Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Using Our Body to Grow Our Wisdom-Life (善用人身 增長慧命)
Date: March.11.2019
“Now that we have attained human form, we must cherish it and make good use of this body to grow our wisdom-life. With our body, speech and mind, we engage in the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. With compassion and wisdom, we make the Four Great Vows. We give rise to great Bodhicitta, the aspiration to attain Buddhahood. The Avatamsaka Sutra says, ‘Bodhicitta is known as the seed that can give rise to all Buddha-Dharma.’”
We must be mindful! It is rare to attain human form, but we have attained it; it is rare to hear the Buddha-Dharma, but we have encountered it. Therefore, we must earnestly cherish having been born as humans in this lifetime. We must earnestly make good use of our bodies to grow our wisdom-life. Time constantly flashes by us, and our life decreases each day. We must constantly heighten our vigilance, for impermanence [can strike] in an instant. [Who knows] when impermanence will occur? So, we must put our hearts into comprehending both life and time. In cherishing this lifetime, we must make [good] use of this body. “If we do not transform ourselves in this lifetime, in which lifetime will we transform ourselves?” Since we have this body in this lifetime, in this particular space and time, how could we not cherish it? Whether it is our time, our physical strength or our bodies [themselves], we must earnestly make good use of them all. “If we do not transform ourselves in this lifetime...” Since we have attained human form in this space and in this lifetime, if we make no attempt to cherish our bodies, “in which lifetime will we transform ourselves?” So, we must earnestly cherish this time while we have our bodies. We must earnestly and mindfully make good use of our time. So, how do we make good use of our time? We must always be vigilant of our body, speech and mind. We must pay attention to them! Do we use our body to do good deeds or bad deeds? We must be vigilant of our physical behavior. Have we been diligent or indolent? This also depends on our body. So, we must urge ourselves on and be earnestly diligent. In this time and space, how can we work with our bodies? We must be diligent throughout the day. Through the diligent efforts of our body, we can make use of this time and space to achieve many things. If we are indolent, even with a very long time and vast space, if our bodies are indolent, we will let it all pass in vain, while our bodies still decline over time. Thus, we must find ways to earnestly make use of the time while our bodies are healthy. Any space and time is a spiritual training ground that we can diligently utilize. So, we must earnestly and mindfully mobilize our bodies to take action.
[Aside] from the body, there is also speech! When it comes to our speech, we utter words from our mouths. Are we speaking kind words? Are we speaking harsh words? Kind words and gentle speech can comfort people’s hearts, teach the Dharma, transform [people] and resolve interpersonal [conflicts]; they can serve many functions. Virtuous speech can teach the Dharma. Those who hear, teach and transmit the Dharma all take the Dharma to heart after listening to it. Then, in our consciousness, the Eighth and Ninth Consciousnesses, the pure consciousness of True Suchness, we understand the Buddha-Dharma. We can then analyze the Dharma and teach it. That requires us to use our speech to teach the Dharma. This makes us people who transmit the Dharma.
Those who transmit the Dharma do so with speech. So, the pure Dharma originates from speech. As for our speech, aside from being eloquent, we must pay attention to our karma of speech. Good karma of speech [is produced] by transmitting the Dharma. What about negative karma of speech? It [arises from] harsh speech, false speech, flattery, gossip and so on. Our harsh speech does not benefit the world and will lead to conflicts, ignorance and chaos in the world. This all arises from the negative karma of speech. Also, when it comes to our mouths, our appetites lead us to devour countless living beings and also pollute the earth. This is all because of our mouths. As we open our mouths to eat, we create the karma of killing and so on. We create many negative causes, conditions and retributions in the world. These all come from our mouths. We must carefully contemplate and mindfully consider this. As for this hole of a mouth, this orifice under our nose, how much negative karma has it caused? How many lives has it devoured? It causes waves of conflict and chaos, so the world is not at peace. This is what our mouths do. We must not think of this orifice under our nose as just a mouth and nothing more. What else is it? It is a source of negative karma.
