Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Dharma-Rain Nourishes the Hungry and Weak (難得法雨潤飢虛)
Date: February.15. 2017
“We practice rigorously with a diligent mind to destroy all afflictions. We uphold patience to cultivate virtuous Dharma and listen to the Dharma to receive benefit. Those learning the Dharma increase, and those in the evil realms diminish. The wondrous Dharma is like rain and dew that nourishes sentient beings.”
This is something everyone should be clear on. We must practice rigorously with a diligent mind. If our practice lacks diligence, we will certainly fall into indolence. This is a certainty. Only with diligence and rigor can we advance. A practitioner’s daily living follows a routine; their life follows a set of rules. This helps them maintain their diligent mindset. In this way, we will naturally advance step by step, inch by inch.
If we do not have a diligent mind, if we do not want to practice rigorously, then with this mindset of indolence we will regress with every step; we will not advance. We will forever be stuck in the same place.
How long is our life? Not long enough for us to stop and be indolent every day and waste away our life. In spiritual practice, we must cultivate a mindset that can overcome our indolence. Only then can we constantly advance and rigorously practice in all matters. Only in this way will we be able to destroy all afflictions. Afflictions are very subtle and intricate. If we lack diligence and rigorous practice, we will be the same as any regular person, without the distinctions that makes us spiritual practitioners.
Practitioners must differ from regular people. Only through rigorous practice can we constantly heighten our vigilance to guard against wrongs and stop evil. Then when we encounter people, matters and things that do not go as we wish naturally we will not be shaken by them nor give rise to ignorance and afflictions. From the perspective of spiritual practitioners, we are clear on right and wrong, so we are not troubled by any kind of affliction. When we are clear on right and wrong, what is there that can trouble us? What is there that can cause us afflictions?
So, every day that we can eliminate afflictions between people, there is a little bit less affliction. To maintain a diligent mindset, we must practice rigorously and earnestly so that in our daily living, our interactions with people and matters will not add to our afflictions. There will be no new ones, and as for old ones, through the practice of patience and cultivation of virtuous Dharma, we will gradually see through them. All the gratitude and grudges from the past, everything that has happened in the past, we can gradually see through and let go of them. By practicing understanding, accommodation and gratitude at the same time, we uphold patience to practice virtuous [Dharma].
No matter what happened in the past, we must start each day anew. Today, we have a fresh and new mindset. Because yesterday we were not troubled by afflictions, afflictions did not accumulate in our minds. Even if there were afflictions and unpleasantness yesterday, today, with a fresh mind, we can forget and let go of yesterday. Then there is nothing [on our minds] today. When we start every day fresh and anew, this way, every day we start with a pure mind. Then we use this pure mind to face today and the future.
Thus we can always “uphold patience to cultivate virtuous Dharma.” Old resentments do not accumulate in our mind, and new afflictions do not enter it. This way, our mind will always be fresh and new, without new and old afflictions. This comes from engaging in spiritual practice. We gradually eliminate old afflictions, and we refuse to take in new afflictions. This is guarding against wrongs and stopping evil.
“Listen to the Dharma to receive benefit.” We must be very diligent and rigorous every single day, whether it is winter or summer. In the summer, “I didn’t sleep well last night, so I need to sleep in the morning.” In the winter? “It is so cold. Getting out from under the covers is very painful! I want to pull up the covers, keep warm longer.” We are always indolent, wasting time. This is the afflictions of sleep. Wasting time in this way, we hear less Dharma.
In daily living, this can happen very easily. With a mind of indolence, we remain in a state of slumber and vacancy; we remain in a state of slumber and vacancy; we are lax and we regress. If we can uphold patience, then we will not waste any time. Even in the cold winter, some people are very diligent. Recently we hear a lot about volunteers in China. In China, it is very cold in the winter. They listen to the Dharma the same time we do. Before dawn, even if it is sleeting or snowing, they still wake up before 4 am like we do. On very cold days, no matter how freezing cold it is, they still get up this early and quickly get ready to leave the house. This is how diligent they are. Some volunteers in the US have to drive for 40, 50 minutes, even an hour. Whether it is rain or a hurricane, they are still diligent in their practice. This is to say nothing of those of us who are in this wonderful environment. We are all at the same spiritual training ground; how can we let this time go to waste?
