Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Drawing Near the Wisdom of the Buddha (出於三界漸近佛慧)
Date: May.10.2017
“Those of limited capabilities can only accept limited teachings; they cling to the Small and fear the Great. The Buddha, in loving-kindness, taught according to capabilities. He taught the Great when capabilities permitted. The Dharma-nature is like water, deep and clear. It changes its shape according to the container. Bodhisattvas destroy ignorance and delusion to gradually draw near to the Buddha’s wisdom.”
As we practice and learn the Buddha-Dharma, are our capabilities great, or are they limited? “Only the person who drinks the water knows how hot or cold it is.” I am sure that when each one of us first formed aspirations, we formed great aspirations and made great vows. Everyone must have had this resolve. But we are still in the process. Learning the Buddha’s teachings is the great undertaking of many lifetimes. It cannot be accomplished in a single lifetime. Moreover, in a shorter period of time, how could we possibly comprehend? Just thinking of ourselves, our own habitual tendencies are by no means easy for us to change. If we do not change our habitual tendencies, our afflictions will be difficult to eliminate. Then how can we possibly attain Buddhahood? So, we must be thoroughly vigilant of ourselves. Do we still have the same passion as when we first formed our initial aspirations, or has that cooled? This is something we can only know for ourselves. The Buddha understood even better that we do. He understood the minds of sentient beings, how sentient beings have capacities that run from great to small. This is how the Buddha used His wisdom to observe human nature. Though everyone has intrinsic Buddha-nature, all of us nevertheless have the afflictions and ignorance that have permeated us. The Buddha understood sentient beings’ capabilities, so He had to use great patience and love to accompany us through many lifetimes and dust-inked kalpas, continually coming to the world. So it says, “Those of limited capabilities can only accept limited teachings; they cling to the Small and fear the Great.” Because sentient beings’ capabilities are limited, the Buddha used limited teachings to guide and transform them, to encourage them. He began by helping them benefit themselves, by helping them to understand that life is filled with suffering. Suffering is the thing that everyone can most easily experience. Life’s affairs rarely go as we wish. Nine out of ten times we do not get our way. So, with this many things that do not go our way, we suffer. This is the feeling that we can most easily experience in life, to say nothing of the suffering in the world. There is truly so much unbearable suffering.
So, the Buddha’s first teaching was on suffering, something we can all acknowledge. We can admit, “It’s true! Life is suffering!” This is the true condition that any person comes in contact with when living in the world. It is a very obvious phenomenon, something that everyone can see and feel. It is something that everyone can experience. When the Buddha began to teach about suffering, everyone was able to accept it. Life truly is suffering! He began by asking everyone, “Do you know the cause of suffering?” They did not know. “Since you do not know, listen earnestly. Come, I will help you understand the cause of suffering. Its cause lies within us”. “Why is this so?” The Buddha began to analyze for them all their afflictive emotions and so on, every individual’s habitual tendencies, every individual’s perspectives, every individual’s analysis and every individual’s conflicts in interpersonal relationships. “Indeed! It is truly like this.” This is the principle of “causation”. “Now I understand clearly! Why am I together with this person? Why is there such enmity between us? Clearly we have not done anything to one other. Why do we have such enmity and hatred and hurt each other?”
The Buddha began to teach them that the situations they face in their present life are the effects, and the karma created in the past is the cause. So, they must have lived past lives like this. They listened and understood how their experience in this life is suffering and how they also had past lives. In their past lives, in their relationships with each other, these kinds of stories took place. As they listened, it made a lot of sense to them. Although these things happened in past lives, thus resulting in this present enmity and hatred, the suffering from these entanglements will continue even into future lifetimes. This was frightening! What could they do? Their present life was already unbearable suffering; what would the next life be? The Buddha then told them, “If you are afraid of your future lives, then you must engage in spiritual practice now to extinguish your suffering. If you eradicate the source, it will not continue into future lives”. “How do we stop it? Now in this lifetime we understand. How do we stop creating more hatred and enmity? How do we stop it? Love and hatred, passion and enmity, how can we finally put an end to these things?”
