Episode 839 – Do Not be Deluded about the Dharma
Hearers and Solitary Realizers, the Two Vehicle practitioners, are like those who are confused and deluded regarding the Dharma. They take no joy in the Great Vehicle teachings of the truth of emptiness and wondrous existence. Thus Small Vehicle [practitioners] are said to be deluded regarding the teachings. Once they understand the true principles of the Great Vehicle, they will dedicate themselves to the Great and will not be deluded about the Dharma.
>> “Now, before his father, he obtained great precious treasures, as well as houses and all of his wealth. His joy was extremely great at having attained what he had never had before.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “The Buddha is also like this. The same is true of the Buddha. He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle], perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> The Buddha is also like this. He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle]: Because I took joy in the Small. My father and I lost each other. For decades I wandered aimlessly. In His loving-kindness the Buddha understood that I took joy in the Small, He gradually approached me like a father meeting his son.
>> So it says, Because they took joy in the Small, they [and the Buddha] lost each other. Because the Buddha was compassionate and did not abandon them, they found each other again.
>> They took joy in the Small because they retreated from the Great. Therefore, they lost each other. They retreated from the Great because they took joy in the Small. Therefore, they found each other.
>> He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle]: This is what the prose passages refer to with, “Yet the World-Honored One knew from the start how our minds were attached to base desires and delighted in the Small [Vehicle] Dharma”. This repeats what was said in the previous chapter of how they would not heed His exhortations and admonishment.
>> He had never before said, You and the others can attain Buddhahood: This describes dispatching people to chase the son. This is what is said in the prose passages, So He indulged us as we were and did not say to us specifically, ‘You all have a share of the treasures of’ ‘the Tathagata’s understanding and views’.
>> The prose, according to capacity, states that at the intersection of the Three Sufferings and the Five Turbidities, ignorance and delusions obscure and cover us, so we find the Great Dharma hard to enter. Thus, in the words of the Buddha, until He prepared to teach the Great Dharma, He had not clearly stated that the Two Vehicle practitioners should have a part in attaining Buddhahood.
>> Instead, He told us that we could attain the state of having no Leaks and perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples: This describes the two people leading and enticing the son to return home.
>> So, the prose then states, The World Honored-One has led us to contemplate and to cast away the excrement of frivolously debating all Dharma. In this, we earnestly increased our diligence and attained the single day’s wages of Nirvana.
>> He revealed to us the teachings of clearing away excrement. With one day’s wages of Nirvana of no Leaks, we perfected the Arhatship of the Small Vehicle.
>> Attain the state of having no Leaks: Leaks refers to delusions, also called afflictions. To attain a state without Leaks is to eliminate the delusions of views and thinking.
>> The delusions of views and thinking are the cause of sentient beings falling into samsara. By eliminating delusions of views and thinking, we have no Leaks and do not fall. We can escape the Three Realms and bring an end to fragmentary samsara. This points to eliminating causation.
>> And perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples: This means perfecting the Small Vehicle practice of realizing the cessation of afflictions.
>> Delusions of views and thinking, also called views and cravings, or views and practice, are afflictions of the Four Abiding States and, along with Branch Ignorance, are called shared delusions and delusions within the realms. This is the general term for all afflictions in the Three Realms
“Hearers and Solitary Realizers, the Two Vehicle practitioners, are like those who are confused and deluded regarding the Dharma.
They take no joy in the Great Vehicle teachings of the truth of emptiness and wondrous existence.
Thus Small Vehicle [practitioners] are said to be deluded regarding the teachings.
Once they understand the true principles of the Great Vehicle,
they will dedicate themselves to the Great and will not be deluded about the Dharma.”
We should be able to understand this. Those practitioners of the Two Vehicles, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, are confused. They are confused and deluded regarding the Dharma. They are attached to the Small Dharma of only benefiting themselves.
Remember that, in learning the Buddha’s teachings, we learn the wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle. If we are not willing to learn the Great Vehicle Dharma, we will never have the opportunity to attain Buddhahood. Buddhist practitioners have made a firm resolve to attain Buddhahood, and if we wish to attain Buddhahood, we cannot do so by only awakening ourselves. If we “take no joy in Great Vehicle teachings,” do not delight in the Great Vehicle Dharma, then we cannot comprehend the truths of emptiness and wondrous existence. As for emptiness, if we cannot completely understand the principle of emptiness, our minds will continuously reproduce ignorance. If we want to eliminate the mindset that reproduces ignorance, we must completely understand the truths of emptiness and wondrous existence. This means we cannot have any attachments.
In life, [to comprehend] the truths of emptiness and wondrous existence, we must take joy in them; we must joyfully seek them out. It we do not take joy in seeking them, we will never thoroughly understand the principles. How do we take joy in seeking the principles? We must be diligent.
