【靜思妙蓮華】20151016 - 惡來善往信受是語 - 第676集 Repaying Evil With Goodness

20151016《靜思妙蓮華》惡來善往信受是語 (第676集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）

⊙「懷慈忍行惡來善往，忍辱觀行身口意德，現此境界具善知識，不因譏謗而起怨親。」
⊙「是諸子等，若心決定，具足三明，及六神通，有得緣覺，不退菩薩。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「汝舍利弗，我為眾生，以此譬喻，說一佛乘。汝等若能，信受是語，一切皆當，成得佛道。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙汝舍利弗，我為眾生：知弟子契合佛心等，述明佛慈為眾生，視如己子，應賜與平等大乘，乃至皆以淨妙法引度之。
⊙佛視一切眾生，皆是佛子，父子同命脈，天性相關，所以佛已出三界火宅，又回入此宅，度子同出，皆以如來滅度而滅度之。
⊙汝等若能，信受是語：如來出世，直欲人人信受此法，以致四十餘年，漸次調教。⊙後至法華會上，佛初為上根之人作法說，唯身子得悟；次為中根之人作譬喻說，唯四大弟子得悟；又次為下根之人作宿世因緣說，千二百聲聞方始得悟。
⊙故經云：能聽是法者，斯人亦復難，此舉信受難也。
⊙信受是語，知苦斷集，爭出火宅，至安穩處。復得大乘法直至成佛之道，是真諦實理。

【證嚴上人開示】

「懷慈忍行惡來善往，忍辱觀行身口意德，現此境界具善知識，不因譏謗而起怨親。」

懷慈忍行惡來善往
忍辱觀行身口意德
現此境界具善知識
不因譏謗而起怨親

我們修行，慈，就要在開頭，慈、悲、喜、捨，「四無量心」，而四無量心，我們還要加行「六波羅密」。
為先。修

六波羅密中，很重要的就是要忍辱行。人間眾生芸芸，各有不同的習氣，從過去生中累生世中，因緣果報等等，不斷累生累世，彼此交接、這種合成的果報，所以難免我們在今生此世，所遇到的，非常複雜的感情很多，愛、恨、情、仇，怨、親難免都有。所以，我們必定要有這分「惡來善往」。不論我們遇到什麼樣的人，對我們不滿意，對我們生誹謗等等，不論如何來對待我們，我們要警惕自己，他如何「惡來」，我們回饋他的就是「善往」。

一句話說，叫做「以德報怨」，不論他給我們多少，那個怨啊、惡的事情，我們還是同樣甘願接受，用歡喜心再回饋給他，這樣，人與人之間的障礙，慢慢就消除了。所以，人生一定要修忍辱行，除了慈悲寬恕，惡來善往以外，我們必定要有忍辱。

忍辱的心，我們要時時要有細思，要很謹慎、好好思考，心，時常就是在善思惟中。這個善思惟就好像禪，就是禪定，我們的心很縝密、很細膩，心不要隨著外境這樣在起動搖。不論什麼樣的境界來，我們要好好觀想，觀想我們這個回報出去的，是什麼樣的言語去回報？我們應該很謹慎，不要惡的來，惡的去，這種互相會變成了，那種彼此惡對惡，那就是惡緣永遠都無法結束。所以必定「惡來善往」，這就要看我們的忍辱之行，到什麼程度。

忍辱，同時，也要觀想我們的行為。行為沒有離開身、口、意，我們要好好，身行好事，口說好話，心想好意，這就是我們平時，待人接物我們都用得到，身、口、意三業，若做得好，那就是積功累德，這就是功德。

還有「現此境界」。我們日常待人，或者是我們所對的境界，有人用種種的境界，讓我們真的是難關重重，困難的事情很多，這我們也要說感恩。感恩你給我一層層的關卡，讓我這樣過得去，所以我們靜思語一句說：「人家若將我們扯後腿，我們就要感覺，感恩啊。你在幫我練腿力。」有人障礙我們，我們也要感恩，考驗我修行的耐心。有這種的境界出來，我們也將它當作，是我們的善知識。若是惡知識，就是在逆境中，我們也要用感恩心，還是將他當作逆增上緣。

再者，我們也不要為了譏謗，而起怨親想。若有人對我們，有什麼樣的背後說話，或者是惡意中傷，或者是障礙我們要做的事情，像這樣，我們的心還是一樣要感恩，感恩這種，造這樣的境界，不要說遇到這樣的境界，就這樣停滯。我們要有「不退心」，這樣才能成就道業。

