Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Obtaining the Flawless Fruit and Benefiting All (得無漏果 廣博利益)
Date: May.23.2019
“We must free ourselves from afflictions, head toward Bodhi, take refuge in purity and turn to True Suchness. Then, we will attain what noble practitioners of the Three Vehicles have attained. When we uphold precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we will reach Nirvana. When we realize the Four Noble Truths, we will be flawless and will not follow external states to add to our afflictions.”
We must mindfully seek to comprehend how to free ourselves from afflictions and head toward Bodhi. How can we turn away from afflictions and head toward Bodhi? Clearly we must depart from afflictions and walk toward the direction of Bodhi. This is “turning from the dust toward awakening.” “The dust” refers to afflictions. If we wish to depart from afflictions, we must quickly move forward. If we wish to escape, then when someone tells us to run, we must run. [When it comes to] afflictions, if we are always dwelling on our afflictions, then we cannot depart from them and will never escape from them. To eliminate afflictions, we need courage. With this courage, we can think, “This is what we must let go of. We must quickly set this aside, for these are the afflictions that drag us down.”
Therefore, we must rapidly leave, breaking away from these afflictions. How do we break away [from them]? We clearly formed aspirations to go among people, but among the multitudes of people, how can we just break free from [afflictions]? This is truly difficult. But to depart from the aforementioned afflictions, we must have a direction in which we can escape. How do we escape? With a thought. The thought is what provides us with the space to escape afflictions so that we are not bound by them. Afflictions will then be far from our minds. This is leaving afflictions behind. We must learn the Dharma and head toward Bodhi, using Bodhicitta to go among people. When we go among people with Bodhicitta, afflictions will have no way to draw near.
Once we depart from Bodhicitta, however, afflictions will immediately [rejoin] us. What can we do so that Bodhi can dwell eternally in our hearts? As we just discussed, we need courage and diligence. This is like having a healthy body with antibodies. Modern medicine calls this “immunity”. When we strengthen our immunity, naturally, germs cannot draw near to us. If our immunity is weak, then we will naturally be infected by germs and viruses that cause diseases. In the same way, afflictions are ailments. They are diseases of the world. These worldly diseases are already present among people, forming severe turbidities. The turbidity of views, the turbidity of afflictions and the turbidity of sentient beings have already [caused] the turbidity of life, threatening life itself. Starting from people’s views and perspectives, [turbidities] have kept building up, regardless of age. For people in these times, our ways of life and moral values are different. As a result, our moral values are now in disarray.
Presently, if we do not uphold the teachings of the path and head toward Bodhi, then we will also become affected, so this is very important [to understand]. Although this sounds very complicated, in truth, it is quite simple. We “take refuge in purity and turn to True Suchness.” This is our aim.
[Regarding] Dharma, when we listen to it, we seek to understand it. Let us consider the word “refuge”. When people take refuge [in Buddhist tradition], we use the word “refuge”. The Chinese character for “refuge” is composed of the character “return” and the character for “light,” turning away from darkness toward the light. Of course, when we write it, we begin by writing “light” then the character “return”. Everyone intrinsically has a kind heart.
The pure intrinsic nature, True Suchness, is intrinsic to everyone since Beginningless time. It is like a piece of pure and undefiled ground within our minds. This is our intrinsic nature. We ceaselessly come and go [from this world]; we are dragged by karmic forces of causes and conditions, so we ceaselessly come and go. Our pure, intrinsic nature has already changed. It has changed shape and appearance. We have started “turning away from the light toward the dark.” We can no longer see the light and can now only see darkness. This is turbidity. We must now turn back [once more], turning away from dark toward light. Light is the direction we must turn toward, toward virtue toward virtue. We have already [accumulated] our past negative habitual tendencies throughout countless lifetimes. We cannot clearly account for how many these immeasurable lifetimes have been. This is like how the previous sutra passages kept discussing infinite, innumerable, uncountable numbers like those of dust particles. Perhaps we too are here led by karmic forces throughout kalpas as numerous as dust particles.
