Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Bodhisattvas Manifesting as Hearers (內祕菩薩 外現聲聞)
Date: July.12.2017
“Those with limited capabilities seek the teachings of the Small Vehicle. They become indolent and retreat from their Great Vehicle vows. With the Buddha’s skillful, provisional means and their hidden understanding, [Bodhisattvas] entice, transform and deliver, enabling sentient beings to enter the Buddha-wisdom and the inconceivable Dharma of liberation.”
Practicing the Great Vehicle Dharma is hard work! It is difficult to practice! To practice the Great Vehicle Dharma, we must establish a firm faith. But in truth, the Great Vehicle teaching, the teaching the Buddha gave us, is not merely about awakening ourselves; we must benefit others as well. We must even go among the people without becoming defiled by their afflictions and ignorance. “Emerging from the mud without being contaminated” is the skill of the lotus flower. We must have this as well. Among the Buddha’s disciples, there was a disciple who could do this. He hid his Bodhisattva-spirit and manifested the appearance of a Hearer. He lived together with the Hearers, the Small Vehicle practitioners. He knew that Small Vehicle practitioners’ capabilities had not matured enough yet. Thus there was no need to teach them the Great Vehicle Dharma. The Buddha also spoke about this in the Chapter on Skillful Means and in the Chapter on Parables. Only those with great faith and great capabilities would be able to accept this. Those who accept joyfully, are willing to give to others and put the teachings into practice, are those to whom He would teach the great principles of the Great Vehicle Dharma. If someone was not able to accept it and was unwilling to form aspirations, then for a person like that there was no need to force them.
If we have them shoulder the great responsibility of teaching the Great Dharma, they will be unable to carry it, and instead they will slander it. Instead, they will hurt themselves with it and will also slander it. Previously, the Chapters on Skillful Means and on Parables both mentioned this. This was how the Buddha, in His wisdom, taught according to capabilities. Talking about the principles is not difficult. Tailoring them to people’s differing capabilities is the part that is difficult! So, Purna Maitrayaniputra could do this as well. He had learned the Buddha’s skillful means, had completely absorbed them. Normally, he would go out to do what the Buddha wanted to do, to teach the Dharma the Buddha wanted to teach. Upon returning to the Sangha, he concealed his Bodhisattva-practice and appeared the same as the ordinary Hearers, as the practitioners with limited capabilities. In the Sangha, he practiced the Six Points of Reverent Harmony. He did the same work, lived the same way. This set an example for the Sangha. The Buddha still continually praised him. In this current sutra passage, the Buddha is praising Purna and bestowing a prediction of Buddhahood upon him. His merits and virtues for attaining Buddhahood in the future were repeated once again in verse for everyone to hear again and further understand how Purna Maitrayaniputra concealed his Great Vehicle [spirit] and Bodhisattva-practice. In the Sangha he worried about the spiritual practitioners around him. If he were to teach them the Great Vehicle, they might move away from him, making it impossible for him to fit in with them. So, Small Vehicle practitioners, people with limited capabilities, fear the Great Vehicle Dharma. Those with limited capabilities will fear the Great Vehicle Dharma. These people “become indolent and retreat from their Great Vehicle vows.” If people have not formed great aspirations and we teach them the Great Dharma, they will become afflicted and scared. If we have them shoulder this responsibility, they will retreat to the point where they dare not engage in practice at all. So, “Those with limited capabilities seek the teachings of the Small Vehicle.” People like this know [all the teachings], it is just that they are unwilling to go out, unwilling to go among people and unwilling to mix with them to patiently transform them with the Dharma. They are unwilling to do any of these things. So, they “become indolent and retreat from their Great Vehicle vows.”
They might have wanted to engage in practice. When they first accepted the Buddha-Dharma, they had the aspiration to attain Buddhahood; they admired the Bodhisattvas and how they go among the people. They had this kind of admiration and this desire to learn. But after some time goes by, they “become indolent and retreat from their Great Vehicle vows.”
