Episode 796 – Walk the Bodhisattva-path with a Peaceful Mind
>> Peacefully abide in the state of mind that is replete with complete clarity. Universally practice all [beneficial] actions without any difficulties or hindrances. In accord with wondrous principles, engage in the same practice as the Buddha. With sincere response and connection, we can form Tathagata-seeds.
>> “As the end drew near he ordered his son to gather relatives, kings and ministers, Ksatriyas and householders. They were now all assembled.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “He then made this declaration, All of you nobles should know that this is my son He was born to me in a certain city He then left me and ran away and suffered many hardships for more than 50 years.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> The Buddha’s compassion and love are strong. He sincerely manifests as the guiding teacher of the Three Realms with affection like that of father for a son. They have learned the truth from me, that they have always been the Buddha’s children. Thus it says, This is my son. They are born in my Dharma, and from my Dharma, they attain understanding. Thus it says, He was born to me.
>> The time and place cannot be clearly indicated, but this refers to the long time and the places used to teach the Great Vehicle over countless kalpas in the past. Thus it says, in a certain city.
>> Furthermore: it means that these disciples had, at a certain time, suddenly given rise to the thought to retreat from the Great and return to the Small. Each had their own causes, conditions and karmic destinies. Thus it says, a certain city.
>> He then left me and ran away: I had once taught them to form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path. But suddenly they retreated and lost their Great Vehicle aspirations. They descended into cyclic existence, drifting about in the Five Destinies.
>> We passed through all the Six Destinies. Thus it says, for more than 50 years. Lonesome, suffering and helpless, they came and went alone, with only their karma following them; they were without any control. When transmigrating through the Six Destinies, neither one’s loving husband or wife, nor one’s father, son or closest relatives, can take one’s place.
“Peacefully abide in the state of mind that is replete with complete clarity.
Universally practice all [beneficial] actions without any difficulties or hindrances.
In accord with wondrous principles, engage in the same practice as the Buddha.
With sincere response and connection, we can form Tathagata-seeds.”
Do you understand? Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, our minds should be peaceful and settled. Where should they peacefully abide? In [a clear] state of mind. This is the state of mind perceived by the Buddha and illuminated by the Buddha’s wisdom. The state perceived and illuminated by Tathagata-wisdom is such a pure and radiant state! Learning the Buddha’s Way requires us to completely eliminate our ignorance and afflictions. Then the state which our mind connects with will be the same as that of the Buddha-mind. If we can achieve this, won’t all states be clear and radiant? When we have no afflictions, our great perfect mirror wisdom will manifest.
“Universally practice all [beneficial] actions.” The Buddha taught us that the suffering sentient beings experience in their daily living, the physical hardships they face, the mental hardships and hardships from ignorance, are so numerous. By going among people, we can universally practice all [beneficial] actions. Our place to practice is among sentient beings. The Bodhi-path we walk is found among people. To walk the Bodhi-path, we form Bodhisattva-aspirations and go among people to practice by adapting to the capabilities of countless sentient beings. Then there will be no difficulties at all, nor any hindrances.
We must go among people to put [the teachings] into practice. Among people, we witness suffering to recognize our blessings. Seeing sentient beings’ ignorance unlocks our wisdom. In this way, we can reach an “accord.” Why are sentient beings like this? It is clear what the principles are, so why do we give rise to so many afflictions? Everything is illusory and impermanent; for what reason do we need to be so attached? And why is it that we can so clearly discern other people’s afflictions and other people’s attachments? By understanding the principles, we realize everything is illusory and impermanent. Our ability to understand illusoriness and impermanence comes from seeking the Buddha’s Way. We must be “in accord with wondrous principles.” We can seek the principles; after we listen to teachings and understand, we must work to transform sentient beings. After His enlightenment, the Buddha still went among people in order to teach and transform sentient beings.
To “engage in the same practice as the Buddha,” our hearts must be in accord with the Buddha’s principles. Our behavior should be the same as the Buddha’s. We must have sincerity. As long as we sincerely listen to the teachings, we will naturally respond to the Dharma. The Buddha’s mind and sentient beings’ minds are able to able to respond to each other because of sincerity. This is taking the Buddha-mind as our mind; this is “sincere response and connection.” Naturally, the Tathagata-seeds in our minds, meaning True Suchness, our pure nature of True Suchness, can begin to be gradually unlocked. This is why we should make efforts to peacefully abide in this state of mind. This state of mind is the same as the Buddha-mind, as His state of wisdom. This is the Tathagata-seed. Hopefully, we sentient beings can connect with the Tathagata’s perspectives and state of mind. In learning the Buddha’s Way, it is most important to learn to experience the Buddha-mind.
