Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Provisional and the True are Complementary(智慧方便權實並用)
Date:June.25. 2015
“The Great Enlightened One realized the Dharma in tranquil contemplation. Ever since He sat in the place of enlightenment, His mind has been tranquil and still. He vowed to deliver sentient beings so they could also realize the Path, but sentient beings’ capabilities were dull. They could not be delivered with this Dharma, as it was hard for them to understand the Buddha’s understanding and views.”
If we can attain a great awakening and our nature of True Suchness can become one with the universe, in that instant, our state of mind will be one of “tranquil contemplation.” Our mind will be completely clear. A mind that pure is very tranquil. This tranquil state of mind exists at the moment of great awakening.
“Ever since He sat in the place of enlightenment, His mind has been tranquil and clear.” When He first sat down, He saw the morning star, and His mind and that star became one. At that moment, His mind suddenly and completely opened up and connected with the universe.
Once, I was prostrating to the Buddha. This was several decades ago, when I was still living in the Small hut. As I bowed to the Buddha, my mind was free of discursive thoughts; it was completely empty. My mind just followed my movements as I prostrated, bowing down and then standing back up. Suddenly, as I was bowing down to the ground, my mind seemed to become vast and spacious. I cannot quite put it into words. That state felt very radiant but very gentle. In that gentleness and radiance, there was a sense of it being perfect, complete and vast; this state felt very vast, yet it felt like it was just right. It felt like something which extended far away, but was also immediately present. It felt very warm, also very gentle and radiant.
When I was in this state,I sensed a person’s face. In my heart, I felt this was Ananda! This was because, at the time I was reciting and copying the Lotus Sutra, I felt a sense of perfecting and dignity. Though I could not see that face in great detail, I had a feeling in my heart that Ananda was in this state of perfection, this radiant yet gentle state. This state of mind cannot be fully described, but I felt very peaceful and at ease.
I stood up and then I prostrated again, and everything went back to normal. I kept on bowing like this, prostrating on the floor in this manner, but my state of mind was one of peace and great ease.
That peaceful and free state of mind can be said to be one of “tranquil contemplation,” a feeling of incredible tranquility and clarity. The Buddha-Dharma teaches us to calm our minds in this way so we are in a state of oneness. By being mindful, there will be a moment when our nature of True Suchness will suddenly break through our afflictions to come together with our external conditions. No matter what happens in our surroundings, we can keep our mind in a balanced state, not too bright and not in the dark. No matter what challenges come our way, we will have hopes, but not cling to expectations. No matter what challenges come our way, though there may be many dangers, our minds can remain at ease. This is what we must learn to do in daily living.
After the Buddha attained enlightenment, at that time, His mind was very clear.Along with His tranquil contemplation, His minds was also in a very clear state.
In this way, He thought about how to deliver the Dharma into sentient beings’ minds.As He visualized and contemplated how to do this, the one thing He [maintained] was His “vow to deliver sentient beings”.
He had already vowed to deliver sentient beings “so they could also realized the Path”.
Sentient beings intrinsically have Buddha-nature, so He wanted to quickly deliver them.Then they could also realize it, and, together with Him, be able to experience the same state.
If everyone could experience this same state, their minds would no long be tempted by desires for the Six Since Objects in their surroundings.
But as the Buddha contemplated how to do this, He realized He could not.Sentient beings’ capabilities are dull and limited.If He described this state to everyone, wouldn’t that be like describing a dream?Sentient begins’ capabilities are dull, “so they could not be delivered with this Dharma”.It was impossible for Him to directly deliver the Dharma that had He awakened to into the minds of sentient beings.
The Buddha had attained this great awakening; His state of mind was so clear and the Dharma so straightforward to Him, but the way was blocked.
The Five Hindrances, “the Three Obstryctions and all afflictions” have blocked us so that the Dharma cannot enter our minds.Thus it was not possible.
This is something the Buddha could not help.
So, “They could not be delivered with this Dharma.”
This is what sentient beings are like; their capabilities are dull, so they are unable to take the Dharma to heart.This was because “it was hard for them to understand the Budhda’s understanding and views”.
Regardless of what they did, sentient begins were unable to understand the Budhda’s understanding and views.
The previous sutra passage stated, “Sariputra! I am just like that elder, who had physical strength but did not use it; instead he earnestly used skillful means, to endeavor to save his children from the hardship of the bunging house.”
The elder could only teach with skillful means.He told his children the house was already on fire and that they had to get out immediately.But the children were still unaware of the fire and could not yet realize that they were surrounded by disasters on all sides.
So, he had to use other means that suited their liking.
Thus he used various treasures to lure them out.
The Buddha felt there was not much He could do, except to teach with skillful means and entice them with advantages.This is due to the shortcomings of sentient beings.
