Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Great Vehicle’s Flower of Seven Purities (大乘七淨 淨行莊嚴)
Date: Febuary.04. 2016
“With great blessings and Samadhi and wisdom, we are replete with both feet. We can spread Great Dharma by relying on truth. With nobly purifying practices, we can reach a state of stillness and clarity. The Buddha abides in myriad practices and magnificent power.”
“Two-Footed Honored One” of blessings and wisdom is one of the Buddha’s distinctive epithets. As we engage in spiritual practice, we must also cultivate blessings while at the same time cultivating wisdom. Blessings come from going among people. When we give to other people, we are cultivating blessings. The Buddha taught us to create man good affinities with others and to give to help [relieve] others’ suffering. In this way, we take others’ suffering as our own. This is what is meant by having unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion.
What connection do these people have with us? We may not be connected at all, yet we cannot bear for them to suffer, so we care for them. This is “universal compassion”. We cannot bear to let them suffer, so we help them. This creates great blessings. The Buddha taught us the law of karma. We must take this to heart and comprehend it. Although [we face] worldly matters, they are governed by true principles. We must believe this. With Samadhi, we can develop faith. If we are in Samadhi, naturally our faith will be deep and our understanding clear. This is how we give rise to wisdom.
So, “With great blessings, Samadhi and wisdom,” we are “replete with both feet.” When it comes to us ordinary people, we must create blessings and cultivate wisdom; we must be replete with both. As for the Buddha, He is already replete with both of them. Only the Buddha is truly “the Two-Footed Honored One of Great Blessings and Samadhi and Wisdom,” or simply the Two-Footed Honored One. As we engage in spiritual practice, we must cultivate both blessings and wisdom. Only by listening to the Dharma can we be replete with both blessings and wisdom.
“We can spread Great Dharma by relying on truth.” After taking the Dharma to heart, by relying on its true principles, we must widely promote the Buddha-Dharma.
In Mozambique, in that country, inconceivable causes and conditions [converged]. One “seed” from Taiwan, Denies Tsai, married a man from that place. Later, South Africa Tzu Chi volunteers also went to Mozambique to work with her, and gradually they have brought Tzu Chi’s teachings to that place. Thus, causes and conditions converged. When these Asian volunteers went to Africa, they used love and gentleness to approach the people there. At the same time, very slowly, they began to understand the source of their suffering and what material goods these people needed. Thus, we began to send them these material goods; through very sincere actions, we gave out of love.
At first, people were suspicious, but later, they accepted our help and then faithfully accepted [the teachings] without question. Because they faced extreme suffering, once they accepted the Buddha-Dharma, they took it to heart very quickly. They promoted a vegetarian diet in their community. For all of August, they promoted vegetarianism; in local communities, they gathered everyone together and a group of youths provided entertainment to lift everyone’s spirits. So, old people came, along with the sick and the infirm. They formed a circle and watched these energetic youths perform their traditional dances.
When they finished dancing, they greeted everyone by saying “Amitabha”. Then everyone put their palms together and responded with, “Amitabha”. Next [the volunteers] talked about the law of karma. There was a well-spoken woman named Paula. After understanding Tzu Chi and our principles, she could explain them to everyone. She explained the karmic law of cause and effect so that everyone deeply believes in it now. “In the past, we did not make enough deposits of good karma, so we are very poor now.”Thus, we must promptly begin to make these deposits so that we will be wealthy in our next life. Right now, we can open up our minds and donate 50 centavos every day. ”
We have seen how they help others.When one of their care recipients fell ill, they meticulously helped clean her from head to toe, giving her massages on her pressure points.Then they shared teachings with her.The elderly woman was so happy that she pulled out a coin, 50 centavos.
The volunteer, Paula then knelt before her to receive the 50 centavos with both hands.We could see the coin in here hands.Then she said, “These 50 centavos will come together with 50 centavos from many others. Combined together, this can save people. You are not poor; you are very rich. You have now made a deposit [of good karma]. Right now, the money can save others. The love you show right now is a seed that will make you rich in your next life.”
In this way, with very simple and very practical actions, they give to others.On that day, they also distributed white rice.Some entrepreneurs went to observe and learn.They learned how to hold the rice and present it to the recipients, by bowing from the waist and giving with a feeling of deep respect.
These entrepreneurs were very inspired.They also, saw how we taught them filial piety.When it was luch time, these young children served the food to their elders.The people who were older were given chairs to sit in.
Denise taught [the children] how to kneel and lift up the food with both hands to respectfully present it to their elders.She also taught them that, to show gratitude to their parents for giving them this body, the children should wash their parents’ feet.
Everything was done perfectly.It was quote a dignified event.
So, it says, “We can spread Great Dharma by reliving on truth.”Although they were in a field of yellow dirt, from what we could see, they were engaging in “nobly purifying practices” as they came together in that place.
