Episode 873 – The Buddha’s Virtue Is Vast and Infinite
>> The Buddha’s virtue is vast and infinite; even using up one’s voice it would be hard to describe it completely. Even in infinite kalpas we could not speak of it all. We may want to speak of the grace He gave over many kalpas, or of the oceans of wisdom and virtue He cultivated, but though the universe can be measured and the wind can be captured, even with analogies it is hard to fully describe.
>> The Tathagata observes and knows the aim and direction of all teachings and also knows the depths of sentient beings’ minds and the paths they walk. I understand this all without obstruction. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – Medicinal Plants]
>> I also have complete understanding of all Dharma and reveal all wisdom to sentient beings. Kasyapa! This is like a parable of the great trichiliocosm. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – Medicinal Plants]
>> I also have complete understanding of all Dharma: Not only does He know sentient beings’ minds, He also completely understands their Dharma-nature. This is why it says the Buddha can completely know all Dharma. Thus, He can adapt to sentient beings’ capacities by initially giving the Three Vehicles then later revealing the One Vehicle, leading all sentient beings to ultimately enter the Buddha’s wisdom.
>> So, He revealed all wisdom to sentient beings. The Tathagata observed capacities and accordingly opened and revealed the Dharma to sentient beings so they can reach the stage of wisdom and enter the Buddha’s wisdom.
“The Buddha’s virtue is vast and infinite; even using up one’s voice it would be hard to describe it completely.
Even in infinite kalpas we could not speak of it all.
We may want to speak of the grace He gave over many kalpas, or of the oceans of wisdom and virtue He cultivated,
but though the universe can be measured and the wind can be captured, even with analogies it is hard to fully describe.”
As we read this part of the sutra, we should be able to understand that the Buddha’s virtue is truly vast and infinite. We would have to use up all of our voice to speak of the Buddha’s virtue. Truly, even if we use every last bit of our voice to describe the Buddha’s virtue, we still would not be able to describe it fully. “Even in infinite kalpas, 亦說不能盡we could not speak of it all.” Even if we used such a long time, exhausting our voice, we could not describe it fully. Even if we devoted a very long time, we would still be unable to express it completely.
「佛曠劫施恩」”We speak of the grace the Buddha has shown over many kalpas”. He used infinite kalpas, an incalculable length of time, to continually bestow His grace and virtue on us, to teach sentient beings with the hope that sentient beings can transcend their confusion and the suffering of cyclic existence. Think about this; isn’t it this great virtue and grace? Moreover, the Buddha teaches us to transcend the Three Realms and be liberated from the Five Destinies. He wants us to eliminate our afflictions, so He taught us the Four Noble Truths to help us completely eliminate afflictions.
In life, the myriads of sentient beings have endless afflictions. So, He teaches us to understand that everything is suffering, and suffering comes from accumulating afflictions, accumulated to the point that we no longer have control. We replicate our karma so that we come and go within the Six Realms and four forms of birth. So, the Buddha taught us the “Four Noble Truths”. People who aspire to engage in spiritual practice give up the limited love of their families, and with great love enter a big family. They dedicate both body and mind to comprehend how they can, after understanding suffering and being able to experience the origin of suffering, then reach out to people to spread the Buddha’s teachings.
Everything in the world is surrounded by suffering. In the midst of suffering, deluded people seek joy while those who are awakened teach the Dharma. “Look at how much suffering is in the world!” If everyone could see the suffering of the world and comprehend it, from amidst this suffering, they could awaken. This is why the Buddha used His voice to teach the Dharma to monastic practitioners, hoping they could awaken themselves and others.
But before they reached that state, He had to teach extensively on the law of karma. So, He taught the “Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence”. If the Hearers could accept the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, they could then eliminate their afflictions more thoroughly. After listening, they attained realizations; thus they were called Realizers of Conditions, or Pratyekabuddhas or Solitary Realizers. During an era when there is no Buddha, since they have already experienced and understood the Dharma, they bring it with them back to this world. During an era when there is no Buddha, they can still awaken to the workings of the world. So, they are called the Solitary Realizers. They understand that life is impermanent, filled with suffering and empty in nature. Everything in this world is a convergence of causes and conditions. As they thoroughly comprehend the law of karma, they are known as Solitary Realizers or Pratyekabuddhas.
This is the Buddha’s grace and virtue. He teaches us so that, step by step, those of different capacities accept the teachings and make use of them. But, the Buddha was still not yet satisfied; with sentient beings transmigrating like this, understanding the law of karma was not enough. He also hoped for sentient beings to be able to practice the Six Perfections. So, the Buddha began to teach the Six Perfections of the Great Vehicle, hoping everyone would accept the Six Perfections, giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. The Buddha hopes that we can all understand that after becoming Solitary Realizers, we must go among people to practice giving. As we are giving, we must uphold the purity of our actions and thoughts. In our actions, we must not violate the precepts. In our thoughts, we must have no afflictions. When we go among people, we must be able to withstand the trials of this evil world of Five Turbidities.
