Episode 799 – Our Clear and Ever-Abiding Innate Enlightenment
>> The principles of our innate enlightenment are clear and ever-abiding. The wisdom of our enlightened potential is equal to that of all Buddhas. We dedicate [to sentient beings] all-encompassing wisdom equal to the Buddha’s. Our awakened wisdom is pervasive, reaching all things universally.
>> “Suddenly, in this place, by chance I encountered him again. He is in truth my son, and I am in truth his father. Today, all the wealth that I possess belongs to my son. Everything that has already gone in or come out is known by him.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “World-Honored One, when the poor son heard this from his father, he gave rise to great joy, for he had attained what he had not had before. He then had the thought, ‘I never had the resolve to seek these, yet today these treasures have spontaneously come to me’.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> World-Honored One, when the poor son heard this from his father: Previously, the Chapter on Parables explained that. They boarded their great carts. They obtained what they never had before. Thus they gave rise to great joy.
>> He gave rise to great joy, for he had attained what he had not had before: The reasons for his joy were both distant and near. Without first being taught to work as a laborer given a day’s wages, how would his mind come to embody faith such that he was entrusted with the business and the wealth? Thus it says he gave rise to joy.
>> He had attained what he had not had before: This is like how learning the Tripitaka, the sutras, rules and treatises, eliminates bonds so that they could accept and listen to the Great Vehicle. By receiving and upholding the pure Dharma, they could turn to the Prajna teachings.
>> He then had the thought, I never had the resolve to seek these: This is an analogy for not knowing to take delight in the Great Vehicle and then unexpectedly obtaining the Great Vehicle Dharma through the provisional Dharma of the Small Vehicle.
>> Yet today these treasures have spontaneously come to me: At that time, the poor son received and took charge of all those goods, the gold, silver and treasures, and everything in the storehouses. Still, he had no wish to take even a meal for himself.
>> Then today, as this sutra was spoken at this Vulture Peak Assembly, listening to the Dharma being opened and revealed, they established the understanding that they were truly Buddha-children, born from the mouth of the Buddha and transformed by the Dharma.
>> This is like how at a certain time they all gave rise to thoughts of wallowing in worldly lives, clinging to worldly passions. They deviated and lost their spiritual direction, retreating from the Great toward the Small. Thus it says, I never had the resolve to seek these.
>> So, Today they suddenly heard the predictions of their attaining Buddhahood. Though unsought, they had attained it, so it says that it spontaneously came to them.
“The principles of our innate enlightenment are clear and ever-abiding.
The wisdom of our enlightened potential is equal to that of all Buddhas.
We dedicate [to sentient beings] all-encompassing wisdom equal to the Buddha’s.
Our awakened wisdom is pervasive, reaching all things universally.”
Innate enlightenment is our nature of True Suchness. True Suchness is the principles of absolute truth, the true principles. Everyone has this incredibly clear and ever-abiding [nature]; it is so clear and bright and intrinsically exists within everyone. It is just that we have been covered by ignorance. Now that we have heard the Dharma, we must awaken our Buddha-mind and use it as we go among people. This is our “enlightened potential.” As long as we have the resolve, there is nothing that we cannot do. As long as we are willing to work hard, there is no principle we cannot completely understand. This is enlightened potential. We all inherently have the wisdom of this enlightened potential. “It is equal to that of all Buddhas.”
We have the same innate enlightenment, the same enlightened potential, as the Buddha. The Buddha is able to see all sentient beings in the four forms of birth and the Six Realms all together as His only child. This boundless great love of the Buddha is the Buddha looking at sentient beings with the Buddha-mind and seeing them all as His own child. Since we can have an awakening that is equal to the Buddha’s, we too can awaken to everything and can dedicate our all-encompassing wisdom. Since we can do this, after becoming awakened, we should dedicate [ourselves] to the world’s sentient beings. We do not dedicate ourselves to a single person, but to many people, so that we “reach all things universally.”
