Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Tathagata Abides Eternally in Suchness (如來度生 常住如是)
Date: June.06.2019
“’Thus Come One,’ Tathagata, refers to Suchness, which has existed since Beginningless Time, and how He comes and goes in the Saha World to transform sentient beings. Since the ancient past, He has remained unchanging, permanently abiding in Suchness, teaching sentient beings according to their capabilities and conditions.”
We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. We often speak of Sakyamuni Tathagata. Whether in the past, present of future, any Buddha who has attained Buddhahood is called a “Tathagata”. “’Thus Come One,’ Tathagata, refers to Suchness.” Whether in the past, present or future, this remains unchanging. It has always been the same since ancient times. “He comes and goes in the Saha World to transform sentient beings.” This refers to how [all Buddhas] come to the Saha World because good and evil coexist in this world; there is much suffering here. Sentient beings have severe afflictions; this is why all Buddhas come to the Saha World. They all share the same aspiration, which is to deliver all sentient beings. This is because the Saha World is hard to endure. So, They must repeatedly return to this world.
“Since the ancient past, He has remained unchanging, permanently abiding in Suchness.” In the past, present and future, [Their Suchness] always permanently abides. Now it is Sakyamuni Buddha, whom we all presently call “our Fundamental Teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha.” Sakyamuni Buddha’s wisdom-life permanently abides. Sakyamuni Buddha is forever present in the world, repeatedly coming and going without ceasing. It is Sakyamuni Buddha who, “since the ancient past, has remained unchanging, permanently abiding in Suchness.” We must mindfully seek to comprehend that this is how the Dharma comes into [existence].
In the past, present and future, all Buddhas share the same goal; this is the same direction that They all share. So, “[He] teaches sentient beings according to their capabilities and conditions.” Our present Sakyamuni Buddha devised teaching for us sentient beings according to our capabilities; we must all cherish this! [Though] we say that we are more than 2000 years removed from the Buddha, in fact, the Buddha’s Dharmakaya is everlasting. The Buddha’s Dharmakaya abides permanently; it remains unchanging. The Buddha-Dharma is eternal. What concerned Him more was that, as Ananda witnessed during his own lifetime, the Dharma he had transmitted had diverged greatly due to the slightest deviation. Seeing this, Ananda was completely disheartened. He personally corrected [these bhiksus], but the bhiksus went back and asked their master. Their master told them, “Oh, Ananda is old! Pass on [the Dharma] just as I taught you.” Thus, they continued to incorrectly pass on [the teachings].
We have discussed this section previously, so everyone should have heard it already. Ananda thought, “I am still alive; I have directly heard the Buddha’s principles and directly passed them on. But now, they say that I am old. Even when I corrected them, it was useless! If this is the case, then what am I still doing in this world?” This is like when Master Zhizhe asked the disciples around him, “I endured so much hardship to spread the Dharma and [pass on] my work. As earnestly as I have worked, has it helped you to realize even a little bit of the Dharma? Has it helped you [at all]? I wish for you to sincerely spread the Dharma.”
Surprisingly, these disciples all remained silent and did not reply. Completely disheartened, Master Zhizhe [said], “Well, since all of you are silent and have no response, this demonstrates your inability to sincerely pass down the teachings. In this case, what use was [all my work]?” This is a true story [from] this [installment] of “Master Zhizhe,” about the great Tiantai master and his teachings. This [program] is so factual; each installment of the story seems very familiar. When I watched “Master Zhizhe,” I was truly grateful for how [accurately] it portrayed his hard work to [spread] the Buddha-Dharma during his entire life. There were also times when he felt very disheartened, thought of himself as useless and felt like giving up. [Living] in this kind of world, Master Zhizhe was 60 years old when he entered Perfect Rest. What a pity!
