Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Awaken Wisdom and Exercise Compassion (啟智運悲 秉慧用慈)
Date: March.04.2019
“Bodhisattvas are connected with sentient beings who are foolish, ignorant and have heavy obstructions and much suffering. They vow to deliver countless sentient beings. They awaken wisdom and exercise compassion with their clear vows. Bodhisattvas have long-lasting compassion and great love; they uphold wisdom, apply loving-kindness and make great vows. Hearing the true principles of the Buddha’s lifespan, their merits and virtues and the source of the Dharma extend far.”
We must be mindful. “Bodhisattvas are connected with sentient beings who are foolish, ignorant and have heavy obstructions and much suffering.” We must consider this mindfully. We constantly mention the word “Bodhisattva”. Now, when we hear the word “Bodhisattvas,” we know it means “awakened sentient beings,” awakened sentient beings who go among people. When we are among people, sentient beings are like our family; the whole world is one big family. So, these Bodhisattvas can be called Bodhisattvas because they are among people. Sentient beings need Bodhisattvas because most sentient beings are “foolish and ignorant, with heavy obstructions and much suffering.” When we now go among people, who is not filled with afflictions and ignorance? We all have something that we lack; is it an insufficiency in our daily living? No, these are not insufficiencies in our lives but an insufficiency of spirit and ideals. Nowadays, many people are trapped in their perception and limited in their thinking, so their afflictions, ignorance and obstacles are very heavy. Isn’t that suffering?
This [arises from] endless desires. All people have this [suffering]; no matter how prestigious our status, how great our reputation, we all suffer from many afflictions. We worry about many things and feel that life is still not [good] enough. Some people are perfectionists. Even if they are very capable and talented, they personally think that it is not enough, that they still have deficiencies and are not yet perfect. They do not have enough faith in themselves. Thus, when we think about this, however intelligent or accomplished someone is said to be, they still think that they are not good enough. Does this mean they still lack something? Do they still have deficiencies? They are not yet perfect. This is truly the case.
Life is impermanent; no matter how content we are with life, [because of this] impermanence, there will still be regrets over imperfections. This is because no one can anticipate the day of their birth or death. All of this is unknown. It is therefore impossible to break through this confusion in life. We have yet to find clarity. So, in our ignorance, we have yet to gain clarity. No matter how we open our minds, set things aside, gain a wider perspective and let things go, we still have worries and obstacles in our minds. So, we remain ignorant and unable to thoroughly understand [the truths]. We face many, many obstacles. These are deficiencies in life. So, we suffer!
This is mental suffering. Physically, as the four seasons change, we suffer similarly from the cold in winter and the sun in summer. We also suffer from sickness and pain. This is suffering! Sickness brings suffering, as does pain. Pain makes us helpless, so what can we do? We each feel pain in our own bodies; there is no one who can share our pain. This also causes many obstacles in life. Especially when we need people to do things, it is difficult to recruit people. Just because recruiting is so hard, harmoniously handling matters and achieving goals brings many afflictions and difficulties. There is also much suffering in this. Alas! So many things bring suffering! This is to say nothing of the obstructions to our bodies from poverty, disasters, disability, sickness and so on. There are many things that lead to discontent. Because of this, sentient beings have “heavy obstacles and much suffering.” In spiritual and psychological issues, as well as in tangible external matters, there are so many kinds of suffering that we can observe and know about. So what can we do? When Bodhisattvas [go] among people, what they hear, see and come to understand all comes from sentient begins “who are foolish, ignorant and have heavy obstructions and much suffering”. It is because of these sentient beings that we are “connected.” “Bodhisattvas are connected to suffering sentient begins.” It is only because sentient begins suffer that they need Bodhisattvas. Thus, those Bodhisattvas are connected to are suffering sentient beings.
For example, a doctor has a noble mission because there is the suffering of sickness in this world. Sickness is suffering! The process of studying medicine is not easy. [Doctors] must investigate a person’s physical pathology and anatomy. They must understand life and how to relieve people from various ailments. For doctors, learning medicine is not easy; it is very hard work. [A doctor’s] mission is to deeply understand pathology, biology and so on, as well as what people face in life. So, a doctor’s mission is to use their own life to go among other [people’s] lives to save them.