For example, in 2012, the time had come for our South African chapter to elect a new CEO. We felt that Mr. Michael Pan had over a long period of time, over the course of the past 10 or 20 years, continuously done very well in leading our local South African volunteers so we invited him back to Hualien to discuss it with him, hoping that he would take up the role [as CEO] in South Africa, so as to truly guide both the Bodhisattva-volunteers and the operations there.
However, he told me, “My mother’s health is not very good. She is now in intensive care.” I told him, “Your mother becoming sick is the natural course of life. She will not be sick for very long, but we would like you to act as CEO for a considerable period of time. At this time, you need to make a decision. You should shoulder this responsibility, give rise to Bodhicitta and love the world’s sentient beings. Especially in such a big land like South Africa, where there are so many in need of our help and our teachings, we must help the people develop roots so that their Bodhi forest may grow. This is the time for you to make a decision.”
He later told me how he felt, that it was such a struggle for him at the time. He only had one mother. Should he take on the mission given to him by me, his teacher, or stay by his mother, who was in the intensive care unit? He really struggled. He was very grateful for his wife, who told him, “Ok, if you accept the responsibility, I will take care of your mother. There are also many doctors and nurses in the intensive care unit, so you need not worry.” So, he accepted this responsibility, and went back to South Africa.
He said that, when he was about to board the plane, he was thinking to himself that in spite of the fact that his mother was in critical condition, he was leaving for a far-off land. “Am I really doing the right thing?” He was still struggling inside. Then he thought about what I said about this being part of his mother’s natural course of life and that if conditions were not yet at an end, she would only be sick for a short while. Therefore, he settled his mind and boarded the plane. He returned to South Africa, then went onward to Mozambique, and then on to Swaziland.
He said he was lucky that when he made this choice his wife was able to take care of his mother and that his mother has since recovered. Now, she can even walk by herself, coming and going as she pleases; she is healthy. Seeing his mother recovered, he could again travel around South Africa, taking good care of every one of the “seeds” there. He was also able to go to care for more countries, not only looking after Mozambique and Swaziland, but also Lesotho and Zimbabwe as well. In Zimbabwe we only have one certified volunteer, Mr. Tino Chu.
So, “We dedicate [to sentient beings] all-encompassing wisdom equal to the Buddha’s.” As we have the Buddha-mind, we can awaken and understand that our lives follow the laws of nature. If we still have the conditions for being here, we cannot leave this world; we may just be ill for some time. If we no longer have conditions for being here, then no matter how many people are by our side, we cannot stay; we will still have to leave. If we are clear about this principle, then we will know what we should do, for the wisdom of our enlightened potential is equal to that of all Buddhas.
In the previous sutra passage that we discussed, it says, “Suddenly, in this place, by chance I encountered him again. He is in truth my son, and I am in truth his father. Today, all the wealth that I possess belongs to my son. Everything that has already gone in or come out is known by him”
[This place] was the Lotus Dharma-assembly, the Vulture Peak Assembly. It was there that the disciples encountered their Buddha-mind and their Buddha-nature again. The Buddha had told everyone that every person inherently has Buddha-nature, and it was possible for anyone to attain Buddhahood. This was in the previous [sutra passage].
The following sutra passage says, “World-Honored One, when the poor son heard this from his father, he gave rise to great joy, for he had attained what he had not had before. He then had the thought, ‘I never had the resolve to seek these, yet today these treasures have spontaneously come to me’.”
This is Subhuti sincerely calling out again, calling on the World-Honored One. At that time, the poor soon heard his father talking all his relatives, kings, ministers, Ksatriyas and householders, announcing before them all, “This is my son. He is truly my son, and I am truly his father. All this wealth belongs to my son.” The father turned everything over clearly; it was time for him to take up the family business. The son felt very happy to hear these words.
This is what was described previously in the Chapter on Parables when it said, “They boarded their great carts. They obtained what they never had before.” This is the same feeling
World-Honored One, when the poor son heard this from his father: Previously, the Chapter on Parables explained that. “They boarded their great carts. They obtained what they never had before.” Thus they gave rise to great joy.
