Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Uphold the Dharma and Spread the Right Teachings (受持正法 顯德開道)
Date: May.06.2019
“We must accept and uphold the Dharma and spread the right teachings. We must display great virtue, open up the great path and pave a smooth path that is easy to walk on. With virtuous friends, we walk together upon the Bodhi-path. We apply the great Dharma, practice the great path and make offerings to the Three Treasures of our intrinsic nature.”
Lately, we have often spoken of “making offerings and upholding [the Dharma].” Upholding [the Dharma] and making offerings is what the Buddha clearly taught us to do. Through teaching the Dharma in this world, the Buddha gave without expectations. He neither gave to get something in return nor to receive our offerings; this was not the case. The Buddha came to this world with one intent, for everyone to accept the Buddha-Dharma. When we accept the Dharma into our hearts and implement it in our everyday lives, we are able to use it in both body and mind as well as promote it everywhere among people, enabling everyone to know and understand it. People find meaning in life based on their understanding of the source of life and death, so this is a very important topic.
The Buddha is the kind father of the Four Kinds of Beings as well as the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. Such titles are correct, for He came to the world for one great cause, to open and reveal [the Dharma] and guide sentient beings. Opening and revealing [the Dharma] to all sentient beings so they can realize and enter the Buddha’s understanding and views was the Buddha’s one great goal.
So, since He came to teach sentient beings to awaken to Buddha’s understanding and views, we can see how very earnest He was. This is the heart of the kind father of the Four Kinds of Beings, and the principles of the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. So, He does not teach the Dharma for the purpose of obtaining sentient beings’ offerings. His greatest hope is that sentient beings will listen and understand and thus be able to take [the Dharma] to heart and put it to use, working together and teaching each other everywhere. This is the Buddha’s greatest goal.
So, this long passage continually repeats this part about offerings. The most important part of making offerings is having faith and understanding. After listening to the Dharma, we must accept, have faith in, comprehend and understand it. With faith and understanding, we are then able to put it to use. So, [the merits and virtues of] upholding, reading, reciting, transcribing and spreading the sutra’s teachings, as the Buddha said, are equal to the merits and virtues of building stupas or monasteries. This has no appearance; it is the offering of the Dharma. If we are able to understand the Buddha’s intent, accept the Dharma and use it to serve others, this fulfills the Buddha’s one great cause, which is also the Buddha’s original intent.
[The Buddha] wanted to leave the lay life so He could investigate life’s wonders; He attained Buddhahood and came to understand the source and origins of life, its previous causes and future effect. So, His aspiration in becoming a monastic was to investigate life’s wonders. He continued to advance, awakened and came to understand life’s causes. He wanted to quickly help everyone understand, but the capabilities of sentient beings have been long [hindered by] habitual tendencies that are hard to change. We still act on them and fail to have deep faith and understanding. We cannot let go of those habitual tendencies. The Buddha could do nothing about this; sentient beings have perpetuated their turbidities down to the present day, becoming ever more turbid. This was the Buddha’s greatest worry. Since we understand this, we should now know to repay the Buddha’s grace, repay our parents’ grace, repay the grace of sentient beings and repay the grace of heaven and earth. We have spoken about all of these things. We must repay their grace. We have also talked about being content, grateful, understanding and accommodating toward one another.
Moreover, we have previously said that in engaging in spiritual practice, we must open our hearts. More importantly, we need to recognize the turbidities of this world. In our relationships, [we must] find a common direction and turn complexity into simplicity. If we do not have a pure and simple mind, accepting the Buddha-Dharma into our hearts will be very difficult. This is because we complicate things; with such a mindset, we impede ourselves. If we impede ourselves, how are we to understand the true Buddha-Dharma? So, to sum it up, many dust-like delusions become ignorance, and ignorance creates afflictions. In our world, the degree [of delusion] has accumulated up until the present. Thus, now, with the Buddha-Dharma right before us, we accept it and find that it makes sense, but we are unable to put any of it into action. So, we often remain stuck in the state of unenlightened beings. We remain stuck as unenlightened beings, yet time continues to pass by with every second. “With each passing day we draw closer to death.” The continues to pass like this, and life follows time and does not wait for us. It is our afflictions and ignorance that stubbornly keep us stuck in this state. This is very worrisome.