So, following these afflictions and turbidities, our minds have also become plagued by the turbidity of views and turbidity of afflictions, becoming entangled with the turbidity of sentient beings. Thus, we have already damaged our wisdom-life. At this moment, we still do not know what the principles are, which path we have come from or which path we will go toward in the future. Among the Five Realms, which path will we walk toward? We do not [even] know that ourselves, for our turbidities have already become too thick. “With each passing day,” how much of our lives still remain? We cannot say. So, in the past, we have always been in the turbulent world of temptations, amidst the turbidity of sentient beings, just as we have been amidst love, hate, passion and animosity. All of us are just like this. We have lived our whole lifetime in this way. Throughout our whole life, these afflictions and ignorance remain in our lives. How much longer will this continue? For a kalpa of turbidity. What will the days of our future be like? We have no way of comprehending this. How many days do we have left? When it comes to the future, no one can say what will come to pass. Each day, we do not know what tomorrow will bring. Even for [matters] in such a short timespan we cannot be sure, to say nothing of our future lifetimes. In considering future lifetimes, how much longer will it take us before we can return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness? In our future lifetimes, will we still be able to encounter the Buddha-Dharma? As this span of time is so long, we have no way of really knowing. Everyone, within these Five Turbidities, in the kalpa of turbidity, in the tomorrow seen from our present, in this long [swath] of unlimited time, where does our direction lie? We cannot say. How long does our past stretch backward? We have no way of comprehending this. All we can do is seize the present. We must quickly “free ourselves from afflictions and head toward Bodhi.” Even though we are still among people, we make this world among people our spiritual training ground. We are already heading toward our spiritual training ground in this world, and this spiritual training ground is Bodhi. Bodhi is our innate enlightenment. While amidst these heavy turbidities, we must return to our innate enlightenment. Our method is taking refuge and moving toward purity. We “take refuge in purity and turn to True Suchness.” This is our direction. Although we cannot know the future, we must still grasp the present before us. To grasp the present, [we must consider] whether we have afflictions in this moment. In this moment, if we have afflictions, then we ought to quickly change our direction. The afflictions of a moment must be transformed in that moment. Thus, it is called “turning the Dharma-wheel.”
We must continuously turn it, turning delusion into awakening. Delusion is afflictions. Turning toward awakening is Bodhi. Only when we do this will we have a way to escape from afflictions and ignorance. We must not merely transform ourselves, but must further teach others the path that leads from darkness to light. [We must teach them] to walk the path to light. So, we all must move toward purity; we must not one more walk in place in the grounds of our ignorant minds. We just keep moving in that direction, but we must have a precise direction and seize the present to go toward True Suchness. “Then, we will attain what noble practitioners of the Three Vehicle have attained.” This is like the noble practitioners of the Three Vehicles. The Three Vehicles are Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. Hearers are able to hear the Buddha’s voice in a timely manner and take the Dharma to heart. Solitary Realizers can take the Dharma to heart and awaken to the external conditions, coming to know that the world is impermanent and full of suffering. Bodhisattvas know suffering; they know that the world is full of suffering and that the myriad sentient beings lack direction. Bodhisattvas form aspirations; after hearing the Dharma, they realize conditions and know that the world is impermanent, so they form aspirations to head toward the Bodhisattva-path. Such is the state of noble practitioners of the Three Vehicles and what they each realize. They earnestly walk toward their direction, and the path they must take never departs from precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. If we can “uphold precepts, Samadhi and wisdom” then our hearts will be able to “reach Nirvana.” Nirvana is purity. “When we realize the Four Noble Truths, we will be flawless.”
