Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Transforming Consciousness into Wisdom (斷惑證理 轉識成智)
Date: December.20.2018
“The diligent cultivation and the wisdom of Three Vehicle practitioners to eliminate their own delusions and realize the principles is known as the path. Upholding the Three Studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom and always making great vows to develop this wisdom is called attaining enlightenment on the path.”
We must be mindful. [We need] “the wisdom of Three Vehicle Practitioners to eliminate [our] own delusions and realize the principles” and engage in diligent cultivation in order to be able to walk upon this path. This is a broad, great path. We must enter this broad, great path; for this we must engage in spiritual cultivation. The goal of our spiritual cultivation is to eliminate delusion.
From the time the Buddha attained Buddhahood until He entered Parinirvana, not even 50 years passed. He also had to expound the Dharma to help His disciples achieve fruition. Just think of how dedicated He was! At first, [the disciples] did not even know what the Buddha-Dharma was. [Stuck] in the ignorance of sentient beings, they did not know which direction to take in life and did not know what is the source of their confusion in life and death. There is so much suffering; how can we escape it? How can we eliminate the suffering of being lost in samsara? At that time, people really did not know. Although India had many different religions, each person had their own method of spiritual practice. They were unable to comprehend the vast principles of the universe and the cycle of life and death. They did not understand these things at all.
It all began with Siddhartha, who started to have thoughts such as, “Why is life the way it is? Why does there have to be so much suffering? Why is there such a disparity between the rich and the poor? Why? Why is it like this?” From youth to old age, we see death, the suffering of illness, fear of death and the suffering of family members from being unwilling to let go. Once it is all over, this body turns to nothing, and if it is not placed on the mountaintop for the vultures to peck at and to decompose, it will be cremated. How can this be what becomes of our bodies and lives? People who contemplate this will wonder, “Why is this so?”
So, [Siddhartha] gradually came to seek the origins of life and delve into the principles of the universe to find out how this cycle worked. With mindfulness and focus, he left home to engage in spiritual practice. Just like [other practitioners], he sought to adopt [the methods] others used in their own course of spiritual practice. So, he visited [other practitioners]; he went everywhere to listen to people of learning and renown. He hastened to go and ask them questions. During these five years of traveling, he tried every kind of religion. Evaluating them, he found none to be the ultimate; none were complete. Because of this, he began to focus his mind. For six years, he worked to quiet his mind and slowly returned to the Bodhimanda. This took six years of ascetic practice. From far away, he approached [the Bodhimanda] and, sitting beneath the Bodhi tree, he attained enlightenment. The instant of his enlightenment was not an immediate realization. He had worked up to this for over ten years’ time. This began more than just ten years ago. This began from his youth, from his innermost contemplations and thoughts. It was an unceasing, continuous process. His aspirations to seek the Dharma grew and grew each day as he continued to build on them. This demonstrates how he manifested this life in the world. From a young age, he continued to think and contemplate until he took the right course of action to leave the palace. Getting to this point also took over ten years, and these ten-plus years were part of his youth.
All in all, from the Buddha’s birth to when He began to have these thoughts in His youth, this all happened in the same lifetime. How could such a young child have such transcendent thoughts and ideas? This all came from His past lifetimes, from infinite, countless kalpas ago. Journeying upon His vows, His power of vows accumulated over many lifetimes. He returned to this world without the slightest bit of confusion. As His wisdom grew with age, He was very extraordinary. This came from His past lives, not just from this current lifetime.
In the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, Maitreya Bodhisattva kelp giving rise to doubts. He expressed these doubts by asking questions. The associates transformed by the Buddha demonstrated their fruition that they had constantly built up over the past at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, which led [Maitreya] to give rise to doubts. He also deliberately led everyone to raise their doubts. If no one raised their doubts, how would [the Buddha] respond to them? This gave Him a chance to respond to them. His response was that the sentient beings He transforms do not all have sharp capabilities. Lifetime after lifetime, [He transforms] sentient beings at various stages [on the path] who have yet to fully accept [the Dharma]. Those ahead [on the path] have already been transformed and have already achieved. What about the next group? They are presently being transformed and are in the process of achieving. As for those behind [on the path], they have yet to be transformed and have yet to achieve. There are still so many countless sentient begins who have yet to be transformed.
