Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Liberation through Faith and Understanding (無疑無怖信解解脫)
Date:February.08. 2016
“Because of delusions and lack of wisdom, we remain unaware, with unease, doubt and fear. Because of doubt and fear, we do not give rise to faith and understanding. When our faith and understanding are not deep, we will not seek liberation.”
We must frequently ask ourselves, as we are already learning the Buddha’s Way and listening to the Dharma, have we actually done so diligently? If we have been very diligent, we will know that ordinary beings have always been deluded. It is [precisely] because of our unwillingness to remain in this state of delusion that we want to engage in spiritual practice. To engage in spiritual practice, we must focus our minds with a single resolve.
Truly, we must have faith and understanding. Without faith and understanding, if our faith is not deep, we will always live in doubt. If this is how we go about learning the Buddha’s teachings, we are truly wasting our time.
There is a story about this in the sutras. There was a young man who listened to the teachings and heard that attaining liberation in this life is very hard. Liberation is very difficult to achieve. Even if one listens to the Buddha-Dharma, to be able to realize it and have deep faith and understanding is harder yet. The analogy was given of a piece of wood. A piece of wood with a hole in it is drifting about in the ocean. There is a blind turtle swimming in the ocean, and when he lifts his head, it comes up right through the hole.
The young man wanted to try it for himself, but the piece of wood kept floating away. He continued swimming after it. He spent most of the day trying to poke his head through the hole, but he could not do it. “It turns out that being able to be born human and encounter the Buddha-Dharma is exceedingly difficult. I should begin my diligent practice right away.”
Therefore, this young man left the lay life. He became a Bodhisattva-monastic. Though he had left the lay life, he delighted in going among people. Upon returning, he would listen to the Dharma; when he went out again, he would teach the Dharma. This is a short story found in the sutras. When we began learning the Buddha’s Way, we had a sense of urgency. We hoped that, if we begin our spiritual practice right away, we would [quickly] achieve success.
The Buddhist sutras constantly remind us that this takes countless kalpas, and just how long is a kalpa? It is a long time. It is so long it is difficult to calculate. [The average lifespan] grows by one year every century until the average lifespan is 84,000 years. Then the average of 84,000 years decreases by one year every century until it is only ten years. One cycle of this increase and decrease is a small kalpa.
If you think about it, even a single small kalpa lasts for a long time, an amount that is hard to calculate. Furthermore, spiritual practice takes many kalpas. It takes a very long time, countless kalpas, before one can actually attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood, it will take that long. We do not know how much time we have already spent in spiritual cultivation. We have no idea. All we can do is continue to follow the Dharma and continue to pass it to other people, and it will happen some day. We must “seek the Dharma and transform others.” We must widely create positive karmic affinities as we unceasingly seek the Buddha-Dharma. We must take the Buddha-Dharma to heart. The Buddha-Dharma is all around us, yet we “remain unaware”.
Thus our minds naturally grow uneasy; we are unable to settle our minds. Even if we have truly heard the Buddha-Dharma, we will still have doubts and fears.
We must give rise to faith and understanding.
At least, as Buddhist practitioners, we should stop creating karma.At least, as Buddhist practitioners, we should practice all good deeds and eliminate all negative affinities.So, we must give rise to faith and understanding.We cannot, “because of doubt and fear, not give rise to faith and understanding”.We should immediately, at this moment, give rise to faith and understanding.
Our faith and understanding must be deep, as we want to seek to attain liberation.We must seek it; it is something we must seek.When will we finally achieve liberation?We can achieve it every day; we can create good affinities every day and engage in charitable giving, beneficial conduct, loving speech and collaborative work.
In this way, we can live everyday in peace, and we can be happy every day.All of this is called liberation.
Becoming liberated from afflictions and increasing our positive affinities are things we can do in our daily living; these are simple ways of living out the Dharma.
So, in the previous passage it states, “When the poor son saw his father in all his great might and power, terror filled him, and be regretted coming to this place”.
He had been wandering about, and finally he had come back to his father’s house.He stood outside the gate and looked inside.He was afraid.Thus, “Terror filled him.”
This man was so mighty and had such energy that it scared him, “and he regretted coming to this place”.
He regretted making his way here; he felt uneasy.
Then, the next passage states, “He secretly had this thought, This must be a king, or something like a king. This is not a place where I could sell my labor to attain anything. I would do better to return to a poor neighborhood, a place where I can put my strength to work and easily obtain food and clothing.”
When we read this, it is so saddening.He had arrived at this wealthy household, but he was so scared that he was willing to return to poverty a state which is like lacking the Buddha-Dharma.Some prefer to return to an unenlightened state.Truly, this is what people are like.
You see, “He secretly had this thought.”
Thus, we say, “Latent and hidden within our capabilities is the nature of truth.”
Our nature of True Suchness is deeply hidden and concealed in this way.Our pure nature of True Suchness is the nature of truth.