Sakyamuni Buddha lived until He was 80 years old, and Ananda lived for more than 100 years. Despite this, Master Zhizhe was able, several hundred years [after the Buddha’s time], to single-mindedly [focus on] composing the “Textual Commentary on the Lotus Sutra,” the “Profound Meanings of the Lotus Sutra,” as well as “Great Concentration and Insight.” The era [in which he lived] was very difficult, with repeated chaos from wars. [Throughout] this time, he [continually] spread the Buddha-Dharma, while also systematizing the Lotus Sutra’s [teachings]. [Thanks to his work], today we can say that this is how the spirit and ideals of the Lotus Sutra were passed down. For several decades, Master Zhizhe poured his heart into completing [these works]. Master Zhizhe also dedicated his every thought to the hope that people would be able to spread the Dharma with genuine sincerity. Over and over again, he instructed them not to use the Buddha-Dharma to curry favor or be the ones to eventually sever the seeds of Buddhahood. [He instructed them] not to simple appear to practice the Dharma, yet eventually severing the seeds to Buddhahood, because they were unable to sincerely pass on the Dharma.
At that time, everyone depended on hearing [Dharma-talks] and they revered the Buddha-Dharma. So, at this time now, we must put the Lotus Sutra, the Bodhisattva Way that the Buddha taught, into practice through our actions; we must not merely instill it in our minds. [Those who] simply recite or understand it [say], “I know, I know! I understand it!” If we only know and understand it, then how can it benefit all sentient beings?
The Tathagata came to this world, repeatedly returning to the Saha World, this Saha world were suffering abounds, in order to relieve sentient beings’ suffering. But has this suffering been eliminated? Karmic conditions [enabled] many wealthy people at that time, [including] kinds and ministers, [as well as] common people to dedicate themselves, but there were also many obstacles in those days. To truly apply this spirit to relieve suffering was something they could not yet accomplish.
[The Buddha’s] time was also very limited, so he had to rely on many people to unite their aspirations as one and directly bring relief to those who were suffering. Similarly, I have heard that our [hospital] volunteers say that [bathing patients is like] “bathing the Buddha.” Thus, each sick person becomes a spiritual training ground for our Bodhisattvas, [who treat] their physical bodies as if each one was the Buddha Himself. [Although] their bodies are filthy, without reservations, they gently clean them and wash them until their entire bodies are totally clean. When I heard that our Faith Corps members bathed three [patients] in a row, I was greatly moved.
They did not recite any sutra passages there; the sutra passages about relieving sentient beings’ suffering was not something that they chanted, but something they implemented by directly [interacting] with people to relieve their suffering and so on.
Not only must we help those around us, but even in very faraway places, in other countries and far corners of the world, as long as there are people in need, we will gather people nearby [to help them]. If we lack sufficient volunteers [there], then, from faraway places, people with correct spiritual ideals will dedicate themselves [in that place]. Whether they go, they never fail to inspire others. To help people, we can inspire local people with better financial situations and those willing to physically dedicate themselves to become seeds of local Bodhisattvas.
This is what it means to spread the Dharma. This is what it means to teach and transform. In some countries, they have spread the Dharma and rapidly [begun] to teach and transform people. In a short [span of] 10 or 20 years, entire countries have begun to turn poverty into [spiritual] wealth. All this is clear in our history. This is how Bodhisattvas put the Dharma into practice. So, we must be clear [that we need to] go among people to deliver sentient beings. “He comes and goes as such.” To “come as such” [means] that we have past karmic causes and conditions, on which we journey to come to this world. Without these past [karmic conditions], how could we all share the same [spiritual] aspirations and path today? When we can use suffering as our training ground, this becomes our Bodhisattva-path. By connecting with suffering sentient beings, we can accomplish this. When we make this our spiritual training ground, then wherever there is suffering, we can always untangle our minds so that we do not fear the stench and filth. Then, we will treat others as we treat ourselves, as if they were our own family.
