Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: All Draw Near to Listen to the Dharma (為聽法故 皆來親近)
Date: September.18.2019
“Sentient beings all have different physical forms, but their intrinsic nature is one and the same. They all feel joy, anxiety, sorrow and fear. The realm of sentient beings is subject to the cycle of cause and effect. When we have virtuous causes and conditions for transformation, we will abandon delusion and approach wisdom.”
Let us mindfully seek to understand this. “Sentient beings all have different physical forms, but their intrinsic nature is one and the same.” “Sentient beings” here refers to all living beings. Every living creature has the same nature, yet each has its own distinct form.
For example, pigs have their own form, dogs have their own form, and so do cats and mice. They all have their own name and form. Humans also have their own form. So, [though] we have our different physical forms, all living beings have Buddha-nature, so our intrinsic nature is one and the same. The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different in their nature. [Their natures] are all identical to the Buddha’s. People experience joy, anger, anxiety and sorrow. And in fact, animals like cats, dogs and pigs also experience joy, happiness, anxiety and sorrow. It is just that as human beings, as unenlightened beings, we only know ourselves, and we do not know others. Even between mothers and their children, the closest relationship, children have no way to know their mothers’ minds, what afflictions they have or what things they dislike. A child has no way of understanding this, and it is also impossible for a mother to know what her child is thinking. So, if it is impossible for people in the closest relationship to know one another, then how can we possibly know what other animals are feeling? Of course, we have no way of knowing this. Yet, the Buddha taught us that all living creatures feel the same things, that they also feel joy, anger, sorrow and worry, that they have feelings [too]. Animals also have feelings. Look at how a mother hen lays a clutch of eggs. When her nest is full of eggs, she will constantly stay in that nest, watching over her eggs day and night until her chicks peck through their shells. Thus, once the chicks are hatched, even then, the mother hen continues to stay by their side at all times. If the little chicks get cold, she can spread her wings to cover them up. This is love. If the chicks wander too far away, the mother hen just has to call them, and the chicks will quickly run over to her. You can see how they burrow themselves beneath their mother’s wings. That natural affection, that feeling, that love, is intrinsic within these animals. From this, we can see that animals also experience joy, happiness, anxiety and sorrow. So many people love animals, and they keep them as pets. They know what their pets like from watching their expressions, and they talk to their pets as if they are talking to people. These pets also know their masters’ temperaments and are able to serve their masters too. There are many stories like this, not made up stories, but real stories about the close bonds shared by people and animals. We all experience “sorrow, joy, aversion and fear.”
We worry and become sad. We think, “My children are too far away from me. I do not like this; I feel abandoned.” We feel grief and resentment, or we may feel joyful. When certain things go according to our wishes, we become very joyful. Or [we may feel], “I do not like this, I am afraid, I want to run away.” Unfortunately, these kinds of things are always happening around us. We cannot avoid them, and it always seems like things do not go our way most of the time. Unfortunately, we are surrounded by things we do not like. We give rise to aversion, fear, terror and dread. These are all feelings, deluded feelings. As unenlightened beings, we will inevitably feel “joy, anxiety, sorrow and fear.” Every sentient being has these feelings. “The realm of sentient beings is subject to the cycle of cause and effect.” Because we are deluded, we do not know that the things we do are wrong. Due to our lack of awareness, we make the same mistakes over and over again. We plant seeds like this, [creating] an endless cycle of evil seeds that will eventually bear evil fruits. the experiences of these evil fruits is suffering; these are the fruits of suffering. When many evil seeds are planted, they will bear evil fruits. This is what happens to sentient beings. Since we are the most intelligent of all beings, we should always love and protect living things. We should love and protect all life. We should know the importance of loving and protecting all living things. This is to say nothing of other human beings. Of course, we must also express our love for humanity. Our love for humanity is very precious! This is like a teacher who came to visit me here. He was so reverent and so joyful. He had a check in his hand and told me, “I want to donate this. It has been my wish for many years now.” The teacher upholds his vows and follow the path. I was very happy to see him; [although] he is a man of few words, he works very diligently in his role as a Tzu Chi media volunteer. Wherever [a disaster strikes], even if he has to leave the country and travel internationally or in Taiwan, he is always there; he is always certain to come on his own as an unsummoned teacher. His shots can be seen everywhere; he has recorded so much history for Tzu Chi, and for that I am very grateful. He told me, “Master, this has been my wish for many years, ever since I heard you talk about those disaster survivors in Africa.” He wanted to help them right away. I could feel his love. All he had to do was hear about their suffering in that faraway place, and he formed this great aspiration to help them. Love like his is not an ephemeral aspiration, but [something that develops] over a long time [spent] uphold his vows and following the path of Tzu Chi. He does not just stand there and talk; he helps others silently and sincerely. This is his love.
