Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Uphold the Dharma with Faith and Understanding (聞法信解 誠敬受持)
Date: May.20.2019
“When listening to the Buddha teach the Dharma, some hear it for the first time and immediately have faith and understanding. They follow the Buddha’s teachings and sincerely and reverently accept and uphold it. Those with limited capabilities have faith in it, whereas those with sharper capabilities understand it. This means that people of faith will understand it. Faith destroys deviant views, and understanding destroys ignorance.” The Lotus Sutra addresses “the various types of faith and understanding and their various appearances.”
We must very mindfully seek to understand this. In listening to the Dharma, we each have different capabilities. Listening in the same place and at the same time will still lead to differences in what each of us hears, understands, [realizes] through experience and comprehends.
However, when we listen, we must first focus our minds on hearing. Otherwise, each person who listens will differ in what they believe and understand, hear and accept and believe and interpret. When we begin listening to the Dharma, our minds must be pure and focused on listening to the same sounds and the same teachings. Only after we have taken them to heart can we contemplate them. Some say, “If I listen but do not quickly interpret it and translate for myself, I will forget it. I need to think back over the many teachings I have heard [because otherwise] I might not remember.” That is right! [We must] think back. How can we train ourselves so that, as the teachings enter our ears, we can simultaneously remember them? Ananda was able to do this; as the teachings he heard entered his ears, he would remember them correctly.
Moreover, he would then repeat them, clearly explaining them word by word. This was what Ananda did; he took the Buddha-Dharma to heart. I hope everyone can have Ananda’s spirit; this is something we should strive for. We should earnestly practice not only the enlightened wisdom of the Buddha, but also Ananda’s skill in listening to the Dharma. So, “[We listen] to the Buddha teach the Dharma.” In listening to the Buddha’s teachings, we need to be very mindful.
The Buddha lived over 2000 years before us, so a great length of time has passed. Consider the history of the sutras and how many translations they have gone through, how many generations [have passed them down] and how the same sutra has been added to or reduced through translation. [This creates] significant differences in wording. From the time [the sutras were written] in the Indian language of Sanskrit, quite a bit of time passed before they were translated into Chinese. Moreover, there are many Indian languages, and the texts were translated over and over. By the time of Xuan Zang, a long time had passed since the first translation of [the sutras], not to mention [what happened] when [he brought them] to China. In China, the culture was completely different. [In such a] different culture with a different language, translation was necessary, so of course they experienced these difficult twists and turns. It is truly amazing that after being compiled, these sutras have continued to exist for so long. Therefore, we might as well make use of these texts that we can read and experience today and teach and explain their meaning in accordance with the words. We need to relate their meaning to our present times.
The Lotus Sutra is the wondrous medicine for treating the world. When we give medicine to others, it will be dangerous if it has expired. So whatever medicine we give, we must not let it expire. In order to respond to our times, we must ensure that the medicine is appropriate for our age. Thus, when we begin to make use of this medicine at this time and are able to apply it to our era, only by adhering to the original meaning can we teach according to worldly ways of living. We all need to mindfully comprehend this.
So, “[We listen] to the Buddha teach the Dharma.” When it comes to the Buddha’s teachings, we are still dependent on the sutra translations, no matter how difficult they were to translate. Thus, we are still able to read how. “Thus have I heard,” even today. The ways the sutras were translated determine how we now recite, chant, read and explain them. [Listening to] the direction they explain, it is just as if we were on Vulture Peak. For a period of time, we talked about “entering the Tathagata’s room.” This is not different from living in the same time as the Buddha and abiding with Him at Vulture Peak. So when we listen to the Dharma, we need to have the same mindset as if we were at Vulture Peak. There were many people who listened to the Dharma at that place. During the Buddha’s lifetime, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, people of the three capacities all gathered there.
So, in that place, “some heard it for the first time and immediately had faith and understanding.” Upon hearing the Dharma for the first time, they were very joyful. Hearing one teaching, they realized a thousand, a hundred, ten or [just] a single teaching, depending on their capacities. Some had very sharp capacities; as soon as they heard [the Dharma], they were filled with joy. They were able to immediately apply these teachings in their hearts. Applying [the Dharma] does not mean simply memorizing the text to repeat it to others; it is applying it to the direction of one’s life and to telescope of one’s mind. They not only believed, but accepted and upheld it in their actions; they deeply believed and understood, and they also put it into action. Hearing the teachings once and being able to have such a thorough understanding is only possible for people with superior capabilities. There are also those who heard it [and thought], “I understand. Looking at my life in the past, I need to be diligent in the future.” This is what they realized. Some would hear one teaching and [understand] one, “I understand clearly! I will gradually change.” This is how each person’s capacities differ. So, “Some hear it for the first time and immediately have faith and understanding.” Some people deeply believe and understand, while others understand more superficially. This depends on our capabilities. So, for some people, after they listen and develop faith and understanding, they quickly “follow the Buddha’s teachings and sincerely and reverently accept and uphold it.” [They say]. “I have heard the teachings and am very reverent. The Buddha teaches with such deep love, so having listened, I must be reverent and respectfully accept and practice the teachings.” This is the mindset of a Buddhist practitioner.