The Four Noble Truths are suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. We must comprehend these and be earnestly mindful. We must put hearts into this path. To dignify this spiritual training ground, we must employ the Dharma and put it into practice. In the past few days, I have repeatedly told everyone to put [the Dharma] into practice, building stupas using the treasures of the path. In truth, stupas [represent] the direction of our spiritual cultivation. They do not have form but are intangible; they represent how we put the Dharma into practice and our state of mind. So, [we must cultivate] the Four Truths, the Four Noble Truths, until they are flawless. This means that precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, listening, contemplating, practicing and all “the 37 Practices to Enlightenment” are all without flaws [in our practice]. Not only is our memory of them flawless, we must also put [the teachings] into practice according to the path. “Practicing” in this way is to be without leaks. If we can be like this, “not following external states to add to our afflictions”, then we will not be dragged about by surrounding conditions. “Not follow” means that we will not follow the afflictions of sentient beings and allow them to trouble us. While we have formed aspirations to transform sentient beings, we must not allow them to [negatively] transform us. So, in this evil world of the Five Turbidities, we must have the right perspectives, purify ourselves from afflictions and, while amidst sentient beings, persist in our direction. We are here to transform sentient beings, so naturally, we must transform our lives and develop our wisdom-life. In our lives, we came here brining our karma. In this moment, we are not [blindly] led by karma; instead we must transform our lives and develop our wisdom-life. So, we often say, “Seize the moment and use life to the fullest”. While our days have already passed, still, our wisdom-life has developed. Thus, within the turbidity of life, we are like lotus flowers growing out of the mud. Although when it comes to our bodies, “we contemplate the body as impure”, we must still use this body to cultivate our mind and grow our wisdom-life.
So, though we are in the turbidity of sentient beings, we must have the mindset of emerging from the mud and using the mud to help the lotus flourish. We must truly put our hearts into this. Thus, we must take refuge in purity and turn toward true Suchness. As that is our aim, we must depart form the afflictions of the Five Turbidities and make good use of our time. Although we are in kalpa of turbidity, it is only when we are in the kalpa of turbidity that Bodhisattvas must appear, making haste to “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions”. So, “[we] will not follow external states to add to our afflictions. While we are amidst people, we must not allow people’s many layers of affliction to influence us. Thus, we must earnestly [work to] “attain what noble practitioners of the Three Vehicles have attained”. We must cultivate such a practice. What do they practice? [They] uphold the precepts, Samadhi and wisdom until their minds were very stable. [This is] “Nirvana”. This is “tranquility and cessation”. In the state of “Nirvana”, there is no arising or ceasing in the mind. This requires the process of learning the Four Noble Truths, the Four Noble Truths of the path until we have completely eliminated our afflictions and are free from ignorance and afflictions. When we reach this state, naturally, we will not allow our surroundings to sweep us away and further add to our afflictions. This will not happen. In this way, we will become very steady. The Chapter on Distinguishing Merits and Virtues is the goal of spiritual practice that we must carefully learn. So, we must earnestly take the Dharma-essence to heart and mindfully seek to comprehend this.
The previous sutra passage states, “They constantly contemplate wisdom. They never get angry when people challenge them with difficult questions but instead accommodate them and explain to them. Those who can carry out these practices will have immeasurable merits and virtues.
They constantly contemplate wisdom”. We must always earnestly contemplate wisdom. “They never get angry when people challenge them with difficult them”. As we are among people, [among] sentient beings with layers of turbidity, we hope that we can turn the Dharma-wheel. However, some people may deliberately challenge us with difficult questions. Thus, we must have great patience. As sentient beings are ignorance, and do not understand, we must be patient and repeatedly explain things. “Did you understand me? Can you comprehend this?” We keep doing this until they have no more questions and say that they understand. This is patiently going among people. Sentient beings are ignorant, so they require teaching and transformation. Those who are hard to teach are difficult to transform. So, we must be even more mindful, for “Never getting questions” requires patience. “They instead accommodate them and explain to them, to those who can carry out these practices”. This means they already have the skillfulness to be patient as others keep asking question. If people don’t’ understand, we must keep teaching, so we must always have great patience. “They instead accommodate them and explain to them”. If we can be like this. “Those who can carry out these practices will have immeasurable merits and virtues”. Sentient beings are stubborn. “I’ve explained so clearly. How come you still don’t understand? What can I do?” We just have to [explain] again. Through this, “[we] will have immeasurable merits and virtues”. This is to continue with patience. How long must we teach until they change? We must continue until we see them change to perfect merits and virtues.
