Episode 905 – For All Beings, He Proclaimed the Dharma
>> All living beings, who are sentient, who have feelings and consciousness, are born from the convergence of myriad conditions. Thus, they are called the myriad sentient beings. Having undergone myriad births and deaths, they are called the myriad sentient beings. All inhabitants of the Ten Dharma-realms are called the myriad sentient beings.
>> “In accord with their essences, appearances and natures, divided into great and small, while that which nourishes is one, each can flourish and thrive.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]
>> “The Buddha is also like this. He appeared in the world like a great cloud, covering everything universally. Since He appeared in the world, for the sake of all sentient beings, He expounded for each individually the truth of all teachings.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]
>> This is praising His ability to teach the Dharma. All Buddhas appear in the world and transform sentient beings with no differentiation. All Buddhas, for the sake of sentient beings, expound for each individually the truth of all teachings.
>> So, The Buddha is also like this. He appeared in the world like a great cloud, covering everything universally. This matches what we have said before, how He arises from the truth in response like a great cloud arising. This is like how the Buddha’s reward-body responds everywhere to all capacities.
>> Since He appeared in the world: When He first descended and was born, it was like the birth of a cloud, and His turning of the Dharma-wheel was like a cloud sending down rain. For the sake of all sentient beings: For those who have conditions to accept the Path.
>> He expounded for each individually the truth of all teachings: For each of the Three or Five Vehicles, He individually expounds the teachings.
>> The truth of all teachings: Though He taught skillful means, it was in truth the Buddha Vehicle.
>> The truth of the teachings is the ultimate reality of all phenomena. The ultimate reality of all phenomena is interdependent origination, and the nature of emptiness. With the nature of emptiness and interdependent origination, one thought gives rise to myriad practices; myriad practices are encompassed by one thought.
>> The so-called nature of mind is the pure nature of emptiness. All phenomena originate interdependently from one thought. This mind is sentient being. This mind is Bodhisattva and Buddha. Existence is the mind and Nirvana is moreover the mind. It is one thought that creates the duality, and the duality returns to non-appearance.
“All living beings, who are sentient, who have feelings and consciousness,
are born from the convergence of myriad conditions. Thus, they are called the myriad sentient beings.
Having undergone myriad births and deaths, they are called the myriad sentient beings.
All inhabitants of the Ten Dharma-realms are called the myriad sentient beings.”
Sentient beings, sentient beings, we still remain sentient beings. Think about it, there are so many sentient beings! What are sentient beings? All beings that have feelings and consciousness are called the myriad sentient beings. Sentient means with consciousness, sentient beings have consciousness. Consciousness refers to the Five Consciousnesses, eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. These Five Roots connect with external conditions, form, sound, smell, taste and touch. These Five Dusts are the external conditions that the [Five] Roots connect with. The things we are conscious of all enter into our mind-consciousness.
Everyone listens to what I say today and takes it to heart. In accordance with our capacities, the words are absorbed by the mind-consciousness and then analyzed. This is “having feelings and consciousness.” What is in the sixth consciousness must go through the contemplation of the seventh consciousness. After being analyzed, it is then taken into the storehouse consciousness in our minds. This is known as the eighth consciousness. After you leave here, when this Dharma talk is over, your eighth consciousness will still remember the meaning of “sentient beings.” What do sentient beings possess? We digest this within our minds, interacting with our seventh consciousness. From our sixth consciousness connecting with conditions, everything that we encounter [is recognized], “Oh, it’s a cat.” Or maybe it is a dog. When we see them we say, “They are also sentient beings; they also have intelligence!” Yes, they are all living beings with feelings and consciousness. They are called the myriad sentient beings. We are also one kind of sentient being. Cats and dogs are also kinds of sentient beings. So, “All living beings, who are sentient, who have feelings and consciousness, are born from the convergence of myriad conditions. Thus, they are called the myriad sentient beings.” It does not matter what our essences and appearances are. In terms of “essences and appearances,” with our essence, we have a human appearance, birds have the appearance of a bird and cats and dogs also have their own appearance. No matter their appearances or essences, all in fact have their own causes and conditions. Take us human beings, for instance; we have the essence and appearance of humans, yet we all have different causes and conditions. We are born into different families. We all have encountered different environments in the past. We had certain causes and conditions in the past. We have certain causes and conditions now. So, we must be mindful that among sentient beings, all have different karmic conditions.
