Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Chapter on the Conjured City Explains the Past (化城喻品敘因緣)
Date: December.09. 2016
“For those of great capabilities, [the Buddha] taught the Dharma directly in the Chapter on Skillful Means, and Sariputra received a prediction. For those of average capabilities, He taught the analogy of the burning house, with the three carts and the One Vehicle, and the parable of the medicinal plants, for the universality of the Dharma. The four great disciples each received predictions of the magnificence of their kalpas and lands. This is the Buddha’s one great cause.”
The passage reads quite simply, but I hope everyone will think back to the past, beginning with the Introductory Chapter. In the Introductory Chapter, the Buddha emitted light and entered Samadhi. Manjusri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Bodhisattva had a dialogue about the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas of the past, about how every Buddha undergoes infinite kalpas of spiritual practice, hoping our resolve would be firm and steadfast.
The Chapter on Skillful Means tells of how the Buddha, in the past, had been teaching according to capabilities. Sentient beings’ capabilities are not uniform, so the Buddha, out of patience and love, applied His wisdom to teach according to sentient beings’ capabilities and thereby gave the Three Vehicle teachings.
By the time of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha had gathered together the past teachings of the Three Vehicles and told everyone there was only the One Vehicle. The One Vehicle teachings return to wisdom, to the ocean of wisdom. Everyone equally possesses the innate enlightenment of the Buddha.Everyone has it. In the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha “taught the Dharma directly”.
He taught the teachings of wisdom directly, the wisdom of all Dharma, the wisdom of enlightenment and all-encompassing wisdom, profound and vast. This ocean of wisdom was comprehended by Sariputra. In the Chapter on Parables, Sariputra further demonstrated his understanding of the “burning house of the Three Realms”. The Buddha then bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood on him.
Sariputra, after [understanding] the summary in the Chapter on Skillful Means, received a prediction of Buddhahood in the Chapter on Parables. This was because of his superior capabilities. Sariputra received a prediction of Buddhahood, and because Sariputra had received a prediction of Buddhahood, those of average capabilities, like Kasyapa and the others, the four disciples, by the end of the Chapter on Parables, the beginning of the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, had complete faith and understanding. So, they made the analogy of the poor son.
The Buddha, after listening to them, understood that His disciples had truly comprehended and awakened.
So next, the Buddha used the Chapter on Medicinal Plants to further explain that all Dharma is given equally. It is just that people’s capabilities differ. The four great disciples deeply understood that the Dharma is given equally. So, as they had all realized this and were resolved in their faith, the Buddha, in the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, began making predictions for these four disciples, explaining how they would attain Buddhahood, how long a time it would take them, the length of their lifespans, the magnificence of their lands and so forth. We talked about this before; everyone has heard it. This is so important; we must understand this.
Our will to practice must be even more firm. All of us have one great cause. The Buddha, all Buddhas, also have one great cause. We are all the same as the Buddha, but sentient beings’ one great cause is stuck in ignorance.
From a single thought of ignorance, we begin to replicate it unceasingly and continue to stir up even more ignorance.Without any control, we constantly transmigrate in the Six Realms.
This is sentient beings’ one great cause of ignorance.
The Buddha had one great cause, and all Buddhas share the same path.Their one great cause is to be clear and awakened and to open and reveal Their understanding and views so sentient beings can awaked and enter.
Therefore, life after life they never abandon sentient beings.A very long time is needed to accomplish their one great cause.
So, the Buddha had methods for teaching the Dharma.“The cycle of teaching the Dharma” was from the chapter on Skillful Means to the Chapter on Parables.In this time, Sariputra attained deep realizations.
So, “He bestowed a prediction on Sariputra. The cycle of teaching through analogies.” Started with the Chapter on Parables.
After the burning house and the three carts, there was then the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, the Chapter on Medicinal Plants and the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions.
In the analogy of the burning house of the Three Realms, three carts were placed outside so that everyone could escape quickly from that burning house.Then in the Chapter on Faith and understanding, the four disciples stood up to express their realizations.
Then the Buddha began, with the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, to again strengthen everyone’s resolve.
“The problem does not lie with the Dharma. The problem is with your capabilities.”
The Dharma is impartial, but depending on people’s capabilities, their capabilities, their open-mindedness, they can accept different amounts of Dharma.
Even if someone is intelligent, if their level of open-mindedness is not enough, if they do not have he capacity, then it is the same.They hear, and they know, but their capacities are insufficient, so they still cannot apply the Dharma.In the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, He encouraged everyone by telling them, “You should know that the Dharma does not discriminate against you. It is that the capacity of your mind is insufficient, so you could only accept that certain amount.”This is the purpose of the Chapter on Medicinal Plants.
