Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Rebirth in the Three Good Destinies (聞經信行 生三善處)
Date: April.27.2018
“When we hear the sutra and practice it faithfully, we will not fall into the Three Evil Destinies; rather, we will be born into the Three Good Destinies and be as if transformation-born in the lotus, pure and undefiled. Our faith must truly be free of doubt. We must have faith in and understanding of the Wondrous Lotus Sutra, whose true principle is impartial True Suchness. Then we will realize the Great Vehicle’s impartial [principle] of one reality and give rise to the Buddha-mind, which does not discriminate between friend and foe.”
We should be very mindful. When we listen to the sutra, we need to have faith. We need faith, vows and practice. When we listen to the sutra, if we cannot give rise to faith, then how will we ever make vows? If we do not make vows, how will we ever put them into practice? So, when we listen to the sutra, faith is very important. This is why we often say that “Faith is the source of the Way. It nurtures all roots of goodness.” If we have faith, then that is the source for our path. If we do not have faith, it will be impossible for us to accept the Dharma. No matter where the Dharma comes from, we will not think to understand it. So when we listen to the sutra, we must have faith. We must have deep faith, so that when we listen to the Dharma, we can take it to heart. Then naturally the sutra will gradually show us the path. It will help us to move forward so we can find the source of the principles. The source of the principles is our nature of True Suchness. So, in listening to the sutra, we need faith, vows and practice. Then, the path we travel upon will definitely be a virtuous path. Since we will be traveling upon a virtuous path, we will be certain never to fall into the Three Evil Destinies. As we are on the right path, we will be walking the Bodhisattva-path, and we will not head toward the Three Evil Destinies. So, because of the path we are on, we will be born into the Three Good Destinies.
At least the average person, if they listen to the Dharma and have faith, if they “refrain from all evil and do all that is good,” will be “born into the Three Good Destinies.” This is a certain principle. Moreover, if we put effort into spiritual practice, if we get rid of our afflictions and eliminate the obstructions of ignorance, if we can do this, our minds will be free of defilements. This is like the lotus flower. When our mind is pure, free from defilements, when we are without afflictions or ignorance, then our mind will naturally be “as if transformation-born in the lotus.” We will be as if born into the lotus flower. Although the lotus grows from the mud below, the flower itself remains clean. It remains undefiled by the mud. Being transformation-born into the lotus is an analogy; if our minds are pure, then even in the evil world of Five Turbidities, even while we are among people, our mind itself remains pure. This shows our mind is pure and undefiled. If we can constantly preserve this state, then “Our faith is truly free of doubt.” We must believe, believe in the principles the Buddha taught, faithfully accept them, put them into practice and earnestly preserve this state of mind, keep it pure. We should not allow afflictions and ignorance to contaminate us. We must be as if transformation-born in the lotus, separate from the mud. So, we must have faith, be free of doubt. If we can do this, this is our goal.
We “must have faith in and understanding of the Wondrous Lotus Sutra.” Its true principle is impartial True Suchness. Our nature of True Suchness is ultimately equal and impartial. It is not something only good people possess. Everyone has this nature of True Suchness. Not only do all people have the nature of True Suchness, all living beings have a nature of True Suchness that is equal to the Buddha’s. Of course, it is also equal to our own. It is not just the Buddha that has this; all beings have the nature of True Suchness. Every single thing in the world has its principle of True Suchness and its physical principles. This includes everything. According to the principles of the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, the mountains, rivers and the land all have a life of their own. So, we should be mindful in realizing this. In this Chapter on Devadatta, we truly need to be especially mindful. Only then will we be able to realize “the Great Vehicle’s impartial [principle] of one reality.” Sentient beings, the mind and the Buddha are all equal [in nature]. So, we “give rise to the Buddha-mind, which does not discriminate between friend and foe.” Who do we hold resentment towards? We cycle constantly in samsara; someone who is your enemy in this lifetime may in a past lifetime have been someone closely related to you, perhaps someone you loved. As for the person whom you love in this lifetime, they may perhaps become a hated foe in your next lifetime. We never know. If in our relationships with others, our views deviate even a little, that seed of ignorance will already have been injected into our eight consciousness. If there are misunderstandings in our relationships with others, if our views deviate even a little due to mutual mistakes made on both sides, they may in their hearts harbor some small resentment toward us. We never know if perhaps during our subsequent lifetimes, that little bit of resentment may manifest itself.
