Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Enter the Buddha’s Dharma-Treasury (入佛法藏發願承擔)
Date:July.21. 2015
“All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to the world to promote the Great Vehicle Dharma and transform all sentient beings. Thus all attain infinite meanings, benefits, peace and joy. They are sentient beings role models and teachers.”
All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appear in the world for one great cause, the hope that the Buddha-Dharma, the principles of enlightenment, can be spread throughout the world. They hope everyone in this world will have the chance to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. “To promote the Great Vehicle Dharma” means to help the teachings become universal so that everyone can understand them. They hope that “all attain infinite meanings, benefits, peace and joy.”
Once we have all accepted the Buddha-Dharma, naturally our wisdom will be awakened. “By grasping one truth, we understand all truths.” When we clearly perceive what is happening, we understand exactly what we need to do. If we can interact with people with this clarity, then we will naturally be able to gain others’ affirmation and trust and live a life that sets an example for this world. Isn’t this what we are seeking to do?
We must not only understand the Buddha-Dharma and not only transform ourselves, but also transform other people. However, with the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha not only tells us to give to others, He also wants us to recognize ourselves. We must all return to our intrinsic nature because we have the same pure nature as the Buddha. But [it is obscured by] all the karma we created, which comes from our ignorance.
Because we created karma out of ignorance, karma has covered [our nature]. So, our intrinsic nature of True Suchness is hidden underneath all that karma. Thus, we unenlightened beings have what is called “karmic consciousness”. Deep within this karmic consciousness lies our pure, intrinsic Tathagata-nature. So, for ordinary people, this is called storehouse consciousness.
If we understand this, then we know we must eliminate our ignorance and delusion. We are confused by worldly delusions. With so little time in this world, why would we lose ourselves in mundane matters? We do not know how long we will live. We do not know how our lives may change in the next moment. We do not know ourselves at all, but we keep looking outward, endlessly searching outside of ourselves. This is delusion.
We do not know ourselves and yet we constantly pursue the unpredictable matters that are external to us. This delusion leads us to create karma. If we understand this principle, we can guard against wrongs and stop evil. We will clearly know what we need to do. This is what the Buddha came to the world to help everyone understand.
So, He “promoted the Great Vehicle teachings and transformed all sentient beings.” He hoped to help many sentient beings understand these principles, to become clear on countless principles so they could attain “meanings, benefits, peace and joy.” If everyone understands the principles, then everyone understand “meanings”. If we understand infinite principles and infinite meanings, then naturally we can understand anything. This is very beneficial to our spiritual practice and can keep us from making mistakes.
If we form good affinities with sentient beings, naturally the sight of us will inspire happiness, faith and approval. Then won’t we be role models and teachers?
In a recent update from the United States, I saw how Tzu Chi volunteers took to heart what I often say about creating good affinities with others and sharing the Buddha-Dharma among people. They were able to return to the spirit of the bamboo banks from 40-50 years ago and to how [we spread the Dharma] in the markets.
In one case, they went to a farmer’s market to earnestly [introduce people to Tzu Chi].
One of the vendors was a farmer who, upon learning about Tzu Chi [work], made space in his booth for made space in his booth for Tzu Chi volunteers to set up.They displayed our eco-friendly Da Ai Technology products.
They also laid out issues of Tzu Chi Monthly and so on.
They furthermore wrote Jing Si Aphorisms on tiny slips of paper and rolled them up as gifts.Simply by setting up all these things, passersby wondered, “What’s going on at this booth?”They were very curious.
Then the volunteers would explain.Many people stopped in this way.They were inspired to ask, “How can I become a volunteer? How can I participate?”Among them was a Chinese medicine doctor.After he approached us to find out more, he saw what Tzu Chi has done for people and how we have given to people around the world to provide disaster relief and to help the suffering.He was very moved, so he donated US$2000 and even said that he was willing to volunteer in order to understand more about Tzu Chi.
This all happened at a farmer’s market.
Even mothers would bring their children over and ask, “How can we participate?”
Volunteers shared the spirit of the bamboo banks, telling people that Tzu Chi originated from these bamboo banks.
Out of curiosity, many people took these bamboo banks home.”“How can we donate the money we deposit in these bamboo banks to Tzu Chi?”
The volunteers told them, “You can either bring it to us or we can come to your home. Or, you can bring it [to our office].”As they talked they were all happy and formed many new friendships.This is why we must spread the Buddha-Dharma and go among people to interact with them.This is how we “transform all sentient beings”.
If we only wanted people to go pray at a temple, people are very busy.But when we go among people, what we say goes beyond religion.
All religions lead to the same place.Only by coming together can we attain.“Infinite meanings, benefits, peace and joy” and be “sentient beings’ role models and teachers”.
