Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Repay the Four Graces to Swiftly Enter the Path (念報四恩 得入道疾)
Date: March.12.2019
“As we practice the path each day and night, we must sincerely resolve to repay the Four Graces. [There is] the grace of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for [extending] our wisdom-life, the grace of our parents for giving us life, the grace of our teachers for giving us knowledge and the grace of sentient beings for nourishing us on the path. Those who contemplate repaying grace like this will be able to swiftly enter the path.”
Let us mindfully seek to understand this. Over the course of daily life, day and night, for 24 hours a day, we should always be thinking about repaying grace. We must be very sincere. There are Four Graces, and we should always be thinking about how we can repay them. These Four Graces, are “the grace of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for [extending] our wisdom-life, the grace of our parents for giving us life, the grace of our teachers for giving us knowledge and the grace of sentient beings for nourishing us on the path. Those who contemplate repaying grace like this will be able to swiftly enter the path”. This means that every day, our minds should be set on repaying the grace of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is because all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, throughout many years, many lifetimes, since distant kalpas ago, have done nothing but extend our wisdom-life. Thus, we ought to repay them. We have sutras and books we can read; isn’t this all thanks to the grace of the wisdom of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? Regarding the principles and the sutras, the sutras are full of nothing but principles, principles that teach us. They are all capable of teaching us to move toward goodness and put the Dharma into practice along the path. This is all thanks to the grace of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for extending of our wisdom-life. So, we must always seek to repay them with a heart full of gratitude. What of our parents? They gave birth to us and gave us our bodies. They also raised us and nurtured our wisdom-life. They gave us our body and raised us so that we could grow up and [experience] the world. This is the grace of our parents for giving us life and raising us. We have this body; we ought to be grateful!
There is also “the grace of our teachers for giving us knowledge,” enabling us to learn so many principles. Ever since we were small, from the ethics and principles [we learned] to our present study of the Buddha-Dharma, this journey has all been made possible by our teachers for educating us and helping us learn and comprehend things. Thus, this is “the grace of knowledge.” Since we have been able to have such a smooth journey in life, besides being grateful for the aforementioned, we also ought to recognize “the grace of sentient beings for nourishing us on the path.”
I often tell everyone to go among people, to experience diversity and the many ways of life in society. While there are many afflictions and complexities, it is actually amidst these afflictions and complexities that we are able to comprehend the numerous principles of the world. The contrast between positive and negative and correct and incorrect helps us learn how to discern what is right from what is wrong. This is what we learn by going among people. When we see others doing the right thing, we learn how to do the right thing. They are our role models for benefiting others. We can also see how a single deviant thought can lead to countless mistaken thoughts, causing someone’s every step among people to be mistaken. How much criticism do people express toward someone with this kind of character? What sort of criticism is it? How much more does it give rise to? People praise the good and criticize the bad. This is all part of our discussions about right and wrong, which all serve to expand our knowledge. This all comes out of going among people. So, there is so much knowledge within the world; there are so many things to know and learn. It is because there are so many complexities like these that we can realize life’s impermanence. It is only because there is so much greed, anger and ignorance to delude people that we can lead so many people out of this and spread the Dharma to guide them out of their confusion in life. So, we often say that sentient beings are the spiritual training ground of Bodhisattvas. Therefore, we must be grateful. [The Buddha] gives us a path to walk, expands our knowledge and nourishes our wisdom-life. As long as we are mindful and walk this path in earnest, gaining nourishment by actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, then we will be successful as Bodhisattvas among sentient beings. So, we must be grateful for “the grace of sentient beings for nourishing us on the path.” If it were not for these myriad sentient beings, how else would we be able to live our lives in the direction of the right path?
Thus, we must truly be grateful. Life’s meaning is found within the tumult of [the world’s] turbidities, wherein we awaken our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. So, we must always be grateful. We must not only have gratitude for Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, nor solely for our parents or teachers. It is while among people that we truly learn. They provide us with so many lessons that help us understand the extremities of right and wrong. They help us clearly understand this, so we must also be grateful for them. “Those who contemplate repaying grace like this will be able to swiftly enter the path.” “Swiftly” means very quickly. If we understand this, if we seek to repay the Four Graces, if we clearly understand these principles, we will fully actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. This is what it means to be Living [Bodhisattvas]. For example, Living Bodhisattvas begin by showing grace to sentient beings, for “bodhisattvas first show grace universally to all sentient beings.” Bodhisattvas first serve others, ceaselessly serving the world unconditionally. This just like parents and teachers who have unconditional love for their children [and students]; it is [their] nature. Bodhisattvas are both teachers and parents, thus they are our [spiritual leaders]. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are our spiritual elders. They carry on the principles of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which constitute the wisdom-life of the Dharmakaya.