During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were already disciples like this, let alone for us today. So, in order to help all sentient beings not become scared and thus retreat from the Great Vehicle Dharma, He patiently guided them step by step. Purna Maitrayaniputra emulated the Buddha and learned all kinds of skillful, provisional means. With “hidden understanding [he] enticed them,” transformed and delivered them. Hidden understanding means that in order to be together with everyone, to live among them, he never let anyone know that he had this kind of talent, that he had formed such great aspirations, that he had transformed and delivered so many. He concealed and hid his abilities to connect with everyone else in the assembly, so there would be no obstacles between them. Haven’t we talked about how he was without hindrances, how he was unobstructed when among others? They would have no reason to reject him, saying, “You are a Great Vehicle practitioner; you and I are walking upon different paths.” He would not be rejected by others. So, he was always so embracing and gentle, in harmony with people. Furthermore, when he was with others he could “entice them through his hidden understanding”. When together with everyone in this group of Small Vehicle practitioners and Hearers, he used skillful means to entice, transform and deliver them. He gradually influenced them, enticing them step by step. Thus he was able to go among people to transform sentient beings.
This was the Buddha’s hope, the aspiration of His one great cause. In this way he “enabled sentient beings to enter into the Buddha-wisdom.” He hoped everyone would be able to receive the Buddha’s wisdom, become equal to the Buddha and attain supreme, universal, perfect enlightenment. The intrinsic nature of True Suchness we all have must be uncovered. With this nature of True Suchness, we remain undefiled while among the people and exercise our wisdom of True Suchness. This was in the hopes that everyone could enter the Buddha’s wisdom, which is to unlock our nature of True Suchness and exercise it. We exercise the ability to go among people and deliver and transform sentient beings without being defiled by them, without being hindered by ignorance, afflictions. This is how Purna Maitrayaniputra made good use of the Buddha’s teachings. He had learned the Buddha’s skillful means. Thus, “With hidden understanding, [he] entices, transforms and delivers.” With this kind of ability, he hoped every single spiritual practitioner would all be able to “enter the Buddha-wisdom” and have wisdom equal to the Buddha’s. This was his heartfelt aspiration. So, when “the inconceivable Dharma of liberation” can be comprehended by everyone, everyone can become liberated and everyone can avoid having ignorance and afflictions complicate their minds. Why must we keep afflictions in our minds? Sentient beings have ignorance. Sentient beings have this illness. Doctors need to cure sentient beings’ illness, not contract that illness themselves. Doctors must protect themselves. They must have immunity. When doctors go in to treat a patient, they must not become infected by the patient. By the same principle, we sentient beings have an illness. Our illness is afflictions and ignorance. Afflictions and ignorance must be treated with Dharma-medicine. The Dharma-medicine needs to be [administered by] a great medicine king. These are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They know this Dharma-medicine can cure sentient beings’ illness o afflictions. So, we must give Dharma-medicine for afflicted sentient beings to take. While administering medicine, if a medicine king becomes infected by sentient beings’ illness of afflictions, then how can he deliver sentient beings’? So, we must enter the Buddha-wisdom.
He Buddha’s wisdom is inconceivable. Inconceivable wisdom like this is exactly what we need to learn. Is this difficult or not? It is not difficult at all; it is very simple. This can be accomplished in our world, just like how in Serbia, on March 11 (2016), the speaker of the municipal assembly from the city of Samac in Bosnia came to see our Bodhisattva-volunteers. He brought with him Tzu Chi brochures that had been translated into Serbian. He made this special trip to deliver these simple publicity materials. This truly showed his genuine sincerity. He had only gone back [to Bosnia] for a few days before returning with them. When Tzu Chi volunteers saw that this municipal speaker had returned, they were all very happy. After they received the Tzu Chi brochures in Serbian, they were even happier. They hurriedly reported to him that on March 10, one of the Serbian newspapers ran a full-page article that reported on everything Tzu Chi volunteers were doing there. The Tzu Chi volunteers also told him of how one of the Serbian deputy mayors had met with them, met with our Bodhisattva-volunteers. He brought up the fact that in the central and southern regions there are ten cities that are experiencing flooding. He was hoping that Tzu Chi volunteers would be able to go there to help the survivors. We agreed to help them and even arranged that on March 16, we will go to those cities to assess the disaster. There are ten cities that are suffering floods, and they hope Tzu Chi volunteers can help.
