Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Causal Practice and Attainment are Skillful Means (行因得果 為方便說)
Date: January.08.2019
“Since ancient times, when I formed my initial aspirations and began upholding the Four Great Vows, I have constantly been in this Saha World to expound the Dharma to teach and transform all. During this time, I have also been in other places, going through quadrillions of nayutas of asankyas of lands to guide and benefit all sentient beings.”
We must always be mindful! “Since ancient times, I formed my initial aspirations.” From this point, how long ago [has it been] since these “ancient initial aspirations,” were [made]? How “ancient” are they? “Ancient” is the past of the past. It was a very, very long time ago that [the Buddha] formed His initial aspiration. Beginning with this initial aspiration, “[He] began upholding the Four Great Vows.”
Thus, with His body, speech and mind, He started forming aspirations, putting them into action and spreading them with His speech. His mind formed great aspirations at every moment. Since He started like this, Sakyamuni Buddha stated that, since such a long time ago when He began forming aspirations and vows, “I have constantly been in this Saha World to expound the Dharma to teach and transform all.” This is how things have been. He never leaves this Saha World; it is in this place that He continually teaches and transforms sentient beings. During this time, “I have also been in other places, going through quadrillions [of lands].” This means that, between coming and going, as He waits for causes and conditions, He goes to other places, back and forth through quadrillions of lands. This also takes a very long time. This is like how we might say that when we work at a place, once our term in that place is ending, we need to leave. After we leave, if we still have time, we must not waste that time. We must move on to another place, seize the time to continue giving and seize the causes and conditions to stay involved. However, the main place for His work of transforming [sentient beings] is this Saha World. In the remainder of His time, He transforms sentient beings in other places.
The time He spends doing this [is measured in] the quadrillions as well. “I am mainly here; this place is where I vowed to save and transform [sentient beings].” Between His causes and conditions [for coming to this world], the Buddha also goes to other places. He has been doing this for so long. You see, “Since ancient times, when I formed my initial aspirations,” how long has it been since He made great vows? It has been [long enough to travel through] “quadrillions of nayutas of asankyas of lands.” Aside from [being in] this place, He also spent a very long time [traveling] to many other lands to guide and benefit sentient beings, to teach and transform other sentient beings. We can see how long this time has been. So, we must seek to comprehend what the Buddha was trying to say. Since the time He formed His [initial] aspiration in the space of a single thought, this one thought has always existed. He never wavered, but steadily moved toward the Great Bodhi-path to awakening. He was very diligent in clearing the path. Thus, it took Him a very long time, entering Parinirvana and going back and forth. He always manifested appearances, such as birth and death. These matters and appearances are manifested by way of His coming back and forth. He comes and goes. He arrives when causes and conditions are replete and departs when causes and conditions have ended. He then waits for the causes and conditions to come again. Through His coming and going He manifests matters and appearances in the world, yet [He retains] His intrinsic nature which neither arises nor ceases.
With His initial aspirations and intrinsic nature, He repeatedly returns, going back and forth. In the process of coming and going, His manifestations of birth and eventually entering Parinirvana, countless kalpas have passed.
Nirvana is translated as “cessation”. Because we cease afflictions and cease the suffering of samsara, it is called “cessation”. Because it is free from all appearances and is great tranquility and stillness, it is called “cessation”. The cessation of afflictions is called Nirvana. Departing from all existence is also Nirvana.
[The world] “Nirvana” is only an image. In terms of labels, if we look at appearances, after eighty years, the Buddha attained Parinirvana; He passed away. But actually, entering Parinirvana is just the appearance we ordinary begins see. In fact, Nirvana is just a principle. This principle is called “cessation”. Nirvana is called “cessation”. What is it that ceases? [It is] the cessation of afflictions. We all still have afflictions in our minds. We have layers and layers of afflictions, so we cannot see matters clearly. Our mindset and thoughts are still carrying afflictions, so [our minds] are very foggy and unclear. This is because we have not eliminated our afflictions yet. Once the Buddha began His spiritual practice and formed His great aspirations, His swiftly eliminated His afflictions. Every one of us engages in spiritual practice because we want to eliminate our afflictions.