In this way, the wisdom-life of the Dharmakaya continues to live on in this world without ceasing. So long as people are willing to seek out the principles, the principles will continue [to be passed down]. By continuing to accept the principles, they will pass them down to future generations. Each generation passes down the wisdom-life of the Dharmakaya. As the wisdom-life of the Dharmakaya constitutes the principles, anyone who passes on the principles is a Buddha or Bodhisattva. If we maintain this mindset, we will be grateful. Parents and teachers also have this mindset. They naturally give to their children and students without any expectations. Thus, this is just like the Bodhisattva mindsets. A mother’s heart and a Bodhisattva’s heart, a Bodhisattva’s heart and a parent’s heart are all connected; they are all the same. Doesn’t the Buddha treat everyone among the Four Kinds of Beings as if they were His only son? Sentient beings see the Buddha as their father, for the Buddha is their kind father, the “kind father of the Four Kinds of Beings.” Isn’t this the case? By seeing the Four Kinds of Beings as. His children, He has the hearts of a parent. Bodhisattvas [are the same].
Bodhisattvas come to this world throughout lifetime after lifetime; they are not just parents for a single lifetime. Bodhisattvas maintain a parent’s heart through successive lifetimes. Thus, “Bodhisattvas first show grace universally to all living beings. They give of their wealth and material goods.” When sentient beings suffer from poverty, [Bodhisattvas] give of their wealth or material goods or other such things. In addition to material goods, they also give their spiritual [support].
In this way, all their needs [are met] as Bodhisattvas serve and teach them. Thus, they “also relieve all their fears,” helping sentient beings become free of fear, bring peace to their minds and guiding them to fully comprehend the principles so that sentient beings’ hearts will always be at ease. Thus, Bodhisattvas fulfill sentient beings’ external and internal needs, helping them become safe and stable. In particular, when sentient beings fall ill, [Bodhisattvas] provide them with medicine. They give them [access to] the doctors and medicine they need to cure their ailments. This brings sentient beings peace and joy. A peaceful and joyful life is a good life. Their minds will be full of knowledge and wisdom, and their bodies will be healthy and free of ailments. In this way, [Bodhisattvas] help sentient beings become fulfilled, providing for all their needs. Sentient beings also recognize their grace. They know they must repay this grace. However, since Bodhisattvas have no desire for worldly wealth or material goods, how can sentient beings repay them? “We do not lust after wealth, nor are we attached to material goods. These is nothing we desire. What could you [possibly] do to repay us?” This is the Bodhisattva mindset. However, should they still wish to repay them, the only way is to teach them, teach them to make offerings to their parents; they must learn filial piety, for it is foremost among the principles of being a good person. From their youth, we must teach them to repay their parents’ grace and be grateful for their parents. We must also teach these sentient beings the importance of cherishing life being filial toward their parents; showing filiality toward their parents; they must also cherish sentient beings. But they must do more than cherish them. Should they truly wish to repay them, they must be good people, follow the rules, cherish sentient beings and never harm anyone. This is the greatest means of repayment. They must make offerings through actions and repay the aforementioned Four Graces, the grace of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the grace of their parents, the grace of their teachers and the grace of sentient beings. They must repay their grace through actions. This is how Bodhisattvas [teach us]. Bodhisattvas wish to guide sentient beings. Buddhas also guide them in this way. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas give to sentient beings without ever expecting any form of repayment. Our form of repayment is doing our duties well. We must make offerings to our parents, cherish the world’s sentient beings, learn to cherish our own wisdom-life, abide by the rules, observe the proper etiquette and uphold the precepts. This is the best way to repay their grace.
