Episode 1255 – Revealing Initial Enlightenment
>> “In the state of True Suchness of the great enlightened Dharmakaya, He first, with a ray of light, thoroughly illuminated the east. He perfectly demonstrated that sentient beings and the Buddha have always been the same and thoroughly revealed the wondrousness of the minds of sentient beings.”
>> The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures reveals the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya. [The Buddha] directly demonstrated that the true reward of the pure land is tranquility and clarity. He wished to help sentient beings resonate with the Buddha’s one true perfect teaching. The Dharma was opened and revealed through the Buddha’s speech for sentient beings to realize and enter.
>> To see the stupa of treasures means using the wisdom of initial enlightenment to see the nature of the Tathagata-garbha. This means, in the ground of peoples’ minds, to open and reveal the intrinsic nature of the Tathagata-garbha.
>> In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, long and distant kalpas in the past when Many Treasure World-Honored One was about to enter Parinirvana, He announced to the great assembly, “Those who wish to make offerings” “to my entire body” “must form aspirations to erect a great stupa. In the world of the ten directions,” “wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught,” “because they listened to this sutra,” “my stupa of treasures” “will emerge before them” “to serve as testimony.” Now, because the Buddha was teaching this sutra in this land, Many Treasure Buddha, with His power of vows, heard from afar and emerged from the ground.
>> “At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures, 500 yojanas in height and 250 yojanas in length and width, emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11 – Seeing the Stupa of Treasures]
>> 500 yojanas in height: This refers to the mind of the Tathagata-garbha, which does not correspond to the defiled minds of sentient beings and transcends the Five Destinies.
>> The Five Destinies: This is also known as the place where the Five Destinies coexist. It can also mean the Five Realms. These are the realms of heaven, humans, hell, hungry ghosts and animals
>> 500 yojanas in height: This is 20,000 li. This vertical measurement represents myriad actions in the causal ground and the myriad virtues of fruition. Looking to the fruit from the cause is the meaning of “height.”
>> 250 yojanas in length and width: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha being the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.
>> Length and width: The appearance of the stupa, 250 yojanas in length and width, is measured in yojanas, which is approximately 10000 li. To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body. There are 250 precepts in total for Hearers. Now, He opened the Small Vehicle teachings and returned them to the Path to Buddhahood. By following the three studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we will manifest them in our appearance. Thus, it says that the measurement of the base of the stupa is as such. Our Four Demeanors share the same measurements. So it says: 250 [yojanas] in length and width.
>> [It] emerged from the ground and stayed in the air: In terms of appearance, it is easy to see. In terms of the Dharma, it emerges from the mind and stays in the emptiness of the ultimate Great Nirvana.
>> Emerged: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha mind, which emerges from the hindrances of afflictions of views and thinking etc. Stayed in the air: This is an analogy for abiding in the true emptiness of ultimate reality.
>> The stupa of treasures emerged from the ground. It was an ancient Buddha from the past, Many Treasure Tathagata, who personally came to listen to the sutra in order to testify how superior and wondrous this sutra is.
“In the state of True Suchness of the great enlightened Dharmakaya,
He first, with a ray of light, thoroughly illuminated the east.
He perfectly demonstrated that sentient beings and the Buddha have always been the same
and thoroughly revealed the wondrousness of the minds of sentient beings.”
We must mindfully understand this. “In the state of True Suchness of the great enlightened Dharmakaya….” The Buddha is already in the state of great understanding and great awakening. All the Buddha’s teachings are true principles and wondrous Dharma. Everyone should remember the term Dharmakaya; “Dharmakaya” refers to the principles. The One True Dharma is the true principles that pervade the universe. The Buddha has already attained enlightenment. [His mind] penetrates everything in the universe; it has converged with the nature of True Suchness. This is the state He is in.
