Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Concealing the Great and Manifesting the Small (隱大顯小 助宣佛化 )
Date: June.16.2017
“In the depths of his heart, his original vow was for the Great Vehicle, yet now he manifested as a Hearer. With the original great vows, to attain Buddhahood, he sought the Dharma and transformed sentient beings. He concealed the Great and manifested the Small to practice together with others. With what was in the depths of his heart, he understood the Three Periods. With his original vows, he helps to promote the Buddha’s teaching; therefore he could immediately be bestowed with a prediction.”
“In the depths of his heart, his original vows were for the Great Vehicle, yet now he manifested as a Hearer.” This is also describing Purna Maitrayaniputra, as this chapter begins with Purna Maitrayaniputra. In this assembly, he expressed his utmost sincerity seeking the Dharma. Purna Maitrayaniputra became a monastic and engaged in spiritual practice. Among the Sangha, he was the disciple who resonated most with the Buddha’s intent. He understood the Buddha-Dharma and comprehended that the Buddha’s one great cause for coming to this world was to let everyone know about the state of Buddhahood. He wanted to enable everyone to understand that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature and enable everyone to delve deeply into the Dharma of all the things in the universe and in the world. This was the Buddha’s original vow. The world is full of suffering, and human beings are covered by ignorance. The Buddha’s vow was to find a way to eliminate sentient beings’ ignorance so they can enter the Buddha’s wisdom and realize all these principles. This was the Buddha’s vow. So, He attained Buddhahood, promoted the Dharma. But the strength of one person is not enough. How can just a few people spread the teachings? That will take a very long time. Purna Maitrayaniputra thus made this vow to help the Buddha spread the teachings. He would take the Buddha’s teachings and travel everywhere to share these principles. After sharing them, he would quickly return to the Buddha’s side to again understand more of the Buddha’s teachings. After understanding them, he would travel again to share them with everyone. Thus, in all things, he sought the Dharma and transformed others. He seized the time to seek the Dharma from the Buddha. He wasted no time in going among people to spread the Buddha’s teachings. This was Purna Maitrayaniputra He could best comprehend the original intent in the Buddha’s mind. This is because in the depths of his heart, his original vow was for the Great Vehicle. However, for the sake of helping the Buddha, he “now manifested as a Hearer”; he manifested the same way of life as the others. He lived among the bhiksus, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers. “Manifesting” refers to this kind of lifestyle, this kind of appearance. He understood everything the Buddha taught, he had already taken them all deeply to heart. However, he wanted to engage in spiritual practice alongside everyone else. He transformed others through “collaborative work”. He manifested this kind of appearance, and in addition to going among the bhiksus, he also went among myriad sentient beings. Thus, he still assumed the appearance of a bhiksu while living among the people. So, his “original great vows [were] to attain Buddhahood.” From the beginning, he formed great aspirations and made great vows; he “sought the Dharma and transformed sentient beings.” On one hand, he quickly sought the Buddha’s teachings, and he seized the time to immediately go out and spread these teachings. So, he “concealed the Great and manifested the Small to practice together with others. With what was in the depths of his heart, he understood the Three Periods.” He concealed his Great Vehicle [vow]. He clearly already understood this Dharma, but he still concealed it and manifested an appearance similar to everyone else. “People still do not yet understood, nor have they formed aspirations. I will be the same.” So, he concealed the Great and manifested the Small, solely to practice together with everyone.
As one of the bhiksus, whenever someone was incorrect, he would share, “The Buddha’s teachings need to be practiced in these ways. What you are doing is not correct.” This was the intent behind living among the bhiksus and concealing the Great and manifesting the Small. We must know that among Buddhist practitioners, Purna Maitrayaniputra was considered a senior member of the Sangha. Back when the Buddha was teaching at Deer Park, in that era, he became a monastic. After the five bhiksus, the Buddha’s first group of disciples, Purna Maitrayaniputra was the next to join the Sangha. As soon as he joined, he comprehended the Buddha-Dharma and formed this great aspiration. He saw the Sangha slowly grow in number. As the Buddha went all over to spread the Dharma, he followed the Buddha’ this was the start for him. As the Buddha taught according to different kinds of capabilities, he was by His side and was able to understand how this worked. Most people hear one thing, understand one thing, whereas he heard one thing and understood ten. He was able to understand and comprehend the Buddha’s mind. So, when he absorbed the Buddha-Dharma, he took in more than the others, because he heard one thing and understood ten. The number of bhiksus in the Sangha grew with each passing year.