The Buddha taught them, “This is how to walk the path. To extinguish your suffering, you must engage in practice on the Path. It sounded very clear, so they understood,” and thus accepted the Dharma. As soon as they accepted these limited teachings they began to be more understanding in their interpersonal relationships and not engender hatred or stir up passion and give rise to the love, the source of entanglement. Love gives rise to hatred and then enmity. Because of this, they no longer wanted them. So, they had to make an effort to live peacefully together with everyone while earnestly engaging in spiritual practice. Thus, they remained attached to the Small Vehicle. “You practice what you practice, and I will practice what I practice.” They no longer wished to be entangled with others or become entangled by affections.
So, fearing the Great, they no longer dared to interact with others. They clung to the Small and feared the Great. They were afraid of coming to the world again and being mixed up with others.
But was this all the Buddha wished to teach them? No, this was just a method He used to lead them into taking their first steps. So, “The Buddha, in loving-kindness, taught according to capabilities. He taught the Great when capabilities permitted.” He adapted to sentient beings’ capabilities. In response to their needs, the Buddha gave them explanations and teachings so that they could accept and apply the teachings. However, Buddha really wanted was for people to turn from the Small to the Great. He did not want them to work only for themselves. He wanted them to go among people. This is the only way they could truly experience the [true nature] of afflictions, ignorance and afflictive emotions. The origins of these entanglements is found among the people, so He hoped they would go among the people, for only then could they truly experience this. Thus, He gave the teachings according to people’s capabilities.
Some people had very open minds, so the Buddha would seize the time to tell them, “Go! Go out to interact with more people! When you make contact with those people, do not allow any afflictions to arise. Not only must you not give rise to afflictions, you must happily and willingly give to help.” In this way, the Buddha adapted to those with capabilities like these, providing them with opportunities and giving the great teachings.
Over those 40 years, did the Buddha really only teach Hearers and Solitary Realizers? He did not stop there! During this time, if someone formed aspirations, the Buddha would start to nurture them. Whether they were laypeople or monastics, “He taught the Great when capabilities permitted.” Since all sentient beings have intrinsic Tathagata-nature, the Buddha taught according to capabilities and then taught the Great when capabilities permitted. “The Dharma-nature is like water, deep and clear. It changes its shape according to the container.” Everyone has the Dharma-nature. This nature, the nature of True Suchness, is just like pure water. With such pure water, no matter how it is given [the Dharma] will be accepted in that way. In accord with their capabilities and natures, they will accept it. In this way, it “changes its shape according to the container.” Those whose capabilities are not very penetrating, or those who have not yet gotten rid of their habitual tendencies, will be fearful, will be afraid. We are like long bamboo tubes. When you pour water into that bamboo tube, it will take the shape of the pipe, long and skinny like this. The water you can put inside will be limited; that is all you can put in it. Or, if you took a round basin and pour water into this round shape, the water will take the same round shapes as the basin. Is it a large basin? Or a small basin? Is the bamboo tube long or is it short? In accordance with what their capabilities can take, He gives them suitable teachings. How can this [Dharma-] water continually permeate them until they have deep faith and understanding in their hearts, until they have faith and understanding in the depths of their hearts and return again to their initial aspiration. Our initial aspirations were formed when the nature of True Suchness suddenly appeared. If I become joyful from listening to the Dharma and am willing to benefit others, True Suchness suddenly appears. It suddenly manifests itself. However, gradually, it slowly shrinks away again. Then gradually, habitual tendencies once more begin to surface. So, this is turning from the Great to the Small. Those with great capabilities may have already formed aspirations, but then they gradually change and they end up with limited capabilities. Actually, contained within everyone’s mind is a [nature] the same as the Buddha’s. It is just a pity that the time over which our aspirations are sustained is short-lived. Thus, the Buddha had to adapt to [capabilities], drawing people in as causes and conditions allowed. If they were able to shoulder a great mission, He would constantly send them out to go and be one with the people.
