Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Making the Four Offerings (四事布施 回向佛道)
Date: March.01.2019
“[We must understand] the essential nature of all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. The Dharmakaya is in the state of peace and tranquility. The Tathagata’s wisdom is inconceivable. The Bodhi-path is subtle, wondrous and pure. It is always profound, so it is called ‘subtle’. It is beyond comprehension, so it is called ‘wondrous’.”
We must mindfully seek to comprehend this! When it comes to “the essential nature of all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena,” we should all clearly understand conditioned an unconditioned phenomena. Previously, we have frequently spoken of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. “Conditioned phenomena” refers to ordinary matters. “Oh! Our daily life is in the turbulent world of temptations!” In facing all people, matters and things, everything is “conditioned phenomena.”
“Unconditioned phenomena” is what returns to the true principles. If we put our hearts into considering thoroughly, what is there to take issue with? Life, in its totality, is an illusion, so what is there to be concerned about? A myriad of interpersonal conflicts create afflictions and regrets throughout our lifetime. After we earnestly and tranquilly contemplate and thoroughly understand the principles, we will then naturally be free from interpersonal conflicts that impede us. We will thereby be free from the mindset of gain and loss! This is the Dharma-essence; the Dharma-essence is the true principles. True principles are intangible, without substance and appearance, yet the principles certainly exist. They are [found in] “the conditioned and unconditioned phenomena”. These are the principles of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. When it comes to the substance and appearance of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, conditioned phenomena have [tangible] form. People’s greed, anger and ignorance create conditioned phenomena. Because of our greed, [we think] “Oh! I disagree with what I see here” and become angered. Because our greed is always insatiable, we give rise to afflictions. “Regarding all these matters, this money, I ought to [accomplish] them and earn it. All beautiful things and treasures in the world ought to be mine!” This is due to a greedy mind. We have “one,” but we still lack “nine”. This is conditioned phenomena; it is also the mindset of unenlightened beings. In terms of conditioned phenomena, all interpersonal conflicts arise from these conditioned phenomena. Although [the results] are conditioned phenomena, these greedy thoughts are called “principles,” principles we should not possess. They arise out of our minds. This “opposition” arises from our minds; it is an opposing mentality. This is also intangible and truly wondrous. People thus develop inexhaustible thoughts of greed. This is also phenomena; it is “conditioned phenomena”. In our minds, thoughts constantly arise and cease. Among people, we constantly [distinguish] between those with and without affinities with us. Based on people’s actions, we make distinctions in our mindsets, so naturally, when others go against our wishes or are not the way we want them to be, we will be unhappy and grow angry. The principle is the same. The mindsets and attitudes of people are all “conditioned phenomena”.
In terms of unconditioned phenomena, when it comes to the mind, it is about according with the [true] principles. When we comprehend these thoroughly and recognize them with clarity, these [phenomena] are nothing; upon analysis, they are nonexistent. When we are understanding and accommodating, then everyone is joyful. We have good affinities [with others]. What negative affinities are there between people? What matters can we not let go of? [It is] that simple! So, these are also principles.
[Whether] we go against the principles or follow the principles, what takes place is all called phenomena, conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. So, we must be able to be very clear on [the fact that] everyone intrinsically possesses Buddha-nature, a good heart and the intrinsic nature of True Suchness. We engage in spiritual practice to return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Everything that goes against it must be taken back and eliminated. All that is incorrect must be [set aside]. All that is wrong must be eliminated.
So, the way to eliminate afflictions and karmic obstacles is through eliminating these conditioned phenomena. Incorrect behavior, thinking and actions are all conditioned phenomena. What about doing good deeds? Giving rise to a good and loving thought to do good deeds all begins with the mind. Doing good deeds means to return to [our nature of True Suchness]; this is turning the bad into the good, shifting from opposing to following [the principles]. With the same [set of principles], we can oppose them or follow them; this is the only difference. So, we often say that spiritual practice is not difficult; as long as our direction is correct, naturally, “the Dharmakaya will be in the state of peace and tranquility.” It will be very easy.
