Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Suffering and Joy Manifest Within the Body (苦樂之境 悉於身現)
Date: September.30.2019
“’Saha’ means ‘to endure’ the accumulation of suffering. [This is the result of] ignorance, volitional formation, consciousness, name and form, the six entrances, contact, feeling, craving, grasping becoming and birth, old age and death. Within these 12 Links of Cyclic Existence causes and effects are linked. The Seven Kinds of Arrogance and Eight Kinds of Pride are like the series of Iron Ring [mountains].”
When everyone sees these words, you should be able to associate them with the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, the first teaching He gave was the Four Noble Truths, which He taught to the five bhiksus. The first thing He taught was “suffering”. Suffering, causation, cessation and the Path are the Four Noble Truths that He wanted everyone to mindfully listen to and understand. He turned the Dharma-wheel of the Four Truths three times. He had to teach it three times for five people. Clearly, even for something as simple as the word “suffering,” [it was not easy]. Suffering is caused by accumulation, so we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice and earnestly be diligent to advance, eliminating all kinds of afflictions.
Afflictions begin with the origin of life. So, the Buddha next began to teach the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence. Thus, the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence were the first teachings that the Buddha taught after He was enlightened. Often times, upon meeting those who did not yet have a direction in life, the Buddha would teach according to capabilities. He would say clearly to everyone that in our lives we continue to give rise to afflictions, so we suffer when we come to this world. As are the causes and conditions, so are the effects and retributions. These 12 Links of causes and conditions start with ignorance. Ignorance and confusion are the conditions that lead to volitional formation. Out of a single thought of confusion, we take action. Our actions in the past and actions in the present accumulate into karmic causes and consciousness. It is already determined which parents [we are born to], what causes and conditions, and what place [we will be born in]. This is the beginning of consciousness. So, in this family and with these parents, we begin to exist, which is called “name and form”. Name and form slowly develop into the six entrances in the mother’s womb. After [nearly] ten months, more than nine months, the baby has matured, replete with the six entrances, and will now be in contact with the world. When it comes in contact with the world, when it leaves the mother’s body, as I have often said, it feels extreme pain and suffering. When [the baby] bursts out of the womb, it comes into contact with the environment and the air, which pierces all the nerves in the [baby’s] body. Therefore, the baby cries loudly. This is “the feeling” from contact. From here, as the baby continues to grow up, this feeling turns into “craving,” and craving turns into “grasping”. Grasping leads to the creation of karma, and the creation of karma leads to “becoming”. The becoming of what? It is the becoming of all good and evil karma that we have created. These are unalterable principles. Those who do good deeds create blessings; they are able to form blessed affinities and create blessed causes. They have these blessed causes and conditions. When our lives end, we naturally return again. With the karmic causes and conditions of feeling, craving, grasping and becoming, we are born into this life and die. On reaching the moment of death, we again leave our body. We are led by ignorance or by our causes and conditions to the next place. This is how our lives come and go.
Amid this coming and going, the suffering [we experience] is beyond our control. It is like something I listened to, a piece of news that was read to me about Nairobi, the capital of Kenya in Africa. In Nairobi, there are people constantly saying that the environment needs to be cleaned up. They are continually calling for governance. The government also calls for this as well. However, there is a lot of poverty. There are so many dirty things piled up into mountains. It is called “the trash mountain,” and the trash flows into the rivers. There are many rivers, ditches and streams that are full of rubbish. The government firmly decided that this must be dealt with. They cleaned it up. They cleaned the rivers that were all clogged. While cleaning [the rivers] up, they discovered abandoned babies in the rubbish heap. The babies were found abandoned in the waste heaps that flowed into the river, clogging it up. We can imagine that those who gave birth to these babies were unable to raise and nurture them. After giving birth to these babies, they discarded them like rubbish, one bundle after another. This is suffering in life.
After being born, their lives were not complete. As the sutras say, when those who are impoverished are born, they may not be able to keep their lives and continue living. Even if they are born healthy, they may be unable to grow up healthy. In poor places full of suffering, a short life ends like this, discarded in waste heaps. Or, after they are born, they might have deformities, and thus also be discarded like this. In Africa, there are many abandoned babies with disabilities. Even those who are well-developed with all limbs may also be abandoned. This is suffering in life.