So, we must be vigilant and self-disciplined. We must always admonish ourselves to be vigilant of our mouths, for the karma of speech and craving for taste are very dreadful. If we can turn [our speech] around, we can teach and transmit the Dharma. Then, we can bring harmony to the world. This is the virtuous karma of speech. We must also be aware that the source of this is our mind. We must pay attention to the karma of our mind. We give rise to discursive thoughts when the Six Roots and Dusts [connect]. The Six Roots are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. The connect with the external Dusts, form, sound, smell, taste, touch and mental phenomena. These are the Six Roots and the Six Dusts. With the Six Roots and Dusts, we exercise our “consciousness” using our cleverness to create karma. But if we learn the Buddha’s teaching, we can transform the Six Root-Consciousnesses into “profound discerning wisdom.” “All-accomplishing wisdom” and “the profound discerning wisdom” correspond to the five and sixth consciousnesses once they have been transformed like this. Once we have turned them [into wisdom] when we begin to create [karma], we will be able to think clearly and filter out [evil thoughts] so that we can completely depart from evil to do good. All the good deeds we do are stored in the eighth consciousness, which corresponds to “great perfect mirror wisdom.” When we transform the seventh consciousness, [we attain] “universal equality wisdom.” Once we return to universal equality wisdom, through diligent practice, in the end [this wisdom becomes] “great perfect mirror wisdom.”
We make distinctions in our body, speech and mind. Are we [turning] our knowledge and consciousness [into] worldly cleverness? Or are we turning our consciousness into wisdom to grow our wisdom-life? This is the key. So, from the Chapter on the Practice of Bring Peace and Joy, we should remember clearly that, aside from our body, speech and mind, we also need great vows; we must make great vows. Once we make great vows, we will enter the ninth consciousness, which is completely pure. Lifetime after lifetime over this long time, uninterrupted with our every thought, our thoughts will be completely pure. This is due to “great perfect mirror wisdom,” which means our mirror has been cleaned and reflects all things without defilement.
With the function of “great perfect mirror wisdom,” we will have great clarity. We can continuously make the Four Great Vows and come to the world for many lifetimes “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions.” This is the path we must continue to walk on. “Great compassion is the room Gentleness and patience are the clothing and the emptiness of all phenomena is the seat. Being here at this place, we expound the Dharma.” As for these teachings, we must return to them in our memory. In listening to the Dharma, if we do not return it to its place [in our mind] and instead let it scatter after listening to it, then this is truly unfortunate. We must make use of this time and space, our physical lifetime, to earnestly and diligently practice. With these memories, we should use our time to constantly and diligently practice. So, we must exercise compassion, wisdom and vows. “With compassion and wisdom, we make the Four Great Vows.” We must earnestly make the Four Great Vows. With this compassionate and wise power of vows, we make the Four Great Vows. You are all clear about this; I merely wish to remind everyone that we have heard these teachings before. As we heard them, we must mindfully apply them so that we can “give rise to great Bodhisattva, the aspiration to attain Buddhahood.”
How do we “take the Buddha’s heart as our own and take our teacher’s mission as our own?” Our teacher’s mission is the Bodhisattva-path. Walking together, we clear this great path. This is our common direction. So, “We must give rise to great Bodhicitta, the aspiration to attain Buddhahood.” We must form great aspirations to follow the Bodhi-path.
