Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Fruit of Practice is Great Vehicle Wisdom (教理行果大乘佛智)
Date:July.08. 2015
“In stillness, the Buddha realized and entered the truths of the universe. His natural wisdom resonated with the essence of True Suchness. With the vastness of time and space, He awakened to the ocean of wisdom. He opened and revealed to the world His realizations of the truth.”
I want to share with everyone that the truths of the universe are realized in stillness, which is a very natural state. When the Buddha attained enlightenment, it actually occurred in an instant. That instant encompassed the vastness of time and space. Time and space are very expansive. But while this time is very long, our minds have usually been filled with so many discursive thoughts. Not a second goes by without such thoughts. Because of this, we have so many discursive thoughts. Our pure and awakened intrinsic nature has been contaminated by discursive thoughts.
Therefore, the Buddha manifested in this world to help us understand that spiritual practice is meant to help us return from our discursive thinking to our pure intrinsic nature.
The Buddha lived for 80 years. He was born in the palace and when he became an adolescent, he began to show concern for the affairs of this world. The region of India, at that time, placed people into four distinct castes. There had always been a great disparity between the rich and poor. The poor and low class were known as untouchables and were considered slaves. He saw a big difference between the lives of nobles and of the lower class.
In the face of these circumstances, he showed us that humans should be treated equally. Why did these distinctions exist in the world? In seeking to bring about equality, he left the palace and began his search for the true principles behind the equality of humans. He traveled throughout India to visit many spiritual practice centers.
He listened to 96 kinds of religious teachings to learn the methods they taught. This was a way of teaching us that we must look carefully when we engage in spiritual practice. We must clearly distinguish between deviant and proper teachings. We must clearly comprehend whether this teaching is right or wrong. Over a period of five years, He realized that none of these 96 methods of spiritual practice were quite right. So, he began six years of ascetic practice.
This took a long time, 11 years from start to finish. He did this to make it clear to us that spiritual practice is not a simple matter. First, from this state of unenlightened beings, we must pave a road through the world until we completely understand it. Then we must resolve to cultivate our minds and find a way to connect our intrinsic nature with the matters, objects and principles around us so they resonate with each other. This requires that we undergo the great furnace that is the human realm. We take the matters, objects and principles of this world into our minds.
Then when our minds are no longer influenced by these matters, objects and people, and our conflicts and ignorance have been completely eliminated, we return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness.
The repeated tempering [the Buddha] underwent taught us that this was how we must engage in spiritual practice.So, His causes and conditions came to fruition, and He manifested the attainment of enlightenment.
It was said, in that vast region of India, he gazed at the morning star.This means that this took place before dawn, while it was still dark outside; it was still night.The sun had not risen, so it was still very early [in the morning].
Thus, to engage in spiritual practice, we must rise early to hear the teachings and pay respect to the Buddha.When we rise early, that is truly our time for this.
For people living in today’s society, life is very busy.If we ask them to engage in spiritual practice, when do they have time for it?If we ask them to listen to the teachings, how will they find the time?So, we must take advantage of that time in the early morning.
For example, in Singapore, there is a group of busy entrepreneurs.They aspire to listen to the Dharma, so nowadays, they motivate and encourage each other.When they returned to the Abode, they said, “Whenever we see each other, we ask, ‘Have you [let the Dharma] permeate you today?’”
Seeing each other, they ask, “Have you been permeated?”This means “Have you heard the teachings today?”When I heard this, I was truly joyful! That is because a group of people told me, “We all do this. When we see each other, we ask ‘Have you been permeated?’”“What did you learn from the teachings today? This is what I took away from it.”They discuss the Dharma with each other.They reason things out with each other and motivate each other to apply their realizations to the way they conduct their daily business.
“When my client acted in this way, I thought of this phrase. Then I try to use this teaching to control my mind so that [afflictions] do not arise.”This is most likely how they mutually apply the Dharma to their business.
One of them said, “In the beginning, when asked to rise early to hear the Dharma, I thought, ‘That’s impossible! I’m so busy.”But his friends had invited him.They were his fellow entrepreneurs, and they all had a good relationship with each other.
So he said, “Fine.”He went to bed two hours earlier and got up two hours earlier.He said that he was busy every day, but after work, he would spend two hours watching television, then read a book or magazine.
He said that he cleared out that period of time and went to bed two hours earlier, so he was able to get up two hours earlier.Since then, he has realized how he used to waste those two hours before bed.“By getting up two hours earlier, all the Dharma I hear can be applied in dealing with people and things. So, by getting up early, I am truly growing my wisdom-life. This is the reason that I get up early.”
When the Buddha saw the morning star in the dark, He had also woken up early.When His mind’s eye connected with the star, in that instant, suddenly the entire universe unfolded within His mind.His mind became completely in accord with the whole universe.
So, “In stillness, the Buddha realized and entered the truth of the universe. His natural wisdom resonated with the essence of True Suchness.”
The principles of the universe and the essence of His nature of True Suchness, were united in that instant.At that time, He suddenly achieved a great awakening.
“With the vastness of time and space, He awakened to the ocean of wisdom.”Thus He was completely awakened.From that point on, He contemplated what methods to use to re-enter the human realm and help people progress in their practice from the Small to the Middle to the Great Vehicle.
Small Vehicle practitioners are Hearers.When the sound of teachings enters their ears, they contemplate it to comprehend the principles, which slowly guide them to the truth of how the world, the universe, and all things are ultimately empty.These principles gradually permeate them, until no matter what they see,with a single glance they can understand the principles and appearances of all things, the principles behind these appearances and the principles behind living things. They can completely understand everything with a single glance. This is natural wisdom.
Therefore, we must be grateful to the Buddha for taking great care to do this for us. [He] hoped that all of us would be very meticulous and not waste even one second, one instant. We must be very cautious and mindful with even the tiniest thought over the smallest instant.
As we discussed before, “[Some] sentient beings hear the Dharma from the World-Honored One and faithfully accept it, then earnestly practice with diligence.”
This means that after we listen to the Dharma, at all times, even if it is only for an instant, a second or a minute, we must be mindful of the working of people, matters, objects, nature, etc. We must be meticulous and thorough. Because we listen to the Buddha-Dharma with deep faith, we can be in a state of contemplation to consider the subtleties of all things and meticulously experience them. From the principle of the vast external world, to the principles of the subtlest and we must be mindful and precise. “Focus” means we shed anything extraneous.
As we just discussed, we must enter the furnace to refine ourselves, so that in this extremely complicated world with so many crude and negative [afflictions] from people, matters and objects, we can experientially understand these things, and after thoroughly understanding them, we will find a way to completely eliminate these unrefined and negative afflictions. So, we must “earnestly practice with diligence”.
This earnest practice that we often talk about seems so simple and can be easily described in general terms. Actually this phrase, “earnestly practice with diligence”, includes the characters for “focus” and “constant”, which means we must take what is unrefined and negative and constantly temper it to turn that into refined and exquisite principles. Thus we “earnestly practice with diligence”.
The next sutra passage states, “[They] seek wisdom of all Dharma, Buddha-wisdom, natural wisdom, untaught wisdom and the Tathagata’s understanding and views, His powers and His fearlessness”.
There are so many kind [of wisdom]. We begin by using our thinking to penetrate the Buddha’s understanding and views. We must delve into them in increasing detail, so we must be very mindful. This clearly tells us “to see Buddha-wisdom”. As we have said, “to seek Buddha-wisdom”, it is not enough to simply listen or to rely on external phenomena as assisting conditions. “To seek Buddha-wisdom”, we must also seek “the wisdom of all Dharma”.
They seek the Buddha’s wisdom. Those with the wisdom of all Dharma can realize the ultimate reality of all phenomena. Seeking to realize ultimate reality is inseparable from realizing the nature of all phenomena. Seeking to realize the nature of all phenomena is inseparable from realizing ultimate reality.
We seek the whole of the Buddha’s wisdom. We all intrinsically have a nature of True Suchness. As we engage in spiritual practice, we seek the “wisdom of all Dharma” so we can “realize the ultimate reality of all phenomena”. We start with the phenomena of the world, where the “wisdom of all Dharma” helps us to understand the working of everything. There are all kinds of phenomena in the world that we must understand in order to realize the ultimate reality of all phenomena. To seek this ultimate reality we speak of, we must understand all phenomena.
