Episode 820 – Joyfully Nurturing Wisdom-life with the Dharma
>> If we do not take the Dharma into our hearts, it as if we lack provisions and are starving. Then afflictions spring up like many illnesses. Amidst conditioned phenomena, we give rise to views and thinking. After gradual permeation and practice, we encounter virtuous friends and attain the Buddha-Dharma. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “At that time, the poor son, searching for clothing and food, went from city to city and from kingdom to kingdom, sometimes getting something, sometimes getting nothing.”
>> “Thus, Starved, emaciated and thin, his body covered in sores and ringworms, he had gradually made his way to the city where his father lived. Continually hired for different jobs, he eventually arrived at his father’s house.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> Starved, emaciated and thin: This is an analogy for lacking the spiritual provisions of the Great Dharma to nourish our wisdom-life and for how seeds of the Great Vehicle require the nourishment of the soil in order for the Great Dharma to be perfected. Because of such a lack of provisions, it says he was starved, emaciated and thin.
>> Lacking the Dharma-food of the Great Vehicle is being starved, being without great strength is being emaciated and having no merits and virtues is being thin. Emaciated and thin: An appearance ugly to behold, this results from not having
>> With his body covered in sores and ringworms: Being lost in regard to the true principles and giving rise to delusions of views and thinking is like the body being covered in sores and ringworms.
>> Sores and ringworms: This is an analogy for the faults of holding deviant views and not firmly upholding precepts. With sores and ringworms one can see the fetters of illness. Amidst conditioned phenomena, we give rise to delusions of views and thinking.
>> He had gradually made his way to the city where his father lived: Through gradually progressing in sequence and being gradually permeated and practicing, we attain causes and conditions that allow us to fortuitously encounter the Buddha-Dharma and attend the great assembly of Right Dharma in the Buddha’s lifetime.
>> He gradually made his way: An analogy for how those seeking the human and heaven vehicles have the resolve to improve and how those seeking liberation have the resolve to transcend the world. Seeking the Dharma step by step, one heads in the direction of the Great Vehicle Dharma of the Middle Way.
>> Practicing the Five Meditations to Quiet the Mind, the Meditation on Universal Phenomena, the Meditation on Specific Phenomena, the Four Earnest Efforts and the Seven Skillful States are called gradually making one’s way. Realizing the emptiness of self and seeing the absolute truth is called reaching the city where his father lived.
“If we do not take the Dharma into our hearts,
it as if we lack provisions and are starving.
Then afflictions spring up like many illnesses.
Amidst conditioned phenomena, we give rise to views and thinking.
After gradual permeation and practice,
we encounter virtuous friends and attain the Buddha-Dharma.”
We always hope that when we listen to the Dharma, we can take it to heart. Only when we take it to heart can we put the teachings into action and practice according to the Dharma. This is the goal of true spiritual practice. But, we often have Leaks (afflictions), so we hear the Dharma and then let it leak out. When it comes to the Dharma we hear, how much do we actually internalize and apply in our daily living? So, every day we must remind ourselves to be vigilant. Is our mind focused? Since we are focused on spiritual practice, we should focus our mind on accepting the Dharma.
If we remain indolent, we will be unable to take the Dharma to heart. We will continue to allow the Dharma to leak out. As a result, “It is as if we lack provisions and are starving.” It is as if we have nothing to eat; naturally we will be starving. As we are so thin, we will have no strength.
This is an analogy for how we listen to the Dharma but are not being mindful in taking it to heart. Perhaps we were unable to hear the Dharma, or we heard it but did not take it in. Thus, as far as our wisdom-life is concerned, it is as if we have nothing to eat and are starving. This is what will happen to our wisdom-life. This means if we do not take the Dharma to heart, there will be no nourishment for our wisdom-life.
So, if we are hungry and do not have nourishment for our body, “Many illnesses [spring up].” If our body is in poor health, our immunity will be weak, so we are easily infected by germs around us. The same thing happens to our wisdom-life when we lack the nourishment of the Dharma. Then, the things we see around us, the things we hear and so on will easily delude us. Our minds will easily be disrupted by people, matter and things, giving rise to many afflictions.
It is the same principle. We may have a healthy body, but if we do not engage in spiritual practice we will continue to create karma and live our lives in a state of confusion. In this way, as our life grows shorter, we foolishly create more karma and ignorance. Our wisdom-life will starve. Because we do not absorb the Dharma, the wisdom-life and nature of True Suchness we fundamentally possess will remain wrapped up in these afflictions. Then in our next life, our wisdom-life will still be unable to manifest its illuminating radiance, while we still carry our afflictions and karma. That would be a pity. So, we must earnestly seize the time [to practice] and not wait until afflictions spring up like many illnesses, as we have to bring them with us when we go.