The Buddha was worried, and now, I am also worried about everyone. I am not only worried for everyone else, but I am also worried for myself. There are so many complicated things in this world. I believe in the Buddha’s teachings. I deeply believe in and understand every teaching, but due to worldly relationships and all the various obstructions to the Dharma, every second continues [to elude us]. Among all the people, matters and things we see, there is always so much helplessness. How can I not be worried? Our lives also continue to slip away like this. So, the turbidities are not decreasing; this is very worrisome. We have no choice but to quickly turn ourselves around. Just waiting around worrying is useless; we must quickly turn our lives around. “We must accept and uphold the Dharma and spread the right teachings.” We must seize our time, taking every minute and every second and using them responsibly. This is practicing and upholding the Dharma with deep faith and understanding.
Everyone, [one thing] is imperative. Whether we are able to successfully put [the teachings] into action or not, having deep faith and understanding is extremely important. At the very least, we must sow a seed. We must make use of the moment we encounter the Buddha-Dharma and quickly cultivate deep faith and understanding. So, we must accept and uphold the Dharma, doing so with deep faith and understanding. We must quickly cultivate our great vow to spread the right teachings. In order to spread the right teachings, we must draw near to virtuous friends who will speak very true words to us. We must not listen to those who lead us astray. There are many forks in the road; we must be very careful. So, of all the people we encounter in a day, who should we listen to? We must be very mindful of this. So, upholding the Dharma requires making great vows and spreading the right teachings. I ask everyone to be very mindful of this. Our speech is very important and its meaning is very long-lasting. Everyone, please, be very mindful of this.
The Buddha has great virtue, as did all past Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Now, we are also able to see many, many Living Bodhisattvas serving in this world, giving without expectations with hearts full of gratitude. Of course, I am also hopeful that these Bodhisattvas understand how to be understanding, content, accommodating and grateful how to truly accept these simple words and use them to serve others. This is just like what we have been discussing recently, the Four All-Embracing Virtues. In this world, let us treat people and handle matter with giving, beneficial conduct, loving speech and working together. We must not give up on people. These teachings [are all realized] in the world, in our everyday lives. We must spread the right teachings and open up the great path; this is displaying great virtue. In addition to respecting the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas over 2000 years ago, those of us [alive] today must know how to respect ourselves as well. We should respect our own bodies and everyone around us. This is because the Buddha said that everyone has Buddha-nature. Never-Slighting Bodhisattva said, “I do not dare to slight you because you are also a future Buddha.” Everyone has this kind of intrinsic nature; it is just that some people’s habitual tendencies are very disagreeable. Their habitual tendencies make others dislike them, but they have virtuous thoughts. So, who knows, they may suddenly do a good deed that no one expects. You never know. Benefiting others is something everyone can do. So, everyone intrinsically possesses great virtue, which is our great awakened nature. This is intrinsic to us all; we just have yet to put it to use. We have yet to accept this and put it to use. So, we intrinsically [have this nature]. So, as for the path ahead, I await everyone to sincerely come together to open it up. So, to “open up the great path” is to implement [the Dharma] and pave the path for this world. We should open it up in our life and give everyone a right direction so they can peacefully walk upon this great path. As long as there are people in this world who form Bodhisattva-aspirations, these Bodhisattvas can [give] unconditionally.
Not only should we believe and understand the Dharma the Buddha taught, we should also practice it. We must, in body, speech and mind, put the Dharma the Buddha taught into practice. By proclaiming the Dharma taught by the Buddha, we are people who listen to the Dharma. We are willing to constantly accept the Buddha’s teachings, and we believe, understand and uphold them every minute and every second.
