Episode 438 – The True Suchness of All Phenomena
>> “The Buddha, for the sake of one great cause, cultivated the path to perfect enlightenment. In order to teach the Great Dharma, He first established the Dharma and Sangha.”
>> So, “The appearance of Nirvana of all things cannot be expressed in words, so I used the power of skillful means to instruct the five bhiksus.”
>> “This is called ‘the turning of the Dharma-wheel,’ leading to the ‘sound of Nirvana,’ as well as ‘Arhatship, Dharma’ and ‘Sangha,’ these other labels.”
>> He extensively taught the Great Vehicle Dharma, which provided for all three capabilities. This is called “the turning of the Dharma-wheel.” Transmitting something from my mind into yours is called turning. Transmitting the Dharma of the Buddha-mind into the minds of others is called turning the Dharma-wheel.
>> The Nirvana of our pure intrinsic nature is the True Suchness of all things. Although defilements may cover our nature, it is intrinsically pure. Endowed with countless subtle and wondrous merits and virtues, it is non-arising and non-ceasing, like a pure and endless void.
>> All sentient beings are equal and share [all things]. All things are not the same but not different. When we can transcend all appearances, all distinctions, we are at the end of our line of thought. When there are no more names, forms and words, all that is left is the pure Brahma-tone. Noble beings verify for themselves the intrinsic stillness of their nature. This is the state of Nirvana.
>> “As [for] ‘Arhatship,’ those who have accepted the Buddha-Dharma and perfected the [Three] Flawless Studies” are known as Arhats.
>> Those who can teach the Dharma are “Buddhas.” What they teach is the “Dharma,”
“The Buddha, for the sake of one great cause,
cultivated the path to perfect enlightenment.
In order to teach the Great Dharma,
He first established the Dharma and Sangha.”
Recently, we have been talking about how, right after the Buddha attained enlightenment, the state of His mind was the state of the Avatamsaka assembly, tranquil and clear. That state is like crystal, so serene and pure. This was the enlightened state of the Buddha. At that time, His heart was already set upon. His one great cause. He came to the this world solely to realize the truths of all things in the universe so He could teach and guide sentient beings.
Though the Buddha had completed the path to enlightenment, for everyone to realize the Dharma at that level was difficult and maybe impossible. This was what He thought for an instant. Then very quickly, another thought surfaced, to go among people and teach the Great Dharma. So, once He made the decision to go among the people to teach the Great Dharma, He went to Deer Park to establish the Three Treasures. The Buddha had attained enlightenment, As for the Dharma, the Four Noble Truths were now being taught. And these five people [comprised the Sangha].
It took Three Turnings of the Four Noble Truths, three explanations, for these five people to realize that suffering in life arises from causes and conditions; each person creates his own causes and conditions.
So, “The appearance of Nirvana of all things cannot be expressed in words, so I used the power of skillful means to instruct the five bhiksus.”
We talked about this sutra passage yesterday. “The appearance of Nirvana of all things” [means] we can comprehend the teachings of Nirvana, a state that is tranquil and clear, as pure as crystal. What is the proper terminology for describing this state? Actually, if we describe it as an “appearance” that is not the ultimate truth. “It is beyond words,” because when we see an “appearance,” it actually comes from the convergence of various causes and conditions. That is what we call an “appearance.” When the Buddha began to teach, He only talked about appearances. Yet He wanted to explain the principles, and to talk about principles, He had to analyze many appearances.
If He only explained one principle, it would be impossible for people to understand. Is there anything that does not arise from the convergence of the four elements? I explained this to all of you yesterday. Every day, you see me sitting here. I sit here, and you sit over there. Every day we are in this same state, but we are at different moments in time. We use “yesterday” to describe a period of time.
What does “yesterday” look like? What is its appearance? You cannot show me. But it was clearly yesterday and not today. What does “today” look like? Just like this, with you sitting there, and me sitting here. Is my sitting here and your sitting there an appearance that is fixed?
