Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Coming and Going Freely on the Right Path (心定念正 導人安穩)
Date: May.04.2017
“With mind and body peaceful, stable and happy, we will go directly toward the right path. With a mind tranquil, clear and at peace, matters and principles will be in harmony. With Samadhi and wisdom, we peacefully abide in the land of endurance and go among people without fear. When we know and thoroughly understand worldly matters, we will be free and unhindered.”
When we are settled mentally and physically, we can naturally open our hearts and understand. Then we feel happy and free. How can mental and physical stability be attained? We must always work hard and always take the Dharma to heart. Don’t I say this every day? Take the Dharma to heart; there is no other way. The only way is to learn the Dharma. If, as we learn the Dharma, the Dharma does not remain in our hearts, isn’t it same as if we never learned it at all? It is like a cup of water. If we take a cup full of water and pour it into another glass, our cup will end up empty. We want to add the water to our own glass. We must make use of the water in our glass, use it no nourish ourselves when we are dry both mentally and physically.
The Dharma is like water. If we do not use the Dharma-water to nourish our bodies and minds, then we are just listening and letting it leak away again. This is wasting time. Time will pass by like this, and the Dharma will pass away like this as well, as we do not keep it inside of us. If we lack the resolve to [hold on to] the Dharma, how will we go among people in order to transform sentient beings? We will have “no Dharma with which to transform”! So, as Buddhist practitioners, those who listen to the Dharma must teach the Dharma. Those who teach the Dharma must put the Dharma into practice. We wish to take the Dharma we hear to heart so that we can apply it, use it in our daily living, use it among the people. When among people, if others accept our teachings, they are happy! Furthermore, they can eliminate the ignorance that has been in their minds and stop reproducing the karma they have created. This is because people with the Dharma have gone out to work with others, to transform others’ states of mind, then lead them in the right direction. Those who accept the teachings can turn their state of mind around. Then their direction is also correct. They will be happy, and we too feel free and joyful. This means the “mind and happy are peaceful, stable and happy”. We have the Dharma within our bodies and minds. When the Dharma is in our hearts and we use it in our daily living, it influences others. When they too accept the Dharma, they become like us; they transform past negative habitual tendencies and turn toward the right path. This is what makes us most happy, what gives us the most peace and stability. Thus we know our direction is accurate and we will move straight ahead on the right path. By doing this, our minds always remain tranquil and clear.
When we are among others, our minds are never influenced. Although the world’s turbidities may be severe, our minds nevertheless remain transcendent and free. They remain tranquil and clear. A tranquil and clear mind like this is just like a perfect mirror. No matter how contaminated external states may be, though this mirror reflects those contaminated external states, the mirror itself is never influenced by them. When the mirror turns in another direction, those contaminated things that were just in the mirror are no longer there. The mirror is now connected to another state. This new state will also not be able to contaminate the mirror. So, the mirror itself forever remains pure and undefiled. If our minds remain uncontaminated by the world’s turbidities, we will transcend, transcend the Five Destinies and Three Realms. We will naturally be tranquil and clear, free and at ease. Then all worldly affairs, all people, matters and objects that we see, all naturally return to the principles. When we thoroughly understand the principles, [we know] all people, matters and objects, according to the principles of the mind, give rise to so much ignorance and so many afflictions. Everyone has their own perspectives and thinking. When opinions differ, it naturally leads to conflict in people’s actions. These are the affairs of unenlightened beings. Having now thoroughly understood the principles, we have transcended the worldly affairs of unenlightened beings, so naturally matters and principles are in harmony. We can see clearly and understand; we will no longer be entangled by people, matters and things. By analyzing things from a transcendent viewpoint, we are able to determine how things should be.
When people take issue over matters, we know how to handle them in accord with the principles. This is returning to the principles. This requires us to earnestly take the Dharma to heart. If we have taken the Dharma to heart, the people, matters and things will not influence our minds. We see then clearly, as if looking in a mirror. This mirror is forever free and at peace, and matters and principles are always in harmony. No appearance can escape the analysis of the mirror. This mirror is pure. Inside everyone’s hearts, there is the pure wisdom of this great mirror. This is called “great perfect mirror wisdom”. In it we can see the principles of all people, matters and things with great purity and clarity.