If we listen to and take the principles to heart, we will have no attachments. With all these things, worldly matters or objects, we will have no attachments. If we have attachments, we will take no joy, will not happily and diligently advance. We will only be thinking about ourselves. “Thus Small Vehicle [practitioners] are said to be deluded regarding the teachings.” Those called Small Vehicle [practitioners] only care about their own peace and stability. They do not think of the suffering of other people. They do not care about others; they only think about themselves, so they are deluded regarding the teachings.
Life is short. If we fritter away our lives and fail to retain the Dharma in this lifetime, our afflictions will multiply and grow. In the future, we will take this karma with us. We will still remain in confusion and let our ignorance carry us away; this is delusion.
Thus, “Once they understand the true principles of the Great Vehicle, they will dedicate themselves to the Great”; this is “not being deluded about the Dharma.” This is not merely awakening ourselves anymore. When we have eliminated delusions and foolishness and unlocked our wisdom, naturally we will thoroughly understand the principles. If we thoroughly understand the principles, we will see through all things. When we do not have a mindset of gain and loss, then helping others will be the greatest joy. This is the direction me must follow to learn the Buddha’s Way.
Thus, the previous sutra passage states, “Now, before his father, he obtained great precious treasures, as well as houses and all of his wealth. His joy was extremely great at having attained what he had never had before.”
The poor son had gradually drawn near, and his father had already announced to everyone that his family wealth was all to be passed to his son, that these things had always been the son’s. This is just like the treasury of True Suchness we all have within us; the door has now been opened, and we have discovered that we have this True Suchness. The intrinsic nature that is hidden within us should be what we have now begun to discover. So, “His joy was extremely great at having attained what he had never had before.”
The next sutra passage states, “The Buddha is also like this.” The same is true of the Buddha. “He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle], so He had never before said, ‘You and the others can attain Buddhahood’. Instead, He told us that we could attain the state of having no Leaks and perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples.”
This sutra passage says, “The Buddha is also like this.” This is how the Buddha is. “He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle]. We” is. Venerable Kasyapa speaking of himself [and others]. The Buddha knew that they all “took joy in the Small” and were attached to the Small Dharma. They only sought to awaken themselves and only tried to eliminate their own afflictions. They had no desire to associate with people. This is taking joy in the Small Vehicle. “So He had never before [told us].” He already knew they were all limiting themselves to their own benefit. So, before the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha had never told His disciples, “You can all attain Buddhahood.” The time was not right, so He only “told us that we could attain the state of having no Leaks.” He only said to them, “You must earnestly engage in spiritual practice to develop precepts, Samadhi and wisdom and not have any Leaks. Perfecting the Small Vehicle” was to help these Hearers, the Small Vehicle disciples, perfect their practice.
The Buddha is also like this. He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle]: Because I took joy in the Small. My father and I lost each other. For decades I wandered aimlessly. In His loving-kindness the Buddha understood that I took joy in the Small, He gradually approached me like a father meeting his son.
“The Buddha is also like this. He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle].” This is describing what they were like and how they took joy in the Small Vehicle Dharma. So, the analogy of a father and son losing each other is used. It had been decades; the son had wandered aimlessly for more than 50 years. This was true hardship
“Because the Buddha compassionately understood that I took joy in the Small.” This is [the disciples] saying they had been transmigrating in the Six Realms for countless lives; it is truly exhausting. These disciples were finally born human and lived during the same lifetime as the Buddha. In past lifetimes, the Buddha also continually came to form affinities with us, continually creating the conditions for attaining Buddhahood, so He could teach and transform us and help us to have the causes and conditions for attaining Buddhahood. Up to this moment, He had taught according to capabilities, and now causes and conditions were mature. He knew those who took joy in the Small Vehicle were like the son wandering out there homeless while the father constantly searched for him. It was not easy for them to find each other, for the father to meet his son again. This was like how everyone, by then, had already realized the Buddha-mind. “If I can continue advancing forward, I will also be equal to the Buddha and will have the chance to attain Buddhahood”
So it says, “Because they took joy in the Small, they [and the Buddha] lost each other. Because the Buddha was compassionate and did not abandon them, they found each other again.”
Because they took joy in the Small [Vehicle], they had turned their backs on the principles. This is what is known as turning away from enlightenment to meet with objects of desire. By turning our backs on our innate enlightenment, we align ourselves with ignorance and afflictions; this is how we [and the Buddha] lose each other. This means we left. “They lost each other” means the father and son had lost one another. However, the Buddha “was compassionate and did not abandon them.” He never abandoned us. So, although the son had left, the father went everywhere to painstakingly search for him. He never lost hope, so naturally he found him. Therefore, “They found each other again.” It was only because they had become separated that they found each other again
They took joy in the Small because they retreated from the Great. Therefore, they lost each other. They retreated from the Great because they took joy in the Small. Therefore, they found each other.
