Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Spreading the Dharma-Medicine with Skillful Means (佛設方便 令服法藥)
Date: February.08.2019
“Our minds are unfocused, full of inverted views and discursive thoughts. Our thoughts change chaotically like the water in rapids. They appear to be calm and serene, but they actually flow rapidly. They are so minute that they are undetectable, and they are extremely subtle. We see impermanence as permanence and suffering as joy although they are ultimately empty. This is known as being deluded.”
We must be mindful and seek to understand this deeper! “Our minds are unfocused.” Every day we should always look inside ourselves and ask, “Is my mind ever peaceful and stable, focused in Samadhi and free of distractions?” We should think about whether our minds have ever experienced this. Has our mind ever been tranquil and clear? This is hard to achieve! Our minds are unfocused because we are unenlightened beings. What unenlightened beings need to learn is to focus their minds. This is the skill we need to learn. When our thoughts are unfocused, we are naturally “full of inverted views and discursive thoughts.” We constantly give rise to thoughts without pause. They constantly arise without interruption, and our thoughts are always chaotic. We are always thinking of this and that, and we can never calm our minds.
This is why we always speak of training our minds and caring for our minds. This is actually not difficult; it is difficult only because we are unenlightened beings. If we do not wish to remain unenlightened beings, we need to establish firm resolve. “Our thoughts change chaotically, like water in rapids.” Our thoughts are always [changing]. We fail to attend to them, so they are always changing. In fact, they flow just like water. The water may appear still on the surface. In fact, the surface of some streams appears to be still, yet there are whirlpools underneath the surface where the water is swirling. So, [our thoughts] “appear to be calm and serene, but they actually flow rapidly.” Our minds are always changing like this. Although people may appear very composed, their minds are actually flowing like rapids. Aren’t our own minds like this? Since we even fail to recognize this in ourselves, others cannot possibly know this about us. This is something very subtle.
We often say, “A deluded thought creates the Three Subtleties.” These “subtleties” are subtle and intricate thoughts that are hidden in our minds. Even we ourselves are unaware of them. When one situation arises, we may say, “I am angry! I don’t like it!” When [another] situation arises, we may say. “Oh my! That thing is so beautiful! I simply must have it!” These are very subtle and intricate thoughts that are going on inside of us. We clearly know that these are afflictions and that we ought to eliminate them, but they still remain within us. They truly are “so minute that they are undetectable.” When others look at us, they cannot see [our afflictions] from our appearances. Sometimes we cannot even understand our own thinking. We know that we must eliminate afflictions, but we do not notice that our afflictions lurk at the bottom of our minds. When we are unhappy, they emerge instantaneously. We have always known that we should cultivate ourselves, that we should not rush in anything we do, that we should remain calm in everything we do. However, once we give rise to unhappy thoughts, our thoughts of anger and hatred will emerge all at once. It will be more difficult to calm down.
So, we then begin to argue and bring up different opinions and so on. These attitudes emerge in us. “They are so minute that they are undetectable.” These are so minute, so “extremely subtle,” that we cannot understand them ourselves, and others cannot see them. These afflictions all stem from [not understanding] the principles of impermanence, suffering and emptiness. We often have the Four Inverted Views. The Four Inverted Views include seeing “impermanence” as “permanence” or vice verse. When we see impermanence as permanence or permanence as impermanence, we turn things upside down. We live in such delusion; this is suffering. Impermanence inherently [leads to] suffering, yet we take it to be happiness. In our cyclic existence in the world, we should not think, “We are humans in this lifetime, but there is no rush because in our next lifetime, we will come back to practice again as humans.” [When we came] to this lifetime, we did not have any control. Where we will go in our next life, we also do not know.
