Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Enter the Truth With Provisional Wisdom (以權智入真實)
Date: May.13. 2015
“With compassion, we harmonize with all things and respond accordingly. By not being in conflict with anything, we achieve “harmony”. Realizing the ultimate reality of all things is the Tathagata’s true wisdom. Realizing the differences in all things is the Tathagata’s provisional wisdom.”
If we can all use various methods to understand the ultimate reality of this world, we will realize the Tathagata’s true wisdom. We learn the Buddha’s Way in hopes of returning to our intrinsic nature, our essence of True Suchness. That is “true wisdom,” the ultimate reality of all things. If we can experience this truth, [we can grasp] the essence of the Buddha-Dharma.
Where is the essence of the Buddha-Dharma? If we can be found in our original state of mind, that Buddha-nature we intrinsically have. We know this, but in order to discover it, we need the harmony I mentioned earlier. In this world, the principles of all things are in total harmony. However, our minds have become deluded. So when a desire arises, we act out of ignorance, upsetting the workings of things in the world, the natural ways of life and their principles. Thus, there is no harmony.
The workings of all things in the world have been disrupted, preventing our nature of True Suchness from manifesting in our minds. The disorder in our external conditions arises from the actions we take out of ignorance. This is why returning to our Tathagata-wisdom is difficult.
But, the Buddha came to this world for one great cause, in the hope that despite the ignorance and afflictions in our minds, we can begin to understand the principles and be able to eliminate our ignorance and afflictions.
What methods did He use? Out of His compassion, the Buddha taught according to capabilities. So, starting with all things in the world and the true principles of nature, He used various methods to help us understand the principles of the Dharma.
However, we sentient beings are very ignorant. Even though the Buddha did everything He could to teach the Dharma and transform sentient beings, our minds are deluded. Therefore, Sakyamuni Buddha had to use various means to give provisional teachings, solely to help everyone understand the differences in all things. This is the Tathagata’s provisional wisdom. The Buddha established various teachings that were drawn from His wisdom to help us analyze things, which can then help us understand how to return to our natural state. Once we return to that state, not only can we thoroughly understand the principles of all things in the world, we will love and care for the heavens and earth and respect everything in nature. Our minds must return to our intrinsic Tathagata-nature.
I have also spent some time telling all of you that we must pave a smooth road of working with people in this world so that we can connect with the Bodhi-path. This means that first, the Buddha taught us how to be good people. Only by conducting ourselves properly can we teach others how to walk the Bodhisattva-path. This is why the Buddha established the Three Vehicles, the Small Vehicle, Middle Vehicle, Great Vehicle. These three kinds of Dharma are all used to teach sentient beings. By the means of the Small Vehicle, people encounter the Buddha-Dharma, and through the karmic law of cause and effect, they understand the Four Noble Truths.
The “suffering” in this world is a karmic effect, and the cause of this effect, the ”causation,” is what we accumulated in the past.The negative causes and conditions we created in our past lives determine the negative retributions we face now.Now that we understand the law of karma, we know, “As are the causes, so are the effects”.
Everything in life happens due to the causes and conditions we have created.Causes, conditions, effects and retributions are always intermingled and indistinguishable.This is why we sentient beings are deluded.The Buddha saw how deluded we are, and knew that if He were to directly share His enlightened state with us, we would not be able to understand it.
So, He began by teaching the law of karma.What we experience is “suffering,” which originates in “causation”.
The effects of our past lives extend into this one.Then we are entangled again in our present life, trapped in love, hate, passion and animosity, thus affecting our next life.
These are the Three Periods of Cause and Effect.
The Three Periods of Causes and Effect are inseparable from the Four Noble Truths.At this point, everyone understands that the law of karma is frightening.
Practitioners with limited capabilities just stop here.
For practitioners with average capabilities, in addition to the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha deeply delved into the question, “How did you come to this world?”None of us had any control over how we came into this life, nor do we know where we will go after this one.
Thus the Buddha explained the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence again.This helps us understand how we formed an affinity with our parents and came to be born in this family.As for the affinities we formed with this family, are they good karmic affinities?Or bad ones.
When there are good affinities between children and their parents and siblings, this family will be happy and harmonious.This is because good karmic conditions result in wonderful karmic effects, allowing everyone to live together happily.