This is like Purna Maitrayani Putra, who said to the Buddha, “I want to go to the vilest possible place in order to transform sentient beings there.” The Buddha told him, “That place is very dangerous; the sentient beings there are vile and exceedingly difficult to transform.” He told of the many difficulties there, of how fierce the people were. He wanted Purna to know that if he wished to go there, he must truly form great aspirations and make great vows. He would need perseverance and courage if he were to go among the people there without becoming defiled by them. He would need great forgiveness in his heart to accommodate the sentient beings there and give with great love. Although the Buddha used many different methods to help him understand the high degree of difficulty involved in going there. He was nevertheless unafraid. The story of Purna Maitrayani Putra is one that we have taught in the past. In the Sangha, there was also a small minority like this who formed great aspirations and made great vows. They were willing to courageously advance and go among the people. They were likewise engaged in spiritual practice. Everyone’s Dharma-nature is just like water, so pure, able to wash away many defilements. However, when our own water is still contaminated, the amount of pure water that we have is limited; there is not enough of it.
In this way, if we only have limited amount, the Buddha would be very worried. Though more than 40 years had passed, the majority of sentient beings still remained stubborn and hard to train. Yet the human lifespan is only so long; He could not wait any longer. The Buddha had no choice then but to begin teaching the Lotus Sutra. When He began teaching the Lotus Sutra, we could see how many difficulties He encountered. How many were really able to accept it? For them to truly understand the Great Vehicle Dharma, how much time would the Buddha have to spend gradually leading and guiding them? Form the Chapter on Skillful Means through the Chapter on Parables, the Chapter on Faith and Understanding and the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, He had continued on in this way, all in the hope of everyone being able to experience the truth of the principles. The principles can drip into our hearts and nourish the ground of our minds.
However, though Dharma-water is universal, [what we accept] depends on whether we are a great tree or a small plant. Great trees absorb large amounts of water. How much water can small plants actually absorb? This shows the Dharma is taught equally to all; whether sentient beings [accept] a little or a lot depends on sentient beings’ capacities. “Bodhisattvas destroy ignorance and delusion to gradually draw near to the Buddha’s wisdom”. Bodhisattvas practice according to the teachings continuously over the course of many lifetimes. Whether the ignorance in their views and thinking, or the afflictions of dust-like delusions, they are constantly diligent in continuously eliminating these. So, they could already eliminate their ignorance and delusions. Ignorance is that of our views and thinking, while delusions are very subtle afflictions. When it comes to our views and thinking, our ignorance and delusions, especially our delusions, they are just like dust. Sometimes we are unaware of them; they are invisible to us. After a short time, on the tables here, or anywhere for that matter, if you run you finger over it, “Hey, why is there so much dust here?” Actually, you could not even see it. Our own delusions are [all like this]; we have no way to break through them or under stand them. As they pile up in layers, we are unable to even understand our own issues. We have so many of these delusions, thus Bodhisattvas need to spend a long time, many lifetimes, to destroy them. They have already eliminated ignorance and delusions and are already gradually approaching the Buddha’s wisdom. This takes a very long time. It also requires that the Buddha, very patiently, [comes back] lifetime after lifetime, for a long period of time.
Spiritual practitioners need patience like this. Having formed aspirations, they follow [the Buddha]; lifetime after lifetime, they seek the Buddha’s teachings. They keep going among people to train themselves and can further experience sentient beings’ views and thinking and their many kinds of ignorance. Only by seeing others can we truly understand ourselves.
The previous sutra passage says, “The Buddha knew their minds, that they were timid and weak-willed with limited capabilities. With the power of skillful means, in the middle of the path, to let them stop and rest, He taught the two kinds of Nirvana”.
