Episode 1362 – Upholding This Sutra Is Difficult
>> “In the Saha World that must be endured, it is difficult to uphold this sutra. It is best for our minds to abide in peace and patience. In the era of Dharma-degeneration, it is difficult to advance the noble Dharma. Thus He demonstrated the. Three Directives for Spreading the Sutra. These are entering the Tathagata’s room of great compassion, wearing the Tathagata’s clothing of gentleness and patience and sitting on the Tathagata’s seat of the emptiness of all phenomena. We must make great vows to diligently uphold the sutra.”
>> “At that time, Medicine King Bodhisattva-Mahasattva and. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, together with a retinue of 20,000 Bodhisattvas, came before the Buddha and made this vow.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 13 – On Encouragement to Uphold the Sutra]
>> “We only hope that the World-Honored One will not worry. After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we will all reverently uphold, read, recite and expound this sutra.” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 13 – On Encouragement to Uphold the Sutra]
>> We only hope that the World-Honored One will not worry: We hope that the Buddha, World-Honored One, will not need to worry about no one being able to spread the sutra.
>> We only hope that [the Buddha] will not worry: They meant that the noble path would be written down in the sutras, but the power to spread and advance it would lie within people of wisdom. If these people could not be found, the words would fade away to nothing. Then no one would understand this sutra, and it would not be practiced in that time. Now that they were capable of taking on this task, they wished that the Buddha would be free of worry.
>> After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we will all reverently uphold, read, recite and expound this sutra: We will all take on the responsibility of advancing the sutra. Here, “uphold” means to reverently uphold this sutra in the Saha World, the evil world of the Five Turbidities. >> This explains how they made great vows and requested to uphold the sutra. Medicine King and Great Joyful Eloquence were foremost among the 20,000 Bodhisattvas. In previous chapters, the Buddha clearly stated the difficulty in upholding this sutra in the world of turbidities. Thus, along with the assembly of Bodhisattvas, they made great vows together to carry out their mission to uphold the sutra and advance the wondrous Dharma. So, they asked Venerable Sakyamuni not to worry about this.
“In the Saha World that must be endured, it is difficult to uphold this sutra.
It is best for our minds to abide in peace and patience.
In the era of Dharma-degeneration, it is difficult to advance the noble Dharma.
Thus He demonstrated the. Three Directives for Spreading the Sutra.
These are entering the Tathagata’s room of great compassion,
wearing the Tathagata’s clothing of gentleness and patience
and sitting on the Tathagata’s seat of the emptiness of all phenomena.
We must make great vows to diligently uphold the sutra.”
We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. The Saha World is the world that must be endured. We often say we have to endure suffering. This world is very complex. It is not just human beings that are complex; human minds are even more complex. This is why in our lives, in the world, there is so much suffering. Several decades in the world can pass by very quickly. Time is always passing by the second, and a second is very short. These moments pass us by continuously, vanishing without a trace. Although human life in this world last several decades, these several decades are very short. Let us think about this carefully. [Our lives] are truly very short, but they are remarkably complex. People’s minds are constantly changing. Everyone’s thoughts are different from each other; this is all very complicated. Because of this, the world is full of so many afflictions and ignorance, and we replicate them constantly.
People want more than just to live; they seek to satisfy their desires. Desire is like a deep and bottomless pit. No matter how much we put in, we can never fill [the pit] of our desire. This is just like when we eat each day and digest our food. We eat three regular meals a day. We quickly digest the food, and it is gone very quickly. In a few hours, we need to have another meal. Is it enough to live a simple life? It is not enough. We want to eat exotic delicacies. If we were to devour the lives of all sentient beings, would we be satisfied then? We would still not be satisfied. This is the reality of human life. This is just [the desire of] our mouth alone; no matter how much we eat, we will never be satisfied. This is human life. Our desire is deeper and bigger than our mouths. It is endless.
If a person enjoys success in their business, makes a lot money and has an affluent family, will this be enough? It is never enough. They want to seize this opportunity; since they are making money, they want to open more chain stores. Then, they become enchained; their mind is in chains. These chains are never-ending, continuing on and on. They are endless, and they become bound by these endless chains that go on and on. Even when they want to stop, they cannot. In fact, this causes many people to lose control of themselves. Even though they have to take on a lot of debt to build a name for themselves, they still want to build a good reputation, so they keep opening up more chain stores. We can see people with this kind of life everywhere. They are famous, wealthy and have a big business, but on the inside, they are suffering too. This is what the Saha World is like.
