Episode 890 – The Rain of Dharma Falls Everywhere
>> The great cloud waters all universally and gives equal benefit across the earth. Vegetation, trees and medicinal plants are all nourished by the rain and dew. The Dharma nourishes both the sharp and dull, following capabilities like dense clouds. The Dharma-rain falls universally on the stems, roots and branches of plants and trees.
>> Though medicinal plants have differences in size, when covered by clouds and moistened by rain, they will all be able to flourish and thrive.
>> This is an analogy for Three Vehicle practitioners. Though they possess different capabilities, when they are covered by the Tathagata’s cloud of loving-kindness and nourished by the Dharma-rain, they can become great medicine-kings, who universally save all life. This is why an analogy of medicinal plants is used.
>> After hearing the Tathagata’s teachings, sentient beings can follow and uphold them; they will each attain the practice and fruition of the three grasses and two trees without being aware of this.
>> “The Tathagata teaches the Dharma of one appearance and one flavor. The appearances of liberation, of distancing and of extinction all ultimately reach the state of all-encompassing wisdom.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]
>> “If those sentient beings who listen to the Tathagata’s teachings uphold them, recite them and engage in spiritual practice as taught, they will attain merits and virtues without being aware of this.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]
>> Medicinal plants are an analogy for the capabilities of Three Vehicle practitioners. There are three kinds of plants, which are small plants, average plants and great plants. Small plants are an analogy for those in the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles. Average plants are an analogy for those in the Hearer and Solitary Realizer Vehicles. Great plants are an analogy for. Bodhisattvas of the pitaka teachings.
>> Pitaka means a container for something. It refers to the sutras, rules and treatises, which contain all words and principles. These are called the pitaka teachings.
>> Those sentient beings who listen to the Tathagata’s teachings: This explains what sentient beings cannot understand, so the analogy of the differences between plants and trees is used. Sentient beings refers to those who do not understand; teachings refers to the Dharma taught with only one voice.
>> Uphold them, recite them and engage in spiritual practice as taught: In upholding, reading, reciting and so on, if we do not understand with true clarity, what we uphold and recite will differ, thus we engage in different spiritual practices.
>> Humans and heavenly beings understand [Dharma] as upholding the precepts and good deeds. Three Vehicle practitioners understand it as the Four Truths, Twelve Links and Six Paramitas. Since their understanding is not the same, there is a difference between them.
>> They attain merits and virtues without being aware of this: Those who receive the teachings of the Dharma each obtain their own benefits from the teachings. They do not know the Buddha taught with one voice. It was not that the teachings differed, but that they did not know the truth. Because they did not know this, they clung to their own understanding as the true. They did not know it was merely provisional. Thus it says, without being aware of this.
“The great cloud waters all universally and gives equal benefit across the earth.
Vegetation, trees and medicinal plants are all nourished by the rain and dew.
The Dharma nourishes both the sharp and dull, following capabilities like dense clouds.
The Dharma-rain falls universally on the stems, roots and branches of plants and trees.”
We are all clear that the clouds and rain have a very intimate relationship. Without clouds, there would be no rain. So, clouds must gather for there to be rain. Thus, “The great cloud waters all universally.” When great clouds gather densely, the rain falls universally. When clouds bring rain to the earth, the grasses, the flowers, the grains, the trees and such are all universally nourished by the rain.
It is not only the rain [that nourishes]. In fact, the dew can also give the earth’s plants and trees a bit of moisture. Of course, the dew itself is not enough. The sun is so strong, and all crops, all living things, need water. Most worrisome is when there is a drought. Thus, when it comes to living in this world, the four elements must be in balance. Dryness and moisture need to be balanced.
So, what we need is balance. The weather needs to be balanced. The Dharma follows the same principle. If people with limited capabilities are given the Great Dharma, they will be unable to accept it. This is like a small plant submerged in mud. After a while it begins to rot, and its seeds will disappear. It is the same principle. So, the Buddha had to use. Dharma that was appropriate. He had to wait for the proper time to give teachings that were suitable for the time and people’s capacities.
The Buddha used the external phenomena of clouds, rain, mountains, rivers and the land and the principles of these external phenomena as analogies to tell us how we can return to our nature of True Suchness and awaken our ocean of enlightened wisdom, our ocean of innate enlightenment. He helped us gain a more profound understanding. So, this [analogy] is used, “The great cloud waters all universally and gives equal benefit across the earth.” Only when the clouds gather densely will it begin to rain.
