Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Buddha Always Abides in the World (佛常住世 方便現滅)
Date: February.14.2019
“What leads to all things arising are causes. What assists their formation are conditions. For example, in times when the Five Turbidities are not increasing, for sentient beings in the world at these times, their original, intrinsic nature is completely pure and bright. They cultivate all that is good with profound blessings and deep virtues, so during these times, there are no turbidities or evils. Although these people do not take joy in wondrous practices, they can practice it naturally.”
We must be mindful and seek to comprehend this! Regarding causes and conditions, there is much that we can say about them. Humanistic Buddhism places great importance on causes and conditions. “What leads to all things arising are causes.” Everything that we see in this world, no matter its size, has its causes. It is because of “causes” that all things in the natural world are able to come into being. What in this world does not arise from causes? This also includes our way of life as humans; it is because of those “causes” that everything arises. In our interpersonal relations, because of a certain person, we make a comment. This comment then [affects] our relationship [with that person], resulting in some consequences. Thus, “What leads to things arising are causes.”
When it comes to these “causes,” we must very mindfully and meticulously seek to comprehend them. When it comes to these “causes,” they are the source and starting point of everything, of all worldly things and matters. Thus, they are the origin of everything. “What assists their formation are conditions.” For any particular thing, because of the convergence of its surrounding conditions, the cause is able to take effect. Take the seed of a plant for example. If we place it in a jar or wrap it in paper, keeping it entirely covered, then this seed cannot function. No matter the kind of seed, if it is collected and stored away, then this thing will not have an effect.
However, if we take it and plant it in the soil, it connects with the soil and also with the water in the soil. Then there is the heat, sun, air and so on. In this way, this seed has the aid of the surrounding conditions. When the causes converge with the conditions, this leads to effects. Like what we just said, the natural world, all these things with coarse appearances are all [produced by] “causes that arise and conditions that assist.” Everything begins to arise due to causes. So, due to these causes, trees exist. Different kinds of trees come from different kinds of seeds. This means the inherent cause of their seeds converges with their surrounding environments, which are their conditions. It is because there are these conditions that all things in the world are different in form and color. Similarly, we humans are inseparable from causes and conditions. These causes converge with our surrounding conditions, which make our minds form certain ideas or perspectives. Coincidentally, [another] person may also share the same thoughts on this matter.
In this way, [the conditions] converge in term of time, place and people. When the content of their minds is [aligned], people can get together, and thus, they create these kinds of affinities. What do they make [of these affinities]? What topics do they discuss? Only the people involved know this. Whether the outcome is good or bad, whether it influences people or harms people, this all has to do with the convergence of causes and conditions. We often say that there are many [teachings] in the Buddha-Dharma, whether we are speaking of the Great Vehicle or Small Vehicle Dharma, they can be distinguished by names and appearances.
However, the principles that they contain cannot be debated. Regarding the karmic law of cause and effect, whether [we follow] the Great or Small Vehicle, when it comes to the Buddha-Dharma, we cannot deny the law of karma. So, the karmic law of cause and effect is the greatest truth, a principle that we must be very mindful of.
In the analogy of the Five Turbidities, “[there are] times when the Five Turbidities are not increasing.” In our present era, [we are in] the evil world of the Five Turbidities. Everyone says, “I have heard this for a long time.” “[That’s enough about] this evil world of the Five Turbidities.” “The evil world of the Five Turbidites” is not a difficult term to know, [but] everyone’s perspectives are different. “Your opinion does not agree with my idea, and my opinion does not agree with their idea”. Thus, people [argue with] each other because of these [differing] perspectives. Who is correct and who is incorrect depends entirely on their own perspectives. Because of this, as each person’s views and perspectives differ, the outcome of how they do things will vary. This is “turbidity”. [People createcreate] good and evil as they act based on their views abd understandings. Their results of actions are karmic retributions. Thus, causes and conditions lead to retributions. When karmic retributions become complicated, this is “the turbidity of views. Where does the trubidity of views come from?