“Having undergone myriad births and deaths, they are called the myriad sentient beings.” We have also undergone [many births and deaths]. We did not come into existence out of nothing. We were not simply born to our parents in this lifetime. Sakyamuni Buddha bowed and prostrated to a pile of white bones. Ananda asked, “World-Honored One, why is that when You saw this pile of bones, which is as high as a mountain, you prostrated to these bones?” The Buddha answered, “This pile of bones is my parents from many past lifetimes.” In every lifetime, we have different causes and conditions. So, “having undergone myriad births and deaths” means that in the cycle of birth and death, we still remain sentient beings.
“All inhabitants of the Ten Dharma-realms aside from the Buddha are called sentient beings.” The Ten Dharma-realms consist of the Six Unenlightened and the Four Noble Realms. The Six Unenlightened Realms refer to sentient beings of the Six Realms. The Four Noble Realms refer to. Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. These are the Four Noble Realms.
Hearers depend on hearing [the Buddha’s voice] to take the Dharma to heart. Solitary Realizers or Pratyekabuddhas connect with the impermanence of the world and thus comprehend the principles. Bodhisattvas listen to the Buddha-Dharma while observing the causes and conditions in their surroundings. They form great aspirations and make great vows, They make the great vows, such as. “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” They make the Four Great Vows, vowing to deliver sentient beings while also “vowing to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” They do this lifetime after lifetime. These are Bodhisattvas. Of course, once they attain Buddhahood, the state of Buddhahood is the pinnacle of the Ten Dharma-realms. The Buddha has been completely liberated and completely understands everything. So, in the Ten Dharma-realms, with the exception of the Buddha-realm, sentient beings in the other nine realms are all referred to as the myriad sentient beings. Sentient beings still remain within the Six Realms and four forms of birth. So, we must mindfully listen to the Dharma.
The previous sutra passage says, “In accord with their essences, appearances and natures, divided into great and small, while that which nourishes is one, each can flourish and thrive.”
According to their capacities and natures, whether their form is that of a human or of any other thing in the world, when the rain falls, all things in the world take in what their essence and appearance are able to accept. In this way, they are nourished. Whatever they can accept will certainly be beneficial to them.
The next passage of the sutra says, “The Buddha is also like this. He appeared in the world like a great cloud, covering everything universally. Since He appeared in the world, for the sake of all sentient beings, He expounded for each individually the truth of all teachings.”
This sutra passage says that the one who can expound the Dharma, the Buddha, “is also like this.” A Buddha is one who can teach the Dharma.
This is praising His ability to teach the Dharma. All Buddhas appear in the world and transform sentient beings with no differentiation. All Buddhas, for the sake of sentient beings, expound for each individually the truth of all teachings.
All Buddhas appear in the world and teach the Dharma solely to transform sentient beings. There is no difference in His transforming of sentient beings, but He teaches according to capabilities, observing the conditions to teach accordingly. So, “He expounded for each individually the truth of all teachings” ․This is praising His ability to teach the Dharma. All Buddhas appear in the world and transform sentient beings with no differentiation. All Buddhas, for the sake of sentient beings, expound for each individually the truth of all teachings. All sentient beings are cherished and respected because all living, moving beings have Buddha-nature. It is just that sentient beings’ capacities differ. So, with impartial love, different methods are used to teach the Dharma. This is why we classify the Dharma into the Five Vehicles or the Three Vehicles, to suit sentient beings’ capabilities
So, “The Buddha is also like this. He appeared in the world like a great cloud, covering everything universally.” This matches what we have said before, “how He arises from the truth in response like a great cloud arising. This is like how the Buddha’s reward-body responds everywhere to all capacities.”
This too is an analogy for how He manifested in the world. In the past, for countless kalpas already, the Buddha kept returning to go among sentient beings. This shows that the Buddha was in the Five Realms and the four forms of birth. Regardless of the realm, wherever there are sentient beings, He will manifest in response.