We can often hear people say. “So and so did such and such a thing to so and so that caused them great harm.” We was the cause of this? There were reasons. It turns out that in the past, one of them did some small thing that the other misunderstood. He never forgot about this and ceased to trust the other person. So, now when it is most critical, without that trust, one slip of the tongue will cause great harm to that person. We often hear such stories, all due to a very tiny misunderstanding. So, this is why we should not see others as either friend or foe. Since we engage in spiritual practice, and since we are learning from the Buddha, we should do our utmost to rid ourselves of our afflictions and ignorance, the afflictive emotions of love and hate. All of these must be eliminated. “Everyone is a good person. I always try to form good affinities with all. I have no prejudices against anyone.” We should, during this lifetime, train ourselves to be like this, to be without prejudices toward anyone, to not distinguish between friend and foe. Even though we are like this, we must also know the method for being good people. It is not that we have no method; we just have no prejudices. We must learn within how to treat others without love, hate, passion or animosity. When it comes to love, it must be genuine love. It may be that someone makes mistakes, that they keep on making mistakes and that their habitual tendencies are incorrect. Nevertheless, as we work with them, we never stop reminding them. Sometimes we can say one thing to this person, yet we cannot say another thing to them. Is it the right time to say this or not? We may remain unprejudiced toward them, yet there is still a proper way to do things. Certain times are right for reminding others. In our relations with others, people have certain habitual tendencies that we must consider when we are talking to them. So, people say, “If we are in harmony with people, we will be in harmony with matters. Only when in harmony with matters and people will we be in harmony with the principles.” Then in the world we will not again give rise to animosity and resentment. We will no longer become entangled by these things. We should regularly train ourselves to no longer give rise to these. But we still need a method for being good people. We must know how to engage in spiritual practice so that we can awaken to the impartial principle of the Great Vehicle. This is the mark of a true spiritual practitioner. It requires great cultivation. We must seek to comprehend human nature, to comprehend the principles behind matters and objects; only then will we have a way to see the true principles of the Great Vehicle, to see all things impartially. This includes the mountains, rivers and land all things, both sentient and non-sentient, are equal, let alone sentient beings and the Buddha. Where then is there any friend or foe to discriminate between?
Of course, this requires us to transcend and have great wisdom, just like the Buddha. The Buddha had engaged in such spiritual practice, so He looked upon all sentient begins with impartial love. This is genuine love, not a love [born from] desirous thoughts. It is completely genuine love. So, because His love was genuine, His mind was like the endless void, able to totally encompass all sentient beings. This is the only true great love, one that naturally does not distinguish between friend and foe. This is just like in this chapter, the Chapter on Devadatta; everyone found it impossible to understand. Moreover, to explain it very clearly in a way both simple and easily understood is even less easy to do. It is truly difficult to understand. Because it is difficult to understand, it is rare that anyone can realize it.
In the sutra, those how received the Buddha’s predictions al followed the Buddha’s teachings accordingly. But although Devadatta constantly went against the Buddha’s teachings and destroyed harmony and unity in the Sangha, even he received great predictions from the Buddha. This demonstrates the essence of the wondrous Great Vehicle. It clearly shows that the Buddha, in order to embrace and lead all sentient begins, will endure in the evil world of the Five Turbidities. He will transform all the stubborn sentient begins without exception and guide them all toward the Buddha-wisdom.
In many of the previous chapters, those able to receive predictions were all compliant in learning from the Buddha. Whatever the Buddha taught them, they complied with His teachings, and then they put them into practice. The Buddha bestowed predictions upon them. This is common sense, everyone could believe it, because the listened to the Buddha’s teachings and had truly been engaged in spiritual practice. It was only logical that their efforts would be rewarded; everyone could accept this. But when it came to Devadatta, Devadatta had for lifetime after lifetime gone against the Buddha’s teachings. Moreover, he damaged the harmony of the assembly, rebelled against the Buddha’s Sangha and rebelled against the Buddha’s teachings. Nevertheless, despite Devadatta falling into hell alive, the Buddha still bestowed great predictions upon him. How could the principle behind this possible be explained? It is difficult to understand. However, if we can understand the principles of Great Vehicle Buddhism, if we can fully comprehend the Great Vehicle Dharma, if we can have deep faith in it, then we will realize it is just like the universe that accommodates everything. We believe what the Buddha told us, that everyone has Buddha-nature. It is in every person, no matter good or bad. It is every person, no matter good or bad. It is not just every person; every sentient beings had Buddha-nature. It is not just in all sentient beings, but in everything both sentient and non-sentient, the mountains, rivers and the land. This is what the Buddha believed. These are the principles; true principles exist in all of these things. Why is this is a high mountain? What things are there contained within the high mountain? There are things contained inside of it. When it comes to mountains, different mountains contain different things. There are principles behind the existence of these things within the mountains. These are the principles.
