Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Beings of Both Lands All Attained Benefits (彼此兩土 共蒙利益)
Date: May.29.2018
“At that time, the assembly in the Saha World rejoiced and reverently paid their respects. In that land of the world of the south, countless sentient beings received benefits. The [sentient beings of] these two lands all had the conditions to attain benefits, but [these benefits] differed in extent due to their different capacities to enter the path.”
We should mindfully seek to comprehend this. “At that time, the assembly in the Saha World” rejoiced and reverently paid their respects. Do you remember? Yesterday we talked about how the dragon girl quickly transformed her body, turning from a woman into a man. She demonstrated the appearance of being replete in the Bodhisattva-practice and quickly went to the undefiled world of the south, where she attained Buddhahood. We should all remember this. The dragon girl sat on a jeweled lotus flower and attained universal and perfect enlightenment. Moreover, the appearance that people saw was one replete with “the 32 Marks and the 80 Excellent Characteristics. She expounded the wondrous Dharma universally to all sentient beings in the ten directions.” At that time, seeing the dragon girl’s appearance resolved Wisdom Accumulated Bodhisattva’s [doubts]. This not only [resolved] his doubts, but the doubts of many people of great capabilities and wisdom. She even offered the pearl to the Buddha as an offering, which the Buddha accepted very quickly. This also resolved Sariputra’s doubts.
In addition, for the people in the Saha World all the way up to us now in the present, this should help us to understand better. We will not only be free of doubts, but will also be able to better understand that “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].”When the Buddha attained Buddhahood, His first realization was that “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].” But how could He explain this state of mind to everyone? How could He get everyone to understand it? For more than 40 years, the Buddha knew that, with sentient beings’ capabilities, it would be very hard for them to understand that “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].”
This state of mind is very difficult for sentient beings to realize. Because sentient beings’ minds are full of afflictions, ignorance and delusions, they are unable to realize this state of mind. The Buddha had no choice but to open the Three Vehicle Dharma. With skillful means, He patiently guided them. According to their capabilities, sentient beings accepted the Dharma that the Buddha taught. This is why there were Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas in the Buddha’s Sangha. Among the Buddha’s disciples in the fourfold assembly, some lay practitioners were also Bodhisattvas. Among the monastics who had formed great aspirations and vows, some were also Bodhisattvas. But those who just wanted to awaken themselves and transcend cyclic existence were many.
So, the Buddha hoped that everyone would not only form Great Vehicle aspirations but would also come to thoroughly realize that there is no difference in the intrinsic nature of True Suchness of [the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings]. What the Buddha hoped for most was that everyone would thoroughly understand this.
For instance, there were many times in which He bestowed predictions of Buddhahood. When Sariputra comprehended it, the Buddha bestowed predictions upon him. When the four great disciples comprehended this, He bestowed predictions upon them.
Among the 500 disciples, there were those both at and beyond the stage of learning. So, He bestowed predictions at different times. This means that as the disciples comprehended, understood and formed aspirations one after another in this way, the Buddha bestowed predictions upon them, again and again. This shows they had formed aspirations. By forming aspirations, they were able to diligently advance. If they did not form aspirations, they would get stuck forever and never be able to advance. If they were diligent, there was hope for them. So, the Buddha bestowed predictions of Buddhahood upon them, but He also wanted everyone to be free of doubts. In addition to making vows and advancing diligently, they also had to eliminate dust-like delusions and free themselves of even the slightest doubt.
So, when the dragon girl stood up, she proved that men and women are also equal and that men and women are also equal. The dragon girl had actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions; she had perfected them all, so she was able to attain [enlightenment]. She “perfected her causes and approached fruition.” To help these spiritual practitioners succeed [in their practice] in the Saha World, [the Buddha] helps them to eliminate the “Five Hindrances” of the human world, these five types of obstructions. Sentient begins of the Saha World are stubborn and hard to tame. They have five types of hindrances, which are greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. Ordinary people in the Saha World, the sentient beings of “this land,” have layers upon layers of hindrances. For them to be able to realize, understand and accept this view that [all beings] are equal is true very difficult. So, the dragon girl manifested this appearance, and Manjusri Bodhisattva led her there. This was wholly dependent upon karmic conditions, for these causes and conditions to be drawn forth.