Otherwise, we will have to keep accompanying them and finish explaining things until they understand. So, the difficult of transforming sentient beings lies here.
“When people see Dharma teachers…”. When we see such patient Dharma teachers, teaching the Dharma for the sake of the Dharma to resolve and tame sentient beings’ stubbornness, these Dharma teachers “who have attained such virtues as these,” are those that we previously described to have immeasurable merits and virtues.
“They should scatter celestial flowers upon them, cover their bodies in celestial robes, prostrate themselves at their feet and think of them as if they were Buddhas”.
If there are such people, then we must truly revere them and express this reverence. Scattering “celestial flowers”, is like heavenly maidens scattering flowers. We spoke of scattering flowers previously. When we give rise to joy, it is like flowers are blooming in our hearts. We joyfully listen to and accept the Dharma. After accepting it, we make great use of it. This is the metaphor of “scattering celestial flowers”. Flowers bloom in the heart, and we are filled with Dharma-joy”. This means that they understand what they heard, and their minds become open and understanding. Those teaching the Dharma do not ask for much; [as long as people understand what they taught], they become very joyful. This is how they make offerings. “Cover their bodies in celestial robes…”. Celestial robes refer to upholding etiquette. In dealing with these people, we must have etiquette. Thus, we always say we must respect the teacher and the path. “Celestial robes” are clothing of gentleness and patience. “They prostrate themselves at their feet.” Such etiquette is [for those who] can teach the Dharma, teach and transform others, grow their wisdom-life, transform sentient beings’ turbidity of afflictions and lead them toward purity and Bodhi. For people giving such teachings to transform, we must treat them like living Buddhas. When the Buddha-Dharma is taught by such Dharma teachers, it helps grow our wisdom-life. This is why we must pay them our respect. We have understood this and are joyful. Thus, we “scatter celestial flowers”. This is something we must earnestly work to realize and comprehend.
In the next sutra passage [the Buddha] continued, “They should also think that before long, they will arrive at the Bodhi-tree, attain a flawless and uncontrived state and widely benefit all humans heavenly beings. Wherever they reside, walk, sit, lie down, or teach even a single verse….”
We must further mindfully seek to comprehend how “they should also think that...”. Aside from what we mentioned previously, we must make such offerings to Dharma teachers who spread the Dharma and treat them like living Buddhas in the world. This is how we must make offerings. Furthermore, “we should also think…”. Because we feel reverence and respect, we should think that “Before long, we will arrive at the Bodhi-tree.”
They should also think that before long, they will arrive at the Bodhi-tree: Also, at that moment, they should give rise to the thought that before long, these people will arrive at the Bodhimanda and sit benefit the trees of treasures.
[These teachers] are now teaching in this way, educating everyone to go forward while moving forward themselves. They are those who put [the Dharma] into practice. They not only teach the Dharma through speech, they also lead by example, leading others to practice in the right direction.
So, in this way, “Before long, they will arrive at the Bodhi-tree”. This means before long, they will arrive below the Bodhi-tree. It means if we diligently move in the right direction, then we would sit below the tree where the Buddha was enlightened. We must follow the path upon which the Buddha practices. In this process, if our direction is correct, one day, we too will similarly sit below the Bodhi-tree and see the morning star in the night. This is the same principle.
So, “Also, at that moment, they should give rise to the thought…”. That is, they think that, “Very, very soon, these people will be able to sit beneath such a tree where the stars shine brightly before their eyes. Their direction is correct, and the bright morning star that inspired enlightenment is before their eyes.” We must put our hearts into [this].