Though they are [materially] poor, they have an abundance of love.Their attitude truly demonstrates how, “With nobly purifying practices, we can reach a state of stillness and clarity.”This is due to the Buddha’s teachings.
The Buddha’s conduct was characterized by these kinds of “nobly purifying practices.”This is how the Buddha-Dharma teaches us to live; we must practice according to the teachings.We saw that some people were filthy and unkempt before learning the Dharma.
Now that they have the Dharma, the way they interact with their environment has completely changed.
Their pure hearts are filled with love.This is the wisdom of the Buddha.It helps us treat everyone as equals, and this power brings dignity to all beings.
This power of love is great.
Previously we discussed how, “necklaces of pearls, valued in the millions, dignified his body, while servants and attendants holding while fly-whisks flanked his left and right.”
Isn’t this a scene of great abundance?Isn’t this a life of great wealth?[The Buddha’s] pure and undefiled state is one of great joy and abundance.
The “necklaces of pearls” were valued highly, in the millions, and these priceless treasures dignified his body.He was also surrounded by many people.
We now see these impoverished people giving to others with noble and pure love dignifying their Dharma-assembly.It seems to me that the environment there was like the room the elder was in, filled with trasures and the Dharma.When people are able to apply the Dharma, its value is very great.
This sutra passage continues, “Coverign him was a bejeweled canopy which was hung with flowered pennants. Perfumed water had been sprinkled upon the earth and many prized flowers scattered everywhere. Treasures had been collected and arrived, coming and going, being obtained and given away. Having such diverse, dignified adornments, his virtue seemed imposing and deserving of special respect.”
We must make an effort to mindfully understand.
The “bejeweled canopy” that covered him is an analogy for the Four Infinite Minds.”
The Four Infinite Minds are like a bejeweled canopy, which is also an analogy for “true compassion [It] widely provides universal shade for sentient beings”.Sentient beings need something like this bejeweled canopy, which “can protect people’s bodies and minds so they have no regret, resentment, worries and anxiety”.
This is like the Four Infinite Minds; they provide protection.To protect ourselves, we must make use of the Dharma, which is to have loving-kindness without regret, compassion without resentment, joy without worry and equanimity without expectations.
To this end, when it comes to the Buddha-Dharma,
we must accept it with deep faith.
Then it will be as if we are “[covered by] a bejeweled canopy”. We have already taken the Dharma to heart, and we are also protected by precepts. We can use precepts, Samadhi and wisdom to protect ourselves, and with loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity we can go among people, safe and sound. This is like being covered by a bejeweled canopy; it is an analogy for how we must be firm in the Four Infinite Minds.
“Hung with flowered pennants” refers to the way we should interact with other people in our daily living. These are the Four All-Embracing Virtues.
We should constantly be charitable. “Charitable giving” could mean offering a simple greeting to others. That is also a form of charitable giving. Offering well-wishes to someone is charitable giving too. If someone is carrying something and we offer them a hand, then we are giving them our strength. Offering mutual assistance in our relationships is a practice of charitable giving.
“Beneficial conduct” is helping others. “Loving speech” is speaking kind words. When we engage in “collaborative effort”, we should constantly speak kind words to others. Good teachings must be mutually shared. Good abilities must be mutually taught. We should have love for our collaborators. These four practices of the Buddha-Dharma are called the Four All-Embracing Virtues. In our daily living, these are essential for our interactions with others. If we engage in these four practices in our daily living, naturally everyone will love us, and everyone will respect us.
If we are willing to help others, if everything we do benefits others and if none of our words are hurtful to others, then among people we collaborate with, who will not respect us? Who will not admire us? In a sense, these are ways of dignifying our body.
Thus, when we give with genuine sincerity, it is like being “hung with flowered pennants”. These dignify the room; our surroundings will be filled with all these precious objects and these pure adornments.
At the same time, “Perfumed water had been sprinkled on the earth. ”This water is very fragrant. After the ground was swept clean, perfumed water was sprinkled on it, creating a very joyous ambiance. This is an analogy for Dharma-water, which is sprinkled on the fields in the hearts of Bodhisattvas “to purify them of the dusts of delusion”.
We worry most that we still cannot resolve our delusions, that, like sand and dust, they will fly all over. “Perfumed water had been sprinkled on the earth” means that not only has the ground been swept clean, water has been sprinkled so that slight breezes will not stir up any dust. This is purifying the dusts of delusion; we must use water to cleanse the fields of our hearts.
