Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: With Dharma in the Mind, Buddha-Nature Manifests (心不離法佛性現前)
Date: October. 11, 2013
We live between heaven and earth. In this space between heaven and earth, is it round, straight, square, or long? Indeed, humans are very small compared to the vastness of the universe. Whether our principles are square, round or rectangular depends on how we live our lives and do things. Being square or round is all the same. As long as our minds are broad, there is no difference between being square or round. If our minds are narrow, we take issue with others. However, if we can broaden [our minds], we will have more than enough space [for others], whether we are square or round, long or short.
Therefore, [Dharmakaya is] “neither square nor round, neither short nor long, neither appearing nor disappearing, neither arising nor ceasing.”
If we can thoroughly understand such principles, what is there to take issue with? Everything is not this or that. Since things are neither, why take issue over the arising and ceasing of anything? How much time do we have to take issue with others?
Therefore, “Dharmakaya has no fixed appearance, is not existent, not nonexistent, not square, not round, not short, and not long.”
Indeed, we can neither see nor touch principles, but we can feel them. But just whose feelings are correct? People can debate this, but let us come back to the principle itself, which is neither existent nor non-existent. “Neither” means there is no “existence” or “non-existence”. So, “neither square nor round, short not long” means things are not really square, round, short or long. These qualities truly do not exist. Indeed, these are just labels for principles. “Dharmakaya is without appearance”. The Dharma originally is without appearance; it goes beyond “existence” and “nonexistence”. Don’t we see this when we are doing things in our daily living? In what kind of space do we place a table of a certain length? What sized table can fit precisely into this space? If the space is very small and we try to fit a very long table in there, that is not the appropriate configuration. The same applies to principles in daily living. Is whether something square, round, long or short worth arguing over? It really is not.
[His body] is neither appearing nor disappearing, neither arising nor ceasing. The Buddha’s Dharmakaya is uncontrived, so it is neither appearing nor disappearing, neither arising nor ceasing.
“Neither appearing nor disappearing, neither arising nor ceasing.” Is it appearing or is it disappearing? Is it arising? Or is it ceasing? Where were we before coming to this life? We humans calculate our age starting from our first day, the moment we are born. However, will we forever remain the same in this world? Our appearance at birth goes through a gradual process of aging. At birth, we have the appearance of a baby.Then, with the passage of time, we gradually learn to sit, crawl and walk.So, our physical body continues to develop.Thus, is our appearance fixed t birth?It is not.
When we were born, we cried loudly.Right now, we are sitting here quietly.
From our first day up until this moment, where is [that original appearance]?
There is no fixed appearance.However, there is a principle behind this.
This principle is invisible.After we are born, our physical body continues to grow over time.We go from being carried to sitting on our own, from sitting to crawling to standing.This happens because of principles, which when applied to the human body are called physiology.Physiologically speaking, we never truly remain [at that state of] raising (birth).Between the day we were born until now, we constantly experience intangible changes, so we do not remain the way we were at that moment of birth.Actually, nowhere along this process is there a moment when thing are fixed.
I often talk bout “the aggregate of action”.[Things] intangibly and imperceptibly fade away like this.There is no fixed appearance.This is “negation”.Things are “neither appearing nor disappearing, neither arising nor ceasing”.I hope everyone can be more mindful of how, in our daily living, our bodies and material things change according to these principles.Everything in life continuously passes and never stops changing.Thus, nothing is ever fixed.So, there is neither arising nor ceasing.
Thus, the Buddha’s Dharmakaya refers to the principles we realize.Buddhahood is an enlightened state that we intrinsically have.After we have awakened, we realize that.[His] Dharmakaya refers to [His] principles.The principles of non-contrivance seem so obvious.A tree [may grow] from a tiny seed, which will sprout and develop because there is earth, water, sunlight and air.This happens because of the constant convergence of karmic causes and conditions in this environment.Then as tings arise and grow, its initial [appearance] will naturally fade away.So, this is the principle.Therefore, over time, [objects] form, exist, decay and disappear; [people] go through birth, aging, illness and death; [thoughts] arise, abide, change and cease.This is the natural state of things.
If we know the law of nature, we can remain uncontriving and will not continue to create [karma].
It is impossible for something to be fixed in the state of arising and have that fixed appearance forever.Impossible.Constant changes are part of the law of nature; thus this is an illusory life.Since we humans are unable to awaken to [recognize] this illusory state, we get into disputes.In fact, there is actually nothing worth disputing that this is the natural course of things.This is non-contrivance.Non-contrivance means we seek nothing, so we are not constrained by our conditions.If we go along with what happens naturally, we will not be bound or restricted.Since this is the way the world turns, and we are born on this Earth, we must follow the natural course of thing，we must follow the natural course of things. So, non-contrivance means things should not be contrived by humans but must happen naturally. So, “neither appearing nor disappearing, neither arising nor ceasing”.
[His body is] neither creating nor evoking, nor contriving nor producing, neither sitting nor lying, nor walking nor standing still. “Neither creating nor evoking, nor contriving nor producing”. Next it is saying “A Buddha's Dharmakaya transcends all appearances and has no beginning or end, nor is it created.
This principles is the same as the earlier one. After awakening and understanding the Dharma, we naturally will transcend all appearances and not be obstructed by them. Then we will not cling to appearances such as fame or wealth. We will not take issue over whether we are recognized. Once we have transcended all appearances, there is no beginningor end, nor creation.