So, amidst conditioned phenomena, we give rise to delusions of views and thinking. We continue to give rise to these kinds of deluded views and thinking. If we connect with external conditions with unenlightened minds, our Six Sense Organs will connect with the Six Sense Objects around us, which entices our consciousnesses. Then, our minds will be endlessly entangled with sense organs and sense objects. This causes the raging of the Five Aggregates; our afflictions and ignorance rage like fire. Thus we give rise to delusions of views and thinking.
If we can make use of our time in this body to understand the Buddha-Dharma, when it comes to our views and thinking we can eliminate the delusions that come from our ignorance and afflictions. We will be able to give rise to Right Views and establish the practice of Right Thinking. We can do this even though we still have Leaks. Right now we are still unenlightened beings, so as we listen to the Dharma, we cannot take 100 percent of it to heart. Yet the things we have heard and applied are the teachings we must safeguard. Then “with gradual permeation,” we can engage in practice. We will gradually be permeated by [the Dharma] and earnestly immerse ourselves.
Right now many people talk about “being permeated by the fragrance of the Dharma,” which is to earnestly accept the Dharma. As spiritual practitioners, we must put the teachings into practice by going among people; this is how we dedicate ourselves. This is gradual permeation and practice. If we do not go through the stage of permeation and practice, we will be unable to thoroughly understand the principles. We will not have internalized them yet.
So, “We [need to] encounter virtuous friends and attain the Buddha-Dharma.” In this life, we have already attained this. Immersed in the Dharma, we are grateful to everyone around us, our spiritual friends and fellow practitioners
who walk this same road through the world. Some have achieved very deep realizations, some have achieved shallow ones. Whether our realizations are deep or shallow, we all can share and discuss with each other what it is we have absorbed and understood. This is learning and practicing the Dharma; through our experiences with people and matters in daily living we can connect to the principles. This makes everyone our virtuous friend. We must be very mindful of this.
The previous sutra passage states, “At that time, the poor son, searching for clothing and food, went from city to city and from kingdom to kingdom, sometimes getting something, sometimes getting nothing.”
This is the process of seeking the Dharma [Small Vehicle] practitioners are likened to the poor son. They are seeking the Dharma, which is like seeking clothing and food. To nourish our wisdom-life and bring dignity to it, so that at any time we can manifest the power to transform sentient beings,
we must seek the Dharma over a long period of time. The disciples who lived during the Buddha’s time expressed that they had been continuously transmigrating in the Five Realms and four forms of birth, attaining bits of the Buddha-Dharma here and there. Now that they had encountered the Buddha, it was time for them to diligently advance.
Therefore, the next sutra passage talks about “[being] starved, emaciated and thin.” Because he was begging for food, sometimes he received something, sometimes he received nothing Thus, “Starved, emaciated and thin, his body covered in sores and ringworms, he had gradually made his way to the city where his father lived. Continually hired for different jobs, he eventually arrived at his father’s house.”
This is a continuous cycle. A person may be thin, but “emaciated and thin” means he is skinny from being starving, someone who is just skin and bones. “His body [was] covered in sores and ringworms” means that as he was lacking in nutrients, he had thus lost his immunity. So, his body was filthy, he was covered in ringworms; he had unclean things growing all over his body. Therefore, He looked very haggard.
Starved, emaciated and thin: This is an analogy for lacking the spiritual provisions of the Great Dharma to nourish our wisdom-life and for how seeds of the Great Vehicle require the nourishment of the soil in order for the Great Dharma to be perfected. Because of such a lack of provisions, it says he was starved, emaciated and thin.
Thus, “Starved, emaciated and thin,” is an analogy for “lacking spiritual provisions of the Great Dharma to nourish our wisdom-life” ․Starved, emaciated and thin: This is an analogy for lacking the spiritual provisions of the Great Dharma to nourish our wisdom-life and for how seeds of the Great Vehicle require the nourishment of the soil in order for the Great Dharma to be perfected. Because of such a lack of provisions, it says he was “starved, emaciated and thin.” We have remained within the Small Vehicle Dharma. We have not reached the stage of actualizing the Six Paramitas; we are not there yet. As we have not put the Great Dharma into practice, we do not have the spiritual provisions of the Great Dharma with which to nourish our wisdom-life.
