Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Buddha’s Intent and the Bodhisattvas’ Vows (敬順聖意 滿弘誓願)
Date: June.21.2018
“All Buddhas share the same Path and make the Four Great Vows. They earnestly teach and transform for the sake of suffering sentient beings. With right mindfulness, we can eliminate all afflictions and rid ourselves of dust-like defilements. We must have faith in the unsurpassed, subtle and wondrous Dharma. We must aspire to forever uphold it, steadfastly actualize it and completely purify our most subtle afflictions to attain perfect mirror wisdom.”
We must be very mindful and seek to understand that “All Buddhas share the same path.” This is something we often say “All Buddhas share the same path”. For every Buddha, the most fundamental source of His attaining Buddhahood is certainly His making and great vows. This is something that all Buddhas must have. It is the same for us spiritual practitioners. The Buddha made a vow to attain Buddhahood. We say we are now learning the Buddha’s teachings. Learning the Buddha’s teachings is learning the initial aspiration the Buddha had. We also follow that aspiration of the Buddha. Most fundamentally, this is to establish the Four Great Vows. This is very important. This is why I go to great lengths to repeatedly remind everyone that all Buddhas share the same path. The fundamental great vows to any Buddha are the Four Great Vows. This is what we should learn. So, we must always be sincere. This sincerity must be expressed from the bottom of our hearts. Only when we are sincere will we truly be willing in what we do and find joy in it. If we are not sincere, if we are passive, then it means that we are not really willing. We will not be able to sustain what we do for a long time. To continue with settled minds will be difficult. So, sincerity is very important; it is something we as spiritual practitioners absolutely cannot do without. We should be sincere in learning from the Buddha. We should be sincere in trying to be good people. We should be sincere in dealing with others. We should be sincere in handling matters. “Sincerity” refers to our heart’s most earnest intentions. Only in this way can we succeed at being good. Only by being good people can we be Buddhas. Otherwise, if we cannot even act like humans, how can we ever attain Buddhahood? So, we undoubtedly need to learn to be sincere, sincere in dealing with others, sincere in transforming sentient beings, sincere in learning from the Buddha. When it comes to sincerity, to earnest and genuine thoughts, we need to do as we always say and be “willing”. When we “work willingly,” we “accept [the results] happily.” If we work willingly, after we finish, every day we are happy. We should say we are filled Dharma-joy. If we are like this, we will not feel it is tiresome or difficult, will not feel annoyed or depressed. We will not feel any of these. This comes from sincerity, which is our Dharma-door to liberation. As we become liberated ourselves, we can also teach this method to others. To bring purity to everyone, we also use this method of sincerity.
As we deal with people and handle matters, we should always be sincere. We willingly and joyfully give of ourselves. When we put it so simply, we can be joyful every day. Awakening ourselves is transforming ourselves; we then awaken others, that is transform others. This needs sincerity that comes from our hearts. We also need “right mindfulness [to] eliminate all afflictions.” We must have right mindfulness. We must guard the gates of our six senses and practice the Eightfold Noble Path. As we learn and practice the Buddha-Dharma, this is the most important path. So, we must be mindful to have right mindfulness, right views, right understanding, right conduct and so forth. All of these are inseparable from integrity; it must be uninterrupted in every thought. Only then can our practice be without Leaks. Whether faith, vows and action or precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we can prevent all the Dharma we cultivate from leaking away.
We will not let our eyes seeing something to like poking a hole so that things leak out. We will not let our ears hearing something cause the teachings to constantly flow away while afflictions accumulate in the mind. We must know how to engage in spiritual practice. What are purifying practices? How do we get rid of afflictions and defilements? All of these require right mindfulness.
So, “With right mindfulness, we can eliminate all afflictions.” It is only through right mindfulness that we will have a way to eliminate our afflictions and “rid ourselves of dust-like defilements.” We get rid of all sorts of dust-like defilements. This requires us to be very mindful. In every day, in every moment, in the shortest amounts of time, in the space of a thought, in an instant, even in these shortest spans of time, we must never be lacking in right mindfulness. Only then will we have a way to eliminate the dusts of all our afflictions. Then we will be “without Leaks”. We do not want the Dharma to leak away. Only by using the Dharma in our daily living can we guard against wrongs and stop evil. Only in this way can we always “do all that is good and refrain from all evil.” We do this to “eliminate all afflictions and rid ourselves of dust-like defilements.”
