Episode 817 – The Greatest Wealth is Wisdom and Virtue
>> Worldly wealth is not permanent. The four elements are out of balance and constantly changing. The only thing to do is to reduce desires and do more good. Bodhisattvas create blessings for the world. They uphold great love and are respected by others. The greatest grandeur and wealth is being replete with wisdom and virtue.
>> “His trade brought in profits and even reached foreign countries; his traders and merchants could be found everywhere. Crowds numbering hundreds of millions surrounded him and paid him respect.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> ” He always had the love of the kings, and the many officials and powerful clans all joined together in honoring him. For these and other reasons, those who came before him were many. With such wealth and grandeur, he had great power and influence.
>>He always had the love of the kings: This is an analogy for and thus being called the Dharma-king. In the Chapter on Parables it says: I am the Dharma-king, as I am free and at ease with the Dharma.
>> With all teachings, the ability to widely expound boundless Dharma-doors without hindrances or obstacles is called being free and at ease with the Dharma. Thus it says, He always had the love of the kings.
>> The many officials and powerful clans all joined together in honoring him: Because He was replete with the two virtues of wisdom and ending, He was loved by all kings. Both kings and officials valued Him highly; they respected His virtuous nature, for He made clear the truth and the principles. All Buddhas of the ten directions praised Him, saying, Sakyamuni is excellent! He is the supreme guiding teacher.
>> He always had the love of the kings. This is an analogy for Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas, who, with every bit of ignorance they eliminate manifest a bit of Dharma-nature. The fourfold assembly circumambulated Him with reverence and respect. Hence, The many officials and powerful clans all joined together in honoring him.
>> For these and other reasons, those who came before him were many: Those near Him were joyous, and those further away came in sincere admiration. These Bodhisattvas came to listen to the Dharma. Those who came before him were many is an analogy for the many Bodhisattvas who came to listen to the Dharma.
>> So, When the Buddha taught the Dharma, the fourfold assembly and the eight classes, from this land and other places, gathered together to listen to the Dharma, then came and went in the ten directions to spread the Dharma and transform and deliver others.
>> With such wealth and grandeur: This is an analogy for how the Buddha had the magnificence of a multitude of virtues and abided in the Great Vehicle. The Buddha taught the Dharma-doors of both the provisional and the true. The infinite comes from one; [one] gives rise to infinity.
>> Myriad practices encompassed by one mind is grandeur. One mind giving rise to myriad practices is wealth. This also refers to the Buddha’s perfect and immediate great Avatamsaka teachings. This is said to be grandeur and wealth. Therefore, the ancients said: If one does not read the Avatamsaka Sutra, one will not know the grandeur and wealth of the Buddha’s family.
>> He had great power and influence: This is an analogy for how the Buddha had the Three Vehicles meet in the One Vehicle when He taught the Lotus Sutra. He taught that all could attain Buddhahood. If anyone says a single “Namo Buddha”, they have already achieved the path to Buddhahood. Anyone who listens to the Dharma will without exception attain Buddhahood; all can exercise this great power and influence. This is why this is inconceivable.
“Worldly wealth is not permanent.
The four elements are out of balance and constantly changing.
The only thing to do is to reduce desires and do more good. Bodhisattvas create blessings for the world.
They uphold great love and are respected by others.
The greatest grandeur and wealth is being replete with wisdom and virtue.”
The Buddha has told us from the beginning that. “The world is impermanent, and the earth perilously fragile.” In the. Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings, this is also what He taught us. So, we must first understand, “Worldly wealth is not permanent.” It will not last forever. In this world, who doesn’t love money? Who doesn’t wish that their family is wealthy? This [wealth] is what people pursue and wish for. And because they have these pursuits and dreams, they spend their whole lives running about busily, all for the sake of worldly wealth and riches. Thus, they suffer afflictions of gain and loss; they give themselves so many afflictions, petty issues, worries about gains and losses, etc. They spend their lives in a state of confusion, not realizing that everything is impermanent, that nothing will last. Thus, we should not place so much importance on worldly wealth.
Next, “The four elements are out of balance.” The four elements of the microcosm of the body can frequently fall out of balance. Under the laws of nature, we all likewise age. In fact, in the macrocosm of the world, humans develop the land solely for personal gain. Through our development we ruin the land and pollute the skies. In this way, we even made a hole in the [ozone]. You see, this is also an imbalance. As sunlight interacts with our atmosphere, our entire climate, the atmosphere of the whole world, will go through times of imbalance. Other times the air is polluted, which causes the greenhouse effect.