Some people truly suffer so much from birth, aging, illness and death. When we had to prepare Tzu Chi Hospital for its accreditation, everyone had their own way of preparing. During the meetings, just by listening, we could understand how much heart people had put into this. In order to run a very strong hospital that is of very high quality, not only do we need to care for patients, but we also need to provide education. In addition to education, we also need to conduct scientific research. In addition to research, we also need to make many innovations and so on. It goes on and on, seemingly endless.
During the presentations, some people had adopted very creative approaches. At the start of a presentation by one of the Tzu Chi Hospitals, we heard some very pleasant music. It was a song called “Hot Zongzi.” [The doctor presenting said,] while [the singer] was singing this song, he suddenly collapsed. People rushed to help him get up, believing he would be fine. This was not the case. He needed emergency care, so he was rushed to the hospital, but he could not be revived. This very famous singer, while singing on the stage, in such a relaxed atmosphere, suddenly collapsed. What had happened? [The doctor] continued with the presentation.
In the emergency room of our hospital, a person who appeared to be healthy happened to be there and was walking about. Suddenly, he also collapsed. Fortunately, he was inside our hospital. People immediately helped carry him and sent him to the operation room for emergency care. It turned out that he suffered from a heart attack. The blood could not flow through his vessels, so he collapsed like that.
People asked, “What happened? I don’t know. He frequently visits this hospital. He was just walking around. He is not a patient, but is actually a doctor himself. He is a doctor outside this hospital. When he has time, he comes to walk around. With his hands behind his back, he was walking around leisurely. We saw him looking back, and after walking a few steps, he collapsed.” So, people rushed to resuscitate him. Upon examining him, it turned out that his blood vessels were clogged. So, [doctors] immediately placed several stents [in his heart].
This is what life is like; we go through birth, aging and illness. Will we reach old age? It seemed he was only a little over 50 years old. This is not considered old. As time passed by, he went to school and became a doctor to treat other people’s illnesses. However, he could not treat his own illness. He often visited our hospital. It was surprising but fortunate that he collapsed while in the hospital. From this presentation, we learned how impermanence strikes so suddenly. People can turn around and just collapse.
Previously, we discussed the dragon girl’s story. People did not believe it. How could this dragon girl, an animal, attain Buddhahood? How could she accept this teaching? She belonged to the animal realm. Furthermore, she was a female. How could this be possible? How could she have the courage to be able to accept such a great teaching? Wisdom Accumulated did not believe this. Sariputra was even more doubtful. However, the dragon girl said, “Look, when I presented this precious pearl to the Buddha, the Buddha immediately accepted it. Do you think this happened quickly or slowly? Very quickly. Yes, and I will attain Buddhahood even faster than the Buddha accepted the pearl I offered him.” She turned around and transformed her body and attained Buddhahood. I saw [in the presentation] how all that doctor did was turn around and take a few steps, and then he collapsed. In our lives,
attaining Buddhahood comes from a single thought. However, impermanence also strikes in an instant. Impermanence struck, and his blood vessels were clogged; without noticing this himself, he suddenly collapsed like this. The dragon girl had engaged in spiritual practice over many lifetimes. So, in the Six Realms and the Four Forms of Birth, she had transformed sentient beings everywhere. Thus, she knew, “I am perfect in causes and effects. If I want to attain Buddhahood, I just need to turn around and transform my body. Then, I can attain Buddhahood.”
Unenlightened beings, those without spiritual cultivation, do not understand that these moments go by very quickly. They spend their lives in a state of confusion. They do not know that time quickly accumulates. Very quickly, when they give rise to a discursive thought and their desirous thoughts arise, they will accumulate many afflictions, ignorance and [bad] karma; they will the accumulate these seeds. They accumulate the seeds over many lifetimes. Their karmic retributions are created in these instants, minutes and seconds throughout many lifetimes.
