Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Following Affinities to Guide and Transform (遠劫結緣 隨緣度化)
Date: April.11.2017
“In distant past kalpas, the 16 novices, seized the time to dispel doubts and form affinities. Lifetime after lifetime, they were in the company of Bodhisattvas. Without affinities, surely they would not meet. With affinities, surely they would not part. Each followed those they had affinities with to be delivered and transformed.”
Our lives are always about karmic “affinities”. These causes and conditions continue on over a long period of time. This is the nature of our lives. Life in the world of unenlightened beings is just like this. In the [state] of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, time passes in the same way. Lifetime after lifetime, the state of unenlightened beings is one of confusion. They are born according to the causes and conditions of their karma. In the state of Buddhas, time is spent seeking the Dharma and transforming others, lifetime after lifetime. In “seeking the Buddha’s Way,” they are diligent; in “transforming sentient beings,” they never rest, even over many lifetimes. Over a long period of time, the [novices] also attained Buddhahood one by one. This is the world of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Over time and throughout space, they always go among the people. That is their spiritual training ground; [sentient beings] are their counterpart in spiritual practice. That is why they must be in the world. This takes a very long time; since distant kalpas it has been a very long time! Recently, we have been constantly talking about long period of time. We talk about it almost every day. Dust-inked kalpas are such long periods of time that they are incalculable. As for that time an incalculable number of dust-inked kalpas prior, we are unable to say when it began, so it is called Beginningless Time. There is even Beginningless Time before Beginningless Time, such a long time! The time from Beginningless Time until now is like our universe, that incredibly vast space. When did it come into existence? It has always existed. Even the stars in the universe also undergo formation, existence, decay and disappearance. Some stars will decay, or explode. This is what we can see through astronomy. Today’s technology is helping us to understand the great space of the entire universe. There are countless, innumerable, incalculable numbers of stars and worlds, including our own planet. All exist in the vast space we call the universe. This empty space is endless and immeasurable. Within it, every object is its own world. Empty space is everlasting; when did this vast universe first begin to expand? No one knows this either. Our nature of True Suchness is also like this. It permeates the entire universe, time, space, interpersonal relationships and our own bodies; all of these are encompassed by the nature of True Suchness. Just how broadly can it expand?
We often say, “The mind encompasses the universe and the boundless worlds within it.” Our minds can expand in this way to be so vast. So it says, “in distant past kalpas, the 16 novices,” meaning a very long time ago. In Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, the 16 princes, as you have been hearing about every day, “seized the time to dispel doubts and form affinities.” When Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha was about to attain Buddhahood, yet before He actually attained Buddhahood, He too sat at the Bodhimanda. Only after many kalpas did He attain Buddhahood. This scene of His attaining Buddhahood, in the Chapter on the Conjured City, was described right at the beginning. We could see Great Unhindered Buddha sitting in His place of enlightenment. For many kalpas He could not attain Buddhahood, until causes and conditions matured, and He finally attained Buddhahood. Clearly, from these long kalpas, we can see that the process of spiritual practice takes place over a very long period of time, until the Buddha becomes one with the universe. His spiritual statemerged with the universe to become one, and He suddenly awakened. “His mind encompassed the universe.” Similarly, the heavenly beings had come to the place of enlightenment to protect Great Unhindered Buddha together. After He had attained Buddhahood, they began to entreat Him to turn the Dharma-wheel. The wheel-turning sage king then accompanied the 16 novices who came to leave the lay life. The 16 novices, at Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s place of enlightenment, began to exercise their wisdom. They listened to and accepted the Dharma, formed great aspirations and made great vows. They even requested that the Buddha turn the Dharma-wheel, the Great Dharma-wheel. They hoped He would teach the Great Vehicle. So, they put their hearts into earnestly asking, asking the Buddha to turn the Great Dharma-wheel.