We will not take issue over who started first, did you begin [this work] earlier or did I? I often talk about disaster relief work. If we are not he first to act, we are then the last to leave because there will still be many difficulties, even at the end. If everyone leaves, there is no one left to help deal with the remaining challenges. That is why we should either be the first to act or the last to leave. Otherwise, the perfect thing is to be there from the very beginning to the very end. Thus, we become connected and continuously keep them company. So, we do not take issue over who came first, not at all. [We follow] the law of nature. We do whatever needs to be done. This is the wisdom the Buddha taught us. We must not cling to beginnings, endings or doings. We must not take issue over these terms. However, we must do what ought to be done. This is the way the principles work.
“Neither sitting nor lying down, walking nor standing still”. The School of Sudden Enlightenment has a teaching that says, “Who does it mean to see the Buddha's true body? To not see its existence or nonexistence is to see the Buddha's true body”.
We may have been disciples who followed the Buddha more than 2000 years ago. We may also have been just like Seeker of Fame Bodhisattva, still looking for recognition and wealth, so we are still transmigrating in the Six Realms. But we still have an enlightened nature, so we are still remain in the Buddha-Dharma. We still make offerings. To what? To the Dharma, because the Buddha is no longer in this world. We bring the Buddha-mind into our minds and uphold and practice His teachings. We respect the Dharma. Why do we respect the Dharma? For on great cause: to become enlightened. After attaining enlightenment, there is also another great cause, to help all sentient beings. This is called the cycle of enlightenment. So, what does it mean to see the Buddha? What is the true body of the Buddha?
Actually, His true body exists in our minds. “To not see its existence or nonexistence is to see the Buddha's true body”. We do not see [its] “existence” or “nonexistence”. If we can understand these principles, [we see] the Buddha's true body. Actually, the Buddha was in this world, and thought we may not have encountered Him, we emulate Him in these Four Demeanors. This is part of learning the Buddha's Way, and we will learn it well.
“Regardless of walking, standing, sitting or lying down, at all times and in all places, during the day or at night, regardless of the time, place or conditions, cultivating these practices is not difficult.”
Whether it is day or night, whether we are walking, standing, sitting or lying down, the Dharma is in our minds and we can act according to the Dharma. If we can do so, then seeing the Buddha of our self-nature is not difficult. Actually, learning the Buddha's Way occurs in daily living, in all places and at all times, whether it is day or night.
Regardless of cause and conditions, if the Dharma is in our minds, it is really not difficult to see the Buddha, because He is in our minds.
Therefore “the way we behave and conduct ourselves is called the Four Demeanors.”
As we learn the Buddha’s Way, we need to attend our Four Demeanors, the way we walk, stand, sit and lie down. These are the things we ought to learn to do. The Sutra of Infinite Meanings teaches us these things to give us a better understanding the [Sutra of] Infinite Meanings, which is the essence of the Lotus Sutra.
When the Buddha finished teaching this sutra, He sat on His Dharma-seat in full lotus and entered the Samadhi of Infinite Meanings. From the heavens fell a rain of Mandarava flowers, and heavenly drums naturally sounded.
The Lotus Sutra says, “When the Buddha finished teaching this sutra, which refers to the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, as we have said, “He sat on His Dharma-seat in full lotus and entered Samadhi.” After the Buddha taught this sutra, He began to sit in meditation and teach the Lotus Sutra without words as He radiated light and transformed His appearance. This was what happened when He was in the Samadhi of Infinite Meanings. The Samadhi exists as part of our daily living, as we eat, drink and so on. This means if we take good care of our minds, our mind and body will be one, and the movements of the body and mind will remain in the Samadhi of Infinite Meanings. We also uphold and practice all the principles in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings.
Since this is a great teaching, naturally a rain of Mandarava flowers fell from the heavens [when it was given]. We have explained previously that Mandarava flowers are soft flowers. There are big, as well as small, red, soft flowers Mahamandarava and Mandarava flowers. Maha means big. Manjusaka flowers look very beautiful. We say “flowers blooming in the heart.” We attain Dharma-joy if we feel very happy and peaceful when the Dharma enters our hearts happiness is like flowers blooming in our heart. So “a deluge of heavenly flowers, means to be very happy. It conveys how, when the Buddha entered the Samadhi of Infinite Meanings, He felt very peaceful and at ease. His surroundings were very tranquil and quiet, and heavenly drums naturally sounded.This was a very natural state.
The moment we feel very tranquil, we can hear the sound of the earth breathing. Not only do humans breathe, the earth is breathing too. We can hear the trees releasing phytoncide. We can sense that, as well as hear the birds twittering. When our minds are tranquil and still, we can very easily hear all the natural and wondrous sounds in the land. We can hear all of it.
Therefore Samadhi is “goodness abiding in one place, unmoving. When all goodness is concentrated in one place, which is Right Knowledge, View and Enlightenment. All forms of meditative contemplation are called concentration as well as Samadhi.”
They are when “right thoughts and actions converge harmoniously.” When thoughts, conduct are joined harmoniously, that is called Samadhi.
We need to remember that the only way to engage in spiritual practice is to focus wholeheartedly on helping all suffering sentient beings. We need to save ourselves first. Are we being tormented by ignorance and afflictions? If we can be released from them, naturally we can also help others to become liberated from both mental and physical suffering. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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