As the Sangha expanded and grew, two kinds of deviations appeared. Of these two, one was that even though they put on monastic robes and became the Buddha’s disciples, in actuality, everything they did went against the Buddha’s teachings. So, even in the Buddha’s time, this was already happening. This is very sad! Some people came because of tough times in life. Some people were struck by a momentary impulse. This is why they became spiritual practitioners. But though they engaged in spiritual practice and put on monastic clothing and robes, their behavior completely went against the Buddha’s teachings. Although these people advised others to give, they themselves were greedy and hoarded money for themselves. They encouraged others to give, but when benefactors gave them money, they hid that money for themselves. This was spiritual practice in appearance only. They did not follow the rules of practitioners, thus their practice was not proper. This is what Purna Maitrayaniputra often criticized. “Since you are engaging in spiritual practice, you should abide by the precepts and follow the rules. Since you are living in the Sangha, since you have already given up worldly wealth and become a monastic, you should not be greedy for the five desires. You should not hoard things for your own benefit.” This was how he corrected people. This was why he “manifested the Small to practice together with others.” He could guide his fellow practitioners to fix their mistakes. He also corrected those who did not follow rules. This is what Purna did. He was courageous enough to correct monastics in the Sangha who had deviated in the way they lived. He had this kind of courage. “Since you are a monastic, you must be diligent. You must not become undisciplined.” This was what Purna often told the people in the Sangha. “Monastics need to bring honor to the Buddhist teachings. It I rare for a Buddha to manifest in the world. Since He has manifested, it is this Sangha which the world will see. This group provides religious instruction. As a group that provide religious instruction, these are the rules we have received. This I what we teach people in society.” This was Purna Maitrayaniputra’s suggestion to his fellow spiritual practitioners. “Do not only pursue your personal comforts, your personal benefits and your personal desires etc. Living like this in the Sangha will disrupt the Sangha’s spirit and lifestyle.” Only Purna world dare to lecture to the Sangha this way. Purna was amazing.
“He concealed the Great and manifested the Small to practice together with others.” He practiced together with others, and at the same time he taught them. The Buddha was extremely touched by Purna and also very grateful that Purna cold understand Hi intent, could spread the teaching everywhere and cold be role model in the Sangha. The Buddha often praised him for these things. So, in the depths of Purna’s heart, he already had a deep understanding of the Buddha-Dharma. Thus, “With what was in the depths of his heart, he understood the Three Periods.” He had attained the Three Insights and the Six Spiritual Powers. Understanding the Three Periods means he understood past, present and future. This was Purna’s specialty in the Sangha. What the Buddha appreciated the mot about him was how he never deviated from the spirit or teachings of the Buddha as he spread the Dharma everywhere. After he finished, he would immediately return to receive the Buddha’ teaching. So, “With his original vows, he helped to promote the Buddha’s teachings.” With this vow he courageously went forth and never retreated. This was where Purna Maitrayaniputra was most exceptional. So, “Therefore he could immediately bestowed with a prediction.” The Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions basically begins with Purana Maitrayamiputra. He wanted to lead everyone to be able to be bestowed with a prediction by the Buddha. This was not just for himself or for a small number of people, but for many people to be bestowed with a prediction by the Buddha. He requested these predictions from the Buddha.
We have already read this previous passage, “As for the Buddha’s merits and virtues, we are unable to proclaim them with words. Only the Buddha, the World-Honored One, can understand the original vow in the depth of our hearts.”
Although Purana Maitrayaniputra did not receive prediction of Buddhahood the previous two times [He bestowed them], he now began to express [the disciples’] intent. Purna said “we” to express that. I and the rest still do not understand must about the Buddha’s merits and virtues. This was how he concealed the Great and manifested the Small. He concealed his understanding of the Buddha’s intent. He said, “Everyone, including me, is unable to proclaim the Buddha’s merits and virtues with words. The Buddha’ merits and virtue are so vast and have been [accumulated for] dust-inked kalpas. Form the Chapter on the Conjured City, we understood and by now we should believe that the Buddha has spent a very long time, lifetime after lifetime, on this one great cause for sentient beings. He came to open and reveal the Buddha’s understanding and views for sentient being. For lifetimes, He accumulated merits and virtues. We are unable to proclaim the with words. But, ‘Only the Buddha, the World-Honored One, can understand the original vows in the depths of our hearts.’ We cannot understand the Buddha’s merits and virtues. However, the Buddha alone can understand the vows and aspirations we each form. Among the Buddha’s disciples, many are attached to their limited capabilities and teachings. However, there are also many who have, in the depths of their hearts, made great vows and aspired to attain Buddhahood. We have faith that the Buddha knows this”. This is what Purna Maitrayaniputra said He understood the Buddha, but he concealed the Great to manifest the Small. He expressed to his fellow practitioners, “We are unable to understand the Buddha’s mind, but the Buddha understands our vows”. This is him speaking on everyone’s behalf, for his fellow practitioners. Purna Maitrayaniputra would correct everyone and could also bring everyone to ask the Buddha to bestow predictions on them. This was his virtue. He had a big heart; he was able to teach people, and he was able to cherish them. These were Purna ’s attributes.
