Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Unsurpassed Path to Awakening (勤修精進無上覺道)
Date:June.30. 2015
“We ask someone who has walked the Path about the scenery along the way. They can point the way with a guarantee that we need not worry. As the Buddha already realized the ocean of awakened wisdom, He is peaceful and at ease, with no hindrances.”
When we walk, what direction are we heading in? If I do not know the way and someone who knows the way leads me, my mind will be at peace. People who go hiking in the mountains should go with someone who provides direction. Otherwise, they may not be able to find their way back down.
When I was young, I hiked up Mt. Dulan. [The aboriginal people] in Taitung call it the Holy Mountain. Causes and conditions converged when, one time, Master Xiu Dao went on a visit to Taitung. On her way back, while on the train, she heard a man say that there was a mystic living on that mountain. Master Xiu Dao became very curious and began asking about it. She made a decision. “Tomorrow morning, I have asked him to lead us to this mystic.”
The next morning, we brought lunches and waited at the pre-arranged place, the old railway station at Chulu. Then we started out on our trip we had to cross a river. We stepped into the water and moved forward. The person in front was the man guiding us. Altogether, there were six of us walking forward hand in hand, perpendicular to the current. We were going from one side to the other side. After crossing the river, my long hair was floating everywhere, and I was completely wet.
We proceeded on our way forward, following the man that was in front. From the riverbank, we made our way to the foot of the mountain. We followed a path that took us ever higher. I do not know how long we walked. I was very scared! We were surrounded by grass, boulders and giant trees. Where exactly were we going?
I think the sun was high above us, which meant that it was already noon. I knew we had walked for a very long time already. However, after we entered the forest, we could no longer see where the sun was. This was because the giant trees grew densely.These were green ficus trees, which are banyan trees. Beneath our feet was a very soft surface. The ground was completely soft because the leaves which had fallen from the banyan trees had accumulated over many years. The ground was made up of these fallen leaves, so it was soft to walk on.
The guide told us, “You need to be careful, don’t make loud noises. There are bears in this area. If they hear a human voice, or smell the scent of a human, they will look for us.” I was so scared! “You also need to be aware of what’s above you. There are green bamboo vipers here. The vipers are in the trees, so be careful. On the ground, there may also be large snakes.”
During that time, I wondered how we would possibly make our way out. This was indeed worrisome. I vividly remember that, as we kept going we went through a deep valley. On one side was the moss-covered wall of the mountain, with no trees. So, we walked beside it on a narrow path, which was more like a ditch. Two sources of water flowed into this ditch. One was a cold spring, and the other was a warm spring. One of the streams of water was cold, and the other one was warm. As we walked through this area, on the other side was a steep drop. If we took a wrong step and slipped, we would end up falling a very long way!
So, we hugged the mountain with its slippery moss. That section was truly terrifying. We kept walking until the sun set. We saw that, in the distance, there was a grass hut and a fire. We approached the hut and saw two people. I wondered, “Are they the mystics we have been looking for?”
We asked them for help.“It is dark now and we have come this far; what should we do now?”
They said, “All right, since you are here, why don’t you monastics stay in this hut up here.”
The floor of the hut was covered with grass.It was a very thinly space, and the four of us squeezed in there.From then on, whenever I see people packed in a very small space, I say, “How can people live like this for a long time?” because I had stayed in a place like that.
When we woke up the next morning, then owners of the hut came up to see us.They said, “You are very bold. We don’t know where that guide’ went. He left during the middle of the night. How could you have dared follow him up here?”He was actually a shady character.
We had been relying on a shady character who made wild promises.He pretended that he could guide us, and we foolishly followed him.The situation was actually really dangerous.
But [now we follow] the Buddha, an enlightened being.“The Buddha already realized the ocean of awakened wisdom.”When I describe that path I took, I cannot guarantee that you can safely walk the same path.But the Buddha was able to describe His enlightened state of mind.He was already very peaceful and at ease, with no hindrances.This is the spiritual state that He experienced, and He is also able to trace back this spiritual path, that allowed His mind to reach a state of being peaceful and at ease.
He wanted to share this state of mind with us, but are we able to accept it?It is very difficult.
Still, it is the True Dharma.If we can practice according to the methods the Buddha taught us for eliminating afflictions, greed, ignorance and so on, this will help our minds return to our pure intrinsic nature of True Suchness, and we can be one we the universe.If we can achieve this, we will clearly understand all the principles without obstruction.
Sadly, we have not yet eliminated our ignorance or corrected our habitual tendencies, and this is why we suffer so much.
The previous sutra passage states, “If you quickly leave the Three Realms, you can attain the Three Vehicles, the Hearer, Pratyekabuddha and Buddha Vehicles. I now guarantee to you that this matter is ultimately not false.”
