Episode 911 – Teaching the Dharma to Transform Sentient Beings
>> The Tathagata expounds the Dharma for the sake of one great cause. Besides this, there is no other cause. Whether coming, going, standing or sitting, with His Four Demeanors. He expounded the Dharma to any with the capabilities to resonate.
>> “I view all universally as equals. For me there is no you and I nor love and hate. I have no greed and attachments, nor limits and hindrances. I constantly teach the Dharma to all equally.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]
>> “Whether for one person or for many, it is the same. I constantly expound the Dharma without any other cause. Coming, going, standing or sitting, I never feel weary. I fulfill the needs of the world like the rain nourishing all universally.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]
>> Whether for one person or for many, it is the same. This is the principle of equality in all Dharma. Supreme among all sentient beings, He has no discrimination in how He views either friends or foes. With an impartial mind, He bestows compassion on one and on many in the same way. Whether for one person or for many, His resolve to expound the Dharma and transform sentient beings never differs.
>> Regarding the virtue of the fruit of Buddhahood, with His obstructions eliminated, His wisdom has been perfected. He is unlike any other person. This is why He can expound the Dharma equally.
>> I constantly expound the Dharma without any other cause: He is constantly expounding the Dharma. Whether to a single person or to many people, He teaches the Dharma with wholehearted impartiality. There has never been any other cause that is constantly in His heart.
>> Whether distant or near, He remains impartial; Expounding the Dharma is the Tathagata’s strength Besides this, He creates causes and conditions for transforming sentient beings.
>> I constantly expound the Dharma: With the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms in His speech, He gives teachings to transform sentient beings.
>> Coming, going, standing or sitting, I never feel weary: This refers to His Four Demeanors. He expounded the Dharma to those with the capabilities to resonate without ever feeling weary. With discrimination between self and others, there will be limitations, hindrances and feelings of weariness.
>> Coming, going, standing and sitting: He gave teachings through His physical actions. Going: Demonstrating entering Parinirvana. Coming: Demonstrating attaining enlightenment. Sitting: Teaching the Dharma to benefit sentient beings. Standing: Waiting for sentient beings’ capabilities to mature.
>> I never feel tired: From beginning to end He never felt tired nor gave rise to weariness or indolence. The Chapter on Samantabhadra’s Practice and Vows says, “He carries on thought after thought without any interruption. In the acts of His body, speech and mind, He is without any feeling of tiredness.”
>> I fulfill the needs of the world like the rain nourishing all universally: Giving teachings through acts of His mind, He nourishes the world with the Dharma to enable all to be fulfilled. Like a timely rain, it nourishes all equally.
>> The World-Honored One sees the four kinds of beings as His only child and treats all in the Three Realms equally. He expounds the Dharma to the seven categories of sentient beings like rain falling on mountains, rivers, streams and valleys and nourishing all equally.
“The Tathagata expounds the Dharma for the sake of one great cause. Besides this, there is no other cause.
Whether coming, going, standing or sitting, with His Four Demeanors. He expounded the Dharma to any with the capabilities to resonate.”
The Tathagata comes to the world for one great cause, which is to transform sentient beings. In order to transform sentient beings, other than putting the teachings into action, He must expound the Dharma through His speech. This is the one great cause for which the Buddha comes to the world. Moreover, the Buddha said many times, “Besides this, there is no other cause.” He comes to the world to teach the Dharma and transform sentient beings. By listening to the teachings, sentient beings can take them to heart, experience them and understand. This is the sound of the Buddha expounding Dharma. If we sentient beings hear His voice with our ears and mindfully receive [the teachings], then we will be able to awaken to them.
So, [The Buddha] earnestly expounds the Dharma for one great cause. Yet when we listen to the Dharma, do we also earnestly listen to it for the sake of one great cause? One great cause means that we are earnestly doing things for only one purpose. So, we mindfully listen to the Dharma. We do not listen casually; we must listen mindfully. What are the benefits of listening to the Dharma? There are a lot of benefits. Not only can we use it in this lifetime, in future lifetimes we will also not leave this path.