With this kind of sincerity and reverence, we naturally develop a deep sense of faith and understanding. If our attitude is, “I listen whenever Master teaches. I am really listening!” It will be very difficult for us to truly and thoroughly accept and uphold [the teachings]. So, we definitely need to be sincere and reverent. We should revere the Buddha as if He were here. It should be as if we are in the Tathagata’s room. If I can enter the Tathagata’s room, the experience is my own. For those that have not entered [the room], their experience is different than mine. Because I entered [the Tathagata’s room], [the insights] I gained are mine, and I have the opportunity to tell others. When one has the chance to speak about it, the experience deepens. For outsiders who listen, if they feel joy from listening and can appreciate it, they will naturally enter through the Tathagata’s door. If they have faith and reverence, they will naturally enter [the door]. If we keep saying that we are listening, but we do not comprehend, then we still remain outside the door. I continuously talk [about the Dharma], so my memory [of it] will continue to increase. My appreciation grows through my explanations. Therefore, when I enter the Tathagata’s room, I memorize and teach the Dharma. The more I teach it, the more joyful I become. Do those outside the door accept it? Those that truly accept [the Dharma] are those that are sincere and reverent. When they have accepted [the Dharma], naturally, they will step into it and share the same feelings I have. To be with the Buddha is something very real. So, I must tell everyone to “follow the Buddha’s teachings.” We must be reverent. It is very important to “sincerely and reverently accept and uphold it.”
Otherwise, we only claim to listen to the Dharma. “I do! I listen to it every session.” However, what is our level. When it comes to our level of farthing and understanding? When it comes to our level of faith and understanding, if we are not sincere and reverent, then we cannot follow the teachings and be diligent. This is all very true. We must be very mindful. This is what it is like for those of sharp capabilities. What about those with limited capabilities? We can claim to be smart and understand everything but if we experiences without comprehending, then we cannot put [the teachings] into practice. We need to serve others with sincere and reverent comprehension [of the Dharma] in order to uphold and apply its teachings. [Otherwise], listening to the Dharma often and understanding many [teachings] is useless. So, what does it mean that “our mind is no different from the Buddha’s?” In our Da Ai Opera, Venerable Master Bai Zhang engaged in conversation with many people, according to their capacities, about the state of enlightenment. Each dialogue was very transcendent. There is no Buddha and no Dharma; there is no Dharma and no Buddha. Someone then said, “This mind is the Buddha, the Buddha is this mind.” As to what these two phrases mean, there are many Zen allegories and teachings that [test] the student’s capacity and circumstances, but can we truly comprehend them? Many ancient poets recited poems and wrote couplets. If we quote poems from ancient poets as responses in Zen dialogues, is this being awakened? This comprehension is based on the appearance of the words. There is meaning beyond what is written. But what does enlightenment really feel like? Most important is that we put it into practice. When we truly feel it, not merely from talking about it, but by experiencing it physically, our bodies can experience [the Dharma] because we have put it into practice ourselves. Only when we do it ourselves can we truly experience it. So, when it comes to accepting and upholding the teachings, when we are taught a method, we must apply it to our lives. Only then can we comprehend and truly experience [the teachings]. So, we must continue to be very mindful. The way we engage in spiritual practice is like farming. We are also cultivating our own [food]. When we are in the garden, digging up vegetables, panting and seeding, [there is] a group of us in the same place, in our garden plot, [all cooperation] to cultivate it. We spread seeds as we work. Are we using the Dharma of our minds to cultivate the land? Are we thinking of methods mindfully? [Do we] work the hoe to flip the soil, or do we sow the vegetable seeds by hand? When we personally sow the vegetable seeds and mix the soil, the Dharma of our minds must focus on our movements. Our movements must follow the Dharma of our minds as we cultivate [the land]; this is how we gain experience. In actual soil, small sprouts appear after only a few days. If we [claim to be], “cultivating mindfully”, but we merely sit there thinking, “I am now turning the soil. I now have turned the soil into furrows. I will now sow the seeds and pat it down flat,” once we return to take a look a few days later, will there be any sprouts? No, nothing will have happened. So, why do some Bodhisattvas say, “I want to come be a monastic temporarily. I want to help with the chores at the Abode”. There were quite a few lead volunteers that the Dharma masters brought to the gardens. Even when using their hoes to dig up rocks, there were lessons to learn, which brought them great joy. As they picked up rocks and dug with hoes, the Dharma entered their hearts. As the went back, they had realizer. “This is how I am to treat others, and I will not try to meet force with force. If I encounter rocks, how should I get rid of them? When it comes to large stones, how should I avoid them?
