Episode 1561 – Carrying On Our Vows over Many Lifetimes
>> “The compassion and wisdom of Bodhisattvas are equal to the Buddha’s. They fully perceive the great path and attain great Dharma-joy. Upon the great Bodhi-path, they are able to thoroughly understand the Tathagata’s enlightened nature and comprehend the great path. This is called the ground of joy, where great Dharma-joy is attained. They clearly understand how all phenomena arise differently but share the same nature, and how things of the same nature also cease. This is known as the ground of freedom from defilement.”
>> Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one world attained the hundred, thousand, million, infinite revolution dharani. Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of the worlds of the great trichiliocosm were able to turn the non-retreating Dharma-wheel. Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of the lands within two trichiliocosms were able to turn the pure Dharma-wheel. [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16 – On The Tathagata’s Lifespan]
>> “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one small chiliocosm will, after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants….” [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16 – On The Tathagata’s Lifespan]
>> “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one small chiliocosm: One small chiliocosm: 1000 worlds are known as one small chiliocosm 1000 worlds are known as one small chiliocosm.”
>> [They] will, after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: “Eight lifetimes” means they will continue their vows lifetime after lifetime until they attain wondrous enlightenment. Thus, it says that after eight lifetimes, they will attain. Bodhi, the supreme fruit of Buddhahood.
>> This clarifies that they must continue this for eight lifetimes and illustrates how they must continue their vows throughout lifetime after lifetime, cultivating and upholding [the Dharma] to attain the ground of joy and the ground of freedom from defilement up to the tenth ground of Bodhisattvas. They must rely on and uphold right understanding, views, mindfulness and conduct and, after a number of lifetimes, they will attain the ground of joy and the ground of freedom from defilement.
>> Attaining Bodhi after eight lifetimes refers to entering and transcending [each] noble stage. In this lifetime, they will be born into the Buddha’s family instead of being born into the coming and going of cyclic existence. As for “eight lifetimes,” this means that upon hearing the teaching of the Buddha’s lifespan, they had the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the fourth stage. They must go through eight more stages to attain wondrous enlightenment.
>> Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants…: This refers to the amount of dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants.
“The compassion and wisdom of Bodhisattvas are equal to the Buddha’s.
They fully perceive the great path
and attain great Dharma-joy.
Upon the great Bodhi-path, they are able to thoroughly understand
the Tathagata’s enlightened nature
and comprehend the great path.
This is called the ground of joy,
where great Dharma-joy is attained.
They clearly understand how all phenomena
arise differently but share the same nature,
and how things of the same nature also cease.
This is known as the ground of freedom from defilement.”
We must be mindful. We should mindfully listen to the Dharma and delve into its meaning. We should always be mindful in everything we do! This is because we are now entering the Buddha’s understanding and views. As for the Buddha’s understanding and views, as unenlightened beings, how can we find ways to understand them? Since the beginning of the sutra, [the Buddha] has patiently guided us step by step, helping us go from the shallows to the depths, from the manifest to the intrinsic. We heard many stories in “the teaching of the manifest” that helped us [better] understand. Now we have entered “the teaching of the intrinsic.” Within it there is a treasure trove, while outside of it there is beautiful scenery. When we enter the treasure trove, there are priceless treasures that we can reach out and take, but we first have to understand the applications of these “treasures.” So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this.
“The compassion and wisdom of Bodhisattvas are equal to the Buddha’s.” Bodhisattvas have begun to form aspirations as unenlightened beings, and these are Great Vehicle aspirations. [For] a long time, they have been heading down the right path and following in the footsteps of the Buddha. In this way, they are learning, gaining understanding and putting [the teachings] into practice. Thus, step by step, their awakened nature draws closer to the Buddha’s. The Buddha-nature is intrinsic to everyone. “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different in their nature.” [The Buddha-nature] is intrinsic to everyone, yet we all remain unenlightened beings. As unenlightened beings, only when we form aspirations do we know that we must learn the Buddha-Dharma. To learn the Buddha-Dharma is to “behold the Buddha-nature within.” When we look at the Chinese characters for “learning” and “awakening,” these two words are so subtle and wondrous!
