Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Silently Keeping Causes and Conditions in Mind (冥契因緣 默然念記)
Date: July.27.2017
“Those who have attained the Small fruit are not afflicted by views and thinking. Their minds are at ease. As they had heard the three cycles of teachings and seen those disciples receive predictions, their hearts gave rise to joy as never before. Solely thinking of being bestowed a prediction, their own minds had a tacit understanding of causes and conditions, yet they only silently kept it in their minds.”
Remember, yesterday we talked about the three cycles of teachings. The Buddha taught His disciples according to their capabilities. Regardless of what their capabilities were like, the Buddha has only one heartfelt wish, which is for everyone to attain Buddhahood. He hopes that everyone will be able to understand their intrinsic Buddha-nature. Whether we have limited capabilities and wisdom or great capabilities and wisdom, the Buddha hopes that those with great, average and limited capabilities will all be able to experience their nature of True Suchness. He hopes that everyone can plant seeds one by one, one by one becoming a great Bodhi-forest. This is the Buddha’s heartfelt wish! So, He continuously awaits this. He spent a long time using skillful teachings, teaching according to people’s capabilities. For over 40 years, [He] hoped that everyone would be able to have an overall understanding. He had those with great capabilities manifest to help those with limited capabilities to experience and understand. This was the order of the Buddha’s teachings. Over those 40-plus years, there were actually many who understood the Buddha’s intent. They knew this deep in their hearts, but they still lived among the Hearers along with everyone else. This is just like Purna Maitrayaniputra. In the Sangha, there were many like this. Sometimes the Buddha used Small Vehicle Dharma to help everyone understand that life is filled with suffering. The disciples who were close to the Buddha had to constantly be awakened. They had to understand the origins of the suffering in life. They themselves had to earnestly comprehend and prevent it. In their lives, they had to understand “suffering” and “causation”. Then they had to earnestly work hard. There are many matters in the world and an unlimited amount of afflictions. In a moment of carelessness, if we accumulate the causes of suffering, we will certainly face the karmic retributions of suffering. This is to help everyone understand that they must, in their daily living, give rise to continuous thoughts of “cessation,” to bring all afflictions to cessation. He wanted to help everyone remind each other that they must engage in practice on “the Path”. On this road in our daily living, we must always alert ourselves to be vigilant. Though we all know the great, direct Bodhi-path, the Four Noble Truths are inseparable from our daily living. This meant that, to eliminate afflictions, we cannot depart from the Four Noble Truths. So, the Four Noble Truths help us to eliminate all dust-like ignorance, afflictions, delusion etc., totally and completely. This is the most fundamental teaching, so we must spend a very long time on it. Even in our daily living, even if we hear and understand that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, everyone must walk the Bodhi-path. Though we know all of this, we still live our lives in this Sangha. This is inseparable from “the Path” in daily life. It is inseparable from having constant thoughts of affliction that must be brought to cessation, inseparable from our vigilance of “causation”. With one careless [thought or act], ignorance and afflictions will accumulate. We must always increase our vigilance; we fear to experience suffering again.