Thus, the wisdom of all Dharma helps us understand all phenomena, so we can realize the ultimate reality of all things. Do all of you understand this? To realize the ultimate reality of all things is to realize all phenomena of the world. All phenomena and all appearances, with True Suchness, become the wisdom of all Dharma. This wisdom is the wisdom of the Buddha.
However, we keep seeking [the wisdom] of all phenomena in external sources. I tell you that this is ultimate reality, [but you say,] “I’m going to go find ultimate reality”. Ultimate reality is in all phenomena, but we ordinary people cannot comprehend that all appearances are in separable from the underlying principles. So, this is part of the analogy that we talked about before, of the burning house. Many people are immersed in that place, wandering about in all directions. But when they are asked to leave quickly, they do not want to leave because they feel they are having fun inside.
So, the elder had to come up with various methods to draw them out. With the three carts, the sheep-car, deer-cart and the ox-cart, he enticed them to come out. Some people may choose the sheep-cart or the deer-cart, but some understand that the great ox-cart is magnificently decorated, bountifully equipped and can also transport companions on the journey. It is so wonderful, so they choose the cart drawn by the great white ox.
In order to get on this cart, we must be replete with the teachings, principles, practice and fruits, and also teachings, understanding, practice and realization. We must be replete with all four.
Right now you are listening to the teachings. If you want to understand them, you must first hear them, then after hearing them, you must understand them. Then after you understand, you must put them into practice. So, “Listen to teachings, understand principles, engage in practice and realize the fruits.”
When we do all four, we are “replete” with them. These four things must all happen, side by side, for us to be “replete.” After listening, in order to truly unite with the principles, we must put them into practice to experience them. If we do not go among people, how can we possibly experience the working of the human realm? If we cannot realize the principles of this world, how can we transcend it to enter the state of Buddhahood? So, we must attain the teachings, principles, practice and fruits. We must bring these four together. This is very important for our spiritual practice and our learning the Dharma.
This is why we “seek the wisdom of all Dharma, Buddha-wisdom, natural-wisdom, untaught wisdom and the Tathagata’s understanding and views, His powers and His fearlessness.” Everything beings with ”teaching.” The Tow Vehicle practitioners refer to Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. They “listen to the Buddha’s teachings.”
Two Vehicle practitioners listen to the Buddha’s teachings, but Great Vehicle practitioners focus on seeking the Buddha’s wisdom is the Dharma-nature possessed equally by all. This equally possessed Dharma-nature is not something that must be sought externally, but is something we all intrinsically possess. Thus those who seek it.
“The Great Vehicle practitioners focus on seeking the Buddha’s wisdom.”The essence of Buddha-wisdom is the Dharma-nature possessed equally by all. We constantly talk about loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity and about showing compassion to all equally Likewise, when Bodhisattvas begin their practice, they form great aspirations. By constantly cultivating the Four Infinite Minds, they go from beings. Three Vehicle practitioners to the state of Buddhahood. They [cultivate everything] simultaneously. When we go from the sheep-cart and deer-cart to the cart pulled by a great white ox, the three kinds of wisdom can be united as one. This refers to the wisdom of all Dharma, natural wisdom and untaught wisdom. When these are combined, this is considered “Buddha-wisdom.”
If we can attain Buddha-wisdom, we will also have untaught wisdom. If you only heart the Dharma, but do not take it to heart or put it into practice, it will be useless. “This equally possessed Dharma-nature is not to be sought outside of ourselves;” it is within us inherently. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature Our surroundings are assisting conditions, but we must engage in diligent practice. We need external causes and conditions to come together, but most important is that we must recognize our own intrinsic Buddha-wisdom.
It is “something we all intrinsically possess.”
So, we seek “the virtue of the Buddha’s wisdom.” In our environment there are so many opportunities for spiritual practice. Through engaging with various external conditions, we can [work on cultivating] our minds. This is how we can, using our environment, eliminate our afflictions, strengthen our spiritual aspirations and realize our Buddha-nature. So, every day we must constantly be mindful and meticulously take the Dharma to heart.
Only then can we go among the people to experience everything mindfully.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Practice with Deep Faith to Seek Buddha-wisdom (勤修深信求佛慧)
Date:July.07. 2015
“Listen to the Dharma and faithfully accept it, so that you may carefully contemplate wisdom. Uphold diligence to earnestly engage in spiritual practice. Realize the Buddha’s intention and seek the Great Vehicle. The nature of True Suchness intrinsically has natural wisdom.”
I want to share that, in our spiritual practice, we must have faith in the Dharma that we hear; moreover, it must be deep faith. With faith, we then need to reverently accept it. After we accept it, we must very carefully contemplate it.
Wisdom is something everyone inherently has. Why, if we all have inherent wisdom, are we still thoroughly unenlightened beings? Although we listen to the Dharma, we forget it after we hear it. Have we really taken the Dharma deeply to heart? This depends on whether we spiritual practitioners listen to the Dharma with deep faith or not. After we have listened to the Dharma, have we faithfully accepted it? If we have faithfully accepted it, have we also practiced according to its teachings?
Aside from faithfully accepting and practicing it, have we earnestly and meticulously contemplated it? Have we exercised our inherent wisdom? This depends on whether we are genuinely and sincerely upholding our diligent practice. Are we? We must ask ourselves this question. Only we know whether we are earnestly upholding our practice diligently. Our spiritual cultivation is our own task; no one else can help us accomplish it. Only when we engage in careful contemplation will wisdom emerge. This depends on our upholding diligent practice. We must be mindful in accepting the Dharma and in diligently practicing it. We must earnestly engage in spiritual practice.
If we “earnestly engage in spiritual practice,” then we should be able to personally realize the Buddha’s intention. The Buddha came to the world to teach us because His intention was for everyone to have the same state of mind as His.
The Buddha was able to realize the true principles of all things in the universe. When His mind converged with the universe, He was in a tranquil and clear state. He hoped that we could all be in the same state, this was His intention.
If our thinking is limited to, “I will just listen to the Dharma. By listening, I will understand everything,” then isn’t our understanding limited to the words? Do we understand the source of these teachings? To truly understand, we must take in the teachings and then truly realize the Buddha’s mindfulness. If we realize the Buddha’s mindfulness, we will naturally seek the Great Vehicle Dharma.
In our spiritual practice, we carefully contemplate, then we can earnestly and diligently practice. In addition to realizing the teachings ourselves, we must also go among people to share our experiences with others. Sentient beings experience much suffering. We must find a way to unite everyone’s mind with the Buddha’s mind in order to extensively transform sentient beings. Then we are following the Great Vehicle Dharma. Doing this brings us closer to our nature of True Suchness. The nature of True Suchness is inherently within us. We all naturally have this nature, this wisdom.
So, when we say we “seek natural wisdom,” we are speaking of the wisdom we inherently have.
If sentient beings hear the Dharma from the World-Honored One and faithfully accept it, are diligent, seek natural wisdom, take joy in solitude and tranquility and deeply understand the interdependent arising of all phenomena,they are following the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle.
They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the deer cart.
We have said that Pratyekabuddhas practice the Middle Vehicle.They are beyond the state of Hearers.
They can sallow realize the principles of all things in the world.By encountering the natural world, they are able to understand [its principles].This is due to their natural wisdom.
They also have a deep understanding of the interdependent arising of all phenomena.There are Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising.In terms of our environment, the macrocosm of the world, the four elements converging are the causes and conditions [of its arising].In terms of human life, there are twelve kinds of causes and conditions.
Ignorance“ is the first.“An ignorant thought creates the three Subtleties. External states lead to the Six Coarse Marks.”This is something I often explain to everyone.
Actually, we all intrinsically have this pure and undefiled natural quality of True Suchness.“Natural wisdom” is something we inherently have, but we are surrounded by external conditions of form, sound, smell, taste, touch and so on, and because of these external conditions we give rise to an ignorant thought in our minds.
Once ignorance begins to stir, one condition leads to the next.So, ignorance gives rise to volitional formation.Volitional formation refers to some sort of action.Because an ignorant thought stirred in our minds, we act on our external conditions to connect with things and pursues them.
In this process, our “ignorance” leads to “volitional formation,” and “volitional formation” to “consciousness”.Our “consciousness” is set in motion, our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind; the mind-consciousness begins to stir.