Therefore, a doctor’s subject is their patient. This is why people have great respect for doctors. By the same principle, sentient beings are foolish and ignorant, with many physical and mental obstacles that obstruct their lives. There are many hindrances from life and death and spiritual challenges. Thus, they need the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma must be perpetuated. Its continuation depends on monastic who study the Dharma. They must investigate how vast and limitless it is to realize the Buddha’s enlightened nature, the awakened nature which allows us to become one with the universe. Only with great mindfulness can we spread the Buddha-Dharma among people. Only through our own internal cultivation and external practice by going among people [to accumulate] sufficient causes and conditions can we transform sentient beings.
For Bodhisattvas to attain Buddhahood, they must rely on sentient beings. Only through the causes and conditions of transforming sentient begins, can they “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions.” They must traverse the stable Bodhisattva-path not just for one lifetime, but for a long time, lifetime after lifetime. “There are countless sentient begins, and they vow to deliver them all.” With myriad sentient begins, when will [this work] end? So, it takes Bodhisattvas a very long time of depending on sentient begins’ causes and conditions in order to continuously advance on the Bodhisattva-path. This is how “Bodhisattvas are connected with sentient begins.” It means that “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient begins.” These mean the same thing. Sentient beings are adrift in a sea of suffering, [a state of] boundless confusion. They need Bodhisattvas to guide them back to their intrinsic awakened nature.
Therefore, Bodhisattvas must vow to deliver countless sentient beings. They must make long-term vows, not temporary ones. This is not [the work of] one lifetime, for, lifetime after lifetime, they must have clear vows to “awaken wisdom and exercise compassion,” to go among people lifetime after lifetime. They must also cultivate themselves, constantly making the effort to deeply understand the origins of the sutras and the complexities of the modern world. In the boundless vastness of the true principles, there is conditioned and unconditioned Dharma. Among these conditioned phenomena, with ignorant sentient begins’ layers upon layers of obstacles, how do we enter into “conditioned phenomena”? Among people, how can we understand the “unconditioned Dharma” within ourselves very clearly and distinctly? “The mind is without hindrances; there are no hindrances.” Then, there will be no afflictions and ignorance. Lodged in our minds. Our minds can be clear like mirrors. Only then will we be able to reflect the various circumstances of the external world.
So, we must harmoniously integrate continued and unconditioned [Dharma]. What if we cannot do this? [Going] among sentient begins does not [require us] to look at suffering that is far away. In truth, all around us, there is all kinds of foolishness, ignorance and heavy obstacles that are difficult to subdue. So, how can we uphold these conditioned and unconditioned [phenomena]? We are among turbulent sources of defilements. The defilement endlessly surges forth. How can we calm our afflictions and be free of hindrances or attachments? It is no easy task. Only by making vows and cultivating wisdom [can we know] how to distinguish conditioned phenomena. These are matters in our external environment. As for us, we ourselves must firmly safeguard the unconditioned [Dharma]. We must enter “the conditioned” and safeguard “the unconditioned.” By “awakening wisdom and exercising compassion,” our own wisdom becomes clear. We must treat sentient begins around us with universal compassion. To have universal compassion and remain undefiled by external conditions is easier said than done! Only if our wisdom is “discerning wisdom” can we understand “conditioned phenomena” and discern that they are “conditioned phenomena”. That is when we must awaken our compassion and exercise it by going among people. To be discerning, we must realize that all sentient beings are equal. All these sentient beings, how can we help them over a long time, lifetime after lifetime? We need to exercise our wisdom. Since we want to help them over the long run, we need to return again and again and continue these connections. Sentient beings all have Buddha-nature, so everyone is equal. Though it is hard to transform them in this life, at least we can form good affinities with them.