This means that Bodhisattvas first show grace universally to all living beings. They give of their wealth and material goods and liberate them from hardships. They also relieve them of all their fears and cure all kinds of ailments, thus enabling them to attain peace and joy. Sentient beings recognize their grace and wish to repay it, but Bodhisattvas have no desire for worldly wealth or profit. So, they teach sentient beings how to make offerings to their parents, as well as how to save lives and how to accept and uphold the precepts. This is what it means to repay grace skillfully.
This is how Bodhisattvas in this world practice the Five Paramitas, or rather, the Six Paramitas, as the Six Paramitas are the complete set. Bodhisattvas, those who follow the Bodhisattva-path, cannot stray from the Five Paramitas, or rather, the Six Paramitas. The most important among them is the sixth, wisdom. Through wisdom, we will recognize the first five paramitas as a matter of course, as an ordinary part of life, our daily duty. This is the Bodhisattva’s duty. So, attaining Buddhahood is a very simple matter; returning to our intrinsic nature and transforming ourselves is very ordinary. So, the Buddha-Dharma is found amidst the most ordinary things in life, but we sentient beings go against the natural way of things. Thus, we become turbid. We sentient beings go against the principles of nature, and by violating these natural principles, our behavior becomes wrongful. It is because of this that our world is so chaotic. Thus, Bodhisattvas must work even harder to right these wrongs, turning wrongfulness into righteousness. This is right and wrong. So, [things] are either in align with the principles or against the principles; this is all there is in the world.
Right now, we are learning the right principles; we must find a way to “follow the path to right ourselves”. When traversing this path, we must have the right direction; what is this path? It is [the path] on which we uphold the right direction amidst sentient beings without ever losing it out of confusion. This is very important. As long as we are in the world, we must walk this way; in this, all sentient beings are alike. We often say that sentient beings all possess Buddha-nature.
There was a story in the news about a very moving event that occurred in 2004 during the tsunami in the Indian Ocean. [The story involved] an English family, a married couple who took their eight-year-old daughter to Thailand, to the island of Phuket, on vacation. At that place, they chose a truly elegant beachside hotel, with beautiful surroundings, by the ocean. They went on vacation there. Their daughter was eight years old. She loved the elephants there; she found them very friendly. Every day of their vacation, they left the hotel [and went to] an elephant sanctuary not very far away that offered elephant rides to tourists. She loved this one elephant in particular, a very young elephant who was only four years old. During their vacation, she kept going there to keep him company, and the two of them became very close. [The elephant] often patted her on the shoulder with his trunk and let the little girl sit on his back. They were so happy and carefree! One day, while they were on the beach, [the elephant with the girl on his back] suddenly began to walk further and further away. The trainer kept calling him back to the herd. The trainer kept calling him back to the herb. This elephant was usually very well behaved, but he seemed to be behaving strangely that day. The elephant left the beach and kept walking. Suddenly, a massive wave was spotted our on the ocean, rolling closer and closer. The beach was full of people, but the elephant continued heading away from the beach, picking up speed. The wave suddenly surged forth. According to later report, this wave was over 10 meters tall. This massive wave submerged everything entirely. The elephant, hastily speeding along, had already left the beach and was already a good distance away. They heard a thunderous sound and a massive amount of water came flowing past them, yet the elephant continued wading through the waves, continuing forward. The girl looked back behind her. The wave had receded, and there was no one [life] on the beach. Everyone had been swept away by the wave. The beach was empty, and some trees had even been uprooted. Everything had changed in an instant. The elephant did not stop, but continued forward, all the way to the top of a small, sandy hill. He kept walking up to where the rocks would block the water. When [he reached] that rock wall, the elephant stopped to help the child climb over the wall to safety. At this time, the girl’s parents were extremely worried; they ran around looking [for her] and finally found her safe and sound. They were very grateful that she had escaped such a calamity.
This story circulated [a good deal] at that time. In 2016, a writer turned this into a story, making it into a play in London. The child heard about this and traveled there to the theater. [She] went to see the playwright to meet him and tell her own story, to fully retell the story that happened long ago and reflect on that time. Just think, this really shows how life [can change] in an instant, the impermanence of human life. When it comes to animals and humans, are they really all that different? Animals, like this elephant, can be very sensitive; they can sense [changes] in the ocean. What is the exact state of the ocean? Humans cannot sense it, but animals can. Thus, he knew he had to hurry along. Carrying this girl, he kept moving forward as fast as he could to leave this place. If not, when that massive wave struck, I believe that the girl would not have survived, but would have been swept away by that wave. This is the impermanence of life, and it is also the miracle of life, for everything in nature has Buddha-nature.
