Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Great Enlightenment Illuminates Brahma Heaven (大覺光照梵天)
Date: January.20. 2017
“Sentient beings’ capabilities are shallow. The Buddha adapts to what they desire and delight in and, according to their capabilities, teaches them separately. He first enables them to give rise to joy. Observing the past causes they cultivated, He teaches them to enable them to give rise to right faith, give universally and develop their roots of goodness.”
If you are mindful in seeking to comprehend, then these principles should all be clear. Sentient beings’ capabilities are indeed shallow. People nowadays have many afflictions, so their capacities are shallow. Although there are such good teachings, it is difficult for them to take it to heart. Because their ignorance and afflictions are so thick and heavy, it is not easy for them to take the Dharma into their hearts! People’s capabilities are lamentably shallow. Our afflictions keep causing us to retreat in our will to seek the Dharma. When the Dharma comes, our afflictions surface, and these afflictions often overshadow the Dharma.
Therefore, our capabilities always remain very shallow and weak. So, the Buddha worked so hard. Lifetime after lifetime, for dust-inked kalpas, over such a long time, He kept coming to the world along with sentient beings. He adapted to their capabilities and endlessly devised methods to teach and transform them. So, “The Buddha adapts to what they desire and delight in.” With sentient beings’ capabilities, just what does He need to do to enable them to take the Dharma to heart?
Over many lifetimes, the Buddha formed Bodhisattva-aspirations and engaged in spiritual practice, always thinking how He could serve sentient beings. He always, “according to their capabilities, teaches them separately.” He would look at their capabilities and, in accord with their intent, teach them in a way that suited their capabilities. This was very difficult! There are multitudes of sentient beings whose capabilities and habitual tendencies all differ. How could He adapt to what all sentient beings want, to what the wish to hear, to what they can accept and take to heart? Truly, this is not easy!
So, He had to “first enable them to give rise to joy.” He had to create good affinities with them, to first enable them to give rise to joy. Then He would be able to draw near to them. This took a period of dust-inked kalpas, a long time, spent constantly adapting to them. He had did this for one purpose. “He taught them to enable them to give rise to right faith.” He hoped by teaching in a way they could accept, it would enable them to give rise to faith. He held nothing back in [helping them] “give universally and develop their roots of goodness.” Just to adapt to sentient beings’ capabilities, He spent so much time hoping to enable them to find joy and thus accept the Buddha-Dharma. He hoped faith would arise within them and that they would develop their roots of goodness. So, to adapt to sentient beings, He “observed the past causes they cultivated.” He had to know what causes they had practiced and cultivated in the past. This was how the Bodhisattva, over a long time in the Six Realms, worked to deliver sentient beings. It was very difficult!
So, Sakyamuni Buddha kept waiting for causes and conditions to mature. His aspiration was to attain Buddhahood in the Saha World. In the past, over dust-inked kalpas, He had formed many affinities. So, the causes and conditions had ripened. In this evil world of Five Turbidities, this Saha World, this place where the Five Destinies coexist, sentient beings are stubborn and hard to train. Nevertheless, the Buddha, in His compassion, chose such a place, in such a time and such a space; His circumstantial retributions were to be born in the Saha World. His spiritual practice was not easy. After visiting teachers for five years, He engaged in ascetic practices for six more, before spending 21 days in calm contemplation. Over that time, He faced a multitude of hardships. During those 21 days of contemplation, He considered how to transform sentient beings, how He could benefit all sentient beings. When these thoughts arose, the many armies of Mara, afflictions and ignorance, manifested before Him. Through determination and purity of mind, He vanquished each of them one by one. It also took Him a long time to subdue these states of mind.