So, the Avatamsaka Sutra says “Bodhicitta is known as the seed.” It is [like] a seed. We often talk about the Bodhisattva seed; this is “the Buddha’s heart.” So, “Bodhicitta is known as the seed.” This seed “can give rise to all Buddha-Dharma.” Doesn’t the Sutra of Infinite Meanings say this? [It tells us that] one give rise to infinity and infinite Dharma arises from one. This is the seed. Everyone, [speaking of] this seed, how long will it take for us to become seeds? We must all cherish our time. How much time do we actually have? It will take a long time for us to be able to become seeds. How much time do we actually have to go through this process? So, we must make good use of this lifetime and actualize these memories in our daily living so they give us the power to permeate the seeds [with the Dharma]. We can then carry them into our future lifetimes. In this lifetime, we have transformed our consciousness into wisdom. When our consciousness has turned into wisdom, [this wisdom] has permeated our consciousness. As the causes and conditions that sustain this lifetime come to an end, we will not be able to take anything with us; the only thing [we can take] is this wisdom. This consciousness, this wisdom, is what we carry into our future lifetime. In the next lifetime, naturally, this wisdom, our consciousness, will follow us, lifetime after lifetime. If we have formed good affinities, we will be born into families transformed by the Buddha’s teaching into an environment with good causes and conditions. We still have these affinities that help us grow. [Our conditions] are still very mature, so we can engage in spiritual practice; this maturity enables us to accept the Buddha-Dharma and continuously be permeated by the teachings. This is how we can [keep practicing] over many lifetimes. This depends on the effort we put in. As long as the seed exists, we must nurture it and let it be permeated [by the Dharma]. So, we must not allow this lifetime to pass in vain and be wasted. We must constantly be permeated [with the Dharma]. So, now, listening to the Dharma is referred to as being “permeated by the fragrance of the Dharma”. This is what it means. So, we must be mindful.
As for the Dharma I am going to teach later, everyone must listen clearly and mindfully. These are the Buddha’s understanding and views, so we must mindfully listen. In the previous sutra passage, [the Buddha] says,
“Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of one small chiliocosm will, after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
We previously talked about this. [If we] grind the lands of a small chiliocosm into dust and count each of these dust particles, then that is the number of Bodhisattvas. They will, “after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. In giving rise to Bodhicitta, they start from “the ground of joy” and “the ground of freedom from defilement”. They have already arrived at the fourth ground, and thus they have begun to advance step by step. So, “[They] will, after eight lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
The next sutra passage continues, saying, “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants will, after four lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. urthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of three worlds with four quadrants will, after three lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
“Furthermore” means there were more “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of four worlds with four quadrants”. There were very many Bodhisattvas. “[They] will, after four lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”. Once these Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas have undergone four lifetimes, they will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. This means that they have already reached the eighth ground. After undergoing these four lifetimes, they will continuously return to [the world]. Throughout many lifetimes, in this way, they continuously [progress], stage by stage, ceaselessly making great vows from their consciousness.
After four lifetimes, [they] will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: “Four lifetimes” refers to the eighth ground. After going through four lifetimes, they will attain the Buddha’s enlightenment.
Some people are very diligent; they advance very quickly through the first, second and third grounds. But if we are indolent, we can go through our entire life without accomplishing our vows, one lifetime after another. But going through the stages in this direction, it will take many lifetimes for some people before they can complete [the journey]. We talk about “lifetimes”, one, two, three and four lifetimes but if we are indolent, we must always keep working to complete it. So, some can quickly enter [the path] and delve deeply into the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth grounds; they quickly enter the Bodhisattva’s Ten Grounds and continue to progress successfully. For those who are less diligent, they will naturally require more time. So, they must go through “four lifetimes”. Four lifetimes refers to how we must continuously progress in the stages of our cultivation. This is the meaning of progressing. We must continuously progress from the first stage to the second and so on until, after a certain stage, we can reach the Bodhisattva-ground. This depends on how diligent we are. So, “After going