Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Buddha’s Lifespan Inspires Bodhisattvas (聞佛法壽 發無上心)
Date: March.22.2019
“At the stage of warmth, we take the Buddha’s awakening to heart. At the stage of pinnacle, our hearts turn toward the state of Buddhahood. At the stage of patience, we awaken to and contemplate the Middle Way. When it comes to the false dichotomy between delusion and awakening, we stand on neither side.”
Does everyone remember what we have discussed in the past? [Let us consider] the teachings of the Two Fours. We know that true spiritual practice requires us to take the Buddha-Dharma to heart. There are deeper teachings within the teachings. By nature, the principles are layered, and in every layer there are [more] principles. We who learn the Dharma must understand the essence of the Buddha-Dharma, for we must engage in spiritual practice. The capabilities of sentient beings differ in countless ways. To teach the Dharma to sentient beings, the Buddha has to teach according to capabilities, employing all kinds of different methods. How does He change the perspectives of sentient beings? By turning evil into goodness and defilement into purity; this is His method, His direction. We constantly speak of how the Buddha has done this lifetime after lifetime throughout long, immeasurable kalpas, for an immeasurable period of time. This is because as sentient beings, our habitual tendencies are so stubborn, and we are difficult to train and transform. Our habitual tendencies are very hard to change. In His compassion, the Buddha continues to work unceasingly, yet sentient beings are still so stubborn. Even over the course of many lifetimes, it is very rare for sentient beings to be able to listen to the Buddha’s teachings or to take joy in the Dharma. We must have faith, take joy in and listen to it. We must begin by having faith in the Dharma, taking joy in it and listening to it. During our study of the Dharma, whether we form great aspirations and begin to cultivate ourselves all depends upon the kind of aspirations we form. The Buddha will still teach us according to our capabilities. Thus, some people follow the Great Vehicle while others follow the Small Vehicle. Small Vehicle practitioners have already heard and developed faith in the Dharma long ago. They believe in [the truth of] suffering, that life is full of suffering and hardships. To be able to have this faith in the Buddha’s teachings about the truth of suffering, the principles of suffering, this cannot be the first lifetime in which they have heard the Dharma. Rather, it is throughout many past lifetimes, who knows how many, that they have been listening to the Dharma. It is just that they did not accept it [back then] because they lacked faith. Because they lacked faith, they did not take joy in it. Eventually, the Buddha attained Buddhahood, turned the Dharma-wheel and taught the Four Noble Truths.
We know that the first Dharma-assembly accepted the Buddha, and the first time He turned the Dharma-wheel, they were able to accept the Four Noble Truths. Those five bhiksus had not just begun to accept [the Dharma] in that lifetime, not at all. Over the course of many past lives, throughout immeasurable kalpas, countless lifetimes, an incalculable amount of time, they had been transformed by the Buddha. Their causes and conditions were very mature by then. So, by that lifetime, when the Buddha had attained enlightenment, the five bhiksus listening at His first assembly already had deeply-established causes and conditions. So, when the first assembly heard about the Four Noble Truths of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, they accepted [this teaching]. Once they accepted this, they began to diligently engage in spiritual practice based on the Buddha’s words and teachings. In the Dharma He taught, there are deeper teachings within the teachings.
[The Dharma] is greatly concerned with samsara, fragmentary samsara and transformational samsara. In fragmentary samsara, we follow our causes and conditions throughout lifetime after lifetime. “We cannot take anything with us when we die; only our karma follows us to our next life.” Since we have full faith and understanding in this principle, we must diligently find ways to turn our consciousness into wisdom. We must take control of ourselves in this lifetime. With the Five Roots, Dusts and Consciousnesses, the Five Sense Organs, Five Sense Objects and Five Root-Consciousnesses, as we connect to the external world, how do we act on this? Unenlightened beings are at the mercy of the Five Roots, Dusts and Consciousnesses, thus nothing is within our control. Following external conditions, we give rise to a thought, act on it and suffer the consequences. This is all part of our “consciousness”. As we slowly begin to listen to and understand the Dharma, we must awaken our wisdom. We must use wisdom to approach the Five Roots, Dusts and Consciousnesses, the way we connect to and interact with the world. We must turn our greedy thoughts into thoughts of goodness. Then, not only will we be free of greed, we will also seek to help others. This is “turning consciousness into wisdom.” We get greedy and cling to external conditions all because of “consciousness.” As we start to realize and understand this, we must turn ourselves around and transform our greed into charitable giving. This is wisdom.