When it comes to the Buddha’s teachings although Sakyamuni Buddha taught them while manifesting in this lifetime and then entered Parinirvana, His affinities with sentient begins have yet to end. Because the founder of this religion in the Saha World is Sakyamuni Buddha, He is still duty-bound [to this world] until Maitreya attains Buddhahood. Only then will his duty come to an end. The era of Dharma-degeneration that we face now comes from how the severe karma of sentient begins has caused Right Dharma to fade away. Because the Buddha entered Parinirvana, disciples who were once truly close to the Buddha’s aspiration for spiritual practice slowly strayed away and grew scarce. So, Right Dharma has slowly faded away, and what is left is Dharma-semblance. There are still people who become monastic; aren’t they spreading the Buddha’s wisdom-life? Yes, they are spreading the Buddha’s wisdom-life by presenting the appearance of monastics. This “appearance” is a “semblance”. The era of Dharma-semblance. is when there is no Buddha present in the world. When it comes to right thinking, right conduct and right action, we lack these spiritual principles from that time.
Today’s monastics always present this appearance, [saying] “I am a monastic”. But their aspirations to seek the Dharma slowly weaken over time. The minds of unenlightened beings come laden with so many habitual tendencies. They bring afflictions and ignorance into their spiritual practice. When a practitioner with afflictions and ignorance. Is able to enter into a monastic community and present the appearance of monastics, will they start to eliminate their afflictions? It depends on their individual aspirations to seek the Dharma and whether that person is willing to change.
So, there is a disparity between the different capabilities, and this naturally manifests as the Three Vehicles. This is true for those of us how came later, but the Three Vehicle practitioners were present also during the Buddha’s lifetime. Although these Three Vehicle practitioners drew very near to the Buddha, they all had different capabilities. Despite their willingness to diligently advance, they still could not direct their thinking to come into perfect alignment with the Buddha’s. This is because sentient beings are hard to transform. It was like this even when the Buddha was in the world. The Buddha was very earnest, as were the disciples close to Him. [They said,] “I will engage in earnest spiritual practice. I have seen that life is filled with suffering, and I am very afraid of this. So, I will practice earnestly. These sentient begins incur suffering through their relationships with one another. Wherever there are people, the conditions [for] [suffering] will naturally arise between them. With a single deviant thought, these conditions will come to burden us and will continue to burden us in our next lifetime. When we are burdened, we have affections and suffering. So, it is much better to eliminate this burden completely. So, I will only practice to benefit myself. I do not want to come into contact with others. I do not want to be dragged down by them, either.” So, they only sought to benefit themselves and earnestly worked to eliminate their afflictions and their ignorance. Thus, they were Small Vehicle [practitioners]. They depended on the Buddha’s voice to attain realization and awakening, but they ignored how the Buddha said that they must transform people. They were afraid of this teaching, so they [only] focused on eliminating their afflictions and ignorance and engaging in simple-minded spiritual cultivation.
What about Middle Vehicle [practitioners]? They are very mindful. They understand the Buddha’s [teachings] of impermanence and the law of karma, but they fear going among people. They also do everything they can to avoid being defiled by others. They also do their best to avoid people. So, they fail to form great aspirations and are unwilling to spread the Dharma to future generations, even though the Buddha’s teachings must absolutely be passed on. So, the Buddha, in a very mindful way, [said], “As you benefit yourself, you can benefit others at the same time.” To truly attain Buddhahood, we must reach the point where our heart goes out to sentient begins but we remain undefiled [by going among them]. This is true mastery.