In the end, having dispelled all the illusory states of mind the maras created, He returned to that purity. He returned to that purity. With a tranquil and clear mind, He achieved a sudden great awakening. Merging with the universe, He became enlightened. With this awakened mind, He earnestly examined how to transform and deliver all sentient binges under heaven. After contemplation, He concluded that sentient beings were truly stubborn. They were still so hard to train. What methods could He use to train them? He thought about how difficult it would be, how sentient beings were truly difficult to teach and transform. They were very stubborn, because their capabilities were shallow, and they were covered by afflictions, ignorance and delusions. Being so stubborn and hard to train, how could He possibly teach them? So, He had the idea that it might be better just to enter Parinirvana. After the Buddha attained Buddhahood, He went through this period of struggle as He considered how to deliver sentient beings. After examining how dull sentient beings’ capabilities really were, how shallow their capabilities really were. He realized it would be very hard to train them. At that time the thought arose that it might be better for Him just to enter Nirvana. Suddenly, at this time, King Brahma appeared. King Brahma appeared before the Buddha and reverently paid homage to Him. He prostrated and, with palms together, asked the Buddha to remain in the world and furthermore to teach the Dharma.
He said, “After much difficulty, You, the Buddha, have attained Buddhahood. For a Buddha to appear in the world is not an easy matter. Venerable Buddha, since you have attained Buddhahood, since you have already awakened, how could you now enter Prainirvana when you have yet to transform sentient beings? You mustn’t do so! I hope the Buddha remains in the world to transform sentient beings.”
The Buddha replied, “Sentient beings are truly covered by defilements. With such severe defilements, afflictions, ignorance and delusion, even if I were to teach them the Dharma, it would be very difficult. These sentient beings, upon observation, have very shallow roots of wisdom. If I were to remain in the world to deliver these sentient beings, there would be so many difficulties. It would be a fruitless effort; too much trouble.”
King Brahma again beseeched Him. Prostrating himself before Him, he again reverently appealed to Him, “Venerable Buddha! Now Your ocean of Dharma is already full; now is the very moment to teach the Dharma and deliver sentient beings. How could You enter Prainirvana at such a time? You should earnestly [teach] sentient beings now because causes and conditions have ripened. Although the capabilities of sentient beings are shallow, the causes and conditions You have with them have already matured. Since it is so precious for the ocean of Dharma to be filled, for the Dharma-banner erected, now is the time to quickly transform and deliver sentient beings. I hope the Buddha seizes these causes and conditions to teach sentient beings the Dharma.”
The Buddha said, “They are so difficult to tame. How many could I ultimately influence? Because of sentient beings’ ignorance and shallow roots of wisdom, it would truly be hard.”
King Brahma then said to the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha! Have you forgotten how for dust-inked kalpas, lifetime after lifetime You made vows for the sake of sentient beings? You engaged in spiritual practice for the sake of sentient beings. Lifetime after lifetime, You made sacrifices, giving up everything including your life to engage in spiritual practice, all in Your search for the truth. Lifetime after lifetime, You have sacrificed wealth, sacrificed those You loved most, sacrificed Your own body. You have done this for lifetimes. The number of lifetimes is incalculable. All these sacrifices were for sentient beings. Now that these cause and conditions, after so much difficulty, have finally ripened, You instead want give up?”
“I will think about it.”
King Brahma then continued, “Remember the lifetime You were born as a king who led the entire would with authority. Your concubines, your ministers and all of your people were all so obedient to you, and respected you so much. You felt, ‘Everyone is like this. Since everyone was so respectful of me as the king, what can in use to repay them? How can I bring the people everlasting joy?’ Not with a single lifetime of wealth. I hope to bring them everlasting joy.” This was what the king thought. Only by bringing them the true principles could one bring them everlasting joy. This is not a joy derived from material wealth.