through four lifetimes, they will attain the Buddha’s enlightenment”. When they reach the eight ground, they are close to the Buddha’s enlightenment. What is “the eighth ground”? They reach the Bodhisattva’s eighth ground, which is called “the ground of stillness”. Why is it called stillness? Before reaching the eight ground, we worry about a single thought going astray; a slight deviation will take us far off course. If any karmic conditions interfere because. We have not been careful, this will affect [our progress]. As we enter the ground of stillness, we enter the principle of True Suchness; we have already gained great clarity. If we have not deviated from the principle of True Suchness, we will then truly resonate with the nature of True Suchness with the nature of True Suchness. Once we make contact with it we will fully attain its principles. Thus, we become still Bodhisattvas yet to reach the eighth ground [run the risk of creating] causes and conditions that may interfere. Attaining the ground of stillness in our minds, our wisdom resonates with True Suchness. Then, any karmic conditions or ignorance will not be able to move the nature of our mind. So, once we have reached the eighth ground, “the ground of stillness,” we will not be affected by our environment. We will not be affected, for we have reached the ground of stillness. So, we must be mindful. When we say that spiritual practice is lifelong, this means that it is a stage for us. This stage does not only refer to this lifetime and the next, but much more than that. If we are very diligent lifetime after lifetime, we will [progress] quickly through the levels. This is like academic studies nowadays. “Oh! You will pass [the exam] quickly. With your plan, you’re sure to get a good score and pass it with ease”. If the grade is insufficient, the course may have to be retaken. This retaking symbolizes [our efforts] over successive lifetimes. Speaking of lifetimes, after this body [dies], we go to the next lifetime. If we are diligent in this lifetime, naturally, our grades will [progress] according to plan. This is how we enter [the path] stage by stage. Everyone should understand this analogy clearly. The nature of these stages means that we must undergo these “four lifetimes.”
So, as we just said, after four lifetime they will attain the Buddha’s enlightenment. But let us return to discuss the four lifetimes. “In their first lifetimes, they will cultivate the Hearer’s provisions”.
Four lifetimes: In the first lifetimes, they will cultivate the Hearer’s provisions. In the second lifetimes, they will cultivate the Hearer’s earnest efforts. In the third lifetimes, they will cultivate the Solitary Realizer’s provisions. In the fourth lifetimes, they will enter the stage of seeing the path and attain the fruit of the stage beyond learning.
We must listen to many [teachings], and we must listen patiently whatever happens. Hearers need the provisions of listening to the Dharma. So, as we now earnestly listen to the Dharma, this is the stage we must cultivate. We must begin to cultivate the Hearer’s efforts. This means we must earnestly listen to the Dharma; this is necessary. Having listened to the Dharma for a long time, we may feel that on the day we heard something, we did not really understand it. If we still remain unclear about it on the second and the third day, we will [forget it]. If we continue to listen, [you will hear] me constantly remind everyone, “You must store this chapter in your memory. This chapter is very important.” As we are continuously permeated [by the Dharma], when I give one [teaching], you can know ten. As I explain this terminology to you, explaining how to turn consciousness into wisdom, you begin to become familiar with it. You now understand how to transform the Five Conscioulnesses into “all-accomplishing wisdom.”
What does this mean? You begin to understand it more and more. You can differentiate “consciousness” and “wisdom.” How do “consciousness” and “wisdom” relate to our future lifetimes and the ending of this lifetime? [Then you think], “Oh, I understand it.” This [describes] the provisions of the Hearer, the provisions listening to the Dharma and thereby nourishing our wisdom-life.
So, “In their second lifetime, they continuously give rise to aspirations. Within our minds, in every thought, we must engage in this spiritual practice and cultivate the Hearer’s earnest efforts. Besides just listening to the Dharma, we must also practice “the Four Earnest Efforts.” As we listen to the Dharma, we must increase our diligence. Next, [it describes] the method of making ”earnest efforts.”
“In [our] third lifetime,” we continue to maintain this aspiration by cultivating the Solitary Realizer’s practice without interruption. When we are among the Hearers, if we can slowly take the Dharma to heart, we will reach a state where, without truly listening to the Dharma, we can connect to the external environment. After we listen to the Dharma, we practice [among people]. In our lives, when we encounter a certain situation, we will realize that this situation converges with the Dharma we have heard. This is how we gain realizations by connecting with external conditions. Those who awaken by connecting to conditions are called “Solitary Realizers.” After listening to the Dharma, our mind becomes clear and thus in our daily living, we can awaken by connecting with the conditions. [This makes us] “Solitary Realizers.”