“Learning” contains the character for child; “Awakening” contains the character for “seeing.” We begin our lives as little children. “We must constantly practice what we learn.” We must learn! So, we are all the same in that we are unenlightened and confused. Now that we understand [this], we know that we must learn; we must learn the Buddha’s teachings. When we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must constantly practice what we learn. We need to do this constantly; we must never lose the will to learn, and we must ceaselessly practice what we learn. In this way, we will always follow a learning process and continuously seek deep understanding until we see deep into the principles and become awakened. When it comes to “learning” and “awakening,” we begin as naive children until we fully perceive the principles. The meanings of these words are quite wondrous. We must mindfully seek to comprehend them. So, “Bodhisattvas have compassion and wisdom.”
Bodhisattvas are awakened sentient beings. They have completely penetrated the principles and gathered together in the realm of sentient beings. “Sentient beings” are living beings. Bodhisattvas already understand how the process of learning the Buddha-Dharma requires us to go among people, and in order to go among people, we must be awakened. Only when we are awakened will we not be confused and will not, while among people, bring afflictions unto ourselves. We need to enter the mud without becoming defiled. As we said in the past, the mud provides nutrients for the lotus flower, and the lotus flower can beautify this muddy pond. So, the flower makes the muddy pond beautiful, and the mud enables the lotus flower to blossom. They depend on each other.
So, this is why we say to be grateful as we give. If it were not for these afflicted sentient beings, how could there be Bodhisattvas in the world? [Thus], we say that “afflictions are Bodhi.” Only by being amidst afflictions can this awakened nature be clearly revealed. So, we call [Bodhisattvas] “awakened sentient beings,” because they have comprehended and awakened to the true principles of the world. At the same time, Bodhisattvas must practice by “connecting with suffering sentient beings.” They must begin with awakening their compassion; they exercise compassion and awaken their wisdom. With compassion, we will demonstrate wisdom. With wisdom, we have the ability to apply our compassion. We should utilize our compassion with wisdom. We must use our wisdom to exercise compassion.
So, compassion and wisdom are like two feet, like a person’s two feet. The Buddha is called the Two-Footed Honored One because He cultivates both blessings and wisdom. “Blessings” must come from loving-kindness and compassion. With unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion, we cannot bear [for others] to suffer. Feeling others’ pain as their own, Bodhisattvas cannot bear it. Out of our compassion, we go among sentient beings with perseverance, never giving up. This is all because of “compassion.” We feel others’ pain as our own, so we cannot bear to abandon sentient beings. We must create blessings in the world; only in this way will we attain wisdom. Only with wisdom can we exercise compassion in the world without being hindered by afflictions and difficulties. So, we must exercise both compassion and wisdom and cultivate both blessings and wisdom. [The Buddha] is the Two-Footed Honored One because He exercises both compassion and wisdom and cultivates both blessings and wisdom. “Blessings” are [created] among people. “Wisdom” is seeing everything in the world with impartiality and having an broad, open mind among people. This is “exercising both compassion and wisdom” and “cultivating both blessings and wisdom.”
So, along with compassion, we must have wisdom. These are the two feet of the Awakened One, with which He goes among people. This is His power. Thus, “equal to the Buddha’s” describes [Bodhisattvas’] compassion and wisdom. Their compassion and wisdom are equal to the Buddha’s. The Buddha always said, “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different in their nature.” So, we have always been equal. As [Bodhisattvas] “fully perceive the great path, they attain great Dharma-joy.” Since they have fully understood the principles, they can fully perceive the great path. By fully understanding the principles, they are filled with great Dharma-joy. Like [Confucius said], “Isn’t it a pleasure to practice what we have learned?” They continuously [seek to] understand the principles, especially the Bodhisattva-path. Not only do they understand it, they also put it into practice by going among people to complete the mission of benefiting all sentient beings. So, they are very joyful. From their personal experiences, they discover that giving is such a joyful thing to do, so they “attain great Dharma-joy.”