Take for example the refugees in Serbia. The people being helped were not from that place, nor were the people giving the aid. And yet, causes and conditions had converged in the country of Serbia. People from various countries had to escape due to different causes and conditions. They fled their countries and became refugees. They happened to be gathered in that place. There were [people] from other countries who could not bear [to see] the suffering of others, so they came from t heir countries [to help] time and again. At the start, they did not understand each other. Those who wanted to help people came together from different countries. Taking action with a common vow, they devoted themselves; this is [their] love. Yet, this required everyone to overcome their differences and work in the same way. How can we overcome our cultural differences to draw near to people from different places who suffer from common difficulties. This multitude of people in suffering [came from] different environments. They may have come from the same country but different provinces and districts. They even spoke different languages. So, it was the same [for them]. However, what they experienced was part of the turmoil in the greater environment. This is why they fled. They used to have different [living] conditions and be from different social strata. However, since they had fled, they had all become refugees. They were all suffering! These suffering people came from different social strata, with [different] temperaments, perspectives and lifestyles. They had all left home and gone to that place, so their frames of mind were all in turmoil. So, we can imagine how the refugee camps were a mess at the time, like hot sand after a fire or sandy soil boiled by hot water. It was truly impossible to approach. Yet, with the power of love, we had to be patient. So, “awakening wisdom and exercising compassion” is an aspiration. We have formed aspirations, and we want to help [people], so we give of ourselves unconditionally. We hope this material [aid] will be able to resolve their suffering. How could we help them transform their worried frowns into smiles? This was how these Bodhisattvas gave of themselves, body and mind, by putting the teachings into practice and dedicating themselves wholeheartedly. [The refugees] were cold, so we held several winter clothing distributions to different groups of people over different years. This is universal compassion, whether in times of cold or heat. When it was hot, during a period of very hot weather the refugees had not showered for a long time. [These volunteers] quickly gathered together to travel to Serbia and care for them, giving them new underwear. We did not just make sure their stomachs were full. We also cared about their physical [hygiene]. There were many cockroaches and fleas. We also helped them with these things, for no reason other than “universal compassion”. These [people who] escaped from disaster, having left their homes behind, now found themselves in distress and suffering!
In order to relieve sentient beings’ suffering, Bodhisattvas must do [such things]. As we vow to deliver countless sentient beings, whoever we can reach, we are willing to help them all. We must also “awaken wisdom and exercise compassion”. When it is cold, we give them winter clothes. When it is hot, we give them underwear that they can change into. All of this requires attention to details, compassion and wisdom. In every country we go to provide relief from disasters and suffering, we do the same work in these many countries.
There was an earthquake in Mexico in 2017. Tzu Chi volunteers from several countries went to care for [the survivors]. They also stayed with them for a long time. There were aftershocks every day. Every day, [the volunteers] were there going through the same thing with them. By the end, [they had stayed there] for nearly 100 days, around 80, 90 days. Unafraid of hardship, they repeatedly traveled back and forth from other countries. The USA and South America are both very far away [from that place]. While they were there, there were many aftershocks. When they first arrived, they had to step over piles of rubble from countless earthquakes as they visited every family. This was also very laborious work. In particular, they guided [the survivors to overcome] the fear in their minds, by healing their hearts and inspiring their love. So, [these volunteers] formed aspirations and vows to go to this country, and spread the Bodhisattva[-spirit], this “awakened love,” by willingly going there to lay down roots. As we learn the Bodhisattva-path, we vow to deliver countless sentient beings and relieve them from suffering. Once we liberate them from suffering, “Having relieved them from suffering, “[Bodhisattva] then expound the Dharma for them.” As they are in a stable place, we must begin to help them learn to make vows to transform sentient beings. This is also [part of it]. It means that in this world, living Bodhisattvas are all “connected with sentient beings”. Everyone is serving with gratitude and joy. Through the causes and conditions of transforming sentient beings, we relieve sentient beings from suffering. Everyone [can then] form aspirations to deliver countless sentient beings by each engaging in inner cultivation and external practice. We cultivate ourselves by “awakening wisdom and exercising compassion” with clear vows. Then we can practice according to our vows. This is being a Bodhisattva. So, “Bodhisattva have long-lasting compassion and great love; they uphold wisdom, apply loving-kindness and make great vows. Upholding impartial wisdom means to exercise our affinities of compassion and put great vows into action.