In the Saha World, she “perfected her cusses and approached fruition.” In the Vulture Peak Assembly in the Saha World, she showed everyone that, although women generally have the Five Hindrances of women, this dragon girl was already free of hindrances. All appearances are illusory; they are truly empty. These are the principles of “Prajna and true emptiness.” We must not discriminate based on appearances. We should not discriminate at all. When we can thoroughly understand the wisdom of Prajna, we can attain pure wisdom and reach “true emptiness.” As for the principle of “true emptiness,” when we thoroughly understand it, our wisdom will return to our nature of True Suchness. Our wisdom will resonate with the principles. So, [the dragon girl had] “perfected her cusses and approached fruition.” She transformed her body into the form of a great man. She was replete with the 32 Marks, which proved that she had fulfilled the Bodhisattva-path. She had completed it and attained Buddhahood. It was during that time, in the Saha World, during the Vulture Peak Assembly, that everyone saw [her]. It was the Vulture Peak Assembly where sentient beings of “this land,” the Saha World, all rejoiced and transformed their doubts to realization. They saw how the dragon girl was sitting on the jeweled lotus flower, already replete with “the 32 Marks and 80 Excellent Characteristics.” She turned toward the ten directions, without discriminating between north, south, east and west and began to teach the Dharma so that all [sentient beings] throughout the ten directions could accept it. So, all the directions are the same, and appearances are illusory; this is true emptiness. Because of this, everyone was jubilant and joyful. They reverently paid their respects toward [the dragon girl] sitting on the lotus flower, who had transformed her body and attained Buddhahood. They paid their respects in this way. This was in “this land,“ the sentient beings of the Saha world. What about “that land”? That would be “the world of the south.” [They paid their respects] toward the lotus flower floating in the air, which floated toward the south. She seemed to be continually teaching the Dharma to the south as she floated along in this way. The dragon girl taught the Dharma throughout the ten directions, so in this world, “countless sentient begins received benefits.” Everywhere she went, whether in the north, south, east or west, everyone received benefits.
“The [sentient beings of] these two lands all had the conditions to attain benefits.” Whether it was in the Saha World or in the world of the south, the sentient begins all had these karmic conditions, and they all received these benefits.
However, “[These benefits] different in extent.” Some people received great benefits, while some peel received very few benefits. This all depended upon how much they could accept, which was determined by their different capacities. “[This was] due to their different capacities to enter the path,” their capacity to accept [the teachings]. Do we have great or limited capacities? This determines how we accept [the teachings]. When it comes to this sutra passage, it is very difficult for everyone to clearly understand, thoroughly comprehend and believe in. Moreover, to turn the matters and appearances of this sutra passage into principles, to transform this wisdom into principles and have principles and wisdom resonate with one another is even more difficult.
So, we should have faith that the dragon girl was already replete in the causal practice of Bodhisattvas; she had perfected it. If we believe in the law of karma, [we will know] that she accumulated these causes and conditions throughout lifetime after lifetime, continuing throughout countless kalpas. In very lifetime, she continuously made vows and helped sentient begins; this is the Bodhisattva-practice. Throughout lifetime after lifetime, she accumulated this “practice” of Bodhisattvas. It is causal because of the “causes” she accumulated over many lifetimes, which are seeds. She continuously accumulated them until all her causes had been perfected. Then, she “fully realized the fruits of sitting upon a lotus flower and so on. A seed gives rise to an ocean of fruits.” She had already reached full [realization]. So, she was very satisfied that she had completed [her causal practices].
Replete with Bodhisattva-practices and having perfected her causes, she fully realized the fruits of sitting upon a lotus flower and so on. She taught the Dharma for all sentient beings. Her wondrous wisdom revealed her attainment of perfection. She went to the undefiled world of the south, sitting upon a jeweled lotus flower and attained the perfect enlightenment of universal Bodhi.