During this time, the Brahma kings of the ten directions continually arrived. Thus, with both humans and heavenly beings, the causes and conditions had matured. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha began opening the Great Dharma-door by teaching the Lotus Sutra. He taught this for a long time, and over that long period of time, as people listened, some were able to comprehend. Some were able to have faith and understanding. But the 16 novices not only had faith and understanding, they faithfully accepted the Dharma. They faithfully accepted and put it into practice. Some had faith and understanding, but the majority had doubts and confusion. However, Great Unhindered Buddha then entered His meditation room; He [meditated] there for a very long time. For those still with doubts or questions, who was there to teach them? Who was there to dispel their doubts? The 16 novices took on this responsibility. During the 84,000 kalpas when the Buddha was in His meditation room, those 16 novices also spent 84,000 kalpas on the many who still had doubts and confusion, those who did not completely understand, explaining things to them one by one. The 16 novices drew close to those they had affinities with. Each of those 16 novices had his own assembly that had affinities with him. They split up and each went to a place of practice where each then ascended their Dharma-throne and began teaching the One Dharma; that is, the Great Vehicle Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Though each of the 16 novices split up, they all taught the same Dharma, the Great Vehicle Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra. Each of them had faith and understanding, each of them was firm in their faith. In this way, the associates who had affinities with them were transformed. Saying they were transformed means that they all gave rise to faith. They formed affinities with their Dharma teacher, with the novice who would teach them over the course of many lifetimes. Each of the novices had those who he had formed affinities with, and now each of them had attained Buddhahood. Each of those Buddhas, who was one of the 16 novices back then, is currently in a different land, with a distinctive epithet, and has attained Buddhahood. The sentient beings in Their lands were those who formed affinities with Them back then. Each followed the Buddha they had affinities with to that Buddha’s place of practice to engage in spiritual cultivation.
So it says, they “seized the time to dispel doubts and form affinities”. These 16 novices, “lifetime after lifetime, were in the company of Bodhisattvas”. For the sake of the 16 novices, Great Unhindered Buddha testified to their achieving realizations. They did not just start their spiritual practice in the era of Great Unhindered Buddha. Previously, countless kalpas in the past, they had already made offerings to many Buddhas and had earnestly engaged in spiritual practice. Lifetime after lifetime, they had gathered together with Bodhisattvas, and in every lifetime, they would be with other virtuous people and mutually encourage one another. In every world there are Bodhisattvas. It was like this in the past as well. In those places, in the place of practice of each Buddha, the 16 novices stayed together with many Bodhisattvas. They were beneficial companions for each other; they were friends for each other and worked to understand the Buddha-Dharma together. After listening to the Dharma, they formed groups to study and review the teachings. “I heard it this way. You heard it that way.” They took what they heard, the strong points from what each had heard of the True Dharma, and brought them all together. This is the meaning of beneficial companions. This is how Bodhisattvas gather together. Everyone took what they had gained from listening and put it together. Thus, “Lifetime after lifetime, [they were] in the company of Bodhisattvas”.
I heard that every day, in the afternoon, the monastic residents here, after their reverent prayers, then get together to hold this kind of study group and further discuss the Dharma. I was very happy when I heard this, that everyone is being so diligent in trying to realize and take the Dharma to heart, to integrate it with our actions in daily living. The Buddha-Dharma is inseparable from the workings of the world. By noon today, half the day will be gone; over this half-day, after listening to the Dharma in the morning and going through half a day’s time, have all our actions and the way we treat people and handle affairs been in accord with what we had heard in the morning? Did we gain any realizations? Or, if we kept the Dharma in our hearts after half the day, we can discuss it together and mutually encourage one another. Are you doing this? Yes. This makes me happy, and I give you my blessings. It shows you are taking the Dharma to heart, that you have this true realization. This is just like those Bodhisattvas who come together lifetime after lifetime. It is the same principle. So, we must form deep affinities. “Without affinities, surely they would not meet. With affinities, surely they would not part.” Upon hearing the Dharma, those with affinities joyfully and faithfully accept it and put it into practice.