“When it surfaces, it flies throughout the universe. When concealed, it is hidden within great waves.”It is “buried in the mud of the lotus pond, like seeds of goodness. In our foolishness, we secretly had this thought.”
Our nature is very strong and powerful, yet it is actually hidden.If we can awaken our nature of True Suchness, we will be enlightened like Sakyamuni Buddha.His mind, His brain and His perspectives are one with the universe; His ocean of enlightened wisdom has awakened, so He has become one with the universe.In this way, He is able to extended throughout the universe.
“When it surfaces, it flies throughout the universe.”
Our nature of True Suchness can become one with the universe.When it is concealed, it is in a vast ocean, “hidden within the great waves”.
It is hidden, and not a trace of it can be seen.
When the wind blows, the waves surge, and they are very powerful.This is expressing how we all intrinsically have this pure nature, put it has been buried.
So, where is it buried?It is “buried in the mud of the lotus pond, like seeds of goodness”.This refers to our nature of True Suchness.Thus, “in our foolishness,” we still allow [our pure nature] to be buried under lavers of ignorance.We have clearly seen the Buddha-Dharma, yet we “secretly had this thought”.
We are still covered by ignorance and still give rise to suspicion.
“This must be a king, or something like a king.”In this analogy, doubt is likened to a king, to King Mara.
Papiyas is a name for King Mara.
When Buddhist practitioners heard the Buddha say everyone could attain Buddhahood, they still had doubts; they dared not believe it.“Can we truly attain Buddhahood? Is this actually the Buddha speaking, or is this a manifestation of King Mara?”This is like when the poor son stood outside the gate and looked in.
“This may be the king; he has great authority. If he finds me suspicious, will he have me seized?” With the same kind of logic, the disciples suspected the Buddha was King Mara.
This must be a king, or something like a king: This is referring to Papiyas, King Mara. When they heard this Dharma teaching now, they still suspected it was an act of Mara, to say nothing of what people believed before. “When they heard this Dharma teaching now”, they still suspected it was an act of Mara.
These were their doubts. At that point, Subhuti had already been following the Buddha for a long time but he used this parable to explain how as practitioners of the Small Vehicle Dharma when they heard the Great Vehicle Dharma, they had the same kind of suspicion. The Buddha gave so many teachings and explained thing with parables. He had so mindfully explained the appearances of the Dharma.
The Dharma is originally without appearance, but He was able to use things with appearances to draw analogies to the Dharma. With the law of karma and [analogies to] things with forms and appearances, He explained the Dharma to help everyone understand the principles. But, the Dharma “could not be understood by Two Vehicle practitioners”.
The teachings of Dharma-appearances could not be understood by Two Vehicle practitioners, as their wisdom was limited and virtue shallow. Though they lived in the Dharma, it was as if they had not seen or heard it. Thus, they suspected it to come from Mara or a follower of Mara.
The Buddha wanted to tell them that though He had already give them so many teachings about existence and emptiness, He wanted to tell them now that within “emptiness” there is “wondrous existence”. If they return to their nature of True Suchness they will be able to attain Buddhahood.
However, with their limited wisdom the Two Vehicle practitioners were unable to understand. Those limited in wisdom were shallow in virtue, for they were lacking in spiritual cultivation. They had no virtues, so they were unable to understand. “Thought they lived in the Dharma it was if they had not seen or heard it”. Although they listened to it every day, it was as if they had not heard it. Thus, they were unable to give rise to faith and understanding. They suspected that the Dharma might be Mara’s.
With their capacities, the Two Vehicle practitioners remained in the state of the Two Vehicles, focused only on benefiting themselves. People of limited wisdom lacked blessings so they had no desire to accept [the Great Dharma].
So, though immersed in the Buddha-Dharma, it was as if they had not seen or heard it. Upon hearing it and seeing it, they gave rise to fear and afflictions. These were their karmic obstructions. Their “karma” obstructed their minds. This was how afflictions covered them.
Afflictions are very powerful. They can fly throughout the void of the universe. Other times, like wind, they stir up great waves.
Actually, hidden within the mud are the lotus seeds of goodness. It is just that the powers of ignorance and evil are very great as well.
Moreover, now, when the Three were revealed to be in fact One, Sariputra still had his suspicions and doubts: “Is this Mara disguised as the Buddha to disturb and confuse my mind? Moreover, since after attaining enlightenment, the Buddha devised a way to use great intentions to give limited teachings, how could they not suspect the Buddha was Mara?
“Now” refers to [the Lotus Dharma-assembly]. After more than 40 years of teachings, the Buddha had begun to teach the Lotus Sutra, through which, “The Three were revealed to be in fact One. There were no longer Hearers, Solitary Realizers. Actually, the Small and Middle Vehicles were no more than a part of the Great Vehicle. There had never been a Small or Middle Vehicle.
