Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Meeting Again When Conditions Mature (緣熟相值 會遇見之)
Date: August.14.2017
“In response to conditions, [Bodhisattvas] come and go at the right time to promote the Dharma and transform others according to capacities using wisdom of the one reality of True Suchness. People do not know that this precious jewel is fastened to their clothes. A sense of remorse and patience can cover shameful resentment and guard against external evils.”
Over the past few days, we have discussed how the 500 disciples received predictions. They all rejoiced. This is because, in the past, they had remained in the Small Vehicle and sought only to benefit themselves. In this way, they had wasted a lot of time, which made them feel remorseful and repentant. Therefore, now that they had received the Buddha’s predictions, they were very happy. They came before Him to repent and gave this analogy. They [felt they] were just like a drunken man who goes to a dear friend’s home. When he gets there, in a drunken stupor he falls asleep. This was the kind of confused, drunken life he lived. He came to his dear friend’s house and fell fast asleep. As his close friend was leaving, he put a jewel inside his clothing. He hoped that when [his friend] woke up, he would have an abundance of material wealth to draw on. How was he to know that this drunken man would not be aware that he had this precious jewel on him? [The disciples] gave this analogy for themselves.
The 500 bhiksus, with one voice, expressed their remorse and repentance to the Buddha. This is an analogy for how “In response to conditions, [Bodhisattvas] come and go at the right time to promote the Dharma and transform others according to capacities.” As Bodhisattvas respond to the needs of the world, they come and go freely. They come for one reason only; they come to this world for one great cause, and for that one great cause they go among people. When there is suffering in the human realm, Bodhisattvas go among people to give. They give material things and give Dharma, benefiting everyone. When sentient beings have a difficult life and need material goods, they help them using worldly wealth and goods. In this world what people need are clothing to stay warm, food to eat their fill and shelter to live in safety. Clothing, food and shelter are essential in sentient beings’ lives. When sentient beings are impoverished, suffering, there needs to be people with love in the world. The Buddha teaches and transforms to inspire love in everyone’s heart. All Bodhisattvas go into the world to inspire [people to] bring their love together to help the impoverished and suffering.
“Having relieved them from suffering, [Bodhisattvas] then expound the Dharma for them.” Doesn’t it say this in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings? This is how all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, “in response to conditions come and go at the right time.” They respond to what sentient beings need. So, Bodhisattvas go and come over and over, constantly returning to go among people, “promote the Dharma and transform others according to capacities.” This is teaching according to capacities. When capacities and conditions are mature, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas manifest in the world. Once these capacities and conditions are complete, there are other places [where they are needed], so they have to start all over again. In the end, everything in the world is subject to the laws of nature. How much time do we have? How much time do we have to interact with each other?
So, they seize the causes, conditions and time to promote the Dharma according to capacities. They adapt to the capacities, the conditions and the length of time. With conditions, they meet people. With conditions, they teach according to capacities. They need to bring sentient beings relief and create good affinities, so they repeatedly return in this way to “promote the Dharma and transform others according to capacities.” They are in one place for a certain length of time. Following the laws of nature, once their causes and conditions are complete, they must leave and then come back again. This is “transforming others.” They come and go; they come to this place, then go to that place. They repeatedly go back and forth.
In our world now, it is the same. Our Bodhisattva [-volunteers] in [South] Africa travel abroad to transform people in other parts of Africa. From South Africa, they have gone to Swaziland, to Mozambique, to Zimbabwe, to Lesotho, to Botswana and so on. How long did it take them to come back? How long did it take them to get there? Every trip they take is due to causes and conditions that have matured. Every time they go there, new affinities are formed as some old affinities weaken and fade away. [Affinities] increase and decrease, but there are more that increase then decrease. As the number of Bodhisattva-seeds increases, suffering people have more chances to be saved. By the same principle, they go return in this way. They “come and go at the right time.” When it is time, everyone gathers together and travel three again. As they go, after a few days have passed, once they have completed [their work], they come home again. We see them forming more good affinities. We see suffering people receive timely aid. In this way, they come and go. This is what happens in this world. Bodhisattvas “promote the Dharma and transform others according to capacities.” In a longer time frame, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas repeatedly return in the same way, life after life. In the same way, “In response to conditions, Bodhisattvas come and go at the right time.” In the same way, they “promote the Dharma and transform others according to capacities.” Lifetime after lifetime, over countless kalpas they return in this way. No matter how they come and go, they use “wisdom of the one reality of True Suchness”. The apply this [wisdom of the] one reality. Which is the One Vehicle Dharma; this means that they teach the Bodhisattva Way. The human realm is inseparable from suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. It is inseparable from the causes and conditions. that bring about the accumulation of suffering. Since so many karmic conditions work to cause suffering, they must teach them methods to awaken the love and joy in their heart, to help others with an expansive heart of love; that is spiritual wealth, the “wisdom of the one reality of True Suchness”. Awakening the love in everyone’s intrinsic nature of True Suchness is the wisdom of True Suchness.
