Episode 941 – Wishing to Attain Predictions of Buddhahood
>> When there is a wish in our hearts, we are uneasy for fear it will not be achieved. These disciples engaged in practice together and reached faith and understanding. They described the Parable of the Poor Son. They were wholeheartedly earnest and respectful and wished to attain predictions of Buddhahood.
>> “That Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas: Right Dharma will abide in the world for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas. Radiant Light World-Honored One’s circumstances will be as such.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]
>> “At that time, Mahamaudgalyayana, Subhuti and Mahakatyayana all trembled in apprehension. They wholeheartedly put their palms together and gazed reverently upwards, never lowering their gaze for a moment.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6 – On Bestowing Predictions]
>> “Mahamaudgalyayana” means “bean-picker.” That was his family name. It was because his ancestors had prayed to a tree spirit that they had been blessed with an heir.
“When there is a wish in our hearts, we are uneasy for fear it will not be achieved.
These disciples engaged in practice together and reached faith and understanding. They described the Parable of the Poor Son.
They were wholeheartedly earnest and respectful and wished to attain predictions of Buddhahood.”
If we have a wish in our minds, we will also have worry and fear, for a mind that seeks something is also concerned with gain and loss. Will we get what we wish for? Once we get it, will we lose it again? The mindset of gain and loss that comes with expectations is also a kind of affliction.
Perhaps we still remember from the Chapter on Faith and Understanding the four great disciples of the Buddha, Subhuti, Mahakasyapa. Katyayana and Maudgalyayana. These four disciples stepped forward; they arose from among the assembly, came before the Buddha and repented reverently before Him, because in the past they all had held fast to the Hearer Vehicle. They had felt that the Great Vehicle Dharma was something meant for others, unrelated to them as monastic practitioners. So, they did not take this Dharma into their hearts. They only looked after themselves and practiced for their own awakening.
This continued until the Lotus Dharma-assembly, when the Buddha praised the enlightened state of the Buddha, which everyone intrinsically possesses. As this happened, Sariputra attained a deep realization of the Buddha’s intent. Since Sariputra realized the Buddha’s original intent, the Buddha bestowed a prediction upon him that he would attain Buddhahood in the future. These words profoundly inspired everyone, especially those four disciples. In unspoken agreement, they stood up from among the assembly, went before the Buddha and described how they had sat before the Buddha and listened to teachings for so many years. In the past, they were simply attached to the Small Vehicle teachings, so they had lost out on the many wondrous Great Vehicle teachings. They were like that poor son. He had left his rich family and wandered here and there for what had already been a very long time. He was getting old, had begun to become aware that he had nothing at all, but just begged here and there to survive.
One day, in front of an elder’s gate, he stuck his head in for a quick look. When the elder caught sight of him he knew, “This is my son! Quickly, you over there; help me bring my son home!” When everyone heard the elder’s words, they immediately went to find, capture and forcibly drag him back. He was frightened! “Confused and dazed, he collapsed upon the ground.” He was so frightened he actually fainted! The elder said, “Do not forcibly drag him back. Bring him around with cold water. Wash his face with cold water to wake him, and then let him go.”
The elder then set about devising a method, thinking to employ his son to do manual labor so that he could gradually approach him. He then brought him into his luxurious mansion so that his son could learn about the treasures decorating the inside and about what was contained in the storehouse. He helped him know the wealth that came and went, know how to balance his accounts. Although the poor soon knew the value of these things and the methods of obtaining them or giving them away, he still never dared to think, “These are things I could use for myself.” One day the elder invited all of the kings and ministers together, as well as his family and followers. When everyone had arrived, he suddenly declared to everyone, “This is in fact my son. He is my own son, born to me. I am his father.”
In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, there is a very long passage explaining this. These four disciples had already thoroughly understood. “I have already entered the Tathagata’s house. Everything in the house of the Tathagata has always been mine. The Buddha has told us that all of us intrinsically have Buddha-nature. We too have the chance to attain Buddhahood. Sariputra has already received a prediction of attaining Buddhahood in the future. We are just like him; we too can receive the Buddha’s predictions.” So, in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, the Buddha began to explain how the one rain universally moistens the earth, how the Dharma is impartial. The impartial Great Dharma nurtures all things upon the earth. If we accept the Dharma, our nature of True Suchness and wisdom-life are moistened by Dharma-rain.