So, in our daily living, as we engage in spiritual practice, we should not have even the slightest, tiniest [thought] of giving up. The Buddha has been doing this, leading us laboriously for over 2000 years. Thus this Dharma has been continually passed down until today. To attain Buddhahood, we must engage in spiritual practice. We must purify our afflictions and ignorance. Purifying our afflictions and ignorance must be done in our daily living. This is cultivating the fruit of the Small Vehicle. It may appear we are cultivating limited fruits. Those who had just become monastics as well as those who were experienced in following the Buddha in spiritual practice were all together in the Sangha. So, the Sangha had to have rules like this, the foundation for their daily living. It seemed that all of them where cultivating the small fruits. In the Sangha, they “are not afflicted by views or thinking.” The experienced practitioners likewise practiced, but they were not obstructed by afflictions, not at all. This is how spiritual practitioners should be. It was like this for Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, two friends who also practiced together. “I care for the disciples you have transformed. You also care for the disciples I transformed.” They both cared for each others’ [disciples]. One day, when Maudgalyayana and Sariputra were in their place of spiritual practice and had nothing to do, they began talking to each other about the Dharma. Sariputra, to check in on Maudgalyayana, asked him, “Recently, you led two disciples to come and engage in spiritual practice. How are these two disciples doing? What method do you use to teach and guide them?” Maudgalyayana replied to Sariputra, “Though these two disciples are very diligent, for some reason, I do not know how to get through to them. They have already engaged in spiritual practice for some time, but they seem not to have gained many insights. They do not seem to have awakened at all.” Sariputra then asked with concern, “What teachings are you having them practice?” Maudgalyayana answered, “I taught one of them to meditate by counting the breath. For the other one, I taught him to contemplate the body as impure. But while they both practice very earnestly, it seems that they have not yet been able to experience the truth of the Dharma.” Sariputra asked him, “What kind of work do these two usually do?” Maudgalyayana answered him, “One of them was an ironsmith, and the other used to wash people’s clothes; he would wash clothes at the riverside.” Sariptra asked Maudgalyayana, “If that is the case, for the ironsmith, what method did you ask him to practice?” He said, “I taught him to contemplate the body as impure. For the one who washes clothes, I taught him to mediate by counting the breath.” After Sariputra heard this, he said to Maudgalyayana, “You used very good methods for both, but you used them on the wrong people. For the ironsmith, have him meditate by counting the breath.” Maudgalyayana asked, “Why is that?” Sariputra said, “He was an ironsmith. Iron must be heated with fire. The fire must frequently be fanned for it to be a raging heat, so a bellows is used to fan it.” In the past, ironsmiths did not use a fan, they used bellows to blow air into [the fire]. They pull out [the bellows] and then push them in again. Sariputra said, “Because when he works, he has to constantly push the bellows in, then pull it out, then push it in again so the fire can be very hot and the flames will increase, if you have him mediate by counting the breath, teach him to pull the bellows out for ‘one’, push it in and pull it out to count ‘two’, Thus he constantly counts from one to ten, focusing single-mindedly on that number. Then his mind will remain concentrated on that. For the person who used to wash clothes, all of the clothing came to him dirty. The clothing was so dirty and filthy that, when he washed them at the river, to remove the dirt and filth, he had to scrub them very hard and focus on making them clean. After he washed these dirty things, they were placed under the sun to dry. By the time he gathered them up, they were very clean. If you pass on this [meditative] skill to him, he will understand that our minds are like that cloth, just like that clothing. Having been defiled by many dirty things, it must be washed by water and dried by the sun to return to being a clean piece of clothing. If you help him understand this principle, it will help him focus his mind as he washes. As he faces the river and takes the dirty clothes in his hands, he can focus on contemplating the body as impure. With these unclean things, he will know to eliminate unclean thoughts, helping him focus his mind.” Hearing this, Maudgalyayana happily accepted it. He then quickly had these two disciples exchange their methods of cultivation. The two disciples took to it like a fish to water; they were very joyful. The one who was an ironsmith focused on counting his breaths. He counted one as he exhaled and one as he inhaled, just as if he was pulling the bellows. His exhaling and inhaling were like the bellows. After iron is refined in the furnace, it is beaten. It is hammered into whatever shape is needed; it can be worked until it becomes a very sharp and refined tool. Once he understood this principle, in this way, he would count the breath. He would count his breath. He used this method to sit and focus his mind on counting. “As I exhale and then inhale, that is one count. Exhaling and inhaling again is the second count.” He continued like this to ten, then returned back to one again. He focused on meditating by counting the breath. Thus his mind was free and at ease, he eliminate afflictions and he did not have any discursive thoughts. With the same principle, by contemplating the body as impure, the person who washed clothes could do the same. He would use the principle of washing clothes in his daily living, so he understood that the human body, this body, is really impure. We start by contemplating what is inside the body as impure, as well as the filthy things our bodies create. With our craving for taste, we eat things, digest and pass them out as waste. They body is also very dirty, with sweat and such. As for things outside of the body, new things become garbage and rot. After we die, doesn’t our body also rot? All that is left is a pile of white bones. Those white bones are originally form our body. In life, what is worth taking issue over? There is no need. When we have eliminated afflictions, our minds will be free and at ease. In the Buddha’s Sangha, these great disciples also worked to transform those who were newly-aspired, those who came to engage in spiritual practice. They taught and guided them with these methods. If they were taught with the right method, these people with limited capabilities, would receive the teachings and eliminate the afflictions in their minds. They could understand the principles of the Four Noble Truths. At the same time, they also gradually attained understanding of the impermanence of all things in the world as well as the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. This was how they taught one another in the Sangha. This was how they lived their daily lives. If they understood, “They heard the three cycles of teachings”. The Buddha had already begun teaching at the Lotus Dharma-assembly.
