Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Cultivating Calm Contemplation to Enter Pure Bodhi(靜思惟修 入淨菩提 )
Date: June.08.2017
“Entering the door of meditative thinking, with calm contemplation we observe the capabilities of sentient beings. Entering the door of wisdom, with wisdom we illuminate the meanings and the principles. Entering the door of retaining and upholding, we give rise to no evil and uphold the teachings of goodness. Entering the door of eloquence, we expound all Dharma without obstruction.”
We must be mindful! Let us mindfully and thoroughly contemplate this. From the Introductory Chapter, the Lotus Sutra has [been explained] all the way to the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City. The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City has now come to an end. Now is precisely the time for us to contemplate deeply. The Buddha gave the teachings in a certain sequence. He mindfully gave us reminders and instructions so we might clearly understand the Dharma’s origin. So, He began with teaching the Four Noble Truths, then the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, then actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. From the Agama to the Vaipulya then the Prajna, He finally turned to the Lotus [teachings]. There are the Lotus teachings and also the Avatamsaka teachings. The Avatamsaka teachings are on the Buddha’s spiritual state. The Lotus teachings follows the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna teachings; after these, He turned to the Lotus Sutra. The flowering is the fruition. This is used as an analogy. This fruit is also the start of the flower; the flower and the fruit are [revealed] together. So, the lotus flower in the name of the Lotus Sutra is an analogy for returning to our intrinsic Tathagata-nature.
This is how, stage after stage, the Buddha enticed and guided us, helping us go from a confused state of mind to seeing a ray of light and knowing how to walk this path. However, if we do not open the door of our minds, if there is only a narrow opening, when the light shines in, it will only be a thin ray. If we look when the sun is rising, those doors are [mostly] closed, so however wide those doors are open, that is the width of the sun that shines through. The wider we open them, the more sunlight can shine in. If we then open up the main door, the whole room will naturally be lit up. The principle is the same. So, we must earnestly [enter] “the door of meditative thinking.” We must enter this door to the Dharma. “Meditation” means to have right thinking. We must think carefully; our thoughts and perspectives must not deviate. We must have right understanding, right views and right thinking. This is what we need in our daily living.
Since the Introductory Chapter, there have been [so many] teachings. Before the Introductory Chapter, the Sutra of Infinite Meanings [was taught]. The teachings in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings are already so abundant, with both the ways of the world and the Buddha-Dharma. For Buddha-Dharma to enter the ways of the world, the Bodhisattva Way is the bridge between them. The Bodhisattva Way is the link between the Buddha-Dharma and the workings of the world. Every day as we read the chant the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, we must put effort into contemplating it. We must earnestly use right thinking to read the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. In fact, the Buddha had already pointed out the path for us to return to our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. Yet, we still have not taken notice of the importance of this sutra for spiritual practitioners. So, the Buddha had to once again analyze it in more detail for everyone. Starting from everyone’s intrinsic wisdom, the wisdom of all Dharma, wisdom of enlightenment and all-encompassing wisdom, He began to analyze for everyone how these are inherent to everyone. However, people still did not understand this. So, the Buddha radiated light in an auspicious sign to attract everyone’s attention.
Thus, the Introductory Chapter is the door for us to enter the Lotus Sutra. As soon as we open this door, we will know how to open the doors of our hearts wider and wider. That means that if we want to enter the state of the Lotus teachings, we must enter “the door of meditative thinking.” Our mindset and way of thinking must be correct. Only if we have correct and calm contemplation can we observe the capabilities of sentient beings. When our contemplation and thinking is correct, we will then be able to awaken ourselves and want to awaken others. Only by awakening ourselves and others can we have perfect awakened conduct. We must cultivate calm contemplation. Normally, when we speak of “meditation” we mean cultivating contemplation. This is something we all must do. We must earnestly engage in the cultivation of contemplation every day. This is the only way we can, through our impressions and perspectives, actually observe sentient beings. With sentient beings’ capabilities, how do they need to be drawn in? How do we need to transform them? Besides the capabilities of sentient beings, we aloe need to be aware of the timing. With the Buddha-Dharma in our current era, we guide sentient beings in how to give for the sake of other in this era and walk the Bodhisattva-path. So, “With calm contemplation we observe the capabilities of sentient beings.” This all depends on our thinking. Then we must enter “the door of wisdom”. Wisdom is the goal of spiritual practice. For many lifetimes we have been in a state of confusion. So, we kept reproducing our ignorance, which led us to create so much karma. That was because we lost our wisdom. We all intrinsically have wisdom equal to the Buddha’s, but we have covered it with our ignorance.
