Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Ridding Craving to Purify Buddha-Lands (少欲去貪 淨己佛土)
Date: July.13.2017
“Those with few desires rid themselves of craving and defilement. They renounce samsara and wish to escape the Three Realms. Although they only benefit themselves with the work of the Hearers, they are in fact purifying their own Buddha-lands. Not only do they hide the Great and manifest the Small, they even go among heretical practitioners. They engage in extended, uninterrupted practice with nothing further and with respect, cultivating unity, harmony and love.”
By hearing and seeing this, we should be able to understand! “Those with few desires rid themselves of craving and defilement. They renounce samsara and wish to escape the Three Realms.” This is what Small Vehicle practitioners uphold and practice. They have few desires. As spiritual practitioners, we should all have few desires. This does not only apply to Small Vehicle practitioners. All of us, at the start of our spiritual practice, must have fewer desires and be content. Having few desires is the foundation of spiritual practice. To “rid oneself of craving and defilement” is to have few desires, no cravings and no defiled attachments. This is how we should engage in spiritual practice. But Small Vehicle practitioners only do so because they renounce cyclic existence and wish to escape the Three Realms. Thus, in their spiritual practice, they practice to have few desires and to rid themselves of cravings. This is how they engage in spiritual practice; this is what they practice. “Although they only benefit themselves with the work of the Hearers, they are in fact purifying their own Buddha-lands.” These are Hearers, who only seek to awaken themselves. “In my spiritual practice, this is my fundamental responsibility. This grounded spiritual practice is my fundamental duty. If I can do this, I will not have to come back and transmigrate in the Six Destinies. I will naturally escape the Three Realms.” These are Hearers, who seek to awaken themselves. They think that by engaging in spiritual practice to benefit only themselves, they are purifying their own Buddha-lands, that by only purifying themselves, they purify their nature of True Suchness so it will not become defiled. Actually, if they do not enter the Great Vehicle, if they do not experience all the kinds of principles in the world, how could they transcend [cyclic existence]? How would they be able to experience the truth of all the principle of all things of the world? So, we must engage in spiritual practice to reduce our desires and cravings, but not just to renounce samsara and escape the Three Realms. There is no need to keep seeking to renounce samsara and escape the Three Realms. In our spiritual cultivation, we should open our hearts and get involved to help other people. We should not just seek to awaken ourselves or to bring purity to our own spiritual state. That is not all there is.
So, in the Sangha, some had already formed great aspirations. Thus, “Not only do they hide the Great and manifest the Small, they even go among heretical practitioners.” When the Buddha was in the world, there were Hearers practicing the Great Vehicle. Because they secretly practiced as Bodhisattvas while outwardly manifesting as Hearers, they would sometimes go among heretical practitioners. Because their spiritual aspirations were firm, when they debated the principles with heretical practitioners, they could even transform these people who had deviant understanding and views. They would even be able to bring these people in. Wasn’t Purna Maitrayaniputra just like this? He asked the Buddha’s permission to go to places with heretical teachings, where people were very stubborn. He wanted to go there to transform those people. The Buddha was worried, so He said to him, “In these places, their beliefs have gone astray. Their understanding and views have deviated. Everyone there is prejudiced; everyone there is stubborn and mean. It is very dangerous for you to go to that place. Once you reach there, won’t you be insulted and verbally abused?” Purna replied, “Do not worry. I still must be grateful to them, for they are only verbally abusing me and not physically harming me.” Everyone knows this story. He had such firm aspirations. Even at the end when the Buddha said, “If they harm you or take your life, if, because you want to go there to teach, you end up sacrificing your life in that place, how would you feel about it?” [he said,] “I would be very grateful to be liberated of the karmic conditions of this life. If I had not formed causes with these people, there would be no effects. If I lose my life in that place, it is my past causes and conditions leading to karmic retributions in this life. So, if, at that place, they allow me to be liberated from these causes and conditions, then I must express my gratitude toward them.” When the Buddha heard this, He was put at ease and was happy. Purna Maitrayaniputra went to that place, and as it turned out, he was there for some time; with the appearance of a bhiksu, he went among the people there. In the beginning, he saw that some people had become ill and needed medicine. He was knowledgeable in medicine too, so he immediately went to collect some medicine, prescribing the right medicine for the illness in order to treat their physical condition. He saw the suffering of the impoverished, so he quickly went to other villages to ask for alms, to ask for provisions