Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Teaching All Beings to Plant the Roots of Virtues (教誡眾生植眾德本)
Date: December.02. 2015
“Bodhisattvas want to teach the Dharma to sentient beings. First they adapt teachings with skillful means. Then they teach sentient beings to give rise to faith and joy. They derive great benefit and teach joyfully according to conditions.”
Sentient beings’ minds are full of afflictions. Thus, we give rise to afflictions and create karma. Having replicated so much negative karma, we have to follow our circumstantial retributions as we bring our karma into this life. Because of this, Sakyamuni Buddha came to this world over countless lifetimes. Life after life, He formed Bodhisattva-aspirations and walked the Bodhi-path, the path to enlightenment. With the aspiration to be an enlightened being, He awakened and then went among sentient beings to transform them. He had to adapt to sentient beings’ capacities. “First [He] adapted teachings with skillful means.” He taught sentient beings according to their capabilities and the time. He also constantly gave us warnings through expressions, analogies, etc. to help us gradually experience and understand the teachings.
So, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the world have to face us sentient beings, with our countless afflictions. Thus, they must have great patience to teach us, to alert us and to help us gradually draw near the Dharma. If they cannot transform us in this life, they will wait to transform us in the next life. In this way, life after life, they follow sentient beings into the Three Evil Destinies and the Six Realms.
Human life is a mix of suffering and joy. Those with a life of suffering truly suffer. On the other hand, there are also many people who live in heaven on earth. They are born into such blessed circumstances and can enjoy a life of comfort. If you ask them, “Are you happy?” they are definitely not happy, because they do not feel satisfied. If they try to derive a sense of satisfaction solely through fulfilling their material desires, they will never feel satisfied. Since there are no principles in their minds, they feel a sense of emptiness; all they have are afflictions. So, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have to exercise patience.
For those people with no principles and only emptiness in their hearts, those who deny the law of karma, they will still do all they can to find a way to patiently guide them. They hope everyone can have faith and joy, that people can believe in, delight in and accept the principles and this attain great benefits. They can also teach the Right Dharma in a way sentient beings can happily accept. This is what we should aim for as we learn.
At this time of the year in Taiwan, many schools are holding graduation ceremonies. At the Tzu Chi College of Technology, one of the graduates from the Department of Nursing is Lin Shenghan. He lived in central Taiwan, in Nantou, and attended Zhongxing Secondary, [one of the schools we rebuilt]. He was filled with gratitude. He said that in his hometown, because Tzu Chi quickly helped rebuild his school, he was able to complete his schooling. He did not come from a wealthy family. With his strong connection to Tzu Chi, he decided to come to Hualien and chose a career in nursing. Although he is male, he felt he wanted to work closely with patients. When patients are seriously ill, they need people to mindfully take care of them. This profession is not limited to men or women. Moreover, taking care of patients is hard, and he was willing to take on the toughest job. He vowed that he will face tremendous pressures with a smile and give of himself to the most severely ill patients.
He even vowed to stay in Hualien forever. He wants to stay in this place most people do not want to come to.This young man has such a firm resolve and willingness to bear responsibilities.
Hearing young people make these kinds of vows makes me very happy.
The reason he made this kind of vow was because of the education he received.If we had not promptly constructed those schools over a decade ago, what would have happened to these children?
We have seen each of these seeds become giant trees and join society.Our schools in Indonesia also held their graduation ceremonies.The secondary school students rehearsed the Sitra of Profound Gratitied toward Parents.From the beginning to the end, they performed this musical adaptation in Chinese.
This was not just a performance.
Ever since they started rehearsing, these children’s state of mind has changed.Some of them even vowed to become vegetarian.In the past, some would do as they pleased.One girl would refuse to do anything that her parents asked of her.Now she knows the depth of her parents’ kindness.
“Now, if my parents ask me to do something, I immediately do it, because life is impermanent, and I don’t want to have any regrets.”This is what education can do.
With this kind of education, though these students are Muslim, they can accept the Buddha’s teachings.This inspired them to realize that, “Doing good deeds and being filial cannot wait.”This is also happening in our time.
When I see our graduation ceremonies, I am very touched and also feel very grateful.I am grateful to all the Bodhisattvas who help carry out our Four Major Missions.During this time, they have been serving like this.When I see what they have done, I feel very grateful.
The previous sutra 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.”
Again, the Buddha spoke to Sariputra, hoping that when we teach the Dharma to people, if there are those who cannot accept it, we will not share these teachings with them.This is because it will have the opposite effect and lead them to commit transgressions.The negative karma they create will be very severe and its effect will be very long-lasting.
If they slander the sutra, deny the law of karma, sever people’s roots of goodness and ruin people’s wisdom-life, the karma of these transgressions will be severe.