Now, from the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, we have already entered the Lotus Sutra teachings. Starting from the Introductory Chapter, we have gone all the way to the [Chapter on the Parable of the] Conjured City. We should be able to more or less understand that everyone intrinsically has this pure nature of True Suchness. In the time of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, we already knew this. The [teachings of] Great Unhindered Buddha and the 16 principles, after many lives and kalpas, have continued all the way until the present. The teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha have been transmitted all the way to now, to precisely the era we live in now, which is when we need them the most. We need to open the door to our wisdom and earnestly let the light of the Buddha-Dharma [shine in]. In the Introductory Chapter, after the Buddha finished expounding the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, He manifested an auspicious sign of radiance, a ray of light from the tuft between His eyebrows; the light of wisdom was already being displayed. We should know that walking the Bodhisattva-path requires us to display our light of wisdom. The light of wisdom can illuminate the principles, the truth of the Buddha-Dharma. With the Small Vehicle, we use limited teachings to suit those with limited capabilities. For those with average capabilities, we use the Middle Vehicle teachings to guide them. For those with great capabilities, when we use the Great Dharma to teach them, they will understand as soon as they hear. With their wisdom, they attain understanding, form great aspiration and make great vows. They give rise to the Four Infinite Minds and go among the people. This is all wisdom. The greater our wisdom, the greater the path we will pave. This is how we engage in spiritual practice. Wisdom can illuminate meanings and principles, so we enter “the door of retaining and upholding”.
“The door of retaining and upholding” means that we retain all teachings and uphold all goodness. We must understand all of the teachings. Among the multitudes of sentient beings, most give rise to discursive thoughts. With endless ignorance we reproduce afflictions, so we cannot control ourselves and will create bad karma. If we can enter the door of retaining and upholding, then we will be very clear about positive and negative phenomena. With the positive, we must quickly make use of it. With the negative, we must quickly stop it. So, we must give rise to no evil, but we must quickly increase all goodness. This is “the door of retaining and upholding”. “We retain all teachings and uphold all goodness.” This is what we often recite. “Refrain from all evil, do all that is good.” We must prevent anvil from arising and quickly eliminate [what has already arisen]. We should give rise to and nurture goodness.
This is also how we were taught and transformed. In these times of great change in the world, we must clearly discern right from wrong. What is right is right; let us seize the moment and just do it right away. As for what is wrong, we should quickly distance ourselves from it. We must not be unclear about right and wrong; that would lead us to be easily contaminated. Thus, we must earnestly maintain “the door of retaining and upholding”. Only when we enter “the door of retaining and upholding” can we already discern right from wrong. In this way, we give rise to no evil and uphold the teachings of goodness. If we understand all these teachings, we can “enter the door of eloquence” to gain the “four kinds of unobstructed eloquence”. These are the “Four Unobstructed Wisdoms”. When we are clear about the Dharma, the meaning sand the ways of teaching and can [speak] very joyfully, we have the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms. We “expound all Dharma without obstruction”.
Nowadays, most people have a high level of knowledge and know a lot of things. But, this becomes the hindrance of knowledge. This is being “too smart for one’s own good”. There are many people like this now. So, we must use a very clear [mind] and calm contemplation to observe the capacities of sentient beings. With the way people are educated now and the perspectives in people’s minds, we must be able to think very clearly so we can face the multitudes of sentient beings. We must also use wisdom. If wisdom and the principles are imprinted clearly in our minds, then naturally the ways of the world and the Buddha-Dharma will converge; we will be very clear about the Bodhisattva Way. Thus, we will no longer be troubled by ignorance and the afflictions of sentient beings. We must mindfully seek to experience this; only then can we truly “retain all teachings and uphold all goodness”. All the methods taught by the Buddha are completely understood by us. We truly understand and know them very clearly. Not only do we know them, everyone must also have a common vision of how we can put them into practice. We must not only know the methods for action, but also must put the teachings into practice and get involved. So, we need to not only have unity [in voice], but also concerted effort. Unity, harmony, mutual love and concerted effort; these should be applied in this large organization where we practice the Bodhisattva Way. Everyone must make use of these. Then naturally we will be able to encourage each other in our interactions to uphold all goodness and eliminate all evil. We can all mutually encourage each other. With many people, matters, things and perspectives, our expounding of all Dharma will be unobstructed; this is something very natural. Therefore, I hope everyone can be mindful.