所以我們要日常生活中，第一，要抱持四無量心；第二，我們要實行六波羅密。若能夠有慈忍之行，自然這「十波羅密」，就能夠完成。慈，是代表「四無量心」；忍，是代表了「六度」。所以，有「四無量心」、有「六度」，合起來就是十德，就是圓滿。

像這樣的修行，必定要一項，「惡來善往」，以德報怨。很簡單的話是這樣說，我們時時要用著很單純、而且懂得善解、包容的心，去面對著這種，對我們有什麼樣，惡言惡語、惡意中傷，這樣的人，我們也要用善解，包容、感恩的心，這些都是我們的善知識。我們若能夠這樣，就不會境界來時，就讓我們起了，「這個人我喜歡的，因為他幫助我。這些人我不喜歡，因為是他障礙我。」我們不要有這樣的心。這些障礙我們的人，才是我們要多用功，如何去包容他，如何化解怨，而成為我們的善知識。這叫做修菩薩行，沒有怨親想。

看佛陀對待提婆達多。提婆達多是佛陀的堂弟，當時出家是佛的弟子，竟然聽法之後，心有所得，瞭解了，但是，那種，那個名利心很強，看到大家在敬仰、尊重佛，他就覺得：我和他一樣啊！同樣在皇宮，我和他是同兄弟，為什麼我就要來敬仰佛陀？佛這麼多人在尊重他，我也應該與佛同等，應該是被尊重啊！佛所瞭解的，我也差不了多少，所以起一個念，貢高我慢，他希望他可以爭取，一個新的僧團。

所以提婆達多處處害佛，擾亂僧團的事情很多，但是，佛陀就是處處原諒。這就是過去生中因啊、緣啊，就有這個果報，所以逆來順受。佛的德行就是，十德全都圓滿，有這寬諒的心，包容一切。不只今生此世，若說到提婆達多的因緣，佛陀引出了很多，過去生的過去生，很多生中都是對立相害，這是因緣果報。

這是佛陀向我們說，他已經是成佛了，這種怨親的恩怨都還無法解除，提婆達多，還是在佛世這個時候，還是在迫害佛。何況我們還是凡夫，我們哪有辦法所對的人，人人都是對我們那麼的順境呢？所以我們若遇到逆境，我們也應該要甘願接受，用什麼方法來歡喜回報他。這是在我們今生此世，時時提高的警覺。

上面的(經)文這樣說，「是諸子等，若心決定，具足三明，及六神通，有得緣覺，不退菩薩。」

是諸子等
若心決定
具足三明
及六神通
有得緣覺
不退菩薩
《法華經譬喻品第三》

我們要知道，我們與其他人的過去、現在，現在應該如何相對，未來要如何？這就是我們所瞭解的。學佛，必定要時時體會過去，才能夠明瞭未來。

用「三明六通」的方式，我們才能通達這個，人間種種的考驗，再用堅定的心，不退菩薩。

下面再接下來又說，「汝舍利弗，我為眾生，以此譬喻，說一佛乘。汝等若能，信受是語，一切皆當，成得佛道。」

汝舍利弗
我為眾生
以此譬喻
說一佛乘
汝等若能
信受是語
一切皆當
成得佛道
《法華經譬喻品第三》

舍利弗，我為眾生，用種種的方法來做譬喻，這段(經)文我們就知道，知道佛陀瞭解、體會了，眾生如何修行的過程，契合佛心，從聲聞開始，聽進來的法，慢慢瞭解，如何去除煩惱，說一佛乘。從同時慢慢體會佛心，所以開始發大乘心，發大悲心。這就是描述佛對弟子、弟子對佛的心態，彼此慢慢接近、瞭解。這是一種的敍述。瞭解佛陀的慈悲是為眾生，所以佛陀向舍利弗說，「我為眾生」，是佛的慈悲，為眾生，將他當作自己的孩子一樣，就是希望能將他所體會到，宇宙的真理，全都能讓弟子透徹瞭解，所有的法，希望弟子都能接受、能夠體會、能夠理解。這是佛的心，不希望有大小分別。

