Episode 855 – Treating Unwholesomeness with Purifying Practice
>> Brahma refers to purity. This means leaving faults behind and engaging in purifying practices. The Bodhisattva practice of benefiting others is treatment for all unwholesomeness.
>> “Throughout the long night, we upheld the Buddha’s pure precepts. Today, we have finally attained this fruition.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> “Immersed in the Dharma of the Dharma-king, we have long cultivated purifying practices. Now, we have attained the flawless state, which is the supreme, great fruition. Today we are truly Hearers, and with the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear them.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]
>> Immersed in the Dharma of the Dharma-king, we have long cultivated purifying practices: The Buddha is the Dharma-king, free and at ease in the Dharma. Immersed in the Dharma, we have long cultivated and upheld the Tathagata’s pure precepts and practices.
>> Purifying practices: These refer to the Four Demeanors and more generally to the Three Flawless Studies. Bodhisattvas do not have the defilements of the craving for or attachment to the extremes of emptiness and existence, so they are said to be pure.
>> Now, we have attained the flawless state which is the supreme, great fruition: The flawless state of the Small Vehicle is liberation from fragmentary [samsara]. The flawless state of the Great Vehicle is liberation from the suffering of transformational [samsara]. Complete cessation of both types of death is the supreme fruition. With perfect and complete purifying practices, we attain the flawless, supreme, great fruition.
>> Today we are true Hearers: In the past, we heard the teachings and thus entered the Path. Thus we were called Hearers of the Small Vehicle Now we are true Hearers of the Great Vehicle.
>> With the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear them: The subtle and wondrous path that leads to Buddhahood is Bodhi. Though these teachings are infinite and inconceivable, with the subtle and wondrous sound of teachings, we will lead everyone to hear and thus attain Buddhahood.
“Brahma refers to purity.
This means leaving faults behind and engaging in purifying practices.
The Bodhisattva practice of benefiting others
is treatment for all unwholesomeness.”
We often talk about “Brahma,” how it refers to purity. When engaging in spiritual practice, we must eliminate all forms of affliction and ignorance. Why are human lives full of suffering? Because we are full of ignorance and afflictions. These cause us to take actions that prevent the world from being in harmony. This comes from us, from our minds, our ignorance, afflictions and the like. When these converge, they give rise to turbidities, very severe pollution. As spiritual practitioners, we must understand that all of us are [inherently] pure and undefiled. Like a great, perfect mirror, our nature is pure and undefiled. But starting at some unknown time, ignorance began to unceasingly replicate and contaminate us, blacking out [our nature]. So, we must start at the beginning and earnestly engage in spiritual practice. We must find a way to continuously wipe this mirror clean.
Engaging in spiritual practice is similar to wiping a mirror clean. In the past, there was a Zen Master. His disciple said to him, “Master, I have listened to your teachings and. I uphold the rules you asked me to follow, but I still do not know how to eliminate afflictions and engage in practice.” His master remained silent.
One day, the master began to polish a brick. He kept polishing and polishing the brick. His disciple saw him and asked, “Master, why are you polishing this brick here? I want to polish it into a mirror.” The disciple said, “Master, a brick is a brick. Even if you polish it, how will it become shiny? Indeed! If a brick cannot shine through polishing, how could you attain Buddhahood solely by sitting in meditation?”
The disciple understood and said, “Indeed, spiritual practice is not only about sitting here and saying I am engaged in spiritual practice. It takes work, like polishing. It is not about seeking quick attainment, but about seeking refinement in my practice. If we think that with spiritual practice we can immediately attain spiritual powers, spiritual transformation and realization, if we are so impatient, we will forget that it takes years to train our minds before we settle our minds and achieve Samadhi. The rules you teach every day are precepts. We need to proactively do what we should do and avoid transgressions by not doing what we should not do. We must earnestly take care of our daily living and fix our minds on always coming back to precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, If we can discipline body, mind and thoughts by properly upholding the precepts and settle our minds in Samadhi, then no matter how long it takes us, as long as we do what we must do, when we engage with people, matters and things, we will attain wisdom.”
