Episode 1206 – Widely Expounding the Wondrous Dharma
>> With great loving-kindness and the factor of joy, they have pure affinities. With long-lasting affection, they give rise to joy and equanimity. With great compassion, they are concerned for people in hardship and cannot bear for them to suffer. The Tathagata has compassion for, safeguards and helps them all to attain liberation. These people give rise to great Bodhicitta and make vows to safeguard others.
>> The factor of joy: With a genuine heart, one resonates with and awakens to the True Dharma. When one attains joy, one can skillfully attain awakening and abide in true Dharma-joy. Therefore, it is called “the factor of joy.” With hearts of joy and equanimity, they have compassion for sentient beings. Therefore, they vow to use this lifetime within this evil world of turbidities to safeguard and promote this sutra.
>> They make all kinds of offerings to the sutra with fragrant flowers, strings of jewels, scented powder, fragrant oils, incense, silken canopies, hanging banners, clothes and music. They put their palms together in reverence. These people should be esteemed and revered by all in the world. Others should make offerings to these people as if making offerings to the Tathagata.
>> You should know that these people are great Bodhisattvas who have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Out of compassion for sentient beings, they vow to be reborn into this world to widely expound and analyze the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.
>> This explains that Bodhisattvas, in order to have perfect Bodhi, make vows to promote this sutra. Bodhisattvas can be described as sentient beings who aspire to the Great Path. They can also be called “great awakened sentient beings,” which refers to people with great aspirations who seek the Path.
>> You should know that these people are great Bodhisattvas: Upon hearing the. Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, they gave rise to great faith and understanding. So, we know these people must be great Bodhisattvas.
>> [They] have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Out of compassion for sentient beings, they vow to be reborn into this world: They have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and due to their compassion for sentient beings, they are born into this human realm.
>> To widely expound and analyze the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra: They widely expound and explain in detail to universally spread the true teachings of the One Vehicle, which is the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.
>> These people have served Buddhas for many kalpas. Now they make compassionate vows to be reborn into this world and uphold the six kinds of right practice. This enables others to hear their words and understand and to watch their actions and become inspired. This is how they widely expound this sutra. This enables others, due to their six kinds of right practice, to know this sutra is superior to other sutras. This is what it means to analyze this sutra.
>> The right practice of the Six Paramitas: They will unify matters and principles. When handling matters, they do not hinder the principles. With principles, they never depart from matters. In cultivating themselves or transforming others, they perfectly integrate matters and principles. As they engage in self-reflection, they overcome obstacles to improve themselves. This is called the “right practice of the Six Paramitas.”
“With great loving-kindness and the factor of joy, they have pure affinities.
With long-lasting affection, they give rise to joy and equanimity. With great compassion,
they are concerned for people in hardship and cannot bear for them to suffer.
The Tathagata has compassion for, safeguards and helps them all to attain liberation.
These people give rise to great Bodhicitta
and make vows to safeguard others.”
We must put effort into understanding this. Great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy and great equanimity are what the Buddha taught us. The Four Infinite Minds, as we are Buddhist practitioners, walking the. Bodhisattva-path, are things that all of us need to mindfully experience. The goal in learning the Buddha’s Way is in fact to be on a broad and great path, which is the great, direct Bodhi-path. Loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity makes a very wide path. It helps us to very safely go directly from the state of ordinary people to the state of great awakened Bodhisattvas and then to the state of Buddhahood. This is a safe path for us. So, we must have “great loving-kindness [and] the factor of joy.” When it comes to great loving-kindness and joy, in the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, there are the Seven Factors of Bodhi. Do you remember? One of them is “the factor of joy.” There are the factors of discernment, diligence, joy and so on, a total of seven. This is part of the 37 Practices of Enlightenment. This is one of the Seven Factors of Bodhi, the factor of joy.
Where does this joy come from? From “a genuine heart resonating with and awakening to the True Dharma.”
The factor of joy: With a genuine heart, one resonates with and awakens to the True Dharma. When one attains joy, one can skillfully attain awakening and abide in true Dharma-joy. Therefore, it is called “the factor of joy.” With hearts of joy and equanimity, they have compassion for sentient beings. Therefore, they vow to use this lifetime within this evil world of turbidities to safeguard and promote this sutra.