Just look, all life possesses the nature of True Suchness. Elephants are part of the natural world and live as part of nature, thus they possess such great sensitivity [to it]. So, we must believe what the Buddha taught us, that we each must return to nature. Our true nature of True Suchness is right here. So, when people hear this story, they are deeply moved. This shows that all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature. Thus, Bodhisattvas teach us to protect all life. We must not merely cherish humans, but also cherish all living beings. Life included both sentient and non-sentient beings. We must protect all life. This is how Bodhisattvas give. Without expectations for anything in return. They only [wish] to teach us that we must earnestly come into accord with the natural world.
We must understand that to be a good person, we must begin from the mindset of repaying grace, for only then will we truly become “good men and good women”. This is the nature of Bodhisattvas. We must find a way to listen to and comprehend the principles. We must find a way to come into accord with the principles. Thus, those who listen to the Buddha-Dharma must abide by the precepts “Good men and good women…”. This is the previous sutra passage.
“When good men and good women hear me discuss my lifespan and five rise to even a single thought of faith, their blessings will surpass those of the others. If people can be completely free of all doubts and regrets and give rise to a moment of faith deep in their hearts, their blessings will be like this.”
This is what [the Buddha] said previously. So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this. Even if our comprehension is fleeting, once we gain this sudden realization, we must not let it go. We must forever uphold this fleeting comprehension. Our sudden realization is something that we must uphold for a way, very long time.
[The Buddha] continues on in this passage to say, “They are Bodhisattvas who have practiced the path for countless kalpas. Upon hearing me discuss my lifespan, they will be able to believe and accept this. All these people will accept this sutra with utmost reverence and vow, ‘May we have long lives in the future to transform sentient beings’”.
We must be very mindful of this passage’s opening, which refers to “countless Bodhisattvas”. There are so many Bodhisattvas. Throughout countless kalpas, they have spent such a long time constantly [practicing] the Buddha’s teachings to become Bodhisattvas.
There are Bodhisattvas who have practiced the path for countless kalpas: There are countless Bodhisattvas who, for countless kalpas, have practiced the good path in this way. They have long cultivated giving precepts and all the other virtuous practices of the Paramitas.
In this way, again and again, for such a long time, lifetime after lifetime throughout infinite kalpas, these Bodhisattvas ceaselessly nurture, guide and form affinities [with sentient beings]. Whether they have already achieved or are in the process of achieving [attainment] or are newly-inspired, these Bodhisattvas are incalculable in number. They have all, since a long time ago, “practiced the good path in this way”. This great multitude is constantly walking the good path and learning to abide by its rules. We must find a way to earnestly learn the rules of this good path [which teaches us how to] interact with people, deal with things and serve others. “They have long cultivated giving [and] precepts”. We must cultivate precepts, Samadhi and wisdom and put them into practice. Giving, precepts, patience, diligence and Samadhi, this course of practice, also included wisdom. Only with wisdom will [our faith] become everlasting. Fleeting, momentary faith is to quickly accept something in “a moment of faith”. But to maintain [our faith] for a long time, we need wisdom. Once we attain a virtue, we must always uphold it faithfully.
So, we just discussed “a moment of faith”. The merits and virtues of a moment of faith are so great, for it helps us find the true principles. We must earnestly make the most of [these moments] and keep seeking to comprehend [the principles] for a very, very long time; this is the meaning of wisdom. So, these merits and virtues are great. “They have long cultivated giving [and] precepts. Giving precepts patience, diligence, Samadhi and [wisdom] are “the virtuous practices of the Paramitas”. There are the Five Paramitas [and then] the [sixth]
“prajna” paramita. The prajna paramita is actually integral to the Five Paramitas. If we lack clarity and wisdom, even with the rest, we will be unable to hold to any set direction. Forming aspirations is easy, but persevering in them is hard. This difficulty is due to a lack of prajna. Thus, we group the Five Paramitas together, but list prajna separately. While we all have a good heart, we do not necessarily have wisdom. So, although we have a good heart, those who cultivate goodness and wisdom in parallel are few.