Everyone had been in the burning house, when the elder set up three carts outside, the sheep-cart, the deer-cart, and the great white ox-cart. In the end, they chose the great white ox-cart. Everyone could each drive a great white ox-cart, and they could carry others with them as well [The ox] was stout and strong, with great power, and could reach [destinations] in all directions. For everyone riding upon these carts, “They obtained what they had never had before.” That kind of joy was like the joy that the poor son felt now upon looking at the gold, silver and treasures; this was something he never dared dream of before. Now, to his surprise, it turned out, “I am the elder’s trueborn son and all this wealth is mine. I am rich, and the family business is mine.” He had never felt a joy like this before
>>He gave rise to great joy, for he had attained what he had not had before: The reasons for his joy were both distant and near. Without first being taught to work as a laborer given a day’s wages, how would his mind come to embody faith such that he was entrusted with the business and the wealth? Thus it says he gave rise to joy.
This is describing the feelings of the poor son. “The reasons for his joy were both distant and near.” In fact, when it came to his joy, some reasons for it were quite distant while other reasons were right before his eyes. The son had gone out and gotten lost, and this caused his father to search for him for a very long time. As I have told everyone before, 10 and 20 years refer to the heaven and human realms. All the good and evil karma we create may also lead us into the Three Evil Destinies, the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, and to reincarnate among the four forms of birth. How long has this been going on? For a very, very long time, an incalculable amount of time.
Actually, although this began in a distant time, the Buddha has never abandoned sentient beings. He is tireless in His efforts as He follows sentient beings, waiting for causes and conditions to ripen. As conditions mature for each successively, He successively transforms them. This has continued since the distant past. This is like the elder in his search for his son. He gradually drew near to his son. When the son became scared and again ran away, he quickly dispatched someone to bring him back. But the son became even more afraid, so he himself had to think of a way to draw near to him and bring him back. If he had not initially used skillful means, first giving him the job of clearing excrement, “without [teaching the son] to work as a laborer given a day’s wages,” if he had not offered a wage, the son would not have been willing to come in.
This is how ordinary people are! So, in getting the son to work, the father first had to offer him wages. He had to pay him for his work. So only when “[their] minds came to embody faith” was the Buddha able to entrust His mission to them. This required slow and continuous guidance, like how the elder guided his son along. So, the poor son, having attained this, felt a joy that could not be expressed
He had attained what he had not had before: This is like how learning the Tripitaka, the sutras, rules and treatises, eliminates bonds so that they could accept and listen to the Great Vehicle. By receiving and upholding the pure Dharma, they could turn to the Prajna teachings. Today He finally revealed predictions [of Buddhahood]. Thus, working as a laborer for the value of wages was the distant cause, while realizing faith and being entrusted was the near cause.
This is an analogy for the texts of the Tripitaka. The Tripitaka is the sutras, rules and treatises. The sutras are used to understand the principles, the rules are upheld to avoid making mistakes, and the treatises increase our wisdom; after listening to the sutras, we share our understanding with each other. It is through the sutras, rules and treatises that we eliminate all of our afflictions and increase our wisdom. In this way, we “can accept and listen to the Great Vehicle.” Only in this way will we be able to accept this Dharma and listen to the Great Vehicle Dharma. Thus we receive and uphold the pure Dharma. Listening to the Dharma, that which we never sought enters our hearts and we understand the principles. So, they “receive and uphold the pure Dharma.”
After they understood the Agama and the Vaipulya, He began teaching the Prajna, for it was only then that they could accept the. Great Vehicle Dharma of the Prajna. It is only because we have already understood the Vaipulya and the Prajna that the Buddha today could reveal predictions of Buddhahood. The bestowing of predictions took place at the Lotus Sutra [assembly]. This was the “today” that was spoken of. This was Subhuti’s realization. He knew that everyone is able to attain Buddhahood and that everyone could attain the Buddha’s prediction.
So, this “was the distant cause.” The distant cause was that the Buddha would not abandon sentient beings. He brought all things to fruition, all the way until now. At this time, we “came to embody faith.” Now, everyone should have internalized this. This was the beginning of the “near cause.” They had started to draw near; at the time of the Lotus [Dharma-assembly], they had already drawn near. Causes and conditions had matured.