This reminds us to always be mindful, to be sincere and maintain right mindfulness. This way no teaching will leak out. We will have no afflictions. So, “We must have faith in the unsurpassed, subtle and wondrous Dharma. We must aspire to forever uphold it.” We should believe in the Dharma. Every day we are listening to the Dharma. Everything we face in our lives is the Dharma.
What is there in life that that is not Dharma? For instance, when it comes to the principles, just one principle, one truth, can be found everywhere, inside of everything. All things have their principles just like how we ordinarily breathe; our breathing is based on physiological principles. As we breath in and out, physiologically we are healthy. We are not even aware of it, but it is there. We do not feel, “Now I will breathe.” By the time we feel, “I am having a little trouble breathing,” then we have become sick.
When we walk, we are not even aware of it. We simply step with one foot and pick up the other. We do this unconsciously. When we are going somewhere, we just get up and move forward. We do not even really need to pay attention, our bodies just naturally move forward in accordance with our thoughts. We do not feel our two feet, stepping with the front and picking up the back. We are never even aware of it. However, once we start to feel that walking has become difficult, physiologically we again have a problem. By the same token, in our daily living, never for an instant do we depart from principles; even when we are sleeping, it is the same. When we sleep, we are unaware, yet we keep on breathing. Physiologically this is smooth and unhindered. These principles cannot be seen. Physiology, as a principle, is something we cannot see. However, it enables us to live very smoothly and freely. Without our being aware of it, our lives come together with nature. Our physiology is in harmony with everything; in the microcosm and in the macrocosm, the four elements are in balance. If this is so, we can all live peacefully every day. This is what we must experience, that all of this is of the Dharma, “We must have faith in the unsurpassed, sublet and wondrous Dharma.” The Dharma is always there for us to use, even if we are not aware of it. If we use it properly, then naturally we will be at peace.
The nature of True Suchness is innate in us. Fundamentally, we have come here with the Dharma. Nevertheless, with this Dharma, these principles, we have become buried by all the afflictions around us. This is when we need to learn how to take out the Dharma and make use of it. It is inherent in everyone, so we should be clear about these principles. With the microcosm and the macrocosm, the small climate system within us and the large climate system of the world, actually, when put together, they share the same principles. When the atmosphere is in harmony, the four seasons cycle [naturally] in turn. When our physiology is in harmony, likewise, we naturally undergo birth, aging, illness and death. In this way, very simply, our lives pass. It is the same. The sun rises, and the sun sets. Whether [we say] the sun rises or the sun sets, the sun in fact never moves. It is the earth that is turning. It keeps on turning, never deviating for even a second. The principle is the same.
When it comes to our nature of True Suchness, to our Buddha-nature, we cannot allow it to become defiled by any dust. We cannot [allow ourselves to] have afflictions, but unfortunately afflictions do disturb us. We keep stirring up our afflictions, so this pollution constantly defiles us. So, now, we are already learning the Buddha’s teachings. In the past, we lacked this faith. As we had not yet discovered the Buddha-Dharma, we had no faith. We had not yet discovered the principles, so we did not know enough to have faith. We have now discovered it, so we need to have faith; we need to believe. When it comes to faith, what do we believe in? We must listen to the principles and come to understand the process of life, of suffering, causation, cessation and the path. Why are we subject to so much suffering? How can we come to fully comprehend the origin of suffering? That is “causation”; it is accumulated. When we come to thoroughly understand this, we realize, “So that is how it is! It has its causes! It has its conditions!” As is the cause, so is the effect, so is the retribution. There are so many complicated things that come together and result in what we know as “suffering”. Now that we know this, we should quickly find faith; we should establish faith in the Dharma. Having analyzed these things, we heighten our vigilance. So, we must end [suffering], end afflictions and ignorance as they again arise. We need to cut these off. This requires us to establish faith, for only then can we maintain right mindfulness. If we can firmly maintain right mindfulness, we need to have faith in the Dharma, in the pure and wondrous Dharma. We are more and more clear on the methods; the ways to prevent evil will become clearer and clearer to us. We will know how to stop evil and end afflictions. So, there are many teachings that we must learn. If you want to learn the Dharma but are without faith, then you will never be able to learn it.