There was even a bundle of twins within a rubbish bag who were discarded like this, as rubbish. Life is suffering! There is such extreme suffering in this world among sentient beings. This is a hell of rubbish. Even though these people are born alive, they are already within a hell of rubbish in this world. How long have they been there? There is no way to find out.
There might also be some people who have blessings. Even though they are born within suffering and live in an impoverished environment, they may still have the blessings in this world to be able to meet benefactors.
Look at our Tzu Chi volunteers who went to three countries in East Africa. There were three countries that suffered from disasters in 2019. There was too much, and we could not go everywhere we wanted. The first [country] that Tzu Chi volunteers from South Africa went to was Malawi. However, as there are few Tzu Chi volunteers there, they were not able to go too far and the places they could get to were limited. They went to assess [the damage] and immediately prepared food. [They held] a first relief distribution as well as a second distribution.
Next was Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe also has very few Tzu Chi volunteers. A single [Chinese] volunteer led a group to a place far away from where they live. It was a very long journey, and they had to face arduous conditions. There is only one [Chinese volunteer] who is truly certified as a Tzu Chi commissioner. The other volunteers all face similar poverty and hardships. It was a very long distance and an arduous journey. The road was [impassable]. They were able to go to provide emergency relief, but truly there was nothing that they could do about the obstructed transportation.
Mozambique was more fortunate. In that place, there is a couple, Denise and Dino. Because they are there, they have led volunteers to become very engaged and very spiritually refined. We know that in Mozambique, a disaster had also occurred, so we quickly made a few calls and got in touch. Dino immediately took a plane, flying more than 1200 kilometers to reach the disaster area. Very quickly, he passed on news [of the situation]. He saw a child, a little girl, searching through the rubble of her house to look for her school bag. She took out each book one by one, spreading them on the ground under the sun. She opened them, one by one, to dry under the sun, turning them, page by page. For this child, these books were so precious. Seeing how some children there were drying their books under the sun and so on, [Dino] thought about how fortunate his daughter is. Stacy is loved and treasured by all, and she lives very well. When he saw this little girl who was the same age as his own daughter, he was overwhelmed with sorrow and cried. He cried in front of the camera; his heart went out to this girl. This footage touched [many hearts]. In that place, that child wished to study but she was helpless, as the school had collapsed.
In the background, we could see that houses houses had also fallen or were damaged. They kept finding such impoverished and bleak [environments]. So, we began to take action to help. This is truly karmic conditions. For three years in a row, I have been saying that Africa will be our focus. I do not know how many times I have said this. I was also thinking, “How will we be able to help Africa?” Knowing that there is suffering in Africa but lacking the causes and conditions, how will we be able to help them?
This time (in 2019), because of Cyclone Idai, there was very heavy rain there which led to flooding. There was heavy rain and winds for ten or so days. Was it frightening? It was very scary. In this wind, this rain and water, with their own eyes people saw their loved ones being pulled away by the water, from seeing just their heads to seeing nothing as [their loved ones] were submerged. There was even a woman, a very young woman, who was about to give birth. She climbed one to a tree to give birth to a baby girl. The mother gave birth in a tree and the father caught the baby standing in the water. Because of this, they gave here the name “Flood”. Isn’t this suffering? It was only a cyclone, but afterwards, there was still flooding for a very long time. I am grateful that volunteers from around eight countries all came together to enter the disaster zone, one after another.
Of course, our staff members from Taiwan, young people and Bodhisattva-volunteers from Taiwan went there and stayed there. People from different countries also went one after the other to support [our efforts]. It was a large disaster there. Mozambique is more blessed [than the other places] as there are more [volunteers] there. The suffering that was witnessed there aroused compassion and love in people. people begin to appeal [for help]. This is truly very touching.