By knowing the method, they can succeed. There are always ways [of doing things]. Once we learn them, they become [part of] our spiritual practice. So, “Those with limited capabilities have faith in it”. When those of limited capabilities listen to the Dharma, if they care sincere, they can also have faith. The Dharma they gain through faith is that “I must change my habitual tendencies. I want to earnestly listen. However your teach me, I will follow what you say”. They know themselves. “I am of limited capabilities so I must try hard”. Therefore, they can have faith. “Whereas those with sharper capabilities understand it”. [Those people think], “With my sharp capacities, you can teach me a method, [but] I will find my own way to do things”. It is not, “Whatever you teach me, I do just that. You teach me this way, so I do it this way” this is having limited capabilities. “If you teach me what to do, I understand the method. I know that if a piece of paper is to be cut, it needs to be cut into a certain shape, it needs to be cut into a certain shape. [I need not] take a pair of scissors and continue to cut it all the way. Once I cut to the end of the paper, no one [needs to tell me] to change direction”. We should not need others to [keep] telling us, You just need to turn the scissors a little”. This is not necessary. “I know how it works. Not only can I change direction, I can also cut curves. I can cut curves and I can cut out a flower. I can cut out any shape”. This is what people with sharp capacities [do]. As long as they learn the way to use scissors and cut paper, even when it comes to paper art with its thousands of [unique actions], they can handle it. Therefore, those with sharp capabilities are very capable. With their faith, “people of faith will understand it”. These sharp people develop even more faith. With their sharp capacities, the more they do, the more clearly they understand. Once they understand, they know what is right and what is wrong. We must not do what is wrong. We must be cautious about deviant understanding and views. Not only must we be cautious, we must also eliminate [them], “I must completely eliminate my past mistakes”.
Not only must we eliminate [our mistakes], we must also think of ways to teach others to eliminate [theirs]. Therefore, “Faith destroys deviant views”. [We must not] merely do this for ourselves, but must also do it for others. “Understanding destroys ignorance”. Deviant views and ignorance are different. Deviant views refer to errors in the direction of our faith. How do we correct [people like this] so that they head in the right direction? If this were ignorance, the problems would be different. Ignorance covers heaven and earth. The afflictions of ignorance gather like a bursting river. The ignorance grows strong and turbulent, covering heaven and Earth. For us, if a person is ignorant, there is no way for the principles to get through. So, after we have faith, we must deepen our faith. Only with deep faith can we comprehend the Dharma. Once we have deep faith [and] “comprehend the great path”, only then can we “form the supreme aspiration”. We must truly “enter the Tathagata’s room,” and not just enter it but also “wear the Tathagata’s clothing”. We must not merely wear the Tathagata’s clothing, but must sit on the Tathagata’s seat. [Those who] “wear the Tathagata’s clothing are gentle and patient. “The emptiness of all phenomena is the seat.” We must not have attachments. This does not mean that there is “no Dharma and no Buddha”. There is the true Buddha and the True Dharma; there is wondrous existence within emptiness. This is how we should grow our wisdom. We must comprehend this very mindfully. We say human life is suffering; it is truly suffering. Suffering does not just “empty,” [for] the feeling of suffering is very painful and extremely bitter. Everyone’s suffering is different. When it comes to the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death, everyone’s life is their own. No one can take on [another’s] experience in their life. What is more, everyone ages differently. In each individual’s family, life and social environment, with the passage of time, we live out our lives. Through the process of youth, middle age, old age, our experiences accumulate. Who knows [how we feel]? When we grow old, [we recall] when we were young, how we were loved, cherished and respected by all. What about when we are old? We feel deserted, a sense of loss, and so on. Who else can feel what we are feeling? We say “life is suffering”. Perhaps it is possible to use the Buddha-Dharma or Zen teachings to tell others, “[Everything is] empty! Suffering is impermanent. Life is impermanent. The end of suffering is emptiness.” But how long must we suffer before it is [over]? We know that emptiness follows death. However, if emptiness comes after death, where is “the existence” that follows? How will it come? Do we know? There is no end. So, we must try to find out how to pave a path through the scenery of our minds. How should we put the Dharma into practice? How do we faithfully accept and practice according to the teachings? What does it mean to be reverent and respectfully faithful? This is easily said, for the words easy to explain. However, can we achieve this? With faith and understanding.