Remember, we must enter the door of meditative thinking, the door of wisdom, the door of retaining and upholding and the door of eloquence. We must have calm contemplation to gain wisdom. Only with wisdom do we know how to discern right from wrong. Only when we can clearly discern good and evil can we have unobstructed eloquence of all Dharma. All of his requires us to be very mindful. Working in concert with harmony, unity and love is key for a large organization; this is very important. I hope everyone can be mindful.
So, to “cultivate calm contemplation” is to “seize the moment to do all that is good, helping the poor and saving those in hardship”. This is very important for us. This is “cultivating calm contemplation”.
Cultivating calm contemplation: Seize the moment to do all that is good, helping the poor and saving those in hardship. Be grateful that the world is a spiritual training ground where Bodhisattvas can cultivate goodness and increase their blessed causes and conditions. Entering the door of wisdom: By being understanding of the world’s suffering, its causation and its cessation we will enter pure Bodhi.
When engaging in spiritual practice, we should not think just sitting in meditation is what is called spiritual practice; that is not it. We must contemplate thoroughly if it is the right thing to do, we just do it; doing the right thing is having wisdom. We must “seize the moment to do all that is good”. Just do it! Life is filled with suffering, all connected to poverty and hardship, as well as the impermanence in this world. There are so many disasters. When people encounter disaster and suffer great hardship, how can we help to relieve their suffering? This is something we must do right away. At the same time we must be grateful. Not only do we need to help others in time, we must also be grateful. This is because “The world is a spiritual training ground where Bodhisattvas can cultivate goodness and increase their blessed causes and conditions”. Since we are able to come to the human world, we must cherish this [opportunity], cherish our human form and cherish the interpersonal relationships we have. This is the human world. Relationships are the spiritual training ground where Bodhisattvas can cultivate goodness and increase their blessed causes and conditions. Otherwise, where could you go to walk the Bodhisattva-path? We must do it in the world, in our relationships. How do we cultivate ourselves? We do it in this world. There is much ignorance in this world, as well as many entangling and troublesome people. How do we face these people suffering from ignorance and delusions? We must exercise our wisdom and our love. We must find a way to guide them and draw them in. Walking the Bodhisattva-path must be done in this world. Therefore, we must be grateful, grateful that this world is a spiritual training ground where Bodhisattva can cultivate goodness and increase their blessed causes and condition. Since we want to attain Buddhahood, if we do not go among people, how can we engage in spiritual practice? Without spiritual practice, how can we attain Buddhahood?
Furthermore, we need to “enter the door of wisdom”. As each day passes, our lives continuously pass and grow shorter. We must be in this world to have the opportunity every day to be understanding of the world’s suffering, causation and cessation. Only then do we know how to engage in practice. If there were not so much suffering in this world, if not for people’s interpersonal relationships giving rise so many afflictions, how would we know this world is full of suffering. If we know that this world is full of suffering, we also understand that in the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha explained clearly that the “causation” is many karmic conditions gathering and thus leading us to [suffer] helplessly, lifetime after lifetime. Now we have understood. We are determined to achieve “cessation” and engage in spiritual practice on the “Path”. In this way, we will “enter pure Bodhi”; this is why we must be grateful. So, when we go among people, we know how to engage in skillful contemplation; we know how to enter the door of wisdom and cultivate skillful contemplation. As we know how to enter the door of wisdom, we must always be grateful to be able to go among the people.
So, when the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra, from the Introductory Chapter all the way to the Parable of the Conjured City, He taught stage by stage in this way. A “cycle” refers to these stages that cycle on after the other. It is like how we say a “yearly cycle” is one year or when we say a “weekly cycle”, meaning one week. Four weeks will be a “monthly cycle”. In the same way, when the moon is full again, we have passed one “monthly cycle”. Then, another full moon will appear again until we have 12 full moons, which is a “yearly cycle”. So, just like that, it progresses cycle by cycle, stage by stage. So, eacah stage of the Dharma that the Buddha taught is inseparable form four things. “First [is] teaching “First [is] teaching the Dharma. The first thing is the teaching of the Dharma. When He teaches, whether profound or simple, it is all Dharma. When we understand, “Next [is] comprehending it. “Do all of you understand what I taught? I will say it again; do you understand? Do you know now? Do you understand? Can you achieve it?” He explained the teachings like this over and over. Once they understand, next is “recounting achievements.” “After you comprehended it, what is the level of your attainment? Here, please explain the teachings again. Now you understand, but can you practice it?” “Yes, I can definitely practice it.” “Good, then I will bestow a prediction on you. Since you have such faith and are able to practice it, you have the qualifications; you pass.” This is “receiving predictions.” these are the four things. Aren’t interpersonal relationships just like this? “I trust you, so I entrust this responsibility to you.” This is like bestowing predictions. “You can definitely accomplish this. You can definitely fulfill this responsibility.” This is the same principle. This is part of these four things.