So, “People do not know that this precious jewel is fastened to their clothes. Unfortunately, we sentient beings [do not know] that we each have a jewel. Deep inside our clothes. Each of us have this jewel; it is just that we are unaware of this. Everyone intrinsically has this nature of True Suchness. Although we hear this and know it, we do not know how to make use of it. This is the case for Buddhist practitioners, let alone for those who are not practitioners. How would they know what the intrinsic nature of True Suchness is? They have even less of an idea. Those who know it cannot use it. As for those who do not know it, there is nothing to be done. So, “A sense of remorse and patience can cover shameful resentment. We are spiritual practitioners, so we know this we know that we have this jewel of True Suchness. We want to engage in spiritual practice and manifest the appearance of a practitioner, so we became monastics. As spiritual practitioners, we have all donned the “clothing of gentleness and patience”. We must be patient with worldly matters, patiently endure greed, anger ignorance, doubt and arrogance. We have five kinds of poisonous thoughts, greed, anger, ignorance and doubt. Just these five alone can spread to cover heaven and earth, creating much ignorance, dust-like delusions and afflictions. So, we must engage in spiritual practice. this is like donning “clothing of gentleness and patience to cover [our ignorance and afflictions]. This is like how Tzu Chi volunteers are always very uniform, whether they are wearing a suit, a mandarin gown, the “Eightfold Noble Path” dress, or the blue and white volunteer uniform. Everyone chooses what to wear according to the occasion. The blue and white uniform means they are getting to work. They want to get moving and do work. They wish to dedicate themselves to help people; there are many things that need to be done.
When people see the blue and white of the [volunteer] uniforms, they give rise to a sense of reverence. When they see the suits and mandarin gowns, they know there is a big, formal event. When the commissioners wear the “Eight Noble Path” dress the event is more casual, such as when we gather together to listen to the Dharma, to hold meetings and so on. by looking at our appearance, everyone can tell what kind of work this organization is doing. When something bad happens to someone. And they see this group coming, they say, “The Tzu Chi volunteers have come! I feel safe now, Tzu Chi volunteers are here.” Clearly, this external appearance must be consistent with our inner state. our inner cultivation is expressed through external action. So, we have “internal merits and external virtues. Inner cultivation is cultivating one’s own mind. External practice is being humble and accommodating in our appearance, in the way we treat people etc. So, we need to have patience. Being humble and accommodating like this and giving unconditionally to others can tame our thoughts of greed, anger and ignorance. This happens internally. When inside our minds we have already tamed our greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt, this is expressed outwardly. This is the kind of organization we are. We are an organization of monastic practitioners and Dharma-protectors. In our organization, we listen to the Dharma, teach the Dharma and practice the true Dharma. This requires all of us to earnestly our hearts into it. If we have “a sense of remorse and patience,” we can constantly train our minds. We need to have this kind of mindset. It is like wearing the clothing of gentleness and patience to protect our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. It must remain untainted; we must not allow afflictions and all kinds of evil thoughts from the outside to enter and disturb our minds. Then, in our actions, we will not do the wrong do the wrong things. This is to “cover shameful resentment and guard against external evils. This is why an organization needs to be uniform and why a Sangha needs rules. This is the way it is. So, we need to be very mindful. As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must learn to give according to the needs of the world. This is the Great Vehicle Dharma. An example of giving according to the world’s needs is our response to the imbalance in the climate.