So, “The Tathagata’s wisdom is inconceivable. The Bodhi-path is subtle, wondrous and pure.” As long as our heart is pure in every thought, we will have wisdom equal to the Tathagata’s. Regarding the Tathagata’s wisdom, how could we unenlightened beings find a way to guess the Tathagata’s wisdom? The Buddha was able to analyze for us what conditioned phenomena are, what unconditioned phenomena are and how we create evil phenomena. [He] had taught for a very long time about many principles. Have we taken them to heart?
The Buddha began to analyze things for us from His first [teaching] on “suffering”. Conditioned and unconditioned phenomena were already encompassed by [these teachings]. He began to analyze suffering, causation, cessation and the Path for us. He was able to analyze these principles with such clarity. Thus, the Tathagata’s wisdom is hard to fathom; it is inconceivable. [Such is] the Buddha’s wisdom. The Buddha analyzed all things in the world, including interpersonal conflicts. [He] discussed astronomy and geography and analyzed the human mind. He [understood] all these like the back of His hands, as if they were His fingers; [to Him], they are this simple. We unenlightened beings are still lost here, among conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. The wisdom of the Tathagata is like this; it is extremely subtle, wondrous and pure.
Because of His purity, because He had clearly distinguished conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, He could no longer be defiled by conditioned phenomena. He had clearly distinguished and eliminated them, walking only in the direction of the pure Dharma. “The Bodhi-path] is always profound, so it is called ‘subtle’. It is beyond comprehension, so it is called ‘wondrous’.” Profound means deep and far-reaching; [the Bodhi-path] is profound, far-reaching and expansive. Its profoundness is deep and unfathomable. So, it will always be there. As of late, we have continuously spoken of time, [from] the limitless past up to the present and into the boundless future. The Dharma continues without end, and the principles exist forever. This includes the worldly laws of life and death and the natural world; these are all encompassed within the true principles. “It is always profound, so it is called ‘subtle’.”
The Buddha’s wisdom encompasses [so much], with such comprehension and such clarity. Thus, it is “beyond comprehension.” As for us unenlightened begins, how can we analyze the Buddha’s wisdom? It is amazing! It is truly subtle and wondrous. [This wisdom] will always be difficult for unenlightened beings to grasp; it will be difficult for them to experience and come to understand the Buddha’s wisdom. “The pure Dharmakaya of the Buddha is subtle, wondrous and inconceivable.
We must have faith and understanding in the pure Dharma to overcome all discriminating [thoughts] and free ourselves from delusions, doubts and regrets.”
The Buddha’s Dharmakaya is completely pure, free of every bit of defilement. The Buddha’s wisdom and enlightened nature are completely pure. So, this is “the pure Dharmakaya of the Buddha.”
Although we also possess it, although we all possess our nature of True Suchness, it has been buried by our afflictions. Our many layers of afflictions have buried and covered it up. Although we are currently working hard, our past habitual tendencies are still present. In our perspective and thinking, we have yet to eliminate many of our discursive thoughts.
So, we all still possess a defiled mind. We share the same intrinsic nature as the Buddha, [the same] enlightened nature and nature of True Suchness. Yet, the Buddha is singularly honored; His Dharmakaya is pure, so He is capable of illuminating all things with His great perfect mirror wisdom, and He is without faults. [Our nature] is still covered by much dust.
So, “[The Dharmakaya] is subtle, wondrous and inconceivable.” Between unenlightened beings’ minds and the pure Buddha-nature alone, there is a difference. So, we must be mindful and be more diligent. Since we know that we have a nature that is equal to the Buddha’s, we must certainly have faith and understanding; we must believe [in this].
Over the past few days, we have been discussing “faith and understanding.” We must draw near to wisdom and make use of it, for only then will we be able to eliminate afflictions with faith and understanding. Only with faith and understanding can we eliminate afflictions and bring purity to all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. [To know how] to use unconditioned phenomena to clearly analyze conditioned phenomena, we must have thorough faith and understanding. So, “We must have faith and understanding in the pure Dharma.” Only with faith and understanding will we be able to eliminate afflictions. We must have faith, for only in that way will we be able to “overcome all discriminating [thoughts].” Is something conditioned phenomena or unconditioned phenomena? How can we clearly [distinguish them]? Is [a thought] a good or bad thought? How can we filter through them very clearly? This requires our deep faith and understanding.