The following sutra passage states.So, “The Tathagata is just like this. I have powers and fearlessness, but do not apply them. Instead I use wisdom and skillful means in the burning house of the Three Realms to save sentient beings. Thus I teach the Three Vehicles, the Hearer, Pratyekabuddha and Buddha Vehicles.”
The Buddha is just like the elder.The elder was not the only one who had to deal with his children in skillful ways.The Buddha had to do the same with sentient beings.Although He was physically very strong, that was of no use in dealing with these children.Although He had fearlessness, He still could not directly teach the True Dharma.
This was because sentient beings were foolish and would not be able to accept it.
So, “The Tathagata has the powers of great wisdom but did not use them.”
Though He has the powers of great wisdom, He did not exercise them.He applied His wisdom to contemplating; this is the Great Dharma, and sentient beings’ capabilities are limited, so He had to teach with skillful means.
“Instead I use wisdom and skillful means.”
So, in fact, “He taught with the Three Vehicles.”
With wisdom and skillful means, He formally taught with the Three Vehicles.
Instead I use wisdom and skillful means; He formally taught with the Three Vehicles, with wisdom and skillful means, with both the provisional and the true.
If He only taught wisdom, that would be True Dharma that only He could understand and apply.
But wisdom and skillful means use together can convey suitable teachings that are both true and provisional, thus revealing the provisional, which arises from the true.
Wisdom and skillful means use both the provisional and the true.They are both provisional and true.
“True” refers to the True Dharma and “provisional” refers to what is suitable for sentient beings’ capacities.
Originally, the Buddha just wanted to teach the True Dharma, but with their [limited] capabilities, sentient beings could not accept it, so He had to teach with the Three Vehicles. Teaching the Three Vehicles was done “with wisdom and skillful means, with both the provisional and the true”. Ha had to apply His wisdom. Applying wisdom was for His own benefit. He already completely understood this state and could maintain His own state. He had awakened, so He would maintain this state and His wisdom.
To this, He added skillful means. Skillful means are for the sake of sentient beings. Thus, He preserved His own wisdom and also established various skillful means for the sake of sentient beings. By applying both wisdom and skillful means. By applying both wisdom and skillful means, the Buddha hoped to used True Dharma to speak in a way that other people could accept and apply.
This was why He applied. If He only applied wisdom, He would be teaching True Dharma that only He could apply. If He only directed the teachings at Himself and only shared what He wanted to share, He would be the only one to find them applicable. These teachings could only be applied by Him.
So, He had to also use skillful means. With skillful means and an understanding of sentient beings’ capabilities, the teachings would be both true and provisional. The Dharma He taught was the True Dharma, but it was still a little bit “provisional”.
This is like getting children to take medicine. We tell children, “Come, I have candy”. Sometimes we mix sugar with the medicine so it tastes bitter and sweet. Perhaps we say, “If you drink the medicine, I have some very sweet candy for you”. These are ways of enticing them to take medicine. So, we have to mix some sweet into the bitter. The bitter medicine can cure them, the sweet entices them to take the medicine.
For sentient beings to accept the Dharma with their capabilities, it must be done like this, “revealing the provisional which arises from the true”. With this method, we begin by “revealing the provisional”, but what we actually practice is the True Dharma. Though the Buddha taught with wisdom and skillful means, sentient beings always have these problems of habitual tendencies. Some will take it slow, while others think “I want to act quickly so I can attain this and be saved”. They no longer want to be in the human realm. They are Small Vehicle practitioners. Hearers and Solitary Realizers think, “I am willing to walk the Bodhisattva-path”.
They came to the Lotus Dharma-assembly, but they were still scared. “Sentient beings are unyielding; they will pull me off course again. So, they were afraid to move forward. As the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, not many people truly formed aspirations; they only sought to quickly awaken themselves.
“Wanting to quickly attain one’s own liberation” means as long as they awaken they are happy; they only want to benefit themselves. This is the root of the problem for Small Vehicle practitioners. The root of the problem for Hearers and Solitary Realizers is that they just want to awaken themselves. They are just trying to quickly escape the Three Realms and the Six Destinies. But if we try to go too fast, we may not get there. If we [only] seek our own attainment, we cannot attain greatness.
If we only seek our own [deliverance], the results will be limited. We will not be able to attain the Great Dharma.
A couple of days ago, I received Christopher Yang’s letter from America. He was visiting an observatory, which involved hiking up a mountain. Someone said, “Climbing a mountain is so tiring; it is so high.Wouldn’t it be better to take a helicopter?” But Christopher immediately thought of my story about ants climbing Mt. Sumeru. He felt that, although this mountain is very steep and very high, by climbing it one step at a time, one could see the surrounding scenery. If someone went up by helicopter, he would immediately arrive at the top and would not have enjoyed the landscape.
