Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: All Are Equally Nourished by the Dharma-Rain (法雨普澤證入真如)
Date: August.26. 2016
“Sentient beings’ habitual causes differ. Over extensive kalpas, since the distant past, we have created karmic conditions. These are stored in the raging Five Skandhas, but now we are covered by the Dharma-rain and equally nourished. Though the Five Vehicles differ in essence and appearance, the Tathagata’s Dharma-rain is one.”
Do you understand? “Sentient beings [have] habitual causes.” Sentient beings are all living beings in the world. Sentient beings are all beings that have life and feelings. These are all considered sentient beings. This includes humans. Whether human or animal, after countless lifetimes, their “habitual causes differ”. The causes they were permeated by are different.
So, over extensive kalpas, since the distant past, they have created karmic conditions. With causes come conditions. If a seed does not have [the right] conditions, then this seed will not be able to grow. But the cause is the primary cause, while the conditions are assisting factors.
So, the cause is very important, and the conditions less so. The conditions are only there to assist in the growth of this seed. So, when it comes to our causes, we have spent a very long time, lifetime after lifetime, being permeated. The difference between these causes are found in good and evil. If we are permeated by good, we create positive causes. If we are permeated by evil, we create negative causes. With positive causes come positive conditions. All the karma we create through our actions is stored within the raging Five Skandhas.
The Five Skandhas are form, feeling, perception, action, consciousness; everything is stored within our consciousness. So, causes and conditions continue to be created over our many lifetimes and are stored in our storehouse consciousness. Thus life after life, we face the raging Five Skandhas. This is great suffering!
“Now we are covered by the Dharma-rain and equally nourished.” People who encounter the Buddha and can personally hear the Buddha-Dharma are the most blessed people. Today, more than 2000 years later, we can still count ourselves as blessed. We also have the Dharma that the Buddha taught, which has been passed down to this day.
Our minds have also received the Dharma-rain and been moistened and equally nourished, allowing the seeds in the field of our minds to be equally nourished by this Dharma-rain so that they can grow.
Thus, “Though the Five Vehicles differ in essence and appearance, the Tathagata’s Dharma-rain is one.” Among the Five Vehicles, regular people receive the teachings of the Ten Good Deeds and the Five Precepts. Lay practitioners who believe in the Dharma uphold the Ten Good Deeds or the Five Precepts. They are those who have heard the Buddha-Dharma.
The remaining Three Vehicles are those of Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. Altogether, these are the Five Vehicles. People of the Five Vehicles differ in substance and appearance; the Tathagata’s Dharma-rain is one. When it comes to substance and appearance, these sentient beings’ substance and appearance are all different. We are not only talking of humans, how we all have different physical appearances. This applies to other animals as well.
The Buddha also said that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature, so other animals also have Buddha-nature.
See how a mother elephant loves her son and acts to save him.She will make such an effort.
When her baby fell into a pit, that mother elephant exerted herself to save him.This is her instinctive maternal love.
Standing there, she cried loudly as she tried to save him.She made loud noises, so the villagers quickly came to see.They saw a mother elephant trying to save her son, and they quickly came to her aid.
See she is an animal with an animal nature and has a different appearance [from us], but her intrinsic nature is the same as the Buddha’s, the same as that of humans.
We must believe this.
Since ancient times, all the Dharma that the Buddha taught is the same path shared by all Buddhas.They all use the Five Vehicles to teach sentient beings.
The previous sutra passage states,
“Their rain falls universally and equally everywhere in all directions. The streams of rain are infinite, so that the spread of land has ample nourishment.”
When the earth needs water, clouds gather densely to bring rain.They provide t his for the earth.Thus, every place is able to receive the rain.
In the next passage it states,
“In the mountains, rives and narrow valleys, in deep seclusion, grow vegetation, trees, and medicinal plants. All the trees, big and small, the hundred grains and seedling, sugarcane and grapes, are nourished by rain. All of them grow abundantly.”
Of “the mountains, rivers and narrow valleys,” mountains are an analogy for our still nature, and rivers are an analogy for our moving nature.
“The green mountain has no conflict with anything.”The tall mountains remain unmoving, so “mountain” represents our still nature.The rivers are like creeds or mountain streams, in which the water moves and flows.
“Narrow valleys” are an analogy for “the evil natures of sentient beings. These are analogies for the Five Skandhas, Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms of sentient beings who receive nourishment.”
In the mountains, rivers and narrow valleys:
Mountains are an analogy for our still nature.
Rivers are an analogy for our moving nature.
Narrow valleys are an analogy for the evil nature of sentient beings.
These are analogies for the Five Skandhas, Twelve Entainces and Eighteen Realms of sentient beings who receive nourishment.
