Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Developing Extensive and Complete Wisdom (智具方圓 莊嚴法身)
Date: Febuary.03. 2016
“With Great Vehicle capabilities, we face the door with Right Views. With stuck aspirations, bias toward emptiness, our intentions will be of the Small Vehicle. Deviating from the true eyes of wisdom is like peeping from beside the door. Though in accord with the Buddha’s compassion, we have yet to enter the Buddha’s right wisdom.”
Everyone, when learning the Buddha’s Way, we need to have an open and spacious mind and mindfully accept the Buddha’s teachings.
If we follow the Buddha and accept the teachings with a Great Vehicle mind, our views and understanding will not deviate. Thus, we can “face the door with Right Views.” If we have “stuck aspirations and a bias towards emptiness,” our “intentions will be of the Small Vehicle.” If we engage in spiritual practice only for our own sake, our aspirations are very limited.
If we do not open the door to our minds and focus only on ourselves, we are lacking a broad perspective, a more open and expansive outlook. So, we must not remain stuck in a limited mindset. If we do, we will remain biased towards emptiness, and our intentions will be of the Small Vehicle.
As for “deviating from the true eyes of wisdom,” with these two eyes, one can see blessings and the other can see wisdom. When blessings and wisdom are aligned, our horizons will be wide open. If we shut one eye when we look at things, our vision will be deficient.
“Though in accord with the Buddha’s compassion, we have yet to enter the Buddha’s right wisdom.” Since we want to learn the Buddha’s Way, we must not idle away our time. We cannot wait until we are old. However, once we reach old age, we must not lose our sense of mission. Though we are old, as long as we are diligent, we are no less capable than young people.
The Chapter on Faith and Understanding is closely related to getting old. [The disciples] explained that they had idled away their time in the past. They expressed that, “We did not fully accept the teachings that the Buddha gave us before. We were biased toward the Small Vehicle.”
During the Agarna period, the teachings they accepted only focused on the surface of the karmic law of cause and effect. So, they did not expand their understanding to include the compassion and right wisdom the Buddha has had since Beginningless Time. If we only have a biased understanding, though we know the truths of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, the path we follow will be biased toward one side, that of eliminating our afflictions and not contriving affinities. This is clinging to illusory existence.
Hearing the Vaipulya and Prajna teachings, we understand that all things arise from a convergence [of causes and conditions], and when they disperse, there is just emptiness. With this understanding, some cut themselves off from teachings of emptiness, and some, from teachings of existence. [The disciples] were biased toward emptiness so they only practiced to eliminate [afflictions]. So, this is “deviating from the true eyes of wisdom.” They were biased, so they did not have complete understanding. We must understand the principles of emptiness.
It is true; absolute truth is without essence or form. It is empty in nature. Yet within emptiness, there is wondrous existence. We must not see only existence, for existence is illusory, and we must not see only emptiness, viewing everything as completely empty. Within illusory existence, appearances arise out of temporary unions. As we keep breaking down these temporary unions, of course we end up with emptiness.But if we mindfully comprehend emptiness, we will find wondrous existence within it.
So, we must not “deviate from the true eyes of wisdom”.We cannot use just one eye; we must use both.Just as we already understand that the Buddha has a heart of compassion we must further comprehend His wisdom as well.
To understand this wisdom, we have to truly be mindful, to think about it meticulously and earnestly contemplate it.
“Though in accord with the Buddha’s compassion, we have yet to enter the Buddha’s right wisdom.”This is a pity.
The previous sutra passage states, “from afar he saw his father, occupying the lion’s couch, feet resting on a jeweled stand. There were Brahmins, ksatriyas and householders, who all respectfully encircled him.”
The poor son had been continuously drawing closer to his father’s home. He was now approaching the main gate.From there, he could see [inside], could see his father sitting on a very wide couch, which was very large and magnificent.
The lion’s couch is like the lion throne; it was a big chair.Not only the chair, but even the table and the footstool were all magnificent.Everything was [adorned with] jewels.
Moreover, he was surrounded by many people attending to him.There were Brahmins by his side, the most elevated caste, as well as Ksatriyas.There were also benevolent kings, ministers and other Buddhist practitioners; everyone was equal.These devout Buddhist practitioners, all surrounded him respectfully.This was what the poor son saw as he stood by the gate.
The following sutra passage states, “Necklaces of pearls, valued in the millions, dignified his body, while servants and attendants holding white fly-whisks flanked his left and right. ”
“Necklaces of pearls” is an analogy.The precepts of the Great and Small Vehicles taught in the sutras are like the thread that connects pearls.Pearls need to be connected by a string in order to form a necklace, so that the pearls will not scatter.This is an analogy for the Buddha’s teachings.