When a Buddha teaches the Lotus Sutra, He delivers Hearers with the method of manifestation. This is divided into the four segments of teaching the Dharma, comprehending it, recounting achievement and bestowing predictions. This is considered one cycle. For the Hearers with their superior, average or limited capabilities, there were three cycles from beginning to end. These are the three cycles of teachings: First, the cycle of teaching the Dharma. Second, the cycle of analogies. Third, they cycle of causes and conditions. First, the cycle of teaching the Dharma: This is when Sariputra, the only one with superior capabilities, was directly taught the true principles of the wondrous Dharma, enabling him to realize and enter the One Vehicle. It is included in the Chapter on Skillful Means and the Chapter on Parables.
In the chapters on Skillful Means and on Parables, He already began to help everyone be clear. The Buddha knew Sariputra understood, that he was a person of great capabilities. This was the first cycle of teaching the Dharma. In the Chapter on Parables, the Chapter on Faith and Understanding etc., the four disciples of average capabilities were next able to reach an understanding.
The three cycles of teachings. Second, the cycle of analogies: This is when Mahakasyapa and the others, the four people of average capabilities, were taught the analogy of the three carts, enabling them to realize and enter the One Vehicle. In includes four chapters: Parables, Faith and Understanding, Medicinal Plants and Bestowing Predictions.
Now we are on the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions, which begins with Purna Maitrayaniputra; he could lead so many people, 500 people. He could help these 500 people to experience the truth, understand and attain predictions of Buddhahood. This required someone of great capabilities. The Buddha wanted all 500 people to comprehend, so He especially praised Purna Maitrayaniputra so He especially praised Purna Maitrayaniputra, from how he engaged in practice in the past, to the length of his practice, the places he went to and the people he connected with. He engaged in practice and transformed sentient beings without interruption. This way even more people could listen earnestly, understand thoroughly and mindfully make vows to emulate Purna Maitrayaniputra. This was for those with limited capabilities, with small capacities. By using the methods of practice of those with great capabilities, the Buddha helped them understand even better. So, helping those of limited capabilities was in the third cycle of teaching the Dharma.
They saw those four disciples previously receiving predictions of Buddhahood, and before that, they saw Sariputra be the first to receive a prediction of Buddhahood. This was to awaken the aspiration in everyone that took joy in seeking the Great [Vehicle], that of giving up the Small to seek the Great. This helped everyone to have this mindset. So, he presented many ways to help everyone have faith in attaining Buddhahood. But, to form great aspirations, we need patient minds. We must be patient over a long time to make great aspirations. Purna Maitrayaniputra was used as an example to teach everyone. When everyone saw others receive predictions, they would believe that they themselves could also one day attain Buddhahood, could also receive predictions of Buddhahood.
The three cycles of teachings: Third, they cycle of causes and conditions: This is when all the other Hearers, those of limited capabilities, were taught the past causes and conditions of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, enabling them to realize and enter the One Vehicle.