So, with “all-accomplishing wisdom,” when faced with all the various conditions created by our environment, we turn negative conditions into positive ones. We may have taken advantage of others before, but now we benefit others at our own expense. This is turning evil into goodness. So, as we listen to the Buddha-Dharma now, we must work very hard. This is fragmentary samsara. In this life, our next life and future lifetimes, we must have faith and believe in our past lives. Now, in this lifetime, if we connect with one another, enjoy being together and believe in one another, this is because we benefited one another in our past lives. Did you help me, or was it I who helped you? Did you form a good affinity with me, or did I turn our affinity into a positive one? It goes both ways. In this present lifetime, we share the good karmic affinity to engage in spiritual practice, form great vows and [learn] the Buddha-Dharma together. We comprehend the Buddha’s heart and share our teacher’s mission; this is having good karmic affinities. All of this comes from the process of truing consciousness into wisdom. [This process] allows us to make our own plans for our lives instead of being diverted by external circumstances and karmic conditions. This is “turning consciousness into wisdom.” If we can be the master of our own life in this fragmentary samsara, once this [life] follows the law of nature and comes to an end, we will have already begun to transform our karmic consciousness into wisdom. Our wisdom [will be stored] in our eighth consciousness. If we can become even pure by eliminating our afflictions and ignorance, we will return to our nature of True Suchness, which is our ninth consciousness. Pure and undefiled, we will return to our ocean of enlightened wisdom. At that time, we will not go back to fragmentary samsara, and transformational samsara will be over. This is [the state of] “non-arising and non-ceasing.” [In the state of] non-arising and non-ceasing, we will return to our very pure nature of True Suchness. This is the direction that we must take in our spiritual practice.
Earlier, we mentioned “the stage of warmth.” At this stage, we still rely on the Buddha’s voice to understand the Dharma, thus it is called [the stage of] Hearers, the Dharma of Hearers. When our ear-root hears the Dharma, we experience it; our minds open, and we understand it. We learn how to “turn consciousness into wisdom.” We begin to attain “profound discerning wisdom.” What can we do with profound discerning wisdom? We intensify our efforts. We do more than just listen and follow along; we begin forging ahead with greater diligence.”
This refers to “the Four Earnest Efforts.” From the Four Noble Truths, we have come to understand “suffering, causation and cessation.” So now, we must practice along “the Path.” Now, to eliminate our afflictions, we must practice upon this Path. We must heighten our diligence; this means we must make an earnest effort. There are Four Earnest Efforts. So, we must be diligent; this is known as “the stage of warmth.” This is like how people made fire in the past. What could they use to light a fire? They drilled into wood to make fire. They kept grinding the wood, and after grinding for a while, they were able to produce a spark. But before a spark can be produced, there must be heat. So, this is “warmth. When we reach the stage of warmth, we have already exerted such great effort. We have accepted the Dharma, and so we forge ahead and intensify our efforts. This is “the stage of warmth. We have already reached the point where we are intimately acquainted with the Dharma. By applying the Dharma among people, in matters and in our relationships, we come to understand the Dharma accordingly. In our relationships with others, we have certain karmic affinities. We must not form negative affinities but must earnestly turn negativity into positivity in our relationships. Our relationships are what we mean by “matters.” How can we serve others [in our relationships]? So, we must get people; matters and things to converge with the principles. Through mutual connection, goodwill and love, pure and selfless love, we can bring all of these things together. This is “the stage of warmth.”
Among people, matters and things, those who ceaselessly seek to connect with others and give of themselves to others like this are already Bodhisattvas. So, there is a stage of earnest effort for both Small Vehicle and Great Vehicle practitioners.
The Two Fours: Both Small Vehicle and Great Vehicle practitioners must earnestly practice the Four Noble Truths and diligently implement the Four Earnest Efforts.
