Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Radiant Wisdom Illuminates Dark and Evil Paths (幽冥惡道慧光悉照)
Date: January.18. 2017
“Though there are principles, they remain far off. It is not a place ordinary principles can reach. The Three Evil Destinies lack true principles and illumination; the deep darkness is particularly severe. The radiance of the Bodhisattva’s body shines into these places of deep darkness.” There is nowhere it does not reach.
Now we know that though the principles do exist, they remain far off. They are very far away! This is not a place ordinary principles can reach. In this place, though the principles exist, is very far away. It is very far from principles and illumination. This is not a place that ordinary principles are able to reach.
What is this place? It is so far off, so remote, that principles cannot reach it. It is the Three Evil Destinies, a place with no true principles or illumination. This place is truly very remote.
“The deep darkness is particularly severe.” The light cannot illuminate this place. It is an increasingly dark place, a place which is extremely dark. This is because in the Three Evil Destinies, there are no true principles. The radiance of the true principles does not illuminate those places, so it is exceedingly dark there. Only “the radiance of the Bodhisattva’s body shines into these places of deep darkness.” There is nowhere it does not reach. When the radiance of the Bodhisattva’s body reaches these places, these places naturally begin to shine. Every spot is illuminated; it reaches everywhere. This radiance is everywhere.
This is telling everyone that the true principles are the radiance; these are radiant true principles. Ordinary principles still cannot reach there. What are needed are genuine principles, the principles of absolute truth, the principles of the Buddha-Dharma, extremely subtle and extremely profound. Only these principles can reach everywhere. This is not possible for simple, easy-to-practice [principles] nor for any kind of ordinary illumination. It must be a light that can thoroughly penetrate. It must be able to penetrate 1000 layers of night, 10,000 layers of mountain because this place is so far off, so remote.
The light does not shine there because this place is so far off, so remote. It is because there are three kinds of evil there; this is the place of the Three Evil Destinies. We all know the Three Evil Destinies, the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. Hell comes from the karma of the Ten Evils. With extreme evil, with karma of the Five Offenses or Ten Evils, one will descend into hell. If we are like this while in the world, disrespectful and disobedient to our parents, if we create karma of the Ten Evils, then in this way we will obstruct ourselves and will fall into hell. There we will not have the causes and conditions to receive this kind of illumination. We will be unable to take the principles to heart. So, if we obstruct ourselves, the light cannot shine into our hearts. This is what happens in the Three Evil Destinies, in the hell and animal realms [and so on].
Animals do not know propriety. They have no principles to regulate their behavior. By going against morality, or lacking morality in their behavior, people create karma for the animal realm. People who act like this similarly obstruct themselves. In daily living, if we are without moral values in the world, then we will obstruct ourselves and descend into the animal realm. Is being in the animal realm suffering? This is true suffering! We can see with our own eyes how so many animals are dominated by humans. If we want them to live, they live; if we want them to die, they die. This is how humans treat animals; on the one hand we raise them, on the other we kill them. We raise them for profit, so we raise so many at once. Look at chickens in their cages. They are raised together in tight confines, given no freedom at all. Is this suffering? Of course it is suffering. They eat what humans arrange for them to eat, which is modern chemical feed. Day after day, caged in narrow confines, they are fed the same thing. Then, after a few months, they are slaughtered. This is the animal realm. Whatever species they may be, they are at the mercy of humankind. This is suffering!
As for animals that run freely outside, like cats and dogs, those who have lost their masters begin to stink, become diseased and are beaten by humans if they come near. People become annoyed and do not let them near. They have been born in the animal realm and on top of that are despised by humans. Furthermore, they are kicked, beaten and abused by humans. They can do nothing, for they are animals!
Of course, there are also animals with blessings, those with masters who love them and dress them up. Do they have freedom! No, they do not. They are there for their master’s pleasure. They do not have any freedom. Held tightly by their masters all day, subject to the whims of their masters, they do not have freedom either. Being in eth animal realm without any freedom is truly suffering!
