Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Burning Fires of the Kalpa of Decay (生死苦惱 劫火所燒)
Date: February.19.2019
“Amongst the phenomena of the sea of samsara, we are always suffering and afflicted, unable to find peace, stability or a sense of ease. All the hardships of greed, anger, ignorance and delusion are grounded in the desire realm. We willingly accept all this worry and anguish without ever giving rise to a sense of renunciation; thus, this is known as samsara’s suffering and afflictions.”
We must be more mindful of this. “Amongst the phenomena of the sea of samsara, we are always suffering and afflicted.” Indeed! Isn’t this the kind of life we are living? Everyone is living amidst the sea of samsara. Life is short, and we come and go. The population is so large. In interpersonal relationships, among those we love and care about, whenever we hear of someone’s illness or death, we are heartbroken. In life, birth and death are laws of nature. So what about ourselves? [We keep going through] birth and death. In this world, we come and go, surfacing and sinking in this great sea of samsara. We ourselves as well as those around us, those whom we love the most, are born, age, become ill and die; this is unbearable. It always causes us to suffer. In this process of birth and death, especially during the time when we are living, every day brings us afflictions. Every day, as we deal with each other, how should we do things so they are harmonious? How should we treat each other so that we can feel joyful and at ease? It is very difficult.
So, we are always afflicted and suffering, “unable to find peace and stability.” To be able to feel safe, stable and at ease truly is something very difficult. There are so many things in our everyday lives over which we have no control. We may want to say something, but the person or the matter might not be right, making it very difficult to say. Some matter may have really happened, but we cannot tell others directly. If we do not say it, it may seem very serious, but we are also worried that if we say it, it will affect us one way or another. Think about it, is there anything in life that is within our control and that we are freely express our thoughts on? As ordinary beings, dealing with people and matters is already difficult. This is to say nothing of the Buddha freely carrying out His original intent. It was not easy at all!
For the Buddha to even say what He really wanted to say was very difficult. He had to wait for over 40 years for the time at Vulture Peak to come, when He was able to teach the Lotus Sutra. For us ordinary beings to be able to speak among a group of people is really not easy. So, [we are] “unable to find peace, stability or a sense of ease.” Just to be able to speak one truth is already so difficult. This is to say nothing of other matters. So, “We are always suffering and afflicted.” This is the suffering in our everyday life, in this world and in the sea of samsara.
Why is it like this? Where does the suffering in this world come from? [The suffering] is from “greed, anger, ignorance and delusion.” These are what cause us the greatest suffering. This is because we face ordinary beings, and we ourselves are also ordinary beings. So, we have “greed, anger, ignorance and delusion.” If there is something we want to say, something we want to do, have we properly adjusted our mindset? We may have strong faith [and think], “I have adjusted [my mindset].” But when it comes to others, do the people we [speak] to still have “greed, anger, ignorance and delusion”? In fact, we must ask ourselves, “Have we truly eliminated all of these things?” All of us sentient beings still abide and “are grounded in the desire realm.” Greed, anger, ignorance and delusion are considered “afflictions and ignorance.” These afflictions and ignorance are all called “hardships”. They cause us to have no control of our own. We completely abide in a state of confusion. So, no matter where we turn, we are still within the desire realm. These karmic forces lead us and entrap us.
This is why we say that we need to learn the Buddha’s teachings. How can we transcend ignorance and afflictions? Ignorance, afflictions and delusions are the hardships that constantly serve as reminders. These hardships are “greed, anger, ignorance and delusion.” These are what we refer to as “illness”. When it comes to the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha has already diagnosed us with this kind of illness. So, He prescribes the medicine for us to take. We must use the Dharma. We must use this Dharma to understand how to eliminate our ignorance. We must use it; if we do not use it, “We willingly accept all this worry and anguish without ever giving rise to a sense of renunciation.” We are still willing to remain in this environment of worry and anguish. All day long, we are worried and we suffer. All day long, we continue our acts of greed, anger and ignorance. On one hand, we act in this way, and on the other, we give rise to afflictions. This is ignorance that keeps us from feeling peaceful and at ease and causes us to sink even deeper in afflictions and the sea of samsara. This is how we sentient beings reap what we sow. This causes us to never be able to transcend this suffering because our minds never “give rise to a sense of renunciation.” We do not really want to transcend [cyclic existence]; we still willingly live our lives in confusion, indulging in human love and attachments. So, because of this, [we are] “submerged in the sea of samsara.” This is suffering in the sea of samsara.
