Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Predictions of Buddhahood Are Given in Sequence(聲聞機異 前後受記 )
Date: June.09.2017
“The Hearer-disciples were of superior, average or limited capabilities. In understanding the Buddha’s original intent and receiving predictions, some came before others. In the Chapter on Parables, Sariputra first received a prediction. Having been nourished in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, the four great disciples received predictions.”
Let us look back and review the previous sutra passages. We were just in the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City. Before the Parable of the Conjured City, there was the Chapter on Medicinal Plants. After the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, in the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, each of the four great disciples received predictions of Buddhahood from the Buddha. Before this, there was Sariputra who, in the Chapter on Parables, had already received a prediction from the Buddha. Let us think back carefully on everything from the beginning of the Lotus Sutra until now. In the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha continually praised the wisdom of all Buddhas. All Buddhas share the same path. For the Buddha-Dharma to [flourish] in the world, we must first understand Buddhas. Sakyamuni Buddha was not the only Buddha to appear in the world. Ever since beginningless kalpas ago, Great Enlightened Ones have appeared in the world. Their numbers are already beyond measure. So many Buddhas have attained enlightenment one after another. Because Their wisdom, Their blessings and virtues, were perfect and complete, They attained Buddhahood. The process They each take to become a Buddha, what They attain through spiritual practice and Their realizations of the true principles of the universe are always the same. This is why we say that all Buddhas share the same path. When any Buddha is replete with such preconditions, naturally He can be called a Great Enlightened One.
So, in the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha continually praised the wisdom of all Buddhas. They have wisdom of all Dharma, wisdom of enlightenment and all-encompassing wisdom; there are so many kinds! This is the awakened state of wisdom, but He worried we ordinary people would not be able to accept it, so He always called on us to have deep faith. Our faith must be deep! This is in the Chapter on Skillful Means. Sariputra had finally achieved an awakening. He was foremost in wisdom; among the Sangha and the Buddha’s disciples, he was the one who always achieved understanding. Starting from this, throughout the Chapter on Parables and so on, those in the Sangha came to believe that even Hearers could receive predictions; they too could attain predictions of Buddhahood from the Buddha. “In this case, there is hope for us as well!” This was especially so for Kasyapa and the others; they had begun to understand. They saw Sariputra receive the Buddha’s prediction and they themselves understood. So, these four great disciples came forward. They had faith and understanding; they understood, and having understood, they came up with the parable of the poor son as an analogy for themselves. They were like a very poor child. This was how they expressed their comprehension of the Buddha-Dharma. They had long wandered in cyclic existence. Isn’t this time wandering in cyclic existence just like what we ordinary people go through? We wander endlessly through cyclic existence, through the Five Realms and four forms of birth. It is as if we are homeless like that. In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, they expressed their intent. Through the Chapter on Parables, they had reached faith and understanding, They knew they had long been wandering in cyclic existence. Now, finally, at Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly, they had a realization and believed. Since Sariputra could receive a prediction, even though it may take a very long time, they too could eventually attain Buddhahood. Since Sariputra could receive a prediction of attaining Buddhahood, they should also be able to attain Buddhahood.
