Episode 525 – Teaching Accordingly for Complete Awakening
>> “Sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely, so the Buddha taught with analogies according to capabilities. He skillfully explained matters to reveal truths until they reached complete awakening.”
>> Yet now, from the World-Honored One, they hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion. Excellent, World-Honored One. May you, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, speak of these causes and conditions to enable them to shed their doubts and regrets.
>> “At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra, ‘I did not at first talk about it; but don’t all Buddhas, teach the Dharma by means of various causes and conditions, parables, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'”
>> At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra: He called on Sariputra to make known his wisdom and understanding. Then, the Buddha praised Sariputra again for requesting the Dharma on behalf of the Dharma-assembly. I did not at first talk about it: The Dharma should not be too much or too little. He taught what was just right, the Middle Way.
>> All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones: All of them, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world and explained what They had done for countless kalpas. In the presence of infinite Buddhas, They learned various kinds of practices, various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
“Sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely,
so the Buddha taught with analogies according to capabilities.
He skillfully explained matters to reveal truths
until they reached complete awakening.”
This is the Buddha’s state of mind. He understands all beings in the world, all people, matters, objects and so on, Yet, “Sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely.” If we sentient beings do not make an effort to mindfully listen to the Buddha’s teachings, we will continue to give rise to more ignorance and afflictions. Even if we now have the resolve to learn, it will still take time, a very long time. We have to be mindful, face the right direction and take steady steps forward, moving forward bit by bit.
The Buddha does not abandon sentient beings, “so [He] taught with analogies according to capabilities.” There are so many sentient beings with so many different habitual tendencies, ideas and perspectives. But the Buddha actually had the patience to teach according to their capabilities by devising various analogies which suited their understanding.
Using various skillful means, He explained matters to reveal the truth, revealing the principles behind these matters. In the Lotus Sutra, in addition to using analogies, expressions, karmic conditions and retributions and so on, He used worldly matters to reveal the principles, and used profound truths to explain the appearances of things. Thus, He ceaselessly used different methods, different skillful means, to reveal [truths] for us to understand, all for the sole reason of helping us attain “a complete awakening,” which is the state of infinite realizations.
We should always mindfully seek to comprehend the Buddha’s compassion. We see the working of things in a certain way, but there are actually profound principles behind them. Coming up with analogies to explain these matters with profound principles is hard! It is indeed difficult for us ordinary people. Yet the Buddha did His best to come up with them. Without using matters as examples, how can we possibly realize these principles? There is a story that explains this more clearly.
In India, during the era of Right Dharma, many people engaged in spiritual cultivation at monasteries. The Buddha hoped that everyone would be mindful, regardless of age or social class, and so He accepted anyone who had the aspiration and made the vow to be a spiritual practitioner. He set no limits on age or class and gave everyone a chance to engage in spiritual cultivation.
At the time, there was an abode which, although quite simple, still housed many monastics. People in that area knew, “The Sangha is diligently studying the Dharma. If I make offerings to the monastics every day so they can focus on learning the Dharma, this will allow the Buddha-Dharma to be spread throughout the world.”
One of those people was an upasika, which is a female lay practitioner. Although she would have liked to make many offerings every day, her resources were limited. So, the most she was able to do was to invite one monastic to her house every day to accept her offerings. [The monastics] at the abode took turns going. Whenever it was someone’s turn, that person would go to receive her offerings. As for this good woman, this upasika, her thoughts were, “After a bhiksu receives an offering from me, I hope that they will explain the Dharma to me.” This continued for a long time; every day it was like this.
One day, it was an elderly monk’s turn. He had a strong desire to seek the Dharma, but felt that his own capabilities were dull and that he did not understand the Dharma very well. Because of this, every day he felt very troubled. When it was his turn to receive her offerings, he was very worried, but he had no choice but to follow the rules. “The rule of the abode is that when it is my turn, I have to go, but my heart is heavy. After I receive the offerings, what Dharma can I teach her?” So, on his way to the home of the upasika, he hung his head low and walked very slowly. His every step was as heavy as his heart. Gradually, we began to feel worried. How should he deal with this situation?
When the woman saw this monastic arrive, [she] quickly prostrated with reverence and invited him to sit and enjoy the offering of food she had prepared. After he finished eating, the upasika respectfully came to sit before him and reverently requested teachings. What was this elderly monastic going to teach? He looked down, very worried, and said, “Foolishness, ignorance and a lack of wisdom bring tremendous suffering, indeed.” That was all he said.