So, when it comes to Devadatta receiving predictions, we should know that this was the Buddha revealing the essence of the wondrous Great Vehicle Dharma. This is the essence of the Buddha-Dharma, the Great Vehicle. All things contained in the world have their own principles of life and matter. The principles of life and matter are all present. So, we must learn to understand these; we want to understand them clearly. “it clearly shows that the Buddha, in order to embrace and lead all sentient beings, will endure in the evil world of the Five Turbidities”. What the Buddha taught in the Chapter on Devadatta was telling everyone that they should be impartial toward friend and foe, not bear grudges in their hearts, and totally rid themselves of all resentment, hate, passion and animosity. This is like how the Buddha endured everything when He manifested in the world. Whatever environment He encountered, the Buddha always willingly endured it. Are the things which must be endured in the human realm really so difficult? In hell, where their skin is peeled to use as ropes to drag flaming carts, He willingly took another person’s place. In this way He was the paradigm of a spiritual practitioner. He could endure what was difficult to endure. Through this he made things very clear. He displayed model behavior to embrace and lead all sentient beings.
In this evil world of Five Turbidities which must be endured, sentient beings are very stubborn. When the Buddha revealed this principles, He was acting as a role model for us sentient beings. So this is to “endure in the evil world of the Five Turbidities”. The Buddha did this in order to embrace and lead sentient beings. So, when Devadatta fell into hell because of committing three [of the Five Offenses], the Buddha took this time to bestow predictions on him. See how the Buddha seized the opportunity to reveal principles through matters.
Thus, “The Buddha will transform all the stubborn sentient beings without exception. With all the sentient beings in the evil world of the Five Turbidities, the Buddha leaves none behind. He wants to deliver and transform those sentient beings and guide them all toward the Buddha-wisdom”. This is the compassion of the Buddha, and this is why the Buddha is called the guiding teacher of the Three Realms” and “kind father of the four kinds of beings”. The Buddha is the “kind father of the four kinds of beings”.
Everyone, we should all be very mindful in trying to realize the Buddha-mind, for if we can realize the Buddha-mind, when it comes to the Great Vehicle Dharma, we will never have any doubts. So, the fact that Devadatta received a prediction is both subtle and wondrous; “it is wondrous and difficult to comprehend”. The principles encompassed in this are in fact very subtle and wondrous. They are wondrous and difficult to explain. How can they be explained? How can they be believed? It takes tireless effort in teaching. These must be repeated again and again. Everyone should mindfully try to realize them.
The Chapter on Devadatta is wondrous and difficult to comprehend. It shows that both our minds and phenomena are inherently empty and tranquil. The Buddha is peaceful, patient and unwavering, free [of discrimination between] friend and foe and undefiled by even the slightest trace of dust. We must thoroughly comprehend the Great Vehicle Dharma of True Suchness, which is flawless and neither arises nor ceases. The nature of emptiness pervades all Dharma-realms throughout the universe. The Dharma-essence of wondrous existence is truly wondrous in application. The Buddha established His teachings through matters and natural laws. He used the true principles to reveal wondrous True Suchness.
So, “It shows that both our minds and phenomena are inherently empty and tranquil”. As Buddhist practitioners, we should truly try to realize this fact, that both our mind and phenomena are inherently empty and tranquil. When I tell everyone to be mindful, doesn’t anyone ever wonder, “Master told us to be mindful, but where is this mind?” “Where is the mind?” No one has ever asked this. The mind is the true principles. We should earnestly use the principles, should seek to experience the principles, to experience our minds. When it comes to the mind in daily living or with the principles of people, matters and objects, have we awakened it? Can we bring these all together? This is why we should always be mindful. So, the mind is the principles. The principles are without substance or appearance. So, it is the Dharma and the Dharma is the mind. Our nature of True Suchness is inherently empty and tranquil. It is very natural. “Inherently” means it was originally like this. So, we are now in this world, and this world is filled with suffering. This is what Buddha taught, that there is suffering, causation, cessation, and the Path. There is so much suffering! If we can understand this principle, “that both our empty and tranquil,” if we can understand this, if we can completely understand this, then we will naturally “be peaceful, patient and unwavering.” We will never distinguish between friend and foe.