to help these impoverished and suffering people. When he saw people suffering from the afflictions of cyclic existence, he was able to gradually teach them the Dharma, explaining birth, aging, illness and death, then natural course of life. He taught these people the law of karma, taught them the Four Noble Truths and so on. So, the stubborn minds of these followers of heretical teachings were able to be tamed. They also formed aspirations and were willing to engage in spiritual practice. For those who wished to engage in practice, he would, group by group, send them back to the Buddha’s Sangha; the Buddha would then ordain them as monastics. This is what Purna Maitrayaniputra did. In the Sangha, he even put aside his own status and worked alongside everyone else, transforming people through “working together,” transforming all his fellow spiritual practitioners. When he returned and went among the bhiksus, he manifested the appearance of a Hearer and lived the same lifestyle as everyone else. When he went out, he was a Bodhisattva a Bodhisattva-Hearer, a Bodhisattva with the appearance of a bhiksu. Thus he could, in accordance with capabilities, teach the Dharma through his own example. This was Purna Maitrayanputra. He did not merely hide the Great and manifest the Small, humbling himself like this as he hid and set aside the fact that he was already walking the Bodhisattva-path. So, when he went among heretical practitioners, he was able to transform them so that the entire village would have faith in the Buddha and have right understanding and views. This is how, in his spiritual practice and daily living, he was able to harmonize with the assembly and go among the people. When he returned, he harmonized; when he went out, he went among the people. He could go among people without allowing their afflictions and ignorance to affect his mind.
This is the correct perspective that spiritual practitioners should have and the bearing of a true practitioner. This was what Purna Maitrayaniputra cultivated in his spiritual practice. He engaged in practice with nothing further, extended practice, uninterrupted practice and practice with reverence. He also practiced with reverence, with harmonious love. This is the way of a Great Vehicle spiritual practitioner, one whose example we should all follow.
We can see that this is just like our Living Bodhisattvas in the world today. Wherever there is suffering, Tzu Chi Bodhisattva-volunteers will be there, coming together from distant places to bring relief. In Serbia, we have a group of Tzu Chi volunteers. Volunteers from many countries in Europe all gathered in Serbia. They have had to overcome a multitude of obstacles. Every day, they receive the recognition and respect of the local people. In that place, they offer hot meals, providing a total of over 900 meals. They held distributions there, giving of themselves for the refugees. In Serbia, there is a charity organization. This organization, S.O.S., saw the love from our Tzu Chi volunteers and how they persisted without giving up over such a long period of time. Over a span of ten-plus days, they maintained this same mindset and attitude. They acted with such respect, love and harmony. They showed respect for each other, toward the local people, toward the local officials and when going to purchase [goods] and so on. All of this caused whoever saw them to always feel joyful; the volunteers were so friendly. So, when this group, this charitable organization, saw this, their hearts gave rise to joy. They came on their own, as a group, to join our Tzu Chi volunteers. This group’s name is S.O.S. They joined us like this and started helping us. This charitable group expressed their willingness to work Tzu Chi. So, our group of volunteers from Europe, in that country, were at first very unfamiliar with everything. It was a country that they did not know well. Now, they have become very familiar with it. Everyone seemed to be part of one family, with mutual love in every interaction. This was for the sake of this group of refugees who were stuck in that place, unable to move forwarder go back. This was unbearable suffering! This Serbian charitable organization was made up of local Serbians. There were also the Tzu Chi volunteers from over ten European countries; everyone came together to help the refugees. We can see that they were truly [so dedicated]. They opened up their own kitchens to us. This charitable organization also had kitchens and made space available in their kitchens to prepare over 900 hot meals. So, we saw this group of people preparing these 900 hot meals. Having prepared these hot and steaming meals, they invited the refugees to sit in the chairs surrounding the tables. In that place, everyone had a smile on their face. Though the hot meals had not yet been served, everyone waited there. Who knows how long it had been since they had last had a warm meal? They betrayed feeling of such anticipation. When they were ready, the hot meals started to be brought in, plate by plate. Everyone uncovered these hot and steaming [meals] and ate them with smiles on their faces. Even the very young children were smiling in this adorable way. There was joy on everyone’s face. They displayed such radiance, as if they were emitting light. We often mentioned being “illuminated by radiance”. When everyone saw the Tzu Chi volunteers come in, they quickly put their spoons down. With both hands, they gave us two thumbs up. Everyone was very happy.