If we can do this, we do not need to know how to build a monastery. This is the best offerings [we can make]. Previous sutra passages also said that if we are able to truly engage in practice, we are bearing the Buddha’s Dharmakaya atop our heads. There is then no need to build a stupa. So, this tells us that when we believe in the Buddha-Dharma or a religion, we do not have to spend money to make offerings; there is no need. [We can] make offerings with our thoughts and actions. This not only refers to external practices, but also establishing our spiritual [foundation]. Building our spiritual [foundation] is very important. So, we must “display great virtue [and] open up the great path”. We ought to use our spiritual [foundation] to earnestly do what we can, widely opening up the great path. Everyone should pave the Bodhisattva-path, “paving a smooth path that is easy to walk on”. [The problem is that] we are not trying. If we truly want to do this, it is not difficult. We mustn’t fear sun, wind or rain. We must willingly go out and practice [the Dharma]. We should earnestly walk this path. Everyone should come together to pave it. Then, paving an even path will not be difficult.
So, “With virtuous friends, we walk together upon the Bodhi-path”. The good [people] that we meet are called virtuous friends. We are all spiritual friends. This is the meaning of “virtuous friends”. We are all the Buddha’s disciples. The Buddha has left the Dharma in this world, and we listen to it in a certain order. Those who listen to it first become teachers, while those who listen after wards become disciples. [Teachers] first understand it and then go back to teach the others. Thus, there is an affinity between teachers and disciples. They are also our virtuous friends; I know you and you know me. So, when “walking together with virtuous friends”, we all share common understanding, common vision and common action upon the Bodhi-path. So, everyone must share a common aspiration to “apply the great Dharma” and “practice the great path”. Since we are paving a smooth path that is easy to walk on, we must pave it earnestly from the beginning, paving it evenly. We should all earnestly walk on this great road, the great path. So, we must “apply the great Dharma” and “practice the great path”. We “make offerings to the Three Treasures of our intrinsic nature”.
In fact, it is not jus those who are monastics that are part of the Sangha. As a lay person, you also have the Three Treasures in your intrinsic nature. You should not think any less of yourself. We all must respect ourselves. So, “we must display great virtue” and “open up the great path”. We also have this ability. It is not just the Buddha of over 2000 years ago who can be said to have great virtue. Now, over 2000 years later, we should believe that we have this awakened nature. What we failed to accomplish before, we will accomplish now. We will eventually open up the great path. We only need to make many virtuous friends who share a common understanding, common vision and common action. This Bodhi-path is one we can certainly open up.
So, we must make use of our time. The seconds continue to pass, and time continues to get shorter, but our aspiration to spread the Dharma must grow more earnest. We need deep faith and understanding to earnestly accept the Buddha-Dharma and quickly implement it in this world. We must understand the principles through dealing with matters. This is what we have been discussing recently. Everyone must be very mindful of this.
Those who accept the Dharam attain the benefit of the Dharma. Those who uphold the Dharma remember, uphold and practice it. They accept it through their power of faith and understanding. They uphold it through their power of vows and mindfulness. This is part of the practice that the five kinds of Dharma teachers in the Lotus Sutra uphold. They all seek the broad, extensive great path to help great spiritual aspirations mature.
So, “Those who accept the Dharma” are “those who attain the benefit of the Dharma”. We must earnestly listen to and absorb the sutras every day. The Dharma is unquestionably beneficial for us. “Those who uphold the Dharma remember, uphold and practice it”. This is to “accept and uphold”. To “accept” means to receive it and take it in. To “uphold” means to constantly keep it in mind. So, for a long time I have continually asked everyone to recall and remember it; we must remember [the Dharma]. After we accept the Dharma, we must remember it, taking it into our minds; only then will we be able to put it into practice. So, “They accept it through their power of faith and understanding”. Really, we must have both faith and understanding. “They uphold it through their power of vows and mindfulness”. With fail and understanding, we can naturally accept [the Dharma]. If we have vows and mindfulness, we will naturally continue to uphold and accept it. So, “this is part of the practice that the five kinds of Dharma teachers in the Lotus Sutra uphold”. In the past we kept reading that we must uphold, read, recite, transcribe and spread the Dharma etc. These are the five kinds of Dharma teachers. There are Dharma teachers who recite the sutra, Dharma teachers who write the sutra, Dharma teachers who read the sutra and Dharma teachers who memorize and recite the sutra. These types are carefully distinguished. This is all done in the hopes that the Dharma can be passed down. In fact, simply “using” [the Dharma] prevents it from slipping away. Since there was no printing in the past, the sutras were passed on by word of mouth. People needs to memorize and recite them. Gradually, they slowly began to promote writing them down and so on. When they did this, people said, “Wow! This is really great. The Dharma can be passed down like this”. This was during the Buddha’s time. So, now we should have faith and understanding and accept and uphold [the Dharma].