So, “I wish to seek the Dharma.” At that time, the king issued a decree stating that if there was anyone willing and able to teach him the principles, even if it was one short phrase of the truth, then he would be willing to give them anything. As soon as this announcement was posted, a heavenly being wished to test and see whether the king was truly so selfless that in seeking the subtle and wondrous Dharma he was willing to give up everything, willing to give anything. He responded to the announcement and went to see the king. When the king saw this person, he thought, “Though it is evident he is mindful, his appearance is very ugly. His hair is red and totally straight. Moreover, his face is pale and his eyes are blood red. He is a human who does not seem human. In answering my announcement looking like this, what wondrous teaching could this person have?” Many of his ministers thought that this was someone without any Dharma. Why was the king so insistent in seeking the principles? With such an appearance, what principles could he possibly have to offer?
However, the king had posted the announcement. No matter who it was, if he could show the king the principles and answer his prayers, then the king was willing to give. So, he said, “Let him teach the principles.” This heavenly being manifesting as a person said to the king, “I am not a man, but a yaksa. I have principles that I wish to teach the king.” The king said, “A yaksa has the principles? If you have the principles, then teach them. I will give you whatever you want.”
“Really? Your majesty, are you sure you will not regret giving me what I want?”
“If you show me the principles, I have no regrets. Whatever you seek, I will fulfill your desire.” The yaksa said, “I am hungry. I want your most beloved concubine and your most cherished son. I want you to let me eat them. I am hungry; what I want to eat is your concubine and your son.”
The king thought that although he loved his concubine and his son, he also loved the world’s sentient beings. How could he help sentient beings attain everlasting happiness? “Life always comes with aging, illness and death, so I will sacrifice my most beloved ones.”
When his ministers heard this, they remembered the king saying that he would give whatever it took, so they immediately went and bowed before him. They bowed in front of him and beseeched him, crying, “Don’t do it! My king, they are your most beloved! How can you sacrifice your beloved concubine and your son to obtain principles for the people? You must not go through with this sacrifice!”
Nevertheless, the king said, “I have already said that I would give anything for the principles so that I can offer them to the people. I think I must also give something in return.” And with that, he took his concubine and son and gave them to the yaksa to devour.
At this time, after the yaksa ate him meal and had stuffed his stomach, he spoke this verse in a loud voice, “All conditioned phenomena are impermanent. Where there is birth, there is suffering. The Five Skandhas are empty in appearance, so nothing can be considered self or mine.” He only spoke these four sentences, and as the king listened, he mindfully wrote every word down. When he wrote them down and looked at these four sentences, it seemed that his mind had completely awakened. “All conditioned phenomena are impermanent. Where there is birth, there is suffering. The Five Skandhas are empty in appearance, so nothing can be considered self or mine.” What in the world can be considered “mine”? What do “I” possess that is everlasting? There is nothing. This is a true teaching! Having written down these words, he gave them to everyone, saying, “Go and immediately announce this everywhere. This is truth, with wondrous applications. Everyone, be mindful of this four-sentence verse. Earnestly practice according to the teaching.”
When the yaksa saw the reverence of the king and the Dharma-joy he had attained, he transformed from a yaksa to a heavenly being. His concubine and son were as they were before. King Brahma then told Sakyamuni Buddha, “The aspirations you formed in the past were so great that you were even willing to offer your concubine and your son for the yaksa to devour, all for the sake of one true principle. All of your causal practices for dust-inked kalpas, all the practices you cultivated, have matured, and now you have awakened. For a Buddha to appear in the world is rare. The practices you cultivated for dust-inked kalpas are now already perfect and complete. You should teach the Dharma for the world’s sentient beings.”
At that time many heavenly beings appeared, all entreating Sakyamuni Buddha to teach the Dharma and turn the Dharma-wheel. This was the Buddha’s state of mind upon attaining Buddhahood. At that time, He taught the Dharma to heavenly beings. During those 21 days, this was the Buddha’s state of mind. He sat in meditation, subduing Mara’s armies. Then He observed the causes and conditions of sentient beings, and considered how to teach them.
