Episode 410 – Train the Mind by Dealing With Worldly Matters
>> “The ultimate nature of the Dharma is called True Suchness. The ultimate truth corresponds to all phenomena the way bubbles and ripples are part of the water. Depending on their karmic conditions, the multitudes can awaken from delusion.”
>> “Though all Buddhas of the future will give hundred, thousands, millions [of teachings], these countless Dharma-doors are in fact all part of the One Vehicle.”
>> “All Buddhas, the Two-footed Honored Ones, know that all Dharma is empty by nature. The seeds for Buddhahood arise through conditions that is why They teach the One Vehicle.”
>> The Two-Footed Honored Ones: The Buddha’s blessed virtues and wisdom are like two feet that work in concert. Therefore, people of the world admire Him and honor Him above all others. Out of respect comes deep faith, so they practice according to His teachings. By cultivating blessings and wisdom, they ultimately attain Bodhi.
>> [They] know that all Dharma is empty by nature: Knowing the Dharma of the Middle Way, we can perfect and attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. All things are without [permanent] substance, so they are empty by nature. In ultimate emptiness, things do not truly exist. This is what it means to be empty by nature.
>> With deluded sentiments of wrong assumptions, we see a permanent self when there is none. We cling to something non-existent as existent; we cling to what is wrong as right. This is like seeing a rope and calling it a snake. This is called the wrong assumption of being attached to [the existence of a] nature.
“The ultimate nature of the Dharma is called True Suchness.
The ultimate truth corresponds to all phenomena
the way bubbles and ripples are part of the water.
Depending on their karmic conditions, the multitudes can awaken from delusion.”
We already know that the ultimate nature of the Dharma is True Suchness. Every day, True Suchness is hidden deep within our minds. It is actually our intrinsic nature; these true principles exist in our minds. This the nature of True Suchness. As for the principles of ultimate truth, once we can understand these true principles, we can respond to all phenomena. As long as we can understand, the principles are all in our minds. In our daily living, if our minds are on the right course, we can follow all the principles smoothly.
We often say that if we can harmoniously deal with things, then we will have a harmonious character, and therefore be in harmony with principles. All this depends on our minds and how our own nature of True Suchness converges with principles. This is just like how bubbles and ripples are inseparable from the water.
We call these air pockets on the water “bubbles.” Why are there bubbles? We probably all know that when water gushes down and is agitated, bubbles and foam will form. Similarly, what are ripples? Ripples also exist because of water.
Principles work in the same way. Our nature of True Suchness [responds to] the principles of physics that people talk about, the principles of biology, astronomy, geography and so on. These underlying principles actually are one with the nature of True Suchness within us. The existence of these principles enables all kinds of tangible things to take shape. Tangible things are things that have been created. These conditioned phenomena are produced based on the existence of these invisible, intangible principles. Based on the same principles, when we see bubbles, we must think of the water; when we see how things are brought into being, we should not forget our nature of True Suchness. This is something we must mindfully comprehend.
The nature of True Suchness exists. The true principles of the universe exist. Why, then, is there so much ignorance in sentient beings? Why is there so much turmoil in the world? All this results from causes and conditions. Since causes and conditions created these troubles for humankind, we can also use these causes and conditions to teach sentient beings. We use worldly matters to train the mind, and use stories to teach the Dharma. Didn’t we use stories yesterday?
In South Africa, they understand the suffering caused by poverty so after they learned the principles, they clearly recognized their direction in life. So, step by step, the South African volunteers paved a road with love. Then they guided the suffering in other countries [onto that path] and also provided them with spiritual wealth. This kind of spiritual wealth allows “the multitudes to awaken from delusion” so they do not add [mental] suffering to a life of poverty nor create karma on top of that. After the suffering of the poor is relieved, they have abundant love to offer. So, the poor can also give to others out of compassion and wisdom. We discussed this yesterday,
so we should know that the Buddha-nature, true principles, True Suchness are all the same thing, just as bubbles and ripples are inseparable from water. So in all things, we must always seize the causes and conditions. If we can seize them, then naturally the Dharma will be in our hearts and actions. Everything under the same sky shares the same underlying principles. True principles correspond to all phenomena. The selfless great love of our pure nature naturally grants us both blessings and wisdom.
The previous sutra passage stated,
“Though all Buddhas of the future will give hundred, thousands, millions [of teachings], these countless Dharma-doors are in fact all part of the One Vehicle.”