The dragon girl’s coming to the Saha World must have been witnessed and understood by many people. She helped people in the Saha World eliminated their doubts and delusions and understand their nature of True Suchness. These are her virtues and merits, for she had “perfected her causes.” [Her causes] were a bit lacking [at first], but once she completed her causes and perfected them, she then “fully realized the fruits of sitting upon a lotus flower and so on”. Then, “She taught the Dharma for all sentient beings.” After she attained Buddhahood, she taught the Dharma for all sentient beings. “Her wondrous wisdom revealed her attainment of perfection.” This was her wondrous wisdom. This means that throughout countless lifetimes, she accumulated the “seeds that give rise to an ocean of fruits.” She accumulated [wisdom] lifetime after lifetime and became replete in it. So, her “wondrous wisdom” revealed how she had completed the causal practice of Bodhisattvas, reached the stage of Buddhahood and approached the fruits of Buddhahood. So, in this way, “She went to the undefiled world of the south, sitting upon a jeweled lotus flower, and attained the perfect enlightenment of universal Bodhi.”
This means she [attained] perfection. So, we must engage in spiritual practice. In spiritual practice, we must not lack even the slightest thing. Once she added what little she lacked, throughout lifetime after lifetime, she perfected her karmic conditions of coming to the Saha world. This was how she perfected her seeds, which gave rise to an ocean of fruits. Once they were perfected, she attained Buddhahood.
She went from north to south, from delusion to awakening, and attained all-encompassing wisdom, which is the Buddha-wisdom. All-encompassing wisdom [enables us to] thoroughly understand all universal and specific phenomena, the path of transformation and the elimination of delusions with wondrous wisdom of the all-encompassing teachings of the path.
Thus it says, “She went from north to south.” “North” refers to the Saha World. Since [the sutra] says she went south, this means the Saha World is north from the world of the south. So, “She went from north so south” represents how “[she went] from delusion to awakening and attained all-encompassing wisdom.” This is what this represents. She had to keep walking along this path. So, we must do the same in our spiritual practice. We begin our journey in the Saha World and advance toward the Buddha’s state of wisdom. We keep advancing forward. If we are able do this, we will attain “all-encompassing wisdom,” which is the Buddha-wisdom.
“From delusion”, from the state of unenlightened beings, we must constantly and diligently advance in the direction of wisdom, lifetime after lifetime. This way, without deviating in our direction, advancing diligently, we will reach our destination. This destination is “all-encompassing wisdom,” Buddha-wisdom, which “[enables us to] thoroughly understand all universal and specific phenomena.” When it comes to all phenomena, we “retain all teachings and uphold all goodness.” Then we will naturally understand universal phenomena. When it comes to the specific, no matter which realm we are [born] in, we will not lose our nature of True Suchness. This innate enlightenment and ocean of wisdom is intrinsic to all of us, so throughout lifetime after lifetime, we should never deviate in our direction. Then, no matter which realm we are in, we will sincerely seek the Dharma and steadfastly go among people. With sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness we transform all beings, eliminate afflictions, seek the Buddha-path and attain the fruit of Buddhahood. With sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness we will be able to understand all phenomena and will naturally be able to [see] them clearly. All other appearances are illusory. We will be able to penetrate the ultimate reality of all things.
In life, some people say, “I am clearly a man, and a woman is clearly a woman. How can you tell me that there is no difference between a man and a woman?” Men and women are different in appearance but not in nature. How could there be any difference in their nature of True Suchness? Moreover, our lives in this world are temporary. We are here for only a few short decades. One day in the heaven realm is 100 years for us. Is [our life] not short [in comparison]? Right now, how many humans are over 100 years old? So, the state of the human world, when compared to the state of enlightened beings, is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble or a shadow. It is like a dream, bubbles on the crest of a wave or a flash of lightning. Everything is fleeting. This is what human life is like.
If we can understand this, lifetime after lifetime, throughout many kalpas, won’t we thoroughly comprehend all phenomena? When we thoroughly understand the principles, lifetime after lifetime, we will never discriminate. If we can do this, we will [understand] “all universal and specific phenomena, the path of transformation and the elimination of delusions with wondrous wisdom of the all-encompassing teachings of the path.” We will have a thorough understanding. On the path of transformation, we come to the world for a short time. We transform and deliver sentient beings and go among people to eliminate doubts and delusions. Sentient beings experience such suffering; we also have many conflicting emotions. So, we must go to where people are suffering to experience and understand their afflictions. Once we understand their suffering, [we think,] “There’s no need to worry about this, so why do you keep worrying about it? Life’s suffering always passes, so why do you still constantly dwell on it, allowing it to afflict your mind and confuse your direction in life? Why do you do this?”
