Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Buddha Knows Our Deepest Thoughts (深心所念 佛自證知)
Date: March.24. 2017
“A wheel-turning sage king always uses Right Dharma to govern and transform the world, enabling his people not to kill, steal or commit any transgressions or evil. All receive his grace and each lives harmoniously, joyfully, happily and without strife. Due to these causes and conditions, he is one all people make offerings to.”
Our ideal world would be a world like this. In the circumstantial and direct retributions of our lives in the world, we hope to be born in a place where “government follows the Way.” For people living in a country like this, in a country where the rule of law prevails, the country will follow a Way that is right. People there can live harmoniously and joyfully, without hardships. This is their circumstantial retribution in life. This is what people in this world ask for, favorable weather, peace and prosperity. This is what most people hope for. This requires “a wheel-turning sage king” who “always uses Right Dharma to govern and transform the world.” Being born in the land of a wheel-turning sage king is to be born into an era of the greatest peace and harmony. When the ruler is a wheel-turning sage king, he can govern the world. He can govern with Right Dharma and effortlessly lead people to peace. In that country, not many laws would be needed. The people would naturally enjoy a favorable balance in the world and could live harmoniously and joyfully, in peace and working happily. With things like this, what need is there for laws to govern? This is due to the wheel-turning sage king’s blessings as a leader; he is blessed from his past lifetimes of leadership, engaging in spiritual practice and forming blessed affinities. He practiced the supreme good deeds, so he created infinite blessings. He upheld the supreme precepts, so his blessings were complete and abundant. His blessed affinities resulted in circumstantial retributions in a country like this. On top of that is his virtues; with blessings and virtues, naturally there is peace in his land.
In Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, His father the king was a wheel-turning sage king. Everyone there truly lived in peace; it was a happy place where people’s lives were long. This was because of Right Dharma. Right Dharma allows one to govern and transform the world. If there was no Buddha in such a world, the Buddha’s teaching would still flourish and people’s attitudes would still be harmonious. Actually, the Right Dharma does not have so many teachings; it is just the principles for being a good person, just human morality. It is as simple as that. So it says, he “enables his people not to kill, steal or commit any transgressions or evil.” This is how Right Dharma is used to govern and transform the world. When such simple teachings are used to govern the world, people naturally do not want to kill or steal and have no evil thoughts or mistakes. None of these are present. Think about it; people would live in peace and work happily. What a harmonious world it would be! This is what we seek, a world full of genuine and fruitful interactions, without any kind of pettiness stemming from ignorance and afflictions. Society would naturally govern itself. There would be no need for laws. The Dharma would be in everyone’s heart, and people would interact harmoniously and joyfully.
So, “All receive his grace and each lives harmoniously, joyfully, happily and without strife.” If people could live like this, it would be a very ideal world indeed. It would a pure land on earth. So, “Due to these causes and conditions, he is one all people make offerings to.” In a world led by a wheel-turning sage king, people all uphold the Dharma and society’s rules, so their days pass in peace. The Buddha, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, also taught the Dharma in His world. This was a very harmonious and happy world. To live in a wealthy society and also have the Buddha-Dharma, have the principles to listen to, is adding riches on top of riches. With causes and conditions like these, the people lived very good lives. They also understood how to mutually create blessings for one another and make offerings to one another. It was a world where nothing was lacking, where everyone gave to one another. They gave their love. It was an extremely harmonious and joyful world.
This is the world we are all seeking. This was in the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. Actually, the era of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior is the era of our mind as well. We are all equal to the Buddha. All of us, since Beginningless Time, have had a Great Unhindered Buddha; this is our nature of True Suchness. It is just that dust-inked kalpas ago, that Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha had already accomplished everything; His wisdom was superior to all. So, He was called Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior due to His wondrous application of True Suchness. He manifested the wondrous application of True Suchness, while our nature of True Suchness merely exists. Our wondrous application has been defiled by ignorance. So, as unenlightened beings, we can have a lifespan as long as His, as our nature of True Suchness has remained unchanging since Beginningless Time. It neither increases nor decreases, never changes. So, the lifespan of our nature is also that long. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s lifespan was very long.
