Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Cultivating the Foundation of All Virtues (正行精進習眾德本)
Date: December.02. 2016
“As we engage in right practice and diligence, when karma manifests to obstruct our path, we need to encourage ourselves and be vigilant and cautious of fame and wealth. We must be peaceful and unwavering and should further patiently endure. We must know to respect the Buddha-Dharma and cultivate the foundation of all virtues.”
We must be mindful! We may see a person who has excelled in their spiritual practice. In their speech, conduct and interactions, the way they treat people and things, they have open hearts and right mindfulness. Yet we unfortunately also see their karmic forces constantly manifesting.
Some may say, “So and so is such a good practitioner! Why does he encounter difficulties everywhere? So and so does a great job! How could such a thing happen to him?”
In Buddhist teachings, we often hear things like this, as if those who engage in spiritual practice will have a guarantee of complete safety. Actually, if we have a correct view of the Dharma, we understand the law of karmic cause and effect.
In the Buddhist teachings, the Water Repentance tells of Master Wu Da, who was an eminent monk for ten lifetimes. Nevertheless when he manifested again and came to the world after those ten lifetimes, it still only took a single thought, his joy giving way to arrogance. When taking his seat, he bumped his leg slightly, and the wound festered, becoming a human-faced boil. We all know this story. All it took was these causes and conditions; that bond of enmity still existed. Even after ten lifetimes of great effort, was he able to eliminate all of his karma? He could not. All that can be said is that in those ten lifetimes of spiritual practice, he had formed many good affinities. So, after ten lifetimes he was born human again and early on formed aspirations to engage in spiritual practice.
In his spiritual practice, he upheld all the rules and precepts. Then there was one time when he met Venerable Kanaka at a monastery. Although this sick monk smelled very bad, with a severe illness and no one to care for him, Master Wu Da was willing to help him. Thus he nursed [Kanaka] back to health. When Venerable Kanaka was about to leave, he said, “If you have trouble in the future, come find me; I will be at such and such place.” You all already know this story. [Wu Da] continued visiting teachers and engaging in spiritual practice, continued creating good affinities with others. So, his name spread widely and eventually reached the capital. Emperor Yi Zong very ceremoniously invited imperial Preceptor Wu Da to come, but at that time he was still known as Zhi Xuan. Bhiksu Zhi Xuan was invited to the palace, where he conversed with Emperor Yi Zong. Emperor Yi Zong felt this monk to be a unique national treasure, so he offered him a place in the palace. He took him as a teacher, as “Imperial Preceptor.”
In order to show respect for his teacher, he had a chair carved out of sandalwood for him and invited the imperial preceptor to sit upon it. Just seeing this chair, a thought of arrogance suddenly arose in Wu Da. In his joy, he got carried away, so as he turned to seat himself in the chair, he bumped his leg on it. That was all it took to open the door to karma.No matter the treatment,the wound would not heal.It become swollen and ulcerated and turned into a human-faced boil.
He felt very repentant, wondering, “What karma did I create that is obstructing my life’s spiritual practice and causing me so much pain? What karma is this that has not yet been eliminated?”
It was then that an image arose in his mind of Venerable Kanaka.He decided to request leave of the emperor.He would to go to the place between two trees on Jiulong Mountain in Sichuan, for his benefactor would be there.
Sure enough, beneath those two trees, he saw a spiritual practitioner from afar.
When he drew near, Venerable Kanaka welcomed him heartily.He said, “I know the reason you have come. You need not worry. Tomorrow at dawn, I will have a novice accompany you down the mountain for treatment.”
Just like that, by a spring at the foot of the mountain, at this pool of pure water, he scooped some up to wash his leg.But at that time, he heard the sound of a voice.Suddenly it was as if he had returned to ten lifetimes ago in his mind, to the time when Yuan Ang beheaded Chao Cuo.That scene flashed in his mind.
After Yuan Ang beheaded Chao Cuo, Auan Ang left the palace and went to engage in practice deep in the mountains.He maintained strict discipline in his practice.It was then that he began vowing to, lifetime after lifetime, become a monastic and engage in spiritual practice, remaining undefiled by worldly wealth and fame and concentrating single-mindedly on the Dharma.
Although he had gone deep into the mountains to engage in spiritual practice, he had beheaded Chao Cuo and the vengeful ghost of Chao Cuo, that karmic force, still demanded retribution.Yet, his spiritual discipline was so strict that he kept the door to karma tightly shut.So, Chao Cuo could not find a way to enter.It went on like this for ten lifetimes; there was never a chance for retribution.