In addition to distribution food, we also gave them some tools in the hope they could rebuild their homes. Whether it was a saw, a shovel or nails, from large items down to the small ones, a total of more than ten construction tools were included as one package that cost about 3000 Taiwanese dollars (100 USD). With this package as a [set], we called on people to help [donate], and many people began to take action. In Taiwan we gathered the love of many people, of countless people. Some people have great aspirations to donate several tens of thousands of [sets] or even a million [sets] in order to help them. There are already. 55 countries and regions where people have donated. These include people in the disaster areas.
We saw on camera in Zimbabwe, [a little girl] holding a few coins in her hands. She also wanted to donate. The ten or so Zimbabwe dollars is equivalent to a few cents in Taiwanese currency. She said, “If I can donate this to Tzu Chi, it could help a lot of people”. At the same time, she was someone we were helping. These few cents were not enough to buy things. When [they] accepted [aid from] Tzu Chi, Tzu Chi volunteers told them, “We began with fifty cents, accumulating small amounts to help people”. Now that [the aid recipients] know this, since they have learned about this, they are willing to give from their little bit of money; this also counts as one country where people have donated [for relief]. Locally, there are a number of people who have this mindset and donate a few cents. On one hand, they are receiving assistance, and on the other hand, they are giving. We use the concept of cause and effect to teach them to share their love. Our volunteers have stayed there for more than a month. They have already guided to [local volunteer] “seeds” very well.
Moreover, there are some very mature “seeds” in the capital who have formed aspirations. Then or so of them, 10 to 20 families, have said they will move [to the disaster area], so they can lead the volunteers there. This is love. It has [appeared] in this place struck by disaster. Because of these karmic conditions, they can accept the living conditions there. They will change [people’s] impoverished lives so they can have a secure living in the future. This is in Mozambique. They have these karmic conditions; these are blessed conditions.
In the future, how can we make long-term plans for them? How can we help them restore and reconstruct schools? For three years, I have said Africa should be our focus. It turns out that the focus was this current period of disaster relief. Without our knowing [it], we were led by these karmic conditions.
Thus, among the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence, the causes lead to the effects. These conditions lead things along. Without our awareness, these causes and effects have come together. What we hope now is that wherever we are able to reach and see, we will try to help the people there as much as we can.
In this world, those living in poverty are suffering so much, while those who are wealthy are also suffering in their minds due to the Seven Kinds of Arrogance and Eight of Pride. These are all afflictions in our minds. This is why, in this world, we cannot be in harmony with others. We constantly create afflictions in our interactions with others; this is because we have Seven Kinds of Arrogance and Eight Kinds of Pride.
What are the Seven Kinds of Arrogance? Let us review them and reflect on ourselves to see if we have these traits.
Seven Kinds of Arrogance: 1. Typical arrogance. 2. Excessive arrogance. 3. Severely excessive arrogance. 4. Self-arrogance. 5. Overbearing arrogance. 6. Inferior arrogance. 7. Deviant arrogance.
The first kind is “typical arrogance”, which is ordinary arrogance. What is ordinary arrogance? It is when we have the feeling that our wisdom and our virtues from spiritual practice are more numerous and greater than those of others. This is what ordinary people are like.
The second is “excessive arrogance”, which is regarding oneself as superior to others. Our wisdom and virtues are the same as others and other people are just as talented as us, but we think we are superior to them. This is “excessive arrogance”.
Another kind is “severely excessive arrogance”. Having “severely excessive arrogance” is when our wisdom and virtues are inferior to others, but we still consider ourselves better.
The fourth is “self-arrogance”. When we think highly of ourselves, we have “self-arrogance”; this is very common. If we are attached to our “self,” we think we are the most important person and nothing can happen without us. If we have such conceit, we have “self-arrogance”. This is the origin of all kinds of arrogance because we think everything revolves around us.
The fifth is “overbearing arrogance”. Some [who call themselves] Arhats have not yet completely eliminated afflictions. They have not eliminated all afflictions, but they think they have. Claiming to have realized what have not is overbearing arrogance.
The sixth is called “inferior arrogance, which is feeling that we are not as good as others. We always keep thinking, “I am not as good as that person, but even if they are talented, that has nothing to do with me. I don’t need anything from them”. This is called “inferior arrogance”. We assume we will always be this way and thus do not seek to improve. This is having an inferiority complex, which will produce this type of arrogance. So, “inferior arrogance” will also sever our roots of spiritual practice.
