Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Maitreya’s Doubts and the Buddha’s Lifespan (彌勒騰疑 佛說壽量)
Date: December.24.2018
“After the Buddha awakened to the universe and the path of truth, He expounded the Dharma to spread the sutras. Those who had been able to engage in spiritual practice emerged from the ground. These Bodhisattvas were transformed by the Buddha. Maitreya raised doubts and asked questions. The World-Honored One spoke of His lifespan and fully described His original intent and vows to reveal the wondrousness of the intrinsic and the manifest.”
We must be very mindful. The Chapter on Emerging from the Ground has come to an end. Now we must mindfully begin [a new chapter]. This is the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan. The teaching of the manifest is over, and now the teaching of the intrinsic begins. As we enter the official teaching of the intrinsic, we must be even more mindful. When did the Buddha come to this world? He came not only during this lifetime, but throughout infinite kalpas of past lifetimes. We must not be “attached to what is near and deluded about what is distant.” Let us understand “what is distant” clearly, how this all began in the distant past. So, at this time, we must be very mindful.
“After the Buddha awakened to the universe and the path of truth, He expounded the Dharma to spread the sutras.” We often talk about the Buddha’s spiritual practice, about how the left the palace, visited religious teachers for five years and engaged in ascetic practice for six years. At last, from beneath the Bodhi tree, He saw the bright star in the night. In an instant, His eyes met the star. Suddenly, His enlightened nature became one with the universe. The true principles of all things in the universe became completely clear to Him, and He awakened to the path of truth. Throughout the entire universe, there is no principle He did not understand and no worldly appearance or nature that He was unclear about. This is how the Buddha attained enlightenment and how all phenomena entered into the ocean of His enlightened wisdom. The Buddha came to understand so much. How could He share His insights with everyone? He realized that everyone has Buddha-nature, that in this world, the mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings are no different [in their nature]. The only difference is the boundary between “awakening” and “delusion”. How do we help everyone realize and understand the nature of delusion? We must mindfully guide sentient beings in accordance with their capabilities and employ skillful means. In this world, from the very beginning, what people experience among people and are mostly likely to come to understand is [the principle of] suffering. Everyone experiences suffering. Even people who live rich, comfortable lives experience suffering. The suffering is in their hearts. Very often, nature does not go our way. Nature has four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, winter. Is it cold or hot, sunny or rainy? Is it a good day? Is it raining? Nature’s conditions are not something humans can change. Since ancient times, there have always been [the extremes] of hot and cold weather, the rain and the wind. Moreover, no one can escape [the suffering of the cycle of] birth, aging, illness, death, parting from loved ones, meeting those we hate and not getting what we want. This is true for the wealthy, who also live in this natural world and, when karma manifests, suffer all the same, not to mention for the poor; the average person endures even more suffering. If someone is poor, ill, old and alone, they will suffer even more. Their suffering is compounded by more suffering. Since people endure so much suffering, naturally, the Buddha decided to begin by teaching about “suffering”.
Indeed, all people experience suffering. He explained how suffering begins and how it accumulates. Whether the suffering is physiological, physical or psychological, the Buddha analyzed the source of each type of suffering one by one. We can put an end to suffering. How can we put an end to suffering? Through spiritual practice. Once we thoroughly realize the principles and we understand all matters, we will feel at ease. When we feel at ease, we will be at peace. So, [the Buddha] teaches us how to be peaceful and at ease; this is the cessation [of suffering]. We start by identifying the sources of suffering. Then we eradicate them one by one. He also used clear language to describe these sufferings, these afflictions, ignorance and delusions. Such afflictions, ignorance and delusions, how can we resolve them? The way to resolve these, one by one, is through spiritual practice. We need to determine what kind of capabilities people have that enable them to accept such principles. If we can accept [the principles], our worries will gradually disappear in stages. Afflictions arise among people, among our relationships, resulting in [suffering from] parting from loved ones and meeting those we hate. If we understand and see things clearly, we will no longer cling to our ignorance. When we are free of our bodily afflictions and the ignorance of interpersonal conflicts, we will naturally be able to guide people through [the teachings of] cyclic existence, the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. We will begin to guide them to understand that amidst the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence, “An ignorant thought creates the Three Subtleties” and “External states lead to the Six Coarse Marks”. The Buddha began to analyze these principles. [It all begins with] a single thought of ignorance. Ignorance leads to volitional formation, which leads to consciousness and so on, continuing on [through the cycle]. We must understand this cyclic existence. Once we understand it, we will naturally come to understand that this world is impermanent; it is impermanent, full of suffering and empty. If we go a step further from “emptiness,” we will reach “wondrous existence”.