A mind like this can encompass all sentient beings in the world by practicing the Three Spheres of Emptiness. This is like the Tathagata, Sakyamuni Buddha, who comes and goes in the Saha World to deliver sentient beings. “Saha” means to patiently endure, and He repeatedly comes and goes in this world that must be patiently endured. Why must it be patiently endured? Because it is filled with suffering! Bodhisattvas must patiently endure any environment like this in order to transform sentient beings. This is truly not easy.
“Since the ancient past, He has remained unchanging, permanently abiding in Suchness.” That He is eternally like this [means that] after He goes, He will return again, for He does not fear suffering. He accommodates sentient beings, for we are numerous and difficult to transform. Similarly, sometimes we train many [volunteers] in some location of a certain province. Though it is a small place, 15 volunteers came to be certified. [But] we have learned that those who still take on the responsibility of Tzu Chi volunteer services may only be three, which is only one fifth. People may complete their certification, but afterwards, they may also [lose interest]. Of those who genuinely dedicate themselves to helping the local people, only three remain. Thus, it is clear that to become very experienced, to remain with Tzu Chi and to persistently dedicate oneself to the work is not at all easy. So, we must cherish each other and love each other in this Dharma family. So, in life, we must be very mindful. How do Bodhisattvas repeatedly come and go like this without every resting, despite such hardship?
The Bodhisattvas reaching the ground of joy are those who practice the teaching of the initial stage and attain great merits and virtue. They give charitably everywhere to orphans, widows and many poor, old, sick and suffering people. The wisdom of these Bodhisattvas is the same as the Buddha-wisdom. They thoroughly perceive the Great Path, enter the ocean ow wisdom and fully understand the wisdom of the Buddha-realm. Therefore, they attain Dharma-joy and reach the initial stage of the Bodhisattva, the ground of joy.
“Bodhisattvas [who] reach the ground of joy practice the teaching of the initial stage. This means that to engage in spiritual practice, we must start with the Bodhisattva’s spirit. The Bodhisattva’s spirit does not fear suffering. So, not fearing suffering and [cultivating] joy are a Bodhisattva’s initial stage. Bodhisattvas begin [their practice] through the teaching of the initial stage. This is why we often see Tzu Chi people say. “You are blessed!” They actually may be exhausted from hard work, still they say to each other, “You are blessed!” They use “blessed” to mean, “You must be exhausted!” When someone says, “You are so blessed!” we implicitly know to reply, “Oh, we are fulfilled”. The response is, “We are fulfilled”. This means that, although the task is exhausting, when we are finally able to complete the work, there will be something to show for it. This is why they reply, “We are fulfilled!”
Giving of oneself is very exhausting but completing the job is always [our mission]. So, when a volunteer tells you, “You are blessed!” you should reply by saying, “I am fulfilled!” This is what Bodhisattvas say when they have entered [Tzu Chi’s] Dharma-door will have “attained great merit and virtue” because they take joy [in their work]. Though they may be exhausted, they rejoice. They rejoice when the mission is accomplished. [They think], “I am fulfilled. I have cleaned what I needed to clean up for him. Though I am tired, the work is finished. So, I am fulfilled!” If we are both blessed and fulfilled, we have already “attained great merits and virtue.”
“They give charitably everywhere to orphans, widows,” to impoverished people. Think about the charitable giving we practice. [This Chinese word can be translated literally] as “to give everywhere”. We practice giving everywhere. So, it says, “everywhere”. We help those who live alone without support, [people who] may be widows and orphans. [We help] many different kinds of people.
We often see households with a single mother. What hard work! How can we give her some assistance? We often see poor, sick people who live alone, like elderly people who have no one by their side; if they get ill, there is no one to care for them. As long as Tzu Chi volunteers can reach them, then we can do something for them. Isn’t this the “long-term care” people talk about nowadays? They often go to check on them and care for them. Thus, “The wisdom of these Bodhisattvas is same as the Buddha-wisdom”. We must learn the Buddha’s teachings, like this, to be able to experience suffering sentient beings’ hardships. This is the Bodhisattva Way the Buddha taught, which we work to accomplish. So, “The wisdom of these Bodhisattvas is the same as the Buddha-wisdom”. We have done what the Buddha wanted, especially to “thoroughly perceive the Great Path”.