雖然弟子的根機還有差別，不過佛陀最後，還是用大乘法跟大家講，希望將這個法留下來。將這個法，在那個佛陀的時代，能夠接受來的，這是佛最歡喜的。假使還有根機不整齊，或是無法體會，至少法也要留下來，留在後世，末來的眾生，還是同樣是他的孩子，還是同樣他的弟子，所以他對待弟子那就是平等，佛陀就是用這個平等的大法，要讓我們後世的眾生，人人能夠得法，依法修行，依這個佛行的方法而成佛。這是與佛同等，到與佛同等的境界。

汝舍利弗
我為眾生：
知弟子契合佛心等
述明佛慈為眾生
視如己子
應賜與平等大乘
乃至皆以淨妙法
引度之

所以說「應賜與平等大乘，乃至皆以淨妙法引度(之)」。這用很清淨的妙法來引度眾生，期待眾生人人能體會真實妙法。

接下來再說，「以此譬喻，說一佛乘。」佛視一切眾生，皆是佛子，父子同命脈，天性相關，所以佛已出三界火宅，又回入此宅，度子同出，皆以如來滅度而滅度之。

佛視一切眾生
皆是佛子
父子同命脈
天性相關
所以
佛已出三界火宅
又回入此宅
度子同出
皆以如來滅度
而滅度之

譬喻佛陀，他應該已經離開這三界火宅了，不必再來娑婆堪忍了，但是為了悲憫眾生，所以他出三界了，但是他還是又回入此宅，再來娑婆世界「度子同出」，再回來引導這些孩子，趕緊帶出火宅。

我們所說的火宅、三界，就是我們的心。「宅」，這個「宅」，就是我們的心宅，「三界」是我們的心三界，無明煩惱這就是「火」，「災」從我們內心不斷地起，所以很多損害了我們的慧命，都是在我們自己的內心。所以佛陀來人間，用法教化，所以「度子同出」，「皆以如來滅度而滅度之」，就是如來用什麼樣的方式修行，什麼樣的體會境界，這樣一一來告訴我們。

所以，「汝等若能，信受是語。」

汝等若能
信受是語：
如來出世
直欲人人信受此法
以致四十餘年
漸次調教

如來他出世間的時候，就是直接要讓人人，信受這個法，這是佛陀他的目的，希望大家能夠相信。所以他「四十餘年，漸次調教」，他用種種的方法，不是到四十二年後，才叫做要讓眾生去體會法，其實從初轉法輪開始。

但是到四十多年後，眾生的根機還是不整齊，一直到法華會上，佛陀最初為上根之人說法，次為中根之人，作譬喻說，再下來就是中根四大弟子得悟。再下來，就是為下根之人，作宿世因緣說，千二百聲聞方始得悟。

後至法華會上
佛初為上根之人
作法說
唯身子得悟
次為中根之人
作譬喻說
唯四大弟子得悟
又次為下根之人
作宿世因緣說
千二百聲聞
方始得悟

那就是開始要講，講「十二因緣」，下根的人要用，種種因緣、譬喻、言說，不斷不斷來度化。所以僧團，常常都說「千二百聲聞，方(始)得悟」，實在說起來，若想到就會覺得很難度。眾生很難度，佛陀本身就難以度他，何況我們現在呢？

故經云：
能聽是法者
斯人亦復難
此舉信受難也

再接下來說，「一切皆當，成得佛道」。

信受是語
知苦斷集
爭出火宅
至安穩處
復得大乘法
直至成佛之道
是真諦實理

那就是信受，佛陀所說的法能夠信受，那就是知「苦集滅道」等等的法。大家瞭解世間是苦，所以願意接受，大家願意要離開這個火宅，心的三界，心宅的火災、災難；這大家才開始懂得要爭出。這是在四十多年間，這樣不斷不斷，才能夠得到大家願意接受，「至安穩處，復得大乘法，直至成佛之道，是真諦實理」。

想想看，佛陀在世，這麼長的時間，四十多年，講「四諦法」、「十二因緣法」，同時要用因緣、譬喻、言說來講。四十多年了，所以到了最後，老邁來時，不得不開大乘法，說真諦理，不得不用這樣來說話。想起來，到底我們能體會這個道理，又是有多少呢？這要看我們是不是日日有用心，時時有在體會。

我們是不是，有懷著慈悲之心呢？有在忍辱行嗎？世間有這麼多苦難，這麼多的矛盾，人與人之間互相這種的對立，見解之差很大，我們是不是有忍辱觀惡言行，有沒有呢？我們要時時要多用心。

Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Repaying Evil With Goodness (惡來善往信受是語)
Date:October.16. 2015

“With loving-kindness and the practice of patience, we repay evil with goodness. With patience, we practice contemplation of our virtues of body, speech and mind. When these challenges manifest, we will have our spiritual friends. When faced with criticism or slander, we must not begin to discriminate between friend or foe.”

