Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Compassionate Wisdom brings Joy and Liberation (悲智利樂度脫一切)
Date:July.09. 2015
“Sentient beings possess a deeply hidden nature. We can apply the hidden potential of this natural wisdom. Forgetting the inner, deluded by the cuter, whatever we seek we cannot attain, just as we cannot grasp the reflection in a great perfect mirror. Bodhisattvas at the first ground have an experience from listening to the Dharma so they apply it and obtain the Dharma-joy of their nature.”
We must all be mindful. “Sentient beings possess a deeply hidden nature.” We all have this nature. Our intrinsic nature of True Suchness has always been inside of us; it is just that ignorance has deeply buried our nature of True Suchness. In fact, we all inherently have it.
So, natural wisdom is [the hidden potential we can apply]. Natural wisdom is Buddha-wisdom, so this natural wisdom has always been a “hidden potential” we can make use of. However, we end up “forgetting the inner and [being] deluded by the outer.” We have forgotten our pure intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Instead, we are confused by what is around us and constantly pursue knowledge from external sources.
Actually, we all intrinsically have this hidden potential of natural wisdom in us that we can make use of. Hence, “a great perfect mirror”; this is like the example of a mirror. Its surface clearly reflects the world around it. We can also see ourselves in it. But we are constantly trying to grasp the “reflection” from out of the mirror, while in truth, “We cannot grasp the reflection.” The meaning behind this is that we all have an intrinsic nature of True Suchness. All the things around us are simply external appearances that we see. To be able to reach a state of True Suchness, we must put what we hear into practice, just as “Bodhisattvas at the first ground have an experience from listening to the Dharma.” There are Hearers and Solitary Realizers, too, but Hearers and Solitary Realizers only listen. They listen to the [directions], but they do not walk forward.
So, despite their thorough understanding, they have stopped at awakening themselves and developing their own understanding. They seem to have stopped there to admire the reflections in a great perfect mirror.
As for “Bodhisattvas at the first ground,” a newly-inspired Bodhisattva will naturally “have an experience from listening to the Dharma.” They hear it, understand that state of mind and are deeply moved; it has touched their hearts. They find the Dharma deeply applicable. So, they “apply it.” They are moved, so they accept the Dharma and also begin to apply it in their living.
To apply it means to put it into practice. The Dharma is meant to be heard and applied. It is not enough just to listen and know about it. We must make use of it. So, we must “apply it”. We explain the Dharma to help everyone accept it and feel how exceptional it is. When we understand it, we apply it in order to truly attain “the Dharma-joy of our nature”.
If we do not make use of it, we will not experience that feeling. A couple of months ago, there was a major flood in Indonesia. In addition to the floors, a volcano had erupted. Then in Jakarta itself there was even more flooding. Tzu Chi volunteers organized themselves into teams to provide disaster relief. They boarded a military plane to go to the northernmost part of Indonesia.When they arrived, they saw scenes of utter destruction.
Tzu Chi volunteers in Indonesia had seen how the “cash-for-work” program, used in the Philippines, had helped the disaster are quickly recover, so they implemented a “cash-for-work” program there.They mobilized to people, and within a few days, recovery was well underway.
After completing this phase of the relief work and simultaneously conducting a distribution of aid, they returned to Jakarta.
A few days later, heavy rain brought disaster once again.Having been notified, they went back once again to the same place.When they got there, these survivors who encountered Tzu Chi before had heard that Tzu Chi volunteers were returning and would run the “cash-for-work” program again.
So, the local residents were prepared.When volunteers arrived, this time the process was well-established and things went smoothly.In five or six days, things were back to normal again.By the end of their efforts, the condition of the place was more comfortable and orderly than before.
So, the Tzu Chi volunteers wanted to hold a concluding prayer service there so that everyone could express their mutual gratitude.
One of our Bodhisattva-volunteers, Rudi, decided to choose a song to sing to express our mutual gratitude.Because of the lyrics, he chose to sing.“The Most Beautiful Smile.”
One of the local village leaders, out of the many village leaders in this big area, borrowed an organ from a church and invited a singer from among the villagers to practice this song with Tzu Chi volunteers.