With the Buddha’s great awakening, sentient beings’ minds and their thinking were thoroughly understood by the Buddha. They have not yet eliminated habitual tendencies. They had habitual tendencies of being timid, weak-willed and of limited capabilities. The Buddha knew this. However, He still had to think of ways [to help]. He would never abandon even a single disciple. He had to think of ways to create causes and conditions and used the power of skillful means to lead them. He let them know that by eliminating their afflictions, they could put an end to samsara. So, like this, stage by stage, beginning with the Four Noble Truths, He guided them without interruption. However, they had still not reached the ultimate. They had to know they law of cause and effect, but this was all just a place to stop and rest. It was all just a place to stop mid-way. “This lesson is over now. Having finished this lesson you can now rest for a while”.
Is that it? They have not yet arrived. “There is still so much you do not know. You must still advance further”. One stop after another, He helps them understand and then lets them rest. He hopes to have a plan. “We have now finished this part of the plan. This section is finished. Now, I will tell you about the next section. The universe is vast. Truly, the constructs of the mind are even greater. You have eliminated ignorance layer by layer, but there are still layers and layers of dust-like delusions that you need to experience and confront”.
The next passage says, “If sentient beings remained at the stage of the Two, the Tathagata at that time would tell them. The things you must do are not yet down. The stage where you abide now is close to Buddha-wisdom”.
You must listen mindfully! “If sentient beings remain at the stage of the Two”. This describes how sentient beings can abide in the limited teachings; starting from the Four Noble Truths, they are able to accept the teachings. These are very simple, things we are able to encounter ourselves. The Buddha gently reminded us. The Buddha gently reminded us of the original cause of our suffering. This is how people start to draw near to the Buddha-Dharma. These are the limited teachings. They can understand all matters and principles, but in thoroughly understanding the principles, they have not yet reached the ultimate. They understanding what they can experience, but the ultimate principles contained within are not yet fully understood. This is called “Nirvana with remainder”. So, it then speaks of “ultimate understanding of matters and principles.” This is “Nirvana without remainder”. Before we have thoroughly penetrated matters and principles, we only focus on eliminating our ignorance in this life. We do not want to contrive affinities with others. We want to eliminate our own afflictions. When that is all, then this is “Nirvana with remainder”. In this life, we do not contrive affinities with others and “refrain from all that is evil”. We may have already ceased doing evil and no longer contrive affinities, but our practice of “doing all that is good is still not sufficient”. So, we are only practicing with ourselves; we are unwilling to go among people. Thus our “doing all that is good” is not enough. We are only eliminating our own afflictions, merely refraining from doing evil, yet we must go further to do all that is good and go among people. Among people, we must reach an ultimate understanding of people, matters and principles. Only then can we reach “Nirvana without remainder”.
The stage of the Two refers to the fruits of Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. These are the Two. These people stop when they get here, stopping at “Nirvana with remainder”. They “refrain from evil” and eliminate their afflictions. However, they still do not form great aspirations to “do all that is good”. Only by doing all that is good are we truly able to experience what true afflictions are and where the ignorance of our dust like delusions is.
If sentient beings remained at the stage of the Two: When sentient beings abide in limited teachings, they have not reached the ultimate understanding in all matters and principles. This is Nirvana with remainder. The ultimate understanding of matters and principles is Nirvana without remainder. Remaining at the stage of the Two: This refers to those who have realized the fruits of Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas.
Our delusions of thinking, of views and thinking, are found in our daily living. I often tell everyone that the Dharma is in our daily living. In our daily living, we have our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. These are the Five Roots. As our eyes see everything around us, with all these conditions that we see, what feelings do we give rise to in our minds? Do our minds give rise to desire and craving, or are we able to see them and just let them pass? These all depends upon how our Five Roots, our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, connect with the states of Dust (sense objects). Do we give rise to greed and cravings? This is the way that our Six Roots make contact with the Six Dusts. This is something we must understand.