Submerged in the sea of samsara, we are entangled by suffering and afflictions and no one can find peace or be at ease. With greed, anger, ignorance and the troubles of suffering and afflictions, people rely on the desire realm and fail to give rise to a sense of renunciation. [Instead], they willingly accept all this worry and anguish. Therefore, this is known as “reliance upon suffering and afflictions.”
We are already submerged in the sea of samsara. With our afflictions entangling us, “no one can find peace and ease.” We cannot be at peace, nor can we be at ease. All this is due to ignorance, [due to] “greed, anger, ignorance and the troubles of suffering and afflictions.” We remain in the midst of these. This is how people are; they rely on this desire realm and fail to give rise to a sense of renunciation. Our minds are still immersed, lost in this state. People are always ignorance in this way and willingly accept this kind of worry and anguish. Since they are willing, it cannot be helped. This is “suffering and afflictions.” As we rely upon suffering and afflictions, we refuse to renounce them. We continue relying upon this kind of suffering and afflictions refuse to renounce them. These sentient beings are truly ignorant, lamentable and afflicted. We must be mindful and remember these words. So, we must continue reading the sutra passage so that we can understand.
In the previous sutra passage, [the Buddha] said, “At this time, the Sangha and I are all together on Vulture Peak. I now tell sentient beings that I abide permanently here, without entering cessation. Through my power of skillful means, I manifest cessation without entering cessation. In other lands, there are sentient beings who are reverent, faithful and joyful.”
He then went on to say, “Then, for those people, I expound the unsurpassed Dharma. But you do not hear about this, so you suppose I enter cessation”.
This is how it was. Everyone had already seen the Buddha teaching the Dharma on Vulture Peak. The Buddha said, “In fact, I am expounding the sutra in the Saha World eternally. I always expound the sutra in this world. I do it not just on Vulture Peak as you see me now, but at any time, constantly.” This was “through His power of skillful means.” That He taught the Lotus Sutra at the assembly on Vulture Peak was in response to conditions at that moment. In fact, this was skillful means. The Buddha told everyone that He will always be in this world. The Dharma will always be in this world, but due to causes and conditions, “He manifested cessation without entering cessation.” In this “cessation without entering cessation,” He simply had the causes and conditions to manifest in this place. In other places, “in other lands, there were sentient beings who were reverent, faithful and joyful.” The causes and conditions there were even more mature. [He said], “Then, for those people…. I respond to their causes and conditions. I go to that place and expound the unsurpassed Dharma.” He will expound the same Dharma there. As He comes and goes, He responds to causes and conditions and expounds the same Dharma. Sentient beings intrinsically have Buddha-nature, and everyone can attain Buddhahood. Everyone must mindfully seek to accept this. “If you are very unwilling to accept this, you will continue to think that the Buddha has entered Parinirvana. If you do not want to listen to it, the Dharma will not manifest around you. What [the Buddha] meant is that, if we do not want to listen, we will not be able to see the Buddha, see the Dharmakaya or hear the Buddha-Dharma.
As sentient beings, we must always have reverence toward our affinity with the Buddha. We must have reverence and the desire before we can have this affinity. If there is no reverence or desire, how can we have this affinity? This is what [the Buddha] meant.