Since we are Buddhist practitioners, our hearts must be genuine. To practice according to teachings, we need deep faith. We must deeply believe in the Buddha-Dharma; our faith must be genuine. A genuine heart is where spiritual practice takes place. Since we have faith, we must directly accept the Buddha’s teachings to understand them. If that is the case, “the factor of joy” means we can resonate with and awaken to the True Dharma with a genuine heart. This enables us to attain happiness. When we take this kind of True Dharma to heart, that kind of happiness is called “Dharma-joy.” After we take the Dharma to heart, we truly comprehend and awaken to it. Truly, that happiness [is different from] what ordinary people feel when we say, “I did it! I’ve gotten my desire, what I wanted.” That kind of happiness is completely different. The pure and undefiled Dharma helps us to achieve thorough understanding. That happiness, the factor of joy, is great happiness.
So, this is a kind of skill. With this skillfulness, the undefiled great Dharma is what we have awakened to. So, we can “abide in true Dharma-joy.” When we take the Dharma to heart, we will never forget it. We will always be happy when we think of it. This is absolutely a different kind of happiness than the kind of happiness ordinary people obtain. This is because we ordinary people want and pursue so many things. After we obtain one thing, very quickly we think about obtaining something else. The happiness that we obtain is very short-lived and passes very quickly. Furthermore, obtaining this thing perhaps resulted in us creating [negative] karma and replicating our afflictions. Also, the thing we obtained only brings temporary joy. When we fight over things, this is the kind of happiness we attain.
What if it is Dharma-joy? It comes from faithfully acceptance and practice. If we believe in the Buddha’s teachings, accept it with a genuine heart, put it into practice and thus comprehend it, that kind of joy, once we obtain it, will never disappear. This is because principles can remain in our minds forever. This kind of joy is the joy of abiding in the True Dharma. So, it is called “the factor of joy.” It comes from joyfully giving. With joy and equanimity, our minds will be free of expectations as we give to sentient beings out of compassion. If we are able to attain the Dharma, we will do this work with great willingness and serve with great joy. It is out of compassion for sentient beings that we are willing to give.
So, Bodhisattvas willingly return on the ship of compassion, repeatedly returning to this world, as does the Buddha. They journey on the Dharma of Suchness to this world. The human realm is a turbid and evil world; it is a world that must be endured. But all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are willing to repeatedly return to this world. Besides saving and transforming sentient beings, another mission of theirs is “to safeguard and promote this sutra.” What sutra is this? The Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is the path to Buddhahood. So, everyone must be very mindful of it. When it comes to this sutra, with every phrase and verse, we must give rise to a sense of joy as we accept and uphold it in our minds. Naturally we can very gradually [cultivate] this seed in our minds so it takes root and flourishes. That is “one giving rise to infinity, and infinity arising from one.”
The Buddha always hoped that we would earnestly safeguard this sutra and widely promote this sutra. This takes great joy. For example, yesterday, a group of Bodhisattvas from Kaohsiung returned [to the Abode] in a grand procession. They are from the Wujia Recycling Station. This recycling station is in Wujia. Wujia sounds like a place in the countryside, but it is not. It is in a very busy area of the city. One time I went there, as it was on my way. They said, “Master, this recycling station in Wujia is very well-run. Mr. Chang is very dedicated. His whole family has formed great aspirations. They provided this land to Tzu Chi.” He said, “Master, would you like to go take a look?” I asked, “How far is it? It’s just around the corner.” The car turned the corner and there it was.
As expected, it was a very busy part of the city. This was a retail space, and this property was very big. If it were to be used for stores, they could charge people a lot, and they could build many storefronts. But, Mr. Chang’s family was very supportive of this effort. They said, “The money we make lasts only as long as this short life. No matter how many generations it lasts, it is still temporary. The results of environmental protection are everlasting. To inspire everyone to care for Earth and cherish the life of objects and help even more people to understand, we have to be in a city, in a bustling place. This will help people understand recycling. This will be better at attracting people.” So, he took this retail space and provided it for recycling work.
I went to look and it was indeed on a street in a very central location. It was very big, and there were many people. Though it only extends inwards a few meters, there were very many people. The space was very wide. So, when I went in I saw them. “There are so many people!” Everyone saw that I had come, and another layer of people surfaced and stood up. It turns out there were so many people! They started to ask me to say a few words. I stood there getting ready to speak, and more people started coming in. It was as if people surrounded us on the street too. There were many people inside, and many outside. Speaking to everyone in that place was something I had never experienced. It was as if I was hawking my wares on the street. It truly had an unusual feel.