The delusion of thinking: It is when the Five Roots of sight and so on and thoughts of greed and craving arise.
Delusion of views and thinking means that after we see things, we consider them and so on. Do we see them completely clearly? Everything that we see around us is the Dharma. When we see external phenomena, if thoughts of ignorance arise within us, then afflictions will begin to stir. In this way, we will give rise to ignorance and delusion s of views and thinking. As we go about our daily living, how do we engage in spiritual practice? Whether the Four Noble Truths, or the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, both are in separable how from the Five Roots and the consciousness of our minds continually influence us. It all depends on whether we have fully eliminated [our afflictions]. So, “The Tathagata at that time would tell them…”.
The Tathagata at that time would tell them: When the Tathagata saw how they abided in the Small Vehicle like this, lingering and not moving toward the Great, He had to employ provisional teachings in order to expound the Dharma for them. As this time, with the true [teachings] He said that the things they must do, with regard to the Buddha-wisdom, were still not completely done. They should not take the Small Vehicle Nirvana taught through skillful means to be the true and thus linger mid-way along the path.
Look at sentient beings capabilities. As they face their external conditions, how do they take them in through the Six Roots and the Six Dusts? The Tathagata understood all of this. So, “When the Tathagata saw how they abided in the Small Vehicle like this, lingering and not moving toward the Great, He had to employ provisional teachings in order to expounded the Dharma for them”. These people of limited capabilities were still caught up in interpersonal conflicts. They still had not eliminated them. By that point, some of them felt, “I have already eradicated ignorance. This is enough for me, I will stop here”. Some thought, “Considering my ignorance, I do not wish to form negative affinities with others”. Though they thought this way, afflictions would still surge up within them. So, they were still bogged down here. Just dealing with themselves, just trying to cure themselves, was by no means easy. So, how were they supposed to cure the afflictions of others? This would be very difficult.
So, they remained like this, “lingering and not moving toward the Great”. This is because if we do not go among people, those subtle, dust-like afflictions. So, the Buddha had to use all kinds of provisional teachings in order to guide us, hoping all of us would turn from the Small [Vehicle] teachings toward the Great. “At this time, with the true [teachings] He said that the things they must do [were not done]”. The Buddha taught for more than 40 years. During that time He had imparted many kinds of teachings. In the Lotus Sutra alone, by now, how many times have we already mentioned “delusions of views and thinking”? How many times have we already mentioned ignorance and dust-like afflictions? Do we really understand what these things called “views and thinking” are? Views and thinking arise in our daily living. Listening to teachings, we learn, “These are afflictions. This is the Dharma”. What happens after we hear these things? Yet in our daily living [we say things like], “That is how I am! Why are you saying things like this?” We remain the same. Our interpersonal relationships remain the same. [We still say], “I am right and you are wrong”. With some people, this is hard to avoid; these mental states will certainly manifest. In the Buddha’s eyes, though He taught for 40 or 50 years, during all that time the Buddha always knew whether or not the teaching of the Great Dharma could be given. By now, time would no longer permit [delay]. “At this time, with the true [teachings] He said that the things they must do [were not done]. I have no choice but to now tell you that”. “You all have been continually lingering in the limited teachings. You have still not done what you need to do. With regard to the Buddha-wisdom [these things] were still not completely done”. Although they had practiced for over 40 years, they still had a long way to go before reaching the wisdom of the Buddha. “There were still things they had not yet done. They should not take the Small Vehicle Nirvana taught through skillful means to be the true”. “Don’t think that with just the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence you can truly extinguish your afflictions and that you have truly crossed into extinction. You are not there yet! Your thinking still fluctuates, and you still have many dust-like delusions that you have not completely eliminated. Your wisdom is not the same as the Buddha’s. The Buddha’s wisdom is nothing but great perfect mirror wisdom. However, you all have the very same mirror; it is just still covered in dust. You have not yet put effort into polishing it, so you still have not arrived at the state of the Buddha’s wisdom. Don’t think you’ve already learned everything, that your learning is finished, that you have learned enough. You haven’t, yet”. They still had small capacities; their capabilities were still limited.