This was how, over many kalpas the Buddha showed grace to sentient beings. This was the spiritual practice that the Buddha engaged in over countless kalpas, always going among the people when He returned. Thus, He attained an ocean of wisdom. So, “though the universe can be measured and wind can be captured,” to speak of the Buddha’s virtue, even with analogies it is hard to fully express.
If we were to ask how big the universe is, we will all say it is impossible to know. Exactly how big is the universe? Even with advancements in modern technology, to precisely measure the size of the universe is still difficult. However, although it is difficult, one day we will be able to measure the size of the universe. As for the wind, if we want to catch the wind, to capture it, is it possible? It is not. Although we say it is not possible, one day, we will figure out a way to capture it. But, to speak of the Buddha’s virtue in entirety is truly impossible. This is a type of expression showing that truly describing the Buddha’s virtue is extremely difficult.
However, we must maintain our sense of gratitude. Only if we keep the Buddha’s virtue in our minds can we mindfully let the Buddha-Dharma permeate us. We should not think that this is a simple matter or that learning the Dharma is not difficult. We must understand that we have the Dharma today because the Buddha appeared in this world. For the Buddha to appear in this world, how long did He have to spend engaging in spiritual practice? How much time was needed to go among people and form affinities with them? We all have affinities with the Buddha and have received His teachings. This is the reason we have the conditions to listen to the Buddha-Dharma today. So, now we must put our hearts into understanding the sutra, we must truly cherish it.
The previous sutra passage states, “The Tathagata observes and knows the aim and direction of all teachings and also knows the depths of sentient beings’ minds and the paths they walk. I understand this all without obstruction.”
The Buddha uses wisdom to observe all things. Which sentient beings have the capabilities to accept [which teachings], the Buddha was very clear about this. “[He] knows the depths of sentient beings’ minds and the paths they walk, [He] understands this all without obstruction”. How can the Dharma be taught such that all of us, whether of great, average or limited capabilities, can, with the Buddha’s universal teaching, accept the Dharma according to our capabilities to the extent that all can understand completely? [He] understands this all without obstruction. This is the Buddha’s mindfulness in giving to sentient beings.
Next, this sutra passage states, “I also have complete understanding of all Dharma and reveal all wisdom to sentient beings. Kasyapa! This is like a parable of the great trichiliocosm”.
With the next sutra passage we begin to move toward all the things of this world [to show] how the Buddha-Dharma nourishes all sentient beings in this world. So, the Buddha began by calling out “Kasyapa! 大家要認真聽了。」Everyone must listen earnestly.” Then, the Buddha used the analogy of all things in the great trichiliocosm. This is the Buddha teaching us at a deeper level to help us to understand better.
I also have complete understanding of all Dharma: Not only does He know sentient beings’ minds, He also completely understands their Dharma-nature. This is why it says the Buddha can completely know all Dharma. Thus, He can adapt to sentient beings’ capacities by initially giving the Three Vehicles then later revealing the One Vehicle, leading all sentient beings to ultimately enter the Buddha’s wisdom.
“[He] has complete understanding of all Dharma”. This again describes the Buddha’s wisdom; He has thoroughly understood all Dharma. 「故能隨順眾生根性」”Thus, He can adapt to sentient beings’ capacities”. This means that “Not only does He know sentient beings’ minds, He also completely knows their Dharma-nature”.
He did not [teach] only for sentient beings to understand with their minds. The Buddha has gauged sentient beings’ minds and is clear on the size of their capacities. He knows what [teaching] is suitable for the capabilities of these sentient beings and for their Dharma-nature, not just their minds, but even their Dharma-nature. The Buddha understands this completely. This is why the Buddha “could completely know all Dharma”. He completely knows the minds and the Dharma-nature of sentient beings. The Buddha completely understands them because He has a full understanding of all Dharma. “Thus He can adapt to sentient beings’ capacities”. Whether their capabilities are great or limited, whether they are clever or wise, the Buddha is able to understand them completely. The Buddha reveals the Five Vehicles: the Five Precepts, Ten Good Deeds, Four Noble Truths, Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence and Six Perfections make up the Five Vehicles.
