Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Buddhas Share the Same Mind, Thoughts and Path (諸佛說法心思道同)
Date: December. 30. 2016
“We must know that all Buddhas teach the Dharma with the same mind, thoughts and path. In the Introductory Chapter, Manjusri related how in the past he had transmitted the light of Lamp, [Radiant] and transformed many disciples. Now they all had attained Buddhahood and were transforming sentient beings. Venerable Sakyamuni described His past and how He continued the path of Wisdom Superior Buddha.”
All Buddhas share the same path; we need to understand this. Since ancient times, beginningless kalpas ago, all Buddhas who taught the Dharma in this world all spread the Dharma in the same way. Every Buddha expounds the Dharma with the same mindset, “with the same mind, thoughts and path.” It is all for the sake of sentient beings.
Due to sentient beings’ afflictions and ignorance, they create such severe karma. All Buddhas are awakened; They are the Enlightened Ones. Enlightened Ones have become one with the principles of all things in the world. This is the ultimate truth. Enlightened Ones with ultimate truth all have the same mind and thoughts. All Buddhas share the same path.
For instance, in the Lotus Sutra, we can recall the Introductory Chapter. While the Buddha was in Samadhi, Maitreya Bodhisattva stood up to seek guidance from Manjusri Bodhisattva. Why did the Buddha, after expounding the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, now radiate light while in Samadhi? This had never happened in the past. What were the causes and conditions behind this? Manjursi Bodhisattva began to answer and thus recounted the era of Sun-Moon Lamp Radiant Buddha. How long ago was the era of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha? It was also endless and countless kalpas ago. It was likewise a very long time ago that this Buddha appeared. [The last] Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha had likewise gone through this process of spiritual practice. He had also practiced for a long time.
In the past, this Buddha was born into the palace; He was a king, and while in the palace, He fathered eight sons. After the king renounced palace life and engaged in spiritual practice for a very long period of time, He finally reached enlightenment and Buddhahood and then began expounding the Dharma in the world.
In the palace, His eight princes also listened to the Buddha-Dharma and gave rise to great joy in their hearts. They realized that the world was impermanent and everything is suffering, empty, without self.
So, the eight princes also became monastics and accordingly engaged in spiritual practice. As they were taught by Wondrous Light Bodhisattva, each of them perfected their practice and attained Buddhahood. This was in the past, as recounted in the Introductory Chapter.
Now, Sakyamuni Buddha, in the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, also described [the past] in a similar way. He recounted how in the past He continued the path of Wisdom Superior Buddha. He likewise shouldered the path of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha and has been doing this ever since. This is how all Buddhas share the same path. His final accomplishment was to expound the Lotus Sutra.
The Lotus Sutra is the Dharma-lineage of all Buddhas. How can it be passed down? The principles contained in the Lotus Sutra are extremely subtle and wondrous. They include all the world’s most wondrously profound principles. These profound principles, when taken in, are subtle and wondrous. When expanded, they can encompass the universe and all Dharma-realms. This is the Dharma’s subtlety, wondrousness, vastness and boundlessness.
This is the Dharma that the Buddha wished to teach. He wanted to tell us that everyone intrinsically has this kind of wondrous Dharma. So, we must be very mindful. Every person has a Sambhogakaya (reward-body). Every Buddha has a Dharmakaya (Dharma-body), Nirmanakya (transformation-body) and Sambhogakya as He repeatedly comes to this world. Manjusri Bodhisattva had attained Buddhahood in the past, but he still came to assist at Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, remaining in this world to deliver sentient beings. As for Guanyin and Earth Treasury Bodhisattva, these Bodhisattvas we are familiar with, they had already attained Buddhahood in the past. Do Bodhisattvas today still come to the human realm? All Buddhas share the same path.
They come to the human realm to transform sentient beings and manifest with a form and appearance. But where do they appear? We are all able to come in contact with them, but as unenlightened begins, we do not know this. Which Bodhisattva are we interacting with? Many Living Bodhisattvas are in the human realm. Wherever there is suffering, there will be Bodhisattvas that manifest there to save and transform sentient beings. These Living Bodhisattvas respond to the suffering in the human realm, this world that must be patiently endured, this place where the Five Destinies coexist. Although this world is full of afflictions, they still come to the human realm and live the same lives as us.