But within a family, siblings can have good or bad affinities certain siblings may have a good relationship, while other siblings may have a poor relationship.Siblings may argue and fight with one another.This goes against the principles of morality.
The Buddha came to teach us and awaken our compassion.“With compassion, we harmonize with all things and respond accordingly.”How can we avoid being in conflict with things?The Buddha tells us to cherish all things.We must understand their natural state.We must respect and love the heavens and earth, as well as the workings of all things.This is what the Buddha has taught us.In this way we can harmonize with the heavens, the earth and other people.This brings harmony.
When there is harmony among people, our minds will be in harmony, and we can harmonize with all things in the world.When the way that we feel about things is closer to the way that we feel about people, there will be harmony; this starts with us humans.Only when we achieve this state can we “realize the ultimate reality of all things”.
The Dharma is the principles of all things.The ultimate reality refers to principles, to very natural principles.The Buddha says that the principles of the ultimate reality of all things in the world are the Tathagata’s “wisdom of Suchness”.This is also the nature of True Suchness we all intrinsically have.
The authentic nature of humans is the intrinsic nature of True Suchness, which is the principles of all things.Since this is so, the Buddha hopes that everyone can “realize the differences in all things”.When we come to the human realm, we must clearly understand principles and clearly distinguish between generations.This will quid our human relationships.
Our father is our father.The parents of our parents are our grandfather and grandmother.If we clearly understand these relationships we will naturally express our respect and love.
We cannot think, “Who cares if he’s my father? Who cares if he’s my grandfather?”Our grandfather is our grandfather.
He is the father of our father.To our father, we are children.
Children must respect their father.Following these moral principles in life depends on recognizing these differences.
If we can do this in our family relationships, then naturally our friendships will be harmonious.
If we have harmonious friendships, then in the society and in the world, we will be able to follow the same principles.
In summary, the Buddha comes to this world solely to teach us all to return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness.
The Buddha has to spend a long time to patiently guide us. But sentient beings are lost, clinging to their delusion without awakening. This is why the Buddha signed. So, the sutra text we read before states, " The elder was... shocked and afraid" He was very afraid, very worried, very fearful. He could only watch as the earth became an evil world Five Turbidities. People's minds are in great chaos, so they constantly create much negative karma. The plant may be on the verge of destruction, thus it is compared to a burning house. The fire, the disasters, are arising on all sides. So, the father is very frightened, very worried. He continuously called out to them. Then he set up sheep-carts, deer-carts and ox-carts outside to give these children what they want, what they would delight in. The elder treated these children the same way the Buddha treats sentient beings.
The children each said to their father, "You said that you had many fun toys, such as sheep-carts, deer-carts and ox-carts. Please give them to us now."
Worldly things can be used as analogies for the Buddha-Dharma. People in this world always purse material things, the objects of their desire. Spiritual practitioners are the same way. They likewise are attached to the Dharma they feel they need to cultivate to quickly attain liberation. Some people seek blessings. Other people seek other things. The do not understand the principles very well; they just follow whatever teachings they hear. If they learn the Dharma this way, their minds will be in chaos.
Some people look for things to believe in and end up on deviant paths. A group visited me; one was the father of a well-to do family. He brought his son along with him. This child had always seemed to be a little slow. So, his parents consulted spirits and prayed to the Buddha and so on. They reached the point where they brought the child to see me.
When I saw the child, I said, "How is he? " His father said, "He's much better now". I asked, "What brought about the improvement?" He said, "I bring him when I do recycling work".
So, I asked the child, "When you do recycling work, are you happy?" “Yes, I feel happy" "Can you sit still when you do the work?" "I like doing it, so I can sit still ". I said, "He answered me very well. Why do you think there is something wrong? "
His father said, "He has improved since he started doing recycling. But, he still seems kind of slow". I said, "Being slow is better than doing bad things. I give him my blessings".
See, they sought help [from spirits]. The child was born this way; no matter what they tired, things stayed the same. The important thing was his environment and how to help him develop an interest. Although he may have limited abilities, there is also wisdom with him.
Again, I asked him, Why do you want to do recycling work?" "I want to save the Earth". He understand that we must save the Earth. He answered me very smoothly. Why would they think he is slow? It is just because his family is very wealthy and they had placed their hopes him. But this was their karmic condition. The Buddha came to give us many teachings, to help us achieve a natural understanding that all these things are beyond our control. However, we must be our own master. We cannot control the causes and conditions we created in our past lives. We must make use of the effects we face in this lifetime to create our future.