Small Vehicle practitioners take the Four Noble Truths as the goal of their spiritual practice. Seeking to end [the cycle of] birth and death, fragmentary samsara, they must diligently practice in this direction. What of Bodhisattvas? They make the Four Great Vows. Because Bodhisattvas make the Four Great Vows, the vow to deliver countless sentient beings, the vow to eliminate endless afflictions, the vow of learn infinite Dharma-doors and the vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood, they must make even more of an earnest effort with even greater diligence. There are so many sentient beings how can we create good affinities with them? [Being a Bodhisattva] also means that among people, matters and things, we are willing to give of ourselves, willing to give unconditionally and willing to overcome all obstacles in order to give to others. This is making earnest efforts. Both Small Vehicle and Great Vehicle practitioners engage in spiritual practice all the same. Small Vehicle practitioners practice the Four Noble Truths while Great Vehicle practitioners make the Four Great Vows. So, no matters which teachings we practice, it all takes earnest effort. This is the teaching of the Four Earnest Efforts. Among the Four Earnest Efforts, the first is “warmth”, and the second is “pinnacle”. With serious diligence and hard work, we keep advancing stage by stage, step by step, until we reach the pinnacle. So, “in the stage of pinnacle, our hearts turn toward the state of Buddhahood”. We begin to walk in the Buddha’s directions, “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions”. We broaden the way and pave the path, moving along the path to Buddhahood. But walking the Bodhisattva-path is easier said than done. In this process, we encounter so may challenges. Isn’t this what the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy was about? All kinds of people will make things hard for us, and we must be able to patiently endure this. Throughout every kind of hardship, we must have patience to be able to endure. What skills do we need to be patient? We need to “awaken and contemplate”. [We must] realize the Buddha’s intent and form aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path. As we walk the Bodhisattva-path, we neither get attached to “emptiness” nor cling to “existence”. We always walk “the Middle Way”. This is just like how a boat does not veer to the left or right, but stays in the middle [of the water] so that it will not get stuck on either shore. Thus, it can travel through the water to deliver itself and others straight to the destination. This is “the Middle Way”. This is [having] a direction. This is “awakening”.
We understand and are clearly aware that life is full of afflictions and sentient beings are ignorant. Therefore, we must awaken ourselves. Amid the darkness of ignorance, we must discern right from wrong with great clarity . This is “awakening and contemplation”. When things become clear to us, we no longer feel the need to cling to anything. We can just keep walking in the right direction. This is the Middle Way.
Furthermore, when it comes to “delusion” and “awakening”, we must abandon this dichotomy entirely. Now, we must focus on walking the path. We must not be like Small Vehicle practitioners, who say, “I want to eliminate my afflictions, so I must avoid people. I want to get rid of my ignorance so I must [partake in] fewer affairs”. NO, we must go among people to become Bodhisattvas. The afflictions we encounter among people are our path to awakening. [Small Vehicle practitioners] are still trapped in the false dichotomy between delusion and awakening. But if you ask [Bodhisattvas] to deviate, even toward awakening, [Bodhisattvas] will not veer either way. They avoid delusion, but they do not cling to awakening either. They think, “I will not stop going in this direction. I will not stop when I achieve the Small Vehicle. I will keep moving forward”. When it comes to awakening, there are Realizers of Conditions or Solitary Realizers. Bodhisattvas are none of these. They go in the direction of Great Awakening. They walk the entire path toward Great Awakening; they do not stop at the stage of ordinary beings or at the stage of Small Vehicle practitioners. They keep advancing forward. So, in “the false dichotomy between delusion and awakening” this “awakening” here refers to the realizations of Realizers of Conditions or Solitary Realizers who practice the Small Vehicle. Seekers of Great Awakening do not remain mired in the Small Vehicle, but head directly toward the Great Vehicle along the path to Buddhahood. Thus, they “stand on neither side”. They do not veer toward the shore of unenlightened beings, nor toward the place where Solitary Realizers stop halfway. They keep moving forward. Thus, they do not veer toward either side, standing on neither side. This is the Middle Way. So, we all need to clearly understand that both Great and Small Vehicle practitioners engage in spiritual practice. The Small Vehicle is a course of practice. We know that [this course is] “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path”. This is the course of the principles. But we must not stagnate here. Realizers of Conditions, or Solitary Realizers only understand the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence and how they come to be born through the karmic law of cause and effect. We do not need to end all causes and conditions; we just need to form more good affinities with sentient beings. So, Hearers accept the Four Nobble Truths, suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. Solitary Realizer practice “the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence”. What about Bodhisattvas? They move directly toward “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions”. They make the Four Great Vows.
So, each stage has its own name and form of spiritual practice. People of great aspirations understand all these principles by their very first step, because throughout lifetime after lifetime, they have practiced the Four Great Vows and have actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions.
In this Chapter on Distinguishing Merits and Virtues, there were so many [Bodhisattvas like this]. In the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, so many Bodhisattvas had gathered. This was all a result of continuous accumulation throughout past lives. If we understand this clearly, we will realize that this passage before us has already explained all these things.