I said, “This place is prime real estate. You really don’t regret using it for recycling?” This is what I said. He said, “Master, our planet is a priceless treasure. We are grateful to Master for establishing this spiritual practice of doing recycling work. This practice is very easy to enter. Look, everyone is working so happily. They are all so grateful. They are joyful.” I asked everyone, “Are you working very happily? We are very happy! Thank you, Master.” Everyone was smiling. They were very happy, very much at ease.
A group of them came back yesterday. Among them were many elderly Bodhisattvas who happily serve as examples to others. Sitting there, I [heard] their stories one by one.
Among them was a woman named Mrs. Li Baihe. She is nearly 80, a grandmother. She will turn 80 soon. She told me, “Master, I’m embarrassed. I’m illiterate. My writing when copying the sutra was not pretty.” In fact, Mr. Chang already took this sutra and put it in front of me. As I was flipping through it, [I wondered,]. “Who wrote these characters? They look so pretty.” Then, this elderly Bodhisattva shared her thoughts with me, her experience from doing recycling work. After she finished sharing, she came down [from the stage] and walked to the back to right in front of me. She said to me, “Master, I’m embarrassed. I’m illiterate. I never went to school. So, my writing is not beautiful. But, you asked us to copy the sutra, so I copied the sutra.” She copied the entire Lotus Sutra, every character, every stroke, every vertical and horizontal line. Every character was written neatly, and not a single character was wrong. All seven volumes of the Lotus Sutra were copied here! . She copied the sutra! She was nearly 80 years old.
She also said to me, “In the past, I also copied the Earth Treasury Sutra. Oh, so you have copied the Earth Treasury Sutra? You have practiced copying sutras. That is why your writing is so beautiful!” I was very joyful! This is what elderly Bodhisattvas are like. Look at how old she is. She is illiterate but had to learn to write. She copied the sutra and has used her hands for doing recycling work for over 20 years. Now she is responsible for the recycling station; she is in charge during the day shift.
She is also an elderly Bodhisattva. She is very frugal. Her family is doing very well financially. Her child is well-behaved and very talented. This is what Mr. Chang told me. Her husband is very supportive. She has been doing recycling work for over 20 years. The rattan chair she sits in is decades old. Ever since she began doing recycling work, she has always sat in this chair.
Rattan chairs are woven and will break. This rattan chair of hers has been very carefully mended by her; she mended it with cloth. Where there is a hole, she covers it with a piece of cloth. This patched rattan chair was captured in a photo. Mr. Chang showed it to me. “This rattan chair belongs to this elderly Bodhisattva. Ever since she began doing recycling work, she has had one wish. In the future, if our recycling station is to be remodeled and rebuilt, she wants to contribute.” Thus, she saved over one million [NTD]. For over 20 years, she has been saving up. She did not ask her child for this large amount; this came from her spare change and her allowance. She had accumulated it this way.
So, this is not unachievable. She did not say, “I’m illiterate; I cannot copy, cannot write.” In fact, it just takes willpower. Now, you do not have to copy [the sutra]. You can listen and take it to heart and keep it in your minds to understand the principles. With a genuine mind, we can believe. With a genuine mind, we can understand. With this kind of mindset, naturally we will be able to take the principles to heart and share them with everyone. This is also a merit.
So, “With great loving-kindness and the factor of joy, they have pure affinities.” With pure affinities, they give without expectations. Their love and care for Earth is unconditional. They just give; they have no expectations. They want to achieve lasting protection for Earth and make this spiritual practice center a reality in transforming people and bringing them in. Having started from recycling work, people have already completed introductory and advanced volunteer training. It turns out this big group of people all came in through the Dharma-door of recycling work. Among them are honorary board members, Tzu Chi commissioners and Faith Corp members. It is such a big group!
Thus, “With great loving-kindness and the factor of joy, they have pure affinities. With long-lasting affection, they give rise to joy and equanimity.” If we just talk about money earned, after one, two, three generations, who knows what will happen to it. But if it is donated to Tzu Chi for a spiritual practice center, for recycling work, it can be used to construct a place that can be used for community education, for recycling work and for Bodhisattvas to gather together. See, this is long-lasting compassion. This is a mind of joy and equanimity. What about a mind of “great compassion”? It is the concern for suffering people which comes from our heart going out to them.
