Episode 417 – Diligently Carry Out Faith, Vows and Practice
>> “The Buddha, for the sake of sentient beings, went among the people to enable them to keep faith, vows and practice deep in their minds. The Dharma will pervade the universe with the power of diligence.”
>> “[All Buddhas] know the conduct of living beings, the thoughts deep within their minds, their habitual actions in the past, the nature of their desire, the power of their diligence and whether their faculties are sharp or dull.”
>> [They] know the conduct of living beings: The Buddha knew that those who have already aspired to engage in wholesome practices are accumulating merits and virtues, focusing on upholding and diligently advancing their mission and making great vows to engage in true practice.
>> Their earnestness in seeking the Dharma is deep within their minds. Their will to seek the profound and wondrous Dharma of the Buddha Vehicle is deep within their minds. The deeply planted causes and virtues that are hard to remove are deep within their minds. These are never forgotten. Their earnestness in seeking the Dharma is “deep within their minds.” Then, “Their will to seek the profound and wondrous Dharma of the Buddha Vehicle” is also “deep within their minds.”
>> [They] know the conduct of living beings, the thoughts deep within their minds, their habitual actions in the past, the nature of their desire, the power of their diligence, and whether their faculties are sharp or dull.
>> Their habitual actions in the past: With our initial resolve we make vows to learn and practice the Buddha-Dharma and follow the principles. In the process of learning spiritual cultivation, we encounter the Buddha and learn the Dharma to cultivate the habitual actions of Six Perfections.
>> The nature of their desire, the power of their diligence: Sentient beings have all kinds of desires. That is their nature. The teachings given by the Buddha are adapted to their desires. So, the sutra speaks of “the various paths they have walked, the nature of their various desires.”
>> [They know if] their faculties are sharp or dull: Faith, diligence, thought, Samadhi and wisdom are the Five Spiritual Roots. When replete with all goodness, we have all the Spiritual Roots. Eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body are also the Five Roots. These can be sharp or dull, just as people’s minds can be agile or slow.
“The Buddha, for the sake of sentient beings, went among the people
to enable them to keep faith, vows and practice deep in their minds.
The Dharma will pervade the universe with the power of diligence.”
All of us must always be mindful. The Buddha comes to this world to go among the people for one great cause, to teach sentient beings. The Buddha gives teachings in hopes that they penetrate deep into our minds. We must “delve deeply into the sutra treasury” so we can develop our wisdom.
During every morning and evening recitation, we always chant the Three Refuges. We take refuge in the Buddha “to comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration.” We take refuge in the Dharma to “delve deeply into the sutra treasury,” then we can develop “wisdom as vast as the ocean.” We take refuge in the Sangha to wholeheartedly “lead the assembly.” This is the reason that the Buddha teaches us to “keep faith, vows and practice deep in our minds.” This means we must transform sentient beings.
If we can do this, “the Dharma will pervade the universe with the power of diligence.” The Dharma can pervade the universe, which is everything between heaven and earth. If all of us living between heaven and earth can “comprehend the great path,” we can “delve deeply into the sutra treasury.” With this vow, we will be willing to transform others. We continually say that recruiting Living Bodhisattvas means that, as we move through the world, we should promptly share the wonderful Buddha-Dharma with people we meet. After we have understood it ourselves, we can use the realizations we gained from putting it into practice to transform other people. This is the Buddha’s one great cause for coming to this world. So, He went among people “to enable us to keep faith, vows and practice deep in our minds.” His hope is for the Dharma to pervade the universe. This requires our collective power of diligence.
So, in the next sutra passage, the Buddha says,
“[All Buddhas] know the conduct of living beings, the thoughts deep within their minds, their habitual actions in the past, the nature of their desire, the power of their diligence and whether their faculties are sharp or dull.”
Sakyamuni Buddha clearly knew everything about sentient beings. So, He “knew the conduct of living beings.” Sentient beings’ minds and actions vary greatly because each person’s arising thoughts, afflictions and ignorance are different. Even their aspirations of practicing [the Dharma] are different. So, the Buddha “knew the conduct of living beings.” He knew all of their good and evil behaviors.
[They] know the conduct of living beings: The Buddha knew that those who have already aspired to engage in wholesome practices are accumulating merits and virtues, focusing on upholding and diligently advancing their mission and making great vows to engage in true practice.
So, “the Buddha knew those who already aspired to engage in wholesome practices.” Since they had all met the Buddha and listened to the teachings, they gave rise to faith and began to engage in wholesome practices. The Buddha knew that to engage in wholesome practices is to accumulate merits and virtues.
As time, which is intangible, passes, our actions, which are tangible, accumulate to develop our wisdom-life. So, we must wholeheartedly and diligently advance our mission. Every day, if we “uphold our mission and follow the path,” then “our path will be great.” Since we have made this vow, we must follow the Buddha’s teachings to diligently advance step by step. We must have a focused mind and a firm resolve in order to diligently advance. So, the great vows we make must be true. Haven’t we discussed this before? The Jing Si Dharma-lineage is a path of diligence so we must internally practice the Four Great Vows.