The lifespan of our nature of True Suchness is in fact also that long. Our nature of True Suchness is also like this, so broad and open, in such accord with the principles. This is like a society or a world governed by Right Dharma.
If is the same idea. This is to give everyone better understanding of how Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha is the nature of True Suchness within us all. There is also a wheel-turning sage ling in our mind. Each if us can govern our own thoughts. When we govern our own minds well, Right Dharma will be within us; Right Dharma will be in our minds. If we could do this, what ignorance and afflictions would we have?
The wheel of Right Dharma is in our mind too; we just do not know how to turn it. If we cannot turn the Dharma-wheel. If the Dharma-wheel in our own minds won’t turn, how can we find ways to ask the Buddha to turn it? So, in Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior’s time, we can see what a grand occasion it was. A wheel-turning sage king had come to ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. The Brahma kings had come to ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. The Brahma kings themselves had undergone constant spiritual practice during their past lives, cultivating supreme practices and upholding the supreme precepts. they already understood these principles; they just still had subtle amounts of afflictions that they could not yet see through.
Actually, we are also like this. like the Brahma kings, in the span of a thought, we can also practice the supreme good deeds and uphold the supreme precepts. the ground of our mind can also be pure and undefiled like the Brahma kings’. When we are like this, we can ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s father was a wheel-turning sage king. He accompanied the 16 princes to the place of enlightenment to ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. The wheel-turning sage king was already replete with both blessings and wisdom. these 16 novices had, since Beginningless Time, even before the era of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, also already engaged in spiritual practice at the places of practice of other Buddhas and had maintained their innocent intrinsic nature. This had all happened countless kalpas in the past. Actually, these are all descriptions of the ground of our mind, of our mind our mind can be that of a Brahma kings, a wheel-turning sage king or the intrinsic nature of the 16 princes. So, the place of enlightenment of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha is actually the spiritual training ground that is intrinsic to each and every one of us. Since there were so many people in that scene, heavenly beings and benevolent kings who came to Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior’s assembly to ask Him to turn the Dharma-wheel these were such auspicious causes and conditions!
Where are these superior causes and conditions? This depends on us, upon our willingness to make the best use of superior causes and conditions. to be able to hear the Dharma is very difficult! Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha lived many dust-inked kalpas ago; the source of the Dharma is what we take refuge in. but as unenlightened beings, a single slip of the mind can lead us into ignorance.
So, “An ignorant thought creates the Three Subtleties. External states lead to the Six Coarse Marks.” I often tell everyone this. Moreover, a single thought of ignorance will lead to action, and when there is action, the Six Course Marks from external states arises. The source of the Dharma is the same; good or evil phenomena, the source is the same. Evil also arises in the span of a thought and thus produces ignorance. These source of these negative phenomena is a single thought of ignorance. For Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, the source of the Dharma is likewise a single thought. With a single thought we become Brahma kings. With a single thought we become a wheel-turning sage king. With a single thought we become Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. All of this depends on our thoughts, whether that thought tuens toward good or evil. Two evil is to continue on in ignorance.
Toward good is to return to our nature of True Suchness. Going toward good brings good effects. Going toward evil results in evil retributions. There are also indeterminate actions. If one is not extremely evil, he will not necessarily descend into hell. Although he did not do good in the human realm, he will not necessarily fall into hell. Though he may be very good, he may still not practice supreme good deeds, and so may remain in the human realm. Instead of being born in heaven.
Perhaps due to a single thought going astray, he may enter the Three Evil Destinies, the animal, hungry ghost or hell realm. Whether extremely evil or indeterminate [karma], it all depend upon the mind. So, if our minds can earnestly return to our nature of True Suchness, if we exercise our intrinsic wisdom-nature and express our wisdom, we will not fall into cyclic existence. We will return to our nature of True Suchness, the source of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. In summary, everything depends on our minds. I hope we earnestly use our minds. We must see if we can follow the Dharma to correct our minds and adjust them correctly so they do not deviate again.