He gave rise to the thought that “Sentient beings are stubborn and hard to train. It would be better for me to enter Parinirvana.” King Brahma appeared and told a story which had taken place in the Buddha’s past, dust-inked kalpas ago, one of many stories of the Buddha’s past lives. Actually, the Buddha merely wanted to manifest this state, the Avatamsaka Assembly after the Buddha attained perfect enlightenment. Such a magnificent state it was when the heavenly beings appeared! This was the state at the time He had attained Buddhahood.
So, whenever a Buddha appears in the world, heavenly beings will protect the Dharma. King Brahma especially protects the Dharma, hoping the Right Dharma will abide in the world. However, Buddhas rarely appear in the world, so when Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha sat for ten kalpas in the place of enlightenment heavenly beings similarly protected the Dharma. After His enlightenment, King Brahma likewise requested that He turn the Dharma-wheel. All Buddhas share the same path, and it takes a long time to attain Buddhahood. One must undergo many challenges in order to have firm faith. Otherwise, we sentient beings, and we are all sentient beings, have such shallow capabilities. We must find ways to train ourselves and to strengthen our capabilities.
The previous passage says, “Moreover, the realms of His lands, the palaces of all heavens, and even the Brahma kings’ palaces all quaked in six ways. The great light illuminated all universally and filled the entire world. It was superior to all heavenly light.”
At the time He attained Buddhahood, the scene was one great radiance. “All quaked in six ways,” even the Brahma kings’ palaces. Brahma kings are pure and they take delight in the Buddha-Dharma. They all came to protect it and ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel.
The next passage says, “At that time, in 500 trillion lands to the east, in 500 trillion lands to the east, in the palaces in the Brahma heavens, shone a great radiance that was many times brighter than usual.”
We previously also spoke of the illumination of the Buddha’s light, how dark places suddenly became bright. Suddenly, people can see each other. We spoke of this yesterday. Truly, this light illuminates conditions far away, in 500 trillion lands to the east, the heavenly palaces of the Brahma kings. This is so far, so distant! We are not speaking of how many kalpas here using present day numbers, you could say it was a distance. It reached that far away. This is not a great length of time, but a great length of distance. The space that the radiance illumined was very long and very wide. 500 trillion lands refers to a vast distance. All felt it when the Buddha attained Buddhahood. All were illuminated by the Buddha’s light. So, 500 trillion lands away, the palaces of the Brahma kings all quaked.
We mentioned yesterday that, where there are affinities, there is a response. Without affinities, even those close by will not respond. Because every Buddha shares the same path, every Buddha has one mission. So, when the Buddha of the Saha World attained Buddhahood, His mission jolted people and shook everything. Since the Brahma kings especially delighted in the Right Dharma, even though they were so far away, a distance so far away it was incalculable, they were all shaken and were also illuminated.
At that time, in 500 trillion lands to the east, in the palaces in the Brahma heavens: The palaces where the quakes were felt were the palaces in the Brahma heavens. This usually refers to a great Brahma king. His name was Sikhin, also called Great Brahma Sikhin. He had deep faith in Right Dharma. Every time a Buddha was born to the world, he would definitely come to ask that Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel.
So, that Brahma king went by the name of Sikhin. The Brahma king we just spoke of who came to the Saha World to invite the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel was this Brahma king called Sikhin. He had profound faith in the Right Dharma. He was a protector of the Dharma. Every time a Buddha was born to the world, he would definitely come to ask that Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. Because the Brahma king’s lifespan is very long, even during a time dust-inked kalpas ago, that Brahma king was already a Brahma king. He was king of the Saha World. So, he was not like us, where a year is made up of 365 days or where a human lifespan lasts only several decades; very few make it to 100. When we speak of [time] in the world, thousands or tens of thousands of lifetimes, we can use kalpas to express them. We speak of how many kalpas have passed.
The Brahma king’s lifespan was very long. The Brahma king’s lifespan was very long so, no matter how many lifetimes pass or how many Buddhas appear in the Saha World, the Brahma king always protects the Right Dharma.