The next sutra passage states, “At that time, the Buddha told all the bhiksus, ‘Do you see this Purna Maitrayaniputra? I often praise him as foremost among those who teach the Dharma and also often praise his merits and virtues of many kinds’”.
At this time, the Buddha began to explain His understanding of Purna‘s mind. Although He understood many people, He especially mentioned His understanding of Purna‘s mind. The Buddha began to explain this to everyone, to the bhiksus, to all the bhiksus in the assembly. The Buddha began to speak. With earnest words and a sincere mind, He wanted to remind everyone, these fellow spiritual practitioners, they must have respect for Maitrayaniputra.
At that time the Buddha told all the bhiksus: His words were sincere and His mind earnest as He spoke to the bhiksus in the assembly. With earnest words and a sincere mind, He remined those in the assembly to have respect for their fellow practitioners.
This was because Maitrayaniputra concealed the Great and manifested the Small to engage in spiritual practice together with others. He remined everyone that though Purna Maitrayaniputra often corrected them, they should not harbor resentment or be unhappy with them. Purna Maitrayaniputra was everyone’s fellow practitioner, so they should respect him. This was the Buddha specifically speaking on behalf of Purna Maitrayaniputra. So, with earnest words and a sincere mind, He reminded everyone practicing together in the Sangha to have respect for one another.
So, He said, “Do you see this Purna Maitrayaniputra?” Do you see this Purna Maitrayaniputra?”
“Do you see this Purna Maitrayaniputra”: You bhiksus, have you seen Filled Son of Loving-kindness?” Because Purna was often away, helping to promote the Buddha’s teachings and guiding people to take refuge with the Buddha, the Buddha asked the assembly this.
Has everyone seen him? Can everyone understand this? Purna Maitrayaniputra went out to constantly help promote the Buddha’s teachings. This was his intention; although he was not always in the Sangha, he was not wandering around aimlessly. No, he had a goal. On behalf of the Buddha, he transmitted the Right Dharma to the world and spread the teachings. He delivered the Dharma directly to sentient beings, explaining the Dharma to each one of them. This was how he helped the Buddha in the world, by announcing to all the people that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, by correcting their past ignorance and mistakes and by telling them to quickly turn back. By reflecting on themselves and turning around, they could set aside the unenlightened state and turn back to enter the noble state. This is how Purna Maitrayaniputra was, constantly spreading the teachings among people to let everyone know they themselves and all people intrinsically have Buddha-nature. He wanted to let everyone know that with these causes and conditions, they must uphold the Dharma and follow the rules. When Purna Maitrayaniputra was away teaching the Dharma, if he saw people who had formed aspirations and made vows to practice, he would also bring them back to the Sangha to receive the teachings. Purna Maitrayaniputra went around to many places not because he was aimless, but to transform sentient beings. This is something everyone should know. So, the Buddha specifically called out, “Bhiksus! Have you seen this Purna Maitrayaniputra? Do you understand him? Have you seen who he really is? Do you see him as a Hearer of the Small Vehicle, with limited capabilities and teachings? Or do you see him helping to promote the Buddha’s teachings and guiding people to take refuge with the Buddha? By entering the Buddha-door this way, people better understand the Buddha’s teachings. Do you see Purna doing this?”
The question “Do you see? has two meaning: One, do you see his external manifestation as a Small Vehicle practitioner with limited capabilities? Two, do you see the virtues of his original vow, that internally he secretly engages in Bodhisattva-practice?