Thus, the previous sutra passage says, “All these countless thousands and millions of Hearers of great virtue have already achieved attainment. World-Honored One, You must also teach us the Dharma of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
Do you remember who spoke these passages? It was the 16 princes. The 16 princes had already begun to ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel, not just for their own sakes, but for the sake of Hearers with great virtue. They wished to be able reach Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment, the wisdom that is equal to the Buddha’s. This is what the 16 princes hoped for.
The sutra next says, “Once we have heard it, we will practice and learn it together”.
If the World-Honored One were to turn the Dharma-wheel and teach them, after hearing it, they would definitely faithfully practice it. World-Honored One, we aspire toward the Tathagata’s understanding and views. As for the thoughts in the depths of our hearts, the Buddha already confirms and knows them”. [They said], “World-Honored One, our aspiration is to have the same understanding and views as you. Our resolve and our faith are deep. With the utmost reverence, we formed aspirations and made great vows; the Buddha should be able to verify this. The Buddha should know our sincerity in asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel and teach us. What we hope for is to have wisdom that is equal to the Buddha’s”. This was what the 16 princes said in unison. They spoke not only for themselves, but for the sake of everyone else there as well. They were expressing their utmost reverence.
So, they said, “We have the aspirations”. “We, the 16 princes, and all of the Hearers of great virtue had these aspirations”.
They are saying, “Since we have the aspirations and have long formed this resolve, which is also very deep, now, from the depths of our hearts, we constantly think of the Tathagata’s understanding and views. With the Tathagata’s wisdom of observing capabilities, this must be something He confirms and knows.
[They said], “’We have long formed this resolve,’ which is also very deep”. They formed aspirations a long time ago and have looked forward to this for a very long time. Furthermore, their root of faith was also very deep. They were able to understand the Dharma they heard, so they asked the Buddha to not worry. “We constantly think of the Tathagata’s understanding and views”. Their every thought is about having the Tathagata’s understanding and views, to have the same ones as the Tathagata. The Buddha, the World-Honored One, should be able to understand this. “With the Tathagata’s wisdom of observing capabilities, this must be something He confirms and knows”. Through His wisdom of capabilities, the Tathagata should to be able to understand us, how deep our resolve is in seeking the Buddha’s understanding and views. We might remember that before, when the Buddha first agreed and began to speak, He explained to everyone how if someone’s capabilities were insufficient or they were not replete with faith, or they had deviant views, one should not teach them [the Lotus Sutra]. Do you remember? We spoke about this before. All Buddhas share the same path. Now the 16 princes had come to tell Him, “Our root of faith is correct. We already possess this wisdom to enable us to accept it. What we wish to hear and understand with true sincerity is the Great Vehicle Dharma. We absolutely will not deviate from it”. This was their response. When Sakyamuni Buddha was about to teach the Lotus Sutra, He took a very long time to explain what kinds of people could not listen to the Great Dharma, those without roots of faith, those whose wisdom had not been unlocked, etc., those with deviant faith. With people like these, He could not teach the Great Dharma.
So, this sutra passage says “with the Tathagata’s wisdom of observing capabilities”. The Tathagata had the wisdom to observe their capabilities, so the Tathagata should be able to confirm that they had reached such capacities and that it was time they receive the Great Dharma. The 16 novices expressed their intentions so sincerely on behalf of the great many Hearers. We can also feel their respect for the Buddha. The Buddha, the World-Honored One, in His wisdom, could certainly observer everyone’s aspirations. This is the Buddha’s wisdom. This expresses that so many people understood the Buddha’s wisdom is one with the universe; it is as vast as the whole universe and can clearly reflect sentient beings’ capacities.
“Once we have heard it, we will practice and learn it together”. After they hear it, they will all diligently practice and learn it. They will treasure hearing it and mindfully accept this Dharma and take it to heart. “All of us” will earnestly engage in spiritual practice with this Dharma. If only the Buddha would teach us, we would greatly cherish it and practice according to this Dharma. “World-Honored One, we aspire toward the Tathagata’s understanding and views.”
World-Honored One, was aspire toward the Tathagata’s understanding and views: We princes have made vows and formed aspirations to seek the Tathagata’s supreme understanding and views.