Thus, when a Buddha appears in the world, King Brahma always comes to protect the Dharma. Thus, when the Brahma Heaven shakes, that is the time that Brahma King will come. So, “There shone a great radiance that was many times brighter than usual.” There was not only shaking, but also radiance. Thus, “Whatever the Buddha’s light of great awakening shines on will be many times brighter than with other lights.”
The radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom is everlasting. It is not like the sunlight; with sunlight we have many things in the world that can obstruct the sunlight in our world. There are places where the sun never shines. As the earth turns, even in the course of a year, there are countries where the sun never shines. There is a place in America where half the year there is no sunlight. Sunlight does not reach there. Because of the earth’s orbit as it turns, there are places where the sun does not shine.
Because of the earth’s orbit, half the year there is no night there. It is always daytime. There are places on earth where the sun never shines, not to mention the places of darkness, and mountainous recesses. There are mountains here and over there so from the time the sun rises in the east until it sets in the west, light never reaches there.
However, in regards to the Buddha’s wisdom, nothing can ever obstruct it. The true principles are everlasting. As long as we sentient beings open our hearts, we can truly absorb the Dharma and merge with our own nature of True Suchness. We take the external Dharma into our hearts and thus activate our nature of True Suchness. When we do this thoughts of wisdom will begin continually manifesting themselves. By believing in the Dharma and taking it to heart, we can destroy ignorance in our perspective. Then naturally our wisdom will develop. This is everlasting. Nothing can obstruct it or hide it from us. This is the same principle.
So, this is everlasting; it is wisdom that is everlasting. Thus, “This refers to the light of the absolute truth of the One True Vehicle.”
[There] shone a great radiance that was many times brighter than usual: This refers to the light of the absolute truth of the One Vehicle. “Many times” means that the Buddha’s light is pure and flawless, many times brighter than lights with flaws.
This radiance is the radiance of wisdom. It is the One Vehicle, the true principles of True Suchness. The radiance of the true principles is eternal. It distinguishes right and wrong clearly. Turmoil and ignorance in the world cannot disturb it, nor can they obstruct our wisdom. This is clear wisdom; it is not twisted by ignorance or afflictions. The light of wisdom is ever-illuminating and destroys ignorance, so it is an eternal radiance. Thus, “many times (brighter)” means “the Buddha’s light is pure and flawless.”
The radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom, of the true principles, appeared because the Buddha was completely pure. He was flawless, which refers to true principles, and not in the least bit defiled. Uncontaminated, His light was extremely pure. He was flawless, so of course His light was “many times brighter than lights with flaws.” However great one’s knowledge may be, wisdom is something intrinsic to us all. Knowledge is something learned in books. Intellectuals, no matter how learned they are, no matter how many doctorates they may have, are still intellectuals. They still have Leaks, still have afflictions. No matter how learned or renowned one may be, one will still be subject to the influence of society and the world.
Yet, wisdom is very firm. With wisdom, right is right and wrong is wrong. This “wrong” actually refers to ignorance; we do not need to be influenced by them. “Right” refers to correct principles, the truth. So, we should safeguard the true principles we have always had. The Buddha’s light and wisdom are “many times brighter than lights with flaws.”
“Many times” means it is incalculable. Knowledge has always been like this, so easily turned and influenced by the appearances of the world. Nowadays you often hear, “This is how it is nowadays. We should follow the trends of the times.” In the end, are the time’s trends correct or not? If they are not, and people keep following them, that is worrisome. So, we must defend our true principles. When something is correct, we earnestly form the aspirations to do it while safeguarding our undefiled purity, our spirits and our principles. This is the light of our wisdom, which cannot be contaminated by ignorance.
The next passage again says, “All the kings of the Brahma heavens had this thought, ‘Today the palaces are brightly illuminated like they never have been before. What are the causes and conditions behind the appearance of this sign?’ At that time, all the kings of the Brahma heavens immediately went to visit each other to discuss this matter.”