They practiced for half a day; everyone was very happy and moved.The lyrics of this song were truly moving.As this was happening, there was another volunteer who had composed a song to express his gratitude to Tzu Chi.So, this song described how he felt.
He started by singing about his bamboo chair to described his feelings [of loss].Perhaps he was not very rich to begin with and that bamboo chair was a cherished possession.He had gotten this brand new chair and had been very happy to own it.
Yet when the rain came, and the water rose, it swept away his chair, it swept away his clothes and it swept away all his material possessions.
In his heart, he felt tremendous distress and pain because he had lost everything he had.
Then the Tzu Chi volunteers came.They comforted him and soothed his suffering.
The consolation Tzu Chi volunteers provided helped him to feel at peace and motivated him [to start anew].So, he described how this love and care from the Tzu Chi volunteers soothed his distress, afflictions and so on.
He expressed his feelings through the song lyrics as he sang the song for us.His song expressed the afflictions the disaster survivors felt when they lost everything and how Tzu Chi volunteers came and helped to make up for what they had lost.
He described how they have recovered from that sense of loss.Another [local volunteer] also wrote a song.When inspiration struck him, he wrote about his gratitude for the Tzu Chi volunteers.He said that the inspiration[for the song] came from has two younger sisters.They had been arguing over a small matter, and the argument became heated.
When he saw his two sisters arguing like this, he said to them quietly, “Let’s be like Tzu Chi volunteers. Look at how genuine and sincere they are.”
These sister were arguing very heatedly, and the argument became heated, but once they heard him say, “Let’s be like Tzu Chi volunteers,” they calmed down.
So, the lyrics of his song said, “This is not a dream; this is the truth”. He said, “The Manado that we love and revere is in a state of complete devastation. But at this time, Tzu Chi volunteers came to help us. When it was time for these volunteers to leave, we all cried. We are all very grateful. We are grateful to Tzu Chi”. The lyrics of this song were written for the disaster survivors to sing.
Then someone else said, “If not for the Tzu Chi volunteers, what would our lives be like today?” The children said, “If not for the Tzu Chi volunteers, how would we be able to go to school?”
In summary, the Tzu Chi volunteers travelled so far to the disaster area to help the local residents restore their lives and to comfort the residents’ hearts. At the same time, they inspired everyone there to feel grateful. When Tzu Chi volunteers were leaving, they felt reluctant to part ways; everyone cried. This is such a touching story.
So we said, “Bodhisattvas at the first ground have an experience from listening to the Dharma, so they apply it”. These volunteers are all Bodhisattvas. Because of the Jing Si Dharma-lineage and the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism, with the spirit of this Dharma and the direction provided by this school, the volunteers put the teachings into practice. They go to such faraway places to mindfully and sincerely devote themselves to help people.
Look at how well the teachings were applied. These Tzu Chi volunteers are Living Bodhisattvas. They made use of the [potential] in their nature, so they were very happy. I believe that when these Bodhisattvas went among those people and helped relieve their suffering, the gratitude that everyone felt brought them great Dharma-joy. This is the “Dharma-joy of their nature”.
The previous sutra passage, states, “[They] seek all-encompassing wisdom, Buddha-wisdom, natural-wisdom, untaught wisdom and the Tathagata’s understanding and views, His powers and His fearlessness”.
See, we are listening to the Buddha’s teachings, so we have entered this school of Buddhism. When Tzu Chi volunteers apply the teachings, they will put their efforts toward providing what is needed in that environment. This is called “untaught wisdom”. This happens after we have taken the Dharma to heart and applied it to our minds, then act out of what we learned. This is Buddha-wisdom, natural wisdom and untaught wisdom.
Actually, the Dharma taught by the Buddha can be used in every part of our daily living. Every teaching is very useful. As for “the Tathagata’s understanding and views, His powers and His fearlessness”, we should know that as long as we have courage, the selfless love of True Suchness in us can be applied and brought forth. Then we are indeed fearless and unafraid. Whichever country they go to, once at the disaster area, Bodhisattvas all have the power of fearlessness. This comes from love.
The following sutra passage states, “Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings. They benefit heavenly beings and humans and liberate all. This is the Great Vehicle”.