“Upon the great Bodhi-path, they are able to thoroughly understand.” They are on the great Bodhi-path to enlightenment. This path is very direct and open. There are no forks on it, so they can reach their destination directly and smoothly. What is their destination? It is “the Tathagata’s enlightened nature.” The Buddha told us that the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are all of the same essence. Once we penetrate the principles, we will understand and truly experience that our mind is no different from the Buddha’s. This is because to attain “awakening,” there is no other path than through the mind. It is a matter of the mind! So, when it comes to the Tathagata’s enlightened nature, through their diligent practice on the Bodhi-path they have already comprehended it. “[Upon] the great Bodhi-path, they are able to thoroughly understand the enlightened nature, the Tathagata.” They have discovered that our enlightened nature, the Tathagata, is undoubtedly true; they do not doubt its truth.
Therefore, because of this, when we engage in spiritual practice, we also [need to] “comprehend the great path.” When we take refuge in the Three Treasures, we “take refuge in the Buddha [to] comprehend the great path,” We must also “form the supreme aspiration.” Therefore, by realizing the Tathagata’s enlightened nature, we have already truly become free of doubts. We must take even greater steps forward with great diligence.
Only when we “comprehend the great path” can we delve directly into the sutra treasury. Previously, we talked about “the essence of the principles of True Suchness.” Since we know our direction is correct, our wisdom-nature should become one with the essence of the principles of True Suchness. This will bring us great joy. When we penetrate the essence of the principles of nature and become one with them, haven’t we entered the sutra treasury? Haven’t we discovered our wisdom there? Our nature of True Suchness and the essence of the principles refer to all things in nature. In the past few days, we have said that they are already as one. So, this is how our wisdom-life begins. By being diligent, we are growing our wisdom-life.
This is why I tell everyone that [we should] seize time and make the best use of our life. This is what I repeatedly remind everyone of. Since time is ceaselessly slipping away, we [must] seize the moment so that we will have enough time to succeed in our spiritual cultivation. When worldly people seize their time in life, they can succeed in their studies and careers. Spiritual practitioners make the best use of time to succeed in their spiritual practice. Time is so important in our lives!
Look at us now and look back at our history. What happened in the past is all [considered our] history now. There is a place in China, [in Jiangxi Province], called Baizhu. There is a school in the village of Baizhu called Baizhu Primary School. It is in the mountains, in a very small and isolated village. It is a very small school and it had become quite dilapidated.
Most of the families of the students are poor, since they live in the mountains. So, it was not until 1996 that the principal and some of the local authorities contacted Tzu Chi. They wanted to see if Tzu Chi could go to that village to learn about their school’s situation and see if there was any way we could help them renovate it. This school had already been through several typhoons and had been damaged to the extent that it was impossible to study there. So, they hoped Tzu Chi could go there and assess its condition.
At that time there was a group of Bodhisattvas in Shanghai who accepted this invitation. So, Qiu Yufen and several other Bodhisattvas went there; they saw just how remote it was. From Shanghai, they had to go to Yichun city, and then they had to get to Feijiantan township, which is very far away indeed. Upon arriving there, they still had to climb a mountain, and then take a ferry. It is a distant and isolated place.
When they got there, the school was indeed very run down. Especially because of wind and rain [damage], it was already damaged to the point that it was very dangerous and [students] could not study there anymore. They decided straightaway to agree to repair and rebuild the school for them. The work went on until 1997. They began in 1996 and completed the school’s renovation in 1997. Since then, class after class of students there have gone from elementary school to middle school and all the way to university. Tzu Chi has been involved all the way to the present. It has been a journey of more than 20 years, 21 or 22 years.