Then there is the hungry ghost realm.
Is there a special place that is the hungry ghost realm? Actually, it exists right here in our world. The suffering is unbearable! There are living human beings who, due to a variety of causes and conditions, are suffering from hunger. Some are sick and alone, with no one to care for them. They are sick as well as starving. Some even starve to death and lay dead for days before anyone even finds them. Everywhere in the world there are places facing poverty or suffering from drought where all the crops have failed. Some suffer from war and man-made calamities, etc.. We see them often on TV. Countries like these are all in the midst of poverty and suffering, in the midst of famine. We can see them right here in this world, let alone in the hungry ghost realm.
Maudgalyayana went to the hungry ghost realm and saw his mother there. Her suffering was unbearable! Even when he gave his mother food, when she opened her mouth, she spat fire and turned the entire bowl of rice to ashes. This hungry ghost realm is also one of suffering! Why is there so much suffering there? When they were in this world, they blocked themselves off form the principles. Sentient beings are stubborn and hard to train. No matter how you encourage or teach them, they are unwilling to accept teachings from good people or counsel from people with wisdom. They do not listen to the principles. They manipulate and misinterpret good principles, rejecting them as something outside themselves. It is as though illumination and the principles are very far away from them. But it is they who have obstructed themselves.
Sentient begins like these inevitably fall into the Three Evil Destinies.
Obstructing themselves and distancing themselves from the principles, they will end up in the Three Evil Destinies. This is because they do not have true principles. Even if the radiance of the true principles were to shine upon them, because they are in deep darkness, their hearts are cut off from the illumination. They are in a far off place. Their karma has already been created, so they have already fallen into a place that is very deep and dark.
What can be done? Only a Bodhisattva can help, by his aspirations, by his actions, saving as role model. This is not accomplished through words, but through actions, putting the teaching into action and going among the people to dedicate himself. He approaches them with true principles, overcoming every kind of difficulty in order to get close to them. Only then will they have the chance to encounter [the principles]. “The radiance of the Bodhisattva’s body shines into these places of deep darkness.”
If they cannot accept [the principles], we must mindfully go among the people. If we can do this, the radiance of the Bodhisattva will shine on them. Wherever we go, even if it is to the most dark and remote places, no matter how deep or dark, as soon as Bodhisattvas arrive there, the principles will naturally reach that place.
So, “There is nowhere it does not reach.” Everywhere can receive this radiance, this ray of light. It just depends on whether we have the resolve. We saw how Tzu Chi volunteers served in society or near the hospitals or inside the hospitals. They were so mindful of how to take the Dharma into the hospitals for those who were injured in the powder explosion or for other sick and suffering in the hospitals. For those who are sick and suffering there, their pain is so bad they do not want to live! We also [comforted] those around them, their loved ones who came to care for them. Those family members see their dear ones injured or sick, so all family members in the hospital must be very worried! Tzu Chi volunteers find ways to help. Whether it is helping the families of those injured in the powder explosion or helping other sick patients there, patients confined to the hospital, or members of their families, Tzu Chi volunteers go into the hospitals with reverence in their hearts. They guide them in reverent prayer. They hope to calm everyone’s minds, raise their hopes, purify their minds, settle their hearts and help them bring out the reverence within. This is how they give them the chance to come in contact with the principles. Even the doctors and nurses came and reverently [joined in the prayer]. All of them opened the doors to their hearts to come in contact with these principles of love and reverence.
There were also those who went into the communities and led others in a prayer gathering in the market, hoping to inspire reverence in the hearts of those in society. You could see Tzu Chi Volunteers’ mindfulness, how they cleaned and put that place in order before inviting all the neighbors to the second floor of the market. Since we were willing to go there, since we make the effort to invite others. People came with their children, grandmothers leading grandchildren and mothers leading their kids. Everyone came to join in the prayer gathering.
