Episode 390 – The Buddha-Dharma is Everywhere
>> “In all of space, the Dharma is everywhere. In the open, our spiritual training ground is in all places. Every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma. All of our conduct and speech is Dharma.”
>> Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.
>> “[There were] those who, in the barren waste, piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine. Or even children who, at play, have piled up sand to make a stupa. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”
>> The Buddha-Dharma has always pervaded the universe and all Dharma-realms. It is in all places and in all times.
>> People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood: The direct cause is Buddha-nature, which is the supreme meaning. With perfect and wondrous right perspective, we see ultimate reality in skillful means. When we thoroughly realize this principle, we will attain the path to Buddhahood.
“In all of space, the Dharma is everywhere.
In the open, our spiritual training ground is in all places.
Every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma.
All of our conduct and speech is Dharma.”
This is telling everyone that at any moment in time, the slightest thoughts our minds gives rise to, no matter where we are when they arise, are all closely tied to our spiritual cultivation. This is “unconditioned Dharma.”
If we think that this time and space are not very important, we become careless with our body and mind. We spiritual practitioners need to be dignified in our demeanor. If we do not think that this space or this relationship is very important, we will not carefully maintain the standards of behavior befitting spiritual practitioners. When we allow our Six Roots to wander, we will degenerate; our virtues will degenerate.
In other words, no matter what time it is, where we are and who we are with, we must be very vigilant. We must believe that “the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere.” This means all places are filled with the Dharma, so we can feel it everywhere. That feeling, that realization, is at every moment, in every space and every interpersonal relationship.
For example, during a meeting [in 2013], Allen Yeh was going to talk about. Chinese New Year, how everyone was so reverent, and all the exciting things that happened. But there was not enough time, so we asked him to condense his presentation. He said, “That’s ok. I’ll invite this child to speak to everyone.” With a single click, a child appeared on screen. She is from Long Island in the US. She is very adorable. When she appeared, she said, “Grandmaster, I miss you very much. Do you miss me?”
Look at how adorable she is. She has grown up over the last two, three years. Look at [the difference] in time and space. Traveling from Taiwan to the East Coast of the US, to Long Island, is such a long plane ride! [Years ago] could we have imagined that we could see this child and hear her speak? That with just a click of a button, she would appear? But now, scientific principles [have made this possible].
This is “unconditioned Dharma.” It is not that people today are so brilliant; actually, principles of physics are derived by following this path to discover the principles. When we figure out these methods, we can use various resources in the world and separate and refine them to produce [objects]. Things start out as raw earth, as tin and other minerals. Mountains are destroyed to extract these metals so they can be refined into parts that perform many different functions. From these parts, we create [machines] that are not limited by space and time. These functions are now used by all of us.
Through time, space and interpersonal relationships, each individual attains different knowledge. Thus “conditioned phenomena” are created, which are things we can see. We cannot see the “principles” but we can see the “conditioned phenomena” that result from them. The Dharma that the Buddha taught encompasses the principles of matter, of the human mind and of life. Therefore, “In all of space, the Dharma is everywhere.”
The word “Buddha” means “enlightened [one].” If you focus on understanding only one thing, you may be the only person who knows it that well. You may be very aware of how this one thing works; you may comprehend it, but this is a limited and very focused awakening. This comes from a focused and thorough study of one principle. From this, you may understand how to combine many other materials together to create [the technology] that makes things so convenient for us. Although [technology] makes things convenient and enhances our knowledge, it does not tell us how to grow our wisdom-life.
To grow our wisdom-life, we must understand not just one important thing, but how all the principles and the nature of all things in the universe come together in order for things to work harmoniously. If all of us can thoroughly understand this truth, the Buddha-Dharma can spread widely and this world will be like a pure land.
Achieving this right now is not impossible. It depends on whether all of us, regardless of the space we are in or who we are with, firmly believe that the “Buddha-Dharma is everywhere.” If we believe that our actions and behaviors can be examples that will influence many people, then we have deep faith. We must have deep faith in the Buddha’s teachings.
So, if we believe that. “In the open, our spiritual training ground is in all places,” wherever we go, we can engage in spiritual practice. Every place is a place to spread the Dharma. Everywhere we go, whoever we are with, not only can we protect the land, we can also awaken the love in people.
