Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Encouraging Goodness and Guiding Us to Propriety (觀機逗教勸善導正)
Date:December.01. 2015
“The kind of all noble beings has severed delusions and realized the principles. He teaches and transforms us through the Dharma, encourages goodness and guides us to propriety. He teaches tirelessly to transform evil into goodness. All Buddhas only teach the Bodhisattva Way.”
The Buddha came to the world to open and reveal [the Dharma] in the hope that sentient beings will realize the true principles. He hopes everyone can make great vows, form great aspirations and practice the Bodhisattva-path. He hopes that we can accept the Dharma and return to our pure and undefiled nature.
Unfortunately, we are unenlightened beings, and our minds are filled with afflictions. It is because we have so many afflictions that we need to accept the teachings in order to brush aside our ignorance and manifest True Suchness. This is why the Buddha manifested the appearances of engaging in spiritual practice and attaining Buddhahood to help us understand that his spiritual practice originated in his not understanding certain things about the world and thus searching out the true principles.
He himself had to seek out the principles of true emptiness and wondrous existence and He awakened to the true principles of all things in the universe. With this Dharma, one who has become awakened is the king of all noble beings, that is, the Buddha, the Enlightened One. From the beginning, the Buddha told us that the [potential] to be enlightened was not unique to Him. It is inherent in everyone.
Therefore, He wanted to proclaim to everyone that, as long as we can eradicate our afflictions, we will have returned to our intrinsic nature, the nature of True Suchness. But because we are unenlightened beings, we could not understand right away. So, the Buddha taught with all kinds of methods to patiently teach us and encourage our goodness, to “transform evil into goodness.” He transformed the thoughts of ignorance and evil that lie in all of our hearts; once transformed, these become thoughts of goodness. Thus, all Buddhas who come to the world come to teach and transform sentient beings with the goal of helping them all attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood, we must practice the Great Vehicle Dharma, which teaches us the Bodhisattva Way, how to practice the Bodhisattva-path.
So, the Buddha had to use many different methods. In Buddhist sutras, there is a story like this regarding a particular Bodhisattva. “Bodhisattva” refers to an awakened being. This awakened being understood the principles clearly and went among people to serve others. He looked like any other ordinary person, and like them, he made his living by working hard as a laborer. He specialized in moving very heavy objects. Though this manual labor was hard work, he happily took on this job to help others.
One day, after working hard, he stopped at noon to rest. As everyone ate lunch, there were many birds in the tree above them, but their cries were different than usual; they were very noisy. Hearing these sounds, everyone felt very unhappy; this laborer was the only one who was smiling. His fellow laborers thought, “How strange! We are so annoyed by the cries of these birds. How is it that when you listen to these birds, you can remain calm and dismiss it with a smile? What do you hear in the sounds of these birds?”
This laborer told them, "This flock of birds was talking about how, at a great distance from where they are, there was a crane. In the beak of that white crane is a pearl, a priceless treasure. These birds kept saying that they hoped to attain that pearl. They wanted to catch that bird, kill him and take his pearl. After taking his pearl, they could eat his flesh. This is what this flock was saying. They constantly talked about catching that bird and taking that pearl."
They then asked him, "So, why are you laughing?" He told them, "I already understand the Dharma. The principles of the Buddha-Dharma encourage everyone to do good. Living in this evil and turbid world, we accumulate so much negative karma. This negative karma is inseparable from desire. If something does not belong to us and we try to take it forcefully, that is unjust. Killing is not benevolent. I am not interested in thing like that. In my past lives, I have already experienced so much suffering. It is precious that, in this lifetime, in this era of Dharma- semblance, I can listen to the Dharma and read the sutras. So, I must not lose my way again. In my past lives, I took what did not belong to me. Therefore, in this present lifetime I should contribute my strength and constantly help others."
"I must uphold justness, loyalty and faith and continue to safeguard the goodness in my heart. This is the discipline that I mindfully uphold in my present lifetime."
After he finished explaining this, everyone held him in great admiration. In life, if we live carelessly, we may easily give rise to discursive thoughts, fail to benevolent toward others and act in ways that are not just. He had already understood these principles, which is why he was so willing to do these things with an ever-joyful mindset. Everyone was able to understand that these were the benefits of learning the Buddha's Way.
