Episode 826 – Purifying the Five Aggregates
>> Those biased towards the Small only care for their own benefit and their own practice. With their one-eyed view of things, the world looks narrow and limited. Unable to open up their hearts, they view themselves with self-importance so they only uphold their own practice and fear forming affinities with sentient beings.
>> “The elder knew his son to be foolish, narrow-minded and base ‘He will never trust my words;’ ‘He will not believe I am his father’.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “He then used skillful means, and dispatched some others, one-eyed, squat and lowly, lacking in awe-inspiring virtue ‘Speak with him and’ ‘tell him that he can work with you’.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> So it says, The Buddha employed skillful means, guiding them with the Small Vehicle so they would eliminate the excrement of afflictions and clean the lodgings of the Five Aggregates. Those with limited aspirations are those who become very happy as they listen.
>> [He then] dispatched some others. These others are those other than Great Vehicle [practitioners], who take the form of Hearers, those who practice the Two Vehicles.
>> He dispatched some others: In terms of people, this refers to Hearers and Solitary Realizers. In terms of the Dharma, it refers to the Two Vehicles, which transform people according to their capabilities and close connections.
>> One-eyed, squat and lowly: An analogy for how Small Vehicle practitioners only realize the emptiness of arising, which is different from the perfect realization of the twofold emptiness of the Great Vehicle. Also known as emptiness of self or of ego, it refers to how sentient beings are temporary unions of the Five Aggregates, without any true substance. All these phenomena arising from causes and conditions are in fact empty.
>> Views biased towards emptiness are narrow and cannot extend through the Three Periods of Time, so it is like they are squat.
>> Squat: Short and small. Ugly: A squat and lowly appearance.
>> Views biased towards emptiness are narrow and cannot extend through the Three Periods of Time, so it is like they are squat. They cannot pervade throughout the ten directions, so it is like they are lowly
>> Lacking in awe-inspiring virtue refers to. Two Vehicle practitioners who never attain the Fourfold Fearlessness. The Nirvana of the Small Vehicle is without the four true virtues of permanence, joy, self and purity,
>> Squat: Short in stature. When the body is short, it can be called squat. This is an analogy for how the Two Vehicle Dharma is limited in reach, unable to completely [realize] the true source of ultimate reality
>> Lowly means narrow in breadth. An ugly and lowly body is an analogy for Two Vehicle practitioners who lack the magnificence of the many virtues of the Great Vehicle.
“Those biased towards the Small only care for their own benefit and their own practice.
With their one-eyed view of things, the world looks narrow and limited.
Unable to open up their hearts, they view themselves with self-importance
so they only uphold their own practice and fear forming affinities with sentient beings.”
We must understand that in spiritual practice, we must not only work for our own benefit. We must look after others as well. If we only seek to benefit ourselves and only look out for ourselves, we will not think to open our hearts and care for others at the same time we are caring for ourselves. Only when everyone is all right can we truly be at peace. If we only care for our well-being and do not care for others, when others create collective karma, can we really be free of worries and live on our own apart from them? That is not possible.
The Buddha came here to purify human hearts, hoping that everyone could open up their minds and save not only themselves but also others. If everyone can be at peace, everyone’s minds can be purified. Only then will heaven, earth and all people truly be at peace. We must not remain “narrow-minded and engage in spiritual practice solely for our own benefit.” Of course engaging in spiritual practice is good. But we cannot just focus on ourselves. We must broaden our minds and help others to have their own opportunities.
Therefore, it says here, “With their one-eyed view of things, the world looks narrow and limited.” This means that if our world-view is too narrow, the things we see will be very limited. Our world will also become narrow. Thus, we must open up and expand our minds so that they may encompass the universe. We should open our eyes wide and not have such a narrow view of things.
If we are unable to open our minds, we are “viewing ourselves with self-importance;” we care only about ourselves and do not think about others. Once sentient beings’ collective karma looms, it will be very difficult to escape the calamities that follow. Therefore, we need to influence everyone to open up their minds. We must not think ourselves most important.
So, “They only uphold their own practice and fear forming affinities with sentient beings.” If we follow the Small Vehicle Dharma, we only seek our own benefit; we only seek to awaken ourselves and only look after our own spiritual practice. We keep wishing not to create karmic connections, not wanting to go among people. This is to “fear forming affinities.” Not wanting to create karmic connections, we separate ourselves from other people. This is being a Small Vehicle practitioner. Engaging in true spiritual practice requires practicing the Great Vehicle [Dharma]. If everyone had this resolve, it would be greatly beneficial to the world. So, Living Bodhisattvas deserve our respect. They do not seek only to benefit themselves.