Now, let us discuss the next sutra passage. “I see all sentient beings submerged in suffering and afflictions, so I do not manifest my body for them, thus causing them to give rise to yearning. Then, when their hearts fill with admiration, I finally appear to teach the Dharma to them.”
We can understand this sutra passage. “I see all sentient beings submerged in suffering and afflictions.” This means they have become submerged and lost. Just like what we first said at the beginning, they are submerged in the sea of samsara. We spend many lifetimes in samsara. Lifetime after lifetime, we drift about in a sea of ignorance; we are “submerged” in it. We are submerged in the sea of ignorance, which is suffering and afflictions.
I see all sentient beings submerged in suffering and afflictions: The Buddha, with His understanding and views, has compassion for sentient beings, who are unable to see the Buddha’s Sambhogakaya for this reason. The Buddha sees all sentient beings submerged in samsara’s suffering and afflictions. So, “The Buddha, with His understanding and views has compassion for sentient beings”.
He sees sentient beings with His understanding and views. They are very pitiful. So, the Buddha’s one great cause is to come to teach us that we sentient beings have the same understanding and views as the Buddha. Their understanding and views are the same as the Buddha. This is wisdom. The Buddha, in His wisdom, has “compassion for sentient beings”. He has compassion and wisdom for sentient beings. In his compassion and wisdom, He can never abandon sentient beings and has compassion for them. Sentient beings are ignorant, so they remain submerged in the sea of samsara.
Thus, “They are unable to see the Buddha’s Sambhogakaya”; this is the reason [why they cannot see it]. The Buddha responds to capabilities and to this world; He comes and is born in this world. However, there are still many people cannot see the Buddha nor hear the Dharma. This is because they do not have the conditions. They do not have the causes and conditions to see the Buddha. The Buddha pities them. Or they may have seen the Buddha and heard the Dharma but are unable to comprehend the true principles of the Buddha, which are the Dharmakaya and the True Dharma. They still cannot truly accept the True Dharma.
Although they may have seen the Buddha the Dharma they hear is one of people, matters and appearances. What the Buddha wants to teach us is to have the same understanding and views as He does; this is the True Dharma. This is what the Buddha constantly hopes for. From the time He attained enlightenment, He always wants to express the understanding and views of this True Dharma. Sadly, sentient beings have immature capabilities and are unable to accept it. So, they can only see [the Sambhogakaya]. They are unable to see the Dharmakaya, the Buddha’s understanding and views. There are even those who are unable to see the Buddha. Although the Buddha manifest in this world, they are unable to see Him. They may live in the same time as the Buddha, but they are unable to see Him. They have no affinities with the Buddha at all. So, “The Buddha sees all sentient beings submerged in samsara’s suffering and afflictions”. With His understand and views, the Buddha has compassion for us sentient beings. So, we must be very mindful. We must awaken ourselves. We must be awakened. When it comes to the Buddha-Dharma, if we do not have the desire to pursue it and if we lack reverence in our hearts, then even when the Buddha-Dharma is before us, we will be unable to comprehend the True Dharma of the Buddha’s understanding and views. This would be a great loss.
So I do not manifest my body for them, thus causing them to give rise to yearning. Then, when their hearts fill with admiration, He finally appears to teach the Dharma to them: Thus, He conceals and does not manifest His body in hopes of causing them to give rise to yearning. Once their hearts give rise to admiration, He finally manifests to teach the Dharma for them. So, “I do not manifest my body for them, thus causing them to give rise to yearning”.
Because of this, the Buddha does not manifest His body. “Not manifesting His body” means that for a very long time, sentient beings do not have a Buddha in the world. This is just like how we are now in the era of Dharma-degeneration. Dharma-degeneration means that the Dharma is no longer in people’s minds. Among human beings, the Dharma is no longer valued or considered useful. Gradually, people have forgotten it. Thus, there is no Dharma in this world. There is no Buddha or Dharma for a very long period of time. After a Buddha enters Parinirvana, it will be like this for a very long time. So, this will continue until sentient beings are in great suffering. Then, gradually, everyone will begin to desire to seek liberation.