When it comes to worldly affairs, as we practice on the Bodhisattva-path, we cannot depart from worldly affairs. Worldly affairs take place among people, and people’s perspectives are very complex. This all means that among the conditioned phenomena of our everyday life, we must find a way to use unconditioned phenomena and pure true principles to face these defiled conditioned phenomena. As we practice among people and matters, what is purity? What is defilement? [To distinguish them], “We [must] have faith and understanding in the pure Dharma”, this is the only way. So, we must be very mindful. In the beginning, I told everyone to be mindful. Only by being mindful and having faith and understating can we “overcome all discriminating [thoughts]” and not mix [purity and defilement]. The pure will be pure; the clear will clear. The turbid will be turbid, and the defiled will be defiled. We must return this turbidity to purity. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. So, if we can do this, we will “free ourselves from delusions, doubts and regret”.
Delusions refers to all ignorance and defilements. We can then eliminate ignorance and defilements. Once we eliminate them, we can naturally be free of doubts and regrets. Once our delusions have left us, we will no longer have doubts. So, we must be very mindful. While amidst faith and understanding, we must distinguish right from wrong. So, [knowing what is] correct and incorrect, requires fine and meticulous faith, understanding and wisdom; only then will we be able to distinguish right from wrong. So, we must be very mindful.
The previous sutra passage states, “At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke in verse”. This is the previous passage. The Buddha had already analyzed for us how we should distinguish these infinite merits and virtues. We practice giving, precepts, patience, diligence and Samadhi. We may say that we have engaged in practice because we sit in meditation for a long time each day, that we have attained great mastery because we do not care about anything. We [may think that] we have let go of everything and attained great cultivation. And then what? As time passes, we still will not have sincere faith and understanding; we will only let time idly go by. Without true faith and understanding, without using our wisdom, what is the use of just sitting there like this? So, we need to understand that we must start from giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence and Samadhi we must [practice] in this way. If we lack one, [our practice] will be incomplete. So, the Buddha told us that we must have “understanding”, we must have profound faith and understanding. We must employ the profound and distant faith that we have had from Beginningless Time throughout the present. We must certainly believe that when it comes to Buddha’s understanding and views, He did not simply awaken from observing people, maters and things over the brief period of one lifetime and was then able to teach us so many principles. That was not the case! He had to [practice] throughout distant kalpas. So, we must certainly believe [that He did this] over long kalpas, over infinite kalpas. From the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan all the way to the present all He did was to help us believe that, in this period of time, in [these] kalpas, people’s nature neither arises nor ceases. Everyone possesses the nature of True Suchness; we have always possessed this.
So, we must believe in karma and cyclic existence. [We need] wisdom. We must not think, “Ah, He always speaks of karma”. Indeed! Around three of four in the morning, we wake up. So many others are still in bed, [wandering] in their dreams. Those who are awake are all in high spirits. As they sit down, they listen to the teachings. In this way, we can fully utilize our time, using it to analyze with principles how we can face the worldly matters for today. Now, we are permeating ourselves with “the unconditioned phenomena”. Later, we will have to face “conditioned phenomena” among people and matter. While among people and matters, how do we engage with them without becoming defiled? We have to apply the Dharma we hear among people. We see and come into contact with the principles. They may appear a certain way, but when it comes to [true] principles, for us to be vigilant and follow them requires that we listen to and take in the Dharma. Only then will we be able to face the turbulent temptations of “conditioned phenomena”. This is how we use time to develop our faith. Time can [help] our wisdom to grow. So, after the Buddha had said a great deal, due to the importance of these teachings, he again repeated the teachings in verse; He spoke in verse so that everyone could [recall them].