Also, from the Philippines, a large group of 50 to 60 people have come here. We had just finished holding free clinics there, and when the clinics were over, they were happy to bring 50 to 60 people back here to the Abode, back here to Hualien, to have a look around. They also wanted to tell me how, because of the terrible disasters in Africa, they quickly mobilized people to fundraise on the streets [in the Philippines]. They brought back a video for me to see. “Master, look! In the Philippines, we have also mobilized volunteers to help Africa! No matter how many people donated, even just a peso or half a peso, we rejoiced!” You could see how great their aspirations were. There were adults and children, and they were all very happy to have accomplished a good deed together, to have done their best to take care of those faraway disaster victims. After we finished speaking, he also brought his brothers before me, who said, “We wish to ask something of you, Master.” I asked them, “What is it?” They told me, “In Ormoc, [Tzu Chi] is about to build a school. Master, will you let our family sponsor this? Will you let us build it?” I said, “Really? That will cost a lot of money!” They began to tell me that around this time [in March], 33 years ago, their parents passed away. They hoped they would be able to do something to commemorate their parents, so they all wanted to help build this school. This is [an example of how] “many grains of rice make a bushel” and while fundraising in the Philippines. This caused them to reflect upon their “filial duty to return their parents’ grace.” So, these brothers and their family pledged to donate enough money to build the school. With tears in their eyes, they returned their parents’ grace; this was deeply moving.
Of course, I gave them my blessing. This is a virtuous [deed]; the love of sentient beings is truly virtuous, and filial piety is foremost. What does it mean to be virtuous? It means showing filial piety. People who have filial piety are probably always thinking virtuous thoughts. This is especially true for Alfredi Li. For the sake of disaster survivors and impoverished people in the Philippines, he did a lot of hands-on work that benefited so many suffering people. Now, his brothers and sisters all wanted to give on their parents’ behalf. Aren’t these virtuous causes and conditions? These are virtuous causes and conditions. I told them, “It will take a lot of money.” The brothers and sisters replied in unison, “That will not be a problem for us. Don’t worry, Master, it will not be a problem.” Those brothers and sisters are very aware, and they have no delusions about the cost. No matter What, repaying their parents’ grace is their shared heartfelt wish. No matter how expensive it will be, they do not balk at the cost. They are all in agreement about this. This is “abandoning delusion and approaching wisdom.”
In the same way, “When we have virtuous cause and conditions for transformation, we will abandon delusion and approach wisdom.” For all of those brothers and sisters to share the same aspiration like this, to inspire and transform one another like this, they are indeed a model family. It is the same idea. So, we must be very mindful.
The following passage begins to explain to us with whom we should listen to the Dharma. The previous sutra passage says, “When they use their tongue-root to expound the Dharma at an assembly, the profound and wondrous sounds they utter will be able to enter people’s hearts, “bringing happiness and joy to all”.
Then, it goes on to say, “Moreover, when heavenly princes, heavenly maidens, Sakras, Brahmas and other heavenly beings hear the profound and wondrous sounds of their orderly exposition and discourse, they will all come listen”.
When we read this passage, we can see how both humans and heavenly beings all come together to listen to the Dharma. This is all because of the tongue-root. We use our tongue-root to teach the Dharma. The Buddha is the same; when He taught the Lotus Sutra. He bore ”the mark of an eloquent tongue”. We saw this before in previous sutra passages, where it said that the Buddha taught the Dharma with “an eloquent tongue”, expounding the teachings that all sentient beings would be able to understand.