Indeed, they all come back to the One. So, “The Three were revealed to be in face One. Previously there had been Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. Now they were gathered back into one; everyone was a Bodhisattva. At this time, Sariputra still had doubts. “Is this true? Did the Buddha really say this? Or is it the Mara in me disrupting my mind? Did the Buddha truly say this? Or is it Mara disguised as the Buddha?” Was it Mara disguised to confuse his mind?
Even Sariputra, who was foremost in wisdom, had doubts about the Lotus teachings’ claim that everyone could attain Buddhahood and that everyone was a Bodhisattva.
“Moreover, after attaining enlightenment”, the Buddha hoped that everyone could be like Him and realize this [enlightened] state. However, when He observed their capabilities, the Buddha knew they would be unable to realize it. So, He “devised a way to use great intentions to give limited teachings”.
He adapted the Great Dharma to suit the capabilities of sentient beings and devised teachings that they could accept. He had to make use of limited teachings.
Even a person as wise as Sariputra was unable to realize [the truth]. Could everyone actually attain Buddhahood?Is that really possible? Thus was the doubt he had.
Sariputra was thinking this, not to mention the rest of these four disciples. They used the “poor son” as an analogy. Upon seeing the elder in the room and the people who surrounded him, doubt arose in his mind as well. “This is not a place where I could sell my labor to attain anything.” He believed that he did not have the strength to attain anything. Thus was not a place where he could earn a living.
This is not a place where I could sell my labor to obtain anything: The Great Vehicle Dharma- and reward-bodies are nit places where Small Vehicle practitioners can obtain any benefits. Thus it says, “Thus is not a place where I could sell my labor to obtain anything.” This is an analogy for those with limited capabilities, in that they cannot receive great transformation.
This is the Great Vehicle Dharma, the Dharma- and reward-bodies. [This describes] how the virtuous appearances of both the elder and the Buddha were so magnificent. The Buddha had already been engaged in spiritual practice for a long time, for countless kalpas.
The Dharma that He had obtained was so plentiful and so rich that when He manifested in this world, His physical appearance was magnificent. This is the Dharma- and reward-body.
“This is not a place where Small Vehicle practitioners can obtain any benefits”. This was not something it seemed like practitioners of the Small Vehicle could attain. So, “It was not a place where I could sell my labor to attain anything.”
This is an analogy for how people with limited capabilities were unable to accept great transformation. So, “I would do better to return to a poor neighborhood.”
He wanted to return to that impoverished place, to that poor neighborhood. He was still willing to go back to a life of wandering about.
This is an analogy for being “which does not include the 10,000 virtues.” Some see everything as empty. As I have recently been telling everyone, when we see everything as empty, we will not want to form affinities with others to avoid being entangled by karmic conditions. “We cannot take anything with us when we die; it is our karmic conditions that lead us back”. So, if they are biased toward this “does not include the 10,000 virtues.”
A poor neighborhood: This is an analogy for being [biased toward] the truth of emptiness, which does not include the 10,000 virtues. It is also an analogy for the Four Inverted Views. The views on “permanence, joy, self and purity” are all backward, so they are known as the Four Inverted Views.
Because they do not go among others and benefit them, they do not create affinities with them, and thus this does not include, they do not cultivate, the 10,000 virtues. They have not done these good deeds. “It is also analogy for the Four Inverted Views.”
Many people have different perspectives on “permanence, Joy, self and purity.” They cling to permanence, to joy, to self and to purity. Their four views are inverted, so they cannot put the Bodhisattva-path into practice and will give rise to confusion. Do we really think a limited degree of liberation will allow us to be liberated forever? No. We want [true] liberation, which the Buddha told us is Great Nirvana, not just the [cessation] of cyclic existence.
Yet Small Vehicle practitioners are attached to not creating affinities or contriving affinities, nothing more.
So, the Two Vehicle practitioners have the Four Inverted Views. “The Two Vehicle practices are only for delivering oneself.” If we [only] “focus on ourselves, we will “not have the merit and virtue of transforming others.”
Practicing the Small Vehicle Dharma, we cannot realize the Great Vehicle Dharma. So, a place
where I can put my strength to work” refers to returning to that poor neighborhood where we can do whatever we want, without anyone to restrict us. This is an analogy for bias toward emptiness and limited wisdom, or for the Four Inverted Views. This is known as worldly knowledge.
If we only have worldly knowledge and cleverness, we will be unable to attain the Buddha’s true principles.
“A place” is where the noble path may be nurtured. “My strength to work” means our mental and physical efforts in practicing the Path.
This was all that he was willing to do. So, this was to “easily obtain food and clothing.” He thought it would be faster that way. This is how our world is inverted and how we live in a state of confusion. We must quickly advance [in our practice.]
With this analogy for cultivating both blessings and wisdom, we must promptly put the Dharma into practice. Otherwise, we will only attain Nirvana with remainder. We should be flawless. We should strive to attain a “flawless state.” With flawless wisdom, [we can go beyond] Nirvana with remainder.
So, we must put our hearts into this. We must not be attached to the limited scope of the Small Vehicle. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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