So, the four came before the Buddha to express their repentance. They said they were like a poor son. The Buddha was of course happy. He let everyone know, “With all the Dharma I have awakened to, I have always wanted to share it with others. It is just that they could not comprehend it. Since you now know, you see how the treasury of the Buddha-Dharma is inherent in everyone. Everyone has always been replete with the nature of True Suchness. I want you all to understand this first.” Then He used the analogy in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants. The Buddha was like clouds and rain. The earth’s plants and trees are dry. Dry plants and trees need the rain and dew. They need water, and this water comes from the sky. The clouds and rain moisten the earth so the “three plants and two trees” are all nourished. This expresses the fact that the Buddha-Dharma has always existed. Once it rains, it simply depends [on capacities]. Big trees can accept great amounts of water, while small plants, with small stems and leaves, naturally can only receive very little. This is like our own capacities. This is what everyone’s’ capabilities are like. Large containers can hold lots of water. This is like great mountain reservoirs; they collect and store large amounts of water, then gradually release it to meet the needs of human beings. They have great capacities. Smaller capacities would be things like water tanks or water towers. It all depends on their size. Their size determines what they can hold. As for even smaller things, we can use water jugs or water buckets. It all depends on how much they can hold. Whatever a container’s size is, that is how much water it can hold. The Buddha-Dharma is like this. The one rain moistens everything universally, in accord with what sentient beings’ capacities enable them to accept. The clouds and rain make no distinction between great, average or small. The rain falls on all in the same way. But the rest depends on the container holding it. This capacity, this container, refers to our capabilities. Depending on our minds and natures, we can accept certain kinds of Buddha-Dharma, awaken to it and apply it.
For some, with a few simple phrases, they can awaken and apply the teachings. “By grasping one truth, they understand all truths.” This way they understand all the teachings. However, for those who cannot understand, we can explain so much to them, repeating the teachings over and over for them. “I get it! I understand! Can you practice it? Let me take my time.” This is what our capabilities are like. Some are full of faith, thinking, “I can do this for sure!” Yet, when challenges appear, they become filled with afflictions. Capabilities of this kind are like dry branches. When branches of plants or trees become dried out, it takes very long periods of rain and dew gradually nourishing them so that the branches can have sufficient water. Then with the vitality from the trunk, they can gradually recover. So, we depend upon our own capacities as well as having virtuous and wholesome friends to surround and accompany us. In the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, the four great disciples’ understanding deepened.
In the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, the Buddha began bestowing predictions. Only after that did He begin teaching the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City. Through the Parable of the Conjured City we can further understand that accepting the Buddha-Dharma is not done over a single lifetime. It takes a very long amount of time. For instance, in Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha’s era, in that time, in that place, human lifespan were very long. Actually, in our world, lifespan can also be very long. Lifespan can average as long 84,000 years, or as short as 10 years. It depends on the level of sentient begins’ spiritual cultivation. If sentient beings are virtuous and have positive collective karma, then naturally the lifespan in the world very gradually increases. If there is peace on earth, if the earth’s climate is balanced and people’s minds are stable, actually the human lifespan will be long. When people’s minds are without desire, anger or rage, free from hatred and ignorance foolishness, when people are like this, physically and mentally pure, then the world will run smoothly and everything will be in harmony. When the world’s sentient beings can all reach that level, that is when lifespan will be at their longest.
This will continue until afflictions gradually begin to increase. Then, the lifespan will continually decrease until finally reaching 10 years. By this time, the earth will be very unsafe. The four elements will be imbalanced, and natural disasters will occur with frequency. The threat to mankind is very high. Manmade and natural disasters will continue to occur like this while people remain completely unaware and continue creating karma, reproducing their afflictions and ignorance. Manmade calamities will constantly result in injury and death. There will be great chaos in the world, not only war, but also epidemics. Epidemics will break out on top of wars, all spreading pervasively. These epidemics and contagions will be endless. Don’t we often hear of these things now?
A simple mosquito bite can cause Dengue fever; it is quite difficult to prevent. Last year (2015) in the south, weren’t there many cause of Dengue fever? Everyone was very afraid. It spread from the south until reaching Tainan, then from Tainan it spread north. Cases were even discovered in Changhua. This made people very worried. Even mosquitos can cause us to be afraid.
For a period of time there was SARS, and after SARS, for another period there was mad cow disease, foot and mouth disease. Now, we often hear about avian flu. This goes on constantly in the world; these germs are spreading more and more. Again, most recently, we have seen the Zika virus. This is also transmitted by mosquitos and is most worrisome for pregnant women. Science has now discovered that if a pregnant woman is bitten by this type of mosquito, it is possible that her child will be born with microcephaly, a very small hear. The child’s head is very small at birth, and the brain is not fully developed. There are more and more things like this happening that cause more and more worry for mankind. These are called “epidemic” diseases that are transmitted to people’s bodies. Whether from mosquitos or through birds and animals, there are many contagious diseases.
