dharma; we cannot just read, recite and memorize it. If the Dharma is not in our minds, we cannot put it into practice. Then we do not [really know] the Dharma.
To understand the meaning: To truly understand what the Tathagata taught and the profound meaning of the Dharma in the sutras. From understanding, we establish practices. By engaging in spiritual practice that correspond with principles, we can promote great teachings. This is how we can attain Bodhi and really understand the principles in the sutras.
In learning the Dharma, we also hope to cultivate virtuous speech so that after we comprehend it, when we share it with others, they will faithfully accept and practice it. Dear Bodhisattvas, to learn the Bodhisattva-path, we must not remain in the state of. Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas or have their self-imposed limitations. We must surpass this state and move toward the state of Buddhahood, a state that is non-arising and non-ceasing, tranquil and clear. This is what we must truly seek. Therefore, we must always be mindful.