So, “Perfumed water was sprinkled on the earth”. Furthermore, “Many prized flowers were scattered everywhere”. This is an analogy for giving teachings. The Buddha comes to the world to give teachings to sentient beings and to transform them. “He teaches Bodhisattvas to practice the Great Vehicle’s Flowers of Seven Purities”. What is “the Great Vehicle’s Flower of Seven Purities”? First is “the three categories of pure precepts”. These are the rules and precepts. Second is “the Great Samadhi of Surangama.” Surangama is the Avatamsaka state. If we want to cultivate Samadhi, we must enter the state of the Surangama. Third is “the true wisdom of the Middle Way.” Fourth is “severing doubts about the Two Truths”. The Two Truths are the truth of emptiness and the truth of illusiveness. We must eliminate all doubt regarding them. Fifth is “practicing the Great Dharma to reach the path to Buddhahood. ” We must practice the Great Vehicle Dharma. Sixth is “perfect and complete virtue of wisdom, with total understanding and realization of true nature. ” When both our discerning and impartial wisdom are perfect and complete, naturally we will clearly understand the truths and return to our nature of True Suchness. Seventh is “achieving the virtue of ending and forever eliminating ignorance”.
When we have already eliminated all kinds of ignorance, even the ignorance of dust-like delusions, then naturally all of our ignorance and deluded thoughts will be gone forever. This is the virtue of ending.
When ignorance and afflictions manifest, we can promptly eradicate them. Of course, we must mindfully learn to do this.
Next we discuss how, “Treasures had been collected and arrayed, coming and going, being obtained and given away”. This express that, as we benefit ourselves, at the same time we must benefit others. Therefore, “This is an analogy for the merits and virtues of benefiting oneself while benefiting others.”
“Benefiting oneself” is to earnestly engage in one’s own spiritual practice. “Benefiting others” is when we continually go among people to give. Benefiting ourselves is cultivating wisdom; benefiting others is cultivating blessings. These are “treasures collected and arrayed, coming and going, being obtained and given away”.
These “treasures collected and arrayed” are the true merits and virtues, being replete with both blessings and wisdom. “With the merits and virtues of wholeheartedly engaging in myriad practices” means when our minds are focused on one thing, with one thought, we can accomplish so many things. “One thought is replete with 3000 natures and appearances”. Of course, this is subtle and intricate Dharma. With a single thought, we can pervade the entire Trichiliocosm.
This comes from having eliminated all the ignorance in the Three Realms; everything is very clear, and all teachings have manifested.
Next is “coming and going, being obtained and given away. This is an analogy for “all actions of a Bodhisattva that benefit oneself while benefiting others.”
To benefit ourselves, we must earnestly engage in spiritual practice. “Coming” and “obtaining” mean earnestly practicing the Dharma. If we want to benefit others, we must practice giving. To put benefiting oneself and others into practice is described as “coming and going, obtaining and giving away.”
We obtain and take in the Dharma from outside and apply it in our minds as we give out of genuine sincerity.
“Having such diverse, dignifies adornments, his virtue seemed imposing and deserving of special respect.”
This is the mindset we must have. Isn’t this what Buddhist practitioners should do? We must make an effort to be mindful as we interact with others. By going among people, every experience we have brings wisdom. If we did not continue to face various situations, how could we grow our wisdom? So, we must certainly do as we have discussed, “coming and going, obtaining and giving away;” we must give to others. In fact, as we give to other people, we obtain a bit of wisdom.
“Wisdom comes from experience.” By giving away something, naturally we will obtain something. We were just talking about Mozambique. Why are there so many impoverished people there? How could they have such incredible superstitions? There are many poor or suffering, disabled or severely ill; who will help these people?
Now that the Buddha-Dharma has made its entrance into Africa, these seeds have been sown in the land. Seeds turn into trees. The trees, in turn, bear fruits. Then, these fruits produce more seeds that can spread to other impoverished countries in Africa. When the seeds are brought to those places, as we have now seen, in those places the desert becomes an oasis. We have seen how they give to others.
In particular, “Having relieved people of suffering, they then expound the Dharma to them.” They have taken the law of karma and have brought it to those places. They want to change their perspectives so that they will go to the doctor when they are sick instead of using human organs or killing people as part of rituals. These are mistaken practices.
So, by giving in this way, they naturally share the Dharma and plant seeds there that they can cultivate. We see hope for them and the light of dawn. This comes from “having such” Dharma, “such diverse, dignified adornments.”
See how their lives completely changed? Originally they were so impoverished, but now we see how they are so [full of love]! The virtue of the Dharma is in that place, and it elevates everyone’s dignity.
So, their “virtue is imposing and deserving of special respect.” They are able to help others. Even a small coin can save people. This is an analogy for “the exceptional reward-body.” It is very exceptional, and this body manifests in the world to world to save people.Hence, “having such diverse, dignified adornments.”
In learning the Buddha’s Way, we must earnestly make use of this bright, radiant and boundless love and spread [the Dharma] throughout the world. This requires us to make an effort to be mindful. As long as we are mindful, everything in the world is Great Dharma.
We must have faith that, with the Great Vehicle Dharma, we can be replete with the two feet of [great blessing] and Samadhi and wisdom. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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