Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The One Rain Reaches and Freshly Nourishes All (一雨所及皆得鮮澤)
Date: August.30. 2016
“Exercising both loving-kindness and wisdom, He gives no more than small capacities can take. Journeying on compassion to unlock wisdom, He gives no less to those of great capabilities. Thus, each in the Five Vehicles attains, and they all develop and benefit.”
I wish to share with everyone how the Buddha was able to freely exercise His compassion. He taught sentient beings according to what sentient beings’ capacities could accept and make use of. Thus, the Buddha’s teachings can adapt to people with different capabilities. This is “exercising both loving-kindness and wisdom.”
Having loving-kindness means to hope that everyone can receive blessings and eliminate afflictions so in people’s daily living, their minds can be stable and at ease. This kind of life is most blessed, one free of afflictions in daily living. This is the Buddha’s loving-kindness; He uses His impartial wisdom so everyone can be blessed. No matter what capacity sentient beings have, “He gives no more than small capacities can take.” It is just the right amount for those with limited capabilities to accept.
Those with limited capabilities, if given the Great Dharma, would be incapable of accepting it. Instead, it would harm their roots of goodness. So, we say that the Buddha’s wisdom is [based on] loving-kindness; loving-kindness is the Buddha’s foundation. Then, He exercises wisdom to teach according to limited capabilities so they too can accept the Dharma and gradually grow.
The Buddha must also “journey on compassion to unlock wisdom.” In the Buddha’s great compassion, He “feels others’ pain and suffering as His own.” This is His impartial love and universal compassion. How can suffering sentient beings be helped?
Some experience mental suffering. Some suffer in their body. Whether from the disasters that appear all around, or from the suffering accumulated from long years of poverty, or perhaps from the afflictions of not being engaged in anything in their life, how could these people be helped?
The Buddha had to start this great application. At this time, people with great capabilities are needed to accept the Great Dharma and form great aspirations and great vows. In this Great Dharma taught to sentient beings, “He gives no less to those of great capabilities. Thus each in the Five Vehicles attains, and they all develop and benefit.” The Buddha used these methods to help all in the Five Vehicles reach attainment. Everyone is familiar with the Five Vehicles. Besides His disciples in the Sangha, there were other disciples, lay practitioners. They each accepted different forms of teachings. Those in the Sangha still stuck to their limited capabilities and sought only to awaken themselves. Among the lay practitioners outside of the Sangha, there were those who could immediately realize the teachings and form great aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path.
So, those in the Five Vehicles, regardless of their environment, all accepted the Buddha’s principles according to their capacities and nature. Everyone could thus attain benefits.
Of course, during the Buddha’ lifetime, there were those with great capacities, and there were also those with imbalance in their mind. During the Buddha’s lifetime, in the kingdom of Varanasi, the king had a prime minister who had a child endowed with the 32 Marks. Everyone was happy when they saw this child, so he quickly invited a fortune teller to his home to read his child’s fortune.
The fortune teller looked at him and was also astonished. He asked the prime minister, “When the child was born and in the womb, was there anything out of the ordinary?”
The prime minister told him, “My wife’s personality is by nature very fierce. But, ever since she became pregnant, her temperament changed. She became very gentle.”
Hearing this, the fortune teller said, “This is an auspicious sign for your child. He brought this auspicious sign for your family. In the future, he will bring blessings to humanity. I will name him Maitreya.”
Everyone’s started spreading this news.As the young child slowly grew, he was loved by all and was full of wisdom.
This news reached the king.When the king heard it, his mind became uneasy, thinking, “After this child grows up, will my country and my throne be at risk of being taken over by him?”So, he started scheming up ways to eliminate him.
People in the palace already knew the king’s ill intentions and informed the minister, revealing the king’s intent.
The minister became anxious.His wife said to him, “How about we let him leave the kingdom of Varanasi? His uncle lives in the kingdom of Pataliputra. How about we send him there?”
The minister agreed that they should do this.He quickly deployed men and elephants to escort his son to [his uncle] whom everyone admired, to the home of this Brahmin.