For instance, last year (2015), in July and August, there was again heavy flooding in Myanmar; there were heavy rains. That flooding caused great losses to the farmers. The rice they were about to harvest was all damaged by the water. These farmers were already poor to begin with. They already had to borrow rice seeds for planting every year, and the interest on the borrowed seeds was high. After the harvest, once they had paid their creditors, what remained was only enough for them to fill their own bellies. There was no extra money. So, when you look at those villages, everyone’s homes are made of straw; from the outside you can see through to the back of the house. There are many impoverished farmers. When Tzu Chi volunteers in Malaysia heard the news, they quickly went to Myanmar to meet them and assess the damage; it was very severe! They started to make plans, and the information was sent back to Taiwan. They reported that their plan to assist them was to distribute rice seeds to them. They then started to distribute them to the villages. Many people received the seeds and were very grateful and joyful. At that time, everyone was very earnest and quickly went to again plow and plant the fields. They were joyful and grateful.
One of them was U San Thein. This farmer was very grateful. So, he called a group of people together [and told them] what happened a few years ago, when Tzu Chi volunteers came. As the farmers went to receive them rice seeds, our volunteers told them about how several years ago, when Cyclone Nargis struck, Tzu Chi volunteers had also assisted farmers by giving them rice seeds. They shared with them how at that time U Thein Tun cultivated his fields and accepted Tzu Chi. U Thein Tun also came to tell his story in person. The person [we speak of now] is U san Thein; their name are very similar. When he heard the story, he was very moved. So, he called together these farmers, more than 50 households. His village had more than 100 households. There were 50 households that had land to farm. Others were so poor they did not have any land, so they worked as laborers, helping to harvest rice etc. Planting seedlings and harvesting rice cannot be done by a single person; there has to be other people to help. So, some of them worked for wages; they did not own land. U San Thein urged everyone, “We must do as U Thein Tun did and sign up for volunteer training.” As a result, a good number of people in this village joined volunteer training. Then they heard Tzu Chi volunteers talking about the spirit of the bamboo banks. It has been 50 years. Starting 50 years ago, [this organization] started from nothing, and now extends from Taiwan all around the world. Tzu Chi has helped more than 90 countries. In Taiwan, we have also built hospitals. In other countries, we have also built schools. We practice charity, medicine, education and humanistic culture. Hearing all this, U San Thein was very moved. As he was going through volunteer training, he started calling on everyone to made deposits in “rice bamboo banks. We don’t have money, but as we eat our three meals a day, we can put aside a handful of rice. We can learn from U Thein Tun’s spirit. We should also be able to do it! If U Thein Tun can do it, we can too!” Thus, he started to promote this campaign. He spent his own money to buy plastic containers and gave them to everyone. There was a total of more than 100 households, and more than 50 received rice seeds from us. People without land did not receive [seeds]. But these people without land told U San Thein, “Although I did not receive rice seeds, because people need to plant the seedlings, I have employment, so I have also benefited. So, I am also willing to set aside a handful or rice daily”. Therefore, a total of more than 90 people took rice banks home. After saving up for one or two months, they brought all the rice banks back. When they were poured together, there were 96 kilograms of rice. With these 96 kilograms of rice, they made careful calculations. They said, “In terms of a family of five people, this can sustain them for 36 days. This can feed an entire family. In terms of one day of food, this can give more than 200 people. These 96 kilograms of rice had been accumulated by everyone, one handful at a time. When Tzu Chi volunteers heard the news, they traveled from Yangon to this village. They began telling them more about Tzu Chi. Everyone was very happy and motivated. We saw them gathered together, sitting under a tree listening to the Dharma. Our Tzu Chi volunteers [showed] them my morning Dharma-talks that are broadcast on Da Ai TV, watching them over the Internet. They emulated our African Bodhisattvas. Like them, they brought computers to the villages and clicked on the program for everyone to see. Likewise, a large number of people gathered there to listen to the Dharma and to hear stories from our Tzu Chi commissioners. We saw certified volunteers and gray-shirt volunteers who were not yet certified going to the villages to spread seeds of goodness. After helping people overcome their difficulties, they then taught them the Dharma. Think about it; isn’t this awakening love? Although they are poor, their hearts are rich with love.
So, we say, “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings”. The Buddha teaches sentient beings to go among people there is a pure nature of True Suchness deep inside everyone’s minds. If we are mindful, we can constantly exercise this pure nature of True Suchness in our lives and not be tainted by the turbidities outside. Seeing suffering, we recognize our blessings; by then giving of ourselves, we become filled with Dharma-joy. This is our spiritual training ground.
Let us look at the precious sutra passage. “That man, frunk and asleep, was unaware of this. After he got up, he travelled to other lands. For the sake of clothing and food, he had to seek with great effort. It was extremely difficult. If he attained even a little, he would be content.