After hearing this, the municipal speaker said, “If you want to go the those places to help, you need many trucks to deliver material goods.” He said that he was willing to provide these means of transport. This is what the municipal speaker indicated. He was also very kind and friendly. This is his neighboring country. Since our Tzu Chi volunteers had remained there, those 10-plus people, and were willing to take on such a heavy burden, he was willing to help again. He was very happy to provide these means of transportation. The Tzu Chi volunteers were very grateful that the municipal speaker continued to accompany them, continued to help them. They expressed their gratitude to him and began planning [for the next phase]. In the place where they were currently providing assistance, the refugee committee then brought up with the Tzu Chi volunteer that staying at the waystation right now were 300-plus refugees, who were stuck there. These 300-plus people needed to be taken care of. There were nursing mothers who could no longer generate breastmilk. This is because they were malnourished. Without nourishment, there is no milk. Their children are so small. They asked if Tzu Chi could buy infant formula to supplement the children’s nutrition. So, Tzu Chi volunteers hurried out to buy it. The refugee committee, seeing the kindness of our Tzu Chi volunteers, also found a space for mothers to feed their babies. Then they further opened up a space for Tzu Chi volunteers to help provide nutritious food. So, [the volunteers] borrowed a kitchen, hoping that this [packaged food] could be prepared hot, so that the refugees could enjoy hot meals. We can see these people in that place, giving of themselves in this way. In such a faraway place, they have been there for more than ten days, their living conditions were very harsh. But Tzu Chi volunteers willingly and joyfully gave of themselves in that place. They did not just help the refugees. Locally, there had been heavy rains and flooding in the central and southern regions. They also agreed to go and assess the disaster. The Bosnian municipal speaker was willing to help again, by providing the means of transport and so on. Think about it; isn’t this inconceivable? They form great aspirations, make great vows and give willingly. Since they are giving to the people there, they were unstinting in their efforts. They were not thinking. “I’m here for ten days, and after ten days I will just go home”. The first group had already left, and now more volunteers have subsequently arrived. Those who are waiting to hand off their work had to slowly guide the arrivals, slowly hand over the work. Gradually, once there are enough people, they can start doing the heavy lifting again. So, in speaking about it, these people are Bodhisattvas. They give rise to Bodhicitta and walk the Bodhisattva-path. They work willingly and do it joyfully, “enabling sentient beings to enter Buddha-wisdom”. This is how Bodhisattvas enter the Buddha-wisdom. With their wisdom, they are willing to give. Right now, when living beings are suffering most, fleeing only to be stuck at the border, as they were hungry and freezing in that place, they need [volunteers] with the hearts of Buddhas and the vows of Bodhisattvas. In that place, the volunteers went in as Buddhist practitioners as part of this large organization, and gave with this love, this kind of attitude. The locals are Eastern Orthodox; they are of a different religion, but now they are willing to work with us seamlessly. Everyone has this kind of mutual respect.
Therefore, love exists equally among all sentient beings. All we need is to come together with sincerity. Saving sentient beings is not the work of one person. It takes many people together giving to help. So, the Buddha’s vow was to awaken everyone’s aspirations. Everyone intrinsically has Tathagata-nature, our nature of True Suchness, which we must awaken. Everyone must go among the people to give willingly and selflessly; that is very powerful. It is inconceivable. It can liberate people from suffering. This comes from always looking at the Buddha’s teaching, at His skillful, provisional means. Thus “[With] their hidden understanding, [Bodhisattvas] entice, transform and deliver. We saw that when the refugee committee witnessed the love of Tzu Chi volunteers, they immediately opened up a space at that waystation to help those nursing mothers to mix the formula and feed it to their children. This gave them a much bigger space, a more personal space. This is what love can do.