The previous passage says, “The elder knew his son to be foolish, narrow-minded and base ‘He will never trust my words;’ ‘He will not believe I am his father’.”
The elder, upon seeing his son, told people to go and bring him back. The son not only refused to come, he even struggled, resisting them. So, the elder understood that he needed to let him go and find other methods.
Thus, the next sutra passage states, “He then used skillful means, and dispatched some others, one-eyed, squat and lowly, lacking in awe-inspiring virtue ‘Speak with him and’ ‘tell him that he can work with you’.”
Who could he find to get close to his son? Of course the elder not only had to find many people to accompany him, the elder himself also removed his adornments and magnificent clothing, and went to where the poor son was
So it says, The Buddha employed skillful means, guiding them with the Small Vehicle so they would eliminate the excrement of afflictions and clean the lodgings of the Five Aggregates. Those with limited aspirations are those who become very happy as they listen.
This [explains] how the Buddha used skillful means, used the Small Vehicle Dharma, to gradually draw close to sentient beings. Sentient beings’ capabilities are limited, so the Buddha adapted to our capabilities, using language we could understand. This way, we would be willing to accept the gradual teachings of the Small Vehicle. Thus He taught us gradually so we could gradually accept His teachings
and “eliminate the excrement of afflictions.” Afflictions are like garbage, very filthy things. All of the afflictions and ignorance in our hearts must be gradually cleared away “[We] clean the lodgings of the Five Aggregates.” The Five Aggregates are form, feeling, perception, action, consciousness. When our thoughts are set in motion and we connect with external states, these external states entice our minds so we give rise to greed, anger and delusion, entice us so that we take action and create much ignorance and afflictions. Thus “the lodgings of the Five Aggregates” are like a room that has many dirty things collected inside of it. And now, the Buddha is slowly teaching us how we should diligently work to gradually eliminate the ignorance and afflictions that are within us. We must let them go
“Those with limited aspirations” are those who “become very happy as they listen.” They are willing to receive the Buddha-Dharma. In the Small Vehicle, they were only taught, “You ought to look after your own mind. To eliminate your own afflictions, these are the methods to use. If you fear suffering you need to know these principles. With these principles of how causes accumulate, you will understand that you cannot do these kinds of things. Do not contrive affinities with people like this. Do not contrive affinities with evildoers or you may do evil things.” However, this caused us to misunderstand and think we should not create any kind of affinities. Thus, we clung to the Small Vehicle.
The Buddha wanted us to understand the karmic law of cause and effect. When we are serving others and something unpleasant happens between us, we should just let it go. What do we let go of? Our afflictions. We must turn negative affinities to positive ones. However, we have not put this part into practice. We only apply the “letting go” part, not wishing to contrive affinities with others. This is what Small Vehicle practitioners hear. Hearing this part, they only look after themselves. Though they very happily listen to the Dharma, they are not yet willing to give to help others. This is the Dharma of skillful means
[He then] dispatched some others. These others are those other than Great Vehicle [practitioners], who take the form of Hearers, those who practice the Two Vehicles.
“[He then] dispatched some others.” These “others” are those “other than Great Vehicle [practitioners], who take the form of Hearers, those who practice the Two Vehicles.”
This is the Great Vehicle Dharma. But in order to transform. Small Vehicle practitioners, it was necessary to be like them. If you want to sweep up an area, everyone must wear simple clothing and get involved in the cleaning. Everyone must clean together. In this way, no one puts themselves above others because they are teachings the Dharma. No, they join in with everyone. Even this elder himself removed his adornments and magnificent clothing, not to mention the “influencers,” those Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas. In the same way they went among people to guide and teach sentient beings.
So, “[They took] the form of Hearers, those who practice the Two Vehicles.” They went among the Two Vehicle practitioners and practiced in pretty much the same way. Actually, Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas manifest and appear around us. They are also learning in this way. They do this all to assist the Buddha, to help create a spiritual training ground and help teach sentient beings.
He dispatched some others: In terms of people, this refers to Hearers and Solitary Realizers. In terms of the Dharma, it refers to the Two Vehicles, which transform people according to their capabilities and close connections.
Thus it says, “in terms of people,” when taken in regards to people, this refers to Hearers and Solitary Realizers. When it is “in terms of the Dharma,” this refers to the Two Vehicles. Using the Two Vehicles to draw near them, they “transformed people according to their capabilities and close connections.” This is known as “dispatching others.”