To do so, as we engage in spiritual practice, we must uphold precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. By upholding precepts, we no longer stir up afflictions. When there are no more afflictions, naturally our mind will settle down. By concentrating our mind in Samadhi, we continually give rise to wisdom. As our wisdom-life grows, naturally we can peacefully abide in the land of endurance. This Saha World is the land where the Five Destinies coexist, a world that must be endured, one of suffering! Nevertheless, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are without fear. They are fearless as they go among others, feeless in going among others. This is how all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to the world. There are suffering people in the world. The world is filled with the turbidity of human minds. This is why the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas come to the world to transform sentient beings. So, “With Samadhi and wisdom, we peacefully abide in the land of endurance”. This is the Samadhi and wisdom of the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come to teach us that it is not difficult for us sentient beings to attain Samadhi and wisdom. We begin by accepting the Dharma and upholding the precepts. We must take the Dharma to heart and uphold the precepts. By carefully abiding by the rules, our minds will naturally not be disturbed by afflictions. Then our minds will naturally remain in Samadhi and our wisdom will arise. We can then abide peacefully upon the earth, where the Five Destinies coexist, among people in this place of endurance. This is how Bodhisattvas peacefully abide to be able to transform the sentient beings here. In going among the people, they are fearless, unafraid.
As for Small Vehicle practitioners, they are afraid because they know that this is the place where the Five Destinies coexist. The Five Destinies are the Five Realms. [They know that] in the Five Realms, and especially in the human realm, the mind’s turbidities are severe, with many afflictions. The karma that is replicated, this negative karma, will be immense, causing them to fall into the Three Evil Destinies. This frightens these spiritual practitioners; it fills them with dread. They fear going among people. After much difficulty they had finally cultivated peace and stability in their minds. They were able to be without afflictions and to understand the principles. But they were afraid. They fear that by going among people, they will become contaminated again. So, practitioners of the Small Vehicle Dharma dare not go among the people. Although they have the precepts, have Samadhi, have wisdom, they do not dare to peacefully abide in the land of endurance. They are always thinking of how to escape from this world of endurance, so they do not dare to go among people.
The Buddha hopes that once they have understood the principles, they can go a step further and quickly go among people without fear. That is walking the Bodhisattva-path. We know the method to uphold precepts. We know we must be firm and settled and find ways to exercise our wisdom when we go among the people. This is why the Buddha wanted us to go among people to temper ourselves, for only then will we be able to “know and thoroughly understand worldly matters,” only then will we “be free and unhindered”. If we do not go among people to temper ourselves, if we only run away, if we avoid gong among others, a day will come when external states manifest that are beyond our control. Our minds will lobe drawn in by them, a single thought of ignorance will stir and many defiled affinities will drag us around. This will be beyond our control. This is why the Buddha wanted us to, after we have understood the principles, quickly go among the people so that we can earnestly temper ourselves, so that we can all mutually learn from each other.
When a group of our Bodhisattvas goes together to do good deeds, though in the evil world of the Five Turbidities where sentient beings are suffering, we can all go together and need not fear the dangers of this road. Naturally we will alert each other. Even if we are newly-inspired, even if we are still unenlightened, as soon as we aspire to become a Bodhisattva, there will be people who share our vows who will go together will us among the people where there is such severe turbidity, go with us among people who are suffering from disasters so we can help them. Every time we complete a mission, we return joyful, free and at ease. Sentient beings in this Saha World of endurance were able to be saved. Seeds were also sowed in the ground of their mind. Their temporary suffering had been resolved, and we have already sown seeds in the ground of their minds, so even when these people who have suffered use up the material aid they received, the seeds in their hearts will remain forever. These are the associates we form affinities with.
Bodhisattvas, newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, moat start by going among people in the world. They understand how to walk this road, they know which international flights to take and where they will change planes. They know the route very clearly. When they reach the destination, they know what needs to be prepared to meet the needs of those suffering there. This is “knowing and thoroughly understanding worldly matters”. For this trip to Nepal, we prepared abundant material aid to take. The group who went was very dedicated, whether from our medical system, charity system, education system or humanistic culture system. Group after group has gone there to help and serve. One by one these seeds were sowed in the ground of their minds. When the next wave comes, they will give them opportunities for education that last generations, to cultivate talented people. This will take a long time and many people getting involved like this.
For those Syrian refuges who escaped to Turkey, our local Tzu Chi seeds have already begun preparing, begun paving the path. Our Bodhisattvas in Taiwan have already prepared ample supplies of things that are needed. They know the direction they are to take, understand their routes and so on and now they have gone there. Upon the volunteers’ arrival, the Tzu Chi volunteers from Turkey and the Tzu Chi volunteers from Taiwan worked together to assist [the refugees], joining forces in order to help them. We gave them the supplies they needed, gave the children a stable education and helped the families to stabilize their lives. In their hearts, we helped to sow these seeds of goodness for all the people there. Thus, all our volunteers rejoiced and came home. These are our Living Bodhisattvas. Even if we are still unenlightened beings, we nevertheless have walked the path like this.