We can uphold patience, cultivate virtuous Dharma and listen to the Dharma during this time. Can we let it go to waste? If we waste it, that is indolence. If we do not cultivate virtuous Dharma, we will not attain benefit. This is certain.
So, during the Buddha’s lifetime, when He was at the Jetavana abode, King Prasenajit came to request the Dharma from the Buddha. He said to the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, a thought suddenly occurred to me. For those of us with great riches, if we are wealthy in this life, if we are Ksatriyas, in the next lifetime will we be just as wealthy and have the same abundance of power and riches? Will my next life be the same? For Brahmins, if they practice in this life, in their next life will they be Brahmins and be born into a noble caste? Venerable Buddha, please reveal this to me. Will we be in the same caste life after life?”
The Buddha said, “No, that is not how it is. There are four different kinds of rebirth. As a Ksatriya in this life, you are a person of wealth and power. If you do not earnestly practice goodness, when you die and are reborn, without any control you will be born into poverty and suffering.”
It is like a person in the light who keeps walking toward the darkness and falls into the darkness. Some people start in darkness and then step onto a path of light. This is an analogy for wealthy people. If we cultivate blessings, naturally in the future we will be reborn in a place better than where we are now. If in this life we cultivate blessings and are diligent in our practice, we will be like people in the light who end up in an even brighter place. Those in the human realm who are reborn in the heaven realm enjoy more blessings than the rich and powerful in the human realm. This is going from a place of light to an even brighter place.
This means we must cultivate blessings now. Eve if we have power and authority now, if we think of disparaging anyone, if we disrespect the Dharma and Sangha, in the future, we will fall into a lower realm! This is going from light into darkness. Some who are already in the darkness are heading into deeper darkness. That is like people who are already experiencing poverty and suffering in this life, have some kind of physical disability and lack the mental ability to discern right from wrong. There are people who are foolish, deluded and mad. Although they are impoverished in this lifetime, they still give rise to evil, to greed, anger and ignorance. Or they may create karma of killing. People like this experience much suffering in this lifetime and also create much negative karma in the world. In this life, they are physically challenged, with illnesses in body and mind and are poor. In addition, they give rise to negative thoughts and do not sow people respect. In this way, they start in darkness and will fall into an even darker evil realm.
Also, there is another kind of people. Even though they are impoverished, they can see goodness and rejoice. Although they are poor and suffering, they have a kind heart and are always praising those how do good deeds. They willingly offer their physical and painstaking labor willing give to others, help others. People like this, even though they are in darkness, even if they are in a state of darkness, are slowly heading toward the path of light and will be reborn in the human realm or the heaven realm in their next life.
These are the four kinds of rebirth. There are the rich among the rich. There are also regular people who take joy in doing good deeds. “Although I am not every wealthy, when I see goodness I take joy in it. As long as I have the strength, I can do good deeds.” Humans like this can also be reborn in heaven. Or, there are those who are living in poverty now. Even though they are impoverished they have an abundance of spiritual wealth. Although life is difficult for them, they can overcome their difficulties in order to help others. They find all kind of ways to help others. These are the rich among the poor. Though poor, they have spiritual wealth and believe in the Buddha-Dharma. By cultivating their body and mind, in the future they will have more than just wealth in the human realms. if they continue to cultivate virtuous Dharma and good affinities, they will also be reborn in heaven.
There are some who are poor and suffering and do not have even a bit of goodness in their hearts. Seeing spiritual practitioners, they slander them. They do not give rise to faith in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. They do not have any kind of faith. Living in poverty in this way and lacking in wholeness of body and mind, they cannot give rise to thoughts of goodness. As such, in the future they will fall into an even [lower] state. These are the four kinds of rebirth. Right now, this is the way we live. In the future, how will we die? After we die, what direction will we head in? This is the way life works.
So, how do we find a way to practice rigorously with a diligent mind? How do we destroy our afflictions? How do we eliminate suffering in this lifetime? We must learn to endure all kinds of afflictions. We must cultivate goodness, listen to the Dharma. After listening, we must put it into practice. We must do this so we can be free of afflictions. The [afflictions] people caused us in the past, suffering from meeting those we hate, we must eliminate all of them completely. We must be free of resentment and hatred. Now we are listening to and learning the Dharma. Naturally, as more people are learning the Dharma, as more people are listening to and learning it, those in the evil realms will diminish.