The Buddha arrived at the Lotus Dharma-assembly after a period of over 40 years. He was determined to expound the One Vehicle Dharma and set the Three Vehicle Dharma aside. The aforementioned Hearers and Solitary Realizers were people of limited capabilities. The Buddha use [skillful] means to spur them on, and then began to teach the Lotus Sutra. Everyone should still remember how 5000 people left the assembly. The Buddha said, “It is good that they left. It is good that these people did not remain. Those who remain have the aspirations and have made vows. Not only are they engaging in the practices of body, speech and mind, they have also made vows and formed aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path”. So, He did not mind this at all 5000 people left, and Sariputra “thrice requested” [the Dharma]. Because this Dharma cannot be taught causally, if people lack the aspiration and the wisdom to accept it, when they receive the Dharma, they will not truly take it to heart, for a deviant purpose.
So, when it comes to these people, “It is good that they left”. Those who remained were focused and full of intent and had made vows to spread Right Dharma. Thus, the Buddha began to focus on teachings the Great Vehicle Dharma. So, it was in this way that He began to expound the Lotus Sutra. He began by expounding the Chapter on Skillful Means. We have come a long way; we are already on Chapter 15.
This is the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground. We have already come to this point where the teaching of the manifest [is finished]. In this chapter, during this time, the Buddha said He wanted everyone to completely understand that He had been manifesting in this world since Beginning less Time, and that He had transformed so many people. But [the disciples] were still within the “door of the manifest”, and they still did not understand completely. All they had was faith. They had faith that the Buddha does not speak lies. They believed every word the Buddha spoke was true and contained absolutely no falsehoods. So, they believed whatever the Buddha said, but they had yet to fully understand the Dharma. Because they still lacked full understanding, when they saw so many [Bodhisattvas] come to the assembly and [heard] the Buddha [discuss]. His past teachings of the manifest, they still did not understand this fully. So, the Buddha discussed His present lifetime, how He was born in the palace, the process by which He attained Buddhahood and how He transformed sentient beings and brought them to fruition. As a result, everyone gave rise to doubts. Because of these doubts, Maitreya Bodhisattva asked [the Buddha] [questions] on their behalf. [Speaking about these events], I have had to repeat myself so many times. Yet repeating so many times how Maitreya [raised] doubts is to emphasize [Maitreya’s] intent, that he wanted to ask [about these doubts]. This was because he hoped that the Buddha would explain one more time. Through the “teaching of the manifest”, not everyone would understand everything. They still did not understand. So, Maitreya asked about it on everyone’s behalf. He used an analogy about something unbelievable and unreasonable, the analogy of the young [father] with 100-year-old [sons] to represent. This [analogy] makes no sense at all.
“Indeed” [said Maitreya], “this doesn’t make any sense at all. No one can believe it. I hope the Buddha understands that these people, only have faith in the Buddha at this point. They have yet to fully understand the Buddha’s teachings. If this is how it is now, what about people in the future? If this is the case, it will be even worse. Future sentient beings will be even more stubborn. The minds of sentient beings in the future will be even more confused. With even more stubborn, unruly sentient beings, they will not only fail to accept the Dharma, they will even seek to contradict and refute the Buddha-Dharma and use the Buddha-Dharma itself to destroy it. So, Venerable Buddha, since this is the case, please, Buddha, explain again in more detail”.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, the Three Vehicle practitioners individually “eliminated their own delusions and realized the principles”. Each practitioner had only eliminated their own, individual delusions. They had not completely eliminated all delusions. The Hearers eliminated the delusions of Hearers, and Solitary Realizers eliminated the delusions of Solitary Realizers. What about the Bodhisattvas? The newly-inspired Bodhisattvas had formed aspirations, but they did not fully understand the Dharma. They were in the process of being transformed or would be transformed in the future. These were the newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. The Chapter on Emerging from the Ground also mentions these newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. None of them had full understanding yet. These were the Three Vehicle practitioners. Those presently at the Buddha’s Dharma- assembly all had faith in the Buddha’s teachings. “I believe everything the Buddha says, but I do not fully understand it yet. By “eliminating their own delusions and realizing the principles”, they reached their own level of understanding. They each had their own level of understanding and their own level of wisdom. They were all already engaged in diligent practice and were all walking this path. It is just that they had only opened a small path; they had not yet opened the broad path. Everyone had their own direction. They believed in the Buddha, but they were unable to understand the Buddha’s teachings fully. Because of this, as they spread the Dharma, they went from the era of Right Dharma and slowly came to the era of Dharma-semblance, which then turned into the era of Dharma-degeneration. Now, we are in the era of Dharma-degeneration “Dharma-semblance” is very similar [to Right Dharma]. The monastics who engaged in spiritual practice during the Buddha’s lifetime had already passed away. There is no way [the Dharma] could live on the way it did when the Buddha was alive. That would be totally impossible. So, how could there still be any Right Dharma? Although this is “Dharma-semblance” and [the Dharma’s] principles are inherently formless and intangible, we are still here to pass on the semblance of the Buddha-Dharma. But deep inside, do we fully understand the Buddha’s intent and the true principles? Do we?