Take a look at our large group of Bodhisattvas who are spread out over dozens of countries. They already understand [the interaction between] the planet and humanity, that protecting the Earth helps keep humanity safe. For many of them, their mind is where they engage in spiritual practice. Regardless of which country they live in, as long as they see their minds as a place for spiritual practice, and have the deep faith that “the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere,” wherever they are, they can create a place for practicing and transforming others.
In places with a lot of poverty such as Zimbabwe, South Africa and the Philippines, look at how these Bodhisattva[-volunteers] see “the Buddha-Dharma everywhere” and “their spiritual training ground in all places.” So, they transform sentient beings there. This is all because “every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma.” Indeed, with the arising of every thought, if we have taken the Dharma to heart, every thought will be in accord with the Dharma. Every thought is Dharma. Every thought that stirs is for the sake of Dharma, and every thought we give rise to is about how to be a role model for transforming sentient beings.
All in all, every thought in our minds is Dharma. So, “all of our conduct and speech is Dharma.” This applies to our every move, our every action. Don’t [volunteers] “enter the sutra treasury” through sign language and choreography? So, sign language and choreography can transform people.
Everyone, in learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must exercise utmost reverence and respectfully accept teachings. Then naturally, “the Buddha-Dharma is everywhere” and “our spiritual training ground is in all places.” Everything is Dharma that can enable us to attain Buddhahood. So, we must mindfully experience this.
We previously mentioned that the sutra text discussed how people built stupas and shrines. As we have said, building stupas and shrines was done in ancient times to pay respect to ancestors. So, we must have pure minds to [create] “glorious adornments.” This demonstrates our great respect.
Pure and glorious adornments decorate the stupas. Others have built temples out of stone, sandalwood, agarwood, hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.
The Buddha said that after He entered Parinirvana, our pure bodies and minds should be these “glorious adornments.” Adornments do not only apply to buildings, but also to our spiritual aspirations, which is more important.
[Temples] were built out of various materials, even “sandalwood, agarwood hovenia or other timbers, along with bricks, clay and the like.” These are all resources and treasures of the land. These timbers are very rare and of good quality. Many used agarwood, cypress, camphor or cow camphor as timber. These are all very precious timbers. When people used such precious timbers, or bricks or clay to build [the shrines], they were expressing their sincerity through [the construction] of the buildings.
“[There were] those who, in the barren waste, piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine. Or even children who, at play, have piled up sand to make a stupa. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”
As we just said, [spiritual training grounds] are “in all places. [Some] piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine.” The Buddhist sutras still use the word “shrine” in “piled up earth into a Buddha-shrine.” We already know about shrines, and up until Emperor Ming of Han Dynasty, a “temple” was where foreign guests were hosted. Then Matanga and Dharmaratna came [to China], carrying the scriptures on white horses. Originally, they were received at Hong Lu Temple, But Hong Lu Temple was the imperial guesthouse for foreign guests. To show respect to the spiritual practitioners from abroad, [the Emperor] especially built for them. White Horse Temple outside the city of Luoyang. This was the first Buddhist temple in China. From then on, we began to call the place where monastics lived, a “temple.” Before then, people still called it a “shrine.” Later on some even called it a “temple-shrine.”
“Or even children at play….” As long as we are very reverent and our minds are free of impurities, we can pile up sand to make a stupa. Then we can sincerely say, “I have built a stupa.” People with such sincerity can successfully walk the path to Buddhahood. This is because they have already given rise to respect from the bottom of their hearts. In the wilderness, they have piled up sand to make a Buddha-shrine.
The Buddha-Dharma has always pervaded the universe and all Dharma-realms. It is in all places and in all times.
We mentioned earlier that in the universe, in every space, we can find the Buddha-Dharma, so it pervades the universe and all Dharma-realms. “It is everywhere.” No place is without it. The Buddha-Dharma is in all places. “It is ever-present.” There has never been one moment when there was no Buddha-Dharma, not at all. It is always with us. Whether we are aware of it or not, the Buddha-Dharma is always there.
Next, [the sutra states], “or even children who, at play….” If there are children with pure, undefiled minds free of improper thoughts, the principles exist in their play as well. So, they “piled up sand to make a stupa.” They did this with sincerity. This is a very famous story in the Buddha’s teachings that has been passed on to the present day, and in recent history these objects have been found. This tale was told in one section of the Legends of King Ashoka.