This took place when the Buddha was in the world. Back then, even kings came to ask the Buddha, “Will our lives be the same in every lifetime?” In India, there was a strict caste system. So, the king came to ask this question. The Buddha responded in this way. “In this lifetime, we see the wealthy, the religious the ordinary people and the untouchables. The way they are living right now has already been [determined]. But what you do in this life will affect your next life. It all depends on what you do in this life.” This was the Buddha analyzed for the king.
The principle is the same. In summary, when more people learn the Dharma, naturally, those in the evil realms diminish. The Buddha-Dharma, from past to the present, have always been the same principles. “The wondrous Dharma is like rain and dew that nourishes sentient beings.” If we earnestly listen to the Dharma and take every drop of it into our hearts, every bit of it will nourish us. Naturally, we will have a diligent mind and will rigorously practice. Naturally, our afflictions will decrease, and we will grow in wisdom. Thus, we attain Dharma-benefit, the benefit from the Dharma.
So, the Dharma is like rain and dew. It enters our minds drop by drop. We must take the Dharma we hear every day and constantly recall it and cherish it. What did we talk about this morning? In the things we do and encounter today, are we being understanding? Are we being accommodating? By being grateful to everyone, we can dissolve all kinds of old conflicts. If we can do this, we are listening to the Dharma and applying it in daily living. This is receiving benefit from the Dharma. we must be mindful!
The previous sutra passage states, “And they saw the 16 princes.” The Brahma kings have come to Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s place of enlightenment under the Bodhi-tree. In addition to the Buddha and the assembly, they also saw the 16 princes who came to ask Him to turn the Dharma-wheel. Then the Brahma kings came, it happened to be the moment when the 16 princes asked the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel. So, “Then all the Brahma kings prostrated out of respect for the Buddha, circumambulated Him thousands of times and scattered celestial flower upon Him.”
The princes were requesting the Dharma. when the heavenly beings arrived, they were very respectful in the way they prostrated to the Buddha, circumambulated Him thousands of times and scattered flowers to make offerings to Him.
“The flower they scattered were like Mt. Sumeru.” They fell from above, [piling high] like Mt. Sumeru. “They were used to make offerings to both the Buddha and the Bodhi-tree.” Because the flowers feel from the sky, even though the Bodhi-tree was very tall, the flowers piled up and covered the tree. So, “Having made offerings with flowers, they each offered their palaces to that Buddha and said these words. Please look upon us with mercy and benefit all of us.”
In the same way, after Brahma kings made offerings, they still asked the Buddha to teach. This is because they still had subtle delusions they have not eliminated. Once their blessings are depleted, they will fall. Every day I have talking about this. Because of this mindset of the Brahma kings, they asked for his mercy.
“As for the palaces that we offer, may you honor us by accepting them.” “With everything we are offering, Venerable Buddha, please accept it all.” “At that time, all the Brahma kings in the presence of the Buddha, with one mind and in one voice, spoke in verse. They spoke in verse.”
Everyone made this request of the Buddha. They asked Him to accept their offerings, their expression of reverence. Afterwards, all the Brahma kings in the Buddha’s presence respectfully spoke with one mind and one voice. These many Brahma kings shared one mind, so with one voice they spoke in verse to praise Buddha.
The sutra passage says, “A World-Honored One is extremely rare to see. He is able to destroy all afflictions. 130 kalpas have passed, and only now do we encounter one. All hungry and thirsty sentient beings are filled with the Dharma-rain. We have never before seen one with infinite wisdom.”
So, “A World-Honored One is extremely rare to see.” This is because it takes a very long time for a Buddha to appear in the human realm. This is extremely rare. When a Buddha appears, He teaches the Dharma. Teaching the Dharma helps people eliminate all afflictions. Humans and heavenly beings have afflictions, and when a Buddha manifests, naturally they can eradicate their afflictions. This is a very good opportunity, as it is rare for a Buddha to appear. “A long time must pass before encountering one; They are extremely rare to see.” It is not easy for a Buddha to appear in the world. He is “able to destroy all afflictions and karma.” Only the Buddha can do this. The Buddha is born and attains enlightenment. Regarding all things in the universe, after He penetrates their true principles, He can reveal them to humans and heavenly beings. He enables those who have severe afflictions to eliminate them one by one, to eradicate the obstructions of afflictions.