The village head also came and shared. This prayer gathering had actually helped everyone feel more comfortable and at ease, He hoped that Tzu Chi would come hold events there more often. The residents were also accepting. When our media Bodhisattvas interviewed him, he said he did not know how, but when his mind calmed down, every word of prayer or blessing felt like it was bringing his heart and the world together in reverence. It seemed as if he was in heaven. He hoped that he could [sustain] this reverence. He said, “I was truly reverent. I hope the reverence of our voices will harmonize with the sounds around us so our reverence will reach all Buddhas.”
This was a member of the public. Through the prayer gathering, he, too, knew that with reverent hearts they could be heard by the Buddhas. This is how Bodhisattvas bring true principles to places that usually do not encounter them, giving them the chance to encounter them. This way there are no obstructions. As long as Bodhisattvas, with body and mind, the practice of their body and the reverence of their mind, are willing to go everywhere to lead others, the principles will be universally available. Otherwise, people who do not understand principles will forever have minds covered in darkness.
Society now needs more people to listen to the Dharma, to teach the Dharma and to pass it on. Some missionaries will ride bicycles, going house to house spreading their religion. They wish for every family to accept the principles of their religion. They have resolve and are reverent. We should also learn this kind of spirit. We cannot just say, “I go to the temple to pray for safety, to worship.” No. Only with truly reverent hearts will we find the way to universally help people take the principles to heart and eliminate their spiritual obstructions.
The previous sutra passage states, “The Buddha told all the bhiksus, ‘When Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, 500 trillion Buddha-worlds in the ten directions quaked in six different ways.’”
When a spiritual practitioner awakens, the [earth] will quake in the 500 trillion Buddha-worlds in the ten directions. The ten directions are east, west, south, north [and so on]. All Buddhas share the same path. When a Buddha awakens in the world, all Buddhas will rejoice. All Buddhas share the same path and mindset, so they are all joyful and moved. As for “500 trillion,” “500 trillion” indicates a large span. Not only the Buddha-worlds, but the Five Realms, the heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms, also all quaked.
When we truly take the principles to heart, in the substance of our mind, the principles become very important. If the substance of our mind lacks principles, we will remain in darkness. The principles are without substance, yet they are never obstructed. They extend universally throughout the span of the 500 trillion Buddha-lands. So, we say that principles are very important. There are the principles. Principles are without substance. As they are without substance, naturally they can reach everywhere universally. But the principles are very profound. So, “though there are principles,” they remain far off; this is not a place ordinary consciousness can reach. They are not something ordinary people can reach. These principles cannot [be grasped] by ordinary people. We cut ourselves off from the principles. So, in the Three Evil Destinies, it is impossible to arrive at the true principles, for we have blocked ourselves off from them. So, we must understand; to reach the principles we must first rid ourselves of our own spiritual obstructions. Only then will the principles universally reach all dark places. Then all can attain the radiance of the principles.
So, in summary, in the substance of our mind, in our spirit, lies intrinsic Buddha-nature. We should not obstruct our own Buddha-nature.
The next sutra passage says, “The dark places within the lands of those worlds that the mighty light of the sun and moon is not able to illuminate all become clear and bright. The sentient beings there can all see one another and all say, ‘How did all these sentient beings suddenly appear in here?’”
“Within the lands of those worlds” refers to the 500 trillion lands. The worlds of these many Buddhas are all illumined by that light. It is just that among them are “dark places.” These are places deep in darkness, very remote and darkened place. “The mighty light of the sun and moon is not able to illuminate [them].” Even the sun and moon, even the sunlight and the moonlight, do not shine in these places. Yet, these places likewise attain the radiance, the radiance of the true principles. When the Buddha became enlightened, that radiance shone universally. All of the Buddha-worlds, even the Five Realms, were all illumined by it. All of a sudden everything became light, and in the darkness, “The sentient beings there can all see one another.” It was originally very dark there. How could I know in the darkness whether or not others were there with me? It was dark everywhere. But suddenly, the place became bright “It turns out there were many people here! I see you, and you see me too.” All of a sudden, many people appeared. So, “The sentient beings there can all see one another and all say, ‘How did all these sentient beings suddenly appear in here?’” “I thought I was here by myself. How, all of a sudden, are there so many people here?”