The seventh is “deviant arrogance,” which is to not carefully observe and examine whether things are right or wrong. In some people’s spiritual practice, a slight deviation can cause their every step to be on the wrong path, and they cannot strengthen their faith in the Right Dharma. Not only do they not carefully contemplate, do not consider whether teachings are deviant or proper, they even cling to their initial deviant thoughts. They are disdainful of the True Dharma or they may even slander it. This all comes from “deviant arrogance”. In the past, heven’t I said that we must have right faith? There is wondrous existence in true emptiness and true emptiness in wondrous existence. We must believe in the subtle and wondrous principles of true emptiness within wondrous existence. Where can these principles be found? As the Buddha said, in the law of karma. In his teachings, the law of karma is found in the wondrous principles of true emptiness. If we deny the law of karma and do not believe in karmic retributions, then we have fallen into deviant views.
If we practice, we attain; our attain according to our virtues. The work of spiritual practice begins with earnestly purifying ourselves. We must not develop arrogance.
So, this is the Iron Ring Mountains the Seven Kinds of Arrogance and Right Kinds of Pride. Later on, we will be able to learn about the Iron Ring Mountains. This is the sutra passage that we are going to talk about now. This is speaking of the human world. For some people, their causes and conditions for some reason led them to be born there. They suffer from a lot of poverty and disasters. Some are born physically incomplete. Even after they are born, they are unable to survive. Some keep suffering, suffering until natural disasters take their life away. Some do not know how much longer they need to suffer. Some who are more blessed meet our volunteers. These are the disheartening karmic conditions of this world; this all depends on whether we have blessings.
Let’s talk about the following sutra passage, “Because their body will be pure”.
Because their body will be pure, sentient beings of the great trichiliocosm at the time of birth of time of death, whether superior or lowly, pleasant or wretched or born into good or bad places, will all be reflected within it.
These are spiritual practitioners who cultivate themselves so well that they can pass on the Buddha’s Dharmakaya, His Dharma. Many people are able to read and recite the sutra, transmit the sutra, transcribe the sutra and accept and uphold [the sutra] in accord with the Dharma, talking the Dharma to heart, until they do not commit more evil deeds and practice toward the Dharma.
So, “Their body will be pure”. Only if we can practice with pure body and mind are we truly engaging in spiritual practice. Those engaged in spiritual practice there are able to feel. “Sentient beings of the great trichiliocosm, at the time of birth or time of death, whether superior or lowly, pleasant or wretched”. I just told you about this. The moment we are born, as I said earlier, is suffering. It is extreme suffering beyond our control. This trichiliocosm is a very big place where we are all led by karmic conditions we created. We a led [by them] when we are born and when we die. In between [birth and death], we repeatedly create more karma, layer upon layer. What we have created becomes the result in the future.
Some are born in the highest levels of society, in very wealthy families. These are called “superior”. Some are born in very poor families, who are suffering and impoverished. Some have bodies replete with the Six Roots, which lead others to feel joy upon seeing them. Some are born very ugly. This is the world. There are those who are born in virtuous places, in nice places. They are born in the human and heaven realms are in the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms and suffer greatly. With this world and these types of existence, spiritual practitioners who learn these teachings immediately understand [these states]. It is as if once these states are mentioned, they become very clear in our minds. These images appear in our minds and we understand them clearly. Our minds are like clear mirrors that are able to see many good and evil lives, lives full suffering and joy. The great trichiliocosm includes “the Iron Ring Mountains”.
This is today’s sutra passage. “Moreover, the Iron Ring Mountains, great Iron Ring Mountains, Mt. Meru, Mt. Mahameru and all other mountains along with the sentient beings there will all be reflected within it.
The sentient beings in these states are all included in the great trichiliocosm. These terms and these people are all included within this. So, these are the names of the worlds, such as “the Iron Ring Mountains, the Great Iron Ring Mountains, Mt. Meru, Mt. Mahameru and all other mountains”. These are all the name of worlds, terms within the Buddha-Dharma.