Within the Five Vehicles and the Three Vehicles, to those with the capabilities of ordinary people, He taught the Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds. To those who formed aspirations and made vows to become monastics and engage in spiritual practice, He taught the Three Vehicles. These are for people in different states of mind, with different mindsets. The Buddha gives teachings to suit the different mindsets of sentient beings. So, He “[adapted] to sentient beings’ capacities by initially giving the Three Vehicles，後示一乘, then later revealing the One Vehicle”. Initially, He taught the Three Vehicles, the Small, Middle and Great Vehicles. He uses different teachings to reach all sentient being universally, to universally give teachings to all beings, and they accept them according to their capacities. Lastly, He taught the One Vehicle Dharma. In the end, the Buddha spoke directly about how the Small and Middle Vehicles taught in the past had the sole purpose of guiding all into the One Vehicle. To return to our nature of True Suchness, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path and use the Six Perfections to go among the people.
This is the Buddha’s heartfelt wish. Ultimately, the Buddha wants us to go among people; to accept the One Vehicle, there is only one path. We must go forward on this path, which is the great, direct Bodhi-path. This is the One Vehicle. When we walk forward on this great path, we can “lead all sentient beings to eventually enter the Buddha’s wisdom”. It is His hope that all sentient beings will follow the same path as the Buddha, the great Bodhi-path and, like the Buddha, walk it all the way to the end. The fruit attained will be the fruit of Buddhahood. The fruit of Buddhahood is to have returned to the intrinsic nature of True Suchness that we all have
So, He “revealed all wisdom to sentient beings: The Tathagata observed capacities and accordingly opened and revealed the Dharma to sentient beings so they can reach the stage of wisdom and enter the Buddha’s wisdom.”
He hopes that all sentient beings can understand that this is what the Buddha’s wisdom is like. He has such great aspirations and wisdom, hoping all sentient beings can universally be like Him and return to their nature of True Suchness to become one with the universe. This is the Buddha’s aspiration. So, He must open and reveal the wisdom of all Dharma for us to realize and enter.
Isn’t the Buddha’s grace difficult to repay? The Buddha’s heartfelt aspiration is for all sentient beings to be equal to Him. So, “The Tathagata observed capacities and accordingly opened and revealed the Dharma to sentient beings so they can reach the stage of wisdom”. He does this with the hope that all can attain and realize the Buddha’s wisdom; on entering the Buddha’s wisdom all are equal. With impartial compassion all are equal.
So, the Buddha called Kasyapa’s name because the next teaching would require everyone to pay closer attention in order to move up to the next level and be able to see further. So, He hopes everyone will pay closer attention and be more mindful.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, Kasyapa was a senior disciple of the Buddha and a disciple that the Buddha regarded highly. This is because his resolve was very firm. Venerable Kasyapa engaged in “ascetic practice”. He practiced under harsh conditions, so he was said to be “foremost in ascetic practice”. He often avoided [begging from] wealthy families, instead approaching the poor and suffering.
One day, in a village in Rajagrha, he encountered a woman who was old and ill. She was very poor and did not have a home. This day, she had no strength left. She was unable to get food from begging. She was very ill, lying in the alley behind a house. People from the house were washing rice. A servant was about to dump the water that they had used to wash the rice, and seeing this old woman, he poured the water used to wash the rice into her bowl, a bowl which had already broken in half.
This old woman thought that this water could satisfy her hunger and thirst. But then, a spiritual practitioner came along. He was dressed in rags, but looked very dignified. Who was this spiritual practitioner? Venerable Kasyapa. Venerable Kasyapa approached this old woman. He knelt down and spoke to her. The old woman said, “As you can see, I am so poor that I don’t even have enough clothes to cover myself. I feel so humbled to see you! I have nothing; I am unable to make an offering.”
Venerable Kasyapa said to her, “You already have a heart of humility. That is your most dignified clothing. Your wish to give is your most precious wealth.” The old woman said, “I truly have nothing with which I can make an offering. This is not clean water, but the waste water people used to wash rice.” Venerable Kasyapa replied, “Yes, a bowl of rice water is what you have, and I can accept it as a gift.” The old woman saw that Venerable Kasyapa was not lying; he was telling the truth. She was very happy and offered the water to Venerable Kasyapa. He accepted the offering with his bowl and drank it in front of her in one gulp. When she saw that Venerable Kasyapa drank the water that she offered, she was very happy and, just like that, smiled and passed away.
After this old woman died, she was reborn in Trayastrimsa Heaven and became a beautiful heavenly maiden. This heavenly maiden was very grateful to Venerable Kasyapa. So, one time when Venerable Kasyapa was meditating in a graveyard, she scattered flowers as an offering to him. This is the story of Kasyapa helping a poor woman be reborn into the heaven realm.
As we can see, there are many stories about Venerable Kasyapa. Dear Bodhisattvas, we must be mindful of how the Buddha taught us and how He helped His disciples to transform sentient beings. Transforming poor people is even more difficult, so we must understand that in order to repay the Buddha’s grace, we must go among people, and we must always be mindful.