This is what the pervious passage states. This drunk man was intoxicated by the wine of the Three Poisons. He had lived his life in a drunken stupor. “That man, drunk and sleep, was unaware of this.” He had been intoxicated like this his whole life. Though he had already received this jewel when he came to his friend’s home, he was unaware. Yet, after this, after he got up, he travelled to other lands. They likewise started to understand. In this life, they heard the Dharma and started to journey within the Dharma. “For the sake of clothing and food, he had to seek with great effort. This refers to seeking the Small Vehicle Dharma, the Four Noble Truths. They were really putting their hearts into training into training their own minds, into finding ways to settle their minds and attain spiritual powers to follow their minds’ desire. “Following the mind’s desire” is understanding the Small Vehicle Dharma, how to enter Samadhi, how to enter a meditative state so that we can eliminate the ignorance and afflictions of cyclic existence.
Actually, regarding the ignorance and afflictions of cyclic existence, the Buddha wanted us to first trains our minds to let us settle down and focus our attention so that it is not scattered within greed, anger and ignorance, connecting to external states and creating karma. so, He taught many methods, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, listening, contemplating, practicing and so on, and everyone put in a lot of effort. Among those spiritual practitioners, some engaged in ascetic practice etc. “It was extremely difficult. If he attained even a little, he would be content. In the process of spiritual practice, we must abide by the rules, rules regarding enduring suffering, hard work etc. so, [these people would think], “I know this method, so I won’t be reborn in the human realm; I will no longer transmigrate in the Six Realms. Because of this, they thought they had already attained thorough understanding of the Dharma. So, they felt very satisfied. They thought this was all there was to it. The Buddha always taught that we need benefit themselves and also need to benefit others, that the true spiritual training ground is among people. They still had not yet penetrated this principle, so they remained in their current state.
The next sutra passage says, “Later his friend encountered himand said these words, ‘Alas! Great man, how did you come to be like this for the sake of food and clothing? In the past, I wanted to help you attain peace and joy, freely enjoying the five desires.’”
“Those disciples” represent these over 500 people. They reproached themselves; they had already come before the Buddha to reproach themselves. They felt that they had very dull capabilities. Only now had they attained understanding, because they had learned from how Sariputra, Venerable Kasyapa, Purna Maitrayaniputra and so on, these bhiksus with great virtues, had all received predictions of Buddhahood, one after another. From these people’s example, they had now seen the True Dharma of the One Vehicle of True Suchness, They had now understood the meaning of the True Dharma of the Great Vehicle. Only now had they started to understand this.
Those disciples used a parable: They reproached themselves for having dull capabilities. Only now did they become aware of this. They comprehended that when those bhiksus of great virtues such as Sariputra and the others received predictions one after another, that revealed the meaning of the True Dharma of the Great Vehicle.
So it says, “Later his friend encountered him.” This is an analogy for Sakyamuni Buddha manifesting in the Saha World, in the human realm. Of course, those disciples were in the human realm too. So, He “again encountered [them]” refers to previous lives this did not just happen in this lifetime, but also in countless past lifetimes. Thus it says “encountered”.
Later his friend encountered him: This is an analogy for how. Sakyamuni manifested in the Saha World and again encountered those sentient beings from previous dust-inked kalpas whom He had the conditions to teach and transform.
In this present life, He encountered them again. He had taught them in the past. After, according to the laws of nature, that life ended, they were reborn. Their circumstantial and direct retributions brought them to this place at the same time. In the Saha World, in this place, they met again. This is “again encountering those sentient beings from previous dust-inked kalpas. Previous dust-inked kalpas means that these karmic condition were already there in the past. The people who were taught and transformed by the 16th prince had these karmic conditions that lasted through dust-inked kalpas until the present, when they encountered each other again. This refers to those who accepted the 16th prince’s teachings when they expounded the Lotus Sutra, the Great Vehicle Dharma. Now they had encountered Him again. “Encountered him” is an analogy for how causes and conditions had matured for them to follow the Buddha to become monastics.
Encountered him: This means that the condition had matured so they could meet each other. For 40 years they came to the door and received the teachings, but they did not accept the Buddha’s heart-seal. Even if they had already met Him, it was as if they had never met. They were still unable to see the truth. Now they realized this truth and they spoke in the same voice and spirit. Only when their minds encountered these timely teachings could it be said that they had encountered [Him].
