Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Never Leave the Buddha’s Side (不離佛邊 不離一念)
Date: March.08. 2017
“Once we know to change and eliminate material desires, we naturally can illuminate our luminous virtue. With this, we put our effort into seeking and diligently studying the Buddha-Dharma. Since we understand, it is intrinsic in our mind. The Buddha-nature is without beginning or end.”
We have continually been talking about the Brahma kings who came from all eight directions and from above and below. They had all gathered together to ask Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. They had so much reverence! From the process of coming from each direction to their attitude at the place of enlightenment, everything that they did was all to seek [the source of] that light.
That light had shone everywhere, in the eight directions and above and below. This light illuminated everything completely. Feeling that it was an auspicious sign, that it was different from normal, they all thought, “We should investigate this auspicious radiance. What is its source? Where does it come from?” What those in the Brahma heavens of each direction had expressed was more or less the same. This is similar to what we feel; we feel that in life, we must investigate the principles of life, to know where we have come from and where we are going. What is the world like now, and what will the future have in store?
We already know what the world is like now. Having encountered the Buddha-Dharma, we understand the world’s many kinds of suffering. But with people, in interpersonal relationships, there are so many things about people’s minds that are impossible for us to understand. Even with our parents and our dearest loved ones, do we really know what they are thinking? We may not even be able to guess exactly what it is they are thinking about. This is to say nothing of our colleagues who work on the same things with us. It is also impossible for us to understand their way of looking at things. There is so much we cannot understand. Although we are learning the Buddha’s teachings, we can only do our best to cultivate ourselves. In dealing with people and matters, we should treat others with utmost sincerity. As we make use of whatever abilities we have to accomplish whatever we are working on, the way we treat people, matters and objects must always be to benefit them and not cause harm. In learning the Dharma, we are continuously unable to understand others and comprehend the principles of things even less.
Because this is so, what we can understand comes first from personally experiencing what goes on in our own mind and personally accepting and upholding [the teachings]. With what we are able to do, we serve others. Then we can experience this feeling of giving. In our relationships we can ask, “Why is he always so unhappy with me? Since he is unhappy with me, I am also impolite toward him.” [We should learn] through such experience. These two people may often be together. With all these people, matters and things, they need to work together, in the same space. Why is it that they cannot get along? “He is unhappy with me no matter what I will not compromise with him at any point.” Have you experienced this? Isn’t it so taxing?
If we are like this with one person, what about two people? What about with the many in the organization? What would that be like for us? We can get along with most people, but we cannot cooperate with a few. We can make a comparison like this; do we have [a problem] with one, or with most? If the majority is unhappy with us, that is when we need to begin to reflect on ourselves. It was our mistakes, our attitudes and so on, [that caused this]. Those who engage in self-reflection are those who engage in self-cultivation. Where did we make our mistakes? If so many people are unhappy with us, do we really want to continue on in conflict with others? Not only should we not create conflicts, we should reflect on ourselves and engage in self-cultivation.
So, we should “know how to change and eliminate,” eliminate all kinds of mistakes. This is self-reflection. Where did these mistakes come from? With people, matters and objects, perhaps we were too arrogant. “I think it should be done this way, and this is the way I am going to do it.” We are too attached. These attachments all follow from our desires. There are many things that happen because of this, so it is impossible for us to get along peacefully. We cannot open our minds or be accommodating. When we cannot be accommodating, we continue to remain confused. We assume others are wrong and we are right. This is very taxing. If we can be clear, truly eliminate our past mistakes and earnestly change the way we deal with people, matters and objects, then not only will we take the Dharma to heart, but through our experiences with others, we will come to understand causes and conditions, our causes and conditions with others. By planting good causes, we will have the conditions of good affinities with others. We will be able to get along joyfully and happily. Every day we can work together in unity. We can do the things we should do, the things we want to do, the things which benefit others, and everyone can work together in unity. This must begin with ourselves. It depends on the individual; the ways that we give must start with improving ourselves. Then we can give. So, we must “know to change [and eliminate]”. We must first reform ourselves; only then will others change their opinions, change the way they look at us. We “change and eliminate material desires”. This is not only for those with [material] desires. When desires remain in us, it means that there is still ignorance. These desires are not just for objects, but also in the way we look at things. We want everything that we desire. “I want things to be done my way. This is the way I want it.” This is all intimately related to our temperament and habitual tendencies.
