Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Mahakatyayana, Foremost in Discussion of Doctrine (論議第一迦旃延)
Date: December.24. 2015
“Faithfully accept the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. Comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration. This is what it means to have both faith and understanding. Faith and understanding illumine the Bodhi-path.”
We must place importance on this; faith and understanding are very important. “Faith” means faithful acceptance. If we believe, we can accept the Dharma and take it to heart. What we are accepting is the True Dharma of the One Vehicle, which is the Great Vehicle Dharma. “Understanding” means penetrating comprehension. “Comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration.” If we can believe and comprehend, naturally, “This is what it means to have both faith and understanding.” As long as we faithfully accept [the Dharma] and as long as we understand it, naturally, we will be able to develop faith and understanding in parallel. So, “[illumined] by faith and understanding,” we can enter the Bodhi-path.
At that time, Wisdom-life Subhuti, Mahakatyayana, Mahakasyapa and Mahamaudgalyayana heard from the Buddha teachings they had not heard before.
When we read this sutra passage, it looks very simple. But actually, every person has his own background, his own story. First, it speaks of “Wisdom-life Subhuti”. He was “the foremost in understanding emptiness.” Next is Mahakatyayana. Mahakatyayana also had led quite an exciting life. He was born into a very prosperous family. His father was asked to be the Royal Teacher by the king.
The Royal Teacher had two children. The older one, during his youth, traveled around to learn from various teachers; he was very talented. After a few years, he completed his studies and returned home. The younger brother was Katyayana. Though he did not travel to seek out teachers, he was intelligent, with sharp capabilities. He followed his father’s teachings, and he himself worked very hard. Thus, he was also brimming with talent and was very gifted. When his older brother came home, his brother felt that he had absorbed much knowledge, so upon his return, he asked to give a lecture for the people in their hometown. He was very confident, but Katyayana felt he was just as good as him. His big brother had traveled around and studied for such a long time, but now that he was back, how much did he actually understand? How many principles did he know that he could use to benefit others?
Katyayana did not think any less of himself. “Though I have not traveled, I have worked very hard.”
So, while the older brother erected a platform from which to speak to the townspeople, the younger did the same; he erected a platform opposite him to likewise give lectures. When it came to these two brothers, in the beginning the townspeople thought, “The Royal Teacher’s older son has returned from extensive travels, so he must have so much to share with us.” They crowded together, shoulder to shoulder, to listen to the older son teach principles. As they listened to the older son, they could hear the younger son speaking too. Some people were attracted by Katyayana’s voice and the principles he taught, so they gradually moved to his side.
After listening to both, in the end, everyone felt more connected to, and clear about, the principles that Katyayana taught. Thus, his audience became much bigger. This provoked a sense of resentment in his older brother.
At home neither brother gave way to the other. Eventually, the Royal Teacher's wife said to him, "We should encourage our younger son to travel and find teachers to study under. Maybe he should go see his uncle, Asita the sage." Asita the sage was Katyayana's uncle. After his mother earnestly counseled him, Katyayana set off for his uncle's place to engage in spiritual practice. Indeed, his uncle was an extraordinary person, but first we should mention Katyayana's wisdom.
Later, when he joined the Buddha's Sanagha, his talent was that "He was skilled at descrbing the meaning of the Buddha-Dharma". The Dharma taught by the Buddha entered his ears, and after he understood it, he could use a lively manner and many methods to help the Buddha spread the teachings. Thus he helped many of the Buddha's disciples to better understand the Buddha-Dharma. This showed Katyayana's understanding of the Buddha-Dharma and why he was foremost in discussion of doctrines.
This is who was later known as Mahakayayana. This was his understanding As for Mahakkatyayana's name, "katyaytna" is a Sanskrit word that means "not empty". He was born to a teacher in the court of the king of Avanti, a kingdom i southern India. This was the Royal Teacher, from a Brahmin family. He was the younger son of the Royal Teacher. Both he and his older brother were very gifted, and following his parents' wishes, he went to Mt. Vindhya. From his uncle, Asita the sage, he learned the teachings of the Vedas.
