Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Practicing to Purify All Dust-like Delusions (尊重奉行 淨諸塵惑)
Date: July.31.2017
“Kaundinya respectfully practiced according to the teachings. With the provisional teachings, he engaged in uninterrupted practice and extended practice. When he first heard [the teachings], he awakened and remained a senior disciple. Kaundinya at first formed small affinities, thus he was first to awaken at Deer Park. Son of Body at first formed great affinities, thus he was first to awaken in the cycle of teaching the Dharma. This is how small and great affinities each have their differences.”
This is saying that Venerable Ajnata Kaundinya, at the start, listened to the Buddha expound on suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. With a heart of respect, he accepted the Buddha’s teachings. From this beginning, he practiced according to the teachings. This means that Kaundinya, when he encountered the Dharma, his heart was one of respect. He respected the prince’s achieving initial enlightenment and His returning to Deer Park to expound the Dharma for those [first disciples]. It was with a heart of utmost respect that he accepted the Dharma. So, he could practice according to the teachings.
At Deer Park, the Buddha initiated the provisional teachings. He had to use a method that would let all people take the first step and accept the Dharma that the Buddha wanted to expound. Because He wanted to open up the teachings, this initial turning of the Dharma-wheel was to have people be able to accept it immediately upon hearing it. He considered that people’s capabilities were still very far from [the ultimate], so He began by giving provisional teachings. Provisional teachings are skillful means. Though they are skillful means, they are actually true principles of the world. If we do not understand these truths of the world, how can we possibly experience what has been intrinsic in all people since Beginningless Time? Every person, all sentient beings, have this pure intrinsic nature equal to the Tathagata’s. If we cannot understand the principles which we are experiencing every day, how could we possibly experience, amidst all the discursive thoughts, that intrinsic nature of True Suchness that has been in the deepest places [of our minds] since Beginningless Time. How could we possibly understand this? So, He had to establish provisional teachings. Initiating the provisional teachings meant opening up the teachings of skillful means, using what all people come into contact with. So, this “suffering” comes from “causation”. Kaundinya had deep faith and respect. When the Buddha expounded the Dharma, no matter how it was taught, Kaundinya had deep faith and no doubts. He listened to the Dharma with respect like this and practiced according to the teachings.
So, he had uninterrupted practice, extended practice and practice with nothing further. That means, for a long period of time, he constantly engaged in spiritual practice. This all began with respect. From respecting the Dharma, very naturally, over an extended period of time, without stopping, uninterruptedly, with nothing further, seizing every instant with nothing left over, he continuously took the Dharma to heart. No matter how short the time, he seized on everything that the Buddha taught, without letting any of it leak away. This was Kaundinya. He was so meticulous and wholeheartedly respectful. He faithfully accepted the Buddha’s teachings, so over an extended time, with nothing further, uninterruptedly, he constantly practiced them. Thus, when he “first heart [the teaching], he awakened and remained a senior disciple.” Of the five [disciples], he was the first to accept the Dharma that the Buddha expounded and thoroughly understand it. Out of the five, he was the first. So, he remained a senior disciple; he was the first. Kaundinya was the first to form small affinities. In the past, he had practiced for a long time, over an extended period of many kalpas. Lifetime after lifetime, he likewise practiced and went among people. He did not have a great awakening, nor enthusiastically go among people; He was not like Purna, who comprehended what was in the Buddha’s heart and was able to practice the Dharma that the Buddha practiced. Though he did not see the big picture like that, he still had deep faith and respect. Among people, he practiced all that was good and did nothing that was evil. So, with such a pure mind, no matter what kind of small matters, he was able to uphold them without leaks. When the Buddha expounded the Dharma, he was the first to accept the provisional; the first time the Dharma was taught, he awakened. At Deer Park, he was the first to comprehend the Buddha’s teachings. “Thus he was first to awaken in the cycle of teaching the Dharma. Son of Body at first formed great affinities.” “Son of Body” refers to Sariputra. Sarputra had formed great affinities. So, when the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra, at the beginning, he was the first; he was foremost in wisdom. He hears and understood how the Buddha praised the Buddha’s wisdom as profound and wondrous. He understood where His wisdom came from and even realized all people intrinsically have it. This pound and pure Buddha-nature is something everyone intrinsically has. These great principles, the one ultimate