So, by teaching the Dharma one helps to destroy obstructions of delusion. Some have already awakened. Once they have awakened, they teach the Dharma. By teaching the Dharma, they can help eliminate sentient beings’ obstructions of ignorance, afflictions and delusions. Sentient beings have ignorance, dust-like delusions. They have so many afflictions, as many as dust. They are subtle and fine like dust. These delusions continuously obstruct our path toward the Dharma. So, some of our virtuous [practices] have been obstructed by these afflictions and ignorance. So, after the Buddha appears in this world, naturally He can give teachings to eliminate obstructions of afflictions and delusions. Delusions cause doubt. Doubt creates many obstructions. Along with doubts naturally comes superstition. Having doubts shows a lack of faith or a confused faith. All these are delusions the Buddha had to break through delusions.
He needed to expound the Dharma in order to eliminate sentient beings’ afflictions, ignorance and confusion that come from delusions. So, this “allow them to attain the supreme fruit. He also uses the wondrous Dharma that is in accord with capabilities to destroy afflictions.”
With delusions and confusion, we are unable to go in the right direction. There are many kinds of such delusions. Some cling to delusion and do not awaken. With greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt some cling to delusion and do not awaken from deviant views and deviant paths. These are all obstacles. When one with perfect enlightenment manifests, naturally the Dharma He expounds can resolve sentient beings’ delusions and allows them to attain the supreme fruit.
“He also uses the wondrous Dharma that is in accord with capabilities to destroy afflictions.” So, it is “extremely rare to see.” One who attains Buddhahood, a World-Honored One who attain Buddhahood, a person of great awakening and great realizations is very rare to see. After attaining Buddhahood, teaching according to sentient beings’ capabilities is very hard too. This is because sentient beings, even if a Buddha has appeared in the world, still remain deluded.
Some are selfish and only think of themselves. They do not know how to benefit others. So, Sakyamuni Buddha, in His 49 years of expounding the Dharma, had to spend 42 years teachings in accord with sentient beings’ capabilities, adapting to their capabilities. Just imagine how difficult this was. So, it is “extremely rare to see.” To destroy the ignorance and afflictions of sentient beings is indeed very difficult. So, destroying afflictions is very difficult.
For a Buddha to manifest in the human realm and teach the wondrous Dharma in accord with their capabilities is also very difficult. In summary, among these myriad sentient beings, those in the evil realms increase while those in the heaven and human realms diminish. Because of this, the world-Honored one appeared. If everyone can accept the Buddha-Dharma, as those who listen to the Dharma increase, naturally those in the evil realms will diminish. So, for a Buddha to appear in the world is very precious, it is very rarely seen. “A very long time has passed” refers to a very long period of time. “Across kalpas” is a very long time. Whether in regard to time or space, it is very rare to encounter a Buddha. “Only now can they see one.” Now they have already seen Him. “130 kalpas have passed;” such a very long time has passed, “Only now can they see one.” Now the Brahma kings said that only after 130 kalpas had passed have they finally encountered a Buddha. The number of kalpas that have passed means it takes a very long time to see a Buddha.
Truly, to engage in spiritual practice and attain Buddhahood is not an easy matter. One also needs to wait for causes and conditions. This took Sakyamuni Buddha many lifetimes. For how long did He engage in spiritual practice? From dust-inked kalpas ago until now. Then more than 2000 years ago, Prince Siddhartha attained perfect enlightenment, which is attaining Buddhahood. We can see that the time between seeing a Buddha is truly very long. Even the Brahma kings have said that it is hard to see a Buddha, let alone those of us in the human realm. So, “All hungry and thirsty sentient beings are filled with the Dharma-rain.” This is like teaching the Dharma. The Dharma can nourish hungry and thirsty sentient beings. The Great Dharma-rain can replenish all.
Didn’t the Chapter on Medicinal Plants explain this very clearly? The land is dried up. As for withered plants, when the rain falls, naturally the plants and the seeds in the land will be able to thrive. In the same way, if we humans do not have water to drink, our body cannot survive. It is just like a land without rain; everything on the land has withered. So, “All hungry and thirsty sentient beings are filled with the Dharma-rain.” Only with the Dharma-rain will we sentient beings no longer starve or thirst. This is analogous to “when sentient beings do not taste the flavor of the Dharma.” If we do not take the Dharma to heart, we cannot taste the flavor of the Dharma. If we have not listened to the Buddha-Dharma or have listened to the Buddha-Dharma but do not believe in it, we know nothing at all about the Dharma. After listening to the Buddha-Dharma, if we do not earnestly experience it, it is like eating something without mindfully tasting it. Then we do not know if it is sweet or salty. So, we must be mindful. When we have food to eat, we must earnestly and mindfully taste it and pay attention to this thing. What is it that we are eating?
