Episode 981 – Endless Dust Particles and Ceaseless Kalpas
>> Like the particles of dust after the ink from the grains of earth is exhausted, the number of worlds is countless. Even a mathematician cannot calculate their boundary. Transcending all numbers, this affinity is long-lasting and vast.
>> “What do all of you think? In terms of those lands, can a mathematician or a mathematician’s disciples ever know the boundary and calculate the number of those lands? No, World-Honored One.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]
>> “Fellow bhiksus, suppose this person takes all the lands he has passed through, whether inked or not, and grinds them into dust, and one particle of dust represents one kalpa. The time since that Buddha entered Parinirvana is greater than that number by countless and boundless billions and trillions of asankyas of kalpas.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7 – On the Conjured City]
>> Fellow bhiksus: The Buddha called out to the assembly to again remind them to contemplate carefully. Suppose this person takes all the lands he has passed through: This refers to all the lands that the person inking those spots has passed through.
>> Whether inked or not [he] grinds them into dust: He further takes all the lands inked and all the lands not inked and grinds them all into dust. If the particles of dust are compared to kalpas, the [length of time] is greater than that number. >> One particle of dust represents one kalpa, the time since that Buddha entered Parinirvana: From the beginning of Beginningless Time, or beginning with Beginningless time, the kalpas represented by dust particles are the time since Great Unhindered Buddha entered Parinirvana. This time surpasses the number of dust particles. The many tiny particles of dust are describing the number of kalpas.
“Like the particles of dust after the ink from the grains of earth is exhausted,
the number of worlds is countless.
Even a mathematician cannot calculate their boundary. Transcending all numbers, this affinity is long-lasting and vast.”
“Like the particles of dust after the ink from the grains of earth is exhausted….” If all the dust particles and all the things [in a trichiliocosm] are ground into ink, “The number of worlds is countless.” After passing every 1000 lands, a spot is inked. In this way, with so much ink, so many lands are passed over between spots until the ink is used up. How vast [an area] is this? There is no way to use numbers to measure it. How extensive is the boundary of these lands? Even when mathematicians and their disciples joined in to help calculate, they still cannot understand the boundary. It is truly a lot. It is impossible to describe their amount or the extent of their border. It is already beyond all the numbers. It tells us that “This affinity is long and vast.” Whether the time or amount of lands, when such numbers are used to express the number of kalpas, to express time, that time is incalculable. This represents how truly, “The beginning of Beginningless Time or that which begins in Beginningless Time is that which has no end and no beginning.” This is a very long time.
Sakyamuni Buddha, at that time, began to create His affinities with. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. He started to form aspirations to listen to the Dharma, understand the Dharma, take the Dharma to heart and then expound and explain the Dharma. Clearly, as Sakyamuni already reached Buddhahood, He must have engaged in spiritual practice over such a long period of time. For such a long time, He had engaged in spiritual practice until causes and conditions matured. His vow was to come to the Saha World, the world with the most suffering, where the Five Destinies co-exist. He came to this world of endurance for one great cause, to “open and reveal,” hoping that we can all experience, “realize and enter” [His understanding and views].
The Buddha, beginningless kalpas before, kalpas with no beginning or end, started to seek the Dharma and transform others. He extensively formed good affinities with people. He went among people to benefit them and formed good affinities with sentient beings. As He went among the people, He incessantly experienced suffering. He chose to come to this world, particularly the kingdom of Kapilavastu in [Ancient] India. For such a long time, this place had a feudal system, and the four castes were strictly segregated. When someone was born as a Ksatriya, they believed every they would remain in the caste of the royalty life after life, always in a noble family. When a person was born as a businessman, made lots of money and had a wealthy household, [he would stay] in this kind of caste. Some remain only butchers by profession, in that kind of caste. Or some people were untouchables. The castes were clearly segregated. They assumed they would stay the same, lifetime after lifetime.
As for the religious practitioners, they were always above the noble caste. They stood on the shoulders of the nobility. They were called the Brahmins. In an environment of such complicated philosophy, complicated religions and complicated caste discrimination, life was full of suffering. “How can I help people to treat everyone equally?” This was Prince Siddhartha’s thought back then. He also observed birth, aging, illness and death.
Whether one was a religious practitioner, a wealthy person, or in the untouchable caste, one still faced birth, aging, illness and death. Doesn’t this show human nature is equal? So, the Buddha wanted to investigate how to transform this kind of thinking. Thus, He became a monastic to investigate the principles of the world.
In a state of tranquility, He transcended this world. All principles of time, space and relationships were understood by him. However, breaking the caste system was still very difficult. Not many people had a chance to listen to Dharma. In that era, with their [level of] technology, with people’s thinking not yet being open, the Buddha-Dharma could not quickly spread. Unfortunately, the Buddha only lived in this world for 80 years. Thus, in this world, to explain the principles so that everyone can be clear, so that all humans can be treated equally, so we can return to True Suchness, is not easy!