“Consciousness” leads to “name and form”.We see forms in our external conditions and [desire them].
Craving arises between men and women.With this craving, when the father’s sperm and mothers’ egg unite, the mother becomes pregnant.
As time passes, the fetus in the womb gradually develops the Six Roots (sense organs).So, “name and form” leads to “the six entrances,” the formation of the Six Roots.After almost ten months, the baby is born and then experiences ”contact”.
Contact leads to “feeling”.We develop feelings starting from our time in this world as children.When we come in contact with external conditions, we decide “I want this,. I like this person, I do not like that person, I crave this; I crave that.”Thus we develop “craving”.
“Craving” leads to “grasping”.We love this, therefore we must have it.“Grasping” then leads to “becoming”.
Our “grasping” causes conflict with other people.
See how everyone grasps at what they crake.Acting in this way gives rise to so much ignorance and so many interpersonal conflicts.Things become more complicated as [causes and conditions] continue to come together.
To fulfill our cravings, we grasp things.As we grasp things to fulfill our cravings, over the course of our lives, we continuously recreate our ignorance.
Whether we pursue recognition, advantage, status, wealth, sensual pleasure, etc., we keep grasping at things.Our greed has no bounds.
So, as we struggle to seize things, even though we have all that we want in life, blessings, good fortune, longevity, wealth, children and so on, do we feel like we have enough?
Or is this still not enough?It is not enough.Our minds are still filled with afflictions.When can we finally eliminate our afflictions?On our last day, as we take our last breath, our minds are still “becoming” filled with thoughts of things we still want.This regret and discontent is still present.With this lack of fulfillment and these regrets, we fall ill and die.The last link is death.
These are the Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising.
This cycle starts with ignorance.“Ignorance” leads to “volitional formation,” “volitional formation” leads to “consciousness,” “consciousness” leads to “name and form,” “name and form,” lead the “six entrances,” the “six entrances” leads to “contact,” “contact” leads to “feeling,” “feeling” leads to “craving”, “craving” leads to “grasping”, “grasping” leads to “becoming”, “becoming” leads to “birth”, “birth” leads to “old age and death”. These are the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. This is the process of human life.
In the previous sutra text, we discussed Pratyekabuddhas. In addition to hearing the Dharma, they continuously and carefully contemplate how it relates to the world and to the working of their lives. Therefore, they have a deep understanding of the interdependent arising of phenomena. This makes them Pratyekabuddhas. They understand causes and conditions and treat people, matters and things very cautiously. Although they seek only to benefit themselves, they are very careful in their daily behavior.
The next sutra text states, “[Some] sentient beings hear the Dharma from the World-Honored One and faithfully accept it, earnestly practice with diligence and seek Hearer-wisdom, Buddha-wisdom, natural-wisdom, untaught wisdom and the Tathagata’s understanding and views, His powers and His fearlessness”.
From this, we understand that sentient beings who engage in spiritual practice are divided into three groups. One group is the Hearers, one group is the Pratyekabuddhas and one group is the Bodhisattvas. This is what we sentient beings choose for the course of our spiritual practice.
“[Some] sentient beings, some people who engage in spiritual practice, hear the Dharma from the World-Honored One and faithfully accept it”. If we “earnestly practice with diligence”, this shows that we are seeking Buddha-wisdom”.
To seek Buddha-wisdom, we cannot just listen to it or rely on having been permeated in the past, over successive lifetimes, by this pure wisdom. If we can maintain this pure wisdom when we come back to this world, even if we are not born in an era with a Buddha, we can still connect with various conditions to realize that all phenomena arise from the convergence of causes and conditions and that everything is ultimately empty in nature. These are the principles of nature.
In this world, everything naturally goes through formation, existence, decay and disappearance. In the end, everything “decays” and the “disappears”. This is what Pratyekabuddhas realize. Human follow the Twelve Links. In the end, we still experience “death”. But in this “death”, there is “becoming”. This “becoming” is the result of the good and bad karma we created in the past. This good and bad karma leads to “becoming”. This “coming into existence” is wondrous, so it is called “wondrous existence”.
But, this is the extent of what Pratyekabuddhas know. They understand up to “aging, illness and death”. So, what is the use of “wondrous existence”? it brings us closer to the Buddha’s wisdom. Is Buddha-wisdom the wisdom of Sakyamuni Buddha? Is it or is it not? Is it or is it not? It is not. Most people think it is. Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment. Have your attained enlightenment? No, you have not.
After Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, what was His first thought? That everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, and this nature of True Suchness is “wondrous existence”. After listening to the Dharma the Buddha taught, we need to very carefully contemplate it. We must take in the Dharma and then apply it in our daily living to realize how all things and principles come about. In order to understand everything, we need to take the Buddha as our role model. We hope to return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. To return to this pure Buddha-nature, we must go through a period of training.
In the past I have said that, as part of our spiritual practice, we must come to the human realm in order to attain Buddhahood. We train ourselves by engaging in spiritual practice. Where do we under go this training? It is like the process of turning scrap metal into something refined and useful again. This metal must be heated in the furnace and reshaped with hot flames. In the past, scrap metal was often worked on at the blacksmith’s shop. First it was tossed into the furnace, then it was removed. After it had been heated and softened, it was taken out from the heat and hammered by the blacksmith.
After some hammering, it went back into the fire. Then it was taken out again and hammered again. It was hammered over and over until all of the impurities had been removed. For a clump of metal to take a new form, it must be heated again and again. After it has become malleable, it is taken from the heat and hammered. This is called forging metal.
To forge metal is to refine it. Only after heating the metal in the furnace can it be formed into a vessel. This is what we unenlightened beings are like. We have not yet made something of ourselves. We must engage in spiritual practice and [be strengthened] by the furnace.This furnace is the human realm.
So, why do Bodhisattvas go among people? Going among people is like entering a furnace; things can be very chaotic.People torment each other. Interacting with people can cause us to give rise to various afflictions. Why do people experience so much suffering? Suffering arises from interpersonal relationships. If we do not get along with each other, we fight and cause trouble for each other. So, we all share collectively in the karma that has been create in this world. We must find a way as we go among people to with stand the furnace, being among the contaminants and the filth, while still staying very clean. We must be tempered in that furnace. This evil world of Five Turbidities is like a muddy pool.
Afflictions and ignorance are like the furnace. We must withstand sentient beings’ ignorance and be trained by going into the flames. In this evil world of Five Turbidities, we must work to maintain the purity of our intrinsic nature of True Suchness; this is called engaging in spiritual practice.
When we seek Buddha-wisdom, we are seeking the wisdom to awaken ourselves, not “relying on the Buddha’s wisdom.”
The Buddha has already expounded the Dharma and transmitted to us the wisdom of the natural world. How do we accept it? If we thoroughly understand it, then we can awaken our natural wisdom then we can awaken our natural wisdom. However, the Buddha is very far removed from us. In an era without a Buddha, what can we do? We follow the Dharma He left for us, which has been passed on by unenlightened beings. I am also an unenlightened beings who relies on the Dharma the Buddha left us by mindfully contemplating it. We look at people, matters and objects. We can figure out what a person’s temperament is and what kind of ignorant thoughts caused him to lose him temper. If people have this kind of habitual tendencies, should we give up on them? No because sentient being all intrinsically have Buddha-nature.
The Buddha views all beings as His only child. The Buddha said, “All moving sentient beings have Buddha-nature.”Therefore, I feel love toward everyone. Not only do I love people, I cherish the life of material things. There is no one I do not trust, no one I cannot forgive and no one I do not love. These are the vows we have made.
In daily living, no matter what situation we encounter, we must immediately reflect on ourselves. We ask ourselves, “Have we indeed made this vow?” If so, we must quickly apply it. Then this will become natural Very naturally, in this world, we will learn to apply this wisdom to everything we come across.
We must take the Dharma to heart so that we can constantly alert ourselves to earnestly engage in spiritual practice. Thus we speak of “essence, appearance, function.”