So, the Buddha also used His tongue to teach the Dharma. We must use our tongues to speak as well, no matter who we are. [Dharma-teachers] utter subtle and wondrous sounds. Thus, “hearing the profound and wondrous sounds of their orderly exposition and discourse, they will all come listen”. As long as what we say is meaning, as long as we teach the Buddha-Dharma they will all come listen.
Continuing on, it says, “There will also be dragnons, female dragons, yaksas, female yaksas, gandharvas, female gandharvas, asuras, female asuras, garudas, female garudas, kinnaras, female kinnaras, mahoragas and female mahoragas. In order to listen to the Dharma, they will all draw near them and make reverent offerings. These are the names of the eight classes of Dharma-protectors, as explained in the Introductory Chapter. The males and females of the eight classes of Dharma-protectors will all gather together.
These are the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. There are both male and female, like the female asuras and so on. The eight different classes are all listed here. We explained all these terms before, in particular, during the Introductory Chapter, where we explained nearly every one of these eight classes of Dharma-protectors. For now, all we need to know is that, “The males and females of the eight classes of Dharma-protectors will all gather together”. The males and females of the eight classes of Dharma-protectors have all already gathered together here. Why have they gathered here? “In order to listen to the Dharma”. They gather together to listen to the Dharma. “They will all draw near them and make reverent offerings”. They come to listen to the Dharma and make offerings with utmost reverence.
“In order to listen to the Dharma, they will all draw near them and make reverent offerings”. This is “because the Dharma the Buddha teaches accords with capabilities and circumstances and is profound, wondrous and orderly. So, they will seek to draw near it and give rise to the mindset of making offerings”.
This is how it was when the Buddha taught the sutras. No matter how many people were present, however, [sharp or dull] their capabilities were, when the Buddha taught one phrase of the Dharma, people of varying capabilities could accept it according to their individual capabilities. This was not easy to do. This is what makes it “subtle and wondrous”. One phrase could be accepted by everyone, yet as each person’s capacity was different their experiences [were different also]. Everyone experienced it in their own way and acquired their own insights. The Dharma has a great power to influence people. The Buddha teaches the subtle, wondrous Dharma in accordance with sentient beings’ capabilities. Thus, [His teachings] accord with capabilities and circumstances”. Thus, it is “profound and wondrous” and very deep. People of greater capacities will hear it and understand the profound mysteries of the principles. People of shallower capacities will hear it and think, “This is very useful to me”. He accords with capacities both deep and shallow so that everyone can make use of it. Thus, [His teachings] are “profound, wondrous and orderly”. This is how He taught, from the profound to the simple, from the shallows to the depths, so that everyone could make use of [the Dharma] according to their capabilities. “So, they will seek to draw near it”. Regardless of the nature of their capabilities, whether they are male or female, old or young, they will come listen at the same time. Then, they will all “give rise to the mindset of making offerings”. This [describes] the scene when [everyone] comes to listen to the sutra.
So, the following sutra passage says, “There will also be bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, kings, princes, officials and their retinues.
This includes the Buddha’s fourfold assembly, kings, princes, all ranks of officials”. The ministers and each of their retinues will all come together at that place.
Next, the passage continues, “The small wheel-turning kings and great wheel-turning kings, along with their Seven Treasures, thousand sons and inner and outer retinues, will ride in their palaces to all come listen to the Dharma, for these Bodhisattvas excel at teaching the Dharma”.
Previously, it said that to listen to the Dharma, many bhiksus and bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas would all come to listen. Now, it is “the small wheel-turning sage kings and great wheel-turning sage kings, along with their Seven Treasures, thousand sons and inner and outer retinues” who will ride in their palaces to all come listen to the Dharma, for these Bodhisattvas excel at teaching the Dharma. Now, it describes the scene when these wheel-turning sage kings will come. Whether these wheel-turning sage kings are small or great, along with their Seven Treasures and inner and outer retinues, their close and distant relatives and so on, they will all call for each other and come, all journeying in their palaces. They need no other form of transportation; they just come in their palaces, which are obviously quite luxurious. The sutra discussed this all before, as well, about how they even bring along their palaces, along with all their retinues.