What about noble beings? Sages and noble beings seize the time; in all instants, minutes and seconds they remember to seek the wondrous Dharma. They seize the time and go among people to transform sentient beings. With the same amount of time, unenlightened beings let it pass in vain. Noble beings, lifetime after lifetime, regardless of the life forms they have, will transform sentient beings. They perfect their causal practice and approach fruition and awakening. From this we know that this single thought, this aspiration, is very important.
We ordinary beings are living in the Saha World that must be endured. In the world that must be endured, if we want to form aspirations to take on the Tathagata’s family business, that is not easy at all. “In the Saha World that must be endured, it is difficult to uphold this sutra.” We need to shoulder the teachings expounded by the Buddha and [become] those who listen to, teach and, transmit the Dharma. [Spreading] the Dharma among people is easier said than done. Therefore, we know we have so much to endure in this world. If we are careless, when one thought goes astray, every step that follows will also be wrong, and we will go down the wrong path. This is the greatest suffering.
Because of this, we create suffering that lasts throughout lifetime after lifetime. What should we do [to address that]? We have to endure suffering. “It is best for our minds to abide in peace and patience.” This is why Bodhisattvas work hard to engage in spiritual practice with clarity and awareness. They clearly understand that the Saha World is hard to endure. However, they still constantly return to the world by steering the ship of compassion and constantly transform sentient beings throughout the Six Realms. Thus, we should hold onto this aspiration. Although we clearly understand that taking on the Tathagata’s family business is not easy, we still need to form aspirations “for our mind to abide in peace and patience.” We need to be very mindful about that.
Moreover, “In the era of Dharma-degeneration, it is difficult to advance the noble Dharma.” This is truly difficult. In this era of Dharma-degeneration, in this evil world of the Five Turbidities, the Dharma is constantly disappearing. Thus, it is called the era of Dharma-degeneration. The principles are continuously disappearing. All that remains in this world is severe turbidities. Therefore, to advance the sutras like this is truly very difficult. To pass down the noble Dharma, the teachings of noble beings, is truly not easy at all. Therefore, “in the era of Dharma-degeneration, it is difficult to advance the noble Dharma.”
“Thus, He demonstrated the. Three Directives for Spreading the Sutra.” The Buddha began to teach us. In the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, [it states] [that we must] “enter the Tathagata’s room and wear the Tathagata’s clothing. Great compassion is the room, gentleness and patience are the clothing.” Therefore, we must enter Tathagata’s room of great compassion. We need to promote this sutra and apply the Buddha’s teachings in the world to teach and save sentient beings. The only way to save the world is to spread the Dharma of this sutra. How can we shoulder the responsibility to widely spread this sutra throughout the world? We need to “enter the Tathagata’s room of great compassion.”
In the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha already taught us this. We also need to wear the Tathagata’s clothing of gentleness and patience. We should know that we must wear the clothing of gentleness and patience; we must wear it on our bodies. Look how orderly we are. In this group of Living Bodhisattvas, we are learning the Bodhisattva-path. The subject of our studies is the Bodhisattva-path. Just like in school, students need to wear uniforms. For some sizeable companies, their employees also need to wear company uniforms during their work hours. As Buddhist practitioners who are learning the Bodhisattva-path, for the same reason, we also need to wear our uniform of gentleness and patience. I am not saying that we should only be patient when we put on our uniforms. This is just an analogy.
When it comes to interpersonal interactions, people are very complex; they all have different temperaments, and they all have their own habitual tendencies. In our lives, if other people have habitual tendencies and temperaments that are different from ours, what should we do? We need to have broad minds and pure thoughts. We need to have hearts that encompass the universe. Even though we may not like [others], we still need to learn to have patience. We need to have patience. If we do not like someone’s remarks, it is useless to argue, so we should be patient and wait until they calm down. Then we will have the chance to explain to them. Or, if they misunderstand us and it is useless to try to explain things, then we can show them, just like the dragon girl. Wisdom Accumulated Bodhisattva had his doubts. He hoped Manjusri Bodhisattva would explain this. The dragon girl did not need Manjusri Bodhisattva to explain things for her. She expressed everything through her actions and Wisdom Accumulated understood.