In the morning, we always recite the Three Refuges. “I take refuge in the Buddha. May all sentient beings comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration. I take refuge in the Dharma. may all delve deeply into the sutra treasury and have wisdom as vast as the ocean. I take refuge in the Sangha. May we lead people harmoniously without obstruction”. This enables us to go among people and guide them with the correct Buddha-Dharma. Everyone intrinsically has the Three Treasures, the self-nature of the Buddha, the self-nature of the Dharma and the self-nature of the Sangha. Though [many of us] do not become monastics, [all of us have] the self-nature of the Sangha, meaning the ground of our mind is pure and we are without craving or desires. This is the self-nature of the Sangha. The precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are things all lay-people can successfully maintain. If sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness, can [also] be achieved by lay-people then they are equal to monastics. Since we [recite] the Three Refuges each morning, doesn’t this mean we should go among people? We must go and lead people. For those who are suffering, who live alone with no support or anyone to help, we must go and be their support. We must go and help them, [for] we are already going among people. As for all of our afflictions, once we see things clearly, we will not complain. [Practicing] the Three Sphere of Emptiness, we [help others] without expectations, and we are grateful [to them]. We are liberating our minds, so we rejoice, because we have resolved to help others with their difficulties. When sentient beings are at peace, this is what makes us joyful. Thus, “The wisdom of these Bodhisattvas is the same as the Buddha-wisdom”. Bodhisattvas and the Buddha have the same wisdom meaning they “thoroughly perceive the Great Path” and “have entered the ocean of wisdom [by] fully understanding the wisdom of the Buddha-realm”.
For a while in the past, I talk about transforming consciousness into wisdom, [meaning] we take our everyday circumstances and turn them into wisdom; we transform them into wisdom. We must turn our consciousness, which arises when our Six Roots connect with Six Dusts, into “profound discerning wisdom”. When we do not feel craving for material things, we will not crave recognition for doing what we must to help others. Without seeking after power, wealth or status, we will help others while expressing our gratitude. [When we can do this] with joyful hearts, this is “profound discerning wisdom”. Only by doing so can we attain “universal equality wisdom” and “great perfect mirror wisdom”.
So, stage by stage, we have already [begun to accomplish] this. So, if we can be earnestly mindful, we can attain “all-accomplishing wisdom,” “profound discerning wisdom”, “universal equality” and “great perfect mirror wisdom”. These [kings of] wisdom [enable us] to enter that state. So, when we “enter the ocean of wisdom and fully understand the wisdom of the Buddha-realm, that means we have “great perfect mirror wisdom”. “Therefore, we attain Dharma-joy”. Naturally, when we see sentient beings rescued, we feel joy.
This is like in Myanmar, in 2008, when we went to help them [after] a disastrous flood. We helped some poor farmers to be able to make it through this crises by distributing rice seeds to them. By earnestly cultivating their fields, they were able to clear their debts [with lenders]. Several of their children have now already graduated from university. We have seen pictures of them wearing their graduation caps. They are always grateful, for without that bit of assistance, their lives may not have changed. [Now], they no longer incur debt, and they were able to save money to raise their children, which enable them to graduate from university and to each find very good jobs. How could we not feel joy over this? “Oh, I am so joyful!” “What are you so joyful for? They are not your children.” No, they are not, and this frees us from our worries. But only by rejoicing do we gain merit and virtue. Their ability to make it this far is due to the Buddha-wisdom. “Therefore, we attain dharma-joy”. Only with this state of mind can we constantly very joyful and “advance to the Bodhisattva-ground of joy”. This is talking joy in others’ merit and virtue. What we must do is to become Bodhisattvas in the world who follow the Buddha’s teachings to teach others the Bodhisattva Way. According to our Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, if our minds are really, truly sincere and we are willing to help others with love, then we will be joyful. This king of joy will be carried on by taking joy in others’ merits and virtues. There are many kinds of sentient beings; besides human beings, there are many other living beings, all of which possess Buddha-nature. They are all sentient.