Life is filled with suffering. So, “The Tathagata has compassion for, safeguards and helps them all to attain liberation.” The Buddha came to this world for one great cause. He came to transform sentient beings and help everyone understand the true principles. After understanding this path, understanding the true principles, we can then walk on this path to benefit ourselves and others, transform ourselves and others. This is the Buddha’s goal in coming to this world. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas repeatedly return on the ship of compassion [to achieve this].
So, “These people give rise to great Bodhicitta.” People like these gave rise to great Bodhicitta, a mind of great awakening. Thus, they “make vows to safeguard others.” We must make vows; with vows come strength. With vows come the strength to safeguard, uphold and protect the minds of sentient beings. They are also willing to joyfully give to sentient beings. So, this is a kind of giving, a way of making all kinds of offerings. Making offerings is giving.
Of course, to have a magnificent practice center, there must be people who listen to teachings, people who request the Dharma, people to…and so on. This place of practice needs to be magnificent. So, there needs to be many decorations. That is the case with the recycling station. We must find ways to renovate it so that it can be put to more uses. It can be used for Dharma-talks, for study groups, for community classes and for doing recycling work. It is a multifunctional, magnificent spiritual practice center. We must be just like that piece of land, able to make all kinds of offerings and serve multiple functions.
Of course, in the sutra, the Buddha was speaking to people of that era. “They make all kinds of offerings to the sutra.” To make offerings to this sutra and its principles, they must use “flowers, fragrance, strings of jewels, scented powders, fragrant oils, incense, silken canopies, hanging banners, clothes, music and putting their palms together in reverence.” These are all called offerings. They are given with a reverent heart.
“These people should be esteemed and revered by all in the world. People should make offerings to them as if making offerings to the Tathagata.”
They make all kinds of offerings to the sutra with fragrant flowers, strings of jewels, scented powder, fragrant oils, incense, silken canopies, hanging banners, clothes and music. They put their palms together in reverence. These people should be esteemed and revered by all in the world. Others should make offerings to these people as if making offerings to the Tathagata.
People like this are worthy of respect. They are willing to give. They have no expectations and are willing to give. This kind of person thoroughly understands the principles, is able to share with everyone and can be a role model and set an example; they lead people to walk this path. This kind of person truly should be esteemed and revered by everyone and receive offerings from people. “Others should make offerings to these people as if making offerings to the Tathagata.” Seeing someone like this is the same as seeing the Buddha. With a Buddha-mind, they give to sentient beings; they are worthy of our respect.
The next sutra passage says,
“You should know that these people are great Bodhisattvas who have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Out of compassion for sentient beings, they vow to be reborn into this world to widely expound and analyze the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.”You should know that these people are great Bodhisattvas who have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Out of compassion for sentient beings, they vow to be reborn into this world to widely expound and analyze the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.
This sutra passage explains that . Bodhisattvas, in order to have perfect Bodhi, must fulfill the vows they made in the past. How long ago in the past? Very long! Dust-inked kalpas ago, they had already made this kind of vow. In order to have perfect Bodhi, they made vows to promote the sutra.
This explains that Bodhisattvas, in order to have perfect Bodhi, make vows to promote this sutra. Bodhisattvas can be described as sentient beings who aspire to the Great Path. They can also be called “great awakened sentient beings,” which refers to people with great aspirations who seek the Path.
Bodhi is the path to enlightenment; in order to complete this path to enlightenment, we must come to promote this sutra with the power of vows of the past.
As for “Bodhisattvas,” what is a Bodhisattva? They are “described as sentient beings who aspire to the great path.” What is a Bodhisattva? People who form great aspirations and walk the Bodhisattva-path can all be called Bodhisattvas. They can also be called “sentient beings who aspire to the great path” or “great awakened sentient beings,” sentient beings of great awakening. So, we often refer to them as “awakened beings.” These are Bodhisattvas. This is because they seek the Path. Those who seek the Path and form great aspirations are all called “Bodhisattvas.”
So, “You should know that these people are great Bodhisattvas.”
You should know that these people are great Bodhisattvas: Upon hearing the. Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, they gave rise to great faith and understanding. So, we know these people must be great Bodhisattvas.
We should know this. People like this willingly uphold the sutra and are also able to read and recite it. They uphold, read, recite and copy it. This is promoting the Dharma of the sutra. People who do this are called “Bodhisattvas. Upon hearing the. Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, they gave rise to great faith and understanding.” They believed it and also wanted to understand it. Indeed, thoroughly understanding the Lotus Sutra is not easy. The Bodhisattva[-volunteers] who came back to do sutra compilations are now starting with the Introductory Chapter. When I see them, I ask, “Is it difficult?” because I know it is very difficult.