They are intrinsic to us all; our habitual nature [just gets in the way]. Cultivating roots of goodness is relatively easy, but wisdom comes slowly. This is just like how people are always willing to do life release, but if it tell them to stop eating meat, [they say], “Oh, I need to take my time to change”. Isn’t there some conflict between doing life release and eating meat? This is something people fail to understand; [they are] trapped by their thinking. They crave flavor. These cravings for flavor, these fleeting desires, make it so they are unable to change and give up meat. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas want them to do this, but when they try to abstain from even the smallest desire for taste, they are unable to do so. Thus, spiritual practice is difficult and awakening our wisdom is hard! The principles are just like this; they are that simple. Yet they fail to do what is simple. This is what sentient beings are like; they are deluded.
So, [the Buddha said], “Upon hearing me discuss my lifespan, they will be able to believe and accept this.
Upon hearing me discuss my lifespan, they will be able to believe and accept this: They have great capacities and sharp capabilities and have deep-rooted, wholesome causes and conditions. Now that they have heard the Buddha discuss His lifespan, they can believe in and accept it. They deeply understand the extensive length of their wisdom-life. Thus, they are people of wisdom.
These good men and good women listen to the Buddha discuss His lifespan. Our previous chapter was the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, wherein we listened to the Buddha explain the principles behind His lifespan, Maitreya, along with many Bodhisattvas, all worried about the Buddha, for He already seemed like. He would enter Parinirvana soon. So, they were all [quite] worried. The Buddha was already approaching 80, and at that time, He had not finished teaching the Lotus Sutra. they were all deeply worried, and so they asked the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, [during] your lifespan, this lifespan, how did you manage to transform so many people?” This was referring to the many Bodhisattvas who had come to inquire about the Buddha’s lifespan. The Buddha understood Maitreya’s intent. [Maitreya] led the Bodhisattvas in inquiring about His lifespan. “How long has your life really been?” So, the Buddha explained about His lifespan and wisdom-life. [His life includes] the Dharmakaya, Nirmanakaya and Sambhogakaya. However long the Buddha-Dharma and its principles last in the world, that is the Buddha’s lifespan in this world. Such is the lifespan of the Enlightened One. He had awakened to the principles. How long do the principles last? They will last as long as we learn them. If we are able to understand [His lifespan], the numerous principles behind it will become very clear to us. This is why we must become people of “great capacities and sharp capabilities”. Only then will we come to comprehend the deeply profound principles behind it. These principles are also very useful for us. As long as we open our mind, we will naturally come to clearly understand them.
So, “With deep-rooted, wholesome causes and conditions, they have now heard the Buddha discuss His lifespan. These Bodhisattvas, these good men and women, have already formed aspirations. Though they have yet to renounce the lay life, these male and female lay practitioners are called good men and women. While still lay practitioners, they hear of His lifespan and believe in it. They fully comprehend the meaning behind it. So, the wisdom of lay practitioners is also very extensive. It is not only monastics who can understand. They are neither Hearers nor Solitary realizers; they are not considered [monastic] practitioners, but are lay disciples. They are also capable of faith and understanding. When it comes to the Dharma the Buddha taught, they can accept, understand and make use of it. This is faith and understanding. So, “They deeply understand the extensive length of their wisdom-life”. They already deeply understand that attaining a life like this is quite rare, and that they must immediately make good use of their lives and accept the true principles. When we accept these true principles, we must immediately make good use of our time and our lives to make our lives useful among people by benefiting others. This is [the meaning] of life. Truly benefiting others and serving others is the only [proper] use of our time in life, otherwise we are wasting it, living a useless life. We must put out lifespan to immediate use in the world. So, we must “deeply understand the extensive length of [our] wisdom-life. It is not confined to our present lifetime; it continues on from the past into the present. We must also extend it into out next lifetime. This is the extensive length of our wisdom-life. “Thus, they are people of wisdom.” This is what it means to be a person of wisdom.
All these people will accept this sutra with utmost reverence: All these people of wisdom, as preciously mentioned, upon hearing this sutra, are able to pay reapect to it, accept it and uphold it with utmose reverence.