They have now begun to accompany them. The locals have also awakened the love in their hearts. They have also joined they volunteer and are willing to give. These past few days it has been raining. When the volunteers went into the warehouse they saw that water had gotten inside. They had to rush to quickly get everything off of the floor right away. The floor was wet, and these things could not get wet. Think, there were only ten-plus people there and they had to take care of the distributions as well as help the refugees by providing them with hot meals to eat. Then they had to clean up the surroundings too. Indeed, my heart goes out to them. Yet, we can see they are always smiling. They do not seem in the least bit annoyed. This is truly going among people without any hindrances. No matter what they do, they begrudge no effort. When it comes to giving, just do it.
This sound so simple. Actually, it is “the inconceivable Dharma of liberation”. They are already liberated. They all run their own business, but over there they are willing to do these things. That is truly not a simple matter! It is because this is not a simple matter that it is so moving. The path of Living Bodhisattvas is walked in this way. As long as we do it willingly with willingness, it is not difficult. Although it is not easy, if we are willing, then it is not difficult.
The previous sutra passage says, “They know that everyone takes delight in the Small Vehicle Dharma and fears the great wisdom. Therefore, all these Bodhisattvas act as Hearers and Solitary Realizers”.
We have just spoken about the Great Vehicle and forming Great Vehicle aspirations. The Buddha’s disciples knew there were still many who feared the Great Vehicle and dared not accept the great wisdom. They delighted only in the Small Vehicle Dharma. So, those Bodhisattvas still had to do the same, hiding [their understanding] and acting like everyone else “acting as Hearers and Solitary Realizers”. Although they had formed Bodhisattva aspirations, they hid their secret practice as Bodhisattvas while outwardly manifesting as Hearers. We will see this again in the following passages. Inwardly they had the heats of Bodhisattvas, while outwardly they manifested the appearance Hearers and Solitary Realizers.
“They use countless skillful means to transform those sentient beings yet they still call themselves Hearers who have far to go before attaining Buddhahood.”
They themselves say, “I still have far to go. I am far from the Buddha. On the path to Buddhahood, there is still so much I don’t understand. I am just like the rest of you. We should all work hard. We must make great effort. Whatever we hear from the Buddha’s speech, we must mindfully try to understand it.” Thus, “They still call themselves Hearers who have far to go before attaining Buddhahood.” They say, “I still have a long way to go in understanding the Dharma. So, all of us should diligently work together.”
Since they had made Great Vehicle aspirations, they willingly humbled themselves, appearing just as everyone else did, while they sought the path to Buddhahood.
The following passage says, “They have liberated countless beings, enabling them all to reach attainment. Though people have desire for the Small and become indolent, they gradually enable them to attain Buddhahood. They inwardly secretly practice as Bodhisattvas and outwardly manifest as Hearers, with few desires, renouncing samsara. Actually, they are purifying the Buddha-land.”
This passage clearly reveals that they conceal themselves in this way. These Bodhisattvas manifested as Hearers to be together with everyone else. That way they could transform them. They could bring people to join together with them and thus be able to listen to them. Then they could gradually entice and draw them in. This way they could “liberate countless beings.” With Small Vehicle practitioners’ afflictions, how could they help them break through, how could they help them open up their minds and face the Great Vehicle, become willing to go among the people? This took a lot of effort. Delivering sentient beings is not something we can accomplish by ourselves. We must bring many people to give together with us.
So, in this passage, it is already talking about “liberating,” how they liberated Small Vehicle practitioners. “They have liberated countless beings, enabling them all to reach attainment.”
They have liberated countless beings, enabling them all to reach attainment: They conceal the Great and reveal the Small. Through this skillful means, they have liberated countless sentient beings, enabling them to reach attainment of the world-transcending path.