When we make great vows, we are not only making the Four Great Vows. We make countless vows and once we have made those vows, we must actually put them into practice. We must keep them deep in our minds; our vows must deeply penetrate our minds. So, we must keep our vows deep within our minds then our every thought will adhere to the Dharma. We must be earnest in seeking the Dharma. We cannot think, “I listened to the Dharma today, I know everything now. I don’t need to listen to it tomorrow because I’ve already understood it today.” If we think this way, our deep sincerity and earnestness in seeking the Dharma is lacking.
We must know that the Buddha-Dharma is infinite and boundless. By itself, [the Sutra of] Infinite Meanings can encompass all things in the universe. All principles are encompassed within the Dharma. Can we actually understand it all in one day? Can we truly grasp one truth and understand all truths? The Buddha’s many lifetimes are expressed with the words “repeated kalpas.” He unceasingly made diligent advances, sought the Dharma, gave up His body and devoted Himself to His great vows. This was all to seek the Dharma. So, we must also earnestly seek the Dharma. Then it is “deep within our minds.” With these examples, I hope you can understand what this phrase means.
Their earnestness in seeking the Dharma is deep within their minds. Their will to seek the profound and wondrous Dharma of the Buddha Vehicle is deep within their minds. The deeply planted causes and virtues that are hard to remove are deep within their minds. These are never forgotten. Their earnestness in seeking the Dharma is “deep within their minds.” Then, “Their will to seek the profound and wondrous Dharma of the Buddha Vehicle” is also “deep within their minds.”
The Buddha-Dharma contains the Small, Middle and Great Vehicle. What we want to seek now is the deeply profound and wondrous Dharma of the Buddha Vehicle. When we understand that the Buddha has set aside skillful means to teach the True Dharma, which is the great Dharma of the Buddha Vehicle, then we will readjust our minds and focus on dedicating ourselves to study the profound and wondrous Dharma of the Buddha Vehicle. This is “deep within our minds.”
There are also “deeply planted causes.” It is important to know that “cause” means seed. Everyone has an intrinsic Tathagata-nature. Our pure and undefiled nature of True Suchness is the “cause” for attaining Buddhahood. However, this “cause” for attaining Buddhahood has been covered by ignorance for a very long time. Now that we have encountered the Dharma, with these thoughts deep within our minds, we must promptly remove these layers of ignorance. Otherwise, we will not be able to access this “deep cause,” which is our intrinsic Tathagata-nature. We will not be able to eliminate our ignorance. So, we must learn the Buddha’s teachings until we find our intrinsic nature. Therefore, we must have “deeply planted virtues.” If our virtues are securely and deeply planted, it will not be easy for anyone to influence us.
To “plant” something we must cultivate it. We must go among people and willingly give to others. This is “planting virtues.” Our “cause” must endlessly grow, sprout and take root in our minds. If we are walking the Bodhisattva-path, this root will grow. This is the root for attaining Buddhahood. It is also the Tathagata-nature that all of us intrinsically have.
In this world, how can we not be tempted by external conditions? When these roots are deeply affixed within us, they are “deep in our minds.” So, “They are never forgotten.” This means we will always keep these in mind. So, these are the “thoughts that are deep within [our] minds.” We must earnestly seek the Buddha Vehicle. Our roots of goodness must be planted deeper, extend farther and wider. Then we will not be easily influenced. This is how we keep Buddha-Dharma in our minds. These are “thoughts that are deep within [our] minds.”
[They] know the conduct of living beings, the thoughts deep within their minds, their habitual actions in the past, the nature of their desire, the power of their diligence, and whether their faculties are sharp or dull.
“Their habitual actions in the past.” All of us have cycled through many lifetimes and continually transmigrated through the Six Realms. In each lifetime, our surroundings influence us, so we continue to accumulate ignorance. So, now that we have encountered the Dharma, “with our initial resolve we make vows.”
Their habitual actions in the past: With our initial resolve we make vows to learn and practice the Buddha-Dharma and follow the principles. In the process of learning spiritual cultivation, we encounter the Buddha and learn the Dharma to cultivate the habitual actions of Six Perfections.
I often say we must sustain our initial aspiration. We must always hold on to the aspiration we form today. Regardless of the conditions of our future surroundings, our resolve must be firm and unwavering. Thus, “With our initial resolve we make vows.” We must uphold our mission and follow the path. To do this, we learn and practice the Dharma and follow these principles to learn and practice the path. In the past, we were influenced by ignorance, so after we have accepted the Buddha-Dharma, we must be firm in learning and practicing the Buddha-Dharma. We must unceasingly allow the Buddha-Dharma to permeate us so we can unceasingly eliminate the ignorance and karma from our past. To do this, we must follow the principles.
