Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Six Paramitas and the Fourfold Practice (六度四修渡到彼岸)
Date: November.23. 2016
“By subduing our afflictions, we can practice the Six Paramitas to arrive at the other shore. When we observe the substance and nature of all phenomena and are peacefully patient, with unwavering deep aspirations, our wisdom will illuminate all manifestations of people and phenomena and the principle of True Suchness.”
Life in this Saha World must be endured! This means it is filled with suffering. All of this suffering, in a word, is the result of afflictions! What suffering is not caused by afflictions? Because [they cause] so much suffering, they are called afflictions. Afflictions create ignorance, and ignorance gives rise to action. Actions accumulate and compound, resulting in disasters. These many disasters create suffering in the world.
Human suffering can always be traced back to afflictions. So, it is our afflictions that are the cause of our worries every day. “Worry” means something has already happened, thus we worry. Having things causes us to worry, and not having things also causes us to worry. We are unenlightened beings! “Why are you so filled with worries?” “That’s how people are. When my children were young, I worked hard to raise them. When my kids were in school, I worried that they were not diligent or that their test scores were not good enough to get into an ideal school. I’m always troubled about my children, worrying about their health, safety and studies. Once they graduate, there are [new] worries. Will they be able to find a good career? Will they succeed in business? Will they establish good families?” “That’s all far off in the future! Why let it worry you now?” “Ah! That’s how people are.”
This is life. Even if something has not yet happened, we take it upon ourselves and allow it to worry us. These are worries. What about “afflictions?” “Afflictions” are greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. These are afflictions. “Afflictions” are created by the habitual tendencies that we sentient beings have accumulated over lifetimes as we constantly replicate the source of suffering. “Worry” means we are not yet suffering; we are worried and troubled over things in advance. Being troubled is to be “worried.” “Afflictions” are the source, and “worries” are what results. Whether the afflictions that begin at the source, the habitual tendencies we have brought along since Beginningless Time, or the worries from this present lifetime that prevent us from calming our minds, we must subdue them all.
If we are unable to open our minds, we will always be troubled. When we are troubled, our minds are unsettled, and we have no [clear] direction. So, whether they are the originating or the resultant afflictions, we must carefully and mindfully subdue them in advance. We must be focused and determined in carrying out the practice of the Six Paramitas, giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These are six tools that will carry us from this, the shore of afflictions. We want to cross from this shore to the other.
The Six Paramitas are not practiced in sequence. All are done simultaneously, along with practice with nothing further, uninterrupted practice, extended practice and practice with reverence. We have reverence for the Buddha’s teachings, faithfully accept and practice them. The Six Paramitas must be practiced simultaneously. This is called “practicing the Six Paramitas to arrive at the other shore.” We have to pass through 1000-foot waves, 1000-foot waves of afflictions and ignorance. If we want to cross the river of desire, we must use the Six Paramitas and the Four Practices as our tools. This is how we cross over.
In door to cross over, we are taught to “observe the substance and nature of all phenomena.” We must always put effort into calming the mind. When the mind is calm, we can observe the world in all its forms. Just how do interpersonal conflicts arise? What methods do we use when dealing with them? We must earnestly observe this, must meticulously observe all phenomena. How do sentient beings’ afflictions arise? How should we engage in practice?
So, in observing, we must be meticulous, meticulous in understanding and in seeing. Our perspective must have this subtlety. So, we must observe “We observe the substance and nature of all phenomena.” We observe the substance of all phenomena and the nature of all phenomena.
Substance is something we can see. It is the outer appearance of shapes and colors. When interacting with others, we observe people’s attitudes. “That person’s attitude toward me is disrespectful; I am so vexed. Why is his attitude so bad? He is always like this toward others in his conduct, his actions and his replies. Why won’t he ever change? He keeps adding to my worries!”
In our interpersonal relationships, not everyone always acts as we expect, so afflictions arise in us, and we are not happy. We begin distancing ourselves from them, cutting our affinities with them. If we distance ourselves and cut our affinities, they will look at us with resentment and hatred. This may stir up afflictive emotions, so we become hopelessly muddled. So, we often say that the Buddha-Dharma is to be used in daily life. We need to practice the Six Paramitas. To practice the Six Paramitas, we must engage in practice with nothing further, uninterrupted practice, extended practice and practice with reverence. We must be respectful to every person.