Yes, one [teaching] after another, we will slowly come to understand clearly. Now we know about true emptiness and wondrous existence.
We have been through 15 chapters so far. Each chapter has its key points, which we have analyzed throughout. We must come to understand the Dharma’s source. In the past, the Buddha taught [the Dharma] by using various analogies, expressions and causes and conditions in order to explain it to us in accordance with our capabilities. Now that we have finished the teaching of the manifest and are about to enter the teaching of the intrinsic, [the Buddha] wants us to know how long we must spend engaging in spiritual practice.
This is why I have been telling everyone that we must commit these things to memory. I have already spoken about the concept of times before. Spiritual practice, as the Buddha very frankly told us, takes a very long time. It cannot be measured in [years], but must rather be measured in kalpas. A kalpa is a long time. How long? I have explained this to everyone many times. Starting with a 10-year human lifespan, the lifespan increases by 1 year after 100 years increasing by 1 year after every 100 years. This lifespan continues to increase until the human lifespan reaches 84,000 years. During this “increasing kalpa,” people in this ignorant world slowly begin to understand the principles and gradually get back on the right track. This world becomes orderly. This field of love and harmony grows and grows, and human lifespan become longer and longer. Once [the human lifespan] reaches its extreme people’s minds begin to grow unstable. Their moral values slowly deteriorate. Over a long period of time, humans slowly stray from the path. So, in the same way, the human lifespan slowly decreases. It decreases by 1 year every 100 years, continuously decreasing. In today’s world, most people do not live past 100. The average lifespan is around 70 to 80 years. It will continue to decrease.
Although these days we see that the average lifespan seems to be increasing this is not really the case. Look at nature’s extreme climate patterns. This earth is slowly being destroyed, not to mention its ability to sustain human life. Worst of all, people’s minds are slowly entering a state of crisis. They ceaselessly create manmade calamities which make these times very terrifying. So, our carefree lives will slowly diminish. People’s lifespans will grow shorter and shorter. Crises are compounding, be they natural disasters or manmade calamities. This is just how things are in a “decreasing kalpa”. We must make the most of our time. If our lifespan reduces by 1 year every 100 years this might sound like we still have a lot of time. “We only lose 1 year every 100 years!” But in fact, time is painfully short. Ever since the Buddha’s time, life has been painfully short. So, the Buddha lamented impermanence, for impermanence is our reality. Impermanence keeps emerging throughout the ages. The Buddha saw that the world is full of suffering. At that time, it became necessary for Him to again inspire everyone’s awakened nature. If not, it would have been too late. If we do not keep passing down this principle, the state of nature and the human mind will grow increasingly at odds with one another. So, we must quickly keep spreading the Dharma so that these causes and conditions will still be there in the end for this Dharma to flourish once again. We must also start to nourish these moral values and so on so that the ideal of love will slowly start to grow again. For this to happen, we all need to put in the effort. We must make the most of this reality. Over time, we can bring purity to our minds and nurture our own wisdom-life. “With each passing day, we draw closer to death.” Our life is constantly diminishing, but we must constantly grow our wisdom-life. So, we should keep learning from the Buddha and earnestly engage in spiritual practice. After the Buddha awakened to “the universe and the path of truth, He expounded the Dharma to spread the sutras”. Having experienced the Avatamsaka state, He held the ocean of His enlightened nature within His heart.