“Some are thinking, some are unthinking. Some are neither thinking nor unthinking. Some are legless, some have two legs, some have four legs and some have many legs. Among these numerous sentient beings, someone, seeking blessings, bestows delightful objects upon them all in accordance with their various desires.”
As sentient beings who are now learning the Buddha-Dharma, when we see people doing good deeds, we always feel very joyful. Not only do we [feel joy] when we see people do good deeds for other humans, but for all forms of livings beings. There are all encompassed by [our joy]. No matter what kind of living being it is, we must cherish and protect them all with love. [This applies] to all beings within realm of sentience, be they thinking or unthinking. This includes human beings and [being within] the Six Heavens of Desire, [the realms which] heavenly beings enjoy, whether they are thinking, unthinking or neither thinking nor unthinking. And what about human beings? [Some humans live] as if in heaven, while others [live like] asuras. Heaven for humans [means] never worrying about material things. They spend their lives in total enjoyment. Some are very smart and their thoughts run wild. There are quite a few people like this. Other think a great deal, yet accomplish nothing. Still others [think], “What do worldly matters have to do with me?” They are heartless and seal themselves off. They do not care about worldly affairs, nor do they think about they think about anything much. “[They are] not-thinking”. Not-thinking does not mean they do not think. They may think very meticulously, yet cannot accomplish anything. There are others who think, but they think only of how to refute others. Neither of these is correct. The world also has people who are not-unthinking. People who are neither thinking nor unthinking, people with this mindset, also exist in this world people with this mindset, also exist in this world. Regardless of our state of mind, the most important for us to realize is that the world has myriads of different life forms.
So, “Some are legless; some have two legs, some have four legs and some have many legs; there are numerous different kinds of sentient beings like these”. As long as they are sentient beings, they are seeking blessing. Some look after and show love to others, but all seek blessings according to their desires. [Perhaps] someone may seek something from us. If we are creating blessings and someone seeks something from us, then whatever it is, we willingly give to them. “Whatever delightful objects accord with their various desire, we give them all of these;” we “bestow them all upon them”. Whatever brings joy to sentient beings, we will give to them. There are people like this as well. Some respond to sentient beings by doing whatever they request. People like this exist. This is what this sutra passage is about. When we read this sutra passage, everyone may not understand it clearly; they may think it is talking about the Heaven of. Neither Thought nor the Absence of Thought. Actually, in the world, there are people with such thinking and views. We must mindfully seek to comprehend this.
In the next sutra passage, [the Buddha] said, “To every one of these sentient beings, [the person] gives a full Jambudvipa’s worth of gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, coral, amber and all kinds of wondrous treasures”.
To every one of these sentient beings, this person gives a great many things. “Jambudvipa” is another name for our world. One name is “the Saha world of endurance”. Another name for it is “Jambudvipa”. This is because on this earth, there is a great king of tree. This great tree is extremely large. When the sun shines, this great tree provides a lot of shade. [People] can rest in its shade. After the sun goes down, when the moon comes out, the tree’s shadow is reflected on the moon; it is reflected on the moon. When the moon is opposite the earth, on the 15th of each lunar month, when it is full, if you look carefully, you can see this very clearly; there seems to be [an image of] a tree on the moon. This is shadow of the Jambu tree. So, this world can also be called Jambudvipa this is [a continent in] the Saha World. Where is Jambudvipa located in the Saha World? It is the southern continent.
To every one of these sentient beings, [the person] gives a full Jambudvipa’s worth…: This is enough to fill this entire southern continent of Jambudvipa.