So, [we observe] the substance and nature. With everyone’s attitudes and the variety of different external states, we must be very meticulous and observe al phenomena. In dealing with the world, we must be peacefully patient. We should always keep in mind that. “If we have no conflict with other people, people will be at peace. If we have no conflict over matters, matters will be at peace. If we have no conflict with the world, the world will be at peace.” When we are really at peace and at ease, then we have “unwavering deep aspirations.” This is also our cultivating of contemplation and is the wisdom gained from Samadhi.
With these “unwavering deep aspirations, our wisdom will illuminate all manifestations of people and phenomena.” When worldly appearances manifest, if we are able to “observe the substance and nature of phenomena” and be “peacefully patient, with unwavering deep aspirations,” then naturally the mirror of our wisdom, our inner mirror, will be very clean and can reflect all people and phenomena. The worldly appearances of all phenomena will naturally be very clear, for they are reflected by this now clear mirror. This is our nature of True Suchness.
The previous passage describes the circumstantial and direct retributions of Katyayana upon attaining Buddhahood in the future. His land will be a place without the Four Evil Destinies, without the hell, hungry ghost, animal or asura realm. There will only be “a great many heavenly beings and humans and an assembly of Hearers and Bodhisattvas numbering in countless trillions, all dignifying his land.”
Aside from this land being pure, with many treasures, there will also be none of the Four Evil Destinies of the hell, hungry ghost, animal or asura realm. There will be none of these. There will only be kindhearted people, kindhearted heavenly beings and humans who all delight in listening to the Dharma and are willing to form the aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva-path. People like this will dignify that country. Everyone there will be a good person.
The next passage goes on to say, “That Buddha’s lifespan will be 12 small kalpas. Right Dharma will abide for 20 small kalpas. Dharma-semblance will also abide for 20 small kalpas.”
After Katyayana attains Buddhahood, his lifespan will likewise be 12 small kalpas. Right Dharma will also abide for 20 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will be the same. This is [the same] prediction that Kasyapa and Subhuti received regarding their lifespans and transmission of the Dharma. The periods of Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance are the “transmission of the Dharma, the time when the Dharma is spread. This is equal to that of Kasyapa and Subhuti. So, these will be Katyayana’s conditions upon attaining Buddhahood in the future.
The next passage says, “At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke this verse. All you bhiksus must listen with a single mind to what I teach, which is true and never otherwise.”
This is the Buddha’s compassion. For those who had already heard, He repeated Himself again, so all could remember it a little more deeply. Then those who came later could also hear it. They could understand that when Katyayana attains Buddhahood in the future, his land will be like this, and his Dharma-transmission will last this long. These were the practices Katyayana cultivated and the fruits that he will attain. This is why they were repeated again.
“All you bhiksus must listen with a single mind to what I teach which is true and never otherwise.” The Buddha repeatedly admonished them that they must truly listen with reverence. What he was telling them was absolutely true. “He exhorts them to faithfully accept it.” The Buddha here is telling the disciples to be very mindful and to believe what He said. They must believe that in the process of attaining Buddhahood in the future, Katyayana will serve in the presence of and make offerings to 800 billion Buddhas. He will build stupas and temples for them. After such a long time passes, he will then [make offerings] to another two trillion Buddhas.
“[This] is true and never otherwise. This means “the prediction of Katyayana ‘s causes and effect of attaining Buddhahood, the seeds he cultivated and fruits he attained, “was true and as such.” There would not be any discrepancies, and “It would absolutely not be any less or any more.”
Since the Dharma is like this, there would definitely not be any discrepancies. This means the amount was certain, that he will make offerings to that many Buddhas for that amount of time. It will definitely be like this, absolutely not any less or any more. There would not be more; neither would there be less. That much time will have to pass as he engages in spiritual practice.