“Vegetation, trees and medicinal plants are all nourished by the rain and dew.” It is the same for all the trees in the world, as well as medicinal plants. Not only do plants contain medicine, trees can contain medicinal compounds as well. Medicine does not just come from plants and trees. In fact, rocks also have medicinal compounds. This is the wondrousness of the earth. The earth contains different compounds and other things that benefit people, which are provided for our use, so we need to cherish it.
“The Dharma nourishes both the sharp and dull, following capabilities like dense clouds.” The Buddha’s teachings are for nourishing sentient beings. He supplied us with Dharma-moisture, the Dharma-rain that nourishes us. It benefits both sharp and dull sentient beings. Sentient beings’ capabilities are not uniform. For those with foolish and dull capabilities, much patience is needed [The Buddha] taught the Small [Vehicle] Dharma to gradually nurture them. If their capabilities are sharp, then [the Dharma] can be given to them quickly, and they will quickly accept it. “Following capabilities like dense clouds” refers to the Dharma-rain; the Buddha-Dharma is just like the rain. It moistens the arid fields of our minds the same way [rain moistens] the arid earth. When the land is dry, the plants and trees, their roots, stems and branches, their trunks, their branches and their roots, all need moisture to nourish them.
Plants and trees are things we must mindfully understand, since we are on the Parable on Medicinal Plants
Though medicinal plants have differences in size, when covered by clouds and moistened by rain, they will all be able to flourish and thrive.
․”Though medicinal plants have differences in size, when covered by clouds and moistened by rain, they will all be able to flourish and thrive.” To flourish and thrive, all they need is water. Naturally, we can see how quickly the plants and trees grow. They become very lush. This [passage] talks abut how these things can cure sentient beings’ illnesses. Whether big trees or small plants, all things on this earth have a wondrous use they contribute to humanity. All are medicinal.
This is an analogy for Three Vehicle practitioners. Though they possess different capabilities, when they are covered by the Tathagata’s cloud of loving-kindness and nourished by the Dharma-rain, they can become great medicine-kings, who universally save all life. This is why an analogy of medicinal plants is used.
So, “This is an analogy for. Three Vehicle practitioners. They possess different capabilities.” The Three Vehicle practitioners, the Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas, though their capabilities vary from high to low, “covered by the Tathagata’s cloud of loving kindness and nourished by the Dharma-rain, they can become great medicine-kings.” To cure sentient beings’ illnesses of the mind, we must treat them with Dharma-medicine. If we have the Buddha-Dharma to nourish us, we will “universally save all life.” Thus, the analogy of medicinal plants is used.
After hearing the Tathagata’s teachings, sentient beings can follow and uphold them; they will each attain the practice and fruition of the three grasses and two trees without being aware of this.
The Tathagata’s teachings are what sentient beings must listen to. If sentient beings can listen to the Tathagata’s teachings, even more than 2000 years later, as long as we can take these teachings and “follow and uphold them,” then we “will each attain [the fruition of] the three plants and two trees.” If we put these [teachings] into practice, we will attain this fruit “without being aware of this.” So we must make an effort to realize these things.
The previous sutra passage states, “The Tathagata teaches the Dharma of one appearance and one flavor. The appearances of liberation, of distancing and of extinction all ultimately reach the state of all-encompassing wisdom.”
We have spoken about this before. The clouds and rain universally cover the land. Wherever you go in the world, the appearance of water is the same, and the flavor of water is the same, but sentient beings have different capacities; things absorb water based on their capacity. This is like the Dharma. If we can absorb a great amount, we can become liberated. So, we have “the appearances of liberation, of distancing and of extinction.” We depart from all ignorance and afflictions until our wisdom is all-encompassing, then we attain what the Buddha has revealed and taught. We will take the Dharma to heart and develop our wisdom-life.
The next sutra passage states, “If those sentient beings who listen to the Tathagata’s teachings uphold them, recite them and engage in spiritual practice as taught, they will attain merits and virtues without being aware of this.”