Out of sympathy, they bring joy to sentient beings. Because they sympathize with sentient beings, they hope that sentient beings can be at peace, that sentient beings can be joyful. This is great loving-kindness. “Benefiting all and relieving their suffering” means we must benefit sentient beings, not only bring them joy. We need to bring them benefit as well.
When sentient beings are suffering by comforting their hearts and relieving their suffering, we are “benefiting all and relieving their suffering”. This is great compassion. “We feel other people’s pain as our own”. With great loving-kindness and great compassion, we see ourselves and all sentient beings as one. This is called universal compassion.
Out of sympathy they bring peace and joy to countless sentient beings: Bringing others joy out of sympathy is great loving-kindness. Benefiting all and relieving their suffering is great compassion.
Bodhisattvas seek the Tathagata’s wisdom and virtues. This is how we nourish ourselves so that our wisdom-life can grow. We must continuously seek the Buddha’s wisdom and virtues. Wisdom is Buddha-wisdom, virtue is compassion. We must learn both.
So, as we seek to learn and attain the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion, we nourish ourselves and develop our wisdom-life.
They ask the Tathagata’s wisdom and virtues to nourish themselves and develop wisdom-life. They also use the Four Infinite Minds to bring peace and joy to all sentient beings so all can transcend suffering and attain joy. They seek the Buddha’s wisdom and His merits of fearlessness, powers and so on to transform themselves and others.
Developing of wisdom-life requires compassion and wisdom to be united; they are like our two feet. This is the Buddha’s wisdom and virtue. We must be replete with wisdom and compassion. So, we must learn and nourish our wisdom-life so it develops.
We must the Four Infinite Minds. When sentient beings are suffering we must apply loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. With the Four Infinite Minds we can bring peace and joy to all sentient beings, help them live in safety and help them transcend suffering. This requires exercising both loving-kindness and compassion. When sentient beings are saved, we are joyful.Our joy brings us back to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. We are not looking for some kind of repayment from the outside world. Not at all. After doing something, we let go of the “view of self and others.” We do not see ourselves as people who help or others as people who have been helped by us. If we can do this, then our “mind is without hindrances.” With the equanimity to let go of all afflictions we do not discriminate between self and others. Loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity when practiced, can lead us back to our nature of True Suchness, untainted by the “view of self and others.”
We bring peace and joy to all sentient beings so all can transcend suffering and attain joy.” We “seek the Buddha’s wisdom and His merits of fearlessness, powers and so on, to transform ourselves and others.” This is our vow.
So, we “benefit heavenly beings and humans and liberate all.” This is the Great Vehicle.
They benefit heavenly beings, and humans and others in order to transform them. With this kind of aspiration, they go among the people according to conditions to engage in practice and attain the fruits. Thus they all attain the unsurpassed [fruits]. This is the Great Vehicle.
The Buddha-Dharma is needed in the heaven and human realms, as well as the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. However, those in the heaven realm are too happy to want to learn the Buddha’s Way. Those in the human realm experience both suffering and joy. Seeing people’s suffering reminds us to earnestly be mindful and to diligently engage in spiritual practice. So, this is a “benefit.” We benefit heavenly beings, humans and others in order to transform them.Furthermore, we aspire to “go among the people according to conditions Bodhisattvas must “go among the people according to conditions.”
No matter the conditions, we must be able to adapt to them to transform sentient beings. “They go among people according to conditions to engage in practice and attain the fruits, unsurpassed [fruits]; this is the Great Vehicle.”
The countless numbers of sentient beings, the many, many sentient beings, include all those in the Six Realms. With loving-kindness, they benefit bring joy to and enrich humans, heavenly beings and so on. They help them become peaceful and joyful. This “benefits heavenly beings and humans.” With compassion they liberate all sentient beings in the Three Evil Realms and relieve their suffering.
We help those of high status to give to others so they become the wealthy among the wealthy. We help those who are suffering to transcend great difficulties and hardship. This is how we relieve their suffering. In these ways, we “liberate all.”
Dear Bodhisattvas, this is how we learn the Buddha’s Way. We must listen to the Great and Small Vehicles, experience them in our hearts, put them into practice and give with both body and mind. In this way, we are true Buddhist practitioners. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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