So, “The four elements are out of balance and constantly changing.” In our modern era, as we all know, science nowadays is quite advanced. We often see announcements from scientists, which allows us to better comprehend the impact of human actions on the world and the changes we cause in our entire planet. Naturally, this has a major impact on the lands where we live.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, He already warned us that, as we live in the evil world of Five Turbidities, thhe only thing to do is to eliminate evils. “The only thing to do is to reduce desires and do more good.” The only thing to do is to reduce our desires, do more good and be more frugal. We must earnestly engage in self-reflection and purify our minds so that our greed will not be so great. “The only thing to do is to reduce desires and do more good.” We should completely finish our meals. There is no need to be 100 percent full; 80 percent full is a very healthy state. With the [savings from] that other 20 percent, we can help other people. This is reducing desires and being content.
We must awaken and practice the Bodhisattva-path. “Bodhisattvas create blessings for the world.” Only by reducing desires, doing more good, walking the Bodhisattva-path and benefiting the world will we be able to make up for the imbalance of the four elements and bring them back into harmony. This applies not only to the microcosm of our bodies, but to the macrocosm of the world as well. This is the only way to protect them.
So, “[Bodhisattvas] uphold great love and are respected by others.” As we engage in spiritual practice, we must earnestly uphold great love. We must open up our hearts for them to encompass the universe; we must earnestly expand our hearts and minds. So, “The greatest grandeur and wealth is being replete with wisdom and virtue.” What does it mean to be truly wealthy? It is not about monetary wealth but spiritual wealth. When we have an abundance of this wealth, we can help others. By making use of our ample wisdom, we will be able to see through [material] things, and naturally we will have great spiritual wealth.
The previous sutra passage states, “His trade brought in profits and even reached foreign countries; his traders and merchants could be found everywhere. Crowds numbering hundreds of millions surrounded him and paid him respect.”
The elder had many assets. “Trade” refers to doing business and bringing in an income. With lots of money, his business grew and grew. His trade was ever-expanding. Thus, starting from only a small scale, it had expanded into other kingdoms and “even reached foreign countries. His traders and merchants” and his whole business grew bigger and broader. So, “Crowds numbering hundreds of millions” were surrounding him. This is an analogy for the Buddha-Dharma. If we can all form great aspirations, make great vows, joyfully accept the Buddha’s wisdom and take it to heart, we can spread the seeds of great love wherever we go. Then naturally, “crowds numbering in the hundreds of millions” will surround us. This spiritual abundance can be endlessly enjoyed by everyone.
The next passage states, “He always had the love of the kings.” He was already surrounded by many people and loved by kings. “The many officials and powerful clans all joined together in honoring him. For these and other reasons, those who came before him were many. With such grandeur and wealth, he had great power and influence.”
He always had the love of the kings: This is an analogy for and thus being called the Dharma-king. In the Chapter on Parables it says: I am the Dharma-king, as I am free and at ease with the Dharma.
This is also an analogy for “the Buddha’s being at ease with the Dharma and thus being called the Dharma-king.” The Chapter on Parables states, “I am the Dharma-king, as I am free and at ease with the Dharma.” The Buddha had awakened to [the nature of] all things in the world. All true principles were taken into His mind. The Dharma is like a very pure land, and the ruler of that land is called the Dharma-king.
With all teachings, the ability to widely expound boundless Dharma-doors without hindrances or obstacles is called being free and at ease with the Dharma. Thus it says, He always had the love of the kings.
So, “With all teachings, [He had] the ability to widely expound boundless Dharma-doors” To adapt to sentient beings’ capabilities, when giving them teachings the Buddha exercised His compassion and wisdom. He taught according to capabilities, and thus. He established infinite, boundless Dharma-doors. However many afflictions sentient beings have, Buddha’s wisdom is vast enough to address them. So, the Dharma He taught was “without hindrances or obstacles.” Being without hindrances, all of His teachings can reach everywhere. This is “being free and at ease with the Dharma. He is free and at ease in the Dharma.” Thus, “He always had the love of the kings.” His wisdom was such that He was described as the Dharma-king. So, He was loved and respected by all the kings.
The many officials and powerful clans all joined together in honoring him: Because He was replete with the two virtues of wisdom and ending, He was loved by all kings. Both kings and officials valued Him highly; they respected His virtuous nature, for He made clear the truth and the principles. All Buddhas of the ten directions praised Him, saying, Sakyamuni is excellent! He is the supreme guiding teacher.