Once we come into the world, where is the suffering? Suffering is found in afflictions! Suffering is found in afflictions that arise from interpersonal relationships. If we can understand that mind and phenomena are empty and still, and that this is very natural, then our mind will naturally settle down and will naturally no longer be affected by all those kinds of afflictions born out of interpersonal relationships, which cause us to suffer. We will be able to see more clearly. “The Buddha is peaceful, patient and unwavering, [free of discrimination] between friend and foe.” Naturally, He never discriminates between friend and foe. So, “He is undefiled by even the slightest trace of dust.” If we can do this, then not even the slight trace of dust can possibly defile us. Nothing can do it. There is nothing that can really defile us. Naturally, we can “thoroughly comprehend the Great Vehicle Dharma of True Suchness.” If our minds can remain unaffected by interpersonal conflicts which cause disturbances for us in various ways, then naturally there is nothing that can come to defile our minds. In this way, our mind will become radiant; naturally we will clearly understand the Great Vehicle’s principle of True Suchness, which is the source of the Dharma, our originally empty and tranquil inherent source of the Dharma. We will be able to return to this.
So, it is “flawless and neither arises nor ceases.” Originally, our minds were not subject to arising or ceasing. We are fundamentally the same as the Buddha. He has entered great Nirvana, beyond arising and ceasing. That is what the Buddha’s great Nirvana is like; it “is peaceful, patient and unwavering, [free of discrimination] between friend and foe.” In the Buddha’s great Nirvana both mind and phenomena are inherently empty and tranquil.” The principle is the same for us. So, we can be like this, be totally without these afflictions that come to disturb our minds. So, it is flawless and neither arises nor ceases.” The principle inherently exist within our minds. Our inherently pure nature of True Suchness, as a result of our having afflictions, has leaked away. It is afflictions that conceal the Dharma of True Suchness within us. “Leaks” are afflictions. These hide our nature of True Suchness. They have made it impossible for us to realize the principle that dwell within our minds. These principles are very simple. We often talk about them, but are often unclear on what these principles are. This is called having Leaks. So, [our minds] are originally “flowless and neither arising nor ceasing.” This is what we inherently are like; the Dharma abides within our mind.
“The nature of emptiness pervades all Dharma-realms throughout the universe. The Dharma-essence of wondrous existence is truly wondrous in application.” This is what we must now put effort into seeking to thoroughly understand, how “the nature of emptiness pervades all Dharma-realms throughout the universe.” This is how our minds really are; they are [in a states of] emptiness, “true emptiness,” but the Dharma-essence of “wondrous existence enables us to have this wondrous application. If we have a healthy lifestyle, then the circulation of the blood in our bodies will be normal. When our blood circulation is healthy, this is what keeps us functioning, so that our bodies will remain healthy. “The Dharma-essence of wondrous existence is truly wondrous in application.” It is the same principle. While in the world, if we follow the principles in everything we do, then there will be peace under heaven. If the climate is not well adjusted, if the world is not well adjusted, if the world and its people not are not well adjusted, it means the macrocosm is not healthy. This is suffering!
Now we understand that “The nature of emptiness pervades all Dharma-realms throughout the universe.” With this nature of emptiness, “the Dharma-essence of wondrous existence is truly wondrous in application.” This means it circulates and truly functions. This means it circulates and truly functions. So, the Dharma we are talking about now is merely “teaching [established] through matters and natural laws.” The Buddha came to the world for one great causes. He always made use of matters and natural lows. He used matters and laws to establish teachings, in order to teach us. “He used the true principles to reveal the wondrous True Suchness. He used the principles to reveal wondrous True Suchness reveal wondrous True Suchness. This is inherent in everyone; the principles abide in the human mind. We need everyone to return to understanding the principles. So, this is why we must be very mindful. The Buddha, in coming to world for one great cause established His teachings through matters and natural laws. “He used the true principles to reveal the wondrous True Suchness.” This shows the Buddha’s mindfulness. This is what we must really and truly try to comprehend.
Ok, let is quickly have a look at what the previous sutra passage says. The Buddha said to all the bhiksus, “In future ages, if good men or good women hear the Wondrous Lotus Sutra’s Chapter on Devadatta and believe in it and revere it with pure minds that harbor no doubts or delusions….”