However, regarding what He repeated, do people think, “I have already heard this”? having heard it, is it in our memory? Recently, I have frequently discussed “memory” with everyone. After listening, we forget, so we must [listen] again, over and over. We must repeat these verses. For this reason, these teachings are important. [Regarding] the Buddha, “At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke in verse”.
Every section of the verse expresses its importance. “Suppose there are people seeking Buddha-wisdom who, for 80 trillion nayutas of kalpas, practice the Five Paramitas”. We have discussed these few simple sentences for several days. We can see that these teachings are very important. We have already explained them, so do we all still remember them? They have practiced the Five Paramitas for such a long period of time. “Through all these kalpas, they give and make offerings to the Buddha”.
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 abodies with Tamalapatra sandalwood and dignify them with groves.
[Form the sentence] “through all these kalpas,” we know that this had happened for a long time in the past, for all these kalpas. Throughout this long period of time in the past, “They gave and made offerings to the Buddha”. They gave over this long period of time. Did they only constantly give to the Buddha? Everyone intrinsically has the Buddha-nature, so they served sentient beings, using such actions to take refuge in the Buddha. [They did it to] “His Solitary Realizer disciples and the group of Bodhisattvas.” When we [practice with] “unity, harmony, mutual love and concerted effort” and serve people without trouble, this is an offering of the Dharma, of harmony and reverence among people and the Buddha-Dharma. “They provide precious and extraordinary food and drinks and fine clothing and bedding. They build abodes with Tamalapatra sandalwood and dignify them with groves. We have already discussed this passage before. Everyone, we must be very mindful.
Even though this verse is very short, and we have previously explained it in the prose as well as the verse, it still contains many more meanings. Even if we were to repeat it again, there would still be much more to explain. Thus, it is “subtle, wondrous and inconceivable”. Every phrase contains countless principles within it.
The next sutra passage further states, “They give gifts like these, of many varieties, all subtle and wondrous. Throughout all these kalpas, they dedicate their merits to the path to Buddhahood. Furthermore, they uphold the precepts while remaining pure and flawless. As they seek the unsurpassed path, all Buddhas praise them.
We must be mindful and seek to understand this. “They give gifts like these.” This refers to the Five Paramitas we discussed earlier. In this way, they put them into action over long periods of time. This is how these Bodhisattvas cultivated these practices. All good men and good women have likewise practiced in this way, giving in this way over long periods of time. So, [the gifts were of] many varieties, all subtle and wondrous.”
They give gifts like these, of many varieties, all subtle and wondrous: The food and drinks, clothing, abodes and bedding refer to giving the four Offerings. These offerings come in many varieties, each with a precise, subtle and wondrous meaning. Giving refers to “making the Four Offerings”.
The Four Offerings are not just the four [necessities] of clothing, shelter, food and bedding; these are not all. I will explain the Four Offerings later on. so, this is how they gave; be it [offering] tangible material things or intangible actions, these are all considered giving. “These offerings come in many varieties, each with a precise, subtle and wondrous meaning.” They are subtle and practical, and their meaning is truly wondrous. So, [regarding] the Four Offerings, we may all see them as food, medicine, bedding, clothing and so on, but there is more to it than that. We must be mindful.
The Four Offerings: Giving, loving speech, beneficial conduct and working together. As we cultivate the Bodhisattva-practice, we must practice to benefit sentient beings as well as enable them to walk the path with us. Therefore, we must constantly work together with them to give them what they lack. Furthermore, we must use loving speech to comfort, console and guide them. We must give rise to beneficial conduct and work together with them, thereby broadly gathering all roots of goodness.
I have told everyone about the Four Offerings. Within our daily lives, how should we interact with people and deal with matters? There are four ways, the Four Offerings. There are “giving,” which is to serve others, “loving speech, beneficial conduct and working together”. These are the four ways. Among people, we must earnestly practice these every day and in our every action whenever we interact with others and serve them.
A few days ago, I said that when someone cannot open their mind, we must find a way to guide and comfort them. This is also a form of giving. If there are too many things for them to carry, we should use a bit of our strength to help them lessen their load, save their time and so on. These are all [ways of] giving.