At Vulture Peak, when the Buddha was about to begin to expound the Lotus Sutra, He sat in meditation and began to radiate light. A ray of light from between His eyebrows illuminated 18,000 Buddha-lands in the east. This is the beginning of the Introductory Chapter. Everyone should remember this. So, this ray of light illuminated the east. He did this to indicate that now, after more than 40 years of expounding the Dharma, He should be able to fulfill the objective of His life, to reveal this perfect teaching. This was the Buddha’s vow in coming to the world, His one great cause. This one great cause was not yet finished. Now, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, He wanted to bring His vow to completion. So, He “perfectly demonstrated” this. What was this vow? Upon attaining enlightenment, the Buddha’s first words, His initial realization, were. “How amazing! How amazing! All beings possess the Buddha’s nature of wisdom.” When the Buddha attained enlightenment, He realized that all sentient beings have the same intrinsic Tathagata-nature of. True Suchness as the Buddha. It is just that sentient beings are unaware and unawakened, lacking understanding and realization. So, the Buddha wanted to help us all attain knowledge and awakening, to thoroughly understand and realize this. This was the Buddha’s original intent.
“[He] perfectly demonstrated that sentient beings and the Buddha have always been the same. The mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” Since dust-inked kalpas ago, since Beginningless Time, this has been the case. Thus, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, the Buddha “thoroughly revealed the wondrousness of the minds of sentient beings.” This was the Buddha’s state. He hoped that all sentient beings can experience this state of mind. Before the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra, He taught “the unspoken Lotus Sutra.” Before He began to speak, He emitted a ray of light that illuminated 18,000 lands in the east. He hoped the perfect teaching of the Great Vehicle would begin [to take root] in the east, be preserved there and spread throughout the world.
As for “the unspoken Lotus Sutra,” before expounding the Lotus Sutra, [the Buddha] first taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. Then, He began to reveal the unspoken Lotus Sutra to confirm that the previous. Sutra of Infinite Meanings was “very profound, very profound, truly very profound.” It was truly very profound teachings. Now, with the Lotus Sutra, He would give an even more detailed analysis of this extremely profound, wondrous Dharma. This Dharma is medicine for saving the world.
This must begin with saving our minds. All sentient beings innately have Buddha-nature. We are equal to the Buddha; this has always been the case. It has always been like this. However, we unenlightened beings are unable to comprehend this. In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha wanted to bring the principles of “emptiness” and “existence” together as one. In the Lotus Sutra, this is what the Buddha wanted to reveal to us. This is the Middle Way. We should cling neither to emptiness nor existence. Wondrous existence is found in true emptiness. This is the medicine for saving the world, and it starts with awakening ourselves. Once we have awakened ourselves, we [discover] that we all have the nature of True Suchness. Then we help everyone to experience this.
Since we all have the same intrinsic, enlightened Buddha-nature, everyone is able to attain great awakening, comprehend the great path and become one with the universe. We must all thoroughly understand this principle. But the fact remains, we have layer upon layer of ignorance that obstruct us. Every day, after I finish my Dharma talk, when everyone has finished listening, [we chant,] “I vow to eliminate the Three Obstructions and all afflictions. I vow to obtain wisdom and true understanding. I vow to eliminate all karmic obstacles. I will follow the Bodhisattva-path, life after life.” Indeed, for life after life, we must follow the Bodhisattva-path. Life has so many obstructions, layer upon layer of hindrances, but as long as we can apply a pure and undefiled mindset, we can go among people without being obstructed by their afflictions. To do this, of course we need to eliminate our karmic obstructions.
When our karmic obstructions [manifest], when we encounter myriad sentient beings bringing wave after wave of difficulties, our every thought must be tranquil and clear. We must purify our every thought and eliminate all our afflictions. Only then can we fully and clearly understand the principles before us. This is why we must be very mindful. When the Buddha expounded the Dharma, He too was extremely mindful. So in the beginning of the Introductory Chapter, He first taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, then “the unspoken Lotus Sutra,” where He radiated light and manifested appearances. He illuminated 18,000 lands in the east. In this way He manifested auspicious appearances. Beginning in the Chapter on Skillful Means, He continuously praised the Tathagata’s wisdom, the subtle, wondrous wisdom of the Tathagata. The Tathagata’s wisdom-nature returns to the true principles of all things in the universe. But the people in the assembly were unable to understand this.
