Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Destroy Delusions to Attain Great Wisdom (破惑證真得大智慧)
Date: November.28. 2016
“To cultivate contemplation and be free of illusive thoughts is known as Samadhi. To purify the Threefold Karma and be free from transgressions is to fulfill the teachings of the precepts. To destroy delusions and realize the truth is to attain the Dharma of great wisdom. To eliminate both afflictions and tendencies is to attain the Dharmakaya of liberation.”
We must take good care of our thoughts. We all know about “cultivating contemplation.” This is when the mind is concentrated and settled. Our direction must be correct, and we must earnestly engage in contemplation. If we can do this, then we can be free of illusive thoughts. This is Samadhi. Otherwise, in our daily living we will have interpersonal conflicts, and people, matters and objects will trouble our minds on a daily basis. As we encounter interpersonal conflicts in life, we need to cultivate contemplation and put effort into understanding how people get along with each other. Thus, we should be grateful to others instead of criticizing them. We should not see ourselves as perfect. We should constantly examine ourselves and ask, “Have I made any mistakes?” This is true cultivation of contemplation. Otherwise, we will constantly only see other people’s faults. Or, when we see something that upsets us, while working with others we will give rise to illusive thoughts; this must not happen. We must take good care of ourselves. If we want to be free from illusive thoughts, we must practice cultivating contemplation. Cultivating contemplation is solely for ourselves. We must constantly remain vigilant of ourselves. Our minds should remain settled and tranquil. We should not allow others to disturb our minds. This requires us to earnestly take care of others’ hearts in daily living. If we can do this, then we “purify the Threefold Karma and become free from transgressions.”
What is the Threefold Karma? It is the karma of body, speech and mind. The actions of our body, our behavior, must be disciplined. What is most important is our mind. As our thoughts arise, we must not let external conditions affect us and elicit greed, anger or delusion. So, we must constantly cultivate contemplation and control our Threefold Karma. We want our Threefold Karma to be pure. Making our Threefold Karma pure depends on our cultivation of contemplation. Only by cultivating contemplation can our Threefold Karma be purified. Then we can be free from transgressions. Our mistakes, faults and transgressions all come from our body, speech and mind. This is how we transgressions in our Threefold Karma. If our Threefold Karma is pure, if we make no mistakes in our speech, if our actions are not deviant, if our thoughts are not deluded, if everything we do is positive, how would we commit faults? How would we possibly transgress? We would not.
So, in this way we “fulfill the teachings of the precepts.” If we are disciplined and follow the precepts in our daily living, we will not go off track in our behavior. Thus, we can “fulfill the teachings of the precepts.”
“To destroy delusions and realize the truth is to attain the Dharma of great wisdom.” In seeking and attaining wisdom, we must destroy delusions. We must destroy deviant and illusive thoughts; these are delusions. “Delusions” are all our ignorance and afflictions. These are called “delusions.” This means not understanding the principles of the world. Not only will we lack understanding of them, but our every action will deviate and become a transgression. It is because ignorance and delusions are defiling our minds that we transgress and make mistakes, thereby multiplying our afflictions.
Now, as we have begun listening to the Dharma and have attained understanding, we must constantly remain vigilant. We must stay focused and cultivate contemplation. We want to be free from illusive thoughts. When our Threefold Karma is pure, we will continually get rid of afflictions and delusions. When we have gotten rid of the defilements of ignorance and afflictions, our minds naturally become pure, and we naturally realize the truth. When ignorance and afflictions are all swept away, our nature of True Suchness will manifest. “To destroy delusions and realize the truth is to attain the Dharma of great wisdom.”
Through the Dharma of compassion and wisdom, the teachings of compassion and wisdom, [our pure nature] reveals itself. Everyone inherently has kind thoughts. Kind thoughts are our innocent nature. We inherently have undefiled wisdom. We inherently have pure, undefiled great love. All of us truly are replete with these, but we must first destroy delusion in order to be able to realize the truth.
So, “To eliminate both afflictions and tendencies is to attain the Dharmakaya of liberation.” This is the body of the Dharma; we will attain “the Dharmakayaya of liberation.” Precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberation’s understanding and views make up the Fivefold Dharmakaya. We need to put effort into mindfully practicing [these]. Our strength comes from being single-minded. By freeing ourselves from illusive thoughts and attaining precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, we can then purify our Threefold Karma. We will then have a means to get rid of all ignorance and illusive thoughts; we will then be able to attain the Dharmakaya, which is our nature of True Suchness.