If we only talk about “appearance” alone we will not be able to penetrate its truths. If we want to talk about principles, upon analysis there is too much [to talk about]. So, we talk about “the appearance of Nirvana of all things.” True principles are fundamentally pure. They must be brought together by causes and conditions to give rise to an “appearance.”
So, principles are truly too great [to understand]. I hope that even if we do not usually say this, by understanding these truths right now, we can understand that no matter what we see, the appearance of every single thing encompasses its own infinite truths. This is wisdom. This is the sea of Dharma in the mind. When we hear sounds or see forms, there is a sound that has converged, an appearance that has come together. Principles are like this. Writing them out one by one is very difficult. Explaining them one by one is also not easy. We all have to mindfully experience them.
So, “it cannot be expressed in words.” The truth of the appearance of Nirvana cannot be expressed with a simple phrase. It is not possible. “It cannot be expressed in words.” This is very difficult and time-consuming, it must be [taught] again and again until, He could ask, “Now do you understand? Now do you know?” This was how the Buddha gave provisional teachings. But, by the time of the Lotus teachings, He had to open up the provisional.
After He first attained Buddhahood, due to sentient beings’ varying capabilities, the Buddha had to give provisional teachings. However, the days passed, and after more than 40 years, the Buddha had to open up the provisional at the Lotus Assembly. He opened up the provisional teachings and said that in the past He had taught skillful means and only now was He going to teach the True Dharma.
So, He “opened the provisional to reveal the true.” This was His life’s teachings. He began by going to Deer Park and teaching the Four Noble Truths. He first helped people understand “suffering.” After teaching the Four Noble Truths for the five bhiksus, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha were complete. So, the next sutra passage states,
“This is called ‘the turning of the Dharma-wheel,’ leading to the ‘sound of Nirvana,’ as well as ‘Arhatship, Dharma’ and ‘Sangha,’ these other labels.”
This was the beginning of how the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha became complete at Deer Park. This was the moment when. He began to go among people and teach the Dharma. But “Dharma” and “Sangha” were other labels.
If the Buddha said everything was equal and all things have the appearance of Nirvana, why did He make these kinds of distinctions? However, as I have said, the Buddha’s Dharma is, not something all of us can attain equally; this tranquil and clear, crystal-pure state of mind is still impossible for us to achieve. So, the Buddha had to give provisional teachings. Giving provisional teachings requires worldly appearances and worldly labels, the names and appearances used in this world. Things of all shapes and colors all have labels. Each of us have our own names. All things in the world have their own different labels. So, there were “‘Dharma’ and ‘Sangha,’ these other labels.” These distinctions were made
because Buddha began by teaching the provisional. So, turning the Dharma-wheel is to “extensively teach the Great Dharma which provided for all three capabilities.” Although this was the Great Dharma, the Buddha had to devise a way for everyone to accept the teachings they heard. This was known as “turning the Dharma-wheel.” Whether great, average and limited capabilities, He “provided for all three capabilities,” so everyone could accept [the Dharma] from Him.
He extensively taught the Great Vehicle Dharma, which provided for all three capabilities. This is called “the turning of the Dharma-wheel.” Transmitting something from my mind into yours is called turning. Transmitting the Dharma of the Buddha-mind into the minds of others is called turning the Dharma-wheel.