The Two Fours are the Four Great Vows and the Four Noble Truths. There is also [another “Four”], the Four Earnest Efforts. In our practice of the Four Earnest Efforts, we must step up the pace and advance forward.
Next are the three [worlds and lives]. “They will attain Buddhahood after three lifetime”. They will attain Buddhahood after three lifetimes: 1. The past: The lifetime of seeing and hearing. 2. The present: The lifetime of understanding and practicing. 3. The future: The lifetime of realizing and entering.
The Three lifetime of unenlightened beings are their past, present and future lifetimes. People often talk about “the Three Periods of Cause and Effect.” Throughout the Three Periods of Cause and Effect, we create causes in the past and receive the effects in the present. The Three Periods of cause and effect refer to the past, present and future. In our present life, we create causes, and in our future lives, we feel their effects. This is [the cycle] of past, present and future. We unenlightened beings understand this more or less. Our spiritual practice toward Buddhahood also has a past, present and future. The past is “the lifetime of seeing and hearing. The present is “understanding and practicing, and the future is “realizing and entering”. Throughout the past, present and future, we must be very mindful.
They will attain Buddhahood after three lifetimes: This refers to the past, present and future. In their past lifetimes, they saw the Buddha and heard the Dharma, thus planting the seeds of Buddhahood. In their present lifetime, they completed the Ten Stages of Faith and also came to understand and practice in the Ten Grounds. In their future lifetimes, they will realize the fruie of the path.
“They will attain Buddhahood after three lifetimes” refers to the past, present and future. In the past, they heard the Buddha-Dharma. “They saw the Buddha and heard the Dharma,” thus planting the seeds of Buddhahood. As we sit here now, we should rejoice, for we formed these affinities in our past life, and we also have these causes and conditions to continuously live within the Buddha-Dharma. Within the Dharma, one gives rise to infinity. There are infinite Dharma-seeds spreading throughout the world. We pass on the Dharma to others, thus you and I are among infinite seeds. Since I have affinities with you all, [the Dharma] continues to spread. This is how seeds work; one gives rise to infinity. So, we must listen mindfully to the Dharma. Thus, “They planted the seeds of Buddhahood.” We are endlessly sowing seeds. We have all formed aspirations and made vows to listen to the Dharma, teach the Dharma and spread the Dharma, thus we are people who sow seeds. “In their present lifetime, they completed the Ten Stages of Faith.” There are ten stages of faith.
The Ten Stages of Faith: The first ten stages [of the Bodhisattva-practice] are called the Ten Stages of Faith. This is because in order to enter the ocean of the Buddha’s teachings and cultivate infinite Dharma-doors, we first need to have faith. [They are the stages of] faith, mindfulness, diligence, wisdom, Samadhi, non-retreating, protecting the Dharma, dedication of merits, precepts and vows.
These are the Ten Stages of Faith. We must have faith, for we need to have faith before we can enter the ocean of the Buddha’s teachings. We just discussed how there are deeper teachings within the teachings. The Dharma contains [innumerable teachings]. Because we have faith, we accept them willingly and “enter the ocean of the Buddha’s teachings. In the teachings of the Buddha-Dharma, the Dharma gives rise to more and more teachings, thus, we must “cultivate infinite Dharma-doors.” With every phrase we take in, as we gain insights, this opens a Dharma-door. As we take in another phrase, we can implement it in our life, opening another Dharma-door. Every day, we enjoy the benefit of opening Dharma-doors. Thus,
“We first need to have faith. If we believe in this Dharma and put it to use in our relationships, we will gain insights. This is “faith”.
So, first comes faith, second is mindfulness, third is diligence, fourth is growing in wisdom, fifth is achieving Samadhi, sixth is a non-retreating mindset, seventh is protecting the Dharma, eighth is dedicating merits for the vows of sentient beings and ninth is upholding precepts. We must constantly listen, contemplate and practice. So, [the tenth] is the Four Great Vows; we must always seek to transform sentient beings. These are the Ten Stages of Faith.
The first step to learning the Dharma is faith. We must have faith before we can enter, but what are we entering into? We want to realize [and enter] “the Ten Grounds. We have already discussed the Ten Grounds, having gone through them one by one; in this way, one by one, we realize and enter the Ten Grounds. We understand the Buddha-Dharma, so “in our future lifetimes, we will realize the fruit of the path. So, whether we attain Buddhahood after three lifetimes depends on how much effort we put in. The strength of our spiritual practice depends on how much effort we put in, if we make a very earnest effort according to what we discussed earlier, then, we can go among people and among afflictions to turn afflictions into Bodhi, form good affinities among people and turn evil into goodness. We must steady our minds. If we can take each teaching to heart like this, we will begin to abide within the Dharma. Step by step, we enter [the Ten Grounds], starting with faith. In this way, [the Dharma] will become clearer and clearer to us.