Looking back on the past, there was one family there by the name of Wan. There were three sons in the Wan family, and when we began renovating the school, the two elder ones were already in elementary school. Tzu Chi not only began rebuilding that school, we also helped them with scholarships. Since that family was very poor, although there was a school, they lacked funds for their children’s studies.
So, Tzu Chi volunteers offered two of their sons financial aid from elementary school onward. Eventually, the third son began his studies too, so he also entered the elementary school. His older brothers went through middle school and continued on to university. The Tzu Chi volunteers visited them every year. From the time these children were young, they worked diligently even after school. They appreciated how hard their parents worked, so they would always help their parents. The three children were always so good; After coming home from school, they helped with the cows and the chores around the farm. However, they lived very far away from the school. Every day when they went to school, they had to walk for three hours. In a usual day, in order to go to school, they travelled for six hours round trip.
From this we know that the three sons from the Wan family were very hardworking and determined. Now, all three sons have graduated from university. In particular, we saw the youngest son in the videos. Our Da Ai TV has started making programs that record our past Tzu Chi history, going back to look at our past footprints. What has become of the primary school now? Where are those primary school students now? Just in that place alone, we have already tracked down and visited several children. Their stories comforted us greatly. Some children have gone on to university, and some have even gone on to graduate studies. There are already 23 students who went on to attend university, and three have become graduate students. There are some who graduated and some who are still studying.
[In total], there are 23 students. How many students in total did we provide with financial aid? We helped them get through high school and college starting all the way from elementary school. Altogether, [we have helped] over 30,000 students. In Yichun City, which includes Baizhu Primary School, [we have assisted] more than 35,000 students. When I saw the total number, I had to ask if this was the number of times we aided students or the total number of students. It was the number of students. Yet, from Baizhu Primary School alone, 23 have gone on to graduate from university, let alone those who graduated from middle school and high school. When someone is accepted by a university, we will continue to help them. There were 23 students like this and two have since gone on to graduate school, while others have graduated [from university]. The number of children we assist in their studies, without us even realizing it, has grown to more than 30,000 in 22 years! This is [part of] our history. This history started with a single aspiration. Through these karmic conditions, so much talent has been nurtured for that village and community!
It is the same in Guizhou. When we first went to Guizhou, the children there had no opportunity to study. We began going there to provide care and aid while at the same time building nine Da Ai villages for them. We gave their children financial aid so they could finish their degrees. Now, 200 to 300 of them have already graduated from university. There were also those who continued through primary and middle school. Just counting those who graduated from university, there are 200 to 300 people. They have returned home to help their community. There are so many of them.
For example, the three sons of the Wan family that we were just talking about have all graduated from university and are now working in different places around the country. They are very successful. So, we can understand that when we “exercise both compassion and wisdom” and help sentient beings succeed, we are helping the world. When we have understood this great principle, we will cultivate both blessings and wisdom and exercise both compassion and wisdom. This is known as the Bodhisattva-path. As we serve without expecting anything in return, this brings us joy. The only thing we attain is joy.
We can see Da Ai TV [staff] working now to trace back our history. When they track down every historic event, we have nothing but joy. When we see so many people succeed, this is called “the ground of joy. The ground of joy” comes from our encounter with the Dharma. We have the Dharma, and this helps us understand the importance of serving others in this way. We help others, and after relieving them from suffering we expound the Dharma for them. We help them reach a safe and stable refuge, and we then go on to teach them the Dharma so that they can also learn the principles, understand [them] and give back in life. This is our Dharma-joy. Using this method to help people in the world succeed, we attain great Dharma-joy. Dharma-joy is the happiness we get from the Dharma.