The Introductory Chapter is very difficult. It describes many intangible things in heaven and earth. Those intangible things are the true principles. To explain them in a tangible way, [the explanation] has to be wide-ranging. Then, the tangible has to be transformed into the intangible. The principles are inherently without substance and appearance; they are very broad. “The Dharma is without boundaries.” Truly, how do we begin to pull these strands [of Dharma] into a framework? That is very difficult. So, the Introductory Chapter takes everything and gathers it all together to create a framework. Then, it begins to explain things in detail. So, the Introductory Chapter is a very difficult [text]. When we speak of the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, which is very difficult [to understand], we must have faith from the very beginning. Not only do we need to have faith, we must also mindfully understand it. Only if we “comprehend the Great Path” can we “form the supreme aspiration.” This is how we begin to enter the sutra; we must put effort into comprehending it.
So, we know these people “must be great Bodhisattvas.” They have patience and are willing to understand. They can comprehend, so they are truly great Bodhisattvas. With patience they organize things; with patience, they try to understand this themselves so that others may then be able to understand. If they cannot organize things so that they can understand, others will be unable to understand, and there will be no way to pass on the Dharma. So, compiling the sutras takes a lot of skill. We must have great admiration and respect for this. The people who compile sutras are incredible.
“[They] have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”
[They] have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Out of compassion for sentient beings, they vow to be reborn into this world: They have attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and due to their compassion for sentient beings, they are born into this human realm.
If we can “comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration,” naturally we will “delve deeply into the sutra-treasury” and have “wisdom as vast as the ocean.” If we can thoroughly comprehend the principles, we can “lead the people harmoniously.” This comes from having already developed great awakening and becoming one with all things in the universe to achieve universal and perfect enlightenment. That is “Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi,” which is supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment. For the sake of the sutras, these people very mindfully accepted and upheld them, copied them and explained them. They spent a very long time on compiling them to make them very simple so that upon seeing, hearing them, people would understand. This was not easy to do. So, they needed to be very mindful.
Why [did they do this]? Because “Out of compassion for sentient beings, they vow to be reborn into this world.” It is because sentient beings suffer when they do not understand the principles and thus replicate afflictions and ignorance, creating increasingly more severe karmic forces. With severe karma comes numerous obstructions and much suffering. So, Buddhas and all Bodhisattvas come to the world to teach sentient beings. This is compassion. [They have] “compassion for sentient beings,” so “they vow to be reborn into this world.” They willingly come, willingly give of themselves. This makes them Bodhisattvas who already achieved Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
All Buddhas and Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas have already achieved perfect enlightenment. But, they willingly return to the Saha World solely to use all kinds of Dharma to help sentient beings comprehend the principles. In this way, “Due to their compassion for sentient beings, they are born into this [human] realm.” They were born into this world for this reason.
So, they “widely expound and analyze the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.”
To widely expound and analyze the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra: They widely expound and explain in detail to universally spread the true teachings of the One Vehicle, which is the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.
It is for this reason that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to this world. They come to “widely expound and explain in detail.” So, they came to widely tell everyone, paving the way to help everyone understand that there is nothing unknown, no place that is not understood; the principles of the sutra are everywhere.
Not only could these people explain this, they could also accomplish this state. This is because the sutra teaches us to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. There are many actions. Although we speak of the Six Paramitas, they can be spread out into all kinds of actions which we can put into practice. In any space, in any time, in any part of the world, this Dharma can universally benefit all beings. So, because of this, “They broadly expound and explain in detail.” Different sentient beings have different capabilities; they patiently explain, analyze for each of them. They explain it “to universally spread the true teachings of the One Vehicle.” The True Dharma of the One Vehicle “is the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.” These are the true teachings. This refers to the Lotus Sutra, the sutra we are discussing now.
“These people have served Buddhas for many kalpas.”
These people have served Buddhas for many kalpas. Now they make compassionate vows to be reborn into this world and uphold the six kinds of right practice. This enables others to hear their words and understand and to watch their actions and become inspired. This is how they widely expound this sutra. This enables others, due to their six kinds of right practice, to know this sutra is superior to other sutras. This is what it means to analyze this sutra.