Even more terrifying is war. When countries fight one another, it results in waves of refugees! They flee in all directions. Not only this, war can truly be so all-consuming; weapons ae so advanced that all of humanity could be destroyed in seven days. Some, having already suffered the terror of a natural disaster, suffer a manmade calamity on top of that. Epidemics are then added to the calamity of war. All this can start from the actions of a few. We must repent; we need sincere repentance. Then, starting slowly, humanity and the human mind will be able to thoroughly awaken. Only then will the lifespan gradually increase. After each 100 years, the average lifespan increases by another year. This is the principle of increasing and decreasing kalpas. When life is at its most safe and stable, the average lifespan will be 84,000 years. When people’s minds begin wavering, they again begin creating karma and the lifespan gradually begins decreasing again. This is a cycle. This is a “kalpa”. So, we say sentient beings create collective karma. If we do not put effort into mindfully trying to understand the Buddha-Dharma, perhaps the decreasing kalpas will keep decreasing and disasters will continue piling up. So, when it speaks of 10-year lifespans, it is not saying that everyone will only live to be 10 years old. It is saying that so many will die due to natural disasters, due to famine, due to starvation, because of epidemics or because of war and so on that the average lifespan will only be 10 years old. It does not say everyone will die at the age of 10. This number is an average.
I remember when I was still young, in my childhood, the Second World War had just ended. Back then, people said that if a third world war were ever to break out, there would be rice, but no one to eat it, clothes but no one to wear them and fields but no one to plow them. This means the human race would be wiped out. This was a long time ago, when I was still very young. World War II had just ended and this is what the older people used to say, that the death and destruction of a third world war would outpace the death and destruction of the second. The Second World War had been ended by the dropping of two atomic bombs. How many people perished then? The trauma Japan suffered was severe. The atomic dust left over also led to many birth defects. For a long time, many children born were affected by this. This is the corruption of humanity’s morality. In an era of such collective karma, this happens.
In Great Unhindered Buddha’s era, people still had very good morality and their minds were so pure, so all the people of that time, both Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha and the rest of humanity, had very long lives. Since their lifespans were so long, there were people who sought the Buddha-Dharma. They likewise had to cultivate the Buddha-Dharma and likewise had to pass it on. They had to have this faith and acceptance, and that is why there is Buddha-Dharma for us to listen to today. We must understand the relationship between the Buddha-Dharma and humanity and the world.
So, all Buddhas share the same path. Every Buddha who comes to the world. Teaches His own disciples, those He already formed affinities with He teaches them lifetime after lifetime. These disciples transmigrate in the Five Realms, remaining lost and unweakened. Once they give rise to discursive thoughts, it is very difficult for them to return again. Still, the Buddha never abandoned them. He waited and waited for them. So, for those who form great aspirations, for those disciples who uphold the Great Vehicle Bodhisattva Way, the Buddha waits patiently. It may be a very long time, dust-inked kalpas of time, yet [Buddhas] continuously come to the world in order to teach and transform. They continue to wait patiently for their disciples to attain Buddhahood. They always teach them patiently. Our lifespans today are such that we live about 100 years. The Buddha lived only around 80 years. During those 80 years, He taught the Dharma for 49 years. Of the 49 years that He taught the Dharma, 42 were spent using skillful means. What the disciples could understand from what they had heard was only the truths of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path, the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. They understood the law of karma and knew to not create any more evil karma, to quickly engage in spiritual practice. they sought to awaken themselves and no longer contrive affinities. These were the Small Vehicle teachings which He taught for over 42 years. The Buddha knew that He did not have much time remaining and that the Buddha-Dharma still had to be passed down. So, He began to turn the Great Dharma-wheel. He wanted to see if His disciples could truly from great aspirations and be willing to put the teachings into practice to uphold the Great Vehicle’s Bodhisattva Way. If there were disciples like this; as the Buddha began teaching the Great Vehicle, at the same time He would bestow predictions on these disciples, one after another. Sariputra was the first to receive a prediction, then came four other disciples, kasyapa, Katyayana, Maudgalyatana and so forth. The Buddha realized they hadalready formed great aspirations, that they had the resolve to uphold the Great Vehicle. For disciples like this, He bestowed predictions for the future, still a very long time away. “He promised that in the future they would definitely attain Buddhahood.” In the future, having received predictions, these disciples would be firm in their will to practice. They would form great aspirations, uphold the Great Vehicle And walk the Bodhisattva-path. They would need a long time in the future. At this time the Buddha promised them that they would certainly attain Buddhahood. Thus they received these predictions.