So, the Dharma-wheel transmits [something] from my mind into yours. This is known as “turning.” How can we transmit the wisdom of the Buddha into the minds of sentient beings? Transmitting it into sentient beings’ minds is called “turning.” From the Buddha’s mind, His wisdom is delivered into the minds of sentient beings to turn ordinary minds into the minds of noble beings and bring the noble teachings into ordinary minds. So, I continually tell people, “We must have the Buddha in our minds and the Dharma in our actions.” The Buddha is in the Dharma, so we take the Buddha-Dharma to heart. Then the Dharma must be in our actions. This is [part of] turning the Dharma-wheel. After accepting Buddha-Dharma into our minds, we must put it into practice. This is known as “turning the Dharma-wheel. Transmitting the Dharma of the Buddha-mind into the minds of others is called turning the Dharma-wheel,”
“leading to the ‘sound of Nirvana.'” There is the pure sound of Nirvana, which is the pure Nirvana of our nature. “Nirvana” is in everyone’s nature. Their purest nature of True Suchness is [this state of] tranquility and stillness. I have always told everyone that although most people think death is Nirvana, it is not. The Buddha’s Nirvana is the tranquil and still state that. He attained the moment He became enlightened. So, it is called pure Nirvana.
When thoughts no longer arise or cease, when desires no longer enter our minds, we will no longer have improper thoughts caused by worldly things. This is known as “non-arising.” If there is no greed, anger or ignorance, how can afflictions enter our minds? So, the mind will be in a spiritual state of pure Nirvana, which is non-arising and non-ceasing. Our nature of True Suchness is non-ceasing, and if no afflictions arise, we will remain in our intrinsic nature, which is pure Nirvana. “This is the True Suchness of all phenomena.”
Everything has its own principle of True Suchness. So, regardless of its appearance, it always has its own intrinsic principles. Everything, from the land to the sky to everything in between, has its own nature and principles. As for the truth of True Suchness, the appearance of all things already includes the principle of True Suchness.
The Nirvana of our pure intrinsic nature is the True Suchness of all things. Although defilements may cover our nature, it is intrinsically pure. Endowed with countless subtle and wondrous merits and virtues, it is non-arising and non-ceasing, like a pure and endless void.
“Although defilements may cover our nature,” even if there are external pollutants, “it is intrinsically pure.” We ordinary people are filled with afflictions because of external “defilements.” These “defilements” come from outside, and actually have nothing at all to do with our intrinsic nature. However, so much ignorance and afflictions comes from the convergence of people, matters and objects that defiles our minds. When we open our minds to greed, then anger and ignorance will endlessly drive us to [react to] external phenomena. Our intrinsic nature was pure to begin with.
Although external things keep defiling it, our intrinsic nature will actually always be there. So, I constantly tell everyone, “It is no greater in noble beings and no less in ordinary beings.” This is how the intrinsic nature of True Suchness is “endowed with countless subtle and wondrous merits and virtues.” Our intrinsic nature of True Suchness has always been replete with countless subtle and wondrous merits and virtues. Whatever kind of objects we find that we can use, they can all sustain our lives so that we can live in abundance. When we are content, we always feel our abundance and blessings.
Actually, we do not lack for anything. All things can sustain our lives. Every person, matter and object is replete with countless subtle and wondrous merits and virtues. If we know how to make use of it, then we can bring our virtues to fruition. If we do not know how to make use of them, material things may become negative causes and conditions for creating karma. This depends on how we understand the principles and use them [to create] countless subtle and wondrous merits. If we are confused about principles and ignorant, we will be unable to do so, and they will become tools for creating karma.
So, the principles have always been non-arising and non-ceasing, very pure, like the endless void. Unfortunately, we are deluded by our conditions. External conditions delude us because we are “all sentient beings.” We are sentient. We can hear the sounds of birds. I ask you, “Are birds sentient or not?” They are sentient; they have feelings. Not only birds, but all living beings are sentient and are afraid of death. They all live in their own ignorant state which continues to be recreated. This is unceasing. Sentient beings’ feelings of defiled desires
can be seen in this world and in the Ten Dharma-realms. I have told you about the Ten Dharma-realms, the Four Noble and Six Unenlightened Realms. The Four Noble Realms are Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Solitary Realizers and Hearers. They have transcended the delusion of sentient beings in this world. Then there are the Six Unenlightened Realms, starting with the asura. They often give rise to afflictions and anger that disturb themselves as well as others. This world is where the Five Realms coexist. In the hell, hungry ghosts and animal realms, beings cannot understand anything. But they feel unbearable suffering in hell. The sentient beings in hell are suffering. All they feel is suffering. Animals face the suffering of animals. Hungry ghosts face the suffering of hungry ghosts. In summary, [this applies to] all sentient beings.
