Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Never Retreating from the Buddha’s Wisdom(於佛智慧皆不退轉)
Date: December.06. 2016
“The Buddha is the great, compassionate father of the world. He manifests in this world of endurance, among the Five Destinies, to be the great guiding teacher. For more than 40 years He taught according to capabilities; finally He taught the One True Vehicle. In the end, He bestowed predictions and bore witness that they would attain Buddhahood in the future.”
The Buddha is the great, compassionate father of the world. You see, the Buddha came to the world to deliver and transform sentient beings. So, while He was in the world, He lived just like others in the world. This human realm is called the world of endurance, the world where the Five Destinies coexist. What are the Five Destinies? The Five Destinies are the Five Realms. Everybody should know the Five Realms; these are the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. These are called the Five Realms. Another name for them is the Five Destinies. These are five inclinations, or five paths.
The Five Destinies and the Five Realms have the same meaning. Why are there these Five Destinies or Five Realms? They come from us sentient beings, determined by the tendencies of our minds. When thoughts of goodness are in our hearts, our minds move in the direction of heaven. This is because if our thoughts are good, then our actions undoubtedly will be good. So, with good thoughts, we create good karma. When we have done this enough, we are then reborn in the heaven realm.
If, as a person, we abide by the precepts, keep to moral propriety and follow human ethics, we head in the direction of the human realm. We will retain our human form and will not descend into the hell, hungry ghost or animal realm. If thoughts of evil arise and we do not maintain our human morality, but commit many evil and unfitting deeds, then this is the path to the hell realm.
If we commit all of the Ten Evils, or the unfilial [evils] and so on, then that is definitely the path to the hell realm. Or, when we are human, we may only be concerned with our own benefit, unwilling to give or help others. We see others as they suffer, but our hearts remain unmoved. This is only caring about ourselves, being unwilling to help others. We just have unending greed, like someone who keeps eating but never feels full. We remain forever unsatisfied. When we cannot be satisfied in life and always want more for ourselves, our future retribution will be descent into the hungry ghost realm.
The animal realm is completely devoid of morality. Animals have no sense of propriety or shame. If we do not act as we should as humans, then we will descend into the animal realm. We can see that animals live this way. These are the Five Realms; when learning and practicing the Buddha-Dharma, we must clearly understand that our direction among the Five Destinies and Five Realms stems from our thoughts.
The sutras often speak of cyclic existence in the Six Realms.This is with the addition of the asura realm.When we speak of the Five Realms, it is because asuras can be found throughout the Five Realms.
When the Buddha formed aspirations and made vows to come to the world, He chose this place where the Five Destinies coexist.
Sakyamuni Buddha, in His compassion, could not bear to see sentient beings suffer, so He came to teach us, to be our guiding teacher.
We must always be grateful for this.The Buddha taught us because He worried we would remain unawakened.Our habitual tendencies, in an instant, give rise to ignorance.
All of us have five kinds of mental ailments, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt.The first three, greed, anger and ignorance, are very subtle and intricate.
So, we say “One ignorance thought creates the Three Subtleties.”
These are very subtle and intricate.With greed, we see something and want it, and when we want it, our pure nature of True Suchness becomes caught up in those thoughts, in those appearances.Our eyes encounter external objects.We see jewelry or treasures and greed arises.
We see someone with a charming demeanor, and their appearance brings us joy, so we wish to pursue this person.This is all due to an appearance, which impresses itself upon the mind.We start thinking how to attain it, then we take action.This is the seed that we cultivate.
How can we obtain it?We wrack our brains, and in doing so, we bury our conscience.
Thus we commit many evil deeds.So, evil thoughts begin with thoughts of greed.If we strive to obtain something, but we fail, we get angry.Then our conscience is also lost.
It is when anger arises that we resort to force, trying to snatch that thing or intentionally seize it.In the end, we commit many acts that go against the Dharma.
So, in the place where the Five Destinies coexist, the turbidities of people’s minds are severe.Thus, the mind’s impurity is enacted in the world.The turbidity of the human realm has already permeated the universe.
So, the Five Destinies co-exist here.The Buddha came to the world to be our great guiding teacher.If people’s minds are not tamed, it is impossible for them to be transformed.
So, for more than 40 years, the Buddha [taught] in the world.From the time He attained Buddhahood until He entered Parinirvana, for 49 years.He continually taught sentient beings according to their capacities.Sentient beings are often slow or selfish, so the Buddha did this for 49 years.