So, in terms of “the Bodhisattva-practice, when we cultivate the Bodhisattva-practice, we practice to benefit sentient beings”. we already benefit people in all matters. This is because we traverse the Bodhisattva-path. We are grateful that others allow us to serve, and we are willing to uphold the practice to benefit sentient beings. So, we certainly need loving speech. We must employ loving speech and speak with others warmly and gently. In our every action and phrase, we must seek to benefit sentient beings. After all of these practices, this loving speech and beneficial conduce, we then must work together with others, “enabling them to walk the path with us. If we treat others with a positive attitude, others will think, “You do so much good in all matters. You help people, so I’m thankful. Because of your attitude, everyone praises you. Here, I will work with you!” So, “We must constantly work together with them; we must give and serve [others].” This giving can include loving speech, beneficial conduct and working with others. These are four kings of attitudes. While working together among people, this is [how we should] interact with people and deal with matters. So, with loving speech, we “comfort, console and guide” people. This is loving speech. We must “give rise to beneficial conduct. In our relations with others, in everything we do, as we just spoke of, even with our speech or in helping to save them their strength, time and so on, this is all “beneficial conduct”. When we bring others out to “work together,” when we do good deeds together, this is all considered giving. So, we should guide other and work together. What is more, we just spoke of dealing with matters and interacting with people. This is how we should do this.
Continuing on, we must engage in practice. Bodhisattvas must engage in spiritual practice, but what kind of practice?
Cultivating the Bodhisattva-practice: 1. Our Body must always be reverent and vigilant . 2. Our speech must always be completely sincere. 3. Our mind must always be gentle and compliant. 4. We must apply provisional and skillful means. 1. Our body must always be reverent and vigilant: To engage in the Bodhisattva-practice, we must vigilantly safeguard our karma of body, keeping our bodies from growing undisciplined. 2. Our speech must always be completely sincere: To practice the teachings of the right path, we must safeguard our karma of speech, keeping our speech sincere, upright and free of falsehood.
In cultivating the Bodhisattva-practice, first, “Our bodies must always be reverent and vigilant. This is the Bodhisattva-practice. Bodhisattva ”must vigilantly safeguard [their] karma of body, keeping their bodies from growing undisciplined”. We must be truly diligent, paying attention to our behavior in all matters. Thus, there is a saying that. “A noble person is cautious even when alone.” We must be cautious even when alone; we must be very vigilant, even when we are by ourselves. So, a noble person is vigilant even when alone, to say nothing of when among people.
Second, “Our speech must always be completely sincere”. When speaking, we must be sincere and honest. “To practice the teachings of the right path, we must safeguard our karma of speech.” We must earnestly safeguard our karma of speech, [keeping it] “upright and free of falsehood”. This is the Bodhisattva-practice. We must not think lightly of our behavior. Whether it be bodies or our speech, we must be vigilant in everything.
Cultivating the Bodhisattva-practice: 3. Our mind must always be gentle and compliant: To cultivate the Bodhisattva-practice, we must safeguard our karma of mind, keeping our minds gentle and compliant and eliminating greed, anger and delusion. This is the meaning of “Our mind must always be gentle and compliant.” 4. We must apply provisional and skillful means: To uphold the Bodhisattva-practice, we must apply provisional and skillful means to save and protect all living beings. This is the meaning of applying provisional and skillful means.
Third, “Our mind must always be gentle and compliant. This is in reference to the arising of thoughts. Our minds must be gentle and compliant in [our dealings with] sentient beings and between people. So, people who engage in the Bodhisattva-practice must be vigilant of themselves. We must earnestly take care of our minds and be vigilant.
Thus, we must “safeguard our karma of mind, keeping our minds gentle and compliant”. Our minds must be peaceful, gentle and compliant. This is how we cultivate ourselves, the attitude we should harbor in mind. We must “eliminate greed, anger and delusion”. When it comes to our minds, what we fear most is having greed, anger and delusion. When greed, anger and delusion are in our minds, they [act as] poisons. So, we must be earnestly vigilant, not allowing thoughts of greed, anger and delusion from arising in our minds. While among conditioned phenomena, this is greatly troubling. “This is the meaning of ‘Our mind must always be gentle and compliant’.” This is something that spiritual practitioners, particularly those who engage in the Bodhisattva-practice, must be vigilant of must be vigilant of.