In the Earth Treasury Sutra, there is the hell of iron beds. “It seems like I am the only one suffering here, but it turns out there were many others here. It turns out there were many people here who cut themselves off in the darkness.” This is how it is there.
“The dark places within the lands of those worlds” refers to the places in those worlds “that the mighty light of the sun and moon is not able to reach and illuminate, such as the ends of the earth, places like the ring of iron mountains and so on.” The ends of the earth are where the sun and moon cannot shine. This is the ring of iron mountains. I n the Earth Treasury Sutra, within the ring of iron mountains is hell. It is a place where the sun and moon do not shine. The sun and moon are mighty and formidable, but with the ring of iron mountains blocking them, their light never shines through. This ring of iron mountains is just like our human ignorance, but our ignorance and delusions are even taller than the ring of iron mountains and even more unyielding. This is our ignorance, which the true principles’ radiance cannot penetrate.
This is the reason for the suffering of life. So, at that time there was a radiance. In the places where light did not shine, once that radiance began to shine. Even in those places where sunlight and moonlight ordinarily could not reach, now “the light of the compassionate wisdom of the Buddha, the Tathagata, illuminated them all.” Only wisdom and compassion [can illuminate them]; we must exercise compassion and wisdom together. As soon as compassion arises, the wisdom within us arises. Naturally this will illuminate the places we go.
If people do not come to us, then we go to them. Whether hospital or markets, when we mindfully go into these places, naturally people can accept the principles. If they never come to us and we never go to them, then they are forever separated from the principles.
So, “The sun and moon are not able to illuminate” because “they are obstructed by bad karma.” “All become clear and bright” because the Buddha already attained Buddhahood. This ring of iron mountains is like bad karma. Bad karma is ignorance. It is the ring of iron mountains that obstructs us. This is our ignorance. Yet, the Buddha’s light of wisdom and compassion makes “all become clear and bright.”
This is because the Buddha attained Buddhahood. By attaining Buddhahood, He naturally had the true principles. When the Buddha attained Buddhahood, the true principles were put into words and spoken. We mindfully come to accept these. Then, after accepting them, we put them into practice. Before the Buddha attained Buddhahood, He too was called a Bodhisattva. So, the radiance of the Bodhisattva’s body also shines into the places of deeps of deep darkness. After attaining Buddhahood, all of the principles were spoken from His mouth. He could help people to even more universally get rid of their ignorance, help everyone to form great aspirations and make great vows, to go among people, create good affinities and turn ignorance into Bodhi. This is how His attainment of Buddhahood could quake the heavens and earth and shake everyone’s minds.
“I am stunned! I am deeply moved.”
“This moved my heart.” We are moved when we have taken the true principles to heart. When we are moved, this means the true principles have manifested. The principles that shake the earth are mentioned in the previous sutra passage.
It says, “This light horizontally spreads across the 500 trillion lands;” it is so vast. “[And it spreads] vertically over each land, from Akanishtha Heaven above to Avici Hell below. This is like the one radiance today which illuminates the east.”
Horizontally, it was so vast that it spread across the 500 trillion lands including the Five Realms, all those places that are dark. That light illuminated all horizontally. Vertically, it extends “from Akanishtha Heaven above.” “Akanishtha Heaven” is in the material world. It includes Akanishtha Heaven and Trayastrimsa Heaven, as well as the ultimate heaven of the form realm and the Six Heavens of Desire. It illuminates them all. All places with material forms as well as all the desire realms are all illuminated by the true principles. It also extends down to Avici Hell. It extends below to Avici Hell. This light extends everywhere, both horizontally and vertically. “This is like the one radiance today which illuminates the east.” The sun rises in the east. Rising from the east, it shines toward the west. The light shines in the same way the sun does.