truth, were what Sariputra, starting with the Chapter on Skillful Means, was beginning to awaken to. He requested the Dharma on behalf of the assembly; Sariputra asked the Buddha three times, and the Buddha stopped him, saying there was no need to speak further, because this was a very profound teaching. If, after people heard it, they were unable to put the teaching into practice, they might give rise to slander and doubt. With this kind of doubt and slander, they would harm the Dharma and for they themselves, for those who committed slander, this would also not be beneficial. The Buddha wished for everyone to know that the Dharma was fundamentally very profound. The Dharma is fundamentally a response to all the appearances of the world, so when the Buddha gave teachings, [He explained] the appearances of suffering in the world. The Buddha’s wisdom lets Him use the Dharma to explain people, matters and things in the world. The kinds of afflictions people give rise to, the kinds of karma they create, the kind of [karmic] effects this lead to, all this was encompassed within the Great Dharma. For everyone to completely comprehend this was not an easy task. So, when Sariputra made the request, the Buddha stopped him and said again and again. “Stop, there is no need to speak further.” However, Sariputra was still able to understand the Buddha’s intentions. Since this Dharma was such a great teaching, it would not be a simple matter; the Buddha could not just carelessly expound it. He had to be very cautious, extremely cautious. The first time, the Buddha did not teach. [He did the same] the second and third time. [Sariputra] expressed to the Buddha that everyone who listened should be able to understand. All who sought the Dharma were earnest. He was not casually asking for the Dharma. He was very careful in asking for the teachings. He wanted everyone at the assembly to know this. This was the dialogue between the Buddha and Sariputra. He wanted to request the Dharma, but the Buddha kept stopping him, as it was not something all could easily accept. Sariputra asked again, but the Buddha stopped him again, because not everyone was able to hear and willingly put the teachings into action. Sariputra asked once more, and the Buddha replied, “You have already asked three times. How can I not expound it?”
This was to let everyone know that listening to the Dharma should be done carefully; it should be done with faith, with the willingness to accept it and put it into practice. These were the Buddha’s intentions. So, “Son of Body” is Sariputra. He was foremost in wisdom. In the Sangha, during the Lotus Sutra, he was the initiator. In the beginning, if it were not for Sariputra being able to understand the Buddha’s intentions and persevere in his requests, how would we have this Lotus Sutra to teach and to listen to? Son of Body, Sariputra, formed great affinities at the very beginning. It was a great affinity to request the Dharma on behalf of so many people. This was also because he had abundant wisdom and understood that the Great Dharma must be spoken from the Buddha’s mouth. He hoped that the Buddha could, for the assembly, for all of these many people, expound the Dharma. This was a great affinity. At that Dharma-assembly, wasn’t this forming a great affinity? Furthermore, in the future, in our present 2000 years later, we must also be grateful to Sariputra, for he persevered at that time in asking the Buddha to expound the Dharma and praise the great principles of the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. [Without him,] how would the Wondrous Lotus Sutra even exist for us today? So, he formed great affinities. If it were not for Sariputra, we would not have what we have today. “Thus he was first to awaken in the cycle of teaching the Dharma.”
This was the first cycle of teaching the Dharma, which was in the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Chapter on Parables and other chapters; this was the first cycle of teachings. In the first cycle of teaching the Dharma, he was the first to become awakened. He was the first one to whom the Buddha gave a prediction of Buddhahood. Everyone must always remember this. The Lotus Sutra is such a large sutra. After chanting it, we forget. The same goes for listening to it. Because we have spoken about it for so long, over this long time, we may forget. So, we must keep on reviewing and digging up the memories of what we have heard; we need to promptly contemplate them again. We must contemplate the sequence of what we heard. Sariputra was the first bestowed with a prediction of Buddhahood. “This is how small and great affinities each have their differences.”
Kaundinya was, when the Buddha expounded the small teachings, the first one to become awakened. Sariputra was, when the Buddha expounded the great teachings, the first to be bestowed a prediction of Buddhahood. So, one of them began by forming small affinities, becoming a senior disciple. The other one, at the very end, when the One Vehicle’s True Dharma was opened up, was first to receive a prediction of Buddhahood. This was “first forming great affinities”.
So, “This is how small and great affinities each have their difference”. One of them started from the very beginning, when skillful means were taught, to understand. In the end, he awakened to the One Vehicle Dharma.