How was He supposed to face the countless unenlightened sentient beings? He had to make use of His wisdom. So, He had to spread the Dharma by “expounding the Dharma to spread the sutra”. Then, “Those who had been able to engage in spiritual practice emerged from the ground”. Those who had been willing to practice had been practicing since Beginning less Time, dust-inked kalpas ago. In the era of the 16 princes, they made great vows to expound the Dharma and spread the sutras among people throughout lifetime after lifetime. They constantly built toward these cause and conditions. By the time “those who had been able to engage in spiritual practice emerged from the ground”, these great Bodhisattvas were His achievement. These great Bodhisattvas had formed affinities with and were transformed by [the Buddha] over a long period of time; they were able to accept the teachings and had been brought to fruition. They had been able to engage in practice and had achieved fruition, and now they emerged at the Vulture Peak Assembly. These Bodhisattvas had all constantly been accompanied, taught and transformed by Sakyamuni Buddha throughout countless kalpas. Now they had achieved fruition and emerged [from the ground]. Maitreya Bodhisattva actually believed in this, but he feared that people in future generations might not be able to believe in it.
Thus, “Maitreya raised doubts”. He deliberately raised doubts. His doubts carried a deep meaning due to his concern for us in the present. In the Buddha’s time, they were concerned for future sentient beings, that is, for us in the present. Had Maitreya not raised these doubts, the Buddha would not have responded. This was how Maitreya Bodhisattva requested [the Dharma] by asking difficult questions. Thus, “Maitreya raised doubts”. We should be very grateful to him. “Maitreya raised doubts and asked questions. The World-Honored One spoke of His lifespan”. Maitreya raised doubts and asked the World-Honored One questions. The World-Honored One, the Buddha, then began to speak of His lifespan. Now, let us continue with the Chapter on the [Tathagata’s] Lifespan. In the Chapter on the [Tathagata’s] Lifespan, He “fully described His original intent and vows to reveal the wondrousness of the intrinsic and the manifest”. He wanted to describe His original intent.
The Buddha’s mind is something very difficult for us to realize. The Buddha wanted to describe His state of mind, the experience of spiritual practice and attaining Buddhahood as well as the way to approach sentient beings and teach in such a way that they could accept, understand and realize the Dharma. He wanted to describe His inner intent, His vows from long ago, the spiritual practices He engaged in through His body, speech, mind and great vows. This is what He wanted to explain. So, He “revealed the wondrousness of the intrinsic and the manifest”, beginning with initial aspirations and the course of His spiritual practice, the process by which He manifested in this world and formed affinities with these Bodhisattvas. This is why Maitreya Bodhisattva “raised doubts”.
Maitreya doubted the length of time, as this was difficult to believe in. He said, “Since we have all heard about this from the Buddha and believe that the Buddha speaks the truth and never lies, we have deep faith in this matter without doubts. It is just that He has taken such a short time to teach and transform countless Bodhisattvas and enable them to abide in the state of non-retreating on the Bodhi-path; this matter is difficult to believe in [Maitreya] hoped that the Buddha would explain this for the sake of the future world to prevent people from incurring transgressions through doubting and slandering the Dharma.
The doubts Maitreya Bodhisattva raised were about how it had not been long since the Buddha attained Buddhahood, yet [the Buddha] still said, “These are all my disciples whom I have transformed”. So, Maitreya Bodhisattva raised doubts about this Maitreya and the others at the assembly also said, “We have all heard about this form the Buddha and believe that the Buddha speaks the truth and never lies”. They also said, “It is no that we do not believe, it is just that our capabilities [are limited]. We believe that whatever the Buddha speaks is the absolute truth, free of falsehoods. Even though we have yet to fully understand the Dharma, we have deep faith in the Buddha’s character and in that He will never say anything false. Whatever the Buddha says, we will believe in it. Although we have yet to fully understand, we still have faith. It is just that this matter [is hard to believe]. The Buddha only attained Buddhahood a short while ago, so how could He have brought so many great Bodhisattvas to fruition? This is our only [doubt]. It is just that He has taken such a short time to teach and transform countless Bodhisattvas and enable them to abide in the state of non-retreating on the Bodhi-path. It is this matter alone that we find truly difficult to believe!”