If our self-cultivation is insufficient, in every situation we look to meet our own needs. This is very damaging to us. We cannot say, “I have won this argument, and I want to do it this way, so everyone has no choice but to follow me.” If so, it will not be accomplished harmoniously. We seek to be spiritual practitioners, so we must always be grateful to one another. Since we have such a harmonious place of practice, we must be grateful to everyone for using love to manage it together. With the Six Points of Reverent Harmony, this place is filled with auspicious radiance. The light in everyone’s heart will shine. This is like a room where everyone lights a candle. When everyone’s candles are lit, won’t the whole room be filled with radiance? Once we all understand the Dharma and engage in self-cultivation, “We naturally can illuminate our luminous virtue.” Each of us is already engaging in inner cultivation. The Dharma is just like this, so we engage in inner cultivation. Then naturally, we can light our lamp. The room within our minds, the room of our minds, will naturally be [illuminated], because in this space within our own minds, we have already lit a lamp. Our minds are clear and bright, so we have “illuminated luminous virtue”. We are clear about our nature of True Suchness, how our nature of True Suchness has been covered by much ignorance, and in this ignorance we create karmic [causes]. Then lifetime after lifetime, we live in hardship. All the affinities we have formed are negative. All the effects we experience are of suffering. So, at this time, in learning the Buddha’s teachings, the most important thing for us is to first eliminate from our minds all the afflictions or things that make us unhappy one by one. We must reflect on ourselves; it is not someone else’s fault. It was we who did not handle this harmoniously. When we reflect on ourselves, we can also ignite the lamps in others’ hearts. We were the ones who did this, so we must repent to the other person. I often say, “Those in the right should repent to those in the wrong.” If we take a step back, everything opens up for us. To make things harmonious, [we can say,] “You are right, and so am I.” I will first admit, “I was wrong.” Naturally, the response is always, “Not at all! I was wrong in this matter too.” When each admits their own mistakes like this, aren’t the candles in the rooms of their minds each mutually ignited? So, when we can “illuminate our luminous virtue,” we will naturally illuminate others’ virtue. This is self-awakening. Only by earnestly engaging in self-cultivation and illuminating ourselves will we then have the way to awaken others.
The Buddha once told a story about a candle. Everyone has probably heard it before. After a candle has been lit, everyone can come and light their candle from it. This way, everyone’s candle can be lit because of the candle that you lit and the flame you shared with them. Isn’t this how the inside of this room can become bright thanks to one candle? Then if everyone comes to light theirs, it will be thanks to so many people whose candles and lamps are shining brightly. Then won’t this place be bright and radiant? Therefore, we all need to know that we all have always had this candlelight inside us. We have this ability; we have this hidden potential. So, “With this, we put our effort into seeking.” Since we all know this ourselves, we should hasten to take our candle and light it from another. We must earnestly work on our own minds. How is it that some people can be so respected and loved by others? It is due to their attitude, the way they work, the way they deal with people and things and so on. This is something we should learn; and in learning, we need to be diligent. Our minds must be focused and earnest in order to experience and understand. We must analyze why others can do this while we cannot. If others can succeed at it, then why can’t we succeed? Others have such [great] character, so why is it that we are always criticized behind our backs, and people are not happy when they are with us? We must put in effort and be diligent, take the Buddha-Dharma to heart and eliminate our habitual tendencies one by one. This is what we mean by “once we know”. Then we can also eliminate all of our negative habitual tendencies, eliminate all our ignorance and afflictions.
“Since we understand, it is intrinsic in our mind. Once we know, it is intrinsic to our mind. When we come to understand this, we know that the Dharma is intrinsic to everyone. This is our mind’s intrinsic altruistic potential. It is the intrinsic nature of our own mind, the nature of True Suchness. We have continually been deluded over the true nature of our mind and have lost our altruistic potential. At this time, in learning the Buddha’s teachings we must try to recover our altruistic potential, try to recover our original nature. The Buddha-nature is without beginning or end. The Buddha-nature is intrinsic to all. It neither has a beginning nor an end. The power of love is actually something everyone has; it is just that we are not thoroughly clear on worldly matter. Why are we not thoroughly clear? Because we still have ignorance, attachment to our sense of self and so on. This causes us to have many afflictions. We should put our effort into being mindful in our daily living.