Throughout this process we must not have hindrances or attachments.
If in our daily living, whatever happens, good or bad, we continually keep these things in our hearts, this is also ignorance. Every day we must clear away our ignorance and habitual tendencies. This is the true goal of spiritual practice.
The previous sutra passage states, “After all these Buddhas enter Parinirvana, he will build stupas and temples for each, with heights of 1000 yojanas and widths and lengths precisely equal, 500 yojanas. Gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, chalcedony, pearl and rose [stone], the Seven Treasures, will be used to build them.”
This is the same as the conditions described for Venerable Kasyapa and Subhuti previously. This is how Maudgalyayana will attain Buddhahood. He will use these many things as offerings to. Buddhas both when They are in the world and after They have crossed into Parinirvana. In the process, he had to make all these offerings. All are of the Seven Treasures; all are precious. These demonstrate making offerings with utmost sincerity.
Next, it says, “All kinds of flowers, strings of jewels, fragrant oils, scented powders, incense, silken canopies and hanging banners will be used as offerings. After this, he will further make offerings to 200 trillion Buddhas, also, in the same way.”
He first needed to make offerings to 8000 Buddhas. This is the process Maudgalyayana will go through before he attains Buddhahood in the future. He will first go through making all kinds of offerings to 8000 Buddhas with respect and reverence.
After all these Buddhas have entered Parinirvana, he will also build stupas and temples for each. So, “all kinds of flowers, strings of jewels, fragrant oils, scented powers, incense,” many kinds of flowers and incense, will be used in constructing stupas and temples.
This means he uses many flowers, fragrant flowers, or fragrant woods and so on. He will use these to decorate and make offerings. So, “fragrant oils, scented powders, incense” and “silken canopies” will be used as decorations. “Hanging banners” and so on will be used to decorate and create a magnificent environment, which will also be very clean. This all shows the reverence of one’s heart. In ways like this, he will do all he can to make offerings.
“After this” refers to when each Buddha has left the world. Then “He will further make offerings to 200 trillion Buddhas.” He will [make offerings to] 8000 Buddhas, and after each Buddha he will repeat those offerings. After that, there are still 200 trillion more Buddhas.
With each of these Buddhas he will likewise make offerings in the same way. Clearly there are quite a lot of Buddhas. In the past, there were 8000 Buddhas, and after, there are 200 trillion more Buddhas. Clearly, this will take a long time. There are truly many things to be done, so he will need much perseverance in expressing his reverence and respect.
Thus, “All kinds of flower, strings of jewels….” He will use all kinds of precious flowers and strings of jewels. Whether it is treasures from the earth or treasures from the bottom of the sea, all these decorations will be used as offerings. Strings of jewels are jade threaded together. Whether these things are placed upon the ground, or whether they are hung, or [placed] wherever, all of them are treasures.
“Fragrant oils, scented powders, incense, all of these things are purifying. All help to [purify] our environment, so that when we enter [a room], it is fragrant. After polishing the floors, we burn powdered incense, which gives off smoke. We often burn incense in the form powders or sticks to demonstrate our reverence.
“Fragrant oils” are purifying; they make people feel the environment is clean and that the atmosphere is fragrant. This represents reverence when worshipping the Buddha. “Fragrant oils can cleanse defilements and eliminate fiery afflictions.” “Scented powders” are finely ground incense. “Incense” is a “devotional item”. It enhances the atmosphere of reverence. The merits and virtues we cultivate spread everywhere around us. So, when we light this incense, its fragrance wafts far and wide. This demonstrates our reverence.
“Silken canopies and hanging banners” are made of cloth. The highest quality silk and cotton are used. People use silk and cotton to weave fabrics. These are “silken canopies and hanging banners.” Now, in many old temples, they have “silken canopies and hanging banners.” Silken canopies block the sun. Hanging banners blow in the wind. When they flutter in the wind, they create a kind of atmosphere. This is a way of making offerings. When we want to create a very wholesome atmosphere, we use these to make offerings.
“[These] will be used as offerings. Before those Buddhas are born and after They enter Parinirvana, this is how he makes offerings.” As he makes offerings in so many ways, he is expressing, “Even if they are the world’s most precious things, I will reverently part with them. I will give these things as offerings.” This is what this means.