As bystanders, we can see things clearly. When we see people in suffering, we can see clearly. Those who see clearly must mindfully [assist] those who have lost their way. We must find ways to guide them back toward the right direction. See, as we go among more people, we will be able to experience how their lives have changed from the past to now. Before, people were lost in wealth, lust, fame, gluttony and so on. They were completely lost, addicted to alcohol, wealth and sensual pleasures. Now that they understand the principles, they have distanced themselves from alcohol, wealth, sensual pleasures and fame. They know that they must liberate themselves and turn around to help others [do the same]. How many Bodhisattvas are like this? Just in the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism alone, we can see many people who have turned from delusion to awakening as they walked along this path, eliminating their delusions. Those who have eliminated doubts and delusions and are walking along the right path, how many are there? We must have faith.
So, we can earnestly walk upon this path. The Dharma is wondrous wisdom. These teachings of the path, this path to enlightenment, is the Dharma. “The sutra is a path. This path is a road to walk on.” We should earnestly walk this path in the world. This path lies within the Dharma. This means that what all the sutras teach us is how to be a good person and how to walk the path. We must pave the path with love and guide sentient beings with awakened love. “All encompassing wisdom,” the Buddha –wisdom, is called wondrous wisdom. This is what we must seek to comprehend.
So, let’s review the previous passage “Then those in the assembly all watched as the dragon girl suddenly transformed into a man. Replete with Bodhisattva –practices, she went to the undefiled world of the south.”
This was the previous passage. She went to the world in the south, sat upon a jeweled lotus flower and attained universal, perfect enlightenment. The dragon girl’s appearance was of someone who had attained Buddhahood, replete in the 32 Marks and the 80 Excellent Characteristics. “She expounded the wondrous Dharma universally to all sentient beings in the ten directions.” She had perfected the causal practice of Bodhisattvas. Her reward body upon attaining Buddhahood had the 32 Marks and the 80 Excellent Characteristics; this was how she attained Buddhahood. “She expounded the wondrous Dharma universally to all sentient beings in the ten directions.” As she went [to the south], she taught the Dharma to sentient beings throughout the ten directions. No matter where we are, there are ten directions. Right now, we are in the Saha World. The ten directions are all around us. North, south, east and west, the four intermediate directions, above and below are called “the ten directions.” So, as she traveled along, she floated on the lotus flower. Everyone who saw her was very joyful, as if she was teaching the Dharma. This is why often say we use our eyes to listen to the Dharma. The meaning is the same. We should use our ears to see the Dharma; this is what it means to be mindful. When we see these external conditions, we must mindfully seek to comprehend the dragon girl’s state of Buddhahood.
The following passage then says, “At that time, in the Saha World, Bodhisattvas, Hearers, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors, human and non-human beings all watched from a distance as the dragon girl attained Buddhahood and expounded the Dharma to all humans and heavenly beings in the assembly at that time.”
“At that time” means that in that moment, the dragon girl transformed her body and attained Buddhahood. She went toward the south, sitting upon a jeweled lotus flower. As she floated toward the south, everyone who saw and heard her awakened and rejoiced. Those who benefited were “[practitioners of] the Three Vehicles, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors and the great assembly of humans and heavenly beings. Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas.” The assembly of the eight classes of Dharma-protectors saw her and attained benefits. So, they all watched from a distance as the dragon girl attained Buddhahood. In that world, in that assembly, the Three Vehicle [practitioners] and the eight classes of Dharma protectors all saw her floating farther and farther away. “They all watched from a distance as the dragon girl attained Buddhahood.” They all watched the dragon girl attain Buddhahood. Then she expounded the Dharma to the assembly.
All watched from a distance as the dragon girl attained Buddhahood and expound the Dharma to all humans and heavenly in the assembly at that time: The assembly watched the dragon girl attain Buddhahood in the world of the south. They also watched this Buddha expound the Dharma to the assembly.
Everyone had taken the Dharma completely to heart. They had taken the Dharma to heart. When the stupa of treasures appeared, before the Buddha opened the doors to the stupa, His multiple manifestations all gathered together. Everyone should remember this. This means the Dharma had been gathered tougher, thus the entire assembly had gathered. At that time, everyone in the assembly saw that the Dharma had all been gathered together.