What about the fourth lifetime? This is “the stage of seeing the path and attaining the fruit of the stage beyond learning.” We can then progress from there to reach the state of “attaining the fruit of the path. This is how we constantly advance on the Bodhisattva’s ground. As we have deeply delved into the Dharma, we have advanced. And what do we mean by “earnest effort”? This means that we have the Dharma of warmth, the Dharma of pinnacle the Dharma of patience and the Dharma of foremost in the world.
Earnest effort: The fourfold Dharma of warmth, pinnacle, patience and foremost in the world are altogether referred to as the factor of decisive discernment, because these factor help us to discern according to the true [principles]. They bring us near the stage of seeing the path, thus the name “earnest efforts.” Without the previous provisions [of Hearers], we cannot make earnest efforts.
The Dharma of warmth refers to how we begin to understand [the Dharma]. Once we hear it, we must begin to be enthusiastic. This “warmth” describes our enthusiasm. As we listen to [the Dharma], we must not forget it or let it cool down. After listening to it, we must have enthusiasm for the Dharma. The “Dharma of warmth” is like when we boil water. When water is boiling, there will be steam. Once the steam billows out, we know that the water has been heated. The water is not just lukewarm but very hot. As we gain insights from listening to the Dharma, this is what “the Dharma of warmth” refers to. Listening to the Dharma is not done coldly. It is because of the enthusiasm with which we listen to the Dharma that the Dharma enters our hearts. [This enthusiasm] is very warm. [The mind] is so warm that it starts steaming, and we will have more insights. These insights can heighten our spiritual aspirations. By elevating our spiritual aspirations, we can endure all things in the world. The “Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy,” [tells how] people may intentionally challenge us, yet we are able to endure them. Be it oral or written slander or obstacles due to people, matters and things, the practice of bringing peace and joy [enables] us to be at peace and let them pass. As they pass, we do not need to remember them. This is part of spiritual practice. Although it is arduous, bringing peace to matters and people in this modern world of turbidities, cannot be done with patience [alone]. We must find ways to handle [these obstacles]. Thus, we must employ compassion and wisdom to do so. So, next is the “Dharma of foremost in the world”. In our world, as we [learn to] transcend it, how should we [carry ourselves] in this world full of challenges? Besides challenges presented by people, matters and things, there are also challenges presented by nature, time and space. We must all earnestly and mindfully cherish the Dharma with our whole heart and come to this world to transform sentient beings by going among people; this is called making “earnest efforts”. They are altogether referred to as “the factor of decisive discernment”. We make choices according to the principles and continue by following them.
In the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, it also mentions the factor of discernment. We must know how to discern the teachings and know to be diligent. So, “They bring us near the stage of seeing the path, thus the name ‘earnest efforts”’. Only with these methods can we truly see the path. Once we truly see the path, our minds will become steadfast. So, “Without the previous provisions [of Hearers], we cannot make earnest efforts”. Without the previous provisions of Hearers, without being Hearers and Solitary Realizers, we cannot make “earnest efforts”. So, it is important to listen to the Dharma, and actualizing it in our daily living when facing people, matters and things in the world is just as important. So, if we can do this, we can reach “the stage of seeing the path and attaint the fruit of the stage beyond learning”. We must continue to make earnest efforts. As for “earnest efforts,” I will explain this in greater detail to everyone. “Having attained the provisions of blessings and wisdom, [they] further make earnest efforts”.
It also says that Bodhisattvas at the stage of the Four Earnest Efforts, having attained the provisions of blessings and wisdom, further make earnest efforts to enter the path of insight and abide in the nature of True Suchness. This is called the stage of earnest effort.