“Faith destroys deviant views.” When our views are deviant, we need someone to guide us toward the right direction; what is most important is to have understanding. If only we could thoroughly understand the essence of the principles. Since I began teaching the Lotus Sutra, I have continuously told everyone of “wondrous existence in true emptiness”. When we encounter issues, how do we untangle the knots in our minds? In our relationships, what is there to take issue over? But when we no longer take issue, where is “the wondrous existence” of True Dharma? How do we utilize it? Has this “wondrous existence” emerged? We can have “true emptiness” but where is our “wondrous existence?”
“Understanding destroys ignorance”. How should we destroy ignorance? We cannot awaken through Zen riddles alone. It requires putting [the teachings] into practice. The Lotus sutra beings by addressing this in its Opening Chapter, [as it discusses] “All kinds of understanding and all kinds of appearances”.
In different kinds of understanding, there will be different kinds of expressions, with different appearances. we have listened to so many sutra [lectures]. We are about to finish the 17th chapter, on Distinguishing Merits and Virtues. Have we distinguished what is the ultimate truth of making true offerings? Does building stupas, reciting sutras, building monasteries and transcribing sutra texts bring us great virtues and merits? We have discussed this many times already. This section is just meant to tell us that we should have deep faith and understanding. We must comprehend that the sutra and the Dharma are the Tathagata’s entire body. It is the Tathagata’s wisdom-life. The precious chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, [talks about] the lifespan of the Buddha. Now we talk about His true body, his Dharma-body.
So, where is it? How can we make offerings to it? Have we all found it? So, I ask that we be mindful. If we simply listen, is will be futile. I only have one hope, that everyone can truly understand this. So, I have spent a lot of time [to explain this]. The 17th chapter is close to completion. Please be mindful.
The previous sutra passage says, “For those who can uphold this sutra, it will be as if the Buddha were still present and as if they have built a monastery out of ox-head sandalwood as an offering”.
Isn’t this what being mindful is? It continues, saying, It will have 32 halls eight tala trees in height. It will be replete with supreme delicacies, wondrous clothing and bedding. There will be lodgings for hundreds of thousands of people. Its groves, many bathing ponds, pathways and meditation coves will all be magnificent and fine.
[The monastery] is built so bid, tall and vast. He used these trees, eight Tala trees, to describe [the halls]. This denotes their great size. Furthermore, they make very good offerings, offerings of food, clothing and so on. The clothing is very high quality. There is also very good bedding so that people can sleep very comfortably. There are many, many people all living in this place. It is a very nice environment. Its groves and bathing ponds make everyone feel very relaxed. They take walks and meditate there.
Everything is very dignified and enjoyable in that environment. To use such a grans environment and make offerings of such abundant material goods, doesn’t this bring great virtue and merit? In the previous long-form prose, we spend long time talking about this. This verse repeats [the descriptions] of making offerings of such a grand environment.
The following sutra passage says, “Those with faith and understanding will accept, uphold, read, recite, transcribe or further teach others to transcribe and make offerings to the sutras. They will scatter flowers, incense and scented powder and make sumana, champaka and atimuktaka into fragrant oils and burn them constantly”.
This sutra passage says that, if there are people with faith and understanding who have faith in, accept, listen to, understand, read, recite and uphold the sutra, who learn to transcribe and teach others to transcribe, who read and teach others to read, then they will possess “faith and understanding”.
Those with faith and understanding will accept, uphold, read, recite, transcribe or further teach others to transcribe and make offerings to the sutras: This refers to those with faith and understanding who further teach others to transcribe, accept, uphold and make offerings to the sutras.
“Those with faith and understanding” continue to study, transcribe, and teach others. They compile the sutras, and so on in order to make offerings this way. So, “They will scatter flowers, incense and scented powder and” make sumana [and] champaka [into fragrant oils].
They will scatter flowers, incense and scented powder and make sumana [and] champaka [into fragrant oils]: They will use these forms and fragrances to make offerings to the Dharma-treasure. Sumana: This translates to “pleasing flower”. Its flowers are yellow and white in color.