So, in the assembly, many people saw the dragon girl [transform into a man] and float farther and farther away into the south. Everyone saw her attain Buddhahood and expound the Dharma for sentient beings.
This explains how Sakyamuni had, in past kalpas, abandoned his throne to seek the Dharma. To seek the wondrous Dharma of the Lotus Sutra is the original intent of all Buddhas. Among the disciples who followed the Buddha to engage in spiritual practice, how many were able to resonate with the Buddha’s intent?
This explains how Sakyamuni Buddha had, “in past kalpas, abandoned his throne to seek the Dharma.” Throughout countless lifetimes, he was a king. In the Chapter on Devadatta, Sakyamuni Buddha talked about His previous life as a king and how He had abandoned his royal status. He sought someone who could teach Him the wondrous Dharma. He was willing to serve that person as a slave. We should remember this passage. Not only in that lifetime but throughout countless lifetimes and kalpas, He was often born in a palace in this world as a king. However, He relinquished his throne to seek the wondrous Dharma to deliver and transform sentient beings. He felt that, as a king, even though He could help the people [of His kingdom] live in peace and happiness, He could not help everyone in the world attain the principles of the wondrous Dharma. So, He was willing to abandon his throne to seek the principles. He hoped that He would be able to attain awakening and spread the principles throughout the world to deliver and transform all sentient beings.
So, he was willing “to abandon his throne to seek the principles.” What He sought was the wondrous Dharma. The king of all sutras is the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra. That king abandoned his throne and posted an announcement. “Who can teach me the Dharma?” A mystic said, “I have the wondrous Dharma. I can teach you the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra”. This is the same. “All Buddhas share the same path.” The intent of all Buddhas is the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra. Hence, “It is the original intent of all Buddhas.” The Buddha was getting old and had no choice but to teach it then. Whether sentient beings could accept it or not, He still had to teach this entire sutra. Was everyone able to understand the Buddha’s original intent? Among the disciples who followed the Buddha to engage in spiritual practice, how many were able to comprehend and resonate with His intent?
To “seek” means: Not just seeking to listen, but also seeking faith, seeking understanding, seeking practice and seeking realization. We must seek to open, reveal, realize and enter the Buddha’s understanding and views.
So, “seek” means that He sought the Dharma lifetime after lifetime. He was “not just seeking to listen, but also seeking faith.” Not only should we seek to listen to the Dharma; we should seek to have faith as well. We should not only seek to have faith but also seek to have “understanding,” to have thorough comprehension. Then we must put [the Dharma] into practice. Only then will we be able to truly understand suffering in life. Then we will be able to personally realize and verify the Dharma, take it to heart, give rise to Dharma-joy and attain peace, this peaceful state of “realization,” which is awakening. “We must seek to open, reveal, realize and enter the Buddha’s understanding and views. I hope everyone can understand that, once we attain Dharma-joy and are at peace as those who listen to the Dharma, we must also become those who transmit the Dharma. We must teach it to others and tell them how great this Dharma is. We should do more than listen; we should also have faith. Not only must we have faith, we must also comprehend and understand it. Not only must we understand it, we must also put it into practice. Not only must we put it into practice, we must also observe how others practice and do this ourselves so that we can truly take the Dharma to heart. Then we will be happy and full of Dharma-joy; we must share this with everyone. Once we share it and others understand it, we must share it again. Then we will attain more and more. For the sake of teaching it to other people, we must seek the Dharma. Once we have entered into the Dharma, we can take the Dharma deeply to heart. Once we can take the Dharma deeply to heart, we can share [the Buddha’s] views and understanding with everyone. Opening and revealing the Buddha’s understanding and views for sentient beings to realize and enter is what the Buddha sought to do. Lifetime after lifetime, [the Buddha] helped everyone to be able to listen, have faith in, understand, practice, realize, open and reveal, realize and enter. His understanding and views. This was what the Buddha sought in this world, what He devoted Himself to. This was the Buddha’s intent. The following passage then says, “With great joy in their hearts, they all paid their respects from afar.”