So “their hearts gave rise to joy” as never before. Everyone knew that they could also attain Buddhahood in the future. So, every person gave rise to joy that they had never experienced before. They had never been this joyful before, because they never had faith in themselves. Now, they believed in themselves, so they rejoiced. In their mind they were “solely thinking of being bestowed a prediction”. With one heart and one mind, they went in the direction of being able to receive predictions in the future. They were focused on this. “Their own minds had a tacit understanding of causes and conditions. They knew themselves that they must earnestly engage in spiritual practice. “Tacit understanding” means “I understand”. “Though I have not spoken this out loud, I have understood it all”. Everything is determined by causes and conditions. We must give rise to good causes. When we plant good causes, we attain good effects. When we form [conditions of] good affinities, we attain good retributions. These are all definite laws. So, they only “silently kept it in their minds”. These people all knew this in their minds. These people all knew this in their minds. Although they did not speak it out loud, “They silently kept it in their mind.” They kept it in their mind, understanding it all. These were the three cycles of teachings. The Buddha continually praised Purna Maitrayaniputra. That was for the sake of these 500 people; it was about time for them receive predictions of Buddhahood. Purna concealed the Great and revealed the Small to resonate with those of limited capabilities to whom the Buddha wanted to begin giving predictions for kaplas in the distant future. These 500 would receive predictions in the future. So, Purna Maitrayaniputra and the Buddha’s mind were in such accord with one another; no wonder the Buddha praised Purna so much!
Now let us take a look at the previous passage. “When the bhiksus Purna has perfected all his merits and virtues, he will attain this pure land with a great assembly of noble beings and sages. Of such infinite matters, today I only speak briefly.”
In the past, Purna was like this, he accumulated so much merits and virtues. Thus he was able to attain this kind of pure land. In the future, everyone in his land will be a Bodhisattva, a Solitary Realizer or a Hearer. Many of them will speak only for the Dharma’s sake. They will speak nothing but Dharma, speak nothing but words of encouragement. This is just like Sariputra and Maudgalyayana; they checked on each other when they had time. “How about your disciples and my disciples and their ways of engaging in spiritual practice?” things like this. But among Purna’s future disciples, there will be even more who form great aspirations and vows.
After this, the next sutra passage says, “At that time, 1200 Arhats whose minds were at ease gave rise to this thought. ‘We all felt joy as we never had before. If the World-Honored One would bestow predictions on all those He sees, like He did for those other great disciples, would it not be joyous!’”
Now, in this Dharma-assembly, there should have been close to 500 people there, and some people had spread out outside. But the sutra says 1200 Arhats. This refers to those who followed the Buddha. These 500 people would receive predictions from the Buddha, so in the future, everyone would also be like this. in another place, at another time, they would also receive predictions of Buddhahood. Some would go out, while others would stay, but this is the Chapter on 500 Disciples Receiving Predictions. So, there should have been 500 people present. However, after these people received predictions, once everyone else got this news, they all joyfully awaited the same. These are the “1200” that are often mentioned in the sutras.
The “Arhats” are these 1200 Arhats.
Arhats: Those who have exhausted all Leaks, who are replete with purifying practices and who appear in the world to wxpound the Four Noble Truths, enabling all sentient beings to escape from samsara and attain the benefit, peace and joy of infinite meanings. They are teachers and models for sesntient beings.
Arhats are those who have exhausted all Leaks and who appear in the world to expound the Four Noble Truths. They have already exhausted all Leaks; thus, they have attained the fruit of the Arhats. They already attained the stage of Arhatship. To attain the stage of an Arhat, all Leaks, all afflictions, must already be exhausted. They are replete with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. Precepts, Samadhi and wisdom are in our daily life. When we have these three in our daily living, naturally we have no afflictions.