So, the previous passage in the Lotus Sutra states, “As the end drew near he ordered his son to gather relatives, kings and ministers, Ksatriyas and householders. They were now all assembled.”
The elder had already brought his son into [the household], and father and son had met each other. The father began to feel that he was old and that he did not have much time left, so he wanted to quickly introduce his son to their relatives, to kings and ministers and to Ksatriyas and householders. He wanted to introduce him so everyone could recognize his son. This is because the family enterprise would be passed on to him.
In fact, the Buddha was very mindful. He worked for the sake of sentient beings; He never abandoned them. After His enlightenment, He went back among the people. For over 2000 years. He has continued to, life after life, follow sentient beings to come to the Saha World. This is the Buddha’s compassion. In every lifetime He makes sure that the teachings are passed down. The Buddha-Dharma must continue to be transmitted. Life after life, the Dharma is received. Life after life, it is passed down. This is how the Buddha transmits the Buddha-Dharma.
Next it states, “He then made this declaration, All of you nobles should know that this is my son He was born to me in a certain city He then left me and ran away and suffered many hardships for more than 50 years’.”
Earlier the elder had already gathered many relatives, kings and ministers, Ksatriyas and householders; they had all arrived. In front of the assembly, the elder declared to everyone, “All of you nobles should know.” Everyone needed to know, so he made introductions. “This is my son. He is my biological son. When he was young, we were in a certain place, and he left me and ran away from home. His life was very hard. He went through more than 50 years [like that].” He spoke of how his son was confused and ignorant when he was young. He lost his direction when he ran away from home. Being lost, he did not know the way back. A long time had passed since then, during which he faced all kinds of hardship. Now the father proclaimed to everyone, “This is the tough life my son has led”
The Buddha’s compassion and love are strong. He sincerely manifests as the guiding teacher of the Three Realms with affection like that of father for a son. “They have learned the truth from me, that they have always been the Buddha’s children.” Thus it says, “This is my son. They are born in my Dharma, and from my Dharma, they attain understanding.” Thus it says, “He was born to me.”
“The Buddha’s compassion and love are strong.” The Buddha has compassion for sentient beings. He comes and goes in the Three Realms, the Six Destinies and the four forms of birth. He searches everywhere with the sole purpose of finding His children. This process is very taxing. This conveys how the guiding teacher of the Three Realms feels a responsibility for teaching sentient beings and demonstrates the affections of a father, a relationship like that of father and child. His feelings [for sentient beings] are like those of a teacher and a father.
“They have learned the truth from me”; the Buddha expresses that these sentient beings have in fact learned the Dharma from Him. They are immersed in His Dharma. No matter how much time had passed, the people whom He formed affinities with over countless kalpas were those He felt responsible for after attaining Buddhahood. So, it says, “This is my son.” This was because they had accepted the Dharma of. His Dharma-lineage. Thus, they were like His child.
“They are born in my Dharma.” They were born in the Dharma [that He taught]. So, each of us, in our past lives, have likewise formed affinities with the Buddha and accepted the teachings He gave. We have continually learned the. Buddha-Dharma from Sakyamuni Buddha; this affinity has not yet ended. In this life, we once again receive the Buddha’s teachings. The disciples who were alive during His lifetime had already deeply experienced them and had already received a prediction of Buddhahood from Him. Was His work done? Not yet; some were being transformed, some had yet to be. So, [the teachings] needed to be continuously passed down. Now, more than 2000 years removed from Him, we are still born in the Dharma taught by Sakyamuni Buddha. Thus, “They are born in my Dharma, and from my Dharma, they attain understanding.” This is as if [we are born to Him]. What we attain is the Buddha’s Dharma-lineage, and it helps us understand the world’s truths
The time and place cannot be clearly indicated, but this refers to the long time and the places used to teach the Great Vehicle over countless kalpas in the past. Thus it says, “in a certain city.”
Next we discuss, “in a certain city.” This means we cannot say that. He was at such-and-such place, because we cannot clearly indicate where. We cannot indicate when, where or what place. This means that a very long time has passed. Countless kalpas have passed. Over those countless kalpas, He taught and transformed countless beings. So, over countless kalpas in the past, He taught and transformed with the Great Vehicle. We have already been [learning] for a very long time; we do not know when and where. Lifetime after lifetime, we have received the Buddha’s teachings, so we are unable to specify the time or the place. The Great Vehicle has been taught over countless kalpas, for a very long time.
Furthermore: it means that these disciples had, at a certain time, suddenly given rise to the thought to retreat from the Great and return to the Small. Each had their own causes, conditions and karmic destinies. Thus it says, a certain city.
