Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Cultivating and Upholding Myriad Practices (修持萬行福慧具足)
Date: October.06. 2016
“Having cultivated and upheld myriad practices until perfection, He is replete in blessings and wisdom. He is worthy of receiving respect and offerings from heavenly beings and humans. He benefits and transforms sentient beings, thus He has the epithet One Worthy of Offerings.”
“One Worthy of Offerings” is one of the ten epithets of the Buddha. The Buddha is worthy of receiving the offerings of the human and heaven realms. This is the Buddha’s virtue, the virtue attained from His practice.
Virtue is not conveyed through words, but rather something we put into practice. From deep in our hearts, we must have reverence and respect the Dharma. To have inner cultivation and outer practice, our minds and actions must be unified. Only then can virtue be expressed in our actions. Only when our actions are virtuous are we truly worthy of offerings.
I have often told everyone that every person is our spiritual training ground. Virtuous friends provide us with beneficial conditions [for our practice]. Harmful friends provide us with adverse conditions that also benefit our spiritual practice. All of these can increase our wisdom and help us accomplish our learning. So, we must always keep reverence in our hearts and look on everyone as a Buddha as our means of spiritual practice.
“We cultivate and uphold myriad practices until perfection.” There are so many practices; we actualize the Six Perfections in all of our actions. When it comes to actualizing the Six Perfections, in regard to giving alone, there are countless different ways for us to put it into practice. Sentient beings suffer in countless ways, so we must also use countless ways of giving to help them in their suffering. How can we help them? Do we give them material aid? Or should we give them spiritual support? There are so many ways to help them! So, we can say that sentient beings have boundless suffering, and we will have boundless wisdom and blessings to go among people [and help them]. Thus, we must cultivate myriad practices.
When we have perfected myriad practices, we will be replete with blessings and wisdom. The Buddha was already replete with these, so “He is worthy of receiving respect and offerings from heavenly beings and humans.” He is worthy and thereby should receive respect and offerings from sentient beings. “Offerings” does not just mean material offerings. Most importantly, it is that respect arising from deep within; it is with this kind of respect that we make offerings.
Because sentient beings are confused, they suffer endless afflictions and ignorance. Thus, the Buddha used all kinds of methods to explain to us and guide us so we can open our hearts and be understanding. This did not happen over just one lifetime; the Buddha did this over infinite kalpas. Because of this, He is endowed with the ten epithets and is worthy of receiving offerings.
In the sutra, the previous passage says that Kasyapa “will meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them and widely proclaim the infinite Great Dharma of all Buddhas.” This is the previous sutra passage.
The Buddha had already said that His disciple Mahakasyapa will engage in spiritual practice and attain Buddhahood in a future lifetime. But during the process, he has to “meet and serve 300 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones.” He will make offerings to, show reverence to, pay respect to and praise Them, earnestly listen to their Dharma and also spread the Dharma for others to hear. If we are talking about the present moment, if we regard everyone as a Buddha, when we regard everyone as a Buddha, we can show reverence, pay respect to them and praise Them. If we can do this, it will be one of the Dharma-doors for our spiritual practice. This way, we will not need to go through lifetime after lifetime, countless lifetimes, in order to encounter a single Buddha. If we only meet one Buddha in the course of countless lifetimes, then think of how long it would take before we could make offerings to 300 trillion Buddhas!
What the Buddha really meant was that we should treat everyone we meet as a Buddha and make offerings, show reverence and praise Them. We must first create good affinities with others.
The next sutra passage continues on to say, “In his final incarnation he will attain Buddhahood and be called Radiant Light Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and Buddha, the World-Honored One.”
Thus, he will be endowed with the ten epithets. In Venerable Kasyapa’s spiritual practice, from the time he joined the Sangha, he engaged in the practice of dhuta. “Dhuta” means ascetic practices. In particular, the Buddha entrusted him with passing on His robe and alms bowl in the future. We was to go to Cock’s Foot Mountain, enter the Samadhi of complete cessation there and await “Maitreya’s appearance in the world.” Maitreya will appear in the world, according to the sutras, more than five billion years into the future. So, according to legend, Kasyapa entered Cock’s Foot Mountain to await Maitreya Buddha’s appearance in the world. He took the Buddha’s shanghati, which are His robe and alms bowl to pass them on to Maitreya Buddha. Because of these causes and conditions, the Buddha bestowed this prediction on Mahakasyapa.
Here a prediction of his distinctive epithet is given to Mahakasyapa, who had cultivated ascetic practices in his lifetime. He followed the Buddha’s instruction and, at Cock’s Foot Mountain, entered the Samadhi of complete cessation to await Maitreya’s appearance in the world so he can pass on the Buddha’s sanghati.