Starting then, Maitreya lived at his uncle’s home and received the same education as [the others there].
This uncle discovered that his nephew learned quickly and could [already] understand almost all the sutras.
“I should quickly gather an assembly for him so everyone in the kingdom can know of this youth’s wisdom and talents.”
However, gathering an assembly requires money, so he sent one of his disciples to Varanasi to ask the father to provide funds for his son to hold this great assembly.But before he arrived, this disciple had the idea to first visit Rajagrha to pay respect to the Buddha.
However, as he had this thought, along the way he was attacked and killed by a tiger.Because he had this thought, although he met with the calamity of being killed by a tiger on his journey, he was reborn in the heaven realm.
At this time, the uncle had poured all his wealth into gathering all Brahmins to take part in the assembly.
They had to receive something like an offering; the etiquette required they be given a gift.Each envelope contained 500 taels.
At the gathering, everyone praised [Maitreya] and happily left.However, there was a person who came later.This person who came later said, “You should at least give me 500 taels.”
So Pravari, [Maitreya’s] uncle, said, “I have already given away all of my money. Besides, this assemblyman ended.”But this person then said, “If you do not provide 500 taels, it will have consequences in seven days. You will receive serious consequences. Your head will be split in seven pieces.”
At that time, Pravari became very anxious.His disciple who had been killed by a tiger on his journey was now reborn in the heaven realm.He saw how worried his master was, so he quickly descended from heaven to tell him, “This Brahmin with ill intent does not have any idea how things work. He lacks the spiritual power to give prophecies. So, you do not need to worry. For true understanding of the Great Dharma, there is only one person. That person is the Buddha.”
The heavenly being then told him how the World-Honored One attained Buddhahood and how after attaining enlightenment, He had been transforming sentient beings. He told him everything so that Pravari knew it all.
“So, the Great Enlightened One resides in Rajagrha!”. He quickly gathered 15 people to accompany Maitreya to go to Rajagrha.
“However”, he said, “to test the World-Honored One, ask him how many characteristics I have, ask him how many disciples I have and ask him how old I am. Being so far way, if the World-Honored One can know, He is truly a master you must take refuge in. then you will engage in spiritual practice there”.
This is how he instructed them. They all traveled quickly and arrived at Rajagrha. As they were about to enter the abode, in the distance, they saw how dignified the Buddha was [as He sat] surrounded by His disciples. At a distance, they pondered how to ask this difficult question. They had this intention to ask the Buddha. Still at a great distance, the Buddha began to say, “Pravari has two characteristics. One is the shape of his hair. The second is that he is very eloquent. He expounds the Dharma, the principles, universally to all minds. These are his two characteristics.”
The Buddha paused a moment before saying, “Pravari has 500 disciples”. He paused again and replied, “Pravari is 120 years old”. These 16 people heard this, and Maitreya especially was very shocked. “We are willing to engage in spiritual practice at the Buddha’s feet.”
At that time, Pravari heard of the events, because Maitreya sent someone to report to him. Pravari was filled with admiration. “I am incapable of traveling to Rajagrha. Is it possible for the Buddha to manifest His appearance before me so I can see the Buddha’s physical appearance?”
The Buddha granted Pravari’s wish and transformed him as well. This great Brahmin thus had his wish fulfilled. This happened during the Buddha’s lifetime.
“Exercising both loving-kindness and wisdom. He gives no more than small capacities can take. Journeying on compassion to unlock wisdom, He gives no less to those of great capabilities”.
The events in this story took place across several kingdoms. The Buddha responded to sentient beings’ needs and transformed those with affinities with Him.
“Thus each in the Five Vehicles attains, and they all develop and benefit”. This is inconceivable.
So, the Buddha is like the clouds in the sky and like the rain and dew. He adapts to the capacities of sentient beings.
The previous sutra passage says,
“The parched land is universally permeated. The medicinal plants and trees flourish together. With water of one flavor released by that cloud, the forests of plants and trees all receive nourishment according to their measure. All trees, big, average or small, are able to grow according to their size.”