But now in Nepal, [in 2015,] the discrimination between the castes has started to loosen. We see the noble class there, because of the earthquake there, starting to interact with the poor, the people they used to call untouchables. They were able to draw near to them and embrace them. Moreover, when they gave, they bowed down to them. This was the way they gave to the poor; they even hugged and patted their backs. This never happened in the past.
I have seen the footage that they sent to me. In order to put together a tea party to show their gratitude for Tzu Chi, two businessmen and their families got involved and even put on our culinary aprons and uniforms. What did they do after putting on this apparel? They went to serve food to the guests. They introduced our rules in this place. When it was time to eat, they served the food. Serving food also has its humanistic culture. These two rich businessmen were lined up to serve the food and even wore the culinary uniform to help serve food to others.
These businessmen and the volunteers made no distinctions between the different ethnicities. So, this event was one of true ethnic equality. This power of love coming together just [comes together so well], mixed together in such harmony. This is not a simple matter at all! Seeing this kind of situation, we know the Dharma is spreading in the Saha World. This was also the reason why the Buddha became a monastic. The Buddha did not live to see this scene of people working together harmoniously; such a pity! But, I believe that the Buddha is still among the people. He would never leave us in any lifetime. Perhaps He also manifests this kind of appearance in His land and is one of those who is mobilizing other people.
This means that the Buddha, for such a long time, has repeatedly come to this world. Does He bring karma or the Dharma with Him? He takes advantage of causes and conditions, the causes and conditions for Him to start implementing [the Dharma] in that place. The true principles and the Buddha-Dharma are starting to be promoted in that place once again. I saw them providing free medical service to the bhiksunis. They were so meticulous; before the free clinic they gathered everyone and talked about the “spirit of the bamboo banks.” They told the story of Tzu Chi, then shared with everyone the song. “The Spirit of Great Love” and led them to perform the sign language of this song.
Among them, there was also a soldier. He shared his feeling and said in “The Spirit of Great Love,” the most touching part was the final verse about “long-lasting compassion and great love.” He felt long-lasting compassion and great love indeed pervade and fill the universe. “Long-lasting compassion and great love pervade and fill the universe,” forever without end. The power of love is just like this. Such a short phrase was able to bring out the wisdom in his mind, and the principles within him were awakened.
So, it does not matter whether the Dharma is spread to the west or to the east. In the past the Buddha-Dharma was spread east; now we spread the principles to the west and return them to the Buddha’s land. This Dharma is pervading the universe. This is a very joyful matter.
The previous sutra passage states the following, “What do all of you think? In terms of those lands, can a mathematician or a mathematician’s disciples ever know the boundary and calculate the number of those lands? No, World-Honored One.”
The amount of time in kalpas that has passed is so long. When we talk about pervading the universe, it is long-lasting compassion and great love that fills the universe. They last forever without end. It truly has been an endless amount of time, such a long time, that the Buddha-Dharma has been passed down.
The next sutra passage states, “Fellow bhiksus, suppose this person takes all the lands he has passed through, whether inked or not, and grinds them into dust, and one particle of dust represents one kalpa. The time since that Buddha entered Parinirvana is greater than that number by countless and boundless billions and trillions of asankyas of kalpas.”
“That Buddha” refers to. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. A long, long time ago lived Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. He taught the Dharma for an even longer time. He spent a very, very long time, an incalculable amount of time teaching the Dharma. Then after teaching the Dharma, He entered Parinirvana. After His Parinirvana, another long period of time passed, “greater than the number of countless, boundless billions and trillions of asankyas of kalpas.” Such a long period of time has already passed.
So, “fellow bhiksus” means the Buddha called out “to again remind them to contemplate carefully.” Everyone must consider this mindfully.
Fellow bhiksus: The Buddha called out to the assembly to again remind them to contemplate carefully. Suppose this person takes all the lands he has passed through: This refers to all the lands that the person inking those spots has passed through.
“Suppose this person takes all the lands he has passed through. This refers to all the lands that the person inking those spots has passed through.” These are the lands that he already passed through. It has been such a long time, and the places he passed cover such a vast area. This [analogy] expresses the length of the time and the vastness of the space [he passed through]. These are truly boundless; it is such a long time.
Whether inked or not [he] grinds them into dust: He further takes all the lands inked and all the lands not inked and grinds them all into dust. If the particles of dust are compared to kalpas, the [length of time] is greater than that number.
“Whether inked or not, [he] grinds them into dust.” Whether inked or not inked, all the lands are ground into dust. Thus, “[all the lands] ground into dust” are used to represent the number of kalpas “[The length of time] is greater than that number.” To explain this amount of time, the Buddha used an analogy of so many lands and all things in them. Already there are so many particles of dust, then all of these things are ground into dust. Each dust particle represents one kalpa. Even in the present, there is so much dust just from sweeping the floor. The Buddhist sutras often mention kalpas as numerous as the sands in the Ganges River. But [this period] is longer than that. Now, not just the sands in the Ganges River but a great trichiliocosm is all ground into dust to become particles as numerous as the kalpas. The time represented by the dust particles, one dust particle per kalpa, is very long. It is truly a very long time.