We all intrinsically have a Buddha-nature. When we hear the Dharma, how can we apply its function to eliminate ignorance so that we can return to our pure wisdom? This is very important. Everyone must clearly understand the need to “seek Buddha-wisdom.” The Buddha [spoken of here] is the Buddha within us. As we listen to the Dharma the Buddha taught, which still remains in the world today, we must apply it in our daily living and wholeheartedly seek to manifest our nature of True Suchness.This is why we “seek Buddha-wisdom.” I hope we can always contemplate carefully and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Solitary Realizers’ Deep Understanding of the Interdependent Arising of All Phenomena (獨覺深知諸法因緣)
Date:July.06. 2015
“A mind of wisdom abides in the Dharma, benefits all life and exercises patience. With earnestness and diligence, our armor of patience will be firm and solid. Mirror wisdom can reflect and extinguish deluded karma. That which help us be decisive about conditions is called discerning wisdom.”
We must understand wisdom, which also includes impartial wisdom. Learning the Dharma and practicing it is all about cultivating loving-kindness. To do so, our minds must abide in impartial wisdom. With the great wisdom and great loving-kindness, we can abide in the Dharma. This is how we can benefit sentient beings.
However, we also need to exercise patience because sentient beings are unyielding and difficult to train. With the Buddha’s loving-kindness and wisdom, He could benefit sentient beings, but He also had to exercise His patience.
Patience requires earnestness and diligence. “With earnestness and diligence, [His] armor of patience will be firm and solid.” The Sutra of 42 Sections also says that spiritual practitioners go among the people, and though we put our hearts into helping them, they will exhibit various habitual tendencies. To deal with people’s stubbornness and negative habitual tendencies, we must put on something like armor so that we will not be injured by them.
As for dealing with ourselves, our afflictions and ignorance are like an army of maras which endlessly appear in our minds. Therefore, we need to have the courage to subdue this army. This requires us to practice with “earnestness and diligence.”
We need to be diligent, which is like armor that offers protection, to earnestly protect ourselves from afflictions and ignorance in our surroundings and the ignorance and unwholesome thoughts that arise in our own minds. Spiritual practitioners need to pay careful attention to these things. If we are able to do that, “Mirror wisdom can reflect and extinguish deluded karma.”
Before, we spoke of a mind of impartial wisdom, and now it is a mirror of discerning wisdom. We all have this mirror in our minds. With that “earnestness and diligence” mentioned, we have already wiped this mirror clean. Cleaning the mirror of our minds will naturally reveal this mirror’s essence, which is bright and clear and can reflect its external conditions. If we can see clearly, we can discern things, so that we will not commit any wrongdoings, and we will not say anything that is false.
When we are very clear about what we do and about we say, we can “extinguish deluded karma.” Wisdom includes both impartial wisdom and discerning wisdom. When we can discern various conditions, we can clearly distinguish between right and wrong. By exercising our impartial wisdom, we can demonstrate our mission of benefiting sentient beings. We will be very decisive and certain. When something is right, we will just do it. If we can achieve this in our spiritual practice, we will not be afraid of making any mistakes as we engage in spiritual cultivation.
With great loving-kindness and great wisdom, we can abide in the Dharma and diligently cultivate our body and mind to eliminate various kinds of afflictions. Then the mirror of wisdom will naturally manifest. Therefore, everyone needs to be mindful and make this effort.
The previous sutra passage states, “Sariputra, if sentient beings who have inherent wisdom hear the Dharma from the World-Honored One, faithfully accept it, attentively and diligently practice and want to quickly escape the Three Realms, seeking Nirvana for themselves, they are following the Hearer Vehicle. They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the sheep-cart.” The following sutra passage states, “If sentient beings who have inherent wisdom hear the Dharma from the World-Honored One, faithfully accept it, attentively and diligently practice, seek natural wisdom, take joy in solitude and tranquility and deeply understand the interdependent arising of all phenomena, they are following the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. They are like those children who left the burning house of seek the deer-cart.”
The first group left the burning house to seek the sheep-cart.This group left the burning house to seek the deer-cart.
In the prior text, Hearers sought the sheep-carts.
Here it discusses Pratyekabuddhas, also known as Solitary Realizers.
They are born in an era when there is no Buddha, but have planted roots of goodness in past lives.
Hearers seek the sheep-cart.That is why they attentively and diligently practice.Now we are discussing Pratyekabuddhas.Pratyekabuddhas are also called Solitary Realizers.Practitioners called Partyekabuddhas are also called Solitary Realizers.
Solitary Realizers and Pratyekabuddhas describe the same kind of spiritual practitioner.
“They are born in an era when there is no Buddha.”
Pratyekabuddhas, or Solitary Realizers, are not necessarily born in the era of a Buddha.They may be born in an era when there is no Buddha so they have to rely on the roots of goodness they planted in their past lives.
Perhaps in a past life they lived in the same era as a Buddha.Perhaps they have engaged in spiritual practice for many lifetimes, so when they return to the world this time, they still have those roots of goodness.Even if born when there is no Buddha, they are able to realize on their own that all things in the world follow the principles of formation, existence, decay and disappearance.So, they seek to learn more.They “seek natural wisdom”.
[They] seek natural wisdom:
They seek solitary realization for themselves.Only benefiting and protecting themselves, they do not seek the collective good.They observe the changes in material objects and awaked to the truth of non-arising.
Because Solitary Realizers have realized the impermanence of the world, they want to find ways to enhance their understanding of the principle of the impermanence of all things in the world.Therefore, “They seek solitary realization for themselves, only benefiting and protecting themselves. Only benefiting and protecting themselves” means that in their spiritual cultivation, they only seek to awaken themselves and “do not seek the collective good.”
The only seek understanding for themselves, and do not care whether others understand.
So, Solitary Realizers only care about benefiting and protecting themselves.“They do not seek the collective good.”
As Bodhisattvas, we must do more than this.
Whenever we learn something beneficial, we must earnestly practice it and then share it with others.
This is what Bodhisattvas do.
However, Pratyekabuddhas “do not seek the collective good. They observe the changes in material objects and awaken to the truth of non-arising.”They have this ability; they can perceive the world around them and mindfully and carefully contemplate it.They are cautious and meticulous in their thinking.So they can realize, by observing tangible things, that all things are ultimately empty in nature.
They “awaken to the truth of non-arising”; this emptiness is non-arising.Their disposition is to focus on “learning”.They need a quiet place in order to learn.They do not like crowded, lively places.“They do not enjoy bustle and noise.”They do not like being in a crowd, so they “seek and study on their own and have no aspirations to benefit others.”
They seek the Dharma by themselves to figure out the principles behind the working of thing and behind the human cycle of birth and death.They seek to learn and practice on their own without any desire to benefit sentient beings.
So, they “take joy in solitude and tranquility and deeply understand interdependent arising. [They] are following the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle.”
Because they take joy in solitude, they like places that are tranquil.They understand that all phenomena arise from causes and conditions.Because their hearts are pure and their minds are tranquil, they are able to understand this Dharma, that all things arise interdependently.
Hearers only reach the state of understanding suffering, causation, cessation and the Path.They know the body is composed of the four elements, and they understand the Four Noble Truths.
But Solitary Realizers mindfully realize that even though the human body is a union of the four elements, there must be causes and conditions behind the life they lead and the thoughts they have in this world. There are causes and conditions behind all the relationships in their lives. Why is one person born in a nation that is highly developed and wealthy while another person is born into a very poor and harsh place of much ignorance?
“Why couldn’t I have been born to those parents, and was instead born into this kind of life?” this is all due to causes and conditions. Pratyekabuddhas mindfully learn the interdependent arising of all phenomena. As for causes and conditions, everyone knows the. Twelve Links of interdependent. Arising ignorance gives rise to volitional formation, volitional formation to consciousness, consciousness to name and form, name and form to the six entrances, and so on. There are a total of 12 links. They end with aging, illness and death. The convergence of these causes and conditions brings us into this life. Then in this world we endlessly create positive and negative conditions and good and bad karma. In our lives we never stop reproducing these so life after life, we remain in the Six Realms. All this is due to the Twelve Links.
“The Twelve Links of interdependent Arising: Ignorance gives rise to volitional formation, volitional formation to consciousness, consciousness to name and form, name and form to the six entrances, six entrances to contact, contact to sensation, sensation to craving, craving to grasping, grasping to becoming, becoming to birth, birth to aging and death.”
Solitary Realizers seek realizations by themselves. They seek their own awakening and purity so that they can attain a deep realization of the Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising. This is the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. When it comes to the capacities of Solitary Realizers, for hundreds of kalpas already, for a very long period of time, they have been listening to the Dharma.