This is in the previous sutra passage. The following sutra passage reads,
“With their roots, stems, branches and leaves, their flowers and fruits radiant and colorful, the one rain reaches them all, such that all are freshly nourished.”
“with their roots, stems, branches and leaves” refers to what was previously described. All medicinal plants, forests of medicinal plants, and all trees are able to be freshly nourished. Thus, everything in this world receives benefits.
“With their roots, stems, branches and leaves: Roots are an analogy for good seeds. Stems are analogy for good vows. Branches are an analogy for good methods. Leaves are an analogy for good deeds.”
“Roots” are an analogy for good seeds. The roots of a tree are very important. Roots symbolize good seeds, so they are called “roots of goodness”. Stems represent good vows; they are like the power of vows. Branches are an analogy for good methods, like ways to inspire sentient beings. Leaves are an analogy for good deeds.
With roots of faith and good deeds, naturally, this trees will become lush. So, “Their flowers and fruits [are] radiant and colorful” means “They are freshly nourished by the water”.
“Their flowers and fruits radiant and colorful: They are freshly nourished by the water. Flowers are analogy for positive causes. Fruits are an analogy for positive retributions. Radiance is an analogy for beneficial wisdom. Colors are an analogy for beneficial matters.”
Flowers are positive causes. This is another analogy for positive causes. When we see flowers blooming, these are good causes. When the flowers have already bloomed, of course after blooming they will hear fruit. Fruit is an analogy for positive retributions. This is a process.
With the seeds that we plant, the seeds lead [the process] and thus the fruits will be formed.Therefore, by planting positive causes, we will reap positive effects.
Radiance is an analogy for beneficial wisdom. Only those who have wisdom can emit radiance. Colors are an analogy for beneficial matters. As for those who have beneficial wisdom and thoroughly understand the principles of goodness, everything they do is good.
“The one rain reaches them all, such that all are freshly nourished.”
The one rain reaches them all, such that all are freshly nourished: Moistened from being covered by the rain of one flavor, all receive it one by one to become bright and fresh and plump with nourishment.
As long as it rains, seeds will also sprout. As for the dust that accumulates on trees, so long as there is rain, the trees also be washed clean. The dry earth will be moistened with the one rain.
So, in this way it is “nourished by the one rain.” Whether plants, forests, medicinal plants, etc., all can be nourished. Their brilliance comes out and they are full of life. They have so much vitality. They are moistened from being covered by the rain of one flavor.”
They are nourished by rain of one flavor, and “All receive it one by one to become bring and fresh and plump with nourishment.” [We] have the feeling that the soil is not barren; the entire [earth] is brilliant and full of color. Our minds also follow the same principle.
Our minds also follow the same principle. As long as we take in the Buddha-Dharma, even if we have Small Vehicle capabilities, we will gradually take in the teachings. No matter how dull someone’s capabilities, if we slowly teach this person, he will also slowly grow in wisdom.
Have you seen our care recipients? Some parents feel very helpless towards their child’s slow intellectual development. But one only needs sincerity Sincere people will approach this family. Before, the young man could not handle any household responsibilities.
Thus, Bodhisattva [-volunteers] went to the family and used love and patience. They attentively and slowly taught him. Time after time they came and saw how he slowly learned. Gradually he was able to sweep the floor and clean the tables and chairs and also put things back in their place. No matter how dull the capabilities or how cognitively impaired [the person is], we always put our heart into helping, using compassion and wisdom in hopes of benefiting the family. Eventually, they saw an improvement in the family.
They also provided [the son] with a chance in society. So, with roots, steams, branches and leaves, the roots must be planted deeply. With great vows, these branches can grow. By opening doors of goodness,we can inspire to do good deeds. In society, we must help everyone form aspirations and make vows.
“Thus each in the Five Vehicles attains, and they all develop and benefit.” This is being “nourished by the one rain.” There is nothing on this earth that will not grow and glow with moisture and be freshly radiant.
This is why we must be very mindful. We must use a meticulous mind to comprehend the Buddha-Dharma. We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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