What they all aspired to was the understanding and views of the Tathagata. The Tathagata had awakened to the principles of the universe; there were none that He did not understand. “We also look forward to becoming like the Buddha, so that with all the principles in the universe, we can have a very penetrating perspective and completely understand everything.” This was their hope, what they hoped form what they sought. They aspired to reach the Buddha’s understanding and views. When it says “we,” it means the 16princes who had “made vows and formed aspirations” to seek the Tathagata’s understanding and views. When I speak of their earnestness in seeking the Dharma, I am also quite moved. This is earnestly seeking the Dharma.
As we listen to the Dharma now, are we that sincere? In listening to the Dharma, are we without Leaks? Or after hearing it, do we allow it to leak away? Do we listen and let it leak away simultaneously? A mind without Leaks is a very reverent mind, one that is earnest and sincere. We should not listen in a perfunctory manner or just to be able to get through listening. It should not be like this. We must be earnest and very sincere. So, [we] “seek the Tathagata’s supreme understanding and views. This was the Dharma they sought. They were so sincere and heartfelt; this sincerity came from the depths of the hearts. It came from their hearts; it was so sincere. Their vow engage in spiritual practice.
So, “as for the thoughts in the depths of our hearts” means “They aspire to attain Buddhahood. This is in the depths of their hearts.” In seeking the Dharma, one must engage in practice with the Dharma. Their determination was of utmost sincerity. “Their every thought was of the Buddha.” In every second of their daily living, their minds were never apart from the Buddha; the Buddha was inseparable from their mind. Thus, “Their every thought was of the Buddha, and they sought no other Vehicle.” They did not need to seek anything else. They only sought to take the Buddha’s mind as their own, to take the Buddha’s perspectives as their perspectives. They sought to have the Buddha’s mind and perspectives. So, “as for the thoughts in the depths of our hearts,” means “With their deep aspirations, they tool joy in gathering all virtuous teachings”.
As for the thoughts in the depths of our hearts: With their deep aspirations, they took joy in gathering all virtuous teachings, and they returned to True Suchness with a straightforward and tight mindfulness. This is seeking Bodhi.
Since we want to seek the Dharma, we should seek it from the depths of our hearts. The Dharma we seek is the virtuous teachings. “They took joy means it was joyful for them to listen to Dharma. It was virtuous Dharma, so they took joy in gathering all virtuous teachings. So, that is why they asked the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel, because they sought to have perspectives that were equal to the Buddha’s. The Buddha’s perspective was one of gathering all virtuous teachings into one mind. Thus the Buddha was already very clear. He eliminated ignorance and was completely pure. He had gathered together all virtuous teachings. We need all virtuous teachings to directly enter our minds. This is “a straightforward mind, right mindfulness”. Through virtuous teachings, with a straightforward mind and right mindfulness, they could return to their nature of True Suchness. This is the resolve to seek Bodhi, the resolve to seek this path. How do we return to our nature of True Suchness, back to a straightforward mind and right mindfulness? We must take this path, the Bodhi-path, with its enlightened nature, we must be very mindful and put the teachings into practice.
The Buddha already confirms and knows them: The Buddha, through His spiritual powers, already knows our hearts and confirms for us that delivering all sentient beings is encompassed by our vows. As for our resolve to seek the Dharma and transform others, the Buddha already confirms and knows it.
“The Buddha already confirms and knows.” Only the Buddha knows what is in our hearts. Only the Buddha can understand our hearts. Who else can know our hearts and the depths of our sincerity? “The Buddha, through His spiritual powers, already knows our hearts.” The Buddha’s “power of knowing others’ minds” enable Him to understand what is in our hearts. He “confirms for us”. Only the Buddha can understand how sincere we are in seeking the Dharma. What we seek is for all virtuous teachings to directly enter our minds. What we need the most is to directly enter into our nature of True Suchness. Only the Buddha can confirm this path for all of us. We are definitely those for whom the Buddha can be at ease in teaching the Great Dharma.