This is like going among people to walk the Bodhisattva-path. Each of us is like a small ant, but if there are many of us, we can be powerful enough to move Mt. Sumeru we can be powerful enough to move Mt. Sumeru. So, we must not desire quick results nor think too highly of ourselves.
The most important thing is to be able to accept the Great Dharma. That is most important. If we only seek the Small [Vehicle] Dharma, “In seeking our own attainment, we cannot attain [the Great Vehicle]”. We only attain limited teachings and not the great teachings. This is because we go against the myriad practices. We must actualize the Six Perfections in myriad actions. The myriad practices of the Six Paramitas, or the Six Perfections, are ways to go among people to benefit them. We must use various skillful means to transform all the sentient beings. If we do not even want to do this, then as everyone keeps moving forward, we will go in the opposite direction.
“Going against” is going the opposite way because we do not want to be with other people.
Because we go against the myriad practices, we lack perfection in the results attained;” our spiritual practice is not complete. If we engage in spiritual practice by refraining from all evil, but do not “do all good deeds, we are “seeking quick attainment” and thus “do not attain the Bodhi-path of the Great Vehicle” we “just remain in the Two Vehicles.”
Relieving the suffering of sentient beings in the burning house of the Three Realms is what we must learn; this is very important. “In the burning house of the Three Realms, the Tathagata saves sentient beings by creating methods that suit their abilities.”
In the burning house of the Three Realms, the Tathagata saves sentient beings by creating methods that suit their abilities. He knows that sentient beings have natures that are suited to these Three Vehicles, thus He teaches all three. It would not be suitable to immediately teach the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.
The Buddha meticulously devised methods to teach according to various capabilities. They were suitable for sentient beings, “Abilities” refers the sentient beings’ capabilities. To “suit” is to match He devised various methods that matched their capabilities. “He knows sentient beings have natures that are suited to these Three Vehicles.”
Because the Buddha already understood their capabilities, He taught them the Three Vehicles.
“It would not be suitable to immediately teach the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. ” He could not just directly teach the True Dharma. So, “He let them each seek the vehicle that resonated with them.” He let them each choose the Dharma that resonated with them to put into practice.
He let them each seek the vehicle that resonated with them, so that they would not again give rise to distorted thinking, mistaking suffering for joy. Thus they could quickly get out of the burning house of the Three Realms.
Some people enjoy chanting “Amitabha Buddha,” so the Buddha taught the Amitabha Buddha Sutra. Other people are willing to cultivate the practices of the Prajna sutras, so He expounded the Prajna teachings for them, that everything is empty in nature. What the Buddha originally intended to teach was that there is wondrous existence in emptiness and emptiness in wondrous existence.
We must bring these together to form the Middle Way. We must put this into practice to experience it; this is the only way for us to understand. Where is the western pure land? It is in the joy in our hearts. Where is the western pure land? It is in the sense of ease in our hearts. Where is the western pure land? It is in the peace in our hearts. It is when we feel peaceful. At ease and joyful. How do we achieve this in the human realm? By willingly going among the people and devoting ourselves to helping them. “Does that make you happy?” “Very happy.” “Knowing I can help someone, I’m very happy.” “How do you feel?” “Happy.” “What does happiness feel like? “Very joyful.” This kind of happiness cannot be easily described. There is wondrous existence in emptiness and true emptiness in wondrous existence; this is the state taught in the Lotus Sutra. This is subtle and wondrous Dharma.
By practicing in the human realm, we can become peaceful, at ease and very happy. But sentient beings cannot attain this state as they cannot yet resonate with what was in the Buddha’s mind.
“So they would not again means the Buddha found ways to help them not give rise to distorted thinking and afflictions again or “mistake suffering for joy.” Then they can quickly escape the Three Realms.
Bodhisattvas take the vehicle of the Six Paramitas. Seeking the teachings while transforming others is the Great Vehicle, which we now call the Buddha vehicle. By immediately cutting off the habitual tendencies of views and thinking, we can attain Buddhahood.
In conclusion, the Three Vehicles are means of conveyance. The Three Vehicles are carious teachings of the Buddha for us to ride on and be transported, like the sheep-carts and deer-carts. Do we want to go to our destination by ourselves? Perhaps we will travel with many people. This is for us to choose. He hopes that we use the Six Perfections as vehicles [of spiritual practice]. This is the Bodhisattva-path that can help us transcend the Three Realms.
If we transform ourselves and others, we are truly practicing the pure and undefiled Great Vehicle Dharma. So, Bodhisattvas exercise the Six Perfections. I hope everyone can always form great aspirations, establish great vows, think carefully and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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