So, once their afflictions are all exhausted, they “enable all sentient beings to escape from samsara.” Likewise, they “appear in the world to expound the Four Noble Truths.” Within the Sangha, those who extinguished Leaks and also had precepts, Samadhi and wisdom listening, contemplation and practice, those who were replete with these things, would them go among people and teach the Dharma to everyone. They could teach about life’s sufferings, that suffering is accumulated through causation. Everyone must work hard to bring the sources of suffering to cessation. All must earnestly engage in spiritual practice. in this Sangha, there were people who were already Arhats, so they should all be going among people, enabling all beings to escape from samsara. They must lead all sentient beings to escape from samsara. It is not about staining self-realization. Arhats seek only to benefit themselves.
Now, the Buddha wanted to bestow predictions on everyone. He wanted everyone to make great aspirations so they would be able to attain Buddhahood. If they do not form great aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path, then they will never be able to attain Buddhahood. So, these Arhats who had eliminated all Leaks and understood the Buddha-Dharma had to quickly go among the people to lead these sentient beings to listen to the Dharma and escape from samsara. They had to use all kinds of methods, infinite meanings, to benefit sentient beings and help them feel peace and joy. Sentient beings’ lives are full of great suffering. They needed to help all sentient beings have the realization that they can transcend all this in the future. This would stabilize everyone’s minds. This is the sense of responsibility that all spiritual practitioners should have.
So, “They are teachers and models for sentient beings.” everyone who is a monastic should be a model for people in society, should be a teacher and role model. The Buddha began to step by step make it clear that He wanted everyone to begin forming great aspirations. Since Arhats had already eliminated afflictions, they started walking on the Bodhisattva-path. Bodhisattvas need wisdom and skillful means. On reaching the level of Bodhisattvas, they must exercise the Buddha’s wisdom to know how to go among people. There are all kinds of people, each with different kinds of afflictions. Thus, Bodhisattvas must use all kinds of infinite skillful means to transform them. So, however many afflictions of ignorance we have, we must use the same number of methods to treat and tame them. If we want to help others, we must first tame ourselves. So, we must work hard to tame [our own minds].
Bodhisattvas: With wisdom and skillful means, they tame their own mind, enter infinite states of Great Samadhi and play freely spiritual powers, without obstructions. This is called having a “mind at ease.”
Bodhisattvas can “enter infinite states of Great Samadhi.” Bodhisattvas not only eliminate all Leaks but also go among people. They see how people’s suffering is also a provision for spiritual cultivation. So, they are not contaminated when among people and remain free and at ease. This is because they tamed themselves. Going among people is our spiritual training ground. As we go among people, we tame our own minds. There are so many afflictions among people, so we must use many methods to give to them, all without affecting our own minds. This is how we tame our minds. When we go among people, we must work hard to tame our minds so we can “enter infinite stated of Great Samadhi.” Our minds must be settled; Samadhi is having right understanding and views. Our thinking will always be right, and our minds will not be influenced. Yet we can “play freely with spiritual powers,” play freely in this world. We go among people with Skillful means, yet we know that everything is illusory. Everything is inherently empty and illusory, so when we go among people and [are] criticized, or slandered or so on, why must we take it so seriously? We should just let it go. All of these things are nothing but a play, a dream; they are empty and illusory. It is as if we are in a play or a dream. It is like the morning dew. This principle that everything is empty is very clear to us, so we have no obstructions. We do not let sentient beings’ various kinds of ignorance and afflictions influence our will to practice. this is what Bodhisattvas are like.
So, in our mind, our will to practice is not obstructed by people. We do the work of the Great Vehicle for yet they do not uinfluence our mind. This is having a mind that is at ease our mind is at ease. Our afflictions are eliminated, while our mind is at ease. These are the “1200 Arhats”. Everyone understood that the 500 Arhats would receive predictions, and the rest of them understood equally that they must quickly form great aspirations and have a mind that is at ease. This way, they need not fear going among people. They must learn the Bodhisattva-path so their mind will be at ease.