“[Bodhisattvas] clearly understand how all phenomena arise differently but share the same nature. Arise differently” refers to how all sentient beings have different forms and appearances. This is how they “arise differently.” If we just talk about people, each person has their own character; and each person is different. They each have their own temperament and habitual tendencies. Actually, each of us has developed our own habitual tendencies, so we all have different directions [in life]. Thus, this era is called “turbid.” We are now in the era of turbidities. The different mindsets that we all have now come from our different habitual tendencies, but the Buddha teaches us that none of this is part of our intrinsic nature. These are afflictions and ignorance that have become ingrained into us. Many sentient beings have different appearances, and many of us have different habitual tendencies. Yet our nature of True Suchness is the same. This is our awakened nature, our awakened nature of True Suchness. We all have the same awakened nature.
So, “Things of the same nature also cease.” When we have accepted the Dharma and taken this Dharma to heart, we are without attachments. We just give, and we give without expectations. We are just happy for other people and never think of wanting anything in return. This is to give without attachments. This shows that we thoroughly understand the principles. All things are ultimately empty. Do we seek fame in the places we serve? No, we do not. Do we seek profits from our missions? No, we do not. [Our giving] is unconditional. We seek nothing in return; isn’t this ceasing [our attachments]? It is enough to just do it and not keep it in mind. If something is right, then we should just do it.
So, the Tathagata’s enlightened nature is the same in everybody. Those who understand this principle will sincerely go to help others. This is part of the process of cultivating the Bodhisattva-practice with gratitude in our hearts. Without the myriad sentient beings, how could we walk the Bodhisattva-path? We must be grateful. This direction of ours, this path, is merely for us to travel through. We must go directly toward the same state as the Buddha. So, for the path that we have walked, we should just put it behind us and focus on moving forward, since “things of the same nature also cease.” In walking the Bodhisattva-path, we single-mindedly advance without stopping along the way. We should just keep moving forward. So, “This is known as the ground of freedom from defilement,” where our minds are free of hindrances and afflictions.
Bodhisattvas have Ten Grounds. The first of the Ten Grounds is “the ground of joy.” The second is “the ground of freedom from defilement.” When the mind is free of afflictions, “[it] is without hindrances; there are no hindrances.” So, our minds are free and at ease. Everyone should understand this clearly. To enter the Buddha’s understanding and views, we absolutely must be without hindrances. We must diligently advance. We attain joy and are without hindrances; this is how we keep moving forward diligently. Since the end of the Bodhisattva-practice is the Tenth Ground, we must continue forward, ground after ground before we can truly reach the state of Buddhahood.
In the previous sutra passages, we read that the Buddha had already transformed countless sentient beings. So, in the last passage that we discussed, [the Buddha] said, “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one world….” These are all great Bodhisattvas who “attained the hundred, thousand, million, infinite revolution dharani.”
Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one world attained the hundred, thousand, million, infinite revolution dharani. Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of the worlds of the great trichiliocosm were able to turn the non-retreating Dharma-wheel. Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of the lands within two trichiliocosms were able to turn the pure Dharma-wheel.
“Dharani” is the [practice] to retain and uphold. “Revolution dharani” refers to turning the Dharma-wheel. We previously described how turning the Dharma-wheel is called “the revolution dharani.”
“Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of the worlds of the great trichiliocosm,” Bodhisattvas as numerous as the dust particles of the worlds of the great trichiliocosm, “were able to turn the non-retreating Dharma-wheel.”
“Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of the lands within two trichiliocosms were able to turn the pure Dharma-wheel.” What they were turning was the unobstructed Dharma-wheel. This means we must teach the Dharma in sequence. We can clearly see that there were many accomplished Bodhisattvas.
Then, [the Buddha] went on to say,
“Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one small chiliocosm will, after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants….”
There were so many of them. We must earnestly and mindfully listen to this passage. As we mentioned, in the worlds of the great trichiliocosm or the lands of two trichiliocosms, these accomplished Bodhisattvas “were able to turn the non-retreating Dharma-wheel” as well as “the pure Dharma-wheel.” [The Buddha] had already helped so many Bodhisattvas succeed, and they were able to teach the Dharma everywhere.