“The many officials and powerful clans all joined together in honoring him” The Buddha already had the virtue of wisdom and the virtue of ending. He was entirely replete with these two virtues, and had eliminated every one of His afflictions. His ignorance and dust-like delusions had all been completely eliminated. So, “Because He was replete with the two virtues of wisdom and ending, He was loved by all kings.” All the kings loved and respected Him, to say nothing of the many officials. “Nobles and officials valued Him highly”; they also followed the Dharma-king’s teachings. His guiding principles for the world were correct, so people practiced according to these teachings. Therefore, “They valued Him highly.” They placed great importance on these principles, so they practiced according to them.
Thus, “They respected His virtuous nature, for He made clear the truth and the principles.” Since the Dharma He taught was always correct, everyone practiced according to these teachings. This was out of respect for His virtues. Furthermore, with His wisdom. He understood all things and all principles. Thus it says, “They respected His virtuous nature for He made clear the truth and the principles.” All of these teachings were to be applied in this world.
“All Buddhas of the ten directions praised Him, saying, ‘Sakyamuni’s teachings are excellent!’ ‘He is the supreme guiding teacher’.” Not only was He revered by kings and ministers in the human realm, even all Buddhas of the ten directions praised Him. Sakyamuni, the founder of this religion in the Saha World, is truly the supreme guiding teacher, because sentient beings in the Saha World are stubborn and hard to train. Here in the Saha World, in this “world of endurance,” Sakyamuni was able to patiently endure these stubborn sentient beings. He repeatedly returned, unwilling to abandon any sentient being. So, the Buddhas of the ten directions praised Him and proclaimed Him “the supreme guiding teacher.” This is Their praise for Sakyamuni Buddha.
So, the previous text also states, “He always had the love of the kings.” This is an analogy for Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas, “who, with every bit of ignorance they eliminate manifest a bit of Dharma-nature. The fourfold assembly circumambulated Him with reverence and respect.” Hence, “The many officials and powerful clans all joined together in honoring him.”
This is not only talking about Buddhas; Bodhisattvas are the same way. Of those who stayed by the Buddha’s side, many were already Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas. Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas had already eliminated ignorance. Bit by bit, they eliminated their ignorance. With every bit of ignorance they eliminated, they manifested a bit of the wisdom of their Dharma-nature.
I have often said that. Bodhisattvas give without expectations. They simply do it out of great love. In their compassion, they cannot bear for sentient beings to suffer. So, they brush aside many difficulties and overcome hurdle after hurdle. For what? To save sentient beings.
Bodhisattvas play effortlessly in the world. They remain uncontaminated by the world and give without expectations. Thus, they manifest a bit of Dharma-nature and eliminate a bit of afflictions.
“The fourfold assembly circumambulated Him.” Many people, including kings as well as many others, encircled the elder “with reverence and respect.” These were the “many officials.” As for the fourfold assembly, in Buddhism, we often talk about how there are the two kinds of monastics and the two kinds of lay practitioners. This is the fourfold assembly.
For these and other reasons, those who came before him were many: Those near Him were joyous, and those further away came in sincere admiration. These Bodhisattvas came to listen to the Dharma. Those who came before him were many is an analogy for the many Bodhisattvas who came to listen to the Dharma.
“For these and other reasons, those who came before him were many” “Those who came before him were many” is an analogy for the many Bodhisattvas who came to listen to the Dharma. The elder had great material wealth. His business was widespread, and he had dealings with many people. Thus it says, “For these and other reasons, those who came before him were many.” He had many social connections, so people often came to see him. This indicates that “Those near him were joyous. Those further away came in sincere admiration.” Of those who came, those who were near the Buddha were happy. What does it mean to be near? It means to live in the same era as the Buddha. Those who lived at the same time as Him could listen to the teachings directly in person. In this life, they were born human and could draw near the Dharma. They could hear teachings directly from Him. This made them very happy. The Buddha taught and transformed those who were “near” and lived in the same era. They were the ones nearest to Him.
“Those further away came in sincere admiration.” From the standpoint of time, “far away” means very long ago. In the Chapter on Parables, it mentions, “in the presence of two trillion Buddhas.” In life after life, He continued to teach and transform. Thus, “Those further away came in sincere admiration.” Therefore, “These Bodhisattvas came to listen to the Dharma.” Some of these Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas had already achieved [awakening]. When the Buddha taught, they still came to the Dharma-assembly and continued to listen to teachings. So it says, “Those further away came in sincere admiration. These Bodhisattvas came to listen to the Dharma.”
Those who came also refers to “the Bodhisattvas of all lands who came to listen to the Dharma.” Although they had already gone to other worlds to transform sentient beings, when the Buddha manifested in the Saha World, these Bodhisattvas from other lands still came to listen to the Dharma
So, When the Buddha taught the Dharma, the fourfold assembly and the eight classes, from this land and other places, gathered together to listen to the Dharma, then came and went in the ten directions to spread the Dharma and transform and deliver others.