When the Buddha was in the world, King Prasenajit was a very reverent disciple. One day, the king came to Jetavana. He asked the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, will you allow me, over three months time, to make offerings?” On hearing this, the Buddha remained silent, meaning that He gave His permission. Seeing that the Buddha had silently agreed, the king was very happy. He prepared clothing, food, housing, [medicine], the four basic necessities, for the Buddha and Sangha and wholeheartedly listened to the Dharma.
In this way, three months passed. King Prasenajit then said, “Venerable Buddha, I have wholeheartedly made offerings. Are my good deeds now finished?” The Buddha said, “Since doing good deeds is what you should do, you should never feel tired of doing them; there is never a time when they are finished. This is the true meaning of doing good deeds.” King Prasenajit heard the Buddha’s words and had a great awakening. Immediately, he repented to the Buddha.
At this time, there was a bhiksuni named Katyayana. She stood up and said, “Venerable Buddha, it seems to me that 31 kalpas ago, there was a Buddha in the world named Dana-sikkirtiTathagata. At that time, in a place called Wild Horse Town, there was a slave named Pure Black. He used up everything he had been saving to make offerings to this Buddha. He then reverently made a vow to the Tathagata ‘May I never fall into the Three Evil Destinies’ ‘so that in future lifetimes,’ ‘my aspirations will not fade, and’ ‘I can constantly make offerings to the Sangha’ ‘and always serve others’.”
Then, this bhiksuni put her palms together, raising her head to tell the Buddha, “31 kalpas ago, I was Pure Black. I have kept my promise.” With compassion, the Buddha looked at the bhiksuni. The Buddha then confirmed for everyone, “Indeed, after such a long time, this bhiksuni has not retreated from her aspirations. Thus she had the conditions to join the Sangha.” King Prasenajit, as well as the Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas rejoiced.
Spiritual practice cannot be accomplished at once, or in a single lifetime. It needs lifetime after lifetime of accumulation with this aspiration. It is the same with the Tathagata’s teachings. Sakyamuni Buddha went through countless kalpas to transform all sentient beings. “Whether coming, going, standing or sitting, with His Four Demeanors….” The Buddha not only teaches by speaking, He leads by example. His example makes people who see Him happy. His dignified appearance, His demeanor, whether walking, standing, sitting or sleeping, is always very proper. Everyone who sees His demeanor gives rise to admiration and respect.
“He expounded the Dharma to any with the capabilities to resonate.” As for those with karmic affinities, the Buddha absolutely never gives up on them. Once a person has the capability to resonate with the Dharma and the Buddha’s words, He uses the appropriate teaching for this capacity so this person can make use of the Dharma. Thus, He will definitely teach everyone the Dharma. “He expounded the Dharma to any with the capabilities to resonate.” This shows the Buddha’s compassion. He continually comes back to this world.
The previous sutra passage says, “I view all universally as equals. For me there is no you and I nor love and hate. I have no greed and attachments, nor limits and hindrances. I constantly teach the Dharma to all equally.”
This is how the Buddha described being impartial toward all sentient beings. He treats all sentient beings equally; the teachings He gave can reach all universally, with no limits. At all times, in all places, with all people, the Buddha expounds the Dharma to everyone. “I constantly teach the Dharma to all equally.” This is the Buddha’s one great cause in coming to this world.
The next sutra passage says, “Whether for one person or for many, it is the same. I constantly expound the Dharma without any other cause. Coming, going, standing or sitting, I never feel weary. I fulfill the needs of the world” like the rain nourishing all universally.”
This is very clear. The Buddha does not set any limits.
Whether for one person or for many, it is the same. This is the principle of equality in all Dharma. Supreme among all sentient beings, He has no discrimination in how He views either friends or foes. With an impartial mind, He bestows compassion on one and on many in the same way. Whether for one person or for many, His resolve to expound the Dharma and transform sentient beings never differs.
“Whether for one person or for many, it is the same.” All the Dharma the Buddha expounds follows this principle of equality; even to a single person, He would teach the same Dharma of ultimate reality, as long as the person has the capacity to accept. He treats all sentient beings the same; this is the principle of equality. “Supreme among all sentient beings” means He constantly teaches all sentient beings. He makes no difference between friends and foes. He treats everyone impartially without distinction of friend or foe.