“They took joy in the Small because they retreated from the Great.” Why did they take joy in the Small Dharma? We spoke of this previously. They had also formed aspirations during the time of the Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, but this group of Small Vehicle practitioners retreated from the Great Vehicle along the way. So, this was why they were said to take joy in the Small. Doing things to benefit sentient beings is truly exhausting. They felt that they had obstacles, so they simply gave up. Or perhaps they did not wish to have to overcome any difficulties, just to wrap things up easily. Thus they gradually retreated. This is “taking joy in the Small because they have retreated from the Great.” Because of this, they lost each other and turned from enlightenment to meet with objects of desire. “They retreated from the Great because they took joy in the Small.” Why did they retreat from the Great? Because they felt happy enough just benefiting themselves. They did not want to do anything as exhausting as going out to help others. With this passage, you must all make an effort to comprehend it, then you will understand it.
He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle]: This is what the prose passages refer to with, “Yet the World-Honored One knew from the start how our minds were attached to base desires and delighted in the Small [Vehicle] Dharma”. This repeats what was said in the previous chapter of how they would not heed His exhortations and admonishment.
So, this is losing and finding each other again. “He knew we took joy in the Small [Vehicle].” A similar passage in the prose says, “Yet the World-Honored One knew from the start how our minds were attached to base desires and delighted in the Small [Vehicle] Dharma.” This was another warning to them. This describes how the World-Honored One had already known and understood that this group of disciples were still attached, attached to only awakening themselves “[They] delighted in the Small [Vehicle] Dharma.” This is what is stated in the prose passages.
Therefore, in the repeated verse, this is repeated again in even more detail, so we can understand it more clearly. He exhorted and admonished them in the past. During the Agama and Vaipulya periods, He gradually enticed them, exhorted them and then warned them again. But they still were unable to truly comprehend these principles. They still stuck to the Small Vehicle Dharma. Therefore, for this reason, “He had never before said, ‘You and the others can attain Buddhahood’.” He had used many methods, but they still could not understand it
He had never before said, “You and the others can attain Buddhahood”: This describes dispatching people to chase the son. This is what is said in the prose passages, “So He indulged us as we were and did not say to us specifically, ‘You all have a share of the treasures of’ ‘the Tathagata’s understanding and views’.”
Do you still remember the long-form prose? The elder saw the child outside the door. He hurriedly told people, “Quickly, help me bring that person back,” but [the son] struggled with them. Thus there, the prose states, “So He indulged us as we were and did not say to us specifically, ‘You all have a share of the treasures of’ ‘the Tathagata’s understanding and views’.”
At that time, [the elder] told them, “Let him go. Do not force him. Let him go.” Thus, “He indulged us as we were.” He never told them directly at the time, “You can all attain Buddhahood and all have a share in the Tathagata’s treasures.”
The prose, according to capacity, states that at the intersection of the Three Sufferings and the Five Turbidities, ignorance and delusions obscure and cover us, so we find the Great Dharma hard to enter. Thus, in the words of the Buddha, until He prepared to teach the Great Dharma, He had not clearly stated that the Two Vehicle practitioners should have a part in attaining Buddhahood.
So, the prose states, according to capacity, that, “[We are] at the intersection of the Three Sufferings and the Five Turbidities” ․The prose, according to capacity, states that at the intersection of the Three Sufferings and the Five Turbidities, ignorance and delusions obscure and cover us, so we find the Great Dharma hard to enter. We sentient beings exist in the Three Sufferings and Five Turbidities, or the Five Realms and four forms of birth, where “ignorance and delusions obscure and cover us.” Ignorance and delusions are like a cloak of darkness that covers our minds and makes it hard for us to enter the Great Dharma
“Thus, in the words of the Buddha, until He prepared to teach the Great Dharma, He had not clearly stated that the Two Vehicle practitioners should have a part in attaining Buddhahood.” As everyone was still unable to experience this, the Buddha could not directly tell the Two Vehicle practitioners, “You can all attain Buddhahood.”
Instead, He told us that we could attain the state of having no Leaks and perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples: This describes the two people leading and enticing the son to return home.
Thus, “He told us that we could attain the state of having no Leaks and perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples.” The Buddha only went as far as telling them this, “All of you, be earnest in your spiritual practice. Practice the precepts, Samadhi and wisdom well. Make great efforts to practice the Small Vehicle.” This was where His Hearer disciples had stopped and remained stuck.
This was to entice the Two Vehicle practitioners into returning home; it was a way to get them to return home ․Instead, He told us that we could attain the state of having no Leaks and perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples: This describes the two people leading and enticing the son to return home. Because as sentient beings, our attachments to delusions were too severe, the Buddha had to use a variety of methods to gradually teach us
So, the prose then states, “The World Honored-One has led us to contemplate and to cast away the excrement of frivolously debating all Dharma. In this, we earnestly increased our diligence and attained the single day’s wages of Nirvana.”