“After this, he will further make offerings to 200 trillion Buddhas, also in the same way.” He does this while They are alive and does the same after They enter Parinirvana. How Maudgalyayana makes offerings to all Buddhas and the way he made offerings to the 8000 Buddhas in the past will be the same. He will make offerings to the 200 trillion Buddhas in the same way. Just like with the 8000 Buddhas in the past, in the same way, he will demonstrate his respect by making offerings.
In the next passage, it again says, “He will attain Buddhahood.” It should be certain that Maudgalyayana will attain Buddhahood in the future, but he has to go through a very long time of reverently making offerings to the Buddhas. His mind is determined, and he never makes even the slightest mistake. That is how reverent his mind is “He will attain Buddhahood, and his epithets will be Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, the Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans and Buddha, the World-Honored One.”
When Venerable Maudgalyayana attains Buddhahood in the future, his epithet will be, “Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Tathagata.” This will be his epithet in the future. [Ta-amala-bhadra] “means a sage of undefiled nature. In the future this Buddha’s name will mean “a sage of undefiled nature.” He will be pure in body and mind. The result predicted from the cause. Through the process of spiritual practice, he will be without defilements, and his mind will be very pure.
“Sandalwood fragrance” means he purities defilements. “Tamalapatra” means undefiled. “Sandalwood fragrance” means purifying defilements. His mind will be completely purified. Sandalwood emits a fragrance. It eliminates defilements and is very fragrant.
He will attain Buddhahood, and his epithet will be Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance: Tamalapatra: [Ta-amala-bhadra] means a sage of undefiled nature. Sandalwood Fragrance: It can purify defilements. This is an analogy for the wondrous fragrance of his spiritual powers, wisdom, merits and virtues which will pervade the Dharma-realms to permeate sentient beings’ roots of goodness. Thus he has this name.
“This is an analogy for spiritual powers, wisdom.” His spiritual powers were attained through the process of his spiritual practice. Among the ten great disciples of the Buddha, Maudgalyayana was “foremost in spiritual powers.” Not only was he foremost in spiritual powers, he was also filled with wisdoms. He was replete with spiritual powers and wisdom, with the fragrance of merit and virtue. The fragrance of his accumulated merit and virtue was recognized by everyone; they all knew him.
Madgalyayana had the “wondrous fragrance of merits and virtues.” His virtue was renowned; everyone had heard of it. It pervaded the Dharma-realms. This is the Buddha he will become in the future. From Maudhalyayana’s cause of spiritual powers and the merits and virtues he would accumulate, when he attain Buddhahood in the future, he will have the epithet “Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance [Tathagata].” This will be Maudgaiyayana’s epithet when he attains Buddhahood in the future. This is the cause we should practice.
“In the causal ground, he was foremost in spiritual powers.” Because of the cause which he practiced, in the causal ground he was foremost in spiritual powers; “so it was predicted that when he attains Buddhahood in the future, his epithet will be Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Tathagata.” This refers to “the fragrance of undefiled nature.” The purity of his mind’s nature will be revealed.
“With this fragrance, he never strays from this, thus he reaches that He never abandons the causes, thus he fulfills the conditions. All noble beings, when they attain Buddhahood, have different epithets, as the fruits are inseparable from their causes.”
This is virtue, the fragrance of virtue. By the time of the Buddha’s era, he had already practiced in this way. After serving 8000 Buddhas, he will then serve another 200 trillion Buddhas, constantly accumulating [causes] right up until his final incarnation, when he will attain Buddhahood.
“He never abandons the causes, thus he fulfills the conditions.” The result attained is inseparable from the cause. He continually accumulates his causes. “He never abandons the causes, thus he fulfills the conditions.” Causes and conditions [lead to] effects and retributions. This is how he will practice, by accumulating so many conditions. By accumulating these, “All noble beings, when they attain Buddhahood, have different epithets.”
It is the same for every Buddha; each person practices their own individual causes, so everyone person’s result in attaining Buddhahood differs. So, in the law of karmic cause and effect, “The fruits are inseparable from their causes.” The result is inseparable from the cause. So, when he attains Buddhahood, this will be his epithet.
He is also endowed with the ten epithets, “Tathagata, 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.” These are the ten epithets he will have upon attaining Buddhahood. So, we should put effort into being mindful, for only then can we cultivate contemplation, eliminate illusive thinking and remain in Samadhi until we finally manifest the Fivefold Dharmakaya. This should be the direction of our practice. We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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