We must learn to eliminate afflictions, many afflictions, so that we will be able to attain the subtle and wondrous Dharma. Only by taking the subtle and wondrous Dharma to heart will we be able to bring forth our “willingness”. When we form great vows, we form them very joyfully. When I give of myself to others, it brings me great joy, thus I “work willingly” and “accept [the results] happily”. When we are willing, we are not suffering. There is no suffering, so we attain the joy of the Dharma. If we can do this, we can forever uphold the vows we make. Our mind will forever go in that one direction without deviating. This is our direction, which we will not deviate form in the slightest. If we allow ourselves to deviate, the slightest deviation can take us far off course. We are able to “have faith in the unsurpassed, subtle and wondrous Dharma” and “aspire to forever uphold it”. This means we are very accurate and never deviate in our direction. We always keep moving forward. When it comes to the “subtle and wondrous”, to these intricate principles, we come to experience them more and more, come to understand them more and more. Then naturally, we can prevent afflictions from entering. Afflictions will no longer block up our mind nor contaminate our thinking. This becomes very natural. This is like a healthy human being who is not even aware that she is breathing, not even aware that she is walking, who does not eel suffering in anything she does. So, these are very subtle, intricate principles.
If we can experience and understand them, naturally we can forever uphold our vows and will absolutely never deviate from them, nor stop to rest; we just keep continually moving forward. In the same way, Earth keeps turning but the sun neither arises nor sets. This becomes very natural. We return to what is natural. Mentally and physically, we are united with nature. In this way, we “steadfastly actualize it and completely purify our most subtle afflictions”. We have faith and have learned the Buddha’s teachings. The causes have been perfected and the fruit has ripened. This means in our causal practice, we “perfect the cause to approach fruition”. By this time we are like great trees with fruits that have already ripened. Our tree is full of fruit. A tree was actually once only a seed, but as it cycles through the seasons year by year, it keeps constantly producing countless numbers of seeds. This is like when we understand a teaching; if we truly have taken this teaching to heart, then just this single teaching can continually give rise to ever more principles.
So, we “steadfastly implement it and completely purify our most subtle afflictions”. Then we will have returned to our Tathagata-nature. We will already be on steady ground. Our fruits will have already ripened. We will be pure and without defilements, having gotten rid of all of these. All those very subtle afflictions and impurities will be gone as well. This is like a mirror. This mirror of our mind will have already been wiped clean. This great perfect mirror, this very large and perfect mirror, will be without any impurities or defilements. It will already have been wiped clean so that the scenery will be reflected in it. Our great perfect mirror wisdom has manifested.
So, we need sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness. This is also the Four Great Vows. As Buddhis practitioners, when we deal with people and matters in our daily living, we can never be without sincerity. Only with the integrity of right mindfulness do we have a way to rid ourselves of afflictions. We must have faith; only through faith in this Dharma will we be able to persevere in the power of our vows. We must take each of the teachings to heart and be earnestly steadfast in purifying our mind. Then our great perfect mirror wisdom will naturally manifest. If we can do this, it means we will have drawn near to the Buddha.
So, “One the path of the One Great Vehicle, after we awaken ourselves, we can also awaken others. We speak fearlessly. We must constantly beat upon the Dharma drum to awaken people who are lost and dazed. This was their original vow. So they reverently followed His Noble intent and also fulfilled their great vows”.
Having discovered the One Vehicle’s principles, naturally, we will completely experience them and understand; we will have awakened ourselves. Having attained these teachings ourselves, we then use them to “also awaken others”, to further teach and transform others. If we can do this, when we want to teach others, we will understand all of the principles clearly. When we want to share them with others, we will “speak fearlessly”. This is the lion’s roar; we will speak without fear. It naturally will be as if we “constantly beat upon the Dharma drum”.
Every morning, when the drum sounds, it is time for everyone to begin their day. It is no longer time for sleeping; everyone starts to come for diligent practice. So, “We must constantly beat upon the Dharma drum to awaken people who are lost and dazed”. It is time for everyone to wake up. We must not remain half asleep and half awake. We should all get out of bed. When the drum sounds, everyone should awaken, to “awaken people who are lost and deluded”. This means not lying there asleep anymore. Outside, everyone is being diligent. Everyone is listening to the Dharma. We must not just lie there like a snake in “the great flatlands” (the sleeping area). We must realize the importance of this. So, “This was their original vow”. Don’t we as monastic practitioners make vows that we will be diligent like this? Aren’t we doing this to attain Buddhahood? Do we really not want to make vows? We came here because we have made these vows! Are you still sleeping? Are you still half awake and half sleeping? Is this the case? So, everyone needs to be very mindful.