So, they still “lingered mid-way along the path”. They had gotten stuck along the way. They still had a long way to go. So, “The things you must do are not yet done”. This was because they were not yet able to comprehend the Buddha’s wisdom. “Although you have been living together and I have continually taught you like this, the Buddha’s wisdom is still impossible for you to comprehend”. This was the Buddha telling them with the true [teachings]. He was telling them the truth. “There are still things you have not done! There is still much of the Buddha’s wisdom that you have not yet drawn near to!” So, “The things you must do are not yet done”.
The things you must do are not yet done: The things you have done with regards to the Small Vehicle are done, but with regards to the Buddha’s Great Vehicle, are not yet completely done. The things of the Small Vehicle are all done, and the Four Abidings are already eliminated. These are the afflictions of views and thinking in the Three Realms.
“The things you have done with regards to the Small Vehicle are done. You know all the terms and labels of the Small Vehicle Dharma, but in regard to the Buddha’s Great Vehicle, [you are] not yet completely done”. They still did not truly understand the wisdom of the Buddha. “You generally understand outer appearances, but the wisdom in the Buddha’s mind, the original intent of the Buddha, is not yet clear to you”. So, in regard to the Buddha’s Great Vehicle, there are things you have not yet completely done. They had already attained the fruits of the Small Vehicle, the fruits of Arhatship, or of Solitary Realizers. These are all the “Nirvana with remainder” of the Small Vehicle. They had not yet arrived at the state of the true Great Nirvana. So, “The things of the Small Vehicle are done”. This means they eliminated the Four Abiding States. It means that their afflictions of views and thinking within the Three Realms had already been eliminated.
As for the Four Abidings, the first of the Four Abidings is “the abiding state of views of all phenomena. All deluded views in the Three Realms are collected as one abiding state. These are the views of all phenomena”. This is the abiding state of everything we see. The Buddha taught us that, and now we have come to understand. Everything in the world is suffering; we now understand this.
Second is “the abiding state of craving in the desire realm. This is delusion of thinking in the desire realm”. We also know about the abiding state of craving in the desire realm. All ignorance arises from a single thought of desire. This is how ignorance arises.
Third is “the abiding state of craving in the form realm. This is delusion of thinking in the form realm”. When we see things, we have no craving or desire for these things, but deep in our minds, these things create hindrances for us. Though we do not grasp at these appearances, inside our minds, these things are still obstructions for us.
Fourth is “the abiding state of craving in the formless realm. This is delusion of thinking in the formless realm”. We have left the form realm. We have transcended all material things and no longer greedily cling to them. Although we are beyond appearances and forms and beyond greedy attachments, inside of us there are still afflictions of emptiness and nothingness. Some people say, “My heart is empty”. “Why is your heart empty?” “I do not really know”. “What are you thinking about?” “I am not thinking about anything, it’s just that I feel very empty”. “What is it that you want?” “I don’t know; I don’t really want anything”. This is the intangible, formless realm; our ignorance and afflictions are like this. These [feeling] come in waves and prevent our mind from settling down and prevent us from being able to fully understand. So, this is as far as the Small vehicle can take us. We can only eliminate things up to that point. “The abiding state of craving” means there are still delusions of thinking in the formless realm. We clearly know what these things are, that they are intangible and formless but these subtle afflictions still remain.
The Four Abidings: 1.The abiding state of views of all phenomena. All deluded views the Three Realms are collected into abiding state. These are views regarding all phenomena. 2.The abiding state of craving in the desire realm. This is delusion of thinking in the desire realm. Third, the abiding state of craving in the form realm. This is delusion of thinking in the form realm. Fourth, the abiding state of craving in the formless realm. This is delusion of thinking in the formless realm.