“He bestows compassion on one and on many in the same way.” This is the Buddha; from the highest realm, He [teaches] all sentient beings. Whether one person or many, all are likewise the people who He compassionately loves and protects. So, “Whether for one person or for many, His resolve to expound the Dharma and transform sentient beings never differs.” This is the great loving-kindness of the Buddha
The Buddha viewed everyone as His only child and took it upon Himself to be a guiding teacher, the kind father of the four kinds of beings and the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. He came to this world to accomplish one great cause. Afterwards, His Dharmakaya has lived on in our hearts.
Regarding the virtue of the fruit of Buddhahood, with His obstructions eliminated, His wisdom has been perfected. He is unlike any other person. This is why He can expound the Dharma equally.
This is the Buddha’s fruit of virtue, the result of lifetimes of spiritual practice; that was how He perfected His virtue. “With His obstructions eliminated, His wisdom has been perfected.” All His obstructions have been eliminated. He is unlike any other person. “This is why He can expound the Dharma equally.”
We must know that over a period of more than 40 years, the Buddha attained Buddhahood, expounded the teachings and guided the assembly in their practice. He also experienced obstruction after obstruction. He attained Buddhahood and then at the age of 80 He entered Parinirvana. By then His fruits of virtue had been perfected; His wisdom was perfect. This is why the Buddha, in coming to the world, is unlike any other person. “With His obstructions eliminated, His wisdom has been perfected. This is why He can expound the Dharma equally.” He gives the teachings to sentient beings equally.
I constantly expound the Dharma without any other cause: He is constantly expounding the Dharma. Whether to a single person or to many people, He teaches the Dharma with wholehearted impartiality. There has never been any other cause that is constantly in His heart.
So, “‘I constantly expound the Dharma’ ‘without any other cause’. He is constantly expounding the Dharma.” He talked like this whether to a single person or whether to many people. “He teaches the Dharma with wholehearted impartiality. There has never been any other cause that is constantly in His heart.” The Buddha’s intent is all about benefiting sentient beings and giving them the Dharma. This is His one great cause. Thus it says, “‘I constantly expound the Dharma’ ‘without any other cause’
Whether distant or near, He remains impartial; Expounding the Dharma is the Tathagata’s strength Besides this, He creates causes and conditions for transforming sentient beings.
“Whether distant or near, He remains impartial.” Distant refers to Beginningless Time, innumerable kalpas ago. This is what is meant by distant. It is very, very long ago. There is no way to calculate how long. On the other hand is those who are near. Near means that the Buddha came to this world and taught everyone. He stays close to all sentient beings and teaches them. “Whether distant or near, He remains impartial.”
It does not matter if they are distant or near. The Buddha came here more than 2000 years ago. In the human realm, this is a long time. In the Buddha’s realm, in that vast space, it is actually very near. Because the Dharma was compiled into the 12 divisions of the Tripitaka, we can all rely on the sutras to comprehend the Buddha’s teaching. In this sense, it is near.” The Buddha wants everyone to become a Bodhisattva, to form great aspirations and listen to and teach the Dharma, thus passing down the teachings. This is how His Dharmakaya remains in the world. “He creates causes and conditions for transforming sentient beings.”
I constantly expound the Dharma: With the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms in His speech, He gives teachings to transform sentient beings.
Then, “‘I constantly expound the Dharma’.” He constantly taught the Dharma. “With the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms in His speech. He gives teachings to transform sentient beings.” The Dharma must be taught through speech. The past few days we have been saying that the Buddha has the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms. The Buddha’s Four Unobstructed [Wisdoms] are unobstructed Dharma, unobstructed meaning, unobstructed rhetoric and unobstructed joy of speaking. Thus, He continually transforms sentient beings.
So, “Coming, going, standing or sitting, I never feel weary”
Coming, going, standing or sitting, I never feel weary: This refers to His Four Demeanors. He expounded the Dharma to those with the capabilities to resonate without ever feeling weary. With discrimination between self and others, there will be limitations, hindrances and feelings of weariness.