Principles are cyclic. Do not say, “I understand it today, tomorrow….” Every day is a [new] cycle. We must be diligent today and tomorrow. In the human realm, as time goes by, we go deeper into the practice of the Dharma so that our wisdom-life can grow.
To learn and practice the path is an “action.” Our practices are purifying actions. We ordinary people take defiled actions, which leave a taint on us. Now we are using the Dharma like water to cleanse defilements from our minds. As we unceasingly take the Dharma to heart, we unceasingly purify our minds; this is the process. We follow the Dharma and maintain our vows. From the time we formed our initial resolve, we have continued to form vows. This process of spiritual practice takes a long time.
“We encounter the Buddha and learn the Dharma.” We are very fortunate to encounter them, so we must listen to the Dharma, to the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha. Even today, we can still listen to them. We also must focus on cultivating the practices of the Six Perfections, which are purifying actions. These are our fundamental duties. As we give unconditionally, we must also be grateful.
So, the nature of sentient beings’ desires was well understood by the Buddha. He knew “the nature of their desire, the power of their diligence.”
The nature of their desire, the power of their diligence: Sentient beings have all kinds of desires. That is their nature. The teachings given by the Buddha are adapted to their desires. So, the sutra speaks of “the various paths they have walked, the nature of their various desires.”
Since sentient beings have formed aspirations, here, “desire” means to make vows, it means to “wish.” Their wishes and the dullness of their capabilities were clearly understood by the Buddha. So, He gave teachings according to their desires. This was how He patiently guided them.
So, the sutra mentions “the various paths they have walked” and “the nature of their various desires.” The Buddha’s teachings are in accord with sentient beings’ capabilities. So, “the various paths” are different methods of practice that are suitable for different capabilities. “Various” means that because there are many different habitual tendencies, there are different methods of teaching.
“[He knows if] their faculties are sharp or dull.” The Buddha knew sentient beings’ capabilities, and whether they were sharp or dull. In explaining something to someone, we may ask, “Do you understand? Yes, I understand. Then explain it to me. I still can’t quite understand it.” Think about how, for just this one person, we must speak to accurately address [his needs] and teach him how to do specific things and so on. This is not easy at all, let alone giving one teaching for all to hear. How can everyone who listens to it go in the same direction? It is very difficult! Why? “Their faculties [may be] sharp or dull.” Some people have sharp faculties. When teachings are given to those with sharp faculties, they may hear one thing and realize ten things, or a thousand things, or thoroughly understand everything. This depends on their capabilities.
So, faith, diligence, thought, Samadhi and wisdom are the Five Spiritual Roots. The 37 Practices to Enlightenment include the. Five Spiritual Roots and Five Powers. These are what we must cultivate to bring our capabilities to the same level. We must take the 37 Practices to Enlightenment to heart. So, if we can take these 37 kinds of practices to heart, we will be replete with all goodness and roots.
[They know if] their faculties are sharp or dull: Faith, diligence, thought, Samadhi and wisdom are the Five Spiritual Roots. When replete with all goodness, we have all the Spiritual Roots. Eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body are also the Five Roots. These can be sharp or dull, just as people’s minds can be agile or slow.
Other than the Five Spiritual Roots, there are also five physical roots, which are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. Our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body are inseparable from what we encounter in our daily living. But, what we perceive with our five physical roots must be differentiated with our [Spiritual Roots], our knowledge and wisdom. In our daily living, our Five Roots come in contact [with many things]. With regard to the Buddha-Dharma, we read and recite it every day, but do we have faith in it? We listen to it every day, but do we believe it? After we hear the Buddha-Dharma, do we diligently practice? Have we advanced? If we diligently advance, do we take it to heart? After we take it to heart, has the Dharma settled within our minds? If the Dharma has settled in our minds, have we developed wisdom?
So from this perspective, our knowledge and the Five Spiritual Roots and. Five Powers in our daily living are inseparable from our physical body, our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. So, are our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body at the same level as our Five Spiritual Roots and Five Powers? Some people’s minds are sharper. Some people’s minds are slower. Some people have deep faith; some people advance diligently. Some may have faith, but not a deep faith. Or they may be diligent, but not very earnest. These are our various capabilities.
The Buddha understood all of them, that some are sharp and some are dull, “just as people’s minds can be agile or slow.” Sentient beings are all different. Because all of us are like this, [our practice] depends on whether we are mindful, whether we have made an effort to go deeper. The Buddha was patient, and continued to go among the people for the sole purpose of teaching them, “to enable them to keep faith, vows and practice deep in their minds.” This was the Buddha’s hope in coming to the world. He hoped the Dharma could enter all our minds, and that all our minds would abide in the Dharma. Then “the Dharma will pervade the universe” and everyone will exercise the power of diligence.
Dear Bodhisattvas, we must form Bodhisattva-aspirations and then put them into practice. We must always be mindful.