Is this all there was to it? There was more. In the next passage, [the Buddha] goes on to say,
“Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one small chiliocosm….”. “One small chiliocosm” is something we discussed previously. In a small chiliocosm, every world has its own sun and moon “1000 worlds are known as one small chiliocosm.”
“Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one small chiliocosm: One small chiliocosm: 1000 worlds are known as one small chiliocosm 1000 worlds are known as one small chiliocosm.”
There were this many Bodhisattvas. The number of dust particles ground from one small chiliocosm is used to calculate the number of Bodhisattvas. There were so many. They will, “after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”
[They] will, after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: “Eight lifetimes” means they will continue their vows lifetime after lifetime until they attain wondrous enlightenment. Thus, it says that after eight lifetimes, they will attain. Bodhi, the supreme fruit of Buddhahood.
In the future, there will still be this many who will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. They must go through eight more lifetimes. “Eight lifetimes” means they must diligently advance through another eight grounds, “continuing [their vows] lifetime after lifetime until they attain wondrous enlightenment.”
Every Bodhisattva-ground takes a very long time to walk. As long as we are truly diligent with regards to the Buddha-Dharma, As long as we are truly diligent with regards to the Buddha-Dharma, never get side-tracked and remain diligent, this might take us less time. If we are less diligent, we may remain at our [current] level and will have to repeat ourselves. So, if we are very diligent and successful all along the way, then it will take us eight lifetimes. Otherwise, in our next lifetime, we may progress somewhat slower, and we must wait for the lifetime after to diligently advance. This means that we still have another “eight grounds” to walk as we “continue lifetime after lifetime until we attain wondrous enlightenment.” Starting like this, we must never deviate from the direction we have in mind. Not only must we not deviate, we must also be extremely diligent, and then we will progress smoothly. “After eight lifetimes they will attain Bodhi, the supreme fruit of Buddhahood.” This is wondrous enlightenment.
This is like the Wan family we just talked about. It is not just the Wan family; at Baizhu Primary School, [the volunteers] have worked for over 22 years, and they still keep doing it now (in year 2018). They were able to help so many children succeed. Among those who succeeded were the more than 20 university graduates, as well as three students who are still studying diligently in graduate school. These are those who have succeeded.
For these children to succeed, they also all had to be very diligent from elementary to middle school, to high school and then to university, over these more than 20 years. It is the same for Bodhisattvas to succeed. We must continue advancing diligently, lifetime after lifetime. So, this is what we must understand very well.
“This clarifies that they must continue this for eight lifetimes and illustrates how they must continue their vows throughout lifetime after lifetime.”
This clarifies that they must continue this for eight lifetimes and illustrates how they must continue their vows throughout lifetime after lifetime, cultivating and upholding [the Dharma] to attain the ground of joy and the ground of freedom from defilement up to the tenth ground of Bodhisattvas. They must rely on and uphold right understanding, views, mindfulness and conduct and, after a number of lifetimes, they will attain the ground of joy and the ground of freedom from defilement.
We must continue these vows throughout countless lifetimes. We “continue our vows” by earnestly being mindful over many lifetimes. So, we then “cultivate and uphold [the Dharma] to attain the ground of joy and the ground of freedom from defilement.” We have already entered the ground of joy and the ground of freedom from defilement, but we must go further “up to the tenth ground of Bodhisattvas.” We must not stop; we must keep moving forward.
In order to move forward, we must “rely on and uphold” [right understanding]. We must continue to persevere in upholding right understanding, right views, right mindfulness, right conduct, right thinking, right action and so forth. We must remain on the Eightfold Noble Path and not deviate. We must do this “[for] a number of lifetimes,” that is, we must uphold the 37 Practices to Enlightenment throughout lifetime after lifetime. These 37 methods are what we must continuously apply as we engage in spiritual practice and diligently move forward. Then, we “will attain the ground of joy and the ground of freedom from defilement. Joy” and “freedom from defilement” are not to leave behind after we attain them. No! We must constantly be joyful and constantly keep our minds free of afflictions and attachments; we must maintain this mindset and keep moving forward diligently.