Moreover, the Iron Ring Mountains, Great Iron Ring Mountains, Mt. Meru, Mt. Mahameru and all other mountains: The Iron Ring Mountains are rings of mountains that encircle the salty sea, demarcating the boundaries of a small world. They are composed of iron, with Mt. Sumeru at their center.
What are the Iron Ring Mountains? These are the Iron Ring Mountains that encircle the salty sea. There are seven mountains and eight seas and within each ring is a small world. “They are composed of iron”. Everywhere, there is iron encircling the sea. If we have read the Earth Treasury Sutra, if we relate these descriptions to the state of hell told in the Earth Treasury Sutra, it will be very clear. Mt. Sumeru is at the center.
…along with the sentient beings there will all be reflected within it: The appearances of all sentient beings throughout the great chiliocosm will all be reflected within their body.
“… along with the sentient beings there”. For those who thoroughly understand the Buddha-Dharma, the states of all the sentient beings there are [reflected] within their bodies. They can thoroughly understand [sentient beings’] bodies and minds. Our minds are within our bodies. Thus, within the bodies of sentient beings, these appearances manifest, the Iron Ring Mountains and the great chiliocosm manifest.
To the outside are seven mountains and eight seas. The eighth sea is the salty sea. The Four Continents of Jambudvipa and so on are located here. The [mountains] that encircle this salty sea are the Iron Ring Mountains. This is considered one small world.
Like this, within the Iron Ring Mountains, there are layer after layer, alternating layers of seas and mountains. Beyond mountains and seas are [more] mountains. There are seven mountains and eight seas. The eighth sea is the salty sea. The southern continent of Jambudvipa is our world. This earth and this world is called the southern continent of Jambudvipa. It is this world. There are the Four Continents of Jambudvipa, and there is Mt. Sumeru. The world is split into four continents, and the place where we live is called the southern continent of Jambudvipa. All of this is encircled by the salty sea. Mt. Sumreu is the main [mountain]. There are many seas encircling this place. This is considered one small world. It is one world.
“From the Avici Hell below to the summit of existence above, all the worlds and the sentient beings will be reflected within it”.
When we engage in spiritual practice in this world, we can see all of this. When we engage in spiritual practice within the Dharma, we are able to see this very clearly. So, the next sutra passage says, “From the Avici Hell below to the summit of existence above”.
From the Avici Hell below to the summit of existence above: This refers to those born into the place of extreme, unremitting suffering and those who create great blessed affinities and are thus born into the highest heaven, the place of ultimate bliss.
“This refers to those born into the place of extreme, unremitting suffering”. Isn’t what I talked about at the beginning great suffering? Just from seeing it, we known it is suffering, layers and layers of suffering in the places where they are born. There are also those who have created blessings. “Those who create great blessed affinities are thus born into the highest heaven, the place of ultimate bliss”. In this world, there are some who are very rich but do not know how to use money well and [thus] create thick layers of afflictions. Having [money] is also suffering.
All the worlds and the sentient beings will be reflected within it: All the mountains, rivers and realms and all the states of suffering and joy in between, along with all the sentient beings throughout the Six Realms, will all be reflected within their body.
“All the worlds and the sentient beings will be reflected within it. All the mountains, rivers and realms and all the states of suffering and joy in between along with all the sentient beings throughout the Six Realms…”. When spiritual practitioners see and read this sutra passage, they are able to understand these states. After saying this, I wonder, is everyone able to understand? In explaining this, there are countless [states] in this world that can be used as an analogy for all the suffering mentioned in the sutras. In our surroundings, in places that we can reach and see, we can already see so much [suffering] or hear it reported in the news; they are all real.
Dear Bodhisattvas, we must use our wisdom-eyes to see this world. Are all these people suffering in this world unrelated to us? Those with wisdom believe we are connected. In the space between heaven and earth is this human world. When people create blessings in this world, there can be peace everywhere. When we do evil, cyclones will form. Where will this cyclone occur? We do not know. In this time of extreme weather, we must heighten our vigilance. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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