Sometimes they seem deluded, but they are not truly deluded. This is to show all people that in the past they had these [afflictions], but causes and conditions changed their lives. “Since I am able to change my life, you are all able to change your lives and turn from confusion to awakening.”
So, among the Fourfold Practice, one is “practice with reverence.” We need to respect all people. We should be understanding of everyone because all people have this “body of joyful use.” The body of joyful use (reward-body) is “brought about in response to cultivating causes over a long period of time.”
The body of joyful use: This is brought about in response to cultivating causes over a long period of time. Put to use according to intrinsic nature, it bring all kinds of Dharma-joy, freely and without hindrances. It is also called the perfect reward-body.
The Buddha had cultivated causes for a long time. In order to cultivate good causes, He spent a long time in the turbulent world of temptations with the multitudes of sentient beings, observing their ignorance and afflictions. In the midst of ignorance and afflictions, He found ways to experience the principles and develop wisdom-life. With His body of joyful use, He had dedicated Himself to sentient beings and engaged in spiritual practice. Thus, “Put to use according to intrinsic nature, it brings all kinds of Dharma-joy.” Although I say to everyone, “It looks like serving others is such hard work,” you still say, “We are so happy and blessed.” “You work so hard!” “This is so fulfilling!”
See, even though you are serving others, you take joy in doing it. Everyone is able to give with such joy and work so hard to serve others. When we see suffering people receive relief, it brings us all kinds of joy. Acting according to our intrinsic nature means we willingly help others. The joy that comes after giving is Dharma-joy. In helping others, we receive Dharma-joy and become “free and without hindrances.” In this way, as we practice in this world, we have this reward-body; we have this body of joyful use and also the body of benefiting others.
“The body of benefiting others is what others see in response to their capabilities.” Depending on what others need, “all Buddhas and Tathagatas, in order to help the assembly of Bodhisattvas receive great Dharma-joy” and “advance in superior spiritual practice,” will teach others how to advance in superior spiritual practice. Thus, they “manifest in suitable ways so that others benefit.”
In facing different situations that appear, all Buddhas help Bodhisattvas dedicate themselves to helping others. For the sake of all people, They teach them to help others so that after they serve, all are joyful. This is “so that others benefit.”
So, we can see that with the Buddha-Dharma, we should not think it too profound. We should not think of it as very mysterious. We should not think of it as very deep. We just need to seize the present moment. Everything comes from our thoughts in the present. At this very moment, our thoughts are about finding ways to help others and to call on everyone to come together to accomplish something [great]. This is the body of joyful use and the body of benefiting others. We ourselves are so happy to do the work, and we can also call on others to do it, too, so they too will attain Dharma-joy.
The previous sutra passage says, “Bhiksus! Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha went through ten small kalpas until the Dharma of all Buddhas finally manifested before Him, and He attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
After ten small kalpas, this long period of time, the Buddha-Dharma finally began to manifest. Over this long period of time, He was to take in all the principles of the world. In calm and still contemplation, He thought for ten small kalpas. This was all to find out how to relieve and save sentient beings. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha [sat for] ten small kalpas. When Sakyamuni Buddha came to this world where the Five Destinies coexist, since a human lifespan is quite short, He only spent 21 days worth of time cultivating calm contemplation. In that instant, He had become one with the universe. This is the Buddha’s state of mind. His all-encompassing wisdom had manifested.
So, the next sutra passage states, “Before this Buddha became a monastic, He fathered 16 sons. The first among these “was named Wisdom Accumulated.” Now we start to learn about [the time] “before this Buddha became a monastic”.
That Buddha had a body of joyful use, which we spoke of earlier. He had the body of joyful use as well as the body of benefiting others; this is the same for all Buddhas, since all Buddhas share the same Path. Before this Buddha became a monastic: There are still differences between the body of joyful use and the body of benefiting others. The reward of joyful use is the principle and wisdom of Suchness. The reward of benefiting others is unlimited Marks and Characteristics. This is all the reward-body.
The body of joyful use is “the principle and wisdom of Suchness.” This principle and wisdom is inherent in everyone. “The reward of benefiting others is unlimited Marks and Characteristics. In His appearance, His spiritual practice had already brought Him many virtues and much dignity. Those who saw Him were joyful. With that, He taught sentient beings and captivated the assembly. Everyone listened to and accepted His teachings. This is the body of benefiting others; that which benefits people is the body of benefiting others. “He fathered 16 sons. Wisdom Superior Buddha had 16 sons.”