So, the “Seeds of the Great Vehicle require the nourishment of the soil in order for the Great Dharma to be perfected.” We still do not have the Great Dharma; we have not put the Great Dharma into practice. Although the seeds of the Great Vehicle have been planted, we have not nurtured them by providing them with nourishment. If the soil is dry, the seeds we plant will be unable to grow. So, when we plant seeds in the ground, we must nourish them with water. Many conditions have to come together for them to grow, for the Great Dharma to be perfected, for this seed [to mature]. “Because of such a lack of provisions, it says he was ‘starved, emaciated and thin’.” Although we have sowed the seeds, we have not cultivated them. So, we sowed the seeds but reaped no fruits. Because of this, we will be lacking in provisions and will become “starved, emaciated and thin.” This is what happens to our wisdom-life; it is just like what happens when we do not eat.
Lacking the Dharma-food of the Great Vehicle is being starved, being without great strength is being emaciated and having no merits and virtues is being thin. Emaciated and thin: An appearance ugly to behold, this results from not having
“Lacking food of the Great Dharma Vehicle” is called being “starved.” Our wisdom-life is not nourished by the Great Vehicle Dharma. “Being ithout great strength is ’emaciated’.” We will have no energy at all ․Lacking the Dharma-food of the Great Vehicle is being starved, being without great strength is being emaciated and having no merits and virtues is being thin. Emaciated and thin: An appearance ugly to behold, this results from not having the great strength of merits and virtues. So, it is often said that to exert strength we must exercise. We must often go walking so that our legs will have strength. In “emaciated and thin, emaciated” means that we lack strength. As for “thin,” of course we can see when someone is very skinny. Lacking strength, this person refuses to do anything, refuses to exert any strength, so he loses more and more of his strength. The same applies to wisdom-life. If we do not exert our strength, naturally our wisdom-life will keep getting covered by ignorance. This continuously diminishes the radiance of our wisdom-life.
So, in “emaciated and thin,” lacking merits and virtue is being “thin.” If we absorb no nutrients at all, we will continue to grow thinner. This all depends on us. First, we do not exert our strength, thus we continually lose this ability. If we do not eat, of course we will not get enough nutrients and we will keep growing thinner. That is how our bodies work. Our wisdom-life works in the same way.
Being emaciated and thin “is ugly to behold. This results from not having the great strength of merits and virtues.” This kind of appearance is “ugly to behold.” If a person is just skin and bones, that does not look very nice. Moreover, when people are too thin, just by looking at them we can tell they can barely walk. How can they possibly do anything else? So, “not having great strength” means having no merits and virtues. If they do not give or put in the hard work, how can they attain virtues?
With his body covered in sores and ringworms: Being lost in regard to the true principles and giving rise to delusions of views and thinking is like the body being covered in sores and ringworms.
“His body was covered in sores and ringworms.” If we do not work hard, if our wisdom-life is weak, we will not be able to resist external matters, causing illnesses to develop in our minds. If we develop an illness of the mind, then that will be like “being covered in sores and ringworms.” As we exercise our wisdom-life less and less, we will be “lost in regard to the true principles and give rise to delusions of views and thinking.” When it comes to the true principles, if we do not develop. Right Understanding and Right Views, we will only give rise to delusions of views and thinking.
Some people who fall ill actually dare not take medicine because they know what the [side] effects will be. We must not avoid taking medicine because we know the [side] effects. If that is the case, we will never get well. So, “delusions of views and thinking” are like sores or ringworms growing on our body.
Sores and ringworms: This is an analogy for the faults of holding deviant views and not firmly upholding precepts. With sores and ringworms one can see the fetters of illness. Amidst conditioned phenomena, we give rise to delusions of views and thinking.
“Sores and ringworms” are analogies for the “faults of holding deviant views and not firmly upholding precepts” As we engage in spiritual practice, we must cultivate the [Three] Flawless Studies; precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are what we must firmly uphold. If we do not firmly uphold the Dharma, we will easily act on our faults.
So, the analogy of “sores and ringworms” is used. If we look skinny and weak, if we are covered with skin diseases, we will not look dignified at all. So, we must take in the Dharma like medicine to treat our illnesses of the body and mind. In particular, when we absorb the Dharma we must not allow our worldly knowledge to hinder our world-transcending wisdom-life. This is also very important. Thus, “With sores and ringworms one can see the fetters of illness.” These are “fetters”; illnesses of the mind surround and entangle our minds so that we cannot take in the Dharma but instead continuously give rise to afflictions. With “fetters” like this, “amidst conditioned phenomena we give rise to delusions of views and thinking.” Because of conditioned phenomena in this world, we give rise to greed, anger, ignorance, etc. These are all obstructions for us that lead us to give rise to delusions.