We discussed this teaching before. All Buddhas of the past, and Sakyamuni Buddha back in those days, and all Buddhas of the present and even the Buddhas of the future all have given many teachings. “They give hundred, thousands, millions,” which signifies “a lot,” All these teachings are doors to the Dharma. They are many doors that people may enter, but actually they all lead to the One Vehicle. Though He opened so many Dharma-doors of skillful means, after everyone entered those Dharma-doors to understand the principles of Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha then consolidated these skillful means and set them aside to teach the true Dharma of the One Vehicle. This was to help everyone understand that everyone can attain Buddhahood.
This nature of the One Vehicle Dharma is something we have discussed before. Now let us examine today’s sutra passage.
“All Buddhas, the Two-footed Honored Ones, know that all Dharma is empty by nature. The seeds for Buddhahood arise through conditions that is why They teach the One Vehicle.”
“All Buddhas, the Two-footed Honored Ones….” Previously, and yesterday, we talked about the Two-Footed Honored One. This is telling everyone that the Buddhas, those who have already attained enlightenment, are replete with both blessings and wisdom. They are abundantly replete with both. Once replete, They must put them into action, teaching the Dharma to transform sentient beings. Throughout His lifetime, this is what the Buddha did, exercise blessings and wisdom.
If Sakyamuni Buddha had only wisdom but not blessings from creating blessed karmic connections with sentient beings, people would not even accept the Dharma He [personally] taught.
Blessings come from forming joyful affinities with sentient beings, so whenever they see us they feel happy. Whatever we say, they will listen. Whatever we teach, they will accept. This is [the result of] blessed connections. We need blessings, as well as wisdom in order to help sentient beings go in the right direction. We need to cultivate both blessings and wisdom [to be like] the Two-Footed Honored Ones.
When it comes to our relationships with the people we live with, we must [remember] to speak softly and gently. Otherwise, while spending every day together, some people have [good] karmic connections and some people have negative ones, so conflict may arise in conversation. This comes from our attitude, language and so on. We must not create a situation where in future lifetimes, we wish to practice, but there are people who try to hinder us. Afflictions from these hindrances are bothersome.
Now that we understand these principles, we must quickly form positive karmic connections and take the Buddha-Dharma to heart to nurture our wisdom. This is the only way to become a Two-Footed Honored One and continually accumulate and be replete with blessings and wisdom. Therefore, we must be mindful.
The Two-Footed Honored Ones: The Buddha’s blessed virtues and wisdom are like two feet that work in concert. Therefore, people of the world admire Him and honor Him above all others. Out of respect comes deep faith, so they practice according to His teachings. By cultivating blessings and wisdom, they ultimately attain Bodhi.
Because the Buddha is replete with blessings and wisdom, He is admired by everyone in the world. One must have blessings and wisdom for others to faithfully accept and practice one’s teachings; this comes from “respect. I respect you and the words you speak, so I will accept them.” Therefore, He is honored above all others. People’s admiration for Him gives rise to deep faith, so they practice according to the teachings and cultivate both blessings and wisdom.
For us to engage in spiritual practice, we cannot neglect any kind of Dharma. The Dharma for cultivating blessings is what we must diligently practice among others. The way of cultivating wisdom is what we must take to heart as we listen to teachings. Cultivating both blessings and wisdom takes internal cultivation and external practices. In every moment, we have to be very vigilant. Blessings and wisdom need to be cultivated in our daily living until we ultimately attain Bodhi.
“[They] know that all Dharma is empty by nature.” We must understand that the Dharma is empty by nature. Without substance, how would it have a nature? We should say that its nature is pervasive among all true principles. These true principles are manifested in their corresponding objects. Every object has an underlying principle. In analyzing principles, would you say the nature of the principles is hard or is it soft? In reality, softness and hardness are only manifested in material objects. How can we make something very hard? That requires wisdom and knowledge. It is like steel; iron is very hard, but turning it into steel makes it flexible. This is how the principles work. By exercising wisdom, which is “unconditioned Dharma,” we can manifest “conditioned phenomena.”
We “know that all Dharma is empty by nature.” We already know that teachings are “unconditioned Dharma.” Since unconditioned Dharma pervades the universe and the Dharma-realms, it is present everywhere. But here, we say it is “empty by nature.” We have to mindfully comprehend this.
[They] know that all Dharma is empty by nature: Knowing the Dharma of the Middle Way, we can perfect and attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. All things are without [permanent] substance, so they are empty by nature. In ultimate emptiness, things do not truly exist. This is what it means to be empty by nature.
To know the Dharma, we must walk the Middle Way. Now, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must not deviate from Right Dharma. So, [to know] or practice Right Dharma, we cannot deviate from the principles of the Buddha-Dharma. [Knowing] the Right Dharma is “knowing the Dharma of the Middle Way.” As we walk the Middle Way, we must not deviate or change directions. We must unwaveringly walk the Middle Way.