So, as we now have a path in this direction, after we sit at the place of practice, we will “attain a flawless and uncontrived state and widely benefit all humans and heavenly beings”.
They will attain a flawless and uncontrived state and widely benefit all humans and heavenly beings: They will certainly attain the flawless, uncontrived fruit and widely benefit all humans and heavenly beings.
As we sit down, we have eliminated all afflictions, and there are no more afflictions no Leaks. The Dharma [in our minds] will be complete. The Dharma is unquestionably flawless, for we have eliminated all afflictions for we have eliminated all afflictions. Without accumulating any more afflictions, the Dharma will now never leak away. When we speak of “with or without Leaks,” “without Leaks” refers to True Dharma, while “with Leaks” refers to afflictions. We have already obtained flawless Dharma. Flawless Dharma is the true principles. These true principles are flawless, without Leaks. This is because true principles are everlasting. They are not greater in the Buddha, nor are they lesser in ordinary people. Ordinary people and the Buddha are equal; in both, the true principles exist. It is just that the Buddha is enlightened, clearly grasping the truth of all things. We are deluded because we have many afflictions. Now that we have eliminated all afflictions, we have washed all afflictions away. We have eliminated afflictions and leaks, and now all that remains are those eternally unceasing true principles. There are true principles, true principles that neither increase nor decrease.
So, “They will attain a flawless and uncontrived state.” This will happen quite naturally. “Uncontrived” means it is natural, not something created by humans. Take time for example. This is not something created by humans. If it was manmade, time would not pass moment by moment. Since time is uncontrived, it is a natural [phenomenon]. Thus, it leaks away. As time naturally leaks away, the sky naturally goes from dark to light in [a cycle] without leaks. Although when speaking about time we say, “it has passed, in truth, it does not increase nor decrease. How do we [measure] time? From planet Earth freely rotating in space. The sky Is not half bright and half dark; it is actually just one sky. [The phenomenon] is due to Earth’s rotation. Are [we] facing toward or away from the sun? This has to do with Earth’s [position]. So, we perceive this as time passing, but [in truth] time never leaks away, it is just Earth that is rotating. This is beyond our control.
So, this unconditioned phenomenon is natural; true principles are without leaks and never increase or decrease. Unconditioned phenomena are natural, and true principles do not increase or decrease. These occur within nature. This is something we all must know. Just like how the Buddha saw the morning star in the night, He discovered these principles. So, with these principles, He “widely benefited all humans and heavenly beings. He was telling all of us in the world that He had already attained flawless Dharma. As these people head toward the spiritual training ground, “[They] will certainly attain,” they are about to attain, flawless [Dharma]. This means they are replete with all true principles. “Flawless and uncontrived” means they enter natural conditions, meaning they have fully attained this fruit.
So, [they] have already “widely benefited all humans and heavenly beings”. All principles are vast and truly broad; they widely benefited all humans and heavenly beings. “Wherever they reside, walk, sit, lie down or teach even a single verse…”.
Wherever they reside, walk, sit, lie down or teach even a single verse…: With faith and understanding deep in their hearts, they practice in accordance with the Dharma at all times. With body, speech and mind, they make vows wherever they walk, stand, sit, sleep, even when they are teaching just a single verse of the sutra.