For disciples who formed great aspirations to uphold the Bodhisattva Way of the Great Vehicle, the Buddha bestowed predictions, promising in the future that they would definitely attain Buddhahood. Those of average capabilities, Kasyapa et al., the four great Hearers, turned from the Small to the Great. In the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, the Buddha taught those four [disciples] that they would attain Buddhahood in the future, thereby bestowing predicitons upon them.
“Those of average capabilities, Kasyapa et al,. the four great Hearers, turned from the Small to the Great. Because Sariputra’s capabilities were superior, he was first to receive an individual prediction. The other four saw how Sariputra received a prediction of Buddhahood and also heard how the world was like a burning house, with many suffering sentient beings. The great elder of the house had to work so hard. Through the parable of the burning house, their awakening deepened further. They could be considered of average capabilities. Once they knew of the great white ox-cart, they abandoned the sheep- and the deer-carts. They wanted the great white ox-cart, so they were considered of average capabilities. they had just begun to awaken and form aspirations. So, Kasyapa and the four great Hearers, though of average capabilities, began turning from the Small to the Great. In the Small Vehicle, thththththththththththth
They had already taken this circuitous route, had already walked that path once around. Now they knew they should quickly head toward the Great Vehicle Dharma. So, “In the Chapter on Bestowing Predictions, the Buddha taught those four [disciples].”
The Chapter on Bestowing Predictions was what was taught for those four, how “they would attain Buddhahood in the future, thereby bestowing predictions upon them.” They had received their predictions as they were those who formed great aspirations and would uphold the Great Vehicle Dharma. Thus the Buddha bestowed predictions on them. He hoped that everyone would further consider and understand that the Buddha-Dharma had been passed down for such a long time, since dust-inked kalpas before, in great Unhindered Buddha’s era. Every 100 years, the average lifespans decreased by a year, decreasing until this era we live in now. Our lifespans are short, especially due to frequent natural disasters, manmade calamities and the epidemics that continually occur. This is already an era where the three major and minor calamities occur with increasing frequency. It is even more necessary for us all to wake up.
The passage we read now is from the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions. It says, “At that time, Purna Maitrayaniputra heard from the Buddha how, with wisdom of skillful means, He accordingly and suitably taught the Dharma. Purna also heard Him bestow on the four great disciples predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Now that Purna Maitrayaniputra had seen Sariputra receive a prediction of Buddhahood and had also seen Venerable Kasyapa and the rest of the four disciples receive predictions, he completely comprehended and understood. We are talking now about Maitrayaniputra, Purna Maitrayaniputra Purna is a shortened form. “Purna Maitrayaniputra” is a very long name but it is talking about one person.
Purna when translated means “filled wish”. By a full river, his father prayed to the Brahma heavens for a son. The river was exactly at its fullest. He also dreamed of a vessel of seven treasures, filled with treasures, entering the mother’s womb. Then the father’s wish was fulfilled, therefore he was named Filled Wish.