Every cycle is equally replete with four things. First, teaching the Dharma, next, comprehending it, next, recounting achievements, next, bestowing predictions.
“The Buddha [taught] these causes and conditions for the practitioners of the three Vehicles.” He taught all these causes and conditions. then in the Parable of the Conjured City, He explained them all from dust-inked kalpas ago. However, those with limited capabilities still needed the Buddha to give them confirmation. So, they needed to receive predictions, to receive some kind confirmation. For the Buddha to personally bestow predictions upon them is what people with ordinary capabilities need “Am I really qualified the way that I am?” they need to pass tests to know they are qualified. In fact, whether or not we are qualified, we all intrinsically have the Buddha-nature. If we each put the teachings into practice and walk the Bodhisattva-path, then naturally we can attain the state of Buddhahood.
But, sentient beings still have this attachment. So, the Buddha bestowed predictions in sequence to let everyone know that this is the process of these people’s spiritual practice; they will attain Buddhahood in the future. So, later we will discuss the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions; Filled Son of Loving-kindness was not by himself. “Filled Son of Loving-kindness” is Purna Maitrayniputra. He was merely the first [to receive predictions]. in this chapter, if we consider the tatal number, is should be called the “Chapter on 1200 Arhats Receiving Predictions.” If we name it by the first to receive predictions, that was Purna Maitrayniputra.
When the Buddha finished teaching these causes and conditions for the practitioners of the Three Vehicles, those of limited capabilities needed to receive predictions, hence there is this chapter. In this chapter on receiving predictions, not only Purna Maitrayniputra but 1200 people all received predictions together. If the total number involved is considered, it should have been called the Chapter on 1200 Arhats Receiving Predictions.
The Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions is about when the Buddha bestowed is about when the Buddha bestowed predictions; there were only 500 people present, while the remaining 700 people were not there. So, among those 500 people who were present, purna Maitrayniputra was head of the group. His was the first name called by the Buddha because he began to request the teachings again. So, Purna Maitrayniputra, filled Son Loving-kindness, was first receive predictions in this chapter. So, in the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions, we use this word “receiving”. But in the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, we use the word “bestowing”. The two words are slightly different in meaning. The Buddha knew that he was qualified, so He bestowed a prediction on him. These 500 disciples were those who began to request that the Buddha bestow predictions upon them. [But] the people who received predictions from the Buddha exceeded 500 in number. The total number of people should be 1200. But because some of them were not present, there were only 500 there. So, these 500 disciples were those who were present as the Buddha was beginning to bestow predictions.
In the same way, we always hear, “This person isn’t here, that person isn’t here.” So, whoever was there could immediately receiver [predictions] on site. As for those who were absent, they must be included too after all, those people also engaged in spiritual practice in the same way as these 500 people. So, these 500 disciples were all those present. In particular, having understood, they spoke of [the analogy of] the jewel in the clothing. The 500 disciples told this together. This is like the analogy of the poor son, how the four disciples together used that analogy. The jewel in the clothing was an analogy shared by these 500 disciples. So, they all received predictions.
If the head of the group receiving predictions is considered, it should have been named the Chapter on Purna Maitrayaniputra Receiving Predictions. instead it is named. Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions since when the Buddha bestowed predictions, the 1200 may not all have been at the assembly. The 500 disciples were all at the assembly and stated their comprehension with the analogy of the jewel in the clothing. Thus this chapter was named after the 500 receiving predictions. Purna Maitrayaniputra alone is a small number, which is also his name was not chosen as the name of this chapter.
