Episode 380 – Be Replete with Virtues, Compassion and Wisdom
>> [The Buddha] is adorned with all virtues, and replete with compassion and wisdom. With Infinite Meanings He teaches True Dharma. Thus we must respect the wondrous Dharma.
>> “Throughout countless kalpas in the past, infinite Buddhas have crossed into extinction. There were billions of different kinds; Their number is incalculable.”
>> “World-Honored Ones such as these utilized various conditions, analogies, and the power of countless skillful means to explain the appearance of all Dharma.”
>> World-Honored Ones such as these: The Buddha is replete with all virtues and is admired by everyone. Thus He is the World-Honored One. The Buddha is also replete with the Three Virtues the virtue of wisdom, of ending and of grace. First is the virtue of wisdom.
>> With wisdom, we can “penetrate all ignorance to be replete with unsurpassed Bodhi.”
>> Second, the virtue of ending: We end all afflictions and are replete with unsurpassed Nirvana. These two [virtues] are benefits for ourselves.
>> Third, the virtue of grace: Replete with great compassion, we save all sentient beings. This is the virtue of benefiting others.
>> [He] utilized various conditions and analogies: The matters and principles in the world are hard to explain without giving examples. When the Buddha observes the world and all worldly appearances and matters, He knows them as well as an object in His palm. Through conditions and analogies, He explains the principles.
>> The power of countless skillful means: Skillful is another way of saying suitable. Suitable teachings come from exercising wisdom. There are not three kinds of true principles. But in order to apply skillful means, the Buddha spoke of the Three [Vehicles]. They are “skillful and suitable.”
>> [He] explained the appearance of all Dharma: All Dharma harmonizes and connects with itself. It does not interfere with itself. Dharma is explained in countless different ways. All Dharma arises from the temporary union of causes and conditions; it has no fixed appearance. This is the appearance of all Dharma.
[The Buddha] is adorned with all virtues, and replete with compassion and wisdom.
With Infinite Meanings He teaches True Dharma.
Thus we must respect the wondrous Dharma.
As Buddhist practitioners, whether we are speaking or silent, moving or still, we must pay attention to our Four Demeanors. Whether we are speaking or taking action, we must be mindful of the way our body moves and the way our mind gives rise to thoughts. This is cultivating our mind and body.
We often speak of “internal cultivation” and “external practice.” Internal cultivation is about taking good care of our minds and paying attention to every thought that arises. We must look after our external appearance and demeanor. We must cultivate “all virtues.” Whatever the Buddha teaches, we must faithfully accept and practice. Learning the Buddha’s teachings means learning to be like the Buddha. In addition to being adorned with all virtues, we must be replete with compassion and wisdom.
What is [the guide for] our daily practice? [The Sutra of] Infinite Meanings. Have we acted according to the teachings in the sutra? Have we become boatmen or great master boatmen? Have we vowed to deliver all sentient beings? Although this is hard work, we can overcome all kinds of difficulties and still aspire and vow to steer the ship of compassion through the endless sea to deliver all sentient beings. Have we done this?
If we have, we must constantly share the teachings we have learned from the Sutra of the Infinite Meanings and work to help other people. This is “[teaching] with Infinite Meanings.” Even if the Dharma we have realized is intangible, we must constantly share it with others. We must also teach according to conditions. We share these conditions as we work together. As we work alongside each other, we have a chance to share with each other. Through our tangible actions, we share the intangible teachings that we have experienced. Thus, “with Infinite Meanings [we] teach the True Dharma.”
Intangible teachings are “unconditioned Dharma”; they are principles, but are taught through “conditioned phenomena,” the conditioned things around us. These principles are the True Dharma.
“Thus we must respect the wondrous Dharma.” Our [speech] and actions must not leave the Dharma. By doing this, we show respect to the Dharma. We must always have respect for the Dharma. We keep Dharma in our hearts and in our actions; we must not depart from it.
For a period of time, the Buddha was [teaching] at Jeta grove. He wanted all of His disciples to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion, so He used Sakro-Devanam Indra as an example. One time, the asuras challenged. Sakro-Devanam Indra, a heavenly lord. So, Sakro-Devanam Indra and the asuras fought against each other. But Sakro-Devanam Indra believed that he must not cause harm to others. Therefore, he quickly retreated and tried his best to avoid the asuras. He led his army in retreat
until he saw a very tall tree. He knew that there was a nest in the tree, and that the birds were up in it incubating eggs. He thought to himself, “This is about the time for baby birds to break out of their shells. If we frightened the birds or if the nest fell to the ground, would the baby birds be injured?” Once he realized this, he wanted to avoid disturbing the nest; he wanted to keep it safe.