Therefore, [the Buddha] told us, “Do not teach this sutra among those without wisdom.”This is what the Buddha both taught us and warned us about.He helped us understand that even miraculous medicine should not be given in heavy doses; we need to give the amount people can accept.This is the Buddha’s compassion and wisdom.
The next passage states, “If there are people with sharp capabilities, who are wise and understanding, learned and knowledgeable, who seek the path to Buddhahood, for people like this, you can then teach this sutra.”
At this point of the sutra, the Buddha begins to tell us who we can share these teachings with; what kind of people have the capabilities to learn this?
“People with sharp capabilities, who are wise and understanding.”They have given rise to great Bodhicitta and are willing to practice the Six Perfections.
If there are people with sharp capabilities, who are wise and understanding:
If practitioners give rise to great Bodhicitta, practice the Six Perfections with both blessings and wisdom, the two world-transcending roots of goodness, and have deep faith in the Great Vehicle, they are thus said to have sharp capabilities.
Giving rise to Bodhicitta means becoming awakened; awakened beings go among people to benefit them.How can we bring blessings to others?Through the Six Perfections of giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom.
Giving rise to great Bodhicitta is wisdom.
Practicing the Six Perfections is cultivating blessings.Doing both creates world-transcending roots of goodness.
The root of Bodhi is our awakened nature.We need to put the Dharma into practice and go the among people.That develops our root of goodness, we are willing to form Great Vehicle aspirations.
As I said earlier, clearly knowing that working in the medical field and taking care of patients is hard work, our students still willingly vowed to do the most difficult jobs and accept the high pressure of caring for patients who are seriously ill.They vow to do this job with a smile on their face.Think about this; without great faith, how could they make these great vows?
These young people, these new graduates, are able to [make this vow].Shouldn’t we be able to do this as well?Sentient beings have three types of capabilities, thus there are three types of spiritual practitioners, the practitioners of each of the Three Vehicles.
Bodhisattvas are the ones with sharp capabilities.
Solitary Realizers are the ones with average capabilities.
Hearers have dull capabilities.
The Buddha taught the True Dharma of the One Vehicle out of expectations for those with sharp capabilities. “If there are people with sharp capabilities, they can believe and understand upon hearing”.
If there are people with sharp capabilities, they can believe and understand upon hearing. Possessing wisdom, they can discriminate between right and wrong. They understand, thus they do not become confused.
People with sharp capabilities have the capacity to be Bodhisattvas. Listening to the Dharma, they naturally understand it and have faith in it. With faith and understanding, naturally they will make vows. People like this are replete with wisdom. Therefore, for people like this, we can expound this Dharma, this great and profound Dharma.
To discern whether this is the right teaching to share, we must be mindful and put it into practice. If this is the wrong teaching to share, we must stop immediately. Cultivating the Three Flawless Studies of precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, depends on our ability to make proper choices. When we are doing the right thing, we must concentrate and strengthen our resolve. When we understand and are determined, we will not get lost. “Learned and knowledgeable, they seek the path to Buddhahood. Learned and knowledgeable means those who understand the Buddha”. They know that although He taught with skillful means, the true in contained within the provisional.
So, people like that understand that the Buddha, in His wisdom, used provisional teachings and skillful means according to the person, the time and the place, to teach sentient beings and guide them in how to walk the Bodhisattva-path.
Learned and knowledgeable, [they] seek the path to Buddhahood; They are learned and knowledgeable, so they recognize that the Buddha, in His wisdom, uses provisional teachings and skillful means. They have deep faith and retain this knowledge. Those who resolve to seek the path to Buddhahood hope to attain the Great Vehicle Dharma.
So, they have no doubts; “They have deep faith and retain this knowledge”. When it comes to the Buddha’s teachings, they absolutely have deep faith in them and take them all into the field of their eight consciousness; not only to their eighth consciousness, but also to their ninth consciousness. Thus, they have returned to their nature of True Suchness. This is called “retaining this knowledge”.
“[They] resolve to seek the path to Buddhahood”. They are the people who seek the Great Vehicle. Those who seek the Great Vehicle Dharma are the ones “with sharp capabilities and wisdom”.
Those of sharp capabilities and wisdom clearly understand the provisional and the true. Learned and knowledgeable, they resolve to seek the fruit of Buddhahood. They draw near to all Buddhas and plant the roots of all virtues. They give rise to firm aspirations, thus they are unmoved by material desires. People like this can shoulder the burden of spiritual practice. They accept it faithfully upon hearing it, so it is suitable to teach them.