In this way, He sent ones who already grasped the principles and were walking the Bodhisattva-path to go among those who had yet to make great vows. Thus, they too went among these people and looked for opportunities to draw near and transform them. This is the effort put forth by the Buddha and also the Bodhisattvas who assist, going among people to transform them.
One-eyed, squat and lowly: An analogy for how Small Vehicle practitioners only realize the emptiness of arising, which is different from the perfect realization of the twofold emptiness of the Great Vehicle. Also known as emptiness of self or of ego, it refers to how sentient beings are temporary unions of the Five Aggregates, without any true substance. All these phenomena arising from causes and conditions are in fact empty.
“One-eyed, squat and lowly,” is an analogy for how. “Small Vehicle practitioners only realize the emptiness of arising” ․One-eyed, squat and lowly: An analogy for how Small Vehicle practitioners only realize the emptiness of arising, which is different from the perfect realization of the twofold emptiness of the Great Vehicle. Also known as emptiness of self or of ego, it refers to how sentient beings are temporary unions of the Five Aggregates, without any true substance. All these phenomena arising from causes and conditions are in fact empty. “The emptiness of arising” refers to how Small Vehicle practitioners think that in spiritual practice, everything is ultimately empty. They understand the principle of “emptiness,” how all things are [temporary] unions, convergences of karma that has been created. Small Vehicle practitioners already know this. Their practice is biased towards emptiness, so they do not want to contrive more affinities. “I practice for my own benefit. I do not want to return to the cyclic existence of the human realm. Everything is empty anyway, so why do I need to return to cyclic existence?” This is being biased towards emptiness.
Although everything is ultimately empty, many things are formed of causes and conditions. This is very clear. But within this convergence of causes and conditions there is a wondrously profound principle that is forever present. This everlasting principle is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Among all things in the universe, it can neither be seen nor touched. Yet it leads to the formation of all things. This wondrously profound principle exists, yet Two Vehicle practitioners cannot experience it.
The Great Vehicle Dharma’s “twofold emptiness” is the wondrous existence in true emptiness. Great Vehicle practitioners realize this. They understand there is “wondrous existence and true emptiness.” Because of this “wondrous existence,” we must return to the “wondrous existence” of our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Thus, [by realizing] the emptiness of the Dharma and the emptiness of self, or the ego, naturally, we can experience wondrous existence and true emptiness. We will also understand that “sentient beings are illusory unions of the Five Aggregates.” Sentient beings are all inseparable from the Five Aggregates, form, feeling perception, action, consciousness. With our physical body of the Five Aggregates, we think that our body is real. In fact, it is an illusory union. It is a “phenomenon arising from causes and conditions.” All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, all Great Vehicle practitioners, can realize this. But Two Vehicles practitioners cannot understand.
Views biased towards emptiness are narrow and cannot extend through the Three Periods of Time, so it is like they are squat.
“One-eyed” is an analogy for being “biased towards emptiness.” It like squinting your eyes to look at something. With this type of “bias towards emptiness all one’s views will be incorrect.” The things that are seen will always be blurry. Not seeing clearly like this is short-sightedness. Thus, this one-eyed vision keeps us from seeing objects and principles clearly, so “All one’s views will be incorrect.”
Squat: Short and small. Ugly: A squat and lowly appearance.
“Squat” is being short and small. This refers to being very short-sighted, someone who cannot see clearly. “Lowly” refers to being ugly, having an unsightly appearance. This refers to how we are not able to thoroughly understand the Dharma. This represents someone whose appearance is like this; they have an ugly appearance, [meaning] our views are biased towards emptiness. Our views are very narrow and small; we cannot see broadly
Views biased towards emptiness are narrow and cannot extend through the Three Periods of Time, so it is like they are squat. They cannot pervade throughout the ten directions, so it is like they are lowly
[Our views] “cannot extend through the Three Periods of Time.” Here, the Three Periods of Time are said to be vertical. We have no way to see this vertical span. We have no way to understand our past, present and future lives. What we know is not the long-term, but only this short [period of time]. We only know the here and now, today. We have already forgotten the distant past, and we definitely do not know the far future. Thus, “[Our views] cannot extend through the Three Periods of Time.” We cannot see into the past, present and future. This is what is known as “squat.” It means short-[sighted].