For nearly 50 years, He worked very hard.
However in the end the Buddha revealed the Dharma of the One True Vehicle.
“You practice of the Small Vehicle in the past has not been enough. You must strengthen your faith, strengthen your power of practice. You must increase the capacity of your mind to be more open and spacious. You must increase your forward progress to go among people.”This was in the Buddha’s later years.
He truly made a great consolidation of the Buddhist teachings, explaining that everyone could attain Buddhahood.No one should remain stuck only within that limited scope, unwilling to take on these responsibilities.
Everyone must immediately begin taking on these responsibilities and increasing their strength.So, more than 40 years had passed.
[He only had] 49 years, so He returned to the One True Vehicle Dharma.This was to strengthen [their practice].
“In the end, He bestowed predictions and bore witness.”
When He was preparing to enter Parinirvana, He explained these things to His disciples, that they must strengthen their ability, earnestly form great aspirations and make great vows.They must let go of afflictions and only move forward, going among people with a heart of forgiveness, gratitude, love and respect.By going among people with this mindset, they will certainly reach Buddhahood in the future.
See, when He bestowed predictions of Buddhahood, He always talked about how they would need to practice for a long time.
“The result is predicted from the cause, ” so we must remember how to cultivate the causes.Even if there are many difficulties in the world, many troubles in the place where the Five Destinies coexist, even if in the future the turbidity grows heavier and human morality deteriorates more and more, that is precisely why it is more necessary to train people to have great capabilities, train them to take on responsibility and carry on this mission must be trained.
These kinds of disciples must all awaken their Buddha-nature. Everyone is a future Buddha. So, we must make offerings to many Buddhas, nurture and develop many people. Everyone is a future Buddha; everyone is the seed of a great tree. One comes from infinity; infinity arises from one. As long as a single seed succeeds, it can go on to transform infinite Bodhisattvas. These were predictions of their future circumstantial retributions.
In their lands, each of them will lead their land. Whether Venerable Kasyapa, Subhuti, Katyayana or Maudgalyayana, the Buddha predicted the lands that they will attain in the future. They will continually teach the Dharma there, and the people there will all have great wisdom. They will all earnestly listen to the Dharma. These people who will earnestly listen to the Dharma [in the future], are those who, during the Buddha’s time, formed good affinities with His disciples. However, many the disciples form affinities with, they will be those who follow them in the future. They must have this mindset with all people.
So, as we have mentioned previously, “He constantly teaches heavenly beings and humans the path to Buddhahood. There are Hearers as countless as the sands of the Ganges with the Three Insights, Six Spiritual Powers, great might and virtue. There are innumerable Bodhisattvas who practice diligently with a firm resolve”.
This is in the future, after Maudgalyayana attains Buddhahood. The Sentient beings that he transforms will begin to reach attainment there. Their affinities will cause them all to gather in that land, to live and listen to the Dharma together.
The next passage says, “With the wisdom of the Buddha, none of them will retreat. After that Buddha enters Parinirvana, the Right Dharma will abide for 40 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will be the same”.
This Buddha is Maudgalyayana in the future, “Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Tathagata”.
Do you remember Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Tathagata? The land of his circumstantial retribution will be magnificent. In particular, his lifespan there will be 24 small kalpas. This was mentioned previously.
In his land, at that time, the Right Dharma will abide for 40 small kalpas. The Buddha-Dharma will flourish in that land. These are his direct retributions; it will be such a long time. It will last for 40 small kalpas. Right Dharma will abide in that land for 40 kalpas.
In our Saha world, Right Dharma only lasted 500 years. The Dharma that the Buddha passed down, from the time He entered the world through the time after He entered Parinirvana lasted only 500 years. You see, with Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Buddha, in His land, Right Dharma will last for 40 small kalpas.
“And Dharma-semblance will be the same”. Dharma-semblance will also last that long. We can see that in that land, there will be many Hearers and Bodhisattvas. All will be good people with great aspirations. All will reverently uphold the Buddha-Dharma, so Right Dharma will last a long time there.
Thus, the sutra says, “With the wisdom of the Buddha none of them will retreat”.
With the wisdom of the Buddha, none of them will retreat: With the extremely profound wisdom that the Buddha realized, all of them will be able to advance forward and attain a state of never retreating. The Buddha’s wisdom is the unobstructed wisdom of liberation. This is the resultant wisdom. This wisdom is perfect, radiant and decisive.