Later, by bestowing predictions, He strengthened their resolve and opened their minds so they could use their great capabilities, great wisdom and great capacities to accept the Dharma.This is the purpose of the Chapter on Medicinal Plants and the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions.
What comes next is “[the cycle of] causes and conditions”.
This is in the Chapters on the Parable of the Conjured City, on the 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions and on Those at and beyond Learning.
After the Buddha gave predictions to those four disciples, He began reassuring everyone that everyone had the chance to attain Buddhahood, that everyone would have the opportunity to receive a prediction.There were still 500 disciples sitting there waiting to receive predictions.
These 500 disciples were all very expectant.
Not only were the 500 disciples expectant, everyone at the Lotus Dharma-assembly was waiting.
So, at the start of the Chapter on the Conjured City, the sutra text reads like this, “The Buddha told all the bhiksus that immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable askankyas of kalpas in eth past, there was once a Buddha with the name. Great Unhindered Superior Wisdom Tathagata.”
The sutra text begins by saying, “The Buddha told all the bhiksus.”
The Chapter on the Conjured City begins by describing past causes and conditions, Sakyamuni Buddha’s own past causes and conditions.
“All the bhiksus” were also known as Aarhats; there were 500 of them.Arhat means “one beyond the stage of learning”.
“When Arhats engage in spiritual practice, they are diligent and courageous, Thus, they are called Arhats.”
Those who had practiced with the Buddha, those Hearers who had attained the fruits, were called Arhats.
Those who only listened to the Buddha’s voice were called Hearers.Those Hearers who had taken the Dharma to heart and had attained the fruits were called Arhats.The meaning of Arhat explained in Chinese is “one beyond the stage of learning.”Those still at the stage of learning were Hearers.
They still had to rely on hearing the Buddha’s voice when He taught.They attained realizations through hearing.
The Arhats had already heard the Dharma and thoroughly understood its meaning, so they were earnest in their spiritual practice.
They no longer needed to listen, for they had already come to understand all of the Small Vehicle teachings.
Regarding the methods of spiritual practice, they had already become quite clear. They understood the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence and so fourth. They are those “beyond the stage of learning”, as they had already realized the fruits.
This is so say that, “When Arhats engage in spiritual practice, they are diligent and courageous, and their minds are never undisciplined. Thus, they are called Arhats”. They are already very clear about the Dharma. The Buddha spoke to these bhiksus of “immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable asankyas of kalpas in the past”.
Time like this is immeasurable! When time is measured in kalpas, the world undergoes many cycles of formation, existence, decay and disappearance. In such a long time, there [is bound to be], formation, existence decay and disappearance.
Immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable asankyas of kalpas in the past: This refers to the number of kalpas that have passed. The time it takes for one world to form and be destroyed is called a kalpa.
We know that “kalpas” indicate very long periods of time. Each of these long periods cover an entire cycle of formation, existence, decay and disappearance. “There was once a Buddha with the name Great Unhindered Superior Wisdom Tathagata”.
A very long time had passed since the time of the Buddha named Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Tathagata.
Great Unhindered is the Buddha’s name. “There is no indication of its origin”. Exactly how long age did that Buddha actually live? It only says “3000 dust-inked kalpas”.
It was so long ago, such a long period of many kalpas ago, that in this world appeared a Buddha called “Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Tathagata”.
3000 dust-inked kalpas ago, a Tathagata appeared in the world with the name Great Unhindered. When this Buddha was still in His lay life, he fathered 16 princes; they took monastic vows and became novices. Having heard the Lotus Sutra from this Buddha, after He entered Samadhi, the 16 novices each ascended the Dharma-throne and repeated the Lotus Sutra before the assembly.
“When this Buddha was still in His lay life, when this Buddha was in the world, the important thing was that He fathered 16 princes, who later became novices. They heard the Lotus Sutra from that Buddha, and after He entered Samadhi, the 16 princes took on the responsibility of spreading the Dharma. These 16 princes, or novices, each began to take the Dharma they received and went throughout all the lands, repeating the Lotus Sutra for sentient beings.
Those 16 princes had become novices; they left the lay life to practice as monastics. Among those 16 princes, the 16th prince, that novice, become a Buddha. It was from that time that He began lifetime after lifetime of spiritual practice until finally becoming a Buddha, our present Sakyamuni Buddha our present Sakyamuni Buddha.