So, the long-lasting compassion of Bodhisattvas is not limited to this lifetime. We have [kept] it from our lives till now, and we will [continue it] in future lifetimes. So, with “long-lasting compassion and great love, in our interactions, we treat all sentient beings as equal; all have Buddha-nature and can attain Buddhahood. Everyone intrinsically had Buddha-nature. So, all of us must inspire each other to “apply loving-kindness and make great vows”. We must make great vows. “With unconditional loving-kindness,” we exercise universal compassion. “Hearing the true principles of the Buddha’s lifespan…”.
In truth, this “lifespan” refers to time. When it comes to the true principles, we continuously form aspirations over a long period of time, using our vitality in the world in every lifetime. This is our “lifespan,” the lifespan of wisdom, the timespan of the true principles. So, “Their merit and virtues and the source of the Dharma extend far”. Their merits and virtues and the source of the Dharma extend far! [They extend] very, very far, over long kalpas. In the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, we kept reiterating how [His lifespan] was very, very long. Whatever we compare it to, it is still very long. Even compared to dust particles, it is still infinite. This great amount is hard to express. As we walk the Bodhisattva-path, the Chapter on Distinguishing Merits and Virtues is meant to help sentient beings open, reveal, realize enter the Buddha’s understanding and views. So, coming to this point, we have needed a long time to share with everyone.
Indeed, the understanding and views of the Buddha all return to this; all return to this; [we must] connect with suffering sentient beings. in this world, there are infinite living beings, and wisdom-life has boundless true principles. This is everlasting. So, we must have an attitude of a very broad view as we observe these principles, the Buddha’s understanding and views. What the Buddha opened and revealed to us, we ought to realize and enter. So, this [Chapter on] Distinguishing Merits and Virtues is something very precious to understand. It requires continuous, long-term [practice]. Throughout many lifetimes, each lifetime is connected to the next. The principles are so vast and boundless, so [this practice] is truly uninterrupted and long. Only with the Buddha’s understanding and views can we [develop] such a limitless, long and extensive wisdom-life; the principles are so numerous. In summary, we must be very mindful. When listening to the Dharma every say, we must not [say], “Oh, just quickly go through the sutra.” we cannot do that. Should we just explain its wording, or should we discuss its principles? The principles must be revealed through matters. Principles from the past are encompassed by current principles. We must apply the principles to the current worldly matters. So, everyone must be very mindful. We must never forget to learn about current events every day so that we can converge with the principles.
The previous sutra passage says, “If there are good men and good women who have merits and virtues like these, among those who retreat from Anuttara-Samuak-Sambodhi, they are not found.
What merits and virtues are these? We discussed this previously. Everyone, many good men and women, practices the Five Paramitas. Through these Five Paramitas, [their have gained] many [merits]. But if they have faith and understanding, then they do not depart from the prajna paramita. So, the prajna paramita is attained through faith and understanding. Without faith and understanding, we cannot realize wisdom. Even if we practice giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence and Samadhi, if we lack wisdom, [the practice] is temporary. Forming aspirations is easy, but persevering in them is hard. So, only with wisdom can we sincerely adhere to a good thing we learn. When we gain [understanding] of a principle, [we say], “This is a true principle, I need to put this principle to use and unwaveringly dedicate my whole life to this mission”. These are “vows as vast as the universe.
This same principle has been taught by both Confucius and the Buddha. So, Confucius said “once we learn a good thing, we must sincerely adhere to it. The Buddha spoke of “tranquility and clarity” and “vows as vast as the universe in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. Herein are the principles. “Tranquil and clear” describe wisdom. Vows as vast as the universe” [arise when] we gain thorough understanding. When we have comprehended [the truths], we have faith and understanding. Our faith and understanding are thorough, so we have wisdom, and we are “tranquil and clear”.
In this way, be it lay or monastic practitioners, those who seek perfect enlightenment, Anuttara-Samuak-Sambodhi, will always have a smooth path. They will keep moving forward, without halting halfway. So, “Among those who retreat from Anuttara-Samuak-Sambodhi they are not found”. This means that on this path of “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions,” they have not stopped! All of them, no matter how long, distant or extensive [their path is], still move forward on the Bodhisattva-path thought lifetime after lifetime, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. They have never retreated.