Yet, those in the Four Noble Realms are all awakened sentient beings. Awakened sentient beings understand that all living beings are equal and all things in the world are collectively shared. “All things are not the same but not different.” All things are interconnected and interdependent but when we draw distinctions between you and me, we fight over things; this gives rise to afflictions.
All sentient beings are equal and share [all things]. All things are not the same but not different. When we can transcend all appearances, all distinctions, we are at the end of our line of thought. When there are no more names, forms and words, all that is left is the pure Brahma-tone. Noble beings verify for themselves the intrinsic stillness of their nature. This is the state of Nirvana.
So, “when we can transcend all appearances, all distinctions, we are at the end of our line of thought.” In the Buddha’s state, by understanding one truth. He can understand the principles of all things in the universe. However, we ordinary people hear the truth but do not understand. “Is this really the case? I don’t understand. How can things be this way?” So, we carefully draw distinctions. In summary, there are many things that we have always had, but we keep looking for them outside of ourselves; we do not look for them on the inside.
“There are no more names, forms and words.” I truly want to tell everyone that the Buddha-Dharma is like this, tranquil and still. Tranquility and stillness has always been without appearance. Truths can never be understood through only one thing; many causes and conditions must converge for people to understand that this is what appearances are like. We do not think about this. When we hold a sheet of paper in our hands, we do not know where it comes from. It is a union of the four elements. If an awakened person holds this piece of paper, he would know that paper comes from paper pulp, paper pulp comes from trees, and trees come from the land, which is actually the convergence of earth, water, fire and air. Trees are cut down and turned into pulp, which takes water, heat and various machines. This is what it takes to make a sheet of paper. Think about this, isn’t its source the four elements? The formation of things with other labels is a process which also requires the four elements. As for the truth of True Suchness, discussing a single truth is beyond words.
“All that is left is the pure Brahma-tone. Noble beings verify [this] for themselves.” The Dharma taught by the Buddha is pure, undefiled, subtle and wondrous Dharma that enters our minds. This kind of subtle and wondrous Dharma can only be verified and realized by the mind of a noble being, and then taught to help us understand. This is “the intrinsic stillness of their nature.” After He became enlightened, the Buddha realized His nature had always been tranquil and still. This was the difference between the Buddha and those listening to His teachings. If our realization is deeper, then we can more clearly understand the Dharma.
“As [for] ‘Arhatship,’ those who have accepted the Buddha-Dharma and perfected the [Three] Flawless Studies” are known as Arhats.
We know the [Three] Flawless Studies, which are precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. With the teachings heard from the Buddha, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, they become Arhats.
Those who can teach the Dharma are “Buddhas.” What they teach is the “Dharma,”
Hence, those who listen are the “Sangha.” So, in summary, when the Buddha was at Deer Park, the Three Treasures became complete. Enlightened people who can teach the Dharma are considered “Buddhas.” The Four Noble Truths are considered “Dharma.” The people who listen are known as Arhats. After the Three Turnings of the Dharma-wheel, they were already different. They became known as Arhats. “The ‘Dharma’ and ‘Sangha,’ these other labels,”
the differences between Dharma and Sangha, are the distinguishing labels of the Three Treasures, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In our present world, we give them these labels. But if we return to a tranquil and still state, there will be no differences, all are Buddhas. So one who masters and attains wondrous wisdom and walks the path to perfect enlightenment is called the Buddha; the Dharma and Sangha are labels used to draw distinctions.
So, dear Bodhisattvas, please mindfully realize this. Although I say so many things every day, there are certain things I keep repeating in hopes everyone will truly and always be mindful.