“All these people will accept this sutra with utmost reverence.” These people have already accepted the Dharma “with utmost reverence”; they have accepted it with great reverence”. These are “all these people of wisdom, as previously mentioned. This means that they are all wise; there are many people of wisdom, not just monastics, but those who have yet to renounce the lay life, lay practitioners, are also people of wisdom. As preciously mentioned, upon hearing this sutra, [they] are able to pay respect to it, accept it and uphold it with utmost reverence.” As we mentioned preciously, these people were incalculable in number. There is no way of calculating all of these Bodhisattvas from so long ago, in their various stages of attainment as well as those who were newly-inspired. All of these people are those “previously mentioned.” All of those whose number we previously mentioned, they all “hear this sutra.” They listen to the Lotus Sutra, hear the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan and “are able to pay respect to it, accept it and uphold it with utmost reverence.” They are all able to accept these principles and take them to heart. They “vow, ‘May we have long lives in the future to transform sentient beings’.”
And vow, “May we have long lives in the future to transform sentient beings”: As we give rise to deep faith and understanding, we must make vows. “May we have long lives in the future to transform sentient beings.”
We all have begun to form aspirations. We must understand that our wisdom-life is found within the principles, so we must quickly make use of our present life to unite with the principles and actualize them by serving people. We have given rise to deep faith in this way, so we should understand why we must transform our life and wisdom-life. Keeping the Dharma in the world and benefiting others is what gives our life meaning. “As we give rise to deep faith and understanding, we must make vows.” We have all begun to make vows. “We need an even longer life. We need a much, much longer life so we can work hard to do things for this world.” [If we make good use] of our life, we can multiply our efforts for the sake of benefiting others. A single thought can help so many people; it can become something beneficial to others. Whether we use our brainpower or our strength, as long as we exercise [our potential], this will make our lives valuable. A little bit of effort can go a long way to influence many people and their way of thinking, and we can serve as role models in the world. Positive ways of thinking help people understand; good role models teach people how to act. This is beneficial [to others]. Through this, every moment of our life will become truly valuable. This is why we must vow, “May we have long lives in the future to transform sentient beings.” This is about our future lives. We must hurry up and work hard to transform sentient beings.
Upon hearing about His long lifespan, they will [give rise to] a thought of faith and understanding. They will hope to have the same lifespan as the Tathagata teaching the Dharma. For long kalpas and countless lifetimes, they will nourish their wisdom-life and so on. How could they possibly retreat from Bodhi, the fruit of Buddhahood?
So, “Upon hearing about His long lifespan, they will [give rise to] a thought of faith and understanding.” In the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, we heard, “My lifespan has always really been like this; it is my wisdom-life that completes it. My wisdom-life completes my life.” We already know this, and we believe in this. This is bigger than our present life. We must make the most of our time, and in addition to making use of our life, we must also extend [our wisdom-life]. We have the aspiration and have made the vows. Our future lifetime will also be like this; this is bigger than just our present lifetime. So, “They will hope to have the same lifespan as the Tathagata teaching the Dharma.” We hope our lifespan will be like the Buddha’s, that we will have a long time to unite with our wisdom-life. For long kalpas and countless lifetimes, we must spend a very, very long time nourishing our wisdom-life and so on. We must go among people lifetime after lifetime. The Bodhi-path exists among people, for it is among people that Bodhisattvas engage in spiritual practice. This is a Bodhisattva’s spiritual training ground. So, “For long kalpas and countless lifetimes,” we must “nourish [our] wisdom-life.” Over many lifetimes, we must grow our wisdom-life among people. In that case, “How could [we] possibly retreat from Bodhi, the fruit of Buddhahood?” Since we have formed aspirations to learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must also aspire to attain Buddhahood. If we have yet to do so, how could we give up? So, we must make vows.
“[They] vow” [means] “They will make this compassionate vow.” We must vow, “In the future, we will always make great vows to pay utmost respect to, accept, uphold and advance this sutra so as to transform ourselves and others.”
We must understand the importance of making vows throughout lifetime after lifetime. This is bigger than this present lifetime. Thus, “We will always make great vows.” For such a long time, we will always make this vow. We must never give up. So, we must “pay utmost respect to, accept, uphold and advance this sutra so as to transform ourselves and others.” This is what it means to pay utmost respect to, accept and uphold the sutra. This is what we must mindfully seek to comprehend. This is the time we have in this world, so we must seize the present moment. Everyone, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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