He fathered 16 sons: Wisdom Superior Buddha had 16 sons. This refers to using the Eightfold Noble Path in one’s own practice as well as in transforming others. Two sets of eight add up to sixteen.
As for Wisdom Superior Buddha, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, before He had become a monastic, He was also a prince and a king. This is how it must have been. So, He fathered 16 sons. “This indicates using the Eightfold Noble Path in one’s own practice and in transforming others.” Whether in His own joyful use or in transforming sentient beings, He did not deviate from the Eightfold Noble Path. As He himself walked the Eightfold Noble Path and transformed others on the Eightfold Noble Path, put together that makes 16.
Similarly, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha’s 8 sons also represent the Eightfold Noble Path. So, now we understand that the body of joyful use does not deviate from the Eightfold Noble Path and that to transform and teach others, everyone must practice the Eightfold Noble Path.
So, we say the 37 Practices to Enlightenment are the foundation of our spiritual practice. The Seven Factors of Bodhi and the Eightfold Noble Path are the Bodhisattva-path.
Next, “Great Unhindered Buddha represents innate enlightenment. The sons represent initial enlightenment.” “[Thus] they are father and sons.” So, they are called father and sons.
Great Unhindered Buddha, represents innate enlightenment. The sons represent initial enlightenment. They are father and sons because it is relying on the innate principles that one gives rise to initial wisdom. The sons also tool monastic vows, which means, relying on initial enlightenment, they resonated with innate enlightenment.
We all intrinsically have innate enlightenment. We all have a nature of True Suchness. Everyone intrinsically has this, but we do not realize it. After we listen to the Dharma, we start to become aware of it and attain initial enlightenment.
Actually, we already had this original seed, but in the past it was buried deep inside, so we did not know. Now hear the Dharma and understand; we attain knowing and understanding. So, they are father and sons.
“It is by relying on the innate principles that one gives rise to initial wisdom.” Fundamentally, the principles are infinite. Since countless kalpas before Beginningless Time, these principles have always existed. From the innate principles, initial wisdom arises.
This is how we begin to have wisdom, all-encompassing wisdom. In fact, going back to the distant past and all the way up until now, all the principles of the world are inherent in us.
But, we have forgotten about them. So, “The sons also took monastic vows,” which means “Relying on initial enlightenment, they resonated with innate enlightenment.” This is because they began to understand. In the past, they still indulged in pleasures of the mundane world. But now, they had realized that all is empty, so they must quickly engage in spiritual practice and become completely pure again.
“Bringing up the first son among the sixteen is taking the eldest as an example that covers all the younger ones. “As for Wisdom Accumulated, his true wisdom is replete with merits and virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.” His true wisdom is replete with merits and virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Thus his name is Accumulated.
If we can return to our wisdom, which is all-encompassing wisdom, we will be replete with merits and virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Everyone intrinsically has this innate enlightenment. Thus, his name is Wisdom Accumulated, and he had true wisdom. Everyone intrinsically has a nature of True Suchness and true wisdom.
However, we need to continuously accumulate merits and virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. It requires a long span of time for us to earnestly accumulate them. This is how wisdom is accumulated.
So, “The first among these we named Wisdom Accumulated.” Thus, “The first prince had profound wisdom, hence his name was Wisdom Accumulated. By accumulating all kinds of right wisdom, he began to continue the Buddha’s wisdom- life.”
So, the first son’s name had to have wisdom in it. Only wisdom can continue the Buddha’s wisdom-life. “Bringing up the first son the sixteen” mans “taking the eldest as an example that cover all the younger ones.”
They are the same. Wisdom Accumulated had his “true wisdom replete with merits and virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.” We must remember to continuously accumulated wisdom. The father’s name was Wisdom Superior, so the son’s name was Wisdom Accumulated. This was the son continuing the legacy of the father.
He must have wisdom and compassion to continue his father’s mission. So, appearance is a manifestation of the mind. Causes and conditions must converge. If causes and conditions have not converged, how do we attain the fruition and retributions?
The Buddha-Dharma requires patience; we cannot rush. We must have patience and gradually accumulate [our wisdom]. So, we must always be more mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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