Then in this lifetime, as Wu Da, as Bhiksu Zhi Xuan, when he was doted on by the emperor, an arrogant thought arose in him.So, the door to karmic obstructions opened up.Thus, “Karma manifested to obstruct this path.”
What obstructed his path was his arrogant mind.This led his karma to manifest.
Fortunately, he had Venerable Kanaka.In the process of his engaging in practice with nothing further, as he engaged in uninterrupted spiritual practice, he never lost [a chance] to create blessings.He cared for others, so he was able to be saved.This is why we must always heighten our vigilance.
So, “We need to encourage ourselves and be vigilant and cautious of fame and wealth.”
We must put our efforts into encouraging ourselves and heightening our vigilance.In our spiritual practice, everything we do becomes ours.With the karma we ourselves created in the past, we must now likewise accept [the retributions].We now need to be very careful and always create good affinities with others, We must always be “peaceful and unwavering and further patiently endure”.
Perhaps in a past lifetime, or in an interpersonal relationship, or in interacting with others, there was something that did not go our way, or someone who bullied us, or spread rumors about us or so on, or was malicious, or jealous of us, so facing this we must be very magnanimous and remain peaceful and unwavering.We need to remain peaceful.
All afflictions are like a wind of ignorance.
Once it blows, it will pass.There is no need to retain this ignorance in our minds.We “must know to respect the Buddha-Dharma,” must understand and respect the Buddha-Dharma.
We should always intently.Keep the Buddha’s teachings in our minds.Even if the Dharma is lightly taught, we must intently take into our hearts, must pay great attention to it and respect it.
So, “We must know to respect the Buddha-Dharma and cultivate the foundation of all virtues.”We should constantly train our virtue; we must cultivate virtue.How do we learn the principles by going among people?
How do we respect the principles? This must be expressed in our mind and body. We have taken the Dharma to heart, but we still need to express it in our actions. This is the foundation of all virtues.
Even for me, while you are out here every morning paying your respects to the Buddha, I am also in the Buddha Hall paying my respects. I too dare not become lax. The morning recitation is our fundamental duty, the duty of all Buddhist spiritual practitioners. If we hear the sound of the chanting, of the bell, of the drum and of the sutras being recited, all with such a dignified manner, just what are we still doing in [our rooms]? Are we still harboring pride and arrogance? We should respect the Buddha-Dharma and earnestly cultivate the foundation of our virtues.
If we cannot respect the Buddha-Dharma, then how will we be able to respect others? So, we should put our efforts into beings mindful. Otherwise, karmic retributions can be terrifying. We must place great importance on predictions of causes and effects. During our process of spiritual practice, we must never overlook this. So, the Six Paramitas and the Four Practices are the things we must abide by. There are also precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, the Three Flawless Studies, as well as listening, contemplating and practicing. There are all thing we must practice. As the Buddha gave predictions, these were all emphasized one by one.
So, the previous [sutra] passage states, “[He] will meet 8000 and then 200 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones. For the sake of the path to Buddhahood, he will make offerings with reverence. In the presence of all Buddhas, he will constantly cultivate Brahma-conduct”.
Maudgalyayana will attain Buddhahood in the future. But [first] he “will meet 8000 and then 200 trillion Buddhas, World-Honored Ones”. In order to cultivate the Buddha-Dharma, “for the sake of the path to Buddhahood”, in order to cultivate the Buddha-Dharma and continue the Buddha’s Dharma-lineage, he will make reverent offerings and serve those Buddhas. Then he must still cultivate Brahma-conduct so that mentally and physically he is very pure.
The next passage says, “For infinite kalpas, he will uphold the Buddha-Dharma. After all those Buddhas enter Parinirvana, he will build stupas of the Seven Treasures with high markers and golden poles and use flowers, fragrance and music to make offerings at the stupas and temples of all Buddhas”.
This is the process of making offerings. In making offerings to those Buddhas, he has to be very pure both mentally and physically. This will take a long time of practice, of upholding the Buddha-Dharma. How long will it take? “Kalpas”; we are always speaking about kalpas.
A “kalpa” refers to a very long time. “Over many years, he will revere accept and uphold the Buddha’s Right Dharma”.
In human years, this would be difficult to calculate; it is such a very long time. It is so long it would be difficult to measure. This is how long we must engage in practice. Our minds must forever remain, even through countless kalpas, completely unwavering.
In this way, kalpas after kalpa, the time continually accumulates.
So, in terms of time, there is Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration. However, it will take Maudgalyayana a very long time before he will attain Buddhahood.