Sariputra was foremost in wisdom, so he understood the Buddha’s intent. All things in the universe are contained in the Buddha’s great awakening. Therefore, the Buddha-wisdom, this all-encompassing wisdom, encompasses all things in the universe. These are the principles that the Buddha awakened to. But how could He explain these principles? Sariputra requested [the Dharma] three times, and the Buddha refused three times. “Stop, stop; there is no need to speak further.”
Why was that? It was because this sutra is very profound and difficult to understand. Sentient beings cannot comprehend or awaken to it. In a moment of carelessness, “A slight deviation will take us far off course.” This is why the Buddha had to be very careful. Sariputra did not give up; he wanted to be in accord with the Buddha’s mind. So, he again requested the Dharma; only then could he realize that the Buddha did this to inspire everyone. He made them all give rise to questions. He wanted to first inspire everyone, but everyone needed to have this kind of determination [to learn it]. This is why the Buddha refused over and over. Only after refusing three times did He begin. He had to start by enabling them all to be resolute in their faith.
This was because sentient beings are hard to tame. When it comes to listening to this sutra, it is difficult for sentient beings to understand [this Dharma]. Everyone must have patience, and everyone must tame their stubborn views. If we cling to our own perspectives and do not wish to open the door to our minds, we cannot directly accept the Buddha’s teachings. Thus, in the Chapter on Skillful means, the Buddha continuously praised the Tathagata’s nature of wisdom. Sariputra, on behalf of the assembly, requested teachings, and [finally] the Buddha agreed. Now, He would open the door of skillful means.
In the past, the Buddha [used] skillful means; He taught the true principles with skillful means. Teaching about existence and emptiness was His way to guide sentient beings in the past so they could understand the worldly principles. Then He thoroughly analyzed the principles for us, how they are pure and undefiled, as pure as the void. Thus, all things are empty [in nature].
Sentient beings, during the Vaipulya and Prajna periods, [were taught] the emptiness of all phenomena, but what direction were they supposed to go in? In the vast emptiness of the universe, how do we find our bearings? The slightest misstep will cause our direction to deviate. This is why He had to use all kinds of analogies to gradually help us all develop faith and understanding. He painstakingly [did this], chapter by chapter, until reaching the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. There, the Buddha very carefully let everyone know that wherever the Lotus Sutra is present the Buddha’s entire body also abides.
“His entire body” [means] the perfect teachings, which are the true principles that encompass the entire universe. So, we must all very reverently accept this sutra. We must respect it and have deep faith in it. In the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha repeatedly reminded the recipient of the teachings, Medicine King Bodhisattva, that everyone must be clear on the importance of this sutra. This sutra is important for the world.
After this, the Buddha wanted to reinforce our understanding that all Buddhas share the same Path. All Buddhas in the past, Sakyamuni Buddha in the present and all Buddhas of the future must all bring this perfect teaching to the world. The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures reveals “the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya.”
The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures reveals the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya. [The Buddha] directly demonstrated that the true reward of the pure land is tranquility and clarity. He wished to help sentient beings resonate with the Buddha’s one true perfect teaching. The Dharma was opened and revealed through the Buddha’s speech for sentient beings to realize and enter.
The Tathagata journeys on the Dharma of True Suchness to come to this world. [Tathagata means] “Thus Come One.” This Dharma is the path shared by all Buddhas, the True Dharma of Suchness, the Tathagata’s ever-abiding Dharmakaya. Everything in the universe contains principles, and these principles are the Dharmakaya of all Buddhas. Thus, “[The Buddha] directly demonstrated that the true reward of the pure land is tranquility and clarity.”
The spiritual state of all Buddhas is the Buddha’s pure land, which is the true reward-land of the Buddha. This mean returning to a state of tranquility and clarity. Thus, He wanted to enable all sentient beings to resonate with the Buddha’s one true perfect teaching. We must resonate with the Buddha’s mind. This means returning to all true principles, to the one true perfect teaching. Thus, the one great cause of the Buddha was to open and reveal the Dharma to sentient beings. So, with His speech, the Buddha opened and revealed the Dharma for sentient beings to realize and enter.
[We are] Dharma-children born of the Buddha’s speech. The Dharma was taught through the Buddha’s speech, so sentient beings must have firm faith when accepting the teachings of the Buddha. Only then will we have a way to experience, realize and enter [the Dharma]. Sentient beings need to realize and enter the Buddha’s understanding and views, the state to which the Buddha awakened.