In the same way, the 16 novices had deep affinities with Great Unhindered Buddha, first those of father and sons, then those of teacher and disciples. Their affinities were very deep, so now as they received the Dharma, they faithfully accepted and practiced it. By the same token, they certainly had affinities from past lives. “With affinities, surely they would not part”. Without affinities, even if people are already living together, they each give rise to discursive thoughts and may not be able to stay together for a long time. Or they may live together for a long time but do not value the Dharma, so they cannot form affinities through the Dharma. Though they may engage in spiritual practice in the same place, without Dharma-affinities they distance themselves. “Without affinities, surely they would not meet”.
So, since we live together, we should earnestly treasure [the teachings] and practice diligently. We must have affinities with each other. In Great Unhindered’s time, we were among those forming affinities with the 16 novices. We must recognize that this was our past. Yet if our Dharma-affinities were not close enough, we may find now that we have only a partial understanding. If our Dharma-affinities were closer, then we would have, one by one, already reached attainment. Or perhaps now, as soon as we hear the Dharma, we give rise to joy and thus remain inseparable from it. So, “With affinities, surely they would not part”. Thus, each “followed those they had affinities with to be delivered and transformed”. We each have affinities with different people, which are continually extended. The people who were transformed and had affinities with the 16 novices are all still in each place to be transformed. “Each followed those they had affinities with to be delivered and transformed”. Of those Sakyamuni Buddha formed affinities with, after His attaining Buddhahood more than 2000 years ago, there were those with sharp capabilities who had already been delivered. Those with average capabilities are in “the process of being transformed”. At that time, they never achieved deep understanding. The Buddha entered Parinirvana, but they remained within Sakyamuni’s teachings; lifetime after lifetime they still had the affinities to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. They are in the process of being transformed. They have the affinities to encounter the Dharma. Those “not yet transformed” are those who have not yet heard the Dharma. They must rely on the Buddha-Dharma being continually passed down by those who listen to, teach and transmit the Dharma. Then the same Dharma can be continually passed on. Each of us have people we have affinities with. So, we should put our effort into mindfully seeking to understand the importance of having affinities.
However, we must also be very clear about time, space and interpersonal relationships. All these have their causes and conditions. The workings of causes and conditions are truly inconceivable.
For the past three days and two nights, our professional staff have been participating in a [spiritual training for staff]. Yesterday, I attended their closing ceremony and heard the participants share their experiences. Everyone had gained so much, and everyone seemed to be very happy. I could see this from the scene there. I not only saw them; I was also given [a prize]. As an individual, I feel unworthy to accept it, but it is nevertheless a great honor for Tzu Chi. The chancellor of Naresuan University made a special trip to present me with an honorary doctorate, an Honorary Doctorate in Social Development. This is a special honor, but personally I do not feel that I deserve it as an individual, because what he sees is our Tzu Chi organization, the work that the entire Tzu Chi organization has done for people around the world. So, the ceremony was very solemn as the chancellor of Naresuan University presented it. The chancellor was named Dr. Kasar. Dr. Kasar was previously the Vice-Premier of Thailand. Prior to that, he was the head of five different departments. During our meal together yesterday, he told me that he had been to Taiwan before but he had never been to Hualien. He has a very high position in society and is very influential. So, in recognition of the importance of his trip, he bought ten individuals with important positions in society, in education and so on. There was the vice chancellor, a retired general, the university president and the dean as well. Each of them came to Hualien to participate in our lifestyle camp. Like everyone else, they stayed here for four days. They could see how organized we are, so yesterday they all seemed very happy. This is recognition for the entire Tzu Chi organization.
Indeed, there must be great affinities here. While we were eating, he expressed to me that he wanted to take refuge. I took this as mere table talk and never expected anything to come of it, but affinities are truly inconceivable. As I was seeing him off, he again told me, “I would like to take refuge. From now on, I want to become a volunteer”. He wants to come again to Taiwan and wants to become a volunteer. He wants to teach a class and interact with everyone.