As for “the provisions of blessings and wisdom,” listening to the Dharma [gives us] wisdom. It can grow our wisdom, and actualizing it among people is creating blessings. These are our provisions. The best provisions are blessings and wisdom. Being “Two-footed” refers to having blessings and wisdom, compassion and wisdom. With compassion, we create blessings through practice. As we listen to the Dharma, we must listen to it enthusiastically. This is called wisdom. Thoroughly understanding the Dharma is all a matter of wisdom. So, these are our earnest efforts; we must work hard. “Blessings and wisdom” refers to compassion and wisdom. “Blessings” refers to compassion, and “wisdom” is being wise. This is “exercising both compassion and wisdom”. Previously, we discussed the compassionate and wise power of vows. We must make earnest efforts in this place. So, these are our provisions. We “further make earnest efforts”. We must make earnest efforts and work hard. We must work hard; we must put forth extra effort. In addition, we must practice diligently. If we can do this, we can enter the path of insight”. Naturally, we can enter the path of insight. As we continuously delve into the Dharma, once we arrive, we will see the true path to awakening. Then naturally, we can “abide in the nature of True Suchness”. We can converge with the nature of True Suchness. I often say to you all, “Oh, we are all unenlightened beings! Though we speak of ‘True Suchness,’ we are far from it!” We must make earnest efforts to practice. We must do more than just enter [the path]; we must go through four lifetimes of practice and continue making earnest efforts. We must work harder and be more diligent to be able to enter [the path]. What do we need to work hard and be diligent in? In “exercising both compassion and wisdom”. We must exercise compassion and wisdom together among people. In this way, we can strengthen our understanding of the Buddha-Dharma. So, we must be very mindful.
‘“After four lifetimes, [they will] attain’ means that they have the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the eighth ground in order to attain the stage of wondrous enlightenment”. “The eighth ground” as we mentioned, is “the ground of stillness”. We must advance one stage at a time through our earnest efforts until we attain the merits and virtues of the eight h ground. As we enter and converge with the nature of True Suchness, we become still and steadfast. This is how we attain “the stage of wondrous enlightenment”. So, we must go through the previously mentioned “four lifetimes”; we must work hard within them.
So, “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahassattvas as numerous as the dust particles of three worlds with four quadrants will, after three lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”. This is the ninth ground.
Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahassattvas as numerous as the dust particles of three worlds with four quadrants will, after three lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: This refers to the ninth ground. After three lifetimes, they will attain Buddhahood. “After three lifetimes, [they will] attain” means that they have the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the ninth ground. In order to attain the stage of wondrous enlightenment, they must go through three lifetimes.
The eighth ground is unmoving. Upon reaching the ninth ground, one is near to attaining Buddhahood. So, “After three lifetimes, [they will] attain” means that “they have the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the ninth ground” in order to attain the stage of wondrous enlightenment. They have attained stage of wondrous enlightenment.
So, “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahassattvas as numerous as the dust particles of three worlds with four quadrants will, after three lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
This is the tenth ground. “They will attain Buddhahood after two lifetimes” they continuously advance diligently until they truly enter the state of Buddhahood. They enter it so rapidly. “Those who will attain after two lifetimes” have the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the tenth ground. Naturally, they will attain wondrous enlightenment.
Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the dust particles of two worlds with four quadrants will, after two lifetimes, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: This refers to the tenth ground. They will attain Buddhahood after two lifetimes. “After two lifetimes, [they will] attain” means that they have the merits and virtues to enter and transcend the tenth ground. In order to attain the stage of wondrous enlightenment, they must go through two lifetimes.
So, everyone, spiritual practice sounds profound, and the text seems too difficult to comprehend. In truth, it is actually very close to our daily living. It is not just close to it; it is within our daily lives. When it comes to our minds, how should we train them? Similarly, it is rare to be born human, so we ought to cherish it. In this time and place, how can we make use of our bodies and seize the time to make use of our physical life to grow our wisdom-life? This is all part of our daily living. Are we using our bodies, speech and mind to “practice bringing peace and joy”? Do we use the compassionate and wise power of vows every day to enter “the Four Great Vows”? This depends on whether we are true spiritual practitioners. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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