To engage in spiritual practice, we must begin with loving-kindness, followed by compassion, joy and equanimity. These are the Four Infinite Minds. In addition to the Four Infinite Minds, we must also practice the Six Paramitas. Among the Six Paramitas, the practice of patience is very important.
In this world, there are myriad living beings. We each have our own habitual tendencies and karmic retributions that we have unceasingly accumulated over past lifetimes. Throughout all of these lifetimes, our interactions have created many karmic retributions. So, inevitably in this lifetime when we encounter people, we develop many afflictive emotions such as love, hate, passion and animosity. It is inevitable we have both friends and foes. So, we must be able to “repay evil with goodness.”
No matter what kind of person we meet, however unhappy they are with us, however they slander us, however they treat us, we should always remind ourselves to be vigilant. No matter what kind of “evil” they show us, we should repay them with goodness. There is a saying, “Repay resentment with virtue.” No matter how much animosity others show us or how many negative things they do to us, we should accept everything willingly and respond with a joyful heart. Then our obstacles and entanglements will gradually be dissolved.
So, in life we must practice patience. Besides being compassionate and forgiving, and repaying evil with goodness, we must be patient. With patience, we can constantly think about things in detail, be vigilant and think meticulously. We must always be in a state of mindful contemplation.
Mindful contemplation is a state of Zen, a state of meditative concentration. This state of mind is meticulous and attentive; we must not allow our minds to be shaken by external conditions. No matter what situation we encounter, we must earnestly contemplate how to respond, what words we should say back to them. We should be very careful so that we do not repay evil with evil, thus escalating the situation and adding insult upon injury, for then the negative conditions will never end.
Therefore, we must “repay evil with goodness.” This depends on the level we have reached in our practice of patience. In addition to being patient, we must contemplate our behavior. Our behavior is inseparable from our body, speech and mind. We must earnestly “do good deeds with our body, say good words with our speech and think good thoughts with our mind.” These are teachings we can regularly apply as we interact with people and deal with things.
If our Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind is wholesome, we will accumulate merit and virtue. This is what we call merits and virtues. There is also [what we do] “when these challenges manifest.” In our daily living, the people and external conditions we encounter can pose all kinds of challenges to us, so that we truly must face many obstacles and deal with many difficult matters. We should be grateful for them too. “Thank you for giving me all kinds of obstacles so that I have the chance to overcome them.”
There is a Jing Si Aphorism that states, “If someone is holding us back, we must be grateful to them for training our strength to move forward.”If someone is creating obstacles for us, we must be grateful to them for testing the patience that we have cultivated.When they pose challenges to us, we should look at them as our spiritual friends.
As for unwholesome spiritual friends, when they create adverse circumstances, we should also be grateful to them and still take these as adverse assisting conditions.Furthermore, if we are slandered or ridiculed, we should not begin seeing people as our enemies.
If someone talks behind our backs, hurts us out of evil intent or hinders us from doing what we want to do, if these things happen, we should still be grateful to them.We should be grateful to them for creating these conditions for us.When we encounter these kinds of conditions, we should not halt our spiritual practice; we must have a non-retreating mind in order to fulfill our spiritual aspirations.
So, in our daily living, first, we should develop the Four Infinite Minds, and second, practice the Six Paramitas.If we can practice loving-kindness and patience, then we will naturally be replete with the Ten Paramitas.Loving-kindness represents the Four Infinite Minds.Patience represents the Six Perfections.
So, the Four Infinite Minds and the Six Perfections combine to give us the number “ten”.These ten virtues symbolize perfection.When we engage in this kind of spiritual practice, we must always do one thing; when we face evil, we must repay it with goodness, and we must repay resentment with virtue.This is a very simple way of putting it.
We must always keep a pure and simple mindset, as well as be understanding and accommodating of people who do negative things to us, such as harming us with negative speech and intentions.When we interact with these kinds of people we should still be understanding, accommodating and grateful, because everyone is our spiritual friend.If we can do this, then when we encounter challenges, we will not give rise to thoughts like, “I like these people because they helped me. I do not like these people because they have hindered me.”We should not think this way.
It is with the people who hinder us that we must truly work hard to find a way to forgive them and dissolve that animosity so that they become our spiritual friends.
This is the Bodhisattva-practice; we must not discriminate between friend and foe.
Look at the way the Buddha traded Devadatta.
Devadatta was the Buddha’s younger cousin.As a monastic, he was the Buddha’s disciple.After listening to the Dharma, he understood it and attained realizations.However, his desire for recognition and personal gain was still great.
Seeing others venerate and respect the Buddha, he thought, “I am as good as Him! I was also born in the palace; we are like brothers! Why should I have to venerate the Buddha? So many people respect the Buddha, and I should be considered His equal. I should also be respected! I have pretty much understood what the Buddha has understood.”So, pride and arrogance arose within him.
He hoped to fight for His own Sangha.So, Devadatta tried to harm the Buddha many times and did many things to disrupt the Sangha.But the Buddha forgave him every time.“It is our causes and conditions from past lives that brought about these retributions.”Thus He accepted these adversities calmly.
The Buddha’s virtues were such that.He was replete with these ten virtues.With a forgiving heart, He was able to accommodate everything.He did not just look at what happened in this life.When it came to His relationship with Devadatta, the Buddha gave many examples of what happened between them in their past lives.In many lifetimes, they opposed and harmed each other; this resulted in many karmic retributions.
In this way, the Buddha told us that, although He had already attained Buddhahood, He still had unresolved grudges and resentments.Devadatta was still trying to harm the Buddha, even during that lifetime.
[That was true for the Buddha,] let alone for us unenlightened beings.How could we expect that everyone we meet would create favorable conditions for us?
So, if we encounter adverse conditions, we should willingly accept them and find a way to respond with joy.This is the awareness we seek to increase in our lives during this lifetime.