This requires spiritual practice; [the volunteers] had to have been connecting with the Dharma for a long period of time, to the point that they had trained their minds to not cling to any sense of self, to have no desire for their own enjoyment. They only worked to help suffering sentient beings. Everyone was so willing that they paid out of their own pockets to take a flight or a long drive to Serbia. I heard how, over these few days, everyone there is tired. There were also many people who got caught a cold. The doctors there heard that there were sick people in our group, so the doctors took the initiative to come to us, expressing that they wanted to check on us and bring medicine to treat our sick volunteers. This is how, in giving to help others with love, we were also loved by other, this [kind of mindset] made the locals willing to work with us, to cooperate in our charity work. Some of our volunteers became ill and fatigued, but there were these doctors there who were willing to bring medicine to treat our illnesses. So, we ourselves received charitable medical care. This is how everyone in the world is like one big family. The power of love comes from this mutual respect. All this requires an extended period of time, practice with nothing further, extended practice, uninterrupted practice and practice with reverence. The physical distance was not a limitation. Though they came from so far away, from England, France, Germany or even… there are so many countries I cannot list them all. There were people from 12 countries who traveled such great distances. They were willing to come. They seized the time, making every second count. They created good affinities with people through mutual respect and love, working with the local people in harmony. They mutually inspired each other’s love. This is what our Bodhisattvas are doing now. They are Living Bodhisattvas.
The buddha hopes for us to cultivate the Bodhisattva-practice. “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings”. Wherever sentient beings are suffering, Bodhisattvas will go to bring them relief. Though we may not be able to always give them a place to live their lives in peace and joy, in the course of their [flight], we do our best to help them for the few days we are there. For those few days, we put all of our hearts in to helping them. Of course, in interacting with everyone, we hope that everyone can be reverent in their respective faiths, so in everyone’s heart a seed of love is planted. Then, when they later find a peaceful place and are able to improve their lives, they will also be able to help others. This is love. We can enable love to circulate in this way, so people continually help each other. So, we do not only want to have few desires and be content, to be undefiled by afflictions or ignorance. We are no seeking to benefit only ourselves. We give without expectations and help others with love. No matter the place, we do not discriminate because of religion. We see them all as people, so we go among them to help those in suffering. The people we interact with are locals with loving hearts. In these place [like Serbia], we inspire all people to come together to help others with love. We do this with no rejection of any religion. To be loving is to show mutual respect for all. With this love, we work together in harmony to help those in suffering.
Come, after this, let us look at the sutra. The previous sutra passage states, “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. Inwardly they secretly practice as Bodhisattvas and outwardly manifest as Hearers, with few desires, renouncing samsara. Actually, they are purifying the Buddha-land.
Though they practice the Small Vehicle Dharma, bringing purity to their own minds, actually, in this way they can gradually move toward the Great Vehicle. Among Small Vehicle practitioners, there are some who hide their Bodhisattva-practice. Outwardly, they manifest appearances of Hearers. In this way, they diligently guide people in. This is how Purna [practiced] from dust-inked kalpas ago until now. Similarly, in Sakyamuni Buddha’s Sangha, he put aside his status to transform others. He had already transformed many people.
So, next we have this following sutra passage, which states, “They show people that they have the Three Poisons. They also manifest the appearance of having deviant views. My disciples, in such ways, transform sentient beings through skillful means. If I were to speak of all their various manifestations and transformations, the sentient beings who heard this. Would have doubts in their minds”.
Purna manifested the appearance of a Hearer. Though he had purified his mind and Buddha-land, he still manifested this Small Vehicle practice to “show people that [he has] the Three Poisons”. He used the Hearer Vehicle to engage in spiritual practice to let everyone know that this is how to engage in spiritual practice. The world has many afflictions and much ignorance, which all start for the Three Poisons. Where are the Three Poisons? He wanted to help us understand the Three Poisons and deviant views and so on. There were many disciples who manifested this appearance to help people know to engage in spiritual practice. The Three Poisons arise from our minds. Deviant views also arise from our perspectives. This is all depends on the Three Poisons in all of our minds.
They show people that they have the Three Poisons. They also manifest the appearance of having deviant views; Showing the Three poisons: For example, Son-of-Body harbored anger, and Nanda was attached to his desires. Manifesting the appearance of deviant views: This is like the three Kasyapas, who were previously brahmacarins.