“In the mountains, rivers and narrow valleys” what is being nourished are sentient beings, existing among the Five Skandhas, Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms.
The Five Skandhas are form, feeling perception, action, consciousness.These are the Five Skandhas.
When we connect to external phenomena, the feelings we have lead us to give rise to a thought, so we take action and create all good and evil karma, which becomes seeds.This is the [functioning] of the Five Skandhas.
As for the Twelve Entrances, everyone knows what they are.The Six Roots and Six Dusts.
If we add the Six Consciousnesses, these comprise the Eighteen Realms.
“In deep seclusion” [is an analogy for] how sentient beings of the Three Vehicles have planted roots of goodness in the distant past.”
These are concealed among the Skandhas, Entrances and Realms, among the Five Skandhas, Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms.“Thus it says ‘in deep seclusion’.”
They cannot be seen; they are hidden “in deep seclusion”.
We have had these roots of goodness for kalpas; the seeds are already planted in the depths of our consciousness, hidden among the Skandhas, Entrances and Realms, among the Five Skandhas, Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms.
“Thus it says ‘in deep seclusion,” meaning that they are buried very deeply.I often tell everyone that our nature of True Suchness is thickly covered by ignorance.It is so deeply buried.It exists but cannot be seen.
“Now covered by the Dharma-rain, those who are nourished all sprout and grow.”
Thus they are “that which grows”.
“This is the seed-nature of the Three Vehicles, which we already possess.”
The Dharma-rain continually moistens the earth.As we continually accept the Buddha-Dharma, we eliminate our ignorance and afflictions.
With the Dharma, we draw ever closer to our nature of True Suchness.The seeds of True Suchness have already gradually received the Dharma-water and begun to develop from this nourishment.Thus they are “that which grows”.
This is the seed-nature of the Three Vehicles, which we already possess.
The seed-nature of the Three Vehicles has gradually developed and grown.
“Vegetation, trees and medicinal plants” are analogies for humans, heavenly beings, Hearers and Solitary Realizers, those of great, average or limited capabilities.
“They are just like the various kinds of vegetation, trees and medicinal plants.”
These are seeds. Humans and heavenly beings have the Human and Heavenly Being Vehicles. In the Buddha-Dharma, the teaching of the Human Vehicle is the Five Precepts, and the teaching of the Heavenly Being Vehicle is the Ten Good Deeds. The teaching for Hearers is the Four Noble Truths, and the teaching for Solitary Realizers, what they accept, is the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence.
The Buddha used all kinds of methods. The analogy of vegetation, trees and medicinal plants is describing great, average and limited capabilities. These are just like the various kinds of grasses, trees and medicinal plants.
“As for all the trees, big and small, Bodhisattvas who receive immediate teachings are called big trees. Bodhisattvas who receive gradual teachings are called small trees. Taking together all the countless capabilities, it says ‘all trees’”.
If we accept the Buddha-Dharma, we can quickly understand profound principles and quickly form great aspirations and make the great vows. This is why “Bodhisattvas who receive immediate teachings are called big trees”.
Bodhisattvas who receive gradual teachings are called small trees. Small trees must be taught gradually. Time is required for them to grow, and they must be slowly brought up and cared for. Small Trees can also become big trees.
Thus, “Taking together all the countless capabilities, it says ‘all trees’”. Everything that the rain nourishes, whether great or small plants and vegetation, or trees that have already grown big or small, every kind of capacity, is embraced.
There are also “the hundred grains and seedlings” which nourish humankind. This means that beyond those big and small trees and all plants, medicinal plants and so on, there are also “the hundred grains and seedlings”. This is what we humans depend on to live. Grains and plants are also like humankind. People have hundreds of family names; there are so many different kinds of people.
People say, “One kind of rice feeds 100 kinds of people”. There are many different kinds of people, so we must the analogy of a hundred grains. The hundred grains are an analogy for people.
“The hundred grains and seedlings: These are what nourish humans. Among people are hundreds of family names, so we use the analogy of a hundred grains. The hundreds of kinds of good thoughts are the seedlings of Bodhicitta. With grains we can support our life, just as with goodness we can realize the truth.”
Next are “the hundreds of kinds of good thoughts”. There are many people with good thoughts. As for these good thoughts, each person has different ones but all are able to help others or carry out their responsibilities to the utmost and abide by the principles. These people harbor no evils or poisons. This sort of person is included among “the hundred kinds of good thoughts”.
People with good thoughts have “the seedlings of Bodhicitta”, the aspiration to give rise to Bodhi. These seeds in the heart, the seeds of good thoughts, also receive nourishment from the rain.
So, “With grains we can support our life”. Grains can support sentient beings’ lives. This is like how people receive the Dharma, how the Dharma is able to nourish our wisdom-life. It is the same principle. In the same way, we are able to realize our nature of True Suchness.