Horizontally, “[Our views] cannot pervade the Ten Directions.” We cannot see clearly around us. Our view is too narrow; it is limited to our own area. This is expressed as “one-eyed, squat and lowly, lacking in awe-inspiring virtue.”
Lacking in awe-inspiring virtue refers to. Two Vehicle practitioners who never attain the Fourfold Fearlessness. The Nirvana of the Small Vehicle is without the four true virtues of permanence, joy, self and purity,
If this is the case, our lives are so ugly; we only care for ourselves. We distort right and wrong and get everything mixed-up and misunderstood. We fail to see the principles clearly. So, we are “lacking in awe-inspiring virtue”
“Lacking in awe-inspiring virtue” refers to. “Two Vehicle practitioners” who “never attain the Fourfold Fearlessness. The Nirvana of the Small Vehicle is without the four true virtues of permanence, joy, self and purity,” So, they are without virtue.
Originally, if we attained great Nirvana, which is great liberation, this great liberation meant our minds are without hindrances. Then, permanence, joy, self and purity will be everlasting for us. True principles are everlasting. True Suchness is everlasting. This is “permanence.” We thoroughly understand true principles and the nature of True Suchness. We are very clear about them. We are safe, free, peaceful and happy. “Self” is the greater self, free from the limited self. This is all free from defilements. This is true permanence, joy, self and purity. This is the Great Vehicle Nirvana, not Small Vehicle Nirvana of limited liberation.
So, we need true virtues, the “four true virtues” of permanence, joy, self and purity. If we practice, we attain, and thus gain virtue. Without this, we have no awe-inspiring virtue. If we have it, we are at ease in our awe-inspiring virtue. Yet we are lacking the Fourfold Fearlessness and permanence, joy, self and purity. This is the Dharma Two Vehicle practitioners lack; they do not have full comprehension
Squat: Short in stature. When the body is short, it can be called squat. This is an analogy for how the Two Vehicle Dharma is limited in reach, unable to completely [realize] the true source of ultimate reality So when we say they are “squat,” it means that their bodies are very, very short. This is called “squat.” It is an analogy for the Two Vehicle Dharma, whose “reach is limited and unable to completely [encompass] the true source of ultimate reality.” This shows our short-sightedness. So, we are unable to see from up high. The higher we are, the broader and clearer our view. If we are very short and look from down low, we have no way to thoroughly understand.
Thus, “The Two Vehicle Dharma is limited in reach.” It is unable to reach things, “unable to completely encompass the true source of ultimate reality.” In other words, when we look at things from a low vantage point, they look very unclear; we need to have a broader view of worldly matters. If we look from higher up, we can view worldly matters more clearly and better understand the principles. The lower our viewpoint, the less we can see. This is the principle of “ultimate truth”
“Lowly” means narrow in breadth. An ugly and lowly body is an analogy for “Two Vehicle practitioners” who lack the magnificence of the many virtues of the Great Vehicle.
Because we are unwilling to have an open and spacious heart, unable to be open and spacious, naturally, we will not see the magnificence of the many virtues of the Great Vehicle.
To attain magnificence, we need to form good karmic affinities with people. Horizontally, [we need to pervade through] space, the space of all beings. We need to go among people and form good karmic affinities with them. This way we can truly have awe-inspiring virtue and magnificence. If we are “squat and lowly,” we only focus our narrow view on ourselves and do not dare to go among people. In this way, we will lack the magnificence of the many virtues of the Great Vehicle. The more timid we are, the less we will dare to be around others. Then people will not see us, and it will be harder be for us to spread our love as we go among people.
Therefore, our hearts should be open and spacious; we must not let appearances restrict us. Thus, regardless of how high a realm we are in, we need to open our hearts to embrace everything. If we are narrow-minded, we will naturally only think of ourselves. Then we will often be unable to see beyond [conflicts] or accomplish what we wish to do; we will only look after ourselves. Therefore, I often speak of collective karma. If we want to attain peace, everyone must live in safety. Only when the people around us are at peace can we truly attain peace. Otherwise, as collective karma accumulates and disasters strike, everyone is affected. If Living Bodhisattvas immediately take action, this collective karma can be transformed. When people transform their minds, change their thoughts, there will be hope again. After reconstruction, that [disaster area] will be different.
So, we must form Great Vehicle aspirations. We must open ourselves up, then naturally our world will be wide open. So, we must be mindful. Learning the Buddha-Dharma is about transforming ourselves and others and bringing awakening to both ourselves and others. So, we must always be mindful.