“A deluded thought creates the Three Subtleties.” These Three Subtleties already make it impossible for us to settle [our minds] in this lifetime. Our minds become disturbed when we see situations arise. When our consciousness connects with the external world, our minds give rise to the Three Subtleties. Whether they are sounds we hear or forms we see, they prevent our minds from staying calm making it impossible for us to “turn consciousness into wisdom” in this lifetime. Thus, we are still driven by the outside world, and we have no way of telling where our next life may take us. This [life] is truly impermanent. How long will our lifetime last? We do not know this either. We already act as if our life is permanent. In this lifetime, we make plans for 10 years later, for 20 or 30 years later, from this age until that age. This is impossible; we see impermanence as permanence. We become so self-satisfied and think, “In the future, I have planned it in this way.” We think it is up to us [to decide].
“This year I will do this. Next year I will do that. I know that I can achieve the things that I want to do.” All we can do is plan for the future so that if we cannot continue on with something, others will be able to take over. We must make preparations like this. We must indeed make proper plans every day, this is true. But as we do this, we must also prevent future troubles; [we must ensure] there will be someone after us to continue on so that we need not worry.
This is why we must earnestly make preparations. We can make plans every day. We certainly should plan for the future, but we may not necessarily be able to accomplish our plans. This is because things are impermanent. However, we still must make preparations so that our aspirations will not be cut short by impermanence. We often say that we want our spirit and ideals to be everlasting. For something to be passed down, we must [firmly establish] our spirit and ideals. Those leading ahead must [lay down the path] well and turn their ideals into a system. If we take care to create a system of ideals now and organize our principles and methods well, everyone will be able to follow these ideals and continue on in this way. This is the right way to do this. We must make plans to do what is right. We do not need to make plans [thinking]. “I can be there forever.” This is impossible!
This requires us to always consider impermanence in the real world. So, we must not take impermanence as permanence. When we have some trivial accomplishment. When we have some trivial accomplishment, we think that this is something very joyful.
Actually, we must constantly be vigilant. Worldly existence is worrisome and burdensome; it has always been this way. Today’s corporations are larger than ever. Following the worldly ways, the keep expanding everywhere. These people who are considered smart keep developing their businesses endlessly. But how many places can they manage by themselves? How many people are there to inherit the business? In truth, their own children may not even be willing to [inherit it], but for the sake of their plans, they keep on going in this way. Truly, our plans as well as our spirit and ideals are boundless. Therefore, we often say that for these boundless ideals, we must find a way to adjust them so that they will have clear standards. With these standards, they can benefit people in this world. Only then are they truly boundless and limitless. The Buddha spoke of “vast spiritual powers.”
However, in truth, these spiritual powers, this spirit and these ideals, are about how to educate people in an organized way and how to endlessly transmit the Dharma. To do what is right, we must find a way to unite everyone’s common aspirations to employ the same teaching to benefit others. This is not a job for just one person alone but a common direction for all sentient begins in the world. The Buddha’s [vows] are universal. “Though the universe has bonds, His vows are boundless.” All Buddha and Bodhisattvas make vows like these; as they come and go, they vow to thoroughly comprehend the true nature of our lives. This [truth] lies in the principles, not in these mortal bodies. The mortal body is always impermanent, so only when it becomes the Dharmakaya will our wisdom-life become everlasting. What unenlightened begins call “spirit and ideals” is what call “the Dharmakaya” for the Buddha. These two are the same. The Dharmakaya refers to universal principles. The [Dharmakaya] is in all of us; it is just that what we intrinsically possess has become defiled; our afflictions have enshrouded it. Our individual nature of True Suchness has become defiled, but the true principles of
the greater universe are in fact without limit. If we can all return to [our true nature] and become one with the universe, this is realizing the oneness of all life, the great power inherent in all life. When everyone uses the Dharma and moves together in one direction, there will be no interruptions; there will be no “permanence” or “impermanence” and no “suffering” or “joy.” The things that we do to serve others will become the norm.
To put it succinctly, when things are like this, we naturally will no longer “see impermanence as permanence” or suffering as joy”. Having become one with the universe, there will be no interruptions. When there are no interruptions, there will be on “permanence” or “impermanence”, no “suffering” or “joy”. So, this is what we must mindfully seek to experience. “They are ultimately empty. This is known as being deluded”. Being “ultimately empty” refers to “true emptiness”. This “true emptiness” is without any entity; it is merely a name that we use to describe that space. If we keep thinking of it as a [real thing], this will be a delusion. It is because we have [delusions] like these that the Buddha painstakingly returns repeatedly to the world. This truly is hard work. The Buddha has long been returning repeatedly to transform sentient beings. Some have transformed “consciousness” into “wisdom” in the past and formed aspirations. However, in terms of their aspirations, in their spiritual practice, they have yet to attain the supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment of Bodhisattvas.