He had gradually made his way to the city where his father lived: Through gradually progressing in sequence and being gradually permeated and practicing, we attain causes and conditions that allow us to fortuitously encounter the Buddha-Dharma and attend the great assembly of Right Dharma in the Buddha’s lifetime.
Thus, “He had gradually made his way to the city where his father lived” This is a gradual sequence. In the past, his body, his wisdom-life, was lacking nourishment. Now, he was gradually beginning to understand; he gradually drew near to his father’s house.
“Through gradually progressing in sequence and being gradually permeated and practicing,” one can move forward with every step. By moving toward good health in body and mind, “We attain causes and conditions that allow us to fortuitously encounter the Buddha-Dharma.” These people truly encountered the Buddha. When the Buddha was in the world, these disciples lived at the same time as Him. Having these causes and conditions, Venerable Kasyapa expressed that they felt very fortunate and happy “[They attended] the great assembly of the Right Dharma in the Buddha’s lifetime.” They had spent countless kalpas transmigrating in the Six Realms. Then finally, the Buddha appeared in the human realm, so they lived in the same era. Thus, Venerable Kasyapa expressed joy at this.
He gradually made his way: An analogy for how those seeking the human and heaven vehicles have the resolve to improve and how those seeking liberation have the resolve to transcend the world. Seeking the Dharma step by step, one heads in the direction of the Great Vehicle Dharma of the Middle Way.
So, “He gradually made his way” is an analogy for “how those seeking the human and heaven vehicles have the resolve to improve” ․He gradually made his way: An analogy for how those seeking the human and heaven vehicles have the resolve to improve and how those seeking liberation have the resolve to transcend the world. Seeking the Dharma step by step, one heads in the direction of the Great Vehicle Dharma of the Middle Way. If those of us in the human realm are doing good deeds, this is seeking to advance. To go even further, we “seek liberation,” which is to eliminate ignorance and have the resolve to transcend the world. In this way, we gradually advance in our spiritual practice. This is “seeking the Dharma step by step.” We gradually head toward the Great Vehicle Dharma of the Middle Way. From the Small Vehicle, we turn to Vaipulya teachings and then enter the Prajna teachings to gradually head toward the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Practicing the Five Meditations to Quiet the Mind, the Meditation on Universal Phenomena, the Meditation on Specific Phenomena, the Four Earnest Efforts and the Seven Skillful States are called gradually making one’s way. Realizing the emptiness of self and seeing the absolute truth is called reaching the city where his father lived.
We do this through the Five Meditations to Quiet the Mind. As part of our spiritual cultivation, there are the Five Meditations to Quiet the Mind ․Practicing the Five Meditations to Quiet the Mind, the Meditation on Universal Phenomena, the Meditation on Specific Phenomena, the Four Earnest Efforts and the Seven Skillful States are called gradually making one’s way. Realizing the emptiness of self and seeing the absolute truth is called reaching the city where his father lived. In addition to the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, which we mentioned earlier, we need to continue to gradually experience the sequential steps to spiritual practice. There are the Five Meditations to Quiet the Mind, the Meditation on Universal Phenomena, the Meditation on Specific Phenomena, the Four Earnest Efforts and the Seven Skillful States. We must experience them one by one. This is “gradually making [our] way.” This is advancing with each step.
We must “realize the emptiness of self and see the absolute truth.” In this world, as the Buddha explained in the Prajnaparamita sutras, all things return to a state of emptiness. We must grasp the principle of emptiness so we can see all things clearly. Matters and objects arise through convergence, as do afflictions, so how do we see through these matters and objects? Then how do we get a hold of our nature of True Suchness? Where in our minds do we find this wondrous existence? To do this, we must advance on the Middle Way. So, we “realize the emptiness of self and see the absolute truth.” In this world, after realizing the truth of emptiness, we gradually draw near our nature of True Suchness. This is “reaching the city where his father lived.” We walk forward one step at a time.
Everyone, to learn the Buddha’s Way we must engage in spiritual practice like this. We cannot stop halfway and remain stuck there; we must diligently advance every day. We cannot waste any time and allow ourselves to become “emaciated and thin,” thus lacking the strength to advance. That will not work. We must quickly seize every second and minute; we absolutely cannot waste any time. So everyone, please always be mindful.