This is how our principles, although formless, are still here. The Buddha [came] for the sake of this world, but what is very important is that there needs to be appearances to pass on in this world. Who do the monastic disciples of the Three Treasures receive respect? Of course, everyone should respect the Buddha, and everyone should respect the Dharma but when it comes to monastics, if it were not for our spiritual practice, we would be just like everyone else.
However, this was a Sangha, and He also had lay practitioners as His disciples in order to protect the Buddha-Dharma, they also had to respect the Buddha. the Dharma and the Sangha they upheld inward cultivation while outwardly protecting [the Three Treasures]. Those who are monastic practitioners. Must also do their utmost to dedicate their lives by earnestly and sincerely practicing the Buddha-Dharma. We must form aspirations to spread the Buddha-Dharma. If we are able to engage in inward cultivation, we will be able to attain external protection. For there to be Living Bodhisattvas all over the world, we also need to rely on lay people. Every must share the Buddha’s intent and return to the broad, great path. So, we must quickly clear the way so it will open into a bright, great path. We must engage in spiritual practice to “uphold the Three Studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom”. no matter what afflictions we eliminate, we still need precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, and we must persevere in upholding our long-lasting great vows. We must do this continuously, not just lifetime after lifetime, but in every moment of every day, we must make vows to “develop this wisdom”. once we have made great vows, we will be able to face all people and matters with wisdom.
We have discussed [the following] before. “We must turn our five consciousnesses into all-accomplishing wisdom. We must turn the sixth consciousnesses into profound discerning wisdom. We must turn the seventh consciousnesses into universal equality wisdom. We must turn the eighth consciousnesses into great perfect mirror wisdom.”
In every moment, constantly, as we face all people and matters, regardless of what we encounter, we must exercise our profound discerning wisdom. So, we must work hard to be mindful. The Buddha-Dharma is part of our everyday lives, and it is everlasting. “Everlasting” does not only mean that it has been here a very long time. It also means that in every moment, including temporary moments in time, there is no moment where it stops to rest. So, I have also spent a while telling everyone about uninterrupted practice, practice with nothing further, extended practice and practice and with reverence. These are terms from the Buddha-Dharma. I have been deliberately repeating these terms over and over so that everyone will hear them, have them sink in remember them and apply them in everyday life. We absolutely must spread the Dharma. If you fall to remember it, we will be unable to use it in everyday life, and the Buddha-Dharma will have no way to remain in this world. We must apply the Buddha-Dharma in our interpersonal interactions to grow our wisdom-life. So, we must “turn knowledge into wisdom.
Whether it is the five consciousnesses or the sixth, seventh or eighth consciousnesses, we must turn them all back into wisdom. this way, in every moment, for the long term, with no interruptions and with nothing remaining, we must continuously engage in spiritual practice without ever ceasing. If we are able to do this, we will attain the path. We will be walking upon this great path. So, for a while now, I have been telling everyone to “clear a path”. “The sutras [are a path].” When we listen to the sutras, we are actually getting ready to open up a path. Once we open up the path, there will be no obstacles before us. Our path will be clear. The way will be and the path will be clear. Then, how do we pave it? We all must pave it [together]. We must engage everyone with the matters of life.