[To cultivate the Bodhisattva-practice], fourthly, we must apply “provisional and skillful means”. “Provisional and skillful means refers to how those who engage in the Bodhisattva-practice must “apply provisional and skillful means”. Although we head toward the direction of unconditioned phenomena, it is difficult to avoid worldly matters. Thus, while among worldly matters, we ought to respond to [the issues] of the world. What exactly does the world need, and how can we fulfill [the need]? This requires provisional means. A door is only so large, and with a piece of wood this long, if we carry it horizontally into the room, can it be carried in? We can certainly carry it in. As long as we turn it in a certain direction, we can bring the wood in. If we hold it horizontally, of course we cannot [bring it in]; we must carry it vertically. If we hold it vertically, and the [door] is not tall enough, what should we do? We just have to turn it to an angle, then it will clear [the door] and be able to pass through. What is most important is to bring this object inside. [Similarly], in order for others, to take the Dharma to heart, we must use “provisional and skillful means”. Wasn’t the Buddha’s teachings for more than 40 years like this? He responded to sentient beings’ capabilities; the principle is the same. Everything that we do is to give in response to sentient beings’ needs. These are provisional and skillful means. This is our attitude in our everyday life, when we interact with people and carry out things. Bodhisattva also possess these four things; we must be very vigilant of ourselves and careful in our physical conduct. Thus, it is very important that we are mindful. [We use skillful means to] “save and protect all living beings”. This is the meaning of applying provisional and skillful means. In truth, all sentient beings intrinsically possess Buddha-nature. Who are the ones who are able to save others? The only difference is some awakened earlier and some later. We are simple using the Buddha’s teachings, these true principles; we rely on these true principles to protect sentient beings. By leveraging sentient beings, we can put the true principles into practice and increase our wisdom. So, we must be grateful for our affinities with sentient beings and for the Dharma that allows us keep going. The principle is the same. So, we must adapt the principles among people. Who will be able to transform whom? In truth, it is sentient beings who transform us, because if they did not give us opportunities, how could we have the chance and the causes and conditions to serve others? We must put great importance on and have faith and understanding of karmic conditions. We must have faith in and understanding of the law of karma. We must have faith in the depths of our minds that everything builds up over time. We can comprehend our intrinsic nature of True Suchness; we must certainly comprehend it. So, if our faith is deep, we will naturally accept the Dharma and will thereby engage in spiritual cultivation. In our cultivation, we must be vigilant. So, Bodhisattva make the Four Offerings. With their own bodies, they must be vigilant and cautious. These are the Four Offerings that Bodhisattva must put into practice themselves.
Furthermore, we previously discussed the four attitudes we need in dealing with people and matters, including how we should make offerings to the Buddha and Bodhisattva. Everyone intrinsically possesses Buddha-nature. Throughout long kalpas, [they have] ceaselessly served others, constantly providing food, clothing, bedding, medicine and so on, the Four Offerings. So, all [forms of] giving are the Four Offerings, including the Four Offerings of our self-cultivation. So, we must be very mindful.
Next, “Throughout all these kalpas, they dedicate their merits to the path to Buddhahood.”
Throughout all these kalpas, they dedicate their merits to the path to Buddhahood: Throughout 80 trillion nayutas of kalpas, because sentient beings lack goodness, we give them [the virtuous Dharma] to guide them in the right direction of Bodhi. Dedication of merits is of great benefit and takes us toward the path to Buddhahood.
Throughout all these kalpas, they dedicate their merits to the path to Buddhahood.