As for people today, some ride buses, some ride trains and some drive their cars. Some have very large, elegant cars, which are outfitted very luxuriously and are expensive. Some even do things like dine inside their cars. People today enjoy these kinds of luxuries. Similarly, the extremely blessed kings on earth will become wheel-turning sage kings. And what is a “small wheel-turning sage king”?
The small wheel-turning kings: Those among sentient beings who teach others by means of the Ten Good Deeds and become kings are known as wheel-turning kings. These kings, numerous as grains of millet, are known as small wheel-turning kings.
“Small wheel-turning kings” are “those among sentient beings” who teach so many [other] sentient beings by means of the Ten Good Deeds “and become kings”. They are very wealthy, and as they lead by example, they go on to influence many people by means of the Supreme Ten Good Deeds. We spoke about this several days ago. King Brahma and Sovereign Sakra practiced the Ten Good Deeds in the past. Moreover, in order to accomplish the Supreme Ten Good Deeds, they not only did good deeds themselves, but also encouraged others to do them. They kept on accumulating blessings like this, and through that constant accumulation, they were able to ascend [to heaven]. [King Brahma’s] blessed retribution brought him to Brahma Heaven, and for Sakro-devanam Indra and the like, they enjoy the blessings of different levels of heavens. In fact, wheel-turning kings are like this too. They also reach different levels, depending on how they teach and transform others by means of the Ten Good Deeds. This is what it comes down to. So, while we are in the human world, it is very important for us to do good deeds, for through good deeds both great and small, we accumulate merits and virtues. Whether deeds are small or great, they all add up. So, wheel-turning sage kings also [began] “among sentient beings”.
This means that among ordinary sentient beings, they started accumulating good deeds by doing them themselves, encouraging others to do them and by doing them together with others. By teachings and transforming others like this, by means of the Ten Good Deeds, they became kings. Because they have become kings like this, they “are known as wheel-turning kings”. They constantly accumulated good deeds and thereby have become wheel-turning kings. “These kings are as numerous as grains of millet”. This is like an ear of millet, if you break it apart, each of those grains makes for a very good seed. Their numerous grains are like “small wheel-turning kings”. This is used as an analogy. “Along with their Seven Treasures, thousand sons…”. What are these Seven Treasures? With their Seven Treasures [and] thousand sons: Whenever a king of the golden wheel is born, the Seven Treasures will naturally manifest. 1.Wheels 2. Jewels 3. Elephants 4. Horses 5. Chief military officers 7. Beautiful women. Thousand sons: They have one thousand sons.
“Whenever a king of the golden wheel is born, the Seven Treasures will naturally manifest. This happens whenever a kind of the golden wheel is born”. How can they tell if he is a wheel-turning king? When he is born, the Seven Treasures will all manifest. As for these Seven Treasures, first are wheels, precious wheels. These wheels will turn in the air, manifesting this kind of [magnificent] scene. Second, there will be jewels, precious jewels. Third, there will be elephants. In India, elephants were considered a mark of wealth. Thus, there is the treasure of elephants and the treasure of horses. “Chief military officers” are able to lead Military officials and court officials are also included amongst his treasures. Sixth are the officers who manage his treasury. His property and treasury are managed by treasurers who take good care of his [wealth]. Seventh are beautiful women. All of these belong to him. These are all things that a wheel-turning king is able to acquire and possess to show that he is very wealthy. When he is born, he will be surrounded by this kind of luxurious, extravagant lifestyle, and [all these things] will be his treasures. Moreover, he has a “thousand sons”. He is blessed with many sons and grandsons. These are [what make a] wheel-turning king. It says they have a “thousand sons”.