The Lotus Sutra is our path in life, and if our path in life merely consists of listening to the sutras but not opening up a path, we will never be able to reach the end. So, we must listen while we pave, paving it as we clear it, we must do this. So, everyone, please be mindful because the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground will soon come to an end. We still need to remember. We must remember these teachings so that we will be able to spread the Dharma.
In the previous sutra passage, [Matreya] said, “They all have given rise to a reverent mind and stand before the World-Honored One. This matter is difficult to conceive of. How could anyone believe in this? The Buddha attained Buddhahood very recently, yet He has brought so many to fruition. I hope You will resolve our doubts by explaining in detail in accordance with the truth.
This was still Maitreya speaking in verse. There were so many of these Bodhisattvas who had suddenly emerged before the Buddha and also made very reverent offerings in accordance with etiquette. They made reverent offerings in an orderly fashion to honor the Buddha and pay respect to Him. It looked like now that the Buddha had awakened. So many Bodhisattvas came to affirm that it was. Sakyamuni Buddha who had transformed them all. They were so reverent, thus their attitude was like that of 100-year-old men, such old men, coming to pay their respects to a very young man, saying, “This is my father.” The principle is same. This is why Maitreya Bodhisattva reiterated this in verse after the prose. So many people were unable to believe this. “Venerable Buddha, please explain this in detail so that everyone can dispel their doubts, especially for those in the future.
So, the following sutra passage [repeats] the same [analogy]. “By way of analogy, this is like a strong, young man, only 25 years of age, pointing to 100-year-old men with white hair and wrinkled faces and saying, ‘These are my sons’. The sons also say, ‘This is my father’. The father is young and the sons are old. No one in the world believe this.”
By “in the world,” [Maitreya] meant not just those who were present at the time, but people in the distant future as well; he feared that they would harbor great doubts.
So, in the next sutra passage, he went on to say, “The World-Honored One is also like this. He has attained enlightenment very recently. Yet all these Bodhisattvas have firm resolve and have no fear or timidity. For countless kalpas, they have practiced the Bodhisattva-path. Being skillful ansereing questions, they have fear in their hearts.
Indeed, this was the analogy he used. The World-Honored One was like [the young man]. “in fact, Sakyamuni Buddha, You only attained Buddhahood not long ago. So, when You say You transformed so many people, this is really hard to believe, because these people already have such firm resolve and vows and are very magnanimous. They are not the slightest bit timid. Everyone is very bold. On such a great occasion as this, everyone is very dignified, and they appear to be very experienced. So, how could it be possible that in such a short period of time, they have completed their spiritual cultivation? This really is hard to believe”. So, these people seemed to have been practicing for a long time. Judging from their level of practice and study, they must have spent countless kalpas practicing the Bodhisattva-path. This could not have been accomplished [recently]. This must have been the case.
So, to express this, Maitreya Bodhisattva conveyed everyone’s doubts regarding what they saw at the Dharma-assembly. These Bodhisattvas had achieved such great fruition. So, this is how they were described. Their fruition was no short-term matter. It must have come from long-term practice. These Bodhisattvas must have already “actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions”. They had been coming and going on this path for who knows how many times. These Bodhisattvas were already accomplished. So, they were very used to coming and going. They were very skilled in their practice. How could the Buddha say that He had only transformed them after attaining Buddhahood? They had gone among people and, “Being skillful at answering difficult questions, they had no fear in their hearts”.
Being skillful at answering difficult questions, they have no fear in their hearts: They were skillful at manifesting wholesome provisional means to tactfully transform others. They were subtle and refined in how they gave teachings in response to capabilities. In resolving doubts and difficult questions, their minds were perfect and nimble, and they had no fears.