So, Venerable Kasyapa said again that the World-Honored One used skillful means to get them to earnestly practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, to guard against all evil, calm the mind, practice mindful contemplation and cleanse from the mind all ignorance and the excrement of frivolously debating all Dharma. We must not be attached to these false, illusory and empty things. They were all very obedient, so. “In this, we earnestly increased our diligence.” This was all in hopes of attaining “a single day’s wages of Nirvana.” However much we do in a day, that is the wages we receive for that day. Just like this, the disciples only hoped to practice the Small Vehicle Dharma for themselves, just maintaining their own livelihood, just preventing themselves from falling into dire straits again and nothing more.
Thus it shows, “He revealed to us the teachings of clearing away excrement. With one day’s wages of Nirvana of no Leaks, we perfected the Arhatship of the Small Vehicle.”
This is the teaching of precepts, Samadhi, wisdom. We know we must earnestly practice the Four Noble Truths. We practice them to understand the suffering of this world and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. We only know these teachings, so with “one day’s wages, we perfect the Arhatship of the Small Vehicle.” This is how it is. How much we work in one day is how much we get. Only seeking to awaken ourselves is like only seeking enough to live on. This is just like that poor son.
Attain the state of having no Leaks: Leaks refers to delusions, also called afflictions. To attain a state without Leaks is to eliminate the delusions of views and thinking.
Arhats “attain the state of having no Leaks.” Leaks are delusions, and delusions are afflictions [Leaks] are “also called afflictions. To attain the state of having no Leaks” means when afflictions are eliminated, we have no Leaks; the Dharma has come to rest in our minds. Having Leaks means the Dharma leaks out from our minds. Thus, what the Buddha taught us was to “eliminate the delusions of views and thinking.” Eliminating the delusions of our views and our thinking is what we must learn to do. When we see things, we cannot let these things upset our minds. In our views, we must clearly distinguish right from wrong. In our thinking, our direction must be correct. This is the only way wisdom will arise in us, so that we will not be influenced by our surroundings to let all kinds of ignorance delude us and cover our minds
The delusions of views and thinking are the cause of sentient beings falling into samsara. By eliminating delusions of views and thinking, we have no Leaks and do not fall. We can escape the Three Realms and bring an end to fragmentary samsara. This points to eliminating causation.
Delusion is ignorance. So, regarding “the cause of sentient beings falling into samsara,” the delusions of views and thinking come from sentient beings letting the Dharma leak away. Ignorance covering the mind is the cause of samsara. What they wanted to practice was eliminating the cause of afflictions to attain the state of having no Leaks. So, “Eliminating delusions of views and thinking, we have no Leaks and do not fall.” Then they could escape the Three Realms,
the desire, form and formless realms. Amidst the samsara of the desire realm, they could eliminate fragmentary samsara. This refers to eliminating causation. The cause of suffering is [afflictions], so now they were eliminating afflictions, which is eliminating the causation.
And perfect the Small Vehicle as Hearer disciples: This means perfecting the Small Vehicle practice of realizing the cessation of afflictions.
Thus, they were “perfecting the Small Vehicle as. Hearer disciples.” They had stopped there, perfecting themselves as Hearer disciples. Being “Hearer disciples” of the Buddha “means perfecting the Small Vehicle practice of realizing the cessation of afflictions.” They had already eliminated their delusions of views and thinking
Delusions of views and thinking, also called views and cravings, or views and practice, are afflictions of the Four Abiding States and, along with Branch Ignorance, are called shared delusions and delusions within the realms. This is the general term for all afflictions in the Three Realms.
Delusions of views and thinking are also called views and cravings, or views and practice. If these views are affected by ignorance, we are already being dragged around by ignorance. If we have eliminated ignorance, we still must persevere in our spiritual practice; we must not deviate in our spiritual practice.
As for “afflictions of the Four Abiding States,” we have previously spoken of the afflictions of the Four Abiding States. There is Branch Ignorance and there is Root Ignorance. These types of ignorance stem from the delusions of views and thinking. If we can eliminate them, then we can thoroughly understand and brush aside all our afflictions. If we can get rid of these delusions [within] the realms, then naturally all afflictions of the Three Realms will be eliminated. Then, we will have thorough understanding and will no longer be subject to the various sufferings of the Three Realms. So, everyone, learning the Buddha’s teachings is truly wondrously profound. This wondrous Dharma is always in our minds. The Great Vehicle [teachings] of the truths of emptiness and wondrous existence can all be found in our daily living. So, our lives are inseparable from the Dharma, and the Buddha-Dharma is found in our lives. Therefore, every one of us must always be mindful.