This is like Son-of-Body. Who is Son-of-Body? It is Sariputra! Everyone needs to remember that Sariputra is Son-of-Body. Sariputra harbored anger. Once, the Buddha told a story about Sariputra. After a poisonous snake bit the king’s body, the poison began to take effect. Everyone needed this poiso nous snake to take back its venom in order to save this king. This is just like how we now say that, when bitten by a snake, we need to quickly see what kind of snake bit us. If we know what kind of snake it is, we can inject the [right] serum. The serum comes from the snake’s venom. After the pharmaceutical company refines it is called serum, which can be used to neutralize the poison. Even in the past, it was the same. So, this king’s life was in danger. The ministers caught the snake, wanting it to take back its venom. The snake said, “Since I have already injected it, it is not possible for me to take it back.” But these ministers, in order to save the king, continued to threaten the snake to get it to take back its venom. However, the snake was unwilling. So, they made a pit of fire. They dug a pit and lit a fire inside it. Having lit the fire, they told the snake, “If you do not take back your venom, you will be thrown into the pit of fire, and the fire will burn you to death.” But this snake was stubborn; he was so firm in his hatred. He was unwilling; he would rather have been thrown into the fire than take beck his venom. This is what the Buddha had said before about Sariputra’s stubborn attachment. He was so stubborn; this is how his mind was. The Buddha wanted him to diligently practice, but to change his erroneous ways was not so easy. Every one of the Buddha’s disciples also had their own habitual tendencies. So, the Buddha told everyone this story of the snake.
In the past, Sariputra was so stubborn. Though he was foremost in wisdom with a firm will to practice, he was still very stubborn. In the past, he had this kind of temper. Even now he still had this kind of stubbornness; it has not yet been completely eliminated.
So, our spiritual practice is working on our habitual tendencies. Our habitual tendencies from long ago in the distant past follow us through cyclic existence. One poisonous snake, even after engaging in spiritual practice for such a long time, still had these habitual tendencies.
So, the Three Poisons are like the temper that Son-of-Body, Sariputra, had harbored. That was in the past.
Three Poisons represent the chronic afflictions. Deviant views represent the acute afflictions. When sentient beings have such illnesses, noble beings cure it accordingly by using poison to counteract poison, enabling them to heal themselves.
“Nanda was attached to his desires.” Nanda was the Buddha’s half-brother, as he had a different mother. He was the Buddha’s younger brother. He was of the same father but his mother was the buddha’s aunt. His name was Nanda. His appearance was very dignified, and he was also born a prince. He had already married; his wife, the prince’s consort, was very beautiful. The two were greedily attached to love, taking pleasure in romance and desire. One day, the Buddha intentionally brought His alms bowl and walked by the balcony of the place where the prince lived. As He passed, the prince was on the balcony with his consort, taking joy in pleasure, happily indulging in the joys of the world. From the top, liking down, he saw that Buddha’s alms bowl was empty. He quickly came down from the balcony and took the Buddha’s alms bowl, filling it with food and rice. When Nanda brought back the alms bowl, the Buddha had fixedly gone on His way. Nanda followed with the alms bowl of food, quickly trying to bring it before the Buddha. However, the faster he walked, the further the Buddha got from him. So, he kept on following the Buddha until he reached the Buddha’s abode. The Buddha received the food and then taught the Dharma to Nanda. At that time Nanda blurted out, “So spiritual practice is the path to liberation!”