The "Vedas" were the most advanced teachings of the Brahmins, which led to the five spiritual powers, and he realized all of these principles. As for Asita the sage, at the time when Prince Siddhartha was born, the King invited many fortune tellers to analyze his child's appearance, and Asita was among them. When he held the prince before him, he became very emotional. Asita the sage wept. He told the king, "Congratulations! Your prince will be the one who saves the world. If he takes the throne, he will be a wheel-turning sage king. However, this prince will probaby became the guilding teacher for all of humanity. He will probaly leave the lay life and be the one who saves the world; he will be a noble being. I am crying because I am old. I will not be here when he attains enlightenment. I will not hear him teach in person. So, I feel very sad for myself."
As Asita later recalled what had happened those many years before, he shared this memory with Katyayana and told him, "Prince Siddhartha will certainly attain Buddhahood and because the Great Enlightened One." He always reminded him of this. When Asita was close to death, he continued to give the same instructions, and with his last dying words to Katyayana, he cautiously and solemnly reminded him, saying "The prince has already left the lay life and engagd spiritual practice for so many years. From what I can understand, he will soon attain enlightenment. My understanding only goes so far . The path to attaining awaking lies within the mind of the Enlightened One. I hope that in the future you will follow the Buddha to learn the Dharma and leave the lay life to engage in spiritual practice." This was what his uncle earnestly urged him to do. Then his uncle passed away, but Katyayana remained very arrogant for a while. He thought, "I understand all the principles and can see through everything", and thus he was very arrogant. Not long afterward, near the city of Varanasl, an old stone tablet appeared.
What did the word written on it say? Not one knew. When the king saw it, he could not read it either.
So, he quickly sent word throughout the kingdom. Katyayana could already read many languages, so he came to take a look. He could indeed read the words on the tablet. There, before the king and many others, he read aloud the inscription on the tablet. The words said,
“Who is the king among kings? Who is the sage among sages? What does it mean to be foolish? What does it mean to be wise? How can we be free from defilements. How do we achieve the realization of Nirvana? ” And “who is floundering in the sea of samsara? How can we be free from defilements? How can we realize Nirvana?”
When he had deciphered and read the words aloud, everyone then asked him, “What does this really mean?” However, Katyayana could only read the words; he did not understand what it said. What could he do? So, Katyayana said to the King, “Give me seven days”. For seven days, Katyayana went to ask the brahmacarins and other religious practitioners, but nobody could explain this text. He calmly thought, “There is no solution”. Then his memory turned to thoughts of his uncle. “What did my uncle teach me?” He recalled how his uncle constantly expressed his great admiration for Prince Siddhartha. His uncle had already prophesied that the prince would soon attain enlightenment through his spiritual practice. His uncle had said this many years ago. By his calculation, the prince should have attained enlightenment many years ago. He was somewhere in this world, but Katyayana, unable put his ego aside, did not wish to go and request his guidance.
But then, how was he to solve this puzzle? So, he had no choice but to pay a visit to Sakyamuni Buddha.
Sakyamuni Buddha first explained, “Who is the king among kings? “ Sakyamuni Buddha said, “The king of the sixth heaven, the sixth of the Six Heavens of Desire, which is “the heaven of those who take pleasure in the conjuring of others”. In our world, everyone exists in the desire realm. The heavenly king of the highest desire realm [lives in] “the heaven of those who take pleasure in the conjurings of others.” “And who is the sage among sages?” The Buddha explained that it is the Great Enlightened Buddha. “Those defiled by ignorance are foolish”. How does one become defiled by ignorance? The Buddha said, “By being a foolish person”. Thus, “Those who eliminate afflictions are wise”. Next He explained, “With the two attachments, to self and to Dharma, people like this “flounder in the sea of samsara”.
“The two attachments, to self and to Dharma, lead us to flounder in the sea of samsara. By realizing interdependent arising and the nature of emptiness, we are liberated and free to journey. By cultivating the Path, we eliminate greed, anger and ignorance and are free from defilement. By diligently cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we can realize Nirvana”.