We must find ways to take the Dharma to heart and implement it in our daily lives. This is even more important, so we must be very mindful. Although the scenes [from the sutra] are depicted through [images of] material objects, there is actually a hidden meaning behind them. The Dharma’s deeper meaning is most important. We must do more than read and recite [its words]. What is most important is spreading the Dharma; this is very important.
So, “They all seek the broad, extensive great path”. We hope this Dharma can spread even more broadly and extensively, so everyone can understand it better. [The Dharma] “help great spiritual aspirations mature”. We hope this Dharma can be in everyone’s hearts, helping their aspirations mature, flowing from their mouths. Then, this Dharma will never disappear. In the past, people had to recite the Analects from memory!
Today, we still “must constantly study and practice what we learn”. When we think of [the teachings], they reappear because they are all in our memory. If we had never used them in the last several decades, how could we still be able to recite them? This is reciting and upholding. When it comes to reading and reciting, “reading” means reading the sutra before us, while “reciting” means memorizing it through reading it allowed. This is how the Dharma is passed down.
In the previous sutra passage, [the Buddha said], “These monasteries, halls and pavilions, numbering in the billions and trillions, will be countless. They will manifest as offerings to me and the bhiksus of the Sangha. Thus, I say, ‘After the Tathagata enters Parinirvana…’”.
When the Buddha was in the world, everyone came to make offerings to Him. Later, the Buddha said, “After I enter Parinirvana, there is no need [to make offerings]. It is more important to put [the Dharma] into practice”. Earlier, He discussed how everyone would [one day] make offerings of gardens, pools pagodas and so on before the Sangha and the Buddha, but He felt that everyone had already made offerings. What is most important is for this spiritual training ground to be dignified by the Dharma and not by tangible objects. “After I enter Parinirvana…”. This is what the sutra passage says. “After I enter Parinirvana…”. Actually, He already said that after He enters Parinirvana, there is no need to build any more stupas or monasteries. This was the Buddha’s intent.
…if there are those who accept, uphold, read and recite [this sutra], teach it to others, transcribe it themselves, teach others to transcribe it or make offerings to this sutras, they will not need to further erect stupas or temples, build monasteries or make offerings to the Sangha.
So, “After the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, if there are those who accept, uphold, read and recite [this sutra], teach it to others…. After we listen to [the Dharma], if we believe in it and accept it, then from believing, accepting and upholding it, our merits and virtues [will come from] “benefiting [ourselves] through practicing and understanding it, thus growing in wisdom”.
… if there are those who accept, uphold, read and recite [this sutra], teach it to others: When they accept, uphold and read the sutra, they benefit themselves through practicing and understanding it, thus growing in wisdom. To benefit others, they go among people to expound the sutra and cultivate blessings. This is benefiting others.
We know to read and recite it ourselves. We know to earnestly listen to the Dharma. We know that we must remember it. This is all done through our own hard efforts. We accept, uphold, read and recite this sutra. We understand and comprehend; we also have faith and understanding. This benefits ourselves and helps is attain understanding. Benefiting ourselves through practice and understanding enables us to grow our wisdom-life. This is benefiting ourselves. We must also “benefit others”. We benefit others by going among people; it is not enough for us along to understand nor to liberate ourselves alone. We must also be willing to go among people and expound the sutra to cultivate blessings”; we should go among people to form good affinities, cultivating blessings and virtue. This is done by going among people; this is “benefiting others”.
So, reading, reciting, accepting and upholding [the Dharma] benefits the self. Expounding [the Dharma] and going among people to create blessed karma benefit others. So, [They] transcribe it themselves” and “teach others to transcribe it”.