Then, in the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, He bestowed a prediction upon Venerable Kasyapa. Everyone was very happy for him, and everyone had hopes for themselves. Sariputra had received a prediction, as did Venerable Kasyapa. The others’ hopes had been raised. This is what they all wished for, but they were “uneasy for fear that it would not be achieved.” Everyone hoped to attain the Buddha’s prediction, but at the same time they were uneasy. “Perhaps He will not choose me. Is there any chance the Buddha will name me to receive a prediction?” So, because of this mindset of gain and loss, they were “uneasy.”
They felt that among those who had practiced and achieved faith and understanding together, after Venerable Kasyapa, there were still more. There was Maudgalyayana, Katyayana and Subhuti. They had not yet been named. They had also come forward at the same time and together described the Parable of the Poor Son.
They were “wholeheartedly earnest and respectful.” It was not only Subhuti, Katyayana, Mahakasyapa and Maudgalyayana who were like this. There were also others, all “wholeheartedly earnest and respectful.” All wished to receive predictions of Buddhahood from the Buddha.
This is a universal feeling; they had practiced together in the same place and all followed the Buddha into the monastic life. Now the Buddha was telling them that anyone could attain Buddhahood, that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. He also expressed the fact that He understood the hearts of His disciples. If the disciples could understand what was in the Buddha’s mind, how could the Buddha not possibly understand what was contained in theirs? Who was able to resonate with the Buddha’s heart and had already accepted the Buddha-Dharma? This was what the Buddha understood best. Thus He had begun bestowing predictions. In the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, He had already bestowed predictions upon Kasyapa.
In the previous passages, He had already described how Kasyapa will attain Buddhahood in the future, how his epithet will be Radiant Light, how his land will be called Radiant Virtue. His people, family and followers there, as well as the features of that land, were all described one by one. The lifespan of that Buddha, the eras of Right Dharma and. Dharma-semblance will all be a very long time. These are the fruits Radiant Light Buddha will attain in the future. But that future is still far off. He will first have to serve 300 trillion Buddhas, have to respectfully serve in the presence of 300 trillion Buddhas.
Whenever Buddhas are in the world, he engages in spiritual practice and reverently serves Them. When there is no Buddha in the world, he likewise devotes himself to serving others, engaging in spiritual practice among them. These were the great predictions the Buddha bestowed upon Venerable Kasyapa; in particular that his lifespan would be so long, that his land would be so magnificent and that all his family and followers would be wise and all form Great Vehicle aspirations. Of course, everyone was envious of this!
Next, the passage says,
“At that time, Mahamaudgalyayana, Subhuti and Mahakatyayana all trembled in apprehension. They wholeheartedly put their palms together and gazed reverently upwards, never lowering their gaze for a moment.”
At that time, there was Mahamaudgalyayana, Subhuti and Mahakatyayana. We can still remember that at the time, they all came before the Buddha at the same time as Venerable Kasyapa to relate the Parable of the Poor Son, showing that they had all achieved realization and understanding of the Buddha-Dharma. Now Kasyapa had already received a prediction. At that point, “at that time,” was when. Maudgalyayana, Subhuti and Mahakatyayana “all trembled in apprehension. They wholeheartedly put their palms together and gazed reverently upwards, never lowering their gaze for a moment.” We can probably understand how they felt.
“Kasyapa has already received a prediction. Will we be next?” There were three of them, and each of them was thinking, “It will probably be me next.” However, since there were three, one had to come before the others. Who would be first, and who would be last? Thus, they were afraid and uneasy.
“Mahamaudgalyayana” means “bean-picker.” That was his family name. It was because his ancestors had prayed to a tree spirit that they had been blessed with an heir.
So, regarding Mahamaudgalyayana, the name “Mahamaudgalyayana,” means “bean-picker.” That was his family name. It was because his ancestors had prayed to a tree spirit that they had been blessed with an heir. Thus this was Maudgalyayana’s ancestral name. Really, it was just his surname. Among all of the Buddha’s disciples, he was known as the foremost in spiritual powers.
Once, the Buddha was staying near Anavatapta Pond. On the day of the full moon, the fifteenth day of the lunar month, “the day of the full moon,” the Buddha wanted to teach the precepts to His disciples. While the Buddha was at Anavatapta Pond preparing to teach the precepts to them, Sariputra was nowhere to be seen. This was because Sariputra had been sent to handle something at Jeta Grove in Sravasti. There was construction in Jeta Grove and it was Sariputra’s responsibility to supervise it, to oversee the construction going on there. Now, the Buddha wished to teach the precepts, but He was missing Sariputra by His side. So, the Buddha told Maudgalyayana, “Maudgalyayana, go at once to Jeta Grove and return with Sariputra. Tell him that I would like him to come back at once. Go there immediately.”
