Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Uphold Your Vows and Walk the Bodhi-path (守志奉道當得作佛)
Date: March.11. 2015
“From Beginningless Time until now, we have had the wondrous nature of True Suchness. By upholding our vows and following the Path, we can understand true principles. Sariputra was affirmed and received a prediction of attaining Buddhahood. Walking the Bodhi-path to enlightenment results in this great karmic retribution.”
“From Beginningless Time until now, we have had the wondrous nature of True Suchness.” We all intrinsically have it. Basically, whenever something has life, it has this nature of True Suchness. It has existed “from Beginningless Time until now.” Where exactly will we be in the future? We have no idea. Will we be reborn as humans? We cannot be sure. If we are reborn as humans, will we be as we are now? This is completely unknown to us. Is this confusion, this lack of clarity in life, something we are willing to continue living with? So, in order for us to have clarity in the future, we must be very mindful from now on. Because we have the causes and conditions to listen to the Buddha-Dharma and a place to practice the Bodhisattva-path, we are so very blessed.
If we do not make an effort to uphold our vows, our minds will be wild and undisciplined. When we listen to the Dharma with this mindset, we understand, but once we leave this environment and encounter the phenomena in our surroundings, our unenlightened mind again manifests. The afflictions that come from interpersonal conflicts and attachments will once again collect in our minds. If this is the case, when will we ever be able to understand principles clearly?
So, we must “uphold our vows and follow the Path.” We have already made vows to learn the Buddha’s Way, engage in practice and walk the Bodhisattva-path. We must earnestly uphold these vows. So, to “uphold our vows and follow the Path” is very important. If we are able to do this, naturally “we can understand true principles.”
Here, “principles” refer to universal truths, the wondrous truths of the One Vehicle, which we will one day be able to understand. These truths are that, as the Buddha said, when we walk the Bodhisattva-path, we must give, do good deeds, benefit others and form good karmic connections. Human life is short. As what point in our lives, under what conditions, will we come face to face with impermanence? No one knows. However, we can make [the best] use of this body. When we are healthy, we can put the Dharma into practice. When the impermanence of life does manifest, how can we immediately make use of this body to give life to others? This is addressed clearly by the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha said, “Heads, eyes, bone marrow and brain were all given to others.”
Very recently, we witnessed this in a very touching story. In Miaoli County, there was a 42-year-old man in the prime of life. This man, Mr. Liao, had a younger brother who lived in Taipei. They had grown up in a farming family, and Mr. Liao had continued working on the farm. One day, as he was riding his motorcycle, for an unknown reason, he fell into ditch and was severely injured. The doctors pronounced that he was brain-dead. His mother went to the hospital after learning the news. She was in deep anguish. His younger brother also rushed there from Taipei as soon as he heard the news. The doctor explained that Mr. Liao could not be revived, that although he had not stopped breathing, he was brain dead. The mother asked his younger brother, “Is it possible for his life to continue [being of use]?”
On Da Ai TV I have often heard that, in a situation like this, the organs can be donated.”His younger brother said, “It is very rare for a mother to think this way. Let’s switch hospitals right away to Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital.”Just like that, a social worker immediately put her in touch with our organ donation team.
After analyzing the situation, they said, “Evan though he is brain dead, he can still donate his heart valve and blood vessels. In addition to these, he can donate his corneas, his skin, and his bones.”There was still so much that could be donated.
His younger brother and mother agreed, so in spite of their great sorrow, they signed the consent form to donate any part of him that was usable.His heart valves and blood vessels were donated to Taipei’s Veteran’s Hospital, his corneas were donated to Changhua Christian Hospital, his skin was donated to National Taiwan University and his bones went to our Tzu Chi Hospital and National Taiwan University Hospital.By doing this, he was able to help over 50 people’s bodies to be able to continue functioning.
Think about how wise the Buddha was.Over 2000 years ago, He had already spoken of how, in walking the Bodhisattva-path, not only do we give material things we can also give parts of our bodies.Our head, eyes, bone marrow and brain can all be given to others.That shows the wisdom of the Buddha.
We all intrinsically have this same wisdom.Think about Mr. Liao’s mother and younger brother, from the media reports, they understood that when a life ends, there is still a chance to leave behind a legacy of love for the world.Thus they very willingly and quickly made the donation.Is this not wisdom?