So, they sincerely asked the Buddha to explain for the sake of the future world. Please explain this right away for the sake of people in the future, lest those who aspire toward spiritual practice in the future fail to understand and end up dwelling in delusion and doubt”. All afflictions stem from doubts. So, doubt is the source of all calamities; thus, to complete our spiritual cultivation we must have faith. “Faith is the source of the Way, mother of merits”. The source of afflictions is doubt. With doubt comes all kinds of afflictions. These afflictions will lead us to slander [the Dharma] from lack of faith. If we slander Right Dharma, the wondrous Dharma, we will commit severe karmic transgressions.
The Buddha was asked to teach the Bodhisattva Way. This part is very important, but everyone needs to have deep faith. This is why Maitreya Bodhisattva asked the Buddha to explain this in detail.
So, Maitreya Bodhisattva said, “We all heard this from the Buddha, so we have no doubts about this matter. But I hope that the Buddha will expound it for people in the future so they can open their minds and understand”.
In this passage, Maitreya Bodhisattva clearly stated, “We all understand and believe in the Dharma the Buddha teaches. However, Venerable Buddha, You must explain this for the sake of future sentient beings. Future sentient beings will be unable to understand this. Please explain this for them. “Otherwise, this sutra may cause future generations to give rise to doubt. Without faith, they will easily create negative karma and fall into evil realms. So, we sincerely request that the Buddha”.
Regarding these countless Bodhisattvas, how could You, in such a short time, teach and transform them, helping them give rise to spiritual aspirations and abide in the state of non-retreating?
There are so many Bodhisattvas! “Since attaining enlightenment, how could You have possibly transformed so many people? They have such strong spiritual aspirations. In forming aspirations, they have been able to whole-heartedly abide in the state of non-retreating. Without strong spiritual aspirations refined over a long period of time, how could this be possible? This the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground’s final passage. In this passage, Maitreya Bodhisattvas clearly expresses [these doubts], bringing the chapter to and end.
The previous Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, along with the Chapter on emerging from the Ground, explain the practices that must be practiced while also explaining the people capable of practicing them. Both explain the One Vehicle Dharma in general. The previous explanations have reached a conclusion, so it is necessary to have this. Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan.
So, we should know about the previous Chapters on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy and on Emerging from the Ground. The Chapters on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy reminds us repeatedly that we will encounter numerous difficulties. To spread this Right Dharma in the world, we must withstand various trials, because this is the world of endurance. People’s minds are so chaotic. This place, this world, also has another name, “the place where the Five Destinies coexist in this world, there are heavenly conditions and comforts. Rich people live as if they are enjoying the riches of heaven. There are also worldly conditions for us [average] human beings. We do not live in extreme suffering, and we also do not live in extreme comfort. These are the conditions for the average person. There are also those who have, unfortunately, created negative karma, and the fruit of this negative karma has led them to a hellish [existence]. Whether or not they created this in a past life, they returned to this world beyond their control. There are people living in hell on earth. There are also-those who do not abide by the rules. They violate the laws and precepts such people do not abide by human ethics; they are like animals. These people live as if they are in the animal realm, and pay no heed to ethics or morality. People like this exist in the world as well. So, [some people] in this world live in the animal realm. There is also the hungry ghost realm. They are either starving and have nothing to eat or they are ill and unable to eat but are hungry and miserable but are hungry and miserable. This is like living in the hungry ghost realm. There is food, but they are unable to eat it, or there is no food at all, and they must simply starve. How many people in the world today are lacking food?
Look at refugees and impoverished people from poor countries or underdeveloped countries, suffering from poverty, illness, disasters and starvation! It all builds up, affecting entire countries and so many people everywhere. There are also people like these in the world. So, although we all live in this one world we experience such different living conditions. this is why it is called the world where the Five Destinies [coexist] or the world of endurance. Amidst these Five Destinies, we must be enduring. This is the nature of the world. Speaking of which, how do we spread the Dharma in a world like this? We will encounter and must find a way to face all sorts of difficulties. In the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, the Buddha already warned us about this. “If you aspire to spread the Dharma, you will encounter all sorts of [adversities]. You will be slandered, discriminated against and suffer the ignorance [of others]. There will always be so many hardships like these”.