The previous Chapter on Dharma Teachers was the 10th Chapter. Now, the following chapter is the 11th of the 28 chapters in the Lotus Sutra,
The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures is intended to reveal “the wisdom of initial enlightenment to see the nature of the Tathagata-garbha.” Our wisdom is [no different from] the Buddha’s all-encompassing wisdom, the Tathagata-nature everyone intrinsically has. This is the Tathagata-garbha; it exists in the minds of us all. This Tathagata-garbha nature is found in the ground of our minds. He thus “opened and revealed the intrinsic nature of the Tathagata-garbha.”
To see the stupa of treasures means using the wisdom of initial enlightenment to see the nature of the Tathagata-garbha. This means, in the ground of peoples’ minds, to open and reveal the intrinsic nature of the Tathagata-garbha.
This is something we all have. It is just that it is concealed under layers of ignorance and afflictions. In fact, we all intrinsically have this, all possess the Tathagata-garbha. The Tathagata-[nature] is stored within our fundamental nature. Our nature of True Suchness is stored within the Tathagata-garbha; this is intrinsic to everyone.
In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, long and distant kalpas in the past when Many Treasure World-Honored One was about to enter Parinirvana, He announced to the great assembly, “Those who wish to make offerings” “to my entire body” “must form aspirations to erect a great stupa. In the world of the ten directions,” “wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught,” “because they listened to this sutra,” “my stupa of treasures” “will emerge before them” “to serve as testimony.” Now, because the Buddha was teaching this sutra in this land, Many Treasure Buddha, with His power of vows, heard from afar and emerged from the ground.
So, the Chapter on. Seeing the Stupa of Treasures [describes how], “Long and distant kalpas in the past when Many Treasures World-Honored One was about to enter Parinirvana, He announced to the great assembly, ‘Those who wish to make offerings to my entire body must form aspirations to erect a great stupa.'”Before Many Treasures Buddha entered Parinirvana, He entrusted [His assembly] with His wish. Many Treasures Buddha wished that after He entered Parinirvana, sentient beings would build a great stupa for Him. Why did He want this stupa? Of course, Many Treasures had His reasons. He made a vow that, 「十方世界說法華經 / 的地方 /，我之寶塔因聽經故，湧現其前，為作證明」。
Before Many Treasures Buddha entered Parinirvana, He entrusted [the assembly] with building a great stupa for Him. “In the worlds in the ten directions, wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught, my stupa will go wherever people listen to the sutra, emerging before them to serve as a testimony.” It would serve as a testimony that this sutra is the path shared by all Buddhas. All Buddhas, when They manifest in the world, follow the same path of benefitting sentient beings by curing the world of turbidities and sentient beings of their ignorance. As it says in this sutra, [the Buddha] responds to the needs of the world. The Buddha appears in the world in response to the needs of the time to transform sentient beings. [He helps] sentient beings understand that the method to engage in spiritual practice is to walk the Bodhisattva-path. The Buddha teaches and transforms sentient beings so we can practice the Bodhisattva-path. Thus, this great Bodhi-path is the road that all Buddhas open for us as they come to the world.
This Dharma, this path, emerges from His speech. The Buddha’s speech paves the road for us and helps us understand how to return to our pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature. We just need to follow this road. “The sutras are a path. This path is a road to walk on.” This is the road we must walk. This is the road all Buddhas follow when they come to this world; it is the road they pave for all sentient beings of the future. Thus, all Buddhas share the same path.
“Now that the Buddha was teaching this sutra in this land….” At this time, in the Saha World, Sakyamuni Buddha was expounding this sutra. Thus, “Many Treasures Buddha, through His power of vows, heard this from afar.” So, [the stupa] “emerged from the ground.” This served as a testimony to the Lotus Sutra as expounded by Sakyamuni Buddha. In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, this is the objective of the stupa’s emerging. Many Treasures Buddha came to support the Lotus Sutra. Wherever the Lotus Sutra is upheld, Many Treasures Buddha goes there to listen to that Buddha’s teaching. This was the vow of Many Treasures Buddha. When Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, the Stupa of Many Treasures Buddha suddenly emerged from the ground. This is the teaching we will discuss next. Now, as we listen to this, we [must] first understand the principles behind why the stupa of Many Treasures Buddha emerged. By reading this sutra passage, we understand the principle that all Buddhas share the same path. The Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures begins with the sutra passage,
“At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures, 500 yojanas in height and 250 yojanas in length and width, emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.”