Alas, from us unenlightened beings! our afflictions, views, understanding, [ways of] thinking and so on are all part of the process. Throughout this process, we accumlate afflictions. Everyone has different afflictions, so when different afflictions come together, this is “the turbidity of afflictions”. When people express their opinions, which leads to “the turbidity of afflictions”. This turbidity of afflictions comes from many people’s [afflictions converging], yours. Theirs and mine. Once there are more than three peoples, as they become limitless and countless, this is called “the turbidity of sentient beings”. Each person possesses different thoughts, and we act based on our ways of thinking. This creates afflictions and different opinions. This is what results in [the turbidities of] sentient beings, afflictions and views. [These turbidities] are what leads to [all kinds of issues] in the world. Whether in the macrocosm [of the world] or the microcosm [of human beings], [these turbidity] accumulate over a long time, causing natural disasters and manmade calamities. This all happens because of people. Natural disasters occur because of how human lifestyles have been changing. As people’s ways of living change, their desires grow and continuously lead to destruction. From a small area, we continue to do more damage. The area that is impacted grows larger, from flat plains to high mountains, from high mountains to deep oceans. [The impact] is so vast! This is all [due to] our views and understandings, which arise from afflictions. Afflictions [created by] the majority of human and sentient beings have brought about so many of the disasters in the words that threaten human life. In terms of the air, we now often hear people talk about pollution, air pollution and so on. Actually, people’s physical health is closely related to the atmosphere. According to modern medical research, this air pollution in te environment has led to fatalities and caused the developmeny of many illnesses. This means that the environment at large has been severely affected. It is not just “the four elements, earth, water, fire and wind, that are imbalamced. Even within the human body, the four elements of the microcosm have also been contaminated and threatened bt the environment we live in. this is “the turbidity of life”. Since humans are living in this environment, they are unknowingly exposed to this pollution, and they develop illnesses as a result. We often hear this from modern medical research.
We often hear news stories about this. This is to say nothing of the macrocosm, where the climate has become imbalanced and earthquakes [often] occur. Every time a severe earthquake occurs, it is truly disastrous. In the past, Turkey, Taiwan, Haiti and so on have been severely devastated [by earthquakes]. Tzu Chi volunteers are also in those places providing long-term care. There may also be an imbalance in the wind element.
Take Myanmar for example. Back in 2008, in a single cyclone and the flooding it incurred, over 100,000 lives were lost. The earthquake in Haili also several hundred thousand lives. How terrifying. This is due to imbalance of the four elements, the air, fire, water and earth elements. When we recall [these events], they are truly terrible. We also saw news about South Africa. In October [2017], it should have been spring there. It was the beginning of spring in south Africa, but during the first third of October, it was raining constantly. Suddenly the rainfall increased, and hail began to fall; the hailstones were very large, as bid as fists! These enormous hailstones continued to fall in this way. They kept falling very violently, and there was also very heavy rain. In Johannesbury and Durban, this caused severe devastation. So, during this wave of major disasters, as we [received] the news they sent to us, our hearts truly went out to them.
After that storm, Tzu Chi volunteers, our group of loacal volunteers, immediately mobilized. How far apart are Durban and Johannesbury? They are several hundred kilometers apart. Still, they were able to mobilize . an entire region was impacted by disaster, with some areas in the mountains and others on one side of the river. As soon as they heard [about the survivors],no matter how rough the terrain or how dangerous the journey, they were willing to go [help them]. We can see that these volunteers have a physique that is different from ours. We know that they walk with difficulty; it was truly laborious and very difficult. They had to wade across rivers, across the riverbeds and jump from rock to rock in the flowing water. From the riverbank, they had to descend below, and from the river, they had to climb up again to the riverbank. They also had to hike over mountain going up and down hills. By looking at this group, we can imagine how laborious it was.