So, by “[ceasing our] afflictions,” naturally we “cease the suffering of samsara”. For humans, life begins with a loud cry, which is due to suffering. The first sound we make after birth is the sound of suffering; we cry. From this kind of beginning, over our entire lifetime, we gradually grow up, we slowly age and we grow old, [continually] moving towards death. Death is afflicted ordinary beings’ greatest fear and worry. This worry and fear of death cause us to suffer, so we are tormented for a long period of time by this suffering. This issue with cyclic existence is that in “parting with those we love,” there is not only the suffering experienced by the person who faces cyclic existence. There is also the concern and worry of this person’s relatives. This is also suffering. This is the suffering caused by people’s mutual entanglements in life. When our spiritual practice is not yet [mature], we suffer from parting with those we love.
Of course, as ordinary beings, we often “meet with those we hate”. In interpersonal relationships, there is resentment. “I want to argue with you, I just dislike you.” Even people who are intimate have these issues. “I am angry; I am frustrated.” However, if something happened and they realized their loved one’s life was at risk, [or that they were] on the verge of death [they would say], “Oh! I am suffering! I am heartbroken! I am worried!” These are the contradictions of the world; these are what we called afflictions. People have many afflictions, especially when it comes to life and death. When they are alive, through their mutual interactions, their mutual displeasure and dissatisfaction lead them to say resentful words. If there are in fact also ties of love between them, they will always have afflictions in cyclic existence. After we understand the principles, we can be at ease about living and dying. When we are alive, we make good use of our time and cherish our lives, so that they will not spent in vain. We need to grow our wisdom-life by cherishing our precious lives and tending to the growth of our wisdom-life. How do we grow our wisdom-life? By using our lives to give among people.
So, we actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. Giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom are ways of cultivating ourselves. If we think about in mindfully, isn’t this helping others while guarding ourselves well? “Giving” means helping others. “Upholding precepts” means begins self-vigilant. “Diligence” means taking good care of ourselves. So, we guard ourselves and also practice giving because helping others requires patience. Practicing this repeatedly will cultivate our Samadhi and wisdom. When [we practice] Samadhi in our daily lives, the Buddha-Dharma is in our daily lives. This is we need to temper ourselves while we go among people. If we can do so, we will be at ease with life and death. We are clear on the Buddha-Dharma and on the principles of people and matters. When we come to this world, we must be at ease; when we depart from here, we should be at ease too. When we are peaceful and at ease, our minds will be free of the coarse and heavy afflictions that hinder us. This is what we need to be diligently learning. So, “Nirvana” is cessation. “Cessation” alone contains many principles. So, “Because it is free from all appearances…”. We must be free of these various appearances; there is the appearance of our body, the appearance of our life and so on. This will cause us much unbearable suffering.
We can [choose to] be peaceful and at ease. Whenever we open our eyes [and find that] we are healthy, we should be grateful! We should just do [the right thing]! When the time comes for our eyes to close and our breathing stops, we will be at ease! We will be light and free! We should steady our minds and go wherever we really wish to go. We should not be attached to appearances; we must be at ease and come and go freely. So, we need to be free from various appearances. If we can attain this state of being without the obstruction of appearances, we will achieve a mindset of great tranquility. We will be tranquil and clear; we will always be very tranquil and in Samadhi. This is what we often speak of, the state that we seek.
So, tranquility is called “cessation”. This is cessation. “The cessation of afflictions” means that all afflictions have been eliminated. So, “The cessation of afflictions is called Nirvana.” It is called “Nirvana”. “Departing from all existence is also Nirvana.” All worldly things end in emptiness, emptiness without existence, and they will return to the principles. So, we must comprehend that the principles do not have substance or appearance to begin with. We do not need to be attached to them. The principles are simply for us to apply, that is all. So, we must mindfully comprehend the principles. If our perspectives and thoughts are unhindered, they are [in accord with] the principles.
Continuing on, in the previous sutra passage, [the Buddha] said,
“Ever since then, I have always been in this Saha World, expounding the Dharma to teach and transform. In other places as well, throughout quadrillions of nayutas of asankyas of lands, I have guided and benefited sentient beings”.
[The Buddha] continuously went from this place to other places. We spoke of this previously. He stays mainly in the Saha World, but in going back and forth from this place, He travels to many other places, to “quadrillions of nayutas of asankyas of lands”. We need to understand this. We have already mentioned this previously.