Transcribe it themselves and teach others to transcribe it: By transcribing it or teaching others to transcribe it, they spread copies of this sutra and help it to be seen and heard. Thus, this is of great merit.
We must understand the need to earnestly transcribe this sutra. In fact, during the Buddha’s era, this was how the sutra was taught. Now, in an age concerned with protecting the environment, we [should use] less paper, so cannot provide everyone transcriptions. [Thus], in our time we must still be earnestly mindful.
This part of the sutra says, “[we must] transcribe it themselves and teach others to transcribe it. Whether we transcribe it ourselves or teach others to do it, this tangible sutra must be engraved into our hearts. We should earnestly read every word and take them to heart. The best way to do this is to engrave it in our hearts. We must remember it in our hearts. The best notes are the ones written in our hearts. So, [we must] “transcribe it [ourselves] and teach others to transcribe it”. By reading the sutra in this way, we will always remember it, because we are implementing it in our lives.
So, the Buddha-Dharma and the worldly Dharma of our lives should become as one [in our hearts]. So, when people spread or transcribe “this sutra,” spread the Lotus Sutra by reciting or transcribing it, this sutra “is seen and heard”. Today we spread and recite [the sutra] through modern technology. So, we “help it to be seen and heard” so it spreads ever farther and wider so that everyone can see it, hear it, know of it. So, this has “great merit”. These are great merits and virtues. So, “making offerings to this sutra” with “flowers and incense dignifies people’s thinking and provides a sense of calmness”.
Make offerings to this sutra: Flowers and incense dignify people’s thinking and provide a sense of calmness. Banners and canopies elevate the grand occasion of listening to the Dharma. They make all kinds of offerings out of respect for the Dharma, thus they can see the Buddha.
In this sutra passage, offering of flowers and incense are made. Yet no matter whether the offerings are of flowers, incense or so on, they are simply ways of dignifying this place. This is especially [true] of plants, which are also used in this way. Fragrant flowers cover [the scene] like clouds. Before we recite the sutra, fragrant flowers first cover us like clouds, [lending us an air] of utmost devotion. [In the presence of] such things, people’s minds grow calm. What about banners and canopies? They add to the spectacular occasion of listening to the Dharma and make it very exciting.
So, the site has a lot of incense, flowers, banners and canopies. This says that as the sutra was being taught, there were many magnificent things that manifest. This is describing the Dharma-assembly. We must be very clear on this and be able to understand it. So, “making all kinds of offerings” is an expression of reverence for the Dharma. These are merely means of expressing [reverence]. “There is no further need to erect stupas and temples, build monasteries or make offerings to the Sangha”.
In the span of a thought, our initial aspiration connects with conditions and arises spontaneously. Single-mindedly focused on the path, we put the path into action. With faith and understanding deep in our hearts, we make offerings by upholding the Dharma, not through material offerings. This is equivalent to erecting stupas of seven treasures for the Buddha’s sariras. There is no further need to erect stupas and temples, build monasteries or make offerings to the Sangha. Ending with “having made these offerings,” He extensively explained how these practitioners will have erected stupas and made offerings.