Although there is currently a group of young people in South Africa that accompany this group of very experienced [volunteers], still [these volunteers] are quite old. With such physique, they have difficulty walking. We know that the youth in South Africa, due to their living conditions, tend to be thinner. Their frame is not large; they are quite thin. Yet, they had to help pull, support and protect this group of heavyset elderly Bodhisattvas. Watching these scenes in the video they sent back, my heart truly went out to them. Unfortunately, their communities are like this. The poor and suffering always live by the mountains and rivers. Their [homes] are simple and crude, and they cannot withstand windstorms or rain. Every household was already poor, and every house had been blown over by the wind. Without exception, there was not one house that remained fully intact. This is suffering! They had to go find the disaster survivors and distribute timely aid to them. [The volunteers] brought supplies, food, grains and other [staples] as well as blankets. This was how they helped them. The road was truly difficult to walk on, and the disaster survivors were spread all over the communities. Our hearts really go out to them.
Doing disaster assessment and delivering supplies was extremely difficult. I do not know how to even describe such difficult conditions. However, they willingly overcame them. In truth, when they were walking, sometimes when it rained, the mud was slippery and so on. At any moment, it could be spring or winter; the weather changed very rapidly in this manner. In a span of 24 hours, the temperature rose and fell without notice; it was extremely unstable. They might be walking a short distance and suddenly the temperature changed 10 to 20 degrees. It rose and fell 10 to 20 degrees like this. These conditions are unimaginable, but they still endured them but they still endured them and continued forward. Everyone, how can we describe these distant worlds of suffering and poverty where these disasters struck? Still [these people] were willing to serve others. Since we are so far away from them, how could we provide support? In truth, we would be too late.
In summary, they completed their disaster relief, which was no easy task. Wherever there was a need, they would not give up. They always went to every home and did not give up on anyone. We can see that this truly was not easy. They delivered rice [to every household]. One bag after another, every family received a bag of rice and a blanket. How they were able to deliver them is truly inconceivable. Within one day, they visited four districts, splitting into four groups, one for each district. They aided over 100 households. In their distributions, they even gave out toilet paper, blankets and more. This is truly moving. It is impossible to describe. So, this is to say that, in this world, disasters are so numerous. The imbalance of the four elements has led to such devastating destruction. So, we must be very mindful to contemplate and comprehend “the Five Turbidites”. In the evil world of the Five Turbidites, the climate and other [thing] are very imbalanced in this way. So, if we could adjust our minds, [we would have] “a time when the Five Turbidites are not increasing”. If the Five Turbidites did not exist, it would mean that of “sentient beings in the world at these times”, sentient beings in this time and space, “their original, intrinsic nature would be completely pure and bright”. There would be none of these turbidities. It is because of these turbidities that there are so many disasters. Free of these turbidites, in this time, world and space, sentient beings were originally pure. They were all very pure and bright, for their minds all possessed Buddha-nature. We were originally very pure of heart, meaning that we were like this naturally. We had pure hearts in our ways of life and spiritual practice. We all had roots of goodness and were virtuous. “Profound blessings and deep virtues” describes the original nature of human beings. This original human nature is one of profound blessings and deep virtues. [This is why] the world could be at peace, due to sentient beings’ good collective karma. The evil world of the Five Turbidites is [caused by], evil collective karma. This is what causes the world’s many disasters, both natural disasters and manmade calamities.
If we wish to attain peace in the world, we must all “[cultivate what is] good with profound blessings and deep virtues”. This starts with our hearts. Starting from our hearts, we must accumulate goodness. When we can achieve this, “during these times, there are no turbidities or evil”. If everyone can return to their intrinsic nature, then in that time and era, there will be no turbidites or evil. There will be no natural disaster or manmade calamites. So, “Although these people do not take joy in wondrous practices, they can practice it naturally”. Although people in that era did not especially seek out the Buddha-Dharma, their intrinsic nature was already like this. They naturally [cultivated] goodness. This present time is an era of evil turbidity, and everyone has lost their [original] mind. This is what [causes our evil] “views”. The “views” of the Five Turbidities have created this kind of kalpas. So, the turbidity of views, of afflictions, of sentient beings and of life are all found in this era. This is what our era is like. How can we help the climate of the macrocosm return to a balanced state? We must [influence] people’s minds. When the harmony in people’s minds is restored, naturally, we will have “all that is good and profound blessings”.