Wherever these Dharma teachers reside, walk, sit, lie down or whenever they teach even a single phrase, they have deep faith and understanding. They have already developed profound faith in the Buddha-Dharma. They have very deep faith in the principles of the Buddha-Dharma. They are very firm [in their faith] that these are the true principles. With true faith, they say what they need to say. This is having “faith and understanding deep in the heart”. Thus, they “practice in accordance with the Dharma”. “At all times” [means that] regardless of the time, their mind never departs from the Dharma. Thus, [the Dharma teachers] do this “at all times”. What do they do “at all times”? At all times, they make great vows through body, speech and mind, through their actions. What actions do they perform? They include walking, standing, sitting and lying down, [all actions] that occur during one’s life. So, body, speech and mind are already constantly used to make great vows. Be it through body, speech or mind, they form great vows in their daily life, through walking, standing, sitting and lying down. “Even when they are teaching just a single verse of sutra…”. Even if they were to teach but a line of the sutra in that place, that teaching and their lives would have already been closely connected. Whether walking, standing, sitting and lying down, whether speaking or silent, moving or still, whenever thoughts arise, in all of these things, they uphold the Dharma. Just like these Dharma teachers, people who engage in spiritual practice or expound the Dharma must have this kind of merit and virtue when cultivating the Dharma. Thus, “Wherever they reside, walk, sit, lie down or teach even a single verse…”. This is because in their daily life, they always live in this way. In such conditions, they have profound faith and understanding for the Buddha-Dharma. They speak their heart’s Dharma for all to hear. So, we must believe their words and respect [them].
Below, the sutra passage continues, “… they should build a stupa there, magnificently adorn it to make it wondrously fine and make various offerings. When the Buddha-children abide in this place, it will be as if the Buddha is making use of it, always abiding therein, whether walking, standing, sitting or lying down”.
We can understand from reading the sutra passage. Through walking, standing, sitting and sleeping, [they] never depart from the Dharma. It is in this place of spiritual practice that “they should build a stupa”. It is in that environment, in that place, that they should build a stupa, “magnificently adorning it to make it wondrously fine”. This stupa will be in [such a] place. “They make various offerings”. We must make various offerings with reverence, putting [the Dharma] into practice, engaging in spiritual cultivation as an offering. “Buddha-children abide in this place”. Buddha-children are those who learn the path to Buddhahood. “It will be as if the Buddha is making use of it”. In this place, we perform the deeds the Buddha wishes us to. What must be given to help in the world must be given in this way. Thus, this is called “making use of it”. As for what we experience, we must use it all according to the Buddha’s teachings. We must make use of it all. To accept and uphold [the teachings], we must employ the Dharma. These are the Buddha’s teachings, so we must accept and uphold them all. “We are always abiding therein.” All of these teachings, all the teachings that the Buddha taught, are present here. So, “whether walking, sitting or lying down…”. “Abiding therein” refers to our daily living. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. This sutra passage will soon come to an end, so we must mindfully try to comprehend it”. “… they should build a stupa there, magnificently adorn it to make it wondrously fine and make various offerings.”
“… they should build a stupa there, magnificently adorn it to make it wondrously fine and make various offerings: Wherever this sutra is, they should build a stupa there, magnificently adorn it with radiant items to make it extremely wondrous and fine. They should use various teachings to make offerings to the Dharma-stupa.
4737The meaning is that “Wherever this sutra is,” “they should build a stupa there” Wherever this sutra is, it is where we ought to build a stupa and in this way adorn that place. So, “making it extremely wondrous and fine” means making it magnificent and clean. We must use various teachings in making offerings to the stupa. These [teachings] are basically demonstrating the mindset we need to face the world and find ways to use worldly Dharma within the Buddha-Dharma so that we can implement [the Buddha-Dharma] in the world. [Our work] is always within this scope. So, “They should build a stupa there” Do you still remember? Several days ago, we also discussed “the Four Offerings”. The Buddha said, “After I enter Parinirvana,” “there is no need to build either” “a stupa or a monastery” Disciples engaging in spiritual cultivation must spread the sutras through upholding, reading, reciting, memorizing, transcribing them and teaching others to transcribe. They use these various methods to spread and uphold the sutra. In truth, [the Buddha] teaches us to have deep faith and understanding in the Dharma, so we must have deep faith and understanding. For a long time, we have practiced the Five Paramitas with no way of reaching the other shore. So, we need deep faith and understanding to comprehend prajna. Then, we will be replete with the Six Paramitas. Over the past few days, we have continuously discussed these. This is the True Dharma, and we must put it into practice. With our reverent realizations, we put [the Dharma] into practice in this way, practicing the Five Paramitas among people, giving, precepts, patience, diligence and Samadhi. However, we are still missing something.