Then, Maudgalyayana, using his spiritual powers to transport himself, arrived at Jeta Grove. He told Sariputra, “The Buddha would like you to return at once to Anavatapta Pond. Hurry back immediately. Very well, I will respect the Buddha’s summons. Thank you for coming to inform me. However, we are so rarely together. Come on! Let’s play a game! I will take off my belt. You take my belt and tie it to Mt. Sumeru.” At this point, Sariputra took off his belt and placed it upon a rock. Maudgalyayana went to take the belt and when he could not move it, then he knew that. Sariputra was playing games with spiritual powers. Using his strength and his spiritual powers, he shook the belt loose. Maudgalyayana then took the belt, threw it over Mt. Sumeru and bound it to Mt. Sumeru. Sariputra then took the belt, pulled it and tied it to the Buddha’s lion throne. The two were using the belt to play with their spiritual powers.
Then, when the two saw everything had settled down, they tried to release the belt. But they could not move it at all. So, Sariputra turned to Maudgalyayana and said, “See how the belt is wrapped around the Buddha’s lion throne! We cannot move it with all our strength! The two of us can move Mt. Sumeru, but even through our combined efforts, we cannot move the Buddha’s lion throne. So, we should know that with the Buddha’s myriad virtues, the virtues realized by the Buddha, with His myriad virtues and abilities, if we compare ourselves to Him, we are still so far away. We are so far away; we are not even close. So, our spiritual powers are truly inferior to the Buddha’s. We should respect the Buddha’s spiritual powers. Alright, the game is over. Come! Let us hurry back to the Buddha, but let me first hand off the construction work. Maudgalyayana, you go back first. I will be there shortly.”
Maudgalyayana then again used his spiritual powers to transport himself to arrive before the Buddha. What?! Sariputra was already there, sitting peacefully beside the Buddha! After Maudgalyayana hurriedly paid respect to the Buddha, he asked the Buddha, “Sariputra left after me, so how could he possibly have arrived at Your side before me? Could I have already lost my spiritual powers? Now I am doubting my spiritual powers.” The Buddha told him, “That is not so. Among all of my disciples, you are still foremost in spiritual powers”. No one’s spiritual powers are greater than yours. You will always be foremost in spiritual powers.”
The Buddha then expounded upon the precepts, with all His disciples sitting around Him. When He finished teaching, He returned to Sravasti. This news of Sariputra and Maudgalyayana playing games with their spiritual powers quickly spread. Everyone exclaimed, “Sariputra is amazing! Not only is he foremost in wisdom of all the Buddha’s disciples, but now he has even surpassed Maudgalyayana. Sariputra’s spiritual powers have surpassed Maudgalyayana’s; no one can compare with him!” The news of this also spread. Though Maudgalyayana heard it, not only did he not allow this rumor to influence him and make him unhappy, conversely he was pleased. “We’ve loved and respected each other since youth. When Sariputra is praised by others, it is like I myself am being praised, so I am also happy.”
When Sariputra found out about this, he went to the Buddha and said, “Venerable Buddha, it is not fair. He and I were just playing games with our spiritual powers. Maudgalyayana let me win. I understand Maudgalyayana. He respects me, so he let me win. For them to criticize him like this is not fair. Venerable Buddha, I hope you can use skillful means to reveal this and make everyone again respect Maudgalyayana for being foremost in spiritual powers.”
The Buddha was very pleased at the way these two disciples respected one another and mutually helped each other to succeed. So once, when the Buddha was teaching, He had a sudden inspiration. He turned to Maudgalyayana and said, “Come! So many are assembled here listening; why don’t you demonstrate your spiritual powers?” So, he demonstrated his power of transportation by standing with one foot where he was while the other stepped over Mt. Sumeru to reach Brahma Heaven. When they heard sounds from Brahma Heaven, everyone was stunned. “It is Maudgalyayana after all who is worthy to be called foremost in spiritual powers!”
Actually, in our spiritual practice we should have the heart of a child; we should go back to having the heart of a child. They too thought, “Let us play a game!” They never imagined it would start such a debate. Fortunately, the Buddha returned to Maudgalyayana the title of “foremost in spiritual powers.” In fact, both their minds were free of hindrances. Our spiritual practice should be like this. We should look upon everyone’s accomplishments as if they were our own, to say nothing of the joy we feel when our good friends are praised by others. Good friends help each other to succeed and help restore one another’s reputation. The relationship between master and disciple and between friends is really quite moving. So, let us always be mindful!