Because everyone’s intrinsic nature is pure and bright, once we return to our nature of True Suchness, everyone will naturally turn toward goodness and naturally acquire profound blessings and virtues”. At that time, there will naturally be no evil turbidities. People will thus have no particular need to find methods to seek the Buddha-Dharma, for their natures are naturally harmonious and kind. This is how collective blessed karma lead to collective blessings and peace in the world.
Sadly, in life just because of differences in perceptions, people give rise to ignorance and afflictions. It is also due to the afflictions that we have this karma. This is how this cycle [is perpetuated], [causing] the world to be like this and leading to an imbalanced climate and disharmony in people’s perspectives. This all [happens] as a cycle. We must mindfully seek to comprehend that it is not that is not impossible for nature to be purified. It can still be purified.
Look at the Living Bodhisattvas in South Africa; this group of volunteers touched many people. So, we must put [the teachings] into practice. In this era of the evil world of turbidities, the need is even greater for Living Bodhisattvas who put [the Dharma] into practice.
In summary, in this time when evil turbidities are flourishing to the extreme, natural disasters keep occurring frequently. It is during this time that Bodhisattvas must ceaselessly mobilize. So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this.
The previous sutra passage [states], “Good men, what do you think? Can anyone say that the excellent doctor has committed the transgression of falsehood? Maitreya responded, ‘No, no one can, World-Honored One’”.
“No one can, although he employed skillful means, it was all for the sake of saving these children. This doctor was not wrong”. The doctor in this story was not wrong.
So, the Buddha began to speak. The Buddha said, ‘I too am like this. Since I attained Buddhahood countless, boundless, quadrillions of nayutas of asankya kalpas have passed’”.
For such a long time, “For sentient beings’ sake, I use the power of skillful means and say that I will enter Parinirvana. Likewise, no one could say according to the principles that I have committed the transgression of falsehood.
[He says], “I am just like that father. I travel afar countless times, but when my children are ill. I will also return to prescribe them medicine. I will examine their illness for them and encourage then to take their medicine. I have matters that I need to attend to, but I will then return. I am always coming and going. If my children still [refuse], I can only declare that I have grown old and have someone announce, ‘You father has already departed and will not return again.’ I do this to remind them to be vigilant. In truth I am no different. I enter the Saha World, coming and going, but once the karmic conditions are such that it is neded, I will enter Parinirvana, that the Buddha was about to depart. He would cease to exist in this place in order to help everyone understand to cherish [His presence]. This was the Buddha’ intent, and He very candidly said so. this was in the previous passage. In order to ask the Buddha to explain in detail how He came to this world and how to transform sentient beings, Maitreya Bodhisattva also used a story as an analogy. How were they to have faith? Sakyamuni Buddha also used a story [to teach them] how to transform sentient beings, and how to eliminate sentient beings’ afflictions and ignorance. The Buddha also used this kind of story to respond to Maitreya. So, this was their discourse.
[The Buddha] turned to ask Maitreya [and the others] again, “everyone, do you [still] have doubt?” once again it was Maitreya Bodhisattva, as the main recipient of the teachings, who personally stepped forward to respond “No, we do not. This father’s intentions were good; he acted to save the children. That was why he used those methods”. They answered each other; this was truly spectacular. The Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas’ mindfulness in transforming sentient beings and the way they interact in their spiritual state are just like our sincere intention in this world.
The following sutra passage states, “At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke in verse”. The meaning of this next sutra passage is very important. So, the Buddha repeated in verse, “Since I attained Buddhahood the kalpas that have passed number in countless trillions of asankyas.
The meaning of this repeated verse of long-form prose is very important. So, [the Buddha\ again reminded us to help us continue to remember this. Though He taught this in the long-form prose, He feared that people had forgotten or were unclear about the Dharma. So, He once again reminded us so that we would remember, take the Dharma to heart and earnestly accept and uphold the Dharma. Although it is a story, we must mindfully seek to remember the principles it contains.