This is what the Buddha told us. Fortunately, Maitreya Bodhisattvas asked the Buddha right away, “Venerable Buddha, since there will be so many difficulties, can the Buddha please tell everyone about how we can avoid these hardships and how we can overcome them mentally? It was then that the Buddha began expounding the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy. The Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy is about how we must use of our body, speech and mind as well as make great vows. We also need to deepen our understanding of how great compassion is the room, gentleness and patience and the clothing and the emptiness of all phenomena is the seat. This entire [chapter] guides us step by step, easing our mind and inspiring our hearts guiding us in how to be mindful. It explains the practices that must be practiced in order to teach the Dharma. This is in the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy.
Later on in the chapter, it even teaches us that in our daily lives, at all times, we must form Bodhisattvas-aspirations and walk the Bodhisattvas-path. Not just on a daily basis, but in every second, we must nurture this love and our Bodhisattvas-aspirations. We must be diligent even in our sleep. In our dreams, we will dream of listening to the Dharma, teaching the Dharma, spiritual practice and so on. We discussed this during the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy. Please bear this in mind so you will remember it.
Next was the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground. Wow! Bodhisattvas kept coming and coming. How did these Bodhisattvas come about? Which path did they walk? They had always actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions. The Bodhisattvas-path is the path that these Bodhisattvas walked upon as they actualized the Six Paramitas in all their actions. This is the direction the Buddha gave them, opening this path for them to walk on. So, this enable us to understand why these Bodhisattvas emerged. They knew the direction and how to clear the path and walked it while actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. They were “the people capable of practicing, not only did they know the direction and how to clear a path, they were also able to pave this path very well, enabling many, many people to walk this path together safely and steadily. This is in the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground. I have always stressed [that we must] know our direction, clear the way, and pave the path. This means we must do everything we can. We must cultivate the Bodhisattva-path. We can walk upon this broad, smooth path, the Bodhisattva-path. Safe, steady and non-retreating, this is the great Bodhisattva-path. So, the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground emphasizes this and also begins to reveal the “teaching of the intrinsic”.
So, both [of these chapters] “explain the One Vehicle Dharma in general”. The Buddha’s most important intent behind the Lotus Sutra was to teach the Bodhisattva Way and teach us how to practice it. “There is only the One Vehicle Dharma, there is no second or third vehicle”. It does not matter if He utilized skillful means in the past, so long as they guided everyone in this direction. So, He taught and transformed with skillful means. Once we reach here, there is only one way forward; only this broad path can lead us to the state of Buddhahood. So, He explained the path of the One Vehicle. The path we must walk is this Bodhisattva-path. So, the previous Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy and the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground have come to an end.
So, we know where this path will lead us next and how we must practice according to the teaching of the intrinsic. We must not forget our initial aspiration, the one we formed at the beginning. Maitreya Bodhisattva wanted to help us, the people of future generations, to more clearly understand that once we begin to form aspirations, we must clear the way in the direction of this broad, great path, and we must begin to walk this path.
Now begins the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan. The Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan is the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. A chapter we previously discussed, the very important Chapter on Skillful Means, demonstrates [the Buddha’s] infinite wisdom. Let us recall it once again.
The Chapter on Skillful Means speaks of infinite wisdom.
The Chapter on Parables speaks of infinite skillfulness.
The Chapter on Medicinal Plants speaks of infinite Dharma-rain.
The Chapter on the Conjured City speaks of infinite kalpas.
The Chapter on the Stupa of Treasures speaks of the infinite manifestations of the Buddha.
The Chapter on Emerging from the Ground speaks of infinite Bodhisattvas.
The Chapter on Skillful Means speaks of infinite wisdom. The Chapter on Parables speaks of infinite skillfulness. [The Buddha] used all kinds of methods to skillfully guide people through analogies, expressions and so on, teaching everyone through the Nine Divisions of Teachings and guiding everyone so that they could believe. What about the Chapter on Medicinal Plants? It speaks of the “infinite Dharma-rain”. The three kinds of capabilities, the three plants and two trees, are equally nourished by the rain which falls on them all. Be it a large tree or a small tree, when the Dharma-rain falls, both trees will be nourished. The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City emphasizes kalpas and time. We should recall again how the time [that has passed] is dust-inked kalpas. We should recall this again. [The Buddha’s] initial Great Vehicle aspirations began when Great Unhindered Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, when the 16 princes awakened and formed aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path dust-inked kalpas ago. So, [this took] “infinite kalpas. Neither a mathematician nor his disciples” could ever calculate how long this time was.