Come, let us look at the previous passage. “The Buddha knew the thoughts these disciples had in their minds. He told Mahakasyapa. For these 1200 Arhats. I now will presently bestow in sequence predations of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
The Buddha, in bestowing a prediction of Buddhahood on him, explained Purna Maitrayaniputra’s accumulated merits and virtues. He explained that Purna Maitrayaniputra would attain Buddhahood in a land that everyone would admire greatly. Purna Maitrayaniputra was able to receive a prediction of Buddhahood, so everyone felt that they also had a part in this. Before, it was Sariputra; next were the four great disciples. After that came Purna, so everyone believed that they should also have a part in this. These people were led by Mahakasyapa. Mahakasyapa was the leader in the Sangha. So, the Buddha spoke to Mahakasyapa, called on Mahakasyapa, and said to him, “For these 1200 Arhats….” “Kasyapa! You ought to know that for this group of 1200 Arhats, I will bestow predictions of Buddhahood”. This is something everyone had a part in. Thus Buddha spoke to Mahakasyapa, which was to speak to all of those in the Sangha who were led by Mahakasyapa, announcing that everyone had a part in this. This was to put everyone at ease, because what everyone was thinking was, “Will I be able to attain it?” They would all be able to attain it. How long will it take for me?” This is always how people think. The Buddha first calmed people’s minds. “Don’t worry, everyone has a part in this. He used this kind of method to allow everyone to first calm their minds.
Next it says, “In this assembly, my great disciple, the bhiksu Kaundinya, will make offerings to 62 trillion Buddhas. Then he will attain Buddhahood. His epithet will be Universal Radiance“.
Now, in front of 1200 people, in this assembly, He first bestowed a prediction on the bhiksu Kaundinya. The Buddha first indicated Kaundinya by saying “in this assembly”. Of the first five, those transformed at Deer Park, Kaundinya was the first, because he was the first to realize the Four Noble Truths.
In this assembly, my great disciple, the bhiksu Kaundinya: It means in this assembly, of the five people who were first transformed at Deer Park, Kaundinya was first. He was a great practitioner.
Everyone needs to remember the Three Turnings [of the Dharma-wheel]. During the first turning, only Kaundinya [awakened]. Due to his reverence, respect and mindfulness in listening to the Dharma, he was able to comprehend. He could experience the truth of what the Buddha spoke of, the world’s suffering. It is truly suffering. “I understand this; I know it. The accumulation of all kinds of afflictions and ignorance causes the creation of all kinds of negative karma. I understand the retributions that accumulate. The suffering and retributions are frightening. I should eliminate it, eliminate this suffering. I understand how suffering comes from causation, so I should eliminate it. I am determined; I know I must practice the Path”. This was Kaundinya, the very first one who decided to completely take refuge in the Buddha”. He comprehended the great path and was willing to delve deeply into the sutra treasury to understand the Dharma the Buddha expounded. This was Kaundinya, the first one awakened by the Buddha’s teachings. So, Kaundinya was first “He was a great practitioner”. He was the one who, when the Buddha taught, when he encountered the Buddha-Dharma, was the first one to awaken. He had these causes and conditions, so “He will make offerings to 62 trillion Buddhas”.
He will make offerings to 62 trillion Buddhas: 62 trillion refers to eliminating the 62 trillion afflictions of ignorance. He will follow one Buddha after another to purify all his dust-like delusions. This making offerings to the Buddha.
Kaundinya had accumulated merits and virtues in the past and attained achievements in this lifetime. However, in the future, there would still be along time of engaging in spiritual practice. How long would this take? He still had to go through 62 trillion Buddhas. This time period is very long. If we just hear this number, we already feel like it is a long [time]. How long would we have to practice? How long does it take for one Buddha to appear in the world? if we need to go through 62 trillion Buddhas, wouldn’t this be a long time? It would. When we engage in our practice, we need patience. Since it has already been dust-inked kalpas, the time in the future, as it can be counted, will be much shorter than dust-inked kalpas. Right now, we have a number, that of 62 trillion Buddhas. This is referring “to eliminating 62 trillion thoughts of ignorance and afflictions.” Actually, we need to have this kind of patience. How many afflictions do we have? We have 62 trillion afflictions. These are very subtle afflictions, dust-like afflictions. These dust-like afflictions must be eliminated completely, not just the coarse and obvious afflictions. Even the very subtle ones, the subtle dust-like afflictions, need to be completely eliminated. This means that we need to have, at all times, uninterrupted practice, with nothing further. This means to constantly remind ourselves to put effort into our spititual practice. we must eliminate so many ignorance and afflictions.
Next, “He will follow one Buddha after another to purify all his dust-like delusions. He has to follow many, many Buddhas. When each Buddha manifests in our world, we must practice according to the teachings. We must respect the Buddha’s teachings and practice according to teachings.
So, for every single Buddha, all Buddhas share the same path; They are always teaching us how to eliminate all of our afflictions. This is the same for every Buddha. how do0 we eliminate [ignorance and afflictions]? We begin by doing all that is good and refraining from all that is evil. We eliminate greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt and all manner of afflictions. Also, in our minds we must eliminate both the acute and chronic afflictions. These are all afflictions. Every Buddha teaches us in this way. So, “He followed one Buddha after another.” He followed each Buddha to “purify all his dust-like delusions.” All dust-like delusions must be eliminated.