The Brahma kings came from the ten directions, from the eight directions, from above and below. They had found the light, and the source of that light was the place of enlightenment of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha had not only attained Buddhahood, He also benefitted all with the Buddha-Dharma. He was able to transform all people’s minds. When the rooms in all of our minds are lit up from the inside, the light of the true principles will shine. So, the radiance of the place of enlightenment came not only from Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha Himself, but from the Dharma-protectors and so on. There were also Bodhisattvas, Bodhisattvas from other places and those of that world, too. Additionally, there were ordinary people, etc. The causes and conditions had already matured; in everyone’s spiritual practice, the light of their minds was already shining. The Brahma kings of the form realm had already seen this and wondered where the source of the light was. So, the Brahma kings had all now gathered. Clearly the place of enlightenment was quite magnificent!
Now, the Brahma kings from the ten directions had gathered there, having come from 500 trillion lands. The previous sutra passage says, “500 trillion Brahma kings, having praised the Buddha in verse, each spoke to the Buddha. We only pray that the World-Honored One will turn the Dharma-wheel to bring peace and stability to many, to bring liberation to many”.
At that time, in that magnificent place of enlightenment, the Brahma kings from above had arrived as well. Everyone was present. There were so many Brahma kings, and with one voice, they all entreated the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. “Having praised the Buddha in verse” means they had already conveyed their reverence. The Brahma kings of the ten directions had already expressed everything they needed to express. “Each spoke to the Buddha.” Every one of them, each of those Brahma kings, entreated the Buddha with the same wish. “We only pray that the World-Honored One will turn the Dharma-wheel to bring peace and stability to many.” As long as the Buddha turns the Dharma-wheel, everyone will attain the Dharma and peace and stability. Those who receive the Dharma are all at peace and are stable. Their hearts are truly peaceful and stable, without afflictions or ignorance. “Bring liberation to many” means from hearing the Dharma, we can be transformed and escape from the net of ignorance to attain complete liberation.
So, “Then the Brahma kings spoke in verse”. So many Brahma kings expressed themselves again, using verse to express themselves. “World-Honored One, turn the Dharma-wheel and beat the Dharma-drum of ambrosial dew to deliver suffering, afflicted sentient beings and open and reveal the path to Nirvana”. When the Great Enlightened One turned the Dharma-wheel, He gave ambrosial dew and beat the Dharma-drum. Upon hearing, upon attaining the flavor of that ambrosial dew, everyone’s wisdom-life would grow. “Deliver suffering, afflicted sentient beings” means by awakening oneself and awakening others, He can help everyone realize and enter the path to Nirvana and tranquil extinction. He helped us understand this tranquility. This tranquility is Nirvana; Nirvana is tranquility and stillness. We often talk about “minds tranquil and clear”. That is the spiritual state that the Buddha tried to guide us toward. The Great Enlightened One guided us mindfully.
In fact, that tranquil and clear state is something we all intrinsically have. We just have yet to truly experience it, to truly realize it. We have yet to manifest that tranquil and clear state.
The next passage then says, “We only pray that you accept our request and, with the great, subtle and wondrous tone, out of mercy, expound the Dharma You have taken in over countless kalpas”.
Great Brahma king Sikhin was the last to arrive. Thus all from the ten directions were present. All the Brahma kings still had subtle delusions that they had not yet eliminated. So, they hoped the Buddha would be compassionate. Great Brahma King Sikhin also said this, hoping the Buddha would “accept their request”. They hoped the Buddha would use His “great, subtle and wondrous tone”. “Great” means it encompasses all. Subtle and wondrous mean fine and intricate. It means both the Great and Small [Vehicle] Dharma; they hoped He would teach the Dharma.