Medicinal plants are an analogy for “the capabilities of Three Vehicle practitioners.” The Three Vehicle practitioners are of great, average and limited capabilities; these determine the Dharma they can accept. “There are three kinds of plants,” small, average and great plants. Since the sizes of the plants differ, the amount each can accept will also vary
Medicinal plants are an analogy for the capabilities of Three Vehicle practitioners. There are three kinds of plants, which are small plants, average plants and great plants. Small plants are an analogy for those in the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles. Average plants are an analogy for those in the Hearer and Solitary Realizer Vehicles. Great plants are an analogy for. Bodhisattvas of the pitaka teachings.
The small plants are an analogy for heavenly beings and humans. The Buddha only taught them the Ten Good Deeds and the Five Precepts. Like small plants, they only accept [a little]; this is what limited capacities can accept. Average plants “are an analogy for those in the Hearer and Solitary Realizer Vehicles.” What the Buddha taught them were the Four Noble Truths and. Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Great plants “are an analogy for. Bodhisattvas of the pitaka teachings.”
Pitaka means a container for something. It refers to the sutras, rules and treatises, which contain all words and principles. These are called the pitaka teachings.
The pitakas contain all of the principles; the principles of all things in the universe are all contained in the pitakas, which are the sutras, rules and treatises taught by the Buddha. All is contained within the words and principles. All principles are contained within, and all must be imparted to sentient beings. So, these are called the “pitaka teachings.”
Next is “those sentient beings who listen to the Tathagata’s teachings.” These are sentient beings who listen to the Tathagata’s teachings
Those sentient beings who listen to the Tathagata’s teachings: This explains what sentient beings cannot understand, so the analogy of the differences between plants and trees is used. “Sentient beings” refers to those who do not understand; “teachings” refers to the Dharma taught with only one voice.
“This explains what sentient beings cannot understand.” They are unable to thoroughly understand, so [the analogy of] “the differences between plants and trees” is used. The Dharma we have heard is the One Vehicle Dharma taught by the Buddha. Yet the Three Vehicle practitioners each have their own understanding of it. These are true principles which we have no way to truly understand; this is like the differences between plants and trees. The plants and trees are used as analogies, because the plants and trees have differences
“‘Sentient beings’ refers to those who do not understand ‘Teachings’ refers to the Dharma taught with only one voice.” We still cannot understand how the Dharma moistens and nourishes our wisdom-life in the ground of our minds. We still do not fully understand how we can ultimately apply these teachings, how to “uphold them, recite them and engage in spiritual practice as taught” ․Uphold them, recite them and engage in spiritual practice as taught: In upholding, reading, reciting and so on, if we do not understand with true clarity, what we uphold and recite will differ, thus we engage in different spiritual practices. If this is so, although we may not be entirely clear on everything we have heard, we must make efforts to uphold it, to continue to read it and to comprehend it.
Uphold them, recite them and engage in spiritual practice as taught: In upholding, reading, reciting and so on, if we do not understand with true clarity, what we uphold and recite will differ, thus we engage in different spiritual practices.
“In upholding, reading, reciting… if we do not understand with true clarity, what we uphold and recite will differ.” If after listening to a teaching, we are not entirely clear about it, we must read it again. Having read it, if we still do not understand it, then between you and me, you have understood what you read your way and I have understood what I read my way. Because “what we uphold and recite will differ, we engage in different spiritual practices.” We both read the same sutra, but you have your understanding and. I have mine. Everyone has their own feeling in their practice, so everyone practices in their own way.
Humans and heavenly beings understand [Dharma] as upholding the precepts and good deeds. Three Vehicle practitioners understand it as the Four Truths, Twelve Links and Six Paramitas. Since their understanding is not the same, there is a difference between them.
“Humans and heavenly beings understand [Dharma] as upholding the precepts and good deeds.” The teaching is the same. The Buddha clearly taught the Bodhisattva Way. However, those who cultivate human and heavenly blessings take this to mean, “It is enough to practice the Ten Good Deeds. I just need to uphold the Five Precepts.”
And the Three Vehicle practitioners? The Hearers choose to focus on suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, the principles of the Four Noble Truths. They try hard to rid themselves of suffering. These are the Hearers. Solitary Realizers will say, “I understand. I know the world is impermanent. I know there are many dust-like afflictions and much ignorance.” But that is as far as they go. The Dharma the Buddha taught was the same, yet when some people hear His voice, these teachings of the Buddha, they begin to understand the Six Paramitas. They use the Buddha-Dharma to benefit themselves while simultaneously benefiting others. Their understanding of the principles is thorough and unobstructed. This is how those forming. Great Vehicle aspirations experience the Buddha’s teachings. The Three Vehicle practitioners each accept it in their own different ways. This is what is meant by being different.