In one of the sutras there is story about how, in a small river, there was a very long piece of lumber. As the water flows down this small river, the log has to stay in the middle of the river to keep moving with the water. If this piece of wood turns sideways, both ends will get stuck. This is an analogy for the Dharma. For us to reach understanding, we must stay mid-river like the log, so we do not get stuck on this side, or on that side. We have to stay in the middle for our path to be open and free of obstacles. Take driving a car, for example. If we veer too much to one side, we get close to a dangerous cliff. But one side is the cliff, and the other is the cliff face, so we have to drive in the middle of the road.
Of course, other people are also in the middle along with us, so what do we do? We have to widen the road. After we widen it, no matter which direction we are going, or which direction others are heading, we can all stay on this very precise path. We just need to follow the course of this road, that is all. So, “know the Dharma of the Middle Way.”
We have previously discussed the Dharma on the contemplation of the real and of the illusory, the truth of emptiness and of illusion. These are all principles. So what method will we use? If we cling to emptiness, we may deny the law of karma. If we cling to existence, we may be deluded into thinking there are gods in rocks and grasses. Some people will say, “If that is so, there are gods in our vegetables. What should we do then?” This would really restrict the way we live. So, we must exercise wisdom and choose to take the Middle Way.
“We can perfect and attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.” In emptiness there is wondrous existence and the karmic law of cause and effect. To advance in our spiritual practice, we need karmic causes and conditions. We need to create these causes and understand karmic conditions. Since the Buddha began His spiritual practice, He has been in accord with the law of karma, but He was not attached to it, so He unlocked the Dharma-door of the pure and undefiled nature of True Suchness. This is the most important part of our spiritual practice, how to perfect and attain the Middle Way. The Dharma must be practiced in the Middle Way, so “we can perfect and attain the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.”
Thus, “Dharma is empty by nature and all things are without [permanent] substance.” We should already know this. I have continuously said that “all things are without [permanent] substance,” and we just said it again. All material things have a certain way of coming into existence. For example, there is a way to create a table. This table is, in essence, a large piece of wood. This big piece of wood was once called a tree. This tree started as a seed. Following the laws of nature, the appearance [of the tree] depended on earth, water and so on to nourish that seed. Which of these is this table’s true appearance? So, in talking about the Dharma, all things are without [permanent] substance so they are empty by nature.
This is called “empty by nature.” You may wonder what “empty by nature” actually means. “Doesn’t Master talk about the nature of True Suchness, that ‘human nature is inherently good’ and nature is ever-present? So why did she say things are empty by nature?” Take the appearance of a table for example. It has many different [appearances]. Is it a seed? Is it a tree? Each appearance of its nature must undergo a process to take this form, so it is actually empty by nature. Not only is it empty by nature, it also has no appearance. “In ultimate emptiness, things do not truly exist.” If we analyze something down to its essence, ultimately there is just emptiness.
If we keep analyzing a table, looking into the past, we see a seed. That seed originates from another seed in the past. That seed grew into a tree, that tree grew fruits; this is a continuous cycle. Exactly which seed was that table’s seed? So ultimately, there is just emptiness. In emptiness, everything is non-existent; this is called being empty by nature. So, wondrous existence cannot be seen. Thus, it is ultimately empty, empty by nature.
With deluded sentiments of wrong assumptions, we see a permanent self when there is none. We cling to something non-existent as existent; we cling to what is wrong as right. This is like seeing a rope and calling it a snake. This is called the wrong assumption of being attached to [the existence of a] nature.
Everyone, we must make an effort to be mindful. We ordinary people have deluded sentiments about natures based on wrong assumptions. Because we have wrong assumptions, we think we can use water however we want. In terms of [water usage], I keep saying, “We must cherish our water resources.” How? Use the same water many times. We use reclaimed water. What is reclaimed water? Impure water that has been filtered and reclaimed. Impure water, as you know, is now available [for us to use]; when we wash the sidewalk or irrigate plants, we do it with this water. We can also flush the toilet with this water. Clean water is used for cooking and drinking.
We must find the best way to use water and not be attached to thinking, “I must use it in this way.” Then a difference of opinion may arise and create negative causes and conditions leading to confrontations between people. “I believe I should use this kind of water. I believe you can’t use this kind of water.” If so, what can we do?
After we finish washing things, we can then rinse our hands with clean water. Doesn’t this demonstrate wisdom? When it comes to natural resources, we must conserve them, cherish them and use them well. We should not have any “deluded sentiments from wrong assumptions.” This is attachment. If you are attached to doing things a certain way, it is because you think things truly exist. If you are attached to your way of doing things, if you stubbornly argue over everything, your life will be difficult. In summary, I hope that you treat your daily living as the best place to engage in spiritual practice. So, we must always be mindful.