“Those of sharp capabilities and wisdom” can, upon hearing the Dharma, instantly form their resolve. They understand that provisional teachings are part of the process and that there is True Dharma in provisional teachings. This makes them “learned and knowledgeable”. So, they resolve to seek the fruit of Buddhahood and never have doubts about it. They want to attain the state of Buddhahood, they will not stop at the state of Hearers, nor the state of Solitary Realizers. Benefiting and awakening themselves and others are the vows they make. “They resolve to seek the fruit of Buddhahood. They draw near to all Buddhas”. They also “plant the roots of all virtues”. “Planting the roots of all virtues” means going among people and giving to others. This is like sowing seeds and cultivating the field of our mind. This is how we “plant the roots of all virtues”. We need to plant the [seeds] for many virtues. This is part of our spiritual practice.
I constantly tell everyone that we need to form good karmic affinities and create good karma. This is also “planting the roots of all virtues”. We need to plant causes for blessings and create good karma. “Then we will be unmoved by material desires”. We will not be led by external desires to give rise to discursive thoughts. We want to become like this, unwavering and focused on our course. We must have sharp capabilities and be learned and knowledgeable. Only people with these qualities can shoulder the Tathagata mission, the spiritual practice of the Bodhi-path. These people can “accept it faithfully upon hearing it”.
People must have these kinds of capabilities to not be affected by others. People like this will certainly have faith after hearing the Dharma. For people like this, we can expound this sutra. “For people like this you can then teach this sutra”. These people must be replete with the six virtues.
They have six virtues: The virtues of freedom, flourishing, majesty, renown, auspiciousness and honor. They must also practice the perfection of wisdom; then this sutra can be taught to them.
What are the “six virtues”? The six virtues start with the “virtue of freedom.” Only people with great capabilities can constantly feel peaceful and at ease while interacting with the myriads of suffering sentient beings. If we are firm in our spiritual aspirations, as we have already accepted the right path, the True Dharma of the One Vehicle, we will feel peaceful and at ease, and the afflictions around us will not cause our spiritual aspirations to waver. This is the “virtue of freedom.”
The second is the “virtue of flourishing.” This means that our spiritual aspirations will never grow cold. As the days pass, our spiritual cultivation will continue to develop and our aspirations will become more firm Our wisdom-life will constantly grow. We should always maintain this enthusiasm for the Dharma and constantly help it grow.
The third is “virtue of majesty.” We cannot be frivolous; we need to be solemn. In order to transform people, we need to be solemn and dignified. With wisdom in our minds, we must not display a frivolous appearance.We are friendly toward people, but we can still inspire respect in them. So, we must not be frivolous Therefore, we need “the virtue of majesty.”
The fourth is the “virtue of renown.” In the past, some people said, “Master does not care about recognition.” I would tell them “I do! I cherish recognition.” “Because I worry that.Tzu Chi’s name may be tarnished, I want to make sure we have a good reputation.” So, the Jing Si Dharma-lineage must be transmitted to future generations; we need to take good care of it. The Tzu Chi School of Buddhism must be established properly. In order to attract sentient beings. In the past, people spoke of the Importance of maintaining a good moral standing. That means we must not damage our reputation. So, we have established discipline in many ways. When people want to be [certified volunteers], we ask them to uphold the Ten Precepts. After one year of introductory training and then one year of advanced training, after understanding everything about Tzu Chi, people can then become certified volunteers.This is “the virtue of renown”.
In order to be a Commissioner or a Faith Corps member, you must have a certain kind of moral character. With this majestic character, when people hear we are volunteers from Tzu Chi, they know they can definitely trust us. This is the “virtue of renown.”
The fifth is “the virtue of auspiciousness.” If we feel “freedom” and are “flourishing,” we will give off as sense of vitality. Moreover, we have “majesty” and “renown.” If we live up to all this, won’t we give off a sense of auspiciousness? Society will be filled with good people; everyone will be a spiritual practitioner.
The sixth is the “virtue of honor.” We need to take good care of our moral standing.When we bring people into our school of Buddhism, if everyone follows the rules, then we can indeed establish good karmic affinities, benefit others, [walk] the Bodhi-path and practice the Six Perfections. Only by being replete with these six virtues can people cultivate both blessings and wisdom. For people like this, we can teach them the unsurpassed Great Vehicle of the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.
The Buddha taught us how to interact with the world and how to teach sentient beings. Based on the level of their capabilities, we give them certain teachings. So, as part of our spiritual practice, we need to walk the Bodhisattvas-path Ultimately, we want to reach the state of Buddhahood, so we cannot deviate from the Bodhisattva-path. “Bodhisattvas want to teach the Dharma to sentient beings, but they need to know the methods.” “First they adapt teachings with skillful means.”
Based on people’s capabilities, we need to give certain teachings and reminders. This is the way to teach. [They also need] faith and joy. We help sentient beings believe in and happily accept this Dharma. Then, when everyone attains the Dharma, they will always be able to attain great benefit. When they keep the principles in mind, everything they do [will be principled]. We need to uphold the six virtues. This is most important as we accept the Buddha-Dharma.
We also “teach joyfully according to conditions.” To know which people we can constantly to about the principles and what is in our hearts, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