In truth, the world is filled with suffering. The Buddha came here to teach the Dharma, and though the Buddha is no longer in the world the Buddha-Dharma still remains. We have the causes and conditions to read the sutras and listen to the Dharma whenever we like. Though we have created and carried our [negative] karma along with us, we also brought positive causes and conditions which will enable us to change our fate. With the negative karma we created, we come to this world to face retributions. We experience all kinds of suffering, but after the bitter comes the sweet. This is like how, after we experience suffering, kind benefactors appear.
There was a young woman from Ximen. There months ago, she came here with her mother. The Tzu Chi volunteers in Xiamen brought her here to Taiwan, to our Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital.
This young woman was born with a physical deformity. Our feet are like this; when we put them on the ground, we can walk forward. She was born with feet pointing the opposite way. For 26 years, the bottoms of her feet never touched the earth. She knelt and used the backs of her knees to move around. Yet, this young woman has a sunny disposition and a healthy mental state. She looks very sweet. She had the good karmic condition to evertually meet [Tzu Chi volunteers] in Xiamen. They brought her to Taiwan.
When our superinterdent emeritus Dr. Chen lng-ho received this case, he put his heart into it. He said, "I might be able to help. I will try very hard to find a way to turn her feet around." So, she came back in March. The surgery was so difficult that it had to be divided into five operations. By the middle of May, after the success of the fifth surgery, she was put into a cast. On June 3rd, they removed the cast. After it was removed, she stood up, and for the first time in 26 years, the bottom of her feet touched the ground. There is no way anyone else could describe her happiness.
Not only was she happy, so was everyone else there. This young woman had the positive karmic causes and conditions to encounter these benefactors. We also saw how, as they prepared for when she would stand up, the volunteers helped her find what to wear. This is because I had asked her, “What is our dream? [She had replied,] I hope that. I can stand up, and I hope I can wear a skirt”. For most women, isn’t wearing a skirt such a simple matter? But for her it was her dream. She hoped that she could stand up. She hoped she would be able to wear a skirt. Finally she was able to stand up. The way she walked, she looked like a proper lady. There is really no way to describe it. It is so inconceivable. We call this “unexplainable”, because it is impossible to describe.
The medicine practiced in the hospital we built is so incredible. The doctors and nurses do their best to change people’s lives. This indeed makes me very happy.
Their bodies constantly stink are filthy and impure. Their deep attachment to their view of self escalates their anger and their rage, and they are ablaze with lust, indistinguishable from birds and beasts. For slandering this sutra, they face retributions such as these.
The following passage states, “I tell you Sariputra, regarding those who slander this sutra, if I were to speak of all their transgressions, I could not finish after an entire kalpa. It is because of these causes and conditions that I tell you, Sariputra, do not teach this sutra among those without wisdom”.
Here the sutra begins to explain that the suffering focused on in the previous passages is the result of slandering the sutras; the negative karma they create is very severe, so the Buddha called to Sariputra again, to remind him of what He had said before. These people fall into hell, fall into the hungry ghost realm, fall into the animal realm and return to the human realm to face suffering, like physical disabilities, impaired faculties, illness and other kinds of unbearable suffering. This all happens because, in their past lives, they denied the law of karma and misled people to a place of deviance and biased views. Then people would live a life without principles; this is considered slandering the sutras,slandering the true path. If we were to speak of their transgressions, indeed, we would never finish.
Hence, “I could not finish in an entire kalpa. it is because of these causes and conditions”. Because they slandered the principles and denied the law of karma, with so many similar kinds of karmic conditions, they fell into the evil realms. “It is because of these causes and conditions”. Because they have these causes and conditions, they face retributions for slandering the Dharma. Because of these causes and conditions, the Buddha said, “[Thus] tell you, Sariputra”. The Buddha said He would tell him, “Do not teach this sutra among those without wisdom”.
This is why, when we teach the Dharma to others, we must observe their capabilities. We must teach according to the person, the time, the place and so on. This is how a wise person teaches according to capabilities.
See, even after the Buddha became enlightened and wanted to give teachings, He also had to pay attention to the timing. So, before everyone could accept [True Dharma], He had to establish the Three Vehicles. After patiently guiding them for more than 40 years, He began to teach the Great Dharma. He manifested many [wondrous] appearances to inspire everyone to seek [the Dharma]. Then when He finally began to teach, 5000 people left the assembly. This teaching had to be given at the right time, to those with the right capabilities.
The Buddha was very cautious. This was why He told us again and again that when we accept this sutra, we should do so with genuine sincerity. We must not slander it out of carelessness.