During the era of Right Dharma they were taught to continually form Bodhisattva-aspirations and to “practice diligently with a firm resolve”. The continually practiced diligently like this until they could take the Buddha’s wisdom to heart.
So, “None will retreat. With the extremely profound wisdom that the Buddha realized…”. We now listen to the Buddha-Dharma. Though the Buddha is no longer in the world, His Dharma kaya is still in the world. After we have heard and understood, we must delve deeply into the wisdom of the Buddha-Dharma.
By talking the wisdom of the Dharma to heart, we achieve realizations; we can verify it. We can verify the truth of the Buddhas-Dharma. We can verify it in the depths of our minds. Thus, “All of them will be able to advance forward”. We naturally advance forward, diligently, step by step. With firm will to practice, we are diligent until we “attain a state of never retreating”. Then, naturally, whatever the circumstances and with whomever we encounter, our minds will remain uninfluenced, for our will to practice is firm. When dealing with people and matters, when it comes to our attitude and so on, we must continually form good affinities, earn people’s trust and never cause them to doubt us.
If they begin to doubt us, we must immediately engage in self-reflection and self-scrutiny, for it is only by gaining the trust of others that our teachings can be imprinted on their minds. Those who earn others’ trust are those who truly spread the Dharma.
“The Buddha’s wisdom is the unobstructed wisdom of liberation.” This is the resultant wisdom. What we are learning now are all causes. What we now listen to are all “causes.” As we listen, we must be very mindful, so that after we hear the Dharma, we take it to heart. This Dharma we believe in will not be influenced by other things.
Thus, it is unobstructed. We have already taken the Dharma to heart, so it remains uninfluenced and unobstructed. This is the wisdom of liberation.
No matter how complicated the external circumstances may be, we remain uninfluenced by the external factors of people, matters or objects. This is the wisdom of liberation.
“This is the resultant wisdom.” This is the wisdom that come from listening to the Dharma and engaging in spiritual practice. It is known as resultant wisdom.
“This wisdom is perfect, radiant and decisive, which means that our understanding of the Dharma is perfect and complete.” Moreover, It is radiant and decisive, so we are able to make decisions. We know how to do get things done. We are decisive and resolute. This is something we can achieve. Yet we must be in harmony as well. We should be in harmony when handing matters. We must be harmonious when we take on worldly matters.
Only when matters are harmonious should we announce what we will do. This is how we make decisions, by making decisions in harmony. This is wisdom.
We must observe whether causes and conditions have matured. Then we are able to make a decision. This is how to achieve harmony in worldly matters.
“After that Buddha enters Parinirvana, Right Dharma will abide for 40 small kalpas, and Dharma-semblance will be the same.”
This says that Dharma-semblance will also abide for 40 small kalpas. Since Right Dharma will abide for 40 small kalpas, Dharma-semblance will also be 40 small kalpas;
Dharma-semblance will also abide in this world for 40 kalpas. This is praising His transmission of the Dharma. Everything prior was bestowing predictions on the disciples with average capabilities. These predictions were now complete.
So, this is taking about the duration of Dharma In the land of Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance, His teachings will be transmitted for a long time.The Buddha bestowed predictions on him for his transmission of the Dharma Right Dharma will be transmitted in that land, in that era, for such a long time. These were the Buddha’s predictions for those disciples with average capabilities. These disciples were of average capabilities. They were not of limited capabilities Sariputra, Maudgalyayana, Kasyapa, Subhuti and Katyayana were all of average capabilities. Those with average capabilities still only practice to awaken themselves, but have thoroughly understood the Buddha-Dharma. It is just that they have not yet formed great aspirations to go among people. There were average capabilities. There were still Bodhisattvas above them, for Bodhisattvas were the ones with great capabilities whom the Buddha wished to teach.
So, He led those of average capabilities up to the level of great capabilities, and they had started to form aspirations.The Buddha confirmed for them that they will attain Buddhahood in the future. What will their lands be like, and how long will they exercise the Dharma? How long will Right Dharma last? How long will Dharma-semblance be? These will be very long times.
For Maudgalyayana, the transmission of the Dharma will be twice as long as the ones before. The openness and spaciousness of Maudgalyayana’s is evident. He devoted himself to going among people and forming good affinities with them. He had formed so many good connections that allowed the Buddha-Dharma to flourish. He was truly a good disciple of the Buddha.
So, we should put effort into being mindfull. We must perfect benefiting ourselves while benefiting others and thus attain Buddhahood. To do so, we must truly study and learn the path that the Buddha walked. Thus, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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