They attain merits and virtues without being aware of this: Those who receive the teachings of the Dharma each obtain their own benefits from the teachings. They do not know the Buddha taught with one voice. It was not that the teachings differed, but that they did not know the truth. Because they did not know this, they clung to their own understanding as the true. They did not know it was merely provisional. Thus it says, without being aware of this.
“They attain merits and virtues without being aware of this.” They attain merits and virtues without being aware of this: Those who receive the teachings of the Dharma each obtain their own benefits from the teachings. They do not know the Buddha taught with one voice. It was not that the teachings differed, but that they did not know the truth. Because they did not know this, they clung to their own understanding as the true. They did not know it was merely provisional. Thus it says, “without being aware of this.” When we accept the Dharma, we each accept it in our own way. Naturally, accepting the teachings and upholding the Buddha-Dharma brings benefit to all. Take heavenly beings for example. Heavenly beings have practiced the Ten Good Deeds [With these,] they are reborn in the heaven or human realm. If they uphold the Five Precepts, although they may not have benefited others, they nonetheless will not lose human form. So, by receiving the teachings, in this way they also gain benefits. This is because the benefits of the Buddha’s teachings are attained according to one’s practice.
“They do not know the Buddha taught in one voice. It was not the teachings that differed.” It is sentient beings’ capabilities that differ; the Buddha-Dharma never differs. We continually speak about how the Buddha adapted to sentient beings’ capabilities, but the Buddha always taught the One True Dharma. It was due to the capabilities of sentient beings that what they accepted differed. We remain attached to our own views, while our understanding is not complete. So, because of this, we do not realize that the Buddha used provisional means to give sentient beings what they needed. Actually, He enticed sentient beings to realize the One True Dharma through His teachings. But we sentient beings just do not understand ourselves. There are many of us like this. We know our attachment to life is truly immense, and that we have much ignorance and afflictions.
For instance, during the Buddha’s lifetime, there was a young married couple. The husband’s faith was Brahmanism, but his wife deeply believed in the Buddha’s teachings. She was very reverent. One day she was home serving her husband. She was cooking food. When she was to serve the food, once it was done and she was exiting the kitchen, she suddenly fell and the food scattered all over the floor. However, she pushed herself up and hurriedly began reciting the Buddha’s name. When her husband heard this he quickly ran in. The husband was very mad. “I am not very happy that [you are] following some bald-headed preacher. That is a faith for the lowly.” The wife hurriedly told him, “Please forgive me. You should not use that kind of coarse language when speaking of the Buddha.” He said, “I absolutely will not let this go. Come, take me to see that bald-headed preacher.” His wife advised against it, but when the wife did not go, he went himself.
When he arrived at the Buddha’s abode, the Buddha saw him come in, so He began teaching the Dharma with this man in mind. “Destroy anger and you will sleep well. Eliminate anger and you will be without worries. If a manavaka understands this, he will be praised by the noble ones for eliminating anger and will not worry about being injured.” What He was teaching was that if you destroy anger, you will sleep peacefully. It just so happened that this young Brahman could not sleep at night. It seemed as if the Buddha were speaking to him. The [sleeplessness] was due to anger in his mind! He continued to listen. “Eliminate anger and you will be without worries. Yes! My mind is always burdened with worries and afflictions. I don’t know how to relieve it. It is because of my anger! My mind is distracted, filled with anger; thus I am constantly worried.”
The Buddha called out “Manavaka,” which means privileged youth. “If a manavaka understands this….” You should know that, “[You] will be praised by the noble ones for eliminating anger.” If you can eliminate anger from your mind, this is what the noble ones praise. “And [you] will not worry about being injured.” When all anger is eliminated, there will be no more worries.
The Buddha taught the Dharma according to capabilities. That manavaka arose from his seat and went before the Buddha seeking to repent. At the same time, he took refuge, then went home and said to his wife, “I apologize. The one you have faith in is an enlightened person of great wisdom.” Perhaps we are like that manavaka, just like that young Brahman disciple who, having not yet heard the Dharma, was dissatisfied with all he saw and heard. Now that he had heard it, his heart was filled with joy, filled with Dharma-joy. This is the nourishing of the Dharma-rain. Therefore, we must always be mindful.