So, “The things of the Great Vehicle are not done”. This is because they had not reached the state of the Great Vehicle. We must form great aspirations and make great vows. The Great Vehicle eliminates “the Five Abidings”. We wish to eliminate the Five Abidings. [Having eliminated] the Four Abiding states, we have already reached the formless realm, yet a small measure of affliction still remains. So, [as we enter ] the Great Vehicle, ignorance and delusions still remain, so” The Five Abidings still exist”. Though “attachment to self has been dispelled,” and in our relationships with others, we can see that some things have been eliminated, the “attachment to the Dharma still exists”.
The things of the Great Vehicle are not done: The Five Abidings still exist. Their attachment to self has been dispelled, yet their attachment to Dharma still exists.
“What kind of Dharma must we practice in order to attain the true fruits? How should we practice this? Which sutra talks about this? I read this in the sutra and went to look it up the Buddhist dictionary. That is not how it is explained”. If the dictionary explains it that way then we can all just go and consult the dictionary. But when we read it, do we understand? That was [written] in the past. Now, this teaching is like this. The Dharma exists because it adapts to the changes in the world. It is the teaching that responds to the world. Furthermore, we must understand that it is all in our daily living. So, “The stage where you abide now is close to Buddha-wisdom”.
The stage where you abide now is close to Buddha-wisdom: At the stage in which you are abiding, you have already passed over 300 yojanas, transcended the Three Realms and reached the land of Dharma-nature, close to the great city of Nirvana.
Now the Budddha began by telling them, the things you must do are not yet done. Yet, everyone was nevertheless moving forward. They had mostly drawn near to it. Now the Buddha encourages them by saying, “You could not reach it in the past, but I am encouraging you now that you will soon arrive. At the stage in which you are abiding, you have already passed over 300 yojanas. You have transcended the Three Realms and have reached the land of Dharma-nature”. Passing through the 300 yojanas is like [transcending] the Three Evil Destinies. “We have passed through these, and we already understand the afflictions of views and thinking in the Three Realms. We have escaped the Three Realms”. Since we understand these afflictions, we have “reached the land of Dharma-nature”. We have already begun stepping into the pure land of the Dharma-nature. So, they drew near to “the Great City of Nirvana”. This is saying that, having come so far, they were exhausted, yet they had already transcended the Three Evil Destinies. They had transcended the Three Realms. As for the principles of the Three Realms, their views and thinking and ignorance, they were able to understand them all.
So, “The impartial great wisdom of all Buddhas is all-encompassing wisdom and supreme perfect enlightenment”. The Lotus Sutra’s Chapter on Skillful Means also says, ”The reason the Tathagata appears is to teach Buddha-wisdom”.
We have already begun drawing near to the Buddha’s wisdom What is the Buddha’s wisdom? It is equal, universal great wisdom, showing compassion to all equally. This is the wisdom of the Buddha. It is all-encompassing wisdom. The Buddha’s wisdom is known as “all-encompassing wisdom,” wisdom that pervades the universe, the principles of all matter in the world. With it, all principles and all matters are clear. This is the wisdom of the Buddha. The Lotus Sutra’s Chapter on Skillful Means also says, “The reason the Tathagata appears is to teach Buddha-wisdom”. Why did the Tathagata appear in the world? He came to tell everyone that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-wisdom, intrinsically has the nature of True Suchness. This was the Buddha’s goal, so we must try to live up the Buddha’s compassion. The Buddha showed such love and compassion for sentient beings, we should not merely linger in our limited capabilities or remain attached to the limited teachings. We should not fear entering the Great Vehicle Dharma. We should form great aspirations and make great vows, for it is only by going among people that we will be able to rid ourselves of our dust-like delusions and ignorance and thus enable our wisdom to grow. So, let us always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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