“At that time” refers to when the Buddha had concluded the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. He hoped everyone could form aspirations to uphold the Lotus Sutra. [He wished we would] read, recite, transcribe and explain its principles and then put the teachings into practice as an offering to the Buddha. Now that He had finished this teaching, “At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures…. At that time,” refers to this moment when He had finished teaching the Chapter on Dharma Teachers.
At that time, before the Buddha was a seven-treasured stupa: At that time: When He finished teaching the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. Before the Buddha: This means at the Lotus Dharma-assembly. Seven-treasured stupa: This refers to the mind of the Tathagata-garbha, which is the pure nature. The seven-treasured stupa was the stupa of Many Treasure Buddha. Stupa: A representation of the ultimate truth, the place where the Dharmakaya resides
“Before the Buddha” refers to how in front of the Lotus Dharma-assembly a stupa of seven treasures emerged.
The stupa of seven treasures is an analogy for the Tathagata-garbha mind. The Tathagata-garbha mind is our intrinsic Tathagata-nature; it is our pure intrinsic nature. The Buddha lived in this world. In this world, could a stupa really suddenly emerge from the ground? This is intended to teach us a principle. All of this is an analogy. The stupa of seven treasures [represents] the Tathagata-garbha mind. We intrinsically have the Tathagata-garbha in the field of our minds. It is our pure intrinsic nature. Everyone innately has this pure, undefiled nature, the Tathagata-garbha. “The stupa of seven treasures was the stupa of Many Treasures Buddha.”
This stupa “represents ultimate reality.” This stupa was a physical object. In that place, people saw a stupa emerging [from the ground]. But actually, this is an analogy. Saying that the True Dharma is stored within the stupa means it is stored inside everyone’s minds, in the Tathagata-garbha. This represents the state of the ground of everyone’s mind.
“The place where the Dharmakaya resides” is the place where the principles reside. This is the Tathagata-garbha. Where does this Dharma reside? Although it pervades the entire universe, unenlightened beings are unaware of it. Actually, ordinary beings’ nature of True Suchness also contains the true principles of all things; it is wisdom equal to the Buddha’s. We have always had this; we truly have it
“500 yojanas in height.” How high was this stupa? “500 yojanas in height.” This is an analogy for “the Tathagata-garbha mind which does not resonate with the defiled minds of sentient beings; it transcends the Five Destinies.”
500 yojanas in height: This refers to the mind of the Tathagata-garbha, which does not correspond to the defiled minds of sentient beings and transcends the Five Destinies.
Our Tathagata-garbha mind and our ignorant, unenlightened minds cannot resonate now. We fundamentally have [this mind], yet, as unenlightened beings, our ignorance continuously covers it. Our defiled minds are covered in layer upon layer of ignorance, so we are unable to resonate with our nature of True Suchness. It “transcends the Five Destinies.” Our Tathagata-garbha mind transcends the Five Destinies.
What are the Five Destinies? The Five Destinies [are all found in this world]. They are also called the Five Realms. The Five Destinies are the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. These are called the Five Destinies.
The Five Destinies: This is also known as the place where the Five Destinies coexist. It can also mean the Five Realms. These are the realms of heaven, humans, hell, hungry ghosts and animals
In the Five Destinies, everyone is unenlightened and creates ignorance, afflictions and all kinds of negative karma. Thus, all beings continuously transmigrate within the Five Destinies. The Five Destinies are five different paths. Unenlightened beings’ defiled minds are all within these five paths. Within the Five Destinies, the defiled minds of unenlightened beings cannot resonate with the Tathagata-garbha. The Tathagata-garbha has already transcended the Five Destinies. So, the description of 500 yojanas means it has already transcended [the Five Realms]. It is very tall, 500 yojanas [in height].