“Pratyekabuddhas have all gone through hundreds of kalpas of listening to the Dharma. They are also called Solitary Realizers. They contemplate the Twelve Links on the path to becoming Pratyekabuddhas.
We constantly say that we need to listen more to teachings and let them permeate us. Some people wonder, “How can that person be so smart? Once he reads those words, he completely understands them. Oh, that person was well-read in a previous life”. We used to hear this answer often as an explanation. Within the Buddhist teachings, we also recognize that Solitary Realizers must have spent many kalpas in their past lives listening to the teachings. Life after life they diligently practiced and also abided in the Dharma. So, when they return to the world and connect with external conditions, they are able to attain realizations. Thus they are also called Realizers of Conditions, they awaken by connecting to external conditions. These practitioners are truly exceptional because they have been listening to the Dharma for many lifetimes. They understand that just listening to the Dharma, just relying on what other people said, is not enough. They have to put it into practice and be mindful.
So, Solitary Realizers are unlike Hearers, who only seek to quickly understand. That is not all they do. These practitioners rely on their own strength to uphold the Dharma. After understanding the Dharma, aside from practicing to benefit themselves, they also cultivate purity in their minds. Afflictions cannot penetrate their minds because they diligently practice and wear the armor of patience. They have already subdued the army of mara’s in their minds, so they are not troubled by their afflictions. These people are called Realizers of Conditions, Solitary Realizers or Pratyekabuddhas.
They rely on their own efforts to uphold the Dharma. They are people who put the Dharma into practice.
“Pratyekabudhas have a deep understanding and resolve to seek the truth. They are unlike Hearers, who only seek to quickly understand. These practitioners rely on their own strength to uphold the Dharma. They rarely listen to others’ teachings and mostly deduce the meaning themselves. They are likened to [those who seek] the deer-cart”.
“They rarely listen to others’ teachings. They have listened to the teachings for hundreds, if not thousands, of lifetimes. Upon seeing external conditions, they understand everything very clearly. Since they understand true emptiness, there are no afflictions in their minds. They have gradually eliminated their delusions, so they will not create more karma. Because these have been completely eliminated, they do not have to listen to that many teachings. They can “deduce the meanings themselves”. From one principle, they can understand everything. When I say that all material things exist because of the convergence of the four elements, I am not just talking about flowers and grasses. The union of the four elements brings about flowers, grasses, trees, the floor we are sitting on, the roof above our heads and the roads we are walking every day. This is true for everything we come in contact with “By grasping one truth, we understand all truths. We have fully understood the workings of the four elements and the Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising.
So, Pratyekabuddhas have a clear understanding of all of this. For hundreds and thousands of kalpas, they have been learning and have been permeated by the Path and by virtues. This comes from listening, contemplating and practicing. Thus they are able to awaken and understand everything.
This is analogous to the deer-cart. Sheep only focus on eating grass and going their own way. They do not look back to take care of other sheep. As for deer, as they eat the grass, they turn their heads to look around. This way of learning Dharma is about understanding the conditions before them and the past principles [that led to the present]. So, they are like deer. Therefore, we say, “They have the loving-kindness [of deer].”
They have the loving-kindness of deer who turns their [to look after the others]. They are more advanced than Hearers, but not yet at the level of Bodhisattvas. Thus they are considered the Middle Vehicle.
They have begun to understand the principles, so they have no conflicts over matters, with people or with the world. They have great loving-kindness and compassion. Therefore, “They are more advanced than Hearers.” They are at a more advanced stage. However, “They are not yet at the level Bodhisattvas.” Compared to Bodhisattvas, they are still very different. Therefore, they are Middle Vehicle practitioners.
Pratyekabuddhas are born in an era when there is no Buddha. “They observe the changes of seasons, the conditions that lead to their realization.” They observe condition like floating flower petals and falling leaves.”
All they need to do is see these conditions. In the autumn, the leaves have fallen. Just by looking at our surroundings, we can already tell it is autumn. By observing this, “They awaken to the natural laws of heaven and earth.”
Just from observing our conditions, we can tell whether it is spring, summer, autumn or winter. This is the level they have attained.People like that are Solitary Realizers, also known as Pratyekabuddhas. “They are like those children who left burning house to seek the deer-cart.”
In this way, they only seek to awaken themselves. They “take joy in solitude and tranquility, and deeply understand the interdependent arising of all phenomena.” These people are Pratyekabuddhas. “They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the deer-cart.”
This is their process of spiritual practice. Everyone, there is a sequence to learning the Buddha’s Way. The Hearers who lived in the Buddha’s lifetime relied on the Buddha’s spoken teachings to understand the principles of the Dharma. The listeners had varying capabilities. Some listened to and understood the Dharma. Some listened and seemed to understand, but also seemed not to understand. After listening to the Dharma, it is very hard to retain it, because we have Leaks. We hear it, then forget it very quickly. After listening to the Dharma, our behavior may still contradict the Dharma. People who can truly listen to the Dharma, take it to heart and practice according to it are very few in number.
Without diligent practice, the mirror of their wisdom would not be clear. If that mirror is blurry, the various teachings would not be clear to them. So, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must abide in the Dharma. We must awaken our wisdom and cultivate loving-kindness. With the power of wisdom, we abide in the Dharma and benefit sentient beings.
In order to go among people, we need patience so we with not be harmed by external conditions or by our own afflictions. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Faithfully and Diligently Apply the Dharma (聞法信受勤精進)
Date:July.03. 2015
“When we hear the Dharma and take it to heart, we can faithfully apply it without doubt. We earnestly put the teachings into practice and uphold them completely. We are attentive and diligent as we engage in listening, contemplate and practicing. We renounce the suffering of the Three Realms and seek the joy of tranquility.”
As we engage in spiritual practice, we must faithfully accept and practice the Dharma. Only then can we put it into practice step by step. When the Dharma enters our minds, we cannot let it leak out. If a bucket holding water has leaks, the water will keep disappearing. Though the water leaks out, the filth remains. This is like us in our spiritual practice; we do not take the Dharma to heart, but still have interpersonal conflicts in daily living. Many objects and matters remain in our minds and lead us to give rise to delusion and create karma. Because we have not taken the Dharma to heart, these afflictions cannot be eliminated and thus endlessly accumulate. The Dharma we take to heart is pure water. We need to prevent dirty things from falling into this water, just as with [the bucket]. So, we must faithfully accept the Dharma, then earnestly practice it.
After hearing the Dharma and taking it to heart, we still must put it into practice. By upholding the Dharma in this way, it will not leak out. We must continue doing this second after second, thought after thought. This is how we can be attentive and diligent in listening, contemplating and practicing. With precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, the Three Flawless Studies, we can persevere. This is from listening, contemplating and practicing.
Not only do we uphold the Dharma, we must also diligently listen to more teachings. As we continue to learn more teachings, we constantly advance in the cultivation of purifying practices. We “renounce the suffering of the Three Realms and seek the joy of tranquility.”
Recently, I have spent a long period of time telling everyone that in the burning house of the Three Realms the suffering is unbearable. Moreover, disasters are arising all around us. Fires and other disasters constantly approach us from all sides, but we sentient beings do not recognize suffering. We do not understand that ignorance and afflictions are like fires that we have started ourselves. So the Buddha, in His compassion, manifested in this world in the hope that we will awaken and understand that the karma we create comes from ignorance.
The Three Realms are all in our minds. “All things are created by the mind.” Outside of the mind there is no Dharma; all phenomena, good and evil, are in our minds. So, as we learn the practice the Buddha-Dharma, we must first understand our general environment, the state of the world and the way people live. This is something we must understand. When we do, we understand how everything is related to the Three Realms, to our minds and the good and evil within them. There is no Dharma apart from the mind.
So, learning the Dharma begins with the mind. If we can eliminate evil thoughts, our minds naturally becomes tranquil and still. This is what Buddhist practitioners must recognize.
We must take the Dharma we hear to heart and faithfully accept and practice it. Moreover, we must do so earnestly. Even more importantly, we must uphold it completely. For instance, when listening to the Dharma, if we mindfully listen, by hearing one thing, we realize 1000.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, His disciples were once discussing the Dharma. With everything that the Buddha taught, who had attained the most realizations? They concluded that it was Ananda. Ananda took every word of the teachings to heart and his memory was also quite good. So, everyone wondered about the karmic causes and conditions Ananda created that enabled him to listen to the Buddha-Dharma, to be close to the Buddha as His attendant and to take every word of the Dharma to heart while remembering them all.What were the causes and conditions behind this?