All His teachings are treasures.Whether teachings of the Great or Small Vehicle, the Buddha always expounded the Dharma according to our capacities, so all teachings are treasures.We must make an effort to string all of these pearls together.
Necklaces of pearls: they are a metaphor for the precepts of the Great and Small Vehicles taught in the sutras.
They are like strands of pearls that form a net.
With all-encompassing wisdom, He gave the skillful teachings of dharanis.
Stringing pearls together to form a necklace is an analogy for “all-encompassing wisdom”.The Buddha had to exercise His wisdom, and all-encompassing wisdom is Buddha-wisdom.With this wisdom, He analyzed the capacities of sentient beings and taught the Dharma accordingly.Thus, “He gave skillful teachings.”
During the Agama period, He taught with skillful means by adapting to the capacities of sentient beings.How are these skillful means referred to?
As dharanis.
Dharnis:
They are called “the door of total retention,” which means retraining all Dharma and upholding all goodness.
They allow all goodness to increase and never be extinguished and cause all evil things to be eradicated and never arise.
“Dharanis” are referred to as “the door of total retention,” or “retaining all dharma and upholding all goodness”.He first helped us understand the karmic law of cause and effect, helped us to be very clear on it.“Refraining from all evil and doing all goodness” is what “dharani” refers to.This is “[the door of] total retention”.
By retaining all goodness, we “allow all gowned to increase and never be extinguished”.This helps us broaden our great aspirations, so we give more and more each day and grow in our compassion and love.
By retaining all goodness, it will only increase and never decrease.[Dharanis] also “can cause all evil things to be eradicated and never arise”.This is “the door of total retention”.
To “retain all Dharma and uphold all goodness” means that when it comes to the Agama, Vaipulya, Praina or Lotus teachings,or even the Avatamsaka teachings, we are able to understand and completely realize them. This is “retaining all Dharma”.
When we are able to experience and grasp this Dharma, have fait hand understanding, we can then “uphold all goodness”. We can form aspirations, make great vows and give of ourselves for the sake of others. We can uphold precepts flawlessly. When we are flawless in precepts, Samadhi and wisdom naturally no evil will arise [as we practice] virtuous Dharma.This is the “door of total retention”.
The following part of the passage states that [these pearls were] “valued in the millions” and dignified his body. The son saw that not only did these necklaces of pearls dignify the interior of the room, his father, the elder, was draped with necklaces values in the millions, which dignified his body. This was the appearance he presented, one of great wealth and nobility. This is an analogy for all the “infinite merits and virtues He had cultivated” infinite merits and virtues He had cultivated”. The merits and virtues the Buddha had cultivated were of course very numerous.
Valued in the millions, [they] dignified his body: This is an analogy for all the infinite merits and virtues He had cultivated. The attainment of the flawless and pure precepts, Samadhi and wisdom is of infinite value and dignifies the Dharma- and reward-bodies.
The Buddhas has been engaging in spiritual practice for kalpas since Beginningless Time. The Buddha goes among people in lifetime after lifetime, responding to the needs of sentient beings and constantly helping them. In this way, He has created merits and virtues.
By engaging in internal cultivation and external practice for a very long time, what He accumulated were “infinite merits and virtues and flawless and pure precepts, Samadhi and wisdom”. He engaged in spiritual practice a long time, so He was firm in His precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Thus, the Buddha’s pure nature of True Suchness forever remains bright and clear. With great perfect mirror wisdom, He became one with the universe. His vast ocean of enlightenment is infinitely wide open and radiant. Thus, it is “of infinite value”. This is an analogy for all the virtues that dignified His body. Thus, He is magnificent. This “dignifies the Dharma- and reward-bodies”
Beginning from the first abiding conduct until the ultimate fruit of wondrous enlightenment, the wisdom gathered becomes extensive, complete. With wisdom in accord with the principles, we attain the reward of this body. Thus it speaks of dignifying the Dharma- and reward-bodies.
What is “dignifying the Dharma- and reward-bodies”? it mean starting from the first abiding conduct, from the time we first form our great aspirations. We formed great aspirations, “vowing to deliver countless sentient being”; this was the beginning of this state of mind. “Until the ultimate fruit of [enlightenment], these aspirations will never change.
I often say that in this life there has only been one thing that makes me very happy. From when I first formed my aspirations until now, my resolve has never wavered. This resolve has remained firm, “beginning from the first abiding conduct”, which was when I formed my initial aspirations. I believe we all have affinities with the Buddha, yet while we formed aspirations in the past, they have “changed and ceased”. Thus, the Dharma in our minds was distorted. We turned from goodness toward evil, from True Suchness to afflictions.