When we “know and thoroughly understand worldly matters, we will be free and unhindered”. It all begins with us; by accepting the Dharma and taking it to heart, we gain physical and mental peace and stability. Starting in the places around us, the places near to us, we keep going among the people to temper ourselves. Then we can begin to prepare to go abroad as international [relief] Bodhisattvas, helping people wherever they are suffering. So, Tzu Chi has already left its footprints in over 90 countries. Each country’s geography and situation is different, but these are the routes Bodhisattvas take to engage in spiritual practice, the spaces in which they can go among the people. This is something we should try to understand. During this process, they become “tranquil and clear”, with a peaceful mind. Everyone is very willing to go. This is like Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who come to the world who come to the world for sentient beings, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas willingly come to this place where the Five Destinies coexist. We ordinary people, as newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, wherever a place has been struck with tragedy, will willingly go there. We go there joyfully and willingly. This is a tranquil and clear state of mind. Being replete with both Samadhi and wisdom, when we are safe, we ensure we are prepared. We peacefully abide when we are safe, and then we can come and go freely to work with other people. We clearly understand this path. This is what is meant by, “When we know and thoroughly understand worldly matters, we will be free and unhindered”.
The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, what we have been discussing over this time, is of course about the state of Buddhahood, from a very long time ago. As we listen to this Dharma, we must connect it to our present world, to this world where the Five Destinies coexist, to this world that must be endured. Here there is a group of people who engage in the practice of the Buddha-Dharma. Though still at an unenlightened stage, they are likewise willing to walk this path and transcend each stage one by one. It is the same principle.
So, in the previous passage, [we read how] during the Buddha’s era the practitioners also became tired after a while. So, “At this time the extremely exhausted people feel great joy in their hearts”.
At this time the extremely exhausted people feel great joy in their hearts and exclaim that they had never had this before. “Now we are free from this evil path and will quickly attain peace and stability”. Therefore, these people advance and enter the conjured city. Thoughts of having been delivered arise in them. Thoughts of peace and stability arise in them.
They engaged in practice like this for so long and had transcended those five dangerous paths, but they still had to transcend the Three Realms. Although they were exhausted, there was a conjured city where they could stop and rest, where they could stop for awhile and rest. It was not far now; it lay just ahead. This was the wisdom of the guiding teacher; he encouraged them at each stage of the way. “You must keep moving forward. You’ve already transcended the Five Destinies; they are behind you now. You transcended that perilous path. Already, they had come to understand that the world was full of suffering. Everyone knew this, so their minds could transcend it, and they could understood the principles. The Buddha then spoke of the Three Realms and discursive thoughts; the [Three Realms] are determined by our minds. So, they had to keep going forward to reach the realization of the fruits. They had already swept away thoughts of desire; none were left. Their thinking and perspectives were already pure. They had no afflictions and had transcended the form realm. They would no longer be enticed by form. But the formless realm? They still had dust-like afflictions. The Buddha again said, “There’s more. The road still lies ahead. You must put in hard work to sweep away your dust-like afflictions”. “How do you get rid of them?” “You must use water to wash them away. Even dirty water can be used to wash away th3 coarser defilments within you. Even turbid water can wash away you more obvious afflictions“. When it comes to the coarsest, dirtiest of things, even if the water is sullied, can we still use it to clean? Yes, we can! Turbid water can also wash away the coarsest and dirtiest of things. After washing once with dirty water, we then use fresher water to wash them again. After washing with fresh water, we then again use uncontaminated water, extremely clean and undefiled water to wash them again. This is how we transcend the Three Realms, by getting rid of the filth, layer by layer. If we want to transcend the Three Realms, although sentient beings’ turbidities are severe, we must go among them, like using turbid water to wash away the coarsest of afflictions, the substance of ignorance. It is the same principle. We clean layer by layer.