We only pray that you accept our request and, with the great, subtle and wondrous tone: The beings of the Brahma heavens and humans, with sincere hearts and one mind, prayed that the World-Honored One would accept their earnest request and, with His great, subtle and wondrous voice, turn the great Dharma-wheel.
We see how the place of enlightenment was already complete. These Brahma kings were the last to arrive, so they asked the Buddha to teach the Dharma. We remember how Brahma King Great Compassion entreated the Buddha to reveal all matters and appearances. If we sentient beings only listen to principles, it is truly difficult for us to understand. Instead they need to be explained to us through worldly matters and appearances. Then we can begin to understand the principles. It is from worldly matters and appearances that we can understand the principles. Though very subtle and intricate teachings, they can be explained this way. When great and profound teachings are combined with small and intricate ones, this becomes very complete. We say “subtle,” but it can actually be very great. The most subtle and wondrous teachings are contained within genes. The tree you see now came from a seed. This seed contains genes within it. We only see the obvious, outer appearances, but it is the subtle and intricate genes inside that enable [the tree to exist]. If the genes are good, then through the appearance of the seed [a tree grows]. When we look at a seed, we see its appearance What we can see is the appearance, the completion of certain causes and conditions, like earth, space to grow, air and water. If the tiny, intricate genes inside the seed receive these noticeable causes and conditions. If it has plenty of space, good air, plenty of sunlight and water, if the four element come together like this, then the tree will be able to grow. So, the “great, subtle and wondrous tone” means there are many different teachings that the Buddha was able to give. From His speech He gave birth to all teachings. We say they are the Buddha’s teachings. In fact, all of these many great principles came from the Buddha’s self-awakening, His Dharma-ocean, His ocean of wisdom. From it He could teach the Dharma constantly without ever exhausting it. In fact, even if He had never taught these things, they already existed in the world. It is we who are unable to experience the truth of the world, so all of these countless billions, these countless trillions of different things, are not yet able to be understood. Thus, there is so much that we cannot see through or figure out. This results in so much ignorance. So, they entreated the Buddha, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, to [teach] “with His great, subtle and wondrous tone”. He could use a great, subtle and wondrous tone, which is both great and subtle, These teachings all came from the Buddha’s mouth. This is how they were opened and revealed. As the [Buddha kings] still had traces of delusions, what they needed now was to understand. So, the Brahma kings, those from the Brahma heavens and humans, all had this wish. “The beings of the Brahma heavens and humans” means besides the Brahma kings, the humans at the place of enlightenment also had the same wish. Heavenly beings and humans were of one mind; everyone at this assembly shared the same wish. “[They] prayed only that the World-Honored One would accept their earnest request.” Everyone spoke with same voice, asking Him to use “His great, subtle and wondrous tone.” “His great, subtle and wondrous tone” means that He could embrace all in such a way that all the teachings could return to one”. They asked the Buddha to open and reveal all, to “turn the Great Dharma-wheel. Out of mercy, expound the Dharma You have taken in over countless kalpas”.
Out of mercy, expound the Dharma You have taken in over countless kalpas: Mercy: Loving-kindness and compassion. All of us: All heavenly beings sought the Dharma for themselves as well as humans. They asked the Buddha to expound the Dharma.
They hoped the Buddha, because of their great reverence, would have “mercy,” which means compassion, that He would be kind and compassionate. When it says “all of us,” it refers to heavenly beings seeking the Dharma. They sought it not just for heavenly beings; it says, “as well as humans”. They sought it not only for themselves, but also for the sake of humans, that is, for all sentient beings. Heavenly beings had very generous hearts. It was not only them who had subtle delusions which had not been eliminated. All the world’s sentient beings in the four forms of birth and Five Realms were in even greater need. So, they hoped the Buddha would do this for “all of us,” meaning all heavenly beings and humans. They asked the Buddha “to expound the Dharma”. They invited the Buddha to explain the principles behind thousands of things in the world. There were not only thousands, but unknowable numbers of teachings. They hoped the Buddha would teach them one by one, would expound the countless teachings. He had accumulated over countless kalpas. This is talking about the causes and conditions of countless kalpas. The more time passes, with lifetime after lifetime in the world and all the sentient beings He transformed, the more causes and conditions He accumulated. So, with these essences and appearances of things, He would have accumulated many teachings. These are called “the teachings He accumulated over countless kalpas”. Now, He had attained Buddhahood. Before He had attained Buddhahood, over the course of His spiritual practice, the more time that passed, the more He had accumulated.