In the following sutra passage, [He said], “Good men, during this time, I spoke of Burning Lamp Buddha and others and also said that They entered Parinirvana. These were all distinctions made by skillful means”.
The Buddha then told everyone, “Good men, during this time since I first formed aspirations, I have repeatedly returned countless times. At this time, I again mentioned Burning Lamp Buddha”. Burning Lamp Buddha was from the ancient past. The Buddha had spoken about the causes and conditions of that analogy previously. This was mentioned in “the teachings of the manifest” as well. This demonstrates that from the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, He had begun to form aspirations. That was a very long time ago, dust-inked kalpas ago. From forming Bodhisattva-aspirations and Great Vehicle aspirations until now, He had met a great number of Buddhas.
Among these Buddhas, He specifically mentioned Burning Lamp Buddha. This demonstrates for us. The duration of successive lifetimes, the beginning of the distant past and the endless time until. He encountered the causes and conditions [needed] to manifest in every world, to go back and forth and to make [the teachings] clearer for everyone.
This reveals the extensiveness of His Nirmanakaya to resolve the doubts of people in the assembly. In the past, they saw that in all His teachings, His causal actions were different in many places, so they doubted the causes. Also, they saw that the predictions He received were different in many places, so they doubted the fruition. He engaged in causal actions and received predictions like this. They did not know that these were skillful means exercised after He had attained the fruit, so they gave rise to doubts.
“In the past”, a very long time ago, this had been the process. He taught and spoke of the Dharma in different places. The Buddha He made offerings to were countless. “His causal actions were different in many places”. This tells us that during this process, He explained that throughout His practice. He met many Buddhas. The “different places” demonstrate the long duration of time, since for a Buddha to appear in the world, it takes countless kalpas. Before Sakyamuni Buddha, there had been countless Buddhas already. We can see how each Buddha [required] countless kalpas, and He was able to encounter countless Buddhas. Clearly, the time elapsed was long, and the places were different. Thus, it mentions “causal actions in many places”.
In every place, He practiced the “Six Paramitas” in the same way, but “[His] causal actions were different”. Here, [He is] telling everyone, “The places where I transformed so many people are such. Everyone, please do not have doubts. Also, they saw that the predictions He received were different in many places”. From every Buddha He met, He received predictions from each one in the end. So, every Buddha bestowed predictions on Him once. One Buddha after another, He continuously received predictions, and each prediction was different. This happened everywhere in a similar way. [They] gave blessings and predictions to Him. Bestowing predictions is giving blessings for the future.
Thus, He received blessings at all times, and He constantly received recognition for His spiritual practice. “So, they doubted the fruition”.
Sometimes, a certain Buddha bestowed a prediction of a certain outcome for the future. When we see the accomplishments of others, we say, “How was it possible for you? Did these things really happen in the past?” This is “doubting the fruition” upon seeing others’ accomplishment at the time. This is called “doubting the fruition”. Seeing other people having accumulated so much, such incalculable numbers, some “doubted the cause”. These are the doubts we humans have; some of us “doubt the cause”, while some “doubt the fruition”. “He engaged in causal actions and received predictions like this. They did not know that these were skillful means exercised after He had attained the fruit”. These were the doubts they gave rise to. It was because none of them knew that He had already attained His accomplishment and had been going back and forth to transform sentient beings. Meeting a different Buddha, He again received blessings. In fact, those who receive blessings have already been practicing countless causes, so they have also attained such fruition. Like Manjusri and Guanyin, there were many who now manifested as Bodhisattvas in Sakyamuni Buddha’s spiritual training ground. They were very mindfully listening to Sakyamuni Buddha expounding the Dharma there. In fact, they had already attained Buddhahood in the past.
Guanyin Bodhisattva was Clear True Dharma Tathagata in the past. Manjusri Bodhisattva was Honorable Dragon King Buddha in the past. In the past, they attained fruition, and now, before Sakyamuni Buddha seat, they manifested in the appearance of Bodhisattvas. They were also there to transform sentient beings. According to the same principles, in the past, Sakyamuni Buddha did this too, transformed sentient beings life after life. This is called “causal [actions]”.