It was also the same for Sariputra. He had even greater doubts than Wisdom Accumulated. So, he came to question the dragon girl. However, the dragon girl did not explain to him, but used her actions; she presented the pearl to the Buddha, and the Buddha accepted it. She expressed [herself] with her actions; she did not need to [verbally] explain herself. There would have been no use in explaining. So, by the same principle, we must “wear the Tathagata’s clothing of gentleness and patience.” We need to face the world with a gentle attitude. It does not matter how others treat us. We must be gentle and patient. We need to show others with our actions. This means we need to be gentle and patient. Regardless of how other people treat us, even if others insult us, we should bear with it.
Even children are able to do this. Do you still remember? Among a group of little Bodhisattvas, one of them understood this and said, “He is always pulling my hair. I cannot be angry; I need to bear with it.” She also said this. This is the same principle. “Wearing the Tathagata’s clothing of gentleness and patience” refers to our attitude. In dealing with people, matters and things, we should always wear “the Tathagata’s clothing of gentleness and patience.” When it comes to our bodies and physical appearances, we must treat people in a polite manner. This is our spiritual cultivation.
[We must] “sit on the Tathagata’s seat of the emptiness of all phenomena.” The Tathagata takes the emptiness of all phenomena as His seat. As Buddhist practitioners, we must seek to mindfully comprehend this. We do not have to take issue with others; everything is illusory. We only have a few decades to live. Time is running out. Therefore, we need to earnestly seize the time. We should not be like ordinary beings, giving rise to thoughts in every short moment over many lifetimes and replicating our afflictions. We should seize the time to seek the Buddha-Dharma and transform sentient beings. As we use our time, if we are not attached to various matters in the world, we can naturally put time to good use. Otherwise, there is no way for us to attain or achieve everything we want in the world.
When it comes to our desires, we can never be satisfied. We need to understand the world is illusory, just like a drop of dew or a flash of lightning. Everything in the world is painfully short. We cannot say, “I am not old yet.” I just mentioned these two men a moment ago. One of them was like this. He did not look old at all. He was famous and was singing on stage. With a loud thud, he suddenly collapsed. Doesn’t this [show us that the world] is illusory and impermanent?
That doctor was very famous and understood physiology. However, he did not understand what was going on with his own body. He was walking about and just collapsed. Life is painfully short, illusory and impermanent. Thus, “the emptiness of all phenomena is the seat.” We need to hurry and seize the time. We need to take the Dharma to heart and put it into action. We need to apply the Dharma among people to benefit others. This is the value of truly making the most of our time. Thus, “we must make great vows to diligently uphold the sutra.” We must truly make an effort to seize the opportunity [to study] this sutra.
The previous sutra passage states,
“At that time, Medicine King Bodhisattva-Mahasattva and. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, together with a retinue of 20,000 Bodhisattvas, came before the Buddha and made this vow.”
Since the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha began to recruit people for the Dharma. Medicine King Bodhisattva was from the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. The Buddha used Medicine King Bodhisattva as the recipient of the teachings. He explained to Medicine King Bodhisattva the virtues of Dharma teachers who uphold the Lotus Sutra. Everyone should still remember this. I have just explained the Three Directives. Everyone should still know about the Three Directives, which are, “great compassion is the room gentleness and patience are the clothing” and “the emptiness of all phenomena is the seat.” These are called the Three Directives.
So, to Medicine King Bodhisattva, the Buddha taught so much wondrous Dharma to educate us. This was because Medicine King Bodhisattva had suitable capabilities. The Buddha explained the teachings to him because Medicine King Bodhisattva was very diligent in upholding the Lotus Sutra. When we continue on [in the sutra], we can see that Medicine King Bodhisattva gave up his life to uphold the Lotus Sutra. This was how he led the assembly. Also, there was Great Joyful Eloquence. In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, Great Joyful Eloquence wanted to see the entire body of Many Treasures Buddha. The Buddha answered him, saying, “I need to gather my multiple manifestations.” This was because of. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva.
At critical moments, these two Bodhisattvas both became recipients of the teachings. They became recipients of the teachings. They shouldered the responsibility of Bodhisattvas who request the teachings from the Buddha. They were “together with a retinue of 20,000 Bodhisattvas” whom they had taught and transformed. Because these two Bodhisattvas both upheld the Lotus Sutra, they were very mindful of the Buddha’s teachings. Thus, the retinue they had taught and transformed were also called Bodhisattvas. Having formed aspirations, they were Bodhisattvas. “Together with a retinue of 20,000 Bodhisattvas, [they] came before the Buddha and made this vow.”