For example, why did the Buddha choose the Kingdom of Kapilavastu in India? Because those people were in extreme suffering and began to understand this suffering. So, many people there engaged in spiritual practice. In mountains and villages, there were many people engaging in spiritual practice, but they practiced non-Buddhist teachings. They [practiced] Brahmanism, HIndusim and many other [teaching]. Before the Buddha was born, there were many kinds of religions. It was a critical moment because everyone understood suffering, but they did not understand the Dharma. Everyone wanted to learn how to engage in spiritual practice, but the practices they engaged in were incorrect because they were not clear about the teachings. In such [circumstances], everyone really wanted to seek the Dharma. This was the time when the Buddha responded to this world and [people’s] capabilities by manifesting in this world. This is when the Buddha manifested in this world. This long period of time was for everyone to reflect upon themselves, repent and desire to seek [the Dharma] like thirsty people constantly seeking water. At this time the Buddha naturally manifested in this world. During this era, there were over 90 religions in India. So, during this time, the Buddha-Dharma started to become very popular. [The Buddha] “did not manifest His body for them”. This refers to how the Buddha-Dharma was hidden in this world. This lasted for a very long time; for hundreds of millions of years, the Buddha-Dharma was not in this world. “He concealed and did not manifest His body”. They Buddha-Dharma was not in this world; this “caused them to give rise to yearning”. This brought people to a state of extreme suffering, so they would repent. Even though they wanted to engage in practice, there was no proper direction for them. During this time, everyone gave rise to yearning, so the Buddha manifested. So, “Once their hearts give rise to admiration”, when they start to desire to seek [the Dharma], this is when the Buddha manifests.
Next, in the sutra passage [He] continued to say “This is the capacity of my spiritual powers”. For asankyas of kalpas, I am always on Vulture Peak as well as in various other abodes. When sentient beings witness the end of a kalpa and all is ravaged by great fires, this land of mine is peaceful and stable, always filled with humans and heavenly beings.
When it comes to spiritual powers, “This is the capacity of [the Buddha’s] spiritual powers”. [He has been on Vulture Peak] for asankyas of kalpas, which is a very long time. When we speak of the Buddha, He is “enlightened”. The Buddha is enlightened; everyone should be very clear about this. This path to enlightenment is inherently everlasting and always in this world. It does not disappear; it is there. So, “This is the capacity of the Tathagata’s spiritual powers of blessings and wisdom”. In fact, the principles are concealed in this world and require blessings and wisdom to uncover them. People must manifest in this world and cultivate blessings and wisdom in this world. We must create blessings and employ wisdom. In this world, we must have wisdom.
This is the capacity of my spiritual powers. For asankyas of kapas…: This is the capacity of the Tathagata’s spiritual powers of blessings and wisdom. It has been like this since He attained Buddhahood and for a very long time afterward.
“Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering. sentient beings”. Sentient beings are suffering; their minds are entangled and confused, so we must employ our wisdom to guide them. The true principles have always been there. There is only the need for someone to come and reveal to them, “This is the path to take”. Open the door this way, and once opened, you will see the path. This is the path to take”. They need a guide. The Buddha clearly understands this path. We may have always wanted to enter this path and walk this path. At that time, someone who knows how to open the door comes to open the door for us and teaches us to walk the path. This person is the Buddha. He is an enlightened being who comes to this world to teach us.
So, for a very long time, because sentient beings are confused, they are not willing to enter the door and walk this path. He has to wait for a very long time for people to be willing to walk the path so that He can open the door and give teachings. He has to wait for the right opportunities, for the causes and conditions to mature. So, “This is the capacity of the Tathagata’s spiritual powers of blessings and wisdom”. During this time, the Tathagata began to manifest. His true and thorough understanding of the Dharma. Not only did He understand the principles, He also knew how to lead and guide people. This is having “spiritual powers”. There was nothing He did not understand and no principle that He was unclear about. So, He had “spiritual powers”. He could also lead and guide people. This is having blessings; He formed so many good affinities among people. Only with these affinities was He able to transform sentient beings.