Yesterday, they were supposed to leave at 1 pm. I was going to see them to their car. But although I kept saying goodbye and asking him to board the car, still he [stayed] until the fourth goodbye. He told me that he was getting in the car now. I again told him goodbye, saying, “Aright, you should get in the car, I also must get to my car”. I watched him until he had already turned the corner to get to his car. But then as I was getting in my car, he again walked by next to the car and again he took my hand, telling me how happy he was and how he would come back for sure. These are affinities; with these affinities, he came from so far away yet he too is willing to devote himself to Tzu Chi. He is an individual with much wisdom and of a very high position. Although he is already 82 years old, he is still very healthy and wants to dedicate himself to become a volunteer. This is not a simple matter.
So, in coming here, he is our virtuous friend as well as a Bodhisattva. In particular, his coming encouraged us that regardless of age, nationality or so on, we can be in the same spiritual training ground; with affinities we will be in this same place of spiritual practice. This shows that these are very close affinities. We must pay careful attention to causes and conditions.
Now, next, the previous sutra passage says, “Two of the novices became Buddhas in the east. One is called Aksobhya, in the Land of Great Joy; the other is called Sumeru’s Peak”. There are two Buddhas in the southeast One is called Lion Tone. The other is called Lion Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the south. One is called Abiding Space. The other is called Everlasting Extinction.
The prior passage lists one by one the Buddhas who attained enlightenment in the east and southeast.
The next passage states, “There are two Buddhas in the southwest. One is called indra Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha. The other is called Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World”.
Of the two Buddhas in the southwest, one of Them has Buddha-virtues of “might, virtue and dignity. He manifests the appearance of a heavenly king”. He has great might and virtue, so He “is called indra Appearance”. When Buddhas awaken, when any Buddha awakens, He awakens to the principles, to the true principles. “Opening the door to the path to enlightenment, He establishes the teachings as the founder”. When a Buddha is both in the world, there is no Buddha. This Buddha then awakens, so a new Buddha appears in the world. This is a new [era]. There had been no Buddha in the world, and the principles had disappeared as well. So, for every Buddha, there are the eras of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration, until there is an era with no Buddha in the world. In the eras when no Buddhas are in the world, there are Solitary Realizers. They rely on having, from long ago in the past, an understanding of the Buddha-Dharma. But the Buddha-Dharma has already disappeared. Nevertheless, upon returning to the world, they still retain their enlightened natures, so through observing the climate or physical objects in the outside world, they can realize the principle of impermanence. One who awakens in the absence of a Buddha is called a Solitary Realizer, a Solitary Realizer or a Realizer of Conditions, who awakens through external conditions. One who awakens in the absence of a Buddha is called a Solitary Realizer. They are born in a world without a Buddha.
However, the world cannot be without a Buddha. When causes and conditions become ripe, a Buddha will engage in spiritual practice and naturally manifest attaining enlightenment. “Opening the door to the path to enlightenment, He establishes the teachings as the founder”.
A Buddha awakens to the principles. Opening the door to the path to enlightenment, He establishes the teachings as the founder. He nurtures all sentient beings’ wisdom-life. This is like a king of the world whom thousands of people rely on. Thus they are given the name of a king.
Attaining Buddhahood in a world without a Buddha and establishing the Buddha-Dharma anew, He can “nurture all sentient beings’ wisdom-life”. A Buddha nurtures all sentient beings’ wisdom-life. We all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but our Buddha-nature has been buried, so He wants to find a way to help us get rid of our ignorance and nature our wisdom life.