With this story we can comprehend how we should cultivate in our spiritual practice. We often give rise to discursive thoughts and immediately speak out to vent our emotions. With our sharp tongue, our words come out quickly, and we do not consider how our words [can affect] our own reputation as well as the other person’s state of mind. It may have a powerful impact. So, I often talk about self-love, how we must be careful with ourselves and earnestly guard our actions, speech and thoughts to return to our pure intrinsic nature. These are purifying practices. As for “leaving faults behind,” how do we attain purity? By leaving transgressions behind. We must not only prevent them, we must also leave wrongdoings behind. This is why it is called purifying practice.
“Bodhisattvas” are those whose spiritual practice is not only to awaken themselves, but also to benefit others. Bodhisattvas benefit themselves and others. They use this practice as the treatment for all unwholesomeness.
In the past, we have spoken of how. Sakyamuni Buddha’s spiritual practice started. How did He begin His spiritual practice? His spiritual practice began in hell. He himself was also one undergoing punishment. But while he was suffering in hell, he and another person were assigned to pull a fiery cart that was red-hot. When the person who pulled the cart with him approached the red-hot iron cart, that person already could not bear it and nearly died on the spot. When he saw this, he felt it was too much. He told the jailor, “He cannot bear it anymore. It is better that I pull this cart alone and use double the strength to make up for him. He is suffering; let him rest. I will bear this suffering by myself.” The jailor was enraged on hearing this and said, “You can hardly bear your own negative karma, yet you want to bear another’s negative karma? You do not know your own limitations.” In a rage, the jailor killed him with one blow.
After the yaksa or demon struck him dead, he ascended to heaven and was reborn there. Once he was in heaven, he thought to himself, “What virtues and ability did I have that allowed me to be reborn in heaven?” Then he thought to himself, “When I was in hell, I gave rise to a thought of goodness by willingly taking on suffering for another. Perhaps this thought of kindness and good will reduced my time of suffering in hell so that I was suddenly reborn in heaven.”
When he looked around in heaven, he saw people enjoying blessings everywhere. Then he thought, “The human realm is full of suffering. How do people come to be reborn in hell?” It is because in the human realm, people are ignorant and do not know the principles. They create a lot of negative karma and thus fall into hell. So, this heavenly being formed great aspirations and made vows to dedicate all of his future bodies and lives to helping suffering sentient beings. He wished that all sentient beings could be free from suffering, without seeking peace and happiness for himself. Thus, he began to seek to be reborn in the human realm.
This what the Buddha recalled of the period countless kalpas before, the time when He formed aspirations; it started in hell, that place of greatest suffering. Since the time He formed aspirations, countless kalpas had passed. He unceasingly went among the people to form affinities with them and create blessings. After realizing many truths among people, He perfected His wisdom.
“The Bodhisattva practice of benefiting others,” therefore, “is treatment for all unwholesomeness.” To go among sentient beings and transform them, we must purify our own minds. We must benefit others; while we benefit ourselves, we must benefit others. In so doing, we will be able to transform others. This is what spiritual practitioners must do.
Next, the sutra passage says, “Throughout the long night, we upheld the Buddha’s pure precepts. Today, we have finally attained this fruition.”
See, in everyone’s past, all had spent such a long time in the long night. From countless kalpas ago until now, they have had ignorance and afflictions. They brought these as they engaged in practice so they are still unable to completely wipe their mind-mirrors clean.
During that lifetime, they were able to meet the Buddha and “uphold the Buddha’s pure precepts.” However the Buddha taught them, that is how they practiced all the way until the Vulture Peak Assembly. “Today,” refers to the time when the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra to that Dharma-assembly. They “attained this fruition.” In the past, they had heard of the Bodhi-path; this was the cause.
Putting the Dharma into practice is the effect. Now that we have awakened and understood, we begin to use enlightened love to go among the people, among sentient beings. This is how we got here. No matter how long the path is, if our direction is right, we must keep walking.