We often say, “This teaching is of no use to that person”. So, we naturally do not want to teach him “I’ve already lost my faith in this person. It’s no use teaching him.” When an ox drinks water, it increases his strength. When a snake drinks water, it increases his venom. In this same way, if someone with sincerity and faith who wants to seek the Dharma comes to hear this teaching, it will increase his wisdom-life. If his mind is off-track and improper, then it will only increase his intelligence. Intelligence can easily mislead us. Those who are intelligent have a very high rate of creating evil karma. So, what we want is to increase our wisdom-life, not to increase our intelligence. Thus, in seeking to learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must go about it very sincerely. This is the only way we will increase our wisdom. Only Buddha can understand us, so in the past as we constantly listened, the Buddha kept telling us, “You cannot teach to these kinds of people. You cannot teach it to people like this. You cannot teach …” and so on. Now, at this point in the sutra, we can deeply understand that this is true. Only those who are genuine in seeking the Buddha’s understanding and views, who take the Buddha’s mind as their own and are truly sincere, are those who we can teach. They are those who truly know their teacher’s heart.
“Delivering sentient beings out of great compassion” is the great aspiration we have all already formed. The aspiration we have formed comes from what we have realized; it is the same as the Buddha’s, the aspiration to transform sentient beings. We all have already given rise to great Bodhicitta and seek the Great Vehicle Dharma in order to broaden our great compassing so we can transform all sentient beings. “This is encompassed within our vows”. The Great Vehicle and great compassion are part of our vows. So, “As for our resolve to seek the Dharma and transform others,” the Buddha can confirm and know this. He can understand us, that all of us have made this great vow and wish to practice the Great Vehicle Dharma. The Great Vehicle Dharma requires us to go among others to transform sentient beings. This is our aspiration. We are willing to seek the Dharma, willing to transform others. Our resolve to do this is very strong; the Buddha should be able to understand this. Time and again, they hoped the Buddha would confirm that they had formed great aspirations and made great vows. They hoped the Buddha would have faith in them and would teach them the Great Dharma, as they truly know his heart.
Let us look; the next passage says, “At that time, the wheel-turning sage king’ assembly of eight trilling people, upon seeing the 16 princes become monastics, also requested to become monastics. The king heard this and gave his consent.
Not only did the 16 princes become monastics, they went before the Buddha and requested that He turn the Dharma-wheel, expressing their sincerity. Even the wheel–turning sage king did this. He had accompanied the princes to the place of enlightenment of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. The wheel-turning sage king came, and even his ministers and family also followed along to this auspicious assembly. They saw the Brahma kings request the turning of the Dharma-wheel and saw the princes express their desire to become monastics and ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. There were eight trillion people at that place. As this was happening, these eight trillion were also willing to ask the Buddha if they could become monastics. Those who followed the wheel-turning sage king also asked Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior to grant them permission to become monastics. Clearly this Dharma-assembly was an extremely grand occasion. The Great Dharma was about to be revealed, and everyone’s heart found its direction at this time.
At that time, the wheel-turning sage king’ assembly of eight trillion people: The king, grandfather of the princes, the father of Great Unhindered Buddha, went to where that Buddha was. The assembly that he led of eight trillion people: This is the assembly led by the wheel-turning king.
So, “the king, grandfather of the princes,” was “the father of Great Unhindered Buddha”. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s father, the grandfather of the 16 princes, was the wheel-turning sage king. He “went to where that Buddha was”. He too came to the place of enlightenment of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. “Led by” means there were eight trillion in his retinue, in the assembly led by the wheel-turning sage king. This was a lot of people. Seeing how the 16 princes had become monastics and sought the Dharma, they too wished to become monastics and seek the Dharma.
Upon seeing the 16 princes become monastics, [they] also requested to become monastics: Seeing the princes become monastics, they immediately gave rise to the thought of doing the same. So, they deeply admired the noble path of transcending a worldly, entangling family and entering the family of the Dharma-nature.
Upon seeing this, all rejoiced. They “immediately gave rise to the thought of doing the same”. [The felt,] “The princes are royalty and have such high positions, yet they are willing to give up everything.in order to become monastics. What about us?” They wished to emulate the princes’ virtue. Seeing the princes willingly become monastics, they too formed the same aspirations, wishing to transcend the world. They were very admiring; they admired the noble path of “transcending a worldly, entangling family,” because they were entangled, bound by family. If one has a family, then think about it; don’t we often hear, “My parents are getting old now. I must care for my parents”. “My children are still young. They have so many problems at school”. “My business is still not yet running the way I would like it to run. I don’t have the time to help with anything”. Think about the responsibilities one takes on in having a family, the bonds it creates. Thus, they wished to “transcend a worldly, entangling family”. They wanted to escape the entanglements of family and “enter the family of the Dharma-nature”. They wished to transcend family entanglements and enter the family of the Dharma-nature. This is why those who came following the wheel-turning sage king were willing to become monastics.