Then we can “attain Bodhi after eight lifetimes.”
Attaining Bodhi after eight lifetimes refers to entering and transcending [each] noble stage. In this lifetime, they will be born into the Buddha’s family instead of being born into the coming and going of cyclic existence. As for “eight lifetimes,” this means that upon hearing the teaching of the Buddha’s lifespan, they had the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the fourth stage. They must go through eight more stages to attain wondrous enlightenment.
Thus, the next verse says that they still must go through eight lifetimes before they can accomplish the path to Buddhahood. “Eight lifetimes” means that for countless lifetimes, we can walk from ground to ground. In this lifetime, we must clearly understand the principles of the Ten Grounds. Although we have not attained them yet, we must be clear on all these principles. Have we realized and awakened to them? This means we must put in wholehearted effort, but we must understand these principles in this lifetime.
So, “to attain Bodhi after eight lifetimes,” we must seek to understand every Bodhisattva-ground. Once we understand them, “we will be born into the Buddha’s family.” Now, we must understand their names and appearances and principles. This is similar to how, before we go to a country, we first spread out a map and have a look. “Ok! Based on the map, we should go this way! After this country comes that country.” Before we have arrived, we must first investigate the route and understand our direction so we can understand the course of our journey.
So, if we are born into the Buddha’s family, a family that learns the Buddha-Dharma, then we will not have any obstacles in learning the Buddha-Dharma. There will be few obstacles for us to succeed in learning the Buddha-Dharma and practicing the Bodhisattva-path. For some people, forming aspirations is very hard, and they face many difficulties. Some people have good karmic conditions where husband and wife are both practitioners and build a family around the Buddha’s teachings. Their children will then be very blessed. Being born to wise parents in a family transformed by the Buddha-Dharma, it will also be very easy for them to cultivate the Buddha-Dharma. This is what we hope for in our next lifetime.
We must build a family like this in this lifetime so that we will have no obstacles in learning the Buddha-Dharma in the future. So, this is “instead of being born into the coming and going of cyclic existence.” During this lifetime, we must begin to build such a family in hopes that we can help the younger generation succeed in their journey of learning the Buddha-Dharma. As for the present, we are helping others succeed right now. For example, we provide financial aid to help children in this lifetime to turn their lives around. We do not need to wait for any particular time. We should just seize the moment and do it! By promptly building a family transformed by the Buddha-Dharma, it will be easy for us [to] learn the Buddha’s teachings now and for our future generation to learn the Dharma too.
So, “As for ‘eight lifetimes,’ this means that upon hearing the teaching of the Buddha’s lifespan, they had the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the fourth stage. They must go through eight more stages to attain wondrous enlightenment. Thus,” [the Buddha] went on to say, “they still must go through eight lifetimes before they can attain the path to Buddhahood.” So, in this way, we must earnestly and smoothly enter [the path]. From the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, we have understood how our wisdom-life is everlasting. so, we can utilize our life to move directly [in] the direction of the Bodhi-path in this world; this will not be difficult. So, we “can attain the path to Buddhahood.” As long as we are headed in the correct direction, this is the Bodhi-path.
“Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants….” Besides these [Bodhisattvas], there were still more, “as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants.”
Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants…: This refers to the amount of dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants.
We must also recruit many other Bodhisattvas to head along this path. This passage is meant to show us how hardworking and diligent these Bodhisattvas were, never stopping throughout countless lifetimes. They had repeatedly transformed others in their previous lives and gained achievements in their present lifetime. Still, they must continue on the road ahead. There is still a path they must realize. As we have verified that this path is true, we have no doubts. We should just focus on moving forward and and just do the right thing. So, we must always be mindful!