When the upasika heard this, she was very moved. She thought, “Truly, this is a Dharma master who is very advanced in his spiritual practice. Aren’t all sentient beings foolish and ignorant? It is due to their foolishness and ignorance.” ․”that they create karma and set the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence in motion.” Because of the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, an ignorant thought arises, which produces the three subtle afflictions. This causes afflictions to multiply endlessly, so we transmigrate in the Six Realms without rest. “Truly, this Dharma Master is advanced in His spiritual cultivation. In addition to making an offering of food, I must quickly find something of value to present as an offering,” [she thought].
The upasika immediately stood up and left the room to look for something valuable, but when the Dharma Master saw her leave, he decided beat a hasty retreat. He quickly left and ran back to the abode. Upon his return, he did not dare see his master and immediately went to his room.
Yet, out of the great respect she felt for him, the upasika brought some cloth to the abode as an offering. She explained how this monastic helped her. “The Dharma he taught me was truly profound, but he made it easy for me to understand, so my heart is filled with Dharma-joy. This is why I came to make this offering.” His teacher heard this and quickly sent for the elderly bhiksu who had only recently been ordained as a monastic. “The simple words that you have spoken today have helped this benefactor, this good woman here. She now understands the principles, so you should accept her reverent offering.”
Thus, everything happens because of causes and conditions. The bhiksu had a heart heavy with afflictions, but because this woman was someone who sincerely sought the Dharma, [his words] resonated with her. This is why the Buddha said, “Everything depends on cause and conditions.” With these causes and conditions, he inspired her according to her capabilities.
So, “the Buddha taught with analogies according capabilities.” During the Buddha’s lifetime, He taught according to capabilities with analogies. For all of us ordinary people, even though we still do not really understand, if we resolve to engage in spiritual practice, we can transform afflictions into Bodhi. In the Lotus Sutra, although the Buddha continually mentions “trillions of kalpas,” we should seize every present moment. The Dharma is by our side at every second. If we have this mindset, a long period may seem short to us. In the latter parts of the Lotus Sutra, there are more analogies about this.
In summary, time just keeps passing, so let us quickly develop our understanding. What was in the previous sutra passage?
Yet now, from the World-Honored One, they hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion. Excellent, World-Honored One. May you, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, speak of these causes and conditions to enable them to shed their doubts and regrets.
This passage begins with, “Now, from the World-Honored One.” These words came from Sariputra’s heart and were spoken on behalf of [the many who gathered]. At that moment, everyone was sitting before the World-Honored One, listening to Him teach the Dharma.
“They hear what they never heard before, causing them all to fall into doubt and delusion.” In the past, they heard the Buddha teaching skillful means. Now, He turned around and set these aside to teach the True Dharma. So, those who listened suddenly had doubts, including Sariputra. This passage describes how, upon hearing that everyone can become a Buddha, some fell into a web of doubts. [They wondered], “Can I really achieve this?” This was many people’s mindset.
So, [Sariputra expressed] his gratitude. “Excellent! I am grateful to the World-Honored One for explaining this and helping me to understand. I was also able to receive the prediction of Buddhahood from You, and so many people took joy on my behalf. I am also grateful that the Buddha repeatedly explained the causes and conditions for the fourfold assembly. Everyone has different karmic conditions, and since the Buddha compassionately bestowed this prediction upon me, the karmic conditions for many others should also be maturing. Therefore, I believe that the Buddha will subsequently bestow this prediction on others.” In this way, he helped everyone to better understand that they all had this opportunity to eliminate doubt, give rise to faith and vow to accept the Buddha’s teachings. This is the general meaning of this passage.
The following passage states,
“At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra, ‘I did not at first talk about it; but don’t all Buddhas, teach the Dharma by means of various causes and conditions, parables, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi?'”
When the Buddha responded to Sariputra, He called out his name, This indicated that. He placed great importance on Sariputra’s question and also wanted to strengthen everyone’s desire to hear the Dharma. He said, “I did not at first talk about it.” He, first and foremost, commended Sariputra for continuing to ask questions on others’ behalf, even after he received his prediction. On behalf of those at the assembly, he asked questions. On behalf of those at the assembly, he again requested the Dharma. The Buddha praised Sariputra for doing this. He not only looked after himself, he requested teachings on behalf of many others.