They said, “Let us ask the Buddha.”
The Buddha began by telling everyone that in the distant past, countless kalpas ago, deep in the mountains there was a bhiksu and his young disciple.
This bhiksu hoped that the young disciple would make something of himself, so he determined the young disciple’s homework.Every day he would have to chant the sutras and listen to the Dharma; he also had to go out and beg for alms each day.
The young disciple practiced diligently.He was very interested in the Dharma and enjoyed chanting the sutras.But though his course of study was quite full, he still had to go out and beg for alms each day.
This task distressed him the most.
Sometime when conditions were unfavorable, he could not find people to interact with or people willing to make offerings.Then, by the time he returned, it would be later, so he would not have enough time.
There was not enough time to listen to the teachings and chant the sutras.
One day, it was already quite late, and he had still not received any alms because the karmic conditions were not there.As he walked, he looked at his empty alms bowl and began to cry.
An elder saw this young novice walking along very sorrowfully.“Young master what is bothering you?”
The young novice told the elder his story.
The elder then told him, “If this the case, don’t worry about anything. Just come to my houses every day.”
From this day on, every day the young novice was able to successfully beg for alms and return home with plenty of time to listen to the teachings and chant the sutras.
The Buddha stopped the story here and said to everyone, “Did you know? The young novice was me, Sakyamuni Buddha, and the elder was Ananda.”You see, by helping other people succeed, we are helping ourselves succeed.This was how Ananda engaged in spiritual practice in the past and now he strictly adhered to His mamster’s teachings.He did not allow even a single word to leak out.With this attentiveness and diligence, he listened, contemplated then practiced.Spiritual practitioners hope to transcend the Three Realms, so they seek the joy of tranquility and stillness.This is what Buddhist practitioners must do.
As we mentioned yesterday, we “journey in the Three Vehicles.”There is a sequence to spiritual practice.
The Three Vehicles are the Hearer, the Solitary Realizer and the Buddha or Bodhisattva Vehicles.
These are the Three Vehicles.
So, “With flawless [studies,] roots and powers, [factors of] enlightenment, [Eightfold] Path, liberation, Samadhi and so on, you will attain what you enjoy.”
As we learn and practice the Buddha-Dharma, we must work with other people, coming and going freely like Bodhisattvas.
The Hearers and Solitary Realizers cleanse their minds of defilements and cultivate purifying practices.
The Hearers learn the Dharma by hearing it.The Three Vehicle practitioners each attained what they would enjoy.
Bodhisattvas go among the people, and aside from learning the Dharma and also eliminating the ignorance in their minds, they can also freely come and go among others.
They “further attain infinite peace and happiness”.
After helping the people who need it, when we come home, we feel peaceful and at ease; this makes us Bodhisattvas.
The following sutra passage continues, “Sariputra, if sentient beings who have inherent wisdom hear the Dharma from the World-Honored One, faithfully accept it, attentively and diligently practice and want to quickly escape the Three Realms, seeking Nirvana for themselves, they are following the Hearer Vehicle. They are like those children who left the burning house to seek the sheep-cart.”
This passage tells us that sentient beings have inherent wisdom.Indeed, there is wisdom within each one of us.
Sentient beings have inherent wisdom and in past lives planted the joyous desire for the Three Vehicles and therefore have an interest in one of the vehicles.
Thus the Buddha gives the Three Vehicle Dharma to establish teachings that they would like.This nature is intrinsic to all sentient beings; it is the true cause of our Buddha-nature.
Inherent wisdom is our nature of True Suchness.We all intrinsically have an awakened nature of True Suchness, which is inherent wisdom.
So, “In past lives [we] planted the joyous desire for the Three Vehicles.”In our past lives, we endlessly accumulated this joyous desire foe the Dharma. Those of limited capabilities enjoy listening to the teachings, but allow them to leak away soon after.
Those of average capabilities hear and understand, but only try to benefit themselves. As for those of great capabilities, they listen to the Dharma and understand it so they can eliminate their afflictions, form great aspirations and go among the people. This is because, for a very long time, they have nurtured their own interests. So, “In past lives [they] planted the joyous desire for the Three Vehicles”.
Our interests have been nurtured over the course of our past lifetimes, so we have an interest in one of the Three Vehicles”. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, He wished that with a few words He could reveal the confusion of sentient beings. But, it was not that easy. So, He had to adapt to sentient beings’ joyous desires.
“The Buddha gives the Three Vehicle Dharma to establish teachings that they would like. The Buddha taught with the Three Vehicles. He observed what they needed. If they loved listening to the Dharma, then of course He spoke the Dharma for them. Upon hearing it, if their capabilities enabled them to accept it, they could unceasingly eliminate their habitual tendencies. If they could not eliminate them all in that life, they would continue in the next. If they did not accumulate enough [blessings] in a previous life, they must continue in this one.
Throughout our lifetimes, if we learned the Dharma in a past life, we will be joyous when we hear it in this life. If we did not hear the Dharma in a past life, and did not learn it or practice it, then we will have no interest in the Dharma now. This is why the Buddha had to create conditions for transformation in this world. For those who never heard the Dharma, He finds ways to help them happily accept it and enjoy listening to it. For those who had already heard the teachings, He [taught] them how to quickly eliminate their ignorance. For those who only practiced for their own benefit, He inspired them to enjoy the Bodhisattva-path. This is the gradual method that the Buddha used to continuously form karmic connections. This means He finds opportunities to transform sentient beings.
So, the Buddha “gives the Three Vehicle Dharma to establish teachings that they would like. This nature is intrinsic to all sentient beings”, because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. We all have a nature of True Suchness and all have inherent wisdom within us. The nature of True Suchness and inherent wisdom is something sentient beings intrinsically have. This is the true cause that we all have. This direct cause is our nature of True Suchness; it is just that we have endlessly reproduced afflictions [that have covered it].
Because everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, we can “attain awakening upon hearing the Buddha’s spoken teachings”.
Those who attain awakening from hearing the Buddha’s spoken teachings can understand, but they cannot transform others. They are like those who heard the father say that outside the house were three kinds of carts that would suit their wishes. They have wisdom of hearing; they are diligent with sharp and bold minds.
Because we ourselves have an awakened nature and inherent wisdom, if we listened to the Buddha’s voice and His spoken teachings, naturally we would say, “I understand”. If we did not have an awakened nature, we would not be able to understand.
So, “They can understand, but they cannot transform others”. These are Hearers or Solitary Realizers. These practitioners can understand, but are unable to transform others. They do not have that aspiration and are unwilling. So, as in the parable, they “are like those who heard the father say that outside the house were three kinds of carts that would suit their wishes”
As we have been saying previously, the father was watching from the outside as the fire was already burning the house. The Children were still inside, foolishly playing with fire. So, he set up three kinds of carts outside. “Hurry outside, your favorite things are here. Come out and choose from among them”. Hearing his voice and seeing the three kinds of carts outside, they all hurried out. This shows they have “wisdom of listening”. Everyone has an awakened nature and inherent wisdom thus we have wisdom of listening. However, a moment of confusion made us unaware of the conflicts around us. Upon hearing the Buddha’s teachings, the wisdom of hearing stirs.
So, “[They are] diligent, with sharp and bold minds. Everyone was willing to accept it. So, everyone had already begun to very boldly and very happily run out the door. This shows they have accepted the Dharma. Thus they have temporarily escaped the burning house and are safe.
If we hear the Dharma and take it to heart, we understand the suffering of the burning house. Then we will be afraid and will try to leave. Then we will be afraid and will try to leave. This shows we understand the house is burning. As stated above, Hearers seek the sheep-cart; that is why they run out of the house.
This refers to those who sought the sheep-carts. Their inherent wisdom is the power of the cause. Their ability to hear the Buddha-Dharma is due to the power of spiritual friends. Accepting the Dharma is the power of intentions. Being diligent is the power of sustenance.
Their inherent wisdom is the power of the cause. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but we needed karmic connections with others to guide us. This means we need spiritual friends. This is the powers of spiritual friends.
Accepting the Dharma is the power of intentions. When we listen to the Dharma, we can motivate ourselves. Our reverence in accepting the Dharma is the power of intentions.