So, “That Buddha was at the beginning.” “This Buddha was at the end. They both reveal Their intrinsic Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior. As sentient beings receive the Buddha’s light, there are none who do not benefit.”
That Buddha was Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. This Buddha is the present Buddha, Sakyamuni. During that time, Sakyamuni Buddha was one of the 16 princes, and He began to engage in spiritual practice, listen to and teach the Lotus Sutra. That was dust-inked kalpas ago, in the time before Beginningless Time. Since then He engaged in spiritual practice for lifetime after lifetime. He did this until that time more than 2000 years ago when He was born in the kingdom of Kapilavastu. This was the start of our present Buddha-Dharma.
Our present Buddha-Dharma is the one that came from the mouth of Sakyamuni Buddha and has been passed down to us. Sakyamuni Buddha started [His practice] in the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior. So, this Dharma, from its beginning there, has continued until today. This same Dharma continued through the time of Sakyamuni Buddha and has been passed down to us today.
And is it finished now? No, there is still the future. For us in the present, we say this is the end; from its beginning with the Buddha, it has reached this stop. However, we now continue to pass on the Dharma for the future. For the Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, this is similarly just a stop along the way; He will continue to pass on the Dharma lifetime after lifetime. Time is endless.
So, “They both reveal Their intrinsic Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior.” So, we say “they both.” The past Buddha, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior, the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, and all of us who listen to the Dharma are all the same; we “reveal our intrinsic Great Unhindered Wisdom.” We are all the same; we, too, can reveal our inherent Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior.
Actually, Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior refers to the intrinsic Buddha-nature that is inherently in us all. How should we now reveal our intrinsic Buddha-nature? “Since sentient beings receive the Buddha’s light, there are none who do not benefit.” Anyone who hears the Dharma will not fail to benefit from it. In listening to the Dharma and putting it into practice we ourselves rejoice; then this joy and this Dharma of eliminating afflictions can be brought among the people. When it is used among people to eliminate afflictions, [other] also rejoice and are able to put down their afflictions. Every day we see many Bodhisattvas who share about their past lifestyles and how they are completely different now. Though their situations may not have changed, their inner experiences certainly different.
So, the light of the Bodhisattvas extends both horizontally and vertically. Its length and breadth is vast and wide. The principles extend throughout the universe, not only on the surface of the Dharma-realms, but even below the ground in hell.
Thus, in the Avatamsaka Sutra it says, “The light that radiates from beneath the Bodhisattva’s feet can illuminate hell. All sentient beings who receive this light are reborn in Traysatrimsa Heaven. When they further hear the heavenly drums and teachings of the Dharma, they immediately realize the Ten Grounds.”
The Bodhisattva refers to Sakyamuni Buddha before He attained Buddhahood. This is the road He walked upon, whether in the human realm or in hell. This is how He practiced lifetime after lifetime. So, no matter where they may be, when Bodhisattva go among people, that place will naturally be brightened. When the principles arrive, the light of the mind is ignited. Everyone possesses these principles within.
So, when sentient beings in hell accept the principles, they naturally “are reborn in Trayastrimsa Heaven.” “When they further hear the heavenly drums and teachings of the Dharma, they immediately realize the Ten Stages.” This is an analogy for the Buddha before His attaining enlightenment. As He came and went, those who accepted His Dharma and began practicing according to the teachings, cultivating the Ten Good Deeds, would similarly be reborn in Traysatrimsa Heaven. Even sentient beings in hell could be reborn in Traysatrimsa Heaven. Not only could they be reborn in Traysatrimsa Heaven, they could also hear the heavenly drums and teachings of the Dharma. Even drums can teach the Dharma.