With their Seven Treasures and thousand sons, they live such luxurious lifestyles they live such luxurious lifestyles. Then, there are “the inner and outer retinues”. The “inner retinue consists of parents and siblings, queens, concubines and palace maids”. These are all the people in their families. The outer retinue includes “clan members, officials, citizens and so on”. This is their outer retinue. Their inner retinue is their family, while their outer retinue is those under their command. As the saying goes, “They love the people like their own children”. It is all the people who make up their retinue. They, too, “will ride in their palaces to all come listen to the Dharma”. They encourage everyone in both their inner and outer retinues to all go together with them. This means they bring the entire palace and everyone living around it with them when they go to listen to the sutra.
[They] will ride in their palaces to all come listen to the Dharma: The palaces they ride are their chariots. For the sake of the Dharma, they will all come listen to it and accept it.
“The palaces they ride” are the vehicles that they take to listen to the Dharma together. They travel so luxuriously, as if they were in the luxury of their own homes. They can dine and sleep in them; they have everything they need. These are the luxurious vehicles in which they journey together with their retinues. This means the wheel-turning kings are very rich and replete with blessings. Their blessings come from the good deeds they accumulated in the human realm, thus they have fulfilled their great blessed karma.
These Bodhisattvas excel at teaching the Dharma: Due to their spiritual aspirations to uphold the sutra, these Bodhisattvas excel at expounding the profound and wondrous Dharma. From “for these” onward, [the passage describes] how Bodhisattvas teach the Dharma skillfully and the fourfold assembly makes offerings with complete devotion.
“For these Bodhisattvas excel at teaching the Dharma”. They teach the Dharma like Bodhisattvas. They are diligent themselves and encourage others to be diligent [too]. They learn the Dharma themselves and also pass on the Dharma to others. This is what it means to be a Bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. They do not just teach [the Dharma]; they are able to practice what they teach. Those who live such model lives like these are called Bodhisattvas. “Due to their spiritual aspirations to uphold the sutra, these Bodhisattvas excel at expounding” [it]. This is how they are; they uphold the sutra themselves, walk the path themselves and put it into action as they go among people by spreading Dharma, teaching the Dharma and transforming others. This is what Bodhisattvas do. “These Bodhisattvas excel at expounding” [the Dharma]. Since we practice what we teach, we can always speak very freely. The Dharma is the truth. We can teach others with the Dharma so that they can practice it too. This is the wondrous Dharma. Thus, “Bodhisattvas excel at expounding the profound and wondrous Dharma”. They are all Bodhisattvas who uphold the sutra and learn the path. From “for these” onward, [the passage describes] those who uphold, read and recite the sutra and encourage others to uphold, read and recite it as they go among people and transform sentient beings. These “Bodhisattvas teach the Dharma skillfully”. They have many methods of teaching the Dharma, for they have seen and experienced many things. So, they teach in such a way that everyone listens happily, understands easily and then [are able to] easily put it into practice. Once they practice it, they gain insights. Thus, everyone can have the Dharma to transform themselves. So, the fourfold assembly makes offerings with complete devotion. So, the value of the Buddha-Dharma lies in our ability to practice it and put it into action. If we can put it into action and practice it, we will not encounter any difficulties. This is the true Bodhisattva-path. Just look at how the wheel-turning sage kings dedicated themselves. Before they even became kings, back when they were among sentient beings, they practiced good deeds themselves and encouraged others to do good as well; they did this themselves and got others to do it, thus transforming others with the Ten Good Deeds. If they never put them into practice themselves, this would be impossible. We just spoke about [that family’s] filial piety for their parents. Over 30 years ago from today, around this time, [their parents passed away]. So, they decided unanimously to do this [good deed] for their parents. So, they reverently came before me and requested my permission, asking, “Master, will you let us do this thing?” Thus, they also showed their reverence for their teacher and the Dharma. This was also very moving, for this, too, showed great virtue.
So, if all we discuss is the virtuous Dharma and all we do are virtuous deeds, these deeds will all accumulate and bring us many blessed retributions. We will become like wheel-turning kings because we gave to others in the past. So, as we listen to the Dharma, it is not something abstruse or impractical. It is something that is truly part of our world that we are able to practice and teach. If we are able to be like this, then everyone will always work together with unity, harmony and love as they work to help the world. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