Over 40 years had already passed, and the Dharma-door they had practiced was and the Dharma-door they had practiced was to follow whatever the Buddha taught. However, they stopped there, at [the level of] their own capabilities. The Buddha [presented] His heart-seal, His heart-seal, His intent, but their capabilities were not mature yet, so they could not accept the Buddha’s heart-seal. Purna Maitrayaniputra, for example, could already understand the Buddha’s original intent. This [intent] was His heart-seal. But they did not understand it yet. “Even if they had already met Him, “They were still unable to see the truth. Even in the span of 40 years, they still could not comprehend the Buddha’s mindset or the true principles. So, meeting Him was the same as not meeting him. Living in the Buddha’s era was the same as living a different era. Because they did not understand Buddha’s intent, they had not yet comprehended the Dharma. So, they could not see the true principles taught by the Buddha. this is like how we ourselves cannot see our intrinsic nature of True Suchness. It is the same for our nature of True Suchness. We have yet to resonate with our Buddha-nature. So, [Purna] had already realized his Buddha-nature. Our nature of True Suchness is still covered, so we have yet to encounter it. So, “Now they realized this truth and they spoke in the Same voice and spirit. “Only when their minds encountered these timely teachings…. Now, at this time, the Buddha had finisjed bestowing predictions on [these disciples]. At this time, everyone had already realized this principle. With one voice, they spoke together. To understand is to encounter. Everyone’s minds and the Buddha’s mind had already come together; this is “encountering”. The Buddha gives us teachings, and we must practice these lessons. We receive teachings according to capabilities. this [too is “encountering”]; it is truly seeing the Dharma and truly comprehending the Buddha’s mindset. “He said these words, ‘Alas! Great man.’”
He said these words, “Alas! Great man”: He very sincerely urged him on and inspired him. It means one who holds his head high in the sky and stands firmly on the ground is a true man.
Only now has the encounter taken place; they have truly encountered and comprehended the Buddha’s [teachings]. So, the Buddha understood their capabilities. and was now about to bestow predictions of the Great Vehicle Dharma upon them. Thus, He used more forceful language. “Alas! Great man.” This was to stir them up; with an urgency in His voice, He reproached them, spoke very sincerely. This means, “All of you, a great man stands between heaven and earth.” He “holds his head high in the sky and stands firmly on the ground.” This is standing between heaven and earth, with head touching the sky and feet planted on the ground. This is what a great man does. He was a great man. So, “How did you come to be like this for the sake of clothing and food? How did you end up in such dire straits now? You are still without clothing and food. You look so haggard, why?”
How did you come to be like this for the sake of clothing and food?: This means, why did they limit themselves to the Small Vehicle Nirvana? The Two Vehicle practitioners had bountiful capacities, so why were they content with limiting themselves to the Small [Vehicle] path?
This is an analogy. “Why did they limit themselves to the Small Vehicle Nirvana? Why do you only keep to the state of the Small Vehicle? Why don’t you walk toward the Great Vehicle? By practicing in solitude, you limit yourselves to the Small Vehicle Nirvana. Why do you [remain] like this? the Two Vehicle practitioners had bountiful capacities, so why were they content to limit themselves?”
Actually, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers were all very capable; they were all vessels of the Dharma. “Why are you not willing to your hearts and walk the great path? Why do you only benefit yourselves? In the past, I wanted to help you attain peace and joy, freely enjoying the five desires.”
In the past, I wanted to help you attain peace and joy, freely enjoying the five desires: The analogy of revealing the jewel again describes their causes and conditions. this refers to attaining unsurpassed peace and joy, enjoying themselves in the desires of the Fivefold Purifying Dharma.
“In the past, I already provided you with very ample [wealth] though that priceless jewel.” He again told them, “I have already given it to you. These are the causes and conditions; in the past, during the era of the 16 princes, I already gave you the Great Vehicle Dharma. Life after life I have taught and transformed you in this way. But with these causes and conditions, why is it that by this time you have not yet attained peace and joy? You should be able to take this Dharma and apply it with ease in your minds and thus attain unsurpassed peace and joy. You can enjoy yourselves in ‘the desires of the Fivefold Purifying Dharma.’ With the Fourfold Purifying Dharma, you can follow your mind’s desire. Why are you still so haggard at this time? You seem like a poor person. Why do you want to remain in the Small Vehicle? Why is the Dharma so lacking in your mind? I originally gave all of you Great Dharma. You still remain in the Small Dharma, only benefiting yourselves. From the beginning I wanted you to be very peaceful and happy, to have peace and joy in the five desires. Why are you doing this?” So, “peace and joy means there are no oppressing afflictions. This helps our minds be at ease. This is the “pure and clear Dharma-realm.” This is peace and joy.