I tell you Sariputra, regarding those who slander this sutra, if I were to speak of all their transgressions, I could not finish after an entire kalpa: The transgressions of slandering the teachings of the Great Vehicle would be difficult to exhaust even in a kalpa. This sutra cannot be taught carelessly for it can impart harm to foolish people.
Slandering the Great Vehicle teachings results in negative karma that would be difficult to exhaust even in a kalpa. If we want to describe such transgressions, it would take a very long time indeed. They will face retributions for their transgression for a very long time as well. Thus it is said, “I could not finish after an entire kalpa”. We cannot speak of this [sutra] lightly; we cannot teach it in a casual manner. Not only would that not help the people who could not understand, but it would instead cause harm to them. “It can impart harm to foolish people”. Foolish people cannot accept this teaching, so they will actually become afflicted instead.
Foolish people cannot accept this teaching, so they will actually become afflicted instead. So, “It is good that they left” and [did not listen]. “The Buddha taught the Dharma solely so that blessings may arise, only for the sake of sentient beings, to create blessings for the world.”
The Buddha taught the Dharma solely so that blessings may arise. Confused people who have no faith bring calamity down upon themselves. The One Vehicle of the True and Wondrous Dharma nourishes wisdom-life and nurtures and educates people. If it leads people to transgress, It is harmful to hear.
These are the most important principles that the Buddha taught. He hope everyone would return to their intrinsic nature, awaken their wisdom and give to all people. However, “Confused people have no faith.” They are unwilling to believe, and they also slander the Dharma. Thus, “They bring calamity down upon themselves.” “The One Vehicle of the True and Wondrous Dharma nourishes wisdom-life.” The Buddha used this Dharma to nourish wisdom-life. Besides nourishing wisdom-life, [the Dharma] nurtures virtue and educates people, helping them develop their wisdom-life.
For the sake of teaching people, we must determine if these people have the capabilities to accept these teachings. If they are able to accept them, then we should teach them promptly. But if they are still unable to accept them, we must use other methods to guide them patiently so that they will not give rise to discursive thoughts and bring calamity down upon themselves. If we cause them to commit slander, that is harmful to them and brings no benefits. This is what the Buddha warned us of “It is because of these causes and conditions that I tell you, Sariputra, do not teach this sutra among those without wisdom.”
Now, the Buddha teaches tirelessly, so that those propagating the Dharma observe others’ capabilities and so that others will recognize suffering and stop slandering. This is thorough and great compassion.
So, the Buddha patiently guided us and taught us ceaselessly, He unceasingly opened and revealed teachings in the hope that we would that we would propagate the Dharma by observing others’ capabilities. We must have this flexibility and wisdom “so that people will recognize suffering and stop slandering.” If someone is slandering the sutras, we must come up with all kinds of methods to help put an end to the thinking that lead them to commit slander. We must find a way.
For example, yesterday someone said, “Master, I need your help.I have talked to this person about Tzu Chi hoping that he would join us, and he enjoys listening to what I tell him. But when I went to America for a while, after I came back he told me, I have heard people saving [negative] things about Tzu Chi. This volunteer told me, I have tried to transform him for over ten years. He is always happy to hear about our work and is very affirming. But after some time passes, he tells me people have told him these things.In this case, what should I do?” Yesterday I told him, “This depend on causes and conditions. When the time is right, naturally he will [join].” Before that time has come, people will still [dissuade him]. People who slander the Dharma and true principles are obstructing his path of goodness and are cutting off his seeds of goodness. There are still people who do this. If he has the karma to be cut off life this, then he will be unable to move forward.
In the same way, “[The Buddha leads] others to recognize suffering and stop slandering” “This is thorough and great compassion”. This can truly help people develop empathy. With universal compassion, they will understand how everything and everyone in the world are interconnected. When we feel others’ suffering as our own, we will form aspirations and make vows, how can we purify people’s minds and eradicate their suffering? Only by stopping evil and praising goodness can this evil be stopped so people will avoid creating more karma that will cause them to fall into the hell, hungry ghost, the animal realm and so on.
We must make an effort to [spread] the Dharma but we must teach it according to capabilities. We do not give up on people, we must wait for the right time. The Buddha’s teachings never stray from encouraging goodness, guiding people to propriety. We must do the same. We should also encourage goodness, guide people to propriety and teach tirelessly to transform evil into goodness. This is what all Buddhas come to the world to teach. This is why we should always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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