How do they enable others to reach attainment? “They conceal the Great and reveal the Small.” They conceal the Great Vehicle Dharma. “Though I understand the Great Vehicle teachings, though I have formed aspirations and made vows to go among the people, these are not things that I can share with the others who are with me now.” So, because of this, they conceal the Great and reveal the Small. They manifest in the form of Hearers, when actually, in their hearts, they have already formed Great Vehicle aspirations and have made great vows. So, they use “skillful means.” “I myself have this aspiration, and I hope everyone else will also have it. Thus I need to learn the Buddha’s teachings of skillful means. This way, as all of us are together, we can all listen and understand together, together begin to delight in and take joy in it, and together form aspirations to practice the Great Vehicle Dharma together.”
So, “Through these skillful means, they have liberated countless sentient beings.” Thus they think up skillful means, “enabling them to reach attainment of the world-transcending path.” The Small Vehicle is just a skillful means that guides us to enter this Dharma-door. But to truly enter this Dharma-door and attain this treasury, we need to go deeper. This is how they mindfully entice people. Just look at the poor son. The elder did this same thing, manifesting just like the poor son, wearing dirty clothes upon his body. Then, carrying tools for clearing excrement, he went and drew hear to that poor son. He went and showed him how to clean, only gradually leading him to the house’s door and then gradually bringing him in, leading him through the door. He showed the son such a grand and magnificent scene. He began to reveal it all, pointing out the many treasures inside. He helped the poor son very gradually nurture the love in his heart. The love mentioned here is about the path of love, for him to have hope, to think, “What if all these treasures were mine?” This is like us when we think, “How wonderful would it be if only. I understood all these teachings!” It was only then that he told him, “Come, enter the storehouse of treasures! All these things have always been yours!” “Why are they mine?” The elder then told him, “Because you are my son.” You see, this is how step by step he was brought in. All of us have been taught by the Buddha. He taught us to manifest our nature of True Suchness. This potential lies within us. When we exercise this potential we have, we will likewise be able to go among people. [We experience] the teachings among people; this treasure is always found among people. Going among people is the Bodhisattva’s spiritual training ground. The Bodhisattva’s treasury of teachings is found in people. So, through this treasury of teachings found in other people, Bodhisattvas develop their wisdom-life and realize the Buddha’s awakened nature. In fact, this is the road they have taken. So, this is how it is. The Hearers delight in the Small Dharma. “Though people have desire for the Small and become indolent, they gradually enable them to attain Buddhahood.”
Though people have desire for the Small and become indolent, they gradually enable them to attain Buddhahood: Though those they transform take delight in the Small and grow lax and tired on the One Vehicle path, they can gradually, using this Dharma, entice them to advance, and can protect them with the Buddha’s wisdom.
Although those people had desire for the Small, seeking only to awaken themselves, all kinds of methods were used to help them gradually become willing to liberate themselves from worldly ignorance, to open their hearts and set out upon a broad and great path. So, “though those people still have desire for the Small and become indolent, they are gradually enabled to attain Buddhahood.” Although they are like this, if we just put our hearts into approaching them, if we just but our hearts into guiding them and have patience with them, they too will gradually be able to understand.” So, “Those they transform delight in the Small.” Though all of them delight in the Small, thinking it is enough to just liberate themselves, they “grow lax and tired on the One Vehicle path.” Truly, upon this path, we can liberate ourselves and lead others to liberation as well. “This path is too difficult to walk. “There are so many people; it is so complicated. I am better off walking my own small path.” These are Small Vehicle practitioners who are lax. They care nothing for sentient beings’ suffering. They only look after themselves, not others. Therefore, for people like these, “They can gradually, using this Dharma, entice them to advance and can protect them with the Buddha’s wisdom.” For people like them, we must earnestly and mindfully nurture them, slowly and gradually entice them to come in. This is to protect them, to protect those Small Vehicle practitioners, so they do not cut off their roots of goodness if they cannot succeed. We want to help them preserve their roots of goodness. In this way, we mindfully lead them. To be a Bodhisattva, we must be as meticulous as this, must have vows that are this great. We want to deliver sentient beings, but we also fear cutting off their roots of goodness. So, we must be meticulous and slowly and gradually entice and bring them in.