Peace and joy: This means there are no oppressing afflictions. In this pure and clear Dharma-realm, everything is calm and tranquil. Hence, it says “peace and joy”. They can also bring peace and joy. To all sentient beings. so, it says “peace and joy”.
“Everything is calm and tranquil.” As everyone interacts with each other, in this world, everyone remains pure Ajnata Kaundinya received a prediction of Buddhahood. Purna Maitrayaniputra also received a prediction. Everyone’s pure lands will be very wonderful; everyone [there] teaches each other the Dharma. In this way, “Everything is calm and tranquil. Hence, it says ‘peact and joy.’”
This is a pure world, a spiritual state. “They also bring peace and joy to all sentient beings.” it is not just about their own peace and joy; they also need to bring peace and joy to all sentient beings. So, “It says ‘peace and joy.’” They themselves have peace and joy, and other people can also have peace and joy. In “freely enjoying the five desires,” the five desires are would-transcending, supreme and wondrous. They are not like the coarse and harmful worldly desires.” These are not the coarse five worldly desires. They are not about benefiting the body, simply eating until we are full, dressing prettily and having much fame, wealth and status. These are not the desires [the Buddha speaks of], the five desires that people have in this lifetime of samsara. Not at all.
These five desires are world-transcending, supreme and wondrous. They are not like the coarse and harmful worldly desires. The five worldly desires provide for and benefit physical body, the cravings that lead people to cyclic existence. The five world-transcending desires can provide for Dharma-body. These things that Buddhas take delight in bring Bodhi to fruition.
The five desires spoken of here are the five world-transcending desires. The five world-transcending desires can provide for our Dharma-body; they are Dharma. “These things that Buddhas take delight in….” A Buddha is an awakened person. [These things] “bring Bodhi into fruition.” These are the five desires.
The five world-transcending desires: 1. Having infinite Dharma-treasure: This is the treasure of wish-fulfilling jewels. 2. Hacing infinite good appearances: Thisis a complexion of radiant purple gold. 3. Being replete with the Ten Epithets: This is a name known in the ten directions. 4. Having Dharma-joy and meditation-joy: This is the food of liberation and ease. 5. Having great Samadhi of tranquility: This is true and eternal Samadhi.
There are five [world-transcending desires]. First, “having infinite Dharma-treasure”. This is “the treasure of wish-fulfilling jewels”. It is a wish-fulfilling jewel. If we earnestly engage in spiritual practice, what we seek is not worldly wealth but for our wishes to be fulfilled and to be peaceful and at ease. This is “the treasure of wish-fulfilling jewels.” Second is “having infinite good appearances”. We must earnestly practice and form good affinities with people, then naturally when people see us, they rejoice. This is like “a complexion of radiant purple gold. Third is “being replete with the Ten epithets, having “a name known in the ten directions”. For a Buddha to attain enlightenment, He must be replete with the Ten Epithets. We all know this. Four is “having Dharma-joy and meditation-joy.” Fifth is “having great Samadhi of tranquility.” These are the five kinds of desires. So, in learning the Buddha’s teachings we need to be very mindful. Each of us has a jewel on our bodies, but we do not know how to bring it out and use it. As spiritual practitioners we all know that the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different [in their nature]. We have wisdom equal to the Buddha’s and a nature of True Suchness equal to the Buddha’s. But we cover it with afflictions and ignorance. We must be very mindful.
This passage describes how the 500 disciples repented for their own [past mindset]. All of us need to earnestly repent. This “clothing of gentleness and patience, are we really wearing it? In our daily living, have we been indulging ourselves? We must be very mindful and self-aware. Have we properly applied what we know? Have we truly our wisdom into action? Are we benefiting sentient beings, accumulating merits and virtues? Are we in accord with sentient beings’ wishes? Do we have loving-kindness in our minds to care for living beings? We should always freely enjoy and be replete with these five virtues. In our spiritual practice, we must all always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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