What an event it is when a Buddha attains Buddhahood! You see, when that light was emitted, the situation was different than usual, so everyone immediately gathered together to discuss the light. It had never been like that before, with such a light radiating.
All the kings of the Brahma heavens had this thought, “Today the palaces are brightly illuminated like they never have been before”: All the kings of the Brahma heavens refer to the aforementioned 500 [trillion] palaces that were illumined by the light. They had never seen this before. They did not know what conditions had given rise to these auspicious signs.
It had never been like this before in those palaces of the Brahma kings, which were said to be 500 trillion lands away. That light illumining the palaces seemed different. It was not a normal light. In the process of the Buddha attaining Buddhahood, there was suddenly a quaking and a response. A light had appeared that “They had never seen before.” They had never seen this in the past. “What are the causes and conditions behind the appearance of this sign?” What was the reason that their palaces were suddenly bathed in such radiance? This was an auspicious sign and also very rare. What was causing it?
So, “At that time, all the kings of the Brahma heavens went to visit each other.” Everyone gathered together to “discuss this matter.”
They discussed among themselves where the auspicious light was coming from. We must realize that it is not easy for a Buddha to appear in the world. Though the Buddha had become enlightened, He once considered simply entering Parinirvana. I can tell you all that this was not the Buddha’s original intent. It is merely a way of describing the Buddha’s state of mind at the time. Seeing how stubborn and hard to train sentient beings could be, to go out and serve them or teach them the Dharma would be very difficult! “It would be better if I entered Parinirvana.”
Though He had this state of mind, He had these thoughts intentionally in order to attract the heavenly beings, so they all would gather together. The Buddha’s spiritual state and heavenly beings’ mindset of protecting the Dharma came together. This created the causes and conditions for this heavenly assembly to hear the Dharma.
The Brahma king did not come to teach the Buddha. This shows that Brahma kings’ lifespans are long. Living 100 years in our world is not even a day to those in Trayastrimsa Heaven. By the time our lives are over, not even a day will have passed for those in Trayastrimsa Heaven. Very few people live to be 100 years old. One day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is 100 years in our world, not to mention the Brahma Heaven. One day in Brahma Heaven is several tens of thousands of years in ours! Their lifespans are long, and time there is long. So, even if the Buddha spent a period of dust-inked kalpas world, for us this would seem very long.
However, in their realm, they have seen many Buddha appear in the world. In the sense of human time, it is very rare and is a very long time. This was when the Buddha. Sakyamuni Buddha, was practicing Bodhisattva- path. Actually, the Brahma king did not mention only that one story, but reminded the Buddha of all He went through during His process of spiritual practice when asking Him to turn the Dharma-wheel. He spoke much of how he had given everything in seeking the Dharma, not clinging to His family, His wealth or the things most dear to His heart.
He even peeled off His skin to use as paper, used His bones as a pen and His blood for ink. He had this kind of spirit in seeking the Dharma. The Brahma king pointed these out one by one. “Venerable Buddha, this is how you were in the past, before you attained Buddhahood, while you were practicing the Bodhisattva-path. For the sake of sentient beings, you were willing to give everything. Now that you have attained Buddhahood, which is so difficult to attain, you should turn the great Dharma-wheel.” This is a kind of heavenly being who has a mutual accord with the Buddha.
There are many passages like this in the sutras, describing the many states that the Buddha faced describing the many states that the Buddha faced when He was truly practicing the Bodhisattva-path. We Buddhist practitioners. Our capacities are shallow; this was the Buddha’s first thought how shallow sentient beings’ capacities were, how hard to train they were, and how stubborn. Indeed, we are truly stubborn. Sentient beings’ faculties are indeed inferior, and they are difficult to train.
Yet, can we remain like this? If we are difficult to train, then we will always remain amidst suffering. “Where there is life, there is suffering.” Isn’t that what that passage said? So, we should earnestly be mindful. For the world’s sake and for the great cause of our existence, let us always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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