In those places, He encountered many different Buddhas from whom He also received the Dharma. I likewise, He already had His accomplishments. So, there was nothing for them to doubt. When a Buddha is expounding the Dharma, in truth, the people listening to Dharma already know the Dharma themselves. However, life after life, they still need to accumulate the causes to seek the Dharma and transform others. They need to go through this process. This is [what is means to be] a Bodhisattva. Though He focused on the Saha World, He also went back and forth to other places to transform [beings] through His causal practice; this is the same idea. So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this in order to fully understand the principles. So, “Good men, during this time, I spoke of Burning Lamp Buddha and others”.
“Other” [means] that besides Burning Lamp Buddha, there are still many other Buddhas [that He met] during His process [of spiritual practice]. These are all “skillful means of the Great Vehicle. He said that it took Him three asankya kalpas of spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood”. Thus, He used skillful means to help everyone understand the teachings. He used various skillful means. [The teachings He used] to transform all beings are called the “Great Vehicle”. The Great Vehicle Dharma opens the door of skillful means according to sentient beings’ capabilities. “He said that it took Him three asankya kalpas of spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood”.
He wanted to explain His process [of cultivation]. So, He would tell stories from the past. During a period of time, when Sakyamuni Buddha engaged in causal practice, His practice was in the second asankya kalpa of the “three asankya kalpas”. Now we will talk about the time during the second asankya kalpa. This asankya kalpa was coming to an end, meaning it would soon pass.
At that time, He met Burning Lamp Buddha who was appearing in the world at that time. So, at that time, He was practicing as well. When Sakyamuni Buddha was engaging in “causal practice,” He was very joyful when He heard of the Buddha. During that time, He had the opportunity, so He bought five lotus flowers. He had heard that everyone was making offerings to the Buddha, so He seized the opportunity. He saw a girl in the city, who was a maid in the royal palace. She took out seven lotus flowers. He was joyful at the sight of the lotus flowers and said to the girl, “I wish to buy five lotus flowers from you”. The girl then asked this spiritual practitioner, “Why are you buying lotus flowers?” Because I know that Burning Lamp Buddha is already in this city, and I wish to make offerings to Him. Would you sell me five lotus flowers?” So, she heard He was making but as a maid, she could not go herself. Therefore she said, “Yes, I will sell you five lotus flowers, but I also want to ask you to offer the Buddha the two remaining lotus flowers on my behalf”. So, He brought seven lotus flowers in front of Burning Lamp Buddha to make an offering of them. Reverently, he offered them to the Buddha. After offering them to Him, as Burning Lamp Buddha walked forward, [Sakyamuni] saw the muddy ground and worried the Buddha would step into the mud, so He quickly took off His leather cloak. He threw it out to cover the mud, but the cloak was not enough to cover the ground because of all the mud. So, He hurriedly untied His hair knot and let His hair down. He then lay down and used His hair to cover the muddy ground that His clothes could not cover, allowing this Buddha to walk over it on foot. Thus, Burning Lamp Buddha, seeing His reverence and sincerity in making this offering, made a prediction for Him. “Due to your diligence, ninety-one kalpas into the future, you will be able to attain Buddhahood”. Your epithet will be Sakyamuni Tathagata”. This is how the story [goes]. This was the story [about] the time when Excellent Wisdom Bodhisattva met Burning Lamp Buddha and received predictions. This [story was told] by Sakyamuni Buddha at the time when He [recounted].
Excellent Wisdom Bodhisattva’s causes and conditions for attaining Buddhahood and His spiritual practice. This was “what happened during that time, the things that happened while practicing and engaging in causal practice”. So, “good men, during this time, He went back and forth to practice”. During three asankya kalpas of time, in one of His lifetimes, He met Burning Lamp Buddha. So, “I spoke Burning Lamp Buddha and others”. This is what the Buddha meant in this passage. The previous passage stated that He encountered such a Buddha. So, “Good men, during this time I met this Buddha. I have been through these things”. This is the story of Sakyamuni Buddha and Burning Lamp Buddha in the past. This was the process of Sakyamuni Buddha’s [practice].
So, He spoke of how in the past, as ancient Excellent Wisdom Bodhisattva, He encountered Burning Lamp Buddha and received predictions: “In the future, you will become a Buddha with the epithet of Sakyamuni”. This is what happened during that time. During this time: Taking the time before dust-inked kalpas as the beginning and the time of the furthest extent of the future as the end, the period between these two points is “during this time”. He now indicated His causal practice in the era of Burning Lamp Buddha to sweep away their doubts on the causes.