He then had the thought, “I never had the resolve to seek these”: This is an analogy for not knowing to take delight in the Great Vehicle and then unexpectedly obtaining the Great Vehicle Dharma through the provisional Dharma of the Small Vehicle.
So, “He then had the thought.” This is about his resolve. “I never had the resolve to seek these” He had never had the resolve to seek these things. This is an analogy for “not knowing to take delight in the Great Vehicle.” In the Agama period in the past, they thought being liberated from birth and death would be sufficient. How could they have known that now they would suddenly find out that they too could attain Buddhahood in the future? They had never known about this, “Then [they] unexpectedly obtained the Great Vehicle Dharma.” They obtained it through the provisional Dharma of the Small Vehicle. If in the past, there was no Agama and Vaipulya, how would it have been possible to enter Prajna? If they had not entered the Prajna, could they ever have been able to attend the Lotus Dharma-assembly? This is because the Buddha gradually guided, taught and transformed them step by step.
Yet today these treasures have spontaneously come to me: At that time, the poor son received and took charge of all those goods, the gold, silver and treasures, and everything in the storehouses. Still, he had no wish to take even a meal for himself.
“Yet today these treasures have spontaneously come to me.” Now these treasures have come very naturally. “At that time, the poor son received and took charge of all those goods.” Originally, the child only looked, but never thought of receiving. Still, now the poor soon already knew. “He received and took charge of all those goods,” the gold, silver and treasures and everything in the storehouses. “Still, he had no wish to take even a meal for himself.”
Then today, as this sutra was spoken at this Vulture Peak Assembly, listening to the Dharma being opened and revealed, they established the understanding that they were truly Buddha-children, born from the mouth of the Buddha and transformed by the Dharma.
“Then today, as this sutra was expounded at this Vulture Peak Assembly they heard the Dharma being taught.” Now, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, they had already heard this Dharma. With the way that the Buddha taught, “They established the understanding that they were truly Buddha-children.” Now they already knew that they were truly Buddha-children, because they “born of the Buddha’s speech and transformed by the Dharma.” Only after coming to the Lotus Dharma-assembly did they learn they are truly Buddha’s children.
This is like how at a certain time they all gave rise to thoughts of wallowing in worldly lives, clinging to worldly passions. They deviated and lost their spiritual direction, retreating from the Great toward the Small. Thus it says, I never had the resolve to seek these.
“They” refers to those sentient beings who, at a certain time, started [wallowing]; this was incalculably long ago, a very long time ago. For such a long time, they had all “wallowed in worldly lives, clinging to worldly passions” ․This is like how at a certain time they all gave rise to thoughts of wallowing in worldly lives, clinging to worldly passions. They deviated and lost their spiritual direction, retreating from the Great toward the Small. Thus it says, “I never had the resolve to seek these.” In “wallowing in worldly lives, worldly lives” are lives led by the laypeople of the world who indulge in and cling to worldly passions. “They deviate and lose their spiritual direction.” A slight deviation causes a great divergence. Thus, the thoughts that arise in both the heaven and human realms and the karma that results from these are all from “clinging to worldly passions.” Everyone has always been able to become Buddhas. It is just that we “retreat from the Great to the Small. Thus it says, ‘I never had the resolve to seek these'”
So, “Today they suddenly heard the predictions of their attaining Buddhahood. Though unsought, they had attained it, so it says that it spontaneously came to them.” That these treasures have naturally come to us
is an analogy for how we had been deluded in the past. This is because lifetime after lifetime we accumulate habitual tendencies. However, no matter how much we have accumulated, “The principles of our innate enlightenment are clear and ever-abiding.” Indeed, they always remain inside of us. Nevertheless, we should earnestly understand how. “We dedicate [to sentient beings] all-encompassing wisdom equal to the Buddha’s.” Everything we do should be for the benefit of everyone in the world for only then will “our awakened wisdom be pervasive, reaching all things universally.” Therefore, let us always be mindful.