That is correct! We should also learn how to strike the bell and beat the drum. When we beat the drum, we strike people’s hearts as we silently recite the Dharma inside our mind. We are still silently reciting the Dharma. When striking the bell we should also be reverent, for the Dharma must be in our hearts. We must be mindful in all of our actions. If our hearts are reverent, even a single beating of the drum will drum up people’s hearts when they hear it; they will follow the direction of the principles.
Doing this depends on whether or not, as spiritual practitioners, we can practice like Sakymuni Buddha and go among the people with the heart of the Bodhisattva, in our every action applying the Dharma and expressing reverence. Can we do this? If so, then the Dharma we teach will be able to be realized, confirmed and understood by others. In practicing the Ten Grounds of the Bodhisattva, we start from the first ground, the ground of joy, and practice until reaching the ground of Dharma-cloud. This is how we go step by step, accepting the Dharma and earnestly practicing it.
The sutra now states that, “In the places illuminated by the Buddha’s light, people must have planted these conditions in their past lives. As soon as they receive this light, these who have not yet escaped suffering will escape suffering; those not yet liberated from hardships will be liberated from hardships. We must know, with all this light illuminates, that it will not be given off in vain.”
Anywhere the Buddha’s light reaches, there must have been affinities in the past. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught the Dharma for a very long time, and many listened to His teachings. The 16 princes also listened to the Dharma and requested teachings. They also repeated the Lotus Sutra for a very long time, and there were also many who listened. Perhaps we also “planted conditions in the past;” a very long time ago, we too planted these causes and conditions.
So, “As soon as they receive this light, those who have not yet escaped suffering will escape suffering.” As soon as there is light, those not yet liberated from hardships, those with the proper causes and conditions, will undoubted from their suffering. “Those not yet liberated from hardships will be liberated from hardships.”
For those not yet liberated from hardships, as soon as they receive the principles, joy will arise in their hearts, and they will be completely liberated from hardships. “We must know, with all this light illuminates, that it will not be given off in vain.” [The light] is not given off carelessly. No, it all depends upon causes and conditions. Given and receiving it all depends upon causes and conditions. We do not give people things by mistake. All the things we give to people are real, and the Dharma they receive from us is true. This all depends upon causes and conditions.
So, it says, “The sentient beings there could all see one another. Though sentient beings were there in the darkness, they could not see one another.” But because of the Buddha’s light, “They could all see clearly.” They could all see each other. So, “They all said, “How did all these sentient beings suddenly appear in here?” All sentient beings feel that they are only ones who are suffering. They think when they hear the principles that they are the only ones who have comprehended. This is not true! Once the darkness is dispelled, it turns out that [many are] within the darkness; suddenly so many people appear. These are people who are suffering; so many are suffering. Those who hear the Dharma and are liberated also turn out to be very numerous.
So, since sentient beings are long in darkness, “They do not know each other.” They do not know of each other. All of us have remained in ignorance, and we did not know. However, once we hear the Dharma, as soon as we receive the light, we can all see one another. As soon as we hear the principles, we realize that our hearts share the same aspirations. So, “They are shocked and frightened.” Suddenly they could see, so they were taken aback. I was shocked when I saw you. How is it that you are also here?” This is a kind of description. So, “They all said, ‘How did all these sentient beings suddenly appear in here?’”
Thus, in summary, we should be very mindful in learning the Buddha’s Way, and after hearing it, we should be meticulous in explaining it to others. We should not simply let it go by after hearing it. We must then earnestly inspire each other, discuss it with one another. The more we discuss the Dharma, the more we will understand it. Matters are also like this. When something happens, everyone discusses it. The more it is discussed, the clearer it becomes. Do not let it just go by after listening to it, but make an effort to be mindful. The principles are the radiance in our lives. I hope everyone will always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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