With this change of thought, he told his horse’s groom. “Quickly! Quickly! Turn around!” The groom for his horse replied, “But the asuras are right behind us!” Sakro-Devanam Indra said, “As the World-Honored One tells us, we must respect the lives of all sentient beings. Thus, we cannot harm the nest. I’d rather turn and confront the asuras.” He continued to insist on turning back.
So, his troops turned around and charged in the opposite direction. The asuras became frightened and assumed that Sakro-Devanam Indra’s retreat had been a deceptive tactic, and perhaps now he was returning with an even greater force. Frightened, the asuras scattered and left the battlefield. This is how things ended.
So, the Buddha told His bhiksus, “Sakro-Devanam Indra is a heavenly lord but he yielded to the asuras out of compassion. As spiritual practitioners, it is our duty to maintain both our compassion and our wisdom. We must be compassionate and wise and always protect the lives of all sentient beings. This is our goal as spiritual practitioners.”
Thus, “We must respect the wondrous Dharma.” We must develop respect and admiration for the Dharma taught by the Buddha. The Lotus Sutra also contains similar teachings. Although for the previous 40-plus years, the Buddha taught all kinds of skillful means, His goal was to teach compassion and wisdom. To inspire compassion and unlock wisdom, the Buddha used analogies, expressions and all kinds of skillful means to teach sentient beings. These were His life’s teachings, where He taught Infinite Meanings to sentient beings.
Previously, we discussed this passage in the sutra.
“Throughout countless kalpas in the past, infinite Buddhas have crossed into extinction. There were billions of different kinds; Their number is incalculable.”
Over such a long period of time and across such as a vast space, in any nation, a Buddha may emerge. There have truly been many of Them. So [the text] says, “Throughout countless kalpas in the past, infinite Buddhas have crossed into cessation.”
Next, we will discuss how,
“World-Honored Ones such as these utilized various conditions, analogies, and the power of countless skillful means to explain the appearance of all Dharma.”
“World-Honored Ones such as these” echoes how throughout countless kalpas in the past, infinite Buddhas have crossed into extinction. All those World-Honored Ones in the past “utilized various conditions, analogies.” They used causes and conditions as analogies to teach all sentient beings so that everyone would be oriented toward goodness and awaken their love to benefit others. We also need to use all kinds of methods to help everyone take the Buddha-Dharma to heart. This takes “the power of countless skillful means.” There is great power to applying various skillful. This is what the Buddha mindfully taught us.
“He explained the appearance of all Dharma.” He applied various methods to tirelessly and unceasingly talk and teach to help everyone understand. As I previously mentioned, “With Infinite Meanings, He teaches True Dharma.” By teaching the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, whatever sentient beings experience, and whatever suffering they undergo, we can give them the appropriate teaching. This is “the power of countless skillful means.” This is something we must keep in mind. Teaching according to conditions is a type of power. So, “He explained the appearance of all Dharma,” all the appearances of different teachings.
With “World-Honored Ones such as these,” we must realize They have perfected all virtues; virtue is apparent in Their spiritual cultivation and practice. They are admired by all people in the world, thus, They are called World-Honored Ones. The Buddha is replete with the Three Virtues. Which three virtues? To be replete with all virtues, we must know the three most fundamental virtues.
World-Honored Ones such as these: The Buddha is replete with all virtues and is admired by everyone. Thus He is the World-Honored One. The Buddha is also replete with the Three Virtues the virtue of wisdom, of ending and of grace. First is the virtue of wisdom.
We need to unlock our wisdom.
With wisdom, we can “penetrate all ignorance to be replete with unsurpassed Bodhi.”
Wisdom and delusion are opposites. If delusion surfaces in our minds, it will cloud our wisdom. If wisdom surfaces in our minds, it eliminates ignorance. We can then attain unsurpassed Bodhi, which is enlightenment. If we penetrate ignorance, we will be awakened.
Second is the virtue of ending, which is to end all afflictions.
Second, the virtue of ending: We end all afflictions and are replete with unsurpassed Nirvana. These two [virtues] are benefits for ourselves.
Afflictions are greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt and so on. These are the fundamental afflictions. We must eliminate them in order to eliminate our ignorance. We must completely eliminate afflictions to be in a state of non-arising and non-ceasing. This is the state of Nirvana.
Nirvana is a state of non-arising and non-ceasing. It also means we have eliminated all afflictions without giving them any chance of arising again. This is a state where afflictions have been completely eliminated. Once all the seeds of affliction are eliminated, we can return to our pure intrinsic nature and be “replete with unsurpassed Nirvana.”
Third is the virtue of grace.
Third, the virtue of grace: Replete with great compassion, we save all sentient beings. This is the virtue of benefiting others.