Next are “sugarcane and grapes”. Sugarcane is something delicious, which is an analogy for the Buddha’s seed-nature. “The spreading of the grapevines is an analogy for all the various clans”.
Raw sugarcane is very sweet. We can use it to provide sugar for people. This is the seed-nature of the Buddha. We must mindfully engage in spiritual practice, as if we were converting sugarcane into sugar. This can be used to season many things.
“The spreading of the grapevines is an analogy for all the various clans”. Regarding “the spreading of the grapevines”, have you ever seen a grapevine? Everyone has eaten grapes; have you ever seen a grapevine? The grape plant grows outward in vines, continually spreading out.
This is just like the various clans. There are many different kinds of grapes. They are all called grapes. There are red, green and white grapes and so on, many different kinds of grapes. But the grapevine continually grows and spreads in this way.
Thus, all things are included among those that receive the rain’s nourishment. “[All] are nourished by rain, everything on the mountains, rivers and land. All the different varieties of things on the land receive the rain, taking in water from the rain and clouds. This includes the “hundred grains”, sometimes known as the “five grains”. The five grains and other plants provide for us completely, for all of life’s needs.
So,this is an analogy for “the Five Vehicles giving rise to the Hundred Good Deeds.”As long as we can encounter the Buddha-Dharma, we naturally can give rise to much goodness.
The hundred grains can be summed up as five grains. This is analogy for the Five Vehicles giving rise to the Hundred Good Deeds. Actually. The Hundred Good Deeds can also give birth to the Five Vehicles. Sugarcane is an analogy for Samadhi. Grapes are an analogy for wisdom.
The Buddha taught lay practitioners to uphold the Ten Good Deeds. Kind People who practice the Ten Good Deeds are able to influence other people to also give rise to good thoughts. It is the same way with the Five Precepts. These are thing that we should not do, so we must not do them. As for things that we should do, we must be proactive.
This is guarding against wrongs and stopping evils. It is the Human Vehicle.There are also the Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva Vehicles. These kinds of teachings can all create the Hundred Good Deeds in this world. Thus, “Actually, the Hundred Good Deeds can also give birth to the Five Vehicles. In this kind of beneficial cycle, people transform each other. Kind people lead others to hear the Buddha-Dharma. These people listen to the Buddha-Dharma and in the same way, the people of the Five Vehicles. This is a cycle.
So, “The hundred Good Deeds can also give birth to the Five Vehicles.” This is analogy to the hundred grains. Sugarcane is “an analogy for Samadhi.”
The sweetness of sugarcane is fixed; besides eating it raw, it can also be used to make sugar. This is an unchanging principle, so it is an “analogy for Samadhi.”
Grapes are able to continually spread outward in the same way as [other] vines. There may be different kinds, but they are all vines that continue to spread. They continually produce things that are beneficial and necessary for humans. This demonstrates wisdom.
Taking in one teaching, we produce many fruits. When we take the Dharma to heart, our wisdom continually grows and spreads.” “[They] are nourished by rain. All of them grow abundantly.” This is the Dharma-rain.
“The Dharma-rain is given to all equally, nourishing all on the mountains, rivers and land. This nourishment provides for all people. It is an analogy for the Dharma that all receive.
People of great and limited capabilities all accept the Buddha-Dharma.
So, “The Dharma-rain is given to all equally.” It is taught completely equally.
[They] are nourished by rain. All of them grow abundantly: the Dharma-rain is given to all equally. Thus all things are equally moistened, and there is not one thing that does not grow abundantly. This is an analogy for how with the Dharma-rain’s equal nourishment, there is nothing lacking.
“Thus all things are equally moistened. In accepting [the Dharma], those with great capabilities and capacities take in a great amount, and those with limited capabilities and capacities take in a lesser amount. However, the rain is equal.
Thus, “There is not one thing that does not grow abundantly.” Everything accepts it in just the right amount. This is the analogy. “With the Dharma-rain’s equal nourishment, there is nothing lacking.”
Yes, the Dharma-rain nourishes all sentient beings. Sentient beings also must make the effort to be mindful and understanding that since Beginningless Time, they have accumulated causes and conditions. These have permeated us over a very long time. All our actions [within] the Five Skandhas, Twelve Entrances and Eighteen Realms are store in our consciousness.
So, sentient beings bring karma with them and thus receive retributions in accordance with their cause and conditions. We must be clear that the Dharma can now provide us nourishment; we should know these principles. Then, after knowing these principles, we must make efforts to put them into practice and earnestly uphold them.
We must comprehend that the Buddha’s one great cause for coming to this world was His hope that all people can deeply comprehend [these principles]. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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