“Desire for the Small” refers to the Small Vehicle. To “become indolent” is to retreat from the Great Vehicle and turn toward the Small Vehicle Dharma. The great disciples used skillful and provisional means. “With hidden understanding they secretly entice and transform all sentient beings, enabling them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.”
They had originally formed great aspirations, but then a thought arose and stirred up their ignorance. Once their ignorance stirred, they gave rise to afflictions. Thus they retreated from the Great to the Small. All the great disciples used skillful and provisional means. There were many who had already formed great aspirations. To accompany those Small Vehicle practitioners, they used their “hidden understanding to entice.” These were Bodhisattvas with great aspirations. “We have already formed Bodhisattva-aspirations and have reached the level of Bodhisattvas. We conceal this about ourselves so that we can accompany them.” So, they “transform all sentient beings, enabling them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.” Step by step, they accompany them like this. Step by step, they lead them along. If they are afraid, we tell them, “Yes! I am also afraid. Come on, let’s go together!” This requires them to be mindful. So, “Those who do not work hard to stop evil and practice good are called indolent.”
Those who do not work hard to stop evil and practice good are called indolent. Those nurturing defiled attachments are also called indolent. Those whose hearts lack courage need beneficial friends to use the Four All-Embracing Virtues to teach diligence to cure them.
If we have no desire to eliminate our mind’s afflictions and ignorance, or to “practice good,” or to go among others doing things that create good affinities with them, if we have no desire to give all we can, then we are said to be indolent. This is because we “nurture defiled attachments.” Throughout this process, our minds become defiled and attached. When afflictions and ignorance cause us to become defiled, we become frightened and close ourselves off. This is becoming indolent. This is “nurturing defiled attachments.” This ignorance form defiled attachments will continually increase in our minds. This is called “nurturing defiled attachments”; these will constantly arise. Once ignorance has arisen, no matter how we are encouraged, we do not listen. We still remain attached to ourselves. This is nurturing defiled attachments. This is being indolent. “Those whose hearts lack courage need beneficial friends to use the Four All-Embracing Virtues.” The Four All-Embracing Virtues can transform them. When their courage and diligence are insufficient, they need beneficial friends, good friend to guide and transform them. Do we all remember the Four All-Embracing Virtues? Giving, loving speech, beneficial conduct and working together. We use these Four All-Embracing Virtues to draw near to others, to encourage others, to deliver and transform others. So, we must be in a group like this in order to give. We “teach diligence to cure them”. We encourage others by telling them, “Let’s be earnest and diligent! We are very fortunate to have the Buddha-Dharma and very fortunate to have this human body. Let’s not waste any time. Let’s all make an effort to be diligent.” So, “Those who are indolent are burdened by all actions.”
Those who are indolent are burdened by all actions. If householders are indolent, they will lack food and clothing and their family affairs will not prosper. If monastics are indolent, they will not be able to escape the suffering of samsara.
If we are indolent, diligent practice seems too burdensome for us. This is a mindset of indolence. Our indolence arises, we may want to be diligent yet are easily blocked. We impede ourselves. We obstruct ourselves. If laypeople are indolent, “They will lack food and clothing.” If people in a family are indolent, it will create problems for the household. So, laypeople too must be diligent so that the family business succeeds, so that the family business will flourish. If they are lazy, it will hinder the prosperity of their families. As spiritual practitioners, if we monastics are indolent, we “will not be able to escape the suffering of samsara.” This principle is certain. “They inwardly secretly practice as Bodhisattvas and outwardly manifest as Hearers.”