The reason He talked about this for so long was to help people get rid of doubts in their minds, so that might believe in these principles of the Great Vehicle. So, we must “believe in it are revere it with pure minds that harbor no doubts or delusions”. We must not harbor any doubts or delusions.
If we can “believe in it and revere it with pure minds” like this, then naturally, “[We] will not fall into the hell, hungry ghost or animal realms.” [Then,] “[We] will be born in the presence of the Buddhas of the ten directions, and in the places [we] are born, [we] will constantly hear this sutra”.
If we can do this, we will not fall into the Three Evil Destinies, but will be born into good places, and throughout the ten directions, even be born during the same era as a Buddha, in the same place as a Buddha. So we “will constantly hear this sutra”. We will often be in the same era as a Buddha and in addition will constantly be able to hear this sutra. We simply must earnestly and faithfully accept it. We must not doubt the Chapter on Devadatta. We must truly and faithfully accept it. This is not about forcing it; we need to truly reach a clear understanding of the principles encompassed within. If we can unlock the answer, we will naturally never again be in an evil realm. We will forever be reborn in the good destinies, will forever be able to meet Buddhas when they appear in the world and even listen to the Buddha teach the Dharma, then hear Him continually teach the Lotus Sutra. To meet a Buddha in the world is not easy. To be able to listen to Him teach the Lotus Sutra is even more rare. So, these are the things we will encounter.
“If born among humans or heavenly beings, they will enjoy supreme and wondrous joys. If born in the presence of a Buddha, they will be born from the lotus flower”.
This is all telling us that we should believe. With faith, vows and practice, we uphold, recite and practice this sutra according to the teachings. If we can do this, then we truly will never fall into the Three Evil Realms. We will be born in the presence of Buddha in the ten directions.
They will not fall into the hell, hungry ghost or animal realms. They will be born in the presence of Buddha in the ten directions: Because they uphold this sutra through their faith, vows and practice, they will not fall into the Three Evil Realms. Rather, they will be born in the presence of Buddha of the ten directions.
This is what the Buddha told us, so this is what we should also believe. “In the places where they are born they will constantly hear this sutra”. Not only will we be born in the same era as a Buddha, in addition, we will also be able to draw near to that Buddha. Moreover, we will constantly be able to listen to this sutra, meaning the Lotus Sutra. “If born among humans or heavenly beings, they will enjoy supreme and wondrous joys”. Whether we are born in the human or heaven realm, we will experience wondrous joy. Of course, as Buddhist practitioners, we do not hope to merely be born in heaven. Most important for us is to practice the Bodhisattva-path and ultimately attain Buddhahood. However, if ordinary people are not born into the Three Evil Destinies but remain in the human or heaven realms, they will have much more of a chance to draw near to the Buddha-Dharma. This happens in the Three Good Destinies.
So, “If born among humans or heavenly beings, they will have the joy of the Five Desires”. We do not crave the joy of the Five Desires, but this in any case is better than falling into hell. To be born in the human realm without having to experience suffering would depend upon how much faith we have in this sutra, how little doubts we have in this sutra, as well as having [sufficient] merit and virtue. “If born in the presence of a Buddha, they will be born from the lotus flower”. If we are born in the presence of a Buddha, we will be able to be born from the lotus flower.
If born in the presence of a Buddha, they will be born from the lotus flower: Those born into Buddha-lands are not born of the womb but are born from the lotus flower. This is a metaphor for how lotus flowers are undefiled by the mud.
This means that if your mind is very pure, then regardless of your circumstances, your mind will remain separate from them, like the lotus flower that remains undefiled by the mud. If our mind is as pure as this, it will be as if we are born from a lotus flower. For ordinary people, according to the Pure Land teachings, when we depart this life and enter the next, we can be born in a lotus flower [in a Pure Land]. Yet, our wish should be to come again to the world with a mind free of defilements, to constantly maintain a pure mind like this and keep a very clear memory that we must seek the wondrous Dharma. For the past few days I have kept emphasizing the fact that our memory must be very clear if we are to continue seeking the wondrous Dharma. We do not want to forget lifetime after lifetime, but should always maintain this purity of mind. “They are not born of the womb but are born from the lotus flower”. This is like the lotus flower which remains undefiled by the mud. The lotus is used as a metaphor, for the lotus remains undefiled by the mud. This is our mind when our mind has become purified. By purifying our own mind, we naturally can then purify the minds of others. We constantly speak of purifying others’ minds, but if we wish to purify the minds of others, we must begin with what is inside ourselves.