And the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures? It starts with the gathering of the Buddha’s many manifestations, when infinite Bodhisattvas began to arrive. In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, the Buddha summoned His manifestations to return. This represents the Dharma returning to its proper place. While [we were discussing this chapter], I kept telling everyone that there are many ways to engage in spiritual practice according to the Dharma. [The Buddha] came to this world in response to the Dharma of Suchness. These are the methods all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas employ as they repeatedly return to this world. The Buddha’s Dharma-body can manifest everywhere throughout the universe and all Dharma-realms. These are His multiple manifestations. The Buddha infinite manifestations returned to the Vulture Peak and attended this Dharma-assembly, where they sat beneath the trees [of treasures].
In the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, we saw these Bodhisattvas pay their respects to the Buddha’s manifestations beneath the trees [of treasures] and paying their respects to the Buddha and the Dharma. All the Buddhas and the entirety of the Dharma were in one place. The spiritual practitioners had also assembled. It was apparent that the Vulture Peak Assembly was very complete. We should mindfully seek to comprehend this. These events actually go through the Buddha’s key ideas level by level. Everything the Lotus Sutra aims to teach is ordered in this way. We must recall and understand these key ideas.
So, “Based on His own power of vows, ‘He manifests according to sentient beings’ capabilities and conditions”. In accordance with sentient beings’ capabilities and conditions, He returns to this world ceaselessly. He manifests birth and cessation. As He returns to this world lifetime after lifetime, there are times of birth and cessation.
Based on His own power of vows, He manifests according to sentient beings’ capabilities and conditions. His vows and affinities are endless, so His manifestations are endless. This shows that the Buddha’s lifespan is limitless, and also shows the fruition of the Buddha’s ultimate merits and virtues.
So, “His vows and affinities are endless”. He makes these vows throughout lifetime after lifetime. As He comes to this world lifetime after lifetime, the affinities He forms grow more numerous, and His causes and conditions become greater. Before attaining Buddhahood, first He had to form good affinities. So, He transforms more and more sentient beings and brings more and more people to fruition. Thus, His manifestations in this world grow more and more frequent, without end. “This shows that the Buddha’s lifespan is limitless”. The Buddha comes to this world without limitations. He can manifest birth and cessation any time, whether [His lifespan] is long or short. We cannot control how long our lives will last. The Buddha also comes to this world for varying lengths of time. He comes and goes according to karmic conditions. “This shows the fruition of the Buddha’s ultimate merits and virtues”. Back and forth, time and again, He seizes the opportunity to transform sentient beings. As these conditions come to an end, He will manifest cessation and return again. This is how many times the Buddha has come to the world. How many times is this? This cannot be measured.
Hence, “For countless kalpas, the Tathagata manifested infinite forms, entered infinite lands, expounded infinite Dharma and transformed infinite people. These are all His skillful means.”
He came to this world throughout many lifetimes, all with the intent to transform sentient being according to their capabilities and conditions. Thus, in the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, people harbored doubts about where [these Bodhisattvas] had come from. The Buddha answered, “These are my disciples whom I have taught and transformed.” His answer prompted Maitreya to say, “In that case, we have doubts.” We should all remember this passage.
He said His disciples should protect and uphold [the Dharma]. [The Bodhisattvas] in the empty space below heard Him and rushed to the assembly. Upon seeing these Bodhisattvas, [people at the assembly] all gave rise to doubts, so they asked the Buddha, “Where did they come from?”