At that time, 1200 Arhats whose minds were at ease: These 1200 people had all realized the stage learning and attained the Small fruit. As they had eliminated their afflictions, they were not afflicted by views and thinking. They are called those who “were at ease”.
At that time, these 1200 Arhats’ minds were at ease, and they already had no affliction at all “These 1200 people had all realized the stage beyond learning. For those beyond the stage of learning, the Buddha had already taught the Dharma that He needed to teach them. He made sure they all understood the methods; they all understood how to eliminate afflictions. They were already at the stage beyond learning.
So, “They attained the small fruit.” The small fruit is Arhatship. “They had eliminated their afflictions.” All afflictions had been eliminated. “They were not affected by views and thinking.” As they went among people, they did not give rise to afflictions over anything that they saw or heard. They did not feel any afflictions in their mind, so “They were not affected by views and thinking.”
They were now able to see through life and understand the principles. They already understood what they had realized. The Buddha had already taught all that He had to, so “they all realized the stage beyond learning.” They were already at the stage beyond learning, thus their minds could be at ease. These people “gave rise to this thought, ‘We all felt joy as we never had before.’” They were all joyful those 500 people would receive predictions; among the 1200 people, 500 of these could receive predictions [now]. Because they were always at the Buddha’s side, the Dharma [the 500] had understood was the same as the Dharma the rest understood. So, when they saw them receiving predictions, they rejoiced for them. “Because I have the same state of mind, the prediction they will receive is like my own; they should be equal. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature; everyone has a part in this, so they rejoiced in their hearts. That was why they “gave rise to this thought, ‘We all felt joy as we never had before.” Seeing them receive predictions, they all became very joyful, feeling what they never had before. “They gave rise to this thought, ‘We and the others have heard Purna received a prediction of Buddhahood. We also have a part in this.’ Therefore they felt joyous and praised what they never had before.
In the previous passage, the Buddha had already bestowed on Purna a prediction of Buddhahood. Everyone was already very joyful, especially as the land he will attain will be so pure. All of those he will teach will be people of great capabilities. this land is peaceful and free. So, “They gave rise to this thought.” This means that “They had realized this in their minds but could not yet say it. They only silently kept it in their minds.
[They] gave rise to this thought: They had realized this in their minds but could not yet say it. They only silently kept it in their minds. Speaking of their tacit understanding of causes and conditions, they were not inferior to Born of Emptiness. In truly believing they could become Buddhas, they were worthy of being equal to Son of Body. However, those disciples had supreme abilities and great wisdom, spoke with eloquence and dared to trade words face to face, while these disciples, though they may have excelled in their inner cultivation, were still lacking in their outer eloquence. They had difficulties in speaking, thus they silently expressed their aspirations.
“We already understand everything. Though we do not speak it out loud, we all understand and remember it in our minds. We can likewise keep pace with Purna; if Purna was able to do it, we can also do it. If Purna intrinsically has Buddha-nature, all of us also intrinsically have Buddha-nature. So, they knew this in their minds, but did not speak it out loud. So, in “speaking of their tacit understanding,” a “tacit understanding” means to keep what is understood in the mind. In their mind, they understood the law of karma. they completely penetrated karmic cause and effect.
“They were not inferior to Born of Emptiness.” Every one of them not only needed to emulate Purna but also to emulate Subhuti. “Born from Emptiness” is Subhuti. Subhuti was foremost in comprehending emptiness. They not only kept up with Purna Maitrayaniputra,but also with Subhuti. They had this absolute faith, since after Chapter on Faith and Understanding the Buddha bestowed predictions on [those four].