The 16th prince attained Buddhahood as the present day Sakyamuni Tathagata. Those who listened to the 16th novice teach the Dharma are those in today’s assembly. In the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, they had formed affinities with that 16th prince. Therefore today, under Sakyamuni Tathagata, they listen to the Lotus Sutra and thus enter realization and attain the fruits.
“Those who listened to the 16th novice teach the Dharma” is saying that during Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior’s time, when each of those 16 novices went their separate ways to teach the Lotus Sutra and that 16th novice taught it, we who are here now were there in that assembly. “Now” means during the Buddha’s time, but it also refers to our time here and now today.
“They are those in today’s assembly”. It was “in the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, when that 16th novice taught the Lotus Sutra, that we began listening to the Dharma.
So, was that a long time ago? I believe that all of us were perhaps there at that time, listening to the 16th novice teach the Dharma. At that time, we too were part of the assembly. Other, how could it be that now, with all the people who are on this planet, it is only we who can listen to the Dharma?
“Therefore today, under Sakyamuni Tathagata, they listen to the Lotus Sutra and thus enter realization and attain the fruits.” This is in the Chpater on the Conjured City.
Next, the Buddha said, “You all formed affinities there in that assembly and you are here to listen to the Lotus Sutra, so you may more thoroughly understand and now gradually begin to enter into realization.”
We have listened to the Dharma for a long time spent many lifetimes listening to the Dharma and spent lifetimes seeking the Dharma. We have spent lifetime after lifetime listening and have continually formed affinities in this way. So, we have been at this for a long time. It is just that our capabilities and the Dharma we accepted have been meager.We remain with these afflictions in the place where the Five Destinies coexist. This is what we have been doing.
So, let us cherish our conditions, and not only cherish our conditions, but diligently practice. Let us expand our capabilities, accept the Buddha-Dharma and take it to heart, be open-hearted when interacting with others and dealing with matters and shoulder the responsibility.
So, next it says, “There was a Buddha with the name Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior. That Buddha’s wisdom pervades all the ten directions and the Three Periods of Time.” This means His wisdom is vast and encompasses the entire universe. “He understand all, and He sees all.” Of all the teachings and principles, “He penetrates everything completely.” So, He was called Great Unhindered.
“Wisdom Superior refers to how with the wisdom of the Two Vehicles one eliminates [delusions of] views and thinking and transcends the Three Realms” all the way until reaching universal enlightenment.
Because they still had ignorance and delusion, they had to keep practicing. It was not enough to just eliminate their delusions of views and thinking, so they had to spend a very long time to again engage unceasingly in spiritual practice. They had to walk the Bodhisattva-path, the path of training oneself among people, before they could reach “universal enlightenment.”
They still had “a speck of minute ignorance. That means on the Bodhisattva-path, though they may have already they have not reached “supreme” enlightenment. They are still in the stage of Bodhisattvas.
Wisdom Superior: Wisdom superior refers to how with the wisdom of the Two Vehicle and one eliminates [delusion of] views and thinking and transcends the Three Realms and with the wisdom of the Bodhisattvas one eliminates dust-like ignorance outside the Three Realms. Yet in terms of universal enlightenment, one still has a speck of minute ignorance. Only the wisdom of the Buddha is ultimate enlightenment, where the three delusions are totally purified and the two types of birth and death both cease. It is superior to that of the Three Vehicles, so He is called Wisdom Superior.
Only the wisdom of the Buddha is ultimate enlightenment, where the three delusions are totally purified and the two types of birth and death both cease. It is superior to that of the Three Vehicles. He had transcended the Three Vehicles. He had transcended the Two Vehicles, and He had transcended the Bodhisattva Vehicles so He was called Wisdom Superior. This explains His name.
So, besides transcending the Two Vehicles, He had also transcended the Bodhisattva Vehicles and was thus called Wisdom Superior.
In “Tathataga ‘Tatha’ refers to True Suchness.” Every Buddha is endowed with the ten epithets, for They are all replete with the ten virtues. “He journeys on the path of True Suchness and, from the seed, comes to the fruit of achieving perfect enlightenment. So, He is called the “Tathagata.”
In learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must be very clear that in the course of our lives, we will come face to face with countless sentient beings who are suffering. If we do not go through the process of [helping] the many who are suffering in the world, then how will we ever find it possible to achieve any kind of awakening?
We must learn the Buddha’s teachings mindfully. It will take a very long time, and we have to put effort into training ourselves. As long as we are willing, we need not worry about the length of time. As long as we are willing, we need not worry how long the road any be.
When we form an aspiration, if it is the correct thing to do, or the right teaching to learn, then we should just learn it. In summary, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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