Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Exercise Wondrous Powers to Understand All (內具妙力外達諸法)
Date: May.29. 2015
“We must understand the pure and radiant virtues of our intrinsic nature. This virtuous nature is found inside and out. Inside, it is the wondrous wisdom we possess. Outside, it is all the Dharma we understand and express.”
As I often say, we unenlightened beings endlessly transmigrate in the Six Realms, constantly reproducing our afflictions and ignorance. So, our intrinsic nature has already been buried under a deep layer of afflictions. If we want to manifest our true nature right now, we must put in a lot of hard work to break down each layer of afflictions, then brush them aside and wash them away. We have to break down, brush aside, then wash. We must constantly put in this hard work.
As the Buddha told us, He Himself spent innumerable kalpas in the presence of countless Buddhas, unceasingly engaging in spiritual practice. In each lifetime, time after time, He built up [His spiritual practice]. In the end, He was able to completely eliminate His impurities so clarity and radiance manifested once again. This was when He became enlightened. “This virtuous nature is found inside and out.”
A virtuous nature is something we must cultivate. We are replete with this in our nature; it is inherently in us. “Inside, it is the wondrous wisdom we possess.” All of us inherently have the power of wondrous wisdom. But for a very long time, we have been confused. We should very clearly understand that we all have this virtuous nature, but this virtue must be cultivated; we must earnestly go among people and interact with them harmoniously. Whether we are opening our mouth to speak, or moving our body to act, we must be considerate of others and help them reduce their burdens and their work. By making an effort to do a little more, we can reduce the amount of work others must do. This does not mean that only in serious disasters can we go among the suffering in order to do good deeds and cultivate blessings.
Here and now, we can do good deeds and cultivate blessings. After the Philippines experienced Typhoon Haiyan, right now across the world, Tzu Chi volunteers in over 40 countries are working to help them through this disaster. It is very hot in the Southern Hemisphere. Volunteers were sweating under the scorching sun. Their clothes were drenched in sweat, but they still stood there with the donation box, even if all they got was coins. No matter how much a person gave, they bowed to each deeply; this is creating blessings.
The volunteers blessed the donors, saying, “You have awakened the love in your heart and increased your spiritual wealth. May blessings be upon you.” In this way, even though they did not go to the Philippines, they are giving of themselves one behalf of the disaster survivors. This is how they express the love in their intrinsic nature through their actions; that is why they are willing to give. Even if they only raise a little money, they are still engaging in spiritual cultivation.
The cumulative effect of this practice is virtue. This is what it is like in the Southern Hemisphere. What about the Northern Hemisphere? The Northern Hemisphere is cold! People there have heaters at home, so it is very warm inside. But the volunteers chose to leave their house and went into the markets and onto the streets. As it snowed, they stood there with a donation box. Even though the weather was cold, some people have them looks that were even colder. Their demeanor was truly icy. Tzu Chi volunteers, these Living Bodhisattvas, continued to smile and bow deeply. This is also [a practice]. This is a way they cultivate virtue.Because of their intrinsic nature, they cannot bear to see sentient beings suffer.They hope to use their warm enthusiasm to transform people’s cold indifference.
People with the affinities see the volunteers hoping the donation boxes and understand.Even though they see the volunteers from after they will run over and deposit some cash.This is so heartwarming.The volunteers also tell them, “Thank you! Bless you!”This allows this enthusiastic person to feel that his love has been received.He is happy; everyone is happy.This is Dharma-joy.
The donor wants to express his love.This makes him very happy.So, virtuous nature is found inside and out.Inside, we are inherently loving.Outwardly, we must act by giving to others.This is how we are virtuous.
“Virtuous nature is found inside and out.” “Inside” it is “the wondrous wisdom we possess”.People without wisdom cannot achieve this, and people who are not willing to give cannot be mobilized.Walking the Bodhisattva-path is about meeting the needs of sentient beings and being willing to give to others right away.With the virtue we cultivate with external actions and our pure intrinsic Buddha-nature, we can thoroughly understand and express all Dharma, inside and out.
So, whether inside or out, when people who went to provide disaster relief in the Philippines came back, all of them very happily said, “I’m finally home.”When we asked, “Was it very tiring?”They happily responded, “After those prefabricated classrooms were erected, we saw that once the kids had a place to learn, they became very lively. The teachers also had a place to help the children to learn in peace.”Designing this took a very long period of careful research and meticulous assembly.We tried this again and again.We constantly thought about it, tested it and used all kinds of materials to create parts of various shapes and sizes.We wanted a structure that was the most simple and the most safe, and could be neatly collapsed.Then we could transport the maximum number.