Wisdom is intrinsic to all of us. Because of this, we can all understand that everyone inherently has a kind and benevolent nature.Since we are engaging in spiritual practice, we must be able to accept the Buddha’s wisdom and wondrous true principles.
The Buddha gives us teachings, and we must faithfully accept and practice them by upholding our vows and following the Path.
Only then can we comprehend the principles of all thinges in the universe, along with the principles of relationships.
Sariputra had followed the Buddha for so long, but he had not understood the Bodhisattvas’ wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle.He had confined himself to “true emptiness” and lacked understanding of “wondrous existence”.So, he had remained at the state of the Small Vehicle Dharma.
Finally, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly.Sariputra’s mind opened.
He had been upholding vows and following the Path, so now the Bodhisattva-path was open to him.Thus he “understood true principles”.He intrinsically had a nature of True Suchness, and now he had opened his mind to the truth and comprehended these true principles.
So, “Sariputra was affirmed.”The Buddha recognized that Sariputra had opened his mind, formed great aspirations and made great vows, so He gave him a prediction of Buddhahood.
“Walking the Bodhi-path to enlightenment results in this great karmic retribution.”Because Sariputra had this understanding, the Buddha affirmed him.
In the previous sutra passage, [Sariputra] states, “From the past until now, I and the others have heard the World-Honored One teach many times.But never have we heard such profound, wondrous and supreme Dharma. When the World-Honored One taught this Dharma, we all rejoiced accordingly.”
Those present at the Lotus Dharma-assembly had been constantly listening to the Buddha teach.They had heard everything that was taught.They had all heard this most profound and wondrous supreme Dharma but in the past, they had not recognized it as such.Now that everyone saw Sariputra receive a prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddha, everyone’s minds finally opened and they were all very happy.They were happy on his behalf and at the same time they gained more faith in themselves.
If Sariputra was able to receive this prediction, then eventually everyone would have a part of this.The following passage starts with,
“Sariputra, the Wise One has now received this prediction from the Honored One. We are also like him and will certainly attain Buddhahood in the future. In all the world, we will be the most honored and unsurpassed.”
Everyone knew this now. The verses in this passage are about people hearing Sariputra receive such a prediction and the joy and delight they felt. They felt fortunate that they would also receive a prediction that they would attain Buddhahood. They would also be a part of this. Sariputra was not the only one who would receive this prediction; they all would. They could wait; they did not need to rush, knowing that the Buddha would bestow this prediction on them, one after another.
Therefore, everyone was happy and had faith, because they would also be able to receive this prediction from the Buddha this prediction from the Buddha. They had this kind of blessing. Sariputra was able to receive this prediction because his mind could be in accord with the Buddha’s mind. He had already made the great vows, so the Buddha bestowed this prediction upon him. Therefore, everyone else felt that they must also immediately make these great vows. They were happy and willing to do this. They took joy in Sariputra’s accomplishment ad felt very fortunate themselves. “As long as we promptly make the great vows, then uphold those vows and follow the Path, we will comprehend the principles. Then naturally, we can also attain Buddhahood.” Thus they were very glad and joyful.
“They were very glad and joyful. The path to Buddhahood is inconceivable. With the good deeds we have done, now and in our past lives, may we dedicate all of our blessed karma and merits toward the Buddha Vehicle. In this way, we are also like him and will certainly attain Buddhahood in the future.”
The path to Buddhahood is inconceivable. We have to understand that it is truly inconceivable. For this inconceivable Dharma, we simply must mindfully have faith and understanding. Not only must we have faith in it, we must make vows. “With the good deeds we have done, now and in our past lives, may we dedicate all of our blessed karma and merits.” We must begin from the past. “Past lives” refers to the past. Right now we can live like this thanks to the blessings of the past.
If we had not created ay blessings in the past, we would not have these causes ad conditions. Since we created blessings and good connections, we are able to all gather together in one place. Sakyamuni Buddha had also created good karmic connections in the past, as had all His disciples at this assembly. In the past, they had done good deeds and created blessed karma. Everyone was able to gather there because of those merits. Everyone depended on those merits, whether they created them in the past or in the present. In the present and in the future, they must also dedicate their merits to the Buddha-vehicle.