“He appeared in the world like a great cloud.” Sometimes clouds are long, and sometimes they have a wavy shape, like a dragon’s head, body and tail. Around that, there are also many other [forms]. Based on causes and conditions, the clouds go through countless transformations into different shapes. “He appeared in the world like a great cloud,” This is just like the Buddha’s. Dharma-body, reward-body and transformation-body. He responds to the needs of the world and comes here to manifest the appearance of spiritual practice and teaching the Dharma. In this way, the Dharma gathers like the clouds, “covering everything universally”; it shelters the land.
This matches what we said before. When we listen to the Dharma, we must review it. Whether it is long-form prose or repeated verse, we must reinforce our memories. This will help us take the Dharma more deeply into our hearts so we experience it. So, we must put [the teachings] together. “He arises from the truth in response. The truth” refers to our nature of True Suchness, to letting our nature of True Suchness, our intrinsic nature, arise in response. The Buddha’s reward-body (Sambhogakaya) is the Buddha’s nature of True Suchness permeating the Dharma-realms of the universe. He is “like a great cloud arising” [so we know] the rain is about to fall. Thus, the appearance of the Buddha’s reward-body means that the Dharma-rain is about to fall. So, He is “like a great cloud arising. This is how the Buddha’s reward-body, responds everywhere to all capacities.” This shows how [the Buddha] responds to the capacities of sentient beings, so that everyone can listen to the Dharma, understand it, joyfully accept it and give rise to strong roots of faith.
Since He appeared in the world: When He first descended and was born, it was like the birth of a cloud, and His turning of the Dharma-wheel was like a cloud sending down rain. For the sake of all sentient beings: For those who have conditions to accept the Path.
So, He “appeared in the world for the sake of all sentient beings.” The Buddha had already responded to the causes and conditions of the world by coming to the world to manifest Buddhahood. He did this more than 2000 years ago “for the sake of all sentient being.” Whenever He returned to this world, it was for the sake of sentient beings. So, “since He appeared in the world” means “When He first descended and was born, it was like the birth of a cloud.” When the air currents come together, clouds form in the sky. “His turning of the Dharma-wheel was like a cloud sending down rain.” If the causes and conditions are fulfilled, the clouds will become pregnant with rain.
“For the sake of all sentient beings” means “for those who have conditions to accept the Path.” Through the process of spiritual practice, He attained Buddhahood. He went to Deer Park and began the first turning of the Dharma-wheel. All of this was to transform sentient beings. “For the sake of all sentient beings” means “for those who have conditions to accept the Path.” There are more and more sentient beings, and with the natures of their minds, the countless billions of afflictions and the ignorance that sentient beings have, the Buddha must adapt to their capabilities to end their afflictions and habitual tendencies.
So, “He expounds for each individually.” Based on their capabilities, “He expounded for each individually the truth of all teachings.”
He expounded for each individually the truth of all teachings: For each of the Three or Five Vehicles, He individually expounds the teachings.
“For each of the Three or Five Vehicles, He individually expounds the teachings.” Sentient beings have varying capabilities. The Buddha hopes sentient beings can instantly turn from the unenlightened to the noble. But it is [difficult]. Still, He will do everything He can. Thus He took His time, teaching according to sentient beings’ capacities and separately expounding the methods of the Three Vehicles and Five Vehicles.
The truth of all teachings: Though He taught skillful means, it was in truth the Buddha Vehicle.
“The truth of all teachings” means “though He taught skillful means,” even though He used the methods of the Three Vehicles and Five Vehicles to adap to sentient beings’ capabilities, “It was in truth the Buddha Vehicle.” Though He taught skillful means, these are in truth the One Buddha Vehicle. This is the Buddha’s love, which is equal for all sentient beings. Sadly, sentient beings’ capabilities are lacking. Their capabilities are too inadequate, so He had no choice but to apply various methods.
The truth of the teachings is the ultimate reality of all phenomena. The ultimate reality of all phenomena is interdependent origination, and the nature of emptiness. With the nature of emptiness and interdependent origination, one thought gives rise to myriad practices; myriad practices are encompassed by one thought.