Some are already very close, while others still follow behind. Some are Bodhisattvas who are newly-inspired, and some are already steadfast [upon this path]. So, there are those who are “already transformed, those presently beings transformed” and “those not yet transformed”. This is like how, initially, many who came to the Dharma-assembly were Bodhisattvas who were already transformed. Their Bodhisattva-aspirations were very firm, and they already seemed to be awakened. These were those who were “already transformed”, whose spiritual aspirations could no longer be influenced by anything. Those “presently being transformed” had already formed affinities in a past life. Having formed affinities like this, they could quickly accept [the teachings] when they arrived in this lifetime. They were already inspired to devote themselves. These were Hearers and Solitary Realizers who now aspired to accept the Bodhisattva teachings. They were “presently being transformed”. Their karmic conditions had matured, so they were presently beings transformed. What about those who had “yet to be transformed”? At this time, although they had already been taught and transformed, their spiritual aspirations were not yet firm. They were just starting to form affinities and were about to enter the teachings. Such individuals were those yet to be transformed. There were those who had achieved, those who were achieving and those who had yet to achieve. Those already transformed had achieved. Those presently being transformed were achieving. Those yet to be transformed had yet to achieve. People were all at different points.
So, the Buddha, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, must keep coming. Those who are already transformed, those who have achieved, can start transforming others. For those presently beings transformed, those who are achieving, [Buddhas and Bodhisattvas] need to come again to help them achieve. They are not completely mature, so they must continue their affinities. So, the past few days we talked about [the sons] who have not lost their original mind. People like these are the ones who, upon seeing the medicine, [think] “I am happy to have this medicine! I will hurry and take it”. Though they have been poisoned by some other evil poison, they know that their father is a famous doctor and that he has returned. They hurry to tell their father, “We were careless and took some other [medicine], an evil poison. Please quickly come back and give us medicine so that we can restore our health and stay alive!” These are the ones who “have not lost their original mind”, who are in the process of being transformed and whose karmic conditions are mature. So, those who have not lost their original minds are now “presently beings transformed”. Then there are those who rejoice upon seeing their father return but refuse to take the medicine that their father prescribes. They are still confused. They are those who have lost their original mind.
So, in the previous sutra passage [the Buddha] said, “When the rest who have lost their original mind see their father coming, they also rejoice, greet him and request that he treat their illness, but when he gives them the medicine, they refuse to take it”. This is what the passage means.
[The sutra passage] then continues, “Why is this so?” Why do they not want to take it? “The poison has entered deep inside them, and they have lost their original mind. Thus, they say that this medicine of wonderful form and fragrance is not good”.
It seems that the medicine is not to their taste. Why is this so? The poison has entered them so deeply that they think they do not need the medicine. This is like people today who are addicted to drugs. These drugs are also a kind of medicine. The medicine they want to take is the one that they crave and seek. Actual, real medicine is not something that they are willing to take. In truth, medicine, good medicine, tastes bitter. For this reason, they are not willing to take it. When it comes to [things in] the world, “Everything in the world is impermanent; all is subject to the law of arising and ceasing”.
Everything in the world is impermanent; all is subject to the law of arising and ceasing. Because sentient beings have few blessings and meager virtues, they see the Buddha in the world as something permanent, without giving rise to the thought that it is rare to encounter the Buddha. They just become more arrogant and do not practice or advance diligently. So, it says, “They refuse to take the medicine”.
We must be clear about the Buddha-Dharma. The entire world is subject to impermanence. We should know this. Though the Buddha comes to the world to impart the Dharma to sentient beings, “sentient beings have few blessings and meager virtues and see the Buddha being in the world as something permanent”. Seeing the Buddha appear in the world, they feel that this is something normal, so it is impossible for them to delight in Him or think that He is rare to encounter.