The next sutra passage says, “At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke in verse.”
The Buddha has already spoken to us clearly. As Maitreya Bodhisattva continued from what the Buddha said about infinity, he used verse to repeatedly praise the teachings of the Buddha. The Buddha answered him, and when He answered, He replied with a long-form prose which explains clearly to us that everyone has kept seeking merit and virtue. So, when we discuss merit and virtue, they must be distinguished into classes. Some people only practice giving but do not uphold the precepts, while others [are different]. So, there are distinctions. Some already [practice] the Five Paramitas. Being replete in all the Five Paramitas, they only lack the prajna paramita. [The Buddha] taught us that, in order to enter the prajna paramita, we need faith and understanding. With faith and understanding, we will not retreat. That is the gist of what He meant.
At that time, the World-Honoted One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke in verse: Honorable Sakyamuni taught about subtle and wondrous faith and understanding and the Five and Six Paramitas, and to restate His meaning, He spoke in verse.
This sutra passage is very important. The Buddha repeatedly said that He “wished to restate His meaning,” and so He “spoke in verse”. This is what He said “Suppose there are people seeking Buddha-wisdom who, for 80 trillion nayutas of kalpas, practice the Five Paramitas.”
He repeated this again and again. In spiritual practice and listening to the Dharma, [people] form aspirations step by step. We begin from [the act of] giving. After understanding [the Dharma], we must uphold the precepts. After knowing propriety, we know to do good deeds, and we must cherish material resources. As we cherish humanity, we must also cherish all sentient beings. We must heighten our vigilance to not cause harm to living beings or materials. Apart from giving material things, we must also cherish lives. This does not only apply to people. We must also work to not harm lives but also protect them. This is upholding the precepts. There are many precepts and rules to abide by; this is upholding the precepts. To learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must keep the precepts. In the world, many things will tempt us. To fight our desires, we must be very clear about ourselves not allow our desires to tempt us, to give rise to greedy thoughts. So, we must be resolute. We must also be diligent. [Resolve] is not enough, we must also be diligent. Only with diligence can our mind be focused and steadfast. These are all practices we need, so this is how we seek Buddha-wisdom.
Suppose there are people seeking Buddha-wisdom: This describes the people who seek the wisdom of the Buddha. In order to further seek the Buddha’s all-encompassing wisdom and reach the Buddha’s wisdom and initial aspiration, they uphold and practice the first five paramitas of giving and so on.
“Suppose there are people seeking Buddha-wisdom.” If there are people “seeking Buddha-wisdom,” they “seek the Buddha’s all-encompassing wisdom”. The Buddha’s wisdom [encompasses] all variety of materials in the world and their physical principles; all matters, all principles and all things are completely clear [to Him]. This all-encompassing wisdom penetrates everything clearly and completely. This wisdom is very open and spacious.
[They seek to] “reach the Buddha’s wisdom and initial aspiration. Most importantly, for us to attain all-encompassing wisdom, most important is to seek the Buddha-Dharma from the moment we begin to believe in the Buddha. this is starting from “the Buddha’s wisdom and initial aspiration”. We form this aspiration and are determined to seek the Buddha-Dharma. This is the initial aspiration. So, we often say, “If we sustain our original aspiration, we will surely attain Buddhahood”. If we do not embrace our initial aspiration, we cannot move forward.
Without the original aspiration of Tzu Chi, we would not have existed for more than 50 years, all the way to the present. By the same principle, everything begins with an initial aspiration. So, “They uphold and practice the first five paramitas of giving and so on”.
Giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence and Samadhi are the first five paramitas. We must persevere in practicing these.
Next, it says, “For 80 trillion nayutas of kalpas, [they] practice the Five Paramitas.”
Once we form the initial aspiration, how much time must we go through? We must ceaselessly persevere in our aspirations “over a long time and long kalpas.” [They practice] for a long time, over many lifetimes. Everyone should be very familiar with “kalpas”. [They are] incalculable periods of time. So, they practice the Five Paramitas for such a long time. Throughout the process, throughout this time, even if we have not yet attained thorough faith and understanding or awakened our Buddha-wisdom, or awakened our Buddha-wisdom, we are still practicing the Five Paramitas, and we are walking [on the path].