When everyone saw the dragon girl transform into a man, attain Buddhahood, sit upon her lotus flower and go toward the south, they gave rise to great joy in their hearts. “They all paid their respects from afar. Upon hearing the Dharma, countless sentient beings attained awakening and were able to reach the state of non-retreating. Countless sentient beings were able to receive predictions.” All these sentient beings who listened to the Dharma attained awakening and reached the state of non-retreating. This is what the “sentient beings in that land”, in this Saha World, were like. In that land, in the world of the south, sentient beings heard the Buddha’s teachings and attained realization and awakening. It was the same in both lands. In both places, they all heard the Dharma, so they were able to “expound the never-retreating Dharma.” They were able to teach this Dharma. This Dharma will never retreat or be lost; it is the never-retreating Dharma. The Dharma is everlasting and unchanging. Its principles can never be lost. So, they [turned] the Dharma-wheel by “abiding in the state of non-retreating.”
Upon hearing the Dharma, countless sentient beings attained awakening and were able to reach the state of non-retreating: When the sentient beings in that land heard this Buddha’s teachings, their minds attained awakening. They could expound the never-retreating Dharma and abide in the state of non-retreating.
This means all of the countless sentient beings were able to hear the Dharma and awaken. They all reached the state of non-retreating and were able to expound [the Dharma]. They were also able to turn the Dharma-wheel and turn the wheels of sentient beings’ minds.
Countless sentient beings were able to receive predictions: Furthermore, there were countless great beings who had made great vows and had mature capabilities who were able to attain predictions of Buddhahood.
“Countless sentient beings were able to receive predictions.” There were countless sentient beings. “Furthermore, there were countless great beings who had made great vows.” Everyone who listened to the Dharma took it to heart and formed great vows. As for the great beings with mature capabilities, these “great beings” were Bodhisattvas. They had already gone from being. Hearers to Solitary Realizers, eliminated all their afflictions, formed great aspirations and made great vows. These great beings with mature capabilities were Bodhisattvas. Those who formed Bodhisattva-aspirations had already received predictions of Buddhahood. So, we must have these kinds of aspirations. Although Sakyamuni Buddha had been a king throughout many lifetimes, He abandoned His worldly fame and fortune. All He sought was this Dharma so that. He could help people be able to listen to it, have faith in it, understand it and advance [in their practice of it]. [He hoped] they would seek the Dharma and put it into practice. For instance, yesterday, I had a video conference with [Tzu Chi volunteers] in Serbia. They went from [western] Europe to Serbia, where they gathered together to help the refugees. They had purchased all the necessities and arranged for food for them to eat. [This was all thanks to] good karmic affinities; a businessman from Indonesia, Mr. Salim, has a very large food products business. At this point, we asked Mr. Salim in Indonesia, “You have such a successful business. Didn’t you build a factory in Serbia?”
“Yes, I did! I just started it last year. All the machines are running and all the products are being produced. It is very successful.” “Can you help the refugees in Serbia?” “I would love to! Since Master is giving me this opportunity, I am happy to do it.” Then he quickly told the senior manager in that place to collaborate with our Tzu Chi volunteers. Tzu Chi volunteers [handed off] all the refugees’ food and future necessities to them. We asked this company to help us bear this responsibility and help take care of [the refugees].
At the video conference yesterday, I told them, “Do not worry. I will contact their boss. So, you can go back with peace of mind.” In ten days, we were able to help so many people. From their health and physical needs to what they lacked in their living environment, such as sanitary needs, personal hygiene and such as sanitary needs, personal hygiene and their daily necessities, everything was taken care of for them. After yesterday’s video conference, the volunteers could set their minds at ease and return to their respective home countries. There were two young people from Bosnia who stayed there. Along with Mr. Salim’s senior manager in that factory, they are able to work together there to take care of those refugees. This really sets my mind at ease, because now there are Bodhisattvas from another country who are willing to devote themselves to that place to take care of [the refugees] for perhaps a long time.
On top of that, there are Indonesians there who can help us take care of these refugees. These are incredible karmic affinities! I am very grateful! This is how we apply the Buddha-Dharma in our world today. So, I ask everyone to have “faith.” Not only must we have faith, we must also have “understanding.” We also need to spread [the teachings]. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)