So, Filled Son of Loving-kindness was only one man. In Sanskrit it is Purna Maitrayaniputra. All these people were all qualified to receive predictions, but many of them were not present at the assembly. So, now we will talk about the upcoming chapter, the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions. so, “disciple” refers to the fourfold assembly. We must understand the term “disciple” refers to those in the fourfold assembly. For the Buddha, “disciples” is a term for all. The bhiksus were not the only ones that the Buddha called “disciples”.
Disciples: For the Buddha, this is the shared name of those in the fourfold assembly. It is not just the name that bhiksus cann themselves in regards to the Buddha. yet the bhiksus followed the Buddha to become monastics and had the same appearance as the Buddha, so this specifically refers to all bhiksus.
Actually, the Buddha mentions the “bhiksus”; it says “500 disciples” here, but we usually call them “bhiksus”. We distinguish those at the assembly in this way. Those who become monastics to engage in spiritual practice are called “bhiksus”. They follow the Buddha to become monastics and have appearances just like the Buddha. When the Buddha renounced the lay life to engage in spiritual practice, He manifested the appearance of a monastic. So, bhiksus, bhiksunis, sramaneras and sramaneris all manifest the appearance of monastics. Thus, they are referred to as “[all] bhiksus”. They are all Buddhist practitioners who will attain Buddhahood in the future, so they are called “bhiksus”. Otherwise, we call everyone disciples; every disciple will attain Buddhahood. The only difference is whether or not they engage in monastic practice; that is all.
“The Buddha and sentient beings originally have the same singular enlightenment.” The Buddha and sentient beings are originally the same. We originally have Buddha-nature, the enlightened nature of Buddhas and all beings. This innate ocean of enlightened wisdom is something that everyone intrinsically has. However, we are still unable to dispel our ignorance. So, though our awakened nature is there, it is still covered by ignorance. As for the Buddha, He was already enlightened and His ignorance had been cleared aside, revealing His enlightened nature. His ocean of wisdom was limitless. This is different from us. However, this “enlightenment” is the same. The Buddha had already awakened, while we are still in delusion. This is the dividing line between delusion and realization. So, “The Buddha awakened first, while sentient beings awaken later. All bhiksus requested the Dharma from the Buddha.” The bhiksus requested the Dharma from the Buddha. This Dharma is the Dharma the Buddha gave to us. Usually, when bhiksus begged for alms, they requested laypeople to provide nourishment for their bodies; when they requested the Dharma from the Buddha, they asked for nourishment for their wisdom-life. So, the Dharma “came from the Buddha’s mouth and gave birth to their wisdom-life”. Therefore, they area called Buddha-children. For these disciples of the Buddha, these bhiksus, the Dharma came from the Buddha’s mouth, therefore, they area called Buddha-children. This has the meaning of “the Buddha’s disciples”.
“Of those at the Buddha’s side,” of these long-term monastic practitioners, there were 500. Thus, we often speak of the 500 disciples. Even though we often speak of “1200 people” or “1250 people,” who seem to be the Buddha’s retinue, in fact, the disciples who truly never left the Buddha’s side were around 500. The rest came and went. So, those 500 disciples were truly attendants at the Buddha’s side. Sometimes, the disciples had their places to go; there were people who wandered or went to transform others. So, at the Buddha’s side there were not always 1250 people.
Moreover, “It did not say bestowing predictions, but receiving predictions” because “it was from the side of the disciples”. They listened to the Dharma and comprehended it, so it was called “receiving”.
The Buddha and sentient beings originally have the same singular enlightenment. The Buddha awakened first, while sentient beings awaken later. All bhiksus requested the Dharma from the Buddha. The Dharma came from the Buddha’s mouth and gave birth to their wisdom-life. Therefore, they are called Buddha-children. This is the meaning of “disciples”. Of those at the Buddha’s side, these long-term monastic practitioners, there were 500. Thus they were always called the 500 disciples. Moreover, it did not say bestowing predictions but receiving predictions because it was from the side of the disciples who listened to the Dharma, comprehended it and later spoke of it.