500 yojanas in height: This is 20,000 li. This vertical measurement represents myriad actions in the causal ground and the myriad virtues of fruition. Looking to the fruit from the cause is the meaning of “height.”
[How much is] 500 yojanas? One yojana is equal to 40 li (around 13 km) 500 yojanas is 20000 li (around 6500 km). [This stupa] was very tall.
Thus, the vertical measurement of the stupa represents “myriad actions in the causal ground.” Knowing this, we just need to keep following that one road. There is only one Bodhisattva-path, which is to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions.
So, in “the myriad virtues of fruition,” this fruition refers to how the Bodhisattva’s causes lead to the fruition of attaining Buddhahood. “The myriad actions in the causal ground, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions,” require a very long time of walking on the Bodhisattva-path. This road is very straight and very long.
So, by “looking to the fruit from the cause,” by walking in the direction set by the cause, we will be able to attain the fruit we seek. This is the state of Buddhahood. Thus, “looking to the fruit from the cause” is the meaning of “height.” The Buddha’s virtue is supremely high. This is our goal. This is concealed inside the Tathagata-garbha. “We each have a stupa on Vulture Peak; we can practice at the foot of that stupa.” This stupa contains our intrinsic Tathagata-garbha nature. So, [the stupa] was this tall and was.
“250 yojanas in length and width.” This refers to “the Tathagata-garbha being the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.” The Tathagata-garbha stores the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.
250 yojanas in length and width: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha being the true essence and nature of the 25 forms of existence.
“The 25 forms of existence” will be explained later, since it will take a long time. In any case, this essence is very expansive. Length and width: The appearance of the stupa, “250 yojanas in length and width,” is measured in yojanas. This is approximately 10,000 li. To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body. So, “length and width” refers to “the appearance of the stupa.” It is not only high but also wide. This is its appearance. So, it is “250 yojanas in length and width,” which corresponds to 10,000 li. It is 10,000 li in length and width 250 yojanas is 10,000 li. Thus, the length and width correspond.
Length and width: The appearance of the stupa, 250 yojanas in length and width, is measured in yojanas, which is approximately 10000 li. To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body. There are 250 precepts in total for Hearers. Now, He opened the Small Vehicle teachings and returned them to the Path to Buddhahood. By following the three studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we will manifest them in our appearance. Thus, it says that the measurement of the base of the stupa is as such. Our Four Demeanors share the same measurements. So it says: 250 [yojanas] in length and width.
“To cultivate and attain the Dharmakaya, we must take the precepts as our body.” In our practice, to attain the Dharmakaya we must uphold the precepts. The precepts are our foundation. Precepts can guard against wrongs and stop evil. The things we do that are wrong must immediately be stopped. In our conduct, we are already making mistakes. We cause other people to feel unhappy and form negative affinities with others. This is not right! We must immediately stop. Our actions must not deviate even in the slightest. We need to guard against wrongs and stop evils. The wrong that we do must immediately stop. We need to constantly be vigilant to prevent ourselves from making the same mistake a second time.
One of Confucius’ disciples, Yan Hui, is known for “never committing the same wrong twice.” He never made the same mistake twice. The first time, if Confucius said to him, “You are in the wrong. Your attitude is incorrect,” Yan Hui would immediately stop. “I will not have this attitude in the future.” This is what Yan Hui was known for; he “never committed the same wrong twice.”
As Buddhist practitioners, we should also be like that. It is best to not even make one mistake or error, to say nothing of making the same mistake twice. If we still make the same mistake again, that shows we keep covering ourselves by ignorance. So, we must take the precepts as our body. In our spiritual practice, upholding precepts is very important. In our daily living, the words we say, the actions we take and the thoughts we have all require us to be very vigilant. These are all part of the body of precepts. So, we must take the precepts as our body.
“Hearers have 250 precepts. Now He opened up the Small Vehicle teachings.” The Buddha had now opened the Small Vehicle teachings. In the past, everyone was at the stage of the Small Vehicle teachings. Now, He opened up the Small Vehicle Teachings “and returned them to the path to Buddhahood.” There are not only the 250 Precepts, but also the 500 Precepts. Not only must we follow these 500 Precepts, there are countless, infinite numbers of precepts we must not violate. This is how we can gradually “return to the path to Buddhahood.” This refers to the Three Flawless Studies, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom; we have to be replete in these.