“During this time, taking the time before dust-inked kalpas as the beginning”. If we were to talk about when the Buddha formed aspirations, it would be a moment dust-inked kalpas ago. Everyone should remember “dust-inked kalpas,” the beginning of “dust-inked kalpas” at the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, when He formed Bodhisattva-aspirations. He listened to and expounded the “Lotus Sutra” and formed Bodhisattva-aspirations. “The time of the furthest extent of the future as the end…”. Starting from that time, so much [has happened], and it will continue to the furthest extent of the future. This is how “The period between these two points is ‘during this time”’. What is between the beginning and the end is called “during this time”. From the beginning to the end, this entire period is called “during this time”. So, we would know how long “during this time” is. “During this time” is a very long time.
He also indicated Burning Lamp Buddha’s bestowing predictions upon Him and entering Parinirvana to eliminate their doubts on the fruition. The causes and fruitions were not singular; they were all skillful means. Thus it says He swept away doubts.
He also indicated “Burning Lamp Buddha’s bestowing predictions upon Him and entering Parinirvana to eliminate their doubts on the fruition”. He spoke of Burning Lamp Buddha to explain the bestowing of predictions. We went through the “Chapter on Bestowing Predictions” and “the teachings of the manifest”. In the “Chapter on Bestowing Predictions,” He also bestowed predictions for His disciples. Thus, in the process of their spiritual practice, they received blessings and predictions of Buddhahood. Having been bestowed with predictions, they were still in the stage of “causal practice”. Burning Lamp Buddha bestowed predictions on Him. “After another 91 kalpas, you will attain Buddhahood”. So, 91 kalpas before Sakyamuni Buddha, there was Burning Lamp Buddha. How long was this time? During this time, before the period of these 91 kalpas, there were still countless Buddhas, so we can understand how long this time was.
Once Sakyamuni Buddha manifested the appearance of attaining Buddhahood, this shows how long this time had been. Thus, “entering Parinirvana” is knowing the progression of time. This is to help everyone not to be doubtful. The time has been very long. We must be certain that the time has been long. We must be certain and have faith. So, “The causes and fruitions were not singular”. Causal practice and realization are not singular but countless.
In the Buddha’s life, just looking at the 49 years after He attained Buddhahood, He talked about the past, present and future. How many stories were there? They were not just one, they were countless; these [stories] were all called “skillful means”. “[He] also said that They entered Parinirvana”.
And also said that They entered Parinirvana: He also spoke of Burning Lamp Buddha entering Parinirvana. He said that during this time, that Buddha taught and entered Parinirvana.
He then talked about Burning Lamp Buddha “entering Parinirvana”. After the era of Burning Lamp Buddha had passed, there were [the eras of] Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration. Since these eras have passed, this is talking about the past. “These were all distinctions made by skillful means”.
These were all distinctions made by skillful means: These were not real. In the past, what He taught regarding engaging in causal practice to attain fruition were all distinctions made by skillful means. Thus, this sentence was for sweeping away their doubts.
Just like this, there was a time when Burning Lamp Buddha entered Parinirvana, and afterward, another 91 kalpas have passed until the present. This was the length of that tine [it took]. The events the Buddha spoke about were all skillful means. Talking about past matters so that people can hear them now is called “skillful means”. Talking about matters and appearances of the past is all skillful means, because the things that occurred were done according to the principles. However, matters will pass, so where are the matters and appearances now? Now when we say, “Venerable Buddha! Sakyamuni Buddha,” we can only continuously praise the Buddha with our words. What is the Buddha? We can then say, “The Buddha is the principles”. Indeed, the Buddha is the principles, because the Buddha is awakened and enlightened. Awakening and enlightenment are the principles, so He is the principles.
The Buddha’s physical body and appearance are no longer in the world, but His enlightenment and realizations, His Dharmakaya, still remains. Thus, the principles are still in existence. The matters and appearances have “ceased”. They are non-existent, so they are “not real”. These stories are all skillful means. The same thing happens to all of us too. Every day, the matters and appearances that pass cannot be obtained now; there is nothing we can do. If we take the matters that happened yesterday and want to look at them now, they are non-existent. This is to say nothing of [events in the far past].