This is “making offerings to the Buddha.” This is called making offerings through action. Listening, being reverent and accepting teachings are all ways of making offerings.
“Then, he will attain Buddhahood. His epithet will be Universal Radiance.” Then, he will attain Buddhahood. His epithet will be Universal Radiance: undergoing this accumulation for long kalpas, through causes and conditions, he will be able to be liberated. He will thoroughly comprehend all Dharma and clearly understand its origin. The merits and virtues that he cultivated will be fulfilled. Thus his epithet will be Universal Radiance.
Having already followed and made offerings to 62 trillion Buddhas in this way, his ignorance and afflictions will gradually be eliminated. With these 62 trillion Buddhas, we all must accept each Buddha’s teachings. Then, naturally, we “will attain Buddhahood”. This requires one to go through “this accumulation for long kalpas.” “Through the causes and conditions [accumulated], he will be able to be liberated.” He must constantly engage in spiritual practice, constantly go among people and constantly absorb [wisdom from] people’s afflictions and ignorance in the world. What methods must we use to eliminate these afflictions and ignorance? “Afflictions are Bodhi.” When afflictions arise, naturally we will find ways to eliminate. So, we say, “Afflictions are Bodhi.”
We must go among people and over a long period of time accumulate [wisdom] to reach understanding with causes and conditions. this requires that we actually practice and actually train ourselves and not just listen. A professor teaches us [the principles,] but the research and experience. Must be accumulated through our own hard work. We must seize our causes and conditions in order to understand he will thoroughly comprehend all Dharma and clearly understand its origin.”
The origin of the Dharma comes from the causes and conditions created by the world’s many kinds of ignorance. If we are able to understand this origin, we return to our nature of True Suchness, because we “thoroughly comprehended all Dharma and clearly understood its origin.” The karma from ignorance and afflictions comes from one thought of ignorance arising. Yet if we flip this thought of ignorance around, the other side is our nature of True Suchness. We fundamentally have the ninth consciousness, our pure nature of True Suchness. However, because of one thought of ignorance that arise in our mind, we use our eighth consciousness, through the first five consciousnesses, to experience and make contact with external states. When we take these in, our sixth consciousness discriminates and our seventh consciousness contemplates and begins to create [karma]. The result is taken into our eighth consciousness, according to the law of cause and effect. This [karma] cannot go deeper to enter our ninth consciousness because our ninth consciousness is always pure and unmoving; ir is just that because of causes and conditions, that one thought of ignorance allows [the teachings] to leak away. This has happened since Beginningless Time and will continue on in this way. So, if all the world’s ignorance and afflictions can be thoroughly understood, we can once more return to and comprehend the Dharma’s origins. We understand our mind’s nature of True Suchness and go back to it. This is how “the merits and virtues that he cultivated will be fulfilled. We need to put in effort. We work hard inwardly and externally, we must practice, to gain experience and accumulate virtue.
“With virtue comes attainment.” When we give to help and seek to experience this, what we attain is that within our minds, what we attain is that within our minds, we eliminate a little ignorance and arraign a little more purity.
I often say, “Without experience, we cannot grow in wisdom.” we must go among people and accumulate this over long kalpas; through experience, we grow in wisdom. we experience many matters and things, then we continuously develop our wisdom. this all depends on our resolve; is it firm? So, “The merits and virtues that he cultivated will be fulfilled.” With effort, we strengthen our will to practice. we put effort into moving forward. This way naturally, we can attain Buddhahood.
So, “The merits and virtues that he cultivated will be fulfilled. Thus his epithet will be Universal Radiance.” Next, when Kaundinya attains Buddhahood in the future, his epithet will be Universal Radiance, and he will be replete with the Ten Epithets, “the Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings. Completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone one, Knower of the World, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamper, Teacher of Heacenly Beings and Humans and Buddha, the World-Honored One.
Everyone often chants this. Do you still remember this? “Tathagata” is one who “Journeys on the path of True Suchness and comes to achieve perfect enlightenment.
Second is “One Worthy of Offerings. He is worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings,” because in the process of spiritual practice, he will accumulate the virtues that allow him to accept offerings from humans and heavenly beings.
Third is “Completely Awakened One”. The Right Dharma was understood completely by him. He will not allow his mind to go astray. With right understanding and views, practicing the Right Dharma on the right path, that refers to the “Completely Awakened One.”
“One Perfect in Wisdom and Action” is one who is perfectly replete in the practice of the Three Insights. This requires putting the principles into action.