[With this acceptance], we will naturally be earnest and diligent. When we are inspired, we automatically become earnest and diligent; this is the power of sustenance.
So, “[Those who] want to quickly escape, seeking Nirvana for themselves, are following the Hearer Vehicle.”These fore exceptional powers, these great powers, are for cultivation Nirvana. This makes them Hearers.
These four kinds of powers come from the inherent wisdom within us. Our inherent wisdom us the power of the cause, the power of the direct cause. Our ability to hear the Buddha-Dharma is the power of spiritual friends. We must rely on the voices around us. The Buddha is like a teacher, friend and father, so it is the Buddha’s voice that inspires us.
Now that the Buddha is not this world, after hearing the teachings, we must share them. We must be a spiritual friend to others. “Accepting the Dharma is the power of intentions. We must earnestly inspire ourselves and mutually encourage one another; this must be our intention. In every lifetime, we must earnestly follow up on our intentions.We must be diligent.
If we have even a single thought of indolence, then we cannot continue to advance diligently. If we cannot continue to advance diligently, where will the sustenance. So, we need the “power of sustenance.” The power of sustenance is diligent practice.
If we attentively and diligently practice, we have sufficient sustenance for our wisdom-life. These are four [exceptional] powers. “Relying on these four exceptional powers to cultivate Nirvana” is the Hearer Vehicle.
Nirvana is also translated as crossing into extinction. They have already crossed the river of samsara and extinguished all afflictive phenomena.
Nirvana is also translated as crossing into extinction. Crossing into extinction is crossing over the river of samsara, crossing from the shore of unenlightened beings to the shore of noble beings, the share of the Buddha and enlightenment. This requires that we eliminate afflictions. Only by eliminating afflictions can we reach the shore of noble beings. We have to first recognize suffering to be able to extinguish it.
To bring it into extinction, we need the 37 Practices to Enlightenment. With wisdom, we discern. To discern means to choose and draw distinctions. We can choose between right and wrong; we have wisdom.
By discerning with wisdom, we can destroy and extinguish all afflictions and attain a small part of liberation. This is Small Vehicle Nirvana; with it we can only deliver ourselves from delusions of views and thinking and eliminate fragmentary samsara.
We come into this world because we have lost our wisdom and have grown in ignorance. We engage in spiritual practice reduce our ignorance and grow in wisdom. As we interact with people, we need to discern how to eliminate afflictions in order to attain liberation. This liberation is partial, so that would make us Hearers.
Hearers are Small Vehicle practitioners. With the Small Vehicle Nirvana, we can understand the Dharma but are unable to transform others. If we only understand the Dharma and try to awaken ourselves, we can achieve Small Vehicle Nirvana.
Thus we can “only deliver ourselves.” By [eliminating] “delusions of views and thinking, we will not do things that are wrong, but that is all. We uphold the precepts ourselves, but do not benefit others. This is the Small Vehicle.
The Hearers can only put an end to their desires and afflictions. This is what makes them Hearers. So everyone, in learning Buddha’s Way, we must be mindful and think carefully. We must be always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Flawless Merits and Virtues Bring Joy (以無漏功德為樂)
Date:July.02. 2015
“In practicing the Path, we are not troubled by the ignorance and afflictions of the Three Realms. With no desires and no expectations, we have no ties and attain non-arising wisdom. Hearers realize the Four Noble Truths and awaken to cessation and true emptiness. Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas, with compassion and wisdom, manifest the truth of the Six Paramitas in myriad actions.”
In practicing the Path, we have one goal, to not be troubled by the ignorance and afflictions of the Three Realms. I have constantly reminded everyone that the Three Realms are in our minds. Our minds are constantly influenced by our external conditions, leading us to give rise to discursive thoughts and further take action. Thus we produce myriad afflictions, which we then cannot let go of. These afflictions in our minds create a state of unbearable suffering. Therefore, we practice the Path so we can let go of the ignorance and afflictions that trouble us. Actually, we are the ones responsible for giving rise to the afflictions in our minds. When we give rise to afflictions, we naturally create this burning house of the Three Realms. If we want to escape the burning house, there is only one way to do so. We must have no desires and no expectations.
Our minds are constantly fluctuating. We give rise to a spiritual aspiration, but as soon as we want to diligently practice, things we encounter in our external conditions lead us to become indolent instead. This is all a result of our minds being troubled by afflictions. So, we must transcend our afflictions for our minds to be completely free and at ease, with no ties, with nothing that is binding us. This is indeed very difficult to achieve.
However, once we eliminate our greed and desires, this should be an easy matter. If we have no desires and no expectations, we have no ties and can attain non-arising wisdom. When we have done this, we will be joyful. Spiritual practice is about giving. After giving, our minds must be free of hindrances. With no hindrances, our minds will have no ties or attachments. Without ties or attachments, naturally we will attain non-arising wisdom. [These are the aims of] Hearers.
This teaching suits their capabilities. Listening to the Buddha’s teachings, they learn about suffering, causation, cessation and the Path and the cause of transmigration in the Six Realms. The Hearers understand this so “They awaken to cessation and true emptiness.” Because they understand, they can be awakened to how everything in the world is empty in nature; how recognition, wealth and objects of desire are illusory and ultimately empty. Then their minds can be in a state of cessation. This describes Hearers and Solitary Realizers. They have realized the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence; they understand this but they have stopped at the state of true emptiness and cessation. The Great Vehicle is the Bodhisattva Vehicle.
The Bodhisattva Vehicle teaches us to exercise both compassion and wisdom. Not only have Bodhisattvas realized the principles of true emptiness and cessation, their minds are free of greed and attachments. By listening to the Buddha-Dharma, they understand principles, then from their hearts they aspire and vow to walk the Bodhisattva-path. They can exercise both compassion and wisdom and practice the Six Paramitas in myriad actions. The word “truth” refers to true principles. This is the state of mind. Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas have awakened to.
Chinese New Year is not quickly approaching. We have seen Tzu Chi volunteers from all over come to visit.
The members of this spiritual family have spread out around the world, sowing the seeds of Tzu Chi’s missions.They spread the Bodhi-seeds of the Great Vehicle; they have planted Bodhi-seeds where they live and tended them diligently.They give without expectations, yet they have attained joy in their hearts.
Yesterday, I spent a whole day listening to reports from many different areas of China of how members of the Dharma-family care for each other and how the encourage each other.They also listen to my morning teachings.
“Wake up early to smell the fragrance of Drama” was how they motivated each other.I can tell how hard they have worked, how they have taken the Dharma to heart.They are all walking the same path, going in the same direction, which is learning and taking the Dharma to heart, then putting it into practice in the world.
I also heard them talk about how they give to people at nursing homes, to families that are disadvantaged and to families of poor people with disabilities.They cared for these people and also held relief distributions during the winter, etc.
After we have given of ourselves, even though we had no expectations, we actually attain Dharma-joy.By giving according to the Dharma, the recipients get what they need and, in return, we feel a sense of Dharma-joy.This is Bodhisattvas’ compassion and wisdom [in action].
Tzu Chi volunteers from the Philippines also came to the Abode yesterday.The mayor of Ormoc and his wife came here with them.Why did the mayor and his wife come?Because on November 8 last year, Ormoc was struck by a powerful typhoon, suffering a terrible disaster.
A group of Bodhisattvas from far away in Manila. A group of Bodhisattvas went to care for the people of Ormoc.Getting there by water was very hard too; there were strong wind and waves.But if they tried going overland, the roads were completely destroyed.
Getting there was very difficult.
So, why did the volunteers go there?Was it because they had family in Ormoc?No.They had no prior connection with people there.However, they had the hearts of Bodhisattvas.Living on the same earth, when they saw how deeply these people suffered, they felt great compassion for them.Thus, they devoted themselves to the relief effort.
They brought that area back to life and helped revitalize the economy.Because of the way they provide relief, the local residents were grateful, as were the city officials and the mayor.So, they made this special trip to Taiwan in order to express their gratitude to Tzu Chi in Taiwan.
When the Faith Corps members from Taiwan shared what they had seen at the disaster area, these tough but gentle men cried.Every one of them had tears in their eyes.
The damage to the land was very obvious, and who knew how many more people were suffering?When the Faith Corps members returned, they told me that many people had nowhere to live, and there were not enough prefabricated classrooms for all the students.
My response to them was, “Okay, when you go home, look into this.”