With this sutra, in fact these people have already, since long ago, since many kalpas, dust-inked kalpas ago, made offerings to Buddhas. They practiced at the Buddhas’ Dharma-assemblies and listened to the Buddhas’ teachings. They have already come through this [process]. So, “Now they make compassionate vows to be reborn into this world.” They cannot bear to see sentient beings suffer. So, it is their compassionate vow to be born into this world. These Bodhisattvas are willing to give. These people truly cultivate the “six kinds of right practice.” The six kinds of right practice are the right practices of the Six Paramitas. Right practice is [actualized in] all actions. There are many of them. Going among people to give is right practice. Leading sentient beings to enter the Buddha’s door and practice the Right Dharma is also called “right practice.” The six kinds are the Six Paramitas, giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These six kinds of methods extend into all actions.
So, “This enables others to hear their words and understand.” There are so many actions that we can put into practice. It is not just about letting other people hear but also giving them an example they can see and helping their bodies experience the feeling of receiving compassion and feeling gratitude. All these examples are things that we can accomplish in this world. So, “This enables others to hear their words and understand.” We do this so that others can see. It is through these actions that we can help people.
“[People] watch their actions and become inspired. This is how they widely expound this sutra.” Because they act in these ways, this allows other people to see them, allows other people to feel this. Because of that, this is a way of expounding the Dharma. [Teaching] is not necessarily saying, “Come here, I will share the sutra with you.” We do not need to do that. “The sutras are a path; this path is a road to walk on.” The path is this road. By earnestly walking it for other people to see, we are truly opening up this path.
So, it says, “This enables others, due to their six kinds of right practice….” Compared to other sutras, this sutra is far superior. Other sutras talk about only one or two things to teach according to people’s capabilities. This sutra encompasses heaven and earth; its [teachings] are truly very vast. This is the Lotus Sutra. No wonder when they began to compile the sutras and put them together, this seemed very scattered, very vast. Because it is vast, it encompasses heaven and earth. This is how vast it is. So, compared to other sutras, this sutra is superior. The Lotus Sutra, because it can guide people to attain Buddhahood, is “the Lotus Sutra of Attaining Buddhahood. That is what it means to analyze this sutra.” This sutra is different from other sutras.
So, when we speak of “the right practice of the Six Paramitas,” we must be even more clear. This is unifying matters and principles. This is “the right practice of the Six Paramitas.” In every matter, we can take all kinds of actions to adapt to people’s needs. There are six ways to do all things, with giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These are the principles. With regards to people and matters, the world is full of suffering. There is suffering of the mind, suffering of the environment, suffering due to material things, suffering from natural disasters and suffering from manmade calamities. There is so much suffering. We must adapt to the suffering that occurs with people and matters. So, matters and principles need to be in harmony. This is “the right practice of the Six Paramitas.”
The right practice of the Six Paramitas: They will unify matters and principles. When handling matters, they do not hinder the principles. With principles, they never depart from matters. In cultivating themselves or transforming others, they perfectly integrate matters and principles. As they engage in self-reflection, they overcome obstacles to improve themselves. This is called the “right practice of the Six Paramitas.”
So, “When handling matters, they do not hinder the principles.” In everything we do, we must not go against the principles or hinder the principles. “They apply the principles in all matters.” As we speak of the principles, they are absolutely inseparable from matters. This is the wondrousness of the Lotus Sutra. It is wondrous in that matters and principles are always in harmony.
“In cultivating themselves or transforming others they perfectly integrate matters and principles.” We can put the teachings into practice and also help others at the same time. This is integrating matters and principles. So, we “engage in self-reflection without obstacles.” We reflect on ourselves. Why are we doing this? Truly, in our minds, we give rise to this thought and thus take action. There are no obstacles; this is how it goes. When it is the right thing, we should just do it. “Engaging in self-reflection without obstacles, [we] overcome obstacles to improve ourselves.” In the past there were many, many difficulties. Though there were many obstacles, we persevered in our aspiration and continued to overcome layer upon layer of obstructions. In this way, we “overcome obstacles to improve ourselves.” Our accomplishments are right in front of us. Isn’t this how things work? Just do it. If it is right, just do it. Right before us is proof of that. “This is called the right practice of the Six Paramitas.” This is the right practice of the Six Paramitas.
Dear Bodhisattvas, we must be mindful! Hearing the sutra, we must experience it like this. Matters and principles must be in harmony. The wondrousness of the Lotus Sutra is found in this section. It encompasses heaven and earth. In time, space and interpersonal relationships, all matters contain these principles. These principles encompass everything in all of time and space and this world. So, we must always be mindful!