So, since the causes and conditions of these blessings and wisdom were mature, [the Buddha] was replete with spiritual powers. From the time [the Buddha] attained Buddhahood, it took a long period of time;
He had to constantly accumulate good affinities with sentient beings until causes and conditions were mature. This took a very long time. It took asankyas of kalpas, a very long time. “I am always on Vulture Peak as well as in various other abodes”. The principles [we have now] are just like those in the era when the Buddha taught the Dharma, when He was expounding the Lotus Sutra. They were such complete teachings. If we were to bring the [teachings] from such a long time ago to the present moment, those principles would be the same as the Dharma taught on Vulture Peak. For a long time, the Buddha safeguarded this Dharma, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle, which is the Lotus Sutra. The path to Buddhahood is what Buddha safeguards. It is the same as the teaching on Vulture Peak. [The Buddha] says, “I am always on Vulture Peak as well as in various other abodes”. Even if it was another place, some place that was not here but somewhere else, there would be no difference; it would be the same Dharma.
I am always on Vulture Peak as well as in various other abodes: This refers to where He taught the Lotus Sutra and all the other places where. He taught the Dharma in other lands. Vulture Peak: This is the true reward-land. Various other abodes: This refers to the land of skillful means with remainder. This also refers to “the other lands” from earlier.
So, we say that all Buddhas share the same path. Every Buddha in every world teaches the same Dharma. When Tzu Chi volunteers pass down the Dharma-lineage and school of Buddhism, they begin here, [from the Buddha’s teachings]. Everyone brings this Dharma back with them and uses the same spirit and ideals and the same methods to go among people and serve without expectations. It is the same principle. This is what everyone does. This is an example. In the Buddha’s lifetime, He transmitted the Dharma on Vulture Peak. And in this era now, In this era of evil turbidities, what Dharma are we passing down? The Buddha’s spirit is what people today need. What we can do is to utilize these blessings and wisdom in this world. This is the method we can use to inspire everyone’s wisdom to go among people and create blessed affinities, creating blessed karma and serving others. We must teach people in this way. So, although this is how we are doing it now, [the principles] are the same as when the Buddha first expounded the Lotus Sutra. As the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra, He taught the Bodhisattva Way.
So, “all the other places where He taught the Dharma in others lands” refers to how He can teach the Lotus Sutra in any place because Bodhisattvas must be in the world. So, it is not only on Vulture Peak. He can also teach in all other lands. Vulture Peak refers to “the true reward-land”. With His teachings and spirit, which are the true principles and spirit, [the Buddha] comes to this world in response to the mature causes and conditions. At this place at Vulture Peak, there was a place, and there were people. In this world, there is a spiritual training ground like this. “Various other abodes” refers to “the land of skillful means with remainder”. At Vulture Peak, the Buddha came to manifest the causes and conditions of His lifetime. This was to help everyone understand that the principles were expounded at this place. Did the Buddha actually enter Parinirvana? He did not enter Parinirvana. He went to other lands. In fact, it may not necessarily be on Vulture Peak. The entire world is the Buddha’s transformation-land. The Buddha is the founder of this religion in the Saha World and the kind father of the Four Kinds of Beings. He can go anywhere in this world. He did not necessarily need to go to the kingdom of Kapilavastu. So, He could “manifest Parinirvana” there and manifest birth in other lands. He did not stop to rest in that place but constantly taught the true principles. So, these principles are always in this world. We just spoke of “asankyas of kalpas” Over a very long period of time, He repeatedly returns like this without ever leaving the Saha World, where the Buddha teaches and transforms beings. So, He returns repeatedly. “When sentient beings witness the end of a kalpa and all is ravaged by great fires…”.