After they let the abode, although they had responsibilities, they all set aside their businesses, their jobs, and collaborated to figure out how they would be able to design homes that could be built very quickly and would still be very sturdy so they could be taken to the Phippipines for the people there to live in and for the students to attend classes in.
Did they expect anything in return?No.They hoped to give people a safe place to live and to give students a safe place to learn.They had no other expectations.
The mayor was so moved by Tzu Chi volunteers that he was willing to donate 120 acres of his private land to establish a place for his people to live in this pre-fabricated, simple [housing] so they would have a safe place to stay.This is also the work of a Bodhisattva.
They are of different ethnicities and different beliefs, but they have the same love within them.The mark of true spiritual practitioners is that they do not do things for their own benefit, but for the sake of giving to others. They are without desires and expectations, so they can develop many kinds of wisdom that allow them to benefit sentient beings. They are not like Hearers, who only seek to awaken themselves. They are like Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas who, with compassion and wisdom, manifest the truth of the Six Paramitas in myriad actions. Their minds have no hindrances; their only goal is to benefit sentient beings. This is the Great Vehicle Dharma.
The previous passage spoke about this. The next passage states, “By journeying in the Three Vehicles with the flawless [studies,] roots, powers, [factors of] enlightenment, [Eightfold] Path, liberation, Samadhi and so on, you will attain what you enjoy and further attain infinite peace and happiness”.
Giving to others freely and without attachments brings Bodhisattvas great happiness. This is infinite peace and happiness. When sentient beings are at peace, Bodhisattvas will also be at peace.
Next, I will explain “journeying in the Three Vehicles”. The Three Vehicles are the skillful means of all Buddhas, the method They use to teach all sentient beings. Ancient and present Buddhas share the same path. If sentient beings understand karmic causes from the truth of suffering, they may renounce and fear birth and death in the Five Destinies, which is the fruit of suffering. Thus they can attain the joy of freedom in body and mind.
All Buddhas share the same path. All Buddhas from the past, the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, and countless Buddhas in the future all teach with the Three Vehicles. Sentient beings have dull and limited capabilities, so Buddhas must find ways to teach according to their capacities. All Buddhas, ancient and present, do the same.
“Sentient beings understand karmic causes from the truth of suffering”. All Buddhas teach the Dharma to sentient beings to first help us recognize suffering. This is how all Buddhas share the same path.
Sentient beings create karma. Out of ignorance, they endlessly create karma. As a result, they suffer. Where does the cause of suffering begin? All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas explain that the “causation” of suffering is in accumulation; we amass all kinds of worldly entanglements and interpersonal conflicts, all of which arise from our greed and ignorance all of which arise from our greed and ignorance.
So, they helped everyone understand that, in our interpersonal interactions, if we understand the causes [of suffering], we may then “renounce and fear birth and death in the Five Destinies, the fruit of suffering”.
The teachings for Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas all guide sentient beings towards and understanding of suffering. If we can avoid suffering, we can be happy. If we steer clear of the causes and conditions of suffering, we can attain happiness. So, what method can we use to achieve this? How do we go about engaging in spiritual practice? “With flawless [studies]”.
Flaws are leaks, which allow things to leak away. They refer to afflictions of greed, anger, etc. Day and night, the Six Senses, eyes, ears and so on, allow things to leak out, so the Dharma does not remain in our heart. Instead, afflictions cause us to fall into the Three Evil Realms.
Leaks are what allow things to flow out. For example, if there is a hole in a bucket, the water will keep flowing out. It is because the Dharma leaks out that greed, anger, delusion, other afflictions and ignorance constantly arise. Moreover, this happens day and night. Where does [the Dharma] leak out from? From our eyes, ears, nose tongue, body and mind. The doors of our six senses are where the Dharma leaks out from. We clearly heard that we cannot be greedy, but we crave things we see with our eyes. Thus the teaching leaks out of our eyes.
Listening to the teachings, we know that we must be understanding and accommodating. But when we hear people talk about us, our response is, “I cannot stand it. How can that person say such things about me? In this way, the Dharma leaks out of our ears.
In summary, through our six senses, the Dharma leaks out day and night. If we do not take the Dharma to heart, it will not stay in our minds.
This is due to Leaks; it is always leaking out.Afflictions can cause people to fall into the Three Evil Realms. We keep giving rise to afflictions and letting the Dharma leak out. As we endlessly create karma out of afflictions, ignorance and delusion, the Dharma will keep leaking out, and we will create many kinds of karma that lead us to fall into the Three Evil Realms. So, we need the flawless studies [to avoid Leaks]. When we take the Dharma to heart, we must not allow it to leak out. Thus next we discuss the “roots, powers, [factors of] enlightenment, [Eightfold] Path, liberation Samadhi and so on.”
The Roots, powers, [factors of] enlightenment, [Eightfold] Path, liberation, Samadhi and so on: Upholding the Three Flawless Studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom allows us to attain the roots, powers, [factors of] enlightenment, [Eightfold] Path. The Three Realms are only in the mind. Outside of the mind there is no Dharma. The mind, Buddha and all sentient beings are no different in their nature.
As we listen, contemplate and practice, we must have precepts, Samadhi and wisdom so that the Dharma does not leak out. If we cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom then naturally we will attain the roots, powers factors of enlightenment and [Eightfold] Path. These are the 37 Practices to Enlightenment that assist us in our spiritual cultivation. If we can cultivate them, we know that “The Three Realms are only in the mind.”
I always remind everyone about the Three Realms in our minds. In fact, outside of the mind there is no Dharma. Outside of our minds, do those various heavens and meditative states actually exist? Actually, the power of concentration and Samadhi just exist in our minds. So, outside of the mind there is no Dharma. The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].
It is said, “When we focus on kind thoughts and remain unwavering,” when thoughts of goodness abide in our minds, “all our actions will be harmonious. This is liberation, Samadhi [and so on].”
This tells us we must constantly gather together our kind thoughts and not allow any of them to leak away. Thus the Buddha will be in our minds, and the Dharma will be in our actions. When we act in accord with the Dharma, “All our actions will be harmonious.”
This is liberation, Samadhi and so on. If our roots and capabilities are without Leaks, we will gradually transcend our afflictions. These teachings are encompassed in the 37 Practices to Enlightenment; they are common to all Three Vehicles.
The 37 Practices to Enlightenment are principles common to the Three Vehicles. The Great Vehicle teaching is based on the flawless merits and virtues that are upheld with all-encompassing wisdom.
To practice the Great Vehicle, we must practice all-encompassing wisdom and the Bodhisattva-wisdom for living in and transcending this world. If we use the 37 Practices to Enlightenment as our foundation, we can take many teachings to heart without any of them leaking out. These are merits.By practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma, we take all the Dharma to heart.
As for Small Vehicle Dharma, we can practice to a level where we understand that everything is truly empty. Thus, we can be free of greed and desire. With this state of mind, we will broaden our hearts and go among people. This is walking the Bodhisattva-path. This brings flawless merits.
When we give without expectations, our merits will be infinite.
The Two Vehicles refer to the Hearer and Pratyekaddha Vehicles. The merits and virtues that attain are only names and appearances, but have no true substance.
They only practice to awaken themselves. They know that everything is empty in nature. And in a state of cessation. That is the level they stopped at. So, [their merit] is without substance; it has no true substance. The true goal we must pursue is to return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness, to be at that level.
To do this, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path, follow the Bodhi-path. We have to aim to become a Bodhisattva before we can reach the state of the Buddha.
“The Buddha, however, is replete with the Dharma-nature” and practices everlasting and flawless virtues.”
This is the path we must follow. Therefore, we must be mindful. Then, “We will attain what we enjoy.” All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas plat in this world. They steer the ship of compassion to go back among myriad sentient beings. when sentient beings are saved, they become very happy. So, “We will attain what we enjoy” means that by giving way, we become very happy and joyful. Then we can be without leaks and at peace.
So, it is said, “If sentient beings journey in the Three Vehicles, they will enjoy all flawless merits and virtues. Thus their peace and happiness are infinite.”
We must all develop this mindset. We must put all Three Vehicle into practice; we listen to the Dharma, purify our minds, then go among people [to help them]. By doing this, we will enjoy flawless merits and virtues. This is the direction of the Bodhisattva-path, which brings us infinite peace and happiness. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