The next passage says, “This man, Katyayana will use all kinds of wonderful devotional items to make offerings to all Buddhas. After those Buddhas have entered Parinirvana, he will build stupas of the Seven Treasures. He will also use flowers and incense to make offerings to the sariras.
Katyayana’s making offerings to so many Buddhas indicates that it will take him a very long time. When there are Buddhas in the world, he will physically make offerings to and serve those Buddhas. He will respectfully make offerings to Them, reverently making offerings with body and mind. After each Buddha passes, he will build each stupas and make offerings of flowers and incense to them. Similarly, after each Buddha enters Parinirvana, he will keep these places swept and clean. He will dignify these Buddhist stupas and temples, respecting teachers as if they were still there, respecting those Buddhas as if still there. This is the attitude he will employ. These are demonstrations of utmost respect.
This man, Katyayana, will use all kinds of wonderful devotional items to make offerings to all Buddhas: When these Buddhas are in the world, he will with reverence in body and mind diligently practice and make offerings to Them. After those Buddhas have entered Parinirvana, he will build stupas of the Seven Treasures. He will also use flowers and incense to make offerings to the sariras: After those Buddhas have entered Parinirvana, he will sweep and keep these places clean, diligently practice and make offerings.
One day Venerable Katyayana saw an old woman sitting beside the stream sitting beside the stream crying. So, he approached her with the intention of comforting her. “Old woman, why are you crying so miserably?” The old woman replied, “My whole life has been filled with suffering! I am an untouchable, and I work in an elder’s house as a slave. The elder’s treatment of slaves is very harsh. My entire life, from the time I was young, I’ve only had the clothes on my back; you can see how they barely even cover me. That’s to say nothing of three meals a day. My food is filthy leftovers and things that are rancid. My life is hardly different from an animal’s. My entire life has been so miserable that I do not want to go on living.”
After Katyayana listened, with a very gentle tone he said, “Old woman, your life has indeed been filled with suffering! Why don’t you just sell your poverty?”
This old woman raised her head and looked at Venerable Katyayana “How in the world can you sell poverty? Who would buy poverty?”
Katyayana responded, “You can sell it to me.” She said to the Venerable One, “I don’t have anything at all” “How can I sell it to you?” He then replied, “What is it that you have in your hands?” “It is a jar for filtering water. It is a container that I brought here to fill with water.”
Katyayana then said, “By drawing water and offering me some, you will be creating blessings.” If you have such a chance to create blessings, how can you be poor? Understand that suffering is inherent to life. You must endure this lifetime of suffering while constantly thinking of the Dharma, constantly thinking of the Buddha and constantly using your strength to help others. These are your mind’s riches. You have the strength and the riches to make offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha. This is how you can sell your poverty.”
“Very well, I will constantly think of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. I will endure. From my childhood until now in my old age, I have always endured. How could I not be able to endure? I can endure until this life is over and I have eliminated my bad karma. I can often use water to make offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha. This I can do.”
This is how that old woman began selling her poverty. After returning, her every though was of the Buddha and Sangha, and she made daily offering of water to them. One day, when she was at work, after she had emptied all her water, finished all her work and clean the grounds, she sat down. Without illness or pain, she [quietly] passed away. She was reborn in heaven and though “Suddenly I’ve a been born in heaven. This is due to the guidance and teaching of Venerable Kalyayana, so I should express my gratitude to him.” Thus, as Katyayana was sitting in meditation, this heavenly beings proceeded to scatter flowers, prostrate and make offerings out of gratitude to Katyayana for delivering and transforming her.
This was how Venerable Katyayana transformed sentient beings according to their capabilities and conditions and thus delivered others by teachings the Dharma. Look at the old woman, how he calmed her heart and thereby enabled her to patiently endure a lifetime of suffering by giving her the chance to constantly make offerings the Buddha and the Sangha. In doing so, he purified her heart.
This is what we Buddhist practitioners must do. We do not need to seek heavenly blessings. What is most important to us is to be peacefully patient with an immovable mind. Then we can attain wisdom that illuminates all manifestations of people and phenomena and reveals our nature of True Suchness. This is very important. So, let us always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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