The next sutra passage says, “Immersed in the Dharma of the Dharma-king, we have long cultivated purifying practices. Now, we have attained the flawless state, which is the supreme, great fruition. Today we are truly Hearers, and with the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear them.”
Immersed in the Dharma of the Dharma-king, we have long cultivated purifying practices: The Buddha is the Dharma-king, free and at ease in the Dharma. Immersed in the Dharma, we have long cultivated and upheld the Tathagata’s pure precepts and practices.
In this passage of the sutra, “Immersed in the Dharma of the Dharma-king,” means the Dharma-king is [at ease] with the Dharma. “We have long cultivated purifying practices.” This is also praise for the Buddha. The Buddha has already attained Buddhahood and become the Dharma-king, [at ease] with the Dharma; all the Dharma of the universe is encompassed in His ocean of enlightenment, in the Buddha’s mind. There is nothing He does not know or understand. Thus, “The Buddha is the Dharma-king” and. He is “free and at ease with the Dharma.”
The Buddha was already free and at ease. As ordinary beings, we often worry a lot. We are not free and at ease, for we worry over gain and loss. But the Buddha is the Dharma-king; He is “free and at ease with the Dharma.”
So, His disciples were “immersed in the Dharma.” As Venerable Kasyapa said, “I have been immersed in the Dharma for a long time, an unknown number of years. For such a long time, I have upheld the Tathagata’s pure precepts and practices. In this lifetime, I am very fortunate to have met the Buddha. I formed aspirations to engage in practice and have done so for so many years.” They practiced according to the teachings; whatever the Buddha taught, that is what they practiced. These were purifying practices; this is how they upheld pure precepts. So, these were purifying practices.
Purifying practices: These refer to the Four Demeanors and more generally to the Three Flawless Studies. Bodhisattvas do not have the defilements of the craving for or attachment to the extremes of emptiness and existence, so they are said to be pure.
Purifying practices also refer to the Four Demeanors. We are already learning the Buddha’s Way; Buddhist practitioners must understand propriety. As practitioners, in our comings and goings, in everything we do, through our actions we should demonstrate that we are spiritual practitioners. This is our dignified demeanor. “More generally, [these refer] to the Three Flawless Studies.” When we express ourselves in a dignified manner, it is not just that our appearance is proper and orderly. It is not merely this. With the Three Flawless Studies, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, nothing leaks away. We must continue to go deeper until we attain the state of Bodhisattvas, until we no longer have the “defilements of the craving for or attachment to the extremes of emptiness and existence.” We should keep our minds away from attachment to the extremes of emptiness and existence.
Some people are attached to emptiness, others are attached to existence. People who are attached to existence fear going among people. Those who are attached to emptiness regard everything as non-existent, and thus think there is no need to go among people. Both extremes are wrong. Bodhisattvas’ purifying practices are not attached to either emptiness or existence. They walk the Middle Way of wondrous existence and true emptiness as they go among people. This is the state of Bodhisattvas. This is purity, the upholding of pure precepts. This is how it is; we must earnestly uphold them
Thus, “With pure minds like this, we exercise our compassion to bring joy to sentient beings and relieve them of their suffering. This is known as purifying practices.” These are what we call “purifying practices.” If we can purify our minds and further cultivate compassion, we will find a way to help sentient beings eliminate afflictions and be joyful every day. Only when they take the Dharma to heart can sentient beings eliminate afflictions. If they do not take the Dharma to heart, even with more wealth, property, fame, profit and higher social status, they cannot be happy, because they lack Dharma. Sentient beings suffer in many ways. Look at how many sentient beings are suffering in this world. We must work to relieve sentient beings’ suffering. This is the resolve we must have. Then we are also engaging in purifying practices.
Now, we have attained the flawless state which is the supreme, great fruition: The flawless state of the Small Vehicle is liberation from fragmentary [samsara]. The flawless state of the Great Vehicle is liberation from the suffering of transformational [samsara]. Complete cessation of both types of death is the supreme fruition. With perfect and complete purifying practices, we attain the flawless, supreme, great fruition.