In the previous sutra passage, [Maitreya] said, “Moreover, Bodhisattvas as numerous as the dust particles within four, three and two worlds with four quadrants like this one will attain Buddhahood after the corresponding number of lives. Also, Bodhisattvas as numerous as the dust particles within one world with four quadrants will, after one more lifetime, attain all-encompassing wisdom”.
He then continued on to say, “These sentient beings, upon hearing about the extensive length of the Buddha’s lifespan, attain infinite, flawless, pure and clear retributions. Furthermore, sentient beings as numerous as the dust particles of eight worlds, upon hearing the Buddha discuss His lifespan, all form the supreme aspiration”.
These passages that we discussed previously should be clear to us by now. We should clearly understand that to truly live like this for lifetime after lifetime without end, we must clearly understand the principles of the Small and Great Vehicle, put them into practice and make an earnest effort to advance. We must clearly understand every principle before we will be able to carry the Dharma forward. So, “These sentient beings, upon hearing about the extensive length of the Buddha’s lifespan, attain infinite, flawless, pure and clear retributions”.
These sentient beings, upon hearing about the extensive length of the Buddha’s lifespan, attain infinite, flawless, pure and clear retributions: The aforementioned countless sentient beings heard the Buddha reveal the extensive length of His lifespan. As previously described, He distinguished the retributions of wisdom that each of these Bodhisattvas attained.
These countless Bodhisattvas, listening to the Buddha open and reveal [the Dharma], heard Him discuss “the extensive length of His lifespan”. This is the Buddha’s lifespan. Spanning countless lifetimes, it is everlasting. We must refrain from dwelling on the law of nature that we are subjected to as unenlightened beings; rather, in fragmentary samsara, we must “turn consciousness into wisdom”. We must transform our consciousness into wisdom. Our wisdom must become pure and undefiled and turn into our wisdom-life. Then, our wisdom-life will be extensive and long.
This is like when Tzu Chi volunteers say, “Oh, we have become young! We are all getting younger!” Indeed, we have all gotten younger. This is because our wisdom-life is growing longer. We put our past experiences to use in the present. Through our past experiences among unenlightened beings with interpersonal conflicts, we know the reason why people give rise to so many afflictions in their interactions. Whether we were right or wrong, this became part of our experience. What past causes and conditions led us to join Tzu Chi? In joining Tzu Chi, as we work together with our friends and Dharma-brothers and Dharma-sisters, all following the same aspiration and taking the same road, how much have we done for the sake of the common good? What methods have we used to help people? This all becomes our experience. This is everything we have gone through in life. The time we took to grow our wisdom-life in the past, the experiences we had in the past and our work to serve others in the past and what we use to develop our present level of experience. So, as we grow younger, we must gather together our wisdom again, turning our past knowledge into wisdom to benefit others. By continuing this process into the future, our “wisdom-life [will be] extensive [in] length”. “As previously described, He distinguished the retributions of wisdom that each of these Bodhisattvas attained”. In addition to describing His wisdom-life in the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, now He went on to distinguish [retributions]. These Bodhisattvas had already experienced so many lifetimes and so many kalpas. Their multiple lifetimes spanned such a long time. Over such a long time, they had always devoted themselves to going among people to transform sentient beings. “Those at the various stages of] achievement were countless in number. Among that countless number [of Bodhisattvas], in their life’s practice, they all cultivated the Four Practices, Four Earnest Efforts and so on. This tells us that we must understand these things very clearly. So, we must be mindful.
Such a long practice [of the Buddha] allowed these sentient beings to attain immediate or gradual realization; upon hearing the wondrous Dharma of the extensive length of the Buddha’s lifespan, they gained the retribution of the three pure bodies, and were all able to realize and enter the infinite, boundless, clear and pure Dharmakaya.