These people, even if we asked them more difficult questions and made things hard for them, they would be able to answer them all. They would be able to dispel all the doubts and confusion of sentient beings. Their inner cultivation was already very solid. They were very steady. No matter what difficult questions people asked to contradict them or argue with them, they would be able to explain everything very smoothly and help convince them all. This is what it means to be “skillful at answering difficult questions”. They were able to have unobstructed eloquence. Unobstructed eloquence is “unobstructed Dharma”. They had no obstruction in cultivating the Dharma. As for “unobstructed meaning,” they could analyze the Dharma without obstruction. “If you keep asking, I will explain it further”. As for the words and methods we need to explain [to others], [they require] “unobstructed rhetoric”. They also had rhetoric and could use all kinds of words to answer them. And when it came to them personally, they’d say, “I will never get tired of your questions, because questions about the Dharma bring me joy. I can teach the Dharma constantly”. This is called “unobstructed joy in teaching”. These are the Four Kinds of Unobstructed Eloquence. In order to have “unobstructed Dharma,” we must be very replete in the Dharma and also be very proficient in analyzing the Dharma’s meaning and principles. Our language must be very clear, and we must not worry about getting tired. We must be willing to teach continuously and always take joy in teaching. This is what it means to be “skillful at answering difficult questions”. These Bodhisattvas were already very accomplished. “They had no fear in their hearts”. No matter how stubborn people who tried to dispute them might have been, they would always remain unobstructed. These Bodhisattvas were so accomplished. How could they be the Buddha’s disciples? How could they have attained fruition so quickly? They were already “skillful at manifesting wholesome provisional means to tactfully transform” sentient beings and had “actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions”. They were already very familiar with these actions. They were able to “give teachings in response to capabilities”. Their methods were also very refined. These people had it all. They were perfect. These Bodhisattvas had already reached the state where they were nearing Buddhahood. Thus, “resolving doubts and difficult questions” was no problem for them at all. So, “their minds were perfect and nimble”.. Their minds were so perfect and nimble that they were like a gushing spring, from which the Dharma [flowed] unceasing. Whether it was the Dharma’s principles or words, they eloquently surged forth. “They had no fear” They did not fear people disputing them, nor fear answering people’s questions. This is what these Bodhisattvas were like.
So, we must be very mindful. This group of Bodhisattvas were Bodhisattvas of great fruition. These Bodhisattvas of great fruition were the disciples that the Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, spent many lifetimes teaching and transforming. Now, these were great Bodhisattvas. They had already been brought to fruition. This should be the causes and conditions. He wanted to explain. Of course, beside these accomplished Bodhisattvas, there were those who were still achieving during the Buddha’s lifetime. They had already accepted the Buddha’s teachings, but during that short period of time, the Dharma was still very new to them. This is called the state of “achieving”. Then, there is the future state of having “yet to achieve,” having yet to be transformed, having yet to achieve. During the Buddha’s time, we had yet to be transformed and yet to achieve. This is where we are now. We still have yet to achieve.
So, now that we still have yet to achieve, we must be very mindful and quickly put the Dharma into action. Having heard the direction [we must take], we must mindfully clear the path. We must earnestly take this teaching to heart to reveal the direction of this path. We must be firm in our aspirations.
In the next sutra passage, [Maireya] said, “They have a patient and resolute mind and are upright with might and virtue. They are praised by the Buddhas of the ten directions. They excel at explaining in detail. They take no joy in being among the crowds, but always take joy in being in Samadhi. To seek the path to Buddhahoood, they abide in the empty space below”.
Now, he continued speaking. Those who are achieving and have yet to achieve all have the same [aspirations]. There was also a group of Bodhisattvas who had come leading people with them. Do you still remember these leaders? They led so many people, but they had yet to achieve complete fruition. They were still in the process of achieving. “They had a patient and resolute mind and were upright, with might and virtue”. They were also very patient and were willing to be in this Saha World. Whether they had achieved or were achieving, they all had this resolve to keep walking this broad, great path.
They have a patient and resolute mind and are upright, with might and virtue: They were able to be patient and had no doubts in their minds. Their bodily appearances were proper, and they possessed great might and virtue.