There are four continents surrounding Mt Sumeru. Ours is not the eastern continent of Purvavideha, nor is it the northern continent of Utarakuru, nor is it the western continent of Avaragodaniya. Ours is the southern continent of Jambudvipa, this world where people [live]. [This person] would fill Jambudvipa with “Gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, coral, amber and all kinds of wondrous treasures”. There would be very many, “all precious objects”. These are the Seven Treasures.
Gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, coral, amber and all kinds of wondrous treasures: These are all precious objects. As for the meaning behind these seven treasures, the sutra says, “Whether we offer a stick of incense, a flower, a lamp, a robe, even a garden or food and drink, we must universally form great vows for the sake of sentient beings. Moreover, when others see all of these things, they will universally form great vows for the sake of all sentient beings”.
Our world is truly well-endowed with riches. The Buddhist sutras describe how “a stick of incense or a flower” can be used [as an offering]. The offerings we make to the Buddha [can be] incense, flowers, lanterns, clothing, or “even a garden or food and drink”. All of these can serve as offerings. These are our greatest necessities for living. A garden has flowers and trees. During the Buddha’s era, they hung lanterns in the gardens, and people offered lamp oil to keep them lit. Others made donations of clothing. As for “even a garden or food and drink,” this refers to a large garden like the one elder Anathapindika and Prince Jeta donated [to the Sangha] as an offering, where the Buddha would often lecture. It was a very large forest where the Buddha and the Sangha resided. Thus, the offerings that everyone made were also very important.
So, the offerings that are most urgently needed are [considered] treasures. Everything that people can use is precious. So, “we must universally form great vows for the sake of sentient beings”. [These people] willingly helped the Sangha by donating things that they needed, and they also willingly donated things that the average suffering person people needed. Their will to do this made them very joyful, so they willingly did it. “Moreover, when others see all of these things, they will universally form great vows”. Everyone, it is not enough for a minority of people to do this. When everyone takes joy in others’ good deeds and appeal to one another, then naturally, stage by stage, everyone can earnestly dedicate themselves to helping others. Only with a group of people are we able to widely [give] to sentient beings in need.
In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures [it says], “At that time, before the Buddha, a stupa of seven treasures” “500 yojanas in height…”. We should all still remember this; it was “250 yojanas in length and width” and it “emerged from the ground and stayed in the air”. “At that time, from the stupa of treasures came a great voice that said in praise, ‘Excellent! Excellent!”’ Sakyamuni Buddha “can use the great impartial wisdom to teach the Bodhisattva Way”. [This Dharma] “is safeguarded by all Buddhas”.
What all Buddhas protected in the past was the Lotus Sutra, the one He was teaching to the assembly. This was also when the past Buddha came to praise the present Buddha and to bear witness for the present Buddha. This was why the stupa of treasures appeared. Many Treasures Buddha was inside the stupa as it hovered in the air. That stupa appeared in the air, and His great voice emanated from within, in praise and in testimony [of Sakyamuni Buddha]. Even having attained Buddhahood, [Many Treasures] still regretted that He never got to teach the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, He made a vow that, wherever the Lotus Sutra was being taught, His sutpa of treasures would appear there. Everyone, although all Buddhas share the same path, Many Treasures Buddha never got to complete it. Many Treasures Buddha lamented that He never got to accomplish that one thing. Every Buddha in the past had taught the Lotus Sutra, but Many Treasures Buddha never got to accomplish that aspiration. However, He would go to wherever the Lotus Sutra was being taught; He would be certain to appear there to joyfully testify [to its teaching]. Thus, the Lotus Sutra’s importance to us as spiritual practitioners is very evident.
Everyone, we must be loving and mindful. What is most important in listening to the Dharma is to make good use of our time. We do not have much time. All we can do is to quickly practice the Bodhisattva Way that the Buddha taught. When it comes to our Bodhisattva-practice, it cannot be accomplished with only a few people. Many people must come together to accomplish it. This is not impossible to do, and we will achieve great merits and virtues. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)