The next sutra passage says, “Through all these kalpas, they give and make offerings to the Buddha, His Solitary Realizer disciples and the group of Bodhisattvas. They provide precious and extraordinary food and drinks and fine clothing and bedding. They build abodes with Tamalapatra sandalwood and dignify them with groves.”
This sutra passage says, “Through all these kalpas, they give and make offerings to the Buddha, His Solitary Realizer disciples and the group of Bodhisattvas.” This passage is all about giving. This is the dana paramita.
Through all these kalpas, they give and make offerings to the Buddha, His Solitary Realizer disciples and the group of Bodhisattvas: This explains the dana paramita, the paramita of giving. Over long kalpas, they also make offerings to the Buddha, Solitary Realizers and the group of Bodhisattvas.
The dana paramita is giving. Giving still requires “long kalpas.” Only by making offerings over a long time, giving to the Buddha lifetime after lifetime, are we really making offerings to the Buddha. This means it takes a very long time for a Buddha to appear in the world. So, they must make offerings to countless Buddhas. When the Buddha was in the world, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas all made vast offerings through giving. Actually, they made these offerings over many lifetimes. Now, with the Buddha’s understanding and views, everyone’s Buddha-wisdom is equal. It does not only refer to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. All sentient beings have Buddha-nature. Likewise, we can give to all sentient beings. Among the sentient beings, learning the Buddha-Dharma, there are the Solitary Realizers of higher wisdom. By listening to the Dharma, they can connect to their surroundings to understand the Dharma; these are Solitary Realizers. Hearers listen to the Dharma and realize the principles. Some of them form aspirations to be Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas form Bodhisattva-aspirations and make great vows, so they also get to receive offerings. There are different kinds of offerings. “They provide precious and extraordinary food, drinks, fine clothing and bedding.”
They provide precious and extraordinary food and drinks and fine clothing and bedding: Food and drinks refer to all kinds of delicacies, such as rare and exotic jams, honey, rice, noodles and so on. There are also fine and precious clothing, as well as beds and bedding.
Food is represented by “all kinds of delicacies, such as rare and exotic jams, honey, rice, noodles and so on.” These are all rare and exotic delicacies. “Fine clothing” refers to the highest quality clothing. “Bedding” is sheets and blankets used in sleeping places and so on. All of these nourish our physical lives. Clothing, food and a place to stay all nourish our bodies.
All these things, like clothing, food and shelter can nurture their physical body so they can diligently advance in spiritual practice and attain Bodhi. Thus, they are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha so they can “diligently advance in spiritual practice.”
Only with a peaceful mind and body can we earnestly engage in spiritual practice. So, for them to “diligently advance in spiritual practice,” they also need a stable and peaceful life. “…and attain Bodhi” means they realize principles through practice. This means we need Dharma-protectors to support the Dharma. Therefore, “[such things] are offered to the Buddha and the Sangha.” Many kinds of objects are given as offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha. “They build abodes with Tamalapatra sandalwood and dignify them with groves.”
They build abodes with Tamalapatra sandalwood and dignify them with groves. They use Tamalapatra sandalwood to build abodes as residences for the Sangha. They add groves to dignify the exceptional environment.
They used very high-quality wood. In the past, people used local materials to build houses. They would use timber for construction. Sometimes they used earth or lumber based on what material was available. Yet, for offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha, they used the highest quality wood, such as Tamalapatra sandalwood. This is fragrant wood. They used it to build abodes. For instance, they used juniper wood and so on to build residences in the abodes. “They add groves to dignify the exceptional environment.” In all of this, they were very mindful.
Dear Bodhisattvas, the Buddha-Dharma is truly very profound. To understand the profound Buddha-Dharma, we must try to experience it in life. In life, every person is a Bodhisattva. So long as we form aspirations, everyone is a Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva’s provision is among people. People need our help. In psychological aspects and so on, many people need guidance. This all requires Bodhisattvas. Whether we use our words or our strength, all of them can help sentient beings. Sentient beings experience countless sufferings. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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