The meaning of the Buddha-Dharma is very profound. “Such a long practice [of the Buddha] allowed these sentient beings to attain immediate or gradual realization”. He used such a long lifespan. This tells us that [the Buddha] must have a very long lifespan and a very long wisdom-life. Over such a long, long time, the sentient beings He formed affinities with were transformed, attaining immediate or gradual realization. To practice the Great Vehicle, we must immediately “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions”. Some come to the Great Vehicle Dharma very slowly, always putting themselves before others, but others take care of both themselves and others at the same time. This is “immediate realization”. The Buddha-Dharma teaches us that as we take time to benefit ourselves, we can also benefit others. Immediate realization is the total comprehension of time, people and space. This is “immediate realization”. [Some people say,] “Take it slow!” [These people] gradually come to understand. Many, many sentient beings are like this; different habitual tendencies and personalities can make this take a very long time. So, it took [these sentient beings] a long time to “hear about the extensive length of the Buddha’s lifespan”. The Buddha explained this very slowly. This is all part of the wondrous Dharma. Then, they gained “the retribution of the three pure bodies”. Upon seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dharma in the past, they began to purify themselves. Thus, “They were all able to realize and enter the infinite, boundless, clear and pure Dharmakaya.” This clear and pure Dharmakaya comes from the Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya and Dharmakaya. This means they will forever use their wisdom-life in the world to widely transform and form affinities with sentient beings. They do this through lifetimes past and present, continuing back throughout countless, infinite past lifetimes. Now, they are still doing this in their countless, infinite present lifetimes. Yesterday and today, endlessly, they manifest [the Dharmakaya] in the world to go among people. This path is one of continuous self-purification, thus the Dharmakaya is clear and pure. With clear consciousness, the Dharmakaya is pure and clear. Thus, “They are able to cultivate and realize the flawless, uncontrived and perfect Sambhogakaya.”
They are able to cultivate and realize the flawless, uncontrived and perfect Sambhogakaya. They are also able to manifest the non-arising and non-ceasing thousand-fold Nirmanakaya. Thus, it says they will attain infinite retributions and so on.
Engaging in “precepts, Samadhi and wisdom” and “listening, contemplating and practicing” to eliminate all afflictions from all actions is flawlessness. The total comprehension of the principles without any impediments is the meaning of “uncontrived.” We have all heard this before. And this “perfect Sambhogakaya,” this reward-body, is the fruit of attaining Buddhahood. [With this], our process of spiritual practice will finally come to fruition. Then, we will be “able to manifest the non-arising and non-ceasing thousand-fold Nirmanakaya.” This is non-arising and non-ceasing. [At this stage], will our karmic retributions drag us into our next life? No. Can our karmic retributions shorten our lifespan? No. This is all a matter of the karmic affinities we create in our interactions with sentient beings. Therefore, we often say that we can eliminate everything, but we cannot eliminate karmic affinities. Karmic affinities are very important. From the Buddha’s wisdom-life, we can wisely discern that sentient beings must be transformed by our affinities with them. This is not being dragged along by the forces of karma, no; this is a matter of pure, undefiled affinities. So, with “the non-arising and non-ceasing thousand-fold Nirmanakaya,” we can come and go freely. “Thus, it says they will attain infinite retributions and so on” means that the Bodhisattvas would have infinite retributions just like the Buddha’s wisdom-life and lifespan are infinite. “Furthermore, sentient beings as numerous the dust particles of eight worlds…”
Furthermore, sentient beings as numerous as the dust particles of eight worlds…: From “furthermore” onward, it extols the merits and virtues of forming aspirations. Eight worlds: This refers to eight great trichiliocosms.
There were still so many sentient beings, as many as the dust particles of eight worlds. They really were that numerous. They will attain Buddhahood, but have yet to do so. They will turn the Dharma-wheel, but have yet to do so. The process will still take a very long time. So, we must make good use of our lives in this world, seizing every moment.
“Upon hearing the Buddha discuss His lifespan, [they] all form the supreme aspiration.” They were very mindful, so “upon hearing the Buddha reveal the extensive length of the Dharmakaya’s lifespan, they all formed spiritual aspirations and vowed to reach attainment like the Buddha.”
The “Dharmakaya’s lifespan” refers to the extensive length of His wisdom-life. The Buddha revealed so many teachings to us to help us grow our wisdom-life. We often say that our wisdom-life needs time, so [we must] seize every moment. We must make the most of our lives to grow our wisdom-life. In this way, we will be able to take the Right Dharma to heart and “reach attainment like the Buddha.” This is our direction in life. I hope we can all be mindful in every second and within the span of our every thought. We must not allow ourselves to become distracted, or we will waste our life away. Everyone must remember how profound and wondrous the principles are. We cannot grasp them just by thinking about them; we must delve deeply into them. There are deeper teachings within the teachings. We must go deep within the Dharma to experience its infinite, countless principles. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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