According to “The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra,” the previous chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City was meant to treat the overbearing arrogance of those who practiced meditation. The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City was meant for these Hearers and Solitary Realizers. They were all practicing meditation. They themselves thought that their minds were pure and tree from afflictions and that they had transcended samsara. These were all people with overbearing arrogance; they thought it was enough for them to get here. The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City was meant for these people. There are also some with overbearing arrogance who do not practice meditation. They are not truly in Samadhi. True meditation is to cultivate contemplation. The meaning of “meditation” is to cultivate pure contemplation. We must constantly be diligent to engage in spiritual practice; this is true meditation. It is not about how long we can sit in meditation. No, it is not. For those who are not practicing meditation, they have scattered and limited minds. Those who practice meditation have overbearing arrogance. Those who do not practice meditation have scattered minds. These are all inferior minds. Therefore we say that as Buddhist practitioners, we must put effort into being mindful. We must clearly understand the Buddha-Dharma so that our minds will not easily give rise to delusions and arrogance. If people have delusions and arrogance, those with a certain level of spiritual practice will have overbearing arrogance. Those who have not reached that level will give rise to inferior arrogance. We want neither or these; they are all delusions. These kinds of arrogance are all delusions. While we cannot see clearly and are deluded, we think we have attained wisdom of all Dharma. Or, we may just think, “I am fine the way I am; this is good enough. I do not want to be an enlightened person. This is all I want.” To have this inferior arrogance is really pitiful. Therefore “They are likened to drunken people who lose all understanding.” They are like drunken people, who always say they are not drunk, yet behave in a crazy manner. These people acting crazy will say they are not drunk. People like this all have arrogant minds; we must put our hearts into understanding [this].
According to “The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra,” the previous chapter, the Parable of the Conjured City, was to treat the overbearing arrogance of those who have Samadhi. This chapter treats the overbearing arrogance of those who have no Samadhi. Those with scattered and inferior minds give rise to explanations out of delusion and arrogance. They claimed to have attained all-encompassing wisdom, thus they were later likened to drunken people who lose all understanding. This is why the understanding of analogies is extremely profound.
As for analogies, there are analogies of the Dharma and analogies for the workings of things. The Buddha used all kinds of analogies in the hope we can understand [them] clearly. We must understand that there is still more profound Dharma that we must seek to understand. This is the unsurpassed, profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma. We must continuously move forward and constantly experience the source of the Dharma. Therefore, in the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions, He “did not bestow predictions individually, but instead bestowed a common prediction for all of them.” In any case, for those who engaged in practice, all could attain Buddhahood. Although there were only 500 people on site, actually in the end, all 1200 people received predictions. No single person received personal predictions; instead, all received predictions at the same time. These 500 people were on site, and they received predictions at the same time. Any who engaged in spiritual practice, all 1250 people, likewise received predictions. After they received predictions, they also shared the same Buddha-name as well as the same name for their land.
Also, in this chapter the Buddha did not bestow predictions individually, but instead bestowed a common prediction. All these people received predictions at the same time and share the same Buddha-name as well as the same name for their land.
Do we still remember? In the Introductory Chapter, Manjusri Bodhisattva said the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas appeared successively with the same Buddha-name and the sane land-name. This is the same idea. Everyone can attain Buddhahood. Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha [represents ] the causes and conditions from dust-inked kalpas ago. In the beginning, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha expressed how everyone can attain Buddhahood. They were all called the same name, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. In the same way, all of us can attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood is called “awakening”, everyone can attain awakening. Ordinary people can attain Buddhahood. If their afflictions and ignorance are eliminated, then ordinary people can become Buddhas. This is the same principle.
Everyone, I hope all of you can understand how the previous passages are arranged in this sequence. Today I wanted to show you in the upcoming Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions. What kind of person is qualified to receive predictions. The Buddha has a mindset of equality. Just as we have said, all sentient beings are equal. Elderly people have this wisdom, and young children also have this wisdom. There is an elderly lady who said each year she would arrange a tour bus to bring everyone to receive the year-ending blessings at the same time. She feels this allows everyone to have the opportunity to encounter and receive blessings. This is a very wise elderly lady. It is the same for an eight-year –old child. This child told his mother, “Mom, Master said there is a house [that allows] one person, ten people, one thousand or even millions of people to stay inside at the same time.” Then, he said, just like this, “Master said that this is love. With so many people in the same house, that is called the great love.” He said he was deeply touched by what I said, so he told his mother to spread [great] love. This is the wisdom of an eight-year-old child. This elderly lady abides by what I teach, upholding her initial aspiration of love. As for the eight-year-old child, he is able to understand such profound principles of spreading [great] love. See, isn’t this what we need to learn? The principles are neither shallow nor profound, but there are many things we need to learn. For all these things, we must enter “the door of meditative thinking, the door of wisdom” and “the door of total retention”; we need all these. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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