The previous passage states, “All these children, if they have determination, will be replete with the Three Insights and the Six Spiritual Powers. Some will attain the state of Solitary Realizers and others of non-retreating Bodhisattvas”.

We should understand what happened between us and others in the past so we know how to interact with them now and in the future. This is what we must understand. In learning the Buddha’s Way, we must always be able to comprehend the past so that we can understand the future. Using the Three Insights and Six Spiritual Powers, we will be able to overcome the many challenges we face in this world. With a firm resolve, we can be non-retreating Bodhisattvas.

Next, the text states, “Sariputra, it is for the sake of sentient beings that I teach the One Buddha Vehicle through these analogies. If you can all faithfully accept this teaching, then all of you will certainly complete the path to Buddhahood”.

“Sariputra, it is for the sake of sentient beings that I teach various methods through analogies. From this passage we can see that the Buddha had understood and realized how sentient beings engage in spiritual practice. Our connection with the Buddha-mind is formed as a Hearer. We listen to the Dharma and gradually understand how we can eliminate our afflictions as we gradually realize the Buddha-mind. Then we can aspire to practice the Great Vehicle and give rise to great compassion. This describes the Buddha’s understanding of how His disciples had gradually drawn nearer and better understood His state of mind. This is a kind of description.
We can understand that the Buddha’s compassion was for the sake of sentient beings. So, the Buddha said to Sariputra, “It is for the sake of sentient beings”.
The Buddha had compassion for sentient beings. He looked upon them as His own children. He hoped that what He had realized, the true principles of the universe, could be thoroughly understood by His disciples and that they could accept all Dharma, then experience and realize it. This was the Buddha’s intent; He did not wish to differentiate Great from Small.
Even though His disciples still had varying capabilities, in the end He nevertheless taught the Great Vehicle Dharma to everyone, hoping that this Dharma could be preserved. If this Dharma could be accepted by people during His lifetime, that would bring Him the greatest happiness. Then even if some still had limited capabilities or if they were unable to comprehend it, at least the Dharma could remain in the world for future generations.
Future sentient beings are still children of the Buddha and still disciples of the Buddha. The Buddha treated all of His disciples equally. The Buddha taught the universal Great Dharma so that sentient beings of future generations could attain these teachings and practice them in order to eventually attain Buddhahood. This is because they have a [pure nature] equal to the Buddha’s.