“Do you see his appearance? It is that of a Small Vehicle practitioner with limited capabilities. He was just like one of the bhiksus, with no differences. “Or, do you understand Purna? He had the virtues of his original vow and secretly engages in Bodhisattva-practice; do you understand this?” Although he traveled around outside, this was part of his vow to take what he heard and understood and then quickly share the teachings with everyone, to guide sentient beings to join the Sangha and engage in spiritual practice. As for lay practitioners, he taught them what kind of mindset they should apply in life to live in this world. This was Purna’s vow. So, “Those people only saw his manifestation as a Hearer and did not know he was originally a Bodhisattva.
Those people only saw his manifestation as a Hearer and did not know he was originally a Bodhisattva. Therefore, the Buddha asked the assembly if they saw his original vows in the depths of his heart, hos great vow to transform sentient beings.
What everyone saw was only his appearance as a monastic, one who stuck to being as Hearer. Actually, no one understood him. He was already walking the Bodhisattva-path; he was originally a Bodhisattva who had returned on the ship of compassion to this world lifetime after lifetime to do among people. He concealed the Great and manifested the Small to skillfully transform sentient beings. everyone should understand that he was originally a Bodhisattva. So, because of this, the Buddha intentionally asked the bhiksus, “Do you see this Purna Maitrayaniputra? Do you see him? This means, “Do you understand him? You are only looking at his appearance. Do you really not understand his mind and his essence?
So, He asked the assembly if they saw the original vows deep in his heart. In the depths of his heart, his original vow was “his great vow to deliver all sentient beings.” this was Purna’s vow.
He was Bodhisattva who came to this world and manifested this appearance. He engaged in spiritual practice to deliver and guide sentient beings. “I often praise him as foremost among those who teach the Dharma.
I often praise him as foremost among those who teach the Dharma: Among the ten great disciples, only Purna was foremost in expounding the Dharma. Often praise: He had praised him everywhere for 40 years, He did not merely start today.
Sakyamuni Buddha said, ”I often praise him; I praise Purna Maitrayaniputra. Among my disciples, he foremost in eacthing the Dharma. In the Buddha’s Sangha, everyone knows there were ten great disciples. Sometime we think of the Buddha’s many disciples. He had a retinue of 1250 people. If we frequently read the sutras, this number will often appear. This is not to mention those scattered around in other places. The monastics scattered in different places were numerous, but only ten great disciples were known to all. Everyone sutra has the number 1250 people. This is just the number of those in His retinue. Among them, only ten would frequently go out to help everyone understand the Buddha-Dharma. Those were the ten great disciples. Among the ten great disciples, Purna Maitrayaniputra was foremost in expounding the Dharma. He engaged in spiritual practice, followed the rules and was diligent, He put the teachings into practice, seeking the Dharma and transforming others, he did not mind the hard work and went everywhere to spread the teachings and guide people to join the Sangha. Among the ten great disciples, he was the only one highly praised by the Buddha.
So he said, “He is foremost among those who teach the Dharma.” He shared the Buddha’s teachings for everyone to understand. If they misunderstood, he would immediately correct them. This was why Purna was called foremost in expounding the Dharma.
“Often praise” means “He had praised him everywhere for 40years.” The Buddha had done this for 40-plus years. This is because Purna Maitrayaniputra was a senior disciple who had been with Him since Deer Park. So, for over 40 years, wherever the Buddha expounded the Dharma, He would praise him. His praise of Maitrayaniputra did not just today. Maitrayaniputra, for over 40 years, had listened to the Dharma, taken it in understood much and was also able to then explain it to others. So, the Buddha praised him at all times for giving flawless explanations of the teachings. [His explanations] were correct with no mistakes.
This passage is about how He “often praised him as foremost among those who teach the Dharma”. This is how the Buddha always praised him for his strengths. Today was not the first time He praised him; He had done so for over 40-plus years. He always praised him like this. we can see that Purna Maitrayaniputra’s process of spiritual practice was never a cause of concern for the Buddha. moreover, he was the closest to the Buddha’s heart and the disciple He praised most. This is truly what we need to learn. He diligently sought the Dharma and transformed sentient beings. this made the Buddha very happy. This is something that we can comprehend from the sutras. Purna Maitrayaniputra “expounded the Dharma with eloquence,” with “his bold speech and elegant words.
When he expounded the Dharma with eloquence, his bold speech and elegant words enabled those who were lost to attain awakening, those with doubt to develop faith, those with didderent views to follow and those resisting arrogantly to consent. Thus he is foremost in expounding the Dharma.