So, “Now, we have attained the flawless state, which is the supreme, great fruition. With the flawless state of the Small Vehicle,” they escape fragmentary samsara. The Small Vehicle eliminates afflictions and allows one to depart from fragmentary samsara, but the flawless state of the Great Vehicle provides “liberation from the suffering of transformational [samsara].” This is “the supreme fruition”
“With perfect and complete purifying practices, we attain the flawless, supreme, great fruition.” We must calm and settle our minds. This kind of cyclic existence is not something Bodhisattvas cling to; they return with Dharma to transform all beings. Following the natural laws of this world, appearances arise and cease, but Bodhisattvas have eliminated this [attachment]. They do not suffer from change. They do not need to worry about being old or dying or so on. None of these worry them. They are only concerned about how to spread the Dharma. “Have we taken good care of our own minds? Do we have firm spiritual aspirations?” This is the True Dharma. Otherwise, we are simply wasting time in birth, aging, illness and death.
We must earnestly engage in spiritual practice to achieve the state of being “without Leaks,” that of the flawless Dharma. This means we eliminate afflictions and take the Dharma to heart without losing it. The Dharma is in our minds; it enters and stays there. It has not leaked out. Thus, the Great Vehicle is already without Leaks. When we are liberated from the phenomena of transformational [samsara], that is “the supreme fruition.” To learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must engage in spiritual practice with this mindset, or we will forever just be coming and going. We must earnestly and mindfully practice. “With perfect and complete purifying practices, we attain the flawless, supreme, great fruition.” When purifying practices are perfect and complete, we achieve the state of flawlessness. This is the greatest fruition.
Today we are true Hearers: In the past, we heard the teachings and thus entered the Path. Thus we were called Hearers of the Small Vehicle Now we are true Hearers of the Great Vehicle.
Thus, “Today we are true Hearers.” Thus, “Today we are truly Hearers, In the past, we heard the teachings and thus entered the Path.” By listening to the Buddha’s voice, they practiced according to the teachings. So, they “heard the teachings and thus entered the Path. We were called Hearers of the Small Vehicle.” But at this time, “Now we are true Hearers of the Great Vehicle.” Although there is not much difference in the way of their spiritual practice, their state of mind has been transformed. Although from their appearance it seems as though they still only listen to the Buddha’s teachings, they have taken the Dharma to heart. “Now our mind is in a state of flawless Dharma. Now our mind does not let the Dharma leak out. We have truly taken the Dharma to heart.” Thus, they are already. Hearers of the Great Vehicle who have formed great aspirations.
With the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear them: The subtle and wondrous path that leads to Buddhahood is Bodhi. Though these teachings are infinite and inconceivable, with the subtle and wondrous sound of teachings, we will lead everyone to hear and thus attain Buddhahood.
So, “With the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear them.” The sound of the Buddha’s voice gives us a path, which is the Bodhi-path ․With the sound of the Buddha’s teachings, we will lead all others to hear them: The subtle and wondrous path that leads to Buddhahood is Bodhi. Though these teachings are infinite and inconceivable, with the subtle and wondrous sound of teachings, we will lead everyone to hear and thus attain Buddhahood. The Buddha’s words are the Bodhi-path. So, we hope everyone comes and hears them together. Thus, “We will lead all others to hear them.” This is the “path that leads to Buddhahood.” It is a subtle and wondrous path to enlightenment. This subtle and wondrous path to enlightenment is called Bodhi.
“Though these teachings are infinite and inconceivable….” There are so many teachings that for the average person to thoroughly understand is truly very difficult. Yet the Buddha’s subtle and wondrous sound can lead all who hear it to attain Buddhahood. So, they led everyone to hear it. Although these teachings are inconceivable and hard to understand, we should help the Buddha’s voice be spread extensively to all places for more people to hear the path to Buddhahood. We want to give people hope,
but we must also recognize that we must start by putting it into practice ourselves. We ourselves must engage in spiritual practice, must engage in purifying practices. Through our actions, our dignified demeanor and our words, we help everyone hear and feel touched. We invite everyone to walk this Bodhi-path with us and experience the True Dharma. Therefore, we must always be mindful.