This is like our Humanistic Culture Mission planning meeting. As I listened to the different departments, each individual has his own responsibilities. As they explained their responsibilities and the things they doing, all relate to current people, matters and things. What are these current people, matters and things? Tzu Chi volunteers are spread throughout the world. What are they doing? Throughout the world, whatever happens in society, what Tzu Chi volunteers do is being recorded. With our Four Missions and the Eight Footprints, just to write these things down [take a long time]. These have accumulated from the past till present. Just to write from the origins of Tzu Chi up till now, there are still more than 30 years of history that have not been edited. It takes them a long time to write and accumulate all these stories. There are truly many of them. For each year, there are thousands of words. Some years; histories are over tens of thousands. This is just one department’s responsibility; to take a history that spans over 50 years of all the important people, matters and objects and edit it together is not an easy task, not to mention all the stories of individuals and things that have happened. At this time, just to write this down, how many people’s stories can be written, how many events must be gathered together? There are truly so many.
So, with the passage of time, the things we accumulate are truly numerous, and all of them are the Dharma. All are teachings, ways of living in the world. Because the world is full of suffering, heartwarming [stories] can be found everywhere among suffering sentient beings. Whatever the suffering, the warmth of these actions can permeate the lives of those suffering to release them from their mental suffering, physical suffering and suffering from lack of material goods. These all illustrate the truth of suffering and the truth of causation. A “truth” is a principle. They want to finish this task, but the things we do today are the history of tomorrow. This is to say nothing of the things seen and learned and done over countless kalpas; there are so many.
So, “The Dharma You have taken in over countless kalpas” refers to the Dharma the Buddha had realized, through His spiritual practice over many kalpas, over a long period of time. With all the Dharma He had understood through His spiritual practice in the past, “They prayed He would teach as He had realized so that the seeds which had long been buried could enter sentient beings’ minds”. They hoped He would take all He had done lifetime after lifetime, all He had realized, the principles He had accumulated, and explain them one by one. So, “great, subtle and wondrous” means from a long time ago, dust-inked kalpas ago, from beginningless dust-inked kalpas. It has been such a long time. In our 50-year history, so many [stories of] people have been collected in just those 50 years, let alone the Buddha, who lifetime after lifetime, since Beginningless Time, had come to know all these great and small things. They hoped He would expound all of these, “so that the seeds which had long been buried could enter sentient beings’ minds”. For a very long time, in every lifetime we have had [karmic] effects, and in every lifetime we have had seeds. With these seeds of wisdom-life, we can transform the eighth consciousness into the ninth consciousness. Those pure seeds were already buried very deeply. This is why the eighth consciousness needs to be transformed into the ninth. These seeds of wisdom, the things He had experienced, were so numerous. They hoped He would spread each seed anew so they “could enter sentient beings’ minds”. They hoped each of those seeds could return to everyone’s hearts. They are the Dharma, the seeds of pure Dharma.
When the Buddha teaches the Dharma, it is like seeds, which then need to return to everyone’s minds. So, “The palaces of the Brahma kings of the ten directions had all kinds of auspicious appearances”.
The palaces of the Brahma kings of the ten directions had all kinds of auspicious appearances. Their intention was focused on seeking out the radiance and seeing the Buddha. Everyone has this radiance, and each person has this Buddha, but because we do not know where the radiance comes from, we cannot see this Buddha.