This has already been expressed. So, “In the span of a thought, our initial aspiration connects with conditions”. A single thought occurs very quickly. When having a thought of aspiration, the aspiration is formed quickly. It “arises spontaneously”. This means that we suddenly form this thought, very quickly giving rise to this good thought. With reverence, we willingly form this aspiration, forming this thought very quickly. “Single-mindedly focused on the path, our body puts the path into action”. When we give rise to this thought and our mind is on the path, we will walk the path. Our body and mind must unite as one. People today are unable to unite their body and mind. While we work, our thoughts are always on something else far away. We must eliminate our discursive thoughts. If we hold discursive thoughts in our minds, we will be unable to focus. Through cultivation, we must train our body and mind to unite as one. When a thought arises in our minds, we must put it into action. “Single-mindedly focused on the path, we put the path into action”. We must unify our body and mind. “With faith and understanding deep in our hearts, make offerings by upholding the Dharma”. This is the most important thing. What the Buddha wants from us is not material offerings but deep faith and understanding. The Buddha wishes for us to have “faith and understanding deep in our hearts”. So, we must believe in the Buddha’s sincere love for sentient beings. It is not about tangible things, but is solely the expectation that sentient beings will be able to understand the origin of life and develop the clarity of mind to see their intrinsic nature, awakening their nature of True Suchness. This is intrinsic to everyone; everyone has it, but only when we put forth the effort will we be able to discover it. It is not something the Buddha can create for us. The Buddha knows [this]. He has entered it before, and has understanding and knowledge. He has also walked this path, leading us to walk the path with Him. The Buddha has already opened up the path ahead of us. As for our own path, we must earnestly pave it ourselves. We hope that this method will return [us] to the origins of life. So, we absolutely must be “single-mindedly focused on the path” [and] “put the path into action”. This comes from the deep faith and understanding in our hearts. Let us also “make offerings by upholding the Dharma”. By taking this path and doing this, we have [already brought] the Buddha happiness and satisfaction. This is the greatest offering because it fulfills the Buddha’s goal. Since the Lotus Sutra is the Buddha’s entire body, when we put it into practice, it is the supreme offering. This is an offering of respect, not a material offering. It is “not [a] material offering”. So, “We make offerings by upholding the Dharma, not through material offerings” It is not about material offerings. So, we must be very mindful of this.
The previous passage says, “for the Buddha,” stupas and temples were already built as offerings. Now, “there is no further need to erect stupas and temples, build monasteries or make offerings to the Sangha”. They no longer need to do this. These had already been built in the past. Now we must begin to “act,” make offerings by practicing [the Dharma]. What the Buddha taught is what we should faithfully accept and practice. This applies to every sentient being. Every person should benefit both themselves and others. To benefit the self is to uphold the Lotus Sutra.
The Dharma must be engraved in our hearts. This is faithfully accepting and practicing it. This is returning to our nature of True Suchness. This is very important. So, “having made these offerings…”. When we put the sutra into practice, we have already made our offerings. As long as we are truly mindful, give rise to sincerity and reverence and express them, we will have reached [the Buddha’s goal]. So, He “extensively explained” He analyzed this for us very mindfully. So, in the future we should focus on walking the path instead of [making] material [offerings]. This [should be] very prevalent.
This long passage keeps telling us that “these practitioners will have erected stupas and made offerings”. In the past, we have already put [the Dharma] into practice by building stupas and monasteries. These offerings have already been made. When we practice according to the teachings and have a heart of reverence, we are already constructing a stupa for the Buddha. Because we have practiced according to the teachings, our body and mind already carry the Buddha’s teachings. So, as for all the principles in the Lotus Sutra and the original intent of the Buddha’s spirit, we have accepted them all. Whenever the sutra is found, there are stupas for the Buddha. Because the Dharma is in that place, there is already a dignified stupa there. The Buddha’s entire body is there. Although it is intangible, its spiritual atmosphere is very resplendent. This is the best stupa; it is completely non-arising and non-ceasing. Only the Dharma will exist forever; it is everlasting.
From “after I enter Parinirvana” up to “make offerings to me and the bhiksus of the Sangha,” He extensively explained that theses practitioners will already have built monasteries and made offerings.
Although this is very profound, in fact, being able to grasp [this idea] should be very simple. Everyone should be able to understand this. So, “From ‘after I enter Parinirvana…”’ Everyone has already engaged in practice and made offerings. We have fully accepted [the Dharma]. Thus, everything is already present. We do not need to make tangible [offerings], [but rather] intangible ones by putting the Dharma into practice. The Dharma must be strengthened.
To sum it up, as for the tangible, all that is built in this world will always experience formation, decay and disappearance. Formation, existence, decay and disappearance are unavoidable. The Dharma is everlasting; it is without form and appearance, so naturally it is non-arising and non-ceasing. It is everlasting. I hope that everyone will take this Dharma and engrave it in their hearts and not let it slip away. Let us open up the path. This path is one that everyone opens up together. Through common knowledge and vision, we open it up together. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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