At this time we must “reverently follow His noble intent and “also fulfill [our] great vows. To engage in spiritual practice and to have faith in the Dharma, we need to make vows. So, we should try to understand the direction of the Buddha’s teachings. This is like when the Buddha bestowed predictions upon those Hearers, upon those bhiksus and bhiksunus. He hoped they would all form great aspirations for practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma.
However, after the Buddha bestowed predictions, He wanted to recruit them, hoping they come out and make vows. Everyone really did make vows, but they did not dare return to this place. They wanted to go to other worlds. This was not reverently following the Buddha’s intent. What the Buddha wanted was for those who had learned in this place to give back to this place. This was the Buddha’s true intent. So, we should reverently follow the Buddha’s intent, as well as fulfill our vows. We must experience this.
This is what the previous sutra passage says, because the vows that everyone had made were to go to other lands. This is what made the Buddha sad He looked around at everyone there; where were those who formed great aspirations. He was teaching the Great Vehicle Dharma. Had anyone really heard it? Where were those who had heard the Great Vehicle, who were willing to form aspirations, who had already attained the Great Vehicle Dharma and experienced and understood it? Where were they? Although these Small Vehicle practitioners knew, they still had no way to experience the truth of the Buddha’s intent. They still did not fully penetrate His intent. Where were those who could truly comprehend the aspiration the Buddha had in His heart? So, as the Buddha swept His gaze over them, there were some among them there who began arising from their seats. This was another group of Bodhisattvas, those who had already formed great aspirations. Immediately they arose from their seats and came before the Buddha. They wholeheartedly put their palms together and had this thought. These [Bodhisattvas] were never-retreating were single-minded in their diligence. They arose from their seats, and reverently, with palms together, waited for the World-Honored One. “If the World-Honored One were to instruct us to uphold and expound this sutra, we would do as the Buddha instructed and spread the Dharma widely. [They thought,] “Venerable Buddha, if a time comes when you need us, please just tell us. Whatever it is you command us to do, we will surely do it. For instance, the Buddha teaches us to widely proclaim this Dharma; we are also willing to do this. However the Buddha instructs us, we will do it.”
So, “They also thought, ‘The Buddha is silent now and gives us no instruction. What should we do?’” [They thought], “But, Venerable Buddha, You haven’t yet tole us in person. What it is we should do!” so, “Then all the Bodhisattvas, reverently following the Buddha’s intent and wishing to fulfill their own original vows…”.
We talked about this passage before. These were Bodhisattvas who had formed great aspirations, who attained the One Dharma and put it into action. They had already attained the One Dharma; there were no teachings that they did not know.
So, it says, there were 80 trillion Bodhisattvas. Were there reality that many? Actually, when we look at these numbers, we must look at them in terms of the Dharma. These were people who, having attained the Dharma, would never retreat from it. It was clear that the teaching that they had understood were already infinite. They would go everywhere and knew every teaching; they were Bodhisattvas like this.
So, there were many of them. The next passage goes on to say, “They came directly before the Buddha and uttered the lion’s roar, proclaiming this vow, ‘World-Honored One, after the Tathagata enters Parirvana, we will all travel back and forth throughout the worlds in the ten directions.
They were saying, “Buddha, whatever you order us to do, we will be sure to respect your intent. We will be certain to do it! The Buddha had not yet told them anything so they all thought, “We should already understand. Since the Buddha has not said anything, we need to go ahead and make vows. The Buddha just looked at them silently, but they respectfully got up themselves. The Buddha still had said nothing to them so all they could do was make vows themselves. Because these were all Bodhisattvas who had reached the stage of non-retreating, they had no fear of the stubborn sentient beings in the Saha World. So, they began to call out in courageous voices.
They came directly before the Buddha and uttered the lion’s roar, proclaiming this vow: After they had engaged in contemplation, they came immediately before the Buddha, and uttered the lion’s roar, making this profound vow. Uttering the lion’s roar to make this vow means that, with determined speech and fearless resolve, they proclaimed this vow.
“They uttered the lion’s roar, proclaiming this vow.” This means that in their hearts, they felt. “Although the Buddha has not told us to do so, we should go and express this ourselves.