In His Four Demeanors, coming, going, standing or sitting, He is [completely] at ease. “He expounded the Dharma to those with the capabilities to resonate.” As soon as the opportunity arrives, once they see and hear [the Buddha], this can serve as conditions for transforming sentient beings. They definitely feel joy upon seeing the Buddha and can take the Dharma they hear to heart. This is how He “expounded the Dharma without ever feeling weary. With discrimination between self and others, there will be limitations, hindrances and feelings of weariness.” The Buddha sees all beings as His only child; He even sees them as part of Himself. This is “unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion.” He has compassion for all sentient beings, hoping that all sentient beings will be like Him and awaken to the truths of the universe. This is His hope for all sentient beings.
Coming, going, standing and sitting: He gave teachings through His physical actions. Going: Demonstrating entering Parinirvana. Coming: Demonstrating attaining enlightenment. Sitting: Teaching the Dharma to benefit sentient beings. Standing: Waiting for sentient beings’ capabilities to mature.
“Coming, going, standing and sitting, He gave teachings through His physical actions”. “Going” is “demonstrating entering Parinirvana.” His causes and conditions have been perfected, so when His transforming [sentient beings] reaches a certain point, it will be time to enter Parinirvana. This is “going. Coming” is “demonstrating attaining enlightenment.” This refers to being born in the world, seeking the Path and attaining awakening. He understands what the Dharma is fundamentally like. “Sitting” means “teaching the Dharma to benefit sentient beings.” When people have the capabilities to resonate, when people with such capabilities come, whether a single person or many people, He always expounds the teachings to them. So, “standing” means to wait for sentient beings’ capabilities to mature. This is what “coming, going, standing and sitting” means. This is their meaning.
I never feel tired: From beginning to end He never felt tired nor gave rise to weariness or indolence. The Chapter on Samantabhadra’s Practice and Vows says, “He carries on thought after thought without any interruption. In the acts of His body, speech and mind, He is without any feeling of tiredness.”
“I never feel weary.” The Buddha wholeheartedly serves sentient beings. He never feels weary, and He never gives rise to indolence. The Chapter on Samantabhadra’s Practice and Vows says, “He carries on thought after thought without any interruption. In the acts of His body, speech and mind, He is without any feeling of weariness.” This is a Bodhisattva’s process of spiritual practice; it must be like this.
I fulfill the needs of the world like the rain nourishing all universally: Giving teachings through acts of His mind, He nourishes the world with the Dharma to enable all to be fulfilled. Like a timely rain, it nourishes all equally.
So, “I fulfill the needs of the world like the rain nourishing all universally.” Whatever sentient beings need, the Buddha appears in the world, freely coming and going, to nourish all universally like the rain. This is His goal in coming to this world. “Giving teachings through acts of His mind, He nourishes the world with the Dharma.” The Buddha uses the unlimited Dharma in. His ocean of enlightened wisdom to nourish sentient beings’ minds and “enable all to be fulfilled like a timely rain.” This is like a timely rain; when it is most needed, the rain falls and nourishes [the land]. “It nourishes all equally”
The World-Honored One sees the four kinds of beings as His only child and treats all in the Three Realms equally. He expounds the Dharma to the seven categories of sentient beings like rain falling on mountains, rivers, streams and valleys and nourishing all equally.
“The World-Honored One sees the four kinds of beings as His only child and treats all in the Three Realms equally.” The Three Realms are the desire realm, the form realm and the formless realm. Whether in the realm of ordinary people like us, in the realm of Hearers, or in the realm of Bodhisattvas, in the Six Unenlightened or Four Noble Realms, [He] treats all in the Three Realms equally.” The Buddha expounds the Dharma tirelessly. With the power of love, He always adapts to sentient beings’ capabilities. He continually teaches all sentient beings. This is why the Buddha appears in this world; He comes to give teachings to all sentient beings.
He also tells us frankly that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. It is just that we were born with habitual tendencies and have been permeated by afflictions. So, we may often listen to [the Dharma], and at that moment we are very happy, but as soon as our habitual tendencies appear, the Dharma we heard is diminished. Then our afflictions increase again. Thus, we must remind ourselves to be vigilant and to always be mindful.