With the right karmic causes and conditions, we have the opportunity to be transformed. If we sever our roots of goodness, even if the Buddha-Dharma was right before us, "There is no way we could be transformed". This is why we must find a way to do good deeds in our present lifetime, we control our own direction. Why can't we take action ourselves? The Buddha-Dharma is right before us; why can't we earnestly accept the Right Dharma? We must live in the world as it is. We must not live in an illusion, seeking help from things we cannot see.
We must stay grounded and focus on interaction with people. When we give of ourselves and help other, they receive help and we attain happiness. Aren’t these very solid and practical things? This is what the Buddha taught us to do. We must understand the Dharma ourselves, and we must walk the path ourselves.
The sheep-cart, deer-cart and ox-cart are analogies for the Three Vehicles. Although Small Vehicle practitioners hear the Buddha’s teachings, they only know them; they cannot form great aspirations. Middle Vehicle practitioners understand principles but they focus on protecting themselves. Only Great Vehicle practitioners can transform themselves and others. Those who awaken themselves and others. Attain perfect awakened conduct. So, the Buddha gave the analogies of the sheep-cart and deer-cart. Consider sheep and deer. Their legs are so thin, how could they possibly pull a cart?
See how study the ox-cart is! An ox pulling a cart can carry a heavy load. His four legs are very powerful, so he can steadily move forward step by step. When the ox arrives, so does the cart. This is like transforming oneself and others.
The three carts are analogies for the Three Vehicles, taught according to people’s capabilities. The Buddha observed what sentient beings sought. If people did not have the strength, He gave them the deer-cart or sheep-cart. But if they had aspiration and the strength, the Buddha taught them the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Those who learned the Great Vehicle Dharma and made great vows walk the great and direct path. This is the Great Vehicle Dharma. Based on their capabilities and inclinations, the Buddha gave them teachings accordingly. This is the Buddha’s wisdom.
“This enabled sentient beings to accept and apply them based on what they like”. Depending on what they needed and the extent of their abilities and strengths, the Buddha gave them teachings that they could take and apply. Of the Three Vehicle [practitioners], those with higher capabilities would pick the ox-cart because they were willing to lead big cart. Those with more limited capabilities think, “I just want to lead a sheep-cart.” Their choice depends on their capabilities; what they accept is based on what they like. These are all methods of spiritual cultivation.
“The One Vehicle is the ultimate reality of all things” .In fact, the Buddha’s goal coming to the world was to do one thing, to teach the ultimate reality of the. One Vehicle so we can return to the truths of the natural world, our intrinsic Tathagata-nature .This can only be done by those who achieve comprehension with the mind.
“[You have] sheep-cart, deer-cart, and ox-carts. Please give them to us now.”
The Three Carts: The Three Vehicles are skillful means devised to be taught according to capability. This enabled sentient beings to accept and apply them based on what they like.
The One Vehicle, the ultimate reality of all things, can only be comprehended with the mind, not expressed with language.
Those with greater capabilities can realize the Buddha-mind. When the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, He opened up. His mind to freely express what He wanted to say. This was the Buddha’s wisdom. But, this just means that He spoke it, not that the listeners have the capability and wisdom to accept it. Just because the teachings are spoken does not mean they will be able to accept them. After a teaching is given, and they listen, “Did you understand?” “Yes.” “Do you understand this Dharma?”“I will gradually comprehend it.” Saying ”gradually” means that they heard the Dharma but did not take it to heart. This applies to many people who hear the Dharma. In summary, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, what we need to do most is awaken our compassion. Only when our compassion has been awakened can we become one with all sentient beings. Then we will respect and love nature and live in harmony with all sentient beings. Only then will there be harmony in this world and balance among the four elements. This means we have returned to our intrinsic nature. The Buddha is compassionate.Because we have different capabilities, He made use of different methods, the Small, the Middle and the Great Vehicles. He taught the Dharma in this sequence to help teach and guide us. This comes from His provisional wisdom.
Now, we also need to use provisional and skillful means to devise various teachings to help everyone come together. Then we can be guided by the True Dharma to go among and vie to others. In conclusion, as we learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must seize the moment and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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