Thus, this is like a worldly king, who is relied on by thousands of people. If a king rules the country well, the people will have peace and prosperity. The principle is the same. So, this Buddha is named after a king, thus He is “Indra Appearance”. The other Buddha is named Brahma Appearance because He is replete in purifying practice and “manifests the appearance of King Brahma”. This Buddha, “with Brahma-conduct, remains pure”. He also “[wades through existence] undefiled” .He dedicates Himself among people while remaining undefiled. He remains undefiled even amidst defilement, so He has the appearance of King Brahma. “Brahma Appearance” means a pure appearance. “There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha”. We all know this Buddha He too has great affinities with sentient beings. Several decades ago, the Pure Land School of Buddhism was very popular, and the Dharma-door of chanting the Buddha’s name also transformed many people. So, Amitabha is the Buddha of infinite Life. Thus, some people call Him Amitabha Buddha, and others call Him the Buddha of infinite Life. He is not only the Buddha of infinite Life but also the Buddha of infinite Light, because He is filled with wisdom, and this wisdom is radiant light. Long-lived and full of wisdom, He is called the Buddha of infinite Life. His Dharmakaya is everlasting, and He transforms countless sentient beings. So, He is called the Buddha of infinite Life. This is Amitabha Buddha.
There are two Buddhas in the west. One is called Amitabha: It means infinite Life as well as infinite Light. Infinite Life: His Dharmakaya is everlasting, and He teaches and transforms countless [beings].
He has great affinities with the sentient beings of the Saha World; there are many who chant His name. Now, Tzu Chi volunteers are doing the same; they have taken the epithet of Amitabha Buddha and spread it to Africa. We can see in Africa how, when volunteers greet one another, they say “Amitabha Buddha”. This is easy to say and pronounce. Saying “Sakyamuni Buddha” is much longer. So, In Africa they say “Amitabha Buddha”. It seems to roil off the tongue. It seems to roll off the tongue.
This has already been spread to that faraway land. As for the second Buddha, “The other is called Delivering All Suffering Beings in the World”. The world is filled with suffering, so, “In His great compassion, He takes mercy on all living beings. He can deliver all who suffer in the world”. This Buddha manifested in the world like this; the places where He delivered sentient beings were the same, all filled with suffering. It is also among suffering sentient beings that this Buddha exercises His great compassion and takes mercy upon all living beings. These are the virtues of this Buddha.
Next, “There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power. “The other is called Sumeru Appearance. There are two Buddhas in the north. One is called Cloud Freedom. The other is called Cloud Freedom King”.
There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called “Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power”. “Tamalapatra” means “a sage of undefiled nature,” meaning His intrinsic nature is pure. All of us are the same; our intrinsic nature is pure, but as unenlightened beings we have become defiled. This Buddha remains undefiled, so He is called a “sage of undefiled nature”. His mind remains uncontaminated by defilements. This is the state He maintains. This is not easy. If one were not a sage, there would be absolutely no way one’s mind could remain undefiled. So, Tamalapatra means a sage of undefiled nature.
There are two Buddhas in the northwest. One is called Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power: Tamalapatra: It means a sage of undefiled nature. Candana Fragrance: This is the fragrance of ox-head sandalwood. The wondrous fragrance of the Buddha-virtue fills all Dharma-realms. It can save sentient beings so they can be free of afflictions and defilements and attain pure wisdom. Thus the name: Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power.
“Candana Fragrance” is ox-head sandalwood. The fragrance it emits is extremely fragrant. This is what we often use, the “incense burning in the censer”. With incense, there is agarwood and many other different kinds of incense, but Candana Fragrance is special and very precious. And, this fragrance permeates over long distances, like how the “wondrous fragrance of Buddha-virtue fills all Dharma-realms”. The “incense burning in the censer” demonstrates “utmost sincerity”. When we smell this fragrance, joy and reverence naturally arise within us, so “[Dharma] can save sentient beings so they can be free of afflictions and defilements”. This means when we are in this kind of atmosphere, when sandalwood incense is used, it is a really wonderful atmosphere, that can help everyone settle their minds.