This is when the Brahma kings came to request the teachings. They had already arrived at the assembly. The palaces of the Brahma kings had already appeared at the place of enlightenment. This increased its auspiciousness. “Their intention” refers to how this auspiciousness came from everyone sharing a single intent. “Their intention was focused on seeking out the radiance and seeing the Buddha”. The place of enlightenment was already magnificent. The magnificence of the place of enlightenment came from the sincerity of the Brahma kings. When we are chanting the Incense Chant, we say “With utmost sincerity, we request the presence of all Buddhas”. This means when we are most reverent, that is an auspicious appearance. The point of this auspicious appearance was their sincerity; all they wanted to do was or see the Buddha. “Everyone has this radiance.” We should know by now that everyone has this radiance, has this auspicious appearance. So, ”Each person has this Buddha”. There is a Buddha within everyone’s heart. The Chapter on the Parabke of the Conjured City tells us from the start that “Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha” is actually something we all possess. Now this sutra passage is slowly returning to that “Everyone has this radiance, and each person has this Buddha, but [we ] do not know where the radiance comes from”. We do not know where the light is; where is it? In our minds. And where is our mind? Now, their light was already shining. But because we have not yet understood our nature of True Suchness, “We cannot see this Buddha. Everyone has a Buddha, but we all are unable to see this Buddha. This is truly the part where we feel it is difficult to understand. So it says, “If we know where the radiance comes from, we will see that the Buddha is never far away”.
If we know where the radiance comes from, we will see that the Buddha is never far away. So, the heavenly beings thought about it and all said, “What are the causes and conditions behind these appearances?” Those from the east searched toward the west; those from the south searched toward the north. This is all describing that this radiance existed everywhere, not in any fixed place. Looking from the west, it was in the east. Looking from the north, it was in the south. It seemed to be ahead, then suddenly behind. Actually, it had never left the side of
Great Unhindered Buddha. Actually, it never leaves our own mind. So, once the Brahma Kings saw the Buddha, they praised Him joyfully.
When we know the origin of the light, we naturally see the Buddha is never far away. The Brahma kings already knew the origin of the light, so it was not difficult for them to come to see the Buddha. This is like us. Once we know of the principles, we must quickly find the source of the principles. “So, the heavenly beings thought about it and
all said, ‘Where are the causes and conditions behind these appearances?’” Those heavenly beings and those Brahma kings of the ten directions were all seeking the causes and conditions, the source of the causes and conditions of all phenomena. There is only one source, but they had come from all the ten directions. Those from the east went west; those from the south went north. From all their different directions, the place they saw was the same. So, this describes the rays of light and how, from the eight directions and above and below, the Brahma kings had all gathered together. Their gathering together shows that this light reached every place. It “existed everywhere”. It seemed to appear, then disappear. This light is within us so why would we seek it [elsewhere]? It is “not in any fixed place”. So, was the Buddha’s place of enlightenment in the east or was it in the south? Was it in the north or was it in the west? It depends on the direction from which everyone viewed the source of the light, so of course it would be different. This means it was not in any fixed place. This is a description, using matters and appearances to illustrate the principles. We need these directions, these names. If not for this …actually, “It existed everywhere, not in any fixed place.” The origin of the light, when viewed from the west, appeared to be east, when viewed from the north, appeared to be south. So, it was “seemingly ahead, then suddenly behind”. It is all around, in front of and behind us, but we are never really sure. “Actually, it never leaves the Great Unhindered Buddha’s side.” It is all around, in front and behind never leaving Great Unhindered Buddha’s side. “Actually, it never leaves our own mind.” In everyone’s mind there is a Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha in front of and behind us. So, we all must understand that He is never far away from us. Though He has existed for dust-inked kalpas, He is right here in front of and behind us. So, when the Brahma kings saw the Buddha, “They praised Him joyfully”.
We have taken so long in explaining this passage, describing the process of how the Brahma kings from the ten directions came to the place of enlightenment. The Brahma kings rejoiced upon seeing the Buddha. We too would rejoice if we were able to see the Buddha. We had mentioned earlier how the Brahma king cultivated the supreme good deeds and upheld the supreme precepts, how they cultivated them for many lifetimes before being reborn in the Brahma heavens of the form realm. This takes a very long time! By then they already had the Dharma with them. They had “practiced according to the Dharma,” so they had been reborn in the Brahma heavens. Heavenly beings have very long lifespans, and now they had again come to seek the light. Clearly, we are just like those Brahma kings; our bodies are radiant, our minds are radiant. There is so much light accumulated in us, because we are the same as Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. If we can understand completely, we are the same. If we cannot understand completely, we are separated by dust-inked kalpas. So, in the end let us always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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