In the following sutra passage, it states,
“We only hope that the World-Honored One will not worry. After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we will all reverently uphold, read, recite and expound this sutra.”
Medicine King Bodhisattva and. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva, along with 20,000 more Bodhisattvas, immediately came to comfort the Buddha so He would not worry. “After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, everyone will be able to uphold, read, recite and teach this sutra. We will be able to read, recite and teach this sutra.” This is because these Bodhisattvas wanted to comfort the Buddha. “Do not worry. After You enter Parinirvana, we will shoulder the responsibilities. We only hope that the World-Honored One will not worry.” They hoped the Buddha, the World-Honored One, would not have to worry that they would be unable to uphold this sutra. They were all mentally prepared.
We only hope that the World-Honored One will not worry: We hope that the Buddha, World-Honored One, will not need to worry about no one being able to spread the sutra.
“We only hope that the World-Honored One will not worry. You do not have to worry.” In the future, this noble path would be written down in the sutra. This Dharma would be recorded in the sutra in the future. When everyone reads this sutra, “the power to spread and advance it would lie within people of wisdom.” With an open and spacious heart and the power to make great vows, people of wisdom would be able to spread and advance this sutra. [The Buddha] only worried that. “If these people could not be found, the words would fade away to nothing.” If people were not mindful and were unwilling to make vows, if this were the case, though they hear and teach [the Dharma], their power of vows would still be very weak. The Dharma that they teach would also be very weak. As time passes, the Dharma would disappear.
The 20,000 Bodhisattvas told the Buddha not to worry, because the teachings would be written down in the sutra for the future. Although the teachings would be recorded in the sutra in the future, they still needed people of wisdom who form great aspirations and make great vows to [spread and advance] the sutra. Not only must they recite and expound, but they must also put the teachings into practice. If people could not do that, these words would fade away, and although they may be willing to teach and expound the Dharma, they would fail to bring forth this kind of power. This is what the Buddha worried about.
We only hope that [the Buddha] will not worry: They meant that the noble path would be written down in the sutras, but the power to spread and advance it would lie within people of wisdom. If these people could not be found, the words would fade away to nothing. Then no one would understand this sutra, and it would not be practiced in that time. Now that they were capable of taking on this task, they wished that the Buddha would be free of worry.
“Then no one would understand this sutra.” If no one formed aspirations, even if the sutra was spread to later generations, even if we read and recite the sutra, we would not be able to understand the sutra. After reading and reciting this sutra, no one would be able to understand it, “and it would not be practiced in that time.” They would be unable to implement the Dharma in the world for everyone to be able to experience and practice it. This would be really difficult. “Now that they were capable of taking on this task, they wished that the Buddha would be free of worry.” This means that they would take on this task; they would pass down the sutra. Everyone had already made their vows. They would diligently fulfill their duty with a sense of mission. They would shoulder this responsibility. So, “they wished that the Buddha would be free of worry.” They asked the Buddha to not worry. Although the Buddha worried that no one would be able to carry on this task after Him they had already appeared. In the future, they would have the power of vows to uphold this sutra and put the teachings into practice among people. So, the Buddha did not have to worry.
After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we will all reverently uphold, read, recite and expound this sutra: We will all take on the responsibility of advancing the sutra. Here, “uphold” means to reverently uphold this sutra in the Saha World, the evil world of the Five Turbidities.
Thus, “after the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we will all reverently uphold, read, recite and expound this sutra.” So, the Buddha did not have to worry or [hesitate]. “We can all shoulder this responsibility.” Everyone made vows to shoulder this responsibility. “I am willing to advance this sutra at this place.” This place refers to the Saha World. “We are all willing to patiently endure the Saha World. If we [dedicate ourselves] wholeheartedly, we can absolutely pass on and spread this sutra.”
“This is because we all know that we need to use the Three Directives to advance the sutra.” The Three Directives refer to those three methods. In the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha taught the Three Directives, and Medicine King Bodhisattva bore them in mind. [He knew] to use the Three Directives to advance the sutra, to “enter the Tathagata’s room, wear the clothing of gentleness and patience” and take “the emptiness of all phenomena as the seat.” They were willing to be in this Saha World and were willing to face the stubborn sentient beings there. They had awakened and wanted to shoulder this responsibility. In “the Saha World, the evil world of the Five Turbidities,” they wanted to “reverently uphold” and transmit this sutra; they wanted to uphold this sutra.