In this group of Bodhisattvas, we mutually encourage one another. These are our companions on the path, our virtuous friends. This group of virtuous friends always keeps coming together. Everyone listens to the Dharma, then reviews the Dharma and holds study groups so we can continually review what we have heard. We take motes so we can then review again. We understand and know that the world needs us, so how do we go about working with other people? We are all prepared, because we go among people to continuously temper and train ourselves. We must train ourselves. Then our habitual tendencies and afflictions can gradually be eliminated. This is from the Dharma. When a Buddha is in the world, He can teach the Dharma. After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, we still have the Dharma to purify our minds. So, we must listen to the Dharma. Having listened to the Dharma, we understand that we must advance further, not become tired. Upon hearing the Dharma, we are filled with joy. Having taken the Dharma to heart, we can then apply it. When we achieve the [desired] effect, we should greatly rejoice.
“They had never had this before. I never realized that what I said so lightly he would take to heart so intently that he could change his habitual tendencies! I am very happy. It turns out that this Dharma is very useful I go among people”. So, “Now we are free from this evil path and will quickly attain peace and stability. From engaging in my spiritual practice, I have gotten rid of my afflictions. I uphold the precepts and remain pure. When I go among people, I will not be influenced by them. This is the power of Samadhi. Moreover, at the same time I exercise my ability to transform sentient beings, and their minds are able to turn around. Now their direction is correct”. Then we are happy, from benefitting ourselves as well as others, transforming ourselves then transforming others. So, we “will quickly attain peace and stability”. We now want to go among the people, so “These people advance and enter the conjured city”. Everyone was like this; they clearly knew the illusory and impermanent nature of life. We understand the principles so in this life, we go among people as if entering a conjured city. The world is illusory and impermanent. This time today in not the same as this time yesterday morning. Our bodies are constantly metabolizing so we are not the same “me” as yesterday. Every day we undergo a process of constant change.
So, we should know this; having gradually come to understand and taken the Dharma to heart, our tendency to become influenced by others gradually weakens and our minds settle. Our minds gradually settle down. If we can remain unaffected by mundane matters, naturally our wisdom can gradually increase naturally our wisdom can gradually increase. If we take worldly affairs too seriously, our wisdom will be suppressed. If we can weaken our concern with mundane matters, if we can gradually take them less seriously and do not become so worked up about them, then naturally our power of Samadhi, our wisdom, will continue to spring forth. Then we “quickly attain peace and stability”.
So, these people had already. The [parable of the] conjured city lets us know that walking the Bodhisattva-path is like this. This is how to walk the Bodhisattva-path; we “advance to enter the conjured city”.
“Thoughts of having been delivered arise in them.” Gradually upon entering this place, they realize that transforming others in this way. Is transforming themselves as well as others. Actually, is this enough? Aren’t we being conceited in thinking that we have already become people who are able to transform others?
Come, let us read further. The next passage says, “At that time, the guiding teacher knows these people have stopped and rested, so they are no longer exhausted. Thus, he extinduishes the conjured city and speaks to these people, saying, ‘All of you have been coming and going. The place of treasures is close by. That great city from before was something conjured by me to allow you to stop and rest”.
We can tell from the sutra passage that they had already formed aspirations to go among others. Everyone was already happy, and they understood. They had already taken the Dharma to heart and were willing to go among the people. The essence of the Dharma had entered their hearts.
So, when the guiding teacher knew they had entered the conjured city, he began to tell them that this was only a place to stop. They had already recovered from their exhaustion and in going among people began to be joyful. “To give of myself like this makes me happy. It isn’t so hard after all. In transforming others, I feel so joyful myself”. Now that everyone had stopped and rested, the guiding teacher began extinguishing the conjured city. “He speaks to these people says, ‘All of you have been coming and going. The place of treasures is close by“. Further ahead lies the great city, with the treasure that they all need. “in the past, the Dharma I taught you was just a transition. You have already taken that Dharma to heart. Now I’ve already extinguished the conjured city”. That Dharma has already passed. It is like a bamboo raft. We used that bamboo raft to carry us from this shore to the other shore. At the other side, we should have already climbed ashore. Having climbed ashore, we would never carry the raft with us. We must abandon the small bamboo raft, the one which delivered us across. We must abandon it and move forward again. So, the conjured city is just like this; it is part of the process.
So, “He thus extinguishes the conjured city and says the place of treasures is close by. This is an analogy for how the Nirvana He taught previously was illusory; while the Tathagata’s Nirvana that He taught now was true. This is the teaching of opening up the provisional to reveal the true”.