In Chinese medicine, sandalwood or agarwood can be used to settle the mind. Agarwood incense is one kind of Chinese medicine. Similarly, we often use it in temples. Incense is commonly used in temples, so when people smell it, it helps them focus their minds. This is like saving sentient beings; His teachings are like sandalwood, for when that Buddha teaches the Dharma, it focuses people’s minds and spirits. So, “It can save sentient beings so they can be free of afflictions and defilements”. When we listen to the Buddha-Dharma, upon hearing it, it rids us of our afflictions, just like when we smell incense and then settle and focus our minds. The principle is the same. Thus, we are able to attain pure wisdom. So, His name is “Tamalapatra Candana Fragrance Spiritual Power”.
“The other” is “Sumeru Appearance”. “Sumeru” is the “king of all mountains” and is an analogy for how “the Buddha is the king of all Dharma”.
Thus, each Buddha has His virtues. Then, “There are two Buddhas in the north. One is called Cloud Freedom. His great body is like a cloud that spreads over all things,” that permeates all Dharma-realms in the universe. Clouds are everywhere. So, [His great body] “spreads over all things”. “Amidst all phenomena, He attains great freedom”. See, clouds are everywhere in the sky. They float freely throughout the sky, and their shapes are ever-changing. Sometimes, when we look at the sky, the clouds may be shaped like flowers, while at other times, they may be shaped like dragons. We can see all kinds of things in the clouds. “That cloud looks like a Buddha. That one looks like a Bodhisattva”. In the sky, the clouds are infinitely changing and are found throughout the sky. So, clouds in the sky are everywhere; they are free. The other is called Cloud Freedom King.
The other is called Cloud Freedom King: He is as free as a cloud, coming and going without obstruction. He attains the most perfect enlightenment and is the king of all Dharma. Cloud: This is an analogy for how His noble mind is selfless and its essence and function are unhindered.
As for “Cloud Freedom King,” the previous one was called Cloud Freedom, but this one is called Cloud Freedom King. “He is as free as a cloud, coming and going without obstruction” His coming and going is without any obstructions. “He attains the most perfect enlightenment and is the king of all Dharma. This is the Cloud Freedom King”. He comes and goes without obstruction. The previous Buddha was Cloud Freedom Buddha, who pervades all Dharma-realms in the universe. This Cloud Freedom King not only pervades the entire universe, He also comes and goes without obstruction. He comes and goes among others without any obstructions and “attains the most perfect enlightenment”. With this prefect, universal enlightenment, He is “the king of all Dharma”. “Cloud” is an analogy for how “His noble mind is selfless”. His mind is like that of a noble being, like that of a sage or a Buddha. The mindset of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is simply to give unconditional great love. This is the noble mind of a Buddha. The cloud is an analogy for a noble being’s mind. He comes and goes anywhere without obstruction. “The mind is without hindrances; there are no hindrances”. This kind of mind exists everywhere in space. This is like our relief distribution in Turkey. When our Tzu Chi volunteers arrived there and were having a discussion with Professor Cuma, he said, “Love is like a house, and millions of people, tens of millions of people, countless billions of people can reside in this house”. That is right! Our Tzu Chi volunteers [believe] we are all one family. Isn’t this what Tzu Chi volunteers [believe], just like we sing in the song? Whether in Taiwan or anywhere in the world, before we begin aid distribution, [we sing] that we are one family. We are one family Everyone in the world is one family. Whether we are related by blood or not, we are all one family. If we could all [see this], what national or ethnic discrimination would still exist? What discrimination between those we love and those we do not? What discrimination at all? When we open up our minds, like cloud, we can pervade the universe, come and go freely and give unconditionally. While continually coming and going freely, our minds are undefiled by [any attachment to] being one who can help others. We just remain calm and content, but it is very important to give. These are the virtues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and this is what we must learn. We awaken ourselves while awakening others, and with universal, infinite love, we give unconditionally throughout the universe. This is something we can all accomplish, as long as we are always mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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