Furthermore, “these disciples had, at a certain time….” This is saying these people, at a certain time, “suddenly gave rise to a thought” Although [the disciples] continued to be taught and immersed in the Buddha-Dharma, among them there were some who suddenly gave rise to the thought to “retreat from the Great and return to the Small.” They had been painstakingly taught until they were willing to form great aspirations, but due to certain conditions, they retreated from the Great and returned to the Small. There is no telling how many did the same, accepted the Buddha’s teachings and then “retreated from the Great to return to the Small.” So, in this way we progress and regress. Sometimes we hear the Dharma and feel happy and inspired. Then we encounter a certain environment and lose our spiritual aspirations; in this way we regress again. It is because of these kinds of obstructions that we cannot smoothly walk the Bodhi-path.
So, “Each had their own causes and conditions.” Sentient beings have all kinds of different causes and conditions. After accepting the Buddha-Dharma, we may again retreat from our great aspirations. It is because of our karma that we transmigrate and end up “in a certain city.”
He then left me and ran away: I had once taught them to form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path. But suddenly they retreated and lost their Great Vehicle aspirations. They descended into cyclic existence, drifting about in the Five Destinies.
“He then left me and ran away.” When the child was young, when he was at a certain place, he “left me” and went out. In this way he became lost; he did not know the way back. This is an analogy for how. “I had once taught them to form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path.” Yet they suddenly retreated ․He then left me and ran away: I had once taught them to form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path. But suddenly they retreated and lost their Great Vehicle aspirations. They descended into cyclic existence, drifting about in the Five Destinies. The Buddha also spoke of how He could do nothing.
“In the past I kept teaching them. I taught them to form great aspirations and walk the Bodhisattva-path. But then they suddenly….” The “them” He referred to is really all of us. The parable refers to the son. In fact, the son represents all sentient beings. The Buddha has done this countless times, has been teaching us for such a long time, in hopes that we could walk the Bodhisattva-path. But suddenly we retreated “[They] lost their Great Vehicle aspirations. They descended into cyclic existence, drifting about in the Five Destinies.” Once they lost their spiritual aspirations, they truly lost their way
We passed through all the Six Destinies. Thus it says, for more than 50 years. Lonesome, suffering and helpless, they came and went alone, with only their karma following them; they were without any control. When transmigrating through the Six Destinies, neither one’s loving husband or wife, nor one’s father, son or closest relatives, can take one’s place.
“[He] suffered many hardships for more than 50 years [He] suffered many hardships” means once this thought arose, we went astray. Without proper conduct, we “suffered many hardships.”
Because our conduct was not proper, we fell into the Six Realms. Because a single thought deviated, we gave rise to many afflictions and much ignorance. The karma we created, good and evil, led us through the Six Destinies. The Six Destinies are the Five Realms plus the asura realm ․We passed through all the Six Destinies. Thus it says, “for more than 50 years.” Lonesome, suffering and helpless, they came and went alone, with only their karma following them; they were without any control. When transmigrating through the Six Destinies, neither one’s loving husband or wife, nor one’s father, son or closest relatives, can take one’s place. The heaven, human, asura, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms are the Six Destinies.
Originally, we were clearly part of a wealthy family, but because of an ignorant thought, we suddenly ran away. Clearly we have a pure Buddha-nature, but we gave rise to an ignorant thought and right away we wound up in the Six Destinies, thus suffering many hardships. It is [often] called the Five Realms, because asuras are found in all Five Realms. Thus it states, “for more than 50 years.”
Asuras are beings that easily lose their temper. There are asuras among heavenly beings; asuras are found even in the heaven realm. There, asuras fight with heavenly beings. This is because they have heavenly blessings but not heavenly virtues. That is what makes them asuras. Those born in the human realm may have a bad temper or be rich and overbearing. They have blessings to be in the human realm, yet lack the virtues [of being a good person]. There are people like this. They are all called asuras. In the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, there are also asuras. Thus, the words “more than” are used. It was “more than fifty years” because asuras are found throughout the Five Realms.
So, “Lonesome, suffering and helpless, they came and went alone, with only their karma following them.” In the end, we come and go by ourselves. It can be said, “We cannot take anything with us when we die; only our karma follows us to our next life.” Within the Five Realms, we truly come and go by ourselves without any control. Born into this world, the karma we face is our own karma. Even the most loving spouse or the most filial child is unable to take our place in experiencing our mental and physical suffering. Even at the very end, no one can go with us. “Only our karma follows us.”
So, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we need to mindfully comprehend and experience many things. The Dharma is learned in the human realm; we must earnestly seize this opportunity. Only in the human realm can we practice the Dharma. We have to be mindful. Our minds must peacefully abide in the state of mind Buddhas perceive with wisdom. Our minds should also be like that; we take the Buddha-mind as our mind. From this pure state we illuminate all beings and bring them light and radiance. We all have a responsibility to do this. So, please always be mindful.