They were “patient.” There were no doubts in their minds. They had already taken the Dharma to heart; they had no doubts at all. They knew that they must go among people and perfect the practice of bringing peace and joy, the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. So, their minds were very free and at ease, and they had no doubts in their minds at all. If they had doubts, they would have no peace and joy. They had no doubts, so they were very peaceful and joyful. “Their bodily appearances were proper, and they possessed great might and virtue.” Thus, “ They were praised by the Buddhas of the ten directions. They excelled at explaining in detail.” These [Bodhisattvas] who emerged from the ground were “all praised by all Buddhas of the ten directions.” Because they had already established firm resolve, they had no doubts; they were very diligent. “They excelled at explaining all teachings in detail.” They heard the Dharma and took it to heart. They listened to the Dharma, taught the Dharma and spread the Dharma. This was their direction. “They excelled at explaining all teachings in detail.” They had this ability. So, “They took no joy in being among the crowds, but always enjoyed being in Samadhi. To seek the path to Buddhahood, they abided in the empty space below.” We have discussed this sutra [passage] before.
They take no joy in being among the crowds, but always enjoy being in Samadhi. To seek the path to Buddhahood, they abide in the empty space below: They took no joy in being among the clamoring crowd, but always enjoyed tranquil practice and being in Samadhi. In order to seek the path to Buddhahood, they abided in the humble, empty and tranquil space below.
They transformed sentient beings without being defiled by them. As their thoughts went out to them, they could quickly bring them back in again. When they were physically among people, their minds would not be among people, meaning that when they were surrounded by chaos, their minds would not be defiled by this chaos. This never happened to them. When they were among people, their minds remained in their tranquil place of practice. They never played around with people; they did not act in a worldly manner. So, their minds were still able to preserve their tranquility. This is what it means to have right contemplation. Meditation is contemplation, skillful contemplation. Their mind was very tranquil, tranquil and clear. They practiced the Bodhisattva-path and actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions. They were already practicing the Bodhisattva-path. How were they able to break away from the crowd?
Their minds, their place of spiritual practice, were still tranquil and clear, always remaining in Samadhi. Among people, their minds would not be defiled, because their thoughts were very pure. This is like the Four Wisdoms we just discussed. With our five onsciousnesses, [we think], “What is this thing? Is it long, short or round?” We encountered something. When we encounter something, we must turn it into the so-called “all-accomplishing wisdom.” How do we make use of this thing’s wondrous application? This is not found in the value of the object. This is not something I possess. If we think we possess something, then we have already been defiled.
We have been defiled by the mundane world. But how do we make use of this thing’s wondrous application? We have also explained this before. So, we must turn the sixth consciousness into “profound discerning wisdom.”
We have discussed all of this before. This “profound discerning wisdom” is inside our sixth consciousness. We must find a way to bring together our thoughts bit by bit in service of the world’s sentient beings and complete the Bodhisattva-path to relieve sentient beings of suffering. This method of profound discerning wisdom is an example to help everyone understand. Otherwise, if people think that in order to transform sentient beings, we must not take joy in being among people, how will we ever transform them? We must transform sentient beings, but our place of spiritual practice is Samadhi. It is tranquil and clear. So, “To seek the path to Buddhahood, they abided in the empty space below.” They still remained upon this path. They did not think, “I will just practice for my own benefit.” They neither abided in emptiness nor existence. In this Saha World, they did not abide in emptiness or existence. They abided in the Middle Way. This is what these Bodhisattvas did.
So, they constantly practiced meditation. Their minds were always peaceful and still. So, “In order to seek the path to Buddhahood,” “they abided in the humble, empty and tranquil space below.” They were very humble and grateful. This is how [Bodhisattvas] serve without expectations. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. When we read the words of the Buddha-Dharma, it seems like we read the words and explain their meaning, and that is that. In fact, what [these words] contain is unobstructed by time. The Dharma of that time is what we must put to use today. We must adapt it to the Dharma of our time. We must find a way to apply it in the world and apply it in our everyday lives; this is very important for us. We must spread the Buddha-Dharma today and pass it on into the future. From the era of the Buddha, it has been continuously passed down; we must apply it in the present and in the future. So, as we spread the Dharma, we must all be very mindful. We must make use of the Buddha-Dharma and apply it in this world, so we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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