In Wu Zetian’s Verse for Opening a Sutra, it says, “The unsurpassed, supremely profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma is rarely encountered even in billions of kalpas”. This expresses deep reverence and an understanding that the principles are not easily attained. Encountering a Buddha is something even harder! Yet, people “of few blessings and meager virtues”. Yet, people “of few blessings and meager virtues” wonder, “What is so extraordinary about this?” They lack reverence in their hearts as they pursue the Dharma. They do not know how precious the Dharma really is. They do not to know to cherish the Buddha while He is in the world. They do not give rise to the thought that it is rare to encounter the Buddha. this is truly a pity. It is just that [the sons] are dependent upon [their father]. “Our father is a doctor. He will always be there! I will not take the medicine today. I do not want this bitter medicine”. They continue on like this, indulging themselves in their desires. They are arrogant; they rely on the fact that their father is a doctor and is still around, so they have this arrogant attitude. This is what the sutra says. So, “they do not practice or advance diligently”. They naturally do not diligently seize the moment. They do not know about the impermanence of life and have no way to experience it, so when they see the Dharma, they think, “I will wait until I am ready to learn it. I will wait until I am ready to do this”. These people do not understand impermanence. For this reason, “They do not practice or advance diligently. So, it says, ‘They refuse to take the medicine’.” The Buddha laments this greatly.
“The father thinks, ‘These sons are pitiable. Because they have been poisoned, their minds are all deluded’.”
The children’s minds are all deluded. Although the doctor, their father, really feels for them, there is nothing he can do. He sees that the evil poison has already entered the children deeply. The habitual tendencies [caused by] this evil poison has deeply entered the children. Thus, they will not listen to anything he says. They cannot understand him because they have already lost their original mind. The children have become so confused that no matter how important his words are, they will not listen or be persuaded. It is impossible for them to be transformed at this time. So, because they have lost their original minds, they have no proper thinking.
[Sentient beings] are completely immersed in delusions, and there is nothing that the Buddha can do. He can only feel deep pity for them and lament that there is nothing He can do about it.
The father thinks, “These sons are pitiable. Because they have been poisoned, their minds are all deluded”: Their father, the doctor, is compassionate. He sees how his sons are immersed in the evil poison and have lost their original minds. They do not have right mindfulness, as all their thoughts are deluded. So, he feels deeply for them.
This describes the Buddha’s true exasperation toward sentient beings, true exasperation toward sentient beings, toward the stubbornness of sentient beings.
Although these sentient beings “rejoice upon seeing me and request that I save and treat them, they refuse to take this wonderful medicine”.
[Sentient beings] can only say, “Bless me! Venerable Buddha, save me!” this is all they can do. [They children’s] father is a doctor, and all they can say is, “I am sick and suffering from poisoning! Father, please hurry and give me medicine!” But when their father gives them medicine, its taste is not to their liking, so they refuse to take it.
The principle is the same; this unwillingness to consume bitter medicine is like when we try to give medicine to our children nowadays. Even if the father is a doctor, if his child is taking drugs, there is not much he can do about it. Sentient beings are truly stubborn.
So, “Though they rejoice upon seeing me and request that I save and treat them, they refuse to take this wonderful medicine. This refers to how people rejoice upon seeing the Buddha and seek things from him but do not want to practice Right Dharma.
They rejoice at seeing the Buddha, for He guides them in the proper direction, but they do not wish to go in that direction. They do not want to put the Dharma into practice or open up this path themselves. Their minds are full of the weeds of ignorance. Their minds are full of the weeds of ignorance. They are unwilling to diligently advance.
By the same token, their unwillingness to diligently advance is just like the poisoned [sons] who still refuse to take the medicine. If we spiritual practitioners [are plagued by] ignorance and are unwilling to make the effort to eliminate our ignorance and afflictions, what can the Buddha do? The principle is the same.