The Ten Epithets of a Buddha: 1. The Tathagata: He journeys on the path of True Suchness and comes to achieve perfect enlightenment. 2. One Worthy of Offerings: He is worthy of receiving offerings from humans and heavenly beings. 3. Completely Awakened One: He is completely awakened to all Dharma. 4. One Perfect in Wisdom and Action: He is perfectly replete with the practice of the Three Insights.
Fifth is the “Well-Gone One”, “With the wisdom of all Dharma as His great cart, He travels the Eightfold Path to enter Nirvana.” In the Lotus Sutra, in the Chapter on Parables, there are small carts, the sheep-and deer-carts. These are carts pulled by sheep or by deer. Can the sheep-carts and deer-carts carry people? Though they can, they can only take one person, people who seek to benefit only themselves. But will this help them attain Buddhahood? No. We must attain the wisdom of all Dharma, not just know that all things are suffering and then cultivate for our own benefit. Benefiting only oneself and ending samsara is easier said than done. So, we need to face the Great Vehicle; that is the great white ox-cart. It is a large-scale vehicle that allows us to deliver ourselves and also others, while simultaneously practicing the Eightfold Path. In the 37 Practices to Enlightenment, there is the Eightfold Path. We cannot take this lightly. We cannot think the 37 Practices to Enlightenment are Small Vehicle teachings. In fact, they are the way for us to take action in body and mind, the most fundamental of teachings. So, everyone must take them seriously. In walking the Eightfold Path and [practicing] the Great Vehicle Dharma, our bodies and minds must be like this. We must not go astray. This is called “the Well-Gone One,” one who can practice in the world without ever deviating or straying from the Path is called “the Well-Gone One”.
The sixth is “Knower of the World”. “He can comprehend the matters of all sentient beings and non-sentient beings.”
That is, of the world’s matters and things, whether matters or things or the principles behind people’s minds, He comprehends them all.
Seventh is “Unsurpassed Guide”. “Just as Nirvana is supreme among all Dharma, the Buddha is supreme among all sentient beings.”
This is very important. An “Unsurpassed Guide” is above Bodhisattvas. People with [supreme], perfect enlightenment are called Unsurpassed Guides. They are Buddhas. “Just as Nirvana is supreme among all Dharma, the Buddha is supreme among all sentient beings.” We need to understand that we can attain Nirvana. Actually, Nirvana is a tranquil and still state. It is tranquil and clear, a tranquil and clear state. When we go among people, how can we attain this tranquil and clear state? This must be trained by going among people. Everyone must mindfully seek to experience the principles of this explanation for “the Unsurpassed Guide”. When it comes to Nirvana, we use “tranquil and clear” to explain Nirvana. Beyond arising or ceasing is Nirvana, this tranquil and clear state. This is the purity in our minds that does not arise nor cease. This must be [trained] among people. “The Buddha is supreme among all sentient beings.” The Buddha is like this, an Unsurpassed Guide. Eighth is “the Tamer”.
The Ten Epithets of a Buddha: 8. The Tamer: The Buddha sometimes uses soft and gentle words and sometimes uses harsh and urgent words so He can tame all people and guide them onto a good path.
No matter the time, the Buddha is able to use soft and gentle speech, and no matter the time, He is able to use harsh and urgent truths and words to guide sentient beings and subdue their minds. So, He is called the Tamer; He hopes that all people can enter a good path. Ninth is “Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans”. The Buddha is not just the guiding teacher for the human world, He is also the guiding teacher of heavenly beings, “the guiding teacher of the Three Realms and the kind father of the Four Kinds of Beings”. So, “He can teach and demonstrate what they should and should not do”. There are things we should and should not do. For what we should do, we should proactively do it. If it is right, we should just do it. If it is something we should not do, we must absolutely not do it. This is a very simple principle, but among people, it is very difficult. So, we need to be very mindful in teaching others.
Tenth is “the World-Honored One”. The Buddha means “Wise One,” as there is nothing He does not know, or “Enlightened One,” as He is enlightened about all things in the world. He is “the World-Honored One”. “The World-Honored One” means He honored by all the world. This is the Buddha’s achievement. When all Buddhas achieve this, they are replete in these ten epithets. They must be perfect in these ten virtues; and they have attained Buddhahood. It is the same for Kaundinya, he still has a long time to go before attaining Buddhahood. He must still work very hard for a long time, [making offerings] to 62 trillion Buddhas and eliminate 62 trillion kinds of afflictions and ignorance. What every Buddha teaches is what he needs to accept and uphold for a long time. So, in the end, he will attain Buddhahood. However, he must be replete in these ten epithets in order to truly to have attained Buddhahood. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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