So, “The preceding explained what he will do in the presence of Buddhas. Now it states what he will do after these Buddhas enter Parinirvana”. He will make offerings to and serve those Buddhas during Their lifetimes. After those Buddhas enter Parinirvana, “He will build stupas of the Seven Treasures”.
After those Buddhas enter Parinirvana, he will continue, no different from when the Buddhas are in the world. After those Buddhas enter Parinirvana, although They will no longer be present and it will be impossible to serve them in person, he will still be very reverent. He will use the Seven Treasures, those gems and treasures, to build stupas and make offerings to the sariras.
[The stupas had] “high markers, golden poles”. This indicates that the stupas are built very high.
“Poles” refers to temples, to places with spiritual practitioners. It can refer to temples or stupas.
Stupas are where sariras of the Buddha are kept. Temples or abodes are where people engage in spiritual practice. So, here it says “poles”.
We can see now in Nepal, originally one of Nepal’s historical buildings was a very, very white building with a very tall pole, and something circular at the very top. At the very top there is an alms bowl. That alms bowl is made of gold and is fixed upon the very top, so that when the sun shines upon it, the gold sparkles in the sun. That is why it is called a “golden pole”.
It indicates that the Buddha’s sariras are inside. The Buddha’s sariras are at the very top of the stupas. Then on top there is a very long thing rising up. This represents the highest point.So,these are “poles”.
Though a temple may be tall, there is still a pole in front of it that is even taller than the temple. These are the “poles that mark a temple.” They represent the manifestation of virtue. This is the Buddha-Dharma at its highest point.
So, “They are to lead those who are lost to know their way back. Gold is used to build these poles and to dignify the prayer halls and abodes.”
These very tall structures are like signs, showing that the Buddha-Dharma is a refuge for sentient beings, a place where the principles are brought together, which can lead those who have lost their way.
“Here it says ‘high markers, golden poles, to refer to a pole covered with a bowl on top of the stupa.” There is a bowl held up by a pole; there is a pole, a long pole rising up.
Here it says “high markers, golden poles to refer to a pole covered with a bowl on top of the stupa that serves as a marker of the stupa. They are made of gold. These stupas are 1000 yojanas in height; we can know from this how high the marker is.
This is to let everyone know that there is a temple here, that these are spiritual practitioners here, that the Buddha-Dharma is here. Wherever there are spiritual practitioners, the Buddha-Dharma will also be there. “A pole covered with a bowl on to of stupa. This indicates the Buddha’s sariras are inside.
“They are made of gold. These stupas are 1000 yojanas in height.” These means they are very tall.
“We can know from this how high the marker is.” This lets us know how tall, how high it is.
Another way of referring to“ a stupa is with ‘the temple pole made of gold.’” These poles are very tall. “These are the nine wheels atop stupas.” There are Dharma-wheel there, wheel like temple Dharma-wheel on [top og the pole]. “These poles also refer to Buddha-realms.” This shows it is a Buddhist place, that the Buddha- Dharma is there.
[It could mean] a Braham-realm, a very pure place. This was the custom of lands to the west, meaning the custom of those lands west of China, which was [ancient] India. So, it says “the custom of lands to the west.”
This is saying that in India, according to their customs, “Poles are erected in high places. On top of them, bones of the Buddha were placed. Therefore, it talks about poles. Poles can also be used to refer to stupas.” These are also “golden poles.”
“[He will] use flowers, fragrance and music to make offerings at the stupas and temples of all Buddhas.” These buildings were built everywhere so that everyone could make offerings there. There was music there.
So, in “fragrance and flowers,” fragrance represents the most reverent offering, a most beautiful thing. We use what we love the most to make offerings to the Buddha, such as performance, dance, music and so on. At the stupa holding sariras, a stupa of treasures, they would dedicate dances, performances and music as a way of making offerings there.
So, as Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful. This is how it was done in the past, but now in our modern era as we listen to the Buddha-Dharma, we must truly put our hearts into being diligent. When principles disappear from people’s hearts, people become undisciplined and out of control, with no respect for the principles. Their actions become arrogant. This is why modern people are more reckless.
The Buddha-Dharma can remain only when our hearts reverently accept it, only when our bodies reverently respect it.
Time is always passing and this evil world of Five Turbidities is like a wave. It is just like tsunamis, coming one after another. We must heighten our vigilance, be self-disciplined and reverent.
So, let is encourage ourselves. “We need to encourage ourselves.” We should encourage ourselves and be self-disciplined. We must not allow fame and wealth to delude us and cause us to forget about rules and propriety. So, let all of us always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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