In the next sutra passage, [the father] continues, ‘Now I must devise skillful means to help them take this medicine’. Then he speaks these words, ‘You all should know that I am feeble and old now; my time to die has come. Now I leave this wondrous medicine here. You should take it and not worry that you will not recover.
This means that although he has given the children the medicine, the children refuse to take it, so the doctor has to devise skillful means. As [skillful] means, he tells the children, “I am leaving now. I do not have much time left”. This is just like what the Buddha said to sentient beings.
Now I must devise skillful means to help them take this medicine: This refers to the Buddha’s compassionate understanding and views. He contemplated and considered that if the Buddha permanently abided in this world, sentient beings would not accept the Dharma and they would not be benefited. Manifesting Parinirvana would be beneficial. Thus the Buddha proclaimed that He would soon enter Parinirvana. This is a skillful means to help them keep Right Dharma in mind. “I must devise skillful means to help them take this medicine refers to how the Buddha devised skillful means out of great compassion and manifested entering Parinirvana so as to help them give rise to the aspiration to seek the wondrous Dharma.
“[The Buddha] contemplated and considered.” This is what the Buddha’s mind is like He has compassion for sentient beings, so He keeps on thinking, “Sentient beings are so stubborn. How should I tame them? He contemplated and considered [this], mindfully contemplating and considering the mindset of His children, the mindset of His disciples and sentient beings. the Buddha was very mindful. [He thought], “I have taught you the Dharma, but you cannot accept it and hasten to advance diligently. You remain indolent. How can I help you advance diligently so that you can accept and apply the Dharma in your heart?” Such is the mindfulness of the Buddha. He concluded from His contemplation that, “If the Buddha permanently abided in this world, sentient begins would not accept the Dharma and they would not be benefited.” The Buddha could have remained in the world eternally, but when He saw how sentient begins were, He had to tell them that He would enter Parinirvana. If the Buddha were to always abide in the world people would think that this is something normal because the Buddha has an especially long lifespan. Because of this, the Buddha considered that His lifespan should be similar [to others] in the world. At that time, an 80-year lifespan was actually considered quite old. Thus, the Buddha manifested a human lifespan. He had to manifest entering Parinirvana, for if He had remained in the world any longer, it would not be beneficial to sentient beings. So, He told them He was going to enter Parinirvana.
About to enter Parinirvana, the Buddha told everyone, “I will not be here much longer. If you have questions, then quickly ask me. If you wish to engage in spiritual practice and understand [the Dharma], then hurry to seize the time, for there is not much time left.” The Buddha reckoned that entering Parinirvana would be more beneficial to sentient beings. This was Him telling them, “There is not much time left, so we must hurry!” If He was not there, they all might cherish Him more. So, “The Buddha proclaimed that He would soon enter Parinirvana.” This was a skillful means. So, this was what the Buddha told everyone. Since they were all deluded and would not take the medicine, the Buddha had to be very mindful in division skillful means [to get them to do so]. So, this is what is meant by. “Now I must devise skillful means.” [The doctor] wants to get the children to understand they must quickly take the medicine.
Similarly, if [the Buddha] left, people would wake up and quickly advance forward. So, these are skillful means, just like how the father prescribes medicine so that the children will know to take it. This is an analogy of how the Buddha compassionately used skillful means. The principle is the same helps everyone give rise to aspirations “to seek the wondrous Dharma.” If everyone understood this, they could quickly accept the Dharma. Because of this, “[This father] speaks these words.” This is what the Buddha began to say.
Then, he speaks these words, “You all should know that…”: This refers to how the Buddha informed them that everything in the world is impermanent and that He would manifest entering Parinirvana. “You all must know the meaning of this.”
This was an analogy the Buddha used to let everyone know. He instructed, reminded and told them that everything is impermanent and that He would enter Parinirvana. [He said], “I will not remain here much longer, for I am about to enter Parinirvana. I am going to leave this world, so everyone should quickly seize [this time]. Everyone, you must understand the principles behind this.” This is what the Buddha earnestly wished to impart to them all.
I am feeble and old now; my time to die has come: [The Buddha’s] period of transforming was about to end, so it say, “feeble and old.” “My time to die has come” means that it was time for [the Buddha] to enter Parinirvana.