When it comes to the Dharma, we cannot listen to it and then let it go. After listening to it, we must take it to heart. So, “They will manifest in our appearance.” Our appearance and demeanor [shows] whether we engage in spiritual practice or not. Have we violated the precepts? Our appearance will show whether we have violated any precepts. This all depends on us.
“Thus, it says that the measurement of the base of the stupa” is as such, 250 yojanas. This is how wide it is. This [represents] our precepts. We should know that we need these precepts. “The measurement is as such. Our Four Demeanors share the same number.” Our Four Demeanors are expressed in our actions. Whether we talk or give rise to thoughts, it is all part of our Four Demeanors.
We must all be very mindful. Otherwise, it will truly result in great sadness. Must we spend our every day as unenlightened beings? Why can’t we immediately refocus our unenlightened minds and follow the footsteps of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? We ought to be very mindful and pay attention to our Four Demeanors in our daily living.
So, [it is] “250 yojanas in length and width.” This is the width and length [of the stupa]. We must take the precepts as our foundation. The precepts are [represented by] 250 yojanas. This is called “the 25 forms of existence.” There are many precepts that we must not violate. We must use them as our foundation.
“[It] emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.” This stupa of seven treasures which was so tall and so wide emerged from the ground and stayed in the air.
[It] emerged from the ground and stayed in the air: In terms of appearance, it is easy to see. In terms of the Dharma, it emerges from the mind and stays in the emptiness of the ultimate Great Nirvana.
By using its appearance [as an analogy], it is easier to understand. In this analogy, the stupa’s appearance is easily seen.
“In terms of the Dharma,” speaking in terms of the Dharma, “it emerges from the mind.” After hearing the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, this stupa of seven treasures should also emerge from the ground of our minds. Wide and tall, its height and width transcend the Five Destinies. Our minds should not remain in this place where the beings of the Five Destinies coexist. We must transcend this place where the Five Destinies coexist. We must transcend the Five Realms. So, in terms of our minds, this represents the Dharma. In terms of appearance, it is the stupa, while in terms of the Dharma, it is what emerges from the ground of our minds. “[It] stays in the ultimate Great Nirvana.” We should let our minds be tranquil and still. We must calm our minds and not give rise to discursive thoughts. We need to pay careful attention to our Four Demeanors.
“Emerged” refers to “the Tathagata-garbha mind” which emerges from afflictions of views and thinking.
Emerged: This refers to the Tathagata-garbha mind, which emerges from the hindrances of afflictions of views and thinking etc. Stayed in the air: This is an analogy for abiding in the true emptiness of ultimate reality.
Delusions of views and thinking and other afflictions all hinder us. This is why we cannot manifest [True Suchness]. We ordinary beings are covered by ignorance which hinders us. Our afflictions of views and thinking, our dust-like delusions, stand in our way.
Staying in the air “is an analogy for abiding in the true emptiness of ultimate reality.” All Buddhas abide in the true emptiness of ultimate reality. This is the state of the Buddha, which is wondrous existence in true emptiness.
“The stupa of treasures emerged from the ground.” This [originated] in the past; the ancient Buddha of the past, “Many Treasures Tathagata, personally came to listen to the sutra.” This Buddha of the past came to hear the Dharma to “testify to the superiority and wondrousness of this sutra.”
The stupa of treasures emerged from the ground. It was an ancient Buddha from the past, Many Treasure Tathagata, who personally came to listen to the sutra in order to testify how superior and wondrous this sutra is.
[He came to] testify to how superior and wondrous this sutra is. Of course, the Dharma that the ancient. Many Treasures Buddha came to listen to contains principles that are truly great, very profound and broad. Vertically, it is both deep and high. Horizontally, it is very wide and broad. These are the principles that we must comprehend. Where are these principles found? They are in the Tathagata-garbha mind, in the mind of every person. It is just that they are constantly covered by layer upon layer of ignorance. So, as we listen to and learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must always be mindful.