So, this passage reveals that Devadatta thoroughly understood this sutra. He definitely understood this sutra thoroughly. Lifetime after lifetime, he was born together with the Buddha and although he did not accept the Buddha’s teachings, he listened to the Buddha’s principles. He had listened to the principles that Sakyamuni Buddha had taught. It was just that due to his mind and his habitual tendencies, he rebelled against the Buddha. So, he still maintained a measure of greed, anger and ignorance, habitual tendencies like these that he still had not gotten rid of. This is why he constantly went against the Buddha like this. He rebelled against the Buddha, and this happened lifetime after lifetime.
However, on the other hand, he had already understood the sutra and the Dharma. Devadatta completely understood the sutra and the Dharma. This is why we say that there are more than a few people with a very high education who commit crimes. Some people never went to school. When asked about principles they always say, “I do not understand principles, I cannot read”. “It doesn’t matter if you cannot read as long as you understand the principles”. “I never went to school!” “It doesn’t matter if you never went to school, as long as you understand matters”. Indeed! When it comes to matters and principles, as long as you understand matters, then you understand the principles. If we only take the written word, if we are attached to the appearance of words, then we can say this is being educated, but when it comes to being educated like this, this is actually the hindrance of knowledge, which is a very big obstacle for us. If we do not understand the principles, then what does our high degree matter? If we have not cultivated virtue, then even if we say that we have understood these principles, if we have not yet cultivated virtue, what does it matter? So, Devadatta teaches us a great lesson. I always feel that when it comes to Devadatta, we should be grateful to him. It is because of Devadatta that we have come to realize so much. His appearing the way he did, providing such great adversity and great evil, enabled the great virtue of the Buddha to be revealed to us, enabled us to understand the laws that accord with nature. The laws that accord with nature provide such a great contribution to humanity. When we are in accord with nature, the four elements naturally become harmonized and people’s minds become harmonized. When all principles are accorded with, then, as far as the world is concerned, this is very fortunate. If we go against the principles, then we will see what we often see now, so much suffering in the world! There are so many instances of impermanence. What do we do about all this impermanence? We need to thoroughly understand the principles.
Every morning, when I see Sister A Xia, when she smiles and pays her respects to me, I can see that she has no afflictions. Her son is in the hospital, having suddenly had a stroke. He is such a good person. He is truly a very good person, who was also so earnest and diligent in Tzu Chi, who did a lot to help others. Since he is not very old, how is it that he suddenly had a stroke? When he had this stroke, for a very long time he was in critical condition, and though the doctors saved him, his recovery even now has been very slow! In the beginning, I was very concerned. Wouldn’t his elderly mother be worried? Of course she must be worried, but what she shows me every day is a big smile and great serenity. She is truly serene and truly at ease. This is spiritual cultivation! Through the principles, she sees clearly. She appears very natural and never reveals her afflictions or her suffering! This is because she has none. She has none of these things, so she always appears very peaceful and at ease.
Thus, we should put effort into mindfully trying to realize how we must walk according to the Dharma such that we may thoroughly understand the principles. Someone else, when meeting with the slightest instance of impermanence may think, “I’ve done everything so well and I have been engaging in spiritual practice. My son too has only done good things. How could this possibly happen to him? My other son only recently passed away, how could this son now have a stroke?” Some may perhaps ask her, ”Do you mean to say that you never worry?” But she replies, “This is natural! Karma is just like this!” She sees clearly; this is how it is. Through the appearances of matters, we come to understand that the principles have always been this way. This is how the true principles are, so what do we have to complain about? This is what we need to mindfully seek to comprehend. We must thoroughly understand the principles. To thoroughly understand the sutras, we must experience the truth of the principles. By comprehending the principles, we can practice them ourselves. Then we can truly teach the Dharma through the example that we present to others. Every time I see her, I heighten my own vigilance. For her to be so serene, so patient and at ease is truly not an easy thing to do. She is a true spiritual practitioner.
So, Sakyamuni Buddha came to help Devadatta be able to attain Buddhahood in the future. Although he has now fallen into hell, that too will eventually come to pass and the one who will help him to attain Buddhahood in the future will again be Sakyamuni Buddha. He will also help him in the future. In summary, karma never makes any mistakes, so we should very thoroughly believe in it. We must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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