Similarly, when listening to the Dharma, we must listen mindfully. The Dharma is very profound, and it makes use of many analogies. Consider all the Dharma in the world. How does all this Dharma encompass all the ignorance and afflictions in the world and explain them? This requires us to mindfully experience it. So, we are “like the hungry and thirsty.” These sentient beings have the Dharma but do not taste it. This is like having food but not eating it or eating it but not mindfully experiencing it. In this case, we only care about eating our fill. Thus we do not know the flavor of the Dharma. This is what our lives are like.
“When sentient beings do not taste the flavor of the Dharma, it is like they are hungry and thirsty,” as if they are starving. “When the Tathagata teaches the Dharma and sentient beings listen to it, it is like when the hungry have food and the thirsty have drink. It immediately removes their hunger and weakness across kalpas.”
The Tathagata teaches the Dharma to sentient beings. When people with feelings listen, if they can take the Dharma to heart, it is like putting food into an empty stomach. Humans are sentient beings too. If we listen but do not change our ways, that is the same as not listening at all. Animals are sentient beings, too. In the past, we have discussed animals. Birds can listen to the Dharma and be reborn in heaven too. Everyone should still remember this story. The birds listened to the Four Noble Truths, and after they died, they were reborn as heavenly beings and came to express their gratitude. These are sentient beings.
As long as they have life and feelings, these sentient beings can take the Dharma to heart. “It is like when the hungry have food.” It is like when a hungry person obtains food. He tastes it and is nourished by it. “The thirsty have drink.” This is like when a thirsty person has tea or soup to drink. If we can understand the Buddha-Dharma, we can develop wisdom-life.
Otherwise, listening is the same as not listening. If, in our behavior, listening to the Dharma has made no difference, it is as if we have eaten without tasting the food. When it comes to sentient beings, even animals, after listening, can understand. “It immediately removes their hunger and weakness across kalpas.” If we can listen to and take in the Dharma, if we can truly take it to heart, even if we have not heard it for a very long time, now that we hear it, we can hear one thing and realize 1000. We can understand upon hearing it. So, “Sentient beings who are not moistened by the Noble One’s grace are like grass and trees withering.” If sentient beings do not want to listen to the Dharma, it is like grass and trees withering.
Sentient beings who are not moistened by the Noble One’s grace are like grass and trees withering. Upon hearing the wondrous Dharma, they will be able to form aspirations, cultivate the causes and attain the fruits. This is like when grass and trees attain rain; the withered will again flourish, bloom and bear fruits. All unexpectedly came to be.
“Upon hearing the wondrous Dharma, they will be able to form aspirations.” Some people, upon hearing the wondrous Dharma, start to form aspirations and “cultivate the causes and attain the fruits. This is like when grass and trees attain rain.” It is just like when plants and trees obtain rain. When trees are dry and withering, once there is moisture on the ground, once the rain brings moisture, naturally these trees can be revived. These plants’ roots absorb water from the ground, and naturally, these plants can slowly come back to life.
“The withered will again flourish, bloom and bear fruits.” Naturally, their seeds will again sprout from the ground. When plants and trees encounter spring, when they attain rain and dew, they can flourish again. This is why we must always be mindful.
“We have never seen before” means that from the past till now, they had never seen this. “One with infinite wisdom,” such profound and great wisdom, is something they had never seen before. From the past till the present, they had never seen it. So, “130 kalpas have passed.” Across kalpas, for such a very long time, they had never seen one with such infinite wisdom. So, this person of infinite and profound wisdom was truly very difficult to encounter.
If we are mindful of the Dharma, the Dharma will always nourish our minds. So, we must always be diligent, diligently practice in our daily living and in dealing with people, matters, appearances. In our life every day, if we can be diligent and rigorously practice, naturally people, matters, objects and appearances will not trouble our minds. The pure will remain pure in their practice, and we will not have any afflictions.
By practicing patience and diligence, we will receive the Dharma-benefit. So, we each benefit from our own practice; nobody can give theirs to us. But with the benefit we receive, we can share it with everyone. Those who listen to, learn and teach the Dharma can share as much as they have heard and attained. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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