“Bold speech” refers to how he spoke powerfully with a booming voice. The Dharma that he taught was correct, so everyone could apply it. Every sentence was phrased beautifully and pleasant for those who heard it. “His bold speech and elegant words enabled those who were lost to attain awakening, those with doubt to develop faith, and those with different views to follow.” This means that for sentient beings who were lost, after listening to his powerful words, they would awaken. Thus, “Those who were lost [attained] awakening.” “Those with doubt [developed] faith.” For those who doubted the Buddha-Dharma, he could use very soft, soothing speech and give every grounded and practical teachings. This was how he talked with people who had doubts and enabled them to give rise to faith. “Those with different views [followed].” This refers to people with different views who would slander the Buddha-Dharma. He was also able to persuade these people and turn their slander to praise; the sounds of slander turned to sounds of praise. Thus everywhere people were able to accept and understand.
Next, “Those resisting arrogantly [consented].” As for haughty and resistant people, he was also able to win them over. This is how Purna Maitrayaniputra was. He took his understanding of the Buddha-Dharma and used his words to repeatedly persuade and make analogies etc. He did this joyfully and was willing to do it again and again. He happily taught with unobstructed eloquence. This was how he delivered sentient beings. So, he was called “foremost in expounding the Dharma.” This was Purna Maitrayaniputra’s strength.
“[The Buddha] also often praised his merits and virtues of many kinds.”
I also often praise his merits and virtues of many kinds: “I also praise how this man has planted all kinds of wisdom, spiritual powers, merits and virtues.” He manifested the blessings and wisdom of his fundamental state and practiced the Dharma-door of myriad actions. Thus it says “merits and virtues of many kinds.”
Purna Maitrayaniputra was not only able to expound the Dharma, but was also replete with all kinds of merits and virtues. He had accumulated so many of them. When interacting with people, dealing with mattes and so on, his mind and body were always proper. He followed the rules, body and mind. He lived his life according to the Dharma, so he was deserving of the Buddha’s praise. So, “I also praise how this man has planted all kinds of wisdom, spiritual powers, merits and virtues.” He not only had all kinds of wisdom, he had spiritual powers, merits and virtues. He had the Six Spiritual Powers. Everyone understands the Six Spiritual Powers, the Six Spiritual Powers and Three Insights. The heavenly eye, the heavenly ear, transporting oneself, knowing others’ minds, knowing past lives and ending all Leaks are altogether the Six Spiritual Powers. Insight of the heavenly eye, into previous lives and ending all Leaks are the Three Insights. With the Six Spiritual Powers and Three Insights, he understood everything. To gain merits and virtues in spiritual practice, he put effort into taking the teachings to heart and then from that inner hard work he tried to deal with people and matters harmoniously. This brings merits and virtues. So, “He manifested the blessings and wisdom of his fundamental state.” With his fundamental state, his state of mind, he took the Dharma to heart and engaged in spiritual practice among people. This outer expression of his practice demonstrated the efforts he put into his mind. So, “He manifested the blessings and wisdom of his fundamental state.” The fundamental state is the ground of his mind. He manifested his true intrinsic nature and, with the blessings and wisdom that he cultivated, “practiced the Dharma-door of myriad actions.” He could respond to all phenomena. He knew how to react according to sentient beings’ capabilities and transform them. These were the merits and virtues of many kinds for which the Buddha praised him. These are “merits and virtues of many kinds.” He had so many merits and virtues they could not be fully described.
Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners, we need to learn like this. We need to make use of the original vows in the depths of our hearts. These vows are already planted deep in our hearts; their roots are strong. Since we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must seek to attain Buddhahood. We must have aspirations of Buddhahood. From learning to attaining Buddhahood, in between we must cross the Bodhisattva-path. This means we must go among people and transform sentient beings. I have always said that we must go among people and transform all beings. We must from good affinities with people, not create negative entanglements. We must go among people to form good affinities with them; we must help eliminate the afflictions and ignorance of sentient beings. We must not add to our own ignorance and thus contaminate the views of sentient beings. So, the Sangha to transform sentient beings, it needs to be in harmony, to have the “Six Points of Reverent Harmony.” Our spiritual practice must be sincere. A monastic who is looked down on by others causes the Sangha to be looked down on by others. So, we need to protect the Buddha-Dharma. To protect the Buddha-Dharma, we must make the Sangha thrive. These are the Three Treasures in the world. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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