The previous sutra passage states, “The Tathagata is also just like this, There was nothing false in what He said He first taught the Three Vehicles to guide sentient beings. Afterwards He employed only the Great Vehicle to liberate them.”
The Buddha is just like the elder who saw his children in the burning house and could not bear to let them suffer, so he put three kinds of carts outside the door to drew the children out of the house.
In the end, He gave them all great carts.
The Buddha likewise did not speak any falsehood.
The Dharma He teaches contains an abundance of principles.He is able to teach sentient beings according to their needs.
So, we should be able to follow the Buddha’s teachings.When we accept them, we must act on them; We can achieve the same things.This is not falsehood; it is true.
We give with great sincerity.
For example, on the island of Bohol, an earthquake struck some time ago.After providing initial assistance, we wanted to go back and help them again.But then Tacloban was struck by an even more serious disaster, so we focused our efforts there.After three months of helping Tacloban, we returned to the island of Bohol, which had suffered an earthquake around three or four months earlier.When people there saw us, they were surprised.
“People have stopped paying attention to us. Why have you come back to help us?”
We said, “We always intended to come back.”
Then we explained what happened and how we had come back there to see how we could help them.Like the Buddha, we did not speak any falsehood.
The next sutra passage states, “Why is this? The Tathagata has infinite wisdom, powers, fearlessness, all these treasures of the Dharma. He can give all sentient beings the teachings of the Great Dharma but they cannot accept all of it.”
Although the Buddha, the Tathagata, was not guilty of speaking any falsehood, what exactly does it mean to speak a falsehood?
Pertending there was something when there was not, making promises but not delivering on them.These are examples of speaking a falsehood.
This is explaining why the Tathagata had not spoken any falsehood.
Pretending there was something when there was not and promising but being unable to deliver are examples of speaking a falsehood.But the Buddha, since He has infinite treasures of the Dharma, did not speak a falsehood.
Consider what happened after the South Asian Tsunami. Relief workers came from all over the world, so we chose to go to the poorest, most widely devastated area. It was very far away.
To get there from the capital by car took around six to seven hours. The place we chose was far away. That place suffered from many fatalities, and the people there were already very poor. Look at what Hambantota in Sri Lanka is like today. That place has become a town, a really flourishing township. Not only is it a thriving place, their school is also very well built. This school we built became a public school. Hambantota is now an international port. It has an airport and is linked to the highway. This all started because of our commitment. After the disaster happened, we aspired to help them, so we pledged our assistance and started the construction. After everything was complete, we returned several years later to visit them and saw how they had prospered. We did what we promised, so we did not speak any falsehood.
If people do not have this resolve [to help], or if they collect money for construction but never complete the project, which shows they did not have the will, then this is
“Pretending there was something when there was not and promising but being unable to deliver”. This is speaking a falsehood. If I have already promised you something but did not live up to my promise, then that we speaking a falsehood. “But the Buddha, since He has infinite treasures of the Dharma, did not speak a falsehood”.
The Buddha had always intended to freely express His original [teachings]. He hoped to give everyone these teachings, and He hoped that everyone could accept them, since “the treasures of the Dharma” are found within all of us. We all have an intrinsic Tathagata-garbha, but it is bound by our afflictions.
The treasures of all Dharma: By practicing provisional and skillful teachings we can enter the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury, the ultimate state of the far shore. Upholding the Tathagata ’s profound treasures of the Dharma protects the Buddha-seed of our nature. For sentient beings, He opens up the Dharma-treasury, extensively giving precious merits and virtues.
Thus, He thought of various methods to help us brush aside these afflictions and ignorance. “Provisional and skillful teachings” help us “enter the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury”. “The ultimate state of the far shore” is the state of noble beings we want to reach from our state as unenlightened beings. This is the state of the Buddha. The Buddha has opened up the Dharma-treasury for the sake of sentient beings, so we say He came to “open and reveal”.
The Buddha “open and revealed” [the Dharma] so we sentient beings must “realize and enter” it. Thus we say “open, reveal, realize and enter”. By endlessly sharing with everyone His methods for attaining Buddhahood, He was continuously giving to us.
He expected nothing in return for Himself. His only goal was to help everyone understand. This is like what we do in Tzu Chi. Around Chinese New Year, many people came to visit the Abode in Hualien. They were not asked to make offering nor did we pass around a donation box. We did none of this. At noontime, they would come to the Abode. So every day, we set up hundreds of tables to share a meal with them. We also gave them mementos to take with them as they returned home, so that they will remember the Tzu Chi path. This path is easy to walk on. They do not have to spend any money to attain abundance, joy and happiness. We inspire them to open up their minds in the hope that they can accept [the teachings]. Here, they can also see people with hearts filled with love, who are willing to give to others. This can also make them happy. This is why we give without expectations. This is “extensive giving, extensively giving precious merits and virtues”. We do this without any expectations. We just continue to give.