So, it speaks of “truly believing they could become Buddhas.” They had already penetrated the true principles, had faith that everyone could attain Buddhahood. “They were worthy of being equal to Son of Body.” If they compared themselves with Sariputra, they were the same. Sariputra was considered foremost in wisdom. “Actually, we have nothing to be ashamed of. With what I hear the Buddha teaching now, I can also be like Son of Body and the others.” So, whether it was Purna, Subhuti or Sariputra, [who were] foremost in wisdom, foremost in understanding emptiness or foremost in sharing the Dharma, compared to these people, actually they have silently reached an awakening. They understood it all. Their understanding was more or less the same. However, though they rejoiced and were more or less the same when compared to them, “Those disciples had supreme abilities and great wisdom, speaking with eloquence.” They usually spoke with eloquence and “dared to trade words face to face.” They were able to reply quickly. This was Sariputra, Purna and Subhuti. But these people, those who just rejoiced for Sariputra and the others, were more or less the same as [ the great disciples]. They were “these disciples”; “those disciples” were Sariputra, Purna, Subhuti and the rest of the ten great disciples. “Those disciples had supreme abilities and great wisdom, spoke with eloquence” and “dared to trade words face to face.” “Trade words” means they could quickly reply, had unobstructed eloquence. But what about “these disciples”? These people, “while they may have excelled in inner cultivation, were still lacking in their outer eloquence.” They knew the principles, but if someone asked a difficult question, they did not dare answer. I think there are many people like this “I know, but I do not dare respond”. When I heard things from the ‘web of ignorance’ I did not dare say anything. I did not dare face them.” These ignorant [rumors] were spreading everywhere, but no one dared to clear them up. This is “excelling in inner cultivation while still lacking in their outer eloquence.” So, “They had difficulties in speaking, thus they silently expressed their aspirations.” They knew, but were unable to express it “I know all of it. I am just unable to express it.” So, this is being silent. Everyone was willing to understand but was still unable to debate it by quickly using unobstructed eloquence to reply. They were still unable to do this. Most of these 1200 people were like this. “If the World-Honored One would bestow predictions on all those He sees, like He did for those other great disciples, would it not be joyous!”
If the World-Honored One would bestow predictions on all those He sees, like He did for those other great disciples, would it not be joyous!: If the World-Honored One would see the original vows in the depths of our hearts and bestow predictions on us, like He did previously to all those disciples, how could it not make us happy?
“If the Buddha would begin to bestow predictions on everyone, World-Honored One, we are all ready to receive predications. He could see the original vows in the depths of our hearts and bestow predictions on us.” The only with in their hearts was to be like Sariputra and Subhuti, to be like Mahakasyapa, Katyayana, Maudgalyayaya and Purna. Every one of them looked forward to the day when they too could receive predictions like this. If this were to happen, wouldn’t it be a great joy?
Would it not be joyous!: It means that the Buddha has said that 1200 [disciples] will attain Buddhahood. Why not now bestow predictions on those He seed? If we are able to be bestowed with a prediction, we would be happy and content. Moreover, we all question if, since those people have received predictions, it is also fitting for us to receive predictions.
This is saying that the Buddha said that the 1200, those 1200 people who often followed the Buddha, would become Buddhas in the future 500 received predictions. In fact, there were 1200 [people]. In fact, everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. As long we earnestly engage in practice, would there only be 1200? All of us will become Buddhas in the future. So, we are certain to receive predictions. We have not attained yet, but everyone is fixed on this. “If we are able to be bestowed with a prediction we would be happy and content.” Everyone was very happy. We are all very happy, but can all of us attain [Buddhahood]? At that time, the Buddha was doing this to bestow predictions of Buddhahood on us. This is what everyone awaited and rejoiced over. They also still hold sight doubts within “Venerable Buddha, at this moment, are we qualified to receive prediction?” They all awaited this, hopping that they could also receive a prediction. That is right! We must have faith I ourselves. In the future, if we earnestly engage in practice, we will understand the value of life and how to go out and serve without being defiled by people’s ignorance and afflictions thus maintaining the purity in our minds, then, after a long time, eventually we will likewise attain Buddhahood. We will encounter the Buddha in the world and receive predictions directly from the Buddha. We must have faith in ourselves. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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