So, they went before the Buddha and “uttered the lion’s roar. This is to teach the Dharma fearlessly. Because we have already awakened, we are now able to awaken others and can teach the Dharma fearlessly as well”. So, this is what they wanted to tell the Buddha. Thus, they “uttered the lion’s roar, proclaiming their courageousness and diligence.
As we just discussed, they had already begun to have courage and diligence, so they “made this profound vow. This is because one must fulfill one’s own vows. So, they had understood the Buddha’s intent, and they were also willing to express the power of their own vows. Thus they were very brave. They had awakened themselves and were already able to awaken others. So, they were able to speak with a fearless tone. They were not afraid. They could also do this in this world. So, they uttered the lion’s making vows. They were determined. They had become determined in their aspirations, so they made vows by saying, “I and determined! This is what I shall do! “With determined speech and fearless [resolve]” means they were willing to teach the Dharma to people in this Saha World, “Even though its sentient beings are stubborn, since this is where I have awakened, this is where I should teach the Dharma. So, I am already determined. I am fearless, unafraid. I am determined in my aspirations”. So, they “proclaimed this vow I willingly make this vow.
Having dispelled their hesitation, they came forward and made this vow, expressing their determination to undertake this difficult task. They spoke fearlessly, thus it says they “uttered the lion’s roar”.
These people had “dispelled their hesitation”. The Buddha had already given them predictions. He heard them and knew they understood. The Buddha was recruiting people for the Dharma. They had been there listening, but still had not thoroughly penetrated and understood the Buddha’s intent. They instead made vows to go to other lands. They had already awakened and could awaken others. They were fearless as well. While they were there listening, they were also thinking, “Since this is where we practice and where we attain the Dharma, this is where we should spread the great Dharma”. They never expressed this, they just sat there listening, but “as bystanders they could see clearly”. They listened, yet they never got up to proclaim [their understanding]. They hesitated there, thinking, “Although I understand everything, I still need to understand the Buddha’s intent more thoroughly”. What those people had answered when the Buddha wanted to recruit them to uphold the sutra and spread the Dharma was only half of a vow. They were willing to uphold the sutra and spread the Dharma, but not in the Saha World. They wanted to go to other lands in order to spread the Dharma. They still had not thoroughly understood the Buddha’s intent. Having already listened, had they truly realized and truly understood, they would have gotten up and told the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha! We are willing to uphold the sutra and are willing to go into the Saha World to teach and transform stubborn sentient beings!” This is how they should have answered Him.
So, these non-retreating Bodhisattvas, who were replete inn all of the teachings, did not get up right then and there to speak. They “hesitated” there. They wanted to understand. They already understood, yet they had not decided to get up and say it our loud. They still did not have that kind of determination. They were still not at the Buddha’s level, so they wanted to wait for the Buddha to call them. “If He calls on me, then I will tell Him that I am unafraid to remain in the Saha World. I want to remain in the Saha World”. However, the Buddha also knew this. “You are very brave. You are willing to remain in the Saha World. I want to let you declare this yourselves. I am not going to call upon you to do this. I will let you make your own vows”. It’s true! We must make great vows ourselves. If we tell someone to make them, they will not be coming naturally. We have to make vows ourselves. So, they “dispelled their hesitation. Since the Buddha has not called upon us, we ourselves will go express ourselves”. So, “They came forward and made this vow”. They got up from their seats, went before the Buddha and expressed their determination, their intention to willingly shoulder the responsibility of remaining in this world that is hard to endure, where beings are stubborn and hard to train. Thus, they began to express themselves by “speaking fearlessly”. So, this was “uttering the lion’s roar”.
They spoke out, expressing themselves very respectfully, declaring their intentions before the World-Honored One. So, with palms reverently placed together, the declared, “World-Honored One, after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana…”. They were expressing their intention that after the Buddha had entered Parinirvana, they would “all travel back and forth throughout the worlds in the ten directions to be able to help sentient beings”. They were all very willing to “travel back and forth throughout the worlds in the ten directions”. They were expressing their vow to travel everywhere, to all the realms and worlds that the Buddha cared for and kept in His thoughts. They were all willing to go there to help sentient beings there become able to give rise to right faith. They hoped that everyone would be able to realize the Dharma’s right knowledge, right views, right understanding, right conduct and so on. So, they expressed themselves like this, saying, “We will all travel back and forth throughout the worlds in the ten directions”. This was to show Him that “their vows were inexhaustible”. They were willing to come and go. If it was a place that the Buddha cared about, a place that He kept in His thoughts then they would go there. So, this is “traveling back and forth throughout the worlds of the ten directions. Each of these sages will protect a place depending on borders and boundaries”.