What are we missing? Wisdom. The first Five Paramitas are tangible. They are tangible; there is the giving of material goods and how we give to serve people in suffering. People in lack are all different, so we ought to provide them with what they need. This is giving. There is material giving, but there is also giving of Dharma, offering of Dharma. What methods should we use to guide sentient beings? Before we wish to guide others forward, we must first guide ourselves, so we must learn the Buddha-Dharma. When giving, we must follow the course of learning the Buddha-Dharma. This is upholding the precepts. “Precepts” encompass the course through which we learn the Dharma. We must have principles of discipline. What the Buddha taught us is the Dharma we follow in our practice. This is the course of the Dharma. We do not say, “I do not practice all of the precepts.” In truth, as we have already become the Buddha’s disciples, we must uphold the precepts, the Five Precepts, Ten Precepts, 48 Precepts, 250 Precepts, 500 Precepts etc. This all depends on our spiritual cultivation. We must better understand them.
So, the Dharma requires us to follow the course. Thus, we must always retain all teachings and uphold all goodness. This is “to retain and uphold.” So, in “retaining all teachings,” meaning all principles, we must faithfully accept and practice them. In regard to upholding the precepts, what is the process of upholding the precepts? We need patience. To uphold the precepts, we need patience. Only with patience can we be diligent. Otherwise, there are so many challenging matters in the world. Some of them are obstacles in the mind; these are afflictions of the spirit.
So, in the beginning, we said that we must escape from afflictions. These afflictions are not obstructions by others but our own obstruction to ourselves. If we cannot change our views, understanding and habitual tendencies, then we have not upheld the precepts sufficiently. We do not uphold them according to the Dharma. If we are unable to endure people’s opinions of us or our opinion of them, since we are unable to remain patient, [we] cannot advance with diligence. If we lack diligence, how can we ever bring Samadhi to our hearts? We cannot have Samadhi or focus. Without diligence, we will not be able to focus. Without focus, there is no Samadhi in our mind. So, [the first five Paramitas] are all tangible. As spiritual practitioners, we meditate here and engage in spiritual practice here. In truth, “We practice without practicing, and our minds become the Buddha’s mind.” This is what Zen practitioners say. We also often speak of “taking the Buddha’s heart as our own heart.” We can never depart from the Buddha. Wherever the Buddha is, there are precepts, so we must engage in spiritual practice. Through spiritual practice, we will naturally take these actions. However, what do such actions depend upon so that we can accord with precepts? They depend on wisdom. Only through wisdom can we know the [right] method of giving as well as the proper guidelines for spiritual practice. If we must face myriad sentient beings, how can we be patient? How can we be diligent without fault? This requires us to employ wisdom. So, if we lack wisdom, then all that we cultivate will be worldly and heavenly blessings. As we wish to cultivate the Bodhisattva-practice and the path to Buddhahood, we must have wisdom. Thus, we cannot lack any of the Six Paramitas. We must have a deep understanding of the Buddha’s principles. Only then will we converge with wisdom. This passage, this verse, ends here. The Chapter on Distinguishing Merits and Virtues has come to an end. So, we must be clear about the merits and virtues of upholding the sutra.
We are not upholding the physical sutra, but taking the Dharma from the sutra to heart to complete the stupa in our hearts. Through upholding [the Dharma] in our hearts, the sariras of the Buddha’s entire body and a stupa [for them] will be within our hearts.
Thus, there is no need to go far to seek the Buddha on Vulture Peak. We have already “entered the Tathagata’s room,” so we should “wear the Tathagata’s clothing.” I hope everyone will be constantly diligent in the Four Demeanors, earnestly walking, standing, sitting and lying, and form great vows in our lives. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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