The virtue of grace is having the great compassion to save all sentient beings. This is the virtue of grace; it comes from showing grace to sentient beings. On the other hand, we must also be grateful for the grace of sentient beings, of our parents and of the Three Treasures. Once we are replete with grace, we repay them.
In the Buddha-Dharma we often speak of “dedicating merits” which is dedicating the grace and virtue we receive from the Buddha’s teachings to repay the kindness we have received. We repay the grace of our parents and the Three Treasures. Saving all sentient beings is the virtue of benefiting others.
The virtue of grace benefits others while the virtue of wisdom and the virtue of ending benefit ourselves. In our daily living, can’t we attain these three virtues?
The Buddha has the great virtue of wisdom and the great virtue of ending. We can at least have a limited virtue of wisdom. We must start by taking good care of our minds and quickly acting to eliminate these afflictions. Then our minds will be clear and we can see the Bodhi-path in front of us. Only then can we benefit all sentient beings.
We use various conditions and analogies because the Buddha had also taught the Dharma by drawing analogies to causes and conditions. All Buddhas share the same path, so “World-Honored Ones such as these utilized various conditions and analogies.”
[He] utilized various conditions and analogies: The matters and principles in the world are hard to explain without giving examples. When the Buddha observes the world and all worldly appearances and matters, He knows them as well as an object in His palm. Through conditions and analogies, He explains the principles.
Causes and conditions are the workings of matters and principles in this world. Without using these analogies, we cannot explain the principles. So, we have to use analogies as the Buddha did when He taught His disciples to be compassionate and respect all living things. The Buddha brought up Indra as one who respected and accepted the Dharma, and even cherished the lives of birds. This form of teaching is through an analogy. So, principles must be explained with examples. The workings of matters and principles are hard to explain without drawing analogies. They must be explained through analogies with people, matters and objects.
So, “the Buddha observes the world and all worldly appearances and matters.” All appearances and worldly matters are as clear to Him as the lines on His palm. The Buddha’s wisdom is of such [clarity]. But in order to teach the Dharma, He must use various methods to draw analogies. Through conditions, He explains how things work. Through causes and conditions as well as matters, He explains principles.
This is “the power of countless skillful means.” Skillful is another way of saying suitable. Suitable teachings comes from exercising wisdom.
The power of countless skillful means: Skillful is another way of saying suitable. Suitable teachings come from exercising wisdom. There are not three kinds of true principles. But in order to apply skillful means, the Buddha spoke of the Three [Vehicles]. They are “skillful and suitable.”
We must skillfully utilize wisdom to apply the Buddha’s wondrous Dharma in the world. Then we have power to accomplish good things. This can only be achieved by applying wisdom in skillful and suitable ways.
“There are not three kinds of true principles.” There is only one true principle, not three. There is no Small Vehicle or Medium Vehicle, just the One Great Vehicle. But sentient beings cannot really understand the One Great Vehicle. So, the Buddha had to use various skillful means. This is why He taught the Three Vehicles. Originally there was only the One Vehicle, but because sentient beings cannot understand, He had to teach the Three Vehicles. This is called “skillful and suitable.”
“He explained the appearance of all Dharma.” All Dharma harmonizes and connects with itself.
[He] explained the appearance of all Dharma: All Dharma harmonizes and connects with itself. It does not interfere with itself. Dharma is explained in countless different ways. All Dharma arises from the temporary union of causes and conditions; it has no fixed appearance. This is the appearance of all Dharma.
Actually, all Dharma is interconnected. Dharma is often compared to water, [which can take the shape of all containers]. It can fit a square, rectangular, round or triangular container. Water, like Dharma, can harmonize with itself without any hindrance.
“Dharma is explained in countless different ways.” There are very many ways, all of which are different. So, there are distinctions between them, but because they are distinct, the Buddha can explain them in many ways. It is a temporary union of causes and conditions. These unions are temporary. He wants to explain how each thing comes about because of various kinds of unions.
This table comes from a tree. That tree came from a seed. The seed had to be sown in the land. Then there had to be sunlight and water for it to grow. The tree then had to be shaped by humans to become a table. These are all temporary unions of causes and conditions. In which step does it show its real appearance? Throughout this process, all kinds of causes and conditions had to come together. [It is the same for] “appearance of all Dharma.” We can call this table a tree since it was originally a tree. But it was not only a tree, it was also a seed. If the seed was not planted and there was no sunlight or water the tree could not have grown.
In conclusion, many causes and conditions come together to create an appearance. The purpose of the Buddha-Dharma is to help us thoroughly understand this. After we understand, we must accept and practice in order to truly show respect to the Dharma. We need to respect all appearances as well as respect and cherish all objects. We must not be like the people who use resources wastefully; that is wrong. We can learn many such Dharma in our daily living. Thus, we must always be mindful.