At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke in verse: This was to reiterate the essential meaning of the long-form prose and remind everyone to retain and uphold it.
So, the Buddha again used this repeated verse. This means that the World-Honored One wished to restate his meaning. He reiterated it to everyone. This repeated verse [reiterated] the meaning of the long-form prose. “Since I attained Buddhahood, the kalpas that have passed number in the countless trillions of asankyas”.
Since I attained Buddhahood, the kalpas that have passed number in the countless trillions of asankyas: The World-Honored One proclaimed in verse that He had attained Buddhahood extremely long ago. The dust-inked kalpas that had passed were incalculable; this long period of time is numbered in trillions of asankyas.
Prior to the telling of this story, Bodhisattvas continually arrived [at the assembly]. Sakyamuni Buddha said that they were all ones whom He had transformed. So, everyone gave rise to doubt and uncertainty. Therefore, the Buddha said to all of them, “The time that I have spent transforming sentient beings has been long. Now, I am again revealing it here”. The time the Buddha spent coming to the world and transforming sentient beings was very long. So, the time He spent, “the kalpas,” were a very long period of time, “[numbering] in the countless trillions”. It was incalculable. The long-form prose before the previous [passage] [stated that] the number cannot be calculated. It used the sands of the Ganges River as a metaphor for this immeasurable number. No matter how much we reduce the Ganges’ sands, they would still be difficult to count. Those “trillions of asankyas” cannot be fully counted, even over a long time; that is how long it is. Thus, the World-Honored One described. His cultivation and attainment of Buddhahood. The time He had spent transforming sentient beings had already been very long. This description explained how long the Buddha’s lifespan was. It was this long. He experienced dust-inked kalpas. For instance, since Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era in the past, the number of dust-inked kalpas [that passed] were similarly impossible to calculate. There is no way to measure such a long time, which here is called “trillions of asankyas”. We must remember this passage and be clear on the entire sutra’s progression. Then we can understand that for the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, we cannot talk about its beginning, nor can we discuss its end. Since it has no beginning nor end, this time cannot be calculated.
So, in the next passage, the verse continues, “I constantly expound the Dharma to teach and transform”. During this long period of time, what was He fully engaged in? In teaching the Dharma His one great cause was solely to teach and transform sentient beings. To teach and transform them, He could only use verbal proclamations. The principles are entirely within His heart, but if [He] did not express them, how would we know?
So, the following sutra passage begins by once again stating, “I constantly expound the Dharma to teach and transform countless billions of sentient beings, enabling them to enter the path to Buddhahood. Throughout theses infinite kalpas, for the sake of delivering sentient beings, I manifest Parinirvana as skillful means. However, in truth, I never enter Parinirvana but permanently abide here to teach the Dharma”.
If we can always remember this passage, we will know that the time [He has spent here] is very long. With the Buddha’s compassion, He is always present in the Saha World. The Saha World is a defiled land, a very turbid world.
The compassionate Buddha permanently abides in the defiled land of the Saha World to teach and transform sentient beings. However, the pure realm of all Buddhas has neither past nor present, neither comes nor goes. Now He says that He permanently abides here, but sentient beings do not see Him because they are deluded, obstructed and hindered.
This Saha World is truly very impure. When sentient beings gather together, their hearts are already afflicted by evil and turbidities. Every sentient being’s heart is full of the views of the Five Turbidities. These turbidities are very severe. This is especially true for the human body. “Contemplate the body as impure” is what the Buddha taught us. [Considering] the impurity of the body and the filth outside our bodies and minds, [the world] is truly filthy.