So, the Buddha began by explaining, “I did not at first talk about it.” When the Buddha first began to teach, because sentient beings could not yet really understand, He could not give teachings that were too [advanced], but He could not give incomplete teachings either. He could not teach too much nor too little; it had to be just right. Based on each person’s capabilities, He had to say things that could be understood and give teachings that could be accepted. Thus, the teachings He gave were not biased towards “emptiness,” nor towards “existence.” This is the Middle Way, which is just right.
At that time, the Buddha told Sariputra: He called on Sariputra to make known his wisdom and understanding. Then, the Buddha praised Sariputra again for requesting the Dharma on behalf of the Dharma-assembly. I did not at first talk about it: The Dharma should not be too much or too little. He taught what was just right, the Middle Way.
Teachings that were too advanced were teachings that people did not have the capabilities to understand. What wouldn’t they have understood? The true principles of all things in the universe. But if He said too much, they could not accept it. So, He turned back and put those teachings away in His heart. Instead, He used various matters to explain the principles. [So], skillful means are teachings suitable for the listener’s capabilities.
Take the elderly bhiksu, for example. His mind was filled with afflictions, yet he was able to speak in a way that one who sincerely sought the Dharma was able to understand and thus attain Dharma-joy. This was because it suited her capabilities. This is why Sakyamuni Buddha said, “I did not at first talk about it.” When He first began teaching, He did not tell everyone that they could all attain Buddhahood.
All Buddhas have come to the world for the same reason, for the sake of one great cause. So, They all explained the workings of causes and conditions. These are skillful means. The Buddha explained how He had engaged in spiritual practice in past lifetimes. The Jataka Sutra and the sutras about His disciple’s past lifetimes are all about how, in a past lifetime, such-and-such disciple formed such-and-such karmic connections with Him and how He Himself had engaged in spiritual practice in the presence of all Buddhas. He was explaining the causes and conditions of the spiritual practices of past Buddhas and how His own were the same.
So, “All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world.” Sakyamuni Buddha was not the only one to do this. All Buddhas, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world and explained how, for countless kalpas, They had engaged in spiritual practice.
All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones: All of them, for the sake of one great cause, manifested in this world and explained what They had done for countless kalpas. In the presence of infinite Buddhas, They learned various kinds of practices, various causes and conditions, analogies, expressions and skillful means, all for the sake of. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
“In the presence of infinite Buddhas, They learned various kinds of practices.” Sakyamuni Buddha Himself, in the presence of infinite Buddhas, cultivated various kinds of practices. He also practiced under various kinds of causes and conditions. In addition, through the use of many analogies for the principles of people, matters and things, [He helped others] accept and understand. This all came from what He attained from all Buddhas’ teaching of the Dharma with expressions and skillful means, “Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.” All Buddhas had [taught this way], and Sakyamuni Buddha did as well. He taught with various causes and conditions, analogies and expressions.
The Buddha, for the Two Vehicle practitioners, taught with various causes and conditions and skillful means. The Two Vehicles are the Small Vehicle and the Great Vehicle. The Small Vehicle is also replete with the principles, but the Dharma is taught and explained through matters. Contained within the workings of things are subtle and intricately connected principles.
The Buddha said, “There was not a day that I did not expound teachings for the sake of perfect enlightenment.”
Every day, the Buddha taught in this way. Although addressing Small Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, and teaching truths through matters, there was not a day that He did not expound teachings for the sake of perfect enlightenment, all in the hope that everyone can realize the true principles contained within matters.
At this assembly, He set aside matters and explained true principles to everyone. True principles are inherently in everyone; this is their pure and undefiled Buddha-nature. But, did everyone understand this? If they did not, the Buddha had to, once again, patiently expound the Dharma to them all. In summary, sentient beings’ capabilities vary widely so. He taught with analogies according to capabilities. The Buddha did not abandon sentient beings, so we must always be grateful to Him.
So, Sariputra called Him, “Excellent, World-Honored One. Excellent” expresses his gratitude; he showed his gratitude and praise by saying, “Excellent.” He hoped the Buddha would explain things again, one stage at a time, to help everyone better understand and put an end to their doubts. To bring clarity, the Buddha skillfully used appearances of things to reveal their underlying principles. Everything He did was in the hope that everyone could attain boundless and complete awakening [which is attained when] when the truths of all things in the universe converge with our minds and our ocean of wisdom. Though we are discussing this lightly, we must still always be mindful.