The Buddha felt a great sense of urgency, so He earnestly called to us, “Hurry up and get out. Leave the Three Realms; leave the burning house!”
The Buddha used the Three Vehicles to provide us with detailed instructions.
These Three Vehicles, the Hearer, Pratyekabuddha and Buddha Vehicles, were used to teach us.The Buddha said, “I now guarantee to you that this matter is ultimately not false.”
If you follow this road and practice this path, you will definitely be safe.The Buddha was already in His old age at this time.He was already very old, and He wanted to leave this Dharma in the world.“If you just follow these methods, you will be fine. I guarantee that you will not go wrong.”We can see how the Buddha really put His heartfelt efforts into this.
The following sutra passage states, “You must simply practice diligently. The Tathagata used these skillful means to entice sentient beings. Then I said, You should know that the Three Vehicles are all praised by the noble beings. They allow us to be free, with no ties, with nothing that we lean on or seek.”
This is saying that we must be focused.“Simply” stresses that the key is being focused.We must earnestly engage in spiritual practice and diligently advance.
The Buddha has already shared the teachings and laid out the principles in front of us.As long as we are determined and have strong faith, our Roots of Faith will grow deeply and widely.If we head down this road, we will never go wrong.So, we must continue to diligently advance.
With loving-kindness, the Buddha adapted to capabilities and urged us to practice.The wondrous teachings of the Three Vehicles suit what people like, so they will diligently practice.
These Three Vehicles are the skillful means of all Buddhas, the way. They teach and transform sentient beings.Therefore they are praised by Buddhas.
The Buddha, with loving-kindness, “adapted to capabilities and urged us to practice”.He taught according to our capabilities.For some people, the only thing they do is listen.[They say,] “I know how to listen, and I will take in whatever the Buddha says.”
This is like how we hear people say, “I am attending the morning teachings.”But have the [teachings] really permeated their hearts and minds?
All Hearers do is listen to the Dharma and take in the Buddha’s teachings.As they listen, if they can realize the principles when they hear one thing, they can realize ten, or hear one thing and realize one, or hear one thing and realize 1000.This all depends on capabilities.
[The Buddha] “adapted to capabilities and urged us to practice”.According to our capabilities,He gave us a certain kind of teachings. The world is filled with “suffering”! its “causation” is the accumulation of various types of ignorance and afflictions; these are what lead us to suffer.
We practice according to the methods to bring about the “cessation” of suffering. That is how we find our way onto “the Path”. By walking down this road, Hearers are able to understand. This is how they realize the truth of suffering.
This world is ultimately impermanent. The principle of “impermanence” is emptiness. If we can realize the principles of impermanence, suffering and emptiness, then we are Solitary Realizers or Pratyekabuddhas. According to people’s capabilities, [the Buddha taught] the Four Noble Truths or the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. These were for Hearers and Solitary Realizers.
Next are the Six Paramitas, which are taught as the Bodhisattva Vehicle. Based on their capacities, [the Buddha] taught the wondrous teachings of the Three Vehicles” which “suit people’s likes so they will diligently practice”.
What will they choose based on their capabilities? The Four Noble Truths. After understanding [the Four Noble Truths], we must understand how we come and go in life. [Learning] this process of life begins with the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Once we understand that the world’s suffering comes from the accumulation of afflictions, we learn how we come and go in life according to the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Then, if we want to advance further, after awakening ourselves, we then awaken others. That is done with the Six Paramitas.
Every person has different capabilities and likes. So, the Buddha considers their capabilities and their capabilities and their likes when He encourages and counsels them to be diligent. “These [are] the Three Vehicles”. All Buddhas teach with these skillful means The Three Vehicles were not taught only by Sakyamuni Buddha. When all Buddhas of the past, present and future.
When all Buddha of the past, present and future begin to teach the Dharma to sentient beings, they start by teaching skillful means. Sentient beings throughout the past are similar to us present-day sentient beings. We have all created the Three Subtleties because of an ignorant thought.
So, subtle afflictions have arisen in our minds due to a thought of ignorance. Thus, it is said, “An ignorant thought creates the Three Subtleties. External states lead to the Six Coarse Marks”. The external states around us entice us to take actions that create much karma. This is how ignorance, delusion and karma arise. This is how ignorance, delusion and karma arise. So, the Buddha, as well as Buddhas, past, present and future, takes this sequential approach in teaching and guiding sentient beings; these methods are [suitable ways] with which They teach sentient beings.
“Therefore they are praised by all Buddhas”. All Buddhas praise these methods because these are the only teachings that sentient beings can accept with their various capabilities. Other methods would not be effective. Since the capabilities of sentient beings are not uniform, “The Tathagate used these skillful means to entice sentient beings”.