“He can give all sentient beings the teachings of the Great Dharma but they cannot accept all of it”. When we give to sentient beings in this way, do they feel anything? It depends whether we are giving with great sincerity. So, “He can give all sentient beings the Great Vehicle Dharma without holding anything back”.
If we can give like this, without asking for anything in return, we are giving very generously.
He can give all sentient beings the Great Vehicle Dharma without holding anything back. But as the Dharma is great and their capacities are limited, the Buddha can give all of it, but sentient beings cannot accept all of it.
“But as the Dharma is great and their capacities are limited…” We keep giving to others with an expansive mind and selfless great love. But, do the people who receive our help feel it? Perhaps they do not really feel it, because “the Dharma is great but their capacities are limited.”
If the Buddha taught the Great Dharma right away to help everyone understand that they all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, they would not be able to immediately accept it. Therefore, He had to teach the Three Vehicles. After people heard these limited teachings, could they clearly understand them? People who clearly understood took them to heart. This prevented them from creating karma and helped purify they intrinsic nature. People like this focus on practicing for their own benefit.
However, those with greater capabilities are willing to give to others. When the Tzu Chi volunteers in the United States. When the Tzu Chi volunteers in the United States set up a table at that booth, they encountered that doctor who immediately donated US$2000. This Chinese medicine doctor also wanted to join us to learn more. People like this choose the cart drawn by the great white ox. They are willing to give to other people. This is Great Dharma meeting great capabilities.
If “the Dharma is great but their capacities are limited, they will be unable to absorb the teachings.” There is so much clean water, but if we scoop up only one bowl’s worth, we will lose the rest of it because we did not have the capacity to accept it.
Thus, “The Buddha can give all of it, He is able to continuously teach the Dharma, but sentient beings cannot accept all of it.” This means that we are unable to take in all of it. Then, “As to how the Buddha gives teachings, He uses the power of wisdom to give the One Great Vehicle to sentient beings.”
As to how the Buddha gives teachings, He uses the power of wisdom to give the One Great Vehicle to sentient beings. Actually, this Dharma is one that sentient beings intrinsically have, but they await the Buddha to open and reveal it before they know they have it. Thus we say that the Buddha gives it.
What the Buddha gives and teaches to sentient beings is all the One Great Vehicle. He wants to help everyone understand that we all have the potential to attain Buddhahood. In fact, we all intrinsically have the Tathagata-garbha nature. So, it is said, “Actually, this Dharma is one that sentient beings intrinsically have.” However, “[We] await the Buddha to open and reveal it before we know we possess it.”
Because in the past we were unaware that we have been covered by our ignorance, the Buddha came to awaken us, to help us understand that we all have a Tathagata-garbha nature and believe that we have a Tathagata-nature equal to the Buddha’s. “We say that the Buddha gives it.”
The Tathagata’s Dharma-nature is perfect and His wisdom is like the ocean. He teaches everyone the same Dharma, but sentient beings have limited abilities and can only accept certain amounts of it, thus they cannot accept it all. If they could accept it all, these sentient beings would be Buddhas, and they would have already received it without it beings given.
The Tathagata’s Dharma-nature is perfect and His wisdom is like the ocean. Indeed, this is what the Buddha is like, and we also have the same wisdom He does. It is just that we have been covered by afflictions. So, “He teaches everyone the same Dharma.” What He teaches everyone is the same Dharma, What He teaches everyone is the same Dharma, the Great Vehicle Dharma. However, sentient beings can only accept certain amounts of it He teaches according to their capabilities. Those with great capabilities were taught the Great Vehicle Dharma. For those with limited wisdom and capabilities, the Great Vehicle Dharma a He taught turned into Small Vehicle Dharma instead. The Buddha teaches according to sentient beings’ capabilities.
He teaches the same Dharma so that everyone can listen to it, understand it and attain Buddhahood. However, sentient beings can only accept as much as their capabilities allow thus, they cannot accept it all. The sutra states, “They cannot accept it all.” The Great [Vehicle] Dharma the Buddha taught may not necessarily be understood by everyone.
Therefore, He continues teaching so all sentient beings will attain Buddhahood. Actually, all sentient beings are Buddhas. The Buddha also started as an ordinary being. Therefore, we are equal to the Buddha. With His great compassion and expansive heart and mind, He taught us. So, I hope that everyone will be mindful and contemplate carefully every day. We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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