Kasyapa was also magnificent in his youth, especially in regard to the color of his skin. The color and luster of his skin were different from that of other people. He had a purplish golden hue to him. The skin of Indian people has a purplish hue, and his skin was radiant; it was glossy. It was as if his skin radiated light. When hit by sunlight, it was as if his skin was reflecting the light, as if he had made the light completely his own. So, in describing Venerable Kasyapa’s body, it seemed as if he had swallowed the light of the sun and the moon.
His body was intrinsically radiant, as if he had swallowed the light of the sun and moon; such virtue was the original seed from which his fruit of Buddhahood was evident.
This was due to causes and conditions from his past lifetime. In a past life, Kasyapa awes a jeweler who applied purple gold to the body of a Buddha’s [statue]. This is a legend. It is a story told of one of his past lifetimes. So, in that lifetime his physical appearance had a special radiance. This explains the name that he was predicted to have in the future, which would be Radiant Light Tathagata. “In his final incarnation, he will attain Buddhahood.”
“Final incarnation’ has two meanings.” It has two interpretations. First, it means that “In this life, Hearers have ended [afflictions].” Since they too listen to the Dharma, Hearers may also form great aspirations and make great vows. Though the process of their spiritual practice, “In the realms of samsara this is [their] final incarnation.” If they eliminate all their afflictions, they reach their “final incarnation” and “will not be subject to future incarnations.”
Second, it refers to “the mind after reaching universal enlightenment.” “Final incarnation” has two meanings: Second, it means the mind after reaching universal enlightenment, which had diamond-like Samadhi. When one has completely eliminated ignorance and emptied the consciousness of ripened differences, it is called the final incarnation. Here, it is this latter meaning.
“The mind after achieving universal enlightenment” means supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment. “[It] has diamond-like Samadhi.” This mind is firm, unbreakable like a diamond. Diamond is the hardest substance in the world. A mind with firm resolve is like a diamond. This is used as an analogy for Samadhi.
If we are not resolute in our spiritual practice, if we keep fluctuating, advancing and retreating, we will never be able to make progress. We will be stuck in the same place. If we keep advancing then retreating, retreating then advancing, we will forever remain in the same place. So, we must be resolute in our spiritual practice and “completely eliminate ignorance.” All discursive thoughts, ignorance and afflictions must be eliminated completely.
So, [we must] “empty the consciousness of ripened differences.” The “consciousness of ripened differences” is a [Buddhist] term that refers to the “alaya consciousness.” What is the alaya consciousness? In the past, we have often referred to it as the eighth consciousness, “which draws us into samsara when different fruits of good and evil karma ripen.” “Differences” means everyone’s karma is different. When causes and conditions are “ripened,” we are reborn into this world and bring with us the karma we created. If we have created much good karma, when causes and conditions ripen within our consciousness, we will follow our consciousness to that future lifetime and be reborn into a good country and a good family. That is our circumstantial retribution. With our direct retribution, we follow our consciousness [to our next life].
If we create a great deal of evil karma, then we lose our human form; that is beyond our control. Following our ripening causes and conditions, we may go to an unwholesome place. It may be a country with constant turmoil, many disasters or the suffering of poverty. There may be no good teachings to be heard there, or there may be no good education and so on. This depends on our karma. This is the “consciousness of ripened differences.”
If we engage in spiritual practice, and continue to maintain our practice, in the end we will “empty the consciousness of ripened differences.” All good and evil will be emptied out. There will be no more afflictions. We will no longer be bound by conditions; we will be completely pure. This is our “final incarnation.”
“In his causal [practice], he had remained continuously bright like lit lanterns.” His mind was radiant, pure and undefiled. This was his “causes.” He has appeared like this lifetime after lifetime, so bright and so pure. Kasyapa too, in the era of Dharma-semblance, saw a Buddha’s [statue] that was peeling and quickly applied purple gold to the Buddha’s body, so that the Buddha would remain radiant. This tells how in the past he had created such causes and conditions, how he had very reverently made the Buddha’s statue shine again. These were his causes and conditions.
So, “Lifetime after lifetime, his body is always golden.” His body is always shining. “Thus, when he was an Arhat, he was called Light-Drinker.” When Kasyapa was an Arhat, he was called Light-Drinker. After attaining Buddhahood, his epithet would be Radiant Light.
He will be called Radiant Light Tathagata: His distinctive epithet is Radiant Light. In his causal practice, he had remained continuously bright like lit lanterns and coated the Buddha’s statue with purple gold. Thus, lifetime after lifetime, his body is always golden. Thus, when he was an Arhat, he was called Light-Drinker.