They inwardly secretly practice as Bodhisattvas and outwardly manifest as Hearers: Seeking to benefit oneself and others and perfect the fruit of Buddhahood is the great practice of the Bodhisattvas. Inwardly, they secretly hide their Bodhisattva-practice and outwardly manifest as Hearers. Although those of limited resolve always want to be indolent and retreat, [Bodhisattvas] instead gradually teach them and eventually enable them to attain Buddhahood. This is how they inwardly follow the practice of the Bodhisattvas yet outwardly manifest the appearance of Hearers.
They “benefit themselves and others and perfect the fruit of Budhahood, as Bodhisattvas.” These are great practitioners. Great practitioners like these inwardly keep these things secret, hiding the fact that they are already walking the Bodhisattva-path. Outwardly, they act the same as others do, yet they “benefit themselves and others and perfect the fruit of Budhahood.” People like these are called Bodhisattvas, great practitioners. Inwardly, they secretly hide their Bodhisattva-practice and outwardly manifest as Hearers.” Although they are spiritually wealthy inside, outwardly they humble themselves. “Although those of limited resolve always want to be indolent and retreat” means there are some Small Vehicle practitioners who are very passive. They only seek to awaken themselves. Though these people are like this, they just need those with great resolve, diligent practitioners, to draw near them. So, they “gradually teaching them and eventually enable them to attain Buddhahood.” As long as people like these are willing to constantly be with them, to constantly encourage them, then even Small Vehicle practitioners like these can gradually and gradually nurture Great Vehicle aspirations. Sometimes, when we are doing something, we say, “Please, come and help me out a little.” If we keep calling, they may eventually come and help. After helping for a while, they come to realize how much they are at ease. See how some of our recycling Bodhisattvas say, “Before, I had nothing to do. I would feel sickness here, or feel pain there, but after I started doing recycling work, I have become happy in every way and am in the best of health.” There are many who talk like this. So by doing it, they find that joy. “This is how they inwardly follow the practice of Bodhisattvas yet outwardly manifest the appearance of Hearers.” This is how those with great aspirations are able to put aside their status and humble themselves, going among those groups of people who are practicing the Small Vehicle teachings, [seemingly] with few desires, renouncing samsara.” Actually, they are purifying the Buddha-land.”
[Seemingly] with few desires, renouncing samsara. Actually , they are purifying the Buddha-land: Outwardly they practice as Hearers, renouncing samsara. Inwardly they are actually Bodhisattvas, playing freely within spiritual powers to purify the Buddha-land. They enable sentient beings to have few desires and to renounce samsara so as to purify sentient beings’ minds. This is actually purifying the Buddha-land of their own minds.
Actually, in spiritual practice, having “few desires, renouncing samsara” is actually purifying Buddha-lands. “Outwardly, they practice as Hearers, renouncing samsara.” They say these things to others, “I fear life’s impermanence, its suffering and its emptiness. So, I am willing to engage in spiritual practice to eradicate all of my afflictions.” This is manifesting the practice of Hearers. “Cyclic existence in samsara is unbearable. I have become a Hearer who listens to the voice of the Buddha in order to understand the Buddha’s principles.” Actually, after having understood, they inwardly “are actually Bodhisattvas playing with their spiritual powers.” They actually understand everything and have already formed great aspirations. They are merely playing freely among others, all the while remaining undefiled by them. Although they are Hearers, if they find themselves among others, they can still remain undefiled by them. “They enable sentient beings to have few desires and to renounce samsara so as to purify sentient beings’ minds.” You all must preserve your monastic behavior. We first begin with renouncing samsara to engage in spiritual practice. Actually, this is purifying sentient beings’ minds. Their first step is always wanting to be liberated from samsara. The first step starts like this. So, “They are actually purifying the Buddha-lands of their own minds.” This is what we must be mindful of as we learn the Buddha’s teachings. True Living Bodhisattvas must go among the people. Though we may manifest as Hearers in our spiritual practice and seem like Small Vehicle practitioners, actually, we must never be frightened of the Great Vehicle. We must not fear the Great Vehicle; we must go among people without becoming defiled by them. This is the One Vehicle Dharma, so let us all always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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