For this reason, the Dharma in our minds ceased to exist. This means that our unenlightened minds go through “arising, abiding, changing and ceasing”.
If we can remain firm in our initial aspirations and abide in that state, naturally we will be able to accept the Dharma, take it to heart and follow this path all the way to the end. In this way, we can attain “the ultimate fruit of wondrous enlightenment our minds will be on with the universe, just like the Buddha’s. This karmic reward is supremely wondrous, “the ultimate fruit of wondrous enlightenment. ”
Thus, “The wisdom we gather becomes extensive and complete”. This wisdom we are gathering stretches extensively in the ten directions and is both complete and harmonious. With this wisdom, we can connect with principles. Because our wisdom can pervade the worlds of ten directions, we can be in perfect harmony with principles.
So, “With wisdom in accord with the principles, we attain the reward of this body. What is this body? It is “the [dignified] Dharma-and reward-bodies”.
There is an abundance of Dharma in the Buddha’s body. He is analogous to the elder in the house. Everything the poor son saw was so magnificent.
This is the Dharma and reward-bodies.
“Servants and attendants” are analogies for “the skillful means of the Six Paramitas internally this is shared true wisdom, while externally it is adapting to conditions.” “They are like servants and attendants who serve and uphold their duties and responsibilities.”
He used various methods to help sentient beings eliminate afflictions and reach the purity of the other shore. Those methods are paramitas; there are the Six Paramitas and the Ten Paramitas there are the Six Paramitas and the Ten Paramitas. The Six Paramitas are giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These are the Six Paramitas What about the Ten Paramitas? If we add loying-indness, compassion, joy and equanimity the Six Paramitas become the Ten Paramitas. If we are able to be replete with the Ten Paramitas, we will be able to cross from this shore to the other shore. This was how the Buddha at first used various skillful means to teach according to our capacities, to give us methods we can accept for eliminating afflictions and developing wisdom. This requires “Internally shared true wisdom.”
First we engage in internal cultivation, then we connect with external [affinities] and adapt to conditions. The Buddha’s mind is rich with wisdom internally, and He has an abundance of affinities externally. It was because He has this wisdom that He formed these affinities with sentient beings and “externally adapted to conditions.” “They are like servants and attendants who serve and uphold their duties and responsibilities.”
Thus, many people are willing to follow Him and are willing to give like Him.Everyone person has this responsibility; this is how we form affinities. [It mentions] “holding white fly-whisks”. In the past, if we could not clean something, we would attach a cloth to a bamboo stick and whisk it here and there. After whisking this cloth, doing some dusting, things would become clean. This is “whisking.”
White fly-whisks: A fly-whisk is like a horsetail duster. It is an analogy for applying flawless skillful wisdom.
A fly-whisk is a horsetail duster. This is an analogy for “the use of flawless skillful wisdom.” With precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we engage in spiritual practice and constantly eradicate our afflictions. By diligently dusting our minds, whisking and polishing them often, our minds will be very pure.
“Right is an analogy for the wisdom of emptiness.” The right side is an analogy for the wisdom of emptiness, brushing away ignorance and afflictions. As for the left side, It is an analogy for the wisdom of illusiveness. With it, we brush away dust-like afflictions.
This is [brushing on the] “left and right.” One side brushes away afflictions and ignorance, our bias toward emptiness. The other side brushes away illusory names and appearances and obstructions from dust-like delusions. If we are replete with both blessings and wisdom and apply the Three Flawless Studies in daily living, then naturally we will know the “wondrous existence in true emptiness” and the “true emptiness of wondrous existence” and be able to rid ourselves of dust-like afflictions and obstructions. “Flanking his left and right” is like having wisdom on both sides. These are analogies for the two kinds of wisdom the wisdom of emptiness and wisdom of illusiveness the understanding of the principles of emptiness which is true emptiness. Wisdom of illusiveness is the understanding of all names and appearances that arise from temporary unions.
We can understand both.
These two kinds of wisdom, wisdom of emptiness and wisdom of illusiveness are skillful means. When we engage in spiritual practice with them, we can understand everything It is like being “flanked [on] left and right” as we engage in spiritual practice. This is also an analogy for the Tathagata’s provisional wisdom and true wisdom. When they are used together, they are perfect and complete.
In this world, the Buddha made use of His true wisdom and skillful wisdom in union with each other. They are like a person’s left and right sides. This is like using both of our hands, both of our feet and both of our eyes simultaneously with great ease. Thus, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