This explains how they made great vows. They asked the Buddha not to worry. They would earnestly uphold this sutra. They would be able to [uphold] this sutra forever and ever and preserve and spread its teachings among people.
This explains how they made great vows and requested to uphold the sutra. Medicine King and Great Joyful Eloquence were foremost among the 20,000 Bodhisattvas. In previous chapters, the Buddha clearly stated the difficulty in upholding this sutra in the world of turbidities. Thus, along with the assembly of Bodhisattvas, they made great vows together to carry out their mission to uphold the sutra and advance the wondrous Dharma. So, they asked Venerable Sakyamuni not to worry about this.
“The Four Great Vows” are, “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings. I vow to eliminate endless afflictions. I vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors. I vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” The aspiration of Bodhisattvas is to attain Buddhahood. They must “vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.” We must reverently uphold this sutra and practice the Bodhisattva-path.
Medicine King Bodhisattva and. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva were foremost among the 20,000 Bodhisattvas. These 20,000 Bodhisattvas were taught, transformed and guided by these two Bodhisattvas. So, they were foremost among the 20,000 Bodhisattvas that they led. “In previous chapters, the Buddha clearly stated the difficulty in upholding this sutra in the world of turbidities.” Previously, starting from the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha kept saying how extremely profound this sutra is, how subtle, wondrous and extremely profound it is. In order to expound this sutra, we need to exercise our wisdom and [expound it] based on people, time and location. When we expound this sutra, especially when we are teaching it to others, if we cannot teach this sutra according to their capacities, we might incur negative reactions from them, such as being slandered by others. If we do not suit their capabilities when we want to lead everyone to do good deeds, we will likewise incur many negative remarks [against us].
In summary, in this evil world of the Five Turbidities, it is really difficult to uphold the sutras. Through previous sutra passages, the Buddha constantly cautioned us to heighten our vigilance. In order to expound this sutra and uphold this sutra in the world, we need to exercise the power of great wisdom. We also have to endure with patience. We need to take “great compassion as our room gentleness and patience as our clothing” and “the emptiness of all phenomena as our seat; being at this place, [we] expound the Dharma.” Then this sutra will be able to exercise its great function in saving the world.
This was mentioned by the Buddha in many previous chapters. “In previous chapters, the Buddha clearly stated [this]. Previous chapters” refers to chapters before this one. “Clearly stated” means that in several previous chapters, the Buddha had already mentioned that in the world of turbidities, the world that must be endured, it is really difficult to uphold this sutra. We need to put effort into using our wisdom. We need to be able to patiently endure and have the drive to pass on and spread [the Dharma]. We need to have “the clothing of gentleness and patience.” Furthermore, we should be able to not be attached and “take the emptiness of all phenomena as the seat.” All of these are qualities that those who uphold the sutra must have. They need to clearly understand this.
“Thus, along with the assembly of Bodhisattvas, they made great vows together to carry out their mission to uphold the sutra and advance the wondrous Dharma. So, they asked Venerable Sakyamuni not to worry about this.” Medicine King Bodhisattva and. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva led a group of Bodhisattvas who had already formed great aspirations. They expressed their intent before of the Buddha. It was not that they did not understand the difficulties in advancing this sutra in the Saha World. It was not that they did not understand. They had already made great vows and were willing to uphold the Three Directives, to “enter the room of great compassion, wear the clothing of gentleness and patience and take the emptiness of all phenomena as their seat.” They were already mentally prepared for this.
“Thus, along with the assembly of Bodhisattvas, they made great vows together” to uphold their mission. “We must uphold our mission and follow the Path, then our path will be great.” Don’t I constantly mention this to everyone? We need to uphold our vows. We need to make great vows to uphold the sutras, especially the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. So, they asked the World-Honored One not to worry about this. Indeed, the Buddha did not have to worry. However, have we truly made great vows? Or are we just listening? When we face interpersonal conflicts, do we simply retreat, retreat in our spiritual aspiration? Is that the case? This requires us to be constantly vigilant of ourselves. So, we must always be mindful!