So, “In the past, what He taught…”. Everything He taught in the past was about “causal practice to attain fruition”. Whether it was recounting events or telling stories, these were all past events brought about by causes and conditions. In a similar way, we take action in Tzu Chi because there are matters that need our care and help in a timely manner. In this process, [we encounter] people, matters and things. However, after giving, everything is in the past. These matters are in the past. Matters and appearances also fade away over time. However, the principles and stories remain. We can only tell the stories, but we cannot store its matters and appearances. So this is called “engaging in causal practice to attain fruition.” This was all in His past. “[It was all] skillful means.” These were all skillful means; these were all processes. So, if we have doubts in our minds, we must quickly eliminate them so that we can be free of doubts. There are “distinctions made by skillful means.”
Distinctions made by skillful means: This means He did not proclaim these with speech, but manifested them through matters and appearances, such as living in the palace, becoming a monastic [etc.], the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment, which could be seen and heard by all.
The distinctions made by skillful means, “He did not proclaim with speech.” In fact, when someone says something, he cannot take [his words] out to show them again. We say it is only the sound entering the ear-root. These are all words. “Sound-object” is a name. “Ear-root” is also a name. So the ear-root means the ear exists. When we cannot hear, it is because our consciousness is not working. This only works when Roots, Dusts and Consciousnesses combine together. So regarding our consciousness, if the nerves of the ear are damaged, then it has the appearance of an ear but not its function. Then, the ear is damaged, non-functioning. “This means He did not proclaim these with speech.” Speech is just a function. We need to use the function of words to take [the teaching] into our hearts and thoroughly comprehend the principles. “He manifested them through matters and appearances.” He used speech to describe events that happened, which means that the only way to describe them is through words. So, when we promote the Dharma, we can only do so using words. “Living in the palace, becoming a monastic [etc.] are the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment.” The Buddha manifested in this world, being born and growing up in the palace. When He lived in the palace, He discovered that [there are] principles and sought pursue the truths. Thus, He wanted to became a monastic. He left the royal city, left the palace and became a monastic to seek the path and engage in spiritual practice. He then sat under the Bodhi tree and attained enlightenment. He began expounding the Dharma and, at the end, entered Parinirvana. These are the eight stages of a Buddha in coming to this world.
The Buddha described the process with words explaining His past accomplishments to educate [sentient beings].
He said that under Burning Lamp Buddha and others, He engaged in causal practice and received predictions. He also said that They entered Parinirvana. This is like how now in the sutra He proclaimed that He was about to enter Parinirvana. These are all skillful means.
“He said that under Burning Lamp Buddha and others, He engaged in causal practice and received predictions.” Because He walked the path and practiced, He was able to receive predictions from that Buddha [saying that]. He could attain Buddhahood after 91 kalpas. This event truly happened; it was not made up. To express the facts that happened in the past at that point with speech, “[He] also said that They entered Parinirvana.” At that time, Burning Lamp Buddha entered Parinirvana. “My body will also enter Parinirvana in the future.” These are all skillful means; Burning Lamp Buddha’s and Sakyamuni Buddha’s entering Parinirvana, similary, are all skillful means.
Everyone, truly, “These were all distinctions made by skillful means.” All these various principles are skillful means because “they are beyond the reach of language.” In teaching, we must use the past to educate the present. So, the past has passed already, especially the eras long ago. However, what was in the past is the same now, because principles are everlasting and unchanging. The process of life is also everlasting and unchanging. The birth, aging, illness and death in life are forever the same. In life, there is birth, aging, illness and death. This is a fact; this is the principle. People continuously die and are born again through birth, aging, illness and death. However, people go and come, come and go, going back and forth. Time is connected by seconds which constitute all of the past, present and future. Therefore, we must very clearly understand that the accumulated matters and appearances of the past, present and future are all a matter of engaging in causal practice and attaining fruition. Regarding “causal practice,” our speech and actions in every second are all a matter of “causal practice.” This is the process of our spiritual practice. From a short time to a long time, from the initial aspiration, from that resolve, it continues through to the future. Throughout this endless period of time, we must earnestly seize our initial aspiration. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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