So, “He said His disciples should protect and uphold [the Dharma].” [He said], “Furthermore, the many people here are all my disciples whom I transformed in the past.” We should still remember how, previously, the Bodhisattvas from other lands asked the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, please permit us to come to this Saha World to transform [sentient beings].” The Buddha said, “Stop, stop. Stop. In the Saha World, it is only natural that my many disciples here will spread the Dharma. You all mean well, but the Saha World is the responsibility of my disciples here.” Everyone should remember [this part]. These disciples had been transformed long ago. At that moment, they emerged from the ground to express their intentions to protect and uphold [the Dharma] and undertake this mission. These disciples were from the empty space below, which meant that they abided in the Middle Way. They were not attached to above or below, nor to left or right. They abided in the Middle Way. They had always walked the Middle Way to transform sentient beings. They heard [the Buddha] say, “I have disciples here who will protect and uphold [the Dharma].” When they heard these words, they emerged from the ground. We should still remember that scene. So, “Upon seeing these Bodhisattvas, [people at the assembly] all gave rise to doubts.” So, those present at the assembly listening to the Dharma suddenly saw so many Bodhisattvas emerge from the ground. This is why they had doubts and started asking questions. These were the circumstances at the time. We must remember them. So, “The World-Honored One replied, ’They were all transformed by me.”’
The World-Honored One replied, “They were all transformed by me.”
Thus, people had doubts, since the World-Honored One attained Buddhahood only recently. Those He transformed were not newly-inspired people. So, He taught [the Chapter on the Tathagata’s] Lifespan to resolve people’s doubts.
Everyone was asking questions. The World-Honored One, the Buddha, answered, “These are my disciples whom I have transformed.” So, because of this, everyone gave rise to doubts. “People had doubts, since the World-Honored One attained Buddhahood only recently.” Everyone clung to [the fact that] the Buddha had only attained enlightenment 40 or so years ago. How could He have transformed so many people? So, everyone had these doubts. This is what was “near.” This is being “attached to the near and deluded about the distant.” They did not think about back when the Buddha spoke about “long-ago, distant kalpas.” They had already forgotten this. So, we must remember the Dharma we hear. So, “those He transformed” had engaged in cumulative practice in the past throughout infinite lifetimes and kalpas and were transformed in a cumulative process. So, these were not newly-inspired people, but people who had engaged in cumulative practice over a long period of time. They had been able to walk the path and had now become Great Bodhisattvas. But people in the future might not understand this. For [the people of] the future, He continued by teaching the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan to resolve the doubts of people in the future. We should simply have no doubts.
Hence, “Distant kalpas ago, He had already attained Buddhahood.” The Buddha did not attain Buddhahood just then, but rather distant kalpas ago. His attainment of Buddhahood [in this life] was merely a manifestation of skillful means. In fact, His enlightened nature has existed since distant kalpas ago.
Distant kalpas ago, He had in fact already attained Buddhahood. Saying He attained Buddhahood now was only skillful means for sentient beings. He manifested Parinirvana without entering Parinirvana. There is no true Parinirvana. He merely said He would enter cessation.
As stated in the beginning of the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, our Buddha-nature is without beginning or end. It has always been within us; it is just that we have become lost. But at that point in time, the Buddha began to awaken. He transformed sentient beings throughout many lifetimes, which enabled Him [at the Vulture Peak Assembly] to complete the teaching of the Bodhisattva Way. So, “Saying He attained Buddhahood now was only skillful means for sentient beings. He manifested Parinirvana without entering Parinirvana.” Now, in front of everyone, [He said], “I am old, and I am entering Parinirvana.” In fact, He is everlasting. He does not simply cease to exist. This was only a manifestation in this world. “There is no true Parinirvana. He merely said He would enter cessation.”
All in all, this is how we constantly accumulate strength. We must also accumulate wisdom like this throughout lifetime after lifetime. So, we should transform our five, sixth, seventh and eighth consciousnesses into the Four Wisdoms. We must transform the five consciousnesses into all-accomplishing wisdom, the sixth consciousness into profound discerning wisdom, the seventh consciousness into universal equality wisdom and the eighth consciousness into great perfect mirror wisdom. Yes Our daily life is all part of this consciousness. Its workings must become one with the Dharma. When we become one with the Dharma, our [life] will neither be long nor short. It will be one [with the Dharma] and everlasting. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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