Purna in Chinese means “filled wish”. This is because his father had prayed by the riverside to the river spirit to grant him a son. He prayed to the heavens in hope of attaining a son. The river’s waters just happened to be full then. Furthermore, after he had finished praying, he also had a dream. He dreamed of a vessel made of seven treasures, which itself contained many treasures. It seemed in his dream that these treasures entered his wife’s womb. Sure enough, his wife had become pregnant. The father’s wish was fulfilled, and because of this, hos son was named Filled Wish.
Another explanation was that Purna was a virtuous friend, someone who was always understanding of others, someone who could mindfully guide others when their perspectives had deviated. As he was a virtuous friend to others, he was called Filled Son of Loving Kindness. This was translated in Chinese as virtuous friend, as well as Filled Son of Loving-kindness.
Maitrayani means “virtuous friend,” or “loving-kindness”. Therefore he was also called: Filled Son of Loving-kindness. Among the Buddha’s disciples, he was foremost in being understanding and teaching the Dharma.
Among the Buddha’s disciples, he was foremost in being understanding and in teaching the Dharma. He truly understood the Buddha’s intent, why the Buddha taught the world’s sentient beings. Purna was the one who best understood the Buddha’s intentions. So, “[He] heard from the Buddha how, with wisdom of skillful means, He accordingly and suitably taught the Dharma.”
[Purna] heard from the Buddha how, with wisdom of skillful means, He accordingly and suitably taught the Dharma: This refers to what the previous chapter taught, about the conjured city of His wisdom of skillful means; the Buddha taught according to capabilities and in a way that suited what they took joy in.
This section explains how Purna, having heard the Parable of the Conjured City, [understood] teaching skillfully and with joy, this way of teaching the Dharma. From the Chapter on Skillful Means through the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, throughout his process, he kept reflecting and trying to understand the Buddha’s intentions. In particular, with Sariputra’s prediction and the predictions of the four great disciples, along the way he came to a better understanding. With a better understanding, he quickly tried to learn how the Buddha adapted to capabilities and then responded to those capabilities by teaching with joy. He had to continually teach them, speak to them happily and happily guide them. This was Purna’s intent as a “Virtuous Friend”. “Purna also heard Him bestow on the four great disciples predictions” “of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”
Purna also heard Him bestow on the four great disciples predictions of attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: He also heard the Buddha bestow predictions on Sariputra, Mahakasyapa and the others.
He understood how the Buddha taught sentient beings according to their capabilities, how He took true principles and responded to all beings’ differing capabilities to give suitable teachings. Thus by the time of the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, he already knew how to teach sentient beings according to capabilities. In particular, he saw his fellow practitioners successively receive predictions of Buddhahood. He had already comprehended these things; He could already understand. Purna had always been one who could comprehend the intentions of others. He was also very experienced. His father was a very wealthy elder where he came from. He was from a very wealthy family, yet his wisdom surpassed that of others. He knew of the pleasures of the world, but in a world as impermanent as this, amidst birth, aging, illness and death, what happiness was to be found? Better to engage in spiritual practice! While the Buddha was at Deer Park, he had already gone there to take refuge with the Buddha and request the Dharma. The teachings the Buddha gave were precisely what he had been seeking in his heart. So, besides the five bhiksus, at Deer Park, there started to gradually be people receiving the Buddha’s teachings, people who kept gradually coming there. Maitrayaniputra was one of those among them. From the location we can understand how senior Maitrayaniputra was. However, having absorbed the Buddha’s teachings, he was one who listened to the Dharma, taught the Dharma and transmitted the Dharma. With his intent, he could understand the Buddha’s intent. The Dharma had to be passed on, so he often went around to promote the Dharma. In spreading the Dharma, sometimes he had to teach according to people’s capabilities, using the skillful means that he continually learned from the Buddha.