He started telling them, “I am feeble and old now; my time to die has come. I am now old, and I do not have much time left. My period of transforming others is coming to an end. The time of my Nirmanakaya’s manifestation in this world is nearing its end.” According to the law of nature, He 80-year-old body had already become feeble and old, so he told them, “My time to die has come.”
His time to enter Parinirvana was near. It was time to prepare to enter Parinirvana. So, they all has to heighten their vigilance and earnestly advance diligently. They had to quickly request any teachings that they should request. This is what He meant. He wanted to encourage His disciples to hurry up and be diligent, for there was not much time left. They had to seize the moment. So, “Now I leave this wondrous medicine here.”
Now I leave this wondrous medicine here: This wondrous medicine can cure illnesses, but it tastes bitter. Still, it certainly benefits people. He gives them the medicine, but they do not take it, so now he leaves it there. This represents that thought the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, He left the sutras and teachings to abide in the world. Thus it says he “leaves the wondrous medicine here.”
When the father sees that the children will not take the medicine, he tells the children, “I am going away again so you should take the medicine.” He reminds them of this, just like a kind father would in the world. Before leaving home, he prepares the medicine. “I have prepared this medicine. Everyone should remember to take it.” This is how he cares for them. This wondrous medicine “can cure illnesses.” He reminds them [to take the medicine]. The medicine is bitter because good medicine tastes bitter. However, the bitter medicine is surely beneficial. It is certainly beneficial to our bodies and our lives. Through it is hard to practice the Buddha-Dharma, it certainly benefits our wisdom-life, so we must diligently advance forward. Although spiritual practice is rather difficult, it is certainly beneficial. “If you are unwilling to take the medicine I have given you, I will leave it here for you anyway. You can take it when you are willing to.” This is how [the father] instructs them again. “Although the medicine is bitter, it is beneficial to you lives.”
This is like how [the Buddha] tells us that although spiritual practice requires diligence and can be very tiring, it is certain to help our wisdom-life. The meaning is the same! When the Buddha entered Parinirvana, He left behind truly wondrous Dharma. This is what we are using now. Perhaps we were those who lost our original minds in the past and were unwilling to accept the Buddha’s teachings. That is possible! However, we have these affinities; now we can use the medicine that the Buddha left behind for us. “So, now he leaves [the medicine] here. This represents that though the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, He left the sutras and teachings to abide in the world.” Thus, “He leaves the wondrous medicine here.” The medicine is still here. So, [the father says], “You should take it.”
You should take it and not worry that you will not recover: He leaves the medicine here; they can go and take it. [The Buddha] teaches us that we can engage in practice according to the Dharma. He comforts us, telling us not to worry or have doubts.
With doubts, we will never be free of suffering.
“Remember, the medicine is still here! Even if your father is not here, if you are sick, you must quickly take the medicine.” This is what he compassionately tells the children so that they will yearn for him when he leaves and be heartbroken as the father leave home again; they will give rise to yearning. Their father is leaving, so they will still remember his advice and his instructions. [The Buddha] “teaches us that we can engage in practice according to the Dharma.”
This is like how the Buddha told everyone, “I am about to enter. Parinirvana, so you should all use the Dharma in the future!” We should never have doubts when we use the Dharma. When applying the Buddha-Dharma in the world, we must have faith in the Dharma and must not have doubts or suspect that it is useless for us. It is certainly useful; we must not doubt it. “With doubts, we will never be free of suffering.” If we have doubts, the medicine will not work for us, and we will never be free from the suffering of illness. If we seek to realize and understand the meaning of this sutra passage, we should be able to understand this very clearly. We must be mindful; we must calm our minds. Only if we have resolved to take this medicine will we be able to depart from inverted views and discursive thoughts. Otherwise, although we may appear to be tranquil, our inner thoughts will actually fluctuate all day long, unable to settle down. So, we all need to always be mindful!
Once we accept the Dharma, we must have deep faith and never doubt it. Only then can we take this medicine, the Dharma, to heart. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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