What does it mean to be lost in the sea of samsara? This happens because of our sense of “self”. We are self-important, so we cling to that sense of self. We think, “I can do anything; I have great skill”. We think we are unsurpassed in our understanding of the Dharma. These are the two kinds of attachments; one is attachment to self, and one is attachment to the Dharma. With these two attachments, even if we learn all of the Dharma, we will still be unable to be liberated from “floundering in a sea of samsara”.
If we can “realize”, which is to comprehend, the principles of “interdependent arising and the nature of emptiness”, we will be liberated and free to journey, unfettered by afflictions. Comprehending this is called “realizing”. If we can understand that everything is empty, then we can attain liberation. Only by attaining liberation can we journey freely with great ease. We must realize that all principles are contained in “the arising and ceasing of karmic conditions”.
So, “By cultivating the Path, we eliminate greed, anger and ignorance and are free from defilement”. If we engage in spiritual practice, the goal of spiritual practice is to eliminate greed, anger and ignorance. If we do not eliminate greed, anger and ignorance, our minds will continue to be polluted by defilements. Then, won’t we give rise to even more ignorance?
The text on the tablet asked, “How can we be free from defilements?” the only way is to cultivate the Path. “By cultivating the Path, we eliminate greed, anger and ignorance”. In this way, we become “free from defilement”. So, “By diligently cultivating precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we can realize Nirvana”.
After eradication our afflictions, we must diligently practice. Only when we are free of afflictions can we become more earnest and diligent and this practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, the Three Flawless Studies, can help us guard against wrong and stop evil, settle our minds and awaken our wisdom. If we can do this, we will realize Nirvana.
Katyayana, having gone to the Buddha, understood the meaning of the text on the tablet He immediately went to the king to explain this puzzle. “The puzzle of the text of this tablet was completely solved by the explanation given by Sakyamuni Buddha.I am fully convinced. My goal is to engage in spiritual practice. I want to follow the Buddha and be a monastic.”
So, he returned and went before the Buddha and reverently prostrated to Him. He explained how he had been arrogant and proud and how he had repented to his older brother. Then he expressed his admiration for the Buddha, his hope to be accepted as a disciple and his willingness to become a monastic.
This gave the Buddha great joy.Katyayana was very intelligent, and his wisdom surpassed all. Among the Sangha, he was the one who could understand the profound of the Buddha’s teachings.Thus, he was able to become a monastic. It was because of Katyayana that the Dharma later became very widespread. This brought the Buddha great happiness.
When he followed the Buddha, the respect and deference he held for Him was wholehearted; he was deeply loyal and always had faith in the Buddha’s teachings. His faithful acceptance and practice was foremost in the Sangha.
Because other religious practitioners often slandered and spread rumors about the Sangha, to protect the Buddha-Dharma, with his understanding of the teachings, he often debated with other religious practitioners, and neither side yielded to the other. But each time, he was able to persuade them.
Be clearly explaining Buddhist principles, he was able to convince many people.After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, Katyayana focused on making the teachings known, on spreading the Dharma and sharing the teachings. Thus, he would often discuss the teachings with other religious practitioners. Among the Buddha disciples, he was “foremost in discussion of doctrine.”
So, each of the Buddha’s disciples had their own background and their own journey through life. I often tell everyone that each of us is a sutra. Hearing this story, isn’t it like a sutra?
We talking about Subhuti earlier, and now Katyayana; don’t their backgrounds and life journeys tell of their remarkable lives? Thus, when we learn the Dharma we must adjust our hearts and minds. We must not be arrogant or proud. All things in the world are truly empty, but there is wondrous existence within them.
Even though we know these words, what is the meaning behind them? We must definitely first develop “faith.” We should “faithfully accept the True Dharma of the One Vehicle.”
We must “comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration.” Only this mind will we have a way to develop “faith and understanding.”
Otherwise, we only recognize the words, but are unable understand their meaning. Then how can we enter the Bodhi-path? So, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must first overcome ourselves so that we can truly accept the Dharma and take it to heart. Thus, we can transform ourselves and others; this is “transforming with the Dharma.” Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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