Traveling back and forth throughout the worlds in the ten directions shows that their vows are inexhaustible. Travel back and forth throughout the ten directions: Each of these sages will protect a place depending on borders and boundaries.
Actually, each Bodhisattva protected one place, but the Buddha did not care about only one place. He cared about many places. As for Bodhisattvas, they “depended on borders and boundaries”. They divided up the realms. “This realm is your responsibility, and that realm is your responsibility”. This is just like in a department, we say, “This subject is all your responsibility” or “That country is your responsibility”. Tzu Chi is doing so many things all over the world and there are so many volunteers, so certain people will take on certain countries, be responsible for what goes on there, coordinating our efforts to help the people there. It is the same principle. Then there are also department directors and CEOs. There must be on many different levels in order to have overall coordination. In any case, as we learn to cultivate the Buddha-Dharma, we should put effort into being mindful. However much we can do, that is what we will do. So, “There is no one in this world that” “cannot be transformed”.
Yet in this world, there is no one that cannot be transformed, and nowhere that the path cannot be practiced. As we perfect our practice and approach fruition, we will always be pure and steady on the path. Then there will be no place that is not a spiritual training ground.
In this world, everyone can be taught and transformed. Although sentient beings in the Saha World are stubborn, they can still be taught and transformed. “There is nowhere the path cannot be practiced”. There is nowhere the path cannot be practiced. As for people, there is no one who cannot be transformed and there is no path we cannot walk. So, it is not difficult. For those who form Great Vehicle aspirations, it is not difficult. “As we perfect our practice and approach fruition” means in our spiritual practice we have reached “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions.” We must go among people, regardless of the time it takes, whether it takes a long or short time. These days we have also been talking about time. When it comes to time, we can refer to countless past lives or we can refer to the present moment, to that instant when we seize that thought, take it to heart and hold on to it earnestly to sustain it forever. We hold on to this thought forever, regardless of time, regardless of space, regardless of relationships. We are already going among people to “actualize the Six Paramitas in all our actions.” Our practice is becoming perfect and we are going to “approach fruition.” We are already becoming perfect and complete. “We will always be pure and steady on the path.” At all times, our minds are very pure. Our mind is very pure. Our mind is without the slightest defilement, none at all. “We can eliminate all afflictions and rid ourselves of dust-like defilements”. There are none left. So, by this time, “We will always be pure and steady on the path. Then there will be no place that is not a spiritual training ground.” There is no one we cannot transform, no place we cannot go, nor any time when we cannot do this. So, no matter how long it takes, regardless of the size of a place, no matter how many different kinds of people there are, regardless of their temperament, regardless of their personality, we are always able to put our hearts into this.
So, “They will travel everywhere, helping all sentient beings to” be able to uphold the sutra, “to transcribe and expound it to benefit others.” Whatever place this sutra can reach, it will be able to benefit sentient beings there. So, they “engage in spiritual practice with right mindfulness to benefit themselves.” When we practice with right mindfulness, we benefit ourselves. These Bodhisattvas were not like the previous bhiksus and bhiksunis. These Bodhisattvas were all non-retreating Bodhisattvas. Previously, they had “upheld it for themselves.” Now they “carried out the Tathagata’s intent to entrust it to others,” hoping that everyone would uphold the sutra. The Tathagata passed it on to us because He was already old and He wanted the Dharma to remain. He wanted to pass it down. The Buddha kept passing it down to us like this.
Everyone, the power of love is like this. There is no place the Buddha does not care about. The Buddha had such compassion for sentient beings that there was no one He is willing to give up on. The Buddha wished His disciples would also, no matter the time, place or people, be able to spread the Dharma universally. This meant making the Four Great Vows. We must transform sentient beings with sincerity, eliminate afflictions with upright thinking, have faith in the Dharma, forever uphold it and steadfastly be mindful to bear many fruits and achieve great perfect mirror wisdom. When we are pure and undefiled inside, we can go among people without being contaminated. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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