Previously, I mentioned that the Dharma is intangible and without substance. How could it have an appearance? Those are only labels. Actually, the true appearance of all phenomena is interdependent origination and the nature of emptiness. As we mentioned before, everything is born from the convergence of myriad conditions. This is the true principle.
This is interdependent origination and emptiness. Actually, when it comes to emptiness, “Fundamentally there is nothing there, so where can the dust alight?” But in emptiness there is wondrous existence. Because of causes and conditions, every word we speak, every action we take, every thought we think, our interactions with people and so on naturally give rise to different kinds of conditions that come together. The myriad sentient beings all exist amidst the workings of “interdependent origination and the nature of emptiness.” They are all tangled and bound in this. This all originated from one thought [in our mind].
“One thought gives rise to myriad practices.” If our thoughts turn to goodness, then in all that we do, we will meet many kind people in this lifetime. Kind people and good affinities will gather, so good causes and conditions will come to fruition, benefiting everyone. This is how one thought gives rise to myriad practices. Myriad practices are also encompassed by one thought. Good deeds are accomplished by everyone together [Conversely], if someone has the intent to thwart a good deed, this also comes from one thought. Once a thought of ignorance arises, once a thought of evil forms, it will create resentment and envy. Thus, once resentment, envy and ignorance arise, without control, we will slander others. This brings disturbances to the group that engages in wholesome practices. These myriad actions also originate in one thought. This thought is truly frightening.
The so-called nature of mind is the pure nature of emptiness. All phenomena originate interdependently from one thought. This mind is sentient being. This mind is Bodhisattva and Buddha. Existence is the mind and Nirvana is moreover the mind. It is one thought that creates the duality, and the duality returns to non-appearance.
“The so-called nature of mind is the pure nature of emptiness.” When we engage in spiritual practice, we must be clear as we practice. We must understand that our minds are intrinsically pure; our nature is originally empty. I keep talking about our nature of True Suchness, but where is True Suchness found? How did we acquire it? Where is it? In fact, it is intangibly with us whenever we come and wherever we go. This kind of nature can create karma once ignorance arises within it. It can also lead to all virtuous deeds, like taking the Dharma to heart, practicing it and bringing all good deeds into fruition.
“The so-called nature of mind is the pure nature of emptiness. All phenomena originate interdependently from one thought.” Everything we do originates in our mind, and this one thought originates interdependently. “This mind can be one of sentient beings”; this mind can be one of Bodhisattvas and Buddhas ․So, “It is the mind that experiences samsara and also the mind that experiences Nirvana. It is one thought that creates the duality, and the duality returns to non-appearance.” Whether good or evil, evil actions originate from one thought and good actions also arise from one thought. When we listen to the Dharma, we are able to understand the principles and comprehend the meanings. We are then able to put it into practice. With one thought we can reach Nirvana; Nirvana is also experienced by the mind. When our mind becomes pure, our Tathagata-nature is able to manifest and our afflictions eliminated; this too is determined by the mind. Ordinary beings are entangled in the Six Realms; it is our mind that traps us in samsara. “It is one thought that creates the duality.” We can engage in spiritual practice, or we can fall into the Five Realms and the Three Evil Destinies; this is all determined by our mind.
In this mind, “duality returns to non-appearance.” It still returns to the principles. The duality means there is good and evil, unwholesome things and virtuous things. All evil things are created by one thought, disrupting the rise of goodness in sentient beings. It is one thought that creates this duality. We must firmly maintain goodness and peacefully abide in this state of mind by accepting the Dharma. This is [giving rise to] virtuous things. The “duality” actually returns to non-duality because it returns to the true principles. Evil things destroy virtuous principles while the rise of goodness can destroy ignorance and unwholesome things.
In summary, what kind of teaching should we accept? Within the Ten Dharma-realms, aside from the Buddha, all are called sentient beings. Even when we develop the heart of a Bodhisattva and walk the Bodhisattva-path, if we give rise to the slightest ignorance, our roots of goodness will be damaged and we will have to repair them again. Therefore, our minds must be very firm and stable. I hope everyone will always be mindful.