When sentient beings witness the end of a kalpa and all is ravaged by great fires: When sentient beings witness the end of a kalpa the great, raging fires will burn everything down. As the fires of the kalpa of decay rage and spread, the great chiliocosm will be completely destroyed as well as all the lands of sentient beings.
Sentient beings have seen [the end of] this “kalpa”. During this time of Dharma-degeneration, the time is almost at an end. So, fires begin to arise. Fires arising means that we have already reached the era of Dharma-degeneration. “When sentient beings witness the end of a kalpa,” we can see the imbalance of the four elements. Fire is out of balance, wind is out of balance, water is out of balance and earth is out of balance. We have already seen this imbalance in the world. This is represented by fire. In fact, once a fire ignites, everything burns. When it comes to the wind, in more serious cases, trees or houses may be blown away, but it is not as serious as raging fire.
Look what happened in Northern California in 2017. An entire forest burned and with it, nearly 9000 homes turned into nothing but scorched earth; nothing was left in its wake. Isn’t this the era of Dharma-degeneration? So, “Sentient beings witness the end of a kalpa”. This refers to the era of Dharma-degeneration. In the era of Dharma-degeneration, “the great, raging fires will burn everything down”. The fires burn in this way, and nothing is left. There will be nothing left. So, some people will say, “I have nothing at all. Things that we have accumulated for generations are all gone. Everything is gone”. When the flood waters come, everything becomes flooded. With great fire, flooding and wind, nothing will be left in the end. So, this really is the end of a kalpa. At the end of a kalpa, people keep failing to see the Dharma. The Dharma has left people’s minds. So, disasters continuously arise. “As the fires of the kalpa of decay rage and spread, the great chiliocosm will be completely destroyed”. Not only will the fires burn like this, but they will become even more serious. The days of drought will become longer and longer. Things will be very dry, so there will be even bigger and more numerous fires. From hell, from where people are suffering, the fires will spread to this world, and from this world, they will spread to heaven. In this way, it does not matter how rich people are. This time, in Northern California, many rich people’s homes and villas burned down. Their villas and so on all burned down. This is not limited to the present; this is just the beginning. It will become even more serious in the future. So, “The great chiliocosm will be completely destroyed”. So, be it in the desire realm, form realm or formless realm, all types of collective karma of sentient beings will continuously lead to disasters like this. The four elements will become more imbalanced. So, we must heighten our vigilance.
The land that sentient beings rely on is the land where ordinary and noble beings coexist. This is the transformation-land. Witnessing the end of a kalpa means seeing this world, which is formed from delusion, completely consumed by the fires of the kalpa of decay.
So, “The land that sentient beings rely on” refers to the place where we abide. This is “the land where ordinary and noble beings coexist”. There are noble beings in this world, and there are ordinary beings everywhere. So, there are noble beings and virtuous people. During this time, they must go and continue to proactively transform sentient beings. They must do this tirelessly. Living Bodhisattvas must continuously manifest; they must not be indolent but must work even more earnestly. This world of tangible forms, this material world, is constantly being destroyed. It is critical time. So, those who have the affinity to encounter the Buddha-Dharma and are willing to serve others in this way must quickly seize their time. Thus, this is “the land where ordinary and noble beings coexist”. Now, we need to learn Buddhism and learn to be Bodhisattvas. Living Bodhisattvas have already appeared in this world. We must be very proactive; we cannot remain stuck. So, “Witnessing the end of a kalpa means seeing this world, which is formed from delusion, completely consumed by the fires of the kalpa of decay”. A tangible fire destroys all material things, and an intangible fire, a fire of afflictions, constantly burns in people’s hearts and gives rise to afflictions. This is a world formed from delusion. As time goes on and on, these afflictions will be like a burning fire that presses upon us harder and harder. So, we need the Dharma-water, the Buddha-Dharma, to moisten [this world]. Thus, the Buddha-Dharma is very important. We must put it into practice. We must not just teach it and listen to it; we must practice it and lead people so that all can truly understand the Buddha-Dharma.