So, “When the Buddha taught the Dharma, the fourfold assembly and the eight classes, from this land and other places, gathered together to listen to the Dharma, then came and went in the ten directions to spread the Dharma and transform and deliver others.” Thus, the Buddha is the Dharma-king. The Dharma-king spent a very long period of time delivering sentient beings. Each time He came to this world, people who had affinities with Him could immediately achieve realizations. They attained realizations in that lifetime, and their minds became open and understanding. As for the others, the Buddha was still creating the karmic causes and conditions for delivering them. For the sake of delivering future sentient beings, He continued to sow these seeds.
With such wealth and grandeur: This is an analogy for how the Buddha had the magnificence of a multitude of virtues and abided in the Great Vehicle. The Buddha taught the Dharma-doors of both the provisional and the true. The infinite comes from one; [one] gives rise to infinity.
“With such grandeur and wealth” means that the Buddha, when it comes to Dharma, is truly very rich and abundant. It is an abundance of Dharma-wealth; this storehouse of treasures contains many things. This abundance is an analogy for how “The Buddha had the magnificence of a multitude of virtues and abided in the Great Vehicle.”
Because the Buddha had continuously formed aspirations and made vows to always abide in the Great Vehicle, He goes among people with an open and spacious heart. Thus, “The Buddha taught the Dharma-doors of both the provisional and the true.” Teaching the “provisional” means establishing skillful means. The “true” is the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. “The infinite comes from one; [the one] gives rise to infinity. One gives rise to infinity, and infinity arises from one,” and so on. Regardless of Great or Small [Vehicle teachings], no matter whether the teachings are many or few, all are equally part of the One Dharma, the One Vehicle Dharma.
Myriad practices encompassed by one mind is grandeur. One mind giving rise to myriad practices is wealth. This also refers to the Buddha’s perfect and immediate great Avatamsaka teachings. This is said to be grandeur and wealth. Therefore, the ancients said: If one does not read the Avatamsaka Sutra, one will not know the grandeur and wealth of the Buddha’s family.
“Myriad practices encompassed by one mind is grandeur. One mind giving rise to myriad practices is wealth” ․ So, “All things are created by the mind.” Myriad practices are encompassed by one mind, and one mind is the source of myriad things. Thus, myriad things all return to one mind. This is “grandeur.” One mind can also give rise to myriad practices. This is “wealth.”
So, “This also refers to the Buddha’s perfect and immediate great Avatamsaka teachings. This is said to be grandeur and wealth.” This was how He taught the Great Dharma. For a period of three weeks after His enlightenment, He was in the state of Buddhahood. The state of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is richly described in the Avatamsaka Sutra. At that time, He shared the wisdom He attained upon His enlightenment. This was when He was with all Buddhas and Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas. So, it speaks of the “perfect and immediate great teachings,” which are very perfect and complete. These can help us to understand immediately. Everything He taught was that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature; by hearing one thing, we can realize 1000 things. We should all understand this.
He had great power and influence: This is an analogy for how the Buddha had the Three Vehicles meet in the One Vehicle when He taught the Lotus Sutra. He taught that all could attain Buddhahood. If anyone says a single “Namo Buddha”, they have already achieved the path to Buddhahood. Anyone who listens to the Dharma will without exception attain Buddhahood; all can exercise this great power and influence. This is why this is inconceivable.
“He had great power and influence” is an analogy for how the Buddha “had the Three Vehicles meet in the One Vehicle.” The Hearer and the Solitary Realizer Vehicles can only be brought together by the One Vehicle Dharma. In the Lotus Sutra, He constantly challenged [His disciples] by saying the Small Vehicle was wrong and everyone should return to the Bodhisattva-path. His hope for everyone was that, by “saying a single ‘Namo Buddha,'” they would “already achieve the path to Buddhahood.” The Lotus Sutra also contains a similar passage.
So, “Namo Buddha” means [to take refuge with] infinite Buddhas. There are infinite Buddhas because all sentient beings are Buddhas. We know we will be one of those future Buddhas. So, we can quickly achieve the path to Buddhahood. “Anyone who listens to the Dharma will without exception attain Buddhahood.” All who listen to the Dharma and take it to heart will be able to attain Buddhahood, because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. “All can exercise this great power and influence.” Thus, “This is inconceivable.”
Everyone, as we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must truly be mindful. If we can realize that worldly phenomena, all material things, are illusory and cause afflictions to arise, if we can understand these principles, we will naturally be able to see through things. Then we can reduce our desires and do more good. We can be Bodhisattvas that benefit other people. In this way, we uphold great love; we will love others and be respected. This is not so difficult, as long as we are always mindful.