This is like the time when King Bimbisara was taken by his son Ajatasatru and thrown into prison. When [Purna] visited him in the prison, the king wondered, “Why has this happened? I have always cherished my son, and I have always loved and protected my subjects. Why has my son become so evil? Why did he accept Devadatta’s deviant teachings, rebel against his own father and imprison his father in a jail cell?” Purna said to the king, “Your majesty, this is all karmic causes and effects. You understand the Buddha-Dharma; prison is just a label. You have lost your freedom inside this prison, but actually anyone who is born into this world has entered a big prison. In this big prison, in this world, no one is truly able to control things. Your majesty, it is the same. If we can truly see into life, being able to listen to the Buddha-Dharma will be enough to satisfy us. Everything follows karma!” When the king heard this he said, “Yes, this is true. I’ve already taken refuge in the Buddha, and I understand the Dharma. Truly, I may have lost my freedom in this small prison, but transmigration in the Five Realms is actually like being in a much larger prison that is beyond our control. Thus we are also not free.” In this way, he gave the king the right teaching to help relieve his mind. So, the Buddha praised him greatly. He praised the way Purna taught the Dharma. He praised him in possessing ten virtues.
The Ten Virtues of Purna: First, understanding the meaning of the Dharma. Second, being able to promote and teach it. Third, going among people with fearlessness. Fourth, unobstructed eloquence. Fifth, teaching with skillful means. Sixth, following the Dharma to practice Dharma. Seventh, being replete with a majestic demeanor. Eighth, courageously and diligently advancing. Ninth, never tiring in body or mind. Tenth, achieving might and power.
First is “understanding the meaning of the Dharma.” Second is “being able to promote and teach it.” After understanding the Dharma, he was willing to go everywhere and teach it. Third is “going among people with fearlessness.” No matter how many people were there, he always went among them fearlessly. He had internalized so many teachings that no matter what kind of heretical teacher came, he never feared them. So, he could go among the people fearlessly. He had unobstructed eloquence. This is the fourth, “unobstructed eloquence.” The fifth is “teaching with skillful means.” In teaching the Dharma he used skillful means. This is how the Buddha taught, so he also taught according to capabilities. Then there is the sixth, “following the Dharma to practice the Dharma.” Whatever the teaching, he accepted all of the Buddha’s teachings and was then able to put them into practice. The seventh is “being replete with a majestic demeanor.” Purna was perfect in his demeanor in every way. He was both clean and dignified. He was replete with a majestic demeanor. His actions were majestic. Eighth is “courageously and diligently advancing.” He never became the least bit lax. When it came to learning the Buddha’s teachings, he was never indolent at all. Ninth is “ never tiring in body or mind.” He was always diligent He would never think, “I have learned so much I am able to teach people so much Dharma. I can take a rest.” He was not like this when the Buddha taught the Dharma, he always listened earnestly. He was earnest in teaching others the Dharma, and he similarly never gave up on any sentient beings. No matter how vicious, he always tried to train them. This was his diligent practice. So, he never tired in body or mind. Tenth is “achieving might and power.“ He had the power of might and virtue from teaching the Dharma. These are the ten virtues of Purna, his ten virtues in teaching the Dharma.
Dear Bodhisattvas, listen mindfully to the Dharma! The Dharma is in our actions. With body and mind we must [apply] the Dharma Whatever the Buddha taught, we must continually reflect upon the meaning it contains within, then accept it for ourselves. There are still many teachings which we do not understand, so we must never be arrogant. Yesterday we talked about respect! We should practice with reverence, never arrogance. When we hear the Dharma, we must take it in. We should not think, ”Life passes in the same way whether I listen to the Dharma or not. Life passes in the same way whether I am diligent or lax.” Yes! Life passes in the same way, but you must know that there is cause and effect. In spiritual practice we hope to cultivate causes and conditions, to cultivate the causes of Buddhahood and become full of the Buddha’s virtues. This is not the same. So, we should put effort into being mindful and never be lax in our spiritual practice, for in doing so we lose our wisdom-life. Please, let us all always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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