The Buddha replied, “Nanda, you must engage in spiritual practice.” With this, “Nanda, you must engage in spiritual practice,” He called on everyone, “Come, disciples, bhiksus, everyone help Nanda shave his head everyone help Nanda shave his head.” This way, Nanda could not escape, and they began to shave his head. However, though on his body he wore a kasyaka, the robe of a bhiksu, every day he still thought of the consort he had as a prince. He missed the pleasures he enjoyed in the palace. So, every day, he yearned, day and night, wishing to go back. One time, when everyone went out to ask for alms, he remained, and seeing that everyone had left, he took this chance to quickly run home. The Buddha had to call people to bring him back. He then began to teach the Dharma to Nanda again. He brought Nanda to a quiet place to meditate, so that Nanda could see. “See, this place is so calm. See these monkeys picking fruits to eat? Do you see the male, and baby monkeys? Nanda replied, “Yes, sentient beings are quite pitiable. The female monkey is so ugly, but the male monkey still cherishes her so. this whole family [is so pitiable]. The Buddha smiled at Nanda. When Nanda saw the Buddha’s rare smile, he asked the Buddha, “Venerable Buddha, I just said these words and you smiled. Does this mean anything?” the Buddha said, “Come, Nanda. You said this female monkeys is ugly, right?” “Yes. I will take you to see beautiful women.” “Where? How beautiful? My consort is the most beautiful.” “Is your consort really that beautiful? Come, sit and meditate here. Focus your mind.” So, He told Nanda to sit and focus his mind, to not give rise to a single thought. Suddenly, it felt as if his mind began to float. He saw, in this state, a grand palace. This was like nothing in the world. He saw a large group of beautiful women. “How are these heavenly women so beautiful, and how are there so many?” The Buddha said, “Go over and ask them”. When he asked, [they said,] “This palace is for the future. Now that Nanda has vowed to engage in spiritual practice in this world, in the future, his blessings will allow him to be born in the heaven realm. This palace in heaven is being created for him.” They said, “The group of us here are all practicing music and dance. We are waiting for Nanda to be born in heaven, then all of us will serve him.” Nanda heard this and thought, “Is this really true? Is this state really true?” The Buddha called to him, “Nanda, come. What do you see?” “Venerable Buddha, why did you wake me up? I had already reached….” He told the Buddha about this state. The Buddha said, “Yes, you must engage in spiritual practice. You need to cultivate blessings so that, in the future, you can be born in heaven. What is it like, compared to your life now?” Nanda said, “Of course it is very good. Comparing [my life to this] is like comparing the monkeys’ lives to those of humans. Once I reach heaven, how can the retinue I have in the world compare to that in heaven? They cannot be compared! Now, Nanda, calm your mind again.” Nanda thought the Buddha was allowing him to return to the heaven realm, so he quickly calmed his mind again. As he began to calm his mind, his body seemed to sink further and further down. The state that he saw was filled with piteous cries and suffering, the great state of the hell realm. There were all kinds of torture devices, all kinds of suffering. He also saw a great cauldron. There were people around it, and [under] this great cauldron they began to light a fire. They had brought over much firewood and had begun to start a fire there. As the fire began to catch, all the oil that filled the cauldron began to heat up. As this happened, Nanda was there watching and was terrified. “What exactly are you trying to do? Why are you heating up so much oil? The fire is so fierce; what is this for?” They said, “We are waiting. We are waiting for one who will transgress, who craves the five desires. Right now he is in the Buddha’s Sangha, engaging in spiritual practice. His name is Nanda. Because he does not uphold the precepts and craves the five desires, when he leaves the human realm, there will be this big cauldron of oil waiting for him to arrive.” When he heard this, he was scared out of his wits. The Buddha did not have to call; he woke himself. He still remained very frightened. The Buddha asked him, “What happened?” He asked, “Venerable Buddha, are the human and heaven realms real?” The Buddha replied, “Yes, they are real. Those who engage in spiritual practice and do supreme good will be born into heaven. Those who do supreme evil fall into hell.” “Is hell really filled with such suffering?” “That is not even the real suffering. Hell consists of many layers. Further down, not only do people suffer, the time they spend there is very long. The time in heaven is long. The time in hell is also long. The time in the human realm is painfully short. But with the karma you create here, if it is positive, you will enjoy happiness for a long time in heaven. If you create evil, then you will suffer in hell for a long time. So, you must believe in the law of karma!” The Buddha gave Nanda many teachings, and Nanda finally solidified his spiritual aspirations. From then on, Nanda focused on eliminating his desirous thoughts.
In short, whether the Three Poisons or deviant views, all is created in the human realm. We need to be mindful and remember, in our spiritual practice, that we must have right understanding and views. We need to have few desires, be content and eliminate our greed. Also, when we go among people, we must not become defiled. This is the most important method of practice for spiritual practitioners. Otherwise, we will have deviant understanding and views. In the past, the three Kasyapas followed heretical teachings. The Buddha guided them to enter the Buddhist path. So, in learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must be mindful. [Life] in the human realm is painfully short, but the time in heaven and hell is very long. If we are not careful, we can fall into hell, into unbearable suffering. As for hell in the human world, we see there are many hells in our world today. Sentient beings facing unbearable suffering truly need Living Bodhisattvas in the world to go help them. So, we need more people to form Bodhisattva-aspirations and walk the Bodhisattva-path. We must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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