Look at the number of impoverished and suffering countries in this world and in particular the wide disparity between the wealthy and poor. Wealthy people continuously consume, producing waste, while the poor keep seeking to survive off of the garbage heaps. This is suffering! Wherever we look there is filth; [the world] is a very filthy place. This is the environment of the Saha World; the scenery and way of life are all like this. However, what about all Buddhas? The state of all Buddhas is different. “The pure realm of all Buddhas” expresses that all Buddhas’ state is pure. This is because the Buddha-mind is pure. [In] the Buddha’s world, those He has taught and transformed have all already become pure. Since they have eliminated afflictions and their minds are without hindrances, there is wondrous existence within true emptiness. There is not a single impure thing; [that realm] is completely pure. This is the world of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. So, without past or present, coming or going, they are all in this tranquil and clear state. So, [He] says “that He permanently abides here”. He is permanently abiding here, but sentient beings cannot see Him. The true principles are intangible, without form or appearance. For sentient beings, the true principles are everywhere, yet sentient beings do not realize them. The Buddha came to this world and analyzed these principles for us, one by one. How does our state of mind give rise to afflictions? How does the ground of our minds become defiled? He also employed various [skillful means] to discuss how sentient beings, because of their accumulation of so many afflictions and so much ignorance, experience suffering. Thus, they experience so much suffering and accumulate severe turbidities in the world. So, the Buddha had to employ His wisdom to analyze all the principles. Although principles are eternal and always abiding, “sentient beings do not see [them].” We cannot see the principles, so we have no way of awakening. The Buddha saw the principles, and so He awakened. Because we are deluded, obstructed and hindered and the obstacles of delusion have impeded us, we have no way of seeing the true principles. This is why we sentient beings are full of afflictions.
So, “I constantly expound the Dharma to teach and transform countless billions of sentient beings, enabling them to enter the path to Buddhahood.”
I constantly expound the Dharma to teach and transform countless billions of sentient beings, enabling them to enter the path to Buddhahood: He abides in the world, constantly teaching the Dharma, never wasting a moment to benefit sentient beings, thus enabling them to enter the unsurpassed path attained by the Buddha.
The Buddha is always in this world to expound the Dharma, which means transforming sentient beings’ hearts so that they can enter the path to Buddhahood. “He abides in the world, constantly teaching the Dharma.” Because of this, the Buddha comes to the world and is constantly expounding the Dharma. “Never wasting a moment,” He never stops. ”[He] benefits sentient beings, thus enabling them to enter the unsurpassed path attained by the Buddha.” [He] hopes that all can attain the unsurpassed principles, which is perfect enlightenment. Thus, the Buddha wishes to guide sentient beings to attain true awakening.
So, “Throughout these infinite kalpas, for the sake of delivering sentient beings, I manifest Parinirvana as skillful means.” From long ago, throughout infinite kalpas, [He came] just to transform sentient beings. “Time and time again, [He] manifests birth and Parinirvana as skillful means.”
He repeatedly goes and returns. Being born in this world, He likewise expounded the Dharma for all. With birth, there will certainly be a day when He must manifest extinction. This is how He repeatedly comes and goes. He may not necessarily manifest as a Buddha, but He repeatedly comes and goes in samsara to guide deluded sentient beings. “However, in truth, I never enter Parinirvana, but permanently abide here to teach the Dharma.” In truth, He never entered Parinirvana. He comes and goes in this world. So, the Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya actually never cease. He constantly manifests in this world, but with different physical appearances. He manifests in the world, but no one can see that this person is the Buddha. In truth, the true principles are all around us. Those who can expound true principles come and go. There is not only one person [who can do so]. This period is referred to as the Bhadra kalpa; it is a time when there can be many Bodhisattvas in the world; many [Bodhisattvas] will manifest in the world.
So, Living Bodhisattvas set an example for others. Those who were once deluded have transformed into awakened sentient beings and are now transforming other sentient beings. How many such people are in the world now? There are many! So, we often say that we must not think lightly of anyone. For anyone standing before us, we must not think of them as ordinary beings. Actually, they also manifested and came here, upholding the true principles to come to this world. These are awakened sentient beings who transform other sentient beings and abide permanently in the world. Anyone can expound the Dharma; this is all bring purity to people’s hearts. So, I hope that everyone can always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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