He is telling everyone that the place of treasures is close by, that the state of Buddhahood is not far away. Because everyone had formed aspirations to practice the Bodhisattva-path, the state of Buddhahood was just up ahead. So, it says, “The place of treasures is close by. This is an analogy for how the Nirvana He taught previously was illusory; That Nirvana I taught in the past, that crossing into extinction, was not the true one. I only used it to deliver you here. I used this Dharma, leveraged its strength, used the provisional and skillful means of the Small Vehicle to transform you. What I truly want to give to you is not limited only to this”. So, “The Tathagata’s Nirvana that He taught now was the true one. Now, I am telling you that the Tathagata’s Nirvana is the only true one, the only one that truly allows us to rest peacefully. This is the place where you can rest peacefully. Back there that was just a conjured city to help you understand the world’s suffering, to let you know you must engage in practice. When you practice, you must get rid of your affliction. To get rid of your afflictions, I tell you, you must go among people, go among people to temper yourselves. This will bring you joy”. Through continually coming to the world, coming to train yourselves, after this process, your minds will no longer waver. They will be pure and unshakeable. Achieving a pure and unsullied mind like this is the only true extinction”. Thus, “The Tathagata’s Nirvana is true”. After crossing into extinction, we still return again and again to the world in order to transform sentient beings. We are not led here by our karma; we come and go freely, journeying upon the Dharma of Suchness to come to the world to transform sentient beings. This is why the Tathagata’s Nirvana is true. It is the true Nirvana. “This is the teaching of opening up the provisional to reveal the true”. He had now gotten rid of provisional teachings, the teachings of skillful means. He wanted to tell everyone that attaining Buddhahood is the only true Nirvana. This is the great Nirvana. So, “At that time, the guiding teacher knows these people have stopped and rested”.
At that time, the guiding teacher knows these people have stopped and rested: The analogy of a great guiding teacher was used for the Buddha during the Lotus Sutra period. He knew these Small Vehicle practitioners had entered the conjured city to stop and rest. Having stopped and rested, they were no longer exhausted. This is an analogy for how those practicing the Small Vehicle Dharma had eradicated ignorance. Their time for attaining Nirvana had come, and they too had become pure and undefiled. Having attained freedom from difficulties, their great capabilities would now manifest.
It was during the Lotus Sutra period that the analogy of the guiding teacher was used for the Buddha. The Buddha is the guiding teacher, “the guiding teacher of the Three Realms. He knew these Small Vehicle practitioners had entered the conjured city to stop and rest”. He knew these Small Vehicle practitioners already had practiced the Dharma they should practice, had already eliminated the afflictions they should eliminate and had already stopped there to rest. However, they still had not ultimately extinguished all of their afflictions, because they were still afraid that should certain conditions manifest, they would again [fall]; with limited capacities, they had extinguished fragmentary [samsara]. But they worried they might still be tempted. So, it says, “Having stopped and rested, they were no longer exhausted”. Having made it this far, they thought this was where they stop, as far as they would go. Thus, the Buddha again had to lead them. These Small Vehicle practitioners had already “practiced the Small Vehicle Dharma and eradicated ignorance. Their time for attaining Nirvana had come”. The time should have been ripe; their limited capabilities had reached a point where they had become mature. He needed to start teaching them the Great Dharma. So, “Their time for attaining Nirvana had come”. It was time for them to attain great Nirvana, for them to go among the people with a “mind without hindrances. There are no hindrances, therefore there is no fear”. This true emptiness and wondrous existence is something we should all understand. In emptiness, there is wondrous existence, and the ultimate extent of this wondrous existence is the attainment of Buddhahood. So, they knew, “They too had become pure and undefiled”. These Small Vehicle practitioners had all also become pure. “Having attained freedom from difficulties, their great capabilities would now manifest”. The minds of these Small Vehicle practitioners had mostly become purified, so He encouraged them again, led them again. They had transcended the Five Destinies and the Three Realms. Having transcended these, it was time for their great capabilities to manifest. So, “They are no longer exhausted. Thus, He extinguishes the conjured city”.
They were no longer exhausted. Thus, he extinguishes the conjured city: They were no longer as exhausted as they were before they arrived, thus He abandoned the limited teachings and taught them the One Buddha Vehicle to lead them toward the place of treasures. Thus, “extinguishing the conjured city” means He put an end to provisional teachings.