How many could we stack into one shipping container?
The more the better.When it arrives, the simpler it is, the more practical it will be.So, it took a long time to make this happen, many, many years.After we settled on a design, we had to mobilize many people.After we finished, it happened that we needed to use it in the Philippines, so we shipped it over right away.
Not only did we send the materials, we also sent people [to assemble them].Those volunteers were not afraid of hard work.In the hot weather, they climbed up and down, traveling back and forth to help.Each prefabricated classroom has to be secured with over a thousand screws.
See, isn’t this how we are, inside and out?
With love inside us, we give to others.We expended a lot of thought on designing and developing [this structure].
So, there are many instances where we must be consistent, inside and out.
We have already discussed the previous sutra text,.“Now, these young children are all my children.”See how hard these volunteers worked!See how innocent and lively the children are!Now they have a school they can go to.Once we moved in chairs and desks they began.This is what it is to “love them all impartially”.
We treat other people’s children like our own, and we do everything we can to give them the best.“I have these great carts, covered with the Seven Treasures, countless in number.”
The Buddha never stopped [giving to each of them].As long as it is something we can do, we should keep giving to others.Everything up to this has been an analogy for what the Buddha has done for sentient beings.
Now, these young children are all my children, and I love them all impartially.I have these great carts covered with the Seven Treasures, countless in number.
I should give them to each [child], with an impartial mind, so that they are not treated differently.
The next sutra passage states, “Why is this so? With what I have, I could give to a whole countryman still not be lacking, to say nothing of my children. At this time all the children boarded their great carts. They obtained what they never had before, beyond what they had ever wanted.”
When the Buddha taught sentient beings, Small Vehicle practitioners only sought to awaken themselves.They never thought by leaving the burring house they would discover these ox-carts, which were very well-decorated and could be used to deliver themselves and others. Thus everyone formed great aspirations to accept the Great Dharma. The same principle applies here.
So the elder said, “With what I have, I could give to a whole country and still not be lacking. This means that the elder still had many things. In this world, if a father has so much to give his children, why would he give them only small amounts? This is an analogy for the Buddha’s wisdom, which contains the principles of all the material things in the universe that the Buddha had realized. He shared the Dharma with the entire world, not just with a single country. When He gave these teachings, in fact, everyone could experience them.
“Why is this so? With what I have, I could give to a whole country and still not be lacking, to say nothing of my children: This is an analogy for the pure Dharma-nature which all sentient beings possess. The Buddha did nothing more than teach what sentient beings already intrinsically possess so that they would learn and practice it. This is indicating that human nature is intrinsic, not given, and does not increase or decrease. With the teachings given now, He indicated the way and led us to return to our nature. So, how could we be lacking what we have?
The Dharma is no confined to our surroundings. It can spread wide and far, it can reach anywhere in the world. So, “What I have” is the Dharma. There is Dharma, inside and out, as we just said. Our love and virtuous nature are found inside and out. We need to unite these. Outside, we give to others. Inside, we inherently have this pure and undefiled great love. This already within each of us, so it is “what [we] have”. This is not only confined to a small place. The Buddha had openly and clearly explained that any sentient being with a mind has the same intrinsic nature as the Buddha. He said any sentient being with a mind, but is there any sentient being without a mind? All sentient beings have a mind, is there anyone without a mind? Everyone has a mind. Having this mind, they have the same Buddha-nature as the Buddha, so they all intrinsically have this. Everyone in the world has this, so it will never run out.
Therefore, it is not just the Buddha’s disciples; all beings in the world intrinsically have this. He said, “to say nothing of my children”, so doesn’t this include the people directly taught by the Buddha? They all “boarded their great carts”. People who were directly taught by the Buddha had already realized the principles had already realized the principles. They all “boarded their great carts”.
All of them chose the great ox-cart. Thus “they obtained what they never had before”. They wer happy. They did not choose the sheep-cart or deer-cart; they chose the cart drawn by the great white ox. Driving the ox-cart made them very happy. They were on an even path and could bring themselves, as well as many other people, to their destination. Walking the Bodhisattva-path, the great Bodhi-path, they can move forward very steadily. Doesn’t this bring happiness?