This was how they create the ambiance, with fragrant scents, very pure scents. A fragrant scent permeates the place and serves as an offering to the Dharma. When the Dharma is written, it too is permeated by the scent of all kinds of materials. So, “Samana [and] champaka” refer to [different] types of plants. “Sumana” is a type of flower, which translates to “pleasing flower”. When it blooms, it looks lovely. This kind of [plant] is called “pleasing.” “Its flowers” are yellow and white. It is monoecious, meaning it has male and female flowers. So, it looks very beautiful. Hence, [it is called] “pleasing flower”.
Atimuktaka: This means “excellent contemplation”. The flower of this plant is called “the flower of excellent contemplation,” “sesame seed” or “dragon-licking flower”. This plant looks like hemp with red flowers and green leaves. Its seeds can be pressed into oil and can also be made into incense.
Furthermore, “Atimuktaka” is called “the flower of excellent contemplation”. The name of the flower is “sesame seed”. It is also called “dragon-licking flower,” because it looks like a dragon licking with its tongue. “This plant looks like hemp”. The flowers are red and the leaves are green. The seeds can be pressed into oil as well. Hence, “also” [means that] it can also be used to light lamps.
[They will make them into] fragrant oils and burn them constantly: The seeds can be pressed into oil, and can also be made into a fragrant oil. The oil can be used as fragrant oil to light lamps as a way of making offerings.
So, we should realize that all the things in the world can be mindfully [transformed] into useful substances. Moreover, many kinds of fragrances can be derived. Apart from this kind [of plant], we can also press oil from [others], regardless of what kind of plant it is. When we harvest lemongrass, we clean, dry and derive oil form it. Lemongrass oil is very fragrant. Even after we extract the oil from it, as we dry this grass in the courtyard, it is still very fragrant. There are many great uses for lemongrass oil. So, [this applies to] everything in the world. Woody plants have their own essences and their own usages. Herbs have their own essences and usages. As humans, we must be aware that we can even utilize herbs and wood. Both herbs and wood have their true principles. When we are mindful, anything can be turned into medicine. When we become sick, likewise among herbs and woody plants, there are many types of plants that can become medicine for treating illness. There are also herbs and woody plants that are poisonous.
So, there are some that can save lives, and some that can harm lives. All of this is [to say] that in this world, upon Earth, herbs and woody plants, people and animals, all follow their own principles. So, the Buddha wanted us to comprehend the principles that, as humans, we must further understand human beings. What can we do to benefit the world? This world provides plants for humans to use, grains and vegetables for humans to [eat]. So what about humans? How can we repay [the grace of] all things in the world? Furthermore, in our relationships, when people suffer, how can we help them? The Buddha taught us to first realize that we must serve humankind and walk the Bodhisattva-path. The Bodhisattva-path is to understand the Dharma. Once we understand and have faith in the Dharma, we develop reverence and faith. We become very reverent. We reverently and respectfully take in the Dharma and put it into practice in our lives, applying it in our interactions with other people. We must use these methods to help those with deviant understandings and views to see clearly. For those who are ignorant, this is how we should guide them.
However, if we want to help others, [our] direction must be correct. We must understand the Dharma first. If we do not help ourselves understand the Dharma, how can we guide other people’s direction? If we do not know our own direction and we have not opened up the path, then how can we teach others to follow it? So, we must begin with ourselves. How should we listen to the teachings? We [do so] with faith and understanding. Listening to the Dharma with faith and understanding, we must accept its teachings. Once we accept the teachings, we must uphold them accordingly. To accept and uphold [the Dharma], we must have faith and understanding. Only then can we truly converge with the principles. Human beings live between heaven and earth.
So, humans can safeguard all things in the world. All things provide for our living, provide for our survival, so how should humankind safeguard [all things]? This requires us to truly exercise our wisdom to differentiate [the principles]. Wisdom includes “discerning wisdom” and “impartial wisdom.” We understand by discerning the principles, and we use our impartial wisdom to cherish all things, people and matters of the world. So, we must be very mindful. Time passes by just like this. As I am speaking, my words keep passing by. Have we memorized them? We must remember them, commit them to our minds. This is called to memorize. To have faith and understanding we must memorize, starting with earnestly listening to the Dharma. After listening, only by practicing it can it become ours. If we do not put [the teachings] into practice, then our time passes by in vain. [We must] “enter the Tathagata’s room.” Listening from outside the room is different than listening from within. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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