“The king heard this and gave his consent” The first asked the sage king, “Can I leave my family?” “Can I give up my position and concentrate on becoming a monastic?” They had to first ask the wheel-turning sage king. So, “A sage king transforms the world through the Ten Good Deeds, so when his followers were to become monastics, he immediately gave his consent”. The wheel-turning sage king had always safeguarded the Buddha-Dharma. Even before the Buddha appeared in the world, the wheel-turning sage king had always upheld and preserved Right Dharma. Now that the Buddha had appeared in the world and everyone was willing to learn the Buddha’s teachings and become monastics, of course he rejoiced. Since he was happy, he agreed to them becoming monastics. At this point in the sutra some people ask about “his servants and followers becoming monastics”. What is the significance of this?
Question: What is the meaning behind hos servants and followers becoming monastics? Answer: Precisely to set up the opportunity for the princes to reiterate the teachings. Since they were the assembly who doubted Wisdom Buddha, they were thus the assembly whom the princes formed affinities with.
Since these people were all those whom the wheel-turning sage king could order around, those who were governed by him, what did their wanting to become monastics mean? What does this signify? The answer is that it is “precisely to set up the opportunity for the princes to reiterate the teachings. We already mentioned how the Brahma kings had all arrived. Now they, along with these many other people, would become the assembly the 16 princes would form affinities with. Remember King Suddhodana? When the crown prince renounced the lay life, he sent people to accompany him. After the Buddha attained enlightenment and returned to the palace, King Suddhodana announced that if a family had more than one son, then one of them could become a monastic. This is the heart of a Dharma-protector. It was like this for Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior in the past and the same for Sakyamuni Buddha now. His family and His father, the king, were also Dharma-protectors. Only if the Sangha flourished would the Buddha-Dharma prosper. This is probably the same concept.
So, in the future, after the 16 princes listen to the teachings, the 16 princes would again teach and pass on the Dharma. This would be in the future. However, he would first allow the princes to listen to the Dharma from Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha and grow. This would also allow the Sangha of spiritual practitioners to flourish. So, this was the opportunity. There were also those with doubts and confusion in Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior’s assembly. In Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, there were also those who had doubts and confusion. They wondered if the Buddha-Dharma was correct or a deviant teaching. The wheel-turning sage king wanted the people of that era to have a correct perspective. For so many people to want to become monastics, it definitely had to be Right Dharma. The world is always like this. There were those in Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era who also had doubts and confusion. In order for those who had doubts and confusion to eliminate them, the wheel-turning sage king allowed those by his side to also renounce the lay life. He was protecting the Dharma and assisting at the assembly. “They were thus the assembly whom the prices formed affinities with. These people were those the princes would form affinities with and teach the Dharma to in the future. Since this great retinue had come, since these eight trillion people had appeared, it was these many people whom the 16 princes would form affinities with in the future. This was an opportunity; it was the causes and conditions. this is how they paved the path.
Everyone, learning the Buddha’s teachings is always like this. that past Buddha’s Dharma-assembly was like this. the present Buddha’s Dharma-assembly was also like this. they were much the same. For the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, His world of more than 2000 year ago and Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s world were greatly different. From what we just heard, they were very different. There were eight trillion followers. How could there be so many? But our present Sakyamuni Buddha’s followers only numbered 1250 people. Those who truly left the palace and accompanied the Buddha by His side were only the five bhiksus in the beginning. When He returned to transform others, there were only so many followers who stayed by the Buddha’s side. So, this is saying that the eras were different. What about we who also learn the Buddha’s teaching? How many people will we be able to transform? We should completely dedicate our whole bodies and lives to taking the Dharma to heart and walking the Bodhisattva-path. This depends on whether we are always mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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