They cannot think, “It is good enough if I engage in spiritual practice and liberate myself.” The Small Vehicle Dharma focuses on the individual. It does not lead to understanding of the Buddha’s great and true principles. We hope to attain great liberation, so that not only we, but everyone, will have the opportunity to attain liberation. We must listen to the Dharma and turn the Dharma wheel. We must know ourselves and others. We must awaken ourselves and others. Only the will we have perfect awakened conduct.
So, with everything we do, we must cultivate all goodness and create all blessings. Whether we amassed these in the past or create them in the present, we must promptly dedicate them to the Buddha-Vehicle, which is the Great Vehicle. “Therefore, we are also like him and will certainly attain Budddhahood in the future.” If we dedicate our minds toward the Bodhisattva-path and continue straight on this path, without deviating from our course, all of us can attain Buddhahood. We will receive the Buddha’s prediction that we will attain Buddhahood.
Then, “In all the world, we will be the most honored and unsurpassed”. This is something we all can achieve. In this world, in the future. We will be the most honored and unsurpassed and attain supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment”. The Chinese character for “the world” is also the character for “period”. It refers to the passage of time. In this world, we have four seasons. Spring, summer, autumn and winter are constantly cycling, one arising after the other.
“Period: This indicates the passage of time. The four seasons go through a cycle of flourishing and withering, formation, abiding, decay and disappearance. This indicates [eventual] destruction.”
Over time, each of the four seasons also goes through formation, existence, decay and disappearance. Form the moment we are born, we grow up, first into our prime ad then old age, and so on. We go through birth, aging, illness and death. This happens in the microcosm [of our body] and the four seasons of the macrocosm we live in. In the macrocosm of this universe, the principle is that all things go through the four states of formation, existence, decay and disappearance.
So, everything that exists in this world will go through a process of destruction. Because of the [cycle of] formation, existence, decay and disappearance and the collective karma of sentient beings, the climate in this world has become imbalanced and the land is no longer at peace.
So, “decay” and “disappearance” will manifest. All this will happen over time. Therefore, we always say that we must seize every moment. After we understand the principles of the world, we seek to experience them. The cycle of spring, summer, autumn and winter is something that we have all experienced. Will we live through the autumn and winter? Will we once again see the arrival of spring? No one knows for sure. We have lived through them in the past, but we do not know about the future. This what we ordinary people are like; our wisdom is very limited. Thus we need the everlasting wisdom of the Buddha. So, in our spiritual practice, we cultivate everlasting wisdom. We can take what the Buddha said about the principles of formation, abiding, decay and disappearance, and apply it to understand the present.
In our short and brief lives, we need to be very hardworking and mindful. We must seek the path to Buddhahood. The world is impermanent and filled with suffering. If there were no suffering in life, why would we need to seek enlightenment? And it is delusion that creates suffering. This is what happens in the world. This is what happens in the world. [The Chinese characters that make up “world” are those of “period of time,” and “space”], so the world is comprised of both time and space. Actually, time and space conceal and contain the truth, the truly wondrous principles there are also principles of emptiness. Why is there decay? Decay is also governed by the laws of decay. Concealed and hidden within it are many true principles.
Thus, the Buddha-Dharma is truly “the most honored and unsurpassed, the highest teachings.”So, we say the nature of time is that it is always moving .
As for space, from here to there how big is this space? Space encompasses everything between heaven and earth.
Space: It means everything contained within. All matters and things that exist in a period of time create the world.
Our lives are shaped by all things in this world, all the people, matters and objects. With the passage of time, people, matters and objects come into existence in this world. Then over time, the people, matters and objects arise, abide, change and cease. When our minds lead us to create tangible things, those things will go through formation, existence, decay and disappearance.
That cycle is like the changing of the seasons.
As time continuously passes, things “form,” then they “exist” and “decay.” After a period of decay, they “disappear.” Time, space and interpersonal relationships all conceal and contain true principles. They are all part of this world. Then there are the principles of impermanence, no-self and decay. In addition to them there are the subtle and intricate true principles of unconditioned Dharma.
Thus, we need to be very meticulous in upholding our vows and following the Path. We need to focus our minds and wholeheartedly realize the principles within all people, matters and objects. If we are able to do so, we can make progress, bit by bit.This is why we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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