This story begins with. Sakyamuni Buddha and Ananda going out to ask for alms. They saw two children; one was named Exceptional Virtue and the other was named Unsurpassed One. Exceptional Virtue was the son of a great clan, born into a wealthy family. The other child was his friend.
These two children were playing. What were they playing with? With dirt. They piled up the dirt slowly, building cities [out of dirt]. The city was indeed complete; it even had a storehouse with flour, rice, etc. The Buddha stood at their side watching happily. When the two children sensed that someone was standing next to them, they turned their heads and looked up, “Wow! This is the Buddha, the venerable Buddha.” The two children respectfully put their palms together and bowed to Him reverently. Their pure hearts were filled with respect.
Exceptional Virtue, the noble-born child, held up a handful of dirt from the “storehouse” and reverently placed it in the Buddha’s alms bowl. He said, “I offer this high quality flour to You, the Buddha.” Then he bowed respectfully again. The Buddha smiled, looking at these two children who were so reverent, innocent and pure and had such undefiled and proper thoughts. This made Him very happy.
He asked them, “When you made these offerings, did you wish for anything?” This pure child answered the Buddha’s question by saying, “I made a vow that, if I am a king in my future life, I will lead my people [well]. I will walk the Bodhi-path and spread the Buddha’s teachings. I want to transform sentient beings. I want to be a king, and also spread the Dharma and transform sentient beings.”
He even said to the Buddha, “I also pray that I have a dignified appearance, and blessings and virtues that can benefit all sentient beings.” Thus, he formed such an affinity with the Buddha. This was the aspiration of a child. He was so innocent, pure and reverent. His friend put his palms together and felt joy for him. One child made a declaration [for his future]. The other said a silent prayer for his friend, hoping that he could realize his aspiration. These two were still just children.
The Buddha saw them and was very happy, understanding how innocent and pure they were. Thus He said, “100 years after I enter Parinirvana, 100 years after that moment, this child will become a wheel-turning sage king”
“replete with blessings and virtues.” This king’s name was Ashoka, King Ashoka.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, he was a child and made this aspiration out of reverence. Then he grew up, matured, grew old and passed away decades later. Afterward, he was reborn into a palace. From the beginning, he had wholesome thoughts. Ever since childhood, he could teach and spread the Buddha-Dharma. When he inherited the throne, he led his people and spread the Dharma. This is how he governed with Right Dharma. So, King Ashoka built 84,000 stupas to benefit sentient beings. This is the karmic affinity King Ashoka formed with the Buddha. With the purest mind and intent, he “had realized the path to Buddhahood.” We must all have the same sincerity.
People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood: The direct cause is Buddha-nature, which is the supreme meaning. With perfect and wondrous right perspective, we see ultimate reality in skillful means. When we thoroughly realize this principle, we will attain the path to Buddhahood.
The direct cause is Buddha-nature, which is the supreme meaning. This is the most important thing, Then we can have wondrous right perspective. Our wisdom must be perfect. Earlier, we mentioned great perfect mirror wisdom, which means our mind must be very bright, pure and undefiled. This is ultimate reality. We can see ultimate reality in skillful means. All of us have the truth of ultimate reality within us. This comes from reverence; with reverent hearts, from “unconditioned Dharma” we can create appearances to expressing our sincerity; this is skillful means. Skillful means [lead us to] ultimate reality. If we can thoroughly realize this principle, we can attain Buddhahood.
Some people ask, “If the Buddha’s principles will always exist, why do I need to engage in spiritual practice?” It is exactly because the principles exist that we must engage in spiritual practice. We follow the spiritual journey manifested by the Buddha in our spiritual practice. This is a road that those before us have walked to reach this destination. We believe that if we follow this road, we will also arrive at the same destination.
In summary, as we learn Buddha’s way, we need deep faith. Only with deep faith can we see that “in all of space, the Dharma is everywhere. In the open, the spiritual training ground is in all places. Every thought our minds gives rise to is Dharma. All of our conduct and speech is Dharma.” This means that we must be very sincere. So, dear Bodhisattvas, to learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must always be mindful.