To help us to understand the truth of suffering, the Buddha gave various examples of the way suffering works in the world. To explain the karma that we create, He continued to use many various examples of causes, conditions, effects and retributions. After learning the truth of suffering, people will begin to engage in spiritual practice. If we do not recognize suffering, we will not want to be liberated from it. If we do not want to be liberated, we will never truly be free of the Three Realms.
Knowing the truth of suffering, the Tathagata always teaches and encourages us to diligently engage in spiritual practice. Thus we will not face the oppression of birth and death that is the fruit of suffering and will instead have the peace and joy of being free in body and mind.
“The Tathagata teaches and encourages us to diligently engage in spiritual practice. The teachings of the Buddha help everybody recognize suffering and recognize that this world is full of suffering. People are most sensitive to “suffering”. What they fear most is suffering. What they want to avoid most is also suffering. Basically, people are afraid of suffering. They are afraid of it, and they can recognize it, but they do not know how to avoid it.
The Buddha taught us methods for transcending suffering. He taught us how to do this, one step at a time, encouraging us to quickly advance so we can attain liberation. If we were liberated, we would not face the fruit of suffering that is the oppression of birth and death; we would be free. When it comes to the fruit of suffering, of birth and death, if we wait until we face the fruits of suffering and only then recognize it, it will be too late.
So, the Buddha taught us in the hope that we would practice earnestly. If we practice earnestly, we will not be as afraid of birth and death.
Since we are already here, let us be at peace. If we accrued a debt in the past, even if we have to face all kinds of hardship in this life, we should willingly repay it, and others will be able to see that we are willingly repaying them. If we can accept adversities calmly, our hearts will be very at ease. This is a benefit of learning the Buddha’s Way. By recognizing suffering, we can learn to transcend it. Others may think we are suffering, but we have understood the principles behind it. [They ask,] “How can you possibly endure this?” [Volunteers respond,] “Master Cheng Yen says, “If we owe somebody a debt, we must willingly repay it.” “This will reduce the amount we have to repay, so I am very willing to face this.” Other people may look at us and wonder, “How can you continue to put up with this?” [We say,] “I want to repay this debt now.” “I don’t want to bring it to a future lifetime.” “Therefore, I feel very happy and grateful.” We often hear about the suffering that Tzu Chi volunteers have dealt with, the suffering that came from their past entanglements with people. After hearing the Dharma, they opened their hearts and understood, “I should quickly repay all my debts.”Thus they do not feel any sense of oppression from the fruits of suffering. They do not feel as if they are being forced. Previously, they were reluctant to repay the debt so it felt as if they were being forced.
Now, they are very willing to repay it. They want to keep going until they have repaid their debt in full. They do not want to extend this into the next life. After understanding this principle, we open our hearts and become understanding, so we have no afflictions. This way, we will no longer feel pressured, inside or out. We will no longer feel that way.
So, learning Buddha’s Way has its benefits. When we willingly do something, we will be happy. We have been doing recycling work. The recycling stations are so big and cluttered. They are filthy and emit bad odors. However, people really enjoy themselves when they work there. They feel that their goal is to protect the earth. Through, recycling, they can conserve resources and reduce their carbon footprint. The principles of how doing something willingly makes us happy also apply here. None of them feel, “I was forced to be here” or “I’m doing this to make a living.”
Not at all. [They are here] to protect the earth, to conserve natural resources and to prevent the air from becoming polluted further.
They understand this principle, so everyone is willing to devote themselves to doing recycling work. They do not suffer from being forced to be there; In the same way, what they get in return is the peace and joy of being free in body and mind. “This must be tiring work!” “No, it is blessed work.” “I feel very fortunate!” “I feel very fulfilled!” This is what Tzu Chi volunteers say to each other. A person may be covered in sweat. He may be in the middle of a pile of recyclables. Thought he is sweating profusely, his body and mind are free, peaceful and happy.This comes from understanding the principles.
After we understand, we willingly give of ourselves. This is how we can apply the Buddha-Dharma in our lives. In our daily living, this should be the goal that we work to achieve.
“With skillful means, He enticed sentient beings to escape the burning house of the Three Realms and practice the unsurpassed path to awakening.”
The Buddha came to this world to teach us how to engage in spiritual practice by slowly leading us. “Enticed” means He slowly guided us onto this path. To leave the Three Realms, to get out of the burning house, He entices us to walk this path; He entices us to walk this path; He leads us to leave the Three Realms and enter the path to awakening.
Through skillful means, He entices us out of the burning house so that we can enter the path to awakening.
Spiritual practice can actually be integrated into our daily living. These principles are very profound and hard to understand. However, if we are mindful in our daily living, we can practice them in many simple ways. Recycling centers are also spiritual practice centers where we can learn to resolve personal conflicts. If we practice in our daily living, we will be able resolve our conflicts with others. With willingness, joy, gratitude and respect, we can liberate ourselves from the karmic entanglements that have trapped us. So, we need to think carefully in our daily living and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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