Sariputra, it is for the sake of sentient beings: The disciples resonated with the Buddha’s heart. This shows that, in His compassion for all beings, the Buddha saw them all as His own children. Thus He bestowed the universal Great Vehicle, and with the pure and wondrous Dharma, guided all to be transformed.

“Thus He bestowed the universal Great Vehicle, and with the pure and wondrous Dharma, guided all to be transformed”. He used the pure and wondrous Dharma to lead and transform sentient beings in the hopes that they could realize the true wondrous Dharma.

Next it states, “[He] teaches the One Buddha Vehicle through these analogies. “The Buddha saw all sentient beings as Buddha-children. Like father and children who share the same blood, they are naturally interconnected. The Buddha has left the burning house of the Three Realms, but returns again to this home to deliver the children all together, so that they all enter into Nirvana [the way] the Tathagata entered Nirvana”.

This is about how the Buddha had already left this burning house of the Three Realms. He never had to endure the Saha World again, but out of compassion for sentient beings, He returned to this house, though He had already left the Three Realms. He returned to the Saha World “to deliver the children from the house all together”. He returned promptly to guide His children out of the burning house.
The burning house and the Three Realms we speak of are talking about our mind. This house, this “home”, refers to our mind. The Three Realms are states of mind. Ignorance and afflictions are fires. These disasters unceasingly arise in our mind, so all these things harming our wise-life are occurring inside our own mind.
Thus, the Buddha returned to this world to teach and transform with the Dharma. “To deliver children all together, so that they all enter into Nirvana [the way] the Tathagata entered Nirvana.” This means that the Buddha explains to us each of the different methods of practice and the conditions we may experience.
So, “If you can all faithfully accept this teaching.”

If you can all faithfully accept this teaching: The Tathagata appeared in the World, always hoping everyone would faithfully accept this Dharma. For more than 40 years, He gradually trained and taught them.

The Tathagata comes into this world to directly help people faithfully accept the Dharma. This was the Buddha’s goal; he wanted everyone to have faith. So, “For more than 40 years, He gradually trained and taught them.” He had been using many different methods. He did not wait until the 42nd year to help sentient beings realize the Dharma; He actually started from the time He first turned the Dharma-wheel.But even after more than 40 years, their capabilities were still not uniform. Then at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, He began to teach those with great capabilities.

“Next, for those with average capabilities, He taught through analogies.” He taught for those of average capabilities, yet only four great disciples awakened. Then, for those with limited capabilities, He used teachings of the karma of past lives. Through this the 1200 Hearers began to awaken.”

He had begun to explain the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. For those of limited capabilities, He taught with causes and conditions, analogies and expressions. Thus He unceasingly transformed them in the Sangha, the “1200 Heaters” that we often mention began to awaken.
Indeed, when we speak of this, it seems they were quite difficult to transform. Sentient beings are difficult to transform, even for the Buddha, let alone for us.

Next, the sutra states, “Then all of you will “certainly complete the path to Buddhahood.” Once they faithfully accept this teachings, they recognize suffering and eliminate causation. They complete to escape the burning house and reach a safe and stable refuge. They then attain the Great Vehicle Dharma until they complete the path to Buddhahood. These are the principles of absolute truth.

This is faithful acceptance. If we can faithfully accept the Buddha-Dharma then we can learn the Four Noble Truths and many other teachings. When we understand the world is full of suffering, we will willingly accept [the teachings]. We will be willing to leave the burning house, the Three Realms of our mind, this disaster of the burning house of the mind. We are all just realizing that we need to leave.The Buddha had taught unceasingly for more than 40 years before everyone was willing to accept this. “[They] reach a safe and stable refuge. They then attain the Great Vehicle Dharma until they complete the path tp Buddhahood.” “These are the principles of absolute truth.”
Think about it, during the Buddha’s lifetime, for such a long period, over 40 years, He explained the Four Noble Truths and the 12Links of Cyclic Existence, and taught with causes and conditions, analogies and expressions.
After more than 40 years, in the end, when He was in His old age, He had to open up the Great Vehicle Dharma and give the teachings of absolute truth. He had to share these teachings. Think about it. In regards to our understanding of the principles, how much do we really know? That depends on whether we are mindful each day, whether we are constantly gaining realizations. So we have compassion in our hearts? Are we practicing patience?
There is so much suffering in the world, so many contractions and so many conflicts between people due to differences in views and understanding. Can we practice patience in dealing with negative words and actions? Therefore, we must always be mindful.

(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)