His name will be Radiant Light. “By teaching the Dharma, He transforms beings.” He will come to deliver and transform sentient beings, will continually teach the Dharma to deliver and transform sentient beings, “[He] benefits himself as well as others.” From the time when he was a Hearer or a Solitary Realizer, he engaged in spiritual practice to eliminate afflictions while at the same time he went among people to transform sentient beings. Like the light of the sun, he destroyed all darkness. Regarding the word “Tathagata,” “Tatha” refers to True Suchness. The Tathagata is one who “journeys on the path of True Suchness and from the seed comes to the fruit.” Through the process of spiritual practice, accepting the teachings of all Buddhas lifetime after lifetime, the Tathagata comes to this world by journeying on the Dharma of True Suchness, achieving perfect enlightenment. “He is thus called Tathagata.”
As He journeys on the Dharma of True Suchness to be reborn in this world, the result is attaining Buddhahood. Thus, He is called the Tathagata. The Tathagata is also One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and Buddha, the World-Honored One. Together, these comprise the ten epithets.
One Worthy of Offerings means He has eliminated all evil, so He is worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings. In our spiritual practice, we must eliminate all evil, all bad habits, discursive thought, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. All these thoughts must be totally eliminated. If we reach this level, then we become worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings. With virtue like this, one is worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings.
A Completely Awakened One means the principles the Buddha awakened to were extremely comprehensive. He was “replete with the wisdom of all Dharma. Of all the teachings, there are none He does not understand.” He is thereby called the Completely Awakened One.
In “One Perfect in Wisdom and Action,” wisdom refers to the Three Insights, the insight of the heavenly eye, the insight into past lives and the insight into ending all Leaks. He has completely penetrated everything; He understands it all. When the karma of body, speech and mind are right, free of the slightest deviation, then one becomes very pure, “truly and perfectly undefiled.” When our Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind is correct in its direction, the mind is completely undefiled.
“Through the power of His vows, all of His practices [are set in action]. He sets in motion the power of His vows to engage in earnest spiritual practice. For the sake of this world’s sentient beings, He engages in practice and attains Buddhahood. This is the attainment of the Three Insights; this is the meaning of “One Perfect in Wisdom and Action.” All His practice are completely fulfill.
One Perfect in Wisdom and Action: Perfect in action refers to how His karma of body, speech and mind is truly and perfectly undefiled. Through the power of His vows, all of His practices are skillfully cultivated to fulfillment.
Another epithet is Well-Gone One. In this epithet, “well” refers to ability, having skillful ability. “Gone” refers to going somewhere else. It means having the ability to skillfully leave the land of delusion and go toward the land of wisdom. Well-Gone One means He can come and go freely [in the world].
The Buddha was like this. He did not follow His karma to be born into this world. He came to this world because He could not bear to let sentient beings suffer. He journeyed on the Dharma of True Suchness, coming to this world to deliver sentient beings. He comes and goes freely so He is called the Well-Gone One.
He skillfully leaves the land of delusion and goes toward the land of wisdom. The Buddha guides unenlightened beings to the land of wisdom, then from the land of wisdom returns to this world. He can come and go freely, so He is called Well-Gone One.
The knower of the World refers to how “all worldly and world-transcending phenomena, and all phenomena of cause and effect are known to and understood by Him.
As sentient beings, we are ignorant. We cannot understand cause and effect, so we are dragged around by them. We cannot take even the slightest [criticism]; we cannot endure. Actually, the Buddha was not like this. Through spiritual practice, we come to understand that the world and the minds of the world’s people are like this. Our minds must attain the state of Samadhi, then we can become the Knower of the World.
Unsurpassed Guide means “He has exhausted all karma of delusion, and there is nothing more for Him to eliminate.” All karma and delusion of ignorance have been entirely cleansed. This is the Unsurpassed Guide. He is unsurpassed and supreme. This is the Buddha, one with supreme, universal perfect enlightenment. This is the Unsurpassed Guide.
“Tamer [means that] the Buddha can tame all great people that can be transformed and guide them into entering the path of practice. He can deliver all sentient beings, but the amazing thing is that He must have affinities with all sentient beings. If sentient beings do not accept the teachings, He will not have the affinities to deliver them. What can He do if the conditions are not there to deliver them? The Buddha still does not abandon sentient beings. He keeps coming back to deliver them. He transforms them all until they begin cultivating the Path. This is the compassion of the Buddha.
He is also “Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans.” Heavenly beings and humans in the Six Destinies “can all take the Buddha as their teacher.”
Next is “the Buddha,” who “is replete with wisdom and has perfected the Three Elements of Enlightenment. Thus He is called the Buddha.”
The next [epithet] is “Word-Honored One.” This refers to how “The Buddha possesses all virtues and is honored by the world,” so He is called World-Honored One. He is singularly honored in the world.
So, to learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must be earnest and mindful benefiting and transforming sentient beings. Only be engaging in spiritual practice this way can one be respected by all in the Three Realms. So, He was called World-Honored One. This is the goal of spiritual practice. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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