We must earnestly engage in practicing the Buddha-Dharma. So, “This land of mine is peaceful and stable.” This represents our nature, the Buddha-nature, our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. This is the Buddha’s [nature].
This land of mine is peaceful and stable: True nature is called Buddha-nature. Those with affinities for the two natures are known as humans and heavenly beings. When the fires of anger rage, with a single thought of perfect enlightenment, we can apply Suchness in all matters to become peaceful and unobstructed. This is called a land of peace and stability.
I constantly tell everyone that our nature of True Suchness is the Buddha-nature. So, what is most important for us is to uncover our nature of True Suchness, our understanding and views that are the same as the Buddha’s. This is the only thing we can do. Otherwise, the afflictions and ignorance are just like a fire that burns us. In this chaotic world, we do not have control over our current life, and there are many pitfalls. In this way, step by step, we continue to fall into these traps. If we mindfully [observe the world], isn’t today’s society like this? There are people addicted to drugs and those who sink into ”the web,” which becomes a web of ignorance. They weave a web that entangles themselves and fall into this web. So, we have “affinities.” In life, “those with affinities for the two natures” are known as humans and heavenly beings. Fires of anger are part of our mind’s nature, since ordinary people have habitual tendencies. If we were ”enlightened,” we would be awakened, just like the Buddha. So, only a fine line lies between ordinary and noble beings. When it comes to “fires of anger,” those who enjoy blessings are still not awakened, and they easily become arrogant or angry and continuously give rise to [these thoughts]. These are afflictions. They are not tangible things, but intangible things in people’s minds.
This “single thought of perfect enlightenment” is “applying Suchness in all matters.” We can turn this confused nature around. “Taking refuge” means “turning from darkness to the light.” It is turning back toward purity and light. This is Suchness. When we [apply] this Suchness, Suchness that is pure and undefiled, [all matters] will be completely unobstructed. When all matters are unobstructed, we are in our “safe, stable and joyful refuge.” So, we must very mindfully seek to comprehend this. When [the world] is “always filled with humans and heavenly beings,” this means all things that are virtuous always “fully manifest.”
Always filled with humans and heavenly beings: All virtuous appearances fully manifest, thus it says “filled with humans and heavenly beings.” Those in the Ten Noble and Three Sagely Stages retain and uphold meditative contemplation. Celestial drums represent unrequested teachings. Celestial flowers represent the causal practice of sages and nobles. This should be contemplated.
Once we eliminate our ignorance and afflictions, our fires of ignorance, all virtuous things will naturally come together. Then, everything that manifests will be very joyful, peaceful and stable, just like how it is for heavenly beings. If there are any afflictions in our minds, they will be like the fires of hell. When our minds are peaceful and stable, [the land] will be like heaven. So, [the land is filled with] “heavenly beings and humans. Those in the Ten Noble and Three Sagely Stages retain and uphold meditative contemplation.” When it comes to these skills, after calming our minds, we will gradually enter into the causal practices of sages and nobles. This is something we should mindfully seek to comprehend. Having love is having blessings. A love in which we willingly give of ourselves in this world selflessly and without defilements or afflictions “creates blessings in this world”. In addition, giving without expectations is the Buddha’s wisdom, the Buddha’s understanding and views. Life is full of suffering. How do we create blessings and wisdom in this world? We must do this by going among people to serve. The Buddha-Dharma is always like the water of wisdom. The water of wisdom can nourish us. Ignorance and afflictions create much suffering in this world. Suffering in the sea of samsara, we are sunk and lost in afflictions. The creation of tangible things accumulate into the destruction and pollution of the material world. All of this is the result of the afflictions and ignorance that accumulates from us humans who are trapped in our thinking. So, everything depends on our minds. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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