“Every 1000 lands he passes through, he inks one spot. These are the lands that were inked. The 999 lands that he passed over” are the lands not inked. After he inks a spot, he has to pass over 999 lands before inking another spot. Those lands that were not inked, those 999 lands, would likewise be ground into dust. “Taking all these lands, inked or not inked,” both those inked or not inked, all these lands, all the lands in the trichiliocosm, would be ground. “This shows how much dust there is.”
One particle of dust represents one kalpa, the time since that Buddha entered Parinirvana: From the beginning of Beginningless Time, or beginning with Beginningless time, the kalpas represented by dust particles are the time since Great Unhindered Buddha entered Parinirvana. This time surpasses the number of dust particles. The many tiny particles of dust are describing the number of kalpas.
There are so many dust particles. “One particle of dust represents one kalpa, the time since that Buddha entered Parinirvana. From the beginning of Beginningless Time, or beginning with Beginningless Time,” this is truly a very long time. “One particle of dust” is one kalpa. “Great Unhindered Buddha entered Parinirvana.” The time since His entering Parinirvana is “greater than that number by countless billions and trillions of asankyas of kalpas.” It continues to repeat like this to explain the number of particles representing time. Kalpas are as many as “the tiny particles of dust.” What is being said here is that the time is truly very long
Greater than that number by countless, boundless billions and trillions of asankyas of kalpas: This time surpasses the number of dust particles. The many tiny particles of dust are describing the number of kalpas. “This is the number of kalpas equal to the dust; from when. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha left up till now, that is the number of kalpas.” Such a long time has passed since then. From when Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior left all the way to the present, that number of kalpas has passed. That is from the present. The number of kalpas is talking about time, about how long it would be. “There is more than this”; it is even longer. It has been a long time from when Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha entered Parinirvana up to the present. It has probably been a very long time, “long and distant as it is.”
That is it. It is tiring just to describe such a long time. It indeed is very long. It is “countless and boundless billions and trillions of asankyas of kalpas.” Earlier, it was said that it is inconceivable. Thus, “Before a dust-inked kalpa ago.” Before this dust-inked kalpa were even more kalpas. So, it is the beginning of Beginningless Time, and it is always difficult to describe it.
If clarification is needed, first, it is said that “3000 dust-inked kalpas means” grinding the things in a great trichiliocosm into ink.
We grind the things in the great trichiliocosm into powder and add water to make ink. After passing a great trichiliocosm, a spot is inked. This shows how long the time has been since then. Passing through a great trichiliocosm like this, we ink spots until all the ink is exhausted, “and all the worlds that have been passed” turn into “all of the dust particles.” If a dust particle is used to represent a kalpa, it calculates time; this shows that Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior, from His birth to the present, has been through a very long time. We can get a clear idea through this method.
Secondly, it describes 500 dust-inked kalpas. “Grind 500 thousand trillion of asankyas of kalpas and trichiliocosms.” This is even more difficult to explain 500 thousand trillion is so many. A great trichiliocosm has so many dust particles. Passing every 500 thousand trillion [lands], for every asankya [of lands], a spot is inked. When all the dust particles are exhausted, all of the worlds passed over will again be ground into dust. Counting every particle as a kalpa represents the time it took Sakyamuni Buddha to attain Buddhahood and even up to the present. This is an analogy to describe a very long time.
This is to describe the Buddha’s hard work. Sakyamuni Buddha used such a vastly long period of time, practicing and training nonstop. This is “before a dust-inked kalpa ago.” Sakyamuni Buddha had started from kalpas as incalculable as dust particles. “Endless dust particles and ceaseless kalpas” is to explain to everyone that although this ink had been exhausted, although Buddha had already attained Buddhahood in this world, the work of “ceaseless kalpas had not yet stopped.” It had not yet ended. This explains that the Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, still makes vows every lifetime [to come to] this Saha World, to this world of endurance where the Five Destinies co-exist. He uses various forms to manifest in this world. Because “ceaseless kalpas had not yet stopped” and the Buddha’s transformation work has not ended,
Earth Treasury Bodhisattva comprehended His mind, so he made the vow that. “Until hell is empty, I will not attain Buddhahood.” Sentient beings in Sakyamuni Buddha’s Saha World have not comprehended the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha’s teachings, so the Buddha never gives up and stops. Then, we must be grateful that the Buddha painstakingly comes to this world to teach and transform sentient beings and allow the Buddha-Dharma to be passed down from beginning to end and back to the beginning. There is endless Buddha-Dharma; we are now bringing it back to the Buddha’s birthplace. Seeing how the people in Nepal are starting to break through the caste system, I have the hope that this is a beginning [There is] formation, existence, decay and disappearance. For Nepal, it is the beginning again, the moment of formation. So, everyone, we must always be mindful.