Everyone understood, so the conjured city, the teachings of skillful means, could be eliminated. So, “He extinguishes the conjured city. They were no longer as exhausted as they were before they arrived”. Before they arrived here, when they were still exhausted, He could not teach them the Great Dharma. He had to wait for the right opportunity to abandon the limited teachings. Now was almost the right time. “Thus He abandoned the limited teachings”. Limited teachings, teachings of skillful means, provisional teachings, these were all abandoned. Now, the Buddha “taught the One Buddha Vehicle”. There is only the state of attaining Buddhahood. This is what everyone should advance toward; then everyone can attain Buddhahood. So, “He taught the One Buddha Vehicle to lead them toward the place of treasures”. This is what the guiding teacher does. The guiding teacher is the Buddha; the Buddha is a guiding teacher. The Buddha draws sentient beings to the Great Vehicle path of attaining Buddhahood. The guiding teacher guides everyone toward the place of treasures that we seek. It is the same principle.
So, “’Extinguishing the conjured city’ means He put an end to provisional teachings”. He abandoned provisional teachings, the teachings of skillful means. So “He speaks to these people saying, ‘All of our have been coming and going’”.
He says to the Small Vehicle practitioners, “All of you must not take delight in the limited teachings. Enter the path to Buddhahood so you can both go and come with the great teachings”. Coming and going: According to the principles, sentient beings come but do not go, while Small Vehicle noble beings go but do not come. Neither of these accord with the Buddha’s intent. Now, we both go and come. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas return to the Three Realms to benefit and deliver sentient beings. We must not follow the example of those who stop here and benefit only themselves.
He already told the Small Vehicle practitioners, “Do not stay stuck in the Small Vehicle Dharma. Do not just remain in the Small Vehicle but quickly enter the path of attaining Buddhahood. Accept the great teaching to go and come naturally”. Speaking of “going and coming,” “according to the principles, sentient beings come but do not go”. Since they do not know how they came, they also do not know how to go back. “Small Vehicle noble beings go but do not come”. Since these spiritual practitioner know the world is suffering and have understood the principles, they do not want to come back to the world. Thus, the noble beings of the Small Vehicle go but do not come. So, “Neither of these accord with the Buddha’s intent”. This is not what the Buddha wanted to teach us which was that “now we both go and come”. The Buddha wanted to teach us how to go now and then come again. Even if we are ordinary beings, we understand all the principles and practice the Small Vehicle Dharma, so we should not be afraid to enter the Great Vehicle. We should not fear. It is precious to have entered the Small Vehicle teachings and have understood the principles of the Small Vehicle. Now we should form Great Vehicle aspirations and come and go freely. This is truly what is In the Buddha’s mind, what He wanted to teach us. So, “All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas return to the Three Realms”. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas want to come back to the Three Realms and the Five Destinies in order to transform sentient beings, “to benefit and deliver sentient beings”. This is truly what the Buddha wanted to teach us. “We must not follow the example of those who stop here and benefit only themselves”. We should not only follow the Small Vehicle and Just stop where we are, because “the place of treasures is close by”.
The place of treasures is close by: This [road] is 500 yojanas, and now they have crossed more than half of it. The Tathagata’s place of treasures was almost at hand, was close by. So, He revealed the true in order to put an end to the provisional.
They had followed the Small Vehicle to this point. In fact, the true place of treasures is the state of Buddhahood, where they would soon arrive. So, “This [road] is 500 yojanas, “and now they have crossed more than half of it”. They had already crossed over The Five Destinies and the Three Realms, had already gone more than halfway there. “The Tathagata’s place of treasures was almost at hand, was close by.” They had drawn near to the Tathagata’s place of treasures. So, He revealed the true. Now it was time to reveal the true and put an end to the provisional. Thus, “That great city from before was something conjured by me to allow you to stop and rest”.
That great city from before was something conjured by me to allow you to stop and rest: That great city of Nirvana along the way was something I skillful conjured because I could see your exhaustion. I did this for you. It was not the ultimate destination, but only for you to temporarily stop and rest.
“That great city from before was something I conjured”. This is what the Buddha told them. It was merely a stop along the way. “That great city of Nirvana along the way was something I skillfully conjured”. They were exhausted, so it was “skillfully conjured. I could see you were tired so I skillfully conjured it up, allowing you to peacefully abide, telling you had attained the fruits, the first and second fruit and so on”. Actually, this is not the real place to rest. The true place to stop and rest forever is actually the ultimate goal, the ultimate place to stop and rest. This is only a temporary place to stop and rest.
Everyone, we learn the Buddha’s teaching like this. We must take the Dharma to heart. We want to enter this stable and joyful and go directly toward the right path. This is the true place of peace and stability. Bodhisattvas cone and go freely. We must not remain stuck in the Small Vehicle, nor should we come but not dare to go, or go but not dare to come. This would not be good, so let us always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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