They never expected to gain so much, though they asked for little, they received a lot, so of course they were very happy. This is also an analogy for “the pure Dharma-nature which all sentient beings possess”. Everyone has this pure Dharma-nature. As long as we have a mind, we have a pure Dharma-nature. Thus it is said, “The Buddha did nothing more than teach what sentient beings already intrinsically possess”. All of us already intrinsically have this; all He did was “open and reveal” it to us so that we would “learn and practice often”. This is what the Buddha told us, so we must believe Him. We must learn to mindfully experience and comprehend the Dharma. “This indicates that human nature is intrinsic. This is not given [to us] and does not increase or decrease”. Because we already have it, He does not need to give it to us. We already have it. “it is no greater in Buddhas and no less in sentient beings”. The Buddha does not have more of this than us, and we do not have less of it than the Buddha. Our intrinsic nature is equal to the Buddha’s, we just do not realize it. Therefore, we rely on the Buddha [to understand].
“With the teachings given now, He indicated the way”. He gave us teachings and methods. But He was just simply pointing out the direction to us so that we do not go astray. So, “With the teachings given now, He indicated the way and led us to return to our nature”. If we go in that direction, we will find our intrinsic nature.
Next we will talk about “the Buddha’s great enlightened wisdom”. This enlightened wisdom is clear and radiant, [clearly] something sentient beings have.This clear and radiant enlightened wisdom,is not just possessed by the Buddha.The Buddha’s wisdom is inherent in everyone.
The Buddha’s great enlightened wisdom is clearly something sentient beings have. The Dharma-nature is like a great ocean. He does not say it is true or not. Unenlightened beings and noble beings are equal; no one is higher or lower. Only by eliminating the afflictions in their minds can they attain realization as easily as if turning over their hand.
We originally have Buddha- wisdom this great enlightened wisdom. However, we have become deluded. Yet we must know that, ultimately, we all intrinsically have this wisdom. The Buddha understands this very well. “Dharma-nature is great like the ocean.” Our wisdom, our enlightened nature, is as vast as the ocean.
So, the Buddha “does not say it is true or not.” Are things actually real? The Buddha said everything is empty in nature. In the end, it returns to nothing. Are these things good or evil? The Buddha said they may be good, evil or indeterminate. As for “unenlightened beings and noble beings, you are an unenlightened being, and you want to become a noble beings. Noble beings were once unenlightened beings.
In conclusion, the way the Buddha treats sentient beings is “equal; no one is higher or lower.” This was the Dharma that He taught us. All things in the world are equal. Everyone’s inherent goodness is equal. Unenlightened and noble beings are equal. Everything is equal.
The only things that differ are our defilements. If our minds are filled with garbage, we are ordinary, unenlightened beings. If we immediately cleanse this filth, by breaking down, brushing away and washing it, our intrinsic nature will manifest, because we have eliminated these defilements. Then would it really be difficult to truly attain realizations? “[They can] attain realizations as if turning over their hand;” it would be easy. So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must always be mindful.
All the children who sought the ox-carts only feared not getting them. Now they indeed attained them. Those who at first sought the sheep- or deer-carts sought what was small, but now they attained what was great. Thus it was beyond what they hoped for.
“All the children” means we can all return to our intrinsic Buddha-nature. To do this, we “ride the white ox.” “All the children sought the ox-carts.” Originally they wanted the sheep-cart, deer-cart, but they received the great ox-cart. So, they were all very happy. Whether they had affinities or not, as long as they listened to the Buddha—Dharma they would be able plant causes.
All the time: Those who were without affinities, had their desires more than fulfilled, not to mention. Those with the affinities! Those without affinities are those lacking the right causes and conditions. But the Buddha compassionately taught all and ultimately formed affinities without bias.
He continued to work to transform others. This is unconditional loving-kindness and our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. All sentient beings are Buddha-children. Whether we have achieved [realizations], are achieving them or have yet to achieve them, the Buddha will never give up on us He constantly created karmic conditions for us, sows seeds and constantly gives teachings.
Unconditional loving-kindness is an inherent principle of True Suchness. This means that all sentient beings are the Buddha’s children. Those in the past and the future who had not formed affinities are still the Buddha’s children.
In summary, all sentient beings in the world. We understand this completely. As long as we learn virtuous teachings, we can apply them. We are all capable of doing this as long as we are always mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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