We must understand this great length of time. “Throughout 80 trillion nayutas of kalpas” refers to long periods of time, the time over long kalpas. “Sentient beings lack goodness.” Since long ago, sentient beings have been transmigrating within the Six Realms. Greed, anger and delusion exist within all worldly matters, within worldly truths and conditioned phenomena. So, [sentient beings become] infected with much greed, anger, delusion and ignorance. They have forgotten their intrinsic goodness. So we say, “Sentient beings lack goodness. We give them [the virtuous Dharma] to guide them in the right direction of Bodhi.” We have already formed aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path. We have done this already. “We” is how we all refer to ourselves. We must understand that we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice, apply it to ourselves, putting the Buddha-Dharma into practice and use the Buddha’s teachings to teach and transform sentient beings. As sentient beings have yet to receive the Buddha-Dharma, we must pass on the Buddha-Dharma to them. Therefore, “We give them [the virtuous Dharma]. We must give the Buddha-Dharma to sentient beings and ensure that their direction is correct. Everyone [must] head toward goodness, ridding themselves of evil [to attain] good; they must eliminate all bad karma, nurture and grow virtuous Dharma and move toward the Bodhi-path. Thus, “Dedication of merits is of great benefit.” When we recite the sutra, we are actually engaging in practice for ourselves to help us orient our practice in an even more accurate direction. The correct direction is to dedicate our merits to our goal. Why do we recite this sutra? We do it to cultivate ourselves and understand what this direction requires us to do. It is for the sake of this matter that we recite the sutra, increasing our wisdom. When others come and help us, they dedicate their merits and virtues back to themselves. This is a direction, a goal. We often speak of “dedicating merits.” Dedicating merits is the aim of our practice; our aim in reciting the sutras is to bring blessings to others. This is how we express our [blessings]. So, “[It] takes us toward the path to Buddhahood.” Our [desire] to teach and guide sentient beings is also an aim. We hope that everyone’s direction is correct, that they go toward the path to Buddhahood. [This is the meaning of] “dedicating our merits to the path to Buddhahood.” In truth, it is not that we dedicate our merits for the Buddha to receive. What the Buddha receives is joy that these people have taken the Dharma to heart. Because they made such offerings to the Buddha, He is joyful. So, we must dedicate our merits to the path to Buddhahood. “Furthermore, they uphold the precepts while remaining pure and flawless.”
Furthermore, they uphold the precepts while remaining pure and flawless: In addition, they clearly understand the paramita of precepts and uphold the Buddha’s purifying precepts with vigilance. Without ever violating this discipline, they flawlessly uphold these practices.
“Furthermore, they uphold the precepts.” This means that He spoke of this repeatedly. These are the precepts. We must give and uphold the precepts. We previously spoke of giving. In giving, aside from making offerings of daily necessities to the Buddha and the Sangha, we must also cultivate ourselves through giving among people. In our personal cultivation, we must be vigilant in our daily lives. This is giving; it is also our provision to engage in the Bodhisattva-practice. Now, we previously made the Four Offerings. Making offerings to the Buddha through physical conduct is also giving. Let us now speak of precepts. We use precepts to transform ourselves and others. We “uphold the Buddha’s purifying precepts with vigilance.” We must be vigilant, very vigilant.
In the past, we did not know that our actions were incorrect. Now that we have received the Buddha’s teachings, we must uphold the Buddha’s precepts. Upholding them requires purity and vigilance. “Without ever violating this discipline” means that we must not violate the rules. Without violating these rules, we “flawlessly uphold these practices.” We must be very vigilant and mindful of this. So, “They seek the unsurpassed path.” This is what we must seek, seek our convergence with the path. Our spiritual practice is our own matter, and so is walking on the right path. Although in the process of our spiritual cultivation, we give and uphold the precepts and walk upon the path that goes in the correct direction, we must always have a grateful heart. This will help us draw near to the path to enlightenment.
So, “As they seek the unsurpassed path, all Buddhas praise them.” All Buddhas are very joyful and full of praise. They “seek the teachings of the right path.” All Buddhas praise them.
We must mindfully seek to understand these matters, for we will then naturally return to the right path. We must constantly keep our hearts upon this path. In our lives, when we deal with people and matters, if we follow the precepts well, by giving and upholding the precepts in this way, we are cultivating the right path. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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